September 19, 2025 • 33 mins
Colin talks to NFL insider Robert Mays from The Athletic about:
- Why the Eagles' offense is a serious concern
- What makes Jim Harbaugh a game-changing coach for the Chargers
- Why Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is like the Foo Fighters
Tomorrow's Headlines Today with Jason McIntyre
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
All right.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
He does a podcast, The Athletic Football Show NFL writer
at the Athletic as well. But Robert Mays, when I
first spotted him, it was his food spreadsheet as I
was coming in and out of Chicago. And he's humble
and he doesn't want to talk about it. But if
if you ever want to find out where to eat Chicago,
it is like a depth chart for food. It is
an absolute pleasure to meet you. We both now live
(00:48):
in Chicago, a great North American city, a great global city,
and the Bears and the Cubs dominate talk radio.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And here's my thing.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
I made this argument that people can get divorced there
doesn't mean they're bad people. They can get remarried. Fit
tempo of personality matters. I'm going to argue that Ben
is Shanahan. He's on that spreadsheet. He's a timing instructure coach.
I don't know if Caleb is a timing and structure quarterback.
(01:21):
So on the first drives it's magic. The further you
get away from the spreadsheet, it doesn't look right. It
is a It is a quarterback built to move, freelance
and add lib.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Robert. What if?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
What if this weekend against an average cowboy defense, we
get a great first drive and more of the drek?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Where do we go with this?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I was more encouraged by what he did on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Now guys can make make sure they might Mike work
doesn't work? Okay, go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
I think I was more encouraged by what I saw
on Sunday than you were after the first draft. I
think there were a lot of structural issues with the offense,
but were more of a problem than Caleb was. Even
beyond the first game, the run game, some of the
offensive line concerns. I think stylistically, I am not as
worry about it as you are, because I actually think
that Caleb has more similarities as a passer than to
(02:14):
Jared Goff than most people would think. They have very
whip like arms, They're really good attacking the intermediate area
of the field that you don't want them pushing the
ball down the field outside the numbers in a way
that jayohen Hurts or Jaden Daniels would. But when you
think about some of those outbreaking routes, routes over the
middle of the field, Caleb does throw those really well.
And the creation part is important, But the creation is
(02:35):
a breaking case from emergency thing. Even if you're Ben Johnson,
Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, you're never going to be able
to scheme things properly all the time. And that's why
having a quarterback who can do something out of structure
is important because he makes you right when you're not right.
So I do think that there's a balance to be
found between asking guy to play in structure and then
allowing him to play outside of structure when some of
those structural things start breaking down.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
And then there's the other young quarter back that won't
play this weekend. JJ McCarthy, I've said, I don't feel
Caleb is overwhelmed. It's more of a fit with JJ McCarthy,
and I was not a big fan coming out of college.
I said, I don't see it he's never played from behind.
Harbaugh dominated that program. It was defense, run game. I
thought he looked overwhelmed. And they did want to re
(03:21):
sign Darnold. There was rumors they had Daniel Jones, there
was rumors about Aaron Kevin O'Connell is about as sharp
as they get, and seven of those eight quarters were
I mean, jarring. Do you think there's in the building
privately a little concerned on their first round quarterback.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I love what you said about JJM and not had
any play from behind at Michigan. They put him in
really advantageous situations. Yes, And that was the whole plan
in Minnesota, is that we can plug this guy in
and be okay because we've built so much strength around him.
That hasn't come to fruition in the first couple of
weeks because they've had injuries right the offensive line, the
left tackle being hurt for the first two games.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Really seen that great left.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Tackle, very good left tackle, and now you're going to
a truly below average left tackle. And so this idea
that JJ is set up to succeed because the infrastructure
is so solid. The infrastructure hasn't been solid, and so
I don't think the first couple of weeks have done
anything to assuage concerns you would have about him coming in.
But I also think that the Vikings haven't been able
to make good on their end of the bargain so far.
(04:23):
I want to wait to see when the offensive line
is healthier, when the run game can be a little
bit better, and you take stuff off of his plate
and the way that you were planning to what does.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
JJ McCarthy look like.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Then if we get to the back half of the season,
the offensive line is healthy, the run game is good,
and those four or five throws you're asking him to
make are still going awry, then I think we can
really get into causes for concern.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So when you live in Chicago, you are reminded as
I take the train that Green Bay's right up the road,
And I will make the argument that for the last
thirty years it's the best run organization.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I always looked at lack of ownership as a liability
for years and years that the Rams have somebody that
can go call Stan Kronky and say, I know you're
on the goalstream on the tarmac. We need Matt Stafford,
and the owner says, go for it. But as billionaires now,
as millionaires used to own the league, that firing a
coaching staff forty million dollar checks was a non starter.
(05:21):
It's not anymore. And so billionaires have become oligarchs have
become crazier, whether it's the tech guys, whether it's the
boys club in the NFL. And so the lack of
an owner actually allows patience that nobody else can have
in the league. And I look at green Bay's roster,
(05:42):
Robert tight end, running back, defensive line. They moved off
Kenny Clark, good player, They're fine. I look at green
Bay right now, it's almost a flawless team. It reminds
me of Kansas City with Tyreek. Play from behind, play
with the lead, play aggressively, paying the right people. I've
(06:04):
said this, I don't think I don't think anybody right
now for the next three years is built like Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Who gets credit.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
It's a combination of the coaching staff and the front office.
I think what you said about the ownership is perfect
because you want to blend of methodical, patient, responsible decision making.
But when that moment is there for you to jump
on something, you still want to be able to do that.
And that's why the Michael Parsons trade, to me, would
be so encouraging. Fire or Packers fans like when they
(06:33):
know that there's something there to be had, they're going
after it, and so there's a roster strength overall. They've
been able to build so much depth because of how
patient they build the roster. But then you look at
the schematics of it. On both sides of the ball,
this is an extremely well coached, creative team.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Jeff Hafley has been a fine I.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Loved him last year because I thought he did such
a good job of tailoring the defense to his personnel.
They did not have very good corners last year, at
least unproven corners, and instead of playing a lot of man,
a lot of single high like he used to back
at Boston College and with the Niners, they played a
lot of cover two in order to hide some of
those players.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And I just think that shows.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Real awareness, what is my talent and how can I
get the most out of them.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, now as the talent.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Has started to really increase, including Micah Persons, those ideas
being able to deploy those guys in the right ways,
it's still happening.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
The players are just better.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
You Canbine Micah persons with real leaps from some of
the young guys kway Walker, Edriwin Cooper, Keishawn Nixon, who's
now in his second year as a corner.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
He's getting better.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
The incremental improvements you've needed from the youngest roster in
the league has happened. The coaching ideas are still very good,
and now you're starting to develop superstar level players.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When all those three.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Things are coming together at the same time, you're getting
the twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Five packers so far.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
So al Micha Goes threw a little shade at the
Eagles last night, saying not all great teams are fun
to watch, and everybody summarily knew what he was talking about.
Whereas the Bills are, I think America is kind of
rooting for the Buffalo Bills to and I know emotionally
I'm not supposed to root, but I kind of am.
Philadelphia is fascinating. I like the Rams this weekend. I
think Jared Vers in that defensive front is a problem.
(08:04):
I think the last half of last year, post Thanksgiving out,
I thought it was the most improved defense. Really fast,
young players when they get hurt, recover more quickly. It's
the Packers offense. Is the Rams defense not paid proven?
Getting better? Philadelphia is an anomaly. They decided after the
bye last year, we're not gonna throw anymore, especially downfield.
