The Herd with Colin CowherdColin tells you why he was right about Broncos QB Bo Nix and wrong about Cardinals QB Kyler Murray.
He also talks to 3-time Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck about Caleb Williams playing well since the offensive coordinator change in Chicago
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Oh we got good stuff. Hour two. It's a Monday 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. Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. Next Hour with Eric Mangini, Matt Hasselbeck around the Corner Jmac Tonight is the Harball. I don't have a feel for it. I would probably take Jim Harbott home. And my feeling is I really like Baltimore, But over the course of time, over the course of a season, the truth comes out. They're not very good in the back end of their defense, even when they outplay teams. They you know, they lost to the Raiders at home, so you start looking around at that team and I think, when I watched the Chargers the last month, I feel like I get basically since Justin Herbert got healthy, I get the exact same game with the Ravens. I don't feel like I get the exact same game. Plus, you know Greg Roman's gonna he's gonna want to put one on the Ravens.
Little triggery one and a half trick plays from the Chargers in Gregory.
I think I feel like the Chargers win tonight. I feel like I'm getting a very consistent team. I told you I thought they were reminded me of Kansas City coach quarterback Edge Rush missing a weapon, can run the ball. So I'll take what is it two and a half points tonight?
Yeah, something like that. I go thirty twenty seven Chargers.
It kind of feels like that. That's what it feels like. Fun game to watch though, all right, Colin right, Colin wrong? On a Monday. Here we go where Colin was right, Where Colin was wrong. Let's start with the right. Bow Knicks was somebody I liked out of Oregon a lot. Bow Knicks and his last ten stars is seven and three with one hundred passer rating. They beat the Raiders twenty nine to nineteen. They are now seven to five. Yes, Sean Payton is a huge component here. But Bo Nicks and I said this, I don't know if he's the best quarterback. I don't know if he has the highest ceiling. But I do believe bo Nicks has a chance to be the best rookie quarterback because of the coach that he inherits. And that's what we've seen. Where Colin was rough, I thought the Cowboys were going to do a soft tank and they actually outplayed the Commanders. Cooper Rush completed seventy five percent of his throws. I thought the defensive game plan was smart. You saw Jayden Daniels being flushed out of the pocket seemingly on multiple occasions. You had a cowboy defender waiting for it. So I thought Dallas had a great effort. Like Jmax said earlier, I think Mike McCarthy is auditioning for his next job. And I was surprised by the cowboy not only the win, but the effort. It was strong.
Where Colin was right.
I know it drives you nuts, but Sam Darnold's a good quarterback. It's official. The vikings are nine and two. Donald was six for six in overtime, came in ding Up made several big time throws. Listen, I know Caleb Williams is what everybody is watching in this game, but that was a game you could have easily lost. He's so into a couple of guys we don't know much about. Justin Jefferson was locked down some of the afternoon by Jalen Johnson and Sammy Darnold can officially play for the nine and.
Two vikings where Colin was raw, what a.
Shocker off of by Arizona, could not score a touchdown, what a mess Kyler was bad on third down, had his worst pick as a pro, which basically gave the game to Seattle. You know, give give McDonald and the Seahawks defense a lot of credit. Here's the pick for the TV viewers. That was brutal, But I they just laid a complete egg. If you're a great quarterback and you've got those webs and you're off of buy it cannot be no touchdowns, no rhythm, and the worst pick of your career. That game was as shocking as any this weekend for me.
Where Colin was right huh.
Aaron Rodgers, being a little sketchy with the truth, reportedly resisted medical scans out of fear the Jets would bench him. I said, this team's not making the playoffs. The Jets are a poorly run franchise. It will eventually discombobulate, so it's not a surprise. I also think, if you're totally honest and you look at all these good young quarterbacks in their prime, I don't think Aaron's a top twelve quarterback. I don't even know if he's a top fifteen quarterback. So but now apparently he's intentionally avoiding the truth because he doesn't want to get benched. I didn't think it was going to be very good. I didn't think it was going to be this bad.
But it is where Colin was wrong.
I thought Indiana would be able to move the ball a little on Ohio State, or at least a little more than they did. It was not competitive. They had fifty three total yards in the first half. The Hoosiers came in with a lot of smoke and a lot of talk, and they just could not consistently move it. They had special teams, gaffs. It just looked like they weren't ready for the moment. Indiana played with a lot of anxiety. They came in a little cocky, but for the first time all year against a good opponent. I mean, Indiana's not a bad team. They got some players and they have a good coach. I think you have to give Ohio State credit for winning like this. I don't care they're at home. That was a good win. That was an impressive win by the Buckeyes where Colin was right settled down. Kansas City's going to end up in the Super Bowl whether you like it or not. Yesterday, final drive, Mahomes three for four, the thirty three yard run. They are, like New England, the best big drive, big moment, big goal line stand team in the league. In fact, all make an argument they're much better at tight end and receiver. Noah Gray now second time this year two touchdowns. I think they're better a touchdown. I think Xavier Worthy is trying to figure out what he is. I like their receiving corps. Hollywood Brown eventually, I think comes back. I don't think their defense is as good. This coach, this quarterback. Take a deep breath. It's hard when you go to back to back Super Bowls, fatigue early. But if you look at mahomes last five games, he's back to being Patrick.
