December 30, 2025 • 41 mins
Matthew Stafford falls apart against the Falcons as the McVay magic finds its level and the Rams suddenly look rough as the playoffs loom. The 49ers are surging and trying to stay at home for the Super Bowl. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel joins Colin to discuss how he’s turned things around in New England, being the CEO head coach and what his star quarterback Drake Maye has done this year to be so special and set himself as the MVP favorite.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, We are live. It's The Herd on
a Tuesday. The Herd Hierarchy. One hour from now, Patriots
head coach Mike Crable stops by. Welcome in wherever you
may be, however you may be listening, appreciate you make
an US part of your day. So in the NFL,
(00:46):
I think we all know this. The more ways you
can win, the better. Seattle's winning when Sam Darnold doesn't
play well, the Niners one when Max Jones was starting.
The Bears can win with their run game and not
Caleb Williams. Philadel Field won a game this weekend where
they didn't complete a pass in the second half. A
lot of different ways for the Seahawks and the Niners
(01:08):
and the Bears. The Eagles maybe more than any team
can win, but with the Rams it's different. If Matt
Stafford plays poorly, they lose. In the eleven wins this
year for the Rams, he has thirty touchdowns and two picks.
In the Rams five losses, he has twelve touchdowns and
six picks. And people call Sam Darnold reckless, but when
(01:31):
Donald struggles, he still gives you elite mobility and playmaking.
Stafford now took over the all time lead in pick sixes.
Like it's just not good if he's struggling. Yesterday, at
the end of the show, I called it the McVeigh magic.
Sometimes when you watch the Rams, are they great? Or
(01:53):
is McVeigh just magical? Brandon Staley was mcveigh's brilliant defensive
coordinator until he left the building. Zach Taylor ten games
under five hundred and Cincinnati he was the next McVeigh.
I hear that defensive coordinator Chris Shula is going to
be a head coach. But I just watched bees On
(02:15):
Robinson have his best game as a pro nine yards
of carry and they didn't do a lot to adjust
at halftime. Is he really a great defensive coordinator? I mean,
the bottom line here, if not for an amazing play
in special teams by Jared verse. How close is that game?
(02:37):
And here's what's troublesome beyond being very dependent on Stafford,
is in the last three weeks the Rams defense second
worst in the league and the yards allowed per play.
I'm not denying versus great and Stafford's unbelievably talented and
nobody can defend Puka, but it is interesting when you
(02:59):
have mcveah and Kyle Shanahan in the same division. I
talked about this yesterday because with both McVeigh and Shanahan,
it's like they're illusionists. Is brought pretty really a superstar?
Last guy picked in the draft? He plays like it
is Juwan Jennings really that great, as like a six
(03:20):
or seventh round player. He plays like it is. The
Rams offensive line really that good. Got bullied last night
a few times. I mean, they couldn't block the edges.
Or is it just again the McVeigh magic, because what
is absolutely clear with LA there's absolute deficiencies and they're
(03:41):
getting exposed the O line. All it takes is one injury.
They struggle to protect the defense last three weeks regressing,
Stafford gets reckless without Devonte Adams. They absolutely struggle in
the red zone. So and then losing to Atlanta really
(04:03):
hurts because they have Atlanta's first round pick. A couple
of weeks ago, that thing was like the eighth pick.
Well now that's dropped down to twelfth. So beating Atlanta
for no other reason to secure a top ten pick
was important. And they were completely worked out, schemed out,
coached outplayed out everything in the first half, and in
(04:26):
the second they still didn't do a great job adjusting.
So in San Francisco, you know, it's like every quarterback
with Kyle Shanahan looks so much better than potentially they
are until they leave the building. And with mcveigh's staff,
I'm I'm almost told how brilliant it is, and I
(04:47):
watch all these guys leave the building and they're not
as brilliant. So McVeigh, totally dejected, keeps it really kurt
and succinct when he loses, says, these starters will play
next week Week eighteen.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Oh we're playing, Yeah, they're playing. No, they were gonna
play anyways, we need to play. We need to play
better football. So I you know, I don't know what
the consequences are and those different types of things, but.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
We gotta play better. So Week eighteen isn't great. Saturday
Seahawks Niners fantastic, And then we've got the Ravens at
Pittsburgh and the winner goes to the playoffs. And a
lot of the talk in this game is the future
of John Harbaugh, the Ravens head coach. Feels like every
(05:37):
five or six years he gets heat. And Mike Tomlin,
the coach of the Steelers. I'm reading a column this
morning whoever loses the coach could be in trouble. But
I don't feel the same way. Two years ago, John
Harball was in the AFC Championship. The Ravens don't feel
tone deaf for out of touch to offense. The Steelers do.
(05:58):
John Harbaugh's big problem is he can't beat Mahomes and
Andy Reid in the playoffs. Mike Tomlin's issue is he
can't beat anybody in the playoffs. Seven straight seasons bottom
ten offense. In that same period, harbaugh an offensive league
is out of top ten offense four times. So when
I look at the Ravens as a hole in Harbaugh,
(06:19):
I just see a roadblock, almost like Phil Mickelson can't
beat Tiger in the Big Ones, right, or the Blazers
or a Gary Payton or the Knicks just couldn't get
through Jordan. Like, let's be honest. John Harbaugh's biggest issue
is they couldn't beat Mahomes. Lamar couldn't beat Mahomes. He
was struggling to beat Andy Reid. But they're making AFC
(06:40):
championships recently, They've won a Super Bowl more recently. I
don't feel like the ecosystem with Baltimore is outdated. In Pittsburgh,
I do. Once again, they can't run the football. What's
that seven straight years? I mean, go ask yourself, when's
the last time a Mike Tomlin team beat an elite
Franchiants quarterback in the playoffs? Go ahead and look, I
(07:04):
went this morning. Mike Tomlin since two thousand and nine,
Owens six against Peyton Manning, Mahomes, Rogers, Brady Lamar, Jackson
and Josh Allens. So I don't feel like Tomlin, and
I'd hire him in a second if I was the
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans. It's not that he can't coach.
Same with Sean McDermott. I'd hire Sean McDermott in a
second in Tennessee or a second in Miami but when
(07:26):
I hear that, well Harbaugh and Tomlin, I don't feel
the same with those two. I mean, all you have
to know is the Steelers have the second oldest roster
in the NFL and spend the most money on defense.
That's the influence of Tomlin, who's still an elite motivator.
The Ravens, they spend their money mostly on offense. I mean,
(07:47):
they'll pay for Kyle Hamilton, great safety, they should. They'll
pay for a great guy in the defensive line. They should.
But I don't feel the same. Here's Harbaugh when he's
asked about he and Mike Tomlin's future.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Really don't have.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
The space for that. You know.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's just not something that you have the ability to
think about. It's not important. It was important you had
an impact and a bearing, you know. Then I think
you think about it, but you think about because it's
always that way, you know. So it's probably all that
stuff makes it all kind of interesting and kind of
fun and real. It's sports, you know, That's how sports are,
(08:26):
and I think that's part of the intrigue of it all.
So I feel like really honored to be a part
of that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
My wife talked about this all the time. As you age,
she says, everybody gets older. Just try to stay current.
The Steelers don't necessarily. We all have the money they
spend on defense, the age of the roster, the quarterback mass.
They can't run the ball for seven years in an
offensive league. The Steelers don't feel current to me. Baltimore does.
I like their ownership, the front office, their head coach,
their quarterback. They can even win hunting the backup quarterback
(08:54):
is good. They get efficient play when Lamar doesn't play.
But so it doesn't feel all the same to me.
I can like a coach Sean McDermott and think it
may be time if they lose in Round one, and
I can like a coach. I think Tom Loan would
be a great TV guy. He probably doesn't. He showed
no interest in that. He doesn't want to do college.
(09:15):
But I just I feel like we're at the end
of the line here. I do like Baltimore to win
the game because it's a rivalry. It will be low
scoring and close. But you know my feeling, it's twenty three,
twenty twenty seventeen. I would lean with what I believe
is the more current organization, the more offensively friendly organization.
(09:36):
I would take the Ravens to win that game. J
Meck had a good week, a good week of let's
just say with the numbers this week. You know, it's
interesting we have Mike Rabel on today that the stafford
probably played his way out of the MVP last night.
You know, it's a standalone game, fair not those things
always have major influence. But the biggest game yesterday, you
(09:58):
could argue on Mondays use me or so Sunday was
the Bills and the Eagles, and Josh Allen couldn't score,
didn't have a point until six minutes left. So to me,
that opened the door for Drake may as MVP.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Well let me ask.
