Skip to content
TrackPodcasts
sportsSep 10, 20261:02:13

2026 NFL Week 1 Early Games Preview

About this episode

Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue preview the early slate of Week 1 NFL action! The Bills hit the road to face the Texans in a Week 1 matchup between AFC heavy weights. Gregg and Jourdan also preview games between the Buccaneers and Bengals, Saints and Lions, Bears and Panthers, Ravens and Colts, Falcons and Steelers, Jets and Titans, and Browns and Jaguars. 

 

NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get every episode summarized

Each time NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.

Email me new episodes

Free for 3 shows. No card needed.

Hosts & guests

Transcript ready

956 searchable segments. Every word is indexed and playable.

2026 NFL Week 1 Early Games Preview

NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

0:00
1:02:13

Full transcript

NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal2026 NFL Week 1 Early Games Preview. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.

This is an I Heart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Brett Coleman and I'm Trevor Sikama. If you love football and want to understand what's really happening on the field, check out our show NFL Pro. Every week we break down the biggest plays, trends and matchups using exclusive next-gen stats, insights and NFL content you will not find anywhere else. Whether you're new to football, a fantasy football fanag, or a die-hard fan, NFL Pro will help you analyze the game like a pro. Listen to NFL Pro on the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Mike Yamm. And I'm Trevor Sikama and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Show. Are you ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Because if you aren't locked in with us on the NFL Fantasy Football Show, you're already playing from behind. Whether you're a first-time player or a grizzled vet chasing another championship, would you be the advantage and the confidence you need to make every move count? Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football Show on the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever

you get your podcast. Whether you're a seasoned NFL fan or new to the game, there's one place to keep up with all of it. The league's newest podcast, The NFL Report, hosted by me, Andrew Sassiliano. It is your home for everything football. Breaking news, expert analysis, game picks and here from your favorite players too. Join me at an all-star cast of experts for everything you need to know from around the league. Get new episodes of the NFL Report Monday through Friday, all season long. Listen to the NFL Report Podcast on the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. The entire draft room groans because you just took the guy they wanted. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the award-winning late-round podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. Listen to the late-round fantasy football podcast on the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

Welcome to NFL Daily, where the games are fine. But it's exciting that the preview show is back. I am so thrilled. I woke up early this morning. I thought, is it because the kickoff game and is Wednesday night, we're taping this on Wednesday? No, it was because we got to do our first preview show, actual matchups of the season. Jordan Rodriguez here in the Chris Westling podcast studio. Real football Greg is so back. It is. A lot of games. I noticed that going through my notes. No buy weeks. There's just the, you know, that we did the two early games, but other than that, we got 14 games to get through. How we do it here is we break up the early window and then the late games and the primetime game. So check in your feed for the late games and the primetime games after this, but we are going to start with the game of the week, certainly in the early window, maybe the entire week period. It's the bills who are road favorites. You know, you famously know how lines work and everything.

One and a half point favorites in Houston, the disrespect for the unofficial team of the NFL daily podcast in Houston over under here is 44 and a half. It is the iron eagle Ross Tucker, Evan Washburn game. Ross gets the bump up to the number two spot. I am looking forward to it. We are doing a question to open every discussion, Jordan. You have the question for our Texans. I wanted to ask this question is drawing the Houston Texans defense one of the least fun possibilities you for your debut as a rookie opposing head coach Joe Brady first year head coach of the Buffalo Bills first game. But no, my real question is everybody's questions. See, you didn't even choose a question. That's two questions. I think I know the bills offense will be good. I'm excited to see their new defense. I absolutely know the Texans defense will be good. What kind of statement Greg will CJ Stroud make right out of the gate? That's my one big question. Yeah, it's a huge one.

I noticed how they sent out the depth charts before we got I think it can be instructive sometimes and they list case on booty as a starter right away. But for the most part, he should feel comfortable. I went and I listened to Nick Kayley on power players and the way that he talked about how CJ's had an imprint on building this offense with him. I think it's really exciting and they are in year two, whereas Jim Leonard, the Bills defensive coordinator is in year one and Jim Leonard, I don't think is playing with a fully stacked group of players like how good is Bradley Chubb going to be as a passenger. There's a lot of questions. I think when the Texans have the ball to me, I'm totally with you that that is more of the uncertainty of this game, including the Texans offensive line. But I'm also curious how Leonard's going to attack this CJ Stroud. It's going to be a different look. They should have their corners, Christian Benford and it sounds like it's Maxwell Harrison's job to really lose. Like there's a couple of guys that have competed for it, but sounds like Maxwell Harrison is going to try to stick in that spot.

I think just knowing Jim Leonard's history a little bit, I think they're going to want to play a little bit more man coverage so that could be interesting, especially a late reshuffling of this receiver's room that CJ Stroud and the Texans offense has dealt with. Then Dan Walker is a future hits list guy. By the way, go check out that at the athletic and safety. Colby's up. He's got guys, right? But I'm not sure it's a new scheme. It's new looks. It's very unscouted if you're the Texans where I think, and again, we've been screaming this for the rooftops for the Texans all year, all off season, all year last year was getting the quarterback settled down with a rebamped and overhauled run game. That is one of the biggest x-factures of this game with David Montgomery now in this roster. A little worried that our pick to win the Super Bowl and is rare. We're together. I mean, let's get the Texans are are. What could go wrong? That they're underdogs week one at home against the somewhat flat team. Got to ridiculous. When you think about how this matchup has gone in the past for Josh on, by the way,

future hits and the article you wrote on the athletic of players, young players that are going to be good day on Walker two years ago was one of them was one of them. Okay. I'm going to list out and they need some juice from him because I think they could be lacking it at safety cornerback. What is this defense? Bradley Chubb. I mentioned that's all exciting, but I also think it's more fascinating when the bills have the ball because these are just two grown ass teams. Right? Like Joe Brady. It's easy to had coach, but he's been there. This is a third full season. He as running the offense, third and a half, you know, calling plays, but he's been there for five plus year. I know they add DJ Moore. There's a couple little changes, but for the most part, they know how to run their offense. And the Texans are returning not all 11 starters because they mix up defensive tag. Well, all 11 of their starters were on the team last year. And this is a defense that has made Josh Allen look bad. They sat them eight times last year.

They held them to a hundred and 26 yards the year before. They were both close games, but Josh Allen lost. I don't care about the Josh Allen record overall again. So it didn't matter what they did before the Domingo Joe Brady era, but they've lost the last two years. Let's actually listen to Joe Brady. And if he is thinking about those previous matchups, you hope you learned a lot, you know, from the rest of the season, from that point last year, right? We, you know, I can only speak offensively, right? But we obviously didn't weren't good enough, right? And a lot of our quarterback to get, you know, get hit and get touched. And anytime Josh is having to get up off the ground, that's never a good thing, right? So, you know, obviously it's going to be a huge test for us this week. And I don't know, but our guys are excited for it. This is not a rhetorical question. It's a genuine question. I don't know how you move the ball on the Texans defense. I mean, they, it's not just that they can rush the passer. They can stop the run. They are really, really good at showing what seemed like very simple or week to week, but you think is the same look of a set number of coverages and fronts,

but adjusting little tiny things very, very subtly that you don't know until the game is already underway. And it's too late at that point. They are fast off the line of scrimmage with Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter. They are versatile. Their, Jalen Petri is going to be playing everywhere on this, on the field again. You know, their corners come down and tackle. They love to tackle. And so your yards after the catch players like DJ Moore is going to have a tough match up here. They can neutralize personnel that you want to throw at them. I genuinely don't know. That's what, but Josh Allen is also Superman, right? So I, him doing Superman things is the only feasible way I could see actually moving the ball on this defense. It is the real deal. I, I was at joint practices watching them. It's, it, you almost can't explain how good this defense has a capability of being this year. And all time great defense, which is why it perplexes me. These are two of the favorites in the AFC. It is a big game in the AFC. Both teams are going to, I think, have big challenges to win their division.

