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 Cowhern on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Thursday, and we're loaded in LA. It's the Herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio FS one. One hour from now, Greg co Sell Fantasy Football, betting on football, Just love football, Want to be smarter in football? Greg co Sell, one hour from now. J Mac. You'd think there'd be a lull. There is not a lull. There's a lot going on. Saturday Cowboys at home against a backup Sunday Dolphins come home. I think they're gonna hammer Green Bay. Two of the biggest games of the weekend. You're ready to go, Well, Jet's Jags action. Get through that one first. That powerful offense, great defense. I want to start with this though, so it's not the biggest game in Dak's career, but it could it be the most telling game in Dak's career. At home second most Pro bowlers in the league facing a backup, feels like you gotta win that one convincingly right, you're at home, Gardner, Minshew, you got all sorts of Pro bowlers run games rolling. Go back to Dak's career. It's interesting. He's incredibly likable, fourth round pick, not a beautiful thrower, really nice kid. Year one, he goes thirteen and three, and we no longer call him Dak Prescott. We just from that point forward call him Dak. America's team has replaced the polarizing, semi popular Tony Romo. They've got their guy. America's Team's got Dak. Thirteen and three. He gets most of the credit. In year two, Zeke gets suspended immaturity. They go nine and seven. The run game isn't there, and Dak's passer rating goes from one O five to eighty six, clearly signaling Dak needs a run game. That's why he went in the fourth round. But Dak didn't get any criticism. It was Zeke. Zeke was immature, Zeke's not dependable, Zeke's getting a big head. Zeke's not a team guy. Then we go to year three, Dallas's scoring is not very good. They're like twenty second in the league in scoring. Now Jason Garrett gets criticized. That guy's not creative. It's time to go. You've been here long enough. Not a lot of wins. Year four, now Zeke's not as good, running games, not as profound. Tony Pollard's not there yet doing anything big. And Jason Garrett eight and eight, Jason's got to go. And you also hear this getting blamed distractions. When is Jerry gonna pay Dak? It's destribing. Deck's got that thing hanging over his head. How can he concentrate? Two? Zeke gets blamed, you're three and four, it's Garrett. Then distractions come in. You're five, McCarthy's in. Deck gets hurt. Let's throw that away. Last year's year six, twelve and five, Dak is rolling offenses back, Tony Pollard emerges and they lose in the playoffs. And who gets blamed Mike McCarthy. So Zeke's immaturity, Garrett Camp coach, distractions got blamed. Now it's Mike McCarthy. And here we are in year seven, Dak's team is loaded, number one enforcing turnovers, number two in sacks. It's not the defense, number two in rushing, rushing touchdowns, it's not the run game. Offensive line is better than most of us thought. It would be second most pro bowlders players everywhere, and Dak is six and three and in the losses has cost them games, outdueled by Rodgers, Brady and Trevor Lawrence, all considered more talented. In those three losses, Dak has completed just sixty percent of throws the seed Lamb with that tight end, his passer rating has been in the seventies, sixt d s five picks when things go right, and I understand why because he's really likable, great at the podium, looks and sounds like a cowboy quarterback when things go well. It's constantly Dak is underappreciated. When things go south, Jerry's creating noise, What about the distractions? Zeke's immature and eroding. Garrett can't coach, McCarthy can't run the clock. So here we are at home. Great defense, profound running game, ceedee Lamb has emerged as a number one facing Gardner Minshoe. It's got to be a resounding win. Right, Jerry is always at his back, but even Jerry has noticed this year. Jerry now is noticing in some of these games Dak is making too many mistakes. We can win with him playing Mike Head To be trite, I thought he played outstanding and as we see he wasn't playing against shop Liver out there. Certainly those interceptions can neutralize great execution and effort in other parts of the game, interceptions can. That's being tried. But I will tell you now of the definition of aggressiveness doesn't have to include the turnovers. It does not have to include that. Aggressive does not and I do like aggressiveness without the turnovers. Just a little doubt for the first time on Dak from Jerry Jones at home. Second most Pro Bowlers Gardner Minshew really healthy. Dallas needs to win and probably should win comfortably. All Right, So when you vote for the Pro Bowl, fans get a third of the vote, coaches get a third of the vote, and players get a third of the vote. The fans overwhelmingly voted Tua as the Pro Bowl quarterback, but among players and coaches, he scored so poorly. Despite overwhelming support from the fans. He did not make the Pro Bowl in the AFC. Mahomes did, Josh Allen did, Joe Burrow did, all absolutely appropriately did. The people that compete against TWA watch film against too, a game plan against Ta see it completely differently. I've said before I think Tua is a much better throwing version of Tim Tebow, a Christian, left handed Southern quarterback who won a national title at a powerhouse. Incredibly decent human, likable, embraceable, and what made Tebow popular is largely what makes to a popular. Most pro athletes feel removed from us. They're six ten or two hundred and ninety pounds of muscle. They're brash, they're rich, they live in neighborhoods we can't afford. We just drive by. But Tebow and Tua feel vulnerable and flawed to a small size also helps they feel like us. Do the Dolphins privately believe in Tuah. I've got my doubts, but I will say this, Unlike the Chicago Bears, whose first two draft picks were a corner and a safety, their third picks a bust at wide receiver, and they hired a defensive coach, unlike the Patriots with mac Jones, who hired a defensive coordinator and put him on the offensive coordinator side, still have no weapons. Miami did it differently. They made a very abrupt pivot defensive guy to a brilliant offensive coach from a proven system, got him a great left tackle and the fastest football player in the world. They also added some nice running backs. Whether or not Miami publicly supports too A doesn't matter. Eventually. I do believe you'll see the ceiling if he has to go toe to toe with Mahomes or Alan or Burrow in a playoff game. But Miami has proven this is the way to do it. It enhances the chances for success. Justin Fields is running for his life. Mac Jones is screaming at the coaches. Tuah is good enough to get you to the playoffs, and Miami, which has done almost nothing right for twenty years in the NFL, deserves a tip of the cap. Whether I love Tuah as a quarterback, I love him as a guy. I think he's an amazing story and Miami has figured out how to support a young person who's got flaws, who isn't perfect. Jimmy Johnson, former Dolphins coach, talked about it earlier this week on our show. They're making the best out of what they have with Tuah. No, you know, Tah is not Joe Burrow. Tah is not Herbert. He is not the Josh Allen. But if you give him the right supporting cast, true, it can win for you. Franchise quarterbacks are hard to find, you know, and even pretty good quarterbacks are hard to find. You look around the league about half of them, you know, really some of them can't play a lick and so yeah, you really got to do the best at of what you have until you find something better. Say it again. One of my favorite games of the weekend to watch, probably my favorite. Green Bay goes to Miami. I think two A rebounds, I know the Packers are healthy. Can't wait to watch Sunday. I think it's the best game on TV. Green Bay going to Miami. People are bearing too. And now be the first to admit I've said cold Weather Buffalo since he I don't see him pulling that out. But I did think in Buffalo he executed the game plan. He wasn't outstanding seventeen to thirty, but he was certainly good enough to win. Now he comes back home against the team I think with major flaws defensively. Two is maybe not my favorite quarterback, but I appreciate how Miami has done business. 