The Harris boys break down another Denver win — and what it means to be 8-2 even when the offense hasn’t hit its stride. Shelby, Chris, and Ryan go deep on Bo Nix’s footwork, the defense’s dominance, and why ugly wins still count as beautiful in November. They also react to Alex Singleton’s inspiring story after a cancer diagnosis, Brian Daboll’s firing in New York, and the growing trend of head coaches calling their own plays. Plus: Joe Burrow’s return and why the Bengals still can’t protect him.
Ryan, Shelby, and Chris Harris dive into a packed week of NFL storylines. The trio celebrates Denver’s 8-2 start and a defense that can “win you a Super Bowl,” while breaking down Bo Nix’s growth and the challenges of divisional games. Shelby opens up about Alex Singleton’s testicular cancer discovery through NFL testing and how it turned into a story of strength and awareness. The guys debate Brian Daboll’s firing and the next wave of NFL head coaches, from Vance Joseph’s resurgence to young names like Kubiak and Waldron. Later, they get into Dan Campbell’s offensive play calling and Joe Burrow’s risky return behind a shaky O-line. It’s everything you love about football — insight, honesty, and heart — from three players who lived it.
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:25
Ryan Harris
Welcome to where the Harris is the best football talk by the players who did it themselves. We got Shelby Harris, current NFL player. We got Chris Harris, junior perennial pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, and myself Ryan Harris, ten year veteran of the NFL champion with Chris Harris, junior fellas. The Broncos got away with what some might call an ugly win, but we know our wins are beautiful, especially in November.
00:00:28:02 - 00:00:37:03
Ryan Harris
The Broncos beat the Raiders for their first division win. What did you make of the close game that didn't have a lot of offensive fireworks?
00:00:37:06 - 00:00:50:10
Shelby Harris
The Broncos won the game. They were supposed to win that. That is the storyline and I know we can get caught up in the teams they're playing, the quality of your team, but all I see is end to.
00:00:50:13 - 00:00:51:02
Ryan Harris
Hello.
00:00:51:04 - 00:01:07:12
Shelby Harris
And that's all that matters at the end of the day, because if you look at this team and look at this record five years down the line, it's not going to say that they play Davis Mills is not going to say they play the Pete Carroll, you know, beat down Raiders team is going to say that they started off the season eight and two.
00:01:07:14 - 00:01:31:05
Shelby Harris
And that's all that matters towards their future success. So block out all the outside noise of people Hayden and doing all that stuff. Your Denver Broncos are eight and two and they are in first place in division. And that's all that matters. And I think even with how bad that offense is playing, they are eight and two. Let me repeat myself even with how bad that offense is playing.
00:01:31:11 - 00:01:56:14
Shelby Harris
They are eight and two. So what does that tell you? It's only up from here. So if I'm a Broncos fan, I feel great. I feel amazing because our offense, half our team has even hit their stride yet haven't even even started that a sit to the top. And we're eight and two and I'm talking about I. I'd rather be figuring things out at eight and two, then figuring things out and two and eight.
00:01:56:15 - 00:02:15:16
Shelby Harris
Trust me I know. Cleveland we're doing eight. I get it. It's hard to it's harder to figure things out at two and eight. But, Angel. Yeah, we're still smiling. The bills are having a great time. We're still, you know, we're still running around feeling loose because we way we know at the end of the day we got. So we got a little buffer.
00:02:15:16 - 00:02:28:06
Shelby Harris
We got a little buffer period that we can still figure this out and still be very successful by the time the playoffs hit. So if I'm a Denver Bronco fan player, anyone associated with the Broncos, we're into.
00:02:28:08 - 00:02:46:05
Chris Harris Jr
Right at the beginning of the year. What's up a we always make a goal as a team and that's to win a division right. So the Broncos have four games I think left in the division that are going to be crucial games in order to, you know, take get that playoff berth that that without that wild card because you know they don't want the wild card.
00:02:46:05 - 00:03:03:11
Chris Harris Jr
They don't want to I wouldn't want to go don't go on the road first. Right. Let's let's try to get some home field advantage. Let's take advantage of this opportunity. It's rarely you said at the very top in the rankings right. That doesn't happen all the time. And you have an opportunity to get home field advantage. So if I'm in that locker room I'm pumping that up.
