The Herd with Colin CowherdWhere Colin was Right / Where Colin was Wrong, The Herd Hierarchy, Former Patriots WR & Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman stops by, a Playoff QB Draft, and Colin's Blazing 5.
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and 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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go, hour two. It is a Monday. Love love what they've done here at FS one for our set. I went holiday shopping Saturday. I went Christmas shopping. I'll take you an underrated place to Christmas shop is RII. I love Ari. I can literally sit in RII. I could stay tonight there. I love that place. Is that where you get scuba gears? Now it's camping and it's camping, hiking and camping. I just love everything there. They're outdoors. Tomaw Uh, Well, my son likes hiking and doing stuff, so he's going up to BC at the start of the year. So he's going to go hiking and he loves all that stuff, all right, Jay, Mac, Matt hasselback, Mark Sanchez. Today. We do it every Monday, at this time. Where Colin was right, Where Colin was wrong? There's plenty of both. Here we go. Where Colin was right. I warned you last week on Dan Campbell he doesn't trust his defense, so now he's going hyper reckless. I really do like the man, but I think they're no longer the hunted. They're the hunter. And I think it's very hard to win a Super Bowl when you're reckless. Now again defensively, I don't know. Maybe he feels like they have to take these big swings and I don't think they were going to win the game anyway. But I said it last week and I'll say it again. Reckless teams don't win the Super Bowl. Where Colin was wrong, Well, on November eighteenth, when the Cowboys lost to the Texans, I said they're in the middle of a soft tank. Well, they've won three or four. Mike is playing great Ceedee Lamb back to back touchdowns. Say what you want about Cooper Rush. He moves the chains. So Mike McCarthy, there's you know we've been saying this now. Mike McCarthy's a good coach. I think he's gonna retain his job because he's winning these games and the team hasn't quit. You look at the new York Giants, and you wonder if the team has quit. You watch the Cowboys. I don't see it. McCarthy's probably coming back. Where Colin was right. When Baker signed that deal with Tampa, I said, I would have no problem signing him. He's a good fit, he's got the grit, he's got a chip on his shoulder, and I think he's a really good leader. They now lead the NFC South. He and Mike Evans totally in unison. I think it is price point. He's actually a bargain. I was blown away yesterday. The Chargers had the number one defense in the league and they dropped a forty burger and they totally controlled this game. So I think a lot for quarterbacks outside of the all time greats is fit. Sam Darnold now has a good fit. Baker chipping his shoulder is a great fit. Where Colin was wrong. Uh yeah, I never thought i'd see Bill Belichick take the third to fourth best coaching job in the ACC. I admit I see him as a pro coach. I don't know if he and Mike Lombardi and mostly a pro staff are going to feel collegiate. I said, I feel like it's going to be a quicker, more rigid version of Charlie Weiss, a pro guy who tried to make college work. He says, you know, I always thought about coaching college. I think this, in my opinion, is more about the NFL turning their nose up in the air at Bill Belichick and not wanting his rigidity and personnel control. But I'll admit watching him in Carolina Blue, it's a bit of a shocker for me. Where Colin was right. I picked the Rams to win the division before the season started. Matt Stafford zero pick in five weeks. They now officially lead the division. They started one and four, they were all beat up from the on line and wide receiver. They are seven and two since just like last year when they got healthy. They finished strong last year. Right now, Cooper Cup's healthy, Puka Nakua, their offensive line, Havenstein's back up. This is a very, very good team. I do feel like they're a draft away from hoisting another trophy. But this is a team I thought would win this division. Where Colin was wrong. In the last nine games, Lebron is shooting twenty five percent from three and forty five percent on field goals. I had said earlier this season, I still considered him a top ten player, and I defended him like mid November. He's not. He disappeared. His turnovers are up, his shooting is down. He has lost his legs. Listen, I'm not this should have happened five years ago. I'm shocked it took this long, but that absence for whatever reason. Speculate all you want. He looked out of gas. And the first thing in an athlete loses is the legs. Fifty year old quarterback can still grab a football and sling it, and Steph Curry will be able to shoot when he's seventy, but it's the legs, and Lebron is not a top ten player. Where Colin was right, I don't get the brock perty for sixty million dollars discussion. Well, what do you know? They pulled San Francisco fans and forty percent believe brock Purty should get in the twenty to thirty million dollar range. So at least I agree with the Niners. Listen to the four biggest games this year. One he was hurt, and the three others he was easily the second best quarterback in the field. I like him. He struggles in wet weather. I don't think he's a guy that can elevate average players. I think he is a quarterback that can manage great players. I would pay him. I think he's a franchise guy. He started talking fifty five to sixty million. We're talking Lamar, We're talking Mahomes, Alan Stafford. I don't think that's for brock perty and now Niner fans agree. Where Colin was raw well, I didn't think Devonte Adams was going to for the pack for the Jets. I felt like he'd bounced around. Aaron was shot. But I gotta be honest. Those two yesterday were great. The last four minutes of the game. They were historic. Statistically, Davante's had over three hundred yards in the last two games. And I'm critical of Aaron Rodgers, so I have to be fair. I think in the last three to four weeks, Aaron has found his footing. Davonte Adams now Garrett Wilson from the reaction on the sideline, may not love it, but I will tell you now, between Garrett Wilson and Davonte Adams, Aaron has looked very comfortable. I thought the season was over three four weeks ago. They have played incredibly hard offensively, They've been very good late in games. I's wrong on that. I thought they were done. Nope, they still got some life where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, and with that eighteen years in the league. I love our Monday show and Matt Hasselbeck stops on end, the three time pro bowler. So I'm watching the Lions fall apart, and I know Dan animalst kind of his DNA is he is a go He's an alpha. He gotta take some shots kinda. But I wonder now if he's being I view him as reckless because he just doesn't trust the defense. And I do think sometimes coaches go, we can't stop anybody. Do you think it's his DNA or do you think now he's just lost trust in the defense. While he would call that onside kick.
No, I don't think it has anything to do with the defense. I just think it's his DNA. He's an emotional guy, and it's part of what you love about him. You know, sometimes former players, when they become coaches, they have to learn how to like separate that. I'm getting geeked up to go cover a kickoff mentality and have to learn how to be calm and just sort of be discerning, and while all the chaos is going on around you.
You're not the guy hyping everybody up.
You're the guy that's sitting back almost like you know the movie Bagger Vance when he steps up to the t box, like everything else goes quiet and he's he's like just completely engrossed and focused on the decision that needs to be made. And I think you learn as a young coach. I mean he's a little bit of a young coach still. I think you learn from these moments. And he's been very transparent at the podium talking about it, and I think that's what people love about him is he's very transparent. He owns up to his own mistakes. And like you said, they are now the bully. They were the guys that were getting picked on. They were swinging, you know, taking a shot with house money sort of, and now they need to play like one of the best teams in all of football, which they.
Are so Green Bay. The average age is twenty five years old. They're like an old college team. And I watch him last night and I just think that organization. You know, I was saying this earlier Matt. If Jordan Love would have gone to half the league, they would have played him first year, bad ole line defensive coach. He's wrecked. They have been so smart, even adding Josh Jacobs, They're like, we really like this kid, and he's got good young tight end receiver. Let's give him a power running back. So it didn't after throw thirty five times. I love how Green Bay develops quarterbacks. But I look at this team and I think there's just a bunch of kids. They're twenty five years old. Go to your playoff experience? Is that youth a liability when playoffs starting a month?
No, not if you're completely naive and you have no idea like how much pressure is really on you? And I think that's the great thing about that team, and you've seen it in other teams. I remember Tom Brady's first year when he won the Super Bowl.
I don't think he really knew.
I remember, you know, in my first you know times in the in the playoffs, like I didn't know. But that was the beauty of it. You're just out there like you were as a kid, cutting it loose, having fun. And I would say Matt Lafleur does not get enough credit for what he is as a football coach.
He just kind of gets glossed over.
He's like, oh, yeah, he's a.
