October 29, 2024 • 44 mins
Richard Sherman reacts to Russell Wilson leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a victory over Daniel Jones and the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in Week 8 of the NFL season. Russ looked like his old self from the Seattle Seahawks as he sliced up the Giants defense by feeding George Pickens and Calvin Austin III. Are the 6-2 Steelers a contender in the AFC? Also, Richard reacts to reports that Christian McCaffrey has experienced "no setbacks" and is set to return to San Francisco 49ers practice, Trevon Diggs getting into it with a Dallas Cowboys reporter, Tyrique Stevenson drawing criticism for taunting fans at the end of the Chicago Bears loss to the Washington Commanders, and Sean Payton clapping back at Jaycee Horn after the Denver Broncos blowout of the Carolina Panthers. Finally, Sherm previews the Thursday Night Football matchup on Prime Video between C.J. Stroud's Houston Texans and Aaron Rodgers' unraveling New York Jets.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 2 (01:47):
Don't foo Bowl championships. That should always be the expectation.
All right, man, ex you go ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast, brought to you
by our friends and partners over at Brightling Again, got us,
got us shining. We appreciate you, guys. It's been a crazy, crazy,
crazy week.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Again.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I don't know what else there is to say about
Mike Tomlin in the job that he's done with the
Pittsburgh Steelers, but I want to talk about the Denver
Broncos too. Because my goodness, Vans Joseph has that defense
playing incredibly this entire season. And then you look up
and bow Knicks has his best game as a pro,
throws three touchdown. Well is responsible for three touchdowns in
(02:31):
that well, four touchdowns he threw for three, he ran
one in. Just an excellent performance by him. The Chargers
have a defense who would have thunk it. I mean,
it's been talented for years, but they're actually putting it
on tape.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Mitchell, what's going on, Richard? It's a weird season.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I mean, there's a lot of teams coming out of
nowhere that no one thought about, you know, the Washington Commanders,
like you said, the Denver Broncos. There's some teams starting
to rise. And I think one of those teams, frankly,
was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who saw tonight take on the
New York Giants come out with the win at home.
I think the story of this game is Russell Wilson
(03:09):
looks like his old self, rich I don't. I'm starting
to kind of catch some vibes of him back in Seattle.
He's given these receivers opportunities to make big plays down
the field, and George Pickens. I mean, shoot, he could
have had a couple extra touchdowns today if not for
those being called back for penalties and holding calls.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But Richard, let's start with Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I mean, what are your thoughts with Russell Wilson now
in his second game, coming out victorious again.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Do you think this team?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Do you think russ is back and the Steelers are
going to be competitive for the rest of the season.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, they look really good. He's he had some pinpoint
passes throughout the game. You look at the past the
George Pickens, the one where he rolled down to the right,
hit him in the end zone, obviously called back for
a holding call. Then he hit Pickens on another pinpoint
pass on a corner route in the end zone. Pickens
when unable to get his left foot down. Then you
look up. He threw an explosive to Pickens with it
(04:06):
just hit him in the hands. Pickens made an incredible
grab between two defenders, a dime of a pass. He
played a really good game and it's opening things up
again for Najie Harris, who has another one hundred yard game.
He just looked really good, really powerful running through guys.
The Giants don't have the best run defense, but he
exploited them every chance that he got defensively.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
You already know Cam Hayward.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I mean they just paid him, and he's showing what
he can do, showing that age ain't nothing but a number.
He's consistently getting it in again.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
TJ.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Watt, multiple years leading the league in sacks, forces a sack,
force fumble and recovers it himself to finish the game.
Was causing wrecking havoc the entirety of this game. And
then Alex high Smith back in healthy two sacks, could
have probably had two or three more, just was really
getting after it. This team looks really good. George Pickens
I mentioned did a lot of things. But Calvin Austin,
(05:01):
let's talk about Calvin Austin. How you really broke this
game open. The punt return score tied nine to nine,
no touchdowns, both defenses standing up big time in the
red zone, and he returns the punt. I think it
was seventy three yards for a touchdown. Next thing you know,
nixt a couple of drives later, Russell Wilson hits him
in the end zone, his only touchdown passing the game
(05:23):
that counted. I mean that they didn't call back for
a penalty touchdown, beautiful play, two touchdowns in a game,
fifty four yards, three catches George Pickens four catches seventy
four yards, but two sacks by TJ.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Watt.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
It was really just an overall strong performance, but a
little bit of concern them, a little bit of concern
if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, just because the Giants just
aren't very good and they haven't been. They benched their
first round corner Deontay Banks, just didn't wasn't playing with
enough effort. Got called out last week, I benched this week.
(05:57):
You wonder what's going on there. They just could not
convert in the red zone. And obviously, you know we
talk about the plays that got called back. We mentioned
them to George Pickens, multiple touchdowns, one of them he
just didn't get his foot down. Another penalty on the play.
But just I think there were zero for three or
zero for four in the red zone and that just
has to change. And that's one of those moments where
(06:20):
you wonder if there's some kind of package for to
get justin fields in the game, because in those situations
in previous games they had just run him in.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
He just ran it in.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He ranted in multiple times, and those pretty much identical situations.
And Russell Wilson's passed it in a few times. But
obviously those plays didn't count. But that's just something to
keep an eye on as the season progresses. Can they
convert in that red zone because against a better team,
you have to get those points. It's the same thing
the San Francisco forty nine ers are dealing with you.
(06:50):
You cannot keep giving three points three points, three points
in a game against competitive teams and a competitive division
you play in the Baltimore Ravens. I don't think three
points gets you that win. But great win by this team.
Beanie Bishop another interception, he got two versus the Jets
last week, got another one to seal this game. Daniel
Jones played a solid game. You know he was under
(07:14):
the rest they were. They hit him from beginning to
enter this game. He didn't have very many opportunities to
push the ball down the field. When he did, he
was mostly accurate when he had time and he and
he didn't get hit or he didn't have a guy
in his lap. Auzz Ajilari had two sacks. Brian Burns
sacked three quarterback hits. Dexter Lawrence was was just disruptive
(07:37):
the entire day. Tyrone Tracy looked magnificent again twenty Carris
for one, but went out late with the injury, so
you hope he's okay. You saw the late fumble by
Russell Wilson, uh forced by Okaka, a Stanford guy. You know,
you thought that play might might have some bearing on
(07:58):
that game, but fortunately they have TJ. Watt and he
just gave it right back to that offense. A huge
played by him. Great game, another win. Heading into the
bye week, they're number one in the AFC North, which
has been consistently a tough division, which has been owned
by Baltimore for the last few years. They've been really dominated.
So we'll see what he comes down to.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, well, Richard, they are number one in the AFC North.
So what is the ceiling for this team? Because they,
I mean, they've beaten some teams. I mean, the Giants
are the Giants, but they played a competitive game tonight.
But they got two measuring stick games coming up here
at the Commanders and then at home against the Ravens.
(08:38):
What is the ceiling for this Pittsburgh Steelers team because
it seems like six and two, are they really that good?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Well?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Yeah, I mean I feel like that's something you always
say about the Pittsburgh Steelers because Mike Tomlin touch a
great coach and no matter who's the quarterback, no matter
what the defense is doing, how many injuries were mounting up,
he finds a way to get this team winning ball games,
competitive in every single game. And and they're getting some
some some fortunate bounces this year, which is what you
need as well. But they're playing good football. They're winning
(09:08):
the grinded out battle games. He made the tough decision
about the quarterback, bringing Russell Wilson in when when Justin
Fields was already four and two. Russell Wilson has won
the past two games. They're going into a bye week obviously,
if he if he can find a way to beat
the pitt I mean the Baltimore Ravens multiple times this year,
I think that that starts the conversation and really put
(09:29):
them in contention. But right now, you know, they're a
feel good story with a phenomenal defense. Najie Harris is
looking like the guy they expected him to be when
they drafted him. Russell Wilson has played two really good games,
and again he's still knocking to rust off. Only two
games into the season for him and his eight for
everybody else, so expect him to still you know, get
his footing under him. You saw a few times he
(09:51):
ran the ball where he just didn't look like himself
and and you know, made the right decision to slide
or get to the ground. And I'm sure Pittsburgh fans
are like, keep going, get the most yards, but he's
keeping himself safe. You want your quarterback safe. But this
team is looking good and it's I'm interested to see
because again you're not gonna really measure it until you
see them play Baltimore Ravens, who have been in the
(10:13):
class at this division.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And in terms of the New York Giants, is it
safe to say this team is a quarterback away from
being a playoff team because they got some good pieces
on the defensive side and the ball. You look at
their d line, I mean Brian Burns, I mean, obviously
Thibodeau's out right now, but Dexter, Lawrence oziz jalare. They
(10:36):
got guys stepping up. And then offensively, Tyrone Tracy looks
pretty darn good you partner him with Malik Neighbors. To me,
it seems like if the Giants can somehow find their
way into the top five and land a good quarterback,
if you were to put Jayden Daniels on this team
right now, I think we might be seeing a similar
situation in New York that we're seeing in Washington. Am
(10:57):
I wrong thinking like that?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Rich?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, I mean you're not totally wrong. I can see
what you're saying. But without Andrew Thomas in the lineup,
they're they're great left tackle. Uh No, they're not with
him in the lineup and totally healthy. I can see it.
You know, obviously, I think they whipped on Deonday Banks.
