The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Seahawks/Niners OT Thriller; Garrett Not Good Enough; McVay Magic Gone; LSU/Bama Delivers; NFL Week 10 Reaction

Episode Date: November 12, 2019

In this episode, Middlekauff looks at the Seahawks OT win in a MNF thriller against the Niners, why Jason Garrett just isn't good enough to get it done in Dallas, why Sean McVay's magic has worn off during a rough Rams season,why Bama/LSU lived up to the massive hype, and gives his takeaways from NFL Week 10. He also 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.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming until he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800flowers.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. What is going on, everybody? It's me, John Middilcock, bringing out a podcast. It may be 12.1 a.m. I went to the... The Monday night football game. A buddy, Robbie, invited me.

It was freaking awesome. One of the cooler games I've ever been to, maybe just ever. You know, we'll dive into the game here in a second. But it was an experience. But the problem is with an overtime game on Monday night, by the time you get out of the stadium, you know, it just takes a while by 10 o'clock. And then, you know, the parking lot is just insane

because nobody left their seats. Then you realize you're still about 15 minutes from home, but you're absolutely starving. So you go get some Taco Bell and you crush that, which I just did about two minutes ago in my car. And then you realize, luckily you're a pro and you've recorded the vast majority of your podcast. So you just got to talk about this game.

But there's so much to talk about. So we'll dive into this game, obviously, several things to talk about. And then Cowboys Vikings, I have many thoughts on Jason Garrett, Mike Zimmer, Pittsburgh, and the Mika Fitzpatrick trade. I mean, is that one of the great in-season trades

in NFL history? The L.A. Rams kind of did the same thing. You could argue even more aggressive for Jalen Ramsey, and it's kind of backfiring. LSU Bama is the highest-ranked or highest-rated college football game ever. And, man, I mean, no shit. what a what an incredible watch some thoughts there Joe Burrow and really why LSU

when Nick Saban was there they were winning a national chance they won a national championship if you think Nick's what if Nick Saban would have been at LSU the last 10 years how many they would have won the five and they would have become Bama you know I mean the top three or four schools in the in the SEC are just dependent on like does Urban Meyer coach you does Nick Saban coach you like do you get an all the Steve'sburger coach you because if they do, you'll win it all. I'm jealous of their love of football. And then I'll dive around to a bunch of different things that I saw

around the NFL on Sunday. And then, of course, the Middilkoff mailbag. At John Middlecough is my Instagram handle. Follow, slide right into those DMs. Then I answer your questions here on the podcast. I guess let me just start with the game as a whole. I know just, I'm not on Twitter that much at the game, but I check occasionally.

the one thing I don't think you realize, and I know some of you guys listening, go to games so you understand this. But when I was going to games a lot, I was always sitting in the media area, so I was always had TVs in front of me. You knew what was going on. When you sit in the stands,

you kind of have no clue what's going on. And when all these plays, in this game, countless plays are being reviewed, spots, fumbles, just shit left and right. You're just kind of out of loss. It's like, what is Al River,

Ron going to come back with. Overturn Fumble, overturned spot, not overturned fumble, not overturned spot, you don't know. It's kind of wild. Now they do reviews, you know, obviously at most stadiums are going to replay the play, but even then you're like,

I don't know what these refs are going to do. And a lot of people constantly tweet at me and DM me, and I have friends in the NFL, like, go nuts on the referees. It's terrible. And I agree, it's very, very hit or miss. But I don't really have any thoughts besides they suck.

Like, it's just, I don't really know if anyone knows what they're doing anymore. And I say it all the time. I don't think anyone cares in the league. Now, individual coaches care. Obviously, players care. But like the league office, even some owners. All these people are making so much money. Maybe we're just the suckers.

Because we get so mad about it and then nothing changes. And I know there were, you know, it's hard also to, like there's a, A tackle on the punt return. They get a 15-yard penalty for like helmet to helmet. You look at Twitter and it's just tackling. It's hard for me to really tell live. That's the one thing. Like you're just so in the moment that the conversation when you're watching the game on your couch with Twitter,

it's different when you're at the game. It really is a wild experience. And I know a lot of people were saying that was a bad game, a great game, a weird game. It was wild. It was riveting. Was there a lot of, you know, bad plays 100%. You know, the Russell Wilson fumble where somehow ended up in the offensive linemen's hands. Where I'm sitting at the 50-yard line, I couldn't, did Russell hand him the ball?

Did the offensive linemen steal it from his hands? And then, you know, he got stripped and Eric Armstrongstead walks in the end zone. I would imagine all you guys, if you're watching on television, the countless potential interceptions, Jimmy Garoppolo throws, the countless drops. It was of my lifetime of going to NFL games. And I started going to NFL games probably, my first ever NFL game is when I got a job in the NFL. So 2010.

Now, I'm 35 years old. I've been watching it since the early 90s. But going to games, that's the craziest game I've ever been to. Not the best played game. You know, not the highest scoring game, not the lowest scoring game, not the best played game, just the craziest roller coaster game I've ever seen. I mean, the dude, the 49ers kicker who they franchised somehow gets hurt in practice, and he'd been having a terrible year.

So they signed some kicker who was on his couch like a week ago, hits the game-tying field goal to send him into overtime, and then later in overtime, or I mean, yeah, in regulation, then in overtime shanks a field goal. Russell Wilson, who hasn't thrown a pick, it feels like since 2010, throw it. one of his worst picks of the season, obviously has that fumble. Just a bizarre game. Jimmy Garoppolo could have had like 10 turnovers. It was wild.

It was awesome. I don't know what else to say. You might have hated it. If you're watching your couch, I'm going to have to rewatch the game in the morning. I just know sitting there being a part of it, there were 70,000 people that just thought it was the most wild thing they've ever experienced. That's all I can say live. It was just wild.

Now, let's start with Russell, because Seattle got an enormous win. At 8 and 2 now with the Niners and beat the Niners and they beat the Rams, they're in pretty good position for one of these, you know, the first or the second seat. There are four teams right now. The 49ers, Seattle, New Orleans and Packers fighting for those two top spots. And there's seven games left. I guess for Seattle, there's six games left, but they're going to have a buy. for the 49ers they're now 8 and 1 so they have seven games left with the cardinals coming up this weekend the packers are on a buy i honestly don't even know who the saints play but i know the niners play the saints all four of those teams could end up with the one seed and all four of those teams hell i mean green bay they could screw around not even win their own division new orleans is going to win their division and obviously now with la la losing either seattle or the 49ers are going to win the division but the

49ers still play the Saints, the Packers, and the Ravens, and then Seattle again. So it's going to be really, really challenging. It got really, really interesting tonight. But I was lucky enough, you know, five or six years ago when the Warriors first got in their run, and I love basketball, to watch a lot of Steph Curry games live. And I've never seen anything like it. And I don't know if he'll ever be the same type player. He might not be.

Maybe he will be next year when all these guys come back. But I know what I saw, and I'll never probably see that again. It was remarkable. The team that won 73 games, I went to probably 20 that season. It was his second, it was when he won the back-to-back MVPs. It was just, I knew what I was watching. It was just greatness. It was just something that like, yeah, this doesn't happen very often.

