The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - NFL Coaching Carousel; Playoff Team Quick Takes; Burrow's G.O.A.T. Season; Top League Headlines; Mailbag

Episode Date: December 31, 2019

In this episode, Middlekauff looks at the NFL coaching casualties, why massive league money has made teams less patient with coaches, his take on each playoff team as they head into the postseason, why Joe Burrow winning a national championship could make his year the greatest college football season ever. He also runs down the top headlines from around the league and answers listener questions in Middlekauff's Mailbag. Follow John on twitter @JohnMiddlekauff and go to theherdnow.com to find the latest content. Subscribe now! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett. My mama want you to weigh better.

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apply. Full details on carnival.com, ships, Redstreet, behind us, Panama. Recording this on, I forget Pete Carroll would say the day before, the day before, New Year's. You're probably listening to this on New Year's Eve. And if you're listening to this on New Year's Eve, you probably got bowl games going. There's, I almost said BYU, but it's actually Virginia,

Bronco Mendenhall, who I don't know if you've noticed. I had to Google it tonight. Bronco Mendenhall looks about 38 years old. I Googled it. He's 53. Just a, just looks fantastic for a 53-year-old guy. Head coach in Virginia, Florida's up by a couple touchdowns. Looks like they're going to win.

But we will dive into a lot today. Maybe try to keep this short and sweet in the sense of, I know you got a lot going on, New Year's Eve, but as we get older, you know, I'm my mid-thirties right now. I would imagine I got an eclectic group from the 20s that go hard on New Year's to the people once you get in your 30s. You're like, yeah, I don't even care. I might just have a couple cocktails, hang out with my girlfriend, and watch the Irishman. So maybe I shouldn't pigeonhole anyone listening to this that's out, you know, crushing it on New Year's. Like, we used to do in our younger days, but happy New Year's, big 2020, something classic

like social media, Instagram, like, I'm going to get rid of all the bad energy this year. Get rid of all the people I don't need. All the girls that I follow on Instagram have just, they really do have some great, you know, motivational sayings. I don't know if they're ripping them from Tony Robbins or whatever. Guys do too. It's not, but just a lot of just getting rid of the bad, getting rid of the old, getting into the new, positive energy in 2020, kind of like the Browns, which I'm sure we'll talk about on this podcast, the coaching

carousel. We will touch on the playoffs. Just because the playoffs are now starting, I don't know if I'm going to rehash too much of Week 17, but I will touch on the Niners Seattle game. Joe Burrow, who I think is officially, I'm not even a religious guy, but he's Jesus, just blanket LSU. That was, I was at a buddy's house for a party on Saturday, and I got there early, and it was just me and him watching the game, having a couple beers, and it was like, what are we watching right now? Seven touchdowns in the first half,

Texas with a lot of people in the league. Just talk about, if he's a one-hit wonder, I mean, what is that one song? Like, stairway to heaven, Hotel California, like the greatest song ever, let it be by the Beatles. Talk about being a one-hit wonder, if you're a college player, you know, just meaning you have a great season.

You win this championship if they can finish it off against Clemson, which as you see, that other quarterback for them, is pretty damn good too, Trevor Lawrence, who's basically the modern-day paid Manning. Joe Burroughs going to be an LSU legend with our guy Eddie O. some stories just that I saw around the league, things that kind of interest me. And then Middlecoff Mailbag at John Middlecough is my Instagram handle,

is my Twitter handle, but on Instagram, DMs are wide open. You slide up in those, and we answer your questions right. here. But I'm going to start with the coaching carousel. And as of recording this, I guess the big news was Freddie Kitchen's Sunday night, Pat Schumer

Monday morning. The Washington Redskins have already fired their coach. As of recording this, Jason Garrett has not been fired yet. And am I missing anybody? Giants. Oh, Carolina is another, but they fired Ron

Rivera. They're pretty good mood. You know, once they fired Ron Rivera, it looks like the the assistant coaches really had it going on. Carolina basically looked like a collegiate team down the stretch. God, what a pitiful effort. But I got a couple of things I want to get off my chest with the coaching carousel before we get into some of the situations. One, sometimes you see on Twitter like, everybody feels sympathetic.

And listen, working in the league, now granted, I haven't been around many sloppy coaches. And, you know, the only head coach I work for is one of the best coaches in the league his assistant, Sean McDermott's in the playoffs, Doug Peterson's in the playoffs. Matt Nagy was in the playoffs this year. Everyone's like, Matt Nagy's idiot. Yeah, I mean, his worst year is 8-N-8. With a quarterback that couldn't complete passes, Matt Nagy's going to be fine.

So I was around a lot of guys that deserve shots, that have earned shots and are just widely considered high level. But I've been following the league really closely and just working in the Bay Area. It's from Jim Tom Sula to Chip Kelly to actually Jack DeLoreal wasn't that bad relative to what the Raiders have had. But there are a lot of coaches like Freddie Kitchens. Feels sympathy. Guy just lost his job. Freddy Kitchens.

There is not another job in America that I think Freddie Kitchens could make $100,000. He signed a contract, I'm guessing, a four-year contract in Cleveland. He obviously only worked one of those. But in the NFL, he got his contract guaranteed. So if he was making $4 million, that would be $12 million he signed. I know a lot of successful people, you know, just in life. Like you're successful financially if you make like $250 grand.

He's making $4 million a year for a job that he had zero business attaining. Pat Shermer, we knew he was a terrible head coach. Maybe he's a good offensive coordinator. I think it was more of a one-year wonder in Minnesota, but he clearly couldn't motivate a high school team, let alone an NFL team. Again, a guy who became a multi-millionaire for the second time around. And now he's in the coordinator cycle, where if you're a coordinator in the NFL, you make seven figures a year. You're not an at-will employee.

So when you get fired, they have to pay you to go away. I don't feel much sympathy for guys that had no business having those positions to get fired. I feel a little sympathy for Ron Rivera. Ron Rivera is an NFL coach. He got fired. And it clearly rattled him a little bit. Yeah, I feel some sympathy there. But I don't feel sorry for Freddie Kitchens, whose family became set for life because of a job he didn't have.

I'm sure people listening, you work in corporate situations, you work for these middle managers, depending on your companies, where hell, they might be making half a million dollars, which is a ton of money. And you go, how could this bozo get this job? And you don't, when that guy gets relieved of his duties, because eventually they all get exposed. Just in football, when you're the head coach,

you get exposed immediately if you have no business doing it because you just, it's a public job. It's clear your team has a, you know, basically a quarterly statement every Sunday. And guys like Freddy Kitchens and Jim Tom Sula get sniffed out by week three. You can't hide it. So I feel no sympathy in that realm. And the other thing is, failure is a good thing.

