What does Josh Jacobs' plea mean for his return?

0:00It's Paul in America, make it count. At the Ram Drive-In to Fall Sales event, make it powerful with our strongest Ram 1500 ever, make it move with the Ram Heavy Duty with an available Cummins diesel, and make it go to the distance with a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. Hurry and now for great deals during the Ram Drive-In to Fall sales event. Excludes fully electric vehicles applied to 2026 model-year vehicles non-transferable, visit MoPAR.com for complete details and a copy of the powertrain limited warranty. Cummins is a registered trademark of Cummins ain't Ram and Hammy are registered trademarks of FCA-US LLC. I went to a coffee shop and I guess a bunch of players and staff had been there and they were just like, you Americans are just so polite and kind. You just, yes sir, yes ma'am, everything. And they just made me feel good that the culture and the character we have as a team like that's what that meant. I was getting a haircut. I was getting a haircut today a few days ago and one of the partners looks at me and goes, looks cracker. I was like, sorry, what'd you say? I don't know what I don't know what it meant. I guess that means it looks good but that was funny.

1:02He said it again. I hear that every Sunday. That's what's awesome. Oh wow. Oh, humor from Christian McCaffrey. It's the first joke I've ever heard him crack cracker. That is great. Cracker joke is the first joke he's ever cracked. Oh, that is really funny. And hey, it's easy to be loose and reflect on your time in Melbourne when you won the game. Maybe in a different attitude. So Gary, don't be typing stuff in there that you don't want me to say out loud. If you say it in my ear, I'm going to say it out loud. I can only imagine the document. I'm going to say it out loud. And it has nothing to do with what I can only imagine with Gary Carter. I can only imagine Mike with Gary Carter is saying to you right now. And you know what? Hey, don't say it. Don't say it because we all want to be employed next week.

2:05So just ignore what Gary is saying. Speaking of employed, before we get to more about the game, I do want to say one thing. Look, there's an aversion generally. Never comment on any of the networks because we don't have turf wars. We don't want to have rumbles between the networks. But I did have one piece of constructive criticism. I have two actually from the Netflix broadcast last night. First of all, if you're going to interview the commissioner, and the a topic is 49ers under Jed York, and his recent misadventures in the East Palestine trailer park,

3:05or more accurately, a fictitious lot number at the East Palestine Ohio trailer park that was the designated rendezvous point. For the thing that Jed York got arrested for, you can't just check the box. You got to have at least one follow up question because we already know they're investigating under the personal conduct policy. Roger Dell was given an opportunity to just restate the obvious. They're looking at it under the conduct policy, and they haven't made a decision yet. We know that. We know that. And I don't know what a good follow up question would have been. I don't know. Why has it taken so long? He's pleaded guilty. No contest more accurately pleaded no contest the day after the arrest. Why has it taken so long? And, and Michael, and look, this wasn't on the run down,

4:05but you know how I would deviate from time to time. I just thought of this on the way in. Oh, it was on the run down. Well, even better than I'll say more about it. So you assume I read the rundown Gary. So I spent the last three days not being able to see the rundown. So why would I even bother on a day when I can't? There's a necessary question to ask, I think. And it's easier for me to say because I'm not the one that has to sit there and potentially piss off the most powerful man in the sport in the manner in which I articulate the question. But, sir, sir, they come up to me and they say, sir. So, sir, there's a perception that owners aren't held to the same standard as players when they run a foul of the requirements of the justice system. That's your follow up. There it is. And I will defer to the questioner to finish it.

5:08But that's the reality. The league has said that owners are held to a higher standard than players. How much of that fact was into your assessment of the proper punishment for Jed York? Boom. Bear question. Necessary question. Yeah, yeah, Mike. Yeah, yeah, Mike. Look, these interviews with the commissioner, I understand what all of them, without even knowing the ground rules, you kind of know the ground rules. I don't know if they were stated explicitly or if you look at it and you say, hey, it's a pretty good gig. I got a pretty good gig here. And I get a chance to interview the commissioner. Can I just remind myself that I have a pretty good gig here? And I'm interviewing the commissioner. Am I going to push them? Am I going to make news with this?

6:08Am I going to hold them by the lapels against the wall and get that answer, shake them down? Or am I going to check the box? And I think a lot of people may be kind of edit themselves. They filter themselves without anybody ever saying to them, hey, don't go too far with the commissioner of football. But I think it is fair. The way you said it, there are necessary questions and there are fair follow-ups. You know what's a good question if you have a follow-up to it. And you let the commissioner answer it any way that he wants. I think as long as you are, if you're staying on topic and you're not a sucker pun, the interview version of a sucker punch, I think you're fine. I think asking about Jed York and a follow-up about double standards or a follow-up about the timeline or asking about his disappointment.

