The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - MNF Reaction, Coaching Umbrella, Early Award Season

Episode Date: October 15, 2024

John Middlekauff is back reacting to a close Monday Night Football matchup between Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets and Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills. Middlekauff GOES OFF on the NFL’s officiating crew for a slew of bad calls throughout the 23-20 Bills victory, and demands accountability from the League for the referee errors. Next, we give the Buffalo Bills their flowers as Josh Allen and the run game led the AFC East juggernauts to a critical victory, despite a gritty offensive effort from Rodgers and WR Garrett Wilson. Then, John wonders if Aaron Rodgers could potentially be playing his last season in the NFL as the Jets drop another crucial divisional game, and don’t look to be trending in the right direction. After, John dives into Los Angeles Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh’s recent medical issues, and breaks down all of the other big stories from another action packed week in the NFL. Later, John answers your questions on this episode's mailbag segment. 7:10 - Monday Night Football Reaction 26:06 - Head Coaching Umbrella 52:29 - Mailbag Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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How are we doing, my people? Hopefully better than me, because I'm pretty worked up over what I just witnessed. the officiating of that game kind of ruined. Ruin the experience. It really did. On what should have been a special night for the NFL. Aaron Rogers trying to will his team back,

keep his team in the mix. The bills, a couple games, they've dropped, need to get it rolling again. Star of the league, one of them of Josh Allen against this legendary player who's holding on for dear life.

New Co. It just, it was bad. So I got to talk about the officiating. Obviously the game itself, some crazy moments, miss field goals, hail marries. There's just a lot going on. It was hard to keep track because it was so, it was just so jumbled. It was just constant. There was no flow to it because of the officiating. I know Roger and no one in the league office cares, but us, the consumer, I don't know, we just keep the league going.

We would just like it to go away a little bit. So we will dive into that I think I'll save the Penn House and the outhouse of the league for tomorrow for Wednesday's show Also just want to chime into some other stuff about McCarthy Siriani Stephansky All these guys ends with ease

And Jim Harbaugh Who faced a little heart scare But he's a tough SOB, he'll be all right And What else do I want to hit on? And I want to do a couple of warts There's some funny stuff that happened this weekend. It's just some stuff that kind of crazy going on with a couple of players that are just dominating right now.

I don't know if people would have thought this offseason that it'd be quite this good. Of course, we'll do a mailbag at John Middlecalf as the Instagram firing those DMs. Keep firing in those DMs. I'll do a big, big mailbag on Wednesday to the show as well. And subscribe to the podcast if you listen on Collins and make sure that you subscribe to the YouTube channel. Appreciate everyone that has. and yeah, let's talk some football. But before we do to the game,

I need to tell you about my friends, my partners, and the official ticketing app of this podcast. As you guys know, just went to a game on Saturday, and it was because of these guys. And I've been using this ticketing app for a long time. There is not an app that is easier to use in terms of searching for the event you want, searching for a team that you want to go to see,

and then once you find out the game or event you want to see, choosing the price point you're looking for, it gives you incredible visuals of what it's going to look like from your seats. So when you get there, one, you know kind of the range of what you want to spend. You know exactly how it's going to look. I've done it on so many different events, whether it be concerts, whether it be games, all sports, NBA, hockey, football. And when you get there, it's like, I already know this is exactly going to be my view.

because GameTime is that great. Download the app. Do it right now. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets with GameTime. Download the GameTime app. Create an account. Use the code John for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account, redeem the code. J-O-H-N for $20 off. Download the GameTime app today. Last-minute tickets lowest prices. Guaranteed. You know what's sad about tonight is I wish I could dive in to Aaron Rogers' gritty performance. Josh Allen and the bills shoving the ball down. the Jets throat in the first half and taking a page out of Kyle Shanahan and take control of the game.

The craziness that was the end of the first half and then the start of the second half. The actual football. Because that's why most people listening spent three hours of their night on Monday and do every week to watch football. I don't know how many people fit in MetLife, 65,000, 70,000 people that pay a boatload of money. These tickets are not cheap. use anyone that uses that game time app, no. So why you get a little discount. It's expensive to go to these games.

And the referees, and listen, officiating, I'll be the first to admit. I understand it's difficult. In the NBA, in the NFL, baseball, there's not an excuse that you just go to Roboump. But I get it. That's why we got replay. And I get that they get a lot of pressure from the league office. We got to protect the quarterbacks. Totally for it.

This league is built on us turning it on and not having to watch backup quarterbacks. We want to watch Aaron Rogers versus Josh Allen. I get it. But there has to be a line. And tonight I felt we didn't cross the line. We burned that line fucking down and jump the shark. And it was borderline unwatchable. It honestly made me really mad.

I love football. I've dedicated my professional life to working at it and talking about it. I would be doing this in terms of watching all these games, whether I sold insurance or dug ditches. And I would be just as angry if I was doing that as I am doing this. That was such a major FU to the coaches who are coaching for their jobs. Obviously, one guy literally just got fired last week. And if the Jets don't win, all these guys are going to get shit canned.

It's over. Every single one of them. Now, listen, I'm not saying I feel bad for him in the sense that, Most of them are making a ton of money, but they still have to uproot their family. It's a pain in the ass. And there are some guys on the staff not making that much with us. The players that bust their ass training 365 to put on a show for us. These calls that like, these roughing the passer calls,

I think it's pretty clear what one is and what one is not now. And it's pretty clear when a guy falls. on a quarterback, like that happened to Aaron Rogers, like that happened to Josh Allen, when it's a violent, aggressive move. I get it. Even if I'm not quite comfortable with it, I was cool with the 80s and the 90s, but the money has changed, the league has changed, the concussion lawsuits, I understand it. Tonight was a joke.

Those two calls, and obviously there were 700 million other calls, borderline ruined that game, which there was a ton on the line. Aaron Rogers is literally kind of playing for his career. Do you think Aaron Rogers are going to play anymore if this team wins six or seven games? You think he'll be like, I'll come back. I have a theory. I think you'll kind of pull up Brett Farr of this offseason if that's the case. But like there was obviously a lot on the line for the Jets tonight.

The Bills have just looked like crap the last two weeks, have dominated this division, need of this game, just to get back on track to get rolling. and both those two calls had just major ramifications on the game. Honestly, those specific two calls, and there were a million other crappy ones, could have dictated the outcome of the game. And listen, Javon Kinlaw, if I was the Jets, I would cut him tomorrow. But that's not about the penalties, it's because he's a terrible football player.

If you play Javon Kinlaw, who I got news for you is a Robert Salah guy, and I would imagine Jeff Obrick, who does not come. control the roster will want him off the roster tomorrow. But that's because when you put him on the field, he will get dominated. Awful draft pick by the 49ers. Major Whiff. That's why he's on the Jets because they didn't want him anymore. But to call a penalty in pro sports, this drives me nuts in the NBA.

When you tee me up for saying screw you or F you, like, this ain't Little League. This ain't even college. This is a multi-billion dollar business where we're all fighting for our professional lives. And if I say something that might quote unquote cross the line, for you to throw a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct, that just cannot happen. It's simply unacceptable. Tonight was a complete embarrassment for the NFL.

And I get it, Roger and the people to the league office don't give a shit. You know why? Because millions of people watched. That money train's going to keep flowing on in. None of it matters. But there's going to come to a point when we turn on Aaron Rogers, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, who might be playing in the last season of his career,

and this might be one of the last important games because the season might get away from. And Josh Allen, one of the stars of the league, and that's what we get. Obviously, some of these penalties are justified. I get it. I don't want to see a penalty every play, but the guy holds, it jumped the shark tonight.

