December 9, 2025 • 38 mins
Colin Cowherd breaks down a statement win by the Los Angeles Chargers over the Philadelphia Eagles and why Justin Herbert displayed every trait you want out of a franchise QB - poise, leadership, and late-game execution.
Meanwhile, the Eagles freefall continues. Colin highlights the growing concerns around Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni as the defending Super Bowl champs suffer their third straight loss. Are the Eagles officially in crisis mode?
Plus, Nick Wright from First Things First joins the show to debate Colin’s latest Herd Hierarchy and confront the harsh reality surrounding his Kansas City Chiefs, who now appear on the brink of playoff elimination.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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Speaker 2 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Oh, it is a Tuesday. We are stacked. Justin Herbert,
great American hero in overtime the Chargers, I mean, the
Eagles even had extra days to prepare. What a night
last night for Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. One hour
from now the Herd hierarchy. Will those bums from Philadelphia
(00:51):
even make the top ten? I'll try to squeeze Buffalo in.
That was great. That signifies how valuable a great head coach,
a great quarterback, and an ascending rising coordinator Jesse minter
(01:11):
Are I mean, think about this.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
The Chargers are now nine to four.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
They lost to Bosa both Pro Bowl level tackles on
their third string running back and last night their quarterbacks
off hand surgery, and they beat a stacked Eagles roster
all I've heard all year with Philly is well Landon
Dickerson is nine hundred percent. You know, Lane Johnson's out.
Sorry not Sirianni, I'm done listening to it. Davonte Smith,
(01:42):
AJ Brown, Saquon Barkley, most of the best offensive line
in football. The Eagles are zero and three without a
starting right tackle. The Chargers are four and three without
both their tackles, and whenever Justin Herbert plays with a
broken hand. Last night was all grit and all coaching.
Justin Herbert didn't want to be the Bolts leading rusher,
(02:05):
but he was pressured on sixty eight percent of his throws.
That is the worst pass protection any quarterback in any
game has faced all season. So I've said this for years.
If you don't get Justin Herbert, you don't get it.
That kid's taken up beating a record setting beating.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
He's under siege.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Last night he finally got one of his running backs
back backups everywhere in the offensive line. He's stiff arming
people in overtime coming off a broken hand, and pff
I look this morning has him as the sixth highest
rated quarterback.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So they're nine and four.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Not to mention in a division with Andy Reid and
Sean Payton, the raining Super Bowl champs and the number
one seed Denver.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And they're nine and four.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I mean, it was it was a dick or the kicker.
It was Tony Jefferson retired a couple of years ago.
He has four picks.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
This year.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
It was Harball, it was Herbert, it was the special teams,
it's the kicking, it's Jesse Minter. I mean, to me,
head coaching quarterback is more than just dia gramming some
plays and completing some passes. It is about resilience and toughness.
And this is a very interesting number. The last two years.
(03:23):
We always talk about coaches, and I think Harball has
as good as coach as any coach in my life,
if you count college in pro. I think he's that good.
This team is thirteen and four the last two seasons.
After Week eight. That is coaching, That is culture, That
is toughness, that is resilience. I mean, this team averaged
(03:43):
three point nine yards of play. This is the best roster,
the Eagles roster in the league. Herbert's pressured sixty eight
percent of the throws. They should have been blown out.
They're on backups all over the offensive line facing one
of the great defense is Philadelphia in the league, and
yet they get five turnovers. Pull them away from Philadelphia.
(04:08):
I mean, Herbert just broke his hand, just had surgery.
Here's Jim Harbaugh dushing over Herbert.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And justin Herbert he's a superhero.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
He is a competitive maniac.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
I mean he was even stiff arming guys, you know,
with a broken hand, and he had surgery a week ago,
and out here tonight. It's it's it felt like like
I was in a MOVI Like we were in a
movie where you know, the quarterback's doing these and it's
like you get to the point where we go, okay,
this is getting a little unrealistic.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
You know. That's what it felt like to me.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It really is amazing that this team is nine to four,
still has a chance to win their division. Play the
Chiefs next. All right, let's talk about a young man.
I like, but this was officially a bad day at
the office. Jalen hurts four picks in a fumble and
a passer rating slightly over thirty one. One thing, let's
(05:12):
stop arguing about this one thing that has become obvious
for Jalen Hurts. He is a circumstances quarterback. If the
old line's perfectly healthy, if the offensive coordinator is great,
if Saquon Barkley is having an amazing nighter season, if
the defense is number one like last year, he's pretty successful.
(05:34):
Justin Herbert's doing it with no ifs. Some quarterbacks are
hot air balloons. They're dependent on the weather, Justin Herbert.
And some quarterbacks are fighter pilots. Just give me the coordinates.
I like Jalen Hurts in tangibles a plus plus. But
the Eagles have now lost five straight games. When they
(05:59):
asked Jalen Hurts to just throw thirty times, just thirty
last night, he had to throw forty times and became
the only quarterback to have two turnovers on one play.
The Eagles have a head coach that is entirely dependent
on offensive coordinators and a quarterback that's dependent on mostly
(06:21):
a perfect setting. Last year's Super Bowl Colin last year's
Super Bowl, Oh give me a break. They won a
Super Bowl with Nick Foles.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
General manager, owner, first franchise. I've said this about Nick Siriani,
the top head coaches, Shanahan. We've seen Matt Lafleur do
it this year. McVeigh Vrabel. They can fix a broken
side of the ball. Lafleour's offense was broken a month ago.
Now it's great. We've seen Vrabel do this. The od
(06:52):
lines banged up. He can fix it in season. I
don't think Sirianni can. I don't think that's who he is.
I'm watching that game last night and it hit me
it's hard to believe the positivity Bunny didn't work.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It didn't have a bigger impact.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I thought that thing was a goofy reach, and I
wonder about his future because Philly is like LSU football.
They don't win, they don't care, no sacred cows. With
the Philadelphia Eagles, they've move off super Bowl winning quarterbacks
and super Bowl winning coaches.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
But I don't want to hear.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I love Lane Johnson, but you got Saquon and that
defense and DeVante Smith and AJ Brown and yeah, AJ.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Dropped a pass.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
And I love so much about Jalen Hurts, but he's
a circumstances quarterback if everything's lined up. That's not what
Herbert was last night. Chargers had no business winning that game.
That whole line against that Philly d Come on, here's
Sirianni on the ugly night.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
For Jalen Hurts, this game.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Is the ultimate team game. So it's it's never you know,
it's never just on one person. Now, ultimately, he always
has the ball in his hands, and I know he'll
he'll wear a lot of that and own that, and
I got to do a better job of helping them
in those scenarios. Again, it's always it's never just on execution, right, Obviously,
never want to turn the ball over. We've been pretty
(08:21):
good at that and tonight was a little uncharacteristic of ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
They're probably still going to win their division, but the
NFC East, arguably it's one of the weaker divisions. If
you go look at the standings right now in the NFL,
almost without exception, whoever leads them either has a great
coach like a Sean Payton, a Mike Rable, or you
(08:47):
have a great quarterback. There are very few exceptions on
that summer high profile, you know, like like Philadelphia. Some
are like the Texans, great coach, great defense. But right now,
what's great, I mean the personnel is, but I mean
we all know this, Sirianni is totally coordinator dependent, and
(09:10):
last night was another example that Jalen is a circumstantial guy.
If everything's in line, he can win a super Bowl.
But remember Nick Foles won a Super Bowl. Trend Delver
won a Super Bowl, Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl,
Rex Grossman got to a Super Bowl. Stan Humphreys got
to a Super Bowl. Fine professional athletes, but sometimes things
line up with the Eagles. This year just things haven't
(09:34):
quite perfectly lined up, and they are an absolute mess
on offense. So what a what a wild wild game
last night? I kept waiting for the damn to burst.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
J Mac.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You kept thinking, Okay, Philadelphia has got too many good players.
Philadelphia is going to win this football game, and there
is something to be had about perseverance and just hanging around.
I thought, justin Herbert in overtime, he didn't want to run,
and even Hardball was just calling it just justin, just
get us first downs, moved the chains. I would say this,
(10:14):
it's a top five gut check win all season by
a team. Yeah, I mean it was really there was
a lot of reasons. I mean, Philadelphia was a road favorite,
and for most of the game you kept saying, Okay,
they can't throw another pick. The Eagles can't keep turning
it over and they just the Chargers just stayed close,
(10:35):
hung in and then in overtime. You know, it's funny
when it went to overtime, it was the first time
the entire game. I'm like, Oh, the Chargers will win. Really,
I felt all night. I thought Philadelphia all night. I'm like,
they can't. He can't keep throwing picks.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Well, you know, he didn't get any help from AJ
Brown on the final drive. Brown had three drops for
the game, dropped the touchdown on the corner of the
end zone.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
That's a tough one for Philly. Collen.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
I'm just worried about Justin Herbert. Can he continue to
survive this.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
They got the.
Speaker 7 (11:02):
Chiefs this week in probably one of the biggest games
of the season, and he needs to not get sack.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Seven times on the road.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I'll just say this, I don't think the Chiefs are
dead yet. I don't think the season's over. If they
beat the Chargers, we're going to start hearing Here comes Mahomes,
Here comes Andy Reid.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Isn't it remarkable though the betting markets, the Chargers are
like a three and a half point underdog, and you
watch the Chiefs offense.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
What do they do well, Well, they don't.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Block the guy who got hurt on the first play.
He's out for the season now.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So it's the market still respects the Chiefs. The market does,
but you're watching them and you're like, this is what
a dynasty does. You keep giving it in your mind,
you keep giving it chance after chance after Chanck, I
think the Chargers are a better team than Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yes, I agree.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
I mean, does the market know that Andy Reid has
turned into Dan Campbell.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Going for all these four downs?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Come on, it's crazy, so our Herd hierarchy in one
hour plus Nick Wright having to come to grips with
the chief season.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
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(12:22):
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Speaker 3 (12:37):
Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and comment away, Let's
not waste any time.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Let's get to our herd hierarchy right now.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Herd hierarchy time. Now go the top ten NFL teams
according to College Number Dad.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Well, listen, the Bills are flawed, but they have won
twelve straight home games in the December and January, and
Josh Allen has a career high completion percentage and yards
for attempt this season. I still think they're asking too
much of them, which is why they've had twelve giveaways
in five games. They're not a clean team. They can
get sloppy. They're bad against the run, although they've been
(13:17):
a little better in the last couple of weeks. I
think the reality is they'll go as far as Josh
Allen can take them. I don't trust them situationally. They
were fumbling near the goal line this week. I think
right now, the best quarterback in the world, not the
most decorated, but the best is Josh Allen. But there's
too many questions for me. They sneak in at number ten,
(13:38):
number nine. The Chargers are now five and zero in
prime time this season. They're a big stage team at
least in the regular season. Thirteen and four under Jim
Harbaugh in the second half of seasons. That's best in
the NFL. Remarkable with all their injuries. The offensive line's atrocious,
all beat up. The running game depends on who's healthy,
(14:01):
but they have a great pass defense, best in the
league since Week eight. Between the head coach and the
star coordinator and Herbert, they're in every single game.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
I have the Chargers at nine, number eight.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
I can't even figure the Niners out. How in the
world do they have the number one scoring defense since
Week eleven? Robert sala I don't like their defensive personnel.
I'm mid on brock party, but they've got five wins
of ten plus or more points since Week seven. That's
tied for the NFL lead. They don't get penalized. They've
(14:36):
got too easy games coming up, just had the bye
San Francisco. Yes, they're two Christian McCaffrey dependent, but Kittle
and Jennings and pearsall they're getting healthier.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I'll put them at eight number seven.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Texans have the best defense in the league, five game
winning streak eight of ten.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Their offense can worry me. I do like CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
They have played the fourth hardest schedule in the league,
so they are battle tested. Number one scoring defense. I'll
tell you there's a couple of young defensive coaches in
this league that.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Are really sharp.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Tomico Ryans and I told you I had somebody inside
the Niners tell me years ago Demiko Ryans was going
to be a star as head coach. That Houston defense
is no fun to play. I've got him at seven,
number six. I'm gonna give it to the Bears. They
lead the NFL in turnover differential. They run the football,
(15:33):
they can win time of possession. People bang on Caleb
Williams completing fifty eight percent of his throws, but he
is so electric and dynamic.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I can live with that.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I think their biggest issue they give up six point
one yards of play. That's near the bottom of the NFL.
That's what worries me. It's not Caleb's lack of accuracy.
I think he got to live with that because he's
so dynamic. They've got a shore up their defense on
the average play number five Seattle.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Maybe I have.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Them low, but there's a there's a slew of teams
above them, and there's reasons why they can be reckless.
They're a run first team, they're aggressive, sometimes a little
you know, penalties, youth. I don't think they're a super
Bowl team yet. I think, like the Packers, who are young,
it'll take another year. I think Green Bay is ready
(16:29):
this year. They weren't last year. They have, you know,
tied for the fewest sacks allowed. Some of that's just
Darnold's good on his feet. But I have Seattle at five,
number four, But I think the Broncos rosters a little
more experienced, and I get offensive coach Sean Payton first
game though this year they have not trailed. Listen, here's
(16:50):
what's really impressive. Tied for the most sacks and then
the fewest allowed. You can't get to their quarterback. They
always get to yours. That's gonna served them well in
the playoffs. Offensive line. Sean Payton's got at number one
after a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I love their roster. I really like their roster.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I wish their quarterback wasn't this uneven, but I have
them a nick ahead of Seattle number three Green Bay.
I may have them low best third down offense, tied
for the fewest giveaways. They're a very smart, clean young team.
I thought last year they were a bit too young.
I love that Christian Watson is healthy because Jordan Love
(17:33):
like a Sam Darnold, loves to throw the deep ball
and throws a brilliant deep ball. I also think the
Mica trade was brilliant. Not not all was bad for Dallas,
but it was brilliant because they're gonna lead a lot
of games late and he's the closer.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
I have Green Bay at three.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Number two.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Patriots were idle. I have them at two ten to
zero and Christian Gonzales plays their elite corner ten game
winning streak. Are they a bit young? Is Drake may ready? Listen?
They have played the easiest schedule in the NFL. That
needs to be noted. Houston could be better. Houston's played
the fourth hardest schedule, so I think they're a little
(18:13):
harder to judge team. We know the coach is good
in the quarterback is good, but I have them.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
At two number one.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
The Rams boy was Devonte Adams, a steal leads the
NFL with fourteen touchdowns. Fuku Nikua by the way, averaging
the most receiving yards per game in NFL history. Ninety
one tight ends, quarterback, head coach, running back, O line.
They have no weakness offensively other than Stafford's immobility. The
(18:42):
defense is young and outstanding. This feels like the most
complete team.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
In the league.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And you may have noticed, I do not have Philadelphia in.
I'm sorry. I think their coach is coordinator dependent and
quarterback in Philadelphia is an if quarterback, he's circumstantial. If
the O line is healthy, if the defense is great,
if Saquan's having a great year, I have Philadelphia at eleven.
(19:12):
And with that, Nick Wright joining us on a Tuesday.
First things first, all right, Eagles not in. I'm not
judging rosters. I'm judging how are you today. I don't
love Buffalo, they should have lost, and I don't like
what I see from Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Any major complaints.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Well, I agree with you on Philadelphia, I disagree with
you on Buffalo. Let's start with Philly. Yet. You can't
be the quarterback who might be limited but always wins
and never turns the ball over and then have a
three game losing streak because you keep turning the ball
(19:50):
over like that doesn't work. Other quarterbacks can get away
with some rough moments because their high moments are what
carries you that been Jalen and I am really concerned
about the Eagles, and I've been saying this all year,
when the last half of the year, when there seems
(20:11):
like once again there is some real uneasiness within the
locker room about the offense that for different reasons but
a very similar timeline. This reminds me a lot as
a player and seemingly as relationship with his teammates of
Russell Wilson in Seattle Little they both went to two
(20:35):
Super Bowls. They Russ won the first, lost the second.
Jalen did it in the reverse order. They're both excellent
deep ball throwers and efficient short throwers, struggling the intermediate stuff,
dynamic with their legs when they want to be, yet
didn't seemingly get all the credit for the championship. And
(20:56):
also there seems to be a real disconnect between the player,
the quarterback and the rest of the locker room that
came to a head in Seattle, and I think it's
coming to a head in Philadelphia and that interception last night, Colin,
not that one or this one or the next one,
the other one, the last one. You can't make this
(21:19):
mistake on first in ten and overtime. You just can't.
And so yeah, and I know what his record is,
and it's unbelievable. And Jalen, to his credit, is a
great big game quarterback. Great We've seen him play excellent
in two Super Bowls. But I also know what Sirianni's
record is, and it's alongside John Madden for the best
(21:42):
winning percentage for a coach start of his career. I
don't trust Sirianni to get it right, and I don't
think an inflatable bunny in the locker room fixes it.
And if I sound a little extra harsh, sorry to
keep ranting, it's because misery loves company, Colin. And if
the Chiefs are going down, we're pulling a lot of
teams with us.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern nin a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Well, yesterday we were all concerned at Fox Sports when
I turned on your show and I saw a stretcher.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Come out.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Now, you did have a pack of smoke, so that
let me know you were still breathing.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
But there was a lot of concern here. Explain you
were you were so concerned. Yeah, that's why you checked
in on me. You're so worried. You were laughing making
fun of me. You and j Mack going over what
should have been your freezing cold off season takes and
instead reveling and them.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yeah, go ahead, I said yesterday.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Is it a reboot or a subtle re build? This
may not just be a tweak and they can do it,
by the way, you could see what Mike Vrabel did.
It's and you have Mahomes and Andy Reid. I got
a when I watched Seattle in the rams and when
I watched the Texans, and I see the athleticism and
the speed and the youth. Are the Chiefs to rebuild
(23:05):
this point?
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Well, no, you're never a rebuild if you have one
of the greatest quarterbacks ever in his prime. But they listen,
this isn't a fluke. Just like last year. I was
adamant that that team was a great team and everyone's like,
but the margin of victory and the close wins Winning
in the NFL is a skill, just like a great
(23:29):
tennis player understands there's like four or five points in
the match that actually matter. I'm going to win those.
The Chiefs last year understood that, and this year they
have been the opposite. At the highest leverage moments of
these games, they've been at their worst. And it started.
I can chapter and verse it just quickly for you.
(23:51):
Con then I'll talk to rebuild. Week one, third and fifteen,
fourth quarter against Justin Herbert. Get off the field and
you can win the game. Chris Jones doesn't keep contained
Week two, about to take the lead against Philadelphia despite
being outplayed. Kelsey lets it go off his hands against
(24:12):
the Jaguars. You're about to put that game away. Mahomes
doesn't see the d Linemen lurking pick six against the
Broncos fourth quarter lead. Bo Nicks in a third and
long you let him pick it up. And then a
comedy of errors on Sunday night, from Andy's decision to
go for it when the Texans Ofphins was dead to
(24:34):
Travis once again mishandling a pass Patrick having some unchar
uncharacteristic mistakes. This team deserves to be six and seven.
There is no denying it. But what I would tell
you is this, and it's the similarities are stunning in
this regard Brady who Mahomes is always compared to. Brady
(24:56):
in year seven played in a super Bowl to win
his fourth Super Bowl and be cemented as the greatest
team ever. They lost. And then over the next three
years Colin the Patriots won zero playoff games and got
blown out in the playoffs, including a loss to Mark
Sanchez at home. Zero playoff wins over three years. Patrick
(25:19):
Mahomes in his seventh year as a starter, played in
the Super Bowl to win his fourth super Bowl and
be the greatest team ever. They lost, and right now
they look like they're going to miss the playoffs. Now,
I don't think they're going to go two more years
without a playoff win, but it does EBB and flow.
And so the Chiefs right now, for the first time
(25:39):
in the Mahomes Zerra are not a great team and
they have to reckon with that and figure out what
needs to be done in the offseason too, correct it.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Listen, I've said this before. It's one thing if you're
a millionaire and you're a trust fund kid, it's another
if you grew up in chaos and you're a millionaire.
They're not all even I said earlier, some quarterbacks are
hot air balloons. They're weather dependent, Jalen Hurts, summer fighter pilots.
(26:09):
Just give me the coordinates, all land the plane. Herbert
has an atrocious soul line. They've been on a third
string running back. They're in a division with the rating
super Bowl Dynasty and Sean Payton, the Denver's pass rush elite,
and here's Herbert nine and four. They shouldn't have won
the game, broken hand, stiff arming people. Listen, I know
he doesn't have the pelts, but even you last night
(26:33):
watching Herbert nine and four, weren't you a little impressed
with him?
Speaker 3 (26:38):
A little?
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Well, well, listen, I don't. I'm not anti Justin Herbert,
first of all. Second of all, last night is it's
such an intro. This is here's my issue.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Now.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
I know I'm talking to a guy, and I don't
know if we can put Colin back on the screen.
But who in all of a sudden new age Colin Cowherd.
You said, I know he doesn't have the pelts on
the wall. I don't think Colin Cowhard believes in walls
or pelts or anything. I heard yesterday. I heard you
call Josh Allen the greatest player in the history of
the sport, A guy who's played your friend, a friend
(27:11):
of yours, a personal friend of yours. Tom Brady went
to ten Super Bowls. Joss Elism, You're like johns. Allen's
the greatest player I've ever seen. So I listen. I
know your very new age. It's you know, the factor.
Here is what I find frustrating about some of the
Herbert discourse. All Right, So I think despite a horrible
(27:33):
stat line, he was really impressive yesterday, despite the fact
that half his yards came on a dump off to
Kamani Dal. I thought his toughness, his running the circumstances,
that was impressive. But I feel like I'm allowed to
think that way because I was not also being like, hey,
(27:57):
I know they lost a game they had no business losing,
But did you see how many yards Justin Herbert threw
for and how pretty the throws were. The folks who
for years have been the biggest Justin Herbert defenders that
are like, yeah, wins are in a quarterback stat you
what are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (28:16):
Clutch?
Speaker 5 (28:17):
Like just watch him throw. Are gonna now with yesterday?
