The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 09/10/2021 - HOUR 1 - Cowboys, Tom Brady, PI

Episode Date: September 10, 2021

The Cowboys lost but feel good about the gameTom Brady can afford to make mistakes because of his defenseThoughts on the non PI call at the end of the Buccaneers-Cowboys gameGuest: Eric Dickerson Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Listen to look back at it on the IHeart 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 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,

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Oh, it's a Friday. NFL season is officially back in a big way live in Los Angeles. It's the hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, one hour from now, the blazing five debuts, 2021. Very excited about that. Joy Taylor is joining me.

Well, that was a nice way to start the season. Amazing game. We talk about this all the time. Average teams don't know they're average until about week four. Pretty good teams, Dallas, think they're great until about week four or five. So what you had is, this is what the first weekend, first couple weekends are going to look like. You're going to be surprised a lot by teams you think are going to get rolled and they're not going to get rolled. That's why that nine points seemed a little large.

Well, let's start with this, Joy. The difference with the Cowboys and Buccaneers. The difference with those two teams is this. Dallas lost, and they feel pretty good about themselves today. I mean, DAC is healthy. Coming off two surgeries, he threw it almost 60 times. They dominated the time of possession. Offensive line held up against the great defensive line.

Zeke was a non-factor, and they were in it to the end. They're pretty happy today, and they lost. Tampa won, but they had four. Four turnovers, over 100 yards in penalties, only one rushing first down. I don't think Bruce Ariens and Tom Brady are the least bit happy. I think Tampa looks at it as a winner and is frustrated today with all their mistakes. That's the difference. Successful people in life, successful companies, and successful teams aren't satisfied with winning.

Winning is what winners do every day. It's how they perform. and Tampa didn't perform it last night. I mean, that Chris Godwin fumble was a killer. That game should have been over with eight minutes to go. All those penalties. Tom Brady, that offensive line, they just won the Super Bowl. Penalties, timing, fumbles, can't catch a screen pass.

To me, Dallas is still in the business of moral victories. You talked to cowboy fans this morning. They lost. They're happy. Went on the road, toe to toe physically, tough place to play. You know, made least. life uncomfortable for Tom Brady. In this league, one thing is almost always true.

The more ways you can win, the better team you are. Watching Dallas last night, they feel like a better version of last year's Cowboys. They can only win one way. Shootouts. That's it. Now, last year I kept saying, last couple years, I've been on Dak Prescott. I call him Dak and Dunk. A lot of short stuff.

It was an elevated version of that. lot of deep routes last night. In fact, the first time he threw the ball deep down the field, it was intercepted. C.D. Lam should have caught it, but it was intercepted. But it is a kind of a one-dimensional team. They're not great on special teams. In fact, I'd say they're bad. I don't love their coach at all. Their pass rush is very hit and miss. Zeke might as well have been an offensive lineman. They have one way to beat you. And for the record, the good news is DAC is productive. DAC played with a ton of physical confidence. coming off surgeries. He hung in there. He was only sack once, but they were hovering around

DAC all night long. He played with a ton of confidence. Sat in there, fumbled a ball, picked it up and threw it. I don't worry about that. But this is a very DAC dependent team. Very DAC dependent. Now, here's the good news. It's not all negative. They don't face a playoff team from last year until November Kansas City. If you look at Dallas's schedule, three of the next four weeks, they face rebuilding teams, Philly, Carolina, and New York.

After that, they get Denver and Atlanta at home. So it is, this is why I had Dallas as a nine-win team and a playoff team. I don't have them as a hosting playoff games, winning divisions. They got too much holes. They can only win one way.

But I will say this. Schedules matter. Divisions matter. It's a bad division. vision. Giants are still kind of rebuilding. Philadelphia is rebuilding. Washington's close, but they're not perfect, especially at quarterback. But here's a stat to remember is that Dallas is now after last night. Oh, and 17 when they score less than 30 points since 2019. They have one way to win. So I think this morning they feel pretty good about last night. They lost, but they feel

pretty good about it. Here's Dack. Obviously you want to run the ball more. You want to be balanced, but the past was working for us. And so that's just the way that the game played out. And we've got the talent on offense and the talent around the board to be able to do that. You can be great and come up short, right? I mean, I felt like that's what tonight was. It was a great effort, but we came up short and we want to be the best. And the best is simply being better than the other guy, day in a day out and being the best in the league. And that's the expectations that we have than those guys have. So we're just all going to hold each other to that.

