Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys ugly win over the New Orleans Saints. Had Taysom Hill (and his jacked up finger) not thrown 4 interceptions, Dallas may have loss this one. The high-flying Cowboys we saw early in the season are nowhere to be found; Ezekiel Elliott looks like he's running with a piano on his back and the offense goes through stretches where they can't buy a first down. But, as they say, a win is a win. Later, Jason pours one out for New Orleans Pelicans following the latest reports that Zion Williamson's return to action was being delayed yet again due to injury. Zion is a massive draw for the NBA but he's missed more games than he's actually played during his professional career. What's more, Zion's refusal to stay in basketball shape makes it feel like he's deliberately throwing in the towel on the Pelicans already. This is a situation that definitely bears monitoring. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special College Football Championship Weekend and NFL Week 13 edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on Notre Dame’s decision to promote defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to head football coach. The up-and-coming Freeman had been expected to follow Brian Kelly to LSU so the fact that the Fighting Irish were able to keep him - and decided to elevate him to the top spot - shows that they think very highly of him. Later, Ft Worth Star-Telegram Dallas Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill Jr swings by to discuss Amari Cooper's expected return to action off the COVID list, how much blame Mike McCarthy is getting around town for the team's recent swoon, how Ezekiel Elliott's injuries are taking a toll on his effectiveness as a runner, why he believes the Cowboys still have more than enough to win the NFC East, why on-field chemistry is just as important as health for this team, how offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has become Jerry Jones' new version of Jason Garrett, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a Thursday Night Football Dallas Cowboys-New Orleans Saints edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the big Phoenix Suns-Golden State Warriors showdown on Tuesday night. Phoenix put the game away late for their 17th consecutive win - and did so without Devin Booker for most of the game. Steph Curry had a rough shooting night for Golden State, but the bigger story was the way Deandre Ayton absolutely manhandled the Warriors front line. Even with the loss, Golden State still has a case for being the best team in the NBA, but their lack of size in the front court got exposed in a big way. If Ayton can have his way inside, what do you think guys like Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic and LeBron James are going to do in the playoffs? It's definitely something to monitor. Later, USA Today Sports national columnist Dan Wolken swings by to discuss how the College Football Playoff has changed the perception that anybody can win the national title, why Lincoln Riley left to USC rather than stick with Oklahoma in the SEC, why he believes Brian Kelly ultimately decided to leave Notre Dame for LSU, why he expects that the UCLA Bruins will be stuck with Chip Kelly for at least one more season, why it's hard to envision Urban Meyer moving back to college given all the added drama that seems to follow him, why he expects Georgia to put a hurting on Alabama in the SEC championship game, why Cincinnati still isn't a lock to make the College Football Playoff - even if they win their conference championship game and finish the regular season undefeated, who might be the next head coach at Notre Dame, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into Russell Wilson's future on the heels of the Seattle Seahawks' Monday Night Football loss to the Washington Football Team. This has been a lost season in Seattle, and all signs point to Wilson continuing his football career elsewhere in 2022. If we assume that none of the teams on his original 'list' are no longer ideal landing spots (New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears), then all eyes should turn to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos. Both teams have Super Bowl-ready rosters who just need a strong quarterback to push the club over the top. It's going to be fascinating to see how this one plays out. Later, Jason explains how Mel Tucker getting a ginormous contract extension from Michigan State actually played a role in Brian Kelly's decision to leave Notre Dame for LSU. If the wildly mediocre Tucker can get $95 million off the strength of one good season at MSU, it should come as no surprise then that Kelly was able to parlay a decade's worth of high-end football with the Fighting Irish into $15 million a year from LSU. College football is big business, and everyone is winning right now. Finally, Jason closes the show with a quick thought on Lincoln Riley's move to USC. Look, I know all of you Sooners fans are upset about his decision, but please stop calling Riley a 'traitor'. He did the exact same thing to Oklahoma that they did to the Big 12 - he just did it better. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the Green Bay Packers' victory over the Los Angeles Rams. The Packers have the look of the best team in football - and they have the resumé to prove it. Ever since Aaron Rodgers' offseason of discontent, Green Bay has been absolutely dominant. Every single team except Green Bay has gone through some sort of midseason malaise, and it’s all because of Rodgers. He has to be the MVP right now. In the losing locker room, it's hard to get a read on this team. The honeymoon is obviously over for Matthew Stafford; If he can't get his act together, the Rams' season will end in disappointment. Sticking in the NFC, how about those San Francisco 49ers? They were left for dead a few weeks ago, and now they're right back in the playoff hunt. Jimmy Garoppolo might not be a dead man walking in the Bay Area after all. Later, Jason does a deep dive into Lincoln's Riley's decision to leave the Oklahoma Sooners to take over as the new head coach at USC. The Sooners are headed to the SEC in a few years, and you have to imagine that played a big role in Riley's decision. Riley could be good in the SEC but he could be downright dominant in the Pac-12. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Seattle Seahawks-Washington Football Team Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick recap of all the Thanksgiving NFL action. The Detroit Lions embarrassed themselves in the early game against the Chicago Bears. Dan Campbell continues to underwhelm as a head coach and right now all signs point to Detroit finishing the season without a win (again). In the afternoon game, the Las Vegas Raiders beat the Dallas Cowboys in one of the sloppiest games we've seen in years. Forget Derek Carr and Dak Prescott; the officials were the stars in this one as the teams combined for 28 penalties. Aside from that, the Cowboys' over reliance on Ezekiel Elliott was puzzling. Backup running back Tony Pollard looked very explosive on Thursday but Dallas insisted on feeding Zeke down the stretch. That's definitely something to monitor as the season progresses. In the nightcap, the Buffalo Bills put a hurting on the New Orleans Saints - just as we told you they would earlier in the week. Cha-ching! Later, WynnBET Senior Trading Manager Alan Berg swings by for a lookahead to all of the rest of the NFL Week 12 slate for the sports wagering perspective. Finally, Jason uses all that dynamite information he got from Berg to close the show with the Weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' beatdown of the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is, in a word, terrible. It doesn't matter how many weapons the front office adds around him, he's never going to be a franchise quarterback... which makes it all the more baffling that J-Mac actually bet on New York to cover the spread against Tom Brady and the Bucs. In case you haven't figured it out by now, paralysis by analysis is a killer in the sports gambling world. Later, Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy swings by to promote his new book 'Wish it Lasted Forever' and discuss what it was like in the locker room and on the road with Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale back in the day, how the role of the NBA media has changed so dramatically over the years, why he believes it's so important to the fans that reporters