The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Jets' Darnold Decision; Titans vs. COVID; Wentz/Pederson Adversity; Rodgers' Helmet Hustle; No Fans Impact; 3 for the $ Week 4 ATS Picks; Mailbag

Episode Date: October 2, 2020

In this episode, John looks at the bleak future for Sam Darnold with the Jets, why he could be gone sooner than later, why the Steelers/Titans will push through despite their game being postponed due to positive COVID tests, why Aaron Rodgers' pretending his headset isn't working in order to call is own play isn't necessarily a bad thing, why Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson will sink or swim together in Philly, the lack of accountability from no fans in the stands, and why he's so impressed with Nick Saban's ability to adapt and transform Alabama's identity from defense to wide open offense. Middlekauff also gives his 3 for the $ Week 4 ATS picks after a 6-3 start to the season, and answers listener questions in the Middlekauff Mailbag. Follow John on Twitter and SUBSCRIBE now to get all the latest content!! 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey,

or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam 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. 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.

Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this valentines with 1-800flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate-covered berries, gourmet treats, and more. Surprise your Valentine with 1-800flowers.com. Right now, get the 18-stem in june. Shanted Rose Medley for $3999 or upgrade to 24 red roses for $10 more. Go to 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. What is going on, everybody, John Middellcock, three and out podcast.

Back at it again. Happy Friday. We got football a weekend. I'm recording this late Thursday night. President just has positive for the coronavirus. So we've got a lot going on. Welcome to 2020. But this is a football podcast.

So we're going to talk about football here. And the Thursday night game happened. I don't have that much to say on that. But I got a lot coming up on the Steelers, the Titans, Wents, no fans in the stands, Alabama, three for the money. Talk about it all. Obviously, your questions at John Middilkoff. is my Instagram handle, slide up in those DMs, get answered here on the podcast.

If you like the podcast, subscribe to the podcast on Apple, iTunes, 3 and Out podcast. I know if some of you guys listen to Juan Collins feed, just go to that and subscribe there as well. My overall take tonight for the Thursday night game, zero takes on the Broncos. They're playing with their third string quarterback. They got a million injuries. They clearly have some talented players on their team, but I don't know what to make of them with a million injuries. I'm a Vic Fangio fan. they're not going to win many games.

The New York Jets lost by more than one score to a third string quarterback. And I think the big question with this franchise, and I've been getting these DMs for weeks now, is what do you do with Sam Darnold? And my dad told me this a long time ago, and it honestly didn't resonate that much when he told me this, but just how lucky I was to be born in a two-parent household, You know, my parents had gone to college.

They both had jobs, right? I was born into, I had a home. I had food on my table every day. I was really, and really it was much more than that. Like, my dad was very educated. His dad was a professor at Cal. Like, he made sure academics were big in my life. I had to do well in school.

And it forced, and ultimately I had options when I was able to get into college because I had good grades because I didn't have a choice. He was always on my ass. And I was just in a position to succeed as a human being because of my parents. And I did not control, you know, who had me, right? I just popped out, and it's me. But it could have been anywhere in the world, and it could have been really shitty. But I was born to Jeff and Joe Middlough in Davis, California, and my life was pretty

solid. I've turned out pretty well, I think. but in the NFL, you don't get to pick where you go in the draft. So if you're lucky enough to get drafted by, I don't know, be Jimmy Garoppolo and get drafted by Bill Belichick, or Patrick Mahomes to get drafted by Andy Reid, you should thank the football gods a lot. And hell, Jimmy Garoppel then got traded at Kyle Shanahan.

Jared Goff got drafted to Jeff Fisher, but boom, they got Sean McVeigh immediately. So where you get drafted in the NFL is out of your control, especially as a quarterback. And the Jets are beyond dysfunctional. He's on his second coach. He's going to be on his third coach next year. He has a GM that didn't draft him. And who knows if the GM likes him?

The GM surely evaluated him when he came out of college, so he's going to have an opinion on him as a prospect. Then he's going to get two years to be around the guy. He's had some weird moments, right? He got mono. Now, he didn't, whoever he made out with or wherever he got mono, he didn't mean to get mono. And it's not his fault that every dude on the team gets injured. But it doesn't look great. And I texted with a couple people in the league tonight because you go, listen, I'm a Sam Darmd's fan.

He has quote-unquote talent. But the talent right now isn't really working. It doesn't, you just see a guy who's a little lost. There was a play when we thought he broke his collarbone tonight. He was laid on the first. throw. And there's just, there's just something missing. Now, even if he was really good, the team would still stink, but they would be better. And there's just his field vision, his timing, not all his fault. If you're born into poverty and you don't make it,

it's not always your fault. But if you told me that he goes somewhere else and it doesn't work, I'll believe you. He's a little like James. James has a lot of talent. You watch James play last year. He's got NFL talent. He's an NFL player. And if he's on, he can be a really good NFL player. But he clearly does a lot of dumb shit.

And I watch Sam Darnel, I go, I don't know if he sees it. And I get a text from an executive. He's like, I just don't think he sees the field. And sometimes he doesn't. Is that bad habits? Is it coaching? It's a combination of it all. He is not in a good environment right now.

He has no talent around him. Everyone hates his coach. You know, the field, the turf's awful. But I don't, it's not headed in a good direction. And if Sam Darnold, you know, people go, if they get Trevor Lawrence, what are they going to do? Sam Darnold will be gone. I think they will trade Sam Darnold.

But you got to pick up his fifth year option after this year. Are you going to pay him $25, $26 million that fifth year? It doesn't look like a $26 million player to me right now. This is the pros. This isn't college sports where you're like, well, he's only a sophomore. You're paying guys. And the cap is probably going to go down because they weren't fans. So I don't necessarily have an answer on this one.

