The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Bears Beatdown Belichick, Jets Injury Disaster, Brady Blame, Mailbag

Episode Date: October 25, 2022

John reacts to the Bears handing Belichick and the Pats a beatdown in Foxboro, why he’s bullish on Justin Fields going forward, and what’s next for Mac Jones after getting pulled mid-start. He als...o explains why Frank Reich is toast in Indy, why the Jets have been able to turn things around through 7 weeks, why injuries could derail them, if Tom Brady’s frequent absences are to blame for the Bucs bad start, and the latest evidence of Chargers HC Brandon Staley being in over his head, and the Giants and Cowboys continuing to exceed expectations, and answers listener questions in the Middlekauff Mailbag. Subscribe NOW and follow Middlekauff and The Volume on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest content. It's always FanDuel for the best wagering action! #herd #volumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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.
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Starting point is 00:01:32 Sign up with promo code, Colin, so they know we sent you. What is going on, everybody, John Middellcock, three and out podcast, Monday night football. Dumbairs absolutely destroy the Pats. Mack Jones bench. Justin Fields runs around, makes plays. We will dive into that. Some breaking news. We had another quarterback at bench today.
Starting point is 00:02:04 The Jets get destroyed injury-wise. Tampa Bay, dive into that situation. My man Brandon Staley takes another L. And some more football stuff as well as the Biddlecough mailbag. At John Middlough is the Instagram. Fire into those direct messages. Get your question answered here on the show. As well, if you follow the volume on YouTube,
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Starting point is 00:03:48 That's turtlebox audio.com promo code John for the best outdoor speaker out there. Okay, little Monday night football recap. We had Blowout City. The Patriots got destroyed by the Chicago Bears, 33214. and let's start with New England and I guess it would have been on Friday's podcast I gave somewhat of an apology or sometime last week
Starting point is 00:04:18 and I realized like betting against Belichick you get it better be careful right no matter how talented his team is he is such a good coach that he's never going to win four or five games and I thought there was a chance at the start of the season they were a five and 12 season or five and 12 team
Starting point is 00:04:34 and they were going to have that type season I was wrong they are not a five 12 team, that much is clear. Now, here's the thing, though, and this has been a knock on the Patriots over the years of their drafting, right? Their top-to-bottom talent. They're difference-making players. They're pro-bowl-level guys.
Starting point is 00:04:53 And the last two weeks, they feasted on two guys who are bottom five starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Jared Goff and Jacoby Brissette. And here's the other thing. Jacoby Brissette and Jared Goughkeh cannot move. move. So guys like that who turn the ball over a lot and are zero threat to run around pretty easy for the greatest defensive coach ever to game plan against. And he eviscerated both guys. Well, tonight, Justin Fields, who is, I would say, pound for pound, one of the better athletes
Starting point is 00:05:27 in the league, is a tough guy to game plan against. Now, he's a hit or miss player as a passer still. You saw there was a ball of the night where Troy's like, put a little layer under it. He's still got a long way to go, even though we'll get into his supporting cast. It's just one of those guys that, and this is what we talked about in the quarterback drafting segment earlier this week, like when you draft guys really high, I like you to have different pitches. I like you to have high ceilings. And if that guy ever figures it out, his ceiling as a runner is clearly elite because he's
Starting point is 00:06:00 one of the fastest quarterbacks we've ever seen. And I think you saw a fundamental flaw in the Patriots team. I don't know how talented they are. Now, they're well coached, they're tough, they tackle well, but it's not like he has the fastest players on defense. Ray Lewis, Luke Keeclay ain't walking through that door. You know, Ed Reed ain't flying around. And Justin Fields made them look kind of stupid today.
Starting point is 00:06:25 And as the game went on, it's not like Belichick doesn't adjust. He's the greatest halftime adjuster we've ever seen. There was nothing they could do. Because Fields pure talent running around that speed, They had no counter for it. I mean, they just don't. There's nothing Bill can do because he just lacks the talent on that side. And just really on his entire team.
Starting point is 00:06:47 It's a solid team. But when they win eight or nine games at the end of the season, they will have vastly overachieved. It's why I gave Bill an apology. Because great coaches get their teams do overachieve. Bill used to do that with his great teams win in 12, 13 games. Remember, we'd be like, God, who's Tom Throne do? Julian Edelman, Grox banged up.
Starting point is 00:07:07 Who are these running backs? Well, now he's doing it with a bunch of guys. We don't really know. And it's been impressive against crappy quarterbacks, and he's excelled, but he ran into a guy. I'm not calling Justin Fields a good quarterback yet, but we can't argue about his speed as elite. And he ran around and there was nothing the Patriots could do,
Starting point is 00:07:26 and he let him on drive after drive after drive, and they couldn't do anything about it. And let's talk about the Patriots quarterback situation. Listen, I'm not a Mac Jones guy. I'm not into quarterbacks like that in the first round. There was a draft where Christian Ponder and Jake Locker were drafted really high. So I wouldn't say Mack Jones is the most overdrafted quarterback of all time. But when you look at the crew of guys that he gets compared to, Kirk Cousins, like if he ever turned into a good player, cousins,
Starting point is 00:08:00 Jimmy Garoppolo, those type players, none of those guys sniffed being a first round quarterback. let alone the 15th overall pick in the draft. And as you saw when Zappi came in, now Zappi threw a terrible pick at the end of the game, just like Cooper Rush and Dak, I'm not acting like Zappi is just immediately going to be a better player. He may or may not be, who knows, the more you play, the harder it becomes.
Starting point is 00:08:26 But I don't think Mac Jones, I don't even think he's a top, I don't think he's a starting quarterback. I look at Mac Jones like a backup quarterback, especially when he thinks he turns into Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes and tries to add lib on the fly. It's like Mac, that is not your game. And the reason Bill Belichick went to Bailey Zappy immediately, and you saw on the sideline, Matt goes, I'm out. It's because I can't have you if I'm Bill running around like you're
Starting point is 00:08:52 Josh Allen because you're going to throw picks. You are going to do stupid shit because you don't have the physical attributes. And here's the other thing. You do not need to be, you know, Bill Polion, to see the physical attributes in Bailey Zappy. And Mac Jones, there is no difference. They physically move about the same. Their arm strength is basically identical. You could argue Bailey Zappy even has a stronger arm. And where was Bailey Zappy drafted in the first round?
Starting point is 00:09:22 Hell no. He was a fourth round pick. So I understand Belichick, who's not always consumed with the value in the draft. No one historically has cared less about where he drafted a player when he liked a player. And sometimes it's worked out and sometimes it's been tragic mistakes in terms of how good the player was
Starting point is 00:09:44 for where he was drafted. But you can't tell me when you watch Mack Jones play and you watch Bailey Zappy play, I mean, they literally look just like each other. You see difference in talent. There isn't any. Mack Jones just isn't that talented.