have access to players, why he's never really minded Bill Belichick's gruff personality with the media, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with way-too-early look edition of the Thanksgiving NFL Best Bets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the wild Sunday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Justin Herbert looked like a man amongst boys leading the Chargers offense up and down the field, and the better team came away with the win (even if they almost gave it away there towards the end). Sticking in the AFC West, how about the suddenly surging Kansas City Chiefs? Patrick Mahomes and the offense still has some work to do, but that defense has been lights-out for the past month and carried them to another victory on Sunday against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. Who would’ve guessed at the start of the season that the Chiefs would turn into a defensive juggernaut? On the flip side, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills continue to confound anyone who had them as a Super Bowl team before the season; They are the epitome of a ‘2 steps forward, 1 step back football team’. If the Bills don’t get their act together, they may miss the postseason altogether. In the NFC, the Seahawks suddenly find themselves staring the down the barrel of a complete teardown in Seattle. Russell Wilson was already unhappy coming into the season, and you have to imagine things have only gotten worse given how poorly the team has played. Would the Seahawks really trade Wilson in an effort to re-build or the roster, or would they be better off dumping Pete Carroll and hoping that a new coach can convince Wilson to stick around? There are no easy answers here. By the way, shout out to Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor for vaulting himself into the MVP race. He has absolutely no chance to actually win the award given that there's no way any running back is more valuable than a quarterback (like say, Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers), but it is a hell of a run he's been on. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Monday Night Football Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Giants edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the New England Patriots suffocation of the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. The Patriots defense completely manhandled the Falcons offensive line, and now suddenly look like a legitimate threat in the AFC. But before you start booking those Super Bowl hotel reservations, Pats fans, let's see how they do against the Tennessee Titans and the Buffalo Bills the next few weeks. In the losing locker room, all eyes have to shift towards Matt Ryan and his uncertain future in Atlanta. The Falcons are in a precarious position in that they're not good enough to make the playoffs but they're also not bad enough to leapfrog the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans in the draft order. So, where do they go from here? All signs point to Matty Ice asking for a change of scenery this offseason a la Matthew Stafford, but will Atlanta let him walk without having an heir apparent waiting in the wings? More importantly, how many teams actually make sense for his services? He's played his entire career in a dome so it's hard to imagine him moving on to a cold-weather team like the Pittsburgh Steelers or Cleveland Browns, and it's highly unlikely Atlanta will let him leave to a division rival like the New Orleans Saints. Ryan's future should be one of the biggest stories of the offseason. Finally, Jason closes the show with a his weekly NFL and College Football weekend Best Bets. Trust us when we tell you that there are some gems in this one! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, ESPN NBA reporter and podcast host Brian Windhorst joins Jason for a lengthy NBA discussion. During the interview, Windhorst discusses how the NFL has taken over the early part of the NBA season, how the Golden State Warriors have come roaring back this season after a couple of down years, if the Minnesota Timberwolves' repeated front office missteps will be enough to push Karl-Anthony Towns out the door, why Giannis Antetokounmpo signing that max extension last offseason doesn't necessarily mean he'll stay with the Bucks for the duration of the deal, why it's so refreshing to see the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards playing so well early in the season, Zion Williamson's long and strange offseason, if the Los Angeles Lakers wish they had a do-over on the Russell Westbrook trade, and much more! Later, Jason closes the show with a very special Atlanta Falcons vs New England Patriots Thursday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on Steph Curry's virtuoso performance against the Kevin Durant and James Harden in Brooklyn. Curry was actually getting MVP chants in an opposing arena. Whether you like him or not, that man in special. Sticking in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo made some headlines this week when he said in an interview that leaving Milwaukee for a major market would have been the 'easy' thing to do and that staying in Milwaukee was the 'hard' thing to do. Wait, what? Does Giannis not remember the way that LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and James Harden were crucified by the media and fans for the way the left to greener pastures? More importantly, did he forget the amount of pressure each man faced to deliver a title? Nobody would have thought less of Giannis if he had stayed with the Bucks and never won, but they damn sure would have if he left and didn't deliver. Later, Pro Football Focus lead NFL analyst and podcast host Sam Monson swings by to discuss what makes teams like the 2021 Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens different than the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers that won the Super Bowl, why the Green Bay Packers probably have the best case for being the best team in football, why it feels like the Tennessee Titans are destined to come back down to earth pretty soon, why the Cleveland Browns are in a really weird spot with quarterback Baker Mayfield right now, why he thinks we could see another QB Carousel-like offseason, why he's not surprised to see Matthew Stafford struggling as of late, why he believes that Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are really 'back', and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason gets the party started with a deep dive into the San Francisco 49ers shocking beatdown of the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. The Rams have been drubbed in back-to-back primetime games so naturally most of the talking heads will spend the rest of Tuesday morning telling you how fraudulent they are, how Matthew Stafford has never been a great quarterback, how the 'fantasy football' additions of Von Miller an Odell Beckham Jr were a giant waste of time... and they'd all be wrong. The Rams are STILL one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Do you remember the November swoon that Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had last season? Yeah, things seemed to work out for them in the end. Even Producer Rob G, who maintains that the Rams' finesse style of play on both offense and defense could be a problem as we head into the postseason, still admits that Los Angeles is neck-and-neck with the best teams in the conference. Speaking of which, with the Rams losing two straight, the Bucs losing two straight, the Arizona Cardinals dropping two of three and the Dallas Cowboys getting blown out by the Denver Broncos a week ago, is it safe to say that the Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFC right now? The Packers have won 8 straight games with Aaron Rodgers under center, and they just might be the only team in all of football who plays truly complimentary football. Either way, with so many elite teams at the top, the NFC playoffs are shaping up to be a doozy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Kansas City Chiefs demolition of the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football. Patrick Mahomes threw for over 400 yards and 5 touchdowns in the blowout victory, so of course everybody wants to know: Are the Chiefs officially back? Producer Rob G argues that this game said a whole lot more about the ineptitude and poor game planning by the Raiders than anything, but it's hard not to come away impressed by Kansas City in this one. What's