I just know it's a complicated situation. And I don't really like what I see as someone who is a fan of the player. It's not trending well. And the Jets are clearly trending. I mean, they couldn't be trending any worse. But Sam's part of that. He really is. And whatever they get is a new coach,

What if the new coach wants a new quarterback? Would they have the number one overall pick? I want to take Trevor Lawrence. Like, bye-bye, Sam. And if you're Sam, you just hope whoever they trade you to a coach that is good. You get a McVeigh, you get a Kyle, you get an Andy, you get a Bruce Ariens. And maybe it gives you a chance to resurrect your career. But if you get given to like some crappy coach who doesn't care about offense, like I don't even know a good example, you might fail.

And your career just ends. is Josh Rosen as bad as Josh Rosen has actually become? Probably not, but he got put in the worst situation, and then he got put in even a worse situation, and he played a part of that. Like, clearly he wasn't as good as we thought, but his career just kind of got derailed. And it does feel like Sam Donald's career is heading down a path

towards some ugliness, which I never would have, I never would have believed you if you would have told me it was this ugly three and a half years ago when he was coming out in the draft. It's crazy, and that's what kind of makes football fun, is we never truly know when a guy gets drafted how good or how bad he might turn out to be. Okay, let's dive into the Steelers Titan situation really quick.

As of recording this, the game has officially been postponed. And up until it was officially postponed, they had planned on playing on Monday. And then I think they had some more positive tests today, so they just kind of officially waved the white flag and pushed it back. Now, let me start in the immediate. And as of leading up till today, all week, they had been talking about playing it on Thursday, or excuse me, Monday. And having a Monday double header, which I was like, hell yeah, Monday double header, sweet.

A big thing was that the Titans were not going to be able to practice, really. They had closed down to facility at the earliest it was going to be this weekend. They were going to have to do everything, zooms, and like walkthroughs at their own houses. And the reaction from many former players, many people in the media, to me was very predictable. You cannot do this. This is not fair. This is not fair. And I could not disagree more.

2020, and the reason all these leagues came back, had nothing to do with being fair. What we've seen in the NBA, now listen, LeBron was probably going to win the championship, no matter what, but the bubble is not real basketball. Scottie Pippen said it the other day. This is an AAU pickup tournament. Baseball, I'm watching these games.

There are no fans. You ever been no playoff? a baseball game, there's a lot of edge when your team's down or up in those games. It's just not the same. Football, they didn't even have a training camp barely. They're just doing this for money. All these leagues, it's not about like, we got a legit champion. And listen, everyone's playing by the same rules and laws, so if the Chiefs win the

championship, the Rams, whoever wins the Super Bowl, like, you were the Super Bowl champ this year. But let's not act like this is normal football. I'll get into the impact of no fans as having around the league. Aaron Rogers hard-counted the Saints on the road in a dome, arguably the loudest place in the league. So, again, and I'm pumping Aaron Rogers for MVP. Listen, this year was about one thing. And the media doesn't often get this because they just tend to be very anti-business.

You can't run a business, whether it's a $500,000 business or a $10 billion business like the NFL or Major League Baseball or the NBA or any of these pro sports that are worth billions of dollars. and just go to zero. To maintain businesses, you need revenue coming in. So you can't just be like, oh, no big deal. Nope, just shut it down, take a year off, no big deal. Because your expenses, you're overhead. Don't change. And the reason that they played this season for football

was to get games on TV. And to keep the revenue streams going, get the players paid, get the owners paid, less than they would have normally made. Now the players are making the same, right, because their contracts are. guaranteed. The owners are taking a hit this year. But they did it

strictly because they're in business, the TV networks need it. It's all about money. That's the only reason, not the only reason, but the main reason they're playing. All these sports on television is because of the cash. So it's not going to be fair. And they're

going to be a week maybe if there's another test where a team's going to have to play without being able to practice. Shit sucks. So does 2020. Welcome to the real world. It's not fun. for any of us. I'm sure many of you have little kids, kids in school

or stay at home at every day. Is that normal? Does that what you want to be doing? No, of course not. People are losing their minds. So it's just the cards we were dealt this year and I love Mike Vrable and I love Mike Tomlin's mindset. Because they just asked Mike Tomlin today once

they officially postpone the game. You might have to play 13 weeks. What are your thoughts? He says, we do not care. You think Vrable and Tomlin got to the top of the mountain at their profession. Vrable as a player, Tomlin as a coach, because they play some victim, because they're going to bitch and moan like so many people on social media do all day?

No. Winners just keep their head down and keep swinging. This is the cards that were dealt to all of us this year, and probably no two individuals are more equipped to handle it than guys like Vrable and Mike Tomlin. Here's the other thing. I said the moment the coronavirus hit, time was on football side. They had all off-season, so they got to watch all the other leagues come back. And then they came back, and it's been very smooth.

Well, now they had this little outbreak with the Titans. What do they also have on their side? They can push the season back. They can push playoffs back. They're not on some timeline. For example, the NBA. I bet on the heat it's going to backfire. They already have a bunch of injuries.

I'm going to lose $100 bucks on that series. More just because I hate the Lakers. But the NBA, typically, their finals is going on right now, starts on Halloween. Think about that. I saw Adam Silver told some news network or maybe at his press conference he gives on the finals that they might not start until May or March maybe. Like they don't know. But that's a problem.

Their whole timeline, all their season, it's all out of whack now. Everything is screwed. And it's not no fault of his own. It just hit in the middle of their season. It derailed everything. Baseball was lucky. They just said, listen, we're just going to go this short season and they're actually back on track. But basketball is way out of whack.

