September 24, 2025 • 35 mins
Colin Cowherd dives into the Los Angeles Dodgers continued struggles, breaking down how they squandered another elite performance from Shohei Ohtani—and what it says about the myth that big spending guarantees championships in pro sports.
Then, after Week 3 of the NFL season, Colin reveals which teams should PANIC and which teams should stay PATIENT.
Plus, FOX Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez joins the show to talk about:
- What to expect from Jaxson Dart making his first start with the Giants
- Why Justin Herbert is making a legit MVP push for the Chargers
- How Baker Mayfield continues to fly under the radar with the Buccaneers
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and we have
got a lot to talk about live. It's Chicago, and
it is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however
you may be listening, Thanks for making us part of
your day. You got a lot of choices out there.
Joel Klatt in one hour, Huge Huge College Football Weekend.
(00:50):
I like the Buck Guys by ten Oregon, Slide, upset,
usc comfortable, Jamat. I want to start with something today.
We don't until we get to October. We don't lead
with a lot of baseball. Baseball regular seasons are long,
but last night my childhood favorite, the Seattle Mariners, clinched
(01:12):
the playoff spot, and they've got some interesting components. But
Rob Manfred and a lot of people in baseball have
been worried about baseball. The payroll gap is scary, and
I do believe the payroll gap matters in the regular season,
but once you get to the playoffs, you don't know
what's going to happen. No sport is weirder and quirkier
(01:35):
than Major League Baseball. It's been a great year for
the sport. The three hundred and fifty million dollar payroll
Mets are battling the one hundred and nineteen million dollar
payroll Cincinnati Reds for a playoff spot. The Mega money Train.
The La Dodgers blew another game last night. Yeah, Otani
(01:55):
was great, and then he leaves and the Dodgers blow
another game. It's been that kind of year, and that's
what money doesn't buy you health. They've got a bad bullpen.
It blew another game last night. Mookie Bett started the
season very poorly. He had a sickness. He's been good
in September, but they've dealt with a lot of injuries,
mow money Mo problems. They're on track for their worst
(02:19):
record in six years. For the record, the small market
Brewers I think win the World Series. Small market San
Diego has an unbelievable bullpen and plenty of big time sticks.
The American Lead League Division leaders are the Mariners, Cleveland
and Toronto. Yet the fear mongering once again prevails, whether
(02:42):
it's the nil for college football, AI in business, or
big payrolls in baseball. So many people are neurotic, anxiety
filled fatalists. Take a deep breath. It's gonna be okay.
Even my Mariners. They've got Cal Rawley, so they had
a lot of home runs, meaning they don't have to
manufacture rallies. If they do fall behind, they score quickly.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
The Mariners do.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
They've got a great closer if they have a lead
late Andres Muno's and they had the best rotation er
in baseball last year and it's still good this year.
The Seattle Mariners, believe it or not, could win the
World Series. Yes they could. What's true in sports always
is that money never ever decides everything. For the million
(03:29):
straight year in a row, the Jets and Giants stink
in New York and the Packers are good. Remember fans
freaking out when Luca ended up with the Lakers. Yeah,
they got eliminated in the first round. Small market OKC
beat small market Indiana in the finals. Put your phones down.
It's exhausting. The world's not going to end except for
(03:53):
the Dodgers. Yeah, I can't, I can't. I have to
be honest about the Dodgers. They're bullpen stinks, they brew,
blew another lead, Otani's amazing, Mookie's hitting, and they can't
close out games they should win. And my number one
rule in baseball is, can't win a World Series with
an awful bullpen. Here's Dave Roberts. Yeah, I'm not gonna
(04:13):
lie Dodgers in trouble.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
These are our guys. I do know that.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I just see just careful, the getting behind, the walking guys,
hit batsman. That's just a sign of you're either scared
or you're pitching too careful. And that's the that's just
the facts. When you pitch behind and afraid to make
a mistake, hang a break and ball, you know, that's
(04:40):
when bad things happen.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So the division leaders currently have the fifth biggest payroll,
the twenty fifth, the fifteenth, the twenty third, the fourth,
and the Dodgers are number one, but they can't close
out games despite having a payroll, which they could face
in the first round. The Mets, with a three hundred
(05:04):
and forty million dollar payroll, so one of them could
potentially get bounced. As the small market Padres and Brewers
and Mariners and Guardians and Canada's best Toronto watch on happily.
It's all gonna be okay, NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball.
(05:25):
I said this two months ago. Medium and small markets
are kicking arse. I believe the World Series will be
the Brewers beating the Mariners in six. Go ahead, J
Mac roll your eyes. Cal Rawley's getting there. Muno's closing
them out. But they'll meet their match. Okay. So Kevin
(05:46):
O'Connell's a great coach, he said, tap the brakes on
a quick return for J. J. McCarthy. So the Vikings
face the Steelers. It's in Dublin, Ireland. My belief is basically,
start the quarterback against the Steelers or any team that
(06:10):
helps you win the game Sunday, NFL, not for long,
win the game Sunday. Start the quarterback that wins you
the game. And as I said last week before, he
looked really good. Carson Wentz today is better than JJ
McCarthy today. He's been in the NFL ten years. I
think he's been on six teams in six years. He's
seen every defense. He's a big athlete with a big arm,
(06:33):
doesn't move like he used to, but he's a good
player and the Vikings are built to win today. Brian
floresh to me is the best defensive coordinator in football,
and he has transformed that defense. And he could get
a head coaching job next year or the one after.
And Carson Wentz wasn't that long ago in Indianapolis twenty
seven touchdown, seven picks, and Chris Ballard loved him, and
(06:53):
the owner of the late great Jim Ersay said get
him out of here. He lost with the Jags in
the final week, but they had Jonathan Taylor who was
a Pro Bowl Michael Pittman out one thousand yards and
they had a pretty good offensive line in twenty seventeen.
And I know that's a while ago, but it's not
that long ago. He had thirty three touchdowns and seven
picks before he got hurt, and again they had a
very good roster. So like it is for most NFL quarterbacks,
(07:15):
with Carson Wentz, he's as good as his support staff.
He's not Josh Allen, he's not Lamar, he's not Mahomes.
He's not Burrough, but he's a big, strong athlete who Philadelphia, Minnesota.
When he's got good players around him, you can win
a lot of games with Carson Wentz and JJ McCarthy
at this point, and I think I'm being fair, doesn't
(07:37):
really know yet what to do in the NFL. He
looks overwhelmed. He looks overwhelmed, and this is bad luck.
He got hurt again. So this is not college football.
There's no big donor to guarantee you get snaps. Some
young quarterbacks fall into Sean Payton, some get Brandon Staley.
It's not fair. What do the Vikings, Oh, JJ McCarthy, Well,
(07:58):
they gave up. They gave up a fourth round pick
and a fifth round pick to move up to get him.
I mean San Francisco with Trey Lance, gave up three
first rounders and went, oops, we're gonna go with Brock Ferdy.
I mean, the best business advice I've ever been given
in my life by far. When I started my company,
the volume I called, I emailed like Mark Cuban and
(08:18):
Peter Shernan, really smart guys and they, you know, in
their busy life. I sent emails text to people I
knew and everybody gave me the same advice. I mean
literally the same advice. Whatever works immediately, doubled down on it,
and what doesn't bail on it. Don't try to validate
your earlier choices. Amazon doesn't look like the company that
(08:41):
was formed either it does, Oracle or Google. Don't fall
in love with your draft picks. You can tell often
in camp, Oh that didn't look good. He's smaller than
I thought. He doesn't have a lot of toughness. Man,
he's got a bad temper. Stuff is unveiled in camp
first starts and again. Some guys fall into Sean Payton.
