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00:00Let's get you set for week three in the Sunday slate around the National Football League.
00:05A week, Joe, that could dictate a lot for a season already here with the first three weeks of this NFL season.
00:14And we're going to learn a lot here in week three.
00:17I think week one, we overreact.
00:19Week two, we learn some things, but still a small sample size early on.
00:24Week three, I think we start to get a more clear picture on what these franchises truly have in store for the entirety of 2024.
00:33And there's a couple of spots on the slate where we are going to be taught many, many things, including at the Star Sunday afternoon in Dallas.
00:43It's the Cowboys and the Ravens.
00:46Dallas at home, an ever so slight favorite against the Baltimore Ravens, as you can see there.
00:53But again, it's ever so slight in favor of the Cowboys.
00:58And Joe, this is a very intriguing spot.
01:00Oh, now it's actually flipped to Baltimore.
01:01Excuse me.
01:02Point and a half in favor of the Ravens.
01:04Minus 112 on the money line, which I think also tells us a lot about what this game is expected to be.
01:11Because Baltimore is in danger of starting 0-3 if they are to lose on the road against the team we expect to be a conference contender.
01:21So, Ranieri, it's a virtual pick-em.
01:23Do the Ravens avoid an 0-3 start?
01:25And if so, that would mean Dallas starts just 1-2 as well.
01:30Hey, listen, Ben, it's kind of crazy when you look at this at this point.
01:35And we're going – I mean, we're talking the Ravens here, who are kind of in uncharted territory with the thought of starting 0-3.
01:42But usually Dallas is completely the opposite.
01:46Dallas is usually at this point – they've already boat raced a couple of teams.
01:51They're usually 2-0, about to be 3-0.
01:54We don't see the wheels falling off Dallas until usually after Thanksgiving.
02:00That's when the wheels really start to fall off.
02:02So right now, it's such an anomaly.
02:05I don't know what – I can't think of two teams I trust less than in a big game than these two right now.
02:12The offensive line issues for Baltimore are real.
02:15If Lamar Jackson doesn't do it, it's not going to get done.
02:19You're also exposing Lamar Jackson to taking way more hits than you should be at this point in his career.
02:26And what we saw from the Cowboys getting dismantled at home last week against the Saints, none of that to me is sustainable here.
02:36So I just don't know what we're going to get.
02:39It's a pick-em for a reason here.
02:42It's one of those games, Ben, where I'll take the over and I'll just sit back and watch this game and see what happens.
02:4847-and-a-half is that number.
02:51And, Joe, I think it's a pick-em because of uncertainty, not like great.
02:54We've got two heavyweights facing off in Dallas on Sunday.
02:59So here is what is at stake for the Ravens, who are 0-2 unexpectedly so because of Isaiah Likely's toe
03:07because of an utter collapse last week at home, leading by double digits early in the fourth quarter as an eight-and-a-half point favorite against the Las Vegas Raiders.
03:16Week two, far more damning than that season debut in Arrowhead.
03:21Since the postseason expanded to seven teams in each conference with the addition of that extra wild card team.
03:28That was back in 2020, Joe.
03:30Only two teams that have started winless 0-2 out of the 32 that have, have made the postseason.
03:37Only five of those 32 0-2 teams since the start of 2020 have even finished with a winning record.
03:44That's where it gets a little bit dicey for Baltimore.
03:46But the danger of starting 0-3 is almost insurmountable.
03:50Since 2000, Joe, only one team has started winless through the first three weeks.
03:560-3 and made it to the postseason.
03:58The 2018 Houston Texans, zero.
04:010-3 teams in the history of the National Football League have won a Super Bowl.
04:06And let's call a spade a spade.
04:08The Baltimore Ravens had that expectation this year to get back to the AFC title.
04:13To get past the Kansas City Chiefs.
04:15To use their two-time NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson, to contend for a Lombardi trophy.
04:20All of that could be out the window, Joe, based on the result Sunday afternoon at the Star.
04:27Yeah, and it's, it's kind of hard to believe that these are the two franchises
04:31that we have the most questions with heading into week three.
04:34I mean, there are some 2-0 teams that probably should not be 2-0.
04:39There's a couple of 0-2 teams that are better than that.
04:43But these two teams, my goodness, I have no idea.
04:47I do know that they are both similar where their former defensive coordinators
04:51and now head coaches.
04:53So there is an adjustment period here, Ben, because the preseason rankings
04:57for both these defenses were way higher than the level of play that we have seen.
05:03So I do think it's going to take a little while for everyone to get used to what's going on.
05:07You got Zimmer in the booth there for Dallas now.
05:10He's not Dan Quinn.
05:12They still have the talent, Ben, both.
05:14The question is, will the defenses get better this week moving forward?
05:19Or are we going to get what we got in the fourth quarter against the Raiders
05:23and in that game against the Saints?
05:25Time will tell.
05:27When Dallas gave up 44 points and never even had a puncher's chance,
05:31the Cowboys plus 850 now to win the NFC Championship,
05:35the longest number we have seen on Dallas at any point through the preseason,
05:39the off-season training camp or here early through the first two weeks,
05:43now entering week three.
05:45But that's been the issue, not regular season success for the Cowboys.
05:49The win total now for Dallas, just nine and a half, Joe.
05:52The Over still has the juice to get to double digits,
05:54but the Cowboys have won 12 games each of the past three seasons.
05:57Nine and a half the win total for Baltimore as well,
06:00the NFL's best team last year with the best mark at 13-4.
06:05Because Lamar Jackson has had to do everything,
06:08he has thrown for at least 247 in each of the first two games for the flock this season.
06:13You see his props for Sunday.
06:15He had 45 rushing yards last week, 16 carries for more than 100 yards in week number one.
06:21That's not necessarily a good thing that he's running like a chicken with his head cut off
06:26because his O-line cannot block anybody.
06:29Dak Prescott last week playing from behind against New Orleans,
06:33did throw for 293, but that's not really the recipe for success either.
06:37And I think the glaring issue for Dallas, Joe,
06:40outside of the defensive woes to start this season or at least week two against New Orleans
06:45is a non-existent ground game.
06:4821 carries for 68 yards as a team last week, just 3.2 yards per pop.
06:56Lamar is, and we'll get to it a little bit later,
06:58but he is somebody I'm going to be focusing on a lot of props this week here, Ben,
07:03because I have a feeling I know what we're going to get from him this week.
07:07Yeah, he's going to need a generational-type performance
07:11to avoid a generational failure through just three games for Baltimore this season.
07:20So now we go to New Orleans on a Sunday.
07:23The New Orleans Saints have maybe been the most impressive-slash-surprising team
07:27based on how dominant they have been, especially on the offensive end,
07:31in their first two weeks of this season.
