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00:00There's so much going on now in the opening few days of October, playoff baseball, start
00:05of a new NFL weekend, college football continues, WNBA playoffs tonight as we change venues.
00:12But we remind you that first and foremost, when you reach the end of the week on the
00:16early line and sports grid, it is a football Friday.
00:20So we continue and begin our full Sunday slate preview for week number five of the National
00:26Football League.
00:27We have a couple of teams on the by this weekend, Joe Ranieri, for the first time this season.
00:32So a slightly shorter slate on Sunday, just 12 games, as opposed to maybe the usual 14
00:38or at least the last two weeks, we've had 13 with a doubleheader of Monday night football.
00:44So only 12 games, fine, but it starts bright and early.
00:47You wake up Sunday morning, you roll out of bed, you turn on your TV and you look across
00:51the pond for the first London game of the season.
00:55The undefeated Minnesota Vikings taking on Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
01:02What a game we have kicking at 930 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, Minnesota, two and a half
01:07point favorite across the pond in London, total 40 and a half.
01:13The Jets off a disaster last week in Denver or against Denver, losing outright is more
01:19than a touchdown favorite.
01:20Minnesota, Joe, one of two remaining undefeated teams in the National Football League alongside
01:26the Chiefs.
01:27But unlike the Chiefs, Minnesota is the only perfect team against the number.
01:32They are also 4-0 ATS, their last three victories outright as an underdog.
01:39Just the second time this year, the Vikes have been booked as a favorite, the first
01:43since the opening Sunday of the year against the other New York team on the road in MetLife
01:48against the Giants.
01:49How do you see London playing out between the Jets and the Vikes?
01:54So it's interesting.
01:55First of all, I'm shocked, Ben, this line has not gotten to a field goal or more, which
02:00is interesting because you know the public is running to the window to back Minnesota
02:04in this game here, right?
02:06There's no way that you can back Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets here.
02:11And yet this thing has been frozen at two and a half all week long.
02:16Denver blitzed Aaron Rodgers last week, Ben, 43% of the plays.
02:21So 43%, they were bringing the house on them and they could not figure it out.
02:26The problem is they're taking on a Minnesota Vikings team that leads the league in 51%
02:34blitz rates, the second highest, actually second highest in the NFL.
02:37What does that mean?
02:38It means Aaron Rodgers better figure out the answers to a blitz in a damn hurry here, otherwise
02:44they're going to be in trouble.
02:46Now I look at it and say that was absolutely maybe the best thing that happened to him
02:51last week against Denver because that was really the first time they've been under that
02:56kind of duress from a blitz.
02:58They've seen it now, they had a week to figure it out.
03:01And it's not like the quick release of Aaron Rodgers, the screen game, the quick passes
03:07to Garrett Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and the Jets, I have no doubt will be much better off this
03:12week against the blitz than they were against Denver.
03:16And also on the flip side, yeah, this is going to be the best defense Sam Darnold has seen
03:22yet to that date.
03:24And I expect the Jets to make life very difficult for him as well.
03:29And we saw a little bit of regression in that second half against Green Bay, didn't we?
03:34Kind of forking the ball over a little bit, a little more of what we're used to from Darnold.
03:38I think this is a field goal game one way or the other.
03:41But if you think you'd be shocked that the Jets win this game outright, I would not be.
03:46Yeah, I would not be either, Joe.
03:48This is a really big spot for Aaron Rodgers.
03:51There has been some drama, of course, in New York.
03:54You mentioned the quick passing game of number eight for New York.
03:58Well, the cadence has been discussed.
04:01It led to five false start penalties last week against Denver.
04:04He had only been sacked five times, Aaron Rodgers, in the opening three games of the
04:09year.
04:10That was good news, of course, for the 40-year-old quarterback coming off a torn Achilles because
04:14that was a huge issue even entering 2023, his first year in New York.
04:20He was sacked five times, as Joe alluded to, against the Broncos a week ago.
04:24Brian Flores' defense has been good.
04:27Minnesota, fourth-best scoring offense, fourth-best scoring defense.
04:31To your point, Joe, Sam Darnold now faces the second-best passing defense in the NFL.
04:36The Jets only allowing about $1.28 per game.
04:40You could argue the quarterbacks, they have played, and maybe I would hear it, especially
04:44since week number two, the disaster that is Will Levis.
04:48Then you got Jacoby Bursette in the Patriots week three.
04:52Last week, the rookie, Bo Nix, that led Denver into MetLife and picked up a win, throwing
04:56for only 60 yards, and still won a football game.
05:00But Sam Darnold, most passing touchdowns in the NFL, 11, the only guy in the double
05:06digits entering week number five.
05:09Going to be a good game on Sunday in London, and a short number.
05:14Hour three begins on this Football Friday as we continue our full Sunday preview next.
05:20Welcome to hour number two on our Football Friday live right here on the Early Line on
05:25Sports Grid.
05:26He is Joe Ranieri.
05:27I am Ben Stevens.
05:28We continue our entire preview of the entirety of the week five Sunday slate around the National
05:34Football League.
05:35It starts early.
05:36It's in London.
05:37The Jets and the Vikings, as we detailed right before we ended out the opening hour.
05:43Now into hour two, we continue our breakdown of Sunday.
05:47Big Blue, Mike Blewett, will join us in our second half hour to look at a variety of games
05:52around the National Football League.
05:54And of course, it is October.
05:56The division series begin tomorrow with a quadrupleheader in MLB.
06:01We'll touch on all four of those.
06:04We will set the stage for not only a Saturday slate in college football.
