January 22, 2026 • 34 mins
Colin Cowherd pushed back against the recent criticisms of the Bills after the firing of head coach Sean McDermott and why they are still in a Super Bowl contending window.
He ranks the top 10 players in the AFC Championship Game including why Patriots QB Drake Maye is clearly inside the top 5.
Plus, Greg Cosell from NFL Films joins the show to breakdown what Bears QB Caleb Williams still needs to improve on and why the Rams can have success against the Seahawks' #1 defense.
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
noone 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 3 (00:28):
Here we Go.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It's a Thursday, Greg coach Sell. One hour from now.
We're live at Chicago. It is Chili. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however, whatever platform you're watching or listening,
a lot of choices out there. Thanks for choosing us
making us part of your day. We all know there's bias.
(00:50):
For the record, you have some to there's recency bias,
there's confirmation bias. In the media. We have what I
would call chaos bias. The more chaos you have, we
jump to it because we know y'll jump to it.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
That's how it works.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
On YouTube and TikTok, people find chaos, and I think
sometimes it steers us in the media, myself included toward
chaos bias. Buffalo Bills have had a bad forty eight hours.
Everybody's piling on. You may want to take a deep breath.
Let's look at where Buffalo's at. Ownership, stable, new stadium coming,
(01:35):
massive revenue upgrade, buy more players, superstar quarterback, top six
offensive line in a league that has shifted over the
last decade to offense, tight end, slot receiver, running back, quarterback,
o line, left tackle. Really good last six years, most
wins in the league, best point differential by a country
(01:56):
mile number one, offense, second in playoff wins. Yes, they
had a bad seventy two hours, got a bad press
conference yesterday. The Sean McDermott firing and press release could
have been better. They'd been excellent for six seven years. Excellent.
Can this also be noted? Winning Super Bowls is hard?
(02:19):
Sean McVay, the best coach arguably in the league, has
won and should probably thank Aaron Donald and one sack
late on Joe Burrow for that. Jim Harbaugh none, Kyle
Shanahan none, Sean Payton won and if the Colts recover
(02:39):
that on sidekick, he's maybe looking at zero.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
The Buffalo Bills are a controversial catch no catch call
from beating the excellent Jags and the excellent Broncos on
the road. Okay, Bill Belichick. Five of his Super Bowls
decided by a possession, three by a field goal. Rory
(03:05):
McElroy best golfer in Europe for fifteen years. He went
eleven years without winning a major. He was often PGA
Player of the Year multiple times in a year he
didn't win a major. And in golf you get four
chances a year to win a major. In the NFL
you get one, one three and a half hour window.
(03:29):
That's it. I would rather be a Buffalo Bills fan
today than almost anybody not named Kansas City because of
Andy Reid and Mahomes, and Andy Reid could retire in
a year. I'd rather be the new England Patriots. I
think Drake may is actually at this point underrated. I
like where the Rams are, but Stafford could retire. I
(03:51):
like where the Seahawks are. But if do we all
trust Sam Darnold yet?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I do?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Most of you don't bias confirmation bias. There's also chaos bias,
and it's what we in the media do, and it's
also what you the fans are attracted to. Brandon Bean's
probably not the best personnel guy in the league. But again,
if I told you in twenty twenty six an offensive league,
(04:19):
if I said, yeah, there's this franchise Upstate New York,
superstar quarterback, Pro Bowl running back, great left tackle, good
old line, star slot receiver, really is good, excellent tight ends,
and their rosters full of B guys. It's not like
they've got C and D guys all over. They could
use another cornerback. So could the league accept Seattle. Everybody
(04:42):
needs new corners because everybody's going three receivers wide, and
nobody has three great corners.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Not even Seattle, and they've got two.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Terry Pagoula didn't have a great press conference yesterday, but
what he's saying has so much merit. We're pretty good here,
We've got the thing huge want here. Here's the owner yesterday.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
That's our seating over the last seven years in the
playoffs five two, three.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Two to six.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
An organization doesn't carry that kind of record without having
without being a great organization, and without having great players.
We are focused on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Josh Allen's twenty nine, not thirty nine. That's Matt Stafford
gonna be thirty eight thirty nine. Soon Josh Allen's twenty
nine seven years hasn't bested to start due to injury,
new stadium, stable ownership, more revenue, O line left tackle.
They had a bad forty eight to seventy two hours.
There's an old cliche. Wind blows harder at the top
of the mountain. They're near the top. This stuff had.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Happened in.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
You know, Carolina, I would not even make the show,
would not even make the show.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
It's the bills. It leaves the show.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Here's the thing about smart people, even geniuses. Van Go
actually died poor yeah, yeah, and wasn't viewed as as successful.
And then he died and now you have to wait
in line to see his work, right, Like, that's the
way it works sometimes because visionaries and people who see
(06:31):
things before I see them or you see them, we
don't give him credit in the time. And we also
not only do we not give him credit, we forget
the risk they took to do it. And I'll give
you an example with Seattle planning their ramps. Seattle, ninety
percent of you thought Sam Darnold was not a good signing.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
He got lucky.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
He had justin Jefferson.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Kevin O'Connell's a genius, not a very good defensive a division.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
You didn't like it. You didn't like it. He's been great.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
By the way DK Metcalf moved, you didn't like that either. Well,
what is Seattle doing? When Russell Wilson left, I can
remember saying on the air, he's been at least a
one oh three quarterback rating, dude for four straight years.
Are we sure this is the right move? I didn't
think it was the right move. Gino Smith's abaum not really.
(07:28):
He made a Pro Bowl, they won ten games, and
Seattle had the number eight passing offense in the league
his last year in Seattle. But John Snyder bailed on
Gino and failed on DK Metcalf and signed Sam Darnold. Hey,
by the way, Pete Carroll was wildly popular in Seattle.
A lot of people didn't think he should be let go,
(07:48):
and then you watch him with the Raiders and you're like, yeah,
John Snyder, the GM of Seattle got that right too.
When DeMarcus Lawrence signed thirty three year old defensive end,
they brought out the checkbook. How many of you are like, perfect,
that's what we need. A thirty three year old defensive
end who I forgot about in Dallas. He had more
pressures this year than Nick Benito in Denver. We do
(08:12):
this all the time when somebody sees stuff. A visionary
is what they call him before you and I see them. Okay,
we always forget the risk they took. We don't give
them the credit. Everybody now goes well, of course Darnald
was better than Geno Smith. And go back and look
at some of your tweets. The DK Metcalf move. You
(08:37):
didn't like it, crazy one of one. There's nobody like him.
So Sam Darnald was available to the entire league. Pittsburgh
could have had him, they wouldn't guarantee him multiple years.
Minnesota had him in the building. Smart people in Minnesota.
They let him walk. So Seattle's moves they look brilliant. Now,
(09:00):
that's what happens when you have a great visionary GM.
It look good now. And we didn't love those moves.
Go back to Russell Wilson's last year's in Seattle. Oh,
let me guess you got that right too, hit a
one three passer rating year after year after year after year.
Let Russ Cook maybe didn't work but he was still successful.
