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Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

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Here we go. It is a Tuesday. What a week we had last week? Not slowing down 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. We are packed today. Zach Ertz Nick right, Michael Urbanstoff by jmack It. We all know Andy Reid's the best coach in the league. But what Sean mcvaghy did last night, Wow, that was a flex.

Here we go. It is a Tuesday. What a week we had last week? Not slowing down 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. We are packed today. Zach Ertz Nick right, Michael Urbanstoff by jmack It. We all know Andy Reid's the best coach in the league. But what Sean mcvaghy did last night, Wow, that was a flex.

Hope you followed me.

Hope you followed me.

On the Rams. Felt they did follow you on the Rams, My friend, you talked me into it. Dinner is on me. So let's start today's show, The Easy Show to do the easy One. I'm not into Easy is Sam Donald stinks? No, he doesn't. He's closer to Baker Mayfield than Patrick Mahomes. He doesn't stink. You don't do what he did this year in stink. If you look at the stats last night, first downs, oh Rams had fewer than Minnesota passing, first downs, Minnesota third down efficiency, Vikings way better, total plays, rushing penalties, Vikings only had two. Rams had actually ten time of possession Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings. What I watched was a coaching clinic. Brian Flores, who's really good, got worked. The Rams first drive was seven plays, seventy yards touchdown. As Greg Cosell noted, the Rams D line was going to be a problem for the Vikings O line. Kevin O'Connell going forward at midfield minute thirty left in the first half, I thought felt desperate. This game was over at half it was twenty four to three. You could argue it was over midway through the second quarter. All on coaching. The Rams put on a clinic. Brian Flores is great. First play of the game, twenty five yards. They're already in field goal position to Pooka Nakuah. The common theme this weekend is young quarterbacks that fell behind lost. You know, Justin Herbert lost and Sam Darnold lost, and Jordan Love lost and the only one that won was Jayden Daniels and he needed a doink. What I watched last night McVeigh proving once again stint Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles. Only the Kansas City Chiefs have more playoff wins. And he did it with a run team with Todd Gurley, a run scheme, and then he did it with Cooper Cup and now he's doing it with an older Matt Stafford and Pooka Nakuah, and he's actually doing it with defense. This Rams defense, the rookies. The Rams have lead the NFL in rookie sacks, rookie fumble recoveries, rookie pressures. The Rams do not miss on defensive draft picks. They've missed on a couple offensive draft picks. But I'm wat take Andy Reid out. If you're talking leadership, game management, play design, culture building, it is almost unfair what the Rams have in Sean McVay. I mean, Phil Jackson's an all time coach, but Phil Jackson was very clear, I coach superstars. You guys do the rebuilds. McVeigh can do rebuilds, he can do young stars, he can build a defense, he can go run first. He can go pass happy. It doesn't matter. You give him an off season. He'll rebuild a team. He'll rebuild the scheme. Remember a couple of years ago he went to Seattle for the opener in a rebuild year. Pete Carroll didn't know what he was watching. I mean, they literally came in with a completely different schemed run game. And I'm looking at some of these Rams defensive stats since Week fifteen, including the playoffs. The Rams lead the entire NFL in sacks and I don't know if they can beat Philadelphia, but they match up with Philadelphia and they are a different team than the one that played Philadelphia earlier this year. I said this for the last three weeks, this young defense, about every three weeks you look up and they're noticeably better. And I mean the starters have only played four games. The last four games the starters defensively have played for the Rams, They've allowed under ten points in all four games. So there's only a handful of quarterbacks that can beat the Rams, and Sam Darnold with this offensive line, is not one of them. But we love to bury losers. I mean that's what media does, right, You're a loser. We bury you. I didn't think this game was about the Vikings. I thought it was about a staff in Brian Flores and Kevin O'Connell that we felt all year was an elite staff. Four drives into that game. Three drives into that game. It was a coaching mismatch. The Vikings could not protect Darnald, who's always held the ball too long. So did Big Band, and so did Joe Burrow, so did Andrew. Look. Some guys like to hold it a second longer because they're big play guys. They like to throw the ball down the field. Not Dincon Duncan. But Sam didn't have a great night. But Josh Allen could win that game with that protection. Lamar Jackson Maholmes could win that game. Sam Darnold's not going to But I said this weekend, we love to bury the losers. I didn't blame the Packers for losing. I said yesterday on the show, they're not as good as Philadelphia. They're too young. Green Bay wasn't gonna win that game in Philadelphia. It was the one game I said going into the weekend my favorite bet was take Philadelphia. They don't even have to play well, and they didn't and they can win. To me, this game was about Sean McVay. I mean, think about this. Kyle Shanahan is considered a very good coach, and I think that eight years, four times under five hundred and he is very reliant. And Shanahan's good. He is really reliant on Christian McCaffrey. Mcveigh's reliant on Noddy Oh, Jared Goff now I got rid of him. Matt Stafford, don't go run heavy. He's proven he can win and proven he can get to a super Bowl. So he's not reliant on any one thing. You give Sean McVay an offseason or an extra week like Andy Reid, and it feels like a coaching mismatch against a Viking staff that I think is one of the best staffs in the league. The gap in preparation, the gap in game planning in the first two to three drives of that game was insane. Again, Barry Darnald Donald's closer to Bakerfield. Baker Mayfield, Okay, he had a great year. They're gonna move on. They're gonna go to JJ McCarthy. That's the NFL. If you have a bad couple of weeks, at the end of the year. Coaches get fired, quarterbacks get demoted, people hit the free agent market. That's always been the NFL. You only have so many games. They're scarcity. It's not the NBA or hockey or baseball. You're gonna have bad julyes and you're gonna be okay if you're hitting in August, September, in October. That's not the NFL. You have a couple of bad weeks, people move off you. But I McVeigh was symphonic last night and numbers a game earlier this year. Remember this game, Jmac when they played the Buffalo Bills, And I came on the following day and I said, I think that was the perfectly coached played game. The best coach played game ball by any team all year was the Rams beating Buffalo. They were as flawless as you can be against the great team that first half. Nobody, including the Chiefs, would have beaten the Rams in the first half last night. I don't know how you coached better or played better, or considering what's going on in southern California, how you're more focused here, Sean McVay.