Starting point is 00:09:59 And the thing that he hung his hat on coming into the NFL was like, ultimate game manager, ready to go. and I said this, what I talked about, the draft, there is no such thing as just an unlimited high floor. Like, I can't bust quarterback. Just this guy for sure is a 10-year starter. If that was the case, teams would never miss.
Starting point is 00:10:22 That is not the way football works. And you immediately see, I'm not saying Bill is turning on Mac Jones, but I think he realizes Mac, I drafted you to be a game manager, bro. You have to understand, When Tom Brady started back in the day in 2001, 2001, 2002, 2003, before Tom Brady became, I don't know, an MVP level player, he just managed the game. Now, part of it, unlike Mac and even Bailey,
Starting point is 00:10:49 Tom couldn't run around, but Tom just did what he was told to do. That's what Bill wants his quarterback to do. When I tell you to throw it to the left side on this play, I don't want you to scramble around and throw it to the right side. I don't want you to do a 360. in the pocket, scramble right, and tell the guy to go deep. That's not the way we're playing. That's not the way we're built. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rogers, Lamar Jackson,
Starting point is 00:11:16 they get to do that. You do not. Because you're just simply not good enough to do that. And when you try, it's going to be a disaster 99% of the time. You saw it with Bailey's Appie. He tried to make some plays late in the game. Now they were down big. And what happened? It didn't turn out well. when you don't have the physical attributes and you try to make the plays that the elite guys make, it usually does not turn out well in the NFL because you are at a disadvantage when you play outside the scheme of the offense. And to me, that's what Mack Jones was doing tonight. He's like trying to prove, you know, I know he got the Pro Bowl nod and I refuse to go through it. I do think there's a chance.
Starting point is 00:11:55 Now, granted, a lot of people go to Pro Bowls because other people drop out. he's the worst Pro Bowl quarterback in the history of the Pro Bowl. And I'm not trying to take shots at Mac. Like Mac is an NFL player. I just view him more as a backup than I think what people kind of got in their mind he was going to be last year. And I'm just glad that Bailey Zappy has come in and you just realize like there is just no difference in these two players. On the flip side, this guy's a long way to go. And I'm biased.
Starting point is 00:12:24 I liked him a lot coming out of college. But, and listen, there are some. major flaws. As a passer, there are just some fundamental things that sometimes he doesn't see some stuff. Sometimes you go like, is this just a running back playing quarterback? And then there are times when he makes a throw, it's like, hell yeah, that's what I want. Hell yeah. That's the Justin Fields that I thought was going to be a top 10 draft pick. And you saw a night, one, his running is elite. Now, I don't draft a quarterback to be a runner, right? This isn't the Navy offense. But in, let's say modern football, mobility is a big deal. And I like
Starting point is 00:13:02 quarterbacks, mobile quarterbacks. And this is what I will say about Lamar. Kyler, too, that have a pretty good understanding as a runner not to take big hits. Like I saw it firsthand with Tray Lance. Tray Lance doesn't have a good feel for running around, avoiding hits. And I'm not even talking about the play that he broke his ankle. He just wasn't comfortable in space. Justin Fields is a blue chip five star guy who went to Georgia and then he went to Ohio State. So he's been practicing against the best of the best, he has a good understanding when he's running around, how to get out of bounds, how to slide, just how to get on the ground. So to me, that's a big positive. And then from an armstrike
Starting point is 00:13:37 standpoint, it's pretty special. Now, there's a touch. There are some stuff that he still has a long way to go. But let's remove Mooney, who, you know, is a pretty good player. And let's look at his other two targets, guys that he throws to all the time. Dante Pettis, who the 49ers once drafted, I think high in the second round. Royal bust. They cut. And he bounced around. He's actually making some plays for him.
Starting point is 00:14:02 Nikiel Harry made a play tonight. Where did Nikiel Harry come from? The first round, Bill Belichick, got rid of him. Like, those are his, that's his like Debo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf. Dante Pettis and Nikiel Harry. Now, I understand that the Bears historically have struggled to put together good offensive weaponry, that they have a pretty good feel for figuring out how to find defensive players, you know, signed Julius Peppers, draft Brian Earla.
Starting point is 00:14:27 Peanut Tillman, Michael Singletary, they can figure out that side of the ball. They have to, to give this guy a chance. If you said, bet your life, is he going to become some Pro Bowl player? I wouldn't do that. But if you told me that they invest heavily this offseason to getting him help, you know, Commets, not bad. He's probably a really good number two. Get him a star tied end.
Starting point is 00:14:49 Get him a couple, you know, more impactful wideouts. Get him some offensive line help. Maybe he'll have a chance because you can't, watch that. If you just watch Zappi and Mac Jones and you watch Justin Fields and you went, if you were a GM and you were a head coach, listen, all I've known, heard about Fields,
Starting point is 00:15:07 good guy, hard worker, smart, really likes football. This guy's not playing call of duty all night like some quarterbacks. Now that's a shot at Kyler and in fairness to Kyler, he's a much better player than Justin Fields. He's a much more natural quarterback. But Justin, if he
Starting point is 00:15:23 puts in the effort and they do surround him with talent, at least he's got a shot because you can't watch that and go yeah I'd want to work with that like that's what you want to work with Mac Jones Bailey as a scout texts me tonight
Starting point is 00:15:37 are we sure that Patriots even have a quarterback now I'm not sure the bears do either but at least they got you know some clay to attempt to mold isn't that the job of these coaches these offensive coordinators in the league are all making seven figs these head coaches are making seven eight nine million dollars the first time head coaches then obviously the top head coaches are making 12 to 18
Starting point is 00:15:55 like this is coach these guys up isn't that your job or are you just going to sit inside the film room and just click click click click all day in the dark and eat cheetos and sunflower seeds or are we going to work with this guy i'd want to work with justin fields because what did we talk about after the thursday night game against the commanders he has toughness which is a must quality if you want to be a good quarterback we know that fields is tough so he has that right away no one questions that needs to work on some touch passing but as you've seen with joshy I'm not comparing him to Josh Allen. My point is it is an improvable skill. What do the bills do? They went out and they got him a lot of help. Now we'll see it's weird because Ryan Poles and the guys with the bears were not the group that drafted him. So anytime that happens, you just never know. And from just, you know, seeing headlines and stuff, I wouldn't, I wouldn't feel great that they're all in on the guy. I know they've said some positive things, but I, I'd just. still be a little leery from what I've heard in the Great Vine. But I mean, what the hell else are their options? I mean, to me, I would double down on this guy for next year and just see what happens because field is showing signs of life here for a team that let's face it, like the Patriots, does not have that much talent. Football season is underway. So now is the
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Starting point is 00:18:47 Visit www.1-800 gambler.net, West Virginia. 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.
