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00:00All right prs let's get to the end of monday night football to end out week 17
00:06It's our final monday night football game of the regular season. No monday night games next week
00:11No thursday night games for week number 18
00:14So this is a game that we had circled earlier in the year
00:18Oh, what could you ask for on the final monday night football game of the year better than this rematch from the nfc championship game?
00:25Between the 49ers and the lions
00:27Well san francisco is sub 500 already out of the playoff mix and with minnesota's win over green bay
00:35Yesterday this game really doesn't matter all that much for detroit
00:40Sure, it matters but the game that will only impact the playoff standings is next week in the motor city
00:48Even if the lions win on this monday night in santa clara three and a half point spread
00:54In favor of detroit total at 50 and a half drs knowing what is actually at stake
01:01For the monday night finale of this regular season. How do you approach betting it?
01:07It's very hard because you might have to wait a little bit later in the day
01:10But for me i'm already approaching it by saying look dan campbell
01:14Love what he's done in detroit here
01:16And yes the way he's done business there is the reason why detroit is a great football team
01:21But there is a method to the badness sometimes that you have to be pulled back whether it's your general manager
01:26Whether it's your assistant coaches, whether it's the ownership group and says dan
01:30Love you here. Let me hear your game plan on how you're going to lay it out for monday night football
01:34Well, it's a football game. We want to win. We're going full blast and I said, you know what?
01:38Yeah, love what you're trying to do here
01:40But i'm going to send you on a one-way ticket back to detroit to have you get ready for minnesota because that's absolutely ridiculous
01:46I understand they're professionals. They're regimented
01:49But sometimes when you look at a football game because you do have to go back and see what the mo would be
01:53Right, if you would have told me like detroit, we're just going to do things differently pre-season game
01:57Number three, we're playing all of our starters as if it's a real game because I want to get ready for week
02:02Number one, they didn't do that. They didn't play any of the starters here
02:05Why because it was a meaningless football game that you didn't want to get anybody injured
02:09Heading into week number one to start your season out
02:12And this is a detroit team ben that over the course of the season has lost major pieces to their defense and offense
02:19On their way to thinking that they can win an nsc championship and a super bowl
02:24If you play this game tonight full blast and nobody gets injured and you're no worse for the wear
02:30That's one thing but that's also ridiculous because you're already working at a disadvantage on rest time
02:35Because minnesota played the day before at home with no travel you're on the road in san francisco long playing right back
02:41But you cannot risk any injuries like legitimately you have a chance to win a super bowl
02:47what's the meaning of this game versus the san francisco 49ers who are also
02:51Dead in the water who could care less if they win this game if all things accounted for in detroit needed this game
02:57Go full tilt blast this football team and headed to the postseason, but it doesn't mean anything
03:02I'm an eagle stance from a fan perspective
03:04Yes, detroit play everybody get as injured as you can because I think that's the toughest team to beat in the nfc
03:11As a handicapper, I had the detroit lions with a ticket to get to the super bowl here
03:16I don't want you playing anything but from a head coaching vantage point here ben
03:20You cannot play your key players tonight extended periods of time. You can't do it dan campbell. Don't do it
03:29I think it's really well said drs will continue the discussion on the other side of the break
03:33We continue our preview of monday night football the final monday night football game of the 2024
03:39National football league regular season that on paper a few months ago
03:44Seemed like a banger of a way to go out
03:47But as we enter this monday night in santa clara, is it really san francisco is a six and nine football team that has failed?
