January 2, 2025 • 41 mins
Thoughts on the upcoming matchup between the Steelers and the Bengals
Colin discusses Aaron Rodgers' recent comments about his time with the Jets
More on the targeting call that wasn't called on Texas
Guest: Greg Cosell
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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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to the Herd podcast. Here we go our two on
(00:24):
a Thursday, live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd wherever
you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Greg cosall in
a couple of minutes. Now, it's interesting what to do
with Russell Wilson. So Pittsburgh host the Bengals. I think
(00:45):
they'll win. Cincinnati's more fun to watch. Pittsburgh probably wins.
They could still potentially win the division if Baltimore gagged
against Cleveland, but they won't. So if the Steelers win,
they're guaranteed to get the Texans at home, and everybody
in the AFC one to play the Texans. So there's
a possibility here they're gonna win, play the Texans and
win a playoff game.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
But if you take and here's here's the good news.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
If you take the last Big Ben year out and
then the two after that, pre Russell Wilson, there was
a three year stretch where the offense was awful.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It's no longer awful. It's okay.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
They are very dependent on wide receiver George Pickens, who
is moody, young, and appears to be high maintenance. They're
also in the AFC, which is the Super Star Quarterback
Conference and an in an era where great defenses don't
win Super Bowls, great offenses do. So the good news
they've graduated out of lowsey, but once again they have
(01:41):
no Pro bowlers on offense for the third straight year,
and whereas the Kansas City Chiefs are going for their
third straight Super Bowl, the Steelers will for the third
year in a row, lead the NFL in defensive spending.
Thirty years ago, the Green Bay Packers, a small market team,
(02:02):
pivoted to offense and they've never looked back. Always relevant,
won a lot of playoff games. The Pittsburgh Steelers have
always been about defense, even when they had Terry Bradshaw
and Big Ben, and they've become a team with an
incredibly low ceiling as the league over the last decade
has pivoted to an offensive league, so they're no longer lousy,
(02:25):
but again lead the NFL third year in a row
defensive spending. You know, it's it's like it's like, you know,
you ever meet a chainsmoker. They know what's killing them,
but they can't stop. Like defense is where they're going
to spend their money. They know it's not going to
win trophies, but they can't stop. And that's what Pittsburgh is.
(02:50):
I think they'll beat Cincinnati. I think they'll beat the Texans,
so they'll they'll get a host of a playoff game and
they'll win, and so the feeling will be it was
a successful season. But I don't think you can have
no Pro bowlers three years in a row on offense,
lead the NFL in spending defensively three years in a row,
and be a viable Super Bowl team. Here's Mike Tomlin's
(03:12):
message to his team, with a chance to beat Cincy
and get a home game against the Texans.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Take care of football and stay on schedule. I think
when we stay on the schedule and we take care
of football, we're a formidable grouping. At times, particularly in
the last several weeks, we've been spotty in those regards.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So you know, if they beat Cincinnati and the Texans,
Steeler fans are going to tell you look at us.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, I'm looking no Pro Bowlers offense.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You've graduated out of lousey to okay, middle of the
pack offensively. Greg Cosel forty five years NFL Films. All right,
we were talking last hour Vikings Lions.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I think.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Sometimes this happens. We get a great coaching staff. I
think Kevin O'Connell's remarkable. I think Brian Flores is excellent.
I don't love the Vikings defensive personnel. I love how
it's coached Detroit. I think offensively, there's like hall of
famers on this roster, like it's just two running backs.
Great old line. When you look at the film on
(04:20):
the Vikings and Lions, do you see a clear delineation
and talent scheme, Like, what does the film say when
these two teams match up?
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Well?
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Staying with the side of the ball you're on, Colin,
I think you're right to some extent about the Vikings
defense in terms of personnel, but I think they're difficult
to play against because they're so multiple with their front looks.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
They are multiple on the back end in terms.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Of coverage rotation, so it's difficult for quarterback to process
it because he has to be concerned about what the
front looks like. You get too focused on the front,
you lose track of the coverage rotation. You get too
focused on the coverage, you lose track of what the
pressure concepts could be. So they're difficult to play against. Now,
these teams did play Week seven and Jared Goff, who
(05:10):
by the way, has had an outstanding season and is
just one of those really really solid veteran quarterbacks in
all areas. He did a phenomenal job, as did the
entire Lions offense against all these vikings looks. Goff was
tremendous against their pressure schemes.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
But there's still a.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Difficult defense to play against, even if they don't necessarily
have Pro ball all pro type players on the defense.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So I want to engage here on a couple of
young quarterbacks before we get into some of the bigger
names in the sport. So let's start with Michael Pennix.
I think we both liked him out of college. He
had a ton of starts, a lot of pass eleve
the nation in pass attempts at Washington, it was a
pro style offense.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
What have you seen so far on tape on Michael Pennocks.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I think he's been solid.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I think he's a pocket player for the most part,
he's poised, he comped. I thought in the last game
he missed a few that we would expect him to hit,
and he's going to have to make those. He can't
miss because of the style of quarterback he is, which
is essentially a pure pocket passer.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
He can't miss routine throws.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
But I think that he's calm, he's composed, he stays
with the game. It doesn't overwhelm him based on the
given situations in the game. I thought in the first
game they did a much better job of mixing the
run and the pass elements. I thought this past week
they didn't do it as well. Because they're a foundational
(06:34):
outside zone run team with Vjon Robinson, who by the way,
is absolutely terrific, and I thought we the first week
he played, they did a great job of using that
to get to their play action element. They didn't do
that quite as much the second game he played, and
I don't think they looked as comfortable.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Is there a rookie quarterback you've been most impressed with.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Well, you know, it's interesting pressed with with some of
them in different ways. I mean, Jayden Daniels has obviously
shown the ability situationally to rise to the occasion. You
know when you watch him and you watch every snap
like I do and sit with a remote clicker in
my office. You know, quarterbacks that are very good with
their legs and that leave the pocket and make plays
(07:19):
with their legs, They're always going to leave some throws
on the field, right because they leave the pocket early
at times, and you just have to I think, live
with that. I don't think you're coaching them out of moving.
You know, great quarterbacks in our league, like Josh Allen Mahomes,
they leave the pocket early at times as well, and
you're not going to tell them not to do that.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
That's kind of built into their DNA.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
And I think Daniels is cut from the same cloth,
so there'll be some throws he leaves on the field.
But yet this past week, for instance, was a great
example where his legs kind of took over the game.
I think Drake May has actually played really well given
the circumstance and the situation that he's in and I've
noticed that there are a number of things that were
I don't want to say concerning coming out of college,
(08:01):
but I knew that he needed to clean up that.
I feel like he's done a good job cleaning up
in his first year in the league. He's just on
a team with a poor ole line and no weapons
on the perimeter, so obviously they're not going to win games,
and he's not necessarily going to put up big numbers.
Nicks has been in some ways, He's gotten beyond what
I thought he could be because I think the strength
(08:23):
in his arm, and not just on this throw, which
was obviously an unbelievable throw, but we've talked about this.
We've seen him make those deep dig throws, which those
are armstrained throws. I remember talking to Joe Flacco years
ago and Joe telling me that those deep digs where
you're just kind of sitting on your back foot and
you have to drive the ball twenty two twenty four
yards between the numbers, between the hashes window throws, that
(08:47):
those are really arm strained throws, and Nix has really
shown the ability to do that. I guess Caleb Williams
would be the last guy, and I think while he's
probably incredibly gifted throwing football, I mean really gifted just
throwing a football, I think he has a ways to go.
When I watched him, at times, I feel like he
still has to learn how to play in the NFL. Yeah,
(09:10):
And I've never been a guy Colin who decides a
guy's a bust after playing one year in the league.
So that's not what I'm saying at all. I just
think he's got to learn, and I think he needs
hard coaching. I think they need. This is just my opinion.
Of course, the Bears will do what they want, but
I think they need to hire an NFL coach to
coach him that has an NFL resume and that's done
(09:31):
it in the league and knows what it takes.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
All right.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
So Baltimore's defense was a complete liability early. It's been
it's been I mean really on the back end, it
has been better recently. It looks like a team that
a playoff defense. What is the ingredients that have helped
the turnaround?
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Well, it's funny because you know, watching so much tape
and researching them starting week A level and they made
a big change. They basically moved Kyle Hamilton, who's obviously
a very gifted player. You know, he'd been playing a
lot near the line of scrimmage. He'd been playing slot corner.
They basically moved him to full time safety. Now that
doesn't mean he plays on the back end every single snap,
(10:15):
but he's now a safety in the context of their defense,
not a slot corner, not a box player. So since
they made that change, since week eleven, Colin, they are
the number one third down defense in the NFL. They're
only allowing offenses opposing offenses to convert at a twenty
nine percent clip. Wow, their defense has gotten to be really,
(10:36):
really good. I mean, Hamilton is six ' four, he's
incredibly rangy. He can still do multiple things. He just
doesn't play near the line of scrimmage. The interception, for instance,
he had last week against CJ. Stroud was a great
example of coverage rotation, how they sort of tricked the
quarterback a little bit, and just the length and range
which he has playing closer to the back end than
(10:59):
the front end.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So I said, if I was the Jets, I'd bring
Aaron Rodgers back because it's not a robust quarterback draft,
and I don't think the Vikings are gonna let air
Sam Darnold hit the market, so I'd bring him back.
