Halford & Brough in the Morning - Analyzing The Canucks' Likeability Per 60

Episode Date: December 11, 2025

In hour two, Mike & Jason discuss the latest baseball news with MLB Network's Adnan Virk (1:31) following the Winter meetings, the boys chat about the Canucks' likeability per sixty (21:10), plus they discuss the 10-3 Seahawks ahead of this Sunday's matchup versus the Colts with ESPN Seattle's Brady Henderson (25:26).  This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.

It's time to chat with Adnan. It's Adnan Furkees on the show. We're going to talk some baseball and take a trip to the silver screen. That's right, it's time for Adnan. Yes, Adnan Furkey joins us now. We'll head out to the ball game and talk about all the films he's seen. 7.03 on a Thursday. Happy Thursday, everybody. Halford, Brough, Sportsnet, 650. Halford and Brough of the morning is brought to you by Sands and Associates.

Score a debt freedom hat trick. One, no more interest. Two, much lower payments than three, financial peace of mind. Visit them online at Sands dash trustee.com. We are now in our two of the program. Adnan Verks going to join us. Fresh off the MLB winter meetings in Orlando. He's already back home in New Jersey. Hour two of this program is brad to by Jason Hamanuk at Jason. Dot Mortgage. If you love giving the banks more of your money, then don't let Jason shop around

to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at jason.morgage. We are coming to live from the Kintech Studio. Now is the time to maximize the benefits of custom orthotics before the year runs out. Visit kintech. To the phone lines we go, our next guest comes courtesy MLB Network. It's at Nanverk here on the Halford & Brow. show on SportsNet 650. Good morning, Adnan. How are you?

Mike, Jason, thrilled to be back. Wow. I thought, you know, Andy Cole is going to give me the 170-day respite, so I'm thrilled to come back after the winter meetings, less than an hammered to be back in Jersey after the warm plus 18-degree weather there in Florida. But great to chat with your boys, as always. Monday was incredibly slow. God, a slow trickle of no news happening. You guys know what this is like. It's like doing NHL trade deadline and like nothing has happened except like, you know, maybe an archer Shilov's trade. So thank God moves did get made on Tuesday and Wednesday right before he went to air. Two minutes before Pete Alonzo becomes the Baltimore Oriole.

Yeah, so let's, I got to ask, I think there was three, the three biggest deals, I would say. It was Alonzo to the Orioles. It was Schwabor sticking in Philly. And then it was Edwin Diaz to the Dodgers. Which one of those three got the most buzz at the MLB winter meetings in Orlando? Alonzo without question I mean this is a guy who has been so durable he's spent 162 games

each of the past two years Mike and you can go ahead and pencil him in for 40 and 100 like he is one of the great power hitters in baseball today aside from Judge Otan and Schwarber Alonzo's right there with those guys he's in the top four Mount Rushmore power hitters and as I said in a down year he'll hit 35

home runs and a good year he hits 45 home runs in Cameron Yards I think he's going to thrive in limited time against the Orioles he has an OPS over 1,000 playing in Baltimore. So I think he's going to do well in that park. And as I said, he will drive in runs. The big shock to me is at the Mets. And he has been Mr. Mett. You know, since he got called up in 2019, hit 50 plus home runs, he's been beloved in Queens. But you can kind of feel like the Mets have never really truly been enamored of them. You know, when he was a free agent

a season ago, there was a two-year, $54 million contract. That's it. opted after year one. He made $30 million. He made $30 million. I'll opt out again. And if the Mets wanted to keep him, they could have done so. But the surprise to me was they never truly made them an offer because apparently once Scott Boris went to them and said, hey, my guy's getting offers of four and five years and said, we're good. So they only wanted to do

what they did last time, which is a two for 54 or a three for 75. Once the Orioles said, no, we'll give you five years. Guaranteed, 31-year-old sluggers, this guy's going to age well. Today's game, these guys, they take care of themselves. He's going to hit home runs no matter what. The Mets said, no bueno. So that's a real surprise that New York would not want a guy

You know, Ron Darling, who I worked as a phenomenal guy, of course, Ronnie does maps games. He said to me, you're basically paying one soda of $765 million to get 160 walks. Who's going to provide protection now for Soto without Alonzo there? Like, why would WANSO ever see a strike ever this season unless they go and get somebody else? You mention the Diaz, that's a real stunner as well, because I got the Mets and resign him. Again, aside for one freak injury, Mike, the WBC year, he's been about as automatic a closer as a get. legit. Like, you play the Timmy trumpet, this game's over. And the fact the Mets

offered three for 66, and the Dodgers is, why about three for 69? Three million dollars more. Yeah, I'll take it. Which just tells you that he wants to play for a champion. He wants to get a World Series and the Mets were not willing to pay. So there's a lot of weeping right now in Queens. Nimel, they traded to Texas for

Simeon. Between Alonzo Diaz and Nimel, those are like three of the most popular players, all gone. How tough is the A.L. East going to be next season? Well, this is thing, it was weird, Jay, because a couple years ago, it was like, oh, the Orioles of this great young nuclear, led by Gunner, Henderson,

Abbey Rutchman, and Jackson Holiday's a number one prospect, and they're going to be studs. Colton Couser was in the look-of-the-air conversation. And then last year, they were dead last, and you go, oh, I guess you missed the boat on this. The one thing the wheels forgot is pitching. They can't pitch. They've got all these great young players,

but they can't pitch. I'm like, oh, forget about that. The Jay's won the division. The Yankees are going to be great. They're going to be great. They're getting Carol back. Boston, great young, talent. Baltimore, I guess, will be dormats. But credit to Michael Lively said, we're not doing that. That was an aberration. We took a step back. We're right back

in this thing. They were worst in baseball among first basemen. Home runs and RBIs. Clearly identified a need. Who is the best first basement for home runs and RBI? Pete Alonzo. Bam. We were, I think there were second worst in home runs the American League. They got Taylor Ward from the Angels.

