September 23, 2024 • 42 mins
Colin is joined by Fox NFL analyst Mark Sanchez after yesterday's big Rams comeback against the 49ers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
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or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening
to The Herd podcast. Oh, welcome in. It's our three
(00:25):
first two have flown by live in Los Angeles. It's
the Herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening,
Thanks for making us part of your day. Well here
in Los Angeles. The Dodgers show haow Taani is just
it's just like the most amazing thing you've ever seen.
The Rams pulled off. That is one of the kookier
games I've ever seen yesterday. That was I mean that
(00:47):
Niner fans travel like the Yankee fans in the eighties
or the Steeler fans in the seventies of the eighties,
like that sixty five percent at so far Niner fans,
but they're all over the place. It's a great brand
and a great franchise. That Rams game was nuts, totally nuts,
and special teams doesn't get loved, but they don't win
that game. Even with mcmagh and Stafford and all the
backup receivers and backup o they don't win that game
(01:10):
without their special teams. Special teams won the game for
the Rams yesterday. It was just crazy fun to watch.
Thirty minutes Mark Zanchez stops by. Well the Cowboys now
are they in chaos? Losing to the Ravens that way yesterday?
They continue to confirm what I said before the season
started that this franchise is going to start regressing. The
(01:34):
Cowboys have become one big, authentic Kardashian event. There's drama,
and there's glitz, and there's glemma, and there's money, and
most of it's just a big illusion, and they both
have the most gullible of people that worship them. The
Cowboys and the Kardashians are great at taking your money,
and Jerry Jones has mastered that. Follow the bouncing ball.
(01:57):
But increasingly, if the last five really good teams they
have played Buffalo Green Band Detroit last year, Saints Ravens
this year, four or five of those that are at home,
and they've been bullied in all of those games. At
some point four or five just bullied Dallas. Here's the problem.
(02:18):
Their roster's not talented enough, and Jerry Jones calls himself
the GM he's eighty one. It's not a good enough roster.
They're also a team that's soft. They're the worst run
defense in the league. Dereck, Henry and Lamar had their
way yesterday. They're also a team that has no chin.
If you hit them early, they fold like a cheap
deck chair. Also, Dax, CD and Micah eventually are all
(02:41):
going to have top of the market contract, so you
better start nailing those fourth, fifth and sixth round picks.
Baltimore didn't do anything creative. They just ran the ball
like the Saints did, over and over and over, often
not around but right at Dallas getting really expensive. The
roster isn't very good, and Dallas has trailed by twenty
(03:06):
or more in three of their last four games. But hey,
Dak leads the league in passing yards, which is just
so perfectly fitting because Jerry Jones can mention that and
justify paying him top of the league. Congratulations. But if
you go back to like this is something that this
is about culture and soul, you know, everybody bangs on
(03:27):
Daniel Jones, and I will say I had the Giants
winning yesterday in the offensive line, and now they've got
a number one receiver. They've got a little bit of
a life in New York. Not a great team. Cowboys
play the Giants Thursday, but New York's got a little
bit of protection, a little bit of a life, a
little bit of a hope. But as you all bang
on Daniel Jones, I went and looked up this morning.
Since twenty twenty, Dak and the Cowboys have only had
(03:50):
six fourth quarter comebacks. That's the same as Daniel Jones, meaning,
you got more talent, but you don't have any more heart.
There's no soul. What are you? And unlike the Kardashians,
actually some of the Kardashian products are actually pretty good.
Skims I'm told is excellent. And whereas the Kardashian fans
(04:10):
that worship them actually like their products and liked them.
Dallas fans were recently surveyed in the off season by
the athletic thousands of fans and the majority said, we
have no chance to win a Super Bowl in the
next five years. What am I supposed to like about
this team? You can run on them. They don't have
(04:31):
much of a culture. It's Situationally, they're not brilliantly coached.
Dak throws for a lot of yards. But those fourth
quarter yards yesterday, that's stat padding. They weren't real. I
checked it out during the game. At halftime, the Ravens
were averaging over eight yards of play. So at the
end of the third quarter, I went to my phone
after the third quarter the Ravens were averaging nine yards
(04:52):
of play. That's like an outmatched college team. After the game,
Matt Mosey, by the way, asked, why couldn't you They
asked about Derreck Henry, who, by the way, against Dallas
was good, and Jerry said that we couldn't afford him,
and Matt Mosey said why. I don't know. You can't
(05:13):
buy a mansion when you live in a different kind
of house. And to that, I would say, your running
backs are not a mansion. You got one elite wide receiver,
an okay tight end. Where's all the money going? Where
are all the great players? Buffalo Green Bay Saints Ravens.
They're just dominating you. They're pushing you all over the field.
(05:36):
And here's Micah Parsons after I.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Mean, the same thing. I think right now, we got
people just trying to be Superman. People just got on
their jobs. Bro, we don't need everyone to be Superman.
We don't need no superman's at all. We just need
eleven guys playing together.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
All right, let's have a really serious, hard conversation about
what's happening with the Chicago Bears. So I thought bow Knicks,
although not great early in the season, I'm watching Sean Payne,
Peyton the coach, and bow Nicks, and I can see
what they're trying to do. I can see the plan.
And not every business is a rocket ship. Some businesses
(06:14):
take a while, some teams take a while. But can
I identify like a plan. We need to have a
hard conversation. I don't think this coaching staff is going
to work with Caleb Williams. They have no run game
at all, like none. I can't see the plan. It's
bad backyard football. The offensive line is regressed. I mean,
they faced the team yesterday in Indianapolis that doesn't defend
(06:37):
the run, and they still couldn't run fewest yards per
play in the NFL. And this is not a team
without talent. They had a young and improving old line.
Last year, not anymore. They had as semblance of a
run game. I thought last year, not anymore. They had
Keenan Allen, Roma Dunzee, they got DJ Moore, they got players,
they're lasting everything that matters or next to last for
our TV audience, sorry radio audience, Look at the screen.
(07:00):
I mean DeAndre Swift has had thirty seven carries, one
has been for a first down. I mean again, once again,
I see a defensive coach and a defensive culture not
being able to figure out how to fix a quarterback.
And Caleb Williams came into this league. We talked about it.
(07:21):
He could be erratic, he was an incredible playmaker, but
he was going to need somebody like Andy Reid with
Mahomes already to get him back into the fairway or
what Kevin O'Connell is doing with Sam Darnold take away
the reckless, and that's the bigger problem perhaps for Chicago.
Minnesota is gifted offensively, and young Green Bay's got a
great coach, gifted offensively, and young Detroit's not as young.
(07:44):
Many of their players are now moving into their prime.
But Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay are excellent offensive teams.
Not all great defensively, excellent offensively, and I would say
two of them have great coaches. I think Kevin O'Connell
and Matt Lafleur passed the test line colors. I think
Dan Campbell is a great culture builder. I don't know
if I trust them situationally, but he's a good coach. Okay,
(08:07):
so forget for a second the Kayleb Williams stuff. You
got the one defensive coach in that division. You can't
win games in this division going forward, scoring twenty points
a game, twenty three. You gotta get into the twenty eights.
This is now the best offense, best offensive division in football.
Take the Bears out of it. The other three teams
could put an offensive Pro Bowl team together. Minnesota, Detroit,
(08:29):
and Green Bay, and their best players are mostly young
and getting better. They're no old guys in this league.
That tackles the old line for Detroit. The young receivers
tight ends for green Bay. Minnesota Jefferson, Jordan Natison, TJ. Hawkins,
and Sam Darnold's playing out of his mind like MVP stuff.
Isn't this narky tweet? He maybe so. Chicago's got major
issues here. They're touchdown at the end as garbage. They
(08:51):
scored nine real points. They can't run. There's no plan.
What am I watching? They got to get him an
offensive guru. In the downside, if you fight I ara
coach midseason and bring it an interim coach, be very
very careful about that, because if the interim wins, like
four games in a row, often in interims, the substitute teacher,
everybody's on their best behavior and great energy and sucking
(09:11):
up with the teacher and bringing produce every morning. Hear
missus Jones, here's your thirteenth apple of nine days. And
then the interim coach isn't really a head coach. It
was all about energy and him trying to impress the
new person in the room. And you're stuck with an
interim coach for four years, so you may have to
just stick with Eberfluse. But this isn't working. They bring
in a new oc the old lines. I thought it
(09:33):
was promising. It's awful. The run game's got DeAndre Swift.
It's terrible. I mean the Cold's team. By the ways,
the Colts team had a quarterback that completed fifty percent
of his throws, no touchdowns, two pecks can't hit a
swing pass to save his life. They didn't have the
Forest mugner, and they won, and they controlled large junks
of the game. Like, this isn't working and I'm not unrealistic.
(09:56):
I watched Denver and I'm like, oh, I see the
plan Jaden Daniels, Oh, I see kind of what they're
doing here. I'd like, I'm giving guys patience, but this
is I don't even know what I'm looking at. Here's
Caleb after I.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Fifty two times. Geez, I do whatever team needs, you
know what I mean. And so if it's fifty times,
it's fifty times. I can't have the two turnovers with
those fifty attempts. And if it comes down to being
fifty attempts and us slinging the ball around, if it
comes down to being you know, ten attempts, it's whatever
team needs, whatever team needs to get the win. We'll
keep singing it. We'll keep working on a run game.
(10:30):
You know, we'll keep getting better. Definitely as offense, We're
gonna get this thing going here soon.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Oh by the way, one of the best quarterbacks and
best coaches on the planet, Sean McVay. Matt Stafford next up,
and before you think, ooh, that's bad scheduling, now you
just got You just got the team you should have beaten.
You just got Anthony Richards and the team that can't
defend the run. Like this was the game to get
it right. This was the team the Rams now were
(10:57):
getting healthy. If you got them in three weeks, you
get dusted. You may have a shot this weekend because
the old line is still a bit of a mess
and the wide receiving group is down to backups. But
McVeigh and Stafford, now good luck could get well the
getting's good. That was your game. I mean, the NFL
gave you a favor. They're like, hey, let's give him
Tennessee early, and let's give him a Let's give him
(11:20):
the Colts here that Houston's kind of tough, you know't McVeigh, Oh,
here's Carolina. They're giving you games to win, and Carolina
now looks like they're competent trub bull Like, I'm trying
to be patient, but I don't see it. And you
can blame the quarterback, but they're not. They're not firing him.
