January 13, 2020 • 45 mins
Colin explains why what Patrick Mahomes did on Sunday is sustainable and will last for another decade. He still isn't sold on the Packers because making an NFC Championship game does not mean they are capable of winning a Super Bowl. He wants the media to stop protecting Lamar Jackson and explains why. He admits where he was right and wrong over the weekend. Plus, former NFL QB Drew Bledsoe tells Colin why Russell Wilson is the best player in the NFL and why he loves his former teammate Mike Vrabel.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of Herd podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday from twelve to
three eastern nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and FS one. Find your local station for The Herd
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every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. This
is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowherd on
Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we are packed. It is a Monday.
(00:26):
We are live in LA. This is the Herd. Wherever
you may be and however you may be listening. We
are live on iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio and FS one.
What a crazy weekend we had this weekend and coming
up in one hour. Where Colin was right, where Colin
(00:47):
was wrong, plenty of both. Joey Taylor, We're ready to go.
It feels like tonight we'll be it. We're built to
this crescendo to tonight and by the end of tonight
we'll have had the best three days of football of
the year. Definitely. I'm very excited Ritson. I have some
thoughts and I think it's gonna go, but I'm excited
(01:09):
either way. Let's start with Kansas City falling behind twenty
four nothing and then coming back to beat Houston. Now
I've been saying this multiple times over the last several weeks.
I like Lamar Jackson, but if you're asking me who
I want to be my quarterback over the next decade,
it's Patrick Mahomes. Here was the interesting thing in that game.
(01:30):
Before we go to tape. Here was the interesting thing.
Unless you're from Kansas City and a Diehart Chiefs fan,
take take them out of it. But for guys like
me and people like you, even when Kansas City was
down twenty four nothing, you were saying what I was saying,
just just just get a play, get a break, get
a fumble, big kickoff, just just they're fine. They're fine.
(01:52):
They're fine. They're down twenty four nothing, they're fine, they're
at home. They just need Did you watch Patrick Mahomes
in the sideline. There was no panic. Andy Reid's play calling,
there was no panic. You watched the sideline, there was
no panic. They were down twenty four to nothing. Just
say that out loud, playoff game, down twenty four nothing,
and Mahomes is like, just make a play, let's just
get it going. There's no panic. Nobody's freaking out and
(02:14):
he's not freaking out. Here we go and then they
got the big kickoff, and then it's like we all
thought the same thing unless you're a Chiefs fan. All Right,
here we go, let's go, let's get But when Baltimore
trailed twenty one six in the second half at home,
you could even see it a little bit with the
Ravens coaching staff. There was a little apprehension the play
(02:38):
calling at one point I thought was weird in the
first half. Just do what you do. And that is
because Mahomes is not somebody will ever ever figure out,
and barring an injury, he's gonna be Peyton Manning, or
he's gonna be Brady, or he's gonna be far You
don't figure out the best pure passer in football. Nobody
(03:03):
figured out Elway, nobody, nobody figured out Marino. He didn't
win a bunch of Super Bowls, but he was great
until the very end. Lamar is different. He is unique.
You have to build an offense that is run first,
heavy tight end, get him a legitimate back, and that's
(03:25):
not an offense. In fact, they went and got Greg Roman,
who is a unique coordinator for their unique talent. Now
I'm not bailing on Lamar. He's going a bunch of games.
But this is the reason I would choose Mahomes over Lamar,
not because of the weekend, because if you look at
Kansas City, they're a pass first team. They're built to
(03:48):
win from deficits. And if you play for fifteen years
in this league, some years you have terrible defenses. Remember
when Tim Tabo was winning games. Everybody's like on Tebow
and I'm like, you guys, do get that. If you
quarterback for ten years, you're not going to get a
defense like that Denver defense and Matt Prator kicking sixty
yard field goals. You can win with Mark Sanchez in
(04:09):
a great running game. You can win a lot of ways,
but you better be able to win trailing twenty four nothing.
And there's only about one to two to three quarterbacks
at a time in this league, maybe two Aaron Rodgers
and his prime Peyton Manning in his prime, you know far.
This is why I think this is the choice for
(04:31):
quarterback for the next fifteen years. Kansas City is built
to win a million ways. By the way. We've seen
him win in snow, We've seen him win with a lead,
We just saw him trail twenty four nothing, and you
never once, unless you're a Chiefs fan, you weren't freaking out.
The play calling didn't change, the players didn't change, the
game didn't change, and the minute they got to kick off,
you're like, okay, all right, they switched field position. Here
(04:55):
we go. Two plays later, score Kansas City scored seven touchdowns.
No drive was longer than three minutes and fifty five seconds.
It's different, and it's the kind of offense I think
that will last forever. I don't think in the off
season coordinators are saying, hey, we're gonna figure this Mahomes
guy out. I do think they're coordinators that look at
(05:18):
Lamar and say, okay, let's get super athletic linebackers at
the point of attack. You have to get on and
let's crowd the box. Let's make him throw over the top.
I do think there are riddles to Baltimore that you
can solve. Not every week, not every half, not every drive,
not every game. But when I watched Kansas City coming
(05:40):
back from twenty four nothing, I thought it was not
just the most important Kansas City win, it was an
essential win for Patrick Mahomes to prove I'm the guy
for the next fifteen years, because none of us felt
different twenty four nothing. I think all of us, even
in the first half, down by a couple of touchdowns
(06:02):
with Lamar, I felt like, oh, they're kind of solving
a little bit for the moment, in this little time capsule.
For two hours in Baltimore, they're kind of solving. I
don't feel like anybody ever solves Mahomes. And if you
asked every GM in this league privately, every stink in
one of them, if they would trade their quarterback for
(06:23):
Patrick Mahomes today, all of them would say yes, Oh
my bad, except Chicago. They're all in on Traubisky. Wink wink.
They'd all trade their quarterback for Patrick Mahomes. Many would
trade for Lamar, but there'd be some that say, can
we have Greg Roman too? Can we get those tight
(06:43):
ends too? I thought it was an essential game to
really plant the flag. This is the guy more than
any and you know I love me some Russell Wilson.
You know I love me some Tom Brady. This is
the guy for the next fifteen years, barring any you know,
really bad injury. Here's Patrick after Obviously we didn't want
(07:05):
to be in that in that spot. But the biggest
thing that I think I was preaching to the team
was let's go do something special. Let's go do something special.
Everybody's already counting this out. Let's just go play by
play and just put our best effort out there. We
don't care if we're down twenty four, if we're up
twenty four, We're gonna put our best effort every single play.
And I think that's just the mentality of this team.
All right, So let's move to Green Bay's win over Seattle. Now,
(07:26):
let me just say this. I've not been a big
Packers fan. I acknowledge they won their division, I acknowledge
their seating, and I will acknowledge they won the game.
But you can get to a conference championship without being great.
Blake Bortles got there in Jacksonville, Mark Sanchez got there
with the Jets, A lousy Colts team got there with
(07:48):
Andrew Luck, and the Vikings got there with case Keenum.
Now we know Aaron Rodgers is not case Keenum. We
know he's not Blake Bortles. But you can get to
a conference championship in this if you win a division
where two teams implode Chicago and Detroit. When you're easily
the best quarterback or healthiest quarterback in a division the
(08:09):
NFC North, When you get a home field by check
and then you play an injury ravage team off another
road game Seattle. I don't think Green Bay's great. I
think they got things to work in their favor. I
think Matt Stafford gets hurt, Trubisky gets exposed, Kirk Cousins
(08:33):
is Kirk Cousins who they have three first downs to
dull the fourth quarter of this weekend, and I think
they beat up a ravage Seattle team. And if not
for Aaron Rodgers making two great throws on a third
and eight and a third and nine, I think Seattle
wins that first one to Geronimo Allen. If that puppy
hits the dirt first, then it was close. You saw
Aaron Rodgers point to the sky on that Seattle's getting
(08:55):
the ball back. Green Bay's defense is exhausted and Russell
Wilson's red hot. We have a different show today. I
don't love Green Bay. I don't think they're as physical
as Tennessee. I don't think they're as explosive as Kansas City.
And I don't think they have the players and the
depth of the forty nine ers you know who. They
remind me of the Wisconsin Badgers. I respect the hell
(09:17):
out of them. It's a good football operation. I always
trust the executives upstairs. The coach appears good enough. But
when you watch Wisconsin against Ohio State, they don't look
the same. They don't look like Lemson, they don't look
like LSU. They'll look like Ohio State. They don't look
like Alabama. But they're good and they win like ten
(09:40):
games a year and I respect the hell out of them,
and I respect Green Bay, but they don't look like
Kansas City. I mean, if you take Davante Adams away,
who does Aaron like to throw too? Because Patrick Mahomes
likes to throw to four different guys then his tight end,
I don't look like San Francisco. Up front, d Ford
now is healthy and Kwan Alexander hard passed. Don't want
(10:01):
to face them. I think Aaron Rodgers, he's a smart guy.
That's why you give him any shot, just their quarterback,
and I think even he acknowledges we're fourteen and three.
But if you look around, what's left as a big
gap between getting to that conference championship and beating a
(10:22):
San Francisco there and potentially beating a Kansas City in Miami.
Here's Aaron to walk off the field being a two seed,
where I mean, let's be honest, I don't know that
even our fans felt supremely confident in us, which I
know that a lot of the media didn't as well.
(10:45):
But to be able to walk off that field again victorious,
there's no feeling like it. Nobody's disputing them want a
division and they're in the conference championship. But I think
even Aaron acknowledges there's questions. And the only reason the
only reason I gave Seattle a chance to beat Green
(11:05):
Bay was Russell Wilson, which I didn't think would be
good enough. And the only reason I give Green Bay
a chance against San Francisco as Aaron Rodgers, and that
doesn't feel like enough. Be sure to catch live editions
of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
I think the reason the show continues to do well
(11:26):
as we're loyal to honesty. I'm not in the credit business.
