December 26, 2025 • 41 mins
Colin gives us his Blazin' 5 for Week 17 in the NFL. Later, FOX Sports NFL analyst Eric Mangini joins the show to weigh in on Denver's progression under Sean Payton and Bo Nix, Lamar Jackson's future in Baltimore. Colin ponders if the New York Giants should move off freewheeling quarterback Jaxson Dart and draft Indiana's Fernando Mendoza.
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 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 3 (00:27):
Welcome in.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
We are live.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
It is a Friday to day after Christmas. It's The Herd.
Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
for megan us part of your day. It did sound
last night on the broadcast like as Travis Kelsey's last year.
He was productive. But you know, you can see when
you watch Kansas City, you know this is.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What happens the dynasties.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
The old guys look really old and it's just sort
of a sad trombone, and you know, started losing all
those close games instead.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Of winning them. And that's okay.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I mean, it's better to have been in a dynasty
and faded away than to never have been in a dynasty.
That sounds almost political. All right, blazing five sixty percent
for the year, feel very very good about it.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This week.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I didn't do this all year. Four underdogs. I don't
even know why underdogs yesterday did well.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Here we go, let's blaze it up, fired up, it's
Collins blazon fuck. Texans at Chargers.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I like the Texans plus two and a half seven
game winning streak. They clinch a playoff berth with a win.
Their only loss by more than three points one against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Well, Seattle beats up with a lot of people. Woody
Marx is back huge part of their offense. The Chargers
eighteenth in the NFL on offense since Week eleven because
their offensive line is using backups three of the Chargers
four wins during their four game winning streak of against
the Raiders, Chiefs, and Cowboys. The Texans defense is so good,
(02:04):
even on the road. It's dominating number one in the league.
I'm taking the points. Texans twenty three, Chargers twenty one.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Take the points.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Seahawks at Panthers.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I wish it was seven and a half, but I'll
take it at seven. Panthers at home fighting to win
the NFC South one game lead over Tampa.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I'm taking the points.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Anybody noticing Bryce Young in the last month, last three
games he's a pro bowler, six touchdowns, no picks. He's
been on fire in the last three game. The Seahawks
are coming off a tough, physical, overtime game season high
ninety two defensive snaps against the Rams. The last two games,
they won, both at home by a combined three points.
(02:49):
The offense for Seattle doesn't quite feel right. This is
a long trip. They could be looking ahead of the playoffs. Oh,
just beat the Rams. We're amazing Seattle wins. I'm absolutely
taking the points here. Twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Hawks.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Eagles at Bills.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I'm in the minority. I like Philly plus two and
a half. Great run team, bad run defense. They're thirty
five and two when they win the turnover battle under
Nick Siriani's seven to zero this year, and they usually do.
Jalen Hurts the last two weeks. Something is working, even
Greg Cosel told us sakuon Barkley last three games, averaging
five and a half of carry.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
The O line now getting healthy, folks.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
The Bills have trailed in each of their last eight games.
They've trailed in the second half of six of their
last seven. They play with their food. They're not good
on third down. The Bills can't defend the run. I'm
taking the Eagles and the points better overall roster twenty
(03:54):
eight to twenty four Philly Bears at forty nine ers.
I like siicag go with extra rest plus three. DJ
Moore and Caleb Williams last five games. DJ mores five
touchdown catches type for most in the league. The offense.
He got all the big plays without any other turnovers. Listen,
(04:14):
the Niners are hot, but four of their five wins
came against Cleveland, Arizona, the Titans, and the Colts brought
purty trailing this year.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Is a different.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Quarterback sixty three percent completion percentage and their defense. Here's
the story of the game. The Niners defense not only
as the fewest sacks in the NFL, seven fewer than
the next fewest, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating
of one oh one against the Niners. Christian McCaffrey just
(04:44):
came off a twenty seven touch game. The Niners are
zero to four off McCaffrey games where he's got twenty
seven or more touches. Bears win it. Take the points.
Twenty eight to twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Seven Cardinals at Bengals.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I like the over fifty three and a half twenty
ninth ranked scoring defense against the worst ranked defense, banged
up defenses that are bad.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
To begin with.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
The weather it's gonna be a little wet temperature not
a factor. The Cardinals defense is bad and it's gotten worse.
Allowed forty plus points in two of their last three games.
The Bengals, they're averaging twenty seven a game with Burrow.
So you're talking about atrocious defenses, banged up. I like
Cincinnati to win the game. I think it's a bit
of a shootout. I'm gonna take the over Cincinnati Arizona
(05:39):
over fifty three and a half points, thirty twenty seven
Bingals win. So a lot of underdog have not done
that once this year. Four underdogs and one over Jmax
picks in about an hour forty five. There you go,
(06:00):
Eric Mangini, former NFL coach Brown's Jets. Fox Sports is
now joining us. You know it's interesting, You know this.
You can't get too caught up in style points. Denver
goes to it could be Travis Kelcey's last game.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Emotional.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It's a division rival, you go on the road, you
win by a touchdown, and all I hear is I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I don't trust Denver.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Like guys, they're thirteen and three. Bo Nicks keeps making
you know, Josh Allen has the most fourth quarter touchdowns
the last two years.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Bo Nick's a second.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I know it's uneven, but my take is we're spending
too much time worried about the stylistic nature of Denver
and I just see a thirteen and three team that
makes big plays late.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
What do you see with Denver?
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Yeah, last night, Look, it's an emotional game. Travis Kelsey
maybe retiring. It's an arrowhead that Denver probably had a
little bit of a letdown because they're thirteen and a
half point favorites. And look, Kansas City doesn't want to
get embarrassed by avi arrival on Christmas in front of
friends and family. The game was probably destined to be
(07:05):
to be close, and they get penalized. That never gets
penalized for winning late. To me, that's a strength that
shows character of the team, and it's a little bit
like Kansas City when people were dinging them for winning
close games. That's a good thing, not a bad thing,
and that's going to be a strength. I believe in
the playoffs, their ability to know if we're behind, we
(07:29):
can figure out a way to come back, because we've
done it so many times this season.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
So I'm watching the Lions and people say, well, they're
old lines beat up, and I'm like, the Texans and
the Chargers old lines have been bad all year and
they're twenty one to nine, Like, yes, this is you
get cluster injuries.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And I'm not saying.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It's it's I think Sam Laporta is also a huge loss.
I'm not denying that. But the Lions don't look like
last year. They were bad this year on third down
all year when the old line was healthy. Last year
they looked crisp and creative. Eric I go on this
show every two weeks with Ben Johnson. I'm like, this
guy is Kyle Shanahan. This guy, this guy's incredible, Like
this is so creative and inventive.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
How much of.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It's just well, the old lines beat up and how
much is they lost a great coordinator and they're hard
to replace.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Yeah, that's that's underrated as well.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Colin.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
We we saw Philly replace both coordinators and win the
Super Bowl, So everybody thinks, Okay, that's easy to do.
It's not easy to do. It's not easy at all.
And this year Dan Campbell, what four or five games
in the season, I forget exactly what the number is.
He replaces the offensive coordinator as a signal caller, and
they play pretty well offensively. But the problem is that
(08:42):
takes some of your attention as a head coach off
of the rest of the team. And this this Lion's
team was up and down all season. It's win a game,
loseer game through eight games like that, and then they
went on the three game losing streak. I'd say the
most disappointing thing for me is the six turnovers last night.
That's terrible, but the week before having fifteen rushing yards.
(09:06):
To me, that's inexcusable. It's the third worst I think
in the last twenty years for the Lions with two
really good running backs. And yet we can say that
there's injuries on the offensive line. There's not fifteen yards
only in rushing of injuries on the offensive line. That
part it's going to have to be addressed, and you're
gonna have to try to find some coordinators that really
(09:29):
make sense for you. Defensively, it's the same thing They're
in the bottom third of every category defensively, So you know.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
I was saying about the Bills, is I think America
now that Detroit's out, I've said the perfect super Bowl
would be Detroit Buffalo. Two franchises that you feel like
kind of deserve it. So Detroit's out, here's Buffalo. And
I said, Okay, no Ma Homes, maybe no Lamar, no Burrow,
drake Man and Bownicks are still ascending their kids. And
(09:57):
then you've got like Trevor Lawrence. He's good, but you
know they'll probably be better next year. Herbert's going to
get his offensive tackles back next year. I'm like, this
is the year, Like, this is the year to win.
So I what I do wonder about Buffalo if they're
going to coach tight because I mean, you know, you know,
coach sometimes you get breaks, and this is a year
(10:20):
that Buffalo's getting some breaks. Kid quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers is
forty two. No Lamar, Like, I think I think you
got to get to a conference championship this year. I
think that's very realistic. I think that's fair pressure.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Do you.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Yeah, if anybody said you can, you can enter into
the playoffs and there's no Lamar, there's no Patrick Mahomes,
there's no Joe Burrow, and it's just Josh Allen. Everybody
would pick Buffalo to go to the super Bowl, and
it makes sense. And on top of that, Buffalo runs
the ball as good as anybody that they're dynamic there.
(11:00):
Their Achilles heel could be what keeps the quarterback off
the field, and that's being able to stop the run.
And that's what I think a lot of teams that'll
be the way to beat him is don't let Josh Allen.
