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00:00So now we get you set for the Sunday slate and week number
00:04seven around the 2024 National Football League season. A
00:08football Friday but obviously with so much else going on in
00:13the sports landscape. And Joe, one of the games of the week
00:16this Sunday, a Super Bowl fifty-eight rematch and a
00:20potential Super Bowl fifty-nine preview in Santa Clara on
00:25Sunday afternoon. The 49ers play host to the Chiefs. The
00:30odds right now slightly in favor of San Francisco. Point
00:34and a half on the spread. Minus 126 in the money line.
00:39Total at forty-seven and Joe, let's start there with those
00:43numbers. Does it surprise you at all to see San Francisco as
00:46the favorite? No, it doesn't. I mean, what are we? Six months
00:51removed after the Super Bowl, right? And yet the 49ers were a
00:58short favorite in that game too, were they not? If I'm not
01:01mistaken in that game. So, here we are. Only they won't have
01:05Christian McCaffrey. I think their safety is still out as
01:10well but Kansas City missing Rasheed Rice here. LaJarius
01:16Sneed is no longer there. So, this is two totally different
01:21teams than we saw six months ago but for the most part where
01:24they're at at this point in the season, it feels that this is
01:28the right number. I wouldn't give him a full three, Ben,
01:30right? I mean, I don't think the the market would go that
01:33crazy for home field advantage here. It feels like this is the
01:37right price given the circumstances of these two
01:39teams right now. Yeah, I would agree, Joe. I think when you
01:43just look at record and their head to head matchups in those
01:46big games where Kansas City has beaten San Francisco for a
01:50Lombardi twice in the last five NFL seasons. Maybe the public
01:54would think, why is Kansas City at least not a slight road
01:58favorite in Santa Clara? Part of that is home field advantage,
02:01right? Not a neutral field like we had seen in previous
02:04Super Bowls. Kansas City has not been the underdog so far
02:08this season in their first five games. They've actually
02:11covered in four of five. KC will enter week number seven
02:16along with Minnesota. The two remaining undefeated teams in
02:19the NFL. Fresh off a bye, but the 49ers a little bit of a bye
02:23as well. They played last Thursday night, so some
02:27additional rest to get ready for this football game. Still
02:30not expected to have Christian McCaffrey back some injuries
02:33defensively for San Francisco as well. And of course for
02:37Kansas City, some injuries on the offensive side of the
02:41football. Joe KC, an underdog four times last year, including
02:46their final three playoff games. Division around in
02:49Buffalo. Championship round in Baltimore. Super Bowl fifty-eight
02:53in Las Vegas against San Francisco. The Chiefs and
02:56underdog four times once in the regular season. A perfect four
03:00and oh outright as an underdog. So that's how the two teams
03:05stacked up and Joe, it's not just a Super Bowl rematch
03:08according to the odds makers right now on FanDuel. It's a
03:11Super Bowl preview. The Niners the favorites in the NFC. The
03:15Chiefs the favorites in the AFC. These the two shortest
03:18prices to win a Lombardi trophy this year in New Orleans.
03:22Five to one for Kansas City. Seven to one for San Francisco.
03:26Is there a chance that Sunday in Santa Clara is also a Super
03:31Bowl preview? It wouldn't shock me. I mean, but to back up what
03:36you're saying, I mean when you look at Patrick Mahomes and his
03:38career now, he is sixteen and two against the number fourteen
03:42and four straight up where he's an underdog or a favorite of up
03:46to two points. So in other words, when Patrick Mahomes is
03:50back is up against the wall and they are challenged by better
03:54teams or at least the better teams the market thinks are
03:58guess what happens. He shows up elevates him and everyone else
04:01around him and they not only end up winning these games, but
04:05getting the outright covers as well. So yeah, I this could
04:09very well be exactly what we're going to get one more time
04:12around, but a lot of football left to be played. So when you
04:16look at San Francisco, they've been a favorite in every game
04:19since the start of last year. Again, it's just a point and a
04:22half spread. We're talking about 30 cents of difference on
04:25the money line, but San Francisco after the cover last
04:28week on the road Thursday night in Seattle now twelve and
04:32fourteen ATS as the favorites since the beginning of 2023.
04:37San Francisco just three and three entering this football
04:40game. They have gone over in all three wins. They have
04:44scored at least 30 points in all three, but Casey's defense
04:48Joe has been great once again this year under in three
04:51consecutive games for the Chiefs quickly on that total 47 and a
04:55half you lean under or maybe some points on Sunday. Oh, I
05:00would not be leaning under in any way shape or form in this
05:04game here way too early for a defensive battle. Yeah, it
05:09probably will be Northern California beautiful in the
05:12month of October. Plenty more around the Sunday slate as
05:17football Friday rolls on in an hour or two next. Welcome to
05:20our number two of a football Friday live right here on the
05:24early line on sports grid all across the Spitz network in
05:28this second hour. It's a deep dive each and every game around
05:32the Sunday slate in the National Football League with
05:36and myself Ben Stevens Big Blue Mike Blument will join us in
05:39our second half hour of this second hour on this football
05:43Friday on TEL and Joe frankly, it's more than a football
05:46Friday because in our three will set the stage for this
05:50Friday and the weekend a doubleheader of MLB playoff
05:55action tonight. It's game five in Queens. The Dodgers one win
05:59away from a National League pennant in a World Series birth
06:02the Yankees and the Guardians in game four after a sensational
06:07and historic game number three last night in Cleveland. Will
06:12it be a split set? Will the Yankees take that commanding
06:15three one series advantage? We've got game four tonight in
06:18Minneapolis of the WNBA finals. The Liberty one went away from
06:22its first ever championship in the W and of course a Saturday
06:27slate and frankly a Friday night in college football that is
06:31darn good. Yeah again a little something for everybody here
06:36Ben as we sit in the middle of October the halfway point of
06:41college football almost there for the NFL still a lot to be
06:45decided here over the next month. Yeah certainly so so
06:49let's go to the NFL. We preview every game in the Sunday slate.
