The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Big Ben Back, Fangio WYD; Tompa Needs Time; Rodgers Flex; Wentz, Jimmy G Q's; Week 1 Hits/Misses; Masks; Mailbag

Episode Date: September 15, 2020

In this episode, John reacts to the Steelers MNF win against the Giants in Big Ben's return, the Titans outlasting the Broncos despite 4 missed Stephen Gostowski field goals, and why Vic Fangio's horrendous late game management is inexcusable. He also explains why he's not bailing on Tom Brady in Tampa after a bad debut, gives his take on Aaron Rodgers reverting to his MVP form in week 1, why there are still legitimate questions about Carson Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo after rough starts. He also runs through his week 1 hits and misses, why he doesn't think the NFL needs to worry about coaches wearing masks and answers listener questions in the Middlekauff Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1-800 flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values. To order today, visit 1,800flowers.com slash tune in.

That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. What is going on, everybody? John Middlecast, the lean-out podcast. Football is, let's give a golf clap. Let's give a little golf clap. Thank you, National Football League for returning. from myself and everyone listening and basically all of America

we'd like to tip our hat to you and greatly appreciate your efforts in doing whatever you could to get back and I got a lot to talk about. I've already actually, because we got multiple Monday night games I don't want to stay up till midnight. I've recorded the majority of the show.

I'm going to hit on basically everything that happened on Sunday. I'm going to start by I just watched the Steeler game and Giants game. I'll dive into that. Then I'm going to record this. and then I'm going to, it's a great part about a podcast, then I'm going to watch the Titans game,

then I'll touch on that, come back, and then the podcast will just keep on rocking and rolling, have a lot. I mean, there's nothing that happened probably on Sunday that I don't dive into. I'm pretty sure, and even touch on college football a little bit. Maybe I didn't break down Gardner Minchu, but you've got a big win.

But the football was fantastic. I'm sure everyone, you're either pissed off or fired up for your team. I had an incredible gambling weekend, and I'm just not a great gambler. I probably have lifetime losses in the five figures. But with this Pittsburgh Steeler win, I've had a great couple days. So I am in a pretty good mood.

So we'll dive into everything. And let's start with the Pittsburgh Steeler Monday night game. But before we get there, at John Middilkoff, Middilkoff Mailbag, I'll answer a couple questions at the end. Everyone that listens to the podcast through Apple and iTunes, go there and leave a review. If you like the show, I appreciate it. and it helps selling the show, like I said. So thank you.

But my overall takeaway is, listen, the Giants aren't going to be very good. They have no talent on defense. You know, the coach, who knows? I mean, Jason Garrett is the clapper. Saquine Barclay has nowhere to go. For a grade of a player of Saquan Barclay is, he doesn't want to block a soul.

He kind of reminds me of Adrian Peterson that way, really physical back. doesn't want to touch anybody. You know, it's like, bro, you got a block. And that's not really his thing. Now, clearly the team stinks. The defense stinks. They can't cover anybody.

They're just not going to be very good. I mean, I think they're going to struggle to win, I don't know, five games. Danny Dimes has some talent. He's an athlete. Clearly, he can move around, he plays away with his legs, unlike Eli Manning. He actually has a pretty strong arm. The hype on his arm, I always thought, was not as good. Everyone compared him like Alex Smith.

He's got a stronger arm than Alex Smith. And I just, you know, they're clearly probably the worst team in the division. And it's just going to be a long year for Joe Judge, Freddie Kitchens, Brett Bilema. They have quite the staff. I mean, you just see some of the guys. You're like, God, who does this guy have on the staff? Jason Garrett? Yeah, just going to lose.

I mean, the reason they got put on Monday football is because they're the New York Giants of the New York market. Not because they're any good. Both New York teams probably are going to combine for seven. wins. Jets might win three, Giants might win four, maybe five, maybe eight. I'd set the over under about seven and a half between the New York teams. They stink. The Steelers, their defense is unreal, right? The speed of the defense, I guess the weakness would be their corners on paper are just okay, but they, you know, Joe Hayden, not the fastest corner, but he does, you know, he's a physical dude. And their front seven, I mean, that defensive line is just coming for blood. If you

like football and you like physical play, they are fun to watch because they are coming to kick your ass. And Sequin Barclay, missing blocks, they are destroying people. They're bringing D-Bs and linebackers. It feels like they're blitzing every other play. That defense is top-notch. I don't know if they'll finish the season as the number one overall defense, but they're definitely a top three defense in the NFL.

Their team speed of just all the defenses that I've watched over the last day. I guess 24 hours including I mean the Chiefs actually defense might not be terrible I mean actually it's going to be pretty good I don't know if it's going to be a top 10 defense but it'll be in the teens The Steelers defense is probably the fastest defense in the league Just top to bottom

Their team speed up front All their defensive linemen it'd feel like Hall ass Their linebackers are fast Their DB especially having Minka back there helps a lot Their defense is just top notch So it's going to come down to their offense

And the reason they went 8 and 8 last year Is because Ben threw out his arm and in probably the first quarter and a half you know it's hard not to overreact every snap we're humans you couldn't have watched that and went oh my god has been done you know he looks slow

he just looked awful and then you know once you take a deep breath and you realize you know what he missed all last season with a with a torn elbow let him get his legs under him now he's not fast like he hasn't been fast in a while not that he ever was that fast but I mean he can't really move now but as he got his rhythm throwing the ball

you're like okay this is an older version of the Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Rathusberger and they just dominated I mean they were running crossing routes so the cows come home he's hitting Deontay Thompson who can fly juju now who had a bad year last year because his quarterback sucked looked like a star again multiple touchdowns

just getting open with ease everything short and intermediate and if their offense is good Kirk Herb Street and I almost called him Ricky Fowler and Chris Fowler, who by the way, God, what an easier watch those two guys are than Joe Tessator acting like every play is to win the Super Bowl. It's like I just let the game breathe. This is the NFL. This is the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants. Just let the game play. Call the game. Like, you know the reality, too? It's way easier to call NFL games than it is college football because most of the players in the NFL are famous. And this, you could argue

this game is probably one of the more difficult games because the Giants have a bunch of random players. But they still got Danny Dimes, Sequin Barclay, Leonard Williams, Blake Martinez. They got some guys you're going to know. And then the Steelers team is littered with star players. In college football,

even if you're doing Ohio State and Penn State, they play like 50 guys. In the NFL, they're like 35 guys that play. Your starters, a couple rotational backups, and you've got to pay attention to some of the randos on special team. It's not that complicated. Now I'm not saying calling games is easy. I couldn't do it.

But just in terms of learning it, everyone's like, I can't believe how good they are. Well, they're good, and then calling NFL games is pretty easy because learning the players isn't that hard. Because if you just pay attention, I would imagine most people that call games are sports fans, the NFL, it's like doing the NBA is way easier than doing NCAA. You know all the players.

So most of these guys that Herb Street and Fowler have called their games at Alabama, at Ohio State, at Michigan, at LSU, at Georgia, right, at Oregon. They call the big games. So most of these guys, I mean, a large majority of them are coming from bigger programs. And I thought they were excellent. It was a very, very easy watch. Now, Herb Street thought that the Pittsburgh Steelers were a Super Bowl contender.

Now, I wouldn't go that far because Rathesburg does. I mean, he looks his age. He looks in his late 30s. And where I do think it'll be difficult as they play defenses that are as good as their own. Now, he's lucky he gets a practice against that defense every year. For the most part in his entire career, he's practiced against elite defenses. But he can't really get away. Now, he's not Phil Rivers or Tom Brady, but part of his game, right, his entire career,

has been keeping plays alive. And he's just, he looks kind of slow, as he should. He's old. My takeaway was after the first half, I'm like, I don't know, is he going to play 16 games this year? You know, he got rolled up on early, kind of came limping, and I didn't get he's a little bit of a drama queen, he legitimately tore his elbow. Of course he told them it's been hurting for 15 years.

But if he gives them 16 games of just top 18 quarterback play, I mean, they basically had the works quarterback play in the league last year. So if you just get top 18, 16 quarterback play, they're double-digit-win team. They're in the playoffs. And then you just take your shot, right? You give them a couple shots of tortural. You say, Ben, go get them, and you just, you know,

first round playoff game, maybe you get a home game. It'll be probably hard for them to beat the Ravens. But you never know. It's not like the Steelers are going to be scared of the Ravens. It's pretty clear you watch this game. The Giants gave everything they had, and it's not very good. The Steelers probably played a C game on offense. I'd say their defense was probably like a B,

and they're going to win by 10 points pretty easily. I mean, it's just, it wasn't that complicated. First game of the year with a quarterback that missed all last season. If I'm a Steeler fan, I'm pretty bullish. Now, the one thing I'm nervous of, like I said, is just Rathlisberger's health. you're just holding on for dear life that he can stay healthy

that he can avoid these hits that he can stay erect because that's not easy and the hard part about staying erect when you're old and you can't move is you're kind of a sitting duck so I enjoy watching the Steelers I just put some money on the Steelers

thank you Mike Tomlin thank you Rothersberger and I think they're going to have they should be a playoff team and the Giants I guess this year is just kind of about just seeing of Joe Judge you know does he have any tricks up this league

Is Jason Garrett a legitimate offensive coordinator? I guess we'll just learn that as the season goes on. But their roster is probably bottom five in the NFL right now. Okay, let's, I guess, dive into that. I just finished watching the Titans and Broncos. Don't quite know where to start. Listen, I'm a big Vic Fangio guy. I think he's an all-time great defensive coordinator.

