UNCUT: FOX Sports' Chris Meyers on NFL's Best Team and MVP

The NFL season hitting the halfway mark this weekend. Here now to help us break down what we've seen so far is the man who calls the action right here on Fox, Mr. Chris Myers. Chris, always a pleasure. In your opinion, who's the best team in the NFL right now and why? Wow. Wide open. During the halfway point, there's a lot that will unfold a little different than what we thought. I thought the Rams would be leading the NFC and the NFC, that North division. You know, Chicago and Detroit look like they're hitting their stride at the right time. But I don't know if I'd call them the best. I think I'd word it this way. I think at the NFC, you know, I think we're going to get three teams out of the West and three teams out of the North that are going to make the playoffs. And then you'll have a winner, you know, in the South and in the East. As far as the AFC side, I mean, Buffalo looks great. Denver is coming on lately. But, you know, Josh Allen leading is still kind of a rookie head coach there. And I don't know if their defense is Super Bowl enough or best enough. But at this point, I would say it's hard to beat a Buffalo team in terms of Kansas City. I mentioned Denver, Jacksonville's kind of a sleeper team, so it's across the board. Gosh, you know, at the beginning of the year, I think I said Rams-Buffalo would be, you know, my Super Bowl pick, and I think I could still stay with that. But at this point of the season, I really can't label anybody the best, and I think that's a good thing for the NFL to have some surprises, but it's more wide open, I think. Uh, then we thought in Minnesota with just one, you know, they, they had that, that they were undefeated. They were the last undefeated team that I, I'm not sold on their quarterback play as great as their defenses. So that's why I don't consider them, even though they may have an impressive record. All right. You mentioned surprises and obviously there's been plenty of those. So, so tell me about the teams, good or bad that have surprised you the most this season and let's leave out the charges because let's face it, everyone's shocked by what's going on there with the chargers, but what else has surprised you? Yeah, I mean, that is a surprise. I'm surprised that, you know, maybe New Orleans isn't a little better, but they didn't surround their quarterback with enough play. I'm surprised that Dallas is not a better team. You know, we always do great in ratings. They get a lot of... The national games, and yet they just fail miserably in games. Now, in fairness to some other teams, I guess I'm surprised, too, the number of quarterbacks that we've had injured and other guys that have had to play that maybe aren't as experienced. But a pleasant surprise is not that they're running away with things, but the Giants and the way that... John Harbaugh has had an immediate influence on that team, winning some close games, handling, really losing a starting quarterback. Jameis Winston, you had a veteran, but they realized he wasn't going to take him. Further, or at least as far as they thought they could go, and so they make the trade for J.J. McCarthy, which I'm surprised, Minnesota, where they picked him, then to give up on him when I don't think they have a very strong quarterback situation, and have a guy in there like McCarthy who's more like Jackson Dart when he's healthy, either at the end of the year or next year. So to me, that's a pleasant surprise, and I think a good coaching adjustment is something that there was a difference. made it a positive way. You know Cleveland's played better than I thought that Deshaun Watson rooting for him or not behaved himself a little bit of a comeback story there. And I think the Raiders, it's interesting, Fernando Mendoza got into a game, but he's not starting yet, and I don't think there's a need to, because he's learning a lot from Kirk Cousins, who's put up some pretty big numbers and kept the Raiders at least a team that you can't walk over anymore. So it's a little bit of broad strokes, but those are a couple of things that stand out to me, and it is a surprise that the Rams, you know, I lost a couple of close games after they... Got lost down under to start the year, but I think they're going to be fine. But it's a surprise that their record isn't better than it is. Chris, let's talk MVP. We've got a couple of guys up here in our studio. Josh Allen is the frontrunner right now. I can't stop watching what Caleb Williams is doing with the Bears. Brock Purdy, obviously, having a great year. Who's your MVP? Yeah, at least at this point of the season, of those three, and I don't think you can go wrong with either one, I almost think by how it ends up at the end of the year, I think Caleb Williams and the Bears will win that division, I think Buffalo will probably win the division as well, so that goes a long way in how guys play, Josh Allen's tough to go against him, the way he runs and throws, but I would put Caleb Williams, and I don't think you can count out Matthew Stafford, he won't get it because he won it last year and things are a little bit different there, And he doesn't have Devontae Adams for a while, but I don't think it can overlook his downfield passing, how well he's been protected, how well, especially recently, touchdown passes in the red zone, some impressive numbers. So he should be in the mix. But I would go Josh Allen 1, Caleb Williams 2. I think that's at least how it'll end up, or one of those two