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The NFL Report: Ohio State Reunion in Houston + Gregg Rosenthal Joins the Show

STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.

24 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Oct 14, 2026
Published
Wed, October 14, 2026
27
Player insights
20
Players mentioned
Topics
Lamar JacksonA.J. BrownC.J. StroudDrake MayeMarvin Harrison Jr.Sam DarnoldAaron RodgersBreece HallCaleb WilliamsDeVonta SmithGarrett WilsonJadarian PriceJalen HurtsJared Goff
Player analysis

Player insights

27

A.J. Brown

PositiveInjury0:04

A.J. Brown's 21-day practice window opened following his week one ankle sprain suffered in the loss to the Seahawks. Brown was placed on injured reserve and missed the last four games. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed Brown is now on the field for practice, with the team having won two straight games during his absence and Drake Maye accumulating eight total touchdowns in the last two games.

Insight page
NegativeInjury0:49

A.J. Brown mentioned as part of injury news segment to be covered in the show, indicating health status update is forthcoming.

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Aaron Rodgers

NegativeMatchup18:52

The source views the Buccaneers matchup as a significant test for Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh offense; Tampa Bay has the fifth-best defense in total efficiency and runs diverse blitzes under Todd Bowles, making it a litmus test for where the Steelers offense stands.

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Breece Hall

NegativeInjury21:20

Breece Hall remains unavailable; A.D. Mitchell had finger surgery, leaving the Jets offense without key weapons as Garrett Wilson noted it's a 'big game' for the team that could use reinforcements.

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C.J. Stroud

PositiveProjection5:20

C.J. Stroud is playing the best ball that maybe he's played as a pro; the source remains optimistic about the Texans despite their 1-4 record, citing Stroud's high-level play, the team's 11th-ranked DVOA, three one-score losses, and defensive talent that can make All-Pro teams at multiple levels.

Insight page
PositiveRole21:56

C.J. Stroud will play in the Texans' second game against Jacksonville in London, reuniting with college teammate Marvin Harrison who is making his debut.

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Caleb Williams

PositiveInjury0:56

Full participant in Bears walkthrough ahead of Falcons game on Sunday; best sign yet that Williams will return after missing past three weeks. Head coach Matt Eberflus stated Williams will be full in projected injury report and feels good about the plan in place, though final decision on Sunday participation remains fluid pending practice performance throughout the week.

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DeVonta Smith

NegativeInjury22:48

DeVonta Smith did not practice again, per Adam Schefter; his continued absence alongside Saquon Barkley is problematic for the Eagles' offense, which is struggling to function without both weapons.

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Drake Maye

PositiveProjection0:04

Drake Maye accumulated eight total touchdowns in the last two games for the Patriots during A.J. Brown's absence, demonstrating strong offensive production as the team won two straight games.

Insight page
PositiveProjection5:31

Drake Maye has thrown eight touchdowns over the last two weeks and is winning games for the Patriots; the source bought up all his stock when it was going poorly and highlights his talent, youth (still one of the youngest quarterbacks in the NFL), and ability to run the ball in addition to passing.

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Garrett Wilson

NegativeRole21:20

Garrett Wilson characterized the Jets' upcoming game as a 'big game' for the offense, which is dealing with injuries to Breece Hall and A.D. Mitchell and could use additional weapons.

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Jadarian Price

PositiveRole5:29

Jadarian Price will be returning soon to the Seahawks, contributing to the source's view that Seattle's offense will improve from its current inconsistent state.

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Jalen Hurts

NegativeRole22:48

Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense are struggling without Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith; the source notes that offensive coordinator Sean Manning has been 'trying to call plays with one hand behind his back' due to the absence of these key weapons.

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Jared Goff

PositiveProjection23:48

Jared Goff has risen two spots in Nick Shook's QB index rankings; notably, he has not thrown an interception or had a turnover/giveaway through the season so far, contributing to his improved standing.

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba

NegativeMatchup5:46

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who never drops a football, dropped a third-down catch in the Seahawks' loss to the Commanders; the source suggests that if JSN had made this catch, the game outcome might have been different.

