September 23, 2025 • 33 mins
Fox Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen weighs in on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and his development under new head coach Ben Johnson, and why he's a believer in the young QB's upside
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Welcome back. He does a remarkable job for us. Fourteen
years in the NFL, three time pro bowler, a Fox
Sports analyst, kind of enough to take some time for
us today. My friend Greg Olsen now joining us. We've
been bringing him on since. I may have brought him
on when he was a hurricane. By the way they look,
they look physical. Holy got her throwing people at Miami
for the front and I mean, they're legit. We'll get
(00:48):
to that in a second. They're legit. They passed the
eye test. So I said, you know, when Dan Campbell
came in, I thought he's kind of reckless because I
didn't like their person. Now, well, now it's like an
all star team. I'm like, yeah, you should go for
it all the time. On fourth when they went forward
on fourth and two, and it was funny because Troy
Aman was like, man, he's got to set on them,
(01:09):
and I'm like, no, that's kind of what they are. Like,
I know you're a believer in this. Like, I think
the whole identity of the franchise in Detroit is you know,
we're aggressive. We are an aggressive franchise. I think it's
a great brand. Your thoughts, Yeah, so, I think there's
a lot of levels to it.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
At no point in that game that I think if
they got in this situation that they weren't going to
go for it right, It was just a matter of
what play did they have. They have an entire section
on the play sheet for those gotta have it moments,
the fourth and ones, the fourth and two's the goal
to go situations that is not decided upon in the moment.
They have them ranked first time we're in this situation,
(01:50):
it's this call, and then they just work their way
down the list. They probably carry more of those calls
than most teams because they're in that situation.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
But I think there's multiple factors.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
I think your point I heard you before the break
about the culture and the identity. Since Dan Campbell took
over in Detroit, there has been no wavering that that
was going.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
To be what they are. They believe in it. He
believes in his players.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
There is no doubt in the huddle amongst the eleven
guys in the huddle. When they get tackled short on
third down, they don't look to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
They don't start walking off.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
The punt team doesn't start walking on, or the field
goal unit, like, there's not even a consideration.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Number one.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
That's super powerful number two. And this, I think is
the biggest point around the league. You look at how
many games are won and lost because teams decide every
time you kick the ball a punt or a field goal,
your chance of winning that game goes exponentially down. And
that's just the nature of the game teams that built.
You know, you look at Sirianni. I did the Eagles
(02:50):
game the other day. They were only in that game
because they forced six field goals, they blocked two of
them of the Rams in a game that the Rams
for three quarters of it pretty much dominated. So yeah,
it takes a strong personality as a coach to stand
at the podium in a playoff game like Dan Campbell
had to do a couple of years ago. We called
that game where the fourth downs ended up biting them
(03:12):
and they lost the game, and he had to stand
up there, tall and proud and heartbroke in and say I.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Would do it again. Those are the guys you believe in.
Those are the guys that this is not just a
flash of the pan.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
It's baked into every decision they make, and in my opinion,
it's the only way to play NFL football in today's day.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, and so you let's let's talk about that. We
both love Sean McVay, and we both love Stafford, and
they have really nice skill players. When McVeigh kept settling
for field goals when it was happening because you had
that game, why do they do that? Is it a
belief that, you know what, we've got a better game
plan our in defense. I kind of thought watching the game, well,
(03:51):
they just don't think Philadelphia is going to be able
to come back. So let's just keep adding three. That
was my take, yours Ye seems to be.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
And I don't think this is unique to McVeigh.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I think mcveigh's in the conversation of the top two
to maybe three, if not, he's in the top three,
no question in my mind, as the best coaches in
the NFL, and I think universally amongst his peers, that's
how he's regarded. I think in a game like that,
when you start fast and you score early, and then
you're every time you score, you're just increasing your lead.
(04:23):
When the opposing team's offense is struggling as much as
Phillies was in the first half, the human nature is
my defense is really strong. That LA defense is for
real now, like that, they're really young and super talented.
They've hit that, they've hit it out of the park
with those draft picks the last couple of years. But
I'm always of the opposite belief, like, if I think
my defense is superior, I'm going to give them the
(04:46):
short end of the stick. You know, how often do
we hear so this is kind of a larger level question, Colin,
but like how often do we hear coaches say, why
did you punt at midfield? Well, my defense was playing
so well, so I decided to punt and play the
field position battle. And I there and say, if your
defense is playing so well, and your offense is the
side of the ball that might be struggling. So not
necessarily the case for the Rams in that one particular game,
(05:08):
but just in general, give your offense the extra down,
Give your offense tip the scales in their favor, and
if one side of the ball does have to carry
the load for a little while.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Make it the team.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Make it the side of the ball that you're telling
everybody has been so dominant. Why give your defense the
short field in that situation and not give your offense
an extra down. And I think that's what teams are
starting to realize. You see Sirianni on their opening drive touchdown. Now,
granted they have the ultimate X factor play in the
quarterback sneak, they go for two fourth downs, they end
(05:41):
up with an opening drive touchdown and start the game strong.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
So, like, I think we're going to.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Continue to see teams understand field goals get you beat
if no matter how well you think your defense is playing,
if you continue.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I told you this in the break.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
If I was a head coach, unless it was the
walk off field goal to win the game or take
the lead lead, or if it was a fourth and
ten plus, I would never kick a field goal less
than thirty five yards. I just think it's a wasted
opportunity of getting down in the red zone. And I
think we're going to see more teams adopt that strategy.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So you're lucky you got to go to Dublin, Ireland,
which is it's just a great place to go for anything.
It could be a Guinness Irish whiskey or a football game.
It's just a great place to go. And you have
the Vikings and the Steelers. And I think the Vikings
are a fascinating team because I've watched this with Donald
(06:37):
and Baker, is that their careers get resurrected and this
didn't happen ten to fifteen years ago. My take is
there are so many smart, young offensive coaches. The beneficiary
of that is these quarterbacks who get drafted by the
Jets and go to the Panthers. Donald or it's Bay
heern he's not quite mature enough in Cleveland. He goes
to la and then he finds Tampa. Is that it's
(06:59):
giving eyes. This used to be a total outlier. Then
now it's happening all the time because there's so many
good offensive coaches. And I argue this last week, I said, well,
Carson Wentz can play, And how do I know that?
Because all the coaches that like him are all these
pretty smart offensive guys, and they're like, all, put Carson
Wentz on my roster. So you're looking at tape now,
(07:20):
I think today he's better than JJ McCarthy. Maybe not
in eight weeks, maybe not next year. Today when you
look at film, can you go on a five game
winning streak with Carson Wentz in Minnesota?
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yeah, I think if the Vikings have proved one thing,
if Kevin O'Connell has proved one thing, and they've proved
many things in his time in Minnesota, it's I'm not
sure there is a coach in the league, a head
coach for sure, or an offensive coordinator who gets the
most out of their quarterback within their system and blends
the idea of play caller quarterback whisper, confidant, mentor enough
(07:59):
to them in the behind and get them going, but
also when.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It's time to put their arm around them.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
He has such a unique quality to check all of
those boxes. It sounds like that would be the given,
But as we all know, a lot of those quarterbacks
you just mentioned did not enter into those kind of
organizations with that kind of fit earlier in their career.
I mean, look what he did with Cousins and Obviously,
Cousins goes in free agency and gets the big deal
post injury with Atlanta. Then what he does last year
(08:26):
with Sam who goes and gets a huge contract in Seattle.
