The Herd with Colin CowherdColin examines the Bears search for a new head coach and has some serious questions about the current approach they are taking. He gives you his Herd Hierarchy ranking the top 10 teams in the NFL after the conclusion of the regular season. Plus, Nick Wright from First Things First joins the show to tell Colin why the Chiefs are not scared of the Bengals and if the Lions are the team everyone in America is rooting for.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Here we go to Tuesday live in Los Angeles. It is the Herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. My New Year's resolution, no haircuts. I am going shaggy baby, and I don't care. Jaymack in one hour, Nick Wright, Herd Hierarchy. I'm so fired up. There are so many things percolating in the NFL, with all these job openings.
It is crazy.
I don't know what's wilder.
Your your hair flow this morning, or you coming off the birthday with a bunch of hot takes today.
Yeah, it was a hot take birthday for se Man. I brought in a lot of smoke.
Man. Just give yourself a nickname Seaman.
Okay, everywhere everywhere people were nice to me yesterday.
So thank you very much, and we move on in life.
Okay, So I look at the Bears list for reported interview requests for the Chicago Bears for their job head coaching job. I mean I follow this league. There's a couple of guys. I mean, there's not this many great candidates. Why are you wasting your time? I mean Anthony Weaver Dolphins defensive coordinator. Did you watch the Dolphins at any point this year and go, man? That defense is something else? Drew Petsing offensive coordinator Arizona. Folks, this is not American idol. I'm not here for the fun tryouts. The hell you doing?
And you're you're.
Wasting time on second, third tier candidates. Somebody else is hiring Mike Vrabel, What are you doing here?
I mean.
The Chargers last year in late November in the building, we're talking about two candidates, Harbaugh and Vrabel. It was late November early December, and they narrowed it down in the office to two guys they really wanted. One is great now and one Mike Rabel's the best candidate this year. So you know what's the Bear's path. This is just too broad of a list. It's unserrious. You can't have thirteen people. Let's be honest about this year's candidates. There's one a candidate, Mike Vrabel.
That's it.
I do think Pete Carroll and Brian Floores are worth a zoom call, but they're not a candidates. Flores too intense, didn't work in Miami, though I like him and think he deserves a second chance, and Pete Carroll again tends to be too loyal to average assistance. I think he's worth the zoom call. I am not hiring a coordinator for the Bear's job, and I think Aaron Glenn is great. Ben Johnson likewise, too big of a job, too big of a list, and coordinator candidates are like half a candidate. You don't know if it's gonna work. You know Mike Frabl's gonna work. So I look at this Bears list. When you're hiring a head coach. It's a little bit like house hunting in a really competitive market. You don't have time to waste. If you qualify for a five million dollar house, skip the fixer uppers, don't even stop off at the condos, get to the big boy houses. Don't waste your time. It's a competitive market, so it's I mean this list is a who's who of who's he? What are we doing here? No waste of time for the Chicago Bears, And you know it's it's this is too big of a job for ninety percent of the guys on this list, and you should have it narrowed down. I mean, you got rid of Matt Eberflus the day after Thanksgiving, and it's what January seventh. If if you fire a coach the day after Thanksgiving and it's the day that is officially too late to say Happy New Years to people in the office, you're wasting your time. Get to it. It's the prom. Either asked the girl out or she's dancing with somebody else. But this list is just it's unseerious. This is an unseerious list. I've said before. It is too complicated, too political, too big, historically, too wonky for a coordinator, even a great one, even a great one. And you could say, well, look at what Sean McVeigh did. Stan Kronky's one of the richest, smartest owners in the NFL. Jeff Fisher sort of felt a little outdated. Offensively, McVeigh knocked everybody's socks off, But you had Stan Kronk. You had, you know, a number one picket quarterback and some good players on the roster. You needed a left tackle and a head coach. But there was stuff working there, an organization that had had some success. Chicago is this is an eight hundred pound lift. I mean, this is a big lift. Albert Breer yesterday, I mean this, this list I'm looking at now has got un serious candidates. Here's Albert Breer yesterday on the Bears job.
