NFL Week 2: The Rise of the Raiders
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
39 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 22, 2026
Published
Tue, September 22, 2026
25
Player insights
23
Players mentioned
Topics
Fernando MendozaKirk CousinsBo NixBrock BowersBryce YoungCaleb WilliamsDarren WallerDrake MayeEmmett JohnsonIsiah PachecoJ.J. McCarthyJalen CokerJameis WinstonJayden Daniels
Player analysis
Player insights
Bo Nix
PositiveProjection12:08
Nix bounced back after an earlier rough stretch, showing improvement and resilience in the 2024 QB class.
Insight pageBrock Bowers
PositiveProjection24:00
The Raiders have been winning without arguably their best player Brock Bowers, who is dealing with an injury; offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak indicated Bowers has a good chance to return this week but the team is being cautious to ensure he's fully healthy. When Bowers returns—whether this week or next—the offense will improve significantly and aid Kirk Cousins, making the Raiders an even more formidable team than they've been through two weeks.
Insight pageBryce Young
PositiveProjection28:28
Bryce Young has been one of the best quarterbacks in the game through two weeks, with the Panthers offense looking dangerous under new offensive coordinator Brad Idzik's play-calling. Young is making it go with weapons like Truba Hubbard in the backfield and receivers Tett McMillan and Jalen Coker on the outside; the source notes he's been wildly impressive and worthy of compliments after a difficult start to his career marked by constant coaching changes.
Insight pageCaleb Williams
NegativeInjury11:08
Williams is banged up and week-to-week; he will not practice this week and is unlikely to play Monday, though an improbable comeback is possible; the injury is not an Achilles, and he is not expected to miss the entire season, but the timing is unfortunate for the Bears.
Insight pageDarren Waller
PositiveRole31:42
Darren Waller is serving as a safety blanket for Bryce Young in Carolina; he's part of the Panthers' resurgent offense and represents one of several resurgent tight ends making comebacks this season.
Insight pageDrake Maye
NegativeProjection11:44
Maye has had a bumpy start and hasn't looked right; he hasn't looked like the number two MVP candidate he was last year, though the source notes he had a similar bumpy start last year before finding his groove midway through the season and played two really tough defenses to start this year.
Insight pageEmmett Johnson
PositiveUsage17:24
Johnson runs hard and is shifty; the Chiefs plan to get him more involved going forward to take some of the load away from Kenneth Walker and ensure long-term production of both running backs over the course of the season.
Insight pageFernando Mendoza
NegativeRole22:00
Mendoza, the Raiders' number one overall pick, is getting more time on the bench as Kirk Cousins wins games; this is good for the long run because the Raiders don't have to rush him along or subject him to NFL defenses before they feel he's been prepped properly, avoiding the risk of ruining him early like other quarterbacks have been ruined by entering the league before they were ready.
Insight pagePositiveRole22:32
The Raiders' number one overall pick is getting valuable bench time as Kirk Cousins' wins keep him sidelined; this allows Mendoza to develop without being rushed into NFL defenses before the organization feels he's ready, avoiding the fate of other quarterbacks ruined by premature entry into the league.
Insight pageIsiah Pacheco
NegativeUsage17:24
Pacheco is being used heavily and featured heavily in the first two weeks; the Chiefs want to get Emmitt Johnson more involved to take some of the load away from Pacheco for long-term production of both players over the course of the season.
Insight pageJ.J. McCarthy
NegativeRole12:08
McCarthy is on the bench in Minnesota as the number two or three quarterback, depending on the week, representing a significant fall from preseason expectations for the 2024 QB class.
Insight pageJalen Coker
PositiveRole30:00
Jalen Coker is getting it done on the outside for the Panthers as part of Bryce Young's impressive offensive weapons; he's contributing to the Panthers' dangerous offensive attack through two weeks.
Insight pageJameis Winston
NegativeRole8:06
Winston was thrust into action unexpectedly against the Rams and looked terrible; he appeared uncomfortable, not ready, and in shock at having to enter the game early, though the source hopes he will perform better against the Titans.
Insight pageJayden Daniels
NegativeInjury11:32
Daniels suffered a hyperextended and dislocated left elbow, the same injury he battled last year; he could wind up on injured reserve, and this injury was a preseason concern given his perceived frailty, raising questions about his durability.
Insight pageJonathon Brooks
NegativeInjury29:54
Jonathan Brooks has a groin injury and will miss some time, opening opportunities for other Panthers running backs in the backfield alongside Truba Hubbard.
Insight pageKenneth Walker III
PositiveBreakout17:00
Walker looks better than anybody could have imagined and is running his way into the offensive player of the year conversation; he has changed the Chiefs offense and is the first elite running back Patrick Mahomes has had in Kansas City; he has broken an approaching NFL record number of tackles over the first two weeks.
Insight pageKirk Cousins
PositiveProjection22:00
Cousins wasn't good enough in Atlanta but is more than adequate in Las Vegas; he is playing well and is a veteran quarterback who is a steadying presence; every time he wins, he buys himself more time and buys the Raiders' number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza more time on the bench, which is good for the long run.
