September 26, 2024 • 41 mins
Greg Cosell joins The Herd to talk about the Eagles issues this season, Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, and more
Colin gives his top 10 bets of the week
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, it's hour two. We're live in Los Angeles.
It is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however
you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of
your day. I gotta tell you last night and I
went out again last night, Ja Mac, second night in
a row.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
You're doing back to Bax now and I don't.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Even get a text now tonight. I'm just sitting home
doing podcasts and doing the Cowboys Giant. So tonight I
knew I was just gonna sit home and uh, you
know whatever. My wife just called, by the way, I said,
what are you doing today? She said, I'm going to
see a psychic she does that?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Are you serious?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah? And I was like, can you give you the
Cowboy Aways score? Can you call me in like two hours?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Is that good news? If your wife says, I'm going
to a psychic.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, come on, did you really just admit that on air?
She's not going to be through.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
No, she goes, like, but once a year she'll go
when we have if there's a change coming in our life.
She likes to She's pretty intuitive. So she goes, I
want to go to a psychic. She's done that. I've
known her seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Oh you guys getting a new new pet.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I'm not going to get into the changes, but I
might takeaway there could be some turbulence. And so she
just wants to go to a psychic. And all I
cared about was call in two hours. What's the spread
to night? Give me the score on this game.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Change is difficult in life. It's hard, right, That's.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
One of the most because I like, I'm a routine guy,
as I'm sure you are too, and then you get
your routine all thrown off, and it's like, oh, neurogum
ain't gonna save you.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Neurogum always saves me to this point. Okay, So Greg
co sell in two minutes. So we had Chris Long,
HOWI Loong Sun? Great family. Chris Long the other day
was talking about Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia, and it's very
very interesting when it comes to this stuff. So like
with with quarterbacks, it's not just winning. Rex Grossman got
(02:08):
to a super Bowl. Mitch Trubisky won fifty eight percent
of his games, got the two playoffs. The franchise moved on.
It's more than that. It's health, it's cost, it's leadership,
it's dependability, There's a lot of different things. Eli Manning
did not win a lot in the regular season, but
his maturity. He was good in the two minute drills.
He never missed a start. There's a lot that goes
(02:29):
in coaching, though it usually is you win, you stay.
You don't fire a lot of guys with winning records.
But with Philadelphia, it's weird because it feels like the
rosters winning and we're not sure about the coach. And
in Philadelphia has a history, they'll move off the coach.
Jip Kelly had a winning record, see you, Doug Peterson,
super Bowl went out the door. So the Nick Sirianni
(02:51):
thing feels urgent. This is a franchise that's moved off
winning coaches. And here's Chris long on on on wanting
Nick Siriani to just take more ownership.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I like Nick.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
I think Nick has done a good job.
Speaker 6 (03:04):
No, really, I do.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
It's just right now he's he's kind of under a
microscope because of the decisions he's making. Yeah, he's not
even calling the game. So that's my thing. It's like,
you got to own the feeling of the flow of
the game. And to me, I said on my pod,
I would give him a mirror look in it. This
is not the same team, certainly not yesterday that won
the Super Bowl two years ago. Where you're gonna score
(03:26):
forty points a game, you have to sometimes lay up.
And I got Saquon Barkley. You got to give him
the damn ball. You saw what happened yesterday. Any three
yard game could turn to seventy.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And now AJ Brown and DeVante Smith did not practice yesterday.
I don't want to hear excuses. Sean McVay just beat
the Niners with an intra mural wide receiver group, a
rookie from Texas, a bounce around the league guy. Best
play was y F five nine guy, and they beat
the Niners. I mean it was, oh, by the way,
musical chairs on the interior o line and beat the Niners.
(03:57):
They beat them with special teams, good last drive. So
I think it's a fair criticism. I'm not anti Sirianni,
but it does feel like the GM and the roster
a winning and we're not sure about the coach. And
with coaches, usually doub's prevail except in Philadelphia. Philadelphia moves
off winning coaches like Pittsburgh never moves off any coach,
and Philadelphia moves off coaches that win Super Bowls and
(04:18):
get the conference championships five times. Andy Reid, they moved
off him with that forty five years. NFL films, you
play fantasy, you want to get smarter, it's Greg Coson.
So let's let's let's start with the biggest star in
the league, Mahomes. Travis Kelsey's disappeared Mahomes off to a
(04:40):
slow start. I'll I'll defend them a little on this.
They got a rookie receiver they're working in. They're also
trying to establish she Rice as a number one. Travis
Kelsey doesn't look like he's in the best shape he's
ever been in. He's playing himself kind of into being great.
So I'm giving Mahomes a little bit of a pass.
What is the film say However, on his kind of
(05:02):
rocky start.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
Well, I think there's a couple of factors here.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
Number one, the film tells you that they're thinking a
bit of a transition away from Kelsey in terms of
targets to Rice. Rice leads the NFL in targets. He's
now become their motion receiver. They move him all around
the formation. He works the middle of the field, which
is where Kelsey predominantly works, but he can also work
outside the numbers. He leads the NFL in yards after
(05:28):
catch as well, so he's very good with the ball
in his hands. So the film tells you through three games,
not a large enough sample to make a definitive statement
Colin about the entire season, but through three games, Rice
has really become kind of the key.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
To their pass game.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
The other factor that is clearly noticeable on film right now,
through three games, they do not really have a vertical
passing game, an intermediate to vertical passing game. Everything is
short and that's something that needs to develop. They have
really deployed Worthy yet that way. Obviously he caught the
touchdown Week one, which was a bust by the defense,
(06:06):
but they really haven't developed an intermediate to vertical passing
game with any kind of consistency, and that's something that
I think we'll expect to see going forward.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Okay, let's talk about tonight the Giants and the Cowboys.
So let's start from the Giants. I watched every snap first.
Neighbors is becoming a star in front of our eyes.
But I think we've always liked their defensive front. They're
a bit banged up on the back end, but was
it Cleveland or is the Giants defense? Because that's their
only shot tonight is to keep Dallas in to They're
(06:37):
not gonna wint a shootout. That's not who they are, right,
They're going to roll over coverage in double neighbors. So
what is their defense doing? Does their defense give them
a shot in games like this?
Speaker 7 (06:47):
Well, their defense through three games has been one of
the highest percentage blitz defenses in the league, meeting five
rushers or more, and they've been very, very good at
not only are they good tactically with it and a
Shane Bowen is new decoordinator. He was in Tennessee prior.
He had some very good concepts pressure concepts, but.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
They also have good people.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
When you think about the fact that they have Brian Burns,
they have Thibodeau, they have Dexter Lawrence, who's a man
in the middle of that defense. They have Okarake who's
a very good linebacker. So they've got good players in
addition to a really difficult scheme.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
To play against.
Speaker 7 (07:21):
And they're very, very good attacking the quarterback with pressure,
and you will see that tonight against a Cowboys offensive
line that is really kind of a work in progress.
They're playing the rookie left tackle Geiton, who only played
fourteen games as a starter at Oklahoma, and he was
a right tackle there, so he's kind of working through
the process that will take some time. So I would
(07:41):
expect to see pressure. I would expect to see stunts.
I would expect to see multiple fronts. The Giants need
their defense to be the major factor in tonight's game.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Can Dak win without a strong run game.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
Not consistently.
Speaker 7 (07:56):
And I like Back a lot, and I think we've
talked about this over the last couple of years column
he's settled into essentially being a very efficient pocket player.
Speaker 6 (08:04):
He's a ball distributor and he's good at it.
Speaker 7 (08:07):
But I think that they definitely need some semblance of
a running game, and right now they don't have anything,
and that's a problem. They're going to need to be
able to run the football. Look the league three weeks,
but the league has kind of changed a little bit.
As you know, run games have come back a bit.
Passing yards are down, there's less passing, there's more running.
We could probably spend an hour talking about the reasons
(08:28):
for that, but that's just the reality right now. And
if you do not have any semblance of a running game,
it's too hard.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, let's talk young quarterbacks. I want to I want
to talk about two that we haven't talked a ton about.
So Jaden Daniels. First of all, from Arizona State to LSU,
his accuracy improved dramatically. Brian Kelly gets credit, So does
Jayden Daniels. We always knew he could move. We always
said there's a bit of a Lamar Jackson thing here.
The kid can move. We know that. But I got
(08:57):
to tell you, no turnovers receive it's now. Some of
it is Jaden obviously, some is it helps for rookie quarterbacks.
Cliff Kingsbury has had this sort of athlete before. But
what are you seeing on film? Is it sustainable. Is
it is a little fluky? What are you saying about
this young kid?
Speaker 7 (09:16):
Well, I really liked him coming out of LSU, and
even though he's a great runner with great accelerating speed,
he doesn't really leave the pocket unless it's absolutely necessary.
But I think with young quarterbacks, I think that's where
your offensive coordinator really becomes the key person, because you've
got to now create opportunities for him to make primary
(09:38):
read throws either no reed throws, one read throws, allow
him to get comfortable. You do not want to ask
him to make difficult throws early in his career.
Speaker 6 (09:47):
Now you're going to have to at times.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
We're looking at the winning touchdown, which was the third
example of zero coverage in the fourth quarter, and he
did a great job right there, obviously, and he did
make a great throw on a fifty five yard bomb
earlier in the game to McLaurin. But when you watch
their tape you see a lot of quick rhythm throws.
As I said, there are almost no read throws or
one read throws. You get your quarterback comfortable, you help
(10:10):
him settle into a game. And Daniels by nature is
very poised and composed to begin with So I think
that with young quarterbacks, to me, the offensive coordinator is
the absolutely key person on your staff.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Okay, So, Sean Payton, bow Knicks, I had an NFL quarterback, say,
don't be surprised by the end of year one, the
one kid that has an offensive coach. Don't be surprised
if he doesn't impress you most Now, bo Nicks is
more athletic than anybody will ever give him credit for.
