Hour 2 - Herd Hierarchy

Published Jan 14, 2025, 8:42 PM

Colin gives his latest Herd Hierarchy with a surprise team landing in the top spot

Playoff predictions going forward 

 

Guest: Nick Wright 

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. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Great first Hour flew by 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. Michael Urban last hour, Zach Ertz stopping by as well. I'm interested in Nick right today because I'm interested in his take. He is the arch nemesis of Bills fans and to some degree Ravens fans, where I am sort of a beacon of American honesty and I have no favorites, play no favorites. Ever, I have a little lean toward USC and whatever. But interested to get Nick right on today.

J Mac.

So when I do hurt hierarchy, one of the things I tell people, it's not standings. You can go to the newspaper and get standings. How's that industry working out? We're doing TV we're doing digital, We're doing tik talk, baby shot. We are the God, we are the future and the present. So I'm gonna do my hurt hierarchy. I think you may be surprised by a team in there.

Yeah, how's Nick feeling about the Chiefs this weekend?

They are gonna nervous. No, they're gonna blow Houston out.

I think it's so lucky every year. So they get to the pathetic Texans, and then the Ravens and Bills beat each other up and they get whoever's left.

Well, they did burn the bye. You do earn those it's not like it's not like a ping pong lottery like the NBA draft, And you do earn home field Avand.

Who do you think has a better chance to beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead?

Buffalo, Buffalo or Baltimore Buffalo. Baltimore has become incredibly reliant on two guys. Buffalo has three receivers. I like two tight ends. I like a back, I like second best left tackle in football. Buffalo is the most Let's just get to our hurd hierarchy now, Yeah, okay, here we go. Number ten heard hierarchy. Time is now go the top ten NFL teams according to College. Number ten Cincinnati Bengals. Sorry, they beat the Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers that made the playoffs, and they beat the breaks off of Green Bay. Right now, they're a good football team. Joe Burrow is on fire five game winning streak. He completed seventy seven percent of his throws, thirteen tds, four picks, and a one to eleven passer rating. That's just sometimes the way it works. You get hot too late. Cincinnati is a top ten team in the league. Let me tell you who. Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore didn't want to make the playoffs. Cincinnati, they were fine with bow Knicks. They were fine with Justin Herbert CJ. Stroud. I didn't want bon Nicks anywhere near the playoffs. Cincinnati at ten, Number nine, Minnesota, yeah they listen. They're like a really good student who got a D in their last couple of test scorers doesn't make him a bad student. Top ten scoring offense, top five defense. They got out coach last night, and they're not as good as Detroit and frankly, the Rams young defense is a site to behold. But I have the Vikings at nine number eight, the inconsistent Houston Texans. Now they're only two and five against playoff teams, and they're gonna go to Kansas City. It's gonna be cold, and they're gonna probably get smoked. They're nine to zero when holding opponents to twenty points or fewer, and Kansas City is getting better on offense, so that's not gonna happen. I think they're still a year away. I think Denver's a year away. I think Green Bays a year away. I do think CJ. Stroud's a different quarterback on the road than at home. We told you that going into the Chargers game.

C J.

