The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Georgia Over Bama Reaction, Black Monday Firings, Wentz Liability, Crush Staley, Early Wild Card Thoughts, Mailbag

Episode Date: January 11, 2022

John reacts to Kirby Smart and Georgia beating Nick Saban and Alabama for the natty, gives his take on the Black Monday NFL coach and GM firings, why Carson Wentz is the problem in Indy, why Brandon Staley deserves to get crushed for his week 18 decision making. He also gives some early thoughts on the upcoming Wild Card matchups and answers listener questions in the Middlekauff Mailbag. Follow John and The Volume on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest content and updates and check out FanDuel for the best wagering and daily fantasy action! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Voice, you know, it's probably about a three out of ten, but when you talk, you just got to talk, and you got to battle through it. Just watch the Natty. Have a couple thoughts on Kirby Smart, who finally got over the hump. And tonight will change his life forever. A lot going on around the league. Black Monday.

The Colts choke job. Some of the aftermath on Brandon Staley. Some early look at the NFC and AFC some of the playoff games this weekend. Of course, the Middilkoff mailbag. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram. Slide up into those DMs get answered on the show. Also, new golf podcast,

save just on this feed. So subscribe to the feed, share it with your friends. The golf podcast will just be on the three and out podcast feed. So if you listen on through Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to that three and out feed. So do that. Three and out feed, share it with your friends. And, and yeah, the national championship game.

I texted a friend who basically every team in the league sends a representative to the SEC championship game. mainly because, and I guess this wasn't the SEC championship game. This was the national championship game, but it was the rematch of the SEC championship game. And it's because of the amount of NFL players in that game. And I think the difference in the SEC than all the other conferences is defense. Even Ohio State, right, who has consistently been the best team in the Big Ten for a decade since Urban got there. And up until this year when Michigan beat them, they dominated on defense.

Right. That was their point of difference. defense, physicality. I talked to Dante Wittner on my other podcast last week, and it was all about defense. And you look at that game, and I said, who would you want on Georgia? And my buddy's like, we don't have enough picks to take every guy I want.

Every guy in their front seven. Every guy in Georgia's front seven is an immediate NFL starter. Did you see the talent on Alabama up front? Will Anderson would be the number one overall pick, number 31. In this year's draft, it would be a no-brose. period, point blank, end of story. He would go number one. You know the problem?

He's not eligible for the draft. He's a true sophomore. The talent in that game on defense was stunning. The difference in the game the night was wide receiver play. And the irony is, Bama, who just produced four guys who went in the top 15 of the last two drafts in Ruggs, Judy, Waddle, and Devante Smith. those guys were difference makers and they didn't have that tonight.

Now, METI, TOR's ACL a couple weeks ago. James and Williams, I think Tours ACL the night, you heard say he'd been talking to Kirby, but like the defense, the hitting, the physicality, like that is the difference in the two conferences. This isn't a complicated formula here.

It's why us in the PAC 12, we don't belong and we can't hang right now. We are not physical enough. We do not have the NFL bodies up front. Because when you can set the tone up front, it throws off your entire team. I can rush the passer, I can open field tackle. That looked like an NFL game.

And Kirby Smart has been a star in coaching now for years. He has been at Georgia, taking them to the playoffs several times. They win the SEC East every single year. He's one of the highest paid coaches in the league or in the country. Georgia has been either one, two, or three recruiting every single year. He is elite. The only thing he could not do was beat Nick Sabin. That was the only thing.

And I was thinking back like, if Phil Mickelson hadn't played in Tiger Woods era, maybe he has 10 majors. If Peyton Manning hadn't had to go up against Tom Brady for years, maybe he has four Super Bowls. But sometimes you run up against the goat in your sport. But when you beat the goat in your sport, you become a legend. Part of the reason Dabo went up a notch and is considered behind Sabin the best college football coach over the last decade, him, Urban and Sabin, it's because he beats Sabin twice in the Natty for all the marbles. Sports, there's a, there's a, at the end of every game, we know a winner and a loser. Some games mean more.

You know, in the NBA, no one gives a shit about a game in early January. Literally no one cares. In baseball, I don't know, it's crazy that Sports Talk Radio for so long made so much money off taking baseball. It shows you how much people cared about random baseball games in June. And don't get me wrong. I watched some of these random baseball games. But the average fan, the casual fan, who is how you kind of make your money in the business,

you know, it's just casually coming in and out. Even in football, like a regular season game in October, mean something. But it's nothing like what we saw this last weekend in the NFL. These playoff games are a completely different level than the games, even in college football, where your margin for error because you can really only lose one game. but Kirby Smart tonight, his life changed forever.

He will always be viewed now as a guy that beat Nick Sabin in the national championship. No one will talk about how Nick Saban lost his best, arguably his second best player on his team, Star Wide receiver to an injured knee. No one will care that his other receiver went out several weeks ago. No one cares. We just remember the final score and who won, maybe not even the final score. Who won the game? It's part of the reason Eli and Tom Coughlin became such a legends.

Their two Super Bowl victories were against Belichick and Brady. And listen, Kirby Smart was eventually going to win a championship. And I was thinking about this. Part of success would make success fun is failing and having struggles and being disappointed. And whatever in any industry you do is kind of like getting hit in the teeth, being humbled. Like anyone worth their salt wants to accomplish, wants to achieve, works really hard at these things. but sometimes early in our career, middle of our career, late in our career, we fail. Failing is healthy.

And that guy kept driving him. He kept working. He kept grinding. And that guy built a team that looked like a powerhouse, like a peak Alabama team. That defense has probably eight NFL starters in 2022. Like those guys will get drafted and start on defense next season. Now their quarterback looks like he, He'd be your neighbor in college, right?

You drink some beers with them at a fraternity. It's pretty crazy. I'd say both those quarterbacks. Obviously, Bryce Young is a massive recruit. But the players in that game were massive. Every human being physically, offensive line, defensive line, tight ends, running backs.

I mean, Georgia's running back, Dalvin Cook's brother. One of the best running back in the NFL, his brother. What are the chances that guy is good? Pretty high. And yet the two quarterbacks, looked tiny. They both looked right around six feet tall and 190 pounds.

But I'll give Stenson Bennett credit on this. He threw a beautiful deep ball today. He had several deep passes. On the flip side, Bryce Young was let down several times by drop passes by wide receivers I've never really heard of. And that will probably become good players. But we're on nowhere

near the level of the previous guys. And Sabin said it at a halftime, some of these young guys with our injuries are going to need to step up. This is their first action. Let's rock and roll. Let's go. and they couldn't. And that's human nature. That happens a lot against Nick,

not usually for Nick. And you can see, tonight wasn't going to make or break Nick's legacy. He's got seven national championships. You know, it was going to get to the point, like, what's the point of all this?