07:3447 against Carolina, 44 even more impressive last week in Dallas,
07:39snapping a 16-game home-winning streak in the regular season for the Cowboys.
07:45Joe, 91 total points for the Saints.
07:48No other team has more than 70.
07:51The Cardinals have the second-most total points scored this year with 69 through two weeks.
07:56And, of course, we know the overall offensive struggles
07:59that we have seen throughout the National Football League.
08:02A really big game on Sunday to continue to back up this impressive start
08:07against an Eagles team that should also, frankly, be 2-0,
08:10but coughed up a five- or six-point lead in the final 90 seconds
08:16on Monday night against Atlanta.
08:18And here's where it gets interesting.
08:20Are the Saints worthy of being a two-and-a-half-point home favorite
08:24against a team we expect to contend for the NFC crown?
08:29It's a two-and-a-half-point spread in favor of the Saints,
08:31the total up there at 49 and a hook.
08:34Joe, in your estimation, does it make sense to see New Orleans
08:38laying near a field goal at home against the Birds?
08:42Well, listen, I mean, you can take the Carolina game and throw it out the window, right?
08:47It was, let's just focus on what we saw on the road
08:51against a Dallas defense that many people believed, Ben,
08:55was going to be one of the best in the NFL.
08:58You bring in a new offensive coordinator there in Clint Kubiak,
09:02and one of the, what we thought, Ben, ahead,
09:05was one of the least talented offensive lines in the NFL this year.
09:10And in typical Kubiak fashion, because the old man did this a lot too,
09:15he would make this unit look like they were all-world.
09:18And that's what's happening.
09:20You realize the Saints scored touchdowns on their first six drives in Dallas,
09:25and all but one of them was at least 70 yards.
09:29Ben, it is unbelievable.
09:31You can't get the Derrick card.
09:33Dallas blitzed them over 40% of the time they couldn't get to them,
09:37and he's finding the open receivers, and they're getting yards after the catch.
09:41This is a real offense.
09:43The question is whether the defense can hold up,
09:45but how good has the defense got to be, Ben,
09:47when you're scoring 40 points a game, to be completely honest here?
09:51And Philly has way more questions on defense than we have answers right now.
09:56Way more questions on defense.
09:59They were bad against the pass.
10:01They were bad against the pass when it mattered most on Monday night.
10:05They were decent against the run.
10:07They got torched for nearly eight yards per pump against Green Bay.
10:11In a game that, sure, you could blame the field conditions in Sao Paolo
10:15for defenders slipping and sliding, but they have not been good defensively,
10:20and they weren't great against B. John Robinson on Monday night either,
10:24and that would be a recipe for disaster, it would seem,
10:27against the best-scoring offense in the National Football League through two weeks,
10:31when nobody's putting up points.
10:33The Saints have averaged 45.5 per game.
10:37And I'll tell you one other thing, Joe.
10:39The Eagles under Nick Sirianni are the worst underdog team in the National Football League.
10:44Sirianni became the head coach in Philly in 2021.
10:48The Eagles have the worst ATS record and cover percentage as an underdog in that span,
10:534-9 ATS.
10:55All right, what about when they made it to the Super Bowl in 2022
10:58and were often booked as a favorite a season ago?
11:00Even worse, 1-3 against the spread.
11:03When they've been an underdog, there seems to have been a reason.
11:07And, Joe, this is the type of game week three where the Saints can make a statement.
11:12If they win, they cover as just a short 2.5-point favorite in the Big Easy.
11:16They're off to a 3-0 start, doing so not just against Carolina week one,
11:21but hammering the Cowboys and the Eagles.
11:25So how do you look at New Orleans based on what happens week number three?
11:30Yeah, it feels like, Ben, the way to look at this game is from a total perspective.
11:38Because I do think that Jalen Hurts and the offense
11:42will have a lot of success here against this defense.
11:45I think points are coming.
11:47I would also imagine that these two teams,
11:50the scripted portion of the game in the first half
11:54is probably where you're going to get the most points.
11:57I would not be shocked at all if this is a wild one early
12:02and then there's some adjustments in the second half and the scoring slows down.
12:06So that's how I would look at this.
12:08I'd look for both of these teams, their team total over in the first half, Ben,
12:13because I do think this is going to be a wild shootout to start.
12:16The Eagles now at 6-1, third best price in the NFC,
12:20behind the favorites in San Francisco, dealing with their own injury issues
12:24and destroyed by half a buck.
12:27If the Saints win, that 12-1 number ain't going to be there.
12:31And frankly, it might be slashed in half or close to it come Monday morning.
12:37Hour 2 comes up next, live right here on The Early Rock.
12:41Welcome to hour number two on a football Friday,
12:43live right here on The Early Line on Sports Grid.
12:46He is Joe, I am Ben, and we preview the entirety of a Sunday slate
12:51in week number three of this NFL season.
12:54We'll also set the stage in our third hour for college football
12:57in week number four, a triple header of college football games on this Friday night.
13:02So much football coming your way for the rest of our time here
13:06up until 11 a.m. Eastern, Joe, on The Early Line.
13:11Yeah, I am all for it, Ben.
13:13I mean, we've got, it's kind of go-to-school time.
13:16It's put up or shut up time here for the NFL.
13:19And quite honestly, week four of college football, Ben,
13:22we're starting to see a lot now, conference games taking center stage.
13:26And we're going to learn a little something about a few conferences
13:29and a few teams, aren't we?
13:31Statement Saturday, statement Sunday to make your early season promise
13:36feel even more legitimate.
13:37And Joe, that's the theme of this segment to start our number two
13:41and the two games that we will preview.
13:43There are only two matchups, which is rather surprising, week three,
13:47that feature two undefeated 2-0 teams.
13:51And both of them are maybe not the games that you would have expected
13:55entering this season.
13:56We start in Minneapolis.
13:58The Texans 2-0, all right, that makes sense.
14:00They were booked as a favorite in both.
14:02The Vikings 2-0, what?
14:05Minnesota and Sam Darnold are undefeated 2-0?
14:09Yes, that is the case.
14:11The Texans a slight road favorite in the Twin Cities on Sunday,
14:15two and a half points in favor of C.J. Stroud.
14:18And the Texans 45 and a hook.
14:20Is that over under?
14:22So, Joe, when Sunday in Minneapolis comes to a close,
14:26will the odds makers be correct?
14:27Will it be Houston a perfect 3-0 and Minnesota suffering their first loss?
14:33Or can the Vikings pull off another home upset like they did last week
14:36against the Niners?
14:39I don't understand this line, Ben.
14:41I mean, I really don't.
