KSR - NFL Cover Zero: Harbaugh/Tomlin and Division Playoff Matchups!

Episode Date: January 16, 2026

Matt Jones and Drew Franklin dive in with the Giants closing in on John Harbaugh as their next head coach.  How do you think he fits with the Giants and improves the team?  Mike Tomlin steps down from the Steelers and Matt explains what the team should be looking for next.  Drew reveals who he would or wouldn't like to see the Titans hire as their next head coach.   Who are the names swirling around as the top candidates for NFL jobs?  Matt gives the theory he'd like to follow leading into the NFL Draft.   Onto the Divisional Round of games, Matt thinks Bills/Broncos could be the best matchup of the weekend!  49ers/Seahawks is a very tough game to try and figure out.  The Texans/Patriots could be decided by defense or the weather.  Matt is very excited for Rams/Bears, but his allegiance to Chicago is torn!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast. It is NFL Cover Zero, the divisional playoff round. Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, ready to go here. It's a day late. It's on a Thursday. But, you know, it's hard to get Billy's schedule.

He's really busy, so it's hard to get him in for all the days we need to do. And so, Drew, we're here. And thanks to Billy for him. for showing up and we're ready to go. I'm just kidding. It wasn't Billy. But Drew, nice to have you.

Being a day late means we were one day close with the actual football. That's exactly right. And if we had taped this yesterday, I don't think we would have known the news about John Harbaugh. This is the most important story of the week for the NFL. John Harbaugh is the new coach of the Giants. The first of eight coaching vacancies to come filled is John Harbaugh.

I think it was, well, it was first reported by like, Marty Mush, I believe, on Barstool Sports. He's the first person I saw. I don't know if he gets official credit or not. Schifter, I think, confirmed it this morning. I have thought the Giants was the best of the jobs for the long-term future.

It's in New York. I can totally see why John Harbaugh would want to do it. I think it's the Giants' best shot to have a good coach for the future that won't fail. John Harbaugh, you know, won't fail. So I like it. What about you? I like it, too. Kind of assumed that'd be where he'd go the moment he left Baltimore.

My Titans were in the mix. I dreamed a little. I won't lie. They were second on the board in terms of, yeah. Well, on that, he was going to do an in-home interview. He wasn't going to go to Nashville. It's never a good sign. Well, I played out in my head.

They invited him. He's like, look, I'm grilling hot dogs. Y'all can come by. Just come in. You can talk to me for a little bit. I'm not going to you. If you're not willing to go to the city, you might move to, then you're probably not moving to that city.

He's like, listen, I got family in, we're watching a movie. If y'all want to come by, I'll talk for a few minutes. That's where we were. However, not to make it about the Titans, but him having them second maybe makes the job look more attractive for others. That's interesting. So you're like the school that loses the recruit but gets the hat on the table. Yeah, we're moral victory teams.

You're a hat on the table. But there was no doubt that he was going to the Giants. Well, I will come back to the Titans. Yeah, there's no doubt he was going to Giants. So I think he'll do well. Jackson Dart. I think the fans and the media will like him. He'll be the coach.

You know, they've had a lot of guys over the years that have had some good resumes, but really Tom Coughlin's been the last time they've been successful there. Are we going to see the Giants in a meaningful playoff game? I think so. I mean, I feel like they've had 20 coaches since Tom Coughlin had some success there. A lot of guys for just a couple of years. Harbaugh is not a couple of year a guy. And with the youth they have, and already some good pieces, too, the fan base of tradition.

I think all that matters. I don't know if Harbaal will take him to the Promise Land or anything crazy because he won't have him. He doesn't have a ton left anyway, but he'll have them in the playoffs and he'll be a successful hire. And it puts him in the opposite conference of his brother. Actually, they couldn't be farther away. He was like, I want to get as far away from my brother as possible. Could they meet in the Super Bowl? Again.

I mean, no. I mean, but I guess it's plausible, but I think it's unlikely. But I do, I think he will do a good job. And then, you know, as far as development, he has over the years been able to win with a lot of different kinds of people. Lamar, but also before Lamar, a number of players. He was there what? How long was he there?

18 years. Mercy. So, I mean, Mike Tomlin was in Pittsburgh for 19, and he was there for 18. And that was, in my opinion, the best rivalry to watch during that period. Kind of an end of an era, right? It is. Also, I mean, Lamar was a star. They've had some stars.

But just the toughness you associate with the Ravens. I mean, a lot of that goes back before him, too. But he maintained that. And he's been a well-respected coach pretty much as long as he's been there. That's why, if you're the Giants, you see that news, you're like, wait, we can get hardball. Oh, they have to think that's the greatest, like, you know, isn't that the greatest thing that can fall in your lap of all? Yeah, even if you were one of the few people who wanted to give dayball a little longer, like someone else, the moment hardball is available, throw away the sheet of candidates. We have our candidate.

Go get him. I, Brian Billick was the coach before Harball. Billick and Harbaugh. Whatever happened to him. Like, he won a Super Bowl. He did a little TV for a very... But he was a very charismatic. Yeah, seemed very likable.

Did he just decide to disappear off the planet? Yeah, I'm not sure. I don't know why I'm looking at you like you would like. I'm like, Billy, why is Brian Billick not in my life? But I kind of feel like that's what I'm doing. You know, I don't remember what Brian Billick's up to, but I do know he played the Giants in the Super Bowl. Okay. That's a fact.