Insight pagePositiveProjection22:32
Kirk Cousins has been more than adequate in Las Vegas after struggling in Atlanta; with time to throw in Clint Kubiak's offense and an improved offensive line anchored by center Tyler Linderbaum, Cousins is a very capable, very good quarterback. Every win he records buys more time on the bench for number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza, allowing the Raiders to develop him without rushing him into NFL defenses before he's ready.
Insight pageMichael Penix Jr.
NegativeInjury11:56
Penix is returning from a significant knee injury and will play Thursday night in Green Bay; this is described as his last chance in Atlanta—if he doesn't prove himself this year, he will not be the Falcons' starting quarterback and may be relegated to bouncing between teams as a backup.
Insight pagePatrick Mahomes
PositiveProjection18:00
Mahomes is 8-0 in overtime in the regular season and has the best record of any quarterback in history in overtime games; he has clutch through his genes and blood; he looks amazing coming off an ACL-LCL injury nine-plus months later; with a running game, wide receivers, and his clutch gene, the Chiefs look like the real deal and are expected to be back in the postseason and one of the favorites, with the source not being surprised if they are the number one seed or in the AFC Championship or Super Bowl.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeInjury5:42
Nacua did not play in the Rams' Week 2 win over the Giants; there is a possibility he could return for Week 3.
Insight pageRashee Rice
NegativeRole17:30
Rice is still loved by the Chiefs organization; while the wide receivers are not making huge threats, the Chiefs still think Rice and guys like Tyquan Thornton can make plays.
Insight pageTravis Kelce
PositiveProjection17:00
Kelce looks like the Travis Kelce from four years ago—faster in the open field and more elusive; marriage appears to agree with him; he is part of the Chiefs' three-headed monster with Mahomes and Kenneth Walker that makes them look like the real deal.
Insight pageTyquan Thornton
NegativeRole17:30
Thornton is expected to be able to make plays for the Chiefs, though the wide receivers are not making huge threats overall.
Insight pageZach Ertz
PositiveProjection35:15
Zach Ertz has signed to the Eagles practice squad and will be elevated for Monday night against the Chicago Bears after Dallas Goddard was banged up and will miss time. Ertz needs 11 more catches to break Harold Carmichael's Eagles all-time reception record; the source believes he can reach that milestone during his stint while Goddard recovers, potentially going down in franchise history. Jalen Hurts likes throwing to tight ends, making this a realistic goal.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call
0:07an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required.
0:14And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast.
0:20Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A.
0:26member FDIC terms and conditions apply NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play.
0:32Welcome back to the Adam Schefter Podcast as we head out of Week 2 and straight into Week 3 with no shortage of storylines.
0:40Certain weeks bring more developments than others. And Week 2 certainly feels like one of those weeks where there were an awful
0:47lot of developments that we will get to today on the podcast with my friend, my colleague, the co-host of The Pat
0:55McAfee Show, Ty Schmidt for this week's Six Pack.
0:58Which is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Try it free at ZipRecruiter.com slash Adam.
1:02Meet your match on ZipRecruiter. Ty Schmidt, the Six Pack.
1:06Thank you very much, Shefty. Good to be with you as always.
1:10Listen, we always overreact after Week 1. You think you have everything figured out.
1:15Oh, these teams are going to be good this year.
1:18These teams are going to stink this year. And as always, it seems like everything we thought we knew, save for maybe
1:25a couple of teams or situations, everything changed. Once again, it's why the NFL is the absolute best.
1:32And I'm excited to get into a Week 2 wrap up knowing that Week 3 might completely change our opinion on everybody once again.
1:40Again, it always does. It's that way every week.
1:43It's a new week. The tables reset. It looks different every week.
1:47And it looks different this week, Ty. Yep, without a doubt.
1:51I tell myself this all the time. We talk about it all the time.
1:55And I still perpetually forget it. Any team can beat any team in this league.
2:00The differences between the really bad teams and the really good teams are never as staggering as you think they are.
2:07All these teams are loaded with NFL players. And it's just, it served you right to remember that when you're going into
2:15each week and you're looking at some of these crazy spreads or how a team performed last week.
2:21And you're thinking, there's no way in hell this team can compete this week.
2:26And then they ultimately go out and they win on Sunday.
2:30See my survivor pick on Sunday, the Buccaneers. Me and my brother-in-laws, we enter two survivor picks each, six of us, six picks between the three of us.
2:39We each get two. I was so confident in the Buccaneers that I doubled down and went double Buccaneers and I'm double wiped out from my survivor pool.
2:49Thank you very much, Tampa. Like, in what universe were the Buccaneers going to lose their home opener to the Browns?
2:56Yeah. And you know what? That game with that super long rain delay, like that was weird.
3:01That was almost like a bizarro world. Same year we're talking about the Ravens, you know, and the Saints are, it's not
3:09like the Saints are bad, but after week one, you're thinking, boy, are the Ravens the best team in the NFL?
3:16They lose their home opener. So it just, it's one of those things where literally any team can win any week.