That offense on the field have long time consuming drives
that keeps Josh Allen on the sidelines. But you've got
the one remaining superhero left in the AFC. I don't
(11:22):
think it's unreasonable to expect a deep run and you know,
ideally a Super Bowl run with all those other guys
sitting home.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Okay, so the Lamar story broke on Christmas Eve, where
there's a long standing Baltimore reporter that says he doesn't
take criticism. Well, you know, video games at night, doesn't
want to practice in the morning, fallen asleep at meetings.
Now John Harbaugh comes out, smart thing to do during
the season Hey, a plus plus relationship. I don't think
this long time reporter made up all of it. So
(11:52):
my take was I had a couple of takes, is
he wants to play in Miami and if you could
get if you could get Baltimore to pay some of
the freight, you know, I mean Denver one. They're still
playing Russell Wilson's cap. I think the Jets have two
first round picks, have shown no ability in recent years
to develop a quarterback. It's not a great college quarterback draft.
I think they could should consider it. When you look
(12:13):
at let's say you were the Raiders or you are
one of the Miami or the Jets, and you read
this story, would you still go after Lamar?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Does it scare you from Lamar?
Speaker 5 (12:28):
No, it doesn't scare me from Lamar. And this has
been a long time coming Colm. This is what's seven
weeks in a row or eight weeks in a row
where he missed the day of practice and now he's
missing games. It feels like the last time there was
there were contract issues, and I imagine there's something to
do with the contract in all of this as well.
(12:50):
He's got a really high cap number next year. They're
talking about it. So it feels like that that's a
component of it. And I don't know who lee out
the negative things about Lamar, but the obviously it came
from from inside the building and someone related to the
team as opposed to another player. But if I'm if
(13:12):
I'm the Ravens, I'm not moving on from Lamar Jackson.
What did he do the last time he missed the
six games at the end of the season. He was
the MVP the next year, and then he could have
been the MVP the year after that, and this I
would imagine Lamar next year, if he's motivated and in
the right mindset, can be in that same spot. Now.
(13:33):
If Baltimore did want to move on from him, if
I'm any other team that's been sitting with no quarterback,
and a lot of the teams you named are in
that situation, yeah you go get Lamar Jackson if you can,
if there's any way you can, because he gives you
such a better chance to win than some rookie that
you're you're taking a chance on, or some some retread
(13:55):
that you're you're hoping for.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So I said this, when when you've been bad for
a decade, you have to consider everything. So Jackson dark
comes in, he's young. You didn't give up a ton
to get him. He was a late first round pick,
and he's in the blue tent constantly. I like him,
but the last three starts he's regressed. It could be Kafka.
Maybe Dave Ball's just more experience and better. Fine, but
(14:18):
I don't think he's an A plus prospect. I think
he's a gamer. I think he's confident. I think he's
been fun to watch. Mendoza, even at Cal for two
years and now at Indiana, not Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas.
At CAL in Indiana is sixty eight percent completion percentage, bigger,
much more accurate, a much better prospect. If I'm the Giants,
(14:42):
I'm gonna sit down and we're gonna we're gonna talk
about this for several days. When I suggest that people
push back, I'm like, guys, you've been embarrassing for a decade.
Everything's on the table. You didn't give up much for
Jackson dart Am. I nuts on this.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
No, not not at all. And there's no real tanking
in the NFL. That's not that's not a thing. But
you got to think about it. This weekend. If you're
the owner of the Giants, oh, you're the owner of
the Raiders, you got to think about about wanting to
lose this game and having the number one one pick,
because whether it's Mendoza or trading back or Lamar Jackson
(15:24):
or or any opportunity have the number one overall pick
is pretty powerful. And to your point, yeah, Darts. Dart's
done some good things. He's he's excited the fan base,
but he excited that the fan base after he came
in for Russell Wilson, who kind of put the fan
base to sleep, and and and so it wasn't a
(15:46):
high bar that he had to overcome. But I don't
know if he's made a strong enough case saying yeah,
this is our franchise quarterback. This is the guy that
we're going to go and have a chance to compete
for a championship for the next ten years. If you're
sitting there with the first overall draft pick and you
think Mendoza is the guy and he's an upgrade, then yeah,
(16:08):
you pull the trigger on that and you go and
get what you can for Dart, and they'll be a
strong market for him.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Yeah, that's my take.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
They'll be an offensive coach out there that's gonna go. Oh.
I like that kid. We have way better players than
the New York Giants. We'll get that kid out of
that mess. So, I mean, you can get stuff for Dart,
but I think when you're bad, you have to consider everything.
I like Jackson, He's better than I thought. But with
Lane Kiffen and better players around him, Mendoza is putting
up better numbers. You know, Cal is like a third
(16:37):
tier program. It's pretty good at Cal. And he was
getting his second year at CAL. I mean he got
sacked forty five times. He was running for his life.
So one more question as we you know, I'm in
Chicago now and it's this talk and it's crazy, and
I don't think I've talked to you about this. Maybe
I have, but I said, you know, Tom Brady's completion
(16:58):
percentage was only sixty four percent without the wiggle. Matt
Stafford has always been a guy that, like you get
a lot of big plays. His completion percentage is not
Drew Brees level. My take is when you get such
explosive plays. Now, Josh Allen this year has a higher
completion percentage. They don't throw the ball down the field,
they tow the tight ends and backs. Caleb Williams fifty
(17:21):
eight percents a little low to me, But if you
told me he's a career sixty percent guy with all
this horsepower, I think I can live with it. Or
do you have certain lines you want to hit from
your quarterback?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
Well, I believe the league average is around it's either
sixty three or sixty four percent for most quarterbacks. So
when you're getting in the fifties, that's problematic. So I
would like to see it come up from that. If
we're talking about sixty sixty one, it's not that far off,
and you have the upside of the big plays. To me, yeah,
(17:58):
you can live with that. They miss some layups, but
but you're hitting a bunch of three pointers and it's
helping you win win a ton of games. My frustration
with Caleb has been the inconsistency. So he works the
magic last game after that, but one percent chance to win.
They get the on side kick, which is fantastic. You
(18:18):
just like to see that through the course of the game.
And this year has been really good for him in
the in the sense they've got the second best rushing
offense in the league, so that's helped them significantly. I
give I give Caleb and Johnson a ton of credit
for the way that they've cut down on the sacks.
To me, that's that's not just the offensive line. That's
a conscientious effort by Caleb, by Ben Johnson, by the
(18:41):
group to avoid those negative plays. So that growth, to me,
is incredible from from Caleb. I would just like to
see some more consistency throughout the course of the game.
But he's trending in the right direction. If I got
to live with a little bit lower completion percentage to
get those big plays, then yeah, I'm okay with that.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
I tell my wife, you know, I'm not good at
cleaning the garage. I've got way, I've got great upside.
I'm great in the fourth quarter. I can't fit the
tire on.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
The car, but I'm really good in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Okay, you make big I do.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Don't picks, but you know, my completion percentage is very long,
great sing Eric.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, I uh.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
People are saying, oh, Josh Allen this year, Like Josh
Allen if he was sixty three and a half percent,
they just don't throw the ball down the field. So
it's a lot of tight end stuff and they have
really good tight ends. Knocks Kincaid Hawes the third guy, Like,
they have really good tight ends and they can throw
to their backs.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
I'm and they have a good slot receiver.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
But Buffalo's not throwing the ball down the field and
that could end up biting you. Like if you're throwing
and Caleb throws the ball. I mean, Roma Dunze can
go deep. Dj Moore goes deep. Their tight end Lovelin
will go down the scene like they have guys that
Burden is a guy that can go deep. So they
are they are a big play offense. Buffalo's not. The
big players are provided by Josh Allen running around.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Colin, let me ask you about something you and Eric
just talked about. So the whole Jackson Dart, we could
trade him.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Think so we're seeing.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
The season where backup quarterbacks are having a play because
guys are getting hurt.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Jackson Dart gets hurt a lot.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Why not just draft Mendoza, keep Dart and see who
wins the starting job.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Heck, you don't even know who the coach is going
to be. The coach might want a scrambler or he
might want a pocket guy.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Well, well, but if you bring Mendoza in good question,
you want his O line fortified. You don't want him
getting beat up like a cow. So if you trade
Dart and can get a two and a four and
address your O line to a higher level, Mendoza doesn't
have to take a beating for a year because it's
not a great roster. They have their left tackle. But
even he gets hurt a lot on New Thomas. So
(20:49):
my take is you move Mendoz is the better prospect, bigger,
more accurate.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
He just is.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I mean at cal he's as accurate as as Jackson
Dart was with Lane Kiffen and Old Miss and like
you know, Trey Harris and like the lead, I think
Trey play maybe maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But
like really good Old Miss offensive players. Lane can recruit
offensive dudes whoever the receivers, tight ends, backs were. So
my take is, and you also, you don't want in
(21:15):
New York City a quarterback battle. You do not want that.
Maybe it works in Jacksonville, not in the biggest media
market in the country.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
It's interesting the fan base would The fan base loves Dart, honestly,
they think he is the new He's like the new
Jeremy Lynn. People love him great. The skill sets limited,
We'll see. I just I don't know what the coaches do,
is gonna want? Is the GM gonna be there?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
The Giants have a lot of questions, man.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah they do. That's why I would give up. I
would give up. I get picks. I try.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
You know, with Mendoza and all those draft picks, you
could accumulate with Jackson Dart. Oh your roster a lot
of cheap labor?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
What does that mean fetching multiple picks?
