December 26, 2025 • 31 mins
Colin Cowherd discusses the Broncos improving to 13-3 on the season after a narrow win over the Chiefs and pushes back against the criticisms that Denver can only win close games.
He shares his Blazing 5 NFL picks for week 16 of the season:
- Texans at Chargers
- Seahawks at Panthers
- Eagles at Bills
- Bears at 49ers
- Cardinals at Bengals
Plus, NFL reporter Albert Breer joins the show to provide the latest on the reported issues between Lamar Jackson and the Ravens organization and what's next for the Lions who missed out on the playoffs after last year's 15-win season.
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
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 cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Oh we got a good Friday show Blazing five and
on a bit of a run this year. One hour
from now, we're live. It's Chicago, it's warming up. I
make it on the board shorts today. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
(00:49):
for making us part of your day.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
JMC.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I hope you had a great Christmas with a fan.
I certainly did. Snoop Dog was the most consistent top
performer yesterday. In the end, sorry to say, wait to
go Snoop DOGG and crew. That was awesome. But I
think it's interesting and there's you know, at this point
in the year, we know what all these teams are.
(01:13):
And you can keep telling me Denver's not good, but
this is not figure skating it's football. I don't need
style points. They were great on third down. They dominate
time of possession.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
RJ.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Harvey delivers, so is bone Knicks. Basically, Kansas City said,
we're not giving you anything over the top. We're going
to make it long, slow, boring drives, and that's what
they did. Sean Payton knows what he's doing. A lot
of guys, a lot of GMS, GMS didn't like bow Knicks.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Sean Payton loved him.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
He's now twenty three and ten is a pro playoffs
both years, first quarterback ever ever league history ever, ten
plus wins, thirty plus total touchdowns, first two years in
the league, and he leads the NFL and pass attempts
the last two years. So they're putting everything on him.
No baby sitting like early Big Ben. And then there's RJ.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Harvey. RJ Harvey. Last year everybody said that's a reach.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
They shouldn't be a high draft pick.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
RJ. Harvey.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
The dude's got only four fewer touchdowns than Christian McCaffrey
and two hundred fewer touches. He's a tremendous receiver, tremendous
young player who gets into the end zone. I think
he has like eleven touchdowns. Again, don't worry about the
style points. This is at Arrowhead. It is a division rival,
and you won by a touchdown. You do understand a
(02:33):
touchdown is a big spread. Seattle's a touchdown favored over Carolina.
If they win by a touchdown, are you unimpressed? You
go on the road, division rival, you win, You take it.
Kansas City said we're not giving you anything over the top.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And for the record, in the first game between these two,
bo Nicks made a huge third and fifteen conversion game
winning drive last night, third and ten, huge conversion game drive.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
So you take the touchdown. And here's the other thing.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Is I don't know if Denver is gonna fly through.
I mean, they just got whacked by Jacksonville. Maybe Jacksonville
is the best team in the AFC. Certainly possible, But
the last two years, in the fourth quarter, the most
important quarter in football, Josh Allen leads the NFL in
fourth quarter touchdowns. Bonnicks's second Yeah, I'm gonna say it
(03:27):
was a good draft pick. I'm gonna say RJ. Harvey
was also a good draft pick. I mean, Sean Payton
They had six Pro Bowlers this week. Four of them
were there when Sean got there. He's just squeezing more
juice out of the roster. As far as the Chiefs,
maybe it's maybe it's a you know, Travis Kelsey's last
home game. That's what it sounded like on the broadcast.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
They've been a bit of.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
A sad trombone all year. As we've told you, dynasties
do not fall off a cliff. Generally, the old guys
look old, the old guys get hurt, the young guys
can't bring the energy and juice. Kansas City's one in
eight and one score games. This is kind of how
dynasties end. They're not explosive anymore. But I remember all
I hear as well. I mean it was that game
(04:15):
was close. Yeah, that's the way it works. I mean,
would you rather be Detroit Jared goffaced a backup and
they lost.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
If you win in this league.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Denver's now thirteen and three and will play the Chargers
next week.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
You know, division on the line.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Sean Payton's gonna have his fifth season thirteen or more wins.
I know he drives people nuts. I know he puts
his chin out there, but a lot of people. Most
people did not think bow Knicks was a first round
quarterback or R. J. Harvey was worth the pick. And
here are the Denver Broncos thirteen and three, you know,
(04:59):
thirty team and three I don't know works for me.
Here is bo Nicks on facing the Chargers next week.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
At the end of the day, none of it really
matters because we have to play the final game and
we have to you know, take care of it. And
you know, they're gonna be a good football team. Now,
some other team can help us along the way, but
at the end of the day, it's gonna come down
to us versus them, and we're excited to have them
at home. It's gonna be a you know, a really
(05:31):
good environment. It's gonna be a great atmosphere. And honestly,
it's it's playoff time. It's playoff atmospheres.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
All right.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
So before the season started, okay, we're gonna pat ourselves
in the back, Jamack and I said, every year there's
one really exceptional team in the NFL, and the following
year it goes away. It's like season two of True Detective. Right,
You're like, ah, I love this show and maybe not
(05:58):
so much. So. We both said it would be the
Detroit Lions. They lost two great coordinators. Offensive guy was
brilliant and I'm listening to Lions fans yesterday. Well it's
our offensive line is all beat up. Yeah, well so
is the Chargers and the Texans. Their all lines are worse,
(06:20):
and they've been worse all season, and they're combined twenty
one to nine.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I think Sam Laporta the minute he left with the
O line injuries makes it much harder. But in any business,
and football's of business, to turn around a sinking ship,
you have to self audit. You have to look in
the mirror. This team, Detroit's been lousy on third down
all year. Even when the O line was healthy with
Ben Johnson, they were sharp, innovative and creative. They've tried
(06:49):
to create that movie. Maybe they picked the wrong director.
It doesn't feel sharp and creative. Yes, the offensive line injuries,
especially with Sam Laporta the tight end out too, it hurts. Yeah,
Sam laport is great, but Dan Campbell in week ten
took the play calling duties away from his offensive coordinator.
(07:12):
And just a heads up, guys, if your boss ever
comes to you and goes. You know, Bob, you're doing
a great job, but I'm going to take over your
sales accounts. Start looking for work. It's not just the
offensive line. Detroit was a crisp operation, more creative and innovative.
Dan Campbell had to take over the OC duties. He
(07:35):
didn't want to do that. He is not a scheme guy.
He's a great culture builder, and he lost a brilliant
scheme guy, Ben Johnson. This is very reminiscent of Kyle
Shanahan getting the Niners as the OC to the Super
Bowl and Matt Ryan and MVP Kyle Shanahan left. You
want to know what the Atlanta Falcons record is since
(07:55):
Kyle Shanahan left sixty three and eighty four. It's not
the Falcons old line injuries. Okay, you can, you can
make all the excuse. Find me an offensive line in
this league, in the entire league. Find me an offensive
line that is healthy for seventeen eighteen weeks. I mean,
it's man overboard with the Chargers. Texans old line has
(08:17):
been a mess for two years. They're Hummond. One's doing
it with defense, one's doing it with coaching and quarterback play.