(08:29):
Is it sustainable? It doesn't feel like it's built to
play from behind. It's just wild. In a pass first league,
they don't throw it downfield. I mean, don't you think
over the course of five weeks, seven weeks, nine weeks
that will be a liability.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Absolutely? Eventually you have to be able to do a
little bit of everything. And it especially becomes a problem
when the run game is no longer as dynamic as
it was last year. And you're already seeing that and
Saiquon's averaging less than four yards of care?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Is he yes?
Speaker 4 (09:00):
And the down to down efficiency he's below average right
now compared to running backs around the league.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And I think a lot of that is you're seeing
offensive line changes for them. The right guard Tyler Stein
takes over from Akai Beeck in this year.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
He's had his issues.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Landon Dickersonate left guard clearly has not been healthy over
it for a couple of weeks, and the tight ends
on this team are not strong. Run Blockers, and I
think they've really run into some issues there as well.
So if you're going to be a team that doesn't
want to throw the ball down the field, you better
be the most explosive, dynamic running team in the league,
And through the first couple of weeks, they just really
haven't been that.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
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Speaker 5 (09:40):
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(10:04):
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Speaker 6 (10:10):
Yeah, the.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Sticking with Los Angeles. I said this yesterday.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Everybody thought it was hyperbolic, and I said, folks, if
the NFL Hall of Fame was the basketball Hall of Fame,
where like a Globe Trotter and an official can make.
But football, Atlanta's got the College Hall of Fame, Canton's
got the Pro But like basketball, if you combine them,
I could argue Jim Harbaugh is the best coach ever.
He has taken five car recks except Stanford because and
(10:40):
there's some academic reasons why he was great. The next year,
all of them he leaves. They're all at has Matt
spill instantly. So it's not that you lose a good coach.
I mean, Jimmy Johnson's a great coach to me, one
of the five best ever. He leaves, he built up
good personnel. The next coach come in takes Jimmy's players.
(11:02):
He's always a great personnel guy as a coach, and
they win. Jim leaves. It's man overboard. I find him
to be a remarkable guy. He's much more happier now
when you do at the athletic Robert. When you talk
about the Chargers and you talk about what he took over,
Herbert's even better.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
How do people view him.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
I don't think he was likable seven or eight years ago,
even by Michigan people.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He was driving the ad crazy. How do people view
Harball in the league.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
He's a force multiplayer.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
He is able to get the most out of whatever
the roster talent looks like. And I think that you've
seen that consistently, and it's hard to know what the
secret sauce of that exactly is.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Right.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
I went there last year and I spent two days
in the locker room talking to guys because I was
curious about this exact question, and the answers are kind
of all over the place too, that stick with me.
I asked Derwin James, I was like, what is culture
to you in the NFL? And he said, culture to
me is when you look at the logo, what do
you see what?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Derwin James said.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
That that's really smart and I.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Thought that that was so. I' such astute point.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
And I think with the Chargers now you're starting to
feel a certain identity when you watch them play.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
That's really interesting.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And then Dyon Henley told me a story about how
they would go through even in OTAs and every single
player associated with the organization, coaches, players got up and
they said, why are you here right?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
What brings you here? Why do you want to be good?
Why do you want to be great?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Why do you want to be successful, and every person
gave their answer in front of the entire team, And
so I think that there's just a real conscious how
do I build connective tissue in this building? How do
I make people feel invested? How do I get the
best out of them? And the best example of this
to me is what Justin Herbert has played like, because
when Justin Herbert played for Joe Lombardi in that old offense,
it always felt like he was a little tight yes right,
(12:41):
and there was just a roboticism to him and there
wasn't a looseness to the way that he played. And
you watch him the last couple of years when he
wasn't hurt last year, and then the first couple weeks
of this season, there's an aggressiveness. He's willing to run,
like Jim Harbaugh going up to him before the games
and shaking his shoulders and gassing him up. That may
seem silly, but I actually do think that there's a
(13:02):
purpose and a motivation behind that to get him to play.
I've always joked about it, I wish Justin was ten
percent dumber, and I honestly think he has played the
last year and a half like he's ten percent dumber,
and it's been to his benefit.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I think Jim's a big reason for that.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
So we were saying that when I always think it's
funny with Brady. The minute Mahomes comes into the league.
People never wanted to love Brady because he was efficient
and it was pre snap, I mean Aaron Rodgers for years.
Aaron's better than Tom. I mean, Tom wins, but it's Belichick.
And then the minute Mahomes gets good, it's like, listen,
Tom's the system guy. Mahomes is the and I'm like, okay, whatever.
(13:39):
Then he goes to Tampa and wins, and that quiets down.
Josh Allen's the best quarterback in the world right now,
and I know, and so I'm going to do this.
And Patrick's a wonderful guy. But I've watched the last
two years. In the history of quarterbacks, Luck Elway, Peyton,
if you have massive horsepower farv, you throw picks, like
(14:01):
if you can throw one oh one, you throw one
oh one. You don't throw the knuckler. Josh Allen has
had about a year. Here's an amazing stack. The Bills
have not lost the turnover battle in twenty five games,
and they have a v twelve for an engine.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I find what we're watching.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
It's not validated through statistical precision like Hank Aaron surpassing Ruth.
But in terms of we're watching history, this horsepower and
no turnovers, Robert doesn't make sense. Andrew luck was brilliant.
He couldn't get the reckless out. Eli Manning brilliant, couldn't
(14:42):
get the reckless out. I'm watching. I'm watching this and
I'm like, they're gonna win a super Bowl. They make
no mistakes, they never turn it over. I don't know.
I mean, I'm sure you have this encyclopedic knowledge of it,
but I don't think he has a flaw.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Right now, Absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I don't know what it would be, because the turnover
is absolutely part of the decision making, was part of it,
and now even you've seen it happen in stages. And
so two years ago, in twenty twenty three, I thought
he actually had a quiet case to be the MVP,
even if the team's success wasn't there. He threw more
picks in twenty twenty three, but really was totally ramped
down was the amount of sacks he was taking.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
He doesn't get sacked. And two years in a row.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
The sack avoidance is incredible, and I think part of
that is the offensive line. Part of that is his elusiveness.
But where he's really made the most progress to me,
outside of the accuracy, which that's undeniable. So much work
has been done about how he worked on his mechanics
and been that story has been told. I think a
story that's been less told is that he has become
pre snap one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I think it's him and Mahomes.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
The Bills do such a great job of very subtly
offering him information before the play. We're going to nudge
the running back out in motion just a little bit
so you get half as step from the linebacker to
know whether he's coming.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And he's so smart.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
That when you combine it with his athleticism and the
offensive line talent, he's not going to get sacked because
he has the answers to the test.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Before it even starts.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
So you combine the mental horsepower with the physical horsepower
that we're seeing, and that has led to the Josh
Allen that you're watching right now if.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You're listening on our radio network. Four hundred plus affiliates,
His name is Robert Mays, writer at The Athletic has
the Athletic Football Show podcast. Obviously this is just great information.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
I love this though.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
One of the great advantages that you get to travel
around and go to locker rooms, and I will say,
I just hearing all this stuff is so much fun.
So finally, let's pivot back to Bears Cowboys. So I
think it's a shootout. I think it's wild. I think
it's incredibly fun. I do think Caleb gives me more
precision past the first drive. Dak Prescott, I cannot believe
(16:42):
how good he is. After a second sero, I literally
cannot believe how good he is. I'm going to put
you on the spot. What is the game? I'm not
a winner. What does the game look like? These are
not great defenses.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I think it looks like a shootout. I think it
looks like.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
A lot of points because the Cowboys offense is rolling.