It felt like these guys lost the plot, and it ruined the game. It simply did. Unless you're a Bill's fan and you should be really happy. Like, that was awful. This is coming from someone who loves this shit. I can't tell you how mad I am right now having to talk about this. It was just a joke.

Players get fired, aka cut, coaches always get fired. GMs get fired. Fans get frustrated because their team sucks. Nothing ever happens to these referees. Why can't tomorrow all three of those guys be demoted? We cannot have you guys calling a game. Monday night football? Monday night football, Jets Bills.

That's what you roll out? It can't happen. Honestly, I was surprised there were some hits. There was a pass to Garrett Wilson in the end zone, which he kind of caught and then it got blown up. Thought there would be a penalty there? Thought there would be a penalty on the Taylor Wrap, big hit late in the game?

Honestly, I was expecting a penalty on every single play. Not every big hit is a penalty. This is football. This ain't softball. You have to allow people to play football. All these guys know the rules. I say this all the time about college football. Throwing a kid out is the most egregious thing happening in the entire sport right now.

Because no one in 2024, this is not 1978. No one's trying to hurt anybody anymore. We all know the rules. Take that fucking rule out. That's a conversation for another day. I can't tell you how disappointed I am that I had to start talking about this. But that's how worked up I am. That was beyond egregious.

And it happened over and over and over and over again. It never stopped. It was insane. I don't even know where to start with a game. I mean, the Bills came out today. And Joe Brady, who's rocking that chain, he likes to be a cool guy with the Jordans, came out the Kyle Shanahan game plan. And all I've heard is like,

The Jets's on defense. The Jets number two defense. Ran the ball right down their throat. Zone right, zone left, up the gut. And Ray Davis, the fourth round pick from Kentucky, looked like James Cook 2.0. I mean, they were shredding them. That first drive to go up 7.3, it was like, damn,

this Jets team is about to get destroyed. Then the game settled down a little bit. The Jets were in major trouble toward the end of the half. the bills score with 20 seconds left in the first half. They're also getting the football, right? So they go up 17 to 20. Or excuse me, it's 13 to 10. They go up 20 to 10 with 20 seconds left to go in the first half.

I think the half's over. They're going to kick it out, 30-yard line, kind of kneel it, whatever. I go to take out the trash. I walk back in. Sean McDermott's talking, I look up, it's 20 to 6. 17. Obviously, I rewind. Aikman goes, greatest Hail Mary thrower of all time. They're showing the highlights of the Giants Hail Mary, the Cardinals Hail Mary. All of a sudden, that seven points axed out, didn't even count because it just cancel each other out. So it went from like,

are the bills going to have seven points get the ball back if they score or kick a field goal? That could be a 10 or 14 point swing. Then the bills get the ball in the second half, only up three points, drive right down the field. their kicker missed a field goal. So instead of being a 10-point swing, zero-point swing. And then the Jets next drive, they drive kick a field goal. The Jets somehow actually gained three points.

And now we got a 2020 game. That was insane. Honestly, when the bill scored with 20 seconds left, I thought, you know what? This has got 35 to 20 written all over it. And that little swing was huge. and like ultimately then the game got weird the wind started pumping

Zerlines missing field goals one right one left even Aikman said on the second one even when you go to the spot or the side that's less windy it's like a golfer man you hit one in the water to the right a couple holes later there's water on your left

it's in your dome and Aikman's like even though like you're going to try to overcompensate what did you do he hooked it left doink he doink too and that would have, even if he just hits one, you got a tie game, maybe the end of the game, we're in overtime. But it's hard to, the game was so discombobulated because of the officiating, there was no flow to it. It's hard to have a huge takeaway, like on the bills specifically. I know their quarterback is elite.

And when it came down to it, what happened? Great play call by Joe Brady on the kind of the fake handoff, boom, roll. Josh Allen out, first down. He could do that. He made some throws tonight. They were awesome. Honestly, they left some on the table. Aaron Rogers, a little bit of a throwback hit some incredible passes

that were blown up by defenders and dudes dropped it. Even on the last play to Mike Williams that ended up kind of working out as a punt, now not really because they, you know, it was like, well, they got three timeouts. They never got the ball back. You know, I don't know if he slipped a little bit. Obviously, Mike Williams slipped. it was just

I was impressed with kind of the Jets grittiness I thought tonight they just and again you know they created it with the Hail Mary which is a little lucky but it's Aaron Rogers is something he does

and that kind of got him right back in the game but I thought Rogers like let's face it at this point in time like even tonight he's a good player but he's no longer a great player he has moments where obviously within the pocket if he can step into it, he can throw the lasers.

I bet Randy Johnson could throw 95 at 40 years old. But it wasn't the same as a 30-year-old guy. This just isn't the same guy. Because there are moments when he tries to scramble, he can't even sniff getting away. And that's evident when you watch the two players, like Josh Allen's in a different universe than Aaron Rogers. Now, relative to what the Jets are used to, like, he's good enough to win. He played winning football the night.

Right? He was getting peppered. His toughness was on full display. Like, that's what I wonder about this team. If they lose next week to Pittsburgh, all of a sudden you're two and five. Aaron laid it all in the line tonight. He has been getting fucking peppered these last couple weeks and keeps getting up and fighting, which I admire.

This is a 40-year-old guy worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Does not need to be doing this. Already has the MVP's Super Bowl championship. I'm playing for the Jets. Like, this is what, like the second half, Is he going to do this if they're like four and seven? Because if I was him, I'd be like, ah, do I really want to keep? I'm not saying he's going to just tap out and quit on the season,

but you're getting the best version of everything he has right now. And this season's about to slip away. They fired Robert Saul to win this game tonight. Clearly their offense had a little more pop with Todd Downing. But let's not act like it was that dramatically different. He's thrown some back shoulder throws. they made a conscious effort to get Garrett Wilson in the game. Right?

And even Troy, Joe brought it up in the production meeting. Troy asked, he's like, you guys, this guy regressed? Almost like, there aren't many guys in these meetings that could just call out Garrett Wilson. Obviously, he didn't do it to Garrett Wilson's face, but he did it to the head coach and the quarterback. And you could tell, like, they made an effort to feature him. And he looked good. He was making plays. but like, that's all, you know,

they don't have much other firepower beside him. I know Lazzard made a couple of plays tonight. Mike Williams is just, eh, me, you know, and it's not like the bills are rolling out, Andre Reid, Stefan Diggs, and Stevie Johnson. Like, they're wide receiver and crews, okay, with kind of a running team. Their defense, the more and more they get these guys back from injury,

looked a lot faster tonight. They clearly have a pretty dangerous pass rush. But the one thing with the Jets is like, their defense can't just smother you. And there were a couple moments tonight when Ulbrick, who's gone from defensive coordinator to the head coach, but he's still calling the defense, 12 men on the field, a little overwhelmed, which is understandable. But that's hard when all their chips were in the middle of the table for this game. And when all your chips are in the middle of the table, because you look at the schedule, play Pittsburgh, then they get the Patriots, then they get the Texans.

So all of a sudden, like, realistically, lose the Steelers, beat the Patriots, lose the Texans, you do the math. Be three and six. Like, you're three and six, this team. Are you kidding me? I don't care what your schedule is. You're not rattling off four or five straight wins, that squad. No chance.

They could rattle off a couple. But you dig yourself too big of a hole. Your team's not good enough. It's not like your coaching staff's super elite. That's why I love the bills tonight. I said, put all your chips in the middle. Part of the reason I'm angry is because this game should never have been like as discombobobulated as it was.

Listen, you lose, you lose. You win, you win, but just let them play. And that's what it didn't feel like was happening. So I just think the Jets' defensive line, which used to be dominant, is no longer. Quentin Williams is an excellent player. But the rest of the crew, meh. Secondary, they just had injuries.

