The Richard Sherman Podcast - NFL Week 2: 49ers SHOCKED by Vikings, Seahawks 2-0, Chiefs escape Bengals

Richard Sherman reacts to Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season. Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers were knocked down to 1-1 after a shocking upset loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Will the Niners be able to right the ship with Jordan Mason filling in for Christian McCaffrey, who was put on IR and expected to miss at least 4 games? The Seattle Seahawks took control of the NFC West with an overtime victory over the New England Patriots, as Geno Smith fed DK Metcalf and the emerging Jaxon Smith-Njigba to lead the Seahawks to a 2-0 start. Richard also reacts to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs narrowly edging out Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, the Detroit Lions dropping to 1-1 with a loss to Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens starting the season 0-2 with a surprising defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Dak Prescott's Dallas Cowboys getting blown out by the New Orleans Saints.

#volume #herd

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Td Tuddy taking it to the house in for six.
Whatever you want to call a touchdown. One thing's for sure,
touchdowns matter more at DraftKings Sportsbook and official sports betting
partner of the NFL. On the ground, in the air,
from special teams or defense, we don't care how they
score them. We just want to bet on touchdowns, and

(00:22):
DraftKings Sportsbook is the number one place to bet touchdowns.
Ready to place your first NFL bet? Try something simple
like a player to score a touchdown. Go to the
DraftKings Sportsbook Gap and make your bet today. Ready to
do a touchdown dance of your own. New DraftKings customers
bet five dollars to get two hundred and fifty dollars
in bonus bets instantly and get one month of NFL

(00:47):
Plus Premium. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook Gap and use code Richard.
That's code Richard for new customers to get two hundred
and fifty dollars in bonus bets when you bet just
five bucks and you get one month of NFL Plus
Premium only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours gambling problem
called one eight hundred Gambler or visit www dot one

(01:09):
eight hundred gambler dot net. In New York, call eight
seven seven eight h O p E n Y or
text h O P E n Y four six seven
three six nine. In Connecticut, help us available for problem
gambling Call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven
seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly
on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort licensee partner Golden

(01:31):
Nugget Lake Charles twenty one plus. Age varies by jurisdiction
void in Ontario, se Sportsbook dot DraftKings dot com, slash Football,
terms for eligibility and deposit restrictions, terms and responsible gaming resources.
The Volume.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Company delto championships. That should always be the expectation. All right, man,
next you go. Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast.
Another week, Another chaotic week in the NFL, especially with
our early games, Mitchell, some upsets.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Oh dolly, Richard. This week was one of those weeks
that proved the NFL is the NFL. You can look
at the slate you think, hey, this is an easy win.
This is an easy win, this is an easy win,
this is an easy win. That's not the case, Richard.
Let's start with Seattle. They're going on the road against

(02:36):
New England.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
An easy win, right, there's no such thing as as
an easy win in National Football League. A very tough environment,
a ten am start, which is always tough for West
Coast teams. But they talked about it in the pregame.
Pete Carroll started this, Hey, if it's a ten am start,
we're getting there Friday, We're getting there late Friday, we're
staying there all day Saturday, getting a jest to do

(03:00):
them the walk through, and then we're playing on Sunday.
And they're continuing that tradition with Mike McDonald and it
seemed to have helped this team. That defensive line. Boye
Mafey is a player, Thank goodness. He came out of
this game relatively unscathed. I think he said a knee
contusion or a thigh contusion, which is fine. But the

(03:21):
story of this game is again Gina Gino Smith goes
out there and puts on a clinic passing the football.
If it wasn't for about five or six drops in
this game Mitchell, he might have had four hundred yards
in this game, might not have been as close as
it was at the end, but it was a nail
bier at the end thanks to a Julian Love block

(03:44):
field goal to forty eight yard field goal, which which
could have pretty much iced the game for the for
the New England Patriots. And in one of the game
he blocked that huge play in the game, the offense
goes down, drives the length of the field, gets gets
a field goal, takes it to ot, the defense does
their thing, and then Gino takes him right down the
field into field goal range and the rest is history.

(04:08):
As they say, Zach Charbonnay had a solid game on
the ground, wasn't wasn't great, but had some very key
receptions throughout the game. But the story there were I mean,
DK metcalf ten for one to twenty nine in a touchdown,
but jsn twelve catches for one seventeen, no tds, but

(04:28):
they Gino was out there distributed. Addition the ball out
the defense played solid and spurts. They got to They
got to Jacobe Brissett a lot more than the stat
book would show. They could not get him to the ground.
A very strong quarterback, very poison in the pocket, very patient,
and he really made the defense pay when they missed

(04:48):
him and They had him a couple times, Mitchell, they
had him, had him dead to rights, and you got
to give Mike meet Donald a lot of credit for
drawing up these blitzers. But these guys got to get home.
But it turned out that it did not matter because
Geno was better on this day than Jacoby Brissett and
the New England Patriots. He really played well, especially down
to stretch. Another game winning drive Forrgino Smith in the

(05:11):
Seattle Seahawks and Mitchell there. Right now, they're alone the
top the NFC West standings with the San Francisco forty
nine ers losing this week to the Minnesota Vikings, and
we'll get to that game in a second, but it's
gonna be a cool little deal right now because the
Miami Dolphins come limping into Seattle into Loomenfield with Skyler Thompson,

(05:34):
a quarterback to a tongue of Ilow obviously out with
the concussion. We all sat there Thursday night praying for
him and his family. Seems to be okay. We don't
know what the outcome of that whole situation is gonna be.
Likely they're gonna, I think they likely put him on
IR but we have no idea, but it looks like
Skyler Thompson will be coming into Seattle to play against

(05:55):
the Seattle Seahawks. Obviously, they still got Tyreek Hill, they
still got Jalen Waddell, they still got playmakers all over
the field. But that's a devastating blow for that team.
Coming into a very hostile environment. The Twelves are going
to be even more hype. They see hope in their team.
New coach, rookie coach starting two to zero, has their
team playing expired football. The quarterback is playing really really

(06:16):
good football. They're sitting atop their division. I mean, you
couldn't feel better about to start to this season for
the Seattle Seahawks have already gone through some adversity. Mitchell
different than good.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Richard Richard. I'll say this going into the season, the
next level up for Seattle was adding another offensive component.
We knew Mike McDonald was going to bring a new
look to that defense, but Jssen Richard Jsen was this
untapped potential potential with the team we saw today twelve

(06:52):
receptions of one hundred and seventeen yards. It doesn't get
much better than that. This team, if they can level
up offensively, Richard, they're gonna win next week, right, Mitchell, Like,
I understand that they're gonna win next week. I don't
know what you want to bet on that they are

(07:13):
gonna win next week, and they're gonna look the Detroit
Lions in the eyes at three and zero on Monday
Night football. Richard, this team right here, we already talked
about it. The hype is real with this team. If
they can get JSN involved, look out the Seattle Seahawks E.
Three and oh next week. I'm calling it already, Richard.

Speaker 2 (07:34):
Well, Mitchell, I hope so obviously. Tyler Lockett was also
involved in this game. Had had a crucial pass interference
call on him late in the game during the game
time Drive, had another critical reception in overtime, still making
an impact, had a huge game last week to help
them get the win. This team is gonna be fun

(07:55):
to watch for a long time. It looks like they
have the pieces in place, even when the defense doesn't
play as well as they want to. But you got
to give a lot of credit to Leonard Williams because
he had a sack and a half. But the statu
sheet does not do justice to the impact that he
had on this ball game. He was creating causing havoc
on the D line all day. Byron Murphy as well,

(08:17):
putting it had impact. He only had a sack and
a half, I mean half a sack, but he was
also creating chaos trying to limit Ramond's Ramandre Stevenson all day.
He still had a solid game, but those are tough
yards that they forced him to get. The Patriots go
to the Jets this this Thursday on Prime Video at

(08:39):
seven pm Eastern. Will be there in New York. Mitchell,
I'm getting my freaking flyer mouse, that's for sure. I
know you are, Oh, I know you are. Thursday Night
Football is on and it's only on Prime Video this Thursday.
It's the New England Patriots at the New York Jets,
joined Al Michael's, Kirk Curve Street and Kaylee Hartungu as

(09:02):
these reloaded AFC rivals meet up. Coverage begins at seven
pm Eastern with Football's Best Party TNF Tonight live from
MetLife Stadium. Not a Prime member, not a problem. Simply
sign up for a thirty day trial and you can
cancel at any time. It's the Patriots and the Jets
at seven pm Eastern on Thursday Night Football and it's

(09:24):
on pon video restrictions apply. Seeamazon dot com for slash
Amazon Prime for details.