Starting point is 00:19:13 I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.
Starting point is 00:19:35 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.
Starting point is 00:20:09 So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and a TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Okay, let's start with breaking news around the national football league. And I think we have to go to Indianapolis first.
Starting point is 00:20:34 Where it became official, Frank Reich's job is holding on by a shoestring. I don't think Frank is a lock at this moment to make it through the season. To me, the only question right now, is Chris Ballard going to go down with him? or is Chris Ballard going to be allowed and going to be in the same boat as the owner and hire the next coach? I don't know. I did some reaching out, sniffing around the league.
Starting point is 00:21:01 I think a lot of people think he's in trouble. And Frank's done. I mean, if they don't make the playoffs this year, Frank Reich is going to get fired. So the only question now does Ballard, who I think is a pretty good GM, but, you know, he is in charge of the coach. He went to bat last year for Frank
Starting point is 00:21:18 and the quarterback. His quarterback's the last two years are Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. And three years ago, in 2020, they signed Philip Rivers for $25 million. He got them to 11 wins or helped them. I mean, their defense was good. And, you know, they had an opportunity to win a playoff game. Like, to me, that's a successful year when you're the Indianapolis Colts without Peyton Manning. Like, that's, if you do that every year, like, you're going to keep your job for a while. The next two years have been a disaster. Trading what turned out to be a first-round pick for Carson Wentz, that's a kick in the nuts.
Starting point is 00:21:56 I mean, it really is. There's no way around it. Now, they were able to trade him because the Washington commanders are super desperate for multiple threes. So it wasn't the end of the world. It's not like they had to cut them. But you had to give up your first-round pick when you miss the playoffs to the Philadelphia Eagles,
Starting point is 00:22:12 which because of their picks, they were able to utilize a trade, that they have another first-round pick coming next year, because of your pick. And then last but not least this season. And the reason they had Matt Ryan is because when they traded for or traded Carson Wentz to Washington, they didn't even have a quarterback.
Starting point is 00:22:29 People kept going, what are they going to do? They don't have a first round pick. There weren't really quarterbacks available. Like, are you kind of screwed? Now, the Deshawn Watson situation played out a little bit later. Matt Ryan became available and they traded for him. But Matt Ryan's a good guy. He had a hell of a career.
Starting point is 00:22:45 But he hasn't been good now for several years. he's washed, he's done. And one thing I don't know if I did a good enough job of on Monday's podcast, when I was talking about drafting guys in the first round, especially high in the first round, when I talk about physical characteristics and athletic attributes and just the ultimate physical package that I'm looking for and a high ceiling guy,
Starting point is 00:23:08 it's being able to make plays outside the context of the play. Right? If a play is called and your second read is wide open, most quarterbacks, most starting quarterbacks, can make it. If it's one, two, look at, you know, the first wide receiver, he's not open, go to the second, the guy's open, you hit it. To me, I'm talking about outside the play call. When your right tackle gets smoked, when both wide receivers slip, can you create a play with your legs, with your physical attributes?
Starting point is 00:23:39 And Matt Ryan's never really been able to do that, but he 100% cannot do that right now. it's the downfall of Kirk Cousins right when everything's humming and it's in rhythm and the offense the timing's on he can fucking light you up like a Christmas tree when you're getting a pass rush and he has to keep plays alive with his legs
Starting point is 00:23:59 it's game over and obviously Brady and Manning and those guys never were able to do that but it didn't matter they were so good and so dominant they still kicked your ass most guys cannot so I don't like non-athletic quarterbacks with average arms
Starting point is 00:24:13 because it's hard for them to, they don't age very well, especially. And Matt Ryan is aging very poorly. He has nine interceptions this year. And I flipped on that game. He threw two terrible picks. And they're offensive lines. They're soft. I mean, the reason Frank's going to get fired is it feels like they're getting worse.
Starting point is 00:24:33 You know, a couple years ago, pretty good team. Where they are right now doesn't resemble the team that I remember watching in 19 and 20. They look like a shell of themselves. And I think Frank is definitely in trouble. The only question is Ballard going to survive. Now, is Sam Ellinger, I'm not some huge believer. I mean, I think he's known for, we're back when Texas beat a, I forget even who they beat in the bowl game.
Starting point is 00:24:59 Was it Oregon? I don't even know. But they won a bowl game. He said that, made him kind of famous. You're kind of famous like a Dallas Cowboy quarterback when you're the starting quarterback and you're decent for the University of Texas. but he wasn't very good. To me, as a pro prospect,
Starting point is 00:25:16 and I don't think he's the type guy that's going to get lightning in a bottle and save these guys' jobs. I think they're in major trouble. And they're playing Heineke in Washington this week. Heineke, shit, might be better than Carson Wentz. So the news is not shocking. Wouldn't shock me at all if Jim Ursay
Starting point is 00:25:33 was the one that mandated this. And the head coach is just, I mean, he might not make it a Thanksgiving at this rate. And then the other news is the New York Jets. who have really done a good job against backup quarterbacks, but they have a philosophy in how they've been winning. They've played a really good defense. They have a good defensive line.
Starting point is 00:25:53 Quinn and Williams' brother, number 56. Quincy Williams is awesome. Sauce Gardner has been a stud. Their defense has been fantastic. Now, they have been beating backup quarterbacks, but they've been kicking their ass. And they've ran the football. And a big reason they've run in the football,
Starting point is 00:26:10 especially the last couple weeks, is I was told in training camp from someone in the know who was going to all these practices, Bruce Hall is our best player. And clearly Elijah Barrett Tucker, a dude they drafted a couple years ago from USC. It's pretty crazy how many good players Clay Helton has put in the NFL. I mean, a huge reason everyone was always so down on Clay Helton. Not because he was losing a lot. Because he was losing a lot with sweet players.
Starting point is 00:26:36 I mean, the majority of teams in the NFL have a Clay Helton player on their team. and he's not like some random guy. He's usually a pretty good player. But that's beside the point. Robert Tala announced today. Breece is out with a torn ACL and Tucker has an elbow injury that's going to cost him this season. That's a devastating blow for a team that's 5 and 2. Now, could they get to 10 wins?
Starting point is 00:26:57 Like next week they play the Patriots, it was going to get harder. But because it's difficult to maintain winning when your quarterback is consistently throwing for about 100 yards. I think the number was last week against. Denver, which is understandable. Denver's defense is excellent. I think he threw for 120 yards. But they want 16 to 9. I do wonder if those days are over because a huge part of their success is this running back is a stud and Tucker's a baller. So those Matt Ryan getting benched, not shocking. Those are two major injuries to a team that, you know, I think had a chance to get to the nine-ish. If Zach kind of could get a little bit better as a season went on, who knows, maybe get to 10. But I think those days
Starting point is 00:27:41 are over. Tampa Bay. Obviously, they are one of the, probably them in Green Bay, right, at three and four, when you have Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers as a quarterback is a pretty, I mean, it's just eye-opening, right? If you're a buck fan, this is like, what the hell is going on?