Now JJ McCarthy, he gets hurt, and now in comes
Carson Wentz who hasn't been a starter in this league.
He's been on six teams I thinks, or whatever it's
been like. And again this was a one game sample size.
Can they continue to do that week in a week
out we'll find out this week in Ireland. But he
has such a unique quality where yes he has the
(08:48):
x's and o's, yes he has the schematic advantage, but
it's all the other stuff. It's the Sean McVay qualities.
It's those are just really unique guys and there's just
not many of them. And again this is a larger question,
but that's why when you get an opportunity to get
him in your building and you got to hire him
away from LA, you got to make them your head coach.
(09:08):
And you see why teams are going towards young offensive
minds on the head coaching search. And it gets into
that whole conversation when you have a guy like Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
And obviously the talent on the roster.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Your ability to weather quarterback change injuries is just bigger
than most not everybody, but it's bigger than most teams
around the league. And Kevin O'Connell has proven to be
as good, if not better than any coach in the
league in regards to developing and getting the best out
of his quarterback.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So I said, being a quarterback in Chicago is harder
than Buffalo. So when Josh Allen's first year and a half,
he was completing fifty six percent of his throws, had
more picks than touchdowns. They've been to multiple Super Bowls,
they had Jim Kelly. There is a sense, hey, it's
a small market, it's the media is kind of supportive.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
We're going to make.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Josh Allen work. He's too talented in Chicago. I mean
it's loud. The guy's up north, a thirty minute train
ride up north. Green Bay. Have owned you for three decades.
And even though Caleb had twenty touchdowns and six picks,
had amazing moments like there's this sense that if you
(10:17):
don't get it right this year, we're moving on. And
I think to myself, I wish Chicago had a little Buffalo.
The media wasn't as loud, the organization didn't suffer from
a neighbor up north being dominant.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
How long?
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Because I think Caleb is going to be like Josh.
I think it's going to take time, tons of horsepower,
great freelancer. I think it's going to take some years.
How long do you give him?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Well, I'll say you based off this past weekend against Dallas.
I caught parts of the game. I was traveling home
for my game, so I only saw parts of it.
The parts that I saw, he looked great. I mean,
I call it, and granted it's a preseason game. The
only time I got to see him up close and
personal this year was in a preseason game where they
blew out Buffalo. And again, preseason games are always tricky.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
You kind of got to.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Read through the tea leaves as far as how the
whole matchup works out. But I think Ben Johnson is
as brilliant an offensive mind as there is in the
game of football.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I felt that way now for a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I think it's going to take as much as it's
going to take. Kayleb Williams time to continue I think
it's going to take Ben Johnson time to figure out,
all right, what works with this personnel group, what works
in this locker room, what works in these meetings, what
works in these installs. Likes as much success as he's
had in his time as a play caller in Detroit,
and as much time as Kayleb Williams and a success
(11:34):
he had in college, it doesn't always just automatically translate
to the next place, because every place is uniquely different,
and every place has their strengths and weaknesses. Ben Johnson
is still working through what that looks like being the
head coach in Chicago. Everything you just said is spot on.
I played there for four years. I understand firsthand what
expectations and the noise and the media.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
It's real.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
It's not an easy place to play. I think Ben
Johnson's person nalini and demeanor is a good fit. I
don't think he worries too much about outside noise. I
think he's very internally confident. I think as Ben Johnson
continues to push Caleb Williams and coach him hard and
hold them accountable, I think we're going to steadily see
and improved Caleb Williams overtime. Now, what is that ceiling? Physically,
(12:20):
the ceiling is as high, as high as anybody Kenny,
tie all of it together. Obviously, time will tell. I
don't know if any of us really can predict it.
But Ben Johnson didn't take that job because he didn't
think Caleb Williams was going to be a good player.
That was all baked into that decision. And I think
it's just here we are, three weeks in. We've seen
(12:41):
a lot of good They did really well against Dallas,
but their defense is a whole nother story. My guest
right now is we're going to continue to see that
relationship and that offense in Chicago steadily improved.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
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Speaker 1 (14:02):
I was watching the Ravens last night and their BRANDZOH
has been tough, relentless physical, and that defense it doesn't
do much good. I mean, it's just really struggling. They're
basically the Cowboys defense without the star and the discussion
like on the helmet, like they're just not good. And
I thought to Mysello, strange watching them that Lamar scores
(14:23):
so quickly. It's not complimentary football. The bad defense goes
back on the field. Like the Lions last year, the
defense was bad, but they dominated time of possession number
two in the league. And I watched Baltimore, Greg, I
do not think you can win a Super Bowl with
a bad defense. Atlanta's the only team in the last
decade that got there, and they blew a huge fourth
(14:43):
quarter league. I looked at Baltimore last night and I'm like,
we're in week four. Is that solvable? I mean, I
know they were missing a pass rusher or two, but
that wasn't a pass rush issue. That wasn't getting bulldozed
for three and a half hours. I don't know if
you can win a Super Bowl with that defense. Can
you solve stuff by week four, five and six. I
(15:03):
mean the answer is yes, you can. I mean Baltimore
did it last year. I mean in the first half
the season, their defense was abysmal.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
They had a hard time replacing McDonald.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Obviously, he went on and took the head job out
in Seattle, and they had some growing pains figuring out
what that defensive structure was going to look like. They
lost a lot of their coaching staff to other teams
to head coaching jobs. There was some shuffling. So it
took them call it half the season last year to
really find their way and then down the stretch.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I called their game on Christmas Day, so.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
It was late in the year, and they beat Houston
and they were dominant, and obviously the rest is history
through the playoffs and the matchups and losing obviously, But
I do think they can get it better. I think Hardball,
although not a defensive guy by trade, is.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
A long time, you know, very established head coach. He's
been through.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Good offense is bad offenses, Good defense is bad defenses.
I think programs like that that do have stability at
the head coaching position, with the experience that he has,
I think they can get it right. But I agree
with you, they've got a lot of work to do.
The explosive nature of Baltimore's offense is exactly what you
want in today's day and age. You don't want to
(16:14):
score on ten plus play drives every time if you
are ultra dependent on time of possession and sit on
the ball and go in the length of the field
every time. That's a very hard model in today's game
to sustain. So their quick strike offense is what you want.
But then your point is exactly correct on the inverse,
when my defense is not playing great, the more I
(16:35):
put them right back on the field to match possession
for possession with my opponent, you're going to see a
high scoring game. And obviously we've seen them play a
few of them now, so they've got to get the
defense squared away.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I would always rather.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Have an offense that can score thirty any given day
and fix the defense.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
I think it's harder in.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Today's NFL to say, okay, my defense can keep you.
I'm the Browns right like that defense is going to
keep you fifteen to seventeen points a lot. But then
you're just holding your breath, like, how are we ever
gonna score? Is it sustainable beating the Packers in a
game in the teams over the length of the season,
I would always rather at offense that can score and
(17:15):
then we can figure out together how we can get
that defense to just keep those number as low as possible.
