The Bill Simmons Podcast
Part 2: Eagles/C-Words Reax, Drake Maye Fever, the RB Boom and Million Dollar Picks With Joe House and Nate Tice
Fri, 15 Nov 2024
In Part 2 of a two-part podcast, The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to discuss the Eagles routing the Commanders on 'Thursday Night Football' (2:25). Then, Bill talks with Nate Tice of Yahoo Sports and NFL Network to discuss Drake Maye's impressive development, the 2024 NFL draft class, and projecting QB prospects (18:58), before Nate gives his five favorite things he's enjoying this NFL season, including surprisingly good defenses, the AFC juggernaut QBs, the Arizona Cardinals, and more (44:51). Finally, Bill and House run through their favorite games from the weekend slate (1:14:30), before making the Million-Dollar Picks for NFL Week 11 (1:44:38). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Nate Tice and Joe House Producers: Kyle Crichton and Steve Ceruti The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: What happened in the Eagles vs. Commanders game?
Okay, this is a true story. I have a friend who once faked his own death so he could have more time to watch his favorite TV show. In my new podcast, Truthless, I'm talking to people about the lies they tell, from forging new identities to taking their love of Game of Thrones a little too far. From Spotify and the Ringer Podcast Network, I'm Brian Phillips.
Listen to Truthless on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
We're also brought to you by the Ringer Podcast Network. Put up a new Rewatchables on Monday night when we meet the parents. We have a sports movie coming next Monday night. Maybe I'll give some hints over the weekend on the Rewatchables Twitter feed. Stay tuned for that. Hey, if you missed part one of today's podcast, me and Big Waz and then Van Lathan joined us. We talked basketball.
We talked Knicks and Bulls. We talked about... The NBA's popularity these days with why the ratings are going down and yet the interest seems to be up and that conversation went in a whole bunch of directions as it so often does when Van gets involved. But we also talked about Mike Tyson. And the big fight coming up this weekend in four decades of having Mike Tyson in our lives.
So that was part one. Part two is a little simpler. Joe House is going to come on at the very top. We're going to be talking about the Washington-Philadelphia Thursday night game, the biggest NFC East game involving Washington in a long, long time. And then House goes away. I bring in Nate Tice from Yahoo. We talk about Drake May, because he's on Drake May Island with me.
And then we talk about the five things he's been the most excited about over the course of the season. Really fun football combo. And then bringing House back in to do Million Dollar Picks. And by the way, it's not Sober House tonight. I'm just warning you guys now. So that is the plan for part two. First, our friends from Pearl Jam. All right, taping this first part of the podcast.
It is almost 8.30 Pacific time. Joe House is here. His favorite team, the Washington Seawords, was 7-2 a mere five days ago. And it's now 7-4 after two losses in five days. I listened to you on a very good show called East Coast Bias on the Ringer Gambling Show today. And you were saying it felt a little early for Washington in a game like this.
So make the same case you made 12 hours ago on that show.
Well, I've had a couple drinks, just to be blunt about it, right from the top. So I'll be able to get half of it right.
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Chapter 2: What are the standout qualities of Drake May?
Wonderful.
Couldn't be better. So you might get to 11 wins anyway.
Yeah. And I think in the NFC, you get to Ted, great chance of getting in there. And this little mini-buy can't be overrated, right? They go from this Thursday night game, which I hate. I hate a divisional game on a Thursday night. But now they... They have the rest. We're going to get Marshawn Latimer. We're going to get, you know, Jayden Daniels.
Hopefully those eight days are meaningful to his recovery. The offensive line's a little dinged up. Cliff Kingsbury doesn't think so because he thinks that we should try these short yardage rushing plays. That the Eagles, there were eight... Short yardage rushing plays. I'll just do my Kingsbury bit for 10 seconds. Eight short yardage rushing plays for Washington.
They amassed a total of negative one rushing yards. Is it second half Cliff? Or do we have second half Cliff in our lives?
Are you talking second half of the season or second half of a game or both?
All of the above. All of the above, sadly.
So if Cliff was a baseball pitcher, he'd be the I don't want to see the lineup a third time guy?
I'm tapping my right arm. I'm tapping. You're bringing in the situational relief. Yes, exactly.
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Chapter 3: What makes the AFC quarterbacks so powerful this season?
We're way past the Biden jokes, aren't we?
Is there a video of Ron Rivera walking on the beach in Delaware like Biden or no? Maybe the two of them hand in hand together.
Who knows?
Notice Biden's wife didn't put her arm out. Maybe help the old man as he's trying to navigate some sand. Jesus.
There isn't a lot of physical contact between those two. Ever since it became clear that he wasn't going to run for president again. You can't catch those two together in a single camera frame. Yeah, it's tough.
