Shelby Harris and Chris Harris Jr. join Ryan Harris to break down the Denver Broncos’ 10–7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, examining how weather, missed opportunities, fourth-down decisions, and offensive line struggles ultimately swung the outcome. The group discusses Jarrett Stidham’s performance, why taking points mattered, and how a dominant Broncos defense was let down offensively. The conversation shifts to the NFC Championship Game, where the Seattle Seahawks advanced behind Sam Darnold’s resurgence and a suffocating defense. The guys explain why Seattle feels like a complete team heading into the Super Bowl and how their offensive creativity and snap-count discipline separate them from other contenders. The episode wraps with Super Bowl predictions, matchup breakdowns, and a deep dive into the NFL coaching carousel, including strong opinions on Mike McCarthy, Vance Joseph, Leslie Frazier, and what teams should prioritize in franchise-defining hires.
Shelby Harris, Chris Harris Jr., and Ryan Harris open with a detailed postgame analysis of the Broncos’ loss to the Patriots, focusing on how early momentum, fourth-and-short decisions, and weather conditions shaped the game. They discuss why failing to take points proved costly, how the offensive line struggled against New England’s front, and why the Broncos defense played well enough to win despite the final score. Jarrett Stidham’s inexperience, key turnovers, and missed execution are examined alongside praise for the Patriots’ situational football.
The discussion then turns to the Seahawks’ NFC Championship victory over the Rams, highlighting Sam Darnold’s evolution, Seattle’s defensive dominance, and the importance of offensive versatility. The group explains why Seattle’s snap-count usage, motion, and physicality make them a difficult matchup and debates how the Patriots and Seahawks stack up heading into the Super Bowl.
To close the show, the panel breaks down Super Bowl predictions and dives into the NFL coaching carousel, sharing candid thoughts on Mike McCarthy landing in Pittsburgh, the lack of buzz around Vance Joseph and Leslie Frazier, and why recent hiring trends don’t always reward the most deserving candidates.
00:00:02:26 - 00:00:30:07
Ryan Harris
Welcome to where the Harrises. After a big championship football weekend, we've got Shelby Harris, current NFL star. We got Chris Harris, junior perennial Pro Bowler and champion of Super Bowl 50 and myself, ten year veteran, a champion alongside Chris Harris Jr. Well boys for first down we got to start with the Denver Broncos losing to the New England Patriots 10 to 7 at home in a game that had every single kind of weather you could have.
00:00:30:09 - 00:00:34:13
Ryan Harris
How come the Broncos lost no Bo Nix.
00:00:34:15 - 00:00:57:15
Shelby Harris
But also that's not the biggest issue. The biggest issue was that they didn't have the wind in the third quarter. Like we can talk about everything else, but we all knew it was a snow storm coming towards the end of that game. So when they finally did get an opportunity to have the wind to their advantage, you couldn't see anything.
00:00:57:15 - 00:01:22:25
Shelby Harris
It was already a full blown snowstorm that has to go into the preparation. The weather obviously is a big deal. We we knew about the weather coming into the game and they just let it take control of the game. The weather was a complete factor in that game. In a game where the run game couldn't get started in the second half, there was no chance at throwing the ball in the second half.
00:01:23:01 - 00:01:40:29
Shelby Harris
So pretty much by the time the weather started, whatever the score was was going to be the score. The Broncos just didn't get out ahead like how they were supposed to. And then that's their decision about which way they wanted to play. The wind came to bite them in the ass at the end of the game.
00:01:41:02 - 00:01:58:16
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah, the Broncos lost his game. Definitely in the second half. But you know, the first half they had great momentum. They dominated the first half and yardage was on the New England side of the field, pretty much the whole half. And I just didn't take advantage of it. You know, the, the going for the fourth down.
00:01:58:18 - 00:02:14:18
Chris Harris Jr.
That was a bad call because you just scored on the boot going to the right, and then now you run it again, which everybody knows. Sean Payton short yardage. He loves running rollouts to the right. So you know you weren't going to be able to get the Patriots on that again twice. You got to take the points right there.
00:02:14:20 - 00:02:34:00
Chris Harris Jr.
Go up 1010. And nothing puts more pressure on Drake Maye in which he was already throwing trash. You know he was inaccurate. The Broncos defense is playing you know very good football at the time. And you know they had the momentum and you get to the second half is a totally different game. The weather is totally different.
00:02:34:02 - 00:02:51:02
Chris Harris Jr.
And the game completely changed after that fumble after Adams fumble, not throwing the ball, throwing the ball away, when he didn't have anything, you know, making that fumble, giving him an easy seven points that changed the whole game. And then from there on, you know, the Patriots pretty much dominate it.
00:02:51:03 - 00:03:10:11
Ryan Harris
I think this comes down to a few things everybody agrees, especially hindsight. Take the points on that fourth and one. And if it's me the play call you got to run that ball. That's a run. You know, run the ball. And that's to me the bigger issue is that the offensive line got dominated by Christian Barmore and that defensive line for the Patriots.