Speaker 1 (09:33):
Let's stick with the NFC West. I know you got
one side of the fence that you're you're happy with,
the other side of the fence not so much. This
is the this is the life you live being a
forty nine or in a Seahawks fan, if you will. Richard,
the San Francisco forty nine Ers go to the Vikings
and lose, take the l twenty three to seventeen. Let's

(09:55):
switch the cap, Richard, the Sam Darnold revenge game. Here
we are your thoughts on Donald Mitchell. Great game.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
It's been thirty years, mettell over thirty years since the
San Francisco forty nine ers have won in Minnesota. I
don't know what it is about the water in Minnesota
or the food. It's weird environment. They cannot seem to
put together a great game. And if you look at
the stat sheet, brock Perty twenty eight to thirty six,
three nineteen a touchdown, a very costly interception. I kind

(10:28):
of saw that coming earlier in the game. He was
able to fit one in in very tight coverage to
Kyle Hughes check and it just looked like, hey, if
he does that again, it's gonna be tough because he's
going through his reads. He's saying, bang, bang bang, this
is my last read. I got to get the ball out.
He's hitting his back foot and the defense is anticipating.
The windows are tight. They're starting to understand where he's looking,

(10:50):
where he's expecting to go with the ball, where his
last read is, and they made a play, tipped the
ball up in the air and made an interception. Deebo
Samuel had a really good game, caught some really tough
pass over the middle. Eight catches from one teen George
Kittles seven for seventy six, had to go out with
it to get an IV. Midway through the game. Nick
Bosa had a really good game, two sacks, but they

(11:12):
did not generate enough pressure on Sam Darnald. They allowed
him to throw a ninety seven yard touchdown pass to
Justin Jefferson. Unacceptable, no matter what part of the game
you're in, no matter what situation, no matter if it's
backed up, whatever the situation is, you got two safeties
garden Justin Jefferson. He split the defense. You should never

(11:32):
put those guys in that situation. He should be doubled
at all times. He's the best player on their football team.
He's not a guy that you should let lose or
not have an eye on, or say, hell, they're going
to run the ball, let him run the ball. Let
him run the ball in that situation too deep, We
stopped Justin Jefferson. They ran a play like that in
week one had some success. It was a post corner
that Justin Jefferson had some success. This week it was

(11:54):
a corner post and he was able to get beyond
the defense. Sam Darnold threw a beautiful football for the
ninety seven yard touchdown. Justin Jefferson ends up going out
with an injury in the ball game. Fred Warner All Pro.
Fred Warner deserve the MVP, the game, ball, everything in
this game because he freaking put the team on his back.
There are numerous situations where it appeared to the Minnesota

(12:17):
Vikings who were about to really really break this game
wide open. Aaron William I mean Aaron Jones was on
his way to another touchdown, to a touchdown in this ballgame,
and again Fred Warner's peanup punch bang coming through again.
He had one against Breese Hall last week. He had
another one this week along with an interception, along with

(12:37):
a sack. I mean, you're talking about defensive player of
the year kind of statistics, Menchell. They're doing what they
can defensively. They need more from this offense. You can't
be that inconsistent. Obviously, it's tough going against Flores and
that very aggressive, zero pressure defense the Minnesota Vikings bring.
But you have to figure it out. You cannot have

(12:58):
a game like this. You cannot have the turnover that
brock Perdy had. You gotta make some plays when he counts.
They had a chance. Jordan Mason had another very good game,
twenty carries for one hundred yards. Was really imposing his
will throughout the game. But just too many mistakes, you know,
two lats of days to go offensively and defensively. They

(13:21):
made enough plays, but a lot of it was Fred
Warner making crucial plays in very critical situations as the
minifold so the Vikings are driving down to score another touchdown.
Both of those plays happening in the red zone area,
which is incredible, but it's also concerning because why are
they in the red zone area this many times and
him having to play superman in this way. There needs

(13:41):
to be more pressure up front. We got to get
to the quarterback. But give credit to Kevin O'Connell in
this Minnesota Vikings offense. In their defense, Brian Floor is
the plan that he drew up for Kyle Shanahan. It's
tough to replicate. Kevin O'Connell drew up a beautiful game
plan running the ball, throwing the football, so he deserves
a lot of credit. Sam Donald, of course, seventeen to

(14:03):
twenty six, two sixty eight, two touchdowns through an interception
in his revenge game, got his revenge Tdy Chandler had
ten receptions for ady two yards. Justin Jefferson four receptions
won thirty three in a touchdown. Pat Jones two sacked.
Oh Mitchell, it's gonna be tough.

Speaker 1 (14:24):
I'm gonna say this. I'm gonna I'm gonna say this.
The forty nine ers took a loss, and this is
a huge loss. I mean, you expected them to win
this game. The Vikings are not the same team as
they were last year with Kirk Cousins. Everyone expected to
creep down with Sam Darnold at the Helm Richard. Brandon

(14:45):
Ayuk just signs a huge extension. He what, he catches
four passes for forty three yards. I mean, this guy's
been not existent the last two games. I know he
missed all training camp. How big of a distraction was
this off season? Is it lingering into the regular season now?

Speaker 2 (15:06):
I don't think it's lingering, but I do think if
you miss training camp, you you don't develop the same
rapport with the quarterback. Rock Perty's not looking for him
in a way that he looked for him last year.
That's why you see Deebo Samuel's taking a brunt of
the receptions. I think if if Ricky Purcell was out there,
he would be getting a lot of attention because they

(15:26):
just developed that kind of chemistry, that kind of rapport
with the time that Brandon Ayuk was missing with this
hold in UH during his contract dispute. So I think
there's just a bit of a disconnect there that that
will slowly but surely get get reconnected as the season
progresses progresses. But you can see it right now, there's
just not the same rhythm between the same chemistry between

(15:49):
Brock perty And and Brandon Ayuk. Right now. That'll change
as the season goes on. But CMC going to IR
with achilles tendonitis. I got a lot of history with
Achilles senonidis. He's going through necessary steps to get it
taken care of. He's you know, you got to get
you got to get certain procedures, you got to get

(16:09):
certain things to get the pain mitigated. You know, they
always say there's not a concern of rupturing, and you
never want to believe there is, but it's it is
a really, really painful and debilitating injury that makes it
very difficult to be effective as a player, and especially
in a game where you're making split second decisions. You're
anticipating your body doing what you expected to do. With

(16:29):
injury like that, your body's not going to It's not
going to be able. You're not gonna be able to
push off that foot. You're not gonna be able to
trust your steps. You're not gonna be able to trust
your instincts because you're going to be wholly mentally concerned
about where your placement is that foot is the pain
there in the back of your mind, concerned about maybe
it's gonna rupture on each step. That's not a way
you could play at a high level in the National

(16:51):
Football League. So he's trying to get to a place
where he can play more pain free and really be
able to showcase the talents that he's has God given
talent and ability. I think he's gonna be fine, but
he does need a couple weeks to get that thing
healthy and to get to that place. The forty nine
ers go down to La to play the Rams, who
are coming off a devastating loss to the Arizona Cardinals

(17:14):
where they just got beat up and down the football field.
They did not look good at that offensive line took
a beating. I think Arizona had five sacks in the
ball game. And we're gonna get to that game a
little bit later. But it's it's Levi South. I know
the faithful are gonna be there and they're gonna show
up in a big way. They need to. But the
San Francisco forty nine Ers need this win. They need

(17:36):
to get back on the winning track. Brock Perty needs
to get his confidence back to get back to where
he believes in himself and this offense again. They need
to get Brandon and Iuk involved. You paid the man.
You got to draw some stuff up to him and
get him in rhythm early on. Even if it's simple
stuff one on one, backside, three by one, old school football,

(17:56):
just get the man some touches, one on one, go balls.
I mean they were doing that last year against Pittsburgh
to open the season. I mean it's old school. They're
playing one, they're playing quarters. You can find one on
ones if you want them, you gotta you gotta take
those shots and give them opportunities. We can't play conservative,
and I think I don't know if it's the offensive

(18:17):
line and Kyle trusting that they could block this front
of the Minnesota Vikings are anticipating Floyd is bringing more pressure.
But next week they're gonna have to take some more shots.
They're gonna have to get more aggressive and get off
their heels and play more sound and and just uh
confidently throughout this ball game.