(09:21):
So I don't know when I look at what Seattle's done,
is that a lot of these moves we just we line.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Up with show.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I mean, you know, they hit some draft picks, they've
hit everything. They Mike McDonald was a kid, unproven as
a head coach. Home run they found their McVeigh. Donald
was great in Minneapolis. Why wouldn't he be good in Seattle?
DeMarcus Lawrence, DK Metcalf, they all worked. Here's his boss
is John Snyder. His name's Mike McDonald. Here's his thoughts.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
His leadership example from on a day to day basis
shows up in so many ways, just like the spirit
of the building, his interaction with everyone, I mean, talks
to more people and going I do you know, like
he's just he's doing this thing all the time. And
he's been incredibly helpful to me. He knew when to
kind of give you some air to breathe and grow
and expend and learn, you know, maybe fall a little bit.
(10:18):
And he also was there to support you when you
needed it.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Can't wait rams Seahawks Seattle minus two and a half.
By the way, in about an hour from now. I
do this as Jmack knows anytime you get a massive
game AFC Championship, NFC Championship, I go to both teams,
who's got the top ten players? Generally the team with
more of the top ten players. I'm doing AFC today.
(10:43):
I think you'll be surprised by it. Seahawks Rams is impossible.
You could go to fifteen players and still leave like
really really high.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
End starters off Seattle Rams.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
I got the ten players, and I'm like, I don't
even there's like four other defensive players that I think
are near Pro Bowl players. There's so much talent in
the Rams Seahawks game, it's insane.
Speaker 7 (11:06):
Well, there's probably two guys colin on that list who
didn't even play in the Week sixteen meeting, Davonte Adams
who missed that game. Remember yeah, and Dotson, the offensive
lineman who's back and who is excellent against the Bears.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Dobson's in the second highest rate. Denver's got the highest
rented guard in the league. Dotson for the Rams his second.
Like they those positions you don't think about, but that
those are great players.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
Remember those two guys missed a game with the Rams
scored thirty points in regulation, and had I believe five
hundred and fifty yards of total offense. You can tell
where I'm leaning in this one, Colin.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I think anytime you can get McVeigh Stafford in a
healthy RAMS team in a big game plus points, I
think the side is LA doesn't mean they're gonna win.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
I think that's the betting side.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
Who's a better offensive line in this one? By the way,
a Rams so better coach quarterback? Offensive line?
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Okay, defense though, special teams though, yes seevet, specialtyams matter
certain a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 8 (12:11):
Hey is Covino and Rit from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern and two to four Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, We're excited to announce a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich
FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube subscribe, hit that
thumbs up icon coming away.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Hey is Cavino and Rit from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern and two to four Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, We're excited to announced a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
YEP, that's right.
Speaker 8 (13:04):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich
FSR on YouTube again, go to YouTube search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, subscribe, hit that
thumbs up icon coming away.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Hour two.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
It's a Thursday, Tom Brady Tomorrow live in Chicago. It's
The Herd wherever you may be, however you may be watching, listening,
whatever the platform. I grab a yellow notepad. Whenever we
get the big games, super Bowl, Conference Championship one or
(13:45):
two regular season games, NBA Finals, say who are the
ten best players? And so we decided today, AFC Tomorrow,
NFC Ram Seahawks. Before we get to Greg co sell
in a couple of minutes. Who are the ten best
players between the Patriots and Broncos in our opinion, or
(14:08):
at least mine heading into the AFC Championship And here
we go. Number ten Mike Onwenu, interior lineman, New England
allowed two sacks on seven hundred and twenty two pass
blocking snaps. One of the top four to five best
guards in the NFL. Again, it's not a great old ligneman,
(14:31):
but it's not a great old line. He is a
great interior o lineman. Number nine, Cortland Sutton. I think
he's the most underrated number one receiver in the league
led Denver in catches yards, touchdowns. I mean he catches touchdowns.
There's only five guys in the league. You start looking
around one of five guys thousand yards, seven plus touchdowns
(14:54):
last two years, and boy do they depend on him
in big drives or what I mean they locked bow
Nicks locked in on him whenever they need a big play.
Courtland Sutton nine. Number eight Christian Gonzalez. Patriots are thirteen
and one and allow eighteen points a game when he plays.
This season, opposing quarterbacks mostly avoid him. Opposing quarterbacks have
(15:17):
a sixty one passer rating when they go after Christian Gonzales, long, fast, strong,
good hands, strong hands, He's an ace Christian Gonzales. Number seven,
Zach Allen one of the better defensive linemen that doesn't
get credit. He led the NFL in quarterback hits and
(15:37):
pressures this season, including the playoffs. He's a beast. Then
they get him from Arizona. Nobody was talking about it.
Great acquisition. Unheralded big inside for Denver. Number six Garrett
Bowles probably plays a more important position left tackle. Highest
graded overall pass blocker in the entire National Football League,
(16:02):
higher than Trent Williams. He is a great pass blocker.
Fourth rated OT overall, Garrett Bulls.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Number five.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Stefan Diggs. Here's what's amazing and rare.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
He is graded as a top ten receiver not only
when he lines up next to the sideline, but also
as a slot. You can move him all over the offense,
and I don't think they would have nearly the success.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
He's the one guy sometimes you have to put.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
You have to bracket put a couple of people on
Stefan Diggs. Number four, Quinn Miners, best guard arguably in football,
highest graded guard this season, first Team All Pro. It's
another guy's another guy. They just don't allow. They don't
allow of loss sacks. Bone Knicks doesn't get sacked. Some
(16:54):
of it is bulls and miners, some of it's bon Knicks.
Dad's a coach, doesn't take sacks. Is a great player.
Number three, and he's not even in his prime. Drake May,
he'll get better. First player NFL history, seventy percent completion percentage,
four thousand passing yards and rush for over four hundred
and fifty yards. And again, I don't even think he's
(17:17):
in his prime. I don't even think so far, he's
been great in the playoffs. Drake May three.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Number two, Nick Benito.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Outside of Miles Garrett, he's the only player with thirteen
plus sacks the last two years, and he'll probably get
one this weekend. I remember at college at Oaklahom I
was a good player, and he's kind of thin. Got
strong on that. He just he feels like he's getting
better every year of his career. Then he is a
dog in big moment. He is a he not Miles
(17:45):
Garrett maybe, but has a chance to be a Hall
of Famer. He is just a he's a dog in
big spots. Number one. Patrick's Artan I think is you
can make the argument he's the best corner, reigning defensive
player of the year, four time Pro bowler the last
four years, voted the number ten player in the league
(18:05):
by other players. Six Broncos, four Patriots bought New England
at the most important position, has a sizeable advantage Drake
May over Jarrett Stidham, and I think that's the difference
in the game. Like Jmack, I think it's really close.
(18:26):
And I think I said this about Buffalo. I think
Denver's high end talent is outstanding. Bowls and Zach Allen
and Quinn Minors and Bonito and Sartin. I don't think.
I don't think there's many teams in the league, maybe Philadelphia,
maybe the Rams who have better.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
High end talent.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Now, if you went eleven through fifteen, I think you'd
have a few more Patriots.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
But six' Four denver.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The herd weekdays
and Noon, eastern not A Em.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Pacific and with, that you, Know Greg cosell may Think
i'm out of my. Mind let's go To greg Co
sell forty six YEARS nfl.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
FILMS i have a.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Soft spot for interior offensive lineman because we never talk about,
him but There Quinn minor is a great example of
a guy that you, know nobody ever talks, about but
he and bowls that offensive line For denver's a real
thing your, Thoughts, Greg.