The NFL, let's say they have to miss some games, postpone some games throughout the season. Why don't they just push back the playoffs two weeks? Maybe three. Who cares? They can do whatever they want because their following season doesn't start until next September, right? And they've already proven this year that, like, yeah, we'll cancel OTAs. We'll go virtual. Maybe you can limit the OTAs, whatever.

None of that matters. So it sucks, and it's not ideal. You know, if you're a Steeler fan, Titan fan, your team's really good. you wanted to watch the game this weekend, but at the end of the day, like, this is 2020. It's not fair. It's not normal. And you just have to adjust. We're not getting BP fastballs this year.

We're getting crazy, you know, Barry Zito in his peak, not Giants version, A's version, curveballs. Let's use Clayton Kirchardt, Kurtzor on curveballs. And they're coming, and they're coming, and you just got to adjust. Because if you don't make adjustments at the plate, you're going to strike out. And the NFL, they'll adjust. They always have, always will. They'll be okay. And you're going to need, and I think the players from everyone that I've talked to in the league

are doing everything they possibly can to follow the rules, but there are going to be things that are out of your control. They just are. Another story that I saw on Thursday, Aaron Rogers told Pat McAfee that he often pretended that his headset didn't work so that he couldn't hear the play call over the years and he could call his own play. And my reaction was, of course he did. If I was in his shoes, I would do the same thing.

I'm sure many people listening have done the same thing in their life, professionally or personally. How often growing up or even as you get older do your parents tell you something and you think, yeah, listen, mom, dad, you guys raise me, but that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. And you just smile, you're like, yeah, I'll do that. And then you do the complete opposite. And it works. How often does your boss tell you, you know, this is what we got to do? And you're thinking in your head, that's the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard.

And you do the opposite. And it works. It happens all the time. Well, imagine you being the best employee at your business and hearing things come in and go, you know, I don't agree with that. I'm going to do something else. I would imagine a lot of great quarterbacks over the history of time have done that. And it works.

You know why? Because they're elite. Most of them are just going to be better than their coach. There are only so many Kyle Shanahan, Sean Patens, and Andy Reed. And I think even Andy Reed would tell you that like not every play call he's going to make is right. if he could sometimes, I'm sure the quarterback here or something, he would do something different. And they also give them the ability to make changes at the line.

But when I see that Aaron Rogers has not listened to his headset, I don't think that's a story. I think that's being a human. We all do it. We've all done it. And we all will continue to do it. Doesn't mean you're going to be right all the time. But there's a reason that whatever you do,

you're going to know better than the guy that is not in your shoes and have a better feel. So don't we all break someone? rules all the time. Imagine if every business in America followed every single little rule by the letter of the law. And I'm not talking legally of the law, but just never

colored outside the lines. We'd never really have innovation. A lot of companies would never make a big. I mean, a reason that Aaron Rogers has become Aaron Rogers is because he colors outside the line. You know, at the end of the day, when you like, the action's on the edges.

Right? I mean, that's That's where the action is. If you want to stay in the slow lane, you'll probably never get in a crash. You might. You might get rear-ended. But if you want to get in the fast lane, it's a little more going on over there.

You're going to get to your destination a little bit faster. And guys that push the envelope are people that I admire, are people that I relate to. And when I saw that story, my first reaction was, yeah, it's a non-story. I would imagine Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and guys over the years have done similar

because they know they're going to be, Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what y'all's saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert 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 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-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with 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 all day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, 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.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough

because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Times when they're just more knowledgeable about an individual situation, just like I'm sure many of you, sales jobs, whatever, has had your boss say something where you think to yourself, yeah, that's stupid. I'm not doing that. And you go another direction. And at the end of the day, it works.

Your company makes money and your boss goes, good job, right? How many touchdowns that Aaron Rogers throw over the years where Mike McCarthy wanted him do something different? You think Mike McCarthy didn't give him a high five? No, he high-fived him, and he talked to the press after a win and smiled. That's the way the world works. 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 1-800flowers.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. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky.

They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. If I could be you. And you could be me?

For just one hour. If you could find a way to get inside. Each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes. We've all felt left out. And for some, that feeling lasts more than a moment.

We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us. Brought to you by the ad council One thing you read about a lot growing up And then as you get older in your 20s and definitely in your 30s And the saying rings true is that you learn so much more about yourself About any situation through adversity, through failure Than you do through any sort of success

You know personally or financially And it doesn't actually sink in, at least from me. I can only speak from my own personal, you know, experiences until you go through it. And once you go through really tough times, you go, God, I learned a lot about myself. Because it's easy. What makes like the Belichicks and the Bezos's and the Warren Buffett's, I think, such outliers, is they're equally, if not more driven during successes. Most humans are the most driven

When kind of shit hits the fan When your back is against the wall You don't really have a choice And you just have to grind through it And kind of come out on the other end And I'm a huge believer in that That failure is not only good But it is the best learning tool

Now it's not fun Right For me if like Colin Coward goes I'm cutting off my partnership with Middlecoff. He's a loser. I'm never working with him again. And he tweeted that out. Like, that would suck, right?

That's a, I have a public job, I guess. So other people would see it. When I got fired, for example, even when I was a scout in the NFL and Chip Kelly came, no one knew the West Coast Scout got fired. It was like a line on a press release. No one gave a shit. But when I got fired in radio, people were like, what the hell? Where's middle cop show?

And it was a public firing. Now, I can't relate to being a head coach, to being a player, to being anyone, quote-unquote, really famous when you go through a really hard time. It's a very, very public divorce or your struggles are just out there for everyone to see. And nothing more than in football, right? when a head coach or a quarterback struggles, it's a polarizing time for that franchise and for those two individuals. It's a tough time because they're the guys getting the most heat.

They also consistently get the most fame. Now, the coach doesn't necessarily get the most money the quarterback does, but he's making $8 to $10 million if he's a good, accomplished coach. And when you look at Carson-Winst and when you look at Doug Peterson, Doug's accomplished more. Obviously, he was the head coach for a team that won the Super Bowl. Now, Carson has had great moments in the NFL.

Right, in 17, he was on his way to win the MVP. He got hurt. Last year, coming back from back to back years injured, really turned it on toward the end of the season and helped carry the team to the playoffs. I think we all acknowledge, even though he's really struggling right now, he's a big-time talent. But they're going through a very rocky time.

right now in Philadelphia. It is just not working. Now, it's not all the coach's fault, and it's not all the quarterback's fault. You got injuries left and right to your offensive line. Your running backs miss the first game. You got wide receivers injured left and right. You now lose your tight end.

It's tough. But I do believe because I got news for Eagles fans, just people that are just kind of, if you're a fan of the Cowboys or the Giants, kind of rooting for the Eagles to suck, it actually might get a little more difficult. and it could get uglier these next three weeks. They play the Niners, the Steelers, and the Ravens.

So there is, I'd say, a decent chance that they start 05-1. They could play well these next three weeks and lose all these games. You could argue, depending on who actually plays for the Niners, this is going to be the easiest game this week of the three games, though it is a long travel, and I do think the Niners are getting a ton of guys back. But here's the thing. Regardless what happens these next three weeks, Doug Peterson and Carson Wentz

are going to learn a lot about each other. Because they really, even last year, they were always alive, they knew they controlled their own destiny, and they ultimately did and made the playoffs. And I know they lost in the first round, but Carson got a concussion, and it was easy to just,

it was understandable. I mean, they had to play a backup quarterback who technically wasn't their backup quarterback, McCown, who was also like a football coach for a high school who tore, you know, a muscle in the game and was running around, couldn't really run, couldn't move. I mean, it was understandable why they lost once Carson went out. Coming into this season, expectations high again, pretty clear the division was going to suck.

If you just win 9 or 10 games, it was going to be easy to cruise into the playoffs. Then, all of a sudden, you look up and you're 02 and 1, and your quarterbacks look like shit. But listen, I'm a huge Phillip Rivers guy. Well, not necessarily anymore, but just I have a lot of respect for his career. He had some terrible seasons. and the mentally tough quarterbacks in this league can go through a terrible year

and bounce back. Now, Brady, Manning, even Rogers, don't have that many down years, but they're all-time outliers. I mean, those are the best quarterback of all time, two top five quarterbacks of all time. Carson Wentz was probably never going to be that. If you're a top 25 quarterback of all time,

you know, somewhere between 10 to 30, let's say, probably had some crappy years. It's football. It's hard. The other guys and the other team get paid too. And I do believe that through this adversity and through these potential upcoming losses that these guys can learn something about themselves and whether that propels them in the second half of the season

when they play a lot more division games or they just have a down year and they bounce back next year it'll help them out. Now it could also blow up and their relationship could really splinter and never be the same but they're not going anywhere. Carson Wentz's dead cap next year is $60 million. Breaking news, he'll be on the team.

Doug Peterson won the first Eagles Super Bowl in franchise history. He's been to the playoffs the last two years. He got a contract extension within the last year. He's going nowhere. So these guys are tied at the hip. And this quote-unquote adversity, these losses that they're going through, this terrible offensive production should,

if they kind of get together and utilize this time and make the most of it, should help them out big picture. Now, will it? I don't know. But here's what I do know. Doug Peterson has a history in this league of winning. As he's been the head coach,

the Eagles have consistently won. In one year they won really big. The last couple years with a ton of injuries, they've been really competitive. Now, you can push back and say, well, they've played in a shitty division, and that's kind of true, but they've taken advantage of the situation.

I do believe that if this next three games gets away from them, it'll probably be difficult to win the division. But given that they're only a half game out of first place, you're never technically out of it in the NFC East. I don't, and I'm not just going to write off this quarterback, though. And I know Colin went on a rant, how you can't just quit.

And that's everyone wants to bench the player. You're not benching your franchise quarterback. You're just going to live through a down year. And hopefully he can use these experiences to figure out what he has to do better. What makes him a better player? What when not to throw the ball to the other team? What situations he can push the envelope on a pass

and which ones he can't. Now, I'm not defending him. Because I've watched all three of his games and his, he threw one pick that I guess you could defend it was tipped at the line in the bangle game but the second pick was awful it was terrible he threw a pick in the rams game in the red zone which was atrocious so he has to be better but sometimes to get better you have to hit rock bottom and he'd be like well he hit rock bottom before well he was i think he'd look at it and just go i was hurt i was playing

well now his play stinks and there's this elephant in the room with nick foals and i do think the Eagles probably benefit from no fans being around because if the Foles starts winning with the Bears, it's hard to shake that the guy that actually won the Super Bowl for the Eagles is now on this other team, and then he just miraculously won a game last week. And who knows, the Bears are just pretty equipped

because they got a good defense and good skill guys that why wouldn't they keep winning? There's that kind of elephant in the room, but that guy's not coming back. He's the Bears quarterback. Carson Wentz is your quarterback if you're the Eagles. So if you're an Eagle fan, you just have to hope that he learned something from this.

I know most of us, I'm sure many people listening go, yeah, I've learned a lot from my lowest moments in my career, right? The times that I've screwed up the most is when I've battled back and kind of got the train back on the tracks. And that to me is the only way, if you want to be optimistic with Wednesday, you have to look at it. I think we've all noticed whether you watch the bubble,

whether you've watched these baseball playoffs, whether you've watched the majors in golf, and clearly when you're watching football, the NFL or college football, having no fans has an enormous impact. A huge part of collegiate and definitely pro sports are a large number of people, whether it's basketball, you know, 20,000,

whether it's baseball, 40,000, whether it's football, 70, 80, college, 100, that have a major impact on the game. If you go play Penn State or Michigan, there are a lot of people rooting against you. If you go play the Seattle Seahawks or you go play the New Orleans Saints, those places are fucking loud.