00:03:10:11 - 00:03:33:09
Ryan Harris
They were in that backfield all day. Now you got the ball three times in the last three minutes of the second quarter and came away with zero points. That can't happen either. And then to say you got to get the run game started in the second half, that means you didn't do it in the first half, right? So and then you add to that they got their first first down of the second half in the fourth quarter.
00:03:33:11 - 00:03:51:13
Ryan Harris
That's not efficient offense. So at the end of the day Stidham made I think two mistakes I mean that that fumble was just crazy. It usually doesn't happen. And I know that's something where he's kicking himself as a player because he doesn't make that play nine times out of ten. But he also had that weird shovel pass to RJ Harvey.
00:03:51:13 - 00:04:13:18
Ryan Harris
I mean, he, he, he looked like a player that was just playing a little too high in the moment and just had to be himself. And you got to credit the Patriots defense. I mean, Gonzalez is real, Barmore is real. And they made enough smart plays and played the percentages in a way that befuddled the Broncos. But the offensive line did not do enough to get that run game going into protect.
00:04:13:20 - 00:04:34:00
Ryan Harris
Jarrett Stidham. And then you had the defense drop a couple of interceptions. I mean who makes that pick in the first quarter. That's a different game. So a lot happened. And and over everything the Broncos learned you can be good. You can have a good season. But when you play a team like the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, those teams know the situations and they're ready for,
00:04:34:03 - 00:04:54:23
Shelby Harris
I was actually surprised to find that came back. The reason he dropped it is because one of his players hyperextended his knee. Yeah. Which is I was so surprised that he he got up and he kind of limped for a second, and then he played the rest of the game. So kudos to him. I think the biggest issue is something that we talked about earlier on the last show.
00:04:54:26 - 00:05:16:20
Shelby Harris
You're supposed to have the best O-line in the NFL, but you did not play like it yesterday. The play calling in general, like you said, Ryan fourth and inches fourth and one if you have the best O-line in the game. I don't think anyone should be guessing what you're going to do. It should be a run. Run the ball.
00:05:16:26 - 00:05:37:04
Shelby Harris
That is what this O-line is supposedly built off of. You don't get of Ben Powers from Baltimore. You got Quinn minus an all pro. You got Wattenberg. You got the interior to really do things. So go do it. And then going off of, you know, Sean Payton is refusing to take points. I don't know what this Dan Campbell mentality is.
00:05:37:04 - 00:06:04:18
Shelby Harris
That's gotten into everybody. But we all know points are important. I don't understand why all these coaches in these big time games. And we saw it last year in the NFC Championship game when Detroit refused to take the points. And it came back to bite them in the ass. And we saw it this year now at the Denver Broncos where they didn't take the points they tried to go for, they had all the momentum in the game, and then they just gave it to New England and they never got it back.
00:06:04:21 - 00:06:23:26
Chris Harris Jr.
I don't think coaches understand how when when you're in that situation going to score a ball game, what that does to the defense. Now we can really, you know, pin our ears back. You know, Nick Benito and those guys can really start coming and putting the pressure on his guy. And you know, even a quarterback plays a little bit looser.
00:06:23:27 - 00:06:43:14
Chris Harris Jr.
You know I got to score a game I can, you know take a little chances. But I still got to play really smart. But you know that not taking points. It has been a thing I think the analytics they oh got coaches overthinking and you know just situational football just hasn't been at the high level. Like it like like you expect from a Sean Payton.
00:06:43:16 - 00:06:43:26
Chris Harris Jr.
Right.
00:06:43:26 - 00:07:03:24
Ryan Harris
What are what are the analytics. Because every time you go for it on fourth down these teams lose especially in the playoffs. You know. And and when we were in the playoffs we only ran fourth down plays. We practiced all year. Right. You don't start going in there okay. What plays working right now on fourth down. What that means you lost first second and third down.
00:07:04:01 - 00:07:23:26
Ryan Harris
So and especially considering the weather coming in, you want to get those points early when you knew it was going to get it to be a messy game. But let's be clear the defense did enough. They held a quarterback to ten completions, right? That yes, Raymond Ray Stevenson had some runs that ended up sealing some deals. Throughout that that fourth quarter.
00:07:23:29 - 00:07:38:22
Ryan Harris
And I mean, that's a game where your defense is looking at you saying, man, you guys couldn't score more than seven points. And this is the second time. Now, let's be clear. This happened in the playoffs with the Broncos in consecutive years where they have one touchdown and don't show up the rest of the game offensively.
00:07:38:24 - 00:08:02:12
Shelby Harris
Yes Stidham in general, I would say did a good job. But he had 3 to 4 plays where he fell apart. And that's what hurt the team. Like that fumble. You can't have that. We talked about last week about how Stidham would have to play perfect in order for them to win. They already were. You know against the eight ball there.