But every once in a while, you lose if you're him, it kind of keeps you going. It's easy to be motivated this off season to be like, I don't want to lose that game. And like I say it all the time, and I've learned this,

I would say, It didn't feel lucky at the time, but when you fail, it sucks at the time. It really does. But when you look back a year later, five years later, you are grateful for that moment. And you can see it on Nick's face. I was told once by a guy that worked closely with Nick at Alabama. So you know the crazy part about Sabin is he is way easier to deal with after losses. He's really the only guy in the building who is optimistic, who is upbeat.

where Nick is miserable is after wins. And Google's record, they win all the time. That's why he's talked about like this miserable guy. Because that's the only way to keep guys motivated. Because it's hard to stay locked in, especially for young kids and even college assistants, when you're kicking everyone's ass. But I bet his speech and his talk to the players after the game,

that's when Sabin's at his finest. But ultimately, you know, as someone that had money in Alabama and just lost some cash, I'm happy for Kirby Smart because, you know, the only way to truly become a legend in your sport is to win the big game. That's the whole point of all of this. As Bill Parcells said, that's why you lift all them damn weights. Obviously, coaches aren't lifting weights like players do, but that's why you spend all those hours in the film room. That's why you spend all those hours crutin those kids.

And Kirby Smart accomplished his ultimate goal. And I don't think it's crazy. this might be a, you know, kind of a watershed moment of a breakthrough. Is it crazy to think he's got a couple more natties in him? Because that program is going nowhere. NFL players are going to keep siphoning through there. His side of the conference isn't that great. You know, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility

that he gets another championship and gets another championship fast now. Okay. A lot of happened today. You know, you always know, black men. Monday, you wake up. You have an idea. We saw Fangio lose his job on Sunday, but a big reason that happened was because they played on Saturday. The other teams, the Bears, the Vikings, I think the shocker of the day, Miami. Gettleman

retired. We all knew Gettleman was done. So let me start with this. These jobs, being a head coach or a general manager are elite jobs, right? You get to run NFL franchises. You make a boatload of money. You become immediately, you know, in a very high pressure public job, everyone knows who you are in some of these cities. And they're very, very competitive. A lot of people in this business want those jobs. The head coaching jobs were used to those happening. Every single year, we get a ton of turnover, right, five to seven coaches.

That is very, very normal. What we don't have very often is general manager openings. Some years, we don't have any general manager openings. Within the last 12 hours, the Vikings fired Rick Spielman, who I think is good. As someone texts me in the league, the bears should be all over them. The bears fired Ryan Pace, who's terrible. And the Giants general manager job is opening. Those are three pretty good jobs.

Last time I checked, the Giants are pretty long. loyal to their GMs, not as much to coaches, unless your name's Joe Judge, but this is only going to be if he survives year three. And who knows? To me, it's no guarantee when the new general manager comes in, the Joe survives. But I'm not going to waste time talking about a guy on third and eight who ran a quarterback sneak. But I do think the Vikings and the Bears job, you can be the general manager in the city of Chicago. Now, they're kind of in Cap Hill. They have major roster restruction to do. But what I'll be interested to see with Minnesota in Chicago,

are they going to hire general managers first? Because if they're going to hire general managers first and allow them to hire the coach, that's as good of a job as there can be in the NFL. Because as we know, that is not normal. A lot of times now, when you hire Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll, whoever, I mean, obviously those are big Matt Rule. They hire the GM. So the general manager is not,

truly like an old school general manager. He answers to the coach. He facilitates everything the coach wants. Gruden, for example, with Mayock. But if I get to hire the coach, now, we have to work together. I don't want to force players on my coach that he does not want. But if I get the opportunity to not only hire the coach but run the roster,

that that's an elite job for the executive scouting community. Now, the Minnesota Vikings, they have a problem on their hands. They have a $35 million quarterback who's just okay. And they're kind of stuck with that. But their roster isn't too terrible. I mean, they have been very, very competitive these last couple years. Mike Zimmer had to go. It was time.

Rick Spielman, that one was a little shocking to me. It was. I think he's going to interview for some of these opening jobs and he will be a general manager again. Like I said, the Chicago Bears, a lot is going to come down to what you feel about. Justin Fields. Now, I love Justin Fields coming out. You watch them this year. How much can you really put on them? Same thing with Trevor Lawrence. Same thing with Zach Wilson.

It was just a disaster in their organization. So if you like them and you're bullish, I don't know much changes this year. But if you do like them, that should draw you to that job. And the Denver Broncos, for example, they have a pretty good roster. They have a general manager now in George Payton.

People think very, very highly of. And if the Broncos hadn't hired, him last year, I would imagine he would just get elevated. He would have been the Minnesota Vikings GM because he was Rick Spielman's number two and very, very highly thought of. So how do you find a quarterback? Like the Broncos do not have a quarterback. Minnesota Viking, they need a quarterback. The New York Giants do not have a quarterback. Even Miami, which was kind of the shocker of the day. Listen, Miami's just an average franchise. Just Google their records over the last 25 years post-Marino. I think their average record is.

like eight and eight. That's who they are. But Brian Flores won 19 games the last two years. Last year with Ryan Fitzpatrick. It was like 38 years old. This year with Tua, little guy with a pea shooter arm. I don't blame Brian Flores. Can you imagine every single day? Some of the reports coming out that Brian Flores and his relationship with Tua had deteriorated. And same with the general manager. And here's the thing in the NFL. And I'm sure many of you know this just fall in the league. There's a lot of drama, and the reason there's a lot of drama is because there's a lot of backstabbing. A lot of shady shit goes on. Because what I said, these jobs are so lucrative.

So Chris Greer, the general manager of Miami Dolphins, he doesn't want to lose that job. While Brian Flores making $6, 7 million, he's making two or three. That's how many jobs pay you two or three on your W2 in America? Not many. So the moment he starts seeing a rift, you start working with the owner. The other thing, as a general manager, you end up spending more time with the owner. than the coach, especially during the season. So it would not shock me at all if shady stuff happened.

And I don't know this, but if I had to take an educated guess, it would be hard for Brian Flores to just look at two every day, just knowing, oh my, especially if he wasn't on board with the draft pick, if he, let's say, wanted Justin Herbert and Greerforce 2 on him, how could you coach him with a straight face? It's easy to say, and people do this a lot. Be a pro, be a pro, act professional. And there's another thing to be human.

And when you watch your quarterback, who you're never, and you're maximizing everything you have. Because they have been right in the mix. Last year they missed the playoffs by game. This year they missed the playoffs by game. Imagine if they had Justin Herbert. They would have been in the playoffs right back to back years. But no, they drafted Tua, who is just, you know, average. That's what Tua is, average.