You just gotta find a way when your all lines
beat up again. I think Sam Laporta is a big loss.
But if you look at bet Dan Campbell put it
on the screen with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, he's thirty
(08:40):
six and fifteen, thirty six and fifteen. If you look
at Dan Campbell without Ben Johnson, eleven twenty one and
one a touchdown less. So I would argue the Lions
peaked in week two when they beat very good Chicago,
but is much better today than they were in week two.
(09:04):
They beat on up on bad teams. The Lions are
beat up on bad teams. They haven't really beaten good
teams sometimes like the Rams that get close. But it's
just they're just not as crisp. They're just not as innovative.
I mean, and again, I'm not blaming anybody. I'm saying,
when you lose Kyle Shanahan is OC, Matt Ryan didn't
(09:24):
look the same. When you lose Ben Johnson, you don't
look the same. Here's Dan Campbell. They're out of the
playoffs officially.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
After the loss, I'm gonna be looking at a lot
of things.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
Because I do not like being home for the playoffs,
and I know our guys don't either, so you know,
and there again, whenever you lose, man, it takes a
village man. Everybody's involved, including myself, you know, So I'm
always gonna look at myself first. You know, I'm always
(09:58):
gonna wish I would have given golf. Weren't giving those players.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
More good news, very good front office draft. Well you
get that great safety back. Laporta back means it's not
all doom and gloom. I mean, you've really got an infrastructure,
a culture creator. But when you have the culture creators,
(10:21):
they are very and much more reliant on offensive coordinators.
Vrabel is a great culture builder. First thing he did,
get Josh McDaniels, get the great OC, the scheme guy,
and it works. So yeah, the O line stuff, it's
not perfect. Laporta is a huge loss. But there's bad
old lines all over this league. I mean, the Chargers
(10:44):
is the worst thirty second for most of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Texans is bad. They're gonna make the playoffs again.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
App Pauly Who's going with Tony Fusco. Yeah, as everybody knows,
we're the hosts of the award winning Poly and Toni
Fousco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling you how
great we are, here's how Dan Packrick described us when
he came on our show.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.
Speaker 7 (11:14):
What what are you doing?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
We were interrupting our promo.
Speaker 7 (11:17):
Yeah, you wasn't talking about you.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
You took those clips totally of context.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Oh yeah, well after this promo, I'm gonna take you
out and beat you.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Let me put this into context.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Shut up.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
Yeah, anyway, just listen to the Paully and Toni Fusco
Show on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yee, let's blaze it up.
Speaker 7 (11:40):
Up it's Collins blazon.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Fuck Texans a Chargers.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I like the Texans plus two and a half seven
game winning streak. They clinch a playoff first with a win.
They're only lost by more than three points one against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Well, Seattle beats up with a lot of people. Marks
is back huge part of their offense. The Chargers eighteenth
in the NFL on offense since week eleven because their
offensive line is using backups. Three of the chargers four
wins during their four game winning streak have come against
the Raiders, Chiefs, and Cowboys. The Texans defense is so good,
(12:18):
even on the road. It's dominating number one in the league.
I'm taking the points. Texans twenty three, Chargers twenty one.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Take the points. Seahawks at Panthers.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I wish it was seven and a half, but I'll
take it at seven. Panthers at home, fighting to win
the NFC South one game lead over Tampa.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I'm taking the points.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Anybody noticing Bryce Young in the last month, last three games,
He's a pro bowler, six touchdowns, no picks. He's been
on fire in the last three game. The Seahawks are
coming off a tough, physical, overtime game season high ninety
two defensive snaps against the Rams. The last two games,
they won both at home by a combined three points.
(13:03):
The offense for Seattle doesn't quite feel right. This is
a long trip. They could be looking ahead of the playoffs. Oh,
just beat the Rams. We're amazing Seattle wins. I'm absolutely
taking the points here. Twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Hawks Eagles A Bills.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I'm in the minority. I like Philly plus two and
a half. Great run team, bad run defense. They're thirty
five and two when they win the turnover battle under
Nick Siriani's seven to zero this year, and they usually do.
Jalen Hurts the last two weeks. Something is working, even
Greg Cosel told us Sakuon Barkley last three games, averaging
five and a half of carry the A line now
(13:46):
getting healthy, folks. The Bills have trailed in each of
their last eight games. They've trailed in the second half
of six of their last seven. They play with their food.
They're not good on third down. The Bills can't defend
the run. I'm taking the Eagles and the points better.
(14:06):
Overall roster twenty eight to twenty four Philly Bears at
forty nine ers. I like Chicago with extra rest plus
three Dj Moore and Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Last five games.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
DJ moris five touchdown catches, tied for most in the league.
The offense. He get all the big plays without any
other turnovers. Listen, the Niners are hot, but four of
their five wins came against Cleveland, Arizona, the Titans, and
the Colts brought Purty. Trailing this year is a different
quarterback sixty three percent completion percentage, and their defense. Here's
(14:42):
the story of the game. The Niners defense not only
has the fewest sacks in the NFL, seven fewer than
the next fewest, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating
of one oh one against the Niners. Christian McCaffrey just
came off of twenty seven top game. The Niners are
zero to four off McCaffrey games where he's got twenty
(15:07):
seven or more touches. Bears win it. Take the points
twenty eight to twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Cardinals at Bengals.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
I like the over fifty three and a half twenty
ninth ranked scoring defense against the worst ranked defense, banged
up defenses that are bad to begin with. The weather
it's gonna be a little wet temperature not a factor.
The Cardinals defense is bad and it's gotten worse. Allowed
forty plus points in two of their last three games.
(15:37):
The Bengals they're averaging twenty seven a game with Burrow,
so you're talking about atrocious defenses, banged up. I like
Cincinnati to win the game. I think it's a bit
of a shootout. I'm gonna take the over Cincinnati Arizona
over fifty three and a half points thirty twenty seven
(15:58):
bingals win. A lot of underdog have not done that
once this year, four underdogs and one over.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Just one of those days where there's a lot of
interesting NFL stories. Monday Morning quarterback Albert Rereer, senior NFL reporter,
is joining us live.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
So listen.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
When a longtime reporter comes out with something and the
coach completely refutes it. I get why a coach refutes it.
I don't get why a reporter would just make it
up when he's got to be in that locker room
six days a week. What do you make about the
Lamar Jackson stories? I mean, it's it's it's been a
weird year, practices doesn't practice.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
What do you make of the story?