Anyone that's ever been to a baseball playoff game knows it feels like the SEC. underrated event to ever attend Major League Baseball Playoff game. They're badass. They're just the whole place is on tilt every pitch. It's sweet. I've been to countless playoff games,

NLCSs and World Series games. They're badass. They really just go for the atmosphere, have some beers. It's awesome. You impact the game. Because the people on the field are humans. Now, the sport that it impacts the game, game, I would say the most would be football and basketball. Historically in basketball in the NBA

playoffs, role players play better at home, right? You're not getting screamed at. But in football, it actually impacts the sport, right? The quarterback trying to, I mean, Aaron Rogers and my partner on the other podcast guy, I wasn't really thinking about it live. I was kind of just, you know, eating dinner, watching the game in the backer. Aaron Rogers is hard counting the Saints on the road. Like, that's just not happening. Greasy talked about it on the Monday night game of Patrick Mahomes just on the road in Baltimore. It's just quiet. So it's not normal. Now, I'm not, everyone's playing by the same rules. So it's like, I'm not holding it against everybody. But I think we'd all acknowledge that this is, the sports different. An underrated part, though, that I think it's

different in a way that wouldn't necessarily impact performance, but would definitely impact management and the way the team is covered and talked about by the fans is the environment for the shitty teams. Have you ever been, and I've been to a couple Raider and Niner games when they were drafting in the top five, like teams in the second half when they were god-awful. 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. 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 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.

How 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 Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. 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. 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 Hardaway 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. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro.

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. The crowd and the Raiders were probably worse than Niners because the Niners were in Levi, so they kind of had a higher-end consumer there. the Raider fan at Coliseum, it got pretty edgy.

And rightfully so, getting booed, pissed off. Two teams right now, to me, that benefit dramatically from not having fans to impact ownership, to impact management, are the Jets and the Giants. Can you imagine some of the signs, some of the pictures that would go viral of bags overheads, the consistent booing that would be. that would go on at just throughout this season for those two teams.

The Mecca, right, they call it, the Mecca. And their two football teams are god-awful. I think two other teams that are kind of flat under the radar that would be ugly. I mean, obviously the Eagles. I mean, that tie to the Bengals, if their fans would have been there, would have been really ugly. And depending on how the Cowboys start playing, I think that place would turn on them a little bit.

so when you suck like it's one thing you're getting yelled at by your coaches you don't have to get booed there's no one booing you like that there is to me a benefit there of obviously the chiefs and the Ravens and Seattle like their places would be going berserk

but the jets the giants the struggling eagles they don't have to get booed right now there's nothing just crickets so an unintended consequence this season for the bad teams, it's actually a little easier to suck. You just do your press conference on Zoom and go home.

You don't actually need to face anybody in person, and you definitely don't need to look at any fans that have paid their hard-earned dollar because anyone that's been to an NFL game knows those tickets are not cheap. Those tickets are not cheap at all. You don't have to hear anything. You just get to pack up, suck, and go home. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birth, birthday gifts? I'm here to tell you that 1800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination.

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They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service 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 Atcounters. When I was on the road as a scout and I was always just, you kind of were eating out of your car, you know, I was always pretty good at working out. I've always, you know, I'm one of those kind of fat guys that just has to work out so I'm not really fat. And I enjoy working out. Like I'm never going to have a six pack or anything. I do it more.

I just, I feel good. And I think better when I work out. You know, I try to work out six or seven times a week. And a lot of that is just. hour on the treadmill or whatever, throw on a podcast, watch a game. You know, the technology is incredible. Right now because of the coronavirus, my gym has shut down. I ordered a bike, go running outside.

It just helps me mentally feel better. It helps me think clear. And it just, I'm able to sleep at night. That's really what I do it for. Not to like look great with my shirt off. Never have, never will. But I always tried to eat healthy when I was on the road, or at least healthier. and McDonald's I found had some sneaky healthy options,

especially for breakfast. They, as the coffee craze really took off over the last 15 years, they really adapted. When I was growing up, when you thought McDonald's, it was just like Big Macs, chicken nuggets, just dirty eating. I'd say now they got something for everybody. Salad, coffee, burgers, wraps, you name it, they got it all. They are equipped for 2020.

I've always marveled about how, well, McDonald's adapted as the times changed, right? You think, like, maybe I don't frequent these joints anymore, but like, I don't feel like Carl's Jr. or Jack in the Box have, and maybe I'm wrong. But to me, McDonald's was always at the forefront of being the first to adapt. That's why I think they consistently kick everyone's ass. And I'm still a fan. I like their coffee.

They got great little vanilla cream. If you're ever just on the road and, like, you see a. Starbucks, you see a McDonald's. Like, sometimes it's McDonald's coffee. I just go there and get coffee. I've done it. I do it all the time, actually. There's not a McDonald's really that close to me, but if there was, I'd probably go there three or four times

a week just to get coffee. Well, after the debate the other night, which I'm sure most people listening probably watched, it was just, it was a lot to take in. You know, it's just as a huge fan of America, I was like, god damn, you know, is this

what we've come to? Like, this my dad would be like turning over in his grave. Like it was rough night for the United States of America. And I'm like, I need to watch something else. So once it ends, I'm flipping around the channels. And I stumble on the Alabama game. And Alabama had played Missouri. And I start watching it.

