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September 18, 2024 • 47 mins

Colin discusses a survey from NFL fans selecting Aaron Rodgers as the "Most Annoying QB in the NFL" and why this should not be a surprise to anyone at this point. He talks to USC head coach Lincoln Riley about their hot start to the season and Caleb Williams struggling so far in the NFL. Plus, Fox Sports NFL analyst Mark Sanchez joins the show to breakdown an electric performance from Cardinals QB Kyler Murray vs the Rams

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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or FSR.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher
on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Here we Go on a Wednesday Reddy two Roll live
in Los Angeles. It's the Herd wherever you may be
and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us
part of your day. Lincoln Riley of suddenly incredibly relevant
USC playing Michigan this weekend in the Biggest Game, Big
Ten opener Joel klass Mark Sanchez, No, I.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
J meck.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
You know this about me. I'm actually happy that Baker
Mayfield is now flourishing because I don't like picking on people.
I got kids, I don't like bullies, and I thought
I was hard on Baker. I thought I was right,
and I was right early. But I do like to
see redemption stories. I think they're great. And mostly I'm
an older guy that talks about younger athletes. So I
don't want to be a bully up here, right like

(01:19):
I don't. It's okay. So I bring guests on to
take shots at me, and I like to see guys
that I was tough on, like flourishing. And I've always
had this thing with Aaron Rodgers, and fans are right, Colin,
it's just you and an Aaron Rodgers thing, and officially
today it's not so the Action Network. I work with
the Action Network. My company, the Volume at top of

(01:40):
the line people. They polled more than three thousand football
fans in America and there are many questions. One was
who's the most annoying football player? Aaron Rodgers won by
a landslide. Twenty four of thirty two teams fan bases
named it Aaron. It's never been to me and Aaron thing.

(02:00):
It's He's exhausting to everybody. But it's easy for me
to say that. I have an explanation and I think
it's right, and I've thought this and I've shared this
with people in the NFL. So my theory is that
Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. But around twenty
ten to twenty fourteen, there was a period of time
they were all in the goat discussion at that time.

(02:21):
It was like Joe Montana was, but it was Brady
Manning and Aaron Rodgers and the goat discussion. And of
those three, Aaron was the coolest and Aaron through the
prettiest ball by far. Like Manning and Brady were, you know,
almost governed by their teams to some degree, but Aaron was,
you know, He's the way that ball flies out. He
was the cool guy. But then Brady started stacking trophies.

(02:44):
He beats Atlanta in that amazing Super Bowl. He beats
the Rams. Then he goes to Tampa and wins. So
Brady separates from Aaron, and about the same time, so
does Manning. He gets to a second super Bowl, he
wins the Super Bowl. That he goes to a third
and he separates from He separates now from Aaron Rodgers.
And Aaron keeps score on everything. I'll get to that

(03:05):
in a second. He keeps score on everything. So in
the goat discussion, the cool guy, Brady and Manning separate
from him. Suddenly, Aaron about twenty eighteen to twenty twenty one,
starts playing really, if you pay attention, say football. He
starts leading the NFL in throwaways. Instead of throwing the

(03:27):
ball down the field, he gets very stats protective, and
many of you have picked up on this the last
six seven years with Aaron. He starts leading the NFL
in touchdown interception ratio, but it appears to be like
a thing, like it really matters to him. He's obsessed,
and if he ever throws like a pick or two
in a game, he shuts down. It's not his day.

(03:47):
He shuts down. I remember a Tampa game that was
like that. He just shuts down, and he becomes stat obsessed,
and he leads the league in throwing it away by
a mile instead of throwing the ball down the field,
just throws it away. No interceptions so Badian Manning have
separated from him, and he becomes like safe lead the
league in touchdown interception ratio. And if you don't think

(04:07):
Aaron Rodgers keeps score on everything and keeps tracking everything,
listen to this bite this week after they beat Tennessee.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
What does first one is a checking for technically my second?

Speaker 4 (04:22):
Well know that somehow the first one counts, it's a
more important place.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Well, I don't know if they count on that.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Nobody thought that was Aaron's win. That was the best
win in Zach Wilson's career. That's like taking a lot
of credit for being the backup quarterback in the Super
Bowl and saying, ah, I won a Super Bowl. Aaron
keeps track of everything. So as Brady and Manning separated,
because Aaron did not used to be like this. Aaron
was not annoying when he came into the league. That

(04:50):
was not who Aaron was. He was cool, he was fun.
He was kind of cocky, but he was He replaced
far it was kind of cool. And then Brady and
Manning pull away. He becomes stats obsessed, leads the UNI
fell and throwaways, gets obsessed, plays safe, teded interception ratio,
and then COVID hits four years ago. This is the
second part of this theory. And as Brady and Manning

(05:12):
start moving into broadcasting in corporate America and dealing in
the media and working for the media once again, Aaron
has to be different and he becomes anti media, an
anti corporate America and I don't care if I lose
my biggest sponsors. Aaron keeps track of everything, and so
if Brady, Manning and Aaron were compared traditionally he finishes

(05:33):
third in the goat discussion, so he creates a new
measuring stick. I'm not a shill, I'm not corporate, I'm
anti media. I believe in conspiracy theories. I absolutely believe
this is true. I think he keeps track of everything.
That quote after Tennessee is a classic example. He's been
like this forever. Is that there was If you go
back ten twenty fourteen, it was Manning braiding air. They

(05:54):
were all in the goat discussion. When Brady and Manning
pulled away, he started getting safe tedd interception ratio, obsessed,
leading the NFL by a long shot in throwaways. And
then as COVID hit and Brady and Manning become more corporate,
more media, he goes the opposite again traditional measuring sticks,
he'd be third eron. I wan't to be thirt at anything.