That's the future. You got to make this thing work.
You keep taking big swings on quarterbacks. They're not getting
(11:43):
rid of him. But this is what I always worry about.
I said before the season. J Mack is my witness.
I said, Jaden's got a defensive coach, and Caleb's got
a defensive coach, and Drake May's got a defensive coach,
and the kid in Denver has an offensive coach. And
you are watching bow Nicks. They're not perfect, but I
took him into my blazing five. If you watch Denver's offense,
(12:04):
you see what they're trying to do, Like I can identify, Oh,
they want to get Bonicks out of the pocket. They
like the right he's their leading rusher. Like, you can
see what they're trying to do. It's intentional what they're
trying to do. It's flawed, it's not great, but I
can see it as a fan. Oh that's what they're
trying to do. I don't know what the heck Chicago's
offense is. It's like bad inner Murals with one really
(12:25):
talented guy running around running for his life. The run game.
The old line's all gotten worse, all right. Mark Sanchez
is around the corner. He ended up getting a great game,
and he does such a good job for US and
that game yesterday wildly entertaining. You know, we give these analysts,
you know, Brady gets all these Cowboy games and they're
(12:47):
all blowouts. Sanchez Rams Niners. Couldn't take your eyes off it.
It's one of the crazy endings in the NFL. Marks
around the corner as well.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Be sure to catch live edition of The Herd weekdays
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Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, Cowboys, it was ugly yesterday. I no good news
for Dallas. I think it's good news. They have not
been very good in these high profile games against the
Green Bay or a Buffalo or a Ravens. They have
been very good against the Giants in Washington, where DAK
has forty percent of their wins. But Matt Hasselbeck came
in earlier and said, this Dallas team up front defensively
(13:29):
not great.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I think defensively they were exposed by Baltimore. There were
so many double digit runs from Derrick Henry where no
one even touched him. Lamar's touchdown that it would have
been a touchdown in flag football. You know, I think
one of the best things that Dallas has done in
the past recently with their defense is they've created turnovers,
they're not playing great football, and they got embarrassed at home.
(13:52):
But you know, I would also just say, like the
best thing for them. I think they got a Thursday
night game against the New York Giants. It's probably probably
the best thing for them. Like they should come out,
get back to basics. That opponent is not a very
difficult opponents in terms of like things that scare you.
They've got a little bit of explosiveness, but not much
so I think it's kind of the perfect get right
(14:14):
game for them.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, we'll see. They're five point favorites now. I watched
New York. They now have a number one receiver in Neighbors,
which has really added spark to their perimeter game. Makes
a much more viable. I like their coach. I like
their defensive front. Giants old lines playing Okay. So the
truth is, if they had Saquon Barkley with this offensive
line in Neighbors, I think that Dallas thing, that's a
(14:38):
dou w. I don't know if they can. I don't know.
Dallas coming off a humiliating loss, they should be a favorite.
If you look at the NFL schedule, and again that's
a pretty good Thursday night game. The Thursday schedule on
Amazon's better this year. The numbers are up for them,
they've been better games. But again the early window has
provided some real interesting stuff. So next week's early window
(14:59):
is you get Now, you get Saints Atlanta, and that's
an interesting game in that division. Rams it bears Jmack
like Chicago is one of his favorite picks. How about
the Vikings at green Bay. We did not think that
would be a marquee game. That's an early window game.
And now Jacksonville if they win tonight at Buffalo, if
they lose that game at Houston's the season Steelers colt.
(15:21):
So some of this stuff, I will say, I do
not think Denver is going to is going to age
well against the Jets. That that feels like the Jets
have extra time to prepare. Sala's got extra time to
prepare for a rookie quarterback. I don't like predicting blowouts.
I think Cincinnati blows out Washington tonight, and I think
(15:41):
the Jets blow out Denver next weekend. I don't like
that spot for Denver.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
So NFL favorites of five or more points this season favorites.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I bet you they're like one in eight, three and
thirteen against the spread. Isn't that crazy? Now? I would
guess the Jets are a touchdown favorite.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Yes, that's accurate.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Oh is that right? Are they? Oh? Wow? So yeah,
that's that's a tough spot. Rookie quarterback having to face
the Jets and Aaron Rodgers and that defense with an
extra three days, back to back road games, and it's
all yeah, then you got to go from Tampa across
country back to Denver. Then you go back to New York.
That is a tough spot for Denver.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
We do have our first double digit spread of the season,
Niners ten and a half against Gered Mayo's New England Patriots. Okay,
but they get extra time to prepare the Niners. I
don't see them getting suddenly healthy, like a lot of
the guys are out. It's multi week injuries like see.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I mean again, the Patriots are a young team, so
they get two three days extra. I probably would stay
away from that game. I think San Francisco wins. I'm
surprised you like the Bears. You know that's your favorite
bet of the week.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
It's early, it's I mean it's Monday. We got to
see what's what is going on injury wise. I mean
there's a lot of uncertainty around the league, like Jordan
Love is he gonna play?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Justin Herbert is he gonna play? You know, j Mack
with a news No, no, this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Start with your Los Angeles Rams winning a thriller. They
were down fourteen twenty one seven in the third quarter.
Then they hung around, let the forty nine ers make
a bunch of mistakes, and they won the game with
two seconds left on the clock. By the way, they
only led for two seconds in the entire game. Here's
Sean mcvayh after the dub.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
A lot of guts, a lot of grit. I'm really
proud of this group. I saw a team respond after
a really humbling week last week. And you know, three
hours will never define you good or bad unless you
allow it to. And you know, we've got to do
a good job of being able to build on this.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
You know this game is going to be over.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
It's great to be able to get our first win
in the fashion that we were able to get it,
But how quickly can we make sure a let's look
at this, let's clean it up and let's move forward.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Yeah, and Stafford again just kept slinging them down the field.
It was such a fun game. It reminded me of
the Eagles Falcons last Monday, where Atlanta's just hanging around.
Hanging around, Philadelphia looks like the better team. All gaming
away got me. You have a competent quarterback leading your
team down the field, and it's like, WHOA, what's going on?
Speaker 6 (18:08):
I saw some of the numbers aren't fully out, but
I did see one that said the rams they loved
the three wide receiver sets.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
They ran none of those yesterday. Apparently like zero plays.
They were like heavy two type five receivers.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
They has to change everything and the other stat now again,
Sanchez is on the telecast. He can tell us brock
Perty had eight completions. According to the telecast, six of
them were drops. Oh yeah, by the no, that's staggering.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
No.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
No. Between the drops and the special teams, Special McVey
has always been very detail orient on a special teams.
The Niners are very hit and miss, very hit.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Don't want to sound the alarm, but that schedules very
difficult injuries now mounting.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I told you this, I Remember I said in the
off season Jmack, I said Dallas is going to start
a slow regression from twelve wins to ten. Okay, And
I think, and I told your San Francisco will still
be good, but I didn't pick him and to win
the division. I said, they have peaked because they're getting old.
And what's happened. The old guys are getting hurt. So
I mean, I think the San Francisco Dallas regression was
(19:15):
right in front of our eyes. You know, Minnesota is
a shock. Steeters are better than we thought. But how
many how many of these are you looking at and
going wow? It's you know, we're watching the young quarterbacks
all kind of scrap and figure it out. And bow
Knicks with an offensive coach, looks like he's a little
more advanced. Hey, I was a w baby.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
Yeah, all right, Speaking of bout Nicks, let's get to him.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
Second story. He listened.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
He did not have a touchdown pass, but he threw
for two hundred and sixteen yards, largely a flawless performance
wy seven rushing yards.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
He looked quick, No, he can move.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
Yeah, a little jitterbug out there. And now here's Nicks.
After getting his first NFL victory.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yeah, well I got to you only get this moment
one time, and it's not easy winning games in this league.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But you know, our I deserve this, Our guys have
earned this.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We came out early and through the ball, and then
later in.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The game we have to run the ball, and everybody
in the stadium knows.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
We're running the ball, and we were able to go
and get first downs that way. So as a complete,
you know, offensive game, I thought, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
They started really really strong, and Baker struggled. Love him,
but Baker on third down the last two weeks not
been good. Offense just can't. It doesn't look like it
knows exactly what it is.
Speaker 6 (20:26):
Broncos had seven sacks, and listen, I know I joked
around about golf turning into a bit of a pumpkin.
You kind of wonder about Baker Mayfield maybe as well.
He was running so hot those first two games, but
also everything part.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Of the hot was facing a Washington team, which I
think is going to get smoked by Cincinnati tonight. That's
just not very good in the back end. So you know, again,
I think New Orleans is better. I thought what they
were doing was insane. I think what New Orleans and
Baltimore proved. If you go look at the first three
quarters between those two teams, Dallas cannot defend the run.
They do not have the personnel. They're not very good
(20:59):
at linebacker. Dallas cannot. I mean it's like the Saints
and the Ravens. I mean they just came in and
just said we're gonna run the ball. I mean Philadelphia
shutdown Alvin Kamara. Dallas had no shot. So that tells
you they're going into a game. Baltimore came into the
game in New Orleans like we're seeing the film. We
can run the ball. I mean they didn't even try
to hide it.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
Yeah. No, it's a little bit of a wacky start
all around of the season. Let's wrap up with Tonight's
Commanders Bengals game. You like the Bengals, I'm on the
over here. T Higgins is gonna make his debut. Missed
the first two weeks with a hamstring injury. Higgins said
he's one hundred percent Bengals looking to avoid an oh
and three start. I think I said earlier OH and
two teams went five and one yesterday, and we've got
(21:41):
to tonight. Cincinnati and Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I like both. Now I think Jacksonville's narrow. I'll take
the points. I don't know if they win. I like
Jacksonville in the points, playing with desperation. But I think
Cincinnati is gonna go and go on a six game
winning streak, six or seven. I think Cincinnati's for real,
but getting help year. They're getting their guys back. Cincinnati.
