Lions defeat Dolphins in Miami; Michigan loses to MSU

What is up? Welcome to another edition of the Sports Office. It is great to have you here tonight. Jeff Rieger announces. What's up, Rieger? What's up, guys? How are ya? Hey, we're doing well. Happy Monday. You walked in and said, like, there's nothing going on. What are we gonna talk about? Nothing. I mean, I don't know. You guys wanna talk about spring training coming up? There's a lot we could. I heard the Tigers want Drew Anderson back. Will there be spring training? Your prediction? I doubt it. Probably not. Yeah, probably not. It'd be nice if there would. What are we gonna do this summer? If there's no baseball, what do you do all the time? Like, what are we going to bitch about? Like, honestly. I'm going to miss whining about Scott Harris. By the way, there's a couple things you can do to join the show. And you can do it via the Motor City Casino Hotel Live line. And these folks are here waiting for you. So here's how you do it. There's a couple ways. Number one, you can text the show right there. Boom. That's the number. Text us. Give us your name. Tell us what you want to talk about. If it's one of the topics we're talking about, great. If it's something you want to hit on, just fire away. Let us know. You can Zoom the show, and then we would see you right here, your face here, and that's how you do it. Zoom ID number right there, little doohickey you hit if you want to pop into the Zoom room. They're over here waiting for you, and they'll talk about it. I should tell you, this episode of the Sports Office is brought to you by Feiger Law. All we do is win. All right, Rieger, let's start here. NFL trade deadline. How do you think it is in Jacksonville tonight? I think they're pretty happy, right, Jordan Davis? So this is the definition of all in, right? Yes, and I think you looked at the Bears a couple weeks ago. You see Jeffrey Simmons, and everybody's like, oh, Ben is crazy. Two first-round picks, and you see what he's done over the last couple weeks. But it doesn't mean you're going to win a Super Bowl, but at the same time, we know what Lions fans are thinking. Tomorrow, will it be a big move? Brad's resume probably says it's not going to be a big move and people will be upset. A depth move today. Yes. Picking up Andre Cisco from the Jets. They give up a sixth round pick in 2028. Was a starter for the first four games this year. Has been playing in a reserve role since then. He's only 26 years old. And the way that the Lions have kind of been rotating guys, you figure he could well get some snaps. Here's the other thing that kind of frees them up to do a little bit. If they want him on the field, you could see, and we've seen this in the past, and it was something that A.G. did, some three safety looks. Because Brian Branch is such a chess piece that you can move around the field. Hoping that Kirby will be back soon. We'll see what happens this week. Dan Campbell said today basically we're going to run him out there and see how he looks this week. I think most people believe it would be next week, maybe not in Munich, but we'll have to wait and see how that goes. And the way Chuck Clark has played, that he could be in the picture as well. It gives them some versatility, but I agree with you. People are still waiting to see if there is a bigger move, if there is a move not maybe the size of a Jordan Davis, not maybe the size of a Jeffrey Simmons, not maybe the size of some of the trades that we've seen in the NFL so far, which is I can't remember a time. Or a year where we've seen this many big names. Wow. Yes. And it used to be the NFL trade deadline was the least of all the trade deadlines as far as making your team better. But over the last couple years, teams have started taking big swings. Now, obviously, if it doesn't work out, your fan base, I don't think they're ever going to say, shame on you for trying. But if it goes the other way and you're a team that's on the cusp of a special season, you look back at the trade deadline and if you didn't do something big, your fan base is probably like, well, where were you? But I ask you, Dan, you got your finger on the pulse. You talk to these fans. What would be considered big? Like, what would blow Lions fans' socks off? I think, we were talking about Zach Bond, would be a big trade. From Philly. Yeah. 30 years old. I think Miami would be nuts to trade Jordan Brooks. I can't imagine that would happen. 