- 21 minutes ago
Carl Dukes and Mike Bell debate the state of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback situation. After looking at advanced stats like EPA and completion percentage for Michael Penix Jr., Carl breaks down why wins are the only metric that truly matters in the NFL. Meanwhile, Mike Bell, Carl Dukes, and Da-Da Lewis get into an intense, hilarious argument over whether Penix's passes to Bijan Robinson and Jake Matthews were actually catchable or terrible throws.
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00:00Last night after the game, great Monday night football game, Sean McVay said,
00:04I'll evaluate everything.
00:05And he did.
00:06Today they let their kicker go.
00:08Oh, snap.
00:09He blew the game.
00:11And last night, Sean McVay said, our field goals, our point after attempts,
00:15one even close, one even good enough, it causes the game.
00:18So today they let their kicker go.
00:19All right, so spin the wheel of mediocre kickers that are out there on the float.
00:23Who gets the call?
00:24They're signing Blake.
00:25Whoop is the guy's name, I believe it is, off the Jets practice squad, Mike.
00:29All right.
00:30Look, last night, Rams kicker missed a 50-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter.
00:34He had a 48-yard blocked in the overtime that would have been the winner.
00:39And bottom line is, he just hasn't been good enough.
00:42So, look, we've had our fair share of kicking issues, right, with our Falcons.
00:46Right.
00:46But I just think, like, at the end of the day, you know, sometimes you go,
00:49we played well enough to win, and I think the Rams did.
00:52But the kicking game, guys, how many times have we talked about it?
00:55It will come back to bite you, and it did last night.
00:58Okay, so I looked it up.
00:59Apparently, Carl, it's group A.
01:00Group A.
01:01It's groupie.
01:01Okay.
01:02It's actually groupie, like you're a groupie of a band.
01:04Blake, groupie?
01:04I looked it up.
01:05Yeah, I looked up the phonetics, like, group E-E.
01:08I'm like, okay, groupie.
01:09Either way.
01:10Never heard of it.
01:11Exactly.
01:12I'm surprised he didn't get a phone call from us a couple years ago.
01:15He was with the kick at Arkansas State, and he was with the Saints,
01:19and after that he bounced around a couple of practice squads, Jets, Rams, now.
01:23But this is the thing, and if you don't have a kicker,
01:24and this is where the Rams play, Carl, in those high-leverage games
01:27in the toughest division in sports, you know, and now, by the way,
01:31they're the same record as us.
01:32Yeah, two and three.
01:33They have had three-block field goal attempts since the start of last season.
01:36Tied for most of the NFL.
01:38It's not going to get it done.
01:39So we're just telling you, like, there is an expectation with the Rams.
01:42Think about what the moves they made.
01:44Aaron Donald comes back.
01:45By the way, he can still play.
01:46He was great last night.
01:47You know, Miles Garrett is working his way back.
01:49All these moves that they've made, Mike,
01:50there's an expectation for Super Bowl for them.
01:52And Matthew Stafford's still playing at a very high level,
01:55but little things like this will blow your season,
01:57and so they're not waiting around.
01:59Meanwhile, this got sent to us from Hugh G Reaction.
02:03That's his Twitter handle.
02:04Hugh G Reaction.
02:05Yeah, and he sent it to Day-Day and Mike and myself.
02:08You can follow Mike, ATLBell929.
02:11I'm at PutEmUp, C-Dukes, and follow Day-Day as well,
02:14our executive producer.
02:16But he sends this and says, you know,
02:18I guess he heard us talking about Michael Penix.
02:20And look, I said there are a lot of things he's got to get better at
02:22and room to grow.
02:23And so there's a stat out there from some stat nerd
02:27who's talking about the start of the season for Penix.
02:30And I just want to put this in perspective
02:31because I don't even think most of you know what any of this means.
02:35EPA play.
02:36Third in the league.
02:37Success percentage.
02:38Fourth.
02:40Completion percentage.
02:40He's seventh.
02:41Yards per attempt.
02:42He's second.
02:43Let me just break all of this down to you.
02:46All that doesn't matter.
02:47You know what I remember last night?
02:49Josh Allen winning.
02:51All of that doesn't matter.
02:52And I'm not telling you it's not good for Michael Penix,
02:54who is off to a good start to the season.
02:57But the things you remember is who won the game.
03:00And so when we start talking about all this, you know,
03:03play action, EPA, slash play, he's first in the league.