Speaker 1 (18:38):
It's they got to get back to who they are.
Let's move on. We're going to the Kansas City Chiefs,
Cincinnati Bengals, and Richard. The NFL script writers have got
it right for the Kansas City Chiefs the last two years.
It looks like they're getting it right for the third
year in a row. The Kansas City Chiefs escape this

(18:59):
game with a huge win. And let's I don't know
what the bigger story is here, Kansas City escapes of
the win or the fact that the Cincinnati Bengals with
Joe Burrow healthy zero to two. Richard, your thoughts on
this game. Cincinnati looked like they had it in the

(19:19):
bag and they just could not get it done.

Speaker 2 (19:25):
Metro, it did again look like fourth and sixteen. You say,
oh man, there's no way, there's no way Patrick Mahons
gets out of this one. They had just converted a
fourth down to play before to Rashie Rice and they
got it called back for a holding call on number
sixty four, And you say, okay, all right, obviously this

(19:47):
is over fourth and sixteen. There's no way he's going
to get this off. And then of course you see
him scramble around. You see him find space along the
left side. You see him move up in the pocket.
I know, no, we we've seen this night there before
he puts the ball up, thrown across his body. He

(20:08):
finds a receiver incomplete, but you could see the dB
got there maybe a hair early. But it's a bang
bank play. Do they call it every time they don't
it did They called it for Patrick Mahomes. They're gonna
call it for Patrick Mahomes. And it's hard to play
dB in this league, Mitchell, It is hard to play

(20:29):
defensive back in the National Football League when you're mad
atter dB like, oh man, he couldn't have done that.
He shouldn't have done a understand every single rule in
the rule book in terms of passing game is against
the defensive back. We don't have any benefits that. They
rarely call offensive pass interference. They called it a few
times this week on a couple of games, but only
when it's freaking ridiculously obvious. But you look up and

(20:53):
you're saying, hey, what else do you expect the defender
to do? Like you expect them to say, run full
speed stop for second, real quick while the ball is
in the air, and then say okay, time it ready
one to okay, now jump and bat it. No, you're
gonna drive on the football. You're gonna you're gonna go
to the receiver. You're gonna go up when he goes up,
and you're gonna try to get around him and make
a play. And that's what the defensive back did. Unfortunately, Uh,

(21:15):
they called it this time, but uh, Mahomes again, he's
thrown three touchdowns this year, throwing three throwing three interceptions,
and again they're finding ways to win. That is razy, concerning,
very very concerning. It's scary because he's not playing particularly
He didn't play particularly well in this game. He threw

(21:37):
two really costly interceptions that you really don't don't know
how to explain. Isaiah Paicecko had a very solid game
but kind of limped off at the end. Rosh she
Rice caught some had some really good catches that again
we talked about that clutch catcher on fourth down that
got called back that would have probably put him over
one hundred yards or at least to ninety yards. Receiving,

(22:00):
Travis Kelce didn't have a very impactful game. One catch
for five yards, but again he had he had an
illegal contact called on him late in the game. That
was on a play where Patrick Mahomes got intercepted, and
without that, I don't know if they win this game.
You know, without that play where the interception gets called back,

(22:24):
I don't know if they win this game. And Jamari
Connor give him a lot of credit because when Joe Burrow,
who played okay. You know, he had two fifty eight
two touchdowns. The team ran the ball for seventy four yards.
Joseeci had a really good game, seven catches for ninety
one yards. Jamar Chase was held relatively in check, had

(22:45):
a really question. I mean, I just didn't understand what
he was mad about. On a play a short game
where he was tackled by McDuffie, and I don't know
if he thought McDuffie tried to try to hip drop
tackling or something, but McDuffie was still standing after the
play in it and even kind of splitting his legs

(23:05):
to make sure he didn't land on Jamar Chase's legs.
And Jamar Chase gets so angry. He gets a fifteen
yard penalty that was very, very costly late in that
ball game. They did not need it. Joe Burrow tried
to step in, tried to stop him, try to call
him down. The head coach tried to call him down.
Nobody could call him down. Trey Hendrickson looked like a
man on fire. Caused a lot of freaking chaos, and

(23:27):
he was the one who caused a holding call to
get that fourth down conversion. Taking away late in the game.
But again they end up getting a penalty late in
the game. But Joe Burrow's fumble, that one fumble that
he had that wouldn't be that bad, was a touchdown.
It was a defensive touchdown and ended up being one

(23:50):
of the most pivotal plays in the game. So you
have to put that on Joe Burrow. You got to
hold onto the ball. You gotta protect the ball at
all costs. You can't give a team like the Kansas
City Chiefs a free touchdown that they didn't that Patch
Mahoons didn't have to drive down the field, earn. You
got to do better than that for your defense.

Speaker 1 (24:09):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
He could have been the first quarterback to beat Mahomes
four times, but it wasn't in the cards. But it
does not look like the Cincinnati Bengals were any any
way scared of the Kansas City Chiefs. And I look
forward to them playing again, hopefully in the playoffs. But
if Kansas City, I mean, if Cincinnati doesn't get it together,
this is there. I think they said their fourth time
starting oing two, Like, I just don't get that. You know,

(24:31):
you got an elite quarterback, You got elite receivers, your
defense plays really hard. You got good rushers and Hendrickson
and Hubbard, and you keep starting oning two on and
two oning two. Now you got a I mean, I
can't say you had a hard start. I mean, Kansas
City was gonna be a tough matchup, but you had
New England first, and you played better against Kansas City
than you did it against New England, but you still

(24:52):
come out a loser. You're gonna have to win this
game against the Washington Commanders or there's gonna be some
very some seats in Cincinnati that get really really warm
and uncomfortable.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
Mitchell, Richard, and they haven't paid Jamar Chase. This guy
has four catches for thirty five yards. I mean, if
I were to tell you Patrick Mahomes were to pass
for one hundred and fifty one yards and two interceptions
and Travis Kelcey were to catch one ball for five yards,
I'm sure you would say, Mitchell, the Cincinnati Bengals winning

(25:29):
a freaking blowout and Richard, they lost. That's where we're
at right now with the Cincinnati Bengals, and you're right,
Monday Night Football next week is a huge game for
them because if they lose the lowly Commanders with Jaden Daniels,
who has a lot to prove.

Speaker 2 (25:49):
Where do you look.

Speaker 1 (25:50):
I mean, you got to look at ownership at this point,
and you have to look at ownership, Richard. They've got
two of the best players in the league in Joe
Burrow and Jamar Chase, and this team is not found
an ability to win in the clutch moments.

Speaker 2 (26:03):
I get it.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
They made it to the Super Bowl. I understand it.
But how do you keep that longevity going, Richard? We
shall see, we shall see. I got to take you
to a low point in my day. This was a
low point in my day, my weekend. I was in
Detroit this today and Richard picked me up here my
friend because I don't know where to go. I don't

(26:26):
know where to go and my friend this. Before we
get into the game, we got to acknowledge our friends
and partners with Bright Lane. We love you guys. I
mean you guys already know. We showcased in the last
two podcasts. They got the new exclusive edition all NFL teams,
one hundred of these watches. I got my Honolulu Blue

(26:47):
and silver Detroit Lion bring. I know Richard's got at
San Francisco forty nine ers one on. We were waiting
on the Seattle Seahawks one for him as well. But
it's time to bring you this, this segment brought to
you by Brightlyn. It's a players in prime time this week, Richard.
It's Aiden Hutchinson. I don't know who else would have
deserved it throughout the NFL. There you go, Richard, for

(27:11):
those of you watching, that's the beautiful, beautiful forty nine ers.

