October 21, 2025 • 33 mins
Fox Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen joins the show to talk and explains why Chicago Bears fans should be optimistic about rookie QB Caleb Williams
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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 1 (00:25):
It's got a very interesting game Sunday. The Bills are
in no mood to fool around. They're at the Panthers Sunday.
Greg Olsen will be calling it Fox Sports and he
is joining me live.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
You know, I was, it's.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Interesting when you have a great I mean, you play
with Cam Newton, when you have a dynamic quarterback, everybody thinks, well,
things are easier, but you know a lot comes with that.
And I look at Buffalo, the team you're doing, and
I'm like, oh my.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
God, you want him to be Superman. But not too often.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
As you break down on the film on Buffalo, what
is is it just they need another perimeter weapon? Is
it that simple? Diagnose the problems? What you see in
a team right now that feels they're a little lost,
they're a little off center.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Yeah, So I really just dove into their game, especially
the most recent game. You know, had to buy and
so the week before in the loss against Atlanta, and
so I saw the Bills in preseason up in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
None of the real stars played.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Josh didn't play, but had a chance to spend some
time with McDermot, Joe Brady and a lot of those
guys from our Carolina days that we know. And I
think they know how good they can be. I think
they understand they have to continue to try to offload
as much as possible off Josh Allen. And now it
goes without saying he's the best player in the league,
the reigning MVP. The ball should be in his hand,
(01:49):
right And when you look at what they've been over
the last couple of years compared to what they really
tried to do, especially in the most recent game against Atlanta,
I actually really liked it. You know, you saw in
the Atlanta game their back. The more they're trying to
do some more under center play action first and second down,
playing with some bigger bodies, multiple tight ends, jumbo tight ends,
and trying to just get out of the mode where
(02:09):
Josh Stan's in the shotgun. Every ball snapped to him.
It's very hard to get play action out of the gun.
You're seeing a lot of the really good teams You've
been seeing Mahomes do it now more in Kansas City,
teams are starting to understand the best downs to throw
the ball are first and second, and the best way
to do it oftentimes is through play action. So I
think Buffalo is still trying to figure out what is
(02:33):
that blend between keeping Josh in the gun, snap it
to him and let him create both as a scramble runner,
a designed runner, and of course as a passer, but
also unloading some of the pressure and putting some more
on Cook in the run game, and putting some more
on the offensive line and generating some free open receivers
in the play.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Action layers and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So I think Joe Brady's still trying to figure out
what that balance is. But I like the Again, it
didn't result in a win, but I actually think going
forward that's gonna pay them some dividends.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Because I don't care how good you.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Are every single play the ball being in the hands
of your shotgun quarterback to just expect it to make magic,
especially like to your point, you don't have like a
Justin Jefferson, a true star single receiver. I think teams
are finding it more and more difficult in today's NFL.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So I said, I watch body language a lot with
quarterbacks and coaches, and I watched Ben Johnson with Caleb
Williams and there's a resting, discouraged face. I look at
this offense, and I think Caleb's good at the podium.
I like the run game, I like the defense. I
think Ben's excellent and smart. Is it possible that Caleb's
(03:43):
gonna be a franchise quarterback. He's never going to be
sixty eight percent. You're gonna get a lot of big plays,
You're gonna get a lot of horsepower. I think he's
a good kid. But when I watch that offense, man,
do they leave a lot on the floor. There are
a lot of open and looks. He's you know, this
was the knock in college consistent accuracy, it's the knock
(04:05):
in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Is it possible?
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And I guess you could go back to Cam that
it's like, hey, listen, we just know what he is
and we know what he struggles with, and let's just
build around it.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
And I think you also have to look at the
point of where he is in his career. I mean,
you look at last year as almost a lost year, right.
I know he played a lot of games, but there
was a lot of dysfunction, there was a lot of turnover,
there was coaching changes. So you look at you know,
you look at your prior and you say, okay, what
really was the benefit from that? Well, now incomes Ben Johnson,
and I think you're seeing more and more franchises adopt.
(04:37):
You know, there's a very famous phrase, right that franchises
fail young quarterbacks more than young quarterbacks fail franchises. And
I think you're seeing it with what Kevin O'Connell is
doing with some of these rebirth of Sam Darnold, who
now continued it in Seattle. And you know, you're seeing
what goes on with so many of these quarterbacks that
were left for dead. They you know, they couldn't play.
Daniel Jones was was thrown out in New York. And
(05:00):
you don't make an argument Indianapolis is the best offense
in the league. If not, they're in the conversation as
the top two or three. So fit is such an
important part of all this, And then you factor in
just how young Caleb is and how fresh he is
in his NFL career. I think there's been great growth.
I think Ben Johnson is obviously wonderful at what he does.
I think his energy not only from an ex's and o's.
(05:21):
I think he's highly demanding. I think he comes across
this this nice guy, but I think he is a
real He is highly disciplined, holds guys to really high standards.
He's very clear in his communication, and I think that's
been good for Caleb. So I think we've seen a
ton of growth here through the first half, you know,
call it rough third to you know, forty percent of
(05:41):
the season thus far. I think the expectation is he
continues to improve. I don't think anyone in Chicago right
now should be having any conversations about looking anywhere else
for quarterback for the foreseeable future then Caleb Williams, because
he should just continue to improve.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Now, what is the ceiling?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Z Patrick Mahomes is he Josh Allen who knows, very
few guys are. But I think their trajectory, the improvement,
the turnaround we've seen already with to your point, a
lot of room left to grow. I think if I'm
a Bears fan, I'm highly encouraged.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So you've been doing the tight end university down. I
think Nashville. Isn't that what you're holding every year? So
I saw I watched him play all last year at
Penn State.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Tyler Warren.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I saw him have seventeen catches against USC. He walks
into the league, I mean, even Antonio Gates, it took
him a year to find his space a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Or I don't.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I remember Gronk being very good very early, but he
had some injuries in college. I didn't know much about Gronk.
This kid has walked in and pretty much. I always say,
it's one thing to be productive, it's another to be
open all the time. Did you spot this kid years ago?
Did he come out of nowhere? Did you know about
Tyler Warren years ago?
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Yeah? I was just surprised that he wasn't the first
Titan taken. I'll be honest.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I know, you know the Bears took Loveland. I'm pretty
sure the Bears took Loveland, if I have that right
out of Michigan. So I thought the assumption was that
Warren was going to be the top pick. I think
I think Indianapolis from the very beginning did a really
nice job Chris Ballard, obviously Shane Stiken identifying just the
value that a kid like him to bring. I think
we all remember him from college lining up at wildcat
(07:24):
quarterback and some of the funky formations where he's lining up,
like I think there was the one play he was
the center in an unbalanced and he ended up catching
the ball like. They did a lot of really creative
things with him. But I think Shane Steiken is as
good of an offensive mind. You think back a couple
of years ago under Sirianni his offense, his offense and
that evolution of that team for their first Super Bowl
(07:46):
run when they ended up losing that game, we covered
then obviously he went and got the head job with
the Colts kind of disappeared maybe from the national scene
as like the offensive grou just because the Colts weren't
overly you know, competitive and had some struggles. But I
think now with Daniel Jones, the job he's done. I
think Tyler Warren coming into the league, you're exactly right.
(08:06):
When I came into the league years ago, there was
an assumption that tight ends took a couple of years
to adopt the NFL game.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
But you look.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Recently what Brock Bauers did last year in his first
year with the Raiders, and what Tyler Warren's doing. I mean,
we're starting to see a faster evolution, a faster growth.