Tough times. We'll see how it goes. Okay, so big picture. I would have said Philly was maybe my number one draft pick for the other NFC title spot against Detroit. Something's missing and I don't know what it is. Now granted, their kicker today, they scored 26 points. Their kicker missed two field goals in a PAT. So really they could have been in the 30s. But
I don't know what it is, but they have not won me over as the second team yet. The problem is I don't know who the second team is. Like we could have the Green Bay conversation. Maybe we'll know more this week. Maybe this is the week San Francisco gets going. Maybe Minnesota will start looking again like they did in September, go on and on. But I just don't know who the team is.
I still think it's Philly. And I think that they remain a work in progress themselves. You have to remember like this is, and they made a point of it on the, on the broadcast, Alan Kirk, you know, America's favorite Thursday night couple. They, you know, Fangio's defense takes a little while for guys to get, they have two outstanding guys in that secondary Quinian Marshall and, and Dijon.
And those guys are clearly, you know, getting it. Jalen Carter had a dominant game tonight against the Washington offensive line. That's been a revelation. So I think as they put it together defensively, ultimately they won that game with their defense, right? That's what we would say. And I mean, I haven't seen anything out of San Francisco.
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Chapter 4: How have NFL defenses evolved this year?
Yeah, probably by default, but I don't feel good about it.
Okay. It is only week 11. Remember, this is a marathon.
How many NFC teams would you take over the second NFC team?
I would take the Bills.
Buffalo, KC, would you take both of them?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Probably the Ravens. I don't know. I would take the Ravens. Ravens are close. Would you rather be the Chargers or the Eagles? Oh, definitely the Eagles. No, no, no. Come on. We're not there yet. The Chargers just discovered that they have two receivers. Would you rather be the Steelers or the Eagles? Eagles.
Those weapons on the outside. I think I'd rather be the Steelers because the Sirianni factor, which did not rear its ugly head tonight because maybe on Thursday nights his medication's better. Fair enough. So your team's, I'm guessing, a playoff team still. I don't see a scenario where that doesn't happen unless Daniels is really hurt. But even now, you're 7-3. 7-4. I'm sorry. You're 7-4.
You have a one-game lead over Green Bay, who's number three in the NFC North. Nobody in the NFC South is catching you. And then in the NFC West, Arizona is 6-4, San Francisco is 5-4. And the Rams, who we touted a couple weeks ago, who now are in a must-win spot against my guy Drake May and the Pats. Yep. So you're 10 wins feels like it gets into the playoffs, right?
I agree. Yeah. I think it's 10 wins in the NFC and I, I liked our chances. You know, I think I'm cautiously optimistic.
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Chapter 5: What are the Million Dollar Picks for NFL Week 11?
Chapter 6: What should we expect from the 2024 NFL draft class?
Chapter 7: What are the implications of coaching changes in the NFL?
Buffalo, KC, would you take both of them?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Probably the Ravens. I don't know. I would take the Ravens. Ravens are close. Would you rather be the Chargers or the Eagles? Oh, definitely the Eagles. No, no, no. Come on. We're not there yet. The Chargers just discovered that they have two receivers. Would you rather be the Steelers or the Eagles? Eagles.
Those weapons on the outside. I think I'd rather be the Steelers because the Sirianni factor, which did not rear its ugly head tonight because maybe on Thursday nights his medication's better. Fair enough. So your team's, I'm guessing, a playoff team still. I don't see a scenario where that doesn't happen unless Daniels is really hurt. But even now, you're 7-3. 7-4. I'm sorry. You're 7-4.
You have a one-game lead over Green Bay, who's number three in the NFC North. Nobody in the NFC South is catching you. And then in the NFC West, Arizona is 6-4, San Francisco is 5-4. And the Rams, who we touted a couple weeks ago, who now are in a must-win spot against my guy Drake May and the Pats. Yep. So you're 10 wins feels like it gets into the playoffs, right?
I agree. Yeah. I think it's 10 wins in the NFC and I, I liked our chances. You know, I think I'm cautiously optimistic.
Has this been a good season for rehabilitating your Washington commander relationships in your life? I mean, look, I'm wearing the hat. What kind of text threads are you on? How many different Washington text threads are you on?
a half dozen at least. And it's unbridled exuberance. Like, you know, we have a football team where everybody's, you know, in my conversations, it's around what the future might hold. And everything begins with this quarterback. We must keep this kid alive. healthy. But if we have that foundational piece, then it's been demonstrated, especially in his rookie year.
In his first 11 games in his rookie year, he's showing that he belongs in the upper echelon. You get that, then you have a window. And if you have a window, you better jump through it in this modern NFL, right?
The next segment, I'm talking to Nate Tice about Drake May. It's the exact same situation.
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