Speaker 8 (16:53):
A couple things like I think number one Colin, there's
there's obviously a lot of water under the bridge between
the Ravens and Lamar. You want to go back to
the contract negotiation, you can. He's obviously had his issues
staying healthy. The last couple of years, and you do
have to wonder if that's something bigger, like if there's
something there that, like his body's breaking down because of
(17:15):
the historic amount of damage he's taken on as a quarterback,
that's starting to catch up with him.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
So you have that piece of it.
Speaker 8 (17:21):
The other piece of it that, like I was a
little inside baseball, but he doesn't have an agent, and
so when he does get hurt, a lot of times
the full information on what his injury is, how severe
it is, like a lot of times that doesn't really
fully come to light, which raises a lot of other questions,
both publicly and maybe even in some corners of locker room,
on well, what's actually wrong with Lamar. And I think
(17:44):
that's one reason why, like John Harbaugh came out and
was so transparent He's usually not, but was so transparent
about Lamar Jackson's injury and that it was worse than
just a normal bruise earlier in the week. I think
he was taking up for him. Like my experience has
been that John Harbaugh has been one of the most
hard defenders of Lamar. So I don't know that anything's
(18:05):
broken there, but things have certainly gotten wonky, and we
are at a point now where we're going to be
talking about these things Contractually, his cap hits the next
two years or seventy four and a half million dollars.
He's got two years left on his deal. They had
talked about going back in and giving him a correction
to his previous contract after Josh Allen got one last offseason.
Speaker 7 (18:27):
That's obviously going to be on the table again this offseason.
Speaker 8 (18:30):
And if all the injury stuff is the backdrop to that, well,
then you know we're talking about having to answer.
Speaker 7 (18:36):
Some pretty significant questions going forward.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
So you know, I think Dylan Lamar Jackson is at
Baltimore raven in twenty twenty six. But this definitely feels like,
after the expectation they had internally for where the team
was going to be going into the year, that there
could be some pretty big changes coming in Baltimore. I
can just tell you I've talked to people there who
(18:59):
felt like this is the best roster they had decades,
and to not make the playoffs obviously is going to
get the owner's attention and could lead to some changes.
Whether you know it's it's it's some some level of
wholesale change or more cosmetic changes.
Speaker 7 (19:13):
We'll see, Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
They want Jared goff out. You know, they're all worked up,
which is you know, he's a very successful guy. I've
been to a Super Bowl. Where do they stand today
on their coaching staff in Detroit? I mean it's a
really loaded team on golf where they add on all.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
That stuff, you know, I think this is just so
interesting about this one.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
To me, at least Colin is like, but we always
talk like whenever a team like this loses and doesn't
make the playoffs, it's like, all right, is their window closed?
And I don't think people take the time to look
at the roster. It's still, like you said, a ton
of really good young talent on that roster. I mean
maybe Taylor Deckers aged out a left tackle, but you
could flip Piney Sewell, who's one of the best players
in all football at any position.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Over there.
Speaker 7 (19:55):
A receiver, you've got.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Jamison Williams, and you've got im On Rossi and Brown.
Running back, you got your Mira Gibbs. A golf is
a good quarterback. Whether you think he's great or not,
obviously that's a question. And then on defense, they have holes,
but they also have building blocks and Aiden Hutchinson and
Lee McNeil and Jack Campbell and Brian Branch and so
I sort of look at this team and I say,
(20:18):
the windows not closed, But do they have to sort
of shift up in gear now and say, okay, like
we do feel like this is a core we can
win a championship with. And there's the general manager who
was with and was in Los Angeles when they were
being hyper aggressive like the f them picks Era. Does
their GM say, Okay, this is our pivot point and
(20:38):
we're going to be really aggressive about upgrading our offensive
line and finding an edge to play opposite Aiden Hutchinson
and maybe adding a corner Like this feels like maybe
that's the point where that happens. But I don't think
this is about any sort of window closing. Jared goff
is a is a really good quarterback, and I don't know,
maybe you can show me his replacement that they're going
(21:00):
to get at the bottom of the first round. I
just I just don't see a way to upgrade at
that position where you've gotten really good play over the
last five years.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So Sean mcdermot's been in a good mood recently, but
it's not a great look that Vrabel comes in and
with Drake may wins the division.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Not great.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
I said, if he doesn't get to the conference championship
in a year in which Drake may Bow knicks no Burrow,
no Lamar, no Mahomes, it kind of feels like they
got to get to the conference championship or there's a big,
big discussion after that playoff loss, right, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
I mean, I think at least the public's going to
have that discussion.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
Now. I haven't gotten like the since talking to people internally.
There's a big discussion point yet. But they are going
into a new stadium and Josh Allen is turning thirty
this offseason, and so like you kind of look at
where they're at and how they've been consistently on the doorstep,
and I think, like last month I brought this example
up to you. I mean, you remember Tony Dunge and
(22:03):
in the nineties in Tampa and how Tony Dungee, like
Sean McDermott, was basically at the tip of the spear
as far as turning a program around and changing the
face of an organization. Shawn's done that, just as Tony
Dungee did all those years ago in the nineties in Tampa,
and they had this historic defense and having Derek Brooks
and Warren Sapp and John Lynch and Rende Barber put
pressure on everybody and eventually got to the point was
(22:26):
we need a spark. We're sort of stuck, and can
we can we can we push this to the next
level while we still have this historic defense And they
move on from from from Tony Dungee. Initially they tried
to get Bill Parcels. They trade for John grud and
they win a Super Bowl. I don't know if they're
at that point yet. I don't think it's really been
a big discussion point internally, but I do think like
(22:48):
that sort of thing could hover over them a little
bit where you eventually get to that point and you
eventually start to ask those questions. And I think it's
interesting for a few teams now too, Right Like, so
Patrick mahon Holmes is not in the playoffs this year,
he's hurt. Joe Burrow gets hurt again. That opens the
door for everybody in the AFC as well. And so
(23:09):
like these teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore and Buffalo who've
had coaches in place for a long time. If they
don't advance in the playoffs, If in the case of Baltimore,
they don't make the playoffs, these big picture questions are
going to come.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
I know it's a ways off.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I know it's the drafts in April, but I wonder
how talent evaluators I've been told Mendoza is a better
prospect than Jackson Dart. There's a lot of ways to go.
You could keep Dart, trade down the pick, get a
bevy of picks. You could go with Mendoza, trade Dart,
you could do both. Wouldn't recommend that with New York Media,
(23:44):
but I think you have to consider. I mean, Mendoza
two years at cal one in Indiana. That's not Ohio
State or Notre Dame or Oklahoma. Yeah, it's sixty eight
percent completion percent. He got sacked almost fifty times at
cal one year. Big, accurate, strong, humble. What would be
your guest today, Well, I.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Don't think it's over as far as the first quarterbacks
take taken by the way, I think Dante Moore, like
over the next months, could play himself into that discussion.