You know, when you hear someone, especially in the media, now I sat in the stands tonight, but I got a free ticket. But when just someone says, I would pay to see him, you know, that's where Russell Wilson falls. He is one of the most remarkable players to watch. I mean, I've seen him live now several times, but just you guys know, just watching him play. Even when his, I wouldn't say he had a,

he probably had an average game tonight. But the plays he makes are extraordinary. He does six or seven or eight or not, like tonight it felt like 10. Extraordinary things. Now sometimes like the night, it creates a terrible play. but man is he a fun player to watch and you know i don't know what twitter's saying if he took a hit on

his MVP campaign that that team i know clownie had a great night i mean he looked like freaking reggie white clowny was unblockable was destroying mcglinchie was destroying staley was destroying everybody he was a game wrecker so they have clowny who i you could argue this i mean you it's not even arguable this was his best game as a Seahawk. But Clowny has not had a great season. Tonight, he was on a completely different level. Now, is he a little bit of a bright lights guy?

It's Monday night football. He knows everyone's watching, probably. But him, Bobby Wagner, and Lockett, like Seattle does not have a great team. I'd argue that if they had just solid quarterback, like a Jimmy Garoppel or Kirk Cousins, they wouldn't sniff the playoffs. Instead, they're competing for the number one overall seed.

I don't see how this guy doesn't win the MVP. I really don't. Because really the 49ers defense is probably the best in the league. His stats are going to be way better than majority of the other teams he plays. But he is just such a special, special play. If you ever get the chance to watch him, wherever you live and he comes through, it's worth the price of admission because he is just on the edge of your seat with every freaking play. He's like a Houdini.

He's a magician back there. I'm at a loss for words and I talk for a living. Your jaw hits the ground. How did he do that? He's the lone running quarterback that really doesn't want to run. And he did it a couple times tonight in big spots. He really wants to run to scramble to throw. That's what makes him so special.

That's what Steve Young was in the house tonight, obviously, for ESPN. Steve became that in his older years. It was about throwing to beat you. He plays quarterback, not running back. Now, he can take off and run, and he's not quite as fast as he used to be. But he can operate at like average speed and still game a lot of yards. He's just, man, even in the shitty games, I came away going, man, that was fun. And the 49ers could not block Clownie all night long.

He was just a game wrecker. God, I mean, Clownie was the difference. And then let's go to the 49ers who, I wouldn't say this is a bad loss. but given the way it played out wasn't a great loss. Before we dive into Kyle Shanhan at the end of the game because I did see that kind of people were like, the clock management, what is he doing?

Let's start with the quarterback. Jimmy Garabba was not good. Now, it wasn't all his fault. I mean, Clownie was in his grill every other play. The wide receivers obviously had the fumble where he got kind of destroyed. Now, got great ball security

that Clownie picked up and scored. a touchdown. He had another pick that went off Kendrick Bourne's hands, but on like the final drive of regulation, he could have thrown multiple picks, he could throw him several picks. So it wasn't an ideal night. But he was not exactly playing with Jerry Rice and John Taylor tonight. George Kittle was upstairs in a box because he's got multiple injuries. Emmanuel Sanders, it looks like broke ribs early in the game. He left. Marky's Goodwin is an unplayable player. I said over and over, and a lot of people, the 49ers disagreed with me. I would have cut

Marquis good one. You can't win with them. And Kendrick Bourne actually isn't a terrible player, but it's hard to trust them in big spots. Debo Samuel had an awful drop the night, though he's going to be a really good player.

They were just, and the one thing the Seattle did pretty good job of the night is they weren't going to let the 49ers gash him on the ground. They were going to make Jimmy beat him. and it was the right game plan because, like I said, George Kiddles not there, especially once Emmanuel Sanders goes out, like, you're going to beat me with Kendrick Bourne and Debo Samuel? I'll double down on this.

Let's bring another defender to the box. Now, Kyle hit his stride a couple times with some play calls, but at the end of the day, this team's going to go as far as the defense takes them, and the defense, for the most part, was awesome. They make so many damn plays. Like, this defense is going to be hell to be reckoned with. in the playoffs. The key, though, for their success

will be health. Because they're not going to have... It's going to be very, very difficult. Let me rephrase that. For them to score points if they're not healthy. Because their wide receivers just aren't very good. And they're...

Now, Kittles is a superstar. But by mid-season this year, because they'd basically been riding them like a... You would an ace in baseball. He was just kind of breaking down. He's by far their best and only capable receiver until they get Emmanuel Sanders. And, you know, as of recording this, he left the game and didn't come back, so that's usually not good.

I'm just going to, I'll just play Dr. Middlokoff here from Section 300 at the 50-yard line. Broken ribs, he might miss a couple weeks. Luckily, they got Arizona, but that's not going to be an easy game. You know, when you put the pressure on Jimmy with this team, they're going to have to be fully healthy. for them to have a chance to win. Now, you have to play them a little differently when Kittles in the game and when Emmanuel Sanders is in the game

because he can throw it to those two guys. So they keep you honest. Let's get to the end of the game in overtime when Kyle Shanahan, I think there was like a buck 40 left on the clock. And Kyle Shanahan called three straight passes. The third one, I think it was, I didn't even think they completed anything. So it was third and 10.

Jimmy tries to go a deep bomb to Debo Samuel. Kind of an underthrow. The DB makes a good play. They take about 15 seconds off the clock, punt, and that ultimately led to the game winning field goal. I see a lot of people, and a lot of NFL media people, when I was sitting in my car

because the traffic didn't move for about two hours. Kyle Shannan is so terrible at clock management. Guys, this is overtime, at home, against your rival. And really, it's not your rival, because I was listening to the post-game radio show on the way, home. Russell Wilson is 13 and 3 in his career against the 49ers. Let me repeat that. 13 and 3. He owns a piece of the 49ers. He does. And every 49er fan in that building

tonight, 70,000 seats, I'd say it was about 55, 49ers. A lot of 12s there. A lot of 12s there. I got no problem with Kyle Shanahan calling plays. We're not playing a fucking tie. You're playing to win. And sometimes you play to win, you end up losing. What's he supposed to do? Run the ball a couple times to milk some clock so you get off the field. I saw some analytical people tweeting like, what's you doing with the clock? You guys are the ones always tweeting about going for two.

He called pass plays. Jimmy's had too horrendous passes, the first couple. And then he actually got the look he wanted on the third down play. Jimmy just got to lead him. It was a bad throw. Good play by the DB kind. it was just an underthrown ball. But yeah, he's playing to win.

Are we playing to tie? You play to win the game, as my guy, Herm Edwards would say. Now, if you're 4 and 4, maybe you approach it a little differently. You're 8-0. You're 8-0. When you're 8-0 and you're a lot to go to the playoffs,

you only got to win two more games to get to 10. You're going to the playoffs. You can finish 3 and 5. You're in the playoffs. You're trying to win this game and put a dagger in Seattle. I got no problem with it. It's like the Super Bowl when he just called Pass Place.

A little different. They had a gigantic lead. This is overtime. Tie game. You got the ball at the 20-yard line. You're calling Pass Place. You got to go. There's only a minute 40 left.

You got a kicker that was literally on his couch. I don't know, three weeks ago or two weeks ago. Because Robbie Gold, I mean, the guy got $12.5 million. You can't stay healthy. and he called pass-plays. I got no issue with it. Again, what's the point of this whole thing? You're trying to win.

Both Pete Carroll, Kyle Shannon, trying to win the game. You're trying to play to a tie when you're 8-0. Now, yeah, would you be better off tying than losing? Yes, I will not dispute that. But no pansies in the NFL. You know, not winners. Winners go for it. Winners try to throw the ball.

You had to go about 60 yards. and you had less than two minutes to go, and you only had one time out. I don't think it's crazy at all. It just didn't work. If you would have ran it three times and they were to gain five yards, everyone would have been like,

oh, conservative, Kyle's just too conservative. Sometimes you can't win with the internet or the couch offensive coordinator, but of all the things I saw tonight, of the crazy place, and it was the wackiest game any sport I've ever.

attended. Russell Wilson, even when he has an average game, is still one of the most remarkable players I've ever seen. Jimmy Gropolo, a little bit of a roller coaster ride. 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 Gaines 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 Slic Life 12 in 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 walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue 42. A rep. My mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne.

Yeah. 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 best. of my Honda Odyssey with all the snacks and drink. Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar or something here? Just take it.

What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? I would. Come on. Can you believe? I would buy it. Cuts 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. You are. 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. Right. Fred Warner. The dude from BYU, the 49th has been a linebacker? Holy hell is that guy a player. Big winners tonight, Clownie and Fred Warner kicked ass and took names. Russell still makes a note.

enough sweet plays even when he has crappy games. Jimmy, uh, not great. Wide receivers for the 49ers, terrible. Kyle Shanahan, no issues at the end.

Monday Night Football. Thank God I didn't have to listen to the broadcast, though. 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 1-8-Flowers. 100flowers.com. Right now, get the 18-stem enchanted 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 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.

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. Okay, let's dive into Cowboys Vikings, the Sunday night football game. You don't need to be Bill Walsh or Vince Lombardi to see that the amount of top-end, high-end, elite players in that game on both teams. was at a premium. Did both those two rosters

went healthy or top, you know, top five rosters in the league? Either one of them don't make the playoffs. That coach should be immediately removed from his duties. And after the game, it's pretty clear the Vikings are headed there. The Cowboys, luckily they're in a terrible division

and still, I guess, control their own destiny, but they got a fatal flaw because I believe this, you know, everything I've ever read, my own personal experience, when you get into pressure-pack situations, you're going to result or kind of resort back to who you really are at your court.

You can be someone else when there is no pressure, try different things, if you're super conservative, think outside the box. But when you're in a big moment, you are going to show your true colors. It just, it always happens, especially with coaches. I've seen it forever. When coaches have nothing to lose, you know, in a season when they're like six and nine, and they start going for it, you know, in December, you're like, okay, buddy. And then the following year, when they have a winning record and the game actually matters,

they'll punt in situations where it's like, oh, you were the gunslinger last year, and you're not doing it this year. And I think it, when you have a core belief or a true identity, it's easier to just, be who you are in a big situation. And I've said it over and over. Listen, I've been hard on Mike Zimmer, just with his old school approach. But the one thing I will appreciate is he has an approach. He has a clear identity of what he wants to do.

When you walk into the Vikings facility or you sit down to watch a Vikings game, you know what their mission statement as a team is, right? they want to pound you with their running back. That's what Zimmer wants to do. Run the ball and play intense, you know, aggressive defense. They are who they are. I mean, they are well, Mike Zimmer and his philosophy is well established. And watching that game down the stretch, I go,

what is Jason Garrett's identity? Because he for sure as hell is not some gunslinger and going to be super aggressive in big spots. he's shown his true colors over and over and over again that he gets tight in big spots and then you take a step back and you realize well he ain't even doing anything he ain't calling the offense he ain't calling the defense

the special teams which we'll dive into in a second also a disaster and the old bill bellichick saying that goes you're either coaching it or allowing it to happen there was a sequence at the end of the game they drive right down the field one of the best games especially the second half, in a big spot, DAC was incredible. Looked awesome.

Looked like a bigger version of Russell Wilson. Scambling around, making huge plays. Amari Cooper, no player in the NFL has probably made more money. I mean, he's on pace for career highs in every statistical category. From just the eye test, it's clear he's awesome. And they drive right down the field, and they get into a situation on second and short, and on third and short, and they run the ball twice.

Now, Jason Garrett, you know, I don't know if he meant to do this, but the way it came out, he said on Monday morning on his radio hit that Kellynne Moore calls the plays and he saw an advantageous look in the box and he thought we'd get the runoff. Which, it's like Jason, you're in charge. You're making $6, $7, $8 million, whatever you are. He's not making a 6th or 7th of what you're making. If you want a certain play or you want to do something, you can tell him. So even when I see coaches that do not call the plays, you guys are in charge.

In the pyramid hierarchy of your coaching staff, you're at the top. And Jason, you're a former quarterback. You're an offensive guy. If you want something to happen, tell him to make it happen. But he would never do that because deep down, he's kind of a conservative coach. He might rather run it than pass it. And then they go, you know, when they get in that situation that forced to kick a field goal, or I guess they went for it, excuse me, on fourth down, they didn't get it to Zeeke.

They give the ball back to Minnesota. Miraculously, they got three timeouts left. And then when they go to a punt return situation, they don't try to block the punt, which, okay, because actually when you're down for, if you somehow were to block the punt and get a safety, it doesn't really help you as much as you think. You'd rather get the ball at midfield. So they set up for a return, but for whatever reason, the punt return are called. for a fair catch.

He had nothing but room, and he had blockers set up. When I say you're either coaching it or allowing it to happen, that is a reflection of Jason Garrett. And when you came down the stretch, the Minnesota Vikings in big spots got big stops. Because, of course they do. Mike Zimmer, one of the best defensive coordinators in the league. His defense is really aggressive.

They have a bunch of high-end players. They're just going to tackle well. The one area you can take advantage of them in the passing game. Dak had well over 300 yards, who's moving the ball right down the field, and the Vikings would have paid for you to run the ball in that situation. Because let's call a spade of spade. Zeke's a good player, and I really like him.

I think he's not looked as fast this year. He's been solid. He runs his ass off, but the running back for Minnesota, Dalvin Cook, is just a better player right now. So when they gave it to Zeke in those situations on second and short, and then I think it was third and five, is what the Vikings wanted you to do.

I guess maybe it was second and two, then it was third and two, and then they got the loss on the third down, so it was fourth and five. But at the end of the day, Jason Garrett in a big spot is always going to be tight, because that's just who he is. We have just basically a long line of evidence now.

His resume shows us. There is no coach. They're going to be in games because they got a lot of talent. And that's really more. on Jerry Jones, the people picking the players. Jason has nothing to do with that. I know on game day that Jason is going to consistently let you down. And if the Cowboys were to miss the playoffs,

it's pretty clear they're not going anywhere in the playoffs, but they are going to get the host of playoff game. Hell, it may be against Minnesota in that wildcar round if they win the NFC East. So maybe they could win a game, but whatever. They won a game last year against Seattle and then got shoved around by the Rams. this is the home stretch.

It's borderline feels over because I don't see any chance. And this makes me look like an idiot. I pick them to win the NFC. 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,

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 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. 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 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 walks up to me, he goes,

A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office. 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHart Podcasts 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 drink.

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 take it. What are y'all doing? Microphones?

Are you making a rap album? I would. I would buy it. Cut through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds. That's delicious. Oh, you're lucky I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic.

You are. You're 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. I look at the Vikings, another team that's going to be right in the mix to win the NFC, they're just on a different level. And it's not the talent. It's not quarters one through three.

it's the little details. It's the little freaking details that get multiplied in the playoffs, that every yard matters, every play call matters, in a tie game in the fourth quarter, you can't afford to screw up. And Jason Garrett always screws up. And he'd tell you, well, I'm not even the one calling the plays. Well, Jason, you're ultimately okaying it. Because if you don't want that play call,

you know what you can do in the headset? Kellyn, I don't want that. Call a different play. Call this play. Are you even capable of doing that anymore? Because think about this. Sometimes he was once a play caller, but then if you're not a play caller for a while, it's like if you don't do anything for a while.

If you're a writer and you take two years off from writing and then you try to write, you're not going to be as good of a writer. If I'm a podcaster and I take five years off from talking and then I come back and I get to the mic and I press record, I'm not going to be as good. I'm not going to have consistent flow, ideas of topics, just out of sight, out of mind, even if you're around podcasters every day. He's around football coaches. He's around game plan meetings.

But he's not the one ultimately calling the plays on game day, where Mike Zimmer has been the defensive play caller since he's been there. So he's been pretty locked in. And again, I like throwing the ball a little more than him. But if you have the best running back in the league, arguably right now, who is the perfect zone scheme runner, one cut, vertical, get north and south. I would say no one runs harder this season than Dalvin Cook.

every single yard is contested on his end. Physicality, like he's coming forward. If you're going to push him back, you're going to need multiple people. I love that player. But that was just a clinic on when the game got really tight, two coaches resorted to who they are. And the problem for Jason Garrett is who he is, is not conducive to winning in 2019.

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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. 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-armed kid carry. Looks like Dad has the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't closed.

Dipers 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. Okay, let's dive into the Rams and the,

Steelers. And as someone now that the last three or four years has run essentially my own business with another podcast and different internet media things I'm doing, you realize how hard and anyone, you know, most of you guys, you know, work in the real world, know, how hard it is. And I always had people tell me this. My dad used to always tell me this growing art. It's so hard to just make a dollar.

And then obviously it gets relative every time you sky. scale. A dollar goes to $10, goes to $100,000, goes to, you know, $50,000, goes to $500,000, whatever you're doing. It's really difficult. I think it's fair to say that most successful people in the business world, and that's the reality that we live in in America, capitalist society, got to love it, is that it takes balls, you know, most people that win in life have major stones. That's, whether you're on the football field, or whether you're in the business realm. Those are the people I've admired, and I've always admired them.

And a lot of them are pro sports owners. You know, I have one in my backyard. Joe Laca bought the Warriors six, seven years ago, and everything he's done has just swung for the fences. Now, it doesn't always work, but in this crazy, weird place that I live in downtown San Francisco, I don't live in San Francisco, he somehow got a building built.

And he did it himself. He's paying for the whole, thing himself. That's why I admire Stan Cronky. He moved to L.A. He's like, I'll pay for it myself. Every penny. Now, he's got the money, but most guys don't think like that. Most guys don't do that. Jerry Jones as just one of the great

marketers in the history of America has huge balls. Now, again, I'm not saying these guys are batting 1,000%. They miss on stuff. But I give you credit for taking swings. It's why Pittsburgh and the Rams

while at the original time of both trades that they made for Jalen Ramsey and Minka Fitzpatrick, I thought it was kind of nuts. But as time has gone on, we'll start with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who got an enormous win at home against the L.A. Rams and are now 5 and 4. When they traded for Minka Fitzpatrick,

they were 0 and 2. And then they proceeded to lose that game when he showed up to the 49ers, where I'm pretty sure he had a pick, a force fumble, and a bunch of tackles. He was awesome. And it's been clear, ever since they got him,

he's the best player on their team. He has more touchdowns this season as a Steeler than like O'Dell Beckham Jr. has as a Brown. He's been phenomenal. Count, I think, four interceptions, multiple touchdowns, makes tackles, PBOs, force fumbles. He's a dominant player

who turns, I think, 23 here in a month. He's been fantastic. They gave him a first round pick. I thought it was nuts. I've said this over and over. over on the podcast. I've changed my opinion over the last month. Because if I was a Pittsburgh Steeler fan,

I would take so much pride in this team. The first game of the season, we lose Rathusberger to Tommy John surgery, who God, he's putting on some LBs, and we go to Mason Rudolph, and we keep losing a couple games, and then we don't flinch and we make this trade, and somehow we start to figure it out,

and all of a sudden we're five and four, with a four-game stretch coming up, they play on Thursday night against the Browns, then they got the Bengals, then they got the Browns again, then they got the Cardinals. I started thinking to myself, that if we went three of these next four games, are we eight and five?

And in a position to get a wild card? And I say, hell yeah. Big time, because your team had the stones. Your team was aggressive. Your team refuses to tank, though the media consistently gives tanking teams credit, but most tanking teams consistently suck. They just tank and tank and tank and then they never win.

Look at the Browns. They're 3 and 6. They tank for like 3 years. And all they have to show for is being 3 and 6 with some good players. Who cares? The Steelers, who've never tanked, who got aggressive, unlike what Sashi Brown and the Browns would have ever done a year ago. Boom, 5 and 4, because they traded for Minka Fitzpatrick.

The point of pro sports is to acquire good players and keep them. And the dolphins are like, yeah, we're good on me. Minka. If the Steelers make the playoffs, you're going to get, what, pick 22 for Minka Fitzpatrick? That's not ideal. Who's immediately a playoff team's best player? Pretty big red flag on the Dolphins. Though I give them credit they've continued to play hard. And then the Rams, but I guess my ultimate point on this is I need to take a step back

and not be so critical when teams kind of swing for the fences. Because sometimes you swing for the fences, you're going to strike out. But at least you're taking a swing. and I was hard on Bill O'Brien for the Laramie Tunzel trade, but he's six and three. He looks headed like he's going to cruise to a division championship. Even the Rams, they're 5 and 4. The reason they're losing is not Jalen Ramsey.

The reason they're losing is because their offensive line is horrendous. They can't block any team with a good front. And Jared Goff is much more similar to like an Eli Manning, Philip Rivers type quarterback in terms of athleticism. unlike Deshawn Watson and Russell Wilson in years when their offensive line was just a turnstile, they were athletic enough and had the just ability to move. Jared Goff does not. So if you can't block it for them, you got no chance.

But when you look at their defense, their defense is pretty good. I mean, Aaron Donald, Dante Fowler caused havoc. And Jalen Ramsey can just match up on whoever your best wide receiver is and take them out of the game. So yeah, it was a lot to pay for Jalen Ramsey. But I go, well, they got one of the best players. you know, in the league on their team. That's the cost of doing business. And I tweeted this yesterday, like, if they missed the playoffs this year, it's a disaster.

And then I took a step back. Is it really? It's only a disaster if you can't figure out ways to incrementally improve your offensive line, which can be difficult. But that puts pressure on your offensive line coach, on Sean McVeigh. Kyle Shanahan's proven. He's been playing with backup offensive linemen in one games. Like, the pressure kind of then goes to McVeigh.

they a little less than the gentleman. The gentleman has done his job. Hey, Sean, I've given you countless elite blue chip players. You're playing Mason Rudolph on the road and they spot you 7-0. You should be able to beat up. They couldn't move the ball at all.

If your offensive line can't block for Jared Goff, which they could not all game, and typically the Steelers over the last several years have had one of the best, more athletic, pressure-filled units in the league. They are a handful. Call some different plays. like throw a different pitch

bro your shit isn't working do something different I've always defended like hey you know your starting tackles go out you lose your starting center like things are going to fall off the map and then I've seen Kyle Shanahan boom nothing happens

Patriots for years boom nothing happens I'm watching the Chiefs offense they're losing offensive linemen left and right they throw up 32 points like good coaches overcome like what do the Marines say adapt and overcome That's what good coaches do, especially offensive coaches.