But if you've seen growth with bow Nicks and Sean Payton.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
Yeah, and I think you're seeing something similar.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
And I think it's really important for Nicks because Nix
is obviously not a power thrower. And one area which
you'll continue to need to improve is to make window
throws between the numbers versus own coverage. That's an area
in which the NFL demands that you make those kinds
of throws.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
And there are times where.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
He's just a beat late with what I call elimination
and isolation, meaning eliminating the throw that's not there and
then isolating the throw that is there within the timing
and structure of the play design. So these are areas
he needs to improve. But Sean Payton, again, he's kind
of controlling him, keeping the reins on. You're right, he's
far more athletic than people give him credit for, and
(11:23):
this is a way he's going to get comfortable. Now
he hasn't thrown a touchdown. The numbers are not really
relevant to me. For young quarterbacks, it's how they play
the game, what they're asked to do, and can they
execute that at an early stage.
Speaker 6 (11:36):
And I thought that this past week he was.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
A little more in command, and I think that's what
you're looking for, and then you expand as the season progresses.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
All right, now, let's segue into stars. Josh Allen, Joe
Brady's arrived. He's been a Now we know he's great.
We know he's great, but he has been not coordinator dependent.
But he's a quarterback when he's more efficient because the
superstar stuff, the leaping tall buildings, the throw that's just
(12:06):
who he is. He's amazing. But it looks like, I
don't know if it's tempo decision making pre snap, he's
more efficient. What's happening in Buffalo.
Speaker 7 (12:17):
I think Brady's doing a great job because the one
thing about Josh Allen, and we know he's a great player,
is he at his core is not truly a high
level progression reader.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
That's not his game.
Speaker 7 (12:29):
He's much more of kind of an intuitive impulse player
who can make great plays, as you just suggested, but
you can't live like that all the time. So what
Joe Brady has done is he's sort of calmed down
the offense and the pass game. When you watch him,
he looks like a different player because all the quick
throws again with the one read stuff, the no reed stuff,
(12:50):
get the ball out of his hands and then when
it's necessary. We saw the King Kate touchdown this past week,
which we're looking.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
At right now.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
The week prior he hit the back Johnson on an
unbelievable throw running to his right. He's capable of those plays,
but you can't live on those plays, as great as
they are. So you need structure in your offense. You
need to be able to control your offense. That's what
the coordinators are for, to control the offense in given situations.
They're doing an unbelievable job with Josh. He's accepted it.
(13:19):
I mean, how many times watching the game the other
night did he throw balls for four or five yards?
I mean, that's the way they're now playing and it's
really really effective, and they added the run game element
to it.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Matt Stafford another great quarterback, musical chairs on their offensive line.
They had nothing but backups and bounce around the league
guys and semi busts at wide receiver and they beat
the Niners. We know we've said this before in terms
of just arm talent arm angles, he's crazy.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
But when I watch Matt it's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
He is ridiculous, but it's very Aaron Rodgers without you know,
the endorsements, Like he's just different. But there's something he
must be good pre snap because when you're working with
new guys. I mean when I watched them against the
Niners and I'm just like, this can't just be arm
angle stuff. What's the tape say?
Speaker 7 (14:10):
Well, first of all, Matthew Stafford to me is the
best quarterback in the NFC.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
And I know people might disagree with that, but I
think if you talk to people in the league, they'll
tell you that.
Speaker 7 (14:19):
And he's a really smart player as well, one of
the things that you always look for and you hope
this is the case with quarterbacks as they mature, and
he's played in the league a long time. Is you
hope that the mental part really becomes there's all there,
with the physical part not disappearing or being limited. And
that's the case with Stafford. I mean, I remember a
play when you talked about him just a moment ago.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I just thought of a play from a year.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
Ago where he audibled and hit Nikua for a seventy
yard touchdown against the Browns. It was one of the
best audibles that I can recall in the last couple
of years. But he's such a great throw over the football.
I mean, he was doing Mahomes stuff before Mahomes because.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
He played in Detroit. No one talked about it. Right,
He's just an unbelievable throw of the football.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
And he's an incredibly intelligent player, and he's a little
more mobile than people give him credit for. He's not
a creator in that sense, but he can get out
of the pocket and still make intermediate and vertical throws
that are big time all right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Now, a quarterback that may be great. I never acknowledged
that until last weekend, and I looked at brock Purty
without Deebo Christian Kittle, and I said to myself, Okay,
I've got to stop the confirmation bias. He may not
be great in a windstorm. He's got smaller hands. All
I know is he throws it accurately to the right
place and he moves really well. It looks like a
(15:38):
franchise quarterback to me. I'm over the Iowa State digs.
It just looks right to me.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
And you're one hundred percent right. He knows how to
play quarterback.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
But because he's not physically imposing, and even though he
does have mobility, he doesn't look special.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
When he moves. But what he does and you nailed it.
You just hit it right on the head. Colin, What
is quarterback play?
Speaker 7 (15:59):
It's throwing the ball the right receiver at the right time,
with the right kind of throw. That's how the position
is coached. That's what the staff of every team wants
their quarterback to do. Now, are there plays where that
can happen, of course it's the NFL, But essentially that's
what the position is. He does that week in and
week out at a really high level. You're hard pressed
(16:20):
to find a bad game. Every quarterback has bad snaps,
as you know, okay, but you're hard pressed to find
a bad game. Since he became the starting quarterback two
years ago in the middle of the season. He just
knows how to play the position. His sense of anticipation
is high level. His ball placement is really good. It's
very precise, and he has a great innate feel for
(16:42):
recognizing defensive rotation as the ball's being snapped. So you're
dealing with a guy. To me, I don't quite understand
the conversation about what is Rock Purdy. Rock Purdy is
a really good NFL quarterback who knows how to play
the position.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Speaking of great Sam Darnold. But before I get to that.
Before I get to that, I said yesterday on the show,
it's very noticeable between Brian Florees and probably his agent.
When Tua called him out earlier this year, he immediately
addressed it. He apologized. He knows his reputation, and this
(17:20):
week I noticed him at the podium. He is smiling more.
He understands how he's viewed. But we have to be fair.
He's also brilliant. I have heard c J. Stroud and
brock Perty say yeah, I don't even know what I saw.
So we can talk about Donald and Kevin O'Connell. A
big part of this Minnesota thing. Special team's good is
(17:41):
is Brian Flora's defense because I don't see a lot
of first team All pros, but they play like it.
Your thoughts on that.
Speaker 6 (17:49):
Yeah, this defense is really hard to play against.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
And I'll just give you one example of what they
do because we could talk about him for a long time,
but what he does a lot is line up with
six and seven man defense fronts. Okay, so now what
that means for an offense is they have to align
to protect because they don't know who's coming and who's
not coming. So now, what more often than not happens,
and last week against Houston we saw the Texans do
(18:13):
this a lot, is you have to keep a back
in and or a tight end in to protect because
when there's a seven man front, you've got to account
for people because you don't know. So what they do
exceptionally well Colin is from these seven man fronts, they
will often drop people out to where there's only three
rushers and they have eight in coverage.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
But what has the offense done.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
The offense has kept in two pass protectors who are
primary receivers, the back and the tight end. So what
you often get is you get eight in zone coverage
versus three wide receivers. They win the numbers game every
time when that happens, and it makes it very difficult
for an offense because of those initial six and seven
(18:56):
man fronts, because you have to account for people.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So now taking of people to a person, Sam Darnald,
I keep saying, I've seen him. He can be reckless.
There's a little Carson Wentz, he gets into trouble. Yeah,
what does the film say, because it's not just he's playing. Well,
you could argue he's the MVP right now.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Well, I think this again. Now we get into the
coaching element as well.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
You and I have always agreed that Donald has a
clear starter talent as a quarterback. He's big, he throws
it well, he's physical, he's athletic. The talent level has
always been NFL's starter. As you've said, a number of times,
there's always been a little bit of a recklessness to him.
There have been times where I think we all felt
that he didn't see things with the clarity he needed
(19:41):
and therefore made throws that were head scratchers. But now
you've got Kevin O'Connell, who's one of the best coming
from the Shanahan McVay school of designing offense, setting up
the primary read so the ball can come out, and
Donald has played very very well. Now, will there be
games coming up where that doesn't happen, Yes, that's the NFL,
And you talked about it before I came on that
(20:03):
there might be some games coming up where he gets
a little reckless. That can happen. But he's played really well,
and I got to tell you there have been some
throws where he's read through his progression at a really
really high level. What we would definitely say is high
level quarterbacking. And quite frankly, that takes us into the
shot that we're going to show here the play for
(20:23):
this week, which was the four yard touchdown to Nawler
from last week, and we're looking at it right now,
and this was really special.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
It might not seem like much, but this was really
really special.
Speaker 7 (20:33):
So we're going to take a look at it now
and break it down, and we're going to see that
Donald is in the gun. Okay, they're in the low
red zone. It's a three by one set. You can
see three receivers to one side, one to the bottom
to the boundary. And now the receivers we want to
focus on are Month and Powell, because what's going to
happen here is Johnny Mount, the tight end is going
(20:53):
to motion across the formation. So now what you're going
to get here. Donald's read is going to be outside.
It's Month first because he's going to run to the flat,
and then it's going to be Powell who's gonna run
a little sit route right at the goal line. So
that's the read. It's outside in. But now what does
Donald see. He's got to figure out can I make
(21:14):
any one of these throws? He wants to get it
to Month, that's the primary. But Stingley the corner, he's
kind of sitting there and you're just not sure if
you can make this throw because if you miss, this
could be a you know, a ninety six yard touchdown return.