As a Baltimore coach. But I mean, I know. His Wikipedia pulled up here on the fly. What did it say he's been doing the last decade? I'm worried about it. Well, there is a 15-year gap from the year 2007 to the year 2007 to the year, But in the year to 2022, just three or four years ago, he was the advisor to the head coach at Arizona State. That's a made-up job.

That's what it says on his Wikipedia. Advisor to the head coach. So that wouldn't. Does that mean you just, he can call him and be like, hey, Brian, what do you think? Yeah, that sounds like he just took it. That's the job. Okay. So that means if he finished coaching in 2007, this says he's 71.

So that means he basically at 54 or 55 was like, yeah, I'm out. Done. Why don't more people do that? I would. I would definitely would. I respect the guys that want to, I want to do this forever. I want to do it until I'm 80. Not me.

Y'all can have it. I'll be on my couch watching. Do you don't think you get bored? That's what I mean. No, I would get bored in that I would want to go find new things, new. But it doesn't look like Brian Billick's found anything. Also. He literally has not.

There's no historical record of him except occasionally he gets lunch with Kenny Dillingham. Well, actually, I knew new details have come out. New details are emerging, okay. So he was the advisor head coach in 2022. Kennedy Dillingham took over in 2023. So he was however. Yeah, he advised Herm on the way out, I guess. He got a year with Herm.

Advise him for a season. Let me be clear. I love Herm. More pro-Harm. But the advice couldn't have worked. No. Herm was only there for one more year. So he advised Herm one year.

Herm didn't need his... I listen. I interview our Herm every Sunday. He doesn't listen to anybody. So... He came out of his cave after 15 years to advise Herm. Herm got fired and he went right back in. Wow.

Well, maybe we could get him on the show. Can we get Herm on? I love Herm. I love Herm, too. Yes. I could get Herm to do anything. Well, he was Herm's advisor so that we have the contact there. Herm can get us Billick.

Would you rather have Herm or Billick? Is that an insult to call Herm and ask if we can get Brian Billick? No, he's my boy. Okay. Herm said I was invited to the cookout. Yeah. He never met him, but he does seem like a genuine awesome guy. I have never met him in person, but I've talked to him on the radio.

genuinely, though, believes he could play in the NFL and still get interceptions. Today? Today? Today. Oh, good. He said if he played now, he said, I wouldn't be one of the best players in the league, but I could get mine. That was his direct quote.

Is Rod Billet going to be advisor to the cornerback? Does he need his help on that, too? He could get his. So anyway, good for John Harbaugh, good for Jackson Dart. Congratulations. If the Giants fans, they've got to be pretty happy. You got a coach with a ring on his finger. They couldn't have expected that after having.

What was that one guy? Joe Jonas? Who was the coach? Brian Dayball. No, before that, they were Joe. Joe Judge. Joe Judge. Not Joe Jonas.

He might have done a better job. Bob something. When they were a Bob? Yeah. They've had a lot of, a lot of forgettable guys. Now they have a guy with the Super Bowl. And they got Scataboo and neighbors. Yeah.

And they got a great defensive line. I mean, the Tibido and all those pass rushers. Ben McAdoo, that's the one I'm trying to think of. Not Bob. Oh, give me the Giants head coaches since Tom Carlin. Pat Shermer was another one. See, we could do this all day. I bet they're all two years.

I started with Cofflin. Okay, Coughlin was 04 to 15. Then you had Ben McAdo. There we go. Steve Spagnola. Oh, I forgot about Steve Spagnola. Pat Shermer, Joe Judge, Brian Dable, and... That's a who's who of who's not.

Were they all there exactly two years? No. Spagnola was one. Joe Judge Spagnola, Schumer, Ben McAdoo. Joe McAdo and Dayball. I still think Dayball can be a good coach. I think he, it didn't work out for him there,

but I feel like he at some point will be deserving of another job. I don't think any of those other people were. Oh, I completely agree. I think we'll see him again. I think he should get another chance one day. Wasn't he coach of the year his first season there? I think he was. I think he was.

I think he was. And he always looked to me, I thought he was a good Giants coach, because it looked to me like he could also be a new. York firemen. Yeah, like he fit in. Or if he needs to go over to Jersey, you talk to Tony and the boys, he could fit in there too. By the way, you know, I spend a decent amount of time in New York. When you walk by there various fire stations, they're always just sitting there and they just look at, you know, like, what's up?

What's up, man? A little head not. You think there's any place in America where people respect an institution like New Yorkers respect the fire department? I don't know, especially in that city. with that history. I don't think so. I don't think so. I think if you, you know,

if you were going to be in enforcement, I don't know if they're firemen or exactly law enforcement, but if you're going to be in some job, I think you, you'd be more respected as a New York fireman than almost any. Even I own an FDNY shirt.

I met a fireman who was part of the 9-11 every day, who's one of the survivors. He's got a little charity thing. He gave me one of the t-shirts. I'm not even from there. And you do feel like a... Yeah. I've been to the fire,

The World Trade Center Fire Station, the one that was technically four. And, you know, there's memorials everywhere. And when I walked by, this was just a few months ago, like, people were out there taking pictures with the firemen. So they're almost like little celebrities. I think mine was Dwayne Street is what my shirt says. Dwayne Street, wherever that is. So, buy to Brian Dayball. Hello to John Harbaal.