03:54Based on expectation this season mainly because of injuries eliminated already from nfc playoff contention
04:01It happened a few weeks back
04:04The detroit lions are 13
04:06And 2 favored by more than a field goal on the road on this monday night in northern california
04:12And perhaps you're thinking well the lions just saw minnesota win to get to 14 and 2
04:17Yesterday detroit needs to keep pace
04:20This game doesn't actually impact the nfc north standings or the nfc's number one overall seed
04:27Race it all comes down to game 272
04:30Next week in the motor city as the lions will host the vikings the winner of that game
04:36regardless of tonight's outcome will win the nfc north divisional crown and claim the number one overall seed in the
04:43Nfc, so donny we're debating what dan campbell might do for this game with detroit
04:50He is aggressive. You can question some of his coaching decisions
04:54But you cannot call dan campbell dumb he is not he understands
04:59Everything in fact, he might be too aggressive because he is too much of a new age guy
05:04We understand the idea of grit and the mentality that the lions have in the biting kneecaps
05:10Under dan campbell, so you would always think well if it's a football game
05:14We'll line it up and we'll go out there and we'll play everybody to run it down the 49ers throat
05:19That's not actually how he operates the buy-in and the investment is always there
05:25But he understands the states and how important next week is
05:30For detroit and donny as you said this is not a lion's team fully healthy
05:35That could hey go out there for a half and be fine regardless of result
05:40This is a lion's team that the last month has been incredibly banged up and its main and key contributors
05:48They need to focus on next sunday night against the vikings
05:51I do wonder what the plan is going to be and I wonder what we see donny in the next few hours
05:57As we get ready for monday night
05:59You can't bench everybody in the nfl
06:01We understand that and I talk about the eagles next week taking a bye week
06:04That means like your key 15 out of 22 starters aren't going to play
06:08But there are going to be guys on the offensive line of defensive line who have to play
06:12But your true key components where you say to yourself
06:15I already lost david montgomery in the best one two punch in the backfield and i'm down to jamiro gibbs
06:20If gibbs goes down, I have no chance to win in the playoffs
06:24That's what you have to look at jared golf is in the pocket
06:26The chance of a quarterback getting injured is slim, but we've seen it happen before in games
06:30Look, it's football things happen that way
06:33But if you want to say, okay jared golf go out there i'm going to give you a first half
06:36Just get in rhythm because we practiced all week
06:38Our mindset is to hang to the football game as we want to win
06:41But it's up to the coach to put that mindset to the players, which you see it a lot
06:44Hey, you guys are all playing in this game
06:47Only right before the game they go and be like take your helmet shoulder pads off
06:50You're not here because they want the preparation
06:52That's the most important thing you tell professional athlete and amateur athlete anybody in your work office
06:57Hey guys this week doesn't matter with any sales or work that you do
07:01Half of that team is going to be like well i'm going to i'm not going to bed at night
07:05I'm going out to the bar because nothing matters
07:07But if you tell them on friday, you better have your sales results in from a sales perspective
07:12They will and they say oh it didn't matter. Congratulations bonuses for everybody
07:16That's what they're going to do
07:16If you play your guys all four quarters and jameer gibbs gets 25 plus touches in rushing and receiving tonight
07:23You're just doing your team a disservice. He he can't be dumb in the biggest moments
07:27He was incredibly stupid this year against the 49ers
07:30Don't double down against the 49ers and maybe playing in san francisco
07:34Is his kryptonite where everything goes haywire and he just can't think straight here rest the key players get them out early
07:41Go win yourself a division championship and the first overall seed by doing it the smart way dan not the dumb way
07:49And that's next week against the vikings in a game. We have never seen in the history of the nfl
07:5513 or potentially 14 wins for detroit 14 wins for minnesota the most combined wins we have ever seen
08:03In a football game in the regular season in the history of the nfl
08:08I will just say this right we're talking about motivation and a handicap and how it all plays out for detroit tonight
08:15And a san francisco team already eliminated from playoff contention
08:19Does that mean if I don't think the lions are playing all of their players for the majority of the game?
08:23I would back the 49ers getting more than a field goal at home
08:27Not necessarily san francisco has only been a dog
08:31Twice and they have been awful in doing so and I think the lions could get out to an early start
08:36So maybe detroit first half do we lean under a high total of 50 and a hook?
