Pistons season was ‘a mirage’ after elimination, SGA wins MVP, Time to believe in the Cavs? | FTF

Live from New York, the show that's throwing their support behind Stingray Robb.Little slow on the pole position.

No, the show is not.The show is not.Really?

Stingray Robb was, I believe, starting in last place.

I got to tell you.

Stingray Robb, welcome to Team Wild.

You know how Usain Bolt has the perfect name for being the fastest man ever?Yes.I think the opposite might have happened with Stingray Robb.You know who I'm going to go with?Palo, we get it.Palo, my guy.

Where's he starting?I missed qualifying this weekend.

He's got the pole.

He's got the pole.Has he won half the races already this season?

Well, yes.There haven't been that many races.

Three of six.

Pretty good.We're going to Indy on Wednesday.We'll be there Thursday, Friday.Are you staying for the race?I'm staying for the race.

Well, here's what I do know.

Meet and greet.I'll be there.

Brew has to get out of town.I do, unfortunately.Friday night, though.Second annual.And you'll be there this time.First things first meet and greet at some casino 20 miles away.

He got you to go?

KW's gonna go.We're gonna watch the game together.It's not a riverboat.There's a racetrack there.It's great.

We're starting in Detroit.Donovan Mitchell had 26.Reaches his first ever conference final.Got a lot of layups.So much for that Detroit defense.That was so great.

How about I just lay the ball up.Harden had nine.Missed every three.But he was plus 31 in the night.Figure that out.Cavs win by 31.

It was an impressive victory, Brew.Did that make you believe the Cavs can win the East?

Well, first, let me say congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of my hometown teams.This is unbelievable.I did not pick them.I did not pick them.They proved me wrong.And in true Cleveland fashion, they did it with toughness.

Cleveland is a tough city.Yeah, unlike Detroit.I thought Detroit was a little tougher, that team.But the Cavs out -rebounded Detroit, which was a really good rebounded team this year.50 -41 yesterday.Outscored them in points.

in the paint 58 to 34.So they attack the rim against the piston.So I want to congratulate the Cavs and I will not I have referred to them as a finesse.Wink wink.Let's not go through that again, but wink wink team.Yeah.

All right.I am.I will no longer refer to them as a finesse team.They have graduated.They have proven their toughness in the playoffs.Good job, Cleveland.

And because of it, I want to salute, even though I didn't pick them.

What is he doing?

I want to salute my hometown Cleveland Cavaliers.This is for you.That's right.Go ahead.You try it.

It's time now.

Don't break it like you did last time.It's a pit.I'm trying to give you redemption.Last time you did it, you broke it.It didn't work.It's going to work.

It's too small of a problem, first of all, but here we go.It got worse.What's wrong with it?The segment got worse.

Why should I be?Didn't work for you.I bet you it works for Nick.Let me see.I bet you it works for him.You didn't pick.

Hold on.

Hold on a second.

I'm from here.

It doesn't make sense.He didn't pick the Cavs either.

None of us picked the Cavs.

All that said, Cleveland, I salute you.All that said, say no Nixon five.I'm just saying, I'm giving an objective analysis.I wouldn't mind being wrong, but Knicks in five, I'm telling you what's going to happen.Three of my four teams are left.I'm seeing this.

All right, five.I just aggressively.Yeah, the calves aren't very good defensively, right?That was okay against Detroit because you really had one offensive player to worry about.With the Knicks, it's going to be four, sometimes five guys out there that you have to worry about.So the Cavs are going to have to outscore them, and I just don't think they're going to be able to do that.

I'm going to do something similar to Bruin that, before I give my answer to this question, I do want to give credit to some people.Joel Embiid, because he's won an MVP, has ascended above everyone else on the Never Made a Conference Finals list.Best player in an MMA conference final.So he's kind of, sadly, in a category by himself.But without Embiid, it was Dominique Wilkins, from my whole childhood, kind of growing up, is the best on that list.And Donovan was steadily rising on that list, as far as most decorated player ever, to not ever make it out of round two.