I think he's one of the better defensive minds. of the last 20 years. But being a head coach is more than being a coordinator. And he took three timeouts. He took two, like he just walked to the locker room with two timeouts in his back pocket. Like that just can't happen. You know, you have to call timeouts at the end of the game

to give your team a chance. And it just, that's just low-level stuff. And listen, we can argue about going forward on fourth and ones and the analytic community about when to punt when not to punt. I'm a big feel of the game guy, but in that situation, even though Goodkowski has missed

17 million kicks tonight, you have to start calling timeouts because you're going to get the ball back with like 17 seconds, you've got to go 50 yards. You don't have enough time. It just, listen, I like you, Vic, but holy hell, use your timeouts, man.

The Titans, I think the Broncos are fine. Like, I think they're going to be a competitive team this year. They had a couple of injuries tonight, and they've obviously already lost Von Miller. Drew Locke, it's easy to see he's got a lot of talent. He is a talented young player. It's going to be an up and down season for him, but his physical attributes, his arm strength, his athletic ability, his accuracy on the deep balls, a little hit or miss. He overthrew a couple deep balls by a mile.

But there's a lot there to work with. I like Drew Locke, and I think the Broncos are going to be one of those competitive 7-8 win teams just after watching them play. Now, maybe the Titans are good. My issue with the Titans is, love Mike Vrabel, big Mike Frable guy. Big John Robinson, friend of the show, GM of the Titans. I like their team. Defense, physical up front.

Rashon Evans got tossed for, bro, you can't swing in another player. It's automatic ejection. Whether it's a soft ejection or not, you can't swing. It's just football one-on-one. You get taught that in high school. You can't do that. Clearly their offense, I mean, Derek Henry is a monster.

I got to look at the box score. I don't think he had a great game that I'm. Obviously, A.J. Brown, baller. Corey Davis kind of coming into his own. My issue with the Titans is Ryan Tanyhill. As someone described him to me, he's like an Alex Smith. And here's the way I would describe me.

He was 29 to 43 for 250 yards and two touchdowns. But he missed a touchdown to, I guess, that just would have covered the spread. They won the game no matter what. he's a more physically gifted Alex Smith I think he's a little faster he's a little stronger and he's got a stronger arm but he's not as good

he misses some just kind of routine passes too often like there were passes Alex couldn't make but Alex was really accurate like I watch Ryan Tanyhill and I just go is this guy good enough to beat and I know they won a couple games last year in the playoffs but a lot of that was their defense kicking Lamar Jackson's ass

kicking Tom Brady's ass, and Derek Henry looking like Walter Payton meets Emmett Smith meets Jim Brown. You're not going to have your running back go for 180 yards in a playoff game most of the time. Even if he has a good game, he might go for a buck 20. You need the quarterback to be really good, and they got some weapons. I mean, AJ Brown's a stud, Corey Davis is big time. I just, to me, that's my question mark. Is he going to be good enough? Now it's the first game.

I've tried to temper my just enthusiasm slash criticism, criticism on just about everything because I It's just it's difficult The timing's off for quarterbacks you saw with Ben As I talked about earlier took him as the game went on So maybe Ryan Taney Hill will be better Titans are good

Like they're just gonna play in a bunch of ugly games and probably win 10 or 11 games Probably win the division I'm a big variable guy I mean I like their mojo I like their squad I like their physicality But I just I just Like to me their limitation Why I can't like that's a Super Bowl team

team. It's like the quarterback, you know? Like, I don't even love Lamar Jackson. Now, he looked pretty good the other day. They were playing the Browns. But I'd go, I know his ceiling is high. I don't know how high Tanyhill's ceiling is. Like, Josh Allen's ceiling is high. Mahom's ceiling, obviously we've seen it, is the moon. Right? Lamar Jackson's ceiling is damn high too.

Like, is Tanyhill ceiling that high? Can you win a Super Bowl? Like, you saw last year with the Niners, like, Jimmy Garapolo's ceiling is somewhat limited. but their team around them was unreal. Like, I don't know, I don't know if this Titans team is as good as, like, last year's 49er team, and Taney Hill is just somewhat limited. That would be my question mark with their team.

But definitely good enough to make the playoffs, and then you have a physical defense, turn the ball over, their kicking situation. I always thought Gikowski, just watching the Patriots from afar was elite. I saw a tweet. He was like the fourth most accurate kicker of all time coming in tonight. After all these misses, he's now like ninth. a bunch of guys passed him.

Obviously, they didn't even play tonight. They just passed him because he went down percentage points. But that's concerning. I thought the guys in the Monday night broadcast said it pretty well is when you play in that style of football, running the ball, defense, just ugly football, you're going to be in a lot of field goal type games. And when your field goal kicker can't make a kick, it's like hold on for your ass, right? So I enjoyed Monday night. Little ugly. One thing I will say about opening weekend. It's been a very, very physical weekend.

And as a lover of physical football, I felt like the football was getting a little soft there for a while. It didn't feel like 1991, but it felt like if you go over the middle and they're not head hunting, but you're going to get mollywapped. Dudes were flying to the ball. I thought the effort from Thursday to the last snap on Monday night was fantastic. Guys are playing hard, playing their balls off. And it's just enjoyable to watch. Now, does that effort maintain as teams start losing as season goes on? Who knows? But I think the NFL's got a pretty good, just core teams.

Even their average teams play hard and are watchable. 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 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness, in this month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field

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Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you here on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app.

Search Learn the hard way and listen now. It helps that there are a lot of just functional quarterbacks. There's not many quarterbacks in the league, even like Drew Locke, right? I mean, he's just, he's watchable. Danny Dimes, watchable. And those teams, you know, probably not going to make the playoffs. So as long as when your bad teams have watchable quarterbacks, obviously, good teams typically have good quarterbacks.

I think the league's in a pretty good spot from a competitive standpoint, as it usually is, but I think there's way more depth at quarterback right now, which definitely should just help our entertainment as a season goes on. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1,800 Flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise. Shop thousands of unique gifts at 1800flowers.com for exclusive offers and great values. To order today, visit 1,800flowers.com slash tune in.

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Brought to you by NTSA and the ad council. Okay, let's dive into Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And by the time I've recorded this, obviously the game has happened, but then Bruce Ariens has said things, I think, in his Monday morning press conference. Now, listen, I've said from the jump, there was going to be a learning curve with Tom. He has been with the same offensive coordinator,

what feels like for his whole career, but the second iteration of Josh McDaniels right happened after he got fired from Denver, Bill O'Brien took the Penn State job. Maybe Josh had gone to St. Louis for a year, got fired there too. Bill hired him back, and then they've been together for basically the last decade. He has been in the same offense, his offense, which he has created over time forever. Think about any job you've been in if you've been in it for a long time or a relationship for a long period of time when you change out of that job or that relationship with that

significant other, there is a growing period with the next person. Now, there's a natural honeymoon period because it's really cool, it's really easy, but eventually at that job or with your significant other, your new one, you're going to go through a little adversity. And it's going to be something that at your old place, you were used to handling, it was easy to pivot, you knew how to handle it. That's not the case in Tampa Bay. He's never worked with Bruce Ariens.

He's never worked with all these wide receivers. It's brand new. Now, let's face it. He threw a couple picks and a pick six. It looked a little weird. I think sometimes we forget that Tom Brady is 43 years old. And I admire the living hell out of the guy. I have him on my pantheon.

It goes Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Tom Brady. Of just the guys whose desire, drive, willingness to do whatever it takes to win, all-time superstars in my lifetime. And after he scored that first touchdown, and he let him right down the field, he gets the quarterback sneak. It's badass. You see the fire in the guy. The guy's 43, he's got six Lombardi, he's been to nine Super Bowls, he's got unlimited money, he's got a supermodel wife who makes huge cash.