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. What I'm about to say, you're gonna think it's crazy, and it sounds kind of crazy. But one of the things about the National Football League that's great is year to year it's a totally different league. Seven new teams make the playoffs, seven teams that did don't. Seven coaches fired quarterbacks now star quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson ends up Houston to Cincinnati. Stafford's moving, Brady's moving, Russell Wilson's movement used to be like a star quarterback. Wherever he was, that's where he was. So I like change, I like disruption, I like movement. It's fun. So the Pro Bowl quarterbacks were listed yesterday. In the AFC, Mahomes, Alan Burrow perfect. In the NFC, Jalen Hurts, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins. Could I make an argument Jared Goff got snubbed. I mean the Vikings win a lot, Justin Jefferson Dalvin Cook. So the Rams are one year removed from trading Jared Goff, They're a bit of a mess. The Lions are one year removed from acquiring Jared Goff. It's their best team, arguably in a decade. If you look at Goff and Stafford's career numbers, it's kind of weird. Goff is slightly more accurate, has a slightly higher passer rating, and the same two to one TD ratio. They've both been to a Super Bowl, Colin that's Sean McVeigh, is it? I checked. Goff's passer rating is slightly higher in Detroit than Los Angeles. Now, Stafford's got a better arm. Nobody disputes that, and he was a high school All American number one pick. But Goff is younger, healthier, and has always been underrated as as a thrower. Even Greg co Sell said last week, you give him some time. He throws a beautiful football. The Lions, though, not only got Goff, they got two first round picks, and one of them this year it could be a top five pick. So two things can be true. I absolutely get why the Rams made the move, and I cheered it. And I supported it. But this idea that Goff was to blame for all their failures and that Goff can't play is not true. Said it before I saw him outdual Patrick Mahomes on Monday Night Football inarguably the most dynamic offensive Monday Night football game ever played. Remember that game? Unbelievable. So I'm not saying the Rams should have remorse on acquiring Stafford, But is it possible the odometer had been tweaked that Stafford's a little older and more beat up than Los Angeles knew? Because Goff is healthy, Goff's offense is humming. The idea that Detroit should draft CJ. Stroud over Golf is laughable. Goff is a significantly better armed talent. Goff's been to a Super Bowl. CJ. Stroud is struggling to beat Michigan. He got rolled by Oregon. So among NFC quarterbacks NFC quarterbacks, I'm I'm not saying Burrow Mahomes Allen. Among NFC quarterbacks outside of Aaron Rodgers, who throws a better ball? Kyler Murray's is pretty who throws a better balls? Saying with Goff, you get a lot of traits I like he's six four and a half six five. He's quiet, he's an adult, there's no nonsense. He's never in trouble. He's got a better than average arm. He is not overly mobile either a Stafford, and he's almost always available to play. Two things can be true. Stafford is better than golf, and the move made a ton of sense. But boy, could the Rams use a first round pick. I think the lines are really happy with what they got in that deal. You're smiling at me for that, aren't you. I love what you did there. That's kind of play on both sides. I mean, what would you rather have Jared Goff or a Super Bowl victory? I would rather have a super Bowl victory. It's why I supported the move. But what I'd really rather have is a healthy quarterback able to play on Sunday. And Stafford's a little older and a little creakier, and our retirement questions are coming in. All right, how I thought we had six seven more years of Stafford. I'm hoping for two over under one half playoff wins for Jared Goff in Detroit in his career over under one one half game. Yeah. This offensive line, these players, yeah, absolutely, if they get they have two firsts this year, and they have a history in the last couple of years of drafting. Well, oh oh yeah, sound picks win playoff games. I don't know. Wow, let's so you think Detroit will win a playoff game. I don't know what the street is. Somebody baby in the control room could tell me they haven't won a playoff game in forever. I mean, it's been a long time. Stafford couldn't win one. Jared Goskin win one. I got a push back and they got so lucky to beat the Jets last week. Colin, Oh my god, fourth and one, fourth and inches from midfield? How convinced nothing? How come everybody that beats the Jets nineteen ninety one? There it is that nineteen ninety one their last playoff win, and Jared Goff's got a saunter into town with his supermodel girlfriend at Almara st. Brown. He's gonna win a playoff game. Very cynical over Jet's day. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdayson noon Easter not a Empacific. My opinion is Mike Frabele is one of the smartest guys in the National Football League and I'm counting coaches, coordinators, general managers, presidents. Mike Frabel, to me, is one of the smartest ex players that the sport has. I think Mike's wordy smart. The GM of Tennessee got thrown out of the building. Mike's gonna run the building. So Mike Frabel smart. He had Tom Brady. He knows the value of a quarterback. Yeah, he's built one of the best defenses. He's a tough guy, really smart. Tannehill now is in year eleven. He's thirty four years old. He's now going to miss the rest of the season. Malik Willis may be good. Not close to beating a Lamar Jackson, Herbert A. Maholmes and Alan Burrow. Not close, not close, totally raw like he's a year of backing up again. I'll just throw this at you. This team is running back centric. Think Herschel Walker trade. They have to pay Derrick Henry a ton next year. To keep your eye in the Aaron Rodgers thing. They have three people they could move. The Titans could Taylor lew On the tackle. They're gonna am a fortune. He's now hurt a lot, but he is a left tackle. He's got value. Robert Woods a number two receiver. They can kind of release him save money. I think it's time to consider privately trading Derrick Henry. Okay, he had. He's got seventeen hundred carries in his career, one hundred and twenty five catches. Three of the last four years he's led the NFL and carries folks. First of all, run centric teams don't win Super Bowls. Ask Nick Chubb and the Browns. How many playoff wins for Zeke? How many playoff wins for the Titans? They don't win. You gotta have a guy Tannehills. Now in his eleventh year, he's average, slightly above average, and now he's getting hurt more often. Malique Willis isn't ready. Vrabel's one of the smartest guys in the world. Everybody freaks out, But Derrick Henry gotta sell. At the high point he came into the league, didn't play a ton early. Over the last four or five years, he's like a picture throwing three hundred innings. You got to get out of the deal before the deal gets into you, and I just look around it run centric teams, then I'll win Super Bowls. Hell, they struggle to win playoff games. Nick Chubb and Cleveland. Cleveland's got a great online, great running back, offensive coach Zeke one playoff win? Who's the other one? Christian McCaffrey. How many playoff winsy he have? I don't hate this strategy, but I got to ask, what's the next step? Because you are no longer attractive Darren Rodgers, don't have Derrick Henry, and you have no receivers. No, no, no, So what you do is you get draft capital for that left tackle, Dereck Henry's gonna fetch something on them market. You're now going to have some cap space because your defense is excellent. Aaron's played with a great defense. One year he won a super Bowl, So this is a great defense. You're getting rid of a running back and a left tackle and a receiver. Okay, then you'll have money to spend on the market. You already have. You already have a young receiver. You like a lot of Arkansas Burks is very good, very good. Yes, you could keep Woods if you wanted and renegotiate the deal so you'd have a solid two. You draft another receiver, you go on the market. They they've done a good job of just plugging in tight ends, random guys you've never heard of, and they delivery. I just I think it's a little leary of dumping the left tackle Taylor of the one at an offensive line. I know he's hurt a lot. Let me counter this. Is there a strategy where the Titans say, you know what that model that the forty nine ers had, build up a formidable defense, Yeah, but plug in a quarterback who can just get it done and have a good offensive line. Yeah, but the differences. Shanahan's an offensive genius. Rabel is just a really smart dude. The second thing is they have made a San Francisco takes six round running backs like Elijah Mitchell and gets the Super Bowls. I mean they vote Kyle Shanahan. I mean Christian McCaffrey is a great piece. Why because he's a receiver. Yeah, and Shanahan loves that. What do you think the market's like for Derrick Henry, a guy with a lot of miles on Oh no, no no, but he's I mean for a team that needs a running back, you'd give us a third round pick. Maybe you gotta rather have Dereck Henry than a third round pick. Well, but Derrick Henry's expensive. So if you get Derrick Henry gonna have to give up somebody else. He's not cheap running backs. He's been in this league now a lot of years and a lot of innings pitched. I mean, I mean to me, Mike Frable's a smart guy. He's looking around at Burrow Mahomes Alan, now Trevor Lawrence in his own division. I gotta go toe to toe with eleven year Ryan Tannehill or Malik Willis out of liberty. That being said, they were the number one seed last year. They are still ahead of Jacksonville in the division this year. I mean, I think there's we could probably meet a middle ground, you know, J and C consulting to deliver something for Tennessee to get them out of it. They're not a fun watch column like, nobody wants to see that team in the playoffs. Well, Rabel doesn't care about that, but he's too smart not to see the reality is now he has one of those star quarterbacks in his own division. It was one thing when they were all out of division. Now he's got to face Trevor twice a year. I'm just and by the way, here comes Bryce Young to Houston. Maybe Malik Willis had something. Maybe yet certain I look very limited and green in a couple appearances. 