Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Bob, did you steal my glasses? No, I thought they were on your head, but they weren't. They were there momentarily, so it can't be too far. Hokey's got them.
There they are. Hokey is at home, I presume, on video here. You can catch that on YouTube. You should be watching us on YouTube. The numbers there are just skyrocketing right now. Anyway, Hokey, let's go through the playoffs. Let's start with the first game on Saturday. It's a huge line. The Rams favored by 10.5 over the Panthers, who beat the Rams to their credit. How does this game go?
I think the Rams, to me, are one of the teams that are going to go to the Super Bowl. So I have to go with the Rams in this game. I think Carolina, I love the steps that they made this year. I think they're going to be a player in the NFC for a while. But I really like Rams in this game.
Bob, you agree? Yes, because I think the Rams are just a superior team to them. I think that's a classic back into the playoff scenario where you lose to the team you wanted to beat on Saturday because a three-way tiebreaker occurred because Atlanta beat New Orleans.
Chapter 2: What are Chris Hoke's playoff predictions for the AFC and NFC?
All of a sudden, you're in. No, the Rams are a much better team. I would expect Puka Nakua, who had 129 catches on the season, to have 128 on Sunday.
Yeah, they're going to go crazy.
But I do like Carolina. I mean, I know that has nothing to do with the game. I like Carolina. I think they're trending in the right direction. Yeah. And I really like what Bryce Young did this year and this team, and I think that they're going to have a lot of good years ahead of them.
The fighting David Teppers. Meanwhile, the night game is a is a banger. Green Bay at Chicago. And Bob just told me and I agree that he was shocked when the line came out. And it's Green Bay minus Micah Parsons, of course, favored by a point and a half in Chicago.
Chapter 3: Why does Chris Hoke believe the Rams will win against the Panthers?
What do you make of that, Hokie?
I don't get that. I don't get that at all. I think Chicago is a better team. I think it's going to be a hard-fought game. But I think it's at home. Chicago, I like Ben Johnson, the coach. I like Caleb Williams, the way he's playing. The defense is playing good football. And so the only thing that gives me pause a little bit is that they've lost two games in a row, the Bears.
But then you look at them on the flip side. Packers have lost four. They haven't lost ā they haven't won ā And so this is going to be a hard-fought game, but I pick the Bears.
I'm just surprised, you know, without Micah Parsons, that they would be favored away from home. I think their defense is... Not been very good. And I know in the last game against the Ravens, they ran the ball 36 times with Henry. It looked like Green Bay wasn't in the mood to tackle anybody that night.
And maybe they had reason to think that because they had their fate already sealed about where they were going to play and what seed they would be. But, man, their defensive late has not been very good. And I think the Bears' run game, Menonge specifically, is one of those guys, a young kid who's just ripping things up. They have a good backfield.
Bob, do you think our friend Guy Lafleur is in trouble if Green Bay loses? I don't think he should be. I don't either, but he might be.
Who knows in this day of the NFL coaching carousel either, man? You just don't know. Sometimes some NFL coaches, not like the Roonies, where they're patient and they like the idea of being in the playoffs every year. If you don't win it, a lot of coaches are moving on.
All right, Sunday. Sunday at 1 p.m., Hokie, and the Steelers could face either one of these teams in the next round if they win, depending on how other things shake out. Buffalo at Jacksonville. Who's going to win that one?
Well, listen, Jacksonville has really surprised me this year. The way they're playing the game, the way that Trevor Lawrence is playing, but I have a hard time going against the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen. I understand their defense is playing average, but Josh Allen in the playoffs, especially in the wild card round, I have a hard time voting against him, so I'm going with the Buffalo Bills.
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Chapter 4: What factors influence the outcome of the Green Bay vs. Chicago game?
By 10?
I don't know about that many.
The 49ers. I'm telling you right now, the Niners are going to ā their offense is elite, and I think they can score with anybody. I know that Eagles have a good defense.
Yeah, but their offense, which was ā we got totally shut down and home to the point of three points last week by Seattle. They had no chance against that team, and I think the Eagles' defense can be that good too.
Okay, is there a person behind you?