31 home runs. Now, they still can't pitch. They were 24th in starter ERA of season ago. But the rumors are, Framber Valdez, who with Dillon Cesar, with Blue Jays, is the best starting pitcher available, a pair of the Orioles are in on Valdez and are willing to give him $200 million. David Rubinstein took over as the owner in 2024. It's been quiet so far. Now he's making a splash.

That Alonzo deal, and again, Schwerber set the market. Once Schwerber signed for $30 million a year, five years, $150, they're like, okay, that's what sluggers are getting? Great. Pete got five years, $155, right? $5 million more. and that was where the deal was done. But your overarching point is right, Jay. ALE's, like, who's the doormat?

Like now the raise, I guess, are the ones are the worst team, and the raids are always a little bit better than you might think. But the roof is back on their stadium, so, you know, it hasn't been all bad. Things are looking out. Exactly. At the very least, they'll be back home.

They will not be playing the Yankees spring training home. That's been their best news at the offseason. Please tell me that the Los Angeles Dodgers are genuinely really not going to go out and get Tark's scubal. so Andrew Friedman I interviewed on Tuesday and you know through gritted teeth

I was like congratulations on the blowjays you know a heck of a World Series win it was really wonderful to see for all baseball a pretty crazy game seven wasn't it oh god can't wait to really love that one again

but I said you know with regards to rumors and conjecture and like you know when are you guys going to just stop going and he said listen we're always in the market

to get better even as great a season as we had we know that we had some challenges and some weakness specifically the bullpen. So he's like, we just go out there and we just get better. Like, the best free agent reliever available, Edwin Diaz, let's go get him. And they can do it.

And he said, that's what winning affords you is that once you win, people want to come to you, right? I don't have to call them. They're calling me. You know, that obviously makes the job so much more easier. Tanner Scott, they gave a boatload of money a year ago. The guy was awful. There was a got a problem. We'll just go get Edwin Diaz.

That's the frustration for people, the Dodgers. Now, while on set yesterday, I did see some tweet about, like, Dodgers deal imminent for Scoobled. I'm like, oh, my God. But one of our guys immediately said, no, it's a Fugazi, not a true story. We'll keep digging. But I will tell you, Scott Harris, the Tigers president, was on set Tuesday. He did not rule out any trades. You know, he could unequivocally said, school was not going anywhere,

but he said nobody on our roster is untouchable. Like, we're open for business on anybody. And Scoble's a free agent after this season. We all know he's going to get $300 million. So I hope the Tigers don't trade it. One of my best friends from college, Mike Tiff, is a huge Tigers guy. I root for the Tigers for Mike alone. I hope that he stayed there because he's been such a great pitcher.

He's the best pitcher in baseball, back-to-back signing a award winner. But, God, if he goes to the Dodgers, I could just imagine the hysteria. I was going to say, I don't necessarily mind if they trade them. I have no affinity for the Detroit Tigers per se, but it's almost like there has to, someone has to step in for Major League Baseball. I mean, like, he can't go to the Dodgers. You can't have the two-time back-to-back AL-Sye Young winner joining a staff that's got Yamamoto and Snell and Otani and Glass Now, it's not fair. And I know this sounds like really petulant and childish, but it's not fair.

It would not be fair if Scoobel went to the Dodgers. It wouldn't be. No, I'm with you. Like I keep saying it's always good for baseball to have a David versus Goliath, right? Like it's good in football if the Cowboys are good because everybody can hate them. And if they're bad, it's even better, quite frankly, as an Eagles fan. So I get the thought being, hey, with the Dodgers, love them or hate them. They're the Goliath, the team you love to beat.

But I'm with you. Eventually, Mike, you go, no, seriously. Like, well, let's have a relatively level playing field. And everyone knows this is under the specter of the fact that CBA expires the end of next season. Like, if the Dodgers don't playing the World Series again, I do think that hurts the sport of all. And people go, oh, so the guy who spends the most money just wins? Like, that's not good for anybody. I liked what you said about the David and Goliath because, well, you cover baseball and hockey.

So you're the perfect guy to ask this of. do you miss having the Goliaths in the NHL? I mean, you grew up watching dynasties, right? Like real dynasties, not like, we won three cups over five years. We're a dynasty. You know, it's four in a row for the Habs, four in a row for the Islanders, four out of five, could have been five in a row, Steve Smith didn't put in his own net for the Oilers, right?

And as a Canucks fan, it got a little old watching the Oilers beat up on the Canucks, but I do kind of miss that, and I know some people will say, well, Colorado's it's like, well, yeah, but they won one cup in the last, like, they could easily not win the cup this year because there are so many teams that could win it.