more, the schedule eases up in a big way so we could see the Chiefs end up with 11 or 12 wins when it's all said and done. Sticking in the AFC, it might be time for the Cleveland Browns to start canvassing the League for potential Baker Mayfield replacements in 2022. The Browns had their doors blown off them by Mac Jones and the New England Patriots on Sunday, and Mayfield's inability to convert on third down was a big reason why. So if you're Cleveland, and we assume that guys like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are out of the question, would it make sense to go after someone like Jimmy G? Derek Carr? Tua? One thing is clear at this point - Baker's stranglehold on the starting gig beyond this season is loosening by the minute. Later, the guys take a look at two other AFC teams who really let us down on Sunday - the Los Angeles Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. A few weeks ago, Jason called Justin Herbert the best young quarterback in the NFL. Since then they've lost 4 of 5. Ouch. And don't get us started on the Steelers. How the heck do you tie a game against the hapless Detroit Lions? Big Ben being down with COVID isn't a good excuse for a putrid performance like that from Mike Tomlin and the boys. Finally, Jason and Rob G go head-to-head in a very special Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on Cam Newton's return to the Carolina Panthers. Nobody is really expecting much of out Cam on the field this season, but it does make for a cool story. That's about it. The big news of the day, however, took place out West as free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr decided to sign with the Los Angeles Rams. OBJ arrives in Tinseltown with a lot of buzz, but the reality is that he hasn't been an impactful player on the field in years. Can we really expect him to suddenly turn back the clock and start producing like he did back with the New York Giants? More importantly, are we sure that Matthew Stafford is willing to put up with all the headache and histrionics that come along with OBJ? Willing to be the answer is 'no' on both counts. Later, Jason touches briefly on the Miami Dolphins' upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. If we've learned anything about the NFL the past few weeks it's that is it almost impossible to predict what's going to happen game to game. Entering Thursday, Lamar Jackson was in the running for league MVP and the Dolphins were one of the worst teams in all of football… so it’s only fitting that Miami turned in a dominant performance and made Jackson look wildly mediocre in primetime. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special NFL and college football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the latest scuttlebutt surrounding Odell Beckham Jr. According to multiple reports, OBJ would like his next team to be a Super Bowl contender with top-flight quarterback that will get him the ball. Of course he does. Beckham clearly still views himself as one of the elite wide receivers in the NFL, but does his production actually warrant these kind of demands? Moving over to the NBA, Jason has a few sources who seem to believe that Karl-Anthony Towns isn't too happy with the way things are going in Minnesota. The Timberwolves are bottom feeders in the Western Conference yet again, and as if that wasn't enough, Towns has been replaced by Anthony Edwards as the face of the franchise. If the T'wolves continue to flounder, don't be surprised to see KAT try to force his way out of town sooner rather than later. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Baltimore Ravens vs Miami Dolphins Thursday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Jason kicks things off by running through the list of potential landing sports for Odell Beckham Jr. The New England Patriots make zero sense. Anybody who thinks that OBJ could become Randy Moss 2.0 is fooling themselves. Moss’ Patriots were led by Tom Brady and a Super Bowl-caliber defense; these Patriots are led by rookie Matt Jones. Sticking in the NFL, it’s fitting that Aaron Rodgers returned to the Pat McAfee Show (again) for damage control stemming from his comments last week regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Rodgers didn’t want to be challenged so he went to his one friend in the media he knew wouldn’t push back. It’s a tale as old as time. Later, professional poker player and sports bettor David Baker swings by to discuss what it's like playing in the World Series of Poker and how it compares favorably to sports wagering survivor pools, why it's so important to ignore market manipulation and trust what you see when betting on games, why he's been higher than most on Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans all season long, why he thinks that Justin Herbert was anointed too and thus made the Los Angeles Chargers a tough team to fire on at times, why he likes the New England Patriots against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns this Sunday, why he believes this is a 'get right' week for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few words on the Pittsburgh Steelers' Monday Night Football victory over the Chicago Bears. Justin Fields looked pretty good against the tough Pittsburgh defense, but the biggest story to come out of the game had to be the shoddy officiating. Not only were they mostly bad throughout the night, but the refs called what may have been the worst 'taunting' foul in NFL history. If the League doesn't get this under control - and fast - they're going to start losing fans. Later, Producer Rob G joins the show to help make sense of the Damon Arnette saga and discuss the whirlwind week that was for the Las Vegas Raiders. With Arnette and Henry Ruggs released less than a week apart, the Raiders now have 4 players taken in the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft that are no longer with the team; it's not a stretch at all to call that 2020 Raiders group the worst draft class in NFL history. Shifting over to the NBA, the biggest story of the night had to be the squabble that took place between Nikola Jokic and Markieff Morris. Notice that we didn't use the word 'fight', though. Everybody knows that NBA players don't get into fights. Outside of Jimmy Butler and a handful of others, most professional basketball players are nothing but studio gangsters. It's part of what makes Butler so endearing; he is toughness personified. Finally, Jason and Rob G close the show with a mild debate on the Philadelphia 76ers' treatment of Ben Simmons. Have the Sixers done Simmons a disservice by continuously leaking information about his well-being to the media? Or, is Simmons actually the one in the wrong for almost weaponizing mental health? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a deep dive into the wildest NFL Sunday that we've seen in years. Four of the week's biggest favorites - Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints - all got beat outright. None of it made any sense. The Tennessee Titans rolled over Matthew Stafford and the Rams despite generating less than 200 yards of total offense, the Cowboys went scoreless for 3.5 quarters in Dak Prescott's return to action, and Josh Allen and the Bills couldn't score an touchdown against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. Give the way the season has shook out with, it's almost impossible to tell who the best team in the AFC is on a week-to-week basis. The Bills have hit a rough patch, the Chiefs are wildly mediocre, and neither the Ravens nor the Titans seem to pass the eye test. Interestingly enough, the biggest 'winners' on this crazy Sunday were two guys who didn't even play - Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. While the rest of the up-and-coming quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott) continue their roller coaster seasons, the two elder statesmen in the NFC just keep rolling along churning out good week after good week. What's more, both the Broncos and the Browns were able to put together arguably their best performances of the year after ridding themselves of two of their most prominent players: Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. Speaking of OBJ, rumor has it he's narrowed his preferred destination down to 3 teams... and none of them makes a ton of sense. Finally, the guys close the show with a very special Pittsburgh Steelers vs Chicago Bears Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the blowout loss suffered by his beloved New York Jets on Thursday Night Football to the Indianapolis Colts. It's one thing to get embarrassed on national television, it's something else to have the backup quarterback (Mike White) and the third stringer (Josh Johnson) move the ball down the field better than #2 overall pick Zach Wilson ever has. There's no good reason why the offense should look this much better with a couple of journeymen than The Mormon Mahomes. Staying in the AFC, All signs point to the Cleveland Browns releasing disgruntled wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr on Friday. Why on Earth would Cleveland agree to pay OBJ just to go away? That makes zero sense. Moreover, are we sure that there’s this robust market for Beckham once he hits free agency? Perhaps a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or the Green Bay Packers can take a flyer in hopes of reviving his career, but it’s impossible to know if he’s: 1) willing to take a backseat to a better wide receiver, and 2) still even capable of being a difference maker. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special NFL and college football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into Aaron Rodgers' positive COVID-19 test that shook up the NFL world on Wednesday. In less than an hour, members of the NFL media went from being disappointed that we would be deprived of a Rodgers-Patrick Mahomes showdown to angry when they found out that Rodgers was actually unvaccinated. Recall back in August that Rodgers famously said he was 'immunized' when asked if he was vaccinated and had operated at media press conferences as if he were as well. Now, did Rodgers let him teammates down and potentially cost the Packers home field advantage in the playoffs? Yes. But, did he actually lie to the media about his vaccine status? No. Rodgers didn't do anything different than most star athletes do when pressed by the media: Give them just enough to answer the question but almost never tell them the complete truth. Plus, former NFL Executive of the Year and NFL analyst Randy Mueller swings by to explain how the Miami Dolphins put themselves in a no-win situation with the way they handled Deshaun Watson and Tua Tagovailoa, how Mike White's brilliant debut impacts the New York Jets quarterback room, why the Las Vegas Raiders decided to immediately cut Henry Ruggs after his DUI manslaughter charge and what’s next for the club moving forward, how the NFL may handle Rodgers being publicly disingenuous about his vaccination status and how his absence will impact the team moving forward, why he believes there's a lot more to the Odell Beckham Jr story than we know right now, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Thursday Night Football New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off by giving the Atlanta Braves a verbal round of applause for winning their first World Series since 1995. I'm sure guys like Ron Gant, Greg Maddux and Fred McGriff are feeling mighty proud this morning. Later, Jason shares his thoughts on Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs being charged with felony DUI manslaughter. It's a sad story for everyone involved - especially the victim - but the Raiders had no choice but to release him following the incident. Finally, FOX Sports college football broadcaster Tim Brando swings by to explain why he thoroughly believes that the Cincinnati Bearcats will end up getting screwed by the College Football Playoff committee - whether they finish the regular season undefeated or not, why he thinks Oklahoma is only the third best team in the Big 12 and how Spencer Rattler went from Heisman Trophy frontrunner to backup quarterback in half a season, how he's handicapping the Heisman race and why he thinks this could be the most contentious vote we've seen in a while, why he believes that Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher should be the primary focus of LSU's coaching search, why he thinks Penn State's James Franklin makes a ton of sense for USC, what's gone wrong for Chip Kelly at UCLA, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few choice words for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs following their ugly Monday Night Football victory over the New York Giants. If it wasn't clear before it is now - the Chiefs stink. Their refusal to evolve and accept that NFL defense have caught up to what they like to do offensively will ultimately be their undoing. The confidence they used to play with has turned into arrogance, so it's no surprise that they get smacked by the good teams and struggle themselves to beat the bad ones. Later, Jason shares a quick thought on the Chicago Bulls' win over the Boston Celtics. Boston got outscored by 28 points in the fourth quarter before they got booed off the floor by their home fans - and that wasn't even the worst part. After the game, Marcus Smart called out stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for not passing the ball more. Maybe Kyrie Irving was right about Tatum and Brown all those years ago? More importantly, is this the beginning of the end for Tatum's time in Boston? Feels like something to monitor. Finally Jason goes deep on the blockbuster deal that saw All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Miller is no longer the Super Bowl MVP-caliber player we saw a few years back, but he doesn't have to be in Los Angeles. With Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd on the defensive line and Jalen Ramsey anchoring the secondary, Miller gets to function as arguably the greatest '4th option' in the NFL. This is a great deal for the Rams; We all know that the NFL Draft is a crapshoot, so giving up a 2nd and 3rd round pick for a player of Miller's caliber feels like money well spent. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on a wild Week 8 in the NFL where backup quarterbacks like Cooper Rush in Dallas and Mike White in New York ruled the day. Nothing went according to plan on Sunday; The upstart Cincinnati Bengals got knocked off by White and the Jets, the San Francisco 49ers offense came alive on the road against the Chicago Bears, and Justin Herbert looked more like a middle-of the road quarterback than the 'Next Big Thing' in the NFL - just to name a few. But the biggest surprise of all was Rush leading the Cowboys to a primetime victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Dallas showed the past few years that they can win games on the ground with Ezekiel Elliott, they showed earlier this year that they can win through the air with Dak Prescott, and last night they showed they can win with a backup quarterback and a stout defense. No matter how you slice it, the Dallas Cowboys are the best team in the NFL right now. Later, Jason tells us why he has a sneaking suspicion that the #2 ranked Cincinnati Bearcats are going to get left out of the College Football Playoff. Everyone expects Oklahoma and Ohio State to win out, and if Alabama upsets Georgia in the SEC Championship game, where does that leave Cincinnati? Exactly. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Giants Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the Green Bay Packers' thrilling Thursday Night Football victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The short-handed Packers had the game in-hand until the last two minutes. After a goal line stand, Kyler Murray marched his team down the field for the game-winning touchdown… only to throw one of the strangest interceptions you’ll ever see. If you haven’t seen the final play of the game yet, make sure you check it out. By the way, can we please give Aaron Rodgers his flowers now? He went on the road against an undefeated team without his top 3 wide receivers and his left tackle, and came out on top. If it wasn’t already clear by now, he’s one of the best to ever do it. Later, NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King swings by to discuss why he believes Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled a bit this season, why he believes the instability and inconsistency at the quarterback position is the main source behind Kyle Shanahan's coaching record, why he believes the Seattle Seahawks could get a King's Ransom for Russell Wilson if they decide to trade him in the offseason - even if they don't really want to part with him, why football fans should view Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals as a legitimate threat to make a deep playoff push in the AFC, how the Las Vegas Raiders have been able to right the ship even after the Jon Gruden debacle, why Deshaun