Speaker 7 (10:13):
I mean, you watch that game, Jets getting throttled by
the Patriots. There's a video clip of Mike Rabel on
the sideline up thirty five to three, essentially saying, yeah,
we're gonna blitz and a bad word blank them. You know,
if Rabels was really going all in on the Jets,
I almost wonder maybe you got the point.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
Maybe he was trying to get Drake made the MVP award.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (10:32):
They were pouring it on Colin in the second half.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah, I don't think Rabel's a guy that worries about
any other coaches feelings or any other organization.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Was not forgotten among Jets fans. Let's just say that
like it'll matter in a few years. The more decent
maybe a few decades.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
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Speaker 7 (11:00):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down
your throat every day.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Straight Fire gives you.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
Honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats
to help you win big at the sports book.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
And all the best guests.
Speaker 7 (11:20):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
With Drake may it's structural, he plays within rhythm. He's
very accurate, he's durable, he's tough, he's an excellent leader.
He gets the ball out quickly. It's hard to embrace
that stuff. It doesn't feel as great. And a lot
of people have said, well, they've got an easy schedule,
you play the games in front of you. Shocker. The
(11:53):
Jets in Miami weren't good. Again, that's not his fault.
Brady led that division for years, Buffalo, the Jets in Miami,
all three were bad. At least Buffalo's viable now so
and in the eight quarters they played the Bills New
England and may were better than six of them. So
I just it's a lot of times when you're doing
(12:15):
like the NBA has always been about, to a large degree, style.
I mean, Westbrook is he a winning player, but he's
a Hall of Famer, right like, it's style matters, But
it does in the NFL too. We like sacks from
our guys up front. We like our quarterbacks. For years
(12:35):
and years, when Brady was in New England, I mean
to the end, I was reading articles and you could
tell people in the building. Anonymous sources were saying, Hey,
a lot of guys could win here, a lot quarterbacks
could win here.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Could a lot of those guys go to Tampa and
win a Super Bowl first year? Could a lot of
those guys do that.
Speaker 7 (12:53):
No.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Brady did so, and Tom was on this show and
talked about, you know, one of the elements where where
he and he and Drake may may be similar.
Speaker 8 (13:04):
With Drake, he has the physical ability, he has the size,
but I think in terms of physical skill set, his
downfield passing ability is awesome. So you know, Josh McDaniels
has done incredible job this year for the Patriots. Drake
is running the same system that I was in. I
know how good that system is for quarterbacks. How Josh
(13:26):
does teach these young quarterbacks all the different reasons why
he's doing what he's doing, why we're trying to beat
this coverage, or how we're gonna protect to give you
the best chance to be successful.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Drake has foxboroughed from Tom. He's got twelve games, one
hundred plus passer rating this year. That ties Tom Brady
and I also think a lot of times, if you're
a really good coordinator, you go to be a head
coach and it doesn't work where we think less of you.
Josh McDaniels has been the best coordinator. He's a OC
(13:58):
now for the Patriots. There's a argument he's been the
best coordinator fifteen in the last twenty years in the NFL,
maybe maybe eighteen of twenty and so you know, the
Patriots to me feel like same owner, same oc, same
stylistic quarterback. The difference is Vrabel is more player friendly
(14:20):
than Belichick, but like Bill, super smart, culture builder, very demanding,
doesn't pander. The difference is he's more player friendly, which
you have to be in twenty twenty five and beyond.
But I know completion percentage doesn't turn people on. But
when you can lead the league in that and yards
(14:41):
per tempt down field, that is special. Thirty five to
three lead on the road just does not happen a lot.
Think how good the Rams are. They were getting crushed
on the road last night against the team that won't
make the playoffs and a team in a wonky division.
J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
No, no, this is the herd line news.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
All right, let's bust right into it. The forty nine
ers colin the big store in the NFL right now?
Is they their quest to be playing at home in
the Super Bowl. There's just a few games away. All
they gotta do take down Seattle Saturday night. They are
a small underdog. As you see there on the screen.
Kyle Shanahan is very excited, said that forty nine ers
(15:27):
have earned this, adding we love an opportunity to never
leave here again.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
Entering the playoffs, Colin, there's a big one. It sounds
like it's gonna make your blazing five.
Speaker 7 (15:36):
And I know you love going against Brock Purdy to
the demise of your wallet over the years.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Well, I do think Purty is a different quarterback when
there's a pass rush, and you know, against Chicago it
was kind of a passive game plan. And I also
think I think Seattle, arguably right now, is the most
consistently good team in football half to have. Philadelphia may
have a better roster, but you don't know what you
(16:04):
get offensively half to half. Seattle's a handful.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Of course, Sam Darnold when he faces pressure can get reckless.
But you and I both know the one thing San
Francisco does not do without blitzing is they don't create
a pass rush. So I actually think it's not about
Perty and Darnald. I don't think either will be hyper effective.
I think it's about Donald and that run game without
(16:31):
a lot of pressure had been successful this year and
brought Purty. Whether trailing because Seattle a pretty good first
FT team. Whether trailing or facing pressure comes down in efficiency.
So I think it's a very very close game. Would
not be shocked if San Francis go one, but it
should be noted again McCaffrey had another huge touch game.
(16:52):
I just wonder how many of these you can stack
up after another.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Yeah, I don't want to give away my pick yet, but.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Colin, I'm going to just give a way.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
So two weeks ago, the Rams did whatever they wanted. Remember,
up and down the field, thirty points. McVeigh was going
on fourth down, ultra confident, right. They end up scoring
thirty seven in overtime. These are the other teams Seahawks
have played recently. Carolina, which doesn't really have a functional
offense all the time, Philip Rivers, who is forty five
years old, going back to the sofa Atlanta and I
(17:23):
believe that was Kirk Cousins in a disaster, and JP
whatever Brosmer, whatever, Max Brosmer or the kid in Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
They haven't seen a good offense. The forty nine ers
are going to score against these guys at will?
Speaker 8 (17:36):
I just don't.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
I'm really worried Colin about that forty nine ers pass
rush and your boy Sammy D.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Slam Sammy D.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Can we get him to see some ghosts in the pocket.
Maybe Robert Salad.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Cooked something up. I don't know. I just yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I think it's gonna be one of the really, really
entertaining game. Last week we got San Francisco and Chicago,
which is as good a game as we've had this year.
That come on, well, I think it's going to be
pretty good. I think it's gonna be pretty good.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
All right, let's move on to the Philadelphia Eagles, Colin
and mysterious team right now. I don't know what to
make of them. By the way, it looks like they
will host the Rams in the first round. Holy yeah,
that's a game. Anyways, Nick Sirianni, you know, he's getting
a lot of questions about that second half.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
Where they had seventeen yards.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
They've won two games Colin where Jalen Hurts did not
throw with a complete of pass in the second half,
zero completions, and they won them.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
That's staggering.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Anyway.
Speaker 7 (18:30):
Here's Nick Sirianni talking about the offensive game plans after halftime.
Speaker 9 (18:35):
I got to help I put it on myself. I
got to help, you know, with some things there, with
some things that I know we want to get called.
You know, Kevin did a good job in that first half,
but I got to help in that second half a
little bit getting some things that we want to get
called there. And then you know, in execution, it's everything right.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
And so.
Speaker 9 (18:56):
Obviously I'm not going to get too much into it.
I have some thoughts, you know, and we'll go back
and look at it. But a lot of things that
we can do differently and better there in the second half.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
The Philadelphia Eagles remain the enigma of the league there. Listen,
it's crazy. They regularly don't complete three passes in halves
and win all of those games in a passing league.
I mean so, and I get I'll give Sirianni credit.
I didn't think he was ready for the job when
(19:25):
he got it. But you know what he does really
really well. He stepped to the microphone, he takes a bullet.
He's always willing to say it's on me. And that's
that's like leadership. It's real easy to point fingers. We've
seen coaches in quarterbacks, one of them in Pittsburgh that
love to point fingers when things don't go right, Sirianni
takes it. He's always like, yeah, it's me. So Philadelphia does.
(19:47):
Philadelphia is the only professional football organization in America. Okay
that does what bad teams do. They fire coaches who
get to the Super Bowl, They get rid of quarterbacks
that win Super Bowls. They hire coaches who aren't quite
ready for it. They take players with red flags that
(20:09):
other teams take off their board. They literally have halves
where the worst offense in the league. They have drama
in the locker room, the quarterback, in the receiver, they
all this. If I just wrote down on a list
what they do, coach can jaw with fans. You'd be like, oh,
that's got to be like is that the Saints? Is
(20:32):
that the Jets? So you're like, no, it's a Philadelphia Eagles,
a dominant professional football organization. So I think there's something
about Philadelphia that you can't deny any industry you're in.
When you are as passionate and you care as much
as Philadelphia does about the NFL, and you've got a
(20:52):
smart owner and a smart GM and you're willing to
move off and into people quickly, it trumps a lot
of other little frailties or vagaries you have in the organization.