7:09And one of his owners being in this position, I think any of those questions are on the table and there's nothing wrong with the monologue. And hey, if you really want to go, Mike Wallace morally safer, you can say, sir, you have said many times it is a privilege not a right to play in the National Football League. Does that standard not also apply to owning a team? And do you squander your privilege when you engage in this type of behavior? Yes or no? Or if you're really, if you really want to make him mad, if you really want to test the limits of your employment by Netflix, you ask him about Robert Kraft and why he didn't get punished. And we all know the answer to that one anytime that calls up. Well, Kraft's charge has got dismissed. But he got a whole operation was a violation of privacy rights under the Constitution.

8:13He never got convicted. If anything, he did all these other guys a favor and also a favor to all the people who were there just to get a massage and unbeknownst to them, someone was sitting in a van watching them butt ass naked. Okay, that whole thing was an exercise in governmental overreach and corruption. But, but apples to apples. If you really want to push it, you really want to push it. If you really want to push it, you could ask the you could ask the commission to explain why. Jed York and Robert Kraft are treated differently. You could have. Yeah, Kraft signed off on his new contract. Thanks for that. Thanks for that Friday. Thanks for that Friday image there that I just don't want. I don't want that one. Thank you. But he has and if you ask that question, you would really have to be a skilled a skilled craft person with your question.

9:18Because you already said it. You ask a question about Robert Kraft. Okay, the commissioner says, well, there was no. There was no violation there. You know, if you look at it, Robert was not convicted of anything. You know, those charges were dropped and there's nothing to see here without you'd have to do it. And also acknowledge that the charges were dropped because it was more of a process thing. It's not like he wasn't he wasn't there. They made it up. It was somebody else. No, he was there and something happened. But through some expert loyering, he was able to make that thing go away. So you'd have to ask about it in a way where cadet could just go easily to that talking point. Since we're in the neighborhood of the off field issues, Josh Jacobs, the packers running back yesterday pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges that he got him on paid leave. We saw this coming because he had a trial date set weeks from now.

10:24It got expedited yesterday not a trial date, but a court date. So his intention in setting the accelerated court date was to strike a deal. And this is what happens when the NFL is going to have this little extension. It's a dendom to the personal conduct policy that allows players who are facing charges be put on paid leave because they stay there ostensibly until the charges are resolved. Now we saw your bro peppers come back before his charges were resolved in their speculation that they may let a guy come off of paid leave after he's gotten to the point where he's missed as many games as they think they would suspend him if he's ultimately found guilty. Pleads guilty pleads no contest whatever, but the best way to get yourself back on the field is get this thing over with get this thing wrapped up. So pleads no contest that doesn't mean he comes back on Sunday.

11:24They still have to figure out what they're going to do to him. And so here's what'll happen. He's going to miss games with pay, but the games he misses are going to be credited to him when they suspend him. And he's just going to have to give up the money he made while playing not and getting paid. Yes, during this window that he's on paid leave. So that's what's going to happen. How long is it going to take? No, but they're probably going to get it done by week seven because the baseline punishment for an incident of domestic violence is six. Now the other lots of ball hanging over this entire situation is the video that police apparently have. Because if it looks Ray Rice-ish. It it it may not be so easy.

12:25So let Josh Jacobs come back ever, but that's TBD. Yeah, Mike, this is one thing and you know this better than most because of what you did at the first part of first half of your career. I was working lawyer. There's something that is just the way I wouldn't say it's an American thing. I think it's just a human nature thing. There's something about the image that gets to people unlike the description of it. If Ray Rice with the description of what he had done and what he was he was alleged to have done. That did unfortunately that didn't necessarily move the needle to the point where people were saying he's got to go. Even though the description was there was a police report about what Ray Rice had done.

13:27He was about to be in this he was in this diversion program. It was all there. What he done. It was in print. But the video changed everything. And that's when people said, oh, wait a minute, he can never play. He can never play in the NFL again. We just can't unsee that video. Same thing with Josh Jacobs. That video. I don't know what's on it. Police know the packers say they haven't seen it. That video comes out. I don't know. I don't know if that if we're talking about week six week seven or never. At least never as a packer. So that changes things. It just changes the public sentiment. If they can see it or hear it. There's a there's a there's a reaction to that. Unlike reading it. And that disappoints me a little bit for many reasons. But especially somebody who who writes part of my livelihood. You think that the written word would kind of compel people to action.