3:23And that is why the NFL is the best with that in mind, Shepty, let's get into the six pack and topic number one.
3:31Boy, what a nightmare night on Monday night football for the New York Giants.
3:36Seems like every single one of their key players, Jackson Dart, Malik Neighbors, although he came back, Andrew Thomas, Brian Burns.
3:43They lose all those guys. And you're talking about coming off a week where giant, the Giants themselves, Giants fans are maybe
3:51feeling as good about their team as they have in a long, long time.
3:55And all that's kind of put on pause. And then on the flip side, you have the return of Aaron Donald and
4:03the Rams looking like the team we kind of thought they would be all off season.
4:08So what is your kind of big takeaway on everything from Monday night football?
4:13My takeaway of Monday night football is that is the perfect representation of what we were just talking about, of it being a week to week leak.
4:22Were there two teams that experience two more diametrically opposed feelings in back to back weeks than the Rams and Giants?
4:29The Rams go to Australia, get their ass kicked by the 49ers.
4:33Everybody's wondering if they're the team that we thought Miles Garrett goes on IR, Puka doesn't play.
4:39And then they come out on Monday night and look like as good a team as there is in the NFL.
4:46Now the conversation is back to normal in LA.
4:49The Rams are back and we'll wonder if they can make it back to the Super Bowl.
4:55The Giants, a week ago, one of the biggest wins that it's felt like the franchise has had in a long time.
5:02John Harbaugh is going to instill discipline, culture, the winning ways of a traditionally proud franchise.
5:08And then they go out to LA and the first series lose Jackson, dart their quarterback.
5:13They lose the other players you mentioned. Malik Neighbors goes up.
5:17They get throttled in LA. And now all of a sudden you're like, well, maybe the Giants weren't as good as we thought they were.
5:26They came back to earth. So the Rams, the Rams are back to where we thought.
5:31The Giants are back to where we thought. It just took a couple of weeks to get there.
5:37And I will say that Miles Garrett, it's still going to be a while on him.
5:42They're not going to rush him along. He's out a minimum of four weeks.
5:47He's already missed one game now. Sean McVay is not going to rush him along.
5:52He's said that openly. We'll see if Puka can make it back for next week.
5:57And now some of those injury questions are with the Giants.
6:01And we're going to get to injury questions too.
6:04But the Rams look legitimate. The Giants have a home game this week against the Titans, which I'm sure we'll touch on this on Thursday's six pack.
6:13But Brian Dayball up against his former team. You know how important it's going to be for him.
6:19And the Titans played the Eagles tough. But now the Giants come home again.
6:24And they're probably going to be doing it with Jameis Winston, the quarterback.
6:29Different feel. Different vibe. But that's the kind of game that John Harbaugh should be able to kind of get a hold of.
6:36We'll see. Yeah, without a doubt. And you mentioned Miles Garrett there.
6:40I was pretty surprised when you said that on Monday Night Countdown last night.
6:45That, hey, they're not going to rush him back.
6:48So, yes, it's going to be at least four weeks.
6:52But this could be much longer than that. And it makes sense because we see when the Rams are healthy and when
6:59they play like that, they're very, very good. So, obviously, you want him ready to go in late November and December heading into the playoffs.
7:08Sure, he might not have a 20-sack season. But they don't care about that if they win the Super Bowl.
7:14So, and, you know, for the Giants, man, it is.
7:18It's just tough because I think the conversation around them, everyone, I don't want to say everyone likes the Giants, but it is true.
7:26We talk about this all the time with these big market teams and these historical franchises.
7:31The league generally is just better when they're good or at least kind of like a player in a round.
7:38And I'm not saying they still can't be. But, boy, this is the worry about Jackson Dart is no one questions his toughness.
7:46No one questions his will to want to play or any of that kind of stuff.
7:51He's just injury prone. You know, he just is.
7:54Unfortunately, when he gets hit or it's the way he plays or, you know, whatever the case may be, like he has
8:02a tough time staying healthy and, you know, couldn't come at a worse time.
8:07You mentioned Jameis next week. Thank God they play the Titans because, listen, I know we love everything about Jameis off the
8:14field and his personality and all that kind of stuff.
8:17But, boy, he looked terrible last night. And part of that maybe was the Rams pass rush and just not being comfortable,
8:25maybe not being super ready, kind of in shock that he had to, you know, get thrust into action that early.
8:32But he just did not look good. And I assume or I hope that he'll look a lot better come Sunday against
8:39the Titans because it's not doom or gloom yet, but they need to get this thing back on track quickly.
8:46Well, look, we'll leave it at this. We came into this year when we talked about the Giants saying, if Jackson Dart,
8:54Malik Neighbors and Cam Scadaboo stay healthy, this team will be a force.
8:58Well, Monday night, Jackson Dart didn't stay healthy. Malik Neighbors did not look healthy.
9:03He looks like mentally he's not there yet with his leg.
9:07He hurt his arm, his shoulder. And Cam Scadaboo was the one that came out of the game healthy.
9:13But it was one game. It was the second game of the year.
