The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 09/01/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: September 1, 2021

Colin shares an epiphany he had about the Patriots with Mac Jones as their new starting quarterback and if they’ll be successful in 2021. He argues despite his early “success” this one NFL quarterback who won the MVP never had a prime stretch of his career being elite. He also believes Tom Brady and the Buccaneers might have the best overall roster in the NFL over the last 15 years. Plus, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid joins the show to talk about the evolution of their high-powered offense and adapting to a rebuilt offensive line.   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. 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 and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me.

I'm Sam Jay. 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. 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.

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A lot of stuff going on today. This is one of my favorite times of the season. The interest bubbling up for college football, which starts Thursday, Ohio State, Minnesota, like Minnesota last year. We've got a new coach, real game. And then we've got big college games. We've got NFL stories. Yesterday, of course, right before our show, Cam Newton, release, cut, whatever you want to say by the Patriots.

And Joy Taylor is joining me. Andy Reid's on our show today. Yay. They're very quiet Andy Reid. I know. The Chiefs are the quietest. The quietest team with that many stars. It's amazing. They just in the Midwest, we're having barbecue tonight, fly over us and talk about all the coastal team. So they're poised for a great season. Nick Wright as well.

So let's start with this. I had an epiphany yesterday. You know what that is. You're driving around. And like all of you, you drive around. I do some of my thinking sometimes when I'm driving around. and driving around, I'm thinking, then I get home yesterday, and I had a rare cigar just out there thinking yesterday, doing a lot of thinking, and I had an epiphany. Stuff started clicking in my head, and I thought, we are massively underselling New England this year. I'll tell you why. They do things a certain way.

You do things a certain way. We're all creatures of habit. But Belichick for 20 years has done things a certain way. And then last year they didn't. Brady left. They were caught off guard. They went and got Cam. No camp, no games.

He gets COVID. There's eight out. And Cam's style really isn't New England style. We said it's an interesting fit. And so for the first time in 20 years, New England didn't do things the way they do things. And Belichick talked about this yesterday, why they chose Mac Jones. This is about 20 seconds, but there's a line in here.

See if you catch it from Belichick. First of all, he's had a high level of production. But I feel like he's been able to show an ability to do things the way we want I'm done at a productive level. So he's young. I'm sure he'll continue to learn and grow. We'll see where that goes. But that's why we drafted him.

And I think he's come in and performed at a level that supports that. Do you notice the line? The way we want to do things. Last year, COVID, no camp, Cam late. He's a different quarterback. They adjust to do it. Cam and the Patriots adjust to do it. They didn't do things the way they do things.

When you think of New England's offense, what do you think about? Efficiency. Not Cam's thing. High completion rate. That's not really Cam's thing. No turnovers, rarely penalized, great situational football. That was Brady. That's not necessarily Cam.

Cam's more of a playmaker. Gives you some upside. Big over-the-top stuff. Big. It's not what they do. So last year, Cam had to fit into New England's offense, weird, and New England had to fit into Cam's style. Weird. Mac Jones is their style.

Accurate, efficient, no turnovers. And there's two things that's really interesting. We spend so much time on this show and other shows, and there's a reason why we do it, talking about quarterbacks. But when doesn't the quarterback matter nearly as much? When a football team has two things, the quarterback is less crucial. Do you have a top one or two offensive line in the league? And are you a top three run production team? And I'll give you an example.

Let's go back five, six years. 2015, Cam Newton. Number one rushing team in the league. Top two offensive line ranking. Oh, 15 and 1. The following year, Calgary. Boyes, rookie Dak Prescott, number one rated O line. Zeke comes into the league, fresh legs, number one rushing team.

13 and 3. Let's go to the following year, 2017. Eagles, number one rated offensive line. Top three running team, number three, won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles at the end. Let's go to 2018. The Rams, top two offensive lines. Todd Gurley, number three in rushing, went to the Super Bowl, 13 and 3. 2019, 49ers.

Remember that 49er team? Number two in rushing, most rushing touchdowns, top offensive line, got to the Super Bowl. Last year, number one rated offensive line, Cleveland, Nick Chubb, top rushing team. They were. Let me see here. Third in rushing, number two, an offensive line. Now, look at the quarterbacks on that. Inconsistent Cam, rookie DAC, Mick Foles, career backup, hot and cold Jared Gough, often injured Jimmy Garoppolo, and, you know, the polarizing Baker Mayfield.

That's not exactly Stauback and Ainkman. That's not exactly Mahomes and Allen. Brady Manning. If you have a great O line. And this is New England's best offensive line, I can recall. If you're highly productive running the football, top three, this is the deepest running back group. Do you watch the preseason we've seen from New England? Simply put, Mack Jones is not that crucial.

New England and Cam, it was a weird fit. We all admit it. It was a band-aid. They kind of made it work. He was coachable. They coached him up. It kind of worked. It's not who they are.

I mean, let's be honest, for you accountants watching the show, you don't take your shirt off and dance in the midnight rain. You could do it. It'd be fun. You and your wife are in Acopoco. That's not who you are. And for you people that like to have fun, you don't go to bed at 8.15. But occasionally, you've done it. You're tired.

You're worn out. That's not who you are. Last year, that's not who they are. This year, it's who they are. And the quarterback Mac Jones is not that crucial. So I make two amendments. I've already made one. This is not official yet, but I did it this morning.

I have New England with two more wins than I proposed. We are underselling them from 10 and 7 to 12 and 5. Don't love all the noise around Miami, but I still think Miami's a very good football team. This will be part of my new amendment. Next week. All right, so let's go to this story. Brian Flores said yesterday, he told the team that Tua is our quarterback.

So let's, let's, we all know something to be true. I've been in this business a long time, so is joy. When a company or a business is going to do something and it's perceived as controversial, here's what they do. And I know, because I've benefited from this more than once. They call the media. they leaked the story to see how it plays. I saw something a couple of weeks ago where a bar stool and baseball were going to have a deal.

Got leaked for a couple days. A lot of pushback. Suddenly no deal. Not saying it won't happen, but somebody in baseball leaked that. How is it going to play? Right? Because that company is kind of outspoken and controversial, right? It's a way of the game works.

So here's what happened with Miami. Miami made a run at Deshawn Watson. DeShon Watson's camp is trying to save. him, make him look important and big, they leak it. Miami backs off and says, we're not going to implode the season. We'll go with two. I'm not blaming the dolphins. I would go with two or two.

I think Miami with this coach and these special teams and this defense can win double-digit games and make the playoffs. I have them in the playoffs. At least I did until about five minutes ago. So, but this is what happens. This is a controversial signing. So clearly, Miami made a run at him. clearly somebody in the Watson camp leaked it there'd be no value for Miami to leak this story

Miami doesn't want this thing out there it leaks from the Deshawn Watson camp an agent people close to him by the way five different teams leaked why because Deshawn Watson's camp is trying to save his bacon and this not to be a lost year they want it out there the perception is oh he's hot property everybody wants him you guys better get in get your bids it and Miami's like damn it We're out. And I don't think it's a bad move. But now, this is why I said this in the draft. Back in March, I said this.

This is a very good quarterback group. There's five legitimate quarterbacks. I didn't love all of them, but there's five guys that can play. I didn't even love Mac Jones, but I said, right fit, New England, he'll win games. And they were close to the top of the draft. I said, go get a quarterback. Because what's going to happen now? New England's going to get one of those quarterbacks.

They did Mack Jones. Buffalo's got Josh Allen. The Jets got one. Say what you will, but Zach Wilson's talented. And now this morning I can make the argument, you're the one team that's not satisfied with your quarterback. And next year, there's two great, great prospects. There could be other ones, but two great quarterbacks.

They'll both be gone in the top four. And Miami's way too good to get back up there. So I don't think they're done pursuing Deshawn Watson. In fact, a reporter I trust and another network said something on the air today that, like, this is not done. It's done now. But that's the story. That's why you have all this movement. They made a run at Watson.

It got leaked. They don't want to implode the season. And for now, they shut it down. But don't kid yourself. Be warned if you're an NFL team. If you get into the interested in Deshaun Watson camp, it'll get leaked. Because his group and his people, they're trying to save his. career. And so they're trying to drum up interest. Everybody wants him. I swear to God,

the other day, it's like seven teams were listed. That's funny. They all leaked. Stuff leaks when one of the camp wants it leaked. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped 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 a little Kim?

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 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 you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack.

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? 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast,

Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. So sometimes the media does a poor job of cover, what they like instead of reporting on what's happening. Memo to the media. I've said every day, this is your show. I figure out what you like, and then I figure out ways to talk about it. You like football. It's 70% of my show.

The media does a poor job at that. The media has always covered Cam Newton like he's Patrick Mahomes, or Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers. He's not close to any of them. There's a story out today. Washington's Ron Rivera committed to Ryan Fitzpatrick with Campherson. Newton available. Oh, God. How embarrassing. Ron Rivera was over Cam Newton, so much so he chose his backup. Washington's not going to bring him Cam Newton. Come on. Do your job, media. That's not going to happen. Dallas is a backup? It's got a shot. It'll be effective, I think. Let's look at Cam's prime.

Oh, wait. He doesn't have one. He never had a prime. He's the Macarena, not the Beatles. He's not even Aerosmith. He's not even the backstreet boys. He didn't have three, four straight great years. He had won. It was an MVP. If you take that out, he's under 50% in his career, 60, 62 and 1. This isn't baseball where stats matter. You've got to win games. Mahomes wins games. Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson win games. Brady wins games. With Belichick and Ron Rivera, Cam couldn't win games. I want you to know this about Ron Rivera. He takes over Washington last year.

It's a complete rebuild. It's a completely dysfunctional organization. Owner down! He wins the division and gives the eventual Super Bowl champions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady, everything they can handle in the playoff game with Taylor Heineke. Ron Revere's a great coach. Belichick's the best coach.

They couldn't win with Cam consistently. Let's stop this. If you look at the MVP year for Cam, it is amazing. The year before, he was awful. Five-eight and one, passer rating low 80s. The year after the MVP was worse. He completed 52% of his throws, went 6 and 8. This is not baseball.

Nerds sitting around trading cards on stats, on base percentage. OPB, yes, you know me. Nobody cares. Win games. Mahomes wins games. Brady wins games. Russell Wilson wins everywhere. He won in high school.

He won at NC State. He went in Wisconsin. He wins in Seattle. He wins everywhere. Gives a rip about his stats. Cam didn't even have a prime. He didn't have a prime. There is no...

Matt Ryan's got a prime. You guys all bang on Jimmy Garoppolo. He's 24 and 8 as a starter. Well, he's got a great coach. Really? Kyle Shanahan's record. Six games under 500 when Garopolo doesn't start. Is he a great coach?

I think so. Ron Revere and Belichick, Shanahan. I think they're all great coaches. But like, like, let's report the truth. Cam's now a backup. And I'm not sure he wants to be a backup. I think Dallas is a really interesting fit. It is an organization that can handle stars.

And Dak's really secure in himself, is a really solid guy. Dak can handle anything. Dax handled anthem controversies. He can handle Jerry Jones. He handled Zeke's nonsense. He handles hard. Dak can handle anything. Okay.

Dak is built uniquely. He can handle all the noise. He said, Russell Wilson could handle it. I don't even know if Aaron could handle it. I don't think Tom Leighton is, you know, I mean, there's certain guys that are great. And I'm like, I'm not sure if that work, that can handle it. But we got to be fair about this. Cam has no prime.

It doesn't exist. There's not three to four years of, wow. Even Matt Ryan's got that. So let's, let's, the media needs to cover what's happening, not what they hope happens. By the way, Ron Rivera asked yesterday about potentially adding the great Cam Newton. It did pop up on our radar, but just so you know,

Ryan Fitzpatrick is our starting quarterback. So that's where we are. We have three guys we like, you know, that all, you know, came to camp, did a nice job for us, and we're going to go forward with those guys. Oh, he showed up on the radar. Sort of clouds.

What does that mean? Does it mean anything? They're going to go with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And they're going to win the division, by the way. Washington's going to win the division. With Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ron Rivera, second year rebuild. Pretty good coach.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with your sports. Jason McIntyre 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 J. 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 was 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.

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. from 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

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 iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away,

such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I saw this story about Tampa Bay. The Buck's initial 53-man roster includes just 10 new players. So they brought every coach back. They brought all their stars back. They got everybody back.

And they have 10 new guys, seven are rookies that they drafted. And they draft very well. A couple of their rookies, I think are going to be really good. So, you know, Tampa is, I don't remember seeing this. I would have to go back 10 years, probably 15. They're the only team I can recall that had a draft that was completely for depth. They were not drafting any starters. There's nowhere to start on this team.

Joe Tryon, edge rusher, terrific preseason. I watched him play in high school. He's from Washington State where I'm from. Went to the University of Washington, a three-star recruit, worked, just got bigger and stronger and you looked up and you're like, oh, he's a player. He's a typical Tampa Bay. Nobody talks about him. He's going to end up being an eight-year starter.

So they literally drafted for depth that is unheard of. Nobody does that in the NFL. It's a salary cap league. And just think about this. I think Tampa is the best roster I've seen in 15 years, top to bottom, no bad units. Here's the other teams I think are stacked and they all had major issues. Kansas City had to completely rebuild their office.

offensive line. Buffalo has a pass rush issue. They had to go heavy into that in the offseason. Cleveland's really good. Secondary, they got a safety, they got corners, totally redid it. The Seahawks, offensive line and tight end, not athletic enough, had to upgrade. Baltimore, lack of wide receivers, they've addressed it. And the Packers, who have had a top five offensive line for Aaron Rogers' entire career, have a problem. Like David Bocciari's in the Pup list. He's not around for a month and a half. They lost Cole Lindsay. They're a Pro Bowl Center. They're now moving a guard from center to left tackle. They have the 16th rated offensive line. That is bad by Green Bay standards. I mean, nobody in this league outside of

New England builds competent offensive line. This is the worst offensive line. Middle of the pack. And those are the good teams. Those are Super Bowl level teams. And the other thing Tampa does where it's just amazing that we never thought about this or talked about this until Brady got there. They not only do a good job in the draft, their guys hit. Like the last couple years, Tristan Wirth's right tackle. People now think he's the best right tackle in football. He's entering his second year. Antoine Winfield safety.

Monster talent. Vita Via defensive line. Fantastic. A Devin White linebacker. He'd be the best linebacker on several teams. He popped. So you've got this stacked roster, everybody back, and nobody has hit on as many draft picks as Tampa has in the last couple of years.

I mean, they are, four of those guys are, Tristan Worf's now is being talked about as the best right tackle in football. So let's go again to my power pyramid, which I debuted with, And I believe left or right, these are the best team. The best teams, Tampa at the top. Kansas City next, then Buffalo, be kind of the best rosters. Then Cleveland, Baltimore are interchangeable.

They're interchangeable. Then Seattle. Then I think Rams, Green Bay, Colts, and I had an epiphany, and I put New England in there. 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 love. Brian Flores came out yesterday and said, hey, we're going to go with Tua, which I'm fine with. You can win a bunch of games with Tua.

He and Mac Jones are very similar, is that I think the ceiling's low, but they're accurate throwers of the football, really coachable guys, went to the same college program, Sabin loved both of them. You also invested a lot in Tua. Yes. So you owe it to your organization to see what you have in him. Run it back this year. Yes.

So we're going to play a game Tua or Hua. So Joy will ask me, a little game show here, you'll ask me if I could, who who I would pick for the next three years because Tua's got three years in his contract. So for the next three years, who would I take and why? Just to prove that I don't hate Tua. Tua or Cam Newton? Next three years I'd take Tua. Cam's on the decline.

And I think you have to kind of have a certain offense for Cam that plays up his running ability. I think there's more versatility with Tua over the next three years. Tua or Mac Jones? Mac Jones has a healthier body than Tua. He was more accurate at Alabama. and so a little bit bigger. I think he's got a little bit better arm. I'd probably take Mack.

Tua or Zach Wilson. It was also surprise people. I would take Tua. Now, you said the next three years. I think Zach Wilson's ceiling is higher, but the jets are a mess. And so I don't think we're going to see the best of Zach Wilson. I think we're going to see Zach Wilson for the next three years in a rebuild where the coach we're not sure can coach and an owner that's impetuous and impatient. Tua or Joe Burrow?

Joe Burrow. Burrow is much more capable of throwing the ball down the field. I think Burroughs a better athlete. I mean, let's be honest about this. Burrow, behind a bad offensive line, had 300 plus yards passing five of his 10 starts as a rookie. So Burroughs going to throw the ball down the field. I like that. Two are Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield's a better quarterback.

He has a last year he had to finally have a competent coach. His passer rating was 95. You know, I mean, say what you want about Baker Mayfield. He's got an all-star team offensively, and he's more than capable. The minute Stefansky said, we're not going to ask you to throw it 40 times. We're going to play with an assistant. Baker was pretty good. Tua or Carson Wentz?

Carson Wentz a much better athlete, bigger, stronger, faster. Before last year, Wentz had three seasons of 20 plus touchdown passes and 90 plus passer rating. Carson Wentz, who drives me nuts with his COVID. beliefs is a big time athlete who got sideways last year mentally and Frank Reich, I think we'll get him back on track. But he's it, you're talking about a different level athlete. Tua or Trevor Lawrence, I'm sorry. Yeah, not close. Trevor Lawrence, to me, is a generational prospect. There's nothing he doesn't do better than Tua. Tua or Teddy Bridgewater. Tua. Teddy had that, I think Tua's got a little better arm.

Teddy now is viewed sort of. Teddy is 4 and 11 in his last 15 starts. And Matt Rule, who's a really good offensive coach, is like, I'm going to go with Sam Darnold. I don't think, I think Tua has got a little more juice to his game, a little more juice than Teddy. Tua or Justin Herbert? Not close. I mean, just look at the picture of Herbert. He's 6'5 runs huge arm. They were also in the same draft class and Justin was offensive. Let's not kid yourself here. people are not because the Chargers don't have a huge national profile.

What Herbert did behind the worst rated offensive line is I'm not sure anybody but Mahomes could do it. And I'm not sure Patrick could. The kid broke every record behind a coach that's been fired and an offensive line that has been three new starters this year. Two are Daniel Jones. Daniel Jones is a bigger player, faster. now he's got a turnover issue, but I will say this. Daniel Jones throws a beautiful deep ball. In fact, he had the highest passer rating in the league last year.

That includes Mahom, Josh Allen. A ball's thrown over 20 yards. So Daniel Jones throws a, and he's got some deep threats now. Daniel throws the ball downfield. Two attends not to. Two are Justin Fields. Justin Fields is just, I just think he's a bigger. stronger, faster. That's Jaylen Hertz. I skipped ahead. Jalen Hertz. Now, I would take two over Jalen Hertz.

I think he's just a more natural thrower of the football. My question about Jalen Hertz is it looks like he completed 52% of his throws, which was the lowest for quarterbacks that had 100 plus attempts. So with Jalen, I've always felt, even if you set things up, it's an inartistic. He doesn't, he's not a natural, easy thrower of the football. Two to me is a better just thrower of the football. You give two a time. He can make throws. He's very accurate. Yeah, he's an accurate throw. Harts to me, it always feels like a struggle for the basic 12, 15-yard passes. Now, Justin Fields. Yeah. Field is not only a bigger, stronger athlete, but Fields has been hurt in his career and played through it. I think they're different players. I think one guy

is all athleticism and sometimes can sometimes be a little inaccurate. I think the other guy is accurate, but I question the size in the arm and the athleticism. Tua or Jared Gough? I think Tua's situation's better for the next three years. So Tua will win more games and complete more passes the next three years. Better O'Line, too. Two are Sam Darnold. Come on, people.

You're just trying to tease me. It's Sam Darnold. Sam's going to have a very good year. Sam's bigger, stronger. Sam is a playmaker. Tua's not a playmaker. Now, that doesn't mean going to win a lot of games this year. But Darnold's got, just do your homework on this.

Donald's got his best supporting cash offensively. Carolina's got elite wide receiver running back weapons. They're going to score points this year. Watch them. And he's just a bigger, stronger player. Two or Trey Lance? Trey Lance. It feels like Justin Fields.

Trey just needs snaps. 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. Well, he's been coaching nearly 25 years in this league as a head coach and is concerned. The great play designer in the NFL. He gives Belichick Fits. It's about the only coach that's ever again, Bill Belichick Fits. I just looked it up this morning.

He's something like 18 and 2 in his last 20 September games. That doesn't even make sense. He sits there scribbling up crazy play. Nobody wants to play Andy Reid in September. They don't want to go up against him ever. But in September, it's lights out. And now he's got a new offensive line. And we were talking about this the other day.

Joy and I were that there's not, There's not a team in sports as good as them that says quiet. They're just, they don't make a lot of noise. No drama. No drama. He's got a whole news. It's a bunch of big heavy set offensive linemen, eating ribs and getting better. And Andy Reid is joining us live now from his office.

How you doing, Cal? I'm doing great. So you have a bunch of new offensive linemen, and you tell me what's a reasonable time? Because you played your guys in the preseason. Mahomes played three games. what is a reasonable time for an offensive unit, a line, to say, okay, symmetry, we've got it, they're ready to go. Yeah, this is a unique group. I mean, for my coaching career, at least, I've got three rookies, and then I've got two veterans.

So the right side's all rookies and the left side are veteran guys, and I haven't had that before. So I'm not sure how long it's going to take for them to fully mature and what they're going to be. but they've got a good start. They work well together, and, you know, they've got good size, strength, and they're smart guys. You know, they've had to fight me for those ribs you were talking about. You know, they're tough kids. So you played Mahomes, Belichick and you and a little Bruce Ariens,

the older guys, you played guys in the pre-season. All these young guys, McVeigh, they're allergic to the preseason. You get your guys out there and battling. Take me through kind of the psychologist. of why you wanted to play guys in the preseason? Yeah, well, on the offensive side, we needed to. We had a bunch of new players. There are five new offensive linemen with the rookies and the veteran.

They're all new. And so they needed to get in there and hear Pat do his thing, and Pat need to see how they were going to work protections and be comfortable and confident in him. And then defensively, you know, I think you need to knock the rust up. The game comes down to block and tackling them. matter how you cut it. And if you don't practice it and you can't practice tackling and practice, but you know, everybody stays high and they don't pull people to the ground. I mean,

you've got to, you got to practice those things. Yeah. You know, it's interesting, Andy, you've got such a gifted young player in Mahomes and obviously you're a mentor toward him. And then there's going to be a process where, you know, Patrick is going to start reading defenses at the line of scrimmage on his own. And then he graduates. Where do you take him? What is something where you're like, okay, he's obviously great. What can you add to him now? What's the next level for a guy like Patrick Mahomes? Right.

So in the office you sit there and you do your evaluations and Pat can't wait until you get all that done to feed him. And I mean, right now it's small things, Colin. It's not the big things that he had a couple years ago that he had to learn. These are small things, whether it's just improving his footwork or pocket. it reads on and feel on certain routes. I mean, that's where you're at. And so he can't wait to figure out what those things are, what you think they are, and then go ahead and look at the tape himself and then add to that and then go work on it. And he's great that way. I've been around, I've been around enough quarterbacks to know, you know, what they look at and do. And the great

ones want that little extra thing that you can give them to make him even greater than they are. kid is the epitome of that. Yeah, you know, it's interesting, Andy. I remember saying this on the air, it must have been 15 years ago. And I said, this Andy Reid guy in Philadelphia, he has turned third and three into a passing down. And it was really, and then Belichick, I remember about 15 years ago, I said he's directing his offense to the middle of the field, not the perimeter, the tight end stuff.