(09:04):
Some fall into defensive coaches who don't have a feel
for offense. So it's nothing against JJ McCarthy. He may
develop into something great. But my take in is Carson
Wentz with Kevin O'Connell's coaching, a great left tackle, solid
run game, unbelievable wide receiver talent, good tight end, great
(09:25):
home field advantage, excellent defensive coordinator. I mean, Carson Wentz
and Kevin O'Connell can win a lot of games. So
let's let it play out. Here's Greg Olsen yesterday on
what to do with Wentz and Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I'm not sure there is a coach in the league,
a head coach for sure, or an offensive coordinator who
gets the most out of their quarterback within their system
and blends the idea of play caller quarterback whisper confidant
mentor he has such a unique quality where yes he
has the x's and o's, yes he has the schematic advantage,
(10:03):
but it's all the other stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah. I actually J McK and I agree on this.
Minnesota is the play, as you knock down at Guinness
if you're over in Dublin, Minnesota is the play this weekend.
One of the better, one of the better plays on
the board in my opinion.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Yeah, I totally agree. They'll they'll going to destroy Aaron Rodgers.
But a quick point on your Wentz versus McCarthy thing.
A Vikings buddy of mine said, Hey, you got to
tell Colin. One huge difference that Wentz had that McCarthy didn't,
and that's left tackle Christian darrisol. He missed the first
two games. I know he played against the Bengals. Twenty
one steps allowed, one pressure. He's borderlining lead.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I don't know the top three. I am fully aware
of that, I know, but I'll be honest with you.
In this league, there is no perfect roster. That's why
I said about brock Perty. He doesn't. He's not as
good about Christian McCaffrey. Well, Christian McCaffrey gets hurt. So
you have to be good despite not having a star
running back. So, by the way, Najee Harris is out
(11:07):
with Justin Herbert, Rashaun Slater's out the Pro Bowl. Left tackle.
Herbert's having his best year. Ye, people can always say,
well the left height make plays. I don't care about it.
Make plays.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Herbert is a fifth year superstar in this league. Top
six quarterback. JJ McCarthy's got two stars. We need to
give the kid a chance. And I'm just I know,
I'm all in, and it's maybe a bad move by me. Listen,
I've been wrong before.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Her show does not cancel culture quarterbacks. I'm not say
All I'm saying is I said before the show. I
said it Friday, you are here, I said Carson Wentz
today is better than JJ McCarthy. However, whatever it takes
to get JJ McCarthy to be in the same ballpark
as Jared Goff or Jordan Love because those are the
(11:52):
guys in your division. This team is built to win now,
and it's not fair. But Carson wentz with this group,
I think could go toe to toe with Jane and
there wouldn't be a massive gap. Although Jordan loves better.
What I saw seven of the eight quarters with McCarthy,
the gap between him and Golf or him and Jordan
love feels like a sizeable, noticeable separation. So you gotta
(12:14):
you have to play who wins Sunday.
Speaker 6 (12:17):
Yeah, you're right, I mean, but to win now, Remember
McCarthy on the rookie deal only in year two. They
still have two more summers where they can load up
the roster, So I don't know that win now, like
right this season, I would go back to McCarthy when
he's healthy. But yeah, I do feel I'm concerned that
I'm so committed to this guy. He's not Mahomes versus
(12:38):
Alex Smith. That's not what we're dealing with here, Nobody.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
I appreciate the revelation that he's not Mahomes. I certainly
appreciate him for a year, but injured, I'm not rooting.
I don't root against quarterbacks. Let me, let's be honest.
I like c. J. Stroud when he was good two
years ago. I liked watching the Texans. They're unwatchable now
because they can't pick up first downs, they can't block.
Like I'm rooting for all young quresuterbacks. People that you're
(13:01):
rooting to be right. I want Baker Mayfield to succeed.
I think I was right early. He's great now. I
want them all to succeed. Nothing worse than the one
o'clock window in October with two awful quarterbacks and I'm
forced to watch it because it's my job. I'm rooting
for good quarterback play.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Period.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
When I watch college games this weekend, I'll get Ohio
State Washington. The quarterback play will be good. Drew Aller
against Dante More Penn State and Oregon excellent two pro quarterbacks.
I like watching really good quarterback play. It is hard
to watch, you know. I thought Michigan Nebraska this weekend.
I don't know one of them is going to be
in the NFL. But when an offense struggles, it's usually
(13:43):
a bad quarterback in college or pro. So I root
for all of them to eventually succeed. We got Joel
Klatt coming up. I'm so excited for my Mariners. I'm
not loyal. I bailed on him for fifteen years. I'm
not saying I'm loyal, but I'm excited for him.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and new non a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Hey, we're Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We
never have enough time to get to everything we want
to get.
Speaker 9 (14:14):
To, and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.
Speaker 8 (14:27):
Yeah, you blubber Liam in me.
Speaker 10 (14:29):
Well you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 9 (14:33):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by
the way, so maybe we'll go at it even.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
A little harder.
Speaker 8 (14:54):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 9 (14:57):
There you go, over promising, and remember you could see
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen Over Promised with
Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
There are no perfect teams in the NFL. The Eagles
are about as close as you can get. But some
of these teams have massive holes. And my take is
if you've got a star quarterback like Matt Stafford and
he's old, yeah, you need to fix the hole. So
we're gonna play panic or patience. Are you ready to go?
I think so yes. All right, let's play this for
(15:29):
four or five minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
All right, So Colin war to Baltimore Ravens. They got
embarrassed by the Lions. They're thirty first in scoring defense. Yeah,
should the Ravens be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I think they have to make a move at the
trade deadline. You watched Detroit run all over them. Well,
who's their big rival in the AFC, Kansas City and
Baltimore and Buffalo. James Cook and Buffalo can run and
keep the ball away from Lamar Jackson. This is a
great offense, but you watch Lamar jacks on the sidelines
(16:02):
against the Lions. That's what Buffalo has the ability to
do with their James Cook led run game and their
excellent tight ends. I think they have to make a
defensive move at the trade deadline and give up something
on offense. All right, let's go to the Chiefs.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Their offense is a Niemik twenty first in scoring Colin.
Should the Chiefs be panicked or patient panic?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Because this is Travis Kelsey's last year and they don't
really have a receiving core to build a round, So
don't waste mahomes talent right now.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
They have no run game.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Kelsey last year, cross your fingers on the maturity of
she Rice. So I think they have to look strongly
at Tyreek Hill again. Is it a one year deal,
But this is Travis's last year. He will be in
the biggest games ready to roll and block, which he
wasn't early in this season. I think you need to
make a move at the trade deadline. Okay, Pittsburgh Steelers.
(16:58):
They spent all that.
Speaker 6 (16:59):
Money on defense thirty first against the run Colin Should
the Steelers be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
I would be more in the panic mode. I think
this is Aaron Rodgers last year. There is no guarantee
you get a quarterback as good as Aaron Rodgers next year.
The o line is inexplicably bad again. Najie Harris is gone.
Caleb Johnson could be a miss, could be a whiff.
If you didn't go get Aaron Rodgers for a three
(17:25):
year plan, it was a one year plan. Fix the
offensive line, go get a very good running back on
a bad team at the trade deadline.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Both of us like the Bills to win the Super Bowl. However,
after three games there last in rush defense. Now some
of that is Derek Henry and Lamar.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
In the opener.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Should the Bills be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I think they need to make a move defensively, they
are terrible on third down and by the way, the
best teams in this league Eagles, Lions, Ravens, Rams, some
of the best teams. They all have excellent run games. Again,
when you have a star quarterback, how do you lose.