I think part of that is just the tight end
position in college is a little bit more. It's less
guys making a position change. It's less guys. We're wide
receivers when they were young, or running backs. These kids
(08:34):
are now growing up. A lot of them, I know
Warren played some other positions, but they're growing up understanding
the position, playing true tight end at the college level.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I think the.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Job that Ben State did with Warren and now the
job that Shane Steiken is doing with him. He's leading
the league for tight ends and receiving yards. I think
he's like third in catches is just unheard of from
a rookie. And it seems like every game you watch
he's open, he's opening the end zone.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
He's dynamic with the ball.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
He's good enough that he could be on the field
on first and second down and get his nose bloody
and get in there and compete in the run game. Yeah,
he's I don't know if he's as dynamic as brought
Bowers from just like a speed and just that top end.
But from a production standpoint, now, the last two years
we've seen tight ends really take the NFL by storm,
and that's that's pretty hard to do.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
So when I watched Bo Nixon Jackson Dart this weekend,
I mean, neither's got a huge arm. I think Jackson
darts arms pretty good. There's something to be said about confidence,
and when I watched that game, my takeaway was more
than anything, they're not overwhelmed by it. They're totally confident.
(09:48):
Guys like Jackson darts like bring it on, bring that
the I mean he made a bad pick. I always
said my favorite part of Andrew Luck he would throw
terrible picks, laugh, blame himself, grab his helmet and throw
the ball right at you again, like had a short memory.
I think, I don't know. You've been around pro athletes
your whole life. I watched Dart and bow Nicks. I
(10:09):
can see the self belief as a consumer watching on television.
That's what I saw Sunday Darts. Not afraid going to
Denver on the road altitude that defense you played there,
Brady struggled there.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
That's a rough place to play.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, I mean, watching that game, I was in the
airport in Minneapolis getting ready to fly home for my game,
and just you know, it was nineteen nothing.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
They'd go for two. They don't get it. We could
discuss whether.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
That was right or wrong, and then the series of
events that played out from that moment. Obviously, how the
game ended on the field goal was just I couldn't
even believe what I was watching, just from a game flow,
in the back and forth.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
But as far as the two young quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Yeah, I mean, there's a notion in the NFL the
only guys that aren't going to have bad days, and
the only guys that aren't gonna play and have bad
you know, have bad moments, and the guys that stand
on the sideline, Like if you're afraid to make mistakes,
if you're afraid to throw picks, if you're afraid to
drop the ball, fumble, whatever your position is, if the
fear of failure paralyzes you, you're gonna find yourself standing
on the sideline quite a bit in this league, because
(11:14):
bad things are gonna happen, Things are going to go
against you, and and the guys that have this uncanny
ability to rally and to get their get their confidence back.
You don't know if they've thrown three picks or three
or three touchdowns, their command of the huddle, the way
they interact with.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Their teammates on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I mean Jackson dar and I know they lost, But
when he came off the sideline after his little quarterback
design run on the goal line, which was a great
play design that he you know, he extends the ball,
he gets the touchdown. I know it ended in heartbreak
and bo Nicks deserves a lot of credit. But like
when he came off the sideline, the way he greeted
his coaches, the way he greeted the veterans on the team,
(11:53):
you can just tell they don't look at him as
like you're a fun story, you're the rookie, but like
you stand over. He is arguably the ringleader of that group.
And he's only started now a couple games. So certain
guys have that personality. They have a little charisma. There's
a belief that when they're on the field, we have
a chance. And I love his energy. Is he gonna
(12:15):
throw picks, Yes, he's he gonna have bad decisions. Of course,
he's gonna continue to get better. You can't teach competitive spirit.
You either have it or you don't, and I think
both those young quarterbacks have it.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Speaker 6 (12:35):
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Speaker 1 (13:05):
The Chiefs look like the best team in the league
by a touchdown, do they not? It's I said this,
It's amazing. They do a great job of everybody makes mistakes,
every GM whiffs it's impossible. They identify very quickly mistakes.
They don't let pride or ego get in the way.
You know, it's they've got a sail boat mentality. Even
(13:27):
though they're an aircraft carrier. They can turn very quickly.
Like doesn't work, does work? Let's bring juju back? Doesn't work?
I watch Kansas City and I'm like, I feel so
much of their successes upstairs is before the snap. I
don't know, you've been around a lot, you talk to
a lot of players. I think sometimes they're functioning at
(13:49):
just a higher level than everybody else.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Yeah, and I think the part that you nailed is
just their ability to reinvent themselves and don't feel like
they need to play the same cookie cutter approach week
in week out, let alone, season in season out. You know,
and if you take a look at the last handful
of years, right that the year they won the Super Bowl,
when they beat Philadelphia, we covered a bunch of those.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Obviously we covered the Super Bowl, we covered that part.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
They transitioned themselves through that draft, and obviously Spags, the
defensive coordinator, is one of the best in the business.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
They went from a.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Quarterback led offensive court, offensive head coach and Andy Reid
and Mahomes and superstars, offensive driven. They knew they needed
to invest themselves in all those young defensive talent, and
they took their lumps early in that year, and that
young defense got better and better and better, and then it.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Kind of flipped on its head.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
The following year, the offense really struggled, does Mahomes have
enough weapons? And all of a sudden, this young, this
young defense, you've now become a defensive lead team. And
then they went from a shotgun We're going to throw
the ball in every down and put the ball on
Mahomes's hand to you know what, we're we're out, Rashi
Rice Xavier Worthy's out. We might have to get under
center a little bit more. And that's not really when
(15:00):
Andy and Patrick Mahomes have been in their Kansas City
Chief days, they're throwing at thirty five times a game
from gun, but they don't have to play the same
style of game to beat you. It could be offensive lead,
it could be defensive lead. When one is struggling the
other teams to always kind of elevate their game. I
think now as you see them get healthy, I think
now as you see them start getting some of their
(15:21):
offensive weapons back, you're starting to see that offense click.
I think from a I'm with you, I think from
a well rounded balanced offense, defense, youth superstars at the
correct positions, I think, and then obviously Andy Reid being
one of the all time greats as a head coach
play caller. I think when you add it all up,
if they continue to stay healthy and they continue to
(15:43):
keep these guys on the field that they've gotten back,
I'm with you, don't it's going to be very hard,
especially some of the AFC teams that we had high
hopes for are coming into the year that have really
had disappointing seasons, with the exception of Buffalo. Like, who
do you really feel confident in the AFC? The game
on the line is ready right now to beat them,
and I think the answer is nobody.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah, That's how I feel.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Greg Olsen, Fox Sports, as always, it's great.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
It's great chatting. I love talking to you.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Man, appreciate it. Colin so always good to be on.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Then he's got the Bills and the Panthers this weekend.
Bryce Young's beat up UH and Buffalo's in a bad mood.
So I think Buffalo's going to score some points this weekend.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
J Mack with the news. Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 7 (16:36):
All right, Colin, you're all excited about the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
This big winning streak they're on. They're hot.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
They got Rachi Rice. Oh let's not look into who
they beat. Anyways, Andy Reid.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Was impressed with this Rashi Rice debut, absolutely cooking the Raiders.
Here's what Reid said about his star receiver.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
It was great to have him back.
Speaker 9 (16:58):
I think you saw got my voice. I think you
saw him what the trust that Pat has in him
and which is so important for you know, it so
important for the U, Pat and the and the guys.