And they just kicked the shit out of them. I mean, their quarterback looks awesome. Waddle number 17 looks fantastic. Smith, the guy that returned is with Waddle. I mean, they looked unreal. But they look so much different, and really they have the last couple years, than they did a decade ago.

Nick Saban adapted and changed with the times better than I think he gets credit for. I'm watching them, Sarks is offensive coordinator, they have a spread offense, they have all these small linebackers that can run and cover. I go, this looks like nothing of the team that seven, eight years ago, beat the crap out of Notre Dame

with a bunch of 250-pound middle linebackers, multiple tight ends, slam it down your throat, Sark's going four or five wide, putting wide receivers in the backfield. I'm like, does any guy adapt better Nick Sabin but not quite get enough credit because he's like, Nick Sabin, this old school guy? I don't really know how old school Nick Saban is.

He'll do anything it takes to win. He'll just change with the times. I mean, his first big recruit was Julio Jones, but I'd say up until the last three or four years, maybe Amari Cooper, and even Amari Cooper wasn't playing with four or five other NFL guys. They weren't viewed as like some Oklahoma level pumping out wide receivers, right? It felt like they had one guy. Now I watch them the last several years,

and they had a couple young guys make plays in that game. It's like, how many sweet wide receivers did they have? And then they got this quarterback, Mack Jones. Everyone's blowing Tua, and rightfully so he went fifth in the, the draft. I got news for you. Keep an eye on Mac Jones. Sure looked like a first rounder to me. So now he's turned the program from a defensive first, big huge guys, slam it down your throat run game to produce an NFL quarterback's, NFL wideouts, and spread offenses. Like if McDonald's just rolled out burgers in 2020, they would not make as much money.

But they got salads, they got wraps, and they definitely got coffee. I highly recommend changing it. Like I'm watching Nick Saban and I go, he's like a mixture of Oklahoma, you know, meets what they used to be, meets what you need to be now. It's perfect. And it works. Their team also, here's the other thing, and I'm telling you, in like six, eight, 12 months, when society gets really back on track and the coronavirus is just gone in the sense of we don't need to like wear masks everywhere we go. Whenever that, There are going to be people that crush it. And everyone's going to be like, oh, this guy just got so lucky, right place, right time.

I'm telling you, people are putting in the work the last six months. They will be ready to strike when things open up and we get back to a normal society. And everyone will be like, oh, the guy just got lucky. He fell into it. Bullshit. He has worked his ass off. I know so many people that have just said, God, I've worked harder than I ever had. over the coronavirus and I think a lot of those people are going to just be put like oh he just

fell into this you know he got this great deal because you know so-and-so the market tanked and no he was poised and he was ready and he had got his ducks in a row while I'm watching Alabama going you think the coronavirus through Sabin for a loop hell no he stays locked and loaded he could coach in the coronavirus he could coach in the spanish flu he could coach in 2018 we got no issues, it doesn't matter. Like, I'm watching Bama going, they could play in a pandemic, they could play anytime, anywhere, and they're going to be ready to roll. I was just baff, like, listen, obviously they got really good players and they're better

in Missouri. But the level of focus and execution that they had coming out of just game one was pretty eye-opening. again expected them to be good but to watch them just within a blink of an eye be up 28 nothing and the execution the tackling the physicality the speed

this is a Nick Sabin operation and the best people the most talented people the most driven people and the most focused people are the people running circles around everyone remember six months ago the media said everyone shut it down just watch Netflix for the

next 12 months don't do anything and us normal people are like well we got bills to pay uh we got to keep working that's not really feasible and they're like just shut it down netflix and chill i would imagine nick sabin did not next flicks and chill one day think about this your competition whatever you're doing over the last six months if you've cut corners don't be surprised if that guy hasn't and he takes a market share and if you're the guy that if your competition cut corners and you haven't. You're going to pounce. And you'll steal market share. You'll steal some of his business. And you'll ultimately win. Because everything Nick Saban could have done over the last six months, everything humanly possible he was allowed, he did it. And I think you'll see in that,

why do you think Belichick hasn't skipped a beat? Why do you think Andy Reid came? They just won a Super Bowl. You think he rested on his laurels? You think he just Netflix and chilled all summer, even though you couldn't practice or anything? Hell no. Do you think that Andy Reed, when they just played the Ravens on Monday night? You think the first time he ever watched the Ravens was last week? Because I got news for you. I'll bet thousands of dollars. Andy spent a week on his own over this offseason getting ready for that game.

If not two weeks. If not put it part of his weekly calendar for a month. These guys, the elites, it doesn't matter what the situation is, what the circumstances are. They stay locked and loaded. Because you never know when it just goes. Okay, we're open, ready to go, open for business. Okay, game this week, go.

Just, we don't control it. We've learned that in 2020. But if you don't stay ready and Nick Saban clearly stays ready, you're going to lose. You know, in life, on the field, it's just the reality of the world we're in. Okay, let's dive in to three for the money, and not to gloat, six and three on the season.

So, you know, if you're betting $100 a game, six and three, you would have made $600, you would be up $300. Not bad. Tipped my hat. It's pretty good. The only bad part is I haven't bet on all these games that I've been given out. I've bet on some of them,

but I also bet on games I didn't even believe in and I've lost. If I just followed my own advice, I never lose. This week, though, I feel pretty good because I've taken a philosophy. And we've done this. on my other podcast, Haberman and Middlecough, we each threw in some money

and we bet one game a week. We have a philosophy. We bet like $250 on one game week one. And that's all we were putting into the pot and whatever we won, we were going to, if we lost week one, we were done. And we're just going to see how long we can go. Well, we've won three weeks in a row.