And Brian Billick, show yourself. Come on the show. All right. The other news since we came on, Mike Tomlin resigns after 19 years with the Steelers. He did not retire. Reports are he wants to coach somewhere warm, which I thought was kind of a... That's retiring. That's a retirement. That's a retirement. But they didn't say he wanted to coach.

You think he wants to be an advisor to Canada? But when you're picking your weather, you're retiring. Yeah. Maybe you should advise him. Mike Tomlin People either are one of two ways with Tomlin They either take the view of He's a lot better

Than he gets credit for Or there's people who say He gets too much credit For just being mediocre Where are you on Mike Tomlin I think he's still great I'd take him if he wants to come on back I don't know how the weather is in Nashville

Compared to what he wants I mean it's probably better than Pittsburgh I know he's saying he's going to take a year off. I get why the Steelers part of ways. They needed a reset. He needed a reset. But I still think he's a very good coach. You don't coach somewhere in the NFL for almost 20 years and not knowing what you're doing.

Whether you're part of a bigger institution with the great defense and tradition and all that, whatever. Throw it out to coach as long as he didn't have the wins he did. He's a good coach. And he still has it, even though it probably was the right time in Pittsburgh for both parties. I think it was the right time. That's the key is it was the right time. But I would hire. him if I had a job, I would hire him in an instant.

The moment Harbaugh and Tomlin, after the Tyler Loop Phil goal, and they became available, that's one and two on all on my list that I would be writing if I were any of these teams. Yeah, I'm with you. So what do you do? Let's go, we've been through some of these jobs. What do you do with the Pittsburgh job? Have they been reported to be leaning any direction? They seem like a place that'd go get Mike McCarthy.

I don't know if he's on the list. Well, but, I mean, they've only had three coaches in 56 years. 56 years. So they're not, but all three of those coaches, if you think, came in as coordinators. They've never had a head coach with experience before. And I saw a picture of Tomlin that popped up on the Internet when he first got hired. It looked like a kid. I mean, he feels like a guy that had an age, but seeing one that's truly 18, 19 years ago.

When he was coaching for the Bucks back in the day. Well, this was he has the Steelers gear on, but he's brand new. It looks like baby-faced. What do you think? Who would be, do you think they go for a coordinator? Do they continue the same trajectory that they had? Depends on what they want to do with Aaron Rogers, right? Do you think he sticks around for another year?

Because if so, maybe Arthur Smith is that higher. He's offensive. But Arthur Smith has been a coach before. Yes. I want to find somebody. I want to figure out that they feel like the kind of place where Liam Cohen would have gone or someone like that. I wonder if there's someone out there that they sort of look at like that.

I don't know what they're looking. for, but as an outsider, it feels like Steelers are always going to have some defense. And if they're going the coordinator route, the Shula with the Rams is a hot name right now on the defensive side of the ball. So I would assume he's on their list, if that's the direction we're going. I've just always, everyone

associates Steelers with good defense. And I think they'd stick to that identity and go get a defensive guy and he'd be high on the list. I think you're probably right about that. His name's popping up everywhere. Would you want that job with no obvious quarterback? Can I still do cover zero?

I wouldn't want to leave you guys. I mean, they're letting Troy Aitman's do it. No, I actually like the no obvious quarterback because... But they're not going to have a draft pick to get one. That's what I mean. If Rogers, I linger another year without committing to anything because this class outside of Mendoza, I don't think special. Here's the hard thing about that job.

They're going to be just good enough to not really get a good quarterback. You know what I mean? Like, I don't think the Steelers want a team that has, had 19 straight winning seasons. They don't want to bottom out and get a top five quarterback or top five pick. So they're always going to kind of be middle of the first round, or at least that's probably what you hope. And you can still get your guy there.

They got Ben Rothesberger there in the middle of the first round. But I do think it's less obvious to get it there. And it's rare for a playoff team to have a coaching search to your point about not having a good draft position. It shows your roster is good enough to get in the middle. next, but you still weren't happy enough. But being the Steelers, there are a few teams, and it's why I had the Giants at the top by list, just with the tradition and just being known for a successful organization, I would happily coach the Sears.

This will be something like Malique Willis will be the quarterback there next year. He came to mind. I thought you were going to ask me, who could they go out and get? I mean, he'll be that kind of guy, but again, it's not who you want forever. At some point, they'll have to nail a draft pick. I mean, if you look at the playoff teams, with the exception of Sam Don, who's a unique situation, all these guys were either, like, drafted by their teams

or in the case of Matthew Stafford, it was a trade where a guy you drafted had some value so that the trade made sense. Oh, yeah, no, they're going to have a quarterback. Sam Donald is a very unique situation of a guy that you would sign that conceivably could go win you a Super Bowl. Usually you're going to have to draft one. Yeah, you can't go handpick a Sam Donald because teams are throwing them away because they think he's done.