But if they do, you know, this could be a tiebreaker when you look at it at the end of the year. And I do think, you know, there's a lot of talk about like the new Texans offensive line. There's only two new starters for what it's worth. And they're, their starter at center actually is still on the roster. They, they just benched him. I forget who is, what is the name of the, they have, they have a replacement at center that kind of came out of nowhere. And then they have their rookie, Keelan Rutledge, who they are really excited about. Yeah. But in general, like, there's actually not that much different. It was Evan Brown used to be on the, the Cardinals and was kind of a surprising choice there. I think we both, we're not going to go away from the Texans in week one, but we're also not picking each game each week. That's not what this show is about. It's about previewing. And, uh, favorite game week one. Oh, yeah. Who's going to get assigned it? Well, you have so much power here. Pretty big decision here. Oh my God. We will be dividing up the games with Nick. Okay. Shook. It's already gone to his head. He has the Bengals Buck and Ears game, which is a great early game.

So he kind of gets the second best, which means someone is really going to get lost and, and left out in the shuffle. The, uh, that I know who it is. The Bengals are a three and a half point favorite. They're at home. And, uh, Kevin Kugler, Moose Johnson, another team that got bumped up a little bit. On the, on the Fox pecking order. Or calling the game. And, uh, I love this. My question for this game is, will the Bengals stick to their new offensive plans under center, not as much, you know, shotgun and empty. Uh, we're going to be more diverse when Todd Bowles and the Bulls of Sans 2 reigns hellfire all over you. You know what? I mean, it's all great to have a plan. And then Todd Bowles is sending everything at you and you got a lot to deal with how long will they stay with the new plan? Well, especially when you think about some of the types of play action concepts that they want to run from under center, we'll ask the quarterback to turn his back briefly

on the defense against the third most frequently blitzing defensive mind in football last year. Todd Bowles, who also, by the way, does not hesitate to send delayed blitzes, uh, pressures where it looks like the guy is going to drop, but then comes at you if he sees your back flip. Like these all are the types of things. Joe burrow does not like to have happening to him, which is a huge reason to play an empty. It's a huge reason to play in shotgun and to execute everything out of that formation. The second that he dials up the heat, I worry from this particular type of offensive change. However, if they just went to their old stuff, Joe burrow is one of the best quarterbacks in the league just against your blitz when he's in those shotgun formations. So it's almost like, will we even see this the first seat? Sure. They maybe they won't stick with it as much. It burrow super power. You're right. It's always been against the blitz. The numbers weren't as overwhelming last year for what it's worth. And I think one of the reasons we've talked throughout the offseason about this offensive

change that they're, they're trying to do is because their offense was by the numbers as effective with Joe Flacco, doing a lot of these play action. And it's going to help the running game. And these are, you know, two fascinating teams that I think both have a chance to win their division and go far. It's why it gets chosen high here. And why I didn't even start my question with the Baker Mayfield contract. Baker. Oh, newsman. You, you, what was it that you said to me? I said, do you think Baker listened to you and all of the hate that you send him? And so waited till you're done taping yesterday show and then got his contract. Very annoying. That just specifically that is the way to annoy me. We had, we had just finished the Baker Mayfield ball. Keep signing rolling, baby. I have noticed for everyone and there's some thing pieces and I get it. You got it. You got to write about like what this means. We haven't seen the details and how much guaranteed money is really in this into,

let's say 20, 28, you know, I assume this is going to lock Baker in to the buccaneers next season, right? But that might be it. And generally when you don't see the details for a while, it's because it's not good for the players. And it's a three year contract extension where the average of those three years are upwards of 50. I'm curious if it's just a one year extension. That's actually kind of what I expect that basically they're like, we'll give you some guaranteed money into next season. We will pay you like close to 50 for the next two years. And you will be our quarterback this year and next. And if we kick you to the curb before 20, 28, you'll probably have some going away money that year too, but like 15, 20 million. That's generally been the mid tier quarterback playbook. So I think it's great for Baker and for the lack of drama for this team, but does it take a chip off his shoulder? He's got one to spare. Right. He said he had to, but he could have had to. I was talking with our friend Andrew. He said it should have been my take.

It can be his take. I mean, you're maybe making taking bigger superpower away right before the season starts. I have gotten to know you so well over the last couple of years, Greg. And I can always tell on your sliding scale of quarterback opinions, exactly where a player ranks for you by how quickly you bag watch their contract extension to try to figure out how little money it actually is. Well, because they tell you by not telling the reporters all the info, but Baker's not going anywhere. Neither is Vita Vaya. It is funny to think how we started camp with a lot of uncertainty, where I do have uncertainty for this team is at receiver. Jaylen McMillan and Ameka Buka are at practice this week. It does sound like they will be able to play in this game when the bucks have the ball. The coordinator matchup is Zach Robinson in his first game with the bucks. And Al Golden who ran one of the worst defenses of all time for about 10 or 12 weeks last season before they picked things up down the stretch.

To me, that matchup and like who struggles more in the struggle fest could determine this game. Yeah. And their run defense was the worst in the NFL last season for most of the season and averaged out that way. The Bengals was. And so for me did Zach Robinson fix some of the things that really went wrong with his run game in Atlanta and how. Nope. And how he does have better players. Well, and how how much of a lack of dimension there was with it. I mean, he doesn't have a better player than Bigeon Robinson on this on this point. I was thinking offensive line. But that is a strong point. But Irving and Kenneth Gainwell, Gunnus, with the carries. And I love Kenneth Gainwell on this team, by the way, because I think they really get both backs activated and especially Kenneth Gainwell in the passing game. But for me, it's like, is there more dimension? Will you actually lean on a strength of this team, which is the offensive line and a run game that when it is working, when you could borrow your old friend, Liam Cohen's playbook from back when he was the Tampa Bay book near his offensive coordinator, maybe that gets this thing back off the ground and, quote, unquote,

rolling. And it's a big test for the Bengals because she asked for it because Dexter Lawrence is here now, right? And Boyama Fahue, you know, Dexter Lawrence is really the headliner here in terms of improving this, this run defense. And so for me, it's can he really be that much of a factor in just helping lift the floor of what this, this whole group was and being that anchor point around which everything else revolves. You know, who tried to just keep it going from the Liam Cohen playbook? They're, they're last offensive coordinator who only lasted a year. Like if they were Liam Cohen, they'd be Liam Cohen, you know? We're seeing it right now. Philadelphia. Philadelphia. Okay. I still believe in them. Couple of just speed round things here. Yeah. Todd Bulls may not have to send as much pressure now when he's got a rookie in Rubin Bane, coming off the edge and an exciting young player in David Walker who they're really excited about. Yeah, yeah, Diabie. Like it is, it is a good looking edge group right now. And they're going to start Josiah Trotter at linebacker. So they are, they have swapped out their two linebackers in Tampa.