As somebody who's always believed in Dak Prescott, the last
two weeks have been a dream, not just because of
his play, but when I was frustrated with the Dallas
offense over the last few years, it always just felt
very static to me.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
It was very spread out.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
It was a very shotgun and you just can't play
that way unless you have truly elite dominant perimeter receivers.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
And I'm not talking about just CD Lamp.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
The two teams that could get away play that way
the Bengals and the Eagles because you got those two
guys and you just have horses on the outside. The
Cowboys never had that, and so I always wanted to
feel just to tick more dynamic, just league average play
action rate, league average motion rate, and get him one
more weapon. All of that has happened. Yeah, every single
one of those things has lined up. And now the
(17:40):
Dak Prescott that always existed, the one that's aggressive, that
processes really well, you're still seeing that guy, but everything
else around him has led to a more explosive offense.
And so I think that is here to stay for
the most part, as long as Dallas stays healthy this year.
And I think the Dallas defense is going to be
a problem over the course of the year, and so
those games are going to include a lot of points.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I think this Sunday is one of them.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
I think history is going to be very kind to
Dak Prescott is that he has had three coaches, none
of whom were wildly popular with the critics or the fans.
And every year with Dack you basically get a ninety
eight passer rating, thirty touchdowns, ten picks, sixty seven percent
completion percentage, unbelievable. In tangibles leadership, he went through the
(18:26):
pandemic BLM, you know in the state of Texas that
was controversial. It is, I said, I was never like
a huge Dak fan, but it's almost like a band
that you got as they age. You're like, or you know,
Robert Redford. I grew up with that, so I knew
all the president's men. But sometimes you'll go and when
(18:47):
a celebrity passes, you go to the YouTube and listen
to their music, or you go and look at their
IDM is IBM page or IDMB page, and you're like,
there are a lot of good movies. I look at
Dak Prescott now and I'm like Brian Shott and I'm
Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
He's going to get Hall of Fame votes. He is
going to get Hall of Fame votes, is he not.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
I think he probably deserves it if he has five
more seasons like the one that we're watching right now,
or like the twenty twenty three season. Comparing it to
the music thing to me, like Dak is like Food Fighters, Right,
It's just this band that you never thought was the
best band, but they've been doing it for so long
at a pretty good clip. And Dave Grohl did it
with Nirvana, he did it with Food Fighters. He can
do it in different situations like Dak has been that.
You're never going to say Dak Prescott is the best
(19:27):
quarterback in the world, the same way you're never going
to say that Dave Growl is the best rock star
in the world. But there is a consistency in the
legitimacy for so long that you really can't deny it.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I thought I was good with analogies. Foo Fighters crushed.
That's the best.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
It's the best connectivity I've ever heard on the show.
What a pleasure. Robert Mays lives in Chicago. Check him
out at the Athletic, which is absolutely worth every penny.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Thank you very much for having me and.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
J Max Dubious picks next The Herd. Be sure to
catch live edition The Herd weekdays at noon. Easter not
a em Pacific.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Play the Fox Super six NFL Challenge. Download the Fox
Sports app and enter for a free shot to win
your share of ten thousand dollars. One of the questions
is which QB will have the most passing yards in
Week three? Colin, you got Dak Stafford Love or Baker?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Who you got Dak Prescott in a shootout against the Bear?
I cannot wait to watch that game. That is fascinating.
I'm gonna take Dak throws for over two hundred and
seventy five yards. I think that's a good wager by you. Well,
(20:42):
it's Week three across the national football is it time
to panic for some teams? Who's on the rise, who's regressing?
We like to call it Tomorrow's headlines today, as j
Max predicts the headline we'll be reading on Monday. Let's
start Rams at the Eagles.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Yeah, let's bust right into a column with the best
game on the board. Sunday, the defending Super Bowl champs
at home against the Rams. The headline will be Pookah
and rally. Philly can't go shot for shot with La.
I'm kind of with you on this. I think the
LA offense is just a little too high powered for Philly.
(21:23):
We haven't seen too much from the Eagles offensively yet.
Maybe there's an offensive coordinator issue or they're just playing
to their strengths. But there were some Lane Johnson comments today,
like literally in the last hour about this whole tush
push thing and how he knows that the penalty flags
are coming. I think if you remove that from the Eagles,
it changes the calculus of their offense. You can't just
(21:43):
go for Hey, let's get to third and short and
we've got two downs.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
To get it.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
Because I think the NFL is going to litigate it
a little stronger this week. I will say I mentioned
this earlier. The Rams seem like a public underdog this week.
Those are very dangerous. Eighty percent of the bets at
one shop in Vague has the fans on the Rams
at getting three and a half. Don't feel awesome about that,
but I'll take the Rams and their offense to cover
(22:09):
and pull the upset of the Eagles.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Well, I'm still waiting for the first cam Ward w
Tomorrow's headlines today Daniels Jones and the Colts at Tennessee.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
You know, I'm a weirdo'clin I like these ugly, gross games.
I mean, this is nasty, but you can find an
edge in that because nobody's talking about it on TV
all day. The headline for this one will be smile
for the camera. Ward picture perfect in first win, Colin.
I've got this as a major upset. I've got in
(22:41):
the first win of the season for cam Ward. I
think they pull it off at home against the mighty
Colts and Daniel Jones. Everybody loves DJ Colin. I got
some great stats for you, so owen. Two underdogs, Okay,
going back the last fifteen years, nobody wants anything to
do with them because they look bad for two games
in a row in Week three, are hitting at sixty
(23:02):
six percent against the spread. Wow, because nobody wants to
bet them. I mean, this game should have probably been
like a pick them right if you're looking at the
summer line. Now you've got all of a sudden laying
numbers with the Colts on the road. The one injury
concern for the Titans I have is Sweat, the big
fella in the middle out of Tech Texas. He's been
great against the run. Hasn't practiced all week. They just
(23:22):
announced here in the last ten minutes. He's a game
time decision. That's not great because Jonathan Taylor has looked incredible.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I will say I love this.
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Matchup also because it's it's two former Cincinnati guys. Brian Callahan,
who was with Burrow against Captain lou the defensive coordator.
I think big edge to Kim Warden company. Final number
for you, Colin, you'll like this Indy thirtieth in pressures
through two games. Okay, cam Ward has faced two brutal
defenses Denver at altitude and the rams they get after
(23:52):
the quarterback. The Colts they do not. I think cam
wod gets his first win.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I like that. Good pick.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Tomorrow's headlines to ye, you have been on this since Monday,
Falcons and literally lost a four to oh one k
multiple college kids education on the Falcons over the last
fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
What say you?
Speaker 6 (24:15):
Well, let's go get everybody at jet Ski The headline
for Falcons Panthers will be working nine to five. Falcons
stand on business hours. I know you love stand on
business Colin. This is a Bijon Robinson special. He's gonna
go off. I mean this is a terrible Carolina run defense.