00:08:02:14 - 00:08:27:01
Shelby Harris
Well he set them up for their only touchdown of the game. And right there that that showed that that was the game. And so all of our points from last week that we've talked about have come into play. And the kicking game was irrelevant. There was nobody that was going to make a kick on either side, except that everyone, you know, the thought was that, well, Let's Kick would have went in if it wasn't blocked.
00:08:27:08 - 00:08:44:24
Shelby Harris
Great play by the Patriots interior there. They talk about a guy that got pulled up on practice from practice squad to go make a play. Probably the biggest play of his life right there. And those are the plays that win games. And Stidham kind of just got overwhelmed. Tried to do too much. Tried to hold on to the ball a little bit too long.
00:08:44:24 - 00:09:08:18
Shelby Harris
Trying to find guys downfield. And the opportunity in a situation where you just need the first down. You just need to move the ball forward. You don't have to be this world beater that everyone knows that Bo Nix is. You just have to go there, be the game manager that defense plays their asses on. That goes on about one of the best performances you've seen in the AFC Championship game from a defense.
00:09:08:25 - 00:09:13:05
Shelby Harris
It's just that, you know, the offense made too many stakes to recover from.
00:09:13:07 - 00:09:20:00
Chris Harris Jr.
Y'all. I really believe the defense did enough. I think they did enough. I think they did more than the pages.
00:09:20:01 - 00:09:29:24
Ryan Harris
I think they did, man. They got the ball back enough times to the to the Broncos to make an opportunity. They got they got him the ball back on the 35 yard line at one point. Right. I mean they do.
00:09:29:24 - 00:09:31:09
Chris Harris Jr.
More than the pages defense.
00:09:31:13 - 00:09:56:18
Shelby Harris
Well the Patriot they didn't have to do more necessarily because Jarrett Stidham we saw the inexperience in that game from and I'm not talking about in his career. I'm talking about he hasn't thrown a pass all season. He hasn't had to do anything all season. And that right there was an advantage for the Page's defense. Now the Broncos defense went out there and really shut down.
00:09:56:21 - 00:10:17:08
Shelby Harris
Number two in the MVP race. Drake may. But the one thing that once again, I feel like our last episode had all these keys to the game and they came true. They came alive in this game. We talked about Drake Maze legs, and that was the one thing that killed the Broncos defense. The whole the other night, the Broncos shut them down completely.
00:10:17:12 - 00:10:26:07
Shelby Harris
Obviously they had a lot of leaky yards at the end of the game with the run game, but otherwise, other than that, you got to think that Broncos team went against a full.
00:10:26:07 - 00:10:27:21
Ryan Harris
Force.
00:10:27:24 - 00:10:49:09
Shelby Harris
New England Patriots offense and they held them to ten points. I think right there you have to say they did a great job. Now on the other end, the bar was a little bit lower because they weren't playing the Bo Nix led Denver Broncos offense. So in my eyes that Broncos defense did outperform the New England Patriots defense.
00:10:49:11 - 00:10:55:09
Shelby Harris
It's just that, you know certain mistakes here there set it up that the Broncos lost that game well.
00:10:55:09 - 00:11:15:11
Ryan Harris
And in Jarrett Stidham offensively to your point Shelby what that inexperience looked like was he was taking super deep drops I mean 1011 yard drops. That's impossible for an offensive lineman to block. And then he's rolling out the back. So you know so those are those are day one quarterback things that you know I don't think Stidham realized he was doing.
00:11:15:11 - 00:11:33:18
Ryan Harris
And that's what we call game slippage right. He had a couple of passes that were behind his receivers. The timing was just a little off. So does Bo Nix make a difference. You absolutely want to say yes. And those plays were out there. But it came down to me to that offensive line just not being able to run the football and the dominance of the Patriots defensive line.
00:11:33:21 - 00:11:58:16
Shelby Harris
If they hit that first green, that Stidham threw in front of Marvin Mims, that's a possibility for a touchdown right there. They had opportunities to make plays. It's this once again the moment felt a little too big there. But if I'm another team though that made me not have a quarterback I would still actually find some relief in this because Stevens Price didn't go up too much.
00:11:58:22 - 00:12:18:07
Shelby Harris
You might be able to bring him in and actually let him compete for a starting job, because he showed that he can throw the ball. We saw that deep pass to Marvin Mims. Perfect on the money. That's the things that Jed Stidham did. And so he did do a bunch of positive. It's just the lack of reps. Ended up biting them in the ass.
00:12:18:09 - 00:12:20:12
Shelby Harris
But by the time the game was over.
00:12:20:14 - 00:12:37:13
Chris Harris Jr.
I wasn't too impressed with them. You know I, I give them back up. You know he didn't show. They can scramble good enough in this day and age to be able to, you know, extend a lot of plays that you need from the quarterback position. You know, I just oh, I didn't see enough for him to take.