I kind of miss the days when there was a Goliath or two in the NHL. No, I completely agree, Jay. One of my biggest issues with hockey right now is the Eastern Conference, and everyone says, oh, the parody is amazing. I'm like, whoever said parody is amazing. You know, the other word,

Barry is? Gary Bettman said that multiple times. The other word for parity is what? Mediocrity. You know, all that means is that we don't really know who the good teams are. I prefer it in the West where I go, okay, Colorado's awesome, and Dallas is pretty good, and Anaheim's a pleasant surprise, and after that we'll see. Like in the East, okay, now the capos, at least, are asserting themselves. I'm like, great, abetions back to being himself, check runs on pace for three-goal season.

That's good news. I don't like it when someone says to me, oh, there's eight points that separate second through tenths. I go, well, what the hell does that mean? Like, why am I even bother watching it? I don't even know who's good or who's bad. I think especially hockey, which is so dependent on bounces and luck. Like, of all the major, you know, of all the sports, the four major sports in North America,

hockey has been proven to be the most dependent on luck. You know, you need a puck to go in so much skate. So if all the teams are relatively equal, then you're kind of like, are we watching a coin toss here? What's going on? Yeah, and I'm with you that I like to go. Goliath, but then I like the Goliath being tested. Like, I've laughed at people seeing the Panthers

at a dynasty. I'm like, wait, what? Like, it's two cups. They have a dynasty, you've got to win at least three, and preferably I would like four or four and five, whatever it may be, right? The Yankee Dynasty was four and five. Like, yeah, that's legit. As you mentioned, Oilers, Habs, etc. So I would love to see Florida. Like, I don't want to see them in the playoffs. I want to see them in the playoffs.

I want them to make a deep run. But then if they lose, like, game seven overtime, Eastern Conference final in Oregon. That, to me, is exciting. That to me is to see a team really challenged like that. So I think that's ideal. I don't think it helps when it's kind of a nameless, faceless entity. And you're right, for Colorado, like they're a juggernaut now.

But again, though it has only been one cup, you get to win two, three together. Like I think of those Avalanche Red Wing series, you know, growing up. Those were like great series back and forth, two great teams toe to toe. You not only need a Goliath, but you need a team that can really challenge them. Then you get truly great hockey when you watch those two teams go head to head. Okay, let's talk about the Jays a little bit here. They've already made some moves. How many more moves do they have?

Had Ross Atkins on set yesterday, fairly guarded. I find the managers will give you a little bit more of the front office people because they are literally the ones making the moves. But I did say to Ross, like the same move makes sense, and he said, Diagos, listen, he wanted to come here. Like, again, he was, it was an easy one for us. Like, we want the best starting pitcher available. And Scott Boris is like, well, Toronto's his number one choice.

I'm like, okay. So once we do the numbers work, it was actually very easy to do. And don't forget about the fact that Gosman and Beaver, who he likes a lot, are both going to be free agents after this season. Now, after that, I kind of said to Ross, like, all right, what about Tucker? What about Bichette, et cetera? He gave the standard line about, you know,

well, we'll do our do it, do it, just do what we can. We'd love to have those guys, et cetera. But from everything that I've heard as far as scuttlebutt, it's more likely they signed Tucker than Bichette. It's not that they're anti-Bow. They like Bo Bichet. He's a good player. There's no question about it.

There's very few guys that can have 300. They're going to get you $180, 18, 185 fans. It was great in the World Series as we all know, games have an home run. but if it's eight years and $200 million of Boba Chet versus 10 years and $300 million of Kyle Tucker, they think Kyle Tucker is the better player and the one worth investing in. I think because of what's happened with the Mets

and just the shock of the fact they've lost Alonzo and Diaz were essentially outbid and they traded Nimmo. The Mets were the biggest suitor for Tucker along with the Blue Jays. So to me that hurts Toronto's position because now I can see Steve Kohn going, okay, you guys think I won't spend? I'll spend. It's just to be the guy that I like.

I just didn't feel like. Alonzo is worth $155 million. But I do think Tucker is worth $3.50, whatever the number may be. But what I've heard is that Toronto's number one target is Tucker more than Bichette. So I'm curious now who is going to sign Kyle Tucker. To be clear, guys, I'll be honest. I think he's a really good player, perennial All-Star. I don't think he's a superstar.

Like I've heard people say $400 million. I got, I wouldn't get $400 million to Cal Tucker. I only have too much money. And, God, let's take a deep breath. I have heard some rumors. It could be a high AAB-type contract with Tucker, like what Bregman did, the Red Sox. Don't say it now.

The Dodgers could give Tucker three years 120. $40 million a year, heavily deferred, but it's not a big commitment because it's short-term. Hey, what did, sorry, managers say about how they're going to handle the new ABS at the automatic balls and strike system that's going to be in my buddy, Aaron Boone, I set him up, I told the producers, I said, hey, get it melts, get a video of all his objections. I said to Boone, you know, the five years we worked together at ESPN, and I never wants her to use any bad language. And all of a sudden, you became a manager.

I noticed your vocabulary kind of changed a little bit. He started laughing. And he said, well, I think I'd meld a little bit. I said, Booney, you got ejected seven times this year. I said, you have not mellowed. You were the most heated guys out there. And then Tom Reducci said, well, we have the ABS system coming. And Booney, let me see it said, oh, I'll still be pissed off.

Like, I'll still be angry about something. So I think these managers know it's going to be different, but they're not just going to accept it. Just because someone tells you, no, no, it's a computer doing it. It's full. proof. They're still going to feel like they're getting screwed somehow. The technology is against them. Big Brother wasn't set up properly.