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Jeremiyah Love

NegativeInjury23:27

Jeremiah Love has an ankle injury that kept him out of practice; there is a chance he may not play against the Rams, and rest will be vital for his recovery.

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Josh Allen

PositiveProjection23:48

Josh Allen has risen four spots in Nick Shook's QB index rankings, reflecting improved performance and standing among quarterbacks.

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Lamar Jackson

PositiveInjury0:03

Lamar Jackson missed Baltimore's week five win over the Falcons due to a sprained left ankle but is tracking in a positive direction for recovery. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter confirmed the injury is day-to-day and noted that Jackson, a two-time MVP, is working hard to return. Minter indicated Jackson could potentially play Sunday without practicing for two straight weeks, citing his elite-level status as a player capable of that recovery trajectory.

Insight page
NegativeInjury0:49

Lamar Jackson mentioned as banged up at this point in the season, consistent with injury updates being covered in the show's injury news segment alongside A.J. Brown.

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NegativeRole22:01

Lamar Jackson is mentioned as a potential beneficiary of Jacoby Lane's return; Lane is expected back in practice four weeks after wrist surgery and was impressive during camp.

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Marvin Harrison Jr.

PositiveRole0:04

Marvin Harrison will play Sunday against the Jags in London after joining the Texans. Harrison reunites with his college quarterback C.J. Stroud, with whom he has prior rapport and success. Harrison emphasized the positive impact of the overall situation—the team, being with Stroud, and the supporting cast—as factors making this an ideal landing spot for him.

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PositiveRole21:56

Marvin Harrison will make his debut for the Houston Texans alongside his former college quarterback C.J. Stroud in their second game against Jacksonville in London.

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Michael Penix Jr.

PositiveInjury3:54

Falcons quarterback unable to finish overtime loss to Ravens due to rib injury but on track to start against Bears. Kevin Stefanski confirmed he'll play as long as there aren't setbacks. Penix reported feeling good at practice, MRI and scanning came back positive, and he made every throw in practice despite discomfort; stated 'everyone's a little banged up at this point.'

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Sam Darnold

NegativeProjection5:09

Sam Darnold has been a turnover-a-game guy as a pro, and in this season he's been more than that; however, the source expects this to regress to the positive mean going forward.

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NegativeProjection5:43

Sam Darnold has thrown five interceptions in three games this season, with two coming Sunday against the 49ers; San Francisco converted those into touchdowns. Darnold acknowledges the need to tighten up ball security with the Broncos' defense looming and emphasizes the importance of protecting the football and being decisive through his reads.

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Saquon Barkley

NegativeInjury22:48

Saquon Barkley did not practice again, per Adam Schefter; his continued absence is problematic for the Eagles' offense, which is already struggling without him and DeVonta Smith.

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Zach Charbonnet

PositiveRole5:28

Zach Charbonnet will be returning soon to the Seahawks offense, which has been missing Anthony Bradford's blocking; his return is part of the source's expectation that the Seattle running game will improve.