Speaker 10 (19:24):
I'm just wondering where the long snappers are on your, List.
COLIN i figure they'd be in the top. Ten you,
know the player that really stood out to, me And
i'm glad you had him very, high AND i think
it speaks to a significant matchup in this game Is
Nick benito because As i'm sure you've noticed That i've
studied the. Tape, Obviously Will campbell has been having significant
(19:46):
problems in one on one pass protection over the last
two three weeks against really good, rushers of Which benito.
IS i, Mean campbell has struggled With mac And oway
from The, chargers he struggled big time With hunter And
anderson from The, texans and now he's going to get
almost Exclusively benito Because benito lines up pretty much on
the right side of the defense ninety seven ninety eight
(20:09):
percent of the. Time and the thing is is The
patriots are well aware of. This so what they've started
to do is help, him either helping him with, chips
which they do a, lot or even with a primary pass,
protector and that has an impact through your entire pass
game because now there's fewer receivers you can send out
as primary, receivers so you lose the numbers game even
(20:31):
before the play starts because you can't send out five.
Eligibles SO i think that Matchup campbell Versus benito and
how The patriots want to deal with that is a
pretty significant part of this.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Game all, right let's talk about two stories before we
get to the matchups Between New england And shirt And
Seattle Rams Caleb. Williams what did the film say About
caleb and the lost of The rams.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Even AND i think he's been like.
Speaker 10 (20:57):
That he's just spectacular on the good, plays SO i,
think and he'll get better and.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Better you, Know i've talked to a lot of coaches
over the.
Speaker 10 (21:05):
Years i'm sure you have as, well and most coaches
will tell you that it takes two to three years
for a quarterback to really get a sense of mastery
within a specific offensive. System and we know That Ben
johnson's system has a lot of, detail a lot of,
complexity a lot of, nuance and that's going to take some.
Time there's no question this guy is a really kind
(21:27):
of elite talent just the way he throws a. Ball
but he's going to have to work on his lower
body mechanics because he throws a lot of balls off.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Balance because his arm talent just as an arm is so.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
Good but that's one reason why He's his ball placement
at times becomes inconsistent and. Erratic BUT i would expect
the future to be very. BRIGHT i, mean he's really.
Gifted he clearly got better as the year.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Progressed, Yeh, SO.
Speaker 10 (21:54):
I MEAN i think it's a. Positive there's nothing really
negative to. Say the guy's only in his second.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Year mike McDaniel, chargers what will he potentially bring To
Justin herbert that maybe he hasn't had in his.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Career, YEAH i don't. Know if you Know mike McDaniel at.
Speaker 10 (22:11):
All i've been around, him and he's an incredibly intelligent
guy just overall and incredibly intelligent and football as. Well
and you, know a lot of people immediately, thought, well
what's he going to? Do you, know you can't run
the two offense With Justin Herbert mike McDaniel knows. That
i'm sure that was, discussed and he's not going to do.
That there might be elements of, that because there's always
elements of quick game and rhythm throws in any. Offense
(22:33):
but he's going to look At Justin, herbert Which i'm
sure he has already in great. Detail he probably did
that before he interviewed with, them and he's going to
see exactly What Justin herbert's traits, are and he will
tailor what he does in the past game to What
Justin herbert is because you always tail your pass game
to your quarterback strengths and you try to minimize what
you believe his limitations. Are the one area THAT i
(22:55):
think will improve dramatically will be their run. GAME i,
mean obviously they had a lot of injuries on the old.
Line you assume That slater And alt will be. BACK
i would Expect omary and him to have a really
good season this year in A mike McDaniel run. Game
BUT i think it's a really good signing Because mike
McDaniel is incredibly, intelligent very, expansive very.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
Thoughtful, okay let's Talk New england And.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Denver do The patriots offense or The patriots defense matchup
better against The.
Speaker 10 (23:24):
Broncos, well The patriots defense over the last number of
weeks has really been, good and they've increased their blitz
frequency and their blitz quotions quite a. Bit they play
a ton of man, coverage and it'll be interesting to
see How Sean payton deals With Jared. Stidham, Now Jared
stindham has been in that offense for three, years he's
been With Sean, payton so this isn't new to. Him
(23:46):
but obviously it's new playing and it's obviously a big.
Game but my sense Is Sean, payton to, me is
not the kind of guy that's going to try to
hide the. QUARTERBACK i think he's going to play his. Offense, now,
again that doesn't mean he'll do exactly the same thing
he would Have Bone nix's, Playing BUT i think it's
about concepts and he's going to try to be. AGGRESSIVE
(24:06):
i would think on early downs where the predictability of
the defense is more than it is on let's say
pure pass situations are third and. Long so BUT i
do not believe he will try to hide his quarterback
in this game at. All but this has become a
very difficult defense to play. Against with a lot of
really good players that a lot of people might not
(24:27):
be aware, of Like Milton, williams Like, Barmore they're really good.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Inside let me ask, You jared stood them out of.
College do you recall how you sized him?
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Up what do you think of?
Speaker 10 (24:37):
HIM i Thought stidham was the kind of guy, that
in the right, situation with development and, cultivation could be
one of those mid level type. Starters you know that
he would need other, things you, know he need a run,
game he need a good, defense because he wasn't the
kind of guy you'd want dropping back thirty five or
forty times that he could end up being that kind of,
guy you.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Know and it hasn't worked.
Speaker 10 (24:58):
Out and there's many many reasons and is why that
does work out and doesn't work. Out BUT i thought
that he was good enough to be one of those
mid level starters if the situation was absolutely.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Correct, yeah kind of A Kirk cousins maybe where you
could win a division with. Him you may not Win Super,
bowls but you can win a lot of.
Speaker 10 (25:14):
Games, Stylistically, YES i think he's. That and he was
a little more mobile Than Kirk. Cousins but, yeah he's
you know, again we don't know what he's going to
do in this.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Game there's no way of. Knowing there's no way of.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
PREDICTING i Guess i'd be surprised if he's, Bad but
you know, again he's Probably they're not going to ask
him to carry them unless the game turns into that
kind of game where he has to drop back forty.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Times, no we Know denver gets a pass. Rush is
The bronco defense built to stop or slow Down Drake
may and this offense it's Not, houston but it is
aggressive and get.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Sacks, well the crazy thing Was. Colin The bronco defense
was not very good last.
Speaker 10 (25:57):
Week and from what Everything i've, heard they were playing
against the quarterback who apparently is one of the worst in.
Football that's WHAT i seem to have been hearing all
week on social. Media but they could not stop The.
Bills The bills put up thirty points against, them and
that does not happen At Male high or whatever they
call it. NOW i guess that doesn't happen very often at.
All they really didn't get To Josh allen very. Much
(26:19):
The bills pretty much went up and down the, field
SO i would assume they'll play. Better you, know The
patriots offense, is it's obviously a very good.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Offense may has not been quite as good in the. Playoffs.
