September 3, 2025 • 29 mins
Colin talks to Fox Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez about expectations for the Broncos and the Bears this season under their second year QBs
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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
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
I just saw the NFL preseason ratings were up seventeen
eighteen percent on all the networks. And wait until you
see the college football ratings for Texas Ohio State as
a massive number. The pregame show's got you know, Lee
Horseo's final broadcast, he went six and oh on his picks,
(00:46):
by the way, really six and oh he picked LSU
over Clemson. He's throwing darts now, six and oh, isn't
darts well? He tends to take the home team he
likes in the big games in college. He likes the
home team a lot. But so what Yeah, nicely it was.
But you know, for years and years in our business,
you talk a lot of football. That's what the audience likes.
(01:09):
The audience loves football. If you were you and I
were doing a show in London, we would talk English
Premier League eighty percent of the show.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It is.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It is amazing to watch Rick. Remember when Rick Patino
came on the show and he said, you know, twenty
years ago baseball and football were closed and the NBA
with Michael Jordan and football were close. College football, the
number for Texas Ohio State is it's exploding. It is
a buy man. December used to be the Sun Bowl,
the Holiday Bowl. Now I get. I mean last year
(01:37):
Indiana nod Indiana Notre Dame was a bit of a dud.
You just watch those numbers grow and grow, and they're
going to just keep expanding it. And again, I'm not
losing a lot of sleep losing bowl games that are irrelevant.
They're exhibition, they don't mean anything. In fact, coaches will
tell you they wanted the bowl games for the practices.
(01:58):
They didn't care about the outcomes. Wanted to make sure
kids played, especially upper classmen. At your last game for
Michigan State, I want to get you out there. I
like games that matter. J Mack with a.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
News this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
So for the longest time, Joe Montana was considered the
goat right undefeated in Super Bowls. Great, great, career. Well,
he was asked yesterday who his top quarterbacks are and
Colin he named four guys and one of them was
not Patrick Mahomes. Joe Montana actually went with Josh Allen,
Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts, and then he said, oh,
(02:38):
I probably should put Mahomes in there.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
I'm just was this a jack? I think when you
get asked questions and you're not regularly on the radio
or TV, sometimes you just people have asked me questions
that I leave an obvious thing out.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Well, listen, Patrick Mahomes is a little more than obvious.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well, you didn't have a great year. Say more, he
didn't have a great.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
You tell me more about the staff the stats that
Joe Glenn doesn't want to hear about. Mahomes was not
great last year statistically.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, but I also think left tackle was an issue
and their run game has been average. You know wide receivers.
By the way, I don't think Mahomes or Josh Allen,
who are both making a lot of money, I don't
think they have nearly as good a personnel as other
teams that you're not paying the quarterback as much. I
mean Pavola said that the minute you start paying your
(03:26):
quarterback the big boy money, you're just not going to
have that third receiver you can depend on. So that's
the big brock pretty question, not that he can obviously play.
The question though, is he was free, and he was
free for dak early contract. He was free. They had
the best on line, they had Zeke, they can get
Amari Cooper. Now Dak's expensive and they have to let
go at Michael Parsons. So that's the question is always
(03:50):
what can you do once you get paid a lot
of guys c J. Stroud, once you get the money
now and now all Tank Dell's hurt over the course
of time. I still think CJ. Stroud's abye, but it'll
be different to watch him in three years when he's
got a huge contract. And sometimes you got a right
tackle that just can't play. Next up, Colin, Hey, listen,
(04:13):
you love a good list. I love a good list.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
The Athletic has named the top ten offensive play callers
in the NFL based on polling DC's and coaches.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
This should surprise nobody.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Kyle Shanahan at the top, number one, McVeigh two. I'm
a little surprised Ben Johnson's at three, I mean, I
get it, he was amazing. Yeah, but above Andy Reid
and Kevin O'Connell really well. My takeaway on this list
for the radio audience Shanahan McVeigh, Ben Johnson, Andy Reid,
Kevin O'Connell, Matt Lafleur. That is the elite coaching well,
(04:46):
most of them are from the same time. By the way,
the fact that Sean Payton is eight and he took
bow knicks and had better numbers than Jayden McDaniels, I
mean that there is a lot is this And by
the way, Dallas does not, in my opinion, appear to
have great respect for the coaching position based on their
(05:08):
last couple of HighRes.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
There is a lot of good coaching in this way,
My guy, Liam.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Cohen Jacksonville Jaguars, do you know I saw this this
morning or yesterday morning.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I always stay away from games where there's eighty percent
bets by the fans. Seventy nine percent of fans are
taking the Jags minus three against Carolina. Carol I. Jaggs
was one of my favorite picks.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
And I'm like, they're defense, I don't know, but offensively
they're gonna score.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Travis Hunter, by the way.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Is going to start at receiver and he's a backup
cornerback for those who care. Final story, Colin is phenomenal. Okay,
it is popping this morning. It's super spicy, and it's
Kawhi Leonard.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
So, according to a podcast by Pablo Torre, he dug
up a lot of documents that say the Clippers allegedly
circumvented the salary cap by signing Kawhi Leonard to a
twenty eight million dollar endorsement deal for a wait for it,
no show job through a now bankrupt company owned by
(06:10):
Steve Baumer. This is so good, I highly recommend digging
into this. According to the report, Balmer paid Kawhi, he
didn't do a thing, did not market it, no endorsements,
and an unnamed employee sorry confirmed it was to circumvent
the salary cap.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well that's not good, Delby. Well, you'll lose draft picks
over that. You can lose three or four first round
picks over this, and should it's gonna be although although
let's say he would have shown up for the job.
So there's a lot being made about the no show.
Let's say he shows up, it still shouldn't be legal.
Like like everybody's get is caught up on this. Oh
(06:48):
I didn't show up for the job. You're not supposed
to circumvent the salary cap.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Even if he did show up, Hey, i've got another
company I'm gonna in.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I want you to endorse it. Here's twenty eight million dollars.
Come sign with a paper claps. Even if he was
like you went through the car wash and you're like, hey,
there's Kawhi Leonard, it's still circumventing the salary cap. Whether
he shows up or not. Oh, this is going to
be spicy. Yet it really is a weird story. Jmack
with the News.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, in the athletics optimism poll, it's called the Hypometer,
the fan base in the NFL that was the most
optimistic was not the Chiefs, Ravens or Bills or Eagles reliance.
It was the Denver Broncos. They are opening against the
Tennessee Titans. It's in the Mile Hay City and Mark
(07:40):
Sanchez is joining us. He'll be broadcasting the game.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Everybody talking.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
We said this a couple times during preseason. Is that
Denver from the reporters who bounce around the league at
camps unanimously had an amazing camp. And I want to
ask you about that, because you know the starters don't
play as much. They're seventeen games. You're not gonna play
better in offensive lineman. Does camp? Did you ever come
out of a camp and feel good or bad that
(08:09):
it have a direct influence on outcomes?