And there's nothing wrong with having, I mean, the Denver Broncos would die to have an average quarterback. The problem is they drafted them fifth overall, and they're stuck with them. And here's the thing no one ever knows, except like the people inside the building and really just the GM and the coach and maybe, you know, an offensive coordinator or assistant GM is what the owner is doing. Like when I worked to the Eagles, I didn't really know what Jeffrey Lurie was telling Howie or Andy. I'm not in on those conversations. No one is except those two guys, right? If you go to some of these buildings, it's the decision maker is in with the owner. What is Stephen Ross telling Brian Flores and these guys to do?

He could have ideas that are so bat-shick crazy that if you heard him, you'd be like, what is going on? Someone told me today that he scouts college guys during the season on Saturdays when he's at his house, watching football, takes notes, forwards him to his GM, and they've drafted some players that he's seen on Saturday night. It's like Stephen, bro. Just work to stock market, work your real estate, make your money, just hire people and let them work.

Now, it's easier said than done. If you were I owned an NFL team, I actually think I would be like an absentee owner. I would just cash checks. I would pay a premium for my head coach. I would obviously desperately want a franchise quarterback. And then I would just let them cook. I would not live and die every day with the team. I wouldn't.

I'd be chilling playing golf. I'd come through the office, head to practice every once in a while. But my ideas, you know, assuming I'm just some businessman would not be consumed with, like the best guard we could find in the fifth round. Isn't that their job? I just wonder if Stephen Ross is a terrible owner. Because I'm watching the Bears. I saw some clips of their press conference. They feel like it's 1998. It feels like a mom and pop shop in the third biggest market in America with a huge brand in the Chicago Bears. They just feel old, feel a little archaic. It's hard to overcome that. It is. Minnesota feels much more progressive and like up with the

times, but they have cousins. Same with the Broncos. Like the Broncos, if they get a quarterback, but how do they get a quarterback? I just don't know how they get a quarterback. I can't even pretend to understand what the hell is going to happen with Sean Watson. Russell, you know, I'm tired to talk about Russell Wilson trade demands. Aaron Rogers, why would he lead the Green Bay Packers? So if one of these teams get to Sean Watson, they would immediately be good.

But remember, he has a no trade clause. And part of him wanting to go to Miami, I thought was Brian Flores. So now maybe Stephen Ross, was just wanted to write it out with two up. Maybe Chris Greer's involved, you know, on board with that. But Black Monday, man. The general manager jobs, though, are the part that I don't think we're talking enough about

because typically there are some years, even despite all the coaching turnover, when zero general manager jobs come open. The New York Giants, Chicago Bears, even the Minnesota Viking, that's a pretty good job. Man, I, it doesn't feel like we've seen the last of this either. You know, texting with someone today, Pascotia with the Raiders.

You know, is he really going to get a shot? I don't know. You know, I would lean he does not get a real shot. He's not the head coach next year, even though he deserves it. And I'm not a big fan of the word deserves, but he's done an awesome job. And then the other cool part about over the next month is all the guys that are interviewing, right? Kellen Moore, Eric B. Enemy, Dan Quinn. Think about crazy thing about Dan Quinn.

And I think sometimes we overreact in sports. Like this guy will never be a coach again. It's it for this guy's career. Dan Quinn got fired last year, goes to the Dallas Cowboys, has an incredible season as their DC. Their defense, especially the front seven, kicking ass and... Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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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,

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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 for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Pagan names, now it feels he's a lock to get a head coaching job.

Talk about a bounceback. And I got no issue with Dan Quinn. I like his energy. I'm a fan of bald people but he just went from a guy that didn't know anything about defense right and his defenses in Atlanta were terrible to now

going to have potentially his you know pick in a couple jobs that changed pretty quickly for Quinn. So the key is to be a coach once you get fired is just go to a good team go become a coordinator and have a top unit and you get put back in the mix

and be a good guy. I think being a good guy and being someone that people like to work with matters. Because as we see with Flores and Greer, we've seen forever with Balke and some of his guys, you got to be able to work together. This is a very, very uncomfortable environment. You're going to lose naturally. Even if you have a good team, you're going to go 11 and 6. You're just going to go through some rough times. People get injured. So you have to find someone that you can work with. Can I tell you about my friends at Shopify? It's the sound of another sale on Shopify, the all in one commerce platform.

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Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. The big story from Sunday that I didn't talk about on the Monday pod, I still can't believe this happened. And maybe I was naive. Maybe I just refused to even acknowledge is the possibility, but the stat was out there, right? The Jacksonville Jaguars had beaten the Colts. From 2014 up until 2020, they have never lost to them at home over the last seven years.

And I was like, you know, this team's terrible. They got two wins. They just lost 50 to 10 to the New England Patriots. Colts have to win and get in to get into the playoffs. Not only are they not going to lose, this should be easy. And being at so far and watching Stan Cron, you have the games up and you're watching it and they're down double digits and getting their ass kick, getting worked. That is one of the most eye opening results I can never remember.

They had two wins, two. And I don't fault the Colts for making the trade for Carson Wentz. Their options were limited. Rivers wanted to retire. I don't think he wanted to return. He wanted to go coach high school football. And I also think Rivers was like diminishing returns. last year, whatever, he was like 24 and 12 or, you know, and he was okay.

But he was like, he was headed toward like being like Big Ben in a year or two. So it was only going to get worse. It wasn't like he was going to sustain even that level of play. So they had to pivot. And Carson was their only option. Now, the compensation, Carson was coming off a terrible season. There is no way around it. If you watch the Philadelphia Eagles play up until he got benched, Carson Wentz sucked.

I think he was a bottom five quarterback in the NFL. He was an atrocious player. But Frank, and this is, you know, the strength, I think, as any good head coach, is believing that you can help guys out, especially guys that you have a connection with, guys that you think that skill set will work in your offense. You can get the best out of them. And that is a characteristic you would always want in a coach because they influence the individuals, right? So I'm, if I was a GM or I was an owner and my coach was powerful,

in the table. I can make this guy a good player. I would listen to him. Especially Frank has kind of earned the right of just stabilizing that organization. And they didn't have a choice, really. But it failed. And it failed kind of miserably because they got to give up their, they did not make the playoffs. I think their pick is 18. I haven't even looked at the draft order yet, but I thought I saw that on Twitter. And the Eagles made the playoffs. You know, the Eagles, now you can't, we try to do this with Khalil Mack. and Amari Cooper, you have to let a trade play out and look back on like three or four years. Because I don't necessarily believe the Eagles have their quarterback of the next decade. But in the short term, the Eagles traded Carson Wentz.