Speaker 6 (21:02):
Yeah, it's it's interesting, Colin.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I know some Eagles fans, you know, I spent some
years in outside of Philadelphia. They almost are like, hey man,
this season is so stressful and exhausting. If we lose
in the first round, it's not the worst thing in
the world, because maybe Sirianni gets fired. And I gotta
ask you, like, it's in play that they could make
a run to the super Bowl. The defense is that good. Oh,
But at the same time, they could lose to the
(21:25):
Rams in the first round, and maybe that's what they need.
Get Syriana out of here, right, can you do that?
Can you fire him after he goes?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I don't think they will because I think he's grown
into the job. I think he's grown up. I think
we have to be fair. You know. I always tell
my kids this, When you get a job, you shouldn't
be ready for it. Your resume should be ready for it.
You shouldn't be ready for it. You should bail water
for six weeks. Sirianni, I didn't think year one was
ready for the job, but I got to give him credit.
I think he's more mature now, he's grown up. He's better.
(21:55):
He takes one for the team, and there is something
about Philadelphia of those feels like an occasional caller on
WIP radio.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
God, that's what you aspired to, So Colin, earlier you.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Were like, hey, he's really good at the podium. He says,
my bad, my fault.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
I messed up.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
Colin. If you went to management.
Speaker 7 (22:13):
Every single day after the show and said, yeah, we
had a bad one, I was on me, and then
you did it the next day and the next week.
Because that's what Siriannie's doing well every week. He's taking bullets.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
I'm not saying he's as secure as Shanahan or as
secure as to Miko Ryans or McVeigh or Hardball. I'm
not saying he's that secure. I'm saying I don't think
he's in trouble.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Should you?
Speaker 6 (22:36):
Maybe that's a better question. Should he be? If they
lose in the first round, I'm done with him.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Get out.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
You get too good of a team. This is an
awesome team. He can't fix the offensive coordinator, the very
good roster. I will have prattled on a little too long.
All right, let's wrap up Colin Andy Reid. You know
there is some concern. Well, you know, Kelsey's retiring. Maybe
Andy Reid.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
Just steps down. Not so fast.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
Andy Reid sounds like he has no doubt going to decide.
Speaker 6 (23:05):
He's going to continue as head coach of the Chiefs.
Here is read talking about that situation.
Speaker 10 (23:10):
No, I'm I.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Think I'm coming back, right If they'll have me back,
I'll come back.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
You never know in this business, Matt.
Speaker 11 (23:21):
So that's a you know, that's a that's a tough one,
but I plan on it.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Well, the good news for them is that they got
a better draft position. They don't have to draft. I mean, honestly,
it's a very I think it's a very good first round.
It's not going to be as good at quarterback, very
good at tackle. They could use a tackle.
Speaker 6 (23:39):
I've been I'm working on my first mock draft.
Speaker 7 (23:41):
Here you are, Jerah, what if Jeremiah Love is available,
the Notre Dame running back, then I would I would
take it.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Would you take him over a tackle?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yes? Well, well, well let me say that again. I
would not take Love over the two best tackles in
this first round, one from Utah one for Miami. I
would probably take him over. The third best tackle also
from Utah, well.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
The kid at Alabama, Caden Proctor.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
All America too. Yeah, that was awesome.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
I mean again, you saw Mahomes.
Speaker 7 (24:09):
When you don't have his tackles, you know, the wide
receivers don't have time to run the routes you.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Can work without the most great left tackles in the
history of football. Twenty eight of thirty five first round.
There's a lot of great running backs in the third
round and beyond, so there's an argument get a running
back later. I mean, look at this kid. The Chicago
Bears have had a Rutgers seventh. I mean, the kid
is such a grinder, he's such a good player.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
Yeah, he helped carry me to the Fantasy Football Championship
over your boy, Jeff Schwartz.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Yeah, baby, he was a good weekend.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
It was good.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news, and
thanks for stopping by the Herd line new The college
football playoffs starts tomorrow. I think Ohio State Miami is
a really good game. I like Ohio State, but I
think it's really close. I was thinking about this with
the Buffalo Bills. This is crazy. Since Week ten this
(25:02):
is with Josh Allen, Pro Bowl left tackle, James Cook,
excellent tight ends. Since Week ten, the Buffalo Bills are
twenty third in the NFL in first half scoring. That
is below shader standers in the Cleveland Browns. Basically, the
(25:23):
Bills offense is Josh Allen save us in the second half.
So their first half point differential is twenty third. And
if you want to know who's really good scoring in
the first half, McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan, Ben Joneson in Chicago, Vrabel,
Josh McDaniels in New England. And what's crazy is if
(25:43):
you look at the construct of the Bills, you would
think with a great left tackle, great run game, good
tight end, best quarterback in the league, that they would
score a lot of points early and then they would
lean on James Cook in their run game to eat
the clock in the second half and win going away.
In fact, it's actually remarkable that they are the number
(26:03):
one run team in the league when they trail in
seven of their last eight games in the second half.
So that's But when I look at Buffalo, I have
had them at like tenh nick Wright finally loves Buffalo,
and my take is how do you win a Super Bowl?
I mean, it's one thing. The Eagles, you don't know
what you get half to half, but they have great
(26:25):
first halfs and great second halfs. How do you win
a Super Bowl when you trail in the second half
out of seven out of eight games. So, like I've
said before, that something isn't clicking when you have a
great running back, a great left tackle, an amazing quarterback,
excellent tight ends and you are constantly coming from behind.
(26:46):
Greg co Sell has talked about Buffalo and what he
sees on film.
Speaker 10 (26:50):
So they're really not that good a football team. And
I know that there's been a lot of talk about, well,
this is Josh Allen jeer and if he doesn't make it,
you know, that is so silly. They're just not that
good overall from a talent perspective, and they've got no
receiving core.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
So it's they're a hard team.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
They have to scheme up everything on offense and then
hope that Josh Allen in a given game makes Josh
Allen plays.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
So listen, I understand too Kansas City's feeling this. When
you have to draft at the bottom of the first round,
it's hard. Most gms i've talked to would trade out
of the first round. If you're drafting twentieth and lower,
you'd rather pay second round prices their second round talent.
There's about fifteen to seventeen, maybe eighteen in a good year,
(27:37):
real true first round talent. And I think this if
I think it's a really good first round, good tackles,
good edge rushers, couple big time linebackers, one great quarterback.
But it is remarkable this team doesn't score in the
first half. It's just playing from behind. I'll give them
(28:00):
credit that they should not be this good. Now they'll
beat the Jets Sunday, but they really shouldn't be this good.
You should not trail week after week in the second half.
They were scoreless with six minutes to go at home
against Philadelphia and it came down to a two point conversion,
which they should hit on Mike Rabel, Patriots coach. Next
(28:21):
it's the Heard.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
Well.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
It's one of the few things I do right. I
make a prediction every year. I take an NFL team
that was not good the year before, and I say,
they're going to double their wins and make the playoffs.
Last year, I think it was Denver. This year it
was New England. I said, if you give me Mike Vrabel,
Drake May's really good. They're going to be really really
(28:53):
a playoff team. I didn't think they'd be this good
this fast. I didn't think they'd rebuild their perimeter way
weapons this fast. Pretty remarkable. And the head coach, Mike Rabel,
knowing in a while we all have is joining us
three super Bowls, three division titles. Well, you know, Mike Herrett,
you are. I talked to a GM about you before
you got hired, and he said, Rabel is probably a
(29:14):
top two or three coach because you get the intellect.
But he's a culture builder. And the truth is in
modern football you need kind of a CEO, and a
lot of guys can't do this. So how do you
take I mean, you got a good owner, you knew
Josh and Drake. How do you build a culture? I mean,
what's the first six weeks? Like, what is the secret
(29:34):
sauce to build? It's just it's more than just knowing's schemes.
You got to build stuff.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
Yeah, and we and I appreciate you recognizing that.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
I think we wanted to have a program in place
on April seventh that the players would be proud of,
that they wanted to take ownership of, and they wanted
to try to protect. So it's everything around the players,
making sure that that's good and it sound everything that
touches them. Great staff, great support staff. And then when
they get back in here, I wanted.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
It to feel different.
Speaker 11 (30:03):
I wanted to have an energy to it, and we
were intentional with, you know, with getting to know each
other all that. You know, everybody's journey to this National
Football League. It looks a little different, whether it's a
coach or a player, draft pick, high draft pick, you know,
free agent, whatever it may be. But everybody's got a
different journey to this league and they've got a different story,
and we we were intentional with trying to find out
(30:25):
what those were. And then then the play started, you know,
and then we started installing plate and I felt like
what was important in the off season was that we
try to get the right people in the building at
the right time, Elliott, Ryan and Stretch and everybody that
was involved in that process through free agency and the
draft and everything else.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Yeah, Elliott's a sharp guy. All the gms I know
in the league thinks he really really like him. When
did you know? Was there a moment that you said privately,
Maybe you didn't tell the players, or maybe you did
that you went to your staff and you said, guys,
we're good like right now, Like it was there Aphan
for you, Mike watching film thinking maybe we're a little
better than a nine or ten win team, we're a
(31:04):
twelve thirteen win team.