He is eighth.all time in playoff scoring points per game.And he started his career off as a dynamic postseason scorer.When those teams lost early, Rudy got blamed.Then he went to Cleveland, and they kept coming up short to the tune of firing coaches or making major moves.And it finally felt like he was going to get some of the heat had they lost this series even though they were playing the one seed right and so donovan stepping up the way he did in game seven and alan and mobley because because i know we joke danny we give danny a hard time about the big four piece of it harden was a mid -season acquisition mercenary the team build was around donovan Evan Mobley, Jared Allen, and those three guys all played different versions of an excellent game yesterday to the tune of blowing out Detroit, which we'll get to in a minute.

they clearly, like, Harden wasn't great, but those three were great, so it was okay.To where it didn't matter.And all he had to do was not turn it over.Right.

You and I joked, I think, on Thursday or Friday about the inevitable 2 -for -11 from James Harden that was coming.It ended up being a 2 -for -10, and it flatly did not matter.Right.So, with all that said, I have amazing news for Cavs fans.Okay.The best news imaginable.

Picking it up.I'm picking the Knicks.Because I have gotten almost every series wrong.So I imagine for sports fans, the last thing they want is for me to sit out here and explain why their team's going to win as a guy whose playoff bracket looks about as disastrous as one possibly could.And the reason I'm picking the Knicks is quite simply So every series the Knicks haven't played in, in the Eastern Conference playoffs, has gone seven games.Every series has been a war.

Meanwhile, the Knicks have dusted their two opponents.I understand the Hawks series went six, but they were down 2 -1 and then annihilated them.They annihilated Philly in round two.I do think they're getting OG back.And I do think that while it won't be the focus today because they won, Harden's performances in game six and seven are going to loom large in everyone's head and Cleveland's performance as a team in game six when you have an opportunity to close out a team at home and you just sleepwalk through it.You sometimes see teams sleepwalk through a road game six knowing we have a home game seven in our pocket.

Now to their credit they were able to just flip the switch in a game seven so it didn't matter.But I just don't think that At any moment this postseason, I've been overly impressed with the Cavs.I give them credit for what they've done, but needing seven to take care of Toronto.it just being a home road series.This series here, it that where with two minutes left in game five, I was like, all right, the Cavs are done.They're going to end.

So I give them credit for accomplishing what they did, but I think the Knicks, especially because it looks like OG is going to be back.I have just been a runaway train so far.So no, I don't think they're going to win.

Are you saying five or six or seven?

No, I, I didn't really, I would be very, I'd be surprised if it went seven.And so I would be saying five or six.I think probably Knicks and six is what feels about right.Knicks go up two games to nothing, and then it's three, two, and then the Knicks close it out in six.

I will say this for the Cavs, for those that want to believe in the Cavs.They have great talent.I mean, you can argue they are as talented as the Knicks.Obviously Harden's a little older, but you can argue they're as talented.And they're fairly deep too.So they can match.

It's a great Donovan versus Jalen.Yeah.

Yeah postseason.

There are some reasons to believe in the Cavs.

You say nine days rest for the Knicks.We are in Russ territory.Josh Hart was even joking around about it.Do you think they're going to come back?Like wow, nine days were totally fresh.I'm a little worried about them.

Cavs need to get game one.This is a game.

They should try to, but I, I say nine days is a lot and I would, I would maybe prefer to be a team coming off.three days rest than the team coming off nine days rest.But the fact that the Cavs will be coming off one day rest, having played a brutal seven game series, I'd rather be the rested team.And I do really think, and we'll probably talk more about it tomorrow, the Knicks desperately wanted, we did a lot on this show about how the Knicks wanted Donovan Mitchell.And then when the Cavs traded for him, it felt like the consolation was Jalen Brunson.I believe in their tenures in Cleveland, New York, Brunson's been better.

Yes.I think Brunson, at this point, has by a hair, but has established himself as the better player.But this is a fair fight, and it'll be interesting to see these two small scoring guards go against each other.

Cavs' first conference finals appearance without LeBron since I was a freshman in high school.Nick was in second grade, and Brew was an established journalist.1992.I guessed you were in second grade.I was covering high school in the Cleveland area.All right, meanwhile, the number one seeded Pistons.

Point blank.Embarrassing.31 point loss was the third largest Game 7 home loss in NBA history.One game was from the 1940s.The other was when Luka torched the Suns.Okay, Brew, was the Pistons season a success?

They were the number one seed.

They won 60 games with Well, I'm going to give you guys some advice first.Greg Jennings is here.He'll be in the football segments.I've been mocking him all day with chants of Detroit basketball.He's from Michigan.He's not taking kindly to it.

Well, that's kind of rude bro.So be careful around him.He's serious about it.