I thought he came out and functioned at a high
(17:20):
level for being gone for this time. I mean, it's
crazy that he can come back and.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Do what he did.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah, Hollywood Brown, Juju Smith, Schuster, Travis Kelsey, Xavier Worthy
for she Rice.
Speaker 8 (17:34):
Who could stop that lineup?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Geez?
Speaker 7 (17:38):
I mean it's like Jerry Rice, John Taylor. I mean
this is like, I mean that receiving core is legendary.
Just to recap, though, let's go over the case he wins,
shall we. So they beat the Raiders, who might be
a bottom four team in the league Night thirty one Nothing.
Raiders had like ninety yards of offense. The week before that,
they beat the Lions, who we know have very ordinary
(18:01):
away from the friendly confines of Detroit's Dome. Before that,
they lost to the Jags. Remember that choke job who
could forget and then don't forget that Baltimore win.
Speaker 8 (18:12):
Oh that's right.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
Lamar got hurt midway through the game, and the Ravens
defense hasn't stopped anyway, So we can get excited. Yes,
the Chiefs look better, that's undeniable. They're gonna smash the
Jaden Daniels list Washington commanders this week.
Speaker 8 (18:26):
By the way, they're ten point favorites. I think you
just need to have some context around this dominance that
you're excited about.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
All right, my eyes don't lie, but both thanks, Yeah.
Speaker 8 (18:37):
The eye test that always fails. Anyways, let's move.
Speaker 7 (18:39):
One to the Miami Doltons, Colin, how about that one
in six? Lots of issues on both sides of the ball,
but Mike McDaniel's job is currently safe, according to Ian Rappaport.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
And on other reporters.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
As for Tua, he threw six picks in the last
two weeks. Mike McDaniels was initially noncommittal about Toa's role
following the game, but he addressed his Week eight starter yesterday.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
Specifically, when you're having or when you go through a
performance like that, you know, I never I don't see
it as you know, all on a player, all on
a coach. It's a working relationship and we both have
to get better together. He's going to take the snaps
this week and he's gonna be the start of this week,
(19:26):
and my expectation is that we don't throw ten picks.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Get a little salty.
Speaker 8 (19:36):
Well, I mean, when your job's on the line.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
You got to two, by the way, three fumbles since
Week six, six interceptions for the math majors out there,
that's nine turnovers in the last two games. Called holy hell.
So they got the falcons this week. Now, you know,
I like the falcons that are dome. But can you
lay seven with Michael Pennox against his Dolphins team. That's
(19:58):
a great teaser, Like can you do in the blazon five?
That's too complicated for the audience?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh my god, come on, our audience is a bunch
of road I got a bunch of people yelling at
me when I started doing over unders, and I've hit
on all of them. I think I think I'm like
four or four or five and five that people get
they want just picks. I thought people just wanted money.
That's what I thought. That's what I want. So that's
why I do one a week. I do an over
and under. I just haven't I have an under and
(20:24):
an over. I like this week, I'm gonna pick one
of them.
Speaker 8 (20:27):
So basically, you're telling me these guys you're.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Giving them free jet skis, and they're like, no, I
don't want a jet ski.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I'm giving diamond rings, four carrots. Not interested?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
All right.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
The final story, Colin, is NBA time. Oh yeah, got
some heat here on the staff for loving the NBA. Listen,
we're we're gonna do some of my knicks here, Colin
and Carl Anthony Towns. Right, you had a good season
last year. Nicks made the Eastern Conference finals, but they
fire their coach. The new coach is a guy named
Mike Brown. Well, Carl Anthony Towns, remember the season starts tonight.
(20:59):
Carl Anthony town Is asked about his role in the
new offense, and he said he doesn't really know what
his new role is going to be. Oh, and said
we're figuring it out now. If that doesn't sound like
a guy who's getting shipped for Yannis FedEx? I mean,
just send him to Milwaukee right now. Bring Onis.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Milwaukee's got Miles Turner and a bunch of guys jacking
up threes. So maybe they don't want to make him.
Why do they want Karl Anthony Towns.
Speaker 7 (21:23):
No, No, they got to get rid of Yannis before
they lose him for nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I'd be careful Miles Turner, h Yannis and a bunch
of guys jacking up threes. They'll be better defensively this
year with Miles and no Dame what happens in the East,
I wouldn't be shot. I'm dead serious. Orlando, Cleveland, New York, Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
What separates them? Honest, Milwaukee.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I'm just Yannis is on any given night, the best
player in the league. Miles Turner. We watched them in
the finals. Excellent player, smart, veteran guy. You know what
you're getting every night from him? Rim Protector can hit
a jumper, Miles Turner's a tough guy, can defend, and
then they're shooting a ton of threes. They'll be better defensively.
The East is wide open. That's why I pick Orlando.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Y You're crazy on this move I got a text
from my agent j Mack. Do you want to be
the sixth man on the Milwaukee Bucks? That's how bad
they are? I said, I'd rather be on the Herd.
I don't want to go lose fifty games and live
in Milwaukee. They are not good. They're not top eight
in the East. Colin not even that. I don't even
know if they're a play in.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
If you have the best team, and if you have
the best player in the East with Tatum and Halliburton out,
if you have the best player in the East, Jannis,
you're a playoff.
Speaker 7 (22:33):
Hey how about this, say, well, better steak dinner since
you owe me thirty all right, Atlanta Hawks have a
better record than the Bucks this year.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
The Hawks will be interesting.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
I mean, I'm not not like I'm saying the Wizards
or the Hornets and your.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Guy LaMelo Ball.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
I just think you know this situation in the East,
Knicks are gonna be great and Carl in j Town's
just trade them for Yannis.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Now, I don't I.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Wouldn't want Why would I want Carl Anthony truck Towns.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
What's the.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
I'm giving you, Yannis. I'm telling you the team to
watch out for. If I'm giving you Yannis like like Dallas,
I want Lively.
Speaker 8 (23:11):
Cooper flag, I'm asking for you.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I mean seriously, I want Cooper Flagging, Lively and two
first round pick. I'm giving you the best player in
a conference.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
Do we giais is pretty damn good?
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:23):
By the way, how many have you looked at any
gambling props for the Lakers tonight on the their season opener.
Speaker 8 (23:29):
Who's are going for a thirty piece?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Don't bet the NBA in October?
Speaker 8 (23:34):
I know, I know it's kidding around. Can I text
you during the game?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
Will you be awake?
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:39):
How late?
Speaker 1 (23:40):
I stayed up till last night to watch that awful
Seahawk performance.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
It was terrible.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
It was one of the worst. I mean it was
thank god they won. But oh I had him in
the hurt hierarchy.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I bounced him.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
I called Kyle. I text Kyle this morning. Get him
out of there. I don't want them on the board.
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news. Thanks
for stopping by the Herd line news.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Yeah, the herd hierarchy.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
More in Chicago, it's the Herd.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one, and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
So if the playoffs begin today, and I do apologize
to the radio audience, but we have these cool graphics
of the AFC on the left and the NFC on
the right, the top seven teams fourteen get in that
would be in the playoffs. Now we put in both
the AFC the one team that's just outside the playoffs
(24:47):
in both conferences. So right now, the number one seed
in the AFC is the Colts and the Patriots. Third
seeds Denver, Forced seeds Pittsburgh. Those are division winning teams.
Wild Card teams would be Buffalo, Chargers, Jags. The team
just on the outside would be Kansas City. I think
Kansas City gets in either by wild card, which I
(25:10):
predicted before the year. Denver's leading the division, Kansas City's
a wild card. That's what I had predicted before the year.