Speaker 2 (27:16):
There you go, Beauty. It's beauty.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
Aiden Hutchinson ends up with four and a half sacks
for the Detroit Lions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, one
shy of the franchise record here in Detroit. Richard. He
was all over the field. I mean, frankly, he looked
like TJ. Watt out there. I mean the guy like
I don't know how many he had in the first
at first half, but my goodness, Aiden Hutchinson was absolutely everywhere,

(27:45):
and he was, quite frankly, the only bright spot of
today's game for the Detroit Lions. Detroit looked terrible. I
was at the game, watching the game, waiting for that
climactic moment. Offensively, Jared Goff threw for over three hundred yards. Richard,

(28:05):
I can say this like I don't remember much of them.
The two interceptions, pivotal interceptions, and even down the stretch
when we needed that big play, it was checked down. Charlie,
I don't get it. You have no timeouts and you're
throwing it short of the end zone even when you
need a touchdown in prime moments. Richard, this is not

(28:28):
the Jared Goff we've known to love here in Detroit.
I was confused watching this game. The Tampa bay Bucks
looked really good. Defensively, I will say offensively. Baker Mayfield
scrambled himself out of situations. He looked really, really freaking good.
And I will give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a lot

(28:48):
of credit. They look a lot better than they did
last year. And I know they were beat up today.
Detroit is a team I think will grow throughout the year.
But Richard, right now, I'm worried. Talk He talked me
through this situation because I don't want to be too
worried going in the next week as the Lions take
on the up and coming Arizona Cardinals. Should I be worried?

Speaker 2 (29:10):
My friend? Well, Menchell, I don't want to I don't
want to lie to you, Mitchell, what Arizona put on
tape this week? Be afraid be I get very afraid
because it is concerning me. This week. I tried to
warn you, Mitchell. I try. You were like, hey, I

(29:31):
guarantee this, I guarantee this win. And I want I
want to go back to this, to the Cincinnati game,
because I need to try to pull the clip of
me saying Mike Brown is not going to want to
pay Jamar Chase and Joe Burrow. Please I said it
like three years ago. Please put that clip out because
I said it, and now we're living the reality. He
does not want to pay guys. He wants to the

(29:53):
production and a benefit of elite players, but he doesn't
want to pay him elite player money. That's just who
he is. I don't know why. It's not my fault.
Don't shoot the messenger. Now back to the Detroit Lions.
Really good team that Todd Bowles is a very tough
defensive coordinator to go against when you don't play him consistently.

(30:17):
And I know you guys played him in the playoffs,
but he also played you in the playoffs. He played
Ben Johnson. So just like Ben Johnson's gonna be making adjustments.
Todd Bowles made adjustments, and they got Jordan Whitehead back,
they got a little bit better pass rush. You know,
they got consistent seed from their defense. Your offensive line
is really good, but they also have Vitaveya Mitchell. They

(30:38):
have people eaters too, so you're not just gonna be
able to bully them throughout the ball game like you
want to. Jamior Gibbs had a solid game thirteen rushes
for eighty four yards, seven receptions twenty two yards, But
you didn't see you didn't see the same dominance as
you did last week and just bully football through down
the stretch. Baker Mayfield, I mean, he looked he looked

(30:59):
Frank Tarkenton ish out there, Mitchell, he looked very dynamic,
very Houdini, you know, where'd he go? George kind of ordeal.
And he did that throughout the game and situations where
really your pass rush got home. And he did this
in a game where, like you said, Aiden Hutchinson had
four and a half sacks. I think he had three

(31:20):
in the first quarter, had the best game of his career,
showed why he was the why he was such a
high pick in the draft, really starting to live up
to the potential and everything, all the positive things that
have been said about him. But Baker Mayfield is starting
to build a rapport with Chris Godwin in a way
that Tom Brady had built. And Chris Godwin is the

(31:43):
most underrated receiver in the National Football League not named
Tyler Lockett. You know, he's He's like buff I mean,
Tampa Bay's version of Tyler Lockett, no matter how much
he does. I think he and Mike Evans have had
four thousand yard seasons where both those guys went over
a thousand yards and nobody really even bats an eyelash
at it. He was He's been an All Pro in

(32:04):
this league and nobody really talks about it that much.
He's a really great player in the National Football League
and that was able to shine today. You can double
team Mike Evans, but if you forget about Chris Godwin
in the intermediate, he will burn you. And he did
that consistently. Baker Mayfield was finding him every single time.
That defense Zion McCullen Christian easion. They made some huge

(32:28):
interceptions and made it really tough on Jared Golf. He
got his yards but that happened sometimes in it Todd
Bowles defense, like they give up a few yards here
and there, but they're not going to give up very
many touchdowns. And they did not. They did not allow
them into the end zone. They caused chaos, They caused
Jared Golf to turn the ball over, they stopped him

(32:50):
from scoring in the red zone. And there were a
few just really uncharacteristic things that I think I don't
think will happen in the future, like twelve men on
the field before the half that kind of took points
off the board. It was just kind of a Boneheit
play where I'm sure they're not you know, I mean,
they do a lot of updowns, Mitchell. I'm sure they're
gonna be doing updowns this week for that play.

Speaker 1 (33:12):
Because Richard, after last week against the Rams, I told
you the Lions played C plus football, and a lot
of that C plus was geared more towards the offense.
They looked rusty, and Richard, this is the second straight
game the offense looked very rusty, and in particular, Jered
Goff looked very rusty. They just paid this guy a

(33:34):
lot of money in the offseason, and I get it.
You had no preseason you know moments. Dan Campbell doesn't
like to expose any injury risk to this team in
the preseason. I understand that, but we expect more. I mean,
when you're getting paid fifty plus million dollars a year, Richard.

(33:54):
These interceptions he threw today, they weren't in the contested variety.
They were Hey, I misread this throw or I'm getting
hit and I'm just gonna loft it to the safety.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
Richard.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
They were big plays when Detroit was driving trying to
make even put points on the board, because that's all
we were looking at the end. If they were to
have kicked the field goal, as opposed to throwing that
interception that he threw over the middle to literally no
one but the safety of Tampa Bay, Detroit won won
this game. These are big moments. Jared Goff. I'm hoping

(34:28):
this is just a one hit wonder game for him.
But Detroit needs to get off of coost mode and
get back into the playoff mode that they were last year,
because otherwise, I don't want to say, Richard, the Cardinals
at Arizona is no cakewalk by any means. This team
could be staring one and two in the face when
everyone thought they would be three and zero, including myself.

(34:51):
Detroit needs to write this path immediately.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
Yeah, Mitchell, I understand what you're saying. Again, I think
it's just a situation where Todd bows is tough got
to go against. But Jonathan Gannon and that defense is
playing at a really high level. They don't have the
huge names outside of outside of Buda Baker. Budda Baker
is a bigger probably the biggest biggest name on that defense.

(35:15):
But they played really good football against the Buffalo Bills.
They played really good football this week, and the blowout
win against the Rams five sacks, uh sack Matthew Safford
five times. So I mean, they can't go into that
game underestimating them. I think they're gonna come in motivated
both teams. Is gonna be a really good game. But
there's there's other fifty million dollars quarterbacks that played worse

(35:37):
than Jared Golf today, Mitchell, And we're gonna get to
that later in the show. But don't, Mitchell, don't think
all is lost. Rich It's all she allowed. You're still
you're still doing well. You still got a chance to
win this division. Even though green Bay got a got
a big win somehow with Malik Willis, who played a
really solid game. You gotta give Lafleur a lot of

(35:59):
credit for a find way to win that game. Coaches,
but all but don't don't let this early loss concern you, Mitchell.
There's still a really good team, a great culture. They're
going to be fine. Oosa.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
Let's let's take it on to the New York Jets,
because we've got to honor We've got to honor our
Brightling friend, right, Robert sala fellow partner of our our
top partnership here at the Volume and the Richard Sherman Podcast, Brightling.
Robert sala is also a proud member of Brightling.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
Richard.

Speaker 1 (36:38):
The New York Jets get the first win of the
season on the road against Tennessee Titans. Got it out
your thoughts on this game?