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. Greg co Sells probably listening to us Jabber shaking his head forty three years NFL films, Well, let's talk about quarterbacks in the league. So here's what continues to bother me about Buffalo. I thought they were out schemed outside of center. I don't love their offensive line. They bail on the run and are continue to be ridicul heillless, Lee, Josh Allen dependent, which, by the way, I get He's amazing on film. I thought it was one of the best losses of the year. I thought Miami had a good plan. They were physical, they ran the ball. What did the tape say about Buffalo in Miami? Well, I thought that Miami's offense played well. I thought that you know, when you run the ball effectively, there's not a lot of mystery as to why you run the ball effectively. They moved the interior tackles of the Bill's defense, which normally doesn't happen. Ed Olivers had an outstanding year. He did not have a very good game that allowed them to work to the second level where they were able to block Mulano and Edmonds. So they ran the ball well, and I thought through the ball well, he looked like twa you know, those quick rhythm throws. Yeah, although I thought there were a couple of plays in critical situations where the Bills had a really good feel for the con steps and they took away throws. But I agree with you about Josh Allen. We've talked about this. This is not a great offensive team. They do not run the ball particularly well or often. Their old line, you're correct, is probably average at best. They've not really had a second receiver, Colin step up after Diggs, so they're kind of struggling there. So it's a very Josh Allen centric team. And I've been doing this a long time, as have you. When teams that have flaws end up getting beat in important playoff games, I'm not surprised by that because those flaws can crop up any time now. Last year Josh Allen had two amazing playoff games. Obviously, they lost to the Chiefs. You almost have to have him play at that level. Anytime you get to the playoffs. If he's not quite at that level, you wonder if their flaws are going to just bring them down. You know, it's interesting. Let's move to Kansas City. I want to talk about this. Yeah, so we kind of feel like Buffalo in Kansas City, right or wrong? They were in that Ali Frasier about last year, and I have a feeling they'll meet again. And it's really remarkable. I said this the other day, like Mahomes completed like twenty straight throws against Houston and in high school, that's absurd. I mean, from his temperament to his arm talent, to his mobility to his playmaking, he's about as good as anybody I've ever seen play this. But the offense now because Tyreek's gone, is different totally. What is the Chiefs offense? For somebody that lives and watch his film, what's different about this Chief's offense? Dig deep and tell me what you see. Okay, here's the difference. It's a major difference because what they have done over the course of this season, they have evolved into being a multiple tight end offense team. They now play with two tight ends, three tight ends as much, if not more than any team in this league. Now. They did not do that previously. They were much more of an eleven personnel offense with three wide receivers. They don't play like that now they play with forty percent multiple tight ends, maybe more depending on the game. And the other player who are looking at right now who has become a really critical piece of what they do is Jerick McKinnon. Over the last month five weeks, he has really become important, particularly in the red zone. I mean last week on McKinnon played sixty two percent of the snaps, Pacheco only thirty five percent. McKinnon had ten rushes, eight targets, eight receptions, so that fits because their pass game is much more condensed. Last week Mahomes was thirty six for forty one with a long completion of twenty one yards and he was efficient. So this offense has evolved in recognition of their talent. So it's a tribute to Andy Reid and the staff and to Mahomes who was an incredibly smart quarterback, very aware, a very instinctive understands. He can play any way you want him to play, anyway that's necessary. So now I want to bring up a team that may be better than both Cincinnati. And I've said this multiple times this year. As we tend to think when we think of great defense is historically we can name like Dick Butkus or you know, Richard Dent for the Bears. But with Cincinnati, they don't really have a star. But every time I watch them, they make changes at half and just shut teams down. They do this all the time. So is it scheme or talent? Because I this Cincinnati defense, I don't know what the stats say is the best second half defense I've seen in the league this year. Well it's funny you say that, because when I watched to take this past week against Brady and the Bucks, my mind immediately went back to the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs. You probably thought the same thing. I mean, it was ever and they made some adjustments at halftime. They started playing with seven dbs, they started rushing three with eight and coverage. They had multiple pressure schemes that are route recognition. And you're right, there's not the one player. You say, wow, that team, that one guy is really dominant. They've got good players though at all three levels of their defense. I know Hubbard's out now and I guess they'll be out for a number of weeks. But they've got really good players at all three levels. And I think the rookie corner they play cam Taylor Britt from Nebraska. He's a really good player and he brings an attitude, a swagger, a competitiveness to this defense. So, but you're right, Louan Ramo does not get enough credit their decoordinator because he does a really good job in game of understanding what he's seeing, what's hurting him and then had to take it away. Before I get to Cowboys Eagles, I want to give a tip of the cap to Brian Dable, and I said, the fact that Ryan Dable is getting strong consideration for Coach of the Year is an indictment of what he's working with. Because so it's easy for me to say that outside of left tackle, I don't see a lot of talent Barkley in the left tackle. You tell me, because I think I would. I think Dabele's in a short list of Coach of the Year. Do the Giants have much offensive talent? No? And in fact, they have to play a certain way they don't score a lot of points. Daniel Jones this year has the fewest twenty plus yard completions in the NFL, only about twenty. Think about that. That is a very very small number. So they play close games. So when you play close games, your defense has to be a factor. This is a very aggressive defense. It's Wink Martindale. They blitz a lot, they play a lot of man. That's the way he plays, that's what he believes in. So what they have to do call is they've got to run the ball. And there have been games this year where they've gotten to the second half and they've had a lead and they've not been able to run the ball and then they lose. This week, they were able to run the ball. They got the ball with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and a five point lead, and Barkley had three consecutive runs for forty one yards. Now, that hasn't happened very much this year. Barkley is a very up and down back. He's not really a sustainer. He's not really a grinder. He's a big playback, but he's not really a guy that gets hard yards. And this week he had some tough runs. But they need him to be that guy because they're not going to be ahead in games twenty seven ten in the fourth quarter. Yeah, as