14:43Now, granted, preseason, the look-ahead lines here were everyone had
14:48Houston being at the top, right?
14:51But when you look at the two games that they've had already here
14:55and you look at how they won those games, they were favored by three
14:59against what?
15:01Indy, they won by two, right?
15:03Then they were favored by six and a half, and they won by six
15:06against Chicago.
15:08This Houston, I'm not sure this Houston defense deserves to be a favorite
15:13on the road against a much better than thought Vikings team with Sam
15:18Darnold under center, who head coach Kevin O'Connell has.
15:22I mean, we've seen stranger things in the NFL, but coaching matters.
15:26And that offense, Ben, one of the top in the National Football League
15:30right now with what they're doing and how they're scheming guys open,
15:34that's a tough place to play.
15:37But Minnesota's defense, why is nobody talking about what they've been
15:40able to do here?
15:42I think the wrong team is favored here.
15:44This would be a Vikings pass for me in this spot.
15:47Yeah, Joe, listen, I don't think we can really fault that assessment based
15:51on how good Sam Darnold has been this season.
15:53Justin Jefferson, a couple of touchdown catches as well.
15:57And he did leave the game early against San Francisco, but is expected to play
16:02in this one on a Sunday against Houston.
16:05And the Texans are in perfect 2-0, but based on the hook last week on Sunday
16:09night against Chicago and a closer game maybe than expected, albeit a road
16:14favorite of more than three in a divisional matchup to start a year,
16:17the Texans have not covered in either of their two games this season,
16:22both as a favorite 0-2 against the spread.
16:25And it's maybe the only blemish for what has been a wildly successful start
16:30to his NFL career for C.J. Stroud.
16:32Now that Houston has the optimism and expectation, they are going to be a
16:37favorite much more frequently than they were a season ago.
16:40They were the underdogs to start, then booked as a favorite later in the year.
16:45Joe, just 3-7 ATS as the favorite side under C.J. Stroud.
16:51Again, we were expected.
16:53The questions that I had with Houston here, Ben, you can tell me if I'm crazy,
16:56is that you've got to worry about that whole sophomore slump with Stroud.
17:00As great as he was last year, but that's a year of film now for defensive
17:04coordinators to get on.
17:06And yes, he's got a ton of weapons, but that doesn't mean anything.
17:10Can that offensive line hold up?
17:12And defensively, I think we just penciled this team in to be some sort of
17:17unbelievable stop group here, but that's not what we've seen through the
17:20first couple of games here.
17:22They're winning games, close games, which is important, but this is still a
17:26very young team with a sophomore quarterback where I think, Ben, at some
17:30point they're going to lose more games than they probably should because of
17:34that inexperience, and this could very well be one of them.
17:38Yeah, you know, it's really interesting, Joe, because C.J. Stroud has been
17:41good this year, more than 200 in both.
17:44He has not turned the football over.
17:46That's what made him so successful in his rookie season.
17:49Some take their lumps in struggle.
17:51C.J. Stroud just did not.
17:53The Texans well under on Sunday night football against the Bears.
17:58Minnesota under in both.
18:00Speaking to your point, Joe, about how good the defense has been under
18:04Brian Flores, they held a niner's offense to only 17 points.
18:08Well, they didn't have Christian McCaffrey and Debo Samuel got banged up.
18:11Doesn't matter.
18:12That was the case pretty much for week number one against the New York Jets.
18:15They scored 32, and it could have been a lot more settling for a lot of field
18:19goals with Jake Moody, and they held the Giants, and I get it.
18:23It's the Giants, albeit on the road in MetLife, to just six points.
18:27Total at 45 and a half.
18:29Maybe keep an eye on that number if Minnesota keeps this game close, as the
18:33odds makers are expecting, despite the fact the Texans are a road favorite.
18:39Again, that's one of the two undefeated 2-0 matchups we have.
18:43The other one also rather surprising, I guess, but Jim Harbaugh wins football
18:49games wherever he coaches, and the Steelers win football games under Mike
18:54Tomlin.
18:55What a matchup we have in the Steel City on Sunday.
18:58Just a point and a half in favor of the Steelers, minus 120 on the money line.
19:03It is the lowest total of the entirety of the week three slate at 35 and a
19:07hook.
19:08Quarterback questions the title of the game board, Joe, and that is fair.
19:12Justin Herbert dealing with an ankle injury.
19:14He suffered late in Carolina last week.
19:17Not sure it matters.
19:18Jim Harbaugh can suit up and hand the ball to J.K. Dobbins 50 times in this
19:22game, and we still expect it to be Justin Fields starting for Pittsburgh.
19:28Joe, let's go big picture first before we dive into the game.
19:31Is Justin Fields going to start the majority of the games at the quarterback
19:34spot this year in favor of Russell Wilson?
19:37Well, that's a great question here, Ben, because he is just one of, I read,
19:43one of three quarterbacks that has not thrown a turnover-worthy throw.
19:48In other words, he didn't throw it two yards.
19:51It should have been picked, Ben, but it wasn't picked kind of throw where
19:54we've seen a lot of guys.
19:55He has not had one of those.
19:57Is that even remotely close for a guy that has had 41 turnovers in the last
20:03three years?
20:04Is that even possible to sustain?
20:07At some point, I think Justin Fields is going to turn into a pumpkin.
20:11Those throws, those turnover-worthy throws will end up as a turnover,
20:15and guess what?
20:17Russell Wilson will be there.
20:18So enjoy it while you can.
20:21They're going to have to rely on his arm at some point, and I think that'll be
20:25the determining factor if he stays under center.
20:28They have not asked him to do a ton, 43 pass attempts in total.
20:33He has thrown for 156 yards or less in both, but he has done what has been
20:39necessary.
20:40You would be surprised, I kid, to know the Steelers have also been under in
20:44both of their first two games this year.
20:47Same case, though, for the Chargers.
20:49Why?
20:50They are going to run it down your throat if they are able to.
20:54Justin Herbert, Joe, I joked that his ankle injury wasn't really a big deal
20:58because Jim Harbaugh could be there.
21:00Justin Herbert, in his five years now in the National Football League, has
21:03thrown for less than 30 attempts in a game in back-to-back games for the first
21:09time ever.
21:10That's what happened this season to begin.
21:14So as we look at this game, it's close to a pick-em.
21:17It's a point-and-a-half spread.
21:19The total is low at 35 and a hook.
21:22Which way are you leaning for Sunday in the Steel City?
21:25This game comes down to whether or not that rookie right tackle, Joe Alt,
21:30remember, Ben, there?
21:32The big guy, Notre Dame, that they ended up drafting in the top round?
21:35Yeah.