Is that your son laying on the couch? That's a fathead of my son Lincoln.
My God, I thought that was real. Didn't you, Bob, look behind Hokie?
I thought he was like Austin Bechtel looking for some air time, trying to get on there.
I thought he was just transfixed with the sight of Bob Pompiani.
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Chapter 5: How does Chris Hoke assess the matchup between Buffalo and Jacksonville?
I think this defense is going to give the Steelers offense fits. I think this young offensive line is going to have a day of growth. These guys are fast, they're physical, they're tenacious on the defensive line. I think that DK Metcalf coming back, yes. But I mean, really the reality is that when you start lining up Lassiter against him one on one, he's an all pro kind of guy.
And then you have the other guys that are gonna line up and take away, clamp down, whatever they gotta do. I just see this being a very difficult day for the Steelers offense. But I think they're gonna pull it off from there late in the fourth quarter.
Hokey, do they have to win a playoff game, in your opinion, to make it a successful season?
I think in their eyes, I'm looking at it through a Steeler, there's no question. I think in Mr. Rooney's eyes, I think that they won the division. That's a big thing. They're in the playoffs again, home playoff game. That's a big deal to the Rooney's. I'm sure they'd love to keep winning and going on, but I think winning the division and having a home playoff game is a successful season.
Are there things they want to tweak? Are there areas they want to get better? There's no question. But I think in the E-suite of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I think that they would be happy with this season.
Do you think it matters how they play that playoff game? In other words, if it's a close game, overtime, crazy, or a blowout. Does it matter, you think, one way or the other?
I think that's a good question, Pop. I think it does matter. I think style points matter in this game if you lose. If you get blown out, I think it could change. But I think if it's a hard-fought game and it's a missed field goal or they lose by a score, I think Tomlin gets re-upped and they keep going. Listen, there were two times in this season that they were left for dead.
Everybody wanted to just ā you know, shove Tomlin out of the city and they, and they came back. And I remember I just watched the other day, the press conference, and they asked him to give him confidence that they were still gonna be able to turn this thing around. He said, he said, just watch, just watch.
He did say that. He did say that, but let me just clarify that. In your opinion, do they have to win this game to make it a success? Because I ask because I think it's a fair question, but also.
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Chapter 6: What are the expectations for the San Francisco vs. Philadelphia game?
I think I'm talking about in the players' eyes, it's not a success. They want to win it all. I think if you're looking on the E-suite, yeah, they want to win the Super Bowl, but I think winning the division and getting in the playoffs and having an all-playoff game, it's a successful season.
One other question about the mindset you guys used to have, and I wonder if these guys are going in with the same. I may have even asked you this, but I used to ask guys like Farrier, Polamalu for sure. I remember Polamalu saying, we go into these games against the Ravens back then, for example. Yeah. Saying in our meeting rooms, we need to outplay their defense.
We're not on the field with their defense, but if we outplay their defense, we're going to win the game. Do you think that's what they're saying nowadays?
I don't know what they're saying, but I'll tell you right now, that defense was different. Last night, I'll tell you, my kids were over at the house last night, and we were watching on YouTube highlights of that 2008 season, defensive highlights. It was a different team, man. I mean... No, everybody was flying to the football. There were people getting their helmets knocked off.
The line of scrimmage was so stout. There were three or four guys peppering a running back, a receiver when they had the ball. I mean, sacks and turnovers and, you know, Ryan Clark nailed it. He hit somebody so hard, I put him in the stretcher.
Willis McGehee.
Yeah, it was. Yeah, well, no, it was against ā I can't remember, but I'm telling you right now, that defense was different. I think this defense is starting to believe though. I think they've come off a good game against the Ravens and they have something to build on. To me, this game's going to come down to Aaron Rodgers. Does he wake up in the morning and does he feel good?
He's 42 years old. If he wakes up and he's sore and he's feeling a little off physically, that impacts you mentally. But if he wakes up and he feels like he talked about in his press conference how he felt on Sunday when he got up and when he went to the stadium and when he went out on the field at 220 in the game, if he feels that way, Steelers win.
Bob, do you have a final question for the last of the Hokanians?
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