00:03:03:11 - 00:03:20:00
Chris Harris Jr
I'm telling them, hey, let's take advantage of this opportunity. Even though the win didn't look good and a lot of wins don't look good, right? But, you know, that's how it is in the National Football League. You never know how the game is going to go. Is competition everywhere? You know and you can you can get upset.
00:03:20:01 - 00:03:39:17
Chris Harris Jr
You can get beat by teams that are with lesser talent. And it happens all the time. So, for the Broncos, to get a win over the Raiders, of which we haven't been very successful beating the Raiders in the past five years, if people go look at it. Right. So it's still big win. And if I'm them, I if I'm in that locker room I'll take advantage of this opportunity.
00:03:39:20 - 00:03:44:08
Chris Harris Jr
Let's go get this home field advantage and make it easier for us in the playoffs.
00:03:44:10 - 00:04:10:26
Ryan Harris
Man my beat my three points on the Broncos win. Number one that defense can win you a Super Bowl. Wow. I mean Nick Bonito Zach Allen Dre Greenlaw Tyler no. Who all of them are playing at a Pro Bowl or all pro level. It's amazing. Number two Bo Nix has to set his feet. I thought the best two throws his game against the, against the Raiders was when he actually set his feet in the third and fourth quarter and threw the football downfield.
00:04:10:26 - 00:04:27:28
Ryan Harris
Missed a couple receivers, but the ball arrived on target. He just has to calm down just a little bit. You guys know as veterans you can't be rare and all the way to 100 100mph. You got to find those crevices where you can really be strategic and direct your success. And then lastly you got to run the ball more.
00:04:27:29 - 00:04:47:04
Ryan Harris
You got to run it efficiently and you got to run it more. So they do those things. You add those funky punts. Now at the beginning of the game to that and all of a sudden, you know, you can see why that game was tighter. But boy, I want to try and explain to the fans, we've all been in divisional games what makes division games so tough.
00:04:47:06 - 00:04:48:23
Ryan Harris
Fans just don't get it.
00:04:48:25 - 00:05:10:19
Shelby Harris
Man. They don't actually it's crazy. You know we I was just talking about this one my teammates because we were talking about how Arrowhead is one of my favorite places to play on the road, but it's one of my favorite places to play on the road. When I was a Denver Bronco. It's a it's a different feeling those division games than it is just having a regular just a game against a random team.
00:05:10:21 - 00:05:28:25
Shelby Harris
It's that history behind it. It's that feeling of, oh, remember what they did to us last year? Look, like everybody knows it's just every year you play those games twice. You play that oh line twice like this. Like Chris you're going to play Tyreek Hill twice a year. You knew what to expect. It's a matchup. It's a common respect.
00:05:28:29 - 00:05:47:12
Shelby Harris
And also it's a lot of disrespect to a lot of trash talk. It's all it's all of that. You think there's any love lost when the Browns play the Steelers when the Chiefs play the Broncos. You think that's when the Broncos were the Raiders. There's no love lost. You want to embarrass those guys because you want those bragging rights to the division.
00:05:47:13 - 00:06:07:24
Shelby Harris
You want to win the division. And it starts by winning those games against the division foes. And you know you've been playing those same teams 20, 30, 40 years. It's history. Just like when I was on the field when everybody was was balling up against the Raiders, when it was that big guys fight against the Broncos. Raiders like that's history.
00:06:08:01 - 00:06:23:24
Shelby Harris
That's that's backstory. And that's what those division games all about. And and that's why you do see so much. It's so in mostly charge. You see so much energy coming from that. Because man I remember what you did was last year and I'm coming back. I'm gonna beat your ass this year.
00:06:23:26 - 00:06:32:15
Chris Harris Jr
Right. Just going going to school in Kansas and then being in camp you know chiefs. I don't know what they call it. Chiefs land I don't know this kingdom.
00:06:32:17 - 00:06:37:17
Ryan Harris
Hey that's nice bro. Hey they pay well. They pay well. All right.
00:06:37:19 - 00:07:01:26
Chris Harris Jr
Hey. Well, being in Kansas, you know, I can see it. You can see all, you know, all the hate for. They call us the donkeys, right? Call the Broncos the donkeys down and right. Playing against the Raiders. The rivalry out there, them just throwing stuff on the field. And, you know, the fights that we had on the field getting flicked out by all the fans and you know going to LA going against rivers or San Diego.