Speaker 10 (26:30):
Clearly last week they played a really good, defense and
that defense really dominated The patriots. Offense last, week The
texans defense. DID i would expect the pass rush to
be a bigger factor this. Week we talked About Will.
Campbell so you, know it is a very very good,
defense and they're good at all three. Levels, now the
one area WHERE i think you can attack with The
(26:52):
broncos defense IS i think you can attack their. Linebackers
in the past.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Game, yeah all, right RAMSEEAHAWKS la in two games has
averaged thirty points in four hundred and fifteen. Yards that's
saying something Against seattle's. Defense, yes The rams offensively been
so effective Against seattle's.
Speaker 10 (27:13):
Defense, well and everybody wants to Talk, stafford and in
the second, Game stafford was. Phenomenal but they have been
able to run the ball collin against that defense and
very few people have been able to do. THAT i
think they've run for one hundred and twenty plus in both.
Games the style of running with their duo concept where
(27:33):
you have double teams on both defensive, tackles has allowed
them to be somewhat effective because most teams cannot Get
Byron murphy And Leonard williams block their two defensive tackles On.
Seattle most teams can't get those guys. Blocked the forty
nine ers in two games could not get those guys.
Blocked they've both been unbelievably. Good it's a really good.
(27:54):
Defense they're a nickel. Defense eminori is a you, know
plays lines up in different depending on what the offensive formation,
is and he's basically a four to Three sam. Linebacker
they're just very good at all three. Levels and they're
a team that plays mostly out of a too deep,
shell so it's very hard to get big plays over
(28:15):
the top of.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Them THE rams defense has, flummixed has Confused Sam. Donald
belichick had success with. This what do The rams do?
TO i Mean Sam donald a lot of wins and
a lot of yards and a lot of. Topchdowns the
last two YEARS rams have given him.
Speaker 10 (28:35):
Fits Why, YEAH i think one of the things you
try to do with any, quarterback but With, donald who's
always at times had this, issue is changing the picture
pre snap to post. Snap some might remember in the
second game there was an interception By, wallace who doesn't
play now because lakes, back but there was an interception
By wallace where they showed man to man pre snap
(28:57):
and it turned out to be zone and read it
as a man and threw a pass that was picked.
Off SO i think With Sam donald you try to
do a lot of. That you try to change the
picture pre snap to post. Snap, now one area where
The seahawks have been much better over the last.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Month is running the. Football.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
Now Obviously charbonne's out in this, game But walker's been much.
Better walker has been attacking downhill much more.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
So over the last three four.
Speaker 10 (29:23):
Games he's often been much more OF i always thought
of him as kind of a jazz, musician you, know
sort of improvising and looking for.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Things whereas the last three four weeks.
Speaker 10 (29:33):
He's been a little more attacking downhill and getting the hard,
yards and that has allowed them to stay on. Schedule
and it's also with their, defense Allowed donald not to
have to throw that many. Balls, now whether that happens
in this, game that's hard to. Know you don't know
how it's going to play. Out but in an ideal.
WORLD i don't think they Want Sam donald dropping back
thirty five. TIMES i think they wanted to be a
(29:54):
very balanced offense and have their defense in some ways
control the paying tempo of the.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Game is the defense For seattle scheme centric coaching or
is it just? Listen they're long. FAST i, Mean i'll
say this to get To Marcus lawrence at thirty? Three,
YEAH i MEAN i watched them this. Year i'm, like
has he got? Leaner who gets better at thirty? Three
on the defensive, side do they just put them in better?
(30:19):
SCHEMES i, mean you get more of the safety out
Of South carolina has been? Fantastic what is it For
cs've been?
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Fantastic you.
Speaker 10 (30:26):
KNOW i would never want to say that there's not
major scheme elements to a defense because you'd have to
know all the individual things they. Do and we're not
in the, meetings but BY nfl, standards WHEN i watch their, Tape,
COLIN i would say that they're more static than they
are doing one hundred different things like some. Defenses but
everything they do for the most, part is out of
(30:47):
a two. Shell look even their, pressures there's two shell behind.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
It so they really don't give up much over the.
Speaker 10 (30:54):
TOP i would say their pressures are where they're really really.
Good they're not a high percentage blitz To, okay they rush, four,
right they rush four and they stuck really really. Well
but when they do, pressure it's really well. Done And
mike McDonald has such a great understanding of protections by
the opponent and how to break them, down because that's
(31:16):
ultimately what you're trying to do with, Pressure you're trying
to break down.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Protections, Finally Sam, darnald give me a play you like
From donald this?
Speaker 10 (31:23):
Week, yeah, YEAH i Thought donald there was a great
play the touchdown he threw it To smith And. Jig
but he only THREW i think seventeen balls this. Week
but let's look at the touchdown he threw To smith And,
jig because this was just a really really good play
and the kind of play that you know is just
one of those you, go, wow that's just really.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Good and so this play obviously low red.
Speaker 10 (31:43):
Zone you're going to See, donald he's under, center it's twelve,
personnel you're going to have the back and two tight.
Ends you're going to see the two receivers Here cup
And smith And. Jig but now they have reduced. Splits
and the reason they have reduced splits is because they're
going to run mirrored, crossers and you run crossers very
often you want your receivers closer to the ball because
(32:05):
you want to get them across the. Field so now
what happens here is you're going to see pressman on the,
outside receivers a cup In smith And jigba by the
forty nine, ers and you're going to See. Barner he'll
motion across the. Formation now that's just a mechanic of the.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Play his motion across the.
Speaker 10 (32:21):
Formation obviously it's an important, part but he's going to do.
It so now what you're going to get is you're
going to get play action And Sam, darnold who will
boot to his, left he'll boot into the.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Boundary so there's not a lot of.
Speaker 10 (32:34):
Space so ultimately what he's looking for here Is smith
And jigba on the crosser into the. Boundary but that's very, Muddy,
colin that's a very muddy. Look you're just uncertain as
to where to throw the. Football So sam has to keep,
rolling he has to keep rolling, out and as he
gets further, out he sees there's another safety's sitting right.
(32:54):
There this play right now looks like it is absolutely,
dead but he just keeps rolling and it's an unbelievable
throw To smith And Jake. Ben you can see from
this angle just how hard and difficult a throw this.
Is and that's just a big time. Throw and the
key thing is we all know with any, quarterback people
like to focus With donald about it is. Turnovers and
(33:14):
if he doesn't turn it, over their team is really
really good in pretty much every.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Area Greg cosel forty six YEARS Nfl. Films we always get.
Smarter great seeing.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
You, Greg Thanks, colin appreciate.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
It, boy that is going to be something.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Else these games are going to. Be Really i'm bummed.
OUT i want to see bow. Next BUT i Remember
jarret's did him in? COLLEGE i, Mean Sean payton got
The denver remember when he paid him twelve million to
be a backup he was with A. RAIDERS i think
they paid him twelve. MILLION i remember being on the
air that.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Day, man he must like.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Him so you, KNOW i always say who likes the?
Quarterback shanahan Loved, Donald kevin O'Connell really Liked. Donald, Yeah
DEN i kept buyding To donald. McVeigh i really Like Baker, mayfield,
WELL i, Know Baker mayfield's pretty. Good stefanski for a,
while really Like Baker. Mayfield Liam cohen really Like Baker.