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Full transcript

Episode Transcript

340
0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. Oh, Chicago.
0:03Here we go. They suffered a brutal loss to a divisional rival in Green Bay in week five.
0:08But there's reason to smile if you're a Bears fan.
0:11The Iceman. He's on the mend. We got the latest on Caleb Williams' potential return.
0:15Watch the Falcons lose in overtime without Michael Penix, who couldn't finish the game with a rib injury.
0:20Will he play against the Bears? We hear the answer directly from the quarterback.
0:24And the old adage is you are what your record says you are.
0:28It is true, but we'll sprinkle in some emotion and common sense and make the case for some teams who we think
0:34are better than what the record says. And welcome to a brand new edition of NFL Report.
0:39Mike Yam with you. Our good friend Greg Rosenthal is going to be in studio with me in just a couple minutes.
0:46We'll get his take on some sneaky good matchups in week number six.
0:49Not to mention, we got some injury news. A.J.
0:52Brown, Lamar Jackson. But we start the show, as always, with our top story headlines.
0:56Here we go. And it does center around Caleb Williams.
0:59The Bears quarterback got a little bit of good news.
1:02At least their fans did. Full participant in today's walkthrough ahead of the Falcons game on Sunday.
1:07Now, it's the best sign yet that Williams will return after missing the past three weeks.
1:12Here's his head coach. In regards to the quarterback situation, a lot of things have gone through our minds.
1:17And first and foremost, health is the number one priority for all three guys.
1:21I don't know that any of them are exactly 100 percent at this point of the season.
1:26And so that's something that we certainly look at.
1:29And we want whoever's out there to have a good rapport with the offensive line, with the operation, with our pass catchers.
1:35And so we want to make sure that we can get in a rhythm, which we weren't able to do last week as an offense.
1:42Fox is to check for Caleb. Are you preparing and planning for him to be a quarterback on Sunday?
1:48Or is it truly fluid right now? Yeah, it's still fluid.
1:51But, you know, I feel good about the plan that we have in place at this point.
1:56Do you expect him to be a full participant in your projected injury report today?
2:00That will come out shortly, won't it? He'll be full today.
2:03He'll be full. And is it safe to presume that so long as he is full in practice throughout the week, that
2:10that means that he's good enough to play on Sunday?
2:12Or is that a different conversation? We're going to figure out what's best for this football team to win this game on who plays on Sunday.
2:20You've got to love the Chicago media. Ask them like 10 different ways.
2:24Is the dude playing or not? We'll find out soon enough.
2:27Also, speaking of the Bears-Falcons game, Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix, unable to finish that overtime loss against the Ravens because of a rib injury.
2:34He is on track to start. Kevin Stefanski told reporters, as long as there aren't any setbacks, he'll be out there.
2:40Here's Penix. They're good. They're getting better every day.
2:42I felt good today at practice. And, you know, I know I'm going to continue to feel good.
2:48I just got to stay on top of my rehab and just make sure I'm doing all the right things.
2:53Is it a bruised rib or what exactly is it?
2:56Yeah, not going to get too much in detail on it, but I will say like MRI and all the scanning and stuff like that was positive.
3:04So we're good and I feel good to go this week.
3:07So that's the plan. Do you have any pain when you're out there?
3:11Any pain? It's not always comfortable, but I made every throw today.
3:14So you take with that what you want. I think everyone's a little banged up at this point, including this guy, Lamar
3:21Jackson, missed Baltimore's week five win over those Falcons because of that sprained left ankle.
3:25The good news is tracking in a positive direction for the two-time MVP.
3:29Jesse Minter asked for an update on his quarterback status.
3:32It's definitely day to day. You know, I think a lot of times those things right when they happen, you're not sure.
3:38And as you gather information, you look at stuff.
3:41But again, like to Lamar's credit, he's working his butt off.
3:44He's doing everything he can to be out here.
3:46And when he's able to be, then he will.
3:49Could he go the week without practicing two straight weeks and still play Sunday?
3:53You know, again, there is a level of player that is able to do that.
3:57And he certainly falls into that category. I would agree with that assessment.
4:01We know how talented he is. Meanwhile, some good news for the Patriots.