I have also said I think he's somewhere between the
thirteenth and sixteenth best quarterback in the league.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That's just sort of what he is.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
You tell me, can he lead a team and carry
a team?
Speaker 6 (11:22):
What is?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Now? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:25):
You know, I think if you just look at the
way he throws a football and the mental part of
the game, he's still right up there. I mean, he
can just still snap it off with the best in
the league. Mentally, he's smart. Don't forget he's forty and
he's coming off in Achilles, you know, And I think
this is almost I don't want to say it's a
practice year for him, because that'd be wrong. He's playing
in the league and when you're out there, you got
(11:46):
to perform. But I'm very curious to see, if he's
back with the Jets, and if he's a starting quarterback
next year, how he would play, because coming off that
injury at that age, that's a really difficult thing to do,
I would imagine. Obviously I've never to do that, but
just when you watch him throw a football and you
know the mental part of the game. You speak to
any coach that's been around Aaron Rodgers and they'll tell
(12:08):
you how incredibly smart he is as a player. So,
you know, Elite's a word that's thrown around too much.
I'm not gonna sit here and say, man, he's elite,
but I think he still can play in this league
based on how he throws it and how he sees
the game mentally. I'd love to see him get another
year to see he can come back even more from that.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Achilles.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, no, last eight weeks he had one stinker in
six or seven good games. So one of the enigmas
of the NFL this year, And I just can't explain it.
Why are the Rams so bad offensively in the first half.
It's like it's like Stafford needs a have to warm
up the old bones. Usually offensive coaches on script are
(12:48):
pretty good first two drives. The Rams are a much
better team after the break. It's almost like it takes
a while to get heated up. What I mean, they
also feel very Puka nakuaead What is it with the
Rams offense?
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Yeah, I don't have a you know, I get asked
that about a lot of teams. You know that starts slowly,
and you make a great point. I mean, most of
these coaches do script everything to start, and you would
think that that script would really be good based on
the fact that they're working that off the tendencies and
probabilities of the opponent. But some teams just seem to
get off the slow starts. I will say this, and
(13:24):
you and I both like Stafford. There's no question he's
a great quarterback and has been for a long time.
But I think they are now a running football team,
and that's where it all starts.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
It starts with Kyron Williams.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
Now, he's not a great back in the way we
think of the great backs. He's certainly not explosive, but
he's a grinder. He gets hard yards. I mean he
has well over three hundred carries colin. So this is
an offense that starts with him. And very often when
you start with the run game. You see that at
times with the Packers too, they start with Josh Jacobs.
(13:54):
Sometimes these teams that start with the run game don't
necessarily hit the big explosive plays early and they sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Worked through the game.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
A lot of these coaches work through the game and
they want to see how the defense reacts to certain
things they do certain you know, it's funny, these teams
were talking about are all heavy shifting and motion teams,
and very often the coaches wanted to get a feel
for how the defense reacts to the shifts and the motions,
and then they make it a four quarter game, and
as the game goes on, they get such a good
(14:24):
feel for the defense that that's when they start executing better.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, another question, c J.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Stroud.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I mean, I know he lost a star receiver, but
it does feel like he's regressed. What's happened.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yeah, a couple of things, in my opinion. Number one,
I think, you know, even going back to his days
at Ohio State when he was rarely under duress, and
then last year in the NFL he was rarely under duress.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
This year, the old line hasn't been quite as good.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Laramie Tunssel has not had his best season as a
pass protector, so he's been under a little more consistent pressure.
So I think one of the next things in his
developmental stages is he's going to have to learn how
to play out of squeezed and muddied pockets better. You
can't just say, well, the all line's not good. This
is the NFL. There's going to be bodies around you.
(15:16):
And I think that what happens with quarterbacks that are
in use to playing when there's people around them, Colin
is they start to feel pressure when it's not there,
they perceive it, they anticipate it, and.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
They speed up everything they do.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
And when you start to speed up everything you do,
your mechanics, your throwing motion, you lose a little bit
of your ball location. And this year he's not been
as precise with his ball location as he was a
year ago, when it seemed like he never missed a throw.
This year he's missing some throws that, by NFL standards,
are routine. And I think he's just playing a little fast.
(15:51):
He needs to slow down, and I assume that'll come
with time. I don't think that he's not going to
be a good quarterback in the league. I think he
just needs to work through that process.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I think the Chargers Harbaugh's obviously made them a more
physical football team, and I think when JK. Dobbins is healthy,
they have enough offense to win multiple playoff games. I
don't think because they could use another ex receiver, but
their offense, it has its moments, and those moments are
(16:23):
usually when they have their best back on the roster.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
JK. Dobbins.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I think then they're pretty lethal because you know, I've
sea said with Harball, he squeezes the jeuice out of
every roster. Even the national championship team had two five
star guys, Alabama had eighteen. What has he done to
just squeeze the juice out of this offense because there's
not a lot of Pro Bowl level players on it
(16:47):
outside of Herbert.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
No, and Herbert's really really good. He's actually a joy
to watch on tape.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
You know what really surprised me because I did a
deep dive into them this week because obviously they're going
to be in the playoffs, people might be surprised that
seventy five percent of his dropbacks this year have actually
come with three wide receivers on the field, because I
think there's a sense that now playing with this Scott Mattlocke,
the converted defensive end who essentially is their fallback, I
(17:14):
think there's a sense that this is a team that
just lines up with big people and they come after
you and they know they knock you down. You know,
they play physically, which they do, by the way, But
when they throw the football, it's high percentage out of
three wide receivers. And I wouldn't say their three roide
receiver group is anywhere near the best in the league,
although I think you and I both love McConkey and
(17:36):
he's been phenomenal working out of the slot. But when
they throw the ball, they throw out of three wide receivers.
They push it down the field. Herbert is as an
easy thrower as there is in the league. And they
do a lot of really good things schematically to attack
defenses that they anticipate. So it's a combination of many things,
(17:57):
as it usually is when a team plays well.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
All Right, Baker Mayfield, I thought Tampa was a great fit.
I thought he has a young, smart offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Both.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I think it's interesting that Darnald and Baker in that
twenty eighteen draft class, combined with Lamar and Josh Allen
from that class, there are four hits in that class,
and we've had a string of really good quarterback classes
about every third year. What is it with Baker and
Tampa that works beyond just Mike Evans is very good
that we know.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Yeah, I think they do a great job with play action.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
The run action game is really really good for them,
you know.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
And Baker has always been an aggressive thrower, yes, and
you know I think that to me, that's always been
a positive. Well, he make a couple of bad throws
here and there, where you go, hey, Baker, why did
you throw that one? Sure, he'll do that, but he
is willing to make tough throws between the numbers, between
the hashes. And you know, when you talk to quarterbacks,
they will tell you when the tape confirms this.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
He's got a really good arm.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Yes, I mean, you know, because he's smaller and maybe
people don't see him as a physical quarterback the way
they see some other quarterbacks in the league. But he
really can snap off throws and he can make throws
to all parts of the field, and he is willing
to make those throws. And he's played really, really well
this year. And I think that offense presents him with
(19:21):
a lot of clean, defined looks, same as in Minnesota
with Darnold.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
So let's look at the play of the week. It's
against Carolina and it's Baker doing his thing.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Yeah, this play was one of my favorites from the
week because you know me, I've always been a big
believer and you have to make these tight window throws
in the NFL. It's hard to play quarterback in this
league if you can't make those kinds of throws in
squeezed environments because the hash marks are closer. So let's
take a look at this and this is to Mike
Evans as well. So let's take a look at this
play from last week. You're going to see it ends
(19:52):
up being a thirty plus yard play, but there's so
much to this play that is really really good. And
we spoke about the play action. You're going to see
that Mayfield is under center, and I've always believed under
center play action is more effective.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
They're in what we call.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
A one x three Nubs set, meaning the tight end
is the single receiver to the boundary side and he's attached.
So what you're going to get here is what we
call cross country dagger. You're going to get McMillan from
inside running across the field, not straight, vertically across the field,
and then Evans is going to run the dig. So
(20:28):
it's dagger, but it's cross country dagger. And then to
eat up the outside corner. They're going to take the
third receiver and run them on an outside vertical. Now
on that side of the field, they're going to get
cover two.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
So what does that mean That the safety.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Is going to expand and sink and the corner is
going to stay low.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
That's cover two.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
That's the underneath hook defender to that side of the field.