Speaker 2 (36:48):
Well, it was different than I anticipated it being. I
got to give credit to the Tennessee Titans and their staff, Callahan,
they did a really good job. I mean, outside of
one incredibly bonehead play by will Levis, he played solid.
He battled, tried to give his team a chance. Their
defense made big plays trying to corral this Jets rushing

(37:12):
and passing attack. Breisee Hall He's always one step away
from breaking a big one. Had fourteen rushes for sixty
two yards, seven receptions for fifty two yards, and a
huge touchdown from Aaron Rodgers. Braylan Allen is the youngest
player in the NFL to score a touchdown since nineteen

(37:32):
p thirty. It was a really cool connection between the
oldest player and Aaron Rodgers and the youngest player in
Braylan Allen for his second touchdown. He had two touchdowns
in the game. Garreed Wilson had a solid game, four
catch fifty seven yards. Will McDonald had three sacks in
the ball game and they were all very very critical.

(37:54):
Brandon Eckles had an interception to kind of yes, he
had a Brandon Eckles had an interception in a ball
game as well. Tony Pollard had a solid game seventeen
rush for sixty two yards, five reception for forty yards.
Calvin Ridley had one of the best catches that I
think you'll see Mitchell in the end zone. I still

(38:16):
don't understand how it didn't how it wasn't an interception
and it was a reception for a touchdown because in
real time I was like, oh, it's an interception, and
then they're the rest putting his hands up and I'm like, wait,
what to slow that down. I usually catch things pretty
quickly and can recognize, but that was one of those
ones that I don't know how he got up under

(38:36):
that ball. The concentration, the focus to be able to
bring that ball in was incredible. Yeah, Tennessee. Tennessee did
a solid job. But they're on to right now. New
head coach. Still got some things to work out, still
need to figure out if Will Levis as the quarterback
of the future. With those two boot bonehead plays, the

(38:57):
weird toss back fumble in the red zone that took
points off the board is definitely not gonna get it done.
You can see the head coach asking him like, what
the f are you doing? I don't even understand how
to explain this or coach this, because I would have
never thought you would do something so ridiculous, and he did,
and he did. They can't have those kind of plays

(39:17):
going forward. They got another tough game against the Green
Bay Packers. Next week, the Jets head to New England
to Gillette Stadium to face a very very scrappy New
England Patriots team coming off a tough loss at Seattle
Sea Hawks. Mitchell. That New England Patriots team is they're
battling now. Now they're battling defensively. They got the DBS

(39:38):
to play man coverage all day and all night. They
have a good scheme up front. They're not letting people
run the ball very effectively. They were. They're very stout offensively.
Jacoby Brissett, even when you got guys coming scot free
and calls guys guys getting to the quarterback, He's able
to stand strong in the pocket and avoid these hits
and avoid a lot of the sacks of unblocked rushers consistently.

(40:01):
I mean, I think he was the highest pressured quarterback
week one and likely to be week two, and he
wasn't the most sacked because he's simply avoiding these sacks
getting the ball to where it's supposed to be. He's
a big reason that they're even having a chance in
these ball games. But yeah, let's move on to the
La Rams and the drubbing they took at the hands

(40:23):
of the Arizona Cardinals, Mitchell. Because the Arizona Cardinals look
are Uber eats Almost Almost Perfect Defense. This is the
segment brought to you by Uber Eats The Almost Almost
Perfect Defense, where we highlight the NFL defense that put
on this week's most dominating performance. They held the Rams
to two hundred and forty five total yards, sacked Matt

(40:44):
Stafford five times, Dennis Gardak with three sacks, and a
force fumble. That's this week's almost almost perfect defense in
the of the week. And remember, you can order almost
almost anything you want with Uber eats, the official on
demand partner of the NFL. Order. Now, Mitchell, I don't
think you Murray can play better.

Speaker 1 (41:06):
I'm about to order some food right now after you
just said that. Honestly, I mean, first and foremost the
Arizona Cardinals, right, I mean last week we saw them
go into Buffalo and give the Bills a very difficult time.
I mean at halftime, the Cardinals were for all intentsive purposes,
in control of that game, and we kind of shushed

(41:28):
it aside and said, whatever, you know that the Bills
are just bad. They don't have any receivers, not not
so fast and Richard. They got a healthy Kyler Murray.
They got a new stud wide receiver, and Marvin Harrison.
You know, this Cardinal team has always been good. I
know they gave you hell when you were at the

(41:49):
San Francisco forty nine ers and hell when you were
with the Seattle Seahawks. What's the difference now? I mean,
this team is still scrappy's all get out and they
beat up on division rival the La Rams. Richard, are
you more you know, enthusiastic about the Cardinals are more
down on the Rams. What's your thought after coming out

(42:11):
of this game?

Speaker 2 (42:12):
Well, a little bit of both, a little bit of both, Metchelle,
because with the Rams they've had, they've been beat up
on the offensive line and and usually uh Sean McVay
is able to coach around that, and you're not You're
not noticing like, hey, they're they're just terrible, and they're
you know, guys are running through Matt Stafford's getting sacked
a lot, things like that. You're not really dealing with

(42:35):
that right now because because Jonathan Gannon and this defense
have been so effective, was so effective at exploiting those weaknesses,
getting to the quarterback, putting pressure, hitting them. Tyrone Williams
had no room to run all day. And then if
you look at the flip side of that, James Connor

(42:56):
ran all over this Rams defense. They bullied him. They
were more physical. Starting to see how different this defense
is without Aaron Donald at the force, the All Pro,
the Hall of Famer in the middle to create those
huge plays or create those tackles for losses, in the
middle of games where things are falling apart. He stabilizes
the ship, He rights the defense. They don't have that anymore.

(43:18):
Kyler Murray, with his most efficient game as a professional
seventeen of twenty one two hundred and sixty six yards
in three touchdowns, only sacked once, also ran the ball
five times for fifty nine yards with a twenty six
yard scamper in the ball game. You have to give
them credit. Marvin Harrison Junior earlier in the week. I

(43:40):
don't know why he said it, because it was it
was ridiculous when he said it. Kyler Murray said something
like to the tune of it's not my job to
get Marvin Harrison the ball like that. I was very
concerned when he said that, because I was like, that's
the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life. They
literally just draft this guy with the second pick of
the draft to get him the ball to make your

(44:01):
life easier. So why would you make your life harder
by not getting them ball? But maybe Kyler was playing
some Jedi mind trick on all of us, some reverse psychology,
because he found Marvin Harrison Junior early and often in
the first quarter mental he had three catches for over
one hundred yards. He had two touchdowns. One of those

(44:24):
touchdowns was a really really athletic play where it looked
like he extended his body almost five yards to stretch
the ball over the goal line for his second touchdown
of the first quarter. And he got this team started
in a big way. And I think that really softened
up the Rams defense because they had to start doubling him,
had to start playing too high shal and take some

(44:45):
of the pressure off these dvs and they're not able
to pack the box and stop James Conner. And then
if you look on the flip side defensively, they were
bringing some very unique pressures. Jonathan Gannon, you remember his
time out in Philadelphia and you know when they were
with the Eagles and how great that defense was. He's
brought that philosophy down to Arizona and you're starting to

(45:06):
see the results. You know, you're starting to see the
fruits of his labor. Uh with this production, this defense
is given and if they can continue that mettroll. Like
I said, they go play your Detroit Lions in Arizona
next week and it's gonna be a dog fighter of
a game. I cannot call this NFL right now because
I think you think one team's good, then you walk
up and watch him play somebody else. You know, you

(45:28):
watch the Miami Dolphins get drug by the Buffalo Bills
obviously to a tongue of Bailoa, got hurt letting that
ball game. But you just it's I'm having a hard time.
The Baltimore Ravens just lost to the Las Vegas Raiders
in Baltimore. You know, I just don't. I don't know
what you make of this and that that takes us.
To Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars playing against uh,

(45:50):
Deshaun Watson in the Cleveland Browns, you would think, Okay,
you know, Deshaun Watson has been off. He looked really
bad last week. You think, Okay, Trevor Lawrence and those
guys really came close to beating the Miami Dolphins. A
walk off field goal beats them, so you think they're
coming in with some momentum. Trevor Lawrence plays a solid game,
fourteen to thirty, two hundred and twenty yards. He got