He is like Lamar Jackson watching the game from a bench.
I think Buffalo, maybe they move one of their They
(18:09):
have three really good tight ends. Could they move a
tight end to get an interior defensive lineman, give up
a good tight end and a draft pick. I think
they need to make a move.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
All right, your boy, bo Nicks, we need to have
a real conversation eventually. He's got an eighty three point
four passer rating, lowest graded starter among PFF quarterbacks. Should
the Broncos be panic their patient patients?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Here's their upcoming schedule Bengals, Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Texans, Raiders.
He's going to have a ninety eight to one hundred
and three passer rating. He's going to be just fine.
Tough early schedule for the record struggled last year in September.
Take a deep breath, have patience.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
Saekwon Barkley, I mean, Colin. They're three to zero, but
he has not gotten off to a good start. Panic
or patient over SAQ one patients.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
The Eagles have a hundred and thirty plus rushing yards
in every game. Remember, look at all his touches last year.
Look at all his touches so take a deep breath.
I think, you know, need to buy a week. Could
they rest him for a week against an easier opponent.
They'll be fine, But I do think there's a little
fatigue from last year's heavy workload. For sure, Packers lost
(19:22):
to the Browns. Panicked or patients patients. The brown scoring
drives were four yards and sixteen they were on the road.
Jordan Love threw his first bad pick in about ten games.
This is a great team that had a bad Sunday
and really a bad fourth quarter. Green Bay is fine.
Speaker 6 (19:43):
Rams gagaway a huge lead against the Eagles.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Just a collapse. Should they be panicked or patient? A
little panic here. AJ Brown is a problem. They don't
have size at the cornerback position. And by the way,
they have not drafted in the second outside of safety
Cameron Kitchens. They have not selected anybody in the backfield
(20:06):
in the in five years. In the first three rounds,
they have kind of neglected this position. They should have
gone after it. I think last year in the draft
they did not go get a top corner. So they've
got a lot of a smaller middle late round defensive
backs and you know Amaran Saint Brown. AJ Brown Mike Evans,
(20:26):
Justin Jefferson. A lot of these teams in the NFC
have a big, tall rangye number one receiver. I think
at the trade deadline they got to give up a
pick and go get a top corner. Finally, CJ. Stroud,
he stinks. Should the Texans be panicked or patient patients?
First of all, their own line the last two years
is arguably the worst in the league. Joe Mixon's hurt,
(20:48):
so they have no run game. So I mean, listen,
like most young quarterbacks, it's circumstantial. He's very good early
when his first year he had a good old line,
healthy receivers. They've had massive offensive injury. He has still
world class precision. Take a deep breath on Bonix and
c J. Stroud the Green Bay Packers take a deep breath,
(21:10):
But there are some really good like Buffalo. The way
to beat them is the way Detroit beat Lamar Jackson.
I would give up one of my tight ends and
a draft pick to fix the interior of my d line.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week. Within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
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Speaker 1 (21:36):
This would be good stuff. A decade in the NFL,
four and two career playoff record, he's become a great
broadcaster for US at Fox Sports. Mark Sanchez is now
joining US live as he often does on Wednesday or Thursday.
He's got the Jags Niners. We'll get to that in
a second. I'm going to start you covered Jackson Dark
gets his first start. You covered him in the preseason.
So what are realistic expectations. I don't even know if
(22:00):
their left tackle Andrew Thomas will be healthy. That would
worry me. What are realistic expectations for Jackson?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Yeah? I think that's the way to frame this entire game.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
Making a start against the top ten passing defense and
Jesse mentor this defensive coordinator for the Chargers, he's got
his team dialed, and so I would expect early completions,
some slants, some screens, some play actions to build his rhythm.
And don't forget, his mobility is legit and often underrated.
(22:30):
He plays a lot faster than he might look on tape.
So i'd expect some of those design runs that he's
already come in and used these first couple of games
when they've subbed out Russell Wilson to get him in
to get some experience. But this Giants offense has its
fair share of struggles, especially if you don't have your
left tackle, especially with all the turmoil in the receiver room.
(22:53):
I'd expect I'm not expecting him to win the game.
I'm just expecting him to get his feet wet and
most importantly, you know, stack some completions and protect the
football is really all I'd like to see from him
this week.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Justin Herbert was good last year. He is different this year,
and that's having lost a really good left tackle. What's different?
What are you seeing that's different? And maybe game planning scheming,
something feels different.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I think last year they really emphasize that run first
culture and we're going to pound the rock.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
We're going to be ground and pound, which is.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Fine, and they only allow, you know, I think you
through with all like twenty one times a game through
his first three games. Now he's thrown at like thirty
eight pass attempts a game, and he's showing this offense
really is built on his arm. He's got you know,
over seventy percent completions seven touchdowns, So they're leaning on him,
(23:49):
and he's playing the most confident I've ever seen him play.
He's decisive, and then you get the splash plays that
we used to get, even when he first took the
field as a rookie, when they weren't even expecting.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Him to play all those years ago.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
You still see the plays they played, rolling to the left,
you know, arm, you know, kind of halfway three quarter
side arm around a player to his guy in the
end zone. I mean, there's not many humans on the
planet who can even come close to executing that throw.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
So he's he's in rare form right now.
Speaker 7 (24:24):
And you know, the rushing attack has kind of taken
a backseat, and everything flows through the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
As you know, the opinion of a quarterback in this
league can change with a bad half. It's unfair. But
you know, the media is loud. It's the one sport
in America everybody watches. I always like Carson Wentz and
then the late great Jim Rsay he had a bad
game in Jacksonville and said get him out of here,
and it's like time out. He had twenty seven touchdowns
(24:53):
something bigs. It was really really good. And in Philadelphia
he got hurt. He was going to be MVP. I
could pull him out. I think right now today I
couldn't pull him out if I was the Vikings.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
What say you, Well, the biggest stat that I saw
and I had to look at my phone for this
because this came up in a group chat. But the
Minnesota Vikings are fifteen and three when Kevin O'Connell has
a ginger starting at quarterback. So eighty three point three
three percent, that's all I know. But on a serious note,
(25:25):
you know he provides stability. Well, JJ McCarthy is developing
and coming back from an injury. You know, he just
kept it steady. And Kevin O'Connell clearly knows how to
communicate with this quarterback.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
He gives you, you know, your.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
Expectations, his expectations, finds a way to merge the two.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
And I don't think.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
You know, Kevin made the comment in his press conference said, hey,
you know, as soon as JJ's healthy, it's not just okay,
he's gonna he's playing tomorrow. I think if Wentz keeps winning,
there's no reason to pull him. And it's really about
the timing of McCarthy's transition and reassimilation back as the starter.
But as long as this guy's playing well. I got
(26:07):
no issues with number eleven starting for the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
I always like Sam Darnold. I think you did too,
But I do think I said this. I think Sam
needs structure. I think his DNA he's a little reckless,
so he does need structure. Like we're gonna throw it
twenty eight times, We're gonna lean on that run game,
and that's not a knock outside of Josh Allen, the
whole world does. So. I like what Seattle has created
(26:34):
for him.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
What do you see? Well, I think you're exactly right.
Speaker 7 (26:39):
I think he's right around the twenty nine to thirty
ish number of attempts per game, a lot more towards
the later half of last year when he was in
Minnesota starting for the Vikings. But that's okay. They have
a two headed rushing attack in Zach Charboney and Kenneth Walker.