He becomes important in this play because Baker's going to
have to beat him.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
But the safety on.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
The other side is important because they're playing quarters to
the other side, so his eyes are the trip side
of the offensive formation.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
And so what happens is he gets eaten up.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
Now as we're going to start to run this play,
he's getting eaten up by the cross country part of
the dagger concept by McMillan. Because McMillan's not running a
straight vertical. McMillan's basically running at that backside safety, so
that safety can't come into the middle of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
He's being held by McMillan.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
So now you get Evans on the dig and that's
going to be an avoid So now you get the
safety to that side. He's sunk because it's covered too
so he retreats and the player that Baker has to
beat is that underneath hook defender. But he's going to
throw this between the numbers in the middle of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
These are hard NFL throws. These are big time throws.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
And you see Baker make this throw, and you're going
to see it really cleanly. From behind Baker. You can
almost see how he's seeing it that. It's how tough
these throws are. There's a lot of bodies in the
middle of the field. And by the way, that's an
area that a lot of college quarterbacks colin when they
get to the league they struggle with because with the
hashmarks much wider in college, you don't have to make
(22:08):
a lot of tight window throws in college football.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, you don't.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Great Senia, Happy holidays, and uh, I always appreciate you
stopping by and making a smarter Greg, Thank you.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Con I appreciate I love being with you.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Thanks all right, Greg Cosel forty five years NFL Films.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Yeah, that's a big time throw by him. It's great.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
You go back to that twenty eighteen draft class, Josh Allen,
Lamar Darnold Baker, Boom boom, boom, boom, then you go
a couple of years later Herbert Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Tua.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Boom boom boom boom boom.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
This year, Caleb Jaden, Bow, Panix, Drake May, don't know
about JJ McCarthy. So that's from twenty eighteen until last year,
a six year stretch. Every other year roughly we've had
a star. It used to be the big quarterback draft
was the l Way Marino Draft. This draft right now,
(23:04):
if Caleb Williams gets it right, Jaden's a star period. Pennix,
Drake May, and bo Nix have a lot of talent.
You keep rolling your eyes on this stuff. I not.
Speaker 7 (23:17):
Pennix has started two games down.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Let me ask you this, slow down. How about when
Greg Cosel said the Rams are now a run team,
telling you they are seeing some limitations at quarterback. Why
don't the Rams, who only need a number one corner
and probably another X receiver, Why wouldn't the Rams give
up one of their third round picks for JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 7 (23:43):
Oh, it's gonna cost way more than that.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Well, I'm saying I'll give you a three this year
and a four, and then I'll give you you give
us a five, and I'll give you a two to
the following year top twelve.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
Overall, there's no.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Had two surgeries, no shot none.
Speaker 8 (24:00):
I'm surprised you don't want to see what you've got
in McCarthy like you saw low preseason.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
You know the Rams did homework on him because Stafford
was older last year. The Rams have done their homework.
Speaker 7 (24:10):
I met the Vikings before you ship him out of town.
You don't want to see him with Like.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
When everybody told you, let's go back to our show.
Everybody loved JJ McCarthy and there were multiple reports teams
are moving up for him, not even the Vikings. The
Vikings gave away a fourth and a fifth round pick
to move up a couple slots. That's all they gave up.
That's all the Vikings gave up was a fourth and
(24:36):
a fifth. So Kevin McConnell, the quarterback expert, he wasn't
willing to give up that much and he's the guy
that knows quarterbacks.
Speaker 8 (24:47):
Now you got me thinking the Vikings are like one
of the top five off season interesting teams.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
They are, but.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
They wouldn't have been like a month ago.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
I mean, Darnald wasn't playing this well a month ago.
He's really I don't see a world where they keep him.
But why making a decent argument?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
You would let him walk out the door? Yeah, huh,
you would not. No, I think Darnold's plan at You
have like a man crush on him and he's your mind?
Do you text him Happy New Year? By the way,
are you guys that close?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I don't like to get into my relationships.
Speaker 9 (25:20):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
at noon eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio App.
Speaker 10 (25:29):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 11 (25:35):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio App.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 11 (25:43):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Going on in the world.
Speaker 10 (25:48):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 11 (25:56):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. That says something, right,
So check us out. We like to get you involved too.
Take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Most interactive show on planetar.
Speaker 10 (26:11):
Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, and if you
miss any of the live show, just search Kobin on
Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on
social media.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
That's Covino and Rich. I hope you're having a great
new year so far. Be safe out there.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
I'm heading into a polar express. J Mac is very
concerned about my weather choices in life. So he loves
beaches and I do too, but sometimes it's okay to
put a coat on.
Speaker 7 (26:41):
It was nice sixty degrees yesterday out near the beach.
You soak up any of the rays.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I was watching college football after my workout from ten
to ten until I went to bed.
Speaker 7 (26:50):
You may when it was thirty four. Nothing you were
locked into or.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Don't know if I was locked in. I was making
something to eat, but I was watching Jmack with a news.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
No, no turn on the news. This is the herd
line news.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
Speaking of locking in, the Eagles have locked up the
number two seed in the NFC.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
Resting their starters in week eighteen the smart move, we agree.
Speaker 8 (27:12):
However, interesting thing on Wednesday's injury report Colin Jalen Hurts
is still in concussion protocol and was non participant.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
Was a non participant and yesterday's walk through.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
This is uh obviously bears monitoring because this is get
not quite two weeks, but we're getting getting up there,
close to two weeks.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Still in concussion protocol.
Speaker 8 (27:38):
Eagles resting their guys this week, they would be posting
if things hold now the Packers.
Speaker 7 (27:45):
Opening weekend, that's not good for Philly.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
That is a fascinating game.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
We start looking at these playoff games, green Bay and
PHILADELI I like Philadelphia in that spot. I think I
think Detroit well, Detroit beat green Bay twice and part
of it was running out football and that offensive line,
and Philadelphia is a line team right now. My favorite
part of green Bay is the perimeter. I think they've
got a lot of speed on the perimeter, like I do,
(28:11):
like what Jacobs has provided to their run game. But
I think Philadelphia and Detroit are a hard matchup for
almost everybody in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
They just overpower you.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
So it was gonna be Washington Philly, and then you know,
Packers keep losing, Washington keeps winning.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
I think Green Bay is extremely dangerous.
Speaker 8 (28:28):
We saw what they went into Dallas, but Dallas doesn't
have the roster that's close to film.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
I think the Packers were like six or seven point underdogs,
and memory serves I could be wrong.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
They were significant underdogs and it was like twenty seven
to nothing early in Then here's a beatdown.
Speaker 7 (28:43):
I'd be careful Christian Watson's there.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
There's some splits circulating on the internet about the Packers
offense with and without Kristian Watson healthy, and it's.
Speaker 7 (28:51):
Not good if he's back for that game.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
You got young cornerbacks in Philly, Nick Sirianni potentially hot seat.
I'd be a little nervous facing the package.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
Remember that season opener in.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Well what worries saying Jalen Hurts isn't practicing or playing
for several weeks. That's what I don't want major And
they've also been a bad first quarter team all year.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Worst in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
So if Green Bay gets off to a seven nothing,
ten nothing lead and all of a sudden the crowds grumbling,
hurts his kind of rusty, panicky yelling at the crowd
and yelling at his players, you could see it unravel
in Philadelphia really fast.
Speaker 7 (29:27):
Definitely for sure.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Next up is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, headed the week
a team needing a win to lock up the fourth
seed and the NFC South title. However, let's keep an
eye on Mike Evans Colin chasing an eleventh straight one
thousand yard season. He's only eighty five yards away from
a thousand, and Baker Mayfield wants.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
To make sure to get that achievement for a wide receiver.
Speaker 12 (29:50):
Getting him involved early and often is a lot of
the reasons we've had success. And so do those things
go hand in hand. Ye, there's balance and the most
important things winning. But I see it out. You know,
if we win, that's Mice getting the record, and so yeah,
we gotta folks on winning and get in the ball.
But guys playing for each other, and that's Mike won't
say anything about it, And that's just who he is
(30:12):
and that's why we love him. That's why everybody loves him.
That's why he's been so consistent for so long. It's
never been about just himself. It's been about winning and
trying to find ways to win.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Baker, he feels like a good fit in Tampa.
Speaker 7 (30:22):
He's really grown up.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
He's a little swash buckler. They're the Pirates. It kind
of feels like it works.
Speaker 8 (30:27):
So Mike Evans can earn a three million dollar bonus
if he gets five catches for eighty.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Five, Well, I would.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
If I would Baker may Field the first series, I'd
get him three right there.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
I don't think they put the prop totals up, but
Mike Evans is going to be high and he's probably
gonna hit it.
Speaker 7 (30:42):
Colin, look at the the class that Mike Evans is in.
Speaker 8 (30:46):
Here most consecutive seasons with a thousand or more receiving yards.
Speaker 7 (30:49):
Jerry Rice is won, and then it's.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
Mike Evans, Tim Brown, legendary player, Tory Holt, Arvin Harrison,
Chris Carter.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
We're at the play were Mike Evans.
Speaker 8 (31:00):
Is he a top ten receiver in the history of
the NFL, I mean, top fifteen. He's got the numbers
to back it up. And he hasn't always had amazing quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
So who are the top ten receivers? Jerry Rice, Randy Moss,
Calvin Johnson.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Chris Carter's probably got to be in there for some
of his accolades to certainly up there. I mean, and
Mike Evans, you know, not the sexiest name.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
He just every season he goes out and delivers consistently.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
He's really good, man.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
I think he is.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
I mean, top five I can name. Then it gets
a little dicey. I'm not sure if I can.
Speaker 8 (31:34):
Yeah, because there's some there's a lot of baseball stat patters.
You know, this is not stat pattings. He's got to
do this for the Bucks to win and no godwin.
I mean, Evans is just a great story man, awesome player.
Final story Colin is to college football. We had the
crazy matchup in that Peach Bowl, Texas Arizona State just
an absolute thriller.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
The sun Devils, as I said earlier, out gaining.