06:52It's our charge here on this football Friday. We go to the
06:55end of Sunday and another monumental match up in prime
07:00time for Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. Joe here we were
07:04on Tuesday reacting to the Jets falling short once again in a
07:08huge Monday night game at home against Buffalo and then in our
07:12third hour a little bit after 10 AM Eastern time, the huge
07:16blockbuster deal the acquisition of Davante Adams,
07:19you and I both debated would it move the needle? Would it be
07:22worth it? Does it make the Jets a playoff team after an abysmal
07:25two and four start one thing we know for sure it needs to
07:30happen quickly and it needs to probably happen Sunday in the
07:34Steel City. So many questions so many storylines for this game.
07:39We do know from the numbers. New York is a point and a half
07:42favorite minus 134 on the money line total sub 40 though for
07:48this matchup. Joe we expect Davante Adams to play for the
07:52Jets and make his debut for gang green and we anticipate
07:56Russell Wilson to make his first start in a Steelers
07:59uniform on Sunday as well. How do you see Sunday night
08:04football in the Steel City then playing out? Oh yeah, I see it
08:08as a snooze fest USA here is what I see it as listen. II can
08:13tell you this the New York Jets offensively looked pretty
08:19promising with Todd Downing in the first game of that role.
08:23They are calling plays a lot more motion a lot more success
08:28on early downs that they had had under Hackett and of course I
08:31think that's only going to get better with Davante Adams in the
08:35mix who is going to be very familiar with the offense and
08:38certainly very familiar with their quarterback Aaron Rogers.
08:42So I do think the opportunity for the Jets to keep improving
08:45offensively will be there, but Russell Wilson. I mean what are
08:51we expecting here Mike Tomlin? What exactly is it you think
08:55with Arthur Smith as your play caller is somehow or another
09:00going to what light up this this top ten Jets defense who
09:05will by the way probably be down a couple of members in that
09:08secondary as Chuck Clark to safety along with I believe
09:12Reed also probably not going to be available in this game, but
09:16what the hell does that matter? It's Russell Wilson. He can't
09:19throw the ball more than ten yards down the field anyway, and
09:22I have a sneaking suspicion. He's going to be under duress a
09:26lot so II listen. I don't know the Jets should win this game.
09:29They should win it rather easily, but isn't the under and
09:33maybe even team total under for the Pittsburgh Steelers a
09:36Better look here Ben. So yes, I think so and conversely Joe
09:43despite going up against the second best scoring defense in
09:46the National Football League. That's TJ Watt and Pittsburgh.
09:49The addition of Devontae Adams has to mean an offensive
09:53onslaught right. He doesn't play offensive line. Aaron
09:55Rogers has been sacked eleven times in this three game losing
09:59skid. He does not kick field goals. Greg Zerline has been
10:02atrocious as we saw on Monday night. The Jets are the second
10:06best total defense in the NFL second best passing defense
10:10allowing less than 150 yards per game. Welcome back Russ,
10:14but they have been susceptible to allowing some yardage on the
10:18ground more than a buck twenty on the ground throughout this
10:21season, but I don't think Russell Wilson helps the
10:25Steelers offensively. I think Justin Fields does at least
10:28from the ground component and listen as we shared in our
10:32opening segment in our opening hour. Justin Fields was honest
10:35and transparent yesterday meeting with the media. Now
10:38that Russell Wilson is back as a full participant at practice
10:41taking reps with the number one offense field set himself. I
10:45have not played good enough to earn this starting spot. If you
10:49leave doubt, it leads to decisions being made and that's
10:53been the case. Justin Fields has been fine, but he's thrown
10:56for less than a buck eighty in four of six games for
11:00Pittsburgh. I don't think he's been tasked with having to throw
11:03for 250 plus and three touchdowns each and every week,
11:07but he hasn't been outstanding from an offensive perspective.
11:11He does provide a component on the ground. Joe the Jets are a
11:16road favorite and I think it's natural to question if the Jets
11:20should be laying a price to a four and two team, even if it's
11:23a couple of cents of difference on the money line when the Jets
11:27somehow some way call it a ref show call it bad defense call
11:31it bad kicking. They find ways to lose games and good football
11:35teams like the Steelers and Mike Tomlin find ways to even
11:39have one more point on the scoreboard when the game comes
11:43to a close. But once again, this is a must win game early in
11:47the year for the New York Jets if they are going to flirt with
11:50playoff contention after the acquisition of Devante Adams.
