Papamutes
Papamutes is a podcast that dives into the minds of creative individuals—artists, writers, entrepreneurs, performers, and makers—who not only pursue their craft with heart but also find meaningful ways to give back. Each episode features an inspiring conversation about their journey, what drives their creativity, and how they’re using their talents to uplift others.
Papamutes
Inside Philly’s Trenches: Health, Coaching, And The Road Back To The Super Bowl
Bold claim or brutal truth: Kansas City is back. We argue the AFC gauntlet, midseason MVPs, and whether Detroit is built to beat Philly. Are the Eagles one seed material? Hit play and drop your NFC power ranking below. Who’s your top 3?
“THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED OR VIEWS EXPRESSED BY GUESTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT OR REPRESENT THOSE OF THE HOST;
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I gotta take, I gotta walk back.
SPEAKER_04:Go, go, go, go.
SPEAKER_02:Kansas City's back. They're gonna win the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER_04:I was wrong.
SPEAKER_02:I was wrong. They're not back.
SPEAKER_04:They're not back. Wasn't really running the rock. I mean, is that the O-line? Is that just Feng Shui? What's going on there?
SPEAKER_02:It's a good segue because I was going to jump in and add my point. I think we talked the biggest concerns, uh, groups on our one of the early pods here, and a few things, but I you know, I'll give myself some credit. We did talk about uh the Wizards back. Uh we talked about the the lack of depth in the O-line, and that could have been concern, which is something that we're not used to seeing in Philadelphia football team. So I think that's um lost you for a second.
SPEAKER_04:Go ahead.
SPEAKER_02:That was that is the main issue is uh the O-line was uh you had a rotating group of guys. Um you had Lane out for the first two games uh for the most part, and maybe I can't remember if it was first and second game or second and third game, but I'll come back to Lane in a second. You got uh Dickerson's been banged up, you had Jurgens go out, you had a a new guy in Stein, um and poof, he's gone.
SPEAKER_04:Um that's at Bucks County uh internet. What the hell is going on there?
SPEAKER_02:You had the um so you had a new guy in Stein, and you and you it's really hard. You know, I was listening to Kelsey today on WIP, and I was it's really hard to come in as a rotational offensive lineman and make an impact when you're not rotating with that group and being with that group. So it takes the O-line some time, some cohesion to get going. Um, I think them going jumbo this past week helped set the edge, get Saquon on the outside, bringing in Fred Johnson, who was a good pickup, pick pickback up that Howie did in the offseason helps big time. I think Jalen Undersender helps big time. And I and Lane playing you know healthy better is is the key. Apparently, again, I'm stealing Kelsey's talking points, but they leave Lane on an island constantly. There's nothing, no one, no help, no chip, no nothing. So he's one of the only guys in the league can do it. Him and you know, the guy from Detroit's uh what's his name? Uh uh about the only two probably guys who could do it, uh, live on an island out there, and everyone else can work together. And when he flips out and you have to rotate some other guys in, the offense isn't ready for that. So it's gonna shift everything. So I mean, uh it's not anything Saquon's doing. He's getting his his his he's getting hit behind the line of scrimmage. I think the O-line played great last week. I think it's gonna continue to play better. Um, and you know, if you could trust anyone in the organization, it's Jeff Statlin to get that thing fixed. So um I was concerned, less concerned now that I've seen some things, and if we keep these guys healthy, we'll be okay.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, that's your O-line point. Yeah, I was just gonna add in here. Um, it was definitely Dickerson's best game last week. Like we again, you go to those film guys, everyone's showing how much better he is in terms of getting upfield. Um he was injured earlier in the year. Um there were some uh some fat so allegations for Dickerson that he was he was too heavy, which I think is just because he wasn't playing that well. I don't think he like lost weight and started started suddenly playing better. Um but he clearly like there I think I saw some stat that like when Saquon runs when he was running behind Dickerson last year, he was getting like some ridiculous yards before contact. Um so he clearly was a big engine last year for that run game, and it's I don't think it's any surprise that his best game this past week um had both Saquon um and Tank Bigsby both rushing for a hundred yards. So yeah. O-line was huge this past game.