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I think it. Camp.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
You need it to one. Physically harden the body. Ok
you got to you gotta take those blows. You got
to practice hard against other teams or against your team,
and truly scrimmage to get ready for week one, just
to get your body ready for what it's about to endure.
And then the mental side, it's lock in, it's full focus.
(08:34):
This is all we got, you know, fifty three against
the world, when we go on the road, this is
what we do. So I felt like you needed to
check that box, get over that hurdle, you know, reach
that rung on the ladder to feel like, Okay, it's
time for week one. And still in week one, we're
gonna get unscouted. Looks we're gonna get way more turnovers
(08:55):
week one, especially guys tackling full speed, tackling to the ground.
People forget you know, guys are going to really try
and knock your head off and there goes to football.
So I think a lot of that has to do
with how your camp goes, how you approach it, and
how you come out of it hopefully injury free.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller,
with mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour. I'll tell you it's a spin
off of it. Ben Maler show a cult hit overnights
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a world will? We chat with captains of industry in media,
sports and more every week explore some amazing facts about
(09:43):
human nature and more. Listen to The Fifth Hour with
Ben Maller or the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever
you get your podcast now.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I picked Denver to win their division. It's not a
high on us. I am, but I don't like the
fact that Kansas City lost Toney and as a rookie
left tackle. I think this division's going to be twelve wins,
eleven wins, ten wins, and I think Denver bo Nick
should be better. I think their defensive coordinator is so
trusted by those players in Denver. They add who fun
Law and they've had a very good camp. Are we
(10:13):
Are we a little hot on Denver because everybody loved
their camp.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Well, it's hard for them to be this dark horse
sleeper pick because of all the positive pr this offseason.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
They're not sneaking up on anybody.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
And I think every you mentioned the division, every game
in that division is going to be a street fight.
I mean Pete Carroll in Vegas and Chip Kelly, They're
gonna want to run the ball the Chiefs plaice. That's
what I'm saying. I'm saying it's going to be a
more physical division. What does Jim Harbaugh want to do?
He wants to run the ball. So as you know,
tough as this Denver defense wants to be, they're going
(10:44):
to show me through those division games and he can't
be too beat up from those division games to then
lay an egg in some non division games.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
But you nailed it.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
It's it's the consistency that they got the coaching staff
and the players. They got sixteen offensive and defensive lineman
on the roster, fifteen of them were there together last year.
That kind of consistency, same coaches, same defense. We're going
to add two key veterans on defense, two key veterans
on offense. You mentioned the safety bring him over from
(11:15):
San Francisco, tough as nails. That guy's just a heat
seeking missile. And then you get Dre Greenlaw, similar type
of mentality, similar type of play production. I mean, that
guy's an assassin. And then you go on offense, it's JK.
Dobbins and it's Evan Ingram the tight end. So you
get the running back and the tight end to help
out Courtland Sutton and your year two quarterback. I think
(11:36):
they've done a lot of the right things, and the
consistency is the key.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah. Boy, that data on the O and D lineman
ch Oh, it's huge. I don't know if I've ever
heard of that. Listen. One of the things we talked
about cam Moard, I don't remember a number one quarterback
pick that was more under the radar, just so quiet.
I mean, generally it's a hype fest, right we're still
talking about Kayleb Williams and Aden Daniels and Bo Nicks.
(12:02):
I like what I see of his leadership style. We
obviously he was a good college player, but I just
kind of love that nobody's talking about.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
I think that's, you know, a luxury you have in
a market like Nashville, not the biggest market. Sure they
love their football, but it's not you know, New York.
It's not Chicago. It's just a different place to be
and you get a little more leniency, I guess we
could call it. And bottom line is he can spin
the ball. And you know, it didn't look perfect in preseason,
(12:32):
but I did see some flashes and that's kind of
what I want to see. I did see the pre
snap process that you want to pay attention to. Is
this too big for this guy? It sure doesn't seem
like it. You know, he doesn't seem panic a lot
like Jackson Dark, you know, and with the Giants, you
see some guys play their first couple of games and
it's a deer in headlights kind of deal. So I
think they like where they're at. I just you know,
(12:54):
I'm curious about that offensive line they're moving Latham. He
was formerly at Alabama right tackle, played left tackles rookie year.
Now he's going to the right side where he wants
to be. And then Bill Callahan and his son obviously
coaching that offense and offensive line. That's an interesting dynamic.
They go pick up more the left tackle from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh,
so that was a huge signing, four years, eighty two
(13:16):
million bucks. I mean, that's they're investing in that offensive
line to protect this quarterback.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And this is year two.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
In a row that they're trotting out, you know, a
high draft pick or somebody who they imagine is going
to be the face of the franchise. So they want
to get it right.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Mark Sanchez joining us Fox Sports NFL analyst. We got
two segments, so a lot of Mark and we love
this and there's always tape, so I said, there are
sometimes you get a coordinator or a coach offensively and stylistically,
he helps the player, but he's not a perfect fit.
Ben Johnson to me, is a little bit he's a
(13:51):
little bit like a Shanahan or a Kevin O'Connell. Here's
the player. Run it. He'll give you some freedoms. Sure,
Caleb is I mean he's a artist. I mean he
is a stocky, powerful player. And I know Caleb will
be better. I know that Mark, But sometimes I wonder
if stylistically they're not they're not a perfect fit. What
(14:13):
is a realistic expectation in your opinion?
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Year two, Well, I think number one is his process
approach in philosophy is probably really taking a shift. And
you know he's had different types of coordinators, whether it's
in college or even his rookie year where he could
kind of add lib kind of at will. I think
exactly what you said, there's there's going to be some
more structure we're going to develop, you know, a kind
(14:38):
of a one, two three plan. This is kind of
what it feels like. If it doesn't, we're getting the two.
If not, we're getting to three, and let's speed that
process up. I know from everybody you talked to about
Ben Jonson, I mean he's a no nonsense guy.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
He has a picture.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
And a vision of what it is supposed to look like,
and if it don't look like that, get the hell
out of my way, I'll find a guy that can
do it so that that kind of attitude, I think
it might be just what Caleb needs and we'll see
it in the production once again, that process, the pre
snat process, and then he's got to eliminate some of
those sacks, and I think naturally Ben Johnson's gonna put
him in some great spots, give him some breather places
(15:14):
where he just I know where the ball's going. I'm
spitting it out quick. It might be a third and long.
Hopefully we get the first out. But I don't need
him to drop back right here. We don't need him.