11:55Yeah. Well, I was going to say, I mean the time for panic is
12:00going to come and gone like you should have won two of the
12:02last three games that you played in New York Jets, but
12:06really I don't know exactly what Pittsburgh was expecting
12:10when you hired Arthur Smith to run the offense and the only
12:15wide receiver that carries their weight in salt is Pickens
12:18and half the time he doesn't run the route at full speed. So
12:22and now he's got to go up against sauce Gardner. So
12:25exactly how many yards is Russell Wilson thinking is
12:28going to throw here? I just don't see it. I think this is
12:30going to be once again a game about defense and a running
12:34game. I think if Pittsburgh falls behind and they have to
12:37become one dimensional and rely on Russell Wilson throwing the
12:40ball. Yeah. Yeah, Ben. It's going to get ugly in a hurry in
12:43this game. A very tumultuous two-year stint in Denver last
12:48year for Russ better 26 touchdowns to only eight
12:51INTs started 15 games for the Broncos after week three
12:56through for more than 250 yards just once it wasn't
13:00prolific production out of Russell Wilson Devonte Adams
13:04who was great in Las Vegas before that sneaky hamstring
13:07injury. It's a blessing. He is able to play on Sunday was
13:12great with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay three of their final
13:14four years together more than 1370 receiving yards at least
13:19eleven receiving touchdowns each of those three years. That
13:23is the production that Jets fans are hoping for plus 136
13:27for New York to see the playoffs note the price because
13:31if they win on Sunday, it's not going to be there anymore.
13:35Joe Sunday starts over in London once again and for a
13:38second consecutive week, the Jags are across the pond a one
13:43and five Jacksonville team against a one and five New
13:48England team. Oh boy London get ready for football.
13:52Jacksonville a five and a half point favorite Joe who wins
13:57their second game of the year. So if a tree falls in the
14:02forest and nobody's there to see it, does it actually even
14:07matter or make a sound? I'm going to guess the answer is
14:11no who in the hell is getting up early on a Sunday to watch
14:15this debacle here. The only good news is listen. I'm rooting
14:18for New England because I can't wait to see Doug Peterson have
14:21a swim home because he's not going to be allowed on the
14:24plate. So this is my hope the Jags don't cover, but they win
14:28like thirteen to ten and Doug Peterson gets fired and left in
14:32London after a win. That's the only thing I'm hoping for more
14:36from Sunday that the Sunday slate preview continues on this
14:40football Friday live right here on the early line on sports
14:43grid. Joe a couple of great divisional duels this week in
14:47the National Football League, none better than what we will
14:50see in Minneapolis. The Vikings return from London with a five
14:53and a record a bye week to get rested and refreshed and now
14:57host the Detroit Lions to in week number seven and what a
15:03matchup we have the five and a Vikings along with Kansas City,
15:06one of two remaining undefeated teams in the NFL and a five and
15:10one Lions team that after the dismantling of Dallas last week
15:15at the star Joe many are looking at Detroit is maybe the best
15:19team in the conference in the NFC as a whole. Fifty and a
15:24half is the total one of a handful of games that features
15:27a total of fifty or higher this weekend and in the Monday, the
15:32Vikings though a home favorite. Will it be Minnesota's first
15:37loss of the season or will the Vikings be the team making the
15:40statement on Sunday over Detroit? Yeah, I mean listen
15:45just terrible what I'm Aidan Hutchinson in that game there
15:49with the broken tibia and and obviously going to miss him for
15:52the rest of the season considering that he was
15:54responsible for more than half of the pressures on other
15:58quarterbacks from this Lions defense. He is probably just
16:02absolutely indispensable and I don't care who they throw out
16:05there. You're not going to be able to replace it. so the
16:08defense of Detroit got a little bit worse. However, it's a game
16:12of matchups here right and I may be crazy, but Jared Goff as
16:17he's gotten older in this league has gotten way better
16:21and recognizing the blitz and dealing with pressure. In fact,
16:25against Dallas six to seven for a buck. 78 when they tried to
16:30collapse the pocket and blitz him, nobody blitz is more than
16:34Minnesota that defense. We're talking about a 52% blitz rate.
16:39There are far too many weapons on the field for Detroit. If
16:43you are going to go all out and try to go get Jared Goff. Good
16:46luck. There could be a lot of points in this game and that's
16:50exactly where I would look no way. Am I sweating out and
16:54under here because again Detroit's defense got a little
16:58worse. Unfortunately last week you won the game, but boy oh
17:02boy at a big big cost, but either way it's an over for me
17:07in this game. Yeah, Joe. It's the sad reality of the National
17:11Football League right with a huge statement victory. You
17:14have what is a hampering to your long term success looting
17:19losing eight and Hutchinson is not going to be easy for this
17:23Lions team Detroit under in three of their games so far
17:27this season and on the other side for Minnesota. They have
17:32looked like a really solid team Joe, but at times they have
17:36built big leads to only have the opposition respond. I said
17:40early by the way my apologies that Detroit was five and one
17:43they're looking to get to five and one. They're four and one
17:46so far this season also an early season by Joe. Let's
17:50compare these two teams though as we look at where things
17:53stand in the NFC North co favorites in the division, the
17:56division and the NFC North the best in football. They've got
18:00all four teams with a winning record all at four and two or
18:05better plus 480 the price on Detroit to win the conference
18:08title. It's the second best number only behind San
18:11Francisco third best price on Minnesota at six to one Joe at
18:16the end of the road. The odds are favoring Detroit. How do you
18:19think this season plays out for both the Lions and the Vikings?
18:23Yeah. I mean listen and keep in mind too. We still haven't seen
18:26TJ Hawkinson for Minnesota, right? He is hoping to be able
18:30to suit up for his first game this week against Detroit. That
18:34would be great here. So Minnesota the question here Ben
18:38to me is that is one of these teams over performing and I
18:43think the answer is yes. I think the Lions we knew what we
18:46were going to get from the Lions. We were expecting exactly
18:49what we're getting from the Lions. Minnesota is the
18:51surprise. Is it sustainable with Sam Donald the quarterback?