we thought, there's not much talent. All right, let's talk Eagles and Cowboys. I think Jalen Hurts has exploded as a talent. Many subscribe to the theory that it's mostly the people around him, the old lines, the d lines. So Gardner Minshew is to me has kind of a Baker Mayfield skill set, can move a little, control a little, But they're some talent here that you could win games with him. I wouldn't build around him. Can Gardner Minshew with his talent? Is there a massive gap between him and Hurts? Or can they be effective moving the ball at all against Dallas's defense with Minshew? Well, those are two separate questions. I think that there's a pretty significant talent gap there, but they can be effective moving the ball. This is a team with arguably the best offensive line in football. Yes, they've got Brown and Smith on the outside. They're going to get Goddard back this week, who's a top five tight end in this league. They've got good running backs. So what they will be missing, and it's significant, is the run game that involves Hurts. And when I say the run game that involves Hurts, I don't mean where he's running. Don't forget. He changes the way defenses have to play because of the run threat, whether he runs or not. So when he's in the gun, which he is almost all the time, Colin, you have to think zone read, you have to think quarterback power, you have to think quarterback draw, you have to be aware of all these design quarterback runs that impact how you line up and how you play. You're not gonna have to think about any of those things with Gardner Minshew. So can Gardner Minshew execute the offense in a more conventional way? Yes, I believe he can, But there is a meaningful drop off, not only in talent, but in how defenses prepare and have to play. And I think that's something that should not be overlooked at all. Yeah, a little betting advice there for those of you who have And that's very interesting. Hey, I'm Doug Gotlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talked to coaches, we talked to players, We tell you stories. They download it, you listen to it. I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or ever you get your podcast. I was saying this, We're in year seven with Dak. They have the second most, second most Pro Bowlers, pretty profound run game, they have a ceedee Lamb has established himself as a go to number one. And in the three losses, Dak's completed sixty percent of his throws, passer rating in the seventy and like six touchdowns, five picks. I've never been in love with Dak. I like his intangibles more than his tangibles. But how is he playing football this year? I didn't think Jacksonville's loss was on him. How is he playing this year? You know? I like Dak overall. I mean, I think Dak when you watch him and study just him, he knows how to play quarterback. He's a pocket quarterback. He goes through progressions, he understands the offense, he knows where to go with the football. I think this year he's he's had some bouts of inaccuracy where the ball placement hasn't been as precise as it needs to be. You know, it's funny you mentioned Cede Lamb. I think Cede Lamb is there number number one. I'm not sure Ceedee Lamb is one of those big time number ones the way we talk about other number ones, and I think since Gallup has come back, he's not been the same guy. They don't really have a number three. Yeah, you know, I think Schultz is a nice tight end, but not a special tight end. So I don't really think the Cowboys have a lot on the perimeter. So you know, they obviously have two good backs, although Elliott is certainly not the back he was. The tape tells you that immediately. All you have to do is put the tape on. He does not move like he used to. Pollard's definitely got juice. But this team, to me, is not as talented on offense when you watch tape as I think. The narrative is Colin all right, Zach Wilson and the Jets against the jag So let's talk Jets. Zach threw for over three hundred yards. Have you seen since he was benched? Did you see a little growth, lill growth, maybe a little. You know, it's funny. I finished watching that tape and to myself, this is where I think they would have hoped he would have been last year. After four or five starts. You know, you see the snaps in which he has light athletic feed in the live, loose arm, with the easy ability to throw the football. That's evident. You know that we knew that even before he came out. You know. The problem that he has and it's going to need to be cleaned up or it's going to be a struggle every week. Is he has significant ball placement issues, even on some completions. I mean, he just does not place the ball where it needs to be. And he is consistent, consistently colin late on throws. He's a beat late, and he has to become quicker. Mentally, he has to become more precise. I think there's not the needed sync between his lower body and upper body when he delivers the football. So there's still a lot of work to do. That's why I said, you would have liked to have seen him be at this point last year in his rookie year. But he's always going to make a few plays that get people excited. He doesn't make the easy plays. The team plays, yes, and those are the plays that have to be made. Yep, that is what we've said from day one. He misses the laps. You gotta hit the laps before you shot hit the lap. Yep, the great ones do Okay, Trevor Lawrence. We're going to close with this. Eventually you'll get to the big play. But you know, I loved him. I'm a little crazy over the top. I would have picked him number one years ago. He's starting to play pretty well, Greg. Yeah, you can see he's much more decisive Colin and I think now there's a good marriage brewing between the offensive scheme and Lawrence. Because Lawrence is a long body, long legged. You needed to speed him up just everything he does need he did need it to be quicker. And it is now. And you know what, the ball comes out, which tells you that he's far more confident in the scheme. He knows where to go with the football. You know, don't forget Doug Peterson comes from the Andy Reid school. That's how we grew up in the game. As a coach, even as a player. He is in Philly as a player, and he's been in that offense for basically his whole life, so he understands that offense, and that offense is really well schemed. It defines throws for quarterbacks. We've seen that through the years, and you can see Lawrence really taking to it. Now he's not getting stuck in the pocket so the ball comes out. And I think one of the most overlooked things about Lawrence maybe it's not overlooked, but it shows up all the time is he's a very good thrower on the run. Column that may be what the thing he does absolutely best is throwing the ball on the run. And actually that's where we go, you know, with the big play this week, because he was forced to throw the ball on the run on this touchdown that we're going to show where he threw it to a Jones for a long touchdown of fifty nine yards. So this was last week against the Cowboys. This was not a designed movement play. He moved out of the pocket in response to pressure and obviously you see the great throw. So what this is is this is just a play action type shot play. He's under center, and I like under center play action a lot more than I like shotgun play action, so you're going to see the play action element. And then Zay Jones down below is number one. He's the outside receiver on the trip side of the formation. And look at the corner playing soft off coverage. And normally you don't get over the top of corners who are playing soft, but this is a double move. It's basically an out and go. And you can see the corner Joseph, who ended up getting benched in this game. By the way, You see that he is beat So now what we're going to do is take this back and you're going to see Lawrence because as I said, this play was not meant for him to leave the pocket, but he's going to get pressure from the outside rusher who's going to work inside against his right tackle, and he's going to force Lawrence to leave the pocket. And Lawrence does. And he's an excellent thrower on the move. I taught the coaches who coached him, and they say that's one of his absolute strengths is that he can make throws on the move. And I think that's an element of his game that's really important. Because Lawrence is a good thrower from the pocket, but he's not a special throller. He's a good throller, so now that he has this element to his game that really enhances it. And I think you and I would probably agree that in this league, now your quarterback is going to have to make second reaction plays where he has to move due to how to do to pressure. And if you can't do that, it's tougher to play in the league. Good stuff, Greg co Sell, NFL Films. Thanks Greg, Thanks co