All right. Let's shift to Tom Brady. Been talking about it this week. He's beyond explanation. If you can tell the difference between 44-year-old Tom Brady and 34-year-old Tom Brady, congratulations. I cannot. Last night watching the game, I was YouTubeing younger Brady.

I can't tell the difference. Can't tell. He threw a couple of seam routes that were lasers. I can't tell. Gronkin Brady looked like the same stuff I watched in New England 10 years ago. In fact, I thought Brady's numbers, which were really good, were actually deceiving. He went 32 of 50 in a 97 passer rating, but he had one pick and a Hail Mary. He had another pick because his running back couldn't catch a screen pass.

And then he had three straight passes at the end of the game out of bounds purposefully to just eat some clock. So 32 of 50 felt more like 35 of 48. me with no interceptions that were really his fault. I also thought he was the more aggressive quarterback last night. I threw the ball deeper downfield, threw it into the scene multiple times. I thought he attacked. Not a lot of dink and dunk, although they loved the bubble screens in Tampa. Tom also knows he's got an excellent defense.

So Tom knows he can make mistakes. I mean, that played right there to the right. That thing was a weird throw. But Tom knows he doesn't have to play perfect. because Tampa can win a lot of ways. They can win with coaching. They can win with defense. They can win with special teams.

They can win, you know, what's amazing about Tampa's offensive weapons, it's like Brady's a chef with perfect produce. He's got so many different. He's got Mike Evans, 6-7, Red Zone Nightmare. He's got Scotty Miller, the burner. A-B is Shifty. Chris Godwin's, the technician. Gronk is the blocker sure-handed guy.

I mean, he's got one of everything. And I think that's so valuable because I think there's so many different ways they can beat you. Here's another way they can beat you at the line of scrimmage. Gronk talks about that play at the line of scrimmage. This is classic gronk telling us a little secret about this play right here and what truly happened. Here it is. Tom made a great call. I think I was actually on a ride.

out and then he checked me into blocking and he checked me into blocking and then releasing and I was like oh man he just he just sees it all on the field it's impressive I mean you guys been playing for you know like 80 years seeing every defense seeing every player it's a play we've scored a couple tugs on in our in our career so but no more talking about that play because I like that play I don't like anyone knowing about it that's the part of football that joy and I don't see you don't see audibleing. Forget the fact that they've got speed and shiftiness and size and sure-hanniness. I mean, Grong has the best hands I've ever seen on any player in the league.

It's insane. The best hands I've ever seen. But they do this better than anybody now. Now that Peyton Manning's out of the league, nobody manipulates the line of scrimmage like Brady. And so when I look at Dallas, I see a team that is fun with one way to beat you. When I look at Tampa, I see a team that can beat you with COVID. coaching line of scrimmage, speed, power, special teams, and that's the difference between the two.

Dallas pretty happy today lost. Tampa won, and I don't think Ariens and Brady are the least bit satisfied. It was a really, really great night of action. And these blazing five in about an hour from now, what you're going to see, and you see this a lot in September. Remember, that's Belichick's worst month. the teams that are good and that feel very strongly about their personnel like a Tampa will take a few more risks because they can overcome those risks. You're also going to see teams like, you know, Dallas,

which is, I think, a slightly better than average team, but they don't know they're slightly better than average. They think they're great. And so you're going to see over the next two to three weeks, Bad teams don't know they're bad, mediocre teams don't know they're mediocre. They'll figure it out by the end of September. So I think you're going to see a lot of games like last night where a superior team is fighting for their lives against a team. They're clearly better than, deeper than, deeper than, more talented than and more balanced than, even if that team Tampa's at home.

Coming up next, pass interference calls, not called, at least be. consistent if you're a fan on this. We'll talk about that coming up. Blazing five debuts today, 50 minutes from now. 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. 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, 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Portia accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows,

including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the team everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be with the Adamani Arriva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be.

Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How high can it be getting naked at 50? with the new guy. That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered

and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Years ago, I was talking to Herm Edwards about this, and I've talked to other coaches, but he told me, he said, all I've ever asked from officials is just be consistent. He goes, we used to know when he coached the Jets, we would know certain officiating crews would call holding more than other crews. Our takeaway was, all right, just be consistent if that's what

you are. What I don't want is Lucy Goosey ref early becomes rigid ref late. Let me know what I have to coach to, because these are human beings, not all officials, call a game the same way. I know there's one rule book, but when it comes to pass interference, it's a jump ball. It is completely subjective. I did not think this was path interference last night, but I do think lots of people would call it. I think half the crews in the league would call it and half wouldn't. It was not, in my opinion, egregious enough to call. First of all, all back shoulder throws are hand-to-hand combat. You're asking a wide receiver to make an unnatural turn down a sideline pirouette and catch a behind him. You're asking that corner to maintain touch with the receiver on back corner

throws because they often know it's coming. There's a lot of acting here. I've been consistent through the years. I used to officiate in college. That's how I paid rent. And what I always heard from just be consistent. And so my theory on the NBA and the NFL has always been the same. The later you get in the game, let great athletes compete. I don't want officials change. outcomes of games. Now, I do think referees, if a game gets chippy early, have a right and should set a precedent or a tone. If you get Baltimore and Pittsburgh, the Ray Lewis years, the Troy Palomalo years, that game was chippy by the second snap. And reps are kind of come in and say, guys, we're not going to allow that. So we're going to set a tone and call. We see the NFL do this all

the time in the preseason. If they have a rule, they want to make sure you know, like targeting or celebrating, they will over-call it in the preseason. They will set a tone and set a precedent. They won't call it in the regular season. But in the regular season, like last night, I have no problem if officials want to set a tone in the first quarter. But late in games, we're past that.

These guys have been on that field for four hours. You got Tampa humidity. These are great athletes. get out of the way. I've said this with LeBron, Kevin Durant. Get into the swallow the whistle business unless it's outrageous and egregious. I don't want guys wearing zebra uniforms deciding outcomes of games. So I think a lot of crews would call that in some crews wouldn't. I wouldn't.

I believe in, we all pay to watch the athletes. Nobody's paying for officials or coaches. I'm paying to watch Chris Godwin go up against the Cowboys' best corners. Also, Belichick, if you look at Billichick historically, Belichick is the master of this. His corners are grab and pull and push the whole time. They're slapping at your wrists. So he's allowed to do that.

If you watch New England games, they are on you and slapping on you and a nuisance. So why can't offensive coaches, receiver coaches, teach the subtle nudge, the shoulder turn, the body language, the box out. Offensive coaches, they get a win too. It's not just Belichick and the Sabins, the claw technique, the grab technique. So I would not call that. And I think the Cowboys, to their credit, know how the game is played and didn't have a problem with it afterwards. That's what the Red saw. You know, no call.

I mean, they're at home, so can't get that momentum swing to them. You know, we just, we just got to keep getting better, honestly. I think when it comes down to tight plays in the game, if it's tickey tack, I think you're better, you know, I would have taken a call. You know, I wouldn't ask them to pick the flag up. But, you know, I think, you know, holding penalties and things in clutch time. I think it's, I think it has to be a real file there, you know, so I didn't see it. Yeah.

It's got to be, you know, it's got to be wow. I didn't see wow. I mean, when you watch the Dallas player, the corner kind of flail, if I walked up to that Dallas corner and pushed him gently, do you think he would flail and fall down? there's a little acting here. For the record, that's good coaching. He got it very quickly. The head, oh my God, it's a little acting here.

And that's part of the back shoulder throw. It is a very unnatural. I mean, we didn't have the back shoulder throw for 90% of my life in the NFL. I don't know who was the first quarterback to do it. But it is hard to defend. It's unnatural moves by a corner and a wide receiver, a back pivot. And this could be called all year long. I'm glad when they don't.