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (21:54):
There are eight teams that need a quarterback and there's
one good one coming out of college.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
What do you want?
Speaker 6 (22:00):
It? Was?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Darts a franchise guy.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I think he's shown himself to be capable of it.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
Gyron Taylor. If I thin Giants at Tyron Taylor career backup?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Oh, I think JA was good. Oh. I think Jackson
Darts better than Tyrod Taylor.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
If Teddy Bridgewater would have stayed healthy, Teddy Bridgewater would
have been a nice franchise quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I like Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
I liked him too.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think Jackson Darts a franchise quarterback.
Is he a top eight guy? Probably not, No, but
I think there's something there. I mean, I said I
thought he was a second round pick, so I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
There's something there.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
At top eight is rich.
Speaker 6 (22:38):
I mean Jared Goff, his ceiling might have been top eight,
but then when it matters most he's like eighteen to twenty.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I mean, it's tough man to be a top eight quarterback.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app Pauly Fools go ahead
with Tony Foosco.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
As everybody knows, we're the hosts of the award winning
Polly Antoni Fusco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling
you how great we are, here is how Dan Patrick
described us when he came on our show.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
What are you doing? Were interrupting our promo? Yeah, you
wasn't talking about you.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
You took those clips totally out of context.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Oh yeah, Well, after this promo, I'm gonna take you
out and beat you.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Let me put this into context.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Shut up.
Speaker 7 (23:27):
Yeah, anyway, just listen to the Paully Antoni Fusco Show
on iHeartRadio, Apple podcasts wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yee.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
So, the six years before Sean Payton got to Denver
you had three head coaches and six losing seasons in
a row. In fact, the year before they were five
and twelve and the worst offense in the league.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Worst. So what's really impressive about the turnaround?
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Because of the Russell Wilson cap hit and the draft
capital you gave up to get Russell, you could not
do a total build. You had to take a lot
of the guys you already had and make them better.
Four of their six Pro Bowlers this year, just named
were already on the team. This was not a total rebuild.
Sean Payton didn't have a draft capital or the cap
(24:14):
space that that's actually what Mike Vrabel can do.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Sean couldn't.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
He took a guy like Quinn Miners, who was a
guard from a small school, who was a guy. He's
now arguably the best guard in the league since Sean
Payton arrived. He took Zach Allen four years in Arizona,
good player, not spec no Pro bowlers. Now Zach Allen's
a monster. So again he was What's really impressive was
(24:45):
and Jesse Mintor and Jim Harbad did this in the
same division where they took the thirty second ranked defense
with Brandon Staley made it number one with mostly a
couple of fifth round cornerbacks they drafted, but mostly the
same guys. So it's some some times you do get
like make Mike Frable in New England, where you inherit
this young quarterback. You've got two hundred and seventy five
(25:06):
million bucks, you got draft picks, and you can rebuild
it that way. And that doesn't mean it's bad, but
you were that when he took the job. Sean Payton
took this job, My take was, I'm not sure this
is good. I said it on the air. You got
no cab space and and you don't have draft capital,
and they go find a Zach Allen a Quinn minors
(25:29):
and you know, he takes a gamble on bow Knicks,
which most of the league thought was overdrafting him.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
RJ.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Harvey most of the league thought it was overdrafted, and
they become incredibly valuable players, both on display last night.
Bow Knicks and Harvey both that's is that eleven touchdowns
for the rookie running back eleven. I mean, I mean,
that's could be more twelve. There's Sean Payton after the
(25:57):
winning darrowhead.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
And heart fault win. I thought Kansas City did a
good job.
Speaker 9 (26:04):
Andy.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
And this this team, I don't care who comes out
of that locker room. This is a team that basically
has been at the top of our league for the
better part of a century and and uh and so
there's a ton of respect we have for what they've
been able to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, it's it's impressive. J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Yeah, I'm about as impressed by the Broncos as I
am the Detroit Lions. Let's start with those Lions. Sorry,
I had to, Colin. It was a brutal ending to
the Lions season. Yesterday I was texting with the Lions fan.
We had made a bet on who was going to
be better, uh, Detroit or Denver this season. I had
Denver and it was a runaway I mean victory. The
Detroit Lions regressed badly. Jared Goff was awful. Colin, I
(26:59):
got some stats, will give you.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
In a minute.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
But here's Dan Campbell talking about the turnovers yesterday.
Speaker 9 (27:05):
Anytime he's not able to step into throw, it's going
to be hard for him. You know, that's where he's
at his best, obviously, in the pocket. And you know,
if he's not able to at least hit that back
foot and step into it, it makes it pretty difficult.
Story of that game, six turnovers. I can't turn the
ball over six times and win in this league.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Yeah, among the many problems. Not good.
Speaker 6 (27:30):
Yeah, So, Colin, I like Jared Goffi's a nice guy.
You know, he's building a house near me on the
South Bay. Colin, We've got a stat here for you
on the most like games with three plus turnovers in
recent years. You'll never believe who's at the top of
this list, Colin, Look at this Tua who you I mean,
(27:51):
just bear right and dear ride, and Jared Goff's right
there with him.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, Trevor Lawrence is too, and Trevor's gonna He's had
like six coaches.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
Come on, give the guy a pack. I mean, Jared
Goff is in an offensive machine. And for whatever reason,
man things when they go bad for golf, they get
in his head. And we know the book on golf
doesn't play well in cold weather and get pressure up
the middle because he's not mobile. All the elite quarterbacks
can get out of the pocket.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
And make throws on the run.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Hell, look, you got Stafford Stafford camp Stafford Stafford.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah, but he has great protection up the middle. Right,
they got it. They fortified the line.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Detroit loses their center and you could just see it
coming man up the middle. Brian Floor is repeatedly blitzing
up the middle. You could see it on these highlights.
It's as plain as clear as day. And I don't
I mean, people want to say, what's the fix for Detroit? Well,
they got like four defensive starters. I just looked this up.
Who are going to be free agents? The defense stings,
by the way, at some point we got to.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Mention Aaron Glenn. They lose Aaron Glenn, and the defense
is I mean, I know the injuries on the.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
Back end, but like, I don't know what the quick
fix is here. I mean, they got some picks. I
think you must invest in the middle of the offensive line,
but you've paid the O line a Monra.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Frank ragnow retired. So through the years, I've said repeatedly
the most underwritted position in this sport is center. Is
that they call the audibles. It's the anchor. If there's
a great defensive tackle somewhere in the midst you have
to block him. There's a lot of edge rushers right
like you can get so offensive tackle. We know that's important,
(29:20):
but center gets overlooked. And I mean, I just if
you want to beat Philadelphia, the Rams have had a
problem blocking the interior of the O line of Philadelphia.
They're just as good, if not better a team. So
I think Frank ragnow gives you a late retirement and
they've been bailing water since then. Laporta gets hurt late
in the season along with that in an O line
(29:43):
injury or two, then it's snowballs. But it's still They've
been bad on third down all year. That's not just
O line issue.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
Yeah, by the way, look at the three teams that
have cratered, right. Lamar Jackson's offensive line tried the young
guys crumbling, Patrick Mahomes offensive line, the whifted on everybody
than left this kid Simmons who got hurt crumbling like
Jared Goff center.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
I mean, you have to spend money on the old line.
It's imperative.
Speaker 6 (30:07):
All right, let's move on to the next story, and
that's Nicola Jokic.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
For those who stayed up late last night. What a game.
Speaker 6 (30:13):
Anthony Edwards forces overtime with a crazy three from the corner,
but it was all Jokich Colin. This stat line is unbelievable,
the first fifty five fifteen fifteen game in the NBA history.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
I mean, he's putting up Wilt type numbers.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Now what's crazy is they've got a bunch of injuries
on Denver. They started a couple guys. I'm like, what
what's he doing in the starting lineup?
Speaker 4 (30:37):
It don't matter.
Speaker 6 (30:38):
Jokic fifty six points, sixteen boards, fifteen assists, twenty two.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
Of twenty three on free throws.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
I'm sorry to the SGA guys out there, Yokich is
a I'm taking yoll kitch over SGA.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Ten times out of ten. I'm sorry, guys.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, am I Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
He's the best player in the world, has been for
four years. He is the best player in the world.
But but uh, he's got one ring. And part of
the reason is, Okay, C's got better three and D guys,
They've got more athleticism. That's the Lakers issue that you
watched last night. They're not athletic. They can't defend. So
Denver a couple of years ago had a much i
(31:13):
would say, broader, deeper roster.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
They were a bit more athletic.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
They moved off guys because of Jamal Murray and Jokich
and Gordon's contracts. So, but he is absolutely the most
skilled center in the history of the league. The only
player I can think of, Bill Walton had the ability
to shoot, defend, rebound, pass or Vita Sabonis the old
version came to the States. But he is the most
(31:39):
skilled big ever. I trust him shooting threes, free throws, passing, screening, scoring,
It's an unbelievable skill set.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Yeah, I'm wondering.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
You said he's the most skilled center ever. So the
big question on I mean, this is a tough one.
I don't know the right answer here. Shak or Jokisch, who.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
You take it now?