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 Cowhern on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Thursday, and we're loaded in LA. It's the Herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening iHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio FS one. One hour from now, Greg co Sell Fantasy Football, betting on football, Just love football, Want to be smarter in football? Greg co Sell, one hour from now. J Mac. You'd think there'd be a lull. There is not a lull. There's a lot going on. Saturday Cowboys at home against a backup Sunday Dolphins come home. I think they're gonna hammer Green Bay. Two of the biggest games of the weekend. You're ready to go, Well, Jet's Jags action. Get through that one first. That powerful offense, great defense. I want to start with this though, so it's not the biggest game in Dak's career, but it could it be the most telling game in Dak's career. At home second most Pro bowlers in the league facing a backup, feels like you gotta win that one convincingly right, you're at home, Gardner, Minshew, you got all sorts of Pro bowlers run games rolling. Go back to Dak's career. It's interesting. He's incredibly likable, fourth round pick, not a beautiful thrower, really nice kid. Year one, he goes thirteen and three, and we no longer call him Dak Prescott. We just from that point forward call him Dak. America's team has replaced the polarizing, semi popular Tony Romo. They've got their guy. America's Team's got Dak. Thirteen and three. He gets most of the credit. In year two, Zeke gets suspended immaturity. They go nine and seven. The run game isn't there, and Dak's passer rating goes from one O five to eighty six, clearly signaling Dak needs a run game. That's why he went in the fourth round. But Dak didn't get any criticism. It was Zeke. Zeke was immature, Zeke's not dependable, Zeke's getting a big head. Zeke's not a team guy. Then we go to year three, Dallas's scoring is not very good. They're like twenty second in the league in scoring. Now Jason Garrett gets criticized. That guy's not creative. It's time to go. You've been here long enough. Not a lot of wins. Year four, now Zeke's not as good, running games, not as profound. Tony Pollard's not there yet doing anything big. And Jason Garrett eight and eight, Jason's got to go. And you also hear this getting blamed distractions. When is Jerry gonna pay Dak? It's destribing. Deck's got that thing hanging over his head. How can he concentrate? Two? Zeke gets blamed, you're three and four, it's Garrett. Then distractions come in. You're five, McCarthy's in. Deck gets hurt. Let's throw that away. Last year's year six, twelve and five, Dak is rolling offenses back, Tony Pollard emerges and they lose in the playoffs. And who gets blamed Mike McCarthy. So Zeke's immaturity, Garrett Camp coach, distractions got blamed. Now it's Mike McCarthy. And here we are in year seven, Dak's team is loaded, number one enforcing turnovers, number two in sacks. It's not the defense, number two in rushing, rushing touchdowns, it's not the run game. Offensive line is better than most of us thought. It would be second most pro bowlders players everywhere, and Dak is six and three and in the losses has cost them games, outdueled by Rodgers, Brady and Trevor Lawrence, all considered more talented. In those three losses, Dak has completed just sixty percent of throws the seed Lamb with that tight end, his passer rating has been in the seventies, sixt d s five picks when things go right, and I understand why because he's really likable, great at the podium, looks and sounds like a cowboy quarterback when things go well. It's constantly Dak is underappreciated. When things go south, Jerry's creating noise, What about the distractions? Zeke's immature and eroding. Garrett can't coach, McCarthy can't run the clock. So here we are at home. Great defense, profound running game, ceedee Lamb has emerged as a number one facing Gardner Minshoe. It's got to be a resounding win. Right, Jerry is always at his back, but even Jerry has noticed this year. Jerry now is noticing in some of these games Dak is making too many mistakes. We can win with him playing Mike Head To be trite, I thought he played outstanding and as we see he wasn't playing against shop Liver out there. Certainly those interceptions can neutralize great execution and effort in other parts of the game, interceptions can. That's being tried. But I will tell you now of the definition of aggressiveness doesn't have to include the turnovers. It does not have to include that. Aggressive does not and I do like aggressiveness without the turnovers. Just a little doubt for the first time on Dak from Jerry Jones at home. Second most Pro Bowlers Gardner Minshew really healthy. Dallas needs to win and probably should win comfortably. All Right, So when you vote for the Pro Bowl, fans get a third of the vote, coaches get a third of the vote, and players get a third of the vote. The fans overwhelmingly voted Tua as the Pro Bowl quarterback, but among players and coaches, he scored so poorly. Despite overwhelming support from the fans. He did not make the Pro Bowl in the AFC. Mahomes did, Josh Allen did, Joe Burrow did, all absolutely appropriately did. The people that compete against TWA watch film against too, a game plan against Ta see it completely differently. I've said before I think Tua is a much better throwing version of Tim Tebow, a Christian, left handed Southern quarterback who won a national title at a powerhouse. Incredibly decent human, likable, embraceable, and what made Tebow popular is largely what makes to a popular. Most pro athletes feel removed from us. They're six ten or two hundred and ninety pounds of muscle. They're brash, they're rich, they live in neighborhoods we can't afford. We just drive by. But Tebow and Tua feel vulnerable and flawed to a small size also helps they feel like us. Do the Dolphins privately believe in Tuah. I've got my doubts, but I will say this, Unlike the Chicago Bears, whose first two draft picks were a corner and a safety, their third picks a bust at wide receiver, and they hired a defensive coach, unlike the Patriots with mac Jones, who hired a defensive coordinator and put him on the offensive coordinator side, still have no weapons. Miami did it differently. They made a very abrupt pivot defensive guy to a brilliant offensive coach from a proven system, got him a great left tackle and the fastest football player in the world. They also added some nice running backs. Whether or not Miami publicly supports too A doesn't matter. Eventually. I do believe you'll see the ceiling if he has to go toe to toe with Mahomes or Alan or Burrow in a playoff game. But Miami has proven this is the way to do it. It enhances the chances for success. Justin Fields is running for his life. Mac Jones is screaming at the coaches. Tuah is good enough to get you to the playoffs, and Miami, which has done almost nothing right for twenty years in the NFL, deserves a tip of the cap. Whether I love Tuah as a quarterback, I love him as a guy. I think he's an amazing story and Miami has figured out how to support a young person who's got flaws, who isn't perfect. Jimmy Johnson, former Dolphins coach, talked about it earlier this week on our show. They're making the best out of what they have with Tuah. No, you know, Tah is not Joe Burrow. Tah is not Herbert. He is not the Josh Allen. But if you give him the right supporting cast, true, it can win for you. Franchise quarterbacks are hard to find, you know, and even pretty good quarterbacks are hard to find. You look around the league about half of them, you know, really some of them can't play a lick and so yeah, you really got to do the best at of what you have until you find something better. Say it again. One of my favorite games of the weekend to watch, probably my favorite. Green Bay goes to Miami. I think two A rebounds, I know the Packers are healthy. Can't wait to watch Sunday. I think it's the best game on TV. Green Bay going to Miami. People are bearing too. And now be the first to admit I've said cold Weather Buffalo since he I don't see him pulling that out. But I did think in Buffalo he executed the game plan. He wasn't outstanding seventeen to thirty, but he was certainly good enough to win. Now he comes back home against the team I think with major flaws defensively. Two is maybe not my favorite quarterback, but I appreciate how Miami has done business. 