Stroud cold weather on the road. Their season will end. Number seven Commanders, no punts or turnovers against the Bucks. I don't know if I like the team or I'm in love with Jayden Daniels. I mean, the kids, Just to god, there's about sixty percent Mahomes, sixty percent Lamar Jackson. It's the best rookie I've ever seen, next to Andrew Locke. Six game winning streak. Each of their last five games have been decided on the last play from scrimmage. You can't do that forever. That's just too emotional, too wild. They I think they'll lose, but they deserve a ton of respect. How would you like to be Washington for the next ten years with Jayden Daniels in cap space? Sign me up now? Number six. Number six is the Rams played a perfect game in the first half last night, but they were not good on third down and their offense can be really sluggish in the first half. Listen, they're really good, not great, but they're fifteen and five when they have Stafford and Puka and Cup and Kyron Williams. Kien Williams got dinged up last night, cross your fingers, and they're seven to one when they score twenty one plus. Their offense gets stuck though, and it happens kind of regularly where their offense gets stuck. But if you give McVeigh or Andy Reid extra time, good night. And I thought this, this defense is no joke. In the first four weeks of the year, they had eight sacks. At eight sacks last night. This defense is Jared Verse is unblockable. This kid right here jumping into the end zone. So the Rams are a young defense that about every three weeks you look up and they're noticeably better. I have the Rams at number six, number five Philadelphia. I don't know if I don't think they can win the Super Bowl. Yes, they're thirteen. In one of the last fourteen games, they were two for eleven on third down. Jalen Hurts went nearly two full quarters without a completion, and I don't love the head coach. I do think they'll beat the Rams because the Rams played perfect and now go outdoors to cold weather and Philadelphia played poorly and still won. They have the best roster in the NFL. But I mean, Saquon Barkley is the leader of this team. It's not the quarterback, it's not the coach. This is the one team to me, like you can like Derrick Henry, but I get Lamar and John Harbaugh. Saquon Barkley leads this team. That's the guy in the old line that I trust. Number four, Listen, the Ravens are good boy. They are really dependent on Derrick Henry and Lamar and that would concern me. Three drives of eighty five plus yards, you know what I feel about Lamar Jackson. Listen, They're one in five against the Chiefs and they beat everybody else. So I don't think this team would beat Kansas City if they had to play them an arrowhead. I just don't think they would because I think Kansas City is better defensively and I think Baltimore is getting better on the defensive side. They held opponents under twenty points in five straight games. So that's what good coaching staffs do and good general managers do. Baltimore had a flaw, and they're now better at the flaw. Kansas City wasn't very good on offense early, and now Kansas City is better on offense. That's what good organizations do. So they've cleaned up the mess on defense. I have them there at what do I have the Ravens at four? Number three, Detroit Lions second best roster in football off of by hosting the Commanders. They struggle against mobile quarterbacks, which is not a good thing to struggle against. In twenty twenty five in the NFL six and two against playoff teams. Dan Campbell has a culture of relentlessness. Guys play hurt. Jared Goff. For all you Jared Goff critics, this should be a calling was really right for the next ten years. Jared Goff on third and fourth down this year eighteen touchdowns, no picks. Best o line in football, Number two, number what number two? Number two Kansas City listen, worst point differential in the history of the league for a team that's as good as them. I know they had to buy, and I know they'll be good, and I know they'll beat the brakes off of Houston. And they are getting stronger late with their musical chairs on the offensive line in Hollywood Brown. And they are seven and two against current playoff teams and twenty one and two. But aesthetics matter and data matters, and my number one team in league number one is Buffalo. There's never been a team in pro football that had thirty passing touchdowns and over thirty rushing touchdowns. Not only do they win at home, all but one home game was a blowout seven win by twenty points. I think this offense is incredible. Left tackle right now, the best remaining in the playoffs quarterback, most talented remaining in the playoffs James Cook, Top five running back, two good tight ends, three capable receivers. They are not as good as Kansasity defensively, there is no question, and maybe they don't match up with Baltimore defensively, but this team right now is so good offensively, left tackle, quarterback, weapons, run game. I have him number one by an inch. I think this is the year. I think this is the best version of Buffalo. Hey, these are tough decisions, folks. J Mack has a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Nick Wright is now going to join us. I might as well. Just it's like I might as well.

Just it's not poker rough decisions right right right in the bill.

It's not the one.

See, that's the two time defending champ who you've had number one all year. It's not hard to keep them number one. I'm just curious you that you weren't impressed by the Chiefs this weekend in their bye week. Oh wait, maybe it was the week before because the Chiefs' backups lost to Denver, but you love Denver, and the Bills backups lost to the Patriots backups who didn't want to win. Was it the week before that when the Bills beat the Jets or the week before that when the Bills struggled with the Patriots.

Who are drafting number four?

Are we doing?

Now?

Here's the thing, it's obviously farcical, and the fact that you dared you, you said, and I quote, I jotted it down. The Bills have quote the most talented quarterback left in the playoffs. Yes, I didn't know Patrick Mahomes wasn't invited to the playoffs this year. However, I'm not gonna be too hard on you because it's a rough day.

I know.