Like, you'd say he's got the life by the balls, yet he's still playing. In Tampa Bay, a franchise that hasn't been to the Super Bowl, or, I mean, even the playoffs in 12 years. But I respect it. I really do. Now, Bruce Aaron is a high-level coach. I think a lot of people, in most high-level play, in college, whether you're playing at Alabama, whether you're playing at Georgia, whether

you're playing at LSU, whether you're playing for Kirby, whether you played for Urban Meyer, I think Mario Cristobal's like this, I know Chris Peterson at Washington was like this, you know, Harbaugh, they get on guys. College players are used to having, you know, getting ripped. I mean, that's part of football, especially your position coaches. You get lit into. And I think a lot of times in pro sports. Definitely you see it in basketball. Like you watch college basketball, Tom Izzo, Calipari, Coach K, they will light into a dude who's about to be the number one pick. They treat them, they coach them. And then once you get to the pros, you start making huge money, then you start dictating the shots and no coach can say anything to you. I think football's

kind of somewhere in the middle. There's a select few coaches that can really get on guys. I think sometimes coaches can be intimidated. Well, there's a couple old school. coach is obviously Belichick who treated Tom for a long period of time called him Johnny Foxboro when he'd screw up and he lit into him where a lot of players of his level don't really get talked to like that I don't think Aaron Rogers gets lit up that often even Sean Peyton who does light into guys I think they're pretty cool with Drew Brice I don't think he's getting yelled at that many times in front of the team meetings I could be wrong and they always said this about the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan in that dynasty.

That Greg Popovich could treat him like the 15th man on the roster. And they said the same thing about the Patriots. Tom Brady was treated no different than Brian Hoyer or the backup linebacker or the starting right tackle. And that's where it sets the tone in your whole franchise. Well, Bruce Ariens is a little different than Belichick in the sense of when he talks to the media is pretty open. And I respect that because I think it's easy to like, the one thing Belichick does

is he says things to the media. media that just aren't true. Now, I also believe what you say to the media and what you don't say to the media ultimately doesn't matter that much. We'll get into optics a little bit later. I think it's the most overrated thing in football. Like, we saw Tom. He struggled. He struggled a little bit last year. Now, this I kind of understand. He has new offensive weapons. There are new offensive lingo. There are offensive, you know, the way and different things that you do within that offense, where to throw different guys open, different routes to run against different coverages. be different than New England. I don't know

exactly, but Bruce Ariens said after the game, directly after the game, that the pick that he threw over Mike Evans' head was on Tom Brady. That's something that Bill Belichick would never have said. But that doesn't change the fact that the pick was on Tom Brady. And then today,

on Monday, Bruce Ariens was pretty open about, you know, Tom Brady did things in practice, we were ready for in the game, and he just didn't execute it in the game. And I saw it on social media, a lot of the media members like, oh my God. This is, no, Tom Brady is used to being held to a high standard.

That's why he's the greatest quarterback of all time. He has been held to a high standard. Now, not openly in the media, but behind closed doors for 20 years. And definitely this last decade after he's had countless rings, and they just kept racking them up. Tom Brady wants that. The best players in football want to be coached. And this isn't Freddie Kitchen saying it.

This isn't Ben McAdoo saying it. this isn't some rando saying it, it's Bruce Ariens, who has a long resume of working with elite quarterbacks and running elite offenses. Like he knows what he's doing. Tom also knows what he's signing up for, Bruce Ariens' personality. And I think, now, it's going to be a little different

because it's out there in the public, but again, we all saw it. Tom's passes on a couple of these, on the pick and the pick six, like it just doesn't quite look like Tom Brady. And it's just a mistake. It's a mistake that Jimmy Garoppel or Dak Prescott or Jared Gough makes. It doesn't hide the fact whether Bruce Ariens blames it on Tom Brady or blames it on no one. Who cares?

It still happened. And they need to get it corrected. I'm sure they will. They play the Carolina Panthers this week. That's what I would call a get-right game. I'm not selling Tampa Bay down the river. Their defense is clearly really good. I think I heard, I have to look at the box score, like 15 third downs.

That means they were relatively containing the same. offense. Obviously, one of the touchdowns was a pick-six Tom threw, and another was, he threw another pick, so you're giving them free possessions. Listen, they have so much talent on offense. The guy that I would say I have the biggest red flag on is Gronk. I saw people tweeting like, God, he looks like he's running like an old man. It doesn't look like he's kind of old, even though he's not really that old, but he retired. He retired for a reason. It wasn't just because Belichick was an asshole. It was because he wasn't the same physically, and maybe I thought he would have a bounceback game, just watch him

that game he looks slow but they still got mike evans they still got chris godwin i think the running i'm a rojo guy for net will continue to gain a role as this thing goes and bruce irons and definitely tom brady's resume speaks for itself they are old school badasses i do have faith that they will get it figured out now the one kind of elephant in the room is at the end of the day the breeze think about this breeze and brady combined to be able to be able to be 83 years old, right? Tom's 43, Drew's 40. The combined ages of the coaches

in the Niners, Arizona game, was 81. I think Cliff's 41 and Kyle's 40. So it just shows you, these guys are really, really old. So there is a chance, and we'll talk about some of these other quarterbacks, the older quarterbacks later, that you just hit 43, you're just not as sharp. Now, Tom's never ran, but he was always elite in the pocket. Maybe you just lose half a step.

maybe your accuracy diminishes just half a percent or a percent. Like, it gets to a point when you get to a certain age. I mean, I'm 35. I feel pains in my body when I got out of bed that I didn't feel five years ago. I played golf with a buddy on Saturday, and he was like, you know, he was in his mid to late 30s. And he's like, you know what's crazy is I work out every day. And once I got to like 28, 29, I couldn't just eat whatever I wanted. I had to change my diet.

Like, as you age, things change. and I understand he eats avocados and tomatoes that there is a chance and I'm leaving this as an option though I still think even if he's aging I mean he is but diminishing as a player their talent around him if he can get a hold of this offense and the coach has proven that they will be able to score points

the Saints potentially are the best team in the NFC I thought really they were last year and then the Niners beat him in that crazy shootout and I still thought they were the second best team in the NFC then they lost that inexcusable game to the Minnesota Vikings at home. But I would not just act like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers some six-win team. I still expect them to win nine or ten games

compete to win the wild card. But they do. This month, I think it's fair to say, it's going to have its ups and downs. As they get on the same page, as Tom learns, his wide receivers, his personnel, it's one thing to run it in practice. It's another thing to run in a game.

And not just any game against, one of the best teams in the league. You learn something. And I've always been a believer of this. I think most people I would imagine listening to this. You learn the most through adversity, not through success. So if I was them, would I rather have a big win or a big loss, if you're talking week one, I don't know if a big loss,

and, you know, quote unquote, big loss. You know what I mean. A loss that I think us on the outside views is, God, they just kind of got handled because they kind of did. It's not the worst thing. I think they will learn from it. And if Tom isn't just physically shot, which I need a little more evidence before I just say that,

I think they'll turn it around and be okay. Okay, let's dive into some polarizing quarterbacks because yesterday was a great day for one polarizing quarterback and a really pretty terrible day for a couple other ones. Now, I wouldn't necessarily include this guy as a polarizing quarterback. I'm just going to tip my hat to him in Russell Wilson. he's just a star. I think he's the clear second best quarterback in the NFL.

D.K. Metcalf and him just, they kind of have a special connection. Tyler Lockett's still a baller. Carson's a baller. And Russell just is a magician. I think he's, I know for me personally, he's one of my favorite athletes to watch in my life. When Russell Wilson's on television, I enjoy watching him. And I would pay to watch him play.

I've paid to watch him play before. I've seen him play three or four times in person and he never doesn't live up to the hype. He's just a baller. And you add Jamal Adams to that team. One thing I think Seattle lacked last year when they added Clowny, like Clowny's not a huge uplifter.

He's not like an energy guy. You know, he's just this freak talent that's kind of an underachiever who just looks great getting off the bus and depending on if he's into the game or not, like you're getting his best effort. Jamal Adams, if he's in a good environment, which he was in LSU and now he is in Seattle, is an uplifter. The guy's an ass kicker.

And you put him in that environment in Seattle with Russ Cookin, like, they're going to be pretty good. And Jamal Adams is going to compete to be the defensive player of the year if he can say healthy. Because he's going to be on a winning team. He's going to be an impactful player. They're going to score points on offense and Seattle. I just wanted to mention them, even though I wouldn't consider Russell Wilson polarizing. But I think Aaron Rogers, who I said on a previous podcast, either last week or, yeah, I think last week. I said, a big reason, Aaron Rogers, now one, he learned from FAR how much shit you take when, you know, you're kind of an asshole to the younger guy.

Like, in pro sports, you don't get to pick and choose where you go, right? You get drafted. This isn't, you're not like, you know, trying to work in the tech sector and be like, do I want to work at Google? Do I want to work at Facebook? or do I want to work at Apple? That's not how it works. You don't get to pick your employee. They pick you.

Like, Aaron Rogers was forced to go to Green Bay, right? He wanted to go to the Niners and the number one overall pick in the draft, and he tumbles and he goes to Farrv, and then Farr's not nice to him. Well, I understand why Farrb wasn't nice to him because it was probably pretty clear, pretty early on that Rogers was going to take his job.