He just suffered a devastating loss.

I'm joking, but he's like, I'm messing with him, but he's dead serious.He ain't really playing around.So I had to lock my door.In the moment, it doesn't feel like a success, obviously.Anytime you're the number one seed, you really should, and I imagine do feel like, if we don't get to the finals, it was a failure.So I get and then in this series, they did blow, you know, game five.

We talked about they're up nine with three minutes left.Yes, you have to win that game.You win that they, you know, things are different.So in the moment, I get it.It looks like a failure.But overall, I think the grand

scheme of things, I think this season was a rousing success for them.Because two years ago, they won 14 games.Last year, they were the sixth seed.They go out in the first round to the Knicks.And they essentially have the same team.And this year, out of the blue, they win 60 games at a number one seed.

That roster is not a 60 win roster.It's not a number one seed roster.All right, they got one great player in Cade.And then, I mean, we talked about it as the series was going.Orlando really has a better roster than them, at least offensively for sure.And they might not get by Orlando, if not for Franz Wagner, his injury.

So what I'm saying is, they got so much further and more success this season than that roster would suggest to you.And that's J .B.Bickerstaff, fantastic job as a head coach.And I also think, Nick, you found out who you really are.Like you, I mean, Jalen Duran now.

Yes.I'm looking at him.If I'm Detroit, ideally, I want to just sign him to the qualifying offer.Now, he's a restricted free agent.They could match anything.I don't know what teams are going to offer.

Some teams, you know, Brooklyn, Chicago, they got money.The Lakers will make him an offer.You think for sure?

Yeah.I mean, yeah.

I mean, they make him an offer.And with Luka, he, you know, he's that type.I do think.Because you're not going to run plays for him, but Luka can get him lobs and stuff.

But I don't know if the qualifying offer gets it done, but I but he played himself out of it.Absolutely.

And if he gets a offer, it's weird.

It would be like 9 .6 million, 9 million.No, because it's because then KW, he becomes a true unrestricted.So they still can resign.Some guys want to do that.

So they can then the only way it will probably have if he's disappointed in the offers.He getson the market and like, you know what, let me come back prove people don't know.

I don't want to interrupt and just because people might be a little confused unrestricted free agent negotiate with anyone's time with whoever you want restricted free agent.The Pistons will make him whatever offer they want to make him or not make him an offer.He can accept it or not and then he can negotiate with another team.It's as the Lakers offer him three years a hundred and twenty million making it up.Sure.The because he's restricted free agent.

The Pistons can then say we match.Yeah, and you that exact deal you agreed to with the Lakers.We get you for it.

So that's if I'm them.I'm letting the market determine where he's at now.I'll say he's better than Daniel Gafford.Obviously, you saw what Luka did with Gaffer.So for the Lakers that does make some sense, but and then are sore Thompson to Dude, I would not give I would wait till next season.They don't have to give him in the contract extension now wait because his offense is completely like a star just work on your jump shot all summer.

Yeah, that's here that lethal sugar guy that makes the Jolly Ranchers.

You and your brother as well, right?

You and your brother.It's worth as a family a billion dollars.Yes for you to develop just a corner three for real your multiple max contracts.You two young men who are so great at everything except for shooting.Yeah, if you just become C plus shooters, you'll make a billion dollars collectively in today's NBA.Absolutely.

So that's why, Brew, I struggle with this being a success, because it puts such a mirror on, man, we got a lot of holes to fill.Yeah.It was, you were, it's very funny.I look at the Pistons going into next year very similarly to how I look at the Lakers.They have one, Unbelievable, do -it -all offensive force.I really like it.

like the coach.A very intriguing and interesting free agent case in Reeves and Durin.Oddly, I think both teams might be like, you really can't because they're both free agents, but can we just trade those two for each other?We get a score.We already have centers in Detroit.Like yeah, I think it's hard to do because ones are that actually makes a lot, but it makes a lot of sense.

And then other guys you like for specific skill sets, but aren't 360 degree players, be it Rui or a SAR or whomever.And where you just feel man, we are a piece away from being a piece away.And the Duran thing is, really fascinating because I don't know what happened to him.He seemed like the least likely type of player to hit a playoff wall.He was an effort, high -efficiency big man whose scoring got cut in half over, it's not a huge sample size, but it's 14 games.

It's two seven -game series.It's the biggest, no one has had that drop like that since the merger.So it's a historic drop.