29, former All-Pro. That would be a wow trade. He's only got two years left on his deal. I feel like he's on the other side of their rebuild. I mean, they've got some nice pieces. They do. They've got some decent pieces down there. I think, because you and I were talking about it. Okay, you got some depth at safety. So the next thing that comes to mind, and probably the first thing that came to mind actually before safety, was a corner. If that's a position that they feel like they wanted to upgrade. Even with D.J. Reid back, you probably would want another corner, correct? You can never have too many. Well, there you go. And maybe a big corner because you don't have one of those. Well, and the name Reek Woolen comes up a lot. He's a player that has not been trending up in terms of his career. He doesn't have the same luster that he did when he was a rookie, a seventh-round pick who kind of came in and everybody's like, holy smokes, this kid can really play. But what would a wow trade be? I think it would be something a little bit off the charts, maybe we're not expecting, and or a name. I think those two at linebacker and... Probably our thinking about the linebacker position is certainly different now than it was 10 days ago. Two weeks ago, right. Yeah, before Jack. I got a name and not a linebacker, but this guy's been around forever and he will get moved because I think he gets moved constantly. What would Khalil Mack do to Lions fans? Now, you can get a package deal, Dante Jackson and Khalil Mack. The Chargers are awful. They're brutal. But I think if you bring in another edge. And I understand DJ Vanham. We think he's going to be back maybe as soon as this week in Germany. But I think that would be enough for Lions fans. Yeah, I think it would be. Despite the D-line being pretty good. Yeah, and I think they like, and in particular, I mean, yesterday you saw Derek Moore come to life. Two sacks, he looked great. Lucas was a factor. I mean, in his first NFL game, he made some plays. So Anthony Lucas made some plays for this team. So I think it was interesting. But again, if they see it as a position to upgrade, and if you've got a Khalil Mack, you're probably talking about, 15, 18 snaps a game. You're talking about somebody who is just a pass rusher, see quarterback, get quarterback. Do I think that's a needle mover? I don't know. Maybe makes a couple plays a game. But I don't think the price is high. Well, there you go. He is a name, too. And I think the Lions fan would like a name. But to your point. Like, the more you think about it, I don't know if the big move is out there. Now, we have no idea who Brad is talking to or what is available or what you actually could get. Like, did we think Jordan Davis would get moved? I was probably not. What was your reaction when you saw that? I mean, shocked. I was, too. Yeah, Jeffrey Simmons the same way. A little less shocked. His contract's not bad. No, not at all. So it makes you wonder, though. But Simmons was with a miserable team. Right, exactly. That's going to be miserable for the next 15 years. I mean, we're pretty sure. At least the Lions play him this year. The Tennessee will just not be good. Yeah. So we'll see. I mean, odds are, Brad has done three trade deadline moves. He brought you Donovan Peoples-Jones one year. He didn't play very much. He traded away T.J. Hockenson in his first year. And then he brought you Zadarius Smith for a fifth-round pick. So will it be a bigger move than that? I don't know. Which Zadarius was definitely a position of need at that point. Right, because Hutchinson, of course, was out. And I think... They're happy, I believe, with the way that defensive line is playing. Alim is playing great. Unbelievable. Tyreek Williams is getting better all the time. I mean, that kid, he's not going to have the most gaudy of stats, and it's not going to show up in the box score necessarily. But he is making plays, man. I mean, Lomas points it out all the time that his middle pressure is affecting things in the way that they're doing business in that defensive line. And then Derek Moore doing what he did yesterday. Hutch is Hutch. If you got one, I'm back. But it's not to say that they wouldn't add somebody that could give them some effective snaps. I'm interested to see what happens between now and tomorrow afternoon. Dan Campbell is as open about these things as any coach that I've ever been around. And Dan Campbell said, look, Brad's still working the phones and trying to see if anything makes sense. Got some people here on the Motor City Casino Hotel live line. What's the chance of getting a cornerback trade that fills CB2? Not a depth piece. You're talking about, okay, DJ Reed is CB1, obviously. And he's had a resurgent career. I mean, he's been good this year. Right, and just got to get him back on the field. Right. Well, is he going to be back this week with a hip? We'll see. We'll see. I mean, I don't think it was close last week, so that makes you wonder whether or not this will be the week that he does get back, but we'll have to wait and see. Let's see. Again, I think cornerback is the next position that does make some sense for the Lions, Whether or not it is somebody who is Simply in there with Rakestraw or in there with Rocky Asin or in there with the other players, whoever McQuerrey or whoever else is in there, that remains to be seen. Or if it's somebody that rises above them and all of a sudden is your second starting corner. Does it make you nervous? Oh, sorry. We're getting some text about the name Sauce Gardner or Buddha Baker. Any of those? Ooh, I love Buddha Baker. He's