Speaker 11 (31:06):
Well, I don't think I ever really thought that. I
think that we just try to improve, you know. I
try to tell them things that have helped me through
the thirty years of being in this league, of trying
to improve along the way, and the teams that continue.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
To improve are the ones that get to play in
January and in the postseason.
Speaker 11 (31:26):
And we try to do that, you know, focus on
some keys, focus on building an identity, and then once
you build something that you care about, you try to
protect it.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
You made a comment in camp that I remember, and
I talked about it on the air. You said, in camp, Hey,
to be great, you got to be a leader every
day Drake May every day you got to lead, and
it was almost like you were kind of pushing him, like, kid,
I know you're the youngest guy in the locker room.
Was that your intention that it it is hard to
be twenty three and lead men that are often thirty three?
(32:00):
Was that your intention when you said that?
Speaker 11 (32:02):
Yeah, And I think you know, all anything that I've
said publicly, I've said, you know, obviously privately to our
players or staff or anybody else. So that wasn't I've
never tried to send a message through the media. But
just talking about maturity, I don't think maturity has anything
to do with age. It has everything to do with
experience and what Drake went through last year in his
(32:26):
first year and the things that he experienced and what
he the opportunities that he had, and then going into
the second season and learning a new offense and you know,
building and the training camp, and I think you just
start to see each and every day. You know, his spirit,
his passion, his energy, his leadership, how much he puts
into this, the excitement that he has for everybody on
(32:48):
the football team when they have success, and he's into
this when the defense, defensive guys and we played a
bunch of guys last week in the Jets game. He
stayed in the game, and he's supporting every single guy.
So I think his maturity has grown extremely high since
I've first met him in January or whatever it was.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
You're a defensive guy, yet you feel very current with offense.
That is not the case with a lot of defensive coaches.
They just don't feel like they quite have a sensibility
for it. How do you stay connected to offense when
your history is on the other side.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Well, spent all the time on offense back in the day.
Speaker 11 (33:30):
But I would say just having the experience to be
in Tennessee and be the head coach there and you know,
one of our best players, or if not our best
player was Derrick Henry, and how important the run game
was to us. And I guess maybe having a son
that was an offensive lineman, I gravitated towards that room.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
I tried to learn.
Speaker 11 (33:51):
I try to understand blocking schemes, but I also felt
like as a defensive player, I wanted to know what
the scheme was, or what the other guy across me,
what his job was, and maybe that would help me.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
Do my job.
Speaker 11 (34:04):
I'm sitting in a lot of meetings and try to
learn from you know, the coaches, the coordinators, and because
I feel like the one thing that I can do
is have a connection with each and every player in
every position. I can just have one or two things
about the game plan or something that they can do
to you know, help them do their job better.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
That's an immediate connection.
Speaker 11 (34:25):
Especially during the season, I can I can walk in
and say, hey, you know, this is how they're running
their games, or this is the pressure, or you know,
whatever it may be. If I can just have one
thing that's that's a good connection for me or a
good place for me to be able to enter into
a meeting.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Mike, you have a when you sit after a game,
you stand up and you meet every player. You obviously
connect with players. Is the hardest part of your job
when you have to bark and not be a friendly
guy because you're you're a guy that really connects emotionally.
What happens when you have to turn on that guy
the next day at practice and bark a tough thing.
Speaker 11 (35:01):
Well, We've always talked about that. When you can make
a connection with somebody and you you know, did you
get on guys? I got to protect the team. That's
my job by tell them that I don't have to
do it all the time, that they can do it,
and if they don't, and I'm more than happy to
to step in and do that. I know how hard
(35:22):
their job is. That's why I've always stood out there,
win or lose. Thank them for what they do out
there on the football field. We don't take those things
or opportunities for granted. You know, there's a lot of
pressure on them to perform personally and also for this team,
and so yeah, there's never I'm trying to be demanding
(35:44):
and not be the meaning and certainly try to work
on the way that I my tone in the way
that I try to hold everybody accountable.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Does Brady ever call you and try to give you
tips on Drake May or anything like that? Does he
ever is ever text or anything like that.
Speaker 5 (36:00):
We're all set right now.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
I tried, I try to give him tips on broadcasting.
He didn't want to listen to that either, So.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
He should, Yeah, he should, he should pay attention.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Hey, good luck, congrats, Really happy for you, Mike. You've
kicked but yeah, thank you for your support.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
You bet, Mike Frabele. Uh yeah, I mean I I
thought they were going to be really good. I thought
they were going to be a playoff team. I didn't
think they were going to be this good. I didn't
like the Receiving Corps last year at all. I thought
they were just slow and didn't have any juice. And
they've they've they've been outstanding. So I speaking of coaches,
did you see I don't use this word very often, courageous.
(36:39):
Did you see the courageous Lincoln Riley yesterday willing to
go to the podium and confront the issue with the
Notre Dame USC rivalry and admit publicly that they should
be playing. Here's Lincoln Riley.
Speaker 12 (37:00):
Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played
us any time anywhere, we would be playing in the
next two years and looking ahead after that and hopefully
continuing the series.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
They did not.
Speaker 12 (37:13):
Follow through on it. Thus we are not playing them
the next couple of years. We're hopeful something can be
worked out in the future. That'd be fantastic. We at
SC would love for the game to continue, and we
have no problem following through on our promises.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
In the future.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
That's what a courage looks like. Let me ask the
former angry USC Trojan players something who are madness for
the time being anyway that this game won't take place.
Let me ask you former Trojan something or any of
you business people are entrepreneurs. If you are, If you
(37:50):
went into business with somebody and that person had a
side deal that could potentially cut you out of profits,
you still want to do business with that person. You do, Gosh,
I'd like to do business with you. Then I'll have
some side deals. You're okay with Notre Dame side deal
(38:10):
which this year, if they had it, would have knocked
Miami out of the College Football Playoff, The Miami that
went to Texas and M and one and has the
ability to beat Ohio State tomorrow night. You'd be comfortable
with that side deal. In fact, USC next year could
go nine and two in the regular season, be ranked tenth,
(38:32):
Notre Dame could be ranked twelveth, and Notre Dame would
get in and US he would get knocked out because
of automatic bids. You're okay with that. Yeah, I'm not
going to apologize because I care more about trophies than tradition,
money than mementos. Sorry I do, but I'm going to
(38:53):
give Notre Dame credit for this. Notre Dame is clearly
priority due to the side deal the playoff. Notre Dame
used to play Michigan every year. If they don't, they
got over it. Go look at Notre dame schedule. Notre
Dame said, no, we're not going to go play USC
in September. We know we have a week schedule. We're
(39:17):
not going to do it because Notre Dame prioritized getting
into the playoff. The former Trojans that are angry seems
to me are prioritizing history, like I'm not going to
apologize because I use AI in the Internet. Like USC
(39:37):
shouldn't have to apologize because they're prioritizing because their schedule
as a fully committed member to the Big Ten is brutal.
At Indiana, at Penn State, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, Iowa. Yeah,
we'll play, but you got a side deal, so here's
our deal. We're playing early, that's all USC said. You
got a side deal, so here's our deal. We're not
(40:01):
playing in the middle of the Big Ten schedule. We
got a trigonometry final. You got home x six times,
so you know, I appreciate Lincoln Riley going out and saying,
you know, we kept up on our deal. But just
ask yourself if you're a Trojan and you're angry, if
(40:21):
you went into business with somebody and that person had
a side deal that could cut you out of profits
at the end of the deal, you still want to
do the deal? Really, you're that naive? Well, well, I
mean they used to be trustable. Uh, contractually, they have
a side deal cut you out of the profits. This
(40:41):
was the only thing us he could do. It's the
only smart thing us he could do. It may hurt
your feelings. You may not like the lack of embrace
toward history. I get that. I understand if you played
the game, you love the game. But just let me
give you a heads up. All you former Trojans on business,
if your partner's got a side deal that can cut
(41:03):
you out of the profits, you may hire a lawyer
and wiggle out of the deal because it's not a
good deal for you. It would be a great deal
for Notre Dame. We get your strength to schedule, and
we get you after you just played Ohio State or
Michigan or Oregon. Yeah, we'd love to play USC in
October fresh off being in Columbus the week before. That's
(41:25):
great for Notre Dame.