They'll be like, yeah, I understand he had a passer
rating of forty and threw a bunch of turnovers. But man,
the guy sure knows how to win, doesn't He Like,
you got to pick the lane here, and so that
that's my frustration there. I also, you know what we're
staring at, Colin Herbert versus the Prince in the playoffs again,
(28:38):
We're still We're right down the barrel of that gun,
and I'm excited to see it.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
I said about Shador Sanders is that I understood the
t bow delusion. He was winning and there was the
Christianity connection with Shaduur. It's almost like the trends seven.
You can try to explain it to me. I don't
get it. He's not winning. He seems like a nice
(29:05):
enough kid. I the conspiratorial feel, the conspiracy theory stuff.
Dylan Gabriel set a college record with stars. He was
more ready to play early, but Shadur's more talented.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
That's it?
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Or am I missing something? This this belief they're trying
to bury Shadure. I don't culturally get it. What I
got tebow shoulder is much better than Tbou. I don't
get the animosity towards Stefanski.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
What am I missing?
Speaker 5 (29:34):
Well, I mean, I listen, I don't I have said
this now for a couple of days. Don't assign to
malice what can be explained to stupidity like the I
don't think it takes a conspiracy to get to where
we've gotten with the Browns handling of the quarterback position.
I just think I think the simpler answer is Kevin
(29:58):
Stefanski my make some really poor decisions and the two
point conversion was a poor decision. Whenever you make a
play call that is so bad and goes so poorly
that people's only explanation is you must be intentionally sabotaging
(30:18):
your team, it means that's probably one you would like back,
and it does. Listen. I don't buy the conspiracy piece
of it. I do think it's I know this will
shock people. I think it's possible that the Browns organizationally
make a lot of poor decisions, not the most buttoned
up don't have the quarterback thing figured out. And I
(30:42):
also think that the game we saw Shador play on Sunday,
I don't think Dylan Gabriel is capable of playing at
that level. Now, Shador will make some mistakes, Gabriel might
not make, but at least there are some big plays,
and so it was wholly lot the only here's my problem,
my biggest problem with Stefanski's two point conversion decision. Yeah,
(31:06):
the only way this silly conspiracy stuff continues after that
game is by that decision. If you simply call a
regular handoff or let shud or throw the way, if
you do literally anything else for at least a week,
the noise around your team dies down because Schor's the starter.
(31:29):
He played well, win or lose. Instead, you do a
wildcat reverse pass that looked like the worst play in
the NFL this season that Max Brosmer wasn't involved in.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And I don't understand it. So I'm a college football
die hard. I thought Miami deserved to be an over
Notre Dame. I think Notre I said this earlier. You know,
Notre Dame won't commit put a ring on it. They
won't ACC's as something to marry him. Three times and
they're like, we're not quite ready. Well, so the CC
(32:00):
backed twenty one year member Miami, who was more deserving anyway,
and said, we got Miami's back, and now now Notre Dame's, like,
you know, feels like we're on an island out here,
yet you're independent. Still, you've been in an island of
your choosing. That's so thin that I think they mostly
got it right. I was very happy Miami got inn
(32:21):
over Notre Dame.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
I mean, you have acknowledged that you're.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Not a huge college football fan, but I like that
because you tend to embrace the bigger macro topics. What
did you make of the playoff announcement?
Speaker 5 (32:31):
So I think you're gonna love this, Colin, So I,
first of all, I agree with you. Miami over Notre
Dame was very simple. They had the same record, they
played each other, Miami won. Like you can say that's
caveman stuff, like I don't know, I think the game
should matter, yeah, but I don't actually care about that
piece of it. Because here is my argument, and leave
the bracket up and seev agree with me. I wanted
(32:52):
the playoff expanded from four to twelve for seasons exactly
like this one. There is one team Indiana that in
any system ever was going to get in, and then
four to six teams that all had a legitimate claim
to be in the top four, because without the new
(33:15):
playoff system, what do you do about Georgia, Ohio State Tech, Oregon, Ole, miss,
A and M. They all have one loss, they all
have an argument. So that for me, the entire purpose
of the playoff is to make sure A and M
on up. If you will, A and M, Oregon, Ole,
(33:36):
miss and in the top four teams have a chance
to compete for a national championship. After that, I simply
don't care. And you're lucky you got included. Like everyone
who is not a no doubt inclusion doesn't get to complain.
The playoff was not created to make sure the tenth
best team in the nation can have a chance to
(33:58):
win the national championship. The playoff, for me, was created
to make sure a team that actually might be the
third best team in the country doesn't get left out
because they're fifth ranked Oregon. That's what so I think
they got it right. First of all, I actually might
have considered Notre Dame over Alabama, but forget that. But
(34:20):
everyone after A and M is on a free pass.
You lost twice, you gave the committee a reason to
leave you out. You're lucky. You got in. Everyone from
A and M up is why the playoff was created,
and I'm happy about it.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Yeah, you know, I think it's a good take.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And I also always had my country club theory is
that you think the more you expand the country club
from thirty members to sixty, everybody will be happy. But
what happens is you weren't allowed in, and then your
neighbor gets in as the sixtieth person. You're like, I
make more than him, I'm a nicer guy than him,
(34:59):
I've lived in the community longer, I'm.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
A better golfer.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
The more you expand the playoff, the surlier the arguments.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Again, if it was two teams, you'd.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Be like, well, Indiana, and then you have one argument,
Ohio sout or Georgia. So I think what happens is
when we expand playoffs, we think it's going to dim and.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Lessen the arguments.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
The more you go the country club, the more people go, well,
my neighbor got in, Well why you need to get in?
Speaker 5 (35:27):
It expands the argument. But what I like about it
is it makes the argument less have less gravity because
if it was still four teams, there is a really
like Texas Tech versus Oregon is a really really hard
call and Ole miss in A and M. While I
(35:48):
think they're a cut beneath Tech and Oregon would feel like,
wait a minute, why aren't we included? And so expanding
it the way they have I think is really smart.
I would not expanded any further. And I also do
like the fact that Duke didn't get in just because
(36:08):
they won their conference championship, Like, if we're going to
put a team in that has no shot of winning
the whole thing, having it be a one loss James
Madison as opposed to a five loss Duke, I like
that a lot.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
By the way, because of hippolaws, we can't tell you
what was wrong with Nick right yesterday. But the video
is so dramatic. Let's show it again.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
Broken heart, Colin, that's what's wrong, broken heart? And I'll
tell you one other thing because I might have to
hit you off the air for you know, a bridge loan.
It's also I'm gonna send this video to all my
creditors after this football season because I'm being reminded that
all my preseason futures bets I tied and the Chiefs
(36:53):
making the playoffs to them to get a little extra
juice and now all that's come and do on me, buddy.
I'm I'm in a rough way. I'm in a rough
rough way.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
My friend, Well, Sam Darnold can still win a Super Bowl,
so I'll be the medic that saves your life.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (37:08):
Well, thank god. I appreciate it, buddy, But more than that,
I just need some money. Talk to you later, Colin.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
All right, Nick Wright, First things first, very funny show yesterday. Yeah,
the you know, you expand the playoffs to me, and
everybody says, Okay, that'll solve it. No, it just opens
up more arguments. I think we had an amazing college
football season. I loved it. I thought the committee mostly
got it right. And if you want to expand it,
I'm fine with that. I don't. I think the one
(37:35):
thing I'll say is everybody kept telling me blowing up
the Pac twelve would ruin college football. Didn't, Nil would
ruin college football?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Didn't.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Transfer portal was bad for college football, isn't. They're not perfect.