14:31And it doesn't always. And look, I'm having flashbacks again to the argument that I had 12 years ago with an executive from the league office. And I was making the cases to why and how they can demand right rights to give them access to that video that they claim they hadn't seen. And I ended the call by saying if you don't get it TMZ will. And they did you had better if you're the league and you're the packer you would better see that video because somebody is getting that video. You have to assume in this day and age someone is getting that video when you least expect it. Yes, expect it. So that situation is still unfolding for the Green Bay Packers. Jed York will watch will wait will see there's absolutely no reason to delay it at this point. My prediction was they'll kick the can through week one because they don't want it's already there. They already have to deal with it. But it's one thing to say we're looking at under the personal conduct policy and we'll let you know when we have a decision.

15:32It's one thing to say that it's another thing to answer the question of why do the only get two games if a player would have gotten six. Is there a double standard? Why did he get any games if Robert Kraft got zero it just opens up a new can of worms they'd rather not deal with in the land down under. All right, let's take a break. When we come back as promised we didn't forget we just it's my fault. I took us down a path that I didn't realize was coming up later on the map. Act of miles Garrett. I know show in Melbourne. What he said after the game and what it may port 10. The team that gave up a lot to get him that's next on the F.T. Live. It's fall in America. Make it count at the Ram Drive into Fall sales event. Make it powerful with our strongest Ram 1500 ever. Make it move with the Ram Heavy Duty with an available Cummins diesel and make it go the distance with a 10 year or 100,000 mile powertrain limited warranty. The Ram is a very rare now for great deals during the Ram Drive into Fall sales event.

16:35Excludes fully electric vehicles applied to 2026 model year vehicles non transferable visit moapart.com for complete details on a copy of the powertrain limited warranty. Cummins is a registered trademark of Cummins ain't Ram and heavy our registered trademarks of FCA US LLC. All right, PFT live Friday edition September 11 will be commenting later in the program on the significance of that day 25 years ago. I have not forgotten about it. It's just something that I'd prefer to not think about and that's the only thing about these collaborations and anniversaries. It takes me back to a very dark time, but we'll we'll be addressing that later last night. It was not a great time for miles Garrett. Here he is. Let's listen carefully what miles Garrett had to say because he admits some practice time issue with his knee lower leg. Give up a lot to get him, including a very promising young player in Jared verse. Here's Garrett on his first game as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. This was the worst version of myself that I've put out there. Now I've got to be better. I got to find a way to recover and get back to the player.

17:43I know I can't be and I've shown that I've been before. I want to play that I want to be. I didn't feel like I was the player I've been before when I stepped on to that fill. But I got to do what I I can to to get back to that when I was out there. I was a little bit more focused on myself and trying to stay healthy than know what they were doing in that show. I wasn't I wasn't who I needed to be know for my team. That's alarming if you're a Rams fan. That's alarming. You're out there focused on staying healthy and not getting your job done. Why are you out there then why out there. I thought that the whole thing about player preparation and health was you never want to be thinking about your health. You only want to cross that thick white stripe and go out on the field if you can focus fully and completely on the task at hand. And if you're ever thinking about health, you shouldn't be playing. So that is very, very alarming because number one, he wasn't healthy going into the game and number two is he magically going to be healthy in 10 days when they face the giants on Monday night football.

18:51And number three, how long is this going to last? Damage goods on the way through the door. That's not good. That's not good. Mike, if you're a Rams fan, this is what you're hoping. Your Rams fan, you're hoping that Miles Garrett is just making an excuse. This is what you're hoping for excuses. Oh, he's fine. He's just embarrassed that he was not even close to making an impact in this game and that the Niners were ready for everything that he had to do, that everything that he was trying to do to them. And in look, there may be a little bit of truth to that. If they win this game, let's just play it the other way. If the Rams win this game, 27 is seven. And he has a sack, just one sack and two quarterback hits. Are we hearing that from Miles Garrett? No, we're not.

19:54So it was a disappointing loss. Everybody, everybody looked like they just weren't themselves, including Matthew Stafford with some well under 200 yards. You mentioned Sean McVey wasn't himself. Miles Garrett wasn't himself. So I would, that's what that would be my hope as a Rams fan that he's fine. That any player, if you really take the microscope to him, any player could come up with, hey, you know, this is not what it should be. I mean, it's a little banged up here. I've been nursing this injury, but it was just the stat line. Maybe the zeros on the stat line kind of led to that commentary from Miles Garrett. That's your hope. Otherwise, you're right. Week one, we're already talking about this. When is that going to get better? Miles Garrett was on the field for 40 snaps last night on defense, 62% of the workload. And there were moments in the second half where he's standing on the sideline not playing in the game, even before the game was out of hand.

21:10He had six special team snaps, which raised the question, why the hell is he playing special teams? Anyway, especially if he's not 100%. Now it looks like he must be on the field goal block team because there were six total place kicks, whether extra points or field goal attempts last night. So that's likely what he was doing. I don't remember seeing him running down the field to cover kicks or punts. But why you got him out there if he's not 100%. There's a lot can happen. You're getting that scramble bodies after a kick try. There's a lot that can happen. And then this leads to the one point that I wanted to make earlier. This is my other bit of constructive criticism about the broadcast. There is a point where the game's over. There is a point. Don't be surprised, Luke, when stats and benefits in the game is not because Matthew Stafford's injured. They've thrown in the towel on the game. And I was just, it was kind of jarring. It was kind of jarring.