Watson's decision not to initially settle his civil lawsuits could end up derailing (at least) 2 seasons of his NFL career, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with an NFL and college football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason opens things up with a quick thought on the Los Angeles Lakers' ugly loss to the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers led by 26 points in the first half but melted down in the second thanks in large part to the erratic play of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had another triple-double, but he also had 10 turnovers and was a team-worst minus-12 on the floor. Safe to say the Westbrook experiment isn't off to a great start. Later, former Heisman trophy winner and FOX Sports college football analyst Matt Leinart swings by to discuss why he’s so fascinated by the gambling lines in college football these days, what's going on with Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler and his looming decision about whether or not he should transfer, why he can't imagine Pete Carroll coming back to coach at USC, whether or not James Franklin could succeed if he does in fact get the USC gig after all, why its so important for USC to dominate the recruiting cycle in Southern California – even though he doesn’t fully embrace the idea of exposing kids to the world of college recruiting at such a young age, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Thursday Night Football (Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals) edition of the Best Bet! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the latest scuttlebutt surrounding Deshaun Watson. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Miami Dolphins have a deal in place to acquire Watson... assuming he agrees to settle all of his lawsuits and the NFL lets them know exactly how long he'll be suspended for embarrassing the shield. The whole thing is messy. On one hand, Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in all of football so he's well-worth whatever it takes to get him. On the other, with so much uncertainty surrounding his ability to actually get on the field with all of these allegations hanging over his head, the Dolphins would be crazy to make a trade right now. Even if the Dolphins and Texans have an agreement in principle, it's really hard to imagine a deal being consummated prior to the trade deadline next week. Finally, Jason closes the show with a verbal round of applause for Frank Vogel and the Los Angeles Lakers for getting a road win without LeBron James. Anthony Davis was fantastic but he did get banged up late. With the Lakers playing a back-to-back on Wednesday night, perhaps the best plan of attack is to rest AD and LeBron and let Russell Westbrook carry the load while the big guns are on the mend. Westbrook has a ton of flaws as a player, but one thing he can do is pick up regular season wins against the also-rans of the NBA. Perhaps it's time for the Lakers to 'Let Russ Cook'. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. It was a really ugly game, but there was one notable storyline that came out of it: Pete Carroll's days in Seattle are officially numbered. After the tumultuous offseason they just had with Russell Wilson, Carroll needed to win to save his job. That obviously ain't happening. So, if you're Carroll, why not a return to USC? It's where he's had his most success during his coaching career, and he'd be a much better fit than someone like Mike Tomlin. Sticking in the NFL, football fans across the country took a big 'L' when we found out that Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams had tested positive for COVID. Packers vs. Cardinals was set to be the 'Game of the Year' up to this point, but now the game will be without one of its biggest stars. But it gets worse - Can you guess which other Packers star that Adams refers to his one of his best friends on the team? Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This game has huge NFC Playoff implications, and it's shame that we're all going to be deprived of such a fantastic matchup. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Kansas City Chiefs' underwhelming first half of the NFL season. After getting their doors blown off in two of their last three games, the Chiefs suddenly look like they're in real danger of missing the playoffs altogether. The defense is a joke, and all the good turnover luck that Patrick Mahomes had last season has turned completely the opposition direction. Remember when we all thought that Mahomes was destined to become the greatest quarterback of all-time? Do you still feel that way today now that he's suddenly turned into a turnover machine? Sticking in the AFC, with Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins losing yet again, the drumbeat for Deshaun Watson grows louder and louder. Making matters worse for Tua, Watson reportedly only has eyes for Miami right now in any potential trade; Don't be surprised to see Watson wearing teal and orange very soon. In the NFC, all eyes are still on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they embarrassed the Chicago Bears during the primetime window. Brady is so good he's almost made greatness seem boring. For example, in a game where Brady threw his 600th career touchdown pass, the biggest storyline to come out of it was the negotiation that took place after Mike Evans accidentally gave the ball away to a fan. Moving over to the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers got their first win of the LeBron James-Russell Westbrook Era (even if the fit still feels a little clunky), but the biggest story to come out of the Association was the near-riot that took place in Brooklyn. A large group of anti-vaxxers showed up to protest in support of Kyrie Irving. However, a quick scan of the crowd all but confirmed that their protest had absolutely nothing to do with Kyrie; it was just another opportunity for the mob to cause a ruckus because their feelings got hurt. Finally, Jason closes the show with a New Orleans Saints vs Seattle Seahawks edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick recap of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Game 5 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers were able to stave off playoff elimination for at least one day, but the bigger story to come out of that game was that our fearless leader absolutely botched a chance to get a game ball from Albert Pujols. What a Rookie. Later, Producer Rob G joins the show for a lengthy conversation regarding Odell Beckham Jr. The Cleveland Browns beat the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, but OBJ was basically a non-factor yet again. When Beckham was with the New York Giants, he was on a career trajectory that would have placed him amongst the all-tie greats at his position. Since he's gotten to Cleveland, however, OBJ has had a mostly nondescript career. Given his off-field popularity, Beckham is still clearly a star, but is he actually good at football anymore? And if not, would a change of scenery be enough to unlock the potential we saw back in the Big Apple? The trade deadline is rapidly approaching so maybe we'll get our answer soon enough. Finally, Jason closes the show with his weekly NFL and college football weekend Best Bets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into reports that a Deshaun Watson trade to the Miami Dolphins could be imminent. The timing of this whole thing almost feels like the Texans are sending up a weather balloon to the NFL to try and see if a suspension is on the horizon. If so, that could seriously derail any trade talks. Assuming Watson does get deal to Miami, though, what does that mean for Tua Tagovailoa? Whether you think he has the potential to be a franchise-caliber quarterback or not, you have to admit he hasn't exactly been given a fair shake to prove himself the last two seasons. Later, Jason explains why the Los Angeles Lakers have to be feeling just a little bit of regret about deciding to trade for Russell Westbrook rather than Buddy Hield. Can you imagine what the Lakers offense could look like with the sharpshooting Hield flanking LeBron James and Anthony Davis? Scary. Speaking of scary, have you heard Jason explain why the annual Michigan vs. Michigan State football game has always sent chills up his spine? Let us be the first to say: Thank God for AAA. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a very quick thought on the Milwaukee Bucks' beatdown of the Brooklyn Nets on opening night. Giannis and the Bucks played with a certain level of swagger that you only get after winning a championship and they should be a force this season. In the nightcap, Russell Westbrook had a night to forget in the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Golden State Warriors. LeBron James and Anthony Davis looked as good as ever, but Westbrook's play reminded us all why so many doubted whether or not the trio could actually fit together on the floor. Russ was so bad offensively that you could actually hear Lakers fans groan anytime he took a shot. The reality is that LeBron and AD are good enough on their own to get the Lakers to the NBA Finals, but they won't win a ring unless Russ takes a step back. Later, Jason explains why he believes the Philadelphia 76ers are completely mismanaging the Ben Simmons situation. The longer they let his discontent permeate the locker room, the worse things are going to get. As much as Joel Embiid would like to focus on winning basketball games, the reality is that the media won't stop asking about Simmons' season of discontent until he actually gets traded. Recent history (Anthony Davis, James Harden, Jimmy Butler) tell us if a star wants out of town, he'll do anything in his power to ensure that it happens; Ben Simmons is no different. At this point, the question isn't if the Sixers will trade their disgruntled superstar, but when. Timberwolves? Trail Blazers? Spurs? Only time will tell. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the Tennessee Titan's improbable victory over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Facing a 4th-and-1 inside the five yard lines with only seconds left in the game, the Bills decided to go for it rather than kick a game-tying field goal. Josh Allen was stopped short and the Bills ultimately lost, but it was the right call. Every advanced stat says you go for it in that situation; Only coaches who are stuck in the stone age would settle for the field goal. What’s more, Buffalo is already the class of the AFC, and the decision to act aggressively is only going to help them later in the season. Later, professional sports bettor Preston Johnson swings by to discuss why disgruntled superstar Ben Simmons has to play during the regular so the Philadelphia 76ers can raise his trade value, why James Harden MVP and scoring champion prop bets have serious value, why he's buying stock on the new-look Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference, why he believes Luka Doncic has the potential to finish his career alongside Michael Jordan and LeBron James in the GOAT conversation, why it's so hard to envision the New Orleans Pelicans winning 40+ games without a healthy Zion Williamson for most of the season, why he's expecting a big regression to the mean for the Los Angeles Clippers' shooters, why the clunky roster construction around LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook almost ensures that the Los Angeles Lakers will finish under their projected regular season win total, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with his preseason NBA Finals, MVP and Rookie of the Year Best Bets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with an ode to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. After throwing a game-winning touchdown pass in overtime to beat the New England Patriots on the road, it's clear that Dak has elevated himself from 'game manager' to 'superstar'. The Cowboys are clearly the Beasts of the NFC East, but now that Dak has taken the leap, you could actually argue that they're a legitimate threat to make the Super Bowl coming out of the NFC. On the flip side, if Dak Prescott is playing the best football of his career, you can argue that Patrick Mahomes is playing the worst football of his. Producer Rob G argues that there was a case to be made as recently as last year that Mahomes was on track to become the greatest quarterback in NFL history. In the last 15 games, however, Mahomes has looked more like Brett Favre 2.0 with the way he keeps turning the football over. Sticking in the AFC, is it time to hit the panic button in Cleveland? Not only did the Browns get demolished by the still-undefeated Arizona Cardinals, but they may have also lost quarterback Baker Mayfield to a shoulder injury. With Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham Jr. and both of their starting tackles all dealing with various health issues, the Browns are desperate for someone to step up and steady the boat. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Buffalo Bills vs Tennessee Titans Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the Los Angeles Dodgers' thrilling Game 5 victory over the San Francisco Giants. Max Scherzer got the first save of his legendary career - albeit on a very controversial call - to push the Dodgers into the NLCS. Tough way to end one of the best divisional series in recent memory. Later, Jason recaps the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles got the backdoor cover, but this game was never really in doubt. Tom Brady and the Bucs were cruising for most of the game before they took their foot off the gas late. On the Philadelphia side, it's clear that Jalen Hurts isn't the long-term answer at the quarterback position. The Eagles should either tank the rest of the season for a high draft pick or make a move for Desahun Watson. Plus, Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill swings by to discuss his expectations on Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks this season after they made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, why the Milwaukee Bucks provide something of a blueprint for other teams and the importance of being patient, how difficult it must be for the Brooklyn Nets to navigate Kyrie Irving's vaccination soap opera, how the Player Empowerment Era has changed the landscape of the NBA, the work he's doing now to help minority-owned small businesses, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special NFL and college football weekend edition of the Best Bet Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason uses a handful of high-profile sports figures to make a bigger point about the importance of trust. Now the Ben Simmons has officially ended his holdout and reported back to the 76ers, should we trust him to actually play hard for Philly? Simmons never wanted to play for the Sixers to begin with, and now after an offseason of malcontent, we're just supposed to believe that his intentions are pure? Doubt it. Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are the top-ranked college football team in the country. But, if and when Georgia and Alabama meet in the SEC Championship game, can we really trust him to knock off his mentor Nick Saban? We'll see. Finally, now that Kyrie Irving has doubled-down on his plan to be a 'voice for the voiceless' and not get the COVID-19 vaccine, can we trust that he's reading the right information? Kyrie has been a contrarian without a cause for some time now, contradicting himself on more than one occasion, but we're supposed to trust him now? No thanks. Later, Jason closes the show with a very special Thursday Night Football Buccaneers-Eagles edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Brooklyn Nets' decision to keep Kyrie Irving away from the team as he refuses to adhere to vaccine mandate ordinances in New York. The Nets are trying to build a culture, and they decided they don’t want a part-time player. Kudos to Brooklyn for realizing that it's better to be without Kyrie altogether than to essentially force themselves to have 2 fundamentally different approaches to the season if they had kept him. What's more, Kyrie lost all credibility when he leaked to the media that his reason for not getting the jab was because he wanted to be the ‘voice for the voiceless’…. without ever actually putting his name on it. This man continues to confound. Later, NFL Network reporter and podcast host Aditi Kinkhabwala swings by to discuss how they both got started in the sports media world and how it has evolved over the years, why the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers should provide the blueprint for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, how the Steelers' refusal to address the offensive line has proven to be a massive mistake, why she likes the Buffalo Bills as the best team in the AFC right now, why Jon Gruden's e-mail leak is the probably just the tip of the iceberg and why she expects more details to come to