I'm glad when they don't call it. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. It wasn't egregious. There was a little push. Yeah, no, there's something.

It's a little touch. Yeah, half the officials would call it. Yes. A lot of crews would call that. I was okay with the not being called, but, yes, I think in other situations, that would definitely be called. And it wouldn't have been egregious if they had called it either. Yeah.

I mean, Buck fans wouldn't have liked it, obviously. But the Ravens, what is going on over there? What a terrible week and a half for that team. Crazy. So Ian Rappaport, NFL Network Insider, confirmed yesterday that cornerback Marcus Peters and running back Gus Edwards both suffered torn ACLs and will miss the season. The injuries happened on back-to-back plays at practice. And the Ravens immediately cut the practice short. So, you know, you were talking yesterday about not having any use.

injuries before week one. I guess we may have spoken to soon. Now, I do think you can, you can salvage the running back position, but you're not going to find a Marcus Peters in the market. Like, teams are not letting Marcus Peters go. So they're not going to be as good on that press coverage. They're just not going to. No, that's a huge loss. They did sign Devonte Freeman to the practice squad. And Ian Rappaport also had reported that they signed Levian Bell. Obviously, they lost J.K. Dobbins and Justice Hill to an Achilles. K Dobbins had a knee injury, and they reportedly signed Latavius Murray this morning. Now, the Houston Texans and the Seahawks have an abundance of running backs.

So I, if I'm... Well, now they have Latavius Murray, Devante Freeman, and Levian bow. That's who the Ravens have signed. Yeah, I mean, I'll give it time. Yeah, I mean, like, I could see it in a few weeks that they're not getting anything rolling. Then they make a more aggressive move, but that's a pretty good salvage for those. that amount of injuries. I've had a GM tell me that running back, you can salvage it in the middle of a year.

You cannot salvage left tackle. No. surplus of running backs. They would move Rashad Penny tomorrow for the right price. So there's, you can say, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams wouldn't go get another running back. They just, Seattle's not going to give them one, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams don't go get another running back before the trade debt. No, and they probably should.

This is kind of a little scary, though. That's a lot of injuries in a very short amount of time. Don't know what's going on there in Baltimore, but they're, I mean, they cut the bracket short immediately. They got the guy. to figure something out over there. So Steelers and all pro linebacker, T.J. Watt finally reached a deal yesterday. According to Ian Rappaport, the extension is for four years, $112 million with $80 million guaranteed. He is 26 years old. He has been an all pro last two years and he's the NFL Sachs leader last season.

And according to Schefter, Watt overruled his agents and chose to take the deal with Pittsburgh. So the deal averages $28 million per year in new money, $1 million more than the previous mark set by Joey Bosa. So it becomes the largest fully guaranteed contract for defensive player in NFL history with 80 million. Agents work for players. Players don't work for agents. So for T.J. Watt to override his agent is well within his boundaries. Secondly, T.J. Watt, I think is smart enough to realize he's in a really good space with a great defensive coach.

By the way, they're not reliant on only him. he's a hard guy to double because they have so many relentless defenders in that front seven. So, I mean, he's a great player. It's weird. JJ is more celebrated and has a bigger personality. And again, this is just memory. And JJ was more of a playmaker. I'm not sure JJ was this hard to block on the edge.

I'm telling you, man, this guy, he is a rough block. He's been incredibly consistent. And maybe JJ has a bigger brand. I might put that to the test over the next couple years. Steelers fan has a pretty big fan base. But he's at the most quarterback hits and force fumbles of any player in the last three years, the second most sacks and quarterback pressures. He's the only player in the NFL with 13 or more sacks in each of the last three seasons.

He's great. I mean, he's just, he's incredible. And he took to Twitter last night and gave Pittsburgh a little love. He said, if it's okay with yin's, I'd like to stay for a while. Let's go Pittsburgh. We don't say y'all in Pittsburgh. it's the ends. How about the Watt family? They have these two big sons, probably ate him out of house and home, and they become two of the best defensive players in the NFL in a decade. It is amazing, right?