21:36Can he hold his own against T.J. Watt?
21:39If he can and gives Herbert time to throw, Chargers win.
21:43If he doesn't, you know what happens there in Pittsburgh.
21:47Yeah, Joe Alt has been great so far this season.
21:50He gets a great test on Sunday against T.J. Watt.
21:54Much more from the Week 3 slate next.
21:56Sunday night football for week number three in the ATL as the Falcons get
22:02ready to host the Kansas City Chiefs.
22:05Three weeks, two primetime stand-alone games for KC.
22:09Same story for Atlanta.
22:11It's a new era for the Dirty Birds after a come-from-behind victory in about
22:15a minute of game action led by Kirk Cousins on Monday in Philadelphia.
22:20They return home to host the Chiefs.
22:23Tito, of course, a road favorite, laying a full field goal.
22:27Forty-six and a half is that total.
22:30Joe, three being a very key number in the National Football League.
22:34Just how important is it on Sunday night in Atlanta?
22:39This is big.
22:40What a schedule, by the way, to start for Atlanta.
22:42Look at this.
22:44James, they've got to go through, Ben, to start the season here.
22:47It's kind of crazy.
22:50But having said that, I feel like we're watching the Kansas City Chiefs on
22:56replay here year after year, right?
22:58There are in the September and October, Ben, you watch the Chiefs and you go,
23:03oh, I don't know.
23:04It just doesn't feel like the same team.
23:06This guy's gone.
23:07That guy's gone.
23:08They don't look.
23:09Oh, my goodness.
23:10They're barely winning.
23:11And then, of course, come November and December, we're like, I told you the
23:15Chiefs were great the whole time.
23:16I don't know why you guys thought they were no good.
23:18And here we are, rinse and repeat once again.
23:21The interesting thing with Atlanta is, and you tell me, Curt Cousins still is
23:27not pushing off his back foot.
23:29It still looks like they're going out of the pistol.
23:32He doesn't.
23:33He even said after the game, I'm not sharp enough.
23:36And I still think that's going to take time.
23:39But the problem is, it might have worked with a less than Philadelphia defense.
23:45I don't know that Kansas City is going to defensively allow him to find his
23:51groove here.
23:52I think this is a much lower scoring game than some people think.
23:56I like Atlanta's defense.
23:58But it's going to take Kansas City a little while to get the engines revved.
24:02And I'm not buying Curt Cousins yet.
24:05I don't think he's 100% healthy.
24:07And I don't think he looks anything even close to what we got with him in
24:10Minnesota.
24:11The Falcons have now spurned me twice, Joe.
24:14The team that I circled entering this year to be one of the best scoring
24:17offenses in the league has gone under in both of their first two games.
24:22And it wasn't all that close in either, despite 43 total points on Monday
24:28night in Philadelphia.
24:30Curt Cousins did throw for 241 what would be over his Sunday night football
24:35passing yards prop against Kansas City.
24:38But, of course, 70 of those 241 came on the final possession of the game.
24:43Six plays, 70 yards, 65 seconds to find Drake London in the end zone for a
24:50Falcons touchdown.
24:51I was told we had these props.
24:52Hopefully we can pull them up.
24:54Patrick Mahomes, 261.5 is his number.
24:57And, Joe, Isaiah Pacheco was really the leading engine of that offense last
25:02week against the Bengals.
25:04Now, Mahomes has gone over this number.
25:06He threw for nearly 300 in the season debut against the Baltimore Ravens.
25:11But he hasn't been great.
25:13Three touchdowns to three interceptions last week, barely over a buck 50.
25:17Two TDs to two INTs.
25:20Carson Steele has the rushing yards prop at 45 and a half.
25:25Kareem Hunt back with his former team.
25:27Will he already factor in into his first game on Sunday night football?
25:32That remains to be seen.
25:34Rasheed Rice has been really good this year.
25:36Travis Kelsey has been basically non-existent.
25:39When you look at the player props for Sunday night, which individuals do you
25:43think impact the outcome either way most?
25:46Well, I think Dijon Robinson is a guy you got to look at because I do believe
25:50that Atlanta, you know, it's a very bend but don't break Spagnuolo defense,
25:56right?
25:57They're very okay with hitting running backs out of the backfield.
26:02They're okay with those kinds of plays.
26:04They try to limit the big plays down the field.
26:07I think Dijon Robinson, if Atlanta is going to have any success in this game,
26:11he has got to be involved not only with running the ball, but he's going to
26:15have to play a big part in the passing game as well and get the ball in his
26:21hands, give him as many touches as possible.
26:24I think that's going to be a matchup.
26:26And oddly enough or strange enough, Ben, there is a name on that list that's
26:29not on there.
26:30And that's because they have not been on the same page.
26:33And that's Travis Kelsey.
26:35He has not had a good start to the season.
26:38And I don't think with Jesse Bates covering him in this one that he's going
26:42to have some sort of breakout game.
26:44So, I'd be looking to fade Kelsey props in this game as much as possible.
26:50Just one catch for five yards against the Bengals last week in week two.
26:54Only four total grabs the entirety of this season.
26:58B. John Robinson has been the guy this year that everybody thought he might be
27:01in his rookie season under Arthur Smith.
27:04However, he has yet to find the end zone this season.
27:08His rushing plus receiving yards prop is 106 and a half, a number he has been
27:13over in both games so far this season.
27:17122 with 97 of them coming on the ground against the Birds on Monday night.
27:22A minus 140 price for B. John Robinson to finally find pay dirt.
27:27He did so only eight total times a season ago.
27:31So, the Chiefs are the Super Bowl favorites entering week three at five to one
27:36with the largest gap Joe we have seen all year.
27:38A buck and a half in front of the 49ers.
27:41Why?
27:42San Francisco upset last week in Minnesota by the Vikings.
27:46And I think it's the injury concern for the 49ers.
27:49Christian McCaffrey on IR.
27:52Debo Samuel going to miss a few weeks with a calf injury.
27:56And George Kittle missing practice yesterday as well.
28:00Now, the Niners are still a hefty favorite for their week three matchup in L.A.
28:05where the story of this game is not who is there, but who is not.
28:09The injured reserve list for the Rams is lengthy.
28:12It's nearly a touchdown spread in favor of the Niners,
28:15but it was over a touchdown seven and a hook in favor of San Francisco
28:19earlier this week.
28:21Yeah, I mean, that's a lot of uncertainty.
28:24As you can tell, Ben, the look ahead total in this game, too, was 48 and a half.
28:28And look at where we're on now, 43 and a half.
28:31And I don't in good conscience think we can look even remotely close to an over
28:35still, even at that low number with these two teams,
28:38not with the current state of the rosters the way they are.