Mahomes, where Colin was raw.
I'm a Kaylin Debor fan, but this has been the weirdest roller coaster year for Alabama. They had no offense, and I like Jalen Milroe, it is a mess. Now to give Oklahoma credit great game plan, they moved the ball, and I mean just Alabama's all over the map. This is the fewest points BAMA has scored in twenty years. It's the most losses in fourteen years. They have had great moments this year, but on a consistent level, I have no idea what I get getting from Kaylen to which if you look at his college career, all he did was win and create great offenses, and week to week, half to half, I don't know what I'm getting from Bama's offense.
Where Colin was right.
I put Miami in my top ten last week even though they were four and six. You're watching them, they look good. This game shocked me. It's a division rivalry game. Whether it wasn't a factor, New England had been playing well. Two is now seven to zero against the Patriots. He is to the Patriots what Josh Allen is to the Miami Dolphins. Their third straight win to a four touchdowns, no picks. They have to root now for the Chargers and Denver to lose a little bit. But Miami's good, and we also have to we have to be honest about this. Drake May's good too, but he didn't look like he was the same class as Tua to It looked really special. Colin right, Colin wrong on a Monday. And with that, Matt Hasselbeck, lucky for us, is in studio today. As we always feel lucky when I see it on the sheet that eighteen years, three Pro bowls, Matt Hasselback is joining us.
You know, we all laws look at that.
I had some applause somewhere in the back ground, might have been downstairs the cafeteria.
They love me there.
Now.
You know what can I say?
We knew Sae Kwon would be good with Philip. They have a better role line, they have elite receivers, safeties, can't cheat. You knew they would be good. How surprised are you it's this?
Yeah, I don't know if anybody's surprised to shoot. We saw it in Hard Knocks. You know they said, oh, our worst nightmare would be if he goes and you know, balls out for the Philadelphia Eagles.
It's almost like for the athlete.
It's like an Avengers movie almost like he was like he understands the assignment. Okay, I got a new goal. Now my goal is to go ball out for the Philadelphia Eagles. You know, for athletes, sometimes you hear things like, oh, he got paid and he was never the same. You know, a guy going into his free agent year, he plays well, he gets paid, gets a big contract, he's like, you know, maybe gets a little soft, Yeah, gets a little civilized, you know, doesn't he kind of forgets what helped him get there. Yeah, you know, maybe his whole time in college he was power cleaning and backsquatting. Then he gets to the league, gets paid, quote unquote, and then he's into yoga and stretching and pilates.
You know what I mean. This is sort of the opposite of that.
To me, this is this is a guy that feels disrespected, like, oh, you're gonna kick me to the curb, and not in like an animosity type way, but almost like I got something to prove sure. And then like I just really think like once you hear like I hope he doesn't go ball out for the Philadelphia Eagles. Like, there it is, that's the assignment. And it took a little bit, but I think it's rolling right now.
Well, you were one of those. I was a critic and I said, I don't know what to make of a Sirianni. But Sirianni did something last night when they went to the line. Now I thought they had the game wrapped up, but they went to the line and the ramp jumped off side. So I thought, Okay, that's got a little Andy Reid feel to it. That was very clever. Yeah, you were a believer in Sirianni a month ago when a lot people weren't tell us again.
Why I've been a believer? Listen, I was just like everybody else. I saw him from a distance and I thought, who's this hot head? Like what's he doing? And I got to know him. I got to know him at the league meetings in the off season, and I was like, this guy's kind of awesome, kind of special. And I think why it's the perfect fit there, It's because they have an identity from ownership all the way down, like they're one of the best franchise and they're aggressive, and they're aggressive, but they've got like cool as a cucumber quarterback never gets too high, it never gets too low. So I just think like that pairing is a really good pairing. And and like Nick Sirianni, everyone was like trying to jump off the bus early, like talented roster.
But he's not the guy. I mean everybody really.