How are you doing? You know I said this earlier. I'll set you up, said, I said, Sam probably never deserved a Mahomes Allen Lamar contract, so he'll get a Baker contract. And one of the things about the NFL, because of the scarcity of games, is every game matters. We've seen coaches that have a job and then lose it, I mean literally overnight. I mean if Sean McDermott would have lost to Denver, we would feel different about Sean McDermott today than we feel about beating Denver. And my thing with Darnald was eventually over the course of a season. That's why I say the Chiefs winning is at luck. The truth comes out and Donald, now, we'll get a Baker contract. I think he deserves that. Do you not.

Well, here's the thing, and this is what I love about the NFL and why I get so annoyed with folks, whether it's who try to make excuses I'm not talking about this conversation for certain players, and they're like, oh, small sample size. It's a small sample sized sport. That's the reality of it. Yea, and twelve days ago, not twelve days ago, fourteen days ago, Colin fourteen days I sat here with you and I said, not you.

I said that if.

Darnold plays great that sun Deck coming Sunday night against Detroit, that he has to get legitimate MVP consideration and show up at least on the bottom of people's ballots. And I stand by that. That was fourteen days ago. But because it's a small sample sized sport, when the sample is is the two biggest games of your season and the two biggest games of your career, you instantly go back to seeing ghosts and your team scores nine points, Then all of a sudden, folks are gonna say MVP, forget that, and actually we want JJ McCarthy as our quarterback. And actually, any contending team is not going to be able to sell their fan base that he is the guy to get us over the hump. So I don't think you were crazy two weeks ago when you said if he wins that game against Detroit and they're the one seed and have the buye that he's looking at high forties, low fifties. I also think now he might be looking at another one year prove it deal. Maybe someone gives him the Baker deal, but I don't know, and so I just it's one of the beautiful things about professional football. It's also one one of the cruel things about professional football. Sam walked into that game against Detroit with the world at his fingertips. If he played great and they won, it's generational wealth and rewriting the story of his career. Instead, he played his worst game of the year until last night, which was even worse. And now for a lot of people it's same old Sam, and it's a shame. But that's the sport, that's the life they've chosen to space.

So I'm going to get to Ravens bills, but I want to save that to the end because I said this. When Jerry Jones appeared on land Man A Great Show, everybody was surprised how good he was, and I'm like, no, no, Jerry's great with attention. Jerry's great with a camera on him. And I think there's an argument to be made that Dion Sanders isn't the best coach available. But the Cowboys are boring and most of my life they haven't been and their training camp attendants was the lowest ever. And you watch them play. The Niners or Packers are a big brand and the stadiums forty five percent full of the other fans, and Dion makes them fascinating. Do you think it'll happen and do you think it would work? I don't think it'll happen.

I do think it could work if it did happen with your like, that's only part part one of the plan. Is hired Dion part two of the plan, and I'm glad you brought up land Man. Is Stephen Jones goes to Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Landman, and is like, hey, I will give you ten million dollars to cast Jerry in a starring role of season two, but just tell him he's got to be on set the whole time and you're filming during football season. Just get let get him out of the building.

Yeah. Hey, he was a I mean that two and a half minutes. He was spectacled by the way by the way, James, when James Dolan of the Knicks built the Sphere in Vegas and was out of the building for two years, the Knicks front office suddenly got brilliant. Right exactly.

No, this is actually an adjusted take that I've stolen from you, which is, if the medaling owner can get distracted with something else, the team can.

Thrive or succeed. It's exactly right.

And so I don't I think, Jerry. They have managed now on consecutive decisions. Colin, I feel have two options, neither of which were great, but both were fine, and they went door number three, which was a disaster. So with Dak Prescott, option one would have been pay him top of market right when the offseason begins and build your team accordingly. Option two would have been tell him no, man, we're not paying you. We're letting your contract play out and we'll see. They chose the worst of both worlds, pay him top of market, last minute possible tie up our cap. They did the exact same thing with Mike McCarthy. With Mike McCarthy, they could have signed him to an extension the day the season ended or before, or they could have said, Mike, we appreciate you. We're moving on the day the season ended and interview all these guys that everyone else interviewed and said, they said, hmm to our number three, let's not bring him back, but let's do it at the last possible moment. So we don't get to interview Ben Johnson, we don't get to interview Spags, we don't get to interview eron Glenn when everyone else did so. I think that was a back to back ridiculous choices by Jerry Jones, where you took the worst of all options. I do think Dion would be excellent.