What did Sean Payton say? I don't need him to
fly the final mission for Top Gun to save the
planet every single play. Let's get my quarterback into groove.
And then the big one for me is him understanding
(15:34):
when to hang in the pocket and trust it and
win from the pocket with slight movement, and then when
to completely break and go steal some yards, get down,
get out of bounds, stay healthy. I think that kind
of discernment we're going to see a little more with that,
because I think his footwork and his eyes are just
going to be in the right place. Right timing and
if it ain't there, I'm moving on with my life.
(15:54):
Cut bait, move on with your life and go make
a play like I think Ben will give him that
kind of that speech. Hey, get me out of a jam.
Maybe two to three times a game, I'm gonna put
you in.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Really good spots. Okay, but those two to.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Three times are critical plays and can't turn the ball
over and we can't take hits.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, I've argued this. You know, Michael Jordan about twice
a game would take your breath away. But he lived
on eighteen footers and mahomes about three times a game.
You're like, what did I watch? But he never misses layups.
That's right, that's really quarterbacking. Mark Sanchez, Oh, it was great,
great to have him back. We take a break, we
come back with more live in LA. It's the Herd.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Oh, it's always great to have Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports
NFL analyst. He will be good game. Actually, you got
to see Cam wore the number one pick against Denver.
That's a really good game, all right. So one of
the things you talked about with Denver was continuity, and
the Jets have none. As you well know, you were
actually with the Jets the last time. They had someity
(17:00):
and you had success in the playoffs, especially on road
games and big games and pressure games. So the Jets
have all new everything. Aaron Glenn was a great coordinator.
Is he a great hit coach? We don't know. Justin
Fields is certainly capable. You take me through the Jets
all new stuff.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Well, I think you know he's gonna light a fire
under those guys. And Aaron Glenn is that kind of coach.
He's former player, a Pro Bowl player, played for the Jets.
Gay you know with Parcels understands he's part of that
kind of tree toughness, physicality, the attitude. And you know,
you sit in front of him in these production meetings
(17:41):
and I want to go play defense, you know what
I mean. He's that kind of a motivator. They have
plenty of weapons on defense if they're healthy. If Jermaine
Johnson comes back. You know they got Quinn Williams didn't
do a ton in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Is he going to be healthy? You know who's going
to rush on the other side?
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Like they there's there's plenty there on defense for this
team to be a defensive first team, plenty there on offense.
Although it sounds like Elijah Verah Tucker got hurt, which
is a tragic, you know, stud player and has bounced
between guard, reight guard, right tackle, you know, playing all
over and now he could finally focus at guard and
(18:19):
it sounds like he has a significant injury.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
So that's gonna hurt.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
But if they can run the ball, Breese Hall, Braylen Allen,
I mean you should see Brayleen Allen. This guy trains
with Derek Henry Wi Holy smokes. I mean this guy
is just a first off the bus kind of player. Yeah,
just so the other people can look at him like,
good luck, dude, good good luck tackling this guy. So
I think that's going to be their approach. And if
it's defense, Aaron Glenn's going to take care of that,
(18:42):
right That's that's where he's going to.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Really make his mark.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
And his team has to be tough defensively and stingy
opportunistics take the ball away.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
They got to be better on special teams. Colin.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
They lost like three games, just gave him away last
year because of the kicking game, return game, I mean,
something went wrong. They got to get that tightened up.
And then you know, for me, Justin Fields, he's an
able runner. He's got to be a willing runner in
this offense. Yeah, it's got to be movement throws. It's
got to be stuff that he's really really comfortable with.
And he's got to add, you know, five hundred yards
(19:13):
with his legs. I mean, bo Nix ran for four
hundred plus last year, so I got to see that
kind of production. Are more from Justin Fields if this
team wants to to, you know, really take a step
in the right direction and let Erin Glenn put his
stamp on this franchise.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
So it's interesting. I remember you saying this once when
you were in New York. Because of the media and
the talk shows, they brought Tim Tebowan and you're like,
he was clearly a backup, but it's just a relentless,
never ending drama every time in the media. So here
you have the Giants, where Jackson Dart has a good preseason,
the schedule's tough. Brian Dable and the general manager feel
like if it went sideways in the first six weeks,
(19:50):
they could be in trouble. I like a lot about
the Giants. I love neighbors, I love their left tackle,
I like their coach. I think their front defensively is
un believable. Abdull Carter is going to be in that
Rookie of the Year category stuff, I think. But that
quarterback Jackson dart Russell, what do you make of that?
Speaker 5 (20:10):
I think it's a similar situation to the Jets, where
it's going to be a defensive focus team. You mentioned
the guys they have upfront. I mean that Bobby Ocerric
is an excellent linebacker and he came over from Indy
and he's played really well in multiple systems there, even
with Wing Marndale, with you know all their guys now
Shane Bowen. I mean, they got some serious talent. Dexter Lawrence,
(20:32):
Brian Burns, Thibodeau, and Carter. I mean, you know, it's
one thing to be a really good rusher as a
rookie and you're kind of on your own and looking
for other guys to kind of chip in.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I mean, you might not even.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Notice Carter because you can't see past Dexter Lawrence, you
know what I mean. So this team is loaded and
there'll be a defensive first team. The quarterback position is
a noisy media and and a loud market. It is
hard to manage those expectations. I think you got a
guy in Russell Wilson who's steady, and I think that's
what is attractive about him for dable at the head coach.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
But you see Jackson darr every opportunity he got.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
He I mean, he lit it up. He did everything
he wanted to do. He checked every box I wanted
to see. The spotlight wasn't too big. He hit the
go ball when he needed to. He handled two minute drives,
sometimes against the two, sometimes against the starter. He looked
great in the Jets Giants, uh you know, dual practice,
joint practice. He looked incredible, But so did Russ. So
you have someone there. You have this potential backup plan future.
(21:35):
It's just a timing thing. How long is the leash?
Speaker 2 (21:37):
You know?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Those kind of questions show up when you have that
much talent. I guess it's a good problem to have
because you have so much talent, But managing that talent.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Is going to be a bumpy road.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Well, you went your year one with the Jets. You
made the playoffs. Then they went out and did They
had Braylan Edwards, added somebody.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
San Antonio Holmes.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
So we go into year two with all these quarterbacks.