You start looking at Cincinnati.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
Really, you think they're gonna boat race the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
I didn't say boat race, but they're hosting the Ravens. Okay,
there's a lot now, no no. Week ten eleven gets
a little dicey.
Speaker 8 (22:15):
But let's not overlook the Eagles. That's not a la.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Not overlooking it. But they got two turnovers from Jalen
there baked in damn.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
That is an easy schedule.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
It's not easy. It's the NFL.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
It's not favorable. I mean, especially Listen. Is justin Herbert
gonna be standing up week eleven?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:32):
He was in a boot last month and now it's
in it again after three weeks.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
This is not great.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Dude. If I got laryngitis, is Mike is it over?
It might be, I don't know, larryen Chitas, you'd push
me right out of this chair, out of the curve.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news, and
thanks for stopping by the herd Line.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
News boy, Mark Sanchez, you know he thought, well, I
don't know if LA can compete. He got the game
of the day. Hey, Mark, san Jack.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
What a game?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
What a credit out.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Mark.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's gonna break down tape at the end of the show,
so I'm not gonna I'm not gonna give away, but
just say this. We're not gonna go to the tape
until after. But I will say this is that there's
the knobk on Shannan is Olds. But he didn't care
quite as much about special teams as he should. Don't
ram special teams man. You talk about using the roster.
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Well it it got him back in the game. It
gave him a little hope. And remember the week before
they had only run in Arizona eleven plays and they're
down twenty one nothing. It was flowing in that direction.
They had only run three offensive plays when three and
out fast boom, before they can blink, it's fourteen to nothing.
And I went, oh boy, this happened on the road
(23:45):
last week. This might happen at home, although it's hard
to call that a home game. It was like a
sea of red sea. I will show it in some
of the clips, but using silent cadence at your place
down that many players on offense.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I thought.
Speaker 9 (23:59):
One of the big things that did work in their
favor in spite of being decimated by injuries.
Speaker 8 (24:04):
Was the tackles.
Speaker 9 (24:05):
Yes, the tackles being there really help Stafford because he
can move in the pocket in that short, little five
yard box. But if you have the two pillars outside
and haven Stein and Jackson, that really short things up.
And then on the inside they can use their combo
blocks slide people. But I mean he was Bosa didn't
really sniff him too much off game got frustrated.
Speaker 8 (24:28):
I thought, I.
Speaker 9 (24:29):
Thought he would have a chance to tee off on
some of those guys, and they kept him up right
and Stafford diced him up.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Man, that was that was so impressive.
Speaker 9 (24:38):
But he mentioned j Mac mentioned not eleven personnel right,
one back, one tight end, three wide receivers. That's almost
exclusively what the Rams do. They lead the league in it. Yeah,
and they don't have to worry about bass personnel and boom.
They're in sub runs Nickel all the time. They went
twelve for the first time I've ever seen, and it
was all they had the right this is what we're
(25:01):
rolling with and they hit him with runs up the middle.
They hit him with runs that bounce outside. Michael for
uh what a what a run game plan? And coach
Wendy their offensive line coacht. I mean, dude, it was.
It was incredible just to see their grit. They talked
about it all week. We interviewed them on Friday. And
it's one thing to say, hey, you know, we got
(25:21):
to be enthusiastic, Hey you know we got embarrassed, you
know we're gonna do it. It's another thing to do
it after you're down fourteen to nothing, with you're staying
around looking for playmakers.
Speaker 8 (25:32):
That it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Yeah, So I was saying this. The Kansas City dynasty
started with high flying it was decail. Now that it
looks like New England coach quarterback defense situationally brilliant. This
team plays with so much confidence in close games that
I wonder if they get into your head.
Speaker 8 (25:50):
Well, I think a lot of it.
Speaker 9 (25:53):
I thought Hassenback made a really good point that the
quarterback intimidates you before, you know, without even doing anything right,
He's just that aura of that guy, and you know
you got to play well because you know he's gonna
play well in those specific situations. I think a lot
of it is just personnel driven, and as they're developing
guys like Worthy, as they're developing speedsters. If you don't
have Tyreek Hill, if you don't have somebody like that,
(26:14):
if Kelsey's not you know, firing on all clinders right
this second, in the first quarter of the season. Okay,
we'll figure it out. Yeah, and we're gonna share the
bulcal load. Then we'll disperse some of our carries. We'll
get some other ball carriers here. We'll lean heavy on
the defense. They're gonna have to steal us a possession,
you know, Harrison Bucker, You're gonna have to, you know,
(26:35):
give us nine points today, you know what kind of thing,
and whatever it takes. We don't care what these wins
look like. They come in all shapes and sizes. We
just want the wins. And I feel like the lack
of ego on that team, and it starts at the
top with Andy Reid. It doesn't matter and every game
there's a new formula. You know, there's always the same
formula taking care of the football, you know, situational awareness, whatever.
(26:58):
But it's gonna look a little different all the time.
Speaker 8 (27:00):
And that's okay, That is totally okay.
Speaker 9 (27:03):
We just keep stacking our chips, stacking our chips, and
we'll see you after we win fourteen games. Homefield advantage,
that's where they win home field advantage. It's the first
six out of the gate.
Speaker 8 (27:12):
Yeah, you know what I mean. That's why they play
at Arrowhead right in the playoffs. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So you broke into this league and you had a
defensive coach, and you had a couple of offensive pieces.
You got moor As, you stayed. But I watched Pittsburgh
and I don't know if you can win Super Bowls.
You got darn close. But let's not kid ourselves. Great defense, intensity,
enough big plays. I mean, I saw Trent bill Jack here,
(27:37):
you know, I mean, I watched Pittsburgh and I'm like,
that's not sustainable. And then I see they're playing Anthony
Richardson this week and I'm like, dude, you go four
and oh you can, I mean, you can hamm an
egget until week sixteen, you're a ten win team. What
do you see with.
Speaker 9 (27:49):
Pittsburgh, Well, once again, personnel driven and their offensive coordinator
Arthur Smith. He loves to run the football, that's what
he does, and he can come up with some great
schemes on it, all the way back to when he
was at Tennessee and had a heck of a rushing
attack in Atlanta at times in spurts, you know. And now, hey,
we got a quarterback who can move our starters down.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Yeah. Shoot, the receivers might.
Speaker 9 (28:13):
Not be thrilled, but yeah, we're gonna stack some wins
here as best we can. And they really struggled to
do that last year. So if you're gonna run it
with the QB, you know, he can give him timely completions.
Speaker 8 (28:24):
That's a lot of what my rookie year was like.
Speaker 9 (28:27):
Yes, it wasn't until my second year that we really
started to open things up, and a lot of it
was necessity because we were down in the fourth quarter
by a score or you know, ten points, and so
it's like, okay, we're either going to rush the ball
forty times like we wanted to, or we're gonna go
try and win the game.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
Yeah. So here we go.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Good luck with the two minute lists, you know, and
we started throwing the ball more. But that's another formula.
And if that's their formula, you better strap up for
that game because they're they're gonna hit you.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
They're gonna leave.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You sore because you were doing your game. And I
understand sometimes it's hard to see all this stuff, but
I you know, I keep waiting for a little bit.
I'm watching these coaches do a great job of coach
reckless out of players. Malik Willis justin fields, the Sam
Donald think Mark. I watched them and Houston's good. Now
they didn't have Joe Mixon. But after three weeks of
(29:20):
seeing the exact same thing, I think I buy Minnesota.
I mean, I know this division now. Yeah, Detroit's offense,
by the way, there's just thirty five carries. Green Bay
is gonna get Jordan love back. I think I buy this.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Oh.
Speaker 9 (29:36):
I love what's going on in Minnesota. I know it's
still early, but the only question on that roster coming
into the season was the quarterback. Yeah, if that guy
can perform, we're gonna be fine. I don't care if
it's you know, the rookie that ended up getting hurt.
McCarthy or Sam Donald, whoever's there, just drive the ship,
get us in and out of good place. I'll put
(29:57):
you in good spots. When I say, I am saying,
Kevin o'c and you just manage it for me.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
There's gonna be.
Speaker 9 (30:04):
About four really important, crucial decisions that you got to make.
Get me out of trouble once or twice, and then
make some really good decisions on fourth down or third down.
That's it. Let these guys play. And when I dial
up a shot and it's there, chuck it, dude. And
he happened to hit the ninety seven yarder, you know,
And I just love to see you could tell his
(30:27):
feet or right, his timing's on, his eyes start in
the right place. Everything is just in a McVeigh offense,
in a Shanahan offense with O'Connell, with Andy Reid, all
that stuff, the footwork, the timing, the sequencing of.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Plays, the way the plays look.
Speaker 9 (30:44):
The same, the runs and the run action, play action,
It all matters. And there's there's a rhyme and a
reason to all of it. If you get a guy
to understand the big picture and then nail down that
week's game plan. You got a chance. At least you
got a chance. Keep it close to the fourth quarter
and let's go, let's see what happens. And then you
put Flores's defense out there, like, come on, man, I
mean they're just you know, making people look silly.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
C J.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Stroud and Brock Purty said after their games against Minnesota. Yeah,
I've never seen these coverages and San.
Speaker 9 (31:12):
Fran San Francisco was at full strength. That was Kittle,
that was Debo, that was Ayuk, that was everybody. So
it's not like they played him this past week and
not taking anything away from the Rams, but I mean
Minnesota got the full version and that's a really good
football team.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
And they're not totally healthy yet.
Speaker 8 (31:29):
Oh yeah, and they got after him.
Speaker 9 (31:30):
Fred Warner kept him in the game by punching the
ball out and stuff, getting the interception, but Vikings handled them.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yeah, all right, we got video Mark so good at this.
Some Stafford stuff, some Brock Purtty stuff. Brock was dealing
it early and more late. We'll have Bulk next live
in La The Herd.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noone Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Well, we're watching young quarterbacks struggle, older quarterbacks getting second
chances like Andy Dalton tearing it up. But yesterday Mark
had the pleasure of watching Matt Stafford and brock Perty.