22:10Somebody's been around football his whole life to not realize this, this shit's over when it's 27, 7 with 3 1 1 2 minutes left. They're not, you know, when they make the stop of the 49ers on fourth down, they get a chance to get back into it. No, it's over. Luke, Luke, use the force, Luke, it's over. I'm sorry. I love Luke Keekley, but it was just one of those like. Yeah, he's good. Is it, am I getting the audio from the same game? So anyway. And I understand they don't want people to change the channel. That's important. It has to acknowledge. Yeah, that's all folks. And here's the other thing. That is such an old, it's such an old school mentality. I don't know if he, if he's doing it for that reason or if somebody is, you know, speaking into his ear, hey, keep the audience, keep the audience as long as possible. But it's really an old school thing because for better or worse, people will watch the games all the way through, especially if they've got a little action on it.

23:16If they're trying to hit a number or if they want a player to do something, they will watch it. Even if it's 27 to 7 in the game is over and Stetson Bennett is in there. Hey, they may have some action on Stetson Bennett. Who knows? They may have some action on how many points will the, with the 49ers get the 30 points with a Rams, get the double digits. And I think it's the first time and was it 42 games had a streak. 42 games of at least scoring in double digits. Maybe they had a bet on that. So it doesn't matter. You don't have to keep the audience artificially. The audience will stay. Well, as I say that my camera went out briefly. Netflix everywhere. Netflix is everywhere. But, but regardless, that's just a friendly friendly bit of advice. His look does his first game.

24:19And he probably will become a star. And he's got that Clark Kent vibe, but he's very good, very knowledgeable. And it was fun listening to him. And no, it's just good. It was just kind of like this. This is, this is, this is over. It's okay to say it's over. And it's, and it's probably appropriate to not try to sell the idea that we're going to have a comeback by the Rams with three and a half minutes left down. 20 points when they've done hardly anything all night long. All right, let's say a break. When we return to talk about lower. Short leash in Atlanta. Maybe no leash. If he's injured or injured. Take that up next on this Friday edition of PFC live. Sunday, there's no common ground in one of the premier leagues. Fierces rivalries are either united or your city. It's the Manchester Darby live at 1130 Eastern on peacock.

25:28Something to watch before that. Kick off the games. Do you watch the pregame shows on Sunday mornings, Michael Holley? Yeah, I felt pregame shows. Do you watch her? Sure. Start to finish. No, but do I watch? No, I do. I'm checking on the pregame. No idea where I'm going with that. I could tell by your response. Sure. I don't. There was an inquisitive lilt at the end of the world has in. What the hell is he doing now? Yeah. Yeah. So where were you going? We're going to say something great about my. My man united my squad that overcame a disappointing loss at the beginning of the season. And now is moving its way up the table. Not the standings moving its way up the table. If it's not Liverpool, I don't care. So that's my only take about the Darby. Did you appreciate that I pronounced it correctly like Melvin, not the Derby. It's the Darby. Yes, I think I heard that somewhere. I'm going to go with it.

26:36The whole thing about the Sunday morning pregame shows and I note the irony in all of this because I'm on a pregame show. But it's one thing to have kind of this living breathing organic. Here's what's happened today. Here's what's coming tonight. The table setting Sunday morning shows the tables already set the tables perpetually set. It isn't all you can eat smorgasbord from social media to YouTube to websites. And when I was a kid that one hour before kickoff was all you got all you got all week long. Yeah, you had some coverage in your local newspaper, the Steelers, but nationally it's all you got now you get it everywhere. So I just think those morning pregame shows are becoming less and less relevant, less and less interesting, less and less appointment viewing, especially when we're five years or less away from 10, 12, 13, Sundays of the year, having a game on at 9.30 a.m. Eastern as they expand the international slate to 16, which is inevitable.

27:50Okay, so the Atlanta Falcons. A quarterback is to a talk of I lower by default said this on Wednesday night prior to see Hawks Patriots wrote about it yesterday and talking about it for a while here on PFT live. The Falcons were hoping that Michael Panics Jr. We get to the point where he believed he could function following the ACL tear that he wouldn't be thinking about it like my old scared thinking about his health. Michael Panics Jr. wants go out there play quarterback without thinking about trying to protect his surgically repaired me. It didn't get there. So to a tongue of I lower wins by default, a quarterback competition that the other guy can never compete in. And if anything, it came down to a tongue of I lower versus Cooper rush with the understanding. Sources close to me said. To get benched. That's it for two in Atlanta. Now I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen. There's a strong possibility.