Sean mcvag guy, you know, like whatever, Like, no, no, he is a legitimate, legitimate head football coach both sides of the ball. He's done a great job bringing in Jeff Affley to run the defense. They've been, you know, really honestly, they've been the unsung team this season. Like we even just talk about their division. We talk about Detroit, we talk about Minnesota, and this is a team that's done it. You know, we talk about Detroit being banged up. Now Green Bay was banged up. Now they're getting healthy. I think they're a dangerous team coming into the playoffs.
So as I watched the Bills, first of all, I said this earlier. I always thought John Elway was the most talented quarterback I'd ever seen. Showing my age, but I thought that's I mean, he could have played major league baseball. And then and then you watch Farv and then you watch Mahomes And I'm not talking just trophies. I'm talking like Bill Russell's got eleven rings, Michael's got six. I thought Michael was more talented. It's not just trophies. Marino never won one. He was brilliant. But I watched Josh Allen. He makes Elway look lumbering and small, like I've never seen anything like him. As a former quarterback eighteen years you know you were in rooms with guys like Farv. How would you coach Josh? I mean you don't want to not ask him to do whatever he does. I wonder if it's almost harder to coach a guy that's as like good as Tiger and as Primaro Tawny, how would you coach him?
Yeah, no, it's it's harder than people realize.
I remember my rookie year watching Andy Reid try to coach Brett fav You want to keep the amazing, the other worldly, but at the same time you want to protect him and his body and obviously that football I saw with Andrew Luck when he was getting coached, and you know he's putting himself in harm's way.
I think it is.
It's like also like it's a curse and a blessing being as big and as physical and as fearless as he is. But when you can get it right, and I believe they've got it right, They've got designed runs late in the game when you need it. They don't do it early, they do it more late. They do it when they've kind of warn you down and they know exactly what you're doing. They're smart with him. He's being smart with the football. That's why everybody this week will be talking about him being the NFL NFL's MVP. It's I mean, if you were voting today, if you had to decide today, he's the guy.
Now.
That doesn't mean he's gonna win it, and that doesn't mean that they're going to hoist the Lombardy. But if you're a Bills fan and you ever thought, hey, this is the year that our quarterback wins MVP, and this is the year that the Bills finally, you know, hoist that Lombardy like you're probably right, this is like your best chance right now. And I think one of the coolest things for them giving them confidence. People think of them as just like I don't know, cold weather team. They've shown that they can be lights out, maybe not even maybe even better in a dome. And guess what if you think those players aren't talking about the fact that the Super Bowls and a dome this this year, I promise you. Quietly, they're whispering that to each other on the flight home.
So I want you to when I watched Philadelphia just sort of take advantage of Pittsburgh. I mean, obviously TJ watch remarkable, but it looked easier than it should. And I mean, you got nineteen catches between DeVante Smith and A. J. Brown, and Pittsburgh knew that was coming with all the talk about AJ they knew it was coming. Is it scheme? It looked so easy? Is it the movement of hurts? And I'm past questioning, Siriani, But as I watched that game, I thought it shouldn't be quite this easy. Is there a scheme? Is it? What makes it look? Is it hurts? Is it play calling? What is it? Well?
It certainly helps when Pittsburgh offense. Pittsburgh's offense doesn't play well. They turned the ball over, they really weren't explosive, so you're getting more opportunities. And I really thought, like, exactly like you said, they said, hey, come out and beat us in the passing game.
We're gonna stop Saquon.
First you saw the RPO for the touchdown, and then like we've talked about it for you know, the whole season. Philly has the weapons, They are capable, Their quarterback is capable. People are jumping on him because he's been a little bit of a wait and see thrower, like I'm gonna wait and see until it's open, then I'm gonna throw it, and less of an anticipator the way you see guys like Tua Tongue Bailoa and so I just think this is still a young quarterback who's who's maturing. He's talking about you gotta water the grass. If you want the grass to look green, you gotta you you know, you have success in what you work on. Sure, I'll buy that. I just I really think, and I've said it all year. I think Philly is one of the best teams in football. People are quick to jump on board the Boo Birds in Philly because they're out quick in Philly. I mean, this is the fan base that Boo's Santa Claus. I mean, you know, and everybody loves Santa Claus. So I really think this is one of the best teams in football. Their biggest issue is going to be, like we've seen, sticking together and you know, keeping that humble mindset that beginner's mindset and staying focus week to week.
So it's interesting bo Nicks really struggled in the first half, and yet you know, Sean Payton and coaches kind of tell me what they think of their quarterback by the plays they call, so he didn't put bubble wrap on him. They went out in the second half. They were out played in the first. They were aggressive, and it was interesting because Bow had a really I mean, he was overshooting everybody. He had a rough first half. He it was rough, and I thought, oh, this could go sideways, and then the second half, I'm like, yeah, this is just one of those games. So I want you to go back to early in your career. I think it's it's easy to let a first half drag to the second emotionally, and yet Sean Payton's like, nope, just go make plays. And I think that's hard for a coach if you weren't as confident as Sean Payton to say, no, we're gonna throw the ball down the field. They should have lost that game. Jonathan Taylor did him a favor. They were totally outplayed, out schemed in the first half, and yet they won a little on bon neecks Peyton, but a little on your career. Is it hard after a rough first half to go, yeah, I'm just gonna forget it amnesia? Is that harder than we think?
It's a sign of a good team that you can win a game when your quarterback doesn't play well. But just speaking about Sean Payton, sure, I can remember at halftime early in my career, I wasn't playing well well. Mike Holnger and the head coach would come into the locker room and instead of berating me because I was the one not playing well in the first half, he would rip the defense who was playing well. He would rip the special teams, and he would say it in a way he'd be like defense leaders, special teams. I got a young quarterback, like I'm counting on you, not him, I'm counting.
On you to step up.
And it was almost like, oh crap, like he's it's actually worse than if he was ripping it.
Now.
I feel like, hey man, you better get your act together.
And I think even just like for the offensive line and the skill guys, they're saying like, hey man, we got to pick our young quarterback up.
We got to give him opportunities.
And I know the stats weren't great, so people are going to pile on Bonnicks and know the turnovers, but he had some great plays that.
Brought him back into that game.
Also, Yes, was he aided by the fact that the defense scored, the special teams came up huge.
Yeah, and that's part of it. That's part of football.
But I do think that this can give you confidence, almost like a blessing in disguise that says, hey, like, we're not about guy. And everybody on that team's been on a team where the quarterback got all the credit and it's like, oh, it's just because of the quarterback, and they knew the truth that this is a football team. It's eleven guys at a time, and it's way more than that to go into the success. And so when you have a team that's more about the collection that some of all the parts instead of just one guy who gets to talk at the podium after the game, I think there's something special there. And in Denver's building it, they've got a foundation and just much like Mike Hongrin did for us in Seattle, you can tell that Sean Payton's done that quickly in Denver.
Finally, Mahomes gets pretzoled in this football game. Obviously, this is a sport of attrition. He'll want to be out there. If I'm Kansas City, I'm like, I'm not going to play them against Houston. If Carson went swins, I'm not gonna playhim against Pittsburgh. That's easy for me to say, even as a veteran quarterback, Matt would two or three weeks off late in the season. Would it throw off your timing? Because Xavier Worthy is a young kid at received their timing is still building. Noah Gray is still a young tied end, and I think to myself, I think Andy would sit him and Mahomes would fight like hell to get back on. But I do wonder because their receiving corps is so young, if it could be a punitive decision to sit him for two to three weeks. It'd be different if I had Mike Evans and I'd been throwing to him for four years. How would you manage Mahomes now with the injury.
Yeah, I'm not worried about the timing. That gets overblown for sure, no doubt about that. I'll just say that Andy Reid has dealt with this before. He dealt with it with Brett farre he dealt with it with Donovan McNabb.
I'm sure he's dealt with it with Patrick Mahomes.