Like Dante Moore is somebody at least that has the
attention of NFL scouts. Now, like Phil Knight may pay
him five million, ten million dollars whatever it is to
stay another year at Oregon, So maybe that point is moot,
(24:27):
but you know, he's somebody that's at least got the
attention of people. Mendoza, I think is in that conversation
as well. Mendoza has a lot of the qualities that
you know. Interestingly enough, another cal quarterback, Jared Goff had
coming out, and I think that's the comfort at least
some NFL teams. Here's the thing, though, like that's only
really happened once, at least as long as I've been
(24:47):
covering the league, and really I think in my lifetime
where a team took a quarterback in the first round
and then came back the next year and did it again.
And that was the Arizona Cardinals who took Josh Rosen
if you remember, in eighteen, and Kyler Murray in nineteen
and Cliff Kingsbury and Steve Kahin basically came to the
determination that the gap between those two was wide enough
(25:08):
and they knew enough about Josh Rosen at that point
where yes, like we can do that. And here's why
the gap needs to be big because what you can
get for the number one overall pick is significantly more
than you'd be able to trade Jackson Dart for right now,
Like it's basically like driving a car off the lot, right, Like,
once you drive the car off the lot, it's to
(25:28):
value to some degree.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Right.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
So, once Jackson Dart is in the league, same thing
as Josh Rosen, if somebody else is giving up on him,
he's going to be to value to some degree, and
you're not going to be able to get what you
would be able to get for the first overall pick.
So it's not just Mendoza versus Dart. You look at
those two guys and you say, if it's close, you
stick with Dart, you trade the number one overall pick,
because you're going to be able to get so much
(25:51):
for the first overall pick with teams like the Raiders
and Browns and close quarters there inside the top ten,
if the gap is huge, there's nothing more important than
having a great quarterback. So that's the determination the Giants
would have to have to come to, is that Fernando
Mendoza or Dante more they are so much better than
Jackson Dart that we feel like we need to make
(26:15):
this pick and trade Jackson Dart. Otherwise I think they
stick with Dart, who they like quite a bit and would.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
Trade that pick.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Yeah, it's you know that I want I want to
circle back to Lamar Jackson's story. I just see this
out there. I said, if I was the Jets two
first round picks, I've not proven the ability to.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Develop a quarterback. That's not that's that's not crazy, right,
I'm not.
Speaker 7 (26:41):
I mean, but part of that too, Colin.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
What you're getting at is like people sometimes like operate
as if like the Ravens need to start shopping him,
if someone else thinks there's trouble in Paradise, they're going
to pick up the phone call, you know what I mean,
Like like if the Raiders think there's trouble in Paradise,
if the Jets think there's s trouble in Paradise, Like
there's nothing for vent those teams from picking up the
phone and making that phone call. You know, especially when
(27:05):
you're a team like the Jets or the Raiders that
doesn't have an established quarterback, starting quarterback, that's going to
be offended if they find out you do it. You know, So,
like I do think like if they don't make the
playoffs and some of this lingers into the offseason, like
a trade is naturally going to become part of the
equation for the Ravens because people are going to call it.
(27:27):
Doesn't mean he's getting traded. It doesn't mean the Ravens
have any intention to trade him. But I do think
like some teams are going to look back at what
this looked like three years ago and say, man, we
wish we would have called on Lamar Jackson. You know,
he still had a lot of good football left, and
so that's something that you'd have to consider if you're
one of these teams that's out there looking, maybe a
(27:47):
team that can't get in position to draft the quarterback
that you want. So I think all of that becomes
part of the equation as long as this seems to
be murky, are uncertain between the Ravens and Lamar.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
By the way, as a Buckeye, Kyle Winningham, can I
say this for Michigan, that's a pretty solid get. I mean,
he took three star guys and over his era at
Utah he had the number one defense in the Pack
twelve and may have been the sixth best recruiting coach
or staff. I mean the Utah about good players, not
a lot of five and four star guys. That's a
(28:21):
pretty good late get for Michigan, is it not? Well?
Speaker 7 (28:24):
Can I point one thing out really quick?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Sure?
Speaker 8 (28:27):
So our friend Urban Meyer now is not only seven
or zero in the rivalry, but he has his former
assistance running both programs.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
How about that?
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Right?
Speaker 8 (28:38):
So I think that's a pretty interesting piece of all
of this. But yeah, like I won't change my opinion
on Kyle Whittingham because I don't like the colors that
he's wearing now. He's been a rock stolid coach. You know,
over the course of the last twenty years. Urban obviously
elevated that program when he got there with Alex Smith,
and I.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
Think, like, just as difficult as elevating.
Speaker 8 (29:02):
A program like that is maintaining it. And he not
only maintained it. I mean that was a group of five.
I don't think we would have called him a group
of five back then, but a mid major type of
program back then.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Urban elevated them.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
To the point where they would be attractive to the
PAC twelve and then the Big twelve, and he was
able to maintain that level and they had a real identity,
and I think the identity that he built and he
talked about like the players that have come out of
Utah over the years and wound up becoming really good
NFL players. They're all tough, they're all physical, so they
(29:36):
very much fit what Jim Harbaugh built there and what
Michigan's always brought pride themselves on being. So I think
it's a really solid higher. Do I think it's a
type of higher that's gonna knock Ohio State and Oregon
off the top of the Big Ten? Maybe not, but
this is exactly what Michigan needs right now after what
they've been through the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Yeah, he's only eighteen months older than Kurt Signetti, and
I guarantee is a better skier. He lived right by
the mountains in Utah, and I know.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I know I would be I'll tell you what I
would like if I had that sort of access to
the mountains up there, I would be like Olympic.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Level, great to see anybuddy having.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
I'd also probably be fired because I'd be spending way
too much time there, But that's another story.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Makes two of us, all right, Albert, all right, thanks calling. Yeah,
I've had a couple.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Of conversations through the years with Kyle.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
He's just a really good guy.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
He his wife, they just you know, Utah University of
Utah is right downtown in Salt Lake City, and they
had beautiful condo downtown and and uh lived a life
and active.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
He not sixty six.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
If you've ever been in a room with Kyle Whittingham,
he's got like fifty year old energy and good guy,
great wife. Yeah, it's just an easy guy to root
for and a lot of people. You know, it's like
he stayed at Utah forever. But I do think you
get at a crossroads when Utah had this very very
good coordinator under him, and it's kind of like Kyle, Well,
(31:00):
he's a you know, in shape, tough gonna be able
to keep that maintain that Utah tough culture. And you're
sitting there and you're like sixty six, and you're like,
you know, I eat well, I'm pretty intentional.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I work out.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
I'm not going to bingo parlors. I want to do stuff,
and so what are you gonna do. He's a college guy,
not a pro guy. It's like, Okay, Michigan's open Whittingham
beat Nick Saban in the two thousand and nine Sugar Bowl.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
You guys remember that.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, Saban didn't schedule Utah for that, not that I remember.