SPEAKER_04:But what about earlier when they wasn't running? Well, I mean the O-line wasn't opening any holes. What are you attaining that to?
SPEAKER_02:Uh injury.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, he was injured. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Um, I think Dickerson had no pop, no pop. Uh getting him right. I mean, it's almost like they kind of folded that Giants game, and I'm sure we'll talk about some of the disappointment in the schedule. But him and him and uh Jalen Carter not playing at all was just kind of like, yeah, maybe we'll get lucky and beat this bad bad team on a Thursday. But then they had the 10-day mini-buy to get everyone back healthy, and it and you you can see the difference. I mean, Jalen Carter has first sack in the season. He was he was monstrous. Dickerson was killing two dudes at once. Um, you know, Saquon hit that 60 yarder. It it does matter when these guys who are trying to limp through the season get them right midseason so they can continue to play through the playoffs. Take, I gotta walk back.
SPEAKER_04:Go, go, go, go.
SPEAKER_02:Kansas City's back. They're gonna win the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER_04:No. What the fuck? No. No, no, no. I was wrong.
SPEAKER_02:I was wrong.
SPEAKER_04:They're not back. They're not back.
SPEAKER_02:I well, I'm walking back my take. I said that take. I said they were bad. I think that I said Denver's gonna win the division, but they still could. Um I said they didn't have the talent. I was wrong. They're good. They're just good.
SPEAKER_04:No, no, no. They're playing teams that aren't good.
unknown:No.
SPEAKER_00:Okay. I'm walking back the take. They're not allowed to outside Big Apple. Mahomes, he looks like he's got that chip on his shoulder, and I don't like it.
SPEAKER_04:No, no, no, no, no. They're playing soft teams recently, anyway. Uh I don't have their schedule, but uh I I I think they play the Bills next, if I'm not mistaken.
SPEAKER_02:We'll beat the Bills. The Bills stink.
SPEAKER_04:Oh. Where is it? Where is it? Kansas City or in Buffalo?
SPEAKER_02:It's in Buffalo. They're gonna beat the Bills. The Bills are not good.
SPEAKER_04:I'll take Buffalo.
SPEAKER_02:The Bills have no they have no wide receivers. Keon Coleman stinks. Steve Smith came out on the podcast today, said he can't get any separation. Shakir is not enough. Josh Allen can try to do it all, but they got trouble on the O-line. That that team is beyond flawed. I think they stink.
SPEAKER_04:Kansas City's gonna win the Super Bowl. That's sacrilegious. You're on inside the birds, that's not inside the Chiefs. PP.
SPEAKER_01:What the fuck?
SPEAKER_04:Well, here's your question.
SPEAKER_02:Alright, I'll say this. They're gonna be in the Super Bowl. And if it's the Eagles Kansas City again, I might jump off the Verizano. I might be done. I can't do it.
SPEAKER_03:That's what I was gonna say. If it's Eagles, Chiefs again, which by the way, very well could be. Now we're talking about is there gonna be a docuseries on the big rivalry here? Because it's been you play three three Super Bowls against the same rubber match.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. I'd be nervous going into the rubber match, too.
SPEAKER_04:There's gotta be a team in the conference that could take them out in the playoffs.
SPEAKER_02:And the AFC has some has some talent. I mean, it's it's top heavy. But the Bills aren't gonna do it. I mean, the Ravens, if they can ever get their shit together, could potentially they're done.
SPEAKER_01:They're done.
SPEAKER_02:They're not done. They're not done.
SPEAKER_01:It's the Broncos, though? I don't trust the Broncos.
SPEAKER_02:I don't either.
SPEAKER_01:Um, the Colts team in the league. The Colts? Yeah, wow, we're all sleeping on the Colts. The Colts are incredible. I mean, that's a story.
SPEAKER_04:That's the next matchup.