It's just not nothing like the guy. And maybe he
figures it out and things turn around for him. But
(11:20):
I think you got to draft some all interior offensive
linemen uh to help uh, and then you get a
quarterback somebody who can who can manage the game, to
make moves. Because I think that Dave bo is drawing
it up pretty well right now. I think he's doing
a good job with this team, and really Maximott and
the talent that they have, I think they hit on
a number of draft picks this season. And yeah, I
(11:43):
don't know about playoffs, but I think they definitely be
a lot more competitive, especially in this NFC East. But
they just aren't healthy right now too. You know, one
of the best players is on ir right now now,
so you can't really judge what they could truly be,
you know. And even Daniel Jones when he had time,
he looked better than he had today.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
It's times he threw some really accurate passes, then times
where he sailed it. But you know, that's what you
come to expect from Daniel Jones. But I don't know
if they're they're just a quarterback away. But there they
keep playing like this, they're gonna be drafting early enough
to get one.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Richard.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Let's turn the page a little bit here. Let's take
it to one of your favorite topics of San Francisco
forty nine ers. They finally got some good news on
the injury front. Christian McCaffrey has had no setbacks and
is on track to practice next week.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Richard wrote, how big of a boost.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Is this gonna give this San Francisco forty nine er
locker room If Christian McCaffrey is indeed back after the
bye week.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Well, you really can't measure it. You can't measure it
how big this is for this team because his impact
is tough to measure. Obviously, coming off an Offensive Player
of the Year season last season helped them get to
the Super Bowl. And I had a really good conversation
with him when I was in San Francisco last week
for the Chiefs game. And you talk about somebody doing
(13:06):
every single thing in their power to make sure they
can get back this season. Not hey, well we'll figure
it out next year, let's play it. Say no, this
guy is going to every length that he can to
make sure that he is able to play this season.
He's going to give it a shot. And I wish
(13:26):
that I could really go into detail about all the
things that he's doing, but just know nine or faithful,
this man has done everything in his power, went through
pains and lengths to get himself and his body ready
to play and be able to perform on the field.
So kudos to him. Kudos to the San Francisco forty
nine ers training staff working with him and making sure
(13:46):
that that they're diligent and all of his rehab and
he's able to play. And also Juwan Jennings looks like
he may be able to play. That'll be another huge boost.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I think Drake Laws still up in the air. Maybe
later in the season, maybe December. But again, all these
things are really positive. This offense, it will look totally
different with Christian mcgett, caffrey and they and they made
it work without him. You know, they looked good. Isaac
Garrindo looked good last week at and Spurts against the
Dallas Cowboys. You saw the speed, the four to three speed.
(14:20):
That's why they draft him, the kind of so he
may be a change up back and somebody who could
spail Christian McCaffrey. Obviously, Jordan Mason will figure out what's
going on with his shoulder. But yeah, I think this
is something real and could be really fun. They have
the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Packers, and Beals, so a really tough.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Stretch, but.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
All games they can win, all winnable games for the
San Francisco forty nine ers if they play their best,
but really tough games the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield.
You know, it's looking like they be there will be
without Chris Godwin and perhaps Mike Evans for that game,
which would be a huge loss for them, but positive
(15:00):
news for the San Francisco forty nine ers. But Diamador
and Lenore is having an all pro season, making plays
left and right, so I can't wait to see him
in this lineup for the next four games as well.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think the Richard Truman podcast might have been, you know,
predicting good fortune from Diama door Lenoir a long time ago.
I know you've got ties with him back in Compton, right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah, Mitchell, Mitchell, sometimes you just know a dog when
you sees it. I guess you called it.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
You called it long ago, and I will give you your
props on that, no question. This NFC West race, I
don't think we can speak highly enough about it. It's crazy.
I don't think anyone saw it coming. Four teams at Forum,
or three teams at four and four and another one
at three and four in the Rams. Richard, if Christian
(15:52):
McCaffrey is indeed healthy, how confident do you feel with
the forty nine ers coming out on top of this division.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I still don't know, Mitchell. This this division has just
texted me. It perplexed me, and so I really, I'm
just gonna let it play out because I my predictions
have been off, because my predictions are based on stats
and facts and trends, et cetera, et cetera, And this
season has just every time you think you understand, they
just say no. You know, you think, hey, the Baltimore
(16:21):
Ravens are gonna beat the bread No they aren't. You think, oh,
San Francisco forty nine ers against the Rams, they're banged up.
No Cooper Cup, no, no pooking the cool, No Rams win.
You think, oh, the Seattle Seahawks got getting it rolled
and they got to figure it out. Nope, they get
banged up. And you're like, I just cannot call it
right now. So this division, I don't have the answers
(16:42):
for this one, Mitchell, I do not have the answers.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Let me let me make a prediction.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think it's gonna come down to the La Rams
and the San Francisco forty nine ers. That's just my prediction.
We'll leave it there. Let's turn the chapter here again.
The Dallas Cowboys. I mean, you want to talk about
a team that's the oralized and my Lions beat him up.
Then they had a bye week. Then they go on
the road and get and get beat up again for
(17:06):
the third time in a row, going to San Francisco
and losing in tough fashion. And then it bleeds over
into this situation with the Trayvon Diggs and a reporter,
he says. He says to the reporter after I guess
he questions his lack of effort against covering George Kittle,
you don't know football. You can't do nothing that I
can do. You can't go out there and do nothing.
Stay in your lane, Buddy, Richard. You've been on a
(17:31):
lot of teams. You've been on a lot of successful teams.
I don't know how many down years you've necessarily had
in this league, but I'm sure you've been on a
losing streak in your professional career. And emotions can get
the best of people. But what what do you think
is going through Digg's head right now? I mean, how
chaotic is this Dallas Cowboys team?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Do you believe?
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Well, he's frustrated. You know, it's not funny his competitor.
He wants to win. And you heard him on Michael
Parson's podcast. He explained, you know, I was frustrated. I
went in locker room. You know, everybody has access to
phones and social media. I guess the guy had posted
something and he saw it in real time and had
just walked past the guy and said, you know, hey,
like what are we doing? And and you run into
(18:12):
these situations sometimes, and I don't think the public understands.
You got guys like like Grant Cohn out and out
in San Francisco, you know, just a guy that's an antagonist,
you know, always just just saying spiteful, ridiculous stuff to
trigger a reaction, or to trigger a headline, or to
get attention. You know, things that are incendiary, you know,
and disrespectful at times to players. And so you know,
(18:34):
when you get to confront those guys. I think you
saw Javon kin Long confront him. I think the various
war just tweeted at him or something, you know, because
he just people are like, oh, he's just govering the team.
Like no, some of these reporters cover the team in
a very disrespectful way to grown men. There's a way
to cover the team and say, hey, guy had a
bad play. Guy had a bad play. God miss god
(18:55):
missed death. Hey the team's not playing well. Guys have
been criticized that they're entire our lives and are held
accountable each and every meeting. They got to watch film
in front of the whole team and be told, hey,
you didn't do a good enough job.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Here, here, here, we need better out of you.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
This is what you gotta do. We go out and practice,
you work on it. These are pros. That's how they
got here. So sometimes when you I don't think players
mind the criticism because it comes with the job, but
it's it's it's the tone. Sometimes it's you know, guys
saying you're lazy or you've given up, are you know
something that isn't true? And they're reading into plays and
and and you say, you know, if it comes from
(19:33):
a guy who did it, and and played a guy
who tackled, you know, to say, oh, man, I think
he's not showing effort on this play. I got to
go back and look at the play because I haven't
seen it. But like it's it's tough out there. It's
tough to make tackles. As a corner, it's tough to
run full speed and a guy's making move and you
got to figure out which way he's going, which way
he's gonna cut, so you don't make the wrong decision.
(19:54):
You got to track them a certain way. And maybe
that wasn't Treyvon Diggs's best play, but again to question
the guy's effort and his his his how hard he's playing.
You know, it's just one of those things that if
you if you don't really know these guys and it's
all you do and that's all you're known for as
(20:15):
a reporter, guys aren't gonna respect it, and they're gonna
stand on. They're going to confront you about it at
some point or another, and eventually you're gonna have to
stand face to face for a grown man and tell
them what you said. And so there are ways, there
are people have criticized. The media has existed, you know,
since the beginning of time, and guys have been criticized
in this sport and continue to be criticized and will
(20:35):
be criticized. You don't win, you're gonna be criticized. They
understand that.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I'll speaking of another guy getting a lot of criticism
the last couple of days, Tyreek Stevenson with.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
The Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He was shown taunting the crowd prior to that last
hail Mary pass that was successful in the Noah Brown's arms. Richard,
you're his teammate, right, what's going through your head as
his teammate seeing that clip after the game?
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Well, you know, initially, and we talked about this on
the TNF. We had our production meeting today and I thought,
you know, because I know the rules on the hell Mary,
everybody's responsible for somebody.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
And then you have a jumper.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
So you know, if you got if you got five
DB's on the field, they got four receivers going out
deep for routes, you know, you got they got one
in the front, one on each side, you know usually,
and then one in the back. And so you usually
say corner, corner, the nickel, or somebody has the front
guy and everybody's boxing it. You're attached that guy, not
your guy. You're you're gonna body him. Then you got
(21:36):
one or two guys, depending on how you guys are
running it to jump to jump on the play and
try to bat the ball down or bat it away
or catch it or whatever you know your playing is.
But there's somebody for everybody. And I thought maybe he
was the jumper on that play because he jumped, you know,
it's so if he was a jumper on that play,
technically did his job. So I wasn't that frustrated initially
(21:56):
because I didn't know the rules.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
But then Eberflus goes in to the to the to
the media and says his responsibility was to box out
the black man Noah Brown, who calls for the touchdown pass. Now,
if I understood that to be the case, I'm really frustrated.