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I know Shaq won the titles and every yeh blah
blah blah. It was a different era, Colin, and you
could make a credible case that you know you would take.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
You'll cut ch over Shack. He could just do so
many more things.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Well, I would. I mean, Shaq would be the first
to admit he struggled with a keen.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, a cam Elaijahwan had his way with Shack because
his footwork, so in, Shaq was a different it's a
different era. You can't compare ears. But I'm just talking
the most skilled. I mean warned the Nuggets down like
two starters last night. I mean it's just like and
they still they were down three starters.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Yeah, I mean, so listen, I've made the case for Luka.
I trying to push Luca's number one. At some point,
I'm gonna capitulate here, and he's just better. Final story callin,
let's go to the back to the NFL forty nine
Ers linebacker Fred Warner. By the way, quietly, there's chatter
though he could return for the NFC Championship game.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
I know it's crazy, he just putting it out there. Anyway.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Warner did a podcast because that's what people do, and
he was asked who the toughest quarterback of the NFL is.
He said it was Joe Burrow. The toughest quarterback of
the NFL. The guy be called glass Joe. Here's Warner.
He's just a dog like he just for whatever reason,
I don't know, his makeup is different than a lot
of these guys in this league.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
I'll let you take it away because you love Burrow.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
You know him well.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
I joked he's glass Joe, but.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
No, I mean he'sn't he is.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
I would say on third or fourth down, take out scrambling,
I need somebody to make a throw to get a
first down, third and fourth down, he's the best in
the league. He is the best third and fourth down thrower.
He has had atrocious O lines. Yeah, I don't think
he's ever had an O line in his career ranked
(33:41):
above twenty third. So and he's had mostly bad defenses.
So he can only win one way. He has to
win by track me. You know, if Fred Warner didn't
say Brock Perdy, by.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
The way, I don't think that means anything. Perdy's not
a huge, strapping dude.
Speaker 6 (33:58):
I'll just say this if you're asked me, and nobody
asked me, Josh Allen, it's for me. It's the toughest
quarterback in the league. I mean, I don't know that
it's close.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
I like Burrow.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Burrow's a different style. Of course. Burrow's a little old school.
He'd rather sit in the pocket.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
If Matt Stafford moved better like Burrow and Stafford to me,
would be the two best pocket quarterbacks in the league.
Like that, I think they're the best two guys in
the pocket in the league. The difference is Burrow can
move quite well. He's his comp coming out of college.
To me, everybody said Brady, I said, it's Tony Romo.
He's a way better version of Tony Romo. Like he
moves around, he doesn't make the mistakes. He's more committed,
(34:32):
but he moves like Tony. He's slippery.
Speaker 6 (34:34):
But when Burrow and Stafford are about to get hit,
you're kind of wincing. When Josh Allen's getting hit, you're not.
You're like, he's gonna absorb it.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
The guy's an Adonis.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Herd Line News in one hour from now. J Mack
has his picks. I took four underdogs this week and
the Bengals Arizona over. So I like the dogs this week.
It is you get to an interesting part. You're sitting
there watching yesterday and there's a lot of fight these
teams are finding Max Brosmer and Minnesota are out playing Detroit.
(35:09):
So dogs had a very good Christmas Day.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
It's the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (35:23):
Next Friday, Noah Fasida leads seventeenth ranked Arizona against SMU
in the Trust and will holiday bawl seven thirty Eastern
for thirty Pacific on Fox.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
SO.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Connor Hughes covers the New York Giants. There is some discussion.
I saw a headline today, should Big Blue the Giants
trade Jackson Dart and select Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. And I've
said for years I feel very confident in my quarterback selections.
Y'all bailed on Darnold. I didn't like Manzeller, t Bow
or JaMarcus Rossler, Jamis Winston and a lot of people
make these moves. I liked Bo Nicks better than everybody else.
(35:59):
I love Drake Mayo of Caleb Williams. You know, I,
miss I thought Michael Penix would be better. But I'll
tell you I don't know how you don't consider it.
So if you go look at Mendoza, just go look
at the numbers. The two years at Cal coupled with Indiana.
Now Indiana now bought good players. But remember he's a
(36:20):
transfer to all new people. There is no pre season
in college. You have to learn on the fly and
go to classes with limitations on like the number of
hours you can practice.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
So what he's done is really impressive.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
It's very hard when you just inject yourself into a
college program. You got classes, you have limitations on practice.
So his numbers at CAL and Indiana combined, and this
is not Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, not even USC
or LSU, it's not. His numbers look like Andrew look
to me big, much bigger than Jackson Dart, much more
(36:56):
accurate than Jackson Dart, and Dart played with better players
in college, and Dart had Lane Kiffin's offense, which is
very quarterback friendly. So he's bigger, you start the clock,
he's more accurate, really really graceful and gracious kid. Just
it's very a lot of humility. So I don't know
how you don't at least think of it. The idea
(37:19):
that the New York Giants could look at it and think, hey,
we're not even going to think about it. The other
thing is, if you move Jackson Dart, think about this,
you could get a better quarterback and additional draft picks,
because there'll be enough desperate teams that'll give you a
second rounder, maybe a third and a fifth for Jackson Dart.
I mean you could leverage that up. So the idea
that you could get a better quarterback certainly a better
(37:41):
quarterback prospect, that's not debatable.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
That is not debate.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
He's a better prospect, bigger, more accurate, and additional picks.
You're not going to consider that. I mean, if you
keep Jackson Dart, good luck higher whoever. You're not getting
additional picks. You're getting a guy that spends a lot
of time in the Blue ten. So to me, if
you can get a better prospect and more draft capital
(38:06):
at that, that's pretty good. I don't know how you
don't think about Eric Mangini on should the Giants at
least consider it?
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Start's done some good things. He's excited the fan base,
but he excited that the fan base after he came
in for Russell Wilson, who kind of put the fan
base to sleep. And so it wasn't a high bar
that he had to overcome. But I don't know if
he's made a strong enough case saying, yeah, this is
our franchise quarterback. This is the guy that we're gonna
(38:38):
go and have a chance to compete for a championship
for the next ten years.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Yeah. And last week when they played the Vikings at home,
the New York Giants offensive coach Mike Hofka literally made
a decision during the week, we don't want him throwing
the ball at all. I think he had one completion
in the first half. They took the ball of his hands.
That's what they did with JJ McCarthy at Michigan that
(39:04):
road game. That hardball wasn't on the sidelines. They said,
we're just not even gonna have him throw. I don't
love that. That was one of the big turn offs
for me. I mean, Mike Kafka is like, I don't
want him throwing. Yeah, Brian Flores has rea a good coach.
You don't want him throwing. What league are we playing here? So,
I mean, I think you have to consider all this stuff.
And also, you didn't give up a ton for Jackson Dart.
(39:25):
I don't have it in front of me. But he
was like the twenty third, twenty four something like that pick.
You didn't give up a ton, was he twenty fifth
twenty fifth pick? I mean he didn't give up.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
That much for him.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
So the idea that you don't consider it and get
out of the emotional part.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
I love him.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
He's tough. He's so tough. He's in the Blue Tent
five times. I don't love that either. I've defended him
on that that when you're young and trying to pick
up yards and learning NFL defenses, I'm going to defend you.
Drake May ended up in the blue tennis first year,
and then they got him really good players. Drake May
does not end up in the Blue tent, so doesn't
have scataboo, right, And I get but Giant fans, you
(40:05):
haven't made a lot of really good decisions in the
last decade, and you're gonna tell me you wouldn't consider it.
You have to consent that you could get Mendoza and
additional draft picks, and you say, well, who would want
Jackson Dart Go give me the mock draft again. If
Dante Moore doesn't leave Oregon, the Raiders need a quarterback.
(40:30):
The Browns made draft one, the Jets need one, the
Cardinals need one. I think the Saints think they have one.
The Bengals could probably draft one, but that's not their
primary need. So there's plenty of teams. And also not
in the top ten picks is Miami. Miami I think
is just out of the top ten. Miami could draft
(40:50):
a quarterback, probably will. They have plenty of takers on
Jackson Dart. Jackson Dart's got a Miami look. Trade for
Jackson Dart not paying him anything, then you can win.
Stand if you're the Miami Dolphins, You're like, we're in
a different conference.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
You know.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
A lot of teams like jack I mean, if I
was the Miami Dolphins and I and I have I
have two, I was like, I'll trade up to get
Jackson Dart.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Kylein.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
He's not making any money. He was late first round,
so I can withstand to his cap hit if I
move to it for a sixth rounder.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
How about door number three, We trade down, we trade
the number one pick, and we get a haul. We
start Jackson Dart, see if he's the guy, and if
he fails, you know what next year? Arch Manning and
a bunch of other dudes are coming out. It's gonna
be a way better class. Sellers is sticking around college.
We just we punt to twenty twenty seven, all right.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
That for the For the record, i'd consider that too.
My point is you have to consider Mendoza as a pet,
and I think trading down is something that may make
a lot of sense.
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 3 (00:27):
Welcome in.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
We are live.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
It is a Friday to day after Christmas. It's The Herd.
Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
for megan us part of your day. It did sound
last night on the broadcast like as Travis Kelsey's last year.