a safety. I don't know if they go for another safety now that you've got Branch traded for Cisco, and you're hoping that Kirby's going to be back soon enough. So I don't know if necessarily Buddha Baker makes sense. And Sauce has a ridiculous contract, feels like he's on the downside of his career. He's been getting lit up. I was watching him yesterday, just... Not the same guy. And listen, I know nothing about Sauce Gardner other than he's from Detroit. Ever since he got in the golf, Dan, it was unbelievable. When he was with the Jets, he was unbelievable. I blame getting in the golf. I see him make these golf videos. He's not the same corner anymore. Which we'll have to wait and see. I don't think. That for Indianapolis, that contract, I think they'd probably love to get rid of it at this point. It's a poison pill for any team taking it, but I don't see that happening. I got a couple names. I wrote them down just for you. Okay. Reek Woolen, we talked about. Kaylee Ringo, 6'2", from the Eagles. He's another Eagles corner. If the Eagles are offloading, which it appears that they are, I mean, it just... Physical guy that if he fits the bill that they think, what's the price? What's the price that the Eagles want to fill something like that? And the other one is Nashawn Wright. Are the Eagles throwing in the towel, Cantor? What's the situation in the NFC East? Cantor's a resident Washington expert over here. What's the situation? They all stink. They all stink. I mean, are the Eagles, are they throwing in the towel? Oh, they traded Jordan Davis, I would assume, yes. So who's going to win the NFC East? Giants are going to win the NFC East. Oh, yeah. With Jameis Winston. Maybe. Maybe not. Well, I think J.J. died yesterday. Did you see J.J. trying to throw a football? That was tough. The other thing we haven't talked about. So it's over already? Yes. Poor 9 or 18 or whatever you want to call them. Cowboys are what, 4 and 5? Good enough. They had a big win yesterday. Good day. When did the NFC East become the NFC South? When did that happen? It's because the NFC North and the NFC West are pretty good. And by the way, we'll get to the NFC North in a minute. The NFC West, Puka Nakua goes on IR, so that's a big hit for the Rams. Can I pick that up for a second? I'm sorry. No, no, no. No, I want to pick up on your point. Oh, yeah, yeah. No, no. Puka Nakua goes on IR. Do you know what the Rams' schedule looks like from here? No. Because they're beat up now, obviously. Arizona, okay, they'll win that probably. They already lost to them. Yep, Green Bay, Kansas City, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle, Tampa, Seattle. Yeah. They've got a rough road ahead, and if the NFC. North teams have already got two games on them in the wildcard playoff race. So you're trying to win the NFC West, which is not going to be easy. No, that's huge because if you look at it, some teams got to win the West. Let's call it the Niners, right? Some team has to win the other two divisions, and then some teams got to win the North. It's an arms race, really, between the three teams that don't win the NFC North and the Rams to get those final three spots. It's crazy. It's crazy. We'll talk more about it coming up on the other side from college football as well. Well, we're glad you're with us. Kyle Whittingham did not give off great vibes again today. Kyle Whittingham, you know what? You know what, Dan? I got nothing. We got to go. We'll be right back. All right, time now for the Fieger Law Winner of the Week, and we're going to go with, you ready, Rieger? What do we got? Matt Fitzgerald and the Michigan State Spartans, who had lost six games in a row before coming to the big house and knocking off the Wolverines on Saturday night behind five field goals and a dominating defense. Fitzgerald and MSU are the Fieger Law Winners of the Week. That brings us to this. From the Motor City Casino Hotel Live Line. Kirk from Pittsfield Township. 10-year U of M football season ticket holder. I think I am done with college football as it stands today. It has morphed into something unrecognizable. Congrats to Sparty. That's not true, though. A couple things. Number one. Your team's not necessarily recognizable from year to year because it changes over. And maybe that's what he's referencing. He's referencing the fact that Michigan stinks. See, see, this is the thing. Like, everybody wants to bitch and moan about the new college football, which is totally understandable. But I have proof. When your team is good, you still will love it. They still love it in Miami. They still love it in Notre Dame. They still love it in— They loved college basketball last year here when Michigan won the national championship. Well, Michigan State fans did. But, yes, you get the drift. Like, hey, they love college football in Utah, where Kyle Whittingham came from. They're the number two team in the country. So as bad and different as college football is, I still think if you've got a good team that can make a playoff, you're going to be into