00:07:01:28 - 00:07:19:28
Chris Harris Jr
You know it's just you know, when you play those division games, you always want to step your game up. Always wanted to, take my game another level in those games just because they they count more. The rivalry that's at stake. You know, the mess that's always been talking. And you and, you know, those are just big games.
00:07:20:01 - 00:07:31:22
Chris Harris Jr
Like, you just love those games, right? Those are those are kind of like, shall said, you circle those matchups every year. So, it was always fun playing in those division games. And I treated them kind of like championships.
00:07:31:25 - 00:07:52:04
Shelby Harris
So then all the off, just on top of everything, the one positive thing that's come out of this steroid test that we always get and, you know, we have to we have to show some credit where credit's deserved. Alex Singleton, you know, it comes out, he takes a drug tested high levels. Come out. Come to find out he has testicular cancer early testicular cancer.
00:07:52:10 - 00:08:13:02
Shelby Harris
He goes plays in the game balls out. Helps Denver win the game. And then after goes to get surgery that the help get the cancer removed. And I just want to say like we know for all the shit that we talk about the NFL and the stereotypes and how annoying they are, and, you know, because in the offseason they come find you wherever the hell you are.
00:08:13:06 - 00:08:36:18
Shelby Harris
You know, and that that's the knowing part about the services obviously is meant in all good faith. But the one positive thing is, is they do tests for a wide range of levels, a different type of stuff, and that's a situation where we pretend like they potentially saved this man's life. They potentially yeah, really just made a huge impact on this man's life and family.
00:08:36:20 - 00:08:53:23
Shelby Harris
And that right there, I we just can't let the day go by without saying, like, there was something positive that just came out of that. And anytime one of our brothers gets saved from a situation that they need to happen, you got you got to acknowledge that.
00:08:53:25 - 00:09:11:06
Ryan Harris
I think it's amazing that Alex Singleton one, found out he had cancer because of NFL testing. Two played in a game, and three one, the game that he played in. I mean, what is that, like, rolling up to the hospital? Hey, everybody. Yeah. Don't worry. We got the day off because we won. We got a victory Monday coming up.
00:09:11:08 - 00:09:36:23
Ryan Harris
Oh. Yeah. Let's, get this cancer up out of me so I can get back and play next week. There's a tremendous amount of willingness, and I think there's something that he has shown his entire career. And let's be clear, in a week of tough news in the NFL, especially for players and former players, to have this story, like Alex Singleton going and playing for his teammates, being willing to to go and get the cancer taken away from him and then return to the season.
00:09:36:25 - 00:09:43:17
Ryan Harris
And that's exactly the kind of story that the Broncos need to build camaraderie and that the NFL needed last week.
00:09:43:19 - 00:10:11:02
Shelby Harris
Yeah, just off of that in general, that's also that's a big thing. Mental health. Mental health, not just athlete mental health. Everyone's mental health. You know, everyone always says I'm I'm a I'm a corporate. I'm okay. I'm okay is the most dangerous word you can hear from some I'm okay. It's okay. Because more likely it's not. And it's it's and not men.
00:10:11:02 - 00:10:39:02
Shelby Harris
Women in one. I think just the world today we're just kind of programed to just be like, everything's okay. Even when everything's falling apart behind, behind closed doors. I always try to tell me with this. There's nothing wrong with seeking help. I talk to somebody proudly. I always advocate someone to go talk to somebody. Because the last thing you want to do is, you know, wake up one morning and then someone you care about is not there.
00:10:39:08 - 00:10:49:25
Shelby Harris
And you felt like you could have asked, you know, been there or done something for them. So just ask for help, please, because you're worth it. We all are.
00:10:49:27 - 00:11:00:26
Chris Harris Jr
Facts. You know, when you think about Alex Singleton always wondered if they tested more than just steroids and Bam! We find out that they now can't say surprise.
00:11:00:29 - 00:11:02:04
Ryan Harris
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:11:02:06 - 00:11:19:19
Chris Harris Jr
But, it just, you know, it's crazy that they were able to find that dude, during the urine, you know, from the urine. You know, that that's pretty crazy how they did that. But, just just going out there playing the game, and then I wonder if his body was feeling weird, if he was tired. Things like that.
00:11:19:21 - 00:11:37:09
Chris Harris Jr
You know, you know, other than him just fine, though, because, you know, guys, like we said, we'll say we're okay. Yeah. And we'll go out there and play in the game. Right? So you never know how that how this how long this stuff has been bothering him and, you know, kind of messing with it without him even realizing.