4:05Their head coach, Mike Vrabel, said A.J. Brown's 21-day practice window opening today.
4:09So, yeah, he's out on that football field. Brown suffered that ankle sprain in the week one loss to the Seahawks.
4:15He was placed on injury reserve, missing the last four games.
4:18Patriots have won two straight. Drake Mays got eight total touchdowns in the last two.
4:22And there's more potential reinforcements. Mike Reese putting this out on social.
4:26Christian Gonzalez expected to return to practice today. That's a positive, though.
4:29Doesn't expect Carlton Davis, though, to be back at practice.
4:32All right. With certainly huge news, C.J. Stroud getting to play with his college quarterback.
4:36Or, excuse me, Marvin Harrison getting to play with his quarterback, C.J.
4:40Stroud there. D'Amico Ryan said Marvin Harrison will play Sunday against the Jags in London.
4:44Here's Harrison on his new digs. I think it's just a combination of everything, really.
4:49I don't think it's – you can't pinpoint one thing.
4:51I think the team as a whole, you know, it's great for me, great situation for me.
4:56Being with C.J., obviously, being with a quarterback that you have rapport with and have success with in the past is always great, too.
5:03So, just obviously, like you said, being around Nika, being around a bunch of other guys.
5:08So, I think just everything in totality is going to make the best situation for me.
5:12It's going to be awesome to see him live up to that hype of the fourth overall selection.
5:18Dallas, their defense, it was an issue last year.
5:20It's a problem this season as well. The unit, 26th in the league in points allowed, 25th in passing touchdowns.
5:26Brian Schottenheimer hired Mike Pettin as a defensive assistant.
5:29But shortly – or, excuse me, Shadi actually made it clear that Christian Parker is still running the show.
5:34How's the dynamic – Pettin's ear came in yesterday.
5:37How's the dynamic going to work? Is CP still going to have the final say or are they going to work together?
5:43Christian Parker is our defensive coordinator and everything – all decisions will run through him.
5:47We're supporting him. I support him. I believe so strongly in the guy.
5:51I do. I think the guy is an incredible football coach.
5:54We have to coach better. We've got to play better.
5:57I think, you know, our players will be the first ones to say, you know, there's things that they need to do better.
6:04There's things I need to do better. And so no one is sitting here pointing the fingers at Christian Parker.
6:10But as the head coach, you have to make decisions that you think helps you win games.
6:15And that's in all three phases. And that's not just adding a Mike Pettin.
6:19It's some of the personnel adjustments that I know you guys are dying to know about that are being worked on behind
6:25the scenes and communicated to the players. But, again, we're through the first quarter of the season.
6:30And we're 2-3 like a lot of other teams.
6:32And getting ready to go play a very important game against a good opponent on Sunday night in Green Bay.
6:38Definitely looking forward to that matchup. Meanwhile, Sam Darnold has thrown five interceptions in three games this season.
6:43Two of them coming Sunday against the Niners. San Francisco turned those into touchdowns.
6:47Darnold knows things need to tighten up fast with the Broncos' defense looming.
6:51There's a sense of urgency. I think that term, you know, that phrase, like sense of urgency, it's been thrown around a lot the last couple days.
6:59And it's true. You know, there needs to be a sense of urgency to get better and have ball security.
7:05For me personally, like I'm going to continue to try to be as decisive as I can be and go through my
7:11reads and trust what I see, trust my feet, all those things.
7:15But, yeah, can't have turnovers. You know, you've got to protect the football in this league.
7:19And if you don't, you'll pay. What's Brian's demeanor been like this week?
7:23And what's the gist of his message to you guys offensively?
7:26Yeah, he's been great. You know, he's been the same.
7:29Nothing, nothing's changed. You know, for us, it's just, again, it's just about turning the page and understanding that we have a
7:35really good defense we're going up against Thursday night and getting as prepared as we can be to face them.
7:41Well, regardless of how this game plays out, both teams are going to look good.
7:45Take a closer look at those throwback unis. Now, considering how the season's gone, an important game for both Seattle and Denver
7:52as they kick off our coverage this week of week number six on TNF.
7:56And speaking of the Seahawks, how about the Super Bowl champs right now?
8:00According to FanDuel Sportsbook, plus 1,200 to repeat as your Super Bowl winner.
8:03San Francisco, man, off to an awesome start. Right now, the odds on favorite to go and win that Super Bowl, the super team.
8:10I have air quotes up in the air, which you can't see because you're looking at the Los Angeles Rams at plus 750 for a little bit more.
8:18Greg Rosenthal, I appreciate you staying a little overtime, man.
8:21NFL Daily, you can catch it Monday through Friday, 6 Eastern time.
8:25Sorry, we're West Coast, so I'm sometimes doing the math, minus plus three, the whole thing is an issue for me.
8:31But when I started thinking about some of these teams that are out there, that really might be better than their record.
8:37Seattle, to me, seems like one of those squads.
8:40They absolutely are. That was a disrespectful graphic, frankly.
8:42If I'm a Seahawks fan, you think this Rams team with their problems are way ahead of us?
8:47They are better than their 3-2 record because of the defense.
8:51You can take the Vikings as the best defense in the league.
8:54The rest of the season, I still think it's Seattle.
8:57They are everything that we expected them to be on defense this season.
9:01Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, wreck and shop. Nicky Manwari is back, and he changes their back end.
9:06I love the way Witherspoon is playing. We're watching the reason why they're 3-2.
9:10The offense has been inconsistent, to put it nicely.
9:12Sam Darnold's a turnover-a-game guy as a pro. And in this season, he's been more than that.
9:17And I do think that will regress to the positive mean.
9:20For the most part, they are still getting chunk plays on play-action passes.
9:24The running game, they miss Anthony Bradford in terms of their blocking.
9:28He'll be back soon. They'll get Zach Charbonnet back.
9:30They'll get Jadarian Price back. It's not going to be a great offense, but it's a very good offense.
9:36I do think the best three teams right now in the NFC are still in the NFC West.
9:41Okay, yeah. Look, absolute studs across the board. I mean, and we might be talking about a different result.
9:46I mean, if JSN, who never drops a football drop, you know, is able to reel in that catch on a third down, maybe it's a different conversation.
9:54Cooper Cup, but real time, I felt like that was actually...
9:58The commanders loss was fluky. I mean, the whole thing.
10:00They outgained him by about 150. Yeah, the whole thing is just weird, but the jury's obviously still out on this Seattle squad in terms of that record.
10:09The Texans sending out one and four. There were some people on NFL.com before the season started.
10:13It was like, yo, Super Bowl team. Yeah, that was...
10:16Unfortunately. And I'm not giving up on this team at one and four.
10:20We got C.J. Stroud playing the best ball that maybe he's played as a pro.
10:24And you're like, oh, yeah, you're talking about C.J.
10:27Stroud. They didn't have a win before the last...
10:30Just watch the tape. You know who's watching is their GM who went and added another piece and said, let's just quit
10:36on even trying to be a running team and let's go spread.
10:39Let's go shred. And our defense is still awesome.
10:42This is a team right now in DVOA which measures overall efficiency.
10:4511th in the NFL overall. Three one-score losses. And I still think the defense can dominate.
10:50They're basically even on the year in terms of point differential.
10:53So you have a really good coach, you have a quarterback playing at a high level, and you've got defensive talent that
11:00can make all pro teams at multiple levels. So I do think if they can win this game against Jacksonville and you
11:06look at their schedule, they could go on a run and the people like me who had them in the Super Bowl
11:12will be feeling a little better even by midseason.
11:15To be fair, Greg, I legitimately knew some people had them on NFL.com.
11:19I didn't know it was you. I gotta wear it.
11:21I gotta wear it. I would have positioned that a little bit differently.
11:25Patriots, by the way, they were in the Super Bowl.
11:28Last two weeks, though, I think things have... I mean, Drake Mays got eight touchdowns the last two weeks and they're winning games.
11:35Two nice wins for them. I feel like it's turning around.
11:38They were really tested. And to go to Buffalo and win that game when they were down at one point, and then
11:44to blow out the Raiders, that's great in terms of the offense.
11:48I bought up all the Drake Mays stock when it was going poorly.
11:52We've seen the kind of talent that he has.
11:54He's still one of the youngest quarterbacks in the entire NFL.
11:57He's running the ball great in addition to passing.
12:00The reason why they're better than this record is this defense is so well coached, and it's guys you haven't heard of.
12:06Gabe Ackes, who's a rookie, playing great. Elijah Ponder is a potential pro bowler.
12:10And then you have Milton Williams on the inside.