But really, what you do is you go to a guy like Patrick and you say, Okay, if you want to play, I will let you play.
But the ball has to come out on time.
You have to throw with rhythm, No worthy birds, no jump passes, none of that stuff. Because he's going to want to play. And I hear everyone talking about all just sit him and all that kind of stuff. That's fine in theory, but more of what it means to be a franchise quarterback, and especially for a guy like Patrick Mahomes, is you're sending a message to your team about mental and physical toughness and whether he should say he probably should sit if we're being real, But knowing who he is and the competitor that he is, just watching him through the years, he wants to be the guy that says, without saying a word, hey guys, I know we're all banged up. I know you're banged up. I know you're banged up. I'm banged up. Like, let's rise above it. It's not about what I can't do. Maybe I can't run for fifteen yards, but it's about what I can do. I can play like I'm forty years old from the pocket and slice and dice, whoever we're playing, I can do that. And so you know this game on Christmas that's coming up, we got a Saturday game, like you know, are the weeks that are coming up.
He's gonna want to be out there.
So I think if you're the coach, you just got to basically say to him, Okay, you want to go out there and be John Wayne, I'll let you do it. But the second I see you taking unnecessary hits, you're coming out on the sideline, and I think that's how they'll approach that.
Yeah, you give us such great insight. That is such a great answer to a question. I didn't see it coming. Matt Hasselback. Look at that trophy room behind you that I gotta be a all the years I've been doing this, look at that what's your favorite one?
Honestly, man, Like none of it matters really, it's kind of the journey. I guess maybe this one over here, over this over here, these are like these are my girls national championship trophies over there. So if your kids ever have something, it means more to you than anything that you ever did. But we got some good junk, I'll say that, but it's it's more about the journey and the memories and the teammates and the coaches and all that kind of stuff.
Good answer, Dad, that's a good answer right there. Matt hasselback. Good seeing you again, Maddy always see man. Yeah, well he's good. Helps eighteen years in the league. A few times one more heard.
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All right, here we go at tour two live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day if you're driving around anywhere on the contry, thanks for stopping by. For people who have not seen this, our studio, our tree department, I think that's who does it. Chop down a couple of furs on redwoods in the neighborhood and they're all over our set. It is beautiful. It didn't it make you feel warm and cozy. Jmac is the sweetest guy, so Jordan of break. Basically, it's a weird year for me and the family. I'm by myself on Christmas and Jmack's like, you could stop by, And I said, I said, do you do you want me to bring something over?
Do you think are you really going to reveal?
Well?
I said, I'll cater dinner and he goes, oh, really, do you think your chef friend would do it? And I said, I was thinking Buffalo Wildlings.
I did not even get a chance to text the family that we have a family text chat, and I was gonna put Buffalo wild Wing I had there.
I had their boneless chicken wings this weekend. Amazing. I'm gonna go to new bonless chicken wings diet. That's all. I died for Buffalo. It was all right, we do it every Tuesday. Nick right around the corner. It's the herd hierarchy. Here we go, heard hierarchy.
Time.
Now go The top ten NFL teams according to College number ten.
Okay, I gotta admit I'm kind of proud. Denver Broncos tied for number one scoring defense in the entire league, lead the NFL in sacks. They did not play well and won. They got out played by the Colts. They won four straight games. Bow Knicks is still in the growth period. But I said before the season, I did not buy they were a bad team. Sean Payton's one of the best coaches of my life. Bow Nicks had sixty one college starts. Mims, Courtland, Sutton, Patrick Sirtan, you got real dudes. Denver at ten, number nine, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I may have them low. I'm telling you I wouldn't want to play this team. The Chargers hadn't allowed over thirty points in the game. Tampa went in scored forty easy and I'm telling you Baker Mayfield now third in the NFL with thirty two touchdown passes. Be Veri's concerned about facing a team that can win by shootouts or win ugly, and that's what they can do. You can't run on them. Yet this roster can run on you. This is a weird team. Todd Bowles, who's a really wonderful guy and an excellent defensive coach, is proving you can get out of the way and let the offense be the offense. I got Tampa at nine, number eight Minnesota seven game winning streak. They are seven to one and one score games. I think a lot of the story here beyond Darnold is Kevin O'Connell, who they call the Tonnell Sean McVay. I think Kevin O'Connell is superb. And their defense Brian Flores number two against the run, number three in takeaways. Brian Flores deserves another job. He does because I don't think their defensive personnel is nearly as good is their defensive production. I think it's fine. The production is great. I think Flores deserves another gig. Minnesota Daight number seven, the Ravens. Listen. They have five losses by a combined twenty two points. A lot of it's been special teams. It's the best run offense in the league. I am rooting so hard for Lamar to do something in the playoffs because I don't buy this thing that he's not a great pocket quarterback. He is now. I do think Jmax touched on something yesterday. Dereck Henry's productions come down a bit. These are long seasons running backs. You're seeing JK. Dobbins, Dereck Henry, Montgomery with the Lions this is a rough sport. They're the last unprotected offensive player. I have the Ravens at seven. Number six. I'm gonna move Detroit down to six, and I'm not sure they are six. They've given up seventy nine points in two weeks, and it's not because the coaching's bad. They're running out of players. The defense has one takeaway in the last four games. Everybody moves the ball on them. They have eighteen players on the ir again. They can only win now in shootouts. I think green Bay this morning is the better team, and I obviously Detroit has beaten green Bay, but I have the lines at six. Number five. You do not want to play the Rams. They are now healthy, no turnovers, no sacks allowed in two games. This offensive line is winning games seven and two since the buye Okay, and when Stafford's got a healthy Pooka Nakua, seventeen touchdowns, four picks, Kyron Williams, Stafford haven Stein, Cooper Cup Poka Nakua, Sean McVay. You don't want to face them. They are hot and feeling it. Number four Buffalo, listen. Their defense is an issue. I know your phone out in love with Josh Allen folks. Detroit went up and down the field. The Rams went up and down the field. Their defense ranks twenty second. Now they're fifth in takeaways, so they'll take the ball away. And I love Josh Allen two, but he's had like nine hundred yards in two games and they lost one of them. You're not winning in February with this defense. They had got to get healthier. I think they're getting wrapped back. They're getting some of their back end back, but they are not good enough defensively. Number three the Packers. They're hot, they're healthy, and they are now a power run team. That game in Seattle, they turned the lights out on that thing after two drives. Eight and two since the start of October. Now, both losses were to the Lions because the Lions have a better team, but they don't today. I love Green Bay when they hold opponents under twenty five. They're nine to one. And I think Matt Lafleur is on a short list of one of the most underrated coaches in the league. Remember when he was at Tennessee, his reputation was he likes to lead with the run. He had Derrick Henry in Green Bay. This is his offense and his team. This is what Matt Lafleur knows. He is a run first. He's got a lot of Sean mcvahan Shanahan. He likes the run game. Green Bay at three, number two. Listen, Mahomes is banged up. This team is still ten to zero in games decided by a touchdown or less. They still have the best coach arguably ever. Mahomes probably sits this weekend against Houston, and then he'll be fine. I do worry about offensive tackle. I just they're not going to be great at it. Just keep your eye on this team. They're getting Hollywood brown back. I think the best of Kansas City will be the version in about you know, ten days when Patrick Mahomes returns. Number one. The most dysfunctional great team in sports, Philadelphia a ten game winning streak, with their coach getting in fights with the assistant coaches. I mean, everything they do screams bad organization, and yet all they do is win. They fire super Bowl winning coaches. I Philadelphia's wild is Nick Sirianni a good coach? Did you see that defensive line coach getting in his way? Would you do that with like Andy Reid would you do that with Sean Payton. I mean like Philadelphia breaks every rule in pro football. They fire winning coaches, they let go of Andy Reid, the coaches screaming at fans, draw in the locker room, players calling out the team on radio, and they win and they're loaded. This roster is stacked. There's the herd hierarchy. I like Green Bay a lot. I know you're shaking your head at green Bay, aren't you Didn't Buffalo beat case Like I don't know three weeks ago, and Buffalo's defense now is worse.