Starting point is 00:27:59 And two things jump out to me. Let's start with Tom. I heard Michael Lombardi say this tonight. Listen, I don't disagree that Tom's excelled in his career with slot receivers, running backs who can catch the football in tight ends. And right now they're built in Tampa
Starting point is 00:28:16 with outside wide receivers and Leonard Fournett. And Gronk's no longer there and it's not the same. To me, Tom Brady, and I think we all can relate to this, when you got one foot in and one foot out, it's hard to excel at anything that takes a lot of energy. Anyone who's ever had a job that they didn't want to be there anymore or had already put their sights on their next job, their next endeavor, you don't give your same effort. And depending on what that job is, if your foot is already half in, half out,
Starting point is 00:28:51 you're probably not going to have much success. It happens a lot in relationships, right? When you're breaking up with someone, you're getting a divorce, and you're just kind of over it. You no longer care as much, right? When you're in love with someone, when you're in a serious relationship and you're all in, you know, you do whatever it takes. And Tom's always been a do whatever it takes guy when it comes to football. Why? Because he dedicated his life to the sport. So he unretires, retires, or he retires, unretires, goes on vacation during training camp. And I understand. I've heard people say, like, do you think Tom Brady going to Robert Craft's wedding really impacted the Pittsburgh game? Well, probably not.
Starting point is 00:29:35 And of course he's Tom Brady if he wants to go. It's understandable. But that ain't fucking Tom Brady. Tom Brady never, ever did that stuff. That's like what NBA players do. They're really like, hey, I'm just going to take the week off. I'll see you in a couple weeks. Like, oh, yeah, no big deal.
Starting point is 00:29:50 We're tanking anyway. You know, Tom Brady, just missing stuff left and right during the football season. It's bizarre. I don't even totally blame him. He's 45. Our priorities change. We lose our focus. But he was the guy.
Starting point is 00:30:05 that asked for Bruce Ariens to get fired. Like, that's clear. He wanted Bruce Ariens out. So they elevate Todd Bowles, who, listen, my second year with the Eagles, we hired Todd Bowles. I used to have lunch with him all the time, with other scouts.
Starting point is 00:30:20 He was cool. I like Todd Bowles. And it's not even debatable that when Todd Bowles is the defensive coordinator, he's an ass kicker. Hell, I would say the same thing for Dennis Allen of the Saints. When Dennis Allen gets to be the head.
Starting point is 00:30:35 excuse me, the defensive coordinator and just handle half the room. Because a way of football operation works, when we have a team meeting on, let's say, you know, we have game plan Monday, Tuesday, first practice on Wednesday, first team meetings at 8 o'clock. So breakfast is 7 to 8, we meet as a team at 8 o'clock.
Starting point is 00:30:54 The head coach talks to the entire team. And then after 5 minutes, 10 minutes, I think Belichick goes for an hour, whatever. You go split up O and D. So the O goes the offensive. coordinator, the defense goes the defensive coordinator. So you only have half the team. That's all you have to worry about. When a guy gets
Starting point is 00:31:11 a DUI, when a dude on the other side of the ball's wife is pregnant and loses the baby, when a dude's brother gets sick, when a dude just has mental issues and is going through problems and he's not on your side of the ball, you don't
Starting point is 00:31:27 even have to fucking think about. But when you're the head coach, whether you're an offensive head coach or a defensive head coach, you have to deal with it. Why? You're the head and I think we're seeing it with Todd Bulls like let's face it. Bruce Ariens I think it's a knock by NFL people for not being the hardest worker. And when I say that, it's all relative. Like Andy Reid and Bill Belichick are putting in 20 hours a day. You know, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh, these guys work crazy long hours. And Bruce's always got a known for like, yeah, show up after
Starting point is 00:31:58 breakfast and, you know, head home at dinner, which, listen, I get it. But here's one thing I know about Bruce Ariens. He did not become a head coach till late in life. I think he was like 60 or 61, right with the Arizona Cardinals. And when he became a head coach for the Arizona Cardinals and then he went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all he did was win. All he did was win. Now,
Starting point is 00:32:17 you could argue when Tom got there, they butted head on the offense, whatever. He, a little like Sean Payton, these guys are kind of crazy motherfuckers. And they were not afraid of confrontation. And when you're going to get in confrontation in the NFL, it's much easier to get your point of when you have pelts on the wall and you have equity.
Starting point is 00:32:38 Like if Dennis Allen is yelling at me, why am I going to take him seriously if I'm a New Orleans Saints player? If I'm a veteran guy, just because he's the head coach? Well, if Sean Payton yelled at me, I knew he was one of the best head coaches in the league. He had been to a Super Bowl. He had been to one playoff games.
Starting point is 00:32:55 He had pelts on the wall, and I just knew he knew what he was doing. Like the thing with Todd Bulls, he's a very even keel guy. and I just don't really see it. Same thing with Dennis Allen. Now, their person, Dennis is probably more of a dick. I'm not saying Todd can't be as a head coach,
Starting point is 00:33:12 but their personalities are clearly different. I've said over and over. And I don't fault these guys when they get offered the head coaching job. What are they supposed to do? Turn down $25, $30 million. But the best part about the NFL, in a lot of jobs, like you want to keep moving up because there's a big difference between 90 grand and 210 grand.
Starting point is 00:33:32 right but when you're making two two and a half million dollars three million dollars sometimes four million dollars as the number one coordinator in the league that's a pretty incredible job they don't blame you for everything right you don't have all the anxiety and the pressure the head coach does when you become the head coach your clock immediately starts and i think both guys are in major major trouble because at the end of the day neither guy's a head coach. So Tom got what he wanted. He wanted Arians out of there. The problem is Tom's not even all in. And now he has a head coach that probably not a head coach, just like Dennis Allen. Those guys are fantastic defensive coordinators. The Saints defense the last couple of years was awesome.
Starting point is 00:34:16 Tampa's defense last couple years I thought was like, you know, on giving weeks the best in the league. And now they're just getting shredded. I mean, I was watching Tampa just get shredded by Steve Wilkes, who I was thinking about this today because the media is really going to push for Steve Wilkes to get a job. I would say in the last decade, Steve Wilkes would be right up there as the worst head coach I've ever seen.