SPEAKER_02:We'll do that on the the horse, the horse den podcast. The stable.
SPEAKER_03:I do have to say with them, I mean, you I think we just think of like we I think everyone thinks that that team is is fake because of like Daniel Jones' the QB. But if you actually look at the roster, they have a lot of great players, a lot of guys that have worked out for them. Um I actually think that team is for for real.
SPEAKER_02:Um they're for real, obviously. Yeah, Jonathan Taylor's incredible. That offensive line is incredible, and they got some dudes on defense who can bang.
SPEAKER_04:He could he could tear the Stalers up this week.
SPEAKER_03:Now that you're ranking, offensive coaching ranking, defensive coaching ranking. Tariani, I'd give it a minus. I think like the little things like Chipper was saying, right? Like the practicing the twish push, I think that he is a very detail-oriented guy, which is why you see the Eagles not make some of these um bone-headed mistakes that some of these other teams um make. I think the the one thing that you can knock him on is maybe not um helping out Kevin Patulo as much with the offense, who I would give a B minus overall through the first um eight games here. The last two games I'd give him like maybe A minus or A. Um, but those earlier games, not great. And then Fangio, I just love Fangio. I feel like he's the reason that we won um some of those early games there. Um so I'm giving him an A. I think that we of all the coaches, I feel like the most confident in him that he's gonna figure things out, especially for um another Super Bowl run here in the postseason.
SPEAKER_04:Cool. Big apple.
SPEAKER_02:Siriani's an A, an easy A. Um, I think everything he does, he's a good leader of men. I think he's got this team prepared to win games. Um, I want to hate. I wish I could, but he can't. He's he's great. Uh Fangio is getting there. I mean, whatever. A. I I he you you're he's working, he's got guys in there. I liked him bringing in Nicoby to spare jihad Campbell. I think we're lacking some talent in the secondary. There's nothing not on Fangio. We don't hope that the guys coached up. I mean, Patulo's terrible. See? Um I'm not a I'm not a Patulo guy.
unknown:Why?
SPEAKER_04:What's the uh breakdown on that dude?
SPEAKER_02:I haven't seen it. I just don't I don't think it lacks creativity. I think the route trees are bad. I think they're boring. I think you know, regardless of getting the the run game going and putting Jalen under center, I mean we'll see. If he keeps learning and keeps getting better, maybe. But I don't know. It's just I just there's just a lot of better guys out there. You see the difference between Kellen Moore and him. I don't know if it's walking off of you know 16, 17, 18 games into the season to game one with a new coordinator, but you know, I'll give him time, but you know, he's on the F. He's a C.
SPEAKER_04:Maybe that's why AJ's got a bug in his ass.
SPEAKER_02:AJ, I'm gonna talk AJ.
SPEAKER_04:Talk AJ. Go ahead.
SPEAKER_02:He's he's struggling, and I agree with the latest report. I forget to put it out. He's struggling because AJ wants to be the best. He wants to be wide receiver one in the NFL, but he also is a great teammate and a great guy, and he knows that's his role in Philly, is not gonna be wide receiver one in the NFL because a lot of mouths to feed. So he's having a personal dilemma. I think it's a little childish putting it online, but I mean that's kind of the nature of the the you know, professional athletes, broadly speaking, NBA, NFL nowadays. You're not gonna get the strong silent types. I mean, Jalen Jalen Hurts is like the and you know, he's an anomaly, so it's not gonna happen like that. So, you know, it's it's a tough one because I want the best of the world for AJ. I he helped us bring a Super Bowl, um, but I'm kind of tired of the shit. So he's gotta he's gotta tread lightly here in this city.
SPEAKER_04:Is he in Pickens territory? The kid Pickens?
SPEAKER_02:No, God, no. I mean, the difference between Pickens and him is I mean, you go, I mean, every every report you hear, regardless if AJ's upset or not, not getting the ball or not, he is he is lovable in that locker room. Everybody loves him. Top down throughout the organization, all the players. They might roll their eyes and get sick of the tweets and all this stuff because everyone has to talk about it, but no, not even close. He's not even close to TO.