But it is hard when you have new offensive coordinator, a new offensive coordinator, and your new defensive coordinator. It takes time to learn your guys. So Kellen Moore in this situation, it takes time. Like you can't just say, oh, Saquan's a great player, so it's gonna work. You have to learn your guy. You have to learn what he likes. I remember, like we were a zone team in Seattle, Pete Carroll's first year and Alex Gibbs zone team, and we traded for Marshawn Lynch. He didn't love zone. He liked power. Like the Beast Quake game, we ran zone that whole game and he's over there on the sideline begging for seventeen power. So it takes time to get to know the people that you work with. I'm sure that's true in any business. And you saw in this last game with Saquon not ever he plays a home run, but he's a home run running back. So a lot of times it's second and two three yards, third and three four yards, but then in the second half it's a seventy yard run. It's another seventy yard run. It's an explosive And those screens are so effective and really really with the like the end of the game screen game there. What he offers you now is you can't play two man, which is man coverage with two people helping. You can't play two man on third down as much with the receivers, they have the runner that their quarterback is and now screen game with Saquon like it's Roland, but it wasn't Roland right away. I mean, people were dumping on this team. They were dumping on the offensive line. Oh they can't do the tush bush without Jason Kelce Like people were dumping on them, and they just stayed the course.
I believe it. I listen.
I think Philly, if Detroit stumbles, Philly could be the one seed. You could get a Andy Reid versus Philly Super Bowl if Detroit stumbles.
Yeah, I mean I feel this is inevitable. Eagles Lions NFC championship. It feels it.
They just it feels that way. No, it feels that way. But offensive lines, Yeah, no, it feels that way. And like that's the safe money. But like it's not a given. This is the NFL. People, can you can louse, you better bring it every single week. Injuries happen, like whatever, Philly is alive for the one seed, and like would you put your money on Detroit, Yeah, you probably would, but like Philly's alive, Like, just don't forget this.
The Rams defensive front is good. Those are all high draft pic guys, and that old line just muled him in the second half.
Well, the big part about it is like they committed extra people. So if you commit extra people to the box to the run, like you don't have a safety. If you just get through that second level, you're gone.
Now.
The other thing that people don't talk about is the wide receivers are doing a great job blocking downfield. Like if you want to talk about explosive runs a lot of time, like that block rade, they're probably block in the back, but either way is the good block When you have an explosive run, it's not just all about the running back. It's wide receivers, and you talk about some of the best run games in the league. I promise you it's because the wide receivers are doing their job.
They're not just taking plays off.
So let's talk about the young guys. Let's start with Caleb Williams. He made a throw. I mean, he made a throw. This is the one that set up the field goal that got them into overtime. I thought it was the best throw today. I mean it was. You know, it was a non existent window. I came out of that game still head scratching the coaching, the special teams. But I looked at him, Matt, and I was like, there's a lot there.
He's gonna have wild plays. There's like no doubt. He's a He's the first overall pick for a reason. He puts some amazing plays on film. I just think the consistency hasn't been there, and he's a young quarterback, Like, why would you expect that it is. I will say this, though, the coordinator change has been great for him. You can tell he's like more comfortable, he's more he's more confident. The play caller. I don't know if people know how it works, but like the play caller calls the play into the into the helmet. Yeah, like the green dot thing and you call the play and you don't just call the play and you give a little nugget, you know what I mean. So like you'd be like, all right, hey we got two Jed x stagger watch that lacrosse fake forty. Hey you know, don't force the dagger, you know, or or they'll say something else like hey we got two Jed algo Like if you like a one on one matchup.
Take it. It's like that little nugget.
It's almost like you send your kids off like they're going out at night and you say like, hey, be on by eleven, or like you maybe say something else, be like you know, I don't know, just like that last reminder. And that's what it's like for a quarterback. So if you have a guy that you're just like, you're vibing with, you're on the same page.
You see things eye to eye.
And I've been on teams where the coordinator got fired during the year, and what happens sometimes is like you spend a lot of time, like in the cafeteria or wherever with somebody else and they just if they're a good listener, like they know what you like. You know, like an example would be a lot of quarterbacks, if you're right handed, you do a boot leg to the right.
That's an example.
And you know, maybe that's just a philosophy thing, but maybe as a quarterback you're like, hey, i'd like I can go boot leg left. I can go boot leg left. And you're not saying it to the coordinator because it's like just something. But if you're listening now, you know, like now all of a sudden, you're the play caller, like, hey, I know this quarterback likes to go boot leg left too, Like you get to know the guy, you study your own player. So I think that there's there's something positive that's happening there right now.
So for a lot of rookie quarterbacks, they come in, they're overwhelmed. Bo Nix was for two weeks, but he's older, sixty one college starts. I think the thing the two things that jump out to me. One he is very confident in his arm. He is throwing the ball down the field and accurately. Now, you know, I've seen a lot of quarter in and they're like a lot of tight end stuff, a lot of screen stuff, a lot of bubble screen. I get it, and there was some of that six weeks ago.
