Colin Cowherd reacts to all the week 18 action from the NFL and establishing the playoff match ups. He explains why the Steelers win over the Ravens was the most impressive performance from Aaron Rodgers in years
He goes on to give his thoughts on the impressive Seahawks defense and the head coaches fired on Black Monday including Pete Carroll and Kevin Stefanski
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, the second season the NFL playoffs. We're
down to a final four in college football. One hour
from now. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, plenty of both. We're live.
We're in Los Angeles, Sunny, Los Angeles, pretty warm Los Angeles.
It's the Herd. Wherever you may be, however you may
(00:50):
be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day.
So I want to start. It was a wild game
last night, a fitting conclusion two teams. I don't think
you're gonna win a playoff game regardless of who won
last night. But all year long on Pittsburgh I kept
going back to this well. I kept saying, they don't
do anything I like. Except Aaron Rodgers at forty two
(01:13):
years old was the one thing every Sunday I was like, Yeah,
I trust Aaron. He hasn't thrown a pick since what
November and the Steelers have a lead, they blow to coverages.
Zay Flowers is wide open multiple times, allowing seven and
a half yards of play. Lamar Jackson fourth quarter, up
(01:34):
and down the field. And the other thing is nobody
gets open with the Steelers. You notice this, Aaron Rodgers
second half of the season with no dk Metcalf last
two weeks, seventy three percent completion percentage, passer rating well
over one hundred PFF, has the receiving core at twenty
ninth that was rated on the season with dk Metcalf,
(01:54):
It's thirty second without him. And here's Aaron who doesn't
run much anymore, in a functional offense that really hasn't
run the ball consistently for seven years, an offensive line
that's been okay, inconsistent for seven years in pass protection,
and he pulls it all together. You got a little
Warren here, you got a Friar move there. Pittsburgh's just
(02:19):
not very good at anything. They even missed an extra
point last night. Blown coverage is everywhere, and yet Aaron
Rodgers in the second half of that game, no DK Metcalf,
had his best half of the year. No timeouts, he
had to burn two of those because the Milwonkee headset,
his defense has given up bombs from Lamar Jackson as
(02:41):
a flowers. They just didn't do anything consistently well all
season long. And yes he can be prickly and moody
and a bit arrogant, but for a forty two year
old with this receiving corps, this defensive head coach, inconsistent
run game to not throw a pick since November ninth,
Aaron Rodgers gets my comeback player of the Year because
(03:04):
at green Bay there was no chaos. He had good
offensive lines, he had good weapons the Jets. He was
hurt most of it. But in Pittsburgh you think, well,
it's Pittsburgh. They knew some things right. Not really. They
didn't do anything well all year. They didn't really have
dependable assets green Bay did. I mean even DK Metcalf
(03:24):
couldn't keep it together this year. Eventually takes a swing
of a fan two biggest games of the year, he's
not available for either. So Aaron Rodgers in the second
half of the season, and we all know the second
half is the toughest half. I mean, you saw San Francisco.
You run out of players, you don't have all your tackles.
You don't have backups. Look at Aaron's second half numbers outstanding,
(03:48):
one hundred and one passer rating, fourteen tens, four picks.
The Steelers are in the playoffs. It's not to the Tomlin,
it's not to the defense. It's not because of the
run game. It's not because the DK metcalf. It's that
forty two year old Aaron Rodgers that can drive people
nuts and can be a little moody. Was outstanding that
(04:09):
made function and formality a real thing for kind of
a quicksand offense for the better part of seven to
eight years. They're in barely thanks to a missfield goal.
Here's Aaron and the coach after.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's been a grinding here and two years before that
what's up as well. So it's been it's been an
absolute blessing to be here with these fans, in this
organization and Mike t and a leadership that we got
with these guys, and you know, I think we just
we found that little bit that's something special, which is
belief tonight on the offensive side, and I'm proud of
(04:50):
our guys the way we responded in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
We married him from afar for a long time. It's
good to do it with him. But again, as I've
said multiple times here in recent weeks, this was the
vision in the spring when we pursued him. That's why
you do business with a forty one, forty two year
old guy. Been there, done that, guy with a resume
like his is. He's not only capable man, he thrives
(05:18):
in it, and I think he put that on display tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Now they're an underdog at home on that final wild
card weekend of playoffs next week, and everybody loves Houston.
I will just remind you that Mike Tomlin's been terrible
on short week Thursday games. Mike Tomlin's been virtually unbeatable
on Monday night football games. Steelers as a home dog
(05:47):
with the motivator Mike Tomlin against the Houston Texans, do
not be shocked if Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, forty two
years old finds him self advancing. I love Houston, but
Monday Night Tomlin is magical. Speaking of magical, the best
(06:08):
game of the weekend in terms of kind of awe
inspiring wow was Seattle's defense completely shutting down the hottest
offense in the NFL San Francisco in the Bay Area.
Seattle is the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
They are long, fast, twitchy, athletic, Christian McCaffrey and Brock
Purty out of sorts. A big part of it is
(06:32):
the fact that their general manager, in my opinion, the
best personnel guy in the league, Howie Roseman may make
the best trades, John Snyder is the best personnel guy.
If you go to the Seahawks first and second round
picks nine of them in the last four years. Pete
left the building, he took over. They are nine for nine.
They don't miss. And this Seattle team, as somebody from
(06:56):
the Northwest, it does remind me of the last great
Seattle team that had a defensive coach and was mostly
led by a great run game and a defense. And
they had a quarterback the other team, but he wasn't
really a unifier. He and Pete Carroll never really saw
eye to eye, and that's the difference. Everybody in that
(07:18):
building loves Sam Darnald. Everybody in San Francisco, USC Minnesota
loves Sam Darnald. He's a relatable guy. Quarterbacks always get
special treatment. You can't ask for it. That Seattle team
was packed, but Yoa's heard things that the players didn't
(07:41):
quite connect. With Russell Wilson, he saw himself at times
above the team. Fair not that's what you heard. You
never hear that with Donald, the GM the coach his
teammates constantly after games defending if he has an interception,
and the reason being is because Donald owns it, doesn't
(08:03):
seek special treatment one of the guys, and that really matters.
There's the old stories about Tom Brady that would walk
up to rookies when he was in year seventeen and go, Hi,
my name is Tom Brady. Of course everybody knew that
he was, but the fact that Brady would reach out
was a way to communicate and connect with a twenty
two year old out of Rutgers. That's Donald's secret sauce.
(08:26):
Yes he's athletic, Yes he's got a great arm, Yes
he's aggressive, Yes he can run make plays with his feet.
But it's that relatability and in life, look at who
vouches for people. Kyle Shanahan loved him, Kevin O'Connell loved him.
Mike McDonald his biggest fan. This Seahawks team reminds me
(08:50):
of that but more unified. Yes, both have a run
game led by their defense defensive coach, but the quarterback,
old athletic this time feels more galvanized, more unified, and
they are the odds on favorite to win the Super
Bowl after Saturday night shutting down McCaffrey, Purty and Kyle
(09:11):
Shenhan's red hot offense. Here's Darnold.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I'm taking it one day at a time. It's it's
been a whirlwind, just the NFL season, just preparing one
week at a time. It's that's the best part about
it is like, you know, you celebrate a win like this,
and then tomorrow you might celebrate a little bit too
because you gotta buy. But we're right back to seeing
what we can do better and how we can get
better for the next game. And that's the beautiful thing
(09:37):
about you know, the NFL and what we do.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
It's I mean, no mah Homes, no Lamar Jackson, no
Joe Burrow, and we're not sure what to make of
Josh Allen's defense. So it's a very interesting year. I
think one of the trends that's happened in the NFL
over the last couple of years, the bottom of the
league is awful. The New York teams are unwatchable and
mostly awful. It didn't used to be like that. It
(10:01):
feels a little NBA, and the reason for that is
it's quarterback dependent. If you don't have one and you
don't have the right coach to elevate what you do have,
it gets ugly fast. So this is going to be
a very unique year where Jacksonville could win it all,
will bow Nicks or Sam Darnold hoist a trophy. What
(10:22):
are we to make of Philadelphia? We love the roster,
but we're not sure about the coach and the quarterback.
And it's a coach quarterback league. It's a wide open playoffs.
I'm not even a fan of Pittsburgh, but everybody's counting
them out. Tomlin on Monday is a home dog. You
have to bet Pittsburgh. You have to bet Pittsburgh is
(10:45):
a home dog on Monday with Mike Tomlin. That's the
one everybody's talking about yesterday. Everybody's going, oh, this is
an entertaining game, but these teams can't win a playoff game. Tomlin,
home dog against an offense struggles. You know, Pittsburgh is
I mean, there's only one guarantee in this league. If
(11:05):
the Jets play, they will not get an interception. That's
the only thing. Statistically, they could play another thirty games
they would not get an interception. J Mac, I do
not remember a wild card round where if you told
me there were four upsets, I would not be shocked.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Yeah. See, I'm shocked that you're all in on the
Steelers here. Wow, loving Pitt for Monday Night. I think
what they undefeated? Since you know nineteen seventy one or
some crazy set.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
How about this? Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon all
fired this morning Herd lines coming up. I would hire
Kevin Stefanski in Las Vegas, in a New York mine.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
If I'm the Jets, I consider moving on from Aaron
Glenn to grab Stefanski before someone else does.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
But Cleveland makes a lot of mistakes. I think this
is one of them. I would hire in one second.