SPEAKER_01:Why why can't we? If we're talking about Miles Garrett, we should be able to maybe package AJ for some first rounds then to send over to Cleveland.
SPEAKER_04:We're not gonna wait wait wait wait wait wait wait. You want to send AJ now? No, that's crazy talk.
SPEAKER_01:If you would get him the ball before, it's a bad thing.
SPEAKER_02:No, you don't want to you don't want to weaken a position group that you have exceptional talent at to it's it's too big of a trade. Because then you're one Devontae Smith rolled ankle away from Jahan Dotson as your number one. That's detriment to destroy your season.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04:You better lay off the side.
SPEAKER_01:Maybe I'm not feeling it just because Goddard and Dotson have looked better this year, but Well, here you go.
SPEAKER_04:Here you go.
SPEAKER_01:I think that this is this is like a disease that it's eventually it's going to impact the rest of the body.
SPEAKER_02:He won't he won't get traded midseason. He might be gone after the offseason, but I don't think it's gonna happen yet.
SPEAKER_01:Well, let me go through the show.
SPEAKER_03:I do think he's gonna get moved in the offseason. I do kind of think that's what's gonna happen.
SPEAKER_01:I'm gonna preface my take, though. Like it's only if we can get someone huge like Miles Garrett back. If that's what it takes, then we can do it.
SPEAKER_04:But wow. Shocking developments.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, weird comparison, but Tom Brady, no one remembers the second year in Tampa when he stunk after they won the Super Bowl and he walked away from the game. It's fine. I mean, the guy's a two two-time champ, and we need him. Um, I think it's a locker room thing. I uh we only need a few a few snaps a game, although I heard the Eagles are on the hunt for Miles Garrett this week. No, I don't know. Really?
unknown:Wow.
SPEAKER_03:Three first three first rounders. Three first rounders is the rumor. I'm not kidding.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, Twitter. I don't know. I mean, is that reliable? Twitter?
SPEAKER_00:Well, you gotta have a good source.
SPEAKER_04:Really? Yeah, they're gonna be.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, how he's how he's gonna be involved, he's gonna poke. I think um, you know, this there's always smoke when there's fire, when there's when there's there's always whatever this saying is for Howie.
SPEAKER_01:But the the funny part about what it's worth.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. The funny part about the um the Miles Garrett rumors is they're coming from like the Cleveland side. Like, I think it was like uh the Cleveland's like ESPN radio show or something where the people that like came out with this first and were like, apparently Howie's look, he's hot on the heels for Miles Garrett. Would you trade him? There and they were asking, would we trade him for three first rounders? Which I was like, you guys totally should do that. Are you kidding me? You guys aren't gonna he just had five sacks last week and he lost by three scores. You're not going anywhere with him. Uh should the Eagles do it? Like maybe, I don't know. I mean, obviously he is an absolute monster. But three first round picks, even if they're the um even if they're gonna be late first rounders, it's it's a heavy price.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, it's a no-brainer for the Browns, but yeah, is it worth us giving that up? If you do it, you gotta win this year or next year.
SPEAKER_02:He's the best defensive player in football, so I would take him in a second.
SPEAKER_04:Hey, what about um the like I mean I think Big Apple said there's no concerns in the division. I agree, especially with his face hurt for Washington. Um about the conference. Any concerns? Yeah, Big Apple.
SPEAKER_02:Conference has some stiff. I mean, I think the NFC's deep. I don't think there's a great team, great, great team. I think but there's a lot of good teams. I think the Rams are f formidable. If we played them in the playoffs again, now would trying to beat them, what would that be? Four times in a row? That's tough. McVay is tough, uh, tough out. I think Packers are good. I think they're hitting form again. The the thing with the Packers is you gotta keep Jordan Love off his rhythm. If he's in a rhythm, he just did 20 completions straight in the game versus Steelers right in Papa Mutz's face the other night. So I I know that's I mean, you gotta disrupt him. If we don't have a pass rush, we're gonna be screwed. You know, they're I think the NFC East is is just the Eagles to walk away with, so that's tough. Tampa's a tough out. If they get healthy, I mean Mike Evans out for the years is you know not good for his legacy, but it's good for the rest of the team. But Tampa's no no joke. But yeah. Seahawks, too. Seahawks are real, I think. Um, and then uh what's McCall? We're even talking about the lines.