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 cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Oh we got a good Friday show Blazing five and
on a bit of a run this year. One hour
from now, we're live. It's Chicago, it's warming up. I
make it on the board shorts today. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
(00:49):
for making us part of your day.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
JMC.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I hope you had a great Christmas with a fan.
I certainly did. Snoop Dog was the most consistent top
performer yesterday. In the end, sorry to say, wait to
go Snoop DOGG and crew. That was awesome. But I
think it's interesting and there's you know, at this point
in the year, we know what all these teams are.
(01:13):
And you can keep telling me Denver's not good, but
this is not figure skating it's football. I don't need
style points. They were great on third down. They dominate
time of possession.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
RJ.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Harvey delivers, so is bone Knicks. Basically, Kansas City said,
we're not giving you anything over the top. We're going
to make it long, slow, boring drives, and that's what
they did. Sean Payton knows what he's doing. A lot
of guys, a lot of GMS, GMS didn't like bow Knicks.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Sean Payton loved him.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
He's now twenty three and ten is a pro playoffs
both years, first quarterback ever ever league history ever, ten
plus wins, thirty plus total touchdowns, first two years in
the league, and he leads the NFL and pass attempts
the last two years. So they're putting everything on him.
No baby sitting like early Big Ben. And then there's RJ.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Harvey. RJ Harvey. Last year everybody said that's a reach.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
They shouldn't be a high draft pick.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
RJ. Harvey.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
The dude's got only four fewer touchdowns than Christian McCaffrey
and two hundred fewer touches. He's a tremendous receiver, tremendous
young player who gets into the end zone. I think
he has like eleven touchdowns. Again, don't worry about the
style points. This is at Arrowhead. It is a division rival,
and you won by a touchdown. You do understand a
(02:33):
touchdown is a big spread. Seattle's a touchdown favored over Carolina.
If they win by a touchdown, are you unimpressed? You
go on the road, division rival, you win, You take it.
Kansas City said we're not giving you anything over the top.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
And for the record, in the first game between these two,
bo Nicks made a huge third and fifteen conversion game
winning drive last night, third and ten, huge conversion game drive.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
So you take the touchdown. And here's the other thing.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Is I don't know if Denver is gonna fly through.
I mean, they just got whacked by Jacksonville. Maybe Jacksonville
is the best team in the AFC. Certainly possible, But
the last two years, in the fourth quarter, the most
important quarter in football, Josh Allen leads the NFL in
fourth quarter touchdowns. Bonnicks's second Yeah, I'm gonna say it
(03:27):
was a good draft pick. I'm gonna say RJ. Harvey
was also a good draft pick. I mean, Sean Payton
They had six Pro Bowlers this week. Four of them
were there when Sean got there. He's just squeezing more
juice out of the roster. As far as the Chiefs,
maybe it's maybe it's a you know, Travis Kelsey's last
home game. That's what it sounded like on the broadcast.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
They've been a bit of.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
A sad trombone all year. As we've told you, dynasties
do not fall off a cliff. Generally, the old guys
look old, the old guys get hurt, the young guys
can't bring the energy and juice. Kansas City's one in
eight and one score games. This is kind of how
dynasties end. They're not explosive anymore. But I remember all
I hear as well. I mean it was that game
(04:15):
was close. Yeah, that's the way it works. I mean,
would you rather be Detroit Jared goffaced a backup and
they lost.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
If you win in this league.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Denver's now thirteen and three and will play the Chargers
next week.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
You know, division on the line.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Sean Payton's gonna have his fifth season thirteen or more wins.
I know he drives people nuts. I know he puts
his chin out there, but a lot of people. Most
people did not think bow Knicks was a first round
quarterback or R. J. Harvey was worth the pick. And
here are the Denver Broncos thirteen and three, you know,
(04:59):
thirty team and three I don't know works for me.
Here is bo Nicks on facing the Chargers next week.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
At the end of the day, none of it really
matters because we have to play the final game and
we have to you know, take care of it. And
you know, they're gonna be a good football team. Now,
some other team can help us along the way, but
at the end of the day, it's gonna come down
to us versus them, and we're excited to have them
at home. It's gonna be a you know, a really
(05:31):
good environment. It's gonna be a great atmosphere. And honestly,
it's it's playoff time. It's playoff atmospheres.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
All right.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
So before the season started, okay, we're gonna pat ourselves
in the back, Jamack and I said, every year there's
one really exceptional team in the NFL, and the following
year it goes away. It's like season two of True Detective. Right,
You're like, ah, I love this show and maybe not
(05:58):
so much. So. We both said it would be the
Detroit Lions. They lost two great coordinators. Offensive guy was
brilliant and I'm listening to Lions fans yesterday. Well it's
our offensive line is all beat up. Yeah, well so
is the Chargers and the Texans. Their all lines are worse,
(06:20):
and they've been worse all season, and they're combined twenty
one to nine.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I think Sam Laporta the minute he left with the
O line injuries makes it much harder. But in any business,
and football's of business, to turn around a sinking ship,
you have to self audit. You have to look in
the mirror. This team, Detroit's been lousy on third down
all year. Even when the O line was healthy with
Ben Johnson, they were sharp, innovative and creative. They've tried
(06:49):
to create that movie. Maybe they picked the wrong director.
It doesn't feel sharp and creative. Yes, the offensive line injuries,
especially with Sam Laporta the tight end out too, it hurts. Yeah,
Sam laport is great, but Dan Campbell in week ten
took the play calling duties away from his offensive coordinator.
(07:12):
And just a heads up, guys, if your boss ever
comes to you and goes. You know, Bob, you're doing
a great job, but I'm going to take over your
sales accounts. Start looking for work. It's not just the
offensive line. Detroit was a crisp operation, more creative and innovative.
Dan Campbell had to take over the OC duties. He
(07:35):
didn't want to do that. He is not a scheme guy.
He's a great culture builder, and he lost a brilliant
scheme guy, Ben Johnson. This is very reminiscent of Kyle
Shanahan getting the Niners as the OC to the Super
Bowl and Matt Ryan and MVP Kyle Shanahan left. You
want to know what the Atlanta Falcons record is since
(07:55):
Kyle Shanahan left sixty three and eighty four. It's not
the Falcons old line injuries. Okay, you can, you can
make all the excuse. Find me an offensive line in
this league, in the entire league. Find me an offensive
line that is healthy for seventeen eighteen weeks. I mean,
it's man overboard with the Chargers. Texans old line has
(08:17):
been a mess for two years. They're Hummond. One's doing
it with defense, one's doing it with coaching and quarterback play.
You just gotta find a way when your all lines
beat up again. I think Sam Laporta is a big loss.