Kevin Stafans heartbeat, No, no question. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
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Speaker 1 (12:37):
All right, welcome back. I do not remember seeing a
wild card round of the playoffs where there's almost nothing
I'm sure of. I said almost The Rams will beat Carolina.
It's a ten and a half point spread. I'd probably
stay away from that. Here are the games to look at.
I mean, Sunday is gonna be absolutely epic. So I
(12:58):
mean Denver and Seattle a first round by I think
Seattle wants to play. If I was that young, that aggressive,
playing that well, if I was Seattle, I'd want to play.
So I don't know what the Eagles are. Who knows
what the Bears are? In fact, the two number two
seeds New England Chicago, aren't they still in rebuilds? Like
the Patriots O line still in a rebuild. The Bears
(13:19):
defense still in a rebuild. So what are we supposed
to make of Chicago, who yesterday for the first three
quarters the offense was flat and couldn't score. Maybe the
Chicago Bears who are now a home underdog to green
Bay in the wild card round and green Bay hasn't
won a game in a month. So I look at
(13:41):
Chicago and I think, if Chicago loses, do we chalk
it up to Well, the first stage of Ben Johnson.
He got him to a two seed. No more sacks
for Caleb Williams. He's healthy. He's gone from like some
thought of buss to wildly dynamic. I don't know what
to make of Philadelphia. I love the roster, don't love
the coach, the quarterback, eh and I don't know now
(14:03):
suddenly what to make of Chicago. Now they were number
two in big plays, number six in total offense, but
they gave up more big plays than all but about
three teams in the league. So when you get to
the playoffs, it's about all three phases special teams. Ask Baltimore,
you get into these big games, you got to make
your kicks. Yeah, I mean, Seattle dominates San Francisco only
(14:27):
wins thirteen to three because that first drive they went down,
went for it, got no points for it. So here
is Ben Johnson on the two game losing streak, and
you know Caleb was magical late in the game, but
was invisible early.
Speaker 9 (14:43):
And here's the coach stakes are a lot higher here
going forward. We can't afford to have a phase one
of our three phases play like we did today, and
so we're going to have to pick it up. And
like I said, I get fired up just thinking about
it right now, and I know our guys are too.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
There's an argument that the most complete team is Jacksonville,
and very few people have watched them. They went to
Denver and did something nobody else seemed to be able
to do, destroy the Broncos on the road. So you
start looking at it Rams, Panthers. I think we all
(15:25):
like the Rams. I would take the Bears at home
as a dog, little extra motivation. That's going to be
a wild scene in Chicago. I like Jacksonville to beat
Buffalo and bounce Josh Allen round one. I do. I
think Philadelphia the Niners are limping into that game. If
Pearsol and Trent Williams play, they've got a shot. Jay
(15:45):
Merck is very hot on the Chargers. I think New
England's one of those teams because they got they went
from bad to this good. Nobody quite buys into New England.
I do, And I thought I came into the weekend,
I thought Texan Steelers when they you got a Monday
night game, Pittsburgh's a dog. One of the great underdog
coaches in this league, especially on Monday, is Mike Tomlin.
(16:09):
Outside of the Rams in Carolina, no outcome would surprise
me this weekend. None.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
By the way, Rams are double digit favorites ten and
a half.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So I but by the way, they lost their three
weeks ago, which actually helps them.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
It is like November thirtieth. But yes, I would agree.
So Chargers Patriots. What's the weakness of the Chargers column
O line?
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Right?
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Do you know the Patriots are like twenty fifth in
pressure rate and they blitz at like league average. They
can't get to the quarterback. Pressure is not their thing.
That's great for Justin Herbert in the pocket. And then conversely,
Jesse Minter's defense doesn't give up big place. What does
Drake may live off of Big Place? So I think
first time starter for May. I already bet Chargers three
(16:48):
and a half. I really liked I think they went
out right.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
Oh, who's a better coach in that game?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
By the way, why does somebody have to be better?
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Well, who gets the advantage?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I don't think there's any advance really, I think it's
two great coach.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
I looked this up last night. Do you remember the
last time vrabel won a playoff game? What year it was? No,
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Oh, it's not that long ago. Sixth For the record,
I would argue the weakness of both the Patriots and
Chargers is the old line. Yes, I think that's absolute,
and the run games have been inconsistent. They're very very similar.
Is that we still think Harbaugh has to improve the
old line, and we had real questions about the receiving corps.
(17:28):
But the Chargers of receiving core is actually okay. And
we had real questions about the old line for New
England and their receiving core, and their receiving cores has
exceeded any any prediction.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
By the way, for your West Coast team going away,
Drake May's comp is justin Herbert.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I mean, coming out of college, people said he's like
he'll be the East coast, Herbert.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
It's not bad. By the way.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
The weather.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
I know you're a big West coast going east. No snow,
no fringid temperatures, high thirties, low forties. That's like La
weather in the morning. Five am out here.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Now J Mack with a news This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Con Let's start with a lot of breaking news on
Black Monday. In the NFL, so three head coaches are out.
Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland, Pete Carroll with the Raiders, and
Jonathan Gannon the most recent of the Arizona Cardinals. I'm
surprised by Stefanski. Six years in Cleveland, two time Coach
of the Year, got to the playoffs twice. Pete Carroll,
it was a disaster, but they've now gone one and done,
(18:26):
basically two years in a row with Pierce and Carol.
That's not a great look. Jonathan Gannon, I mean they
lost nine straight. They were listless for two months.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, he's a defensive coach, so Arizona's defensive coach. The
defense kind of quit. The Jets are going to keep
Aaron Glenn and that's the worst defense in the league.
Pete Carroll felt out of sorts. There was some friction
in Seattle about his son on the coaching staff. There
was friction. Chip Kelly quit this year, his son again
on the coaching staff, So that there's a lot of
(18:57):
stuff there that hasn't been reported much, but it's it's
I've heard through trustable, various sources. That was a fissure,
a bone of contention. So Pete kept saying, we're all
good here. Everybody in the world knew it was over.
I think what's interesting. Stefanski of the Raiders makes so
much sense because they're getting Mendoza and young quarterbacks. We've
(19:18):
seen it through the league. It can be Liam Cohen,
it can be Ben Johnson. Young quarterbacks need teachers calm
this whole. Brian Flores, Brian Dable. I like both of
them a lot. They are intense. Yeah, they are blowing
up start over guys.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
There's a theory that it would be Flores as the
head coach. Babel is doc. That's a lot of comple
around there. Well, let's not get into it. I'm just
curious of those six we saw on the screen. Six
jobs are open currently Titans as well. Falcons is open
as well. Of those six, is there one that jumps
out that you think is the best job on Now?
The Raiders have the number one pick, Titans had them
(19:56):
won last year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Have Kim Warri Well, the Giants have Jackson dart feeling
is he is good enough if he can stay out
of the blue tent to be a franchise quarterback. And
I've been saying this for years. I think the Giants
actually have talent. They can't get their leadership.
Speaker 6 (20:08):
Here obviously as a red flag. Joe Shane they announce
is staying. He's the gm who butcher Daniel Jones butcher'd
sain Kwon Barkley. If you want to go work for
that guy, obviously, that's you're asking me.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
What's the best of a sorry lot?
Speaker 6 (20:21):
It's very sorry. I got chickens, Okay.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I have my left tackle. I'll get Scataboo. I've got
a franchise quarterback four years. I don't have to pay him. Nay.
I've got Abdul Carter, I got pass rushers, Eliite Neighbors
comes back. Giants have what the number, They're gonna get
a star somewhere. They'll probably go get a right tackle.
So again, Jackson Dart's been better than I thought. If
(20:45):
you're giving me Jackson dark Scataboo a left tackle, a
number one wide receiver, they have to go get a
tight end, but they've got pass rushers. I think the
Giants are the best of this situation.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
Interesting over the Raiders, who have the number one pick
and a certain guy in the front office who's the
greatest quarterback in the history of football. I mean, he's
gonna walk into those meetings and pluck down a bunch
of Super Bowl rings on the table.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Is he playing?
Speaker 6 (21:07):
He knows a little about football. I think they're gonna
be okay, Yeah, all right. Let's move on to the
Rams Colin interesting win for them over the Cardinals thirty
seven to twenty Matthew Stafford. Very strong game. Rams weren't
buttoned up defensively. But let's focus on Stafford, who McVeigh
believes is the only choice for MVP.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I think Matthew's the MVP of the league. He played
that way. Wouldn't want anybody else leading the way.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Got a lot of respect for a bunch of people
in this league, but there's nobody I'd rather.