9:17Dart's already banged up. Malik Neighbors you're wondering about.
9:21It looks like it's in his head with his leg injury.
9:24He's got the shoulder now. Those are two things that he still has to overcome.
9:29And if you're not going to have Jackson Dart, Malik Neighbors, and you never know about Cam Scadaboo, as tough a player
9:37as he is, then there are going to be questions about the success of your season despite the huge win in week one over the Dallas Cowboys.
9:46Yeah, exactly. And I guess that is, if you're a Giants fan and you want to look at the bright side, you
9:53probably were thinking going into the season, hey, if we can get that week one win over the Cowboys going to L.A.
10:01and this Rams team, it's going to be very difficult.
10:04So I think a lot of people probably assumed they were going to be one and one going into week three, but
10:12not with a bunch of your stars banged up and potentially not being able to play.
10:17So we'll keep an eye on the Giants. Hopefully those guys can heal up and get back on the field sooner than later.
10:25But again, this is kind of the risk you run in the NFL.
10:29We know it's possible with every team and the teams who can make long, sustained runs, they typically avoid this kind of stuff.
10:37So we'll see what happens with the Giants. And again, the Rams, you know, a big bounce back win for them.
10:44All right, Cheptie, let's move on to topic number two of this week's six pack.
10:49For a few years now, we've been talking about how the QB class of 2024 could potentially, you know, challenge as one
10:57of the better QB classes of all time. But recently, you know, I shouldn't say recently.
11:02It was a tough weekend for the class of 2024.
11:06What's going on there? Kind of take this how you see fit.
11:10Well, the class of 2024 is going through a little bit right now.
11:14We got number one pick, Caleb Williams. He is banged up.
11:18He's going to be week to week. He's not going to practice this week.
11:23Doesn't sound like he's going to play on Monday, short of him making an improbable comeback.
11:28We'll see how he fares throughout the week. Number two pick, Jaden Daniels.
11:32Hyper extended left elbow, dislocated left elbow. Out again, could wind up on injured reserve.
11:37Already battled through one injury to that left elbow with the same injury dislocation last year.
11:43Pick number three, Drake May. Bumpy start. Hasn't looked right.
11:46Hasn't looked like the number two candidate in the MVP race like he was last year.
11:52Michael Penix, we get Thursday night in Green Bay coming back from a significant knee injury.
11:57We'll see how he fares. Bo Nix bounced back a little bit and J.J.
12:02McCarthy's on the bench right now as the number two or three quarterback in Minnesota, depending on what week it is.
12:09That's crazy. Like a year ago, a couple of years, we're looking at this as the kind of class that the 1983 quarterback draft class was.
12:18Like the kind of class that produced Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger.
12:23And all of a sudden, each of these quarterbacks in their own way have raised concerns physically, mentally, whatever it may be.
12:30That I don't understand how one quarterback draft class that looks so good at one point in time can have this many
12:38questions about it such a short time later. Yeah, unfortunately, it's a what have you done for me lately league.
12:44And it's kind of one of those things where you have to go out, you have to prove yourself every single week, no matter what.
12:53And, you know, I mean, in different situations, you know, like Caleb, luckily, it's not an Achilles.
12:59And, you know, luckily, he's not going to miss the whole season.
13:03And Chicago definitely dodged a bullet there. Drake May, you know, I think Connor mentioned it.
13:08He said he kind of did the same thing last year, got off to a really bumpy start and then found his
13:15groove, you know, midway through the season. They've played two really tough defenses to start.
13:21So I think I don't want to say you give him a pass, but you expect him to kind of find his footing here soon.
13:29Pennix, you know, you hate to say it, but I mean, you think this is it's definitely his last chance in Atlanta.
13:37If he doesn't kind of take the reins and run with this year, then he will not be their starting quarterback.
13:44And I don't know if he's done enough in Atlanta to have another team think that he could come in and be their franchise quarterback.
13:52So he's kind of down to, hey, if you don't prove yourself in this situation, you might be looking at being a
14:00backup bouncing, you know, from place to place. Jaden Daniels, man, it's just it's unfortunate.
14:05But this was this was kind of a concern with how frail and, you know, like I shouldn't say frail because he's obviously a big dude.
14:13But you understand what I'm saying like this. This was a concern for him.
14:18Bo Nix. Yeah, he got he got back on track and then J.J.
14:23McCarthy. So it really is crazy that this is the conversation going into week three of this year's NFL season.
14:29When the conversation last year was, wow, Caleb Williams is finally showing why he might have been one of the biggest can't miss prospects.
14:38Drake may almost won the MVP. Jaden Daniels at the time was a year removed from going to the NFC championship.
14:45Bo Nix is going to the AFC champ. I mean, it just you know, it's it really is crazy how much the
14:52NFL is a week to week and year to year league.
14:56And guess what? If you play great one week, that doesn't mean you can't be a donkey and be one of the
15:03worst guys on the field the next week. And again, it's it's why the league is so good, because literally anything can happen week to week.
15:12Yeah, it's it's it's amazing. Let's see if these guys can get back on track.