it, right? So, and this is a text here. There is no Monday Michigan sports news other than the U of M football situation. Please don't avoid the fact that we have one of the best talents in the country on the bench. Now suddenly OCs are getting fired. What's the real problem? On the bench? Who's he talking about? Bryce Underwood? Are you serious? What has he done to be one of the best talent? Listen, I'm not going to argue with you that the U of M football situation is bad and worthy of discussion. But Bryce Underwood is not one of the best talents in the country. He has not shown anything as a college football quarterback. But it doesn't change the fact that Kyle Whittingham, and I want to get your take on this, he's got to be gone after this year, right? The stuff he says... The teams he loses to, the lack of passion against Michigan State. What you saw on Saturday, you might disagree, that was the worst Michigan loss I've ever seen. That's worse than App State. That's worse than Toledo. Like Brady, Hoke, and Rich Rod are laughing at Kyle Whittingham. I sent a note to Wojo Saturday night, and I said that was the worst loss in the history of college football. What'd he say? Oh, come on, Dan! I did not agree, but I don't think there was any argument either. I think he just maybe hearted it. He was probably like a couple glasses of gin, yeah. So, look, here's the thing. When Dan Campbell stands up at the podium, you feel pretty good. 100%. When Bickerstaff is at the podium, you feel pretty good. Even Todd McClellan, Todd McClellan, you feel pretty good. You feel like at least he's in charge of the room. Kyle Whittingham. I'm sorry. has given me nothing. And I thought when they hired him, this guy's a good football coach. I saw what he did at Utah. He's going to come in here, be fundamentally sound, get this team in shape, and win some games. All I see when I see him is a lack of fire and somebody that just looks like they are not in the right place in any way, shape, or form. Let me... I'm going to do this. Oh, what are you going to do? I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. Oh, what are you going to do? This is live TV. I'm going to bring this into the world of politics. Oh, okay. Oh, oh. So is he Trump? Is that what we're saying? No, no, no. If people remember this. When Robert Mueller was doing the Trump investigation, all we heard when Mueller was silent and was not talking, was behind the scenes and doing the investigation, was that this guy was unbelievable. You did not want to tangle with this guy. Trump was in trouble because this guy was going to find things and dig things up. And this guy was just the picture of a dogged investigator. And then when we finally saw him, when he was in front of the panel, He was clearly well past his prime and not somebody that in any way, shape, or form put any fear into you. Wait, this is what reminds you of Kyle Wittig? I see somebody that just does nothing for me. I'm sorry, and I don't want to say that because I think he's got a wonderful resume and a terrific coach. Dan Miller gets political. There's nothing behind the... There's, there's, there's... I'm Dan Miller. I support this message. You know, I have a sports behind the curtain. I have a sports comp. Tell me if you believe this. He's Monty Williams. He didn't want to come to Michigan. Utah said goodbye to him. Michigan said, we need you. They offered him millions of dollars to just forego the boat and golf for one more year or two more years. He came here. He took the money. I can't blame him. But to your point, there's no passion. There's nothing behind those eyes. Nothing. And you keep waiting for some fire. So is he going to be back? I can't imagine. I would agree. Listen, I have no inside knowledge, but if you're Michigan, what in the world? Tells you that next year is going to be better than this year. What in any way has he done to tell you, okay, he's on the cusp of something. And you're losing most of that talent you had. That's the crazy thing. They had a very good defense coming in. They have NFL players as well. Their defense is, they've wasted their defense. They did. They wasted the season. And then there comes a point where your defense isn't going to be as good because they're worn down. Now, I mean, listen. And they're probably disengaged too. Yeah, I mean, it's so hard to say. I mean, it's not being in that room, not knowing. I mean, it's not like they allowed Michigan State to roll up and down the field. True, but they still are Michigan State with 18 injuries, missing 14 starters. Did I not just call it the worst loss in the history of college football? Listen, I get it, I get it. Don't try to stick up for wins. That's hyperbole. Don't necessarily take me by word on that. But it's up there. Yeah. No, but just the stuff he says kills me. No, but I listen to a lot of people that believe he's back. How do you sell him coming back? What do you hang your hat on? He can't. First of all, who's going to make the decision? Well, there you go. Ward's leaving. I'm