00:11:37:09 - 00:11:52:05
Chris Harris Jr
Do you got cancer? Yeah. You know, so. But shout out to him, care for fighting through it and, you know, being able to still go out there and compete at a high level and, good thing they got that surgery. So how long is he out with that? I, I mean.
00:11:52:08 - 00:11:53:10
Shelby Harris
I think a couple of weeks.
00:11:53:11 - 00:12:08:08
Ryan Harris
Amen. I you know, I'll tell you what. If they'd be if I'm Alex Singleton, they beat the Chiefs and. No son you're nine and two all the way up top of that division didn't help the the Chargers won but still me. Hey, coach, I might not need another week for this cancer coach. Let me just get one more week.
00:12:08:08 - 00:12:34:02
Ryan Harris
You know. But no, I think he'll be able to come back and and the thing is, with Alex Singleton, even while he's away, guys are going to walk past him every day and say he's fighting cancer. I'm fighting a bad conversation or a single bad play. I got to get it together. So I think the overall effect, of Alex Singleton's willingness, and it's because of his production and tenacity, he's going to be an example.
00:12:34:03 - 00:12:45:05
Ryan Harris
This this is going to be a, a very tight Broncos defense when he comes back. How do you not play harder when your teammate comes back from cancer to come help you win? Come on man.
00:12:45:08 - 00:13:02:26
Shelby Harris
Well, you're not wrong. But as we're moving the second down, the dominoes are starting to fall. A move that a lot of people were saying is a year too late. Brian Daybell has been fired as the New York Giants head coach. I just need some time. I need I, I already know how I feel. We don't hear that in a second.
00:13:02:26 - 00:13:07:11
Shelby Harris
But Ryan, please, please enlighten the people. How are you feeling about this?
00:13:07:13 - 00:13:42:24
Ryan Harris
Well, Brian Daboll had a terrible record, had terrible development of his young players and put out a terrible product on the field. This is what happens to bad coaches. Now, the three coaches I would look at if I'm if I'm going to replace him. Number one is Leslie Frazier out there at the Seattle Seahawks has earned an opportunity and would probably be the best turnaround, opportunity there, for the Giants Shane Waldron the wide the offensive coordinator at the at the Jacksonville Jaguars I think he's doing an amazing job.
00:13:43:01 - 00:14:03:06
Ryan Harris
And then I know it might surprise you guys, but I think Jon Gruden should get another shot. Man I understand he made mistakes. And we gotta give a way back for people when they make mistakes especially in the game of football. So I think that those are the three coaches Leslie Frazier, Shane Waldron and Jon Gruden. I think you give those three an opportunity to bring them in for an interview.
00:14:03:06 - 00:14:08:13
Ryan Harris
And New York is going to be, a quick turnaround story. If they do that.
00:14:08:15 - 00:14:25:09
Chris Harris Jr
If, the the Giants, you know, I'm looking for some new blood. You know, I think some, some young guy in added a guy that, is very smart that's growing up in the league. I think that's working out pretty, pretty solid. Right. And then like a mike McDaniels, you know? But he started out hot. Yeah.
00:14:25:09 - 00:14:48:00
Chris Harris Jr
Right. I think Mike McDonald, his formula, what he's doing over there in Seattle, he's just 38. The head coach, with what's the Saints head coach? Collymore. Tell them more calamari. I know he's my age. You know he's. Yeah. Out there out there coaching and you know had won a Super Bowl with Philly right I think let's find some young bloods.
00:14:48:02 - 00:14:53:14
Chris Harris Jr
I mean see some of the college coaches might move up. Yeah. Right. You know Notre Dame.
00:14:53:16 - 00:14:57:02
Shelby Harris
So Sarkisian and Texas right.
00:14:57:04 - 00:15:19:29
Chris Harris Jr
It's a lot of up. Yeah. Sarkisian lang lang Kiffin right. There's some opportunities for these guys you know not have to deal with the recruiting not to deal with it. And I'll just go straight to the league. Right. It's going to be plenty of opportunities. Right now you know I respect the Browns. The Bengals might open up depending on how they finish the year.
00:15:20:01 - 00:15:33:06
Chris Harris Jr
We're not going to give them the Jets yet, you know, because they won one game. So we'll, we'll let him stay one more year. But there's going to be more opportunities. You know, the Giants. Is that just is that how many other teams out there? Right. Probably about 5 or 6 spots open up.