Like the Boa, the Bosa family was, the dad was an NFL player, right? J.J. Watt was a three-star recruit. People thought he was going to be a tight end, and they just become these, I mean, between the Boses and the Wattes. That family, it's a family of pass rushers. It's pretty strong. Pretty amazing. And it's well-deserved. And I'm glad that the the Steelers got this done before the season because the Steelers are not the type of franchise that just throws money around, but T.J. Watt is somebody you want to keep there, and I'm really glad that both sides got it done. And they're rebuilding their old line, so they're not paying a ton for their old line now for the next several years. So you've got some money to spend. He's someone

you should spend money on. Yes. So Cam Newton released a conversation with his father, in which he talked about his time and released from the Patriots, and he talked about Mack Jones. If they would have asked me, What I play behind, they say, Cam, we're going to give the team to Matt. Okay. You're going to be the second stream. We expect you to beat everything and some to guide him throughout this tenure. Okay.

I would say absolutely. The reason why they released me is because indirectly, I was going to be a distraction. Without being the starter. Without being a starter. Yeah. And this is what's not going to come. But how verbally or in the locker room? Just my aura.

Okay. Just my aura. And that's just. I told you this off camera. That's my gift and my curse. I don't love that, but it is what it is. He's not wrong though. I mean, we talk about this all the time

that you don't want your backup quarterback to be a celebrity. Because backup quarterback is a very popular position for fans and for media when your starting quarterback is struggling. And especially if you have a young quarterback who is replacing the

greatest quarterback of all time, there is a little bit of pressure on Mac Jones. We haven't really started drumming that up yet because it's really unfair and nobody really expects much from him yet. But they will soon and having Cam Newton there could be that type of distraction. And he said that's why he believes he was released. Like he was surprised by being released, not necessarily by not winning the starting job, but by them releasing him. That is what was surprising to him. And that's what he's saying. And I don't disagree with him. Like that is, that is something. and it probably played a role in why he is no longer there.

Now, he talked also about him, you know, not being, there's not 32 quarterbacks better than him in the league right now, starting. He was ranked 22nd last year amongst all quarterbacks, according to pro football focus. So Andy Dalton, Rothesberger, Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater, Tua, Carson Wrench, Drewlock, Sam Darnold, some names that were behind him. And this part of the NFL schedule, the NFL year, this is a rough time to be on the market. If nobody is injured, everyone has set their rosters, everyone has their backup quarterbacks.

And if you're Cam Newton, are you in a situation where being, even though you're willing to be a backup, you might not get that call because most teams are in that situation. Ask yourself this. Do that do him any favors in the league for GMs? Talking about his aura. I don't think it did him any favors for getting a back. backup quarterback position, no. Yeah, because nobody sees him as a starter. I mean, at this point, he's not really a start.

I mean, because you've got to kind of commit to his style, which is a power running quarterback. Yes, but as we know, there's going to be an injury, not wanting this to happen. It is just reality. There's always injury. So I do think he will end up on a roster at some point this season and will have an opportunity to start again. But I don't disagree with what he's saying because we say it all the time. But there's a lot of things I wouldn't say publicly. I wouldn't if I was Aaron Rogers talk about my status or if I'm Cam about my aura.

When you get a divorce, always be humble. People feel you're a victim and they want to help you. When you talk about I got a divorce. You know, we got divorced because of my aura. It's like, I'm not really interested in that. When you're on the market, you don't have to say everything you believe. Because you could be really vulnerable there and be like, I love football. and this is devastating.

And you'd sit there and go, you know what? I'm going to give him one more chance. Because I think GMs sit around in rooms and you got Nick Foles. There's not a lot of gap between Foles, Cam. They're all kind of, you know, there's no stars in the world of backups.

I just wouldn't have talked. I didn't like Aaron Rogers yesterday talking about his status and I don't like Cam talking about his aura. Some things are better left on the editing floor. No, there is an art to manipulation. I can't argue with that. We talk about quarterback speak all the time

and the value of manipulating the media and fans and even GMs. Everyone is susceptible to manipulation in some way or another. I don't disagree with that. I just think that Cam is a consistent personality. I think Aaron Rogers is a consistent personality. They are not going to necessarily play. They're not for everybody.