So I'm going to keep an eye on Josiah Trotter and Alex and Zaloni. I also, you know, yeah, want to see how the Bengals offensive line holds up against this passage. Let's go to the Saints and the lines. Oh, you know, I'd feel bad taking Bill's Texans from you. So I will take this game, you know, your guy Tyler Schuck, you can't wait to watch your, your press precious angel. I mean, I picked the Saints to not even get to seven and a half wins. So I think Tyler Schuck could be outstanding this season and that this team might struggle because I think they could lose some score fest like the one on Sunday against the Lions. It's a six and a half point line. Lot of respect there for the Lions. I think it came down about a point. So that makes sense to me. I mean, that, you know, week one, I'm not going to be given advice on this show. We'll do the picks with Nick Schuck coming up on Friday. But, you know, beware of big Lions and week one. You just don't know anything. Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma are on this call with Megan O'Levy. This is my question. Let's get dorky with this one. Let's just go.

X is the nose. Can your precious Brandon Staley, D. Take away the middle of the field because that that's what it is designed to do against the quarterback who had seven hundred and seventy six more yards than any quarterback in the NFL last season throwing to the middle of the field. That's about 50% more than number two on the list, which was a second year quarterback by the name Drake Bay, by the way. So this is where the Lions want to win. Yeah. Is where Brandon Staley wants to win. I think that the game is one in the middle of the field when the Lions have the ball. Theory. I think that because we saw Brandon Staley do a lot to neutralize personnel without specific players who are personnel neutralize. He did a lot with with scheme. He played a lot of quote unquote, base defense. He played multiple linebackers. He brought a safety down a lot into the box. I think that yes, this is potential to be an emphasis and to potentially do the thing that a

lot of teams around the league are going to do following the Mike McDonald system, which is play base nickel, which means you not only have the two linebackers on the two inside linebackers. Excuse me on the field, but you also bring a safety or a large corner down to play your slot and also act as a hybrid cover linebacker. So you're then clogging up the middle of the field. You can try to cover tight ends in this way. Sam LaPorta, obviously coming back from missing most of the summer, but it could be a big factor when healthy and then Almanra St. Brown, obviously massive factor. You don't want him matching up against linebackers across the middle of the field. So I do think that looking at the personnel on the St. St. defense, which really is, I really like the secondary and the linebackers a lot more than I think I like the past rush staying sticky this year after a great year last year. And I think we're going to see some new schemes here that you're going to see a lot of teams start to run very early in the season because we saw the first phase of it installed by Brandon's daily last year. Yeah, you think about just the juice on this St.

defense. You got Casey Young. Okay. What else you got? Where's the juice? Yeah, Pete Werner's had some some ups and downs. You signed Kate and Ellis, but he's in his mid 30s. You have a lot of guys that are solid in the back end, like Justin Reed, Quincy Riley, Joan, my name is Jonas. Yeah, not a lot of star power here against a team that they're a part to whole group. That is what they were last year when they approved to the point that they did. Don't sleep on Danny Stutzman, by the way. I'd rather have players, but they're playing a lion's offense that we you kind of think of their fully formed. And I talk about the golf. So that's why you haven't mentioned my precious through petting offense. Right. I was going to say like they haven't really shown who they're going to be in this version. It's a new offensive coordinator. It's a new rookie right tackle and Blake Miller. It's a new center who's a backup and juice drugs because they they lost Kate Maze who they signed over the offseason. The Texans did not want juice. Right. Like Isaac Tassalah is that as

their third running back, they don't have David Montgomery anymore. I don't know if we ever mentioned on the show Isaac Isaiah Pacheco. They're back up running back is on injured reserve. So it's going to be either Jacob sailors or Cione Valky just like new players. There's a lot of new a lot of questions there. How about Tyler Shuck though? My guy with a few more weapons. I know they don't have Jordan Tyson, but if you look at some of the groups he was going out with at the end of last season at running back the receiver depth and then the offensive line. Like those are all improved for now. The offensive line is pristine and healthy. And I hope they stay that way because a lot of injury risk, but right now on paper with Travis H and like it looks pretty awesome. And he's a threat in the passing game too. So some of that pressure that you expect the the lines at least try to bring especially with Aiden Hutchinson knowing that when Tyler Shuck takes a sack man does he ever take a sack. And so they're going to try to bring it early kelvin Shepard is going to try to bring you know your your typical four man pressure if he can.

We'll see if they actually can. But certainly Aiden Hutchinson's going to try to be active. And then I wouldn't I wouldn't not I would not expect is that's not even right word. I would definitely expect kelvin Shepard to blitz as well. And so for me I like this Saints offensive line. I like their they're growing a little bit together upon the addition of David Edwards who I heard in you know last year. That's a big pick up. Each hands a big pick up. And a chance a big pick up for mitigating pressure because he can be a factor in the passing game six touchdowns last year. So I feel like this is like he's he's got outlets. He's got weapons. He's got options. But he's got options in every layer of the field which I like as well. There's a lot going on with this line's team that nailed that you nailed it. It's week one. Stuck. For all of us. Yeah. DJ Wannum is starting like they Derek Moore is a second round pick who's an adressor for them. They're starting Devon White at linebacker in the year 2026. That's a little crazy. Here are some players starting in their secondary Chuck Clark who's been bouncing around the

AFC North. Avanti Maddox has been bouncing around the entire NFL Christian Isian who you know didn't have like. There's just a lot of questions about this line. It got it got on my radar a little bit that Dan Campbell was so publicly effusive about Eric O'Neill the undrafted for agent who's going to be like playing special. You was on your list. Don't think I didn't read it. Thank you for hits. And but wasn't wasn't really effusive. I get their transcripts all summer about Wannum and has to take a big step forward. Obviously. So for me that that was something that was on my radar a little bit. I'm going to put you on the spot here. Oh great. Good. Just give me like one speed round. One quick thing. Player you're watching in this game that we didn't get to. Well, we kind of got to him. But I'm on Ross St. Brown because I think Drew pet sings offense what you we know it to be true of it is that at least one player gets spammed. Right? Like it there's at least two receivers. There's a lot of use of the tight end and loves to run the ball. Something like 4.3 yards per 4.9 yards

per carry average while he was in Arizona. Some say maybe a Clayton Adams merchant. I don't play in Adams. Who is now running the power boys offensive line. But what we know of it is there's going to be a lot of motion play action going to run the ball and got a really heavily spam and feature a quote unquote F type of player a player who's either a power slot or a tight end in the slot who can dictate the play strengths and can really help shift shift matchups and be friendly for the quarterback. I'm on Ross St. Brown. Artie is that I think that Jared golf likes to obviously target him. For me, I'm curious about how he can continue to elevate with this offensive coordinator. I love that pick. I love points in this game. I don't like the Lions as some monster favorite. But I think they get out of here with the win. Do you think this could be like a shootout or something? Like do you think there's a potential? I think there's actually potential. It is. Yes. That this game, I believe, could be a shootout. We got a couple on the board where I just don't think the defense they're going to show up in week one. The Bears Panthers wouldn't shock me either. Bears