Speaker 7 (21:35):
Have be in the quarterback of the LA Rams than
Matthew Stafford.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
His play speaks for itself. Well. Some people insinuated they
dialed up more pass players for Stafford in the late
going to help stats. Listen, I think I think you
can go either way. I will say I think top
to bottom, the Rams have more talent than New England
(21:59):
right now, so if you look at it and go
But I would argue that Stafford plays in a much
tougher division. By far, I think the NFC West is
the best division. I don't have a problem either the way.
I love both guys. May is doing more with less.
Stafford did more period In terms of I'm listen, when
you play, I have to play Kyle Shanahan twice and
(22:19):
Sala and the Seahawks defense twice. That is a handful.
You know, Drake May got the Jets twice in the
Dolphins circus easiest schedule.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
There are some people are some of the metrics in
the last decade at least no easiest schedule.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, New England had a pretty easy run.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Another reason I like the Chargers by the way Rams
get DeVante Adams back and apparently Lake in the back
end of the secondary is coming back. Quentin Lake's coming
back he is. Do you remember what happened against aid Panthers.
They had a couple of bomb yes sounds. You know
what times they got to the red zone against the
Rams Panthers one time in the whole game defensive touchdown.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah. I think Quinton Lake is one of those guys
that's not talked about in the league. Rams see him
as he's a nickel, as a huge asset. And you
have noticed they have been resting Davonte Adams, so their
offense has been uneven. A lot of it's the red
zone stuff with Davonte. So Davante comes back, you don't
rely on Pooka as much. The tight ends yesterday once
(23:11):
again we're huge for the Rams.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
I think Rams Rams is the coast. Yeah, final story
Colin Dallas Cowboys boy. They had a nine game win
streak against the Giants that was snapped yesterday. Jackson Dark
doing some fun things. I thought Jackson Dart was nice.
Now Deak Prescott again, it's week eighteen. They were doing
the one two three can coon thing in the huddle.
You know, Dak Prescott fumble had like seventy yards passing.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
They pulled him.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
After whard Deak Prescott says, coming up short of the
Super Bowl, super Bowl playoffs, Buddy is getting.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Old, tired of it. I've got to deal with it. Yeah, sure, tired, right,
But it's up to me to control. And that's why
I say this year was as frustrating as anything is. Right,
There's been enough a number of times being up here
talking to you guys and right saying I need to
fix this, I need to get better at this, and
you know, to have a season where it wasn't on
my play or you know, I can't say any I
(24:03):
should have fixed that, or I should have fixed that.
I mean, I take accountability, don't get me wrong, and
in so many ways, and that the leader I am.
I'm frustrated, always trying to figure out what could have
done better, you know, if there was whether it was
conversations here or talking to this guy there or whatever
it may be.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, Well, if you're not going to take coaching seriously
and you're gonna try to get value, you know, Jerry
Jones always says, every time I seek value, that's what
I get. I get a discount. Well, look at your
coaching staff.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
So they will be drafting twelve. They're back into the
second is terrible. Caleb Downs would be a massive home
run from I don't think he's gonna be there at
twelve Colin looking on the board, I think Dad hurts.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Dallas is that if Dante more doesn't come out, and shouldn't,
you're not getting four or five quarterbacks overdrafted, like next
year seven quarterbacks maybe first round next year's yeah. So
this year we thought Cade klub Nick and we thought
Drew Aller, and those guys are fourth and fifth round
picks probably. So the problem is Caleb Down's going to
get gobbled up by the.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Eighth or night.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
What Seattle is doing with their safeties and secondary, like,
there's some things. Safeties are becoming a new chest BEEAs
Kyle Hamilton last night he goes out for the Ravens,
the defense falls apart like some of these safeties, and
I think Downs could be a box and coverage safety.
He's a really good especially with the new tight end stuff.
Team's going three tight ends.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
It's funny to watch the NFL got cyclical. We running
backs got downgraded and then all of a sudden, Christian
McCaffrey and everybody looks around and it's like and you
watch scataboo, and you watch these young guys and Derick
Henry and Bijon, You're like, oh no, they actually matter.
Jonathan Tanner last year and everybody bail safety has never
got paid for years and years and now now one
of the trends is certain organizations love safeties. I mean
(25:46):
the Broncos, you know, the Rams. What you talked about.
Speaker 6 (25:50):
Seattle, Seattle's Seattle becoming a blueprint defensively McDonald is he's
freaking good.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Yeah, J mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping the herd
line new Well.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I always think this, if you've got kids and you
draw up a will, what kid is the executor of
the will? It's the one you trust when you're gone.
It's the one you trust the grown up of the kids.
So Sean Payton, Denver's got a bye number one seat.
(26:23):
Sean Peyton never babysitting or pandering to Bonnicks. Not only
does bo Nicks have twenty four wins in two years
in a division with harbonn jesse mentor Andy Reidon Spags,
it's like a great defensive division top quarterbacks, bo Nicks
is the first quarterback ever to lead the NFL in
(26:44):
his first two seasons in passing attempts. In this era
of football, that's called trust and responsibility. So when I
hear this thing, well, it's just Sean Peyton's play calling. Yeah,
you're right, it is about Sean Payton's play calling, loading
up bow Knicks with every play in the playbook. I
(27:05):
remember when Big Ben came into the league Miami of
Ohio to Pittsburgh and for two years they baby sat him.
He never threw the ball. It was defense and run game.
So in my take on bow Nicks says, you can
tell how good he is by what Sean Payton puts
on his plate. He's thrown at forty two forty three
(27:25):
times a game. I mean last night Aaron Rodgers, who
forty seven times? That told you who Mike Tomlin trusted
Aaron Rodgers, not his run game. So I mean it's
fourteen and three in that division with harbaughn Jesse Minter,
with Spags and Andy Reid is an accomplishment. Here's bo
(27:46):
Nicks on the number one seed.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
It's the best possible position to be in.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
You know, two home games is where we want to be.
Speaker 10 (27:56):
It's better than having to play on the road, and
it's better than having to play an extra games. So
I think for US is the best case scenario. And
you know, it'll be good to play here because of
our stadium and the atmosphere. I think that'll apply a
little bit more pressure and then but at the end
of the day, it's you know, it's an open tournament.
It's going to be, you know, a really good opportunity
(28:20):
to play really good teams.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Listen, we saw it in college football. We're only one
team with extra rest, Indiana one of football. I think
Seattle is better off playing than getting a bye. I
think Seattle's youth and their energy and the momentum. If
I was Seattle, I'd want to play. I you know,
I feel a little bit the same for Denver. I
(28:45):
don't love getting out now. Philadelphia by all means, take
a week off. San Francisco is a team if they
could take a week off, get Trent Williams or Ricky
Pierce all healthy. But you know, for anybody who doubts
bo Knicks, twenty four wins two seasons, and it's the
playbook that Sean Payton has foisted on bon Knicks. He's
(29:09):
the executor of this will they have dumped every play
on him, and sometimes in that division with those DC's
and those head coaches, it's a little inartistic, just a
little so Colin Wright, Colin wrong. Next hour, Also, the
draft order is out and it sends a message. Also,
(29:33):
I think he won't win Coach of the Year, but
if I had a vote, I would vote him coach
of the year. That's next in LA. It's the hurd.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and noone Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Tonight, it's a big ten hoops doubleheader on FS one.
First at six eastern thirteenth rank Nebraska takes on Bruce
Thornton and Ohio State. Then at a thirty USC battles
coach Izzo and his ninth rank Spartans. It all tits
off tonight, only on FS.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
One, oh Colin Right, Colin Wrang. Starting Thursday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday,
it is going to be the best five day sweep
of football in America. It's going to be unbelievable. I'm
telling you right now, I'm making chicken enchiladas. I may
not leave the couch for five days. So I actually
(30:29):
this morning started laughing looking at this. Go look at
the twenty twenty six NFL draft order. Tell me if
these are familiar teams. At the top of a draft.
Vegas has the number one pick, followed by the Jets, Arizona, Tennessee,
four Giants five, Cleveland six, Washington seven, New Orleans eight,
Rinse and repeat. Might as well be it could be
(30:51):
one of any of the last eight years. New England
was on that puppy recently, and why aren't they? How
did the New England Patriot escape being in that top ten.
A smart owner in Robert Kraft admitted his mistake Gerrod Mayo,
good assistant, not a head coach, wasn't stubborn and then
(31:14):
hired a very expensive best coach on the market, Mike Rabel.
You know who else did that? The Bears they're in
the playoffs. The Broncos, they're in the playoffs. The Chargers
with Hardball, they're in the playoffs. They all hired like Vrabel,
the perceived and true best coach on the market. Look
at the head coaches of these top eight teams. Drafting
(31:36):
one of them Kevin Stefanski would have any market. So
I think people forget this. A lot of owners, and
I mean seventy five percent of owners, it may be
seventy five percent, they don't want to spend big money
on a coach. New York Giants won't, New York Jets won't,
Cincinnati won't, Arizona, the Bidwells won't, Dallas won't. Jerry Jones
(31:59):
won't spend money on a coach. McCarthy, Jason Garrett, chan Gaily,
he had Bill Parceales. He don't like it. So New
England didn't want to perpetually be one of those teams,
so they wrote a massive check. And but these owners
are cheap, they're insecure, they're driven by ego. They want
(32:20):
to be they want to be the centerpiece of an organization.