06:09That might be a little bit lackluster, so Friday makes up for it.
06:12A banger of a Friday night in CFB is ahead as well, Joe Ranieri.
06:18I am, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
06:20I like the games tonight in college football.
06:23Like you said, a little slimmed down NFL slate on this Sunday with the buys coming
06:30into play, but a lot of spots here, Ben, as we head into week five here.
06:36Some important spots, divisional matchups.
06:38I'm looking very forward to this weekend.
06:42Four teams on the buy, by the way, around the NFL this week.
06:45The Lions, the Titans, the Eagles, and the Chargers.
06:48We will not see them in action.
06:50Twelve games Sunday slate.
06:52Let's continue with some great AFC matchups between teams we still expect to contend for
06:58a conference crown.
07:00Let's go to Houston.
07:01It's the Texans and the Bills on Sunday.
07:05As of this moment, Buffalo a very slight road favorite, Joe, in H-Town, laying a point and
07:10a half, but as you can see in those money line numbers with a little bit of movement,
07:15they are only separated by just a couple of cents.
07:19Less than 10 cents, I see it live, minus 112 for Buffalo on FanDuel, minus 104 for
07:26Houston.
07:27Total stands at 47 and a half.
07:29So, Joe, just a couple of cents separate these two teams on the money line for a huge matchup
07:36on Sunday between two teams, both at three and one.
07:41Just how close is this game going to be between the Texans and the Bills?
07:46Yeah, I love the spot here for the Buffalo Bills coming off an absolute thrashing against
07:55the Baltimore Ravens who literally just ran all over them.
08:01And the good news for Buffalo is, yeah, you got your lunch handed to you there, but the
08:07good news is you're taking on a Houston team that is nowhere even remotely close in the
08:12same rushing category offensively that the Baltimore Ravens are.
08:17In fact, I can make the argument, this is not a very good Houston offense, folks.
08:23This is a struggling offense.
08:25C.J. Stroud looks to be having that sophomore slump.
08:29Defensive coordinators now have a year or so of tape on them.
08:32They're throwing different looks.
08:35We saw what Minnesota did to them.
08:37We even saw with Jacksonville, if it wasn't for a last second ridiculous drive in order
08:42to be able to win that game there, yeah, we're having a different conversation about Houston
08:49here and I like Buffalo in a big way to be able to bounce back in this spot.
08:54It's all about matchups here.
08:56They do get their safety back, the Buffalo Bills there.
09:01They will have Taryn Johnson back for this one, which is good news there.
09:06They also will get their starting linebacker back.
09:09So they did lose Von Miller who got suspended for four games, but the reality to me is when
09:17you're talking about the Buffalo Bills, you're talking about a team that has shown they can
09:21put up points with the best of them.
09:23Look at the numbers, Ben.
09:24Houston does not rank top ten in about anything right now.
09:28This is a different Houston team, one that is overvalued, I think, in the marketplace
09:33and one the Buffalo Bills are going to expose.
09:36It's been a different season, right?
09:38Based on differing expectations for C.J. Stroud, D'Amico Ryans and Houston in year number two
09:44of this era and organization as compared to a season ago.
09:48They were the underdog.
09:49They came out of nowhere to win a divisional crown in the AFC South and win a playoff game
09:55as well.
09:56Often the underdog a season ago.
09:59This year as the favorite in all four games, they are 0-3-1.
10:04They ended out week four alongside Miami and Tennessee or at least Tennessee entering that
10:09Monday night.
10:10So they ended out week four as one of two teams alongside Miami that has failed to cover
10:16a number so far this year.
10:18In fact, it's been a blemish under C.J. Stroud, a team now that is the huntee, no longer the
10:24hunter, 3-8-1 against the spread as a favorite.
10:31Buffalo now the favorite side here.
10:33But where Houston has been really good under C.J. Stroud, at home, 9-3 straight up.
10:40And as the underdog of which they are ever so slightly, 7-4 ATS, all right, it's a point
10:45and a half.
10:46We're talking a couple of cents on the money line.
10:48Still a winning record outright as an underdog as well, 6-5.
10:53All of that coming during C.J. Stroud's rookie season in Houston.
10:57You see the numbers there, 2-30-1 for Josh Allen, 2-53-1 for C.J. Stroud, expecting a
11:05lot of passing offense for Stroud against Buffalo this week.
11:11Not sure I think that number is correct.
11:14Last week against Jacksonville, he did take advantage, but Jacksonville's secondary, not
11:19very good.
11:21Here's a really compelling game, Joe, up next.
11:23Not only a divisional duel in the AFC North, but what are the Bengals about to do?
11:30They started 0-3.
11:31That has often been the nail in the coffin of teams hoping to contend for a Super Bowl
11:37since he was trying to do that.
11:38Never have we seen a team start winless after three weeks in the NFL and win a Lombardi
11:43trophy only once in this millennium since the year 2000.
11:47Instead, we see a team start 0-3 and reach the postseason, 2018 Houston Texans.
11:55But Joe, you at the end of that Monday night doubleheader where they got beat by the Washington
11:59Commanders and Jadon Daniels said, if there was ever an 0-3 team to come out of that hole
12:04and reach the playoffs, it could be this Bengals squad.
12:08They win by double digits.
12:10Last week against Carolina, they cover as a 5.5-point favorite.
12:15Here they are back at home as the slight underdog against the Baltimore Ravens, who
12:21looked really good on Sunday Night Football against Buffalo in another contender clash
12:26just a week ago.
12:29What gives on Sunday afternoon in Cincy?