08:42We'll see. I think we'll talk about the actual betting angles donnie for the mentality
08:47We think detroit might present in our three when it comes up next live right here on the early line
08:54We welcome you to our number three on this monday. He is drs. That is donnie right side. I am ben
09:02Stevens we get you set for the monday night football finale
09:05Not only in a week 17, but in the entirety of this 2024 nfl regular season our last monday night game
09:13There is going to be a monday night game during super wild card weekend to kick off the post season
09:18But our last monday night game of the regular season tonight between the lions
09:23And the 49ers a rematch of last year's nfc championship game
09:28It doesn't really have all that much hype and excitement behind it
09:32We'll explain why in what it actually means in just a matter of moments. We'll talk to the doc the pro football doc
09:39Dr
09:39David chow in just a little bit for his assessment and insight on the injuries around the nfl
09:46What it means for the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs in tv tom becchio the prompt perspective for an interesting
09:53Handicap for monday night football in santa clara all that drs in this final hour up until 11 a.m. Eastern
10:02Yeah, these are the tough games a handicap
10:03but also the most fun games to handicap because you're playing outside the x's and o's and trying to figure out what these coaches
10:09Are going to do from one perspective on detroit. How long do they play their starters?
10:13Do they play all the way through because if they do play all the way through with their starters?
10:17They are going to absolutely hulk smash the san francisco 49ers, but from a 49ers perspective and also brock purdy
10:23I am hours away. It feels like from the biggest powerball payday i'm ever going to get I just hope I don't get you know
10:31Decapitated in the pocket in this game because my team is down so many starters and I can't operate the way I want to so
10:38That's the struggle that we're going to have tonight
10:40I do have one way which you've already talked about there with jamiro gibbs
10:43We'll go over that a little bit later try to play this because if I can fact one one thing making sense
10:48You can't burn your best player a week before your biggest game. That's my handicap. Ben. That's it
10:56I I agreed on it, but that's where it gets really interesting. We could be dead wrong, right?
11:01We have said detroit doesn't really need this game. That might seem insane the giants won a game
11:08They shouldn't have yesterday. These are professional players making millions of dollars playing a dangerous game in football
11:15If they are going to be out there
11:16They are going to try to win said football game and the lions still might even if their starters don't play the entirety
11:23of all
11:24factors probably corners
11:27I would agree. That's where things are for san francisco. They don't have motivation left
11:32They've already been eliminated from playoff contention. What exactly are they striving toward at this point?
11:38That is another part of the handicap and the motivation because again before we hear from the people we do just want to stress
11:46that in game
11:47272 the regular season finale on sunday night next week in detroit the lions will host the minnesota vikings
11:54regardless of tonight's outcome on this monday in northern california
11:59Whoever wins that game between the lions and the vikings will win the nfc north and claim the number one overall seed
12:06In the nfc that is the game that dictates the outcome of the nfc playoff picture not tonight
12:13regardless if the lions win lose or tie so knowing all of that
12:18What does the people what do the people think for tonight's game? Let's find out together and fade the public
12:25So
12:32A lot of people still thinking the lions are going to play all their starters and absolutely hammer
12:38San francisco, what is the best bet for monday night football at sports grid on twitter?
12:43Is it the lions as more than a field goal favorite on the road the niners as a home underdog a high total by the way
12:5050 and a hook over or under donny 53 percent of the public backing detroit
12:56They mean the lions win win this game comfortably easily cover as a three and a half point favorite
13:03Are you fading the public?
13:06Yes, and no because I didn't vote on that side the side because i'm
13:10Conflicting on what we're actually going to get maybe different ways to bet this game to take a lion's first half
13:14But I wouldn't be taking the lions full game minus three and a half
13:18Knowing that we could see more of a preseason type game in the second half
13:22But not necessarily a preseason type effort from san francisco with kyle shanahan who probably wants to say
13:27You know what brock purdy is my guy for next year. We'll spin it a little bit here
13:31We'll have some good improvement on offense and away we go
13:33so I don't want anything to do with the side didn't vote that way but it did take under 50 and a half because
13:38I I don't know why the game plan for san francisco would be
13:42Let's whip it all around the yard 40 times and see what brock purdy can do, you know what he can do
13:46You just don't want to have a bad football game
13:48You certainly don't want to get injured by dropping back 45 times in a meaningless football game and on the same way the opposite side
13:55Ben johnson is one of the best play callers in the nfl if not, the best can be argued
14:00Is he putting out all his hey guys, we saved all this up for this late in the season
14:04Forget about the important game next week
14:06Let's throw all the crazy looks like we saw last week where let's stumble around and throw touchdown passes and do all that fun stuff
14:13I I think you're more of a vanilla game plan tonight
14:15So for my money, it should say under 50 because that means you probably pulled your starters
14:20If you played them by the half and you go ultra vanilla then when you watch pre-season football, right?