He was productive. But you know, you can see when
you watch Kansas City, you know this is.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What happens the dynasties.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
The old guys look really old and it's just sort
of a sad trombone, and you know, started losing all
those close games instead.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Of winning them. And that's okay.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I mean, it's better to have been in a dynasty
and faded away than to never have been in a dynasty.
That sounds almost political. All right, blazing five sixty percent
for the year, feel very very good about it.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This week.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I didn't do this all year. Four underdogs. I don't
even know why underdogs yesterday did well.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Here we go, let's blaze it up, fired up, it's
Collins blazon fuck. Texans at Chargers.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I like the Texans plus two and a half seven
game winning streak. They clinch a playoff berth with a win.
Their only loss by more than three points one against Seattle.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Well, Seattle beats up with a lot of people. Woody
Marx is back huge part of their offense. The Chargers
eighteenth in the NFL on offense since Week eleven because
their offensive line is using backups three of the Chargers
four wins during their four game winning streak of against
the Raiders, Chiefs, and Cowboys. The Texans defense is so good,
(02:04):
even on the road. It's dominating number one in the league.
I'm taking the points. Texans twenty three, Chargers twenty one.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Take the points.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Seahawks at Panthers.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I wish it was seven and a half, but I'll
take it at seven. Panthers at home fighting to win
the NFC South one game lead over Tampa.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I'm taking the points.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Anybody noticing Bryce Young in the last month, last three
games he's a pro bowler, six touchdowns, no picks. He's
been on fire in the last three game. The Seahawks
are coming off a tough, physical, overtime game season high
ninety two defensive snaps against the Rams. The last two games,
they won, both at home by a combined three points.
(02:49):
The offense for Seattle doesn't quite feel right. This is
a long trip. They could be looking ahead of the playoffs. Oh,
just beat the Rams. We're amazing Seattle wins. I'm absolutely
taking the points here. Twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Hawks.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Eagles at Bills.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
I'm in the minority. I like Philly plus two and
a half. Great run team, bad run defense. They're thirty
five and two when they win the turnover battle under
Nick Siriani's seven to zero this year, and they usually do.
Jalen Hurts the last two weeks. Something is working, even
Greg Cosel told us sakuon Barkley last three games, averaging
five and a half of carry.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
The O line now getting healthy, folks.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
The Bills have trailed in each of their last eight games.
They've trailed in the second half of six of their
last seven. They play with their food. They're not good
on third down. The Bills can't defend the run. I'm
taking the Eagles and the points better overall roster twenty
(03:54):
eight to twenty four Philly Bears at forty nine ers.
I like siicag go with extra rest plus three. DJ
Moore and Caleb Williams last five games. DJ mores five
touchdown catches type for most in the league. The offense.
He got all the big plays without any other turnovers. Listen,
(04:14):
the Niners are hot, but four of their five wins
came against Cleveland, Arizona, the Titans, and the Colts brought
purty trailing this year.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Is a different.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Quarterback sixty three percent completion percentage and their defense. Here's
the story of the game. The Niners defense not only
as the fewest sacks in the NFL, seven fewer than
the next fewest, and opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating
of one oh one against the Niners. Christian McCaffrey just
(04:44):
came off a twenty seven touch game. The Niners are
zero to four off McCaffrey games where he's got twenty
seven or more touches. Bears win it. Take the points.
Twenty eight to twenty.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Seven Cardinals at Bengals.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I like the over fifty three and a half twenty
ninth ranked scoring defense against the worst ranked defense, banged
up defenses that are bad.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
To begin with.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
The weather it's gonna be a little wet temperature not
a factor. The Cardinals defense is bad and it's gotten worse.
Allowed forty plus points in two of their last three games.
The Bengals, they're averaging twenty seven a game with Burrow.
So you're talking about atrocious defenses, banged up. I like
Cincinnati to win the game. I think it's a bit
of a shootout. I'm gonna take the over Cincinnati Arizona
(05:39):
over fifty three and a half points, thirty twenty seven
Bingals win. So a lot of underdog have not done
that once this year. Four underdogs and one over Jmax
picks in about an hour forty five. There you go,
(06:00):
Eric Mangini, former NFL coach Brown's Jets. Fox Sports is
now joining us. You know it's interesting, You know this.
You can't get too caught up in style points. Denver
goes to it could be Travis Kelcey's last game.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Emotional.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
It's a division rival, you go on the road, you
win by a touchdown, and all I hear is I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I don't trust Denver.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Like guys, they're thirteen and three. Bo Nicks keeps making
you know, Josh Allen has the most fourth quarter touchdowns
the last two years.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Bo Nick's a second.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
I know it's uneven, but my take is we're spending
too much time worried about the stylistic nature of Denver
and I just see a thirteen and three team that
makes big plays late.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
What do you see with Denver?
Speaker 5 (06:44):
Yeah, last night, Look, it's an emotional game. Travis Kelsey
maybe retiring. It's an arrowhead that Denver probably had a
little bit of a letdown because they're thirteen and a
half point favorites. And look, Kansas City doesn't want to
get embarrassed by avi arrival on Christmas in front of
friends and family. The game was probably destined to be
(07:05):
to be close, and they get penalized. That never gets
penalized for winning late. To me, that's a strength that
shows character of the team, and it's a little bit
like Kansas City when people were dinging them for winning
close games. That's a good thing, not a bad thing,
and that's going to be a strength. I believe in
the playoffs, their ability to know if we're behind, we
(07:29):
can figure out a way to come back, because we've
done it so many times this season.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
So I'm watching the Lions and people say, well, they're
old lines beat up, and I'm like, the Texans and
the Chargers old lines have been bad all year and
they're twenty one to nine, Like, yes, this is you
get cluster injuries.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And I'm not saying.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
It's it's I think Sam Laporta is also a huge loss.
I'm not denying that. But the Lions don't look like
last year. They were bad this year on third down
all year when the old line was healthy. Last year
they looked crisp and creative. Eric I go on this
show every two weeks with Ben Johnson. I'm like, this
guy is Kyle Shanahan. This guy, this guy's incredible, Like
this is so creative and inventive.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
How much of.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
It's just well, the old lines beat up and how
much is they lost a great coordinator and they're hard
to replace.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Yeah, that's that's underrated as well.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Colin.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
We we saw Philly replace both coordinators and win the
Super Bowl, So everybody thinks, Okay, that's easy to do.
It's not easy to do. It's not easy at all.
And this year Dan Campbell, what four or five games
in the season, I forget exactly what the number is.
He replaces the offensive coordinator as a signal caller, and
they play pretty well offensively. But the problem is that
(08:42):
takes some of your attention as a head coach off
of the rest of the team. And this this Lion's
team was up and down all season. It's win a game,
loseer game through eight games like that, and then they
went on the three game losing streak. I'd say the
most disappointing thing for me is the six turnovers last night.
That's terrible, but the week before having fifteen rushing yards.
(09:06):
To me, that's inexcusable. It's the third worst I think
in the last twenty years for the Lions with two
really good running backs. And yet we can say that
there's injuries on the offensive line. There's not fifteen yards
only in rushing of injuries on the offensive line. That
part it's going to have to be addressed, and you're
gonna have to try to find some coordinators that really
(09:29):
make sense for you. Defensively, it's the same thing They're
in the bottom third of every category defensively, So you know.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
I was saying about the Bills, is I think America
now that Detroit's out, I've said the perfect super Bowl
would be Detroit Buffalo. Two franchises that you feel like
kind of deserve it. So Detroit's out, here's Buffalo. And
I said, Okay, no Ma Homes, maybe no Lamar, no Burrow,
drake Man and Bownicks are still ascending their kids. And
(09:57):
then you've got like Trevor Lawrence. He's good, but you
know they'll probably be better next year. Herbert's going to
get his offensive tackles back next year. I'm like, this
is the year, Like, this is the year to win.
So I what I do wonder about Buffalo if they're
going to coach tight because I mean, you know, you know,
coach sometimes you get breaks, and this is a year
(10:20):
that Buffalo's getting some breaks. Kid quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers is
forty two. No Lamar, Like, I think I think you
got to get to a conference championship this year. I
think that's very realistic. I think that's fair pressure.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Do you.
Speaker 5 (10:38):
Yeah, if anybody said you can, you can enter into
the playoffs and there's no Lamar, there's no Patrick Mahomes,
there's no Joe Burrow, and it's just Josh Allen. Everybody
would pick Buffalo to go to the super Bowl, and
it makes sense. And on top of that, Buffalo runs
the ball as good as anybody that they're dynamic there.
(11:00):
Their Achilles heel could be what keeps the quarterback off
the field, and that's being able to stop the run.
And that's what I think a lot of teams that'll
be the way to beat him is don't let Josh Allen.
That offense on the field have long time consuming drives
that keeps Josh Allen on the sidelines. But you've got
the one remaining superhero left in the AFC. I don't
(11:22):
think it's unreasonable to expect a deep run and you know,
ideally a Super Bowl run with all those other guys
sitting home.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Okay, so the Lamar story broke on Christmas Eve, where
there's a long standing Baltimore reporter that says he doesn't
take criticism. Well, you know, video games at night, doesn't
want to practice in the morning, fallen asleep at meetings.