That's MasterCard and Visa. I'm in the honesty business. I
don't protect players. I think I'm tough on guys, especially quarterbacks.
But there are a lot of people in the media
that are constantly they think they're doing athletes a favor
and they're pandering. It's my least favorite quality. Stop pandering,
(11:46):
Stop cobbling. These are millionaires. Lamar Jackson didn't play well.
He deserves to get ripped. We ripped Peyton Manning when
he would be an MVP and not look the same
in the playoffs. Stop patronizing Lamar Jackson. He doesn't need
your sympathy. He doesn't need your pandering either. Rock Star
He's gonna win MVP. He's gonna be worth fifty million
(12:06):
to one hundred million dollars. He's fun to watch. He's
gonna keep winning games. But this he had two picks,
a fumble and wasn't good in situational football. And he's
the MVP. He doesn't last. Two times I've watched him
in a playoff game, he hasn't looked the same as
in the regular season. He's a baby. He'll get better,
But the criticism's fair. God, the media has been on
(12:28):
this whole thing with Lamar. First of all, he gets
drafted in the first round in the media is like,
this is outrageous, fire the GMS. Why he got drafted
in the first round. Roger stop about got drafted in
the tenth, United's ninth, Brady's sixth. It's a hard position
to evaluate. Then there's this thing this weekend. He didn't
lose the game. He had three hundred and fifty yards.
(12:48):
He didn't play well, folks. Most of his yards were dackyards.
They were garbage yards. Put it on the screen. First
three quarters his quarterback, his passerading was forty seven. He
had three turns. He didn't throw for a touchdown in
the fourth quarter. What do you know, Tennessee's punting the
ball prevent defense. He racked him up. So at the
end you can run over to your stats and say, look, look,
(13:10):
look he played well. He didn't. He was all for
four and fourth down. He looked rattled. He threw two picks.
One not his fault. Sorry, there's still picks. He had
a fumble. And he's not really ideally like Mahomes. He's
not ideally built to come from way back their offense. Frankly,
it's not really This is not all Lamar. Their offense
(13:33):
is not really ideally built to play from deficits, which
is why I think Lamar will go to the laboratory
this off season, and just like he did from year
one to year two, Lamar is gonna get a little
better at the passing and a little more comfortable. And
it took Russell Wilson three years, and it takes most
young quarterback. Do you see Josh Allen's playoff game? He
(13:53):
freaked out. You ever seen Sam Darnold, who I love,
sometimes he freaks out. Jared Goff, These are kids, their baby,
but stop the coddling. It didn't play well. It happens.
He's a kid, and all the questions why he dropped
in the first round are legitimate. He never completed sixty
(14:13):
percent of his throws. He ran for a twenty yards,
and people thought he kind of plays like RG three.
They kind of have the same build. And RG three
was a bust, so people were a little apprehensive, and
Baltimore said, we're not gonna take him with our first pick.
We're gonna take him with our second pick. And then
all of a sudden, by week eleven, they're like Joe Flacco, stinks.
He's old, tired and expensive. We're done. Let's try this thing.
And it worked kind of and this year it worked
a lot. But it's okay to criticize him, and it's
(14:38):
okay that he was the last or next to last
pick in the first round. Stop pandering, Stop protecting him.
He doesn't need our sympathy. He's gonna win a bunch
of games. Baltimore won twelve straight. They're gonna win up.
They're not going anywhere. Baltimore's not going anywhere, and this
young man has shown the ability to improve. Now I've
said before, if you're asking in me twelve years, I
(15:01):
not only like Mahomes better than Lamar, I like Kyler
Murray more. I think Kyler Murray is the best player
in the league that nobody watches because he played in Arizona.
I think Kyler Murray's a pass, first run second guy,
and I do think I like my quarterbacks preferably to
be that. But the constant protecting. Don't criticize him. He
didn't play well. He's an MVP and he hasn't looked
(15:21):
as good in the postseason. We ravaged Peyton Manning, and
it's part of the game. You can't get all the
love and be called the best thing ever and then
go into the playoffs and not be able to play
as well from behind and not play well in big spots.
Playoff games aren't won by yards. Playoff games are won
by fourth down turnovers don't make any situational football. And
(15:43):
he wasn't great at that. And it's okay. He will
be over and over again over the next ten years.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine Empacific. I want to talk about
the forty nine ers. So we have four teams left.
None of them look like San Francisco. There is not
a box folks that don't check the size box, the
(16:04):
speedbox to kick your arsbox, the intimid ason box, the
old line box, the left tackle, the right tackle box.
They check them all. And this is a team that
humiliates the Packers. This is a team. Asked Baker Mayfield,
ask Aaron Rodgers. It get asked Kirk Cousins in Minnesota.
(16:25):
They humiliate you. The way to beat San Francisco to
me is Russell Wilson, is Kyler Murray, is Lamar Jackson.
Off script where you can't even they're great defenses. You
got this is the way to beat Alabama for years.
A quarterback that can do stuff off the script. If
a quarterback is going to be six steps behind the
(16:45):
center and they know it, good luck. They are loaded defensively,
d Ford Kwan, Alexander maybe the most athletic linebacker in
the league, DeForrest Bruckner, Armstead, Nick Bosa. It is filthy
and the eighty five Bears were never a dynasty. But
thirty years later we look at those Bears and we're like, ooh,
(17:08):
in a one gamer, even the Niners with Montana no
Patriot team maybe beats the eighty five Bears. Now, certain
Francisco obviously has to win the conference championship, but they
look a lot like the Bears on that defense. Now. Now,
obviously they're giving up four more yards than the Bears
did because quarterback play is much better. The best athletes
now in the world are playing quarterback. Everybody gives up yards,
(17:29):
everybody gives up points. The league is so much better
now at quarterback and so much more sophisticated than it
was back in nineteen eighty five, where everybody's a pocket quarterback,
everybody's sitting there, not very elusive. Here comes all the
Bears and knock him over. But here's the thing to
remember about the forty nine ers. There has been three
seasons for the Niners. This is not one season. The
(17:50):
first season they were eight and oh and they were
knocking people out in the first round. Then eight of
their best players got hurt. Both tackles miss games. They're
fullback of Pro Bowl or miss games. Kwan Alexander is out,
Emmanuel Sanders got hurt, George Kittle got hurt. The whole
team got hurt, and essential parts to their team not
(18:12):
named Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt. Then they were vulnerable. That's
stage two. Now we're in stage three. All the boys
are healthy again. You don't want any part of them.
You don't want any part of San Francisco. They look different,
like like Kansas City's offense is like San Francisco's team.
(18:35):
Let's double Kittle. Can't debot Manuel Sanders. All right, They're
a past team. No, not really there their coaches Shanahan.
They're a power run team. Their running backs can catch.
Their fullback was actually a great tight end in college.
Their receivers are big. No, wait, they're Emmanuel Sanders, they're veterans,
they're young. Kittle's a superstar. Folks, this is what I'm
(18:58):
not saying. This is a dynasty, but I'm saying they
check all the boxes. And I heard this well, I
mean Jimmy Garoppolo, I mean, come on, what they don't
need Jimmy Garoppolo to be a stat freak. The Giants
didn't need Phil Simms to be a stat freak. By
the way, Montana's numbers were good, but if you go
(19:19):
back and look at Joe Montana's numbers, they were not
beholden just to Joe Montana. He left Steve young one.
This team, when they're healthy, has got so many elements
of an eighty five Bears. Look to them where they
just knock you out, They just you you are humiliated.
I love what I see. And by the way, most
(19:40):
of the teams that are left, we're defining them. You know,
most great teams we define quarterback, wide receiver, running back.
You can argue Green Bay has the best quarterback, the
best single receiver, and the better running back than San Francisco.
You can argue, but San Francisco's also go to those
positions and better everywhere else d line, o, line linebacker, secondary,
(20:10):
tight end. I think I think this San Francisco team
does not look like the rest of the teams. I
don't think they look like it. I think it's not
that complicated in football. Watch the game, Watch the velocity,
watch the hitting, watch the power. I mean, it's not
like it is not like San Francisco was stopping the
(20:32):
run against Minnesota. They were pushing San Francisco back for
three and a half hours. It did not look like
the other games. One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty
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iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand
whenever you like. Colin right Colin wrong on plenty of both.
Let's fire away where Colin was right for both Seattle
(20:56):
playoff games. Russell Wilson was Seattle's leading rusher. I'm not
saying he's the best quarterback in the NFL. I'm saying
he's the best football player in the National Football League.
The idea that this guy goes on the road to
Philadelphia and green Bay and he comes to within basically
a third and eight that green Bay completed of winning
this football game they're missing two offensive linemen, they're on
(21:18):
their third string center, they don't have their three best
running backs. I mean, it's incredible. What the only reason
that game is even competitive yesterday? And I did not
like Seattle's play calling in the first half at all.
Stop pretending you're gonna walk into Green Bay and run
for two hundred yards. Marshawn Lynch was on the beach
three weeks ago. Give the ball to Russell and pass
(21:41):
your way to Magic. This guy is absolutely unbelievable. And
again I'm not saying he's the best quarterback in the league,
although I think you can make an argument, but as
a football player, he's unbelievable. That game should never have
been close. And I'll say this, if Seattle had two
of their three best running backs, I would have taken
(22:02):
them to win that game out right. Once again, they
win with virtually almost win with virtually no running game
where Colin was raw. Listen, I call the Kansas City
Chiefs a windbreaker team. About two months ago, I said
they're not built for December. In January, I think they
laugh physical toughness, they don't run the football enough. They
won't be able to eat the clock and the playoffs
are about physicality, but you know what, they showed a
(22:23):
ton of resolve. Their defense now has looked more physical
than it has in weeks. I thought it was a
really special moment to overcome that deficit. Obviously we know that,
but I also think it needed to be seen by
everybody that doesn't live in Kansas City. This is a
tough team. It's a team with character, it's a team
with resolve, and frankly they have. Those are the elements
(22:45):
I worried about. They're a little fancy, they're fast. You know,
they got all the fun windbreaker guys out there. But
what happens when it's cold, You fall behind. You got
a punch of team in the neck. And I thought
Kansas City right now serves exactly where they are. They
got tougher, their defense got better. They looked like a
team that can plan all the elements. I was wrong
(23:07):
where Colin was right. Ben a Jimmy garoppolo guy. Since
he was a backup in New England. I said it
for years, Go get him. He's got an it factor
and I know, I know, I know Colin. They didn't
even use him this weekend. Tom Brady's second playoff game.