Their offensive line is still starting to gel, and especially
those interior guys. Remember they've gone through some turnover at
(27:02):
the center position and then some young guards really stepping in.
So the easiest thing to get continuity for your offensive
lineman is to let him fire off the ball and
establish the run game. Now Sam knows how to get
in and out of good runs. And if there's no
way to run the ball, he's going to find a quick,
easy throw. And oh, by the way, he's got a
(27:23):
heck of a slot receiver in Jackson.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Smith and Jaco.
Speaker 7 (27:25):
This guy, Yeah, he's turned into an absolute superstar.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
And you saw it in college.
Speaker 7 (27:31):
You saw it flashes of it a little bit as
a rookie. Remember he started his rookie year he broke
his wrist and just wasn't quite sure, didn't quite get
his footing. And then last year and especially this year,
he's absolutely exploded. And then you see big Leonard Williams.
I mean, just add him to the list of New
York Giants that suddenly leave the New York Giants and
(27:52):
then become superstars somewhere else. It's don't forget about my
man Danny Dimes. He's balling out too in Indy. We
got those guys in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yep. So we'll get to the Jags Niners game. I
like San Francisco in that one, you know, when quarterbacks
come out. Mark Mark Sanchez for our radio audience, I
usually have a comp okay, who is he I thought,
I thought Sam Donald came out, I said, he's not
Andrew Luck, but he's a little Andrew Lucky's big, he's tough,
he can be a little reckless, but he's a playmaker.
(28:23):
I never had one for Baker. I thought he was
a little cocky, he was a little emotional. I didn't
really he was like, I don't know what he is,
and here he is all these years later and I'm
genuinely happy crushing it.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
What do you make of his development? Well, just add
him to the list.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Daniel Jones, Sam Donald, Carson Wentz, all these guys who
end up in other places, and they still have plenty
of tread left on the tires.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
They just got to get to the right fit.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
And I think we're realizing that the fit in the
scheme is more important than the slot.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
And so he's playing so well.
Speaker 7 (29:04):
He's got that fire and intensity that he plays with.
You know, maybe early on people thought always just cocky,
always just a young kid. He's Immature's this that's truly
his authentic self. He is an absolute psycho on the field,
and he has to temper that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
We actually had him on.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Our show on Rearview NFL and Fox Presents Rearview and we.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Talked to him yesterday.
Speaker 7 (29:30):
It comes out today, and he's one of my favorite
guys to talk to. He's a guys guy. You want
him leading your offense. You want to go have a
beer with the guy. He's funny, he'll make you laugh,
he can get serious. He genuinely cares about his teammates.
And I think you see all that through the interview.
And one of my favorite questions that I got to
(29:52):
ask him, I just said, has anybody reminded you that
the last two coordinators you had in Tampa are now coaches?
I mean, you got those guys a lot of money.
He did, Dave can Allis and Liam Cohen. Those are
two head coaches now in the NFL. I said, do
you get any Christmas gifts? Do you get a holiday card?
Are they send any wine? Cigars? Something? And he goes,
(30:15):
you know, that's a good point. I don't think they are.
I said, well, don't forget about that, buddy, Yeah, don't
forget about that, because you're putting people on the map,
and when people around you are doing well, that obviously
says something about your own performance.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
So Baker's having a heck of the year.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
So I think ten years ago, if you didn't have
a good first run, there weren't as many great offensive
coaches around in the league and your career could be over.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
It was brutal.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
But we're seeing Gino and Sam and Baker, and I
gotta be honest, Mac Jones, we needed he'd been buried,
and I'm like, oh, yeah, he did make a Pro Bowl.
You got tape. I'll be honest. I when I watched
them at New Orleans, I'm like, they're asking him to
throw forty times. They're not like handing the ball off.
(31:02):
Are you surprised by him?
Speaker 7 (31:04):
I really was surprised by that approach in New Orleans.
But they just couldn't get the run game established. That's
a really tough stout New Orleans front. They've been built
on stopping the run for a long time now and
that doesn't look like it's changing. So that was kind
of the game plan to go win the game. But
I'm pretty sure he was the offensive rookie of the year,
(31:25):
I want to say in New England, but either way,
they asked him to do a lot. He gets banged
up in the last game against Arizona and for the
viewers who didn't see this game, it was just a
rock fight back and forth.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
It's like six to six.
Speaker 7 (31:41):
The teams are trading field goals and we're in the
booth like, oh man, that'd be nice if a football
game decided to break out here.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
And all of a sudden it did.
Speaker 7 (31:50):
It just exploded in the last quarter and a half
of the game. But one of the big plays, the
biggest play of the game from scrimmage at thirty four
yard reception from Ricky Piersoll, who's really emerged for this
team yea for the forty nine ers as a receiver.
You gotta watch this. I mean it doesn't look like
much from the jump. Okay, ho home, nice throw whatever, Colin.
(32:13):
This is fourth and two. Okay, fourth and two. Look
at the quarterback in the center, normally the center brendle.
He's usually at the apex of the flying V. Right,
he's usually upfront, touching the ball first, getting everybody set up,
you know, pointing out the mic. So something's fishy here,
(32:34):
something's off, and watch what they do.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Key Troll. Clark's playing corner.
Speaker 7 (32:38):
He's rotating in and out, back and forth throughout this
game and as soon as the center touches the ball,
it's a quick snap. It's like a sucker snap, almost
like a sucker punch, and as soon as his fingertips
touch it, he just throws it to mac Jones. That's
why he waited so long to let everybody gets set up.
Key Troll Clark is out of position. Mac Jones realizes
(32:59):
this safety is got to fly over and help over
the top. I got one on one on the outside.
Let me just drop this thing in a red solo
cup like I'm at a carnival. I mean, this is
unbelievable by Ricky Pearsall also because there's two ways to
go on this and mac Jones has to throw a
perfect ball. He underthrows it a hair just slightly, and
(33:20):
Ricky Piersall does a little David Tyree off the helmet
and catches this football.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I mean, asking him to do that on a fourth
and two. And I don't know if he noticed.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
He's also wearing a knee brace because he got hurt
the drive before.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
He missed.
Speaker 7 (33:35):
He almost missed a handoff trying to stretch the ball
that's supposed to go outside to McCaffrey the drive before
because his knees all messed up, and then he pulls
off this trick shot on fourth and two. So yes,
he went home with the plushy and he went home
with a million tickets from the fair because this one
basically changed the course of the game and ended up
(33:57):
helping him win. The job of a backup quarterback is
to go in and win half your starts. He had
two starts, he won them both. So I love where
mac Jones is at. Now it's hey, are we looking
to trade this guy? Do we go get Hendrickson and
replace Bosa on our team and send mac Jones to
the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
I'm just trying to figure out something there because that
defense needs a little help now that Bosa's gone.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
And by the way, that game is a classic example
of how basically they got a safety, Arizona got the
ball picked up a first down. How did at midfield
I thought the game was over. I was like, okay,
it's over and boom. It's amazing this league so many
games were to sign up by a single play in
the last two and a half minutes.
Speaker 7 (34:44):
Also, think about this, find somebody in the stats department
to look this one up. But They won Arizona one
time at possession, they won rushing attempts plus completions, they
won the turnover battle, and they outrun rushed San Francisco.
It is so hard to lose a game when you
(35:06):
check all those boxes as a team, it's nearly impossible.
I'd like to say it's less than five percent chance,
but I want somebody in stats to figure that one out.
That's way above my pay grade.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Yeah, green Bay, same thing, had it one suddenly they
did it. It takes all bad. It's just the NFL.