(06:16):
He wants to be unique. It matters to him. So
it's never been a me and Aaron thing. He was
just voted on most annoying player in the league, and
he did not used to be that way when he
was in that goat discussion. Aaron was fun. He was cocky,
but so what well, like a little cocky. Michael Darton
was cocky. We like Michael Barkley was cocky.

Speaker 5 (06:36):
We like.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
We like our cocky guys. But he has changed and
he is more annoying. All right, So I'm written a
story today about a Sam Darnald. Chris sim said this
NFL analyst NBC that Sam Darnold gives the vikings offense
more potential is the word he used, than Kirk. And

(07:01):
it's interesting about that. So I always feel if you
compared Sam Darnald to Kirk Cousins, it would be like
comparing a bakeoff to the iron chef. Baking is more formulaic,
following directions, precise, more science chefs. It's more about improvisation, adapting, freestyling.

(07:23):
It's more art. Right, both are fine. Kirk Cousins is
a baker. Donald's more the chef, a little reckless, a
little more juice and flare and art. Cousins is about
intense preparation, getting to his spot again, steady results. That's

(07:44):
not what you get with Darnold. Donald's got a little
Andrew Luck though not as talented, and a little Carson Wentz,
though not as reckless. He's an athlete. He improvs he
added libs, more dramatic, upscale touchdowns, but more ugly. By
the way, He's not, obviously Brett Farv, but Brett Farv

(08:05):
when he was in Minnesota was sort of like that.
Brett was a chef. The two plays I remember from
Brett Farv as a Minnesota Viking, just as a Viking,
or that rollout throw against the San Francisco forty nine
ers in the back of the end zone. It is
one of the best throws I've ever seen in the
history of football. It's just on the money. Only Farv

(08:28):
could do that. You're not getting out with Kirk Cousins.
But I also remember that dreadful interception he threw against
the Saints that kept the Vikings out of the Super Bowl.
And that's the chef. Either a fantastic meal, adapting, ad
libbing artistry, or you butchered it, send it back to

(08:50):
the kitchen. And that, to a lesser degree than far
that is what the Vikings have with Darnold. There's no
question this offense has more juice. There's no question Kirk
Cousins was steadier, and I prefer quarterbacks with more juice.
Lamar Mahomes, Alan Jalen hurts Sam Darnold. Now you say, well, well, well,

(09:14):
I thought you like Kirk Cousins going to Atlanta. Listen,
Atlanta has been starving for three years. Offensively, They'll deal
with chocolate chip cookies. They'll take baking. They just want
to be competent. They need a formula. They could deal
with a little formulaic. They can't even cross the fifty
yard line last year in games with Desmond River. But

(09:35):
I would say now again, I would always rather have
the chef over the baker. But Donald does give Minnesota
a higher ceiling. I don't think they're gonna win their division,
but we said this before the season as people were
picking them for fourth place. If they're fourth place, it's
gonna be the most talented offense in the history of
the NFL in fourth place. Here's the coach, Kevin O'Connell.

Speaker 5 (09:55):
On Darnald, I think we have two weeks of some
pretty tangible examples of some coquarterback play from Sam Donald.
The amount of work that goes into that position on
your quarterback journey when everybody decides that you cannot play.
We always believed in him and felt awesome to watch
him go do that thing.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
So I'm really proud of Sam Darnal.

Speaker 1 (10:18):
I'm not. I'm not going to be, you know, on
the day Lincoln Riley's coming, I just wanted to bring
up Sam Darnald the little Wednesday USC love as they're
opening the Big Ten play against Michigan, who's using their
backup quarterback. As Lincoln Riley has two weeks to prepare
for it, so Big Ben has already weighed in on
Russell Wilson, Justin Fields. Jerry Jones is talking, but I

(10:42):
think he's not making a ton of sense. Jay Mack,
we have Lincoln Riley, Joel Klatt, Mark Sanchez stop by today.
I sat home last night and just while, you know,
I get those occasional games Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday,
and I just turn on Netflix and watch a bunch
of stuff. Shoho Tani remains unbelievable. You text me last
night on show, YEH got staggering. Think about this when

(11:04):
McGuire and Sosa. When McGuire and Sosa were in their
home run chase, it captivated the world. Otani's doing one
better and baseball struggling to get attention because of conference
realignment in college football, the NFL over that ten to
fifteen year period whenever it was has exponentially grown. We're
a much more distracted audience on our phones more than ever,

(11:26):
on YouTube, more than TVs. So it is interesting that
show Hee Otani is better than Babe Ruth and it's
not drawing and from a high I would say a
big brand in baseball. Dodgers aren't the Yankees, but they're
in line for second third most popular team and it's
not getting the love you'd think it would.

Speaker 6 (11:42):
Even when Aaron Judge was hitting what he was closed
sixty homers or whatever he was closing on recently, like
he was getting a lot of pub This Sotani stuff
needs to be everything.

Speaker 1 (11:52):
He's going to be a fifty home run, fifty stolen
base guys.

Speaker 3 (11:55):
Unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (11:56):
It's incredible.

Speaker 6 (11:57):
It would be like somebody throwing like what sixty touchdown
passes in the NFL, I don't know, seventy.

Speaker 1 (12:02):
And by the way, and playing nickelback and leading the
NFL and picks. I mean, it really is unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio.

Speaker 1 (12:16):
App Well, it's gonna be the biggest college football game
of the weekend. I expect a low scoring, very very
physical football game. That's the only way Michigan can win.
There's two teams in college football that I've averaged over
forty points a game over the last two years, Georgia
and USC. Points are going to be harder to come by.
Michigan's got two of the best defensive linemen in college football,

(12:37):
maybe the two best. Lincoln Riley USC coaches now joining
us live. Okay, it's Big Ten football. I hope you
bought a hoodie, right, you got one on this offseason.
Gotta be chilly. So it is different. Big Ten, the
Big House, it's a whole.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
It's different.