15:17We're rooting for them. Let's see how that works out.
15:21Terms and more at AppleCard.com. Close your eyes. Exhale.
15:24Feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today.
15:28Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class.
15:34I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh, my gosh, they're so fast.
15:39And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order.
15:45Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order.
15:491-800-CONTACTS. This Friday, return to theaters for Avengers Endgame Encore.
15:53I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one.
15:59Reassemble the team. Six stones. Three teams. One shot.
16:02Relive the experience. You messed with time. Time tends to mess back.
16:06The story continues. Tony, this is a second chance.
16:09Don't miss Marvel Studios. Avengers Endgame Encore. Early in theaters Friday.
16:13Get tickets now. Rated PG-13. Maybe inappropriate for children under 13.
16:17Speaking of a team who looks completely back on track, let's move to topic number three of this week's six-pack.
16:23The Chiefs look like they're back, Shefty. Oh, my God.
16:27The Chiefs look like they're back. And we said it after the podcast in week one.
16:32Right, here they come. We felt then that they were going to be there in the end with a major voice in how the AFC shakes out.
16:41And you could look at them right now and say, with all due respect to any other team, Buffalo or Baltimore or
16:49the Raiders, the Chiefs look like they are fully back.
16:52And it's gone from a two-headed monster in Mahomes and Kelsey.
16:56And Kelsey, by the way, it looks like marriage does agree with him.
17:00Yes. To a three-headed monster. Like, Kenneth Walker looks better than anybody could have imagined.
17:05He looks like he's running his way into the offensive player of the year conversation.
17:10He looks like he has changed that offense. Patrick Mahomes never has had a running back like that with him in Kansas City.
17:18And by the way, it's not just Kenneth Walker III.
17:22It's Emmitt Johnson, who also runs hard and is shifty.
17:25And they've already said, because Kenneth Walker has been used so heavily and featured so heavily the first two weeks, they want
17:33to get Emmitt Johnson even more involved here to take some of the load away from Kenneth Walker for the long-term production
17:40of both those players over the course of a season.
17:43But if you give Mahomes that running game, it doesn't matter that their wide receivers are not making huge threats.
17:50And they still love Rasheed Rice. And they still think guys like Tyquan Thornton can make plays.
17:56But they look like the real deal right now.
17:59And you know that when the game is on the line, Mahomes is 8-0 in overtime right now in the regular season.
18:06He's never lost a regular season overtime game. He has the best record of any quarterback in history in overtime games.
18:14He's got clutch through his genes, through his blood.
18:17So you know that when they get to the postseason, they're going to be dangerous.
18:22And they're going to be back in the postseason, barring injuries.
18:25They're going to be back in the postseason. And they're going to be one of the favorites.
18:31Would you be surprised if they are in the AFC Championship game?
18:35Would you be surprised if they're in the Super Bowl?
18:39Would you be surprised by any of this? Because Patrick has weapons.
18:43Patrick has payback. Patrick has the talent. Patrick's got the roster and the support.
18:47And it's amazing how he looks coming off an ACL-LCL injury nine-plus months later that he looks like this.
18:54Yeah, it's unbelievable. And no, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the number one seed in that home field advantage through the playoffs.
19:02I think, you know, obviously Buffalo's offense has been unbelievable through two weeks.
19:06But you mentioned that clutch gene. That never goes away.
19:10So even though they, you know, didn't make the playoffs last year and they weren't great, when put into those situations, Patrick
19:17Mahomes has an innate ability to just flip that switch.
19:21And so does Kelsey. And so do a lot of those other guys.
19:25You mentioned Kelsey. He looks like the Travis Kelsey from four years ago, you know, where it's just he looks faster in the open field, more elusive.
19:34And the big thing with the Chiefs has been how poor their offensive line has been and not being able to really
19:42protect Mahomes, not being able to give him enough time.
19:45Well, you get a guy like Kenneth Walker who, I mean, what, the amount of tackles he has broken over this two-week
19:53span, I think, is like approaching an NFL record.
19:56That, I'll tell you what, that really, you know, kind of lends credence to the fact that your offensive line doesn't have to be perfect.
20:04If you have a guy who can make people miss, can bounce things back outside, has unbelievable vision, he's great out of the backfield as well.
20:13They just, they look like they heard everything, you know, and they, I think we said this last year and maybe it,
20:20you know, I think missing the playoffs certainly helped.
20:23But I think they kind of took all of that internally that everyone was saying like, hey, this was a, it was a great run.
20:32This dynasty, we can officially close the book on this.
20:35Kelsey's not the same guy. Mahomes doesn't have the weapons to throw to.
20:40And I feel like they heard all of that and it was like, no, we're still the same team.
20:46You know, we, we may have kind of the bed last year, but it's hard to find a team that's been more
20:54impressive than them through two weeks so far this season.
20:57Not done yet. No. And rightfully so, because this is the, this Chiefs team, this version of the Chiefs team, not the
21:04team we were seeing last year who were eking out a lot of, you know, it seemed like they played every single
21:12game and the final score was 2017 or 21, you know, 24.