12:31Well, yeah, here we go again.
12:34So the big question with Cincinnati, we've talked about it, is defense, right?
12:39And there was some serious concern early on that Cincinnati wouldn't have Trey Hendrickson
12:45after he left that last week's game.
12:47He had a neck stinger and did not return in that game against Carolina.
12:53However, he has practice, he's expected to suit up this week, and he's a top 10 pass
12:58rusher right now in the NFL.
13:02So he is huge to that defense.
13:04The other good news for Cincinnati is that defensive line is finally getting healthy.
13:10They will have first-round edge rusher Miles Murphy back this week, as well as B.J. Hill
13:17to clog up the middle of the defensive line there and not make running the ball all that
13:22easy like Baltimore did against the Buffalo Bills.
13:26There is no way in this spot here, I think this is going to be much closer to a Cincinnati
13:31Bengals full-team effort than we have seen all year long.
13:36The defense will be whole, the passing game will be whole, and I think the Ravens are
13:41in for a long day.
13:42I like Cincinnati, and I do think, Ben, this is going to be a lot lower scoring than people
13:47think.
13:48It's an AFC North battle, people.
13:50It's not the AFC West.
13:53Expect less scoring in this one.
13:55We shall see, Joe.
13:57Two teams right now allowing more than 22 points per game.
14:00Two teams that are also adding it up, scoring more than 25 points per game.
14:05The Bengals' defense needs to improve.
14:07They're the eighth-worst rushing defense in the National Football League.
14:11They will get a test, of course, against Derrick Henry.
14:15Here is the outlook for both teams as we enter the Week 5 Sunday slate.
14:19The Ravens back to the minus-money favorites to win the AFC North.
14:23The Bengals at 17-1 to win the AFC Championship.
14:28Two teams expected to contend.
14:30This is a huge one for the Bengals.
14:32We'll have more on that game later.
14:34We continue the preview of the Sunday slate next.
14:37The Washington Commanders enter Week 5 of this NFL season after the opening month in
14:42September on the first Sunday of October with the best record in the NFC East.
14:49Jaden Daniels, the Rook, has been sensational.
14:52Frankly, historic.
14:5382.1% is his completion percentage.
14:57It is the best not just for any rookie quarterback in their opening four games of their career.
15:01It is the best of any quarterback in NFL history in the first four games of a single season.
15:09And now we're starting to see the oddsmakers catch up.
15:12Washington, a field goal favorite at home this week, Joe, against the Cleveland Browns.
15:17Cleveland has been atrocious.
15:19They have been so bad this season.
15:21The only win on the road on a ugly, muggy, stormy day against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
15:2743.5% is the total for an offensive team in the Commanders that has been putting up points.
15:3542 last week out in the desert against the Arizona Cardinals.
15:40What are we going to see on Sunday outside the nation's capital in Landover?
15:45Yeah, uh, ugliness here.
15:49I do think it's going to be interesting, Ben, because we know it's going to happen here.
15:53At some point, Jaden Daniels is a rookie, people.
15:57And at some point, Jaden Daniels is going to get forced into making some rookie mistakes.
16:04And this feels like a very desperate spot here for Stefanski and the Browns at this point.
16:11And, you know, it's about as evident as possible.
16:15The defense has not been great.
16:18We thought this defense should be much, much better than what we have seen.
16:23Having the hook, Ben, is interesting in this game, right?
16:27The Commanders have not turned the ball over but once.
16:31They have been protecting the ball, protecting the rookie quarterback, not asking him to
16:35have to do too much here.
16:38They are now a favorite in this game.
16:40They're not a dog.
16:41Last couple of weeks, they were a dog.
16:43Now they're a favorite expected to win.
16:46We talked about this last segment here, where it's a different season for the Houston Texans,
16:51right?
16:52Well, what a difference a couple of weeks makes.
16:53And now all of a sudden, you're expected to win by more than a field goal here.
16:59That's tough sledding.
17:00I think the rookie at some point is going to take a step back.
17:03This is a very desperate Browns team.
17:06I do think the Browns certainly have some value.
17:09Three and a halfs are available, so grab it while you can.
17:13Joe, it's one of those spots where if you've been watching football for the first four
17:17weeks, the opening month of this NFL season, you see these two teams facing off and you
17:22say to yourselves, of course the Commanders are going to win.
17:25Cleveland has been awful.
17:26The offensive line is dreadful.
17:28They can't even protect Deshaun Watson to give a below average quarterback the time
17:33he needs to maybe even sniff mediocre.
17:36And he has not done anything to change our minds in terms of performance.
17:41The Raiders gifted them opportunities to win one last week in Las Vegas, and Cleveland
17:47could ill afford the opportunity to take advantage.
17:52And we've seen this Commanders team win three consecutive games.
17:56They have covered in three consecutive games, their last two outright as an underdog.
18:01Even the one time they were booked as a slight favorite this year at home against the New
18:06York Giants.
18:08But Joe, the only time they were a favorite, they laid a point and a half to the G-men.
18:12It was the only under of the season for what has become this offensive juggernaut we know
18:17as the Commanders.
18:18Again, this is one of those spots that we see weekly in the NFL that everything we have
18:23seen to this point tells us the Commanders should not only win comfortably, but easily
18:28cover as a field goal favorite.
18:30Heck, they should be a touchdown favorite against this measly Browns team.
18:34But it just feels like that spot.
18:37Jaden Daniels this year has been sensational so far.
18:40Nearly 900 passing yards already, more than 200 utilizing his legs.
18:45He's got four rushing touchdowns.
18:47He has scored in three of the four games.