But if you look at bet Dan Campbell put it
on the screen with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, he's thirty
(08:40):
six and fifteen, thirty six and fifteen. If you look
at Dan Campbell without Ben Johnson, eleven twenty one and
one a touchdown less. So I would argue the Lions
peaked in week two when they beat very good Chicago,
but is much better today than they were in week two.
(09:04):
They beat on up on bad teams. The Lions are
beat up on bad teams. They haven't really beaten good
teams sometimes like the Rams that get close. But it's
just they're just not as crisp. They're just not as innovative.
I mean, and again, I'm not blaming anybody. I'm saying,
when you lose Kyle Shanahan is OC, Matt Ryan didn't
(09:24):
look the same. When you lose Ben Johnson, you don't
look the same. Here's Dan Campbell. They're out of the
playoffs officially.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
After the loss, I'm gonna be looking at a lot
of things.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
Because I do not like being home for the playoffs,
and I know our guys don't either, so you know,
and there again, whenever you lose, man, it takes a
village man. Everybody's involved, including myself, you know, So I'm
always gonna look at myself first. You know, I'm always
(09:58):
gonna wish I would have given golf. Weren't giving those players.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
More good news, very good front office draft. Well you
get that great safety back. Laporta back means it's not
all doom and gloom. I mean, you've really got an infrastructure,
a culture creator. But when you have the culture creators,
(10:21):
they are very and much more reliant on offensive coordinators.
Vrabel is a great culture builder. First thing he did,
get Josh McDaniels, get the great OC, the scheme guy,
and it works. So yeah, the O line stuff, it's
not perfect. Laporta is a huge loss. But there's bad
old lines all over this league. I mean, the Chargers
(10:44):
is the worst thirty second for most of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Texans is bad. They're gonna make the playoffs again.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
App Pauly Who's going with Tony Fusco. Yeah, as everybody knows,
we're the hosts of the award winning Poly and Toni
Fousco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling you how
great we are, here's how Dan Packrick described us when
he came on our show.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.
Speaker 7 (11:14):
What what are you doing?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
We were interrupting our promo.
Speaker 7 (11:17):
Yeah, you wasn't talking about you.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
You took those clips totally of context.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Oh yeah, well after this promo, I'm gonna take you
out and beat you.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Let me put this into context.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Shut up.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
Yeah, anyway, just listen to the Paully and Toni Fusco
Show on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Yee, let's blaze it up.
Speaker 7 (11:40):
Up it's Collins blazon.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Fuck Texans a Chargers.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
I like the Texans plus two and a half seven
game winning streak. They clinch a playoff first with a win.
They're only lost by more than three points one against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Well, Seattle beats up with a lot of people. Marks
is back huge part of their offense. The Chargers eighteenth
in the NFL on offense since week eleven because their
offensive line is using backups. Three of the chargers four
wins during their four game winning streak have come against
the Raiders, Chiefs, and Cowboys. The Texans defense is so good,
(12:18):
even on the road. It's dominating number one in the league.
I'm taking the points. Texans twenty three, Chargers twenty one.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Take the points. Seahawks at Panthers.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I wish it was seven and a half, but I'll
take it at seven. Panthers at home, fighting to win
the NFC South one game lead over Tampa.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
I'm taking the points.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Anybody noticing Bryce Young in the last month, last three games,
He's a pro bowler, six touchdowns, no picks. He's been
on fire in the last three game. The Seahawks are
coming off a tough, physical, overtime game season high ninety
two defensive snaps against the Rams. The last two games,
they won both at home by a combined three points.
(13:03):
The offense for Seattle doesn't quite feel right. This is
a long trip. They could be looking ahead of the playoffs. Oh,
just beat the Rams. We're amazing Seattle wins. I'm absolutely
taking the points here. Twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Hawks Eagles A Bills.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
I'm in the minority. I like Philly plus two and
a half. Great run team, bad run defense. They're thirty
five and two when they win the turnover battle under
Nick Siriani's seven to zero this year, and they usually do.
Jalen Hurts the last two weeks. Something is working, even
Greg Cosel told us Sakuon Barkley last three games, averaging
five and a half of carry the A line now
(13:46):
getting healthy, folks. The Bills have trailed in each of
their last eight games. They've trailed in the second half
of six of their last seven. They play with their food.
They're not good on third down. The Bills can't defend
the run. I'm taking the Eagles and the points better.
(14:06):
Overall roster twenty eight to twenty four Philly Bears at
forty nine ers. I like Chicago with extra rest plus
three Dj Moore and Caleb Williams.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Last five games.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
DJ moris five touchdown catches, tied for most in the league.
The offense. He get all the big plays without any
other turnovers. Listen, the Niners are hot, but four of
their five wins came against Cleveland, Arizona, the Titans, and
the Colts brought Purty. Trailing this year is a different
quarterback sixty three percent completion percentage, and their defense. Here's
(14:42):
the story of the game. The Niners defense not only
has the fewest sacks in the NFL, seven fewer than
the next fewest, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating
of one oh one against the Niners. Christian McCaffrey just
came off of twenty seven top game. The Niners are
zero to four off McCaffrey games where he's got twenty
(15:07):
seven or more touches. Bears win it. Take the points
twenty eight to twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Cardinals at Bengals.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
I like the over fifty three and a half twenty
ninth ranked scoring defense against the worst ranked defense, banged
up defenses that are bad to begin with. The weather
it's gonna be a little wet temperature not a factor.
The Cardinals defense is bad and it's gotten worse. Allowed
forty plus points in two of their last three games.
(15:37):
The Bengals they're averaging twenty seven a game with Burrow,
so you're talking about atrocious defenses, banged up. I like
Cincinnati to win the game. I think it's a bit
of a shootout. I'm gonna take the over Cincinnati Arizona
over fifty three and a half points thirty twenty seven
(15:58):
bingals win. A lot of underdog have not done that
once this year, four underdogs and one over.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Just one of those days where there's a lot of
interesting NFL stories. Monday Morning quarterback Albert Rereer, senior NFL reporter,
is joining us live.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
So listen.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
When a longtime reporter comes out with something and the
coach completely refutes it. I get why a coach refutes it.
I don't get why a reporter would just make it
up when he's got to be in that locker room
six days a week. What do you make about the
Lamar Jackson stories? I mean, it's it's it's been a
weird year, practices doesn't practice.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
What do you make of the story?
Speaker 8 (16:53):
A couple things like I think number one Colin, there's
there's obviously a lot of water under the bridge between
the Ravens and Lamar. You want to go back to
the contract negotiation, you can. He's obviously had his issues
staying healthy. The last couple of years, and you do
have to wonder if that's something bigger, like if there's
something there that, like his body's breaking down because of
(17:15):
the historic amount of damage he's taken on as a quarterback,
that's starting to catch up with him.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
So you have that piece of it.
