Posted by Will Brinson & Ryan Wilson

Week 9's action is just about wrapped up and after an exciting Sunday's worth of action we fired up the podcast machine to break down everything that happened.

Is Joe Flacco making the leap? Is Eli Manning elite? Are the Patriots finished? Is Philip Rivers a choker? Why are teams allowed to sidestep concussions in game? Which SEC rookie had the bigger week -- Patrick Peterson or Julio Jones? Did the Browns lose their draft-day trade with the Falcons?

What the hell is Mike Shanahan thinking, in general? Are the Chiefs worthy of being tied for their division lead? Is Tim Tebow improving?

All those questions -- plus much, much more -- in this week's podcast review.

Just hit the play button below to listen (and did we mention that you should subscribe to the podcast via iTunes?). If you can't listen to the podcast below, download it here. And if you'd like to keep working while listening in your browser, pop that puppy out in a new tab here.


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Posted by Will Brinson & Ryan Wilson

Power rankings time! Pete Prisco's got his out and what would a Wednesday be without some lively debate about where teams rank before the season even starts? And with our columnists dispatched to three specific locations, we talk about breaking the NFL into three catagories (good/bad/ugly) -- where does your team fall?

Also, A.J. Hawk, linebacker for the defending champion Green Bay Packers, joins the podcast. We talk about the Packers flying under the radar, if they're motivated by the Eagles being a "dream team," how he's embracing a role as a leader and what he thinks about HGH testing.

"I think it's awesome that they're going to start testing for HGH," Hawk told CBSSports.com. "I think it's a great thing for the game. I think baseball showed throughout their whole time that if you don't test for something, guys are going to do it. I have no idea -- I've obviously never watched anyone or seen anyone do it, but I'm not stupid. I know it's going on.

"They can take my blood every single day if they want. I won't oppose that ever."

So, yeah, excellent stuff -- we also talk about his work with Gatorade on their "Beat the Heat" campaign, on the 10-year anniversary of Korey Stringer's death. (Go to NFL.com/TrainingCamp to download the free Heat Safety Kit.)

Ryan and I also discuss whether the recent Miami scandal will have any effect on current NFL players and talk about Aaron Maybin jumping ship from the Bills to the Jets.

All that -- and much, much, more -- by clicking the play button below. Also, SUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNES.


If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.



For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Will Brinson & Ryan Wilson

The podcast preview train has pulled into the NFC South and, quite conveniently, we also have a full week of NFL preseason games in which we can judge the nature of every single team without fear that things will change later.

I kid, I kid. But we do debate whether Cam Newton was awesome or overrated, how much of an impact Julio Jones will have on the Falcons, whether people are sleeping on the Saints, and whether or the Buccaneers are due to regress.

We also do the over/under thing for the teams (Panthers, 4.5; Saints/Falcons, 10; Bucs, 8), we rank the running backs in the division in order of best-to-worst and we guess who the impact player in the division will be. Also, Ryan chides Will for trying to talk about the Panthers too much. But that happens every week.

All that -- and much, much, more -- by clicking the play button below. Also, SUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNES.


If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.



For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Will Brinson

We're taking a spin around the NFL with our Podcast Preview series this week and our latest stop is in the NFC North. Ryan and I break down a slew of issues relating to the division and I'm joined later by Josh Epstein of the white-hot band Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jr. (buy their new album "It's a Corporate World" on iTunes here; check them out on Facebook here).

Lest you think it's just random awesomeness, Josh is actually a huge Lions fan. And, hey, speaking of the Lions, can they finally "make the leap" to become a non-terrible team this year? Because that's one of the questions we ask. We also wonder if Donovan McNabb is the worst quarterback in the division, if the Vikings are destined for a last-place finish, whether anyone in the entire world will have the stones to pick against Green Bay, if we actually remembered that Chicago won the division last year.

All that -- and much, much, more -- by clicking the play button below. Also, SUBSCRIBE VIA ITUNES.


If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.



For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.


For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Will Brinson

The lockout just recently ended, but the labor side of things in the NFL isn't totally over just yet, as there are some issues that have to be handled (though they will be).

To discuss what's left for the NFL and the NFLPA in the coming days of collective bargaining and whatnot, we talked with NFLPA spokesman George Atallah. While we had him on the phone, we also discussed whether or not the NFLPA will fight the league if it tries to implement the personal conduct policy for people who violated it during the lockout, what the future holds for labor discussions, if free agents raking in cash is a sign that the players won, what he thinks of the NFL lockout movie we mocked up (he's seen it!), and what advice he'd give to the NBA players.

All that and much, much more just by hitting the play button below. Oh, and don't forget to Subscribe to iTunes.


If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.

Posted by Will Brinson

You know what? That whole thing yesterday about the lockout ending -- it wasn't a dream. Whew, right? Also not a dream: anything, really, because we stayed up all night firing out podcasts and reading about undrafted free agents on Twitter.

So that won't do us/me much good today, but it will help you out, since fellow EoF blogger Josh Katzowitz and I have a nice little 30-minute treat to get your post-lockout workday going.

Hit play below and don't forget to Subscribe to iTunes.


If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.

Posted by Will Brinson

We've got a star-studded podcast on this heavy-with-news Wednesday, as Matthew Stafford of the Lions and Arian Foster of the Texans -- along with Gatorade Player of the Year nominee and Tennessee-commit Justin Worley -- join me to talk some football.

I chat with Stafford about Pete Prisco naming him a breakout player ("he's a smart guy"), the hype that the Lions are getting, wanting cornerbacks in free agency and whether he liked the pick of Nick Fairley (versus an offensive lineman).

Foster talks about his success last season, what his expectations are for next year, whether he's worried about his number of carries in 2010 (he calls the 300-theory "a myth"), and how often people come up to him and tell him about their fantasy football leagues and how he saved them ("every single day").

He also discusses the Subway charity work he's doing right now -- for a limited time, anyone who can donate $10 to the West Alabama Food Bank by texting "FOOD" to 27722, and Subway will match each donation between now and the end of July. So go do that, please.

Just hit the play button and don't forget to Subscribe via iTunes.



If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.

Posted by Will Brinson



Ndamukong Suh had a pretty good year last year, and it stands to reason that 2011 could be even better.

Not only do the Lions look much-improved, but he'll have a wrecking ball partner-in-crime in Nick Fairley to team up with and go after quarterbacks.

We talked to Suh about the Lions, the lockout, Fairley, delivering avocados and much, much more on the podcast today.

Just hit the play button and don't forget to Subscribe via iTunes.



If you can't view the podcast, click here to download.