28:42Yeah, I don't know, 43 and a half being that number.
28:45We have already seen Jordan Mason excel in his two starts this year
28:49for Christian McCaffrey, 100 on the ground.
28:52And the Rams have been getting ripped up on that side of the football.
28:55It will be one of the ways that I look at this game in our pick six later on.
29:00Brandon Ayuk now, though, needs to step up 72 and a half.
29:03He's receiving yards prop.
29:05He has really not done much after getting the bag late in the off season.
29:10Also, keep an eye on Jordan Winnington, the freshman out of Texas,
29:13or the rookie out of Texas.
29:14They like him in L.A.
29:16More from the Sunday Slate.
29:17Some more games on Sunday from the week three slate to break down.
29:21In the early window, a couple of compelling spots
29:24that feature young quarterbacks.
29:26Joe, later in the show, we'll talk about the Big 12 battle,
29:29a top 15 tilt for your alma mater, Oklahoma State hosting Utah.
29:34Cam Rising, if he plays, we don't really know what his status is.
29:38He's 25 years old in his seventh year of college football.
29:41Allen Bowman, also in his seventh year of college football,
29:44the QB for the Pokes.
29:46He is 24 years old.
29:48Their combined age, five years older than the two starting quarterbacks
29:52we will see on Sunday in Indianapolis.
29:55It's Anthony Richardson for the Colts.
29:57It's Caleb Williams on the other side for the Bears.
30:00Neither guy has been all that sensational this year.
30:03Of course, a lot of focus on the number one overall pick in Caleb Williams.
30:08Just a point and a half in favor of Indy.
30:1043 and a half is the total.
30:13What do you think happens on Sunday in Indianapolis?
30:17Well, what I think is I think the Bears win this game rather easily.
30:22And you're going to see the growing pains of what's going on with Richardson,
30:28who, by the way, is without a doubt one of the worst passers in the NFL right now.
30:35Not because he lacks the talent or the arm strength,
30:37but simply because he has no idea where the ball is going.
30:41I'll take you back to his, you know, what?
30:43It feels like his one year at the University of Florida where, again,
30:47we all went, wow, this kid has got unbelief.
30:50What talent.
30:51Yeah, great, except he has no idea where he's throwing the ball.
30:54And that is not going to work against this Bears defense.
30:58Also, the Bears' Caleb Williams, he's had his own issues,
31:01but look at the defenses Caleb Williams has had to face
31:05versus who he's going to be facing now,
31:08which, of course, no DeForest Buckner.
31:11We know that they don't get after the quarterback.
31:14They're not going to get in Caleb Williams' face like Houston did.
31:17I think this is going to be the biggest running game for the Bears.
31:21I think that, once again, Anthony Richardson is going to make two,
31:26you know, two or three bad throws.
31:28The turnovers are going to do them in here.
31:30And I do think this is where Caleb Williams
31:32and this offense of the Bears excels.
31:35So here's the issue for Caleb Williams, at least so far.
31:38His offensive line looks absolutely awful.
31:42The worst security you would ever see trying to keep him upright
31:45sat seven times on Sunday Night Football in Houston,
31:49leading to him having a break out of the pocket and run a ton
31:52where he hasn't looked very comfortable.
31:54He had five carries for 44 yards,
31:56but hasn't really been the groomed and polished quarterback
32:00we expected the Heisman winner to be, at least early in Chicago,
32:04where he has often said he's not nervous, he's comfortable, he's ready to go.
32:08Not really the case.
32:10But outside of that, five carries, 44 yards for Caleb Williams.
32:13He was Chicago's leading rusher against the Texans.
32:16They had 17 total attempts as a team for 27 yards.
32:20And DeAndre Swift, who was paid this offseason,
32:23just 14 attempts for 18 yards.
32:28However, if Chicago is going to figure it out offensively and on the ground,
32:33Indy might be a great team to do it against.
32:35261 yards allowed last week against the Green Bay Packers.
32:40All right, they were going to run it a ton with Malik Willis,
32:43and they ran it 53 times.
32:45But Joe Mixon had 30 carries for $1.59 in week one.
32:49It could be an opportunity for the Bears just to say,
32:52we're going to run it down your throats.
32:55And then quickly, Joe, just to your point about completion percentages
32:58for both of these quarterbacks,
33:01this is really Anthony Richardson's de facto rookie season,
33:04as we have said often.
33:06And his main criticism out of Florida was not his arm talent or athleticism,
33:10but in his only season as a starter for the Gators,
33:1353.8 was the completion percentage.
33:17He is less than 50% so far this year, 49.1 of qualified starting quarterbacks.
33:24That is the worst.
33:25Caleb Williams, though, not much better, 56.1%.
33:30Bo Nix, also a rookie quarterback, taking his lumps so far.
33:34Multiple interceptions in each of his first two games this year,
33:38where the Bucs have been very good off to a 2-0 start,
33:42laying near a touchdown at home.
33:44Will Bo Nix lead the Broncos to an upset on Sunday in Tampa?
33:47Will the Buccaneers start out a perfect undefeated 3-0?
33:51It certainly feels like that.
33:53I mean, look at the market certainly believes that.
33:56I also believe that we're going to get more points
33:58than the market thinks in this game.
34:00I do like the over here.
34:02I think points are coming.
34:04I think they'll have more success than they've had in the first two games
34:07offensively here against still a very banged-up secondary of Tampa.
34:12Yeah, Tampa was not great defending the pass last year,
34:15second worst in the National Football League.
34:17Bo Nix had to throw it a ton last week.
34:19Sean Payton saying, you're going to learn one way or the other.
34:23The Bucs have been a great underdog team the last two years,
34:279-4 against the spread,
34:29and then the victory outright as the underdog last week against the Lions.
34:33Not as good covering numbers as a favorite.
34:35Still think they win coverage.
34:37Mike Blewett joins us next on The Early Line.
34:39It would not be a Football Friday on The Early Line
34:42without the services of one Mike Blewett.
34:45Big Blewett joins us live right here on this Friday
34:48to get you set for everything you need to know around Week 3.
34:52Mike Blewett, as always, we appreciate the time.
34:55Thanks for joining us here on TEL.
34:57Thanks, gentlemen. Good to be here.
34:59Obviously got off to an interesting start last night.
35:02The Jets fans are feeling great this morning.
35:05It's been a long time since the Jets have been good
35:09and the Patriots have been this bad,
35:11so a rare blowout for the Jets in the Jets' favor.
35:15In Blue, it's a little bit different than maybe we expected
35:18or at least we had seen in the first two weeks.
35:21The Jets did cover as a road favorite in Nashville
35:24against the Titans, but it wasn't easy.