And then he goes and has a comeback. No one can spot that. So Mike Thomas says he's going to sit out. You and I would agree with, but he, I think, would have a lot of chance of jobs. So let's talk about who is being talked about for jobs. Your Tennessee Titans brought in Mike McDaniel. He flew in in a suit, way to be incognito, Mike. Why not just wear – he dressed better on the flight to Nashville

than he dresses for the games and the press conferences in Miami. Why would you do that? Because he think this is 1954, and you know, have to dress up to go on a plane? You got to be careful talking about potentially my future coach. Oh, gosh. I'm starting to prepare myself. Let me say, I hope they hire him because that will give me good jokes because I never

thought he was, I mean, I'd actually feel bad for you because I think he is a goober. And I think him being a goober with you would be funny. I got to him. But you would talk yourself into him. I've already talked myself into him. He's not my top pick. I think you'd be doing TikToks with him. if he's my coach I will happily do TikToks

you're talking to the guy who named his Peloton account after Mike Vrable here so yes if he wants to TikTok I will TikTok but with the names I've seen I can admit I had a moment last night where I'm like if I think that'd be the best of the group I think what are the tight I don't know what their other choices are what are they anybody can get we've said a lot of the names they're hopeful like Robert Solis one of the hottest names he's probably my top pick, even though he didn't do well with the Jets. I feel like he would fail there too.

It's the Titans. I'm prepared for any of them to fail. I mean, none of these are going to be a guaranteed win. There's no slay. What about like a Mike McCarthy? I can't do it. I can't do it. Why? A lot of people won him. I just, the Cowboys are my second team. I just went through the Mike McCarthy retread experience with them. I did not enjoy it. I can't now do it again with my Titans.

There are a lot of Titans fans and accounts that won him. So I'm clearly, I'm not untuned. with the whole fan base. But I would rather have maybe even Mike McDaniel's crazy that is to say of the mics. All right. Well, as goofy as he is with Cam Ward and we have some rookie wide receivers and some offensive weapons that could grow. He is a good offensive mind.

I would have to get used to the Louis Vuitton stuff and the joggers pulled up to his knees. But I could get excited about his offense. So what are some of the names of people that are, Billy, that are up for some of these jobs? You have Brian Flores. I thought of him and aware. Where is Brian Flores now? Was he Vikings defensive coordinator? Okay.

But he's had a job before. Yes. Vance Joseph. Vance Joseph is another one. I thought of my other Titan I'll take. I will also take Stafansky. I know he just got fired. So that, yes.

I forgot to mention him. He'll have a job when this all comes through. I would take him. Vance Joseph, I'm shocked he's on the list because I am I, do I not remember that his tenure in Denver was really bad? right? It wasn't great from my memory, and he's the defensive coordinator

for the Broncos now. Okay, well, then maybe he wasn't the coach. Was he not the head coach in Denver at one point? Sounds familiar. I think he did have a coach here. There's no way he... This tells you how prepared. Sometimes I am for assistance.

I don't follow them enough to know. But Vance Joseph was... Broncos head coach from 17 to 18. And then he came back as the defensive coordinator. And has been the Broncos D.C. since 23. I always think that's weird. when guys do it. That would have to be hard

walk into a different office than the head coach's office. Yeah. And then like people do it. Bobby Petrino did it. Huh. Well, his defense has been really good in Denver. So maybe?

Very good. No, that'd be another thing. Maybe Steelers are looking to him. All right. What were the other ones? Chris Shula, the defensive coordinator for the Rams. They're a hot name. They literally,

they just belt out Shulas. Whose kid is this? Is this? Is this Mike's kid? It doesn't say here. McVeigh assistants go like. So you got Don and he had a kid named Mike and I think another kid named Biff. There's a lot of them.

He's the son of Dave. And Dave, there's a Dave. So this is a Shula grandson. Now, none of the Shulas have been good except Don. But you just kind of keep giving a Shula a chance. It's in their blood. To do what? Go 500?

Football. Okay. All right, so who else? Jeff Halfley, the offensive coordinator for the Packers. Don't want him. Matt Nagy, the offensive coordinator for the chiefs. He's also on our list to get him out here. Joe Brady, the offensive coordinator for the bills,

famously with the LSU Tigers and Joe Burrow when they won the national championship. So Joe Brady's interesting because he's had a lot of success in the NFL, but he kind of got run out of college to go and then did. really well with the bills. So that would be an interesting one. And then who else? Robert Sala, as we mentioned. Jesse Minter, the defensive coordinator for the Chargers.

Is that nuclear mentor's son? I don't know. I think, did we make, have we talked about this from having deja vu? Because I've been calling Jeff nuclear, not knowing anything about him. It's a little Kentucky connection there. Jesse Mentor. How many mentors are? Jesse, excuse me.

Well, okay. Who else? He is the son of nuclear. or Rick Mentor. These families just like this is becoming like NASCAR. Everybody's a bodon. There are names where if you have it,

your odds of getting a job in football. You mentioned four names that have family members. Well, here's another one. Clint Kubiak. How could not be another? What in the world is happening? Like, come on. And they've got to, okay, then it's going to be Frank Walsh.

They just keep coming here with this stuff. Bob Belichick. Another name you haven't said, yeah, Billy. I don't know if you're going to get to it, but Jason Garrett's name is still floating around. Jason Garrett? Okay, so let me, can I make the case for Jason Garrett? Yeah. What's he done wrong?

He won for you guys. No, he did. And I met him in an airport at 6 a.m. when no one wants to talk. And he wanted to talk so much. Me and my wife couldn't get away from him. That's really stuck with you. You bring that up a lot. You, I think, have some Jason Garrett.

Why not make him your time? Well, I just mean from a friendly way. A lot of people will be like, hey, hey, nice to meet. Just 6 a.m. Don't talk. No, he's like, what do you think of the derby this year? Who's your horse? So just a very friendly guy. So we have Nuclear Mentors Kid.