I had the Chargers making it, and I do think
as they get healthy, the Chargers will be a playoff team.
I don't have a ton of trust in Jacksonville. They're
just too goofy and squirrely, and I don't trust Pittsburgh,
although I do think they have the good culture. So
(25:32):
I think Kansas City gets in and Pittsburgh or Jacksonville misses.
In the NFC, I think this is what it's going
to look like. It doesn't take long for the cream
to rise to the top. I mean, Mike Rabels turned
around the Patriots in five six seven weeks. Green Bay
is the number one seed, followed by the incredibly resilient
San Francisco forty nine ers. I'd give Shanahan the coach
(25:55):
of the year. I can't believe with the injuries there
at five and two, Eagles three Tampa four. Wild card
is Detroit, Seattle in LA. Regardless of the order, I
think the NFC is pretty clear. Chicago's on the outside
looking in now. If they beat Baltimore and if Lamar plays,
I don't suspect they will. John Harbaugh is great in
(26:17):
a bye. I don't see Chicago right now is consistent
enough to be a playoff team. So I think the
NFC playoff picture, this is what's going to look like,
doesn't have to be in that order. In the AFC,
I think Jacksonville's improved, but a little bit of fools
gold and you know, if Pittsburgh knocks off Green Bay
and turns the five and two, then I'm wrong, But
(26:39):
I think Kansasity makes their way in. But it does
go to show, you know, we're we're seven weeks in.
You know we're we're forty percent through the NFL season,
and you know the picture. There's clarity very quickly, very quickly.
New England Mike Frabel five six weeks already built the culture.
(27:00):
Washington is not going to be the same team they
were last year. It's very clear. Jaden's hurt. They don't
have the same juice. They caught everybody by surprise. Now
everybody's got tape. By the way, Jayden Daniels was great
last year and the struggled this year. Funny Bonnick's pretty
good both years.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
This is what I see.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
So yeah, I think I think the NFL playoff picture,
I don't see massive changes. I do think when Hampton
gets back, and I think when the Chargers get healthier.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
They can't run the ball.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Right now, well they're on their third running back, so
I think the Chargers will right the ship. They have
too good of a coach and too good a quarterback, play,
solid defense, I you know, a few years ago, Tennessee
was the number one seed. Rabel was a coach, Tannehill
was the quarterback, and they got bounced by Cincinnati. I
don't think that's this Colts team. I think they're really formidable.
(27:52):
I think they're online. I think their playmakers are great,
Daniel Jones and Tannehill. That comp may be close, but
I and I have for years. I think their rosters excellent.
And Green Bay is a very squishy number one seed
in the NFC. I just I want more. I'm not
getting it. I think right now the NFC, and this
(28:13):
wasn't the case the previous three years. I think the
NFC is much deeper than the AFC. It's just with
Kansas City, the best team could be in the AFC.
Here's yesterday RG three was talking about the resurgence of
the Chiefs now that they have all their wide receivers healthy.
Speaker 11 (28:31):
What I've been most impressed with is Mahomes's ability to
get it done with anybody. And I think that is
early reminiscent of what we saw from our colleague and
the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. He had
that constant in Rob Gronkowski, and then it was Julian Edelman,
Wes Welkers, all these different guys that they can throw
in there to make plays happen, but it all boils
(28:53):
down to Patrick Mahomes being the one that's just distributing
the ball out.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Yeah, the.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
If you didn't listen to the show. Today, Nick Wright
and I discussed the Lebron and Russell Westbrook story, which
is really kind of tasty. So there's a book out
on Lebron's Laker career, and I had said when and
Russell Westbrook doesn't like Lebron, he thinks he's a phony,
and Lebron's not going to punch down. That's not Lebron
(29:22):
doesn't do that. So and I've talked to people around
Lebron's circle about Westbrook before, and you know their take is,
you know, Russell didn't like anybody. He doesn't get along
with anybody long term, which I don't know if that's
writer not. I think Russell Westbrook runs really really hot,
and I think he always has. But the Laker season
starts tonight, and.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Nick, right now, we're talking about this earlier.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It's interesting because Westbrook has such a kind of relentless
personality and it's probably a work to his detriment multiple times.
I mean getting into it with fans and teammates, and
I mean I think Westbrook one of those people that
sometimes steps in it, but he never asks anybody else
to clean his shoes. He steps in it, deals with it,
(30:06):
owns it, and moves on. So he's become kind of
a bounce around the NBA guy, huge energy guy, but
iowe was the mistake to me was the front office
of the Lakers. These guys were never built to play together.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
So in the New.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Laker book, you know, Westbrook is calling Lebron a phony.
Lebron's a billion dollar empire, and at this point he's
protecting his brand, so he's not going to talk about
this and that's just not Lebron Lebron, And I think
it's hard for a lot of athletes to relate to
Lebron when you get to Brady's level, rinaldo you know,
It's like when you get older with your net worth,
(30:42):
you're protecting it. You don't need to hit home runs,
you need to hit doubles. Lebron at this point just
didn't want to do anything dumb.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
He didn't want to.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Get in the way of potential advertising deals and revenue
and production deals.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
I get it.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Lebron's got his legacy, his rings, his points, He's got everything.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
He just don't want to screw it up. And he's
still was playing basketball.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
He wants to protect the brand, and so sometimes he's
a bit calculated. I think that's a completely fair criticism.
I don't think calculated equals phony. But that's how Westbrook
sees it. And I would say that's just Westbrook wears
his emotions on his sleeve. He puts it out there.
He's incredibly hot. You know, his temperature is Sometimes you
(31:24):
want him to turn the governor down a little.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Bit, but that's not who he is.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Here.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Here was Nick earlier on Lebron James.
Speaker 12 (31:31):
Now, what people have come down to is, you know what,
I don't like the cut of his jib, and I
think he lies about reading books he hasn't read. That's
my problem with Lebron, Like, give me a break. Yes,
of course he is calculated, and yes, of course anything
he says or does is going to be dissected, so
(31:51):
he has to.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Be very careful with it.
Speaker 12 (31:53):
But I think that he has handled that spotlight better
than quite literally any other athlete of our lives.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I mean, if you go back to Michael Jordan, Michael
Jordan had the gambling issue, like when he took a
couple of years off, so you know, Michael Michael retired
and went to baseball largely because he was exhausted. I
mean that was pre Twitter, pre social media. I mean,
I mean, Michael's just like, I got to step away
(32:22):
from this stuff. I can't go out the dinner and
it's daunting to be messy. Or Otani. It's almost an
advantage for Otani not.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
To speak English.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
I mean, it's almost like a built in advantage that
he can just you know, he doesn't have to answer
every question. Not that he would manipulate the media, but
I look at it and I think a little bit
of an advantage. I think being Lebron's difficult, I think,
and very few people can relate to it. Brady can
relate to it. You know. That's why Lebron. By the way,
(32:53):
Lebron invested in the English Premier League, and I think,
you know, he goes over there and he meets with
a star and they get it. If you're in London
and you're plan for a Man City or Man United.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It's a whole different. It's hard to relate.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I mean, it's you can't go out to dinner, and
that's been Lebron's life for twenty years. So I'm gonna
defend him. I don't think necessarily being calculated is phony.
It's brand protection, and the richest Americans and the richest
global oligarchs do it every day. I will see them
all
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 (00:25):
It's got a very interesting game Sunday. The Bills are
in no mood to fool around. They're at the Panthers Sunday.