Speaker 1 (12:55):
Have you talked to your team about beyond the football game?
The Big Ten, the Big House? This is Michigan's a
top five program ever. Have you talked about significance of
entering the new conference we have.

Speaker 7 (13:06):
I think it would be a mistake to totally just
discount that and just say it's another game, Right, it's
a historic game. I think not surprising that the Big
Ten from a scheduling standpoint, would put you know, these
two iconic teams and brands against each other on the
field here early on in the season. So yeah, I
think understanding the significance about it and embracing that and

(13:29):
understanding what a great opportunity it is for us to
go get off the great start.

Speaker 1 (13:33):
You know, I had so many USC fans in the
off season say what do you make a Miller Moss?
And I'm like, well, he was a great high school player.
So I went and looked at YouTube stuff. I thought
I saw him play Louisville. I said, but bowl games
these days, were they missing starters? You never quite know.
I can't make any big determination. My takeaway is he
always throws to the right place and accurately. That's just

(13:53):
my you know, consumer radio guide TV guy watching TV.
What as a coach, has there been any anything about
Miller that he has exceeded even your expectations because he
has been nearly perfect. Yeah.

Speaker 7 (14:07):
I think the toughness and the leadership, which I think
are incredibly important at that position, and sometimes they're tough
to assess. You know, you go watch a running back
in practice or a linebacker. You get to see the
physicality and how they hit and how they compete quarterbacks
that are a little bit different. Most people don't hit
their quarterbacks in practice, and you start getting in those

(14:28):
live situations when they're taking shots and they've got to
get up or they've got to stand in there and
make big throws. I think that's always you know, you
learn a lot about guys in those scenarios. And then
we've been able to see Miller from a leadership standpoint
with last year's group at.

Speaker 8 (14:42):
The end of the year and then certainly this team.

Speaker 7 (14:44):
I think he's done a really nice job leading our
guys and being somebody that our guys want to play for.

Speaker 1 (14:48):
So it's almost I mean, you got some guys in
the transfer portli you had a really good safety, a
really good Mike linebacker. You got some upgrades, but it's
a lot of the same dudes and guys are just
editor and it's not even I mean, like Anthony Lucas
looks like a different player. So take me inside if
you can Layman's terms here. But it's mostly the same

(15:09):
personnel with completely different results. What what is Danton Lynn,
your DC from UCLA? What is he doing? What's the
secret sauce here?

Speaker 7 (15:18):
I think Coach Lynn and really our entire defensive staff
have done a great job in terms of getting the
system installed with our guys, getting them acclimated, and getting
us to a point where we can go out and
be confident on the feet on the field. And then
and then there's been a big physical transformation within within
our program in the way that we've developed these guys.

Speaker 8 (15:37):
From a strength and conditioning and nutrition perspective.

Speaker 6 (15:39):
Uh.

Speaker 7 (15:40):
And that was to fit uh, you know, not not
just the new style of defense, but certainly obviously the
new league that we're going into as well. So uh,
you know, it's been a team effort, a group effort.
Danton's done a great job, our players have done a
great job here up to this point, but we know
obviously a lot of big challenges left ahead.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
You know, it's interesting you got a whole new defensive staff,
the trans for portals rampant in the sport. You brought
in some freshmen, a new class, unlike the NFL, where
you can come back and kind of know, I got
these eight guys that are going to be there. They
fit under the cap. College is a turnstile, and I've
been impressed by the chemistry. I said this after you
beat LSU I watched your sideline. It was amazing. You

(16:20):
have all these new coaches and all these new kids,
and all some guys are seniors from South Carolina and
then you got a freshman from Las Vegas or whatever,
and I thought the body language was good. I'm like, God,
they like each other. How do you develop that in
a fall camp? Some of those guys that just shown
up on campus.

Speaker 8 (16:38):
Well, you gotta have the right guys first.

Speaker 7 (16:40):
You gotta have guys that are team first, that they
have individual goals, but the team comes before it. And
I think we've got a group of people in this program, players,
staff that are really excited about this team, the chance
to go prove ourselves, and that appreciate what it means
to be a USC Trojan. I mean, this is a historic,
significant place to be able to go to school, to

(17:01):
be able to play football at and people that appreciate it,
I think are are going to bring that attitude to
your locker room.

Speaker 8 (17:08):
So it's something that's importing us. We work hard at it.

Speaker 7 (17:11):
When I give our players a lot of credit because
they're very bought in and it's a very together team
right now.

Speaker 1 (17:15):
You know, I watched these SEC coaches Barkin, those guys
screaming you and I watch you. I don't even think
I've seen you raise your voice outside of an occasional
official Do you ever? Do you ever? I mean, you
know you're more teacher mentor than authoritarian, but it's you
have a demeanor on the sideline. You don't get worked
up over stuff. Is that always been the thing with you?

(17:39):
Or it just seems to me College coaches sometimes unravel.
I'm like, Wow, does he know he's on television? That's
not your thing? Where where did you? Like? Where's that
come from?

Speaker 8 (17:53):
I'm just trying to be what the team needs me
to be.

Speaker 7 (17:56):
And I think a lot of times, you know, for me,
you know, losing my mind or getting too you know,
emotional in the moment takes clarity away from the decisions
you got to make as a head coach and also
as a play caller to try to put the team
in this position we can now.

Speaker 8 (18:11):
You know, I'm guilty of losing it every now and again,
but I try to.

Speaker 7 (18:15):
You know, we talk about poise and all of these
things in our program, and I think I have to
be an example of that and I don't want you know,
me getting emotional not, you know, making a wrong decision
or putting us in a bad position. I never want
that to hurt our programs. So yeah, I try to
do what they need me to be. And I've tried,
I said, I lose it. Sometimes I try to hang
in the.