I don't think that.

The reason I only think it's going to happen is that Cowboys are the one team that looks like they're hiring a coach. I shouldn't say the one team, but one of the teams where it's least likely he would ever get to coach Shador like because they gave Dak that contract, he is untradeable in the short term and does have a no trade in the long term, and they're drafting twelve and so to me, it's just if Dion would want to do it without needing to coach his son. Yeah, I think his personality has enough gravitational poll. It could pull from Jerry's gravitational poll and that would work. But I just don't I don't know that I think it's gonna happen.

Okay, I gotta ask if Bill's Ravens. So you're somebody that's seen as the arch nemesis in Buffalo and sometimes in Baltimore, and I really like, I think Baltimore is arguably the best run organization top to bottom and football, along with Kansas City. I said this yesterday. I think Buffalo's become Kansas City without the trophies. Owner stays out of the way, smart, really sharp general manager, don't miss on a lot of draft picks. Superstar quarterback always have I mean Joe Brady and Spags. You're like, these are really really sharp guys, they just don't have the trophies. And I said, that's why Phil micholson didn't win a lot of majors when Tiger was in his prime. Doesn't mean Phil mckolson can't play. And I think this is the best version of Buffalo. So I Vegas clearly says Buffalo won't be able to stop the run game of Baltimore. They're telling you that with the line like Baltimore is gonna run over them, I can't go there. We can't forget Lamar's gotten a bit tight in big games because they just dusted off a team in Pittsburgh that can't get offense. Right, How do you view Bill's Ravens?

All right?

Well, first of all, the Buffalo, as can say, without the trophies. And I know this is I'm going to about to mention one of your favorite actors. But that's a bit like Michael Keaton's just Tom Hanks without the oscars. I mean, yeah, but that kind of is what makes one guy who he is and the other guy somewhere like really good. But the trophies are what you are playing for, first of all. And I did that intentionally because nobody loves Michael Keaton more than the guy.

I'm talking to right now. I love good team. I know you.

I know you do, and so I you said that. I've been a thorn in the Bill fan side until this year, when I thought everyone wrote them off far too early before the year, picking the Jets or the Dolphins or ridiculousness to win that division. And I've said all year long, I think Buffalo is the second best team in football to Kansas City. I still think that I think that Buffalo has right now one weakness and you saw it actually show up in the Rams and Lions game. Obviously they won one lost the other. And that weakness is if you have multiple downfield threats in the passing game, I don't trust their back end, which is why, even though I don't think Zay Flowers is a great player, I think he's a good player. I think he's a great player. I think the lack of Jay Flowers, if he's not able to go this week, is massive for Baltimore because that's the one spot I think you can take advantage of the Bills defensively is deep down field passing. And I also think that is a problem for Baltimore because they don't really want to be in a deep downfield passing game. Lamar Saturday played the first start to finish great playoff game of his career, and I give him a ton of credit for it, but yes, of course I still have reservations about him in the postseason. I also think that one of the reasons the Bills have been underrated this year is because people just don't care that they have the best offensive line in the entire conference, and James Cook's been really good. Yeah, so I disagree with Vegas on this. I think it's insulting for Buffalo to be home dogs. And Lamar's not Tua obviously when it comes to the cold, but Lamar doesn't love the freezing cold, and Buffalo on Sunday is going to be eight degrees. All those reasons. I like the Bills and Colin. I gotta tell you, Chiefs are gonna, you know, take care of the Texans by halftime Saturday afternoon and then Ravens Bills. I hope this thing goes to triple overtime. I hope it's the greatest football game ever played. I hope we tell our grandkids about what an unbelievable slugfest this football game was.

