 What's up everybody and welcome to the latest edition of the Falcons final whistle podcast. I'm Scott Bayer alongside Ashton Edmonds and Tori McElaney and we're coming to you a couple days after the formal end of the 2022 NFL season that I mean let's be honest ended with a bang what a Super Bowl high drama good play fun entertaining as heck. You made a Rihanna's concert because yes yeah right that was the highlight that was the highlight of the whole game so yeah I'm all yeah I actually I'm not a big half time show person but I was glued I'm not a big Rihanna person but I was glued she was awesome so was Jalen Hurts so was Patrick Mahomes so was Travis Kelsey and on and on and on that was a fun one and how we're going to falconize this thing. That's a term that I just made up we're going to falconize the concept of the Super Bowl and how the Kansas City Chiefs have built a model for sustained success both with a fantastic quarterback on a rookie deal and now a fantastic quarterback on a $450 billion deal. And then we're going to take a look at how the Philadelphia Eagles have risen to prominence with a young smart innovative offensive minded coach guys are another smart young innovative offense minded coach though that we know of. And how they kind of built it and look this is a copycat league we all say it right yeah but how can the Falcons who really in the NFC south where nobody's got a quarterback at this point. There is an opportunity to go from worst to first here and build this thing fast and accelerate their rise to prominence. What can we take from the Eagles and the Chiefs where are the Falcons as we head into a fascinating offseason that's what what we're going to be discussing on this offseason Falcons final whistle which is coming to you guys what every other week. Every other week yeah that sounds like a thing that we could do. So anyway I'm going to stop talking now I feel like I've been listening to the sound of my own voice way too long ashen please interrupt me. What were your takeaways for from the Super Bowl and in specific like what do you think that the Falcons can kind of glean from how these teams are constructed. Yeah for sure I think the biggest takeaway for me was how the Chiefs offensive line played you look back two years ago when the Chiefs played the Buccaneers and Super Bowl 55 Patrick Mahomes he was sacked three times tackle four times per loss and hit nine times and he threw two interceptions but against the Eagles he wasn't sacked a single time nor did he throw a single interception. And that credit goes to the offensive line for the five starting offensive line players were acquired in 2021 so these offensive linemen had two years to develop and then when you look at the centers where you look at the center Creed Humphrey he was drafted in 2021 just like Drew Dahman so there's there's similar parallels with the Falcons offensive line and with the Chiefs offensive line and neither unit has played more than a year or two together. So I think you know seeing how the Chiefs offensive line developed over you know 2021 and 2022 how they established one of the best offensive lines in the league because the Eagles they had the most sex and the fifth most interceptions in 2022 but the offensive line they eliminated that number and basically they didn't allow a single sec in the game so you know I do think there's a lot of parallels and I think that the Falcons should look at this blueprint that the Chiefs laid out as far as the offensive line. You can re-sign Caleb McGarry, you can re-sign Elijah Wilkinson, Chris Lindstrom he played the best football of his life or of his career thus far and Drew Dahman has made consistent improvement from year one to year two and obviously in his first year as a starting center. So I think if you if the Falcons can retain this offensive court going into 2023 how the Chiefs retain their court from 2021 to 2022 I think you can they can continue to build upon the successes that they had and both units were ranked in the top five per PFF. So I think there's a lot of similarities and parallels when you look at the offensive linemen. Hold on. Did Ashton just mic drop us in the first five minutes of this podcast? Is that what just happened? Are we done? Yeah, sure did. I feel like maybe we're done. Yeah, we're done. I don't even need to say anything. Thanks Ashton. Thanks for coming. The fastest podcast in human history. I love every single one of those points. I can't argue against them. Yeah, that was really good. And I think that that's something that the Falcons do have. I mean, but there's a lot of different ways to build a castle, right? I mean, Tori, like what do you mean when you look at either one of these teams like what do you see that can be taken away there? Yeah, so I first off want to go off of what Ashton said about the offensive line. I mean, I think when you talk about the winners and losers of this Super Bowl like the Chiefs offensive line was a winner period. I mean, you think about what Patrick Mahomes did and we've been talking about his ankle for what feels like a year and a half at this point, even though I know it's only been probably like four weeks. But still what they did and how they were able to protect him and give him time in the pocket was really something special that I hope people don't overlook. But for me, I'm actually something that I took from this Super Bowl, which is actually something that I think I took more from like the 2022 season. And