I think you're right on Green Bay. I actually like this except for Casey at two.
There's no shot. I don't even know if i'd have them top seven. Oh that's interesting. Our next guest, mavin do they don't care about that? Nick Wright is joining his live co hosts. First things like, I'm to a point like Kansas City's just a legacy vote, Like, I don't know what they're gonna look like. I think they'll beat Houston with Carson Wentz frankly, because I think Carson's one of the more talented backups.
Does everyone have access to a different set of standings than me? I love the legacy vote. Another way is they have the best record. They have the best coach, the best player, they're the two time defending champ and they have the best record. The Chiefs are being discussed this year like they're nine to five, but oh well, you've got to give them credit. They have the best record, and no J Mack. The Bills didn't beat the Chiefs three weeks ago. They did beat the Chiefs five weeks ago, and fifty seven weeks ago and one hundred and four weeks ago, as they beat them every regular season, and the Chiefs dog walk them in the playoffs. But if we're doing head to head thing, then I guess Baltimore should be out of Buffalo because Baltimore beat Buffalo by twenty five. And the Raiders should be super high because they beat they beat the Ravens. They of course didn't beat the Chiefs because only one team did.
So let's talk about this for.
A second, because this is now the second straight week, Colin, that you have left the Chiefs at two and have ahead of them a team who's coaching quarterback you don't trust. I told you if they played Detroit in the Super Bowl, you would you wouldn't take Detroit. Detroit's now down to six. All the Chiefs do is win Philly if it is Sirianni and hurts against Reid and Mahomes and the super Bowl. Again, there is no chance you're going with Philly. There's none whatsoever. Like I feel like I'm living in this alternate universe where everyone, your wonderful co host included, who was as wrong as anyone's ever been about anything about the Chiefs last year, and then in February it was like, I will not make that mistake again.
I'm sorry.
Has now seen the Chiefs win thirteen of fourteen games, and they're like, I don't know how good they are. I got a pretty good idea how good they are? Pretty damn good. So that's my takeaway. And you got the Broncos a little too high, but you love Sean Payton, so fine, I do.
Okay. So I was saying this about Detroit is that if you look, I mean, the NFL is not the NBA. You play hurt, you yell at players, It's it's kind of an Alpha league. And I think a lot of that is because you play outdoors. Everybody's hurt. You gotta play hurt and The truth is the power is in the coach and the GM, not the players. And so when I look at Dan Campbell, I understand we love the reckless in the wild and the crazy, but on side kicks, now you have to announce you're doing it, so the surprise of the onside kick is done. I watched that and I thought, I'm hoping he did that because he didn't trust his defense, because otherwise that was an agreed just lea reckless coaching move. I can think two things. I love the coach, but it is now time to pivot away from Hey, we're the little guy on the block. No, you're closer to IBM than the garage band, right.
So that's an important distinction. An important distinction is the underdog needs to play the variance game, the favorite needs to avoid it. And so what can be the right decision if it's like, man, if this game goes to overtime. Not that this was the concern there. You know, if you're a big underdog and you score a touchdown in the waning moments and extra point ties it to point wins it, there's a good argument go for the win because the more football that's played, the bigger you're you know, the other team's edge increases, but the Lions are now the favorite in a bunch of spots and still have an underdog mentality. Underdog mentality can be good, underdog strategy not so much. But my concern for the Lions is two weeks in a row.
Dan Campbell on.
The fourth down decision against Screen Bay and then the on side kick with twelve minutes left. Forget the strategy elements of it which I thought were flawed, and even the most aggressive analytical models say that's even too aggressive for our taste. Dan Campbell told not just the outside world but his team.
Yes, yeah, I don't trust the defense, yes at all.
Actually yep.
And that's the defense that they are now going to have to try to win a Super Bowl with. And I feel terribly for the Lions. I do think it's injuries. And again, not every team's Kansas City that can lose the running back, top three receivers, top corner, left tackle, defensive end and just keep chugging along. Most teams a derails them. And that might have been what happened to the or is happening to the Detroit Lions. But Colin, there are a lot of you know ways for this Lions team to go from the Super Bowl favorites for the first time in franchise history too out in the wildcard round. They are not locked into the one seed. They are not even locked into winning that division. If Minnesota passes them, then Detroit is going on the road to Tampa, who beat them, or to the Rams who played them to overtime earlier. If they fall to the two, they could be playing Green Bay, who just played them down to the final seconds a few weeks ago. Like, I think, Detroit's an excellent offensive team that unfortunately the defense doesn't have the horses right now to make them a real contender.
So it's I was saying this. There was a moment in that Eagles game where Nick Seriani went to talk to a player and a defensive line not even a coordinator, a defensive line coach stepped in, and I thought.
Whoa, whoa.
That's not the way it works, Like this moment tells me, and you would never do that to an elite code. You wouldn't do that to Vrabel Tomlin Peyton read. Isn't that a sign that if they lose early regardless of his past wins, Sirianni's in trouble well.
So it's so interesting. Also, poor big dumb Big Dom's like, uh, you put me in a tough spot here, like the one guy on the sideline bigger than me that's not a player, the one that he got an issue with. I don't know what I'm supposed to do here. So the Sirianni stuff is so fascinating to me Colin, because I am a I know it is not in vogue these days to you know, care about things like wins and losses and your actual record, but those of us that do wins are are a coaching stat and his win loss record is spectacular, so I have to give him credit for that.
The flip side is I don't know what he does.
Kellen Moore calls the plays, Vic Fangio does the defense. It seems like aj Brown via press conference dictates what style of offense they're going to play. His game management is shaky and he doesn't put out fires. He sends to set them. So I want to be fair to Sirianni because the results, aside from the end of last season, have been exemplary when he's there. But it is true that Philadelphia it's been reported considered replacing him after last year. Right now, the team has the number one scoring and number one yard yardage defense in football, the best running game in football, and two of the best wide receivers in football. If they and I don't think they will, by the way, I think this is a deserved right now NFC favorite given what's happened with Detroit. But if they fall short, I just don't see a lot of scenarios where it's not either because of something ridiculous Sirianni did or because Jalen Hurts, who's out here scolding the media saying, oh, is that what you guys wanted to see, as if it were the media that started that conversation, not his star wide receiver and the longest tenured player on the team in Brian and Graham.
But something aside. I think it will either.
Because Sirianni screws it up or Hurts comes up short.
Yeah. So I watched the Bears last night, and I think there are three. So I'm going to ask you the question I asked Jmack and just let's just play along. There are three broken teams to me in the league. Bears, Jets, Giants, broken Chargers were a little broken last year, but they had a quarterback. And to be honest, in my lifetime, Fouts, Breeze, Rivers, Herbert, They're always fun to watch. They always get the offense right. They were never broken. They just chargered a lot of wins. In the losses fans.
Fans are like, we can't even get on the broken teamless like jeez, but gohead.
Sorry, So I'm gonna ask you this. You're Mike Rabel, who is clearly now that Belichick's in college, the number one I would argue, of the three, the Jets have the best roster, excellent corners, pass rush, now, two receivers start back, and they found their left tackle out of Penn State. Don't love Aaron, but I think it's the best roster. Will play along. The Giants have the best game day revenue in the best history when they're rolling. That is, they are second to the Yankees in that city. They are a big deal. The Bears have Caleb Williams. You are Mike Rabel, What do you tell your agent, star quarterback, best roster or the blue blood franchise having a rough decade?