not even convinced his headset's plugged in, okay? So I don't know that. How can he be back? Ward's going to say, hey, here's the contract. You can do what you want with that. I'm out of here. But here's the thing. You have no AD, and you have no president. So is he back? Because he was making that determination for him not to get back or be back. I don't know. It's a freaking mess. It's a mess. Did you see the handshake with Fitzgerald? I did not. He was still wearing his headset. What does that tell you? I'm not even kidding. I'm not even. That's like Brady Hoke-esque, Dan. I heard. Yeah. I. I don't know what to tell you. Listen, like I said, I was dead wrong about the hire. I watched this guy coach. I saw him be successful. I was really impressed by him from afar. And I thought, hey, they just found a gem. And I was just wrong. I was just wrong. And in this day and age, you have to be a salesman. In this day and age, you have to be somebody that can sell your program to the kids that you're trying to buy. And you don't get more than one year to come in. I think oftentimes you might get two. Maybe you get a – like Fitzgerald gets two. You get a ramp-up year. That's understandable. They better show a pulse next year. 100%. But, again, Michigan State, to your point, was in a lot worse shape than Michigan when these two guys came in. But it just – I'm sorry. We have time. Play the bite from Whittingham where he talks about firing Jason Beck. Just play that. When I turned the film on and really dove into it, it just became apparent to me that I needed to make the change now and there's just too much regression in the offense in that particular game. And that's what led to the decision. It's not all Jason. Anytime you have issues like we have, it's more than just one guy. But he's the offensive coordinator. Things fall on his plate as far as the responsibility for the production or lack thereof of the offense. And so that's why we made the change. But it's got to be a collaborative effort by everybody to get this thing going in the direction we need it to go. We've got to go to break, but let me just close with this. Just look at you. Let's just close with this. You know, for a long time we said, hey, just don't get stuck on the Michigan man thing. Right. Which I don't believe you have to. But, man, you've got to get somebody who understands what it is to be at Michigan. And I just don't get that vibe from him. Which isn't too much to ask, by the way. It's not. It's not. We'll take a break. Not too much to ask you to hang with us for another segment. We'll be right back after this. All right, back on this edition of the Sports Office. Rieger in the house. You can join us from the Motor City Casino Hotel Live Line. What do we got? Who do we got? Paul, Paul, you're up. What's going on, man? Hey, fellas. How you doing? What's shaking? We're good, man. Good to see you. Good to see you guys. Now, I don't know if this is okay, but I'd like to talk about Michigan State, if that's all right. Go ahead. You've got 45 seconds. It's yours. Go. 45 seconds. Well, how about the way Michigan State came in there, fired up. Great win. So was the fan base. I knew it would be an ugly game. It was an ugly game. That's okay. But I loved the energy that our kids played with. I loved it. Absolutely loved it. They did exactly what they had to do. They had to muck it up a little bit. And you know what? That's okay. Find a way to win. Paulie, it's been five years. Paul, it might have been ugly. I don't know who I'm talking to here, you know. You know what, Paul? I'm having a great day today and it was good. You know what I was going to say was and Paul, we appreciate you joining us. Everybody that's green feels a lot better today than anybody that's blue. Even if that was an ugly game, it doesn't matter. They feel a lot better. There's no question. Five years, Dan, five years ago, Kenneth Walker had five touchdowns. And then on Saturday, Liam, the kicker, five field goals. Yeah, it's good for Michigan State. They didn't score a touchdown, but still good for Michigan State. Here's the thing. It doesn't matter. They didn't have to. There it is! That's the point we're at in Michigan. They didn't have to score a touchdown to beat them. They were up 9-0, and you knew the game was over. You knew that Michigan could come back. Two-possession game at that point, and this is trouble. All right. Pistons playing tonight. Oh, yeah. Taking on Washington. So we'll have highlights for you coming up on Fox 2 News at 10. And you're going back to do the postgame show. Is that what you're doing? Yeah, we're going to be on until midnight. The 97 won the ticket. The witching hour. So check us out. All right. Check Rieger out. Stay up late with him. That's going to do it for us. Thank you for being a part of the show. We always appreciate you guys joining us. Back again tomorrow night. Rieger, we appreciate you. Thank you, guys. You guys have a great night. We'll see you soon. That's going to do it for this edition of the Sports Office.