He won a seventh rounder and won the best high
school college quarterback. He was a phenom, went to Detroit.
Now he's got his sort of you know, he's got
(32:14):
his guy, he's got his guru, he's got Sean McVay.
So let's go to the tape on a couple of
Stafford moment.
Speaker 8 (32:18):
They are a perfect pair.
Speaker 9 (32:20):
And you got to say before we talk about Safford
party played his fans bought off yesterday, so well had
him in position to win, needed a couple more plays
from his guys.
Speaker 8 (32:29):
But I loved his effort for Stafford.
Speaker 9 (32:32):
I mean, the guy continues to put on a masterclass
your down players. And it goes back to fundamentals. It
goes back to basic rules. On easy place right half
back option, half that choice, old school West Coast play.
You got to have a back to run it. So
roll the clip and you're going to see Karen Williams.
(32:53):
He's got a three way go out of the backfield.
But they start in the pistol, move him a little bit.
Want to see how people react to it. Right, it
looks like the backers bump over. Obviously Devondre Campbell, who's
in the highlight there is going to have the back Now.
Stafford's holding his eyes down the middle and not completely
staring at Kyen Williams, which takes a lot of trust
(33:14):
because Fred Warner's hunting down that middle of the field,
that's his job. He's staring at Stafford. Stafford's holding him.
Everybody else is playing outside leverage, Manda Man and they
want a funnel everything back to Fred Warner. It's called
cover one hole or eleven hole because it's sub personnel,
so he's the whole player in his job is like
(33:34):
old school Detroit Pistons. He'll just knock your head off
if you come through the key. The middle of the
field is the key, so Kyen he can sit down
if it's zone, but this is man, so he's not
going to So he's either going to break out or
hit the home run post. And Stafford trusts it knows
the coverage keeps Fred Warner in his spot and watched
this tight window throw that he makes. This is what
(33:56):
won them the game, these tight window throws. Most guys
want to see the running back do it. Stafford's got
him in the corner of his eye, knowing what's happening,
confirming the coverage, holding Fred Warner, and then poom like
are you kidding?
Speaker 8 (34:11):
That is so good? That is so good.
Speaker 9 (34:13):
And you get the post maybe two out of ten times,
you get the sit probably six out of ten times,
and then mostly the breakout or whatever, like it doesn't
happen like that, and guys throw picks to that middle
linebacker and cover one hole on halfback choice. We talked
over and over and over like people do it all
the time, and some coaches just take it out of
(34:35):
the plan say you can't handle this, this is too hard,
because it's really hard to get that done. It takes
a ton of discipline. Stafford's got it in space. The
other one I loved is game on the line down
in the red zone again, so we saw this is
another red zone coverage, but they're gonna play two deep
safeties basically like a Cover two red or like a
Red four. It can kind of morph depending on the
(34:57):
routes you run. Basically zone keep everything in front, so
roll the clip and you're gonna see this defender is
going to tell the story of whether it's man or zone.
You saw in the last clip he was right over
the slot guy. This time he's splitting the difference between
the tackle and the nick and the slot receiver. He's
in that apex. Stafford knew it before they even motioned anybody.
(35:19):
And he has to run up to the line of
scrimmage and start screaming at everybody because look, they got
to see it red there. Nobody can hear him in
his own stadium. The place is going nuts because the
Niners are up and the Rams are trying to go
back and win. And what do we say on Sunday.
There's no secrets on Sunday. Everything is a group test.
Speaker 8 (35:36):
Tell your buddy.
Speaker 9 (35:37):
He literally too too at Well told Robinson, hey, bro
go block Diamador Lenor. He checked to the run, then
to triple conferment. They run the counter motion here. This
was originally a pass. Stafford kills it to a run.
Dotson's got to look back at his quarterback once again.
We're going silent cadence at home. That's ridiculous. They're calling
(35:57):
this place Levi South. That's like Parson so but Stafford
doesn't care. Cools the other side of the pillow doesn't
bother him. Look where Fred Warner's at. He had to
move over once the back hopped over from right to left.
Fred was under the g right there. Now, these three
players that need to get to the second level. Watch
how they do it in unison. It's like synchronized swimming
(36:20):
in the Olympics. This is unbelievable. Those guys are covered up.
As soon as Karen gets the ball, Are.
Speaker 8 (36:24):
You kidding me?
Speaker 9 (36:25):
That's like perfect coach Wendy A Plus Karen gets the ball,
he hasn't even broken the line of scrimmage. Nobody knows
it's a touchdown. Stafford does immediately immediately. It was I
mean to have trust in these calls, to trust your
quarterback number nine to get everything orchestrated with the silent cadence,
(36:47):
the guard looking at him, tapping his foot, motioning guys,
they communicate the three guys getting to the second level.
That is so hard in such a chaotic situation, and
you're asking guys to do it who've only done it
in training him and might not have even done it with.
Speaker 8 (37:01):
The backups exactly.
Speaker 9 (37:03):
So that was they're coaching their butt off over there
in La Man.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Did you see mcveigh's press game. Oh he was literally
elevating off the floor.
Speaker 9 (37:12):
Yes, and to I mean people at home have to
understand those that rollercoaster of emotions from one week to
the next, penhouse to outhouse and right back.
Speaker 8 (37:23):
You know what I mean. They get smoked on the
road last week.
Speaker 9 (37:26):
You know how easy it would have been for these
guys to just roll over at fourteen and nothing. Obviously
we're seeing some of the tough plays for the Niners,
but these special teams plays, I mean, the guy's never
touched the football in the NFL.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Get your guys set up to win the game.
Speaker 9 (37:42):
Come on with a bigger return like that, getting the
past interference call, Stafford knowing what to do, and then
CARDI kick it on me.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
When you do broad party, we have a couple of
minutes when you do a broad So it's such an
advantage when I go to a game to watch what
a quarterback sees. You can see it on film, but
on TV it doesn't show you where are the safeties coverage?
Rather shifting You give me your sense of what brock
Purty is without Christian Deebo Kittle.
Speaker 9 (38:07):
Well, listen, he's on that track to being one of
these great West Coast quarterbacks. And I don't mean geographically
West Coast. I mean West Coast offense from Shanahan and
that whole tree. He goes to the line of scrimmage
with multiple options. The guy's incredibly accurate, He's got great feet,
and he can escape and get out of trouble just enough. Yeah,
I mean, he's a perfect West Coast quarterback. Then you
(38:29):
put those playmakers around him, and he delivers the football
the way he does, You're always gonna have a chance
with this guy. Once again, these games come down to
one score generally. Every once in a while you get
smoked on the road, like like the Rams last week
in Arizona, but not always. And when it's close, if
you can keep it close and you got a quarterback
that can take care of the football, you got a chance.
(38:50):
Look at I mean, we're we're calling the Rams at
the Bears. Stafford takes care of the football. Caleb has
not taken care of the football right now. Difference two
and perceptions the last two games. Yeah, he didn't even
play great in his opener, but they won because he
didn't give the ball away. And it's easy to say
that from this chair, right, it's really hard to do.
But I mean part of that is setting him up
(39:13):
with confidence, get him, you know, stacking completions early, and
then there's gotta be a switch in his head. There's
got to be this say uncle mentality, and every play
is not it's designed to win. It's drawn up to win.
It has potential to win, but it doesn't always win.
And when it doesn't win, get me back to the
(39:33):
line of scrimmage, get down, throw the ball away, give
a fan a souvenir with the football, like that's got
to be their mentality moving forward.
Speaker 8 (39:41):
And they got to be able to run the football.
Got to help your quarterback.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Man, they're not running the ball. So what are you
going to a minute, laft? What will you You got
a good one, Chicago Rams is because teams that play
the Niners come out use a little dinged up.
Speaker 9 (39:55):
Oh and that emotional high of coming back. I mean
they're gonna be That's that's a big one. What will
you look for from Caleb Listen? I think their run
game really has to help him early and then his
play action game as soon as he flips his back
to the defense and flips his eyes around. I think
he's gonna get some great tape from that Niners team,
who I think abandoned that run a little bit. They
could have stuck with Jordan Mason a little bit. So
(40:17):
don't abandon the run. Run it right at these guys
on the rams. Look at the Arizona tape.
Speaker 8 (40:22):
Watch that.
Speaker 9 (40:22):
What did Kyler Murray do? Didn't turn the football over,
got out of trouble when he needed to.
Speaker 8 (40:27):
That's it. And if he can handle that, he's going
to have success.
Speaker 9 (40:32):
But you know, you know the guy a number nine
is coming in there, and that dude's an absolute surgeon, right,
He's incredible and he's playing at such a high level.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
So, yeah, when you go to these meetings, you've had
multiple meetings with multiple production meetings on coaches, just to
tell the audience, do they give you a little little
tells and do they give you absolutely?
Speaker 9 (40:51):
Well, if you show that you've actually put in the
work right, like you got to come with some good questions.
Speaker 8 (40:57):
This week actually was funny.
Speaker 9 (40:59):
I asked a terror question to coach McVeigh and I
just said, well, what do you do you got all
these guys down, can you run the exact same stuff,
and he goes, what the hell do you think?
Speaker 8 (41:07):
Mark? I said that was a bad question. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 9 (41:11):
I apologize, But it was more of like trying to
get them to talk about, Okay, what's the next move,
what's the next step, and so knowing that they're going
to run a little more twelve personnel going into the
game really helped me frame it for the viewer, in
my opinion, because it gives you so many more run options.
It's not something that the Rams do a lot, not
something that the Niners were prepared for, and they trot
(41:32):
out Hunter Long and Colby Parkinson and that was the
bulk of the game plan. So stuff like that really
helps in those meetings. Obviously it's privileged information, you know,
so you can't there's nothing to say about it to
anybody until after the fact, and you just appreciate how
hard they work and how much they trust us. But
it's fun getting to talk to these guys.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Man hassel Beg, Mark Sanchez, good for us today and
a Monday, Mark, thank you so much. There's Rams good,
good week of studying for him. M will see tomorrow.