Mark Sandez is always buddy, great stuff.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at
Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every
day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio
or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Here we go. It is a Wednesday, and we have
got a lot to talk about live. It's Chicago, and
it is the Herd. Wherever you may be and however
you may be listening, Thanks for making us part of
your day. You got a lot of choices out there.
Joel Klatt in one hour, Huge Huge College Football Weekend.
(00:50):
I like the Buck Guys by ten Oregon, Slide, upset,
usc comfortable, Jamat. I want to start with something today.
We don't until we get to October. We don't lead
with a lot of baseball. Baseball regular seasons are long,
but last night my childhood favorite, the Seattle Mariners, clinched
(01:12):
the playoff spot, and they've got some interesting components. But
Rob Manfred and a lot of people in baseball have
been worried about baseball. The payroll gap is scary, and
I do believe the payroll gap matters in the regular season,
but once you get to the playoffs, you don't know
what's going to happen. No sport is weirder and quirkier
(01:35):
than Major League Baseball. It's been a great year for
the sport. The three hundred and fifty million dollar payroll
Mets are battling the one hundred and nineteen million dollar
payroll Cincinnati Reds for a playoff spot. The Mega money Train.
The La Dodgers blew another game last night. Yeah, Otani
(01:55):
was great, and then he leaves and the Dodgers blow
another game. It's been that kind of year, and that's
what money doesn't buy you health. They've got a bad bullpen.
It blew another game last night. Mookie Bett started the
season very poorly. He had a sickness. He's been good
in September, but they've dealt with a lot of injuries,
mow money Mo problems. They're on track for their worst
(02:19):
record in six years. For the record, the small market
Brewers I think win the World Series. Small market San
Diego has an unbelievable bullpen and plenty of big time sticks.
The American Lead League Division leaders are the Mariners, Cleveland
and Toronto. Yet the fear mongering once again prevails, whether
(02:42):
it's the nil for college football, AI in business, or
big payrolls in baseball. So many people are neurotic, anxiety
filled fatalists. Take a deep breath. It's gonna be okay.
Even my Mariners. They've got Cal Rawley, so they had
a lot of home runs, meaning they don't have to
manufacture rallies. If they do fall behind, they score quickly.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
The Mariners do.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
They've got a great closer if they have a lead
late Andres Muno's and they had the best rotation er
in baseball last year and it's still good this year.
The Seattle Mariners, believe it or not, could win the
World Series. Yes they could. What's true in sports always
is that money never ever decides everything. For the million
(03:29):
straight year in a row, the Jets and Giants stink
in New York and the Packers are good. Remember fans
freaking out when Luca ended up with the Lakers. Yeah,
they got eliminated in the first round. Small market OKC
beat small market Indiana in the finals. Put your phones down.
It's exhausting. The world's not going to end except for
(03:53):
the Dodgers. Yeah, I can't, I can't. I have to
be honest about the Dodgers. They're bullpen stinks, they brew,
blew another lead, Otani's amazing, Mookie's hitting, and they can't
close out games they should win. And my number one
rule in baseball is, can't win a World Series with
an awful bullpen. Here's Dave Roberts. Yeah, I'm not gonna
(04:13):
lie Dodgers in trouble.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
These are our guys. I do know that.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I just see just careful, the getting behind, the walking guys,
hit batsman. That's just a sign of you're either scared
or you're pitching too careful. And that's the that's just
the facts. When you pitch behind and afraid to make
a mistake, hang a break and ball, you know, that's
(04:40):
when bad things happen.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So the division leaders currently have the fifth biggest payroll,
the twenty fifth, the fifteenth, the twenty third, the fourth,
and the Dodgers are number one, but they can't close
out games despite having a payroll, which they could face
in the first round. The Mets, with a three hundred
(05:04):
and forty million dollar payroll, so one of them could
potentially get bounced. As the small market Padres and Brewers
and Mariners and Guardians and Canada's best Toronto watch on happily.
It's all gonna be okay, NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball.
(05:25):
I said this two months ago. Medium and small markets
are kicking arse. I believe the World Series will be
the Brewers beating the Mariners in six. Go ahead, J
Mac roll your eyes. Cal Rawley's getting there. Muno's closing
them out. But they'll meet their match. Okay. So Kevin
(05:46):
O'Connell's a great coach, he said, tap the brakes on
a quick return for J. J. McCarthy. So the Vikings
face the Steelers. It's in Dublin, Ireland. My belief is basically,
start the quarterback against the Steelers or any team that
(06:10):
helps you win the game Sunday, NFL, not for long,
win the game Sunday. Start the quarterback that wins you
the game. And as I said last week before, he
looked really good. Carson Wentz today is better than JJ
McCarthy today. He's been in the NFL ten years. I
think he's been on six teams in six years. He's
seen every defense. He's a big athlete with a big arm,
(06:33):
doesn't move like he used to, but he's a good
player and the Vikings are built to win today. Brian
floresh to me is the best defensive coordinator in football,
and he has transformed that defense. And he could get
a head coaching job next year or the one after.
And Carson Wentz wasn't that long ago in Indianapolis twenty
seven touchdown, seven picks, and Chris Ballard loved him, and
(06:53):
the owner of the late great Jim Ersay said get
him out of here. He lost with the Jags in
the final week, but they had Jonathan Taylor who was
a Pro Bowl Michael Pittman out one thousand yards and
they had a pretty good offensive line in twenty seventeen.
And I know that's a while ago, but it's not
that long ago. He had thirty three touchdowns and seven
picks before he got hurt, and again they had a
very good roster. So like it is for most NFL quarterbacks,
(07:15):
with Carson Wentz, he's as good as his support staff.
He's not Josh Allen, he's not Lamar, he's not Mahomes.
He's not Burrough, but he's a big, strong athlete who Philadelphia, Minnesota.
When he's got good players around him, you can win
a lot of games with Carson Wentz and JJ McCarthy
at this point, and I think I'm being fair, doesn't
(07:37):
really know yet what to do in the NFL. He
looks overwhelmed. He looks overwhelmed, and this is bad luck.
He got hurt again. So this is not college football.
There's no big donor to guarantee you get snaps. Some
young quarterbacks fall into Sean Payton, some get Brandon Staley.
It's not fair. What do the Vikings, Oh, JJ McCarthy, Well,
(07:58):
they gave up. They gave up a fourth round pick
and a fifth round pick to move up to get him.
I mean San Francisco with Trey Lance, gave up three
first rounders and went, oops, we're gonna go with Brock Ferdy.
I mean, the best business advice I've ever been given
in my life by far. When I started my company,
the volume I called, I emailed like Mark Cuban and
(08:18):
Peter Shernan, really smart guys and they, you know, in
their busy life. I sent emails text to people I
knew and everybody gave me the same advice. I mean
literally the same advice. Whatever works immediately, doubled down on it,
and what doesn't bail on it. Don't try to validate
your earlier choices. Amazon doesn't look like the company that
(08:41):
was formed either it does, Oracle or Google. Don't fall
in love with your draft picks. You can tell often
in camp, Oh that didn't look good. He's smaller than
I thought. He doesn't have a lot of toughness. Man,
he's got a bad temper. Stuff is unveiled in camp
first starts and again. Some guys fall into Sean Payton.