So DJ Re goes down. It's like part of their secondary the last couple of years has been so deep. Well, it's not the same once you start losing, starters, and it's just hard to corral Josh Allen because at any moment he can run around and make plays. And he just, he can keep plays alive. It's different than Lamar.

It's really probably more like a young, young Ben Rothesberger, but he's faster. He can run. And, and yeah, so I just, I think the jet season in a weird way kind of unofficially into the night, because I think they'll end up losing next week at Pittsburgh, and who's got a much better defense. than the bills, and we'll have no problem consistently running the ball. Like, if you can't stop the run, you don't get to dictate the terms.

And they really can't. And the bills, in a weird way, kind of got away from it as the game got on, as the game kind of got discombobulated, part of its penalties, you're in second and third and long, you're less inclined to keep running with Ray Davis. The way the first half was going, I'm like, Ray Davis was about to go for 170 yards. Looked like Jordan Mason in the first game. on Monday night football in San Francisco.

Kyle's like, I'm just going to run it on you until you guys can stop it. But let's not act like firing Robert Sala. Like, this is why Belichick keeps shitting on the organization. What's this whole thing? Like ready, aim, shoot. He just kind of point, fire. Right? That's kind of Woody Johnson, the Jets, just flying aimlessly.

Even when they give a greedy performance. Like, there's not the bills. There's a reason the bills go to the playoffs every year. Just much better run operation. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast. Podcast Network on TikTok.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes.

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

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

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, 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, 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of

tontans and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, I wanted to hit on a few other things. Let's just do a little umbrella on head coaches, and we're just going to rattle through some things. Obviously, I would say the two most polarizing coaches because of the markets and the teams in which they coach, Siriani and McCarthy. Siriani wins, McCarthy loses.

Let's start with Dallas, who just gets shellacked. I'm sure you've heard the stats about their last four home games. I mean, they're just getting massacred. And you could make the argument of should you have let him coach, right? It was pretty risky, even though I actually think, I mean, comparing the two, I think Mike is proven over a long period of time. He's better than Siriani. obviously he won a Super Bowl back in the day, but he can call plays.

Like, there's one specific thing he can do. Call plays. He's also won the division, two of the last three years. Now, Nick did have the year where they were the one seed and he beat the Giants. And then Purdy got C0ed. Now, he might have won that game regardless. That team was really good, especially their defensive line. But I do think when you look at the Cowboys, I was thinking about this today because I saw this clip that part of my take put out.

and Big Cat was like, can you imagine if you would have told Jerry Jones five, six years into his ownership of the Cowboys, right? He buys him in, I think, 89. By 2000, or excuse me, 1990, the five season, so January of 96 or February, he had three Super Bowls. And he just had one one kind of his way

after kicking Jimmy Johnson to the curb. If you told him you're never going to win another one, more than likely in the summer of 1996, you are going to die before you ever even make it back to a championship game, let alone win a Super Bowl. He would have laughed in your face. And yesterday, it goes viral right after the game,

his press conference. There is not another team in the NFL that after a crazy loss or a crazy win, every single person that covers the team or covers the league that is at the game doesn't want to talk to the head coach, doesn't want to talk to the quarterback or the star wide receiver or the star pass runner. They want to talk to the owner. Now, in theory, all these other people at all these other games

would like to talk to the owners too, but they never talk. Jerry not only holds court, he literally does it every game. And then he does it again on a radio show, I think, on Tuesday morning. but like that's just not the healthiest environment. And if I was a betting man as we sit here right now, especially with the Cowboys injuries, I know they got a buy week. Mike McCarthy probably won't be the head coach. But it is very, very difficult to win.

When, you know, think about most human beings, like non-athletes or artists, most people make more money as they get older. If I just gave you the most money you would ever, ever make in a year, which could be in your 50s or 60s, let's just say. And I gave it to you at 22 years old. More than likely 10, 20 years later, if you had been making that much money right from the jump, you'd be a little jaded. And I wonder with Jerry, he had so much success so early because of a genius hire. And he's different than Al Davis. He wasn't a coach, but he played

at Arkansas. Like, this guy played college football. It's not like this guy is just some nerd day trader that never put on a jockstrap or wore a helmet. Like, this guy played in college. Like, it's pretty impressive. You know, and then he went on to obviously have a good business career as kind of a maverick and wrist it all and bought the team.

Like, Jerry's got balls. And it worked. And really, ever since he bought the team, and they started rolling, he's been printing money. So win or lose, he's made, money, they just haven't really won at all since the mid-90s. Yet, he won't really listen to anybody because he had so much immediate success, thinks he knows it all. Which, again, most owners probably do,

but they don't talk every single game. And I wonder if that's just really, really hard to overcome. Now, if Jerry had talked or hadn't talked yesterday, it doesn't matter. The Lions would have eviscerated the defense that had a million injuries. but just big picture with the Cowboys I think it is fair to say it is hard to overcome Jerry Jones which is weird because he has been big reason like the Cowboys brand is so big

but you know listen Mike McCarthy more than likely at the end of the year especially they miss the playoffs going to get thrown to the wolves but nothing will change as long as Jerry's alive and it does feel a little bit like different circumstances but Leighton Al Davis's life it got a little weird, you know, and the difference is,

Al, once upon a time, not once upon a time, for a long period time, the 70s, the 80s, the late 90s when he hired John Gruden, like, he fucking knew what he was doing. He was a football guy who was interwoven his confidence in, I know what I'm doing, like Jerry thinks he knows what he's doing. And you can say, well, how can he think that, given the results? Because he checks his bank count, he sees the money. And he is once upon a time without him, none of this would exist.

At least that's what he thinks. So I just think the Cowboys are just going to be this roller coaster ride as long as he's around. I would imagine my guess, I don't know Stephen Jones, but just watching the way he conducts himself, knowing people that have dealt with him in some business deals. I think it'll be a little different once Jerry has gone and Stevens in charge. In terms of the interviews, in terms of the micromanaging, in terms of just the daily intensity of kind of hovering over.

Okay, on Siriani. He apologized on Monday for his actions at the end of the game, which is stupid in the sense of like, listen, bro, you did it, you don't need to apologize. It is what it is. An embarrassing moment.

Like, who you're apologizing to? It doesn't, to me, apologies can be so hollow. They're just so unnecessary. Unless you know the people, you were screaming at and you can like send him a DM, bro, like, I'll get you free tickets next game. You don't need to apologize to random people who don't give a shit. But it's part of this culture and world we live in.

You made a fool of yourself. There's no disputing that, which is kind of consistently done over the course of his career at different times. But when you're winning, no one cares. I was thinking about like, everyone handles winning well. Everyone handles success well. Like universally anyone can handle winning success. Some might blow all the money. Some might do stupid stuff.

But like everyone can handle that and not completely meltdown. Most people can't handle adversity. Especially most people that haven't been through adversity. Like it is a lot easier from Mike Tomlin or John Harbaugh or Jim Harbaugh or Pete Carroll or Andy Reid to handle everything that gets thrown at you as a head coach when all of a sudden X, Y, and Z go wrong. Why? You have a ton of experience

to rely on them. You've kind of seen it all. Nick Siriani got this job and it was going really poorly immediately and made a change. And that change changed the course of his career. Gave the play calling to Shane Psychic. And for a year and a half, that team kicked ass. In the last two years

when a lot more has been on his plate, he's kind of shown his true colors. He's in over his head. Now, because this organization has accumulated so much talent, like, you can still find a way to win games. But I heard Michael Lombardi say this on his podcast, and I guess I was kind of mad at myself

for not thinking about this yesterday. In his press conference on Sunday, like, he knew he screwed up. He brought his son to the press conference. Well, what happens when you bring your son to the press conference? It's going to lighten the mood. They're not going to, it's not going to be as aggressive as it would be if you were just sitting up there with a seven-year-old sitting on your lap in an Eagles jersey. So, like, he knew immediately, like, this probably isn't a great move.