On the other.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Side, well, I gotta ask you this. Justin Herbert got
hit fourteen times, he got pressured fifty five and Jim
Harbaugh said after the game, you'd never know it in
his facial expression. He never wins this and there is
something about toughness. I had a GM tell me this
year's ago. He said, you know the key in this
league is you think all football players are tough. He goes,
(17:44):
some guys don't like getting hit, and some guys like
Andrew Luck love to get popped just I want to
get involved. I look at Herbert and I'm like, Greg,
I mean, you played in the NFL for years, you
had the ability. You were a rare tight end. You
could be tough and block Tony Gonzalez could do this,
or you could get down the field. But were there
(18:07):
quarterbacks you played with that you knew that had a
tight end mentality and then other guys they were quarterbacks
they didn't want to get hit. Because I watched Herbert
and I'm like, that's not everybody, is that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I think there's the spectrum there is very wide. I
don't think I ever played with the guy. Now, I
played with a lot of quarterbacks. I don't think any
of them ever were afraid to get hit but too
come to mind.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
That remind me.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Of Herbert as far as the physicality of the game
brought out the best in them, and that was obviously
Cam and in Chicago with Jay Cutler, like there was
a mentality to both of them that if they got sacked,
if they got hit hard, they were going to beat
you up off the ground, get to their feet faster,
to just show like even though I'm dying inside, even
(18:56):
though you got the best of me and I'm hurt,
and like, I'm never going to let you see that.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Cam had that.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Like we used to joke, Cam's game didn't start until
he either got hit like sacked or like hit as
a passer, or we just had to call a quarterback
run and let him just run headfirst into the mic
linebacker on quarterback power and then we're like, okay, the
games officially started. Cutler was the same way, like not
so much as a designed runner like Cam was, but
in the open field, he wasn't a big slider, he
(19:23):
wasn't getting down like there was multiple times I could
picture him in my head where he's taking guys on
at the line of scrimmage. I mean at the goal line,
lowering his shoulder like so those two guys in my
time come to mind as like that physical, not scared,
not going to flinch, can get hit ten times in
a row, and on the eleventh play, they're going to
hold that ball and let that dig open up just
one half clicks longer, because that's when he needs to
(19:46):
deliver it.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Like, I agree that you can't coach that, like that's.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Ingrained in the DNA of who these guys are and
to play in today's game with the struggles of offensive
line and the defensive lineman just getting so good, and
the defensive coordinators these simulated pressures and free runners, and
we see these good quarterbacks under fire very often. If
you can't stand in there and take shots in the pocket,
(20:12):
and you can't manipulate outside the pocket and every once
in a while just be respectable as a runner. It
is a very hard way to play quarterback in today's
NFL if you don't have that level of toughness. And
I think for the most part, you look around the
league at the guys Baker, Sam Darnold, like these guys
are inherently tough, physically got physically tough guys.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Finally, all the football you've played through all the years,
there's something weird about college football. It's the only sport
that makes me mad. When my Trojan struggle, I'm gonna
bad mood the rest of Saturday. I watched Miami this year.
They I've been sold Miami for years. I think this
team's legit physically.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
What say you, Oh, there's no question so Mario Cristobal,
You're not going to find a bigger fan of Mario me.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I've known Mario since I was.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
A freshman in high school when I first met him
when he was a GA at Miami, and then he
went with Greg Chiano to Rutgers and I grew up
in Jersey, so they were always at all of our
games and all of our sporting men. So I go
back thirty years with twenty five years with Mario. So
I think the job he's done. I've always said if
he couldn't do it, then nobody could do it. Well,
obviously he was the guy to do it. They are
(21:24):
so physical. It's in everything that Mario crystal Ball is about.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
He's got a little bit of that.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Dan Campbell where the physicality and the size and his
toughness and the way he communicates is so aggressive, yet
there is an element of sophistication and cerebral and they're
good recruiters and coaches and motivators. Like he kind of
reminds me a little bit of Dan that in that perspective.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
But man, what a job he's done. But I'm with you.
I was sitting, I was in Philly.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I'm at the Four Seasons in Philly, amazing hotel, kicking
my feet up. I'm going to have a nice night
after production meetings and dinner. I'm gonna watch the Miami
game and I'm literally wedding in my room.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
That touchdown got called back to the inadvertent whistle. Then
Florida goes on.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
That big drive and I'm like, yeah, oh my god,
we're gonna lose this game all because of that inadvertent whistle.
Now I'm Matt at the refs like it is an
emotional experience watching a college or a team that you're
invested in.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
I couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, I can get over an NFL loss in fifteen minutes.
For the cold beer college football losses ring me on
our kale spin for thirty six hours.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
You should see me with my middle school football team
that I coach. It'll take me three weeks to get
over a bad game.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Well, at least you're not kicking field goals. I know
that about you.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Field goals. We only go for two.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
There you go. Great seeing you, buddy, You're amazing.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I appreciate you. Thanks calling.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
I've had the good fortune to run into Greg off
the air from time to time. He is just about
as good a human being as you're going to meet.
We had good dudes on the show today. I mean
we tolerted Nick Wright, but I got Justin Herbert and
Greg Olsen. You can't do better than that.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of the weekdays in
noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
Start your Saturday strong with Big Noon Saturday Number twenty one.
USC is looking for a big ten statement win as
they take on the twenty third rank fighting a line
I It all goes down live from Champagne starting with
Big at noon kickoff at ten am Eastern. Then it's
USC Illinois only on Fox.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
I will be at that game.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Jaymac Early start time, early kick for the Trojans.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
You worried about that.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Nope, I am not worried about myself, even though I'll
be having a great time in Chicago on Friday or
the Trojans. I will say this, Illinois's O line is
struggling and USC's D line is really good. So I
think it's a lower scoring game. But USC wins by fourteen.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
Will you be posting a celebratory cigar puff from your
lavish backyard after the victory?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
No humility. As USC gears toward the College Football Playoff,
a lot of tough ones still to go. J Mack
with the.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
News, this is the herd line news.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
All right, Coler.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
We had that bummer of news yesterday that Nick Bosa
is Donzo for the season with an ACL Here's Kyle
Shanahan talking about what the defense will try to do
in his absence.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
You don't just replace a guy like Nick. I mean,
it just puts you.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
Know, everyone's got to key continue to get better at everything,
just like same thing I'd be preaching if we did
have Nick too. You know, when you lose your better players,
it gets harder. But I also expect throughout this year,
I expect all of our players to get better as
it goes, and that's he stressed even that much more.
When you lose a great one like Nick, lots of
guys obviously will have to step it up as it goes,
(24:50):
but I believe that'll be more by committee than any individual.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Tough with Niners. What's up with that line minus three
against the Jags?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I mean.
Speaker 8 (25:04):
It feels like a smash spot for the Niners there,
even without Mosa.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Yeah, I mean, is it Michel Williams the rookie they
have to? He's been pretty good. I think Solas transformed
the defense. Don't I don't trust the Jags in big spots.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I just don't.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I don't trust them traveling three thousand miles. I would
say the Niners is to play here.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Yeah, and JAG's coming off that big win, rousing victory
over the Texans.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
So the staff thinks.
Speaker 8 (25:31):
Yesterday I mentioned Trey Hendrickson as a trade target for
the Niners. Right, Bengals are two and one. I doubt
they give him up. Do you think San Francis? Listen, guys,
when I you and Jennings and Kitt'll come back, We're
fully formed offensively, we need another impact defender.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Do they make a move on A.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
Hendrickson, Jeffrey Simmons, if the Titans are ready to just
be like, hey, let's start over. You mentioned I think
Crosby from the Raiders, Well, Pete would fight that tooth
and nail. So yeah, I mean, I think if you're
in a division with Herbert and Mahomes, you don't give
up an elite pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
So Pete would fight that. I don't know. I think
they drafted the last thing they need is another expensive
older guy. I think San Francisco feels good about Ricky
Pearsol the receiver. I think they feel good about Michael Williams.