They haven't won a playoff game in fourteen years, and I think if they look in the mirror, that's what they'll find, is that there are issues there that go deeper than just one coach or how just one player is developed.
If they do.
Bring in a guy who's a leader of men, who works on the defensive side, that person is going to have to come in with a very clear, concise plan for the quarterback, and not just for the next year or two, but going forward. If you lose an offensive coach, how do you replace them?
All of that stuff?
There's you know, one of the things that it's it's hard to say it out loud, but it's sort of true. In every business I've ever been in, there's a really small, finite number of candidates qualified for most jobs, and you look at the resume and you make a couple of calls and the list gets whittled down very quickly. The Chargers figured it out after hiring like Anthony Lynn and Brandon Staley. Dean Spanos figured out, I need a culture changer. We are lost as a franchise. We are on fire. I got to bring in the number one captain. I got to bring in the fire captain in the big truck. And they went Vrabel interviewed him and Jim Harbaugh and Vrabel, by the way, they called Rabel after they decided on Harbaugh, and they said, you were amazing, and if Jim Harbaugh is not in the market, you are amazing. I heard this from like six different people in the Chargers building. They loved Rabel. They thought they were going to hire Rabel. They loved him, and so, I mean they got down very quickly to the two candidates. You're talking Jets and Bears. You can't have thirteen people up for it. Are not thirteen people on the planet that can turn around the Jets and the Bears. Okay, I saw this story, and I have heard something similar we've discussed it this week. I think Jmax said this, The Minnesota Vikings are a fascinating team this offseason. They got this brilliant offensive coach. They have Sam Darnald, a reclamation project who until Sunday was in the MVP race, and then they brought in Daniel Jones in November, and then they drafted JJ McCarthy. Well, according to Jeff Howe of the Athletic JJ McCarthy would rank over Shador Sanders and Cam Ward by several executives and coaches. That is what I have heard. That is what I have heard from people i've asked that JJ McCarthy would be higher ranked than the two quarterbacks. Doesn't mean everybody's right or my sources are right, but that's what you're hearing. And that's why this game for Sam Darnald against the Rams is fascinating. And there are times I get nervous for young athletes because I know so much is on the line. Think about Sam Darnold, Southern California kid, when he plays the Rams in LA. It's one hundred million dollar football game. Kevin O'Connell could lose it, So what McVeigh could lose it? So what Stafford could lose it? If Sam Darnald loses plays poorly, I mean that people are going to make a decision that it's just all Kevin O'Connell and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Andison and in the end, the elite competition, big stage, he couldn't handle it.
The market drives up.
I don't even know. I don't even know if the Vikings keep it. But if Sam crushes, he's either getting franchised for a year in Minnesota. I would guess maybe they signed him to a contract franchise, or he goes to the market, and you got teams like the Raiders. Now they don't have a great draft pick, they may spend a fortune on him, and I wouldn't doubt it. So it's a one hundred million dollar a game. And here's the thing that is cruel and unfair in sports, but it is a fact. Sam Darnald was one kind of quarterback for six years. Super athletic, big arm, but reckless, big too many mistakes in big spots.
That's what he was.
And that's where my brain goes, and your brain goes, and general manager's brains go. When we see the Detroit game, Yeah too much. Jews can't make the play, missing open wide receivers. That's where our brains go. And it's like, it's almost like if you miss a big free throw in the NBA Finals as a young player. Nick Anderson did this for Orlando against Houston. You have to hit so many big free throws for me to forget about that free throw you missed in the finals. And Nick Anderson didn't. And that's what I remember him for. And he was a good guy and a good player, but that's what I remember him for. And so if Sam Donald beats the Rams wins a playoff game, then Detroit's on one off. It was Detroit. It was the biggest game in fifty years. The Lions have better players. I forget all about it. But it's almost like Sam Darnold has been type cast. It's like Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter. He has got to be in so many movies for me not to see Harry Potter every time I look at him. You put him in a crime drama, I'm like I was getting cast a spell on somebody. I mean, I'm sorry, that's what I see. I mean, he got to be in so many movies. And so this game for Donald is making me nervous. I try not to pick winners on this. I just want Donald to play well. And Jmax over here got the Rams rolling in this game. He's got me all freaking out. It's my birthday week. I need some symmetry. I need I need calmb and this. And the Darnald situation is if I see something for six years and then all of a sudden, you're really good and I'm starting to forget about it in all all biggest game, that's roy brain goes, and that's where GM's brains go. So the Vikings are a fascinating team and I don't think they have the answers yet. I think they're waiting for this Rams game and they want to see it. And I don't think they were going to be Detroit anyway. I don't think it was a winnable game. I said it last week. Take the Lions. This is going to be a crazy, standalone, once in a generation game for the Lions. Good luck Sam Darnold, but it's cruel. I still think Nick Anderson I think miss free throw in the finals because he didn't go back and hit thirteen big free throws in the finals to make me forget Michael Jordan miss free.