Yeah.
When I watch him now, he is going big game hunting. He's going to the corner, and I gotta be honest, I saw him twice live. It's like his arm's better. Whatever it is. Maybe it's Denver's altitude that was in Vegas. I don't know, but it looks he is just an aggressive thrower.
It's interesting that you say that.
I stayed in Santa Monica here and I almost had flashbacks to the quarterback challenge that we had here on the beach one year, and there were some good quarterbacks, really good quarterbacks.
I'm putting myself in that category.
Who finished in the bottom half of the long distance throw and that was bon Nicks at the combine, Like bon Nicks on the deep balls, Like it wasn't the thing, it wasn't the strength of his game, but it is the strength of his game.
When you're talking real football.
Like I've told you before, the deepest throw in a playbook, for the most part, is forty eight yards from the line of scrimage. It's the deepest throw you know, a go ball, and he hit one yesterday. Against Cover zero against US Vegas. But if you look at his third downs, his third down conversions, they're all double digits, somewhere between ten yards and twenty eight yards something like that. It's nineteen yards, eighteen yards, seventeen yards. It's just like you're saying, he is confident pushing the ball down field within the framework of the offense. So it's not like a flyers up five hundred, everybody go deep, I'm throwing a hail Mary.
It's not that.
It's real football. It's winning football. And you know, he doesn't take sacks, he doesn't turn the ball over, helps the defense. It's complimentary. You mentioned the sixty something starts in college.
That matters.
It also matters that Sean Payton's the guy. He's a parcels guy. He's got a foundation. He's got in terms of like an identity and a formula that works, and then the rest of the house, not the foundation, is the Sean Payton way. He's been there and done it before. He's not copying somebody, He's copying the carriage. Yeah, he knows, he knows, and he also knows like what the quarterback can handle. Now, that's a team that's playing really good football. That's a quarterback that's playing confident and much like Brock Purdy where people are like, oh, yeah, he's littler, he's smaller, he can't throw.
The ball as far. Turn on the tape.
This dude's throwing explosive, and explosive to me is more than fifteen yards you know from the line of scrimmage. That's what he's doing. It's not a dink and dunk offense. And he's got a relationship with Courtland Sutton. Something that's right there, that's real when the bullets are flying like boom, I got my guy. And that's important for a quarterback, especially a young one.
Is it possible Cliff Kingsbury in the summer cooks up, installs new stuff. The league sees it, and after seven or eight weeks they catch up. It feels like, not that it was smoking' merrors that's the wrong term, but it feels like some of the semi gadget stuff, like the league's seene it. Like yesterday I felt like Dallas had their playbook. Yeah, like Dallas knew exactly what he was doing. That's what it feels like to me.
Well, yeah, there's a lot going on there. I mean they're not winning first down, so their third downs are like third and seven plus. So third and seven plus is like the worst. It's the only thing worse is third and eleven plus, you know, And so like, you know, I think they're o rae on third down. But to me, when someone's over eight on third down, that means you're losing on first and second down, and that's really where the game can be won or lost. But no, I mean, I think this is a team that hasn't had their buy So typically what people do in the buye the players are off and the coaches. Coaches get to do a self scout, like what are we giving away?
Because it takes.
Everything to come up with a game plan during the week, but that week of a bye having a self scout like, oh, shoot, do you realize that you know on third and seven to ten that this is what we do every time we get cover.
Zero, we're going we're doing this, or even like you can scout the quarterback.
Hey, when this guy feels any up the middle pressure, he's gonna bootleg. He's gonna scramble to his right, not his left. So now you just tell the defensive end on that side, like, hey, i'm third down. When we bring inside pressure, we don't really want you pass rushing. We want you to keep him on your shoulder and don't let him outside the pocket, you know. Like so it's like a very game plan specific thing for your defense but also the opponent. And so I think they'll be okay. I think they'll get it figured out. But that was an example yesterday of a team that really lost on first and second down, and it heard him on third.
So I said this with the Niners. Everybody rebuildings hard in the NFL. But as Houston has shown, or or by the way rebuilding a staff with the Chargers, you can do things quickly in this league. It's not the it's not baseball where you need two hundred and fifty million. It's not the NBA where you need a transformational star. Sean McVay turned around the Rams Harbaugh staff, turned around the Chargers. C. J. Stroud, Demiko Ryan's Bobby Sloweck turned around the Texans. I you know, it's funny when I look at San Francisco, I think sometimes it's it's a difficult rebuild. When you're you've had recent success, you got really old and expensive fast, and not everybody in the room thinks it's a rebuild. When I watch San Francisco, they're five and seven in their last twelve. I would pay party, but the number would have to be right. Trent Williams is an easy one's I'm keeping Bosa, but you start looking around thinking Greenlaw Warner. The Ravens moved off a great linebacker. I you probably wouldn't pay him. D Bo's not available a lot. I would reboot it. I would. I would take some big swings and move off people get more draft picks. But it's hard when you're going to Super Bowls every other year. What do you do if you're the Niner.