(34:07):
Mayfield that tells Me Baker mayfield's pretty.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Good
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
noone 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 3 (00:28):
Here we Go.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It's a Thursday, Greg coach Sell. One hour from now.
We're live at Chicago. It is Chili. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however, whatever platform you're watching or listening,
a lot of choices out there. Thanks for choosing us
making us part of your day. We all know there's bias.
(00:50):
For the record, you have some to there's recency bias,
there's confirmation bias. In the media. We have what I
would call chaos bias. The more chaos you have, we
jump to it because we know y'll jump to it.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
That's how it works.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
On YouTube and TikTok, people find chaos, and I think
sometimes it steers us in the media, myself included toward
chaos bias. Buffalo Bills have had a bad forty eight hours.
Everybody's piling on. You may want to take a deep breath.
Let's look at where Buffalo's at. Ownership, stable, new stadium coming,
(01:35):
massive revenue upgrade, buy more players, superstar quarterback, top six
offensive line in a league that has shifted over the
last decade to offense, tight end, slot receiver, running back, quarterback,
o line, left tackle. Really good last six years, most
wins in the league, best point differential by a country
(01:56):
mile number one, offense, second in playoff wins. Yes, they
had a bad seventy two hours, got a bad press
conference yesterday. The Sean McDermott firing and press release could
have been better. They'd been excellent for six seven years. Excellent.
Can this also be noted? Winning Super Bowls is hard?
(02:19):
Sean McVay, the best coach arguably in the league, has
won and should probably thank Aaron Donald and one sack
late on Joe Burrow for that. Jim Harbaugh none, Kyle
Shanahan none, Sean Payton won and if the Colts recover
(02:39):
that on sidekick, he's maybe looking at zero.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
The Buffalo Bills are a controversial catch no catch call
from beating the excellent Jags and the excellent Broncos on
the road. Okay, Bill Belichick. Five of his Super Bowls
decided by a possession, three by a field goal. Rory
(03:05):
McElroy best golfer in Europe for fifteen years. He went
eleven years without winning a major. He was often PGA
Player of the Year multiple times in a year he
didn't win a major. And in golf you get four
chances a year to win a major. In the NFL
you get one, one three and a half hour window.
(03:29):
That's it. I would rather be a Buffalo Bills fan
today than almost anybody not named Kansas City because of
Andy Reid and Mahomes, and Andy Reid could retire in
a year. I'd rather be the new England Patriots. I
think Drake may is actually at this point underrated. I
like where the Rams are, but Stafford could retire. I
(03:51):
like where the Seahawks are. But if do we all
trust Sam Darnold yet?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I do?
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Most of you don't bias confirmation bias. There's also chaos bias,
and it's what we in the media do, and it's
also what you the fans are attracted to. Brandon Bean's
probably not the best personnel guy in the league. But again,
if I told you in twenty twenty six an offensive league,
(04:19):
if I said, yeah, there's this franchise Upstate New York,
superstar quarterback, Pro Bowl running back, great left tackle, good
old line, star slot receiver, really is good, excellent tight ends,
and their rosters full of B guys. It's not like
they've got C and D guys all over. They could
use another cornerback. So could the league accept Seattle. Everybody
(04:42):
needs new corners because everybody's going three receivers wide, and
nobody has three great corners.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Not even Seattle, and they've got two.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Terry Pagoula didn't have a great press conference yesterday, but
what he's saying has so much merit. We're pretty good here,
We've got the thing huge want here. Here's the owner yesterday.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
That's our seating over the last seven years in the
playoffs five two, three.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Two to six.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
An organization doesn't carry that kind of record without having
without being a great organization, and without having great players.
We are focused on bringing a Super Bowl to Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Josh Allen's twenty nine, not thirty nine. That's Matt Stafford
gonna be thirty eight thirty nine. Soon Josh Allen's twenty
nine seven years hasn't bested to start due to injury,
new stadium, stable ownership, more revenue, O line left tackle.
They had a bad forty eight to seventy two hours.
There's an old cliche. Wind blows harder at the top
of the mountain. They're near the top. This stuff had.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Happened in.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
You know, Carolina, I would not even make the show,
would not even make the show.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
It's the bills. It leaves the show.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
You know.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Here's the thing about smart people, even geniuses. Van Go
actually died poor yeah, yeah, and wasn't viewed as as successful.
And then he died and now you have to wait
in line to see his work, right, Like, that's the
way it works sometimes because visionaries and people who see
(06:31):
things before I see them or you see them, we
don't give him credit in the time. And we also
not only do we not give him credit, we forget
the risk they took to do it. And I'll give
you an example with Seattle planning their ramps. Seattle, ninety
percent of you thought Sam Darnold was not a good signing.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
He got lucky.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
He had justin Jefferson.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Kevin O'Connell's a genius, not a very good defensive a division.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
You didn't like it. You didn't like it. He's been great.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
By the way DK Metcalf moved, you didn't like that either. Well,
what is Seattle doing? When Russell Wilson left, I can
remember saying on the air, he's been at least a
one oh three quarterback rating, dude for four straight years.
Are we sure this is the right move? I didn't
think it was the right move. Gino Smith's abaum not really.
(07:28):
He made a Pro Bowl, they won ten games, and
Seattle had the number eight passing offense in the league
his last year in Seattle. But John Snyder bailed on
Gino and failed on DK Metcalf and signed Sam Darnold. Hey,
by the way, Pete Carroll was wildly popular in Seattle.
A lot of people didn't think he should be let go,
(07:48):
and then you watch him with the Raiders and you're like, yeah,
John Snyder, the GM of Seattle got that right too.
When DeMarcus Lawrence signed thirty three year old defensive end,
they brought out the checkbook. How many of you are like, perfect,
that's what we need. A thirty three year old defensive
end who I forgot about in Dallas. He had more
pressures this year than Nick Benito in Denver. We do
(08:12):
this all the time when somebody sees stuff. A visionary
is what they call him before you and I see them. Okay,
we always forget the risk they took. We don't give
them the credit. Everybody now goes well, of course Darnald
was better than Geno Smith. And go back and look
at some of your tweets. The DK Metcalf move. You
(08:37):
didn't like it, crazy one of one. There's nobody like him.
So Sam Darnald was available to the entire league. Pittsburgh
could have had him, they wouldn't guarantee him multiple years.
Minnesota had him in the building. Smart people in Minnesota.
They let him walk. So Seattle's moves they look brilliant. Now,
(09:00):
that's what happens when you have a great visionary GM.
It look good now. And we didn't love those moves.
Go back to Russell Wilson's last year's in Seattle. Oh,
let me guess you got that right too, hit a
one three passer rating year after year after year after year.
Let Russ Cook maybe didn't work but he was still successful.
(09:21):
So I don't know when I look at what Seattle's done,
is that a lot of these moves we just we line.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Up with show.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I mean, you know, they hit some draft picks, they've
hit everything. They Mike McDonald was a kid, unproven as
a head coach. Home run they found their McVeigh. Donald
was great in Minneapolis. Why wouldn't he be good in Seattle?