So Jaden is proven himself. Bonix was very good. Can't
wait to watch JJ and Panix. I think Drake may
looked really good down the stretch without a lot of
juice on the perimeter. What was the biggest jump for
you year one the year two? Were you when you
went into that camp and maybe mid season you're like, boy,
(22:18):
I'm a different player with this.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
I felt the pressure, not just externally but internally with
the veterans we acquired, but Danian Thomlinson and Jason Taylor,
two Hall of famers, and I just felt this sense
of urgency. I knew how close we were the year
before in the championship game, and there was there was
just a different approach, a different makeup of that team,
(22:45):
and there was something special about it. You could feel
it when we talked about training camp. You can feel
it in training camp. Could we were hard knocks.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It was noisy knocks. And so you know what I
will warn people Week one.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
We went out Week one and laid an egg and
lost in the first game in met life against the
Ravens and got smacked around a little bit, especially on
offense defense player. Right, we didn't play very well after
a great training camp, so it ended up being a
different year than we expected to start. You know, we
thought this is this is it and people have to
(23:16):
remember also, just because you go to the championship game,
you start zero and zero the next year, right, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
It's not just oh we win one more game. No,
that was last year. Bud put it to bed.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Move on, new year, new lifetime, really of emotions and
new living, breathing thing. So that was our first year
that I had won a fourth quarter comeback game, two
minute drives winning games. We won three in a row,
last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Wow, and that.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Those like three game heaters we didn't have the year
before like that.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
They didn't feel like that.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
It didn't feel like, hey man, we got this, we
got something special here. I had never proven it. I'd
never won a fourth quarter comeback. So then the other
guy saw it, and then I'm getting tips from Jason
Taylor in training camp. This is one of my favorite stories.
Under the center. We used to take snaps under center.
If you didn't know that. Now it's a shock, but
under center, I would twitch my hand right before I
(24:06):
was going to receive the ball when the cadence was
real and Jason Taylor was low on the ground looking
at my hand and said, hey, Rook, I got a
tip for you. Or you didn't call me rook because
I was second here, but I got a tip for
you something with the snap, I got your cadence. And
I'm like, what's the deal, dude, You're like in the
backfield as soon as I hiked the ball, you're like
(24:27):
taking the handoff going the other way. He said, I'll
tell you after training camp. I was like, dude, but
he ended up telling me, and then I would use
it just to make sure I would bluff it. You know,
so stuff like that, like you get insider insight like
that and knowledge from a guy like Jason Taylor. I mean,
you can't help but want to perform your best, want
(24:47):
to prepare your butt off because I don't want to
let that guy down. I don't want to miss ladana
in on a checkdown. I couldn't afford to, you know
what I mean. That was the kind of feeling I had,
and I feel like if anybody's in a similar situation,
is Bonix, jayde Daniels, some of these your two guys
who've been to the playoffs. This is the ultimate meritocracy.
What have you done for me lately?
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Right?
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Last year's over? Show me again, show me you can
do it again. And you know that's the position a
lot of these guys find themselves in.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
I think it's great that you're doing. I want to
segue back to cam Ward's first game as a pro.
Your first game was in Houston, Houston. I remember you
made a big third down throw. It's amazing what I
can remember and can't. I mean, I can't remember yesterday.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Sam Sam.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Okay. So, so you come out of USC or at
the time those games were sold out, you were in LA.
You didn't come from Iowa State. So but take me
to your nerves. I want you to take me to
the to on the field anthem. That's what cam Ward's
going through feels. It feels like a blur. You're on
the road. It's loud.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
Joe Namath is on the sidelines talking with my dad
and my high school coach.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Before the game.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
I'm just like, oh my god, I literally I told
this story the other day, but I went inside to
go get ready for the I didn't even take my ankles.
I've taped my ankles for every game I've ever played.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Just forgot, just walked right out on the field.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
But it might say something let's go, and was just
so hyper focused on everything else that you know, it's
it's an absolute blur, and you'll look back and have
fun if you'll look back and remember what an amazing
time it was. But in that moment, it is, you know,
just tunnel vision and he'll be locked in, ready to go.
(26:26):
The first thing I wanted to do was just get
a completion, and I wanted to get knocked down just
one time.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Get my jersey a little bit dirty. Yeah, just get
my jersey a little bit dirty.
Speaker 5 (26:35):
Not a hard hit, nothing to stop the game and
get walked off the field or anything, but just something
to remind me, Okay, I'm in games started, Let's rock
and get.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Through our process. Great forward, great eyes, great accuracy.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Mark Sanchez is joining us, when you know, I do
think we're gonna go to eighteen games potentially by next
year or at seventeen. When I grew up, it was
fourteen and then we went to sixteen. Uh, we're gonna
have probably shrinkage in the preseason. There's joint practices. We
know that you joint practices I think have some impact.
(27:13):
But when you, even as a veteran Joe Burrows struggled
in September, what is the difference of speed, Yeah, intense
joint practice, preseason, real snaps and the first series of
the season, what is it a noticeable difference in speed?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
There's a difference.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
I feel like the joint practices though, it's you know,
controlled chaos. You know, it's it's managing the amount of
reps that you're getting and quality reps. Think more like
Farmers Market as opposed to you know, uh, you know,
grocery store, Superstar chain. Right, So you get quality reps
in a controlled environment, and it's at times it feels
(27:54):
more real than the preseason.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
And then Week one hits and that's legit. Then you
play your first.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Game and you're like, ooh, yeah, we really don't like
each other.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Okay, got it.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
It's gonna be like, you know, the personnel, you know,
the coaches go back and forth, like you just know
a lot about that team, they know a lot about you.
Those are street fights and that feels a little different.
And then you get to a playoff game, Holy smoke,
each each one that you get to experience Wildcard, Divisional
(28:24):
and then the farthest we got was the championship game.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Buddy, It's like a different world.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
And East kids, I mean everybody when the playoffs are,
everybody's playing essentially for the same amount of money, right right,
your contracts expired, boom, You're just playing to win these games,
and nobody wants to go home, nobody's making vacation plans.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Forget all that.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
We're getting a Lombardi Trophy and that's all we know,
you know what I mean, And very few players get
to actually realize that.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
It's a step up as you go each once again,
each wrong on the ladder.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
You can feel it.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
And uh, Week one, I'm excited for him. I'm gonna
sit here next week and we're gonna have all the
answers about the entire league in just one week. But
we can't forget Week one is a dirty little liar
like your ex right that was scream.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
With Jay Mac.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
Yeah, so let's just not you know, let's not go crazy.
Let's not go crazy. It's gonna be impossible. I'll be
right there with you.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
So Titans Broncos this Sunday for Eastern on Fox. You
get into town, what Saturday morning?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
I'll be there tomorrow. Shoot.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
First, well we go to the practice on Friday. Let's go, baby.
That's fun, right, Oh, it's the best. Chom Payne is
a great interview too. Yeah, he does a great Joe,
we'll talk. Oh he's great. I mean he was here.
I mean he's got nuggets for days.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Man, great scene. Again.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Appreciate you Mark Sanchez all year. How lucky you're weak.