35:26The Patriots were keeping games a lot closer than anticipated
35:30in Weeks 1 and 2.
35:32Not last night.
35:33The New York Jets winning 24-3, as you can see.
35:36Gang Green easily covering as a 6.5-point home favorite
35:41in their home opener inside MetLife Stadium.
35:44In Blue, throughout the show, Ranieri and I have been saying
35:47we are going to learn a ton in Week 3.
35:50Are teams as good as we have seen?
35:52Are teams as bad?
35:53Can they get off the schneid?
35:55So I ask you this.
35:57What did you learn from Thursday Night Football
35:59to kick off Week 3?
36:02I think what we saw from the Jets in the first couple of weeks,
36:06and anybody who had been watching,
36:07it was clear that Rodgers was a little rusty,
36:10that the offense in general was a little rusty.
36:12No real live reps during the preseason.
36:15Obviously Aaron Rodgers dealing with an injury all of last season
36:18and rehabbing it.
36:19But last night they shook off that rust pretty well.
36:22Plus they now have an added weapon in Braylon Allen
36:25that maybe we didn't expect to have coming into the season.
36:28He completed passes to eight different receivers.
36:31It was pretty easy pickings for him last night.
36:34And on the flip side,
36:37the Patriots are clearly struggling everywhere on offense.
36:40Just 11 first downs, 148 total yards.
36:44They got dominated.
36:45The good news for the Jets is that even though they don't have,
36:49even though there's a dearth of pass rushers on the team right now,
36:53the Jets still do a very good job of getting a push with a four-man rush,
36:59so they don't have to send the house in order to get it.
37:01So they're still doing well in that regard,
37:04and Williams obviously is in the middle of all that
37:06against an admittedly weaker Patriots offensive line.
37:11It's a shock, though, because like we had all said,
37:14to protect Aaron Rodgers,
37:16you better upgrade that offensive line in the offseason.
37:19And what grade would you give them?
37:21And did you see enough to think that the Jets are going to go over there,
37:25win total?
37:26And did you see enough from the Patriots last night to go there
37:29and still not getting the five wins here?
37:34Morgan Moses going down last night could be an issue for the Jets.
37:38We'll see the severity of that injury
37:40and how long he could conceivably be out.
37:43I would say that the Patriots,
37:46the one upside for the Patriots is that they know who they are, right?
37:52I don't think they're trying to play beyond their means.
37:55That's not necessarily a compliment,
37:58but they're not trying to do anything terribly complicated.
38:01They just got dominated last night.
38:03Now, was the end of the game a harbinger of a real quarterback change?
38:07I still think they should leave May on the sidelines
38:10only because Brissette was tortured last night.
38:13He got beat up pretty badly.
38:15He was missing throws, but he also was getting beat up,
38:19and Drake May will suffer the same fate if he comes in.
38:22So I still don't like the Pats to get to that win total,
38:26but they have shown their ability to take the air out of the ball,
38:30run clock, and be able to stay in games,
38:33although last night wasn't the case.
38:35The Jets, I'm leaning towards the over.
38:37Miami's a weaker squad than they were coming into the season,
38:40whether you were a believer or not.
38:42They are now decidedly weaker without their starting quarterback.
38:45I think the Jets are a good football team.
38:47A lot of people have been saying it.
38:49There's always going to be a level of disbelief
38:51because it's the Jets and their history,
38:53but it's a talented football team, and Aaron Rodgers is a quarterback,
38:56and he was playing like the Aaron Rodgers of old last night.
38:59And a divisional win for the New York Jets,
39:01who entered the season as the divisional favorites in the AFC East.
39:06Still not available.
39:07Buffalo probably in front, but not maybe by all that much in front of New York.
39:12All right, let's get to Sunday.
39:14Statement Sunday.
39:15We are going to learn a lot in week number three,
39:18and of course a ton of focus will be on Dallas.
39:21Are the Cowboys about to start 1-2?
39:23If they do, that means the Ravens start 1-2
39:26to pick up their first victory of the year.
39:28But if not at the star, the Ravens would start 0-3,
39:33just one team since 2000.
39:36The 2018 Texans started 0-3 and made it to the postseason.
39:41The Flock, a very slight road favorite in Dallas on Sunday,
39:46but it's a virtual pick-em, so blew it.
39:48Who wins?
39:50So, tough call here, obviously, but I'm going to lean towards the Ravens.
39:55They do need to clean some things up.
39:57They have offensive line issues as well.
40:00Can Dallas take advantage of that early?
40:02That could tell the tale of the game if Dallas is able to get after
40:06Lamar Jackson and make him uncomfortable or force it into,
40:09as Ranieri and I have been talking about every Sunday, the Lamar show.
40:13Just things break down.
40:14Lamar's got to save the entire team every single week.
40:18That can't be a plan long-term.
40:19I like the Ravens, but what I would say is that the Ravens have hit
40:23the first-half money line in eight of their last ten games,
40:26so they have been getting off to good starts from last year.
40:30This year, obviously, sputtering a little bit more on offense,
40:34but my favorite pick in this game is, while I like Baltimore,
40:38my favorite selection in this game would be the first-half over.
40:42Both teams are good first-half offensive teams, and at 23-1⁄2,
40:46I think that's a little bit too light.
40:48I think we could see some points early and have a 17-14 kind of first-half,
40:52so give me the first-half over 23-1⁄2.
40:56So, Mike, I don't think I'm overstating it.
40:58To me, this is so far, it's only two games,
41:01but this is the most surprising team as far as I'm concerned,
41:05the New Orleans Saints, in what they have done.
41:08I mean, they scored on their first six drives in Dallas against that defense,
41:13and every but one of them was at least 70 yards,
41:16so they're able to throw it deep, they're able to run it,
41:19they're able to get the big scores, the defense is playing well.
41:22Is that sustainable at home against Philadelphia?
41:26I think they scored on 13 drives in a row, Joe, between the first two games,
41:30so it's been impressive.
41:32Philly's big issue right now, it's not really hard to discern what's going on.
41:40They have no pass rush.
41:42They have three sacks, and two of them were by a middle linebacker in week one.
41:47That huge, vaunted defensive line, which is young and talented,
41:51is not getting any pressure on the opposing quarterbacks,
41:55and it's what leads me to my favorite bet here.
41:58I think Derek Carr, given what we've seen in the first two weeks
42:02and Philly's inability to get after him, I like his over on passing yards.
42:07I think he's going to be too comfortable throwing the ball,
42:10and at .232, which he hit in week one, not in week two because of the extreme blowout,
42:15I think Carr is going to get there.
42:17That's too low of a number in order for somebody that's going to be comfortable
42:21throwing the ball all day to get there.
