00:00All right, now it's our chance to talk football.
00:03We got Ross Tucker. He joins us.
00:05Insider Calls presented by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
00:08Nationwide is on your side.
00:10Ross, good morning.
00:12Morning, guys. How are you?
00:13We're doing all right.
00:15I want to jump right into the Sam Laporta audio.
00:19When you heard what he had to say about contract negotiations
00:23and about whether or not he really cares about being a Detroit Lion,
00:27what was your initial reaction?
00:32I totally understand his frustration.
00:35I think any player can appreciate that when they had a serious injury,
00:41when they played as well as he has,
00:44been as productive as he has for as long as he has.
00:47I am a little surprised that he voiced it publicly
00:52and in particular voiced it publicly like that during the season.
00:56That doesn't seem to happen that often.
00:59where a guy voices his displeasure like that during the season.
01:04And I guess I'd also say, I don't know.
01:07You know, you can look at it and say, I understand his frustration
01:11because they've paid, you know, Penny Sewell.
01:14They've paid Gibbs.
01:16You know, they've paid these other guys, Amin Ra, and they haven't paid him.
01:21The flip side would be they've shown a track record of paying guys.
01:26You know, like, I mean, if they think you're a core guy, they're going to pay you.
01:31They're going to try to keep you around.
01:32So, I'm a little bit surprised this point of the season that he would choose to say that
01:40just because they've got a really big game coming up.
01:43You know, they kind of got it rolling a little bit offensively.
01:49You know, obviously, the question he was asked, he was in a relaxed atmosphere,
01:54and I think it hit a nerve.
01:57But it feels rare to have guys be that outspoken about a contract issue during the season.
02:05It feels like that's more of like an off-season thing.
02:07Yeah.
02:08Now, you kind of touched on it there.
02:10Is he a core piece?
02:13I think he is.
02:15Yeah, I think he is.
02:17I mean, if you asked Jared Goff, I'm quite sure Jared Goff would say that he is.
02:24And you guys have to tell me, I don't sit here and follow the contract situations of every guy in
02:32the league.
02:32But, I mean, they've been talking about a contract.
02:36They've offered him deals, right?
02:37They just haven't agreed?
02:39Yes, that's what it appears.
02:41And I want to add one more context because Sam Laporta missed the end of last season because of a
02:48back injury,
02:49one that did require surgery.
02:51How much of a wrench does that throw into how a team feels or could feel,
02:57not knowing what the exact medicals are, but it's a back, it required surgery,
03:02and it's kind of a – the backs can be a funny thing.
03:07No question, John.
03:08I had a back surgery after my best season in the NFL, and I was never quite the same guy.
03:17I stuck around for a couple more years, but never actually started another regular season game.
03:24So, that was the part of what he said where I totally understand his frustration.
03:31Like, he just had this bad back injury, back surgery, and feels like he's back and he's playing well
03:38and the team should reward him.
03:40And, you know, that kind of showed him his football mortality.
03:43From the team standpoint, they sure as heck weren't going to give him some huge offer in the offseason.
03:50I think they wanted to make sure that he came back from it healthy and was playing really well.
03:57I don't think they want to lose him.
03:59I have no idea what they've offered him.
04:02My guess is they recognize his value.
04:05They want to try to keep him around.
04:08It sounded like there have been some offers.
04:11It's not like they don't like him.
04:12The offers just haven't been where he wants them to be, but I'm sure they're still working on it.
04:19So, listen, this is life.
04:23It's very understandable for Sam to have these frustrations,
04:27and it's very understandable for the Lions five games in after a guy's coming back from back surgery
04:36to not just, you know, break him off and make him the highest pay tight end in the league
04:41or whatever he wants.
04:42I've got Packer questions.
04:44Do you want to go any more on LaPorta?
04:45No, no.
04:45Okay, we've got four hours.
04:46We've been talking a lot about Sam, but you mentioned this is ahead of really big football games for the
04:51Lions.