00:15:33:11 - 00:15:47:05
Ryan Harris
Typically 3 to 5 every year. Yeah. Somebody is going to open up. They'll be a surprise. Maybe a team that was successful. But that didn't get over the hump. You know I mean I think if I got a team like the Rams to me and that's that's a dangerous team. And if they don't get it I don't know.
00:15:47:05 - 00:15:48:14
Ryan Harris
You know what I mean. But I could.
00:15:48:15 - 00:15:51:07
Chris Harris Jr
Go what about Kubiak in Seattle I.
00:15:51:07 - 00:15:52:05
Ryan Harris
Like right. It'll be.
00:15:52:08 - 00:16:14:17
Chris Harris Jr
Closer. Yeah. He's asked great offenses in this league, putting up points and then we saying that he can I guarantee you he can develop quarterbacks. Right. And then he's just coming from the same tree, the Shanahan tree all the way down. You know what I mean? He just get some guy on defense that knows the game that can help him in that way.
00:16:14:20 - 00:16:30:07
Chris Harris Jr
I think Kubiak would be a good coach. Yes. So there's some good options out there, but I think the fresh young bloods, I think. Let's get these old guys up out of here. You know, like Shelby said, these new kids don't listen to the old guys anyways. So let's get some new, fresh young bloods in there and let's see how they do.
00:16:30:14 - 00:16:53:12
Shelby Harris
So I guess my thinking behind it is, is this most teams after you, you know, they always flip flop. If you have a young offensive coach you go some some defensive guy like a veteran defensive coach or you know if you have a veteran defensive coach as as your head coach, you look for the young offensive with that can kind of change.
00:16:53:14 - 00:17:12:17
Shelby Harris
Your organization. What I look at, though, for that New York job is you really can't give that job to anyone because of the media scrutiny that comes behind it. Yes. And and so you really have to vet and you really have to see who can handle that type of job. Vance Joseph can handle that type of job.
00:17:12:20 - 00:17:38:25
Shelby Harris
And Vance Joseph, with that defense that they already have over there in New York, would handle that type of job. Now do I think they will go defense. No, because they have a young quarterback and any team that really has a young quarterback, I think they're going to focus on, offensive minded head coach, because if you focus on a defensive minded head coach and you go for OC, that can kind of bond with the with the quarterback, well, when you do have that success, OC will leave and become a head coach somewhere.
00:17:39:00 - 00:18:08:09
Shelby Harris
So that development that you see will kind of be stunted. So I kind of expect the New York Giants to go offensive side of the ball again for the head coach and kind of just start jumpstarting that, development of Jaxson Dart. I think that will be the most important part. So that's I love it. Chris said. You go get the young cute Kubiak let you know as a young coach that with the young quarterback can kind of grow together and blossom.
00:18:08:15 - 00:18:31:00
Shelby Harris
So we'll see, because we all know the New York Giants team really isn't that far from competing. They're just missing a couple pieces. And I think a lot of the blame, consensus has been on Brian Daboll. And then just the way that he's he's conducted business with the New York Giants. So I think that job will end up being a very, a job that a lot of people want, and especially with the time they have.
00:18:31:00 - 00:18:53:25
Shelby Harris
So it'll be very interesting to see where they go. But I think a advanced Joseph wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea, because I tell you this, it would be I'm saying this right now on to and November and especially after with the way we've watched the Denver Broncos offense play and the defense when those games events. Joseph is not a head coach in this league next year.
00:18:53:27 - 00:19:02:26
Shelby Harris
This is a travesty. And I'm just gonna say it's bullshit. I'm just I'm just going straight up saying if he's not the head coach in this league next year, it's straight up bullshit.
00:19:02:29 - 00:19:22:02
Chris Harris Jr
If I Vance, though, I don't want to go to a younger quarterback again. Right. He's kind of been in that situation, you know a while now. I think if I'm him I want to go to a veteran quarterback. Let me go to a guy that at least has some experience multiple, you know, five years at least.
00:19:22:04 - 00:19:39:23
Chris Harris Jr
You know to where I can go in there, implement my defense. You kind of do your thing on offense. I think that kind of fits better for him. His coaching style. There going to be that many options out there? I don't know right now, but, I, I just don't see, like him with the Giants and that defense, though, right?