42:23I do think we see points.
42:24Forty-nine and a half is a lot, but I think we're going to get pretty close,
42:28if not over that.
42:30Philly, at least, has to show some ability to make stops defensively.
42:35The Eagles were the third-worst passing defense in the NFL a season ago.
42:39Kirk Cousins had .241.
42:41Jordan Love threw for .260-plus as well in the Sao Paulo opener.
42:46Blue, just to your point, the Eagles, when they won the NFC
42:49and made it to the Super Bowl in 2022, were only two sacks behind the Monsters
42:53or the Midway Bears, who had 72, with 70 total sacks for the second-most
42:58in a single season in NFL history.
43:00It's been anything but in 2023, and now at least to start 2024.
43:05Blue, we have two perfect 2-0 matchups on Sunday,
43:09including a game in Pittsburgh with your Steelers as they host the Chargers
43:14as a point-and-a-half favorite.
43:17We expect Justin Fields to make his third straight start for Pittsburgh.
43:21Justin Herbert dealing with an ankle injury.
43:23We'll see what his status is as we approach Sunday.
43:27But do the Steelers start 3-0 this year, Blue?
43:31Oh, yeah. Steelers by a million, buddy.
43:33I'm a Steelers fan. Let's keep it going.
43:36In all seriousness, I think the one thing you can count on are rushing attempts.
43:42J.K. Dobbins, just 12-and-a-half rushing attempts.
43:45Najee Harris, 14-and-a-half rushing attempts.
43:48It might be a struggle for teams to get the ball back with the way they're running it,
43:53but I think that's where we're at, overall rushing attempts.
43:56More game breakdowns from the Sunday slate next.
43:59Of course, part of the big news in the National Football League this week
44:02as it pertains to quarterbacks, the benching of the number-one overall selection
44:07from 2023, Bryce Young in Carolina in favor of the Red Rocket.
44:12Andy Dalton makes his first start this season,
44:15his second start in the last two years with the Panthers,
44:18this week on the road in Las Vegas.
44:22The Raiders won outright as the largest underdog of Week 2.
44:25Eight-and-a-half points was the spread,
44:28and no matter for Las Vegas coming back from down by double digits
44:32twice in the second half.
44:35Five-and-a-half points spread now, Blue, in favor of the Raiders
44:38as Andy Dalton gets the start for the Panthers.
44:4139-and-a-hook is the total.
44:43The Panthers have won two games since the start of 2023,
44:48two in 17 in the last two years.
44:51And, oh, as a dog, in all 19, 4-13-and-2 against the spread.
44:57Will it look better at bare minimum with Andy Dalton under Sender on Sunday in the desert?
45:04Just answering your question specifically, will it look better?
45:08Probably a little bit.
45:10But I do not expect the Panthers to score over 16-and-a-half points,
45:16which is where their team total resides.
45:18I think it's too high.
45:19I thought the Pats' team total last night was too high.
45:22I think the Panthers' team total is too high.
45:24They need to prove to me that they can get to 17-20 points a couple of times
45:28before I stop betting their team total under.
45:31So that's my favorite bet here.
45:33Yes, I do think the Raiders are going to be able to cover,
45:36but I'd rather bet on, because the Raiders have had some struggles offensively as well,
45:41I'd rather bet on the Panthers to not score a lot.
45:44And given the fact that Max Crosby and Christian Wilkins gave hell to the Ravens last week,
45:49I certainly think they can do it to the Panthers.
45:52So maybe Dalton's finally able to get them into the end zone with some consistency,
45:57but I don't anticipate it.
45:59I think he's going to have a tough day too.
46:02Talk about tough day, tough week, tough information here.
46:06The look-ahead line for the Miami Dolphins was they were going to go to Seattle
46:10and be a favorite, Mike, and now not so much.
46:15We are starting to see a little bit of buyback here on the Dolphins
46:18as this thing was as high as 5-1⁄2.
46:21We're seeing 4-1⁄2's here, 41-1⁄2.
46:24It's still the same weapons, still Tyreek Hill, still Waddell,
46:29but do you trust that Miami can keep this thing competitive?
46:35The one upside to it is that from the time that they drafted him,
46:41Skylar Thompson has been looked upon favorably within that building.
46:46They kept him around as a backup for the last couple of seasons,
46:50and they certainly feel like he obviously started a playoff game for them,
46:54and they feel like he's in a position where he can run this offense
46:59the way they need him to run the offense.
47:01So while it's a downgrade, I don't anticipate that the wheels
47:07completely fall off Miami's offense.
47:11So I understand why people are taking the points here.
47:14Seattle hasn't looked great in the first couple of games, so I get it.
47:20I think Miami has a shot to cover here.
47:23That doesn't necessarily mean they go out there and get the W,
47:26but I don't think Skylar Thompson's going to be a disaster,
47:30which is what the line and the huge movement suggest.
47:35This will be his fourth career start, two in the regular season,
47:39and his rookie year in 2022, of course,
47:41when Tua Tungabailoa was dealing with the head injury issues
47:45and started the playoff game in Buffalo, 18-45,
47:50a touchdown and two interceptions.
47:53Seattle has allowed 20 points, both to the Broncos and the Patriots,
47:57who are not necessarily lighting the world on fire offensively
48:01in their first two weeks.
48:03Just something to pay attention to.
48:06Bluett, we thought at the end of the Brazilian opener,
48:08on the first Friday night of the NFL season,
48:10that Jordan Love could miss a considerable amount of time.
48:13The fear was, uh-oh, torn ACL, maybe out for the remainder of this season
48:17after getting paid in the offseason,
48:20but then those fears were quelled a little bit as it was just a sprained MCL,
48:25still going to miss a couple of weeks, two, three, maybe four games.
48:29He was back on the practice field on Wednesday.
48:32He has been practicing with Green Bay.
48:34Do you think there is a realistic chance, Mike Bluett,
48:37that Jordan Love plays on Sunday in Nashville?
48:40The odds maker is maybe not thinking so.
48:42The Packers still a two-and-a-half point dog in Tennessee.
48:47I don't think that the Packers are so oblivious to this situation
48:53that he's dealing with a knee injury,
48:56and I don't think they would have him out there if it was risky.
49:00So I do think there's a realistic chance.
49:02It doesn't mean that I would bet on him to start,
49:06but if they're having him take reps, he's obviously getting close.
49:10So if it's not this week, it's probably next week,
49:13which is still a better prognosis, Ben, as you alluded to,
49:16a better prognosis than we had originally.
49:19So I don't think they would have him taking reps if they thought it was risky
49:22or if they thought he was still a few weeks away.