18:56That is the question. I think you know styles make fights. I
19:00don't think this is a great fight for Minnesota. I think
19:03Detroit has exactly the kind of weapons to make that defense
19:07be uncomfortable and give up points and I think if that's
19:10the case and Sam Donald's got to play from behind, it's going
19:13to be a long day for Minnesota. The Vikings have gone under in
19:17four of five games. The only over this year was a wild game
19:21against Green Bay in Lambeau. Their only divisional game so
19:25far this season and it did hit the over again. Minnesota had
19:29built such an early lead 21 zip 28 zip whatever it was
19:33before Jordan Love and Green Bay did make it interesting
19:36certainly in that second half because Minnesota has been up
19:40so big it is forced their opponents at times to throw
19:44playing from that deficit third worst passing defense.
19:47That's the Vikings despite being the fourth best scoring
19:50defense in the NFL. so could be a recipe for Jared Goff
19:55another divisional duel in an intriguing one at Met Life on
19:59Sunday. The Giants host the Eagles three points spread in
20:03favor of the road team from Philadelphia Malik neighbors
20:07back at practice trending in a positive direction to return
20:11for the G men. Joe only one prop available in this game.
20:15It's Saquon Barkley who did not have a great week last week
20:19against the Browns in the Eagles. As I have said,
20:22probably the least optimistic team with a winning record so
20:26in the NFL at three and two. It's just awful. I mean, how do
20:31you come out of a bye week get both your top outside weapons
20:35to you and you can barely score 20 points and beat the Browns.
20:40You almost lost to the Browns. Absolutely ridiculous not to
20:44mention now they've lost their left tackle and their tight end
20:48in Dallas Goddard. so you know is it going to be the Saquon
20:52Barkley game? Probably because I wouldn't trust them dropping
20:57back and throwing a whole lot didn't work out all that well
21:00and say what you want about the Giants. That's a real defense
21:03man. It's a really good secondary too. so I think this
21:08has got under written all over it here. I think this is a one
21:12dimensional Giants against the Vic Fangio defense that's
21:15finally starting to get it. I don't see how we get over 43
21:18points in this game. Joe. I would have to agree the Eagles
21:22have been a true favorite lay more than a point twice this
21:25year. They're on two against the spread. They have not been
21:29a great cover team. There is not a lot of optimism right now
21:33for the birds despite their early season outlook. A good
21:36defensive performance could change that and we'll see
21:39exactly what the G men present offensively. This will be now
21:43the twenty-second consecutive game for the Giants as an
21:47underdog eleven nine and one ATS in the previous twenty-one
21:53more around the Sunday slate up next here on the early line
21:57some interconference matchups pretty intriguing for the week
22:00seven Sunday slate to break down for you here on this
22:04football Friday on TEL Joe this one. I'm really excited for I
22:09think it's one of the best of the early viewing window on
22:12Sunday to Lambeau Field. We go the Green Bay Packers playing
22:15host to the Houston Texans two and a half points spread in
22:18favor of Jordan Love and the Pack at home 47 and a hook is
22:24that total? How do you see this matchup between Houston and
22:27Green Bay on Sunday? Yeah, I actually Ben II do like
22:33Houston getting the points here and call me crazy. That is a
22:39different offense when you can get Mixon and Pierce running
22:44the ball like they did here and I think that's that is the key
22:48to this game. Can the Green Bay Packers defense under their new
22:52defensive coordinator Jeff Halfley and he's been doing an
22:55amazing job by the way. This is a different Packers team
22:58because of this defense and and what happily is done, but at
23:02the same time if Texas is going to rely on Stroud in every
23:07third and nine and third and twelve, I have to pull a play
23:09out of his you know what in order to get it done. I'm not
23:13buying it here. I also believe we are Houston's defense also
23:18getting back to Nico Autry off of suspension. This was a guy
23:22that had eleven and a half sacks last year in Tennessee.
23:25so I do think that the defense going to get some help back in
23:29the secondary that was hurt a week ago against New England. I
23:33think getting a field goal here is an interesting proposition
23:37against this Packers team that I don't think we'll have the
23:40same kind of offensive success as they've had over the last
23:43couple of weeks. The Packers are a top ten scoring defense,
23:47but they do allow some chunks of yardage from time to time
23:51339 yards given up not the case for the Texans third best total
23:55defense in the National Football League only allowing
23:58277 per game where Green Bay does excel under Jeff Halfley
24:04is taking the football away. They have forced multiple
24:07Turnovers in every single game this season, the only team in
24:11the NFL that can say that Jordan Love of course has been
24:15back for three consecutive weeks. The Packers have won
24:18their last two. They have been booked as a favorite in the
24:21last three with Jordan Love they have covered in their two
24:24wins. Joe. It's fascinating about this Packers team four
24:27and two this year, of course with two of those first wins
24:30coming with Malik Willis under center and as an underdog, the
24:34Packers have only been booked as a favorite eight times since
24:38the start of last season in a new era after Aaron Rodgers.