Greg Olsen will be calling it Fox Sports and he
is joining me live.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
You know, I was, it's.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Interesting when you have a great I mean, you play
with Cam Newton, when you have a dynamic quarterback, everybody thinks, well,
things are easier, but you know a lot comes with that.
And I look at Buffalo, the team you're doing, and
I'm like, oh my.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
God, you want him to be Superman. But not too often.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
As you break down on the film on Buffalo, what
is is it just they need another perimeter weapon? Is
it that simple? Diagnose the problems? What you see in
a team right now that feels they're a little lost,
they're a little off center.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
Yeah, So I really just dove into their game, especially
the most recent game. You know, had to buy and
so the week before in the loss against Atlanta, and
so I saw the Bills in preseason up in Chicago.
Speaker 5 (01:25):
None of the real stars played.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Josh didn't play, but had a chance to spend some
time with McDermot, Joe Brady and a lot of those
guys from our Carolina days that we know. And I
think they know how good they can be. I think
they understand they have to continue to try to offload
as much as possible off Josh Allen. And now it
goes without saying he's the best player in the league,
the reigning MVP. The ball should be in his hand,
(01:49):
right And when you look at what they've been over
the last couple of years compared to what they really
tried to do, especially in the most recent game against Atlanta,
I actually really liked it. You know, you saw in
the Atlanta game their back. The more they're trying to
do some more under center play action first and second down,
playing with some bigger bodies, multiple tight ends, jumbo tight ends,
and trying to just get out of the mode where
(02:09):
Josh Stan's in the shotgun. Every ball snapped to him.
It's very hard to get play action out of the gun.
You're seeing a lot of the really good teams You've
been seeing Mahomes do it now more in Kansas City,
teams are starting to understand the best downs to throw
the ball are first and second, and the best way
to do it oftentimes is through play action. So I
think Buffalo is still trying to figure out what is
(02:33):
that blend between keeping Josh in the gun, snap it
to him and let him create both as a scramble runner,
a designed runner, and of course as a passer, but
also unloading some of the pressure and putting some more
on Cook in the run game, and putting some more
on the offensive line and generating some free open receivers
in the play.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Action layers and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So I think Joe Brady's still trying to figure out
what that balance is. But I like the Again, it
didn't result in a win, but I actually think going
forward that's gonna pay them some dividends.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Because I don't care how good you.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
Are every single play the ball being in the hands
of your shotgun quarterback to just expect it to make magic,
especially like to your point, you don't have like a
Justin Jefferson, a true star single receiver. I think teams
are finding it more and more difficult in today's NFL.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So I said, I watch body language a lot with
quarterbacks and coaches, and I watched Ben Johnson with Caleb
Williams and there's a resting, discouraged face. I look at
this offense, and I think Caleb's good at the podium.
I like the run game, I like the defense. I
think Ben's excellent and smart. Is it possible that Caleb's
(03:43):
gonna be a franchise quarterback. He's never going to be
sixty eight percent. You're gonna get a lot of big plays,
You're gonna get a lot of horsepower. I think he's
a good kid. But when I watch that offense, man,
do they leave a lot on the floor. There are
a lot of open and looks. He's you know, this
was the knock in college consistent accuracy, it's the knock
(04:05):
in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Is it possible?
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And I guess you could go back to Cam that
it's like, hey, listen, we just know what he is
and we know what he struggles with, and let's just
build around it.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
And I think you also have to look at the
point of where he is in his career. I mean,
you look at last year as almost a lost year, right.
I know he played a lot of games, but there
was a lot of dysfunction, there was a lot of turnover,
there was coaching changes. So you look at you know,
you look at your prior and you say, okay, what
really was the benefit from that? Well, now incomes Ben Johnson,
and I think you're seeing more and more franchises adopt.
(04:37):
You know, there's a very famous phrase, right that franchises
fail young quarterbacks more than young quarterbacks fail franchises. And
I think you're seeing it with what Kevin O'Connell is
doing with some of these rebirth of Sam Darnold, who
now continued it in Seattle. And you know, you're seeing
what goes on with so many of these quarterbacks that
were left for dead. They you know, they couldn't play.
Daniel Jones was was thrown out in New York. And
(05:00):
you don't make an argument Indianapolis is the best offense
in the league. If not, they're in the conversation as
the top two or three. So fit is such an
important part of all this, And then you factor in
just how young Caleb is and how fresh he is
in his NFL career. I think there's been great growth.
I think Ben Johnson is obviously wonderful at what he does.
I think his energy not only from an ex's and o's.
(05:21):
I think he's highly demanding. I think he comes across
this this nice guy, but I think he is a
real He is highly disciplined, holds guys to really high standards.
He's very clear in his communication, and I think that's
been good for Caleb. So I think we've seen a
ton of growth here through the first half, you know,
call it rough third to you know, forty percent of
(05:41):
the season thus far. I think the expectation is he
continues to improve. I don't think anyone in Chicago right
now should be having any conversations about looking anywhere else
for quarterback for the foreseeable future then Caleb Williams, because
he should just continue to improve.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Now, what is the ceiling?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Z Patrick Mahomes is he Josh Allen who knows, very
few guys are. But I think their trajectory, the improvement,
the turnaround we've seen already with to your point, a
lot of room left to grow. I think if I'm
a Bears fan, I'm highly encouraged.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
So you've been doing the tight end university down. I
think Nashville. Isn't that what you're holding every year? So
I saw I watched him play all last year at
Penn State.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Tyler Warren.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I saw him have seventeen catches against USC. He walks
into the league, I mean, even Antonio Gates, it took
him a year to find his space a little bit.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Or I don't.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I remember Gronk being very good very early, but he
had some injuries in college. I didn't know much about Gronk.
This kid has walked in and pretty much. I always say,
it's one thing to be productive, it's another to be
open all the time. Did you spot this kid years ago?
Did he come out of nowhere? Did you know about
Tyler Warren years ago?
Speaker 5 (06:59):
Yeah? I was just surprised that he wasn't the first
Titan taken. I'll be honest.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I know, you know the Bears took Loveland. I'm pretty
sure the Bears took Loveland, if I have that right
out of Michigan. So I thought the assumption was that
Warren was going to be the top pick. I think
I think Indianapolis from the very beginning did a really
nice job Chris Ballard, obviously Shane Stiken identifying just the
value that a kid like him to bring. I think
we all remember him from college lining up at wildcat
(07:24):
quarterback and some of the funky formations where he's lining up,
like I think there was the one play he was
the center in an unbalanced and he ended up catching
the ball like. They did a lot of really creative
things with him. But I think Shane Steiken is as
good of an offensive mind. You think back a couple
of years ago under Sirianni his offense, his offense and
that evolution of that team for their first Super Bowl
(07:46):
run when they ended up losing that game, we covered
then obviously he went and got the head job with
the Colts kind of disappeared maybe from the national scene
as like the offensive grou just because the Colts weren't
overly you know, competitive and had some struggles. But I
think now with Daniel Jones, the job he's done. I
think Tyler Warren coming into the league, you're exactly right.
(08:06):
When I came into the league years ago, there was
an assumption that tight ends took a couple of years
to adopt the NFL game.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
But you look.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Recently what Brock Bauers did last year in his first
year with the Raiders, and what Tyler Warren's doing. I mean,
we're starting to see a faster evolution, a faster growth.