04:52Packers and then Minnesota, a couple home games in division.
04:54Let's start with this week, Green Bay.
04:56How do the Lions match up?
05:00Well, so, Green Bay is fascinating to me because they've kind of changed their defense.
05:07You know, Jonathan Gannon, when he was in Philly, he didn't really pressure that much
05:11because the D-line was so good.
05:13In Arizona, he had to.
05:15They don't have Micah Parsons right now.
05:18So, he's bringing a lot of pressure.
05:21It's been pretty successful.
05:23But Jared Goff is usually pretty good against the Blitz.
05:27So, I'm wondering whether or not Gannon is really going to try to heat up Goff
05:33or if he really thinks that that's going to work out that well.
05:37And then on the other side, you know, they're getting Josh Jacobs back.
05:42Jordan loves playing at a really high level.
05:44It does not seem like a great matchup for what we've seen thus far from the Lions defense.
05:52It really does feel, we say this probably every week, but it really does feel like Hutchinson
05:57and McNeil on the D-line, they have got to win that matchup.
06:02The Packers' offensive line is not their strength.
06:06Their receivers and love are.
06:09So, if the Lions defense is going to slow them down, it's going to be their D-line
06:13winning the matchup up front against the Packers' offensive line consistently.
06:19I am curious, Josh Jacobs coming back, obviously he'll be an upgrade for him,
06:22but hasn't been able to beat around the team, hasn't been at practice,
06:26and now all of a sudden you throw him into a game.
06:28How impactful do you think he'll be?
06:31How long is the ramp-up before he is what the Packers need him to be?
06:38Well, I mean, the good news for him is it's the same system.
06:42And the other good news is it's not like he was hurt.
06:45You know, he was on the commissioner's exempt list.
06:48So, he's probably in great shape, incredibly fresh.
06:53You know, hasn't been hit by anybody.
06:57So, you know how that is, John.
06:58He'll come out and practice this week.
07:01He'll look like he's got a burst.
07:03Everybody will be calling him fresh leg that he's flying around the practice field.
07:07And it's the same offensive system.
07:09So, I'm not saying they're going to give him the ball 30 times,
07:12but I think LaFleur is going to use him.
07:15I think they've been missing him.
07:16I think LaFleur is throwing his back.
07:18And I don't, I mean, I'm sure he'll be on some type of pitch count,
07:23but I don't think it's going to be that much of a pitch count.
07:26Ross, what do you think of Jordan Love, like where he is among NFL quarterbacks?
07:30Where would you slot him?
07:32Boy, that's such a good question because earlier in the year, you know,
07:37he wasn't playing as well and people were being critical of him.
07:41These last couple games, he has played at a really, really high level.
07:46He's certainly top 10, and I think the way he's played these last couple games,
07:52he's about saying he's a top five quarterback,
07:55but he has played like a top five quarterback,
07:58which is really remarkable because you think about that division.
08:04I don't even know if you guys know this, but I'm in Chicago right now.
08:07I'm doing Patriots-Bears tonight for Westwood One.
08:11And then on Sunday, I'll be in Minnesota.
08:13I got Colts-Vikings for CBS.
08:16So no Lions games yet, but I've got you guys surrounded.
08:20I've got the NFC North surrounded this weekend.
08:24And the funny thing is, is the undefeated team, the Vikings,
08:29they have the worst quarterback play.
08:31You know, I mean, Caleb Williams, we saw what he did.
08:35We know what Jared's done.
08:36We know what Jordan Love's done.
08:37And it's kind of fascinating that the undefeated team,
08:41the team at the top, is the team that's gotten the least from their offense
08:45and the least from the quarterback position.
08:48I guess we'll continue to see.
08:50They're coming off a bye now.
08:51The Vikings are getting a lot healthier with, you know,
08:54Hawkinson and Addison and Jordan Mason.
08:57And maybe Kyler Murray and his offense start to click.