Now John Harbaugh comes out, smart thing to do during
the season Hey, a plus plus relationship. I don't think
this long time reporter made up all of it. So
(11:52):
my take was I had a couple of takes, is
he wants to play in Miami and if you could
get if you could get Baltimore to pay some of
the freight, you know, I mean Denver one. They're still
playing Russell Wilson's cap. I think the Jets have two
first round picks, have shown no ability in recent years
to develop a quarterback. It's not a great college quarterback draft.
I think they could should consider it. When you look
(12:13):
at let's say you were the Raiders or you are
one of the Miami or the Jets, and you read
this story, would you still go after Lamar?
Speaker 3 (12:23):
Does it scare you from Lamar?
Speaker 5 (12:28):
No, it doesn't scare me from Lamar. And this has
been a long time coming Colm. This is what's seven
weeks in a row or eight weeks in a row
where he missed the day of practice and now he's
missing games. It feels like the last time there was
there were contract issues, and I imagine there's something to
do with the contract in all of this as well.
(12:50):
He's got a really high cap number next year. They're
talking about it. So it feels like that that's a
component of it. And I don't know who lee out
the negative things about Lamar, but the obviously it came
from from inside the building and someone related to the
team as opposed to another player. But if I'm if
(13:12):
I'm the Ravens, I'm not moving on from Lamar Jackson.
What did he do the last time he missed the
six games at the end of the season. He was
the MVP the next year, and then he could have
been the MVP the year after that, and this I
would imagine Lamar next year, if he's motivated and in
the right mindset, can be in that same spot. Now.
(13:33):
If Baltimore did want to move on from him, if
I'm any other team that's been sitting with no quarterback,
and a lot of the teams you named are in
that situation, yeah you go get Lamar Jackson if you can,
if there's any way you can, because he gives you
such a better chance to win than some rookie that
you're you're taking a chance on, or some some retread
(13:55):
that you're you're hoping for.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So I said this, when when you've been bad for
a decade, you have to consider everything. So Jackson dark
comes in, he's young. You didn't give up a ton
to get him. He was a late first round pick,
and he's in the blue tent constantly. I like him,
but the last three starts he's regressed. It could be Kafka.
Maybe Dave Ball's just more experience and better. Fine, but
(14:18):
I don't think he's an A plus prospect. I think
he's a gamer. I think he's confident. I think he's
been fun to watch. Mendoza, even at Cal for two
years and now at Indiana, not Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas.
At CAL in Indiana is sixty eight percent completion percentage, bigger,
much more accurate, a much better prospect. If I'm the Giants,
(14:42):
I'm gonna sit down and we're gonna we're gonna talk
about this for several days. When I suggest that people
push back, I'm like, guys, you've been embarrassing for a decade.
Everything's on the table. You didn't give up much for
Jackson dart Am. I nuts on this.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
No, not not at all. And there's no real tanking
in the NFL. That's not that's not a thing. But
you got to think about it. This weekend. If you're
the owner of the Giants, oh, you're the owner of
the Raiders, you got to think about about wanting to
lose this game and having the number one one pick,
because whether it's Mendoza or trading back or Lamar Jackson
(15:24):
or or any opportunity have the number one overall pick
is pretty powerful. And to your point, yeah, Darts. Dart's
done some good things. He's he's excited the fan base,
but he excited that the fan base after he came
in for Russell Wilson, who kind of put the fan
base to sleep, and and and so it wasn't a
(15:46):
high bar that he had to overcome. But I don't
know if he's made a strong enough case saying yeah,
this is our franchise quarterback. This is the guy that
we're going to go and have a chance to compete
for a championship for the next ten years. If you're
sitting there with the first overall draft pick and you
think Mendoza is the guy and he's an upgrade, then yeah,
(16:08):
you pull the trigger on that and you go and
get what you can for Dart, and they'll be a
strong market for him.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Yeah, that's my take.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
They'll be an offensive coach out there that's gonna go. Oh.
I like that kid. We have way better players than
the New York Giants. We'll get that kid out of
that mess. So, I mean, you can get stuff for Dart,
but I think when you're bad, you have to consider everything.
I like Jackson, He's better than I thought. But with
Lane Kiffen and better players around him, Mendoza is putting
up better numbers. You know, Cal is like a third
(16:37):
tier program. It's pretty good at Cal. And he was
getting his second year at CAL. I mean he got
sacked forty five times. He was running for his life.
So one more question as we you know, I'm in
Chicago now and it's this talk and it's crazy, and
I don't think I've talked to you about this. Maybe
I have, but I said, you know, Tom Brady's completion
(16:58):
percentage was only sixty four percent without the wiggle. Matt
Stafford has always been a guy that, like you get
a lot of big plays. His completion percentage is not
Drew Brees level. My take is when you get such
explosive plays. Now, Josh Allen this year has a higher
completion percentage. They don't throw the ball down the field,
they tow the tight ends and backs. Caleb Williams fifty
(17:21):
eight percents a little low to me, But if you
told me he's a career sixty percent guy with all
this horsepower, I think I can live with it. Or
do you have certain lines you want to hit from
your quarterback?
Speaker 5 (17:36):
Well, I believe the league average is around it's either
sixty three or sixty four percent for most quarterbacks. So
when you're getting in the fifties, that's problematic. So I
would like to see it come up from that. If
we're talking about sixty sixty one, it's not that far off,
and you have the upside of the big plays. To me, yeah,
(17:58):
you can live with that. They miss some layups, but
but you're hitting a bunch of three pointers and it's
helping you win win a ton of games. My frustration
with Caleb has been the inconsistency. So he works the
magic last game after that, but one percent chance to win.
They get the on side kick, which is fantastic. You
(18:18):
just like to see that through the course of the game.
And this year has been really good for him in
the in the sense they've got the second best rushing
offense in the league, so that's helped them significantly. I
give I give Caleb and Johnson a ton of credit
for the way that they've cut down on the sacks.
To me, that's that's not just the offensive line. That's
a conscientious effort by Caleb, by Ben Johnson, by the
(18:41):
group to avoid those negative plays. So that growth, to me,
is incredible from from Caleb. I would just like to
see some more consistency throughout the course of the game.
But he's trending in the right direction. If I got
to live with a little bit lower completion percentage to
get those big plays, then yeah, I'm okay with that.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
I tell my wife, you know, I'm not good at
cleaning the garage. I've got way, I've got great upside.
I'm great in the fourth quarter. I can't fit the
tire on.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
The car, but I'm really good in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 5 (19:13):
Okay, you make big I do.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Don't picks, but you know, my completion percentage is very long,
great sing Eric.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, I uh.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
People are saying, oh, Josh Allen this year, Like Josh
Allen if he was sixty three and a half percent,
they just don't throw the ball down the field. So
it's a lot of tight end stuff and they have
really good tight ends. Knocks Kincaid Hawes the third guy, Like,
they have really good tight ends and they can throw
to their backs.
Speaker 3 (19:43):
I'm and they have a good slot receiver.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
But Buffalo's not throwing the ball down the field and
that could end up biting you. Like if you're throwing
and Caleb throws the ball. I mean, Roma Dunze can
go deep. Dj Moore goes deep. Their tight end Lovelin
will go down the scene like they have guys that
Burden is a guy that can go deep. So they
are they are a big play offense. Buffalo's not. The
big players are provided by Josh Allen running around.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Colin, let me ask you about something you and Eric
just talked about. So the whole Jackson Dart, we could
trade him.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Think so we're seeing.
Speaker 6 (20:14):
The season where backup quarterbacks are having a play because
guys are getting hurt.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Jackson Dart gets hurt a lot.
Speaker 6 (20:18):
Why not just draft Mendoza, keep Dart and see who
wins the starting job.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Heck, you don't even know who the coach is going
to be. The coach might want a scrambler or he
might want a pocket guy.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Well, well, but if you bring Mendoza in good question,
you want his O line fortified. You don't want him
getting beat up like a cow. So if you trade
Dart and can get a two and a four and
address your O line to a higher level, Mendoza doesn't
have to take a beating for a year because it's
not a great roster. They have their left tackle. But
even he gets hurt a lot on New Thomas. So
(20:49):
my take is you move Mendoz is the better prospect, bigger,
more accurate.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
He just is.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I mean at cal he's as accurate as as Jackson
Dart was with Lane Kiffen and Old Miss and like
you know, Trey Harris and like the lead, I think
Trey play maybe maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But
like really good Old Miss offensive players. Lane can recruit
offensive dudes whoever the receivers, tight ends, backs were. So
my take is, and you also, you don't want in
(21:15):
New York City a quarterback battle. You do not want that.
Maybe it works in Jacksonville, not in the biggest media
market in the country.
Speaker 6 (21:23):
It's interesting the fan base would The fan base loves Dart, honestly,
they think he is the new He's like the new
Jeremy Lynn. People love him great. The skill sets limited,
We'll see. I just I don't know what the coaches do,
is gonna want? Is the GM gonna be there?
Speaker 4 (21:36):
The Giants have a lot of questions, man.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah they do. That's why I would give up. I
would give up. I get picks. I try.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
You know, with Mendoza and all those draft picks, you
could accumulate with Jackson Dart. Oh your roster a lot
of cheap labor?
Speaker 4 (21:51):
What does that mean fetching multiple picks?
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (21:54):
There are eight teams that need a quarterback and there's
one good one coming out of college.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
What do you want?