28:53Even when he gets benched whether he gets benched for Michael Panics Jr. or Cooper rush or in theory, but highly unlikely Jack Strand. Here's my theory. Given what occurred yesterday. Early and individual drills to a takes a seat turns out he's got no bleak injury. Cooper rush takes the first team reps on the all important work day as I'm getting my Wednesday and Thursdays mixed up. It wasn't the first day of the work week, but it's the second day of the work week. The major second day Wednesday and Thursday are the two big ones in advance of the upcoming game. Rush gets the first team reps. Obviously discomfort. After throwing a pass during a portion of practice open to the media grabbed his right side. Oh, my arm. It's broken. Look, this is just like human nature reaction. I have no idea if there's any truth to this. This is a theory. It's a hypothesis. It is a plausible way to look at this.

29:58And I don't. The only reason to think that he would be embellishing or fabricating an injury, but it's coincidental. Let me just say that it's coincidental and it's curious. Word gets out that if and when he gets benched strong possibility, they're just going to cut him. Common sense would suggest he may have asked someone about that. I think back to the days when he was trying to coexist with Brian Flores in Miami. I would say, and if I were him, I'd want to know what's this? Is this true? If I get benched, I'm getting cut. And who knows what was said to him in response? Sometimes you want to be careful asking a question like that because sometimes you're going to get an answer.

30:59And hey, I mean, this is big boy football. This is guys get cut all the time. This is the way it works. Yeah, you know, hey to us. Sorry. We've realized that why do you think we have four quarterbacks on the roster? I think we got four quarterbacks on the roster because we think we're sitting on Joe Montana and Dan Marino with Cooper Russian Jack strand. So, and I'm not saying he embellished. I'm not saying he's fabricated. I will legitimately say he's injured, but it does seem like a hell of a coincidence that this injury happens in the aftermath of this reporting that surely prompted him to say to someone is this true? Yeah, it's it's it's a hell of a coincidence. Let's say it that way. It's a hell of a hell of a coincidence if it is a coincidence. And that doesn't mean that it didn't happen, but you know, because sometimes these things just kind of pop up out of nowhere, but this seems a little curious.

32:00I will say this Mike. This is a bit and I know he's a rookie team builder, but this is a bit of an end of an indictment on Matt Ryan and that front office in Atlanta. You're in a quarterback situation where you've got two of tongue of I lower Cooper Rush Michael pinnocks and Jack. What's the Jack? What's the thing? Strand. The other guy. Minnesota state more head Jack. Jack strand. I mean, so that is not you got to be able to do a better job than that in your situation where two. A tongue of I lower is your starter and you don't really want him to be a starter and pinnocks is not responding or maybe not as quickly as you thought he would.

33:01And now you're stuck with potentially Cooper Rush a quarterback. And if your Kevin Stefansky, you might think the football gods hate me. I think the football gods they hate me. If you think about the quarterback situations and episodes dramas that he had in Cleveland, whether it's Baker Mayfield, who was in with Baker, then he was out with Baker, then to Sean Watson. We know what happened with the Sean Watson, then he's got Joe Flacco in there. And then last year he's got Shadour, he's got Dylan Gabriel and all of these guys. And you leave. You leave Cleveland and say, okay. All right, they see my value. I'm a two time coach of the year. I'm going to go somewhere more stable situation. No, you may have a worse situation in Atlanta than you're doing Cleveland. And that's saying something. I don't know who's to blame, whether it's two with his injuries or Matt Ryan or Kevin Stefansky, but it's a mess. The Falcons before they play the game, they are a mess at quarterback.

34:11I don't blame them for taking a shot on to it because last year he went into Atlanta and kicked their asses. And when you get him under the right circumstances, the right settings, he can be very effective. I just think that between getting benched by the dolphins, being cut by the dolphins. Something seems different. And it may be as simple as they didn't just figure out the Mike McDaniel offense as orchestrated by two of Tonga by Lowe, they've just figured out how to stop to a Tonga by Lowe. And I think back to last year, week ones, they be empowered. Former teammate of two is in Miami playing for the Colts after the Colts beat the dolphins 30 to six. He said the world, hey, when the first read isn't there to a panics. That's what he said. And maybe teams have figured out how to instill the panic reaction into a on a far more regular basis. But yeah, I feel like they're dismayed that he didn't take it and run with it. And they're dismayed that Michael Panic's junior has yet to get to the point where he's comfortable playing. And it may be Cooper rush on Sunday. Hey, what a spot.