00:12:37:13 - 00:13:03:02
Chris Harris Jr.
He didn't take advantage of the opportunity that he had right to. He had a chance to really go prove and go get the Nick Foles money. And I don't think he accomplished that at all. But I disagree with the I think the Patriots defense won the game right. They got two turnovers. They scored a touchdown on what they close the game with the pick I got to go with the team that and ended the game with the turnovers and allow their team to get some points.
00:13:03:04 - 00:13:20:18
Ryan Harris
The defense did show up. I mean, Gonzalez made a good play on a bad throw by Stidham. And they put pressure on Stidham all day. And you guys know that as defenders that that affects the quarterback. And every quarterback can tell you oh no. You know you got to shake it. When you start getting happy feet in the huddle in the pocket.
00:13:20:25 - 00:13:38:23
Ryan Harris
It's because that defensive line is hits you and you're thinking about that. So they did that enough. And you're right they were outstanding defense. And they didn't they they weren't threatened though like normal defenses were. I mean, you start looking at the NFC Championship game, which we'll get to. They were stretching the field. Broncos didn't do that.
00:13:38:25 - 00:13:44:03
Ryan Harris
You didn't run the ball. You didn't stretch the field. You didn't make the plays. Need to in the key situation.
00:13:44:05 - 00:13:50:10
Shelby Harris
Well let me ask you guys this. If the weather is not what it was, do you think the Broncos win that game?
00:13:50:12 - 00:14:05:01
Ryan Harris
The weather is irrelevant, man. You got to win that game period. Because guess who. What? The Patriots found a way to win it. Weather. And I used to have a coach and say look out the window right now. There's weather right now right? I mean you gotta just find a way. And we know as players that means you're footings different.
00:14:05:01 - 00:14:15:16
Ryan Harris
That means your angles are different. And go ahead and do that right. Go play that way. So the weather came into play for sure. But you also have to be a pro to make sure you execute in whatever weather you play in.
00:14:15:18 - 00:14:37:28
Chris Harris Jr.
It's a home field. You're you're in the home field and you post out the top on, on. So, you're supposed to be able to run the ball and be dominant in the line of scrimmage. That's your forte. Just happened to be your your All-Pro guard? Didn't come to play. You're the interior. Oh, lineman got whooped all day, and, it showed and some.
00:14:37:28 - 00:14:56:03
Chris Harris Jr.
I guess it might be that, hey, we invested so much in our O-line. Okay, let's invest in a real running back. Back there that can really tote the ball in those type of conditions because you never know, it might come like this. The Patriots are going to ride Stevenson. They have somebody at least they can trust the Broncos didn't really have anybody Harvey.
00:14:56:05 - 00:15:04:24
Chris Harris Jr.
That game wasn't built for him. He's more of a scat back more of a let's get him in space type running back. That type of power game wasn't built for him.
00:15:04:26 - 00:15:31:24
Shelby Harris
So you and I, I believe though, that the Patriots offense obviously did just enough. But I think the the most important thing that I saw was a young player that got burned earlier in the game and came back and made the game winning interception, pretty much a Christian Gonzalez, one of the best young quarterbacks that we have in this league, really obviously got burned by Marvin Mims early, but had to regroup and obviously had a whole full game to come back and do what he needed to do.
00:15:31:24 - 00:15:54:29
Shelby Harris
But to come back with that last interception, which the receiver didn't see the ball at all, Christian Gonzalez is the only one that saw it, but that was that, right. There was a redefining moment for for Christian Gonzalez and that Patriots defense is going to ride high. That was a move the second down on the other side of the aisle, the Seattle Seahawks barely survived against the LA Rams.
00:15:55:01 - 00:15:59:11
Shelby Harris
Man that was a back and forth game the whole time. Guys how are we feeling about it.
00:15:59:13 - 00:16:19:07
Chris Harris Jr.
I like it man. Seattle's defense came out on fire. You know but Matthew Stafford they they had some great drives may have run the football mix it up with the pass. Puka was balling. Devonte was able to get in the end zone also again you know but it just comes down to Seattle's defense is just you know they made more plays.
00:16:19:09 - 00:16:39:11
Chris Harris Jr.
And then Sam Darnold came. You know he threw for over 300 plus three touchdowns Jackson Smith has been unguardable all season. Maybe it took to get rid of a Cooper Kupp and or not a Cooper Kupp. But you know DK Metcalf Lockett all those guys for him to really showcase what he can do. And now he's out there.
00:16:39:11 - 00:17:02:00
Chris Harris Jr.
You know as a true number one guy dominated every week 110 catches 100 plus yards. So Seattle I guess they're my favorite to win a Super Bowl with that defense. The safeties are balling. Tyreek almost killed the game. Woolen with his, excessive celebrations and being able to no time on the sideline you know then he comes back and gets routed up by Puka.
00:17:02:03 - 00:17:13:12
Chris Harris Jr.