It's the hurt
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sportsradio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening
to The Herd podcast. Oh, welcome in. It's our three
(00:25):
first two have flown by live in Los Angeles. It's
the Herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening,
Thanks for making us part of your day. Well here
in Los Angeles. The Dodgers show haow Taani is just
it's just like the most amazing thing you've ever seen.
The Rams pulled off. That is one of the kookier
games I've ever seen yesterday. That was I mean that
(00:47):
Niner fans travel like the Yankee fans in the eighties
or the Steeler fans in the seventies of the eighties,
like that sixty five percent at so far Niner fans,
but they're all over the place. It's a great brand
and a great franchise. That Rams game was nuts, totally nuts,
and special teams doesn't get loved, but they don't win
that game. Even with mcmagh and Stafford and all the
backup receivers and backup o they don't win that game
(01:10):
without their special teams. Special teams won the game for
the Rams yesterday. It was just crazy fun to watch.
Thirty minutes Mark Zanchez stops by. Well the Cowboys now
are they in chaos? Losing to the Ravens that way yesterday?
They continue to confirm what I said before the season
started that this franchise is going to start regressing. The
(01:34):
Cowboys have become one big, authentic Kardashian event. There's drama,
and there's glitz, and there's glemma, and there's money, and
most of it's just a big illusion, and they both
have the most gullible of people that worship them. The
Cowboys and the Kardashians are great at taking your money,
and Jerry Jones has mastered that. Follow the bouncing ball.
(01:57):
But increasingly, if the last five really good teams they
have played Buffalo Green Band Detroit last year, Saints Ravens
this year, four or five of those that are at home,
and they've been bullied in all of those games. At
some point four or five just bullied Dallas. Here's the problem.
(02:18):
Their roster's not talented enough, and Jerry Jones calls himself
the GM he's eighty one. It's not a good enough roster.
They're also a team that's soft. They're the worst run
defense in the league. Dereck, Henry and Lamar had their
way yesterday. They're also a team that has no chin.
If you hit them early, they fold like a cheap
deck chair. Also, Dax, CD and Micah eventually are all
(02:41):
going to have top of the market contract, so you
better start nailing those fourth, fifth and sixth round picks.
Baltimore didn't do anything creative. They just ran the ball
like the Saints did, over and over and over, often
not around but right at Dallas getting really expensive. The
roster isn't very good, and Dallas has trailed by twenty
(03:06):
or more in three of their last four games. But hey,
Dak leads the league in passing yards, which is just
so perfectly fitting because Jerry Jones can mention that and
justify paying him top of the league. Congratulations. But if
you go back to like this is something that this
is about culture and soul, you know, everybody bangs on
(03:27):
Daniel Jones, and I will say I had the Giants
winning yesterday in the offensive line, and now they've got
a number one receiver. They've got a little bit of
a life in New York. Not a great team. Cowboys
play the Giants Thursday, but New York's got a little
bit of protection, a little bit of a life, a
little bit of a hope. But as you all bang
on Daniel Jones, I went and looked up this morning.
Since twenty twenty, Dak and the Cowboys have only had
(03:50):
six fourth quarter comebacks. That's the same as Daniel Jones, meaning,
you got more talent, but you don't have any more heart.
There's no soul. What are you? And unlike the Kardashians,
actually some of the Kardashian products are actually pretty good.
Skims I'm told is excellent. And whereas the Kardashian fans
(04:10):
that worship them actually like their products and liked them.
Dallas fans were recently surveyed in the off season by
the athletic thousands of fans and the majority said, we
have no chance to win a Super Bowl in the
next five years. What am I supposed to like about
this team? You can run on them. They don't have
(04:31):
much of a culture. It's Situationally, they're not brilliantly coached.
Dak throws for a lot of yards. But those fourth
quarter yards yesterday, that's stat padding. They weren't real. I
checked it out during the game. At halftime, the Ravens
were averaging over eight yards of play. So at the
end of the third quarter, I went to my phone
after the third quarter the Ravens were averaging nine yards
(04:52):
of play. That's like an outmatched college team. After the game,
Matt Mosey, by the way, asked, why couldn't you They
asked about Derreck Henry, who, by the way, against Dallas
was good, and Jerry said that we couldn't afford him,
and Matt Mosey said why. I don't know. You can't
(05:13):
buy a mansion when you live in a different kind
of house. And to that, I would say, your running
backs are not a mansion. You got one elite wide receiver,
an okay tight end. Where's all the money going? Where
are all the great players? Buffalo Green Bay Saints Ravens.
They're just dominating you. They're pushing you all over the field.
(05:36):
And here's Micah Parsons after I.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Mean, the same thing. I think right now, we got
people just trying to be Superman. People just got on
their jobs. Bro, we don't need everyone to be Superman.
We don't need no superman's at all. We just need
eleven guys playing together.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
All right, let's have a really serious, hard conversation about
what's happening with the Chicago Bears. So I thought bow Knicks,
although not great early in the season, I'm watching Sean Payne,
Peyton the coach, and bow Nicks, and I can see
what they're trying to do. I can see the plan.
And not every business is a rocket ship. Some businesses
(06:14):
take a while, some teams take a while. But can
I identify like a plan. We need to have a
hard conversation. I don't think this coaching staff is going
to work with Caleb Williams. They have no run game
at all, like none. I can't see the plan. It's
bad backyard football. The offensive line is regressed. I mean,
they faced the team yesterday in Indianapolis that doesn't defend
(06:37):
the run, and they still couldn't run fewest yards per
play in the NFL. And this is not a team
without talent. They had a young and improving old line.
Last year, not anymore. They had as semblance of a
run game. I thought last year, not anymore. They had
Keenan Allen, Roma Dunzee, they got DJ Moore, they got players,
they're lasting everything that matters or next to last for
our TV audience, sorry radio audience, Look at the screen.
(07:00):
I mean DeAndre Swift has had thirty seven carries, one
has been for a first down. I mean again, once again,
I see a defensive coach and a defensive culture not
being able to figure out how to fix a quarterback.
And Caleb Williams came into this league. We talked about it.
(07:21):
He could be erratic, he was an incredible playmaker, but
he was going to need somebody like Andy Reid with
Mahomes already to get him back into the fairway or
what Kevin O'Connell is doing with Sam Darnold take away
the reckless, and that's the bigger problem perhaps for Chicago.
Minnesota is gifted offensively, and young Green Bay's got a
great coach, gifted offensively, and young Detroit's not as young.
(07:44):
Many of their players are now moving into their prime.
But Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay are excellent offensive teams.
Not all great defensively, excellent offensively, and I would say
two of them have great coaches. I think Kevin O'Connell
and Matt Lafleur passed the test line colors. I think
Dan Campbell is a great culture builder. I don't know
if I trust them situationally, but he's a good coach. Okay,
(08:07):
so forget for a second the Kayleb Williams stuff. You
got the one defensive coach in that division. You can't
win games in this division going forward, scoring twenty points
a game, twenty three. You gotta get into the twenty eights.
This is now the best offense, best offensive division in football.
Take the Bears out of it. The other three teams
could put an offensive Pro Bowl team together. Minnesota, Detroit,
(08:29):
and Green Bay, and their best players are mostly young
and getting better. They're no old guys in this league.
That tackles the old line for Detroit. The young receivers
tight ends for green Bay. Minnesota Jefferson, Jordan Natison, TJ. Hawkins,
and Sam Darnold's playing out of his mind like MVP stuff.
Isn't this narky tweet? He maybe so. Chicago's got major
issues here. They're touchdown at the end as garbage. They
(08:51):
scored nine real points. They can't run. There's no plan.
What am I watching? They got to get him an
offensive guru. In the downside, if you fight I ara
coach midseason and bring it an interim coach, be very
very careful about that, because if the interim wins, like
four games in a row, often in interims, the substitute teacher,
everybody's on their best behavior and great energy and sucking
(09:11):
up with the teacher and bringing produce every morning. Hear
missus Jones, here's your thirteenth apple of nine days. And
then the interim coach isn't really a head coach. It
was all about energy and him trying to impress the
new person in the room. And you're stuck with an
interim coach for four years, so you may have to
just stick with Eberfluse. But this isn't working. They bring
in a new oc the old lines. I thought it
(09:33):
was promising. It's awful. The run game's got DeAndre Swift.
It's terrible. I mean the Cold's team. By the ways,
the Colts team had a quarterback that completed fifty percent
of his throws, no touchdowns, two pecks can't hit a
swing pass to save his life. They didn't have the
Forest mugner, and they won, and they controlled large junks
of the game. Like, this isn't working and I'm not unrealistic.
(09:56):
I watched Denver and I'm like, oh, I see the
plan Jaden Daniels, Oh, I see kind of what they're
doing here. I'd like, I'm giving guys patience, but this
is I don't even know what I'm looking at. Here's
Caleb after I.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Fifty two times. Geez, I do whatever team needs, you
know what I mean. And so if it's fifty times,
it's fifty times. I can't have the two turnovers with
those fifty attempts. And if it comes down to being
fifty attempts and us slinging the ball around, if it
comes down to being you know, ten attempts, it's whatever
team needs, whatever team needs to get the win. We'll
keep singing it. We'll keep working on a run game.
(10:30):
You know, we'll keep getting better. Definitely as offense, We're
gonna get this thing going here soon.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
Oh by the way, one of the best quarterbacks and
best coaches on the planet, Sean McVay. Matt Stafford next up,
and before you think, ooh, that's bad scheduling, now you
just got You just got the team you should have beaten.
You just got Anthony Richards and the team that can't
defend the run. Like this was the game to get
it right. This was the team the Rams now were
(10:57):
getting healthy. If you got them in three weeks, you
get dusted. You may have a shot this weekend because
the old line is still a bit of a mess
and the wide receiving group is down to backups. But
McVeigh and Stafford, now good luck could get well the
getting's good. That was your game. I mean, the NFL
gave you a favor. They're like, hey, let's give him
Tennessee early, and let's give him a Let's give him
(11:20):
the Colts here that Houston's kind of tough, you know't McVeigh, Oh,
here's Carolina. They're giving you games to win, and Carolina
now looks like they're competent trub bull Like, I'm trying
to be patient, but I don't see it. And you
can blame the quarterback, but they're not. They're not firing him.