(09:04):
Some fall into defensive coaches who don't have a feel
for offense. So it's nothing against JJ McCarthy. He may
develop into something great. But my take in is Carson
Wentz with Kevin O'Connell's coaching, a great left tackle, solid
run game, unbelievable wide receiver talent, good tight end, great
(09:25):
home field advantage, excellent defensive coordinator. I mean, Carson Wentz
and Kevin O'Connell can win a lot of games. So
let's let it play out. Here's Greg Olsen yesterday on
what to do with Wentz and Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I'm not sure there is a coach in the league,
a head coach for sure, or an offensive coordinator who
gets the most out of their quarterback within their system
and blends the idea of play caller quarterback whisper confidant
mentor he has such a unique quality where yes he
has the x's and o's, yes he has the schematic advantage,
(10:03):
but it's all the other stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yeah. I actually J McK and I agree on this.
Minnesota is the play, as you knock down at Guinness
if you're over in Dublin, Minnesota is the play this weekend.
One of the better, one of the better plays on
the board in my opinion.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Yeah, I totally agree. They'll they'll going to destroy Aaron Rodgers.
But a quick point on your Wentz versus McCarthy thing.
A Vikings buddy of mine said, Hey, you got to
tell Colin. One huge difference that Wentz had that McCarthy didn't,
and that's left tackle Christian darrisol. He missed the first
two games. I know he played against the Bengals. Twenty
one steps allowed, one pressure. He's borderlining lead.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I don't know the top three. I am fully aware
of that, I know, but I'll be honest with you.
In this league, there is no perfect roster. That's why
I said about brock Perty. He doesn't. He's not as
good about Christian McCaffrey. Well, Christian McCaffrey gets hurt. So
you have to be good despite not having a star
running back. So, by the way, Najee Harris is out
(11:07):
with Justin Herbert, Rashaun Slater's out the Pro Bowl. Left tackle.
Herbert's having his best year. Ye, people can always say,
well the left height make plays. I don't care about it.
Make plays.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Herbert is a fifth year superstar in this league. Top
six quarterback. JJ McCarthy's got two stars. We need to
give the kid a chance. And I'm just I know,
I'm all in, and it's maybe a bad move by me. Listen,
I've been wrong before.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Her show does not cancel culture quarterbacks. I'm not say
All I'm saying is I said before the show. I
said it Friday, you are here, I said Carson Wentz
today is better than JJ McCarthy. However, whatever it takes
to get JJ McCarthy to be in the same ballpark
as Jared Goff or Jordan Love because those are the
(11:52):
guys in your division. This team is built to win now,
and it's not fair. But Carson wentz with this group,
I think could go toe to toe with Jane and
there wouldn't be a massive gap. Although Jordan loves better.
What I saw seven of the eight quarters with McCarthy,
the gap between him and Golf or him and Jordan
love feels like a sizeable, noticeable separation. So you gotta
(12:14):
you have to play who wins Sunday.
Speaker 6 (12:17):
Yeah, you're right, I mean, but to win now, Remember
McCarthy on the rookie deal only in year two. They
still have two more summers where they can load up
the roster, So I don't know that win now, like
right this season, I would go back to McCarthy when
he's healthy. But yeah, I do feel I'm concerned that
I'm so committed to this guy. He's not Mahomes versus
(12:38):
Alex Smith. That's not what we're dealing with here, Nobody.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
I appreciate the revelation that he's not Mahomes. I certainly
appreciate him for a year, but injured, I'm not rooting.
I don't root against quarterbacks. Let me, let's be honest.
I like c. J. Stroud when he was good two
years ago. I liked watching the Texans. They're unwatchable now
because they can't pick up first downs, they can't block.
Like I'm rooting for all young quresuterbacks. People that you're
(13:01):
rooting to be right. I want Baker Mayfield to succeed.
I think I was right early. He's great now. I
want them all to succeed. Nothing worse than the one
o'clock window in October with two awful quarterbacks and I'm
forced to watch it because it's my job. I'm rooting
for good quarterback play.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Period.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
When I watch college games this weekend, I'll get Ohio
State Washington. The quarterback play will be good. Drew Aller
against Dante More Penn State and Oregon excellent two pro quarterbacks.
I like watching really good quarterback play. It is hard
to watch, you know. I thought Michigan Nebraska this weekend.
I don't know one of them is going to be
in the NFL. But when an offense struggles, it's usually
(13:43):
a bad quarterback in college or pro. So I root
for all of them to eventually succeed. We got Joel
Klatt coming up. I'm so excited for my Mariners. I'm
not loyal. I bailed on him for fifteen years. I'm
not saying I'm loyal, but I'm excited for him.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and new non a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (14:06):
Hey, we're Covino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern. But here's the thing. We
never have enough time to get to everything we want
to get.
Speaker 9 (14:14):
To, and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.
Speaker 8 (14:27):
Yeah, you blubber Liam in me.
Speaker 10 (14:29):
Well you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 9 (14:33):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 10 (14:47):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promised and also Uncensored, by
the way, so maybe we'll go at it even.
Speaker 7 (14:53):
A little harder.
Speaker 8 (14:54):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
Speaker 9 (14:57):
There you go, over promising, and remember you could see
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen Over Promised with
Cavino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
There are no perfect teams in the NFL. The Eagles
are about as close as you can get. But some
of these teams have massive holes. And my take is
if you've got a star quarterback like Matt Stafford and
he's old, yeah, you need to fix the hole. So
we're gonna play panic or patience. Are you ready to go?
I think so yes. All right, let's play this for
(15:29):
four or five minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
All right, So Colin war to Baltimore Ravens. They got
embarrassed by the Lions. They're thirty first in scoring defense. Yeah,
should the Ravens be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
I think they have to make a move at the
trade deadline. You watched Detroit run all over them. Well,
who's their big rival in the AFC, Kansas City and
Baltimore and Buffalo. James Cook and Buffalo can run and
keep the ball away from Lamar Jackson. This is a
great offense, but you watch Lamar jacks on the sidelines
(16:02):
against the Lions. That's what Buffalo has the ability to
do with their James Cook led run game and their
excellent tight ends. I think they have to make a
defensive move at the trade deadline and give up something
on offense. All right, let's go to the Chiefs.
Speaker 6 (16:17):
Their offense is a Niemik twenty first in scoring Colin.
Should the Chiefs be panicked or patient panic?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Because this is Travis Kelsey's last year and they don't
really have a receiving core to build a round, So
don't waste mahomes talent right now.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
They have no run game.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Kelsey last year, cross your fingers on the maturity of
she Rice. So I think they have to look strongly
at Tyreek Hill again. Is it a one year deal,
But this is Travis's last year. He will be in
the biggest games ready to roll and block, which he
wasn't early in this season. I think you need to
make a move at the trade deadline. Okay, Pittsburgh Steelers.
(16:58):
They spent all that.
Speaker 6 (16:59):
Money on defense thirty first against the run Colin Should
the Steelers be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
I would be more in the panic mode. I think
this is Aaron Rodgers last year. There is no guarantee
you get a quarterback as good as Aaron Rodgers next year.
The o line is inexplicably bad again. Najie Harris is gone.
Caleb Johnson could be a miss, could be a whiff.
If you didn't go get Aaron Rodgers for a three
(17:25):
year plan, it was a one year plan. Fix the
offensive line, go get a very good running back on
a bad team at the trade deadline.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
Both of us like the Bills to win the Super Bowl. However,
after three games there last in rush defense. Now some
of that is Derek Henry and Lamar.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
In the opener.
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Should the Bills be panicked or patient?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
I think they need to make a move defensively, they
are terrible on third down and by the way, the
best teams in this league Eagles, Lions, Ravens, Rams, some
of the best teams. They all have excellent run games. Again,
when you have a star quarterback, how do you lose.
He is like Lamar Jackson watching the game from a bench.