12:13I think Carlton Davis and Christian Gonzalez are the best cornerback duo in the NFL right now.
12:18And they didn't even play last week against the Raiders.
12:21And so when you watch what they're doing on a week-to-week basis, to me they are one of the best coach defenses.
12:27So you got that and a young quarterback, I think they'll be fine.
12:31Yeah, and by the way, just knocking on the door, A.J.
12:34Brown could be back relatively soon. That would definitely be a positive.
12:37Of course, he's been sitting on injured reserve since week number one.
12:41More from Greg coming up in just a bit.
12:43In fact, we'll take a closer look at some of those week six matchups.
12:47Yeah, and speaking of some of those week six matchups, there's a ton of good ones out on the table.
12:53In fact, anyone can tell you about the ones that are obviously great, but we're asking Greg to dig a little bit deeper.
13:00The sneaky ones that's got his attention, that's still to come.
13:03Back here on NFL Report, Mike, I'm with you.
13:06And the Chiefs, they're undefeated. And the offense has looked terrific.
13:09KC ranking fifth in points per game, second in total yards.
13:12As they get set to host the Chargers, Patrick Mahomes thinks things can actually get better.
13:17We've had to be consistent throughout the entire game.
13:19Obviously, we've had the explosive plays, which are awesome.
13:22And you want to keep those going. But I've got to be more consistent getting the ball to my hand.
13:28I've got to be more consistent going through my reads and getting to the right progressions.
13:32But the guys are getting open. And I think that's the most important thing.
13:36And as I get more and more comfortable getting back at it, and I can start getting through those progressions, we'll hit those guys.
13:43And if we can take that consistency to another level, I think the offense will even take another step.
13:49Two words for that. Kenneth Walker. How about this?
13:51Todd Ball saying Baker Mayfield is going to try to throw and test his injured thumb this afternoon, but any return is
13:58hypothetical until he clears that first step. Remember, Baker dealing with the dislocated finger did have some surgery on that.
14:03But boy, oh boy, a 1-4 start for Tampa Bay.
14:06Things need to improve pretty quickly here. I know they got that win the other day, but not what we anticipated.
14:12Three straight losses. Two of them, not exactly close.
14:15Saints off to a 1-4 start second year in a row.
14:18The owner, Gail Benson, said this about the start.
14:21I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard.
14:26Head coach, Kellen Moore, responded today. Mrs. B is great.
14:28And, you know, she, like all of us, we all want better results.
14:32And that's how this business is. And so, you know, we got great guys in this building that are doing everything they can to find the formula.
14:40And, you know, all we can control is moving forward as far as, you know, playing better, coaching better.
14:45Giving ourselves the opportunities moving forward. And so, you know, I think our guys have the right mindset against the NFL.
14:52There's ups and there's downs. And, you know, it's about navigating those and getting better moving forward.
14:56Meanwhile, the Jets, their wide receiver Garrett Wilson, averaging career highs and receptions per game, receiving yards per game, and touchdowns per game.
15:03Yeah, the trend is going to have to continue for gang green to get a win against a surging Patriots team.
15:09I mean, it's just a new season, you know, at the end of the day.
15:13And, you know, we're five games in, six games in.
15:16It's, there's a premium on this one because it is our first one.
15:20And I don't know how to exactly put it, but it's a big game.
15:24We're going to be ready to play. I'm excited for it.
15:27Yeah, you know, I think it's just a new season.
15:30We got new guys, new faces in here. Let's go, let's go get a win because that's the opponent, you know.
15:36I think he should put that on the T-shirt.
15:39Big game. All right, a weird season. It's been for the Eagles.
15:42There's some good news today. Their guard, Landon Dickerson, on injured reserve, what was described as a bone bruise in his right knee.
15:49Well, his 21-day window is open, which means he can start practicing.
15:52They certainly could use the boost up front because Philly is trying to get over a heartbreaking loss to the Jags in London.
15:59Nick Sirianni owned the loss, but they need to get their minds right.
16:03All right, Carolina led by Bryce Young. The offense is playing as well as any in the league, and Sirianni knows it.
16:09Man, he's playing really good football. He can get the ball out really quick.
16:13He's got a great release. I think he really processes the game fast.
16:17You can tell that. I got a lot of respect for him.