And they're also not going to necessarily play those kind of manipulative games because for whatever, for different reasons. They don't feel like they have to. So I can respect that. Like this is, you're going to get cam. When you're going to get cam. The same cam every day. The media is going to get the same cam.

The fans are going to get the same cam. And I can respect that. I don't know that it helped him to get a backup job, but I think he will be on a roster as a starter because there's, there's always injuries throughout the league at some point anyway. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The herd line news. Well, big talk in the league is Matt Stafford to the Rams. it's been interesting to listen to the narratives around the world. It's as if Jared Goff couldn't play a lick. It's amazing. You listen to the Rams and the talk about Jared Goff. I saw Jared Goff out duel Patrick Mahomes on a Monday night football game. I mean, I've seen Jared Goff get to a Super Bowl.

Now he's a bomb in Stafford's brilliant. So let's bring in Eric Dickers in the Hall of Fame of the former Ram, 11 years in the NFL. It is funny that I think Stafford's going to be fine with the Rams. I do. I think his experience, his mocks, he's been in a lot of big games. But I don't think golf is as bad as everybody's out, made him out to be. By the way, the Rams won 10 games with golf last year. Vegas has him over under 10 and a half.

So it's not like he's a Messiah. What do you expect from Stafford with the Rams' offense? Well, I expect the Rams be able to run their offense. The offense that McVeigh really wants to run, that he couldn't run with Jared Gough. And look, Jared Gough did a great job for us. he really did. But in some ways, he was limiting what Sean McVeyer wanted to do. And I think that, you know, the coach couldn't voice that.

But, you know, I think the players would voice it in other, and sometimes, you know, outside the locker room, you know, that they really couldn't run the office they want to run. And I think with Matt Stafford, he's a season vet. I mean, the thing is, people talk about Matt Stafford like he's a bum. But you got to understand, Colin, he's been in Detroit. I mean, you're in Detroit. You don't have much of a shot in Detroit.

I mean, that's just being honest. I mean, you know, he put up some great numbers in Detroit without much help. I mean, and I think having a coach like Sean McBay that can let him run an offense that's really going to show how great he could be. He's going to help the coach and also can help him also. You know, so I watched the Cowboys last night. Zeke might as well have been an offensive lineman. He was pretty irrelevant. And maybe it's just because the game now analytically is that you need to pass 50,

times. That's just what everybody does. But I always think there is value in owning the clock, in running the ball, in wearing down. I mean, offensive linemen, if you ask them, would rather run block than pass block 58 times. So as I watched Dallas last night, I'm like, is this what they are? Are they going to be a 55-time passing team? What did you make of their offense last night? Well, I think that they'd had a better shot to win that game. I think they should have won that game. You know, mistakes cost you. But I think it should have won. the game, but you got to run the football to get a defense off the line of scrimmage. I mean, and the safety's down close.

I mean, you've got to be able to run the ball and establish the running game. And look, that was one of the best defenses in the National Football League last year. So it's kind of hard to start off running against them. And also, you got your best center out. You know, the center, he runs all the plays, calls everything. So with Zach Martin being out, that made it hard. But I'm going to tell you what I did see. To me, I saw a Zeke that I hadn't seen in the last three years.

he looked explosive, he looked slim. I think that if they can get on pace of running the football, because the Dallas Cowboys have always been a team to run first, throw second. And people talk about the running back is not important. You could put anybody in that place. But if you have a special guy, like a Derek Henry or Zeke, when Zika was running the ball, when you got an offensive line that can help him, it's going to make your team that much better.

Yeah, we were talking as a staff this morning. We don't think Dallas is going to throw it quite that much. Tampa sort of makes you throw it that much. Their defensive line is so athletic. It's so deep that Dallas kind of felt like this is our recipe tonight to win, which is throw it almost 60 times. You know, it's interesting to watch Brady and Grunk, that relationship. First of all, Gronk has the best hands I've ever seen in my life.

It's just their mitts. It's incredible. He's also a terrific blocker. I mean, they put him on an edge, Eric, to block pass rushers. Not a chip block. Just go block them by yourself. And he's just a match-up issue. And go back to your career.