No, these are tough things, but they've got good players. That's why I would say that I trust John Lynch. I trust John Lynch, I trust Kyle Shanhan. I think they have a plan. And I think that Brock Purdy is undervalued. I mean you saw it yesterday. Like we almost don't talk about it. We're like, oh, the Niners look terrible, Like they didn't have Rock Purty, Like if the Bills didn't he's there, Josh Allen, Like it might not look the same. He doesn't put a cape on like Superman. It's a little more Clark Kent, I get it, you know what I mean, But it's still legit. And when he's not out there, they're a very different team. So, and I would say this about like the forty nine ers in the NFC West. Yeah, there's no great team in the NFC West right now, there's also an no bad team And so like that parody in there, that makes it tough. Last time I was here, the Seahawks were in last place in the division.
First.
Now I was here just here recently now, yeah, and it could be different two weeks from now. So what will happen here? And this reminds me of Pete Carroll's first year in the NFC West in twenty ten, when he was there and I was the quarterback. We went seven and nine and won the division, and Pete did a great job of explaining to everybody we are no.
Longer seven and nine.
So, like it or not, one of these teams in the NFC West is going to win the division. They're gonna host play a playoff game, and then it's zero and zero.
Like we're all it doesn't matter.
The team you like what's that any team you like? I thought I liked Arizona till yesterday.
That was listen.
I still think Arizona has the what it takes it's gonna take to win. They have a run game, they have good defense, they have a quarterback that's usually a very good player.
There was a few.
Things going on right there. Okay, the Seattle Seahawk fan, the twelves, they came to life. They haven't been hasn't been that way this season. They came to life yesterday it was bad weather. This is Arizona. They're also coming off of buy that can do funny things to people to buy you get out of a rhythm.
He had a very.
Uneven game, like Kyler like he's usually very good. That the speed and the athleticism of that defense was sort of like neutralizing him. But if they get back to running the ball, I think everyone's got a chance. Like everyone's got a chance. So I just that's probably the thing. Like in these other divisions, like say you're in the NFC East, there's teams like the Giants that have literally packed it in, like they have packed it in. You've got teams like Dallas that like at some point here they're gonna be pillaging people off of practice squads and building their roster for next year. This thing in the NFC West is going down to the wire. So I think you're going to get a time toe like a battle tested team at the end that you're not gonna want to play.
You come from a very close knit family. Tonight, Jim Harbaugh takes on John Harbaugh. Do you think this is something they enjoy?
Listen, anybody that comes from like a family like that, you know, like you get along and you would do anything for your brother.
You would take a bullet for your brother. But in the.
Family, when it's family on family, what is it? It's it's kicking, clawing, fighting. Like me, I have three boys in my family. My brother Tim's the one that people know the best. We fought all the time. It always ended the same thing, Tim middlechild, come back crying to mom and dad complaining. You know what I mean, always the same. You know that's what it's gonna be tonight. I think it's gonna be a throwback brotherly rivalry. John's never beat Jim.
I love them both and they're both different.
They're so different, like it's almost like you guys to say, you're like, really you must be cousins, not like not brothers. Right, but this is a game, like if you're gonna like tune into a game this season for like that kind of a storyline, like this is the game for me?
Can I tell you a hardball story? So we had a very rocky beginning. I was terrible during an interview. I was just terrible, and it didn't end well. And then he came back on my show and I just said, hey, I apologize, I was terrible, and he's like, no, I was terrible, and I'm like, no, I was worse. So now he leaves me notes, So he leaves notes when it comes so about It was during this past season where we really hit it off. So I was defending the Connor Stallion stuff and I went on the air and I just said, folks, he's one of the five best coaches arguably we've ever seen college pro He turns everything over overnight. And I just went on and on and this harball ran as the world was taking shots at him. His dad apparently heard it. I get this call, Hey, it's Jim Harbaugh. My dad says, you say really nice things about me. I want you to know. I said, coach, you never have to call me. You know, I think the world of you. I apologize again. You don't have to apologize for that. I was terrible that interview. And so now we've struck a really nice balance. And then he came on two weeks ago and during the interview he's like, I'll just stay here all hour. You're trying to bum rush man. I'm like, coach, I got commercials. So what's funny is his intensity at first is a little alarming. Now I find it so fascinating. He's like my favorite coach in the world. Now, yeah, I just there's something.