They got rid of that money. They got the Colts first round pick. They utilized Jalen Hertz to help lead them to the playoffs. They went, you know, think about that. If I would have told you when that trade happened that the Colts would have not been in the playoffs, but the Eagles would have, I don't think you would have believed me. And then if I told you the scenario

in which you played out was that they lost to the shittiest team in the league, the team drafting number one overall, if I was a player, if I was Aidan Hutchinson, or I was Kavon Tibado, or I was whoever the group of three or four guys that are going to be in the mix

for the number one overall pick, under no circumstances would I go to Jacksonville. I would not do it. I could not do it. And this goes back to the Giants, GM job, they have two picks pretty high because they have the bear's draft pick. That's pretty enticing for a GM. But now the Colts don't have a first round pick.

And the quarterback wasn't good enough. He had multiple turnovers yesterday. And if you just watch them, he just consistently left something to be desired. Now, I wouldn't say they're the most explosive offense on the outside. They could use some improvement on their skill guys, not running back, but, you know, wide receivers and tight ends. To me, that would be an area of emphasis this offseason. Their defense is clearly pretty solid.

They need more explosive players. I mean, I've been thinking for the last 24 hours about Debo Samuel. Part of the reason the Niners, just at any moment, can score like 21 points in the blink of an eye. They have elite skill guys. I mean, watching the Rams yesterday. Cooper Cup just at any moment can just get you 150 yards in two quarters. You can just take over the game. And the Colts, their running back can.

But the running back is the one position. that if I go all in as a defensive coordinator, I can at least attempt to neutralize. Like, you're not going to be able to do, if I have a decent defense, just run for 140 yards on me. But as a wide receiver in this day and age, and I like Michael Pittman,

but they need more than that. They do. But they need better player to Carson Wentz. And at this point in time, whatever he is, 30 years old, 31 years old, I don't see it improving. Like he kind of is what he is.

Like Jimmy Garoppel right now, Derek Carr, they are what they are. And you know what? Those two teams can live with it. Carson Wentz, though, given what you're paying him, the turnovers, the reckless play, part of the reason reckless play kills you is because in big games, turnovers will fuck you and you will lose.

It'll cost you the game. That's what happened to Matt Stafford. That's why when I keep thinking about the Rams, like, I just don't see them winning multiple playoff games because of him. And he's, you know, one of their better players. But he turns the ball over. and he always has. One of the thing we don't talk enough about Aaron Rogers,

he doesn't turn the ball over. And he's just eviscerating you, throwing the ball all over the yard, playing you. But he does not ever give it up. How do you beat a guy? And this is why they've won, you know, whatever, 39 games the last three years, because he throws touchdowns

and he does not turn the ball over. Just a basic math equation. It's why the 49ers can be a roller coaster with Jimmy or the Rams can be a roller coaster with that staff. Or the Colts are just all over the map with Carson Wentz. Because when I give you the ball, we hammer this home in high school football, let alone college football and definitely the pros. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers, avoid them at all cost.

Win the turnover margin. Win the turnover battle. It's one thing when you're playing crappy teams. You can have fumble it and throw a pick and if you're a good team, you can still beat them. You cannot do that when the team is your equal. Or like in this case with the Jags, they just played hard for some reason. I don't really know why.

It didn't really matter because they ended up still getting the number one overall pick. But that's one, that's, I did not see that coming. I don't think anyone did. The Brandon Staley thing. I talked a little bit about it yesterday. I still can't get over. It's one of the most egregious calls, I think in the history of the NFL, to go for it, fourth and two in your minus 17, 18 yard line.

There is no math equation that you can justify that. That's impossible. That's a complete and up. utter as malpractice. That that's the dumbest thing I've ever seen. It really is. The timeout at the end of the game didn't bother me as much. And texting with the assistant coach,

he thought they should have let it play out or call the timeout on first down. But if he, Jacobs ran for seven yards on the second down play and then Staley called the timeout. Here's the thing. If he busted another big run, he was going to be in field. goal range. The Raiders were. And he wanted to do everything impossible to stop the run. Now,

would the Raiders have let the clock go down and let it play out? Probably. They were clearly talking Ty. And it goes back to, I was thinking a lot about Belichick in that Super Bowl when Pete Carroll's going up and down the sideline and Belichick's just calm. And any person will tell you this, you know, successful person, older person in business, patience, patience, patience. And the hardest time to be patient is when there's a lot of pressure on you in football, in life, whatever, right? Because you just want to act. And sometimes you just got to take a deep breath. And he did not. But I understand now he, the defensive call was terrible. It's his defense. The defense is a joke. Their defense is a joke. The Raiders, whose offensive line has struggled

all year long, ran the ball down their throat. Marriota. I mean, they were crushing. them down the stretch, right? With Marriota Jacobs. But to me, the timeout, I'm not going to, and I'm not a Brandon Staley guy. I am just, you know me. But the timeout, I don't have that big of an issue. But I am very, very glad that that game did not end in a tie. We do not play professional sports to tie. You play, as Herm said, to win the game. And I don't necessarily blame the Raiders if they had just played it out, if he hadn't called the timeout. But I'm glad it played out. the right thing happened.

The Raiders deserved to win that game. They just did. Because Brandon Staley does not deserve to go to the playoffs. That he's even in this position. I still can't get over that they went 9 and 8. You know some other 9 and 8 teams? The Eagles. Jalen Hertz is their quarterback.

He's not a great thrower of the football. The Miami Dolphins went 9 and 8. Their quarterback is Tua. P-shooter arm. The New Orleans Saints went 9 and 8. They like 17 quarterbacks. backs this year. The Chargers went 9 and 8 with Justin Herbert.

And I get it if you're like a Raider fan or Chiefs fan. You think Herbert's a little overrated. I'll promise you he's not. The NFL loves the guy. If you just are unbiased and watch him, how can you not say this guy is a star? Yet he wasn't a big enough star to carry his average head coach. And they are obsessed with going for it.

And you can tell me all you want. about the process. It's not about the results. It's about the process. Well, enjoy the process this week. Because you're sitting at home doing nothing while other teams are playing in the playoffs. So the result, the result, the result doesn't matter. Bullshit. This is a black and white league. You win or you lose. You make the playoffs or you don't. And they didn't make the playoffs. What the hell is the difference when Brandon Saley and Anthony Lent? And I was like most people thought Anthony Lynn wasn't very good. I don't see a difference. I feel like Anthony Linn's teams were tougher. I feel like Anthony Lynn's team, I feel like if Anthony Lynn was the coach of this team with

Herbert was clearly even better from last year, they're in the playoffs. The team was just soft. How are you soft with a defensive head coach? That's what I don't get. I understand how teams get soft with an offensive head coach. Guys like to throw it. I understand how teams have poor defenses when their head coach is an offensive guy. I get it. How can you be soft when your head coach is a defensive guy. Look at some of the younger defensive guys around the league. Vrable, team stuff. Flores, before he got fired, team was tough.