18:50He had two rushing scores week number one against the Buccaneers and did find Pater
18:55a week ago against Arizona.
18:57And the completion percentage is otherworldly, 82.1%.
19:03Somehow he is getting better week over week.
19:06It is the best completion percentage we have seen for an NFL quarterback over the opening
19:10four weeks of any single NFL season in league history.
19:15But Joe, at a certain point, some of the rookie magic seems as though it is going to wear
19:20off.
19:21It just feels like that spot on Sunday.
19:24Listen, if you're in a pick-em pool where you're doing things like that, I still think
19:28I would pick the Commanders to win.
19:30But that flat number of three, maybe three in a hook, that's where I think things get
19:35costly where you might look at the underdogs and the Browns.
19:39Well, you're also then banking on this Washington defense stopping anybody, which they have
19:46not been.
19:47This is not a good Washington defense by any stretch.
19:51And although they gave up 14 points, only 14 points to Arizona, when you look at the
19:56numbers, six of their nine drives ended inside Washington territory here.
20:03So if the Browns are going to turn this thing around, a lot of it is going to start, Ben,
20:08with the health of that offensive line, which has been decimated by injuries for the first
20:12four weeks, which is why Deshaun Watson is the most sacked quarterback in the NFL here.
20:18However, they are expected to get the tackles back here.
20:22If this offense is ever going to turn it around, it's going to be against this defense of
20:26Washington, and I think they will hear Washington riding way too high, like you said.
20:32Deshaun Watson has been sacked 19 times, 19 times in four games this season.
20:38The Cardinals went right down the field on their opening drive last week, scored a touchdown.
20:43It was the highest total of the week last week, 50 and a half.
20:46We thought we would see points, and we still got over because the Commanders put up 42
20:51points.
20:52But the defense did buckle up later in the game against Arizona.
20:56So many similarities, or at least, you know, consistencies between these two teams that
21:03will face off on Sunday inside Soldier Field.
21:06The Bears and the Panthers, it was the trade two years ago that Carolina moved up to get
21:13Bryce Young because of that trade.
21:16The Bears had the Panthers' number one pick this past season.
21:19They draft Caleb Williams.
21:20We'll have more on this game on the other side.
21:23But Joe, just to show you, three and a half is the number in favor of Chicago against
21:27the Panthers.
21:28The Bears lay in more than a field goal.
21:31How close is this one on Sunday in the Windy City?
21:35It's going to be close.
21:36I don't think it lands there, though, Ben, at three and a half.
21:38I think that number is going to reach four, four and a half before it's all said and done.
21:44The Bears have been a favorite at both of their home games this year.
21:49It's their two wins.
21:51It's their two covers as the favorite side.
21:53A little bit more on that one in the rest of the Sunday Slate.
21:57The full Sunday Slate preview here on A Football Friday on the early line.
22:02The Bears and the Panthers, again, so many ties between these two franchises with the
22:07trades of the number one overall picks.
22:09But there's also the Andy Dalton revenge factor.
22:12I kid, but he did spend a few years in Chicago when Justin Fields was the quarterback.
22:17That was the youngster for the Bears.
22:20Again, Chicago has played two home games this year at Soldier Field.
22:24They have been booked as a favorite in both of those games, laying at least three points.
22:29They have covered in both last week against the Rams, opening weekend of the season against
22:35the Tennessee Titans.
22:36The offense was the reason why a week ago, and a really strong defense as well.
22:42But DeAndre Swift finally got going for Chicago a week ago against LA.
22:48The Rams rushing defense ain't great.
22:50We'll talk about that in just a little bit.
22:53All right, let's go elsewhere around the NFL Slate on this Sunday.
22:58Divisional duel in Jacksonville.
23:00The Jaguars still looking for win number one.
23:05So close in Houston a week ago to only see it dwindle away at the end.
23:12A ton of injury questions for Indianapolis.
23:14Will we see Anthony Richardson?
23:17Might it be Joe Flacco?
23:18High ankle sprain for Jonathan Taylor.
23:20I would say it's a 50-50 shot as of right now.
23:24He is currently listed as questionable.
23:27The good news for Jacksonville, Joe, they're a two and a half point favorite at home in
23:32Duval County on Sunday.
23:35So they are expected to win their first game of the year.
23:39I guess I would say we shall see.
23:42Well, there's a lot of things going wrong with Jacksonville.
23:47And it starts, I think, with Trevor Lawrence, right, who has actually thrown the deep ball
23:53pretty well here when he connects.
23:55The problem is that he's not getting a ton after the catch from his receivers right now.
24:01And the good news is Evan Ingram back in uniform this week.
24:06And Evan Ingram led tight ends last year in yards after the catch, which is exactly what
24:12Trevor Lawrence is.
24:13It's great that you throw a deep ball, but if you're just throwing a deep ball, he catches
24:16it and falls down, yeah, there's a lot of issues that can go on with that.
24:21Not to mention he's missed a ton of wide open receivers here.
24:26I do think, and by the way, I think both starting linebackers for Jacksonville, also Devin
24:31Lloyd out for this game here.
24:34It feels like, and I think there's rain in the forecast as well here, it just feels like
24:42if these two teams get it rolling, and I think they will, I don't care who the quarterback
24:47is for Indy, by the way, it feels like an over to me here.
24:51I can't expect with the injuries on Jacksonville's defense for anybody to stop anybody.
24:56And Flacco is more than capable of tearing apart this Jacksonville defense like we've
25:01seen others do, Ben.
25:02I lean to the over in this one.