Unlike defense where you're not dictating the terms really, you're reactive. The offense, you can do whatever you want. You're the ones calling the plays. You're the one that dictates every play of the game is the offense. The defense is just calling a play based on what they think you're going to do. You know what you're going to do on offense. And they kept calling like five, seven-step drops. They can't block, John.

You are not going to be able to block them. Have you watched the tape? Do you have any other pitches in your repertoire? Are you just going to throw the same thing over and over and over again? Because it's not going to work. But when it comes to less need and the organizational philosophy, I'm always going to support that because too often now, and I just think you often see it in media like,

let's hoard the draft picks. Let's hoard the prospects. For what? Most of them miss. Most draft picks, even in the first round, it's a 50-50 proposition. Look at in baseball. The majority of quote-unquote prospects traded for elite players never amount to anything.

It's almost shocking when it's like, whoa, they got that guy in that trade? Because you don't see it happen that often. So, you know, both these organizations put all their chips in the middle of the table. But when you put your chips in the middle of the table, you know, and you're playing roulette and you put it on red, sometimes it hits black. But, you know, at least you have the stones to pick aside and go all in and go for it. That's the reality of taking big swings. Let's dive into LSU, Alabama, which was the highest rated college football game of the last eight years.

And I went to a buddy's house and watched it with several other people. I live in Northern California. So it speaks to the power of football. There definitely hasn't been a major league baseball game that has got that type rating. And I don't know this for a fact, but I'm pretty sure. sure having followed the Warriors pretty closely, they didn't do regular season games, maybe a Christmas Day game that rated that high. The NBA doesn't have that in the bag.

It speaks to the power of football. And even though this country leans a little more NFL than college, it takes a really big non-playoff, you know, college football games. Just because college football, Colin talks about this a lot, has become regionalized. This was a game just to southern teams. But I do think the consumer now knows. This is an NFL game. And when I worked in the NFL, you, it was like mandated.

I mean, it was like an unwritten rule that you sent a scout to the SEC championship game. That's the area that pumps out the most NFL players. So you need to have a presence there. You typically put your best scout in the SEC, in the South, because that's where the majority of the talent comes from. And we knew going in how much talent was on the team. I think most people would say that, oh, Alabama's a much better, or just the superior program to LSU.

You know what my counter would be? They're the same program. One program has just had Nick Saban for the last 12-plus years. When Nick Saban was at LSU, what did he do? He won a national championship. His last two years there in the SEC West, he was 13 and 3, pumping out NFL players left and right. They're the same program.

It's just like Florida suck now These last six or seven years Or are they a powerhouse When they get an elite coach Like Spurrier or Urban Meyer And they'll win national titles You could argue that the top four programs in the SEC Bama

LSU Georgia and Florida If you put Nick Sabin or Urban Meyer At any of them They will win Natties Or if you give any of them A solid coach like Eddie O is proving to be because he has an excellent staff

if you give them an elite quarterback they will dominate because what you saw on Saturday listen I'm not the biggest to a fan though I don't not like him he throws as beautiful a deep ball from a college passer as I've ever seen now he's playing with three wide receivers

two of them are going to go in the top 20 one guy's going to go in the top 10 and another guy, as someone told me a month ago, which that might change, because after watching that game, Smith had multiple touchdowns, he might end up in the first round too. There's a chance he's playing with three first round wide receivers. And he gets him the ball with ease down the field.

But as you saw with LSU, Joe Burrow is a little bit more dynamic of a passer. Short, intermediate, and deep he can do it all. And obviously he can run around. But when you look at LSU, if you just close your eyes and they were all wearing the same color jersey, both teams, they'd all look the same. It's just the same team.

One team just had the slightly better quarterback. And the running back for LSU is pretty damn good too. But they've always been that. Really the last six or seven years when Les kind of fell off the map and they were losing assistant coaches, the problem was is they couldn't scheme at the level of Alabama. And that's the problem for Sabin these last several years. He's had so much coaching turnover. that it's hard to maintain that.

And he's lost a ton of coordinators, a ton of assistant coaches. Eventually it's going to take its toll. And as someone in the league told me a while back, actually it was like last week, that one problem for Alabama, early on in their run from like 2009 to like 2013-14, they would never or very rarely lose an underclassman that would be like a fifth, sixth, seventh round pick. because that guy would always come back and then he would be a first or second rounder. Well, this last three or four years,

if you've watched them play, they're really good. I think they're still really good. And they could beat any team on any given game. I don't even know how you could argue that. But he said one big problem is they're starting to lose a lot of players. They're like, I'm just going to leave. And then the guy goes in the fourth or fifth round. Well, that guy always would come back.

And you saw it last year with Clemson. All those defensive linemen came back. And they turned out to all be first and second round pick. Hell, Cleland Farrell went forth overall. He was the highest drafted of the group. And most people thought he was the worst prospect of the three of them, Christian Wilkins and the dude the Giants took. So I'm watching Alabama thinking, one,

that if you put them in the playoffs, they would not embarrass themselves. Their offense is too good. But two, yeah, they're just not quite as good. LSU is a little more talented. And now they got a coaching staff that can hang, and they got the best quarterback they've probably ever had. At least in terms of the way he's playing NFL prospect, we all make fun of Jamarcus now.

a really good college player. They're the same thing. Both programs, and I think you could put Florida and Georgia in this mix too, care about football to their core more than anything else. They care about it more than academics. It drives the community. It drives the university. And I've gotten these arguments with people on Twitter before.

Like, the SEC's motto is, it just means more. Because it does. Football means more than academics at these universities. That's not saying that these universities are not good universities. But they care about football deep down to their core much more than, and I just use the Pac-12 as an example, more than UCLA, more than Cal, more than Stanford, even to hell, more than SC. NSC out here, probably SC and Oregon care about it the most, but they still care about other

stuff. The only reason that Oregon can really kind of, you know, throw its hat in the ring is because they have this huge advantage. 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 loss. 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, 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 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 SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, guys? This is CliverTaylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. 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, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast,

or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, Famous? Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ 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 Nas Reid. 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 Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He run up the court, licking his fingers while 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, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. This guy named Phil Knight just happened to be alumni there, you know, cares about that program like it's his child. If Phil Knight was just not Phil Knight, Oregon would just be another Pact 12, you know, coach. Now, obviously, if my aunt had ball, she'd be my uncle,

so we could play that game. If Oklahoma State didn't have T-Boon Pickens, I'm not even trying to take anything away from Oregon. I'm just saying that out West, we care about academics. Me personally, I'm not. saying that academics don't matter. I care about football more. I wish all the programs out where I live thought about it like the SEC. And the top end of their conference just will do anything it takes to win.

They will do, they gave, immediately after that game, report surfaced that Joe Brady, the 30-year-old passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach, maybe he's a quarterback coach, whatever. He's basically the assistant offensive coordinator, this 30-year-old guy that they stole from the Saints, they plan on quadrupling his salary. I think he makes like $400,000, maybe not, maybe tripling, like $1.5 million, so he doesn't leave. Again, they are, they're like, when I talk about the Pittsburgh and the Rams, like Nick, what do you need? Mark Rick or Kirby Smart, what do you need? Out here, out west, and in several programs, you know, they go, yeah, we'll have to think about that.

I don't know if that's going to hang. So LSU and Bama are on the highest level of that thought process. Now, is Ed Ogeron in a vacuum a better coach than Nick Saban? Of course not. Ed O'sron doesn't call the offense. He doesn't call the defense. But what he is, he is a couple things. He is the ideal fit for that university.