Yeah, the easy one is this last place is the Jets, and I you know, if one does believe in cursed franchises, the single most tortuous thing and cruel thing to Jets fans is exactly what has happened, which is the moment they're eliminated from playoff contention. They see the version of Aaron Rodgers. They thought they were gonna get the whole time, and it might just be enough to fool that dopey franchise to bringing him back at age forty two and running this whole thing back for more disasters. So the Jets are a clear last place. Okay, I think the Bears must go with an offensive coach, but that's not your question. Your question is essentially, if Rabel were offered all three jobs, which one would he take. I if I were Mike Rabel, I would take the Bear. I would take the Bears, Okay, because I still believe Caleb Williams is a going to be a great player. I think Caleb is having one of the oddest rookie seasons ever. He refuses to throw interceptions, and I actually think that's a bad thing. I'd feel better if he had been throwing some interceptions. Also that his function of the firing the oc, firing the head coach. All of that has worked against him. But I think they are going to go offense, which then means, if I'm Brabel, I think the Giants are exciting. He's injured right now, but they have a franchise left tackle Malik Nighbors is a great player, even if he's already kind of, you know, graduated to DIVA receiver a dozen games into his career. But Brabel get his arms around that. They have an excellent defensive line, and they're going to be able to draft the quarterback in the top two or three, which is where they're going to be drafting. So I think that for Vrabel is what fits. I think the Bears are the most attractive job, but I think that they are have to go offense to try to pair Caleb with someone who can grow together.
By the way, you know, I let you sit here and take shots at me. I did get the Denver Broncos, right, I'm gonna be honest.
Okay, so here's the thing. I wouldn't listen. You did get the Denver Broncos, right. I also listen their preseason total was five and a half. Yeah, I thought that was insane. And but I would just I would pump my bow Knicks victory left, Sean Payton victory Lafts.
Fine, okay, the bow Nick stuff.
I mean I think Bo Nicks is, you know, turned thirty this year and I just saw him throw three picks and need Jonathan Taylor to drop the ball in the one and you know the terrible Ady Mitchell play. But listen, Nick, Benito's an excellent player. Broncos are going to be in the playoffs and gonna you know, so, good job by Sean Payton, Good job by you. Maybe just one day, let me ask you this, Rekal quick. All right, next year, if the Chiefs are the three time defending Super Bowl champions and have the best record in the NFL, do you think you can find it within your heart to keep them at number one.
On the hierarchy? Is that fair?
I know, two time defending champs, best record, need to see more. If they pull off the three beat and have the best record, can they be number one?
No promises, you know, it's just new information.
Yeah, of course, see it.
Buddy, Nick? Right, Yeah, the Bo Nicks. Okay, so he's thirty four years old out of college. I mean, you guys are so picky on stuff. If you have you called your wife and asked about my suggestion for Chris, I don't I don't have to check in on that.
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Willian Edelman in a while, three time Super Bowl champ and MVP twelve years in the NFL. So the Belichick thing is interesting. Urban Meyer was on a couple hours ago and he said, you know, now, it used to be in December you were in your car recruiting. Now they come to you. He goes, Actually, several years ago I thought Belichick was a terrible fit in college, but actually now he can sit in his office. You're sitting down with Mike Lombardi and how much do you want have you changed? We've had so many different opinions on Belichick. What are you making of it today?
You know, the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. One, you know, projecting players. I know that you're not a big fan of them with that, but he did have a guy, Steve Neil, who was a wrestler that was a three time Super Bowl champion guard I was a project. I was a quarterback in college. He projected me as a receiver.
Gronk was a huge Gronk.
You know Tom Brady see you know is that a project players. Two, his dad was a part of that whole thing. He loves nostalgia. He loves his f family. Anything that his father was a part of he loves. So that makes sense. And then you know, three, it comes down to NCAA's pro football. Now, like like Urban said, this is just turning into a introductory.
Pro Football League baseball. It's Triple A baseball. Now there is something that you noted. This is interesting for our audience. Spring football actually is better in college than the pros because of the CBA in the NFL is very limiting, without a doubt.
So like when everyone talks about the developmental players, you know, I've never seen Bill have spring practice full padded. Now he's gonna have fifteen practices to install his system, full contact, eight hours a week, whatever it is, perhaps with pads, to install his offense and get his team ready, which those in the NFL are passing camps and shows.
You can't go pads in the NFL you can't go pads in the NFL.
As a matter of fact, when your day is done, you have such strict work law laws that you have to leave the facility. You can't throw extra after the facility. Now, I think, you know, I don't know the college laws, but I just remember when I was in college, we used to run so much in six in the morning. Then we'd go and have football practice after, and then you'd have meetings, so.
You could install your whole offensive spring.
You could install your whole offense in spring, and that's what we do in the league through those passing camps in mini camps. Now it's effective for us because we've all had a foundation and we're all pros.
But at a younger level, you know, you.
Get to hit these kids, they get to hit and you get to develop them at a faster eight. So it's going to be very interesting to see how fundamentally sound his teams will be because of that off season spring practice and the ability to go out and prep full pads.
Okay, so Danny Parkins came on the Bears. Well he's from Chicago, and he said, listen, Vrabel's a bit overvalued because he had a losing record last couple of years. He got into a power struggle. Chicago could be a power struggle. You're better off going and finding an offensive coordinator. I think Chicago's too big of a job, too many obstacles to just say, here, offensive coordinator, run the steeplechase. It's too much. Where do you fall on that? With Rabel, I follow that.
If he was interested in the Bears, they should definitely hire him. They need a culture guy, like I know that's what you call him, but they need someone that's gonna grab someone by the back of the neck and say, hey, I need to talk to you in the hallway because you're slouching or.
You're doing this. They need an accountability guy. You know.
It's very similar to the Detroit thing with the historical you know, the amount of losses that they've had historically in Detroit. They need a culture guy that going int mc DC, Mike Rave m d C. But like, this guy's a savant when it comes to football. And I'm not saying mc DC isn't, but like I know Vrabel for you know, firsthand. So they need a culture they need someone that's gonna be a hold people accountable. And I believe if he wants that job, he you know, they should try to hire him.
Yeah. Rabel, who told us jmak was it was it Urban told us last week that he thought Vrabel was the smartest player he ever coached. Somebody told me.
That it was probably Matt Patricia, Josh, Josh McDaniel, McDaniels.
He thought he was as smart as any He said he could. He retained so much information. Yeah, he retained it.
And uh, he even gave Brady crap. He gave everyone crap. And then that was the thing. He was so smart that he could get under your skin and you couldn't do anything about it because he knew your assignment.
He knew his assignment.
And this is all while he was on scout team, you know, as a starting defensive end playing safety. Like that's the kind of guy he is, and that's the kind of guy you need. You need an a hole then that that's what they're lacking in that locker room. There's way too much noise.
At Naggy was a great guy in one and they didn't like that.
No, they need someone to come in and and you know, tighten things up.
They need. He had an identity in in nash in Tennessee.
They were I heard the guy who came in on your show talking about, well, you need an offensive mine. We need to You know, all these offensive play callers, don't you know? They could call plays? But I don't necessarily know about their leadership skills. You don't know how they're going to be as a head coach. Sean McVay and Shanahan aren't just coming out of the factory. Those guys are you know, one of ones. You know, a guy like Mike, you know, he's a culture guy that's gonna be fundamentally sound, that's gonna have the respect of every single guy in there because he's a three time Super Bowl winning player. He's a coach that has a lot of you know, a lot of merit behind him. Was a you know, number one seed with Tennessee. Like, this guy's got the resume, he's got the attitude, and I think he's what you know, the Chicago Bears need.
Okay, So I have said, I like Brock Purty. You start talking fifty large, I don't like Brock Purdy. I go Sam Darnold at forty for three years over Brock at fifty five, and I think If you look at almost all now wide receivers, different they come third round, fifth, six, seventh, take out Brady. You look at most great quarterbacks right now, of the fourteen playoff quarterbacks, twelve or first rounders, Hurts is a second rounder. You drop to the seventh for a reason. Scouting is much more sophisticated today than fifteen years ago and twenty years ago when Tom went. It's hard to find a sleeper. People like Purty, but he was reckless, he was small, he struggles in wet weather. I can't pay him big money. I know he wins. I can't. Yeah, am I wrong?