SPEAKER_03:Which I think is the I'm scared of that team. I think that team is tough as shit. I think they are tough as nails.
SPEAKER_02:They're exceptional against the run. It's not a good matchup for the Eagles. I think they built that team to beat the Eagles. I mean, it's intermediate throws across the middle, real fast for Jared Goff, run the ball really well, which the Eagles haven't shown that are great run defense yet, and then you know, they they stopped the run. I mean, they're smart. They built the they built that team to beat us.
SPEAKER_04:True. Yeah, well, and anyway, well, I mean, next up the Packers and the Lions. I mean, that's a double dip of madness right there. Yeah, I mean, eh, that well, well, gotta split.
SPEAKER_01:Gotta split.
SPEAKER_04:Split.
SPEAKER_01:The Lions game is long awaited. I feel like we've been the best two teams in the NFC for two years and we haven't played each other. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:Wizard. MVP of the halfway point for the Eagles. Mine is mine is uh, I'm gonna just throw it out there as Jalen Hurts.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, I I'd have to say, and I I'm transparently gonna say, like, uh I haven't watched every single minute of every single game and and not that junkie, so going all fives, yeah. I mean what I've seen, Jalen, you know, he he keeps his composure. He is obviously QB1. Uh so I'm gonna I'm gonna go with him. Saquon hasn't been the study was last year, but it's hard to replicate that. So yeah, I'll start with Jalen as well.
SPEAKER_04:Big Cannon. MVP halfway point.
SPEAKER_03:I think, yeah, I think it's I think it's Jalen. If I want to be more fun, who's someone that I thought is taking the a step forward this year that's really helped us out? I'd say Devontae Smith. Um so he's just looked great. This game we missed AJ Brown, he was um he looked fantastic. So those are my two guys I'd go with.
SPEAKER_04:Chipper.
SPEAKER_01:I I'll go out there just so we don't keep saying Jalen Hurts, but I think Chipper got a bug in his ass tonight. I think if you look at the defense, the Jean is like, I think he just holds the whole thing together. He's awesome. He's just so athletic, and he's all over the field. He's always around the ball, and he's playing a nickel nickel cornerback. Like, I think he's a stud.
SPEAKER_04:Big apple?
SPEAKER_02:I mean, the answer's Jalen, but again, I agree with Chip. I think Dejean is sick, but I'll go with someone else on the defense, Jordan Davis, he's an incredible year. Um had to fill in basically for Jalen Carter solo. He's he lost weight, he looks good, his motor's strong, playing a lot of reps. I'll give him, I'll give him, I'll give it to JD. Has a touchdown, caught blew the cover, but I'll take it.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, we made predictions. I should have, I mean, I didn't write them down. I know what mine was. Uh I'm just wondering if anybody has changed their overall predictions in losses for the season. Uh, do you remember what you predicted?
SPEAKER_01:Uh I think I said 12 and 5. I think I'm gonna take it up to 13 and 4. It's hard to argue. We were gonna trip up at the beginning of anything. It's hard to argue when we get the ball rolling here. Um Jalen just hasn't lost. So, like, how how can you say we're gonna lose a bunch of more games at the end of the year?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah. What about you, Wiz?
SPEAKER_00:Well, I was I was gonna say the Broncos loss is uh is suspect. Might not even be a loss if a couple things go a different way. So we could have Thursday night.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, you know what? Yeah, you know, that was horror. Is that the penalty they meant the the the uh what do you call it? The interference they didn't call? That's a game, right?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, against Dallas, unless Dallas Oh my god, that was brutal.
