Andy McNamara Michael Ball interview on Browns and CFL playoffs

The Andy McNamara Michael Ball interview turned first to the Cleveland Browns: McNamara believes their defense and special teams can win, but their offense needs faster starts. He also urged the Buffalo Bills to add a major defensive player while their championship window is open, and picked the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions to win their CFL playoff games.

What did Andy McNamara say about Cleveland Browns playoff chances?

Andy McNamara sees a path to the playoffs for the Cleveland Browns because their division is wide open and their defense and special teams are ready to win. His concern is the offense: if it keeps starting slowly, Cleveland will eventually face a deficit it cannot erase.

Late wins and a wide-open division

McNamara, a lifelong Browns fan, compared the team's late wins with Cleveland's older “Cardiac Kids” teams. He was enjoying a five-win start, but did not treat repeated comebacks as a plan the Browns could rely on indefinitely. He pointed to uncertainty around the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals as reasons the division remained within reach.

The defense and special teams had already met his standard. The offense, he said, needed to catch up gradually and avoid putting itself in a position where a much larger comeback would be required. He also wanted Cleveland to score more than 17 or 20 points consistently.

The running game and young receivers

Ball raised the importance of rushing the ball, and McNamara agreed. He noted that Cleveland had struggled to run before its most recent game and said the return of Judkins and Dylan Sampson gave it its two best running backs again. He cautioned that the Tennessee Titans were poor opposition, so stronger opponents would provide a better test.

Among the younger targets, McNamara singled out Casey Concepcion as an immediate fantasy football pickup and also named Denzel Boston and Harold Fannin as part of a developing group. He credited general manager Andrew Berry's recent drafts, while saying he still wanted to see Berry get the quarterback position right.

What did Andy McNamara say about Aaron Rodgers and the New York Giants?

Andy McNamara respected Aaron Rodgers' continued play but questioned whether his offense was making enough use of DK Metcalf. On quarterback trades, he found a Kirk Cousins move intriguing without predicting one. He was also unconvinced by JJ McCarthy, despite seeing ways a run-heavy offense could support him.

Aaron Rodgers' weapons and Kirk Cousins trade ideas

Ball praised Rodgers' willingness to keep playing, then asked whether Cousins might help a team seeking a quarterback. McNamara said Metcalf should be used as a lead receiver and identified Jalen Warren as the opposing player who most worried him in Cleveland's upcoming game. He described Warren as an underappreciated running back.

On Cousins, McNamara wondered what a trade would cost and discussed whether a team could bring him in for a stronger push. When Ball suggested the Philadelphia Eagles as another possibility, McNamara viewed that as more of a desperation move and raised the question of whether Philadelphia was comfortable with Tanner McKee. Their discussion also touched on the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in the NFC East race.

JJ McCarthy and a run-heavy offense

McNamara was blunt about McCarthy's individual upside, saying, “I don't think there is anything special” about him. Even so, he allowed that a team might ask McCarthy to protect the ball, lean on its defense and running game, and make enough throws to keep an offense moving. That was a possible role, not an endorsement of him as an elite quarterback.

Why does Andy McNamara want the Buffalo Bills to add defense?

Andy McNamara believes the Buffalo Bills need a significant defensive addition while Josh Allen gives them a chance to contend. He sees an offense capable of exciting stretches, but worries that familiar defensive problems could again decide a close game. Whether to spend heavily depends on the cost of a player who can change that.

Ball brought up pass rushers including Khalil Mack and Maxx Crosby. McNamara agreed that a splash made sense, while questioning whether Buffalo would pay a price as high as the one discussed for Crosby. He contrasted that approach with adding smaller pieces and hoping the existing defense would hold up.

Looking across the AFC, McNamara identified the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars as threats to Buffalo. He also discussed the improving New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, but was less convinced they were at the same level. His point was that Buffalo must decide whether its current defense is enough against the teams it would have to beat, rather than simply preserve draft picks for later.

Who did Andy McNamara pick to win the NFC South?

Andy McNamara picked the Atlanta Falcons as the most likely NFC South winner, with a possible late push from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He saw a close division race rather than a dominant team, and identified quarterback health and consistency as the main questions for Atlanta.

Ball argued for the Falcons while praising Baker Mayfield and noting what Tampa Bay missed when Mike Evans was unavailable. McNamara was not intimidated by the Carolina Panthers, whom he had seen lose in Cleveland, and thought Atlanta had enough on defense and among its offensive weapons to compete. He singled out Bijan Robinson as one of the league's best backs.

McNamara did not expect the division winner to have an easy postseason. He thought the team that emerged could be beaten in the first round, although winning the division would still bring a home game. His forecast was a tight race in which Tampa Bay could recover ground if Mayfield found his best form.

What did Andy McNamara say about NFL officiating and AI referees?

Andy McNamara wants officiating calls to be faster, more consistent and more accurate, and supports using technology where it can help. He agreed that questionable coaching decisions deserve scrutiny too, but distinguished those choices from calls that officials and replay systems should be able to get right.

Fourth-down decisions and Baltimore's late-game problems

After Ball questioned fourth-down choices by the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions, McNamara said Detroit coach Dan Campbell might simply be committed to going for it rather than following analytics. For Baltimore, he was more concerned by the continuation of late-game collapses. He pointed to the defense allowing the Cincinnati Bengals back into a game after shutting them out in the first half, and thought taking an available field goal would have been the better decision in the situation Ball described.

Inconsistent calls and faster reviews

McNamara wanted more transparency from the NFL about poor officiating and how officials are evaluated. He recalled missed calls in a Browns game and asked how teams could adjust when the standard varied. He supported technology that could resolve close calls promptly, while keeping people on the field for physical duties such as breaking up fights.

He also favored automated help with baseball's balls and strikes. Betting and fantasy football, he argued, made accuracy even more important because so many people were affected by the calls. McNamara put his priority plainly:

I want the right results and I want it because it makes the game more enjoyable

Who did Andy McNamara pick in the CFL playoffs?

Andy McNamara picked the Toronto Argonauts to beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a close, high-scoring game, and the BC Lions to beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He respected Winnipeg's chance and Saskatchewan quarterback Trevor Harris, but chose Toronto's passing options and BC's opportunity at home.

Toronto Argonauts against Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Ball favored Winnipeg and discussed the health of both starting quarterbacks. McNamara instead went with Toronto. He liked Chad Kelly's fearlessness and thought backup Nick Arbuckle gave the Argonauts a strong alternative if needed. He also noted concerns around Zach Collaros' availability for the Blue Bombers.

McNamara expected the teams to trade points rather than produce a comfortable win for either side. He also wished Winnipeg well because Ball's son played for the Blue Bombers, though Ball said his son was out with an Achilles injury.

BC Lions against Saskatchewan Roughriders

Ball picked BC and raised the Roughriders' championship experience. McNamara also chose the Lions, while saying he would be pleased to see Harris advance. His regard for Harris goes back to McNamara's work as a sideline reporter for Toronto, when Harris was working his way up as a backup quarterback and substitute teaching.

For McNamara, the central BC question was whether Nathan Rourke could take the Lions further. He saw the semifinal as another chance for Rourke to answer it, not as a result guaranteed by the Lions' past performances in home semifinals.

Who is Andy McNamara?

Andy McNamara is a national sports talk host, play-by-play commentator, reporter, fantasy sports and betting analyst, and writer. His work has included TSN, ESPN, Sportsnet, DraftKings, the Canadian Football League and other sports organizations and publications. He is a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan.