The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 01/15/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: January 15, 2021

-Jets hire Robert Saleh, could drastically change the NFL draft-The Browns upsetting the Chiefs would not be the shocker we all think-What will the storyline be for each NFL playoff game if there is an upset-Can Urban Meyer be patient enough to win in Jacksonville-The narrative that Aaron Rodgers doesn't have enough help is nonsenseGuests: Gerald McCoy, 6x Pro Bowl DTAqib Talib, former NFL CB & Super Bowl Champion Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. This is the best of the herd with kids. Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It is a Friday.

On the eve of a huge playoff weekend. Live in Los Angeles, this is the herd. Wherever you may be, and however you may be listening, we're on Fox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio, and FS1. Four games. Most people believe all four favorites just move. to the next round. We will have upsets.

It's guaranteed at least one. And Joy Taylor is joining me. Akeb to leave today, among others. Good show plan. This is a great show. This is a great weekend. Every game has such an exciting storyline to it.

A lot of star quarterbacks and young star quarterbacks. We start with this. The Jets hired Robert Sala, the very energetic, bald, intense, good-looking guy, defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. You know, a lot of times you shake your head. You don't know if it works. He apparently is a very impressive interview.

And Joe Douglas, a competent GM, has now hired him. All you need to know about this is the Jets went from an offensive head coach with no personality who struggled to get along with the media and players to a defensive head coach with a big personality and great energy who they say gets along with everybody. this was not just about Robert Sala, this was about going the opposite of Adam Gase. Now, every year we got six or seven openings and every year, one is a complete miss. You know, Freddie Kitchens, Jim Tom Sulla, Steve Wilkes, Matt Patricia, Ben McAdoo wasn't great. They generally all, very early on, I guess I should have noticed this with Adam Gase. They didn't even do well in the opening press conference.

They didn't have much of a presence. I like my quarterbacks to be quarterbackial. I like my head coaches to have a presence. You're in a room with alpha males and millionaires. You've got to be able to walk in and own the room. Sala's going to be really good at that part. He's got a big presence. He's pro player, big energy, good looking, confident guy.

I do not think like Adam Gase, he will butcher the opening press conference. So that's my guess. The Jets should be better. They have now a competent general manager, very good draft last year. A lot of draft picks. Could get more. They've got cap space. There's no reason you can't win quickly.

The Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns hired the right coach. Overnight, they look like a different team. Takes them about two or three games and you can turn this puppy around. The Jets have some talent. They are not completely devoid of talent. So I don't think it'll take that long. But here's the interesting thing. This shows you how bad Adam Gase whiffed.

According to several NFL people, you've watched them this network, other networks. The Jets now are leaning toward keeping Sam Darnold. Now think about that. Darnold hasn't done anything in the NFL regressed badly this year. Like nine touchdowns, 11 picks. Regressed badly. And according to reports, they're like, yeah, we're going to go with Sam Darnold. So Sam Darnold will get another head coach.

Now, I do think Darnold's talented, but that tells you how little regard they had for Adam Gase. Generally speaking, new coach is like, this quarterback's not working. Literally with a very little track record, they're like, we're going to go with Donald. So this is really an indictment of the previous general manager and the previous coach, what they're doing now. So the Darnold News now can change the entire draft.

Because if you look at the draft order this morning, the Jets, recent history will tell you they'll get multiple top picks for their current number two pick if they keep Darnel. That's going to be Justin Fields, the quarterback Ohio State. They're going to get multiple good picks, couple number ones of two. Well, they already got a couple number ones for Jamal Adams, that trade to Seattle. So there's no reason through free agency, a lot of cap space, and draft picks, that the Jets won't have seven to eight new starters for their next coach. They should succeed. They should succeed to some level.

And just look at the draft order. Keep your eye. Atlanta's got a number four pick. Matt Ryan. Matt Stafford, number seven lions. About time. Eight Carolina. 12 San Francisco.

Vikings 14. Patriots 15. If you look at the draft order, there are a lot of potential suitors for that number two pick the Jets have. I think Sala should work. I think it's hard to fail when you have seven, eight elite picks and a ton of money.

It's hard to fail. And a coach who appears to have a presence and a competent GM. All right. Let's shift to this. It's crazy. Kansas City's favored by 10 points over Cleveland. And I understand Andy reads off a buy. I get it.

but upsets happen a lot more in the divisional round than anybody wants to admit. To great quarterbacks, Aaron Rogers was 15 and 1 coming off a Super Bowl at home. Nine point favorites. Lambo, cold, and lost to the New York Giants. Last year, MVP, Lamar Jackson, don't want to face him. 14 and 2 Ravens at home. 10 point favorites over Tennessee. wasn't that close they got rolled

Peyton Manning remember he goes to Denver they're 13 and 3 huge favorite at home and mile high hard place to play in January nine and a half point underdog Joe Flacco walked into town and beat him two years ago

Steelers eight point favorite at home over the Jags they were rusty they gave Ben some time off fell into a huge hole lost to Jacksonville. Even Bill Belichick, 2010 New England, 14 and 2 Patriots, 9.5 point favorite,

at home, Mark Sanchez and the Jets waltz in, and beat him. So we've seen Belichick lose and Peyton Manning lose, and Aaron Rogers lose, and Big Ben lose. I'm just saying,

Cleveland's also, a very fast start. team. They led 10 times at halftime this year, and the Browns went 10 in those games. Remember last year, Kansas City came off a by at home and fell behind. They were rusty. 24-0 nothing to Houston. I do not believe the Cleveland Browns would relinquish a 24-0 lead. Also remember, last year, Kansas City had the aid of a home field advantage. This year, not so much due to COVID. So when I look at these games this weekend, this is the one I understand Andy Reed and a bye.

Don't we all kind of suspect Kansas City kind of a slow starting team, Cleveland, kind of a fast starting team, young on a roll. You know the first quarter, Kansas City may be a 10. Had Rusty haven't played in 20 games as Patrick Mahomes. This is the one Sunday at 3 Eastern to me to keep your eye on. I'm fascinated by it. I just cannot figure out the line. I've said before. Vegas has lines and it only happens a couple times a year and I just don't understand them.

I do not get them. And my inclination is I ain't betting it. I'm staying away from that puppy and that's my advice. staying away from this game. But I think if Kansas City blows them out, then it changes everything I think about the playoffs. Because I don't think it's going to happen.

I think it's going to be really close. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unlawful.

Enleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions. my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way,

this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes

of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me

or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye They said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down,

and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite

therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person

while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. So you got four playoff games this weekend and you got four favorites and four underdogs, a couple of big underdogs. Who will take the hit? Because you know how Mondays are?

When a favorite loses, somebody's got to, their shrapnel. Somebody's got to take a hit. So let's start in all four games. Let's start with Green Bay and the Rams. So we know Monday morning, Aaron Rogers and the Packers at home as a big favorite of lost. who takes the hit? My guess it's Aaron Rogers. We're going to say, dude, this is now three home losses in the playoffs. You're now 10 and 9 in the playoffs, six and eight since the Super Bowl.

You have a top receiver, a top running back, seven pro bowlers. You can't win at home against an injured Jared Goff, warm weather team that struggles in cold weather. Aaron's going to take the hit. Fair or not, it's going to be dude. We got your home field. We went out in the free agent market. They've drafted well. Aaron Jones, Devonthe Adams. These are star players and you can't win with them. Aaron's going to take the hit on that one. All right, let's say Baltimore upsets Buffalo.

It's a very small line, so it's not a huge upset. I like Buffalo to win and cover. But let's say Baltimore wins. I think the critics of Lamar Jackson on Twitter will take a hit. The media hasn't been really critical, but there's a lot of haters out there and he can't win training. and he can't win when he falls behind. He'll be two and two and four playoff games.

By the way, his touch has gotten better. His passer rating in his career is over 100. He's winning 81% of his games. He just plays differently. But when you're this athletic, you don't have to be, you know, like Philip Rivers is a good passer. He's the worst athlete, and nobody crushes him. He'll get Hall of Fame votes.

This is the best athlete in the NFL in terms of raw speed. He doesn't have to be a great passer. Philip Rivers can't run in his life. not always a great passer. And many of you would say he's a Hall of Famer. So I think the critics of Lamar Jackson, a young kid who keeps getting better, but it doesn't look the way quarterback look for most of our lives, the critics will get hammered. All right, what if Cleveland upsets Kansas City? My takeaway is the media, which always loves stories, the media fell in love, anointed them a dynasty after winning one Super Bowl.

And I think the media looks kind of silly with this sort of like Kansas City is just going to reel off four and five Super Bowls. I do think they're going to be in the Super Bowl picture for 12 years. But dynasties are hard. And the media said Seattle was going to be one and the Niners were going to be one with Harbaugh. And now Kansas City is going to be one. Only one has really been one. And that is New England.

that I think the media looks like they get way ahead of the curve on really explosive teams. And if you really look at the last seven, eight games, Kansas City is not playing well. They struggled offensively against Atlanta. Brady ate him alive twice in the last month. And finally, what if the Buccaneers upset the Saints? You know who I think takes the hit? The Patriots. All you had to get him was some pieces and he's back in.

a conference championship? You couldn't get him a couple of pieces? I mean, nobody thinks Aryans is Belichick. Nobody thinks the ownership group is as good as Robert Kraft. Nobody thinks the home field advantage is as good in Tampa as it is in frigid, cold, windy Foxborough. All Tom needed was a couple of pieces. Boom.

He got him. He's in the conference championship against, you know, potentially an Aaron Rogers level player. So I think that Aaron Rogers would take a hit, the Lamar Jackson critics will take a hit, the media anointing the Kansas City Chiefs as a dynasty after one Super Bowl would take a hit, and I think it's going to make New England look really bad if Tom ends up at 43 years old

in the NFC championship, knowing that Belichick superior to Brusarians, they could just increasingly never get him any elite. weapons. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Urban Myers, the coach at Jacksonville. Now, I think it's going to work. And I don't think it's going to take very long. Now, Urban only lost nine games in seven seasons at Ohio State. So he's not used to losing. But here's why I think it's going to work. To the level it works, you know, to me, if he has winning records, if he leaves the NFL with a winning record,

then it worked. You don't have to win Super Bowl. I mean, Marve Levy didn't win a Super Bowl. Marve Leevy's a great coach. You don't have to win Super Bowls. Can you get to Jason Garrett one playoff games, one a division? That's a successful NFL run. Nobody except Belichick lasts anywhere in this league. Andy Reid got fired. Everybody gets fired.

Pete Carroll got fired twice. Belichick got fired in Cleveland. So here's why I think it works. College football in the NFL did not even resemble each other in the 50, 60s. College football was running wishbones. And then in the 80s and 90s, college football started kind of looking like the NFL. I mean, you watch the games, it's like, okay, you drop back, you pass, you have three receivers, Steve Spurrier implemented stuff, you know, even in the South, it was like, okay, four wide.

College football in the NFL looked very similar now. They look very similar. And I don't think it's going to take that long. I think the, he doesn't have to change his playbook. He's got to be a little more patient. But Bill O'Brien went from 2 and 14 to 9 and 7. That's what he took to Texans. Two and 14, he got there. They went 9 and 7. Fast. Bill O'Brien won his division four times. Chip Kelly went 10 and 6, 10 and 6 with a quirky college system.

He's a better coach than both those guys. Now, I do think the first year is going to be rough. He's learning the NFL and Trevor Lawrence is a rookie. I think if Jacksonville had a veteran, Kirk Cousins, Derek Carr-level quarterback, he would win year one. It's going to be a bumpy first year. There are a lot of skeptics and a lot of. of cynics. I'm not one of them. I think he's a significantly better coach than guys who have

gone college like Chip Kelly and won games. Now, Peter King, very respected media guy, came on this show a couple of weeks ago. He has his doubts about Urban Meyer. This guy has been a great coach on the college level, Urban Meyer. He's never been less than three games over 500 in any year he's ever coached. And I just would ask this question. question. You know, how are you going to like losing in Jacksonville? And I'm not saying you can't win in Jacksonville, you can. But you will undergo significant days and weeks and maybe months of losing. That's just the way it is. Now, I just don't think it's going to be losing as long as everybody else thinks. I look at Chip Kelly. I look at Kevin Stefanski, who'd never been a high school

head coach. I look at Brian Flores. I don't think the NFL and college football are as different as they used to be. And by the way, Big Ten football has never been as spread oriented as the Big 12. So Big Ten football's power running in defense. That's what he's done everywhere he's been. He's coached a lot of NFL players. I think the first year is going to be a little rocky, but it's a division that's winnable. There's no Patrick Holmes in that division. There's no Aaron Rogers. There's no Russell Wilson. There's the Sean Watson, who wants out of the division. Outside of that, Philip Rivers, Ryan Tannahill, guys that don't feel like they'll be in their places forever.

I think he's going to do fine. I think successful people as a rule, what they struggle with is patience. That's what Urban's going to struggle with for a year. Patience. I don't think he's going to struggle with a playbook. He's a curious guy. He'll figure it out. But you're going to go six and ten.

and that's more losses than you've had in one season in your life. In fact, he's never had more than five. So can he just understand a little bit? It's a process. It's going to take a year. I don't think it's that difficult. I don't think we're asking Urban Meyer to lose for four years. I don't think he will.

Bill O'Brien and Chip Kelly won fast. They've got some good offensive pieces. They get Trevor Lawrence. They got a bunch of draft picks. They've got a ton of cap space. I say one year in, he's going to be going into a second draft, second free agency period with new facilities. They're going to be a pretty decent team.

Gerald McCoy played in the NFL for 10 years. He was a pro bowler for six of them. And what Urban Meyer needs is more Gerald McCoys. And his career is not over, and he is now joining us live on a Friday. By the way, so this is interesting. You know Brady very well, and you also know, because you played in Tampa, you know the Saints roster very well. And we're asking the Saints now, Gerald, beat Brady in the Bucks

three times in a season. That's a big ask. It is. It is, Gerald. Do you think it's, will it be hard to get Saints players motivated knowing they not only beat them twice, Gerald, they thumped Tampa Bay twice? I don't think it's going to be hard to motivate the players, but I think it is going to be hard to win this game as easily as the outside world is thinking it's going to be. I love the bucks. I always will, always have.

So I went back and watched these games. And the Sunday night game, it was bad. Okay, 383 had the card timeout, the kick of field goal, just so they didn't get goose egged. But opening day was a lot closer than people think. You know, the Bucks had no offseason like everybody else, but this is a new group, new office with Tom Brady. They're implementing a lot of different things.

So they made a lot of mistakes. But the game was actually a lot closer than people think. and the Bucks are hitting their stride. I think the Bucks, Baltimore, Buffalo, those three teams probably hit their stride at the end of the year

and came into the playoffs with the most momentum. So it's going to be difficult for the Saints to pull this one out as easy as people are thinking. And opening day, no Antonio Brown. The second game, it was his first game playing. Now he's comfortable with the system. let's see what happens.

Ah, very interesting. Raven's Bills is fascinating. So I've been on the Bills bandwagon for about two and a half months. That said, I love Lamar Jackson. I don't get the critics. But I do wonder, when I look at Lamar, I do wonder Josh Allen is kind of the same quarterback leading behind. Even though Lamar won playing from behind,

I think he's better playing with a lead. I kind of feel like Baltimore, Moore's finally going to hit their ceiling this week, and I'm going to take Buffalo. What do you make of Josh Allen? What do you make of the Bills? If I'm correct, I think you're a Bills fan this year, too. Yeah, yeah, I got Buffalo. I actually picked Buffalo to go to the Super Bowl.

I picked Buffalo over Kansas City because I just like the Josh Allen, Stefan Diggs, dynamic. Josh Allen, you know, I was talking to one of my close family friends. his other day. And he said he believed Josh Allen may have made the biggest jump from last year to now with what he's been able to do. And I said, I don't know. I think the biggest jump we probably

seen was probably Lamar Jackson from year one to year two. But Josh Allen has made huge strides. And the reason I picked Buffalo over Kansas City to go to Super Bowl is because Kansas City has been a little rocky. They've been winning, but they've been a little rocky going into the playoffs. They don't have a lot.

of momentum. Patrick Mahomes hasn't thrown a game day pass in over three weeks. In Buffalo, man, they ended the season so hot. And they kept it going, you know, in the first round of playoffs, man. I love Lamar Jackson. I think he's got the most dynamic legs we've ever seen in this league. And he doesn't turn the ball over and takes care of the ball. They might can pull this thing out. But I'm leaning towards Buffalo. So let me ask you, you, you know, you know, you Your point about Kansas City is interesting. We all kind of consider them. I mean, it's like they've won one Super Bowl,

and everybody has annoyeded them a dynasty. And it's like, hey, that Seahawk dynasty didn't last as long as we thought. The Harbaugh-Niner dynasty, they never, ever do. Let me ask you, taking time off, I'm sure in your career you got injured or took a week off, off a bye, can even a great player get rusty and never get in sync over the course of of three hours. Do you think that's a real concern for Mahomes in Kansas City against Cleveland? Yeah, I do. It can happen. You know, I'm not saying it's going to happen. You know, I love Andy Reed. I always been a fan to Andy Reed, and he's made everybody, he's coached better. You take a talent like

Patrick Mahomes, arm talent we've never seen before. Probably closest thing is a Dan Marino or Aaron Rogers, but you take a talent like that and put them under Andy Reed. They're going to be hard to stop. but momentum is real. And going into the playoffs with momentum is real. We've seen it over the years. A team could come in rusty. Even though the other team is not better, they could play better that day because they're hitting their stride.

They have the most momentum. Look at the Giants when they made that Super Bowl run. Look at the Packers. When Aaron Rogers made his Super Bowl run, you see a lot of teams come into the playoffs with momentum. They play a team that people expect to win, but they don't have that momentum. And you sit to start us for three weeks, they could be rusty.

And Cleveland, man, they can run that ball. And if they can control the clock and get an early lead, Kansas City can come back. They're the offense that can't come back if anybody can. But if they can control that clock and Baker can hit all his throws on third down, I think this could be an upset. Yeah. So you go and play in Tampa.

It's warm weather. And occasionally maybe once, twice a year, late in the year. You've got to go play a cold weather game. And I look at those soft LA Rams going up to Lambo and 72 degrees in L.A. You tell me, can weather affect, because you were a warm weather player, can weather affect a team in the NFL in the playoffs? Yeah, weather can, but, you mean, mental toughness is stronger than weather to me. You know, if you got mental toughness, then weather doesn't affect you. It's about how bad do you want it. Now, some team

may be used to it and they may never have to adjust to the weather, but if a team is mentally tough, it may take a few drives to adjust to the weather, but then it's just football. You know, I wouldn't use the word soft at L.A. Rams as long as Aaron Donald's there, you know, just saying. But I think the Packers do have the advantage in this game. And my three favorite players in the league, Aaron Rogers, Aaron Donald and Levanti David. Unfortunately, two of my favorites are going against each other,

but if I have to pick one out of three, I'm not betting against 12. You know, Aaron Rogers is just that guy. If the Packers can run the ball, then I think the ramp will have a long day because then Aaron can do his thing, and, you know, I just think it's going to be a long day. I hope AD plays well. You know, I know he has the injury,

but he's a warrior. He's something we've never seen before in this league, so I'm sure he's going to overcome. and it's just going to be a great game. By the way, let me ask you about your rehab. You played 10 years. You were a pro bowl or six. Everybody in this league wants a defensive tackle.

You're not done playing, right? No, I'm not done by a long stretch. You know, a lot of people, I've been getting this question. You know, are you going to retire? Are you done? And I'm like, because I got injured, am I the first person to be 10 years in and get injured? If you asked me, am I done, are going to run? retire, I'm kind of taking it as disrespect because that means you was kind of thinking I was

about to be done in the first place. So instead of getting angry and taking this disrespect, I'm going to use this motivation. It's a blessing in the skies. I got a lot left. And now I'm motivated to just show that, you know, anybody who's listening, I got a lot left and I'm ready to rock. And you're a good dude, good locker room guy as well. By the way, I don't need to talk about anybody specifically. But I do think NFL and college football, Gerald, look more the same than they ever have. Matt ruled, it doesn't matter who it is.

I used to be, if a college guy went to the NFL as a coach, I was like, it's not going to work. Increasingly, I'm like, I think it can work. I mean, you tell me, will veteran NFL players struggle with a college guy when they walk in the locker room? It just all depends on the coach. I was listening here earlier and you were saying how the game is transitioning

and the college game and the NFL games becoming very similar that's why we're seeing more Lamar Jackson's seeing more columnaries and because the game is evolving now it's up to the coach these players want to win and when you bring in a coach

they're going to initially say okay let me humble myself see what they have to say and buy-in. Okay? It's all about the coach and how they approach to players.