He went twelve or eighteen, they didn't need to use him.
This is not a guy that's gonna pout if he
doesn't get thirty fourth rows. His career will never be
(23:30):
defined by stats. Because Kyle Shanahan, from his father Mike Shanahan,
is a power football coach. He's gonna run the hell
out of this team for the next ten years. They're
gonna draft running backs, an offensive lineman. He's not gonna
win MVPs and he's not going to be a stat guy,
but he is an it guy. He is a guy
(23:51):
that when people are saying yesterday, well what did he do?
He won the toughest division in football the Rams and
McVeagh and that Aaron Donald and the Seahawks and Russell
Wilson and Pete Carroll. He won a division he won
in New Orleans. He had a chance to beat Lamar
in Baltimore. And during this season when this team fell
(24:12):
apart physically, both tackles were out, the fullback was out,
Kittle was out. He kept him floating. Remember they had
to ask him about three times this year during the injuries, dude,
save us, the defense is all hurt, and all three
times he did. He's the real deal where Colin was raw.
I've made my biggest bet ever and took Clemson over
(24:33):
Ohio State and I rolled it into Baltimore and I
don't know what the heck happened, but that's the strangest
football game I've ever seen. Can somebody explain Tennessee. Tennessee
has now beaten Brady in New England and Lamar in Baltimore,
and has completed a total of fifteen completions in both games.
(24:53):
I don't know what I'm watching. It's incredible. Listen, They're
surprises all the time in football. I don't even know
how to explain Tennessee. Tannehill's throwing for seventy yards and
they're going to Foxboro in winning and going to Baltimore
and winning. It's like nineteen seventy four football. And I
guess this is why the NFL's king. In the NBA,
(25:16):
you'd be like, wow, I got six more games left
in the seven game series. In the NFL, if you
have a bad half, you have a bad half, you're
in big trouble, especially if you're Baltimore and you're kind
of built to play with the lead, not play from behind.
I was way wrong where Colin was right. Said it
before the season started. I said, I love what Green
Bay's doing with their defense. Nobody's gonna talk about Preston
(25:37):
Smith or Zadarius Smith in free agency, but they're excellent players,
especially Preston Smith, and yesterday they both had two sacks.
Two things never win super Bowls in the NFL. Crazy
owners and bad defenses. You can have flaws, you can
have all sorts of flaws in the NFL. You can't
have a bad defense in Green Bay for most of
the last seven eight years has been Swiss geeze back there.
(25:59):
It's been paper. They went out and they got free agents,
but mid level free agents, and they got athletic linebackers
in a very talented NFC, And what do you know,
those linebackers were essential. Now, if Aaron Rodgers doesn't win
a Super Bowl next couple of years, it's on Aaron
because he now has a real running game and a
(26:20):
real defense. It's not San Francisco's defense. I'm not saying that,
but it's a big boy defense with playmakers at linebacker.
Where Colin was raw when Joe Judge got hired by
the Giants, I thought it was an absolutely disastrous move.
But you know what, after reading every article on Joe Judge,
I think I was a little too hot on it.
(26:41):
I don't know if he's going to succeed, but Saban
and Belichick both came out with strong endorsements. He's had
three or four press conferences, won the big one. He
hit a home run, and the other things he's sang
sound great. And by the way, Josh McDaniels, who I
thought should get this job. The more I read over
the last four days about Josh McDaniels, they made a
(27:04):
good choice, not at least going with Josh McDaniels. Let's
wait and see. On Joe Judge, I called it a
terrible hire. I think I'm too hot on it. I
like what I've seen. I like the coordinator and the
coaching moves he's made, and he's been fantastic so far
in front of the mic where Colin was right. Not
a fan of Bill O'Brien. I don't think he's a
(27:25):
terrible coach. But if you ever noticed with the Houston Texans,
and this is why I don't trust them, and I
thought Kansas City was gonna roll even when they're winning.
It doesn't look smooth. It's it's clunky, it's not well oiled.
It feels like they're making it up as they go.
I did not love the fake punk call, although I'm
(27:46):
not I'm not going to crush coaches on fake fakes
that don't go. I mean, we want our coaches to
take a risk. You take a risks. I didn't love
the going for it on fourth and an inch. I
didn't love that, But in situationally, I'm not going to
bash him. But be honest, if you're a Houston Texans fan,
when's the last time you won a game and it
(28:07):
was smooth, and it looked well oiled, and everything was
into plays and you'd like to play calling. Everything looks
uneven always, and they finally finally have a good first
quarter and then they stink in the entire second half
where Colin was raw. The Lakers promoted Rob Polinka. He's
now number one in that organization, vice president basketball ops.
(28:31):
I gotta be honest, he's an agent that looked like
Rob low. I never really bought it. I thought he
was out of place, magic left. I thought it was
going to be man overboard. But the Frank Vogel thing's working.
The team is second best in the West. The chemistry
is outstanding. They got Danny Greene, were able to convince
him to come over. That works. You know, Initially they
(28:53):
had a salary cap snaffoo, the magic thing he had
that weird KSEP press conference, and I'm like, this doesn't
work at all, But I gotta be honest, it kind
of is working. It's all kind of working, and he's
kind of working. Listen. You know he's an agent. I'm like, well,
I mean, who knows agents deal with stars. The Lakers
(29:15):
are full of stars. Genie Buss is a star. It's
a star driven organization. But I gotta be honest. Since
Magic left hadn't been a lot of missus. It's gone
pretty well. They lost both Lebron and ad this weekend
and we're still up thirty at half. It was okay, see,
but it's working where Colin was right. The Cavaliers are
a disaster the minute Lebron leaves again. Okay. Their coach
(29:39):
had to apologize for language he used against the players.
Kevin loves having a personal revolt, and Colin Sexton is bad.
He may be a bust at point guard. Listen. The
bottom line in this organization. They have been a grease
fire for thirty years. The only time they're not is
(30:00):
when Lebron enters, and then he exits, and then an
hour later their terrible player revolt. Colin Secton can't play.
The coach doesn't fit. This has always been one of
the great qualities of Lebron or any superstar. It's not
just about what you do when you leave. What happens
(30:20):
to the organization you bail on. The calves once again
are poorly run. Where Colin was right, I never understood
why Jimmy Johnson wasn't a Hall of Famer. He's one
of the three or four best football coaches of my life. Seriously,
Bill Walsh belotech Jimmy Johnson and not many people above them.
I didn't watch Lombardi, and this weekend Jimmy finally got
(30:43):
what he so richly deserved. It's my great honor to
tell you that you're going to be three twenty eight
Hall of Famer into the Coach Football Hall of Favor,
and your legacy is going to be in Canton, Ohio forever. Congratulations, coach, Congratulations,
(31:06):
Oh awesome. Jimmy Johnson. I come in every Sunday morning
to this network, and I do a football show, and
I don't have to. The company doesn't force me to.
One of the reasons I come because I sit down
with Jimmy Johnson every Sunday morning. He's the first to
get here, and I pepper him with a bunch of
(31:26):
questions and he gives me a bunch of answers. And
I have never worked with a human being that makes
me smarter about football than Jimmy Johnson. What you're seeing
is a beloved figure, a quirky, funny guy who's got
the greatest stories, many he can't share. I have never
learned more about football from any human than I And
(31:49):
I've learned a lot from Howie and a lot from Tear,
a lot from a lot of people. Dave wants that
Jimmy is. There is no you want. You meet Jimmy
Johnson and talk to him, You're like, Oh, that's why
he's one of the greatest coaches ever. I've never learned
more football from any human than Jimmy Johnson. Yeah, I
was very happy for him. Try watching yet, Yeah I was. I.
Once I saw Troy Agman cry, I got, you know,
(32:11):
into the field a little bit No, I mean, Jimmy.
It's very well deserved and very long overdue. I'm very
happy for him. He drafted my brother and introduced my
brother into the Hall of Fame. Also, yes, by the way,
he drafted your brother, and Jimmy's greatest strength of as
many an eye for personnel. Remember Zach Thomas little ballas
is here. Okay, so nobody likes Zach Thomas out of college.
(32:33):
Everybody passed in your brother on the third round. So
he's one of the great. And I've asked Jimmy a
million times, what do you look for? What do you
look for? His answers are fascinating. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine
am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the
iHeart Radio app. He was a number one pick Super
Bowl champ decade and a half in the NFL and
(32:54):
a four time Pro Bowl or one of the great
arms of all time, and now he's running, of course,
one of the great. To tell you, we're gonna go
live to him Drew Bledsoe via the Coward Global Satellite Network,
brought to you by Mercedes Bends the Best or Nothing. Yes, Yes,
he owns a winery. It's called double back. That's the
greatest single shot I've ever seen on this show. So
congrats for the free marketing. You're a smart man. How
(33:16):
are you doing. I'm doing great, calling man. Thanks for
having me on you bet quarterback play yesterday. As a
former pro bowler, what did you make of the weekend's
quarterback play? I think it was the best single day
of quarterback play that I've witnessed, at least in recent history.
All four guys played at a truly elite level. You know,
(33:37):
there are a couple of different kinds to me of
greatness and exceptionality. You know, there's one, you know, you
equated to basketball. You know, the guy that makes the
free throw to win the game at the end. You
know that's a big deal. But you're supposed to make
your free throws, right, you know, it's doing the ordinary
thing in extraordinary circumstances. And so when you have a
quarterback that's worker from the pocket, doesn't get hit throws
(34:00):
to open guys, even in big moments, those are glorified.