21:16Like this is the Chiefs team that people want to see and that I am envisioning, you know, them in the AFC championship against the Bills.
21:25Like this is kind of, this is what we're here for.
21:29And I'm glad that the Chiefs look like this, but there's a chance.
21:33I mean, we're saying, you know, number one seed by all that kind of stuff, AFC championship.
21:39There's a chance that that division, you know, comes down to, to week, the last week of the season.
21:45Let's move on to topic number four of this week's six pack.
21:49How about them Raiders? Two and O and boy, I'll tell you what, the Raiders look pretty good as well.
21:56They are the inverse of the Chargers. This is where we thought the Chargers would be opening up against the Cardinals and the Raiders at home.
22:05They'd be two and O and instead, lo and behold, here are the Las Vegas Raiders.
22:10And there are a couple of things to take away from this.
22:14Number one, it shows you the value of good coaching.
22:18Jack is coming there. They look like a different offense.
22:21They look like a different organization. Looked like totally different in every which way.
22:26The other thing is, you see the value of a veteran quarterback who is a steadying presence.
22:32Kirk Cousins. Wasn't good enough in Atlanta, but is more than adequate enough in Las Vegas.
22:37And not only is he playing well, but every time he wins, he buys himself more time out there.
22:43Every time he wins, he buys their number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, more time on the bench, which is a good thing in the long run.
22:53So they're winning on and off the field because now they're not going to hear the calls for Mendoza to start.
23:00They don't have to rush him along. They don't have to subject him to NFL defenses before they feel like they've prepped
23:07him in the way that they want. They're not at risk of ruining him early the way other quarterbacks have been ruined
23:15by entering the game in the league before they were ready to do so.
23:19So this is the best of all worlds for the silver and black.
23:24They are winning. They are relevant. They are competitive and look competent for the first time in a while.
23:30And they're allowing their number one overall pick to take the time he needs on the bench to turn into the type
23:38of quarterback that they want him to be. Wins across the board in Vegas.
23:42Yeah, definitely. And they made it a point to make sure their offensive line was better so you go out and get
23:50arguably the best center in the NFL in Tyler Linderbaum.
23:53They got Colton Miller and a couple other guys who are back healthy.
23:58But that's the other big thing. If you can protect Cousins and make sure he's not getting just blasted back there, we know what Kirk Cousins is.
24:07If he has time to throw and he's in an offense like Clint Kubiak's, Kirk Cousins is a very capable, very good quarterback.
24:15So, you know, and not to mention, they've been doing all of this without arguably their best player in Brock Bowers.
24:22Which is incredible. You know, exactly. And then I do, I think back in, you know, Sunday, he gets the holding call
24:29on him to, you know, kind of cap the game off with the safety.
24:34Max Crosby sticking around and having that trade fall through in Baltimore and still being a Raider.
24:40Like, I think he's more motivated than he's ever been.
24:43It just, it really is crazy how, and we thought this would kind of maybe happen with, you know, Pete Carroll last year.
24:51And like that, that's what the Raiders needed more than anything else was a complete culture overhaul.
24:57Didn't exactly work. Who knows why that ends. You can tell that it does.
25:01It feels different. This is more than them just playing well through two weeks.
25:06It feels like they are building a culture and that this Raiders team actually, they feel a little bit different.
25:13And it doesn't necessarily feel like, oh, they got lucky.
25:16They grabbed two wins at the start of the year.
25:20And now they're going to lose a bunch of games in a row.
25:24And we're going to hear those fans calling for Mendoza.
25:28It doesn't really feel like that. And I'm still not convinced that Bowers will be back yet this week.
25:34Like Clint Kubiak said, he's got a good chance.
25:37He's close. But you got to be careful and you got to make sure that your guy is right.
25:44Let's see if he makes it back this week.
25:47Whenever he gets back, whether it's this week or next week, that's going to even.
25:52Improve the offense, aid Kirk Cousins. And they're going to become an even more formidable team than they've been the first two weeks of the season.
26:00Yeah, you don't exactly have to rush him back when you're 2-0.
26:05You know, Kirk Cousins has thrown, what, three touchdowns in weeks one and two.
26:09So obviously the offense will probably hit a different dimension and look even better when he comes back.
26:15But, again, winning football games kind of buys you a little time and lets you make sure a guy like that is
26:23going to be healthy so that he doesn't hurt his knee his first game back.
26:28And then you lose him for another six weeks.
26:31So I've been very impressed by the Raiders. And same deal.
26:35They're one of those teams where it is kind of just they've been an afterthought for so long, it feels like, that
26:42it's just kind of nice when you can tune into a Raiders game.
26:47And it's like, oh, they're actually they're competitive right now.
26:50They might win this game. Yeah, it's awesome. This message is brought to you by Apple Card.
26:56With Apple Card, you earn unlimited daily cash back on everyday purchases like groceries, merch, or tickets to the game.
27:03Plus, it can be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted.
27:06No matter your team, no matter where you shop, Apple Card is here to help you tackle game day.
27:12Apply in the Wallet app on your iPhone today.