24:42How would Jordan Love fair? We get the reasons why just four
24:45and four ATS in the Texans were not a good cover team to start
24:50the year. They are five and one, but just two three and one
24:53against the spread, but they were a favorite in every game,
24:57but one now Joe when you look at Houston as an underdog with
25:01CJ Stroud, there's not many better teams around the
25:04National Football League seven and four ATS since the start of
25:09last season. Those two and a half points are intriguing
25:13Stroud's prop 258 and a half Jordan Love's prop 248 and a
25:18hook both one and a half touchdowns for Sunday. Those
25:23are the numbers. Alright, let's get to another game in the
25:26afternoon hours after 4 PM Eastern time inside Sofi Stadium
25:31in Los Angeles. A couple of injury questions for the Rams
25:35will Cooper Cup be back certainly on track to playing
25:38the Rams off a by just trying to get healthy to avoid what
25:42could be a dismal season again. Just one win for this Rams team
25:47and yet they're laying near her touchdown against the Raiders
25:50on Sunday, Joe. Yeah far too many edges here for the Rams
25:55coming off a by they have a huge advantage in the coaching
26:00department on that sideline. The Rams are also getting just
26:04about everybody back healthy on the offensive line. They're
26:08also getting like you had mentioned Cooper Cup and all
26:10likelihood back going up against a Raiders defense that
26:14we still don't know if Max Crosby is going to play. You
26:17got rid of the malcontent there in Devante Adams, which is
26:20great, but does it matter who the quarterback is for the
26:24Raiders? The answer is absolutely not. This is the get
26:29right spot of the season for the Rams. I like the Rams
26:33defense. I like that they're getting healthier. I like that
26:36they've had a week to prepare and there is nothing
26:39offensively about the Raiders. That's going to scare this Rams
26:42team. I think Kyron Williams goes for a million yards. I
26:45think Stafford throws for a billion. There is no way this
26:48doesn't have double digit win for the Rams all over it. I
26:52completely agree with you Joe. It's a six and a half point
26:55spread and that feels jarring in favor of Los Angeles for a
26:59one and four football team. It's justified. This is the
27:01first time this year. LA will be booked as the favorite last
27:05year six and three against the spread one of the best in the
27:08NFL when laying a number. There will be a reason why on Sunday
27:13Big Blue up and in Mike Fluitt joins a football Friday. Here
27:17we go on a football Friday with Mike Fluitt right here on the
27:21early line on sports grid to preview each and every game
27:24from the Sunday slate. Big Blue as always we appreciate the
27:28time. Thank you for being here on this football Friday. So
27:31many games to break down and get your analysis for absolutely.
27:36Hopefully the games are a little bit more entertaining
27:38than last night's effort by the Saints, but yeah, Joe and I've
27:43sifted through the good games and the bad games every Sunday
27:46and and hopefully we'll get you off to a good start on in game
27:49live this Sunday. NFL football in game live game day with Mike
27:54Fluitt and German area. It starts at 1 PM Eastern time
27:57through that early viewing window a ton of enticing
28:01matchups, including an AFC North showdown where one team
28:05is atrocious and record wise. The other team is not better,
28:09but trying to turn their season around week by week game by
28:13game and hopefully for Cincinnati win by win Blue at
28:16the Bengals a five and a half point favorite in Cleveland
28:20against the one win Cleveland Browns one and five this year.
28:25It is the start for the Browns last week. Their only cover as
28:30an eight and a half point dog in Philly in any of their five
28:34L's this season. It's a divisional game. You've got a
28:38road divisional favorite lay in five and a half points. Will it
28:42be competitive at all in Cleveland on Sunday? It's hard
28:46to think that after watching the Browns the last few weeks,
28:49but what I would say the angle I would prefer to take here
28:55because it's so many points on the road in division.
28:59Cincinnati has won four of their six first halves this
29:02year and they generally get off to a good start last week.
29:06Obviously the Giants defense did a nice job on them, but
29:09they've generally gotten off to good starts. So I got two
29:13angles here. You can lay three and a half in the first half
29:15with the Bengals and their first half team total. The
29:20Bengals is twelve and a half right now. They're averaging
29:23nearly 14 points a game in the first half. So that's the
29:27angle. I like Bengals first half. I wouldn't be surprised
29:31if the Bengals kind of run away with this game, but to keep you
29:34from having to lay nearly a touchdown in division on the
29:37road. I think that's the way I'd go. Good luck. So it's
29:41interesting one coming up in Orchard Park. The Bills coming
29:45off a huge division rivalry game, the Jets in which they
29:49pulled it out. They got a new weapon there and Amari Cooper
29:52this week and they're going to need Amari Cooper's help here
29:56because the rest of the weapons there against the secondary of
29:59Tennessee is not great here. This is not a spot. I usually
30:04like to back Buffalo is a big home favorite off for a big
30:07divisional road win, but my goodness, what are we expecting
30:11from Tennessee and we'll love us here. What are we looking at?
30:15I think you and I the conclusion that this might be
30:18the most entertaining player in the league because he keeps us
30:22on the edge of our seat on nearly every drive. I think we
30:27we we've been looking at interception props, but you're
30:30laying too much juice now to even make it worth it and of
30:33course he threw another devastating one. They didn't
30:36pay for it last week, but it was a terrible interception late
30:39in the game. I just don't know if the Titans can hang points
30:44wise. I'm with you. Joe eight and a half is a ton coming off
30:48a short week against a divisional rival. They've got a
30:52new addition to the team doesn't necessarily mean our
30:54Mario Cooper is going to come in here and produce right away.
30:56By the way, he leads the league and drops historically as he
31:00is. He's a very hot and cold player in terms of production
31:04week to week. He lacks consistency and it's not
31:08necessarily all on him. Clearly this year. It's not on him. The
31:10quarterback play is the worst in the league in Cleveland, but
31:14are they going to get to sixteen or seventeen points? I
31:17just don't see it. I think Lev is going to be under a lot of
31:20pressure and I like the Titans under on their point total so
31:25under sixteen and a half. The Titans have not had a total
31:30this year above forty-three and a hook so they are comfortable
31:34with these low numbers at forty and a half in Western New York.