are favored in Carolina. No respect for the NFC South champions. Three and a half point favorites on the road in week one. I kind of forgot that Drew breeze was doing football games again. He's just permanently part of the group. I appreciate that he's willing to do the work that he got better. But he's accepting that he's number three, number four on the depth chart. He's behind guys like Darryl Johnson and he's out there doing the work. We're kind of like the third or fourth best game of the weekend. You have the opening question here. Can the Panthers become the new live on the high leverage plays team? The Bears were this last season Greg, which we talked a lot about on the show. The Bears defense was predicated on how well it could force turnovers, especially in the passing game. And on offense, they really thrived on the splash play, but Ben Johnson has made it a point all off season and training camp to be better down to down and situationally more sustainable. The Panthers on the other side, they brought in Devon Lloyd, who was one of the interception leaders

certainly was at linebacker. They have Mike Jackson and JC Horn on the perimeter. JC Horn's going to play a little slot, I think as well. Those two guys combined for nine regular season interceptions, Devon Lloyd had five. I know we don't think interceptions are as sticky and historically they're not, but they also added pass rush in Jalen Phillips. So for me, it's like can the Panthers now become the team that kind of gets carried or rolls on the high leverage plays? So can they become like the Bears defense? What the Bears was. But a better version of it, hopefully because even the Bears defense last year, they they maxed out of what they could do. And to me, they're they maxed out like getting close to average. Whereas I think the Carolina Panthers are going to hope for better out of their defense. I think it's a it's a big year for a zero ever. We kind of been hearing for a while how good of a coach is in a bad situation. They wouldn't let them leave. A lot of people respect them around the league. They give them a little more talent. Unfortunately, they've lost some talent with, you know, Nick Scoran getting her

and there have been injuries there. But overall, if you're comparing these two defenses for what it's worth like Panthers got a better line. They're better up front. And I think they're better in the secondary that in they're going to need to be because it's a very tough matchup. But can ever show that he can add a little schematic advantage and gum up this Bears offense, which in year two are going to be expected to take a step from year one despite losing DJ Moore. And I cannot wait to see what this Bears defense does because Ben Johnson through his actions. And also the some of the moves the teams the team made in the draft in terms of bringing in Sam Raus to tight end and and some of the personnel that they already activated last year. And we'll continue to do plus some this year, the second year ascension of Colston Loveland who already look like one of the best tight ends in football. Last year, you know, having guys who can really get the after the catch yards, Luther Burton, Roma Dunze can never forget about him. I think we'd like to see him

take another step forward. I'd like to see him play in this game and stay healthy. So he heard his foot to give an injury update. Since we last taped it actually happened in practice. And he is considered day to day and well, they're calling him day to day. I think he is missing practice right now. It is a foot injury, which Ben Johnson insists is not the same foot injury that he suffered through all last year. It's never a good sign when the coach is always like, it's not the same injury. It's the same body part. And it's the same guy who's been struggling with this injury. But it's not the same is it the same foot? I mean, I don't know. It's a foot injury. But he says we've got two. Yeah, we each do. I do. Christie's on the men back in the back. I know she's got the boot on. She's got she's got both feet working. That's important because on paper, some of the bear's optimism doesn't quite, you know, make sense. They have a new center that I'm not in love with. Garrett Bradbury. That's a downgrade. Braxton Jones is back at left tackle. But you know, they were they cut a guy

that that was still like battling for the starting left tackle job not that long ago. And you know, they're they're not that deep at receive a cleaf Raymond. I think it's going to be a big part of this team. And yet because it's been Johnson and because Caleb Williams could get better, you just just kind of believe it's going to happen. Well, and I like the run game so much bear. Last year. And I think that while you really hope that, you know, Kyle Manungai was dealing, I believe with injuries and camp too, but he missed for he missed about a month. But he is back at practice this week. Sounds like he'll play, which is great. And so for me, him and Deandre Swift were such a good combination. Once they really figured everything out, they were one of the highest DVOA teams in the run is bet specifically last season after a certain point of year, like first third of the season. So it wants to click to really, really click. And that's what Ben Johnson's offense is. There's new steps, new layers to it. Every year, I feel like it will evolve in some way. And really adjust to his personnel. And I have all of that expectation. My question on the other side is, will the panthers evolve? And if so, how? Because I think they're going to play more multiple tight

assets. Greg. And I know that's kind of like we've been begging for that for a minute. But Darren Waller and Tommy Trembl are there now. There was these voids in the field last year when Tommy Trembl, you just see him like running across the field. And I'm like, what? Do more of that, you know? Not guys though that you're worried about as much as blockers. I think it, I think it's a larger question for the panthers in general, just how good is the depth of the skill position guys? We like Jalen Coker. We love Tederoa McMillan. This is 2026. You need to have more than two guys. So I think that's a good question. And they're not going to have much easier match up than this. I'll go as far as say, like, I feel like the panthers kind of got to win this game. I know they're underdogs. Here's why they're year three of their regime. We're supposed to be taking a step up. It's year two of the bears. These are the, these two teams made the big trade. It should be mentioned when this game happens. This is what the bears got in the Bryce Young trade. Caleb Williams, Darnell Wright, who's like an all pro right tackle, Tyreeks Stevenson, who's probably

starting at cornerback in this game and Luther Burton. There were some like trades up and down. But essentially that was what they got plus two years of DJ Moore, which was valuable to them. All for Bryce. So let's let's step it up. There's office and it's a good match up for them. It's one of the worst defenses in the league on paper. Yeah. Their offensive line is so banged up right now. Monroe Freeling is going to start get to start as a rookie right tackle. And I think for me, it's an Elton Jenkins that left tackle too. Because remember Taylor Mohn and Iki Kwamu are still recovering from potentially serious injury for Taylor Mohn with the blood clots. And then Iki is supposed to be back at some point, but just it's just a process. Maybe Rashid Walker left. Excuse me. And Rashid Walker, I left tackle. And I think that it's important because this past rush, we don't know whether we can buy it at all with the bears. It's almost like the bears went about their offseason. Like they knew something we didn't know about their defensive line. But I feel like I'm pretty sure we know already. Well, and then the secondary spent the whole preseason getting hurt. If you haven't been listening to NFL daily, like throughout camp,

if I'm ranking like different sides of the ball that had like the worst preseason. And in general, had a bad injury luck this preseason, it's the Chicago Bears. Like they don't have much of a past rush. They are missing a lot of their players on the back end. And so you're counting on some backups. Kyler Gordon is not going to be available for this game. You know, you lost Kobe Bryant who was supposed to be your big free agent ticket. And you're asking a lot out of rookie Dylan Thinamann. So a lot to watch here. But yeah, this could be a points game too. This was the one I was thinking about where I think Carolina is actually advanced enough in their maturity. Like they should take advantage of easy matchups. This is an easy matchup. It really is. All right, let's take a quick break. We've done four games. You said there's a lot of games, Jordan in week one. But we only have four more of this early set. So we'll do that in just a few minutes. I'm Britt Coleman and I'm Trevor Sikama. If you ever watched a game and wondered what really made

the difference beyond the final score, that's exactly why we created NFL Pro Strowth. Got a man wide open. Put down. Stay up. Every week we use exclusive next gen stats insights and NFL content to break down the biggest stories, matchups and moments from around the league. We go beyond the box score to uncover the numbers, the tendencies and details that help explain what actually happened on the field. fires it out the flag to Barclay to beat one man spins past another leap so good for and don't worry. This isn't just a show for stats experts. We use advanced analytics to help tell the story behind the game. Turning the numbers into insights that every fan can understand and enjoy. So whether you're a casual fan learning more about football or a hardcore fan who can't get enough analysis, our goal is to help you see the game in a whole new way. If you've ever wanted to know why a playwork, how a matchup was won, or what most fans missed on Sunday,

