What Bills vs. Dolphins Meant for The Jets?

first of all I want to make you promise it's one of those days in New York Sports where so much is happening and I promise you over the course of the next 4 and 1/2 hours we will hit everything a monstrous three- game series for the New York Mets in Philadelphia the Yankees with another walk-off but a question needs to be posed has clay homes re-entered that Circle of trust the New York Giants are playing for their season according to Mo Daniel Jones is playing for his NFL career the New York Jets are playing for the sanity of Jet fans there is a lot to get to and I promise you Tiki and I will get to everything over the next four and a half hours but I do want to start in a place that I'm very curious about because I do not know the answer from my wonderful partner Tiki Barber and that was most Americans last night were watching the Yankees and they were watching football and all of us and and I've certainly expressed my views on how much I don't like the Miami Dolphins but I also like Tua and I like human beings and so when Tua went down the way he did and the reaction that he had I think all of us as human beings watching certainly reacted to that with compassion and so what I've been wondering about since that injury occurred and obviously there's a lot of football aspects to it too which we'll get into especially how it impacts the Jets this season in the AFC East but I thought about you TI and I thought what does Tiki think of this what would he say it to it so walk me through everything that went through your mind when you saw this last night well I mean obviously you you feel for Tua because he's had so many this is now his third diagnosed concussion but there was I mean maybe there's been more over the course of his career going back to college and Etc even high school and the last thing you want is for a kid like Tua who is one of the great like guys in the NFL to suffer some long-term detriment to his health and to his mind and to his ability to play the game or really forget playing the game living life because he's playing a game and so my immediate thought was his career is over right this is this is it because he's had at least two of these where he's completely out and he's and he's posting right you know his arm is out he's completely lost control of his functions uh and you know that that is serious trauma to his brain like there's a there's a massive um uh impact that that that shut down his body and and and I and I can't help but think is it worth it right and and when he starts having these conversations with his family with his teammates with everything is it is it worth it and it's a question I can't answer because I've I never had to go through that but is it worth it I see so many guys retired guys some of my teammates that are beat up physically you even you get outside of the the realm of the physical damage and you see some of these guys whose Minds clearly aren't there anymore and a lot of it is because of of the the trauma that you take uh playing this game and I can't help but feel for him I I wonder if this is the it if this is it I know he wants to play cuz he's still so young he just got paid but is it worth it that's the question I keep asking myself is it worth it yeah it's the individual I mean yesterday there's a lot of irony to what happened yesterday obviously dear Hamlin getting hit in the chest as he was tackling him was certainly something that jumped out at you it was also the birthday of Andrew Luck yesterday was Andrew Luck's birthday he turned 35 years old and Andrew Luck is one of those guys who made a decision that was so controversial at the time but I got it he was a guy in the prime of his NFL career at the age of 29 or 30 however old he was exactly at the time who said I don't want to risk that and he made that decision and I think as a fan the way I look at Tua and I I really believe this is as long as he's clear to play he can do whatever he wants if he wants to try to play football and there are major risks that are involved I totally respect that decision right like I I respect that humans have the right to make decisions about their own body I really do so yeah I felt bad for him last night I've always liked Tua as much as I expressed utique that I didn't like the Dolphins and a part of why I like Tua so much is I think he's grossly underrated and I think that dolphin fans in a way haven't even respected how good he's been since he's come into the league it's almost explained away like every time he would make a big play it'd be like wow he underthrew Tyreek Hill and it's like come on dude the guy's playing well but it's up to him you know Antonio Pierce came out earlier today and said he should retire how about Tua should do what he wants to do and he should talk to doctors certainly he should talk to former players he could even give you a call and say hey what do you think but ultimately he's the human who gets to make that decision yeah he is but I mean this this almost feels like a we need to protect you from you situation and you hear this often in sport and usually it's it's physical injury it's nothing you know about the mind but given where the the the NFL has gone over the last half a decade or even more now with protecting body like the head because of all the CTE issues and the repeated head trauma issues and they've legislated out of contact and I mean hell one of the reasons that they kickoff is the way it is is because it was one of the leading you know concussion you know providers or or causes in the NFL and so like you can't let a guy despite his desire to want to do something put himself in physical harm for the future of his life that that's why this is so serious and and I know I'd want to play I'm sure I mean I had I had concussions I know I did one because I was I was unconscious on the field I got it back up and I played the next play or two plays later whatever whatever it was crazy um I luckily didn't have any long-term effects there's no guarantee that you're not going to have long-term effects despite your desire to want to be out there playing a game that you love yeah it's um it was scary last night man I mean you know you you sit there as a fan and you're thinking about your fantasy team and you're thinking about gambling and in my case as a Jet fan I'm thinking about what's best for