31:38No props just out yet for the Buffalo Bills in terms of their
31:42receiving component. Amari Cooper, how will he factor in
31:46their bank up in that wide receiver room as well and with
31:50James Cook who did miss Monday night in Met life, but sweet
31:53baby Ray Davis, the rookie running back out of Kentucky
31:56was a huge spark and the Bills leading receiver against the
32:00Jets with 55 yards out of the backfield. The Titans this year
32:05just one and four. They have not covered in any of their four
32:10losses. They have been a favorite weirdly twice in their
32:13last three games and underdog in every single other game since
32:17the start of last season. This is an eight and a half point
32:21spread three point number in Indianapolis still some
32:24quarterback questions to decipher Anthony Richardson
32:27trending like he is going to return for Indy after missing
32:31the last two games. Will Jonathan Taylor be back in the
32:34backfield if AR is healthy, should he even start in place of
32:39Joe Flacco who somehow some way continues to defy his age and
32:44his lack of experience with his current organization blue on
32:48the other side Miami off a by trying to figure things out
32:53offensively until to a tongue of Iloa returns three point
32:57spread in favor of Indianapolis. How do you see it
33:00playing out? So Miami's got a little bit of an out of sight
33:04out of mind kind of field coming into this week right the
33:07last time we saw them. They couldn't do it can really
33:10operate anything offensively and then people are sort of
33:13forgotten about it that the two Mike McDaniel has come out
33:16and said that he expects to play again this year, although
33:19there's no timeline as to when that will happen. Flacco has
33:23been really good when they need him to be, but it is worth
33:26noting that there was a sense of this last year with the
33:30Browns when he won comeback player of the year that even as
33:33he was winning games and throwing for 300 yards in
33:36every one of those games, he was turnover happy as well.
33:40Turnovers crept in a little bit last week in that Colts
33:43Titans game, but I get a little concerned laying a lot of
33:47points for the Colts on a flat three. I think I'm
33:50comfortable here. Miami's got to prove it offensively and
33:54maybe they'll have some some gadget plays in order to help
33:57the QB play, but I just don't know that they can drive the
34:00ball consistently. It's an interesting spot for them
34:03because they have all the rest, but I feel comfortable at a
34:06flat three. If it's three and a half though, I might be
34:09leaning the other way. I think this is a three-point game.
34:13The problem there too blue is you got Tennessee. They got a
34:16trip to Houston on deck here and that's going to be a little
34:21bit more important to them. I think than than Miami possible.
34:25I know it's coming off a buy for Miami. No excuse for Huntley
34:29in this offense here, but I hate the spot for Indy here.
34:32No, I agree. I it's why I think I'm a little uncomfortable with
34:38this game generally because if Miami's going to get it right
34:42at all Joe this year, this would be the spot to get it
34:45right. Yeah. Yeah. No doubt. No doubt right now. The Dolphins
34:50the worst scoring offense or one of the worst scoring
34:52offenses in the NFL and astronomical number on Tyreek
34:56Hill to find the end zone plus 175. You would think in the
35:00bye week. They have figured something out to at least feed
35:03him the football for the fins should be a way to look last
35:08week with the commanders go into Baltimore as a six and a
35:11half point dog lose by a touchdown. Do not cover
35:14snapping a four-game win streak, but still it felt like
35:17hey these commanders can play with the rookie quarterback
35:21Jaden Daniels. Now they're laying more than a touchdown at
35:24home against Carolina. Can Washington bounce back and get
35:29back into the wind column and cover laying a big number at
35:32home against the Panthers? Yes, and it is a kind of a name your
35:37score kind of game, but it is now up to 30 and a half. This
35:42is a team that a few weeks ago. We were just talking about a
35:46nice start for the rookie quarterback. Now the
35:48expectation is that they will score north of 30 points. I
35:54think the reality is if you expect a blowout in this game,
35:58You just go all in on the commanders a point total lay
36:02the eight and a half and everything. I just haven't
36:04really seen enough out of the Panthers defense to get any
36:08stops. So separate the halves Washington number one second
36:12half scoring team in the league so you can separate the halves.
36:16You can take the team total straight up. That's the way I
36:19would play it. I wouldn't even I would get away from the eight
36:21and a half and just because maybe Andy Dalton is in it. So
36:26I like over 30 and a half and maybe over in the second half
36:29for them. 51 and a half is the highest total of the weekend
36:33Washington over in five of six more from Sunday with fluid
36:37next three games for the NFL Sunday slate in week six
36:40feature a total 50 and above including in Atlanta where the
36:46Falcons are a three-point home favorite in the battle of the
36:49birds against the Seattle Seahawks and Mike fluid a total
36:52of 50 and a hook has Atlanta started to figure things out
36:57with Kirk Cousins. They roll on the road last week in Carolina
37:01as expected, but easily handle the Panthers covering as a near
37:05touchdown favorite in a row divisional game. Now they're
37:08laying a flat three that field goal number against the
37:11Seahawks team that started great and has struggled since
37:15they were three and oh now they have dropped three in a row.
