Sports Krunch w/DKROM

OT Max Mitchell (Lousiana-Lafayette) is one of the hottest OT prospects at the Senior Bowl (currently #50 on Daniel Jeremiah's 2022 NFL Draft Top 50 list). He told me what he thinks sets him apart from the rest of the OT's in this year's draft, whether he likes to run block or pass protect more, what NFL OT's he admires most, and how much he's leaning on his fellow Rajin Cajun (and current 49ers RB) Elijah Mitchell during the pre-draft process

USA Today NFL columnist Mike Jones joined me at the Senior Bowl to give me his thoughts on the NFL head coaching hires so far this cycle, Brian Flores' bombshell lawsuit against the NFL and its potential implications for future minority HC candidates, his guess on how many QB's will get selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and why he thinks the Rams win Super Bowl LVI

NFL and Lions beat reporter Dave Birkett (Detroit Free Press) joined me at the Senior Bowl to discuss the Lions top priorities in the 2022 NFL Draft, what comes next for their exciting 2021 draft class, the team's plans at QB for 2022 and whether the candidacy of Devin Hester for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 could speed up the process for getting specialists enshrined in Canton

Bucs beat reporter Jon Ledyard (Pewter Report) joined me at the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl to discuss the retirement of Tom Brady, who will likely succeed him at QB in Tampa next season, which of the Bucs' impending free agents are likely to stay or go, and what their plans should be for the draft

Billy Riccette (USA Today Bengals Wire) joined me to discuss which players he has his eyes on the most at the Senior Bowl, give an overall sumary of the 2022 NFL Draft class, and provide his thoughts on the Bengals and their chances in Super Bowl LVI

Dolphins beat reporters Joe Schad (Palm Beach Post) and David Furones (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) joined me at the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl to give me the latest on the Dolphins head coaching search and how the team should approach the 2022 NFL Draft

ESPN Falcons reporter Michael Rothstein joined us at the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl to discuss what direction the Falcons could go in the 2022 NFL Draft, the team's salary cap situation, Matt Ryan and the future of the team at QB

During my week at the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini joined me to discuss the Jets plans in the 2022 NFL Draft, the main goals HC Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas have for the week, and the team's backup QB situation

1. Divisional Round Takeaways

-DKrom: We might have seen the last of Tom Brady

-Hal: Next generation of QB’s shine (Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes)

2. Should the NFL change its OT rules, and if so how?

-Case for: Of 11 playoff OT games since the current rules were instituted, 10/11 teams that won won the coin toss…and SEVEN of them scored a TD on the opening drive of OT

-Case against: Of 163 games since the current rules were instituted (playoffs included), teams that won the coin toss have only won 52.8% of the time

3. Truth or Exaggeration

        -Sean Payton will be a serious candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame when all is set and done

        -Sean Payton will be coaching the Cowboys in 2023

        -Dennis Allen will be the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints

        -Of the four remaining teams, the Chiefs are the clear favorite to win the Super Bowl

        -Regardless of what happens the rest of the way, the 49ers should keep Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022 and let him and Trey Lance battle it out for the starting job in training camp

        -DeMeco Ryans will be a head coach in 2022

        -The Broncos hiring of Nathaniel Hackett makes it even more likely that Aaron Rodgers is a Denver Bronco in 2022

4. Coaching Carousel

-Grading the hires (A, B, C, D): Broncos [Nathaniel Hackett], Bears [Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus], Giants [Joe Schoen], Vikings [Kwesi Adofo-Mensah]

-Jaguars Developments

        -Raiders Developments

5. AFC Championship Preview (Bengals at Chiefs)

-What do the Bengals have that the Bills do not that will help them pull off the upset?

-Some people said earlier in the season that the NFL had “solved” Patrick Mahomes with the two-high safety looks. And NO team played more of that type of coverage against the Chiefs than the Bills…and you saw the historic performance Mahomes had against them on Sunday. How has Mahomes adjusted so well to this look over the past several months?

-Key matchups and picks

6. NFC Championship Preview (49ers at Rams)

-Will this game almost entirely depend on which version of Matthew Stafford (and Jimmy Garoppolo for that matter) shows up?

-The old adage is that it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season, yet the 49ers have won six straight against the Rams. Why do they seemingly have the Rams number?

-Key matchups and picks

 7. Bold Predictions

       -Hal: Mike Hilton picks off Patrick Mahomes in OT to set up a game-winning 10-yard TD run by Joe Burrow

       -DKrom: 49ers defense holds the Rams to less than 250 total yards of offense, force FIVE turnovers, including two RZ turnovers, one of which is returned by Fred Warner for a pick-six with less than 2:00 left and the 49ers up 20-17 to seal a 27-17 win!!! 

8. Challenge Flags

       -DKrom: Bengals…play like you’re proud of the season you’ve had and the bright future that awaits you

       -Hal: The four divisional round losers (Bills-get a strong draft, Packers-make Rodgers happy, Bucs-get Brady back in 2022, Titans-get more offensive playmakers)

1. Week 18 Takeaways

-DKrom: Colts lay an egg at the worst possible time

-Hal: Colts live and die by Carson Wentz, Chargers “Charger” again

2. Truth or Exaggeration

     -Of the three current GM openings, the Bears are the most attractive position because of Justin Fields

     -The winner of Monday night’s Cardinals/Rams Wild Card playoff will lose in the Divisional Round

     -The Vikings should make history and hire Eagles VP of Player Personnel Catherine Raiche as their new GM if her qualifications match those of the top male candidates for the job

     -The Lions will win 6-7 games in 2022

     -The 49ers and Raiders are the teams that NOBODY wants to face in the playoffs

     -Long-term, the Chargers will regret hiring Brandon Staley over Brian Daboll

     -The New York Giants are currently the worst team in the NFL

3. Coaching Carousel

-Do you think it would it be a colossal mistake for the Bears to hire Leslie Frazier over Brian Daboll given the presence of Justin Fields?

-There appear to be two front-runners for the Broncos HC vacancy, Dan Quinn and Nathaniel Hackett. Which of them would be the better hire and why?

        -If the Giants lose out on Brian Flores to the Texans, should Don "Wink" Martindale be their immediate Plan B?

        -Will the Dolphins regret firing Brian Flores in the long-run? Which of these candidates would make the most sense to succeed him as the next Dolphins HC: Leslie Frazier, Dan Quinn, or Vance Joseph?

        -If the Jaguars hire Bill O’Brien as their next head coach, should Trevor Lawrence do all he can to force a trade?

        -Who would be the ideal outside-the-box HC hire for Minnesota?

        -Did the Texans make a mistake by firing David Culley after just one season? Does it seem inevitable the Texans will hire Brian Flores given his long history with Nick Caserio?

        -Do you think Jim Harbaugh presents enough of an upgrade for the Raiders to go that direction instead of giving the job to Rich Bisaccia?

5. Wild Card Weekend Previews and Picks

-Raiders at Bengals

-Patriots at Bills

-Eagles at Bucs

-49ers at Cowboys

-Steelers at Chiefs

-Cardinals at Rams

6. Bold Predictions

       -Hal: Deebo Samuel 4 TD (3 receiving, 1 rushing), almost 300 total yards from scrimmage

       -DKrom: Maxx Crosby totals 4 sacks, including a game-deciding strip-sack which is run in for a 76  yard scoop-and-score by Nate Hobbs, who also holds Ja’Marr Chase to 1 reception for 2 yards 

7. Challenge Flags

       -DKrom: Cowboys…MATCH THE 49ERS PHYSICALITY!!!!

       -Hal: Mike Tomlin, be proud of what you accomplished this season and make it a competitive game in Kansas City