That's the future. You got to make this thing work.
You keep taking big swings on quarterbacks. They're not getting
(11:43):
rid of him. But this is what I always worry about.
I said before the season. J Mack is my witness.
I said, Jaden's got a defensive coach, and Caleb's got
a defensive coach, and Drake May's got a defensive coach,
and the kid in Denver has an offensive coach. And
you are watching bow Nicks. They're not perfect, but I
took him into my blazing five. If you watch Denver's offense,
(12:04):
you see what they're trying to do, Like I can identify, Oh,
they want to get Bonicks out of the pocket. They
like the right he's their leading rusher. Like, you can
see what they're trying to do. It's intentional what they're
trying to do. It's flawed, it's not great, but I
can see it as a fan. Oh that's what they're
trying to do. I don't know what the heck Chicago's
offense is. It's like bad inner Murals with one really
(12:25):
talented guy running around running for his life. The run game.
The old line's all gotten worse, all right. Mark Sanchez
is around the corner. He ended up getting a great game,
and he does such a good job for US and
that game yesterday wildly entertaining. You know, we give these analysts,
you know, Brady gets all these Cowboy games and they're
(12:47):
all blowouts. Sanchez Rams Niners. Couldn't take your eyes off it.
It's one of the crazy endings in the NFL. Marks
around the corner as well.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Be sure to catch live edition of The Herd weekdays
at noon Easter nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, Cowboys, it was ugly yesterday. I no good news
for Dallas. I think it's good news. They have not
been very good in these high profile games against the
Green Bay or a Buffalo or a Ravens. They have
been very good against the Giants in Washington, where DAK
has forty percent of their wins. But Matt Hasselbeck came
in earlier and said, this Dallas team up front defensively
(13:29):
not great.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I think defensively they were exposed by Baltimore. There were
so many double digit runs from Derrick Henry where no
one even touched him. Lamar's touchdown that it would have
been a touchdown in flag football. You know, I think
one of the best things that Dallas has done in
the past recently with their defense is they've created turnovers,
they're not playing great football, and they got embarrassed at home.
(13:52):
But you know, I would also just say, like the
best thing for them. I think they got a Thursday
night game against the New York Giants. It's probably probably
the best thing for them. Like they should come out,
get back to basics. That opponent is not a very
difficult opponents in terms of like things that scare you.
They've got a little bit of explosiveness, but not much
so I think it's kind of the perfect get right
(14:14):
game for them.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Yeah, we'll see. They're five point favorites now. I watched
New York. They now have a number one receiver in Neighbors,
which has really added spark to their perimeter game. Makes
a much more viable. I like their coach. I like
their defensive front. Giants old lines playing Okay. So the
truth is, if they had Saquon Barkley with this offensive
line in Neighbors, I think that Dallas thing, that's a
(14:38):
dou w. I don't know if they can. I don't know.
Dallas coming off a humiliating loss, they should be a favorite.
If you look at the NFL schedule, and again that's
a pretty good Thursday night game. The Thursday schedule on
Amazon's better this year. The numbers are up for them,
they've been better games. But again the early window has
provided some real interesting stuff. So next week's early window
(14:59):
is you get Now, you get Saints Atlanta, and that's
an interesting game in that division. Rams it bears Jmack
like Chicago is one of his favorite picks. How about
the Vikings at green Bay. We did not think that
would be a marquee game. That's an early window game.
And now Jacksonville if they win tonight at Buffalo, if
they lose that game at Houston's the season Steelers colt.
(15:21):
So some of this stuff, I will say, I do
not think Denver is going to is going to age
well against the Jets. That that feels like the Jets
have extra time to prepare. Sala's got extra time to
prepare for a rookie quarterback. I don't like predicting blowouts.
I think Cincinnati blows out Washington tonight, and I think
(15:41):
the Jets blow out Denver next weekend. I don't like
that spot for Denver.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
So NFL favorites of five or more points this season favorites.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I bet you they're like one in eight, three and
thirteen against the spread. Isn't that crazy? Now? I would
guess the Jets are a touchdown favorite.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Yes, that's accurate.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Oh is that right? Are they? Oh? Wow? So yeah,
that's that's a tough spot. Rookie quarterback having to face
the Jets and Aaron Rodgers and that defense with an
extra three days, back to back road games, and it's
all yeah, then you got to go from Tampa across
country back to Denver. Then you go back to New York.
That is a tough spot for Denver.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
We do have our first double digit spread of the season,
Niners ten and a half against Gered Mayo's New England Patriots. Okay,
but they get extra time to prepare the Niners. I
don't see them getting suddenly healthy, like a lot of
the guys are out. It's multi week injuries like see.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I mean again, the Patriots are a young team, so
they get two three days extra. I probably would stay
away from that game. I think San Francisco wins. I'm
surprised you like the Bears. You know that's your favorite
bet of the week.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
It's early, it's I mean it's Monday. We got to
see what's what is going on injury wise. I mean
there's a lot of uncertainty around the league, like Jordan
Love is he gonna play?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Justin Herbert is he gonna play? You know, j Mack
with a news No, no, this is the herd Line news.
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Start with your Los Angeles Rams winning a thriller. They
were down fourteen twenty one seven in the third quarter.
Then they hung around, let the forty nine ers make
a bunch of mistakes, and they won the game with
two seconds left on the clock. By the way, they
only led for two seconds in the entire game. Here's
Sean mcvayh after the dub.
Speaker 7 (17:22):
A lot of guts, a lot of grit. I'm really
proud of this group. I saw a team respond after
a really humbling week last week. And you know, three
hours will never define you good or bad unless you
allow it to. And you know, we've got to do
a good job of being able to build on this.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
You know this game is going to be over.
Speaker 7 (17:37):
It's great to be able to get our first win
in the fashion that we were able to get it,
But how quickly can we make sure a let's look
at this, let's clean it up and let's move forward.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Yeah, and Stafford again just kept slinging them down the field.
It was such a fun game. It reminded me of
the Eagles Falcons last Monday, where Atlanta's just hanging around.
Hanging around, Philadelphia looks like the better team. All gaming
away got me. You have a competent quarterback leading your
team down the field, and it's like, WHOA, what's going on?
Speaker 6 (18:08):
I saw some of the numbers aren't fully out, but
I did see one that said the rams they loved
the three wide receiver sets.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
They ran none of those yesterday. Apparently like zero plays.
They were like heavy two type five receivers.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
They has to change everything and the other stat now again,
Sanchez is on the telecast. He can tell us brock
Perty had eight completions. According to the telecast, six of
them were drops. Oh yeah, by the no, that's staggering.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
No.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
No. Between the drops and the special teams, Special McVey
has always been very detail orient on a special teams.
The Niners are very hit and miss, very hit.
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Don't want to sound the alarm, but that schedules very
difficult injuries now mounting.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I told you this, I Remember I said in the
off season Jmack, I said Dallas is going to start
a slow regression from twelve wins to ten. Okay, And
I think, and I told your San Francisco will still
be good, but I didn't pick him and to win
the division. I said, they have peaked because they're getting old.
And what's happened. The old guys are getting hurt. So
I mean, I think the San Francisco Dallas regression was
(19:15):
right in front of our eyes. You know, Minnesota is
a shock. Steeters are better than we thought. But how
many how many of these are you looking at and
going wow? It's you know, we're watching the young quarterbacks
all kind of scrap and figure it out. And bow
Knicks with an offensive coach, looks like he's a little
more advanced. Hey, I was a w baby.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
Yeah, all right, Speaking of bout Nicks, let's get to him.
Speaker 8 (19:35):
Second story. He listened.
Speaker 6 (19:37):
He did not have a touchdown pass, but he threw
for two hundred and sixteen yards, largely a flawless performance
wy seven rushing yards.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
He looked quick, No, he can move.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
Yeah, a little jitterbug out there. And now here's Nicks.
After getting his first NFL victory.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Yeah, well I got to you only get this moment
one time, and it's not easy winning games in this league.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
But you know, our I deserve this, Our guys have
earned this.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
We came out early and through the ball, and then
later in.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The game we have to run the ball, and everybody
in the stadium knows.
Speaker 7 (20:07):
We're running the ball, and we were able to go
and get first downs that way. So as a complete,
you know, offensive game, I thought, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
They started really really strong, and Baker struggled. Love him,
but Baker on third down the last two weeks not
been good. Offense just can't. It doesn't look like it
knows exactly what it is.
Speaker 6 (20:26):
Broncos had seven sacks, and listen, I know I joked
around about golf turning into a bit of a pumpkin.
You kind of wonder about Baker Mayfield maybe as well.
He was running so hot those first two games, but
also everything part.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
Of the hot was facing a Washington team, which I
think is going to get smoked by Cincinnati tonight. That's
just not very good in the back end. So you know, again,
I think New Orleans is better. I thought what they
were doing was insane. I think what New Orleans and
Baltimore proved. If you go look at the first three
quarters between those two teams, Dallas cannot defend the run.
They do not have the personnel. They're not very good
(20:59):
at linebacker. Dallas cannot. I mean it's like the Saints
and the Ravens. I mean they just came in and
just said we're gonna run the ball. I mean Philadelphia
shutdown Alvin Kamara. Dallas had no shot. So that tells
you they're going into a game. Baltimore came into the
game in New Orleans like we're seeing the film. We
can run the ball. I mean they didn't even try
to hide it.
Speaker 6 (21:19):
Yeah. No, it's a little bit of a wacky start
all around of the season. Let's wrap up with Tonight's
Commanders Bengals game. You like the Bengals, I'm on the
over here. T Higgins is gonna make his debut. Missed
the first two weeks with a hamstring injury. Higgins said
he's one hundred percent Bengals looking to avoid an oh
and three start. I think I said earlier OH and
two teams went five and one yesterday, and we've got
(21:41):
to tonight. Cincinnati and Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I like both. Now I think Jacksonville's narrow. I'll take
the points. I don't know if they win. I like
Jacksonville in the points, playing with desperation. But I think
Cincinnati is gonna go and go on a six game
winning streak, six or seven. I think Cincinnati's for real,
but getting help year. They're getting their guys back. Cincinnati.