I'm pissed. I'm not pissed just because he was taughting
the fans. I don't really care about that. That happens
like you do that people have taught up the fans
(22:19):
threw stuff at him, and then went out and scored
touchdown pass. That's not the That's not the thing that
gets me to most. It's not that's the lack of
doing your job that gets me. You know, I do
your job. You can do all that all you want,
But if you don't do your job, then I'm frustrated.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
And I wouldn't even care.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
If he didn't taunt the fans and you didn't do
his job, I'd be just as pissed because you have
one job. You know, Hey, we work on this and
every team. Well, I can't say every ting because I'm
not in every locker room. I'm not in every practice,
but we worked on it every Saturday. It's like the
last play you do right before you end walk through.
They do a hell Mary. Everybody gets to their spots.
(22:54):
You joke around, YadA, YadA YadA. You act like it's
nothing played. But eventually you get deep in the end zone.
You actually gonna let the offense catch it because you
know that's just how practice works. But everybody gets attached
to their man. You know where you're supposed to be.
You play the play out, they catch it.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Practice is over, go back to the hotel time for
a game next day. But I'm frustrated if I'm its teammate,
because you can't not do your job.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
This is a huge loss. I mean, the division race
in the NFC North is very tight, much like the
NFC West, and for the Chicago Bears, needing a win,
they would have gone to what would have been six
and two five This is a five and two this,
I mean, this is a huge loss for them. I
can't imagine practice is gonna be easy. What do you
think that's gonna be like? In Chicago this week.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Well, it depends on what kind of locker room and
culture they got. You know, we talked to Jalen Johnson
and it just seems like they have a supportive locker room.
And I'm you know, I'm sure they know the guy
didn't do it on purpose. Everybody makes mistakes. It's a
bonehead play, a frustration, frustrating mistake that led to a loss.
But at the end of the day, you know, you
got a next play mentality And as DB's we live
(24:03):
by that every single week. So I'm sure they're like,
next play, flush it. They went over the tape. You know,
he got beat up enough. I'm sure in those in
those meetings, and they flush it and you move on
to the next week. You're not gonna dwell on it
because then you you know, it stacks up and you
end up losing more.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Well, you talked about it in the beginning of the podcast.
You want to talk about the Denver Broncos, and let's
talk about them. Sean Payton, it looks like he's got
his swigerback, Richard. This team, this Denver Bronco team, it
is related to the Carolina Panthers and out of this
JC Horn apparently took offense to the fact that the
Denver Broncos kept trying to score. To what Sean Payton said,
(24:41):
it's the NFL play better. What are your thoughts on
Sean Payton and this Denver Bronco team?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Rich, Yeah, I mean, yes, this is the NFL.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
This isn't Pop Warner, And I don't really like when
they do it on Pop and Pop Warner and in literally,
but I can understand it. You know, these are kids.
You know, they're not professional athletes. They're not getting paid
to do this job. It's no point running up to score.
You could have more advanced kids than the other team,
and they could have just beginners. You know, guys first
year playing football and you're scoring sixty points. That's not
good for them. That's not good for anybody, and that's
(25:12):
not good for the game. But the National Football League.
You're pros. Your team has pros. You're not some make
a wish team. You're not some some some Hey, you know,
we're We're just happy these guys are out here and
they're getting a chance to do what they wanted. They
were happy there in the NFL. No, you're National Football
League players.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Do your job. Do your job and each row.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Everro is A is a pretty good defensive coordinator and
was up for head coaching jobs. He just doesn't have
the talent right now. They don't have the talent on
the defensive side of the ball. And I think he
understands that. But no, I'm not. I don't agree with
that run up to score, run up to score. And
even Detroit Detroit, you know, you guys had a chance
to run up to score against Dallas Cowboys and you
randed up a little bit last week. It is what
(25:53):
it is. That's not bad sportsmanship. This is National Football League.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
It's bad sportsmanship if you if you try to hurt somebody,
or you push somebody after the play, or just trying
to be cheap or cheating in the game. But to
run the score up playing football, running football players is
not their job to to give you a break, sure
drop to stop them. So I'm good with that. And
and give credit to bone Knicks in the game that
he's had. They've won five of the last six after
(26:19):
starting ze two. I think he ain't. Sean Payton have
gotten a good report. We watched them on Thursday night
Football have a really good game against the New Orleans Saints,
and this defense, Vance Joseph's defense deserves a ton of credit.
I think they're third in the league in points per
game and third in the league in yards giving up,
and with the best corner in football. I think they're
(26:41):
gonna be a team that's gonna give the Kansas City
Chiefs a tough game because their defense can play with anybody.
They have the guys up front that can get pressure
on anybody. They got the secondary that can cover anybody.
You got Riley Moss, one of the one of the
one of two white corners in the National Football League,
playing man the man forty five fifty of the snaps.
(27:01):
I mean, I know the history books are being written
right now. He's gotten an interception. I think he might
have gotten another one, but he's playing really good football.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
OPTAs Sehrn is very proud.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
They're rich.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
It's gonna be I can't wait to I know he's proud.
I know he's proud.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
He's so proud. Well, I mean you got to look
at it too.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I mean, bow Nex is really matured in front of
our eyes over the last couple of games, and now
we see him get Courtland Sutton his number one wide receiver,
a lot more involved.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
How far do you.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Think the Broncos can go because if the season we're
to end right now, they'd have the top wild card spot.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I think they can go to the playoffs, and I
think they're gonna have a They're gonna give somebody a
really tough out in those playoffs if they are able
to make it in. We're just seeing young quarterbacks develop
and and I think Kevin O'Connell talked about this with
in regards to in regards to Sam Darnold, and he says,
you know, these didn't fail these organizations. These organizations fail
(28:02):
these quarterbacks because they don't take the time to develop them.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
They think it's microwave.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
You know. These coaches are sitting there like, hey, I
got a guy, you know what I mean. I'm not
gonna help him develop. I'm not going to coach him anymore.
I think he's already done now. I just want him
to be the best right now. I just want him
to throw passes and complete him. No, you have to
be able to help this man develop, Teach him how
to prepare, teach him how to understand the defense, how
to talk in the huddle, how to do everything, how
(28:28):
to be a pro, and sometimes you surround him with
veterans and a good quarterbacks coach or whatever the case
may be. But John Payton has done a good job
with bow Knicks and continue to gradually bring him along
to really cater the playbook to his skill set. When
he wants to run, when he wants to do it
with his legs, He's allowing them the freedom to do that. Screenplays, misdirection,
(28:51):
things like that. He's given him easy passes at times
so that he can sit there and say, hey, this
is a rookie quarterback. I got to give him a
good run game. I have to give him plays where
he can get warmed up into the game, and then
we got to push the ball down the field and
challenge him a little bit. And I think Jayden Daniels
dan Quinn out in Washington is doing the same thing.
I think eber Flus out in Chicago has done a
(29:13):
better job lately of dealing with Caleb Williams and giving
him more support.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Let's move on to buy or sell my new favorite
segment here on the Richard Sherman podcast, Richard, I'm gonna
I'm gonna throw a couple statements of fact that you
I want you to tell me whether you're gonna buy
or sell them. Let's stay in that AFC West. Let's
talk about the LA Chargers. We don't give them much love,
so we got to show a little love to them, Richard.
They're leading the leagues in points allowed per game. They've
(29:43):
got the best defense from a scoring perspective. Do you
think they have the best defense in the NFL? Buy
or sell the LA Chargers as the best defense right
now in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
I'm not believing that yet. I'm not.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
They've played some really good games. They played it well
against Kansas City Chiefs, so you got to give them
credit for that. But no, I'm not ready to give
them and crown them right now. They're going to have
to do it consistently over seventeen games, and then at
the end of the season, if they're able to do
it in the playoffs, hold a team seventeen or less
than I give them that ground and start to really
(30:19):
give them respect because they just it just They've just
been one of those teams consistently that has been really talented,
really really talented, and just underperformed and it seems like
they're finally living up to the to the billing and
all the talent that they had, Joey Bosa and Khalil
Mack and these guys that have played Sante Samuel Junior
(30:44):
that have just been big time playmakers but just still
haven't culminated into to good defense. So I'm not ready
to buy him quite yet.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
Now my favorite one the Detroit Lions. Richard.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
It is my belief that the Detroit Lions had the
best offense that we have seen, certainly over the last
ten years, but possibly even in the two thousands. So
let me let me paint a picture for.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
You here though, Richard, have to paint something.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
But they're the third team since the merger to have
thirteen passing touchdowns, thirteen rushing touchdowns, and one hundred point
win margin through seven games of the season, joining only
the two thousand and nine Saints in nineteen ninety eight Broncos. Richard,
it seems like no matter what this team does, they're
scoring in a variety of ways. The Detroit Lions at
(31:30):
least have the best offense in the league. Give me
that by or so in the league, I'd buy. But
of the two thousands, I mean I saw Peyton throw
fifty five touchdown passes and have three thousand yard was
it four thousand yard receivers? I mean, I'm not gonna yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I if I see that from Jared Groff and he
throws fifty five touchdown passes this year, then you got it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
You got it.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
If he has four guys go four thousand, you you
got it from me. But that's gonna be a hard thing.
But right now, they're definitely the best offense. It's in
the most finely fine oil machine in the National Football League.
And I think it's bar none.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I don't think you're watching any other team. And I
challenge any other fan to sit there and tell me
their offense is better than what the Detroit Lions have
put together consistently this season. Now, you know, you've had
some offenses play good for a game, maybe two games,
you know, for for quick flashes, but nobody is playing
better collectively than the Detroit Lions at just one hundred
(32:26):
percent true, I will buy that.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Another player that playing pretty good individually is Jameis Winston.