35:15And Mike Tomlin had some great comments about this the other night. He's asked about Aaron Rogers and Mike McCarty's and I'm more concerned about the quarterback of the other team. Last time he played there, I was in the stadium that night. Yes, he was coached the Steelers to have got benched after that game to have got cut after that game, not immediately, but after the season. And speaking of Rogers. Before we go to break, I just want to say one thing about the latest storm of verbal diarrhea from Aaron Rogers. And part of me is upset that I was traveling most of the day yesterday. And I couldn't really take in all of the ups and downs and flame thrower activations by Aaron Rogers. Part of me is glad part of me is upset. And I plan to listen to the full episode of his appearance on the not just football podcast teammate, Cam Hayward. But the fact that Rogers.

36:19Apparently did a repeat of his visit to the McAfee show from last month. It caused all hell to break loose. And and expanded the footprint of the people that he decided to target, including former relationships, apparently. It tells me that at the core. He's got a fundamental level of respect for Mike Tomlin that he simply does not have for Mike McCarthy. That's my big takeaway because there is no freaking way. He does this if Mike Tomlin's the head coach because. And I've been around Mike Tomlin enough over the past month to know that. Tomlin would be saying, I got enough to worry about without you saying all this stuff that's going to have me worried about more things. What am I going to say when they ask me about this? What am I going to say when they ask me about that? Don't make my life more difficult.

37:29Please. And the fact that he would do whatever Mike Tomlin wanted him to do specifically don't do what he did with the Hayward podcast. And I just I think he's got. I don't want to say is no respect for Mike McCarthy, but he has far less respect for Mike McCarthy than he has for Mike Tom. It's a great point Mike. You think about Aaron Rodgers last year. It's pretty tame. It's pretty tame. Once he signed with the Steelers and it took a long time for him to sign with them. Maybe that was part of the reason it took so long for him to come to an agreement with the Steelers. They had to set the ground rules. Hey Mike McCarthy, you got to set the ground rules with Aaron Rodgers. Hey I'm not telling you what to believe and I'm not telling you what to say I'm just asking that when you're here when the season starts can we tone it down a little bit can we just keep it focused. We keep all that stuff in house and then in the off season go ahead and do what you do. But can we please not do this when the season is here before us and causing and and cause us things everybody.

38:43Cause distractions that we all have to respond to. By the way, there are 13 games to come on Sunday and a 14th on Monday night. We will turn our attention to the teams that will be playing in just a couple of days as week one arrives. The National Football League for the 2026 season. That is next on this Friday edition of PFT Live. It's fall in Jeep country and during the driving to fall sales event get a great deal on four by fours that refuse to be contained like Jeep Wrangler. Confidence built into every drive with the most awarded SUV ever Jeep Grand Cherokee and freedom that can't be denied with the open air freedom and Jeep gladiator. After 85 years it's no surprise that Jeep became America's SUV brand. Get a great deal during the Jeep driving to fall sales event. Jeep is one more awards over its lifetime than any other SUV brand. Jeep and the Jeep Grill register trademarts of the US LLC. PFC live Friday edition. Let's take a quick look at this dynamic of teams that missed the playoffs making the playoffs.

39:49We see roughly a 50% turnover half the teams that made it one year. Don't make it the next year that opens the door for half the teams to be filled by some of the 18. It failed to make it always have to stop and do the math 14 from 32 is 18 used to be 20 didn't make it now 18 don't make it which makes it more glaring when you don't make it because almost half the league makes it so at least one team has gone to worst for first seven times over the last six seasons worst two first not worst for first. That's a different dynamic all together 20 25 the Panthers bears in the Patriots did it since 1990 at least four teams have made the playoffs after missing the postseason the prior year every year last year it was six. So it was almost a 50% turnover last year so very simple settings on this meter low medium and high we don't want to confuse anyone particularly me.

40:49We're going to go through several teams here give me the low medium high as to whether or not they make the playoffs in 2026 Dallas Cowboys I go Holly low medium or high. I'm going to go high on the Dallas Cowboys I have surprised myself with this look I like their offense last year in a non-play off season now I don't agree with that press God I don't think it's going to be the best offense ever. But I think their offense will be good again very good top 10 and I think their defense will be much improved even though I still think they lost my micaparsons trade but I think they have they're going to have a better defense this year I can see the Cowboys not only making the playoffs but winning the NFC East. Wow well I had to go back and refresh my recollection as to the teams that I have projected to make the playoffs in the throw a dart and hope it lands on the board hope a board is even their effort to prognosticate on who makes the playoffs I do have the Cowboys is the five seed so that would mean at least medium how about medium high I mean if we can do medium rare rare plus medium well let's do medium high for the Dallas Cowboys