First things first is around the corner. It's to hurt
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):
I just saw the NFL preseason ratings were up seventeen
eighteen percent on all the networks. And wait until you
see the college football ratings for Texas Ohio State as
a massive number. The pregame show's got you know, Lee
Horseo's final broadcast, he went six and oh on his picks,
(00:46):
by the way, really six and oh he picked LSU
over Clemson. He's throwing darts now, six and oh, isn't
darts well? He tends to take the home team he
likes in the big games in college. He likes the
home team a lot. But so what Yeah, nicely it was.
But you know, for years and years in our business,
you talk a lot of football. That's what the audience likes.
(01:09):
The audience loves football. If you were you and I
were doing a show in London, we would talk English
Premier League eighty percent of the show.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
It is.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
It is amazing to watch Rick. Remember when Rick Patino
came on the show and he said, you know, twenty
years ago baseball and football were closed and the NBA
with Michael Jordan and football were close. College football, the
number for Texas Ohio State is it's exploding. It is
a buy man. December used to be the Sun Bowl,
the Holiday Bowl. Now I get. I mean last year
(01:37):
Indiana nod Indiana Notre Dame was a bit of a dud.
You just watch those numbers grow and grow, and they're
going to just keep expanding it. And again, I'm not
losing a lot of sleep losing bowl games that are irrelevant.
They're exhibition, they don't mean anything. In fact, coaches will
tell you they wanted the bowl games for the practices.
(01:58):
They didn't care about the outcomes. Wanted to make sure
kids played, especially upper classmen. At your last game for
Michigan State, I want to get you out there. I
like games that matter. J Mack with a.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
News this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
So for the longest time, Joe Montana was considered the
goat right undefeated in Super Bowls. Great, great, career. Well,
he was asked yesterday who his top quarterbacks are and
Colin he named four guys and one of them was
not Patrick Mahomes. Joe Montana actually went with Josh Allen,
Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts, and then he said, oh,
(02:38):
I probably should put Mahomes in there.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
I'm just was this a jack? I think when you
get asked questions and you're not regularly on the radio
or TV, sometimes you just people have asked me questions
that I leave an obvious thing out.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
Well, listen, Patrick Mahomes is a little more than obvious.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well, you didn't have a great year. Say more, he
didn't have a great.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
You tell me more about the staff the stats that
Joe Glenn doesn't want to hear about. Mahomes was not
great last year statistically.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
No, but I also think left tackle was an issue
and their run game has been average. You know wide receivers.
By the way, I don't think Mahomes or Josh Allen,
who are both making a lot of money, I don't
think they have nearly as good a personnel as other
teams that you're not paying the quarterback as much. I
mean Pavola said that the minute you start paying your
(03:26):
quarterback the big boy money, you're just not going to
have that third receiver you can depend on. So that's
the big brock pretty question, not that he can obviously play.
The question though, is he was free, and he was
free for dak early contract. He was free. They had
the best on line, they had Zeke, they can get
Amari Cooper. Now Dak's expensive and they have to let
go at Michael Parsons. So that's the question is always
(03:50):
what can you do once you get paid a lot
of guys c J. Stroud, once you get the money
now and now all Tank Dell's hurt over the course
of time. I still think CJ. Stroud's abye, but it'll
be different to watch him in three years when he's
got a huge contract. And sometimes you got a right
tackle that just can't play. Next up, Colin, Hey, listen,
(04:13):
you love a good list. I love a good list.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
The Athletic has named the top ten offensive play callers
in the NFL based on polling DC's and coaches.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
This should surprise nobody.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Kyle Shanahan at the top, number one, McVeigh two. I'm
a little surprised Ben Johnson's at three, I mean, I
get it, he was amazing. Yeah, but above Andy Reid
and Kevin O'Connell really well. My takeaway on this list
for the radio audience Shanahan McVeigh, Ben Johnson, Andy Reid,
Kevin O'Connell, Matt Lafleur. That is the elite coaching well,
(04:46):
most of them are from the same time. By the way,
the fact that Sean Payton is eight and he took
bow knicks and had better numbers than Jayden McDaniels, I
mean that there is a lot is this And by
the way, Dallas does not, in my opinion, appear to
have great respect for the coaching position based on their
(05:08):
last couple of HighRes.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
There is a lot of good coaching in this way,
My guy, Liam.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Cohen Jacksonville Jaguars, do you know I saw this this
morning or yesterday morning.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I always stay away from games where there's eighty percent
bets by the fans. Seventy nine percent of fans are
taking the Jags minus three against Carolina. Carol I. Jaggs
was one of my favorite picks.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
And I'm like, they're defense, I don't know, but offensively
they're gonna score.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Travis Hunter, by the way.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Is going to start at receiver and he's a backup
cornerback for those who care. Final story, Colin is phenomenal. Okay,
it is popping this morning. It's super spicy, and it's
Kawhi Leonard.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
So, according to a podcast by Pablo Torre, he dug
up a lot of documents that say the Clippers allegedly
circumvented the salary cap by signing Kawhi Leonard to a
twenty eight million dollar endorsement deal for a wait for it,
no show job through a now bankrupt company owned by
(06:10):
Steve Baumer. This is so good, I highly recommend digging
into this. According to the report, Balmer paid Kawhi, he
didn't do a thing, did not market it, no endorsements,
and an unnamed employee sorry confirmed it was to circumvent
the salary cap.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well that's not good, Delby. Well, you'll lose draft picks
over that. You can lose three or four first round
picks over this, and should it's gonna be although although
let's say he would have shown up for the job.
So there's a lot being made about the no show.
Let's say he shows up, it still shouldn't be legal.
Like like everybody's get is caught up on this. Oh
(06:48):
I didn't show up for the job. You're not supposed
to circumvent the salary cap.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Even if he did show up, Hey, i've got another
company I'm gonna in.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
I want you to endorse it. Here's twenty eight million dollars.
Come sign with a paper claps. Even if he was
like you went through the car wash and you're like, hey,
there's Kawhi Leonard, it's still circumventing the salary cap. Whether
he shows up or not. Oh, this is going to
be spicy. Yet it really is a weird story. Jmack
with the News.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, in the athletics optimism poll, it's called the Hypometer,
the fan base in the NFL that was the most
optimistic was not the Chiefs, Ravens or Bills or Eagles reliance.
It was the Denver Broncos. They are opening against the
Tennessee Titans. It's in the Mile Hay City and Mark
(07:40):
Sanchez is joining us. He'll be broadcasting the game.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Everybody talking.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
We said this a couple times during preseason. Is that
Denver from the reporters who bounce around the league at
camps unanimously had an amazing camp. And I want to
ask you about that, because you know the starters don't
play as much. They're seventeen games. You're not gonna play
better in offensive lineman. Does camp? Did you ever come
out of a camp and feel good or bad that
(08:09):
it have a direct influence on outcomes?