Speaker 1 (18:35):
Hey, if you could give Caleb Williams. All these young
guys are struggling. There's Tom Brady came on the show
and he said, I'd put Drake Man a bench. We
were talking this morning, Drake May and Michael Pennix. Maybe
the winners here they can sit and watch pros do it.
They don't have to play. If you could, if you
could give Caleb one piece of advice. You know, he's
not a kid, He's going to do his own thing.
But it's so hard in the NFL, there's so many

(18:56):
everybody's faster. What do you do when a quarterback struggling?
What's the advice at any level you give them?

Speaker 7 (19:04):
I think you got to go back to the basics.
And I think a lot of times the answers that
you're looking for, you know, as a player, right there.
And sometimes when you get into it and get in
the competitive situations, especially a new league, a new offense,
new coaches around a new supporting cast. There's going to
be some growing pains, right, You're going to go through
some tough moments, but you got to continue to go

(19:26):
back to the basics, continue to improve, continue to lead,
and most importantly, you can't let it affect your attitude,
your mentality, the way you play, the way you practice.
You just got to keep growing. And Caleb will.

Speaker 8 (19:37):
He's a fighter. He's going to continue to learn and grow.

Speaker 7 (19:40):
And as painful as some of these, you know, tough
moments have been, you know early in the season that
those are all opportunities to learn and grow.

Speaker 8 (19:47):
And if he's going to become.

Speaker 7 (19:49):
The player that we all know he can be in
that league, he's going to have to learn and progress
from them, and I believe you will.

Speaker 8 (19:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:54):
By the way, Kaylen Bullock's off to a great start,
Houston Texans. He's playing his butt off. Lincoln Riley, USC
and Michigan this weekend. Can't wait in the big House
in inn Arbor. Good seeing you, Lincoln.

Speaker 8 (20:04):
You you tube fight on all right?

Speaker 1 (20:07):
Yeah, it's it's uh Drake May and Michael Pennox and
even JJ McCarthy. Though it's through an injury, which is
obviously a bad news. But I mean just sitting watching
stuff is okay. It's fine. By the way, a USC
the toughest part of the USC schedule was LSU and
at Michigan. Then they come home for Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Excuse me, they come home for Wisconsin at Minnesota home

(20:31):
Penn State Maryland. Now Penn State that falls at home.
That's a break because Penn State's good, that defense is good.
But we thought when you looked on paper LSU and Michigan,
LSU was a favorite at Michigan post Natty, great defensive
line at Michigan. I think it's a total under. I
think it's very low scoring. I think it's I think

(20:53):
it's a honestly, it's a ten to seven game at half,
and then I think you're gonna have I think USC
can slightly pull away. I think it's very very low scoring.
But you know what, College football's more fun when Texas
wins and USC wins and Miami wins. We've always said
those are the three glamour programs in college football. Miami, Hurricanes,
Texas Longhorns, USC, Bama's great, Georgia great, Clemson great. They're

(21:18):
not glamour. They're just big brands and they're you know,
it's it's grinded out football and a lot of great personnel.
But right now, Miami Texas USC are players. Ratings, ratings
are going up.

Speaker 6 (21:33):
Did you see the line for USC has ticked up.

Speaker 1 (21:35):
I'm stunned by this.

Speaker 6 (21:37):
Five and a half starting to be some sixes in
the desert. I guess a lot of people like USC here.
It's hard for me because I think it's very low scoring.
I think it's a very listen.

Speaker 1 (21:47):
Michigan has two of the top ten players, arguably on
the defensive line, and so it's it's gonna you're not
gonna run on Michigan much. You're not gonna have much
success running on Michigan. The quarterback you do. But their
USC is really young. Red shirt freshman left tackle didn't
look it against LSU cowhard look very veteran. Well, that's

(22:09):
also you got a month and a half to work
on one game plan. Now the game now. I do
think an advantage here for USC. His Lincoln Riley's had
two weeks to prepare. I think offensive coaches who are
elite college or pro there is no question that in
the first couple of drives for USC. They're going to
bring out. This is the Andy Reid advantage and the

(22:30):
Shanahan against the Jets advantage. I don't think defensive coaches
have a big advantage in the first couple of weeks
of the season, but I think offensive coaches on buys
or in first games, it feels like at least a
field goal advantage. So I think that if USC had
played a game last week, win or lose, I wouldn't
feel that way. But I like USC because of the

(22:51):
extra time, and I think that gives him an opportunity
to jump out to a lead on the road. Quiets
the crowd down, especially the way Michigan got hammered like
this get quiet real fast. In college football. You start
watching some of these college games, even some of these
NFL games, you fall behind. The temperature in the stadium changes.

Speaker 6 (23:10):
I think I might have to ride with you on USC.

Speaker 1 (23:12):
Did I bet the what's the over? Under? Bet the
U save forty six and a half? Oh, I bet
the under. I'm betting the under. I can't believe it's
that high. I figured it'd be like forty two. I mean,
the game if you if US, I think it feels
like to me, like seriously, twenty four to twenty and
maybe I don't know if Michigan can score twenty.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and neon Eastern non am Pacific.

Speaker 9 (23:40):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.

Speaker 3 (23:45):
But here's the thing.

Speaker 9 (23:45):
We never have enough time to get to everything we
want to get.

Speaker 10 (23:48):
To, and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
Yeah, you blober Lisa and me.

Speaker 9 (24:03):
Well you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.

Speaker 10 (24:07):
Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show, and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships, and if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised.

Speaker 9 (24:21):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over promised and also uncensored, by
the way, so maybe.

Speaker 3 (24:27):
We'll go at it even a little harder.

Speaker 9 (24:28):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.