03:06What the hell does all that mean?
03:08Is this offense scoring points?
03:09Are we scoring when we need to?
03:10Are you making the plays you need to make?
03:12And are we winning?
03:13The only thing I remember last night is Josh Allen scrambling twice
03:16in the overtime, Mike, and putting him in field goal position to win the game.
03:19That's it.
03:19That's what he does.
03:20He got sacked eight times.
03:22Eight times, man.
03:23I mean, but look, this is the conversation.
03:25I literally just had this conversation with a guy.
03:27We praised Michael Penix Jr. after Green Bay.
03:31You know, we talked about, hey, a rusty start,
03:33that was to be expected, and he got in the group.
03:34He got Drake involved.
03:35He goes down to New Orleans.
03:37He's doing all this.
03:38Now, again, in the New Orleans game,
03:39the same thing that cropped up in the Ravens game, cropped up,
03:41the touch throws he has still got to work on.
03:44But, again, you guys need to get some perspective.
03:47This is the most important position any franchise can have in any sport,
03:50and we're evaluating how he does.
03:53We lost the game to the Ravens in part because the Ravens kicked our ass.
03:57They out-physicaled us on the line.
03:59They wouldn't let our edge guys set the edge,
04:02and they went after, and let's be honest,
04:04they were able to get everything they wanted at times on both sides of the football.
04:07But there were still individual moments where Bijan did his thing,
04:09and Michael, let me repeat this, listen very carefully.
04:14All right.
04:14Michael Penix Jr. made amazing star-level NFL throws
04:19in tight windows to Kyle Pitts and Drake London, and you name it.
04:25But any football game, as Carl said last night, comes down to moments.
04:30Rams cut their kicker.
04:31Kicker didn't do his job.
04:33But last Sunday night, guys, Mike needed to make a high-percentage throw
04:38that everybody in the league can make.
04:40And now you're looking.
04:41I've got breakdowns of the Ravens were in his face.
04:44He couldn't get the throw.
04:45He got the throw off.
04:46He didn't make the throw accurately.
04:48So will you stop making excuses?
04:51We can, in one conversation, praise Michael Penix
04:53for all the things he accomplished on Sunday night.
04:56Yeah.
04:56But in a big moment that we had to have, he couldn't deliver it.
05:00Yeah.
05:00So stop crying.
05:02Stop being a bunch of candy asses.
05:04Yeah.
05:04And grow up.
05:07Yeah.
05:09You remember when we were in New Orleans at one time?
05:12And we're coming back.
05:14And Bobby's going in with the Saints, and his girl host,
05:16that's all he was saying.
05:17Yeah.
05:18He didn't add anything.
05:19You can't.
05:20There's no way.
05:21They should come down to this, because they have so many opportunities,
05:23and players got to make plays.
05:25Yeah.
05:25And if that big tight end, they're going to catch the ball.
05:28That's on him.
05:29Yeah.
05:30That's all he would say.
05:31Mike and I were crying.
05:32We were driving back over Lake Ponson train on the bridge.
05:35And that was the game.
05:37Who was that big tight end back in the day?
05:39Oh, Jimmy.
05:40Jimmy Graham.
05:41Yes.
05:41Jimmy Graham dropped a touchdown pass.
05:43Oh, my God.
05:43We never laughed so hard.
05:45So, that's where that comes from.
05:46That's why I'm going, yeah.
05:47But Mike is right.
05:48He's not telling you lies.
05:51So, I'm with the conversation about how good the season is starting,
05:55and it looks good, but ultimately, and Mike knows this,
05:58and I'm talking about Mike Pennix.
06:00It's wins, man.
06:01It's when you walk off the field, and they go, did they win?
06:04Because nobody after the game is talking about, hold on,
06:06let me pull this back up from this nerd.
06:08Nobody's talking about EPA, success percentage, yards per attempt.
06:13Nobody's talking about that.
06:15You either had a good game or a bad game, and you won the game,
06:17and you lost the game.
06:19Like that, by the way, no two things can be, none of these two things.
06:22No.
06:22Okay?
06:22One or the other.
06:24J-Day, you know where I'm going with this.
06:26404-726-0929.
06:28And I hate that.
06:29Two things can be true at the same time.
06:30No, they're not.
06:31I'm black.
06:32That's it.
06:33Okay?
06:34None of these are two things.
06:36Right.
06:36No, as we said.