And then Rogers turned into one of the greatest quarterbacks we've ever saw. So really, you could argue Fav, well, he had his own issues, and I'm a Brett Favre guy, but the way that situation happened was probably as, really just all on Brett

Farve. Now, Rogers, be prickly or whatever, but it's a tough spot for a young guy. And the opposite this year, we've seen all the information come out of Green Bay. One, Jordan Love's not any good. He was in street clothes yesterday, on the bench. Can't even dress for the game. Couldn't beat

out Tim Boyle, a guy I've never even heard of. I literally follow football for a living. Played at Easter Kentucky. I don't know anything about the guy. Couldn't beat him out. And from all accounts, and just some videos I've seen on NFL Network of Love, I don't think it was close. Like the guy, if he was an undrafted free agent, he probably would have been cut.

It's the one great part about sucking when you're a first round pick. You're on scholarship. And so Rogers immediately goes, well, I can get credit here, be nice to a guy that couldn't hold my jock right now. It was an easy one. And I'm not trying to diminish Rogers being nice of the guy, but if Jordan Love showed up and looked like Peyton Manning, would they have a normal relationship? I don't know.

But here's clearly what it did. is we already know that Rogers takes a lot of things personally. And listen, I do too. I think a lot of people listening, I'm sure. I mean, we're all humans. It had to motivate the guy a little bit. And then I think there's a natural progression in this offense where you see it with Kyle Shanahan and Matt Ryan in the second year

had a big explosion. We've seen guys in Jared Goff's second year with Sean McVeigh, big explosion. Jimmy Garoplo, hard to tell, like last year, you know, took a big jump in the second half of the season, that it gets a lot easier to play in once you kind of master it. From all accounts, listening to the Shanahan's and the McVease, those guys talk, it is a complicated offense for quarterbacks. It can be uncomfortable with turning your back to the line of scrimmage

because you're under center, the zone play action stuff. Matt Ryan says he didn't feel comfortable at all that first year, turning his back to the line of scrimmage. And Rogers, you know, did something a certain way under McCarthy, and then it changed dramatically under Matt LaFleur. Another big question with Rogers, like, is he old? Because my always issue with him was like, you know, his fundamentals aren't great. He just, as you get older, the reason Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and Breeze,

like these guys hang their hat on fundamentals. Footwork, you know, stepping into throws. Because your arm strength, even if you throw 100 miles an hour, is going to come down to 95 as you age. And if you throw like 92 like Philip Rivers, you know, in your prime, you're going to end up throwing 87. Well, you can still get guys out in the big leagues throwing 87. You just better be able to locate. And last year, watching Aaron Rogers, like, God, he's not as accurate. I know the numbers were good, but he was off.

Yesterday, listen, say what you want about Minnesota's defensive backs, all these young guys, dudes with no experience. I don't give a shit if he's playing a college team. Rogers looked elite. Like, he was making plays that looked like MVP, 2014 Aaron Rogers. That was a clinic. That was a major effue to the league, FU to team management,

because the media's not making this up. The management literally just drafted a quarterback in the first round. And Rogers looked pissed off for greatness yesterday. That's what Ray Lewis told the Stanford Cardinal one time before an NIT Final Four. They brought him in the locker room, and he told him you've got to be pissed off for greatness. And that's what Rogers looked like.

And he just looked in general like, I'm going to eviscerate people this year. And Devonte's a star. and they have some other guys that I think we're all, and even Packer fans would say, you know, Scantling, Lazard, like, we'll see. You know, this isn't Randall Cobb or Jordy Nelson or, you know, Greg Jennings. But maybe the great quarterbacks, they elevate, right? I didn't know who the hell Julian Edelman was when he first showed up to the New England Patriots.

Ten years later, he's had walk-off touchdowns and great years for, right? Tom Brady, you could argue, kind of made him. And that's what great quarterbacks do. Like, Devante would have been good no matter where he goes. But these other guys, Peak Rogers, makes these guys look better. The Rogers I saw yesterday, you're going to win a lot of games. If he's got 10 more of those in the bag of the next 15, like this team's a lot to go to the playoffs,

because they're going to run the ball. And if you just have a quarterback playing at an elite level in the NFL when he's a Hall of Fame level guy, it's going to be hard to beat you. It just is. Roger's just a winner. I mean, the resume speaks for itself. I think our question was, is he falling off the map? Well, yesterday, it looked more like five years ago than it did last year.

And then the two polarizing guys. Let's start with Carson Wentz. I think Carson Wensch is a special talent. Like, Dak Prescott, I like Dak Prescott. I don't think he's a special talent. He's a good athlete, average arm. You know, when he's on, he's accurate. Like, Carson Wents is a freak.

But I think sometimes he struggles with touch, and he struggles with not always throwing fastballs. Listen, I understand they had a ton of injuries. I have a lot of guys out. Like Jimmy G.L. get into it a little bit. When you're missing top receivers or you're missing top offensive linemen, it's challenging. But there's a reason when a team cut you a check for $25 million a year, $30 million a year. They're putting on you to overcome it.

Like, at the end of the day, LeBron is a max player, Kevin Durant's a max player, because he's winning with whoever he plays with. Like Aaron Rogers, when he's on, could play with me or you, and he's going to compete to beat anybody. Russell Wilson could play with nobodies and win. Mahomes, people ask me this all the time, like, what if you put Mahomes on the Jaguars? Be like, they'd fucking win? I mean, they would win 10 games? I mean, just, they'd be awesome.

Why? Because he's an elite player. He's an uplifter. And I think sometimes Wentz did this at the end of last year, but the Wynch yesterday just made some awful mistakes. I mean, the pick at the end of the half, pick early in the second half, it just leads the points. And you give, especially early in the season, we don't really know, like, bad teams. Like, at the end of the day, Washington might win six or seven games, right? But right now, week one, they don't look at themselves when they get ready for the game on Sunday morning any differently than the Eagles look at themselves.

I think we're going to go win this football game. You know what? Why? It's just, that's what any football team thinks, early in a season. Because you look at your record, you're like, well, we're 0-0, right? or 1-0 or 1-1. It's one thing. You start thinking you're a loser

if you're 2 and 10, but that's months away. So your margin for error as a quarterback, like you've got to be on point and just his mistakes. But I think sometimes he just, everything's got to be so, like, strong and so hard. It's like, bro, you got to be calm.

Like you watch Rogers and Russell in Mahomes, they can throw the dart, right? They can hit the deep ball. But they also have no problem throwing a little wheel route, throwing an on-time little route over the middle that takes a change up to throw.

I think that's the biggest thing Wence has to work on to not be so powerful with everything. To be a great quarterback, you could argue you actually don't need the great arm, you just need the accurate arm. But touch is so big with a quarterback. And I think when Wence gets off,

and that was a terrible loss for the Eagles, I mean being up huge against Washington, who I don't think many of us expect to be good, though I think it's fair to say their coach, and even Jack Del Rio, I saw in Oakland, like, they will be tough. They will be physical. They're not going to just tap out. And I think just Wentz made some inexcusable plays. And Jimmy Garoppolo, I think, had one of his worst games as a 49er. He was inaccurate. Now, his top two receivers were out. But like I said, you pay him $25 million.

There are going to be games in moments where you have to overcome it. You're paying what I think is playing the worst defensive coordinator in the league, Vance Joseph. There are going to be plays debate, and you have to hit guys. And I'm not just talking about wide open guys, which he missed. I'm talking about when a running back is in the flat, not throwing it behind him. So he has to catch the ball and basically stop running, and then he gets tackled because he couldn't hit the ball in stride. Like being an accurate quarterback, there's a reason Drew Bree is going to walk right to the Hall of Fame.

He's not tall, he can't run, and he doesn't have a strong arm. but every ball for the most part is in the majority of his career right is pinpoint accuracy you watch Russell Wilson when he's on it's just hitting guys in stride when you're throwing balls behind guys or getting guys over the middle and you're throwing it at their hip as they're running full speed it's hard to make these plays even in the NFL it's easy to be like if you touch it clutch it well if I'm a 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. A win is a win. I don't care what you'll say. 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.

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Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day But just so y'all know I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack So I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now So

Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important year for black people Really? Yeah for me it's one of the most important years For black people in American history Listen to look back at it On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts Or wherever you get your podcast

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fantine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

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And at the end of the day, a coach, when it comes to the quarterback, like if I'm Kyle Shanahan or I'm Doug Peterson, I scheme these guys open, well, if my guard gets smoked and my quarterback can't just complete basic, you know, outroutes or in-routes, you know, stuff intermediate in, I got problems. And then when the big plays are there to be hit, I got to hit him. And Jimmy Garoppolo missed underthrew a ball.