Nope, this needed to be adjusted. So we're going to miss that aspect of not being able to necessarily argue balls or strikes. You haven't been able to do anyway. That's what these guys get run so often. But the weird thing is everyone seems to be in favor of it. Like a lot of the players, especially those that came into the miners,

that's what they use. So it's not an adjustment for them. And pitching-wise, hey, rather than worrying about, is it an umpire who has a big zone, is he hitter friendly, does he call the low strike? Well, now it's one strike still. Like, it truly is a one-size-fits-all. So everything I've heard, his guy seemed actually

excited about it, if you can believe it. Adnan, this was great, man. Thanks for taking the time to do this today. We really appreciate it. We probably won't do this again in 2025, so I'll wish you happy holidays and a new year. We'll do this again in 2026. Thank you for everything that you

did for this show this year. It was an awesome year to cover MLB. I don't think we've ever done this much baseball coverage on the show and I loved every minute of it personally and that you were a big part of that. So thank you very much. Thanks so much, Mike. I really appreciate the kind of words. Happy holidays to you and Jay and again, 2026, we'll get her done and hope for the Chays we'll bring it home in Game 7 this time.

Thanks, Adnan. See you buddy. Thanks, boys. Adnan, Verk from MLB Network here on the Halford & Brough show on Sportsnet, 650. Okay, where do you want to go? Home. Oh, you mean on the show? Did you see the article that Speck wrote on Pod Colson? Glowing article of Pod Colson.

And it wasn't, Speck was actually, I'm talking about Mark Specter, covers the Edmonton Oilers, and the article's up on Sportsnet.ca. And it really wasn't like a shot at the Canucks. It was, he allowed, like, the NHL was full of

players that have had to move on to other teams. Yep. And have taken advantage of their opportunity. But looking at back, man, you know, like the Pod Colson situation, he was getting forced. He didn't

have a role on the team because they went into the season with high expectations and he didn't make the cut. No. But I think everyone always liked Pod Colson. Like, he worked hard. Sure. He played a physical

game. My issue was just like he could not finish. Couldn't finish. That not good hands. And he was still, you know, for all all the roses that are being throwing at him right now, he's playing with really good players. He's playing with

Drysidle, he's got six quills. You know, 13 points in 30 games. But I think his style of play is also what a lot of people like in Edmonton. Yeah, okay. But yeah, it's, I don't know. I don't think

that it's fair to re-litigate every player that moves on from the Vancouver Canucks that has success elsewhere. Because I think think what you're doing is having a very myopic view. This happens all the time in the National Hockey League. You just don't know the stories and situations because you're not paying attention to every minor transaction when Pod Colson got traded for a fourth round pick, right? It meant nothing to nobody across the NHL. It was big news here and it was big news in

Edmonton. No one else cared because it wasn't a significant move at the time. He had been given a lot of opportunities in Vancouver. He had played close to 150 NHL games with Vancouver. Canucks. They tried him out with different coaches, different teams. He spent some time in Abbotsford. He was inherited by a new regime and the old regime's draft. And then you get to the point where you're like, oh, I don't know if he's got a spot on this team and now he's waivers eligible. What are they going to do? And here's another part of it. Sometimes you do right by the player by giving him a new opportunity to start fresh elsewhere. And that's not necessarily the worst thing. It is not a conversation that anyone needs to have on the scale of

things that are wrong with the connect. I'm honestly happy for him. I'm happy for Paulson. It's a cool opportunity that he's got to go and play with some really good players in a role because the others are so thin at certain parts in their forward group. But on a scale of things that, you know, are damaging to the cadets, this one's low. And on the list of things that you can throw arrow or shoot arrows at the team for, this is also low. They gave him plenty of opportunities. Plenty. I think it goes without saying.

Maybe a longer leashed than he should have been afforded. And now he's found a nice home. This is one of those ones where everyone should be happy. Everyone should be cool with it. Well, not Connox fans. We don't have to be happy. You can be happy for the player. Sure.

You want to find some joy in your life as we get closer to the holiday season. Pod Colson's thriving with his six goals. I do think that, you know, the fact that he's a pretty likable player too hurts a little bit because Canucks are kind of lacking likable likeability likeability per 60 on the roster

I'm sorry I'm speaking for myself here well they also likeable likeability like we've just seen how many teams have we followed pretty closely and that I know people say man that's a likable group the Jays I think Jays were likeable

the Jays were a likable group the white caps very likable group likable group in a lot it has to do with winning, right? When you're winning, everything's more likable. But, you know, we have this conversation with Landon yesterday, and I don't know, he may be pushed back a little bit, but I don't find that there's the connection between the fan base and the players like

there has been in the past. I know the Canucks had their meet the players night for season ticket holders, and I'm sure they were all very nice, right? Like, it's like there's, but there's a difference between, you know, being nice and just like, wow, I really, really like these guys and I want the best for them. Yep. No, it's, it's totally valid. Likeability for 60, if you want to put it that way. I would love to hear from the listeners because I'm speaking for myself and I'm speaking as a fan and some people, you know, will disagree with that. They'll be like, I love these guys. I think, I think they're great. I really like, I really like Brock Besser. I really like Connor Garland or Petey or Demko or whoever but for me and I think you know because I felt

strong connections with certain teams in Canucks history and I've been watching this team for a long time like I felt a real connection obviously with the 94 team that that went to the cup because that was for the first time in my life I was like wait a minute like the Canucks are good they're like one of the good teams in the NHL this is crazy they got superstars I got a captain like Trevor Linden a clutch goalie like Kurt McClain man I like this team you know I had a Gerald Didick jersey. That, you know, he was, because he was kind of a tough as nails defenseman. I was like, he's cool, right?