light surrounding the Washington Football Team investigation, why most candidates can't be too choosy when it comes to head coaching vacancies, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Jason and Producer Rob G do a deep dive into the controversial e-mails sent out by Jon Gruden that ultimately led to him having to resign as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Unlike most sports stories, there isn’t a clear right or wrong in this scenario; there’s a ton of gray area and context that needs to be considered. On one hand, what Gruden said in those e-mails was highly inappropriate and extremely embarrassing for the NFL as it tries to preach a more inclusive atmosphere around the League. On the other, the e-mails were sent from his private accounts and only became public due to the League’s investigation into the Washington Football Team workplace scandal. Speaking of which, how is that of 650,000 e-mails that were turned over as part of the investigation, the only ones that got released came from Gruden? Is it possible that the NFL is trying to protect one of its owners – Daniel Snyder – and letting Gruden take the shrapnel instead? There’s something very suspicious about the whole ordeal. Moreover, how should we expect the Raiders to perform on the field now that their head coach and de facto general manager is out on the street? And, now that the Raiders gig is officially up for grabs, are we sure it's even more attractive than, say, the New York Giants head coaching job? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Buffalo Bills' beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. Josh Allen and the Bills are playing like the best team in football overt the past month, but the big story here is what's going on in Kansas City. The Chiefs defense has been leaky for awhile, but now they have a sloppy offense to go along with it; Kansas City is barely a top-5 team in the AFC right now. Later, Jason goes in on what was easily the game of the day between the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Browns seemed to have the game in-hand until head coach Kevin Stefanski decided to take the ball out of Baker Mayfield's hands altogether down the stretch. Is it fair to say that Mayfield doesn't have the trust of his head coach? On the flip side, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is playing like at worst the 2nd best quarterback in the NFL. If we were to handicap the MVP race right now, is there anyone you would take ahead of Herbert? Doubt it. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the Los Angeles Rams' Thursday Night Football victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson had to leave the game early with a finger injury, and if Russ is forced to sit out for any amount of time, the Seahawks' season is essentially over. Sticking in Seattle, is it officially time to declare the Jamal Adams trade a win for the New York Jets? Adams hasn't been able to cover for years, and now that he's no longer rushing the passer, he's just another guy in the defensive backfield. The Adams trade has been a total disaster for Seattle. Meanwhile, in the winning locker room, Matthew Stafford continues to put up big numbers in his first season in Los Angeles. Some detractors have pointed out that his actual on-field play hasn't always matched up with the gaudy stats, but do you know which other quarterback got off to an uneven start with his new team? Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. Just sayin'. Later, FanDuel Director of Trading John Sheeran swings by to discuss how and why FanDuel odds differ from other shops, why sharps are so high on the Arizona Cardinals heading into this week's showdown with the San Francisco 49ers, why the Urban Meyer soap opera doesn't really impact the line at all for the Jacksonville Jaguars, why he thinks Baker Mayfield is a very average quarterback - with or without the shoulder injury, why he actually wants bettors to beat him every now and then, how the public can actually find value betting on bad teams, who he likes in this Sunday's primetime matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with the football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the Los Angeles Dodgers' walk-off victory over the St Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card game and an explanation as to why he's deathly afraid of getting injured playing in adult rec sports leagues. Later, FanDuel and Bally Sports West sports analytics expert Edward Egros swings by to discuss why bullpen WAR is why he likes the Chicago White Sox to beat the Houston Astros in the MLB Postseason, which advanced stats he thinks matter most in the playoffs, why a weak Big 12 conference may be enough to keep a very underwhelming Oklahoma team in the College Football Playoff race, why Iowa is a decent bet this weekend against Penn State, how the sports betting market still hasn't caught up to Aaron Rodgers, why the 0-4 Jacksonville Jaguars are still in the mix to win the AFC South even with all of Urban Meyer's drama surrounding the team, which side he likes in this weekend's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Thursday Night Football Rams-Seahawks edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick note on the Boston Red Sox' Wild Card game victory over the New York Yankees. J-Mac grew up rooting for the Bronx Bombers so it wasn't exactly a fun-filled night in the McIntyre household. Later, Jason does a deep dive into the report that the Brooklyn Nets are unsure if they're willing to accommodate Kyrie Irving's status as a part-time player given that he still refuses to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine ordinances in New York. Would the Nets really consider moving on from Kyrie if he refuses to get the vaccine? More importantly, given that Kyrie seems content to miss half the season - and the entire NBA Playoffs - based on principle, are we sure that he even loves basketball? This is going to be a fascinating story to follow as we countdown to NBA Opening Night. In the NFL, Urban Meyer's days as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars appear numbered as the fallout stemming from his viral video has been worse than most of us could have ever expected. However, one thing that seems to work well in the sports gambling world is to 'fade the storylines'. For whatever reason, as soon as you count a team out in the NFL, they find ways to bounce back and surprise you. Don't be surprised if the Jags shock the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, just sayin'. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special homework assignment that could help us all make money betting on the NFL this Sunday afternoon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the Los Angeles Chargers' Monday Night Football victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Justin Herbert reminded us once again why he's arguably the 2nd greatest young quarterback in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes, and the Raiders showed us once again that they were never really as good as their 3-0 record coming in. The Chargers are going to be a force to be reckoned with this season; their week 5 showdown with the Cleveland Browns could be an AFC Championship game preview. Later, MLB Network and FOX Sports Radio MLB insider Jon Morosi swings by to discuss why neither the Boston Red Sox nor the New York Yankees should be feeling overly confident heading into their Wild Card showdown, why this Tampa Bay Rays teams is better now than their World Series team last year, why he doesn’t understand the oddsmakers’ reasoning for making the Los Angeles Dodgers, why the Dodgers-San Francisco Giants rivalry playing out in the postseason would be great for baseball, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the highly-anticipated showdown between Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots. As we predicted last week, this one absolutely did not live up to the hype. It was sloppy and uneventful for most of the night, save for a questionable field goal try by Belichick late that ultimately cost the Patriots the chance at a victory. Producer Rob G thinks Belichick’s ego may have gotten the best of him in the moment, but we’ll never know for sure. Later, Jason explains why Kyler Murray has to be considered the NFL MVP frontrunner at the quarter pole of the season after he powered the Arizona Cardinals to a shellacking of the Rams in Los Angeles. In fact, you could even argue that the Cardinals are