14:25Second half of the game starters got some work in let's just put some film on tape
14:29Let's see how the offensive line blocks. No blitzes. No crazy plays
14:33Let's run the football and keep the clock going like I actually think the under 50 and a half makes a lot of sense if
14:38This game plays out as more of a pre-season look in the second half. Yeah
14:43It's how I bet it as well or it's how I it voted as well in the face of public poll
14:48Under 50 and a hook don't love the niners
14:51Even if we don't think the lions are going to play the entirety of the game getting more than a field goal at home
14:56San francisco has been an atrocious underdog this year despite only being booked as a dog
15:02Twice if we get news that detroit is only going to play their starters a half or we get news at 2 p.m
15:08This afternoon the lions are sitting everybody out
15:11It's not going to be more than a field goal in favor of detroit, but there is a danger donnie
15:15I think you've been in the side tonight
15:17Based on being wrong, which either whichever way you think this game is going to play out
15:23We might be dead wrong dan campbell might say i'm done listening to these talking heads. We're playing everybody
15:29We are treating this game like any other regular season matchup
15:32We are going to go out there and win it and if that's the case
15:35I would lean lions lion three and a half or he might say listen
15:40I'm going to be a little bit
15:44Maybe who knows i'm gonna be a little bit coy, right?
15:50Yeah, exactly and hooker who knows i'm going to be a little bit coy
15:53I might play my starters for a little bit but then sit them out. I don't necessarily know
15:58I think the best way to bet this game and we'll talk to tv tom vecchio in just a little bit
16:03Is that prop perspective and donnie?
16:05We have been talking about it all throughout the commercial break trying to get in on the number
16:09Under 18 and a half rush attempts for jameer gibbs
16:13Under 94 and a half rushing yards for jameer gibbs if he plays the entirety of this game
16:19I would be surprised or at least the entirety of the game with the onus on him carrying the load
16:24So I would actually bet the under of his prompts tonight
16:28It's it's the only way you can approach this game
16:31And I think it's a sound way to do it because the only reason why I didn't bet the under 94
16:35Which I think is a great bet by the way
16:36Because he does have some electricity where he can bust that 30 or 40 yard run in the first quarter
16:41It's like hey, he actually had 111 at the break, which again, I don't think is going to happen
16:46It's just an extreme circumstance, but you're right ben
16:49fourth quarter
16:5017 carries he's trying to salt this football game away like it can't happen and there's no way you're going to be like
16:56Hey, you know what?