Cannot stop the run at all it's gonna be bijon
(24:36):
Tony Algier. I think they just ground and pound their
way to victory. And oh, by the way, okay, I
know everybody says, well, Bryce Young he cooked.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
The Falcons last year.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
Remember late in the season he was like wearing a
tuxedo in the pocket. The Falcons had no pass rush
through two weeks. Atlanta's pass rush one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
In the league.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
They invested heavily right two guys in the first round,
and then they went out and got Leonard Floyd. I
really like the f can Here, Colin, here's a fun
stat for you. The Carolina Panthers, the only team through
two weeks to lead for zero seconds, have not had
a lead at all this season.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Can't play from behind.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
I think Atlanta wins is handling.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
That we keep waiting.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
You know, it's interesting about Bryce Young. There are moments,
there are halves, there are and they just can't put
it together. They just can't all right, This is one
of the games I like Tomorrows headlines today Saints the
Dome team cross country against Seattle, a team that has
I mean, the second half defense against the Niners and
(25:37):
the Steelers was pretty redeemable by Seattle.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
It was plucky.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
I mean, you know, consider the opponent. Obviously we don't
wear down on Aaron Rodgers, but the headline for Seahawks
Saints will be hiss poor performance. Rattler kept coiled by
circling Hawks. Now listen, I love this at seven. I
don't love it as much at seven and a half. Obviously,
seven a key number, but Colin Spencer Ratler oho to
(26:02):
eight as a starter. I haven't seen it.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Man.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
If you look at his you know next gen stats,
has the passing charts, nothing down the field. He just
doesn't want to make mistakes, so he's doing quick short stuff.
Now he faces arguably the best secondary in the league
in Seattle. I think they eat him up at maybe
a one or two defensive touchdowns. If you've got the
Seahawks defense in fantasy, I can almost guarantee a victory
for you. This feels like a big Kenneth Walker game. Listen,
(26:27):
where are you on Darnold? It's still early in the season.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
No, I don't think this organization is as good as
Minnesota and Kevin O'Connell with play calling and play design.
But what they're asking Sam to do last year, Sam
was asked to carry a defense that I don't think.
I think this Seattle defense is special. I think this
run game is special. They're not asking Sam to do
(26:52):
things that can get Sam in trouble. They're not asking
him to throw thirty eight times a game. What they're
asking him to do is throw on play action, protect
the football and then And Sam's pretty good at this.
Three or four times a game, you're gonna get loose
and make a play. So I think Sam's always been
at his best when he's not asked to carry. He
(27:13):
is asked to athletically compliment an offense.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And I think it's a perfect fit for him.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
He's gonna keep it safe.
Speaker 6 (27:21):
No, just don't turn the ball over, and Seattle should
coast do like a twenty eight to ten victory.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Yes, finally, Tomorrow's headlines today, listen to NFC teams at
Baltimore against Lamar usually is a recipe for an l Now.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
I did get the Monday night game wrong last week.
I had Texans that one hurt man. Same here it
hurt and listen. I looked at your Cowboys Bears game.
I kind of wanted to take Dallas backed off, but
I'm going with Monday Night, the headline for Ravens Lions
will be turn your head and Goff Lions fail physical test. Colin.
I just I can't get out of my head the
(28:00):
vision of Detroit outdoors in week one looking slow and
plodding and the offensive line kind of crumbling, and then
they go home and they look incredible. I just don't
think they're the same team indoors versus outdoors. You know,
I know everybody's excited about Goff and Amara connected again
last week and they're back Colin again. This is a
totally different animal. The Ravens are one of the three
(28:21):
best teams in the league. The Bears there may be
one of the five worst. This is just a big
step up in class for Golf. I think pressure up
the middle will continue to rattle him. And I think,
like you said, Lamar Jackson's something like twenty four and
two against the NFC, I would not be surprised that
this was a big Derrek Henry Lamar Jackson ground game two.
And the last time they met outdoors a couple years ago,
(28:42):
Detroit was five and one. It was thirty five nothing
in the middle of the third quarter, got rolled. They
got a dumb trucks.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
I also think I also think because the Bears are
such a high profile team right now because of the
Caleb story, that we're over valuing the Detroit win. Yes,
we're like, okay, this is the real team. They were
not competitive against the Packers, and I think we just
we have to look at the Bears right now as
an experiment more than anything. So I just take the
(29:10):
Bears game out and I don't know, I just I
look at this team. There's still two coordinators I question.
I question their defense and the middle of their offensive line.
Their run games not as viable, it's not as strong.
So I think this is a tough spot. I think
there are ways to beat Baltimore dominant time of possession,
(29:31):
and I don't think they'll bring that to the table. Yeah,
totally agree. Good stuff today. We agree on let's see
hold on one three packs. I don't think we've ever
had three picks.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
First of all, we've never had three of the same picks.
We've never agreed on three picks, so this is at first.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
By the way, we talked earlier about Chargers Broncos. That
looks like it's headed toward three, you can't get the
normal rate. I think the Chargers are going to be
favorite by three.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
That keep calling.
Speaker 6 (30:00):
If did Chargers go three and zero in the division
to be short to start the season, that's a big
cushion with wins in your pocket over Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I want you know what's remarkable about Chargers When they
lost for Sean Slater, I came on the other next day, lin,
I'm like.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
That's two L's Joe Alt.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
He has been unbelievable and everybody wanted him to take
a receiver their season.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Neighbors was the guy.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Right, Yeah, they went classic Carball. He's like, we're going
to move Joe all right, tackle to left. He's been
as good or better than Slater. He's not even he's
not even allowing a pressure. So yeah, as we're showing
our TV audience the schedule, listen, I'll tell you what's
going to get a huge rating, and I think it's going.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
To be close and a lot of points.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
The Cowboys Bears is going to get a monster number
as long as the game is close, and I think
it's going to be. I had Eric Mangini, a former
NFL coach joining us and I talked about it. I said,
you know, it's amazing. Here's Dak on a second surgery
with Brian schottenheim Er George Pickens, And I said to Eric, like,
you always get the same Dak here he is.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
It's year after year of drama and dysfunction and and
and everything that goes into sort of Jerry's uh, Jerry's world,
but but Dak's not part of that. And I've I've
been so impressed by Dak these first two games. He's
the highest paid player right now in the league, and
and he actually looked like he deserved that distinction over
(31:33):
the last two games. And there's not been many times
where I could have said that about Dak.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
No, I It's like, you know, Josh Allen signed a
team friendly deal. Dak didn't necessarily, So there's there are
there's always repercussions, uh, when you have a quarterback that
doesn't take necessarily a team friendly deal. And and so
you can't get Derek Henry like the Cowboys needed last year.
But Javonte Williams has been a nice pickup. George Pickens
through two games, not a lot of drama, Ceedee Lamb's fantastic.
(32:02):
I think the Cowboys O line, Tyler Smith and company
have been a pleasant surprise. I think the old line's
been good. So, I mean, you can score your way
to the playoffs. You're not gonna win a lot of
playoff games if you're bad defensively, but you can score
your way to making the playoffs. We've seen, you know,
we've seen teams do that through the years. Cincinnati, you know,
(32:24):
with Burrow. But I mean at some point you do
have to play defense. I mean last year Burrow didn't
make the playoffs despite being arguably the best quarterback in
the league. So I think to beat the great teams,
especially on the road, you've got to be able to
make stops.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
I don't know if Dallas can, but they are. To me.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
The two surprises in the league have been Daniel Jones
at quarterback for the Colts. That's been surprising and Dallas overall.
I thought this coaching staff, I thought this thing would unravel.
I think I said it. I could see it unraveling
by week five or six. They should be to and
Ho should have beaten Philadelphia in Philadelphia should have all right.