Throws in the finals.
Lebron has missed dozens of big free throws, but he's hit enough that I forgot about it. I mean Chris Webber, the guy that called time out. If Chris Weber would have gone on to win four titles in the NBA, that barely makes his resume.
But his NBA.
Career was a little sideways and wonky and underachieving. So that's what I think of, And it's just it's unfair, but that's where my brain goes. And Jmack the whole time here has got a very confident smirk looking at it.
You love the Rams in this game.
You see the line, you see the screen.
It was two and a half yesterday. Now it's one and a half.
Obviously, you know just one point.
But I'm just telling you there's a lot of support for the Rams in this game at home. And you don't want to bass Darnold too much because I know he's your guy.
You had a great season.
Listen, Lamar Jackson does this every year, amazing regular.
Season, show me the playoff success.
When has he ever had an amazing playoff game in a big spot.
Well, for a long time people said that to be fair about Peyton Manning in the play, it was true at the beginning.
Yeah, I mean that's wrong with that is it's a fact he struggled the first five years he had zero playoff wins.
Yeah, it's not great.
Take some time.
That game is making me nervous as well.
It should.
We're going to try to go to that, right, do you like to go to that?
Yeah?
Use your superpowers to cook us.
Listen, I have superpowers.
One day, my birthday, I can ask for stuff in my broad I got free kke yesterday and a backpack.
What if you sold the Rams? Both of our birthdays are this week?
Could you hook us up?
Make it happen.
Yeah, it's a small game that nobody's going to thirty one fourteen. Oh, come on, I don't want thirty one. I'm not interested in that. I want thirty twenty seven. Anybody could have won heroic performances by Stafford and Darnold.
Whose house, Ram's house? You have a ubnoxious?
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It's our playoff Herd Hierarchy. Here we go heard Hierarchy.
Time is now go the top ten.
NFL teams according to College Number.
Ten, Tampa Bay. I put him in over Washington. They play him this weekend. I'll tell you there's one stat that I love about this team. They have the best third down offense in the NFL. That the only team on third down that converts over fifty percent.
Of the time. That is a big stat for me.
You're moving the chains, You're often keeping it away from Jayden Daniels. This is a team that situationally, is very very good. It's why I like Tampa to beat Washington. I put Tampa Bay at ten. Number nine, the Packers, you know what, I liked them all year, but now Jordan Loves banged up, Christian Watson is out.
Listen.
Seven straight games for Jordan Love without a giveaway. That is the longest streak of his career. So would it shock me if they went to Philadelphia and Jalen Hurts didn't play and they upset them. Know I said early in the year, and I believe this. They're a year away, but I'm gonna have them right now. There's so many things I like about the organization, but boy, Philadelphia is an opener.
It's a big lift. I'll take Green Bay at nine, number eight. The Chargers.
I don't think they have enough weaponry to get to a Super Bowl. But listen, they lose to the right teams. Five of those six losses came to the Chiefs twice. You know, Ravens Tampa Bay blew them out. So I think they're the best version of what they can be right now. And they've got a lot of things. I like a star quarterback, two excellent offensive tackles, Khalil Mack, Derwin James in the back end, but I feel they're running back a tight end, a wide receiver shy to beata Kansas City or a Baltimore or a Buffalo.
I have the Chargers at eight, number seven.