I think they have a couple. If they have a corner,
that's a really interesting rookie. So I don't know. I
(26:28):
don't think they should take on any big contracts. I
mean mac Jones has been a little bit of a
revelation for them. I mean they're two to zero. Yeah,
my guess is my guess is they just stand pat
cross their fingers on help.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
So I'm just telling you their schedule gets very easy.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
Phillies is difficult, and I know it's not really a race,
but San Francisco, Colin, you look at these quarterbacks are
facing Trevor, Lawrence Stafford and Baker back to back is tough,
but that might be Baker without Mike Evans. By the way,
they were zero and three last year without Mike. Kevin
s Tampa then it's like Pennock, Stroud, Jackson Dart.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I think they're going to beat the Jags, lose to
the Rams, and then the Buccaneers game will revisit. Tampa's
got to start pulling away. You can't, Key, you can't
live off winning late drives and walk off kick. That's
not a way to survive. You can't you can survive,
you can't thrive in the NFL. Doing that just doesn't work.
Speaker 8 (27:19):
Kansas City eleven her last year in one score games.
Next up is the Vikings And I don't know what
to make of this story, right, So JJ McCarthy obviously
has the ankle injury.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
He's out. So Carson Wentz starts was pretty good.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
I mean, the defense got him a couple tuddies. But
people are starting to be like, oh, quarterback controversy, and
Kevin o'canna was asked about it. You let me know
what you make of this answer.
Speaker 10 (27:44):
I don't think it's one of those things where it's hey,
the day he's healthy, and if he's healthy the night
before a game, we're gonna just throw him out there
and say, hey, you know, go figure it out. When
you're in the phasing of building up the ten thousand
reps in ten thousand hours of what it takes to
play the position at a very high level, which we
know JJ McCarthy is going to do. You can't cut
(28:07):
corners on that.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
You know, people are saying he's leaving the door open.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yes, you know he should. Carson Wentz was a what
was this passer?
Speaker 8 (28:19):
Rating well in the forty eight to ten win over
the Bengals because the defense I don't.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Know, I mean, we'll completion percentage.
Speaker 8 (28:27):
He's fourteen or twenty so that, you know, looks decent
but rudimentary. Matt tells me that's like, I'm not even
gonnamarrass myself on TV. I know he had a good game,
hundred seventy three yards, two touchdowns. It's less about Wentz, Colin,
isn't it more about like the future?
Speaker 1 (28:43):
So let me see. He won't commit to McCarthy. He
was interested in Darnold. They had Daniel Jones. There was
an Aaron Rodgers rumor drip drip, drip drip. Carson Wentz
passer rating one twenty nine point eight. Let me check. Yeah,
that's great.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
Can you please put away your jump to conclusions, Matt
and just set down. JJ McCarthy is the guy you
go look at that fourth quarter and come back against
the Bears. Huh your Bears?
Speaker 5 (29:07):
Final story? Colin college football? So breaking news? How about
this one?
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Oklahoma State has fired Mike Gundy one and two starts, dude.
Dude had been with a team for twenty one seasons. Yeah,
they had eight double digit win seasons. He got a
Big twelve title in twenty eleven eighteen bowl games. Although
I don't know what that's worth giving everybody makes a ball. Obviously,
in the offseason, Gundy was kind of combative and he
(29:33):
restructured his deal. This is a bit of a surprise
to me in September to dump him. I mean, this
guy's been been there for twenty plus years, Colin.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I'm a little shock.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
He's gotten cranky and he you know, he's one of
those guys that steps in at about three times a year,
and you know, like Dabo has won at the highest level.
I mean, he's done a good job off three star
recruits to build a pretty good program, but it feels
like nil has He's.
Speaker 8 (29:59):
Not been good for him right, So you know, usually
we're like, oh, what was some coach k's signature moment.
It's like win a national championship, what was this guy's
Kirby smart blah blah blah. Let's do Mike Gundy because
Colin we have the sound. This is classic, an all
time rant.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Here we go.
Speaker 11 (30:15):
If you want to go after an athlete, one of
my athletes, you go after one that doesn't do the
right things. You don't downgrade him because he does everything
right and they not play as well on Saturday, and
you let us make that decision.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Come after me.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
I'm a man, I'm forty, I'm.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Not a kid. Write something about me, Cloie.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
We are writing something about you. You've been fired today,
that's what we're writing.
Speaker 8 (30:43):
I mean, seriously, his biggest it was not like we've
got to a playo.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
He beat No.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
He has some good wins, but that's the moment. When
you think Mike Gundy, you.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Think about that, you do, But he also beat the
Sooners a couple of times in big spots I mean
that became a very good rivalry because Mike Gundy, with
three star athletes beat the Sooners. I don't know how
many times he beat him, but he beat him. I
can remember two or three off the top of my head.
So you got to be fair. He Oklahoma State should
not beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma's way way better athletes. They recruit
(31:14):
at a totally different level than Oklahoma State.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
Okay, fair enough.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Jmack with the News.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I mean, I'm I don't even know if I'm a
man and I'm sixty. Okay, so let's let's put up
the college football oh schedule this week. I mean, I
know where I was spent twelve hours watching average games
last week. I spent twelve hours watching Nebraska. What a
waste of my life.
Speaker 8 (31:42):
By the way, Penn State is up to minus four
against the Ducks.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
I like Penn State, and that's spot seems like everybody does. Well,
it's a home it's a What about.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Your guy Dante Moore the quarterbay, isn't I.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Mean, he's Oregon's a live dog. I mean, they can
win it. Absolutely. I'll take USC I'll take Ohio State.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Lane Kiff and Brian Kelly. That's that's a B.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I'll take l s U. I'll take A and m
over Auburn. Oh, boy, Indiana, right, I'll take with Iowa
there and they just take Oregon. I think I may
take Oregon and that start to win outright, Yeah, wow,
I think I may.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
Boy, James Franklin is going to get it.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
I'll take Georgia if he mostly I'll take the home teams,
but I'll take LSU to beat Old Miss.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Why is it because of nus Meyer?
Speaker 1 (32:36):
I think? Yeah, I mean I think and I think
they've kind of got their act together defensively now they're
they're they're gonna shut All Miss down.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
Boy, if Brian Kelly loses that game, oh, I can't
wait for the postgame. Remember how how combat if he
was after they beat Florida and he got a question.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
When he comes out and says, I'm a man, I'm
sixty three, and we'll have another great SoundBite. Uh yeah.
I like Ohio State will win his road team. I
think Ohio State and Oregon can both win his red teams.