And if someone talked to him the day about it, I don't know. But, like, you make a fool out of yourself, which we all can do when we're freaking out. when we don't have the answers and we've all been there. And sometimes depending on what you do, there are a lot less stakes on the line when you feel helpless or lost or confused. Right. And some of us, and I know I do sometimes, I get really aggressive. I get really loud when I get agitated. Now, as you get older and you go through more experiences, you handle that stuff better. it's why you should all be able to handle craziness in your 50s and 60s better than in your 20s and 30s. And Nick, to me, looks like a guy who is swimming in the deep end right now and desperately needs kind of a life jacket and doesn't really know how to swim.

And these games are breaking him. And I think him and McCarthy, it's pretty clear, feels like dead man walking. If you could bet on this, which I'm sure you. you can on draft kings. Neither guy is going to be the head coach for their respective teams in 2025. I almost said 24, but we're in 2024. A guy that should be the head coach in 2025, but let's face it, it's getting really weird. I don't think it has to be a story every single week when Kevin Stavansky says that Deshawn Watson will be the quarterback the following week. Can't we all understand what's he supposed to say? You just got a contract extension.

the owner is forcing him to play this guy. It's out of his control. It's not his money that he's paying the guy. I would imagine, I can't fact-check this one, that there was some apprehension on Stefansky and Andrew Barry trading for this player once the initial conversations got so crazy and he didn't want to be there unless he gave him the money and the owner acquiesced.

Now, I would also guess that both those guys, the GM and the head coach, thought he would be better than this. He's objectively bad. I saw a Bill Barnwell tweet today. Since 2007, 556 quarterbacks fall under this through six weeks. Deshawn ranks 558 in QBR, 565th in yards per dropback, and dead last in first downs. So, like, clearly, you can find all the stats against the blitz.

The eye test is even worse. He looks like a fish out of water. But if you don't think Stefansky would have wanted to keep Joe Flacco, you've never been around a football guy. Like, it just makes no sense these two Ivy League guys and this player. It just, zero vibe. Honestly, same thing with the defensive tackle they drafted in the second round. who already got in trouble for blasting his pregnant girlfriend, fiance, whatever.

It's like they got a lot of cooks in the kitchen. Ultimately, their owner is extremely involved. I don't know these guys personally. It's not like I'm trying to cape for them. But on this specific story, there is not a coach in the history of the sport that wouldn't go to the bullpen if they could. Some things in life are most of us, the overwhelming majority of us, answer to somebody. it's very, very rare that you answer to nobody.

Unless you're the elites of the elites of the elites. And even then, somehow they get you to a party and they get you on tape and then you're answering to them the rest of your life. But like, this isn't, Stefansky doesn't own the team. And last but not least on the coaches, Jim Harbaugh, he's so damn good, man. You know the Chargers? It's for those of us that they kind of hold a special place,

for those of us that just love football. and have seen their great rosters over the years and just want them to be good. Love the uniforms. I have so many good friends that are Charger fans. They have a great fan base. It was just really embarrassing what took place over the last, I don't know, six, seven years. With Anthony Lynn, obviously with Brandon Staley. And it truly is amazing when you get a coach that knows what he's doing

and basically guarantees you wins. It doesn't guarantee you a Super Bowl. Like Andy Reid was never guaranteed a Super Bowl. until they drafted Patrick Mahomes. But once you got Andy Reid in Kansas City, he immediately's got you, Alex Smith. You were immediately relevant and competing to win the division

in the playoffs basically every year. And that was worth well before the Super Bowes a lot. And Jim Harbaugh, off a by, goes into Denver, who's red hot, up 20 to nothing for even blink at halftime. And the quarterback, who's kind of been banged up, looks healthy, and you're like,

he's the best player in the field by a country mom. I think if you're the Eagles, if you're the Cowboys, if you're the Jags, if you're just some of these teams, this guy was ready to leave college football. He was over the NCAA, and they're just laughable rules and regulations that you kind of need to follow, you kind of don't, and once they hate you, they come after you. And he clearly was a mark for them. So he was going to leave, and he was there to be had. And the Chargers got a little lucky.

They didn't really have that much competition. Now, I also, I give them credit for pulling the trigger and hiring them, but I just, you have to wonder if you're the cowboys, if you're the Eagles. Like, you could have had Jim or competed to get his services. Obviously, there are other guys out there in Belichick and Brable who are just, listen, I'm a little less hard on McCarthy. I do think he's a capable NFL head coach. I don't think he's as bad as sometimes the way he's talked about. Now, where he ranks, would I rather have Jim Harbaugh? Yes, I would.

I think Mike Frable, that would be up for discussion when you just look at the two resumes, but I do think Siriana, come on, what are we talking about? And I just think Jim is just, I just don't think there are many coaches in the NFL you would take over him. And he just guarantees you, like, this is, I'm kicking myself because it's like the Chargers playoffs. Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert. The other thing Jim Harbaugh does a great job, he hired. He hires exceptionally well. I didn't know that much about Vic Fangio until Stanford happened. And then he brings them to San Francisco 49ers.

I really didn't know much about Greg Roman. It's like this guy, Mike McDonald, mentor, these guys were just assistants for John. And those guys, Jack Harbaugh taught them, you're only as good as your staff. And now you watch the Chargers defense. You're like, God, they're fantastic. Well, where did he get Minter from John? And I just think when you look at this Charger team, now they could be a little bit of a powder keg

because, you know, Khalil Mack, who's been awesome, and obviously Justin Herbert has been banged up. If you lose those two guys, you'd be in major trouble. And they have an injury history, so it always kind of makes me a little nervous. But if those guys stay on the field, like this team's winning 10 games. I wanted to do a couple things really quick,

just some awards from the weekend. I wanted to do a couple of player awards because I just wanted to highlight a couple quick things. And I want to start with the Warren Buffett Award as just the best investment so far of the year. We've seen the worst investment, right? That'd be Trevor Lawrence right now. It was last offseason.

Obviously, Deshaun would be the worst in the league. But Trevor Lawrence. Just Warren Buffett, just a great investment, which I was looking at the numbers today. I'm like, this already worked. Like, you already got your money's work as we sit here on October 14th. Like, it already worked. Now, you ultimately paid this price for the whole year in the playoffs,

but it could not have gotten much better through October 14. The Baltimore Ravens gave Derek Henry two years at $16 million. But as most NFL contracts go, obviously all that money is not real. They gave him a $7.7 million signing bonus and $9 million total guaranteed. They gave him $9 million total guaranteed. Right now, Derek Henry is on pace for 1,995 yards and 23 fucking touchdowns. When you watch him play, I was, I questioned this move. I'm like, I don't know, in that offense, how's it going to work?

it works because Derek Henry looks fantastic. Now, he's also on pace for a lot of carries. So you're going to have to balance. They are not, to me, it does not behoove them to try to, you know, we'd be cool with 1,500 yards because I need those legs fresh to make a run. But the one thing with Derek Henry, where he really could help Lamar and Todd Munkin, what they didn't have last year, slow the game down a little bit. We get into a playoff game against Andy and Patrick.

here's what we do. We control the terms. We run the ball. And also, if you get a lead, which they haven't had, obviously in their playoff losses in the second half, if we can just be up 17 to 10, instead of the other way around, we just hand on the ball.