16:57Let's get him his work in the first half and give him saquon like touches because saquon's chasing a record and still a meaningful game
17:03Like I just can't see any scenario that plays out where jameer gibbs is the lead back for four quarters
17:09And that's all ben and I are talking about it could lose
17:12Yes
17:12But you're trying to play the scenario that you think should play out of your outside the x's and o's
17:17He can't be the back in the fourth quarter and that's what it's going to take to get that 20 carries
17:22250 and a half is the number four jared golf
17:25I would also lean under that as well if we are following a similar thought
17:30We'll look at brock purdy's prompts with tv tom in just a little bit
17:34And by the way, I hope you think this is not just donnie and I starting speculation
17:39That the lions might rest their starters drs
17:41I follow a lot of great people from the state of michigan from michigan state fans and michigan fans through social media
17:48Obviously college sports big ten football all that great stuff
17:51A lot of them are hoping dan campbell does the same to see players
17:55You didn't even know we're on the 53-man roster suit up and play tonight in santa clara
18:00So we're not just trying to start a conspiracy for the sake of doing so
18:05The monday night football finale to our second to last week of the national football league regular season our final monday night game
18:12In the 2024 nfl regular season in santa clara a rematch of last year's nfc
18:18Championship game between the san francisco 49ers and the detroit lions as we get you set for this monday night
18:25We welcome on tv tom vecchio
18:28Of sports grid to help us understand from a mentality and stakes standpoint what we might see
18:35On this monday tom as always. We appreciate the time. Thanks for being here
18:40Of course, thanks for having me like you said last monday night game of the season things have changed
18:46Since the beginning of yesterday in terms of motivation what these teams are playing for we know what the lions are set for next
18:51Week against the vikings. I am ready to roll
18:55So regardless of tonight's outcome as detroit is a three and a half point favorite against san francisco in santa clara
19:02With a total of 50 and a half the lions season will be defined
19:06By next sunday's game to end out the regular season at home
19:10Hosting the vikings in a matchup of two teams that might have 14 wins, but at bare minimum
19:1727 that game next week vecchio between detroit and minnesota
19:20Determines who wins the nfc north and who will claim the number one overall seed in the nfc tonight
19:27Win lose or draw for detroit doesn't really impact that whatsoever
19:31So having an understanding of what is actually on the line
19:34How do you approach the odds seeing the lions as more than a field goal favorite?
19:39Well yesterday when I was getting set for this game around kickoff of 1 p.m
19:43I was texting producer joe frieza about what I liked today
19:46And I was sending the lions minus three and a half the lions minus six and a half and the lions minus nine and a half
19:50Alting them all the way up because the lions were going to be in a spot to exact some revenge for the nfc championship game
19:56Which they kind of threw away last season and that was obviously before the results of the vikings packers game
20:01I want to still believe that I want to still believe that the lions go out there and take care of business
20:06As we saw earlier this season when they did so against the cowboys
20:09They ran up that score 47 to 9 obviously dating back to last season when we had that little issue where the cowboys
20:15Uh, you know, they won that game because the lions didn't have the offensive lineman
20:18He reported he didn't report it and the lions came with that loss and he lost home field advantage
20:23Going back to last season and they would have had that home game last year
20:26So I want to roll this all together and believe that the lions and dan campbell come out and still take care of business
20:32Despite this being a quote-unquote meaningless game the lions come out and drop 31 points and they win this game 31 to 20 or so
20:38I think that puts us right at that 50 and a half number and the lions come away at minus nine and a half
20:43Yes, if this game meant something where detroit needed this to actually win for next week
20:47I do believe that they would put them on skates and there's no way that three and a half line would be out there
20:51It probably would be it's on at nine and a half at this point
20:53We'll see how it plays out
20:54But the one thing we do know
20:55Starters are expected to play in this game and if we're looking at brock purdy and jarrah golf to two quarterbacks here
21:01Brock purdy 255 and a half is this number jarrah golf at 250 and a half passing props here for touchdowns
21:06To throw two touchdowns or more for jarrah golf minus 192 brock purdy over one and a half at minus 114
21:13How are we playing the quarterbacks tom in this game?
21:16It's got to be purdy and you know this this stems from the fact that I do think the lions will be out in front
21:21Purdy's line over 255 and a half. I certainly like over the last four weeks
21:25We've seen the lion's defense obviously be hit with the injuries the ram the defense is allowing 289 passing yards per game
21:32334 from caleb williams 362 from josh allen, etc, etc
21:35I also want to roll in the fact that again, we're the final two weeks of the season purdy's coming up on a contract extension
21:40That's like the big one of the big storylines for the 49ers
21:43Why not go out there and put up some good tape in the final few weeks of the season, right?
21:46It's a meaningless game for both teams
21:48Like that's just a fact but him going out there and slinging the ball against a defense that is just
21:52Factually weaker compared to where we saw earlier in the season purdy pushing over this number in a losing effort
21:58I think is very realistic tonight
21:59So I will take the recent trends
22:01With the line defense being bad and purdy going out there putting up some good tape in the final two weeks of the season
22:06Just as we saw last week against the dolphins
22:09Not just struggling production wise for detroit defensively
22:12But of course very significant injuries on that side of the football as well and in the running back room
22:19For both teams david montgomery
22:21Maybe out for the remainder of this year christian mccaffrey jordan. Mason the list goes on and on for san francisco
22:29So the matchup tonight at the running back spot jameer gibbs for detroit isaac correndo expected to return
22:35For san francisco, how do you approach the bats in this spot on monday night?