By the way, Mike gun to beat the Sooners four
times we comm that's something that's pretty impressive.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Welcome back. He does a remarkable job for us. Fourteen
years in the NFL, three time pro bowler, a Fox
Sports analyst, kind of enough to take some time for
us today. My friend Greg Olsen now joining us. We've
been bringing him on since. I may have brought him
on when he was a hurricane. By the way they look,
they look physical. Holy got her throwing people at Miami
for the front and I mean, they're legit. We'll get
(00:48):
to that in a second. They're legit. They passed the
eye test. So I said, you know, when Dan Campbell
came in, I thought he's kind of reckless because I
didn't like their person. Now, well, now it's like an
all star team. I'm like, yeah, you should go for
it all the time. On fourth when they went forward
on fourth and two, and it was funny because Troy
Aman was like, man, he's got to set on them,
(01:09):
and I'm like, no, that's kind of what they are. Like,
I know you're a believer in this. Like, I think
the whole identity of the franchise in Detroit is you know,
we're aggressive. We are an aggressive franchise. I think it's
a great brand. Your thoughts, Yeah, so, I think there's
a lot of levels to it.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
At no point in that game that I think if
they got in this situation that they weren't going to
go for it right, It was just a matter of
what play did they have. They have an entire section
on the play sheet for those gotta have it moments,
the fourth and ones, the fourth and two's the goal
to go situations that is not decided upon in the moment.
They have them ranked first time we're in this situation,
(01:50):
it's this call, and then they just work their way
down the list. They probably carry more of those calls
than most teams because they're in that situation.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
But I think there's multiple factors.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
I think your point I heard you before the break
about the culture and the identity. Since Dan Campbell took
over in Detroit, there has been no wavering that that
was going.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
To be what they are. They believe in it. He
believes in his players.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
There is no doubt in the huddle amongst the eleven
guys in the huddle. When they get tackled short on
third down, they don't look to the sideline.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
They don't start walking off.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
The punt team doesn't start walking on, or the field
goal unit, like, there's not even a consideration.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Number one.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
That's super powerful number two. And this, I think is
the biggest point around the league. You look at how
many games are won and lost because teams decide every
time you kick the ball a punt or a field goal,
your chance of winning that game goes exponentially down. And
that's just the nature of the game teams that built.
You know, you look at Sirianni. I did the Eagles
(02:50):
game the other day. They were only in that game
because they forced six field goals, they blocked two of
them of the Rams in a game that the Rams
for three quarters of it pretty much dominated. So yeah,
it takes a strong personality as a coach to stand
at the podium in a playoff game like Dan Campbell
had to do a couple of years ago. We called
that game where the fourth downs ended up biting them
(03:12):
and they lost the game, and he had to stand
up there, tall and proud and heartbroke in and say I.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Would do it again. Those are the guys you believe in.
Those are the guys that this is not just a
flash of the pan.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
It's baked into every decision they make, and in my opinion,
it's the only way to play NFL football in today's day.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, and so you let's let's talk about that. We
both love Sean McVay, and we both love Stafford, and
they have really nice skill players. When McVeigh kept settling
for field goals when it was happening because you had
that game, why do they do that? Is it a
belief that, you know what, we've got a better game
plan our in defense. I kind of thought watching the game, well,
(03:51):
they just don't think Philadelphia is going to be able
to come back. So let's just keep adding three. That
was my take, yours Ye seems to be.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
And I don't think this is unique to McVeigh.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
I think mcveigh's in the conversation of the top two
to maybe three, if not, he's in the top three,
no question in my mind, as the best coaches in
the NFL, and I think universally amongst his peers, that's
how he's regarded. I think in a game like that,
when you start fast and you score early, and then
you're every time you score, you're just increasing your lead.
(04:23):
When the opposing team's offense is struggling as much as
Phillies was in the first half, the human nature is
my defense is really strong. That LA defense is for
real now, like that, they're really young and super talented.
They've hit that, they've hit it out of the park
with those draft picks the last couple of years. But
I'm always of the opposite belief, like, if I think
my defense is superior, I'm going to give them the
(04:46):
short end of the stick. You know, how often do
we hear so this is kind of a larger level question, Colin,
but like how often do we hear coaches say, why
did you punt at midfield? Well, my defense was playing
so well, so I decided to punt and play the
field position battle. And I there and say, if your
defense is playing so well, and your offense is the
side of the ball that might be struggling. So not
necessarily the case for the Rams in that one particular game,
(05:08):
but just in general, give your offense the extra down,
Give your offense tip the scales in their favor, and
if one side of the ball does have to carry
the load for a little while.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Make it the team.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Make it the side of the ball that you're telling
everybody has been so dominant. Why give your defense the
short field in that situation and not give your offense
an extra down. And I think that's what teams are
starting to realize. You see Sirianni on their opening drive touchdown. Now,
granted they have the ultimate X factor play in the
quarterback sneak, they go for two fourth downs, they end
(05:41):
up with an opening drive touchdown and start the game strong.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
So, like, I think we're going to.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Continue to see teams understand field goals get you beat
if no matter how well you think your defense is playing,
if you continue.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I told you this in the break.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
If I was a head coach, unless it was the
walk off field goal to win the game or take
the lead lead, or if it was a fourth and
ten plus, I would never kick a field goal less
than thirty five yards. I just think it's a wasted
opportunity of getting down in the red zone. And I
think we're going to see more teams adopt that strategy.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
So you're lucky you got to go to Dublin, Ireland,
which is it's just a great place to go for anything.
It could be a Guinness Irish whiskey or a football game.
It's just a great place to go. And you have
the Vikings and the Steelers. And I think the Vikings
are a fascinating team because I've watched this with Donald
(06:37):
and Baker, is that their careers get resurrected and this
didn't happen ten to fifteen years ago. My take is
there are so many smart, young offensive coaches. The beneficiary
of that is these quarterbacks who get drafted by the
Jets and go to the Panthers. Donald or it's Bay
heern he's not quite mature enough in Cleveland. He goes
to la and then he finds Tampa. Is that it's
(06:59):
giving eyes. This used to be a total outlier. Then
now it's happening all the time because there's so many
good offensive coaches. And I argue this last week, I said, well,
Carson Wentz can play, And how do I know that?
Because all the coaches that like him are all these
pretty smart offensive guys, and they're like, all, put Carson
Wentz on my roster. So you're looking at tape now,
(07:20):
I think today he's better than JJ McCarthy. Maybe not
in eight weeks, maybe not next year. Today when you
look at film, can you go on a five game
winning streak with Carson Wentz in Minnesota?
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Yeah, I think if the Vikings have proved one thing,
if Kevin O'Connell has proved one thing, and they've proved
many things in his time in Minnesota, it's I'm not
sure there is a coach in the league, a head
coach for sure, or an offensive coordinator who gets the
most out of their quarterback within their system and blends
the idea of play caller quarterback whisper, confidant, mentor enough
(07:59):
to them in the behind and get them going, but
also when.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It's time to put their arm around them.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
He has such a unique quality to check all of
those boxes. It sounds like that would be the given,
But as we all know, a lot of those quarterbacks
you just mentioned did not enter into those kind of
organizations with that kind of fit earlier in their career.
I mean, look what he did with Cousins and Obviously,
Cousins goes in free agency and gets the big deal
post injury with Atlanta. Then what he does last year
(08:26):
with Sam who goes and gets a huge contract in Seattle.
Now JJ McCarthy, he gets hurt, and now in comes
Carson Wentz who hasn't been a starter in this league.
He's been on six teams I thinks, or whatever it's
been like. And again this was a one game sample size.
Can they continue to do that week in a week
out we'll find out this week in Ireland. But he
has such a unique quality where yes he has the
(08:48):
x's and o's, yes he has the schematic advantage, but
it's all the other stuff. It's the Sean McVay qualities.
It's those are just really unique guys and there's just
not many of them. And again this is a larger question,
but that's why when you get an opportunity to get
him in your building and you got to hire him
away from LA, you got to make them your head coach.