it was the evolution and the redemption almost of Jalen Hertz. And before I say anything, I want to make it abundantly clear that me say whatever what I'm about to say is not me saying that Desmond Ritter is Jalen Hertz and he's going to play like Jalen Hertz. So don't get it twisted. I am not comparing Jalen Hertz to Desmond Ritter in the next two and a half minutes of which I'm going to speak. Yes, you are. No, I'm not make up a YouTube comment right now. Anyway, continue. So what I was going to say is and this is kind of what I took is that when we went into the 2022 season, I feel like everything that we heard about Jalen Hertz was about how this was kind of it for him and how the Eagles didn't know if he was the long term future at quarterback in Philadelphia and what did Jalen Hertz future in the league really look like? Was he starting quarterback caliber? Like there were so many questions around Jalen Hertz and what he was going to be in 2022. And then he goes out this season and leads the Eagles in a way that is one of the best like full seasons that I think I can really draw upon in recent history of a quarterback, especially a young quarterback. I just I feel really strongly about what Jalen Hertz was able to do in 2022, knowing kind of the target on his back per se of what going into the 2022 season was for him and kind of all the outside noise of is Jalen Hertz the guy. He proved in 2022 that he is the guy and he proved it after a couple of years of just learning and growing and getting to know his head coach and his system. And I say all that to say that the longer the longer that we get into this offseason the more and more and I'll say this and I probably will maybe change my mind into another point in time who knows. But I think when it comes to the Falcons, when it comes to Desmond Ritter, when it comes to the decision at quarterback, I kind of look at what Jalen Hertz was able to do and how his first couple of years in the league, it wasn't great by any means or stretch of the imagination. Even Jalen Hertz himself said at the end of January like I don't think anyone even wanted me drafted to Philadelphia. Like I don't know if they I don't know if they liked that I was drafted here. And now here he is in 2023, leading the team to a Super Bowl and having one of the best performances in a Super Bowl that of a quarterback, not named Patrick Mahomes you know so I really. I really think like the comparison to me is not necessarily like Jalen Hertz to Desmond Ritter but it's like the thought process of Philadelphia allowing Jalen Hertz to grow and develop and cook for the Gen Z people out there. Like let the man cook like let him simmer a little bit let him understand kind of what is out in front of him and build around him and we saw what the connection between Jalen Hertz and AJ Brown was in the Super Bowl. I mean, what kind of connection could Desmond Ritter have with somebody and I think that's where I'm at is I'm sitting here looking at what Philadelphia did with Jalen Hertz and the year that he had and it's like can Desmond Ritter go out and do that if given the reins of the offense. And I'm not talking about doing that in the same way that Jalen Hertz did do it in a way that's good for Atlanta and good for Desmond Ritter play his game. If he can be a fraction of the production that Jalen Hertz had then by all means do that but that's a long winded way of saying like the more and more we get into this offseason the more and more that I'm kind of just leaning towards like I want to see what this offense looks like with Desmond Ritter having the reins of it from the start. I'm going to let everybody behind the scenes of this podcast a little bit we don't script things we have kind of topic bullet points and then we just sort of riff. And I love it when a plan comes together when we didn't script this thing and then we all have different takes on the same subject. Because I did not think the way Ashton thought I did not think the way you thought my thought and maybe this is because I covered the San Francisco 49ers for a while who they are not in the Super Bowl. But here's the comparison right is that the Philadelphia Eagles defensive line comes at you with talent and depth in waves and waves of chaos. That's what they do Fletcher Cox Brandon Graham who's like a hundred and five in Dominic and Sue Jordan Davis. Geron Hargrave I screw up his first name just one after the other after the other right that they create havoc. I saw stat it is not flattering for the Falcons but I think Ashton and I were talking about this the the other day the the Eagles had 70 sacks in this season. The Falcons have not had 70 sacks in the last three seasons true story combined combined. Yeah. So what I'm saying and the reason why I bring up the San Francisco 49ers was for a while there they were only drafting defensive linemen in the first round. Eric Armstead Nick Bosa de Forest Buckner over and over and over again to create waves of chaos. Guess what the New Orleans Saints do. They create pressure with waves and waves of chaos. Who's the cash. I'm blanking who's the name of the Falcons defensive coordinator now. So what I'm trying to say is this is I have a sneaking suspicion even though he won't open his playbook for us which is like totally lame. Ryan. Is that they should go ahead and draft and build depth and quality and use premium assets to create a defensive line that creates the ultimate battle. And I think if I think all of us touched