He comes in there and has delivers, you know, some
classic Jamis lines and motivating his team and brings the
Cleveland Browns to an unexpected victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Now,
let's put it frankly. I mean, the Clefland Browns look
pretty darn good in that game. It's not like it
(32:50):
was all Baltimore just playing bad. That being said, the
Cleveland Browns would have a winning record if Jameis Winston
was a starter from opening day.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Think Jameis Winston is a starter in this league and
and should have been starting for one of these teams.
And I'm not saying that. There are a number of
teams that could have used him.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
And I'd go.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Down the line and say, Jacksonville Jaguars, he should be
the starter there. The Vegas Raiders, he could be the
starter there. Tennessee, he could be the starter there. New
York Giants, he could be the starter there. Who am
I missing? Who am I missing? The Saints he could
be the starter there, New England, he could be the
(33:31):
starter there. I think you know a number of teams
that he could be the starter for and elevate their teams.
Would they have a winning record if he was the
starting quarterback?
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Maybe?
Speaker 3 (33:40):
I think they Their defense has kept them in a
lot of these games, and and Deshaun Watson, you know,
just just hadn't had the confidence and and the play
style that that you know, had made him special. And
Jamis for all his faults, he will push the ball
down the field. He's gonna throw some touchdowns. He's gonna
put the ball in harm's way. But we remember that
season where he threw for five thousand yards thirty touchdowns.
(34:03):
Are thirty three touchdowns and thirty interceptions. You know, you
get the good with the bad. But if you've got
a good defense and you can weather the bad, the
good is pretty good.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Well, Richard, you're traveling back to New York or New
Jersey rather next week or this week for Thursday night football.
We got a big one. The Texans go on the
road to take on the Jets in a must must
win situation for the Jets. Richard, what are your thoughts
going into this game? I know you gotta love flying
(34:34):
back to New York a cross country but ultimately it's
going to be a pretty good game. Vegas has got
the Jets as a two point favorite, which might shock some.
Stefan Diggs is questionable to play. What are your thoughts
of this Thursday Night game? Brought to you exclusively on
Prime Video. By the way, our friends and partners over
at Prime Video. Richard, your thoughts on Thursday night's game, Well.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
This Thursday, you got to Houston, Texans going to the
New York Jets, and this is a must win for
the Jets. They have to win this game and then
then every other game after this is it must win.
They lost five in a row. You can you can
feel the dysfunction a bit of the team, and just
a disappointment. Such a talented team and a team I've
(35:16):
been rooting for, especially when Robert Salo was there. But
I just hate it for this team. I hate the
dysfunction because it was injected into this team, and not
that they were playing great, but they were two and
three five games into the season, heading into a matchup
with the Buffalo Bills, and Woody Johnson decides to fire
(35:37):
the coach. You inject chaos into this team, talking about
you want to change this culture, and they have not
won a game since. It's not coincidental, it's not by coincidence.
You've put burdens in places that the burdens were not.
You've put turmoil in places turmoil was not. You had
a good locker room. You ruined it. And this is
(35:58):
why owners should just own the maybe get involved in
the offseason. If something crazy happens, you step in. I
know it's your team, but you pay people to run it,
not to make knee jerk decisions like this, because you
cripple the whole team and you ruin the thing that
you want most. You want the playoffs. Well, there's only
been one team to make the playoffs after firing their
(36:19):
coach in season, and that was the Raiders, and that
was John Gruden's team, and it was actually a really
talented team, and but Shati got in there and and
you know, did what he did. They made the playoffs.
Cool story, but it's very rare, and it's usually when
the team is really talented and they're already in a
good space. You didn't have to make this decision. That
(36:40):
decision doom this team. And that's again what I feel
about that. I want to see Aaron Rodgers and and
I want to see Devontae Adams do well. Friends of
the program, I want to see I want to see
Garrett Wilson do well. I want to see Quinn Williams.
You know, my boy, DJ Reed Sauce Gardner. I just
want to see this team do well, but I understand
(37:02):
what the circumstances have done to this team. And that's
the frustrating part is that I'm over here. You know,
every year, you know, jay E t s es justin.
You see the quarterback turnover, the quarterback issues, Zach Wilson struggling,
and then you you know, my boy, I thought they
had a chance. I thought Mike White has had a chance.
(37:23):
And I was excited about that because you know, just
was playing on a high level at times and you know,
not not good enough. Didn't end up panning out, got it.
But the defense played well, and that's what Salah's known for.
He was coaching his butt off trying to keep this
defense in tech. And then he finally gets a starting
level quarterback, Hall of Fame quarterback for five games, and
you pull the rug from under him, and it just
(37:44):
frustrates me so much, and he gets me so triggered
just talking about it. And I cheer so much for
the Jets, and I want to see him do well,
but then I and the second hand, I just don't
want to see anything that has to do with Willie
Johnson do well. At this point because of what he
did to this organization and to this team. And it's like,
my goodness, he's gonna have a hard time hiring coaches
and staff after this because you're not gonna give.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Him three years. You're not gonna even three years. That's
exactly what I was just thinking. I mean, Ben Johnson's
a prime head coaching candidate at OC for the Lions.
He's highly calculated. I highly doubt he's gonna be going
to the New York Jets. Richard, you think even think
further back, like last year, you've given Robert Salah a
(38:29):
really shitty situation because another owner decision. I guarantee it
was an owner decision and bringing in Aaron Rodgers in
the first place. And now Robert Sala is left sitting
there with, Okay, you just drafted a quarterback number two
overall and Zach Wilson. You want me to develop him,
but also you're gonna want me to manage the situation
with an aging Aaron Rodgers as well. And then he
(38:51):
goes down with injury, he endures that entire year, and
now finally he's got a team that's somewhat healthy. They
just trade for DeVonta Adams. You kick him to the curb.
Robert Sala deserves a lot better, and you said this
was self inflicted.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
And then you try to do everything to make yourself
look right. You know that Robert Salah is gone. Now
you trade for Devonte Adams. Now you pay Hassan Ready.
Now you do the things that you could have done
while he was here and gave him the best chance
to have success with this team. But instance you do
it after he leaves, and it just looks like nonsense
to me. And that's the frustrating part. And you still
(39:25):
lose games. Even after that, you still lose games because
you have created a dysfunction in this organization. You change
the decoordinator to the head coach. You've put extra responsibilities
that he wasn't expected on his plate, and he's doing
the best at a job that he can with it.
But it's hard for anybody to to juggle things that
they weren't expecting at a time in the middle of
(39:47):
a football season. And now he has to try to
still call the defense, still get ready, think about all
these other things, and it just diminishes your performance. So
whatdi Johnson, Congratulations you played yourself.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
That all this being said, what do you think of
the game against the Texans on Thursday? Because the Texans
come in here at six and two, they can take
firm control of this AFC South with a win.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Who do you like, rich Well?
Speaker 3 (40:15):
I think the Jets have a chance just because of
where the Texans are weak, and it's that interior offensive line.
And that's what's been been giving CJ. Stroud some trouble,
is that he's getting pressure in his face and at
his feet from the interior. You know, obviously Laramie Tunsel
and the outside they do a pretty good job. But
with Quinn Williams, I expect him to get the interior
(40:37):
pressure this game. And so that's especially with the injury
the digs. Nico Collins has already out was playing some
of his best football before his injury, potentially back next week.
If they, you know, guys are gonna have to step up.
You know, guys that haven't played a lot of football
are gonna have to catch a lot of footballs and
(40:58):
be productive. And I think they're gonna lean on Joe Mixon.
And if Joe Mixon can get going and be productive
like he's been the past, couple of games, four hundred
yard games in the past five games. I think they
come out on top. But if Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams,
whenever they out there, if they catch fire at any
time it gets, it can be a fun game to watch.
(41:20):
So I'm hoping that they get in their rhythm this
game and make this a really fun game in New York.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
Well that's this week's TNF preview, presented by Prime Video.
Make sure you guys tune in this Thursday to watch
the Texans take on the Jets and check out Richard
Sherman and crew.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Richard.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
Finally, before we wrap, I have to ask, as I
do every week for your power rankings. This one is
important to me because I think my hometown team has
done enough. But I I'm not you, So, Richard, how
do you stack him this week?
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Well, one hasn't changed. They haven't lost the game yet.
I mean Patrick mahone is still leading the league in interceptions.
But defensively they just will not give it up. Travis
Kelsey is starting to wake up and starting to show,
you know, his Hall of Fame form. They're one your
(42:19):
Honolulu Blue Detroit Lions.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Beautiful thing. I gotta show the watch for this introduction here, Richard.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
You know, even though Jared Golf throws for eighty five
yards and they have more points than yards in the
third quarter than passing yards, there'll be number two. The
Baltimore Ravens losing to the Cleveland Browns knocks them somewhere else.
So Houston Texans are three. Pittsburgh Steelers look really good
(42:51):
right there. I give them four, and then Washington Commanders
are going to bring me in at five. And if
you're mad about your team not being there, maybe they'll
be there next week. I know, I know the Green
Bay Packers need to be in consideration. In Minnesota. Vikings
are still up there, obviously, the Baltimore Ravens, but coming
off a loss, they know, three losses this season, two
of them being to the Raiders in the Cleveland Browns,
(43:13):
just shows you know they're mortal.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
They are.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
It just shows you how insane this football season is.
Right now, you have the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington
Commanders in the top five of your power ranks eight
weeks into the season. If you would have told me
that at the beginning of the season, I would have
said something's going on a little crazy and it's been
crazy Richard. That concludes Week eight. We'll see you on
Thursday night on Prime Video. I will let you sign
(43:41):
us off.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Well.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Thank you guys for joining us every single week, every
single episode, the people that keep checking in, that keep listening.