And we go 1993 here. And that is, these running backs, everyone's overpaying for all these positions. Here's $50 million for this average right tackle. here's 70 million for this I don't know 60 catch wide receiver I can get Derek Henry

for two years and $16 million and all I got to give him up front is $7.7 million and he can potentially give me obviously that's projected I would guess right now if you said how many touchdowns does he end the season with I'd go 16 that's incredible

the Chuck Lidell award for just caoing someone and not giving a shit about them. Will Leavish yesterday, who obviously had an all-time box score. Turnovers again, 23 attempts, like less than 100 yards. Also, a touchdown, where instead, because you're not allowed to do the guns, people don't like the guns, I guess.

Even though one political party's going all in pretending they like guns now, it's a little bizarre. But ultimately, he did the Spider-Man webs because he didn't want to get a penalty. Well, Will Levis took out a ballboy yesterday. Absolutely destroyed him. I looked over on the screen and the kid was on a stretcher on a, you know, on a cart. I was like, what happened? And then they showed the replay.

A lot of times, and listen, it's a tough spot. I don't blame any player for running into any of these people on the sideline. you're running 4-5-40s, you can't slow down, you take people out. No one wants to do it, it's going to happen. Every single player, usually, I would say when you're watching the game, when they take out an older person, a younger person, someone that's not like team personnel, not a fellow coach, not someone in a uniform, not a practice squad guy,

someone they don't know. They always stand over and either try to help him up or like ask him if he's okay. Will Levis took out this fucking guy and was up and running back to the huddle so fast, it was insane. And he would have been, you know, that's what you do in the UFC.

You just knock someone out and you start celebrating. He just took this kid out and just ran away. The Sam Ellinger, former Texas quarterback, who once famously said, We're back. And Texas is actually back. But what?

One guy who isn't just back, he's currently leading the NFL in touchdown passes with 15. He has a nice little three touchdown pass lead. He's Baker Mayfield. He has 15 touchdowns. And you watched him yesterday in really all season. He's clearly, and I think they talked about it this offseason that he got thinner. He's moving around dramatically better than he once did. I mean, it really is pretty impressive how much.

much more athletic he looks than he did early on in his career. But he looks good, man. He really does. And I know he has three, if you just look at his box score, three interceptions, pretty sure two of those, I mean, got tipped, pretty freakish interceptions. To me, there are difference in interceptions when you hit like a defender in stride. And a ball gets tipped, goes in the air. Like, I don't think right now he's got 15 touchdowns, five interceptions.

That number could easily be 15 and 3. So I think Baker Mayfield You know, one thing that was cool being at the Oklahoma game Was Baker Mayfield in that program, Especially with younger people, is kind of like they're Patrick Mahomes or they're Lamar Jackson. His jerseys were everywhere. I would imagine if you saw someone under 30 wearing a football jersey

And now with NIO you can put the names on the back. Mayfield jerseys outnumbered every other player that I saw And really it was just like a Kyler Murray jersey every once a while. It was like a 20 to one ratio. He is beloved in that program. And part of the reason John Dorsey pulled the trigger on him, number one overall was like, obviously he's talented. He can sling the ball.

But it was like this swag. It was like this kind of far of the way he carried himself. And maybe it's just the Cleveland Browns. Maybe he's like Jimmy has them. You can't overcome that. And you watch Baker Mayfield now. It's like he's kind of vibing like he did at Oklahoma. and in college, that fucking guy was awesome.

He really was. He's one of my more enjoyable college players to watch throughout my adult life for the last 20-plus years. And once he got to the NFL and you watched him kind of move around, I'm not comparing him to Johnny Mansell, but he had this false sense of his athleticism, and he lost his confidence and just unraveled. And you just didn't know if he was going to get it back. And then he goes to Tampa obviously has the good year. which was impressive, you watch him this year, I just think he looks better.

Like, he looks like a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. And he can have games where he's easily a top four or five quarterback in the NFL. And if you have that, like you're going to be really competitive, especially when you factor in all the skill guys that they have in the league. So props to Baker Mayfield because he's back. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok. Talk Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

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

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. and we're still chasing it

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

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

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

At John Middlecoff. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram firing those DMs. Do it right now. You guys know the drill. We will start with Jonathan. Comment for the pod. The top four teams in point differential right now are Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, and the Green Bay Packers.

It's not everything, but it's something. Well, there's no doubt about it. I mean, one thing all four teams really have in common? Elite offenses, right? Start with Minnesota. Up until the Jets game, they have scored on everybody and fast. Detroit, when they're humming, are a juggernaut. And Green Bay, I mean, their team speed, if you put them in a dome,

they would be like the greatest show on turf just in terms of speed. just incredible amount of speed on offense. And obviously Chicago have kind of gained some swag the last two weeks beating the shit out of Carolina and Jacksonville. And Rome's making plays, DJs making plays, Keenan Allen's back, Cole Comet. So you just got really, really explosive offenses. And, you know, Green Bay, jury's still out to me on the defense.

Minnesota, elite defensive coordinator, is our personnel good enough. Detroit, there's a lot of Lions fans, thought that I overreacted to the Seattle game, did just lose Hutchinson. It's why, to me, Max Crosby and the Lions make a lot of sense. Their gentleman, I said this to Colin. Their GM was in L.A. When they made enormous trays like Jalen Ramsey. Would you give up two ones for Max Crosby?

I think I would. I think I would. And the Bears, we just, to me, the question simply is, is their coach good enough when they play better teams? and what does Caleb look like when teams can rush them? Because in that game against the Texans, he was sacked seven times and hit like 100. And I saw a bunch of people like, Bidilkoff, you said the Texans blew them out.

It was 19 to 13. It was like, yeah, I watched the game. They fucking got dominated. We all watched. Now, is Caleb better when they play the better teams? For sure, if he's got more confidence going. but when they play these better teams, that's where the Hutchinson loss is huge.

Like, how would Chicago block him? It's going to be hard for all four teams to make the playoffs. When you look, okay, let's go NFC West. The Niners are going to win the division. Let's go the NFC South. I do think Tampa and Atlanta could both be double-digit win teams. My Saints are in trouble. It's over.

And when you look at the east, it might just be Washington. You know, I guess we'll see when all these teams play each other. but it kind of feels like a one-team division. Be pretty historic of all four teams win it. We've seen three teams do it. A couple years ago, Giants, Cowboys, Eagles. The year before, Niners, Cardinals, Rams. It happens.

Four? We've definitely had Bengals, Ravens, Steelers. Last year we had Ravens, Browns, Steelers. So I think they're a borderline lock to get three unless something catastrophic happens with the quarterbacks. but four, that'd be pretty nuts. Love the pod. Panthers fan here.

It's been tough. It really has. Our organization is a dumpster fire. However, the new regime this year inherited such a bad situation, dealing with the leftovers. I feel like a lot, I feel like not enough credit has been given

to Canales and Dan Morgan for what they've been able to put on the field. Not a fan of Bryce, but with Dalton Under Center right now, I'm just happy to see the offense score some points. Bars low, especially since almost our entire starting defense is injured.

With that said, we have a long way to go, but going from not being able to barely score 10 points to consistently put in up 20 points over the last several weeks has been encouraging. What are your thoughts? I think the best case scenario for you is just lose every game. And like you say,

just 21 to 34, 28 to 40. Just lose games, go, hey, our defense is injured. Our offense with Andy Dalton is suitable. We got some young pieces. And just use your draft capital to try to improve. And obviously this offseason. And decide with Bryce, who to me is probably done. I would just move on.

But I hate to say this. I'm not trying to be negative. But I don't think there's much you can take away from this season. in terms of, you know, because Andy Dalton's not going to be your long-time quarterback. Should the Lions go after Reddick? Well, when I think of the Detroit Lions, I do not think of us on Reddick. So to me, part of making an acquisition if you're the Lions, if you're going to get aggressive, is about getting the right type guy.

And to me, Reddick, who was just fired by his agents, has had one of the worst business decisions in the history of America. It's like, wait, I got $14 million just sitting here for you. Just sitting here. He's like, no, man, I'll just, I'm good. I think I should be making 25. Like, well, I got 14 right here. And if you have a good season, you can make 20 plus next year

while making the 14 this year. He's like, no, I'll just, I'm good, bro. I'm good. Probably one of the worst business decisions since Sophia with an F left collar daddy and left, I don't know, 50 million easily on the table over the last six, seven years. Question for the mailback. What's up with the NFC North? Obviously, they'll start beating each other up once conference play really gets into swing. But any chance the way the rest of the NFC plays out that they can get three teams in the playoffs?

Also, Jordan Love MVP this season is shaping up now. He was really good. he was really, really good. I saw, I forget who tweeted this former NFL quarterback, who like Sunday night said, you know, this is the first game that I thought he kind of looked like the guy last year. And he was just kind of moving and grooving, man. When he's on, listen, Colin said this,

he definitely has more far than Rogers. Now, like Rogers throwing off the back foot, fundamentals all over the map. but he will just throw it into triple coverage. He's a very, very enjoyable player to watch. I don't think you guys realize, as Packer fans, how lucky. You went from Brett Farv to Aaron Rogers to this, to this. Think of that graphic that the Cleveland Browns went through

of like their 700 quarterbacks since 1999 or whatever, and you've just done that. You're like the Mike, you're the Pittsburgh Steelers of quarterbacks. They've had three coaches in whatever, 50 years. You've had three quarterbacks in well over 30. I think they're a borderline lock right now, like I said, to get three teams in. So even in a win, Siriani somehow finds a way to embarrass himself, I think my Siri's going,

by yelling at the home crowd who probably was heckling him the entire game because they were in a close game with the Browns. Honestly, it's embarrassing. Because no other head coaches are yelling at their fans like that. True. Like, good job, Nick. You're putting your hand to your ear to your own fan base. Like you made a major statement while beating a team by four,

when in reality, you probably should have beaten them by double digits. What a joke. Embarrassing moment for him, for sure. Hey, John, I love the NFL and love watching my team every Sunday. But there's something about college football I love and enjoy watching even more. I know you love and watch football is. well, would you ever consider doing a college football instant reaction like you do for the NFL? Like after most of the Saturday games are done, you hop on for 30 minutes and talk about the big ones.

Number two, I know you're a Fresno guy, so I'm interested to hear your take because I'm from Idaho and a big Boise State fan. What do you think of the Mountain West this year? Do you think Boise can get a playoff bid? I think UNLV has a shot to knock off Boise and hose their chances, but I love, well, I looked at the box score. on Saturday, and what's his name, Gentie, already had like 100 yards on a touchdown. I think UNLV is pretty good. I think the quarterback that they inserted is clearly better than the dude that wanted the money, and they booted out.

And Boise is good, too. So I think UNLV, once they lost to Syracuse, like, to me, if there's not a no doubt about it, non-power 4 team, you shouldn't get a seed. Like, you should have to earn it. and you know, you and LV, even if they beat Boise, losing to Syracuse, we'll have to see what Syracuse is. Should you be able to get a bid at 12 and 1 in the Mountain West? To me, if you run the table, if Boise runs the table, they'll get a bid. If they don't, like, they shouldn't get a bid.

And then I got no problem with no one getting a bid. Like, I'm not going to complain if like, oh, now we get, you know, we also get Tennessee makes the playoffs, or whoever the, you know, the extra team is. So I think Boise's really, really good. You know, Saturday, part of, from a financial standpoint, it's just kind of a lost cause because for a podcast, the audio version, you know, doesn't get as much traction or just wouldn't on Sundays. So, you know, also to lead a family life and not get a divorce for or even get married, it's probably not on the table right now, but not opposed to it.

Yeah, we'll see. I also have people that, you know, work on the podcast. So it's like, it's not even just me because most of the time I am home and I easily could do one. But, you know, I am dependent on other people that also have families and want to have a fucking life. So luckily the other six days a week pay the bills. But, you know, listen, I sometimes got some takes, might as well fire him off. Lincoln Riley, you heard it here first. He's going to the Jags.

He doesn't want this college football anymore. He gets Trevor in a place that's college-like and no hostile media. I don't think Shod Khan can hire Lincoln Riley. You know, clearly his personality is less abrasive. after going through Urban Meyer, and clearly they're different people, but similar in the sense, they've never worked in the NFL. So to hire a guy who's never worked in the NFL, pretty risky. Now, completely different animals here.

Urban was a CEO. So he was going to be very dependent on his coordinators. Lincoln is your offensive coordinator. But, you know, hearing Michael Lombardi today rant, like part of fixing Trevor Lawrence and it's very NBA, everyone's going to be like, hire a guy that can fix them. Where it's like, let's just, can we run the team?

If the team gets better, he'll be better. Now, maybe he has a ceiling, and he's clearly not as bad as the guy we've seen. He definitely didn't deserve, based on his previous career, $200 million. Doesn't mean he couldn't have become a $200 million guy. But part of what resurrected Jared Gough, when McVeigh got there, team wasn't bad. Right?

Gurley was coming into his own. Aaron Donald's a star. They signed Whitworth and it was like, okay, we're off and running. Then Jared Goff goes to lines. And they built a team around it. Hit on some draft picks. St. Brown.

Use the picks from the Rams to get James and Williams. Took Sewell instead of Jamar Chase. Landed some running backs. Draft Laporta. And it's like, Jared Goff's a solid player. But if you put Jared Goff on a shitty team, he'll look bad. If you put Jared Gough on a really good team, he'll look good. Right?

So if you build a good team around him, their offensive line yesterday was getting smoked. It's like they signed Gabe Davis. Like, I was probably pretty critical of Trevor Lawrence, I think on Sunday's podcast. But on the plane with my Starlink, balls were literally going right through guys' hands. It's one thing to have a drop like a, you know,

a Willie May's catch. with a defender draped on you, those are tough catches, right? It's another thing to be staring at the quarterback open and the ball goes through your hands. That's not Trevor Lawrence's fault. But I do think it's kind of symbolic of just the total operator. They're a bad team. They're a bad team. And ultimately, football is a team game.

Right? Like, Lamar's a great individual player. But he has a fantastic team. Patrick Mahomes is a great individual player. but he has a great team. Tom Brady's saying this forever. Like, my teams were good. My defense is good.

My offensive lines were solid. I had good solid weapons. It's a team game. You're not going into a fight by yourself. Like, you don't need all 53, but you need other good players. And they just seem like, they seem like kind of random. And listen, if you want to crush bulky, he's been terrible. He's just like, I'll take this.

This guy, we'll take that guy. There's no rhyme or reason to anything. Remember when they drafted ETN in the first round? They started using him a wide receiver. It's like, what, what's even happening right now? I know Hutchson shattered his leg yesterday. But it was borderline insane when they drafted the Georgia kid over Hutchinson. And I don't pretend to break down film on the Jags.

And clearly the Georgia guy hasn't been terrible. But it was like, you're over-thinking this one. Trans like a, I can't do a tram ball keep, but I get it. You like traits and all that stuff. But what are you doing? Like, Aidan Hutchinson is a guy that you rely on as a core player of a great team for 15 years. Obviously, health permitting. If Aiden Hutchinson is healthy, like, he's a Hall of Fame player.

And it was pretty freaking clear coming out of college. Like, this guy's going to be a really good NFL player. Really good. It's going to be Lawrence Taylor. or Aaron Donald, I don't know. But I don't see how he doesn't make Pro Bowls. Right? And that's where Balke, like, he's just a weird GM that way.

Is it just me or do we feel like we're headed toward Ravens Chiefs Part Do? I feel like there are only two teams that are truly separating themselves in the powerhouse and the AFC. I actually think the Ravens, in a weird way, could be better suited this year to take the Chiefs, even though their defense is worse, right? Their past defense is not good right now. But it's like, that's kind of the Chief's not really their thing. But they can really run the ball. And that mistake they made last year not sticking to the run against the Chiefs, obviously Mahomes came out the Gates firing, but it's not like they scored 28 points. So, yeah, in a weird way, I'm already talking myself or talking myself into the

Ravens again because this is what Lamar does to you. You just watch it and you're like, God, he's so calm and collected. He's so the reason I'm hard on Lamar in my argument of him and Josh of like at this point in time, it's like NBA players, once you get to a certain point in time, like there's nothing Joel and Bede can do in a regular season game. It's like, oh, damn, that's cool. Like, it's like, yeah, we've seen it a million times. James Hardin did this.

And I'm not, I would rather have Lamar than both those two guys. all things being, like, if they were all in playing the same sport. My point is, like, I have, I expect Lamar just to be incredible. And you watch him, you're like, this guy's by far the best dual threat quarterback of all time. Because when Steve Young really became the MVP quarterback, he just, he was a pocket passer who ran a little bit. Like, Lamar still is a true dual threat. And he is awesome. Like, I've never, I think sometimes people think I'm a hater.

I'm not. but I am emotionally scored. I've bet on him, actually multiple times in the playoffs. And it was bad. It was bad. And that's where Josh has been, like his regular season version, that has been awesome over the last whatever, four or five years. He's played like that in the playoffs.

Now you can argue they've both lost. But he's been better. Like, he hasn't been the reason. The reason the Ravens lost last year was Lamar and the offensive coordinator. And now you bring in Derek Henry. And I'm already at the point where, clearly the Ravens are better than the Steelers. Like even Steelers have to acknowledge this, right?

Like your team, you're probably going to end up in the playoffs this year and end up winning 10 or 11 games, but it's a little smoke and mirrors. Like, can you win? Like, listen, I question, like, can Lamar just play like he does in the regular season in the playoffs? Because if he does, they'll win. And probably win the Super Bowl.

But we all know, and even Steelers fans, you guys will acknowledge this too, because you've seen Ben and his prime, if you're just older than, like, 20. the way Justin Fields is playing, which is better than in Chicago, ain't going to work in the playoffs. Can we all acknowledge that?

It will not work. It's impossible to just throw for like 140 yards and run around a little bit. It can work against the shitty Raiders. He can run for a couple touchdowns. But that will not win you playoff games against the Chiefs against the Ravens. We're all in the same.

You won't beat Harbaugh doing that. If Justin Herbert is, healthy, you're not beating Harbaugh in a playoff game. You beat him in the regular season? I get it. Justin Herbert started limping around. I think they might have beat you in that game. But, and then the question is, if you're the Steelers, does trading for another wide receiver make you that much better? Can Fields get on the ball? I don't know. Defense is good. Question for the pod. I commented on your show before the season, thinking the Raiders might be a sleeper team.

All caps, boy, was I wrong. It's clear, at best, four or five wins. Although they are really good individual players at certain spots in a good rookie class, with Brady being a minority owner and assuming he'll have influence, if you were Brady, what would you advise Mark Davis and Telesco to do? Fire AP, go after Ben Johnson or Kubiak type head coach and draft a quarterback or still draft a quarterback and give AP more time.

To me, AP looks completely lost and is over his head. I actually had a thought because on Tuesday, Tom Brady is supposed to be given the thumbs up to officially become a minority owner for the Raiders. And I had a topic that I wanted to discuss regarding similar. things that you're asking. So I will get to this on Wednesday's show in terms of Tom Brady, Mark Davis, and I don't want to say a light at the end of the tunnel, but just I have some thoughts on that situation. Obviously, Antonio Pierce doesn't look like he knows what he's doing. One thing I was told by someone is that, you know, I think this offseason, once he got the job, he started

feeling himself a little bit, and I think it's turned some players the wrong way. I think think the one thing they got is DeVante. I haven't heard he doesn't even want to leave necessarily, but it's just gotten weird. Obviously, Max Crosby takes a lot of pride in the Raiders, but it is a waste of your career when you're a high-level player and you just lose, not just lose every year, like have no shot. So we'll get into all that.

I don't think Antonio Pierce is going anywhere for a minute, but we'll talk about that soon. I'm always curious about trends in the NFL. One interesting thing I've seen this year from good defenses is the ability to play big. Three off-the-ball linebackers. Example, the Chiefs, Bolton, Chanel, and Tranquil to stop the run and have great cover corners on the outside who can man up. I feel like the trend for the last decade has been to sacrifice size on defense for speed.

Well, you're not wrong. part of that is because these offenses spread it out so you don't have a choice. You have to change and adapt. When we talk about building a team, it always starts with quarterback, left tackle, rush end, and corner, rightfully so. But with this

revitalization of the running back, do you think we'll see more teams picking off the ball linebackers who can play big and have speed higher in the draft? Usually those guys don't go into the second day. I feel like if you're average, on the back end, you can still win games, Detroit. But if you can't stop a nosebleed

on the ground, Dallas, you have no shot. Nertie question, but I'd love to hear your thoughts as a former scout. Well, you can only draft what comes in. So if you just look at college, I bet if we went to Ohio State, Texas, we just went through the top 10 teams, right, or top 25 teams. Most of the best linebackers, this is an educated guess, I don't know if their rosters in front of me, are not 250-pound guys. So the sport changed because of the changing of the offenses. So the type linebackers that came in the league are more likely to be 225 to 230, low-2-30s that can really run.

Now, the knock on that historically is like, well, if you run a smash-mouth offense, how can that guy shed a guard or a tackle or even a center? and it's difficult. And they have to beat him with speed and instincts. But because these running backs now all can catch, I have to have that guy in the field because he's got to be able to run to the flat. So what you're saying of the three off the ball linebackers,

to me, a lot of those guys are kind of hybrid players, the third guy. When I was in the NFL and worked in college, it was true like pro-style offenses versus a team had a strong side linebacker, a middle linebacker, and a weak side linebacker. And the weak side linebacker was built like basically all the linebackers now. Kind of like Fred Warner would have been a weak side linebacker.

Maybe he's big enough now. But in 2002, Fred Warner would have been a weakside linebacker and the best weakside linebacker in the league. And then it kind of changed. Now, if you can find a Patrick Willis, right, or Brian Erlacker, guys that, now, Erlacher was smaller when he came in the league, clearly was bigger in his prime. But guys, the weigh 245, 250, 255 pounds that can run like that.

it's a no-brainer. But they don't really exist. So I see a lot of teams still having two linebackers, but their safety, you know, the 49ers had Hufunga. The Bravens have fucking Kyle Hamilton, who looks like a Hall of Famer. Well, they become like these hybrid linebackers because they're great run players because they're so unafraid, so physical at the line of scrimmage. And your defensive looks can change because that guy can cover, and he can play the run.

The other thing is your corners now, especially your nickel corner, which are going to be a nickel whatever, I don't know, 70% of the time. I haven't seen the stats this year, but I think over the last like four or five years, it went from like 50-50 to like closer to like 80%. Maybe it's 70-75%. That guy has to tackle because if he will not tackle, a good offensive coordinator will call runs at him all day long. because if you put him on the field and it's clearly a passing look and your safeties are playing back, like that guy has to be a run defender. So I think it's more about having guys

that can be versatile because the versatility on offense is not going to change. I mean, at the, at watching Texas play offense, they got running backs who can catch and run inside the tackles, outside the tackles. It's like those guys are NFL guys. And then they got countless wider Cs who can take tunnel screens of the house,

who can jump balls. So it's like all these players at all these top schools. Ohio State's got a ton of skill guys. I mean, the freshman wide receiver, they're running backs. Those guys can do so much. I need hybrid defensive players. The other thing you said is when you have cover corners,

well, how many teams have good cover corners? Most teams have like one. The best, you know, the chiefs are somewhat of an outlier. They got a bunch of good DBs. And that's what makes them unique as McDuffie can kind of be this hybrid Charles Wood. Woodson player.

So I think when you're talking about the best defense is, do you have hybrid Swiss Army knives? In McDuffie is a Swiss Army knife. Kyle Hamilton's a Swiss Army knife. Who fungo when he's healthy for the Niners is a Swiss Army knife because he can turn into a linebacker. So those guys tackle, that's what made Richard Sherman such a great corner.

He was a great zone defender, but he could tackle like a linebacker. So you couldn't run to his side because he would come in and fill. And you would never run a sweep or an outside look to him because he's such a great, he turns into like a safety slash small linebacker. And so to me, the key is just finding guys, like the knock when I was in the NFL and just young kind of run around linebackers is they like hitting in space, but they didn't like, you know, the, I would say the clutter that is presented between the tackles and they get lost in the shuffle. and I think these guys have gotten so used to kind of, I don't know, running around them.

Now, if a top tackle, if Sewell or Trent Williams or whoever, Tristan Worf's gets their hands on most of these linebackers, they fucking destroy them. Where if you go back to like when I was a kid, you'd have one-on-one, those guys just coming full speed down. And unless you were like Larry Allen, there would just be huge collisions with guards and centers and even tackles. And sometimes they'd win, sometimes they'd lose.

Now, like, it's really a lot of running around them. Which I would do the same if I was a smaller linebacker. Got a question. Heard you with Colin, and you said you were at an OU fan. What do you think of Venables staying with Hawkins instead of throwing Arnold in for the Red River rivalry game? Do you think Arnold has told him he's hitting the portal regardless of this year? and Venables keeping it out of the media. I'm not saying Arnold is better or worse,

but I wonder why they didn't even throw him in at all. I don't know this for a fact, but clearly he's going to transfer, right? Now, I don't know if he's already told them, don't put me in the game, which would be weird because during warm-ups, he's playing catch with Hawkins. The reason they're just running with Hawkins is their wide receivers suck. The top five guys are injured. so they're rolling out guys that they would never play. So the only element that they have on offense

is running the quarterback around, which Texas is so good on defense. I heard someone say they were averaging, their opponents are averaging like six or seven points. Texas' defensive speed is pretty eye-opening, which Sark needs, right? If he gets a good defense, their offense is so good they can win an addie.

That was their, what was their downfall last year? Defense. DeBore and Pennix and the, those boys lit them up like Christmas tree. It was going to be a lot more difficult this year, and we know Texas can score. So Hawkins kind of gives them a running element. And I think that's why. And you know what's funny is you watch Hawkins in warm-ups,

and he was throwing some of these passes, and you're just like, this guy's throwing bullets. Now, he doesn't really know where the ball's going, but I get true freshman rolling with him. Like, all these guys come in different shapes. shapes and sizes. Seeing Arnold, who was the fourth quarterback in his class, behind Arch, Nico, and the dude that got beat out of Boise State that came from USC.

Like, you see Arch standing there? He's in, even Murillo's like, God, he's big. I'm like, well, yeah, he's a man. He's like, 6'5. He's huge. He's bigger than yours. And you see Arnold, who's probably more like, I would say looks more like, you know, Derek Carr type, Jimmy Garoppel.

I'm talking body type. But doesn't have the movement Hawkins, who is much closer to the... I don't even know what he... He knows like a poor man's Kyler. Obviously, Kyler is much better at everything. But like that's kind of what his mold's going to be. Run around, make big plays, throw bombs, he's got a big arm, and you're just going to have to coach him up.

And the better players he plays with, the better he's going to be. I think it's very, very complicated with this transfer portal. they could Arnold could not pass and couldn't stop turning the ball over so you make the move and once you make the move all these guys get like butt hurt and they go well I'm out

because they can and I think once you say that you just kind of honor it and I you maybe cut them off the NIL I don't know exactly how it works but at least where I was sitting it looked like he was the backup quarterback for that game so if he's the backup quarterback

he's just trying to be a good guy I don't know These situations are complicated. I would have done what they did. I'd just roll with this kid. It's going to be a tough year. You try to get to like eight wins, and then next year, your offense is way better. Because they are good on defense.

I mean, it was 7.3 with like five minutes to go in the first half. They'd already picked off viewers, and then they fumbled twice, and Texas turned into 21 points. So Stafford was on Fox this past Sunday. Looks like he might be coming in for a tryout. Think this is the last season we see Stafford and see him on Fox next year.

Similar to how Kelsey went on Amazon, I think this one's probably a little different. You know, he lives in L.A., so it's easy for him. Stafford, his, I think his good friend is now dating Carissa. Carissa is very close with his, Stafford's wife, Kelly. You know, inevitably, could he be calling games in five years for sure? But even if he is, and Fox would hire him in a heartbeat, and he'd be fun. I'd hire him too, if I were them.

But it doesn't pay what he's making right now, $35, $40 million. So even if it's a good salary, like, hey, we'll give you a couple million dollars to call games. Like Greg Olson's making $3 million. Would you either make $3 million or make $40 playing quarterback? So to me, Stafford feels like the type guy. Now, he's got a young family, a bunch of kids. Maybe he just calls it quits a little earlier than you think. So I didn't get that impression like, oh, this is, he's doing this.

to transition next year. Remember, Greg Olson called games while he was playing. Like in the by week, would call the game. And I think he still played a couple years. And it wasn't until maybe he was like, God, my body doesn't feel good. I'm not as good of a player. I'm out. But if your Stafford, you're like, shit, if my team was a little, if we didn't have so many injuries, my team would be awesome. Because I'm so good. He's not wrong. So if I was guessing, uneducated guess, I think Matt Stafford is playing football next year. if he's healthy. This is a comment. Totally agree with Patricia on the coach pod.

He still seems enthralled to Bill and is stopping him from opinioning properly and expressing his views. That's what we want from him and every ex-coach on the media. I agree. Listen, no one's judging. When I turn on to watch you,

obviously I'm more inclined to watch Bill Belichick because he's Bill Belichick and won six rings. But like, if you're a former coach, and you're talented on television and interesting and willing to say some shit like you're going to be entertaining. And Bill actually is kind of like he's willing to kind of throw some blows.

But I think sometimes he looks over Patricia who's terrified to offend anybody and Bill's like, yeah, I'm going to coach him and he kind of pulls in the reins. Or if you just got Bill and Lombardi, I think there'd be episodes where they would just empty the clip. Because again, you know, I've had people in the NFL get mad at me.

Like, I don't, man, that was fucked up what you said. No, we're all saying the same things. I just put my name on literally everything I say. Right? So, like, who knows what Bill is saying when the mic's not on them? That's what we want. Now, we're not going to get it at all. But if we can just get 20, 30, 40% of it, like, it's going to be fantastic television or YouTube.

Right? So that's all I want as someone that's a consumer of this stuff. Entertainment, baby. Just entertain me. And throw some blows. Talk how you normally talk. Just talk how you normally talk. Like when I watch Patricia talking with,

I don't believe he normally talk. I believe you take the mic off him, get him behind. He's saying a bunch of shit. And he's unwilling to say it. So if you're unwilling to say, take the fucking mic off. You're not, no one wants to hear from you. At least Bill, Bill's earned like, I get it. He's going to be a head coach next year so he can't eviscerate everybody.

But he's, he's gotten way closer to the line on some stuff than I ever thought he would. So I appreciate that. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to Look Back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey,

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

Listen to the Cliford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway

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