And our philosophy was simple. Anytime we could get a playoff team against a team that drafting in the top, probably five or six, we were going to take it every time, no matter what else was on the board. And week one,

we did Pittsburgh against the Giants. Win. The last two weeks, we've done Niners against the Jets and the Giants. Win, win, win. I don't think Vegas has done a good job of understanding just how shitty some of these teams are,

the impact of really good teams with no fans. So any time that I can get a playoff team, a double-digit win team, against the Jets, against the Giants. Those are my two main culprits. I'm going to throw Washington, the Redskins in there as well, and I'm going to bet against them. So here are my three bets, starting with the Rams hosting the Giants. Now, the line is 13. I don't care.

As you saw last week, the Rams are potent. They're going to win 10 plus games. They have an elite offense. the best defensive player in football. They're coming off a loss. They're going to be pissed off. And the Giants aren't just bad. They're awful.

Their quarterback stinks. Their offense stinks. Their defense is worse. Nick Mullins just threw for 300 yards on them. I could not like the Rams anymore in this game. I'm taking the Ravens minus 13 against the Redskins. Like I said, my philosophy is simple. When I can get top teams against really crappy teams,

They're going to be drafting in the top five. I'm going to hammer it. I like Ron Rivera. But, you know, I don't, I've never believed in Dwayne Haskins. Word is. I don't know if he does either. So I'm going to take the Ravens, minus 13, coming off a loss. An embarrassing loss.

I like John Harbaugh with a team that is really good. Are they as good as the Chiefs? No. Do I think they're going to win in the playoffs? No, I don't. Do I think they're going to kick the living shit out of the Washington football team? That I do. I might have called them that other word that I guess you're not supposed to call them anymore.

So I'll just call them the Washington football team. I don't really, I can't keep up with everything. Love the Ravens and love the Rams. I mean, I couldn't love any of those two games anymore. If you parlay those two games, you can almost get three to one odds. I plan on doing that. My last game, this was tough. I kind of like the Bears getting some points at home.

Big Dick Nick, hard to bet against. He's just Foles has some special magic. don't hate that game. Cowboys Browns was intriguing, but I think I'm going to go against the Bills, a playoff team, and the Raiders, who, listen, they kick the crap out of the Saints. Turns out the Saints might not be that good.

And the Raiders are missing a guy that makes their offense go in Henry Ruggs. Brian Edwards, their other wide receiver is not going to play this week. They've had a bunch of other injuries. Their middle linebackers been banged up. Trent Brown's been banged up. They're starting corner. the rookie Damon Arnett is out now with a thumb injury. He already had a broken thumb, but he re-injured it last week.

They just have a ton of injuries. The bills have a top-notch defense, a top-notch coach, and a quarterback who's playing just out of his mind. Now, I don't like this game as much as the other two, but I'm just going to stick with my philosophy, a playoff-level team against a team. Now, I think the Raiders, if healthy, are competing for a wild-card spot. With all these injuries, they're not a wild-card team.

So I can get three points. The bills are coming off a win, still, like, enough where McDermott can get on them because the game turned out to be close right in the second half when they came storming back. To me, a big reason for that is no fans. The place would have been going bananas. So I'm going Rams minus 13, Ravens minus 13, Bill's minus 3. And I don't love taking all huge favorites, but in 2020, I think this is stealing. Again, I'm 6 and 3, so riding the hot hand, baby. Okay. Let's do a little middle coffee mail.

bag at John Middlecoff. He is the Instagram. You guys know the deal by now. Come in the DMs and we'll answer questions. Pretty easy, pretty basic. Let's roll. From Carson. Not Wentz.

All right. So this may be a goofy question, but it's something I've noticed throughout these couple past weeks of the season and I'm convinced it's a real thing. Throughout some of these games, you see quarterbacks and coach smiling on the field and sidelines as their column plays as a result of huge gains. I've noticed it with Mahomes, Rogers, Gruden, because it doesn't wear a mask, oh well. But my question is, that's a funny joke. But my question is, do you think the reason offense has been so potent this season is because

the lack of fans adding more security, stability, and complexity to every team's offense? Love the pod. I think you provide some of the realest football content in the BIS. Appreciate it, dog. Yeah, I mean, I think the offense, as I talked about earlier, is it such, well, the bad teams have an advantage with no fans because they're not getting booed. The offenses are at such an advantage. Road offenses are always at a disadvantage, especially in New Orleans, Kansas City, Seattle,

Baltimore, New England. Any of these places, I saw last year with Levi Stadium for the first time ever got really loud. It's just, it doesn't exist. There is no noise. So I think it's like, it's the NFL, but it's as close you get as, is, seven on seven as you're going to see on Sunday. So, yeah, man, it's, uh,

I think they're smiling because they know it ain't fair. They know they can't hit them. They know that they can take advantage of the defenses at the line of scrimmage. It's just, it's wild. Patriots fan here. With how successful the CAM experiment has been in New England, what are the chances he gets his extension this offseason

or at least one more year in the franchise tag? I think we jump to conclusions a lot with, a lot of people like, what do you think about Lamar's contract? extension, like Lamar's contract extension. It's a rush. Now, there is a little rush with Cam just because it's a one-year deal,

but like you said, you can franchise tag. I would imagine that number would be pretty big next year. We're only in week three. They got the Chiefs. Let's see how he looks against the bills. You got time. Let's just see it play out. I think everyone rushes to,

we got to pay this guy, we got to pay this guy. Yeah, if your name's Patrick Mahomes, if your name is anything else, I'll wait. Remember, we got to pay Dak, we got to pay Dak. Do we? Or can we just see how Dack looks? Let's just take our time. So, Cam's unique, because he's just on a one-year deal.