I mean it's the transfer portal feels sometimes moving a
little fast for my taste. But coaches are moving all
over the place. They're Lane Kiffin's leave it in the
middle of the night, so if players leave, they leave
good stuff.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
It's the hurt
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox
Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to
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 (00:19):
This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver
on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Oh, it is a Tuesday. We are stacked. Justin Herbert,
great American hero in overtime the Chargers, I mean, the
Eagles even had extra days to prepare. What a night
last night for Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. One hour
from now the Herd hierarchy. Will those bums from Philadelphia
(00:51):
even make the top ten? I'll try to squeeze Buffalo in.
That was great. That signifies how valuable a great head coach,
a great quarterback, and an ascending rising coordinator Jesse minter
(01:11):
Are I mean, think about this.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
The Chargers are now nine to four.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
They lost to Bosa both Pro Bowl level tackles on
their third string running back and last night their quarterbacks
off hand surgery, and they beat a stacked Eagles roster
all I've heard all year with Philly is well Landon
Dickerson is nine hundred percent. You know, Lane Johnson's out.
Sorry not Sirianni, I'm done listening to it. Davonte Smith,
(01:42):
AJ Brown, Saquon Barkley, most of the best offensive line
in football. The Eagles are zero and three without a
starting right tackle. The Chargers are four and three without
both their tackles, and whenever Justin Herbert plays with a
broken hand. Last night was all grit and all coaching.
Justin Herbert didn't want to be the Bolts leading rusher,
(02:05):
but he was pressured on sixty eight percent of his throws.
That is the worst pass protection any quarterback in any
game has faced all season. So I've said this for years.
If you don't get Justin Herbert, you don't get it.
That kid's taken up beating a record setting beating.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
He's under siege.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Last night he finally got one of his running backs
back backups everywhere in the offensive line. He's stiff arming
people in overtime coming off a broken hand, and pff
I look this morning has him as the sixth highest
rated quarterback.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So they're nine and four.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Not to mention in a division with Andy Reid and
Sean Payton, the raining Super Bowl champs and the number
one seed Denver.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
And they're nine and four.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I mean, it was it was a dick or the kicker.
It was Tony Jefferson retired a couple of years ago.
He has four picks.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
This year.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
It was Harball, it was Herbert, it was the special teams,
it's the kicking, it's Jesse Minter. I mean, to me,
head coaching quarterback is more than just dia gramming some
plays and completing some passes. It is about resilience and toughness.
And this is a very interesting number. The last two years.
(03:23):
We always talk about coaches, and I think Harball has
as good as coach as any coach in my life,
if you count college in pro. I think he's that good.
This team is thirteen and four the last two seasons.
After Week eight. That is coaching, That is culture, That
is toughness, that is resilience. I mean, this team averaged
(03:43):
three point nine yards of play. This is the best roster,
the Eagles roster in the league. Herbert's pressured sixty eight
percent of the throws. They should have been blown out.
They're on backups all over the offensive line facing one
of the great defense is Philadelphia in the league, and
yet they get five turnovers. Pull them away from Philadelphia.
(04:08):
I mean, Herbert just broke his hand, just had surgery.
Here's Jim Harbaugh dushing over Herbert.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And justin Herbert he's a superhero.
Speaker 5 (04:21):
He is a competitive maniac.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
I mean he was even stiff arming guys, you know,
with a broken hand, and he had surgery a week ago,
and out here tonight. It's it's it felt like like
I was in a MOVI Like we were in a
movie where you know, the quarterback's doing these and it's
like you get to the point where we go, okay,
this is getting a little unrealistic.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
You know. That's what it felt like to me.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
It really is amazing that this team is nine to four,
still has a chance to win their division. Play the
Chiefs next. All right, let's talk about a young man.
I like, but this was officially a bad day at
the office. Jalen hurts four picks in a fumble and
a passer rating slightly over thirty one. One thing, let's
(05:12):
stop arguing about this one thing that has become obvious
for Jalen Hurts. He is a circumstances quarterback. If the
old line's perfectly healthy, if the offensive coordinator is great,
if Saquon Barkley is having an amazing nighter season, if
the defense is number one like last year, he's pretty successful.
(05:34):
Justin Herbert's doing it with no ifs. Some quarterbacks are
hot air balloons. They're dependent on the weather, Justin Herbert.
And some quarterbacks are fighter pilots. Just give me the coordinates.
I like Jalen Hurts in tangibles a plus plus. But
the Eagles have now lost five straight games. When they
(05:59):
asked Jalen Hurts to just throw thirty times, just thirty
last night, he had to throw forty times and became
the only quarterback to have two turnovers on one play.
The Eagles have a head coach that is entirely dependent
on offensive coordinators and a quarterback that's dependent on mostly
(06:21):
a perfect setting. Last year's Super Bowl Colin last year's
Super Bowl, Oh give me a break. They won a
Super Bowl with Nick Foles.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
General manager, owner, first franchise. I've said this about Nick Siriani,
the top head coaches, Shanahan. We've seen Matt Lafleur do
it this year. McVeigh Vrabel. They can fix a broken
side of the ball. Lafleour's offense was broken a month ago.
Now it's great. We've seen Vrabel do this. The od
(06:52):
lines banged up. He can fix it in season. I
don't think Sirianni can. I don't think that's who he is.
I'm watching that game last night and it hit me
it's hard to believe the positivity Bunny didn't work.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It didn't have a bigger impact.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I thought that thing was a goofy reach, and I
wonder about his future because Philly is like LSU football.
They don't win, they don't care, no sacred cows. With
the Philadelphia Eagles, they've move off super Bowl winning quarterbacks
and super Bowl winning coaches.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
But I don't want to hear.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I love Lane Johnson, but you got Saquon and that
defense and DeVante Smith and AJ Brown and yeah, AJ.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Dropped a pass.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
And I love so much about Jalen Hurts, but he's
a circumstances quarterback if everything's lined up. That's not what
Herbert was last night. Chargers had no business winning that game.
That whole line against that Philly d Come on, here's
Sirianni on the ugly night.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
For Jalen Hurts, this game.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Is the ultimate team game. So it's it's never you know,
it's never just on one person. Now, ultimately, he always
has the ball in his hands, and I know he'll
he'll wear a lot of that and own that, and
I got to do a better job of helping them
in those scenarios. Again, it's always it's never just on execution, right, Obviously,
never want to turn the ball over. We've been pretty
(08:21):
good at that and tonight was a little uncharacteristic of ourselves.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
They're probably still going to win their division, but the
NFC East, arguably it's one of the weaker divisions. If
you go look at the standings right now in the NFL,
almost without exception, whoever leads them either has a great
coach like a Sean Payton, a Mike Rable, or you
(08:47):
have a great quarterback. There are very few exceptions on
that summer high profile, you know, like like Philadelphia. Some
are like the Texans, great coach, great defense. But right now,
what's great, I mean the personnel is, but I mean
we all know this, Sirianni is totally coordinator dependent, and
(09:10):
last night was another example that Jalen is a circumstantial guy.
If everything's in line, he can win a super Bowl.
But remember Nick Foles won a Super Bowl. Trend Delver
won a Super Bowl, Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl,
Rex Grossman got to a Super Bowl. Stan Humphreys got
to a Super Bowl. Fine professional athletes, but sometimes things
line up with the Eagles. This year just things haven't
(09:34):
quite perfectly lined up, and they are an absolute mess
on offense. So what a what a wild wild game
last night? I kept waiting for the damn to burst.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
J Mac.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You kept thinking, Okay, Philadelphia has got too many good players.
Philadelphia is going to win this football game, and there
is something to be had about perseverance and just hanging around.
I thought, justin Herbert in overtime, he didn't want to run,
and even Hardball was just calling it just justin, just
get us first downs, moved the chains. I would say this,
(10:14):
it's a top five gut check win all season by
a team. Yeah, I mean it was really there was
a lot of reasons. I mean, Philadelphia was a road favorite,
and for most of the game you kept saying, Okay,
they can't throw another pick. The Eagles can't keep turning
it over and they just the Chargers just stayed close,
(10:35):
hung in and then in overtime. You know, it's funny
when it went to overtime, it was the first time
the entire game. I'm like, Oh, the Chargers will win. Really,
I felt all night. I thought Philadelphia all night. I'm like,
they can't. He can't keep throwing picks.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
Well, you know, he didn't get any help from AJ
Brown on the final drive. Brown had three drops for
the game, dropped the touchdown on the corner of the
end zone.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
That's a tough one for Philly. Collen.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
I'm just worried about Justin Herbert. Can he continue to
survive this.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
They got the.
Speaker 7 (11:02):
Chiefs this week in probably one of the biggest games
of the season, and he needs to not get sack.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
Seven times on the road.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I'll just say this, I don't think the Chiefs are
dead yet. I don't think the season's over. If they
beat the Chargers, we're going to start hearing Here comes Mahomes,
Here comes Andy Reid.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Isn't it remarkable though the betting markets, the Chargers are
like a three and a half point underdog, and you
watch the Chiefs offense.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
What do they do well, Well, they don't.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Block the guy who got hurt on the first play.
He's out for the season now.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
So it's the market still respects the Chiefs. The market does,
but you're watching them and you're like, this is what
a dynasty does. You keep giving it in your mind,
you keep giving it chance after chance after Chanck, I
think the Chargers are a better team than Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yes, I agree.
Speaker 7 (11:49):
I mean, does the market know that Andy Reid has
turned into Dan Campbell.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Going for all these four downs?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Come on, it's crazy, so our Herd hierarchy in one
hour plus Nick Wright having to come to grips with
the chief season.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
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taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it.
Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio, hit
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(12:22):
all the videos from your favorite shows. Two Pros and
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Speaker 3 (12:37):
Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and comment away, Let's
not waste any time.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Let's get to our herd hierarchy right now.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Herd hierarchy time. Now go the top ten NFL teams
according to College Number Dad.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Well, listen, the Bills are flawed, but they have won
twelve straight home games in the December and January, and
Josh Allen has a career high completion percentage and yards
for attempt this season. I still think they're asking too
much of them, which is why they've had twelve giveaways
in five games. They're not a clean team. They can
get sloppy. They're bad against the run, although they've been
(13:17):
a little better in the last couple of weeks. I
think the reality is they'll go as far as Josh
Allen can take them. I don't trust them situationally. They
were fumbling near the goal line this week. I think
right now, the best quarterback in the world, not the
most decorated, but the best is Josh Allen. But there's
too many questions for me. They sneak in at number ten,
(13:38):
number nine. The Chargers are now five and zero in
prime time this season. They're a big stage team at
least in the regular season. Thirteen and four under Jim
Harbaugh in the second half of seasons. That's best in
the NFL. Remarkable with all their injuries. The offensive line's atrocious,
all beat up. The running game depends on who's healthy,
(14:01):
but they have a great pass defense, best in the
league since Week eight. Between the head coach and the
star coordinator and Herbert, they're in every single game.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
I have the Chargers at nine, number eight.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
I can't even figure the Niners out. How in the
world do they have the number one scoring defense since
Week eleven? Robert sala I don't like their defensive personnel.
I'm mid on brock party, but they've got five wins
of ten plus or more points since Week seven. That's
tied for the NFL lead. They don't get penalized. They've
(14:36):
got too easy games coming up, just had the bye
San Francisco. Yes, they're two Christian McCaffrey dependent, but Kittle
and Jennings and pearsall they're getting healthier.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I'll put them at eight number seven.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Texans have the best defense in the league, five game
winning streak eight of ten.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Their offense can worry me. I do like CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
They have played the fourth hardest schedule in the league,
so they are battle tested. Number one scoring defense. I'll
tell you there's a couple of young defensive coaches in
this league that.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Are really sharp.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Tomico Ryans and I told you I had somebody inside
the Niners tell me years ago Demiko Ryans was going
to be a star as head coach. That Houston defense
is no fun to play. I've got him at seven,
number six. I'm gonna give it to the Bears. They
lead the NFL in turnover differential. They run the football,
(15:33):
they can win time of possession. People bang on Caleb
Williams completing fifty eight percent of his throws, but he
is so electric and dynamic.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I can live with that.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
I think their biggest issue they give up six point
one yards of play. That's near the bottom of the NFL.
That's what worries me. It's not Caleb's lack of accuracy.
I think he got to live with that because he's
so dynamic. They've got a shore up their defense on
the average play number five Seattle.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Maybe I have.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Them low, but there's a there's a slew of teams
above them, and there's reasons why they can be reckless.
They're a run first team, they're aggressive, sometimes a little
you know, penalties, youth. I don't think they're a super
Bowl team yet. I think, like the Packers, who are young,
it'll take another year. I think Green Bay is ready
(16:29):
this year. They weren't last year. They have, you know,
tied for the fewest sacks allowed. Some of that's just
Darnold's good on his feet. But I have Seattle at five,
number four, But I think the Broncos rosters a little
more experienced, and I get offensive coach Sean Payton first
game though this year they have not trailed. Listen, here's
(16:50):
what's really impressive. Tied for the most sacks and then
the fewest allowed. You can't get to their quarterback. They
always get to yours. That's gonna served them well in
the playoffs. Offensive line. Sean Payton's got at number one
after a couple of years.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
I love their roster. I really like their roster.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
I wish their quarterback wasn't this uneven, but I have
them a nick ahead of Seattle number three Green Bay.
I may have them low best third down offense, tied
for the fewest giveaways. They're a very smart, clean young team.
I thought last year they were a bit too young.
I love that Christian Watson is healthy because Jordan Love
(17:33):
like a Sam Darnold, loves to throw the deep ball
and throws a brilliant deep ball. I also think the
Mica trade was brilliant. Not not all was bad for Dallas,
but it was brilliant because they're gonna lead a lot
of games late and he's the closer.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
I have Green Bay at three.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Number two.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Patriots were idle. I have them at two ten to
zero and Christian Gonzales plays their elite corner ten game
winning streak. Are they a bit young? Is Drake may ready? Listen?
They have played the easiest schedule in the NFL. That
needs to be noted. Houston could be better. Houston's played
the fourth hardest schedule, so I think they're a little
(18:13):
harder to judge team. We know the coach is good
in the quarterback is good, but I have them.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
At two number one.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
The Rams boy was Devonte Adams, a steal leads the
NFL with fourteen touchdowns. Fuku Nikua by the way, averaging
the most receiving yards per game in NFL history. Ninety
one tight ends, quarterback, head coach, running back, O line.
They have no weakness offensively other than Stafford's immobility. The
(18:42):
defense is young and outstanding. This feels like the most
complete team.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
In the league.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
And you may have noticed, I do not have Philadelphia in.
I'm sorry. I think their coach is coordinator dependent and
quarterback in Philadelphia is an if quarterback, he's circumstantial. If
the O line is healthy, if the defense is great,
if Saquan's having a great year, I have Philadelphia at eleven.
(19:12):
And with that, Nick Wright joining us on a Tuesday.