Speaker 10 (24:31):
There you go, over promising. Remember you could see it
on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen over promised with
Covino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or
wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 1 (24:43):
All right, here we go. It's hour three. We promised.
Mark Sanchez sitting on the set. Usually a big dramatic
walk in, but when you got the star, when you
got quarterback one on the set, we're not messing around.
Uh So Mark Sanchez is joining us. This is our
three the heard he's calling the Niners Rams game, and
by the way, it's big for both and they're both

(25:05):
missing key people. Niners now are without McCaffrey and Depot
and they're kind of the DNA at that offense. It's physical.
So that game. Once we heard deebos out, we're like, okay,
it's back to being very very interesting. All right. So
there's a lot of stuff to talk about. I want
to start with something that's near and dear to us.
You said something during the break that I never thought about,
but it's so true. You know, usc Is, California's got

(25:30):
a lot of good high school quarterbacks. Sam Darnold is
somebody I think everybody likes. Sam's just like a nut,
likable kid. He was down, he played like ocean side.
He just like rereaked a volleyball linebacker in part.

Speaker 4 (25:41):
I don't know if they liked him in New York. Well,
they didn't like me in New York sometimes too.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
But there is something about Sam. Is that the dysfunction
of the Jets, which has been lasting fifteen years, and
the dysfunction of Carolina, it kind of felt like, I
just give this guy functional. Are you surprised? I mean,
he was missing his number two receiver, his number one
tight end, Justin Jefferson got hurt. Have you been surprised

(26:09):
a little by Sam's effectiveness?

Speaker 4 (26:12):
I think I don't know if surprised is the word.
I think I'm just thrilled for his success because of
exactly what you just mentioned. The two first franchises that
he was with, I don't know if they did him
any favors. And listen, he didn't play just lights out
and everybody else was the problem. He was the problem.

(26:32):
At times that happens. You know, he's learning how to
play the position. But I don't think he really got
to take a breath in this league and learn the
position of quarterback the way he has the last two
years compared to his first few, Meaning he got to
be with Shanahan and now he gets to be with
Kevin O'Connell. You saw him play late in the year
last year in what was essentially a throwaway game for

(26:54):
the Niners, and he played pretty decent, decent enough for
the Vikings to take a shot on It's right, Hey,
you know, we'll see what happens. You're gonna compete with
a top end draft pick and see how you do
well the other guy ends up getting hurt. Whether Sam
was gonna be the starter or not, fine, makes no difference.
But show me what you can do. And in these
first two games, it's still a small sample size. I've

(27:16):
seen everything I need to see so far. Now is
he gonna have to improve? Is he gonna have to
you know, eliminate the turnover that he had or whatever
the other day.

Speaker 3 (27:25):
But the guy was steady man, and then the ball
he threw up the field.

Speaker 4 (27:31):
You don't throw that when you're getting your head knocked
in in New York and Carolina and just trying to
find your way. Back then, he was treading water. Right
now he looks like, yeah, I can make this happen.
And there's plenty of talent around him. There's plenty of
talent in that coaching staff that's gonna at least put
him in the right position. Now, if Sam, you can

(27:53):
tell me you know how to play this position a
little better than you did six seven years ago, which
is obvious. Okay, at least he's gonna get you in
the right direction. He's going to get you go in
the right direction. And I think that's really what we're
seeing the time on task with two formidable coordinators and
coaches in Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell. And now he's got

(28:13):
some juice around him. He's got guys making place. So
that's exactly what should happen, you know what I mean,
And that's they're on the right track. I love where
they're at.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
Yeah, So you were fortunate at USC you had a
former NFL coach Pete Carroll. Now he was a defensive guy,
but you had a grown up in the room. This
wasn't a shticky college offense, and so I think there
is an advantage Baker and Kyler had Lincoln Riley, and
clearly it's a sophisticated college offense. Miller Moss has picked

(28:46):
it up. So I did think Caleb would be a
little better with the line of scrimmage based on the
history of watching Lincoln's guys early he's been a little overwhelmed. Again,
I'm gonna ask a quarterback, the older you got, the
easier it was for you to audible out of some sacks. Sure,
is this a little on Caleb too, not just the

(29:07):
old line.

Speaker 3 (29:07):
Oh for sure.

Speaker 4 (29:08):
And it's them learning how to play together. It's you know,
Sam Darnold's seven years ago, eight years ago, whenever he
got in the league. Caleb's going through that now and
he's trying to figure it out with a much better
supporting cast. So there are going to be those plays.
He also has more, you know, more of an ability
to extend plays and go off script. But where's the

(29:30):
fine line. Remember in the offseason we did those clips
against with Caleb at usc against Colorado. Yes, and when
to take out, when to be Clark Kent, when to
be Superman. He's figuring that out right now. And some
of that is you're going to take sacks doing what
he's doing. If you're gonna run around a bunch ask
Kyler Murray. It worked out last week, but don't let
that those splash plays fool you. They don't always work

(29:52):
out for you. So he's managing that and trying to understand, Okay,
what I can and cannot get away with. It's like
a kid, right what are my parents going to crack
down on? And what can I get away with? How
far can I push these boundaries? And where's where's the
world that I need to live in now? I think,
you know, him airing on the side of caution and
being a little more conservative will only help them because

(30:15):
they have playmakers to make plays. They got, you know,
guys got guys got to help them mount mainly the
run game. I mean, I think DeAndre Swift has like
fifty yards rushing and two games like we need a
little more help there from the run game, because at
the run game is not just a quarterback's best friend,
it's the O line's best friend. Just understand this. If
you drop back fifty times a game, that's the rams game.