(33:01):
Eric Mangini, Robert Mays a good show today, Blazing five,
all sorts of good stuff.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Have a good weekend.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
From good college football tomorrow as well, USC Michigan State
game sniffing three and oh four and h
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 (00:25):
All right.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
He does a podcast, The Athletic Football Show NFL writer
at the Athletic as well. But Robert Mays, when I
first spotted him, it was his food spreadsheet as I
was coming in and out of Chicago. And he's humble
and he doesn't want to talk about it. But if
if you ever want to find out where to eat Chicago,
it is like a depth chart for food. It is
an absolute pleasure to meet you. We both now live
(00:48):
in Chicago, a great North American city, a great global city,
and the Bears and the Cubs dominate talk radio.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And here's my thing.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
I made this argument that people can get divorced there
doesn't mean they're bad people. They can get remarried. Fit
tempo of personality matters. I'm going to argue that Ben
is Shanahan. He's on that spreadsheet. He's a timing instructure coach.
I don't know if Caleb is a timing and structure quarterback.
(01:21):
So on the first drives it's magic. The further you
get away from the spreadsheet, it doesn't look right. It
is a It is a quarterback built to move, freelance
and add lib.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Robert. What if?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
What if this weekend against an average cowboy defense, we
get a great first drive and more of the drek?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Where do we go with this?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
I was more encouraged by what he did on Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Now guys can make make sure they might Mike work
doesn't work? Okay, go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
I think I was more encouraged by what I saw
on Sunday than you were after the first draft. I
think there were a lot of structural issues with the offense,
but were more of a problem than Caleb was. Even
beyond the first game, the run game, some of the
offensive line concerns. I think stylistically, I am not as
worry about it as you are, because I actually think
that Caleb has more similarities as a passer than to
(02:14):
Jared Goff than most people would think. They have very
whip like arms, They're really good attacking the intermediate area
of the field that you don't want them pushing the
ball down the field outside the numbers in a way
that jayohen Hurts or Jaden Daniels would. But when you
think about some of those outbreaking routes, routes over the
middle of the field, Caleb does throw those really well.
And the creation part is important, But the creation is
(02:35):
a breaking case from emergency thing. Even if you're Ben Johnson,
Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, you're never going to be able
to scheme things properly all the time. And that's why
having a quarterback who can do something out of structure
is important because he makes you right when you're not right.
So I do think that there's a balance to be
found between asking guy to play in structure and then
allowing him to play outside of structure when some of
those structural things start breaking down.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
And then there's the other young quarter back that won't
play this weekend. JJ McCarthy, I've said, I don't feel
Caleb is overwhelmed. It's more of a fit with JJ McCarthy,
and I was not a big fan coming out of college.
I said, I don't see it he's never played from behind.
Harbaugh dominated that program. It was defense, run game. I
thought he looked overwhelmed. And they did want to re
(03:21):
sign Darnold. There was rumors they had Daniel Jones, there
was rumors about Aaron Kevin O'Connell is about as sharp
as they get, and seven of those eight quarters were
I mean, jarring. Do you think there's in the building
privately a little concerned on their first round quarterback.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
I love what you said about JJM and not had
any play from behind at Michigan. They put him in
really advantageous situations. Yes, And that was the whole plan
in Minnesota, is that we can plug this guy in
and be okay because we've built so much strength around him.
That hasn't come to fruition in the first couple of
weeks because they've had injuries right the offensive line, the
left tackle being hurt for the first two games.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Really seen that great left.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Tackle, very good left tackle, and now you're going to
a truly below average left tackle. And so this idea
that JJ is set up to succeed because the infrastructure
is so solid. The infrastructure hasn't been solid, and so
I don't think the first couple of weeks have done
anything to assuage concerns you would have about him coming in.
But I also think that the Vikings haven't been able
to make good on their end of the bargain so far.
(04:23):
I want to wait to see when the offensive line
is healthier, when the run game can be a little
bit better, and you take stuff off of his plate
and the way that you were planning to what does.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
JJ McCarthy look like.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Then if we get to the back half of the season,
the offensive line is healthy, the run game is good,
and those four or five throws you're asking him to
make are still going awry, then I think we can
really get into causes for concern.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So when you live in Chicago, you are reminded as
I take the train that Green Bay's right up the road,
And I will make the argument that for the last
thirty years it's the best run organization.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I always looked at lack of ownership as a liability
for years and years that the Rams have somebody that
can go call Stan Kronky and say, I know you're
on the goalstream on the tarmac. We need Matt Stafford,
and the owner says, go for it. But as billionaires now,
as millionaires used to own the league, that firing a
coaching staff forty million dollar checks was a non starter.
(05:21):
It's not anymore. And so billionaires have become oligarchs have
become crazier, whether it's the tech guys, whether it's the
boys club in the NFL. And so the lack of
an owner actually allows patience that nobody else can have
in the league. And I look at green Bay's roster,
(05:42):
Robert tight end, running back, defensive line. They moved off
Kenny Clark, good player, They're fine. I look at green
Bay right now, it's almost a flawless team. It reminds
me of Kansas City with Tyreek. Play from behind, play
with the lead, play aggressively, paying the right people. I've
(06:04):
said this, I don't think I don't think anybody right
now for the next three years is built like Green Bay.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Who gets credit.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
It's a combination of the coaching staff and the front office.
I think what you said about the ownership is perfect
because you want to blend of methodical, patient, responsible decision making.
But when that moment is there for you to jump
on something, you still want to be able to do that.
And that's why the Michael Parsons trade, to me, would
be so encouraging. Fire or Packers fans like when they
(06:33):
know that there's something there to be had, they're going
after it, and so there's a roster strength overall. They've
been able to build so much depth because of how
patient they build the roster. But then you look at
the schematics of it. On both sides of the ball,
this is an extremely well coached, creative team.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Jeff Hafley has been a fine I.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Loved him last year because I thought he did such
a good job of tailoring the defense to his personnel.
They did not have very good corners last year, at
least unproven corners, and instead of playing a lot of man,
a lot of single high like he used to back
at Boston College and with the Niners, they played a
lot of cover two in order to hide some of
those players.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
And I just think that shows.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Real awareness, what is my talent and how can I
get the most out of them.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, now as the talent.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Has started to really increase, including Micah Persons, those ideas
being able to deploy those guys in the right ways,
it's still happening.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
The players are just better.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
You Canbine Micah persons with real leaps from some of
the young guys kway Walker, Edriwin Cooper, Keishawn Nixon, who's
now in his second year as a corner.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
He's getting better.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
The incremental improvements you've needed from the youngest roster in
the league has happened. The coaching ideas are still very good,
and now you're starting to develop superstar level players.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When all those three.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Things are coming together at the same time, you're getting
the twenty twenty.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Five packers so far.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
So al Micha Goes threw a little shade at the
Eagles last night, saying not all great teams are fun
to watch, and everybody summarily knew what he was talking about.
Whereas the Bills are, I think America is kind of
rooting for the Buffalo Bills to and I know emotionally
I'm not supposed to root, but I kind of am.
Philadelphia is fascinating. I like the Rams this weekend. I
think Jared Vers in that defensive front is a problem.
(08:04):
I think the last half of last year, post Thanksgiving out,
I thought it was the most improved defense. Really fast,
young players when they get hurt, recover more quickly. It's
the Packers offense. Is the Rams defense not paid proven?
Getting better? Philadelphia is an anomaly. They decided after the
bye last year, we're not gonna throw anymore, especially downfield.
(08:29):
Is it sustainable? It doesn't feel like it's built to
play from behind. It's just wild. In a pass first league,
they don't throw it downfield. I mean, don't you think
over the course of five weeks, seven weeks, nine weeks
that will be a liability.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Absolutely? Eventually you have to be able to do a
little bit of everything. And it especially becomes a problem
when the run game is no longer as dynamic as
it was last year. And you're already seeing that and
Saiquon's averaging less than four yards of care?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
Is he yes?