That's one kind of greatness. What we saw yesterday, though,
was truly exceptional talent and ability by all four guys.
It was really amazing to watch. Yeah, Patrick Mahomes, I
mean there is a little far I mean, you're a
guy that could spin it. Uh, there's a lot of
different elements to him. He's about as good a passer.
(34:23):
He has some Marino stuff, right, you know, he's really unique.
And the thing is, the thing that's interesting is that
that the two guys that you know as quarterbacks that
we all sort of bow down to, we're both playing yesterday.
One's Patrick Mahomes and the other one is Aaron Rodgers. Now, Aaron,
you know, he's been beat up a little bit and
(34:44):
and all of this. But let me let me just
let me just give you a little equation if I could.
You know, I'm not great at math, I'm not. I'm
sure you're not super great at math. Maybe are, but
you can always ask Joyce. She could probably explain it
to him. But but if you think about what you
would have to do to do the math to make
that big throw that Aaron made on third down yesterday
to Jimmy Graham. You know, Jimmy's running away from him.
(35:07):
That's sort of an obscure angle. He's got to throw
the ball up and down over the top of a
linebacker and he's got to do that math and the
whole time while he's doing that and throwing the ball
remarkably accurately, he's sliding to his left away from pressure,
doesn't even have his feet set, and yet he's still
able to make this incredibly accurate throw with the right touch,
(35:28):
the right velocity, the right arc, all of those things.
It's just amazing. Man. When you watch what some of
these guys are able to do, you know, when they're
off balance and still able to throw really accurately, it's
just impressive. Listen, we both love Russell Wilson. Let me
be critical of Pete Carroll, who's going to be a
Hall of Fame coach. They just won't put their arms
(35:48):
around him. They're trying to run the football early, and
I'm like, Pete, just give it to Russell. You got
a guy out Marshawn Lynches. You know he's hit the
on the beach. Three weeks ago, I didn't love Seattle's
game plan instead of just embracing Russell. Any thoughts on that, Well, first,
let me say this about Russell Wilson. You know, I
(36:11):
think we all know Lamar is probably gonna be get
the MVP this year. But if you're really talking about
most valuable Player, there is no question who that is.
It's Russell Wilson. You know you're watching that game yesterday.
If most any other quarterback is quarterback in the Seahawks yesterday,
I'm not sure they score point, you know, I'm really nay.
They get very few first downs. You know, he's able,
(36:31):
he's able to create um and on the move. It
was interesting. I was actually thinking last night because I
know your two favorite quarterbacks right now, and then you
don't play favorites. But but you love Russ and you
love Tommy, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, So let me ask
you questions. So when are you most comfortable cheering for
Tom Brady? It's when he's in the pocket and things
(36:53):
are on schedule, right, yeah, just operating. Yeah, when are
you most comfortable watching Russ? When he's moving? Always? Oh
my good. You know, if you're a chair for the Seahawks,
you want him on the move because nothing bad happens
and it's always something good when he's on the move.
He throws the ball remarkably accurately, and then he can
pull it down and run for a first down. When
he starts moving, you just know something good is going
(37:13):
to happen for the Seahawk. I love this view right here,
there's really nobody open, and he throws him open. Okay,
so you were texting me during this game. You're lie
see this five four one area code and I'm like Oregon,
So who is? Said? Well, that's bled soul, he said.
So I don't know Rabel. He is a man's man.
He's got some Jack Deel real qualities. He's a big dude,
and I'm watching him and as as somebody that's been
(37:36):
in the Patriots, explain why you love Rabel as much
as you do. Well, first of all, he owes me.
He owes me big time. Because the touchdown passes he
caught in the Super Bowls that was because of me.
He was one of these guys. Rabel has so much energy,
Like he would run. He would run, scout, kickoff just
for fun during practice, you know, as an old vet.
(37:57):
He'd just go run down because he had to burn
off energy. Well before games, he had to burn off energy,
and so he would come out early and I was
out early, and I'd throw him balls and he's running
around the field catching balls and he was really good
at it. And Belichick. Notice the next thing, you know,
the dude's catching touchdowns in the Super Bowl and he's
never sent me like anything for that. So brave if
you're watching, you know, come on, send me something. Hooker
(38:18):
brother up. But he was a guy that was just
infectious in the locker room. He's a big dude, He's
got a big voice, and everybody loved him. I was
only with him for one year, which my wife and
I both had to google that. It seemed like we
were together for a lot of years, but became great
friends right away. But you can't replace the credibility that
(38:40):
he has with those guys. They know that he was
a certified badass as a player, and he brings that
attitude and you look at him and you can tell
just looking at him he actually wants to get out
there and play. Yeah, And you really can't replace that
credibility that he has with those guys. He's got him
all playing great football and it's just exciting to watch.
Minute left. The Niners look like the best football team.
(39:03):
Does that mean anything to you? I think they are
the best football team, you know. Hats off to John
Lynch for putting together a team and doing it the
right way. You know. They get after the passer, they
run the ball well. They they built a team from
the inside out rather than going and getting the shiny
you know ornament. You know. And and then Jimmy is
(39:26):
Jimmy is doing exactly what he needs to do. He's
a great leader for that team. He doesn't make mistakes,
and when he's called on to make a big play,
he does. Yeah. So I just I have a hard
time seeing somebody beating the forty nine ers, you know.
Really happy to see Green Bay's success. You know, I
love Aaron Rodgers, but man, that's a tall task going
in there to uh to San Francisco and trying to
(39:47):
take down the Niners. They just look like they're great
in every phase. All right, let's take one more shot
of Drew. It's double Back Dot wine. Their cab is legendary,
highly rated wine spectator. Look at that. That is just
you can can't pay for that kind of marketing. Drew.
It's just I appreciate you, buddy. I always appreciate you.
You're always kind. You know, maybe I'll even send you
(40:08):
a ball of wine. All you gotta do is send
me your visa number, and I'll send you some wine.
But all right, good talking to you, Drew. All right, thanks,
but be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
weekdays and noon Easter nine a m. Pacific. So tonight, LSU,
it's essentially a home game plays Clemson, but it's not
really a home game. Should be noted. The two teams
in this playoff that have ever played a home game
(40:32):
both lost. I don't take a ton from that. It's
not really a home game. Clemson's going to have thirty
five thousand people there. The home home teams are oh
and two when they've in the playoff had an opportunity.
So I think Clemson wins tonight. And here are my
five reasons. I've given this a ton of thought. Here
are my five reasons Clemson versus LSU. Number one, it's
(40:55):
called my Mike Tyson theory. Mike Tyson only ten of
his first thirty seven five went to the fourth round.
The key with Tyson was he threw with such velocity
and power just get to the fourth round. It was
so alarming. So when Clemson, who had a week schedule,
played Ohio State, it was the first team they played
in five months. With fifteen NFL guys in Ohio State.
(41:20):
Like Tyson, the power of Ohio State put Clemson back
on their heels. End of the first quarter on. Clemson
average seven and a half yards of play, forced two turnovers,
rushed for one hundred and fifty yards, scored twenty nine points,
and was clearly the better team. So the Mike Tyson theory.
(41:40):
When you've played a week schedule, the first quarter against
the really good team Ohio State, it gets you back
on your heels. From the end of the first quarter on,
Clemson did whatever they wanted against Ohio State's great team.
Mike Tyson theory, Clemson now facing LSU is not going
(42:01):
to be back on their heels. They'll be ready to roll.
Snap one. Number two the better coach quarterback combination. Dabo
Sweeney's been in eight of these games and three national
title games at Orgeron's been in One man who's a
better quarterback? Trevor Lawrence is a transformational talent. Joe Burrows
(42:23):
had a great year Okay Trevor Lawrence twenty five and
oh As a starter, He's accounted for three touchdowns in
nine straight games. Joe Burrow did not face a single
opponent this year that has a current top ten pass defense.
Clemson's number one in the country. Just be honest about it.
Dabo is a better coach and Trevor Lawrence is a
(42:45):
better quarterback. That's a big edge when you've had seven, eight,
nine days to wait. Number three the no respect card.
So Clemsons a five and a half point dog. That's funny.
They were a five and a half point doged Alabama
last year and won by twenty eight points. LSU's offense
(43:05):
is getting all the love, but Clemsons is higher ranked.
Lsues defense. Oh my god, Clemsons is higher ranked. All
Clemson is done for the last seven days is here,
how great at Orgeron is and how great Joe Burrow is,
and how Clemson has no shot to win this game.
(43:26):
Did you guys watch Bama and Clemson last year? And
Bama last year I think was better than LSU this
year statistically they were, and Clemson beat them by four touchdowns.
Clemson hasn't allowed twenty five points to anybody all year.
The no respect card reason Number four been here before.
(43:47):
Thirty seven players on the roster for Clemson have taken
a snap in a national championship game zero for LSU have.
This is the fourth time in five five years Clemsons
been in this game. I've had guys like Bill Romanowski
on he said, I've played in all sorts of conference championships.
My first Super Bowl, I don't remember the first eight minutes.
(44:10):
I don't remember it. This is the biggest game for
LSU coaches players by far in their life. Almost a
half of Clemson's roster has been in this game more
than once. Finally, LSUS defense, I don't think it's great.
None of the eight national champions have ranked as poorly
(44:33):
in scoring defense as LSU did this year. None five
of the eight last national champions were number one in
scoring defense. Clemsons number one in scoring defense. If you
look at LSU's defense, I saw Tua on a bad leg,
tarat apart. I saw old miss tarat Apart. They're twenty
(44:53):
seventh and points per game, fifty second, fifty six pass defense,
fortieth in sacks, and eighty fourth and red zone. I
don't trust this defense, and I think LSU brings back
every important player off their offense from last year. So
Mike Tyson theory coaching quarterback theory. I've been here before. Theory,
(45:17):
no respect theory and LSU's defense. They don't get to
the quarterback that much. Trevor Lawrence gonna have time to throw.