I think part of that is just the tight end
position in college is a little bit more. It's less
guys making a position change. It's less guys. We're wide
receivers when they were young, or running backs. These kids
(08:34):
are now growing up. A lot of them, I know
Warren played some other positions, but they're growing up understanding
the position, playing true tight end at the college level.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
I think the.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
Job that Ben State did with Warren and now the
job that Shane Steiken is doing with him. He's leading
the league for tight ends and receiving yards. I think
he's like third in catches is just unheard of from
a rookie. And it seems like every game you watch
he's open, he's opening the end zone.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
He's dynamic with the ball.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
He's good enough that he could be on the field
on first and second down and get his nose bloody
and get in there and compete in the run game. Yeah,
he's I don't know if he's as dynamic as brought
Bowers from just like a speed and just that top end.
But from a production standpoint, now, the last two years
we've seen tight ends really take the NFL by storm,
and that's that's pretty hard to do.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
So when I watched Bo Nixon Jackson Dart this weekend,
I mean, neither's got a huge arm. I think Jackson
darts arms pretty good. There's something to be said about confidence,
and when I watched that game, my takeaway was more
than anything, they're not overwhelmed by it. They're totally confident.
(09:48):
Guys like Jackson darts like bring it on, bring that
the I mean he made a bad pick. I always
said my favorite part of Andrew Luck he would throw
terrible picks, laugh, blame himself, grab his helmet and throw
the ball right at you again, like had a short memory.
I think, I don't know. You've been around pro athletes
your whole life. I watched Dart and bow Nicks. I
(10:09):
can see the self belief as a consumer watching on television.
That's what I saw Sunday Darts. Not afraid going to
Denver on the road altitude that defense you played there,
Brady struggled there.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
That's a rough place to play.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Yeah, I mean, watching that game, I was in the
airport in Minneapolis getting ready to fly home for my game,
and just you know, it was nineteen nothing.
Speaker 5 (10:34):
They'd go for two. They don't get it. We could
discuss whether.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
That was right or wrong, and then the series of
events that played out from that moment. Obviously, how the
game ended on the field goal was just I couldn't
even believe what I was watching, just from a game flow,
in the back and forth.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
But as far as the two young quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Yeah, I mean, there's a notion in the NFL the
only guys that aren't going to have bad days, and
the only guys that aren't gonna play and have bad
you know, have bad moments, and the guys that stand
on the sideline, Like if you're afraid to make mistakes,
if you're afraid to throw picks, if you're afraid to
drop the ball, fumble, whatever your position is, if the
fear of failure paralyzes you, you're gonna find yourself standing
on the sideline quite a bit in this league, because
(11:14):
bad things are gonna happen, Things are going to go
against you, and and the guys that have this uncanny
ability to rally and to get their get their confidence back.
You don't know if they've thrown three picks or three
or three touchdowns, their command of the huddle, the way
they interact with.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
Their teammates on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
I mean Jackson dar and I know they lost, But
when he came off the sideline after his little quarterback
design run on the goal line, which was a great
play design that he you know, he extends the ball,
he gets the touchdown. I know it ended in heartbreak
and bo Nicks deserves a lot of credit. But like
when he came off the sideline, the way he greeted
his coaches, the way he greeted the veterans on the team,
(11:53):
you can just tell they don't look at him as
like you're a fun story, you're the rookie, but like
you stand over. He is arguably the ringleader of that group.
And he's only started now a couple games. So certain
guys have that personality. They have a little charisma. There's
a belief that when they're on the field, we have
a chance. And I love his energy. Is he gonna
(12:15):
throw picks, Yes, he's he gonna have bad decisions. Of course,
he's gonna continue to get better. You can't teach competitive spirit.
You either have it or you don't, and I think
both those young quarterbacks have it.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Speaker 6 (12:35):
Hey it's me Rock Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast,
Inside the Parker, for twenty two minutes of piping hot
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Whether you believe in analytics or the I Test, We've
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(12:56):
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Speaker 1 (13:05):
The Chiefs look like the best team in the league
by a touchdown, do they not? It's I said this,
It's amazing. They do a great job of everybody makes mistakes,
every GM whiffs it's impossible. They identify very quickly mistakes.
They don't let pride or ego get in the way.
You know, it's they've got a sail boat mentality. Even
(13:27):
though they're an aircraft carrier. They can turn very quickly.
Like doesn't work, does work? Let's bring juju back? Doesn't work?
I watch Kansas City and I'm like, I feel so
much of their successes upstairs is before the snap. I
don't know, you've been around a lot, you talk to
a lot of players. I think sometimes they're functioning at
(13:49):
just a higher level than everybody else.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Yeah, and I think the part that you nailed is
just their ability to reinvent themselves and don't feel like
they need to play the same cookie cutter approach week
in week out, let alone, season in season out. You know,
and if you take a look at the last handful
of years, right that the year they won the Super Bowl,
when they beat Philadelphia, we covered a bunch of those.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Obviously we covered the Super Bowl, we covered that part.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
They transitioned themselves through that draft, and obviously Spags, the
defensive coordinator, is one of the best in the business.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
They went from a.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Quarterback led offensive court, offensive head coach and Andy Reid
and Mahomes and superstars, offensive driven. They knew they needed
to invest themselves in all those young defensive talent, and
they took their lumps early in that year, and that
young defense got better and better and better, and then it.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Kind of flipped on its head.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
The following year, the offense really struggled, does Mahomes have
enough weapons? And all of a sudden, this young, this
young defense, you've now become a defensive lead team. And
then they went from a shotgun We're going to throw
the ball in every down and put the ball on
Mahomes's hand to you know what, we're we're out, Rashi
Rice Xavier Worthy's out. We might have to get under
center a little bit more. And that's not really when
(15:00):
Andy and Patrick Mahomes have been in their Kansas City
Chief days, they're throwing at thirty five times a game
from gun, but they don't have to play the same
style of game to beat you. It could be offensive lead,
it could be defensive lead. When one is struggling the
other teams to always kind of elevate their game. I
think now as you see them get healthy, I think
now as you see them start getting some of their
(15:21):
offensive weapons back, you're starting to see that offense click.
I think from a I'm with you, I think from
a well rounded balanced offense, defense, youth superstars at the
correct positions, I think, and then obviously Andy Reid being
one of the all time greats as a head coach
play caller. I think when you add it all up,
if they continue to stay healthy and they continue to
(15:43):
keep these guys on the field that they've gotten back,
I'm with you, don't it's going to be very hard,
especially some of the AFC teams that we had high
hopes for are coming into the year that have really
had disappointing seasons, with the exception of Buffalo. Like, who
do you really feel confident in the AFC? The game
on the line is ready right now to beat them,
and I think the answer is nobody.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah, That's how I feel.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Greg Olsen, Fox Sports, as always, it's great.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
It's great chatting. I love talking to you.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Man, appreciate it. Colin so always good to be on.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Then he's got the Bills and the Panthers this weekend.
Bryce Young's beat up UH and Buffalo's in a bad mood.
So I think Buffalo's going to score some points this weekend.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
J Mack with the news. Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 7 (16:36):
All right, Colin, you're all excited about the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
This big winning streak they're on. They're hot.
Speaker 7 (16:42):
They got Rachi Rice. Oh let's not look into who
they beat. Anyways, Andy Reid.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Was impressed with this Rashi Rice debut, absolutely cooking the Raiders.
Here's what Reid said about his star receiver.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
It was great to have him back.
Speaker 9 (16:58):
I think you saw got my voice. I think you
saw him what the trust that Pat has in him
and which is so important for you know, it so
important for the U, Pat and the and the guys.