Well, I think and I think we'll had a huge drop, but that was your average 50 right down to 35.

Going from 19 to 10.

Yeah, and not having a single huge game.So that's the first round.

He was matched up with Wendell Carter.So it's not the second round.You could say, oh, you know, Evan Mobley.

And here's the other thing just before you go, because you you alluded to getting blown out at home in Game 7.Oh, that's so I threw out the one from 1948 because that technically wasn't the NBA was the BAA which then got folded into the NBA.So here are the five biggest in NBA history.And what you'll know is the Suns the next year traded for Kevin Durant.The Celtics a year and a half later traded for Kevin Garnett.The Knicks that offseason traded Randall and D .

for Towns.That's interesting.The Kings didn't really make any massive moves, but it was kind of off.They were just thrilled to be there, right?When this happens, teams react.And so I don't know what the reaction for Detroit is. I mean, they need to react.

The question is, what can they do?

What can they do?What do they do?Go ahead.I interrupted where you were.

No, now I'm trying to think of what moves they can make.I had two questions for you.One, Kate had 13 and five.And again, it's one of those sort of perverse...

Uh, it's an insult to not be like, ah, 13 and five.

You lost by 31 on your home court.Like, so be it.That's okay.Your first team all NBA.

If, if that happened to Luca and you're like, Oh, but he was the guy that I say has the perfect NBA life.I would have Devin Booker.

Oh, Devin Booker is a part like that.Yeah.But that's, that's the levels of it.The fact that nobody's killing Katie missed every three there.Look, if you want to lose the game gets away, but 31.Was bad, so that's one question, or just more of a statement.

The second thing is this, and this is a little meaner to the Pistons.It goes back to what Brad Stephens said about the Celtics being the two seed, and Brad Stephens and his - It was like, we weren't that good.We weren't.We were like, we actually weren't that good, there were so many teams tanking, we weren't actually a two seed.Their 60 -win team, where in your mind you can think of other great 60 -win teams, was this whole season a mirage.

I mean, they were down 3 -1 in round one.And it kind of feels a bit like one a little bit brew at least.

Yeah.I mean, yeah, I got to say it clearly.They're not a 60 win caliber team.And I think it's good that they know that now had they won this series and maybe lose to the Knicks in six or whatever.You may think you're closer than you actually are.So they got to make a lot of moves.

Here's what I will say for basketball fans, even though again, I predicted everything wrong.The two best teams clearly in the NBA all year are the two teams playing the Western Conference Finals.Yes.And the two far and away preseason picks out east are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals.It was supposed to be Knicks, Cavs, out East, with giving the injuries to the other teams.They ended up there, and the two teams that differentiated themselves out West, they ended up there.

So this probably is the best possible Conference Finals matchups we could have, even though it's weird, because the seeding, it's three versus four in the East, but that is what it is. I really wanted to see Detroit, New York, with the way Detroit handled them in the regular season, and then the Knicks have changed, so...

I would have picked the Knicks.

You'd be like, look, it's actually a really good news for you.SGA wins the MVP.Shams reported the news because it's his job to report the news.Shea becomes the 14th player to win back -to -back MVPs.Quick list.Russell had three straight.

Wilt had three straight.Kareem went back -to -back twice.Moses, Bird had three straight.Magic, Jordan, Duncan, Nash, LeBron did it twice.Steph, Giannis, Jokic, and now Shea.What does it mean?

for SGA to join this group.

First and foremost, I want to say this, the voters got it right.You know, all year long on this show, we did Brew's ballot, and I would go to the mattresses for Luca, and Brew would go to the mattresses for Wimby, and it was always, this guy should be second, because Shea was the MVP this year, and people might be surprised hearing me say that, because - And he was my vote.Right, no, correct, that's what I'm saying.Brew, even while he was arguing for Wimby, was arguing for Wimby to be second, because I am, some of Shea's hijinks annoy me.But that doesn't change the fact he was the best player in the league.There's the most effective player in the league this year.

Best might be more of an opinion thing.He was the most effective guy.It's his fourth straight year averaging at least 30 on at least 50 percent shooting.And this year he'syear he did it on 55 % shooting for the best team in the league.He's a deserving MVP.

And now I get a little personal redemption.Oh, thank goodness.

You better not miss.

The greatest guards of all time.

Can't mess this up.

