Greg Bedard of BostonSportsJournal.com joined the Felger and Mazz program on Tuesday, as he does every week to discuss the Patriots and the NFL games from the past week. While on, Greg Bedard did his weekly “10 Questions” segment on the program following week 12 of the 2023 NFL season.
Before the 10 questions, here’s some notes from around the NFL….
Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell leads all quarterbacks in passing yards through week 12 with 3,339 yards passing. Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud is right behind Howell with 3,266 passing yards.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is the leagues leader in rushing yards with 939 rushing yards through 11 games.
The Baltimore Ravens sit atop the AFC with a 9-3 record while the Philadelphia Eagles sit atop the NFC with a 10-1 record. What they have in common is that both teams have a bird as their mascot.
The Carolina Panthers fired their head coach Frank Reich this week following a 1-10 start to the season. The Panthers currently own the worst record in the NFL but their 1st round pick in the upcoming draft belongs to the Chicago Bears due to a trade last season.
The New England Patriots currently possess the worst record in the AFC with a 2-9 record.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill leads the NFL in reception yards with 1,324 through 11 games. Hill is one of five receivers who have 1,000 or more yards receiving this season. Keenan Allen (Chargers), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys), A.J. Brown (Eagles), and DJ Moore (Bears) are the four other receivers to have 1,000 or more yards through week 12 of the season.
Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill also leads all NFL wide receivers in receiving touchdowns this season with 10 touchdowns.
Raheem Mostert of the Miami Dolphins leads all players in the NFL in rushing touchdowns this season with 13 rushing touchdowns through 11 games through the 2023 NFL season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 26: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots fumbles the ball while being tackled by Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the New York Giants during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on November 26, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
10. If you were a generic NFL team looking to start over at QB – who would you most want to give a second chance to: Justin Fields, Mac Jones, Trey Lace or Zach Wilson?
Greg Bedard: Mac Jones if I’m Kyle Shanahan in that sort of offense. I was going to say Justin Fields but I don’t know whether he can complete NFL passes. I don’t know that yet. I know Mac Jones can complete passes with the right personnel and the right offense around him.
9. Greg Olsen reportedly has interest in the Panthers head coaching job. Would you give him a look? If you had to pick one current broadcaster or media guy to come out of the booth and coach a team, who would it be?
Greg Bedard: I don’t want Greg Olsen. What does he know about coaching? Like he would have to prove to me that he knows anything about coaching. It’s not like, you know, Jeff Saturday just showing up on the sideline. I would want Troy Aikman to run my team. I think that he would be smart enough just to be a CEO. He’d put the right guys in charge of offense and defense and the coaching staff and let them do their work.
CINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 04: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Paycor Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
8. I don’t think we’ve done this all year: Give me your top five QBs in the league, in order….
Greg Bedard: Patrick Mahomes. Joe Burrow. Lamar Jackson. Josh Allen. C.J. Stroud.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 29: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins signals for a first down during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
7. What team in the league do you most admire? Who do you want to be?
Greg Bedard: I wanted to go with the Chiefs, but I ended up going with the Dolphins. I think they’re fun to watch on offense and McDaniel did a really good job of bringing Vic Fangio in. I think they’re the most balanced and, you know, being in Miami and that sort of thing.
6. What team in the league do you least admire? Who is in the worst shape now and going forward?
Greg Bedard: The Patriots, I mean, look, you have to replace a legend. You need a complete rebuild. You’re nowhere on offense. You’re boring as hell. I mean. What’s the upside?
Head coach Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 17, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
5. Biggest toolbag moment of your TV football Thanksgiving weekend?
Greg Bedard: Jason Garrett on Sunday Night Football. He was horrendous. How do they put that guy on TV?
Felger: What did he do specifically?
Greg Bedard: I mean, he was just boring as hell. He was rolling out cliches, he’s laughing and, like, he’s awful.
4. What was the highlight of your TV football Thanksgiving weekend?
Greg Bedard: The “Fail Mary”. I laughed my ass off. That was the only thing that entertained me after just a horrible day of football.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 20, 2019: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on before the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
3. Last week, in my dream Super Bowl matchup, I had the Chiefs and Dolphins squaring off in Vegas. Not quite. So I ask: What are your dream conference title games?
Greg Bedard: Eagles vs Niners, which we’re getting this weekend, and Chiefs vs Dolphins.
2. Who are the top 5 coaches in the league? In order…
Greg Bedard: Andy Reid. Kyle Shanahan. Pete Carroll. Mike Mcdaniel. Nick Sirianni.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 18: Robert Kraft, CEO of the New England Patriots, talks to Mac Jones #10 before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
1.After Sunday’s game against the Chargers the Pats next three games are stand-alone, prime time, national TV games: at Pittsburgh on Thursday night; home Kansas City on Monday night; at Denver on Christmas Eve. Is this a good or bad thing?
Greg Bedard: Oh, it’s horrible. I mean, it’s everything that the Patriots become is going to be on national television. They’re going to be discussing it. They’re going to be showing shots of Belichick and Kraft. And it’s bad for the brand.