Sean McDermott, team stuff. Isn't part of hiring a defensive coordinator to have a tough team? Not statistically, depending on what category you look at one of the worst defense in the league? I just don't get it. The one thing, though, we did see on Sunday afternoon, the game I was at, and then

Sunday night, I think the NFL is so happy the way this Los Angeles and Vegas thing worked out. The stadiums on television are, they just work. They just look really, really awesome. They're just, they are the perfect modern stadiums to host these big games. Those two places, the game I was at was just rocking. It was so loud.

That place is so big. That Raider game last night was going berserk. That they got their two, you know, two big moves, the Vegas move and the L.A. move. We don't do college football well out here, clearly, right? Pack 12, falling way behind. We're just not relevant. We've had one team in the playoffs, but God damn do we do the National Football League. And adding this L.A. venue and now this Vegas venue, obviously they're going to host Super Bowls, we think, and we'll see if the L.A. one.

The one thing with being at that game, I don't wear a mask the whole time. They don't really care. Because it's not a dome. You know, the Raiders is enclosed. The thing about SoFi Stadium, it's not enclosed. It's open. Even though it looks like a dome.

It's on the sides, it's open. It's not closed off. There is fresh air coming through because there are openings on like several sides. It's not an enclosed dome. But I enjoy watching big games. of those two stadiums. And if the Raiders can just be competitive moving forward, which what a great moment for Derek Carr.

Think about what that guy has been through. He's been the starting quarterback for the Oakland Raiders since he got drafted. He won the job as a rookie. 2014, up until this week, still the starter, right? He's going to start in his first playoff game. But think of what that organization has been through. The butt of many jokes,

their moving saga was just exhausting for years around here. This, you know, the Gruden experiment, even though I know him and John had a good relationship before the controversy happened. But then when John got fired and then a couple weeks later, Henry Ruggs, kill someone, everything that guy has been through. And it takes so much pride in being the Raiders quarterback.

He truly takes a lot of pride in being the Raiders quarterback. Where you would say over the last 20 years, besides like Charles Woodson and he I'd say was a little unique because he got drafted to the Raiders

when they were good and you know played on really good teams with the Raiders Derek has mostly been on crappy teams in an inept organization with I mean

when John Gruden first got here they traded Khalil Mack and Mark Cooper think about that yet somehow this year was Zay Jones and Hunter Renfro and a terrible

offensive line and an interim head coach he helped them get to the playoffs. Just a very, very cool story. Like the LA story, is it really that cool? I mean, he traded two first round picks for Matt Stafford. They traded a second and a third for Von Miller, who had one sack in the game. For the most part, I didn't notice too much of Vaughn. I said at the time, I thought that trade was pretty nuts. I thought that was pretty bold. Now, I don't know, think they necessarily regret it, but he's going to be a free agent. So they don't have the first round

pick, they don't have a second round pick, they don't have a third round pick. They're the four seat because they lost that game. They would have been the two seat, but instead they ended up with the four seat. At least we get a home game at SoFi. Some early thoughts on the playoff matchups just wrote down some things. I actually think the first game of the weekend, the Raiders Bengals, has a chance to be pretty good. If I would have told you three months ago, even more than that, let's say in August, that the Raiders or the Bengals would be in the second round of the playoffs, I don't think you would have

believe me. Maybe the Raiders, just because they had been making progress, but, you know, they went 8 and 8 last year. They missed the AFC playoffs by three games. I wasn't going to pick them to make the playoffs. The Bengals, if they would have had a good season, I would have said,

you know, seven wins, they're hosting a playoff game. They won the AFC North. Incredible accomplishment by them. But, you know, they played a couple you know, within probably the last month, maybe even a little longer than that, in Vegas, and the Bengals kick their ass.

I would expect this game to be a little closer. I actually think the Raiders have a chance to win. Obviously, Joe Burroughs first playoff game, Derek's too. But that's a chance to be a really, really good, just competitive first game. I don't like Mack Jones in this spot. I was doing a little weather research. It's going to be cold.

It's going to be in the teens, potential snow. Now, if it could get so windy, where they don't have to throw the ball, then they would have a chance. But more than likely, they're not going to be able to win a game having Mack Jones throw the ball three times. And the one thing that, let's face it,

for as great as the SEC is, and it is, their top teams are elite. Every year, it's just them dominating college football. They do not play in cold games, just because of the geography of where all their schools are. If you're Justin Fields, if you play at Michigan, if you play at Iowa,

if you play at some of these other schools, you're used to playing in cold games. Really, the Big Ten, from a weather standpoint, has a lot more parallels to the NFL than the SEC or even some of the schools in the ACC. I don't like this match of it all. I don't feel great about going against Bill Belichick, especially as an underdog,

but I don't trust his quarterback. And his quarterback hasn't been playing that well lately. He threw a pick six yesterday. He just, you know, I saw Tom Curran mentioned that maybe he's hitting the rookie wall, which is understandable. This is even at Alabama standards, playing 18, 19 weeks is a lot different

than playing 14, 15. That extra four or five weeks, I mean, an extra four games is basically a month. It's an extra month of football. And as a 19, 20, 21 year old, that's a lot,

especially as a quarterback, all the pressures on you. Every day you walk in the building. He's had an awesome season. I respect Mac Jones a lot, despite not loving his game. And despite in no way in the world, would I pick him to win a playoff game. Siriani making the playoffs, I don't think we're giving him enough credit. And as someone texts me in the league today, like, everyone hated him just because he didn't talk well at the press conference.

He's like, think about that. And that's what we make such a big deal over now is like how you talk at the press conference. Now, I lived through the Jim Tom Sula era in his press conferences. It translated to the field. But what Siriani did with a quarterback, who's not a great throw of the football, and turn them into just a running machine, is really, really impressive. And they have absolutely nothing to lose in this game. If he can just keep it close.

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

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

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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. 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get. It's your podcast.

If he is in the game in the second half, what a season by the birds. I don't think, I mean, how could you pick the Eagles in this game? We saw them play earlier this season. It wasn't really a fair fight. Tom Brady versus Jalen Hertz. I mean, that's a pretty big mismatch. But we'll have to see as this week goes on, some of the injury status with the bucks. I mean, they've just had a lot of guys get hurt this year.

But I just, Siriani, hat tip to you, my man. The Chiefs, the Chiefs get, you know, I know they did. didn't get the buy because the Titans got it, but do they kind of get a buy? The Steelers can't score. Every single time you watch the Steelers, they have like 10 points in the fourth quarter. They just won a game against the Ravens, 16 to 13.

The reason why, when the Chiefs played the Steelers earlier this season, they beat the shit out of them. Because the offenses are not even in the same realm. They're not even in the same universe. So while they have to play this week, I think it's a pseudo buy for them. and I think this is a week where they kind of get to get their momentum and their mojo for the next two rounds. Because their goal now every year they have Andy and every year they have Mahomes is going to be to win the AFC and take their shot in the Super Bowl.