So I will take Clemson in a shootout. Gonna be
Thanks for listening to the Best of Herd podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday from twelve to
three eastern nine to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and FS one. 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 Herd. This
is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowherd on
Fox Sports Radio. Oh, we are packed. It is a Monday.
(00:26):
We are live in LA. This is the Herd. Wherever
you may be and however you may be listening. We
are live on iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio and FS one.
What a crazy weekend we had this weekend and coming
up in one hour. Where Colin was right, where Colin
(00:47):
was wrong, plenty of both. Joey Taylor, We're ready to go.
It feels like tonight we'll be it. We're built to
this crescendo to tonight and by the end of tonight
we'll have had the best three days of football of
the year. Definitely. I'm very excited Ritson. I have some
thoughts and I think it's gonna go, but I'm excited
(01:09):
either way. Let's start with Kansas City falling behind twenty
four nothing and then coming back to beat Houston. Now
I've been saying this multiple times over the last several weeks.
I like Lamar Jackson, but if you're asking me who
I want to be my quarterback over the next decade,
it's Patrick Mahomes. Here was the interesting thing in that game.
(01:30):
Before we go to tape. Here was the interesting thing.
Unless you're from Kansas City and a Diehart Chiefs fan,
take take them out of it. But for guys like
me and people like you, even when Kansas City was
down twenty four nothing, you were saying what I was saying,
just just just get a play, get a break, get
a fumble, big kickoff, just just they're fine. They're fine.
(01:52):
They're fine. They're down twenty four nothing, they're fine, they're
at home. They just need Did you watch Patrick Mahomes
in the sideline. There was no panic. Andy Reid's play calling,
there was no panic. You watched the sideline, there was
no panic. They were down twenty four to nothing. Just
say that out loud, playoff game, down twenty four nothing,
and Mahomes is like, just make a play, let's just
get it going. There's no panic. Nobody's freaking out and
(02:14):
he's not freaking out. Here we go and then they
got the big kickoff, and then it's like we all
thought the same thing unless you're a Chiefs fan. All Right,
here we go, let's go, let's get But when Baltimore
trailed twenty one six in the second half at home,
you could even see it a little bit with the
Ravens coaching staff. There was a little apprehension the play
(02:38):
calling at one point I thought was weird in the
first half. Just do what you do. And that is
because Mahomes is not somebody will ever ever figure out,
and barring an injury, he's gonna be Peyton Manning, or
he's gonna be Brady, or he's gonna be far You
don't figure out the best pure passer in football. Nobody
(03:03):
figured out Elway, nobody, nobody figured out Marino. He didn't
win a bunch of Super Bowls, but he was great
until the very end. Lamar is different. He is unique.
You have to build an offense that is run first,
heavy tight end, get him a legitimate back, and that's
(03:25):
not an offense. In fact, they went and got Greg Roman,
who is a unique coordinator for their unique talent. Now
I'm not bailing on Lamar. He's going a bunch of games.
But this is the reason I would choose Mahomes over Lamar,
not because of the weekend, because if you look at
Kansas City, they're a pass first team. They're built to
(03:48):
win from deficits. And if you play for fifteen years
in this league, some years you have terrible defenses. Remember
when Tim Tabo was winning games. Everybody's like on Tebow
and I'm like, you guys, do get that. If you
quarterback for ten years, you're not going to get a
defense like that Denver defense and Matt Prator kicking sixty
yard field goals. You can win with Mark Sanchez in
(04:09):
a great running game. You can win a lot of ways,
but you better be able to win trailing twenty four nothing.
And there's only about one to two to three quarterbacks
at a time in this league, maybe two Aaron Rodgers
and his prime Peyton Manning in his prime, you know far.
This is why I think this is the choice for
(04:31):
quarterback for the next fifteen years. Kansas City is built
to win a million ways. By the way. We've seen
him win in snow, We've seen him win with a lead,
We just saw him trail twenty four nothing, and you
never once, unless you're a Chiefs fan, you weren't freaking out.
The play calling didn't change, the players didn't change, the
game didn't change, and the minute they got to kick off,
you're like, okay, all right, they switched field position. Here
(04:55):
we go. Two plays later, score Kansas City scored seven touchdowns.
No drive was longer than three minutes and fifty five seconds.
It's different, and it's the kind of offense I think
that will last forever. I don't think in the off
season coordinators are saying, hey, we're gonna figure this Mahomes
guy out. I do think they're coordinators that look at
(05:18):
Lamar and say, okay, let's get super athletic linebackers at
the point of attack. You have to get on and
let's crowd the box. Let's make him throw over the top.
I do think there are riddles to Baltimore that you
can solve. Not every week, not every half, not every drive,
not every game. But when I watched Kansas City coming
(05:40):
back from twenty four nothing, I thought it was not
just the most important Kansas City win, it was an
essential win for Patrick Mahomes to prove I'm the guy
for the next fifteen years, because none of us felt
different twenty four nothing. I think all of us, even
in the first half, down by a couple of touchdowns
(06:02):
with Lamar, I felt like, oh, they're kind of solving
a little bit for the moment, in this little time capsule.
For two hours in Baltimore, they're kind of solving. I
don't feel like anybody ever solves Mahomes. And if you
asked every GM in this league privately, every stink in
one of them, if they would trade their quarterback for
(06:23):
Patrick Mahomes today, all of them would say yes, Oh
my bad, except Chicago. They're all in on Traubisky. Wink wink.
They'd all trade their quarterback for Patrick Mahomes. Many would
trade for Lamar, but there'd be some that say, can
we have Greg Roman too? Can we get those tight
(06:43):
ends too? I thought it was an essential game to
really plant the flag. This is the guy more than
any and you know I love me some Russell Wilson.
You know I love me some Tom Brady. This is
the guy for the next fifteen years, barring any you know,
really bad injury. Here's Patrick after Obviously we didn't want
(07:05):
to be in that in that spot. But the biggest
thing that I think I was preaching to the team
was let's go do something special. Let's go do something special.
Everybody's already counting this out. Let's just go play by
play and just put our best effort out there. We
don't care if we're down twenty four, if we're up
twenty four, We're gonna put our best effort every single play.
And I think that's just the mentality of this team.
All right, So let's move to Green Bay's win over Seattle. Now,
(07:26):
let me just say this. I've not been a big
Packers fan. I acknowledge they won their division, I acknowledge
their seating, and I will acknowledge they won the game.
But you can get to a conference championship without being great.
Blake Bortles got there in Jacksonville, Mark Sanchez got there
with the Jets, A lousy Colts team got there with
(07:48):
Andrew Luck, and the Vikings got there with case Keenum.
Now we know Aaron Rodgers is not case Keenum. We
know he's not Blake Bortles. But you can get to
a conference championship in this if you win a division
where two teams implode Chicago and Detroit. When you're easily
the best quarterback or healthiest quarterback in a division the
(08:09):
NFC North, When you get a home field by check
and then you play an injury ravage team off another
road game Seattle. I don't think Green Bay's great. I
think they got things to work in their favor. I
think Matt Stafford gets hurt, Trubisky gets exposed, Kirk Cousins
(08:33):
is Kirk Cousins who they have three first downs to
dull the fourth quarter of this weekend, and I think
they beat up a ravage Seattle team. And if not
for Aaron Rodgers making two great throws on a third
and eight and a third and nine, I think Seattle
wins that first one to Geronimo Allen. If that puppy
hits the dirt first, then it was close. You saw
Aaron Rodgers point to the sky on that Seattle's getting
(08:55):
the ball back. Green Bay's defense is exhausted and Russell
Wilson's red hot. We have a different show today. I
don't love Green Bay. I don't think they're as physical
as Tennessee. I don't think they're as explosive as Kansas City.
And I don't think they have the players and the
depth of the forty nine ers you know who. They
remind me of the Wisconsin Badgers. I respect the hell
(09:17):
out of them. It's a good football operation. I always
trust the executives upstairs. The coach appears good enough. But
when you watch Wisconsin against Ohio State, they don't look
the same. They don't look like Lemson, they don't look
like LSU. They'll look like Ohio State. They don't look
like Alabama. But they're good and they win like ten
(09:40):
games a year and I respect the hell out of them,
and I respect Green Bay, but they don't look like
Kansas City. I mean, if you take Davante Adams away,
who does Aaron like to throw too? Because Patrick Mahomes
likes to throw to four different guys then his tight end,
I don't look like San Francisco. Up front, d Ford
now is healthy and Kwan Alexander hard passed. Don't want
(10:01):
to face them. I think Aaron Rodgers, he's a smart guy.
That's why you give him any shot, just their quarterback,
and I think even he acknowledges we're fourteen and three.
But if you look around, what's left as a big
gap between getting to that conference championship and beating a
(10:22):
San Francisco there and potentially beating a Kansas City in Miami.
Here's Aaron to walk off the field being a two seed,
where I mean, let's be honest, I don't know that
even our fans felt supremely confident in us, which I
know that a lot of the media didn't as well.
(10:45):
But to be able to walk off that field again victorious,
there's no feeling like it. Nobody's disputing them want a
division and they're in the conference championship. But I think
even Aaron acknowledges there's questions. And the only reason the
only reason I gave Seattle a chance to beat Green
(11:05):
Bay was Russell Wilson, which I didn't think would be
good enough. And the only reason I give Green Bay
a chance against San Francisco as Aaron Rodgers, and that
doesn't feel like enough. Be sure to catch live editions
of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
I think the reason the show continues to do well
(11:26):
as we're loyal to honesty. I'm not in the credit business.
That's MasterCard and Visa. I'm in the honesty business. I
don't protect players. I think I'm tough on guys, especially quarterbacks.
But there are a lot of people in the media
that are constantly they think they're doing athletes a favor
and they're pandering. It's my least favorite quality. Stop pandering,
(11:46):
Stop cobbling. These are millionaires. Lamar Jackson didn't play well.