There are just players in this league that are just a match-up problem. And Grong's just a match-up problem. Oh, yeah. And that happens all the time. I mean, you take the great Jerry Rice. Sometimes he was a match-up problem. When I play with Durams, we had a match-up problem with him. You take Kellan-Linslow, the great tight imple for the San Diego charges.

He was a match-up problem because, you know what? He was athletic he could run. A lot of people haven't seen that. And Gronk's a big body. He's big. He's physical. He can't run like he used to. But he can block.

He's physical. And he's smart. You know, like certain plays that, you know, he knows what Tom's going to do. Tom knows what he's going to do because they've been together so long. So it's hard to defend, you know, that kind of duo. Yeah, it really is. So this week, I have a theory on the NFL that bad teams don't know they're bad until about week four. Right? So last year, the Jags beat the Colts week one. The year before a bad Tampa team beat Drew Breeze in the Superdome.

Like, I think teams to watch out for this weekend are Detroit. Gough's been told he's a bum all off season. Watch Jared Gough really be focused. But let's talk about this. Go back to your career and talk about the first few weeks of the NFL. everybody were the bad teams you were on the first two weeks. Did you know you were bad? All bad teams think they're good teams because you're going to think, oh, man, we got a shot. You know, we're playing good. I can think in Indianapolis, we went four and oh in the preseason, but we started a season off, oh and four.

So, you know, we ended up nine and seven. But what happens is a lot of times is that you work through areas. Like you, the offense is not clicking right. The defense is playing great with the offense. playing right. The offense is playing great, and the defense isn't playing right. Or you got injuries. So, you know, and you need a few breaks, Kyle. If you don't get the break, sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it doesn't. You know, just like the game last night with the Cowboys with the, I thought it was a pass interference, but, you know,

they didn't call it. So, you know, if you get that kind of breaks, like to meet Tampa got a break on that. But if you don't get those breaks and you lose by, say, a field goal or a touchdown or a one play could win a game or lose a game. So, you know, sometimes I got would say all teams think they're good until about, really, about week six, then you know, hey, you know, we're two and four. You know, we ain't going no way. I can get ready for the offs. By the way, Baltimore has had multiple injuries at running back. And I've had GMs tell me before, it's the one position on a field that there's a lot of similar bodies in the NFL. There's not a lot of Eric Dickerson's, but there's a lot of B-to-B plus running back talent out there. And teams are

always willing to make a deal if they've got three or four, like, like Seattle's deep at running back. So when I look at the Ravens, I don't think it's great in September, but they've got now Lavian, Freeman, Latavius Murray. You tell me, how long does it take you to feel comfortable

with the new offenses are running back? Well, you know, it takes a couple of weeks because it's not just the offense. You have to get used to the offensive line. Every offensive line is different. And, you know, every running back is different. And the thing about running the football, is it becomes a way of life.

You know, I think about us just to Rams. We ran the football. You know, we knew we wanted a game to run the football. I knew I was going to run the ball. And that's what it was all about. We got ready to run the ball. And, you know, when you think about running backs, you know, it's very few Derek Henry's in the league, guys that are just, you know, big, you're afraid to tackle.

And that's what the NFL doesn't have anymore. You know, they don't have, they're not afraid of most running. They're like, oh, you know, they're going to switch the running back in and out. You know, you don't have a go-to, a boy we call it, a bail-cow guy, like Zeke used to be, and like Derek Henry is now. So I think a lot of GMs will say, oh, you can just kind of shift the running back around. But if you've got a great back, if you got a guy that can really do it, you know, you're going to use that guy. I mean, that's how it works.

Eric Dickerson, the Hall of Famer, Rams Bears, Sunday Night Can't Wait. Good seeing you. Hey, good seeing you. Don't forget Blazing 5. Debues this year 15, 20 minutes away. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller, along with my trusty sidekick, David Gascon, would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey.

You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture if you will a world where we chat with captains of industry in media, sports and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. 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, Clever 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Norsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They hold me. Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew.

Pinky has financial issues. I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the team

everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a paramedeposal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Ariya. where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own.