Starting point is 00:34:39 You know, Tom Sula, Freddie Kitchens, like he's in that crew. He just kicked your ass. That guy. And his quarterback was PJ Walker. So, you know, listen, this is what Tom wanted. And they are in major trouble. Let's get to my man, Brandon Staley.
Starting point is 00:34:56 flipped on a little Chargers Seattle. God, Pete Carroll, man. Kenneth Walker, I was watching that game, the running back Seattle draft in the second round. I started thinking because Mel Tucker, Michigan State's, I think, three and four this year, they are not having a good season. Got a $95 million extension this offseason. And part of it was because LSU wanted them. And I was like, you know, when you win 10 games every season, I get it. LSU's going to want you.
Starting point is 00:35:21 Michigan State doesn't want to lose you. You resurrected Colorado. And then I looked at his record. And I'm like, if you remove last year where he went 11 and 2, the one year he had Kenneth Walker, he is 10 and 16 as a head coach. I hope Kenneth Walker got like some points on that $95 million deal because he deserves at minimum 30%. But watching Brandon Staley, who, and really quick, I will defend him on this. I've told this story, or I've just, I've talked about this before. where I went to school was basically in the middle of California, Cal Poly.
Starting point is 00:36:01 And we were basically 50% people from Southern California, 50% people from Northern California. And then a lot of farmers kids from the Valley. And I ended up meeting a lot of people that grew up in the San Diego area. And they didn't like, they loved the Chargers. They love the Chargers. And if you watch baseball at all, the Padres, Home Field, you know, No, atmosphere was fantastic. Dean Spanos, who inherited the team from a father who was a real estate mogul in California
Starting point is 00:36:35 up and down from Bakersfield up to Sacramento and probably owns property all over the place, is just very cheap, bad businessmen and refused to do a deal there. And listen, I get it. I'm not pro these local politicians in California. I also think they're embarrassing. But sometimes you just got to whip it around. I saw Joe Lacob, who doesn't respect any of the politicians. in the Bay Area, build his own stadium.
Starting point is 00:36:58 Why? Because he's a closer. He gets deals done. And the Chargers who play now, obviously at the Ram Stadium, it's just a pretty big joke. I know their value as a franchise has increased, but like, it's just so irrelevant. They have no
Starting point is 00:37:14 fans, nobody gives a shit, and when they play these home games, literally no one cares and it sounds like an away team's home game. And I can't put that on the head coach or the players. That is on the ownership. Obviously, that's not going to change. They are never going to be a big deal there.
Starting point is 00:37:30 They are completely irrelevant. And it's always going to be an away stadiums home crowd. When they play the Chiefs, when they play the Raiders, when they play the Broncos, if they play the Niners, if they play any of these Seattle, they're going to have more fans of the other team every stinking time. And I'm not saying that fans wouldn't travel to San Diego because, you know, it's one of the best cities in America. but it's not the same.
Starting point is 00:37:58 And I feel for all the Charger fans out there because this team has absolutely no business and I mean none being in Los Angeles. But Brandon Staley as a coach, a little bit like those previous guys. Now, the difference is Todd Bowles and Dennis Allen, I saw those guys be head coaches and then both be overwhelmed.
Starting point is 00:38:17 So I had a baseline knowing, like, I don't know if this is a great idea. The difference with Brandon Staley, shit, he's only been in the league like six years. and he became a head coach in a meteoric rise. But he's known as like this dominant defensive coordinator, mainly
Starting point is 00:38:32 because of one fucking season with the ramps. And their defense was really good, right? In 2020, they had one of the best defense of the league. Depending on what statistics you look at, some had them the number one defense in the league. It was like, oh, this guy's a genius. One time. One time. And he gets a job, and the defense,
Starting point is 00:38:48 specifically the run defense the last two years, has been putrid. And they're playing Kenneth Walker this week, who, like I said, Mel Tucker should give that guy about $25, $30 million of his deal because without him, I don't think he's getting that much cash because you look at his resume, he hasn't had that much success. Brendan Staley is the defensive coordinator, and they can't tackle a soul. And it's not like Kenneth Walker was a nobody. He was a high second-round pick. And then last week, he ran for 100 yards against the Cardinals. So literally the tape,
Starting point is 00:39:22 the first tape you would throw on is their last game, he was excellent. And here's the other thing about Seattle. While their offense has had some big moments this year, they were just coming off a game against the Cardinals where they scored 19 points. And then they come and play you, and they score 37?
Starting point is 00:39:41 And Kenneth Walker goes for like, I think a buck 70? I just do not get how your run defense. You add Khalil Mack, who is one of the best run defensive ends I've ever seen. You sign a big defensive tackle from the Rams. You have Derwin James.
Starting point is 00:39:57 You can't tackle a soul. And I'm sorry. I'm putting that on the head coach who is the defensive coordinator. And it gets worse week after week after week. I don't know how this is going to change. You go, well, what about the quarterback?
Starting point is 00:40:11 I watch Justin Herbert and I go, I think he's playing pretty good. The eye test, I think he looks fantastic. And then I went to the stats. Only four quarterbacks have thrown more tough. touchdowns this year. You go, well, is he being accurate? Yeah, he's 66%. He's only throwed four interceptions. I think he's having a pretty good season. So you have a top five, six quarterback in the NFL. You have nothing to do with the offense because you're the head coach slash
Starting point is 00:40:36 defensive coordinator. And your defense keeps getting smoked. So I'm not going to beat a dead horse. Like Steve Sarkisian doesn't win. Brandon Staley's defense consistently sucks. Like these are facts. These aren't opinions. I give you my opinions on why I think they suck. They're not head coaches. But the facts remain. And I just feel like I have to point it out because no one ever will because the media has their biases and they have their friends. Like, I'm not friends with any of these guys. And I think it helps. I'm friends with some, but not these two specifically. Because one, they probably wouldn't like me and two. I'm sorry. I'd be like, I should be a number two. Because that's what you are, a number two. And there's nothing wrong.
Starting point is 00:41:20 in the NFL with being a number two. It pays for Brandon Staley, if he became a defensive coordinator for some team tomorrow, you get $2.5 million. And shit, we know Dean doesn't pay, so he's probably only making five, so you wouldn't have to make that big of a pay cut. And if you went to a different state,
Starting point is 00:41:35 state income tax, you save a lot of money. So, yeah, they're just, Justin Herbert getting just wasted game after game. There was a reason once upon a time, Eli and Arch said, we ain't going there. do not draft us Spanos family we ain't playing for your team
Starting point is 00:41:53 smartest thing they ever did and then just you gotta give these two teams props you really do the Cowboys and the Giants on my other podcast we were talking about Drake Jackson another Clay Hilton guy who looks fantastic and we were going over all the top pass rushers from this last draft
Starting point is 00:42:11 obviously a lot of guys got drafted high you know Kenneth Walker not Kenneth Walker but Trayvon Walker, Tavon Walker, the Jags guy, Aidan Hutchinson, Kvon Tibado, and then Sam Williams. Obviously, there were some other guys, you know, the chiefs took the dude from Purdue, but Sam Williams, who I didn't know that much about. And I was watching the Cowboy game just kicked the lion. I mean, the lions suck. I pounded the table for the Lions and the Texans this year being feisty.