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. What I'm about to say, you're gonna think it's crazy, and it sounds kind of crazy. But one of the things about the National Football League that's great is year to year it's a totally different league. Seven new teams make the playoffs, seven teams that did don't. Seven coaches fired quarterbacks now star quarterbacks. Deshaun Watson ends up Houston to Cincinnati. Stafford's moving, Brady's moving, Russell Wilson's movement used to be like a star quarterback. Wherever he was, that's where he was. So I like change, I like disruption, I like movement. It's fun. So the Pro Bowl quarterbacks were listed yesterday. In the AFC, Mahomes, Alan Burrow perfect. In the NFC, Jalen Hurts, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins. Could I make an argument Jared Goff got snubbed. I mean the Vikings win a lot, Justin Jefferson Dalvin Cook. So the Rams are one year removed from trading Jared Goff, They're a bit of a mess. The Lions are one year removed from acquiring Jared Goff. It's their best team, arguably in a decade. If you look at Goff and Stafford's career numbers, it's kind of weird. Goff is slightly more accurate, has a slightly higher passer rating, and the same two to one TD ratio. They've both been to a Super Bowl, Colin that's Sean McVeigh, is it? I checked. Goff's passer rating is slightly higher in Detroit than Los Angeles. Now, Stafford's got a better arm. Nobody disputes that, and he was a high school All American number one pick. But Goff is younger, healthier, and has always been underrated as as a thrower. Even Greg co Sell said last week, you give him some time. He throws a beautiful football. The Lions, though, not only got Goff, they got two first round picks, and one of them this year it could be a top five pick. So two things can be true. I absolutely get why the Rams made the move, and I cheered it. And I supported it. But this idea that Goff was to blame for all their failures and that Goff can't play is not true. Said it before I saw him outdual Patrick Mahomes on Monday Night Football inarguably the most dynamic offensive Monday Night football game ever played. Remember that game? Unbelievable. So I'm not saying the Rams should have remorse on acquiring Stafford, But is it possible the odometer had been tweaked that Stafford's a little older and more beat up than Los Angeles knew? Because Goff is healthy, Goff's offense is humming. The idea that Detroit should draft CJ. Stroud over Golf is laughable. Goff is a significantly better armed talent. Goff's been to a Super Bowl. CJ. Stroud is struggling to beat Michigan. He got rolled by Oregon. So among NFC quarterbacks NFC quarterbacks, I'm I'm not saying Burrow Mahomes Allen. Among NFC quarterbacks outside of Aaron Rodgers, who throws a better ball? Kyler Murray's is pretty who throws a better balls? Saying with Goff, you get a lot of traits I like he's six four and a half six five. He's quiet, he's an adult, there's no nonsense. He's never in trouble. He's got a better than average arm. He is not overly mobile either a Stafford, and he's almost always available to play. Two things can be true. Stafford is better than golf, and the move made a ton of sense. But boy, could the Rams use a first round pick. I think the lines are really happy with what they got in that deal. You're smiling at me for that, aren't you. I love what you did there. That's kind of play on both sides. I mean, what would you rather have Jared Goff or a Super Bowl victory? I would rather have a super Bowl victory. It's why I supported the move. But what I'd really rather have is a healthy quarterback able to play on Sunday. And Stafford's a little older and a little creakier, and our retirement questions are coming in. All right, how I thought we had six seven more years of Stafford. I'm hoping for two over under one half playoff wins for Jared Goff in Detroit in his career over under one one half game. Yeah. This offensive line, these players, yeah, absolutely, if they get they have two firsts this year, and they have a history in the last couple of years of drafting. Well, oh oh yeah, sound picks win playoff games. I don't know. Wow, let's so you think Detroit will win a playoff game. I don't know what the street is. Somebody baby in the control room could tell me they haven't won a playoff game in forever. I mean, it's been a long time. Stafford couldn't win one. Jared Goskin win one. I got a push back and they got so lucky to beat the Jets last week. Colin, Oh my god, fourth and one, fourth and inches from midfield? How convinced nothing? How come everybody that beats the Jets nineteen ninety one? There it is that nineteen ninety one their last playoff win, and Jared Goff's got a saunter into town with his supermodel girlfriend at Almara st. Brown. He's gonna win a playoff game. Very cynical over Jet's day. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdayson noon Easter not a Empacific. My opinion is Mike Frabele is one of the smartest guys in the National Football League and I'm counting coaches, coordinators, general managers, presidents. Mike Frabel, to me, is one of the smartest ex players that the sport has. I think Mike's wordy smart. The GM of Tennessee got thrown out of the building. Mike's gonna run the building. So Mike Frabel smart. He had Tom Brady. He knows the value of a quarterback. Yeah, he's built one of the best defenses. He's a tough guy, really smart. Tannehill now is in year eleven. He's thirty four years old. He's now going to miss the rest of the season. Malik Willis may be good. Not close to beating a Lamar Jackson, Herbert A. Maholmes and Alan Burrow. Not close, not close, totally raw like he's a year of backing up again. I'll just throw this at you. This team is running back centric. Think Herschel Walker trade. They have to pay Derrick Henry a ton next year. To keep your eye in the Aaron Rodgers thing. They have three people they could move. The Titans could Taylor lew On the tackle. They're gonna am a fortune. He's now hurt a lot, but he is a left tackle. He's got value. Robert Woods a number two receiver. They can kind of release him save money. I think it's time to consider privately trading Derrick Henry. Okay, he had. He's got seventeen hundred carries in his career, one hundred and twenty five catches. Three of the last four years he's led the NFL and carries folks. First of all, run centric teams don't win Super Bowls. Ask Nick Chubb and the Browns. How many playoff wins for Zeke? How many playoff wins for the Titans? They don't win. You gotta have a guy Tannehills. Now in his eleventh year, he's average, slightly above average, and now he's getting hurt more often. Malique Willis isn't ready. Vrabel's one of the smartest guys in the world. Everybody freaks out, But Derrick Henry gotta sell. At the high point he came into the league, didn't play a ton early. Over the last four or five years, he's like a picture throwing three hundred innings. You got to get out of the deal before the deal gets into you, and I just look around it run centric teams, then I'll win Super Bowls. Hell, they struggle to win playoff games. Nick Chubb and Cleveland. Cleveland's got a great online, great running back, offensive coach Zeke one playoff win? Who's the other one? Christian McCaffrey. How many playoff winsy he have? I don't hate this strategy, but I got to ask, what's the next step? Because you are no longer attractive Darren Rodgers, don't have Derrick Henry, and you have no receivers. No, no, no, So what you do is you get draft capital for that left tackle, Dereck Henry's gonna fetch something on them market. You're now going to have some cap space because your defense is excellent. Aaron's played with a great defense. One year he won a super Bowl, So this is a great defense. You're getting rid of a running back and a left tackle and a receiver. Okay, then you'll have money to spend on the market. You already have. You already have a young receiver. You like a lot of Arkansas Burks is very good, very good. Yes, you could keep Woods if you wanted and renegotiate the deal so you'd have a solid two. You draft another receiver, you go on the market. They they've done a good job of just plugging in tight ends, random guys you've never heard of, and they delivery. I just I think it's a little leary of dumping the left tackle Taylor of the one at an offensive line. I know he's hurt a lot. Let me counter this. Is there a strategy where the Titans say, you know what that model that the forty nine ers had, build up a formidable defense, Yeah, but plug in a quarterback who can just get it done and have a good offensive line. Yeah, but the differences. Shanahan's an offensive genius. Rabel is just a really smart dude. The second thing is they have made a San Francisco takes six round running backs like Elijah Mitchell and gets the Super Bowls. I mean they vote Kyle Shanahan. I mean Christian McCaffrey is a great piece. Why because he's a receiver. Yeah, and Shanahan loves that. What do you think the market's like for Derrick Henry, a guy with a lot of miles on Oh no, no no, but he's I mean for a team that needs a running back, you'd give us a third round pick. Maybe you gotta rather have Dereck Henry than a third round pick. Well, but Derrick Henry's expensive. So if you get Derrick Henry gonna have to give up somebody else. He's not cheap running backs. He's been in this league now a lot of years and a lot of innings pitched. I mean, I mean to me, Mike Frable's a smart guy. He's looking around at Burrow Mahomes Alan, now Trevor Lawrence in his own division. I gotta go toe to toe with eleven year Ryan Tannehill or Malik Willis out of liberty. That being said, they were the number one seed last year. They are still ahead of Jacksonville in the division this year. I mean, I think there's we could probably meet a middle ground, you know, J and C consulting to deliver something for Tennessee to get them out of it. They're not a fun watch column like, nobody wants to see that team in the playoffs. Well, Rabel doesn't care about that, but he's too smart not to see the reality is now he has one of those star quarterbacks in his own division. It was one thing when they were all out of division. Now he's got to face Trevor twice a year. I'm just and by the way, here comes Bryce Young to Houston. Maybe Malik Willis had something. Maybe yet certain I look very limited and green in a couple appearances. 