I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy? That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try.

So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, How Hard Can It Be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network available on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. NFL Kickoff Week is sponsored by Las Vegas.

You're home for all live sports. match, race, and competition. It is always on. Heading there after the show today. Going to Vegas, staying at my secret hotel. We have to stop talking about it because now people are asking me. I know. Same here. I won't tell them. See, you're, yeah, you're tougher than me. I just say, I got a sleeping bag. I stay over at the jiffy lube. Don't tell my thing. All great coaches have a style. I remember years ago somebody telling me this like 20 years ago,

when I got into this opinion business, the person said, just have a point of view. I don't care if it's right or wrong. When I say your name as a broadcaster in the opinion space, Rush Limbaugh, conservative, Rachel Maddow, progressive, have a style. Okay, great coaches have a style. Like Mike Tomlin, big energy, defense, physical. I mean, looks physical when he's talking.

That's his style. Tony Dungey. quiet, reserved, a teacher. Belichick, intimidating, grumpy, defense, a great teacher, super smart. Here's my thing with Mike McCarthy. What is he? What does he do? Dan Quinn does the defense.

Jerry calls all the big shots. Kellen Moore's the play caller, and Dak has influence. He sold himself as Mr. Analytics guy, right? He was Mr. Reboot Analytics guy. Well, I'm watching the end of the first half. when they kicked that field goal from 60 yards, that was not very analytical. She probably should have punted that thing away

because it gave Tom Brady the ball with 15 seconds, one completion. They got a good field goal kicker in Tampa. That's points. And in the game like last night, every point matters. So that wasn't real analytical. So he's a raw, raw guy. But I always feel like with Mike McCarthy,

what is his brand? You can't even think of it. That's the difference between all these guys. And like Bruce Ariens has a brand. I'll give you an example. Bruce Ariens. aggressive. No, risk it, biscuit, biscuit.

Like, aggressive, sometimes to a fault. Confrontational. He and Brady, he'll battle. He'll swear at his players. He's a mentor. He's got his guys, Byron Leftwich, Todd Bowles. He's known as very much a fatherly mentor. There's a lot of brands with Bruce Ariens.

I don't always love how aggressive he is. I don't have to love your point of view if your talk show host. Have one. Don't be mushy. Have one. You can change your opinion, but what are you? And that's my takeaway. What is he?

Now, here was the good news for Dallas. Micah Parsons is really good. And they didn't even wait to the second half. Like Micah Parsons was running that defense. I mean, passing downs, running downs, he is going to be huge. Dallas now has a little bit, they have a possibility to move Jalen Smith. He only played 16 snaps. Vandreche only played.

14 snaps. And so they're making it pretty obvious. Micah's the guy. I mean, that Dallas coaching staff essentially said before that game, kid, this is your defense. It's DeMarcus Lawrence up front, Micah behind him, and they've got one elite corner they put on Mike Evans. So they got three, like, vital defensive players. I thought he was really good. I also, let's be fair about this, Tampa's offense is a handful.

It is a handful. They got something big, shifty, fast technicians, gronk. I thought Dallas's defense, Michael Parsons was a big part of this, looked faster. I thought it looked rangier. I mean, Antonio Brown's going to beat guys down the field. That's going to happen every week of the year. You can't spend too much time on that. They've got too many good players here.

Tampa's going to score 30 points, probably at least half the games. So I don't look at the final score. They were athletic. They were rangy. But when I look at Michael Parsons now, it is very obvious that he was a dominating practice player and that stuff we didn't see because they just gave him the defense. He was everywhere. And this is not an easy offense to defend.

They can get you up front. They can throw it over the top. They can attack the middle with gronk. But they found themselves a star with Michael Parsons. And the coaches are telling you all these veteran lineback, they paid a lot of money for Jalen Smith. Van der Wesch is a first round pick in practice. It's your team. You get the snaps. That big national TV game. That game mattered last night.

Set the tone for the season. Blazing 5 next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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's Streeter Side 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 I-Heart 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm 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 experience. excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrating. So let's get to it.

Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard 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 a 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 year, 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 year. 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.

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