They know they have to have a good quarterback, and
they try to find one. They don't want that coach
running the show and kicking them out of the office.
So I mean, the prime example is Joe Burrow, second
year in a row, missed the playoffs. What's the first
thing Cincinnati does this morning announced they are bringing back
the coach. Okay, in Cincinnati, I'd bring in Kevin Stefanski.
(32:46):
They're not going to do that. So Mike Rabel was
not cheap. Either was Ben Johnson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton.
Here's Rabel on a year one, basically a nine month
complete turnaround by his franchise.
Speaker 11 (33:03):
You got the right guys in the building at the
right time, and we got a good quarterback play. We
figured out how to not beat ourselves. I think we
played our an identity and you guys make plays.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
That's that's what happens.
Speaker 11 (33:17):
We are the second seed and we're going to host
Chargers and we start over you when wins are in
our matter is going to be the ones that we can.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Get moving forward. So as good as Rabel is, there's
an argument to be made the coach of the Year
should be Kyle Shanahan. They finished the regular season twelve
and five. I don't know how they did it. Say
this out loud. You play in the toughest division in football,
(33:47):
certainly the best coach division in football. You have to
start a backup quarterback, a backup who they threw out
of Jacksonville eight times. Your two best defenders, Fred Warner
and Bosa, both Hall of famers. Yeah, they got hurt.
Plus your first round pick on defense got hurt. You
(34:07):
don't have a number one wide receiver. Brandon Aiyuk no
show this year, and by the way, his backup, Ricky Pearsall,
also missed half dozen games. So the composition of rosters
in the Seattle San Francisco game was so heavily towards Seattle.
Pearsall's out, Trent Williams out, and they were actually in
that game in the fourth quarter. So the leading receivers
(34:29):
for the Niners this year were a running back, Christian McCaffrey,
and a seventh round pick. And they are a twelve
and five team in the toughest division in football, best
three teams at the top of any division in football.
I thought it was unbelievable coaching. I mean, at least
Mike Vrabel gets the Jets twice and Miami twice. I mean,
(34:52):
you watched that game Seattle and San Francisco, did you
not feel from the first drive on, especially if you
were at the game at a friend that was at
the game, like Seattle is everywhere you go. Seattle's team speed,
didn't even San Francisco didn't even match up, didn't look
like they should be on the same field. So here's
Kyle Shanahan after kind of getting manhandled against Seattle.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
We need to play better than that. I was proud
that they kept battling and was able to hold him
to thirteen points. That's what gave us a chance there
at the end. But we need to play better all around.
We're ready for it.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
I mean, yeah, it was.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
It would have been nice to, you know, have to
have a home game here or both home games and.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Get it by but it is what it is.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
I mean, this team's been through a lot this year,
and now we got to do it the hard way
and won't brace it job doing the hard way and
look forward to it now.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
I have said this, it's been my criticism and it's
not just Shanahan, it's John Lynch and I and I
and I know John and I love him. The downside
to getting old in this league. You know, the second
oldest team in the league this year, JMC knows this, Washington.
They fell apart physically. So you look again at the
composition of San Francis goes roster, Trent Williams, old hurt,
(36:02):
George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, a lot of hits. Fred Warner
is I wouldn't say old, probably just moving out of
his prime Bosa. So a lot of San Francisco's issue
Seattle is young and young players when they get hurt,
heal more quickly. San Francisco, I think may need to
consider moving some pieces a little bit because they are now.
(36:24):
They moved Ufunga up, a very good safety who himself
gets hurt. But when you watch San Francisco, I was
saying that if they can get Trent Williams and Ricky
Pearsol are healthy, they could go to Philadelphia and win
that game. But if you start looking at that roster
in this league, the league's getting younger. Washington and San
Francisco felt to me old going into a season, and
(36:48):
you know what happened, You fell apart. So here are
the playoff schedules again for this weekend starting Saturday, where
the Rams are a big favorite at Carolina and again Carnellla.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
My bad.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Quentin Lake is back at safety for them and Devonte
Adams back, So the Rams are a huge ten and
a half point favorite. I think one of the odyssees
of the playoffs is Chicago is a home underdog after
that game against San Francisco when they flexed and showed
their offense lost, but played really really well offensively. I
(37:26):
think people look at that Detroit game and betters and
the don't know what to do with Chicago. Green Bay
has not won a game in a month. Jordan Love
is he one hundred percent? Matt Lafleur was on the
hot seat at the end of the season, and green
Bay is favored in that game Saturday. Is that nuts?
(37:46):
That is a why? I mean, I think Chicago should
be favored to win.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
So you saw the two matchups, right, the first matchup,
we would agree the Packers are the better side led.
I think the whole game it was tied. Sometimes. Second matchup,
Packers up sixteen six with two minutes left in Chicago
without Jordan Love and no Micah, and the Bears needed
like a late field goal, an on side kick, and
then the walk off touchdown passed by Caleb. There's a
(38:11):
lot of luck involved there. I had wanted Bears. This
is a stayaway game for me. I'm nervous for your guys.
First time quarterbacks in the NFL playoffs historically do not farewell.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
So you're betting against Drake and Mat.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
I'm definitely betting against Drake May and against Bryce Young
Caleb could be the one. I don't know what to
do with that game. If you know how the Boxers, Hey,
there was eight rounds. There were eight quarters, Packers Bears.
Did the Bears win any of those quarters? Any? I
mean maybe the overtime the ninth quarter.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Now you know my favorite bet of the weekend. I
think Jacksonville could hammer Buffalo. Oh, that's my last time,
jack Allen. When's the last time Jacksonville didn't play well?
I mean Jacksonville. They don't have a great they don't
have a great number of sacks, but they rush. They're
very good at getting pressure on the quarterback, kind of
(39:02):
like the Belichick Patriots. They don'tlead the league in sacks,
but they get pressure. They run the ball, they don't
turn it over. Now, Liam Cohen who got into that
early season scrapped with Robert Salah Jacksonville's there's an argument
they're the best team in the league not named the Seahawks.
Speaker 6 (39:16):
So crazy stat I saw they have not allowed a
seventy five yard rusher this season. Seventy five. So if
James Cook can't get loose, it literally is Josh Allen
against the world. And that is a tall order for him.
What's the line on that you said?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
I one Jacksonville was a one point dog dog. That's
a lot of rescis. I think my favorite pick is
Jacksonville at home.
Speaker 6 (39:38):
Are we sleeping on Trevor Lawrence at all? I mean,
he's been amazing, he said everything.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I think there's a couple of things that play one.
It's hard to unsee stuff right, Like we've seen Jacksonville
over the last four or five years. They just make
a lot of mistakes. I'm as guilty as anybody. I'm
just now considering them a top three team. But you
know it's what I watch Vrabel go to New England.
I predict, yeah, they're gonna make the playoffs because I
(40:04):
have a lot of equity built up watching Rabel play.
You watch Jacksonville the last decade, you're like, oh, it's
a squirrely franchise, that weird Blake Bortles team, but they
just you don't trust them in big spots. This Jacksonville
team good on the road, good and close games. They've
blown people out multiple time.
Speaker 6 (40:22):
Spit it forward, Jacksonville wins. Was it thirty to twenty?
Do the Bills consider moving on from McDermott they will
have backsplit every year. Sin since being in that amazing
AFC title game against Mahomes, is.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
There an argument that the people not in the AFC playoffs,
Lamar Burrow and Mahomes, puts immense pressure on Buffalo. I
don't think the pressure's on Jacksonville. I think all the
pressure's on Buffalo, Yo Burrow, Mahomes or Lamar Jackson And
you've got Josh Allen to perceived one of the great
four in the AFC, and you're playing squirrely Jacksonville, which
(40:59):
has really no home field advantage at all. Buffalo will
have twenty thousand people down there.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
And remember Burrow and Mahomes, it's they get they got paid,
and it's tough to build around. Maybe this is the
last hurrah for the Bills in Josh Allen because he's
got his big deal. That would be to so does
Stefanski and everybody wait to see what happens in Buffalo
before jumping off the job. Absolutely. I mean, well, what
do you do if Buffalo loses to Jacksonville? You go
(41:24):
coach Josh Allen?
Speaker 1 (41:25):
You there? You the owner has to have a long
conversation moving into the new stadium.
Speaker 6 (41:30):
Yeah, own new stadium.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That's right.
Speaker 8 (41:32):
Yeah,
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 Foxsportsradio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Here we go, the second season the NFL playoffs. We're
down to a final four in college football. One hour
from now. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, plenty of both. We're live.
We're in Los Angeles, Sunny, Los Angeles, pretty warm Los Angeles.
It's the Herd. Wherever you may be, however you may
(00:50):
be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day.