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. Greg co Sells probably listening to us Jabber shaking his head forty three years NFL films, Well, let's talk about quarterbacks in the league. So here's what continues to bother me about Buffalo. I thought they were out schemed outside of center. I don't love their offensive line. They bail on the run and are continue to be ridicul heillless, Lee, Josh Allen dependent, which, by the way, I get He's amazing on film. I thought it was one of the best losses of the year. I thought Miami had a good plan. They were physical, they ran the ball. What did the tape say about Buffalo in Miami? Well, I thought that Miami's offense played well. I thought that you know, when you run the ball effectively, there's not a lot of mystery as to why you run the ball effectively. They moved the interior tackles of the Bill's defense, which normally doesn't happen. Ed Olivers had an outstanding year. He did not have a very good game that allowed them to work to the second level where they were able to block Mulano and Edmonds. So they ran the ball well, and I thought through the ball well, he looked like twa you know, those quick rhythm throws. Yeah, although I thought there were a couple of plays in critical situations where the Bills had a really good feel for the con steps and they took away throws. But I agree with you about Josh Allen. We've talked about this. This is not a great offensive team. They do not run the ball particularly well or often. Their old line, you're correct, is probably average at best. They've not really had a second receiver, Colin step up after Diggs, so they're kind of struggling there. So it's a very Josh Allen centric team. And I've been doing this a long time, as have you. When teams that have flaws end up getting beat in important playoff games, I'm not surprised by that because those flaws can crop up any time now. Last year Josh Allen had two amazing playoff games. Obviously, they lost to the Chiefs. You almost have to have him play at that level. Anytime you get to the playoffs. If he's not quite at that level, you wonder if their flaws are going to just bring them down. You know, it's interesting. Let's move to Kansas City. I want to talk about this. Yeah, so we kind of feel like Buffalo in Kansas City, right or wrong? They were in that Ali Frasier about last year, and I have a feeling they'll meet again. And it's really remarkable. I said this the other day, like Mahomes completed like twenty straight throws against Houston and in high school, that's absurd. I mean, from his temperament to his arm talent, to his mobility to his playmaking, he's about as good as anybody I've ever seen play this. But the offense now because Tyreek's gone, is different totally. What is the Chiefs offense? For somebody that lives and watch his film, what's different about this Chief's offense? Dig deep and tell me what you see. Okay, here's the difference. It's a major difference because what they have done over the course of this season, they have evolved into being a multiple tight end offense team. They now play with two tight ends, three tight ends as much, if not more than any team in this league. Now. They did not do that previously. They were much more of an eleven personnel offense with three wide receivers. They don't play like that now they play with forty percent multiple tight ends, maybe more depending on the game. And the other player who are looking at right now who has become a really critical piece of what they do is Jerick McKinnon. Over the last month five weeks, he has really become important, particularly in the red zone. I mean last week on McKinnon played sixty two percent of the snaps, Pacheco only thirty five percent. McKinnon had ten rushes, eight targets, eight receptions, so that fits because their pass game is much more condensed. Last week Mahomes was thirty six for forty one with a long completion of twenty one yards and he was efficient. So this offense has evolved in recognition of their talent. So it's a tribute to Andy Reid and the staff and to Mahomes who was an incredibly smart quarterback, very aware, a very instinctive understands. He can play any way you want him to play, anyway that's necessary. So now I want to bring up a team that may be better than both Cincinnati. And I've said this multiple times this year. As we tend to think when we think of great defense is historically we can name like Dick Butkus or you know, Richard Dent for the Bears. But with Cincinnati, they don't really have a star. But every time I watch them, they make changes at half and just shut teams down. They do this all the time. So is it scheme or talent? Because I this Cincinnati defense, I don't know what the stats say is the best second half defense I've seen in the league this year. Well it's funny you say that, because when I watched to take this past week against Brady and the Bucks, my mind immediately went back to the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs. You probably thought the same thing. I mean, it was ever and they made some adjustments at halftime. They started playing with seven dbs, they started rushing three with eight and coverage. They had multiple pressure schemes that are route recognition. And you're right, there's not the one player. You say, wow, that team, that one guy is really dominant. They've got good players though at all three levels of their defense. I know Hubbard's out now and I guess they'll be out for a number of weeks. But they've got really good players at all three levels. And I think the rookie corner they play cam Taylor Britt from Nebraska. He's a really good player and he brings an attitude, a swagger, a competitiveness to this defense. So, but you're right, Louan Ramo does not get enough credit their decoordinator because he does a really good job in game of understanding what he's seeing, what's hurting him and then had to take it away. Before I get to Cowboys Eagles, I want to give a tip of the cap to Brian Dable, and I said, the fact that Ryan Dable is getting strong consideration for Coach of the Year is an indictment of what he's working with. Because so it's easy for me to say that outside of left tackle, I don't see a lot of talent Barkley in the left tackle. You tell me, because I think I would. I think Dabele's in a short list of Coach of the Year. Do the Giants have much offensive talent? No? And in fact, they have to play a certain way they don't score a lot of points. Daniel Jones this year has the fewest twenty plus yard completions in the NFL, only about twenty. Think about that. That is a very very small number. So they play close games. So when you play close games, your defense has to be a factor. This is a very aggressive defense. It's Wink Martindale. They blitz a lot, they play a lot of man. That's the way he plays, that's what he believes in. So what they have to do call is they've got to run the ball. And there have been games this year where they've gotten to the second half and they've had a lead and they've not been able to run the ball and then they lose. This week, they were able to run the ball. They got the ball with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and a five point lead, and Barkley had three consecutive runs for forty one yards. Now, that hasn't happened very much this year. Barkley is a very up and down back. He's not really a sustainer. He's not really a grinder. He's a big playback, but he's not really a guy that gets hard yards. And this week he had some tough runs. But they need him to be that guy because they're not going to be ahead in games twenty seven ten in the fourth