(46:12):
sacked four times, So we got to talk about that
offensive line and how concerned you are with that. But no, Mitchell,
No Mitchell. The seven of the last eight ball games,
the jack Wars have lost seven of the eight last
eight ball games, Mitchell, and they won one. They won one,
and I don't even know if Trevor Lawrence was It

(46:34):
was Trevor Lawrence the quarterback when they won that one. Mitchell,
he was not.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
And here's the stat for you, guys, Richard. Trevor Lawrence
just got a payday this offseason, right the payday the
size you would expect Patrick Mahomes to get Josh Allen,
to get Joe Burrow, to get Matthew Stafford, to get
guys that have brought their teams to prominence. The Jacksonville

(47:03):
Jaguars have won one game in their last eight that
they've played, and Trevor Lawrence wasn't even the starter for that.
It was CJ. Bethard, the last starting quarterback over the
last eight games that's won a game for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
Richard.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
You called in the offseason when we talked about Trevor
Lawrence getting paid the fifty five million dollars a year
that he was getting paid, And here we are now
the Jacksonville Jaguars are zero to two. Richard. This was
a team that was set up really well, right, and
then they had to pay the quarterback. What are your

(47:39):
thoughts on the Jags now, because it doesn't look pretty
this early in the season.

Speaker 2 (47:44):
Yeah, it doesn't look pretty at all. It doesn't look
pretty at all. And I'm I was concerned when they
first paid him because he's just not in that same
stratuspere as the other quarterbacks making the kind of money
that he's getting paid. And I don't care. You can
argue with somebody else. I wish we could do quarterback rankings,
but they paid him based off something I can't qualify,
I can't quantify because he's not winning in the National

(48:06):
Football League. Everybody talks about the one playoff game that
he won against the Chargers, like, I get it, Sure, cool,
Daniel Jones has won one playoff game, But what do
you do throughout most of the regular season, Mitchell, can
you win games by yourself when your defense isn't playing well,
when your offense is struggling? Can you put the team
on your back like Patrick Mahomes kind of did late
in this ball game, Like, hey he didn't play well,

(48:27):
did they still get the win? You know, Lamar Jackson
did that a couple times last year. Brock Perty was
able to do that a few times. You know, some
of these quarterbacks, Jared gaulf when your team isn't playing
that well last year, he was able to do that,
takes your team to the NFC Championship game. That's how
you get paid. But when they paid him coming off
of all the losses that they were building up, Mitchell,

(48:48):
you you talk about they lost six of their last
seven and the one they won he didn't even play
start at quarterback that day. And so when you're coming
off of a finish to a season like that, to
justify paying that guy fifty five million is crazy to
me because he just hadn't earned it. And I know
he has all the tools and all the potential and
the projections are all there, and he looks great and

(49:10):
he's prototypical, but it does not show on the football field.
When you talk about his turnovers, you talk about his
poor second halfs and a lot of these ball games.
Over those eight games metro, he's had ten turnovers. His
defense is for six he's had alone, he's had ten turnovers.
So you talk about a guy you pay fifty five

(49:30):
million has to be the reason you're winning these games regardless,
and he's not. He's one and twenty now in games
that his defense doesn't cause a turnover. So unless his
defense is causing turnovers and callsing chaos, chaos, it's probably
not gonna happen for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And if you're
a fan or if you don't let staff, you're probably

(49:51):
frustrated because you're like, man, we're paying your fifty five million, Like,
even when everybody else isn't on, we need you to
be on. He threw for under fifty in this ball game.
He threw for two hundred and twenty yards, But like,
you don't get the excuses, and I'm sure they're gonna
make all every excuse in the world. Oh he doesn't
have the receivers, Oh the offensive line. Oh, but everybody,

(50:12):
Like when you get paid that money that you're the
reason why you don't have the offensive line you want
to have because you're making fifty five million, so you
don't get that excuse. Brian Thomas had a solid game,
but he looks like a legit receiver. Had two catches
for ninety four yards, so they have some legit pieces.
Travis et In again has a solid game, thirteen rush,
fifty two yards. He's a legit weapon. You have legit

(50:32):
weapons around you. But when you go and get fifty
two million dollars, when you know you're not giving your
team fifty five million dollars worth of production, you're gonna
handicap your team in a big way and they're not
gonna be able to win games. And now they go
to a Monday night matchup against another fifty plus million
dollar quarterback and Josh Allen who actually plays like a
fifty plus million dollar quarterback, and he's likely gonna take

(50:55):
another l So that'd be eight losses in a row, Mitchell,
and then you start to have really conversations and everybody's like, Oh,
you're hating on You're hating on him, You're hating on
Trevor Lawrence. He's he's a guy. When has he been
been a guy? Like every year when it when it
was Urban, they blamed Urban. They said Urban Meyer wasn't
the right guy. He ruined Trevor Lawrence. Okay, this is

(51:15):
Doug Peterson, Doug Peterson that has won a super Bowl
in this league, that has coached his team and it
really coached Nick Foles, and Nick Foles took that team
to the Promised Land against Tom Brady to go and
won that game. So we talk about that Doug Peterson, Right, Mitchell,
you can't. So you can't start blaming the staff. Now
you can't. You can't give Doug Peterson. Oh, he's a
super Bowl winning coach and now he's the problem, like

(51:37):
it's somebody else is the problem and people refuse to
see it. But I'm not seeing it until Trevor Lawrence
starts to prove it. He disappeared in the last game
in the second half against the Miami Dolphins. He was
non existent, non effective, and nobody's saying anything. They blew it.
They blew a fourteen point lead, but nobody's saying anything.

Speaker 1 (51:58):
Richard, you called it from the moment. He's side his contract.
Why is this guy getting paid this amount of money.
And you're right. I mean, at the end of the day,
he completed fourteen out of thirty passes. I mean that's pedestrian, Richard,
that's sub five hundred. You're the starting quarterback.

Speaker 2 (52:15):
And you're right.

Speaker 1 (52:16):
They're going on the road to Bill's Mafia. They're probably
going to be zero to three. Right, Where's how do
you go up from here? We shall see Trevor Lawrence
has got a rebound and rebound quick Richard, you're looking
you're looking like you were outstandingly correct in calling that
he was overpaid from the get go. Let's talk about

(52:38):
the Pittsburgh Steelers, because this is a team doesn't matter
what you put in front of them. They just seem
to find a way to win a game, Richard. They
beat up on the Denver Broncos, whooped, he do, but
bow knicks the rookie Richard. The Pittsburgh Steelers. They've scored

(53:01):
a whopping what twenty eight points on the season and
they're two to zero.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
Like what gifts? Well, when you have a Watt Mitchell TJ.
Watt in this case, you're gonna be okay. TJ. Watt
had another solid game, but a status sheet again does
not tell the story of how impactful he was in
both the run game and the pass game, the amount
of tension they have to put to stopping TJ. Watt

(53:28):
Alex high Smith. They both have a sack in the game.
Demonte Cazi gets an interception to end the game. Corey
Trice has an interception. Justin fields plays a solid game,
made some really really good passes on third down Mitchell
he completed a third and eleven to George Pickens and

(53:48):
really completed one of the best passes I think I've
ever seen him complete early in the game to George Pickens.
Unfortunately got called back for a holding on his right tackle.
I think the right tackle. Don't quote me on that,
but I think it was his right tackle got a
holding call on that. But it was really a rope
to George Pickens and would have been a highlight play,

(54:09):
probably the highlight of the week for the Pittsburgh Steelers
in that game. But they're doing enough that it's going
to be really hard to take the keys away from
this kid when Russell Wilson is healthy, because they're winning games.
And again, Mike Tomlin never ever gets enough credit. It
does not matter who's at quarterback who's at running back

(54:32):
over his seventeen year illustrious career. You could, you know,
mix and match all these pieces in and out. Good defense,
bad defense, good offense, bad offense, good receivers, bad receivers,
whatever you want. Good running backs, bad running backs, offensive
line inconsistent. But no matter what, he's going to have
a winning record and to start too and oh is

(54:53):
big time. They're two and oh in a very very
tough division that's kind of eating itself. Baltimore starting off
on two with a tough loss in Kansas City and
a very head scratching loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mitchell,
it's gonna be a dream miracle season for the Pittsburgh Steelers,
but they're gonna have some controversy coming up when it starts.