This is as of this moment today, where I have Shea.10 would either be Koozie or Chris Paul, but I didn't want to feel like you didn't want to argue about it.I believe Brew.Almost inarguably, if they win the title, he leaps weight.And you could argue if he wins the title, he leaps a few of the guys in front of him.

Yeah.

And, you know, Isaiah Thomas is a different discussion.And when we show the accolades, Isaiah's lack will stick out like a sore thumb.It's one of those you -had -to -be -there type of things, even though I was only three years old.I know.Well, you might disagree.I think a lot of the people who like him the most were the people that were there, not that everyone who was there likes him, if that makes sense.

Let's not talk more about it.

As good as SGA, that's what I know.

Okay, I disagree, but regardless.Point is, and Brew, let me ask you this, and we don't have to go to the other graphics, because I want to go to Brew.If somebody says in a month, if they win the title, he's the fifth greatest guard ever, that it's Jordan, Magic, Kobe, Steph, SGA.Do you think that's a, that's at least a legitimate opinion, even if you don't agree with it?So I do too.I think, I think you could, I think that is an allowable opinion, so to speak, if they win the title.

Yeah, I'm similar to where you're at.I was going to say, if you consider him a point guard, because it's, it's hard to know what exactly to consider him.But if you consider him a point guard, he's moved into the top five and I got Magic, Steph, Oscar, Isaiah, SGA.You can argue allhe could be third behind Steph, ahead of Isaiah and Oscar.If they win the championship, he almost certainly, as much as I love Isaiah, Isaiah's a good friend of mine, he's probably gonna kill me.

But if they win the championship, you can put him at number three problem.I mean, he's got he would have two rings to MVP.

So it'd be Magic Steph SGA.

Yeah, if they win it, I don't know what I argue, but that be a legitimate move.If you consider him a shooting guard.Yeah, then you got Matt Jordan, Kobe and SGA.Like, I think you could put him ahead of Jerry West and Dwayne Wade.Dwayne Wade, especially if he wins this championship, he definitely goes ahead of Wade.And I had Jerry West at number three.

So you could put him ahead of Jerry West and he could be the third.Here's the problem for SGA.His game, and this is a compliment, but I think it's the problem for him.His game is all substance.Now I know you could talk about the foul baiting on it.All substance, no style.

Yes.

Every one of these guys I'm talking about, Magic, the greatest, flashiest passer ever.Steph, the crazy three -point shots, crazy handle.Isaiah, miraculous handle, great finishes at the rim in traffic, all that.With the shoot, Jordan just, of course, Air Jordan.Kobe, similar to Jordan.SGA has none of that.

It's hard to do an SGA impression.

It's also yeah.Yeah, it's basic this point mid -range stuff It's also and maybe he'll get it in this playoff run.

There isn't a moment you think of that's right like because he doesn't have the Flashy finishes at the rim.

He also even just like if you say Steph I think of thefooter to beat OKC in the regular season the year like the there are singing like and this was Jason 10th point and good and I think it's smart by him.You there isn't a singular close your eyes and think about it and maybe it shouldn't matter.I do think that hurts people like D Wade even has the it's a commercial.But it's fall down seven, get up eight.And when you think about D Wade, you think about him crashing the basket, all of it.

And so I think that probably works against him.

Great news.Aaron Rodgers is in the building and on the field.First day of OTAs in Pittsburgh.Rodgers there after agreeing to a one -year, $25 million deal.Unites him with Mike McCarthy.Compensation in the vicinity of Malik Rodgers' deal.

Malik Willis.Malik Willis' deal.Malik Rodgers doesn't exist.

Well, he probably does.He probably does.

I don't know if he plays quarterback or not.Malik Willis and his Dolphins' deal.Also, Greg Jennings is back.Should the Steelers have signed Malik Willis instead of Aaron Rodgers?

Greg, I'm a little disappointed in your guy, Mike McCarthy.Mike McCarthy, I think, has earned a reputation of, I get the absolute best out of my quarterbacks.Whatever your ceiling is, I can get it out of you.Now I understand Rodgers post -McCarthy won MVPs as well, but Rodgers got to MVPs with McCarthy, Dak Prescott had his best seasons with Mike McCarthy, and now that I see that Pittsburgh was willing and ready to pay $23 million a year, And when I see that Malik Willis signed for 45 million for two years, and I understand Malik Willis has familiarity with Dolphins head coach in front office, but it was a defensive coach and Malik Willis has made no money in this league.He was going to go where the best money was, but it's also particularly, I would imagine,Malik Willis understands what the Dolphins depth chart was going to be like that.