25:05I want nothing to do to figure out who's going to win it, because we both know it's probably
25:10going to be one on some ridiculous last second play that nobody saw coming and that's the
25:16end of it.
25:17So I'd rather root for points in this game.
25:18Joe, you and I are seeing things slightly differently for this Sunday slate.
25:23You don't think there's going to be a lot of points in Cincy?
25:26I think we light up the scoreboard.
25:28You think there will be points in this one?
25:30I don't think we get many.
25:32Jacksonville tied for the third worst scoring offense in the National Football League at
25:3515 points per game so far.
25:38And with no Jonathan Taylor, that's really more important to me than who the quarterback
25:42is for Indianapolis.
25:45I don't know how many points we get in an ugly game for the Jags, just their second
25:49at home, which is what we saw.
25:52Also on a sloppy track week two against Cleveland.
25:55They lost that game as the favorite, losing outright in a game that featured only 31 points.
26:01I think we can both agree, points at a premium on Sunday inside Gillette Stadium up in Foxboro.
26:08The Patriots a slight favorite, a slight favorite at home against Miami.
26:13You want to know how bad things are for the Dolphins?
26:16Just show people this spread that sees the Patriots laying a point and a half at home
26:20against Miami.
26:23I mean, this is just gross on so many levels.
26:26How are we getting to 36 and a half points in this game, Ben?
26:29I'm just curious.
26:30How does anybody think we're getting over 36 and a half points?
26:34There is no way I do anything but that the under and even the team total under for the
26:40Miami Dolphins, that's how bad it is right now here in South Beach.
26:45The Dolphins, the worst scoring offense in the National Football League.
26:48If you were to utter those words before the year, they would have called you a lunatic.
26:52Again, Joe, it's the same thing we talked about entering Monday Night Football.
26:56Mike McDaniel, you're considered the genius boy, the wonder boy.
27:00You've now had Snoop Huntley in-house for three weeks about to start his second game
27:04in a Dolphins uniform.
27:06Figure it out.
27:07You still have talented playmakers.
27:10Make it work somehow, some way.
27:12I just don't know if it does.
27:14Mike Lewitt joins us next on A Football Friday here on TEL.
27:18A Football Friday is not complete unless Mike Lewitt is here on the early line on
27:23Sports Grid.
27:24Big Blue, as always, we appreciate the time.
27:27We'll get your thoughts on a wild start to week number five around the National Football
27:32League and if it means we will see more chaos and excitement on the opening weekend of October
27:39in the NFL.
27:40And we'll preview everything we need to know around a Sunday slate.
27:44Blue, as always, thanks for being here on TEL.
27:48Thanks for having me.
27:49Obviously, I didn't get off to a great start last night.
27:52I thought it would be more of a low-scoring affair.
27:54I think it says a lot about the NFC South in general and us having a difficult time
28:00figuring out who's going to take that division.
28:03Bucs left one on the field last night, unfortunately for them, but I don't think that division
28:09is going to be solved for a long time.
28:11Yeah, it might not be.
28:13The Buccaneers are going to feel as though they coughed up an opportunity, literally
28:17the late fumble from Bucky Irving.
28:20It was part of the madness that ensued, Blue, midway through that fourth quarter.
28:24A fumble, a pick, bad Buccaneers offense to move back to field, having to punt it away
28:31to a minute and 14 seconds.
28:33Kirk Cousins, without a timeout, leads Atlanta down the field, sets up a young Waiku game
28:39tire for more than 50 yards out and then an overtime on the opening offensive possession.
28:45That comes through.
28:46A game-tying score and a game-winning drive, both courtesy of Kirk Cousins.
28:52More than 500 yards last night, that's why it go out and signed the guy to a $180 million
28:58deal this offseason.
29:00What was your main takeaway from Thursday Night Football to start week number five?
29:05I think I'm just very confused as to what the Bucs' identity is.
29:09They've been very up and down.
29:11They obviously have some really explosive offense, and I thought that was going to win
29:17the day for them.
29:18Obviously, Atlanta also missed a couple of key field goal opportunities, one of them
29:22being blocked.
29:24But the good news for Atlanta fans is that the Aaron Rodgers achilles surgery and the
29:33Kirk Cousins achilles surgery were documented to be different, and Cousins was expected
29:40to take longer to recover from.
29:42So this is good news that perhaps he's getting more nimble, more mobile, and he is not yet
29:49playing at a 100% level for him.
29:53We saw glimpses of it last night, and 42 of 58 for 509 yards and setting an Atlanta Falcons
29:58record is a pretty damn good way to get going.
30:03What are you feeling, though, here, Blute, when you look at this division, big one coming
30:07up against the Saints now, Tampa.
30:10It feels like this is a—Carolina probably will have more to say about this division
30:16from playing spoiler when it's all said and done here, but who are you giving the edge
30:20to right now?
30:24I still am not as big a believer in the Saints as other people are.
30:29They impressed early on in the season and then fell backwards.
30:34I am really between those two teams last night.
30:38I think those are the two teams that will battle it out.
30:41The good news, like I said, for Atlanta fans is that maybe more pieces are getting involved
30:45offensively, and Cousins can spread the ball around more.
30:48Darryl Hodge gets the touchdown, Pitts, we saw something out of him for the first time
30:53this season.
30:54I would note, though, that Tampa has still been playing without key defensive players.
30:59There's been no Antoine Winfield.
31:01There's been no Kalajit Kansi.
31:02They have injuries that will make them a better team that they have been playing without,
31:07which is why they're 3-2.
31:09They might have pulled off another win if they had a little extra defensive help last
31:12night.