(09:08):
And you see why teams are going towards young offensive
minds on the head coaching search. And it gets into
that whole conversation when you have a guy like Kevin O'Connell.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
And obviously the talent on the roster.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Your ability to weather quarterback change injuries is just bigger
than most not everybody, but it's bigger than most teams
around the league. And Kevin O'Connell has proven to be
as good, if not better than any coach in the
league in regards to developing and getting the best out
of his quarterback.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So I said, being a quarterback in Chicago is harder
than Buffalo. So when Josh Allen's first year and a half,
he was completing fifty six percent of his throws, had
more picks than touchdowns. They've been to multiple Super Bowls,
they had Jim Kelly. There is a sense, hey, it's
a small market, it's the media is kind of supportive.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
We're going to make.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Josh Allen work. He's too talented in Chicago. I mean
it's loud. The guy's up north, a thirty minute train
ride up north. Green Bay. Have owned you for three decades.
And even though Caleb had twenty touchdowns and six picks,
had amazing moments like there's this sense that if you
(10:17):
don't get it right this year, we're moving on. And
I think to myself, I wish Chicago had a little Buffalo.
The media wasn't as loud, the organization didn't suffer from
a neighbor up north being dominant.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
How long?
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Because I think Caleb is going to be like Josh.
I think it's going to take time, tons of horsepower,
great freelancer. I think it's going to take some years.
How long do you give him?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Well, I'll say you based off this past weekend against Dallas.
I caught parts of the game. I was traveling home
for my game, so I only saw parts of it.
The parts that I saw, he looked great. I mean,
I call it, and granted it's a preseason game. The
only time I got to see him up close and
personal this year was in a preseason game where they
blew out Buffalo. And again, preseason games are always tricky.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
You kind of got to.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Read through the tea leaves as far as how the
whole matchup works out. But I think Ben Johnson is
as brilliant an offensive mind as there is in the
game of football.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I felt that way now for a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
I think it's going to take as much as it's
going to take. Kayleb Williams time to continue I think
it's going to take Ben Johnson time to figure out,
all right, what works with this personnel group, what works
in this locker room, what works in these meetings, what
works in these installs. Likes as much success as he's
had in his time as a play caller in Detroit,
and as much time as Kayleb Williams and a success
(11:34):
he had in college, it doesn't always just automatically translate
to the next place, because every place is uniquely different,
and every place has their strengths and weaknesses. Ben Johnson
is still working through what that looks like being the
head coach in Chicago. Everything you just said is spot on.
I played there for four years. I understand firsthand what
expectations and the noise and the media.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
It's real.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
It's not an easy place to play. I think Ben
Johnson's person nalini and demeanor is a good fit. I
don't think he worries too much about outside noise. I
think he's very internally confident. I think as Ben Johnson
continues to push Caleb Williams and coach him hard and
hold them accountable, I think we're going to steadily see
and improved Caleb Williams overtime. Now, what is that ceiling? Physically,
(12:20):
the ceiling is as high, as high as anybody Kenny,
tie all of it together. Obviously, time will tell. I
don't know if any of us really can predict it.
But Ben Johnson didn't take that job because he didn't
think Caleb Williams was going to be a good player.
That was all baked into that decision. And I think
it's just here we are, three weeks in. We've seen
(12:41):
a lot of good They did really well against Dallas,
but their defense is a whole nother story. My guest
right now is we're going to continue to see that
relationship and that offense in Chicago steadily improved.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and Neon Easter not a Empacific.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern. But here's the thing, we
never have enough time to get to everything we want
to get to.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
And that's why we have a brand new podcast called
over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in
our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things. We never have
time for Yeah, you blubber lit me.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.
Speaker 7 (13:25):
Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we
want you to be a part of it. We're gonna
be talking sports, of course, but we're also gonna talk
life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing
about something or we didn't have enough time, it will
continue on our after show called over Promised.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make
sure you check out over Promised and also uncensored by
the way, so maybe we'll go at it even a
little harder. It's gonna be the best after show podcast
of all time.
Speaker 7 (13:49):
There you go, over promising, and remember you could see
it on YouTube, but definitely join us. Listen Over Promised
with Covino and Rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I was watching the Ravens last night and their BRANDZOH
has been tough, relentless physical, and that defense it doesn't
do much good. I mean, it's just really struggling. They're
basically the Cowboys defense without the star and the discussion
like on the helmet, like they're just not good. And
I thought to Mysello, strange watching them that Lamar scores
(14:23):
so quickly. It's not complimentary football. The bad defense goes
back on the field. Like the Lions last year, the
defense was bad, but they dominated time of possession number
two in the league. And I watched Baltimore, Greg, I
do not think you can win a Super Bowl with
a bad defense. Atlanta's the only team in the last
decade that got there, and they blew a huge fourth
(14:43):
quarter league. I looked at Baltimore last night and I'm like,
we're in week four. Is that solvable? I mean, I
know they were missing a pass rusher or two, but
that wasn't a pass rush issue. That wasn't getting bulldozed
for three and a half hours. I don't know if
you can win a Super Bowl with that defense. Can
you solve stuff by week four, five and six. I
(15:03):
mean the answer is yes, you can. I mean Baltimore
did it last year. I mean in the first half
the season, their defense was abysmal.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
They had a hard time replacing McDonald.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Obviously, he went on and took the head job out
in Seattle, and they had some growing pains figuring out
what that defensive structure was going to look like. They
lost a lot of their coaching staff to other teams
to head coaching jobs. There was some shuffling. So it
took them call it half the season last year to
really find their way and then down the stretch.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I called their game on Christmas Day, so.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
It was late in the year, and they beat Houston
and they were dominant, and obviously the rest is history
through the playoffs and the matchups and losing obviously, But
I do think they can get it better. I think Hardball,
although not a defensive guy by trade, is.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
A long time, you know, very established head coach. He's
been through.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Good offense is bad offenses, Good defense is bad defenses.
I think programs like that that do have stability at
the head coaching position, with the experience that he has,
I think they can get it right. But I agree
with you, they've got a lot of work to do.
The explosive nature of Baltimore's offense is exactly what you
want in today's day and age. You don't want to
(16:14):
score on ten plus play drives every time if you
are ultra dependent on time of possession and sit on
the ball and go in the length of the field
every time. That's a very hard model in today's game
to sustain. So their quick strike offense is what you want.
But then your point is exactly correct on the inverse,
when my defense is not playing great, the more I
(16:35):
put them right back on the field to match possession
for possession with my opponent, you're going to see a
high scoring game. And obviously we've seen them play a
few of them now, so they've got to get the
defense squared away.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
I would always rather.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Have an offense that can score thirty any given day
and fix the defense.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
I think it's harder in.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Today's NFL to say, okay, my defense can keep you.
I'm the Browns right like that defense is going to
keep you fifteen to seventeen points a lot. But then
you're just holding your breath, like, how are we ever
gonna score? Is it sustainable beating the Packers in a
game in the teams over the length of the season,
I would always rather at offense that can score and
(17:15):
then we can figure out together how we can get
that defense to just keep those number as low as possible.