And then the 2011, you know, if you want to talk about the Didick of that team, you had guys like Kevin BXA. And, you know, Alex Burroughs was funny, man, you know, and once Luongo found out, discovered social media, he was funny. And then the Cidines, you're like, you know, how many times would you be like, man, the Cidine's the way that works so hard, they just do everything right. they're always in great shape they're good people

they seem quite kind they're kind people and now you look at this team and you're like now I got a Vander Kane yeah I'm sorry that's why I lost it when they went and got that guy I'm like this team was already struggling

in the likeability per 60 and then they bring in him I don't like that I don't like that I want to like my team I want to cheer for my team and if they lose and there's not a player a lot of players on this team that I'm

really in fan love with, then that's a real problem. Well, you get a chance to cheer on this team tonight because they're in action to play the Buffalo Sabers. 7 o'clock Rogers Arena. It is a Canucks game day and Canucks game day is brought to you by Panago. Game Day, the Panago

way. Get any large pizza plus cheesy bread for only 2499. Use code Canucks at panago.com and Panago for it. Restrictions may apply. Brady Henderson's going to join us on the other side for some Seahawks talk. You're listening to the Halford & Brubb show on SportsNet 650.

It's Kinnock Central on SportsNet 650. From exclusive interviews to insider scoops and post-game breakdowns, we've got it all. Tune in weekdays 4 to 6 p.m. on radio and on demand through your favorite podcast app. 733 on a Thursday, happy Thursday, everybody, Halford Brough, Sportsnet, 650. Halver in the morning is brought to by Sands and Associates. Only a license insolvency trustee can cut your debt by up to 80% with no upfront fees. To learn more, visit them online at sands-trustee.com.

We are in Hour 2 of the program. We're the midway point of the show. Brady Henderson, our Seahawks Insider from ESPN, is going to join us in just a moment here. Hour 2 of this program is brought to by Jason Hominoch at jason. If you love paying too much for your mortgage, then don't let Jason shop around to find the perfect mortgage for you. Visit them online at jason.orgage.

To the phone lines we go, our next guest covers the C-Hawmars. Hawks, Free SBN. He joins us now in the Halford and Breff Show on Sports 9650. It's Brady Henderson. Good morning, Brady. How are you? What's going on, fellas? I know that when we bring you on, we're normally tasked with talking about the Seahawks and what they're doing and what their schemes are and what the players and coaches have planned for the weekend.

But I'd be remiss and quite frankly bearing the lead if we didn't point out that there's a chance that the Seahawks might be going up against Phillip Rivers this weekend, which is not something. thing, I said this earlier on the show, I had on my bingo card in week one of the NFL season, that by week 15, the Seahawks were going to be a 10-win team and a 14-point favorite against the Indianapolis Colts led by Philip Rivers. Now, based on what you know, what's the likelihood that Rivers was actually going to play this weekend? It sounds like that's going to happen. Yeah, I mean, you know, he wouldn't do this unless he felt like he could pull it off. And it sounds like just based on, you know, hearing our guy

in Indy, Stephen Holder, who covers the cults for ESPN. I mean, he was, I think, passing along a comment from Shane Steichen about how, you know, basically it sounds like this is sort of somewhat independent of the backup's health to obviously, you know, as part of the thinking was that Riley Leonard, their rookie backup, you know, he's dealing with an injury, but it sounds like they might even go with Philip Rivers, even if Riley Leonard is healthy enough to play. So, you know, look, they're in a dire quarterback situation right now. I think to some degree this reflects just the lack of, you know, quality quarterbacks around the NFL that there are available.

Also reflects, you know, some pretty bad injury luck, you know, Anthony Richardson got hurt in a freak accident. Daniel Jones then goes down with the Achilles injury and Riley Leonard is banged up. So there is some misfortune here, but it does sound like, like, yeah, I mean, that is, and it felt like the Seahawks are expecting to face Philip Rivers as well. So, you know, if this wasn't the NFL, where just weird stuff tends to happen quite often, this would shock me. You know, you see guys come out of retirement. You know, Brandon Graham did it, for instance, a month or so ago with the Eagles, but, you know, he had been retired for not a very long time. Philip Rivers has not played since 2020. So that is really what makes this, you know, really a fascinating story. And I would say, you know, it's,

probably not going to end well for Philip Rivers, but it probably would end slightly worse if Riley Leonard were starting to get worried that the Seahawks are going to get tricked into playing bad quarterbacks before they actually have to play the Rams in that big Thursday area. They're going to be so used to playing bad quarterbacks than when Matt Stafford takes the field in Seattle, they'll be like, oh, what's good? Guys can actually make plays? I mean, that Vikings game, I mean, that had to be one of the worst NFL quarterbacking performance in NFL. history, and it's mean to say

because Max Brosmer was like, hey, I shouldn't be here either. I think we all know, but it has been quite a run of teams that are not starting their number one quarterback, hasn't it? Yeah, I think Shane Stake and probably saw

that Seahawks Viking games a couple weeks ago and said, yeah, there's no way I can run out of a quarterback against this defense. But yeah, I mean, this Colts game was supposed to be, you know, kind of the warm-up, if you will, to facing Stafford again, because over the last, I don't know, a month and a half, two months, I can't remember. I mean, it's really been, you know, Matthew Stafford, that game against the Rams down in L.A. and week 11 was