Speaker 4 (09:00):
And the down to down efficiency he's below average right
now compared to running backs around the league.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
And I think a lot of that is you're seeing
offensive line changes for them. The right guard Tyler Stein
takes over from Akai Beeck in this year.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
He's had his issues.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Landon Dickersonate left guard clearly has not been healthy over
it for a couple of weeks, and the tight ends
on this team are not strong. Run Blockers, and I
think they've really run into some issues there as well.
So if you're going to be a team that doesn't
want to throw the ball down the field, you better
be the most explosive, dynamic running team in the league,
And through the first couple of weeks, they just really
haven't been that.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Speaker 5 (09:40):
It's me Block Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast,
Inside the Parker for twenty two minutes of pipe in
hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names of newsmakers in
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We've got all the bases covered. New episod so's drop
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(10:04):
Inside the Parker with Rob Parker on the iHeartRadio app
or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 6 (10:10):
Yeah, the.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Sticking with Los Angeles. I said this yesterday.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Everybody thought it was hyperbolic, and I said, folks, if
the NFL Hall of Fame was the basketball Hall of Fame,
where like a Globe Trotter and an official can make.
But football, Atlanta's got the College Hall of Fame, Canton's
got the Pro But like basketball, if you combine them,
I could argue Jim Harbaugh is the best coach ever.
He has taken five car recks except Stanford because and
(10:40):
there's some academic reasons why he was great. The next year,
all of them he leaves. They're all at has Matt
spill instantly. So it's not that you lose a good coach.
I mean, Jimmy Johnson's a great coach to me, one
of the five best ever. He leaves, he built up
good personnel. The next coach come in takes Jimmy's players.
(11:02):
He's always a great personnel guy as a coach, and
they win. Jim leaves. It's man overboard. I find him
to be a remarkable guy. He's much more happier now
when you do at the athletic Robert. When you talk
about the Chargers and you talk about what he took over,
Herbert's even better.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
How do people view him.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
I don't think he was likable seven or eight years ago,
even by Michigan people.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
He was driving the ad crazy. How do people view
Harball in the league.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
He's a force multiplayer.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
He is able to get the most out of whatever
the roster talent looks like. And I think that you've
seen that consistently, and it's hard to know what the
secret sauce of that exactly is.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
Right.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
I went there last year and I spent two days
in the locker room talking to guys because I was
curious about this exact question, and the answers are kind
of all over the place too, that stick with me.
I asked Derwin James, I was like, what is culture
to you in the NFL? And he said, culture to
me is when you look at the logo, what do
you see what?
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Derwin James said.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
That that's really smart and I.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Thought that that was so. I' such astute point.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
And I think with the Chargers now you're starting to
feel a certain identity when you watch them play.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
That's really interesting.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And then Dyon Henley told me a story about how
they would go through even in OTAs and every single
player associated with the organization, coaches, players got up and
they said, why are you here right?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
What brings you here? Why do you want to be good?
Why do you want to be great?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Why do you want to be successful, and every person
gave their answer in front of the entire team, And
so I think that there's just a real conscious how
do I build connective tissue in this building? How do
I make people feel invested? How do I get the
best out of them? And the best example of this
to me is what Justin Herbert has played like, because
when Justin Herbert played for Joe Lombardi in that old offense,
it always felt like he was a little tight yes right,
(12:41):
and there was just a roboticism to him and there
wasn't a looseness to the way that he played. And
you watch him the last couple of years when he
wasn't hurt last year, and then the first couple weeks
of this season, there's an aggressiveness. He's willing to run,
like Jim Harbaugh going up to him before the games
and shaking his shoulders and gassing him up. That may
seem silly, but I actually do think that there's a
(13:02):
purpose and a motivation behind that to get him to play.
I've always joked about it, I wish Justin was ten
percent dumber, and I honestly think he has played the
last year and a half like he's ten percent dumber,
and it's been to his benefit.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
I think Jim's a big reason for that.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
So we were saying that when I always think it's
funny with Brady. The minute Mahomes comes into the league.
People never wanted to love Brady because he was efficient
and it was pre snap, I mean Aaron Rodgers for years.
Aaron's better than Tom. I mean, Tom wins, but it's Belichick.
And then the minute Mahomes gets good, it's like, listen,
Tom's the system guy. Mahomes is the and I'm like, okay, whatever.
(13:39):
Then he goes to Tampa and wins, and that quiets down.
Josh Allen's the best quarterback in the world right now,
and I know, and so I'm going to do this.
And Patrick's a wonderful guy. But I've watched the last
two years. In the history of quarterbacks, Luck Elway, Peyton,
if you have massive horsepower farv, you throw picks, like
(14:01):
if you can throw one oh one, you throw one
oh one. You don't throw the knuckler. Josh Allen has
had about a year. Here's an amazing stack. The Bills
have not lost the turnover battle in twenty five games,
and they have a v twelve for an engine.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I find what we're watching.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
It's not validated through statistical precision like Hank Aaron surpassing Ruth.
But in terms of we're watching history, this horsepower and
no turnovers, Robert doesn't make sense. Andrew luck was brilliant.
He couldn't get the reckless out. Eli Manning brilliant, couldn't
(14:42):
get the reckless out. I'm watching. I'm watching this and
I'm like, they're gonna win a super Bowl. They make
no mistakes, they never turn it over. I don't know.
I mean, I'm sure you have this encyclopedic knowledge of it,
but I don't think he has a flaw.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Right now, Absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I don't know what it would be, because the turnover
is absolutely part of the decision making, was part of it,
and now even you've seen it happen in stages. And
so two years ago, in twenty twenty three, I thought
he actually had a quiet case to be the MVP,
even if the team's success wasn't there. He threw more
picks in twenty twenty three, but really was totally ramped
down was the amount of sacks he was taking.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
He doesn't get sacked. And two years in a row.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
The sack avoidance is incredible, and I think part of
that is the offensive line. Part of that is his elusiveness.
But where he's really made the most progress to me,
outside of the accuracy, which that's undeniable. So much work
has been done about how he worked on his mechanics
and been that story has been told. I think a
story that's been less told is that he has become
pre snap one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I think it's him and Mahomes.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
The Bills do such a great job of very subtly
offering him information before the play. We're going to nudge
the running back out in motion just a little bit
so you get half as step from the linebacker to
know whether he's coming.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
And he's so smart.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
That when you combine it with his athleticism and the
offensive line talent, he's not going to get sacked because
he has the answers to the test.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Before it even starts.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
So you combine the mental horsepower with the physical horsepower
that we're seeing, and that has led to the Josh
Allen that you're watching right now if.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You're listening on our radio network. Four hundred plus affiliates,
His name is Robert Mays, writer at The Athletic has
the Athletic Football Show podcast. Obviously this is just great information.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
I love this though.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
One of the great advantages that you get to travel
around and go to locker rooms, and I will say,
I just hearing all this stuff is so much fun.
So finally, let's pivot back to Bears Cowboys. So I
think it's a shootout. I think it's wild. I think
it's incredibly fun. I do think Caleb gives me more
precision past the first drive. Dak Prescott, I cannot believe
(16:42):
how good he is. After a second sero, I literally
cannot believe how good he is. I'm going to put
you on the spot. What is the game? I'm not
a winner. What does the game look like? These are
not great defenses.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I think it looks like a shootout. I think it
looks like.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
A lot of points because the Cowboys offense is rolling.