You start looking at Cincinnati.
Speaker 6 (22:03):
Really, you think they're gonna boat race the Ravens.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
I didn't say boat race, but they're hosting the Ravens. Okay,
there's a lot now, no no. Week ten eleven gets
a little dicey.
Speaker 8 (22:15):
But let's not overlook the Eagles. That's not a la.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Not overlooking it. But they got two turnovers from Jalen
there baked in damn.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
That is an easy schedule.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
It's not easy. It's the NFL.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
It's not favorable. I mean, especially Listen. Is justin Herbert
gonna be standing up week eleven?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:32):
He was in a boot last month and now it's
in it again after three weeks.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
This is not great.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Dude. If I got laryngitis, is Mike is it over?
It might be, I don't know, larryen Chitas, you'd push
me right out of this chair, out of the curve.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
J Mack with the news, Well that's the news, and
thanks for stopping by the herd Line.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
News boy, Mark Sanchez, you know he thought, well, I
don't know if LA can compete. He got the game
of the day. Hey, Mark, san Jack.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
What a game?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
What a credit out.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Mark.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
It's gonna break down tape at the end of the show,
so I'm not gonna I'm not gonna give away, but
just say this. We're not gonna go to the tape
until after. But I will say this is that there's
the knobk on Shannan is Olds. But he didn't care
quite as much about special teams as he should. Don't
ram special teams man. You talk about using the roster.
Speaker 9 (23:23):
Well it it got him back in the game. It
gave him a little hope. And remember the week before
they had only run in Arizona eleven plays and they're
down twenty one nothing. It was flowing in that direction.
They had only run three offensive plays when three and
out fast boom, before they can blink, it's fourteen to nothing.
And I went, oh boy, this happened on the road
(23:45):
last week. This might happen at home, although it's hard
to call that a home game. It was like a
sea of red sea. I will show it in some
of the clips, but using silent cadence at your place
down that many players on offense.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
I thought.
Speaker 9 (23:59):
One of the big things that did work in their
favor in spite of being decimated by injuries.
Speaker 8 (24:04):
Was the tackles.
Speaker 9 (24:05):
Yes, the tackles being there really help Stafford because he
can move in the pocket in that short, little five
yard box. But if you have the two pillars outside
and haven Stein and Jackson, that really short things up.
And then on the inside they can use their combo
blocks slide people. But I mean he was Bosa didn't
really sniff him too much off game got frustrated.
Speaker 8 (24:28):
I thought, I.
Speaker 9 (24:29):
Thought he would have a chance to tee off on
some of those guys, and they kept him up right
and Stafford diced him up.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Man, that was that was so impressive.
Speaker 9 (24:38):
But he mentioned j Mac mentioned not eleven personnel right,
one back, one tight end, three wide receivers. That's almost
exclusively what the Rams do. They lead the league in it. Yeah,
and they don't have to worry about bass personnel and boom.
They're in sub runs Nickel all the time. They went
twelve for the first time I've ever seen, and it
was all they had the right this is what we're
(25:01):
rolling with and they hit him with runs up the middle.
They hit him with runs that bounce outside. Michael for
uh what a what a run game plan? And coach
Wendy their offensive line coacht. I mean, dude, it was.
It was incredible just to see their grit. They talked
about it all week. We interviewed them on Friday. And
it's one thing to say, hey, you know, we got
(25:21):
to be enthusiastic, Hey you know we got embarrassed, you
know we're gonna do it. It's another thing to do
it after you're down fourteen to nothing, with you're staying
around looking for playmakers.
Speaker 8 (25:32):
That it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Yeah, So I was saying this. The Kansas City dynasty
started with high flying it was decail. Now that it
looks like New England coach quarterback defense situationally brilliant. This
team plays with so much confidence in close games that
I wonder if they get into your head.
Speaker 8 (25:50):
Well, I think a lot of it.
Speaker 9 (25:53):
I thought Hassenback made a really good point that the
quarterback intimidates you before, you know, without even doing anything right,
He's just that aura of that guy, and you know
you got to play well because you know he's gonna
play well in those specific situations. I think a lot
of it is just personnel driven, and as they're developing
guys like Worthy, as they're developing speedsters. If you don't
have Tyreek Hill, if you don't have somebody like that,
(26:14):
if Kelsey's not you know, firing on all clinders right
this second, in the first quarter of the season. Okay,
we'll figure it out. Yeah, and we're gonna share the
bulcal load. Then we'll disperse some of our carries. We'll
get some other ball carriers here. We'll lean heavy on
the defense. They're gonna have to steal us a possession,
you know, Harrison Bucker, You're gonna have to, you know,
(26:35):
give us nine points today, you know what kind of thing,
and whatever it takes. We don't care what these wins
look like. They come in all shapes and sizes. We
just want the wins. And I feel like the lack
of ego on that team, and it starts at the
top with Andy Reid. It doesn't matter and every game
there's a new formula. You know, there's always the same
formula taking care of the football, you know, situational awareness, whatever.
(26:58):
But it's gonna look a little different all the time.
Speaker 8 (27:00):
And that's okay, That is totally okay.
Speaker 9 (27:03):
We just keep stacking our chips, stacking our chips, and
we'll see you after we win fourteen games. Homefield advantage,
that's where they win home field advantage. It's the first
six out of the gate.
Speaker 8 (27:12):
Yeah, you know what I mean. That's why they play
at Arrowhead right in the playoffs. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
So you broke into this league and you had a
defensive coach, and you had a couple of offensive pieces.
You got moor As, you stayed. But I watched Pittsburgh
and I don't know if you can win Super Bowls.
You got darn close. But let's not kid ourselves. Great defense, intensity,
enough big plays. I mean, I saw Trent bill Jack here,
(27:37):
you know, I mean, I watched Pittsburgh and I'm like,
that's not sustainable. And then I see they're playing Anthony
Richardson this week and I'm like, dude, you go four
and oh you can, I mean, you can hamm an
egget until week sixteen, you're a ten win team. What
do you see with.
Speaker 9 (27:49):
Pittsburgh, Well, once again, personnel driven and their offensive coordinator
Arthur Smith. He loves to run the football, that's what
he does, and he can come up with some great
schemes on it, all the way back to when he
was at Tennessee and had a heck of a rushing
attack in Atlanta at times in spurts, you know. And now, hey,
we got a quarterback who can move our starters down.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Yeah. Shoot, the receivers might.
Speaker 9 (28:13):
Not be thrilled, but yeah, we're gonna stack some wins
here as best we can. And they really struggled to
do that last year. So if you're gonna run it
with the QB, you know, he can give him timely completions.
Speaker 8 (28:24):
That's a lot of what my rookie year was like.
Speaker 9 (28:27):
Yes, it wasn't until my second year that we really
started to open things up, and a lot of it
was necessity because we were down in the fourth quarter
by a score or you know, ten points, and so
it's like, okay, we're either going to rush the ball
forty times like we wanted to, or we're gonna go
try and win the game.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
Yeah. So here we go.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Good luck with the two minute lists, you know, and
we started throwing the ball more. But that's another formula.
And if that's their formula, you better strap up for
that game because they're they're gonna hit you.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
They're gonna leave.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
You sore because you were doing your game. And I
understand sometimes it's hard to see all this stuff, but
I you know, I keep waiting for a little bit.
I'm watching these coaches do a great job of coach
reckless out of players. Malik Willis justin fields, the Sam
Donald think Mark. I watched them and Houston's good. Now
they didn't have Joe Mixon. But after three weeks of
(29:20):
seeing the exact same thing, I think I buy Minnesota.
I mean, I know this division now. Yeah, Detroit's offense,
by the way, there's just thirty five carries. Green Bay
is gonna get Jordan love back. I think I buy this.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Oh.
Speaker 9 (29:36):
I love what's going on in Minnesota. I know it's
still early, but the only question on that roster coming
into the season was the quarterback. Yeah, if that guy
can perform, we're gonna be fine. I don't care if
it's you know, the rookie that ended up getting hurt.
McCarthy or Sam Donald, whoever's there, just drive the ship,
get us in and out of good place. I'll put
(29:57):
you in good spots. When I say, I am saying,
Kevin o'c and you just manage it for me.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
There's gonna be.
Speaker 9 (30:04):
About four really important, crucial decisions that you got to make.
Get me out of trouble once or twice, and then
make some really good decisions on fourth down or third down.
That's it. Let these guys play. And when I dial
up a shot and it's there, chuck it, dude. And
he happened to hit the ninety seven yarder, you know,
And I just love to see you could tell his
(30:27):
feet or right, his timing's on, his eyes start in
the right place. Everything is just in a McVeigh offense,
in a Shanahan offense with O'Connell, with Andy Reid, all
that stuff, the footwork, the timing, the sequencing of.
Speaker 8 (30:42):
Plays, the way the plays look.
Speaker 9 (30:44):
The same, the runs and the run action, play action,
It all matters. And there's there's a rhyme and a
reason to all of it. If you get a guy
to understand the big picture and then nail down that
week's game plan. You got a chance. At least you
got a chance. Keep it close to the fourth quarter
and let's go, let's see what happens. And then you
put Flores's defense out there, like, come on, man, I
mean they're just you know, making people look silly.
Speaker 6 (31:07):
C J.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Stroud and Brock Purty said after their games against Minnesota. Yeah,
I've never seen these coverages and San.
Speaker 9 (31:12):
Fran San Francisco was at full strength. That was Kittle,
that was Debo, that was Ayuk, that was everybody. So
it's not like they played him this past week and
not taking anything away from the Rams, but I mean
Minnesota got the full version and that's a really good
football team.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
And they're not totally healthy yet.
Speaker 8 (31:29):
Oh yeah, and they got after him.
Speaker 9 (31:30):
Fred Warner kept him in the game by punching the
ball out and stuff, getting the interception, but Vikings handled them.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yeah, all right, we got video Mark so good at this.
Some Stafford stuff, some Brock Purtty stuff. Brock was dealing
it early and more late. We'll have Bulk next live
in La The Herd.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noone Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Well, we're watching young quarterbacks struggle, older quarterbacks getting second
chances like Andy Dalton tearing it up. But yesterday Mark
had the pleasure of watching Matt Stafford and brock Perty.