I thought he came out and functioned at a high
(17:20):
level for being gone for this time. I mean, it's
crazy that he can come back and.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Do what he did.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah, Hollywood Brown, Juju Smith, Schuster, Travis Kelsey, Xavier Worthy
for she Rice.
Speaker 8 (17:34):
Who could stop that lineup?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Geez?
Speaker 7 (17:38):
I mean it's like Jerry Rice, John Taylor. I mean
this is like, I mean that receiving core is legendary.
Just to recap, though, let's go over the case he wins,
shall we. So they beat the Raiders, who might be
a bottom four team in the league Night thirty one Nothing.
Raiders had like ninety yards of offense. The week before that,
they beat the Lions, who we know have very ordinary
(18:01):
away from the friendly confines of Detroit's Dome. Before that,
they lost to the Jags. Remember that choke job who
could forget and then don't forget that Baltimore win.
Speaker 8 (18:12):
Oh that's right.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
Lamar got hurt midway through the game, and the Ravens
defense hasn't stopped anyway, So we can get excited. Yes,
the Chiefs look better, that's undeniable. They're gonna smash the
Jaden Daniels list Washington commanders this week.
Speaker 8 (18:26):
By the way, they're ten point favorites. I think you
just need to have some context around this dominance that
you're excited about.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
All right, my eyes don't lie, but both thanks, Yeah.
Speaker 8 (18:37):
The eye test that always fails. Anyways, let's move.
Speaker 7 (18:39):
One to the Miami Doltons, Colin, how about that one
in six? Lots of issues on both sides of the ball,
but Mike McDaniel's job is currently safe, according to Ian Rappaport.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
And on other reporters.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
As for Tua, he threw six picks in the last
two weeks. Mike McDaniels was initially noncommittal about Toa's role
following the game, but he addressed his Week eight starter yesterday.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
Specifically, when you're having or when you go through a
performance like that, you know, I never I don't see
it as you know, all on a player, all on
a coach. It's a working relationship and we both have
to get better together. He's going to take the snaps
this week and he's gonna be the start of this week,
(19:26):
and my expectation is that we don't throw ten picks.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Get a little salty.
Speaker 8 (19:36):
Well, I mean, when your job's on the line.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
You got to two, by the way, three fumbles since
Week six, six interceptions for the math majors out there,
that's nine turnovers in the last two games. Called holy hell.
So they got the falcons this week. Now, you know,
I like the falcons that are dome. But can you
lay seven with Michael Pennox against his Dolphins team. That's
(19:58):
a great teaser, Like can you do in the blazon five?
That's too complicated for the audience?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Oh my god, come on, our audience is a bunch
of road I got a bunch of people yelling at
me when I started doing over unders, and I've hit
on all of them. I think I think I'm like
four or four or five and five that people get
they want just picks. I thought people just wanted money.
That's what I thought. That's what I want. So that's
why I do one a week. I do an over
and under. I just haven't I have an under and
(20:24):
an over. I like this week, I'm gonna pick one
of them.
Speaker 8 (20:27):
So basically, you're telling me these guys you're.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
Giving them free jet skis, and they're like, no, I
don't want a jet ski.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I'm giving diamond rings, four carrots. Not interested?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
All right.
Speaker 7 (20:36):
The final story, Colin, is NBA time. Oh yeah, got
some heat here on the staff for loving the NBA. Listen,
we're we're gonna do some of my knicks here, Colin
and Carl Anthony Towns. Right, you had a good season
last year. Nicks made the Eastern Conference finals, but they
fire their coach. The new coach is a guy named
Mike Brown. Well, Carl Anthony Towns, remember the season starts tonight.
(20:59):
Carl Anthony town Is asked about his role in the
new offense, and he said he doesn't really know what
his new role is going to be. Oh, and said
we're figuring it out now. If that doesn't sound like
a guy who's getting shipped for Yannis FedEx? I mean,
just send him to Milwaukee right now. Bring Onis.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Milwaukee's got Miles Turner and a bunch of guys jacking
up threes. So maybe they don't want to make him.
Why do they want Karl Anthony Towns.
Speaker 7 (21:23):
No, No, they got to get rid of Yannis before
they lose him for nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I'd be careful Miles Turner, h Yannis and a bunch
of guys jacking up threes. They'll be better defensively this
year with Miles and no Dame what happens in the East,
I wouldn't be shot. I'm dead serious. Orlando, Cleveland, New York, Milwaukee.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
What separates them? Honest, Milwaukee.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I'm just Yannis is on any given night, the best
player in the league. Miles Turner. We watched them in
the finals. Excellent player, smart, veteran guy. You know what
you're getting every night from him? Rim Protector can hit
a jumper, Miles Turner's a tough guy, can defend, and
then they're shooting a ton of threes. They'll be better defensively.
The East is wide open. That's why I pick Orlando.
Speaker 7 (22:07):
Y You're crazy on this move I got a text
from my agent j Mack. Do you want to be
the sixth man on the Milwaukee Bucks? That's how bad
they are? I said, I'd rather be on the Herd.
I don't want to go lose fifty games and live
in Milwaukee. They are not good. They're not top eight
in the East. Colin not even that. I don't even
know if they're a play in.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
If you have the best team, and if you have
the best player in the East with Tatum and Halliburton out,
if you have the best player in the East, Jannis,
you're a playoff.
Speaker 7 (22:33):
Hey how about this, say, well, better steak dinner since
you owe me thirty all right, Atlanta Hawks have a
better record than the Bucks this year.
Speaker 3 (22:39):
The Hawks will be interesting.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
There you go.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
I mean, I'm not not like I'm saying the Wizards
or the Hornets and your.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
Guy LaMelo Ball.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
I just think you know this situation in the East,
Knicks are gonna be great and Carl in j Town's
just trade them for Yannis.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Now, I don't I.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Wouldn't want Why would I want Carl Anthony truck Towns.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
What's the.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
I'm giving you, Yannis. I'm telling you the team to
watch out for. If I'm giving you Yannis like like Dallas,
I want Lively.
Speaker 8 (23:11):
Cooper flag, I'm asking for you.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
I mean seriously, I want Cooper Flagging, Lively and two
first round pick. I'm giving you the best player in
a conference.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
Do we giais is pretty damn good?
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:23):
By the way, how many have you looked at any
gambling props for the Lakers tonight on the their season opener.
Speaker 8 (23:29):
Who's are going for a thirty piece?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Don't bet the NBA in October?
Speaker 8 (23:34):
I know, I know it's kidding around. Can I text
you during the game?
Speaker 5 (23:37):
Will you be awake?
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (23:39):
How late?
Speaker 1 (23:40):
I stayed up till last night to watch that awful
Seahawk performance.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
It was terrible.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
It was one of the worst. I mean it was
thank god they won. But oh I had him in
the hurt hierarchy.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I bounced him.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
I called Kyle. I text Kyle this morning. Get him
out of there. I don't want them on the board.
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news. Thanks
for stopping by the Herd line news.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Yeah, the herd hierarchy.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
More in Chicago, it's the Herd.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
in neon Eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one, and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
So if the playoffs begin today, and I do apologize
to the radio audience, but we have these cool graphics
of the AFC on the left and the NFC on
the right, the top seven teams fourteen get in that
would be in the playoffs. Now we put in both
the AFC the one team that's just outside the playoffs
(24:47):
in both conferences. So right now, the number one seed
in the AFC is the Colts and the Patriots. Third
seeds Denver, Forced seeds Pittsburgh. Those are division winning teams.