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I think it. Camp.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
You need it to one. Physically harden the body. Ok
you got to you gotta take those blows. You got
to practice hard against other teams or against your team,
and truly scrimmage to get ready for week one, just
to get your body ready for what it's about to endure.
And then the mental side, it's lock in, it's full focus.
(08:34):
This is all we got, you know, fifty three against
the world, when we go on the road, this is
what we do. So I felt like you needed to
check that box, get over that hurdle, you know, reach
that rung on the ladder to feel like, Okay, it's
time for week one. And still in week one, we're
gonna get unscouted. Looks we're gonna get way more turnovers
(08:55):
week one, especially guys tackling full speed, tackling to the ground.
People forget you know, guys are going to really try
and knock your head off and there goes to football.
So I think a lot of that has to do
with how your camp goes, how you approach it, and
how you come out of it hopefully injury free.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller,
with mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour. I'll tell you it's a spin
off of it. Ben Maler show a cult hit overnights
on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture if you will
a world will? We chat with captains of industry in media,
sports and more every week explore some amazing facts about
(09:43):
human nature and more. Listen to The Fifth Hour with
Ben Maller or the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever
you get your podcast now.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I picked Denver to win their division. It's not a
high on us. I am, but I don't like the
fact that Kansas City lost Toney and as a rookie
left tackle. I think this division's going to be twelve wins,
eleven wins, ten wins, and I think Denver bo Nick
should be better. I think their defensive coordinator is so
trusted by those players in Denver. They add who fun
Law and they've had a very good camp. Are we
(10:13):
Are we a little hot on Denver because everybody loved
their camp.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
Well, it's hard for them to be this dark horse
sleeper pick because of all the positive pr this offseason.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
They're not sneaking up on anybody.
Speaker 5 (10:23):
And I think every you mentioned the division, every game
in that division is going to be a street fight.
I mean Pete Carroll in Vegas and Chip Kelly, They're
gonna want to run the ball the Chiefs plaice. That's
what I'm saying. I'm saying it's going to be a
more physical division. What does Jim Harbaugh want to do?
He wants to run the ball. So as you know,
tough as this Denver defense wants to be, they're going
(10:44):
to show me through those division games and he can't
be too beat up from those division games to then
lay an egg in some non division games.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
But you nailed it.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
It's it's the consistency that they got the coaching staff
and the players. They got sixteen offensive and defensive lineman
on the roster, fifteen of them were there together last year.
That kind of consistency, same coaches, same defense. We're going
to add two key veterans on defense, two key veterans
on offense. You mentioned the safety bring him over from
(11:15):
San Francisco, tough as nails. That guy's just a heat
seeking missile. And then you get Dre Greenlaw, similar type
of mentality, similar type of play production. I mean, that
guy's an assassin. And then you go on offense, it's JK.
Dobbins and it's Evan Ingram the tight end. So you
get the running back and the tight end to help
out Courtland Sutton and your year two quarterback. I think
(11:36):
they've done a lot of the right things, and the
consistency is the key.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah. Boy, that data on the O and D lineman
ch Oh, it's huge. I don't know if I've ever
heard of that. Listen. One of the things we talked
about cam Moard, I don't remember a number one quarterback
pick that was more under the radar, just so quiet.
I mean, generally it's a hype fest, right we're still
talking about Kayleb Williams and Aden Daniels and Bo Nicks.
(12:02):
I like what I see of his leadership style. We
obviously he was a good college player, but I just
kind of love that nobody's talking about.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
I think that's, you know, a luxury you have in
a market like Nashville, not the biggest market. Sure they
love their football, but it's not you know, New York.
It's not Chicago. It's just a different place to be
and you get a little more leniency, I guess we
could call it. And bottom line is he can spin
the ball. And you know, it didn't look perfect in preseason,
(12:32):
but I did see some flashes and that's kind of
what I want to see. I did see the pre
snap process that you want to pay attention to. Is
this too big for this guy? It sure doesn't seem
like it. You know, he doesn't seem panic a lot
like Jackson Dark, you know, and with the Giants, you
see some guys play their first couple of games and
it's a deer in headlights kind of deal. So I
think they like where they're at. I just you know,
(12:54):
I'm curious about that offensive line they're moving Latham. He
was formerly at Alabama right tackle, played left tackles rookie year.
Now he's going to the right side where he wants
to be. And then Bill Callahan and his son obviously
coaching that offense and offensive line. That's an interesting dynamic.
They go pick up more the left tackle from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh,
so that was a huge signing, four years, eighty two
(13:16):
million bucks. I mean, that's they're investing in that offensive
line to protect this quarterback.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And this is year two.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
In a row that they're trotting out, you know, a
high draft pick or somebody who they imagine is going
to be the face of the franchise. So they want
to get it right.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Mark Sanchez joining us Fox Sports NFL analyst. We got
two segments, so a lot of Mark and we love
this and there's always tape, so I said, there are
sometimes you get a coordinator or a coach offensively and stylistically,
he helps the player, but he's not a perfect fit.
Ben Johnson to me, is a little bit he's a
(13:51):
little bit like a Shanahan or a Kevin O'Connell. Here's
the player. Run it. He'll give you some freedoms. Sure,
Caleb is I mean he's a artist. I mean he
is a stocky, powerful player. And I know Caleb will
be better. I know that Mark, But sometimes I wonder
if stylistically they're not they're not a perfect fit. What
(14:13):
is a realistic expectation in your opinion?
Speaker 5 (14:16):
Year two, Well, I think number one is his process
approach in philosophy is probably really taking a shift. And
you know he's had different types of coordinators, whether it's
in college or even his rookie year where he could
kind of add lib kind of at will. I think
exactly what you said, there's there's going to be some
more structure we're going to develop, you know, a kind
(14:38):
of a one, two three plan. This is kind of
what it feels like. If it doesn't, we're getting the two.
If not, we're getting to three, and let's speed that
process up. I know from everybody you talked to about
Ben Jonson, I mean he's a no nonsense guy.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
He has a picture.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
And a vision of what it is supposed to look like,
and if it don't look like that, get the hell
out of my way, I'll find a guy that can
do it so that that kind of attitude, I think
it might be just what Caleb needs and we'll see
it in the production once again, that process, the pre
snat process, and then he's got to eliminate some of
those sacks, and I think naturally Ben Johnson's gonna put
him in some great spots, give him some breather places
(15:14):
where he just I know where the ball's going. I'm
spitting it out quick. It might be a third and long.
Hopefully we get the first out. But I don't need
him to drop back right here. We don't need him.
What did Sean Payton say? I don't need him to
fly the final mission for Top Gun to save the
planet every single play. Let's get my quarterback into groove.