the best team in football at the moment. Speaking of mobile quarterbacks, have you noticed that Lamar Jackson is suddenly winning games from the pocket? The Baltimore Ravens have won 3 in a row, and should be able to keep the momentum going in Week 5 against the Colts. On the flip side, Ben Roethlisberger and Jimmy Garoppolo both appear to be on their last legs in their respective towns. Big Ben is clearly washed, and Jimmy G is hurt again. The only positive you can take from this is at least the San Francisco 49ers have a succession plan in place. Finally, Jason closes the show with a special Chargers-Raiders Monday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off by taking Urban Meyer and the Jaguars to task following their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. After jumping out to an early lead and making a super aggressive decision to end the first half (which ultimately backfired), Meyer got tight at the end of the game and basically handed the victory to Joe Burrow and the Bengals. On the bright side, Trevor Lawrence looked exactly like you'd hope a #1 overall pick would; He just got outplayed by Burrow. No shame in that. Later, Producer Rob G joins the show to help Jason preview Sunday Night's showdown between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. While most of the sports media world continues to hype this game like it's the Super Bowl, the guys both agree it might barely crack the top 5 of the Sunday slate. Are we certain that Brady and Belichick are actually rivals? Are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots evenly matched squads? If your answer to both is no, then it's hard to justify all this hype. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special NFL and college football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on Jay Glazer's suggestion that the Miami Dolphins could be in on Deshaun Watson in a potential trade. That's not to say that any trade is imminent, but we all know that Glazer doesn't just float stuff out there without having inside information to back it up. Keep an eye out on this one. Later, professional sports bettor and podcast host Rufus Peabody swings by to explain how he got into sports wagering, why he take a purely analytical approach to gambling, why he's been banned from betting at certain shops, why he uses Massey-Peabody simulation software to help determine which NFL games and teams have the best value on any given week, why he thinks there's more value on the Las Vegas Raiders' futures right now than the Kansas City Chiefs', what makes the NFL tougher to win gambling on than some other sports, why he prefers not to target the 'lowest common denominator' gamblers, why he doesn't believe in selling picks, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a special Thursday Night Football Jaguars-Bengals edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, MGM Grand Director of Race and Sports Lamarr Mitchell joins Jason for an extended conversation in which he discusses the rise of female sports bettors during the pandemic, why the Kansas City Chiefs remain a popular bet for the public and why they still have the best odds to win the Super Bowl despite being 1-2 on the season, why he could see inflated lines on the Dallas Cowboys later in the season if they run through the bad NFC East as most expect, why it would be bad news for the sportsbooks if Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers repeat as Super Bowl champions, why the Pros and Joes are so heavily split on this weekend's showdown between Notre Dame and Cincinnati, why he believes bettors have just as good information as the oddsmakers these days, and much more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason get the party started by sharing his thoughts on the Dallas Cowboys' Monday Night demolition of the Philadelphia Eagles. In the immortal words of Dennis Green: "They are who we thought they were!" Both teams are, actually. We knew coming into the season that the Jalen Hurts-Nick Sirianni combo in Philadelphia was going to struggle. Similarly, with Dak Prescott back from injury, the Dallas Cowboys were so loaded offensively that we expected they'd be able to light up the scoreboard. With Washington's defense proving to be a mirage and the the New York Giants looking like a dumpster fire again, the Cowboys should cruise to an NFC East title. Later, Producer Rob G joins the show for a deep dive into Kyrie Irving and the NBA's 'anti-vax' problem. Kyrie is a highly influential individual who has been described as a 'contrarian without a cause' (shout out Howard Bryant), so it's not really all that surprising to see that he's refusing to get the COVID vaccine without giving a real reason why. Is Kyrie really willing to skip Brooklyn Nets home games just to prove point? More importantly, would Kevin Durant and James Harden be willing to stand alongside him? Only time will tell. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Green Bay Packers thrilling Sunday night victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Aaron Rodgers did what Rodgers does, but the real story to come of this game was the play of the much-maligned Jimmy Garoppolo. It's hard to kill Jimmy G considering he put the 49ers in position to win the game with :37 left, but it's also hard to praise him considering he was just okay most of the night. Jimmy G isn't going to make you great, but he's definitely good enough to win. The only question at this point is who he'll be playing for next year because it darn sure won't be San Francisco (Maybe Pittsburgh or Miami?). Sticking in the NFC West, Matthew Stafford has absolutely unlocked the Sean McVay offense for the Los Angeles Rams. Jason tried to tell you when the Stafford trade went down that it made the Rams the Super Bowl favorites, and after the way they handled Tom Brady and the Buccaneers on Sunday, it's hard not to feel the same way today. Not to be outdone, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers put the rest of the League on notice when they beat the Chiefs on Sunday. Herbert is arguably the most talented young quarterback in football outside of Patrick Mahomes, and he should be in the NFL MVP race this year and for years to come. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Monday Night Football (Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys) edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the Carolina Panthers' Thursday Night Football victory over the Houston Texans. Carolina got the win to move to 3-0, but lost superstar running back Christian McCaffrey to a hamstring injury in the process. With CMC down, Sam Darnold and the Panthers could see that perfect record evaporate pretty quickly. Later, Producer Rob G joins the show to help make sense of the wild Ben Simmons-for-Kyrie Irving rumor that hit the news cycle earlier this week. Jason is convinced that the idea was floated out by a competing network in hopes of juicing their ratings, but is it possible that it could have had something to do with Kyrie's reported aversion to the COVID-19 vaccine? Either way, it's highly unlikely that Kyrie get moved at all, but it is a situation that needs to be monitored. Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special NFL and College Football weekend edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on some of the key injuries facing several NFL quarterbacks, including Andy Dalton, Tua Tagovailoa, Ben Roethlisberger and Derek Carr. It's really hard to bet a side on any of these games when the backups are unproven (Dalton & Tua), much less when we still don't know whether or not these guys will play (Ben & Carr). Later, former NFL general manager and VSiN host Michael Lombardi swings by to discuss how he came to work in the sports gambling space even though he doesn’t actually gamble, why the Houston Texans are a better team than most people give them credit for, why he expects the tough Denver Broncos defense to give the New York Jets offense a hard time, why he believes Tua Tagovailoa may be the worst quarterback in the AFC East, why Mac Jones is the best rookie quarterback in the NFL who only fell in the Draft because he doesn't really look the part, why he'd have a hard time trading for Deshaun Watson right now if he ran a team, why the Jimmy G-Trey Lance situation in San Francisco could be a win-win for the 49ers, and much more! Finally, Jason closes the show with a very special Thursday Night Football edition of the Best Bet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.