(30:36):
One fifty times in one game. You know how hard
that is on an O line, just snapping the ball
and catching defenders playing Red Rover with three hundred pounds monsters.
We move every game or every snap rather. I mean,
that's really really hard to ask guys to do that,
especially when you're lining up like coordinators that can just

(30:56):
you know, turn your brain to mush because of all
the exotic blitzes they're bringing. So Caleb's doing that, he's
managing calling plays in a huddle. Remember that's a complete
and stark contrast from what he did in college. Right
in college, when you look to the sideline and every
position group has their own signaler to tell him exactly
what to do, and you don't go to the quarterback

(31:17):
for information for some eye integrity in the huddle, like
look at me, dude, I got the answers you go execute.
Look at me, I gotta I gotta say every play
like it's the best play we got. He's never done that,
not since high school maybe, and maybe not even then
because kids in high school don't do it anymore. So
he's learning so much on the fly. Just imagine drinking
through a fire hose. It's a lot of information there's

(31:38):
a lot of stuff being thrown at him. I will,
I will credit him for his demeanor though, I mean, sure,
does he get upset, does he you know, hang his
head a little bit? Does he get frustrated? Absolutely, and
he has every right to. But he's he's fighting like
hell man, and I you know, I admire that. I
admire what what he's going through. I know exactly what
he's feeling. And it is really hard. This guy's are

(32:00):
They're bigger, they're stronger, they're faster, and their whole existence
is built on ruining your Sunday. So there's a lot
flying at him. He's handling it, you know, the very
best he can. And it's their job as the offensive staff,
as the defense to take as much pressure off him
as you can without stunting his growth.

Speaker 1 (32:18):
Mark Sanchejonius for the radio audience. So, you know, as
a consumer of football who didn't play at a high level,
one of the things I watch with defense is pursuit
and alignment. Do you make people earn their yards? Patriots
almost never gave you cheap points. Rex Ryans don't beat yourself.
Don't beat yourself. Offense is different. I tend to look

(32:39):
for motion different sets, confuse the defense, make defensive players
think a lot of its efficiency and choreography. My criticism
on the Jets in the first two weeks they don't
have a kid quarterback. They have a forty year old
one of the most cerebral quarterbacks in the league. I
find the offense very little motion. Last two years with
Nat Hackett Virch. I mean, it's like lowest in the league,

(32:59):
or I don't think they're now. They don't have tight
end production. Maybe there's some limitations personnel, But when I
watch the Jets, my takeaway is are they challenging Aaron
because it looks predictable.

Speaker 4 (33:11):
Well, I think Aaron also is at a point where
he can use the motion. He can use some of
those indicators, but a lot of that stuff he can
figure out on his own. Okay, even in a static formation,
no motion, no shifts. If he wants it, he'll move
a guy around like he'll throw an emotion here or there,
you know, just to try and get some information from
a defense. But it's not, you know, the end of

(33:31):
the world for somebody like him, a young player. You
just throw them up there in a two x two
balance formation with no motion. That's a lot to figure
out for somebody like number eight in New York. The
guy's done it his whole life because you're eighteen, you
know what I mean. So that doesn't bother me as much.
My real question, if we're nitpicking the Jets here is okay,

(33:52):
how are we stopping the run? I mean, people are
running at will on you, and that makes it really hard.
You control the game, you're off line gets confidence. I mean,
you dominate time of possession, and it's an attitude thing.

Speaker 3 (34:05):
And if you're going to.

Speaker 4 (34:06):
Put him behind the eight ball all the time, do
you have a chance with Aaron Rodgers in the fourth
quarter and the supporting cast they have?

Speaker 3 (34:11):
Absolutely?

Speaker 4 (34:12):
Do you want to major in that sixteen weeks seventeen
weeks in a row. Hell no, no way. You want
to at least have a lead at halftime every once
in a while. That makes it nice for a quarterback,
you know. So you know he's he's having to overcome
a lot. Also coming off a huge injury. This guy's
forty years old, he's not, you know, second year in
the league, so sure his mobility, mobility is going to

(34:34):
be compromised a little bit because of his injury. But
I'm less worried about their offense as I am the
defense to you know, kind of hold up their end
of the bargain. And that's really been the Jets calling
card the last couple of years. Right, the defense is set,
we just need a quarterback. Well, every year is different,
and every year you got to prove it all over again.
It's not just automatic.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah, and CJ. Moseley's banged up, and he's the signal caller,
a really good great he's a.

Speaker 3 (34:58):
Great quarterback on defense. He gets everybody along.

Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, that's a big deal, right.

Speaker 4 (35:01):
Oh, huge, huge, because that's your juice, that's your heartbeat
of your defense. And when he's right, everybody's right, you
know what I mean. And even in that first game,
you know, the forty nine ers weren't at their very best,
but they still ran the ball really what I mean,
it was whenever they wanted, you know, So think about it.
Think about how many plays Aaron even had in that game.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
It was light.

Speaker 4 (35:24):
That's why those any negative play just was magnified because
they had so many less opportunities on offense because the
other team, the forty nine Ers, happened to run the
ball all over the field.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
Okay, he's got the Rams and the Niners. This week,
Mark brings tape. The film sessions are fantastic. He'll have that.
On the other side on Kyler Murray, who may have
had the best day of any player in the league.
Coachwar He and Adrian Hotchison of the Lions on the
pass right, it was wild. We'll talk about that.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 1 (36:02):
All right, we're back with Mark Sanchez. Got Rams Niners?
My favorite, my favorite part. So you did the Cardinals
Rams last night. It was almost unfair. Rams did not
have a left tackle in the building. So good luck
Kyner Murray. I mean, this guy is so talented. King
Kingsbury said's the best high school football player I've ever
seen in Texas. That's a pretty big state. He could

(36:23):
have played Major League baseball. There's been some turbulence around him,
but I always fall back on this. He throws about
the prettiest ball in the league. And he's insanely elusive,
like like it.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
Looks sillyy tough to bring down.

Speaker 1 (36:37):
Okay, so let's let's go to the tape. Let your
thoughts on what you saw.