31:13It will be really interesting to see the NFC South, of course, in the divisional chase
31:18for a division that has only sent its division winner to the postseason each of the past
31:24three years.
31:25And by the way, in each of the past three years, it has been the Buccaneers winning
31:29the NFC South.
31:31We see multiple teams with the Bucs, the Saints, and the Falcons all in contention.
31:36That remains to be seen.
31:38So let's fast forward, blew it, to the first game of Sunday.
31:41It starts early across the pond in foggy old London town.
31:45It's the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings.
31:48The Vikings enter week number five as one of two remaining undefeated teams in the NFL
31:53at 4-0 alongside the Chiefs.
31:56But the Vikings are the only 4-0 team against the number.
31:59Their last three victories outright as an underdog, but now they're the favorites against
32:05Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
32:08How do you see Sunday starting in London?
32:11So not only are they 4-0, they're 4-0 against the number.
32:13They're 3-0 in London, the only team with that many wins and no losses in London.
32:19But in Tottenham Stadium, we have seen of the nine games played there, eight of them
32:24are one score games.
32:25They tend to be very close.
32:26There's obviously a lot of travel involved.
32:28I would expect that again.
32:30I would give the edge to the Vikings because it's...
32:34So what's funny about statistically for the Vikings is that we all can see that their
32:38defense is playing lights out.
32:41Best defense in the league so far by DVOA standards.
32:45Their offense does not compare as much, but this is as a result of them having a lot of
32:50short fields.
32:51So Darnold has been wildly efficient, but he's not putting up gaudy numbers.
32:56The touchdowns are great, but this all leads back to the defense creating a lot of turnovers
33:01and short fields for the offense.
33:04I expect more of that.
33:06Look, the Jets had a very rough week.
33:09You guys live...
33:10You're a Jets fan, Joe, and Ben, you're here in New York.
33:13The Jets are getting beat up all week for that pathetic performance on Sunday.
33:17They're not that bad, but there are clear issues offensively where the players are not
33:22all on the same page.
33:23It's difficult for me to trust them and go to London and pull off a win against this
33:28Vikings team.
33:29I have to lay the two and a half.
33:30I think it is a close game, but since it's under the key number of three, I would take
33:35the Vikings.
33:36One of those classic buy low, sell high spots here in that game.
33:42It's going to be very interesting at nine o'clock in the morning.
33:46Another interesting game for the AFC is going to be Buffalo taking on Houston.
33:52Love the spot for Buffalo, getting absolutely embarrassed prime time against Baltimore.
33:58Now taking on a Houston defense that can't stop the run themselves, and they can't run
34:03the ball this year, Houston.
34:06It's a pick and price.
34:07What are you thinking?
34:08A ton of penalties, too, for Houston that have not been picked up at all.
34:13The first halves of these Houston games have been flat out bad.
34:17Lots of penalties, Joe.
34:18You and I are watching it every week live.
34:21Lots of penalties.
34:22They're not getting in the end zone.
34:23I definitely like the Bills in the first half of this game.
34:26They've been the second highest scoring first half team.
34:30Now Houston has been good in the second half, so you have a situation where the Bills have
34:34been a very good first half team.
34:35The Texans have been a better second half team.
34:38I'm going to lean with the first half, the Bills to get off to a better start.
34:41Until the Texans start getting it done in the first half and stop committing offensive
34:45penalties that are killing drives, I got to roll with the Bills.
34:50A crucial AFC North game on Sunday afternoon.
34:55Not just for any divisional title hopes, but also for playoff implications this early on,
35:01on the first Sunday of October.
35:03The Bengals at home against Cincinnati hosting the Ravens.
35:07Two and a half points spread blue in favor of Baltimore on the road with a total at 48
35:13and a half.
35:15What is your expectation for this crucial game on Sunday in Cincinnati?
35:20Really tough one for the Bengals that have not been playing consistently well.
35:25They have to face a Ravens team that looks like they unlocked something last week.
35:31Divisional home dogs is a profitable place to be.
35:36I'm going to roll with the Bengals in this one.
35:38Give me the two and a half.
35:39I can see that this game could go down to the wire.
35:44The historic second halves that we've seen from the Bengals have not rung true so far
35:51this season, but I'll still roll with the Bengals.
35:54I like their offense to be able to get it done.
35:56So give me the two and a half points as a divisional home dog.
36:00Since Joe Burrow came into the league, that was 2020.
36:04He is 23-13-1, or the Bengals are at least, 23-13-1 against the spread.
36:11Some of that might also be from last year when Jake Browning filled in for Joe Burrow.
36:16He will have this game circled, no doubt about it, because it was last year as the Bengals
36:21started their resilience after another 0-2 start where they entered in a huge Thursday
36:26night football game against the Flock.
36:28It was the final game that Joe Burrow played, suffering the wrist injury that would sideline
36:33him for the rest of this season.
36:35Sunday night football, a classic NFL matchup on Sunday night football.
36:42Two of the biggest brands in the sport and in the National Football League face off in
36:47the Steel City on a Sunday night.
36:50Mike Blewett continues with us here on a football Friday on the early line on SportsGrid.
36:55No terrible towel behind Mike Blewett now, just some scenery in the background.
37:01But we know where Blewett's allegiance lies, but of course he is a very unbiased member
37:07to preview this game as well.
37:09An interesting spot here, Blew, for the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
37:14The Cowboys are 2-2.
37:17They had a mini-bye, of course, after Thursday night football last week, handling business
37:22against the Giants, 20-15, not exactly overwhelmingly impressive in their performance.
