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00:00Welcome back to Newswire here on SportsGrid.
00:05Each and every Monday we have Adam Kaplan, our SportsGrid insider, here on Newswire to
00:09go over the results from the weekend and some news updates, injury stuff, a lot going on
00:14this early in the NFL.
00:16It does feel like more, Adam, this year.
00:19Maybe we say this every year, but it does feel like more significant injury talk, more
00:23significant stories coming out of the first couple of weeks from the Dolphins, now the
00:27Chiefs.
00:28They had a big one, maybe Minnesota, the Rams, a couple of injuries too.
00:32So there's just a lot to dive into, and we don't have a lot of time, so let's get into
00:36it.
00:37Great rivalry between these two teams, Kansas City, Cincinnati.
00:40If lessons should be learned, it should be just take the points wherever you're getting
00:44them, because this game is like Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
00:46It comes right down to the wire, last play of the game.
00:50There was somewhat of a controversial penalty call, but if you go back and watch, there
00:53was a penalty committed, Butker kicks a field goal to win.
00:57So I know everyone is indicting the Bengals right now, but I am not.
01:01In fact, if I had to buy a team low right now, I think it'd be them.
01:05Yeah, definitely.
01:06And by the way, that division, Craig, AFC North is up for grabs, but who knew Baltimore
01:10would be 0-2?
01:11I've covered this business 26 years, and they're always surprised.
01:13I did not see the Ravens being 0-2, but getting back to this game specifically, and that team,
01:19the Bengals, playing out of the AFC North, their week one was pitiful, embarrassing at
01:22home.
01:23You have the specter of the Jamar Chase contract, whether you're going to get it or not.
01:28He's not getting it.
01:29They were in a bad way.
01:30Their timing was off.
01:31Look, Joe Burrow was better this past game in KC, and you've touched on this.
01:36There's something about this robbery, no matter where the teams are, they bring their game
01:41up a next level.
01:43It was an amazing game for a week two game, just not what I was expecting based on the
01:47way that the Bengals played.
01:48In fact, I do radio every Thursday in Kansas City, and I was like, well, guys, I don't
01:52think T. Higgins is going to play.
01:54He didn't.
01:55They had a bad week one.
01:57I wish they were playing this game late in the season.
01:59Who knew, Craig?
02:00I mean, this is why we love the NFL.
02:02You never know what's going to happen.
02:05And the other thing is the league loves what they call competitive balance.
02:08We certainly had that in the first two weeks.
02:10Yeah.
02:11No, honestly, it is hard as a better to lay any points right now in the NFL.
02:17You're literally getting a touchdown.
02:21These teams went out right, let alone getting points.
02:23Real quick on the Chiefs here.
02:25With the news that Isaiah Pacheco is going to injured reserve, you know, the backup is
02:29like a fullback.
02:31Samadji Pirine is sort of like, you know, they got him at the last minute there.
02:36I mean, I guess they could grab McKinnon or somebody else if they wanted to.
02:41I know Edwards Hilaire is on IR also with the PTSD.
02:45Do you think the Chiefs do anything here?
02:47Do they just like bring Hilaire back in a few weeks?
02:50Like they're going to have to do something because Pacheco is they're starting running
02:54back.
02:55Okay.
02:56He doesn't need to be a three-down back.
02:57That's why they have Samadji Pirine to help them on third down, but they're going to have
02:58to do something.
02:59Now, generic Prince, that's the guy Carson Steele beat out.
03:04So look, generic Prince is on another team's practice squad.
03:07They could bring him back, but they need an upgrade.
03:09They're going to have to look at whatever wire I'd expect Brett Veach to work out some
03:13running backs this week.
03:14Usually Tuesday's the workout day and they'll figure it out.
03:18They have to have a running game.
03:19There's no question about it.
03:21The Edward Hilaire thing is, as you mentioned, that there's nothing they can do about that.
03:26There's not much out there.
03:27They're in a tough spot right now.
03:29Once we start the season, teams are trying to figure out what their depth looks like
03:32and this is a big blow to them.
03:34And let's face it, the Chiefs barely won that game.
03:36They're not going to have Hollywood Brown this season, who had that significant clavicle
03:41injury.