Speaker 8 (31:57):
The Longhorns five ten to three seventy five, they were
down sixteen in the final seven minutes for double overtime.
Kelly Kenny Dillingham thinks that Arizona State proved they belonged.
Speaker 13 (32:11):
When you look at it, did we belong on the field.
I think a lot of people were questioning that, and
I don't think any person in questions if we've belonged
on the field.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Now.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
There are no moral.
Speaker 13 (32:20):
Victories when the season ends, there's no such thing. This
should hurt, this would be painful. The locker room is
dreadful right now, and it should be. If it wasn't,
something would be wrong. But at the same token, now
that this is over, I really am going to challenge
our guys to reflect on where it all started, because
(32:40):
it really is remarkable.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
That's great. I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
They were able to create offense. They didn't have three
and outs. How many players they have ninety seven, so
it's insane. I mean Texas with all that talent, had
three and outs. I mean they had sustained drives. It
was one of those games that if I would have
guessed time of possession, I'm like, I'd have to rick
(33:07):
because Texas had big plays, they didn't have a lot
of sustained drive.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Yeah, it felt like an NCAA tournament game, sixteen versus one, right,
huge underdog, big deficit and then they throw it back.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
And your rooting for them.
Speaker 8 (33:20):
Man, I can't get over that targeting place. How angry
do you think ASU grads must be come?
Speaker 7 (33:24):
That was? I mean helmet to helmet clear targeting though.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Well, I was talking to my buddy John Middlkoff last night.
I don't like the call because I think over the
course of the last six seven years, players aren't doing that.
Anytime there's a collision, it's accidental. Nobody's head hunting. It's
been kind of coached out of the sport. So I
don't like it, and I never like college kids getting
thrown out the game of football. The players are getting bigger, stronger, faster,
(33:51):
The collisions are getting gnarlier, and they're happening quicker. I
don't know a single player in college that I would
say that guy's a head hunter. That's just not that.
That's not something college fall has. When you have these
occasional helmet to helmet hits, now, that's about as bad
as it gets in college.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I understand that to me is a penalty.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
I think they should get rid of the ejection rule,
and to be honest with you, I think it was
necessary seven to eight years ago. I don't even think
I don't think it's as necessary.
Speaker 8 (34:20):
Well, it's like what is a catch in the NFL?
You know how it's still debated. A lot of these
guys are saying, I don't know what targeting is, and
I think Dillingham was one of them.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
He's like, I don't know what targeting is. That the
rule just doesn't I mean, that was clear helmet to helmet.
But speaking of head hunting and that Boise State game.
Speaker 8 (34:35):
Colin, that guy who decked acting genty out of the blue,
come on, that was as dirty as it gets.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
I think a number thirty three a Penn State. You
remember that play.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
It was like, off the turnover, Gentsy's standing there and
he's just blind side.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
We don't need that in football.
Speaker 8 (34:49):
Well, that guy got a fifteen yard penalty later for
hitting the quarterback in the end zone. Well, you know,
I don't want to go after our college gid, but.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That's football's off.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
It's probably why I didn't play it.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
You've got a genty sort of physical statue. So you're
the little guys.
Speaker 7 (35:05):
I prefer Scataboo.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
But Scattaboo's a house he is.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
That's how I feel because sometimes getting the handoffs.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yeah, all right, Beach volleyball guy.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
All right, J Mack with the news.
Speaker 9 (35:16):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd line.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Winter is officially upon us.
Speaker 9 (35:23):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter non a em Pacific.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
The final week of the NFL season comes down to this.
At one Eastern, it's winning They're in as Baker Mayfield
and the Bucks look to punch their ticket to the
playoffs against the Saints. Den At four, the Dolphins fight
for the final AFC playoffs spot against the Jets.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
It's a huge doubleheader Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
You know, years ago, when Trevor Lawrence came out in
the draft the quarterback for the Jags, he got some
criticism for saying, my life is not designed by football
or defined by football. And Andrew Luck retired early his
life was not defined by football, Aaron Rodgers. His measuring
stick for success is one that Brady Mahomes and Peyton
(36:11):
Manning and Drew Brees would probably roll.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Their eye out.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
You know, he doesn't consider football the be all end all,
nor does he consider winning the be all end all.
He talked about his future with the New York Jets.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
I mean gratitude.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
Honestly, it's been the best two years of my life's
and that's a perspective adjustment that happened, I think at
some point during the rehab process last year. But then
just the excitement. F I'll back in love with the game,
getting to know these guys in the year, getting know
the great men and women.
Speaker 4 (36:40):
The work here been a lot of fun. You know.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
It's obviously on the field has been short of expectations,
no doubt, but this game is more than just that.
And this caves about the relationships.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Well, I mean, for a quarterback, relationships are important, especially
when the relationships equal rings. But Aaron and Trevor Lawrence
probably different, and Andrew luck was different. To be an
all time great, generally you have to be and I
don't care if it's on Wall Street or football kind
of obsessed tech law kind of obsessed. Aaron isn't, so
(37:15):
he said he needs a break mentally, physically put his
feet in the sand. It doesn't really shock me. I
think Aaron's still talented, but I just think he measures
success differently. And I do believe you got a lot
less of this early in his career when he was
going toe to toe with Brady and Manning, and then
I think both Peyton and Tom Brady separated from him
on the field and he kind of pivoted to a Hey,
(37:37):
football is not the most important thing. Maybe it's a
protective mechanism. I don't know, but it does feel like
the last six or seven years when Brady and Manning
sort of stacked trophies and that he kind of pivoted
away from football in terms of off season. I want
to do more than football. It's his right. He's not
the first quarterback to not be obsessed with winning. I
(37:57):
still if I was, the Jets would keep him because
I think, you know, he's somewhere between twelve thirteenth fifteenth
sixteen best quarterback. Maybe he's played very well late, he
gets another off season, you know, because he was a
bit rusty early in the season. Maybe next year is
the big year and the final year. Here's Greg Kosell
and what he's seen on Tapa erin.
Speaker 5 (38:18):
He can just still snap it off with the best
in the league. Mentally, he's smart. Don't forget he's forty.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
And he's coming off in Achilles, you know.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
And I think this is almost I don't want to
say it's a practice year for him, because that'd be wrong.
He's playing in the league, and when you're out there,
you got to perform. But I'm very curious to see
if he's back with the Jets and if he's a
starting quarterback next year, how he would play. But I
think he still can play in this league based on
how he throws it and how he sees the game mentally.
(38:47):
I'd love to see him get another year to see
if he can come back even more from that Achilles.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
So he said New York's been the best two years
of his life. One of them was injured, and one
of them they stunk. So winning is obviously not the
most important thing. I'm not taking a shot at him,
but that's what he's saying. I mean, if I went
through a two years of a bad marriage and said
this has been the best two years of my life,
it's an indictment on the marriage, right. So it's like
(39:12):
winning is not the most important thing because he won
in Green Bay and got great coaching and won the division,
and he considers that second to his New York experience.
So you just have to listen. He kind of spends
his off seasons like that is true. Maybe that's why
he started the season's low. Maybe his rehab was like that.
It wasn't the most important thing. I don't know, but
(39:33):
when you say this is the best two years of
my life and it's been one injured rehabbing and one
a disaster, it tells me that winning's not the most
important thing.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Okay, Judge free zone, whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
But I always I kind of feel like he trains
like that, and his off seasons are like that, and
maybe his rehab was like that. That's what it feels
like to me. Also, the story that deserves another discussion,
Adam Schefter saying teams will call on JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
Why is that out?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Diana Russini reporting Vikings want to sign Sam Darnold. I'll
say it again, two legitimate reporters. They may just be
putting J. J. McCarthy feelers out there. Seattle's got the
eighteenth pick. Minnesota desperately needs draft picks. They don't have
a second, a third, or a fourth don't have it.
(40:31):
And in a division where Detroit is stacked, Chicago could
ascend with a new coach, and Green Bay is the
youngest good team in the league, you can't have a
first round pick and not draft until the fifth. So
I could see because Daniel Jones is not gonna fetch
a lot of picks in a bad quarterback draft. And
(40:52):
it's bad JJ McCarthy because remember the Vikings. A lot
of teams did their work on JJ McCarthy, and the
Vikings only used a fourth and a fifth rounder to
get him. They didn't consider him. I mean, what you
trade for a player is what you consider. I think
(41:13):
you can get draft picks that Minnesota desperately needs, and
I also think they're not letting Sam Darnold go and
why do they bring Daniel Jones in in November. I'm
just saying there's a lot of drip, drip drip. There's
a lot of things that connect, and on this show,
we would love to be the first one to put
(41:33):
the pieces together. But Schefter now reporting teams will be interested.
Why is that out today? Our 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 Sportsradio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening
to the Herd podcast. Here we go our two on
(00:24):
a Thursday, live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd wherever
you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Greg cosall in
a couple of minutes. Now, it's interesting what to do
with Russell Wilson. So Pittsburgh host the Bengals. I think
(00:45):
they'll win. Cincinnati's more fun to watch. Pittsburgh probably wins.