You know, if there's a five in there at starting with a five, it's gonna be tough because of what we're seeing with Sam Donald in Minnesota.
I mean, this is his.
Backup last year with the players and the semi similar scheme that they have, and we're seeing what Sam Donald is this year. I do agree that the seventh round thing I specifically remembered. If you know, I felt if I was drafted in the third or the fourth rounds, I would have made probably forty percent more money. But because I was a seventh rounder, I always got labeled with that and you know, I don't know if that's gonna be different with Brock, but just through this whole year, I remember going and talking about on kickoff in week five when they were going through a bit of adversity, they're starting to drop guys. I said, specifically, this is gonna turn this year. Will determine whether you're a thirty million dollar quarterback or a fifty million dollar quarterback. And through the whole year, it looks more like he's a thirty million dollar quarterback, which is a great quarterback. He's a good football players, yes, but we're seeing his limitations when guys aren't playing and when there's you know, when there's excuses. You know what did Sean Connery say? You know, excuses are for losers, winners of the guys who go home take the prompt.
You know. That's that's just that's the thing. I always use the if rule. Yeah, if you're a quarterback, that's an if, Like Josh Allen is great, Brady's great, good weather, bad weather. If you're an IF quarterback, two is the ultimate. If if it's warm, you're at home, have protection, an offensive coach, and are healthy excellent. A lot of ifs Brock struggles in wet weather, struggles without McCaffrey, struggles playing in the fourth quarter, especially behind. There's a lot of qualifiers. If I'm if the first numbers five, you can't be an if guy, you can't. You can't.
And this is a product of this whole system. Okay, I mean if you look at it. Two is in the same system. Yeah, Brock's in the same system. Jimmy G's in the same system. Curate, but nothing timing, Yeah, exactly. And the only one who really has manifested the whole thing and won the Super Bowl is Matthew Stafford, who wasn't born in the system, who was born in a drop back system that went to this system, the West Coast system.
Number he's one of the all time great on He's one of the all time great arms.
And that's what I this, This this whole Shanahan McVeigh system. It's a it's a very quarterback friendly system that allows guys to go out and get high production. Now it's gonna cost you if when you have to go sign them because of that.
Yeah, that's a good point. So I said two days ago, the Philadelphia Eagles have all these qualities that bad franchises have. You know, the coaches barking at other coaches. The players are going on local radio and criticizing the chemistry, and Jalen Hurts and Brandon Ingram aren't tight and they they run through coordinators. It's like a j Brown, you know issue with Jalen Hurts and this is what like Carolina does or the Bears, And I'm like, but Philadelphia keeps winning, so they're like strangely effective and productive despite drama and dysfunction.
How well he gets the roster. They have the best roster in football. I think you gotta you gotta tip your cap to Howie and sa Quan when you have a run game, like with Saquon a generational running back, he masks a lot of things and winning masks everything. But this will go and catch up to them in the playoffs, I believe, so uh you know, I know, winning cures a lot, but there's been a lot of crazy noise and it would be it would be unreal to me to see if they can continue to have all these little feutes, these outside noises. We got Dom the security guy who's a care like, we have so many things. It would surprise me if they went on one the super well, because there's gonna be a fundamentally sound team that's gonna be mentally tough, that's not gonna go down this road, that's gonna you know, that's.
Gonna handle them. Now.
I don't want to sound like a hater. I do sound like a hater right now. But it's just I've never seen it happen. I've never seen this with leadership the way that they have that's to go out and win a show.
What's the video we have this week? Sirianni went to talk to Jalen cart He got punked, he got pumped the coach.
Yeah, there's just a lot. I think there's a lot of lack of respect for the head coach. I felt, I like, players can they have the best roster, They got really good football players, and but I think that the leadership. You can't have a head coach that doesn't have the respect everyone. I just don't when it comes down to it in like a gotta have it situation or some kind of something where he's gonna have to make a decision, I I just don't see it happening.
You know, it's it's they've proved me wrong. All year.
But you know we're talking about like it's either super Bowl or bust for this team. Yeah, that's it's not about getting to the NFC Championships, not about winning two playoff games.
This team needs to win. Now, go to your most dysfunctional year in New England. I mean, there was a lot of stuff. But when I watched the documentary, go to the year where you remember thinking it, damn, it's noisy here. What year was it and what transpired at the end of the season.
I would say nineteen was pretty noisy. That the whole you know, when we had Ab come in, you know, and then you know, Rob retired, there was a whole lot of going on in the front office and that whole thing.
Uh.
And we lost in the first round to the Tennessee Titans, that's right, you know, and.
We were those last game in Foxborough.
With without a doubt last throw Logan Ryan And it was a noisy year.
That was a noisy year.
Another noisy year I would say was seventeen.
How'd that end? We lost in the Super Bowl to Philadelphia Helthia Oh, that was the Malcolm Butler.
That was a noisy year where you know, we had a really good football team. I think we threw for five hundred yards that day and we couldn't win the game.
You know, like, and you felt it during the season. It was tense.
It was tense, but I was I was kind of away from the team that year because I was in the training room.
I was, you know, doing my ACL. I had my ACL that year.
So but anytime there was or you know, after the Hernandez thing, we lose in the playoffs, you know what I mean. Yeah, So like anytime there was crazy noise, And I'm not just trying to hate on Philadelphia. I just had everything right has to happen for you to win a Super Bowl.
You know, I've won three of them.
I went to five of them, and some of the best teams I played on didn't even get there. Like, everything right has to go in favor for you to win the Super Bowl. And when they're there's little things they will add up. It's remember Belichick always saying, you know, it's like when you when you put in a hardwood floor and you have to hammer all the nails down, you have to make sure you'd hammer every single one, because there's gonna be one that you didn't hammer down. That you may not see, but six months later you're gonna stub your toe on that that nail. And that's kind of the thing that this is. You know, it's it's gonna it's gonna catch up to them. Now, yeah, that's.
That, no I think. I mean, you're in your life. There were three noisy years. You never took call on the trophy, never took go on the trophy. Give me the perfect year you had when everything worked you literally the Super Bowls over. No, we had some noise too. What was that Atlanta year?
Well, no, the year we went you know whom Tom was suspended in sixteen.
You know, we had noise that year.
But we also had Tom Brady and and Bill Belichick and that that pair. You know, that's not Hurts and Sirianni, right right, you know what I mean, And I'm not there's nothing against those guys. They're very good at what they do, but like, there's nothing like we had to have a lot of mental toughness and we had the best football player in the history of the game, prime and his prime to do that. So that was like the one noisy ish year that we went on one and then you know, I was suspended in eighteen for the first four that was a noisy year, and we won the Super Bowl, but like that was different as well because we have Belichick in.
Well both of them. The noise was in September. In September, that's right. These this noise is coming like weekly. It's weekly noise.
And I feel bad because it's it's a fun team to watch. They were like, when you watch a qualmy on the football, AJ Brown takes you know his one he gets slant routes, he gets three or four slant routes a game that he breaks four tackles on and gets twenty five plus year.
I'll make this argument, all make this argument. This is the most talented NFL roster this right here. I'm trying to think of one that's second. I'll tell you that Brady one that won Tampa when he basically they got Tristan Wurfs and he was like, oh crap, he's great. And Gronk came and ab that roster. Reid dudes everywhere that was. They had one issue, right tackling running back, and they solved that. That was an all start. I mean, hell, that team the year before had thirty picks by Jamison almost almost made the playoffs, almost made the playoffs, but he also had thirty three touchdowns. Julian Edelman, great team. Am I gad to see you one more?
Heard?
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It's a special day of football Saturday on Fox. Cat's the next chapter in a bitter historic rivalry of Russell Wilson and his Steelers take on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
It all kicks off Saturday at four eastern on Fox. Okay, so a lot of people talk, but what do your actions lead me to believe? So? Jmack is a Chiefs hater. He's very critical of the Chiefs. But I thought today we would take the fourteen playoff quarterbacks if the playoffs started today. Now, some may get bumped out, not many. It's getting closer and closer. When Denver beats the Colts, you're getting closer and closer. If the Chargers beat Denvers, then I kind of feel like the AFC is locked in. So these are the fourteen quarterbacks. So a playoff game tomorrow in order. I'll let you start. You're very critical of Mahomes. I believe the word you use is lucky, so generous.