37:29The Steelers suffered their first loss of the season last week against the Colts.
37:33They were getting house to start, made it compelling in the second half, and Justin
37:38Fields was great statistically, 2.5 points spread in favor of the Steelers at home on
37:45Sunday.
37:46How do you break down Sunday night football between the boys and the Steelers?
37:49I can hit on one of the things that's really important for the Steelers to do, and Fields
37:53has commented on it just yesterday.
37:58The last two weeks, the Steelers have shown a glimpse of a legitimate offense in the second
38:04halves of games, but the first halves of their games are field goal fests, they're not putting
38:09up a lot of points.
38:10And against a Dallas team that historically, at least the last two years, has been a very
38:14good first half team, I think it's going to be important to match them offensively or
38:19at least limit them.
38:20Now, Mike Tomlin is excellent during prime time games, his record is, given the fact
38:26that they're barely laying anything here, a point and a half, two and a half, I'm going
38:31to lean towards the Steelers, Dallas obviously dealing with some injuries as well.
38:35But the Steelers, we have thought, and they have exhibited so far this year, that they're
38:42going to be a fairly conservative team, running the ball a lot.
38:44They are now down two offensive linemen, James Daniels declared out for the year, one of
38:49their starting guards, and Fautanu, their first round draft pick, is out long term as
38:56well.
38:57So the Steelers are operating with a MASH unit offensive line.
39:02And on the other side, the Michael Parsons to DeMarcus Lawrence story.
39:06So both of these teams probably not at peak health.
39:10I just have to roll with the Steelers, given the fact that their defense has limited the
39:14opposing offenses so far this season.
39:17Interesting, a battle out west there in the NFC, because you've got, let's see, the Cardinals
39:24have beaten the Rams, the Rams have beaten the 49ers, and now the Cardinals and 49ers
39:29are going to go at it here.
39:31And that Arizona defense is atrocious, Mike.
39:35This feels like an over, even though it's the highest number on the board, it feels
39:39like we're going to get points.
39:41What do you think we're going to get?
39:42Joe, they have no pass rush, none.
39:46And it's just for Brock Purdy to sit there and be able to do whatever he wants all day.
39:52I just don't know how the Cardinals are going to keep up.
39:56This is a Niners team total over.
40:00That's the way I would attack it.
40:01I'm with you.
40:02It probably goes over the 50 and a half, but you can isolate the Niners.
40:05I believe it's 30 and a half right now, or right around there.
40:10And I don't have a problem with the Niners going over that number.
40:12It is going to be an interesting game.
40:15That's a very high total between the Cardinals and the 49ers.
40:20San Francisco is starting to get a little bit healthier.
40:22We did see Debo Samuel and George Kittle return a week ago.
40:26The Denver Broncos, two consecutive wins as a road underdog of five and a half points
40:32or greater, continuing the trend of the year of the underdog around the National Football
40:37League.
40:38Interesting spot, though, for the Broncos back in mile high as a short favorite, playing
40:43two and a half points against the Las Vegas Raiders.
40:46We will not see Devante Adams for the Raiders on Sunday.
40:50And this is a very low number, from 50 and a half between the Niners and the Cardinals
40:56to 35 and a hook blue in Denver on Sunday.
41:00How do you see this one playing out?
41:02Broncos love an under, and I don't really see how they're going to go over here.
41:08The good news for the Broncos fans and for those that are wagering on the Broncos, I
41:12think we saw more evidence last week, and I know they haven't been like this every week,
41:19but the Broncos defense can bring it.
41:21They do have players there, Patrick Sertan and others.
41:25They do have enough talent defensively to compete week in, week out.
41:29They're obviously well coached by Sean Payton, and Bo Nix is coming along.
41:33It's conservative right now, and it isn't putting up a lot of points, but I do like
41:38the trajectory of the Broncos better than I like the trajectory of the Raiders.
41:41I know we'll get into Devante Adams in a moment, but another divisional game.
41:47These games are obviously hard fought by both teams throughout the season so far, even though
41:51the records aren't sterling.
41:53I like the Broncos here.
41:55I just don't know what the Raiders can bring me week in, week out, unless you get a good
42:00Minshew game.
42:02Those are lurking.
42:03I just don't know that they're lurking against this Broncos defense.
42:08I don't know that Devante Adams makes any sets for the Jets, but everyone keeps talking
42:13about it.
42:14Why'd you bring in Mike Williams?
42:15You got Lazard.
42:17I don't know that Devante Adams is going to move the needle.
42:20You can't even get the ball to Garrett Wilson as it is, so if it ain't the Jets, where does
42:25Adams land?
42:26All right.
42:27There's a lot of spots for him, potentially.
42:31You have to figure out the money, clearly, but we talk a lot about the salary cap, and
42:35the teams always find a way around it.
42:37The Chiefs, the Steelers, and other teams there have need at that position.
42:43The Jets don't really have a pressing need at wide receiver.
42:48It's a fun story to connect Rodgers and Adams as good friends, but what are you going to
42:53do?
42:54Bench Lazard, he's been the best wide receiver on the team so far, and add all that salary
43:00cap to it.
43:01I don't think the Jets' problems lie at wide receiver.
43:06Clearly this is his last year under this contract.
43:09He's got $15 million in dead cap for the Raiders.
43:13The next two years are $35 and $36 million on the cap.
43:17Nobody's paying him that, so he's going to have to get a new deal, a restructured deal.
43:22I just don't see why the Jets would be the team that needs him.
43:26They don't need him right now.