So I've always looked at you to as just constantly looking. learning, learning, learning. Well, now you have the best tight-end talent I think I've seen in 10 years. How is Travis Kelsey? I mean, if he wasn't this gifted, you wouldn't run as many plays. Has he changed you as a coach in your ability to use the middle of the field? Yeah, so I would tell you, yeah, the middle of the field is a deprived area, man. It's one that people don't probably use quite enough. And there's some nice holes there. So if you can find somebody that knows how to read space and feel that area and get open, be a low post player. You can make some good yards and they have a quarterback that's on the same page with it.

You'll see guys that work in there, but their quarterback thought they were going to be over here and they put it over here. So those two are on the same page. Kelso's got a phenomenal feel for the game. Yeah. Obviously loves playing. Yeah. There is, you know, you are 18 and two, I think, in September. And I've talked to coaches before and they're like, I got no interest in facing Andy Reid to open the season.

And for whatever reason, you're an offensive innovator. So I know the way you think. You've got plays written down and gadgets and fun and you just, you're going to have surprises. Is that something for you? You know, Baltimore never loses a preseason game. Andy Reid never loses in September. Do you now take pride in that? Like we come out and we have new toys and new things.

And, I mean, do you give yourself much of an off season or do you start working on that stuff a week after the Super Bowl? Colleen, it's something you love doing. So, I mean, I love doing it. And I know I've got more years of having done it than I have going forward. So I even love it more. And every day I cherish that I get a chance to do this thing. So it's drawing up plays. I've got a good group of young coaches that love doing it.

with me and we get in there and just hammer things out and the Eric Benamis and Kafka's, Blay Myers, Melvins, all these guys. Greg Lewis, a lot of them have played for me, so they kind of know how I'm wired. And we love getting in there and just trying to create something new and kind of go off of the thing like, who said you can't do it? Who made the rule up and said you can't do it? Let's try it. And then see if we can make up a rule that says we can't do it, you know, as opposed to

somebody telling us that. Boy, I'll tell you, I'm looking at all these quarterbacks. in the AFC. And Andy, I don't think I've ever seen in football this many good quarterbacks. I mean, you go back 60s and 70s. It's really special. I mean, it's every week you're watching stuff. Is it just because of the elite 11 quarterback camps or is it because of the coaching? What has happened that it feels like the golden age the last five years of quarterbacks? Yeah, first of all, how great is that? I mean, you turn on a college game. I mean, you go to high school. ESPN is doing all these things with high schools and Fox is.

And I mean, it's crazy. I mean, who spends the time doing that? Well, it's because teams are throwing the ball. It's exciting football. And so you look at these colleges, they're winging this thing all over the place. And you get to the NFL. And here we've got an opportunity to get kids that have already thrown the ball. They're not running the wishbone or the option game, the V or all these things.

They're throwing the ball. And so you're one step ahead. and you can utilize the whole field now. They're not coming out with a weak arm necessarily. They're coming out where they've had to spray the ball with the hashes the way they're set in the college game. They've got to spray the ball the wide side of the field. You need some arm strength to do that.

So you get in the NFL, it's even easier for them that way. By the way, you grew up next to a baseball stadium. Pull that shirt up. He grew up right next to a baseball. No, listen, I'm representing. I love the Royals too. Listen, you got to have a National League team, and I grew up a huge Dodger fan back in the heyday. And Tommy LaSorda, coach Lassorter, the skipper there.

He was a good friend. He was a Philly guy, but he was a Los Angeles Dodgers, really what he was. So I got close with him. Yeah, you played on that Legion field. Were you a baseball player at all? Could you hit? What position did I play, Colin? All the chubby guys play what position?

Let me guess. Catcher. Yeah, that's where I started off. You got it. Right there. Right there. That's funny. All right, Andy.

Great seeing you. We're rooting for you. Can't wait for the opener against the Browns. That's going to be all sorts of talent. Great seeing you. Yeah, thanks, Colin. Joy, hello. There you go.

The great Andy Reid. 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

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