Like he feels LSU. I know Colin was tweeting about it a bunch this weekend. In the post game, when I don't even know who it was, gets him on camera, you can see the tears in his eyes. Because that win, now ultimately, if he wins a national championship, the win will be remembered longer nationally. but that win in that community, on that university, it may be the greatest moment of his professional life.

He beat Nick Sabin in Tuscaloosa and kind of kicked his ass. I mean, was destroying them in the first half and Tua hit some big plays and they came back. But they dominated. It doesn't get any bigger than that. I can't relate because down in the South football is the religious experience.

For me personally, it kind of is too. I mean, it means a lot to me. I've dedicated my life to talking about it. but to Nick I think Nick can take a step back everyone's like all this Bama done or whatever No Bama's fine They'll keep recruiting elite players

And if they give their backup quarterback Or whoever's next up the pipe Is better than the guy LSU They'll beat him next year You know Maybe it costs them a playoff berth But I think we act like Alabama Is on some different level

Than all these other programs Like I think there are four or five programs That are just completely on a different level than every other program in the country I think it's Ohio State, and then I think it's probably three or the four SEC schools. Because, again, there is no hurdle or any barrier that these coaches have to jump over. Because whatever they need, the school, the resources, they just knock down that wall, and the coach walks right through it. You need an extra academic advisor.

You need more iPads for your team. You need more training facilities. You need more weight route. Whatever you need, they'll do it. you need $2 million to go sign this defensive coordinator. Here, here's a check. And LSU and Bama get the best players in the country. They always have.

And that's why people at LSU and people around Bama that I knew always like, they got just as good a players as us. Lest just can't coach on next level. Now, I'm not saying Ed can't either because he can't. But he did put a great staff around and their players, and he nailed this quarterback. This quarterback transfer, Joe Burrell, looks like the number one pick in the draft. probably just cemented his status as he's going to win the Heisman trophy.

I don't know when the last time LSU had a Heisman trophy winner, but it sure as hell feels like a long time ago. But just as a football fan, it doesn't get much cooler in that game. 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 like, more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us.org. Brought to you by 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 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 a Adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Ad Council. 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 something I saw. Before we dive into things that jumped out to me on Sunday, one thing that really jumped out to me on Saturday, beside the LSU Bama game,

was Minnesota. And I texted a buddy in the league that has gone through PJ Flex schools over the years. I said, what's his deal? and the way he described him to me was he's like the Tony Robbins of coaching. He is not for everybody. He's not even for every assistant coach, let alone every player. He's big into like psychological, inspirational type stuff that is unique. But it works.

There is no disputing if you watch Minnesota play Penn State. They have a bald coach, a bald quarterback, as a member of the Bald Brotherhood. Really, I became a full-time member in 2011, but I was trending that way. probably since about 07, so over 10 plus years in the club. I'm a fan. I'm a big fan of what they got going. He's clearly just a rising star. Because at Minnesota, to be undefeated, to beat Penn State like that at home,

James Franklin, this is kind of the apple of everyone, oh, James Franklin, when's James Franklin going to win a big game? Shoot me a text when that happens. Minnesota kicked their ass. Physically shoved them around. Offensively, they are really good. The quarterback makes plays. They got a couple wide receivers.

The running back was gashing them. Penn State, I can't imagine that Penn State, or excuse me, that Minnesota has many guys on their roster that Penn State would have taken. Right. And Minnesota would have taken every single guy on Penn State's roster. So that's the one thing unique about college football is like when Alabama plays Oregon State. I'm just giving you some hypothetical matchup. There's not a guy in Oregon State.

that Alabama would have given a scholarship to. Where in the NFL, it's like, yeah, take that guy, take that guy, we wanted to draft that guy. In college football, when you play the big boys, and you get even in the conference, like when Alabama plays Arkansas, how many players does Arkansas have that Alabama wanted? Maybe two, maybe three,

there might not be any. And that's where coaching, it's the one sport we're coaching by far has the most impact, because whatever PJ Fleck is feeding those kids, you know, literally feeding them, telling them it's working. The guy is a really, really good football coach. And I'm sure some of you that are listening

that live in maybe that region know more about him than myself. He seems like just a different cat. Sometimes, you know, difference is cool because we've seen the same old meatheads coaching football forever. I like that some of these younger guys are just a little off the beaten path for what you think would be a football guy. That was an enormous win by Minnesota. Okay, let's get into Sunday.

Mahomes was fantastic. He looked healthy, slinging well over 400 yards. Hill and Kelsey dominated. They scored 32 points on the road, and we're leading late in the fourth quarter. So to lose that game for Kansas City is pretty devastating. They've lost four of their last six games. Now, obviously, Mahomes got hurt in one of those games, even though they won that game against Denver,

then they lost the game against Green Bay. But something's off with them. They cannot get a stop in a big spot to save their life. and Steve Spagnola, who was the, you know, kind of known for being the defensive coordinator on the New York Giants, the team that beat the undefeated Patriots, it's all kind of been downhill since. Because what's really the difference? Last year, probably the most polarizing assistant coach was Bob Sutton

because the Chief's defense was just so terrible. Maybe they've been a little bit better. You know, just from the eye test, I kind of see the same shit. wide open holes, blown coverages, guys getting wide open in big spots. They can't get any stops. If Chris Jones or someone on the defensive line does not make a play, they get gashed. I mean, Derek Henry was running wild against them. And Derek Henry is a good player.

But that's a bad loss for Kansas City. When your quarterback plays that well, when your premium offensive players play that well, and you have a lead with under a couple minutes to go. And, you know, it's a tough situation. You're up late in the game. They got one time out. It's third and two. Do you run the ball?

Well, if you run the ball and get stuffed, everyone just goes, oh, conservative, idiot coaches. And then if you pass the ball and it doesn't work, you go, what are you doing? Run the ball. You can't, listen, the best offensive coordinators, I'm just as guilty as this too,

are the ones sitting on their couch on Sundays. But they did that, and it backfired. My home's hit the ground, then the field goal got blocked. and it was a disaster. There's no way around it. Absolute unmitigated disaster for Kansas City. Huge game for them this week.

Playing the Chargers, Monday night football. The Raiders are playing the Bengals, and I saw on Twitter this morning. It's the first time that they've been a double-digit favorite in years, I think like 10, maybe even more, maybe since it was like, oh, I don't know, a long time. So the Raiders are going to beat the Bengals. The Chiefs have to win this game.

The Bills, as someone that put some money on the Bills and watch that game very closely, the Browns are not very good. I mean, the Browns were like the first team in 26 years to have eight chances within the two-yard line are in and not score a touchdown. So the Bills' defense is good. The Browns are an undisciplined mess. The Bills' offense is a problem. Like Josh Allen, who I'm rooting for consistently throws.

And Matt Stafford is a much, much higher-level version of this. Like, Josh, not. every single throw needs to be a hundred miles an hour. Throw a change-up. When a guy's running a quick slant and he's subtly open, you don't, not every pass needs to be Brett Farr. When I watch Josh Allen, the accuracy is a problem for a lot of quarterbacks.

Most guys are not pinpoint accurate, unless you're Brady or Breeze, the elite elite guys. Even Rogers can spray the ball a little bit. But Rogers can take some off his passes. So even if he is a little off, it's just a more catchable pass. When someone throws a hundred mile an hour rope and he's 15 feet away, it's just hard to catch.