NFL Pro delivers insights you simply can't get anywhere else. Listen to NFL Pro on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. You know the feeling. You make a pick in your fantasy draft in the entire room groans because they wanted that player. Or you grab a small school rookie off waivers and you start him right before he goes off in prime time. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the late round fantasy football podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. We've got data driven analysis, historical trends, and the strategies that separate winners from the rest. And your dominance doesn't stop with the draft. All season long, we have our 15 transactions, 10 trends, sleepers, and the mail back data driven quick hitting episodes to help bring home that league trophy. Listen to the late round fantasy football podcast on the iHeart

Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, I'm Mike Am and I'm Trevor Sikama and together we host the NFL fantasy football show. Fantasy season is upon us. Are you ready to dominate your league? Because if you aren't locked in with us on the NFL fantasy football show, you're already playing from behind. Every episode, we're going to dive into the biggest fantasy headlines. Injury updates that you'll need before kickoff. The best starts and sits across every position. And matchups, you can exploit to destroy your leaguemates. You know, we're talking sleepers, breakout stars, and the guys you cannot afford to bench. From rookies on the rise to longtime stars still at it, we cover it all. Whether you're a first-time player or a grizzled vet chasing another championship, we give you the advantage and the confidence you need to make every move count. Weekly analysis, hot takes, and unique insider knowledge all in one place. Does fantasy dominance sound appealing to you? Listen to the NFL fantasy football show on the

I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The NFL never stops and neither does its newest podcast. The NFL report hosted by me, Andrew Sassimliato. It is your home for everything football. William, Christine, Spraytipha Space, and all kinds of trouble for you. We're tapping the biggest news stories, giving you expert analysis, fantasy previews, game picks, and more. We fly around every single play. We dominate every single play. Wanna hear from the league's top stars? Add to the biggest matchups? We've got you covered. That's a really good football team. We gotta have all hands on deck. Join me at it all, starcast of analysts, for everything you need to know from around the lead. Get new episodes of the NFL report Monday through Friday, all season long. Listen to the NFL report podcast on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Back on NFL daily, just laying in the cut. Here is like the fifth game on the run down. We haven't assigned the games yet. Well, you got Texas bill. Certain promises were made. Yeah, you got Texas bill. I might have to take Ravens at the Colts. I am fascinated to see these two teams in week one. I did the show with Mina. Like, who do you want to see in week one? She took the Colts as like her first pick or so, which totally makes sense to me. Just you just want to see what it looks like. And I want to see what this Ravens team looks like. They are three and a half point favorites on the road. It's Andrew Catalan, Logan Ryan, AJ Ross for CBS. Not a lot of respect for this game. I'm given a respect. I'm taking it by big question. Nice. Is about a player. I feel like we haven't talked enough about who is one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason. It's Tray Hendrickson. And my note to myself is Tray Hendrickson is also here, guys. Yes. And it's him sort of as an example of this Ravens defense. But the question

is what happens if and when Tray Hendrickson gets Daniel Jones off the spot? Because then we'll really see the Achilles on the move. Like, what does it look like? Does that happen a lot? And what sort of Daniel Jones are we going to see? Because he was incredible. Didn't against pressure last year. It doesn't feel sticky, but he was the best quarterback in the league statistically against pressure last year. What I'm so curious about is man, the reports about him. This was not a training camp. I was able to go to in person this summer. You can only pick so many. I regret that I didn't pick this one because the reports, you know, our friend James Boyd at the athletics, Stephen Holder at ESPN, Ben Solack was out there saying that this did not look like an injured quarterback or quarterback who's coming out of injury. And the comparison to that is guys like Kurt Cusins who, yes, very a lot older, but who looked so slow and and creaky coming off of such a significant injury.

And the cutting and the actual live speed of that, like, it's, I have like a morbid fascination toward this. I do too. And one of the reasons why I can imagine that working. Number one, you're not really getting pressured in the training camp practices. You got to stay away from the quarterback. Yeah. What's getting off your spot? Like, what does it look like? He never has been a quick twitch athlete to me. He's an incredible, like, straight line athlete. Why are you laughing? Me saying that? No, he reminds me of like a Lego character where their legs only go one direction. Sure. I can imagine that, but like a very fast one that occasionally trips on himself while running his ass off. Right. Big dude. He's like a physically impressive guy. But I kind of want to bring up Hendrix in two because this was such a disappointing Ravens defense a year ago. Namdi might have weak a finally started to practice in team drills this week. Now does that mean he's going to play week one, the reporting around him right now indicates he might play week two. So he might be a

week away or they won't use him much. But you have tray Hendrix in. You have Kaleis Campbell. That's fun. Are we going to get improvement from like year two, Mike Green, who they took high Travis Jones is a good young player. And so that's a really good matchup against good offensive line. And a quarterback who looked better in that system than I ever thought he would look in the NFL period. This is going to sound crazy for half a second. Jesse Mentor, what he was able to do with a true like star veteran past rusher plus complimentary past rusher in Los Angeles. Cleo Mack is not tray Hendrix and vice versa. tray Hendrix and certainly not Cleo Mack. I'm waiting for the crazy. That's I mean the the the the interpreted comp sounds crazy when I say it out loud. I'm just saying schematically picking spots, understanding leverages, setting guys up for success, rotating them so that it's not necessarily such a huge workload, especially for a

veteran player as tray Hendrix and is with an injury history as tray Hendrix and has. I think there's such a high ceiling here, especially when you factor in a dynamic space eater who still got juice in Kalea's Campbell in the middle of all the action. You have to just keep an eye on one of these guys at all times, which really helps mathematically, especially if you're past rushing in a rotation like we know Jesse mentor likes to do with his front structure. I I like that idea to because Hendrixen is 31 years old. Cleo Mack is aged very well and consistent, but actually Cleo Mack has a little Kalea's gamble to him where you don't want to play him in September or October by the end of the year, the like what a great sign like no, by the end of the year, they tend to start looking their age more when when you pile up all the staff. So maybe week one is a bad time to go against, but Hendrixen has to show that yeah, that he can age well. I have a crazy stat though next next gen status is why it's good to just check with next gen like what little notes they have Bernard Ryman, the left tackle that tray Hendrixen will be lined up against because he's