22:40I I almost want to have no interest in either of them and this is not because
22:44You know gibbs isn't good gibbs is amazing, right and he's going to see the lion's share of that work
22:48And you know, I don't I don't expect craig reynolds to get too much work
22:51And the only time craig reynolds would get in is that they actually do pull their starters
22:55And we don't see jared golf out there. We don't see saint brown and sam porter, etc, etc
22:58So I have no interest in fading
23:01Uh gibbs and taking it under because he could clear that number at halftime then they just pull all the starters correndo
23:06I also have no interest in just because that the re-injury risk is so clear for so many
23:09These san francisco running backs as we've seen time and time again
23:12I think this has to turn into a passing game for the 49ers and ultimately just with the struggles
23:16They the alliance have had on defense
23:18This is where the 49ers should be able to move the ball down the field
23:21So getting it to jennings getting to george kittles where I expect most of the production can go
23:25Debo samuel can't apparently can't catch the ball. So I want to focus on jennings
23:28I want to focus on george kittle and i'll focus on brock purdy tonight
23:32Yeah, there are some interesting angles to play too because it's one of those games where
23:36Where if you get a clean slate all the way through I think you're going to have numbers
23:39You're going to be very happy with some of the way these turn out whether it's touchdown props or yardage props
23:43but there's nothing worse than saying i'm going to take amanara saint brown to go over 72 and a half and he has
23:4868 at the half like man
23:50This guy's going to clear 100 easy probably multiple touchdowns and him not coming out for the second half
23:55So approaching this game even if we're looking at from a more perspective of a wide receiver or two that you like tonight tom
24:01Is this one of those games where you watch it all the way through or is it more meaningful to you that you maybe?
24:05Exercise those rights in the first half as opposed to the full game in this one
24:09Not knowing if those starters will play into the late third quarter and fourth quarter
24:13Right. I think you have to take that like you have to have your stance from from the start of the game, right?
24:17You can't be like, oh i'm gonna i'm gonna do halfway you can't be in between so I don't want to
24:21Side with too many of the lions players because there is that concern again
24:24Things have changed drastically since where we were 1 p.m
24:27Leading up so actually more faith in the 49ers
24:30The players just putting out points because granted if they do pull their starters, especially in defense
24:33Like you said, they've already been hit with injuries. They're already not playing super well in defense over the past week
24:38So if they even pulled the starters that they have were already backups to begin with
24:42We could just see those garbage time yards pile up for the 49ers. So specifically I like duan jennings
24:46I I really like him over 62 and a half. He's only got one more year left on his contract
24:50So again, this is the kind of performance that he can put about a big one get me get a contract extension
24:54He leads the team with the 26.1 percent target share where I can see the lines have like
24:592,814 receiving yards specifically wide receivers. That's the second most in the league. So pretty jennings getting some yards. Let's do it tonight
25:07Yeah, listen, I would agree if you're going to look at a prop perspective and bet some overs to me
25:12It's on the 49ers tom drs and I have already shared we're on the under four jameer gives his russian temps his russian yards
25:19Knowing that starters are going to play
25:22But just for how long that remains to be seen
25:25Becky as we have our final game on this monday night for week 17 and then enter
25:31Week 18 understanding that motivation. What is at stake is a huge part of the handicaps
25:36How do you recommend betters kind of approach the regular season finales and all those spots from a prop perspective?
25:43from a prop perspective
25:44the ideal situation would be a teams that need to play and win and then maybe we
25:48Sprinkle in like a little bit of motivation someone like a mike evans who was approaching a thousand yards in 97 yesterday
25:54So he wants a baker has talked about getting mike evans with thousand yards, but they also need to very clearly win
25:59So like that's the ideal spot motivation and a player reaching a milestone or contract incentive wherever might be
26:04And then there's gonna be a chance where like we have teams that are completely out of it
26:07And you know brock bower's continuing to set rookie records. Do we need to be betting on him?