On the Rams. Felt they did follow you on the Rams, My friend, you talked me into it. Dinner is on me. So let's start today's show, The Easy Show to do the easy One. I'm not into Easy is Sam Donald stinks? No, he doesn't. He's closer to Baker Mayfield than Patrick Mahomes. He doesn't stink. You don't do what he did this year in stink. If you look at the stats last night, first downs, oh Rams had fewer than Minnesota passing, first downs, Minnesota third down efficiency, Vikings way better, total plays, rushing penalties, Vikings only had two. Rams had actually ten time of possession Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings, Vikings. What I watched was a coaching clinic. Brian Flores, who's really good, got worked. The Rams first drive was seven plays, seventy yards touchdown. As Greg Cosell noted, the Rams D line was going to be a problem for the Vikings O line. Kevin O'Connell going forward at midfield minute thirty left in the first half, I thought felt desperate. This game was over at half it was twenty four to three. You could argue it was over midway through the second quarter. All on coaching. The Rams put on a clinic. Brian Flores is great. First play of the game, twenty five yards. They're already in field goal position to Pooka Nakuah. The common theme this weekend is young quarterbacks that fell behind lost. You know, Justin Herbert lost and Sam Darnold lost, and Jordan Love lost and the only one that won was Jayden Daniels and he needed a doink. What I watched last night McVeigh proving once again stint Sean McVay arrived in Los Angeles. Only the Kansas City Chiefs have more playoff wins. And he did it with a run team with Todd Gurley, a run scheme, and then he did it with Cooper Cup and now he's doing it with an older Matt Stafford and Pooka Nakuah, and he's actually doing it with defense. This Rams defense, the rookies. The Rams have lead the NFL in rookie sacks, rookie fumble recoveries, rookie pressures. The Rams do not miss on defensive draft picks. They've missed on a couple offensive draft picks. But I'm wat take Andy Reid out. If you're talking leadership, game management, play design, culture building, it is almost unfair what the Rams have in Sean McVay. I mean, Phil Jackson's an all time coach, but Phil Jackson was very clear, I coach superstars. You guys do the rebuilds. McVeigh can do rebuilds, he can do young stars, he can build a defense, he can go run first. He can go pass happy. It doesn't matter. You give him an off season. He'll rebuild a team. He'll rebuild the scheme. Remember a couple of years ago he went to Seattle for the opener in a rebuild year. Pete Carroll didn't know what he was watching. I mean, they literally came in with a completely different schemed run game. And I'm looking at some of these Rams defensive stats since Week fifteen, including the playoffs. The Rams lead the entire NFL in sacks and I don't know if they can beat Philadelphia, but they match up with Philadelphia and they are a different team than the one that played Philadelphia earlier this year. I said this for the last three weeks, this young defense, about every three weeks you look up and they're noticeably better. And I mean the starters have only played four games. The last four games the starters defensively have played for the Rams, They've allowed under ten points in all four games. So there's only a handful of quarterbacks that can beat the Rams, and Sam Darnold with this offensive line, is not one of them. But we love to bury losers. I mean that's what media does, right, You're a loser. We bury you. I didn't think this game was about the Vikings. I thought it was about a staff in Brian Flores and Kevin O'Connell that we felt all year was an elite staff. Four drives into that game. Three drives into that game. It was a coaching mismatch. The Vikings could not protect Darnald, who's always held the ball too long. So did Big Band, and so did Joe Burrow, so did Andrew. Look. Some guys like to hold it a second longer because they're big play guys. They like to throw the ball down the field. Not Dincon Duncan. But Sam didn't have a great night. But Josh Allen could win that game with that protection. Lamar Jackson Maholmes could win that game. Sam Darnold's not going to But I said this weekend, we love to bury the losers. I didn't blame the Packers for losing. I said yesterday on the show, they're not as good as Philadelphia. They're too young. Green Bay wasn't gonna win that game in Philadelphia. It was the one game I said going into the weekend my favorite bet was take Philadelphia. They don't even have to play well, and they didn't and they can win. To me, this game was about Sean McVay. I mean, think about this. Kyle Shanahan is considered a very good coach, and I think that eight years, four times under five hundred and he is very reliant. And Shanahan's good. He is really reliant on Christian McCaffrey. Mcveigh's reliant on Noddy Oh, Jared Goff now I got rid of him. Matt Stafford, don't go run heavy. He's proven he can win and proven he can get to a super Bowl. So he's not reliant on any one thing. You give Sean McVay an offseason or an extra week like Andy Reid, and it feels like a coaching mismatch against a Viking staff that I think is one of the best staffs in the league. The gap in preparation, the gap in game planning in the first two to three drives of that game was insane. Again, Barry Darnald Donald's closer to Bakerfield. Baker Mayfield, Okay, he had a great year. They're gonna move on. They're gonna go to JJ McCarthy. That's the NFL. If you have a bad couple of weeks, at the end of the year. Coaches get fired, quarterbacks get demoted, people hit the free agent market. That's always been the NFL. You only have so many games. They're scarcity. It's not the NBA or hockey or baseball. You're gonna have bad julyes and you're gonna be okay if you're hitting in August, September, in October. That's not the NFL. You have a couple of bad weeks, people move off you. But I McVeigh was symphonic last night and numbers a game earlier this year. Remember this game, Jmac when they played the Buffalo Bills, And I came on the following day and I said, I think that was the perfectly coached played game. The best coach played game ball by any team all year was the Rams beating Buffalo. They were as flawless as you can be against the great team that first half. Nobody, including the Chiefs, would have beaten the Rams in the first half last night. I don't know how you coached better or played better, or considering what's going on in southern California, how you're more focused here, Sean McVay.

After I thought we had a great rush plan, and I thought, ultimately, it's always about the players bringing it to life and having a real understanding of what we were trying to get done, what was the intent. They have really played excellent football as of late. They're peaking at the right time. They're not showing any of that youth that you would think, you know, as you play your eighteenth game in the you know, in this season.

After I thought we had a great rush plan, and I thought, ultimately, it's always about the players bringing it to life and having a real understanding of what we were trying to get done, what was the intent. They have really played excellent football as of late. They're peaking at the right time. They're not showing any of that youth that you would think, you know, as you play your eighteenth game in the you know, in this season.

But I'm proud of them.

But I'm proud of them.

They came through in a big way and they were instrumental in us being able to advance.

They came through in a big way and they were instrumental in us being able to advance.

Yeah, game was over by the fourth series. Let's talk Sam Donald. And I know what you're all saying, colleing, you love Sam Donald. I do, but I kept saying all year, when's the shoe gonna drop? I know Sam's reckless. I watched him in college, I watched them in the Pros. But he was having like an MVP level season. And it happens. We've seen quarterbacks like this, Ken O'Brien, rich Gannon, whatever it is, guys have unbelievable, remarkable seasons. But the truth alas comes out. Sam Donald actually had a very Dak Prescott like season, won a lot of games. Everybody likes him, players rally around him, coaches love coaching him, wins a lot of games, and then he faces elite competition and it doesn't look the same. So Sam Donald was zero to four against the Rams and the Lions, and he was eleven to zero against everybody else. And the good news for Sam Donald is most everybody in the league is everybody else. There is one Sean mcvahan Stafford. There is one Detroit line offensive line. So Sam Darnald, like Dak Prescott, you put up an eighty eight mile hour fastball, he's gonna hit it out of the park. He's got trouble hitting Kershawn his Primes curveball. He's not gonna beat the great teams unless he's got really good protection, a perfect game plan. So ninety percent of the league isn't this Rams team or the Lions, or the Bills or Patrick Mahome. The key is, then, don't Pam like Josh Allen. Tampa got it right. They paid Baker the contract that Sam should now get. The Cowboys screwed it up. They paid Dak the contract because I think that Dak Baker and Sam is kind of the same guy. Productive players like him. You can build a little bit around them. But They're reckless, a little bit sloppy. They're not going to elevate the team as much as the team is going to protect them. But they can make plays. But the key is Tampa and the next team that pays Donald can't pay them like Mahome Holmes. And that's what the Cowboys did. They got a Baker and a Donald and they paid him like Josh Allener Lamar Jackson. So they're gonna go now with JJ McCarthy and they're gonna give the young kid a shot. And Sam is absolutely gonna have a market. I don't know where he's gonna go, but Baker Mayfield had a market, held Gino Smith at a market. Old Tom Brady and Kirk Cousins had a market. But Sam season, Let's not take away from it. It was remarkable. It was a great season. It was a fun season. This team was picked to finish fourth, and I don't put it all on Sam. Last night, young quarterbacks, Jordan Love, Sam Donald, Justin Herbert still pretty young, that fell behind or could not get protect Texans. I mean, the Chargers couldn't protect Justin Herbert, The Vikings couldn't protect Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield should have won that game. But you know, Jayden Daniels is remarkable. This is what happens in the playoff. Jordan Love got behind, got a little reckless trying to make plays. There is no tomorrow. So Sam's gonna be fine. He deserves a Baker Mayfield contract. You can kind of build around him, but that's not confuse it for what it is. And here's Kevin O'Connell after.