So you do.
We're going to go in the quarterbacks available. We're doing a quarterback draft for playoff success. You go first, Who would you take out of all these great quarters? Well, that's so kind of you what you're in the holiday spirit. I'm gonna put you to the task because I would take Mahomes without even blinking. The guys at one, he's fifteen and three. I don't care about fifteen. I care about this year called. Okay, go ahead, you can numbers one pick in the quarterback draft. Jason MacIntyre.
So Josh Allen, quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, who's been the best quarterback by a mile this.
Season in the league. I mean, I've got a.
Bunch of stacks, by the way to win the MVP's minus nine hundreds. Okay, you bet nine hundred bucks.
To win one hundred. I know the playoffs.
He has not historically been awesome, but who cares. I'm talking about this year and this Buffalo offense. Colin with Cook ken kaid keon Coleman's back, they got so many weapons, and Josh Allen is the ultimate chess piece.
He's the number one pick, hands down. Yeah, I'm gonna take the guy who's fifteen and three and is the greatest quarterback postseason record wise we've ever seen so far. I'm gonna take Patrick Mahomes in eighteen career playoff games, forty six touchdowns, only nine turnovers, and again that's against playing like against Belichick and Buffalo. I'm gonna go Mahomes.
Oh, this is tough because I really like Lamar Jackson a lot.
But with the second pick in the.
I'm going with Jalen Hurts in the Philadelphia Eagles. I think we're headed toward A Bill's Eagles Super Bowl. So I get both quarterbacks that are going to be in the Super.
Bowl this year.
Now, Listen Hurts has been up and down a little bit, obviously, Saquan Ski, you know, up and down. I just looked at the Eagles injury report for this week. It ain't great, but we're talking about the playoffs. Eagles still could get the number one seed in the buy. They could overtake Detroit Chancer slim, but it could happen. And I just love everything about Jalen Hurts running passing, AJ Brown healthy.
I'm gonna take Matt Stafford, who's on an absolute heater, ten touchdowns, no turnovers, last five games, and the fact that the offensive line is healthy, Kyron Williams, Puka Nakua, Cooper Cup, Sean McVay. I'm taking Matt Stafford. I have Patrick, Mahomes and Matt Stafford of our last three super Bowls. Those are the three quarterbacks that have won all the Super Bowls. I'll have Mahomes and Stafford. By the way, we're taking our time on this, but that's my second so we got four of them off the board. Who's number five?
Oh, you're living in the past, number five. This feels almost too easy. I gotta go Lamar Jackson, who's the second best quarterback in the league this year after Josh Allen. Again, I know the historic playoff issues with Lamar. I'm thinking this year, this is this year draft. Lamar has been fantastic. Ravens are gonna be live.
Trust me.
I think I talk to some people, it sounds like this whole Derek Henry struggling. They're saving Henry.
Lamar hasn't really been unlock running the ball a lot would not shock me. If the Ravens are in the AFC Championship, I'll take Jordan Love, who again excellent o line, multiple weapons, one of the healthier teams in the league, fourth most passing touchdowns in the NFL the last two years, with missing a month because of injuries. I think Jordan Love's got a great coach, got a power run game, has the best collection of young tight end receiver talent. I'd take Jordan Loves. So I want to.
I want to steal your guy, bo Nicks. But but but there's no way on Earth.
I could draft Hi.
I'm gonna go a little bit, a little let's get a little crazy. Let's go with Baker Mayfield again. This year. Baker lights out. Remember Godwin got hurt. Everybody sold their buttstock, Holy col Baker Mayfield has been tremendous with Mike Evans, that three headed running back game. Even the tight end Kate Otten showed well.
Listen, I know it's not gonna be popular. You guys can laugh all.
You want, But the way Baker's playing right now, I think Tampa's gonna be dangerous in the NFC.
I'm gonna take Jared Goff with that great offensive line. Listen, Goff has played a lot of playoff games. Eight and he's five hundred, so he has played eight playoff games. I think that experience matters. I like Darnold. He's never had a playoff start, and they led the Rams not only do a Super Bowl, he lost to the Patriots. I think Goff has overlooked the fact that you take baker over golf in a playoff game. Interesting, So we got nine guys off the board, eight or nine. Do you know who one head to head this year? Right in that game?
Listen, I love Justin Hurt as much as the next guy. I don't know their chances. If they lose this weekend, they're gonna be facing.
The Bills are Chiefs in the first round.
That's a loss.
So I am gonna go a little surprise.
Here and go with Sam Darnald slinging Sammy d only because I think the Vikings.
Are gonna have a shot in the NFC and I think Darnald can make a run.
Colin, this kid is lights out indoors. You know, we'll see what happens when he goes outdoors. But I like everything I've seen from Darnal. I saw some people saying, hey, fringe MVP votes, is he gonna be the most sought after quarterback in free agency?
It's all because he's been awesome this year. I'll take Justin Herbert, who has gone eleven straight games at one point this year without an interception. I think the loss of JK. Dobbins has hurt him significantly. But you're talking about I mean, let's be honest. We both think he's a top six quarterback in the league. And we're ten quarterbacks into this thing. That's this deal. I get Harbaugh Slater at left tackle. I tend to think Lad McConkie's pretty special. By the way, Hayden Hirst activated tonight, good tight end. I'll take the Chargers tonight to win, and I'll take Justin Herbert. Yeah, that maybe a whip by me on that one. I'll go Jaydon Daniels Washington. I like this kid.
I know they kind of played with their food against the Saints, but man, this kid comes out strong.
Start to gains.
Look what they've been doing first quarter recently. Jayden and Daniels would be my guy there. Next up on the board, I would take C. J. Stroud again, not a lot of playoffics. You know, he's one in one career in the playoffs, so he's been there before. Bo Nicks hasn't.
I think c J. Stroud's good. It's a hard team for me to figure out. They beat the Bills earlier this season, they dominated the Dolphins. I never know quite what I'm getting, but I would take c J. Stroud my final pick.
I believe we're down to I only see two names here, and I'm gonna have to go with my doppel ganger, Russell Wilson.
Yes, listen, once he gets Pickens back.
And it looks like Pickens and slaves to play.
This is a dangerous Russell Wilson, him.
And Arthur Smith really vibing. They just need Pickens to invigorate the deep ball. I'll go Russell Wilson with my final play. I'll take bone Knicks. And something interesting about bo Nix that doesn't.
Get this discuss. Do you know how he has the sixth most rushing attempts this year. He runs a lot and he's really a quick, twitchy athletic kid. So and again, Sean Payton is part of the reason I like him. So let's look at J. Max Picks and my picks, and see, uh see who got the better crop of quarterbacks? Obviously I get Mahomes, so I feel pretty good about that. I feel pretty great having Josh Allen. I get Mahomes. Stafford love GoF Herbert Stroud bow Neck.
You know what would make this interesting is one of the producers said, why don't we tally playoff victories?
You see at the end of the postseason, now how things stack up. I have a feeling I am as surprised here that you went, Jalen Hurts your second quarterback. What do you mean Eagles? You had them? Did you have the number one? No? No, on the Hurt higherarch. I like them, but if they win in the playoffs, Saquon Barkley and aj Brown, in my opinion, in will have to be substantial.
You know who gets in the ball, right, Jalen Hurts hands it off to them and.
Throws it to them.
He's the He's the guy down on Jalen.
Now we all love staff I can't believe I got Justin Herbert as the tenth quarterback taken well, and he's gonna have Dobbins at that point.
But by the way, on Stafford they might not even make the playoffs, and you took him second.