So he's not sure he wants to make that throw.
Then you have the stacked backer sitting inside and you're
gonna have the safety over the top, and that's going
(21:35):
to take away Powell's route. So I said it's outside in.
So now where is the third route that's coming into
his vision from the other side of the field.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
That's going to be nail Or.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
On the backside, crosser and I'm talking now in twenty seconds.
This is all happening in about half the second to
a second.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Keep that in mind. But he's coming into Donald's vision
and this is beautiful.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Now, remember I talked about that safety, he's all the
way on the other side.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
That's critical here.
Speaker 7 (22:01):
Donald saw that, so he knows that there's going to
be a clean throwing window to Nailer, and there's that
safety because that was important. If the safety stayed in
the middle, he probably would have gone to Jefferson up top.
But because that safety is there, he can hit Nailor
on a clean window.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
And the ball placement here was just absurd.
Speaker 7 (22:19):
So you're dealing with really high level quarterbacking here, and
you can see how all that gets taken away down
there to his right and he sticks it on Nailor.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
You know that when you watch that live, Colin, it
might not seem like.
Speaker 7 (22:30):
A big deal, but that was a really big deal.
And keep in mind just what I said.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
That all happens in about a second and a second
and a half.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I'm filling out my MVP vallot as you went over
that play.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
I've got we wanted to get you excited about Donald.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Greg is Alwa's great stuff. Great video there forty five
years NFL film. See you next week, Greg, thank you
so much.
Speaker 6 (22:52):
All right, Colin, thanks so much, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Drew Brees joining us next hour. Yeah that you know what.
You watched that play. Sorry to the radio audience, but
when you watch that play on television, that is like
one and a half seconds all that stuff developed. Boom
boom boom, boom boom. I'm not sure if Aaron can
make that throw anymore.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
J mack Is just can't get over the fact that
my wife is going to a psychic today. And he
asked me during the break if I've ever gone to
a psychic. I don't go to them regularly, but I
will say three and a half years ago. I think
that's the last time I went to a psychic. I
do it about twice a decade, or yeah, every four
or five years. So I went to one about three
(23:42):
and a half something years ago, and the psychic said,
you're going to be opening starting a new company. Very soon.
And I said, well, I don't. I don't think that's
going to happen. I'm a broadcaster. And she said, no,
you're going to start a company very soon. It's going
to do very well, grow very quickly. And so I
didn't think much about it. You know, for a couple
of days, you're like, oh, and they started at the
volume and so that's the one. I'm like, that's the
(24:05):
memorable of all the times I've gone, that one sticks
to me is it was a real thing. And she
kept pressing me over and over. She said, it's happening.
It's going to happen quickly. You're going to be surrounded
by people you really enjoy being with. And I was like, okay, wow.
So the only time I and she didn't tell me
she didn't.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
She didn't.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
She said it will be part of what you do.
It won't be everything, but it will be part of
what you do.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
The only time I talked to a psychic, I had
that Saturday morning radio show for Fox Sports Radio, and
I said, there's all these NBA free agents are going places.
Let's bring on a psychic to tell us where they're going.
It did monster numbers on the podcast and she was
wrong about everything. She's wrong on Kawhi Leonard, everything you do.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
It's hard to predict games, it's hard to predict life.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Come on, man.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
But if she has, if he or she has a
connection with you, and they're intuitive, intuitive people have a
feel for I mean we have had literally law enforcement
agents go to intuitives and they have helped them discover
missing bodies, missing people. I mean, this is like a
regular occurrence.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Okay, is a world I'm not aware of, but it's
good to know.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Well, maybe you need to go missing and then we'll
go missing.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Hey, you know, I They're trying to call me in
for jury duty soon and I'm like, maybe I'll go
go missing.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
There that week. Jmack with the news. Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
Colin.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
This is a bit of a stunner.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
So Justin Herbert, you know, he's injured and limited a
practice Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
He was injured going into the Steelers gate. Then he got.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Reinjured and had to come out. His status for Kansas
City is up in the air. Justin Herbert says, the
ankle is getting better.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh my god.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
At this point last week I didn't know either and
so it's one of those things that you take as
many reps as you can, do what you can, and
then see where it ends up. I feel better than
I did last Wednesday. And so as long as we
keep moving forward and we keep getting better at we're
not taking those setbacks.
Speaker 6 (26:02):
I think we're moving in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Yeah, no, no, no, no, this is horrible. So Slater, the
left tackle, he's out. All the right tackle, he's out. Boy.
The Chargers have a bye next week. This is a layup.
Just sit Herbert, give him two weeks. Why would you
play him without your starting tackles against Chris Jones and
(26:25):
Spagnola who loves to blitz. Do you think those backups
are going to be ready to pick up the blitz
against Acey.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
I don't think this is your worst take ever. I
think it's pretty I think there's an argument to be made.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
It's just that Harball. I know you are like a
tough guy.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
And by the way, the games after the bye are
very winnable Denver, Arizona Saints, Cleveland Titans. That you get
about a five game stretch of about as easy as
the NFL. And by the way, the Saints are tough,
but it's at home, and you know, I mean, it's
like there's some wins there.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
It just doesn't make sense. What do they call that
coaching now practice?
Speaker 4 (26:58):
If you trot out a hobby old Herbert without his
two tackles against the Chiefs who loved to blitz.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You would go on to the easy part of your
schedule at two and two. That's okay.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
You're happy to get there at two and two, right,
That's that's solid two and two start schedules.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
They also end this season with the Raiders and Patriots
in Denver and Tampa. So the hard part, I mean,
just think about it from your terms. Get everybody healthy,
then you have probably the easiest five game stretch you'll have.
And oh, by the way, the last three weeks you
host bo Knicks and it's New England and the Raiders,
(27:33):
I mean the Raiders and the Patriots can be making
moves of the trade deadline. So I think this is
a pretty solid take. I think I would do that.
I think I would just sit him down.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
With Herbert healthy, you are contending for a player.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, this isn't college football where you know, two losses
and you're done. This is the long game, man, that's
I think. I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
That's good. I like when that happens.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's rare but funny.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Next up is the Pittsburgh Steelers three and oh, we
cannot get enough of his Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback controversy. Russell
Wilson's calf injury has really forced Justin Fields into action,
and he's delivered. Mike Tomlin still has not committed to
Fields as the full time starter. Despite that, Tomlin likes
what he sees so far in the young Justin Fields.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
I like his steady demeanor. I like that in a leader.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
He doesn't ride the emotional roller coaster when things are
going good.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
When things are going bad, gas can rally around that.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
He's steady. He's a competitor man. He likes to compete.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Steady, competitor. I think the Staters win.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
You like him against the cold hump.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I have now talked to people I trust on Anthony Richardson,
and they're like, Colin, remember when Kyle bailed on Trey
Lamps And it's like, well, Kyle can make anybody look good.
He just says he got Jimmy Garoppolo to a Super Bowl.
Garoppolo outside of Kyle Shanahan career MS shame. Steichen has
(29:01):
this guy with two off seasons now at fifty percent
completion rate, and I mean struggling on the layups. This
may not work. This just may not work. And by
the way, it's not like Tomlin and Pittsburgh is who
you want to face when you're struggling with accuracy, like
this just may not work.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
So you know, I like the numbers.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Okay, what do the numbers tell you?
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Okay, so there's a little stack called yards per play,
which is predictive, that means something. The Indianapolis culture third
in the NFL and yards per play six point three
yards per play.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
They're very boom or bust.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Richard Ten'll beat you over the top, Taylor breaking off
some runs, but down to down it's not great. Pittsburgh
twenty eighth in yards per play, twenty eight down there
with Tennessee, New England, Cleveland, Chicago like crap teams. I mean,
all these dealer fans are getting on my case.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
Jason.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
You said on the Herd they're a five win team.
I would be careful. I actually like the culture this week.
Do you remember what happened last season? Colt and Stike
In just destroyed the Steelers late.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
In the season.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
I think it was thirty to thirteen. Stiken's gonna down
some stuff up. Pickford is massively overvalued, Colin, just be care.
I hope they don't appear in your Blazing five Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
You can said I didn't say I'd made the decision.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
My problem is I had a winning week last week,
so did you. My problem with the Blazing five, the
hardest part of it is we make the bets late. Yeah,
So I turned my bets in basically tomorrow tonight, late
after And the problem, of course is the Jets Broncos
number was at six and a half. It was great.
Now it's at seven and a half. What do I do?
So if I was if I didn't do this for
(30:36):
a living and I bet football like my personal bets,
I already got the Broncos getting beat Monday. Now the
numbers a stay away game. So in our business we
make our picks later in the week. And my take
is the Jets Broncos is now a stay away. It's
seven and a half. It's just too much.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
So regarding the Steelers, if they do win this and
go to four or no, I mean, the history of
four and OH teams making the playoffs, it's very, very good.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
It's like probably eighty percent. Yeah, is it?
Speaker 4 (31:11):
I don't want to be too negative here, but Colin,
what's the value of Pittsburgh starting four and oh they
make the playoffs? They go nine and seven because the schedule,
the back end is a toughest in the league second half?
And like, is it fools gold that, like Justin Fields
could be our guy?
Speaker 1 (31:24):
We went nine and second. I do yeah. I think
in a division with Lamar and Burrow and in a
conference with Mahomes, C J. Stroud, Josh Allen, I think
great story is trumped by go get a great quarterback.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
I'll stand by my trade TJ. Watt for a massive haul.