He deserves to get ripped. We ripped Peyton Manning when
he would be an MVP and not look the same
in the playoffs. Stop patronizing Lamar Jackson. He doesn't need
your sympathy. He doesn't need your pandering either. Rock Star
He's gonna win MVP. He's gonna be worth fifty million
(12:06):
to one hundred million dollars. He's fun to watch. He's
gonna keep winning games. But this he had two picks,
a fumble and wasn't good in situational football. And he's
the MVP. He doesn't last. Two times I've watched him
in a playoff game, he hasn't looked the same as
in the regular season. He's a baby. He'll get better,
But the criticism's fair. God, the media has been on
(12:28):
this whole thing with Lamar. First of all, he gets
drafted in the first round in the media is like,
this is outrageous, fire the GMS. Why he got drafted
in the first round. Roger stop about got drafted in
the tenth, United's ninth, Brady's sixth. It's a hard position
to evaluate. Then there's this thing this weekend. He didn't
lose the game. He had three hundred and fifty yards.
(12:48):
He didn't play well, folks. Most of his yards were dackyards.
They were garbage yards. Put it on the screen. First
three quarters his quarterback, his passerading was forty seven. He
had three turns. He didn't throw for a touchdown in
the fourth quarter. What do you know, Tennessee's punting the
ball prevent defense. He racked him up. So at the
end you can run over to your stats and say, look, look,
(13:10):
look he played well. He didn't. He was all for
four and fourth down. He looked rattled. He threw two picks.
One not his fault. Sorry, there's still picks. He had
a fumble. And he's not really ideally like Mahomes. He's
not ideally built to come from way back their offense. Frankly,
it's not really This is not all Lamar. Their offense
(13:33):
is not really ideally built to play from deficits, which
is why I think Lamar will go to the laboratory
this off season, and just like he did from year
one to year two, Lamar is gonna get a little
better at the passing and a little more comfortable. And
it took Russell Wilson three years, and it takes most
young quarterback. Do you see Josh Allen's playoff game? He
(13:53):
freaked out. You ever seen Sam Darnold, who I love,
sometimes he freaks out. Jared Goff, These are kids, their baby,
but stop the coddling. It didn't play well. It happens.
He's a kid, and all the questions why he dropped
in the first round are legitimate. He never completed sixty
(14:13):
percent of his throws. He ran for a twenty yards,
and people thought he kind of plays like RG three.
They kind of have the same build. And RG three
was a bust, so people were a little apprehensive, and
Baltimore said, we're not gonna take him with our first pick.
We're gonna take him with our second pick. And then
all of a sudden, by week eleven, they're like Joe Flacco, stinks.
He's old, tired and expensive. We're done. Let's try this thing.
And it worked kind of and this year it worked
a lot. But it's okay to criticize him, and it's
(14:38):
okay that he was the last or next to last
pick in the first round. Stop pandering, Stop protecting him.
He doesn't need our sympathy. He's gonna win a bunch
of games. Baltimore won twelve straight. They're gonna win up.
They're not going anywhere. Baltimore's not going anywhere, and this
young man has shown the ability to improve. Now I've
said before, if you're asking in me twelve years, I
(15:01):
not only like Mahomes better than Lamar, I like Kyler
Murray more. I think Kyler Murray is the best player
in the league that nobody watches because he played in Arizona.
I think Kyler Murray's a pass, first run second guy,
and I do think I like my quarterbacks preferably to
be that. But the constant protecting. Don't criticize him. He
didn't play well. He's an MVP and he hasn't looked
(15:21):
as good in the postseason. We ravaged Peyton Manning, and
it's part of the game. You can't get all the
love and be called the best thing ever and then
go into the playoffs and not be able to play
as well from behind and not play well in big spots.
Playoff games aren't won by yards. Playoff games are won
by fourth down turnovers don't make any situational football. And
(15:43):
he wasn't great at that. And it's okay. He will
be over and over again over the next ten years.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Easter nine Empacific. I want to talk about
the forty nine ers. So we have four teams left.
None of them look like San Francisco. There is not
a box folks that don't check the size box, the
(16:04):
speedbox to kick your arsbox, the intimid ason box, the
old line box, the left tackle, the right tackle box.
They check them all. And this is a team that
humiliates the Packers. This is a team. Asked Baker Mayfield,
ask Aaron Rodgers. It get asked Kirk Cousins in Minnesota.
(16:25):
They humiliate you. The way to beat San Francisco to
me is Russell Wilson, is Kyler Murray, is Lamar Jackson.
Off script where you can't even they're great defenses. You
got this is the way to beat Alabama for years.
A quarterback that can do stuff off the script. If
a quarterback is going to be six steps behind the
(16:45):
center and they know it, good luck. They are loaded defensively,
d Ford Kwan, Alexander maybe the most athletic linebacker in
the league, DeForrest Bruckner, Armstead, Nick Bosa. It is filthy
and the eighty five Bears were never a dynasty. But
thirty years later we look at those Bears and we're like, ooh,
(17:08):
in a one gamer, even the Niners with Montana no
Patriot team maybe beats the eighty five Bears. Now, certain
Francisco obviously has to win the conference championship, but they
look a lot like the Bears on that defense. Now. Now,
obviously they're giving up four more yards than the Bears
did because quarterback play is much better. The best athletes
now in the world are playing quarterback. Everybody gives up yards,
(17:29):
everybody gives up points. The league is so much better
now at quarterback and so much more sophisticated than it
was back in nineteen eighty five, where everybody's a pocket quarterback,
everybody's sitting there, not very elusive. Here comes all the
Bears and knock him over. But here's the thing to
remember about the forty nine ers. There has been three
seasons for the Niners. This is not one season. The
(17:50):
first season they were eight and oh and they were
knocking people out in the first round. Then eight of
their best players got hurt. Both tackles miss games. They're
fullback of Pro Bowl or miss games. Kwan Alexander is out,
Emmanuel Sanders got hurt, George Kittle got hurt. The whole
team got hurt, and essential parts to their team not
(18:12):
named Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt. Then they were vulnerable. That's
stage two. Now we're in stage three. All the boys
are healthy again. You don't want any part of them.
You don't want any part of San Francisco. They look different,
like like Kansas City's offense is like San Francisco's team.
(18:35):
Let's double Kittle. Can't debot Manuel Sanders. All right, They're
a past team. No, not really there their coaches Shanahan.
They're a power run team. Their running backs can catch.
Their fullback was actually a great tight end in college.
Their receivers are big. No, wait, they're Emmanuel Sanders, they're veterans,
they're young. Kittle's a superstar. Folks, this is what I'm
(18:58):
not saying. This is a dynasty, but I'm saying they
check all the boxes. And I heard this well, I
mean Jimmy Garoppolo, I mean, come on, what they don't
need Jimmy Garoppolo to be a stat freak. The Giants
didn't need Phil Simms to be a stat freak. By
the way, Montana's numbers were good, but if you go
(19:19):
back and look at Joe Montana's numbers, they were not
beholden just to Joe Montana. He left Steve young one.
This team, when they're healthy, has got so many elements
of an eighty five Bears. Look to them where they
just knock you out, They just you you are humiliated.
I love what I see. And by the way, most
(19:40):
of the teams that are left, we're defining them. You know,
most great teams we define quarterback, wide receiver, running back.
You can argue Green Bay has the best quarterback, the
best single receiver, and the better running back than San Francisco.
You can argue, but San Francisco's also go to those
positions and better everywhere else d line, o, line linebacker, secondary,
(20:10):
tight end. I think I think this San Francisco team
does not look like the rest of the teams. I
don't think they look like it. I think it's not
that complicated in football. Watch the game, Watch the velocity,
watch the hitting, watch the power. I mean, it's not
like it is not like San Francisco was stopping the
(20:32):
run against Minnesota. They were pushing San Francisco back for
three and a half hours. It did not look like
the other games. One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty
four hours a day, seven days a week within the
iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand
whenever you like. Colin right Colin wrong on plenty of both.
Let's fire away where Colin was right for both Seattle
(20:56):
playoff games. Russell Wilson was Seattle's leading rusher. I'm not
saying he's the best quarterback in the NFL. I'm saying
he's the best football player in the National Football League.
The idea that this guy goes on the road to
Philadelphia and green Bay and he comes to within basically
a third and eight that green Bay completed of winning
this football game they're missing two offensive linemen, they're on
(21:18):
their third string center, they don't have their three best
running backs. I mean, it's incredible. What the only reason
that game is even competitive yesterday? And I did not
like Seattle's play calling in the first half at all.
Stop pretending you're gonna walk into Green Bay and run
for two hundred yards. Marshawn Lynch was on the beach
three weeks ago. Give the ball to Russell and pass
(21:41):
your way to Magic. This guy is absolutely unbelievable. And
again I'm not saying he's the best quarterback in the league,
although I think you can make an argument, but as
a football player, he's unbelievable. That game should never have
been close. And I'll say this, if Seattle had two
of their three best running backs, I would have taken
(22:02):
them to win that game out right. Once again, they
win with virtually almost win with virtually no running game
where Colin was raw. Listen, I call the Kansas City
Chiefs a windbreaker team. About two months ago, I said
they're not built for December. In January, I think they
laugh physical toughness, they don't run the football enough. They
won't be able to eat the clock and the playoffs
are about physicality, but you know what, they showed a
(22:23):
ton of resolve. Their defense now has looked more physical
than it has in weeks. I thought it was a
really special moment to overcome that deficit. Obviously we know that,
but I also think it needed to be seen by
everybody that doesn't live in Kansas City. This is a
tough team. It's a team with character, it's a team
with resolve, and frankly they have. Those are the elements
(22:45):
I worried about. They're a little fancy, they're fast. You know,
they got all the fun windbreaker guys out there. But
what happens when it's cold, You fall behind. You got
a punch of team in the neck. And I thought
Kansas City right now serves exactly where they are. They
got tougher, their defense got better. They looked like a
team that can plan all the elements. I was wrong
(23:07):
where Colin was right. Ben a Jimmy garoppolo guy. Since
he was a backup in New England. I said it
for years, Go get him. He's got an it factor
and I know, I know, I know Colin. They didn't
even use him this weekend. Tom Brady's second playoff game.