the Jets but as he went into Hamlin and as he wasn't sliding and then that image I can't even get out of my head now with his hand making that movement it was just scary man yeah cuz you know he's not in control anymore yeah like he's lost function he's lost like his his mind's not not transmitting uh this he through the synapses this way the way it's supposed to you just know it like you see it it's and it's and it's scary I mean it I feel for him I feel for what this means for him cuz this is his third one in three years yes it's it's a big deal and we all remember two years ago when he basically collapsed on the field after he got up so we have the images of Tu dealing with concussions and US seeing it and seeing how bad it look now here's the other thing and and I really don't want to sound callous in this because genuinely stomach hurt watching this happen and I've always liked Tua for the reasons I laid out but then you start to think okay they're a football team there's a game that needs to be played there's a season that needs to be played and the reality is this for the Miami Dolphins I don't think Tu is playing again this season I think that's kind of like a I don't know if that's the the likeliest thing but my gut tells me I mean you don't think he's going to play again in his career correct I I mean it's not because they won't let him I don't think he should play again in his career you've seen this with others Steve Young basically his his Hall of Fame career it could have been should have been longer right because of the concussions You' you've seen it happen with guys and the last thing you want is for young engaging you know kid who's got so much other things in his life that I'm sure important to waste his mind Away by playing a sport right I I know we we we overemphasize how important this game is but it's still a sport and so it's a great way to make a living you're obviously trying to achieve something with your teammates and to you know Galvanize a city or town or a fan base whatever it may be but it's still a sport and it's not worth sacrificing your long-term health for yeah I think ultimately I agree I just want him to get that information and make the decision himself I don't want the lead to make it for him or I mean he's got to make it himself and if he talks to enough people especially guys like you that played the sport and dealt with it maybe that's a conclusion he's going to come to but watching the rest of that game last night thinking about it this morning we transition to a football discussion and here's the reality of football in the AFC East and I say this without any smile on my face I say this callously really I just say this about matter of factly the Miami Dolphins are done let's just start right there they're not good enough to overcome the loss of Tua and that's a compliment to Tua and and by the way they weren't good enough with Tua this game they were not they a very good point it was a blowout before the injury but look if if it was just a simple blowout I could kind of recalibrate look at what two accomplished last year look at the weapons on the Miami offense and say they're a major factor in the AFC East they're no longer that I mean Skyler Thompson is their quarterback and while they still have great weapons and achain looked good yesterday and Tyreek kills a burner Skyler Thompson who has started what two games in the NFL right it's not good enough to compete with the Buffalo Bills and I don't think it's good enough to even compete with my team New York Jets who have a lot to prove yeah they done yeah and from a from a football standpoint you're right like anytime you get pushed you you should bring out that that that list that you had yesterday about the the the spreads with the backup quarterback yes I mean it'd be interesting to look and see where where it is with the Mii I looked at it and I was very surprised Tiki very surprised I was it was it marginal it was marginal it was the same as the difference between Aaron Rogers to trod Taylor and basically what ti is referring to we mentioned this yesterday on the program is lines on how they would change from starting quarterback to backup quarterback and so the biggest was Patrick Mahomes like Patrick Mahomes is out Carson went has to start that line would change by seven seven and a half points uh same with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens and for two at a skyler Thompson and I just categorically disagree with this I think they're wrong the spread difference would be three and a half points I I don't see that and I'll tell you why that's the case and why I've grown to like Tua it's because of that kind of disrespect he has been disrespected for the last four years I think a part of it is because he's a lefty as crazy as that sounds I think lefties don't look as clean throwing the football as righties and for whatever reason people poo poo it and it's been going on for years this is not the first time I've said that but I do think from a football standpoint I mean I don't want to say they're screwed but they're screwed yeah I mean Skyler's just not the same kind of quarterback we can't disrespect what Tua did a year ago where he led the league in yards in passing yards 4600 yards passing and 29 touchdowns that wasn't tops in the league but I mean there a lot of damn touchdowns and one of the reasons that they had so much success pushing the ball down field to Tyreek Hill and and and Jaylen W and and and and how good their run game was with both those running backs is because of Tua yeah and and Skyler is a different kind of of quarterback he's a different passer and he doesn't have the experience and so there the the best laid plan it's out the window for them now do I trust that uh Mike McDaniel is going to find a way to make it somewhat viable yes because he's a good enough coordinator he's he's one of the best ones in the NFL so I think he'll adjust but it's not going to be nearly what the Dolphins have have have are going to need in order to compete in the division and certainly in the AFC no question about it when you as a Jet fan look at the AFC East I think we always thought the Buffalo Bills were the number one team you got to get past but it would have been disrespectful to just ignore the Miami Dolphins but I don't think they're equipped enough to overcome this loss Skyler Thompson