I'm thankful for you, guys. I'm thankful for every second
that you're here with us. I hope you have a beautiful,
blessed day and night. Give love to your family, have
a beautiful hollow wean this week. Put your mask on,
(44:02):
get some candies, trick or treat, give me something good
to eat. Appreciate you joining us. See you next time.
Hit that's up button if you know the volume
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Speaker 2 (01:47):
Don't foo Bowl championships. That should always be the expectation.
All right, man, ex you go ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast, brought to you
by our friends and partners over at Brightling Again, got us,
got us shining. We appreciate you, guys. It's been a crazy, crazy,
crazy week.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Again.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I don't know what else there is to say about
Mike Tomlin in the job that he's done with the
Pittsburgh Steelers, but I want to talk about the Denver
Broncos too. Because my goodness, Vans Joseph has that defense
playing incredibly this entire season. And then you look up
and bow Knicks has his best game as a pro,
throws three touchdown. Well is responsible for three touchdowns in
(02:31):
that well, four touchdowns he threw for three, he ran
one in. Just an excellent performance by him. The Chargers
have a defense who would have thunk it. I mean,
it's been talented for years, but they're actually putting it
on tape.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Mitchell, what's going on, Richard? It's a weird season.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I mean, there's a lot of teams coming out of
nowhere that no one thought about, you know, the Washington Commanders,
like you said, the Denver Broncos. There's some teams starting
to rise. And I think one of those teams, frankly,
was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who saw tonight take on the
New York Giants come out with the win at home.
I think the story of this game is Russell Wilson
(03:09):
looks like his old self, rich I don't. I'm starting
to kind of catch some vibes of him back in Seattle.
He's given these receivers opportunities to make big plays down
the field, and George Pickens. I mean, shoot, he could
have had a couple extra touchdowns today if not for
those being called back for penalties and holding calls.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But Richard, let's start with Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
I mean, what are your thoughts with Russell Wilson now
in his second game, coming out victorious again.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Do you think this team?
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Do you think russ is back and the Steelers are
going to be competitive for the rest of the season.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, they look really good. He's he had some pinpoint
passes throughout the game. You look at the past the
George Pickens, the one where he rolled down to the right,
hit him in the end zone, obviously called back for
a holding call. Then he hit Pickens on another pinpoint
pass on a corner route in the end zone. Pickens
when unable to get his left foot down. Then you
look up. He threw an explosive to Pickens with it
(04:06):
just hit him in the hands. Pickens made an incredible
grab between two defenders, a dime of a pass. He
played a really good game and it's opening things up
again for Najie Harris, who has another one hundred yard game.
He just looked really good, really powerful running through guys.
The Giants don't have the best run defense, but he
exploited them every chance that he got defensively.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
You already know Cam Hayward.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I mean they just paid him, and he's showing what
he can do, showing that age ain't nothing but a number.
He's consistently getting it in again.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
TJ.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Watt, multiple years leading the league in sacks, forces a sack,
force fumble and recovers it himself to finish the game.
Was causing wrecking havoc the entirety of this game. And
then Alex high Smith back in healthy two sacks, could
have probably had two or three more, just was really
getting after it. This team looks really good. George Pickens
I mentioned did a lot of things. But Calvin Austin,
(05:01):
let's talk about Calvin Austin. How you really broke this
game open. The punt return score tied nine to nine,
no touchdowns, both defenses standing up big time in the
red zone, and he returns the punt. I think it
was seventy three yards for a touchdown. Next thing you know,
nixt a couple of drives later, Russell Wilson hits him
in the end zone, his only touchdown passing the game
(05:23):
that counted. I mean that they didn't call back for
a penalty touchdown, beautiful play, two touchdowns in a game,
fifty four yards, three catches George Pickens four catches seventy
four yards, but two sacks by TJ.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Watt.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
It was really just an overall strong performance, but a
little bit of concern them, a little bit of concern
if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, just because the Giants just
aren't very good and they haven't been. They benched their
first round corner Deontay Banks, just didn't wasn't playing with
enough effort. Got called out last week, I benched this week.
(05:57):
You wonder what's going on there. They just could not
convert in the red zone. And obviously, you know we
talk about the plays that got called back. We mentioned
them to George Pickens, multiple touchdowns, one of them he
just didn't get his foot down. Another penalty on the play.
But just I think there were zero for three or
zero for four in the red zone and that just
has to change. And that's one of those moments where
(06:20):
you wonder if there's some kind of package for to
get justin fields in the game, because in those situations
in previous games they had just run him in.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
He just ran it in.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
He ranted in multiple times, and those pretty much identical situations.
And Russell Wilson's passed it in a few times. But
obviously those plays didn't count. But that's just something to
keep an eye on as the season progresses. Can they
convert in that red zone because against a better team,
you have to get those points. It's the same thing
the San Francisco forty nine ers are dealing with you.
(06:50):
You cannot keep giving three points three points, three points
in a game against competitive teams and a competitive division
you play in the Baltimore Ravens. I don't think three
points gets you that win. But great win by this team.
Beanie Bishop another interception, he got two versus the Jets
last week, got another one to seal this game. Daniel
Jones played a solid game. You know he was under
(07:14):
the rest they were. They hit him from beginning to
enter this game. He didn't have very many opportunities to
push the ball down the field. When he did, he
was mostly accurate when he had time and he and
he didn't get hit or he didn't have a guy
in his lap. Auzz Ajilari had two sacks. Brian Burns
sacked three quarterback hits. Dexter Lawrence was was just disruptive
(07:37):
the entire day. Tyrone Tracy looked magnificent again twenty Carris
for one, but went out late with the injury, so
you hope he's okay. You saw the late fumble by
Russell Wilson, uh forced by Okaka, a Stanford guy. You know,
you thought that play might might have some bearing on
(07:58):
that game, but fortunately they have TJ. Watt and he
just gave it right back to that offense. A huge
played by him. Great game, another win. Heading into the
bye week, they're number one in the AFC North, which
has been consistently a tough division, which has been owned
by Baltimore for the last few years. They've been really dominated.
So we'll see what he comes down to.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, well, Richard, they are number one in the AFC North.
So what is the ceiling for this team? Because they,
I mean, they've beaten some teams. I mean, the Giants
are the Giants, but they played a competitive game tonight.
But they got two measuring stick games coming up here
at the Commanders and then at home against the Ravens.
(08:38):
What is the ceiling for this Pittsburgh Steelers team because
it seems like six and two, are they really that good?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Well?
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Yeah, I mean I feel like that's something you always
say about the Pittsburgh Steelers because Mike Tomlin touch a
great coach and no matter who's the quarterback, no matter
what the defense is doing, how many injuries were mounting up,
he finds a way to get this team winning ball games,
competitive in every single game. And and they're getting some
some some fortunate bounces this year, which is what you
need as well. But they're playing good football. They're winning
(09:08):
the grinded out battle games. He made the tough decision
about the quarterback, bringing Russell Wilson in when when Justin
Fields was already four and two. Russell Wilson has won
the past two games. They're going into a bye week obviously,
if he if he can find a way to beat
the pitt I mean the Baltimore Ravens multiple times this year,
I think that that starts the conversation and really put
(09:29):
them in contention. But right now, you know, they're a
feel good story with a phenomenal defense. Najie Harris is
looking like the guy they expected him to be when
they drafted him. Russell Wilson has played two really good games,
and again he's still knocking to rust off. Only two
games into the season for him and his eight for
everybody else, so expect him to still you know, get
his footing under him. You saw a few times he
(09:51):
ran the ball where he just didn't look like himself
and and you know, made the right decision to slide
or get to the ground. And I'm sure Pittsburgh fans
are like, keep going, get the most yards, but he's
keeping himself safe. You want your quarterback safe. But this
team is looking good and it's I'm interested to see
because again you're not gonna really measure it until you
see them play Baltimore Ravens, who have been in the
(10:13):
class at this division.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And in terms of the New York Giants, is it
safe to say this team is a quarterback away from
being a playoff team because they got some good pieces
on the defensive side and the ball. You look at
their d line, I mean Brian Burns, I mean, obviously
Thibodeau's out right now, but Dexter, Lawrence oziz jalare. They
(10:36):
got guys stepping up. And then offensively, Tyrone Tracy looks
pretty darn good you partner him with Malik Neighbors. To me,
it seems like if the Giants can somehow find their
way into the top five and land a good quarterback,
if you were to put Jayden Daniels on this team
right now, I think we might be seeing a similar
situation in New York that we're seeing in Washington. Am
(10:57):
I wrong thinking like that?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Rich?
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Well, I mean you're not totally wrong. I can see
what you're saying. But without Andrew Thomas in the lineup,
they're they're great left tackle. Uh No, they're not with
him in the lineup and totally healthy. I can see it.
You know, obviously, I think they whipped on Deonday Banks.