You know that's how you never do that at corner man. You can't go too far. You can celebrate, but you don't want to go too far because they're going to try to come back and get you. And that's what happened to them. But, you know, at the end of the day, I'm glad we had a good game.
00:17:13:12 - 00:17:28:05
Chris Harris Jr.
Good weather. But, you know, Seattle's defense overall showed that. You know the Rams got to invest in some corners. They got to invest in some in the back end. And that can be there right there next year. But right now you know Seattle's secondary their whole D-line is very tough.
00:17:28:07 - 00:17:46:04
Ryan Harris
Well and we all know special teams come in to play big. And the Rams fumble in the red zone. Seahawks score next play. That's that's that's where you lose the game to me because it came down I mean Puka thought he got out of bounds. Puka Nacua played his tail off. But to me you got everybody's missing the real MVP Sam Darnold.
00:17:46:04 - 00:17:47:28
Ryan Harris
How many times does he have to show you.
00:17:47:28 - 00:17:49:04
Chris Harris Jr.
He's the guy.
00:17:49:06 - 00:18:13:24
Ryan Harris
I mean he was stretching the field making plays. He's great in the pocket. And he's now taking his team to the Super Bowl. What a tremendous story and what a lesson for everybody. You can literally tell people you see ghosts and still be successful right. You I mean that's that's crazy. And I think that's not getting enough attention of the mental work that Sam Darnold has done to put his team back in the Super Bowl.
00:18:13:24 - 00:18:32:24
Ryan Harris
Absolutely. The defense for the Seahawks is great not good. And you got to look at how that offense mechanics Kenneth Walker just started getting moving towards the end of the season. And now they're running the ball. They're throwing the ball. It's amazing. And Sam Darnold has been accurate. Me hitting Jackson Smith and Jig. But everywhere in between the numbers.
00:18:32:27 - 00:18:50:03
Ryan Harris
Come on man. That's he's playing at a different level. So I think the Seahawks are going to win the Super Bowl because of the way they're playing and the way that they refuse to be denied. And I and I know what that looks like Chris Chris and I played on a team like that. You can see on a team when they're willing to do whatever it takes.
00:18:50:03 - 00:18:52:00
Ryan Harris
And the Seahawks are.
00:18:52:03 - 00:19:16:13
Shelby Harris
That Seattle Seahawks offense is is is one of the most interesting offenses I've seen in a long time because they don't necessarily give the ball to many people, you know who the ball's going to. You know it's going to Kenneth Walker canine. You know going to run the run the ball nonstop. They're going to do deep passes to Shaheed and they're going to do anything possible to get Jason open that.
00:19:16:13 - 00:19:40:07
Shelby Harris
That's their offense. And it has been the Rams Kryptonite. The Rams defense couldn't stop a single thing yesterday. And that was the difference in the game. The Seahawks got one more or two more stops than the Rams. But that Seahawks offense. So that's scary though because they actually have a multifaceted offense. They love to run the ball. They're actually a run first team.
00:19:40:13 - 00:19:57:20
Shelby Harris
And they're going to force the ball to Jason. They're going to line them up all over the field, put them in motion, do screens, bubbles, outs, anything possible to get the ball in space? Because it seems like every time he catches the ball, he's making two people miss and getting ten plus yards. So the kid is legit. Like we know that.
00:19:57:22 - 00:20:11:20
Shelby Harris
But then that Rams offense so was was firing on all cylinders. I think the thing that killed him though was that turnover in the red zone when the when the when they caught the punt and he dropped the punt and the and the Seahawks got the ball in their own red zone and scored after. That's what changed the game.
00:20:11:22 - 00:20:31:26
Shelby Harris
It made it that the Rams are fighting from behind the whole time trying to catch up, but that Rams offense is balling. Gotta Blake Corum, Kyron Williams, Devonte Adams, Puka Kobe Parkinson who had a huge drop and I know he would have loved to have that back against his former team, the Seahawks, because that would have been a huge play for them.
00:20:31:28 - 00:20:51:03
Shelby Harris
But the Rams have so much to build on. And also I guess the question is, is a Matt Stafford coming back next year? But this Seattle Seahawks team is dangerous and I'll be worried about the New England Patriots. Now you have no excuses. No it's not going to be any. Whether you're going to be in San Fran.
00:20:51:10 - 00:21:00:21
Shelby Harris
It's going to be nice out. You're going to it's going to be Seattle versus New England man versus man who's going to win. And I can't wait to see it.
00:21:00:23 - 00:21:20:07
Ryan Harris
Well you got to remember that offense for the Seahawks too. They change the snap count. Hello. You know I mean they go on the quick count. They go on the two. They go on a double cadence. And then they go on one I mean those are the little things you have to do offensively. And when you contrast the offense you saw from the Broncos to the Seahawks, Broncos went on one all game.