quarter. Yeah, as we thought, there's not much talent. All right, let's talk Eagles and Cowboys. I think Jalen Hurts has exploded as a talent. Many subscribe to the theory that it's mostly the people around him, the old lines, the d lines. So Gardner Minshew is to me has kind of a Baker Mayfield skill set, can move a little, control a little, But they're some talent here that you could win games with him. I wouldn't build around him. Can Gardner Minshew with his talent? Is there a massive gap between him and Hurts? Or can they be effective moving the ball at all against Dallas's defense with Minshew? Well, those are two separate questions. I think that there's a pretty significant talent gap there, but they can be effective moving the ball. This is a team with arguably the best offensive line in football. Yes, they've got Brown and Smith on the outside. They're going to get Goddard back this week, who's a top five tight end in this league. They've got good running backs. So what they will be missing, and it's significant, is the run game that involves Hurts. And when I say the run game that involves Hurts, I don't mean where he's running. Don't forget. He changes the way defenses have to play because of the run threat, whether he runs or not. So when he's in the gun, which he is almost all the time, Colin, you have to think zone read, you have to think quarterback power, you have to think quarterback draw, you have to be aware of all these design quarterback runs that impact how you line up and how you play. You're not gonna have to think about any of those things with Gardner Minshew. So can Gardner Minshew execute the offense in a more conventional way? Yes, I believe he can, But there is a meaningful drop off, not only in talent, but in how defenses prepare and have to play. And I think that's something that should not be overlooked at all. Yeah, a little betting advice there for those of you who have And that's very interesting. Hey, I'm Doug Gotlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talked to coaches, we talked to players, We tell you stories. They download it, you listen to it. I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or ever you get your podcast. I was saying this, We're in year seven with Dak. They have the second most, second most Pro Bowlers, pretty profound run game, they have a ceedee Lamb has established himself as a go to number one. And in the three losses, Dak's completed sixty percent of his throws, passer rating in the seventy and like six touchdowns, five picks. I've never been in love with Dak. I like his intangibles more than his tangibles. But how is he playing football this year? I didn't think Jacksonville's loss was on him. How is he playing this year? You know? I like Dak overall. I mean, I think Dak when you watch him and study just him, he knows how to play quarterback. He's a pocket quarterback. He goes through progressions, he understands the offense, he knows where to go with the football. I think this year he's he's had some bouts of inaccuracy where the ball placement hasn't been as precise as it needs to be. You know, it's funny you mentioned Cede Lamb. I think Cede Lamb is there number number one. I'm not sure Ceedee Lamb is one of those big time number ones the way we talk about other number ones, and I think since Gallup has come back, he's not been the same guy. They don't really have a number three. Yeah, you know, I think Schultz is a nice tight end, but not a special tight end. So I don't really think the Cowboys have a lot on the perimeter. So you know, they obviously have two good backs, although Elliott is certainly not the back he was. The tape tells you that immediately. All you have to do is put the tape on. He does not move like he used to. Pollard's definitely got juice. But this team, to me, is not as talented on offense when you watch tape as I think. The narrative is Colin all right, Zach Wilson and the Jets against the jag So let's talk Jets. Zach threw for over three hundred yards. Have you seen since he was benched? Did you see a little growth, lill growth, maybe a little. You know, it's funny. I finished watching that tape and to myself, this is where I think they would have hoped he would have been last year. After four or five starts. You know, you see the snaps in which he has light athletic feed in the live, loose arm, with the easy ability to throw the football. That's evident. You know that we knew that even before he came out. You know. The problem that he has and it's going to need to be cleaned up or it's going to be a struggle every week. Is he has significant ball placement issues, even on some completions. I mean, he just does not place the ball where it needs to be. And he is consistent, consistently colin late on throws. He's a beat late, and he has to become quicker. Mentally, he has to become more precise. I think there's not the needed sync between his lower body and upper body when he delivers the football. So there's still a lot of work to do. That's why I said, you would have liked to have seen him be at this point last year in his rookie year. But he's always going to make a few plays that get people excited. He doesn't make the easy plays. The team plays, yes, and those are the plays that have to be made. Yep, that is what we've said from day one. He misses the laps. You gotta hit the laps before you shot hit the lap. Yep, the great ones do Okay, Trevor Lawrence. We're going to close with this. Eventually you'll get to the big play. But you know, I loved him. I'm a little crazy over the top. I would have picked him number one years ago. He's starting to play pretty well, Greg. Yeah, you can see he's much more decisive Colin and I think now there's a good marriage brewing between the offensive scheme and Lawrence. Because Lawrence is a long body, long legged. You needed to speed him up just everything he does need he did need it to be quicker. And it is now. And you know what, the ball comes out, which tells you that he's far more confident in the scheme. He knows where to go with the football. You know, don't forget Doug Peterson comes from the Andy Reid school. That's how we grew up in the game. As a coach, even as a player. He is in Philly as a player, and he's been in that offense for basically his whole life, so he understands that offense, and that offense is really well schemed. It defines throws for quarterbacks. We've seen that through the years, and you can see Lawrence really taking to it. Now he's not getting stuck in the pocket so the ball comes out. And I think one of the most overlooked things about Lawrence maybe it's not overlooked, but it shows up all the time is he's a very good thrower on the run. Column that may be what the thing he does absolutely best is throwing the ball on the run. And actually that's where we go, you know, with the big play this week, because he was forced to throw the ball on the run on this touchdown that we're going to show where he threw it to a Jones for a long touchdown of fifty nine yards. So this was last week against the Cowboys. This was not a designed movement play. He moved out of the pocket in response to pressure and obviously you see the great throw. So what this is is this is just a play action type shot play. He's under center, and I like under center play action a lot more than I like shotgun play action, so you're going to see the play action element. And then Zay Jones down below is number one. He's the outside receiver on the trip side of the formation. And look at the corner playing soft off coverage. And normally you don't get over the top of corners who are playing soft, but this is a double move. It's basically an out and go. And you can see the corner Joseph, who ended up getting benched in this game. By the way, You see that he is beat So now what we're going to do is take this back and you're going to see Lawrence because as I said, this play was not meant for him to leave the pocket, but he's going to get pressure from the outside rusher who's going to work inside against his right tackle, and he's going to force Lawrence to leave the pocket. And Lawrence does. And he's an excellent thrower on the move. I taught the coaches who coached him, and they say that's one of his absolute strengths is that he can make throws on the move. And I think that's an element of his game that's really important. Because Lawrence is a good thrower from the pocket, but he's not a special throller. He's a good throller, so now that he has this element to his game that really enhances it. And I think you and I would probably agree that in this league, now your quarterback is going to have to make second reaction plays where he has to move due to how to do to pressure. And if you can't do that, it's tougher to play in the league. Good stuff, Greg co Sell, NFL Films. Thanks Greg, Thanks co