They could still potentially win the division if Baltimore gagged
against Cleveland, but they won't. So if the Steelers win,
they're guaranteed to get the Texans at home, and everybody
in the AFC one to play the Texans. So there's
a possibility here they're gonna win, play the Texans and
win a playoff game.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
But if you take and here's here's the good news.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
If you take the last Big Ben year out and
then the two after that, pre Russell Wilson, there was
a three year stretch where the offense was awful.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
It's no longer awful. It's okay.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
They are very dependent on wide receiver George Pickens, who
is moody, young, and appears to be high maintenance. They're
also in the AFC, which is the Super Star Quarterback
Conference and an in an era where great defenses don't
win Super Bowls, great offenses do. So the good news
they've graduated out of lowsey, but once again they have
(01:41):
no Pro bowlers on offense for the third straight year,
and whereas the Kansas City Chiefs are going for their
third straight Super Bowl, the Steelers will for the third
year in a row, lead the NFL in defensive spending.
Thirty years ago, the Green Bay Packers, a small market team,
(02:02):
pivoted to offense and they've never looked back. Always relevant,
won a lot of playoff games. The Pittsburgh Steelers have
always been about defense, even when they had Terry Bradshaw
and Big Ben, and they've become a team with an
incredibly low ceiling as the league over the last decade
has pivoted to an offensive league, so they're no longer lousy,
(02:25):
but again lead the NFL third year in a row
defensive spending. You know, it's it's like it's like, you know,
you ever meet a chainsmoker. They know what's killing them,
but they can't stop. Like defense is where they're going
to spend their money. They know it's not going to
win trophies, but they can't stop. And that's what Pittsburgh is.
(02:50):
I think they'll beat Cincinnati. I think they'll beat the Texans,
so they'll they'll get a host of a playoff game and
they'll win, and so the feeling will be it was
a successful season. But I don't think you can have
no Pro bowlers three years in a row on offense,
lead the NFL in spending defensively three years in a row,
and be a viable Super Bowl team. Here's Mike Tomlin's
(03:12):
message to his team, with a chance to beat Cincy
and get a home game against the Texans.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Take care of football and stay on schedule. I think
when we stay on the schedule and we take care
of football, we're a formidable grouping. At times, particularly in
the last several weeks, we've been spotty in those regards.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So you know, if they beat Cincinnati and the Texans,
Steeler fans are going to tell you look at us.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, I'm looking no Pro Bowlers offense.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You've graduated out of lousey to okay, middle of the
pack offensively. Greg Cosel forty five years NFL Films. All right,
we were talking last hour Vikings Lions.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
I think.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Sometimes this happens. We get a great coaching staff. I
think Kevin O'Connell's remarkable. I think Brian Flores is excellent.
I don't love the Vikings defensive personnel. I love how
it's coached Detroit. I think offensively, there's like hall of
famers on this roster, like it's just two running backs.
Great old line. When you look at the film on
(04:20):
the Vikings and Lions, do you see a clear delineation
and talent scheme, Like, what does the film say when
these two teams match up?
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Well?
Speaker 5 (04:30):
Staying with the side of the ball you're on, Colin,
I think you're right to some extent about the Vikings
defense in terms of personnel, but I think they're difficult
to play against because they're so multiple with their front looks.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
They are multiple on the back end in terms.
Speaker 5 (04:48):
Of coverage rotation, so it's difficult for quarterback to process
it because he has to be concerned about what the
front looks like. You get too focused on the front,
you lose track of the coverage rotation. You get too
focused on the coverage, you lose track of what the
pressure concepts could be. So they're difficult to play against. Now,
these teams did play Week seven and Jared Goff, who
(05:10):
by the way, has had an outstanding season and is
just one of those really really solid veteran quarterbacks in
all areas. He did a phenomenal job, as did the
entire Lions offense against all these vikings looks. Goff was
tremendous against their pressure schemes.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
But there's still a.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
Difficult defense to play against, even if they don't necessarily
have Pro ball all pro type players on the defense.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
So I want to engage here on a couple of
young quarterbacks before we get into some of the bigger
names in the sport. So let's start with Michael Pennix.
I think we both liked him out of college. He
had a ton of starts, a lot of pass eleve
the nation in pass attempts at Washington, it was a
pro style offense.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
What have you seen so far on tape on Michael Pennocks.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I think he's been solid.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I think he's a pocket player for the most part,
he's poised, he comped. I thought in the last game
he missed a few that we would expect him to hit,
and he's going to have to make those. He can't
miss because of the style of quarterback he is, which
is essentially a pure pocket passer.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
He can't miss routine throws.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
But I think that he's calm, he's composed, he stays
with the game. It doesn't overwhelm him based on the
given situations in the game. I thought in the first
game they did a much better job of mixing the
run and the pass elements. I thought this past week
they didn't do it as well. Because they're a foundational
(06:34):
outside zone run team with Vjon Robinson, who by the way,
is absolutely terrific, and I thought we the first week
he played, they did a great job of using that
to get to their play action element. They didn't do
that quite as much the second game he played, and
I don't think they looked as comfortable.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Is there a rookie quarterback you've been most impressed with.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Well, you know, it's interesting pressed with with some of
them in different ways. I mean, Jayden Daniels has obviously
shown the ability situationally to rise to the occasion. You
know when you watch him and you watch every snap
like I do and sit with a remote clicker in
my office. You know, quarterbacks that are very good with
their legs and that leave the pocket and make plays
(07:19):
with their legs, They're always going to leave some throws
on the field, right because they leave the pocket early
at times, and you just have to I think, live
with that. I don't think you're coaching them out of moving.
You know, great quarterbacks in our league, like Josh Allen Mahomes,
they leave the pocket early at times as well, and
you're not going to tell them not to do that.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
That's kind of built into their DNA.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
And I think Daniels is cut from the same cloth,
so there'll be some throws he leaves on the field.
But yet this past week, for instance, was a great
example where his legs kind of took over the game.
I think Drake May has actually played really well given
the circumstance and the situation that he's in and I've
noticed that there are a number of things that were
I don't want to say concerning coming out of college,
(08:01):
but I knew that he needed to clean up that.
I feel like he's done a good job cleaning up
in his first year in the league. He's just on
a team with a poor ole line and no weapons
on the perimeter, so obviously they're not going to win games,
and he's not necessarily going to put up big numbers.
Nicks has been in some ways, He's gotten beyond what
I thought he could be because I think the strength
(08:23):
in his arm, and not just on this throw, which
was obviously an unbelievable throw, but we've talked about this.
We've seen him make those deep dig throws, which those
are armstrained throws. I remember talking to Joe Flacco years
ago and Joe telling me that those deep digs where
you're just kind of sitting on your back foot and
you have to drive the ball twenty two twenty four
yards between the numbers, between the hashes window throws, that
(08:47):
those are really arm strained throws, and Nix has really
shown the ability to do that. I guess Caleb Williams
would be the last guy, and I think while he's
probably incredibly gifted throwing football, I mean really gifted just
throwing a football, I think he has a ways to go.
When I watched him, at times, I feel like he
still has to learn how to play in the NFL. Yeah,
(09:10):
And I've never been a guy Colin who decides a
guy's a bust after playing one year in the league.
So that's not what I'm saying at all. I just
think he's got to learn, and I think he needs
hard coaching. I think they need. This is just my opinion.
Of course, the Bears will do what they want, but
I think they need to hire an NFL coach to
coach him that has an NFL resume and that's done
(09:31):
it in the league and knows what it takes.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
All right.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
So Baltimore's defense was a complete liability early. It's been
it's been I mean really on the back end, it
has been better recently. It looks like a team that
a playoff defense. What is the ingredients that have helped
the turnaround?
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Well, it's funny because you know, watching so much tape
and researching them starting week A level and they made
a big change. They basically moved Kyle Hamilton, who's obviously
a very gifted player. You know, he'd been playing a
lot near the line of scrimmage. He'd been playing slot corner.
They basically moved him to full time safety. Now that
doesn't mean he plays on the back end every single snap,
(10:15):
but he's now a safety in the context of their defense,
not a slot corner, not a box player. So since
they made that change, since week eleven, Colin, they are
the number one third down defense in the NFL. They're
only allowing offenses opposing offenses to convert at a twenty
nine percent clip. Wow, their defense has gotten to be really,
(10:36):
really good. I mean, Hamilton is six ' four, he's
incredibly rangy. He can still do multiple things. He just
doesn't play near the line of scrimmage. The interception, for instance,
he had last week against CJ. Stroud was a great
example of coverage rotation, how they sort of tricked the
quarterback a little bit, and just the length and range
which he has playing closer to the back end than
(10:59):
the front end.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
So I said, if I was the Jets, I'd bring
Aaron Rodgers back because it's not a robust quarterback draft,
and I don't think the Vikings are gonna let air
Sam Darnold hit the market, so I'd bring him back.
I have also said I think he's somewhere between the
thirteenth and sixteenth best quarterback in the league.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
That's just sort of what he is.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
You tell me, can he lead a team and carry
a team?