I'm gonna put the Rams one slot ahead of them because right now they are so healthy, and when they have Cooper Cup and Stafford and Kyron Williams and Puka Nakua. They are fourteen and five and most of their losses are close. Matt Stafford's playing well. I don't love their first half offense this year. It feels like Stafford is an old pitcher that needs to get to the fifth inning to warm up. They just feel like they're not quite capable of getting off to good starts. Another defense keeps them in games and they usually win them. I don't think you can be a bad first half offense and win multiple playoff games. So whatever that is, they got to solve it. I have the Rams at seven, number six, the Vikings at six.
The Rams. Vikings is a great game. Listen.
They were zero to four in red zone trips and Sam Darnald had too much juice and too much adrenaline and missed open throws. But the only two teams they've lost to this year the Lions a couple of times in the Rams. So like we're talking about a very good football team. Sam Donald did not have a good game in a big spot. I didn't think it was a winnable game. I thought it was the biggest football game in Detroit. With a better roster in fifteen years. All took the Vikings.
At six, number five.
We have to be on Speaking of history, you know, the Ravens are the first team in league history with four thousand passing yards and three thousand rushing yards in the season that cannot be overlooked. This is just not another team in the NFL. They are a passing powerhouse and a running powerhouse, and they lead the NFL in yards per carry. So if you're gonna beat Kansas City, that is the way to do it. I'm not saying they're going to but the way to do it is you get four and a half yards of carry and Patrick Mahomes is thrown on third and two and second and four. That's the way to beat Kansas City. So I think they're uniquely built. They're a better version of what they've been in previous years. They're even better on the ground than previous years. Number four the Eagles Jalen Hurts concussion protocol. Maybe I think their roster would be number one. I am a little worried about the Jalen Hurts situation. Listen, if Hurts and aj Brown play, they're eleven to zero and they have the best roster in the league. So I've always said the final four teams in my Blazing five, I believe of the Super Bowl teams, those are teams that can win a Super Bowl. My final four teams, you know, if I did this tomorrow, and Jalen Hurts was out of protocol. I'd probably have him at three, but I'll put him at four. Number three Detroit now they're getting healthier on defense, and this should be noted, this is how good of a coach coordinator Aaron glenn is. I don't think they have great defensive first nel. I think they have great offensive personnel. They've allowed the lowest passer rating of any team in the NFL this year, and that's what Hutchison, their top pass rusher out for most of the year, and massive injuries in.
The back seven.
This is a really, really well coached team and also another team that matches up with like a Kansas City. Two running backs, great on line like Baltimore, can play some keep away Detroit at three. Number two Buffalo feels like the best version of Buffalo. They're no longer reckless fewest turnovers in a single season in NFL history, tied for the second fewest turnovers eight, so they don't beat themselves like previous seasons. They don't give the ball away, they don't lie sacks. So I think this is the best version of Baltimore and Buffalo this year. Is it good enough to beat Kansas City. If I was a betting person, I would say no. So let's go to number one, and we all know who.
It is Number one.
Listen.
They're seven to two against current playoff teams this season, seven straight games without a turnover. I think their receiving corps is more dynamic today than it's been the previous two years. Their defense maybe not quite as good. The AFC playoffs are gonna be one for the ages because you know, I look at this team and I see a little snazzier version of offense. Navy You're worthy now is a better tool than previous years. I think they now have a second tight end. I don't think their offensive tackle situation is ideal, but it's good enough. But I think Baltimore and Buffalo are the best versions of Baltimore in Buffalo in years. And I do think a little bit. They'd rather face a bow Nicks potentially than a Joe Burrow. That's the advantage for the Chiefs, although I would have taken them to beat Cincinnati.
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd Weekdays and Neon Easter not a im Pacific.
Nick Wright cohos First Things Verse joins us now long. Okay, the wild card in that is Philly who I thought Jalen Hurts played his best football in the last month, but now he's in concussion protocol.
Anything jump out to you.