(55:15):
To get to the point, Russell Wilson comes back and
he's healthier. Obviously they've been being cautious with the calf.
But what happens when they're not being cautious anymore? Do
they sit justin fields on the bitch? You definitely don't
rotate quarterbacks. That's never been a recipe for success. But
he has won two goal games, Mitchell, when he hasn't
really turned the ball over. He's not really making a
ton of mistakes. He's thirteen for twenty, so you're not

(55:38):
leaning on him to do too much. He had one
hundred and seventeen yards twenty seven yards rushing. He does
look a little hesitant at times running the football, which
is which I think will shake out of him. I
think he's just trying to do his best to prove
to his staff that he can play from the pocket.
Arthur Smith is doing a good job drawing up a
run rushing plan. Najie Harris seventeen carries for sixty nine.

(56:01):
The defense is what's carrying this team, and it has
for the last few years. And if they can keep
this recipe, Mitchell, it's been the recipe for success in
Pittsburgh for a long time. Run the ball, play special teams,
don't turn the ball over. Play some good defense. Let
those all pros, let that Hall of famer TJ. Watt,
Cam Hayward, Alex high Smith do what they do. And

(56:25):
then on the other side, bow nicks another concerning loss,
where you're sitting there saying, hey, we looks good when
he's checking the ball or at mid range. You know,
intermediate passing game, but when he starts to push the
ball downfield, he does not have the same consistent accuracy.
He's thrown two interceptions in this game. Javonte Williams, who
was a freaking monster his rookie years, just does not

(56:47):
look the same since his knee injury. And they were
two and twelve on third down. And that's a lot
to do with Joey Porter. In this secondary, Mika Fitzpatrick
and the guys there, they do a really good job
mixing it up with their fire zones and their men
the man coverage, but they're gonna need more out of

(57:08):
him when they go to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in Tampa in that heat. Like I said, Todd Bowles
is not a coordinator you want to see as a
young quarterback. You do not want to see him. You
do not want to deal with his exotic looks and
everything that he's pushing putting down there. And then this
defense with Patrick Tartan still I think the best corner

(57:29):
in football played a really solid game, but they're not
getting the benefit. I mean, they held Pittsburgh to thirteen points.
Usually as a defense, you feel like, hey, we should
we should be the almost almost perfect defense of the week.
We held them to thirteen points. But you're not because
your offense is unable to score points and that has
to change or this is going to be another unfortunate

(57:50):
season for the Denver Broncos where they're going to be
looking to draft top five again and hopefully it ain't
a quarterback.

Speaker 1 (58:00):
Not wrong, Rich, And before we move on from this game,
it's there's two other points here. For one, it's not
too early, it's not too late in the season, Rich,
I mean, you can amend your defensive MVP pick. Do
you want to make the change from Rokwan Smith to
t J Watt because he certainly looks deserving the MVP

(58:21):
award on the defensive side of the ball at this
point the season.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
Yeah, Mitchell's it's definitely hard to because Rokwan looks solid,
but but they're losing and I I'm definitely gonna have
to change it. But I'm definitely gonna have to put
all pro Fred Warner in that discussion as well, with
his nine tackles today, sack, force fumble and critical force
fumble interception.

Speaker 1 (58:42):
What about my boy Hutchinson, my.

Speaker 2 (58:44):
Friend and a half. I mean, you gotta put him
in it right now.

Speaker 1 (58:50):
It's you can amend the pick. I will give you
one meet one week to amend that selection.

Speaker 2 (58:55):
Give me, give me, give me one meet week to
study it. And and but I'm going to be a
biased Mitchell. You see my hat go to be biased.

Speaker 1 (59:02):
And the second question I'm going to ask you is
here with the Steelers, I mean, listen, their their offense
has not been top notched by any means. They've They've
scored twenty eight points collectively over the last two weeks.
If they're able to find a way to win next
week against the Chargers, who have been out to a
hot start this season, are are you thinking when Russell

(59:22):
Wilslon comes back? If you are as Mike Tomlin, do
you not make the change? Do you stick with Justin Fields?

Speaker 2 (59:30):
I don't know, Mitchell, I don't know because I don't
know what Mike Tomlin's thinking. Mike Tomlins one of the
best sport coaches in the National Football League. I'm not
one of the best coaches in I get it.

Speaker 1 (59:40):
But if you're if you're undefeated, how do you move
off your starting quarterback? How do you explain that to
the team?

Speaker 2 (59:46):
Mitchell it's you say, you're going with the winner, You're
going with the proven veteran, You're going with the guy
that you know is going to be stable Mitchell and
I and I hear it, but it's got I'm with you,
I'm with you. How do you you do it? How
do you explain to the team, But how do you
explain to Russell Wilson that, hey, we know you came,
we know you know you brought all this veteran leadership

(01:00:08):
and all these accolades, et cetera, et cetera, the Pro
Bowls and all, but this young kid has the hot
hand and we're going with him right now. Like Russell
Wilson's in the twilight of his career, do you really
sit him on the bench to to be a coach?
And how does he respond to that? You know, I
think he's he's always, you know, done things the right
way and say at the right things in the media.
But I cannot imagine that he would feel good about

(01:00:29):
that personally, knowing that he came to make a decision
to come to Pittsburgh to be the starter. You know,
does he start asking for a trade or start to
put rumblings out there and start to put some rumors
out there to get himself, you know, on the trade block,
because there are some teams out there, I mean Miami
Dolphins right now with the uncertainty with Tua tongue of
i Loo at quarterback, you know that that would probably

(01:00:52):
accept the calls to to Russell Wilson and say, hey,
you know, we'd hear it out and be looking to
bring him in to to to kind of get us through,
you know, get us through the rest of the season,
especially if you're not gonna use him. But I don't
think if you're Pittsburgh, you make that move because you
don't know what justin fields and the way he plays
and the way he's scrambling. You know, does he get
banged up? So you it it's better to have both.

(01:01:14):
But I don't know, Mitchell, I don't know. This is
gonna be again. It's gonna be He's always made the
right decisions, Mike Tomlin has. It's gonna be another chance
to show his acumen as a fantastic coach.

Speaker 1 (01:01:28):
Richard Let's stick in the AFC. The Baltimore Ravens, coming
off a opening day loss against the Kansas City Chiefs
heartbreaking fashion by an inch with a Lively's foot Richard.
They lose another heartbreaker against the Raiders today and open

(01:01:50):
the season zero to two. They fall to oh two
for the first time in ten years. If you're a
fan of this Baltimore Ravens team, is your panic meter
rating right now?

Speaker 2 (01:02:04):
Mitchell's probably like a sixth sixth, six point two because
you have to believe in John Harbaugh and his history
and what these guys have done. Obviously, Lamar Jackson was
the MVP last year. Didn't have an awful game twenty
one of thirty four for two forty seven, a touchdown
in the interception. Derrick Henry was effective running the ball

(01:02:25):
eighteen of eighteen carries for eighty four yards and touchdown. Defensively,
I mean they were getting to Gardner Minshew. You know
they got him odafe O Way at two and a
half sacks. Kyle Vanoi had two and a half sacks,
Marlins Humphreys get a cent an interception, so you know,
Zay Flowers is productive, So you feel good about all

(01:02:46):
those things. Those numbers are there. But on the other side,
Gardner Minshew, who's not a very herolded quarterback. We talked
about all these fifty million dollar guys. If I told
you that you know Trevor Lawrenson, Gardner Minshew was comparable,
people would call me crazy, So I don't feel like
arguing wh people on the internet. But Gardner Minshew with
thirty of thirty eight to seventy six, a touchdown and
throw an interception. He obviously has DeVante Adams, who's one