DeMarcus Lawrence, DK Metcalf, they all worked. Here's his boss
is John Snyder. His name's Mike McDonald. Here's his thoughts.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
His leadership example from on a day to day basis
shows up in so many ways, just like the spirit
of the building, his interaction with everyone, I mean, talks
to more people and going I do you know, like
he's just he's doing this thing all the time. And
he's been incredibly helpful to me. He knew when to
kind of give you some air to breathe and grow
and expend and learn, you know, maybe fall a little bit.
(10:18):
And he also was there to support you when you
needed it.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Can't wait rams Seahawks Seattle minus two and a half.
By the way, in about an hour from now. I
do this as Jmack knows anytime you get a massive
game AFC Championship, NFC Championship, I go to both teams,
who's got the top ten players? Generally the team with
more of the top ten players. I'm doing AFC today.
(10:43):
I think you'll be surprised by it. Seahawks Rams is impossible.
You could go to fifteen players and still leave like
really really high.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
End starters off Seattle Rams.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
I got the ten players, and I'm like, I don't
even there's like four other defensive players that I think
are near Pro Bowl players. There's so much talent in
the Rams Seahawks game, it's insane.
Speaker 7 (11:06):
Well, there's probably two guys colin on that list who
didn't even play in the Week sixteen meeting, Davonte Adams
who missed that game. Remember yeah, and Dotson, the offensive
lineman who's back and who is excellent against the Bears.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Dobson's in the second highest rate. Denver's got the highest
rented guard in the league. Dotson for the Rams his second.
Like they those positions you don't think about, but that
those are great players.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
Remember those two guys missed a game with the Rams
scored thirty points in regulation, and had I believe five
hundred and fifty yards of total offense. You can tell
where I'm leaning in this one, Colin.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
I think anytime you can get McVeigh Stafford in a
healthy RAMS team in a big game plus points, I
think the side is LA doesn't mean they're gonna win.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
I think that's the betting side.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
Who's a better offensive line in this one? By the way,
a Rams so better coach quarterback? Offensive line?
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Okay, defense though, special teams though, yes seevet, specialtyams matter
certain a little bit.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 8 (12:11):
Hey is Covino and Rit from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern and two to four Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, We're excited to announce a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yup, that's right.
Speaker 8 (12:25):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich
FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube subscribe, hit that
thumbs up icon coming away.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeart Radio app.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Hey is Cavino and Rit from Fox Sports Radio Now.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to
seven pm Eastern and two to four Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio, We're excited to announced a brand new YouTube
channel for the show.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
YEP, that's right.
Speaker 8 (13:04):
You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube
every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich
FSR on YouTube again, go to YouTube search Covino and
Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, subscribe, hit that
thumbs up icon coming away.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Hour two.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
It's a Thursday, Tom Brady Tomorrow live in Chicago. It's
The Herd wherever you may be, however you may be watching, listening,
whatever the platform. I grab a yellow notepad. Whenever we
get the big games, super Bowl, Conference Championship one or
(13:45):
two regular season games, NBA Finals, say who are the
ten best players? And so we decided today, AFC Tomorrow,
NFC Ram Seahawks. Before we get to Greg co sell
in a couple of minutes. Who are the ten best
players between the Patriots and Broncos in our opinion, or
(14:08):
at least mine heading into the AFC Championship And here
we go. Number ten Mike Onwenu, interior lineman, New England
allowed two sacks on seven hundred and twenty two pass
blocking snaps. One of the top four to five best
guards in the NFL. Again, it's not a great old ligneman,
(14:31):
but it's not a great old line. He is a
great interior o lineman. Number nine, Cortland Sutton. I think
he's the most underrated number one receiver in the league
led Denver in catches yards, touchdowns. I mean he catches touchdowns.
There's only five guys in the league. You start looking
around one of five guys thousand yards, seven plus touchdowns
(14:54):
last two years, and boy do they depend on him
in big drives or what I mean they locked bow
Nicks locked in on him whenever they need a big play.
Courtland Sutton nine. Number eight Christian Gonzalez. Patriots are thirteen
and one and allow eighteen points a game when he plays.
This season, opposing quarterbacks mostly avoid him. Opposing quarterbacks have
(15:17):
a sixty one passer rating when they go after Christian Gonzales, long, fast, strong,
good hands, strong hands, He's an ace Christian Gonzales. Number seven,
Zach Allen one of the better defensive linemen that doesn't
get credit. He led the NFL in quarterback hits and
(15:37):
pressures this season, including the playoffs. He's a beast. Then
they get him from Arizona. Nobody was talking about it.
Great acquisition. Unheralded big inside for Denver. Number six Garrett
Bowles probably plays a more important position left tackle. Highest
graded overall pass blocker in the entire National Football League,
(16:02):
higher than Trent Williams. He is a great pass blocker.
Fourth rated OT overall, Garrett Bulls.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Number five.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Stefan Diggs. Here's what's amazing and rare.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
He is graded as a top ten receiver not only
when he lines up next to the sideline, but also
as a slot. You can move him all over the offense,
and I don't think they would have nearly the success.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
He's the one guy sometimes you have to put.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
You have to bracket put a couple of people on
Stefan Diggs. Number four, Quinn Miners, best guard arguably in football,
highest graded guard this season, first Team All Pro. It's
another guy's another guy. They just don't allow. They don't
allow of loss sacks. Bone Knicks doesn't get sacked. Some
(16:54):
of it is bulls and miners, some of it's bon Knicks.
Dad's a coach, doesn't take sacks. Is a great player.
Number three, and he's not even in his prime. Drake May,
he'll get better. First player NFL history, seventy percent completion percentage,
four thousand passing yards and rush for over four hundred
and fifty yards. And again, I don't even think he's
(17:17):
in his prime. I don't even think so far, he's
been great in the playoffs. Drake May three.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Number two, Nick Benito.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Outside of Miles Garrett, he's the only player with thirteen
plus sacks the last two years, and he'll probably get
one this weekend. I remember at college at Oaklahom I
was a good player, and he's kind of thin. Got
strong on that. He just he feels like he's getting
better every year of his career. Then he is a
dog in big moment. He is a he not Miles
(17:45):
Garrett maybe, but has a chance to be a Hall
of Famer. He is just a he's a dog in
big spots. Number one. Patrick's Artan I think is you
can make the argument he's the best corner, reigning defensive
player of the year, four time Pro bowler the last
four years, voted the number ten player in the league
(18:05):
by other players. Six Broncos, four Patriots bought New England
at the most important position, has a sizeable advantage Drake
May over Jarrett Stidham, and I think that's the difference
in the game. Like Jmack, I think it's really close.
(18:26):
And I think I said this about Buffalo. I think
Denver's high end talent is outstanding. Bowls and Zach Allen
and Quinn Minors and Bonito and Sartin. I don't think.
I don't think there's many teams in the league, maybe Philadelphia,
maybe the Rams who have better.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
High end talent.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Now, if you went eleven through fifteen, I think you'd
have a few more Patriots.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
But six' Four denver.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The herd weekdays
and Noon, eastern not A Em.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Pacific and with, that you, Know Greg cosell may Think
i'm out of my. Mind let's go To greg Co
sell forty six YEARS nfl.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
FILMS i have a.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
Soft spot for interior offensive lineman because we never talk about,
him but There Quinn minor is a great example of
a guy that you, know nobody ever talks, about but
he and bowls that offensive line For denver's a real
thing your, Thoughts, Greg.