As somebody who's always believed in Dak Prescott, the last
two weeks have been a dream, not just because of
his play, but when I was frustrated with the Dallas
offense over the last few years, it always just felt
very static to me.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
It was very spread out.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
It was a very shotgun and you just can't play
that way unless you have truly elite dominant perimeter receivers.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
And I'm not talking about just CD Lamp.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
The two teams that could get away play that way
the Bengals and the Eagles because you got those two
guys and you just have horses on the outside. The
Cowboys never had that, and so I always wanted to
feel just to tick more dynamic, just league average play
action rate, league average motion rate, and get him one
more weapon. All of that has happened. Yeah, every single
one of those things has lined up. And now the
(17:40):
Dak Prescott that always existed, the one that's aggressive, that
processes really well, you're still seeing that guy, but everything
else around him has led to a more explosive offense.
And so I think that is here to stay for
the most part, as long as Dallas stays healthy this year.
And I think the Dallas defense is going to be
a problem over the course of the year, and so
those games are going to include a lot of points.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I think this Sunday is one of them.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
I think history is going to be very kind to
Dak Prescott is that he has had three coaches, none
of whom were wildly popular with the critics or the fans.
And every year with Dack you basically get a ninety
eight passer rating, thirty touchdowns, ten picks, sixty seven percent
completion percentage, unbelievable. In tangibles leadership, he went through the
(18:26):
pandemic BLM, you know in the state of Texas that
was controversial. It is, I said, I was never like
a huge Dak fan, but it's almost like a band
that you got as they age. You're like, or you know,
Robert Redford. I grew up with that, so I knew
all the president's men. But sometimes you'll go and when
(18:47):
a celebrity passes, you go to the YouTube and listen
to their music, or you go and look at their
IDM is IBM page or IDMB page, and you're like,
there are a lot of good movies. I look at
Dak Prescott now and I'm like Brian Shott and I'm
Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
He's going to get Hall of Fame votes. He is
going to get Hall of Fame votes, is he not.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
I think he probably deserves it if he has five
more seasons like the one that we're watching right now,
or like the twenty twenty three season. Comparing it to
the music thing to me, like Dak is like Food Fighters, Right,
It's just this band that you never thought was the
best band, but they've been doing it for so long
at a pretty good clip. And Dave Grohl did it
with Nirvana, he did it with Food Fighters. He can
do it in different situations like Dak has been that.
You're never going to say Dak Prescott is the best
(19:27):
quarterback in the world, the same way you're never going
to say that Dave Growl is the best rock star
in the world. But there is a consistency in the
legitimacy for so long that you really can't deny it.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I thought I was good with analogies. Foo Fighters crushed.
That's the best.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
It's the best connectivity I've ever heard on the show.
What a pleasure. Robert Mays lives in Chicago. Check him
out at the Athletic, which is absolutely worth every penny.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
It's a pleasure to meet you.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Thank you very much for having me and.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
J Max Dubious picks next The Herd. Be sure to
catch live edition The Herd weekdays at noon. Easter not
a em Pacific.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Play the Fox Super six NFL Challenge. Download the Fox
Sports app and enter for a free shot to win
your share of ten thousand dollars. One of the questions
is which QB will have the most passing yards in
Week three? Colin, you got Dak Stafford Love or Baker?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Who you got Dak Prescott in a shootout against the Bear?
I cannot wait to watch that game. That is fascinating.
I'm gonna take Dak throws for over two hundred and
seventy five yards. I think that's a good wager by you. Well,
(20:42):
it's Week three across the national football is it time
to panic for some teams? Who's on the rise, who's regressing?
We like to call it Tomorrow's headlines today, as j
Max predicts the headline we'll be reading on Monday. Let's
start Rams at the Eagles.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Yeah, let's bust right into a column with the best
game on the board. Sunday, the defending Super Bowl champs
at home against the Rams. The headline will be Pookah
and rally. Philly can't go shot for shot with La.
I'm kind of with you on this. I think the
LA offense is just a little too high powered for Philly.
(21:23):
We haven't seen too much from the Eagles offensively yet.
Maybe there's an offensive coordinator issue or they're just playing
to their strengths. But there were some Lane Johnson comments today,
like literally in the last hour about this whole tush
push thing and how he knows that the penalty flags
are coming. I think if you remove that from the Eagles,
it changes the calculus of their offense. You can't just
(21:43):
go for Hey, let's get to third and short and
we've got two downs.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
To get it.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
Because I think the NFL is going to litigate it
a little stronger this week. I will say I mentioned
this earlier. The Rams seem like a public underdog this week.
Those are very dangerous. Eighty percent of the bets at
one shop in Vague has the fans on the Rams
at getting three and a half. Don't feel awesome about that,
but I'll take the Rams and their offense to cover
(22:09):
and pull the upset of the Eagles.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Well, I'm still waiting for the first cam Ward w
Tomorrow's headlines today Daniels Jones and the Colts at Tennessee.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
You know, I'm a weirdo'clin I like these ugly, gross games.
I mean, this is nasty, but you can find an
edge in that because nobody's talking about it on TV
all day. The headline for this one will be smile
for the camera. Ward picture perfect in first win, Colin.
I've got this as a major upset. I've got in
(22:41):
the first win of the season for cam Ward. I
think they pull it off at home against the mighty
Colts and Daniel Jones. Everybody loves DJ Colin. I got
some great stats for you, so owen. Two underdogs, Okay,
going back the last fifteen years, nobody wants anything to
do with them because they look bad for two games
in a row in Week three, are hitting at sixty
(23:02):
six percent against the spread. Wow, because nobody wants to
bet them. I mean, this game should have probably been
like a pick them right if you're looking at the
summer line. Now you've got all of a sudden laying
numbers with the Colts on the road. The one injury
concern for the Titans I have is Sweat, the big
fella in the middle out of Tech Texas. He's been
great against the run. Hasn't practiced all week. They just
(23:22):
announced here in the last ten minutes. He's a game
time decision. That's not great because Jonathan Taylor has looked incredible.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I will say I love this.
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Matchup also because it's it's two former Cincinnati guys. Brian Callahan,
who was with Burrow against Captain lou the defensive coordator.
I think big edge to Kim Warden company. Final number
for you, Colin, you'll like this Indy thirtieth in pressures
through two games. Okay, cam Ward has faced two brutal
defenses Denver at altitude and the rams they get after
(23:52):
the quarterback. The Colts they do not. I think cam
wod gets his first win.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I like that. Good pick.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
Tomorrow's headlines to ye, you have been on this since Monday,
Falcons and literally lost a four to oh one k
multiple college kids education on the Falcons over the last
fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
What say you?
Speaker 6 (24:15):
Well, let's go get everybody at jet Ski The headline
for Falcons Panthers will be working nine to five. Falcons
stand on business hours. I know you love stand on
business Colin. This is a Bijon Robinson special. He's gonna
go off. I mean this is a terrible Carolina run defense.
Cannot stop the run at all it's gonna be bijon
(24:36):
Tony Algier. I think they just ground and pound their
way to victory. And oh, by the way, okay, I
know everybody says, well, Bryce Young he cooked.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
The Falcons last year.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
Remember late in the season he was like wearing a
tuxedo in the pocket. The Falcons had no pass rush
through two weeks. Atlanta's pass rush one of the best.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
In the league.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
They invested heavily right two guys in the first round,
and then they went out and got Leonard Floyd. I
really like the f can Here, Colin, here's a fun
stat for you. The Carolina Panthers, the only team through
two weeks to lead for zero seconds, have not had
a lead at all this season.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Can't play from behind.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
I think Atlanta wins is handling.
