Boomer Between The Games: Week 15 Preview With Chris Simms
In Week 14 of the NFL season, Tom Brady got revenge against the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys lost for only the second time this year. This season, NFL fans will be able to hear even more about their favorite teams in a brand new digital show called Boomer Between the Games. Hosted by NFL on CBS analyst and WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason, the former NFL quarterback gives his thoughts on the week that was in the National Football League and chats with an all-star roster of guests about the upcoming week of games.
This week on Boomer Between the Games, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms returned to the show for the final time. Simms is the lead NFL analyst at Bleacher Report and a game analyst for CBS Sports. Simms was a third round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos. The son of Super Bowl winning quarterback Phil Simms tossed 12 touchdown passes in his NFL career.
This week's episode started off with a conversation about Le'Veon Bell's monster performance on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Bell rushed for over 230 yards and Esiason called him the best running back in football after that performance. Simms has Bell in the top three on his list of the best running backs in football next to Arizona's David Johnson and Dallas's Ezekiel Elliott. Simms and Esiason both noted how Pittsburgh's offensive identity has changed from running through Ben Roethlisberger to now revolving around Bell. The host of Boomer Between The Games took the conversation one step further by calling Pittsburgh the greatest threat to New England's pursuit of getting to the Super Bowl.
Additionally, the two former NFL players discussed New England's impressive Monday Night Football performance against the Baltimore Ravens. Esiason loved the way wide receiver Chris Hogan and tight end Martellus Bennett took advantage of a banged up Ravens secondary. The Patriots proved to the former NFL MVP once again that they are the class of the league and out to get revenge against everyone who beat them last year. Meanwhile, Simms highlighted the explosion of running back LeGarrette Blount over the past few games. The Bleacher Report analyst pinpointed how New England exploited mismatches on both the offensive and defensive side of the football.
The biggest storyline heading into Week 15 is the rematch of the AFC Championship between the Patriots and the Denver Broncos. Esiason and Simms detailed how the Broncos defense has major issues stopping the run. Both the former quarterbacks questioned whether or not Trevor Siemian has the ability to lead the Broncos back to the playoffs. Simms has the Patriots winning by a big margin because their smash mouth running game will be too much for the Broncos to handle. The two former NFL players also previewed Baltimore's home game against the lowly Philadelphia Eagles.
Finally, Boomer and Chris grabbed a fan question from Twitter. The former NFL MVP and former third round pick discussed whether the Cleveland Browns or the New York Jets have a worse quarterback situation going forward. While Esiason doesn't have much faith in Jets quarterbacks Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg, the host of Boomer Between The Games wants no part of a quarterback group that features Robert Griffin III. Meanwhile, Simms would rather have Cleveland's quarterbacks because at least third round pick Cody Kessler has shown a little promise. The Bleacher Report ripped into the Jets and called Christian Hackenberg the worst second round pick in NFL history.
Boomer Between the Games will be available every week here on CBS Local Sports. Throughout the entire season, guests like former NFL linebackers Brian Jones and Bart Scott will join Boomer. Former NFL player Mike Quick stops by next week to look back at Week 15 and look ahead to the great games in Week 16. Join the conversation with Boomer each week by using #BoomerBTG and one of your tweets could be included in next week's show.
DJ Sixsmith is the Editorial Director of Boomer Between The Games and a play-by-play announcer for ESPN 3 and the Big East Digital Network. Follow DJ on Twitter @DJ_Sixsmith.