We have Kubiak. Who is the next one? Is that all? For this list, all we have left is Arthur Smith and Kevin Stefanski. So those are our contenders. So for me, if I have a team, I'm going all in on Kevin. If I can't get Mike Tom and the coach, I'm going all in on Kevin Stefanski. I oddly kind of like Joe Brady.

as a possibility. And then maybe it's time to give Vance Joseph another ride. You know, Broncos liked him enough to bring him back in the building. Says a lot. If someone will rehire you, that alone says a lot about your character. That alone says a lot about you back in the building. Let me tell you what I'm of the belief. You're going to hear this theory as we get closer to the NFL draft in April.

My NFL draft theory, and I'm going to test this out this April. This is going to be a scientific test. that we're going to play out. It's going to take years to play out, but we're doing it the same. What happens if you interview no one and you watch no one play? And you just pick based on rankings. Oh, okay. You've heard me say this before.

They spend all this time. They have everybody sprint in their undies, and they have everybody lift weights and pick up cones and throw them at each other. And then you interview them and you ask them, you know, what happened when your mom didn't give you Oreos? and then you try to act like you know who to pick. And I've always had the view, what if we just ignored all of that?

And I just took Todd McShay and Mel Kiper and Mike Tannenbaum's ratings, and I just use that. And that's how I picked. And I never talked to any of these people. Save you a lot of money. Save you a ton of money, and I'm going to go further.

I think you would be as successful, if not more successful than the mean. So we're just copying homework. Yes. You all do the homework. Well, why do I need to do? Because when you watch the draft, it generally follows, you know, not exactly, but the ballpark of the mock drafts, right?

Yeah, occasional surprises, but nothing major. Usually the surprises aren't, don't work, right? Like, usually they'll pick, like, remember when the writers picked the fat guy from Alabama on the offensive line, like three rounds too early and it didn't work, right? Or every time the Titans draft? I would say do a draft where all you do is copy Todd McShay and Mel Kuyper's homework. So then when it was my turn, I just looked and said he feels like the right guy. And then in five years, let's see who has the best draft class.

Well, like NFL.com during the draft will have the best available. I just pull up my phone. I'm like, well, let's see who's the best available. How do you think I draft my fantasy team? Oh, you want to auto-draft? The actual draft. I love it. I think there's an argument that the only thing I would do is I was look at my roster and see what I need.

Okay, so I might say, okay, even though that guy's higher, I don't need that position. But then kind of auto draft or look and go, at the end of the day, McShay knows more about this than we do. What does he think? I genuinely believe you probably wouldn't end up with the best draft class, but I bet you wouldn't end up with the worst. I love the idea of auto drafting. When it happens in fantasy, everybody gets mad because the clock goes all the down. Yeah. You're upset in all your competitors because you're running the whole clock.

You're like, oh, Pittsburgh and April, I can't make it. Sorry, y'all draft without me. I'll be auto draft. If you and I were in the war room. If you and I were in the war room, when they go to the war room, you and I would be like drinking. Okay. Playing video games. I think there's some GMs that already do that.

No, but I mean, like you and I would. make it very clear we're not paying attention. Oh, we're up? I didn't know we're up. No, I would just go Jeeves. Jeeves. Oh, we're asking Jeeves. You tell me one minute before, and I'll quickly look and see,

he feels good. I bet you, Billy, you would do better than most teams. I think it's all the waste of money. The NBA is even more like this. The NBA hires these old men to travel around the country and watch basketball. basketball games. They get the same stats. I can get home on our computer.

And by the game's on TV. I can see it. I sit by some of these scouts. Most of them are just there for the free food. Not a lot of scouting getting done. And then they have one pick. And they'll have like the six pick in the draft. And they'll go, I'll pick the guy from Duke.

And then the whole scouting staff claps. And I'm like, none of you people, all of you are stealing money. Sounds like as an owner you would hire AI as your GM. I would just pick it. I wouldn't want to get blamed. So I'd have you as the fall guy. Okay. See, the problem is so many of these GMs, they get the job and they want to outsmart the rankings.

No one's smart. Like Bill Belichick was supposedly the best at this. And in North Carolina, he has a team that can't beat anyone, which just shows everybody's the same. Now, I do think, by the way, there's difference in coaching. but when it comes to picking the draft. Now, I will say there's talent in like the undrafted players and all that. Like, that's different. But if you're just talking about the first three rounds of the draft, Todd McShay.

Well, Belichick's hit rate wasn't great in the draft either. I mean, besides. Thank you. Their brilliance was they'd find the guy who played it like East Potato State and bring him in. I will grant you they'll do that better than me. But when it comes to the top guys, I'm of the, you've watched two ones. You've watched who wants to be a millionaire. I have.

Not recently, but I have. What is the best thing you have? Phone a friend. No, ask the audience. No, ask the audience. Ask the audience is always correct. The collective intelligence is always smarter than the individual. Well, my phone and friend is going to be Todd McShay.

Todd, we'll be picking. So we're going to test this at the draft. We're going to draw out of a hat and I'm going to have the team that's mine. Okay. And every time we come up on the clock, I'm going to go, we need a running bat. Hey, Todd, what you got? Yeah, he's good.

The guy from pit. There you go. We'll wait five years and we'll see how they turn out. And in five years, we will compare my draft class to everyone else's. Oh, we have a first round pick. We're seven, then we need an offensive tackle. All right, one second. NFL.com.