Yeah, game was over by the fourth series. Let's talk Sam Donald. And I know what you're all saying, colleing, you love Sam Donald. I do, but I kept saying all year, when's the shoe gonna drop? I know Sam's reckless. I watched him in college, I watched them in the Pros. But he was having like an MVP level season. And it happens. We've seen quarterbacks like this, Ken O'Brien, rich Gannon, whatever it is, guys have unbelievable, remarkable seasons. But the truth alas comes out. Sam Donald actually had a very Dak Prescott like season, won a lot of games. Everybody likes him, players rally around him, coaches love coaching him, wins a lot of games, and then he faces elite competition and it doesn't look the same. So Sam Donald was zero to four against the Rams and the Lions, and he was eleven to zero against everybody else. And the good news for Sam Donald is most everybody in the league is everybody else. There is one Sean mcvahan Stafford. There is one Detroit line offensive line. So Sam Darnald, like Dak Prescott, you put up an eighty eight mile hour fastball, he's gonna hit it out of the park. He's got trouble hitting Kershawn his Primes curveball. He's not gonna beat the great teams unless he's got really good protection, a perfect game plan. So ninety percent of the league isn't this Rams team or the Lions, or the Bills or Patrick Mahome. The key is, then, don't Pam like Josh Allen. Tampa got it right. They paid Baker the contract that Sam should now get. The Cowboys screwed it up. They paid Dak the contract because I think that Dak Baker and Sam is kind of the same guy. Productive players like him. You can build a little bit around them. But They're reckless, a little bit sloppy. They're not going to elevate the team as much as the team is going to protect them. But they can make plays. But the key is Tampa and the next team that pays Donald can't pay them like Mahome Holmes. And that's what the Cowboys did. They got a Baker and a Donald and they paid him like Josh Allener Lamar Jackson. So they're gonna go now with JJ McCarthy and they're gonna give the young kid a shot. And Sam is absolutely gonna have a market. I don't know where he's gonna go, but Baker Mayfield had a market, held Gino Smith at a market. Old Tom Brady and Kirk Cousins had a market. But Sam season, Let's not take away from it. It was remarkable. It was a great season. It was a fun season. This team was picked to finish fourth, and I don't put it all on Sam. Last night, young quarterbacks, Jordan Love, Sam Donald, Justin Herbert still pretty young, that fell behind or could not get protect Texans. I mean, the Chargers couldn't protect Justin Herbert, The Vikings couldn't protect Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield should have won that game. But you know, Jayden Daniels is remarkable. This is what happens in the playoff. Jordan Love got behind, got a little reckless trying to make plays. There is no tomorrow. So Sam's gonna be fine. He deserves a Baker Mayfield contract. You can kind of build around him, but that's not confuse it for what it is. And here's Kevin O'Connell after.

What he was able to do this year when not very many people thought he would be able to lead a team to fourteen wins. I'm very rare for a quarterback in their first year. And I think Sam would be the first one to tell you could he have played better tonight? I'm sure he would tell you that he could have. Could I have coached better? I promise you I could have. Could our team have rallied around, you know, a play here or there to try to keep that thing competitive?

What he was able to do this year when not very many people thought he would be able to lead a team to fourteen wins. I'm very rare for a quarterback in their first year. And I think Sam would be the first one to tell you could he have played better tonight? I'm sure he would tell you that he could have. Could I have coached better? I promise you I could have. Could our team have rallied around, you know, a play here or there to try to keep that thing competitive?

For sure? And I you know, I said Sam Darnold. He was zero and four against the Rams and the Lions, but he was actually like fourteen to zero against everybody else. Sam was perfect except against the great teams. And you know who beats the great teams? Not many quarterbacks four maybe in the league. I mean, as good as Stafford and McVeigh are, they're going to go to Philadelphia be an underdog, probably not play as perfectly as they did last night. Philadelphia played poorly, so everybody now is doubting them. Yet they played poorly and being a good packer team. So Philadelphia now go stays home cold Weather Rams play a perfect game. It is hard to beat great in this league. And Sam faced great last night. A great pass rush, a great young defense, a great coach, great efficiency by Matt Stafford. Sam's not going to beat that without online all right, j Mac, Cowboys may have a coach and it's and it's from the college ranks.

For sure? And I you know, I said Sam Darnold. He was zero and four against the Rams and the Lions, but he was actually like fourteen to zero against everybody else. Sam was perfect except against the great teams. And you know who beats the great teams? Not many quarterbacks four maybe in the league. I mean, as good as Stafford and McVeigh are, they're going to go to Philadelphia be an underdog, probably not play as perfectly as they did last night. Philadelphia played poorly, so everybody now is doubting them. Yet they played poorly and being a good packer team. So Philadelphia now go stays home cold Weather Rams play a perfect game. It is hard to beat great in this league. And Sam faced great last night. A great pass rush, a great young defense, a great coach, great efficiency by Matt Stafford. Sam's not going to beat that without online all right, j Mac, Cowboys may have a coach and it's and it's from the college ranks.

Stop it. You can't even say it with a straight face.

Stop it. You can't even say it with a straight face.

But in all seriousness, for Jernald, everybody going on to pile on him last night on social media.

But in all seriousness, for Jernald, everybody going on to pile on him last night on social media.

I thought it was a little excessive.

I thought it was a little excessive.

All of a sudden, he was an MVP candidate for what fifteen weeks, and now he's a total bum who's not going to get paid by anybody.

All of a sudden, he was an MVP candidate for what fifteen weeks, and now he's a total bum who's not going to get paid by anybody.

He's still gonna a market in the offseason.

He's still gonna a market in the offseason.

Of course.

Of course.

It's like people just don't understand football or front offices.

It's like people just don't understand football or front offices.

Kurtos Kirk Cousins, who's not nearly as dynamic as Sam, doesn't have Sam's arm, doesn't have Sam's playmaking, was older and coming off of surgery, had a market. In fact, even his cousins this year looked washed. I think you and I have said this. He still has a market. Aaron Rodgers is not close to what he was six years ago. His season was a disaster. Aaron Rodgers has a market. The key is front offices have to pay the right number. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got it right with Baker. It doesn't limit what they can do. The Cowboys didn't. They paid Dak and Dak and Baker. I think Baker's more talented than Dak. They're very close. I mean Baker's more reckless, but a little bit more talented. Dak is less reckless, but he's got a lower ceiling. But one got paid like homes and one got paid like a B to B plus quarterback. So Donald's in that B to B plus stuff. If he gets some support, you can't pay him like an A. Now, we thought for a big chunk of the season, like week ten through week sixteen, were like, you gotta pay, But this is how the NFL works. Because of the scarcity of games and because there's one game a week, and in the playoffs their standalone games. There's a lot of pressure from owners and executives. You gotta hit it in the big games. Now.