06:37You're not Brown from the Boogie Downs?
06:38No, I'm not.
06:39No, I'm not.
06:40No, I'm not.
06:41Okay?
06:42No, but like we said, it's getting ridiculous.
06:45I mean, you guys have annoyed.
06:46Here's the thing.
06:47You guys, well, you're prejudging him on his injury history.
06:50Yes, because injury history is why some quarterbacks don't get drafted in this league.
06:54Okay?
06:55That's part of it.
06:56I mean, are you guys that soft out there?
06:59Uh-oh.
06:59That you literally can't hear a conversation.
07:01You called the man soft.
07:02Yes, because I couldn't understand how he could be 95 or 92.
07:0692% and couldn't play in week two.
07:08And I still don't.
07:09And when we talk to Michael, and we will, I will say, Mike, I apologize for calling you
07:13soft and thinking he was weak because I couldn't figure it out.
07:16We know you're a tough guy.
07:17You've gone through three rehabs.
07:18Okay?
07:19But yeah, I said it.
07:21Freaking get over it.
07:23Okay?
07:23Get over it.
07:24Here we are now.
07:25He's a starting quarterback.
07:27If he makes a throw to Bijon, he doesn't get his ribs knocked out.
07:30Okay?
07:31That's a fact.
07:33You guys are so freaking soft.
07:34You've anointed the man.
07:36All right.
07:36You think I've got...
07:37What are you people?
07:38You, Paddix fans.
07:39You guys have anointed him.
07:41And I'm telling you, he's got to prove it.
07:43He's proven he's got the arm to go down the field.
07:45The next iteration and the next improvement has got to be the underneath stuff.
07:48That's got to happen for him.
07:50But to say we can't discuss that?
07:52That we can only praise him?
07:54You guys are candy asses.
07:55I'll say it again.
07:56Can I play some devil advocate here?
07:58Yeah, go ahead.
07:58What's your excuse?
08:00Here it comes.
08:01I'm so angry.
08:02No, because you make excuses for him.
08:05It's not about making excuses.
08:06Hold on.
08:06Hold on.
08:08When he makes a mistake, you just won't ever admit he makes a mistake.
08:11No.
08:12Here we go.
08:13I said yesterday, he's got a lot of room to grow.
08:17Now, you guys know, which I'll bring up in Day Day.
08:20What's on Day Day's mind.
08:21Thanks to you all, I have been very studious in regards to re-watching Falcon games, things of that nature.
08:27But one of the things I want to say that I think a lot of people take issue with is
08:31not so much that,
08:32because a lot of people, I posted about this stuff yesterday, about the conversations, about his touches on these passes.
08:38Got a lot of responses.
08:39A lot of people agree with you, Mike and Carl, that, yeah, he can improve.
08:44But something they pointed out that I didn't even think about, but it's true.
08:48So, ball was in Bijan and Jake Matthews' hands.
08:53They're giving all this smoke to Michael Penix Jr.
08:58Rightfully so.
08:59The ball.
09:00Oh, stop.
09:02Time out.
09:02No, no, no.
09:03Time out.
09:04No, you had your angry man moment.
09:06You had your angry man moment.
09:08I'm about to cuss.
09:09No.
09:11That ball hit the ground.
09:12It's uncatchable.
09:13No, that ball hit his hands.
09:15It hit his hands, Mike Bell.
09:16It hit his hands, Mike Bell.
09:18It hit his hands, Mike Bell.
09:21Go back and watch.
09:22Mike, don't go in there, Mike.
09:24Mike, don't go in there.
09:25Don't go in there.
09:26Mike, what video are you looking at?
09:29This video right here, Mike Bell.
09:31What video are you freaking not?
09:31This video.
09:32This video right here.
09:33It's a fucking pro.
09:34Look at, no.
09:35You are an angry man.
09:36He could have made the catch.
09:38Who could have made the catch?
09:39He's supposed to be the best player in the NFL.
09:42He makes the catch.
09:42Yeah, he makes the catch.
09:43You dive on the ground and you make the catch.
09:45He makes the catch.
09:46Calais Campbell falls on him.
09:48Mike, come back.
09:48Oh, so it's okay for Calais Campbell to fall on Michael Penix and not B.
09:52John Robinson?
09:54Day-day.
09:54Day-day.
09:55No, it was catchable.
09:56I'm sorry, guys.
09:57Both of those balls were catchable.
09:58Go back and watch.