only, like, really above-average quarterback, and Stafford is, you know, well above average, but my point is, like, you know, it's been Cam Ward, who looks like he could really be a tremendous quarterback, but as a rookie, make it as whatever, 10th start of his career at that point, you know, Max Brosmer, an aging, you know, ineffective, Kirk Cousins, and, you know, the list

goes on and on. So, yeah, I think there is something to that point, and this was, you know, this was supposed to be the first real quarterback test they faced since Stafford with Daniel Jones playing the way he had been playing, and so, I mean, ultimately it's a good thing, but to your point, you know, you do kind of look at

some of the numbers that they've put up and take it with, maybe I suppose, a great assault. The only quarterback that they've beat this year, of their 10 wins, the only quarterback that they beat who was in the top 20 in terms of total QBR was C.J. Straub. So their other nine wins were against, you know, we'll call it the bottom third of the NFL in terms of total QBR. Can the Seahawks offense take some momentum from what they did in the second half against Atlanta? Yeah, I think so. And I think it started in, you know, that final drive of the first half, where they ended up with the field goal. And, you know, you could quibble with some of the clock management. Maybe they could call their timeout earlier, given themselves a better chance to find the end zone. But there was one play on that drive that I thought was pretty impressive. It was the final play before they kicked the field goal. There's eight seconds left. They have no timeouts. So everyone in the stadium knows what you have to do there. You have to, you know, hit a side.

sideline route because you can't throw the ball over the middle, you're not going to have enough time to, you know, get up and clock it. So, and they still, you know, they're able to get the sideline route to A.J. Barner. So, you know, being able to do something when a defense knows that you have to do it, I think that's the sign of a good offense. And then you just saw him take off in the second half there. So, you know, the first, first half, you just saw Darnold miss some throws that he doesn't normally miss. And you also saw him force a throw that you actually have seen. And, you know, ever since that Rams game, you know, you hadn't, it's not like he'd been throwing a lot of picks, but he's been making some pretty aggressive decisions that he's gotten away with. And, you know, to, like, to some degree, you want that. I think we talked about this a week or two ago. Like, you don't want your quarterback to, you know, all of a sudden have a four interception game and then just start turning into Checkdown Charlie. Like, you really don't want that. You want your quarterback to still be slinging it and taking shots.

but man he's he'd gotten away with a few you know i'm thinking of uh gosh there was the one uh i mean there's just been probably three or four throws that you know not even counting like the tip throws that could have gotten picked just like really aggressive decisions and um and he didn't get away with it there so but then you know in the second half you saw him use his legs more which i think is something that has been you know lacking from his game this year and it's hard default him because a lot of those times where he could run, he instead finds big games down the field, you know, on the run throws. But, you know, he maybe could have run that one that got picked and then you saw him use his likes twice in the second half effectively. So I do wonder if that's a

part of his game that maybe you could see a little bit more of over this closing stretch. We're speaking of Brady Henderson, our ESPN, Seahawks Insider, here on the Halford and Brough Show on SportsNet 650. So on the defensive side of the football, countless times this year we've had you on the show, looking back on the previous week, and we've spotlighted a guy that's really done a remarkable job. Ernest Jones, obviously, he had a huge game against Minnesota. We've talked about Devin Witherspoon in the past, Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence. We've got to talk about Nick M.M. Worry, because it seems like every time I watch a Seahawks game now,

the rookie out of South Carolina is making another huge play. I was reading an article the other day saying that he could be up for a defensive rookie of the year. That block that he had on the field goal last weekend was fantastic. Was this expected from him? I know he was a relatively high draft pick. I think he went like 35th or 36 overall. So he's got pedigree, but were they expecting him to be this good? Or is he, like, wildly surpassed expectations?

Yeah, I mean, he, remember, this is a super talented guy physically. Right. Totally lit up the scouting combine with the, you know, 4, 3, 40, and it's like a 43-inch vertical jump and some other, you know, really impressive measurements that are just really crazy, frankly, for a guy, you know, who's six, three, and 220 pounds. Yeah, he's a huge, dude. He's a huge guy.

Yeah, yeah, I mean, and he was, he generated plenty of first round buzz. I mean, I think there were some, you know, mock drafts that had him, maybe even going to Seattle in the first round. So they traded up. I want to say it was like 17 spots. So, yeah, this was expected, and this kind of role, for the most part, I think, was expected, where, you know, there wasn't a thought that he was going to come in right away and, you know, take Kobe Bryant's job at safety.

There was, you know, the plan all along was to, you know, use him in this kind of sub-package role. Now, I don't know if they planned on using him this much because he's basically, he's, he's basically starter. I mean, he's playing well, he's playing over 90% of the snaps now pretty consistently. And so he is, you know, he's not a, he's not like one of the starting two safeties,

but he's, you know, with how much they use their nickelback. he is essentially a starter for them. And, you know, it sounds like his role continues to expand. Like they're doing more and more things with him. You know, for instance, you're seeing him play on the line of scrimmage now, which, you know, when you kind of the natural comparison to, you know, to E. Men Ward just because of the body type. And, you know, the Mike McDonald connection was Kyle Hamilton,

you know, pro safety that is in Baltimore that, you know, had some of his best years under Mike McDonald when he was the coordinator there. and he was another guy who doesn't fit that traditional he doesn't play like a traditional safety spot he's kind of all over the place well he's not he wasn't playing on the line of scrimmage he doesn't play on the line of scrimmage like you're now seeing nicky manorre do and that's a testament to just how

physically gifted he is and you know you can see him like setting an edge and being really a physical in the run game and you can also see him getting in the slot and covering you know really shifty incredibly quick slot receivers so I think Devin Winfman put it best after the game. He said, there's nothing this guy can't do. Are we going to be seeing more and more of Rashid Shahid?