26:11So I would say you have to have your stance early in the week
26:13You find out these contracts and incentives for some of these players or milestones
26:17And you want to jump early because if when these lines come out
26:19They will jump up quickly because everyone's going to be betting the overall this receiver needs 90 more yards
26:23If his line opens up at 79 and a half
26:25It's going to be bet up to 86 or whatever it is by the time sunday rolls around
26:28So you have to be early on these lines this week
26:32Playoff motivation who is going to play for how long all of those things should be added to your week 18 handicaps
26:39And maybe even week 17 to end it out on a monday night. I'll tell you guys this
26:43I'm gonna look at mike evans next week, right?
26:45The buccaneers need a win against the saints mike just 85 yards away from his 11th consecutive season
26:52All 11 years in the national football league with 8 000 yards. Come on now
26:57Let's have some fun. Tom vecchio as always. We appreciate the time
27:00We'll see you tonight on sports grid for all the coverage around monday night football as well
27:05Of course, thanks for having me and we'll look to team usa to be canon tomorrow in the world juniors
27:10Yeah, there you go, that's in hockey, right
27:13world junior hockey under 20
27:16Heck yeah world juniors hockey and I think the winter classic at wrigley field tomorrow
27:22What is sports more around monday night next?
27:25Is our final monday night football game of the 2024 nfl regular season
27:30And what is at stake for the conclusion of week 17?
27:34Between the lions and the 49ers in santa clara tonight
27:37The niner is a three and a half point home underdog against the 13 and two
27:43Detroit lions 50 and a half is that total donna?
27:47We have talked about this ad nauseum now with where things stand and at length throughout this show
27:54This game does not actually matter for detroit wins or wins in the national football league
28:00And they are never easy to come by and these guys are professionals that always want to win
28:06But the outcome of tonight's game has no impact on the lions winning the nfc north
28:11Or being the number one overall seed in the nfc the only game that really matters
28:17Is next week game 272 the true regular season finale all around the nfl in the motor city
28:23The lions and the vikings in a week 18 game as good as you will ever see
28:28But it's not week 18 just yet. So what are the lions going to do here against the niners in week 17?
28:35That's the big question mark
28:36But let's let's just go back on a little bit of history tour here ben and I just need to go back to last year
28:41Week 18 my philadelphia eagles not playing so great to end the season. They could have actually improved their standing
28:47I believe by maybe a seed line if they had beat the new york giants at giants or metlife stadium
28:52Last year in the final week of the season, but the springboard really was what they were telling us like, you know
28:56What we're going to get right here
28:57Even if we have to play our starters a quarter two quarters three quarters here
29:01Let's get right before we head into the playoffs. They probably played their worst football game of the year
29:06Jalen hurts on his throwing hand dislocated his middle finger fantastic
29:10And aj brown was lost for the season with a knee injury in that game
29:14And oh, yeah, sydney brown also blew his knee out and that as a key special teamer
29:17Then the eagles went into the playoffs and got absolutely destroyed by tampa bay
29:21I'm not saying this is going to happen for detroit
29:23But let's play this out where we are talking about the niners
29:26It's not a good football team, which they aren't which the giants were a horrendous football team last year
29:30Let's just say they do play the first half ben. Nobody really gets injured, but they don't play
29:34Well, does that mean that dan quinn's like, you know what?
29:36We got to get a couple good drives in here and then possibility of injury in the second half
29:40Do you see how i'm playing this out?
29:42I am not a detroit lions fan by any mark
29:45But when I see things like boy, I don't think you're doing this and you're going to play with fire tonight
29:49Let's just see ben they play the entire football game play
29:52Well put up 42 points and win 42 to 7
29:55You still had your football team play a complete game and then have to play their biggest game of the season
30:00When also remind yourself that yesterday minnesota played got their star running back banged up in that football game
30:06But they needed to win it here. They played all of their starters hard minutes all the way through that football game
30:12Do you know what's better for your football team tonight to say? You know what?