traditionally just lined up on one side had his worst game and I think in general like for past resters, he's faced at least 20, 30 past resters in his career. tray Hendrixen has the highest pressure rate. He always gave Bernard Ryman problems. I mean, it gives a lot of people problems, but that matchup was particularly bad for him. I also get to live out in this matchup, something that I always think about is like what if like Lamar Jackson played his whole career indoors? I mean, that changes your career. Like Peyton Manning's career was way better because he played indoors. It's just a fact. Starting in a box, right? So you put him on this fast track in Indianapolis and go against Luana Rumo. It's the first game for Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator. It's just a lot's going to be going on on that side of the ball too. I thought it was super telling that Jesse Minter in our interview on power players last was it this week, this week that he alluded to to Declan Doyle being able to run basically everything modern that we're seeing in the NFL right now. To me, that indicated multiple tight end sets, that indicated motions,

that indicated a dynamic and multi-layered run scheme that some gaps, some zone, all of those things. A little bit of pace. A little bit of pace. Some tempo. Our friend Nate Tice really thinks tempo is going to be huge, a huge thing this year in the NFL. So all of those types of things. I mean, I've been saying that all offseason, why you got to give credit to? Because I like him better. Nate Tice Ouch. He is taller and better at football for sure. But I think that it was telling that he said, but Declan Doyle will have his own little twists and wrinkles. And of course, he will because he has Lamar freaking Jackson. And so I think a lot of people forget how much Lamar Jackson was a factor in the run game at the start of last season. Sometimes at the start of seasons where he is healthy, you'll really see that. I think it's the reporting out of Baltimore right now is that Lamar Jackson wants to be way more activated in all of that. And I think that's really, really exciting. I wanted to stay healthy also. But I think that's so exciting to think about. You can do all of these different things that we know are so effective. We don't see them often

with a quarterback of Lamar's talent and ability. I have a lot of questions about the cold defense, too. You know, they drafted CJ Allen in the second round. Presumably the start. He's not going to start like that then like at this point, it's Jaylin Carlisles and a Kim Davis Gatheur just players that haven't started a lot in the NFL. It's an older past rush, but they're hoping that Leato Lato stepped up. You have sauce gardener kind of added to the mix. You have a rookie starting at safety in AG Halsey, but you don't know if you're going to have char various word at quarterback. There's just like a lot of questions there. And then I think about also what Jesse Miner said on the other side just getting back to their defense that, you know, the number one thing he wants to do when you look at the numbers in the NFL is stop explosives. And when you think about the Colts offense last year, Pierce Taylor and a little bit of down, certainly Daniel Jones, like all about explosive. Well, and so Daniel Jones being able to potentially extend plays to help create those explosives is going to be so incredibly important. That's the movement thing that we

come back to. Just one also say I spoke way too soon on our little happy moments are bringing me joy segments earlier this summer because I was like, oh, the Ravens finally have a center. Yay. And they still didn't all the way into camp. And now it's Javon Gwynn who is going to be starting for them at center, according to reports out of Baltimore. He was a Falcon 7th round draft pick in 2023. Something to watch. Yes. Yeah, they had unfortunately an injury there. And then they also have a veteran in Ethan Pochak who's coming back from a tour to kill ease. So that is a good X factor to watch in this game. Good one. Let's go to the Falcons and the Steelers. The Steelers are favored by three and a half points. They get Joe Davis and Greg Olson and Pam Oliver. Interesting that the Sunday slate not quite as loaded week one with like box office games because they're all in prime time. Still I like this. I have the question. I was asked to be nice by our producer

quab about his Steelers. And I think the question has actually optimistic. It is, can Mike McCarthy air in Rogers be different? Like that's the number one thing I'm curious about with this season. I don't think I think they can't win if he's not different. But I think there is a world where Mike McCarthy's coaching and offensive scheme has Aaron Rogers playing better in different this season. And then we're cooking with a medium amount of gas. I see your question and I raise you a question. Do you think it's at all a red flag that Mike McCarthy also said this offense is inspired by what Aaron Rogers likes to do? My slightly paraphrasing. No, I think that makes total sense. What are you going to do? You know, like you brought Mike McCarthy in, I think in large part to make Aaron Rogers better, which is a crazy idea. But this version of him can he do the things even he wants to do? I mean, at the beginning of camp,

he talked more about play action, about trying to create a little bit more down field. All of these types of things. Once he gets on the field, he hasn't played like that. So that's I guess what I'm getting at with the question, which is McCarthy, who is good on the details and consistently has well run operations for offense. Can he get Rogers a little bit out of what's been Rogers's comfort zone since coming off the torn Achilles and get him hanging in the pocket, get the operation, including the receivers kind of being on their mark. It's like every if everything is just run better, Rogers will feel more comfortable. And I think the ceiling is relatively low for Rogers, but he was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league last year. If they can get him to be average and just a little more versatile, I like the rest of this roster. I've been talking about it, the rest of the season. So I think that is their route to winning 10 11 games. And I think this is a fascinating matchup to start with because it's against a Jeff Ulbert defense in Atlanta that doesn't

have a lot of juice, but that's throw a lot at you. Yeah. And I, you know, when you said it, kind of you alluded to what the word you used like, I like how Mike McCarthy designs his passing game. I always have liked how Mike McCarthy designs his passing game and they have multiplicity built into this roster. Michael Pittman there is great. A tough physical is going to do the things that basically says, okay, DK Metcalf just go, right? Go run, you know, run the routes you want to run, be the the go guy down the field and have Michael Pittman Jr. sort of grind out the yards after the catch things that can help with some of the pressure. They have layers in their passing game in that regard. Remember we had him on at the after the Super Bowl and he kind of he kind of indicated he wasn't sure if he was long for the Indianapolis coast. I know. Do you think I've been too hard on my son Walker? He took Pittman like a thrown in fantasy. I know you're not a fantasy gal, but just fairly high and I was like, that's a boring pick. I don't like that. Oh, it's Daniel Jeremiah.

You can't just point out people walking by. This is an audio medium. But I'm such a fan. It's also a visual medium. Yeah, everyone. You just got Jeremiah mugged. Everyone to check out the new move, the sticks by the way, our old friend with the new podcast. Very cool. He had how he rose man on that. I don't love him even more if he gives me his charger's text and stuff. I think Walker is amazing. I don't care about his fantasy football team or yours. Do you think Pittman's numbers will be good this year? Yes, I do. Over under 900 yards. Probably right about 900, I think. Do you think he gains more than DK Meckkath? No. Okay. So DK is still the one. Well, especially if he's creating explosives, which they absolutely have to do in order to win games this year. Are you interested in my tiny table take? Oh, I should have set this up at the beginning of the show. For each episode this season that we preview all the games. And yes, we do the early and light games. But just one tiny table prediction per week. This is a tradition that we started

before our very first season. We stand on the table. It is a tiny table, which you neglected to bring in this week. And we're going to stand on it next week. But just rhetorically, you're going to stand on a tiny table and make one big prediction a week. It's in this game. Well, you could stand on the tiny table and make a tiny take. And but I'm standing on the tiny table for this tiny take, which is that if you're not going to pay Joey Porter, Jr. You got to trade him to the Dallas Cowboys. This is my tiny table take. That's a tiny table take that I'm standing on this week. And it could age poorly by the end of the show. Well, what does that even mean? I mean, okay, I mean, they're not going to do it. I thought we were doing some sort of predictions, you know, because you can't get this wrong. They're not going to trade him. They should. They should. That's your take. That's my take. I like that. They should use them. Listen, first of all, first of all, my my thing has been my stance has been pay Joey Porter, Jr. You know, Christian Gonzalez just got