Now, I know the kick return for a touchdown was a big play, but that was on special teams. I'm curious if he's going to be more involved on the offense moving forward because he's obviously got some elite athleticism, and we saw that on display on the weekend. Yeah, boy, he looked good in that game. Even, you know, aside from that kickoff return for a touchdown, you know, there's the four catches for 67 yards,

one of the two of them converted third downs one of them was on that uh you know drive before half time where they ended up getting a field goal and uh gosh you just felt the speed in that game that you have not really felt before that and we still have not seen you know some of the biggest plays of his career were just running you know getting behind the behind the defense and using that four three speed and that's why he built the reputation as one of the premier deep threats in the NFL. So still really haven't seen that. So there is more in the tank for him. But, you know, that felt like the breakout game, not just because of the, you know, because of the kickoff return for a touchdowns is what he did offensively. And, you know, he had not really, the trade had

been timely in the sense that, you know, Torrey Horton goes down right after that. And all of a sudden they need a new third receiver. They need a new punt returner. He's obviously also returning kicks, which Horton didn't do, but it was timely. It wasn't all that effective because I think over the first four games, it was like, what was it, nine touches for 73 yards? And then, you know, he almost matches that total in his first game. So, yeah, I do think you're starting to see a guy who was really comfortable getting back in the system that he played in last year.

I'm sure there's some part of it is, you know, building rapport with Sam Darnold and getting their timing down and everything. But, I mean, Horton's got to miss a few more. more games, and when he comes back, you know, he's the number four because, and I think you're maybe going to start to see, if it hasn't happened already, you start to see Rashid maybe overtake cup in terms of that number two role. Have you had a chance to handicap the Seahawks chances of winning the division? I know the Rams have Detroit at home this week, so I think the Rams probably have a tougher test

than the Seahawks do, but the Seahawks also have to finish the season, I believe, in San Francisco. So that one could be tough. I mean, for me, it kind of looks like a coin toss right now. What about you? Yeah, I would still say, I mean, we have these simulators at ESPN analytics that they run a bunch of simulations and they spit out the percentages. And I have not checked in a few days, but I want to say that it is still, last time I checked it was kind of 49ers and Seahawks were kind of the co-second place there.

And then the Rams were the clear favorites. But, you know, they, like you said, they got a tough schedule. And look, if this, you're in any other division, I might say that I might feel comfortable about saying that, yeah, this is a clear-cut Super Bowl caliber team. And they still might be. But the problem is, you might, you know, you're in a three-team race for your own division. And as much as I have been tempted to count out San Francisco, you know, after all the firepower that they've lost on defense. You know, but Nick Bosa going down, Fred Horner, et cetera. I mean, Brock Purdy missed a bunch of games, too.

Like, they are still right there. And, you know, they are, it's going to come down to that week 18 game in Santa Clara. I don't think there's going to be any clarity on this division until week 18. So it's wild to think that this might be the best Seahawks team we've seen in, gosh, I don't know, a decade maybe. Yeah. At least since 2019, and they might not win their own division. Well, it's also wild to think that they might only have two home games left. They host, the Colts, and then it's the Rams game on Thursday, and then, I mean, correct me if I'm on,

I don't have the schedule right in front of me, but I think that they finished with the two road games, right? Yeah, Carolina, which they now set a time for the Carolina game, too, right? And I just said, like, this team is too good to not have a home playoff game. I think it's unfair, I tell you. Well, I think it's crazy that, of all the teams that could have, throwing a wrench into the NFC West, it might end up being the Carolina Panthers. Because, you know, they went

out, that was a big win that they got over the Rams. They're, there's such a tough team to predict, Carolina, because they almost alternate wins and losses on a weekly basis. But you know, Sunday, December 28th, the Seahawks got to go to Carolina, and I know it's sandwich

between the Rams and the Niners game, but that's a massive game as well because the Panthers have caused issues in this division. Yeah. And, you know, I thought that game, and I thought there was a chance that game would be on Saturday in one of the stand-alone windows because, you know, the Panthers are, we know the Seahawks are good and the Panthers are finally good,

but, yeah, it'll be Sunday. You know, look, that's still a game that they're going to be favored in and they should win. I don't really trust Carolina yet. I think part of the reason they're, you know, have as many wins as they do is they play in a pretty mediocre division. And, you know, that said, you do got to go east. And as Mike McDonald said, they've been so good at those, but you really can't take those trips for granted,

especially when you consider that it's going to be sandwiched around, you know, the two biggest games of the year, frankly, the two inter-division games. And so I still think they should win that game. And, yeah, I mean, it's incredible how good this division is. I mean, it's the only other thing that, the only other division that maybe comes close to it is the NFC North. but this is by far in a way the most competitive division in football and it was last year as well. Brady, this was great, ma'am.

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Enjoy the game on Sunday and whatever happens to Philip Rivers. I hope he gets out of it okay for his sake. It's going to be interesting. Thanks again for this. All right. Sounds good, fellas.