Thanks for listening to 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 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, We are live. It's The Herd on
a Tuesday. The Herd Hierarchy. One hour from now, Patriots
head coach Mike Crable stops by. Welcome in wherever you
may be, however you may be listening, appreciate you make
an US part of your day. So in the NFL,
(00:46):
I think we all know this. The more ways you
can win, the better. Seattle's winning when Sam Darnold doesn't
play well, the Niners one when Max Jones was starting.
The Bears can win with their run game and not
Caleb Williams. Philadel Field won a game this weekend where
they didn't complete a pass in the second half. A
lot of different ways for the Seahawks and the Niners
(01:08):
and the Bears. The Eagles maybe more than any team
can win, but with the Rams it's different. If Matt
Stafford plays poorly, they lose. In the eleven wins this
year for the Rams, he has thirty touchdowns and two picks.
In the Rams five losses, he has twelve touchdowns and
six picks. And people call Sam Darnold reckless, but when
(01:31):
Donald struggles, he still gives you elite mobility and playmaking.
Stafford now took over the all time lead in pick sixes.
Like it's just not good if he's struggling. Yesterday, at
the end of the show, I called it the McVeigh magic.
Sometimes when you watch the Rams, are they great? Or
(01:53):
is McVeigh just magical? Brandon Staley was mcveigh's brilliant defensive
coordinator until he left the building. Zach Taylor ten games
under five hundred and Cincinnati he was the next McVeigh.
I hear that defensive coordinator Chris Shula is going to
be a head coach. But I just watched bees On
(02:15):
Robinson have his best game as a pro nine yards
of carry and they didn't do a lot to adjust
at halftime. Is he really a great defensive coordinator? I mean,
the bottom line here, if not for an amazing play
in special teams by Jared verse. How close is that game?
(02:37):
And here's what's troublesome beyond being very dependent on Stafford,
is in the last three weeks the Rams defense second
worst in the league and the yards allowed per play.
I'm not denying versus great and Stafford's unbelievably talented and
nobody can defend Puka, but it is interesting when you
(02:59):
have mcveah and Kyle Shanahan in the same division. I
talked about this yesterday because with both McVeigh and Shanahan,
it's like they're illusionists. Is brought pretty really a superstar?
Last guy picked in the draft? He plays like it
is Juwan Jennings really that great, as like a six
(03:20):
or seventh round player. He plays like it is. The
Rams offensive line really that good. Got bullied last night
a few times. I mean, they couldn't block the edges.
Or is it just again the McVeigh magic, because what
is absolutely clear with LA there's absolute deficiencies and they're
(03:41):
getting exposed the O line. All it takes is one injury.
They struggle to protect the defense last three weeks regressing,
Stafford gets reckless without Devonte Adams. They absolutely struggle in
the red zone. So and then losing to Atlanta really
(04:03):
hurts because they have Atlanta's first round pick. A couple
of weeks ago, that thing was like the eighth pick.
Well now that's dropped down to twelfth. So beating Atlanta
for no other reason to secure a top ten pick
was important. And they were completely worked out, schemed out,
coached outplayed out everything in the first half, and in
(04:26):
the second they still didn't do a great job adjusting.
So in San Francisco, you know, it's like every quarterback
with Kyle Shanahan looks so much better than potentially they
are until they leave the building. And with mcveigh's staff,
I'm I'm almost told how brilliant it is, and I
(04:47):
watch all these guys leave the building and they're not
as brilliant. So McVeigh, totally dejected, keeps it really kurt
and succinct when he loses, says, these starters will play
next week Week eighteen.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Oh we're playing, Yeah, they're playing. No, they were gonna
play anyways, we need to play. We need to play
better football. So I you know, I don't know what
the consequences are and those different types of things, but.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
We gotta play better. So Week eighteen isn't great. Saturday
Seahawks Niners fantastic, And then we've got the Ravens at
Pittsburgh and the winner goes to the playoffs. And a
lot of the talk in this game is the future
of John Harbaugh, the Ravens head coach. Feels like every
(05:37):
five or six years he gets heat. And Mike Tomlin,
the coach of the Steelers. I'm reading a column this
morning whoever loses the coach could be in trouble. But
I don't feel the same way. Two years ago, John
Harball was in the AFC Championship. The Ravens don't feel
tone deaf for out of touch to offense. The Steelers do.
(05:58):
John Harbaugh's big problem is he can't beat Mahomes and
Andy Reid in the playoffs. Mike Tomlin's issue is he
can't beat anybody in the playoffs. Seven straight seasons bottom
ten offense. In that same period, harbaugh an offensive league
is out of top ten offense four times. So when
I look at the Ravens as a hole in Harbaugh,
(06:19):
I just see a roadblock, almost like Phil Mickelson can't
beat Tiger in the Big Ones, right, or the Blazers
or a Gary Payton or the Knicks just couldn't get
through Jordan. Like, let's be honest. John Harbaugh's biggest issue
is they couldn't beat Mahomes. Lamar couldn't beat Mahomes. He
was struggling to beat Andy Reid. But they're making AFC
(06:40):
championships recently, They've won a Super Bowl more recently. I
don't feel like the ecosystem with Baltimore is outdated. In Pittsburgh,
I do. Once again, they can't run the football. What's
that seven straight years? I mean, go ask yourself, when's
the last time a Mike Tomlin team beat an elite
Franchiants quarterback in the playoffs? Go ahead and look, I
(07:04):
went this morning. Mike Tomlin since two thousand and nine,
Owens six against Peyton Manning, Mahomes, Rogers, Brady Lamar, Jackson
and Josh Allens. So I don't feel like Tomlin, and
I'd hire him in a second if I was the
Miami Dolphins or Tennessee Titans. It's not that he can't coach.
Same with Sean McDermott. I'd hire Sean McDermott in a
second in Tennessee or a second in Miami but when
(07:26):
I hear that, well Harbaugh and Tomlin, I don't feel
the same with those two. I mean, all you have
to know is the Steelers have the second oldest roster
in the NFL and spend the most money on defense.
That's the influence of Tomlin, who's still an elite motivator.
The Ravens, they spend their money mostly on offense. I mean,
(07:47):
they'll pay for Kyle Hamilton, great safety, they should. They'll
pay for a great guy in the defensive line. They should.
But I don't feel the same. Here's Harbaugh when he's
asked about he and Mike Tomlin's future.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Really don't have.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
The space for that. You know.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's just not something that you have the ability to
think about. It's not important. It was important you had
an impact and a bearing, you know. Then I think
you think about it, but you think about because it's
always that way, you know. So it's probably all that
stuff makes it all kind of interesting and kind of
fun and real. It's sports, you know, That's how sports are,
(08:26):
and I think that's part of the intrigue of it all.
So I feel like really honored to be a part
of that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
My wife talked about this all the time. As you age,
she says, everybody gets older. Just try to stay current.
The Steelers don't necessarily. We all have the money they
spend on defense, the age of the roster, the quarterback mass.
They can't run the ball for seven years in an
offensive league. The Steelers don't feel current to me. Baltimore does.
I like their ownership, the front office, their head coach,
their quarterback. They can even win hunting the backup quarterback
(08:54):
is good. They get efficient play when Lamar doesn't play.
But so it doesn't feel all the same to me.
I can like a coach Sean McDermott and think it
may be time if they lose in Round one, and
I can like a coach. I think Tom Loan would
be a great TV guy. He probably doesn't. He showed
no interest in that. He doesn't want to do college.
(09:15):
But I just I feel like we're at the end
of the line here. I do like Baltimore to win
the game because it's a rivalry. It will be low
scoring and close. But you know my feeling, it's twenty three,
twenty twenty seventeen. I would lean with what I believe
is the more current organization, the more offensively friendly organization.
(09:36):
I would take the Ravens to win that game. J
Meck had a good week, a good week of let's
just say with the numbers this week. You know, it's
interesting we have Mike Rabel on today that the stafford
probably played his way out of the MVP last night.
You know, it's a standalone game, fair not those things
always have major influence. But the biggest game yesterday, you
(09:58):
could argue on Mondays use me or so Sunday was
the Bills and the Eagles, and Josh Allen couldn't score,
didn't have a point until six minutes left. So to me,
that opened the door for Drake may as MVP.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
Well let me ask.
Speaker 7 (10:13):
I mean, you watch that game, Jets getting throttled by
the Patriots. There's a video clip of Mike Rabel on
the sideline up thirty five to three, essentially saying, yeah,
we're gonna blitz and a bad word blank them. You know,
if Rabels was really going all in on the Jets,
I almost wonder maybe you got the point.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
Maybe he was trying to get Drake made the MVP award.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (10:32):
They were pouring it on Colin in the second half.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Yeah, I don't think Rabel's a guy that worries about
any other coaches feelings or any other organization.