First things first, all right, Eagles not in. I'm not
judging rosters. I'm judging how are you today. I don't
love Buffalo, they should have lost, and I don't like
what I see from Philadelphia.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Any major complaints.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Well, I agree with you on Philadelphia, I disagree with
you on Buffalo. Let's start with Philly. Yet. You can't
be the quarterback who might be limited but always wins
and never turns the ball over and then have a
three game losing streak because you keep turning the ball
(19:50):
over like that doesn't work. Other quarterbacks can get away
with some rough moments because their high moments are what
carries you that been Jalen and I am really concerned
about the Eagles, and I've been saying this all year,
when the last half of the year, when there seems
(20:11):
like once again there is some real uneasiness within the
locker room about the offense that for different reasons but
a very similar timeline. This reminds me a lot as
a player and seemingly as relationship with his teammates of
Russell Wilson in Seattle Little they both went to two
(20:35):
Super Bowls. They Russ won the first, lost the second.
Jalen did it in the reverse order. They're both excellent
deep ball throwers and efficient short throwers, struggling the intermediate stuff,
dynamic with their legs when they want to be, yet
didn't seemingly get all the credit for the championship. And
(20:56):
also there seems to be a real disconnect between the player,
the quarterback and the rest of the locker room that
came to a head in Seattle, and I think it's
coming to a head in Philadelphia and that interception last night, Colin,
not that one or this one or the next one,
the other one, the last one. You can't make this
(21:19):
mistake on first in ten and overtime. You just can't.
And so yeah, and I know what his record is,
and it's unbelievable. And Jalen, to his credit, is a
great big game quarterback. Great We've seen him play excellent
in two Super Bowls. But I also know what Sirianni's
record is, and it's alongside John Madden for the best
(21:42):
winning percentage for a coach start of his career. I
don't trust Sirianni to get it right, and I don't
think an inflatable bunny in the locker room fixes it.
And if I sound a little extra harsh, sorry to
keep ranting, it's because misery loves company, Colin. And if
the Chiefs are going down, we're pulling a lot of
teams with us.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon eastern nin a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Well, yesterday we were all concerned at Fox Sports when
I turned on your show and I saw a stretcher.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Come out.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Now, you did have a pack of smoke, so that
let me know you were still breathing.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
But there was a lot of concern here. Explain you
were you were so concerned. Yeah, that's why you checked
in on me. You're so worried. You were laughing making
fun of me. You and j Mack going over what
should have been your freezing cold off season takes and
instead reveling and them.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yeah, go ahead, I said yesterday.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Is it a reboot or a subtle re build? This
may not just be a tweak and they can do it,
by the way, you could see what Mike Vrabel did.
It's and you have Mahomes and Andy Reid. I got
a when I watched Seattle in the rams and when
I watched the Texans, and I see the athleticism and
the speed and the youth. Are the Chiefs to rebuild
(23:05):
this point?
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Well, no, you're never a rebuild if you have one
of the greatest quarterbacks ever in his prime. But they listen,
this isn't a fluke. Just like last year. I was
adamant that that team was a great team and everyone's like,
but the margin of victory and the close wins Winning
in the NFL is a skill, just like a great
(23:29):
tennis player understands there's like four or five points in
the match that actually matter. I'm going to win those.
The Chiefs last year understood that, and this year they
have been the opposite. At the highest leverage moments of
these games, they've been at their worst. And it started.
I can chapter and verse it just quickly for you.
(23:51):
Con then I'll talk to rebuild. Week one, third and fifteen,
fourth quarter against Justin Herbert. Get off the field and
you can win the game. Chris Jones doesn't keep contained
Week two, about to take the lead against Philadelphia despite
being outplayed. Kelsey lets it go off his hands against
(24:12):
the Jaguars. You're about to put that game away. Mahomes
doesn't see the d Linemen lurking pick six against the
Broncos fourth quarter lead. Bo Nicks in a third and
long you let him pick it up. And then a
comedy of errors on Sunday night, from Andy's decision to
go for it when the Texans Ofphins was dead to
(24:34):
Travis once again mishandling a pass Patrick having some unchar
uncharacteristic mistakes. This team deserves to be six and seven.
There is no denying it. But what I would tell
you is this, and it's the similarities are stunning in
this regard Brady who Mahomes is always compared to. Brady
(24:56):
in year seven played in a super Bowl to win
his fourth Super Bowl and be cemented as the greatest
team ever. They lost. And then over the next three
years Colin the Patriots won zero playoff games and got
blown out in the playoffs, including a loss to Mark
Sanchez at home. Zero playoff wins over three years. Patrick
(25:19):
Mahomes in his seventh year as a starter, played in
the Super Bowl to win his fourth super Bowl and
be the greatest team ever. They lost, and right now
they look like they're going to miss the playoffs. Now,
I don't think they're going to go two more years
without a playoff win, but it does EBB and flow.
And so the Chiefs right now, for the first time
(25:39):
in the Mahomes Zerra are not a great team and
they have to reckon with that and figure out what
needs to be done in the offseason too, correct it.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Listen, I've said this before. It's one thing if you're
a millionaire and you're a trust fund kid, it's another
if you grew up in chaos and you're a millionaire.
They're not all even I said earlier, some quarterbacks are
hot air balloons. They're weather dependent, Jalen Hurts, summer fighter pilots.
(26:09):
Just give me the coordinates, all land the plane. Herbert
has an atrocious soul line. They've been on a third
string running back. They're in a division with the rating
super Bowl Dynasty and Sean Payton, the Denver's pass rush elite,
and here's Herbert nine and four. They shouldn't have won
the game, broken hand, stiff arming people. Listen, I know
he doesn't have the pelts, but even you last night
(26:33):
watching Herbert nine and four, weren't you a little impressed
with him?
Speaker 3 (26:38):
A little?
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Well, well, listen, I don't. I'm not anti Justin Herbert,
first of all. Second of all, last night is it's
such an intro. This is here's my issue.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Now.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
I know I'm talking to a guy, and I don't
know if we can put Colin back on the screen.
But who in all of a sudden new age Colin Cowherd.
You said, I know he doesn't have the pelts on
the wall. I don't think Colin Cowhard believes in walls
or pelts or anything. I heard yesterday. I heard you
call Josh Allen the greatest player in the history of
the sport, A guy who's played your friend, a friend
(27:11):
of yours, a personal friend of yours. Tom Brady went
to ten Super Bowls. Joss Elism, You're like johns. Allen's
the greatest player I've ever seen. So I listen. I
know your very new age. It's you know, the factor.
Here is what I find frustrating about some of the
Herbert discourse. All Right, So I think despite a horrible
(27:33):
stat line, he was really impressive yesterday, despite the fact
that half his yards came on a dump off to
Kamani Dal. I thought his toughness, his running the circumstances,
that was impressive. But I feel like I'm allowed to
think that way because I was not also being like, hey,
(27:57):
I know they lost a game they had no business losing,
But did you see how many yards Justin Herbert threw
for and how pretty the throws were. The folks who
for years have been the biggest Justin Herbert defenders that
are like, yeah, wins are in a quarterback stat you
what are you talking about?
Speaker 3 (28:16):
Clutch?
Speaker 5 (28:17):
Like just watch him throw. Are gonna now with yesterday?
They'll be like, yeah, I understand he had a passer
rating of forty and threw a bunch of turnovers. But man,
the guy sure knows how to win, doesn't He Like,
you got to pick the lane here, and so that
that's my frustration there. I also, you know what we're
staring at, Colin Herbert versus the Prince in the playoffs again,
(28:38):
We're still We're right down the barrel of that gun,
and I'm excited to see it.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
I said about Shador Sanders is that I understood the
t bow delusion. He was winning and there was the
Christianity connection with Shaduur. It's almost like the trends seven.