37:20How do you see Sunday in Atlanta playing out between the
37:22Falcons and the Seahawks to answer your question? Yes. I
37:25think Atlanta is starting to figure some things out. I just
37:29think Raheem Morris is doing a really good job and Kirk
37:32Cousins is getting healthier by the week as well. It's a new
37:34team. He's dealing with a long term comeback from an injury.
37:38So I think they are trying to figure things out and something
37:41I think we discussed last week and Joe and I certainly talked
37:43about it the other day on air is I'm not a huge believer that
37:48there has to be balance in your offense if you're doing
37:51something well, but I think with Seattle, that is something
37:54that they need to strive for and they're not seeing enough
37:56of it right now. They're getting down in games and
37:59having to throw a lot. So Gino Smith leading the league in
38:02passing yards is not really a recipe for success for the
38:05Seahawks. It looks good statistically for him and if
38:08it's on your fantasy team great, but they need to get the
38:11ball in Kenneth Walker's hands more often. He's seeing far few
38:15touches for them to be able to consistently win games and
38:20until they they get that right. Maybe this is the week that
38:22they can do it. I would force the issue with Kenneth Walker
38:25if I'm the Seahawks, but right now I like the Falcons at home.
38:29They're not laying a ton. It's a funky interdivisional game.
38:34You don't see these teams match up all that often, but I like
38:37Kirk Cousins. I like the way he's playing. I like this
38:39Falcons team more than I like the Seahawks right now. I hate
38:43this Falcons defense who can't get to the quarterback at all
38:46and that's a recipe for disaster. If you even for Gino
38:49Smith, if you give him all day to throw and find those wide
38:52receivers so feels like points are coming in that one. I don't
38:56know that points are coming in the rematch here blew it that we
38:59just saw 6 months ago between Kansas City and the 49ers, but
39:03yet some different faces some guys not there, but it feels
39:07like we got pretty much the same line. We did six 6 months
39:11ago. What changes in this game anything? Yeah, a little home
39:16cooking. I guess Jordan Mason obviously banged up the other
39:20day, but does it really matter who's in for the Niners in
39:24terms of getting their running game going? I think they're
39:26doing a great job recently of getting these weapons as
39:29they're healthier getting as many guys involved as possible.
39:33I just continue to think that look Andy Reed is unbelievable
39:37coming off of by historically and I still I still find it a
39:43little quizzical guys that people ultimately concede that
39:49the Chiefs defense is legit, but people because of my home's
39:53presence and because of how prolific the offense has been
39:57in the past. I still think this defense gets underrated in
40:01terms of how good they are. They are one of the best
40:04defenses in the league. I think they can create problems for
40:07purty and I'll take the Chiefs getting points my home's as an
40:11underdog and Reed coming off of by those are spectacular
40:14records. Yeah, they certainly are blue last year. KC was the
40:18slight dog in Sin City. They went outright. They were an
40:21underdog four times last year. They won outright in all four
40:25games as a dog a favorite in everyone. San Francisco has
40:30been a favorite in every game since the start of a season ago
40:34and blue. It's maybe not just a Super Bowl 58 rematch in
40:37Santa Clara. It's a potential Super Bowl 59 preview. Both of
40:42these teams, the Chiefs in the AFC conference title favorites,
40:45the Niners in the NFC conference championship favorites,
40:48two best prices to reach Super Bowl or to even win Super Bowl
40:5359 at five to one for the Chiefs at seven to one for the
40:5649ers. Is this not just a Super Bowl rematch but a potential
41:00preview as well? I think so people certainly panic about
41:06the Niners seemingly every time they get off to a bad
41:08start, which is frankly pretty often under Kyle Shanahan. You
41:14want to see McCaffrey back. It may not be for a while that we
41:17see him, but I don't think there's been any chatter in
41:20terms of having to shut him down for the season. So their
41:24bye week is coming up. Yeah in week nine. So I think you can
41:28see McCaffrey back in a few weeks and we'll be talking
41:30about the Niners getting on this role that they tend to get
41:34on as they get into the playoffs and obviously through
41:36the playoffs, they've had a lot of success. So right now, it'll
41:40be hard for me to go a different way. I pick the
41:43Packers and the Chiefs at the beginning of the year. I do
41:46like the Packers, especially the way you mentioned earlier
41:49the way they're playing defense and how good Jordan Love has
41:52been at times this year. I think they're still a real
41:55challenger along with the Lions. How about a big NFC North
41:59battle Detroit taking on Minnesota here, Jared Goff
42:03coming off the game of all games. Sam Donald, the
42:06unexpected one. What are we getting in this one here?
42:09Blow it. Really good one. The Lions. So I think the Lions
42:17performance against the Bucks was was an interesting way to
42:23watch the market, right? It had everybody back off the Lions a
42:27little bit because of a funky performance in there, one in
42:31which they got into the red zone. I think it was seven
42:33times and didn't score a touchdown. So we saw last week
42:38them explode again. Now, this is the Vikings coming off of by
42:42at home. You'd be betting a road divisional dog but I just
42:48think right now, the Lions are the better team. We saw some
42:52cracks in the armor with in London and the way the line
42:57played last week. Is there too much of an emotional high to
43:00come in and play a divisional opponent? I think that's
43:03possible. I just think the Lions are the better football
43:05team and I all I have to do is, you know, I'm catching a point
43:08and a half in this one. I I think if these teams played a
43:11month from now, we'll see the Vikings proper water level uh
43:15settle out and I think we'll we'll notice that the Lions and
43:18the Packers are the class of this division and not the
43:20Vikings although I do think the Vikings are very respectable
43:23playoff team. If the Lions do win outright, both of these
43:27teams will be five and one. Minnesota enters week seven as
43:31one of the two remaining undefeated sides along with
43:35Kansas City. Co-favorites as well to win what is a highly
43:39competitive division that being the NFC North. All four teams
43:43four and two or better so far this season. Mike Blewett, wave
43:48the terrible towel cuz we go to Pittsburgh on Sunday night with
43:53you up next. It's some quarterback questions here on
43:56the early line. Sunday night in the Steel City. What a more
44:00key matchup to end out the Sunday slate in prime time. The
44:05New York Jets and a must win night game once again as they
44:09faltered on Monday against Buffalo. They add Devonte Adams
44:13on Tuesday morning. Rah rah. Everybody's happy in Forum Park
44:18but are they really? They're two and four. They're two games
44:21below 500 despite being a road favorite in the Steel City but
44:25Mike Blewett is a Steelers fan and calls it like he sees it.