Speaker 10 (19:24):
I'm just wondering where the long snappers are on your, List.
COLIN i figure they'd be in the top. Ten you,
know the player that really stood out to, me And
i'm glad you had him very, high AND i think
it speaks to a significant matchup in this game Is
Nick benito because As i'm sure you've noticed That i've
studied the. Tape, Obviously Will campbell has been having significant
(19:46):
problems in one on one pass protection over the last
two three weeks against really good, rushers of Which benito.
IS i, Mean campbell has struggled With mac And oway
from The, chargers he struggled big time With hunter And
anderson from The, texans and now he's going to get
almost Exclusively benito Because benito lines up pretty much on
the right side of the defense ninety seven ninety eight
(20:09):
percent of the. Time and the thing is is The
patriots are well aware of. This so what they've started
to do is help, him either helping him with, chips
which they do a, lot or even with a primary pass,
protector and that has an impact through your entire pass
game because now there's fewer receivers you can send out
as primary, receivers so you lose the numbers game even
(20:31):
before the play starts because you can't send out five.
Eligibles SO i think that Matchup campbell Versus benito and
how The patriots want to deal with that is a
pretty significant part of this.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Game all, right let's talk about two stories before we
get to the matchups Between New england And shirt And
Seattle Rams Caleb. Williams what did the film say About
caleb and the lost of The rams.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Even AND i think he's been like.
Speaker 10 (20:57):
That he's just spectacular on the good, plays SO i,
think and he'll get better and.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Better you, Know i've talked to a lot of coaches
over the.
Speaker 10 (21:05):
Years i'm sure you have as, well and most coaches
will tell you that it takes two to three years
for a quarterback to really get a sense of mastery
within a specific offensive. System and we know That Ben
johnson's system has a lot of, detail a lot of,
complexity a lot of, nuance and that's going to take some.
Time there's no question this guy is a really kind
(21:27):
of elite talent just the way he throws a. Ball
but he's going to have to work on his lower
body mechanics because he throws a lot of balls off.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Balance because his arm talent just as an arm is so.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
Good but that's one reason why He's his ball placement
at times becomes inconsistent and. Erratic BUT i would expect
the future to be very. BRIGHT i, mean he's really.
Gifted he clearly got better as the year.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Progressed, Yeh, SO.
Speaker 10 (21:54):
I MEAN i think it's a. Positive there's nothing really
negative to. Say the guy's only in his second.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Year mike McDaniel, chargers what will he potentially bring To
Justin herbert that maybe he hasn't had in his.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Career, YEAH i don't. Know if you Know mike McDaniel at.
Speaker 10 (22:11):
All i've been around, him and he's an incredibly intelligent
guy just overall and incredibly intelligent and football as. Well
and you, know a lot of people immediately, thought, well
what's he going to? Do you, know you can't run
the two offense With Justin Herbert mike McDaniel knows. That
i'm sure that was, discussed and he's not going to do.
That there might be elements of, that because there's always
elements of quick game and rhythm throws in any. Offense
(22:33):
but he's going to look At Justin, herbert Which i'm
sure he has already in great. Detail he probably did
that before he interviewed with, them and he's going to
see exactly What Justin herbert's traits, are and he will
tailor what he does in the past game to What
Justin herbert is because you always tail your pass game
to your quarterback strengths and you try to minimize what
you believe his limitations. Are the one area THAT i
(22:55):
think will improve dramatically will be their run. GAME i,
mean obviously they had a lot of injuries on the old.
Line you assume That slater And alt will be. BACK
i would Expect omary and him to have a really
good season this year in A mike McDaniel run. Game
BUT i think it's a really good signing Because mike
McDaniel is incredibly, intelligent very, expansive very.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
Thoughtful, okay let's Talk New england And.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Denver do The patriots offense or The patriots defense matchup
better against The.
Speaker 10 (23:24):
Broncos, well The patriots defense over the last number of
weeks has really been, good and they've increased their blitz
frequency and their blitz quotions quite a. Bit they play
a ton of man, coverage and it'll be interesting to
see How Sean payton deals With Jared. Stidham, Now Jared
stindham has been in that offense for three, years he's
been With Sean, payton so this isn't new to. Him
(23:46):
but obviously it's new playing and it's obviously a big.
Game but my sense Is Sean, payton to, me is
not the kind of guy that's going to try to
hide the. QUARTERBACK i think he's going to play his. Offense, now,
again that doesn't mean he'll do exactly the same thing
he would Have Bone nix's, Playing BUT i think it's
about concepts and he's going to try to be. AGGRESSIVE
(24:06):
i would think on early downs where the predictability of
the defense is more than it is on let's say
pure pass situations are third and. Long so BUT i
do not believe he will try to hide his quarterback
in this game at. All but this has become a
very difficult defense to play. Against with a lot of
really good players that a lot of people might not
(24:27):
be aware, of Like Milton, williams Like, Barmore they're really good.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Inside let me ask, You jared stood them out of.
College do you recall how you sized him?
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Up what do you think of?
Speaker 10 (24:37):
HIM i Thought stidham was the kind of guy, that
in the right, situation with development and, cultivation could be
one of those mid level type. Starters you know that
he would need other, things you, know he need a run,
game he need a good, defense because he wasn't the
kind of guy you'd want dropping back thirty five or
forty times that he could end up being that kind of,
guy you.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Know and it hasn't worked.
Speaker 10 (24:58):
Out and there's many many reasons and is why that
does work out and doesn't work. Out BUT i thought
that he was good enough to be one of those
mid level starters if the situation was absolutely.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Correct, yeah kind of A Kirk cousins maybe where you
could win a division with. Him you may not Win Super,
bowls but you can win a lot of.
Speaker 10 (25:14):
Games, Stylistically, YES i think he's. That and he was
a little more mobile Than Kirk. Cousins but, yeah he's
you know, again we don't know what he's going to
do in this.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Game there's no way of. Knowing there's no way of.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
PREDICTING i Guess i'd be surprised if he's, Bad but
you know, again he's Probably they're not going to ask
him to carry them unless the game turns into that
kind of game where he has to drop back forty.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Times, no we Know denver gets a pass. Rush is
The bronco defense built to stop or slow Down Drake
may and this offense it's Not, houston but it is
aggressive and get.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Sacks, well the crazy thing Was. Colin The bronco defense
was not very good last.
Speaker 10 (25:57):
Week and from what Everything i've, heard they were playing
against the quarterback who apparently is one of the worst in.
Football that's WHAT i seem to have been hearing all
week on social. Media but they could not stop The.
Bills The bills put up thirty points against, them and
that does not happen At Male high or whatever they
call it. NOW i guess that doesn't happen very often at.
All they really didn't get To Josh allen very. Much
(26:19):
The bills pretty much went up and down the, field
SO i would assume they'll play. Better you, know The
patriots offense, is it's obviously a very good.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Offense may has not been quite as good in the. Playoffs.
Speaker 10 (26:30):
Clearly last week they played a really good, defense and
that defense really dominated The patriots. Offense last, week The
texans defense. DID i would expect the pass rush to
be a bigger factor this. Week we talked About Will.