He won a seventh rounder and won the best high
school college quarterback. He was a phenom, went to Detroit.
Now he's got his sort of you know, he's got
(32:14):
his guy, he's got his guru, he's got Sean McVay.
So let's go to the tape on a couple of
Stafford moment.
Speaker 8 (32:18):
They are a perfect pair.
Speaker 9 (32:20):
And you got to say before we talk about Safford
party played his fans bought off yesterday, so well had
him in position to win, needed a couple more plays
from his guys.
Speaker 8 (32:29):
But I loved his effort for Stafford.
Speaker 9 (32:32):
I mean, the guy continues to put on a masterclass
your down players. And it goes back to fundamentals. It
goes back to basic rules. On easy place right half
back option, half that choice, old school West Coast play.
You got to have a back to run it. So
roll the clip and you're going to see Karen Williams.
(32:53):
He's got a three way go out of the backfield.
But they start in the pistol, move him a little bit.
Want to see how people react to it. Right, it
looks like the backers bump over. Obviously Devondre Campbell, who's
in the highlight there is going to have the back Now.
Stafford's holding his eyes down the middle and not completely
staring at Kyen Williams, which takes a lot of trust
(33:14):
because Fred Warner's hunting down that middle of the field,
that's his job. He's staring at Stafford. Stafford's holding him.
Everybody else is playing outside leverage, Manda Man and they
want a funnel everything back to Fred Warner. It's called
cover one hole or eleven hole because it's sub personnel,
so he's the whole player in his job is like
(33:34):
old school Detroit Pistons. He'll just knock your head off
if you come through the key. The middle of the
field is the key, so Kyen he can sit down
if it's zone, but this is man, so he's not
going to So he's either going to break out or
hit the home run post. And Stafford trusts it knows
the coverage keeps Fred Warner in his spot and watched
this tight window throw that he makes. This is what
(33:56):
won them the game, these tight window throws. Most guys
want to see the running back do it. Stafford's got
him in the corner of his eye, knowing what's happening,
confirming the coverage, holding Fred Warner, and then poom like
are you kidding?
Speaker 8 (34:11):
That is so good? That is so good.
Speaker 9 (34:13):
And you get the post maybe two out of ten times,
you get the sit probably six out of ten times,
and then mostly the breakout or whatever, like it doesn't
happen like that, and guys throw picks to that middle
linebacker and cover one hole on halfback choice. We talked
over and over and over like people do it all
the time, and some coaches just take it out of
(34:35):
the plan say you can't handle this, this is too hard,
because it's really hard to get that done. It takes
a ton of discipline. Stafford's got it in space. The
other one I loved is game on the line down
in the red zone again, so we saw this is
another red zone coverage, but they're gonna play two deep
safeties basically like a Cover two red or like a
Red four. It can kind of morph depending on the
(34:57):
routes you run. Basically zone keep everything in front, so
roll the clip and you're gonna see this defender is
going to tell the story of whether it's man or zone.
You saw in the last clip he was right over
the slot guy. This time he's splitting the difference between
the tackle and the nick and the slot receiver. He's
in that apex. Stafford knew it before they even motioned anybody.
(35:19):
And he has to run up to the line of
scrimmage and start screaming at everybody because look, they got
to see it red there. Nobody can hear him in
his own stadium. The place is going nuts because the
Niners are up and the Rams are trying to go
back and win. And what do we say on Sunday.
There's no secrets on Sunday. Everything is a group test.
Speaker 8 (35:36):
Tell your buddy.
Speaker 9 (35:37):
He literally too too at Well told Robinson, hey, bro
go block Diamador Lenor. He checked to the run, then
to triple conferment. They run the counter motion here. This
was originally a pass. Stafford kills it to a run.
Dotson's got to look back at his quarterback once again.
We're going silent cadence at home. That's ridiculous. They're calling
(35:57):
this place Levi South. That's like Parson so but Stafford
doesn't care. Cools the other side of the pillow doesn't
bother him. Look where Fred Warner's at. He had to
move over once the back hopped over from right to left.
Fred was under the g right there. Now, these three
players that need to get to the second level. Watch
how they do it in unison. It's like synchronized swimming
(36:20):
in the Olympics. This is unbelievable. Those guys are covered up.
As soon as Karen gets the ball, Are.
Speaker 8 (36:24):
You kidding me?
Speaker 9 (36:25):
That's like perfect coach Wendy A Plus Karen gets the ball,
he hasn't even broken the line of scrimmage. Nobody knows
it's a touchdown. Stafford does immediately immediately. It was I
mean to have trust in these calls, to trust your
quarterback number nine to get everything orchestrated with the silent cadence,
(36:47):
the guard looking at him, tapping his foot, motioning guys,
they communicate the three guys getting to the second level.
That is so hard in such a chaotic situation, and
you're asking guys to do it who've only done it
in training him and might not have even done it with.
Speaker 8 (37:01):
The backups exactly.
Speaker 9 (37:03):
So that was they're coaching their butt off over there
in La Man.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Did you see mcveigh's press game. Oh he was literally
elevating off the floor.
Speaker 9 (37:12):
Yes, and to I mean people at home have to
understand those that rollercoaster of emotions from one week to
the next, penhouse to outhouse and right back.
Speaker 8 (37:23):
You know what I mean. They get smoked on the
road last week.
Speaker 9 (37:26):
You know how easy it would have been for these
guys to just roll over at fourteen and nothing. Obviously
we're seeing some of the tough plays for the Niners,
but these special teams plays, I mean, the guy's never
touched the football in the NFL.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Get your guys set up to win the game.
Speaker 9 (37:42):
Come on with a bigger return like that, getting the
past interference call, Stafford knowing what to do, and then
CARDI kick it on me.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
When you do broad party, we have a couple of
minutes when you do a broad So it's such an
advantage when I go to a game to watch what
a quarterback sees. You can see it on film, but
on TV it doesn't show you where are the safeties coverage?
Rather shifting You give me your sense of what brock
Purty is without Christian Deebo Kittle.
Speaker 9 (38:07):
Well, listen, he's on that track to being one of
these great West Coast quarterbacks. And I don't mean geographically
West Coast. I mean West Coast offense from Shanahan and
that whole tree. He goes to the line of scrimmage
with multiple options. The guy's incredibly accurate, He's got great feet,
and he can escape and get out of trouble just enough. Yeah,
I mean, he's a perfect West Coast quarterback. Then you
(38:29):
put those playmakers around him, and he delivers the football
the way he does, You're always gonna have a chance
with this guy. Once again, these games come down to
one score generally. Every once in a while you get
smoked on the road, like like the Rams last week
in Arizona, but not always. And when it's close, if
you can keep it close and you got a quarterback
that can take care of the football, you got a chance.
(38:50):
Look at I mean, we're we're calling the Rams at
the Bears. Stafford takes care of the football. Caleb has
not taken care of the football right now. Difference two
and perceptions the last two games. Yeah, he didn't even
play great in his opener, but they won because he
didn't give the ball away. And it's easy to say
that from this chair, right, it's really hard to do.
But I mean part of that is setting him up
(39:13):
with confidence, get him, you know, stacking completions early, and
then there's gotta be a switch in his head. There's
got to be this say uncle mentality, and every play
is not it's designed to win. It's drawn up to win.
It has potential to win, but it doesn't always win.
And when it doesn't win, get me back to the
(39:33):
line of scrimmage, get down, throw the ball away, give
a fan a souvenir with the football, like that's got
to be their mentality moving forward.
Speaker 8 (39:41):
And they got to be able to run the football.
Got to help your quarterback.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Man, they're not running the ball. So what are you
going to a minute, laft? What will you You got
a good one, Chicago Rams is because teams that play
the Niners come out use a little dinged up.
Speaker 9 (39:55):
Oh and that emotional high of coming back. I mean
they're gonna be That's that's a big one. What will
you look for from Caleb Listen? I think their run
game really has to help him early and then his
play action game as soon as he flips his back
to the defense and flips his eyes around. I think
he's gonna get some great tape from that Niners team,
who I think abandoned that run a little bit. They
could have stuck with Jordan Mason a little bit. So
(40:17):
don't abandon the run. Run it right at these guys
on the rams. Look at the Arizona tape.
Speaker 8 (40:22):
Watch that.
Speaker 9 (40:22):
What did Kyler Murray do? Didn't turn the football over,
got out of trouble when he needed to.
Speaker 8 (40:27):
That's it. And if he can handle that, he's going
to have success.
Speaker 9 (40:32):
But you know, you know the guy a number nine
is coming in there, and that dude's an absolute surgeon, right,
He's incredible and he's playing at such a high level.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
So, yeah, when you go to these meetings, you've had
multiple meetings with multiple production meetings on coaches, just to
tell the audience, do they give you a little little
tells and do they give you absolutely?
Speaker 9 (40:51):
Well, if you show that you've actually put in the
work right, like you got to come with some good questions.
Speaker 8 (40:57):
This week actually was funny.
Speaker 9 (40:59):
I asked a terror question to coach McVeigh and I
just said, well, what do you do you got all
these guys down, can you run the exact same stuff,
and he goes, what the hell do you think?
Speaker 8 (41:07):
Mark? I said that was a bad question. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 9 (41:11):
I apologize, But it was more of like trying to
get them to talk about, Okay, what's the next move,
what's the next step, and so knowing that they're going
to run a little more twelve personnel going into the
game really helped me frame it for the viewer, in
my opinion, because it gives you so many more run options.
It's not something that the Rams do a lot, not
something that the Niners were prepared for, and they trot
(41:32):
out Hunter Long and Colby Parkinson and that was the
bulk of the game plan. So stuff like that really
helps in those meetings. Obviously it's privileged information, you know,
so you can't there's nothing to say about it to
anybody until after the fact, and you just appreciate how
hard they work and how much they trust us. But
it's fun getting to talk to these guys.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Man hassel Beg, Mark Sanchez, good for us today and
a Monday, Mark, thank you so much. There's Rams good,
good week of studying for him. M will see tomorrow.
It's the hurt
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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