It's just not nothing like the guy. And maybe he
figures it out and things turn around for him. But
(11:20):
I think you got to draft some all interior offensive
linemen uh to help uh, and then you get a
quarterback somebody who can who can manage the game, to
make moves. Because I think that Dave bo is drawing
it up pretty well right now. I think he's doing
a good job with this team, and really Maximott and
the talent that they have, I think they hit on
a number of draft picks this season. And yeah, I
(11:43):
don't know about playoffs, but I think they definitely be
a lot more competitive, especially in this NFC East. But
they just aren't healthy right now too. You know, one
of the best players is on ir right now now,
so you can't really judge what they could truly be,
you know. And even Daniel Jones when he had time,
he looked better than he had today.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
It's times he threw some really accurate passes, then times
where he sailed it. But you know, that's what you
come to expect from Daniel Jones. But I don't know
if they're they're just a quarterback away. But there they
keep playing like this, they're gonna be drafting early enough
to get one.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Richard.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Let's turn the page a little bit here. Let's take
it to one of your favorite topics of San Francisco
forty nine ers. They finally got some good news on
the injury front. Christian McCaffrey has had no setbacks and
is on track to practice next week.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Richard wrote, how big of a boost.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Is this gonna give this San Francisco forty nine er
locker room If Christian McCaffrey is indeed back after the
bye week.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Well, you really can't measure it. You can't measure it
how big this is for this team because his impact
is tough to measure. Obviously, coming off an Offensive Player
of the Year season last season helped them get to
the Super Bowl. And I had a really good conversation
with him when I was in San Francisco last week
for the Chiefs game. And you talk about somebody doing
(13:06):
every single thing in their power to make sure they
can get back this season. Not hey, well we'll figure
it out next year, let's play it. Say no, this
guy is going to every length that he can to
make sure that he is able to play this season.
He's going to give it a shot. And I wish
(13:26):
that I could really go into detail about all the
things that he's doing, but just know nine or faithful,
this man has done everything in his power, went through
pains and lengths to get himself and his body ready
to play and be able to perform on the field.
So kudos to him. Kudos to the San Francisco forty
nine ers training staff working with him and making sure
(13:46):
that that they're diligent and all of his rehab and
he's able to play. And also Juwan Jennings looks like
he may be able to play. That'll be another huge boost.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
I think.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
I think Drake Laws still up in the air. Maybe
later in the season, maybe December. But again, all these
things are really positive. This offense, it will look totally
different with Christian mcgett, caffrey and they and they made
it work without him. You know, they looked good. Isaac
Garrindo looked good last week at and Spurts against the
Dallas Cowboys. You saw the speed, the four to three speed.
(14:20):
That's why they draft him, the kind of so he
may be a change up back and somebody who could
spail Christian McCaffrey. Obviously, Jordan Mason will figure out what's
going on with his shoulder. But yeah, I think this
is something real and could be really fun. They have
the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Packers, and Beals, so a really tough.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Stretch, but.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
All games they can win, all winnable games for the
San Francisco forty nine ers if they play their best,
but really tough games the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield.
You know, it's looking like they be there will be
without Chris Godwin and perhaps Mike Evans for that game,
which would be a huge loss for them, but positive
(15:00):
news for the San Francisco forty nine ers. But Diamador
and Lenore is having an all pro season, making plays
left and right, so I can't wait to see him
in this lineup for the next four games as well.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
I think the Richard Truman podcast might have been, you know,
predicting good fortune from Diama door Lenoir a long time ago.
I know you've got ties with him back in Compton, right.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yeah, Mitchell, Mitchell, sometimes you just know a dog when
you sees it. I guess you called it.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
You called it long ago, and I will give you your
props on that, no question. This NFC West race, I
don't think we can speak highly enough about it. It's crazy.
I don't think anyone saw it coming. Four teams at Forum,
or three teams at four and four and another one
at three and four in the Rams. Richard, if Christian
(15:52):
McCaffrey is indeed healthy, how confident do you feel with
the forty nine ers coming out on top of this division.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I still don't know, Mitchell. This this division has just
texted me. It perplexed me, and so I really, I'm
just gonna let it play out because I my predictions
have been off, because my predictions are based on stats
and facts and trends, et cetera, et cetera, And this
season has just every time you think you understand, they
just say no. You know, you think, hey, the Baltimore
(16:21):
Ravens are gonna beat the bread No they aren't. You think, oh,
San Francisco forty nine ers against the Rams, they're banged up.
No Cooper Cup, no, no pooking the cool, No Rams win.
You think, oh, the Seattle Seahawks got getting it rolled
and they got to figure it out. Nope, they get
banged up. And you're like, I just cannot call it
right now. So this division, I don't have the answers
(16:42):
for this one, Mitchell, I do not have the answers.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
Let me let me make a prediction.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I think it's gonna come down to the La Rams
and the San Francisco forty nine ers. That's just my prediction.
We'll leave it there. Let's turn the chapter here again.
The Dallas Cowboys. I mean, you want to talk about
a team that's the oralized and my Lions beat him up.
Then they had a bye week. Then they go on
the road and get and get beat up again for
(17:06):
the third time in a row, going to San Francisco
and losing in tough fashion. And then it bleeds over
into this situation with the Trayvon Diggs and a reporter,
he says. He says to the reporter after I guess
he questions his lack of effort against covering George Kittle,
you don't know football. You can't do nothing that I
can do. You can't go out there and do nothing.
Stay in your lane, Buddy, Richard. You've been on a
(17:31):
lot of teams. You've been on a lot of successful teams.
I don't know how many down years you've necessarily had
in this league, but I'm sure you've been on a
losing streak in your professional career. And emotions can get
the best of people. But what what do you think
is going through Digg's head right now? I mean, how
chaotic is this Dallas Cowboys team?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Do you believe?
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Well, he's frustrated. You know, it's not funny his competitor.
He wants to win. And you heard him on Michael
Parson's podcast. He explained, you know, I was frustrated. I
went in locker room. You know, everybody has access to
phones and social media. I guess the guy had posted
something and he saw it in real time and had
just walked past the guy and said, you know, hey,
like what are we doing? And and you run into
(18:12):
these situations sometimes, and I don't think the public understands.
You got guys like like Grant Cohn out and out
in San Francisco, you know, just a guy that's an antagonist,
you know, always just just saying spiteful, ridiculous stuff to
trigger a reaction, or to trigger a headline, or to
get attention. You know, things that are incendiary, you know,
and disrespectful at times to players. And so you know,
(18:34):
when you get to confront those guys. I think you
saw Javon kin Long confront him. I think the various
war just tweeted at him or something, you know, because
he just people are like, oh, he's just govering the team.
Like no, some of these reporters cover the team in
a very disrespectful way to grown men. There's a way
to cover the team and say, hey, guy had a
bad play. Guy had a bad play. God miss god
(18:55):
missed death. Hey the team's not playing well. Guys have
been criticized that they're entire our lives and are held
accountable each and every meeting. They got to watch film
in front of the whole team and be told, hey,
you didn't do a good enough job.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Here, here, here, we need better out of you.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
This is what you gotta do. We go out and practice,
you work on it. These are pros. That's how they
got here. So sometimes when you I don't think players
mind the criticism because it comes with the job, but
it's it's it's the tone. Sometimes it's you know, guys
saying you're lazy or you've given up, are you know
something that isn't true? And they're reading into plays and
and and you say, you know, if it comes from
(19:33):
a guy who did it, and and played a guy
who tackled, you know, to say, oh, man, I think
he's not showing effort on this play. I got to
go back and look at the play because I haven't
seen it. But like it's it's tough out there. It's
tough to make tackles. As a corner, it's tough to
run full speed and a guy's making move and you
got to figure out which way he's going, which way
he's gonna cut, so you don't make the wrong decision.
(19:54):
You got to track them a certain way. And maybe
that wasn't Treyvon Diggs's best play, but again to question
the guy's effort and his his his how hard he's playing.
You know, it's just one of those things that if
you if you don't really know these guys and it's
all you do and that's all you're known for as
(20:15):
a reporter, guys aren't gonna respect it, and they're gonna
stand on. They're going to confront you about it at
some point or another, and eventually you're gonna have to
stand face to face for a grown man and tell
them what you said. And so there are ways, there
are people have criticized. The media has existed, you know,
since the beginning of time, and guys have been criticized
in this sport and continue to be criticized and will
(20:35):
be criticized. You don't win, you're gonna be criticized. They
understand that.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I'll speaking of another guy getting a lot of criticism
the last couple of days, Tyreek Stevenson with.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
The Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He was shown taunting the crowd prior to that last
hail Mary pass that was successful in the Noah Brown's arms. Richard,
you're his teammate, right, what's going through your head as
his teammate seeing that clip after the game?
Speaker 3 (21:01):
Well, you know, initially, and we talked about this on
the TNF. We had our production meeting today and I thought,
you know, because I know the rules on the hell Mary,
everybody's responsible for somebody.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
And then you have a jumper.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
So you know, if you got if you got five
DB's on the field, they got four receivers going out
deep for routes, you know, you got they got one
in the front, one on each side, you know usually,
and then one in the back. And so you usually
say corner, corner, the nickel, or somebody has the front
guy and everybody's boxing it. You're attached that guy, not
your guy. You're you're gonna body him. Then you got
(21:36):
one or two guys, depending on how you guys are
running it to jump to jump on the play and
try to bat the ball down or bat it away
or catch it or whatever you know your playing is.
But there's somebody for everybody. And I thought maybe he
was the jumper on that play because he jumped, you know,
it's so if he was a jumper on that play,
technically did his job. So I wasn't that frustrated initially
(21:56):
because I didn't know the rules.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
But then Eberflus goes in to the to the to
the media and says his responsibility was to box out
the black man Noah Brown, who calls for the touchdown pass. Now,
if I understood that to be the case, I'm really frustrated.
I'm pissed. I'm not pissed just because he was taughting
the fans. I don't really care about that. That happens
like you do that people have taught up the fans
(22:19):
threw stuff at him, and then went out and scored
touchdown pass. That's not the That's not the thing that
gets me to most. It's not that's the lack of
doing your job that gets me. You know, I do
your job. You can do all that all you want,
But if you don't do your job, then I'm frustrated.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
And I wouldn't even care.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
If he didn't taunt the fans and you didn't do
his job, I'd be just as pissed because you have
one job. You know, Hey, we work on this and
every team. Well, I can't say every ting because I'm
not in every locker room. I'm not in every practice,
but we worked on it every Saturday. It's like the
last play you do right before you end walk through.