00:19:39:25 - 00:19:53:26
Chris Harris Jr
That D-line, the pressure they can bring. But I don't want to want a young quarterback. I would I would like to see him want a veteran guy, back there. Kind of like, you know how Tomlin moves. You know he always has like a veteran guy. I see Vance kind of moving in that same way.
00:19:53:29 - 00:20:11:03
Ryan Harris
Well I mean yeah Joe Flacco might still be able to get a job now. You know, and I do agree with you guys that whoever comes in they're going to have to develop Jaxson Dart. And I'm with you Chris. If I'm Vance Joseph you know who went through Paxton Lynch and went through that whole whole situation. I want to get a quarterback.
00:20:11:03 - 00:20:28:05
Ryan Harris
I want to go to a place where a quarterback knows how to operate, how to be a professional. At the same time, I think he can figure it out and get the right coaches in there. But that's why I like Shane Waldron at the Giants. This this guy, first of all, one Super Bowls with the Patriots and was around Tom Brady then won one with the Rams.
00:20:28:05 - 00:20:51:02
Ryan Harris
So he knows both the Parcells and the West Coast offense. He got Geno Smith to the Pro Bowl right. He's turning around the Jacksonville Jaguars. So that to me if I'm the Giants I'm looking at that development of quarterbacks production. And I'm saying man that might be a nice low cost option here to to get some great production and develop Jackson Dart further in his game.
00:20:51:04 - 00:21:05:06
Shelby Harris
Is is the issue. You know I love same as with Shane Seattle. The only question like they have with Shane Waldron is what happened with Caleb Williams and that one little stint in Chicago. When you had a young quarterback.
00:21:05:08 - 00:21:05:24
Chris Harris Jr
Who.
00:21:06:01 - 00:21:12:23
Shelby Harris
Needed that development, you strike well. The whole team struggled. I you did, and that's the most he's fired.
00:21:12:25 - 00:21:15:24
Ryan Harris
The host. Sorry, but you know. So yeah.
00:21:15:26 - 00:21:33:07
Shelby Harris
So this would be the ultimate redemption. No. But I believe in him because I saw what he did with Geno Smith. I saw and Geno was talented already before. But I saw how they worked together. And that's the thing I think Shane will get another shot because he he he's not a bad coach and he just had the short end of the straw.
00:21:33:11 - 00:21:34:17
Shelby Harris
And I see Chicago.
00:21:34:24 - 00:21:35:12
Ryan Harris
Well let's go to.
00:21:35:14 - 00:21:35:29
Chris Harris Jr
I like.
00:21:36:01 - 00:21:36:17
Ryan Harris
We'll go.
00:21:36:20 - 00:21:57:14
Chris Harris Jr
One more one more I like Vance Joseph to go to Cincinnati next year. I'm calling it now. I think with Joe Burrow, with that offense that they have already over there and him being able to orchestrate that way, Matt Joseph get where where was one of the teams where he started it. Yeah I know that angles.
00:21:57:16 - 00:22:13:06
Chris Harris Jr
Right. So for him to go back there, be the head coach. They need a defensive minded coach. They can play defense over there in ten years. Right. So for him to come up in there to, give them some help along with Joe Burrow, I think Vance Joseph should be on the Bengals.
00:22:13:08 - 00:22:20:08
Ryan Harris
Well, speaking of well, speaking of you on your third down, Chris.
00:22:20:11 - 00:22:22:08
Chris Harris Jr
Let me see what I got.
00:22:22:08 - 00:22:28:14
Ryan Harris
Yeah, and I got a jet quick, so let's see. Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. Chris.
00:22:28:17 - 00:22:44:09
Chris Harris Jr
Now let's get into third down man. We're talking about the head coach is taking over offensive duties. Or in defensive duties with Dan Quinn. You know, as a coach, being a head coach is a lot of responsibility. How do you feel about Dan Campbell calling offensive plays?
00:22:44:10 - 00:23:03:07
Ryan Harris
Hey, this is what happens when offensive linemen are offensive coordinators. We win games. Come on Dan Campbell, go ahead and show him how to run the ball. Go ahead Dan Campbell. Show them. Show them how to set up the pass because you ran the ball. Come on, man, this this to me. I was sitting there on Sunday.
00:23:03:07 - 00:23:04:00
Shelby Harris
Like I said, by seeing.