You have to understand. You're not talking to kids anymore. These are grown men. You may be talking to a guy like me. I got five children. I've been married eight years.

You can't talk to me any kind of way. You know what I'm saying? But some coaches try it. And it doesn't work. And I think the times where you see a coach who's a great coach

in college, it doesn't work in NFL, I don't think they understand that dynamic. If you talk to these players as grown men, And as NFL players, guys, you make a lot of money who have families at home, kids, just like you, I think guys would be more willing to buy in. And great coaches can adapt.

And when you're a great coach, it doesn't matter the environment. You learn to adapt. And if they can understand that dynamic between college and NFL players, then I absolutely believe that college coaches can be successful in the NFL. Yeah. Gerald McCoy is a free agent defensive. If you are one of those franchises could use a little beef, a little intelligence, a little moxie, that's the guy you got to go get. And your rehab's going well.

You feel good? I feel great. And I appreciate you guys having me on. I'm in the middle of rehab right now. I'm working out. But I consider you guys family. So I took a break to talk to my long-distance cousin, my cousins. Joy and Colin, I love you guys.

You know, we're family. We're distance apart. long distance cousins. Always going to be family. Thank you guys for having me, and I'm feeling great. All right. Ten years, six pro bowls, go sign him. Easy guy to root for Gerald McCoy.

Thanks, man. Appreciate it. Thank you. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. There are narratives in sports that I do buy into.

Like James Hardin's game is not going to work in the play. I believe that. I've watched it. I see it. I just don't think you can be that ball-centric and play a hundred in games over the course of a season. And I think you, as the late Kobe Bryant told James Harden, man, you've got to change that game. You've got to pass more. It's just a hard game. We've seen Westbrook, the Energizer Bunny, run out of gas. You know, you've got to pass the ball more. You've got to be a little more LeBron. You've got to pass it. Give others opportunities. But there are other narratives I don't buy. And the kind of Aaron Rogers carries the Packers. I think because the way they lost last year and they got mauled and were overwhelmed by San Francisco, we tend to think this team doesn't have a ton of talent.

But Green Bay has got more talent, more veteran talent than the Rams. The Packers had seven pro bowlers. The Rams had two. I went this morning and I put the top 10 players in this game in terms of talent. So Green Bay has number one Aaron Rogers, number four, Devonthe Adams, Alexander the corner number five, Aaron Jones, number six, Corey Lindley, the offensive. of lineman eight, Zadaria Smith, 11. So they have six of ten. So the four Rams are Aaron Donald,

Jalen Ramsey, Andrew, or John Johnson, the safety. But if David Bakhtiari would have been here, the left tackle, they would have had seven of 11. Seven of the 11 best players, to me, are Packers. So the Rams have some very promising, talented young players. But when you get into guys who have been in the league, and this is what wins in the playoffs, four years or longer. These are 27-year-old men.

Green Bay's got more good players. Also, Kenny Clark for the Packers' defensive tackle did not make a Pro Bowl, but he's really good. And the safety, Adrian Amos for the Packers, did not make the Pro Bowl, but he's really good. So if you look at the Packers, in every unit except tight end, quarterback Pro Bowler, Running Back Pro Bowler, wide receiver, Pro Bowler, Offensive Line 2 Pro Bowlers, Linebacker Pro Bowler, defensive line, Kenny Clark, about as good as you can be and not make a pro bowl. Outside a tight end, every unit's got pro bowlers. You can't say that with the Rams.

I think the Rams have tremendous young talent. And I think they have a deeper wide receiving core. But I just don't buy this that Aaron's carrying. There's a reason they're a touchdown favorite, and it's not because it's cold. Packers have better players and especially better veterans. And I think they win this game by more than a touchdown. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross

double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay and I'm Alex English Each episode we pick it here unpack what went down

And try to make sense of how we survived it Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill Waxing all about crack in the 80s To be clear, 84 is big to me Not just because of crack I'm down to talk about crack on day But just so y'all know I mean at this point

Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack So I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now So Thank you for finishing that. sentence. I don't think there's a more important

year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite

therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth?

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

Akeem Taleb played 12 years in the NFL, half the years he was a pro bowler. And we were just talking during the break. He's either like 10 and 3 or 9 and 4 in the playoffs. He got to the playoffs with the Broncos. the Rams, the Patriots. He got to the Super Bowl with two different Super Bowls. Five of his 12 years, he made the playoffs. So he's got a ton of experience in the postseason.