16:20You know, a guy whose career started off, I would say, slow, right, is watching it from afar.
16:26And with time, you know, has become a good, solid quarterback.
16:29And I got a lot of respect for guys that can do that.
16:33And he's playing good football, and they're doing a good job as coaches.
16:36And so, you know, we got a really solid team coming in here this week and with a really solid quarterback.
16:42And here's a closer look at the Week 6 schedule.
16:45Just gave you a couple minutes ago that Baker news.
16:48So maybe that's a different type of game, mashing up against the Steelers.
16:52Earlier here on NFL, report with Coach Caleb Williams at least tracking for a return.
16:56And Michael Penix also out there as well. And we do expect, according to Kevin Stefanski, no setbacks.
17:01He will start that game. Your primetime matchups here.
17:04Greg was just telling us how much he loves the Seattle squad.
17:07He'll get tested against a very talented Denver team.
17:10Maybe Dallas can figure things out. And last time I checked, the San Francisco 49ers, absolute monsters.
17:15If I said to you, give me a matchup, give me two matchups that are just a little under the radar that you think could really be entertaining.
17:23We don't want the obvious. We want like a little bit of fun slop.
17:27And two teams that we don't know what they're doing.
17:30I'm going to go Eagles and Carolina. When the Panthers offense specifically is on the field in this game, I think it's
17:36a fascinating matchup because what Philadelphia showed last week, and for most of that game against L.A.
17:41was the defense we were expecting. A defense so good, it could still carry this team to the division title.
17:47Jalen Carter just took over that game. And the secondary is really starting to communicate like they did a year ago.
17:53Now against Bryce Young, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league, bar none, getting Jalen Coker back against this defense.
18:00On the other sides of the ball, they're both the weaker sides.
18:03But is this a team that's going to be taken for real all season long in Carolina?
18:08I think this is a winnable game if Bryce Young can deliver against one of the best defenses in the league.
18:14I love it. You mentioned Philadelphia's defense. And you had me rethinking a little bit on the fantasy show, not to go
18:21too far ahead, but a little bit later tonight, I actually think Bryce Young could finish his quarterback number one.
18:26That was my bold take. It's spicy. At the end of the season.
18:30No, no, no, no, no. Just for this week.
18:33Ooh. It's bold. It's spicy. It's spicy for me.
18:35I respect Vic Fangio too much. Well, sometimes my takes, I get yelled at that they're not spicy enough.
18:41So I was trying to deliver. Give me another matchup here.
18:44Okay. I like this Steelers-Buccaneers game, no matter who is that quarterback for the Buccaneers.
18:48Because look, Jalen Daniels was a lot of fun to watch.
18:52But this Pittsburgh team, with Aaron Rodgers moving better in the pocket, is someone that I want to see tested against a good defense.
18:59And you look at the record for the Buccaneers, they could have fit in that segment better than their record shows.
19:05Overall, they have the fifth best defense in total efficiency.
19:07Todd Bowles loves to run a lot of different games and blitzes up front.
19:12So I think that's a great test for what Aaron Rodgers has to do.
19:16They're a little banged up in terms of their receiver group.
19:19And I do think with their talent on defense, Pittsburgh ceiling and Tampa ceiling, both a little higher than most people think.
19:25Tampa, I think, can get back into this NFC South race.
19:28Pittsburgh can get on a little bit of a roll.
19:31And I did have them as a playoff team coming into the season, going over to Paris next week.
19:37I have some self-interest. I'm going there as well.
19:39So I'd like to see them on a winning streak.
19:42But I think it's a very tough matchup and kind of a litmus test for where this offense is at.
19:48Can I just tell you the Bucs win in this division?
19:51That's a spicy take from you. I mean, it's the Falcons.
19:54Do we really trust them? It's this Panthers defense.
19:57I like the Panthers, though. I do as well.
19:59But to me, the most talented lines in the division is the Tampa offensive line and defensive line.
20:05All right. NFL Daily. Greg was good enough to hang with us after his show.
20:09If you're not missing it or if you are missing it, bad job by you.
20:13He is the soundtrack of my drives in the car.
20:16You can check it out as a podcast. And, of course, here on the NFL channel at 6 Eastern time Monday through Friday.
20:23This dude, he just continues to just give us gems.
20:26Appreciate you stopping by with us. And we still got more to come here on the NFL Report.