Speaker 6 (11:22):
What is?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
Now? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:25):
You know, I think if you just look at the
way he throws a football and the mental part of
the game, he's still right up there. I mean, he
can just still snap it off with the best in
the league. Mentally, he's smart. Don't forget he's forty and
he's coming off in Achilles, you know, And I think
this is almost I don't want to say it's a
practice year for him, because that'd be wrong. He's playing
in the league and when you're out there, you got
(11:46):
to perform. But I'm very curious to see, if he's
back with the Jets, and if he's a starting quarterback
next year, how he would play, because coming off that
injury at that age, that's a really difficult thing to do,
I would imagine. Obviously I've never to do that, but
just when you watch him throw a football and you
know the mental part of the game. You speak to
any coach that's been around Aaron Rodgers and they'll tell
(12:08):
you how incredibly smart he is as a player. So,
you know, Elite's a word that's thrown around too much.
I'm not gonna sit here and say, man, he's elite,
but I think he still can play in this league
based on how he throws it and how he sees
the game mentally. I'd love to see him get another
year to see he can come back even more from that.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Achilles.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Yeah, no, last eight weeks he had one stinker in
six or seven good games. So one of the enigmas
of the NFL this year, And I just can't explain it.
Why are the Rams so bad offensively in the first half.
It's like it's like Stafford needs a have to warm
up the old bones. Usually offensive coaches on script are
(12:48):
pretty good first two drives. The Rams are a much
better team after the break. It's almost like it takes
a while to get heated up. What I mean, they
also feel very Puka nakuaead What is it with the
Rams offense?
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Yeah, I don't have a you know, I get asked
that about a lot of teams. You know that starts slowly,
and you make a great point. I mean, most of
these coaches do script everything to start, and you would
think that that script would really be good based on
the fact that they're working that off the tendencies and
probabilities of the opponent. But some teams just seem to
get off the slow starts. I will say this, and
(13:24):
you and I both like Stafford. There's no question he's
a great quarterback and has been for a long time.
But I think they are now a running football team,
and that's where it all starts.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
It starts with Kyron Williams.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
Now, he's not a great back in the way we
think of the great backs. He's certainly not explosive, but
he's a grinder. He gets hard yards. I mean he
has well over three hundred carries colin. So this is
an offense that starts with him. And very often when
you start with the run game. You see that at
times with the Packers too, they start with Josh Jacobs.
(13:54):
Sometimes these teams that start with the run game don't
necessarily hit the big explosive plays early and they sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Worked through the game.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
A lot of these coaches work through the game and
they want to see how the defense reacts to certain
things they do certain you know, it's funny, these teams
were talking about are all heavy shifting and motion teams,
and very often the coaches wanted to get a feel
for how the defense reacts to the shifts and the motions,
and then they make it a four quarter game, and
as the game goes on, they get such a good
(14:24):
feel for the defense that that's when they start executing better.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yeah, another question, c J.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Stroud.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
I mean, I know he lost a star receiver, but
it does feel like he's regressed. What's happened.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Yeah, a couple of things, in my opinion. Number one,
I think, you know, even going back to his days
at Ohio State when he was rarely under duress, and
then last year in the NFL he was rarely under duress.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
This year, the old line hasn't been quite as good.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Laramie Tunssel has not had his best season as a
pass protector, so he's been under a little more consistent pressure.
So I think one of the next things in his
developmental stages is he's going to have to learn how
to play out of squeezed and muddied pockets better. You
can't just say, well, the all line's not good. This
is the NFL. There's going to be bodies around you.
(15:16):
And I think that what happens with quarterbacks that are
in use to playing when there's people around them, Colin
is they start to feel pressure when it's not there,
they perceive it, they anticipate it, and.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
They speed up everything they do.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
And when you start to speed up everything you do,
your mechanics, your throwing motion, you lose a little bit
of your ball location. And this year he's not been
as precise with his ball location as he was a
year ago, when it seemed like he never missed a throw.
This year he's missing some throws that, by NFL standards,
are routine. And I think he's just playing a little fast.
(15:51):
He needs to slow down, and I assume that'll come
with time. I don't think that he's not going to
be a good quarterback in the league. I think he
just needs to work through that process.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I think the Chargers Harbaugh's obviously made them a more
physical football team, and I think when JK. Dobbins is healthy,
they have enough offense to win multiple playoff games. I
don't think because they could use another ex receiver, but
their offense, it has its moments, and those moments are
(16:23):
usually when they have their best back on the roster.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
JK. Dobbins.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
I think then they're pretty lethal because you know, I've
sea said with Harball, he squeezes the jeuice out of
every roster. Even the national championship team had two five
star guys, Alabama had eighteen. What has he done to
just squeeze the juice out of this offense because there's
not a lot of Pro Bowl level players on it
(16:47):
outside of Herbert.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
No, and Herbert's really really good. He's actually a joy
to watch on tape.
Speaker 5 (16:54):
You know what really surprised me because I did a
deep dive into them this week because obviously they're going
to be in the playoffs, people might be surprised that
seventy five percent of his dropbacks this year have actually
come with three wide receivers on the field, because I
think there's a sense that now playing with this Scott Mattlocke,
the converted defensive end who essentially is their fallback, I
(17:14):
think there's a sense that this is a team that
just lines up with big people and they come after
you and they know they knock you down. You know,
they play physically, which they do, by the way, But
when they throw the football, it's high percentage out of
three wide receivers. And I wouldn't say their three roide
receiver group is anywhere near the best in the league,
although I think you and I both love McConkey and
(17:36):
he's been phenomenal working out of the slot. But when
they throw the ball, they throw out of three wide receivers.
They push it down the field. Herbert is as an
easy thrower as there is in the league. And they
do a lot of really good things schematically to attack
defenses that they anticipate. So it's a combination of many things,
(17:57):
as it usually is when a team plays well.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
All Right, Baker Mayfield, I thought Tampa was a great fit.
I thought he has a young, smart offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Both.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I think it's interesting that Darnald and Baker in that
twenty eighteen draft class, combined with Lamar and Josh Allen
from that class, there are four hits in that class,
and we've had a string of really good quarterback classes
about every third year. What is it with Baker and
Tampa that works beyond just Mike Evans is very good
that we know.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Yeah, I think they do a great job with play action.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
The run action game is really really good for them,
you know.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
And Baker has always been an aggressive thrower, yes, and
you know I think that to me, that's always been
a positive. Well, he make a couple of bad throws
here and there, where you go, hey, Baker, why did
you throw that one? Sure, he'll do that, but he
is willing to make tough throws between the numbers, between
the hashes. And you know, when you talk to quarterbacks,
they will tell you when the tape confirms this.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
He's got a really good arm.
Speaker 5 (18:59):
Yes, I mean, you know, because he's smaller and maybe
people don't see him as a physical quarterback the way
they see some other quarterbacks in the league. But he
really can snap off throws and he can make throws
to all parts of the field, and he is willing
to make those throws. And he's played really, really well
this year. And I think that offense presents him with
(19:21):
a lot of clean, defined looks, same as in Minnesota
with Darnold.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
So let's look at the play of the week. It's
against Carolina and it's Baker doing his thing.
Speaker 5 (19:31):
Yeah, this play was one of my favorites from the
week because you know me, I've always been a big
believer and you have to make these tight window throws
in the NFL. It's hard to play quarterback in this
league if you can't make those kinds of throws in
squeezed environments because the hash marks are closer. So let's
take a look at this and this is to Mike
Evans as well. So let's take a look at this
play from last week. You're going to see it ends
(19:52):
up being a thirty plus yard play, but there's so
much to this play that is really really good. And
we spoke about the play action. You're going to see
that Mayfield is under center, and I've always believed under
center play action is more effective.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
They're in what we call.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
A one x three Nubs set, meaning the tight end
is the single receiver to the boundary side and he's attached.
So what you're going to get here is what we
call cross country dagger. You're going to get McMillan from
inside running across the field, not straight, vertically across the field,
and then Evans is going to run the dig. So
(20:28):
it's dagger, but it's cross country dagger. And then to
eat up the outside corner. They're going to take the
third receiver and run them on an outside vertical. Now
on that side of the field, they're going to get
cover two.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
So what does that mean That the safety.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Is going to expand and sink and the corner is
going to stay low.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
That's cover two.
Speaker 5 (20:46):
That's the underneath hook defender to that side of the field.
He becomes important in this play because Baker's going to
have to beat him.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
But the safety on.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
The other side is important because they're playing quarters to
the other side, so his eyes are the trip side
of the offensive formation.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
And so what happens is he gets eaten up.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
Now as we're going to start to run this play,
he's getting eaten up by the cross country part of
the dagger concept by McMillan. Because McMillan's not running a
straight vertical. McMillan's basically running at that backside safety, so
that safety can't come into the middle of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
He's being held by McMillan.