So I want to start. It was a wild game
last night, a fitting conclusion two teams. I don't think
you're gonna win a playoff game regardless of who won
last night. But all year long on Pittsburgh I kept
going back to this well. I kept saying, they don't
do anything I like. Except Aaron Rodgers at forty two
(01:13):
years old was the one thing every Sunday I was like, Yeah,
I trust Aaron. He hasn't thrown a pick since what
November and the Steelers have a lead, they blow to coverages.
Zay Flowers is wide open multiple times, allowing seven and
a half yards of play. Lamar Jackson fourth quarter, up
(01:34):
and down the field. And the other thing is nobody
gets open with the Steelers. You notice this, Aaron Rodgers
second half of the season with no dk Metcalf last
two weeks, seventy three percent completion percentage, passer rating well
over one hundred PFF, has the receiving core at twenty
ninth that was rated on the season with dk Metcalf,
(01:54):
It's thirty second without him. And here's Aaron who doesn't
run much anymore, in a functional offense that really hasn't
run the ball consistently for seven years, an offensive line
that's been okay, inconsistent for seven years in pass protection,
and he pulls it all together. You got a little
Warren here, you got a Friar move there. Pittsburgh's just
(02:19):
not very good at anything. They even missed an extra
point last night. Blown coverage is everywhere, and yet Aaron
Rodgers in the second half of that game, no DK Metcalf,
had his best half of the year. No timeouts, he
had to burn two of those because the Milwonkee headset,
his defense has given up bombs from Lamar Jackson as
(02:41):
a flowers. They just didn't do anything consistently well all
season long. And yes he can be prickly and moody
and a bit arrogant, but for a forty two year
old with this receiving corps, this defensive head coach, inconsistent
run game to not throw a pick since November ninth,
Aaron Rodgers gets my comeback player of the Year because
(03:04):
at green Bay there was no chaos. He had good
offensive lines, he had good weapons the Jets. He was
hurt most of it. But in Pittsburgh you think, well,
it's Pittsburgh. They knew some things right. Not really. They
didn't do anything well all year. They didn't really have
dependable assets green Bay did. I mean even DK Metcalf
(03:24):
couldn't keep it together this year. Eventually takes a swing
of a fan two biggest games of the year, he's
not available for either. So Aaron Rodgers in the second
half of the season, and we all know the second
half is the toughest half. I mean, you saw San Francisco.
You run out of players, you don't have all your tackles.
You don't have backups. Look at Aaron's second half numbers outstanding,
(03:48):
one hundred and one passer rating, fourteen tens, four picks.
The Steelers are in the playoffs. It's not to the Tomlin,
it's not to the defense. It's not because of the
run game. It's not because the DK metcalf. It's that
forty two year old Aaron Rodgers that can drive people
nuts and can be a little moody. Was outstanding that
(04:09):
made function and formality a real thing for kind of
a quicksand offense for the better part of seven to
eight years. They're in barely thanks to a missfield goal.
Here's Aaron and the coach after.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's been a grinding here and two years before that
what's up as well. So it's been it's been an
absolute blessing to be here with these fans, in this
organization and Mike t and a leadership that we got
with these guys, and you know, I think we just
we found that little bit that's something special, which is
belief tonight on the offensive side, and I'm proud of
(04:50):
our guys the way we responded in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
We married him from afar for a long time. It's
good to do it with him. But again, as I've
said multiple times here in recent weeks, this was the
vision in the spring when we pursued him. That's why
you do business with a forty one, forty two year
old guy. Been there, done that, guy with a resume
like his is. He's not only capable man, he thrives
(05:18):
in it, and I think he put that on display tonight.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Now they're an underdog at home on that final wild
card weekend of playoffs next week, and everybody loves Houston.
I will just remind you that Mike Tomlin's been terrible
on short week Thursday games. Mike Tomlin's been virtually unbeatable
on Monday night football games. Steelers as a home dog
(05:47):
with the motivator Mike Tomlin against the Houston Texans, do
not be shocked if Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, forty two
years old finds him self advancing. I love Houston, but
Monday Night Tomlin is magical. Speaking of magical, the best
(06:08):
game of the weekend in terms of kind of awe
inspiring wow was Seattle's defense completely shutting down the hottest
offense in the NFL San Francisco in the Bay Area.
Seattle is the odds on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
They are long, fast, twitchy, athletic, Christian McCaffrey and Brock
Purty out of sorts. A big part of it is
(06:32):
the fact that their general manager, in my opinion, the
best personnel guy in the league, Howie Roseman may make
the best trades, John Snyder is the best personnel guy.
If you go to the Seahawks first and second round
picks nine of them in the last four years. Pete
left the building, he took over. They are nine for nine.
They don't miss. And this Seattle team, as somebody from
(06:56):
the Northwest, it does remind me of the last great
Seattle team that had a defensive coach and was mostly
led by a great run game and a defense. And
they had a quarterback the other team, but he wasn't
really a unifier. He and Pete Carroll never really saw
eye to eye, and that's the difference. Everybody in that
(07:18):
building loves Sam Darnald. Everybody in San Francisco, USC Minnesota
loves Sam Darnald. He's a relatable guy. Quarterbacks always get
special treatment. You can't ask for it. That Seattle team
was packed, but Yoa's heard things that the players didn't
(07:41):
quite connect. With Russell Wilson, he saw himself at times
above the team. Fair not that's what you heard. You
never hear that with Donald, the GM the coach his
teammates constantly after games defending if he has an interception,
and the reason being is because Donald owns it, doesn't
(08:03):
seek special treatment one of the guys, and that really matters.
There's the old stories about Tom Brady that would walk
up to rookies when he was in year seventeen and go, Hi,
my name is Tom Brady. Of course everybody knew that
he was, but the fact that Brady would reach out
was a way to communicate and connect with a twenty
two year old out of Rutgers. That's Donald's secret sauce.
(08:26):
Yes he's athletic, Yes he's got a great arm, Yes
he's aggressive, Yes he can run make plays with his feet.
But it's that relatability and in life, look at who
vouches for people. Kyle Shanahan loved him, Kevin O'Connell loved him.
Mike McDonald his biggest fan. This Seahawks team reminds me
(08:50):
of that but more unified. Yes, both have a run
game led by their defense defensive coach, but the quarterback,
old athletic this time feels more galvanized, more unified, and
they are the odds on favorite to win the Super
Bowl after Saturday night shutting down McCaffrey, Purty and Kyle
(09:11):
Shenhan's red hot offense. Here's Darnold.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I'm taking it one day at a time. It's it's
been a whirlwind, just the NFL season, just preparing one
week at a time. It's that's the best part about
it is like, you know, you celebrate a win like this,
and then tomorrow you might celebrate a little bit too
because you gotta buy. But we're right back to seeing
what we can do better and how we can get
better for the next game. And that's the beautiful thing
(09:37):
about you know, the NFL and what we do.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
It's I mean, no mah Homes, no Lamar Jackson, no
Joe Burrow, and we're not sure what to make of
Josh Allen's defense. So it's a very interesting year. I
think one of the trends that's happened in the NFL
over the last couple of years, the bottom of the
league is awful. The New York teams are unwatchable and
mostly awful. It didn't used to be like that. It
(10:01):
feels a little NBA, and the reason for that is
it's quarterback dependent. If you don't have one and you
don't have the right coach to elevate what you do have,
it gets ugly fast. So this is going to be
a very unique year where Jacksonville could win it all,
will bow Nicks or Sam Darnold hoist a trophy. What
(10:22):
are we to make of Philadelphia? We love the roster,
but we're not sure about the coach and the quarterback.
And it's a coach quarterback league. It's a wide open playoffs.
I'm not even a fan of Pittsburgh, but everybody's counting
them out. Tomlin on Monday is a home dog. You
have to bet Pittsburgh. You have to bet Pittsburgh is
(10:45):
a home dog on Monday with Mike Tomlin. That's the
one everybody's talking about yesterday. Everybody's going, oh, this is
an entertaining game, but these teams can't win a playoff game. Tomlin,
home dog against an offense struggles. You know, Pittsburgh is
I mean, there's only one guarantee in this league. If
(11:05):
the Jets play, they will not get an interception. That's
the only thing. Statistically, they could play another thirty games
they would not get an interception. J Mac, I do
not remember a wild card round where if you told
me there were four upsets, I would not be shocked.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Yeah. See, I'm shocked that you're all in on the
Steelers here. Wow, loving Pitt for Monday Night. I think
what they undefeated? Since you know nineteen seventy one or
some crazy set.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
How about this? Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon all
fired this morning Herd lines coming up. I would hire
Kevin Stefanski in Las Vegas, in a New York mine.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
If I'm the Jets, I consider moving on from Aaron
Glenn to grab Stefanski before someone else does.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
But Cleveland makes a lot of mistakes. I think this
is one of them. I would hire in one second.
Kevin Stafans heartbeat, No, no question. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
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Speaker 1 (12:06):
Hey it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington. From The Odd
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Speaker 7 (12:10):
Radio and in addition to hearing us live weeknights from
seven to ten pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we
are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
That's right.