He's maybe the best defensive player in the league. He's
at the height of his career.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yes's not gonna do that.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
No, of course.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
The final story is, oh geez, we got to talk
about this guy again. Deshaun Watson off season shoulder surgery,
and he doesn't look good so far.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Early it's still early.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Only the New England Patriots throw for less yards per
game than the Browns. Watson has been sacked more than
any quarterback in the league. Deshaun was asked about more
design runs to help the offense, and yeah, he's not
a fan of that.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
I don't have to run.
Speaker 9 (32:14):
I'm not gonna run, so I'm not trying to take
any hi. I'm not a running quarterback. And it's said
that can make things happen, But I'm not trying to run.
I'm not running back.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
It's not my specialties.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
You know.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
They signed me to throw the ball and make decisions
and be a quarterback.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Now run it.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Well, he's right, you know. I mean, he is a quarterback,
not a running back, but he's never been a great
pocket guy.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
That's just not the right answer.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get our
team to victory, Right, that's the right answer.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
That's what you want to hear, Not like.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I'm not running quarterback. I'm not running.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
Like, yeah, you got to win from the pocket, but dude,
you got to be able to scramble away eight sacks
last week against the Giants.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I'm looking at their offensive line this week.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Colin holy Cow, if Crosby ends up playing for the Raiders,
he could feast. There's a bunch of injuries on this
offensive line. Watson is. This is one of you don't
want to say it's a sad story, but the fall.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
From him at Clemson.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
What a shock that a low self esteem sports franchise
desperately overpaid and over guaranteed. What a shock that Cleveland's
a bit of a mess. Agan Upstairs is the defining
threat between historically bad franchisees. Not coaches or quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
It's upstairs were they were coming off the Baker Mayfield situation, right,
and they were like, oh, we.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Don't have a quarter We have never had a franchise
spread team in a division with Burrow Lamar.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
But at the time it didn't seem awful.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
No, no, it didn't because Watson had done in Houston. Yeah,
but his personal transgression think.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
That came out until a few months after.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
No, No, everybody knew what was happening. It's gotten worse.
It's got I mean, and the most.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Shatter about it. I don't, I don't. I would have
to look back.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Oh they knew, they knew, they had an idea, but
I think of the extent of it, like how bad
it was.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
I'm gonna go back and say they did you know?
I talked to an executive regularly who talks about Yeah,
it was, it was, it was all OK. So I
talked to an executive about this regularly. He goes, we
know what's going on now out of college, they know
what's going on. So he was If you remember, Deshaun
was suspended to start his career.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
With the Browns right side with them in like February, right, remember,
But I mean they knew.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
He was a disaster. All the charges were up there.
I mean there's always pending litigation. I think he has
more now.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
But he has more now. Yeah, it just won't go away.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Bad feels over for Yeah, it does. J mcklanews.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by The.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Herd lie big bets in the Big ten.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Next, be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
weekdays in noon Easter not a em Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio FS one and the I Hard Radio app.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
We got a huge day of football on Fox at
one Eastern Jalen Hurts League the Eagles against Baker Mayfield
and the Bucks. At four, the Patriots take on Brockberdy
and the Niners. Check for the game in your area
only on Fox and the Fox Sports App.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Commander's Cardinal's gonna be kind of interesting. Actually, all right,
we do it every Thursday at this time, end of
the second hour. Big bets, Baby.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
It's time for big bets. Colin and Jane Matt make
their favorite big ten bets of the week.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
All right, this won't be terribly exciting. I'm gonna take
the under thirty five and a half. Minnesota Michigan. Michigan
can't throw the football in Minnesota shut out two of
its first three opponents. It's two really good defenses and
two limited offenses. And I listen, Michigan's only allowing twenty
one points a game, and that's having faced Texas and
Lincoln Riley and USC. So Minnesota's not going to move
(35:59):
the But I don't think. I mean, you've got to
basically a football team in Michigan that can't throw the ball.
I'm taking the under thirty five and a half. Jmack ears,
I'm gonna go to the opposite.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
I can't get a Michigan game right this season because
they screwed me with USC last week, so I'll go
over the total. I think the Michigan off an exciting victory.
The campus was fired up. I think there's a little
pullback the defense's lacks and Minnesota is able to score
fourteen ish fourteen to seventeen, Michigan gets the win.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Total goes over thirty five and a half.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
I'm gonna take USC at home, bounce back blowout Wisconsin.
I'll swallow the fifteen and a half. Once they got
their feet under him in the second half, they actually
extended drives. They just could not handle Michigan's d line,
which is the best in the Big Ten and the
best in the country with two top ten defensive linemen.
That's not Wisconsin, Wisconsin. The Badgers are on a backup quarterback.
(36:48):
They're or was limited offensively. USC at home. This is
a really good offense. They may not have another defensive
moment like that, and even their defense played well except
for three runs. I think USC goes home and claw Badger.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
I like that pick.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
I'm gonna go to Nebraska the I connected with them
last week. I'm gonna go Nebraska by ten.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Or more over.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Purdue.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Purdue's awful.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
I don't know if you watch that Notre Dame game.
Notre Dame couldn't do anything and he scored sixty points. Okay,
Purdue can't stop a nosebleed. I like Nebraska that young
quarterback man. I know they lost recently, but they can
put up some points and I think they can cover
ten here on the road.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
I think Ohio State, We've not even talked about what's
going on with the Buck guys. Will Howard's an excellent quarterback,
NFL O lineman, receivers everywhere. I'm gonna swallow the twenty
three and a half against Michigan State. I think we
see some blowouts this weekend. So the number three scoring
offense in the country, and again because it's Chip Kelly,
this is an offense that should get better every week.
(37:41):
They brought in Chip Kelly for more physicality in the
run game. But when you bring in a new coordinator,
I'm not gonna judge somebody after two or three games.
So I think this team's just gonna grow and grow
and grow. Ang the buck guys. In about two or
three weeks, you're gonna look up and go, are they
better than Texas? Are they better than everybody else? So
I think the Buck guys are a slow build, and
I think they're gonna hammer a Michigan State team that
(38:04):
could not beat Boston College.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Speaking of slow builds, give me Oregon favored by twenty
six against lowly Ucla. So Oregon has been slow to
kind of get up the speed. Remember the Idaho game
was ugly.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
We moved up off musical chairs. O line, they're moving.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You've got a lot of stuff going on.
Speaker 4 (38:20):
They had a three point win over lowly Boise State.
Now you know then against Oregon State, favored by seventeen,
they win by a million. I think they're starting to
round in the form. I obviously would't need to warn
people you're not gonna get rich betting on twenty six
point favorites, so tread cautiously. But I do like Oregon
to cover against Ucla. Ucla is just not very good
(38:41):
right now.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Yeah, you know it's interesting. So you and I just
took blowouts, well the big ten spreads. I mean, look
at the sheet, Colin. They give you the sheet with
the PICKXE and every game is more than double dishits.
In the NFL, I just bet numbers. But in college football,
I bet teams and momentum, and because I do think
when you're dealing with nineteen twenty year olds, they just unravel. Yeah,
(39:02):
I mean you put a night, Wisconsin on the road
gets down fourteen. Nothing. You can see teams just unravel.
That doesn't happen in the NFL. I mean, a mediocre
team like Tennessee can hang around any game. NFL's and numbers.
Bet college, it's like who's the coach, Like who's got
the better quarterback? So I bet heavy favorites more than
(39:23):
underdogs in college than I always have. I think Ohio
State's going to benefit here is that, you know, like
Sarks bringing back his staff. We think Texas is going
to be great right out of the shoot, and they
look like it against Michigan. Ohio State has not run
the football with the dominance the Buckeyes have had for
the last fifty years. So they bring in Chip Kelly. Well,
you're limited in college to seventeen hours a week of practice.
So a lot of these college teams, even the good ones,
(39:45):
are a slow build. You're like, okay, you got a
new freshman quarterback or you got to you know, Will
Howard's a transfer. My guess is Ohio State's a touchdown
better in a month than they are now. I think Texas,
you're seeing everything now with Texas. Texas is what they
are it's sark gets quinn Ewers. These old linemen have
been there. Three of their old linemen started. I think
as freshman, what you're seeing with Texas, that's what you get.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
I feel like you're right. We've seen a lot of
Texas so far. Due to the schedule, there's been like
no Ohio State coverage, even though because they're waxing everybody
by a million. Very interesting test against Sparty this week.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
I'm curious. That's a that's a big number Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
We'll see they've kind of slipt walked through the early
parts of the season.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
I think they I think the Ohio State Oregon game
has went two weeks, a couple of weeks at.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
The October twelve weekend. Yeah, that's that's the listen. Look
at the schedule this weekend.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
There's some Oh no Georgia Bama. I'm taking Alabama to
beat Georgia at home. Uh yeah, I have, first of all,
home dog, Kaitlin de Boor's a great coach. Jalen Milroe
can make plays with his feet in his arm. Here's
the thing. I watched Georgia play Kentucky, and Kentucky's D
line controlled the game.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Let's not overreact to one data.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
And it wasn't a data point. It was I'm gonna
put my hands on you and throw you.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
So you like Milroe, huh.
Speaker 4 (40:56):
I think he is a very good college quarterback. I
flagged something his NFL prospects. I'm gonna read it later,
but I haven't seen it with him, but we'll see athlete.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
And he also throws a beautiful deep ball. He's got
great touch. NFL has a lot of intermediate stuff, but
he's a heck of a college quarterback. Hour three, next
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, it's hour two. We're live in Los Angeles.
It is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however
you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of
your day. I gotta tell you last night and I
went out again last night, Ja Mac, second night in
a row.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
You're doing back to Bax now and I don't.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Even get a text now tonight. I'm just sitting home
doing podcasts and doing the Cowboys Giant. So tonight I
knew I was just gonna sit home and uh, you
know whatever. My wife just called, by the way, I said,
what are you doing today? She said, I'm going to
see a psychic she does that?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Are you serious?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah? And I was like, can you give you the
Cowboy Aways score? Can you call me in like two hours?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Is that good news? If your wife says, I'm going
to a psychic.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, come on, did you really just admit that on air?