03:42That's, that anytime you're in the sternal area here, then he has to have something done.
03:48It's not good.
03:49So they didn't look good.
03:51Look, I give him credit.
03:52The Chiefs found a way to win.
03:54It was not easy for them to get that job done.
03:57But look, they got that job done.
03:58One of only five teams in the AFC to be undefeated right now.
04:02Yeah, it's an incredible stat considering how they played, as you mentioned.
04:07You know, the Ravens, you know, and I was very fortunate to be able to watch a lot yesterday,
04:11Adam, and I was watching this game with the Raiders and Ravens and was like, okay, I don't
04:16know if the Ravens are going to cover this game, but they're going to win.
04:19And I mean, they just took their foot completely off the pedal offensively, unlike Harbaugh,
04:24in a very big way.
04:25I couldn't understand it.
04:27And then Minshew Mania ran wild.
04:30Truthfully, Devontae Adams made some insane catches to keep that game going, but no excuse
04:35for them to lose at home.
04:38And maybe we should just simply be giving credit to the Raiders for fighting through
04:41that.
04:42You know, because when they were down 10, I was like, okay, here we go.
04:44The usual put away for the Ravens.
04:47It's what we thought it would be.
04:49And they choked the game.
04:49Their offense struggled.
04:50They're still not there with the March action and Derrick Henry run game up.
04:54Craig, I'm a little surprised by this.
04:55I know it's only two games.
04:57We're going to give it more time here, but I'm a little bit surprised that they have
05:00not had the kind of impact that I saw in training camp when I was with the Ravens.
05:04We expect that to happen at some point.
05:05Look, they have a new defensive coordinator, Zach Gore, at 32 years old, the youngest defensive
05:09coordinator in the National Football League.
05:10We need to give him time.
05:12It's not like they're playing badly, but you would expect them to win a game like that
05:15at home.
05:15One thing you mentioned, I do want to touch on here about picking games and so forth.
05:19I've told Scott for all this for four years now.
05:23You have to understand in the regular season, it's injuries.
05:27It's how motivated a club is to win a game.
05:30Yes, every big team wants to win, but there's a mindset of once you get to the playoffs,
05:36you know, you could be eliminated.
05:37It's just a different mindset where it's clearly about matchups, where I like the coaching
05:43staff, obviously like a team's roster.
05:45Here, there's so many variables when you're trying to pick games.
05:49I agree with you, man.
05:50It is really, really difficult because sometimes it looks really easy.
05:53It's actually very, very difficult.
05:55Yeah, and Adam, I mean, think about it.
05:57If your name is not Carolina, you know, outside of maybe the very bottom of the NFL, outside
06:03of that, 11 on 11, is there really that big of a difference between the players on these
06:10teams, maybe one or two each side?
06:12So if that's the case, and the line is plus seven or plus eight or plus 10, I don't know
06:18how you just immediately don't say, you know what, let me take the points here because
06:22there's a shot.
06:23I mean, outside of, again, the very bottom teams in the NFL, speaking of which, Carolina
06:27is not going to win that division.
06:29Saints plus 125, Bucs plus 175.
06:33Those teams are both 2-0.
06:35Atlanta, I mean, who knows?
06:37Honestly, they could win tonight against Philadelphia.
06:39I'm not going to rule anything out in these crazy games.
06:41But it definitely seems to me that the Saints and the Bucs have been, you know, you start
06:46off 2-0.
06:46You got a really good shot to make the playoffs.
06:49Yeah, I'm a little surprised at the Saints.
06:51I'm not with the Bucs.
06:52I did pick them to win the division when Pharrell and I gave our, on Coast to Coast, we gave
06:55our divisional picks.
06:56He and I saw it the same way.
06:57We thought the Falcons were overhyped.
06:59They got to get through their situations there, Atlanta, with their new scheme.
07:02But remember now, for Philly tonight, and you talk about the spread, 6-6.5, no A.J.
07:07Brown for the Eagles tonight.
07:07That is absolutely huge.
07:09Yeah, I mean, I don't know how you can lay points right now in the NFL.
07:13Thanks again, Adam, for coming on.
07:14Appreciate it.
07:15You got it.