And I see Josh Allen struggling to take velocity off some of his passes, and it gets him in trouble. Danny Dimes and the Jets, I don't really have much takeaway from the game. I know Danny Dimes threw four touchdowns, but he also had the fumble when Jamal Adams ripped it out of his hands. these two teams are terrible and I know there were reports from Giants

media that John Morrow was walking around super pissed off, head down like he was ready to fire everyone. Like John, what did you expect was going to happen when you hired Pat Schumer and then made Dave Gettelman the general manager? Do you think you were going to win? Do you think you were going to be competitive? Do you live in a state

of denial? How is anyone shocked at this? Because I'm not. Honestly, I'm a little shocked at the Jets because now part of it is Donald went out with the Mono. But still, then he wasn't good after the Cowboys game. But I thought the Jets would win five or six games. They'll probably end up winning four. I know Sam Darnal said yesterday that he thinks they can still make the playoffs. Memo to you, Sam. You're not making the playoffs.

But Danny Dimes, I don't know. I mean, I don't really see it. Again, one of the touchdowns was on a quick screen to Golden Tate. Another Golden Tate touchdown came where the DB just fell down. So sometimes you have to put plays with contact. when you're judging them. Like, if a guy's wide open and you hit a score a touchdown, like, was it really that difficult of a pass? If the offensive lineman falls down and you get a sack, like all sacks, all touchdowns that are not all equal,

Pat Schumer and Dave Gettleman are just a royal disaster. But again, anyone with the pulse knew this was going to happen. The Saints, they got destroyed by the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the Atlanta Falcons, who have been a dumpster fire, all season long, the thing that troubled, I think, most people in football with trying to come up with reasons

why they were so bad is because they do have a lot of talent. Julio Jones Star, Calvin Ridley Stud, Austin Hooper, I mean, offensively, they got dudes everywhere. And defensively, they do have a lot of athletic. I don't know if they have too many blue chippers on defense, but they don't have scrubs.

They don't have scrubs at all. So anytime in the NFL you play divisional games and the opponent, you know, the same coaching staffs have been, there for a little bit. Weird things can happen. I also think that people overreact to like a one bad loss. If you're like the Chiefs and you've had several bad losses, I think it's fair to like have a strong take. This team's got some issues. Like you should throw up a red flag right now on the Chiefs. I'm not throwing up a red flag on the Saints. Because if you go 13 and 3, more than likely two of

those three losses are going to look pretty bad. And if you're a fan of that team Monday morning, you're going to be like, what the hell just happened? But at the end of the day, you're going to be team and three and the Saints more than likely are still going to get a home field by. And if they don't, they'll be the three seat. They're going to be a top three seat. You're allowed to have a clunker. And you'd rather have a clunker. I think it's hard sometimes when your clunker comes against a team with a really bad record.

I also say this all the time, that players are humans. And as we get into November, and your record is really kind of established when you're a bad team, the coach can get up in front of the squad all he wants and say how talented the team is, how they beat us in years past, all that bullshit. But when the player looks down at a scouting report and sees the record underneath that team's name and he sees 1 in 10,

or 2 and 12, or 3 and 4, or not 3 and 4, I was going to say 3 and 14, but that would be 17 games. I was trying to think of a bigger number. 3 and 10. You just know that team's bad. You do.

So I give the human element sometimes for good teams to overlook bad teams. Now, should it happen in a division? Of course not. But it did. And I don't make much of it. Because I have enough evidence watching the Saints with Breeze and without Breeze

of kicking the crap out of people. Winning games on the road in situations where they had Teddy Bridgewater, they shouldn't have won. They're going to be fine. Kyle Allen's solid. You know, he really is. I watched that game against Green Bay.

They moved the ball up in, down against Green Bay pretty much at ease all game. It took a turnover from Kyle Allen to kind of keep that game to make it, you know, the score a little closer, or at least at one point in time the score was like 21 to 10. It felt more like, God, should Carolina be winning this game? Now, it's hard for me sometimes to judge games that it was a major snowstorm by the second half. I think Green Bay is really good.

Their defense, though, is not quite as good as it showed that first month. there are gaping holes. Now, Christian McCaffrey, what's he, the first or second best running back in the league, he's just a baller. He is an elite player. So if he makes plays against you, to me, that's not always an indictment of your team.

But it's pretty clear that the Packers defense is, I can't consider them top notch anymore. They're solid. They're an above average NFL defense, but I don't put them in that category where that first several weeks of the season, it looked like they had one of the best defense in the league. I just, I can't say that right now.

And the Carolina Panthers, they're 5 and 2 since they started 0 and 2 and Cam Newton last played a game. Their two losses are at Green Bay in the snow and at San Francisco. They're probably going to go 9 and 7, more than likely missed the playoffs, but that's a really, really impressive season. Because if they go 9 and 7, they basically went 9 and 5 without Cam. And that was all Kyle Allen being the quarterback. I tip my hat to Ron Rivera.

an excellent job. Titans are a really weird team. Ryan Tanyhill's now 3 and 1 as a starter. Derek Henry's established himself as a really good player. I think Mike Vrable is a good coach, but you can watch them some weeks where you're like, what is going on? Now, Titans fans may tell me, well, if Tanyhill had been starting the whole time, maybe we would be 6 and 4. Hell, maybe even 7 and 3. Because there were points early in the season with Marriota where their offense was beyond anemic. He was struggling to complete running back screens. It's crazy just from the eye test,

how much better Ryan Taneyhill as a player than Marcus Marriota. One just as a runner, Marriota is quote unquote an athletic runner as well. Tanyhill yesterday was lowering his shoulder, running guys over at the goal line. That ain't Mariotta's deal. And then when he had to, he was pulling the trigger and hitting some big passes.

at one point in time in the game. It was a seven-point game with the Chiefs leading, and I was watching the game, and the stats came up, and Mahomes had over 300 yards passing, and Tanny Hill had 100. You're like, how are they only down 7? And then as the game went on,

he made some big passes. Obviously, Derek Henry busted a big run, and they found a way to win. Now they're 5 and 5. They are not dead in terms of from the playoff mix. The Browns, they're holding on for Deer Life. You know, they're going to take pride in that win. I didn't learn much about you.

I still don't think you're very good. It turns out Matt Stafford has a broken back or broken vertebraes or, you know, his back's messed up and did not play, and it was still hard for the Bears to beat Jeff Driscoll. Kaleel Mack to me has had a pretty underwhelming season. I don't know if just missing Akeem Hicks is hurting his spirit. If Chuck Pagano is not getting the most out of him. I know they won. I'm pretty sure he hasn't had a sack in five straight games.

When I watch Khalil Mack, the guy that played balls of the wall and just consistently dominated week and weekend weekend, I don't see that guy right now. I don't see a guy necessarily going through the motions, but I don't see the elite blue ship player. Like when I don't see a pro bowl player right now, which is kind of embarrassing. He is too good to not take over games. And in his career, he has consistently. taking over games every two or three weeks.

He's just kind of been MIA. And you're either coaching and allow it to happen. Part of it's, he's such a good player. It's on him too. But they got to figure out if they're just going to get back to win eight or nine games or win six, it's going to be him. And someone needs to kind of rev him back up because right now he's, he just hasn't been playing very well.