Speaker 7 (10:42):
Was not forgotten among Jets fans. Let's just say that
like it'll matter in a few years. The more decent
maybe a few decades.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (11:00):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down
your throat every day.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Straight Fire gives you.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
Honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats
to help you win big at the sports book.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
And all the best guests.
Speaker 7 (11:20):
Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with
Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever
you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
With Drake may it's structural, he plays within rhythm. He's
very accurate, he's durable, he's tough, he's an excellent leader.
He gets the ball out quickly. It's hard to embrace
that stuff. It doesn't feel as great. And a lot
of people have said, well, they've got an easy schedule,
you play the games in front of you. Shocker. The
(11:53):
Jets in Miami weren't good. Again, that's not his fault.
Brady led that division for years, Buffalo, the Jets in Miami,
all three were bad. At least Buffalo's viable now so
and in the eight quarters they played the Bills New
England and may were better than six of them. So
I just it's a lot of times when you're doing
(12:15):
like the NBA has always been about, to a large degree, style.
I mean, Westbrook is he a winning player, but he's
a Hall of Famer, right like, it's style matters, But
it does in the NFL too. We like sacks from
our guys up front. We like our quarterbacks. For years
(12:35):
and years, when Brady was in New England, I mean
to the end, I was reading articles and you could
tell people in the building. Anonymous sources were saying, Hey,
a lot of guys could win here, a lot quarterbacks
could win here.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Could a lot of those guys go to Tampa and
win a Super Bowl first year? Could a lot of
those guys do that.
Speaker 7 (12:53):
No.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Brady did so, and Tom was on this show and
talked about, you know, one of the elements where where
he and he and Drake may may be similar.
Speaker 8 (13:04):
With Drake, he has the physical ability, he has the size,
but I think in terms of physical skill set, his
downfield passing ability is awesome. So you know, Josh McDaniels
has done incredible job this year for the Patriots. Drake
is running the same system that I was in. I
know how good that system is for quarterbacks. How Josh
(13:26):
does teach these young quarterbacks all the different reasons why
he's doing what he's doing, why we're trying to beat
this coverage, or how we're gonna protect to give you
the best chance to be successful.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Drake has foxboroughed from Tom. He's got twelve games, one
hundred plus passer rating this year. That ties Tom Brady
and I also think a lot of times, if you're
a really good coordinator, you go to be a head
coach and it doesn't work where we think less of you.
Josh McDaniels has been the best coordinator. He's a OC
(13:58):
now for the Patriots. There's a argument he's been the
best coordinator fifteen in the last twenty years in the NFL,
maybe maybe eighteen of twenty and so you know, the
Patriots to me feel like same owner, same oc, same
stylistic quarterback. The difference is Vrabel is more player friendly
(14:20):
than Belichick, but like Bill, super smart, culture builder, very demanding,
doesn't pander. The difference is he's more player friendly, which
you have to be in twenty twenty five and beyond.
But I know completion percentage doesn't turn people on. But
when you can lead the league in that and yards
(14:41):
per tempt down field, that is special. Thirty five to
three lead on the road just does not happen a lot.
Think how good the Rams are. They were getting crushed
on the road last night against the team that won't
make the playoffs and a team in a wonky division.
J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
No, no, this is the herd line news.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
All right, let's bust right into it. The forty nine
ers colin the big store in the NFL right now?
Is they their quest to be playing at home in
the Super Bowl. There's just a few games away. All
they gotta do take down Seattle Saturday night. They are
a small underdog. As you see there on the screen.
Kyle Shanahan is very excited, said that forty nine ers
(15:27):
have earned this, adding we love an opportunity to never
leave here again.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
Entering the playoffs, Colin, there's a big one. It sounds
like it's gonna make your blazing five.
Speaker 7 (15:36):
And I know you love going against Brock Purdy to
the demise of your wallet over the years.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Well, I do think Purty is a different quarterback when
there's a pass rush, and you know, against Chicago it
was kind of a passive game plan. And I also
think I think Seattle, arguably right now, is the most
consistently good team in football half to have. Philadelphia may
have a better roster, but you don't know what you
(16:04):
get offensively half to half. Seattle's a handful.
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Of course, Sam Darnold when he faces pressure can get reckless.
But you and I both know the one thing San
Francisco does not do without blitzing is they don't create
a pass rush. So I actually think it's not about
Perty and Darnald. I don't think either will be hyper effective.
I think it's about Donald and that run game without
(16:31):
a lot of pressure had been successful this year and
brought Purty. Whether trailing because Seattle a pretty good first
FT team. Whether trailing or facing pressure comes down in efficiency.
So I think it's a very very close game. Would
not be shocked if San Francis go one, but it
should be noted again McCaffrey had another huge touch game.
(16:52):
I just wonder how many of these you can stack
up after another.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
Yeah, I don't want to give away my pick yet, but.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Colin, I'm going to just give a way.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
So two weeks ago, the Rams did whatever they wanted. Remember,
up and down the field, thirty points. McVeigh was going
on fourth down, ultra confident, right. They end up scoring
thirty seven in overtime. These are the other teams Seahawks
have played recently. Carolina, which doesn't really have a functional
offense all the time, Philip Rivers, who is forty five
years old, going back to the sofa Atlanta and I
(17:23):
believe that was Kirk Cousins in a disaster, and JP
whatever Brosmer, whatever, Max Brosmer or the kid in Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
They haven't seen a good offense. The forty nine ers
are going to score against these guys at will?
Speaker 8 (17:36):
I just don't.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
I'm really worried Colin about that forty nine ers pass
rush and your boy Sammy D.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Slam Sammy D.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Can we get him to see some ghosts in the pocket.
Maybe Robert Salad.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Cooked something up. I don't know. I just yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I think it's gonna be one of the really, really
entertaining game. Last week we got San Francisco and Chicago,
which is as good a game as we've had this year.
That come on, well, I think it's going to be
pretty good. I think it's gonna be pretty good.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
All right, let's move on to the Philadelphia Eagles, Colin
and mysterious team right now. I don't know what to
make of them. By the way, it looks like they
will host the Rams in the first round. Holy yeah,
that's a game. Anyways, Nick Sirianni, you know, he's getting
a lot of questions about that second half.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
Where they had seventeen yards.
Speaker 7 (18:22):
They've won two games Colin where Jalen Hurts did not
throw with a complete of pass in the second half,
zero completions, and they won them.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
That's staggering.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Anyway.
Speaker 7 (18:30):
Here's Nick Sirianni talking about the offensive game plans after halftime.
Speaker 9 (18:35):
I got to help I put it on myself. I
got to help, you know, with some things there, with
some things that I know we want to get called.
You know, Kevin did a good job in that first half,
but I got to help in that second half a
little bit getting some things that we want to get
called there. And then you know, in execution, it's everything right.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
And so.
Speaker 9 (18:56):
Obviously I'm not going to get too much into it.
I have some thoughts, you know, and we'll go back
and look at it. But a lot of things that
we can do differently and better there in the second half.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
The Philadelphia Eagles remain the enigma of the league there. Listen,
it's crazy. They regularly don't complete three passes in halves
and win all of those games in a passing league.
I mean so, and I get I'll give Sirianni credit.
I didn't think he was ready for the job when
(19:25):
he got it. But you know what he does really
really well. He stepped to the microphone, he takes a bullet.
He's always willing to say it's on me. And that's
that's like leadership. It's real easy to point fingers. We've
seen coaches in quarterbacks, one of them in Pittsburgh that
love to point fingers when things don't go right, Sirianni
takes it. He's always like, yeah, it's me. So Philadelphia does.
(19:47):
Philadelphia is the only professional football organization in America. Okay
that does what bad teams do. They fire coaches who
get to the Super Bowl, They get rid of quarterbacks
that win Super Bowls. They hire coaches who aren't quite
ready for it. They take players with red flags that
(20:09):
other teams take off their board. They literally have halves
where the worst offense in the league. They have drama
in the locker room, the quarterback, in the receiver, they
all this. If I just wrote down on a list
what they do, coach can jaw with fans. You'd be like, oh,
that's got to be like is that the Saints? Is
(20:32):
that the Jets? So you're like, no, it's a Philadelphia Eagles,
a dominant professional football organization. So I think there's something
about Philadelphia that you can't deny any industry you're in.
When you are as passionate and you care as much
as Philadelphia does about the NFL, and you've got a
(20:52):
smart owner and a smart GM and you're willing to
move off and into people quickly, it trumps a lot
of other little frailties or vagaries you have in the organization.
Speaker 6 (21:02):
Yeah, it's it's interesting, Colin.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I know some Eagles fans, you know, I spent some
years in outside of Philadelphia. They almost are like, hey man,
this season is so stressful and exhausting. If we lose
in the first round, it's not the worst thing in
the world, because maybe Sirianni gets fired. And I gotta
ask you, like, it's in play that they could make
a run to the super Bowl. The defense is that good. Oh,
But at the same time, they could lose to the
(21:25):
Rams in the first round, and maybe that's what they need.