She's not going to be through.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
No, she goes, like, but once a year she'll go
when we have if there's a change coming in our life.
She likes to She's pretty intuitive. So she goes, I
want to go to a psychic. She's done that. I've
known her seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Oh you guys getting a new new pet.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I'm not going to get into the changes, but I
might takeaway there could be some turbulence. And so she
just wants to go to a psychic. And all I
cared about was call in two hours. What's the spread
to night? Give me the score on this game.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Change is difficult in life. It's hard, right, That's.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
One of the most because I like, I'm a routine guy,
as I'm sure you are too, and then you get
your routine all thrown off, and it's like, oh, neurogum
ain't gonna save you.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Neurogum always saves me to this point. Okay, So Greg
co sell in two minutes. So we had Chris Long,
HOWI Loong Sun? Great family. Chris Long the other day
was talking about Nick Sirianni and Philadelphia, and it's very
very interesting when it comes to this stuff. So like
with with quarterbacks, it's not just winning. Rex Grossman got
(02:08):
to a super Bowl. Mitch Trubisky won fifty eight percent
of his games, got the two playoffs. The franchise moved on.
It's more than that. It's health, it's cost, it's leadership,
it's dependability, There's a lot of different things. Eli Manning
did not win a lot in the regular season, but
his maturity. He was good in the two minute drills.
He never missed a start. There's a lot that goes
(02:29):
in coaching, though it usually is you win, you stay.
You don't fire a lot of guys with winning records.
But with Philadelphia, it's weird because it feels like the
rosters winning and we're not sure about the coach. And
in Philadelphia has a history, they'll move off the coach.
Jip Kelly had a winning record, see you, Doug Peterson,
super Bowl went out the door. So the Nick Sirianni
(02:51):
thing feels urgent. This is a franchise that's moved off
winning coaches. And here's Chris long on on on wanting
Nick Siriani to just take more ownership.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I like Nick.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
I think Nick has done a good job.
Speaker 6 (03:04):
No, really, I do.
Speaker 5 (03:05):
It's just right now he's he's kind of under a
microscope because of the decisions he's making. Yeah, he's not
even calling the game. So that's my thing. It's like,
you got to own the feeling of the flow of
the game. And to me, I said on my pod,
I would give him a mirror look in it. This
is not the same team, certainly not yesterday that won
the Super Bowl two years ago. Where you're gonna score
(03:26):
forty points a game, you have to sometimes lay up.
And I got Saquon Barkley. You got to give him
the damn ball. You saw what happened yesterday. Any three
yard game could turn to seventy.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And now AJ Brown and DeVante Smith did not practice yesterday.
I don't want to hear excuses. Sean McVay just beat
the Niners with an intra mural wide receiver group, a
rookie from Texas, a bounce around the league guy. Best
play was y F five nine guy, and they beat
the Niners. I mean it was, oh, by the way,
musical chairs on the interior o line and beat the Niners.
(03:57):
They beat them with special teams, good last drive. So
I think it's a fair criticism. I'm not anti Sirianni,
but it does feel like the GM and the roster
a winning and we're not sure about the coach. And
with coaches, usually doub's prevail except in Philadelphia. Philadelphia moves
off winning coaches like Pittsburgh never moves off any coach,
and Philadelphia moves off coaches that win Super Bowls and
(04:18):
get the conference championships five times. Andy Reid, they moved
off him with that forty five years. NFL films, you
play fantasy, you want to get smarter, it's Greg Coson.
So let's let's let's start with the biggest star in
the league, Mahomes. Travis Kelsey's disappeared Mahomes off to a
(04:40):
slow start. I'll I'll defend them a little on this.
They got a rookie receiver they're working in. They're also
trying to establish she Rice as a number one. Travis
Kelsey doesn't look like he's in the best shape he's
ever been in. He's playing himself kind of into being great.
So I'm giving Mahomes a little bit of a pass.
What is the film say However, on his kind of
(05:02):
rocky start.
Speaker 6 (05:04):
Well, I think there's a couple of factors here.
Speaker 7 (05:06):
Number one, the film tells you that they're thinking a
bit of a transition away from Kelsey in terms of
targets to Rice. Rice leads the NFL in targets. He's
now become their motion receiver. They move him all around
the formation. He works the middle of the field, which
is where Kelsey predominantly works, but he can also work
outside the numbers. He leads the NFL in yards after
(05:28):
catch as well, so he's very good with the ball
in his hands. So the film tells you through three games,
not a large enough sample to make a definitive statement
Colin about the entire season, but through three games, Rice
has really become kind of the key.
Speaker 6 (05:42):
To their pass game.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
The other factor that is clearly noticeable on film right now,
through three games, they do not really have a vertical
passing game, an intermediate to vertical passing game. Everything is
short and that's something that needs to develop. They have
really deployed Worthy yet that way. Obviously he caught the
touchdown Week one, which was a bust by the defense,
(06:06):
but they really haven't developed an intermediate to vertical passing
game with any kind of consistency, and that's something that
I think we'll expect to see going forward.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Okay, let's talk about tonight the Giants and the Cowboys.
So let's start from the Giants. I watched every snap first.
Neighbors is becoming a star in front of our eyes.
But I think we've always liked their defensive front. They're
a bit banged up on the back end, but was
it Cleveland or is the Giants defense? Because that's their
only shot tonight is to keep Dallas in to They're
(06:37):
not gonna wint a shootout. That's not who they are, right,
They're going to roll over coverage in double neighbors. So
what is their defense doing? Does their defense give them
a shot in games like this?
Speaker 7 (06:47):
Well, their defense through three games has been one of
the highest percentage blitz defenses in the league, meeting five
rushers or more, and they've been very, very good at
not only are they good tactically with it and a
Shane Bowen is new decoordinator. He was in Tennessee prior.
He had some very good concepts pressure concepts, but.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
They also have good people.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
When you think about the fact that they have Brian Burns,
they have Thibodeau, they have Dexter Lawrence, who's a man
in the middle of that defense. They have Okarake who's
a very good linebacker. So they've got good players in
addition to a really difficult scheme.
Speaker 6 (07:20):
To play against.
Speaker 7 (07:21):
And they're very, very good attacking the quarterback with pressure,
and you will see that tonight against a Cowboys offensive
line that is really kind of a work in progress.
They're playing the rookie left tackle Geiton, who only played
fourteen games as a starter at Oklahoma, and he was
a right tackle there, so he's kind of working through
the process that will take some time. So I would
(07:41):
expect to see pressure. I would expect to see stunts.
I would expect to see multiple fronts. The Giants need
their defense to be the major factor in tonight's game.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Can Dak win without a strong run game.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
Not consistently.
Speaker 7 (07:56):
And I like Back a lot, and I think we've
talked about this over the last couple of years column
he's settled into essentially being a very efficient pocket player.
Speaker 6 (08:04):
He's a ball distributor and he's good at it.
Speaker 7 (08:07):
But I think that they definitely need some semblance of
a running game, and right now they don't have anything,
and that's a problem. They're going to need to be
able to run the football. Look the league three weeks,
but the league has kind of changed a little bit.
As you know, run games have come back a bit.
Passing yards are down, there's less passing, there's more running.
We could probably spend an hour talking about the reasons
(08:28):
for that, but that's just the reality right now. And
if you do not have any semblance of a running game,
it's too hard.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, let's talk young quarterbacks. I want to I want
to talk about two that we haven't talked a ton about.
So Jaden Daniels. First of all, from Arizona State to LSU,
his accuracy improved dramatically. Brian Kelly gets credit, So does
Jayden Daniels. We always knew he could move. We always
said there's a bit of a Lamar Jackson thing here.
The kid can move. We know that. But I got
(08:57):
to tell you, no turnovers receive it's now. Some of
it is Jaden obviously, some is it helps for rookie quarterbacks.
Cliff Kingsbury has had this sort of athlete before. But
what are you seeing on film? Is it sustainable. Is
it is a little fluky? What are you saying about
this young kid?
Speaker 7 (09:16):
Well, I really liked him coming out of LSU, and
even though he's a great runner with great accelerating speed,
he doesn't really leave the pocket unless it's absolutely necessary.
But I think with young quarterbacks, I think that's where
your offensive coordinator really becomes the key person, because you've
got to now create opportunities for him to make primary
(09:38):
read throws either no reed throws, one read throws, allow
him to get comfortable. You do not want to ask
him to make difficult throws early in his career.
Speaker 6 (09:47):
Now you're going to have to at times.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
We're looking at the winning touchdown, which was the third
example of zero coverage in the fourth quarter, and he
did a great job right there, obviously, and he did
make a great throw on a fifty five yard bomb
earlier in the game to McLaurin. But when you watch
their tape you see a lot of quick rhythm throws.
As I said, there are almost no read throws or
one read throws. You get your quarterback comfortable, you help
(10:10):
him settle into a game. And Daniels by nature is
very poised and composed to begin with So I think
that with young quarterbacks, to me, the offensive coordinator is
the absolutely key person on your staff.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Okay, So, Sean Payton, bow Knicks, I had an NFL quarterback, say,
don't be surprised by the end of year one, the
one kid that has an offensive coach. Don't be surprised
if he doesn't impress you most Now, bo Nicks is
more athletic than anybody will ever give him credit for.
But if you've seen growth with bow Nicks and Sean Payton.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
Yeah, and I think you're seeing something similar.