So for all these guys, I've been fired a couple times, both times the best things that have ever happened to me in my life. And only once, in Philly when I got fired, I had to have another year. I just had to figure it out. In radio when I got fired, they had to pay me to go away. And I trust me, I wasn't making a million dollars. And it was a powerful feeling. And I learned from it and I got better. Like adversity should help you in life.

You should go back in the mirror, look in the mirror, reevaluate some things, and be better. Look how awesome Andy Reid's been since he went to Kansas City. Ron Rivera, I don't quite understand why he wants to go to Washington, which it kind of seems from the outside is where he's headed. Maybe something changes. I don't know why he'd want to do that. But I'd say this.

I've seen Ron Rivera's resume. I think he'll be pretty successful. And I think in the short period of time that he's got to learn from it, he's going to come back and kick ass and take names. But the NFL, it just has so many guys in the league. I don't think fans quite fathom how much money these guys make. I mean, I think we understand with head coaches

like Freddy Kitchens or whatever. But even these coordinators. And a lot of coordinators in the NFL, for every good coordinator, and now actually a decent amount of coordinators are head coaches, But in the past, and definitely in college, once you get in that coordinator cycle, you start making seven figures, seven figures. Think of how many people in your life that you know that makes seven figures.

Are there really like the best guys making seven figures? No. There are a ton of good coaches, Division II, that if they got their chance in the NFL, if they worked their way up, would run circles around guys that have jobs. And I think the hard part about NFL, while you see this turnover, one, in coaching, at such a rapid rate is the league's never generated more money. So buying these guys out of contracts, I was my gym where I live in Walnut Creek in the Bay Area.

I really like the gym. It's a really nice gym. And I spend, it's one of the, like, my only activities. Go there every day. Just spend a lot of time there. It's also like a hotel slash, it has a bar, it has lunch. You can work there. It's like it's a little Starbucks, but it's big.

It can do a lot. But they're raising the rates. and they've raised the race the last couple years. It's now $200 a month. And I started thinking, like, am I going to pay $200 for a gym? Like, that's a lot. I live in the suburbs. I don't live in New York City or San Francisco.

Like, that's insane. But it's worth it for me to pay. Even $200. I'm not really cheap in the sense, but I do have to draw the line somewhere. Is this stupid? And it's getting to the point. Like, if it gets to like $300, I don't know. I like the place, but I'm going to have to leave.

Hell, $250 I might be out. But it's still $200 to me. What it was $200 five years ago, I would not do it. Now, $200 doesn't mean that much. Just like buying Freddy Kitchens out of $8 million means nothing to Jimmy Haslam. Absolutely nothing. Relative to what the $200 gym membership to me, his $8 million telling Freddy Kitchens to pack your shit and get out of here means absolutely nothing to him.

The explosion of money from the media rights deals allows these owners that, clearly have no clue what they're looking for. The majority of these owners have absolutely no clue. John Mara, who, you know, from the outside, buttoned up, shirt tucked in, Amara, owns the New York Giants, you go, you know what? If you just ask the casual guy, not like some intense New York Giants fan, but just the guy on the outside that would go, oh, Mara Tish, the guys that run the Giants, those are super successful high-level guys. The last two coaches they've hired, McAdoo and Shermer lasted a combined four years. They have pretty much raised their hand and said they rode Coughlin for whatever, 12 years.

They have no freaking clue what they're doing. Absolutely none. None. Because the hard part about a coach, you can look at his yards, like if he was a coordinator, where he ranks, you can call people that have worked for him or ask players, former players that have played for him. But it's really hard to quantify what a coach brings to the table on a day-in-day-out basis. because when you acquire a business, let's say,

you can look at the spreadsheet and get an idea of the revenue streams, the expenses, how you can fix things, where you can cost cut. When you acquire a human being, it's why the drafts so hard. It's why so many draft picks hit, or excuse me, miss, and guys that we think are no-brainers often miss because you can't quantify people. It's impossible. It's hard. I'm not acting like hiring your coach is easy.

if you said John Middlkoff tomorrow, you own an NFL team. There's probably, I do this for a living, I follow coaches, I know a bunch of the league, I could text a million people, I could get a bunch of people on the phone, probably 50-50 chance that I'd whiff. Hell, I'd, like, go after Kyle Shanhan. If I owned an NFL team, I would just try to buy him out. I don't know what I'd do.

I'd just try to acquire him or McVeigh. I would get a guy with already a job. I wouldn't go the coordinator route. So I'll be the first to acknowledge that this is a difficult process. But I think we also have to acknowledge these owners have no freaking clue what they're doing. Jimmy Haslam's on whatever, is seventh head coach, eighth head coach. He has a resume of doing shady stuff outside in the business world. He clearly has no clue what he's doing in the football world.

And the Cleveland Browns are full-on dumpster fire. And the one thing that Colin is going to hang his hat on is one of the greatest takes ever is when your organization is in absolute shambles, having an immature guy is probably not an ideal person to draft number one overall. You know, Derek Carr, with the Raiders, has become pretty polarizing. Are they going to keep him?

Are they going to take him to Vegas? Is he good enough? Is he not good enough? Does he check down too much? He throw it away on fourth down. Will he ever be good enough if the team gets good enough to consistently leading to the playoffs?

Those are all valid questions. But here's the one thing I know about Derek. In six years, and I've... Listen, I like the guy personally. I'm not even quite sure where I stand on him as a player. It's definitely not as strong as where it used to be. I've seen how dysfunctional the Raiders are firsthand. And he's handled it pretty damn well. And he's handled it well because he's a pretty mature guy. And he's not, he's basically the opposite of Baker Mayfield.

Where if you would have put Baker Mayfield in that situation, the same thing that would have happened that's happening to him now would have happened to him over the years in Oakland. Because these franchises that can never figure it out are just in constant. turmoil. They're always interviewing people every couple years because the money's irrelevant to them, which is crazy as it sounds. I mean, they're paying million dollar coordinators to go away, head coaches that they owe $8 or $9 million. It does not even matter to them. It's all couch money. That analogy with my $200 is stupid because that $200 to me means more than the $8 million to these NFL owners. By far. They're getting free $290 million from the league every year.

That doesn't even count the money you're generating in your stadium, ticket sales, all the other stuff. Parking. So this situation is just not going to end. I think we're going to continue to see this because you go, who's going to win for the next couple years? Well, the Chiefs ain't going to stop winning. The Ravens probably are not going to stop winning. Even if the Patriots are no longer, quote unquote, the Patriots, as long as that guy named Bill Belichick as the head coach, they're going to win. Now, maybe not win 12, 13 games a year, but they'll be not.

9-10, even if they take a step back. The bill's pretty damn stable. Kyle Shanahan's not going anywhere. Sean McVeigh, you would have thought the building was on fire this year? They went 9 and 7. You know what the Browns would pay to do to go 9 and 7? Seriously. They just had the best roster in their last 20 years.

I'm just based off people knowing Cleveland and see tweeting about it that follow the team closely. They went 6 and 10. The Lions, who it kind of felt like, yeah, they got a pretty good team. It won like three games. The Lions are drafting in the top. four. So the same team stays shitty all the time. To think like the Raiders, the lions, the Browns,

same teams are always bad. Like maybe the bucks now kind of break through because they have a good head coach. But they were kind of gifted that head coach. The only reason that Bruce Ariens, the head coach is Tampa Bay Buccaneers because he got sick and he just kind of retired. Bruce Ariens, if that wouldn't have,

you still would be at Arizona. It's like they were ever going to get rid of them. Would you get a decent head coach? You stay with them. And the Redskins, I keep getting back to Ron Rivera. Listen, you get rid of Bruce Allen, that's great. But Bruce Allen, was he picking the players?

He wasn't negotiating the contract. I don't really know what he was doing. I do think it's a little window dressing that it's easy to point the finger he was more of the problem. Here's what I do know. And I talked to Kyle Shanahan last week and just watching his press conference,

he's taking multiple jabs. The guy that truly is the one meddling in everything about who to play, what plays to run, is the freaking owner. And that's the one constant in all these organizations, unless they sell, is the owner. And no one has a crazier owner of the Reds, because I don't know if you can overcome that. The same jobs typically come open every year because they're just not great jobs. You can tell me in theory the Giants' jobs should be good.

You go like Seqwan, some New York Giants, massive market, some history. Yeah, they won a couple Super Bowls with Tom Coughlin. But Dave Gettleman's got to be my GM. I get Chris Mortensen's buddies with him tweeting they're not firing Dave Gettleman because he picks Sekewan Barkley. My mom could have taken Seguan Barkley too. You could argue, and I love Secawan Barclay.

They took a running back number two overall. He drafted Danny Dimes. Are we sure Danny Dimes is some franchise court? Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

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What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

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I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge

surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience at all? with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, wherever you get your podcast. Mark, might be, had some moments, but he easily might not be. Hell, you could argue that I saw more upside out of Drew Locke in the last month than you

saw it of Danny Dimes all season long. So this coaching carousel, the sympathy I have for these organizations and even some of these fired coaches, is just slim to none. And it's going to be a lot of hope. and these guys are going to get higher and the same press conference. Last year they gave a sweet press conference about Freddy Kitchens. And look what happened.

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and connect with this, we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring. I discover the forest brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. Okay, let's dive into some of the playoff teams. What I did is I just ranked.

I didn't rank. I mean, I just took the seeds, NFC, AFC, and I just put a word next to it. And I'll hit on it quick and we'll just move on. Start with the NFC. My preferred conference. Actually, I don't know. I mean, I like them both equally. But the NFC, the 49ers.

the word or the phrase that I picked has earned it. They were the best team start to finish in the NFC all year. And if it wasn't for, I don't know, one of the great goal line tackles. You know, the best goal line play we've seen since Malcolm Butler's pick. Now, there was clearly more on the line in the Malcolm Butler pick than just the one seed or a five seed or, you know, depending. Both teams were going to the playoffs.

But that was a huge play. That might have been one of the bigger goal line tackles in a regular season game I've ever seen. So the 49ers earned it, deserved it. Seattle was not the better team, but we'll get to them in a minute. But the 49ers are 13 and 3. Kyle Shanahan's had a phenomenal year. Calling plays. Jimmy Goroplo's come into his own.

Nick Bosa. Holy moly. I was wrong on him. He is unreal. I mean, he might be one of the better rookies I've ever seen in my life. Like, name me a better defensive line rookie. You could say, yeah, Alden Smith had, I think, 14 or 15 sacks as a rookie. The difference was he just played in, he was just a rotational guy.

He didn't start one game, was a backup. Now, he was, you know, the nickel pass rusher. But they are depending on Nick Bosa to stop the run, chase the quarterback, just dominate. And he dominates. He is a certified ass kicker. God, he's good. The Green Bay Packers. I don't get them.

I really don't. I love Zadaria Smith. I like their defense. I love their front. I kind of like their DBs. But I don't know, man. Rogers, that game against the Lions, we all have off days.

I might be having an off podcast right now. You might have an off day next week back at work. He's had kind of an off year. And he missed some throws in that Lions game. It's one thing to like overthrow a guy on a go route or be, you know, have, he's got some random receivers in there, have the timing off on a deep comeback, you know, that's across the hash, that's traveling 30, 40 yards in the air. It happens all the time. It happens to Brady and his prime, Manning, Mahomes, you name it.

He missed a couple, as they'd say, in basketball, some bunnies, some ones that Aaron Hall of Fame Rogers hits in his sleep. and I don't know. Now, they're the two seed. They went 13 and 3. I don't see it, dog. I don't see it. The New Orleans Saints, I think they're dangerous.

That's the word I would use. Dangerous. Actually, league execs the one that texts me that. He thinks they're really dangerous. I agree. Now, the part that makes them a little less dangerous is when they kick Minnesota's ass, we'll get to them a little later,

they're going to then have to go to Green Bay and then go to the 49ers. What's crazy for the 49ers? and this is Captain obvious. For them not to make the Super Bowl, they're going to have to lose at home. And they've been slightly better on the road, actually, but are they going to lose a game at home?

I think the one team that could beat them at home in the, I guess two teams, Seattle and New Orleans. New Orleans, excuse me, I've been told to stop calling them New Orleans. The Saints. Are the Saints going to go to Green Bay? I think the Saints are better than Green Bay, but check the weather.

You know, it's high 20s, low 30s, No, hell, it could be colder in a week. That's not going to be easy, even if the Saints are better. Philly. What a culture year for them. And, you know, you got to give winsome credit. Everyone was kind of crapping on them. I kind of went off maybe over a month ago.

Like, come on, Carson. You got to stop throwing these rockets to guys five feet away from you. And he just kind of got better, got better. In these last four weeks, he's carried a team of guys. I fall football for a living. I watch college football all fall long, and I haven't heard of some of these guys. And even some of the guys I heard of,

I had to look up, and I went, Greg Ward Jr., God, the guy, oh, yeah, he's the wide receiver. Oh, London Scott or Boston Scott. I don't know any of these guys. And he did it. And credit to him, credit to Doug. This was a culture year for them.

It's nice to have Carson, everyone's like, oh, you're going to, you lose her, all this money, you can't make the playoffs. He made the playoffs. And Doug, you know, three straight years in the playoffs. Tough town in Philly.

They're on them, but man, another year in the playoffs. This year you could, you know, not exactly 10 and 6 or 11 and 5 year, but God, they had. There was a report. I was watching the Red Zone, and it was going back and forth, basically between the Cowboy game and the Eagle game.

And they're like, you know, Brandon Graham has just gone to the locker room. They don't think it's that serious, but the reason he went to the locker room is because they're going, was a line to go into the blue tent. It's like, oh my, they lost Brandon Brooks, their star guard

on a PAT. That basically sums up their, on a PAT. He's out for the year. What, how does that freaking happen? Seattle. The only thing that comes to my mind are two things, really. Toughness, but ultimately

Russell Wilson. And the analogy I used today on the radio was, if you've ever seen Lone Survivor with Mark Wahlberg, love the book, it's one of the last books I read before I went audiobook only. He gets, and those guys get into a position, the four Marines or Navy SEALs, into a position where they're surrounded,

and they don't have the high ground. And when you don't have the high ground, now I've never been in war, never been a Navy SEAL, love watching Navy SEAL shows, you're basically screwed, especially if you are easily outnumbered like they were in that situation in Afghanistan. And they're surrounded everywhere,

and ultimately, obviously, three of the four guys died. And Mark Wahlberg's character, Marcus Luttrell, somehow lifts, running away from him, firing back, and I'm not trying to compare football to that level of war, even though we use the analogy going to war and stuff. I think most of us know what it means. I have nothing but respect for what goes on on the line for the Marines in any level.

But Russell Wilson was in the equivalent on a football field where he had no business. of coming out alive of that game, when I was winning the game. And somehow against San Francisco, that's much more talented, much more healthy, he still found a way

at the last second to get that ball in a position to win the game. Just a remarkable performance by Russell Wilson. If you don't think Russell Wilson's one of the best players you've ever seen, one of the most remarkable magicians in the history of the league, I don't know what to tell you.

Minnesota, won and done. I see zero chance. Let me repeat, zero chance. That Kirk Cousins goes on the road to the Saints. And Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and that team, which is absolutely rolling, and even has his chance. If he can't win just random Monday night games,

how is he going to win a playoff game? In the Dome, in the Dirty South, in just the hot bet of football right now. You've got the LSU Tigers playing there in a week. They're playing for the national. championship. You got Joe Burrow, you got Drew Breez, you got Sean Payton, you got breaking all these records, Michael Thomas. Fun, cute little story, Minnesota.

See ya. AFC, Baltimore. Dominant. They really, since I think about week four, when they lost to Kansas City, they never lost again. And they have been awesome. Now, I do have a little bit of a question on this team. Because I don't think that, listen, Lamar is an incredible athlete.

And his running is running back like. I mean, He's Barry Sanders. I do think that in the playoffs, they've got to take that away from him and force him to get to a position where he's got to pass. Now, if they have the lead,

they can just run the ball on you. But if you can get a lead on them, you'll force him to pass and they'll get away from just their bread and butter, which is their run game. If you can stop their run game or just make them a little one-dimensional, I think they can be beat.

Or at least make Lamar prove that he can beat you that way. because they haven't really had to do that. He's had a lot of... He had multiple, like, four and five touchdown games where you go, God, he threw five touchdowns on Monday night. And then you look at the box where he threw for 150 yards. That's not normal.

So, and listen, I'm not trying to diminish what Lamar accomplishes, the MVP of the league. But I think it's going to be a little more difficult starting now. Kansas City. They're a little lucky that Fitzmajave's magic got hot. They weathered the storm when Mahom, knee got dislocated, they lost some games in the middle of the season, but they're playing well right now.

Their defense has been awesome. It has been lights out for over a month. That defensive lines playing. Honey Badger makes multiple plays a game. Honey Badger's a badass. They did lose Thornhill, who's the rookie who's been playing really well. That's a sneaky big loss. But I think the Chiefs right now, if I had to pick, are my pick to win the AFC.

The Pats. I don't think any Patriot fan would tell you any otherwise that they are in absolute shambles. Losing to Ryan Fitzpatrick, he went 80 yards with a first round buy on the line, at home against a team that was quote-unquote tanking three months ago. It's one thing to lose in Miami and a random October. Week 17, win and you get the two-seed, and they couldn't stop him?

Say that out loud. That is insanity. I'm picking the Titans to beat the Patriots this year. Or excuse me, this weekend. And I actually feel pretty confident about it. And I am a borderline Patriot stand when it comes to Belichick and when it comes to Brady. But I think they are...

I think they're done this year. I really do. I have zero confidence that they win this game. If the Miami Dolphins and Ryan Fitzpatrick can beat you, you don't think the Tennessee Titans who have a running-backer, that looks like Khalil Mack, who led the league in rushing, who have AJ Brown that also kind of looks like Khalil Mack,

who's just dominating. And Ryan Tannen, who's pretty damn good, and they have a coach that kind of knows the way Bill and Tom think. I love the Titans this weekend. Houston, they're just the ultimate hot and cold team. I have no clue what to expect. You could convince me two things. It'd be hard to see them win by 20

because the Bill's defense is so good. But you could convince me they win convincing Lee, you know, just in control the whole time, bills never have a chance. Or you could convince me they get blown out. And when you get blown out by the bills, that score could be like 17 to nothing. So again, it's on the Houston Bill scale.

But I don't know. They are the great wild card in this whole tournament because they do have a quarterback, they do have Hopkins, and they do have a coach that's been in a lot of big games. I haven't won that many of them. But they're the biggest hot and cold team, I think, in this whole tournament.

the Buffalo Bills, just physical. They are, I think I kind of like, I think I like upset City here for both these two teams. The Bills and the Titans to win, but I know the Bills can do two things. I know they're not going to be intimidated playing this team. They have a corner that, in theory, in white, that should play with Hopkins.

Now their wild card is the quarterback. You know, he can't have one of these games where he's overthrown everyone. You have to complete passes in the playoffs. This isn't, you know, week seven against the, Jaguars playing Vance Joseph and the Cardinals. We got to complete some passes on 3rd and 7

in a tie game in the third quarter on the road in January. This is the big... Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the

mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking 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 or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me. games is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. quarterback on office blue with 42.

Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcast presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. This is my best friend, Janet.

Hey. And we have been joined at the Hips since high school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast we're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks. Sidebar.

Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? Oh, they had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar or something here? Just a hit it. What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album?

Oh, I would. Come on. Could you imagine? I would buy it. Cut through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic.

You are. I'm lucky I'm not a killer. I love this team and I'm really trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Boy games. So that's why I don't, if I was going to bet, I'm going to bet on Tennessee. I'm not probably going to bet on Josh Allen.

I can't bet on a quarterback that I can't trust. to complete basic passes. But if he's on, and that's just streaky quarterbacks, and that's kind of what he is, their infrastructure and their style, they can win this game. Now, could they make a run?

I guess if the Pats, if the Titans win, the Bills win, the Chiefs would get the Bills. Yeah, I'd like the Chiefs there. They wouldn't be able to score. The Titans. Upset City, baby.

Upset freaking city. There can't be a, a singular more important personnel signing in free agency this year. I guess it was technically a trade for Ryan Tanny Hill to the Titans. Because if they had just acquired a Josh Rosen, Nick Mullins, just some random young guy, or just some crappy old guy like a Chase Daniels, there is 0% chance they're in the playoffs.

Because Marriota clearly early in the season forgot how to play. You had to bench them. And if they just would have put in some other random guy, like a Mason Rudolph, Duck Hodges type. They've been explosive on offense. I mean, AJ Brown, I think, what, is nine touchdowns? Derek Henry's been awesome. And Tanny Hill, though, had rushing touchdowns.

When I say rushing touchdowns, I've watched multiple games this year sitting on my couch in the red zone. Ryan Tanny Hill's like diving over guys in the end zone. It's like, this guy's willing his team to victory. They, uh, all I can say, baby, is upset city, Vrabel. Ryan, say it out loud. this is what I'm thinking of right now.

I'm picking Ryan Daniel to go into New England and win a playoff game. If I say that out loud five times, I might just stop myself and go, John, you're the biggest idiot. What are you talking about? But if you've watched the games in 2019, it's not as crazy as it sounds.

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Cruise is earned U.S. dollars per person double occupancy, taxes fees, import expenses, additional restrictions, apply. Full details on carnival.com, ships, registry, Bahamas, Panama. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination. Our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too, because when we disconnect from this and connect with this,

we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. 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 is 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. Okay, let's dive into Joe Burrow and some NFL stories really quick. I think Joe Burrow officially is one of the craziest college things we've ever seen, ever.

To be, to go from 2018. Now, it's a little overhype. Like, nobody wanted him. People act like he came from D7. He signed a scholarship to Ohio State. So you can tell me all you want is a three-star undercru. He went to Ohio State out of high school. Raise your hand if you know anyone that went to Ohio State out of high school.

Not now. like people that you've met later in life or you follow, you know, some former NFL player on Twitter. I'm saying, out of high school, how many people did you know that Ohio State coaches showed up to your high school or wherever you played high school football

or went to high school, neighboring players? That's an elite thing to happen. So let's not act like Joe Burroughs is a little engine that could. But clearly backup guy, transferred to LSU. Again, transferred to LSU. Again, transferred to LSU. LSU say that out loud.

So, hyping up the underdog thing. But when he gets to LSU his first year, he's 57% 60 touchdowns five picks. I remember watching him a couple times last year thinking, yeah, I'm just cool little quarterback, you know, better than what they've had, but nothing special. This year, at first, I thought it was a little overhyped.

I remember being out with some friends early in the season. And getting dinner somewhere, and we were having some drinks. and they had the LSU Texas game on in the background. And I had a couple pops, and I was like, I remember firing off a tweet like, holy moly, that was a dime.

After he was like second or third touchdown in that Texas game, he made a couple plays in Austin that were just, this kid, man, this guy's playing well. LSU's got a chance. Then game after game after game, SEC championship game. By the end of the year, you're like, Heisman Trophy, Locke.

This dude's in. What we witnessed the, I get it was Oklahoma. But to have seven touchdowns in that first half, to run around and throw these balls on the move, moving around like you're Michael Vick, throwing absolute dimes, 40 to 50 yards down the field,

I don't care how damn good. Jefferson is, Moss Kid is, the other sweet wide receiver is, and I've been told they're sweet from NFL standards. Talking first rounders, a couple of those guys. he is hitting them in stride in the hands as they're running 4344 speed it was jaw dropping

how incredible that first half was against Oklahoma because everyone by the end was like Oklahoma sucked yeah guys they're not UC Davis they're still Oklahoma with multiple draftable players number nine the Murray Kid is a borderline first rounder the defensive coordinator is viewed as one of the better defensive coordinators in the country the guy they stole from Ohio State.

Gehrich, I always screw up his name, but the bald guy, he knows what he's doing. Joe Burrow made that guy look like he should be relieved of his duties at halftime. Joe Burroughs' 2019 season, so from 57%, 16 touchdowns 5 picks, it went up 77%, or excuse me,

277%. In one year, his completion percentage increased by 20%. 20%. He went from 16 touchdowns to 55 touchdowns. And when you're watching these,

you're like, it's not like he's, I remember Marriota used to throw touchdowns and be like guys wide open. He's hitting guys in coverage, in stride, on the move that you just go, yeah, I don't even know what to say anymore. It's just take them number one.

And people get you going like, what's this bus factor? is, you just got to take this guy number one. I don't even think there's an argument. Like, the level in which he's played. Now, is he going to do this in the NFL? I doubt it, unless Joe Brady comes with him.

Hell, Joe Brady might be the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals in a year, which might not be a crazy move. But this season this kid had is, I'm just thinking of some seasons in college sports. Carmelo Anthony in 2003, when he led Syracuse, the national championship

is probably in the last 20 years, one of the better just, I mean, that was a battle. basketball thing, but one and done season. Comes for the season, boom, championship. The brow, Anthony Davis. It's happened to basketball a couple times. I mean, look, Carmelo, Anthony was like an underachiever

and he still had a pretty unreal career. Anthony Davis become one of the best players in the league. Like, it usually happens in basketball. Not football. Because in football, if you're wondering, you're a wonder, there's usually a huge red flag. I think there is somewhat of a red flag. Like, why did this happen?

But I keep thinking, like, he keeps doing it over and over and over and over and over and over again. It'd be one thing if it was a one-year wonder with like six, five or six games. Every single game the guy plays in, he eviscerates the competition.

If he wins the national championship, it throws four or five touchdowns against Brett Venables and Clemson, I think it'll go down as the greatest single, collegiate season we've ever seen. And I don't even know how you describe it

beside it was like Peyton Manning mixed with Tom Brady in an LSU helmet, mixed with a little Michael Vic. It was incredible thing to watch. Sometimes you just watch something and you go, yeah, I don't know if I've ever seen this before.

And you know it when you see it. Like, if you would have thrown three or four touchdowns in an Oklahoma game and they would have won by 20 points, 25 points, you'd been like, God, this guy's a badass. This guy's awesome. Through seven touchdowns in the first half. Seven.

That was crazy. I'm still, I would argue that's crazy. The crazier thing to happen than even Seattle and San Francisco and Seattle and San Francisco Sunday night was nuts. But that game, just that performance, given that he had just won the Heisman and Ed Ogeron, and the dude keeps living up. Guy keeps answering the bell.

Let's go to some stories. Adam Gase just refuses to say that he likes Levy on Bell. I don't know, he just hates Levy on Bell. It's just that simple. They ask him, do you think he'll be back next year? And he said, ask the GM. He's like, Adam, do you want that,

do you not like this guy? then Levion Bell quoted the tweet with like a jiff. Just come on Adam. Adam is not, I don't, I guess, appreciate guys that refuse to capitulate in the sense of I'm just going to do everything the way that you guys want me to do it via the media or the fans. But this is like, you're not going to be able to trade them.

Just, do you hate him that much? Like, was he really the problem? Now, maybe it was. I don't know anyone. with New York. I mean, I know Phil Savage, but I haven't asked him about this. I don't know.

I don't get it. But Gase is weird with that. James Winston, I don't know what can be said that hasn't been said, but 30 interceptions is just an incredible feat. It is a,

it's a milestone number to end the season with a pick six and a start. I don't know if he started the season with a picks six. I think he started his career with a pick six. Seven picks six.

is, 30 overall interceptions, and then to say, to have the the incredible lack of self-awareness to say after the game that, yeah, you take away a couple of picks, I'm bawling. Come on, James. It's like, are you serious? You can't take away those.

Those picks happen. You threw 30 of them. I was thinking a day when Philip Rivers, that thing that went viral of him kind of crying at the end of the season, and you start thinking, you know, Philip Rivers, this guy laid it on the line,

line, but God, he had a pretty bad season. How many picks did he throw, like 25? He threw 18. James threw 12 more interceptions at Phillip Rivers. If you watch the Charger game this year, it's impossible to watch charge a game and not see him throw multiple picks. Because it felt like every Charger game I watched, he threw

three. And James threw 12 more picks. James, your picks aren't just like, oh, just get rid of them. You threw 30. And there is the other side of the coin where at least he pushes the ball downfield. He threw 33 touchdowns.

But James, you threw 30 picks. Can you imagine if you added up the yardage of the picks that he threw? I know he threw over 5,000 yards. Through 33 touchdowns, 30 picks, over 5,000 yards. If you could add the interception yardage, do might have been a 6,500

yard quarterback. Raiders finished the season after going 6 and 4, 1 in 5. 1 in 5. They can say they made progress all they want, but you finish 1. and five and you limp your way to Vegas. Technically, they're going to have OTAs in Oakland.

They're going to have training camp in Napa. It's the only team that moves, but actually does it. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. 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 or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Keer games is we have real conversations about healing growth fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 and the TikTok podcast. network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. A rep. My mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where is she? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup,

he has to really guard guys like Nasree. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying.

He run up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball like, after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I can't leave that's ever happened in NFL history, but pretty bad finish. And when you watch the Broncos, you go, are we sure that they don't have more upside? The Raiders have a long way to go. Somehow, Ms. Chibisky led the Bears to a game winning drive against the, the Vikings backups.

Worst case scenario for the Chicago bear fans that that leads the bears to pick up his fifth year option. That would suck for you guys. Somehow I've heard from a couple people that know or that would have, I wouldn't say no. The only people that might know would be like Tony Con and John Con. People that are pretty tied in with the league that think Doug Marone's going to survive.

There was a story this weekend that he was going to get fired and that just seems to be false. Anthony Lynn feels like he might survive. I know Dean Spanos despises paying people, so maybe he just might keep him so he doesn't pay him to go away as well as other coaches he has in the past. But I don't know, man, I would get rid of Anthony Lynn.

You're going to go into the new stadium in Los Angeles, Anthony Lynn. Good luck on that. To the Broncos, I watched a decent amount of Drew Locke this last month. He's a pretty intriguing player. I actually think Drew Locke has a chance. to be pretty good. I mean, he's got a pretty potent arm. There was a scene after the game with Elway on the field next to him.

You could see Elway had a pretty big smile, beaming ear to ear. Kind of like, yeah, I think we might have something here. Next year, Bradley Chub will be back off injury. Vaughn's, you know, I don't know if he's quite what he was, but he's still a good player. They have another good draft. I think the Broncos could be a team next year to, you know, make a little noise for the playoffs.

Lions, Redskins. Lions won three games. The Redskins won, I don't know, two games, three games. They were just as terrible. The Redskins won three games as well. They combined to win six games. Both those two teams desperately tried to win games all season long. Like desperately tried to win games.

They combined to win six. God, what just train wreck franchises. I feel for the fans of those teams. All they want to do is win games. Both of them mustered up three wins. Three wins. A three-win season is about as bad as it gets, right? Because as we see, the winless seasons are outliers.

They happen once every decade. And then, like, a pretty crappy season is like the Brown, 6 and 10. A 6 and 10 feels bad. A 3-win season is just awful. Remember those NFL films? You just put out those bloopers. That's kind of what a 3-win season feels like. just bloopers after bloopers, after fumbles, after picks,

after balls hitting guys in the helmet, just stuff like that. And man, Carolina crumbled after they got rid of Ron Rivera. I mean, what a gutless finish to the season. Could they have tried any less? And I get their quarterback situation, Kyle Allen and Will Greer, just suddenly got awful when Ron left. But that actually makes Ron look. If I'm interviewing Ron, I go, well, Ron,

clearly you were the foundation of that place because you left and I don't know if they say the cats away the mice will play was anyone listening to anybody feels like Keekley and McCaffrey were probably trying I don't know if anyone else tried

because that franchise fell apart adoption of teens from foster care is a topic not enough people know about and we're here to change that I'm April Dinwiddie 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 Adoptuskids.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 Act Council. And we're live here outside the Perez family home just waiting for the... And there they go. Almost on time this morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong with a double-arm... Kid Carrey. Looks like Dad has the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't closed. Diapers and toys are everywhere. Ooh, but Mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter, who looks to be about nine or ten, 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 Nitsa and the Ad Council. 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 is 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. Okay, let's get to Middilcoff mailback. Question for the pod. Obviously, Burrell's unreal dominance, there's no way that Bengals don't take them. Listen to the pod talking about how big of a deal it is for a player to fall to a greater organization in the draft and how we've seen players time and time again have much more success when they fall to better organizations. This seems to be the case more so with skill players rather than quarterbacks

because a quarterback can dictate a lot of success of how good an organization is, Breeze Wilson, ETC. What is the possibility that Burrough denies the Bengals and forced a better team to trade for him? And what implications will that have on him, his legacy, and expectations around him? Were he to pull off the trade? Well, I think we forget. I mean, Elway did it. Five Super Bowls later, two Super Bowl rings, no one cares. Eli did it, two Super Bowl rings, beat Belichick twice.

He's been the man of the year in the NFL. No one gives a shit. I think Joe Burrow, what makes it a little complicated is in his Heisman trophy president, He kind of did a little like LeBron branded himself as just a kid from Akron And he played in Cleveland Then he left but he ultimately came back And the one thing you can't deny

And I don't blame him ultimately for leaving L.A Akron, the city of the state of Ohio Means a lot to LeBron The way Joe Burrell talk like the state of Ohio Means a lot to him And like you said the one thing with quarterbacks Is I think especially when you're young like, you know, Burroughs actually a little older for a rookie,

but he'll be 24 years old or 23 years old. Because I think he's going to think that I can just turn them around. And, you know, watching a little bit of their game on Red Zone the other day, it's like, God, Joe Mixing's pretty good. Joe Mixon's had a really good, like, last half of the season. I just, I don't see him doing that. Now, he could, and I think the way he would do it is, I'm going to refuse to sign with you.

I'm not going to sign with the Bengals. but after his Heism's speech, and I would have said not knowing anything about him besides him being from there, I would have said that might be on the table, but after watching that speech and how much those people mean to him, I think he's just going to go to the Bengals.

Because that's, for the most part, in the NFL, you just go to the team that drafts you. And if you're the number one overall pick, you get $35 million, and you just try to be the savior of the franchise. Are the Packers the worst-ever team to get a buy? Their schedule is soft, NFC East Week, Raiders chiefs without Mahomes, Bears and Lions in their own division weren't very good.

Don't think they have a win against a legit team all year. They're destined to get blown out when the Saints come to town the divisional round. Rogers isn't what he used to be. Outside of Devonte, they got no wide receivers. Jimmy Graham was a shell of his former self. All I'd say is that if the game against the Saints was on a neutral field, like a bowl game, I'd say, I'd completely agree with you. The Saints are going to boat race them. But the game's in Lambo.

And if it's 15 degrees and it's freezing freaking cold, do you have faith that Drew Brees, at 40 years old, who has historically not been great outside, is going to go out to Lambo and just light him up? Because if the game was, if it was reversed, and the Packers were the three, and the Saints were the two, we would all agree. The Saints are going to destroy Green Bay.

But I don't know. The Packers, I am in a green bay. They're one of, I'd have to go look. Like, just, I forget. You know, all the teams have been first and, you know, but for the most part, usually one and two seeds are like the Niners, the Ravens, the Patriots, the Chiefs, you know, good, really good teams. I do not view the Packers like that.

And a big reason why is Rogers been off. But I do kind of like them at home just because their home field advantage in the playoffs is a major home field advantage. and I mean major home field advantage. If I can. What would the score be if Seattle was healthy? I think Seattle could have played with the 49ers. They were healthy.

If Seattle was fully healthy, they would be one of the best teams of the league. They'd be the 49ers. It would be a coin flip game. It still is a coin flip game because Russell Wilson is incredible. So even if they're terrible, they're still actually going to be good

because they got Russell Wilson. and if they are good with Russell Wilson, then they're just going to be good. So the reality is, as long as you got Russell Wilson, you're going to be good. That's really that simple. Whether you're healthy or not. He's the great equalizer right now, I'd say, in sports.

More than any other player. It was remarkable that they kept that game so close. Do you think Cam getting a starting job back? I would, yeah. I mean, what are they going to do? Will Greer looks bad. Kyle Allen fell off the map. I guess the kicker would be who's going to be their coach.

Maybe the coach despises Cam Newton for some reason, but it sure feels like it's trending. Cam Newton is going to be the starting quarterback of the Carolina Panthers next year. How can that obvious PI not be reviewed at the end of the game? The NFL should do something about this. What do you think they could possibly do? Well, I'll be honest.

I saw the replays that looked like the offensive player pushed off them. You know, I don't have a big problem with that play, the quote-unquote PI that didn't get called. because on the series where the Niners, when they punted, it was second and five, and they called a unsportsman-like penalty on a play when the offensive lineman was just trying to block a guy, he had no clue what was going on,

and the dude barely got touched. So, you know, one thing I'm kind of tired of doing is complaining about the refs. You know, and I get the refs screw up, and I've gambled on games where you want to, you would like to physically beat up the refs. I've been there. I get it.

But it's exhausting to constantly blame the refs. Just win the freaking game. You know, even Ohio State. That call where the guy fumbled wasn't an egregious call. It was clearly a fumble. It should have been a touchdown. You know, or I don't even,

I was kind of drunk by that time. But, you know, whether they score, their ball, whatever the situation was. But Ohio State had their chance to win at the end of the game. They had their chance. And Justin Fields threw up, interception in the end zone. And maybe it's just living in the Bay Area

having the Raiders always blame the referees. I just, I can't do it. Now, did the referee screw up last year in the NFC championship game? Of course. Are there greatest errors at the end of the games that cost, I don't think the PI won is some obvious call.

Because the offensive guy is creating contact and shoving the defender. So I, I don't know. I just, I can't take blaming the refs constantly anymore. And I despise the referees, and I think a lot of them should be fired. So you're hearing it from a guy that's not like pro-ref. Well, I was wrong.

Hawks still beating the Niners in the division a round. Yeah, maybe they will. I mean, if they beat the Eagles and the Saints, clearly, as we all probably agree, even Vikings fans can't feel good about this game, beat the, win that game. We will get Niners, Niners, Hawks, Packers, Saints. Pretty solid, second round. Middle-off mailbag. That delay of game by Seattle was a loser move.

Do you think that delay of game, considering it was a home, was a worse look than not rushing Mishon in the Super Bowl? What do you think it was worse personally? I think the delay of game is extremely inexcusable worse than the Super Bowl. I had a 49ers executive. Now, I think he was a little drunk on late Sunday night after they won, said, do you think Pete Carroll's going to get destroyed tomorrow for him that? And I'm like, yeah, maybe.

I just think that so much happened after that, that you kind of lose sight of that play. But it was a pretty egregious error by the offense. I don't really know who's the blame. The Niner guy thought Pete Carroll was to blame. Now, he's the head coach, so anything that happens is on his watch. In defense of Pete Carroll,

he's not the offensive play caller. That's Brian Schottenheimer. Brian Schottenheimer and Russell Wilson are kind of working in tandem. then offensive position coaches are in charge of if you're changing personnel, like if you're the running back coach and you want more Sean or Homer or the wide receiver coach or the tight end coach, making sure the right group's in, that's not Pete Carroll.

That's those guys job. What does the famous Bill Belichick saying when it's written out? Do your job. I think a lot, some of that's on Russell Wilson as well. like you can't and we had I filled in today on doing some radio and John Clayton was on and he said

I guess Pete Carroll said in his press conference today he's like I think sometimes when you spike it in that situation in your mind as a player and I don't know if he said it as a coach but maybe people on the sideline just assume it's like a tight end when you only got 40 seconds

I agree it is a that error cost them the game because if they if they just get to the line, they don't have a delay of game, they run Marshawn in. And listen, you could probably ask 10 different people,

from Belichick to Andy Reid, to Sean Payton, to every offensive guy that's coached in the league, what they thought of that past Russell Wilson that ultimately got intercepted by Malcolm Butler. And I would imagine a decent amount would have supported it,

given the situation, and you still had other shots with Marshawn Lynch. But that delay a game, it was bad. It killed them because the Niners lose the game. If you're the 49ers, how do you feel?

After beating the shiz out of the Seahawks, total domination, and winning by an inch, how do the 49ers play better? And still almost lose. No turnovers, only two sacks, Garapolo, totally comfortable in the pocket. It's because the Seattle's their boogeyman. I mean, Russell Wilson's the boogeyman.

Seattle franchise is the boogeyman. They can't shake that franchise. that franchise. It could be Pete Carroll, me, you, and like six other guys, plus Russell Wilson. It could be Nick Bosa,

Navarro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and we'd still score some touchdowns. That's just Seattle. There's just some, I don't even know. There's just something

with that franchise against the Niners. Hot take. 49ers defense would be better without Sol in 2020. Thoughts. well, you'd have to tell me who the defensive coordinator is. I would lean no.

I think Robert Sal is pretty good. I think he's a pretty good defensive coordinator. And I'm biased. I like bald guys and I like Robert Salon, but I would lean no. I've been watching a lot of the Cardinals this year, and I love the way that Kyler plays. Such a great talent. Do you think the cards have what it takes to make,

to compete for the division in two or three years? And if so, what pieces should they add this year in the draft? Well, you go, they got the quarterback. They have a running back. Christian Kirk, they have a wide receiver. They drafted a bunch of wide receivers in that last year. Some of those guys are going to need to step up. They need to draft some offensive linemen.

You go, how's their pass rush? Well, they got the best singular pass rusher in the league. They could use some more defensive linemen. They could just use more defensive players. I don't think the coordinator is very good, Vance Joseph, but I saw Cliff Kingsbury, I think said today in his final press conference. They're going to keep them,

which would not be my move. I would relieve him of his duties. you have to do, but you can't compete for the division with him as your defense coordinator. But yeah, they just need a ton of guys on defense. When they were having with Bruce Ariens, they were clearly good on offense. But let's not forget from Callais Campbell to Dansby, to the Honey Badger, Powers, I think his name what, Buchanan, Tony Jefferson, like they had dudes. They were flying around and wreck and shop with Todd Bulls, blitzing everywhere.

So you got to be good on defense. You can't win in this league without being good. The reason the Chiefs now have a shot, their defense is good. The reason the Ravens are playing good, Lamar Jackson and the defense. The Niners, defense. You can make fun of Rogers and the floor all you want, and trust me, I have. But Zadaria Smith looks like Reggie White. So when you have a good defense and you can make plays on defense, you got a shot.

Quick question for the pod. So I'm a Razorback fan and watch Greenlaw play a lot. He never looked like that. that. But I have seen him come up big in a few big games for the 49ers. So is he really that good? And what do you think of him? I think in the NFL today, guys like Greenlaw, who is, you know, I think like a 230-pound, really athletic linebacker, that's modern day football. Linebackers that can fly around. And he is a big-time athlete. And I think it also helps when you're just around a lot of other good

players. I mean, when he's on the field, he's next to Bosa Buckner, Armstead, Sherman's on one side, he's got Fred Warner on the other side of him. Behind him, he's got Jimmy Ward, and when he's healthy, Quaskey Tart. So he's got, and D. Ford, he's going to come back for the playoffs.

You've got great players around him all over the place. So all he has to do is just whatever his job is, as Belichick says, whether it's just, you know, cover a certain portion of the field, man up with a tight end or a running back, just help bracket a player in the red zone, you don't have to do that much.

And you can just use your athleticism. And there's one element to the diners team this year that has separated them. And I think help make them the number one overall seed. They are physical. And you cannot play for them if you're soft. The moment you start acting soft or playing soft, they bench you.

As they did in that game with Keller Weatherspoon. It's physical badasses only. and Green Law is just He's a physical dude And sometimes that's what's tough about college scouting There were probably a lot of people in the country Even the Niners, I mean they took him in the fifth round It's not like they drafted him in the second round

Where you're like, you know he's got some athletic attributes But maybe he's a little underdeveloped And he's playing at a school like Arkansas That's fired a bunch of coaches And he gets the 49ers and you just maximize his talents That tackle was Textbook's not even the right word was just, I mean,

it's a historic moment for the 49th franchise. Won them the division against their, you know, rival, short-term rival. I mean, they've been rivals now for a decade. And rivals is actually strong. It's been a one-sided rivalry. Fourth time they beat them in a decade. Fourth, they were 13 and 3 until that game.

Now they're 13 and 4. Seattle. You know, the Niders have four of those wins. So I'm with you. It is fascinating. It happens with a lot of players. You go, God, I thought this guy was going to be good, but he's really good. And I think he got to be green loss flashing more than he's like, he's not some, he's not

Luke Keeckley or anything. But he's, he's done a hell of a job for him, man. He really has. Thanks everyone for listening. Have a good week. Happy New Year. And 2020, let's make it a positive one. See you.

Thunderstruck, adjective. Shocked and amazed by the power of fun on carnival. Riding Bolt. world's first roller coaster at sea. Brian got thunderstruck so hard, his 93-year-old grandmother felt it 3,000 miles away in Nebraska and immediately booked a cruise. Hooray! Get thunderstruck starting at 289. Carnival. Choose fun. Cruises run U.S. dollars per person double occupancy, taxes fees, import expenses,

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