Starting point is 00:42:39 And the Texans have been feisty. They're just not winning. The Lions haven't really been that feisty. They are starting to get smoked. They're terrible. And Sam Williams was kicking their ass. And I text a couple, you know, scouting buddies. And I said, how in the world did Sam Williams fall?
Starting point is 00:42:57 And they're like, well, domestic battery. When he was at junior college with potentially several women, the character was a major red flag. And I said, holy shit, Jerry Jones does DGAF, as the kids would say over text. And he truly DGAF. To me, Jerry Jones is kind of the modern day Al Davis. He's going to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He gets rid of Randy Gregory, he drafts another one, really high.
Starting point is 00:43:24 Now, Sam Williams can play. And this is the thing in the draft. Like, Sam Williams dropped to late in the second round, not because he couldn't play. Every guy said, yeah, he was sweet. He was a badass. He's like, we couldn't take. We didn't have him on the board. Jerry didn't just have him on the board.
Starting point is 00:43:37 He drafted him and now he's using him. The Cowboys defense, like, remember last year, Randy Gregory was pretty good. Sam Williams is a better. player. I'm watching him, and obviously Michael Parsons, who's probably going to be the defensive player of the year, those guys are just dominating. Like offensively, I love how cowboy fans are like, oh, where are all the people that wanted Cooper Rush? Like, guys, why does everyone act? Like, Dak Prescott is the John Elway
Starting point is 00:44:03 meets Dan Marino reincarnated. Like, he's fine. He's like the 13th best quarterback in the NFL who makes $40 million. Cudos to him. And he's got seven commercials because of the team he plays for. If I was Jerry, I would have been like, hey, listen, Dak, we'll pay you 28, but you get about eight extra commercials because you play from my team. If I put you on the Jags or the Vikings, not a soul would care. I don't see cousins on any commercials. And you could argue he's a better player. But their defense is really good. They are very, very physical, and they are winning games. And now they're five and two, not because of the offense, strictly because of their defense. And they did it again against the Lions. And the Giants, man. Daniel
Starting point is 00:44:43 Jones. And sometimes you look back and you go, Joe Judge, actually there have been several, right? Started with Tom Sulla. I think Freddie Kitchens was right there. Ironically, Joe Judge hired Freddie Kitchens on his staff. And then when he fired Jason Garrett made Freddie Kitchens his offensive coordinator. They're Mississippi State buddies. But, I mean, he would be in the running of being one of the most underqualified head coaches to ever, you know, in NFL history. I had no business. So you look back and you, you look back and you. you go, Daniel Jones, once upon a time, and I'm not saying Daniel Jones will ever become Alex Smith, but Alex Smith played for Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary. Two guys, you wouldn't let within 100 feet of your building right now. Mike Singletary got fired from a high school team like two years ago. Mike Nolan, we saw him be a defensive coordinator from McCarthy a couple years ago. How'd that go? So sometimes head coaches can derail guys' career. Now, you can tell when you watch
Starting point is 00:45:40 Daniel Jones. Like, he's not going to be the next Mahomes or Josh Allen. But he's definitely a really good athlete. And he throws a decent ball. And he was a turnover machine. Picks, fumbles, he just doesn't turn the ball over.
Starting point is 00:45:55 And Sequin Barclay, who basically is the Locke comeback player of the year, looks, you know, I don't even know. Like, he got a little Barry Sanders with a little top end speed of like,
Starting point is 00:46:05 Jamal Charles. He's a baller. I mean, he's the best player on their team. And they're six and one. I mean, sneaky, enormous game this week, Giants at Seattle. If you would have told me, what are the chances week eight, you watch one minute? Because, you know, I don't care about the Giants.
Starting point is 00:46:24 In Seattle, I mean, I definitely keep a close eye on Seattle, but I thought that they were going to be terrible. I thought these two teams were going to draft number one overall. And Seattle is technically in first place right now, the NFC West. And the Giants, you know, are, let's see, if you're the Eagles right now, your start could not have gone any better. You're undefeated. And you look back and you go, Giants are right on our heels
Starting point is 00:46:46 and the Cowboys aren't going away. That division has really been good. And those two teams, the Giants led by coaching. Think about Brian Dayball. He needed an offensive coordinator. Who did he hire? He didn't hire one of his buddies.
Starting point is 00:47:00 He didn't hire, you know, one assistant from the bills. He hired Mike Kafka, who was drafted by Andy Reed, who coached with Andy Reed. He went out of his little sphere. He didn't need, you know, Belichick loves keeping it under the umbrella.
Starting point is 00:47:13 And I'm not saying these guys didn't know each other, but he went like, I'm going to go hire a guy on a different staff. He did the same thing with his defensive coordinator. Wink Martindale. Boom, you don't want him, Harbaugh? I'll take him. And all I was told, someone with Baltimore during the preseason was like,
Starting point is 00:47:30 I think our defense is going to be awesome. I agreed. I'm like, yeah, this Mike McDonald guy comes from Harbaugh. He had been with John Harbaugh before, went to be Jim's defensive coordinator, comes back. ton of talent. They just, when you watch the Ravens play, and I watch a decent amount of that game,
Starting point is 00:47:46 they feel like the Chargers. They feel like the East Coast version of the Chargers who are a little more successful and their owner's a much higher level guy. That basically every single game is a one-possession game with like six minutes left. And there's Lamar scrambling around.
Starting point is 00:48:01 You know, there's a turnover, comes down to a field goal. Every game has the same vibe right now. Very bizarre. Lamar has started off really hot. I would say he's hit the skids a little bit. You know, I'm not saying he's losing money. I've heard some people like, oh, Lamar's losing him.
Starting point is 00:48:17 No, it's not really the way it works. I mean, Dak Prescott got his ankle shattered and still got $160 million. But I wouldn't say he's making money. You know, he'd just make his normal inflation, you know, whatever he turned down, he'll probably just get an extra $5 million. Again, he's got to eventually sign the contract. But, yeah, weird times around the league. Okay, let's get into a little middle coffee mailback at John
Starting point is 00:48:40 middle coffers the Instagram, fire in those DMs, and get those questions answered here onto Shizzo. Hey man, I saw, I was at the Denver game yesterday. Seems like the offensive play calling is horrid. Multiple go routes on fourth down and reasonable yardages instead of trying to get a simple first down. What do you think about the Broncos firing Hackett after the season and going all in to get Sean Payton? Proven offensive coach, I have trouble thinking Russ and the offense are beyond repair. Yeah, I would say Nate Hackett is done at the end of the year. I think the only question is, does the GM survive too?