They do a hell Mary. Everybody gets to their spots.
(22:54):
You joke around, YadA, YadA YadA. You act like it's
nothing played. But eventually you get deep in the end zone.
You actually gonna let the offense catch it because you
know that's just how practice works. But everybody gets attached
to their man. You know where you're supposed to be.
You play the play out, they catch it.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
Cool.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Practice is over, go back to the hotel time for
a game next day. But I'm frustrated if I'm its teammate,
because you can't not do your job.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
This is a huge loss. I mean, the division race
in the NFC North is very tight, much like the
NFC West, and for the Chicago Bears, needing a win,
they would have gone to what would have been six
and two five This is a five and two this,
I mean, this is a huge loss for them. I
can't imagine practice is gonna be easy. What do you
think that's gonna be like? In Chicago this week.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Well, it depends on what kind of locker room and
culture they got. You know, we talked to Jalen Johnson
and it just seems like they have a supportive locker room.
And I'm you know, I'm sure they know the guy
didn't do it on purpose. Everybody makes mistakes. It's a
bonehead play, a frustration, frustrating mistake that led to a loss.
But at the end of the day, you know, you
got a next play mentality And as DB's we live
(24:03):
by that every single week. So I'm sure they're like,
next play, flush it. They went over the tape. You know,
he got beat up enough. I'm sure in those in
those meetings, and they flush it and you move on
to the next week. You're not gonna dwell on it
because then you you know, it stacks up and you
end up losing more.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
Well, you talked about it in the beginning of the podcast.
You want to talk about the Denver Broncos, and let's
talk about them. Sean Payton, it looks like he's got
his swigerback, Richard. This team, this Denver Bronco team, it
is related to the Carolina Panthers and out of this
JC Horn apparently took offense to the fact that the
Denver Broncos kept trying to score. To what Sean Payton said,
(24:41):
it's the NFL play better. What are your thoughts on
Sean Payton and this Denver Bronco team?
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Rich, Yeah, I mean, yes, this is the NFL.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
This isn't Pop Warner, And I don't really like when
they do it on Pop and Pop Warner and in literally,
but I can understand it. You know, these are kids.
You know, they're not professional athletes. They're not getting paid
to do this job. It's no point running up to score.
You could have more advanced kids than the other team,
and they could have just beginners. You know, guys first
year playing football and you're scoring sixty points. That's not
good for them. That's not good for anybody, and that's
(25:12):
not good for the game. But the National Football League.
You're pros. Your team has pros. You're not some make
a wish team. You're not some some some Hey, you know,
we're We're just happy these guys are out here and
they're getting a chance to do what they wanted. They
were happy there in the NFL. No, you're National Football
League players.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
Do your job. Do your job and each row.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Everro is A is a pretty good defensive coordinator and
was up for head coaching jobs. He just doesn't have
the talent right now. They don't have the talent on
the defensive side of the ball. And I think he
understands that. But no, I'm not. I don't agree with
that run up to score, run up to score. And
even Detroit Detroit, you know, you guys had a chance
to run up to score against Dallas Cowboys and you
randed up a little bit last week. It is what
(25:53):
it is. That's not bad sportsmanship. This is National Football League.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
It's bad sportsmanship if you if you try to hurt somebody,
or you push somebody after the play, or just trying
to be cheap or cheating in the game. But to
run the score up playing football, running football players is
not their job to to give you a break, sure
drop to stop them. So I'm good with that. And
and give credit to bone Knicks in the game that
he's had. They've won five of the last six after
(26:19):
starting ze two. I think he ain't. Sean Payton have
gotten a good report. We watched them on Thursday night
Football have a really good game against the New Orleans Saints,
and this defense, Vance Joseph's defense deserves a ton of credit.
I think they're third in the league in points per
game and third in the league in yards giving up,
and with the best corner in football. I think they're
(26:41):
gonna be a team that's gonna give the Kansas City
Chiefs a tough game because their defense can play with anybody.
They have the guys up front that can get pressure
on anybody. They got the secondary that can cover anybody.
You got Riley Moss, one of the one of the
one of two white corners in the National Football League,
playing man the man forty five fifty of the snaps.
(27:01):
I mean, I know the history books are being written
right now. He's gotten an interception. I think he might
have gotten another one, but he's playing really good football.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
OPTAs Sehrn is very proud.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
They're rich.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
It's gonna be I can't wait to I know he's proud.
I know he's proud.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
He's so proud. Well, I mean you got to look
at it too.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
I mean, bow Nex is really matured in front of
our eyes over the last couple of games, and now
we see him get Courtland Sutton his number one wide receiver,
a lot more involved.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
How far do you.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Think the Broncos can go because if the season we're
to end right now, they'd have the top wild card spot.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
I think they can go to the playoffs, and I
think they're gonna have a They're gonna give somebody a
really tough out in those playoffs if they are able
to make it in. We're just seeing young quarterbacks develop
and and I think Kevin O'Connell talked about this with
in regards to in regards to Sam Darnold, and he says,
you know, these didn't fail these organizations. These organizations fail
(28:02):
these quarterbacks because they don't take the time to develop them.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
They think it's microwave.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
You know. These coaches are sitting there like, hey, I
got a guy, you know what I mean. I'm not
gonna help him develop. I'm not going to coach him anymore.
I think he's already done now. I just want him
to be the best right now. I just want him
to throw passes and complete him. No, you have to
be able to help this man develop, Teach him how
to prepare, teach him how to understand the defense, how
to talk in the huddle, how to do everything, how
(28:28):
to be a pro, and sometimes you surround him with
veterans and a good quarterbacks coach or whatever the case
may be. But John Payton has done a good job
with bow Knicks and continue to gradually bring him along
to really cater the playbook to his skill set. When
he wants to run, when he wants to do it
with his legs, He's allowing them the freedom to do that. Screenplays, misdirection,
(28:51):
things like that. He's given him easy passes at times
so that he can sit there and say, hey, this
is a rookie quarterback. I got to give him a
good run game. I have to give him plays where
he can get warmed up into the game, and then
we got to push the ball down the field and
challenge him a little bit. And I think Jayden Daniels
dan Quinn out in Washington is doing the same thing.
I think eber Flus out in Chicago has done a
(29:13):
better job lately of dealing with Caleb Williams and giving
him more support.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Let's move on to buy or sell my new favorite
segment here on the Richard Sherman podcast, Richard, I'm gonna
I'm gonna throw a couple statements of fact that you
I want you to tell me whether you're gonna buy
or sell them. Let's stay in that AFC West. Let's
talk about the LA Chargers. We don't give them much love,
so we got to show a little love to them, Richard.
They're leading the leagues in points allowed per game. They've
(29:43):
got the best defense from a scoring perspective. Do you
think they have the best defense in the NFL? Buy
or sell the LA Chargers as the best defense right
now in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
I'm not believing that yet. I'm not.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
They've played some really good games. They played it well
against Kansas City Chiefs, so you got to give them
credit for that. But no, I'm not ready to give
them and crown them right now. They're going to have
to do it consistently over seventeen games, and then at
the end of the season, if they're able to do
it in the playoffs, hold a team seventeen or less
than I give them that ground and start to really
(30:19):
give them respect because they just it just They've just
been one of those teams consistently that has been really talented,
really really talented, and just underperformed and it seems like
they're finally living up to the to the billing and
all the talent that they had, Joey Bosa and Khalil
Mack and these guys that have played Sante Samuel Junior
(30:44):
that have just been big time playmakers but just still
haven't culminated into to good defense. So I'm not ready
to buy him quite yet.
Speaker 4 (30:53):
Now my favorite one the Detroit Lions. Richard.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
It is my belief that the Detroit Lions had the
best offense that we have seen, certainly over the last
ten years, but possibly even in the two thousands. So
let me let me paint a picture for.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
You here though, Richard, have to paint something.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
But they're the third team since the merger to have
thirteen passing touchdowns, thirteen rushing touchdowns, and one hundred point
win margin through seven games of the season, joining only
the two thousand and nine Saints in nineteen ninety eight Broncos. Richard,
it seems like no matter what this team does, they're
scoring in a variety of ways. The Detroit Lions at
(31:30):
least have the best offense in the league. Give me
that by or so in the league, I'd buy. But
of the two thousands, I mean I saw Peyton throw
fifty five touchdown passes and have three thousand yard was
it four thousand yard receivers? I mean, I'm not gonna yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
I if I see that from Jared Groff and he
throws fifty five touchdown passes this year, then you got it.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
You got it.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
If he has four guys go four thousand, you you
got it from me. But that's gonna be a hard thing.
But right now, they're definitely the best offense. It's in
the most finely fine oil machine in the National Football League.
And I think it's bar none.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I don't think you're watching any other team. And I
challenge any other fan to sit there and tell me
their offense is better than what the Detroit Lions have
put together consistently this season. Now, you know, you've had
some offenses play good for a game, maybe two games,
you know, for for quick flashes, but nobody is playing
better collectively than the Detroit Lions at just one hundred
(32:26):
percent true, I will buy that.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Another player that playing pretty good individually is Jameis Winston.
He comes in there and has delivers, you know, some
classic Jamis lines and motivating his team and brings the
Cleveland Browns to an unexpected victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Now,
let's put it frankly. I mean, the Clefland Browns look
pretty darn good in that game. It's not like it
(32:50):
was all Baltimore just playing bad. That being said, the
Cleveland Browns would have a winning record if Jameis Winston
was a starter from opening day.
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Think Jameis Winston is a starter in this league and
and should have been starting for one of these teams.