Get Syriana out of here, right, can you do that?
Can you fire him after he goes?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
I don't think they will because I think he's grown
into the job. I think he's grown up. I think
we have to be fair. You know. I always tell
my kids this, When you get a job, you shouldn't
be ready for it. Your resume should be ready for it.
You shouldn't be ready for it. You should bail water
for six weeks. Sirianni, I didn't think year one was
ready for the job, but I got to give him credit.
I think he's more mature now, he's grown up. He's better.
(21:55):
He takes one for the team, and there is something
about Philadelphia of those feels like an occasional caller on
WIP radio.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
God, that's what you aspired to, So Colin, earlier you.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Were like, hey, he's really good at the podium. He says,
my bad, my fault.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
I messed up.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
Colin. If you went to management.
Speaker 7 (22:13):
Every single day after the show and said, yeah, we
had a bad one, I was on me, and then
you did it the next day and the next week.
Because that's what Siriannie's doing well every week. He's taking bullets.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
I'm not saying he's as secure as Shanahan or as
secure as to Miko Ryans or McVeigh or Hardball. I'm
not saying he's that secure. I'm saying I don't think
he's in trouble.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Should you?
Speaker 6 (22:36):
Maybe that's a better question. Should he be? If they
lose in the first round, I'm done with him.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Get out.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
You get too good of a team. This is an
awesome team. He can't fix the offensive coordinator, the very
good roster. I will have prattled on a little too long.
All right, let's wrap up Colin Andy Reid. You know
there is some concern. Well, you know, Kelsey's retiring. Maybe
Andy Reid.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
Just steps down. Not so fast.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
Andy Reid sounds like he has no doubt going to decide.
Speaker 6 (23:05):
He's going to continue as head coach of the Chiefs.
Here is read talking about that situation.
Speaker 10 (23:10):
No, I'm I.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Think I'm coming back, right If they'll have me back,
I'll come back.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
You never know in this business, Matt.
Speaker 11 (23:21):
So that's a you know, that's a that's a tough one,
but I plan on it.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
Well, the good news for them is that they got
a better draft position. They don't have to draft. I mean, honestly,
it's a very I think it's a very good first round.
It's not going to be as good at quarterback, very
good at tackle. They could use a tackle.
Speaker 6 (23:39):
I've been I'm working on my first mock draft.
Speaker 7 (23:41):
Here you are, Jerah, what if Jeremiah Love is available,
the Notre Dame running back, then I would I would
take it.
Speaker 6 (23:47):
Would you take him over a tackle?
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Yes? Well, well, well let me say that again. I
would not take Love over the two best tackles in
this first round, one from Utah one for Miami. I
would probably take him over. The third best tackle also
from Utah, well.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
The kid at Alabama, Caden Proctor.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
All America too. Yeah, that was awesome.
Speaker 6 (24:07):
I mean again, you saw Mahomes.
Speaker 7 (24:09):
When you don't have his tackles, you know, the wide
receivers don't have time to run the routes you.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Can work without the most great left tackles in the
history of football. Twenty eight of thirty five first round.
There's a lot of great running backs in the third
round and beyond, so there's an argument get a running
back later. I mean, look at this kid. The Chicago
Bears have had a Rutgers seventh. I mean, the kid
is such a grinder, he's such a good player.
Speaker 7 (24:34):
Yeah, he helped carry me to the Fantasy Football Championship
over your boy, Jeff Schwartz.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
Yeah, baby, he was a good weekend.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
It was good.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news, and
thanks for stopping by the Herd line new The college
football playoffs starts tomorrow. I think Ohio State Miami is
a really good game. I like Ohio State, but I
think it's really close. I was thinking about this with
the Buffalo Bills. This is crazy. Since Week ten this
(25:02):
is with Josh Allen, Pro Bowl left tackle, James Cook,
excellent tight ends. Since Week ten, the Buffalo Bills are
twenty third in the NFL in first half scoring. That
is below shader standers in the Cleveland Browns. Basically, the
(25:23):
Bills offense is Josh Allen save us in the second half.
So their first half point differential is twenty third. And
if you want to know who's really good scoring in
the first half, McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan, Ben Joneson in Chicago, Vrabel,
Josh McDaniels in New England. And what's crazy is if
(25:43):
you look at the construct of the Bills, you would
think with a great left tackle, great run game, good
tight end, best quarterback in the league, that they would
score a lot of points early and then they would
lean on James Cook in their run game to eat
the clock in the second half and win going away.
In fact, it's actually remarkable that they are the number
(26:03):
one run team in the league when they trail in
seven of their last eight games in the second half.
So that's But when I look at Buffalo, I have
had them at like tenh nick Wright finally loves Buffalo,
and my take is how do you win a Super Bowl?
I mean, it's one thing. The Eagles, you don't know
what you get half to half, but they have great
(26:25):
first halfs and great second halfs. How do you win
a Super Bowl when you trail in the second half
out of seven out of eight games. So, like I've
said before, that something isn't clicking when you have a
great running back, a great left tackle, an amazing quarterback,
excellent tight ends and you are constantly coming from behind.
(26:46):
Greg co Sell has talked about Buffalo and what he
sees on film.
Speaker 10 (26:50):
So they're really not that good a football team. And
I know that there's been a lot of talk about, well,
this is Josh Allen jeer and if he doesn't make it,
you know, that is so silly. They're just not that
good overall from a talent perspective, and they've got no
receiving core.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
So it's they're a hard team.
Speaker 10 (27:06):
They have to scheme up everything on offense and then
hope that Josh Allen in a given game makes Josh
Allen plays.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
So listen, I understand too Kansas City's feeling this. When
you have to draft at the bottom of the first round,
it's hard. Most gms i've talked to would trade out
of the first round. If you're drafting twentieth and lower,
you'd rather pay second round prices their second round talent.
There's about fifteen to seventeen, maybe eighteen in a good year,
(27:37):
real true first round talent. And I think this if
I think it's a really good first round, good tackles,
good edge rushers, couple big time linebackers, one great quarterback.
But it is remarkable this team doesn't score in the
first half. It's just playing from behind. I'll give them
(28:00):
credit that they should not be this good. Now they'll
beat the Jets Sunday, but they really shouldn't be this good.
You should not trail week after week in the second half.
They were scoreless with six minutes to go at home
against Philadelphia and it came down to a two point conversion,
which they should hit on Mike Rabel, Patriots coach. Next
(28:21):
it's the Heard.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
Well.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
It's one of the few things I do right. I
make a prediction every year. I take an NFL team
that was not good the year before, and I say,
they're going to double their wins and make the playoffs.
Last year, I think it was Denver. This year it
was New England. I said, if you give me Mike Vrabel,
Drake May's really good. They're going to be really really
(28:53):
a playoff team. I didn't think they'd be this good
this fast. I didn't think they'd rebuild their perimeter way
weapons this fast. Pretty remarkable. And the head coach, Mike Rabel,
knowing in a while we all have is joining us
three super Bowls, three division titles. Well, you know, Mike Herrett,
you are. I talked to a GM about you before
you got hired, and he said, Rabel is probably a
(29:14):
top two or three coach because you get the intellect.
But he's a culture builder. And the truth is in
modern football you need kind of a CEO, and a
lot of guys can't do this. So how do you
take I mean, you got a good owner, you knew
Josh and Drake. How do you build a culture? I mean,
what's the first six weeks? Like, what is the secret
(29:34):
sauce to build? It's just it's more than just knowing's schemes.
You got to build stuff.
Speaker 5 (29:39):
Yeah, and we and I appreciate you recognizing that.
Speaker 11 (29:42):
I think we wanted to have a program in place
on April seventh that the players would be proud of,
that they wanted to take ownership of, and they wanted
to try to protect. So it's everything around the players,
making sure that that's good and it sound everything that
touches them. Great staff, great support staff. And then when
they get back in here, I wanted.
Speaker 5 (30:02):
It to feel different.
Speaker 11 (30:03):
I wanted to have an energy to it, and we
were intentional with, you know, with getting to know each
other all that. You know, everybody's journey to this National
Football League. It looks a little different, whether it's a
coach or a player, draft pick, high draft pick, you know,
free agent, whatever it may be. But everybody's got a
different journey to this league and they've got a different story,
and we we were intentional with trying to find out
(30:25):
what those were. And then then the play started, you know,
and then we started installing plate and I felt like
what was important in the off season was that we
try to get the right people in the building at
the right time, Elliott, Ryan and Stretch and everybody that
was involved in that process through free agency and the
draft and everything else.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Yeah, Elliott's a sharp guy. All the gms I know
in the league thinks he really really like him. When
did you know? Was there a moment that you said privately,
Maybe you didn't tell the players, or maybe you did
that you went to your staff and you said, guys,
we're good like right now, Like it was there Aphan
for you, Mike watching film thinking maybe we're a little
better than a nine or ten win team, we're a
(31:04):
twelve thirteen win team.