44:30Mike Blewett, no official confirmation yet for your
44:32Steelers that Russell Wilson is going to start but he's back at
44:36practice. He's taking the reps with the ones more than likely.
44:39It is his show and his Steelers debut on Sunday night against
44:44the Jets. Let's start there before we dive into the actual
44:47game. Is that the right decision? Is starting Russell
44:51Wilson ahead of Justin Fields the right call by Mike Tomlin?
44:57I think it's a tight one. What what would bother me is if I we
45:04talked about this during early like preseason and early on in
45:09the season. I I certainly have talked about on this network a
45:12number of times. The Steelers promising Russell Wilson the job
45:16at any point which Mike Tomlin did do as the starter was odd
45:21to me. They had no allegiance to him. There was no reason for
45:24him to do that. They should have just left it to a training
45:27camp battle. Now, neither guy played well in training camp
45:31and Fields got the job because of what happened to Russ and the
45:34ridiculous training camp incident where he's blocking
45:37you know, blocking sleds and pulled his calf. Now, Justin
45:41Fields interestingly took ownership. He said, if I were to
45:45be benched, it's because I didn't play well enough and he
45:48takes accountability for that. I think there are moments with
45:51Justin Fields which is what we've seen throughout his
45:53career where he's been really explosive particularly running
45:57the ball. Again, the second half against the Raiders, another
46:00good half but with 30 seconds left in the first half against
46:03the Raiders, the Steelers had six points. It's a consistent
46:07problem. They don't have any doubt. They don't have any
46:10ability to push the ball downfield. Now, the real issue
46:13for me is that Russ isn't any good at it either. So, I think
46:17you might get a similar type of play without the ability to
46:21run the ball. Fields is taking care of the ball really well.
46:25Hopefully, Russ will do that too. Do I think Russ is going
46:28to provide a spark? I don't but it's clear the Steelers may
46:32think that he could provide a little bit of a spark. Put
46:35downfield pass and get Pickens more involved. I just don't
46:39think the offense is gonna be that much different no matter
46:42who's Q being it. It's conservative. I think they have
46:44to play that way because of the makeup of the roster. They've
46:47lost some offensive linemen now as well and the reality is
46:51Arthur Smith isn't all that creative. He just hasn't proven
46:54to be a creative offensive mind in this league. Yeah. Shocker
46:58Arthur Smith. How about Saquon's return there? A little
47:02revenge spot here with Philly and the Giants. II can't think
47:05of two offenses I trust less than this here, Mike. What are
47:08you thinking? God, it feels like a hard under. It just does. I
47:14don't know what the hell these guys are gonna do to get over
47:19forty-three. The Hurts turnover issues. They were bad against
47:24Cleveland. If it wasn't Cleveland, Joe, they would have
47:26lost to twenty-nine other team. Honestly, they were terrible.
47:30Missing field goals and it was a tight game somehow. The
47:34Browns are awful and it was tight and obviously the whole
47:38incident with the clown and all that kind of stuff but I just
47:43think it's gotta be an under. Uh Saquon, sure, revenge factor
47:48here. Maybe take some Saquon overs but how aggressive can
47:53you be on the overs if we don't expect either of these teams to
47:56light up the scoreboard? Eighty-one and a half, the
47:59rushing yards prop for Saquon Barkley also has his receiving
48:03yards number out there. He was quoted earlier this week saying
48:07I'm over it. I think they're probably over it as well. His
48:10departure to a division rival. Saquon, I'm not so sure about
48:15that as you enter East Rutherford, New Jersey on
48:18Sunday afternoon. Quickly back to the Steelers Blue for Sunday
48:23night. Huge game for the Jets once again. Almost feels like a
48:26must-win spot as it was to end out week six to end out the
48:29Sunday slate week seven but the Jets often find ways to lose
48:34football games. Will they get the win in Pittsburgh as a
48:37slight road favorite on Sunday night? Everybody playing their
48:41best game right now. I think the Jets are a little bit of a
48:44better football team. A lot but everybody playing their best
48:47game but the Jets commit a million penalties. You get on
48:50the road and commit ten penalties and win. The Steelers
48:53are a home underdog and Tomlin is lights out in this spot. He
48:57just is. If you're asking me **** up though, I think the
49:00Jets will get the win. Yeah, it's a great point, Bluett,
49:03right? The Steelers have only winning ways in 18 years under
49:07Mike Tomlin. They're going to make you beat them and the
49:09Jets have found a way to falter time and again. Mike
49:13Bluett, we'll see you on Sunday. We appreciate the time.
49:16More of the early line in hour three up next.