About, well, let me tell you who this game is not going to be fun for is the parents, you know. And I remember going head to head with my brother Tim. Tim was on when he was on the Eagles. We'd play I was in Seattle, we'd play on the Giants, and my parents were torn. And now Tim's the middle child, so like he always feels neglected.
And whatever, whatever, you know.
But I remember we played the Giants out in Seattle and it was a great game. Giants jumped off sides a bunch of times. It was like a kind of a historic game for us out there, and like I'd throw a touchdown and Tim's on the sideline for the Giants, and he'd look up to the suite and see my parents.
They're like cheering, they're high five and whatever.
And then I like, he tells this story, he remembers Eli Manning, drops back and throws a touchdown to Jeremy Shockey and like the Giant sideline's going nuts, and Tim's like, yeah, all right, and he looks up at my parents. No one's clapping, no one's cheering, you know. It's like like he's kind of like giving it to my mom and dad about that, right, So I think, like, no matter what's going on here, like maybe the you know, the hardballs are sort of likely rooting for Jim because he's never beaten John or like who knows what. But like the parents, you have to at least act like you're fifty to fifty for both, you know, I got to pretend. Yeah, you gotta pretend, right.
I think I think the Chargers have really found their footing. I think I like them tonight.
But Lamar, it's a home game. It's a home game.
Yeah, maybe it's not always a home game for the Chargers, but Baltimore doesn't travel like the Steelers.
Yeah, so I think I.
Think this game's a little bit like Burrow versus Herbert last week. It was like, you know, the game plans, the game plan, but you have two of the game's great quarterbacks going head to head, and like for that reason, like Lamar's as good as it gets. Herbert doesn't get the credit, but he's as good as it gets. Like this is just one of those games, almost like who has the ball last?
That's how I feel it will be. Matt hassel Bet, great meet and your daughter, good stuff today, my man, Yeah, you crushed it.
Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays and noone Easter, not a em Pacific.
No.
It's funny about expectations Washington. Everybody's like selling their stock, but they're still a playoff team right now. There's seven and five and it's all expectations. So I had them sneaking in as my surprise playoff team. They get the Titans next winnable game, then a buye they can reboot. There's a perfect time for the buys, like Week thirteen, Week fourteen, get your stuff right. So Washington's still in at seven and five bye weeks two weeks away, Tennessee off a big win for them. We don't trust Tennessee, but this team was four and thirteen last year. So if you know, if you're a fan of Washington and you're freaking out, be honest about this, seven and five, you should be six and six. You wanted to hail Mary. I mean, if I'd have told you before the season, you'd be seven and five right now with a rookie quarterback in a division with the Eagles and the Cowboys were a playoff team, you would have taken it. Take a deep breath. I still think this team's gonna make the playoffs.
I do.
I think they're gonna find their way. I think the bottom of the NFC right now. Listen, the NFC North is gonna have three playoff teams that we know. But you look at Washington right look who's behind them. San Francisco's lost, you know, Arizona I like a lot. I don't even know what yesterday was off a bye I don't even know what that was. Again, if they can beat Tennessee eight and five going into a bye, I think that's a pretty good spot to be for Washington. So just again, this team was four and thirteen last year. Jmack with the news.
No, no, no, turn on the news. This is the Herdline News.
Eventually we can revisit that because there's one team on there with a really easy schedule that you're missing.
But let's get started.
Huh Tampa good, Yes, let's get started with two A ton Colin. He is cooking right now, and Miami is starting to look kind of good to a four TV passes in a route over the Patriots, and it was a route don't be don't be deceived by thirty four to fifteen the Patriots at garbage touchdowns, fluky stuff late and now Miami heads to Green Bay. Oh, cold temperatures, they're calling it potentially six degrees wind show factor Thanksgiving night.
Two of those is excited about playing in the COVID.
Now, I'm excited to kill narratives. So let's go bring it on.
We're still below the five hundred threshold and it's a long way to where we want to get to, so we'll enjoy this wind.
But you know, this next one is going to be.
Big for us, and we're excited to go down there to Green Bay and you know, show everybody on primetime O WEEKN.
Do you know what? He is the most fascinating quarterback in the league, so warm weather, with Mike McDaniel and those weapons, he's absolutely excellent. There's no disputing that this team could not get first downs without him. Now they take thirty one nothing leads or whatever. I couldn't believe what they did yesterday. They were so good, Yet I would never trust him. December on up North and it's like he's the only quarterback in the league where I literally think when are they playing and what's the weather. He's the only quarterback.
And he's in a division with cold weather games against the Jets, Bills, Payack, Yeah, here he is in cold weather.
Our staff pulled together some numbers.
What's the number two? What's the line on that?
It was three this morning. I bet it. I haven't checked in the last hour.
I would take Green Bay minus three.