00:21:20:10 - 00:21:39:00
Ryan Harris
When you guys play defense, how much easier is it when you know the snap count all game? Oh I love it. And so you don't make the defense guess. And that's what makes this offense with the Seahawks so dynamic. The snap counts. Creating hesitation. You know what's coming. But you don't know when the ball is being snap. Now you got a defense thinking and communicating while you snap the ball.
00:21:39:02 - 00:22:00:03
Ryan Harris
So it's a phenomenal offense Rick Dennison one of my long time coaches coach with Chris and I. He's at he's on that staff. He understands you have to use that snap count. I mean, Peyton Manning used it almost every play. But it's amazing to me how these offenses go on one and expect to have success when you can have tremendous success with less than talented players.
00:22:00:06 - 00:22:06:01
Ryan Harris
Because of that, that hesitation you create to the defense, right?
00:22:06:01 - 00:22:30:13
Chris Harris Jr.
When you see Seattle, you know, they got Clint Kubiak as the offensive coordinator, right? So they're bringing that same West Coast offense, another sprinkle of Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan, you know, or our head coach, Coach Kubiak. Right. They're bringing that same system in there. And he's just being creative. They're putting Jackson Smith all over the field lining him up in the backfield.
00:22:30:16 - 00:22:50:11
Chris Harris Jr.
Motion. It's hard to get Ahold of these guys. And if they can be able to run the football. When you look at the Seattle and their defense and how they match up with the Patriots offense, it's it's it's an easy game for them. I'm not I'm not fearing, bodey and Stefon Diggs. They can't run past me I'm bigger than them.
00:22:50:11 - 00:23:05:29
Chris Harris Jr.
I'm we're all six one in the back in rock rock. We're we're physical and we can run with you guys. So you know our biggest matchup was versus the Rams versus those receivers. And now hey we feel very confident of matching up against the Patriots.
00:23:06:01 - 00:23:17:15
Shelby Harris
Don't forget about that last one matchup between the Seahawks and the Patriots. The Seahawks were the favorites. And the Patriots went in there and close the door on them. So it doesn't matter. It doesn't necessarily matter.
00:23:17:17 - 00:23:18:15
Chris Harris Jr.
Who.
00:23:18:18 - 00:23:23:15
Shelby Harris
Is on these teams. You still got to go out there and play the game. And I think that's the most important part.
00:23:23:17 - 00:23:40:02
Ryan Harris
I don't think you're going to see, from what I saw this this season and the playoffs particularly, I don't see the Patriots being able to score 37 points, 35 points like that. You know, I mean, that was a shootout. You're absolutely right, Chris. That kind of was the Super Bowl. Now you got to go and do it still.
00:23:40:05 - 00:23:56:04
Ryan Harris
But if I'm if I'm Seattle, I'm licking my chops getting to this game and you get the chance to out physical the Patriots and you get the chance to change the narrative for every single player on that team. I mean, let's be clear. Everybody thought Seattle was irrelevant, right? Geno Smith it was out there for a while.
00:23:56:04 - 00:24:09:02
Ryan Harris
And they get Sam Darnold. Nobody thought they would be in the Super Bowl this year. And here they are. So they they've proven everybody wrong by believing first and early. And that team is is going to be a difficult matchup for the Patriots.
00:24:09:04 - 00:24:33:11
Shelby Harris
Well now we've already been talking about this. But for third down Super Bowl predictions you know we've already we've already had this conversation a little bit. But let's go into more depth about it. What is Ryan how are you feeling about this I know you said you're a Seahawks fan and you think the Seahawks team is going to win, but what about the Seahawks team is going to make them win this game over the New England Patriots I.
00:24:33:11 - 00:24:51:02
Ryan Harris
Think it's one of the players you mentioned Rashid Shaheed. I mean he's a dynamic player. Special teams is going to come into play. Yes you have Sam. You assume Sam Darnold and Jackson Smith and Jaguar are going to do what they're doing. That Walker is going to have somewhere between 75 and 105 yards rushing. But then you add the Shaheed and Cooper Kupp.
00:24:51:02 - 00:25:09:05
Ryan Harris
Factor that to me. You know they haven't really unlock the Cooper Cup package. He's not the same. He does have the same speed and he is a vet right. So he knows how to get ready for this game. And then defensively you have to just stop the run I mean they don't have a deep downfield threat. The Patriots don't have it all of their passes.
00:25:09:05 - 00:25:27:23
Ryan Harris
And I know from playing with Josh McDaniels all those passes are 5 to 15 yards right. They're doing levels. They're not trying to do the big play. They're trying to get to third and two and it's worked for them. But I'll tell you what. You're going to have to score against the Seahawks. And I and I don't think the Patriots can can go step for step like that.
00:25:27:26 - 00:25:50:21
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah I see it being a 2417 game. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams don't score 20. You know I think it I just believe that you know Seattle's just going to come in and shut those guys down. I don't see too many threats. Embroiderers. Hunter Henry, you know, if you just line the guys up with Weatherspoon versus Diggs or booty or Walling, I mean, I'm not.