20:31In fact, yesterday, Nick Shook was in studio with me on the show.
20:35Dude's kind of like a glutton for punishment. He does power rankings, and then he's got his quarterback index.
20:40It feels like no one's ever happy with him.
20:43But there was shakeup in his cute quarterbacks. We'll give you those rankings still to come.
20:47All right, football fans, I got something for you.
20:50It's NFL Plus Premium. You can get NFL Red Zone.
20:53Watch every touchdown every Sunday afternoon, including the ones where Justin Jefferson is triple teamed.
20:57We got you covered during the regular season. We got game replays.
21:01We can track advanced analytics powered by next-gen stats with NFL Pro.
21:04You can sign up today at plus.nfl.com slash fast.
21:07Terms and conditions apply. All right, we got some quick hits for you.
21:10Some newsy items that you need to be aware of, especially from a fantasy perspective, because the fantasy show is coming up
21:17in just a few minutes here on the NFL channel.
21:20But sounds like not yet for Brees Hall. A.D.
21:22Mitchell had surgery on his finger. So the Jets in that offense, we heard Garrett Wilson call it a big you-know-what game.
21:29Could use a little bit of help and reinforcements.
21:31Houston Texans, Braden Smith, activated him off the IR, which is certainly big news from that perspective.
21:36Houston, big game for that squad. Marvin Harrison will make his debut along with C.J.
21:40Stroud, his old college quarterback. See, round two, he was able to get that right.
21:45Meanwhile, how about the Jags? Just hanging out in London, having a little bit of fun.
21:49That's the opponent, that Houston Texans squad. It is their second game.
21:53It's their home away from home. And, of course, 9.30 a.m.
21:56Eastern Time, NFL Network and streaming on NFL+. Now, we told you a little bit about Lamar Jackson.
22:01How about Mike Arafalo giving us this gem? Jacoby Lane, that rookie, expected to return to practice four weeks after that wrist surgery.
22:08The rookie, yeah, during camp, he was impressive. I think there was a lot of folks that thought he'd be a big part of this team's offense.
22:16Just another potential weapon for either Lamar Jackson, if he plays, or Snoop Huntley, who just figures out ways to get it done on the offensive side.
22:23Broncos safety talent, Oufunga, left Sunday's game against the Chargers with an ankle injury.
22:27Dude's expected to miss multiple weeks. That is a huge blow for that team's defense.
22:32ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting he could miss two to three weeks depending on how he recovers.
22:37That could push Oufunga's absence through the Broncos bye week, which is week 10.
22:41Guy was all over the football field. He's been a monster so far this season.
22:45Been telling you a lot about this Eagles squad.
22:48No practice again today for Saquon Barkley and Devontae Smith.
22:50That, according to Adam Schefter, and that is not good news for a Philadelphia team.
22:55Still trying to figure things out offensively. I feel like Sean Manning, their offensive coordinator, has been trying to call plays with one hand behind his back.
23:03You don't have Barkley, you don't have Devontae Smith yet.
23:06Not a lot of great things are going to happen for your squad.
23:09Meanwhile, Chiefs, they get the Chargers. If KC wins, Andy Reid continues to add to his accolades.
23:14He'll join George Halas and Paul Brown as the only coaches to have six 5-0 starts.
23:19KC coming off the bye. Reid, for what it's worth, 22-5 in his career coming off of that bye week.
23:25Yeah, the guy on those sidelines, an absolute machine.
23:27Jeremiah Love, ankle injury, going to keep him out of practice today.
23:31Today, there's a chance he doesn't play against the Rams.
23:33That rest will be, for him, will be vital.
23:36Well, God, it would be great if he was healthy enough to play.
23:40All right, I made reference to this. Nick Shook, we love him here on the NFL channel.
23:45If you haven't checked out his QB index, you need to.
23:48Because Josh Allen has risen up four spots in the rankings.
23:51Jared Goff actually has risen two. Keep in mind, kind of a cool nug for Jared Goff.
23:56I should have known because he's on my fantasy squad.
23:59Doesn't have a turnover. Doesn't have a giveaway just yet so far this season.
24:03No interceptions on the year, but this is a heck of a list.
24:07We always talk about Nick Mann. People get into his inbox and playing about his rankings for power rankings.
24:12I know this has happened with the QB index.
24:15A little bit of a buzzkill, but he is a good sport about it.
24:19We got the fantasy show. It's kicking off in just a couple seconds here on the NFL channel.
24:24This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.

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