And I think, and I see this sometimes with Derek Carr, when you get a guy wide open, I think sometimes quarterbacks, who aren't the elite guys, are so terrified to miss them with a strike that they throw like this lollipop, this lob pass. Well, the problem with a lob pass when it's underthrown, it's the one ball that a DB that's 10 yards behind the wide of,

receiver can catch up to and make a play on the ball. If anything, I can live with overthrowing a guy, especially if my wide receiver has a little room to kind of jump or run back and make a play. I hate underthrown balls on wide open guys. I despise it because you have so much room behind him. It's the only place the DB can make a play. And Jimmy Garoppolo had Kendrick Bourne wide open in the end zone and he underthrow him and Patrick Peterson made a play on the ball and that was basically the game. And he was just bad. I mean, there's just, there's no way around it. We'll get into Kyla Murray probably a little bit later, but Jimmy Garoppolo and Carson went second half, it was just bad football for guys that make like a combined $55 million. It's just, I heard Doug

Peterson say it. He's probably a little more candid than Kyle on it. I mean, I'll, I use the same word. It's just unacceptable. You know, it's one thing to lose and get beat, and you can miss a throw. But when you consistently miss throws in the second half, It's one thing, you know, early in a game, not to have a rhythm, I get it. But once you're a pro and you're a veteran player, once you get in the flow of a game, and you've been in the same offense, it's why I give Tom Brady a little leeway. They never run this offense. They're kind of like, they're trying to mix all this stuff together.

Carson Wentz and Jimmy Garoppel, even Dak Prescott, like they got some new terminology. I'm sure McCarthy's doing some stuff. Jimmy Garoppel and Carson Wentz have been talking the same verbiage for years with their head coaches. So once you get in the rhythm of especially the second half, you're sweating, coming out of the halftime, you're loosened up. Like, my expectations for these guys are just higher. It's just, it's not good enough. It wasn't.

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I get asked about this a lot like, what's your biggest hit? What's your biggest miss as a scout? And I thought I'd do something. I didn't want to copy Colin, I mean his segment of where Colin is right and where Colin is wrong. It's just fantastic. So I thought I'd do a little something, my hits and misses from the first week. because if you listen to me, you know, I got a lot of bold takes. I just, I say what I mean.

Let me rephrase that. I don't feel I have bold takes. I just, I'm an opinionated guy. Give my opinion. I don't, I have never said anything, you know, and I know people in the media, at least the consumer feels that a lot of guys just make shit up to take a stance. I think if you listen to me for long enough, you know I don't do that. Doesn't mean I'm always right, but if I take a stance on something, I truly believe it.

At the end of the day, I'm talking about football. It's not like I'm talking about life or death. start with my first hit Rivers he's a liability now his numbers didn't look that bad I haven't watched the entire game but you lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars

and I did see the final drive where he threw a pick Rivers just throws interceptions you know and listen I have nothing but respect for Philip Rivers his career I think he's just a tough SOB I think he's a passionate player and I think when he was on he's a badass

but he's 38 39 years old his arm is average at best now, and he just throws the ball to the other team. One thing is clear. When you throw interceptions, it's a killer. It's a killer for James Winston. It's a killer for Tom Brady, and it's clearly a killer for Philip Rivers. And the problem for Philip is his interceptions seem to come in the fourth quarter. And he threw a pick at the end of the game, and the Colts lost.

And they also lost Marlon Mack. Now, luckily, part of being a good GM is, you know, the thing with the football, a strength can become a liability immediately. And so it looked like on paper Marlon Mack and you draft Jonathan Taylor, boom, it's a strength. Well, Marlon Mack tore his Achilles. But that's why you draft Jonathan Taylor. Time to step up, rook. One miss. I've talked a lot of shit about the Arizona Cardinals.

I don't believe they're a playoff team. And I might be wrong on that. Now, let me say this. I still don't believe Cliff Kingsbury's ever won anything in his life as a coach, because he hasn't. Most wins he's ever had in college was seven. They drafted what? In the top seven last season. I don't think his defensive coordinator's not very good.

Here's where it might be wrong. He deserves credit for Kyler Murray because the GM had just drafted Josh Rosen. And Josh Rosen now, if you saw the picture, I posted on my Instagram, watch the Saints, Buccaneers games from the stand in his sweats. So they nailed that. And Cliff gets to me all the credit. He pushed for that. He got it.

Kyler's a star. And sometimes when you have a quarterback who's a star, it can overcome the coach. Now, Cliff knows what he's doing offensively. That was never a problem at Texas Tech. I just don't know if their defense is good enough. Now, Bouda Baker, Chandler Jones is good. Getting DeAndre Hopkins, the Niners couldn't cover him.

I mean, DeAndre had 14 for 150. swear to God watching the game, it felt like he had 25 catches. He's a monster. DeAndre is a star, a baller. But at the end of the day, their team is going to go as far as their quarterback, and their quarterback is a stud. I love Kyler Murray. So while I diminished

Cliff and the coaching staff, I have never said anything bad about Kyler. I think he pops. And he has one negative and small, but he doesn't faze him. He plays smart. He slides. He avoids hits. He's a stud, man. I tip my hat to him.

So that's a miss right now. They just went on the road, beat the Niners. That's a big time win. Got a late touchdown, too, to win that game. Blocked a punt. I mean, they played a good game. They were legit. Tyrod Taylor, I've been saying over and over and over.

You start Tyrod Taylor, you're not going to be very good. I get Anthony Lynn likes him. If you watch Hard Knocks, he's a high-level guy. He's a first guy there. He's lifting when it's dark. He's not a very good player. They have really good players on offense. Hean and Allen, Mike Williams.

Those two guys are ballers. Austin Eccler is a really good running back. They have Hunter Henry. You just drafted a guy. You don't even have to listen to me. Their own team just drafted a guy six overall. His name's Justin Herbert. Justin Herbert is not Ms. Trubisky.

He wasn't a one-year starter. He was a four-year starter at Oregon. A four-year starter at Oregon. Pretty sure he was the Rose Bowl MVP last year. Make him the starter. Tyrod's a good backup. Let him be a backup. Let Justin Herbert be a starter.

Where I come from, Cal Paul, we have a motto. Learn by doing. Throw the guy in the deep end. You have enough rafts and floaties that he's not going to sink. Your team's good enough. It can't be any worse. I mean, you could barely beat the Bengals. The Bengals, who just had the number one overall pick.

Honestly, the Bengals should have won that game. So as long as you start Tyrae Taylor, I can't take you seriously. Where I was wrong is a miss. I took the Browns to cover last week. and the Browns not only didn't cover I would say of all the teams in the league on Sunday probably even more than the Texans too

on the Thursday night game I'm recording this part before the Monday night game is that the Browns were a joke I mean that that was as embarrassing of an effort as you'll see from a team it's one thing you know the Jags or the Giants or the Jets teams that I think any football fan especially a fan of that team

goes listen it sucks sucking I want my team to be good. But if you're being real, we understand in 2020, teams that have talent, teams that don't have talent, right? The Browns have talent. They have $100 million pass rusher.

They have the number one overall picket quarterback. They have Odell Beckham. They have Jarvis Landry. They sign Austin Hooper. They got Nick Chubb, and then they sign Kareem Hunt. They sign a right tackle. They draft a left tackle.

Like, they get a new coach. What? I mean, they scored six points? Listen, I was way wrong because I expected Baker Mayfield where I'm not wrong on Baker Mayfield is he's a terrible player right now

someone needs to tell Baker Mayfield you are not an athlete when you step on a football field think of yourself like Drew Brie's the fattest defensive linemen in the league can catch you every time that you step on an NFL field for the rest of your life

every time not counting a kicker or punter and even I would say the majority of those guys are better athletes. You're going to be the worst athlete on the field. You know what Breeze and Rivers and Brady know they're the worst athlete. They don't ever try to run away. When it's not open, throw the ball away. When you're getting, when you got a pass, hit the ground. Every time I looked up and I had that game on, I guess that was in the morning, so actually only came on red zone, not very much for the Browns. I'd see these highlights of Baker Mayfield. It's like he's running

around in the pocket. Like, bro, what are you doing? John Harbaugh can catch you, let alone his defensive alignment. Stop running around. Baker Mayfield, listen, I hate this term because it gets thrown out so often by media, and it's just stupid. Like, once you get into year three and four, like, I do think we can start throwing the bust word around. You were the number one overall pick, and your offense has talent. I can't believe I, I didn't actually put money on that game, thank God. but I was way off on that one. The Lions were a hit for me.

The Lions are just a terrible franchise. It's just a trash franchise. And I just, they can't ever get it right hiring the right people. Because at the end of the day, no matter how rich your owner is, no matter how glamorous your stadium is, if you do not hire, good GM and a good head coach,

you will lose. like Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, all these guys that have unlimited money. They don't control anything with football. The reason Robert Kraft became a legend is he hired Bill Belichick. When Jerry Jones had the most success,

it was because of Jimmy Johnson. This isn't that complicated of a formula. Jeffrey Lurie went from bad owner to immediately a good owner when he hired Andy Reed. And then the moment he kicked Chip Kelly out of the building and gave Howie Roseman more juice,

they became a credible franchise again. The reason Dan Snyder always stinks, up until now I think with Ron Rivera, he hires bad coaches, or when he hired a good coach in Mike Shanahan, he micromanaged and made it a disaster. Jed York, genius with Harbaugh, moron with Tom Sulla, Chip Kelly,

good owner again with Kyle Shanahan. You got to hire the right people, and for whatever reason, feels like the majority of my life, the Lions never hire the right guy. and now they got, it's fair to say, the worst coach in the league, they were up 23 to 6 against Mitch Trubisky and lost the game.