We'll see you next week. See you later. Brady Henderson, ESPN, Seahawks Insider here on the Halford & Bruff Show on SportsNet 650. So there's a debate going on. It's not even so much of debate. Everyone's just openly asking the question.

in the National Football League. Given that the quarterback position, it's fair to say it's maybe the most important singular position, all of sports. Sure, okay. You could say that. Okay. Also probably the most lucrative

in terms of the money that you can make, as evident by the half a billion dollar contract that Patrick Mahomes got. Yeah. Is it not strange that they can't find more than 40 guys that can play the position properly? I think it's a tough position to play, though. I know, but you would think with the,

the stakes involved and how important it is and how much money there is, there'd be billions of candidates just trying to get there, but there's like a pool of 40. And I know there's a lot of different mitigating factors. But you've got to understand exactly what's going on here. Are you calling out the human race right now? I'm calling out humanity, society.

It's hard to be good. It's hard being a good quarterback. It's hard to be just hard. Yeah, it's hard. Is this not a development problem, though? Is it not? The fact that there's a, a young, upwardly mobile individual named Riley Leonard

who spent 15 weeks of an NFL season learning how to play in the NFL, and then in one fell swoop, a 44-year-old guy that hasn't played in four years joins the team within three days as the starting quarterback. You've got to tell me there's... I don't know, man. You've got to tell me there's something wrong with a development system.

I think there's only so much development you can do for a position that's so difficult. Not only do you have to be, well, just think about what goes into being a quarterback. What I'm asking is, do you need a minor league? Do you need somewhere where these guys can play? Do you need something other than this? CFL. Is it concerning that?

Something more than just like practice. You know what I mean? Yeah, you're not actually playing games. No, I mean, I think I have time for that. When you're not playing games, but I also just think, first of all, you need the athleticism, and then you need the processing speed, your brain. You need, I mean, that's what we see with a lot of these quarterbacks. They've got the athleticism.

They've got the arm. And then you put them in a situation where they got to make a decision and make it really quick. And people are like, get the ball out of your hands. It's like, it's only bit half a second, you know, like it's really, really difficult. And it's, you know, it's not just like, oh, it's not like, you know, in tennis. Like if you make the wrong decision, no, it's out, right? You know, you make the wrong decision with your quarterback. It's like, you might get hurt.

Yeah. And then, have you ever realized like all the things that quarterback has to know when he picks up the playbook, like all the plays? I would never be able to do that. It's like, what play are we playing? I don't know. Why don't you go deep? So I've memorized the first three. You ask me more than these first three, though.

I think you're out of something with the game reps, though. I think that's totally. This is crucial part. Tom Brady is bringing this up a lot now because he's moved into a sort of analytical role and he's obviously got an ownership. I agree with what Halford's saying, though. There should be more. I don't disagree with the way that he put it in terms of game reps. But how can they do it?

That's what I'm wondering. But it just seems weird that there's so much at stake. And we've seen teams seasons fall completely apart when the starting quarterback gets hurt. Completely apart. And that doesn't happen with any other position in the National Football League. There can be other injuries at other positions and you can survive them and you can make the playoffs. But the moment that you lose your starting quarterback, your season is completely cooked. I mean, we saw it in Cincinnati this year.

And Joe Burrow didn't even miss the entire year. I missed half of it. Season over. And that seems like a lot of stakes. I don't know what the answer is, but it can't be bringing. I think what they're doing on the weekend is almost dangerous. Mm-hmm. Like, Phil Pervers.

Can I let you in on a little secret? Although I'm a huge Seahawks fan, I'm kind of rooting for Rivers to do well. Could you imagine? Maybe not win the game, although it would be hilarious. He was just like, yeah, it just needs some time off. I still got it. I'm not trying to be the best in exercise. I feel so fresh.

Yeah. I remember they did this a couple years ago. They brought Josh McCowan in, he was 41, and he was kind of in the same thing. He was like coaching high school football, and they brought him in. And it was the most relatable athlete experience, because he hurt himself just doing something normal.

Yeah. He was just running out of the pocket, and then his hamstring exploded. Oh, I haven't used that for a while. And that's a thing. Like, you don't play. for a while, and you're like, yeah, I can still do this, but the moment it gets real.

Rivers was better than McCown ever was, though, right? But the physical shape. Yeah, no, I know. What happens if he has to move sideways? Right. I mean, do you think there's going to be some serious old, mad moments? Like, he's going to see the pressure

and feel the pressure, and he's just going to go down. Right. And, I mean, this is a Seahawks team that beat the living piss out of Max Brosmer. Right. I mean, they killed him. He was a young man. Who could take the abuse.

He's just going to forget where he is sometimes. Like, when you walk in a room and forget why you're in there? Why am I in the pocket again? Oh, Brozmer is literally half the age of rivers. Did you ever hear the story about that Gretzky told about when he knew it was time to retire? It was when he was in, he would go into the corner and the guy on the other team that would come to check him would say like, hey Wayne, heads up, I'm coming. Right.

Because they didn't want to hurt him, right? Everyone had, you've probably had this experience in beer league. I've had it in soccer where you've got the guy that's way older than everybody else. And then Wayne went and visited Caracow. On vacation. Jordan. Jordan. Okay, we're up against our time.

Real quick. In four minutes' time, we're giving away today's 12 days of Halbro Christmas Prize. We won't say what it is. You've got to call in and win it. We'll announce the winner on the other side. Be caller number five at 8 a.m. 604-280-0-650.

That number again, 604-280-0-6-50. Caller number five wins today's 12 days of Halford & Brough Christmas Prize. That's at 8 o'clock. to the Halford & Breff Show on Sportsnet, 650.