00:25:50:22 - 00:26:09:16
Chris Harris Jr.
If I'm Seattle, I feel very comfortable going into this game. Now it's all Sam Darnold. Can you come in and play another game like you did in a NFC championship. You know another 300 plus game. We might not even need that. We might just need 250 from you know turnovers. And we can get this game. We can win this Super Bowl.
00:26:09:16 - 00:26:33:12
Chris Harris Jr.
So if that if this is the get this pass game was the game where he had to deal for 300. Right. You're going to get some Matthew Stafford who could possibly be MVP. But you know this in super Bowl I don't need you to do that too much. We need to run the football laying all the way on our defense 85% and make sure we don't have turnovers and just give the Patriots easy touchdown like they got versus the Broncos.
00:26:33:14 - 00:26:53:09
Shelby Harris
I don't think this game is necessarily going to be as defensive as battle. Is. Everyone saying I believe, though that the Patriots will have more success than they have against the Broncos, against the Texans, because the Seattle Seahawks don't have a premier edge rusher right now. They don't get a lot of their pressure comes from the inside in.
00:26:53:09 - 00:27:15:00
Shelby Harris
They're training to also. And then DeMarcus Lawrence is going from inside and out. But they need and they have Blaine Mafia two. Don't forget. But they don't have a Nick Benito. They don't have a Daniel Hunter. They don't have a Will Anderson right there. That caused the Patriots so much trouble. They're better on the inside I would say if they're O-line than they are on the outside of their own line with the tackles.
00:27:15:05 - 00:27:40:25
Shelby Harris
So the Patriots will be able to actually develop more of their offense and not have to worry about getting the ball out as quick. Now, the issues, though, is that everywhere else the Seattle Seahawks are stacked on defense. They have they have players everywhere. They have size at corner like Tyreek Williams six four runs A43. If they have Devin Weatherspoon out there they have guys on that defense.
00:27:40:27 - 00:28:01:29
Shelby Harris
And what it's going to take though is one of these offenses is going to have to go out there and make a play. Because that front seven for the Patriots is is very talented. They have one of the best D lines in the game. And the linebackers have been flying around making plays too. Now obviously we have to wait and see what Spillane's health is because he got hurt against the Broncos.
00:28:02:02 - 00:28:21:09
Shelby Harris
But this Patriots team is not just going to go out there and get their ass beat. They've been playing some top tier defenses with top tier edge talent. The last couple of weeks that have made them look the way they've looked, but especially a mike Vrabel team is going to go in there and be physical. They're never going to quit, they're never going to lay down.
00:28:21:11 - 00:28:46:07
Shelby Harris
And so you can never count them out. But I think the Seahawks go away 100%. I think the Seahawks right now they're just they're on fire. Sometimes though that week off can mess up the flow of your offense. It's just like another bye week right there. So we'll see how the Seahawks come into this next game. But they're going to have to commit to the run because this the Patriots have some pass rushers out there.
00:28:46:14 - 00:28:57:26
Shelby Harris
So you got to be worried about this Patriots front getting to the quarterback. But I definitely do think that the Seattle team will be the team that becomes victorious and is the Super Bowl champion.
00:28:57:28 - 00:29:19:29
Chris Harris Jr.
All right. We got the coaching carousel. Right now we see Mike McCarthy going to the Steelers. We still got the Browns wide open. The bills the Raiders right. And the Cardinals. So who do y'all see being able to pick up those jobs? I see a lot of coaches. Not even, you know, the interest level of the Browns is going way down right now.
00:29:20:06 - 00:29:23:24
Chris Harris Jr.
So what do y'all think with the, let's start with the Steelers pick?
00:29:23:26 - 00:29:40:05
Ryan Harris
Well, being a former Steeler, I'll tell you, you got to wait to reserve judgment on Mike McCarthy. We'll see what happens. You know, I think we learned that he was dealing with a lot more with Aaron Rodgers. But let's be clear, this guy's just an average coach. When you look at it. He has a winning record. He has won a Super Bowl.
00:29:40:05 - 00:29:57:28
Ryan Harris
That's important, especially in Pittsburgh. But that's a lot of work to do. I mean, you need a quarterback, you need some offensive line. You probably need another running back. I know Warren was doing well there, but you need to be able to really turn that program around. I don't know that he can do it. And when you're talking about these head coaching jobs, where's the name Leslie Frazier?
00:29:58:01 - 00:30:15:21
Ryan Harris
I mean, come on, man. This guy is part of the Seahawks defense. And the reason why they're playing so well is because of him. And I think the quiet around the Browns that tells me that they've got their coach on one of either the Seahawks or the Patriots coaching staff. And they just don't want to say anything yet.
00:30:15:23 - 00:30:16:21
Chris Harris Jr.
Right?