Best field tackle. Go on that one. Let me go with him. All right. See you on two days. Don't care what his mom did his tutorials. See, that's where... Don't care if he knows what seven times seven is.

There are scientific studies. This is not just... You're looking at me like I'm crazy. There are scientific studies that show that companies do a better job interviewing people, hiring people with no interviews. Because when you and I talk, my biases come into place. So, like, there's a whole field of research on this that, like, you know, We tend to look for people like us just because we think we're awesome. And we skip over other candidates that are not like us because we can't relate to them.

So you see it like with race and gender and et cetera. Like people will, a white person might not hire a black candidate because they can't relate to them, even though that person would be better than the white candidate, but you just happen to seem yourself in them. Does that make sense? It does. Like I walk in with my NFL hat. You're a big fan in the NFL.

so you might hire me more than the other person. But that's a stupid analogy, but yes. But the point would be just you wearing that hat doesn't mean you're good at the job. So the point is that a lot of companies are taking the view. Don't interview anybody. Just go on the objective measurements and you got a better chance of being successful than if you start trying to talk to people. But to Billy's point, if I work for Liberty Mutual and I'm an NFL fan,

he comes to interview wearing that hat, naturally going to. Well, it's time for the victory bundle presented by Liberty Mutual. No, it's not time yet. I just wanted, felt like a good. A tease? It was an ad tease. So anyway. Stick around.

Well, that's our coaching updates and good luck to all the candidates by the time we come back next week. I'll be dressed like Mike McDaniel. You think any of these people are waiting on Kurt Signetti? Oh. Because, you know, it's weird that no one's hired their coach. Yeah. It's been a week and a half. And, you know, the only one fit that it's been hired is the most obvious candidate.

Would the Raiders do that? and then get Mendoza? I think any team should try it. Outside of, if you can't get Harbaugh or Toml or maybe Stefansky, I would hire Kurtzignet. Why not? He clearly is smart and he clearly wins with just random guys. Why could, why not?

Well, the only hiccup would be the way he coaches and the random guys. Would that work with the millionaires? Google me. He has millionaires now. Google him. It's true. Have you Googled him? Oh, I'm not against it.

I say give it a shot. And if I'm somebody like the Raiders, then I'm definitely doing it. I might go all in you on that. And you don't have to worry about him getting distracted in Vegas. That doesn't look like a guy you're going to catch out of Vegas. He's not going to be at the strip club. He might go to some of those 5 p.m. residency shows and back to the film room. He would go see Wayne Newton.

Wayne Newton. Who's the big George Wallace comedians? He's still around? Yeah, he would go see George Wallace. noon because they have a free buffet. The amazing Jonathan. But I don't think he is going to do anything. It wouldn't be distractions.

Like obviously it was a distraction to Pete Carroll and Gino Smith. That didn't work. But Sig would be locked in. Do you think Pete Carroll was out? He went to the 9 p.m. George Wallace. Oh, dude, you can't do that. That's way too late. Yeah.

All right. That's what I would do. Let's go to the playoff games. Saturday, your first game, I believe, is it the Buffalo game? It is. Buffalo versus Denver. I actually think this is odd. It's odd to me.

This is the first game. I was actually think this is the best game. I was shocked. This is the 430 Saturday. But I like it. I think it's going to be a battle. I think the winner of this game wins the AFC. So who's it going to be?

This is also the closest spread of all the games, too. It shows you the desert thinks this is going to be the better game too. I picked against the bills in Jacksonville. I'm not now. Josh Allen There's no Mahomes There's no Lamar You knocked off Trevor Wallace

Go knock off Bo Nix If there's ever been a path Even though these guys have had great seasons This is your year to get it done Trevor Wallace Trevor Lawrence I'm still caught on George Wallace I'm trying to think of

Who is Trevor Wallis? George Wallace was still in my brain But I mean of all the years Even though these are good teams You're having to go on the road This isn't the stars That have been in front of you The last couple years

Picked bills and Rams to start the season I'm not getting off the ship now. Bills and Rams in the Super Bowl. I'm going to be the first person in the history of sports to get their Super Bowl pick right. Never been done. Wow. Did you know that? Never?

It's a surprising stat. But never. Do you remember the New York Times once tried to predict the final score of every football game? No. And Hunter S. Thompson. Yeah, of course. He wrote for ESP. Not Hunter S. Thompson.

Excuse me. the guy whose brother was a federal judge. Well, something, never mind. On the old ESPN page two, they had this guy, Easterbrook, and he would write Sunday morning or Monday morning quarterback, and he was kind of a smart, funny guy. And he kept tabs for 10 years to see if the New York Times ever got the score actually right. And they never did.

Not once. Not once. Not ever. Did they ever get, because they would pick the NFL exact score and they never got it right. and his point was, why do they do this? They've never one time gotten the score correct. Why do they do this? And I think that's true the Super Bowl.

No one's ever gotten them right. My favorite part about the New York Times one is like the scores were rarely divisible by three or seven. It would be like 26 to four. It's going to be the score in day. It was like, how are they going to even get to that? Like they rarely had like a 28, 24 or a common football finish. And then one time I remember, it was Greg Easterbrook was his name. One time it was within one point.

And he said they should stop printing the newspaper because they would never be that close again. Shut down the New York Times. But I'm sticking, the point is I'm sticking with the bills. Josh Allen showed me last week why I'm picking him. Comes down to the final possession. He goes and drives and gets a touchdown. Trevor Lawrence throws the interception. That's why I'm picking Josh Allen.