I'm not a big fan of like a win probability because it's like, it's all just based on previous games about that game, who knows? Like, weird things happen. But it's safe to say when you're up 23 to 6 in the fourth quarter at home against Mitch Trubisky, the win probability should be about 98%. And they lost.

I mean, how does that? that happened? I don't know if this is quite a miss for me, but I've seen this guy's praise this. I think he's a big time talent. And he's not playing very well. I talked about him a little bit earlier, but Carson Wentz

was just not very good. He just, to lose to Ron Rivera, and I'll take a little hit on this because, as a positive, I've said, Ron Rivera's a grown-up. He's a winner. Look what he did at Carolina. A joke franchise when he got there. number one pick. And then I think four of the last eight years, four of the last seven years,

he went to the playoffs. So I guess he'd missed it the last two when Cam got hurt, but he had a stretch, I think it was four of six years where they were going to the playoffs. Like he's a, he's a legitimate NFL head coach. And like Carson Wentz, you can't just, you can't, like I said earlier, you can't try to force every ball with a hundred miles an hour power. You got to learn some touch. You don't need to throw deep all the time. I think last year, when he started playing well, he started having every pass in his arsenal. The short little wheel routes, the quick timing routes.

And then, because he has a huge arm, and I get if you have a huge arm, it's like if you're a power hit home runs. If you're Bryson D. Chambot, you want to hit 350 yards. Sometimes in golf, you need to pull out the three iron and just hit the fairway, 220 yards in front of you. You can't always hit. There's a reason Dustin Johnson's winning.

He hits fairways. He'll take something off it. There's a reason like, you know, some of the great players, Barry Bond's in the peak of his powers, even though he was a home runner here, he was a great contact hitter. And I think sometimes Carson Wentz

is just all or nothing. And you all or nothing with good coaches. And the one thing with the Redskins, excuse me, the Washington football team, it's hard, is that they don't have just some joke coach anymore. This guy's team's gonna be tough.

They're gonna play hard. They're definitely just not gonna quit. So you gotta play smarter. Okay, let's touch on a couple. other quarterbacks. At the end of the day, I say it all the time, for as good as your defense is, for as great as your pass rush is, if you don't have an above

average quarterback, if you have a really good defense, you don't need Aaron Rogers. But you need, like, the Niners last year, Jimmy Garaplo, the second half of the season, played really well. You can't win in the NFL with a low-level quarterback, no matter how good your team is. Like, he has to be operating at like a

top 15 level. That's why Kirk Cousins, he can win when your team's good. Jimmy Garoppel, he can win when your team's team's good. And like his team wasn't as good yesterday, Jim Grabble lost. Trubisky, if I have an angry tweet midgame, it's usually because I have money on the game. And I had a parlay this weekend. I had the Raiders minus three. Kind of just sweat that one out. Though it was pretty clear that Raiders were much better than the Panthers. Their defense just pretty questionable. But the Raiders' offense is going to be pretty good. And I had the Lions.

Or excuse me, I had the Bears. I think I got them at plus three. I think they closed at three and a half. Now, again, a little biased, but I believe in my guy Nagy. Trubisky, I was just open-minded. Maybe it improved a little bit, we'll see. And then they're down basically 23 to 6 in the second half. Trubisky's just atrocious, I mean, awful. Overthrowing balls, skipping balls. Look like the Mitch Trubisky from 2019.

And somehow, you know, texting with a couple guys, he hit a throw, and he just got a little confidence, and then down the stretch he was basically 12 to 16, three touchdowns. in the fourth quarter. He was exceptional. I mean, he looked really good. And I'm not saying Trubisky turned a corner, but I do think like any player,

because Trubisky has physical skills. He has a powerful arm, and he's a good athlete. His problem, he's inaccurate. And I think a guy like him, the bears have to find a way, and this is why Nagy and John D. Filippe, all these guys get paid all this money, to get him confidence.

Because when he's confident, he's not terrible. And their defense is clearly good enough that if you just get middle of the road quarterback play, you can win. With Miller, with Alan Robinson, they got some playmakers, they're going to have a run game as a season goes on, and their defense is just really good. So if you can just get top 20 quarterback play, because the first half, worst quarterback in the league, beside Baker. Baker Mayfield, I'd say after week one, worst quarterback in the league, I would put Mr. Ribicki through half time, probably even third quarter, second worst quarterback in the league. Then somehow

he looked like Stafford in the fourth quarter. Now, you're not going to always get that Trubisky, but if you can just find a way to get the guy confident, just so he can make half the plays that he's missing, you'll be okay. You'll give yourself a little more potency in the passing game, and your defense is good, and you'll be fine. Josh Allen.

I think you saw it yesterday. It kind of looks like he's taking another step. I know there was the past in the back of the end zone that went viral, that he overthrow. Did he over, I mean, he didn't just airmail it, he threw it in like the second row, the second, he threw it over the first bowl. I mean, the guy was wide open in the back of the end zone,

he's rolling to his left, terrible throw. It's okay. You can have terrible throws. He rushed it. I bet he, if he just took a deep breath, set his feet, it would have been a layup throw. But you look at his numbers, he was 33, 46, with 312 yards and 2 touchdown.

I just, I watched a lot of that game. I just, you know, this guy's pretty good. And once him and Diggs can get on the same page, he could be really potent. Like, I think it's clear. Of that draft class, Three years ago. Lamar Jackson is clearly the best quarterback in that draft class.

Josh right now is solidified at number two. And then it'd probably be Sam, which also in that game, I don't know what to make of Sam Darnold. Because I do like his physical attributes. I liked him a lot coming out of college. But he is in a train wreck franchise. I mean a just trash franchise right now. I think every Jets fan would agree with that.

I'm not talking about your history or even the brand. because there's some history there. The brand, if they're good, is fantastic, the New York market. But what they got going on right now, and it's not Joe Douglas's fault, Adam Gase is just an awful head coach. It doesn't look like they have that much talent around, and that's part of that is Mike McCagnan and the team he built. Levy on Bell, who got hurt yesterday, is just not good.

Frank Gore, who I love, I am a Frank Gore stand. He should not be in the NFL right now. He had six carries for 24 yards. Like, if you just look around the league. league. You don't need to draft Clyde Edwards Hilaire in the first round, though if you're the Chiefs, you just kick everyone's athlete of them. You can find guys in the middle of the round that are immediately just starting running backs. The Niners, they're rolling out Rahim Mozart, the Brams, Malcolm Brown, the Seattle, Chris Carson, like young, vibrant backs.

And they're stuck with Frank, who's way old, again, I respect the hell out of Frank, and Levyon Bell, who just stinks. And then you look at their wider, receivers, you know, Crowder had the one big play. They got nothing else. And you just look across, you know, the field, the bills add digs. They already had Geron Brown. Cole Beasley's a solid slot receiver. They can throw it to Singletary of the running back.

Allen can run. That's the one big difference between Alan and Donald. Like, Allen is a pretty potent runner. At any moment, he could bust out a 20-yard run. That's why I like playing him in daily fantasy. Because he can get you a couple passing touchdowns. He can get your rushing touchdown, especially on those boot plays. He's like the poor man's cam

So, you know, Mitch is a major work in progress He surely showed some signs of life Because he does have some physical attributes His just downfall is he's inaccurate And that can be a deadly deadly downfall But when he does get in a rhythm You're like, oh Mitch is pretty good quarterback Right? Now granted he was playing the Lions

But next week they play the Giants And then they play the Falcons There's a chance Mitch Like the Bears could start 3 in 0 the bills, I mean, are just going to be good. The Jets are going to be awful. I mean, the Jets play the Niners this week. The Niners coming off a loss.

I haven't seen the line yet. My guess would be six or seven points. The Niners should destroy the Jets. I don't see how the Jets score on them, and I don't see how the Jets stop the 49ers. I mean, the Jets, just let me pull up their schedule right now. They got the Niners loss. At the Colts.

I don't even love the Colts, but how are the Jets going to be? the Colts. The Broncos. Again, recording this before the Monday night games, this part, so I don't know how they'll look, but the Broncos have way more talent. Then the Cardinals and the Chargers and the Bills and the Chiefs and the Patriots, there's a chance that Jets don't

win many games. Oh my God. They've got a couple games with the dolphins. The Dolphins are better. The Raiders, Seattle, the Rams, the Patriots again. I mean, it's just, whew. Jets are in for a long season, man. and Sam Darnold probably not going to have very good numbers. People are going to question it.

I'm not trying to make excuses for the guy, but he's had, I think what we all agree, probably the worst coach right now in the NFL, if not, I mean, top, bottom three, him or Patricia. He has a franchise that's just like the Lions and Shambles. Now, Stafford's good enough to overcome that, and they got some weapons. Donald's not. He's young, he's inexperienced.