On the other.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Side, well, I gotta ask you this. Justin Herbert got
hit fourteen times, he got pressured fifty five and Jim
Harbaugh said after the game, you'd never know it in
his facial expression. He never wins this and there is
something about toughness. I had a GM tell me this
year's ago. He said, you know the key in this
league is you think all football players are tough. He goes,
(17:44):
some guys don't like getting hit, and some guys like
Andrew Luck love to get popped just I want to
get involved. I look at Herbert and I'm like, Greg,
I mean, you played in the NFL for years, you
had the ability. You were a rare tight end. You
could be tough and block Tony Gonzalez could do this,
or you could get down the field. But were there
(18:07):
quarterbacks you played with that you knew that had a
tight end mentality and then other guys they were quarterbacks
they didn't want to get hit. Because I watched Herbert
and I'm like, that's not everybody, is that? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
I think there's the spectrum there is very wide. I
don't think I ever played with the guy. Now, I
played with a lot of quarterbacks. I don't think any
of them ever were afraid to get hit but too
come to mind.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
That remind me.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Of Herbert as far as the physicality of the game
brought out the best in them, and that was obviously
Cam and in Chicago with Jay Cutler, like there was
a mentality to both of them that if they got sacked,
if they got hit hard, they were going to beat
you up off the ground, get to their feet faster,
to just show like even though I'm dying inside, even
(18:56):
though you got the best of me and I'm hurt,
and like, I'm never going to let you see that.
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Cam had that.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Like we used to joke, Cam's game didn't start until
he either got hit like sacked or like hit as
a passer, or we just had to call a quarterback
run and let him just run headfirst into the mic
linebacker on quarterback power and then we're like, okay, the
games officially started. Cutler was the same way, like not
so much as a designed runner like Cam was, but
in the open field, he wasn't a big slider, he
(19:23):
wasn't getting down like there was multiple times I could
picture him in my head where he's taking guys on
at the line of scrimmage. I mean at the goal line,
lowering his shoulder like so those two guys in my
time come to mind as like that physical, not scared,
not going to flinch, can get hit ten times in
a row, and on the eleventh play, they're going to
hold that ball and let that dig open up just
one half clicks longer, because that's when he needs to
(19:46):
deliver it.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Like, I agree that you can't coach that, like that's.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
Ingrained in the DNA of who these guys are and
to play in today's game with the struggles of offensive
line and the defensive lineman just getting so good, and
the defensive coordinators these simulated pressures and free runners, and
we see these good quarterbacks under fire very often. If
you can't stand in there and take shots in the pocket,
(20:12):
and you can't manipulate outside the pocket and every once
in a while just be respectable as a runner. It
is a very hard way to play quarterback in today's
NFL if you don't have that level of toughness. And
I think for the most part, you look around the
league at the guys Baker, Sam Darnold, like these guys
are inherently tough, physically got physically tough guys.
Speaker 1 (20:36):
Finally, all the football you've played through all the years,
there's something weird about college football. It's the only sport
that makes me mad. When my Trojan struggle, I'm gonna
bad mood the rest of Saturday. I watched Miami this year.
They I've been sold Miami for years. I think this
team's legit physically.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
What say you, Oh, there's no question so Mario Cristobal,
You're not going to find a bigger fan of Mario me.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I've known Mario since I was.
Speaker 3 (21:01):
A freshman in high school when I first met him
when he was a GA at Miami, and then he
went with Greg Chiano to Rutgers and I grew up
in Jersey, so they were always at all of our
games and all of our sporting men. So I go
back thirty years with twenty five years with Mario. So
I think the job he's done. I've always said if
he couldn't do it, then nobody could do it. Well,
obviously he was the guy to do it. They are
(21:24):
so physical. It's in everything that Mario crystal Ball is about.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
He's got a little bit of that.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Dan Campbell where the physicality and the size and his
toughness and the way he communicates is so aggressive, yet
there is an element of sophistication and cerebral and they're
good recruiters and coaches and motivators. Like he kind of
reminds me a little bit of Dan that in that perspective.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
But man, what a job he's done. But I'm with you.
I was sitting, I was in Philly.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
I'm at the Four Seasons in Philly, amazing hotel, kicking
my feet up. I'm going to have a nice night
after production meetings and dinner. I'm gonna watch the Miami
game and I'm literally wedding in my room.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
That touchdown got called back to the inadvertent whistle. Then
Florida goes on.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
That big drive and I'm like, yeah, oh my god,
we're gonna lose this game all because of that inadvertent whistle.
Now I'm Matt at the refs like it is an
emotional experience watching a college or a team that you're
invested in.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:16):
I couldn't agree with you more.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, I can get over an NFL loss in fifteen minutes.
For the cold beer college football losses ring me on
our kale spin for thirty six hours.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
You should see me with my middle school football team
that I coach. It'll take me three weeks to get
over a bad game.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Well, at least you're not kicking field goals. I know
that about you.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Field goals. We only go for two.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
There you go. Great seeing you, buddy, You're amazing.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
I appreciate you. Thanks calling.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
I've had the good fortune to run into Greg off
the air from time to time. He is just about
as good a human being as you're going to meet.
We had good dudes on the show today. I mean
we tolerted Nick Wright, but I got Justin Herbert and
Greg Olsen. You can't do better than that.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of the weekdays in
noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 8 (23:07):
Start your Saturday strong with Big Noon Saturday Number twenty one.
USC is looking for a big ten statement win as
they take on the twenty third rank fighting a line
I It all goes down live from Champagne starting with
Big at noon kickoff at ten am Eastern. Then it's
USC Illinois only on Fox.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
I will be at that game.
Speaker 8 (23:28):
Jaymac Early start time, early kick for the Trojans.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
You worried about that.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Nope, I am not worried about myself, even though I'll
be having a great time in Chicago on Friday or
the Trojans. I will say this, Illinois's O line is
struggling and USC's D line is really good. So I
think it's a lower scoring game. But USC wins by fourteen.
Speaker 8 (23:51):
Will you be posting a celebratory cigar puff from your
lavish backyard after the victory?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
No humility. As USC gears toward the College Football Playoff,
a lot of tough ones still to go. J Mack
with the.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
News, this is the herd line news.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
All right, Coler.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
We had that bummer of news yesterday that Nick Bosa
is Donzo for the season with an ACL Here's Kyle
Shanahan talking about what the defense will try to do
in his absence.
Speaker 4 (24:25):
You don't just replace a guy like Nick. I mean,
it just puts you.
Speaker 9 (24:28):
Know, everyone's got to key continue to get better at everything,
just like same thing I'd be preaching if we did
have Nick too. You know, when you lose your better players,
it gets harder. But I also expect throughout this year,
I expect all of our players to get better as
it goes, and that's he stressed even that much more.
When you lose a great one like Nick, lots of
guys obviously will have to step it up as it goes,
(24:50):
but I believe that'll be more by committee than any individual.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
Tough with Niners. What's up with that line minus three
against the Jags?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I mean.
Speaker 8 (25:04):
It feels like a smash spot for the Niners there,
even without Mosa.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
Yeah, I mean, is it Michel Williams the rookie they
have to? He's been pretty good. I think Solas transformed
the defense. Don't I don't trust the Jags in big spots.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I just don't.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
I don't trust them traveling three thousand miles. I would
say the Niners is to play here.
Speaker 8 (25:25):
Yeah, and JAG's coming off that big win, rousing victory
over the Texans.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
So the staff thinks.
Speaker 8 (25:31):
Yesterday I mentioned Trey Hendrickson as a trade target for
the Niners. Right, Bengals are two and one. I doubt
they give him up. Do you think San Francis? Listen, guys,
when I you and Jennings and Kitt'll come back, We're
fully formed offensively, we need another impact defender.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Do they make a move on A.