09:01All right, so I want to ask you a couple of divisions in the NFC.
09:04Let's start with the NFC North, since you've got us surrounded.
09:06Give us your power rankings of Minnesota, Green Bay, Chicago, and Detroit.
09:13Well, you've got to put Minnesota first.
09:15I mean, they haven't lost.
09:17They found a way to win these games.
09:19I don't think they're going to get worse offensively.
09:22You know, I think that, especially with coming off the bye,
09:26Kyler getting more comfortable and missed that game with a concussion.
09:29So I would put Minnesota one.
09:33Oh, man, I'm doing this on Detroit radio.
09:36Be honest.
09:38It's okay.
09:39No, you know what?
09:40I'd probably say right now, Green Bay and Chicago are right there,
09:46neck and neck for two.
09:48And Detroit's last, man, Detroit's got to be the best, worst team in the division,
09:56the best last place team.
09:58And we know the deal, right?
10:00If the Lions can just continue to get competitive on the defensive side of the ball,
10:07they will be right there.
10:08And that is going to be an absolute battle.
10:12I mean, there's a very real chance every team has 10 wins,
10:16which is just so hard to do when you all play against each other twice.
10:20Right, and there may be three from this division that gets in,
10:23because then I'm going to ask you about the NFC East,
10:25the division that you and I both played in.
10:27Who makes it out of the NFC East with the Giants currently in first place,
10:32going with J.J. McCarthy moving forward?
10:37Man, I have no idea.
10:39I mean, if I had to pick, I would say the Cowboys.
10:41Because everybody else, you know, Eagles lost Hurts, Giants lost Dart,
10:47the Commanders, I don't even know what they're doing.
10:49They're like in shambles with the way they have played.
10:53It should be the Cowboys, but they're not stepping up and taking it.
10:59If I had to pick, I'd say the Cowboys.
11:02But really, ultimately, the winner of Monday night's game,
11:05I mean, Monday night, Eagles-Cowboys,
11:06I think the winner of that game probably ends up winning a division
11:10over the course of the year.
11:12It's fascinating, too, because the Eagles the next three weeks
11:15play the Cowboys, Commanders, Giants.
11:18Three division games, and then you have the trade deadline.
11:22If they win those three, then they've got, you know,
11:27the inside track to win the NFC East.
11:30They might even add some guys.
11:32If they lose those three games, they're 2-7,
11:35then the Eagles might, for the first time I can remember in a long time,
11:39actually trade some guys off and start to look at 27 and 28.
11:44So for every team, but in particular, some of these teams,
11:49like in the NFC East, these next three weeks are the difference.
11:52I will say it's really cool that they pushed the trade deadline back.
11:56It used to be next week, and teams really didn't know.
12:00The more you push it back, the more activity there should be,
12:04because the more clarity there should be for these teams.
12:07He's Ross Tucker, NFL insider, presented by Nationwide
12:10for your insurance and financial needs.
12:12Nationwide is on your side.
12:13Ross mentioned on Sunday, we get that game, the CBS early game,
12:17leading into the Lions and Packers at 4 o'clock.
12:20Get you out of here with this.
12:21You've angered everybody putting us in last place.
12:24Are you at least picking us to win the game this week?
12:26I am.
12:27I am picking the Lions to win the game.
12:30Yeah, I think this is just the way the NFL works, right?
12:33Packers coming off a couple of nice wins, impressive wins.
12:38Everybody's high on the Packers.
12:39Feels like it's time for the Packers to kind of be knocked back down
12:44aside a little bit.
12:46I mean, that's a tough game.
12:47You're going against a team coming off a bye.
12:51You know, you've got to go to Detroit.
12:53Ford Field is going to be rocking.
12:55I do like the Lions to win that game.
12:57He's Ross Tucker.
12:58Thanks, Ross.
12:59Nice recovery.
13:00All right, see you guys.
13:0297-1.
