AI Summary
5 min read"Nobody is expecting Philémonio." That one line from Ben Maller captures the central tension running through an August NFL exhibition week: the gap between what a preseason performance looks like and what it actually means.
On the Ben Maller Show, the host walked through three distinct storylines from the weekend's exhibition games, each illustrating a different kind of overreaction or misread. The throughline is that August football is a low-information environment, and the people who treat it as a crystal ball — fans, media, social media teams — are usually fooling themselves.
The Ty Simpson Soft Launch
Rams rookie quarterback Ty Simpson, drafted 13th overall out of Alabama, completed nearly 85% of his passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs in an exhibition game. Social media erupted. One listener, Mike from the 909, sent Maller a message saying Simpson "made you look like a jackass" for criticizing the pick back in April.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:14) **Hour Three Kickoff & Ty Simpson’s Preseason Hype** - Ben introduces the show’s lead topics: Rams rookie QB Ty Simpson’s exhibition performance, Tua Tagovailoa’s shaky Falcons debut, and the Chargers’ culture-war social media post.
- 2 (08:08) **Grading Ty Simpson: Blessing of Low Expectations** - Ben explains why he refuses to buy into the Simpson hype, arguing the performance was a product of a weak Chiefs defense and a “movie trailer” moment.
- 3 (11:33) **Tua Tagovailoa’s Wobbly Falcons Debut** - Ben shifts to Atlanta, where Tua Tagovailoa’s first exhibition game with the Falcons was a disaster: 3 completions, 22 yards, a fumble, and two empty possessions.
- 4 (16:56) **Tua’s Career Trajectory: One Direction Only** - Ben predicts that if Tua keeps playing this poorly, he’ll be out of the NFL and back in Hawaii renting beach chairs, calling his performance “room-temperature tuna fish sandwich.”
- 5 (17:38) **Chargers’ Performative Social Media Stunt** - Ben critiques the Chargers for posting a photo of coaches wearing shirts that say “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports,” calling it a performative culture-war cannonball.
- 6 (21:58) **Maller Riddle of the Day: Shiloh Sanders’ Subpoena** - Ben introduces the riddle: “Shiloh Sanders helped make sure his pops Deion Sanders picked up a ____.”
- 7 (31:04) **Riddle Answer: Deion Sanders Subpoenaed** - Ben reveals the correct answer: Shiloh Sanders helped make sure Deion Sanders “picked up a subpoena.”
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Ben Maller talks about Ty Simpson's performance for the Rams in his preseason debut, Tua Tagovailoa having a wobbly performance for the Falcons, Chargers personnel wearing shirts saying "Everyone watches women's sports", Insta-Advice Line, and more!
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