00:30:16:24 - 00:30:23:15
Shelby Harris
I think that, you know, if we saw them with the Steelers I think that's a very safe pick.
00:30:23:18 - 00:30:23:28
Ryan Harris
Yeah.
00:30:24:05 - 00:30:47:14
Shelby Harris
And it's not a pick that's going to excite fans and maybe not even excite the players. But you go get established, you know a well-established coach to come in there and lead the historic franchise of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, does it fix anything? No, not at all. I think you have so many question marks. You got to decide is Aaron Rodgers coming back?
00:30:47:21 - 00:31:02:02
Shelby Harris
You don't know how it necessarily ended with Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers. Is he going to try to keep him. What is the state of the offense? That is the problem when Pittsburgh what is the state of their offense? How are they going to build on that? How are they going to get more creative after Smith is gone?
00:31:02:07 - 00:31:33:21
Shelby Harris
We saw he went to Ohio State. So it's going to be a brand new offense out there. And so they need to add playmakers. I don't necessarily think the coaching is the problem. They just don't have any playmakers on that offense other than DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin. And then they get pretty predictable after that. Now with all the other coaches, coaching staffs and coaching surgeons, I do believe that everybody was waiting to see because you saw most of these coaches that teams want were on the Broncos, the Patriots, the Seahawks or the Rams.
00:31:33:24 - 00:31:53:01
Shelby Harris
That's why you see it start picking up more. But a name. It's starting to piss me off a name that you're not seeing enough of. It's Vance Joseph. Why are we not seeing the guy who orchestrated one of the best defenses in Bronco history? Why are we not seeing his name all over the place? We see connected to Arizona.
00:31:53:01 - 00:32:19:01
Shelby Harris
We see connected to here. But his name should be connected to every job out there. If Mike McCarthy can go get a third job. After winning a Super Bowl in 2009, 2010, 2010 why can't events Joseph who who went back to be a defensive coordinator at two stops in Arizona and in Denver elevated both defenses. They went to the AFC Championship game because of that defense.
00:32:19:01 - 00:32:42:12
Shelby Harris
We all know that. We when he went there because of that defense. That defense played well enough yesterday to win that game. They could they could be a Super Bowl team right now. And I'm not hearing his name enough. And that's bothering me because he's showing he can do it. He's calling the shots. He's calling the plays in Denver I think he deserves to be another another head coach.
00:32:42:14 - 00:33:09:13
Shelby Harris
But in Arizona and Cleveland and Vegas, it's going to be interesting to see what they pick because these are franchise defining hires. Yeah. It's either we go completely downhill from there or we find the coach is going to elevate us and take us out of the bottom. And so those those decisions are going to be huge. It'd be very interesting to see who they choose or if they're going to go young or they're going to go try to find somebody established.
00:33:09:19 - 00:33:13:06
Shelby Harris
But all I know is Vance Joseph name should be included all over the place.
00:33:13:10 - 00:33:30:22
Chris Harris Jr.
Now, I was just going to piggyback off of, yeah. Mike McCarthy going to the Steelers offense, a guy I don't remember the last time the Steelers had an offensive coach. So that's gone in to see how that factor there. BJ not get an opportunity like Shelby said. I think they will pick up I think he will get the Red Raider.
00:33:30:29 - 00:33:50:15
Chris Harris Jr.
But now that the playoffs is over, I think he will get some opportunities. But, the Cardinals look like a good fit for BJ. Joe Brady. Davis Webb. Now that's surprising. Like, come on man. Oh you're getting all these interviews. But just to end it with that man, I think the Steelers going offense caught up in to rout.
00:33:50:17 - 00:33:56:03
Chris Harris Jr.
You know, as a head coach they never have offensive minded head coach. So I think that's no right there.
00:33:56:05 - 00:34:13:20
Ryan Harris
And we all want former players to be coaches. Nothing against Davis Webb. And he hasn't proven it yet. There are some established quality head coach options over a Davis Webb who's a very good coach has done a good job and will one day, I believe, be a head coach. But right now come on man, that's this.
00:34:13:21 - 00:34:37:16
Shelby Harris
You know, some of these old quarterbacks that played in the league who I'm pretty sure I might be older them are somehow finding a fast track to the head coaching ranks. And I just think it's kind of interesting considering that he didn't even call plays. It's kind of a right back Maggie situation where you allow the offensive coordinator to get the head coaching job, even though the head coach is calling plays.
00:34:37:22 - 00:34:57:21
Shelby Harris
But in the same thing that Ryan's saying, Leslie Frazier is the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks. And we all know Mike McDonald is a big part of it, but he's getting no love either. So it seems like these conversations about who deserves to be head coach of who doesn't are off, and they don't make any sense at all.
00:34:57:23 - 00:35:04:15
Ryan Harris
Well, that's this week's episode of the Harrises. Make sure to like, subscribe and share your favorite parts of our podcast. Tune in next week.