So a number of things. One is, I think you're letting people bully you, Colin. I don't think you actually believe the Vikings are gonna beat the Rams, so just put the Rams out of them. I think you're gonna pick the Rams. And I think that you didn't do that. You did having a ten and seventeam at him, a fourteen and three team you didn't want to do you love Darnold, And again I'm not we'll see, but my guess is Friday, when the Blazing five happens and you're staring at the Rams plus a point and a half, you grab that. So I would flip flop the Rams and the Vikings if you're doing what I think you're gonna do. And then lastly, you mentioned that you said something that so many people have said, and so I will just ask it to you because it really this narrative that the Chiefs didn't want Cincinnati in the playoffs, despite the fact that the Chiefs have won three straight against Cincinnati, that since Cincinnati last won a playoff game, the Chiefs have won two Super Bowls. Yeah, and that the Bengals now have the same playoff drought as the Giants and the Jags. Set all that aside. In order to play the Bengals, the Bengals would have to beat the Bills. Don't you think the Chiefs would sign up right now for a playoff path that involves guaranteed never playing Buffalo and you get Cincinnati in round two because that was the only path. The only way the chief played the Bengals was that the Bengals went to Buffalo and clipped the Bills. I would have loved that. I wish the Bengals were a better organization so they could have made the playoffs and made that happen. Unfortunately, they needed the Chiefs JV team to beat bo Nicks and they couldn't abide. But wouldn't that have been good for the Chiefs for the Bengals to get in and beat Buffalo.
Well, I think the advantage Kansas City has now is Buffalo and Baltimore have shown, especially Baltimore, they get tight against Kansas City. Cincinnati's playing with house money. If they would have snuck in and Joe Burrow on house money with great receivers is always a little scary. There's always a playoff team that gets in and you know yeah, and you're like, they got to know.
That offense, who could slow it down. I mean, the Steelers are falling apart. They hung a whole nineteen on them and needed Russell Wilson for getting clock and score to beat them, and they need I mean again, the Bengals. The Bengals are the scariest team I've ever seen at the moment the season and then fired half of the coaching steps.
They're so scary.
They're like, we need to revamp everything, but whatever we can. We don't have to talk about the teams that missed the playoffs today, so we can leave the Bengals out of it.
Let's talk about something we both have affection for is the city of Chicago and the Bears. And it's a it's a huge job. I suggested twenty minutes ago. I said it sounded crazy if I would have said to you years before it happened. Brett Favre will lead the Vikings to the NFC Championship. The Niners will bail on Joe Montana Kad will join the right Warriors. I don't think it's crazy. If the Steelers got boxed, the Chicago calls Pittsburgh and says we'll take Mike Tomlin. And by the way, this league fired Andy Reid and Belichick. You can have the discussion. They haven't beaten a good quarterback in a playoff game in fifteen years. So I think if I'm going to all these silly candidates the Bears are interviewing, there's like thirteen and some of them, you're like the offensive coordinator for Arizona, what are we doing here? I mean again, this is not American idol. I don't need to see all these tryouts. What's the point. So my take is is Tomlin. If they get beat I think they should consider Rabel or Tomlin. Am I nuts?
Well, No, I don't think you're nuts at all. I understand and I agree with the idea that Ben Johnson should be the number one candidate for two reasons. One is the ideal, and you've talked about it, is pairing your young quarterback with the offensive minded coach so you don't have to worry about the quarterback learning new systems. That is that is the ideal. It has the added benefit of weakening the biggest competition within your own division. So I totally get that Ben Johnson should be the top candidate, But after him, I agree with you that I would prefer a established, proven coach like a Mike Rabel, certainly a Mike Tomlin if you could get him over. We're gonna spin the offensive coordinator wheel and hope it lands on a Kevin O'Connell rather than it landing on a Brian Dable. We're gonna hope it lands on a Matt Lafloor rather than landing on a Freddie Kitchens or a Shane Steiken like the it is very in vogue to just say, you know, they should go after Liam Cohen or, as you said, the offensive coordinator from araz but a year ago bears folks, A lot of people are like, you know, they should hire Bobby Slowick. Look at what he did in Chicago with CJ. Stroud. Well, Bobby Slowicked all of a sudden didn't get a head coaching job, and now he is on the hot seat as the coordinator. So it's not quite as simple as flavor of the month offensive coach. I do think Ben Johnson would be a home run higher, but I am not at all against Mike Rabel there. I think he would be excellent. And obviously, if they could get Mike Tomlin, I think Mike Tomlin's great. I think he's clearly one of the five best coaches in the league, and so yeah, I think that would be great. You also, you are really dead set on the Bears trading for a coach. You wanted them to trade for Kyle Shanahan, now you want them trade for Mike Tomlin. You want the Bears to have a proven winner, And I like it.
I like it.
I will say this, I'm more impressed with Aaron Glenn in Detroit than Ben Johnson. And here's why. Aaron Glenn hasn't had hutcheson or a secondary for two months, and they have the best defense against quarterbacks in the league. They allowed the lowest pass right. Ben Johnson's got the best ole line, a number one receiver, two great backs, the best tackle combo like it's you're playing with a lot of nice toys here that I think a lot's fair, and I think Aaron Glenn is remarkable.
They lost hutcheson.
All of us were like uh oh uh oh No, they went and got B and C guys.
They put it in.
So I think what they did to Donald who was on a heater for three months. Donald looked like he was the Jets.
Donald.
That's what I was about to say. That's what I was about to say. You want Colin Coward to think your defensive mastermind make Sam Darnld look bad.
I mean can't.
I mean there's no surefire thing for Colin to be like, that's the head coach right there, that if you can make Sam Darnald of all people, only score nine points, I mean, it's fair form.
So I said this, the Jets haven't been good or interesting in forever, Rex Ryan and Aaron Rodgers. You might as well just HBO now and say start micing people up for hard knocks.
This is the greatest combination ever.
When Rex Ryan puts his name out there for the Jets, part of me thinks, okay, I would prefer Ben Johnson, but he's gonna have offers and probably won't take it. How do you solve prickly Aaron Rodgers impulsive owner, pretty interesting roster. You're in the city, You're hearing all the opinions how do you solve Aaron the Jets.
You don't. You can't. He's gonna be a forty two year old quarterback who has demonstrated over the last two healthy years of football that he is at best the seventeenth best quarterback in football with no leadership capabilities, and that where the team eats itself alive. So you can't solve that piece of it. But they're gonna need someone to go, so i'd move on from Aaron, but you're gonna need someone to coach the team either way, and if Rex Ryan somehow talks his way into this job, it'll be an all time I'd only going to be a good decision. But you don't do politics on this show smartly, and this isn't political, But I do want to give people, if they don't know what, a brief history lesson long time ago. Back in gosh, the late nineties, when George W. Bush was running for president, he hired a guy to run a committee to figure out who his vice president should be. That guy's name was the late Dick Cheney, and Dick Cheney did a bunch of research and then was like, you know what, after interviewing all the candidates, the best guy is me and he ended up being vice president. It would appear that might be what Mike Tannembaum and Rex Ryan are doing with the Jets. Tannebaum gets hired to pick the next GM. I'm thinking Mike Tannabom's gonna have a list, and at the top of the list is gonna be Mike Tannembaum and the coach that he had when he already was the GM, Rex Ryan. If they get the old band back together, being able to sell Woody Johnson on Hey, I mean, you've just sucked since we left. I guess it's an idea. It's not an idea I would sign up for. You mentioned Aaron Glenn. How about Aaron Glenn who played for the Jets, who has like actual sweat equity with the franchise. That would make sense. But yeah, sure, Mike Tannebaum, Rex Ryan and Aaron Rodgers, which would have been an interesting combination in twenty ten running it back in twenty twenty five. Why not?
So so many things the Lions do embody the NFL like I remember this years ago. It didn't bother me because Steph Clay and Draymond were drafted and developed by the Warriors, and they'd already won pre KD, but when they signed Kevin Durant, it was kind of shocking to me. Everywhere I went for several years out in the public, they were like, eh, NBA stinks. I refuse to watch a league where they basically bought a dynasty, and I'm like time out. Steph Clan Draymond were drafted and developed Draymond's second round. People didn't like it. Detroit, a city that builds cars, has built a football team three wins, you know, nine wins, eleven fourteen. I honestly think and I was thinking about you this morning, if the Chiefs were to get beat Detroit would be the team that you would be like, Okay, good American story. You're a midwesternery. It's sweat equity. They put the time in. Just imagine losing the Super Bowl because I think Detroit is speaking to the country. I just saw the rating for the game Detroit and Minnesota. It was a bad game. The ratings insane. America loves this team. Do you love them?