should end up winning it. Chris, on Sunday, you will be in D.C. calling the Rams-Commanders game. You've called both of these teams already this season, the Rams in Week 7 against the Raiders, the Commanders Week 5 against the Giants. What do you make of this matchup? Well, I think it's good that they're both coming off wins. I think the Ram running game, and I know Blake Corham has been there, but his emergence, and he grew up not too far, I think Marshall, Virginia, not too far from the area. He might have even been a Washington fan growing up a little bit and then part of Baltimore. So it's kind of a return home to his roots in a way for him. I think he'll continue to have big games. And when we had the Rams a couple games earlier, Earlier, when we talked to Sean McVeigh, He was honest about us. It was before the Raider game when he was saying, look, we became, and it's circumstantial, maybe a little too pass-happy, but they're a very good passing team. I mean, that's part of the offense, but he wanted to get more, it's overused, but balanced. But he's got like double balance with Kyron Williams and Corum. They are interchangeable. Matthew Stafford said sometimes in the huddle, they're both so good. And so professional that I can't even tell who's in there, except that when I see the results, I know they both get it done. So to me, the big difference in the Rams, and I know they've dealt with injuries like a lot of teams, and that's the headline for both of these teams with a number of starters out, and who returns for the... for the Rams in this game. But I do think the running game for the Rams has gotten stronger, which has made the passing game stronger and the offense controlling games more. And the scoring within the last two minutes of each half, they're among the league's best in that department. It's an underrated fact that's something McVay has been good at and so is his quarterback. For Washington, I think anytime you have Jaden Daniels, you have a chance. He's playing better. He's a great threat to run. And in a way, a little Josh Allen-like different runner, but he runs up the middle a lot and that'll be a challenge. for the for the Ram defense, no matter who's healthy. I don't I think they're thin at receiver with Terry McLaurin out that that'll be a factor that works against them. And on the defensive side, Stafford and the Rams better be ready for the blitz because Washington especially passing downs, but they'll blitz at any time, but they're among the league leaders. I think they lead the league. In blitzing on drop back passes because they're trying to make up for some injuries they have on the defensive line. They lost both of their defensive tackles this week and put them on injured reserve. So this is a game the Rams should win. I think the Rams have to win to kind of stay in the race for the division and not stumble on their way to get to the playoffs. And I think, as I said earlier, they'll be in the playoffs. Well, Chris, as you well know, the Rams came into the season as overwhelming favorites to win Super Bowl 61 right here. At SoFi Stadium, they've dealt with a lot of injuries, obviously, now getting Miles Garrett back. A tough start to their season, but do you think that they can turn this thing around and can still compete for a championship? Absolutely. And I think the history is there. They've had a couple of other seasons, not so much last year. But in the last two or the last three, I believe they have had some slow starts and made a nice run. And we haven't seen, you know, what Jeffrey Simmons did for the Bears in that Monday night game recently when they acquired him, showed up at it. I think that's what the Ram fans and the Rams expect Miles Garrett to do. A guy who led the league. And Aaron Donald, I think, too, will get his sacks off of this. I know that they lost Puna Ford up front out for the year, and they've had some shuffling. Jalen Watson, the latest injury in the secondary. But to me, Yes, I think they call it an arms race with what the 49ers are making a trade for DeForest Buckner and also another move in that division with Seattle getting Quentin Nelson on the offensive line. But the Rams were ahead of all that when in the offseason they made the Miles Garrett move and the move for Trent McDuffie and adding in the secondary. So as long as Stafford is healthy and they're running the ball like they are, hopefully Devontae Adams returns in December at some point. I'm surprised maybe they didn't do something else there. Three tight end, and the return of Ferguson, Terrace Ferguson was going to emerge, and this is something the Rams talked about as the top tight end of this group, where they all share in the load, and that three tight end offense is outstanding. It just gives them a lot of options, and I think he's an important factor to help the offense as well. There's no question in my mind that they can compete, and they showed already with some of the teams. When you look at who they lost to on the toughness of the schedule, they'll still get Seattle twice. They'll still get another shot at the 49ers. So this is why they can't overlook anybody. But there's no question in my mind, given the talent and the history on this team, and other teams may play their good football as well, but I think the Rams can be right there with them. Chris, always a pleasure talking football with you. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy the game. Always enjoy doing Ram games. He's Chris Myers with Fox Sports. I'm Kyle Kraska.