I think Buffalo, maybe they move one of their They
(18:09):
have three really good tight ends. Could they move a
tight end to get an interior defensive lineman, give up
a good tight end and a draft pick. I think
they need to make a move.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
All right, your boy, bo Nicks, we need to have
a real conversation eventually. He's got an eighty three point
four passer rating, lowest graded starter among PFF quarterbacks. Should
the Broncos be panic their patient patients?
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Here's their upcoming schedule Bengals, Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Texans, Raiders.
He's going to have a ninety eight to one hundred
and three passer rating. He's going to be just fine.
Tough early schedule for the record struggled last year in September.
Take a deep breath, have patience.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
Saekwon Barkley, I mean, Colin. They're three to zero, but
he has not gotten off to a good start. Panic
or patient over SAQ one patients.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
The Eagles have a hundred and thirty plus rushing yards
in every game. Remember, look at all his touches last year.
Look at all his touches so take a deep breath.
I think, you know, need to buy a week. Could
they rest him for a week against an easier opponent.
They'll be fine, But I do think there's a little
fatigue from last year's heavy workload. For sure, Packers lost
(19:22):
to the Browns. Panicked or patients patients. The brown scoring
drives were four yards and sixteen they were on the road.
Jordan Love threw his first bad pick in about ten games.
This is a great team that had a bad Sunday
and really a bad fourth quarter. Green Bay is fine.
Speaker 6 (19:43):
Rams gagaway a huge lead against the Eagles.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Just a collapse. Should they be panicked or patient? A
little panic here. AJ Brown is a problem. They don't
have size at the cornerback position. And by the way,
they have not drafted in the second outside of safety
Cameron Kitchens. They have not selected anybody in the backfield
(20:06):
in the in five years. In the first three rounds,
they have kind of neglected this position. They should have
gone after it. I think last year in the draft
they did not go get a top corner. So they've
got a lot of a smaller middle late round defensive
backs and you know Amaran Saint Brown. AJ Brown Mike Evans,
(20:26):
Justin Jefferson. A lot of these teams in the NFC
have a big, tall rangye number one receiver. I think
at the trade deadline they got to give up a
pick and go get a top corner. Finally, CJ. Stroud,
he stinks. Should the Texans be panicked or patient patients?
First of all, their own line the last two years
is arguably the worst in the league. Joe Mixon's hurt,
(20:48):
so they have no run game. So I mean, listen,
like most young quarterbacks, it's circumstantial. He's very good early
when his first year he had a good old line,
healthy receivers. They've had massive offensive injury. He has still
world class precision. Take a deep breath on Bonix and
c J. Stroud the Green Bay Packers take a deep breath,
(21:10):
But there are some really good like Buffalo. The way
to beat them is the way Detroit beat Lamar Jackson.
I would give up one of my tight ends and
a draft pick to fix the interior of my d line.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week. Within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like, well.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
This would be good stuff. A decade in the NFL,
four and two career playoff record, he's become a great
broadcaster for US at Fox Sports. Mark Sanchez is now
joining US live as he often does on Wednesday or Thursday.
He's got the Jags Niners. We'll get to that in
a second. I'm going to start you covered Jackson Dark
gets his first start. You covered him in the preseason.
So what are realistic expectations. I don't even know if
(22:00):
their left tackle Andrew Thomas will be healthy. That would
worry me. What are realistic expectations for Jackson?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Yeah? I think that's the way to frame this entire game.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
Making a start against the top ten passing defense and
Jesse mentor this defensive coordinator for the Chargers, he's got
his team dialed, and so I would expect early completions,
some slants, some screens, some play actions to build his rhythm.
And don't forget, his mobility is legit and often underrated.
(22:30):
He plays a lot faster than he might look on tape.
So i'd expect some of those design runs that he's
already come in and used these first couple of games
when they've subbed out Russell Wilson to get him in
to get some experience. But this Giants offense has its
fair share of struggles, especially if you don't have your
left tackle, especially with all the turmoil in the receiver room.
(22:53):
I'd expect I'm not expecting him to win the game.
I'm just expecting him to get his feet wet and
most importantly, you know, stack some completions and protect the
football is really all I'd like to see from him
this week.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Justin Herbert was good last year. He is different this year,
and that's having lost a really good left tackle. What's different?
What are you seeing that's different? And maybe game planning scheming,
something feels different.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
I think last year they really emphasize that run first
culture and we're going to pound the rock.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
We're going to be ground and pound, which is.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Fine, and they only allow, you know, I think you
through with all like twenty one times a game through
his first three games. Now he's thrown at like thirty
eight pass attempts a game, and he's showing this offense
really is built on his arm. He's got you know,
over seventy percent completions seven touchdowns, So they're leaning on him,
(23:49):
and he's playing the most confident I've ever seen him play.
He's decisive, and then you get the splash plays that
we used to get, even when he first took the
field as a rookie, when they weren't even expecting.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Him to play all those years ago.
Speaker 7 (24:04):
You still see the plays they played, rolling to the left,
you know, arm, you know, kind of halfway three quarter
side arm around a player to his guy in the
end zone. I mean, there's not many humans on the
planet who can even come close to executing that throw.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
So he's he's in rare form right now.
Speaker 7 (24:24):
And you know, the rushing attack has kind of taken
a backseat, and everything flows through the quarterback.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
As you know, the opinion of a quarterback in this
league can change with a bad half. It's unfair. But
you know, the media is loud. It's the one sport
in America everybody watches. I always like Carson Wentz and
then the late great Jim Rsay he had a bad
game in Jacksonville and said get him out of here,
and it's like time out. He had twenty seven touchdowns
(24:53):
something bigs. It was really really good. And in Philadelphia
he got hurt. He was going to be MVP. I
could pull him out. I think right now today I
couldn't pull him out if I was the Vikings.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
What say you, Well, the biggest stat that I saw
and I had to look at my phone for this
because this came up in a group chat. But the
Minnesota Vikings are fifteen and three when Kevin O'Connell has
a ginger starting at quarterback. So eighty three point three
three percent, that's all I know. But on a serious note,
(25:25):
you know he provides stability. Well, JJ McCarthy is developing
and coming back from an injury. You know, he just
kept it steady. And Kevin O'Connell clearly knows how to
communicate with this quarterback.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
He gives you, you know, your.
Speaker 7 (25:40):
Expectations, his expectations, finds a way to merge the two.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
And I don't think.
Speaker 7 (25:46):
You know, Kevin made the comment in his press conference said, hey,
you know, as soon as JJ's healthy, it's not just okay,
he's gonna he's playing tomorrow. I think if Wentz keeps winning,
there's no reason to pull him. And it's really about
the timing of McCarthy's transition and reassimilation back as the starter.
But as long as this guy's playing well. I got
(26:07):
no issues with number eleven starting for the Vikings.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
I always like Sam Darnold. I think you did too,
But I do think I said this. I think Sam
needs structure. I think his DNA he's a little reckless,
so he does need structure. Like we're gonna throw it
twenty eight times, We're gonna lean on that run game,
and that's not a knock outside of Josh Allen, the
whole world does. So. I like what Seattle has created
(26:34):
for him.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
What do you see? Well, I think you're exactly right.
Speaker 7 (26:39):
I think he's right around the twenty nine to thirty
ish number of attempts per game, a lot more towards
the later half of last year when he was in
Minnesota starting for the Vikings. But that's okay. They have
a two headed rushing attack in Zach Charboney and Kenneth Walker.
Their offensive line is still starting to gel, and especially
those interior guys. Remember they've gone through some turnover at
(27:02):
the center position and then some young guards really stepping in.
