Craig Horlbeck
Appearances
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Is that a Stefan dig subtweet?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, we joked last week on the Fantasy Pod that last week was Josh Allen's Apex Mountain, right? Engaged to Haley Steinfeld. Had the big night game whole thing. Literally a week later, he already beat it. Even though he lost to the Rams, I would say now this is his Apex Mountain. He had the greatest day in fantasy football history, basically. 52 points. And he locked up the MVP.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
You think it's done?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
It's hard. Two years ago, the Eagles made the Super Bowl with Miles Sanders. Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Again, they were like the best team in the league with Miles Sanders too.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I'm holding my breath a little bit. They have a really tough— Crazy Steelers fan. I'm a Steelers fan. He's being super careful. This is a tough four-game stretch they're heading into. It's been pretty easy the last four weeks. Now they're Eagles, Chiefs, Bengals. Bengals? No. Eagles, Chiefs, Bengals. It's a tough stretch.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
It's every week. You'd be shocked? I'd be shocked if the Chiefs lost. I was like, oh, you know, if the Bills play the Chiefs again in the playoffs, this is what we see every year. The Bills beat Mahomes in the regular season. Mahomes beats Allen in the playoffs. It's the same thing every single year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
It's so weird. I feel like last year was the year the Chiefs were supposed to lose. And then the criticisms would come. What did they go, 11-6? And it was like, yeah, you know, this is what we were saying. You can't do this again. Not with these weapons.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, I don't think anybody knows what to do now, now that they come out of this weird 11-6 year where they shouldn't have won the Super Bowl, but they did. And now they're 12-1, and they've won 16 straight games that were one score. Yeah. It's the most improbable run. I mean, can you think of anything like this in the last 20, 30 years in the NFL? No, it's not.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah. He was still fringed. First guy who went off the board in drafts. It was like him and Laporta.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah. I think Arthur Smith and Russ are really starting to work well, especially last week without Pickens, which I do think Tomlin held Pickens. I think Pickens could have played in that game. I think they knew they had this gauntlet coming up. They held them against the Browns.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
They were at home. I think that was a very smart move by Tomlin.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
There were more open guys in that game than there have been all season for Pittsburgh. So I do think Arthur Smith and Russ are really starting to gel. I just worry that in January, they're in Buffalo. They need to score 35 to beat the Bills. They're doing too high. They're taking off all the top end stuff for Russ. You really got to rely on like Najee Harris having a good game running the ball.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
And then if it's not Pickens, it gets real thin real quick. I'm a little worried. I almost wonder if like they could muck it up with the Chiefs and win a game like 1970. That's where I feel.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
They looked bad. I mean, Stafford, Nakua and Pukar is like the highest degree of difficulty offense in the league. Like it is so hard, but they do it because they're so good. And I'm like, I will worry a little bit.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
They're overachieving this year. Like, it's impressive already what Harbaugh's done year one. This was supposed to be kind of like, all right, we'll get our line and we build from the inside out, see what we got. We'll see what we have in Ladd McConkie. He's already one of the better rookie wide receivers in the league. You know what's funny? We talk about football all the time.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, in retrospect, looking at Rodgers and Sala, it's like, you know, I like Robert Sala. Were you big on them, Craig? Yeah, I think everybody was a little bit.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I know. My big thing in fantasy this year was, like, try to eliminate – As much randomness as you can. Like only bet on things that you can depend on that you know are going to happen. Coaching quarterback. And then I just was completely blind to the Jets, like a 40-year-old quarterback coming off a torn Achilles. My biggest miss.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I mean, Bryce Young won that game. We'll get dropped. Yeah, I know.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Are they waiting for the collapse? Because remember, the Eagles were like 10-1 last year, but it was the weirdest Super Bowl hangover where everybody was miserable, but they were 10-1. No, they're supposed to be good. Their defense is awesome. It's amazing. They retooled immediately.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I don't know. It's probably easier when the star is the quarterback. When it's the running back, it probably rubs A.J. Brown the wrong way. He's like, I'm just as good as that guy. Look, I can't play quarterback. That's true. It's the running back? Really? It's true.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Watch another episode. That was Schitt's Creek for me.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
You got to watch. I mean, dude, I'm on three seasons in. I don't like the show. It's a sitcom.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Well, I was going to ask. I don't know. What do they have to do in the playoffs where it becomes a problem for the Minnesota front office thinking, well, now what?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I just think if I'm Vegas, I'm paying them. They're like the anti-Chiefs because no matter how bad the Chiefs look, I think to myself, I'm still going to bet on the Holmes. No matter how good the Vikings look. It doesn't matter how good the Vikings look. I'm like, hey, in the playoffs, I'm going to bet against them.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
And you know how it's going to go because when he leaves and signs a four-year, 160 million Daniel Jones contract somewhere else, he's not going to be good because it's the Kevin O'Connell system of making Josh Dobbs good for three weeks. And it seems like Kevin O'Connell is like the guru quarterback whisperer now.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
And I just know Darnold is going to go sign a deal with like, God forbid, the Giants or something and be terrible.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Darnold had 40 touchdowns. Imagine the other way, though. They trade their top 10 pick, JJ McCarthy, who goes off and has a great career. And then next year, Sam Darnold turns back into a pumpkin. And it's like one of the worst front office moves of all time.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
This is the first Tom Brady, the first Tom Brady, Sam Darnold. Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
And it seemed like a miracle that they almost completed it. Russ is cocky right now. He's doing this like, you know. Yeah, he does. He's talking a lot of shit. He gets down on one knee and like points to the side. Has he always done that? Or is that a new move? I never saw it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
But then if they're going to end with Joker 2, that would be a bummer.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
I'm enjoying it one week at a time. He makes plays over and over and over again. I'm not looking ahead. I'm not looking into the future. I'm just every week I'm having a good time and...