And then the big one for me is him understanding
(15:34):
when to hang in the pocket and trust it and
win from the pocket with slight movement, and then when
to completely break and go steal some yards, get down,
get out of bounds, stay healthy. I think that kind
of discernment we're going to see a little more with that,
because I think his footwork and his eyes are just
going to be in the right place. Right timing and
if it ain't there, I'm moving on with my life.
(15:54):
Cut bait, move on with your life and go make
a play like I think Ben will give him that
kind of that speech. Hey, get me out of a jam.
Maybe two to three times a game, I'm gonna put
you in.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Really good spots. Okay, but those two to.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Three times are critical plays and can't turn the ball
over and we can't take hits.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, I've argued this. You know, Michael Jordan about twice
a game would take your breath away. But he lived
on eighteen footers and mahomes about three times a game.
You're like, what did I watch? But he never misses layups.
That's right, that's really quarterbacking. Mark Sanchez, Oh, it was great,
great to have him back. We take a break, we
come back with more live in LA. It's the Herd.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Oh, it's always great to have Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports
NFL analyst. He will be good game. Actually, you got
to see Cam wore the number one pick against Denver.
That's a really good game, all right. So one of
the things you talked about with Denver was continuity, and
the Jets have none. As you well know, you were
actually with the Jets the last time. They had someity
(17:00):
and you had success in the playoffs, especially on road
games and big games and pressure games. So the Jets
have all new everything. Aaron Glenn was a great coordinator.
Is he a great hit coach? We don't know. Justin
Fields is certainly capable. You take me through the Jets
all new stuff.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Well, I think you know he's gonna light a fire
under those guys. And Aaron Glenn is that kind of coach.
He's former player, a Pro Bowl player, played for the Jets.
Gay you know with Parcels understands he's part of that
kind of tree toughness, physicality, the attitude. And you know,
you sit in front of him in these production meetings
(17:41):
and I want to go play defense, you know what
I mean. He's that kind of a motivator. They have
plenty of weapons on defense if they're healthy. If Jermaine
Johnson comes back. You know they got Quinn Williams didn't
do a ton in the preseason.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Is he going to be healthy? You know who's going
to rush on the other side?
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Like they there's there's plenty there on defense for this
team to be a defensive first team, plenty there on offense.
Although it sounds like Elijah Verah Tucker got hurt, which
is a tragic, you know, stud player and has bounced
between guard, reight guard, right tackle, you know, playing all
over and now he could finally focus at guard and
(18:19):
it sounds like he has a significant injury.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
So that's gonna hurt.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
But if they can run the ball, Breese Hall, Braylen Allen,
I mean you should see Brayleen Allen. This guy trains
with Derek Henry Wi Holy smokes. I mean this guy
is just a first off the bus kind of player. Yeah,
just so the other people can look at him like,
good luck, dude, good good luck tackling this guy. So
I think that's going to be their approach. And if
it's defense, Aaron Glenn's going to take care of that,
(18:42):
right That's that's where he's going to.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Really make his mark.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
And his team has to be tough defensively and stingy
opportunistics take the ball away.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
They got to be better on special teams. Colin.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
They lost like three games, just gave him away last
year because of the kicking game, return game, I mean,
something went wrong. They got to get that tightened up.
And then you know, for me, Justin Fields, he's an
able runner. He's got to be a willing runner in
this offense. Yeah, it's got to be movement throws. It's
got to be stuff that he's really really comfortable with.
And he's got to add, you know, five hundred yards
(19:13):
with his legs. I mean, bo Nix ran for four
hundred plus last year, so I got to see that
kind of production. Are more from Justin Fields if this
team wants to to, you know, really take a step
in the right direction and let Erin Glenn put his
stamp on this franchise.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
So it's interesting. I remember you saying this once when
you were in New York. Because of the media and
the talk shows, they brought Tim Tebowan and you're like,
he was clearly a backup, but it's just a relentless,
never ending drama every time in the media. So here
you have the Giants, where Jackson Dart has a good preseason,
the schedule's tough. Brian Dable and the general manager feel
like if it went sideways in the first six weeks,
(19:50):
they could be in trouble. I like a lot about
the Giants. I love neighbors, I love their left tackle,
I like their coach. I think their front defensively is
un believable. Abdull Carter is going to be in that
Rookie of the Year category stuff, I think. But that
quarterback Jackson dart Russell, what do you make of that?
Speaker 5 (20:10):
I think it's a similar situation to the Jets, where
it's going to be a defensive focus team. You mentioned
the guys they have upfront. I mean that Bobby Ocerric
is an excellent linebacker and he came over from Indy
and he's played really well in multiple systems there, even
with Wing Marndale, with you know all their guys now
Shane Bowen. I mean, they got some serious talent. Dexter Lawrence,
(20:32):
Brian Burns, Thibodeau, and Carter. I mean, you know, it's
one thing to be a really good rusher as a
rookie and you're kind of on your own and looking
for other guys to kind of chip in.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I mean, you might not even.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Notice Carter because you can't see past Dexter Lawrence, you
know what I mean. So this team is loaded and
there'll be a defensive first team. The quarterback position is
a noisy media and and a loud market. It is
hard to manage those expectations. I think you got a
guy in Russell Wilson who's steady, and I think that's
what is attractive about him for dable at the head coach.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
But you see Jackson darr every opportunity he got.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
He I mean, he lit it up. He did everything
he wanted to do. He checked every box I wanted
to see. The spotlight wasn't too big. He hit the
go ball when he needed to. He handled two minute drives,
sometimes against the two, sometimes against the starter. He looked
great in the Jets Giants, uh you know, dual practice,
joint practice. He looked incredible, But so did Russ. So
you have someone there. You have this potential backup plan future.
(21:35):
It's just a timing thing. How long is the leash?
Speaker 2 (21:37):
You know?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Those kind of questions show up when you have that
much talent. I guess it's a good problem to have
because you have so much talent, But managing that talent.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
Is going to be a bumpy road.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Well, you went your year one with the Jets. You
made the playoffs. Then they went out and did They
had Braylan Edwards, added somebody.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
San Antonio Holmes.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
So we go into year two with all these quarterbacks.
So Jaden is proven himself. Bonix was very good. Can't
wait to watch JJ and Panix. I think Drake may
looked really good down the stretch without a lot of
juice on the perimeter. What was the biggest jump for
you year one the year two? Were you when you
went into that camp and maybe mid season you're like, boy,
(22:18):
I'm a different player with this.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
I felt the pressure, not just externally but internally with
the veterans we acquired, but Danian Thomlinson and Jason Taylor,
two Hall of famers, and I just felt this sense
of urgency. I knew how close we were the year
before in the championship game, and there was there was
just a different approach, a different makeup of that team,
(22:45):
and there was something special about it. You could feel
it when we talked about training camp. You can feel
it in training camp. Could we were hard knocks.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
It was noisy knocks. And so you know what I
will warn people Week one.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
We went out Week one and laid an egg and
lost in the first game in met life against the
Ravens and got smacked around a little bit, especially on
offense defense player. Right, we didn't play very well after
a great training camp, so it ended up being a
different year than we expected to start. You know, we
thought this is this is it and people have to
(23:16):
remember also, just because you go to the championship game,
you start zero and zero the next year, right, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
It's not just oh we win one more game. No,
that was last year. Bud put it to bed.