30:15I have 12 guys that I absolutely i'm not going to play tonight my quarterback my tailback my two defensive ends
30:21My two offensive tackles and my two best players on defense
30:24They're not going to play but let's just see how we can go out and play football in this game
30:28Because what you can't have happen. I understand again what dan campbell is building and it's a football game and damn it
30:34You can get hurt in any game that you want
30:36But tell me this ben in a meaningless pre-season game, which detroit had in game number three
30:42They played nobody this football game for detroit tonight ben is
30:47Completely meaningless. Why are we playing key players all the way through this game or heck even starting the football game?
30:54That's why i'm breaking it down because if I say to myself if detroit is going to play their starters
30:59I'm, just taking them in the first half
31:00They should win this to the better football team and they should move the football with ease
31:04That's the way I would play this game
31:05No way shape or form i'm taking the plus three and a half or laying the three and a full game when I have no
31:10Idea what either one of these coaches is going to be doing ben in the second half. That's the angle tonight
31:16Of course, detroit has been a cover machine under dan campbell this year
31:20They are nine and five against the spread as the favored side. They covered in nine of their first 11 games
31:26They now have only covered once in their last four. It was last week as a touchdown favorite at soldier field
31:34Earlier in the week exactly a week ago
31:36In fact dan campbell was asked about this notion
31:40If minnesota minnesota should beat green bay on sunday
31:44You cannot quench the division or the one seed until week 18. Would you think about resting your starters?
31:51This is what dan campbell had to say quote. We're bringing everything. We've got to this game and
31:58You wouldn't expect dan campbell to say anything
32:02But that frankly drs and that was a week ago not in the reality that has set in in the last 24 hours
32:10That it all comes down to game
32:12272 next sunday night in the motor city. I'm not sure how I feel about the spread
32:18I think if I was going to bet a side
32:20It would be lions first half land two and a half in the first half minus
32:25166 on that first half money line, by the way
32:28I don't really know how I feel about points
32:30Even if we see starters for only a half it may be some backups the niners can run it up
32:36Maybe the lions run it up against the banged up san francisco side as well
32:41I think the way donnie that if i'm going to bet this game, here's how I do it under jared golf
32:46250 and a half passing yards under 94 and a half rushing yards for jameer gibbs expecting to see them tonight
32:53But maybe not for all four quarters
32:56It's the right way to play it and ben is not laying out a factual stance
33:00We know how this game is playing out. You're playing by logic tonight
33:04We're logical as human beings when you can see the silver lining that says next week is the biggest game
33:10Why are we laying everything out on the line?
33:12I would be shocked if they played all the way through and if they did so be it because I think it's the completely wrong
33:17decision
33:18You can have your convictions one way or another and try to meld them in
33:21And say what are the x's and o's going to look like like jared golf throwing 38 times tonight for 422 yards
33:27With the biggest game in the season on deck when you're playing a preseason game tonight
33:30It doesn't make sense. The only way you're looking at detroit is in the first half from a team perspective
33:36But for full game scenarios unless they break their complete game like hey
33:4160 and a half or 70 and a half yards
33:43Whatever i'm in ross st brown is and it has one catch for 75 yards and a touchdown the first half
33:47Oh, well, that's what happens here, but the life of this team's scape tonight through all four quarters
33:52I don't think it's going to be there like we should see hendon hooker in the second half at some point in this game ben
33:58And if you say to yourself jared goff has 320 by then then so be it you live with it
34:03Right, exactly. He could go over that number in a half in three quarters
34:08There's also a chance he plays all four and still stays under 250 in a hook or jameer gives ends up with 91 rushing yards
34:16And under 94 and a half we shall see and i'm sure we'll get some updates throughout the afternoon
34:23This is a time. We're working by 11 a.m
34:26Maybe we don't have the full picture for monday night football tonight in northern california
34:31But drs will be there for your monday night football nfl football in-game live game day
34:36And so we let him go right now drs a very happy new year. We'll talk later this week