Yeah, yeah, for sure, I'm with you on that.
I just did he look great yesterday because the Patriots did the stupid thing where they're like, hey, we're tough guys, we're gonna play man defense on Tyreek hillnwaddle and they got destroyed.
Here's all I know. Here's all I know. He runs that offense well, he's very accurate. He's not a big deep ball.
John oh Smith is really emerging as a dangerous tight end. I mean Jayalen Wattle's done nothing all season and.
He just went off. Look at it. You can't play man coverage against Hill and Wadde. You just can't do it. They're too fast. And the Patriots this is why Mayo is.
I don't know, I'm I don't know the Mayo thing. I think Drake May's interesting player. I like him. The Girrod Mao thing. I don't know. It feels like he's clinging to the Patriots past. I just don't feel like they're week to week. I don't feel like they're buttoned up with Belichick.
Last year they were competitive in a lot of games, similar to the Rock.
Now, I'm sorry for doing this, Robert.
Sala with the Jets. Last year the defense was competitive. Yes, this year they're getting lasted. Last year, Belichick, great coach, historic, great coach. Every game they're they're fighting, and now it looks like kind of like they're bailing water. Next story, NFC West Colin. This was we were on opposite sides. Here Seattle, Arizona.
You like Seattle.
I did like Seattle.
Weatherspoon made an incredible play on this interception that led to the Kobe Bryant pick six that kind of flipped the game. Seattle pressured Kyler Murray on fortyvision.
He was under duress the entire game.
Highest pressure Ray.
He's facing a game he started and finished in twenty twenty one. Wow, and Seattle's now back on top of the NFC West. I think I saw they would be the third seed, shockingly because the Vikings, right, Vikings and Packers have great records, but it can't be look.
At Gino had a terrible end zone pick oh, and I thought, oh, here comes Arizona. Seattle just got They dialed up pressure every snap.
Remember I talked about it what I saw against the Niners.
They played single high safety, extra guy in the box, take away the run. Connor had like no no run get yet, longest care of seven yard they get like twenty two years old.
By they could do. That's where I think having an offensive coach helps off of buy. They had their worst offensive performance in a year. It's like you don't see that with Andy Reid I just I didn't like the game plan. It just looked like they they came in with a game plan and they never altered it. This is what we're gonna do.
They just basically force fed Trey McBride, who had like a billion catches. Great, he's awesome, But like you know, Harrison's kind of been hit or miss. He is not he has, He's been.
A couple of good games.
No, but he's been a disappointment.
It hasn't been consistent, similar to Malik Neighbors.
Right, Neighbors has had a couple of monster games and then he doesn't catch a pass forever.
But I'm sorry, I just don't totally trust Arizona.
Yeah I didn't until yesterday.
Yeah, so you're off that wagon, all right.
Here we go Tampa Bay Bucks big blowout win over the reeling Giants. One of the funniest moments of the game was when Baker Mayfield scored a touchdown and then mocked Tommy DeVito with a celebration after the touch Yeah, look at Baker, get up, I know, look at him.
That's a big, big fall. That was not a fumble. He was in the end zone. Here's Baker on the celebration.
Tribute to Tommy. Yeah, it's a good dude wag who came up with that? Oh, I have no idea. I just see him do it. Whose idea was it for you to do that?
And when did you know you were going to do it?
You know, most of the times, I don't know what I'm going to do.
So and there's spontaneous stuff that.
Was just spontaneous, that was not playing.
I mean even your teammates got into it too.
Yeah, you know, New York fans love Tommy here and give him something they.
Like, are you Italian by the chance or now?
I haven't done a twenty three and meters, But I don't know.
Baker was good. I mean, why is the reporter being so like, get over? Nobody cares like it was a funny moment. I will tell you this. I would not want to face Baker Mayfield in the playoffs if I was one of these Detroits or Philadelphia Detroit in Detroit, Yeah, I mean it's just Baker plays with a lot of energy and a lot lot.
Afraid of anybody. No Baker. So I looked at the schedule for Tampa cullin.
These are the quarterback They face the rest of the way at Bryce Young versus Gardnermann shoots out, so Desmond Ritter, then Justin Herbert.
Cooper rush, Bryce Young again and Derek Carr.
Keep an eye on Tampa making a move here getting to nine maybe you're not.
And Mike Evans is back. Mike Evans looked God yesterday. They got the three headed running back running game damp irving.
Tampa's had talent since Jason HiT's been the GM. I never worry about their talent. They've struggled to get quarterback right. That's why they went and got Tommy and got Baker. But I wouldn't want to face Tampa.
You know who has been under the radar oc this year that's been good, Liam.
Cohen with Tampa back, Yeah, I would.