Speaker 7 (10:45):
And I think it's really important for Nicks because Nix
is obviously not a power thrower. And one area which
you'll continue to need to improve is to make window
throws between the numbers versus own coverage. That's an area
in which the NFL demands that you make those kinds
of throws.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
And there are times where.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
He's just a beat late with what I call elimination
and isolation, meaning eliminating the throw that's not there and
then isolating the throw that is there within the timing
and structure of the play design. So these are areas
he needs to improve. But Sean Payton, again, he's kind
of controlling him, keeping the reins on. You're right, he's
far more athletic than people give him credit for, and
(11:23):
this is a way he's going to get comfortable. Now
he hasn't thrown a touchdown. The numbers are not really
relevant to me. For young quarterbacks, it's how they play
the game, what they're asked to do, and can they
execute that at an early stage.
Speaker 6 (11:36):
And I thought that this past week he was.
Speaker 7 (11:38):
A little more in command, and I think that's what
you're looking for, and then you expand as the season progresses.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
All right, now, let's segue into stars. Josh Allen, Joe
Brady's arrived. He's been a Now we know he's great.
We know he's great, but he has been not coordinator dependent.
But he's a quarterback when he's more efficient because the
superstar stuff, the leaping tall buildings, the throw that's just
(12:06):
who he is. He's amazing. But it looks like, I
don't know if it's tempo decision making pre snap, he's
more efficient. What's happening in Buffalo.
Speaker 7 (12:17):
I think Brady's doing a great job because the one
thing about Josh Allen, and we know he's a great player,
is he at his core is not truly a high
level progression reader.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
That's not his game.
Speaker 7 (12:29):
He's much more of kind of an intuitive impulse player
who can make great plays, as you just suggested, but
you can't live like that all the time. So what
Joe Brady has done is he's sort of calmed down
the offense and the pass game. When you watch him,
he looks like a different player because all the quick
throws again with the one read stuff, the no reed stuff,
(12:50):
get the ball out of his hands and then when
it's necessary. We saw the King Kate touchdown this past week,
which we're looking.
Speaker 6 (12:56):
At right now.
Speaker 7 (12:57):
The week prior he hit the back Johnson on an
unbelievable throw running to his right. He's capable of those plays,
but you can't live on those plays, as great as
they are. So you need structure in your offense. You
need to be able to control your offense. That's what
the coordinators are for, to control the offense in given situations.
They're doing an unbelievable job with Josh. He's accepted it.
(13:19):
I mean, how many times watching the game the other
night did he throw balls for four or five yards?
I mean, that's the way they're now playing and it's
really really effective, and they added the run game element
to it.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Matt Stafford another great quarterback, musical chairs on their offensive line.
They had nothing but backups and bounce around the league
guys and semi busts at wide receiver and they beat
the Niners. We know we've said this before in terms
of just arm talent arm angles, he's crazy.
Speaker 6 (13:47):
But when I watch Matt it's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
He is ridiculous, but it's very Aaron Rodgers without you know,
the endorsements, Like he's just different. But there's something he
must be good pre snap because when you're working with
new guys. I mean when I watched them against the
Niners and I'm just like, this can't just be arm
angle stuff. What's the tape say?
Speaker 7 (14:10):
Well, first of all, Matthew Stafford to me is the
best quarterback in the NFC.
Speaker 6 (14:14):
And I know people might disagree with that, but I
think if you talk to people in the league, they'll
tell you that.
Speaker 7 (14:19):
And he's a really smart player as well, one of
the things that you always look for and you hope
this is the case with quarterbacks as they mature, and
he's played in the league a long time. Is you
hope that the mental part really becomes there's all there,
with the physical part not disappearing or being limited. And
that's the case with Stafford. I mean, I remember a
play when you talked about him just a moment ago.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
I just thought of a play from a year.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
Ago where he audibled and hit Nikua for a seventy
yard touchdown against the Browns. It was one of the
best audibles that I can recall in the last couple
of years. But he's such a great throw over the football.
I mean, he was doing Mahomes stuff before Mahomes because.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
He played in Detroit. No one talked about it. Right,
He's just an unbelievable throw of the football.
Speaker 7 (15:02):
And he's an incredibly intelligent player, and he's a little
more mobile than people give him credit for. He's not
a creator in that sense, but he can get out
of the pocket and still make intermediate and vertical throws
that are big time all right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Now, a quarterback that may be great. I never acknowledged
that until last weekend, and I looked at brock Purty
without Deebo Christian Kittle, and I said to myself, Okay,
I've got to stop the confirmation bias. He may not
be great in a windstorm. He's got smaller hands. All
I know is he throws it accurately to the right
place and he moves really well. It looks like a
(15:38):
franchise quarterback to me. I'm over the Iowa State digs.
It just looks right to me.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
And you're one hundred percent right. He knows how to
play quarterback.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
But because he's not physically imposing, and even though he
does have mobility, he doesn't look special.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
When he moves. But what he does and you nailed it.
You just hit it right on the head. Colin, What
is quarterback play?
Speaker 7 (15:59):
It's throwing the ball the right receiver at the right time,
with the right kind of throw. That's how the position
is coached. That's what the staff of every team wants
their quarterback to do. Now, are there plays where that
can happen, of course it's the NFL, But essentially that's
what the position is. He does that week in and
week out at a really high level. You're hard pressed
(16:20):
to find a bad game. Every quarterback has bad snaps,
as you know, okay, but you're hard pressed to find
a bad game. Since he became the starting quarterback two
years ago in the middle of the season. He just
knows how to play the position. His sense of anticipation
is high level. His ball placement is really good. It's
very precise, and he has a great innate feel for
(16:42):
recognizing defensive rotation as the ball's being snapped. So you're
dealing with a guy. To me, I don't quite understand
the conversation about what is Rock Purdy. Rock Purdy is
a really good NFL quarterback who knows how to play
the position.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Speaking of great Sam Darnold. But before I get to that.
Before I get to that, I said yesterday on the show,
it's very noticeable between Brian Florees and probably his agent.
When Tua called him out earlier this year, he immediately
addressed it. He apologized. He knows his reputation, and this
(17:20):
week I noticed him at the podium. He is smiling more.
He understands how he's viewed. But we have to be fair.
He's also brilliant. I have heard c J. Stroud and
brock Perty say yeah, I don't even know what I saw.
So we can talk about Donald and Kevin O'Connell. A
big part of this Minnesota thing. Special team's good is
(17:41):
is Brian Flora's defense because I don't see a lot
of first team All pros, but they play like it.
Your thoughts on that.
Speaker 6 (17:49):
Yeah, this defense is really hard to play against.
Speaker 7 (17:51):
And I'll just give you one example of what they
do because we could talk about him for a long time,
but what he does a lot is line up with
six and seven man defense fronts. Okay, so now what
that means for an offense is they have to align
to protect because they don't know who's coming and who's
not coming. So now, what more often than not happens,
and last week against Houston we saw the Texans do
(18:13):
this a lot, is you have to keep a back
in and or a tight end in to protect because
when there's a seven man front, you've got to account
for people because you don't know. So what they do
exceptionally well Colin is from these seven man fronts, they
will often drop people out to where there's only three
rushers and they have eight in coverage.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
But what has the offense done.
Speaker 7 (18:35):
The offense has kept in two pass protectors who are
primary receivers, the back and the tight end. So what
you often get is you get eight in zone coverage
versus three wide receivers. They win the numbers game every
time when that happens, and it makes it very difficult
for an offense because of those initial six and seven
(18:56):
man fronts, because you have to account for people.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So now taking of people to a person, Sam Darnald,
I keep saying, I've seen him. He can be reckless.
There's a little Carson Wentz, he gets into trouble. Yeah,
what does the film say, because it's not just he's playing. Well,
you could argue he's the MVP right now.
Speaker 6 (19:17):
Well, I think this again. Now we get into the
coaching element as well.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
You and I have always agreed that Donald has a
clear starter talent as a quarterback. He's big, he throws
it well, he's physical, he's athletic. The talent level has
always been NFL's starter. As you've said, a number of times,
there's always been a little bit of a recklessness to him.
There have been times where I think we all felt
that he didn't see things with the clarity he needed
(19:41):
and therefore made throws that were head scratchers. But now
you've got Kevin O'Connell, who's one of the best coming
from the Shanahan McVay school of designing offense, setting up
the primary read so the ball can come out, and
Donald has played very very well. Now, will there be
games coming up where that doesn't happen, Yes, that's the NFL,
And you talked about it before I came on that
(20:03):
there might be some games coming up where he gets
a little reckless. That can happen. But he's played really well,
and I got to tell you there have been some
throws where he's read through his progression at a really
really high level. What we would definitely say is high
level quarterbacking. And quite frankly, that takes us into the
shot that we're going to show here the play for
(20:23):
this week, which was the four yard touchdown to Nawler
from last week, and we're looking at it right now,
and this was really special.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
It might not seem like much, but this was really
really special.
Speaker 7 (20:33):
So we're going to take a look at it now
and break it down, and we're going to see that
Donald is in the gun. Okay, they're in the low
red zone. It's a three by one set. You can
see three receivers to one side, one to the bottom
to the boundary. And now the receivers we want to
focus on are Month and Powell, because what's going to
happen here is Johnny Mount, the tight end is going
(20:53):
to motion across the formation. So now what you're going
to get here. Donald's read is going to be outside.
It's Month first because he's going to run to the flat,
and then it's going to be Powell who's gonna run
a little sit route right at the goal line. So
that's the read. It's outside in. But now what does
Donald see. He's got to figure out can I make
(21:14):
any one of these throws? He wants to get it
to Month, that's the primary. But Stingley the corner, he's
kind of sitting there and you're just not sure if
you can make this throw because if you miss, this
could be a you know, a ninety six yard touchdown return.