I'm so excited, like college football, go thirteen overtimes and then somebody stumbles into the end going yeah, jes going as always, buddy, great seeing you, Nick Wright. First things first, and that's Bryly the way. That's very I thought about that as well. Like I said this earlier, the Rams will not play as well as they did last night. They played a perfect game, and Philadelphia played like you know what and won. I like Philadelphia over the Rams, even though I love the Rams this morning. So I just think it does matter. And I think Buffalo and Baltimore is gonna be Allie Frasier. It's gonna be Nate Diaz and Connor McGregor. Well, what do you do in your next fight when it doesn't live up to it? So I do think there's an advantage Kansas City. He's arrested. You know, they'll take care of that thing at halftime. Rest, guys, hide the play, but listen Houston on the road in cold weather. I don't trust them. I already I'll tell you my blazing five right. And I like Kansas City. I like Buffalo, I like Philadelphia. I think I like the Commanders and the points. Oh just with the points not to win out run. No, I like the comm What do they get nine and a half? I'm not giving Jayde and Daniels nine and a half points on a fast track, no thanks, I mean Tampa's not. I mean I just think indoors Jade and Daniels running around. He's gonna move the ball.

Rosters in Washington get stops.

They got a couple of dudes up front. I like, they don't need to get a ton, they need to get a few.

Yeah. Now you got me thinking about this Bill's Ravens game where you tell me you know what's gonna happen on Monday. Whoever loses that quarterback is just going to get destroyed.

Oh oh, he can't win the big game. No, no, it's already written. That's gonna go if that if that game is thirty twenty eight. Because I get tired of the Lamar doesn't play take out the Chiefs. I mean, Lamar beats everybody.

I would have to drill down on a non Chiefs playoff games, but I will mention like Sam Darnold, I'm up Monkin. Last year in the AFC Championship game, I did one of the most bizarre game plans. Do you trust him to go in to Buffalo and.

Dillop the right team? Say? This is something funny. So one of the things the Internet does that I don't think is healthy is they bury people the idea that people can't improve. A great example the Rams defense. It had eight sacks in the first month. It had eight last night nine. They're all young kids, okay, like Robert Sala. You're not gonna look at the Jets and blame them for some of the nonsense. Like I would hire Sala again as a head coach, gonna be.

The defensive coordinator of the Niners.

And he'll be great by it. So this idea that we bury people, it's just like, I'm more of an action than a words guy. I talk for a living, you know. Sometimes that's what people want.

They want the age. But he called it engagement farming.

But here's what I would say. The really smart people in our society are finding talented people who had a bad day, of bad stretch, a bad sentence about and they're finding him. Let the internet and the trolls bury people. I'm not burying Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, I'm not burying Jordan Love. These people are talented. Kyle Shanahan had an off year. You don't think he can coach. Really, you don't think Kevin O'Connell's a good coach. He got worked last night. But in the end, I'm Pete Carroll was fired by the Jets and the Patriots. Then all of a sudden he goes to USC and Seattle, and you're like, are we talking Hall of Fame for Pete Carroll that we don't give people second chances. I I think there's incredible value. It's like sometimes people can be a little bit like a value stock. It's beaten down by the market. Have bailed on it, you know what that company doesn't. People who are really great are inspired by criticism, not defeated by it. The great Kevin O'Connell will be a better coach next year because he's getting crushed today. And I think Sean McDermott, by the way, Sean McDermott three years ago, Sean McDermott today, he is a better football coach. Tom Coughlin early Giants, Tom Coughlin, late Giants, better football coach.

How's this? Is there a coach this weekend who, if he loses this game, is most likely to get fired.

Well? I think Nick Sara is well, but I think Nick's actions have been not very redeemable, arguing fans coaches. Yeah, so I don't buy that he's great. I think Kevin O'Connell's really good. I think mcveigh's a legend. But great people who are driven and strong and resilient are not beaten by credit. They're inspired by it, and so I don't like everybody, Oh was selling stock. You sell your justin Herbert stock, not me.

I'm holding onto mine. I'll take yours, though, if you want to sell.

No, I'm not selling it. We got good stuff. Michael Irvin, zach Erch around the corner live in La. It's the Herd. One more Herd. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like. You know, obviously in southern California there's a lot of finger crossing here as the winds whip up for the next couple of days, and everybody has been affected by these wildfires, and it's gotten very political. But I thought Sean mcvayh after the game, a lot of those fires are by the RAMS facility, and I J McK and I said yesterday we liked the Rams going into the game. We didn't know yesterday how they would respond. They played almost a perfect first half of football, and here was a Sean McVay on overcoming the past several days.