I would give that guy an interview if I were a team, even if he's not gonna get the job, bring him in. I want to hear what he's got to say, because he's looked good with this Tampa Bay.
That was a fun watch.
They're tough.
J McK with the news, Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the herd Line News. Everybody's worst nightmare around the corner I'll explain what it is. Turn Black Friday into Stack Friday, earning five percent cash back in your selected monthly category up to one thousand a month, spending with your PayPal debit cards sponsored by PayPal terms and limit to ply PayPal issued by Bank Court Bank, and a person went to a license by MasterCard International.
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Greatest rivalry in sports is on Big Noon Saturday, Michigan heads to the Shoe to face off against the second ranked Buck Guys in the one hundred and twentieth edition of the Game.
It All starts at nine am with a special three.
Hour Big Noon kickoff Life from Columbus. Then it's Michigan Ohio State at noon only on Fox.
I think Ohio State is going to blow them out. Urban Meyer one hour from nineteen to spread Spread seventeen, Nope, what keep going twenty one twenty and a half would take Ohio State. Oh I think they'll crush them. Yeah, yeah, I think Ohio State and Texas are going to play for the national championship. I think I think Oregon, having beaten themurly, gets beat I think Oregon, Ohio State, Texas feel like the three best teams. I wouldn't want to play Georgia. Penn State's a little like Georgia. I wouldn't fear them. They're not as consistent. But I think we have You can have one hundred teams in this playoff. He comes down to three or four every year. By the way, here was the on side kick that sealed the Cowboy when here's the call? But the play by play, guys, a very very bizarre play. You see it about. I feel like you see this about once a decade. Here we go, Tybert booms it to the left.
Is covert and Thomas running at love.
Yea Thomas think the Cowboys second kick after who for a touchdown in the game.
This game is drunk.
Yeah, the game was drunk. It was. By the way, give Dallas credit. I thought they were in a soft tank and they played well and they really defended. I mean, Jade and Daniels got a lot of yards in the fourth quarter. The game was crazy, but I really felt like Dallas had him buttoned up for most of the game. Then Turpin makes this spin move it is. That's a field view of it from above. It's even crazier. It was just it was literally a YouTube page in like twelve minutes. The game was just bizarre. I can remember when this was the biggest rivalry in the NFL for twenty years. George Allen was coaching Washington, Tom Landry was when I was a kid growing up, this was the biggest rivalry in sports. And I'm serious, I mean was bigger than the Yankees Dodgers. It was bigger than maybe there were something in Europe. But it was fun to watch that game because it was kind of a hard watch for three quarters and it just went sideways fast. And good for Dallas for playing that hard. By the way, the first six games of the year for Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes had an eighty two passer rating. The last five games, he has a passer rating of one zero three point five. And my take is I can remember watching Brady and Belichick in their dynasty and they'd scuff it in September and early October and it would take them a while to find themselves. And I do think it's difficult. I mean, the Niners go to Super Bowls and the next year they fall apart. Your players are playing four more or high intensity games. It is hard. The Super Bowl loser historically goes into the tank. We see San Francisco doing it. I think I think Kansas City came into the season and they were a little fatigued, and they'd won back to back titles, which is virtually impossible in this sport. They weren't terribly focused. I think their offense is better than last year. I don't think their defense is as good as last year. They moved off one of their better corners. But I think they're the best close game team in the league, like Brady's teams were in New England. And here's Patrick Mahomes discussing that.
You always want to you want to ask some blowouts, You want to add the a little calmer in the fourth quarter. But I've always said it can be a good thing as you get to the playoffs and later in the season, just knowing that you've been in those moments before and knowing how to kind of attack him. What play about play? And I'm making it too big of a moment.
It's a little like berk Shire Hathaway, like don't get caught up in the week to week results. It's all Macro, it's thirty three thousand feet. They're not as talented top to bottom as Philly or Detroit and probably Buffalo, but they are so good in these moments and I think they're just trying to figure out what the heck they are. I like their tight end receiving core. Noah Gray had a couple of touchdowns again. Travis Kelcey will be fun when we get to January. In late December. I think Xavier Worthy is a really really interesting piece. Again, they're trying to figure out how to use him. But you know, if they went to a big playoff game had to buy, or they went to the Super Bowl to buy, you know, Worthy would end up having a touchdown and being I mean, sky Moore was big in the Super Bowl. Juju Smith Schuster has been big in the playoffs. So I think Kansas City is better offensively. They're getting Isaiah but Checko back. Now, they've got some depth with Kareem Hunt running back. I think the offense is much more explosive than last year, where it felt like last year it was ham and egging it. I think they have good players. They're just not all healthy. The defense is not quite as good but is still very good, So I think they're going to end up in a super Bowl against Detroit or Philly.