So he's not sure he wants to make that throw.
Then you have the stacked backer sitting inside and you're
gonna have the safety over the top, and that's going
(21:35):
to take away Powell's route. So I said it's outside in.
So now where is the third route that's coming into
his vision from the other side of the field.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
That's going to be nail Or.
Speaker 7 (21:45):
On the backside, crosser and I'm talking now in twenty seconds.
This is all happening in about half the second to
a second.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
Keep that in mind. But he's coming into Donald's vision
and this is beautiful.
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Now, remember I talked about that safety, he's all the
way on the other side.
Speaker 6 (22:01):
That's critical here.
Speaker 7 (22:01):
Donald saw that, so he knows that there's going to
be a clean throwing window to Nailer, and there's that
safety because that was important. If the safety stayed in
the middle, he probably would have gone to Jefferson up top.
But because that safety is there, he can hit Nailor
on a clean window.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
And the ball placement here was just absurd.
Speaker 7 (22:19):
So you're dealing with really high level quarterbacking here, and
you can see how all that gets taken away down
there to his right and he sticks it on Nailor.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
You know that when you watch that live, Colin, it
might not seem like.
Speaker 7 (22:30):
A big deal, but that was a really big deal.
And keep in mind just what I said.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
That all happens in about a second and a second
and a half.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
I'm filling out my MVP vallot as you went over
that play.
Speaker 7 (22:41):
I've got we wanted to get you excited about Donald.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Greg is Alwa's great stuff. Great video there forty five
years NFL film. See you next week, Greg, thank you
so much.
Speaker 6 (22:52):
All right, Colin, thanks so much, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Drew Brees joining us next hour. Yeah that you know what.
You watched that play. Sorry to the radio audience, but
when you watch that play on television, that is like
one and a half seconds all that stuff developed. Boom
boom boom, boom boom. I'm not sure if Aaron can
make that throw anymore.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
One more heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day,
seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd
to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
J mack Is just can't get over the fact that
my wife is going to a psychic today. And he
asked me during the break if I've ever gone to
a psychic. I don't go to them regularly, but I
will say three and a half years ago. I think
that's the last time I went to a psychic. I
do it about twice a decade, or yeah, every four
or five years. So I went to one about three
(23:42):
and a half something years ago, and the psychic said,
you're going to be opening starting a new company. Very soon.
And I said, well, I don't. I don't think that's
going to happen. I'm a broadcaster. And she said, no,
you're going to start a company very soon. It's going
to do very well, grow very quickly. And so I
didn't think much about it. You know, for a couple
of days, you're like, oh, and they started at the
volume and so that's the one. I'm like, that's the
(24:05):
memorable of all the times I've gone, that one sticks
to me is it was a real thing. And she
kept pressing me over and over. She said, it's happening.
It's going to happen quickly. You're going to be surrounded
by people you really enjoy being with. And I was like, okay, wow.
So the only time I and she didn't tell me
she didn't.
Speaker 6 (24:21):
She didn't.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
She said it will be part of what you do.
It won't be everything, but it will be part of
what you do.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
The only time I talked to a psychic, I had
that Saturday morning radio show for Fox Sports Radio, and
I said, there's all these NBA free agents are going places.
Let's bring on a psychic to tell us where they're going.
It did monster numbers on the podcast and she was
wrong about everything. She's wrong on Kawhi Leonard, everything you do.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
It's hard to predict games, it's hard to predict life.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Come on, man.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
But if she has, if he or she has a
connection with you, and they're intuitive, intuitive people have a
feel for I mean we have had literally law enforcement
agents go to intuitives and they have helped them discover
missing bodies, missing people. I mean, this is like a
regular occurrence.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Okay, is a world I'm not aware of, but it's
good to know.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Well, maybe you need to go missing and then we'll
go missing.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Hey, you know, I They're trying to call me in
for jury duty soon and I'm like, maybe I'll go
go missing.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
There that week. Jmack with the news. Turn on the news.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
This is the herd Line News.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
Colin.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
This is a bit of a stunner.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
So Justin Herbert, you know, he's injured and limited a
practice Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
He was injured going into the Steelers gate. Then he got.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Reinjured and had to come out. His status for Kansas
City is up in the air. Justin Herbert says, the
ankle is getting better.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh my god.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
At this point last week I didn't know either and
so it's one of those things that you take as
many reps as you can, do what you can, and
then see where it ends up. I feel better than
I did last Wednesday. And so as long as we
keep moving forward and we keep getting better at we're
not taking those setbacks.
Speaker 6 (26:02):
I think we're moving in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Yeah, no, no, no, no, this is horrible. So Slater, the
left tackle, he's out. All the right tackle, he's out. Boy.
The Chargers have a bye next week. This is a layup.
Just sit Herbert, give him two weeks. Why would you
play him without your starting tackles against Chris Jones and
(26:25):
Spagnola who loves to blitz. Do you think those backups
are going to be ready to pick up the blitz
against Acey.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
I don't think this is your worst take ever. I
think it's pretty I think there's an argument to be made.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
It's just that Harball. I know you are like a
tough guy.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
And by the way, the games after the bye are
very winnable Denver, Arizona Saints, Cleveland Titans. That you get
about a five game stretch of about as easy as
the NFL. And by the way, the Saints are tough,
but it's at home, and you know, I mean, it's
like there's some wins there.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
It just doesn't make sense. What do they call that
coaching now practice?
Speaker 4 (26:58):
If you trot out a hobby old Herbert without his
two tackles against the Chiefs who loved to blitz.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
You would go on to the easy part of your
schedule at two and two. That's okay.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
You're happy to get there at two and two, right,
That's that's solid two and two start schedules.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
They also end this season with the Raiders and Patriots
in Denver and Tampa. So the hard part, I mean,
just think about it from your terms. Get everybody healthy,
then you have probably the easiest five game stretch you'll have.
And oh, by the way, the last three weeks you
host bo Knicks and it's New England and the Raiders,
(27:33):
I mean the Raiders and the Patriots can be making
moves of the trade deadline. So I think this is
a pretty solid take. I think I would do that.
I think I would just sit him down.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
With Herbert healthy, you are contending for a player.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, this isn't college football where you know, two losses
and you're done. This is the long game, man, that's
I think. I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
That's good. I like when that happens.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's rare but funny.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Next up is the Pittsburgh Steelers three and oh, we
cannot get enough of his Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback controversy. Russell
Wilson's calf injury has really forced Justin Fields into action,
and he's delivered. Mike Tomlin still has not committed to
Fields as the full time starter. Despite that, Tomlin likes
what he sees so far in the young Justin Fields.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
I like his steady demeanor. I like that in a leader.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
He doesn't ride the emotional roller coaster when things are
going good.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
When things are going bad, gas can rally around that.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
He's steady. He's a competitor man. He likes to compete.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Steady, competitor. I think the Staters win.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
You like him against the cold hump.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
I have now talked to people I trust on Anthony Richardson,
and they're like, Colin, remember when Kyle bailed on Trey
Lamps And it's like, well, Kyle can make anybody look good.
He just says he got Jimmy Garoppolo to a Super Bowl.
Garoppolo outside of Kyle Shanahan career MS shame. Steichen has
(29:01):
this guy with two off seasons now at fifty percent
completion rate, and I mean struggling on the layups. This
may not work. This just may not work. And by
the way, it's not like Tomlin and Pittsburgh is who
you want to face when you're struggling with accuracy, like
this just may not work.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
So you know, I like the numbers.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
Okay, what do the numbers tell you?
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Okay, so there's a little stack called yards per play,
which is predictive, that means something. The Indianapolis culture third
in the NFL and yards per play six point three
yards per play.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
They're very boom or bust.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Richard Ten'll beat you over the top, Taylor breaking off
some runs, but down to down it's not great. Pittsburgh
twenty eighth in yards per play, twenty eight down there
with Tennessee, New England, Cleveland, Chicago like crap teams. I mean,
all these dealer fans are getting on my case.
Speaker 6 (29:51):
Jason.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
You said on the Herd they're a five win team.
I would be careful. I actually like the culture this week.
Do you remember what happened last season? Colt and Stike
In just destroyed the Steelers late.
Speaker 3 (30:02):
In the season.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
I think it was thirty to thirteen. Stiken's gonna down
some stuff up. Pickford is massively overvalued, Colin, just be care.
I hope they don't appear in your Blazing five Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
You can said I didn't say I'd made the decision.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
My problem is I had a winning week last week,
so did you. My problem with the Blazing five, the
hardest part of it is we make the bets late. Yeah,
So I turned my bets in basically tomorrow tonight, late
after And the problem, of course is the Jets Broncos
number was at six and a half. It was great.
Now it's at seven and a half. What do I do?
So if I was if I didn't do this for
(30:36):
a living and I bet football like my personal bets,
I already got the Broncos getting beat Monday. Now the
numbers a stay away game. So in our business we
make our picks later in the week. And my take
is the Jets Broncos is now a stay away. It's
seven and a half. It's just too much.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
So regarding the Steelers, if they do win this and
go to four or no, I mean, the history of
four and OH teams making the playoffs, it's very, very good.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
It's like probably eighty percent. Yeah, is it?
Speaker 4 (31:11):
I don't want to be too negative here, but Colin,
what's the value of Pittsburgh starting four and oh they
make the playoffs? They go nine and seven because the schedule,
the back end is a toughest in the league second half?
And like, is it fools gold that, like Justin Fields
could be our guy?
Speaker 1 (31:24):
We went nine and second. I do yeah. I think
in a division with Lamar and Burrow and in a
conference with Mahomes, C J. Stroud, Josh Allen, I think
great story is trumped by go get a great quarterback.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
I'll stand by my trade TJ. Watt for a massive haul.