on like a different pillar right. We've seen and Arthur Smith has said the offensive line and the way they play is a foundational part of our identity. That's Ashton's point. OK. My point is the Falcons are not a good pass rush right now. They seem to be committed to changing that attitude even going back to Dean Pease. Dean Pease was adamant about that. We need guys who can win one on one battles. OK. And then to Tori's point is you need a quarterback who is dynamic who is feared. If you can get all three of those things you're going to be a pretty good football team. And I think that again it's fascinating how we all brought up one thing and we've kind of like formed Voltron sort of a thing and then come up with the idea for how to for how the Falcons can get better fast. We are talking about a lot of additions outside of Ashton's offensive line point. I agree that keeping that together is the right move. If you listen to Arthur Blank talking about Desmond Ritter. I mean Arthur Blank doesn't like say things that he doesn't mean. And I mean. You talked to Troy. That was a ringing endorsement in my yeah. Right. I mean when he kind of said from training camp until the end of the season that Desmond Ritter's like leadership was like evident from the time he got into the building until the very end of 2022. And I think that was something that drew this coaching staff to Desmond Ritter in the first place. But when you have the owner sitting there and being like I like our young quarterback. I mean that's what he said. That was his quote is I like our young quarterback. And when I was talking to him gosh this is probably a week ago before the Super Bowl. I mean that's one of the main questions that you ask the owner because of where this organization is. It's like what do you think about the quarterback position and where it goes. And for him to say you know I thought that there was actual like steps and progress made through the four games that we did get to see him. I think that bodes well for how he would grow later on. And so that was essentially what what he was talking about. And I really enjoyed that conversation because it it helped me to see to kind of as the guy who's making the like top decisions like how he views some of these like minute decisions. I say minute but like you know what I mean like these smaller organizational decisions. Yeah now I agree. I mean what Arthur Blink has seen many quarterbacks through his time as an owner. And for him to say that Desmond Ritter's trend line you know from was that week 15 to week 18 was continually going up. Obviously that says a lot about Desmond Ritter his leadership and just who he is as a person. And I do think that we should take that into account potentially. And I think that that just says a lot about who he is and what that made me moving forward. Yeah I always look back at look we don't know if Desmond Ritter is going to be the guy Troy was very calculated saying that. And the missing link here and is these teams have a have greatness all over the place. Andy Reed Hall of Famer right Pat Mahomes. His trend line is going up. Jalen Hurts dynamic individual Fletcher Cox probably a Hall of Famer that there's greatness everywhere. Well you got to go make the right choice. Right. So right now there's so much intrigue and optimism about this offseason because the Falcons have a blank canvas and Terry font now finally gets to paint. Right. Is it going to be a masterpiece or is it going to be something you chuck. Right. And that's why this part is so interesting. And it sounds so easy to say go find some greatness man. Well and then and then be patient. Right. Yeah. Like the chiefs were smart enough and to sit after Mahomes for a year. Yeah. Imagine any other team doing that. And then they loaded up on this isn't my idea. This is Albert Beers column from two weeks ago. So I don't want to take intellectual property of it. But he talked a lot about what the chiefs did when Pat Mahomes was was on a rookie contract and they loaded up on expensive veteran talent to help him. And then when they realized I had to pay him half a billion dollars. Then they had to. Then they started acquiring massive amounts of draft capital to build depth understanding that nobody's going to bet a thousand. But you want as many swings as you can get. So right now I think it's a it's a fascinating place to be because is doesn't it does it doesn't ridder your guy a guy on a rookie contract for the next three years. And what can you spend around him. Or do you forego the rookie contract thing altogether. And then you go buy a quarterback and then you try to draft around it. These are things that we don't know. These are things that are intriguing. So it's like what comes first the chicken or the egg. Yeah. And I think there have been examples of a team going out and getting the quarterback that they want and then building around him afterwards or the other way around building. Like not necessarily building around the quarterback and then having a guy come along. I think it was interesting. I think someone and I I feel bad because I'm not attributing this accordingly because I don't know where it came from because it's so long ago. But when someone was talking about Justin Herbert and how he is a good quarterback. Like he's a good quarterback. But the reason why he was so good like in his first couple of years was because I think the Chargers did a really good job of already having in place important key positions