And I don't think when you look at the AFC, to me they're my pick to win the AFC, even over the Titans. And I know Derek Henry's coming back, but do I trust Ryan Tanny Hill? Now he only has to win two games and they all got to come through Tennessee. but is Tennessee the greatest home field advantage? And then the last but not least, the Niners Cowboys, that is a football game. There is a lot of pressure on Mike McCarthy this week.

You cannot have the season they just had. Have a home playoff game, potentially two. I guess, no, you know, Tampa would have to lose. So, yeah, they're going to just get one. I guess they could get a second home game if, like, the Rams or somewhat upset the Packers, which is also pretty unlikely. But he's got to win a playoff game.

It would be very, very tough. Cowboy fans did not turn on this dude if he was won and done in the playoffs. After the season, they just had all the big wins, all the explosive games on national television. Micah Parsons looking like LT. Offense, you know, you watch them on the right night. They're scoring 30, 40 points. But I don't know, man. I mean, the Niners are tough as shit.

They have a lot more metal in terms of their players. I mean, Debo, Kiddle, all these guys are playing a Super Bowl. Jimmy, Emmanuel Mosley, Jimmy Ward, Kwaski Tart, Nick Bosa, Eric Armstead. They have a lot more experience in these games. And if the Cowboys get down in this game, I could see, I like the Niners. I just do. Now, if Trent Williams can't play, that would be a problem. You know, that would be a major problem.

I don't like rookie six-round picks blocking Micah Parsons and Lawrence. In Gregory, that would be a bad matchup. But if you get the big guy in that game, I think the Niners have a very, very good chance. Because who would you take in a big game? Kyle Shanahan or Mike McCarthy? This isn't 2012 anymore. This is 2021.

And as we saw from Kyle yesterday, you know, he gets rolling as a play caller. Mike just is roaming the sidelines. Mike is just the CEO of, I don't know, calling timeouts, poor game management. I'm very, this is the one I got circled for this weekend. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1800flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination.

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for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter who looks to be about nine or two, has secured herself in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag closed, and they're off. Ah, but looks like mom doesn't realize her coffee cup is still on the roof of the car, and there it goes! Oh, that's a shame. That mug was a fam favorite. Don't sweat the small stuff.

Just nail the big stuff. Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at nhtsa.gov slash the right seat. Visit nhtsa.gov slash the right seat. Brought to you by Nidza and the Ad Council. Adoption of teens from foster care is a topic not enough people know about, and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinnwity host of the new podcast, Navigating Adoption, presented by Adopt U.S. Kids.

Each episode brings you compelling real-life adoption stories told by the families that live them with commentary from experts. Visit AdoptuS.kids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for children and families and the Ad Council. Okay, let's go Middlecoff mailbag. At John Middilkoff is the Instagram. Slide up into those direct messages. I have a ton.

Once I posted that picture of me and Danny Trejo, my Instagram is just, it's loaded. I'm going to have to go through there and do some house cleaning this week. That feels like a Wednesday or Thursday project. But let's start, again, Instagram, John Middlecoff, Middlecoff Mailbag. Slide up into those DMs and get your shit answered on this show.

I was thinking about the Cardinals and how fearless they've been at making bold changes when something isn't working. This is from just as M. A mic. It seems as if Cliff is not working. Assuming they don't make a playoff run, how bold and smart would it be if they let Cliff go and hired Brian Flores, who the Dolphins just foolishly fired? Also, the playoffs. I love the expanded format. One criticism the system takes is the favor shows to division winners who sometimes win less games than good wildcard teams.

Seems like the solution is to keep divisions still reward the winner. I actually don't think that happened this year. All the wildcard teams in the NFC and AFC were not as good as the division winners, but that's kind of unique. So a eight, nine hypothetical division winner, I agree. I don't, to me, if you go under 500 and win your division, you should not get a home playoff game. I'm behind that 100% Always have been Remember, was it last year

The football team They got to host The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Give me a break Listen, I would fire Cliff He just He has a ceiling You know, you're limited

You could keep him But I'm not giving him a big extension What's his leverage? Where's he going? Who's hiring to be their head coach? You could just give him like a fake one year extension And kind of write it out for a year But we've seen it now

They've lost four of their last five. They shit the bed down the stretch. And if they lose on Monday night to the Los Angeles Rams, what are you doing? Where are you going? Because let's face it. The Rams, a little flawed. I think we thought they were a big powerhouse.

Once Robert Woods got hurt, they haven't really been the same. So if the Rams kicked their ass, which I kind of expect them to do, I just, I think you're limited with Cliff. But you guys know where I stand. I'm using my girlfriend's Insta to message you because I don't have one.

I'm a fan of your podcast and enjoy listen to your takes. While watching the Raiders and Chargers game, I had the thought that the Chargers should go for two after they scored on the last player regulation. It made me think of your take, Brandon Staley, and how it's part of his identity of his team going forward on fourth down all the time, whether it's right or wrong.

Why wouldn't you do that in that situation with the season on the line? Why not go for the win right there? The Chargers were thoroughly outplayed all game. Why risk another 10 minutes of overtime or possibly miss the extra point? especially when you got Herbert leading the offense. Also, go, Pac-Go.

Well, because a tie got him into the playoffs. Now, you could say, well, Brandon, you're just adamant. You always go forward on fourth down no matter what. And they went forward on fourth down there a bunch. But a big reason they had a lot of success going on fourth down. In the fourth quarter, they were hitting like fourth and tens. And that's just Justin Herbert making fucking plays. Brandon Staley had nothing.

Let me repeat, nothing to do with any of their success in the fourth quarter. and I think even in overtime on the fourth downs. That was Justin Herbert. I give him zero credit for Justin Herbert. Justin Herbert was sweet before he arrived. Justin Herbert was awesome with Anthony Lynn. So I think, I don't know. He pushed out.

He just wanted to tie. I think that was his mindset. He was cool tying. And listen, I understand tie gets you in the playoffs. I would rather snort glass than play for a tie. I really would. Like that, and obviously snorting glass would not be fun. But playing for a tie, this is the NFL.

This isn't peewey football. This isn't flag intermurals. This is the National Football League. You play to win the game. And when you win, things happen. Raiders win, they go to the playoffs. So the Chargers, yeah. He's gone for two all season long there.

But he was cool with tying. But then he called timeouts at the end of the game. I mean, just, even though the timeout I talk about on the podcast I didn't have a huge problem with. But Brandon Staley, give me a break. As my buddy that worked with him years ago told me and the guy had been in the league one year, know it all. Kind of fake. I don't just make this stuff up. If I go all in on something, I have inside information.