paid. I thought that there was just some eyeballing of seeing where each corner stood financially. And then maybe the contract getting resolved after then that I think he's one of the best corners in the NFL. I think that you know, I think so. I think he has such a high ceiling and there's been some streakingness. Sure, but I think he has such a high ceiling. And if the Steelers don't want to pay him and reports as of this recording is that they're still far apart. Now, remember, some of that report reporting also helped through for the Christian Gonzalez situation. Then seven hours later, the deal got done. So we just don't know. But this to me, if if teams like the Dallas Cowboys are out there saying our secondary needs help and we have a lot of money. We have a lot of money. By the way, we have a lot of money. My only thing with trading anyone this time of year is just the picks are going to be there and February. But you love trades. You also love trades. I love them. I love you know, maybe if you get into the scene, there's just no advantage to me for Pittsburgh. This is my tiny table. I'm standing on the tiny table. If you are

not going to pay him, you should pay him. If you're not going to pay him, just move on. If it isn't evident, we'll make it immediate. We we should talk about the Falcons quickly. Kevin Stafansky. Yes. Bill Callahan. Can their run game get better with a very similar offensive line and be best running back in football? Pittsburgh was very good stopping the run. They were very good, really just in general last season defensively. And they did not, you know, stop opposing past rushers very well. I think they have a good reputation. The Falcons offensive line is like a good past rush group. They actually gave up the fifth highest quick pressure rate in the NFL last year. So that's something I'm going to be watching with the three co starters. How about they listed Nick Herbig, TJ Watt and Alex Heisman as co starters, given Herbig a little pop there. Yeah. Well, you kind of have to imagine not listening him as a co starter after you gave him the contract. I guess, but will he actually be starting to wait? By the way, I love that contract. I

feel like again, a guy who snap count wise, maybe a little bit underutilized and could get more of this year. Yeah. Yeah. Could really take off. We've been more this year to a Tungoveloa is starting this game. We hit that story at length on our Tuesday show with Nick Shuk so people can check that out. But it's a game. It's a week to week proposition for two. It's a brand new offense. And yeah, we'll see how he can bring it together. Tough one on the road in Pittsburgh. Let's go to Tennessee where the Titans are one and a half point favorites in a must win week one game. I saw that bandaid about by Paul Cajarski. I don't know how can a week one be must win by get what he means that well, it's a Robert Salah revenge game. It's a Robert Salah revenge game. It's a massive game for both teams because it's an opportunity for each of them to go one and oh, and yet if you lose, you're like, man, we couldn't beat the jets. And if you're the jets like man, we couldn't beat the Titans. And if you're Robert Salah, you're going to be having some gristle after losing the Salah bull. Let's

listen to Cam Ward. That means everything to us. We want to win. Not only for ourselves in the culture that we're set up, but we want to win for him too. Not a lot of coaches, coach the style of the coaches, where he's very straight to the point. And this is a big opportunity for all of us we get to go show the new Titans. What we're about the physicality, the fast, the violent that we continue to preach each and every day. And I'm happy to be a part of it. I'm happy to be a key factor in whether we want to lose a game. I went more big picture with my one big question for this game. This was the one where I told you pre show. It really helps if you imagine me saying this in a Patrick star impression. Okay. Who are these teams? I mean, I thought you could have just given it a better effort there. Who are these two? That was great. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know who they are. They are two of the teams that spent the most in free agency.

The Titans were second in the Gets. We're surprisingly only ninth, but it was so concentrated on defense that that caught my attention. So they are teams that are counting on a lot of new players to make a big impact. Just specifically, I think about the Gets when they have the ball. Geno Smith at quarterback. Frank Reikas, the offensive coordinator. I like your little paws that you gave there just exciting. Geno Smith. 80 Mitchell was very active for this Gets team late last season. And so I'm thinking about the match up of 80 Mitchell and Garrett Wilson versus a Titan secondary that I have questions about. You're starting Cordell Flot and a Lonty Taylor. You give a lot of money to them. Will they step up at safety? You have a second year player. I kind of like Kevin Winston. You have an unknown and Marcus Harris. It's a lot of unknown. If I was going to find one advantage for either team in this game, I mean, I think the Gets passing game can look pretty good. How about that? Oh, you do do. Yeah. In fact, I'm going to stand on the tiny table. I'm going to

make a prediction. I'm not going to have a take. I'm going to say Geno Smith goes for over 250 yards. Lights up the Titans. A couple touchdowns. Basically, Geno Smith balls out week one. That's my tiny table. Take I'm shocked. Shocked. I tell you I just feel like week one. Let's eat while they eat and could be good. Hey, man, I hung onions on mine. That's a that's a heck of a prediction. Okay. So you're treating it as a prediction. Okay. I mean, they should do it. They're not. It would be wild if you did it. You I love how you go. Jordan, what's this idea that you have for this section? I said tiny table take and you said, bet I am not going to make a take. I'm going to make a prediction and you're sucks. Oh, no, no. Well, mine is because how I love yours. If you just if you nailed that trade in week five, wouldn't you'd be so incredibly right. But by then it would be like a month from now. And it's like I want to set it. So that's podcast. I want something we can keep track of next week. You know, I still said it. We'll make a doc.

I learned from you. At least if you say it, you can't be wrong. You know, when it comes to this jets defense before we move on from this game, just you know, for people who haven't been locked in, it so many new players, Aaron Glenn's calling plays, even though he wasn't planning to, you bring in David on your motto. We don't know if Tavantry's sweat is healthy, but you trade it for him. You have an exciting young player in David Bailey as a big time pass pressure. But then you have a lot of new names. Joseph Asai has been hurt. He is not going to help out at edge. Sounds like for a little while tomorrow Davis is there at linebacker, the old hand like Minka Fitzpatrick reportedly looked awesome. And you're going up against a Titans group that reportedly struggled to the point in the preseason and train camp that I started to get a bad feeling that some there are some years where one offense struggles throughout camp and it actually continues into the season. Do you think it will continue for the Titans? I like cam ward. I was I was curious at the beginning of all of this,

bringing Brian Dable and how bumpy it could be at the start because it's not like it's always smooth sailing when you bring in a new offense when you on board an offense that is very adherent to what the play collar wants to do. And it's also a entirely new culture entirely new system. You've got a head coach and a head coach who is your offensive coordinator. It's a lot of dynamics at play. A lot going on. And to the point of my initial big question, who are these teams? I think that when you spend the way that you do in free agency and you get a lot of floor raising what I think are bridge players and you spend in that direction, it's really hard to establish what your identity is. You have to almost play out from underneath those guys in the moment and that's a hard thing to do and it's a sour thing to do. And sometimes the vibes can be bad. Which is why both teams should be really excited that they're playing against each other week one because I believe if either of these teams gets over expectations, they're going to be much