He's maybe the best defensive player in the league. He's
at the height of his career.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yes's not gonna do that.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
No, of course.
Speaker 4 (31:48):
The final story is, oh geez, we got to talk
about this guy again. Deshaun Watson off season shoulder surgery,
and he doesn't look good so far.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Early it's still early.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Only the New England Patriots throw for less yards per
game than the Browns. Watson has been sacked more than
any quarterback in the league. Deshaun was asked about more
design runs to help the offense, and yeah, he's not
a fan of that.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
I don't have to run.
Speaker 9 (32:14):
I'm not gonna run, so I'm not trying to take
any hi. I'm not a running quarterback. And it's said
that can make things happen, But I'm not trying to run.
I'm not running back.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
It's not my specialties.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
You know.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
They signed me to throw the ball and make decisions
and be a quarterback.
Speaker 6 (32:30):
Now run it.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Well, he's right, you know. I mean, he is a quarterback,
not a running back, but he's never been a great
pocket guy.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
That's just not the right answer.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get our
team to victory, Right, that's the right answer.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
That's what you want to hear, Not like.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
I'm not running quarterback. I'm not running.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
Like, yeah, you got to win from the pocket, but dude,
you got to be able to scramble away eight sacks
last week against the Giants.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I'm looking at their offensive line this week.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Colin holy Cow, if Crosby ends up playing for the Raiders,
he could feast. There's a bunch of injuries on this
offensive line. Watson is. This is one of you don't
want to say it's a sad story, but the fall.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
From him at Clemson.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
What a shock that a low self esteem sports franchise
desperately overpaid and over guaranteed. What a shock that Cleveland's
a bit of a mess. Agan Upstairs is the defining
threat between historically bad franchisees. Not coaches or quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
It's upstairs were they were coming off the Baker Mayfield situation, right,
and they were like, oh, we.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Don't have a quarter We have never had a franchise
spread team in a division with Burrow Lamar.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
But at the time it didn't seem awful.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
No, no, it didn't because Watson had done in Houston. Yeah,
but his personal transgression think.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
That came out until a few months after.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
No, No, everybody knew what was happening. It's gotten worse.
It's got I mean, and the most.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
Shatter about it. I don't, I don't. I would have
to look back.
Speaker 4 (34:00):
Oh they knew, they knew, they had an idea, but
I think of the extent of it, like how bad
it was.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
I'm gonna go back and say they did you know?
I talked to an executive regularly who talks about Yeah,
it was, it was, it was all OK. So I
talked to an executive about this regularly. He goes, we
know what's going on now out of college, they know
what's going on. So he was If you remember, Deshaun
was suspended to start his career.
Speaker 4 (34:28):
With the Browns right side with them in like February, right, remember,
But I mean they knew.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
He was a disaster. All the charges were up there.
I mean there's always pending litigation. I think he has
more now.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
But he has more now. Yeah, it just won't go away.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Bad feels over for Yeah, it does. J mcklanews.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by The.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Herd lie big bets in the Big ten.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Next, be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
weekdays in noon Easter not a em Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio FS one and the I Hard Radio app.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
We got a huge day of football on Fox at
one Eastern Jalen Hurts League the Eagles against Baker Mayfield
and the Bucks. At four, the Patriots take on Brockberdy
and the Niners. Check for the game in your area
only on Fox and the Fox Sports App.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Commander's Cardinal's gonna be kind of interesting. Actually, all right,
we do it every Thursday at this time, end of
the second hour. Big bets, Baby.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
It's time for big bets. Colin and Jane Matt make
their favorite big ten bets of the week.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
All right, this won't be terribly exciting. I'm gonna take
the under thirty five and a half. Minnesota Michigan. Michigan
can't throw the football in Minnesota shut out two of
its first three opponents. It's two really good defenses and
two limited offenses. And I listen, Michigan's only allowing twenty
one points a game, and that's having faced Texas and
Lincoln Riley and USC. So Minnesota's not going to move
(35:59):
the But I don't think. I mean, you've got to
basically a football team in Michigan that can't throw the ball.
I'm taking the under thirty five and a half. Jmack ears,
I'm gonna go to the opposite.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
I can't get a Michigan game right this season because
they screwed me with USC last week, so I'll go
over the total. I think the Michigan off an exciting victory.
The campus was fired up. I think there's a little
pullback the defense's lacks and Minnesota is able to score
fourteen ish fourteen to seventeen, Michigan gets the win.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Total goes over thirty five and a half.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
I'm gonna take USC at home, bounce back blowout Wisconsin.
I'll swallow the fifteen and a half. Once they got
their feet under him in the second half, they actually
extended drives. They just could not handle Michigan's d line,
which is the best in the Big Ten and the
best in the country with two top ten defensive linemen.
That's not Wisconsin, Wisconsin. The Badgers are on a backup quarterback.
(36:48):
They're or was limited offensively. USC at home. This is
a really good offense. They may not have another defensive
moment like that, and even their defense played well except
for three runs. I think USC goes home and claw Badger.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
I like that pick.
Speaker 4 (37:01):
I'm gonna go to Nebraska the I connected with them
last week. I'm gonna go Nebraska by ten.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Or more over.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Purdue.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
Purdue's awful.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
I don't know if you watch that Notre Dame game.
Notre Dame couldn't do anything and he scored sixty points. Okay,
Purdue can't stop a nosebleed. I like Nebraska that young
quarterback man. I know they lost recently, but they can
put up some points and I think they can cover
ten here on the road.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
I think Ohio State, We've not even talked about what's
going on with the Buck guys. Will Howard's an excellent quarterback,
NFL O lineman, receivers everywhere. I'm gonna swallow the twenty
three and a half against Michigan State. I think we
see some blowouts this weekend. So the number three scoring
offense in the country, and again because it's Chip Kelly,
this is an offense that should get better every week.
(37:41):
They brought in Chip Kelly for more physicality in the
run game. But when you bring in a new coordinator,
I'm not gonna judge somebody after two or three games.
So I think this team's just gonna grow and grow
and grow. Ang the buck guys. In about two or
three weeks, you're gonna look up and go, are they
better than Texas? Are they better than everybody else? So
I think the Buck guys are a slow build, and
I think they're gonna hammer a Michigan State team that
(38:04):
could not beat Boston College.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
Speaking of slow builds, give me Oregon favored by twenty
six against lowly Ucla. So Oregon has been slow to
kind of get up the speed. Remember the Idaho game
was ugly.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
We moved up off musical chairs. O line, they're moving.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
You've got a lot of stuff going on.
Speaker 4 (38:20):
They had a three point win over lowly Boise State.
Now you know then against Oregon State, favored by seventeen,
they win by a million. I think they're starting to
round in the form. I obviously would't need to warn
people you're not gonna get rich betting on twenty six
point favorites, so tread cautiously. But I do like Oregon
to cover against Ucla. Ucla is just not very good
(38:41):
right now.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
Yeah, you know it's interesting. So you and I just
took blowouts, well the big ten spreads. I mean, look
at the sheet, Colin. They give you the sheet with
the PICKXE and every game is more than double dishits.
In the NFL, I just bet numbers. But in college football,
I bet teams and momentum, and because I do think
when you're dealing with nineteen twenty year olds, they just unravel. Yeah,
(39:02):
I mean you put a night, Wisconsin on the road
gets down fourteen. Nothing. You can see teams just unravel.
That doesn't happen in the NFL. I mean, a mediocre
team like Tennessee can hang around any game. NFL's and numbers.
Bet college, it's like who's the coach, Like who's got
the better quarterback? So I bet heavy favorites more than
(39:23):
underdogs in college than I always have. I think Ohio
State's going to benefit here is that, you know, like
Sarks bringing back his staff. We think Texas is going
to be great right out of the shoot, and they
look like it against Michigan. Ohio State has not run
the football with the dominance the Buckeyes have had for
the last fifty years. So they bring in Chip Kelly. Well,
you're limited in college to seventeen hours a week of practice.
So a lot of these college teams, even the good ones,
(39:45):
are a slow build. You're like, okay, you got a
new freshman quarterback or you got to you know, Will
Howard's a transfer. My guess is Ohio State's a touchdown
better in a month than they are now. I think Texas,
you're seeing everything now with Texas. Texas is what they
are it's sark gets quinn Ewers. These old linemen have
been there. Three of their old linemen started. I think
as freshman, what you're seeing with Texas, that's what you get.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
I feel like you're right. We've seen a lot of
Texas so far. Due to the schedule, there's been like
no Ohio State coverage, even though because they're waxing everybody
by a million. Very interesting test against Sparty this week.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
I'm curious. That's a that's a big number Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
We'll see they've kind of slipt walked through the early
parts of the season.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
I think they I think the Ohio State Oregon game
has went two weeks, a couple of weeks at.
Speaker 3 (40:28):
The October twelve weekend. Yeah, that's that's the listen. Look
at the schedule this weekend.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
There's some Oh no Georgia Bama. I'm taking Alabama to
beat Georgia at home. Uh yeah, I have, first of all,
home dog, Kaitlin de Boor's a great coach. Jalen Milroe
can make plays with his feet in his arm. Here's
the thing. I watched Georgia play Kentucky, and Kentucky's D
line controlled the game.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Let's not overreact to one data.
Speaker 1 (40:52):
And it wasn't a data point. It was I'm gonna
put my hands on you and throw you.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
So you like Milroe, huh.
Speaker 4 (40:56):
I think he is a very good college quarterback. I
flagged something his NFL prospects. I'm gonna read it later,
but I haven't seen it with him, but we'll see athlete.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
And he also throws a beautiful deep ball. He's got
great touch. NFL has a lot of intermediate stuff, but
he's a heck of a college quarterback. Hour three, next
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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