Starting point is 00:49:19 Because if you and I own the team, it's almost like I would want a GM as much as a coach because you spend so much time with a general manager. He's the guy talking finances, talking your roster. I mean, the coach is talking scheme. Let's face it, like you have no clue what they're talking about. But I can figure out like, oh, we love this guard. Oh, we love this corner. Oh, we love this assistant coach.
Starting point is 00:49:43 You know, GM speak more owner language than the head coach. So the head coach is a dead man walking. To me, the question is, does the GM survive? And I don't know. I really don't. I would say they're both in trouble. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.
Starting point is 00:50:06 Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.
Starting point is 00:50:32 I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball. 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.
Starting point is 00:51:00 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,
Starting point is 00:51:25 or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Okay, let's get to the mailbag. At John Middlecough is the Instagram. Fire in those DMs. Get your question answered here on the show. Hey John, huge Bears fan here. Is the NFC North, the new NFC East?
Starting point is 00:51:48 And can the Bears win the division and backdoor their way into the playoffs? Yeah, I mean, I have a hard time thinking that like Minnesota is just dramatically better. Just because their offense is just so much more cohesive, you know? I have a hard time seeing you guys get above 500. And Minnesota's already 5 in 1. So, you know, they're getting to 9 minimum. And even Green Bay, I think, ends up getting to 9. So, and, I mean, you guys never beat the backers.
Starting point is 00:52:17 But I do think, you know, seven wins would be a pretty big solid head, you know, heading in the right direction season, I think. And you just want Justin Fields to keep making strides. That's all I'd want if I was a Bears fan to just have Justin Fields keep getting better and better. Because like I said, he's playing with Dante Pedis and Nikiel Harry. What if he's playing, go get him Brad and Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey? and Greg Olson. Greg Olson played for the Bears?
Starting point is 00:52:47 Yeah. Yeah. Carolina, Bears? Yeah, Bears in Carolina. Jimmy G for Mac Jones. I know it's silly, but kind of makes sense if you don't have sense, right? Yeah, I mean, I think that ship sailed. Mailbag. You'll probably discuss the Matt Ryan situation on the pod this week,
Starting point is 00:53:04 but want to ask you as it pertains to Carson Wentz. I refuse to believe your take that he's not a starter in the league. The guy is a fluid quarterback, and when given confidence, he can absolutely rip it. We've seen it a couple of times already in Washington. I don't understand why guys like Stafford, Big Ben, even Andrew Luck, for that matter, got passes on turning the ball over, but Wence gets destroyed over his entire career.
Starting point is 00:53:29 Because I think when you watch those guys in the pocket at Wence's age, I mean, they look a lot different than Carson Wence. I was an enormous Carson Wins fan. When you watch Carson Wins and you take out that, first game of the season. Like, yeah, he could rip it. So can Bailey Zapi. Like a lot of quarterbacks, Trey Lance, I mean, a lot of quarterbacks can just rip it. But it just, Carson Wentz is not a very good player right now. I think most commander fans have to say, like, I'd rather have Heineke. Wenskis ran out of Philly after a 17 run and pretty remarkable
Starting point is 00:54:05 playoff run in 19 with a depleted Eagles roster. Mind you, how he drafted Jalen Rager over Justin Jefferson during the Went's tenure. Then he gets scapegoated in Indy and abandoned by his good friend Frank and two weeks in Ron Rivera is shitting on him. So what's the deal? With your connections in the league, what about Wence causes such a problem wherever he goes? I've never heard he's a bad guy. One thing that I've heard is that he struggles to ingratiate himself like with his teammates.
Starting point is 00:54:37 You know, in I don't know how else to say it. I don't think he's beloved in the locker room. Now, I don't think he's hated either. I don't think he's like some outcast. I just think a lot of quarterbacks just kind of fit in. You know, bring up Stafford, just kind of fits in. People like him. People love Philip Rivers.
Starting point is 00:54:57 You know, people love, like, Dak Prescott. Mahomes and Josh Allen and Lamar, like, those guys are heroes in their locker room. It's not even just like, because they're good players. It's because the dude just like that. them. They just like them. They just kind of get it. Jalen hurts. I don't really, I don't really know how much else to say. I mean, that's all I know. I don't know nothing about what happened in Washington, but I would say that something's off with Carson Wentz. You know, you can't, it's one thing if the Eagles just cut ties, you know, and they moved on. But back-to-back teams did.
Starting point is 00:55:33 Now, you can say Ursa was just pissed off because they missed the playoffs and Carson wouldn't get the jab. I don't know. I mean, two teams kicked him to the curb. And then his third team was shitting on him, like you said, and had to apologize. You and Coward need to start admitting how out to lunch you've been on Daniel Jones. Is this Daniel Jones's cousin, lead photographer? This guy's got 15K followers.
Starting point is 00:55:59 This guy's got some sweet picks of skiing. Damn, this guy's like a helicopter skier. Jesus. This guy's doing some gnarly. This guy's shredding some powder. This guy shredding some gnar. You know, he's been much better than I thought he would play. I will be the first to admit that.
Starting point is 00:56:18 But when you watch him, let's not act like you're watching, you know, Eli Manning meets Peyton Manning meets, you know, Steve Young here. I mean, he's just not turning the ball over. He's playing very under control. And if I'm going to give Justin Fields somewhat of a pass, like look at the wide receivers he's playing with. Now, he does have Seekoine Barkley, who is kicking ass and taking names.
Starting point is 00:56:37 but Daniel Jones, who one of my good friends in the league, once told me when I shit on who was your GM, Gettelman, when Gettelman took him at six overall, I mean, everyone did. I was like, this is insane. My buddy that does the SEC was like, I kind of like Daniel Jones. He's like, he viewed Daniel Jones like a fringe top 20 player. And the scouting community always says, well, if you think the guys are starting quarterback, what's the difference to take him at 6 and 17? And my always thing is, like, the value?
Starting point is 00:57:07 I mean, was anyone else going to take him? It was like, well, the football team might take him. Even though, you know, God, my head is not working tonight. Dwayne RIP, that the Daniel Snyder was going to take him. And, yeah, I don't know. I mean, I think Daniel Jones could potentially have like a poor man, because I don't think he's ever going to be, he's not as good of a prospect as Alex was.