Kurtos Kirk Cousins, who's not nearly as dynamic as Sam, doesn't have Sam's arm, doesn't have Sam's playmaking, was older and coming off of surgery, had a market. In fact, even his cousins this year looked washed. I think you and I have said this. He still has a market. Aaron Rodgers is not close to what he was six years ago. His season was a disaster. Aaron Rodgers has a market. The key is front offices have to pay the right number. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got it right with Baker. It doesn't limit what they can do. The Cowboys didn't. They paid Dak and Dak and Baker. I think Baker's more talented than Dak. They're very close. I mean Baker's more reckless, but a little bit more talented. Dak is less reckless, but he's got a lower ceiling. But one got paid like homes and one got paid like a B to B plus quarterback. So Donald's in that B to B plus stuff. If he gets some support, you can't pay him like an A. Now, we thought for a big chunk of the season, like week ten through week sixteen, were like, you gotta pay, But this is how the NFL works. Because of the scarcity of games and because there's one game a week, and in the playoffs their standalone games. There's a lot of pressure from owners and executives. You gotta hit it in the big games. Now.

I will say I believe in brock Purty a lot.

I will say I believe in brock Purty a lot.

I like him. You know that.

I like him. You know that.

I'm team brock Purty, Colin if he holds firm, I want sixty million, I'm not. I would take Sam Donald at thirty million over brock Purty six. I'm sorry I would and forty nine ers fins. You tell them that and they're like, you're out of your mind, rock Party. I don't think they grasped like double. He's not double the player Sam Donald is.

I'm team brock Purty, Colin if he holds firm, I want sixty million, I'm not. I would take Sam Donald at thirty million over brock Purty six. I'm sorry I would and forty nine ers fins. You tell them that and they're like, you're out of your mind, rock Party. I don't think they grasped like double. He's not double the player Sam Donald is.

He's not.

He's not.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You have to remember you can overpay a right tackle, you can overpay a linebacker, but when you're overpaying a quarterback and he is gobbling up twenty one percent of your salary cap. There are certain things in life that you can't make a mistake on. Day to day, all of us make mistakes. I make fifteen a day, But there are certain things, like the safety of your children that you can't make a mistake on, and like in the NFL. Not perfectly analogous, but you can make mistakes on a slot corner and overpaying him.

You have to remember you can overpay a right tackle, you can overpay a linebacker, but when you're overpaying a quarterback and he is gobbling up twenty one percent of your salary cap. There are certain things in life that you can't make a mistake on. Day to day, all of us make mistakes. I make fifteen a day, But there are certain things, like the safety of your children that you can't make a mistake on, and like in the NFL. Not perfectly analogous, but you can make mistakes on a slot corner and overpaying him.

It's not going to.

It's not going to.

Destroy your salary cap. You cannot make a mistake at quarterback. It's just there's too much money involved, that's too big of a cap percentage.

Destroy your salary cap. You cannot make a mistake at quarterback. It's just there's too much money involved, that's too big of a cap percentage.

And I'll remind people Sam Donald won fourteen games with the Vikings and Kevin O'Connell. You don't think he can duplicate that or come close to it with Lena.

And I'll remind people Sam Donald won fourteen games with the Vikings and Kevin O'Connell. You don't think he can duplicate that or come close to it with Lena.

I mean, I mean, I will say this, Sam Darnald to the Raiders, if the Raiders got an offensive coach and Johnson, I think he would be very, very interesting. But you know it's like.

I mean, I mean, I will say this, Sam Darnald to the Raiders, if the Raiders got an offensive coach and Johnson, I think he would be very, very interesting. But you know it's like.

With Shane Steichen. Maybe does that do anything for you? If Anthony Richardson's not their guy?

With Shane Steichen. Maybe does that do anything for you? If Anthony Richardson's not their guy?

And oh, I'll just tell you right now. I'll tell you right now. Sam Darnold to the Colts is the play Vikings. Don't want to face Sam again and roll the dice on. He's better than McCarthy. Get Sam to the AFC where you don't have to play him. JJ McCarthy may be better. I would rather Sam not prove me wrong. So if you can always get a guy Belichick will give up Garoppolo. Let's just send him over to San Francisco. I always understand that even if you don't love a guy, if you think there's a little bit in the back of our head because they don't know what JJ McCarthy is, you don't know what he is.

And oh, I'll just tell you right now. I'll tell you right now. Sam Darnold to the Colts is the play Vikings. Don't want to face Sam again and roll the dice on. He's better than McCarthy. Get Sam to the AFC where you don't have to play him. JJ McCarthy may be better. I would rather Sam not prove me wrong. So if you can always get a guy Belichick will give up Garoppolo. Let's just send him over to San Francisco. I always understand that even if you don't love a guy, if you think there's a little bit in the back of our head because they don't know what JJ McCarthy is, you don't know what he is.

You're the only ones who have a clue. Though they see him every day, they know to work ethic.

You're the only ones who have a clue. Though they see him every day, they know to work ethic.

Yeah, be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon eastern a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Yeah, be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noon eastern a em Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Jones on Monday morning to steal attention, drops the story about Mike McCarthy could have waited, you know, but that's not Jerry. And then last night a big playoff game, Jerry Jones the attention seeker once again. Make sure this leaks deon Sander and the Cowboys or interest that Jerry Jones loves attention. But here's the issue, and this is why you got to take the Deon Sanders thing seriously. Cowboys training camp lowest attendants ever. When they play the Packers the Niners, a third of the stadium in Dallas is filled with Packers and Niners fans, so yesterday Jerry and this is what he does. If he can't win on the field, let's be relevant off it. He drops that story last night to get the attention he wants it, and he'll steal it. He wants to be relevant. This is who he is. So if you can't win big on the field, stay relevant off the field. And in every industry I have found, it could be mine, it could be politics, it can be football, it can be tech. The grind wins, Detroit's front office, Philadelphia's front office, the Rams never missing on defensive draft picks. You have to accept if you coach the Dallas Cowboys, you have to deal with Jerry's ego and Jerry's need for constant attention. And Dion gets attention, he'll make them fascinating. Do I think he's the best coach on the market, Well, we don't know. He's coached small college football and Colorado, which is sort of like small college football. So when people question the state of the Cowboys, like Michael Irvin who's on our show later, or Troy Aikman, when those guys, Cornerstone guys question the Cowboys, you've got issues. And generally, if you have a bad team in the NFL, and that's what the Cowboys were this year. There are mechanisms to make you really competitive, really fast, look at Washington or the Texans or the Chargers. But when you have dysfunction in ownership, you will always hit that ceiling. And that's what Dallas has. So Dion makes them interesting. And as Matt Moseley, a Cowboy insider, said yesterday on our show, that's what they've become. At one point, young Jerry was a and a risk taker and let Jimmy Johnson do the football. And then after about four years, and this is well documented, Jerry didn't like Jimmy getting all the attention. And now it's really about attention. They're not relevant on the field. I'd never talk less Cowboys than I did this year. So let's stay relevant off the field. And here was Matt Mosley yesterday.