around him. It helps him. And then I think you look at the example of like the Bengals and how you have Joe Burrow who gets hurt for a year. And then while he's hurt they go out and acquire some really doggone good receivers and you know through the draft. And so it's like all of these there are so many different ways to build this thing. And I'm really curious to see what way Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith and this staff decide to go about it. Yeah. And look we still don't know what they're going to do at the quarterback position. I sort of feel like maybe just because the owner was so effusive with his praise that I was like OK maybe they are going to roll with Desmond here and then build around him. But they can easily flip the script and do the opposite. Right. But I think that that that will tell us so much that things are going to hinge based upon that. But everything that we're talking about offensive line defensive line quarterback. Those are premium expensive as heck positions. Right. So even if you want to get Caleb back that's not going to be cheap. We're talking about Geron Payne or Hargrave from the Eagles or Brandon Graham the Ageless Wonder or whomever. Right. These guys are going to be expensive. Yeah. So how do you allocate the funds. I think that's going to be fascinating. But when you look at the NFC South. Right. I was asked a question in Bear Mail the other day. P.S. submit your questions for Ashton Edmonds who is making his Bear Mail debut. Bear Mail debut. Yeah. His Bear Mail debut. And I just think that they were asking me that the state of the NFC South. I have no idea what the NFC South looks like. Nobody does. Not a clue. Not like not a single clue. There's no established quarterback in the division. And we've got new coaches and I just think it's going to be intriguing to see how this whole thing plays out. Because as one thing Arthur Smith always talks about the reason why he thinks the NFL is the greatest league in the world is because of this salary cap. Right. And that you've got a collection of assets and then you're competing with everyone to use them the best. Right. And I just think that when you look at the NFC South sure there's talent in there and there's some foundational players but there's a lot to be done and said about how everything plays out. So it's I just think it's going to be fascinating. I think we've talking a lot about the Chiefs and the Eagles right but Tori brought up the Bengals. I brought up the 49ers. We could easily bring up Buffalo that there's that that there are a lot of like elite contenders. The AFC is like loaded with them. Yeah. So you know just really what you have to do is you have to get in that class and then go hope for the best in the post season. Right. But yeah I mean any other kind of thoughts or discussion points for the good of the order here. I mean if we wanted to we could talk for five more minutes about Rihanna but I don't know how many people actually want to hear me dissect that half time performance but that can maybe be another podcast. Okay I'm I'm a I'm a man of a certain age. So when you put Dre and Eminem and Kendrick and Snoop on the same stage. I'm in. So that's my new bar. Right. Yeah. So I can appreciate. I watched and was fascinated by Rihanna. I thought she absolutely nailed it. But it's not the next episode and we come on man. I mean what I think was so impressive was that she was lit. She literally sung the whole performance by herself like nobody came out. Right. Of course she had background dancers but and she announced her pregnancy through the. Yeah. He's pregnant. Yeah. It was so funny when we were. It was so funny when we were watching it because we're all like oh like we're because I was watching with like a group of men and women and it was very funny because we're all like. Oh my god. Like no one wanted to say she was pregnant because that was like don't say like if anybody someone said like oh was she pregnant. It's like don't say that you don't know if she's pregnant or not. She looks great. She looks fantastic. And then it comes out that she's pregnant and it's like yeah she is pregnant. Good. Good. That's awesome. Man. Yeah. It was it was a fun event all the way around and I think that there are things that you can look at and look we're not saying that the Falcons are going to be the. If the NFC representative next year we don't know but there's I think the fascinating part is you can look at all these teams and how they're constructed and you can take a little bit from all of them. And the Falcons while I said that they have a blank canvas they have an ability to go spend. They do have like a young foundation of talent there that if they can do the right things and build around them it could be an intriguing season. So that's the moral of our story. Okay. We're not saying the Falcons are going to the Super Bowl. We're just saying what can be learned in a copycat league from all these different teams. I think we had three good areas. Bill the bully up front on both sides of the football and go get us some greatness Terry. That's that's the that's the moral of the story. I feel like I'm just going to talk forever and never end this thing. So maybe I'll just silence myself anyway. Thank you guys so much for downloading and listening. If you subscribe to the Atlanta Falcons podcast network and we will be back with you real real soon with another podcast. See you. I don't know what that means. Another podcast.