Same thing will happen. I agree with you completely. Nix hasn't been great. I feel like these young guys are going to have to take their lumps. Josh Allen has plenty of losses, plenty of heartbreak. I think it was his experience in the playoffs and the hunger of getting so close to being in the conversation every year. That gives them the edge.

49ers and Seahawks. Yeah, I mean, the first two games in this series have been very good. I don't know what to do here because I don't know which of these teams. I trust less. I don't trust Bob, excuse me, I don't trust Brock Purdy, totally, but I also don't trust Sam Darnold. I'm going to pick the Seahawks just because I think the 49ers are so banged up that that will make Sam Darnold get to the championship game,

so I will take the Seahawks. I'm big on the Seahawks here. 49ers, it's been a great run to get to where they are, beating Philly last week with the injuries they've had. I mean, they're just pulling people out of the park a lot and asking them to go, plays. I think they hit the end of the road here, even though they've had two good games with the team already.

Seattle's defense, would they hold them to a like a field goal just two weeks ago? As much as Donald's exciting and Jackson Smith and Jigba in that offense, the defense has really been answering the bell lately and I think that's what will carry them. All right, let's go to the next one. We've got, did you pick the Seahawks too? Yes, big, big. Patriots and Texans. Texans, what a bizarre game Monday night.

five fumbles still dominate the game. Can you win? This is the conversation we've always had. Can you win a title with defense? Billy's answer is no. Yes. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2002. But Brad Johnson was good that year.

Yeah, it's got to be the hair. The Texans are putting that to the test. Who do you like in this one? Might be a snowstorm, by the way. Early weather reports say could be a snowstorm. We could get a snowstorm? I'm rooting for snow I didn't think the Texans would get it done in Pittsburgh

mistakenly bet on the 42 year old I think they go out here the defense is awesome but they just need more from the offense to get over this next hump and into the conference championship Will Anderson's a beast He's incredible

What is the spread? New England minus three I'm seeing It's a good spread I'm betting it It's a good spread Blame the points And the Patriots have only beaten like two teams with a winning record this year? I'm taking the

Texans. I think C.J. Stroud has made me a notch below Drake May, but I think that defense is excellent. If you can play as badly as they did against the Steelers and still win and dominate, then what if C.J. Stroud just doesn't fumble the ball five times. There is

something to get in your bad, fluky game out of the way, because that is an outlier. They're not fumbling five times. They could have scored 40 points in that game if they had just held on the ball. Definitely. We don't know about Nico Collins, though, right? it's not a practice unless Billy has enough

Not his practice as of Wednesday But they have not said that he's out yet Correct So that may mean it's close I'm gonna take the Texans Why not? And now let me say this If it's snowing hard

Then I'm flipping to the Patriots Yeah Dome team Houston going up there And all that mess If it's snowing hard I'm flipping this to the other way I'm still just a little better After a great weekend

Monday let me down a little bit I was excited as in my seat This game was like 7 to 3 in the third quarter fourth quarter blew up a little bit, but it didn't pack the punch that the other games of the weekend did. I did enjoy the fourth quarter. It was Peyton and Eli and Rothelsberger on the Manning cast.

And they really just talked football. Like it was almost a straight football talk and it was really, really good. Like they, I thought they all balanced each other well. And I actually thought it was really, really good stuff. I'll have to check that out. Big Ben's another one we don't hear much from since he's been gone. That's it completely disappeared. He may have had reasons.

He's from my wife's hometown. He's a big celebrity back there. Washington Courthouse? No. Finley, Ohio, it's Big Ben Country, big mural. Why did I think you were from Washington? Or she was from Washington Courthouse. I don't know. Finley, Ohio, I'm a big Ben.

Yeah. Well, I mean, in Ohio, Washington, Court, that's a town. Gosh, I believe you. I didn't think you made up again. All right. Lastly, Bears and Rams should be awesome. Sunday night, under the light. Caleb, Stafford,

this could be the highest rated playoff game of the world. I'm going to take the Rams. What is your Super Bowl pick versus your... I mean, I get it. I want to be the first person ever get the Super Bowl correct. But I'm still pulling for the Bears, but I just, I think the Rams are better.

And I think, you know, bears have had a lot of good fortune. And I think at some point it has to run out. I really like you. I love both these teams. I wish they weren't playing each other. I wish they were separated and this were our NFC championship. That's what I really want because I also were on the Rams before the year and I've been loving your bears for a while now. I'm also going to take the Rams though.

I thought about it. Seeing them at Carolina playing it close. That offense has too many weapons. I give the slight edge to Stafford. But I will be rooting for your bears. I'm on the bandwagon. I'm running for them as well. But I do not.

think they are going to win, unfortunately. Can we get some cold weather and some snow in that one? It's a night game? I think it's going to be cold. I don't think it's in snow, if I saw it. I know they're not playing the Packers, but I hope they bring out the cheese grater's again. That was just a big part of the experience. Just keep that going.

And they could take a ram horn and just drill it. Whatever. Just keep your happiness going. I want to see you paint your nails, so I'm going with bears here. That's right. You got to paint your nails. The nails are going to be painted if we make the Super Bowl. And I have a Sean McVeigh stat for you.