Speaker 8 (12:21):
You can now watch The Odd Couple live on YouTube
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All you gotta do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube
again YouTube, Just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out
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Speaker 1 (12:37):
All right, welcome back. I do not remember seeing a
wild card round of the playoffs where there's almost nothing
I'm sure of. I said almost The Rams will beat Carolina.
It's a ten and a half point spread. I'd probably
stay away from that. Here are the games to look at.
I mean, Sunday is gonna be absolutely epic. So I
(12:58):
mean Denver and Seattle a first round by I think
Seattle wants to play. If I was that young, that aggressive,
playing that well, if I was Seattle, I'd want to play.
So I don't know what the Eagles are. Who knows
what the Bears are? In fact, the two number two
seeds New England Chicago, aren't they still in rebuilds? Like
the Patriots O line still in a rebuild. The Bears
(13:19):
defense still in a rebuild. So what are we supposed
to make of Chicago, who yesterday for the first three
quarters the offense was flat and couldn't score. Maybe the
Chicago Bears who are now a home underdog to green
Bay in the wild card round and green Bay hasn't
won a game in a month. So I look at
(13:41):
Chicago and I think, if Chicago loses, do we chalk
it up to Well, the first stage of Ben Johnson.
He got him to a two seed. No more sacks
for Caleb Williams. He's healthy. He's gone from like some
thought of buss to wildly dynamic. I don't know what
to make of Philadelphia. I love the roster, don't love
the coach, the quarterback, eh and I don't know now
(14:03):
suddenly what to make of Chicago. Now they were number
two in big plays, number six in total offense, but
they gave up more big plays than all but about
three teams in the league. So when you get to
the playoffs, it's about all three phases special teams. Ask Baltimore,
you get into these big games, you got to make
your kicks. Yeah, I mean, Seattle dominates San Francisco only
(14:27):
wins thirteen to three because that first drive they went down,
went for it, got no points for it. So here
is Ben Johnson on the two game losing streak, and
you know Caleb was magical late in the game, but
was invisible early.
Speaker 9 (14:43):
And here's the coach stakes are a lot higher here
going forward. We can't afford to have a phase one
of our three phases play like we did today, and
so we're going to have to pick it up. And
like I said, I get fired up just thinking about
it right now, and I know our guys are too.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
There's an argument that the most complete team is Jacksonville,
and very few people have watched them. They went to
Denver and did something nobody else seemed to be able
to do, destroy the Broncos on the road. So you
start looking at it Rams, Panthers. I think we all
(15:25):
like the Rams. I would take the Bears at home
as a dog, little extra motivation. That's going to be
a wild scene in Chicago. I like Jacksonville to beat
Buffalo and bounce Josh Allen round one. I do. I
think Philadelphia the Niners are limping into that game. If
Pearsol and Trent Williams play, they've got a shot. Jay
(15:45):
Merck is very hot on the Chargers. I think New
England's one of those teams because they got they went
from bad to this good. Nobody quite buys into New England.
I do, And I thought I came into the weekend,
I thought Texan Steelers when they you got a Monday
night game, Pittsburgh's a dog. One of the great underdog
coaches in this league, especially on Monday, is Mike Tomlin.
(16:09):
Outside of the Rams in Carolina, no outcome would surprise
me this weekend. None.
Speaker 6 (16:15):
By the way, Rams are double digit favorites ten and
a half.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So I but by the way, they lost their three
weeks ago, which actually helps them.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
It is like November thirtieth. But yes, I would agree.
So Chargers Patriots. What's the weakness of the Chargers column
O line?
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Right?
Speaker 6 (16:28):
Do you know the Patriots are like twenty fifth in
pressure rate and they blitz at like league average. They
can't get to the quarterback. Pressure is not their thing.
That's great for Justin Herbert in the pocket. And then conversely,
Jesse Minter's defense doesn't give up big place. What does
Drake may live off of Big Place? So I think
first time starter for May. I already bet Chargers three
(16:48):
and a half. I really liked I think they went
out right.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
Oh, who's a better coach in that game?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
By the way, why does somebody have to be better?
Speaker 6 (16:56):
Well, who gets the advantage?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I don't think there's any advance really, I think it's
two great coach.
Speaker 6 (17:01):
I looked this up last night. Do you remember the
last time vrabel won a playoff game? What year it was? No,
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Oh, it's not that long ago. Sixth For the record,
I would argue the weakness of both the Patriots and
Chargers is the old line. Yes, I think that's absolute,
and the run games have been inconsistent. They're very very similar.
Is that we still think Harbaugh has to improve the
old line, and we had real questions about the receiving corps.
(17:28):
But the Chargers of receiving core is actually okay. And
we had real questions about the old line for New
England and their receiving core, and their receiving cores has
exceeded any any prediction.
Speaker 6 (17:38):
By the way, for your West Coast team going away,
Drake May's comp is justin Herbert.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
I mean, coming out of college, people said he's like
he'll be the East coast, Herbert.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
It's not bad. By the way.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
The weather.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
I know you're a big West coast going east. No snow,
no fringid temperatures, high thirties, low forties. That's like La
weather in the morning. Five am out here.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Now J Mack with a news This is the Herdline News.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
Con Let's start with a lot of breaking news on
Black Monday. In the NFL, so three head coaches are out.
Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland, Pete Carroll with the Raiders, and
Jonathan Gannon the most recent of the Arizona Cardinals. I'm
surprised by Stefanski. Six years in Cleveland, two time Coach
of the Year, got to the playoffs twice. Pete Carroll,
it was a disaster, but they've now gone one and done,
(18:26):
basically two years in a row with Pierce and Carol.
That's not a great look. Jonathan Gannon, I mean they
lost nine straight. They were listless for two months.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
Well, he's a defensive coach, so Arizona's defensive coach. The
defense kind of quit. The Jets are going to keep
Aaron Glenn and that's the worst defense in the league.
Pete Carroll felt out of sorts. There was some friction
in Seattle about his son on the coaching staff. There
was friction. Chip Kelly quit this year, his son again
on the coaching staff, So that there's a lot of
(18:57):
stuff there that hasn't been reported much, but it's it's
I've heard through trustable, various sources. That was a fissure,
a bone of contention. So Pete kept saying, we're all
good here. Everybody in the world knew it was over.
I think what's interesting. Stefanski of the Raiders makes so
much sense because they're getting Mendoza and young quarterbacks. We've
(19:18):
seen it through the league. It can be Liam Cohen,
it can be Ben Johnson. Young quarterbacks need teachers calm
this whole. Brian Flores, Brian Dable. I like both of
them a lot. They are intense. Yeah, they are blowing
up start over guys.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
There's a theory that it would be Flores as the
head coach. Babel is doc. That's a lot of comple
around there. Well, let's not get into it. I'm just
curious of those six we saw on the screen. Six
jobs are open currently Titans as well. Falcons is open
as well. Of those six, is there one that jumps
out that you think is the best job on Now?
The Raiders have the number one pick, Titans had them
(19:56):
won last year.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Have Kim Warri Well, the Giants have Jackson dart feeling
is he is good enough if he can stay out
of the blue tent to be a franchise quarterback. And
I've been saying this for years. I think the Giants
actually have talent. They can't get their leadership.
Speaker 6 (20:08):
Here obviously as a red flag. Joe Shane they announce
is staying. He's the gm who butcher Daniel Jones butcher'd
sain Kwon Barkley. If you want to go work for
that guy, obviously, that's you're asking me.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
What's the best of a sorry lot?
Speaker 6 (20:21):
It's very sorry. I got chickens, Okay.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
I have my left tackle. I'll get Scataboo. I've got
a franchise quarterback four years. I don't have to pay him. Nay.
I've got Abdul Carter, I got pass rushers, Eliite Neighbors
comes back. Giants have what the number, They're gonna get
a star somewhere. They'll probably go get a right tackle.
So again, Jackson Dart's been better than I thought. If
(20:45):
you're giving me Jackson dark Scataboo a left tackle, a
number one wide receiver, they have to go get a
tight end, but they've got pass rushers. I think the
Giants are the best of this situation.
Speaker 6 (20:54):
Interesting over the Raiders, who have the number one pick
and a certain guy in the front office who's the
greatest quarterback in the history of football. I mean, he's
gonna walk into those meetings and pluck down a bunch
of Super Bowl rings on the table.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Is he playing?
Speaker 6 (21:07):
He knows a little about football. I think they're gonna
be okay, Yeah, all right. Let's move on to the
Rams Colin interesting win for them over the Cardinals thirty
seven to twenty Matthew Stafford. Very strong game. Rams weren't
buttoned up defensively. But let's focus on Stafford, who McVeigh
believes is the only choice for MVP.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I think Matthew's the MVP of the league. He played
that way. Wouldn't want anybody else leading the way.
Speaker 6 (21:31):
Got a lot of respect for a bunch of people
in this league, but there's nobody I'd rather.