So the easiest thing to get continuity for your offensive
lineman is to let him fire off the ball and
establish the run game. Now Sam knows how to get
in and out of good runs. And if there's no
way to run the ball, he's going to find a quick,
easy throw. And oh, by the way, he's got a
(27:23):
heck of a slot receiver in Jackson.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Smith and Jaco.
Speaker 7 (27:25):
This guy, Yeah, he's turned into an absolute superstar.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
And you saw it in college.
Speaker 7 (27:31):
You saw it flashes of it a little bit as
a rookie. Remember he started his rookie year he broke
his wrist and just wasn't quite sure, didn't quite get
his footing. And then last year and especially this year,
he's absolutely exploded. And then you see big Leonard Williams.
I mean, just add him to the list of New
York Giants that suddenly leave the New York Giants and
(27:52):
then become superstars somewhere else. It's don't forget about my
man Danny Dimes. He's balling out too in Indy. We
got those guys in a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Yep. So we'll get to the Jags Niners game. I
like San Francisco in that one, you know, when quarterbacks
come out. Mark Mark Sanchez for our radio audience, I
usually have a comp okay, who is he I thought,
I thought Sam Donald came out, I said, he's not
Andrew Luck, but he's a little Andrew Lucky's big, he's tough,
he can be a little reckless, but he's a playmaker.
(28:23):
I never had one for Baker. I thought he was
a little cocky, he was a little emotional. I didn't
really he was like, I don't know what he is,
and here he is all these years later and I'm
genuinely happy crushing it.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
What do you make of his development? Well, just add
him to the list.
Speaker 7 (28:41):
Daniel Jones, Sam Donald, Carson Wentz, all these guys who
end up in other places, and they still have plenty
of tread left on the tires.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
They just got to get to the right fit.
Speaker 7 (28:52):
And I think we're realizing that the fit in the
scheme is more important than the slot.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
And so he's playing so well.
Speaker 7 (29:04):
He's got that fire and intensity that he plays with.
You know, maybe early on people thought always just cocky,
always just a young kid. He's Immature's this that's truly
his authentic self. He is an absolute psycho on the field,
and he has to temper that a little bit.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
We actually had him on.
Speaker 7 (29:23):
Our show on Rearview NFL and Fox Presents Rearview and we.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Talked to him yesterday.
Speaker 7 (29:30):
It comes out today, and he's one of my favorite
guys to talk to. He's a guys guy. You want
him leading your offense. You want to go have a
beer with the guy. He's funny, he'll make you laugh,
he can get serious. He genuinely cares about his teammates.
And I think you see all that through the interview.
And one of my favorite questions that I got to
(29:52):
ask him, I just said, has anybody reminded you that
the last two coordinators you had in Tampa are now coaches?
I mean, you got those guys a lot of money.
He did, Dave can Allis and Liam Cohen. Those are
two head coaches now in the NFL. I said, do
you get any Christmas gifts? Do you get a holiday card?
Are they send any wine? Cigars? Something? And he goes,
(30:15):
you know, that's a good point. I don't think they are.
I said, well, don't forget about that, buddy, Yeah, don't
forget about that, because you're putting people on the map,
and when people around you are doing well, that obviously
says something about your own performance.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
So Baker's having a heck of the year.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
So I think ten years ago, if you didn't have
a good first run, there weren't as many great offensive
coaches around in the league and your career could be over.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
It was brutal.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
But we're seeing Gino and Sam and Baker, and I
gotta be honest, Mac Jones, we needed he'd been buried,
and I'm like, oh, yeah, he did make a Pro Bowl.
You got tape. I'll be honest. I when I watched
them at New Orleans, I'm like, they're asking him to
throw forty times. They're not like handing the ball off.
(31:02):
Are you surprised by him?
Speaker 7 (31:04):
I really was surprised by that approach in New Orleans.
But they just couldn't get the run game established. That's
a really tough stout New Orleans front. They've been built
on stopping the run for a long time now and
that doesn't look like it's changing. So that was kind
of the game plan to go win the game. But
I'm pretty sure he was the offensive rookie of the year,
(31:25):
I want to say in New England, but either way,
they asked him to do a lot. He gets banged
up in the last game against Arizona and for the
viewers who didn't see this game, it was just a
rock fight back and forth.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
It's like six to six.
Speaker 7 (31:41):
The teams are trading field goals and we're in the
booth like, oh man, that'd be nice if a football
game decided to break out here.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
And all of a sudden it did.
Speaker 7 (31:50):
It just exploded in the last quarter and a half
of the game. But one of the big plays, the
biggest play of the game from scrimmage at thirty four
yard reception from Ricky Piersoll, who's really emerged for this
team yea for the forty nine ers as a receiver.
You gotta watch this. I mean it doesn't look like
much from the jump. Okay, ho home, nice throw whatever, Colin.
(32:13):
This is fourth and two. Okay, fourth and two. Look
at the quarterback in the center, normally the center brendle.
He's usually at the apex of the flying V. Right,
he's usually upfront, touching the ball first, getting everybody set up,
you know, pointing out the mic. So something's fishy here,
(32:34):
something's off, and watch what they do.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
Key Troll. Clark's playing corner.
Speaker 7 (32:38):
He's rotating in and out, back and forth throughout this
game and as soon as the center touches the ball,
it's a quick snap. It's like a sucker snap, almost
like a sucker punch, and as soon as his fingertips
touch it, he just throws it to mac Jones. That's
why he waited so long to let everybody gets set up.
Key Troll Clark is out of position. Mac Jones realizes
(32:59):
this safety is got to fly over and help over
the top. I got one on one on the outside.
Let me just drop this thing in a red solo
cup like I'm at a carnival. I mean, this is
unbelievable by Ricky Pearsall also because there's two ways to
go on this and mac Jones has to throw a
perfect ball. He underthrows it a hair just slightly, and
(33:20):
Ricky Piersall does a little David Tyree off the helmet
and catches this football.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
I mean, asking him to do that on a fourth
and two. And I don't know if he noticed.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
He's also wearing a knee brace because he got hurt
the drive before.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
He missed.
Speaker 7 (33:35):
He almost missed a handoff trying to stretch the ball
that's supposed to go outside to McCaffrey the drive before
because his knees all messed up, and then he pulls
off this trick shot on fourth and two. So yes,
he went home with the plushy and he went home
with a million tickets from the fair because this one
basically changed the course of the game and ended up
(33:57):
helping him win. The job of a backup quarterback is
to go in and win half your starts. He had
two starts, he won them both. So I love where
mac Jones is at. Now it's hey, are we looking
to trade this guy? Do we go get Hendrickson and
replace Bosa on our team and send mac Jones to
the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (34:17):
I'm just trying to figure out something there because that
defense needs a little help now that Bosa's gone.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
And by the way, that game is a classic example
of how basically they got a safety, Arizona got the
ball picked up a first down. How did at midfield
I thought the game was over. I was like, okay,
it's over and boom. It's amazing this league so many
games were to sign up by a single play in
the last two and a half minutes.
Speaker 7 (34:44):
Also, think about this, find somebody in the stats department
to look this one up. But They won Arizona one
time at possession, they won rushing attempts plus completions, they
won the turnover battle, and they outrun rushed San Francisco.
It is so hard to lose a game when you
(35:06):
check all those boxes as a team, it's nearly impossible.
I'd like to say it's less than five percent chance,
but I want somebody in stats to figure that one out.
That's way above my pay grade.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Yeah, green Bay, same thing, had it one suddenly they
did it. It takes all bad. It's just the NFL.
Mark Sandez is always buddy, great stuff.
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