He is signed up for a very tough task.I would have liked to see Mike McCarthy say hey why don't we go with for the same price the younger guy who I can make look even better who gives us the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time this decade.to have the same starting quarterback in three consecutive seasons.They haven't had the same starting quarterback in back -to -back seasons until this year with Rodgers, and they know it's not going to be long -term.He's 42 already.He'll be 43 during the year.

So forget the fact that I think Malik Willis might just already, under neutral coaching, be better than Aaron Rodgers.He certainly has more upside and a longer runway, and he gives you a shot to actually have the quarterback position answered for more than one football season.So if the money's the same, it's baffling to me that they went this route.So my answer to that is yes.

So I agree with a lot of what you said.However, I think when you are the Pittsburgh Steelers and their mindset is win now, they are not a bottom -out type of an organization with that mentality.You hired Mike McCarthy, which a lot of us felt like that's a safe bet.Like we we don't feel like Mike McCarthy is like top five or maybe top three in court or head coaches, but we definitely don't feel like he's in the bottom tier.He's a Super Bowl champion, like very comfortable, safe bet.The same can be said with waiting for Aaron Rodgers again.

And I say this because Not to throw shots at the Pittsburgh Steelers, but when you've had the type of success that they've had and they don't really bottom out, you fear that.You don't want to experience that.that.And so you go with somebody who last year allowed you the opportunity to win that division who gave you a playoff berth, although they didn't play, they didn't perform well in that playoff game.But the floor for Aaron Rodgers is so much higher in your mind.And in reality, to be honest, we don't know what Malik Willis is floor is then than Malik Willis, and his ceiling, however, is not as high.

That's the thing.I don't think his ceiling is as high as Willis'.

His ceiling is not as high, I don't believe, because you have a younger, unproven, but a very dynamic quarterback in Malik Willis, who you just, there's just a lot of uncertainty.But I truly believe the relationships that Aaron Rodgers has developed in Pittsburgh, kind of played a huge part in him coming back and McCarthy going this route, because there's a part of me that feels like if Mike McCarthy truly wanted to pick his guy, or a guy, he's gonna go with the younger guy, the guy that he can develop, just because that's his calling card.

Look, I get for Cam Hayward, TJ Y, even the DK Metcalf, some of the veterans, they probably wanted Rodgers back, because I'm sure they don't want to hear about 2027's draft.They don't want to hear about the future, like, rebuilding.They want to try to win now, and I imagine you'd agree, like, they believe they could probably have a great year this year.That's what, you know, that's what football players believe.Professional athletes, we can get it done this year.So, but, I think had you brought in a Malik Willis, I think they'd be high on Willis.

I don't know how much they followed him last year and the few games he played, but you can just show them some films, show them some of the stats.some of the wins that he had and they could, you know, see, okay, this guy has a lot of potential.So I agree with everything you said, Nick, like they should have, I think they should have went after Willis and I'm actually predicting, I don't think this is going to work.And I, I believe now, I believe Mike Tomlin was holding that thing together, kind of getting more wins than they should have got.I think they're gonna have their first losing season since 2020, 2003.So it's 23 years.

And I, cause look, and this is.The last two years of Rodgers and McCarthy and Green Bay, with Rodgers starting, they were 8 -10 -1.And we know it was, you know, there was some thinking that Rodgers wanted McCarthy out.I'm sure, obviously, they've mended fences.But I'm just saying, it wasn't working.Matt LaFleur resurrected Aaron Rodgers' career.

And so, I think it's gonna be a tough year for the Steelers.

So, it's kind of a prisoner of a moment.type of a feeling that you get in Pittsburgh where you have a quarterback that comes in with the resume of Aaron Rodgers.He actually delivers to a degree.At least he delivers more.He delivered more than what expectations out there, at least in the media.He was like he won the division.

He actually played decent like he wasn't like lights out, but he played really good football.He's clutch.He's going to be very accurate with the football.There's there's very few downsides, but those downsides of him getting rid of the ball and kind of playing with a little anxiety or antsiness, those are huge.And when you add receivers like Michael Pittman and you start adding pieces, you start to believe, well, he didn't have this last year.Maybe he can give us a little bit more.