42:10although as I look back at this now I guess I snubbed the Eagles deliberately or maybe I snubbed them accidentally I don't know but I've got the Eagles not making it at all which hey if someone makes it that didn't make it last year zero some games somebody that made it last year can't make it this year the Vikings nine and eight last year finished third in the division got hot late in the year one five in a row how much of that carries over low medium or high for the Vikings in the playoffs in 2026 Michael Mike I'm sorry I'm sorry to say this this is not a medium high situation this is not a low medium situation this is low I think it's low and it really is it really is a commentary on the division that they play in so really it's I think it might be the best division of football second best division of football after the NFC West but you've got some really good

43:13you've got some really good you got all you got three legit playoff type teams in there the lions and you have clearly the the Packers and Bears I think the Vikings going to have a hard time making the playoffs low and all right well you know we're going to need a menu of all the times that one of us is going to be sitting down with a menu wondering how much this steak that the other is going to cost because this could be another wager if you're game for we need to we need to do an inventory of the side bets we've made we've got a lot of things that we're going to be eating which is did I win the air Donald did I win the air Donald did I win the air let's see did he play week one did he play week one did he play week one back did he play he played like Miles Garrett and week one that's true he had the exact same impact on the game as the 2025 defensive player of the year

44:21I'm going high on this one and this is this is some very detailed algorithmic analytics the Vikings make the playoffs every other year so last year no year before yes the before that no the year before that yes boom playoffs I I think that they got something I think they got something the defense is very good and they've drafted and signed free agents in an effort to address the weaknesses on the defense of which there are not many Harrison Smith back that's significant Kyle Van Neuwa reunited with Brian Flores that's significant chaos uncertainty unpredictability the defense is the reason they finished 98 last year the offense doesn't have to be much better and I think they got something in the best cornerback Kevin O'Connell has had since he's been in Minnesota the most talented quarterback and the best running option that the Vikings have at the position since Dante call pepper

45:29and I think that's the best playing for the Vikings in 2005 22 21 years without that dual threat that can just pull the ball down and zoom be gone I I look I'm very pragmatic I'm very realistic about the team that having a passion for this sport I think they got something this year I think they do and we'll find out all right Buckeneers eight nine last year second in the south no postseason high medium low to make it this year Mike I got them in medium once again because of the division that they play in I actually think the packers and excuse me the Panthers or the Saints I like them better in the NFC South than I do the Buckeneers but I'll give it I'll give it a medium because let's say the Panthers win the division we're talking about nine and eight to eight and nine it's you know a game just like last year came down to the final game

46:37I know I hear a lot of people raving about the Buckeneers and I don't quite see it that way I think they're okay but not that impressive give them a medium I've got the Buckeneers not among the seven teams that I have peg to make the playoffs in the NFC so I'll go low that's easy I've already baked this cake is just a matter of pulling it out of the oven and pretend that the bell just went off okay Buckeneers six and 11 last year three straight years no playoffs bangles that's a bangles sorry bangles bangles three straight years no playoffs six and 11 last year if they don't make it this year there will be major changes in Cincinnati high medium or low for them to get back low medium low medium medium because of Joe borrow low because they were six and 11 and the AFC the AFC is tough AFC is tough you know all those those big time quarterbacks one of them is going to be missing one of them will not make the playoffs I think Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will be back in I think

47:55Patrick my homes and the chiefs will be back in we know Josh Allen will be in there bonix will be in there I mean I just think it's just going to be hard they're going to be missing a chair so give them low medium for the playoffs what was the Patriots record in 2024 what was their record that year you remember four and 13 four and 13 what they do in 2020 what they do in 2025 past is not prologue 14 and every season every season is its own entity I think the Bengals are going to get back to the playoffs I think the Bengals and my son asked me last night when you did your predictions for the season and you picked the Bengals to win the Super Bowl do you mean that or you just messing around it's like well I'm not I'm not just like pulling shit out of the air I but if you're going to make me do it like we're all expected to do it so yeah let's have some fun with it let's be creative let's let's not go with the chalk and Joe burrows the one say it feels like 2019 all over again when he was at LSU and they ended up winning the national championship and the defense is better and he's talking about it openly he's either completely delusional or he's onto something and I think he's been around long enough

49:18to earn the difference the idea that he's not just some crack pot that's spewing off conspiracy theories like the other quarterback in the AFC North so between the two one is a little kuku for cocoa pops the other one seems to be saying like shredded wheat so yeah I'm buying with Joe burrows selling Bengals to the playoffs Bengals to the division around Bengals to the conference championship Bengals back to so far stating for a five year anniversary with the Rams although it may not be the Rams after what we saw last night let's take a break when we return you gotta say something go ahead say something we gotta we gotta go do you guys you're ready to say something nope nope go go all right nope I'm just ready to show up I'm just ready to show up when we the first time in this year I'm just ready to show me something draft next on pft live it's a Friday tradition in season sometimes out of season depending upon what's happening to show me something draft Michael holly you are up