You can try to explain it to me. I don't
get it. He's not winning. He seems like a nice
(29:05):
enough kid. I the conspiratorial feel, the conspiracy theory stuff.
Dylan Gabriel set a college record with stars. He was
more ready to play early, but Shadur's more talented.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
That's it?
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Or am I missing something? This this belief they're trying
to bury Shadure. I don't culturally get it. What I
got tebow shoulder is much better than Tbou. I don't
get the animosity towards Stefanski.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
What am I missing?
Speaker 5 (29:34):
Well, I mean, I listen, I don't I have said
this now for a couple of days. Don't assign to
malice what can be explained to stupidity like the I
don't think it takes a conspiracy to get to where
we've gotten with the Browns handling of the quarterback position.
I just think I think the simpler answer is Kevin
(29:58):
Stefanski my make some really poor decisions and the two
point conversion was a poor decision. Whenever you make a
play call that is so bad and goes so poorly
that people's only explanation is you must be intentionally sabotaging
(30:18):
your team, it means that's probably one you would like back,
and it does. Listen. I don't buy the conspiracy piece
of it. I do think it's I know this will
shock people. I think it's possible that the Browns organizationally
make a lot of poor decisions, not the most buttoned
up don't have the quarterback thing figured out. And I
(30:42):
also think that the game we saw Shador play on Sunday,
I don't think Dylan Gabriel is capable of playing at
that level. Now, Shador will make some mistakes, Gabriel might
not make, but at least there are some big plays,
and so it was wholly lot the only here's my problem,
my biggest problem with Stefanski's two point conversion decision. Yeah,
(31:06):
the only way this silly conspiracy stuff continues after that
game is by that decision. If you simply call a
regular handoff or let shud or throw the way, if
you do literally anything else for at least a week,
the noise around your team dies down because Schor's the starter.
(31:29):
He played well, win or lose. Instead, you do a
wildcat reverse pass that looked like the worst play in
the NFL this season that Max Brosmer wasn't involved in.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
And I don't understand it. So I'm a college football
die hard. I thought Miami deserved to be an over
Notre Dame. I think Notre I said this earlier. You know,
Notre Dame won't commit put a ring on it. They
won't ACC's as something to marry him. Three times and
they're like, we're not quite ready. Well, so the CC
(32:00):
backed twenty one year member Miami, who was more deserving anyway,
and said, we got Miami's back, and now now Notre Dame's, like,
you know, feels like we're on an island out here,
yet you're independent. Still, you've been in an island of
your choosing. That's so thin that I think they mostly
got it right. I was very happy Miami got inn
(32:21):
over Notre Dame.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
I mean, you have acknowledged that you're.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Not a huge college football fan, but I like that
because you tend to embrace the bigger macro topics. What
did you make of the playoff announcement?
Speaker 5 (32:31):
So I think you're gonna love this, Colin, So I,
first of all, I agree with you. Miami over Notre
Dame was very simple. They had the same record, they
played each other, Miami won. Like you can say that's
caveman stuff, like I don't know, I think the game
should matter, yeah, but I don't actually care about that
piece of it. Because here is my argument, and leave
the bracket up and seev agree with me. I wanted
(32:52):
the playoff expanded from four to twelve for seasons exactly
like this one. There is one team Indiana that in
any system ever was going to get in, and then
four to six teams that all had a legitimate claim
to be in the top four, because without the new
(33:15):
playoff system, what do you do about Georgia, Ohio State Tech, Oregon, Ole, miss,
A and M. They all have one loss, they all
have an argument. So that for me, the entire purpose
of the playoff is to make sure A and M
on up. If you will, A and M, Oregon, Ole,
(33:36):
miss and in the top four teams have a chance
to compete for a national championship. After that, I simply
don't care. And you're lucky you got included. Like everyone
who is not a no doubt inclusion doesn't get to complain.
The playoff was not created to make sure the tenth
best team in the nation can have a chance to
(33:58):
win the national championship. The playoff, for me, was created
to make sure a team that actually might be the
third best team in the country doesn't get left out
because they're fifth ranked Oregon. That's what so I think
they got it right. First of all, I actually might
have considered Notre Dame over Alabama, but forget that. But
(34:20):
everyone after A and M is on a free pass.
You lost twice, you gave the committee a reason to
leave you out. You're lucky. You got in. Everyone from
A and M up is why the playoff was created,
and I'm happy about it.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
Yeah, you know, I think it's a good take.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And I also always had my country club theory is
that you think the more you expand the country club
from thirty members to sixty, everybody will be happy. But
what happens is you weren't allowed in, and then your
neighbor gets in as the sixtieth person. You're like, I
make more than him, I'm a nicer guy than him,
(34:59):
I've lived in the community longer, I'm.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
A better golfer.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
The more you expand the playoff, the surlier the arguments.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
Again, if it was two teams, you'd.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Be like, well, Indiana, and then you have one argument,
Ohio sout or Georgia. So I think what happens is
when we expand playoffs, we think it's going to dim and.
Speaker 3 (35:18):
Lessen the arguments.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
The more you go the country club, the more people go, well,
my neighbor got in, Well why you need to get in?
Speaker 5 (35:27):
It expands the argument. But what I like about it
is it makes the argument less have less gravity because
if it was still four teams, there is a really
like Texas Tech versus Oregon is a really really hard
call and Ole miss in A and M. While I
(35:48):
think they're a cut beneath Tech and Oregon would feel like,
wait a minute, why aren't we included? And so expanding
it the way they have I think is really smart.
I would not expanded any further. And I also do
like the fact that Duke didn't get in just because
(36:08):
they won their conference championship, Like, if we're going to
put a team in that has no shot of winning
the whole thing, having it be a one loss James
Madison as opposed to a five loss Duke, I like
that a lot.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
By the way, because of hippolaws, we can't tell you
what was wrong with Nick right yesterday. But the video
is so dramatic. Let's show it again.
Speaker 5 (36:29):
Broken heart, Colin, that's what's wrong, broken heart? And I'll
tell you one other thing because I might have to
hit you off the air for you know, a bridge loan.
It's also I'm gonna send this video to all my
creditors after this football season because I'm being reminded that
all my preseason futures bets I tied and the Chiefs
(36:53):
making the playoffs to them to get a little extra
juice and now all that's come and do on me, buddy.
I'm I'm in a rough way. I'm in a rough
rough way.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
My friend, Well, Sam Darnold can still win a Super Bowl,
so I'll be the medic that saves your life.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (37:08):
Well, thank god. I appreciate it, buddy, But more than that,
I just need some money. Talk to you later, Colin.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
All right, Nick Wright, First things first, very funny show yesterday. Yeah,
the you know, you expand the playoffs to me, and
everybody says, Okay, that'll solve it. No, it just opens
up more arguments. I think we had an amazing college
football season. I loved it. I thought the committee mostly
got it right. And if you want to expand it,
I'm fine with that. I don't. I think the one
(37:35):
thing I'll say is everybody kept telling me blowing up
the Pac twelve would ruin college football. Didn't, Nil would
ruin college football?
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Didn't.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Transfer portal was bad for college football, isn't. They're not perfect.
I mean it's the transfer portal feels sometimes moving a
little fast for my taste. But coaches are moving all
over the place. They're Lane Kiffin's leave it in the
middle of the night, so if players leave, they leave
good stuff.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
It's the hurt
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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