Jones on Monday morning to steal attention, drops the story about Mike McCarthy could have waited, you know, but that's not Jerry. And then last night a big playoff game, Jerry Jones the attention seeker once again. Make sure this leaks deon Sander and the Cowboys or interest that Jerry Jones loves attention. But here's the issue, and this is why you got to take the Deon Sanders thing seriously. Cowboys training camp lowest attendants ever. When they play the Packers the Niners, a third of the stadium in Dallas is filled with Packers and Niners fans, so yesterday Jerry and this is what he does. If he can't win on the field, let's be relevant off it. He drops that story last night to get the attention he wants it, and he'll steal it. He wants to be relevant. This is who he is. So if you can't win big on the field, stay relevant off the field. And in every industry I have found, it could be mine, it could be politics, it can be football, it can be tech. The grind wins, Detroit's front office, Philadelphia's front office, the Rams never missing on defensive draft picks. You have to accept if you coach the Dallas Cowboys, you have to deal with Jerry's ego and Jerry's need for constant attention. And Dion gets attention, he'll make them fascinating. Do I think he's the best coach on the market, Well, we don't know. He's coached small college football and Colorado, which is sort of like small college football. So when people question the state of the Cowboys, like Michael Irvin who's on our show later, or Troy Aikman, when those guys, Cornerstone guys question the Cowboys, you've got issues. And generally, if you have a bad team in the NFL, and that's what the Cowboys were this year. There are mechanisms to make you really competitive, really fast, look at Washington or the Texans or the Chargers. But when you have dysfunction in ownership, you will always hit that ceiling. And that's what Dallas has. So Dion makes them interesting. And as Matt Moseley, a Cowboy insider, said yesterday on our show, that's what they've become. At one point, young Jerry was a and a risk taker and let Jimmy Johnson do the football. And then after about four years, and this is well documented, Jerry didn't like Jimmy getting all the attention. And now it's really about attention. They're not relevant on the field. I'd never talk less Cowboys than I did this year. So let's stay relevant off the field. And here was Matt Mosley yesterday.

I thought Jerry was trying to get Mike to sort of break up with him. This is where this thing was headed the whole way. And so you know, the players and Dak, they were all sort of lobbying for Mike. But in the end, I'm not real surprised because I looked up there at those stands and boy, that's the one thing they'll get Jerry's attention. Even on Thanksgiving, people were not coming to the games. It's almost never happens with the Cowboys, and so I think he wanted to make a move, but he tried to like salvage something with McCarthy and offer him some real short term deal. And I think Arthi said, I've had enough.

I thought Jerry was trying to get Mike to sort of break up with him. This is where this thing was headed the whole way. And so you know, the players and Dak, they were all sort of lobbying for Mike. But in the end, I'm not real surprised because I looked up there at those stands and boy, that's the one thing they'll get Jerry's attention. Even on Thanksgiving, people were not coming to the games. It's almost never happens with the Cowboys, and so I think he wanted to make a move, but he tried to like salvage something with McCarthy and offer him some real short term deal. And I think Arthi said, I've had enough.

Mostly the bad teams at the top of the draft. They're getting a great draft pick, and they have a ton of cap space. I mean, if you see how much cap space next year, like New England has, but the Cowboys have neither. They have neither because they overpaid for a quarterback and they pay people too early that are too average or too late, and so they don't have a great draft pick, and they don't have a lot of cap space. And so this will get attention and keep them relevant absolutely next year, because they're not relevant on the field anymore. They're not They're not relevant on the field now. Dion, I don't know how it'll go. I don't have a crystal ball. Could be a disaster, could be great, but relevant. Interesting. Absolutely, We'll talk about the Cowboys again. Jmckle the news No no, no news.

Mostly the bad teams at the top of the draft. They're getting a great draft pick, and they have a ton of cap space. I mean, if you see how much cap space next year, like New England has, but the Cowboys have neither. They have neither because they overpaid for a quarterback and they pay people too early that are too average or too late, and so they don't have a great draft pick, and they don't have a lot of cap space. And so this will get attention and keep them relevant absolutely next year, because they're not relevant on the field anymore. They're not They're not relevant on the field now. Dion, I don't know how it'll go. I don't have a crystal ball. Could be a disaster, could be great, but relevant. Interesting. Absolutely, We'll talk about the Cowboys again. Jmckle the news No no, no news.

This is the headline news.

This is the headline news.

All right.

All right.

Let's start with Mike Vrabel, introduced as the new Patriots head coach yesterday, said New England was the police he always wanted to be and he's excited to work with Drake Bay, but said this his time with the organization, playing for Bill Belichick, it does not matter at all.

Let's start with Mike Vrabel, introduced as the new Patriots head coach yesterday, said New England was the police he always wanted to be and he's excited to work with Drake Bay, but said this his time with the organization, playing for Bill Belichick, it does not matter at all.

I think it's it's special. It's unique having played here knowing Bill. But again, we have to focus on things that are going to help us win now, help our players, and like I said, galvanized the building and the team and our fan base. So I think that there's also things I'm might try to explain to the players that there's things that are interesting and there are things that are important. I think me having played for Bill is interesting. I just don't know if it's important to help in our.

I think it's it's special. It's unique having played here knowing Bill. But again, we have to focus on things that are going to help us win now, help our players, and like I said, galvanized the building and the team and our fan base. So I think that there's also things I'm might try to explain to the players that there's things that are interesting and there are things that are important. I think me having played for Bill is interesting. I just don't know if it's important to help in our.

Players, opposite of the Cowboys don't care about interesting. I will make a prediction. Right now, are we recording Ryan? Is this show being courted?

Players, opposite of the Cowboys don't care about interesting. I will make a prediction. Right now, are we recording Ryan? Is this show being courted?

I think we're live.

I think we're live.

Not sure though. The New England Patriots, like the Broncos in Washington this year, are my surprise team next year in the NFL. Right, and when I picked the Broncos. Everybody said, you know Sean Payton and I know Mike Rabel. If you look at this league, the one way to get good fast is a coach or a quarterback. And one of the easiest ways to get good fast is if you need receivers. Houston went and found Tank Bell. You can find receivers in this league. This is a playoff team next year in a division outside of Buffalo, which is wildly dysfunction. No.

Not sure though. The New England Patriots, like the Broncos in Washington this year, are my surprise team next year in the NFL. Right, and when I picked the Broncos. Everybody said, you know Sean Payton and I know Mike Rabel. If you look at this league, the one way to get good fast is a coach or a quarterback. And one of the easiest ways to get good fast is if you need receivers. Houston went and found Tank Bell. You can find receivers in this league. This is a playoff team next year in a division outside of Buffalo, which is wildly dysfunction. No.

Wait, you waited on Denver until they got Bonnicks, and.

Wait, you waited on Denver until they got Bonnicks, and.

But they've already got this pre draft, pre free agency, like they've already got their Bonnick. So I've already got the quarterback I live, So DEMI.

But they've already got this pre draft, pre free agency, like they've already got their Bonnick. So I've already got the quarterback I live, So DEMI.

See anything else you're you're good.

See anything else you're you're good.

We got Drake bay Rabel.

We got Drake bay Rabel.

Who are we throw it to, doesn't matter.

Who are we throw it to, doesn't matter.

We're going to the player most like it, most cap space in the league. So I have the coach, the quarterback, most cap space, and outside of Buffalo, I know, I got my eyes set on Buffalo. I don't have to worry about the editing clowns behind me.

We're going to the player most like it, most cap space in the league. So I have the coach, the quarterback, most cap space, and outside of Buffalo, I know, I got my eyes set on Buffalo. I don't have to worry about the editing clowns behind me.

There's nobody behind you in the division.

There's nobody behind you in the division.

Well from bottom from now on. And you think, why would I say this, I didn't talk Patriots this year, this is gonna be the surprise playoff team next year.

Well from bottom from now on. And you think, why would I say this, I didn't talk Patriots this year, this is gonna be the surprise playoff team next year.

I will take the other side of that wager. I don't know.

I will take the other side of that wager. I don't know.

Where we'll be at this time next year, but if I'm around to collect whatever payment you're going to give me, Patriots are not going to the playoffs next year.

Where we'll be at this time next year, but if I'm around to collect whatever payment you're going to give me, Patriots are not going to the playoffs next year.

Call that adds, that's your boldest call since I've joined the show. I mean, you have seen the draft of free agency.

Call that adds, that's your boldest call since I've joined the show. I mean, you have seen the draft of free agency.

You have seen the schedule.