27:15Subject to credit approval, Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City branch.
27:21Terms and more at AppleCard.com. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today.
27:28Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class.
27:34I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh my gosh, they're so fast.
27:39And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order.
27:46Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order.
27:501-800-CONTACTS. This Friday, return to theaters for Avengers Endgame Encore.
27:53I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one.
27:59Reassemble the team. Six stones. Three teams. One shot.
28:02Relive the experience. You mess with time. Time tends to mess back.
28:06The story continues. Tony. Avengers Endgame Encore. Early theaters Friday.
28:10Get tickets now. Rating PG-13. Maybe inappropriate for children at 13.
28:13All right, Chefsy, let's move on to topic number five of this week's six-pack.
28:18There's been a small guy who has been making a pretty big impression around the league the first two weeks.
28:25Who is that? Well, how about Panthers quarterback Bryce Young?
28:28We're talking about the struggles of the quarterback draft class of 2024.
28:32And meanwhile, the number one overall pick from the draft prior to that is lighting it up.
28:38I mean, even in the worm on Sunday, Rex Ryan, who always likes to say he likes his insiders small but not
28:46his quarterbacks that way, is quick to acknowledge that Bryce Young is really catching his attention, turning it around.
28:52The Carolina Panthers on offense have been really impressive.
28:55Now, there is a new play caller there. Props to Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who's taken over the play calling responsibilities from the head coach Dave Canales.
29:05But the game is not too big for little Bryce Young.
29:08And it's going to create a very interesting decision in Carolina, which is essentially tabled contract talks for Bryce Young.
29:15To see how they handle that during the season, after the season, I would think after the season.
29:21But Bryce Young has been really impressive. Some quarterbacks have struggled to open the season.
29:26Some quarterbacks and offenses have not looked strong. I don't need to name them.
29:31You know the ones. Yep. Play fancy football. I play fancy football.
29:35Bryce Young has been one of the best quarterbacks in the game through two weeks.
29:40Now, it's two weeks. I got it. We got 15 more to go.
29:45But Bryce Young is bringing it. The Panthers offense looks dangerous.
29:48He's got weapons to throw to. By the way, you got Truba Hubbard in the backfield.
29:54Jonathan Brooks has got a groin injury. He's now going to miss some time, it looks like.
30:00But Tett McMillan, Jalen Coker, those guys are getting it done on the outside.
30:04But the quarterback is making it go. And it's just time to pay some respect to that guy.
30:10Because there has not been a lot of great conversation about him through the first few years.
30:16But he is worthy of all the compliments and flowers that come his way now.
30:21Because with Brad Idzik, behind Brad Idzik, he's been great the first two weeks.
30:26Yeah. I couldn't agree more. And I'm very happy for him.
30:30Because it was. I mean, he had about as bad of a start to his career as any first overall pick in recent memory.
30:38Just a constant revolving door of new head coaches, new coordinators.
30:42And it got to the point where it was almost like, is his career done in Carolina already before it even got started?
30:49And then even last year, making it to the playoffs, almost getting a home playoff win against the Rams.
30:56And we know how much everyone respected them. He played very good down the stretch.
31:01And we'll see. I mean, it's one of those things where, yes, it's only been two weeks.
31:07But I feel like you got your guy. You know?
31:10And who knows? It'd be interesting to see how his agent feels and all that kind of stuff in terms of, is
31:18he going to demand $60 million and want to be a top five paid guy?
31:23Or is it like, you know, he gets like a Brock Purdy contract where he's making $52.5 million.
31:29He's well compensated. But it's also like he kind of understands like, hey, I don't need to ask for $70 million a year.
31:36Who knows if that's the case? But he has been wildly impressive through two weeks.
31:42And Darren Waller as well. Yeah. You know, what a safety blanket that guy is for Carolina.
31:47You know what the other unintended consequence of Bryce Young's resurgence might be?
31:52What's that? I wonder if him playing well this year will help the conversation surrounding how high Trinidad Chambliss will go in the upcoming draft.
32:00Will this resurgence of Bryce help Chambliss in any way?
32:04I think it might. Because if Bryce Young had struggled and had he been benched the way he was early in his
32:11career, and by the way, there aren't many quarterbacks that bench back from a benching that early to regain the form that he has.
32:19If he had gone the other way, when we're talking about Trinidad Chambliss this spring, people would be like, look at the little quarterback.
32:27Can't make it. But now, when we're talking about how high Trinidad Chambliss can go in the spring, can he get to become a top 10 pick?
32:37Can he get to become a number one overall pick?
32:40They may look at Bryce Young and say, well, look at what Bryce Young is doing in Carolina.
32:46And it might help in some small way nudge up the Trinidad Chambliss draft stock.
32:51That's a great point. That is a great point, especially when you consider what he's been doing.
32:57Yeah, it'll be interesting. And again, he has to go out and continue to prove it because it's been two weeks.
33:04And we know the Bears' defense aren't exactly world beaters, and the Falcons are what they are right now.
33:10But nonetheless, that doesn't mean you couldn't go out there and throw two picks and look terrible.