Speaker 8 (17:21):
The other piece of it that, like I was a
little inside baseball, but he doesn't have an agent, and
so when he does get hurt, a lot of times
the full information on what his injury is, how severe
it is, like a lot of times that doesn't really
fully come to light, which raises a lot of other questions,
both publicly and maybe even in some corners of locker room,
on well, what's actually wrong with Lamar. And I think
(17:44):
that's one reason why, like John Harbaugh came out and
was so transparent He's usually not, but was so transparent
about Lamar Jackson's injury and that it was worse than
just a normal bruise earlier in the week. I think
he was taking up for him. Like my experience has
been that John Harbaugh has been one of the most
hard defenders of Lamar. So I don't know that anything's
(18:05):
broken there, but things have certainly gotten wonky, and we
are at a point now where we're going to be
talking about these things Contractually, his cap hits the next
two years or seventy four and a half million dollars.
He's got two years left on his deal. They had
talked about going back in and giving him a correction
to his previous contract after Josh Allen got one last offseason.
Speaker 7 (18:27):
That's obviously going to be on the table again this offseason.
Speaker 8 (18:30):
And if all the injury stuff is the backdrop to that, well,
then you know we're talking about having to answer.
Speaker 7 (18:36):
Some pretty significant questions going forward.
Speaker 8 (18:38):
So you know, I think Dylan Lamar Jackson is at
Baltimore raven in twenty twenty six. But this definitely feels like,
after the expectation they had internally for where the team
was going to be going into the year, that there
could be some pretty big changes coming in Baltimore. I
can just tell you I've talked to people there who
(18:59):
felt like this is the best roster they had decades,
and to not make the playoffs obviously is going to
get the owner's attention and could lead to some changes.
Whether you know it's it's it's some some level of
wholesale change or more cosmetic changes.
Speaker 7 (19:13):
We'll see, Oh.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
They want Jared goff out. You know, they're all worked up,
which is you know, he's a very successful guy. I've
been to a Super Bowl. Where do they stand today
on their coaching staff in Detroit? I mean it's a
really loaded team on golf where they add on all.
Speaker 7 (19:31):
That stuff, you know, I think this is just so
interesting about this one.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
To me, at least Colin is like, but we always
talk like whenever a team like this loses and doesn't
make the playoffs, it's like, all right, is their window closed?
And I don't think people take the time to look
at the roster. It's still, like you said, a ton
of really good young talent on that roster. I mean
maybe Taylor Deckers aged out a left tackle, but you
could flip Piney Sewell, who's one of the best players
in all football at any position.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Over there.
Speaker 7 (19:55):
A receiver, you've got.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
Jamison Williams, and you've got im On Rossi and Brown.
Running back, you got your Mira Gibbs. A golf is
a good quarterback. Whether you think he's great or not,
obviously that's a question. And then on defense, they have holes,
but they also have building blocks and Aiden Hutchinson and
Lee McNeil and Jack Campbell and Brian Branch and so
I sort of look at this team and I say,
(20:18):
the windows not closed, But do they have to sort
of shift up in gear now and say, okay, like
we do feel like this is a core we can
win a championship with. And there's the general manager who
was with and was in Los Angeles when they were
being hyper aggressive like the f them picks Era. Does
their GM say, Okay, this is our pivot point and
(20:38):
we're going to be really aggressive about upgrading our offensive
line and finding an edge to play opposite Aiden Hutchinson
and maybe adding a corner Like this feels like maybe
that's the point where that happens. But I don't think
this is about any sort of window closing. Jared goff
is a is a really good quarterback, and I don't know,
maybe you can show me his replacement that they're going
(21:00):
to get at the bottom of the first round. I
just I just don't see a way to upgrade at
that position where you've gotten really good play over the
last five years.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So Sean mcdermot's been in a good mood recently, but
it's not a great look that Vrabel comes in and
with Drake may wins the division.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Not great.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
I said, if he doesn't get to the conference championship
in a year in which Drake may Bow knicks no Burrow,
no Lamar, no Mahomes, it kind of feels like they
got to get to the conference championship or there's a big,
big discussion after that playoff loss, right, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
I mean, I think at least the public's going to
have that discussion.
Speaker 8 (21:41):
Now. I haven't gotten like the since talking to people internally.
There's a big discussion point yet. But they are going
into a new stadium and Josh Allen is turning thirty
this offseason, and so like you kind of look at
where they're at and how they've been consistently on the doorstep,
and I think, like last month I brought this example
up to you. I mean, you remember Tony Dunge and
(22:03):
in the nineties in Tampa and how Tony Dungee, like
Sean McDermott, was basically at the tip of the spear
as far as turning a program around and changing the
face of an organization. Shawn's done that, just as Tony
Dungee did all those years ago in the nineties in Tampa,
and they had this historic defense and having Derek Brooks
and Warren Sapp and John Lynch and Rende Barber put
pressure on everybody and eventually got to the point was
(22:26):
we need a spark. We're sort of stuck, and can
we can we can we push this to the next
level while we still have this historic defense And they
move on from from from Tony Dungee. Initially they tried
to get Bill Parcels. They trade for John grud and
they win a Super Bowl. I don't know if they're
at that point yet. I don't think it's really been
a big discussion point internally, but I do think like
(22:48):
that sort of thing could hover over them a little
bit where you eventually get to that point and you
eventually start to ask those questions. And I think it's
interesting for a few teams now too, Right Like, so
Patrick mahon Holmes is not in the playoffs this year,
he's hurt. Joe Burrow gets hurt again. That opens the
door for everybody in the AFC as well. And so
(23:09):
like these teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore and Buffalo who've
had coaches in place for a long time. If they
don't advance in the playoffs, If in the case of Baltimore,
they don't make the playoffs, these big picture questions are
going to come.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
I know it's a ways off.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I know it's the drafts in April, but I wonder
how talent evaluators I've been told Mendoza is a better
prospect than Jackson Dart. There's a lot of ways to go.
You could keep Dart, trade down the pick, get a
bevy of picks. You could go with Mendoza, trade Dart,
you could do both. Wouldn't recommend that with New York Media,
(23:44):
but I think you have to consider. I mean, Mendoza
two years at cal one in Indiana. That's not Ohio
State or Notre Dame or Oklahoma. Yeah, it's sixty eight
percent completion percent. He got sacked almost fifty times at
cal one year. Big, accurate, strong, humble. What would be
your guest today, Well, I.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Don't think it's over as far as the first quarterbacks
take taken by the way, I think Dante Moore, like
over the next months, could play himself into that discussion.