You have seen the schedule.

If they gotta go to Spain.

If they gotta go to Spain.

Next year to play a game, I mean fourth place schedule, I know what the schedule is. Gonna be easy, all right.

Next year to play a game, I mean fourth place schedule, I know what the schedule is. Gonna be easy, all right.

Next up is the Lakers.

Next up is the Lakers.

They played their first game back after a six day layoff due to the wildfires here in southern California, and the Lakers kind of like it. They did know, you know, JJ Reddick was renting a house in the Palisades. He lost his house. He's been to a lot, several players had to evacuate. As for the game, Lebron was fantastic against Webbin Yama, but the Lakers blew a halftime lead.

They played their first game back after a six day layoff due to the wildfires here in southern California, and the Lakers kind of like it. They did know, you know, JJ Reddick was renting a house in the Palisades. He lost his house. He's been to a lot, several players had to evacuate. As for the game, Lebron was fantastic against Webbin Yama, but the Lakers blew a halftime lead.

Yeah, wemby twenty three, eight and five. He didn't shoot a billion three. So hopefully you're happy with that performance, and.

Yeah, wemby twenty three, eight and five. He didn't shoot a billion three. So hopefully you're happy with that performance, and.

After the game, Lakers new Edition Dorian Finney Smith talked about the loss.

After the game, Lakers new Edition Dorian Finney Smith talked about the loss.

We as cute the game plan like were supposed to, but you know, coaches gave us, you know, they gave us the right answers to the test. We just he used to study.

We as cute the game plan like were supposed to, but you know, coaches gave us, you know, they gave us the right answers to the test. We just he used to study.

Been a tough week, you know, you know, I mean, listen, I'm kind of giving people in Los Angeles teams a pass. I mean, what the Rams did, They're resilience and focus didn't. Was it really impressive for the record. Tip of the cap to the bid Wells and Arizona for their class last night. Tip of the cap to the NFL to pull it off, to the Viking staff, to the fans that made their way from Minnesota and Arizona in Los Angeles. I was a Scott van Pelta talked about this, the quality of the crowd, the size of the crowd, for something to pivot to that. How many of these fans literally went online, bought tickets, got in a bus, got in a plane to pull that environment off last night and then to play like the Rams did when many of remember the RAMS facilities are near these fires, they're up north. I was just blown away. By the entire spectacle of it. Last night, I thought, coming into it, I thought, that's going to be kind of choppy the league. The fans are amazing in this league. How did so many Vikings fans get there? How many flights today from Minneapolis to Phoenix. I think it helped that they just Rams went right down the field in like four minutes, score a touchdown, then they're up ten to nothing. Yeah, and it just ball.

Been a tough week, you know, you know, I mean, listen, I'm kind of giving people in Los Angeles teams a pass. I mean, what the Rams did, They're resilience and focus didn't. Was it really impressive for the record. Tip of the cap to the bid Wells and Arizona for their class last night. Tip of the cap to the NFL to pull it off, to the Viking staff, to the fans that made their way from Minnesota and Arizona in Los Angeles. I was a Scott van Pelta talked about this, the quality of the crowd, the size of the crowd, for something to pivot to that. How many of these fans literally went online, bought tickets, got in a bus, got in a plane to pull that environment off last night and then to play like the Rams did when many of remember the RAMS facilities are near these fires, they're up north. I was just blown away. By the entire spectacle of it. Last night, I thought, coming into it, I thought, that's going to be kind of choppy the league. The fans are amazing in this league. How did so many Vikings fans get there? How many flights today from Minneapolis to Phoenix. I think it helped that they just Rams went right down the field in like four minutes, score a touchdown, then they're up ten to nothing. Yeah, and it just ball.

Then it was easy to get excited and just a great performance from the Rams. As for the Lakers, they're now seventh in the West, So I guess that means Charles Barkley thinks they're their worst team in the league, you know, since he thinks the Lakers are at six and mitinc.

Then it was easy to get excited and just a great performance from the Rams. As for the Lakers, they're now seventh in the West, So I guess that means Charles Barkley thinks they're their worst team in the league, you know, since he thinks the Lakers are at six and mitinc.

Final story, Colin, Let's look, we have the gambling line set for the division round. We have one, two, three big favorites. Although I'm stunned Casey was eight and a half. Who is betting on Houston?

Final story, Colin, Let's look, we have the gambling line set for the division round. We have one, two, three big favorites. Although I'm stunned Casey was eight and a half. Who is betting on Houston?

I mean, guys, I don't know what we're doing out there Baltimore taking money in Buffalo. I mean, I know everybody loves the Ravens. Washington a big, big underdog in Detroit. I noted yesterday.

I mean, guys, I don't know what we're doing out there Baltimore taking money in Buffalo. I mean, I know everybody loves the Ravens. Washington a big, big underdog in Detroit. I noted yesterday.

This is their third straight road game.

This is their third straight road game.

There's a lot working against them. So the wise guys, the casinos and then the DraftKings, you may not trust Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. They do, they may Baltimore a favorite. So the sharp crowd they like Lamar Jackson. Yeah, so the fans. By the way, Lamar won his third playoff game this weekend. Can we stop that he's never good in the playoffs.

There's a lot working against them. So the wise guys, the casinos and then the DraftKings, you may not trust Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. They do, they may Baltimore a favorite. So the sharp crowd they like Lamar Jackson. Yeah, so the fans. By the way, Lamar won his third playoff game this weekend. Can we stop that he's never good in the playoffs.

He's good in the playoffs, that's right.

He's good in the playoffs, that's right.

Kansas has four wins.

Kansas has four wins.

Oh well, Mark Rock Perty has.

Oh well, Mark Rock Perty has.

Four playoff Like, come on, what do we know? Lamar's good?

Four playoff Like, come on, what do we know? Lamar's good?

Win this game in Buffalo and then.

Win this game in Buffalo and then.

Talk to me.

Talk to me.

I don't want to hear the hype this week Colin. This sets up for another just monster teaser weekend.

I don't want to hear the hype this week Colin. This sets up for another just monster teaser weekend.

You know what teaser is?

You know what teaser is?

He has six point teaser six and a half. Who's blowing and teaser? Which are these three big favorites?

He has six point teaser six and a half. Who's blowing and teaser? Which are these three big favorites?

Is losing?

Is losing?

Do you think Casey's losing?

Do you think Casey's losing?

Absolutely not. They have no chance. I love, I Love Kansas City is gonna win. I think Philadelphia played poorly in one. That generally is a way when really good teams play poorly and win, they almost always play well the next week and the Rams cannot play as perfectly as that it against Minnesota. So I like Philadelphia, I like I like Kansas City.

Absolutely not. They have no chance. I love, I Love Kansas City is gonna win. I think Philadelphia played poorly in one. That generally is a way when really good teams play poorly and win, they almost always play well the next week and the Rams cannot play as perfectly as that it against Minnesota. So I like Philadelphia, I like I like Kansas City.

It's just not a big spot for the Ram.

It's just not a big spot for the Ram.

But I'll tell you this, I'll take the points with Washington. So one of those is going to show up, either the Rams or Washington. I think Jade and Daniels what he did. Jaden Daniels may have to run for one hundred yards.

But I'll tell you this, I'll take the points with Washington. So one of those is going to show up, either the Rams or Washington. I think Jade and Daniels what he did. Jaden Daniels may have to run for one hundred yards.

He might.

He might.

They don't defend running quarterbacks well at.

They don't defend running quarterbacks well at.