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
He's making that. He's been that guy. He's been the best offensive player in the Steelers for the last five years. I think he leads the league in points.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
It's funny. Russ has never been paid the right amount based on what his talent is at the moment. Like when he was on Seattle, when he first got drafted, he kind of like started that rookie quarterback model thing. He was making like 700 grand a year and leaving them to Superbowl. Then the Denver thing happens and he's making $43 million a year and he's terrible.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
And now he's a great again on Pittsburgh making $1 million a year. I know Denver's still paying him, but. Uh, and then he'll probably, I think the plan is, and I think this was what the Steelers envisioned the whole time. I think they are going to definitely resign Russ.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, we always joke that McVay is the chef on Chopped. He's making bolognese out of mayonnaise.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Kyle.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
You said the Rams.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Can I have the holy shit, this team, there's no way this team is going to make the Super Bowl? No, that's not the question. You hate the Texans, right?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Everyone's like, black, oh. Yeah, Slovak I think is super overrated. I think Stroud's in his own head big brothering every quarterback at midfield and it's completely failed on him.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Stroud's had a tough second half of the season. Great guy, I think.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
He's done it multiple times. Who else did he do it to? He did it with Drake May too. Yeah, three straight weeks after the Caleb thing and then he finally got off of it. I missed the Drake May 1. Yeah, he's been terrible.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah. I might go with the Chargers as well, probably, I would say. Just because of their ability to play cold weather. Herbert's so good. The only thing with Herbert is I'm worried that he's going to get hurt sometimes. Herbert is almost too good of a player. I think he's kind of like the Puka Nakua of quarterbacks where I'm like, you actually play the game with too much honor.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
You don't go out of bounds ever. If there's a throw and Herbert needs to make it and he knows he's going to get drilled, he will get drilled to make the throw. Yeah, that leg hit it. But he had to step in to make the throw. So don't worry about that.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
No, when I think of a two-a-play in my head, it's Tyreek Hill turning around to catch an underthrown defense. Who's your fantasy MVP this year, Craig? Fantasy MVP? We all overthought Saquon so much. Him going in the second, and Derrick Henry, the two of them. Both of them going in the second round. Everybody was afraid of the veteran on the new team thing.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah. Also, just in general with fantasy, this is the healthiest running back season outside of McCaffrey, which that happened before the season, kind of in-season injuries for running backs. This has been the healthiest season in forever. And I think there's definitely, you know, it was always get a wide receiver in the first round for the last five years. Next year, it's going to swing way back.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Everyone's going to be back in on getting all these running backs in the first round. And it will probably regress back to the mean and like guys will start getting hurt again.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, 100%. The key point is getting a guy who can move. I'm so done with pocket passers. I drafted Goff, who's been good. He's been solid. Stroud's like this too. It's been so tough because you basically need 280 and three touchdowns that'll go off every single week just for him to get by. Lamar, Josh.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Mahomes is terrible as a fantasy quarterback. You can't start him. He's the biggest bust at quarterback in fantasy.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Rodgers tried his best. You know, he has that doc coming out in two weeks.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
You can see he had his first 300-yard game as a Jet this week. He was on the press tour. He was trying to get viewers. Now what? A 3-11 Jets team?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
They were moving the ball.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Preventative air cast for Aiden O'Connell, yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Probably A-. See? I think it's been really fun. I mean, the Lions storyline is amazing. I feel like everybody in America wants the Lions to win a Super Bowl.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
When Jamar Gibbs is in the game, I'm like, I don't even know if I'm on a fantasy team.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
The golf storyline is great. The weird 12-1 Chiefs. Saquon going to the Eagles and then maybe breaking the rushing record is unbelievable. I think it's been a really fun year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Well, it's like Iberflues leaves, the defense probably gets worse. And then you, you, you promote the guy running the offense. So now you have a different person running the offense. It gets messy quick. You get suckered by that though.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Who do you, do you want to receive?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Do you want a tackle or a wide receiver in the draft?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
Yeah, probably not one worthy of a top three pick.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
There was a conspiracy theory that Shador was tweeting, thank you, Lord, every time the Raiders lost because he wanted to go to the Raiders. It happened for 11 weeks. It was perfect. Even when they were on a bye, he didn't tweet it that week. But the Raiders, I think, won and then he tweeted it. And so it turns out not true.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
OKC’s Revenge, NBA Cup Nitpicks, and NFL Season Fun Grades with David Jacoby, Kirk Goldsberry, Kyle Brandt, and Craig Horlbeck
But there was a while there where I was like, Shador and Dion are angling to get to Vegas.