And I don't know how true that very well may be.

The biggest downside is it guarantees you're in this position next year.Right.Right.Guarantees it.And so this is like from a television take strategy perspective.This is a terrible take to have the one I have here because my guess is that this year Rogers is going to look better than Malik Willis because of the infrastructure around the players like I think Malik Willis is in a brutal situation and almost intentionally.

So in Miami standpoint, so he might have some of the worst numbers of any starting quarterback in football.I just don't think that will be a true fair test of what you know, he would be in this circumstance and it's not that I'm Malik Willis huge long -term believer, but there is a shot that he is He, if he had signed with Pittsburgh, that he was the starting quarterback this year and the next four, that he is just their guy.And there's no shot of that with Aaron.I just don't understand it with the money's the same.

Patrick Mahomes is the number one beneficiary from the schedule release.According to Eric Edholm's winners and losers column on NFL .com.First five weeks, Broncos at home, Colts at home, Miami, and then the Raiders.They had 10 wins combined.Then a bye.

Edholm writes, if we're thinking about it simply through the prism of Mahomes' rehab, the schedule lays out in such a way that he and the Chiefs have a chance to gear up before the tension begins to mount.So great.Do you like how KC's schedule played out?

Listen, typically I don't like the early bye, but typically my quarterback's not coming off a reconstructed Nate.And...I look at these opening four weeks, and listen, what do we know Patrick Mahomes is going to be doing very soon?What do we know?Brew, you do it.What do we know?

Dancing at Travis.Exactly.And what do we know he's going to be doing in week one, starting on Monday Night Football?With that said, throw the Chiefs schedule up.If it were announced he's out until the bye, we're like, okay, I guess we'll just be three and one.On the board.

Like, on the board.For real.Heavy dose of Kenneth Walker.added benefit of we now all of a sudden have like the youngest secondary in the league.So they'll be at their worst early.Yeah.

And you have Bonick's coming off ankle surgery.I don't know if it's going to be Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson.And then Riley Leonard.Right.And so perfect for that young secondary to kind of get its legs underneath it before.Now there is a cost to everything.

They have two absolutely brutal two game road trips where they at Seattle and then at Denver in Week 7 and 8 and at Buffalo and then at the Rams in Weeks 12 and 13.Those are brutal road trips.Four brutal road games that are back -to -back and back -to -back.But if we're under the assumption that Mahomes is going to be at his worst early, the Broncos are a very tough opponent.Don't get me wrong, they're an excellent team.But having that be at home on Monday, the extra four days compared to how early the season could have started and then another home game and then road games against two of the worst teams in football at least last year.

I mean, yeah, I like this.I like it a lot.

I totally agree.I mean, like you said three and one is definitely on the board and Denver.Remember, Bo Nix might be playing.I mean, playing his first game off the ankle surgery.Mahomes, if he plays, is obviously more equipped mentally to handle coming off an injury than the young Bo Nix.So, even that game is certainly winnable.

So, yeah, this works out perfectly.It obviously gets tough at the end, but they can really stack up a bunch of wins early in the season.So, I do think it's great for them.

It's not only favorable.I'm not running the Chiefs, shocker.If I were running, I'd slow play it.You're not going to get it.Denver.I know it's Monday night.

I know it's the opener.I know it's at home.I would, as a fan, I would be shocked.But if I'm running them in Patrick Mahomes has a chance to start against the Colts, the Dolphins, Raiders, to get to that bye, and then go into the Chargers, Seahawks, and whoever else.You're worried about the pass rush?The pass rush, they've had issues.

I don't want him going up against a top -tier defense right out the gate without having had time in training camp.If he doesn't, we'll see what that looks like.Concerning.It would be one of those things that's on the board.

Maybe he doesn't play with him dancing at Travis's wedding.Yeah, that's yeah.I mean, he was golfing this weekend.Recruiting camp golfing.I was going to be honest, Nick.I mean, look at this.

Look at being that I've played football on this level.It's a little bit more strenuous than dancing.That's a lot of work.

That's a lot of work on the knee.Like just Greg, you play football on this level.It's a lot.I don't mean to put you on the spot.You can't even tell what knee had surgery on there.You can't even tell.

You're trying to rack your brain to remember.Was it left ear or right ear?You can't tell.

It is a lot of twerk.It's a lot of work.You think they're going to lose week one.

No, he doesn't.