All, so that is not a great matchup for Detroit. Detroit's gonna have to run the ball. And you know what Detroit's game plan is, keep Jayden Daniels off the field. I think they're gonna do a run centric game. I think Detroit's gonna say mid to shorter passing run game. We are gonna dominate time of possession. We want the ball forty minutes, and if we can't stop Jaden Daniels, we're gonna make him sit, watch get out of rhythm. But if I was Detroit, what I don't want to do is a track meet because Jayden Daniels does magic stuff.

All, so that is not a great matchup for Detroit. Detroit's gonna have to run the ball. And you know what Detroit's game plan is, keep Jayden Daniels off the field. I think they're gonna do a run centric game. I think Detroit's gonna say mid to shorter passing run game. We are gonna dominate time of possession. We want the ball forty minutes, and if we can't stop Jaden Daniels, we're gonna make him sit, watch get out of rhythm. But if I was Detroit, what I don't want to do is a track meet because Jayden Daniels does magic stuff.

These are two teams that go for it on fourth down. A ton and that can lead to some high varias. Dan Campbell rolls the dice great point, Montgomery get stuffed and it's like, oh.

These are two teams that go for it on fourth down. A ton and that can lead to some high varias. Dan Campbell rolls the dice great point, Montgomery get stuffed and it's like, oh.

Jeez, what are we doing.

Jeez, what are we doing.

So there is some concern there, but the Rams spot so they had to leave to go to Arizona, not far, but then fly back now on a short week because they've played last night, They've got to fly across the country to Philly.

So there is some concern there, but the Rams spot so they had to leave to go to Arizona, not far, but then fly back now on a short week because they've played last night, They've got to fly across the country to Philly.

It's gonna be coold. It's a tough one for the Rams. But they did look really sharp last night. Colin.

It's gonna be coold. It's a tough one for the Rams. But they did look really sharp last night. Colin.

I mean, I think something tells me that they're gonna they're gonna show up here in Philly. And mcveigh's just too good of a coach. I think that's the biggest coaching mismatch of the weekend.

I mean, I think something tells me that they're gonna they're gonna show up here in Philly. And mcveigh's just too good of a coach. I think that's the biggest coaching mismatch of the weekend.

Nicvavor siriannih that's why they have a shot.

Nicvavor siriannih that's why they have a shot.

But you know, and I know the week after the Rams played Buffalo and were perfect, they weren't perfect the following week.

But you know, and I know the week after the Rams played Buffalo and were perfect, they weren't perfect the following week.

Yeah, that's tough.

Yeah, that's tough.

And I thought the Rams first half was it was like whiteboard stuff, We're gonna do this, this, this, this, and all of it worked. So just for the record, you're leaning Lamar. Obviously you don't have to get the pick cas. I'm not gonna talk about that game until we get closer. I last night, I'm sitting there looking at stuff. I don't see what the rest. I don't see what Vegas sees. I think Buffalo is gonna win the game. I think Buffalo's offense has so much diversity and balance, whereas I think the Baltimore offense if Zay Flowers is one hundred percent, it becomes very Derek Henry Lamar centric. The home team with more variables and options.

And I thought the Rams first half was it was like whiteboard stuff, We're gonna do this, this, this, this, and all of it worked. So just for the record, you're leaning Lamar. Obviously you don't have to get the pick cas. I'm not gonna talk about that game until we get closer. I last night, I'm sitting there looking at stuff. I don't see what the rest. I don't see what Vegas sees. I think Buffalo is gonna win the game. I think Buffalo's offense has so much diversity and balance, whereas I think the Baltimore offense if Zay Flowers is one hundred percent, it becomes very Derek Henry Lamar centric. The home team with more variables and options.

I like, you could even tease Buffalo up to you know, seven and a half.

I like, you could even tease Buffalo up to you know, seven and a half.

They're not getting blown out at home. That's not happening here. Josh Allen will keep them in. It should be a.

They're not getting blown out at home. That's not happening here. Josh Allen will keep them in. It should be a.

Hopefully better results than the wildcard weekend average. Morgan A victor is fifteen points.

Hopefully better results than the wildcard weekend average. Morgan A victor is fifteen points.

Wildcard weekend well, I mean the College Football Playoff the first round was a little sucky, and after that the games have gotten better. I like that. Yeah, I mean, it's just just the reality is these wildcard weekends. To expand the field, you put in teams that aren't as good.

Wildcard weekend well, I mean the College Football Playoff the first round was a little sucky, and after that the games have gotten better. I like that. Yeah, I mean, it's just just the reality is these wildcard weekends. To expand the field, you put in teams that aren't as good.

So, by the way, for Blazing five, you'll include Ohio State, Notre Dame.

So, by the way, for Blazing five, you'll include Ohio State, Notre Dame.

Right, yes, I will.

Right, yes, I will.

Excited for that.

Excited for that.

That Barkley line was funny. I gotta be honest with you, Jmack with the news.

That Barkley line was funny. I gotta be honest with you, Jmack with the news.

Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The Herd Line.

Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by The Herd Line.

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The Red Cross to respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

The Red Cross to respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

There's an old saying a's higher a's and b's higher c's because they're threatened or insecure, or they just don't have the vision, and that's usually what it is. I do think the Bears should hire Mike McCarthy, and he is reportedly going for an interview tomorrow in Chicago. He'll be the twenty third person in the waiting room. I mean, they're The line at the DMV is shorter than the Bear's job search, but I think he checks the boxes. Now, there's another story that Marcus Freeman, the brilliant young coach of Notre Dame, could be the coach. He could be Sean McVay, or he couldn't. But I trust brilliant people to make brilliant decisions and have vision. I trusted Stan Cronk to spot the greatness in Sean McVay, hiring him at thirty. I trusted pat Riley to spot the greatness years earlier with Eric Spolstra. I trust great to see great I trust a's to hire a's. I don't trust be's and c's to do my hiring. And I don't trust the Chicago Bears to identify whether or not Marcus Freeman is going to succeed, because if he does, he'll own the room. And I think there's lots of average people and insecurity in that room upstairs in Chicago. That is my take, So I don't trust. It's almost like when you know a parent makes one of the kids executor of the will. It's the one they trust when they're gone. I just trusted Stan Cronkey's vision as the largest commercial real estate owner in the world. I just trusted his vision. On McVeigh, he said he's smart. He's smart. Pat Riley with Spolstra, I trust him. But Bill Parcells forever banged the table on Dan Campbell. He just kept calling owners in GMS higher. Dan Campbell. Parcells is one of the three four best football coaches in my life. Mike McCarthy is a safer choice. That's all. I trust the Bears doing. He will right the ship. You know. It's very similar to if you're a professional poker player, go for it, do all in bluffs. If it's your first weekend in Vegas. Just play the percentages. The Bear should play the percentages. Just get McCarthy in, Just get him in. He'll write the ship. He'll make you good, redeemable and solid and probably get you into the playoffs because his history shows you that. But listen, at some point, anybody listening to me, anybody listening to me, you will make a will. And when you make a will, you'll make one of your kids the executor of the will. And that's the one. You don't love them more or less. But it's the one you trust. And I think trust is really important in big decisions, and there's just not a lot of people in the NFL I trust to make those decisions. Cleveland thought they had a real gem in Freddie Kitchens, the Chargers thought they had a real gem in Brandon Staley. Were both fooled. The percentages of Chicago getting fooled by a young whiz. And I think Marcus Freeman's gonna be great. It's this is not a Marcus Freeman issue. But there's only so many people I trust hiring young guys in their thirties to run an iconic franchise. Okay, So I was thinking about this and the story came out this morning, and you know the way J Mack often points this out, if we don't love somebody, immediately you think we hate him. And I thought Russell Wilson had a nice season. I thought his last year in Denver with Peyton was pretty good, and I thought this year he was pretty good. But in the AFC, in a division with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, pretty good is not the answer. So Russell Wilson said yesterday he wants to stay in Pittsburgh Garrett.