Speaker 7 (21:35):
Have be in the quarterback of the LA Rams than
Matthew Stafford.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
His play speaks for itself. Well. Some people insinuated they
dialed up more pass players for Stafford in the late
going to help stats. Listen, I think I think you
can go either way. I will say I think top
to bottom, the Rams have more talent than New England
(21:59):
right now, so if you look at it and go
But I would argue that Stafford plays in a much
tougher division. By far, I think the NFC West is
the best division. I don't have a problem either the way.
I love both guys. May is doing more with less.
Stafford did more period In terms of I'm listen, when
you play, I have to play Kyle Shanahan twice and
(22:19):
Sala and the Seahawks defense twice. That is a handful.
You know, Drake May got the Jets twice in the
Dolphins circus easiest schedule.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
There are some people are some of the metrics in
the last decade at least no easiest schedule.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, New England had a pretty easy run.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Another reason I like the Chargers by the way Rams
get DeVante Adams back and apparently Lake in the back
end of the secondary is coming back. Quentin Lake's coming
back he is. Do you remember what happened against aid Panthers.
They had a couple of bomb yes sounds. You know
what times they got to the red zone against the
Rams Panthers one time in the whole game defensive touchdown.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Yeah. I think Quinton Lake is one of those guys
that's not talked about in the league. Rams see him
as he's a nickel, as a huge asset. And you
have noticed they have been resting Davonte Adams, so their
offense has been uneven. A lot of it's the red
zone stuff with Davonte. So Davante comes back, you don't
rely on Pooka as much. The tight ends yesterday once
(23:11):
again we're huge for the Rams.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
I think Rams Rams is the coast. Yeah, final story
Colin Dallas Cowboys boy. They had a nine game win
streak against the Giants that was snapped yesterday. Jackson Dark
doing some fun things. I thought Jackson Dart was nice.
Now Deak Prescott again, it's week eighteen. They were doing
the one two three can coon thing in the huddle.
You know, Dak Prescott fumble had like seventy yards passing.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
They pulled him.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
After whard Deak Prescott says, coming up short of the
Super Bowl, super Bowl playoffs, Buddy is getting.
Speaker 8 (23:42):
Old, tired of it. I've got to deal with it. Yeah, sure, tired, right,
But it's up to me to control. And that's why
I say this year was as frustrating as anything is. Right,
There's been enough a number of times being up here
talking to you guys and right saying I need to
fix this, I need to get better at this, and
you know, to have a season where it wasn't on
my play or you know, I can't say any I
(24:03):
should have fixed that, or I should have fixed that.
I mean, I take accountability, don't get me wrong, and
in so many ways, and that the leader I am.
I'm frustrated, always trying to figure out what could have
done better, you know, if there was whether it was
conversations here or talking to this guy there or whatever
it may be.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Yeah, Well, if you're not going to take coaching seriously
and you're gonna try to get value, you know, Jerry
Jones always says, every time I seek value, that's what
I get. I get a discount. Well, look at your
coaching staff.
Speaker 6 (24:33):
So they will be drafting twelve. They're back into the
second is terrible. Caleb Downs would be a massive home
run from I don't think he's gonna be there at
twelve Colin looking on the board, I think Dad hurts.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Dallas is that if Dante more doesn't come out, and shouldn't,
you're not getting four or five quarterbacks overdrafted, like next
year seven quarterbacks maybe first round next year's yeah. So
this year we thought Cade klub Nick and we thought
Drew Aller, and those guys are fourth and fifth round
picks probably. So the problem is Caleb Down's going to
get gobbled up by the.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Eighth or night.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
What Seattle is doing with their safeties and secondary, like,
there's some things. Safeties are becoming a new chest BEEAs
Kyle Hamilton last night he goes out for the Ravens,
the defense falls apart like some of these safeties, and
I think Downs could be a box and coverage safety.
He's a really good especially with the new tight end stuff.
Team's going three tight ends.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
It's funny to watch the NFL got cyclical. We running
backs got downgraded and then all of a sudden, Christian
McCaffrey and everybody looks around and it's like and you
watch scataboo, and you watch these young guys and Derick
Henry and Bijon, You're like, oh no, they actually matter.
Jonathan Tanner last year and everybody bail safety has never
got paid for years and years and now now one
of the trends is certain organizations love safeties. I mean
(25:46):
the Broncos, you know, the Rams. What you talked about.
Speaker 6 (25:50):
Seattle, Seattle's Seattle becoming a blueprint defensively McDonald is he's
freaking good.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Yeah, J mack with the news.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Well, that's the news, and thanks for stopping the herd
line new Well.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I always think this, if you've got kids and you
draw up a will, what kid is the executor of
the will? It's the one you trust when you're gone.
It's the one you trust the grown up of the kids.
So Sean Payton, Denver's got a bye number one seat.
(26:23):
Sean Peyton never babysitting or pandering to Bonnicks. Not only
does bo Nicks have twenty four wins in two years
in a division with harbonn jesse mentor Andy Reidon Spags,
it's like a great defensive division top quarterbacks, bo Nicks
is the first quarterback ever to lead the NFL in
(26:44):
his first two seasons in passing attempts. In this era
of football, that's called trust and responsibility. So when I
hear this thing, well, it's just Sean Peyton's play calling. Yeah,
you're right, it is about Sean Payton's play calling, loading
up bow Knicks with every play in the playbook. I
(27:05):
remember when Big Ben came into the league Miami of
Ohio to Pittsburgh and for two years they baby sat him.
He never threw the ball. It was defense and run game.
So in my take on bow Nicks says, you can
tell how good he is by what Sean Payton puts
on his plate. He's thrown at forty two forty three
(27:25):
times a game. I mean last night Aaron Rodgers, who
forty seven times? That told you who Mike Tomlin trusted
Aaron Rodgers, not his run game. So I mean it's
fourteen and three in that division with harbaughn Jesse Minter,
with Spags and Andy Reid is an accomplishment. Here's bo
(27:46):
Nicks on the number one seed.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
It's the best possible position to be in.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
You know, two home games is where we want to be.
Speaker 10 (27:56):
It's better than having to play on the road, and
it's better than having to play an extra games. So
I think for US is the best case scenario. And
you know, it'll be good to play here because of
our stadium and the atmosphere. I think that'll apply a
little bit more pressure and then but at the end
of the day, it's you know, it's an open tournament.
It's going to be, you know, a really good opportunity
(28:20):
to play really good teams.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Listen, we saw it in college football. We're only one
team with extra rest, Indiana one of football. I think
Seattle is better off playing than getting a bye. I
think Seattle's youth and their energy and the momentum. If
I was Seattle, I'd want to play. I you know,
I feel a little bit the same for Denver. I
(28:45):
don't love getting out now. Philadelphia by all means, take
a week off. San Francisco is a team if they
could take a week off, get Trent Williams or Ricky
Pierce all healthy. But you know, for anybody who doubts
bo Knicks, twenty four wins two seasons, and it's the
playbook that Sean Payton has foisted on bon Knicks. He's
(29:09):
the executor of this will they have dumped every play
on him, and sometimes in that division with those DC's
and those head coaches, it's a little inartistic, just a
little so Colin Wright, Colin wrong. Next hour, Also, the
draft order is out and it sends a message. Also,
(29:33):
I think he won't win Coach of the Year, but
if I had a vote, I would vote him coach
of the year. That's next in LA. It's the hurd.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays
and noone Easter not a em Pacific.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Tonight, it's a big ten hoops doubleheader on FS one.
First at six eastern thirteenth rank Nebraska takes on Bruce
Thornton and Ohio State. Then at a thirty USC battles
coach Izzo and his ninth rank Spartans. It all tits
off tonight, only on FS.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
One, oh Colin Right, Colin Wrang. Starting Thursday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday,
it is going to be the best five day sweep
of football in America. It's going to be unbelievable. I'm
telling you right now, I'm making chicken enchiladas. I may
not leave the couch for five days. So I actually
(30:29):
this morning started laughing looking at this. Go look at
the twenty twenty six NFL draft order. Tell me if
these are familiar teams. At the top of a draft.
Vegas has the number one pick, followed by the Jets, Arizona, Tennessee,
four Giants five, Cleveland six, Washington seven, New Orleans eight,
Rinse and repeat. Might as well be it could be
(30:51):
one of any of the last eight years. New England
was on that puppy recently, and why aren't they? How
did the New England Patriot escape being in that top ten.
A smart owner in Robert Kraft admitted his mistake Gerrod Mayo,
good assistant, not a head coach, wasn't stubborn and then
(31:14):
hired a very expensive best coach on the market, Mike Rabel.