(01:03:07):
of the best receivers in the National Football League. He
had nine catches for one to ten and a TD
a very critical pass interference that he drew in the
end zone to put them in scoring position. He goes
on to catch a touchdown pass the next play. Max Crosby,
Mad Max, It's all over the place. He pretty much
closed the curtains on this game. Late in the game

(01:03:30):
when they needed to have it. He had two sacks.
Roberts Flane. Their attitude, their energy in Las Vegas is
just different right now, Mitchell. Their energy is just so
different right now. They look like a team that's playing
for their head coach. Clearly, they had a tough loss
last week against the Chargers. You know, the first week

(01:03:51):
of the season, they lost to the Chargers twenty two
to ten. But you could see it Now, the Chargers
are a really good ball club. Now. You know, you
could say whatever you want about Jim hartball, but he
and Greg Roman when he comes to running the football
and drawing up a very very formidable run game, they're
doing a phenomenal job. They got Dobbins, who's been injured

(01:04:14):
the last couple of seasons, could barely walk it up
walk upstairs, playing some of the best football of his life.
So you got to give them credit. But the Raiders,
the Raiders are just playing inspired. They play really inspired football.
They played like a team that refused to lose, like
they like they wanted to win this for their head coach,
like they're playing for one another. And that's got to

(01:04:35):
be encouraging for Raiders fans. But Baltimore fans, you just don't.
This doesn't look like the team you're used to. They
had eleven penalties for one hundred and nine in the game,
you know, just sloppy in some departments that they're usually
very crisp. They're usually a very disciplined team, usually control
the clock, control their emotions, control everything, and it just

(01:04:57):
it just doesn't look the same right now. Obviously, there
was it's a tough game. With Kansas City. They're owing two.
But the game against the Cowboys next week at in
Jerry's world, that could be a tough game. You know,
they're coming off a tough loss where they.

Speaker 1 (01:05:12):
I mean, yeah, they gotta be bad, Richard. I mean
this Baltimore team could be owned three next week. We
have no idea, but like, let's touch on Gardner Minshew
real quick, because I think he is this the next
Ryan Fitzpatrick, if you will. This guy doesn't matter what
team he's on, he just elevates the guys around him

(01:05:34):
that should be elevated. I mean, we saw all last
year Deavonte Adams for all intensive purpose of a down year,
and now as soon as Gardner Minshew gets behind the helm,
he's Deavonte Adams again. And for all the fantasy football
folks out there, they've got to be loving Gardner Minshew
throwing DeVonta Adams a football. This team gets a huge
win on the road, But I think the bigger story

(01:05:57):
here is, like you touched on, the Ravens are gonna
go on the road against the Dallas Cowboys freshuttal off
a home loss. They got demoralized by the Saints. Richard,
I know you're probably happy to see it forty four
to nineteen. If I were to tell you that yesterday,
I mean, Richard, you probably think I was like spinning

(01:06:18):
out on you call it the New Orleans Saints two
and zero, Yeah, Dallas Cowboys get drummed.

Speaker 2 (01:06:28):
Yeah, I mean Mitchell, the Saints. The Saints. Obviously you
thought it's a mixed bag between Cowboys fans when they
lost dan Quinn. Some of them were like, man, what
are we going to do without dan Quinn? Rightfully so,
and some were like, good writtens, Huh ridiculous because I
know he had Mike Zimmer in the box like like

(01:06:50):
it was Alvin and the chip Buns and their dad
was screaming out, oh man, because Mitchell he was everywhere.
He was everywhere, four touchdowns on the day, his balance,
his contact balance, it's nothing like it in the National
Football League. And he's back and the Saints haven't even
paid him. He's on a contract year to not giving
him an extension. Yet. He said he not worried about it.

(01:07:11):
But Mitchell, the price is going up and up and up,
and I know people say, hey, the running back market,
they're gonna de store trage him. You know, they're a
Domond dozen. He's not a diamond. Dusn't. He's different, and
he's different in New Orleans. Forty one in New Orleans
makes them a very formidable team. You can see his impact,
you can see his value, and without him, they look
like a whole different team. And that has been the

(01:07:33):
case for a number of years since he's been there,
going back years. So hopefully they can figure that out
and they can see this game and say, all right,
all right, Alvin, we get it, we get it. Here's
your money. Keep playing well. Derek Carr, his whole swagger
was different. I was like, what is this guy? He
was on? He was in the he was in the
end zone doing the the Michael Jackson. I said, whoa, Well,

(01:07:56):
where are we at right now? Yo? Rashen S They
connected again on another long bomb, made this Dallas defense
look like it didn't belong on the same field as them.
They really blew them out and the game wasn't even
as close as it looked. You don't see very often
two competitive teams, you know, the Cowboys were expected to

(01:08:18):
be a contender. They were a playoff team last year,
and not just a playoff team, they were a high
seeded playoff team and for them to get drug off
the field like that at home by a team that
not everybody, including myself had as a legitimate contender in
the National Football League, has us, you know, rereading the
script and re looking at things like, hey, maybe the Saints.

(01:08:42):
The Saints are legitimate, you know, and them in Tampa
are gonna fight for the this NFC South crown and
it's not gonna be just for the last wildcard spot.

Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
Mental maybe for contingent, That's what I'm saying, Richard. I mean,
we talked about it going and we talked about the
last few years, this NFC South has just been the
bottom dweller of the NFC. I mean, whoever, you know,
whoever they let come out of it was welcomed in
the playoff and get knocked out the first round. This
year not so fast. I mean, we see Tampa go

(01:09:15):
on the road beat my Detroit Lions, heartbroken by it,
and then we see the Saints just absolutely wallop the Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (01:09:26):
Richard.

Speaker 1 (01:09:27):
I mean, heaven forbid the Falcons whoop on the Eagles tomorrow.
This NFC South might be looking like one of the
better divisions in football.

Speaker 2 (01:09:36):
Yeah, every now it was just like the NFC East
a few years ago. You just never know what you're
gonna get.

Speaker 1 (01:09:42):
And I want to introduce a little new segment and
we're gonna we're gonna expand on this as a week's goo.
But it's gonna be a buy or sell Richard. I'm
gonna proposition you on this buy or sell New Orleans
Saints winning the NFC South and winning a playoff game,

(01:10:02):
that's a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:10:03):
That's a lot to bid mentally, you you didn't just
package it like you Pat, You put a lot of
groceries in that cart. I like this defense. Obviously the
land Lord Tyron Matthew had an interception in this ball game.
My Stanford brother Paulson Adebo had a really cool interception
in this game of Dak Prescott. Dak Prescott did not
look good, probably one of the worst games he's had

(01:10:25):
in the last few years. Uh, But Alvin Kamara was
the reason this offense looked as formidable. But I just
I don't know. You know, when when the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers and the Saints play, you, you throw all the records,
you throw all the everything out of the window. It's
going to be a dogfight. A backyard brawl, and that's
how it's going to be for this division crown. But

(01:10:46):
I gotta give it to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their experience,
their their their scheme, their staff, Baker Mayfield and the
way he's been playing. Obviously, those two big time receivers.
That defense with Answine went through Junior Jordan Whitehead, Jamel
Dean Lavonte, David Vitavea, and you know all the playmakers
they have. I just think, you know, they've done it

(01:11:08):
for a while. I have to put my money on
who's done it before, who's been there. But this game
definitely makes me question that Mitchelle in a big way
because they made a huge statement versus the Cowboys. But
I need to see more. They can change my mind, Mitchell,
but it's not changed yet.

Speaker 1 (01:11:26):
Well, Richard, we will introduce more of those by Cell
segments as the weeks go on. This concludes. We are
down here Sunday night, Week two. I know we got
a huge game tomorrow, Richard, I will let you sign
us off.

Speaker 2 (01:11:39):
Well, thank you guys for joining us again another Richard
Sherman podcast. Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks and good luck
next week. I think it's gonna be a fun game,
and good luck to the San Francisco forty nine ers.
Hopefully they get back on track and get this ship
righted in Los Angeles or Levi South as the face

(01:12:00):
we'll call it. It's gonna be a fun week next week.
Enjoy it, Enjoy your family and friends. Have a safe,
weal weekend. Hit that subscribe button if you're new, get
your clue. We'll see you next week.

Speaker 1 (01:12:30):
The volume