He went twelve or eighteen, they didn't need to use him.
This is not a guy that's gonna pout if he
doesn't get thirty fourth rows. His career will never be
(23:30):
defined by stats. Because Kyle Shanahan, from his father Mike Shanahan,
is a power football coach. He's gonna run the hell
out of this team for the next ten years. They're
gonna draft running backs, an offensive lineman. He's not gonna
win MVPs and he's not going to be a stat guy,
but he is an it guy. He is a guy
(23:51):
that when people are saying yesterday, well what did he do?
He won the toughest division in football the Rams and
McVeagh and that Aaron Donald and the Seahawks and Russell
Wilson and Pete Carroll. He won a division he won
in New Orleans. He had a chance to beat Lamar
in Baltimore. And during this season when this team fell
(24:12):
apart physically, both tackles were out, the fullback was out,
Kittle was out. He kept him floating. Remember they had
to ask him about three times this year during the injuries, dude,
save us, the defense is all hurt, and all three
times he did. He's the real deal where Colin was raw.
I've made my biggest bet ever and took Clemson over
(24:33):
Ohio State and I rolled it into Baltimore and I
don't know what the heck happened, but that's the strangest
football game I've ever seen. Can somebody explain Tennessee. Tennessee
has now beaten Brady in New England and Lamar in Baltimore,
and has completed a total of fifteen completions in both games.
(24:53):
I don't know what I'm watching. It's incredible. Listen, They're
surprises all the time in football. I don't even know
how to explain Tennessee. Tannehill's throwing for seventy yards and
they're going to Foxboro in winning and going to Baltimore
and winning. It's like nineteen seventy four football. And I
guess this is why the NFL's king. In the NBA,
(25:16):
you'd be like, wow, I got six more games left
in the seven game series. In the NFL, if you
have a bad half, you have a bad half, you're
in big trouble, especially if you're Baltimore and you're kind
of built to play with the lead, not play from behind.
I was way wrong where Colin was right. Said it
before the season started. I said, I love what Green
Bay's doing with their defense. Nobody's gonna talk about Preston
(25:37):
Smith or Zadarius Smith in free agency, but they're excellent players,
especially Preston Smith, and yesterday they both had two sacks.
Two things never win super Bowls in the NFL. Crazy
owners and bad defenses. You can have flaws, you can
have all sorts of flaws in the NFL. You can't
have a bad defense in Green Bay for most of
the last seven eight years has been Swiss geeze back there.
(25:59):
It's been paper. They went out and they got free agents,
but mid level free agents, and they got athletic linebackers
in a very talented NFC, And what do you know,
those linebackers were essential. Now, if Aaron Rodgers doesn't win
a Super Bowl next couple of years, it's on Aaron
because he now has a real running game and a
(26:20):
real defense. It's not San Francisco's defense. I'm not saying that,
but it's a big boy defense with playmakers at linebacker.
Where Colin was raw when Joe Judge got hired by
the Giants, I thought it was an absolutely disastrous move.
But you know what, after reading every article on Joe Judge,
I think I was a little too hot on it.
(26:41):
I don't know if he's going to succeed, but Saban
and Belichick both came out with strong endorsements. He's had
three or four press conferences, won the big one. He
hit a home run, and the other things he's sang
sound great. And by the way, Josh McDaniels, who I
thought should get this job. The more I read over
the last four days about Josh McDaniels, they made a
(27:04):
good choice, not at least going with Josh McDaniels. Let's
wait and see. On Joe Judge, I called it a
terrible hire. I think I'm too hot on it. I
like what I've seen. I like the coordinator and the
coaching moves he's made, and he's been fantastic so far
in front of the mic where Colin was right. Not
a fan of Bill O'Brien. I don't think he's a
(27:25):
terrible coach. But if you ever noticed with the Houston Texans,
and this is why I don't trust them, and I
thought Kansas City was gonna roll even when they're winning.
It doesn't look smooth. It's it's clunky, it's not well oiled.
It feels like they're making it up as they go.
I did not love the fake punk call, although I'm
(27:46):
not I'm not going to crush coaches on fake fakes
that don't go. I mean, we want our coaches to
take a risk. You take a risks. I didn't love
the going for it on fourth and an inch. I
didn't love that, But in situationally, I'm not going to
bash him. But be honest, if you're a Houston Texans fan,
when's the last time you won a game and it
(28:07):
was smooth, and it looked well oiled, and everything was
into plays and you'd like to play calling. Everything looks
uneven always, and they finally finally have a good first
quarter and then they stink in the entire second half
where Colin was raw. The Lakers promoted Rob Polinka. He's
now number one in that organization, vice president basketball ops.
(28:31):
I gotta be honest, he's an agent that looked like
Rob low. I never really bought it. I thought he
was out of place, magic left. I thought it was
going to be man overboard. But the Frank Vogel thing's working.
The team is second best in the West. The chemistry
is outstanding. They got Danny Greene, were able to convince
him to come over. That works. You know, Initially they
(28:53):
had a salary cap snaffoo, the magic thing he had
that weird KSEP press conference, and I'm like, this doesn't
work at all, But I gotta be honest, it kind
of is working. It's all kind of working, and he's
kind of working. Listen. You know he's an agent. I'm like, well,
I mean, who knows agents deal with stars. The Lakers
(29:15):
are full of stars. Genie Buss is a star. It's
a star driven organization. But I gotta be honest. Since
Magic left hadn't been a lot of missus. It's gone
pretty well. They lost both Lebron and ad this weekend
and we're still up thirty at half. It was okay, see,
but it's working where Colin was right. The Cavaliers are
a disaster the minute Lebron leaves again. Okay. Their coach
(29:39):
had to apologize for language he used against the players.
Kevin loves having a personal revolt, and Colin Sexton is bad.
He may be a bust at point guard. Listen. The
bottom line in this organization. They have been a grease
fire for thirty years. The only time they're not is
(30:00):
when Lebron enters, and then he exits, and then an
hour later their terrible player revolt. Colin Secton can't play.
The coach doesn't fit. This has always been one of
the great qualities of Lebron or any superstar. It's not
just about what you do when you leave. What happens
(30:20):
to the organization you bail on. The calves once again
are poorly run. Where Colin was right, I never understood
why Jimmy Johnson wasn't a Hall of Famer. He's one
of the three or four best football coaches of my life. Seriously,
Bill Walsh belotech Jimmy Johnson and not many people above them.
I didn't watch Lombardi, and this weekend Jimmy finally got
(30:43):
what he so richly deserved. It's my great honor to
tell you that you're going to be three twenty eight
Hall of Famer into the Coach Football Hall of Favor,
and your legacy is going to be in Canton, Ohio forever. Congratulations, coach, Congratulations,
(31:06):
Oh awesome. Jimmy Johnson. I come in every Sunday morning
to this network, and I do a football show, and
I don't have to. The company doesn't force me to.
One of the reasons I come because I sit down
with Jimmy Johnson every Sunday morning. He's the first to
get here, and I pepper him with a bunch of
(31:26):
questions and he gives me a bunch of answers. And
I have never worked with a human being that makes
me smarter about football than Jimmy Johnson. What you're seeing
is a beloved figure, a quirky, funny guy who's got
the greatest stories, many he can't share. I have never
learned more about football from any human than I And
(31:49):
I've learned a lot from Howie and a lot from Tear,
a lot from a lot of people. Dave wants that
Jimmy is. There is no you want. You meet Jimmy
Johnson and talk to him, You're like, Oh, that's why
he's one of the greatest coaches ever. I've never learned
more football from any human than Jimmy Johnson. Yeah, I
was very happy for him. Try watching yet, Yeah I was. I.
Once I saw Troy Agman cry, I got, you know,
(32:11):
into the field a little bit No, I mean, Jimmy.
It's very well deserved and very long overdue. I'm very
happy for him. He drafted my brother and introduced my
brother into the Hall of Fame. Also, yes, by the way,
he drafted your brother, and Jimmy's greatest strength of as
many an eye for personnel. Remember Zach Thomas little ballas
is here. Okay, so nobody likes Zach Thomas out of college.
(32:33):
Everybody passed in your brother on the third round. So
he's one of the great. And I've asked Jimmy a
million times, what do you look for? What do you
look for? His answers are fascinating. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon Easter nine
am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the
iHeart Radio app. He was a number one pick Super
Bowl champ decade and a half in the NFL and
(32:54):
a four time Pro Bowl or one of the great
arms of all time, and now he's running, of course,
one of the great. To tell you, we're gonna go
live to him Drew Bledsoe via the Coward Global Satellite Network,
brought to you by Mercedes Bends the Best or Nothing. Yes, Yes,
he owns a winery. It's called double back. That's the
greatest single shot I've ever seen on this show. So
congrats for the free marketing. You're a smart man. How
(33:16):
are you doing. I'm doing great, calling man. Thanks for
having me on you bet quarterback play yesterday. As a
former pro bowler, what did you make of the weekend's
quarterback play? I think it was the best single day
of quarterback play that I've witnessed, at least in recent history.
All four guys played at a truly elite level. You know,
(33:37):
there are a couple of different kinds to me of
greatness and exceptionality. You know, there's one, you know, you
equated to basketball. You know, the guy that makes the
free throw to win the game at the end. You
know that's a big deal. But you're supposed to make
your free throws, right, you know, it's doing the ordinary
thing in extraordinary circumstances. And so when you have a
quarterback that's worker from the pocket, doesn't get hit throws
(34:00):
to open guys, even in big moments, those are glorified.
That's one kind of greatness. What we saw yesterday, though,
was truly exceptional talent and ability by all four guys.