Like Dante Moore is somebody at least that has the
attention of NFL scouts. Now, like Phil Knight may pay
him five million, ten million dollars whatever it is to
stay another year at Oregon, So maybe that point is moot,
(24:27):
but you know, he's somebody that's at least got the
attention of people. Mendoza, I think is in that conversation
as well. Mendoza has a lot of the qualities that
you know. Interestingly enough, another cal quarterback, Jared Goff had
coming out, and I think that's the comfort at least
some NFL teams. Here's the thing, though, like that's only
really happened once, at least as long as I've been
(24:47):
covering the league, and really I think in my lifetime
where a team took a quarterback in the first round
and then came back the next year and did it again.
And that was the Arizona Cardinals who took Josh Rosen
if you remember, in eighteen, and Kyler Murray in nineteen
and Cliff Kingsbury and Steve Kahin basically came to the
determination that the gap between those two was wide enough
(25:08):
and they knew enough about Josh Rosen at that point
where yes, like we can do that. And here's why
the gap needs to be big because what you can
get for the number one overall pick is significantly more
than you'd be able to trade Jackson Dart for right now,
Like it's basically like driving a car off the lot, right, Like,
once you drive the car off the lot, it's to
(25:28):
value to some degree.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Right.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
So, once Jackson Dart is in the league, same thing
as Josh Rosen, if somebody else is giving up on him,
he's going to be to value to some degree, and
you're not going to be able to get what you
would be able to get for the first overall pick.
So it's not just Mendoza versus Dart. You look at
those two guys and you say, if it's close, you
stick with Dart, you trade the number one overall pick,
because you're going to be able to get so much
(25:51):
for the first overall pick with teams like the Raiders
and Browns and close quarters there inside the top ten,
if the gap is huge, there's nothing more important than
having a great quarterback. So that's the determination the Giants
would have to have to come to, is that Fernando
Mendoza or Dante more they are so much better than
Jackson Dart that we feel like we need to make
(26:15):
this pick and trade Jackson Dart. Otherwise I think they
stick with Dart, who they like quite a bit and would.
Speaker 7 (26:21):
Trade that pick.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
Yeah, it's you know that I want I want to
circle back to Lamar Jackson's story. I just see this
out there. I said, if I was the Jets two
first round picks, I've not proven the ability to.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Develop a quarterback. That's not that's that's not crazy, right,
I'm not.
Speaker 7 (26:41):
I mean, but part of that too, Colin.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
What you're getting at is like people sometimes like operate
as if like the Ravens need to start shopping him,
if someone else thinks there's trouble in Paradise, they're going
to pick up the phone call, you know what I mean,
Like like if the Raiders think there's trouble in Paradise,
if the Jets think there's s trouble in Paradise, Like
there's nothing for vent those teams from picking up the
phone and making that phone call. You know, especially when
(27:05):
you're a team like the Jets or the Raiders that
doesn't have an established quarterback, starting quarterback, that's going to
be offended if they find out you do it. You know, So,
like I do think like if they don't make the
playoffs and some of this lingers into the offseason, like
a trade is naturally going to become part of the
equation for the Ravens because people are going to call it.
(27:27):
Doesn't mean he's getting traded. It doesn't mean the Ravens
have any intention to trade him. But I do think
like some teams are going to look back at what
this looked like three years ago and say, man, we
wish we would have called on Lamar Jackson. You know,
he still had a lot of good football left, and
so that's something that you'd have to consider if you're
one of these teams that's out there looking, maybe a
(27:47):
team that can't get in position to draft the quarterback
that you want. So I think all of that becomes
part of the equation as long as this seems to
be murky, are uncertain between the Ravens and Lamar.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
By the way, as a Buckeye, Kyle Winningham, can I
say this for Michigan, that's a pretty solid get. I mean,
he took three star guys and over his era at
Utah he had the number one defense in the Pack
twelve and may have been the sixth best recruiting coach
or staff. I mean the Utah about good players, not
a lot of five and four star guys. That's a
(28:21):
pretty good late get for Michigan, is it not? Well?
Speaker 7 (28:24):
Can I point one thing out really quick?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Sure?
Speaker 8 (28:27):
So our friend Urban Meyer now is not only seven
or zero in the rivalry, but he has his former
assistance running both programs.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
How about that?
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Right?
Speaker 8 (28:38):
So I think that's a pretty interesting piece of all
of this. But yeah, like I won't change my opinion
on Kyle Whittingham because I don't like the colors that
he's wearing now. He's been a rock stolid coach. You know,
over the course of the last twenty years. Urban obviously
elevated that program when he got there with Alex Smith,
and I.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
Think, like, just as difficult as elevating.
Speaker 8 (29:02):
A program like that is maintaining it. And he not
only maintained it. I mean that was a group of five.
I don't think we would have called him a group
of five back then, but a mid major type of
program back then.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Urban elevated them.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
To the point where they would be attractive to the
PAC twelve and then the Big twelve, and he was
able to maintain that level and they had a real identity,
and I think the identity that he built and he
talked about like the players that have come out of
Utah over the years and wound up becoming really good
NFL players. They're all tough, they're all physical, so they
(29:36):
very much fit what Jim Harbaugh built there and what
Michigan's always brought pride themselves on being. So I think
it's a really solid higher. Do I think it's a
type of higher that's gonna knock Ohio State and Oregon
off the top of the Big Ten? Maybe not, but
this is exactly what Michigan needs right now after what
they've been through the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
Yeah, he's only eighteen months older than Kurt Signetti, and
I guarantee is a better skier. He lived right by
the mountains in Utah, and I know.
Speaker 8 (30:02):
I know I would be I'll tell you what I
would like if I had that sort of access to
the mountains up there, I would be like Olympic.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Level, great to see anybuddy having.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
I'd also probably be fired because I'd be spending way
too much time there, But that's another story.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Makes two of us, all right, Albert, all right, thanks calling. Yeah,
I've had a couple.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Of conversations through the years with Kyle.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
He's just a really good guy.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
He his wife, they just you know, Utah University of
Utah is right downtown in Salt Lake City, and they
had beautiful condo downtown and and uh lived a life
and active.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
He not sixty six.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
If you've ever been in a room with Kyle Whittingham,
he's got like fifty year old energy and good guy,
great wife. Yeah, it's just an easy guy to root
for and a lot of people. You know, it's like
he stayed at Utah forever. But I do think you
get at a crossroads when Utah had this very very
good coordinator under him, and it's kind of like Kyle, Well,
(31:00):
he's a you know, in shape, tough gonna be able
to keep that maintain that Utah tough culture. And you're
sitting there and you're like sixty six, and you're like,
you know, I eat well, I'm pretty intentional.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I work out.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
I'm not going to bingo parlors. I want to do stuff,
and so what are you gonna do. He's a college guy,
not a pro guy. It's like, Okay, Michigan's open Whittingham
beat Nick Saban in the two thousand and nine Sugar Bowl.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
You guys remember that.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Yeah, Saban didn't schedule Utah for that, not that I remember.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.