Speaker 6 (22:00):
It? Was?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Darts a franchise guy.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
I think he's shown himself to be capable of it.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
Gyron Taylor. If I thin Giants at Tyron Taylor career backup?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Oh, I think JA was good. Oh. I think Jackson
Darts better than Tyrod Taylor.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
If Teddy Bridgewater would have stayed healthy, Teddy Bridgewater would
have been a nice franchise quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
I like Teddy Bridgewater.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
I liked him too.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think Jackson Darts a franchise quarterback.
Is he a top eight guy? Probably not, No, but
I think there's something there. I mean, I said I
thought he was a second round pick, so I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
There's something there.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
At top eight is rich.
Speaker 6 (22:38):
I mean Jared Goff, his ceiling might have been top eight,
but then when it matters most he's like eighteen to twenty.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
I mean, it's tough man to be a top eight quarterback.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app Pauly Fools go ahead
with Tony Foosco.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
As everybody knows, we're the hosts of the award winning
Polly Antoni Fusco Show. Yeah, but instead of us telling
you how great we are, here is how Dan Patrick
described us when he came on our show.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
What are you doing? Were interrupting our promo? Yeah, you
wasn't talking about you.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
You took those clips totally out of context.
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Oh yeah, Well, after this promo, I'm gonna take you
out and beat you.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Let me put this into context.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
Shut up.
Speaker 7 (23:27):
Yeah, anyway, just listen to the Paully Antoni Fusco Show
on iHeartRadio, Apple podcasts wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Yee.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
So, the six years before Sean Payton got to Denver
you had three head coaches and six losing seasons in
a row. In fact, the year before they were five
and twelve and the worst offense in the league.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Worst. So what's really impressive about the turnaround?
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Because of the Russell Wilson cap hit and the draft
capital you gave up to get Russell, you could not
do a total build. You had to take a lot
of the guys you already had and make them better.
Four of their six Pro Bowlers this year, just named
were already on the team. This was not a total rebuild.
Sean Payton didn't have a draft capital or the cap
(24:14):
space that that's actually what Mike Vrabel can do.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Sean couldn't.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
He took a guy like Quinn Miners, who was a
guard from a small school, who was a guy. He's
now arguably the best guard in the league since Sean
Payton arrived. He took Zach Allen four years in Arizona,
good player, not spec no Pro bowlers. Now Zach Allen's
a monster. So again he was What's really impressive was
(24:45):
and Jesse Mintor and Jim Harbad did this in the
same division where they took the thirty second ranked defense
with Brandon Staley made it number one with mostly a
couple of fifth round cornerbacks they drafted, but mostly the
same guys. So it's some some times you do get
like make Mike Frable in New England, where you inherit
this young quarterback. You've got two hundred and seventy five
(25:06):
million bucks, you got draft picks, and you can rebuild
it that way. And that doesn't mean it's bad, but
you were that when he took the job. Sean Payton
took this job, My take was, I'm not sure this
is good. I said it on the air. You got
no cab space and and you don't have draft capital,
and they go find a Zach Allen a Quinn minors
(25:29):
and you know, he takes a gamble on bow Knicks,
which most of the league thought was overdrafting him.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
RJ.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Harvey most of the league thought it was overdrafted, and
they become incredibly valuable players, both on display last night.
Bow Knicks and Harvey both that's is that eleven touchdowns
for the rookie running back eleven. I mean, I mean,
that's could be more twelve. There's Sean Payton after the
(25:57):
winning darrowhead.
Speaker 8 (26:00):
And heart fault win. I thought Kansas City did a
good job.
Speaker 9 (26:04):
Andy.
Speaker 8 (26:05):
And this this team, I don't care who comes out
of that locker room. This is a team that basically
has been at the top of our league for the
better part of a century and and uh and so
there's a ton of respect we have for what they've
been able to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, it's it's impressive. J Mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 6 (26:36):
Yeah, I'm about as impressed by the Broncos as I
am the Detroit Lions. Let's start with those Lions. Sorry,
I had to, Colin. It was a brutal ending to
the Lions season. Yesterday I was texting with the Lions fan.
We had made a bet on who was going to
be better, uh, Detroit or Denver this season. I had
Denver and it was a runaway I mean victory. The
Detroit Lions regressed badly. Jared Goff was awful. Colin, I
(26:59):
got some stats, will give you.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
In a minute.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
But here's Dan Campbell talking about the turnovers yesterday.
Speaker 9 (27:05):
Anytime he's not able to step into throw, it's going
to be hard for him. You know, that's where he's
at his best, obviously, in the pocket. And you know,
if he's not able to at least hit that back
foot and step into it, it makes it pretty difficult.
Story of that game, six turnovers. I can't turn the
ball over six times and win in this league.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Yeah, among the many problems. Not good.
Speaker 6 (27:30):
Yeah, So, Colin, I like Jared Goffi's a nice guy.
You know, he's building a house near me on the
South Bay. Colin, We've got a stat here for you
on the most like games with three plus turnovers in
recent years. You'll never believe who's at the top of
this list, Colin, Look at this Tua who you I mean,
(27:51):
just bear right and dear ride, and Jared Goff's right
there with him.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Well, Trevor Lawrence is too, and Trevor's gonna He's had
like six coaches.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
Come on, give the guy a pack. I mean, Jared
Goff is in an offensive machine. And for whatever reason,
man things when they go bad for golf, they get
in his head. And we know the book on golf
doesn't play well in cold weather and get pressure up
the middle because he's not mobile. All the elite quarterbacks
can get out of the pocket.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
And make throws on the run.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Hell, look, you got Stafford Stafford camp Stafford Stafford.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
Yeah, but he has great protection up the middle. Right,
they got it. They fortified the line.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Detroit loses their center and you could just see it
coming man up the middle. Brian Floor is repeatedly blitzing
up the middle. You could see it on these highlights.
It's as plain as clear as day. And I don't
I mean, people want to say, what's the fix for Detroit? Well,
they got like four defensive starters. I just looked this up.
Who are going to be free agents? The defense stings,
by the way, at some point we got to.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
Mention Aaron Glenn. They lose Aaron Glenn, and the defense
is I mean, I know the injuries on the.
Speaker 6 (28:48):
Back end, but like, I don't know what the quick
fix is here. I mean, they got some picks. I
think you must invest in the middle of the offensive line,
but you've paid the O line a Monra.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Frank ragnow retired. So through the years, I've said repeatedly
the most underwritted position in this sport is center. Is
that they call the audibles. It's the anchor. If there's
a great defensive tackle somewhere in the midst you have
to block him. There's a lot of edge rushers right
like you can get so offensive tackle. We know that's important,
(29:20):
but center gets overlooked. And I mean, I just if
you want to beat Philadelphia, the Rams have had a
problem blocking the interior of the O line of Philadelphia.
They're just as good, if not better a team. So
I think Frank ragnow gives you a late retirement and
they've been bailing water since then. Laporta gets hurt late
in the season along with that in an O line
(29:43):
injury or two, then it's snowballs. But it's still They've
been bad on third down all year. That's not just
O line issue.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
Yeah, by the way, look at the three teams that
have cratered, right. Lamar Jackson's offensive line tried the young
guys crumbling, Patrick Mahomes offensive line, the whifted on everybody
than left this kid Simmons who got hurt crumbling like
Jared Goff center.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
I mean, you have to spend money on the old line.
It's imperative.
Speaker 6 (30:07):
All right, let's move on to the next story, and
that's Nicola Jokic.
Speaker 4 (30:11):
For those who stayed up late last night. What a game.
Speaker 6 (30:13):
Anthony Edwards forces overtime with a crazy three from the corner,
but it was all Jokich Colin. This stat line is unbelievable,
the first fifty five fifteen fifteen game in the NBA history.
Speaker 4 (30:29):
I mean, he's putting up Wilt type numbers.
Speaker 6 (30:31):
Now what's crazy is they've got a bunch of injuries
on Denver. They started a couple guys. I'm like, what
what's he doing in the starting lineup?
Speaker 4 (30:37):
It don't matter.
Speaker 6 (30:38):
Jokic fifty six points, sixteen boards, fifteen assists, twenty two.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
Of twenty three on free throws.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
I'm sorry to the SGA guys out there, Yokich is
a I'm taking yoll kitch over SGA.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Ten times out of ten. I'm sorry, guys.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Yeah, am I Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
He's the best player in the world, has been for
four years. He is the best player in the world.
But but uh, he's got one ring. And part of
the reason is, Okay, C's got better three and D guys,
They've got more athleticism. That's the Lakers issue that you
watched last night. They're not athletic. They can't defend. So
Denver a couple of years ago had a much i
(31:13):
would say, broader, deeper roster.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
They were a bit more athletic.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
They moved off guys because of Jamal Murray and Jokich
and Gordon's contracts. So, but he is absolutely the most
skilled center in the history of the league. The only
player I can think of, Bill Walton had the ability
to shoot, defend, rebound, pass or Vita Sabonis the old
version came to the States. But he is the most
(31:39):
skilled big ever. I trust him shooting threes, free throws, passing, screening, scoring,
It's an unbelievable skill set.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Yeah, I'm wondering.
Speaker 6 (31:48):
You said he's the most skilled center ever. So the
big question on I mean, this is a tough one.
I don't know the right answer here. Shak or Jokisch, who.