Akeeb Talib is now joining me live from his house in Texas. So let me ask you this. So in all your playoff games, I look at the Rams and I think, oh, they're going to go up to Lambone. It's freezing cold. And they're an indoor team and it's warm weather. Did you ever go to a playoff game? When you were in Foxborough, did you think the lousy weather was an advantage? Did you ever go on the road and playing cold weather?

Does weather mean anything in Lambo to you? It does. It does. Weather always means something. You're a dome team and you got to go play outside. It always means something. So it's difficult. It's rough.

So it's going to play a part, definitely. It's definitely going to play a part. I don't know what happened with that light right now. I don't know what happened to that light, by the way. Maybe. Let's play with it right here. You got time, man. Trying to figure it out.

You know how them home studios go. Boom. Look at that. Boom. So let's talk about, I want to talk about Tom Brady and the Bucks. So I don't think they match up with the Saints. I think the Saints have outstanding corners and a pass rush. And I just think it's one of those things where Tom's going to be under some duress.

He's going to face pressure. You played in a lot of playoff games. Were there time? in some of your losses, where Akeb, you just felt like our personnel doesn't match this team's personnel very well. Well, usually in our – and two of my big losses, it was – god dang. It was – it was me going out. And then once I went out the game, our personnel just couldn't match up with the other team,

you know. So I think A.B is going to change the dynamics of that, though. that one extra receiver who's basically unguaritable is going to change the dynamic. So it might change how the Saints have to play a little bit. You know what I'm saying? So I think AB being in the picture this time is going to change things. Golly.

It's okay. So let me ask you this. Are you surprised Antonio Brown, he goes to the Raiders, it doesn't work. He goes to the Patriots, it doesn't work. Are you surprised that he's gone to Tampa? and frankly, he's better every week. We don't hear from him. He's not in the press.

Are you a little surprised he's worked so well with Brady? I'm not. I'm not. I know what type of guy, A.B. is. You know, he just needs that general, man. Once he gets a real general in front of him, he's going to be a soldier. He going to get in line and he's going to work every day. He works. That's what people don't talk about.

They don't talk about how hard he works. So I think it's a match made in heaven, man. Tom Brady works super hard. A.B. works super hard. And I think just him being out of Miami, just in Tampa, you know, a low-key city, a low-key, more low-key than Miami. But I think I'm not surprised, man. You put guys like that with Tom or Bill Belichick, if you put them with a real, real leader like that, man. These guys always fall in line.

So it don't surprise me at all. All right, Kansas City is a 10-point favorite. You have been a favorite in your NFL career in playoff games. Do you worry that Kansas City? didn't play well in the last month, that Mahomes took a buy in week 17, that they're a massive favorite. Does that concern you at all for the Chiefs? Usually it don't, but like you said, matchup. So this matchup kind of just concerns me, man. The best way to beat Mahomes is to keep them on the sideline and hunt. Those running backs, those Cleveland running backs can keep him on the

sideline. That Cleveland run game period, can keep him on the side line. That Cleveland run game period can keep him on the sideline. So this matchup, it's, if you give me 10 points in Cleveland, I'm taking Cleveland. Yeah. You know,

it is interesting. Mahomes didn't have a great December. You would think, like you were, you were a great corner. Did you ever have a bad month? Like, it just,

just, it's funny. Like, Mahomes is great, but he did not play well in December. It is, do players get into slumps? Players definitely get into slumps.

And, and sometimes your break comes at the right time. So that's why this game is kind of confusing because like you said, he didn't have a great December, but then he had time to take time off, let me reset, let me get my body healthy. And, you know, just that reset button, it does wonder sometimes. Like for Lamar, Lamar had a chance to, you know, the COVID.

God gave him COVID. It made him sit down for 12 days or 10 days or whatever. You get to get healthy. You reset, then he come out on fire after that. So players have slumps, man. Sometimes you need a two-week break just to reset and get out of that funk. And who knows what Patrick Mahomes going to come out this weekend. All right, Baltimore plays Buffalo.

Tell me what it's like to face a running quarterback. What will Buffalo defenders sense and face? Trouble, man. It's trouble. You almost don't want to play man coverage against a running quarterback because, you know, once he break that first level, it's almost like an automatic 10 yards or whatever. So you kind of dictate defenses with a running quarterback. And it's trouble, man.