Wild Card teams would be Buffalo, Chargers, Jags. The team
just on the outside would be Kansas City. I think
Kansas City gets in either by wild card, which I
(25:10):
predicted before the year. Denver's leading the division, Kansas City's
a wild card. That's what I had predicted before the year.
I had the Chargers making it, and I do think
as they get healthy, the Chargers will be a playoff team.
I don't have a ton of trust in Jacksonville. They're
just too goofy and squirrely, and I don't trust Pittsburgh,
although I do think they have the good culture. So
(25:32):
I think Kansas City gets in and Pittsburgh or Jacksonville misses.
In the NFC, I think this is what it's going
to look like. It doesn't take long for the cream
to rise to the top. I mean, Mike Rabels turned
around the Patriots in five six seven weeks. Green Bay
is the number one seed, followed by the incredibly resilient
San Francisco forty nine ers. I'd give Shanahan the coach
(25:55):
of the year. I can't believe with the injuries there
at five and two, Eagles three Tampa four. Wild card
is Detroit, Seattle in LA. Regardless of the order, I
think the NFC is pretty clear. Chicago's on the outside
looking in now. If they beat Baltimore and if Lamar plays,
I don't suspect they will. John Harbaugh is great in
(26:17):
a bye. I don't see Chicago right now is consistent
enough to be a playoff team. So I think the
NFC playoff picture, this is what's going to look like,
doesn't have to be in that order. In the AFC,
I think Jacksonville's improved, but a little bit of fools
gold and you know, if Pittsburgh knocks off Green Bay
and turns the five and two, then I'm wrong, But
(26:39):
I think Kansasity makes their way in. But it does
go to show, you know, we're we're seven weeks in.
You know we're we're forty percent through the NFL season,
and you know the picture. There's clarity very quickly, very quickly.
New England Mike Frabel five six weeks already built the culture.
(27:00):
Washington is not going to be the same team they
were last year. It's very clear. Jaden's hurt. They don't
have the same juice. They caught everybody by surprise. Now
everybody's got tape. By the way, Jayden Daniels was great
last year and the struggled this year. Funny Bonnick's pretty
good both years.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
This is what I see.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
So yeah, I think I think the NFL playoff picture,
I don't see massive changes. I do think when Hampton
gets back, and I think when the Chargers get healthier.
Speaker 3 (27:28):
They can't run the ball.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Right now, well they're on their third running back, so
I think the Chargers will right the ship. They have
too good of a coach and too good a quarterback, play,
solid defense, I you know, a few years ago, Tennessee
was the number one seed. Rabel was a coach, Tannehill
was the quarterback, and they got bounced by Cincinnati. I
don't think that's this Colts team. I think they're really formidable.
(27:52):
I think they're online. I think their playmakers are great,
Daniel Jones and Tannehill. That comp may be close, but
I and I have for years. I think their rosters excellent.
And Green Bay is a very squishy number one seed
in the NFC. I just I want more. I'm not
getting it. I think right now the NFC, and this
(28:13):
wasn't the case the previous three years. I think the
NFC is much deeper than the AFC. It's just with
Kansas City, the best team could be in the AFC.
Here's yesterday RG three was talking about the resurgence of
the Chiefs now that they have all their wide receivers healthy.
Speaker 11 (28:31):
What I've been most impressed with is Mahomes's ability to
get it done with anybody. And I think that is
early reminiscent of what we saw from our colleague and
the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. He had
that constant in Rob Gronkowski, and then it was Julian Edelman,
Wes Welkers, all these different guys that they can throw
in there to make plays happen, but it all boils
(28:53):
down to Patrick Mahomes being the one that's just distributing
the ball out.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
Yeah, the.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
If you didn't listen to the show. Today, Nick Wright
and I discussed the Lebron and Russell Westbrook story, which
is really kind of tasty. So there's a book out
on Lebron's Laker career, and I had said when and
Russell Westbrook doesn't like Lebron, he thinks he's a phony,
and Lebron's not going to punch down. That's not Lebron
(29:22):
doesn't do that. So and I've talked to people around
Lebron's circle about Westbrook before, and you know their take is,
you know, Russell didn't like anybody. He doesn't get along
with anybody long term, which I don't know if that's
writer not. I think Russell Westbrook runs really really hot,
and I think he always has. But the Laker season
starts tonight, and.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Nick, right now, we're talking about this earlier.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
It's interesting because Westbrook has such a kind of relentless
personality and it's probably a work to his detriment multiple times.
I mean getting into it with fans and teammates, and
I mean I think Westbrook one of those people that
sometimes steps in it, but he never asks anybody else
to clean his shoes. He steps in it, deals with it,
(30:06):
owns it, and moves on. So he's become kind of
a bounce around the NBA guy, huge energy guy, but
iowe was the mistake to me was the front office
of the Lakers. These guys were never built to play together.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
So in the New.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Laker book, you know, Westbrook is calling Lebron a phony.
Lebron's a billion dollar empire, and at this point he's
protecting his brand, so he's not going to talk about
this and that's just not Lebron Lebron, And I think
it's hard for a lot of athletes to relate to
Lebron when you get to Brady's level, rinaldo you know,
It's like when you get older with your net worth,
(30:42):
you're protecting it. You don't need to hit home runs,
you need to hit doubles. Lebron at this point just
didn't want to do anything dumb.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
He didn't want to.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Get in the way of potential advertising deals and revenue
and production deals.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
I get it.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Lebron's got his legacy, his rings, his points, He's got everything.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
He just don't want to screw it up. And he's
still was playing basketball.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
He wants to protect the brand, and so sometimes he's
a bit calculated. I think that's a completely fair criticism.
I don't think calculated equals phony. But that's how Westbrook
sees it. And I would say that's just Westbrook wears
his emotions on his sleeve. He puts it out there.
He's incredibly hot. You know, his temperature is Sometimes you
(31:24):
want him to turn the governor down a little.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Bit, but that's not who he is.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Here.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Here was Nick earlier on Lebron James.
Speaker 12 (31:31):
Now, what people have come down to is, you know what,
I don't like the cut of his jib, and I
think he lies about reading books he hasn't read. That's
my problem with Lebron, Like, give me a break. Yes,
of course he is calculated, and yes, of course anything
he says or does is going to be dissected, so
(31:51):
he has to.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Be very careful with it.
Speaker 12 (31:53):
But I think that he has handled that spotlight better
than quite literally any other athlete of our lives.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
I mean, if you go back to Michael Jordan, Michael
Jordan had the gambling issue, like when he took a
couple of years off, so you know, Michael Michael retired
and went to baseball largely because he was exhausted. I
mean that was pre Twitter, pre social media. I mean,
I mean, Michael's just like, I got to step away
(32:22):
from this stuff. I can't go out the dinner and
it's daunting to be messy. Or Otani. It's almost an
advantage for Otani not.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
To speak English.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
I mean, it's almost like a built in advantage that
he can just you know, he doesn't have to answer
every question. Not that he would manipulate the media, but
I look at it and I think a little bit
of an advantage. I think being Lebron's difficult, I think,
and very few people can relate to it. Brady can
relate to it. You know. That's why Lebron. By the way,
(32:53):
Lebron invested in the English Premier League, and I think,
you know, he goes over there and he meets with
a star and they get it. If you're in London
and you're plan for a Man City or Man United.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It's a whole different. It's hard to relate.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
I mean, it's you can't go out to dinner, and
that's been Lebron's life for twenty years. So I'm gonna
defend him. I don't think necessarily being calculated is phony.
It's brand protection, and the richest Americans and the richest
global oligarchs do it every day. I will see them
all
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