And then just watching the guy coach, you go, yeah, the hell is this guy doing? His defense sucks. I thought he was a defensive coordinator. Cal Poly Slow guy here currently in my senior year. I enjoy hearing your anecdotes of school in San Luis Obispo. I'm originally from Oregon

and have been a Ducks football fan for long as I can remember. Despite having been one of the most successful FBS programs in the last 10 to 15 years, Oregon has had coaching instability. Taggart leaving, then Cristobal leaving, leaving, I can't even talk.

Such quick coaching turnover probably isn't good for the program and also makes Oregon look like a stepping stone to bigger schools. Furthermore, this definitely, doesn't help with getting top-notch recruits or attracting a coach who want to build the program to championship contending levels. Do you think this is a sign of Oregon trending in the wrong direction? Or would it take, what would it take for them to become a perennial championship contending team? If you've been listening to me for a while, you know my philosophy is simple. Regions matter in college football. Willie Taggart is a Florida guy. That's why he went Florida State offered. He went. Mario Cristobal is from the south. He's Cuban descent from Miami. So the two schools, if Sabin and He offered him, he was gone.

If Miami and the U offered him, he was gone. When you get West Coast people, like Chris Peterson wasn't taking a job from the University of Washington. He loved it. Pete Carroll was like a pig and shit at USC. Jeff Tedford loved coaching a Cal. They're from California.

They're from the West Coast. So I think that matters. Dan Lannning, this guy's really impressive. You watch Georgia play defense. they're full of ass kickers. But if Dan Laning gets offered Florida or LSU or one of these jobs, Clemson one day, if Dabo leaves,

he's going to go. Because he's not from the West Coast. And you naturally are driven back. I'm not a 49er fan, and now I even root against them to see you're in Haberman's reaction. My question is, would you drop Staley for Flores?

Grew up in Miami, but I have been a Bengals fan my whole life. That being said, my family and I are all invested in the Dolphins since I've been born. I just can't believe they would drop Flores unless they have a plan on a big swing like Harbaugh. The owner came out and said

that they are not going after Jim Harbaugh today. If I'm the Chargers, I could upgrade my coach. The Chargers are into pinching pennies. Dean Spanos would never pay him to go away for three years, Brandon Staley. Even though Brandon Staley's probably making $5 million a year. Which, again, a lot of money, but it's not like he's a $12 million coach.

You know, Pete Carroll, if you fired Pete Carroll, you own like $60 million. Branden Staley probably $15 million check. Dean Spanos would jump in front of a bullet before he cut a $15 million check for a coach to go away. They're not firing Brandon Staley. Though, I think he showed. It's a fireable offense.

Brandon Staley would not have... Can you imagine owning a team and having Brannis Daly as your coach and feeling good about it? Especially with Brian Flores, hell, Doug Peterson. Like, what does Brandon Staley do besides go-for on fourth downs? He's a defensive coordinator. His defense stinks. I just don't get it.

Part of them, I think my anger, too, is the media just eats him, slurps them up. It's exhausting. I mean, it is, it's so predictable. You know, it really is. And then you watch him in the biggest moment gets clowned. Of course he does. By an interim coach, Lifetime Special Teams guy. Glad for Rich.

That was awesome for the Raiders. It really was. Very happy for the Raiders. Titans fan from Calgary. Ever been? No, I have. just got out of minus 30 degrees. Yeah, that's why.

That's why I've never been. Could spell for three weeks. So needless to say, if you ever do make it, come in the summer. I will. I'm a huge Titans fan and appreciate the variable shotouts. But it still seems they're flying under the radar. I think the reason they're flying under the radar, they just don't truly have the talent of some of these other teams.

But they are good. Like they win games, which is all that matters. But I think part of the reason that you get a bunch of credit in teams like you is having like star, superstar players, you know, they're a superstar player and really they have a couple superstars have been hurt. AJ Brown missed games. Derek Henry's been gone for two months.

I would not pick the Titans to win the Super Bowl. I don't, and listen, I'm rooting for him. You know, John Robinson is cool to me. Anytime I know you, I'm just naturally going to root for you. I can text them. I get a text back. If we're on that level of basis, I'm a fan. I went to Nashville one time.

I interviewed him, went to practice. Rable's first year, I root for them. But I don't feel great, depending on the matchup. I don't think they're a lock to win a playoff game. Now, if Derek Henry is just back, full strength, they're in pretty good shape. But John and Vrable, and it's hard to win in the playoffs. You can have, remember the Titans once upon a time, Derek Fisher, or not Derek Fisher.

Jeff Fisher, I think he had a 13-3 team and he lost in the second round. Sometimes it's hard coming off a buy. But I think it's going to be very, very difficult. Definitely difficult for them to win. win two games. If they do it, it's one of the most, it'd be incredible. That would be an outstanding story. If the Titans was the one seat and then won the AFC, man, maybe I'm underestimating

Vrabel, even though I'm a guy that props Frabble up. I've drank about seven Gatorade since I've been home. Love the pod. Not a Chargers fan. But I do have a question. Why in the hell would Staley call a timeout toward the end of the Vegas game? It looked at me that Vegas was content. with running the ball,

I text someone involved in the game and they thought he should have called a timeout after the first play. Once they got to the second down and it was third and whatever, third and four or third and five, he should have just let it play out because the Raiders, if they didn't get it,

the problem is his run defense is so bad that if he had just let it play out, Jacobs might have run the bust the run anyway. So the one thing I give him a little bit of a pass on, the timeout doesn't bother me as much. But I also just, do I think that Staley knew what he's doing? I do not. Because they basically call the time out.

They took Murray out of the game, their middle linebacker. They put in a big defensive lineman. The Raiders change the play call because the way play calls work is based on your personnel. It's how I call my offensive play. So when you run in defensive players, I call the play based on that sometimes. So once they brought in, you know, Lindel Joseph, I think the guy was, instead of Kenneth Murray, to have like a bigger upfront group to try. stop the run, I think the Raiders kind of changed the original play call.

So Staley's intellectual elitist mindset cost him. Because he, you know, whenever you stop the clock, you give people time to think. The hardest part about, I'd just say pro sports in general, but football or even basketball in the flow of the game, it's just going. You let your instincts take over. In football, there are obviously 40 seconds, but, plays, but it's all kind of on the fly. You're adjusting, even adjustments and audibles happen under 10 seconds on the play clock.

So you might think you see something and be wrong. But when you call a time out, you give people legitimate time to kind of huddle up, you know, and speak it out. The coach, the player, the booth. And it really blew up in their face. I get a lot of state lead DMs. Do you think the charges will do? They're not going to fire him. Samuel asked.