I think he's pretty good if the Jets beat him. This my sources are telling me Matt Stafford is good breaking impeccable sources.
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All right, here we go. What a weekend of massive college football. The College Football Playoffs starts tonight Indiana at Notre Dame, Texas and Clemson. Over the weekend, Penn Stage's playing as well live in Los Angeles. It's The Herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. So J Mack having a terrible year betting NFL my worst ever. Most of the time, I'm fifty five to fifty six percent, but it's been a year in which favorites have done well. I tend to take dogs, so I've been off all year. That's that's the breaks. Nobody cares. But I will tell you today I thought, I thought the single best bet of the weekend was a college bet. Oh, and so I thought, I'm going to open it up. I'm gonna give people an opportunity. It's a bet that you and I both agree with uh, and it's never too late to turn it around. Coward. You remember last year. I think you started. I mean who could who remembers nine of one?
Yeah, and you turn it around positive so like you could do it? Yeah, I' finished, strong man, It's not how you start, say finished.
I like your optimism. So here we go on to Friday. My blazing five one. Let's blaze it up up.
It's Collins Blazing five sponsored by Draft Cakes.
Indiana had Notre tacks. I like Indiana plus seven and a half. It's going to be in the upper twenties, wind chill in the upper teams. I don't I think either offense is going to be great. I think the game will be fast. It will be the run game, eating the clock. Indiana is really well coached, coming off their most dominant performance of the year crushing Purdue. This is not Ohio State in Columbus. The weather will be a factor. It'll slow down both offenses. A Notre Dame's defense, by the way, USC got five hundred and sixty yards against him, could have won that game without pick sixes. The last two opponents that Notre Dame has faced have both had over one hundred and ninety yards rushing, so Indiana's the second highest scoring team in college football. I think it is a game with a lot of running. I really like Indiana's coach. I think Ohio State's a different team in good weather than Notre Dame in bad weather. I'll take the Irish to win, but I'm taking the seven and a half points twenty seven to twenty three fighting Irish Texas. Both Jmack and I like the Longhorns to cover. I don't know how Clemson scores. I could argue, you know, are they really you know, they don't really feel like a college football playoff team. Texas is eleven to zero against everybody not named Georgia. Their offense is sputtered, but I think their defense could score against Clemson. Clemson's the only playoff team with three losses from a week conference zero to two against SEC teams outscored fifty one to seventeen, and again the Texas defense. That's why their offense has been so conservative. They may not need to score more than a touchdown or two. I'm not sure how Clemson mounts long drives in this game. I'm gonna swallow the twelve points. I think I'd prefer to see Arcs manning at quarterback. Texas wins thirty to thirteen Ramsaid hits at minus three. I'll take the Rams. First of all, the game means a lot more. This is a Jets team that had to fight like crazy to come back and beat an awful, awful Jacksonville team. Also, I get Stafford and McVeigh coming off extra time because they played on Thursday. They control their own destiny. They need to win this game. No turnovers and no sacks. Last two games. The O line's finally healthy. By the way, they are five and zero this year. When they don't turn it over. The Jets, by the way, last four games, you know they're one score games. They keep it close. I think it'll be close, but the game means more. It's been a noisy, noisy week for the Jets. I'm going to take the Rams to win and cover twenty seven to twenty three forty nine ers. At DOLFA, I'm going to take the Niners minus one to win straight out. Here's my problem with Miami. People have figured them out. Tyreek Hill has gone over one hundred yards once in the last thirteen games. TUA has not completed a pass over twenty yards in the air before Thanksgiving. And the Niners are a bully. They're very good against teams that are below five hundred. They average thirty two a game. They're coming off extra rest four to oh against teams currently under five. They remind me a little of Baltimore when you stack them up against a great team. The Niners have flaws. When they can bully an average team like Miami, they win. I'll lay the one point. Niners win twenty eight to twenty four. Patriots and Bills. I don't like big favorites, but the Bills have won nine straight regular season home games minus fourteen. I'll lay the points. They've scored thirty plus and eight straight games. They don't allow sacks, so I don't think Josh Allen will be rushed. They've only allowed thirteen sacks all year, and they're outscoring their opponents at home by seventeen a game. The Patriots have lost four straight. They can't score. There's questions about the coaching Listen, I get the best NFL team at home that protects their quarterback against a Girodmeo team that has gotten worse. Whatever they do offensively, people have figured it out point differential. I think the bills cover thirty to thirteen are draft Kings Sportsbook. New customers bet five bucks, get one hundred and fifty and bonus bets if your five dollars bet wins. Download the app. The promo code has heard h E R D when you sign up. Yeah, there we go, J Mack, if you want to look at the picks. I like the college games this weekend. I kind of My take is I hate big favorites, but Green Bay and Buffalo are not only big favorites, they're playing really good football. And I think my favorite bet of the week is Texas minus twelve. I don't know how Clemson engineers any offense in that game.
Yeah, I like them. By the way, have you seen the images from South Bend, Indiana? So you know, very cold. I got some buddies going to the game. They are fired up.
I like Notre Dame. I'm excited.
I can't wait for the playoff games. Yeah, Texas as well, I'm with you on that for you.
Yeah, so I mean Notre Dame Indiana. I think people look at Indiana and I think it's being overplayed that they're a fraud Ohio State good weather at home, that was a tough place for Indiana. Yeah, okay, but this first of all, it's not gonna be as loud because people are going to be wrapped up. It is freezing. And again this is a Notre Dame defense. I went to the game at the Coliseum, USC moved the ball. They got shredded through the area. Yeah. So, And also I do think that Indiana is closer in talent to Notre Dame than they are at Texas or in Ohio State. I just I felt watching that game. We were two series in and I'm like, Okay, this is big white football. They don't have the players the Buckeyes do. And Ohio State, by the way, does that to a lot of people? I don't think. But I think Indiana can play a Penn State, a Notre Dame, other teams that are good and compete.
I fear, how much like the winter break comes into play because a lot of colleges, you know, the kids are a back off campus, they're not there.
I don't know how juiced up these home stadiums are going to be.
They're calling for a whiteout and happy all yes, is it going to be? Are all the students still there. Are they hanging or did they hang around? After finals? Everybody usually wants to get.
Out of dodge. I don't know what this is going to be like. We've never seen this before. Yeah no, I mean, and I think anytime you've never seen anything before, it makes it. I can't wait to watch it tonight. I'm going to the Doma cosm. Oh, I'm going to go watch it. I'm going to see what it looks like. By the way, if you've never gone to that thing, there's one in LA and Dallas, one coming to Atlanta Detroit. If you've never been to that place. In a snow game, it's incredible to see what the players are going through. In the officials, I don't know how you call a game and is official in snow games, I don't know how you do it. By the way, I just I want to show you something that's really I like Jim Harbaugh a lot. I loved the last night was so much about Jim Harbaugh going with the old school kick in that football game that hadn't happened since a fifty two yarder by Paul Horning of the Packers in nineteen sixty two. So it was you know, it was the end of the half, and it was a fair catch and there was interference in a penalty, and so there's a fair catch and you are allowed to do this. Now none of us have ever seen this thing before, but now you are on that penalty, you can kick it from there. And the Chargers have one of the best kickers in the league, and so they're like, all right, we're gonna kick it before half. And there's a big difference being down eleven and being down eight. Okay, down eight okay, it's a one score game and two point conversion. So Dick or the kicker bang hits it. From that point on, the Chargers dominated, And I thought it was a real glimpse of the culture that Jim Harbaugh's created.
It was.
It was a banged up football team. You trail, but they're opportunistic. They bring back an old school football play and here this is so classic. Here's Harbaugh after.
They're loud and brade like we've never sung it before.
So he goes out into the city.
What who could possibly have it better than that?
He's a Jim fluencer. By the way, December fourteenth, last season, they gave up sixty points to the awful Raiders. This year, they secured a playoff spot, ninety seven chance they make the playoffs. That's that game last night had Jim Harbaugh written all over it.