And I'm not saying that. There are a number of
teams that could have used him.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
And I'd go.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Down the line and say, Jacksonville Jaguars, he should be
the starter there. The Vegas Raiders, he could be the
starter there. Tennessee, he could be the starter there. New
York Giants, he could be the starter there. Who am
I missing? Who am I missing? The Saints he could
be the starter there, New England, he could be the
(33:31):
starter there. I think you know a number of teams
that he could be the starter for and elevate their teams.
Would they have a winning record if he was the
starting quarterback?
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Maybe?
Speaker 3 (33:40):
I think they Their defense has kept them in a
lot of these games, and and Deshaun Watson, you know,
just just hadn't had the confidence and and the play
style that that you know, had made him special. And
Jamis for all his faults, he will push the ball
down the field. He's gonna throw some touchdowns. He's gonna
put the ball in harm's way. But we remember that
season where he threw for five thousand yards thirty touchdowns.
(34:03):
Are thirty three touchdowns and thirty interceptions. You know, you
get the good with the bad. But if you've got
a good defense and you can weather the bad, the
good is pretty good.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Well, Richard, you're traveling back to New York or New
Jersey rather next week or this week for Thursday night football.
We got a big one. The Texans go on the
road to take on the Jets in a must must
win situation for the Jets. Richard, what are your thoughts
going into this game? I know you gotta love flying
(34:34):
back to New York a cross country but ultimately it's
going to be a pretty good game. Vegas has got
the Jets as a two point favorite, which might shock some.
Stefan Diggs is questionable to play. What are your thoughts
of this Thursday Night game? Brought to you exclusively on
Prime Video. By the way, our friends and partners over
at Prime Video. Richard, your thoughts on Thursday night's game, Well.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
This Thursday, you got to Houston, Texans going to the
New York Jets, and this is a must win for
the Jets. They have to win this game and then
then every other game after this is it must win.
They lost five in a row. You can you can
feel the dysfunction a bit of the team, and just
a disappointment. Such a talented team and a team I've
(35:16):
been rooting for, especially when Robert Salo was there. But
I just hate it for this team. I hate the
dysfunction because it was injected into this team, and not
that they were playing great, but they were two and
three five games into the season, heading into a matchup
with the Buffalo Bills, and Woody Johnson decides to fire
(35:37):
the coach. You inject chaos into this team, talking about
you want to change this culture, and they have not
won a game since. It's not coincidental, it's not by coincidence.
You've put burdens in places that the burdens were not.
You've put turmoil in places turmoil was not. You had
a good locker room. You ruined it. And this is
(35:58):
why owners should just own the maybe get involved in
the offseason. If something crazy happens, you step in. I
know it's your team, but you pay people to run it,
not to make knee jerk decisions like this, because you
cripple the whole team and you ruin the thing that
you want most. You want the playoffs. Well, there's only
been one team to make the playoffs after firing their
(36:19):
coach in season, and that was the Raiders, and that
was John Gruden's team, and it was actually a really
talented team, and but Shati got in there and and
you know, did what he did. They made the playoffs.
Cool story, but it's very rare, and it's usually when
the team is really talented and they're already in a
good space. You didn't have to make this decision. That
(36:40):
decision doom this team. And that's again what I feel
about that. I want to see Aaron Rodgers and and
I want to see Devontae Adams do well. Friends of
the program, I want to see I want to see
Garrett Wilson do well. I want to see Quinn Williams.
You know, my boy, DJ Reed Sauce Gardner. I just
want to see this team do well, but I understand
(37:02):
what the circumstances have done to this team. And that's
the frustrating part is that I'm over here. You know,
every year, you know, jay E t s es justin.
You see the quarterback turnover, the quarterback issues, Zach Wilson struggling,
and then you you know, my boy, I thought they
had a chance. I thought Mike White has had a chance.
(37:23):
And I was excited about that because you know, just
was playing on a high level at times and you know,
not not good enough. Didn't end up panning out, got it.
But the defense played well, and that's what Salah's known for.
He was coaching his butt off trying to keep this
defense in tech. And then he finally gets a starting
level quarterback, Hall of Fame quarterback for five games, and
you pull the rug from under him, and it just
(37:44):
frustrates me so much, and he gets me so triggered
just talking about it. And I cheer so much for
the Jets, and I want to see him do well,
but then I and the second hand, I just don't
want to see anything that has to do with Willie
Johnson do well. At this point because of what he
did to this organization and to this team. And it's like,
my goodness, he's gonna have a hard time hiring coaches
and staff after this because you're not gonna give.
Speaker 1 (38:07):
Him three years. You're not gonna even three years. That's
exactly what I was just thinking. I mean, Ben Johnson's
a prime head coaching candidate at OC for the Lions.
He's highly calculated. I highly doubt he's gonna be going
to the New York Jets. Richard, you think even think
further back, like last year, you've given Robert Salah a
(38:29):
really shitty situation because another owner decision. I guarantee it
was an owner decision and bringing in Aaron Rodgers in
the first place. And now Robert Sala is left sitting
there with, Okay, you just drafted a quarterback number two
overall and Zach Wilson. You want me to develop him,
but also you're gonna want me to manage the situation
with an aging Aaron Rodgers as well. And then he
(38:51):
goes down with injury, he endures that entire year, and
now finally he's got a team that's somewhat healthy. They
just trade for DeVonta Adams. You kick him to the curb.
Robert Sala deserves a lot better, and you said this
was self inflicted.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
And then you try to do everything to make yourself
look right. You know that Robert Salah is gone. Now
you trade for Devonte Adams. Now you pay Hassan Ready.
Now you do the things that you could have done
while he was here and gave him the best chance
to have success with this team. But instance you do
it after he leaves, and it just looks like nonsense
to me. And that's the frustrating part. And you still
(39:25):
lose games. Even after that, you still lose games because
you have created a dysfunction in this organization. You change
the decoordinator to the head coach. You've put extra responsibilities
that he wasn't expected on his plate, and he's doing
the best at a job that he can with it.
But it's hard for anybody to to juggle things that
they weren't expecting at a time in the middle of
(39:47):
a football season. And now he has to try to
still call the defense, still get ready, think about all
these other things, and it just diminishes your performance. So
whatdi Johnson, Congratulations you played yourself.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
That all this being said, what do you think of
the game against the Texans on Thursday? Because the Texans
come in here at six and two, they can take
firm control of this AFC South with a win.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Who do you like, rich Well?
Speaker 3 (40:15):
I think the Jets have a chance just because of
where the Texans are weak, and it's that interior offensive line.
And that's what's been been giving CJ. Stroud some trouble,
is that he's getting pressure in his face and at
his feet from the interior. You know, obviously Laramie Tunsel
and the outside they do a pretty good job. But
with Quinn Williams, I expect him to get the interior
(40:37):
pressure this game. And so that's especially with the injury
the digs. Nico Collins has already out was playing some
of his best football before his injury, potentially back next week.
If they, you know, guys are gonna have to step up.
You know, guys that haven't played a lot of football
are gonna have to catch a lot of footballs and
(40:58):
be productive. And I think they're gonna lean on Joe Mixon.
And if Joe Mixon can get going and be productive
like he's been the past, couple of games, four hundred
yard games in the past five games. I think they
come out on top. But if Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams,
whenever they out there, if they catch fire at any
time it gets, it can be a fun game to watch.
(41:20):
So I'm hoping that they get in their rhythm this
game and make this a really fun game in New York.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
Well that's this week's TNF preview, presented by Prime Video.
Make sure you guys tune in this Thursday to watch
the Texans take on the Jets and check out Richard
Sherman and crew.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Richard.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
Finally, before we wrap, I have to ask, as I
do every week for your power rankings. This one is
important to me because I think my hometown team has
done enough. But I I'm not you, So, Richard, how
do you stack him this week?
Speaker 3 (41:57):
Well, one hasn't changed. They haven't lost the game yet.
I mean Patrick mahone is still leading the league in interceptions.
But defensively they just will not give it up. Travis
Kelsey is starting to wake up and starting to show,
you know, his Hall of Fame form. They're one your
(42:19):
Honolulu Blue Detroit Lions.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Beautiful thing. I gotta show the watch for this introduction here, Richard.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
You know, even though Jared Golf throws for eighty five
yards and they have more points than yards in the
third quarter than passing yards, there'll be number two. The
Baltimore Ravens losing to the Cleveland Browns knocks them somewhere else.
So Houston Texans are three. Pittsburgh Steelers look really good
(42:51):
right there. I give them four, and then Washington Commanders
are going to bring me in at five. And if
you're mad about your team not being there, maybe they'll
be there next week. I know, I know the Green
Bay Packers need to be in consideration. In Minnesota. Vikings
are still up there, obviously, the Baltimore Ravens, but coming
off a loss, they know, three losses this season, two
of them being to the Raiders in the Cleveland Browns,
(43:13):
just shows you know they're mortal.
Speaker 4 (43:18):
They are.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
It just shows you how insane this football season is.
Right now, you have the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington
Commanders in the top five of your power ranks eight
weeks into the season. If you would have told me
that at the beginning of the season, I would have
said something's going on a little crazy and it's been
crazy Richard. That concludes Week eight. We'll see you on
Thursday night on Prime Video. I will let you sign
(43:41):
us off.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Well.
Speaker 3 (43:41):
Thank you guys for joining us every single week, every
single episode, the people that keep checking in, that keep listening.
I'm thankful for you, guys. I'm thankful for every second
that you're here with us. I hope you have a beautiful,
blessed day and night. Give love to your family, have
a beautiful hollow wean this week. Put your mask on,
(44:02):
get some candies, trick or treat, give me something good
to eat. Appreciate you joining us. See you next time.
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Host
Colin Cowherd
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