00:23:04:00 - 00:23:04:14
Chris Harris Jr
This.
00:23:04:17 - 00:23:11:22
Ryan Harris
Alignment, we are the most intelligent and the best play callers that you can hire. Come on.
00:23:11:24 - 00:23:30:24
Shelby Harris
I mean, I don't I, I, I don't think you're wrong. I but I'm a big believer that and this is where I guess I'm different. I'm a believer that the head coach should not call plays, that you should be able to trust your assistants. That's why you hired them and your job as head coach. Gotta talk to both sides of the ball.
00:23:30:29 - 00:23:49:13
Shelby Harris
Be the guy for both sides, the ball. That's why I actually enjoy my head coaches. I would say what I want them to be special teams coaches. Because those guys are the ones who actually know how to talk to the whole team. Special teams coaches have to talk about offensive players, defensive players because he has to get the most out of everybody because everybody has to play special teams.
00:23:49:16 - 00:24:06:24
Shelby Harris
And so the Harbaugh's those type of guys where you know how to like work around with everyone and then it's all about the staff you hire. And yes, there will be a lot of turnover like we saw with Detroit. We saw how when you head coach does not call plays and you are successful guys, you can poach those guys.
00:24:06:29 - 00:24:27:13
Shelby Harris
But if you have a culture, if you have a thought process of how you are going to do things, and that's how it does not matter all the time. Who is the one calling the plays? Is that philosophy that you bring that will change the culture that you bring? That will change it? Greg, that Dan Campbell took over play calling and absolutely crushed it.
00:24:27:15 - 00:24:45:00
Shelby Harris
I, like my head coach, is not calling the plays now. I don't see Dan Campbell getting rid of play calling because he did such a good job at it. But we have to do a better job of trusting our assistants. That's why we hired them and that's why you know, I believe head coaches should not be calling plays.
00:24:45:02 - 00:24:53:11
Chris Harris Jr
Well, if I was, I'm seeing now that the head coaches, you know, are around the league are calling plays. It's kind of now it's turning into the norm.
00:24:53:14 - 00:24:53:23
Ryan Harris
Yeah.
00:24:53:23 - 00:25:16:08
Chris Harris Jr
Right. When you say defensive coach different, the head coaches are calling the plays same way, which, you know, offensive coach as you can see from the Bangles Sean McVay. Sean Payton all these guys all around the league you know, are doing it. And Ben Johnson is even doing it with the bears. And I think it's just they, you know, they don't want to let that aspect of the game go to go.
00:25:16:11 - 00:25:36:17
Chris Harris Jr
Yeah, yeah. It's control. Not only just control, but they want to be in the game, you know. And when you can call plays and you feel like you're more in tune into the game instead of, kind of leaving it into other guys hands on, on your specific side that you feel like you excel it. They hired me for my expertise on this specific side.
00:25:36:17 - 00:25:53:09
Chris Harris Jr
So I want to continue to call the, plays on this, so I understand it, why they do it? But if you have great guys, if I have a great veteran, d coordinator, which if I if did start out coaching, I would want a veteran be guy, be coordinator with me as a first time head coach.
00:25:53:09 - 00:26:13:24
Chris Harris Jr
Why? Because he would he already has that pretty much, the formula staple, right? I can trust his his, his expertise in that same way, an offensive side. So, just depends on where you're at then. Campbell didn't start out like this, right? As a first time coach, he kind of, grew and elevate himself. And, now he can call up.
00:26:13:24 - 00:26:31:06
Chris Harris Jr
Now he's calling all plays. Right. So I think that's his great. The evolution of Dan Campbell is what he's doing. And he was a damn good play caller, too. Hey. And the players liked it, right? They went over there celebrating with him. You know, he's even more crack on the sidelines and you know he's going to gamble even more.
00:26:31:06 - 00:26:44:09
Chris Harris Jr
So if you're an offensive guy, you're a dick off being. Ben Johnson was pretty you know he rolled the dice a lot too. So but you know Dan Campbell, he's really going to go for it every time. So I think it's fun for them. And that might be the spark that the Lions need.
00:26:44:12 - 00:27:03:15
Ryan Harris
Well here we go to fourth down. The last big bit of NFL news guys Joe Burrow is back I mean you know you know that that division you know no and no disrespect Shelby. We mean no disrespect. And no one's winning taking that division yet. Do you think that you get to see the great Joe Burrow back again this season?