Speaker 8 (25:48):
Hendrickson, Jeffrey Simmons, if the Titans are ready to just
be like, hey, let's start over. You mentioned I think
Crosby from the Raiders, Well, Pete would fight that tooth
and nail. So yeah, I mean, I think if you're
in a division with Herbert and Mahomes, you don't give
up an elite pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
So Pete would fight that. I don't know. I think
they drafted the last thing they need is another expensive
older guy. I think San Francisco feels good about Ricky
Pearsol the receiver. I think they feel good about Michael Williams.
I think they have a couple. If they have a corner,
that's a really interesting rookie. So I don't know. I
(26:28):
don't think they should take on any big contracts. I
mean mac Jones has been a little bit of a
revelation for them. I mean they're two to zero. Yeah,
my guess is my guess is they just stand pat
cross their fingers on help.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
So I'm just telling you their schedule gets very easy.
Speaker 8 (26:42):
Phillies is difficult, and I know it's not really a race,
but San Francisco, Colin, you look at these quarterbacks are
facing Trevor, Lawrence Stafford and Baker back to back is tough,
but that might be Baker without Mike Evans. By the way,
they were zero and three last year without Mike. Kevin
s Tampa then it's like Pennock, Stroud, Jackson Dart.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (27:02):
I think they're going to beat the Jags, lose to
the Rams, and then the Buccaneers game will revisit. Tampa's
got to start pulling away. You can't, Key, you can't
live off winning late drives and walk off kick. That's
not a way to survive. You can't you can survive,
you can't thrive in the NFL. Doing that just doesn't work.
Speaker 8 (27:19):
Kansas City eleven her last year in one score games.
Next up is the Vikings And I don't know what
to make of this story, right, So JJ McCarthy obviously
has the ankle injury.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
He's out. So Carson Wentz starts was pretty good.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
I mean, the defense got him a couple tuddies. But
people are starting to be like, oh, quarterback controversy, and
Kevin o'canna was asked about it. You let me know
what you make of this answer.
Speaker 10 (27:44):
I don't think it's one of those things where it's hey,
the day he's healthy, and if he's healthy the night
before a game, we're gonna just throw him out there
and say, hey, you know, go figure it out. When
you're in the phasing of building up the ten thousand
reps in ten thousand hours of what it takes to
play the position at a very high level, which we
know JJ McCarthy is going to do. You can't cut
(28:07):
corners on that.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
You know, people are saying he's leaving the door open.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yes, you know he should. Carson Wentz was a what
was this passer?
Speaker 8 (28:19):
Rating well in the forty eight to ten win over
the Bengals because the defense I don't.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Know, I mean, we'll completion percentage.
Speaker 8 (28:27):
He's fourteen or twenty so that, you know, looks decent
but rudimentary. Matt tells me that's like, I'm not even
gonnamarrass myself on TV. I know he had a good game,
hundred seventy three yards, two touchdowns. It's less about Wentz, Colin,
isn't it more about like the future?
Speaker 1 (28:43):
So let me see. He won't commit to McCarthy. He
was interested in Darnold. They had Daniel Jones. There was
an Aaron Rodgers rumor drip drip, drip drip. Carson Wentz
passer rating one twenty nine point eight. Let me check. Yeah,
that's great.
Speaker 8 (28:56):
Can you please put away your jump to conclusions, Matt
and just set down. JJ McCarthy is the guy you
go look at that fourth quarter and come back against
the Bears. Huh your Bears?
Speaker 5 (29:07):
Final story? Colin college football? So breaking news? How about
this one?
Speaker 8 (29:10):
Oklahoma State has fired Mike Gundy one and two starts, dude.
Dude had been with a team for twenty one seasons. Yeah,
they had eight double digit win seasons. He got a
Big twelve title in twenty eleven eighteen bowl games. Although
I don't know what that's worth giving everybody makes a ball. Obviously,
in the offseason, Gundy was kind of combative and he
(29:33):
restructured his deal. This is a bit of a surprise
to me in September to dump him. I mean, this
guy's been been there for twenty plus years, Colin.
Speaker 5 (29:42):
I'm a little shock.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
He's gotten cranky and he you know, he's one of
those guys that steps in at about three times a year,
and you know, like Dabo has won at the highest level.
I mean, he's done a good job off three star
recruits to build a pretty good program, but it feels
like nil has He's.
Speaker 8 (29:59):
Not been good for him right, So you know, usually
we're like, oh, what was some coach k's signature moment.
It's like win a national championship, what was this guy's
Kirby smart blah blah blah. Let's do Mike Gundy because
Colin we have the sound. This is classic, an all
time rant.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Here we go.
Speaker 11 (30:15):
If you want to go after an athlete, one of
my athletes, you go after one that doesn't do the
right things. You don't downgrade him because he does everything
right and they not play as well on Saturday, and
you let us make that decision.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
Come after me.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
I'm a man, I'm forty, I'm.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Not a kid. Write something about me, Cloie.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
We are writing something about you. You've been fired today,
that's what we're writing.
Speaker 8 (30:43):
I mean, seriously, his biggest it was not like we've
got to a playo.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
He beat No.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
He has some good wins, but that's the moment. When
you think Mike Gundy, you.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Think about that, you do, But he also beat the
Sooners a couple of times in big spots I mean
that became a very good rivalry because Mike Gundy, with
three star athletes beat the Sooners. I don't know how
many times he beat him, but he beat him. I
can remember two or three off the top of my head.
So you got to be fair. He Oklahoma State should
not beat Oklahoma. Oklahoma's way way better athletes. They recruit
(31:14):
at a totally different level than Oklahoma State.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
Okay, fair enough.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Jmack with the News.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the
herd Line News.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I mean, I'm I don't even know if I'm a
man and I'm sixty. Okay, so let's let's put up
the college football oh schedule this week. I mean, I
know where I was spent twelve hours watching average games
last week. I spent twelve hours watching Nebraska. What a
waste of my life.
Speaker 8 (31:42):
By the way, Penn State is up to minus four
against the Ducks.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
I like Penn State, and that's spot seems like everybody does. Well,
it's a home it's a What about.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
Your guy Dante Moore the quarterbay, isn't I.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Mean, he's Oregon's a live dog. I mean, they can
win it. Absolutely. I'll take USC I'll take Ohio State.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
Lane Kiff and Brian Kelly. That's that's a B.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
I'll take l s U. I'll take A and m
over Auburn. Oh, boy, Indiana, right, I'll take with Iowa
there and they just take Oregon. I think I may
take Oregon and that start to win outright, Yeah, wow,
I think I may.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
Boy, James Franklin is going to get it.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
I'll take Georgia if he mostly I'll take the home teams,
but I'll take LSU to beat Old Miss.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Why is it because of nus Meyer?
Speaker 1 (32:36):
I think? Yeah, I mean I think and I think
they've kind of got their act together defensively now they're
they're they're gonna shut All Miss down.
Speaker 8 (32:43):
Boy, if Brian Kelly loses that game, oh, I can't
wait for the postgame. Remember how how combat if he
was after they beat Florida and he got a question.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
When he comes out and says, I'm a man, I'm
sixty three, and we'll have another great SoundBite. Uh yeah.
I like Ohio State will win his road team. I
think Ohio State and Oregon can both win his red teams.
By the way, Mike gun to beat the Sooners four
times we comm that's something that's pretty impressive.
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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