Speaker 2 (25:14):
That we keep waiting.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
You know, it's interesting about Bryce Young. There are moments,
there are halves, there are and they just can't put
it together. They just can't all right, This is one
of the games I like Tomorrows headlines today Saints the
Dome team cross country against Seattle, a team that has
I mean, the second half defense against the Niners and
(25:37):
the Steelers was pretty redeemable by Seattle.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
It was plucky.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
I mean, you know, consider the opponent. Obviously we don't
wear down on Aaron Rodgers, but the headline for Seahawks
Saints will be hiss poor performance. Rattler kept coiled by
circling Hawks. Now listen, I love this at seven. I
don't love it as much at seven and a half. Obviously,
seven a key number, but Colin Spencer Ratler oho to
(26:02):
eight as a starter. I haven't seen it.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Man.
Speaker 6 (26:04):
If you look at his you know next gen stats,
has the passing charts, nothing down the field. He just
doesn't want to make mistakes, so he's doing quick short stuff.
Now he faces arguably the best secondary in the league
in Seattle. I think they eat him up at maybe
a one or two defensive touchdowns. If you've got the
Seahawks defense in fantasy, I can almost guarantee a victory
for you. This feels like a big Kenneth Walker game. Listen,
(26:27):
where are you on Darnold? It's still early in the season.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
No, I don't think this organization is as good as
Minnesota and Kevin O'Connell with play calling and play design.
But what they're asking Sam to do last year, Sam
was asked to carry a defense that I don't think.
I think this Seattle defense is special. I think this
run game is special. They're not asking Sam to do
(26:52):
things that can get Sam in trouble. They're not asking
him to throw thirty eight times a game. What they're
asking him to do is throw on play action, protect
the football and then And Sam's pretty good at this.
Three or four times a game, you're gonna get loose
and make a play. So I think Sam's always been
at his best when he's not asked to carry. He
(27:13):
is asked to athletically compliment an offense.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And I think it's a perfect fit for him.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
He's gonna keep it safe.
Speaker 6 (27:21):
No, just don't turn the ball over, and Seattle should
coast do like a twenty eight to ten victory.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Yes, finally, Tomorrow's headlines today, listen to NFC teams at
Baltimore against Lamar usually is a recipe for an l Now.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
I did get the Monday night game wrong last week.
I had Texans that one hurt man. Same here it
hurt and listen. I looked at your Cowboys Bears game.
I kind of wanted to take Dallas backed off, but
I'm going with Monday Night, the headline for Ravens Lions
will be turn your head and Goff Lions fail physical test. Colin.
I just I can't get out of my head the
(28:00):
vision of Detroit outdoors in week one looking slow and
plodding and the offensive line kind of crumbling, and then
they go home and they look incredible. I just don't
think they're the same team indoors versus outdoors. You know,
I know everybody's excited about Goff and Amara connected again
last week and they're back Colin again. This is a
totally different animal. The Ravens are one of the three
(28:21):
best teams in the league. The Bears there may be
one of the five worst. This is just a big
step up in class for Golf. I think pressure up
the middle will continue to rattle him. And I think,
like you said, Lamar Jackson's something like twenty four and
two against the NFC, I would not be surprised that
this was a big Derrek Henry Lamar Jackson ground game two.
And the last time they met outdoors a couple years ago,
(28:42):
Detroit was five and one. It was thirty five nothing
in the middle of the third quarter, got rolled. They
got a dumb trucks.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
I also think I also think because the Bears are
such a high profile team right now because of the
Caleb story, that we're over valuing the Detroit win. Yes,
we're like, okay, this is the real team. They were
not competitive against the Packers, and I think we just
we have to look at the Bears right now as
an experiment more than anything. So I just take the
(29:10):
Bears game out and I don't know, I just I
look at this team. There's still two coordinators I question.
I question their defense and the middle of their offensive line.
Their run games not as viable, it's not as strong.
So I think this is a tough spot. I think
there are ways to beat Baltimore dominant time of possession,
(29:31):
and I don't think they'll bring that to the table. Yeah,
totally agree. Good stuff today. We agree on let's see
hold on one three packs. I don't think we've ever
had three picks.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
First of all, we've never had three of the same picks.
We've never agreed on three picks, so this is at first.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:50):
By the way, we talked earlier about Chargers Broncos. That
looks like it's headed toward three, you can't get the
normal rate. I think the Chargers are going to be
favorite by three.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
That keep calling.
Speaker 6 (30:00):
If did Chargers go three and zero in the division
to be short to start the season, that's a big
cushion with wins in your pocket over Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I want you know what's remarkable about Chargers When they
lost for Sean Slater, I came on the other next day, lin,
I'm like.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
That's two L's Joe Alt.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
He has been unbelievable and everybody wanted him to take
a receiver their season.
Speaker 6 (30:25):
Neighbors was the guy.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Right, Yeah, they went classic Carball. He's like, we're going
to move Joe all right, tackle to left. He's been
as good or better than Slater. He's not even he's
not even allowing a pressure. So yeah, as we're showing
our TV audience the schedule, listen, I'll tell you what's
going to get a huge rating, and I think it's going.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
To be close and a lot of points.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
The Cowboys Bears is going to get a monster number
as long as the game is close, and I think
it's going to be. I had Eric Mangini, a former
NFL coach joining us and I talked about it. I said,
you know, it's amazing. Here's Dak on a second surgery
with Brian schottenheim Er George Pickens, And I said to Eric, like,
you always get the same Dak here he is.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
It's year after year of drama and dysfunction and and
and everything that goes into sort of Jerry's uh, Jerry's world,
but but Dak's not part of that. And I've I've
been so impressed by Dak these first two games. He's
the highest paid player right now in the league, and
and he actually looked like he deserved that distinction over
(31:33):
the last two games. And there's not been many times
where I could have said that about Dak.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
No, I It's like, you know, Josh Allen signed a
team friendly deal. Dak didn't necessarily, So there's there are
there's always repercussions, uh, when you have a quarterback that
doesn't take necessarily a team friendly deal. And and so
you can't get Derek Henry like the Cowboys needed last year.
But Javonte Williams has been a nice pickup. George Pickens
through two games, not a lot of drama, Ceedee Lamb's fantastic.
(32:02):
I think the Cowboys O line, Tyler Smith and company
have been a pleasant surprise. I think the old line's
been good. So, I mean, you can score your way
to the playoffs. You're not gonna win a lot of
playoff games if you're bad defensively, but you can score
your way to making the playoffs. We've seen, you know,
we've seen teams do that through the years. Cincinnati, you know,
(32:24):
with Burrow. But I mean at some point you do
have to play defense. I mean last year Burrow didn't
make the playoffs despite being arguably the best quarterback in
the league. So I think to beat the great teams,
especially on the road, you've got to be able to
make stops.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
I don't know if Dallas can, but they are. To me.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
The two surprises in the league have been Daniel Jones
at quarterback for the Colts. That's been surprising and Dallas overall.
I thought this coaching staff, I thought this thing would unravel.
I think I said it. I could see it unraveling
by week five or six. They should be to and
Ho should have beaten Philadelphia in Philadelphia should have all right.
(33:01):
Eric Mangini, Robert Mays a good show today, Blazing five,
all sorts of good stuff.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Have a good weekend.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
From good college football tomorrow as well, USC Michigan State
game sniffing three and oh four and h
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Colin Cowherd
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