Okay, let's dive into the Middilcoff mailbag. Some of these are from before the weekends. So if it is, I'll try to kind of spin it forward. I'm a Bears fan who feels like his parents are going through a divorce. Mitch and Nagy could not be worse for each other. Fairness, Mitch made some nice throws. Granted, it was against the Lions. Mitch would greatly benefit from being in an offense like the 49ers Ravens

or early Seahawks where the play calling is run heavy and the quarterback doesn't have to think as much. Is it possible reasonable for Nagy to transform the offense to be more like Kyle? Side note, Watson or Mahomes would be sweet with Nagy. Did I answer this question last week? Maybe I didn't rescind it. If I did, sorry if you're listening to this again. I think at the most basic level, regardless what offense you run,

if Mitch is not going to be accurate, and up until I don't have his box score against the Lions, but he did make a couple nice touchdown throws. If he is air-mailing balls all over the yard, you got no chance in any offense. Kyle would hate. He hates inaccurate quarterbacks. So I would say that that might be a little bit of a sense.

stretch. Miss just needs to be more accurate, especially on big downs, third downs, in the red zone. That's just the bottom line. There's no other way around it. He has to be more accurate. Big fan of the show,

I'm a realistic Raiders fan. I don't think we are going to make the playoffs, but we'll be extremely hopeful. Looking at what Gruden has done with the team, do you think they could be in the Super Bowl in the next three or five years, or do you think the defense will hold them back? Like it seems all the offensive moves in free agency,

AB doesn't, uh, couldn't cause, FAB, I can't fall there. And draft have been doing great, but the defense won's not so much. Yeah, clearly he's good enough of an offensive coach to compete with anybody. Their defense is god-awful. Now, granted, they drafted a guy Mullen's in the second round. He started really the last two weeks.

Jonathan Abram, the hard-hitting safety, went on IR because, of course he did. He destroys people. He's going to have to adapt his style. He's a good enough athlete. He's going to have to become a little bit more of a cover guy. and balance the big hitting. Their pass rushers are a major question mark. I mean, Cleland Farrow, who had a good statistical game against the Chargers,

if you watch the game wasn't great. Arden Key was actually coming on until he broke his foot, I think, two weeks ago, and then Mad Max Crosby is a really good player. But they're going to need a couple of just elite defensive linemen. And their linebacker situation has been abysmal for years. So they're going to need a draft, preferably in this draft. I mean, they're going to have two first-round points. picks probably in the top 18.

You know, the Bears go six or seven wins and the Raiders win, seven or eight wins. You know, that's, boom, pick 13 and pick 17, maybe draft a linebacker. They need, you know, a fast, just tackling machine at linebacker. I'm watching the Steeler game yesterday, or two days ago now, if you're listening to this, and Devin Bush is all over the place. You know, you watch Kikleys of the world. Hell, the 49ers, Fred Warner, Bobby Wagner, you've got to have that guy. Unless the Rams are an example of a team.

They haven't really had great line backing play the last several years, but their defensive line has been elite and their corners have been good. So you've got to have difference makers, preferably at every level, but they don't really have what I would call a difference maker on defense. You know, they have several on offense with Waller, Jacobs, a lot of the offensive linemen, Carr can play like that. Gruden has a play caller. But defense in the NFL is, you know,

It's a combination of the X's and O's and the Jimmies and the Jos. Because without the Jimmies and the Joe's, you can't make place. And right now they just don't have the Jimmy's and the Joe's. With all the O'Dell talk about a trade at the end of the year, what are your thoughts on Philly picking them up? Is that possible? Keep up the hustle. Appreciate it.

Yeah, I would say that, I don't know. You know, to be completely honest, I just, we have to see what Cleveland does. Are they just going to trade him for a first round pick at the end of the season? you could argue they don't necessarily need them, but if they're ever going to get good, you would like to have Odell Beckham on the team. So unless he demands a trade or for whatever reason the coaching staff doesn't like him,

I will be surprised if Odell Beckham's not on the team next year. Now, will he be on the team going into year three? That's a bigger question mark. But to give up after one year, if they did, I think a lot of people would be interested. Though the risk would be a little higher given that it wasn't just, not that he's been the problem, but it hasn't been smooth sailing, right?

I mean, the shoes, he's a little bit of pain in the ass now. I think most GMs will tell you, we already know that, we don't really care, and that might be true. Listen to three and out podcasts about Jacksonville moving to London. I like the idea, but the problem is that the Jacksonville Jaguars, people might not go to games, people might go to games, then, but no one wants to watch them on TV.

I think the ratings will stink in the U.S. You know, honestly, I don't think it would phase anything. anyone that much. If the Jaguars were good and, you know, had a record of, you know, three and, you know, six and one playing the five and two Houston Texans and you put that game on Sunday night football people are going to watch. I think good football and the records have more to do. Football is national. You know, baseball and basketball are regional. LSU Bama did a 9.5 rating. The average like Major League Baseball on Sunday Night baseball on ESPN does like a one. The average NBA game does like a two and a half.

half. So if you put good football on TV, people watch, whether it's their team or not, with gambling. And obviously, in the NFL, we got fantasy football. So the draw-out of the NFL is so much different than other sports that have to worry a little bit more about that stuff. Just started listening to this season of the podcast. After listening Friday morning and watching Thursday Night Football, I have a theory that Rivers is tanking because he's sick of losing and running for his life.

Their offensive line has been horrible for years. and Dean seems not to care about the O line. What are your thoughts on Rivers trying to get traded this offseason? Well, I definitely think there's a chance that he demands a trade or slash. He's a free agent, so they're probably going to franchise him and then trade them. Maybe they let him walk. I'd be a little shocked, but you can never discount any possibility with Dean Spanos. I don't think he's throwing games at all.

I think he's desperately trying to win. desperately. I actually think his flaws now, when I say ball security, for him, it's throwing the ball into just terrible places, you know, throwing these Yolo passes that make no freaking sense. I think that's his issue right now much more than he's trying to complete these passes. I think there's a chance sometimes he can't control with it ball goes, which is a little bit scary, which you'd have to question what his trade value would be. He keeps putting up games like he did the other night against the Raiders. If you franchise him, like, you're not getting maybe a fourth or fifth round pick.

I don't know. He's 38 years old. He's turnover prone. Would someone give like a first round pick? I doubt it. Here's a question for the three and out. Should a team such as the Jets or the Browns consider contacting Coach Dungey in a desperate, try to get a good coaching staff?

Also in Chicago, a good landing spot for Cam Newton? Yeah, I think, you know, Cam Newton would be any team that needs a quarterback would be an interesting good landing spot. I think Tony Dungey's done. You know, he's a defensive coach in an offensive world. I don't see that happening. I mean, I always like the mindset of thinking outside the box and former coaches that have had success,

but yeah, I don't think that's a possibility. Appreciate everybody listening. Middlecoff mailback at John Middlecoffs, slide up in those DMs. Thursday night football, pretty big game. Brown Steelers. I think it's Steelers at the Browns. But, you know, for the Steelers, they'd be six and four,

and boom. I mean, we'd be talking about a wild card. and the Browns would be four and six, and you'd be like, well, they play the Steelers in again in a couple weeks. It wouldn't be dead. I think I saw today on Twitter. They have one of the easiest remaining schedules. So football's getting good. This has to be the most open season.

I'm thinking maybe on Thursday I'll do a power rankings, like just my top five teams. I know a lot, Collins is a top 10, a lot of people. I'll just do my top five teams. But it's pretty clear that six or seven, you know, teams in the NFL are going to enter the playoffs feeling they got a legit shot to win it all. all. There's no 07 Patriots. You know, there's no teams like that. You know, Seattle a couple years ago, even the Atlanta Falcons the year they went 15 and one. I think regardless of where the 49ers seating ends up when it's all said and done,

I don't think people are going to look at them like just a team that cannot be beat unless they, you know, who knows? But I really think that this is the most open season that I can ever remember in this decade of just what there are we'll talk about this Thursday but appreciate everyone listening and enjoy the week and God, I love football. Adios.

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