like you said hasn't proven he's good enough I don't think this defense is good enough to carry this unit over the next 15 weeks so I think the Miami Dolphins went from legitimate factor in the AFC East legitimate playoff Contender to what a five or six win team I really do think that that big of a difference occurred unfortunately I don't want it to happen this way that's for sure I'd rather just beat the Miami Dolphins at their strength but that's the kind of injury loss that the Dolphins are now suffering as they try to regroup with Skyler Thompson a quarterback yeah and it's just hard any any any team doesn't matter what the team is when you lose your starting quarterback you just struggle it's a different grind now for you and that's where the Miami Dolphins find themselves H it sucks for them it sucks for the expectation because they were supposed to be one of the teams in the M mix they went to the postseason last year if it wasn't for a freezing day maybe they had a better a better showing against the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason but the belief was that they were going to be a team maybe you get some marginally better you can compete that feels like it's out the window right now here's the other thing about watching last night and we try I try we all try to not overreact to one game or in this case two games but the Buffalo Bills look freaking good Josh Allen looks freaking good the Buffalo Bills have responded to the slow start they got off to this season in which I'm even thinking to myself oh my God how great is this going to be Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are going to steal a game against the Buffalo Bills like oh my God this is this is incredible and you look at the response that they had after falling behind early in that game you look at what they did this is long before Tua got hurt and you look at you know feeding James Cook the way they did and his Effectiveness and how good Josh Allen is like I think sometimes we forget how good Josh Allen is as a Jet fan I watch this and I say to myself there's a lot of ground to cover for the Jets to pee that team and to beat that team which is the goal and the expectation in this football season yeah well there were speculation just that the bills were going to be different they lost that you know Mike Milano's out they lost defon Diggs the they're diminished statistically from a from a skill position standpoint and you know linebacker standpoint but the reality is as much as we or you in particular May dislike their head coach they are a well coached team you don't like a made by the way T I know you don't true but but but Joe Brady he I mean he showed some of the play designs then last night were just I mean the fourth down touchdown to uh to James Cook who had three on the day it was just it was it was it was beautiful yeah it's like amazing to watch how he just manipulated what he knew was coming defensively from the Dolphins and and and turned it into a touchdown so they they got I mean they didn't miss a beat they lost some important pieces both their safeties are gone and those are those were good players they didn't miss a beat so you you give them a ton of credit and realize that they are going to be a force and a lot of it let's be real is because their quarterback is still really absolutely look the Buffalo Bills and I know the odds makers started to change things before the season the Buffalo Bills are the team to beat in the AFC East while the Jets have had some success against them in the regular season think back to week one last year where they forced Josh into bad turnovers even beating him two years ago it's not like this is the Boogeyman where the Jets have never beaten them they are the team to beat this is the team when I'm sitting there watching the Jets on Sunday hoping they can get their first win of the Year there are a lot of goals over the course of a football season goal number one is to win a game that's on the docket for the Jets on Sunday goal number just one get the first get the first one out of the way just one I just want to have one Sunday just a start where I'm like damn my football team won that's a good feeling then you got to win a couple of games in a row and dare I say like a winning streak right the next goal after that is to win your freaking Division and I think what we saw last night is one team is out of the way one team is you could forget about in the Miami Dolphins for very unfortunate reasons but that's the reality and another team looks a hell of a lot better than maybe what we expected but the Buffalo Bills that is without a shadow of a doubt the team to beat in the AFC East and I wonder cuz you know when Patrick Mahomes lost Tyreek Hill there was so many questions about how he would adjust to that and look you're not better off without Tyreek Hill just like you're not better off without Stefan digs but maybe Tiki quarterbacks are better off not having a guy who feels like they need to demand the football and 15 targets a game so while you force it to right so maybe you prefer the talent of course but maybe it eases things to know who is my number one receiver khil Shakir like maybe that actually benefits well it benefits because you don't have to you don't have to worry about looking one way first or thinking one way first all right if all things being equal let me get it to Stefon digs now it's like all right what are they giving me like what is the defense trying to do to me all right I'm going to take this guy who's open I don't necessarily have to Target one one player and it allows a really good quarterback to thrive I think it's almost it's almost empowering in some ways when we talk about this all the time putting great receivers a great talent around around a a a a quarterback or a quarterback but sometimes that's that works against you yeah in some regards no you're right we got a lot to do on this very very busy Friday reaction to what we saw last night not just the injury to Tua but its impact on the Jets in the AFC East and coming up we Face a very very pivotal Sunday here in New York Sports the New York Giants against the Washington commanders the New York Jets against the Tennessee Titans not only who needs to win more which fan base will be more pissed off if they're ow and two we'll get to it coming up tollfree number is 88888 1019 [Music]