Speaker 11 (31:06):
Well, I don't think I ever really thought that. I
think that we just try to improve, you know. I
try to tell them things that have helped me through
the thirty years of being in this league, of trying
to improve along the way, and the teams that continue.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
To improve are the ones that get to play in
January and in the postseason.
Speaker 11 (31:26):
And we try to do that, you know, focus on
some keys, focus on building an identity, and then once
you build something that you care about, you try to
protect it.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
You made a comment in camp that I remember, and
I talked about it on the air. You said, in camp, Hey,
to be great, you got to be a leader every
day Drake May every day you got to lead, and
it was almost like you were kind of pushing him, like, kid,
I know you're the youngest guy in the locker room.
Was that your intention that it it is hard to
be twenty three and lead men that are often thirty three?
(32:00):
Was that your intention when you said that?
Speaker 11 (32:02):
Yeah, And I think you know, all anything that I've
said publicly, I've said, you know, obviously privately to our
players or staff or anybody else. So that wasn't I've
never tried to send a message through the media. But
just talking about maturity, I don't think maturity has anything
to do with age. It has everything to do with
experience and what Drake went through last year in his
(32:26):
first year and the things that he experienced and what
he the opportunities that he had, and then going into
the second season and learning a new offense and you know,
building and the training camp, and I think you just
start to see each and every day. You know, his spirit,
his passion, his energy, his leadership, how much he puts
into this, the excitement that he has for everybody on
(32:48):
the football team when they have success, and he's into
this when the defense, defensive guys and we played a
bunch of guys last week in the Jets game. He
stayed in the game, and he's supporting every single guy.
So I think his maturity has grown extremely high since
I've first met him in January or whatever it was.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
You're a defensive guy, yet you feel very current with offense.
That is not the case with a lot of defensive coaches.
They just don't feel like they quite have a sensibility
for it. How do you stay connected to offense when
your history is on the other side.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Well, spent all the time on offense back in the day.
Speaker 11 (33:30):
But I would say just having the experience to be
in Tennessee and be the head coach there and you know,
one of our best players, or if not our best
player was Derrick Henry, and how important the run game
was to us. And I guess maybe having a son
that was an offensive lineman, I gravitated towards that room.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
I tried to learn.
Speaker 11 (33:51):
I try to understand blocking schemes, but I also felt
like as a defensive player, I wanted to know what
the scheme was, or what the other guy across me,
what his job was, and maybe that would help me.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
Do my job.
Speaker 11 (34:04):
I'm sitting in a lot of meetings and try to
learn from you know, the coaches, the coordinators, and because
I feel like the one thing that I can do
is have a connection with each and every player in
every position. I can just have one or two things
about the game plan or something that they can do
to you know, help them do their job better.
Speaker 5 (34:23):
That's an immediate connection.
Speaker 11 (34:25):
Especially during the season, I can I can walk in
and say, hey, you know, this is how they're running
their games, or this is the pressure, or you know,
whatever it may be. If I can just have one
thing that's that's a good connection for me or a
good place for me to be able to enter into
a meeting.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Mike, you have a when you sit after a game,
you stand up and you meet every player. You obviously
connect with players. Is the hardest part of your job
when you have to bark and not be a friendly
guy because you're you're a guy that really connects emotionally.
What happens when you have to turn on that guy
the next day at practice and bark a tough thing.
Speaker 11 (35:01):
Well, We've always talked about that. When you can make
a connection with somebody and you you know, did you
get on guys? I got to protect the team. That's
my job by tell them that I don't have to
do it all the time, that they can do it,
and if they don't, and I'm more than happy to
to step in and do that. I know how hard
(35:22):
their job is. That's why I've always stood out there,
win or lose. Thank them for what they do out
there on the football field. We don't take those things
or opportunities for granted. You know, there's a lot of
pressure on them to perform personally and also for this team,
and so yeah, there's never I'm trying to be demanding
(35:44):
and not be the meaning and certainly try to work
on the way that I my tone in the way
that I try to hold everybody accountable.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
Does Brady ever call you and try to give you
tips on Drake May or anything like that? Does he
ever is ever text or anything like that.
Speaker 5 (36:00):
We're all set right now.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
I tried, I try to give him tips on broadcasting.
He didn't want to listen to that either, So.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
He should, Yeah, he should, he should pay attention.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Hey, good luck, congrats, Really happy for you, Mike. You've
kicked but yeah, thank you for your support.
Speaker 5 (36:16):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
You bet, Mike Frabele. Uh yeah, I mean I I
thought they were going to be really good. I thought
they were going to be a playoff team. I didn't
think they were going to be this good. I didn't
like the Receiving Corps last year at all. I thought
they were just slow and didn't have any juice. And
they've they've they've been outstanding. So I speaking of coaches,
did you see I don't use this word very often, courageous.
(36:39):
Did you see the courageous Lincoln Riley yesterday willing to
go to the podium and confront the issue with the
Notre Dame USC rivalry and admit publicly that they should
be playing. Here's Lincoln Riley.
Speaker 12 (37:00):
Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played
us any time anywhere, we would be playing in the
next two years and looking ahead after that and hopefully
continuing the series.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
They did not.
Speaker 12 (37:13):
Follow through on it. Thus we are not playing them
the next couple of years. We're hopeful something can be
worked out in the future. That'd be fantastic. We at
SC would love for the game to continue, and we
have no problem following through on our promises.
Speaker 5 (37:28):
In the future.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
That's what a courage looks like. Let me ask the
former angry USC Trojan players something who are madness for
the time being anyway that this game won't take place.
Let me ask you former Trojan something or any of
you business people are entrepreneurs. If you are, If you
(37:50):
went into business with somebody and that person had a
side deal that could potentially cut you out of profits,
you still want to do business with that person. You do, Gosh,
I'd like to do business with you. Then I'll have
some side deals. You're okay with Notre Dame side deal
(38:10):
which this year, if they had it, would have knocked
Miami out of the College Football Playoff, The Miami that
went to Texas and M and one and has the
ability to beat Ohio State tomorrow night. You'd be comfortable
with that side deal. In fact, USC next year could
go nine and two in the regular season, be ranked tenth,
(38:32):
Notre Dame could be ranked twelveth, and Notre Dame would
get in and US he would get knocked out because
of automatic bids. You're okay with that. Yeah, I'm not
going to apologize because I care more about trophies than tradition,
money than mementos. Sorry I do, but I'm going to
(38:53):
give Notre Dame credit for this. Notre Dame is clearly
priority due to the side deal the playoff. Notre Dame
used to play Michigan every year. If they don't, they
got over it. Go look at Notre dame schedule. Notre
Dame said, no, we're not going to go play USC
in September. We know we have a week schedule. We're
(39:17):
not going to do it because Notre Dame prioritized getting
into the playoff. The former Trojans that are angry seems
to me are prioritizing history, like I'm not going to
apologize because I use AI in the Internet. Like USC
(39:37):
shouldn't have to apologize because they're prioritizing because their schedule
as a fully committed member to the Big Ten is brutal.
At Indiana, at Penn State, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, Iowa. Yeah,
we'll play, but you got a side deal, so here's
our deal. We're playing early, that's all USC said. You
got a side deal, so here's our deal. We're not
(40:01):
playing in the middle of the Big Ten schedule. We
got a trigonometry final. You got home x six times,
so you know, I appreciate Lincoln Riley going out and saying,
you know, we kept up on our deal. But just
ask yourself if you're a Trojan and you're angry, if
(40:21):
you went into business with somebody and that person had
a side deal that could cut you out of profits
at the end of the deal, you still want to
do the deal? Really, you're that naive? Well, well, I
mean they used to be trustable. Uh, contractually, they have
a side deal cut you out of the profits. This
(40:41):
was the only thing us he could do. It's the
only smart thing us he could do. It may hurt
your feelings. You may not like the lack of embrace
toward history. I get that. I understand if you played
the game, you love the game. But just let me
give you a heads up. All you former Trojans on business,
if your partner's got a side deal that can cut
(41:03):
you out of the profits, you may hire a lawyer
and wiggle out of the deal because it's not a
good deal for you. It would be a great deal
for Notre Dame. We get your strength to schedule, and
we get you after you just played Ohio State or
Michigan or Oregon. Yeah, we'd love to play USC in
October fresh off being in Columbus the week before. That's
(41:25):
great for Notre Dame.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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