00:27:03:18 - 00:27:31:10
Shelby Harris
Well yeah. But the issue is they have done nothing to address that O-line. Exactly. The the issue that got him hurt in the first place, getting hit too much, having them were all litigant smacked all the time. The issue was the old line, you and it's still the same guys out there that we had before. So once again it's yes, it's great you're getting a Joe Joe Burrow back, but once again he's going to be getting smacked all over the place.
00:27:31:15 - 00:27:51:06
Shelby Harris
So once again, you just hope his health can withstand the O-line that they have. And so far they really haven't done that great of a job. So I want them to actually start protecting Joe Burrow so we can actually see how good Joe Burrow can be and how far he can take the Bengals. But it all starts with the protection.
00:27:51:09 - 00:28:18:10
Shelby Harris
Obviously, we know how much they're invested in them, their receivers, they have a really good back. And Chase Brown now, so it's up to the O-line to get him there. So if you believe that you can protect Joe Burrow enough to get you to where you need to be, and now obviously with the division being as close to as it is with nobody pulling apart, you know, yet they're going to bring Joe Burrow back no matter if the O-line is good or not, because they have an opportunity to compete, for the division.
00:28:18:12 - 00:28:38:23
Shelby Harris
This is exactly what Mike Tomlin was talking about when Joe Flacco got there. He was mad because he knew that they would be able to stick around with Joe Flacco, or at least until Joe Burrow got got back. So it'll be interesting to see. But the whole the idea though is you still have to protect Joe Burrow, especially if he's going to be coming back of that.
00:28:38:23 - 00:28:48:26
Shelby Harris
Joe, I'm assuming he's not going to be exactly 100% when he comes back. So we'll see how it all happens. But they didn't address the issue. That was the problem in the first place.
00:28:48:29 - 00:28:59:18
Chris Harris Jr
He should be good. You know, I've had to tell Andrea and had to go through that type of situation before after about, you know, six weeks, how long, how long he's been out. He's been out about five, six weeks.
00:28:59:20 - 00:28:59:28
Ryan Harris
This should.
00:28:59:28 - 00:29:19:25
Chris Harris Jr
Be good. When whenever they say Sam is ready to go. But, you know, when you say that, like you said, the Bengals O-line is trash. They've been running the ball a little bit better. Flacco has been putting up the numbers, but this team has done. Their defense is not good enough at all to make it to the playoffs or to win the division.
00:29:19:27 - 00:29:26:06
Chris Harris Jr
So I don't I don't see them having a chance at all right now. It's it's going to be the it's out of the Steelers in the Ravens.
00:29:26:07 - 00:29:28:01
Shelby Harris
Don't forget the Browns.
00:29:28:03 - 00:29:38:21
Chris Harris Jr
Browns now y'all are sticking with Dylan Gabriel Dylan Gabriel's throwing balls in the ground. He's very inaccurate. He's all over the place. He's not very good. So I don't see that happening.
00:29:38:23 - 00:29:39:20
Ryan Harris
That's how you really feel.
00:29:39:25 - 00:29:41:05
Shelby Harris
Scout?
00:29:41:07 - 00:29:42:28
Chris Harris Jr
I lost him. I was.
00:29:43:00 - 00:29:45:13
Ryan Harris
Really feeling. Oh, I was going.
00:29:45:15 - 00:30:04:06
Chris Harris Jr
He's not doing. He's not getting it done. The guys, they. He throws a miss, he throws a bad ball. And the guys are. You can see the reactions like you see, I used to only see that with like Dez Bryant. You know, guys that are very emotional. If they miss a ball you know other than that most receivers if they miss it they clap their hands.
00:30:04:06 - 00:30:22:28
Chris Harris Jr
They walk to the huddle. You know what I mean. He never showed any emotions or like a bad plan. But the Browns go watch all those miss throws by Dillon Gabriel. They're like they're you good man all over the place. Right. So I think I, I don't have any hope in them. Joe Burrow I don't have any hope in them either.
00:30:23:00 - 00:30:29:12
Chris Harris Jr
I'm gonna stick with the Ravens and the Steelers being I know it's a it's up for them. It's up for grabs for those shooting.
00:30:29:14 - 00:30:47:17
Ryan Harris
Well that's this week's where the Harrises tune in next week for the best football talk by those who are doing it and have done it. And make sure to like, subscribe and share with your friends.