43:27They need to get on the same page as Aaron Rodgers.
43:29Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Mike Williams, when healthy, are not the problem with this
43:34football team.
43:35Yeah.
43:36How would that look to Garrett Wilson?
43:38Hey, I need my guy back.
43:40You're not really cutting it as our top wide out, but then again, we'll see who wears the
43:44pants for gang green.
43:46Is it Woody Johnson?
43:48Is it Joe Douglas?
43:49Is it Robert Sala?
43:51Probably Aaron Rodgers.
43:52We'll continue previewing the Sunday Slate with Mike Blewett up next.
43:56We continue our full Sunday Slate preview around the National Football League, entering
44:01week number five with Mike Blewett on this Football Friday.
44:05Through to Los Angeles we go.
44:07The Rams and the Packers.
44:09Green Bay with Jordan Love, 0-2.
44:12Green Bay with Malik Willis, 2-0.
44:15Quarterback controversy?
44:17I kid.
44:18Jordan Love is going to get the start on Sunday in L.A., and the Pack is a three-point road
44:23favorite against the Rams.
44:24Pretty high total.
44:25Forty-eight and a half is now the updated number on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
44:30How do you break down the matchup between the Pack and the Rams?
44:36100% last week, and they had some bad turnovers, and they got blitzkrieged by the Vikings right
44:42out of the gate.
44:43But we saw over the course of the game, the offense started clicking a little bit better.
44:47We got a bunch of receivers involved.
44:49Jaden Reed has really proven to be—there's a couple of young receivers in Nico Collins
44:53and Jaden Reed that I think we are seeing.
44:56They're going to be a much bigger part of the discussion as we move forward.
45:01Reed with the Packers and Collins, obviously, with the Texans.
45:04I think—I don't love the three-and-a-half here.
45:08I do like the Packers to win the game, but the Rams catching three-and-a-half at home,
45:14they have a lot of injuries.
45:16We all know that.
45:17But they've been in, really, all of their games thus far, and I don't love just going
45:24on the road and having Stafford as a three-and-a-half-point dog.
45:28I know on paper it looks like maybe the Packers will run them over.
45:32I just don't really see that.
45:34McVeigh and Stafford have proven to be able to scheme and fight their way into games.
45:38So, I'll take the points here.
45:40It may not be your favorite, but Matt Stafford has that big of an underdog at home.
45:45I like him.
45:46I think Green Bay can name their score in that game, too, there.
45:51What are we doing, however, with the Giants?
45:55Because Seattle will have five starters back on defense, it looks like.
46:00DeWosa will be there, finally.
46:02Moffey.
46:03You've got Leonard Williams, Jerome Baker, Julian Luff.
46:06This is going to look like a totally different Seattle defense against these Giants.
46:10I agree, and this is just not a good spot for the G-men at all.
46:17It's evidenced by the spread here of six-and-a-half.
46:21Neighbors banged up, as well.
46:23So, I just think that six-and-a-half is a lot.
46:28Joe, you and I talk about it every week, that you can't just start throwing touchdowns
46:32around to people and assuming that they would cover.
46:35But the G-men, and I think D'Abel has done a really admirable job.
46:41I think he is doing an admirable job.
46:43We talked a lot about this roster going into the year and how they were one of the league's
46:47worst.
46:48They're not playing like one of the league's worst teams, week in and week out.
46:52Pathetic opening week, yes, but not since.
46:57I just don't know what they're going to be able to do offensively here.
47:01So, I'd like a Giants team total under, is the way I would play it.
47:06I've been focusing on a lot of these teams, the Patriots, the Giants.
47:10You were talking about Miami during one of the breaks.
47:13Those teams, just, I don't see how they can get to their team total.
47:1720th consecutive game for the G-men as an underdog, 10-8-1 against the spread in the
47:25previous 19.
47:26For a little bit of optimism, maybe this game can be at least slightly competitive.
47:31Changing expectation though, Blewett, from an underdog mostly this year, three of four
47:35games, now to a full field goal favorite at home.
47:39It's Jayden Daniels doing that for the Commanders as they are off to a 3-1 start.
47:43Best record currently in the NFC East.
47:46They host the Browns.
47:47With the change of expectation, how does Washington perform on Sunday?
47:52It's a good one.
47:53I'll be really watching to see if Washington can handle the expectations in the right manner.
48:02I have to say, the Dan Quinn-Cliff Kingsbury coaching marriage, I didn't know their familiarity
48:07with one another.
48:08I didn't know if this was going to work.
48:10It seems to be working.
48:12There's always a team that comes out of nowhere.
48:14It's clearly Washington this year.
48:17Cleveland is just not playing good football consistently.
48:19They're not as dominant defensively as they have been.
48:22They need to prove that they can stop somebody like Jayden Daniels that is completing 82%
48:26of his passes.
48:27I know it's a flat three.
48:29Give me Washington here.
48:30Give me the Commanders.
48:31Yeah, it is one of those spots, Blewett, where you look at it on paper based on what we have
48:37seen so far throughout this NFL season, and it almost feels as though the Commanders being
48:42booked as a favorite for their second time isn't the story.
48:46It's the fact that Commanders are only a three-point favorite against a woeful Cleveland team to
48:51start, but it's any given Sunday in the NFL, maybe it changes our expectation after this
48:58matchup.
48:59Mike Blewett, we appreciate it.
49:00We'll see you on Sunday alongside the man to your left, Geron Arie on NFL Football In-Game
49:05Live, game day starting at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
49:09We'll talk to you then.
49:10Our number three, our third and final on a Football Friday is up next.