They don't have any weapons around him. And the bills are just kind of in the driver's seat to win that division. Okay, let me I gotta go off about this Because I saw it Definitely started with the Rader game Gruden didn't really wear his mask

He had his mask around his chin the whole time Then the Niners game Kyle Cliff did not have a mask on And then the night game Sean McVeigh never had his mask over his face And I wake up this morning Shefter tweet I couldn't sleep last night

Maybe I'm just so giddy off football On Monday morning Shepter has this tweet that the league led by I think Troy Vincent who's like one of Roger Goodell's right-hand men sends out a memo kind of saying like hey guys for those of you that didn't wear the mask

and a lot of guys I think that's why Andy Reid wore the face shield he knew he'd take it off I'll give Bill O'Brien credit he wore it the whole time uh Jerry didn't have one on but who cares most coaches it felt like was hit or miss here's my overall issue I think optics are the most overrated

thing just in sports, but in any business, optics, like what the media thinks. Who cares what John Middlkoff saying about you? Now, granted, I'm not going to say anything bad because I think it's so stupid. I've seen the same thing with the NBA. All these guys are tested. Every single day, there is not anyone on that football field that hasn't been tested for 45 straight days. No one has corona on the field. Now, I don't know all the rules with the rules. I don't know. All the rules referees, but I would be shocked if they're also not getting tested daily, because you couldn't afford bringing one of those guys in having it on. The NFL has billions of dollars on the line. It's why they have, I did some numbers probably between $15 to $20 million a month to test

everybody. The NFL is spending a ton of money to make sure no one has the coronavirus. And the way that you find out is you test every day. In the moment someone has it, you quarantine them or whatever, right? It's not that complicated. The NBA, same thing. It's why I never understood in the NBA. Their coaches take it off all the time. But they have players, like I remember in the first round series, the Clippers. Patrick Beverly plays in game one. Game two, he gets hurt, so he's out, and he has to wear a mask on the sideline.

It's like he was literally just on the court, sweating and diving on everyone. Now he tweaks his ankle, he's off the court, has to wear a mask. Then a couple games later, he's back not wearing a mask on the court. Are we worried that, like, people in the mainstream media are going to freak out? you guys are all tested why are we making a big deal of this now to counter my own argument of just I think the whole thing is

worried too much what people are going to think I do understand from the league's perspective the games are paying for everything so the money is all coming from the games so under no circumstances would you want an outbreak on just something you can't control so I do get them for being over the top

but I also understand I saw Jard Gruden say Gruden was like it's 100 degrees and superhuman I could barely breathe. I get tested every day. I got to do a better job, but I'm going to pull it back down. What are you going to find these guys? $50,000 for not wearing a mask?

They don't have the coronavirus. We know for a fact. You couldn't test these guys anymore. It's not even humanly possible. And I'm not some anti-masker. I follow the rules. You tell me to wear a mask, I don't wear a mask. I approach it like anything else.

You tell me to wear shoes in your restaurant. I wear it. I just follow the rules. And I get these are technically the rules, but I can understand from the coach's perspective, like, guys, I'm tested every day. I need to talk to my players. I need to, I'm the play caller.

I want to speak into the mic. So I just, I think this is kind of a tough spot for the league trying to crack down because they're terrified. It's all about money. They don't want anything to happen, which I completely, I'm as pro business as anyone you're ever going to hear that talks for a living. It talks about sports. So I get it.

But I also understand, like, I understood why Cliff Kingsbury and Kyle didn't have their mask on. I've had something stuck up my nose for 45 straight days. Every day, negative. I do not have the coronavirus. Every single one of my coaches, every single one of my trainers, every single one of my players. Same thing.

The Niners, for example. Fred Warner got it. Put him on COVID list. For like 12 days. He was gone. So, I mean, it's like we know immediately when a guy has it. And they're not allowed. So it's just one of those things like I,

I think optics is just the most. overplayed thing in business, what people in the, the consumer speaks. And clearly no one in the NFL, I think there was also a report on Monday morning. Like the NFL hasn't had a positive test, like a week. Like, it just, the NFL knows what they're doing. In terms of the players and the coaches, like, they're all following the rules. And partly they immediately know when some guys has it. You immediately send them to quarantine.

This isn't, this isn't rocket science here. The NFL's got it down pat. But to act like you're going to find these guys that they've got to pull down their mass to call a play to me is kind of stupid. Okay, let's bang out a couple questions from the Middlecoff mailbag. Ad John Middlecoff is my Instagram. DMs, open, welcome to come on in and interact on the show. Hey dude, big fan of the pot.

When are the pundits finally going to give up on Carson Wentz? I'm watching him get owned by the Washington football team. Never gets weird saying that. And can almost hear coward defending him Monday morning. I'm not an expert, but seems like he's either injured or is frankly pretty lackluster. He has a big arm, but at mass, poor decision-making, like rolling out of the pocket,

way before it breaks down. Yeah, he wasn't good in the second half, just bottom line. And really, to end that first half when he threw that pick, and I think it didn't lead to a touchdown. I talked about it earlier. He just, I thought he had a lot of mojo going at the end of the last season. I get he was playing shitty teams,

the divisional teams, basically. I think he played either the Giants or Washington. twice and then one of the other ones once and then obviously that cowboy game and he just he played well and he got his mojo back going into that playoff game against Seattle and then Clowny hit him and clearly he got hurting this training camp that game was weird right now he's more talent than he is football player it's sad because he is really talented even if you're kind of out on Carson I think we all can admit that I think someone sent me a DM like compared him to Jeff George I wouldn't go that far

But yeah, I mean, there's an elephant in the room with him. They can't really be argued, right? Because we've seen his high-in, unlike Darnold or Baker, it's like, those guys haven't done anything. Carson, we saw him play at an MVP level. We saw they were the number one seat, and then he got hurt, and it's just kind of been weird ever since. Can you give an assessment on Sam Donald?

I know he doesn't have weapons. Gase is a bad coach, and the line has not been good. Still, should Jets fans be worried, he doesn't seem to have a presence on the field in terms of being able to get guys lined up or make plays. He often seems nervous. indecisive and not willing to take a hit. If this year continues, should the Jets move on,

the whole roster is a mess anyway. I feel bad for fans of just crappy teams. You know, we don't, like, we get to pick our job in theory. I mean, you can. If you hit your job, you can always quit and go pick another job or at least, you know, try to do something different. We get to pick our mate, in theory, you know, our significant other,

whoever we want to date or marry. But we don't really get to pick our team. Right? We're just born. Like when I was born, my dad was a big 49er fan. And I was just born in Northern California. So I was either probably going to like the Giants or the A's or the Kings or the Warriors. Like I wasn't going to end up liking like the Cowboys or the Yankees, right? If you're born in Ohio, you're just probably going to like the Bengals or the Browns. If you're born in Philly, you're just going to like the Eagles. It's just, or the Sixers or whatever. We're just, we tend to like where we're born. And we clearly don't determine where we're born.

So if you're born, I don't exactly know. I've only been in New York a couple times how it breaks down. But clearly a Jets or a Giants fan, you don't get to choose that. Now, if you were my age 35, but you've been a Giants fan, you've had a pretty good run, right? You've won a couple Super Bowls in your adult life. It hasn't sucked. If you're a Jets fan, you go, why has God doing this to us?

And I say, I don't know. Okay, I believe Sam Donald, like Wence, is talented. Now, Wence has proven way more in the league. The Jets are a mess. to me it's really, really hard to judge a quarterback in this situation. The coach is a dead man walking. Do you have one offensive player

that you would feel good about on like a high-level playoff team besides the young left tackle? Seriously, maybe the tight end. You know, I mean, the running... Frank Gore, I talked about him earlier. I just... I don't know...

To me, that one's tough. You know the grades, like when you're in elementary school and you get like a, B, C, D, or D, or F, right? Or just even in high school. And then there's one, like, incomplete, I-N-C. I just, I'd give it an incomplete. I don't even know what to even say at this point. Like, it's easier to make judgments on Josh Allen, right?

See him with good players. You see him making improvements. You see his talent. It's just like you kind of see it all. Even though there's things to be desired, even like Drew Locke tonight. You're like, okay, I see the talent. I see him moving around. seeing him with Judy who's dropping some balls

and Melvin Gordon and I just know a fan I'm like okay I can see this right it's like I watch Sam Donald I don't even know Love the pot Looks like the best team in the NFC West The 49ers got beat by the most

Overrated team in the NFL The Cardinals. Question does this make you change Your opinion on the Bird Gang and some of what makes you pull back on the 49ers Usually the team that loses Super Bowl Does not make the playoffs The following year also with Hopkins And the genius of Cliff Kingsbury

You know the coach that has never won more in seven games in a season. Cardinals look like a contender. I know it's week one, but it's time to stop the Red Bird Hate and jump on the bandwagon. Yondra Hopkins, one of my favorite players in the league. I said it earlier.