Speaker 4 (36:40):
Yeah, I think the most important thing for Kyler and
I don't want their their proficiency in the run game
to get overshadowed. Because James Connor really had a nice day.
That offensive line was moving around the Rams defense, their
front seven pretty good, and they could run it almost
at well. I thought that gave Kyler so much confidence

(37:00):
and they have something to fall back on. They've been
in this game. They know, jumped out to a huge
lead the last week. They were in the game at
Buffalo Week one. Second year with the offensive coordinator. But
this is really and I said this in the broadcast,
but Kyler, this is his opportunity. You signed the big
second contract. It's year two with this coordinator. You speak

(37:21):
the language, you know everything that's going on. It's time
for him to assume the lead role here, grab the
bull by the horns, so to speak, and be Kurt Warner,
be Carson Palmer, own this thing.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
Leave no doubt that this is your squad. You are
the leader.

Speaker 4 (37:37):
You're old enough, you're wise enough, you're still athletic enough.
He's in the prime of his career.

Speaker 3 (37:42):
This is a chance. Yea, turn it on, big guy,
and he did it in this game. It was awesome
to watch.

Speaker 4 (37:46):
So watch his first clip and how they use split alignment.
So they're going to condense Marvin Harrison Junior. Remember going
into this game. Oh Marvin Harrison, he didn't get any touches.
He didn't get any touches. Well, look how close they
line him up. They're in the red zone almost at
the twenty, and they're going to run a red zone concept,
old school West Coast concept called scissors where Marvin Harrison's
running the deep posts and there goes Trey McBride, who

(38:06):
I love, by the way, Mackie Award winner in college
Colorado State.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
Love this kid. Third year. He's running the corner.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
Well, they get plenty of space on the outside, and
when you condense his split like that versus quarters defense,
which is popular in the red zone, you're gonna get
outside leverage from that corner. Well, he's running a post,
so he's got everything he wants. These guys are taking
off at the same level. They're flying, putting pressure on
Quinton Lake, the safety and the corner to Davis White. Now,
they got to make decisions. So this defense is in

(38:34):
trouble here. We got a deep post ripping over the top,
and there goes Quinton Lake with the corner. Who's got
to help on this because Tardavius White is already beat
by alignment. The backside safety, Cameron Curl's got to go
cut this thing off on the right side. That right
pillar has to go help. He's got nineteen yards to
close and Kyler does an excellent job keeping him on
his track, keeping that post skinny and not giving him

(38:56):
enough time to get over over the top. Now, the
only nitpick I have year, I'd go one bounce for
Kyler because that ball was too close for comfort. When
you're close to the red zone like that, right near
the twenty, you're running out of real estate at the
back of the end zone. He almost threw it out
of the back of the end zone and Cameron Curl
almost got over there.

Speaker 3 (39:14):
So that ball's got to be up.

Speaker 4 (39:15):
I mean, we're talking a hair sooner, split second sooner,
and it's perfect. It works out in the game, and
that was that was money. That tells me he knows
where number one is, He recognized the defense, he knows
the situation. We're in the red zone. We got scissors
dialed up. We get quarters. I'm licking my chops. We
got outside leverage. There goes McBride, Boom, let's go, baby,
deliver the football and he was nails.

Speaker 3 (39:37):
I love that. I love that.

Speaker 1 (39:38):
The next The next one is illusiveness.

Speaker 4 (39:42):
It's they're trying to throw the O shoot screen. Okay,
it's a family show, so we're gonna call it the
oh shoot screen or oh shucks screen, But essentially they're
trying to get Trey McBride on the backside. Show everybody
moving one way and kind of OKI DOQ back door style, right,
So go ahead and roll the clip. We'll show trade McBride.

(40:02):
But they're using their thirteen set and they use this
quite a bit, which is one three tight ends, one
running back, and they were forcing the Rams to decide
are we going bass personnel to stop the run or
are we going nickel personnel to see if they're going
to try and throw it, and they had them. You know,
this chess game was going on all game long. So
there goes Trey McBride out the backside and look at
where Kyler Murray's looking. He's trying to get this ball back.

(40:24):
He's trying to show everybody. Hey, we're going right, We're
going right, and then throw a dime to the backside.

Speaker 3 (40:28):
You see his eyes.

Speaker 4 (40:29):
Yeah, look at the decal. The detail is in the decal.
I told you last week. Can right, So we know
where he's looking. But now he sees Marvin Harrison over
the top. He sees Trey McBride covered, so he's got
to get to number two. Okay, are you kidding me?
Tip Ryman, a rookie out of Illinois making this block.
Kyler Murray owes him a stake dinner for this because
he keeps his play alive and keeps it going. That's

(40:50):
where he wants to throw to Marvin Harrison going to
the right. Cam rac curls all over him. He stone
walls him, says, you ain't coming here, buddy.

Speaker 3 (40:57):
So what's he do?

Speaker 4 (40:58):
They're just playing backyard ball now. This is Kyler can
be special. This is where when these plays work. Oh buddy,
look out, because if he's hitting those red zone deep
posts and he's hitting plays like this, it's hey, man,
check the mail.

Speaker 3 (41:10):
That little red thing on the mailbox.

Speaker 4 (41:12):
When that thing's up, you better go check the mail
and throw it anywhere to Marvin Harrison.

Speaker 3 (41:16):
Junior.

Speaker 4 (41:16):
This guy's long, he's rangy aj Green style. I mean,
he's got that kind of body type. And then to
go let it go, he just put enough air under
that thing. Is this is not the design of the play.
I guarantee you, that's not how they drew it up.
I guarantee you. And all their walkthroughs and all their
practices leading up to that, they were throwing it back
to Trey McBride. So to see Kyler go from one

(41:36):
to two and make his plays like that with the
run game, with the defense as tough as they were, Buddy,
that's this NFC West matchups.

Speaker 3 (41:46):
You know this race is is gonna be tight.