Yes?
Oh, I respect them? And I thought Dan Campbell was incredibly right list last Monday playing his guys. But listen, the guy drew to an inside straight and it worked out perfectly. He got out of that game, you know, mostly healthy, and it clear listened. They came out with their hair on fire and their biggest game of the year they won. Now they get the buye and you got to give credit. I love the fact that the Lions are that they are who they are without apology when it comes to the aggressiveness offensively on the fourth downs, and I do like to bring them up again. The fact that Aaron Glenn has recognized, you know what, our defense isn't good enough because of the injuries to play you straight up. So we're gonna do to bring up the Chiefs the way the Chiefs before they had good defensive players won a Super Bowl in twenty nineteen, which is it's gonna be boom bust. We're gonna send the house repeatedly and maybe we'll get beat, but maybe we'll force a turnover, maybe we'll tip a pass, and that's how we're gonna make up were a lack of talent on defense because the Lions, because they've suffered all those injuries. So I do have massive respect for what the Lions have done and how they have embodied their coaches culture, and I respect for Brad Holmes, the GM who said I don't care that people are gonna roll their eyes at a draft that goes running back, inside backer, tight end, safety, because those are devalued positions. I'm going to get the best or second best player in the draft at all four spots, and while everyone else is taking defensive and seven and wide receiver six, I'm gonna get starters. So I truly respect all of that. Do I like them? No, I don't like anyone but my team that's about to win Thursday Super Bowl. Like I don't like any of these teams. But I will tell you as far as if it is one versus one Chiefs Lions, it is going to be when they show those maps of who's rooting for who, the Chiefs will have Missouri in Kansas, and the Lions will have all other forty eight states. Will even though they're fifteen and two, it will feel like the underdog because of who they are. And yeah, if someone's got to win a Super Bowl, that's not the Chiefs. I suppose it'd be fine if it'd be the Lions, but unfortunately, the Chiefs win all the Super Bowls and so they're probably just not going.
To Okay, Well, I love that confidence you.
You know, you're a great poker player, so you have confidence even with losing hands.
And I think that's.
Imperative to be a great poker player. And I also think to be a sportscaster. Your history is you believe even in rough, turbulent waters.
Oh yeah, I mean, well, yeah, that's the thing. It was really hard to believe in the Chiefs this year started fifteen and one, and all year long everyone was saying, what's wrong with them?
Real quick?
If I made before I go, happy belated birthday. My wife, who you always say such kind things about, said to me yesterday she said, you know, it's Colin's birthday. And I was like, oh, I didn't because I'm a man and I don't remember such things. And she said, she said, are you gonna call him? And I was like, no, I don't think I'm gonna call him. She was like that's She's like, Nick, he's your friend, you need to call him. And I'm like, I think he would find that odd. She was like, at least text him. So that birthday text you got from me yesterday was really just because she told me to like, I it doesn't feel like I love you with all my heart. And it really felt weird even sending you that. I was like, I'll talk to him on TV the next day. But happy birthday.
Well I appreciate it.
I'm one of these guys that says I don't care about birthdays. And then I got all these texts and these nice gifts, and I will be honest with you, it was very nice, So I appreciated it.
Nice gifts. Yeah, wow, I guess I fell short. I just sent a text. I wasn't even gonna send all pay for that bottle of wine you were stunting on Twitter. If you just send me an invoice, I'll buy that retroactively.
See you, buddy, See you buddy, I'll send nick write an invoice. That's what I'll do now. People were really nice yesterday. You know, most kids that I paid college tuitions for were nice. But I mean there was something in it, you know, But no, the point, people are very thought and I'm one of these guys that saya, I'm always out there I don't care about birthdays, and then people say nice stuff and it warms your heart.
So who am I kidding? I'm a big soft nothing.
I'm out here like I don't care, I have no emotions, and I get all teary eyed when I get a backpack from a friend.
Give me a break.