Speaker 5 (23:25):
Move on, new year, new lifetime, really of emotions and
new living, breathing thing. So that was our first year
that I had won a fourth quarter comeback game, two
minute drives winning games. We won three in a row,
last play of the game.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Wow, and that.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Those like three game heaters we didn't have the year
before like that.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
They didn't feel like that.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
It didn't feel like, hey man, we got this, we
got something special here. I had never proven it. I'd
never won a fourth quarter comeback. So then the other
guy saw it, and then I'm getting tips from Jason
Taylor in training camp. This is one of my favorite stories.
Under the center. We used to take snaps under center.
If you didn't know that. Now it's a shock, but
under center, I would twitch my hand right before I
(24:06):
was going to receive the ball when the cadence was
real and Jason Taylor was low on the ground looking
at my hand and said, hey, Rook, I got a
tip for you. Or you didn't call me rook because
I was second here, but I got a tip for
you something with the snap, I got your cadence. And
I'm like, what's the deal, dude, You're like in the
backfield as soon as I hiked the ball, you're like
(24:27):
taking the handoff going the other way. He said, I'll
tell you after training camp. I was like, dude, but
he ended up telling me, and then I would use
it just to make sure I would bluff it. You know,
so stuff like that, like you get insider insight like
that and knowledge from a guy like Jason Taylor. I mean,
you can't help but want to perform your best, want
(24:47):
to prepare your butt off because I don't want to
let that guy down. I don't want to miss ladana
in on a checkdown. I couldn't afford to, you know
what I mean. That was the kind of feeling I had,
and I feel like if anybody's in a similar situation,
is Bonix, jayde Daniels, some of these your two guys
who've been to the playoffs. This is the ultimate meritocracy.
What have you done for me lately?
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Right?
Speaker 5 (25:06):
Last year's over? Show me again, show me you can
do it again. And you know that's the position a
lot of these guys find themselves in.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
I think it's great that you're doing. I want to
segue back to cam Ward's first game as a pro.
Your first game was in Houston, Houston. I remember you
made a big third down throw. It's amazing what I
can remember and can't. I mean, I can't remember yesterday.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
Sam Sam.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Okay. So, so you come out of USC or at
the time those games were sold out, you were in LA.
You didn't come from Iowa State. So but take me
to your nerves. I want you to take me to
the to on the field anthem. That's what cam Ward's
going through feels. It feels like a blur. You're on
the road. It's loud.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
Joe Namath is on the sidelines talking with my dad
and my high school coach.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Before the game.
Speaker 5 (25:54):
I'm just like, oh my god, I literally I told
this story the other day, but I went inside to
go get ready for the I didn't even take my ankles.
I've taped my ankles for every game I've ever played.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Just forgot, just walked right out on the field.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
But it might say something let's go, and was just
so hyper focused on everything else that you know, it's
it's an absolute blur, and you'll look back and have
fun if you'll look back and remember what an amazing
time it was. But in that moment, it is, you know,
just tunnel vision and he'll be locked in, ready to go.
(26:26):
The first thing I wanted to do was just get
a completion, and I wanted to get knocked down just
one time.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Get my jersey a little bit dirty. Yeah, just get
my jersey a little bit dirty.
Speaker 5 (26:35):
Not a hard hit, nothing to stop the game and
get walked off the field or anything, but just something
to remind me, Okay, I'm in games started, Let's rock
and get.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Through our process. Great forward, great eyes, great accuracy.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Mark Sanchez is joining us, when you know, I do
think we're gonna go to eighteen games potentially by next
year or at seventeen. When I grew up, it was
fourteen and then we went to sixteen. Uh, we're gonna
have probably shrinkage in the preseason. There's joint practices. We
know that you joint practices I think have some impact.
(27:13):
But when you, even as a veteran Joe Burrows struggled
in September, what is the difference of speed, Yeah, intense
joint practice, preseason, real snaps and the first series of
the season, what is it a noticeable difference in speed?
Speaker 3 (27:29):
There's a difference.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
I feel like the joint practices though, it's you know,
controlled chaos. You know, it's it's managing the amount of
reps that you're getting and quality reps. Think more like
Farmers Market as opposed to you know, uh, you know,
grocery store, Superstar chain. Right, So you get quality reps
in a controlled environment, and it's at times it feels
(27:54):
more real than the preseason.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
And then Week one hits and that's legit. Then you
play your first.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Game and you're like, ooh, yeah, we really don't like
each other.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
Okay, got it.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
It's gonna be like, you know, the personnel, you know,
the coaches go back and forth, like you just know
a lot about that team, they know a lot about you.
Those are street fights and that feels a little different.
And then you get to a playoff game, Holy smoke,
each each one that you get to experience Wildcard, Divisional
(28:24):
and then the farthest we got was the championship game.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
Buddy, It's like a different world.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
And East kids, I mean everybody when the playoffs are,
everybody's playing essentially for the same amount of money, right right,
your contracts expired, boom, You're just playing to win these games,
and nobody wants to go home, nobody's making vacation plans.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
Forget all that.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
We're getting a Lombardi Trophy and that's all we know,
you know what I mean, And very few players get
to actually realize that.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
So it is.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
It's a step up as you go each once again,
each wrong on the ladder.
Speaker 3 (28:57):
You can feel it.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
And uh, Week one, I'm excited for him. I'm gonna
sit here next week and we're gonna have all the
answers about the entire league in just one week. But
we can't forget Week one is a dirty little liar
like your ex right that was scream.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
With Jay Mac.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
Yeah, so let's just not you know, let's not go crazy.
Let's not go crazy. It's gonna be impossible. I'll be
right there with you.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
So Titans Broncos this Sunday for Eastern on Fox. You
get into town, what Saturday morning?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
I'll be there tomorrow. Shoot.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
First, well we go to the practice on Friday. Let's go, baby.
That's fun, right, Oh, it's the best. Chom Payne is
a great interview too. Yeah, he does a great Joe,
we'll talk. Oh he's great. I mean he was here.
I mean he's got nuggets for days.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Man, great scene. Again.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Appreciate you Mark Sanchez all year. How lucky you're weak.
First things first is around the corner. It's to hurt
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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