Speaker 5 (21:25):
So now you get Evans on the dig and that's
going to be an avoid So now you get the
safety to that side. He's sunk because it's covered too
so he retreats and the player that Baker has to
beat is that underneath hook defender. But he's going to
throw this between the numbers in the middle of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
These are hard NFL throws. These are big time throws.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
And you see Baker make this throw, and you're going
to see it really cleanly. From behind Baker. You can
almost see how he's seeing it that. It's how tough
these throws are. There's a lot of bodies in the
middle of the field. And by the way, that's an
area that a lot of college quarterbacks colin when they
get to the league they struggle with because with the
hashmarks much wider in college, you don't have to make
(22:08):
a lot of tight window throws in college football.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, you don't.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Great Senia, Happy holidays, and uh, I always appreciate you
stopping by and making a smarter Greg, Thank you.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Con I appreciate I love being with you.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Thanks all right, Greg Cosel forty five years NFL Films.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Yeah, that's a big time throw by him. It's great.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
You go back to that twenty eighteen draft class, Josh Allen,
Lamar Darnold Baker, Boom boom, boom, boom, then you go
a couple of years later Herbert Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Tua.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Boom boom boom boom boom.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
This year, Caleb Jaden, Bow, Panix, Drake May, don't know
about JJ McCarthy. So that's from twenty eighteen until last year,
a six year stretch. Every other year roughly we've had
a star. It used to be the big quarterback draft
was the l Way Marino Draft. This draft right now,
(23:04):
if Caleb Williams gets it right, Jaden's a star period. Pennix,
Drake May, and bo Nix have a lot of talent.
You keep rolling your eyes on this stuff. I not.
Speaker 7 (23:17):
Pennix has started two games down.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Let me ask you this, slow down. How about when
Greg Cosel said the Rams are now a run team,
telling you they are seeing some limitations at quarterback. Why
don't the Rams, who only need a number one corner
and probably another X receiver, Why wouldn't the Rams give
up one of their third round picks for JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 7 (23:43):
Oh, it's gonna cost way more than that.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Well, I'm saying I'll give you a three this year
and a four, and then I'll give you you give
us a five, and I'll give you a two to
the following year top twelve.
Speaker 7 (23:54):
Overall, there's no.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Had two surgeries, no shot none.
Speaker 8 (24:00):
I'm surprised you don't want to see what you've got
in McCarthy like you saw low preseason.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
You know the Rams did homework on him because Stafford
was older last year. The Rams have done their homework.
Speaker 7 (24:10):
I met the Vikings before you ship him out of town.
You don't want to see him with Like.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
When everybody told you, let's go back to our show.
Everybody loved JJ McCarthy and there were multiple reports teams
are moving up for him, not even the Vikings. The
Vikings gave away a fourth and a fifth round pick
to move up a couple slots. That's all they gave up.
That's all the Vikings gave up was a fourth and
(24:36):
a fifth. So Kevin McConnell, the quarterback expert, he wasn't
willing to give up that much and he's the guy
that knows quarterbacks.
Speaker 8 (24:47):
Now you got me thinking the Vikings are like one
of the top five off season interesting teams.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
They are, but.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
They wouldn't have been like a month ago.
Speaker 8 (24:54):
I mean, Darnald wasn't playing this well a month ago.
He's really I don't see a world where they keep him.
But why making a decent argument?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
You would let him walk out the door? Yeah, huh,
you would not. No, I think Darnold's plan at You
have like a man crush on him and he's your mind?
Do you text him Happy New Year? By the way,
are you guys that close?
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I don't like to get into my relationships.
Speaker 9 (25:20):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
at noon eastern nin am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
FS one and the iHeartRadio App.
Speaker 10 (25:29):
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're
Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 11 (25:35):
You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm
Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and
of course the iHeartRadio App.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.
Speaker 11 (25:43):
We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Going on in the world.
Speaker 10 (25:48):
We have a lot of fun talking about the stories
behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture,
stories that well, other shows don't seem to have the
time to discuss.
Speaker 11 (25:56):
And the fact that we've been friends for the last
twenty years and still work together. That says something, right,
So check us out. We like to get you involved too.
Take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say,
I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio,
maybe the.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Most interactive show on planetar.
Speaker 10 (26:11):
Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to
seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, and if you
miss any of the live show, just search Kobin on
Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on
social media.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
That's Covino and Rich. I hope you're having a great
new year so far. Be safe out there.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
I'm heading into a polar express. J Mac is very
concerned about my weather choices in life. So he loves
beaches and I do too, but sometimes it's okay to
put a coat on.
Speaker 7 (26:41):
It was nice sixty degrees yesterday out near the beach.
You soak up any of the rays.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
I was watching college football after my workout from ten
to ten until I went to bed.
Speaker 7 (26:50):
You may when it was thirty four. Nothing you were
locked into or.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Don't know if I was locked in. I was making
something to eat, but I was watching Jmack with a news.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
No, no turn on the news. This is the herd
line news.
Speaker 8 (27:03):
Speaking of locking in, the Eagles have locked up the
number two seed in the NFC.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
Resting their starters in week eighteen the smart move, we agree.
Speaker 8 (27:12):
However, interesting thing on Wednesday's injury report Colin Jalen Hurts
is still in concussion protocol and was non participant.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
Was a non participant and yesterday's walk through.
Speaker 8 (27:27):
This is uh obviously bears monitoring because this is get
not quite two weeks, but we're getting getting up there,
close to two weeks.
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Still in concussion protocol.
Speaker 8 (27:38):
Eagles resting their guys this week, they would be posting
if things hold now the Packers.
Speaker 7 (27:45):
Opening weekend, that's not good for Philly.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
That is a fascinating game.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
We start looking at these playoff games, green Bay and
PHILADELI I like Philadelphia in that spot. I think I
think Detroit well, Detroit beat green Bay twice and part
of it was running out football and that offensive line,
and Philadelphia is a line team right now. My favorite
part of green Bay is the perimeter. I think they've
got a lot of speed on the perimeter, like I do,
(28:11):
like what Jacobs has provided to their run game. But
I think Philadelphia and Detroit are a hard matchup for
almost everybody in the NFC.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
They just overpower you.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
So it was gonna be Washington Philly, and then you know,
Packers keep losing, Washington keeps winning.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
I think Green Bay is extremely dangerous.
Speaker 8 (28:28):
We saw what they went into Dallas, but Dallas doesn't
have the roster that's close to film.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
I think the Packers were like six or seven point underdogs,
and memory serves I could be wrong.
Speaker 8 (28:37):
They were significant underdogs and it was like twenty seven
to nothing early in Then here's a beatdown.
Speaker 7 (28:43):
I'd be careful Christian Watson's there.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
There's some splits circulating on the internet about the Packers
offense with and without Kristian Watson healthy, and it's.
Speaker 7 (28:51):
Not good if he's back for that game.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
You got young cornerbacks in Philly, Nick Sirianni potentially hot seat.
I'd be a little nervous facing the package.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
Remember that season opener in.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Well what worries saying Jalen Hurts isn't practicing or playing
for several weeks. That's what I don't want major And
they've also been a bad first quarter team all year.
Speaker 7 (29:12):
Worst in the league.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
So if Green Bay gets off to a seven nothing,
ten nothing lead and all of a sudden the crowds grumbling,
hurts his kind of rusty, panicky yelling at the crowd
and yelling at his players, you could see it unravel
in Philadelphia really fast.
Speaker 7 (29:27):
Definitely for sure.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
Next up is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, headed the week
a team needing a win to lock up the fourth
seed and the NFC South title. However, let's keep an
eye on Mike Evans Colin chasing an eleventh straight one
thousand yard season. He's only eighty five yards away from
a thousand, and Baker Mayfield wants.
Speaker 7 (29:47):
To make sure to get that achievement for a wide receiver.
Speaker 12 (29:50):
Getting him involved early and often is a lot of
the reasons we've had success. And so do those things
go hand in hand. Ye, there's balance and the most
important things winning. But I see it out. You know,
if we win, that's Mice getting the record, and so yeah,
we gotta folks on winning and get in the ball.
But guys playing for each other, and that's Mike won't
say anything about it, And that's just who he is
(30:12):
and that's why we love him. That's why everybody loves him.
That's why he's been so consistent for so long. It's
never been about just himself. It's been about winning and
trying to find ways to win.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Baker, he feels like a good fit in Tampa.
Speaker 7 (30:22):
He's really grown up.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
He's a little swash buckler. They're the Pirates. It kind
of feels like it works.
Speaker 8 (30:27):
So Mike Evans can earn a three million dollar bonus
if he gets five catches for eighty.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Five, Well, I would.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
If I would Baker may Field the first series, I'd
get him three right there.
Speaker 8 (30:36):
I don't think they put the prop totals up, but
Mike Evans is going to be high and he's probably
gonna hit it.
Speaker 7 (30:42):
Colin, look at the the class that Mike Evans is in.
Speaker 8 (30:46):
Here most consecutive seasons with a thousand or more receiving yards.
Speaker 7 (30:49):
Jerry Rice is won, and then it's.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
Mike Evans, Tim Brown, legendary player, Tory Holt, Arvin Harrison,
Chris Carter.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
We're at the play were Mike Evans.
Speaker 8 (31:00):
Is he a top ten receiver in the history of
the NFL, I mean, top fifteen. He's got the numbers
to back it up. And he hasn't always had amazing quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
So who are the top ten receivers? Jerry Rice, Randy Moss,
Calvin Johnson.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Chris Carter's probably got to be in there for some
of his accolades to certainly up there. I mean, and
Mike Evans, you know, not the sexiest name.
Speaker 8 (31:23):
He just every season he goes out and delivers consistently.
Speaker 7 (31:27):
He's really good, man.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
I think he is.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
I mean, top five I can name. Then it gets
a little dicey. I'm not sure if I can.
Speaker 8 (31:34):
Yeah, because there's some there's a lot of baseball stat patters.