Speaker 4 (31:56):
You take it now?
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I know Shaq won the titles and every yeh blah
blah blah. It was a different era, Colin, and you
could make a credible case that you know you would take.
Speaker 4 (32:06):
You'll cut ch over Shack. He could just do so
many more things.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Well, I would. I mean, Shaq would be the first
to admit he struggled with a keen.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Yeah, a cam Elaijahwan had his way with Shack because
his footwork, so in, Shaq was a different it's a
different era. You can't compare ears. But I'm just talking
the most skilled. I mean warned the Nuggets down like
two starters last night. I mean it's just like and
they still they were down three starters.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Yeah, I mean, so listen, I've made the case for Luka.
I trying to push Luca's number one. At some point,
I'm gonna capitulate here, and he's just better. Final story callin,
let's go to the back to the NFL forty nine
Ers linebacker Fred Warner. By the way, quietly, there's chatter
though he could return for the NFC Championship game.
Speaker 4 (32:48):
I know it's crazy, he just putting it out there. Anyway.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Warner did a podcast because that's what people do, and
he was asked who the toughest quarterback of the NFL is.
He said it was Joe Burrow. The toughest quarterback of
the NFL. The guy be called glass Joe. Here's Warner.
He's just a dog like he just for whatever reason,
I don't know, his makeup is different than a lot
of these guys in this league.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
I'll let you take it away because you love Burrow.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
You know him well.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
I joked he's glass Joe, but.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
No, I mean he'sn't he is.
Speaker 1 (33:19):
I would say on third or fourth down, take out scrambling,
I need somebody to make a throw to get a
first down, third and fourth down, he's the best in
the league. He is the best third and fourth down thrower.
He has had atrocious O lines. Yeah, I don't think
he's ever had an O line in his career ranked
(33:41):
above twenty third. So and he's had mostly bad defenses.
So he can only win one way. He has to
win by track me. You know, if Fred Warner didn't
say Brock Perdy, by.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
The way, I don't think that means anything. Perdy's not
a huge, strapping dude.
Speaker 6 (33:58):
I'll just say this if you're asked me, and nobody
asked me, Josh Allen, it's for me. It's the toughest
quarterback in the league. I mean, I don't know that
it's close.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
I like Burrow.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Burrow's a different style. Of course. Burrow's a little old school.
He'd rather sit in the pocket.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
If Matt Stafford moved better like Burrow and Stafford to me,
would be the two best pocket quarterbacks in the league.
Like that, I think they're the best two guys in
the pocket in the league. The difference is Burrow can
move quite well. He's his comp coming out of college.
To me, everybody said Brady, I said, it's Tony Romo.
He's a way better version of Tony Romo. Like he
moves around, he doesn't make the mistakes. He's more committed,
(34:32):
but he moves like Tony. He's slippery.
Speaker 6 (34:34):
But when Burrow and Stafford are about to get hit,
you're kind of wincing. When Josh Allen's getting hit, you're not.
You're like, he's gonna absorb it.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
The guy's an Adonis.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Jmack with the news.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Herd Line News in one hour from now. J Mack
has his picks. I took four underdogs this week and
the Bengals Arizona over. So I like the dogs this week.
It is you get to an interesting part. You're sitting
there watching yesterday and there's a lot of fight these
teams are finding Max Brosmer and Minnesota are out playing Detroit.
(35:09):
So dogs had a very good Christmas Day.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
It's the Hurt.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (35:23):
Next Friday, Noah Fasida leads seventeenth ranked Arizona against SMU
in the Trust and will holiday bawl seven thirty Eastern
for thirty Pacific on Fox.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
SO.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Connor Hughes covers the New York Giants. There is some discussion.
I saw a headline today, should Big Blue the Giants
trade Jackson Dart and select Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. And I've
said for years I feel very confident in my quarterback selections.
Y'all bailed on Darnold. I didn't like Manzeller, t Bow
or JaMarcus Rossler, Jamis Winston and a lot of people
make these moves. I liked Bo Nicks better than everybody else.
(35:59):
I love Drake Mayo of Caleb Williams. You know, I,
miss I thought Michael Penix would be better. But I'll
tell you I don't know how you don't consider it.
So if you go look at Mendoza, just go look
at the numbers. The two years at Cal coupled with Indiana.
Now Indiana now bought good players. But remember he's a
(36:20):
transfer to all new people. There is no pre season
in college. You have to learn on the fly and
go to classes with limitations on like the number of
hours you can practice.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
So what he's done is really impressive.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
It's very hard when you just inject yourself into a
college program. You got classes, you have limitations on practice.
So his numbers at CAL and Indiana combined, and this
is not Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, not even USC
or LSU, it's not. His numbers look like Andrew look
to me big, much bigger than Jackson Dart, much more
(36:56):
accurate than Jackson Dart, and Dart played with better players
in college, and Dart had Lane Kiffin's offense, which is
very quarterback friendly. So he's bigger, you start the clock,
he's more accurate, really really graceful and gracious kid. Just
it's very a lot of humility. So I don't know
how you don't at least think of it. The idea
(37:19):
that the New York Giants could look at it and think, hey,
we're not even going to think about it. The other
thing is, if you move Jackson Dart, think about this,
you could get a better quarterback and additional draft picks,
because there'll be enough desperate teams that'll give you a
second rounder, maybe a third and a fifth for Jackson Dart.
I mean you could leverage that up. So the idea
that you could get a better quarterback certainly a better
(37:41):
quarterback prospect, that's not debatable.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
That is not debate.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
He's a better prospect, bigger, more accurate, and additional picks.
You're not going to consider that. I mean, if you
keep Jackson Dart, good luck higher whoever. You're not getting
additional picks. You're getting a guy that spends a lot
of time in the Blue ten. So to me, if
you can get a better prospect and more draft capital
(38:06):
at that, that's pretty good. I don't know how you
don't think about Eric Mangini on should the Giants at
least consider it?
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Start's done some good things. He's excited the fan base,
but he excited that the fan base after he came
in for Russell Wilson, who kind of put the fan
base to sleep. And so it wasn't a high bar
that he had to overcome. But I don't know if
he's made a strong enough case saying, yeah, this is
our franchise quarterback. This is the guy that we're gonna
(38:38):
go and have a chance to compete for a championship
for the next ten years.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
Yeah. And last week when they played the Vikings at home,
the New York Giants offensive coach Mike Hofka literally made
a decision during the week, we don't want him throwing
the ball at all. I think he had one completion
in the first half. They took the ball of his hands.
That's what they did with JJ McCarthy at Michigan that
(39:04):
road game. That hardball wasn't on the sidelines. They said,
we're just not even gonna have him throw. I don't
love that. That was one of the big turn offs
for me. I mean, Mike Kafka is like, I don't
want him throwing. Yeah, Brian Flores has rea a good coach.
You don't want him throwing. What league are we playing here? So,
I mean, I think you have to consider all this stuff.
And also, you didn't give up a ton for Jackson Dart.
(39:25):
I don't have it in front of me. But he
was like the twenty third, twenty four something like that pick.
You didn't give up a ton, was he twenty fifth
twenty fifth pick? I mean he didn't give up.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
That much for him.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
So the idea that you don't consider it and get
out of the emotional part.
Speaker 3 (39:41):
I love him.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
He's tough. He's so tough. He's in the Blue Tent
five times. I don't love that either. I've defended him
on that that when you're young and trying to pick
up yards and learning NFL defenses, I'm going to defend you.
Drake May ended up in the blue tennis first year,
and then they got him really good players. Drake May
does not end up in the Blue tent, so doesn't
have scataboo, right, And I get but Giant fans, you
(40:05):
haven't made a lot of really good decisions in the
last decade, and you're gonna tell me you wouldn't consider it.
You have to consent that you could get Mendoza and
additional draft picks, and you say, well, who would want
Jackson Dart Go give me the mock draft again. If
Dante Moore doesn't leave Oregon, the Raiders need a quarterback.
(40:30):
The Browns made draft one, the Jets need one, the
Cardinals need one. I think the Saints think they have one.
The Bengals could probably draft one, but that's not their
primary need. So there's plenty of teams. And also not
in the top ten picks is Miami. Miami I think
is just out of the top ten. Miami could draft
(40:50):
a quarterback, probably will. They have plenty of takers on
Jackson Dart. Jackson Dart's got a Miami look. Trade for
Jackson Dart not paying him anything, then you can win.
Stand if you're the Miami Dolphins, You're like, we're in
a different conference.
Speaker 3 (41:05):
You know.
Speaker 1 (41:07):
A lot of teams like jack I mean, if I
was the Miami Dolphins and I and I have I
have two, I was like, I'll trade up to get
Jackson Dart.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
Kylein.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
He's not making any money. He was late first round,
so I can withstand to his cap hit if I
move to it for a sixth rounder.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
How about door number three, We trade down, we trade
the number one pick, and we get a haul. We
start Jackson Dart, see if he's the guy, and if
he fails, you know what next year? Arch Manning and
a bunch of other dudes are coming out. It's gonna
be a way better class. Sellers is sticking around college.
We just we punt to twenty twenty seven, all right.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
That for the For the record, i'd consider that too.
My point is you have to consider Mendoza as a pet,
and I think trading down is something that may make
a lot of sense.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.