I thought they epitomized and they represented the city the right way. You talk about sports offering a platform for people to come together offer a little bit of temporary relief. And I thought the way that our team competed tonight was what it looked like.

Yeah, it was Thanks tip of the cap to the Arizona Cardinals the Bidwell family on that, and I think the entire league did a remarkable job on this, I really do. I thought the league was great, the broadcasting people, the bus is moving people across the country. We're all so lucky in this business. I am incredibly lucky because of how much you care about sports and about how much the athletes commit and dedicate themselves. A lot of professional athletes have long, rugged journeys and it's resilience and toughness, and I thought there was so many things on display last night beyond football and the fans who made the trip to the league who got it right. I just thought it was really impressive in what has been the most daunting week in Southern California, certainly since I've been here, but for many many years it was. It was a depressing and discouraging and too often a political week. But tip of the cap to not just the Rams but everybody involved in what last last night. Was a really first class performance, a top to bottom by the NFL and everybody involved. Jmack with the news, this is the herdline news, all right.

The Detroit Lions. They're coming off of bye week. They will host Washington and Colin here in a bit of a surprise Detroit for the first time in Lions history. They're the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Dan and was asked how his team will handle the expectations. We've had attention for film years here. I mean, there's been more stuff that's been made out that's been.

Built one way.

We've been so good, We've been so bad, we're a laughing stock. Now we're great.

And it's just been this roller coaster of up and downs and and it's the next it's the next week on it, you know what I mean. And so this is nothing new that we're in right now. This is nothing new for me, for the coaches, for the players.

We're we're in the middle.

Of the circus, man, and it's about time to perform. I love that, You know what, when you ask people the noisier I used to cover un LB basketball with Jerry Tarkanian. Rest in peace and and and Jerry Tarkanian's teams were often battling with the NCAA, and I came to the conclusion after watching it and covering it for six or seven years, Jerry's team play better the more issues they had with outside exterior forces. Is that Jerry was able to rally the team. It's us against the world, to the point where I think sometimes Jerry would create he would criticize the team. And I think it was the first time I had watched it where the Rebels played better often when it was just noisy, And I think it gives coaches, you know, Michael Jordan, after you win three straight, how do you get motivated?

You make stuff.

I mean, when Detroit was literally beating people like Alabama did during Sabans run in September October, and then they had some injuries, and you know, we've watched the playoffs this past weekend. There is a gap between the really good and the good, like a big gap. So how do you keep a team motivated when you're a nine and a half point favorite. And I think there's sometimes you know, all this stuff about Detroit losing people and Dan Campbell and his weird decisions. They they are not now so resilient because we're always poking holes in Detroit.

I do wonder how much do you factor in the whole. Everybody's talking to Aaron Glenn, everybody's talking to Ben Johnson.

I don't love. I don't know.

I don't think Cliff kingb we are doing any art. I don't I don't even know who it's a coordinator is.

By the way, about three or four weeks ago, we were talking about Kevin O'Connell. People would trade a draft pick for him. They never played good after that, Like, I don't like all the coaching stuff that.

You know, they had to win over the Packers. It was impressive, But I want to go back. Do you remember on our on this show where Dan Campbell's name got brought up among the best coaches in the league, and I was like, oh, yeah, he's like a bottom ten, bottom five.

I don't remember you saying that, but it's certainly possible.

He's really done an amazing job. The less he is, well, look at is he coach of the year or is it Kevin O'Connell. Here's where you have to give Dan Campbell credit. Look at the staff he's built, Look at the this is the best staff in football. This is the thing about the ease building as much as the GM, like it's probably a joint effort. They do. Listen.

Their staff is fantastic.

We saw Belichick's struggle. Andy Reidis had not as big as struggles, but with guys poaching from his staff, like there is going to be pulled back in some change. I'm very curious if this is the year for Detroit and.

Then next year, you know what the best super Bowl is, It's Detroit against Buffalo. Detroit and Buffalo will blow away every Super Bowl ratings record of all.

To Baltimore would probably be second Lamar in the Super.