I think I spoke on this earlier. My take on the 49ers is they got a shitload of injuries. I mean, as of earlier today, Kittle now has a sprained knee. Who knows if he plays this week? They're lucky they play the Jets and the Giants the next two weeks.

Debo Samuel had a setback last week. That's not ideal. Their wide receivers stink. I mean, Dante Pettis, I would have cut yesterday. Trent Taylor was good like three years ago. I would, he's not any good now. Kendrick Bourne is the only decent receiver they have, but in reality he's a third wide receiver,

but he's the best wide receiver they have that's healthy. Now, Kittles limping around. It's just the Niners have some short-term issues. They just can't stay healthy, and their quarterbacks off. And their defense is still really good relative to the NFL, but it's not as good as it was last year. I mean, the defense helped carry them to an ain't-no record. You know, I don't know.

Their pass rush, I mean, Bosa's dominant, but it's like he can only do so much. You know, Buckner's gone. Eric Armstead's not going to be as good without Buckner, D. Ford, who even knows. Kinlaw is a work in progress. So, yeah, I mean, I say it all the time. I think Kyle Shanahan's an elite coach, they'll make the playoffs. It's really that simple. And, you know, listen, you got Kyler and he's that good.

maybe I should shut my mouth. Huge fan of the show, huge cowboy fans here, a true one, not like the other ones. In the opener, offense looked proficient, right tackle and tight end being the two glaring holes, but the defense is seriously lacking. After seeing week one's performance, do you think Dallas front office may be having second thoughts

of saving cap room and signing a stud DB? Do you believe the need is great enough for a mid-season signed and trade, or do you think the secondary can be sharpened up and be serviceable? Yeah, I mean, What was the final score? 2017? I wouldn't be that worried.

Now, Van der Rash breaking his collarbone and probably, who knows, after the season, he's neck, his collarbone, he's always having issues. That's a pretty big issue. Alden Smith was a badass. To me, their offense needs to be more potent. I never understood the hiring of Mike Nolan. I get he put Mike McCarthy on the map, but you cannot hire Mike Nolan 2020 to be your defensive coordinator.

I hated that. Like the Tom Sula hiring, if you look, their defensive line is going to be fine. to me their offense needs to dominate. They need to score 30 points a game. And with Zeke, with Dak, with Citi, with Gallup, like even with the tight end, Taryn is ACL, which sucks, because that guy's pretty talented, they should dominate. I mean, Zique looks in fantastic shape.

Like, there's just, to me, Dak leaves a little something to be desired. Like, there's, I watch Dak and go, I like Dak. But I can understand where, if I was running the Cowboys, where I'd be hesitant. Like, do I want to pay this guy? Everyone in the media is like, you gotta pay him. I do. Why?

What am I winning with that? Do I actually have to pay him? Because I don't think I do. Because I'll play this year to year. You know, it might be closer to Kirk Cousins. Say what you want. The one thing Washington gets a lot of credit on over the last four or five years is people go,

you know what? They played the Kirk Cousin situation right. Kirk Couss is fine. He made the playoffs last year of Minnesota. And you know what? Dak probably would have made the playoffs of Minnesota. Do you know why? Because Minnesota's team last year was stacked. You know who else would

make the playoffs with Minnesota? Every quarterback that's like a top 18 quarterback would have. You gave Rogers or Stafford or, you know, Russell Wilson or Mahomes, Minnesota, the last couple years they dominated. They'd win 14 games.

So, like, would DAC have been any different than Kirk Cousins? I don't know. Again, I'm a DAC fan, but I'm not saying he's the problem, but are we sure he's the solution? Regarding the Eagles injuries year over year, think they are currently down eight of 22 starters. Have you seen anything like this?

And at what point should you finger the staff in the front office? Would also appreciate your take on the Eagles meltdown against Washington in general. I had someone else DM me this. Listen, in my backyard, the Niders have had a ton of injuries the last several years. They are borderline hand in hand with the Eagles. Maybe the Eagles have one more, but the Niners are not far behind. I just went to a state school in California. I'm not a medical grad, so I don't pretend to know what causes injuries and what I'm not a

strength coach. I don't get it. I've just been around in the front offices. I've talked a lot about it. I obviously watched this stuff closely. My expert opinion would be at somewhat random. Like there is no chance. I know how much money, for example, the Eagles spend.

I've seen it. they spend every possible penny on doctors, on training, on the scouting, on the whole deal, on the coaching, whatever it takes to get guys in pristine, shape, ability, practice to get ready for these games. So no one wants anyone to get hurt. I think it's just,

I think there's some dumb luck randomness to it. That's my expert opinion, to be completely honest with you. Like, does Andre Dillard get hurt because of something the staff did? Like, no way. I don't buy that for a second. Miles Sanders, like, these guys just get hurt. Like, the Debo Samuel just break his foot.

Brandon I. You pull his hamstring. George Kittle get laid out. You know, it's just, these injuries just, it's football. Sometimes you just go on a bad three or four year stretch. You know, and sometimes, like, it feels like the Ravens never have a guy injured. You know, last year, the Chiefs had some injuries. So it just, I don't know, man. It is crazy.

I'll give you that. The Eagles do feel pretty extreme. But I know those guys. I've seen it. And I know the way the owner thinks, they're spending every possible penny to avoid this. So it's just, I don't know what to say. And the meltdown, I do think in the NFL early in seasons,

even if the Eagles are better than Washington, you get into a position where you're playing, like you said, undermanned, your quarterback starts playing kind of crappy. If Carson Went has bad stretches, the Eagles just won't be good. Like, at their given situation right now, he has to be an 8 out of 10 or more every game for them to win. And clearly, once the second half, right at the end of the first half, and then the second half, you start turned into like a 5 out of 10.

Like, it's just you're going to lose. I don't care if you're playing Alabama, let alone an NFL team. Like, you just, they're not good enough right now. Now, if he's really good, they would have won a lot. that game 30 to 10, right? But he wasn't good. Because they're not going to be able to really run the ball right now. And they just need him to be good.

To me, here's a key to. When your team is limited from a personnel standpoint because of injuries, you can't turn the ball over. Philip Rivers, the end of the game pick. Carson Wentz, the two picks. You know, you just, the Tom Brady, the pick. Like, you throw picks. against good teams you're going to lose.

You throw picks against average teams if your team's not full strength, you can lose. You can't turn the ball over. Anyone that's played high school football, let alone college football, let alone, obviously I've never played in the NFL,

but I've been around enough NFL coaches. Every coach I've ever been around from college to the pros, never stop talking about turnovers. And, you know, sometimes like, okay, shut up, we get it. But then the game happens, and you fumble or you throw a pick,

you're like, you realize it ruins the mojo of your team. I mean, and it gives all the mojo to the other team. There is no just swing in a game like a quarterback throwing a pick, especially in a tight game. Just close your eyes and think about your team getting a pick in a game where you're down seven points. And just the explosion of your squad,

how much they're celebrating as they're going back to the other sideline, the offense come on the field. It's an incredible feeling. and how the quarterback unbuckles his chin strap and his head goes down and the whole aura of the sideline just goes to shit. So to me, the turnovers, you can't turn the ball over. And he did. Do you feel that Cam's showing off some signs of good form

against an improving Dolphins defense might be enough for Bill to look, Bill to put some experience pieces around Cam if available? Or will this just see how Cam does with the tools offer on this roster. Also, do you think Cam running his mouth against the defense will put a target on his head when they return to Miami? Probably not the wisest move from a player

that has been banged up the last couple seasons. My thing is, Cam, if you're wearing a chain that's hanging out, like, if I was on the other team, I'd grab your chain. Akeeb Taleb, when he grabbed Crabtree's chain, like you wear a chain that's hanging out of your pads. Guys are going to grab it. It's football. You know, it's a physical sport.

There's just everyone's looking for an end. edge. Pinching, biting, tackling. It's just, it is what it is. So, like, your chain's going to be hanging out. Guys are going to grab it. I think they're just going to ride cam until the wheels come off. They paid him 500 grand. They gave him 15 carries, I think, or 14 of those were designed. I read this morning that just, I would just run him until he falls apart. Why does Belichick care? Like, Belichick knows they're not potent enough passing the ball. They're just going to run them on quarterback powers. They're just going to run them down people's throats. Is it going to last?

I don't know. He's enormous, but he's broken down before. I just don't think Belichick cares. And he's just going to ride cam till the wheels fall off. After watching that performance and just looking at the box score, it's clear. Belichick goes, you're our best offensive player running the football. So we're going to run you to try to score and get first downs. And you can do that?

Now can he do that against like the Steelers and the Ravens and some of the better teams, the bills? I mean, you might not get up. I mean, they're going to try to take them out, but it's enjoyable to watch. I like watching Cam run around. It's fun. Appreciate everyone listening. Longer paw today. And have a good week.

See you. You coming to bed, hon? Yep. Honey, I'll be right there. Just got to turn out the light. Ow! Some things never change. Like, your kids always leaving tiny toys on the floor for you to step on.

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