Campbell so you, know it is a very very good,
defense and they're good at all three. Levels, now the
one area WHERE i think you can attack with The
(26:52):
broncos defense IS i think you can attack their. Linebackers
in the past.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Game, yeah all, right RAMSEEAHAWKS la in two games has
averaged thirty points in four hundred and fifteen. Yards that's
saying something Against seattle's. Defense, yes The rams offensively been
so effective Against seattle's.
Speaker 10 (27:13):
Defense, well and everybody wants to Talk, stafford and in
the second, Game stafford was. Phenomenal but they have been
able to run the ball collin against that defense and
very few people have been able to do. THAT i
think they've run for one hundred and twenty plus in both.
Games the style of running with their duo concept where
(27:33):
you have double teams on both defensive, tackles has allowed
them to be somewhat effective because most teams cannot Get
Byron murphy And Leonard williams block their two defensive tackles On.
Seattle most teams can't get those guys. Blocked the forty
nine ers in two games could not get those guys.
Blocked they've both been unbelievably. Good it's a really good.
(27:54):
Defense they're a nickel. Defense eminori is a you, know
plays lines up in different depending on what the offensive formation,
is and he's basically a four to Three sam. Linebacker
they're just very good at all three. Levels and they're
a team that plays mostly out of a too deep,
shell so it's very hard to get big plays over
(28:15):
the top of.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Them THE rams defense has, flummixed has Confused Sam. Donald
belichick had success with. This what do The rams do?
TO i Mean Sam donald a lot of wins and
a lot of yards and a lot of. Topchdowns the
last two YEARS rams have given him.
Speaker 10 (28:35):
Fits Why, YEAH i think one of the things you
try to do with any, quarterback but With, donald who's
always at times had this, issue is changing the picture
pre snap to post. Snap some might remember in the
second game there was an interception By, wallace who doesn't
play now because lakes, back but there was an interception
By wallace where they showed man to man pre snap
(28:57):
and it turned out to be zone and read it
as a man and threw a pass that was picked.
Off SO i think With Sam donald you try to
do a lot of. That you try to change the
picture pre snap to post. Snap, now one area where
The seahawks have been much better over the last.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
Month is running the. Football.
Speaker 10 (29:14):
Now Obviously charbonne's out in this, game But walker's been much.
Better walker has been attacking downhill much more.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
So over the last three four.
Speaker 10 (29:23):
Games he's often been much more OF i always thought
of him as kind of a jazz, musician you, know
sort of improvising and looking for.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Things whereas the last three four weeks.
Speaker 10 (29:33):
He's been a little more attacking downhill and getting the hard,
yards and that has allowed them to stay on. Schedule
and it's also with their, defense Allowed donald not to
have to throw that many. Balls, now whether that happens
in this, game that's hard to. Know you don't know
how it's going to play. Out but in an ideal.
WORLD i don't think they Want Sam donald dropping back
thirty five. TIMES i think they wanted to be a
(29:54):
very balanced offense and have their defense in some ways
control the paying tempo of the.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
Game is the defense For seattle scheme centric coaching or
is it just? Listen they're long. FAST i, Mean i'll
say this to get To Marcus lawrence at thirty? Three,
YEAH i MEAN i watched them this. Year i'm, like
has he got? Leaner who gets better at thirty? Three
on the defensive, side do they just put them in better?
(30:19):
SCHEMES i, mean you get more of the safety out
Of South carolina has been? Fantastic what is it For
cs've been?
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Fantastic you.
Speaker 10 (30:26):
KNOW i would never want to say that there's not
major scheme elements to a defense because you'd have to
know all the individual things they. Do and we're not
in the, meetings but BY nfl, standards WHEN i watch their, Tape,
COLIN i would say that they're more static than they
are doing one hundred different things like some. Defenses but
everything they do for the most, part is out of
(30:47):
a two. Shell look even their, pressures there's two shell behind.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
It so they really don't give up much over the.
Speaker 10 (30:54):
TOP i would say their pressures are where they're really really.
Good they're not a high percentage blitz To, okay they rush, four,
right they rush four and they stuck really really. Well
but when they do, pressure it's really well. Done And
mike McDonald has such a great understanding of protections by
the opponent and how to break them, down because that's
(31:16):
ultimately what you're trying to do with, Pressure you're trying
to break down.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
Protections, Finally Sam, darnald give me a play you like
From donald this?
Speaker 10 (31:23):
Week, yeah, YEAH i Thought donald there was a great
play the touchdown he threw it To smith And. Jig
but he only THREW i think seventeen balls this. Week
but let's look at the touchdown he threw To smith And,
jig because this was just a really really good play
and the kind of play that you know is just
one of those you, go, wow that's just really.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Good and so this play obviously low red.
Speaker 10 (31:43):
Zone you're going to See, donald he's under, center it's twelve,
personnel you're going to have the back and two tight.
Ends you're going to see the two receivers Here cup
And smith And. Jig but now they have reduced. Splits
and the reason they have reduced splits is because they're
going to run mirrored, crossers and you run crossers very
often you want your receivers closer to the ball because
(32:05):
you want to get them across the. Field so now
what happens here is you're going to see pressman on the,
outside receivers a cup In smith And jigba by the
forty nine, ers and you're going to See. Barner he'll
motion across the. Formation now that's just a mechanic of the.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Play his motion across the.
Speaker 10 (32:21):
Formation obviously it's an important, part but he's going to do.
It so now what you're going to get is you're
going to get play action And Sam, darnold who will
boot to his, left he'll boot into the.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Boundary so there's not a lot of.
Speaker 10 (32:34):
Space so ultimately what he's looking for here Is smith
And jigba on the crosser into the. Boundary but that's very, Muddy,
colin that's a very muddy. Look you're just uncertain as
to where to throw the. Football So sam has to keep,
rolling he has to keep rolling, out and as he
gets further, out he sees there's another safety's sitting right.
(32:54):
There this play right now looks like it is absolutely,
dead but he just keeps rolling and it's an unbelievable
throw To smith And Jake. Ben you can see from
this angle just how hard and difficult a throw this.
Is and that's just a big time. Throw and the
key thing is we all know with any, quarterback people
like to focus With donald about it is. Turnovers and
(33:14):
if he doesn't turn it, over their team is really
really good in pretty much every.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
Area Greg cosel forty six YEARS Nfl. Films we always get.
Smarter great seeing.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
You, Greg Thanks, colin appreciate.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
It, boy that is going to be something.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Else these games are going to. Be Really i'm bummed.
OUT i want to see bow. Next BUT i Remember
jarret's did him in? COLLEGE i, Mean Sean payton got
The denver remember when he paid him twelve million to
be a backup he was with A. RAIDERS i think
they paid him twelve. MILLION i remember being on the
air that.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Day, man he must like.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Him so you, KNOW i always say who likes the?
Quarterback shanahan Loved, Donald kevin O'Connell really Liked. Donald, Yeah
DEN i kept buyding To donald. McVeigh i really Like Baker, mayfield,
WELL i, Know Baker mayfield's pretty. Good stefanski for a,
while really Like Baker. Mayfield Liam cohen really Like Baker.
(34:07):
Mayfield that tells Me Baker mayfield's pretty.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Good
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.