00:00I think the Cleveland-New England matchup is fascinating, because now that we already
00:05know Deshaun Watson's getting set up to fail by Coach Todd Munkin there, make no mistake
00:11about it, the big question is, OK, is it Shador?
00:15Is it Dylan Gabriel?
00:17There is going to be a battle for the backup spot, who eventually could be the starter
00:23for Cleveland.
00:24And listen, Tommy DeVito has played very well behind Drake May and the Patriots, and he
00:31is battling to make this roster.
00:33He's battling to make the backup spot here for Drake May in New England, which would be
00:38huge.
00:38So something tells me the quarterback play is going to be front and center with New England
00:44and the Browns here tonight.
00:45And if I'm the Browns, like, I don't want to hear about Deshaun Watson.
00:50Like, I need to score some points.
00:52I need to play some football.
00:53I need to get something positive going on here tonight versus New England.
00:58So it sure does feel to me that a month ago, we looked at the season and we said, and
01:06it
01:06was very easy to identify the two worst teams in the NFL.
01:09And those were Miami and Arizona.
01:12It sure felt like that.
01:14And as the preseason has gone on and as these joint practices have gone on, it sure feels
01:19like Cleveland is asking, can we come into this mix here?
01:22Like, can we throw our hat in the ring to be the worst team in the NFL?
01:27Because there's no way, Joe, that they make this move without actively, to me, trying to
01:33tank.
01:33I mean, Deshaun Watson, to me, is awful.
01:36He looked awful in the games that he played.
01:38I think Jacksonville's defense in week one of the NFL is probably going to score.
01:43Like, I think that's the best scoring chance, I think, in the NFL out of the gate.
01:48I was shocked that they made this move and they didn't even have to say anything, Joe.
01:53Now, why did they even have to say something going into this?
01:55I'm not sure.
01:57Yeah.
01:57Cleveland is going to be very bad.
01:59And maybe look, that's the idea.
02:00Look, some teams in the NFL, Miami, Arizona and Cleveland all know they're not going to
02:05win.
02:06So why would you try to win eight games with Shor Sanders or Dylan Gabriel?
02:10We may as well make Watson earn some of the money that he made, get destroyed.
02:15But hey, we're paying the guy to get destroyed.
02:18You got to just take it and eat it.
02:19I think that's going on there.
02:21I got nothing else besides that.
02:22So for me, yes, that's part of the equation tonight.
02:25I think the other one tonight, too, is the way that DJ Ungleli has played for the Chargers.
02:31Has he all of a sudden maybe become the backup to Herbert?
02:34If I'm not mistaken, Herbert is the only starting quarterback that's going to play tonight.
02:39Jim Harbaugh said that he will play.
02:41And then behind him, it's Trey Lance, who I thought was the backup.
02:44But it could be him and it could be Ungleli.
02:47Yeah.
02:48And that's a battle, too.
02:49I mean, Trey Lance, going to be interesting now.
02:52Second year in the system.
02:54We're going to see what he can get done.
02:58And if you're Vegas, right, what are you doing here?
03:01You know, the more reps, the better.
03:04Because if you are going with Kirk Cousins as your starting quarterback, well, then you got to give this kid
03:10as many reps as Mendoza, as many reps as possible.
03:12Right, Greg?
03:13I mean, there's no reason not to play him unless he's the starting quarterback game one.
03:20Yeah.
03:20I mean, look, the Raiders had the injury to Gentee, so they got to be a little bit careful.
03:23You know, when that happens, it doesn't affect the quarterback, but it kind of does a little bit, Joe.
03:27It's like when you lose a player in camp, you know, it opens you up to some scrutiny to say,
03:33hey, you already knew that Gentee was out and now you're playing all your guys.
03:36I think the Raiders are going to be really careful tonight.
03:39I don't like them tonight in this preseason game.
03:41I think they're going to sleepwalk through it.
03:43The other thing that I do want to mention here, and look, part of it I definitely think is because
03:48I'm involved so heavily more in baseball this year broadcasting games.
03:52But I do feel that this is, if not the worst, it is the most anonymous NFL preseason that we've
03:58ever had, Joe, in our lifetimes.
03:59Like, I don't ever remember a time where no one has cared, no one is watching, very little discussion, very
04:07little highlights being posted on social media, almost nothing from the games.
04:12I see a lot from these joint practices that are going on, people talking about it and who's dominating.
04:16But these actual, you know, NFL preseason games, Joe, I mean, this is the worst, I think, of all in
04:24our lives.
04:25There was always like one game or two that was fun.
04:27We didn't get any of that as we wrap up here in week three.
04:31Yeah, no, well, I'll tell you what we have gotten is we've gotten a Bills going scorched earth from day
04:38one in this preseason.
04:40They have steamrolled everybody that they have played.
04:44They dismantled the Panthers 29 to 14.
04:46They blew out the Browns 31 to 7.
04:49No Josh Allen tonight, but I guarantee you they are not taking the foot off the gas in this game
04:55here tonight against the Steelers.
04:56But you know what? Who's backing up your 42-year-old quarterback, Pittsburgh?
05:01We still have to figure that one out, and that is going to be on display tonight.