10:00And on the B.
10:00Janto, he had three free-range defenders coming at him.
10:04He's backpedaling, throwing off his back foot with three defenders in his face, and he
10:09had to throw the pass over the cornerback's hands.
10:11You have taken it to another level in this defense of these throws.
10:16I said he has room to improve, but if the ball hits your hands, make the catch.
10:22No, no, no.
10:23Make the catch.
10:23You're an awesome.
10:24You're a superstar.
10:25You're an MVP.
10:26He was supposed to pull that off of his shoe straight out of your mouth.
10:29We've seen it done before.
10:30Have we not?
10:30Have we not seen players make miraculous catches?
10:33Have we not seen players make miraculous catches?
10:36He stops his stride to try to reach and catch the ball.
10:39Day-day, you're out of your mind on this.
10:41It was short.
10:41It was short.
10:41You know what we're going to do?
10:42You were the leader of the excuse group.
10:44You know what we're going to do?
10:44It's insane.
10:45You know what we're going to do?
10:46What?
10:46I'm going to talk to Mike Conte, and we're going to have a—and you guys are out there
10:52going to have to sign waivers, I'm pretty sure.
10:54But every time everyone comes up with this—
10:57Oh, you want to try to catch a ball over the shoe straights?
10:59Yeah, we're going to go to a field.
11:01I have access to a field.
11:02What the hell?
11:02What the hell?
11:03And we're going to line up defenders, and we're going to have three free-range defenders
11:06coming at you, and we're going to see how you backpedal, throw across your body,
11:10and get the ball to your receiver.
11:12It's a throw that's never been made by him.
11:14No one said that.
11:14No one said that.
11:15And it's a catch that no one's ever made in the NFL, Mike Bell?
11:19Is it a catch no one's ever made in the NFL?
11:20Why can't you just—
11:21Is it a catch?
11:22Is it a catch that you haven't made?
11:23Did we not just see Jamar Chase make a—
11:26This is ridiculous.
11:27It's not ridiculous.
11:28This is ridiculous.
11:29Because we only want to put it on the passer and not the athletes who had the ball in
11:33their head.
11:34It wasn't terrible.
11:35You're making it sound like he caught it in the numbers.
11:37You're out of your mind.
11:38I didn't say it was perfect pass.
11:40I said it was catchable.
11:41No, it was a crappy pass.
11:42It was catchable.
11:44It was catchable.
11:45You're out of your mind.
11:47And I lost—honestly, I've lost a lot of respect for you today.
11:49I know why you went in there, and I'm glad you did.
11:52I understand because you wanted to see what video he was watching, what proof he had.
11:56He's looking at the same video I'm looking at.
11:58It's zero.
11:59It's zero.
11:59But he's got a clouded perspective and an agenda.
12:02It's not clouded.
12:03You have an agenda.
12:04There's no agenda.
12:05That was a bad football.
12:06That was a bad—I'm sorry.
12:07It wasn't perfect, but it was catchable.
12:08It wasn't perfect.
12:09Dude.
12:10It was catchable.
12:11You know what?
12:11It was catchable.
12:12You know what?
12:13It was catchable.
12:14I want to come back in life and be one of your kids because apparently I'm never getting
12:17in trouble because it's never going to be my fault.
12:18That ball was not catchable.
12:20That was very catchable.
12:21Come on, man.
12:21You get a dough for it, and then the play's over.
12:24Then the play is over.
12:25Again?
12:29Unbelievable.
12:30All right.
12:30This is what we're dealing with.
12:31Even professional radio people who cover sports for a living.
12:35All right.
12:35You can't tell me Jake Matthews, instead of backpedaling, as if he's got—as if he's
12:40fleet of foot.
12:41Here's the deal with Jake.
12:42If he keeps going, after he releases, instead of backpedaling, he makes the catch.
12:48No.
12:48Here's the deal with Jake.
12:49If you're going to run that play, make it as simple as possible for him.
12:52He doesn't spend 50 minutes a day on the jugs machines.
12:56He's not Julio or Roddy.
12:58This is literally one chance.
13:02Put it where he can get—I don't have to—I shouldn't have to leave my feet.
13:07The elements that you're asking Jake to do now, you expect him to do something that
13:11he doesn't do every day.
13:13Mike Johnson would have did it.
13:15We're done.
13:16We're done.
13:17Welcome to Atlanta, where reality takes a holiday.