Lamar is on fire. He's one of the hottest players in the league right now, in my opinion. And, you know, he got a chip on his shoulder. He had to get that first playoff win. And you know he wanted to get a win versus Josh Allen, man. That's almost like, you know, that's his competition in that class. So you know he wants to get this win. And he's on fire right now, man.

So it's going to be tough to stop him. I think he throws the ball better than people think. when you watch it, how do you think he throws it? I definitely think he throw the ball. I think he throw the ball so good that he almost want to be a straight pocket quarterback. But, I mean, God gave you those legs, so you can't be a pocket quarterback. You've got to use those legs, Lamar. So I think he throw the ball so good, it almost makes him want to throw the ball too much.

Green Bay is a better team. They have more good veteran players than the Rams do. Rams have Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, but there's a lot of very good. young ram players. When you went into playoff games, did you feel your experience mattered, having been there before mattered? Definitely, definitely. Experience always matters because the jitters you get, your routine. I mean, some guys, you get into playoffs and now you want to do this whole new routine because you think you got to be over prepared or whatever. But once you've been there before, you know what I'm saying? You might think differently. Like that's any other game.

Let me just stick to my routine or whatever. So experience definitely matters. man guys get nervous you do certain things when you're nervous i know my first playoff game i was super nervous i showed up four hours early my routine was all the way off just because i was nervous you know what i'm saying i mean years five i never been in the playoffs so i thought i was doing something positive when really i threw off my whole routine and i feel like i end up getting hurt because of that you know what i'm saying so like i got massages and stuff and the lady kind of put a a knot in my hamstring and then absc yeah i'm telling you a little bit later on boom that same spot. It bothered me the first

playoff game. It bothered me the second one. By the AFC championship game, it popped on me. You know what I'm saying? I did something that I don't do. So experience definitely matters. Yeah. Do you miss? I know you're glad you're retired. You had a great career. When you watch the playoff games, is that when you miss football?

No, when I watch, when I get a FaceTime by Reggie, the head trainer for the Rams and A.B. and Jalen and all those guys are, you know, having fun in the training room and the locker. That's what I miss football. But when I watch the game on this weekend, I'm enjoying it, Colin. I got, you know, a cold beer, some popcorn, you know.

This is my chilies feel good, my back feel good. So I don't miss the physical part. I just miss the camaraderie, you know, and I miss that part. So I'm a fan. I enjoy being a fan of the game, too. Sitting back and watching, I really became a fan of football again, man. I got favorite team in NFC, AFC, so I just enjoy it. Yeah, I love watching you play here.

You were physical, man. You were, I forgot, were you a trash talker? Oh, yeah, I talk, I talk from first quarter to fourth quarter, definitely. Not really trans, though. See, I'm more just like just being myself, though, Colin. You know, I had conversations with guys throughout the game. You know what I'm saying? Some guys get disrespectful and turn disrespectful conversations.

Sometimes it's cool as, you know, pro conversations, and I had great professional conversations with guys all day long. Really? You had actual nice conversations with wide receivers during games, professional? Definitely, definitely. Like, for example, like we played Cleveland as a Rams. We played Cleveland. I was miced up.

You could hear me and Odell talking the whole game. It was cool. He was laughing. Oh, Keeb, I had you right there. I said, ooh, AD saved me. Like, you know what I'm saying? know, casual, we laughing, we joking. It's just good conversations, man.

That's a perfect example. If I can get the live footage from the game when I was miced up with, oh, because I listened to it, the whole game, they're like the raw footage. I listened to it. So that was a perfect example, man. That's great two pros competing and talking a little noise at the same time. I love that. Definitely.

Akeb Taleb, former great NFL defensive back, going to get a lot of Hall of Fame votes. Good talking to you. We'll talk soon, my man. Thanks, God. Thanks, Colin. Sorry about the light, man. You know, I need a producer. I need a home producer here, man, so we could get this thing in order. Yeah, but you know what?

You did a good job. You had to kind of ad-lib your way through it. I thought you were excellent. Nice work. Appreciate it, Colin. Take care. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and Hell Ed writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it. all embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a life. He's a professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit are armored? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived. with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.