Oh, Billy. I love this one. This is on my notes. This is McVeigh's 15th playoff game. It is the 15th different team that he will be facing. That is a good stat. It's almost impossible for him to have that stat. Yeah, because he's only been to two Super Bowls.

Is that right? Which means he's played 13 of the 16 NFC teams in the playoffs. That's kind of amazing. You can't play yourself. Yeah. Also 13 of the 15. Well, only two more that he doesn't do. That was my favorite stat of the weekend and that popped up.

I truly couldn't believe. I had to run to the computer and confirm. That's a great staff. All right, it is time for our victory bundle, presented by Liberty Mutual. Drew and I agreed on three games, so we'll make those the bundle. We pick the Seahawks,

we picked the Rams, and we picked the Bills. So we will make it the Bills, Seahawks, and Rams. That is the victory bundle presented by Liberty Mutual. Start your quote at Liberty Mutual.com. All right, let's do our touchdown.

picks. What was the final total last week? It was 3-30. None of us hit on the Monday night game. So Drew got zero. Right. Because he didn't have Kyron Williams. Also, I had two and you gave me zero. I had Loveland who scored for the Bears. I went back and researched this. I had Karen Williams and Colston Lovelin. Both of them had touchdowns. I remember Colston Lovelin scoring. Did you have him?

Yes, and Kyron Williams. Well, no, I had Karen Williams. But I think you, no, you had Rico and Nico because we made a bit out of it. Let's give him one. So it's three. I'll take one. Three, three out of his made-up zero. Three-three-one. Because if he had Loveland, I think he did.

I'm going to put the clip on Twitter to end this trip. I think you had Lovelin. And Carlin's. Well, no, we have an Australian listener who wrote me and reminded me that I got Howard Williams. You just said Rico Doudal. Didn't even have the right team. Or the right running back since Rico didn't even play for the Panthers.

It was too over. So let's go with this game. I'll tell you what, since he's doing so poorly. A loved one did not score in the Packers game. Okay. I'm sorry. Would you stop questioning my stats? My big one is Kyron Williams.

Hold on. Colston Loveland did not score in the damn game. Okay. I'm not sure. Hold on. Look me in the eyes. You didn't have Kyron Williams. Look me in the eyes and say I didn't have Kyron Williams.

Look me in the eyes and say I didn't have Kyron Williams. You did not have Kyron Williams. After this, I'm going to Twitter and I'm going to put. you under the table with the actual audio. Actually, I'm going to take a picture of you. Look at me in the eyes. This is Billy saying I didn't have Cairn Williams. And I am going to social media. I might go live

on TikTok and get random people to come here how wrong Billy was. Just for the record, the anger with which Billy realized there was no Colston Loveland. He had big catches, didn't have a touch-out. I can believe that one. I didn't remember that. I said. I'm going to trust Billy, because Billy's clearly proven

to be 100% accurate so far. It drew back to four. Let's let Drew go first for the first game, which I guess is what, Bill's Broncos. Drew will let you go first. So I can't pick the one I want because Billy's not going to give me critics. I'm writing it down. Right here. I'm going to go with Dalton Kincaid, and I'm going to hope you write down Josh Allen.

Don Kincaid is a good pick. I was going to go sack it. I'm going to go Josh Allen. So who do you want, Billy? Yeah, this is tough. I think I'm going to go James Cook. I think we're going to go all. So no one's picking a Bronco.

Okay. So James Cook, those are all good picks. All right, so let's go to the next one. That is that night, 49ers and Seahawks. I guess I will go first and I will take McCaffrey. Who do you want, Billy? give me Jackson Smith and Jigba Okay, Drew

I will go Kenneth Walker but not just any Kenneth Walker the third in the lineage of Kenneth Walker If Kenneth Walker The second scores Do not give him credit for that

He does not He wants the Kenneth Walker I want to see you write it down I can't wait to put this clip on Twitter All right Patriots versus the Texans, Billy, you get to go first. Give me Woody Marks. Woody Marks is the pick for Billy.

All right, Drew. I'm going to stay with my long shot picks, and I will say, yeah, Diggs is a long shot. I'll be about plus 200. I'll say Diggs. All right. Well, then I'll go with Drake May. You all have given me Allen, McCaffrey, and May.

I feel pretty good about. Well, when I pick running backs, I don't get credit for them. So I got to get off the room. I don't know. now I'm worried about my team. All right, we'll go to the final game. Packers, or not Packers, excuse me, Bears and Rams, Drew, you get to go first. Colston Loveland, obviously.

Wow, bold. Stick with my pick. I'll take poca. No, wait, give me Caird Williams. What am I doing? Can I have both? See, this is what happens. Yeah, so which one do you want?

What do you want? No, well, I don't get credit for Williams, so I'll stick with Loveland. All right, so give me puka. Give me Karen Williams. Man, I got no diversity. my name. Every player I have is very unlikely to get a touchdown. So you got and you got Kyron Williams. Yeah.

All right. So just for the record, everyone keeping score at home. Karen Williams. I'm claiming if he scores. I'm coming in here. I'm coming here Sunday night to Karen Williams jersey. All right. So there you go.

Those are your touchdown picks. All right. Well, looking forward to the games. We'll go live, although you won't be able to know. You'll know when it comes out. But we will do the show after the game on Sunday night. And fellas, thank you very much. NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin

is a production of the NFL and IHeart Podcast. For more podcasts from IHeart Radio, visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.