It was really amazing to watch. Yeah, Patrick Mahomes, I
mean there is a little far I mean, you're a
guy that could spin it. Uh, there's a lot of
different elements to him. He's about as good a passer.
(34:23):
He has some Marino stuff, right, you know, he's really unique.
And the thing is, the thing that's interesting is that
that the two guys that you know as quarterbacks that
we all sort of bow down to, we're both playing yesterday.
One's Patrick Mahomes and the other one is Aaron Rodgers. Now, Aaron,
you know, he's been beat up a little bit and
(34:44):
and all of this. But let me let me just
let me just give you a little equation if I could.
You know, I'm not great at math, I'm not. I'm
sure you're not super great at math. Maybe are, but
you can always ask Joyce. She could probably explain it
to him. But but if you think about what you
would have to do to do the math to make
that big throw that Aaron made on third down yesterday
to Jimmy Graham. You know, Jimmy's running away from him.
(35:07):
That's sort of an obscure angle. He's got to throw
the ball up and down over the top of a
linebacker and he's got to do that math and the
whole time while he's doing that and throwing the ball
remarkably accurately, he's sliding to his left away from pressure,
doesn't even have his feet set, and yet he's still
able to make this incredibly accurate throw with the right touch,
(35:28):
the right velocity, the right arc, all of those things.
It's just amazing. Man. When you watch what some of
these guys are able to do, you know, when they're
off balance and still able to throw really accurately, it's
just impressive. Listen, we both love Russell Wilson. Let me
be critical of Pete Carroll, who's going to be a
Hall of Fame coach. They just won't put their arms
(35:48):
around him. They're trying to run the football early, and
I'm like, Pete, just give it to Russell. You got
a guy out Marshawn Lynches. You know he's hit the
on the beach. Three weeks ago, I didn't love Seattle's
game plan instead of just embracing Russell. Any thoughts on that, Well, first,
let me say this about Russell Wilson. You know, I
(36:11):
think we all know Lamar is probably gonna be get
the MVP this year. But if you're really talking about
most valuable Player, there is no question who that is.
It's Russell Wilson. You know you're watching that game yesterday.
If most any other quarterback is quarterback in the Seahawks yesterday,
I'm not sure they score point, you know, I'm really nay.
They get very few first downs. You know, he's able,
(36:31):
he's able to create um and on the move. It
was interesting. I was actually thinking last night because I
know your two favorite quarterbacks right now, and then you
don't play favorites. But but you love Russ and you
love Tommy, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, So let me ask
you questions. So when are you most comfortable cheering for
Tom Brady? It's when he's in the pocket and things
(36:53):
are on schedule, right, yeah, just operating. Yeah, when are
you most comfortable watching Russ? When he's moving? Always? Oh
my good. You know, if you're a chair for the Seahawks,
you want him on the move because nothing bad happens
and it's always something good when he's on the move.
He throws the ball remarkably accurately, and then he can
pull it down and run for a first down. When
he starts moving, you just know something good is going
(37:13):
to happen for the Seahawk. I love this view right here,
there's really nobody open, and he throws him open. Okay,
so you were texting me during this game. You're lie
see this five four one area code and I'm like Oregon,
So who is? Said? Well, that's bled soul, he said.
So I don't know Rabel. He is a man's man.
He's got some Jack Deel real qualities. He's a big dude,
and I'm watching him and as as somebody that's been
(37:36):
in the Patriots, explain why you love Rabel as much
as you do. Well, first of all, he owes me.
He owes me big time. Because the touchdown passes he
caught in the Super Bowls that was because of me.
He was one of these guys. Rabel has so much energy,
Like he would run. He would run, scout, kickoff just
for fun during practice, you know, as an old vet.
(37:57):
He'd just go run down because he had to burn
off energy. Well before games, he had to burn off energy,
and so he would come out early and I was
out early, and I'd throw him balls and he's running
around the field catching balls and he was really good
at it. And Belichick. Notice the next thing, you know,
the dude's catching touchdowns in the Super Bowl and he's
never sent me like anything for that. So brave if
you're watching, you know, come on, send me something. Hooker
(38:18):
brother up. But he was a guy that was just
infectious in the locker room. He's a big dude, He's
got a big voice, and everybody loved him. I was
only with him for one year, which my wife and
I both had to google that. It seemed like we
were together for a lot of years, but became great
friends right away. But you can't replace the credibility that
(38:40):
he has with those guys. They know that he was
a certified badass as a player, and he brings that
attitude and you look at him and you can tell
just looking at him he actually wants to get out
there and play. Yeah, And you really can't replace that
credibility that he has with those guys. He's got him
all playing great football and it's just exciting to watch.
Minute left. The Niners look like the best football team.
(39:03):
Does that mean anything to you? I think they are
the best football team, you know. Hats off to John
Lynch for putting together a team and doing it the
right way. You know. They get after the passer, they
run the ball well. They they built a team from
the inside out rather than going and getting the shiny
you know ornament. You know. And and then Jimmy is
(39:26):
Jimmy is doing exactly what he needs to do. He's
a great leader for that team. He doesn't make mistakes,
and when he's called on to make a big play,
he does. Yeah. So I just I have a hard
time seeing somebody beating the forty nine ers, you know.
Really happy to see Green Bay's success. You know, I
love Aaron Rodgers, but man, that's a tall task going
in there to uh to San Francisco and trying to
(39:47):
take down the Niners. They just look like they're great
in every phase. All right, let's take one more shot
of Drew. It's double Back Dot wine. Their cab is legendary,
highly rated wine spectator. Look at that. That is just
you can can't pay for that kind of marketing. Drew.
It's just I appreciate you, buddy. I always appreciate you.
You're always kind. You know, maybe I'll even send you
(40:08):
a ball of wine. All you gotta do is send
me your visa number, and I'll send you some wine.
But all right, good talking to you, Drew. All right, thanks,
but be sure to catch live editions of The Herd
weekdays and noon Easter nine a m. Pacific. So tonight, LSU,
it's essentially a home game plays Clemson, but it's not
really a home game. Should be noted. The two teams
in this playoff that have ever played a home game
(40:32):
both lost. I don't take a ton from that. It's
not really a home game. Clemson's going to have thirty
five thousand people there. The home home teams are oh
and two when they've in the playoff had an opportunity.
So I think Clemson wins tonight. And here are my
five reasons. I've given this a ton of thought. Here
are my five reasons Clemson versus LSU. Number one, it's
(40:55):
called my Mike Tyson theory. Mike Tyson only ten of
his first thirty seven five went to the fourth round.
The key with Tyson was he threw with such velocity
and power just get to the fourth round. It was
so alarming. So when Clemson, who had a week schedule,
played Ohio State, it was the first team they played
in five months. With fifteen NFL guys in Ohio State.
(41:20):
Like Tyson, the power of Ohio State put Clemson back
on their heels. End of the first quarter on. Clemson
average seven and a half yards of play, forced two turnovers,
rushed for one hundred and fifty yards, scored twenty nine points,
and was clearly the better team. So the Mike Tyson theory.
(41:40):
When you've played a week schedule, the first quarter against
the really good team Ohio State, it gets you back
on your heels. From the end of the first quarter on,
Clemson did whatever they wanted against Ohio State's great team.
Mike Tyson theory, Clemson now facing LSU is not going
(42:01):
to be back on their heels. They'll be ready to roll.
Snap one. Number two the better coach quarterback combination. Dabo
Sweeney's been in eight of these games and three national
title games at Orgeron's been in One man who's a
better quarterback? Trevor Lawrence is a transformational talent. Joe Burrows
(42:23):
had a great year Okay Trevor Lawrence twenty five and
oh As a starter, He's accounted for three touchdowns in
nine straight games. Joe Burrow did not face a single
opponent this year that has a current top ten pass defense.
Clemson's number one in the country. Just be honest about it.
Dabo is a better coach and Trevor Lawrence is a
(42:45):
better quarterback. That's a big edge when you've had seven, eight,
nine days to wait. Number three the no respect card.
So Clemsons a five and a half point dog. That's funny.
They were a five and a half point doged Alabama
last year and won by twenty eight points. LSU's offense
(43:05):
is getting all the love, but Clemsons is higher ranked.
Lsues defense. Oh my god, Clemsons is higher ranked. All
Clemson is done for the last seven days is here,
how great at Orgeron is and how great Joe Burrow is,
and how Clemson has no shot to win this game.
(43:26):
Did you guys watch Bama and Clemson last year? And
Bama last year I think was better than LSU this
year statistically they were, and Clemson beat them by four touchdowns.
Clemson hasn't allowed twenty five points to anybody all year.
The no respect card reason Number four been here before.
(43:47):
Thirty seven players on the roster for Clemson have taken
a snap in a national championship game zero for LSU have.
This is the fourth time in five five years Clemsons
been in this game. I've had guys like Bill Romanowski
on he said, I've played in all sorts of conference championships.
My first Super Bowl, I don't remember the first eight minutes.
(44:10):
I don't remember it. This is the biggest game for
LSU coaches players by far in their life. Almost a
half of Clemson's roster has been in this game more
than once. Finally, LSUS defense, I don't think it's great.
None of the eight national champions have ranked as poorly
(44:33):
in scoring defense as LSU did this year. None five
of the eight last national champions were number one in
scoring defense. Clemsons number one in scoring defense. If you
look at LSU's defense, I saw Tua on a bad leg,
tarat apart. I saw old miss tarat Apart. They're twenty
(44:53):
seventh and points per game, fifty second, fifty six pass defense,
fortieth in sacks, and eighty fourth and red zone. I
don't trust this defense, and I think LSU brings back
every important player off their offense from last year. So
Mike Tyson theory coaching quarterback theory. I've been here before. Theory,
(45:17):
no respect theory and LSU's defense. They don't get to
the quarterback that much. Trevor Lawrence gonna have time to throw.
So I will take Clemson in a shootout. Gonna be
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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