different, much better in weeks 10, 12, 15. And so any win you can stack early while it's a little bumpy is absolutely. And I'll tell you what though, to your point to your very impeccably done, tiny table take. I can't wait to see this. I can't wait to see this offense. Geno Smith, couple of good receivers, a great offensive line. I like it. I hope you're right. And the past rush for the Titans looks improved too. So they could give them problems, but I like that jets offensive line. Let's finish with the Browns and the Jaguars. Biggest number we've had so far. Early the Jaguars favored by eight and a half Tom McCarthy on the call for CBS and Robert Turbin. Have we had Robert Turbin games turbo? I don't think so. I feel like he's new to the mix and our friend Tiffany Blackman who used to work with on the sidelines. The Jaguars are favored big. You have the question here. I want to say this in the WWE voice, but I just am not going to be able to do it. Who is ready for the Travis Hunter show? Oh, yes. Yes. I wanted to tell you up for a little joy

because we've talked about Travis Hunter as just being the epitome of joy. Just the way he is, the way he carries himself, his potential, the ability. I'm curious that more apropos question, what's the snap count look like? Because it sounds like he's going to mostly be playing corner based on the reporting out of like camp and out of the local great great group of beat reporters down in Jacksonville. But I'm curious because I feel like in a game like this, you could maybe just try stuff. Try different things. I'm going to put I'm going to put a guess out here. Okay. He plays virtually every snap on defense. Yes. 60 steps. And like 10 snaps on offense. Yeah, he might go the other way. Like we have Jacobi Myers back. He is at practice. Barker Washington's back. He's at practice. Right now we're healthy. Playing the Browns. I'm not that they're probably quite thinking about that. But there's miles. Garretless Browns. Yeah. With maybe we don't need them on offense this week. Let's save them for a tougher match. Well, no, with with Root and Berk Bible, a defensive coordinator in his first game as the defensive coordinator of his group that's

minus miles. Garret that's developing a new identity. Some really solid players. I think can you explain the Root and Berk Bible? Oh, Mike. Mike Root and Berk is there. I can never not think of those of that word when I think of Mike Root and Berks brand new coordinator. Probably a nice man. I don't know. Taken over for Jim Schwartz. Did you know the origin of the printing press related to that Bible? It was the first. It was. Yeah, you didn't know. That was the whole bit. I'm with you. Travis Center. I'm on all pro watch. I can't wait. Literally. Yeah. Yeah. And that's that was my point. It's because I that's awesome. I can't what a flex. I can't wait to see because I do think I mean he's he he is a top corner for them. He's obviously like a full-time starter for them immediately this year. Now that he's healthy. And I can't wait to see how first of all he gets his feet back under him metaphorically and literally in that position. But then also how they just start to sprinkle him in and increase. Because one thing I do know about this group is that yes, they will probably take a more cautious

and smart approach because he did get injured last year. But I have zero doubt that they're going to still try to make this happen in some way. This two-way player thing. I would believe it with every fiber in my body like they that they're going to make it happen. I agree. And I just don't think it's necessarily in every week. No. Heavy thing. But even 10 steps. 10 more than most cornerbacks are out there getting. So we'll see. I'm very curious how much worse the Cleveland defense is without Jim Schwartz. There's no reason they're going to be worse for sure. I think Jared Vers had one of like the quietly best training camps by all accounts. And you hope Carson Twestner is 100% he missed a lot of training camp because Liam Cohen is going to throw a lot at you. This is a big number for week one. But he loved how the running game looked in in the preseason and in training camp. And they have a very different offensive line. If Colvin Lannan is back and he's uncertain to be back at right tackle, they've switched tackle spots. They actually,

I believe this is true between these two teams. Stuffed up ahead. I believe only one of 10 offensive line starters between the two teams were starting in the same position a year ago. And that would be Robert Hainesy. It's going to say is it Hainesy? For the Jaguars. Like otherwise, like both teams, even though the Jaguars have a lot to feel good and build about, there are a lot of questions about their offensive line specifically. And they're going up against a pretty good front. Yeah. I can see this being one of those shantahand tree type of circle the line back. I think Carson's question to amazing first of all. But again, you mentioned the injury situation through camp. This is one of those quick hits across the middle. Parker Washington, Jacobi Myers, like just established the spine of this offense. Don't worry too much about anything fancy. Get the run game going. Really test the medal of this defense. Again, Jared verse brings them such an edge. No pun intended. He is. He's awesome. Browns fans are going to absolutely love this guy. Love watching and play. Love his personality. But it's a big unknown

factor. It's a big unknown factor. And then they also will see on tape that there have been some issues in the past with upon first contact, overshooting the quarterback, overshooting the run. When you're playing the run, maybe missing that first contact. And I hope, you know, for his development that he does clean that up. But that's one of the things that they're going to see on tape from when he was with Los Angeles. And that's one of the things that a team like Jacksonville with a quarterback that can move a little bit. And also with a run game the way that it looks the way that is is going to try to capitalize on. So, you know, we talked about looking forward to seeing Travis Hunter. It's fun to think about the matchups. Like it could be him against Casey Concepts. Oh my god. It could be him again. And Boston. This is the most exciting rookie receiver tandem in the NFL. The problem is he's they're playing for the Browns. Will DeShawn Watson throw the ball deep. Will he feel comfortable? Will he not just like go to his check down right away and not like and throw a yard ahead of him? Right. And just will he go through his reads? He just hasn't been

a comfortable quarterback for a long time. And I think he's got a two week tryout here. And if he doesn't play well against two pretty good defenses in Jacksonville and Tampa the next two weeks, I don't think he's going to be starting week three in Cleveland. But he has a he has a chance to really change the course of the rest of his career for the next couple weeks. And I think he's got some fun talent around him with Harold Fanon and Grinchot juggers out there. Yeah. There's an argument to be made that the Jaguars defense could take a step back with, you know, not all the turnovers they had a year ago. I think they will be just fine. This is one big line that I still would take the favorite. All right. That's it for the early games. Stay tuned if you're watching us on the fast channel or if you're listening to us, go check out our late game preview that'll be next in your feed. We'll see you then. I'm Brett Coleman and I'm Trevor Sikama. If you love football and want to understand what's really happening on the field, check out our show NFL pro every week. We

break down the biggest plays, trends and matchups using exclusive next-gen stats insights and NFL content you will not find anywhere else. Whether you're new to football, a fantasy football finag for a diehard fan NFL pro will help you analyze the game like a pro. Listen to NFL pro on the iHeart radio app Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Mike Am and I'm Trevor Sikama and together we host the NFL fantasy football show. Are you ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Because if you aren't locked in with us on the NFL fantasy football show, you're already playing from behind. Whether you're a first-time player or a grizzled vet chasing another championship, we give you the advantage and the confidence you need to make every move count. Listen to the NFL fantasy football show on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Whether you're a seasoned NFL fan or new to the game, there's one place to keep up with all of it. The league's newest podcast, the NFL report

hosted by me, Andrew Sassiliano. It is your home for everything football, breaking news, expert analysis, game picks and here from your favorite players to join me and at all starcasts of experts for everything you need to know from around the league. Get new episodes of the NFL report Monday through Friday all season long. Listen to the NFL report podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. The entire draft room groans because you just took the guy they wanted. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the award-winning late-round podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. Listen to the late-round fantasy football podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.

More episodes

More from NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal

View all episodes →