Bowl, right, But there's something about Detroit feels like the Cubs and shoulder pads. There is sort of this the world's rooting for this lovable loser that's not a loser anymore. And I think I think Baltim Buffalo because of the you know, you can go back to the Jim Kelly, Marv Levy days. You're like, cand these guys get a break. Oh, I mean Buffalo Detroit. It would shatter any record.

I will say, I know they didn't look good, but I will lean slightly. I'll whisper at Eagles Super Bowl. For me, I think they're going I know what, we thought they were awesome, Nick Sirianni, That's that's the one I wonder.

Yeah, two hours with no completions.

Okay, next story is bot Knicks. Now, this is crazy, Colin. So obviously bo Nicks out of the playoffs, completing a good season, had a very good rookie year. However, we're just now hearing that he competed in the second half of the season with a fractured bone in his back.

Well, what what.

Nick's talked about it during the exit interview?

The Vegas week was just.

You know, I had a little you know, transverse process fracture from my back, but that week got treatment and kind of made it through to that week Monday Night football.

It was a stretch that we were all.

Kind of banged up, and you know, I wasn't gonna miss the first Monday night game, so I got treatment and then we were fortunate to have an off week that next week, and you know kind of went away after that. But for that moment, it was, you know, annoying, but we all play with annoying things.

Interesting that we never heard. I mean, I didn't see any reports about that, but I'm looking so that Raiders game is when he got the injury. The next game of the Monday game against Cleveland. You know bout Knicks runs a lot. He did not run at all against the Cleveland Browns, and he was spraying the ball over eighteen and thirty five. He hit the big ninety three yard or whatever. But then they had the bye week, so there was some luck there. But kind of interesting that Sean Payton was just, you know, not revealing a back injury a procedure if.

You will, why I'm not.

Come on, we live in a NFL. You got to tell us.

I do not like injuries. I'm very consistent on this. When I started this business thirty years ago. I probably said it my first five years, and I've said it once a year for thirty years. I do not like injury reports. I don't like you telling me who's vulnerable. I mean s if you're a defensive lineman and I have a bad left knee, I'm an offensive lineman, I'm like, go for the knee.

Okay, thirty years ago, that's fine. Now we're in a gambling world. It's legal, and like.

What, I don't care.

We need to know. Gamblers need to know gamble this information. Okay, you think we should just be able to hide the college football steam I am.

I am pro gambling. I love gambling, but I don't think your priority is giving a gambler injury news. I think the priority is protecting young men who are sacrificing their bodies. I can be two things at once, pro gambling and not telling you that the right tackle has a bad left knee.

Well you don't, okay, so we could have just heard bo Nicks has a bit of a lower back. Limited in practice. That's all you gotta way, and then he's a full practice the next day. Whatever. But at least tell people he's got something going on in his back. You don't think that you need to do that. There's a lot of money in fantasy football and gambling. I mean, you don't want to hear that, but that's the reality.

I'm not. I can think two things. I am pro gambling in fantasy football, I am hippo laws. I don't want to know who's hurt where they're vulnerable. I mean, can you imagine broken ribs gets out for a wide receiver, a tight end. I'm a safety. You know where I'm going for his ribs. I don't want to know it.

And then the player looks soft if he takes the shot to the ribs and can't come back, Oh, that's not that bad of a hit. He's soft, he's weak. I can say, Wait, he had a major rib injury. Come on, wiggle room on the injuries.

No, I'm not a wiggle room guy. Okay.

Final story. Bill Belichick building his staff out at North Carolina. He's got ten million dollars to hire coaches, but he had only made a few hires, like his son as the defensive coordinator and GM Mike Lombardi's son as an offensive assistant. He's also retaining offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens. Remember that guy now Pro Football Talk listen. I know Florio a little bit. He he did a big post online about how uh, North Carolina's nervous Belichick may leave because he's not hiring a staff, and then, of course Lombardy pushed back online like, settle down, everything's fine. I think we can officially close the door. Belichick's not going to the NFL.

You not, you can close that door. I see a lot of sons on that staff. You know your sons. Everybody dads care about their son.

Yeah, that's always a good move, bring in, bringing in our sons. And then we're just gonna leave and go.