SPEAKER_00:Anyway, whatever. So so yeah, let's just say we're you know we're pretty much only have one loss. We could easily not say it's gonna happen, lose to Green Bay and the Lions. It just could happen. Then what we have four losses. I mean, I I don't see it having more than four losses on the season. And I think that aligns with what I predicted.
SPEAKER_04:Big canon losses.
SPEAKER_00:I think I'm going.
SPEAKER_03:I I it was 12 and 5. I think that um I go 13 and 4. Um I do think we'll be I kind of think we're gonna lose that last game of the season, though. So I think we'll be like 13 and 3 going into the last game where we'll sit everyone. Um so yeah, I mean, I think one of we're gonna lose one of these two games upcoming here, but then I think we're gonna we're gonna go on a a roll um throughout the rest of the year. Wow.
SPEAKER_04:Big apple.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, the floor is eleven. I think eleven is just given with Raiders and a few of these bad teams coming up. Um yeah, I mean, I'll I'll stick with my prediction. I think I said 12 wins. I'll take 12 wins. Go for it.
SPEAKER_04:I I disagree with Kansas City. Fuck Kansas.
SPEAKER_03:I think my here's my final thought. I think that I I think we're going back to the Super Bowl. Only team I'm really concerned about, honestly, is the Lions. I just think that I they just make me nervous. I feel like they have it, they are so pumped to play us, and I think that team is top as nails. They can be toe-to-toe with us in terms of the physicality. That's the only team that I'm like super concerned about um in the NFC that I think is at our level.
SPEAKER_04:Alright, so let's say Kansas City plays Detroit in the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER_00:I got the tr I got Detroit all day. Well, I'm rooting against Kansas City every time, so yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Well, it's a no-brainer, yeah. But I would say Chiefs win that one, to be honest with you.
SPEAKER_04:What's with this Chiefs shit? Where do you see it? What do you see in the game? I know, but again, soft chipper, help me out. Soft team, soft schedule.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I I'm more about I'm worried about the AFC, but then if you get Mahomes in one game at the Super Bowl, that scares you.
unknown:I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:But their defense is. I'm worried about us getting through the NFC first. Like I these guys, it's not a foregone conclusion we're even gonna make it past the first round. NFC's tough.
SPEAKER_00:I'm not I'm not I'm not comfortable in the NFC. Seahawks are sneaky. Darnold can sling it, and their defense is is solid. That's true, dude.
SPEAKER_01:Those those dudes can bang. They're good. Yeah. And we've we never went out in Seattle, too.
SPEAKER_03:I could that's actually a great point. I can see our season ending like that. No one's thinking too much about it. It's like, oh, Seahawks, first playoff game. Like, whatever. We got it in the back. That's the exact kind of team that would just come in here and rip our hearts out.
SPEAKER_01:So true. That's why I mean division's really important. One seed would be really, really nice. Need two at least.
SPEAKER_02:San Fran's not gonna make it, they're too hurt now. Fred Freddie. Fred Warner is out for the year. Um, they're done. Bosa, no. Bosa is all about the guys. Did we have home field last year?
SPEAKER_00:I can't remember.
SPEAKER_02:No, we were the two seed. First seed, but the Lions lost. So and we had a we but we had to play three playoff games.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the Lions lost that we played home. Oh, yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:In the championship game. This early bye, long run last year, like it would be really nice to get that bye. And it would be nice that not have to go to Seattle, Detroit, any of these places. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, I'll go to LA any day. I mean, that's like a home game for us.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. Alright. Well, gentlemen, this has been real. We come back prior to the playoffs.
SPEAKER_00:We could do it again in a couple of weeks. Yeah, we'll keep checking in. I mean, definitely prior playoff once we get the once the bracket's set. Look at paths.
SPEAKER_04:Christmas special.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, we need to do a thank we need to do a Thanksgiving pod. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving pod. We'll call it the potluck. Keep it short, 30 minutes. Pot bird's nest potluck.
SPEAKER_04:Bird nest potluck. Oh, the bird's nest, right.
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