49:25So we're getting close, and it may be as close as Sunday.
49:28In terms of the Titans, I mean, geez,
49:32they are their most deserved 0-2 team out there probably
49:36because of the absolutely ridiculous mistakes that they make.
49:41It's starting with Will Lettuce.
49:43So they've earned both losses.
49:45They're not as bad as some of the other teams,
49:47but they've earned both of those losses,
49:49and until these stupid mistakes go away, I can't reasonably bet on them.
49:53So I still like the Packers, even if it's Willis.
49:57You and I threw up watching the Lions last week.
50:00One of seven in the red zone is not going to get it done.
50:0327% in the red zone so far.
50:06They were 67% all of last year.
50:09If that continues, they're not going to win a lot of games, Blewett.
50:12Does it help here at all in Arizona?
50:16Well, the problem is that Arizona is one of the teams
50:18that's looked incredible offensively.
50:20So can they trade punches with Arizona all game long?
50:25Now, six red zone trips without a touchdown,
50:29the Lions hadn't done that since 1981.
50:32So I don't expect any kind of repeat performance.
50:35I think you just have to wash your hands of it.
50:37Very difficult performance.
50:39You and I were both pulling our hair out watching them fail in the red zone.
50:45But I love this game.
50:47I think it's going to be one of the best games to watch all weekend.
50:50I do expect points, and I really can't wait to see another team
50:54try to trade blows with Arizona.
50:56Very fascinating offensive season.
50:58It's going to be a great game.
51:00It's a full field goal in favor of Detroit.
51:02The Cardinals have been booked as an underdog now
51:05in 18 of 19 games under Jonathan Gannon.
51:08They're 10 of 8 against the spread as a dog.
51:11They covered last week as a short favorite against L.A.
51:14We'll talk more about what might be one of the underrated best games of the weekend.
51:18So in the afternoon slate, maybe you'll be focused on Dallas
51:22between the Ravens and the Cowboys or an NFC West showdown,
51:26although injuries front and center between the Niners and the Rams.
51:29But make sure you are paying attention.
51:31On Sunday, and I know these guys will be previewing that football game in Arizona,
51:36the Cardinals playing host to the Lions.
51:38Again, three points spread in favor of Detroit.
51:40The over-under is the highest of the Week 3 slate at 51.5.
51:45The Cardinals have been great offensively this year.
51:48The Cardinals have covered in both games so far this season.
51:52In the last two years now, from the start of 2023, so year plus, let's call it,
51:57the Lions have been the best cover team in the National Football League,
52:0015-7 against the spread.
52:02But Arizona, 11-8 against the number in all 19 games under Jonathan Gannon.
52:0710-8 against the spread as an underdog.
52:10They find themselves as a dog again.
52:13Should be a great matchup.
52:15All right, let's get to one of the other games we have not hit on just yet,
52:19and that might be for good reason.
52:21We go to Cleveland.
52:23The Browns are a 6.5-point favorite against the New York Giants.
52:26The total is 39-and-a-half.
52:28Blew it.
52:29If you had to play this game, and I'm making you play it, what are you doing?
52:33I am going back to where I went earlier with the Panthers.
52:37Giants are not scoring 16 points in this or maybe any game.
52:41So 15-and-a-half is their team total.
52:45I'm taking the under here for the G-men.
52:48Just too many issues blocking, too many issues trying to get the ball into the end zone.
52:55They did it three times last week.
52:57Obviously, they had a kicker issue, so they did go over this last week.
53:02But against the Browns, who are obviously another banged-up team,
53:06I think you keep it under on the Giants.
53:08I don't think they're going to get into the end zone three times again
53:11against a team like the Browns, who have, like I said, their own issues,
53:15but defensively they're pretty sound,
53:17a lot more sound than the Commanders are at this moment.
53:21Actually, first time they're anticipating the actual five starting offensive linemen,
53:26including Conklin and Jedrick Willis, will be on the field for the Browns
53:30for the first time in 20 games, so that's interesting.
53:34I also find the line interesting in this Minnesota-Houston game
53:39because, call me crazy, Blue, and I don't see the right team being favored.
53:44To give Minnesota a chance at home as a dog seems tempting.
53:50Yeah, certainly they got it done last week.
53:53Brian Flores has done a really good job with this unit.
53:57Obviously, pretty interesting stat.
54:00They're leading the league in getting to the QB on a three-man rush
54:04and leading the league in getting to the QB on a six-man rush.
54:08So if they're sending a lot, they're getting there.
54:10If they're just bare bones in a 3-4, getting pushed on the quarterback, they're getting there.
54:17What it points to is the different styles and different looks that Flores is willing to give you,
54:23and their defensive backs are still awesome.
54:26So defensively, this is a really strong team.
54:30I hear where you're coming from, Joe.
54:32Just automatically anointing the Texans to be favorites no matter where they go is a lot.
54:38Kevin O'Connell has proven to be really good with Sam Darnold so far.
54:42I think the Vikings are the one team where we aren't so sure about their season going in,
54:47but they're one of the teams, along with, I'd say, the Cardinals,
54:50who we just finished talking about, that maybe we underestimated how they could be coming into the season.
54:57The Vikings played a lot of close games last year.
55:00They did it in 2022, of course, as well.
55:02They were 5-3-2 against the spread as an underdog,
55:07showing that those games were what the oddsmakers expected for the most part.
55:12And with C.J. Stroud, the only blemish is the Texans covering numbers as the favorite side,
55:18just 3-7 now against the spread.
55:21They have not covered in either of their two games as a favorite this year.
55:25Let's end with Sunday Night Football.
55:27Mike Blewett in Hotlanta.
55:29The Falcons, a home underdog, getting three points, that flat number of three,
55:33against the Chiefs.
55:35Kansas City, 2-0, but ever so slightly,
55:38Atlanta storming back on Monday night in Philadelphia.
55:41What do you see for Sunday Night Football?
55:44Good one.
55:45I like, obviously, Atlanta coming off an emotional win, a surprising win,
55:49but a short week for them against the Chiefs.
55:54I hate to bet the road favorite here, but at a flat three, I'm willing to do it.
55:59Three and a half, it might change my mind,
56:02but at a flat three, where it is right now, give me the Chiefs.
56:06I don't think Atlanta is quite at a point yet where they can knock off the defending champs.
56:1246 and a half is that total.
56:15We shall see how many points we get on Sunday night.
56:19Blewett, we appreciate the time, as always.
56:22We'll see you on in-game live, game day on Sunday,
56:25alongside the man to your left, Geron Airy.
56:27Have a great weekend, Mike Blewett.
56:29Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.
56:32We appreciate your time, always.
56:34Hour three of this Football Friday is up next.