33:16I mean, he's looked phenomenal through two weeks. So good on Bryce Young.
33:21I hope he continues to play well because he's a guy who seemingly deserves it.
33:26You never really hear a bad thing about him.
33:29He carries himself very well. Let me say this.
33:32My one personal interaction with Bryce Young, my daughter had him on Slime Time.
33:37Was it last year or two years ago? Maybe it was two years ago.
33:41He could not have been more gracious, personable, likable, really nice guy.
33:45Really nice guy. So it's hard not to root for a guy like that.
33:50Exactly. Saban talks about him glowingly. And, you know, I feel like, you know, we had him on, we've had him on
33:58Pat's show every Friday, you know, for the last couple years.
34:01And there was that moment where he wasn't playing well.
34:05And it kind of seemed like, you know, the doors were opening up where it was like in the media.
34:11Like, hey, if you have any, if you want to just kill this guy, like now is the time to do it.
34:19He was the first overall pick. He's not any good.
34:22This team's not any good. Like, this is kind of, it's green flag racing right now.
34:28Take your shots while you can. Saban never would.
34:31He would never say, and again, you know, he coached him.
34:35But, you know, you're not doing that with everybody.
34:38Or you might have like a story or, you know, an anecdote about, oh, I could maybe see how things were going to go wrong with this situation.
34:47He never had anything bad to say about Bryce Young.
34:50And again, always, you know, complimented his character and all that kind of stuff.
34:55So, yeah, you don't hear anything bad about him.
34:58And when guys are like that and then they play well on Sunday, it just, you know, he's an easy guy to root for.
35:06And I'd like to see him have continued success.
35:09All right, Chepty, let's move on to topic number six of this week's six pack.
35:15Zach Ertz is back in Philadelphia after Dallas Goddard got banged up and he's going to miss a little time.
35:21Kind of a feel good story here in Philly.
35:24And why is that? Why does everyone kind of feel that way?
35:28I feel like that's kind of universal. Well, first of all, I think he's a very liked guy.
35:35He handles himself the right way. But beyond that, Zach Ertz was on ESPN doing Peter Schrager's new show, Big Day.
35:42Yeah, it was last week, wasn't it? Yeah, right.
35:45The very first episode, me, him, Steve Smith, we're hanging out with Zach Ertz in the New York City studios.
35:51And then literally 10 days later, he's signing to the Eagles practice squad to be elevated for the Monday night game against the Chicago Bears.
36:00So literally off the studio set onto the practice squad and active roster to go play a Monday night football.
36:07He's going to go from being on big day on ESPN to Monday night football on ESPN within the span of about two weeks.
36:15That's number one. Number two, he needs 11 more catches, 11, to break Harold Carmichael's record and become the Eagles all-time reception leader.
36:23Wow. Can Zach Ertz get 11 catches in his stint here while Dallas Goddard misses the next two, three games to set
36:30an all-time Eagles mark and go down in franchise history?
36:34I think he can. Yeah. Right? Yeah, I would think so.
36:37And that seems like the kind of thing that Sirianni would be very conscious of and, you know, just like, hey, let's get this done for this guy.
36:47He was an Eagle for the longest time, very well-respected, very well-liked.
36:51So, yeah, I could see that. And Jalen Hurts likes thrown to the tight end, too.
36:56So 11 catches? Why not? Why not? He might have 11 on Monday night.
37:01It could be, right? So we'll see how that works out.
37:05But to me, it's a really cool story. Another example of a guy coming off the couch.
37:10Look, see Darren Waller and see what he's doing in Carolina.
37:14Exactly. We're getting all these resurgent tight ends, and we'd like to see Zach Ertz be resurgent enough to come up with
37:2211 catches to go down in Eagles franchise history.
37:25That would be a pretty cool story. You know what we have to get back to in the coming weeks, Ty?
37:32What's that? We have to get back to power rankings.
37:35Oh, yeah. So we're going to start doing that in the future.
37:39Just riffing off the top of my head right now, if I was going to do the power rankings today, it would
37:47be something like Seattle, Kansas City, Buffalo, San Francisco, the Rams, and Cincinnati.
37:51Those would be the teams in the conversation right now as the top six.
37:56But we're going to make that a regular feature starting next week.
38:00It's going to be the sixth topic in the weekly six-pack here each week.
38:05So I want you to put your thinking cap on for next week to get ready for our weekly power rankings that
38:12will be in this spot next week. And we'll be back also in this spot on Thursday for our six-pack look ahead to the week three games.
38:21Some enticing matchups coming up this weekend. And as we've already documented here, we certainly know the storylines will be shifting once again.
38:29All right. Big thanks to you, Ty, for another great job.
38:33Big thanks to our great producer, Dan Stanzik, Ben Smith, and to all the people who attended to another Adam Schefter podcast.
38:40Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast.
38:44Please remember to tune in Thursday when we look ahead to the week three matchups.
38:49And until then, have a great week, everybody. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today.
38:57Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class.
39:03I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh, my gosh, they're so fast.
39:08And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order.
39:15Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order.
39:191-800-CONTACTS.