You know who else did that? The Bears they're in
the playoffs. The Broncos, they're in the playoffs. The Chargers
with Hardball, they're in the playoffs. They all hired like Vrabel,
the perceived and true best coach on the market. Look
at the head coaches of these top eight teams. Drafting
(31:36):
one of them Kevin Stefanski would have any market. So
I think people forget this. A lot of owners, and
I mean seventy five percent of owners, it may be
seventy five percent, they don't want to spend big money
on a coach. New York Giants won't, New York Jets won't,
Cincinnati won't, Arizona, the Bidwells won't, Dallas won't. Jerry Jones
(31:59):
won't spend money on a coach. McCarthy, Jason Garrett, chan Gaily,
he had Bill Parceales. He don't like it. So New
England didn't want to perpetually be one of those teams,
so they wrote a massive check. And but these owners
are cheap, they're insecure, they're driven by ego. They want
(32:20):
to be they want to be the centerpiece of an organization.
They know they have to have a good quarterback, and
they try to find one. They don't want that coach
running the show and kicking them out of the office.
So I mean, the prime example is Joe Burrow, second
year in a row, missed the playoffs. What's the first
thing Cincinnati does this morning announced they are bringing back
the coach. Okay, in Cincinnati, I'd bring in Kevin Stefanski.
(32:46):
They're not going to do that. So Mike Rabel was
not cheap. Either was Ben Johnson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton.
Here's Rabel on a year one, basically a nine month
complete turnaround by his franchise.
Speaker 11 (33:03):
You got the right guys in the building at the
right time, and we got a good quarterback play. We
figured out how to not beat ourselves. I think we
played our an identity and you guys make plays.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
That's that's what happens.
Speaker 11 (33:17):
We are the second seed and we're going to host
Chargers and we start over you when wins are in
our matter is going to be the ones that we can.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Get moving forward. So as good as Rabel is, there's
an argument to be made the coach of the Year
should be Kyle Shanahan. They finished the regular season twelve
and five. I don't know how they did it. Say
this out loud. You play in the toughest division in football,
(33:47):
certainly the best coach division in football. You have to
start a backup quarterback, a backup who they threw out
of Jacksonville eight times. Your two best defenders, Fred Warner
and Bosa, both Hall of famers. Yeah, they got hurt.
Plus your first round pick on defense got hurt. You
(34:07):
don't have a number one wide receiver. Brandon Aiyuk no
show this year, and by the way, his backup, Ricky Pearsall,
also missed half dozen games. So the composition of rosters
in the Seattle San Francisco game was so heavily towards Seattle.
Pearsall's out, Trent Williams out, and they were actually in
that game in the fourth quarter. So the leading receivers
(34:29):
for the Niners this year were a running back, Christian McCaffrey,
and a seventh round pick. And they are a twelve
and five team in the toughest division in football, best
three teams at the top of any division in football.
I thought it was unbelievable coaching. I mean, at least
Mike Vrabel gets the Jets twice and Miami twice. I mean,
(34:52):
you watched that game Seattle and San Francisco, did you
not feel from the first drive on, especially if you
were at the game at a friend that was at
the game, like Seattle is everywhere you go. Seattle's team speed,
didn't even San Francisco didn't even match up, didn't look
like they should be on the same field. So here's
Kyle Shanahan after kind of getting manhandled against Seattle.
Speaker 12 (35:15):
We need to play better than that. I was proud
that they kept battling and was able to hold him
to thirteen points. That's what gave us a chance there
at the end. But we need to play better all around.
We're ready for it.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
I mean, yeah, it was.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
It would have been nice to, you know, have to
have a home game here or both home games and.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Get it by but it is what it is.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
I mean, this team's been through a lot this year,
and now we got to do it the hard way
and won't brace it job doing the hard way and
look forward to it now.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
I have said this, it's been my criticism and it's
not just Shanahan, it's John Lynch and I and I
and I know John and I love him. The downside
to getting old in this league. You know, the second
oldest team in the league this year, JMC knows this, Washington.
They fell apart physically. So you look again at the
composition of San Francis goes roster, Trent Williams, old hurt,
(36:02):
George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, a lot of hits. Fred Warner
is I wouldn't say old, probably just moving out of
his prime Bosa. So a lot of San Francisco's issue
Seattle is young and young players when they get hurt,
heal more quickly. San Francisco, I think may need to
consider moving some pieces a little bit because they are now.
(36:24):
They moved Ufunga up, a very good safety who himself
gets hurt. But when you watch San Francisco, I was
saying that if they can get Trent Williams and Ricky
Pearsol are healthy, they could go to Philadelphia and win
that game. But if you start looking at that roster
in this league, the league's getting younger. Washington and San
Francisco felt to me old going into a season, and
(36:48):
you know what happened, You fell apart. So here are
the playoff schedules again for this weekend starting Saturday, where
the Rams are a big favorite at Carolina and again Carnellla.
Speaker 6 (37:03):
My bad.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Quentin Lake is back at safety for them and Devonte
Adams back, So the Rams are a huge ten and
a half point favorite. I think one of the odyssees
of the playoffs is Chicago is a home underdog after
that game against San Francisco when they flexed and showed
their offense lost, but played really really well offensively. I
(37:26):
think people look at that Detroit game and betters and
the don't know what to do with Chicago. Green Bay
has not won a game in a month. Jordan Love
is he one hundred percent? Matt Lafleur was on the
hot seat at the end of the season, and green
Bay is favored in that game Saturday. Is that nuts?
(37:46):
That is a why? I mean, I think Chicago should
be favored to win.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
So you saw the two matchups, right, the first matchup,
we would agree the Packers are the better side led.
I think the whole game it was tied. Sometimes. Second matchup,
Packers up sixteen six with two minutes left in Chicago
without Jordan Love and no Micah, and the Bears needed
like a late field goal, an on side kick, and
then the walk off touchdown passed by Caleb. There's a
(38:11):
lot of luck involved there. I had wanted Bears. This
is a stayaway game for me. I'm nervous for your guys.
First time quarterbacks in the NFL playoffs historically do not farewell.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
So you're betting against Drake and Mat.
Speaker 6 (38:24):
I'm definitely betting against Drake May and against Bryce Young
Caleb could be the one. I don't know what to
do with that game. If you know how the Boxers, Hey,
there was eight rounds. There were eight quarters, Packers Bears.
Did the Bears win any of those quarters? Any? I
mean maybe the overtime the ninth quarter.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Now you know my favorite bet of the weekend. I
think Jacksonville could hammer Buffalo. Oh, that's my last time,
jack Allen. When's the last time Jacksonville didn't play well?
I mean Jacksonville. They don't have a great they don't
have a great number of sacks, but they rush. They're
very good at getting pressure on the quarterback, kind of
(39:02):
like the Belichick Patriots. They don'tlead the league in sacks,
but they get pressure. They run the ball, they don't
turn it over. Now, Liam Cohen who got into that
early season scrapped with Robert Salah Jacksonville's there's an argument
they're the best team in the league not named the Seahawks.
Speaker 6 (39:16):
So crazy stat I saw they have not allowed a
seventy five yard rusher this season. Seventy five. So if
James Cook can't get loose, it literally is Josh Allen
against the world. And that is a tall order for him.
What's the line on that you said?
Speaker 1 (39:29):
I one Jacksonville was a one point dog dog. That's
a lot of rescis. I think my favorite pick is
Jacksonville at home.
Speaker 6 (39:38):
Are we sleeping on Trevor Lawrence at all? I mean,
he's been amazing, he said everything.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I think there's a couple of things that play one.
It's hard to unsee stuff right, Like we've seen Jacksonville
over the last four or five years. They just make
a lot of mistakes. I'm as guilty as anybody. I'm
just now considering them a top three team. But you
know it's what I watch Vrabel go to New England.
I predict, yeah, they're gonna make the playoffs because I
(40:04):
have a lot of equity built up watching Rabel play.
You watch Jacksonville the last decade, you're like, oh, it's
a squirrely franchise, that weird Blake Bortles team, but they
just you don't trust them in big spots. This Jacksonville
team good on the road, good and close games. They've
blown people out multiple time.
Speaker 6 (40:22):
Spit it forward, Jacksonville wins. Was it thirty to twenty?
Do the Bills consider moving on from McDermott they will
have backsplit every year. Sin since being in that amazing
AFC title game against Mahomes, is.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
There an argument that the people not in the AFC playoffs,
Lamar Burrow and Mahomes, puts immense pressure on Buffalo. I
don't think the pressure's on Jacksonville. I think all the
pressure's on Buffalo, Yo Burrow, Mahomes or Lamar Jackson And
you've got Josh Allen to perceived one of the great
four in the AFC, and you're playing squirrely Jacksonville, which
(40:59):
has really no home field advantage at all. Buffalo will
have twenty thousand people down there.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
And remember Burrow and Mahomes, it's they get they got paid,
and it's tough to build around. Maybe this is the
last hurrah for the Bills in Josh Allen because he's
got his big deal. That would be to so does
Stefanski and everybody wait to see what happens in Buffalo
before jumping off the job. Absolutely. I mean, well, what
do you do if Buffalo loses to Jacksonville? You go
(41:24):
coach Josh Allen?
Speaker 1 (41:25):
You there? You the owner has to have a long
conversation moving into the new stadium.
Speaker 6 (41:30):
Yeah, own new stadium.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That's right.
Speaker 8 (41:32):
Yeah,
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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