Speaker 1 (41:48):
So you have Niners rams. Let's pivot here to brock Purty.
It's different Christian McCaffrey and Kyle Shanahan. I don't blame
him can become. I mean you get enamored with him
every time you give him the ball at six yards.
So he's come off back to back heavy usage years,
and like in Carolina, that third year, he's banged up
and he gona be out for a while. So I
want to ask you, how does that now? Deebo another

(42:10):
physical chess piece. He's out, so you have I mean,
they both play above their weight, although Deebel's pretty stocky guy.
How does this change if you're quarterbacking the Niners? I
just lost my most physical runners of the football. Does
it change how Shanahan? Does it get prettier? Is it
more perimeter?

Speaker 3 (42:28):
What do you do?

Speaker 4 (42:29):
Well, don't forget that this last year was the first
year that one half back has toted the rock that
many times in the rushing game for Shanahan in a
long time. Right, Remember it was moster Elijah Mitchell. It
was all these other players, and they would just you know,
rotating door in turnstile door with a stable of backs. Okay,

(42:51):
you're you got a breath, you're ready to go. Go,
get in there, fresh legs, go boom, and they would
just change over these backs. Well, now, last year was
the first time McCaffrey took all the bulk of the look.
So now they're back into what they used to do
for years, and they were still competitive, still made it
to a Super Bowl and could have won. So this
is no different for the Niners other than a couple

(43:12):
personnel issues, mainly McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel. However, I mean
They're still rushing for almost two hundred yards a game.
The Rams are only rushing for like seventy yards a game.
So this is gonna be a ground game, a ground
and pound type game. And brock Purdy just keeping it
nice and steady, which we know he can do. They

(43:32):
also have depth. That's why I'm I'm less concerned about
the Niners than i am maybe the Rams. Juwan Jennings,
that guy makes big play after big plays. Hero, I mean,
this guy makes crucial third down catches and then Ayuk
Trent Williams.

Speaker 3 (43:46):
Got to get those guys going.

Speaker 4 (43:47):
Neither of them have gotten game balls, I would assume
for their first two performances. So okay, get those guys back,
get their legs under them, get them in football shape.
They miss training camp. Now it's time for those guys
to start really rolling. And you know he's going to
be the future guy. Juwan Jenny's gonna have to make
some plays. Ronnie Bell, where are you? Let's go a
big guy, Piercell when he gets off his non football

(44:07):
injury list.

Speaker 3 (44:08):
Boom, what's this guy all about? You know what I mean?

Speaker 4 (44:10):
And they're gonna have to get some other players involved.
Less concerned there than I am with you know, Rams
stopping the run, because that's gonna be that's gonna be
an absolute killer.

Speaker 1 (44:20):
Finally, this is an AFC question. I know you don't
watch it as much, but CJ. Stroud is a California kid,
and clearly over the last couple of years he's the
outlier walks in great and there's a lot of components
to this. It's not just athletic ability, because he's not
as athletic as some of these guys. My take watching

(44:41):
him is there are guys like this, You're all accurate,
but there are guys that are freaky accurate, like platform
left moot. When I watch him play, I'm like, he
is accurate on one foot two left, right, moving forward.
If there's a secret sauce, it's it's just accuracy. It's

(45:03):
like a golfer who's got a nine iron and can
put it exactly where he wants when I watch him,
That's what it is to me. Is it more than that?
Because I'm watching the last two years, these guys are
all bailing water and he may be the third best
quarterback on a weekly basis, Like, it's not that he's
succeeding he's succeeding like Burrow.

Speaker 3 (45:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (45:22):
I think the other thing we can't get lost with
is they did drop their first two games if I'm correct,
last year, right, so they were owing two discussion right,
so everybody's like good, but still, hey, the quarterback showing
flashes like is this for real?

Speaker 3 (45:35):
Who are we?

Speaker 4 (45:36):
What's our identity? New head coach, new quarterback? So things
were still taking shape. So we can't write off any
of these own two teams. Also, you can tell he's
really understood by his playoff experience what wins and what loses.
Games they're playing against the Bears last week, Caleb's giving
up the ball. Yes, they're getting extra possessions. Call, so

(45:58):
now what I got to play the game within the game.
We're gonna steal a possession here. Boys, we don't need
to go what did Sean Payton say? We don't need
to go fly the top gun mission, you know, to
go save the world from nuclear you know, disaster. Every
time we throw the football, sometimes it's okay to dump
it down to Joe Mixon. Sometimes it's okay to hit

(46:20):
you know, Tank Dell on the quick shallow when I
might have been able to fit in that eighteen yard
comeback or the big in route to Stefan Diggs. I
might have taken a flyer on a go route, but
my chances of hitting that are around twenty percent when
I know I got a guaranteed one right here in
front of me. And he's starting to do that and
he's proven he can do that over a period of time.
So when you watch him play on the Sunday Night game,

(46:43):
that was really my takeaway is Caleb's still trying to
figure it out. But CJ, this guy knows and he's
clearly getting the proper coaching people are giving him. The
big picture look at the game. We will be in
this game. Our defense will keep us in this game.
You just keep on the rails here. When it's time
to go be CJ and shed a tackler and chuck

(47:03):
one down the field because somebody's one on one and
the dv's not looking.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
Go for a big guy, Go be yourself, Go have fun.

Speaker 4 (47:10):
But when it's time to keep our offense on track, yeah,
get us a positive play on first down instead of
trying to chuck one down the field and being second
and ten. He knows better and he's really proven that
he's got great discernment.

Speaker 1 (47:21):
Yeah, no, that's the discernment that Will Levis has struggled with,
which is, I'm gonna make a play. CJ's figured it
out and that stuff's hard, by the way.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
And it's every quarterback.

Speaker 4 (47:30):
It's in a split second with guys barreling down on you,
and you have to take a breath, relax in that
split second and make the right decision. That is that's
the toughest thing to do in sports.

Speaker 1 (47:41):
Mark Sanchez love having you on. He's got to go.
We hit thirty exactly. Management's upstairs. He's not in trouble.
They're just upstairs.
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