There's an old saying a's higher a's and b's higher c's because they're threatened or insecure, or they just don't have the vision, and that's usually what it is. I do think the Bears should hire Mike McCarthy, and he is reportedly going for an interview tomorrow in Chicago. He'll be the twenty third person in the waiting room. I mean, they're The line at the DMV is shorter than the Bear's job search, but I think he checks the boxes. Now, there's another story that Marcus Freeman, the brilliant young coach of Notre Dame, could be the coach. He could be Sean McVay, or he couldn't. But I trust brilliant people to make brilliant decisions and have vision. I trusted Stan Cronk to spot the greatness in Sean McVay, hiring him at thirty. I trusted pat Riley to spot the greatness years earlier with Eric Spolstra. I trust great to see great I trust a's to hire a's. I don't trust be's and c's to do my hiring. And I don't trust the Chicago Bears to identify whether or not Marcus Freeman is going to succeed, because if he does, he'll own the room. And I think there's lots of average people and insecurity in that room upstairs in Chicago. That is my take, So I don't trust. It's almost like when you know a parent makes one of the kids executor of the will. It's the one they trust when they're gone. I just trusted Stan Cronkey's vision as the largest commercial real estate owner in the world. I just trusted his vision. On McVeigh, he said he's smart. He's smart. Pat Riley with Spolstra, I trust him. But Bill Parcells forever banged the table on Dan Campbell. He just kept calling owners in GMS higher. Dan Campbell. Parcells is one of the three four best football coaches in my life. Mike McCarthy is a safer choice. That's all. I trust the Bears doing. He will right the ship. You know. It's very similar to if you're a professional poker player, go for it, do all in bluffs. If it's your first weekend in Vegas. Just play the percentages. The Bear should play the percentages. Just get McCarthy in, Just get him in. He'll write the ship. He'll make you good, redeemable and solid and probably get you into the playoffs because his history shows you that. But listen, at some point, anybody listening to me, anybody listening to me, you will make a will. And when you make a will, you'll make one of your kids the executor of the will. And that's the one. You don't love them more or less. But it's the one you trust. And I think trust is really important in big decisions, and there's just not a lot of people in the NFL I trust to make those decisions. Cleveland thought they had a real gem in Freddie Kitchens, the Chargers thought they had a real gem in Brandon Staley. Were both fooled. The percentages of Chicago getting fooled by a young whiz. And I think Marcus Freeman's gonna be great. It's this is not a Marcus Freeman issue. But there's only so many people I trust hiring young guys in their thirties to run an iconic franchise. Okay, So I was thinking about this and the story came out this morning, and you know the way J Mack often points this out, if we don't love somebody, immediately you think we hate him. And I thought Russell Wilson had a nice season. I thought his last year in Denver with Peyton was pretty good, and I thought this year he was pretty good. But in the AFC, in a division with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson, pretty good is not the answer. So Russell Wilson said yesterday he wants to stay in Pittsburgh Garrett.

You want to come back next year.

You want to come back next year.

Yeah, that's that's that's the that's the plan.

Yeah, that's that's that's the that's the plan.

I mean, obviously I love it here and everything else, and I think we have a great football team. Obviously, it didn't go in the way we wanted it to, and I think there's a lot more to do. I think that, you know, obviously, this place is the place that I think can win a lot and all that stuff too, and I think we have a championship calibert football team.

I mean, obviously I love it here and everything else, and I think we have a great football team. Obviously, it didn't go in the way we wanted it to, and I think there's a lot more to do. I think that, you know, obviously, this place is the place that I think can win a lot and all that stuff too, and I think we have a championship calibert football team.

So the Steelers are broken and everybody sees it to me except the Steelers, right, Pittsburgh guy. Every year in this league, minimum four teams that made the playoffs will not and fanzero is outraged. Like this year, I said, Cowboys Niners are regressing. I predicted before the season Cowboys and Niners will slide. Keep your eye on the Chargers and the Broncos in Washington rising this year. I got it right. Pittsburgh's not making the playoffs next year. They're not. Burrow is arguably on any Sunday, the best quarterback in the league, and Lamar Jackson's amazing, and a lot of these great quarterbacks aren't getting worse than the AFC and the young ones are getting better. So with Pittsburgh's current staff and quarterback situation, they're not a playoff team. You know, it's almost like it's similar to you ever watch the Shark Tank and there's that person that comes on and they're absolutely sure they have the next great you know idea, and the billionaires are all kind of waiting for the person to step down and rolling their eyes. Like Pittsburgh thinks they got it figured out and they don't know offense. I like Mike Tomlin completely tone deft offense. Offensive line seven years, no good. They can't fix it. They're broken, and it doesn't matter if they go get Aaron Rodgers or Sam Darnold behind that offensive line and that inconsistent run game. Donald and Aaron Rodgers and we saw Russell Wilson aren't good enough. They're not gonna win big games. There's no quarterback in college you can get. And I hear this all the time for Steeler fan. We are too good to get a great draft pick and get a quarterback. That's funny. Baltimore is better than you, and they got one in Green Bay's consistently as good as you, and they got one. And the Chiefs were making the playoffs with Alex Smith, and they got Mahomes. You don't have the vision. You think you do, but you don't. You think you got the next great idea, but you don't. You don't get offense. That's where the league's pivoted to. You're tone deaf to it. You can't fix the O line, you can't fix the run game. Mike Tomlin the voice, what he's identifying works on one side of the ball. And if you look at Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter during this five game losing streak, passer rating in the sixties, completion percentage fifty eight, And I like, George Pickens is a talent, but he's all talent, no leadership. I'm not building around George Pickens. So this organization is not a playoff team despite what happened. They've got to feel some desperation and urgency instead of trying to be the pace car and brag about, Hey, no losing seasons. You're not Jacksonville. You're Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventies and eighties. You were the franchise of note. Certainly in the seventies for sure. But and this is not an indictment of Tomlin or Russell Wilson. Russell can start in this league. I'm not building around him, but he could start, and he had a good He beat the teams he should have beaten. But the truth comes out in the NFL the longer a season goes. The truth came out eventually. The Chargers lack of playmakers, that was the truth. You know, Sam Darnold and that offensive line, that was the truth. Green Bay little, reckless, inefficient, not playing well. The truth. Bo Nicks didn't play well over the course of time. The truth. Just because you make the playoffs doesn't mean you're not broken, doesn't mean you've got it right. It means the middle bottom of this league, like the NBA, is hard to watch. Usually, the NFL has got like five bad teams at the bottom. This year it's closer to twelve, and I think that is because of the rule changes. Eventually, with the rule changes, if you don't have a star quarterback, you can't compete. I mean, who won the games this weekend? The quarterback that played the best in every game. The quarterback that played the best won the game. Doesn't mean until it was the best quarterback, but the quarterback that played the best won every game. So this quarterback room in Pittsburgh, with this coach and his skill set just not good enough. Then Marry made the plais have higher standards. He's not good enough, all right, Jay Mack Top of the hour, Nick right stopping by Michael Irvin. Also zach Ertz from the Commanders is stopping by. I gotta tell you that Commander's game at Detroit. If I was a Lions fan, I'd be a little nervous.