I couldn't agree with your, you know, I did have a take last week that they should fire Brandon Staley if he lost the game. I believe that more, though I don't think they're going to do it. My take was that's a fireable offense if you lose the Raiders. And then the way they lost, but they're not going to fire him. You know, so it's pointless to even talk about. There's a lot of speculation that Harbaugh becomes the next Raiders coach. Assuming they win tonight and right now it looks like they will because the Chargers defense is atrocious. Can you argue that Rich has.

earn the permanent title as head coach. I know Harbaugh is probably the better coach, but if he stays in Ann Arbor or takes a different job, what do you think? Disclaimer. I'm an Ann Arbor native, and I'm praying to God that he stays at Michigan. I think if Rich wins a playoff game,

how would, the Raiders haven't, they've been to the playoffs. This is their second time in 19 years. And obviously they haven't won a playoff game over that stretch. So if Rich wins a playoff game, I don't see how you wouldn't hire him. but I think Mark Davis, it's Las Vegas, bright lights. I think he's going to go after Harbaugh.

A little birdie told me that it's basically already a done deal. But that could never get out because last time when he hired John Gruden, the Raiders got fine because the Rooney Rule, listen, I'm all for the Rooney Rule and getting other people in front of owners. But if you're going to hire a guy like Jim Harbaugh, I'm sorry, you don't need to interview anyone else. Even hell, John Gruden. If I'm hiring Andy Reid or Sean Payton, I don't need a fake.

interview anyone else. I just don't. Now, you could argue that it's good to get in front of people and then they talk to other people. It's fucking Mark Davis. If he wants to hire Jim Harbaugh, who cares? I think it's just that the theater and that when you're hiring the rock star guy, like, I don't need to go through an interview process. If I want a guy to help run my electric car company and it's Elon Musk, do I need to go through an interview process with four other people? if Elon's interested in running my company, probably not. If Harbaugh wants the job, I shouldn't have to waste one second in buying anyone an airplane ticket or even fucking hop on Zoom to do some fake interview.

Now, these teams like the Bears or whoever, they don't have a candidate, you should have to interview a lot of people. But if Mark Davis wants to hire Jim Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh wants to be the head coach in the Raiders, I think it is moronic to have to pretend to interview and do fake interviews. And they did that with John Gruden. I think they interviewed like T. Martin, who was the wide receiver coach with the S.C. Trojans at the time. Like, if you're going to hire Rich, can you just elevate him or does he have to interview other people to? I don't know the rules on that.

I can't, the rules change all the time. But like that would seem kind of stupid. Does he have to do fake interviews if he wants to elevate Rich to be his head coach? I don't know. If he did, I'd argue that would be even dumber than having to do fake interviews to go hire Harbaugh. Like, I can't just elevate Rich. to do some other interviews. This guy's just been literally coaching my team.

Now, saying that out loud, I would doubt that he would. But I still don't believe he's going to hire Rich. Could be wrong. I don't have any inside information on that. And I know people around that team, they love Rich and they obviously believe that he should get the job. Or at least have, they believe he should have a real chance. And I think most of them are unsure that he's going to. But it's hard to tell with Mark.

Mark Davis, different cat. And it's the other thing with the Raiders. And this is where Mark was mad last time. They literally set the tone on diversity in the league. Hiring Mexican, Latino, or obviously Mexican, Latino, same thing. Black head coaches, black executives, women executives. You know, and I mean, Mark was pissed. And it felt like really they were taking advantage of them last time with the Gruden thing.

And sometimes I get, like Raider fans feel that the league comes down harder on them than they do other teams. Sometimes I think they're, you know, living in bizarre a world. And other times, I believe they're right. But when he hired John Gruden, I'm pretty sure he got fined. I mean, he got, I think they lost a draft pick. You think Buffalo recent struggles with the Falcons, three I&Ts, not really doing much until the fourth quarter will cost them down the line. I think Buffalo's recent struggles. We're going to see.

I mean, I saw Sean McVeigh had a quote, how you're playing. coming into the playoffs historically has meant nothing. Now, I do think having momentum going into the playoffs mean something, but we've seen teams not play great down the stretch and then winning the playoffs. So I like Buffalo headed into the playoffs. I'm now picked up a podcast during the summer. Big fan. I'm a big Cowboys guy and obviously now playing for your Niners.

What do you think about the matchup? SF run game scares me, but Jimmy does not. Is there a big difference between Jimmy and Dad? I would say Dax better, but by a lot, I don't know. The Niners have not really covered anyone all season. And you guys got C.D. Lamb. You guys got Amari Cooper. Blake Jarwin's a pretty good player.

The Niners can really stop the run. So I'm not thinking Zeke and Pollard are going to do much. The Niners run game, I think it's going to be a really good game. I'm simply going like, I'll take Kyle Shanahan over Mike McCarthy. I think Mike McCarthy has to win. He loses this game. Home playoff game after this season. Imagine how mad Jerry Jones would be.

As an NFC West guy, what do you make of Rashad Penny's last quarter of the season? Lightning in a bottle or late bloomer finally stayed healthy. Also, if Nagy is fired, you think he would get along with Schneider? Yeah, I don't think they're firing Pete Carroll. I think Pete even said that yesterday. Like, he feels fine. Like, Pete ain't getting fired. He's owed too much money.

I'll be honest. I didn't really watch much Seattle down December. I mean, I saw his stats. I was kind of on an island. Some of my buddies in the league did not like Rashad Penny coming out of college. I loved him at San Diego State. So it's one of those that I'm rooting for the guy to be a good player. I just thought he was such a big physical back.

I mean, I've seen highlights of him over the last month. It's not nothing. Anytime you put good games together, it should mean something. But, you know, it's the season ends. So you have to start fresh from anew. You know, now confidence matters. so he believes starting about week, week 14, he started going off, 137 yards, two touchdowns, average day against the Rams, 40 yards.

Then 135 yards, one touchdown, 170 yards, two touchdowns, 190 yards a touchdown. Shit, four of his last five games, 137, 135, 170, 190. Damn, this guy was pretty good. Yeah, I'd be pretty excited. you know, put him, lock it, DK, keep Russell, improve the defense if you can. Seattle won't be down long. They're just too much competitive character.

They actually weren't to me even as bad as their record because if Russell was truly healthy all season, even if he had quote unquote, like he was going to bound to have a down year, what would their record be? They went seven and ten. When I just closed my eyes and think about Seattle, I was like, yeah, what was their record?

Five and 11, you know, five and 12. That's what I thought in my head. Seven and ten. So if Russell's healthy all season, even if they, like I said, had it down, what are they, nine and eight? I don't think it would have been inconceivable that all four NFC West teams got in the playoffs. If Seattle is your worst team in your division and next year they're going to have the last play schedule, they'll be okay.

So if Rashad Penny does turn into a player, like if he can rush next year for 1,300 yards and give them some balance in the run game, then yeah, I think I kind of like Seattle to bounce back. Okay, that'll do it. Middle Cough mailbag, my throat is just holding on for dear life. I need to drink some tea these next couple days. Have a good week. Golf podcast coming out on Wednesday, football podcast Friday,

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