You know, this is not stat pattings. He's got to
do this for the Bucks to win and no godwin.
I mean, Evans is just a great story man, awesome player.
Final story Colin is to college football. We had the
crazy matchup in that Peach Bowl, Texas Arizona State just
an absolute thriller.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
The sun Devils, as I said earlier, out gaining.
Speaker 8 (31:57):
The Longhorns five ten to three seventy five, they were
down sixteen in the final seven minutes for double overtime.
Kelly Kenny Dillingham thinks that Arizona State proved they belonged.
Speaker 13 (32:11):
When you look at it, did we belong on the field.
I think a lot of people were questioning that, and
I don't think any person in questions if we've belonged
on the field.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Now.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
There are no moral.
Speaker 13 (32:20):
Victories when the season ends, there's no such thing. This
should hurt, this would be painful. The locker room is
dreadful right now, and it should be. If it wasn't,
something would be wrong. But at the same token, now
that this is over, I really am going to challenge
our guys to reflect on where it all started, because
(32:40):
it really is remarkable.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
That's great. I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
They were able to create offense. They didn't have three
and outs. How many players they have ninety seven, so
it's insane. I mean Texas with all that talent, had
three and outs. I mean they had sustained drives. It
was one of those games that if I would have
guessed time of possession, I'm like, I'd have to rick
(33:07):
because Texas had big plays, they didn't have a lot
of sustained drive.
Speaker 8 (33:10):
Yeah, it felt like an NCAA tournament game, sixteen versus one, right,
huge underdog, big deficit and then they throw it back.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
And your rooting for them.
Speaker 8 (33:20):
Man, I can't get over that targeting place. How angry
do you think ASU grads must be come?
Speaker 7 (33:24):
That was? I mean helmet to helmet clear targeting though.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Well, I was talking to my buddy John Middlkoff last night.
I don't like the call because I think over the
course of the last six seven years, players aren't doing that.
Anytime there's a collision, it's accidental. Nobody's head hunting. It's
been kind of coached out of the sport. So I
don't like it, and I never like college kids getting
thrown out the game of football. The players are getting bigger, stronger, faster,
(33:51):
The collisions are getting gnarlier, and they're happening quicker. I
don't know a single player in college that I would
say that guy's a head hunter. That's just not that.
That's not something college fall has. When you have these
occasional helmet to helmet hits, now, that's about as bad
as it gets in college.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I understand that to me is a penalty.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
I think they should get rid of the ejection rule,
and to be honest with you, I think it was
necessary seven to eight years ago. I don't even think
I don't think it's as necessary.
Speaker 8 (34:20):
Well, it's like what is a catch in the NFL?
You know how it's still debated. A lot of these
guys are saying, I don't know what targeting is, and
I think Dillingham was one of them.
Speaker 7 (34:28):
He's like, I don't know what targeting is. That the
rule just doesn't I mean, that was clear helmet to helmet.
But speaking of head hunting and that Boise State game.
Speaker 8 (34:35):
Colin, that guy who decked acting genty out of the blue,
come on, that was as dirty as it gets.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
I think a number thirty three a Penn State. You
remember that play.
Speaker 8 (34:43):
It was like, off the turnover, Gentsy's standing there and
he's just blind side.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
We don't need that in football.
Speaker 8 (34:49):
Well, that guy got a fifteen yard penalty later for
hitting the quarterback in the end zone. Well, you know,
I don't want to go after our college gid, but.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That's football's off.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
It's probably why I didn't play it.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
You've got a genty sort of physical statue. So you're
the little guys.
Speaker 7 (35:05):
I prefer Scataboo.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
But Scattaboo's a house he is.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
That's how I feel because sometimes getting the handoffs.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yeah, all right, Beach volleyball guy.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
All right, J Mack with the news.
Speaker 9 (35:16):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
Herd line.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Winter is officially upon us.
Speaker 9 (35:23):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Noone Easter non a em Pacific.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
The final week of the NFL season comes down to this.
At one Eastern, it's winning They're in as Baker Mayfield
and the Bucks look to punch their ticket to the
playoffs against the Saints. Den At four, the Dolphins fight
for the final AFC playoffs spot against the Jets.
Speaker 7 (35:47):
It's a huge doubleheader Sunday on Fox.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
You know, years ago, when Trevor Lawrence came out in
the draft the quarterback for the Jags, he got some
criticism for saying, my life is not designed by football
or defined by football. And Andrew Luck retired early his
life was not defined by football, Aaron Rodgers. His measuring
stick for success is one that Brady Mahomes and Peyton
(36:11):
Manning and Drew Brees would probably roll.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Their eye out.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
You know, he doesn't consider football the be all end all,
nor does he consider winning the be all end all.
He talked about his future with the New York Jets.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
I mean gratitude.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
Honestly, it's been the best two years of my life's
and that's a perspective adjustment that happened, I think at
some point during the rehab process last year. But then
just the excitement. F I'll back in love with the game,
getting to know these guys in the year, getting know
the great men and women.
Speaker 4 (36:40):
The work here been a lot of fun. You know.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
It's obviously on the field has been short of expectations,
no doubt, but this game is more than just that.
And this caves about the relationships.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Well, I mean, for a quarterback, relationships are important, especially
when the relationships equal rings. But Aaron and Trevor Lawrence
probably different, and Andrew luck was different. To be an
all time great, generally you have to be and I
don't care if it's on Wall Street or football kind
of obsessed tech law kind of obsessed. Aaron isn't, so
(37:15):
he said he needs a break mentally, physically put his
feet in the sand. It doesn't really shock me. I
think Aaron's still talented, but I just think he measures
success differently. And I do believe you got a lot
less of this early in his career when he was
going toe to toe with Brady and Manning, and then
I think both Peyton and Tom Brady separated from him
on the field and he kind of pivoted to a Hey,
(37:37):
football is not the most important thing. Maybe it's a
protective mechanism. I don't know, but it does feel like
the last six or seven years when Brady and Manning
sort of stacked trophies and that he kind of pivoted
away from football in terms of off season. I want
to do more than football. It's his right. He's not
the first quarterback to not be obsessed with winning. I
(37:57):
still if I was, the Jets would keep him because
I think, you know, he's somewhere between twelve thirteenth fifteenth
sixteen best quarterback. Maybe he's played very well late, he
gets another off season, you know, because he was a
bit rusty early in the season. Maybe next year is
the big year and the final year. Here's Greg Kosell
and what he's seen on Tapa erin.
Speaker 5 (38:18):
He can just still snap it off with the best
in the league. Mentally, he's smart. Don't forget he's forty.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
And he's coming off in Achilles, you know.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
And I think this is almost I don't want to
say it's a practice year for him, because that'd be wrong.
He's playing in the league, and when you're out there,
you got to perform. But I'm very curious to see
if he's back with the Jets and if he's a
starting quarterback next year, how he would play. But I
think he still can play in this league based on
how he throws it and how he sees the game mentally.
(38:47):
I'd love to see him get another year to see
if he can come back even more from that Achilles.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
So he said New York's been the best two years
of his life. One of them was injured, and one
of them they stunk. So winning is obviously not the
most important thing. I'm not taking a shot at him,
but that's what he's saying. I mean, if I went
through a two years of a bad marriage and said
this has been the best two years of my life,
it's an indictment on the marriage, right. So it's like
(39:12):
winning is not the most important thing because he won
in Green Bay and got great coaching and won the division,
and he considers that second to his New York experience.
So you just have to listen. He kind of spends
his off seasons like that is true. Maybe that's why
he started the season's low. Maybe his rehab was like that.
It wasn't the most important thing. I don't know, but
(39:33):
when you say this is the best two years of
my life and it's been one injured rehabbing and one
a disaster, it tells me that winning's not the most
important thing.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Okay, Judge free zone, whatever.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
But I always I kind of feel like he trains
like that, and his off seasons are like that, and
maybe his rehab was like that. That's what it feels
like to me. Also, the story that deserves another discussion,
Adam Schefter saying teams will call on JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
Why is that out?
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Diana Russini reporting Vikings want to sign Sam Darnold. I'll
say it again, two legitimate reporters. They may just be
putting J. J. McCarthy feelers out there. Seattle's got the
eighteenth pick. Minnesota desperately needs draft picks. They don't have
a second, a third, or a fourth don't have it.
(40:31):
And in a division where Detroit is stacked, Chicago could
ascend with a new coach, and Green Bay is the
youngest good team in the league, you can't have a
first round pick and not draft until the fifth. So
I could see because Daniel Jones is not gonna fetch
a lot of picks in a bad quarterback draft. And
(40:52):
it's bad JJ McCarthy because remember the Vikings. A lot
of teams did their work on JJ McCarthy, and the
Vikings only used a fourth and a fifth rounder to
get him. They didn't consider him. I mean, what you
trade for a player is what you consider. I think
(41:13):
you can get draft picks that Minnesota desperately needs, and
I also think they're not letting Sam Darnold go and
why do they bring Daniel Jones in in November. I'm
just saying there's a lot of drip, drip drip. There's
a lot of things that connect, and on this show,
we would love to be the first one to put
(41:33):
the pieces together. But Schefter now reporting teams will be interested.
Why is that out today? Our three next
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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