Starting point is 00:57:33 could be like that version. And Alex is really accurate. Daniel Jones probably got a little bit better arm, good athletes. So yeah, I mean, I give a lot of credit to your bald coach, kicking ass. Love the pod. Keep up the great work. You know, sometimes your brain just doesn't work. I feel like today, for whatever reason, it's not like I didn't even drink the last
Starting point is 00:57:57 couple nights. I mean, I just, I worked out. I should be fresh. Had a bunch of coffee. It hasn't been firing on all pistons, you know? If my brain was a football team, it wouldn't have mattered who we played today. We would have lost, you know.
Starting point is 00:58:13 I would have looked like the Patriots if my brain was a football team. We just would have lost 33 to 14 because it is just not working. It's just, come on. It's got to be better. Sometimes you just have off days, you know. It seems like there has been an excuse for every loss so far this season. In Chicago, it was the monsoon. Okay, wait, my, love the pot, give the great work.
Starting point is 00:58:33 to get your thoughts on the latest Niners loss. Okay, seems like there's been an excuse for every Niners game. Chicago, Monsoon, Denver was Jimmy knocking out the rust, and Lanna was the injuries. This loss of the Chiefs, however, seems like they are all out of excuses. One thing coward consistently calls out is that the sign of a bad coach is someone who cannot get their side of the ball right. With the ups and downs on offense this season,
Starting point is 00:58:57 do you think the argument could start being made for Shanahan? Do you think he will be on the hot seat? If the Niners spiral from there, lots of season left, but the chinks in the armor only seemed to get bigger. Well, I have no problem shitting on Kyle's game plan and his just overall play calling in Atlanta. That was an embarrassment. Same thing with Chicago, 10 points, and Atlanta, 14 points.
Starting point is 00:59:23 That is unacceptable against mediocre teams. You know, they, Jimmy throw a pick in the end zone. Like, at minimum, they should have scored a field goal. So they would have been in the high 20s against the Chiefs. They lost that game because of their defense. And their defense, who's one of the best teams in the league, refused to change. Like Andy Reid is going to take advantage of your defensive ends,
Starting point is 00:59:50 specifically Nick Bosa, when he is just going to shoot up the field like a rocket. Now, Nick Bosa is one of the best players in the league. But the Niners scheme just get up field. Go get the quarterback, which works against the majority of teams. But when you're playing a game, one of the best offensive play callers ever and one of the best quarterbacks ever, you might want to just like, hey,
Starting point is 01:00:10 they're clearly taking advantage of our overaggressiveness. How about we throw a curveball at halftime? Hey, Nick, pretend you're going to shoot straight up like we always do. Take one step and then stop. And then hell, maybe when they throw a screen, you'll pick it off. Or maybe when they run an end around, you'll declate the guy. I despise, listen, I'm a man. a big believer in whatever you do to have like a general philosophical belief.
Starting point is 01:00:39 Like this is what I stand for. I'm talking professionally, not morally, but like professionally. Right. Like if a coach, we believe in running the ball and playing defense or we believe in the spread offense, you know, if you're a sales guy, you have some certain thing you do to close, right? I would say for me in this podcast, like I'm a big believer in authenticity. I'm a pretty fucking open book.
Starting point is 01:01:01 You know, I tell you a lot about my life. try, I just give you my opinions. I'm not faking anything. I would rather go do something else. I'll go work in real estate before I pretend takes for quote unquote ratings or I don't even, I don't even know what that means in the podcast world. But that ain't happening here. So I do believe that you got to stand for something. So the Niners defense stands for something, but you do have to adapt. And I hate in football specifically when people go, well, this is what we do. well, okay, I have no problem doing what you do, but if at halftime, it ain't working,
Starting point is 01:01:37 and luckily the Niners were only down one point, shouldn't you guys be like, let's do something different, and maybe, I don't know, we'll win the fucking game? That's what I didn't get. Now, listen, the Chiefs are better than the Niners. They have Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes, right? Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes are better than Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppel. But in terms of the team and the players,
Starting point is 01:01:57 like the Niners could have competed much, much closer in the second half if they just made some adjustments. And they refused. Now, their D.Bs did not play very well, but their defensive line didn't change at all. Andy Reed was just kind of toying with him. He was the equivalent as a coach. If you watch tennis,
Starting point is 01:02:17 you know like when a Federer or Nadal or a Jokovic is just in the zone, it's like, is this guy even sweating? And just rallies and volleys and ballies and backhands and the other guy's just going side to side. it used to happen a lot with Federer and Djokovic Nadal was a little different, a little more powerful, but like Federer and Jokovic,
Starting point is 01:02:37 when they just lock in and their opponents like barely hitting the ball going back and forth on the other side, and especially Federer never looked like he sweat, Djokovic too. And then there's, that's what Andy was as a play color. It's like, I'm going to go left, I'm going to go right,
Starting point is 01:02:52 left, left, right, right, screen, pitch, pitch, screen, quick out, screen, you know, quick post. I mean, it was a joke. It was not on Andy's part. I mean, it was just, it was a clinic. But he had to be thinking, like, are these guys ever going to change what they're doing?
Starting point is 01:03:10 Are they really just going to be cool with doing this? Football sometimes is not as complicated as we make it. You know, I mean, Andy reads one of the great screen callers in the history of the sport. And the Niners, like, pretended that he wasn't going to run screens. I didn't quite get it. Like I told one of my. buddies with the chiefs. Nineers need that win more than you guys. You guys are going to cruise
Starting point is 01:03:33 to the AFC West. Think how lucky like the football gods took care of Coach Reed. They gave him Patrick Mahomes and I'm saying obviously they isolated they wanted them but I'm just saying that match up and think about the division. He gets the Raiders I mean we tend to
Starting point is 01:03:49 be bad. I know they got a big win off the Texans but I mean that's a team that's going to have to battle their ass off to get eight or nine wins. You get the Chargers, one of the underachieving franchises of all time. And then you get this debacle that is the Denver Broncos.
Starting point is 01:04:05 I mean, Nate Hackett and Russell Wilson. I mean, the Chiefs, Chiefs are going, it was like, you know, it's going to be hard for them to win the AFC West. They're going to win the AFC West by like four games. They might be resting people by, you know, I guess it depends what happens with Buffalo.
Starting point is 01:04:20 If there's a chance they can catch him, but actually they'd have to win by a game because Buffalo has the tiebreaker. The Chiefs are going to cruise the second seat. cruise to the same. I mean, they are going to cruise the division. I mean, you could give them, I mean, they're a winner to a way,
Starting point is 01:04:36 just give them the hats and t-shirts. Like, what the hell are we waiting on? But yeah, I hear you. Adios. The volume. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends.
Starting point is 01:05:14 Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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.
Starting point is 01:05:31 Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast is. Superhuman documented it all,
Starting point is 01:05:52 embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast.
Starting point is 01:06:11 Guaranteed Human.

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