Come on, I've told you before. When you're great at something your entire life, and I watch it and laud you and and and am enamored with you, and then you decide I don't like that. I like something else. I'm very suspicious. And I just for a guy that was didn't even pay attention to Saturday football, was bad at drafting college players, but was brilliant in the NFL. Now, I'm supposed to believe he loves the recruiting trail.

So you know that.

By the way, Belichick hated media is all life. He goes on ESPN and suddenly he's he's the wacky fundster. He's having a good time telling jokes. He is auditioning. He was auditioning for a job to show that he's fun and personable and youthful.

I would agree. He's also got a new young girl friend. Well, we're young and cool and hip, and he's talking about you know, whatever young people talk about.

But so.

I love sports. I love talking about sports. Right, you know that what if I told you I'm leaving the show tomorrow and I'm gonna join the table Tennis Global Tournament, and I'm gonna leave. I'm gonna stop talking about sports. I'm gonna play ping pong for for the rest of my life.

I'd call your wife and say, get him into therapy. He's on something, so I wouldn't believe it.

But people change they had.

They don't make. They don't make people who are great at something. If you're in dance, ballet, dance, the arts and you're great at it and say, you know what, I want to go into instruction, It'd be okay if you failed at it, but when you're great at it, people don't walk away from great because great gives you such happiness and joy and a sense of accomplishment. He made. Like urban Meyer told me before he took the Jags job, I don't watch pro football. He didn't have a love for it, and after about a year it exhausted him. I just say, Belichick, for a year, okay, I'm watching all these recruiting pictures. Get me a break way, coach, Belichick, you want to chicken pot pie. He wants to get in a golf stream and get back to a golf course. It g jmack within News. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the live Michael Urban zach Ertz around the corner Live in La. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio App.

Why should you listen to Covino and Rich.

We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together.

I mean that says something, right, So check us out.

We like to get you involved too, take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports radio maybe the.

Most interactive show on planetar.

Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media.

That's Covino and Rich.

You an incredible rookie season. As he leaves the Commanders against Jared Goff and the top seeded Lions in a divisional playoff matchup Saturday at seven thirty eastern on Box.

All right, let's look at the playoffs. Here we go, a lot of great quarterbacks, a lot of very good coaches. Texans are at the Chiefs. I think both of us feel pretty strongly about Kansas City. Andy riduffa bye in that first game, Jmac, would you nod in approval there or no? What do you think?

Hundred thousand? That's the only spread bet I have so far.

Chiefs Lontatra Lions at home with a bunch, better roster and a bye with a smart, clever offensive coach should beat the Commanders. Nine and a half is tasty, But I think the Lions I think the extra rest for and time to be creative for Ben Johnson and a veteran quarterback and a great o' line. I think they're just too much for the Commanders to handle. I think that's the one game I would take the points because of Jayden Daniels. But I mean, let's be honest. I mean the Commanders could have easily lost to Tampa, so I just don't see them winning the game.

Uh yeah, I would go Lions in a blow out or Lions at a close one. There's no middle ground.

Okay, Rams are certainly capable of beating the Eagles. I think it's a coaching and quarterback edge to the Rams. They did play nearly perfect. Philadelphia played poorly and still won comfortably. I think I'd take Philadelphia. What say you?

So? I'm looking at the weather here Lincoln Lincoln Financial Field. That does not look like it's going to be a warm one. That's a lot of travel for the Rams. I'm leaning Eagles, but nothing yet. I think that's another teaser. Take the Eagles down to just win the game. Take it out of Sirianni's hands, put it in the hands of Jalen Hurts. Did you see Barkley rush for two fifty against the.

Ramdom last meeting. The first time they met, by the third quarter, early in the third quarter, it was a mismatch. Ravens at the Bills. I like Buffalo. The wise guys like the Ravens.

Yeah, that's gonna be another cold one. Teen temperatures in Buffalo for that one.

I'll go Bills. One of us is not deterred by cold weather.

Which what is that? College?

Maybe that's why I was a very redeemable quarterback. I could play in rain, sleet, and snow.

You're better in the rain than brock Perty huh.

All right, our Michael Irvan Next

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