I just, I don't think you need to make any determinations now. Just let it play out. See how he keeps playing. Yeah, that to me would be my philosophy. And that's clearly Belichick, who's the most patient negotiator ever. What are your parameters for sports betting? What is the best advice of how to avoid trap games and bets? one thing I've done in 2020

and I've made more money in a four-week span than I have in like three years just because I'm not making stupid bets talked about it earlier I'm just betting on against bad teams and I'm looking for value I'm betting on good teams against really shitty teams

I try to stay away from two teams that are evenly matched like I want to bet on the bears this week and I might but like them playing the Colts is a true coin flip game right like the Chiefs Kansas City that's risky

because I've got Belichick going against Andy short week for the Chiefs. They have nothing to prove. Just a risky game. I like betting good teams, Rams, Ravens against shitty teams. Redskins and the Giants. When the Jets play good teams,

bet against them. To me, those are my traps. And I love betting on good teams when they're playing a lower-level team off a loss. So if you're playing a non-playoff team, off a loss, I feel pretty good about you. Hello, big fan.

Finally made an IG account so I can get on the people's show. I appreciate it. You had a great take regarding the nature of John Harbaugh's coaching career. He has had a ton of success. Two Super Bowls is huge. John Harbaugh? Two Super Bowles?

I think he's been to one. I guess he's been to two as he went to as an assistant coach with Andy Reed. However, is the guy is he the one that can take Lamar to the next level? Both Harbaas have been limited it offensively and clearly Lamar needs more than just a great talent

to beat elite teams. He needs great offensive play calling. Could the Ravens pull the trigger Alex Smith-style and get a young, fresh, offensive mind like Lincoln Riley? Or is it too aggressive? Well, listen, Harbaugh, you're winning every year. So I would say I would be floored

if they were to make a move like that because you're actually winning with John Harbaugh. Now, Greg Roman, to me, has a ceiling when it comes to passing. I saw it with Kaepernick. Now, that might have just been Kaepernick, who's not a natural thrower of the football. Lamar is a better thrower of the football than Kaepernick. His arm's not as strong, but he has more touch. But they might not be elite throwers, right?

They're not Mahomes. They're not Rogers. They're not Russell. They're not, you know, Rivers in his prime, Rothersburg. Those guys are throwing quarterbacks. Lamar at the end of the day is a run first quarterback. Now, he's had moments where he's been really accurate. Against the Chiefs, he was kind of all over the map.

People are like, well, they dropped some balls. A couple of those were really, really difficult catches. I'll give you a drop when it hits the guy in stride. Mark Andrews's like laying out with one hand. So I don't think they're changing. I think they're all in. Greg Roman, John Harbaugh. Would be a ballsy move?

I'd be all for it, Lincoln Riley. Pretty sure John Harbaugh has got a contract extension. so it's cool to talk about and cool to think about, but I don't think it's happening. Is this where I slide in in the Middoughf mailbag? Yes, it is. Fletcher. I'm a Colts fan, and I think Frank Reich and Chris Ballard

are smart guys. My question, though, is with Rivers, Brissette, Ty, Justin Houston, Xavier Rhodes, and Marlon Mack being upcoming free agents, how do the Colts pivot this coming off season to maintain cap flexibility and be competitive? I think there's a chance of Rivers,

if they have success and make the playoffs, comes back on a one-year deal. Marlon Mack, you just drafted Taylor. He's probably gone. T.Y, I don't watch them closely enough. To me, it's probably time to move on. Jacoby, see ya. Justin Houston's really old.

Xavier Rhodes, I think, had to pick six last week, right? So I wouldn't throw him to the wolves. Yeah, I just think that's the great part about the NFL. You're going to have the ability to sign other players to make trades, to be aggressive. the only guy to me that you'd think about bringing back would be Rivers if he has a good season. And I'll be completely honest.

I didn't watch the last game. They were playing the Jets. You couldn't pay me to watch that thing. When they lost the Jaguars the week one, I mean, he made some pretty bad mistakes. This is a big week for Rivers. On the road, Chicago, a big-time defense. Like, we'll see how he plays.

You know, to me it's games like this to find out, like, are they going to be in the quarterback market this offseason? because Rivers is what, like almost 40 and his best football is behind him for sure but if he can get him to the playoffs I wouldn't be opposed to rolling it back. Big Packer fan from Austria here The popularity of American football has been on the rise

for the last couple of years in all of Europe. Love it. As far as I can tell, the London games have been huge success and I know many people went to see those games that wouldn't have had a chance to go to an NFL game elsewhere. Do you think we're going to get more European games in the future? which market do you think they're going to expand to next? I think playing games in Germany would probably make a lot of sense.

Huge fan of the pot. Appreciate it. That's a great question. I mean, my European landscape, I went in college, I've been to Spain, I've been to Italy, and I've been to Amsterdam. Amsterdam does not suck. And that's about the extent of my knowledge. I've never been to England, the UK, where they've played the games.

I think clearly the league likes that area. Wembley Stadium, I think, I think, I might be talking out of turn here, but if they were ever going to move there, I think it would be the UK. Germany, I don't know. I mean, I'm not an international expert, and I don't know people in the league office

what they're thinking about that. I think they were going to China or Japan next year. I think Japan, maybe. I thought they were doing a game next year in Japan for the preseason with like the Rams or the Niners or the Raiders. I thought, but I'd have to look that up. Now, I don't think they would... put a team over there, obviously.

It's too far away. But, yeah, I think they're definitely into international, into growth. Listen, you're either growing or you're dying, and the NFL's, they like their money. They love their money. I mean, who doesn't? So, yeah, I wouldn't put it fast them to play a game in Germany one day. Appreciate everyone listening.

Have a great weekend. Godspeed. Hopefully your team wins. Hopefully you win some money. Follow my picks. Six and three. No big deal. Adios.

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