50:28I want to say CJ stroud show me something CJ stroud the last time I saw you playing quarterback in the postseason it was ugly you gotta play off winning Pittsburgh bad quarterback play there you gotta loss and Fox burrows so bad that I think Domingo Ryan should have taken you out at halftime and now we're talking contract extension for CJ stroud show me something CJ what you show the NFL as a rookie in the league show me something Carcacazans the starter of the Las Vegas Raiders I'm told one of the reasons that they waited so long to name him the starter they kept waiting for Fernando Mendoza to show them something to show them enough to make them think he could be trusted with the job he didn't so I'm gonna say something so it's Kirk how long can Kirk hold it he's got the dolphins coming to town the closest thing some would say to an NFL JV team this year you lose this when you may not be the starter for very long and they may roll the dice with the guy who was the first overall pick in the draft so Kirk if you want to keep that job show me something against the dolphins

51:40well Mike already talked about the current current Texas quarterback how about a former Texans quarterback show me something Dishon Watson you are the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns the fans don't want it maybe some of your teammates don't want it I don't know but Dishon Watson hasn't been out there in a while show me that you can still be a serviceable quarterback in the league I was gonna say show me something Jayden Daniels but I'm gonna stay in that same game between the commanders in the Eagles and I'm gonna say show me something jail and hurts because this shouldn't be close this shouldn't be dramatic this should be a 2024 NFC championship style but whooping of the commanders by the far better Eagles team knew offensive coordinator for the fifth straight year in shot in shot manion will we see a different jail and hurts orchestrating an offense that doesn't have AJ Brown everyone's on the same page will hurt run the offense the way it's intended will we see motions and shifts will we see creativity will we see him doing what he wants to do or will we see him fully submitting to this offense that may push him out of his comfort zone

53:08Mike show me something J E T S jets jets jets and specifically head coach Aaron Glenn who fired pretty much his entire staff brought in a new staff Frank Reich is your offensive coordinator he fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes got it he's gonna call the plays now on defense he's got an easy ish match up against the former jets head coach Robert Salah in the Titan second year quarterback cam ward I want to see the jets you know what I'm gonna I'm gonna call him out Mike I want to see the jets get an interception in this game which eluded them all of 2025 show me that you can catch the ball jets on defense give me an interception show me something John Harbaw new coach to the New York Giants got a little testy this week with reporters I'm okay with that I believe in the Giants in this one I believe they're gonna beat the cowboys on Sunday night I believe that John Harbaw will make an instant impact by putting a shoe up the ass collectively an individual leave the various Giants players especially those who need one to new day new dawn for the New York Giants and they get an opportunity to put everyone on notice on Sunday night that they're gonna be on the next day

54:31they are back this is a great opportunity game for John Harbaw to change the narrative immediately just like he did when he started coaching the Ravens back in 2008 let's take a break we'll wrap up this Friday edition of PFC live right after this 25 years ago this morning that word began to circulate not not I mean almost a minute that landed hit one of the two towers the World Trade Center it was just confusion how big was the plane what's going on somebody accident no one the second one hit we knew that the world had changed forever and there were many days and weeks to come of uncertainty and soul searching and grief collectively individually just one of the worst things that's ever happened in our 250 years as a nation it still feels fresh especially every September 11 and it's amazing to think it's been 25 years because every September 11 it feels like it was yesterday Michael

55:41yeah and you said the world changed forever it did I mean Mike I remember and you probably do too just like a simple thing of going to the airport I remember you know being able to you're running late for a flight and you get through security they hustle you through there and you run up to the gate and it's no 30 minutes before take off you're there you know 10 or 15 minutes before and you get on the plane that's just that's not the world we live in anymore security measures are tighter we think about travel and security in different ways and some people just never forget where they were and what they were doing that was clearly one of those situations I'll never forget where I was what I was doing what I was thinking when that happened there was a feature on the Netflix pregame show last night about the decision that was made by Paul Tagli Buddha postponed the football games played five days later and I remember as that was happening he recalled the regret that Pete Roselle experienced for not canceling the games after the assassination of JFK now that happened on a Friday so you got to make some quick decisions if you're not going to play the games then

57:05and they did wrestle with whether or not to keep that sense of normal see Vinnie test of Ernie was interviewed in the piece he said the jets were going to forfeit the game they just weren't going to play if you're going to make us play this weekend we're just not going to do it and they ultimately did the right thing they pressed pause on the on the season for one weekend and then returned and helped get everything back towards something approaching normal although it hasn't been and it will never be that day changed everything it changed the way we view the world it changed the way we view our safety it made us more skittish it made us more cautious it made us more nervous everywhere we go and I think that we still are the phrases see something say something people still follow that so it's sad but it's reality and that's it for today