The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Monday Night Football Reaction, Eagles blow it, Who is on the early hot seat

Episode Date: September 17, 2024

John reacts to the Monday Night Football game that saw Kirk Cousins drive the Falcons down the field in the final minute of the game for a game-winning TD pass to Drake London. What does this win mean for Atlanta, and on the flip side what does this loss do to the Eagles psychologically.  Later, John gives out his Week 2 game balls, talks about a few players that looked in the mirror this off-season and have started off the season with a new life, which coaches are on the early hot seat, and the latest edition of "Take Tuesday." Finally, John answers your questions during this episode's mailbag segment. 7:13 - Monday Night Football reaction 22:40 - Week 2 Game Balls 27:55 - Which players looked in the mirror during the off-season 36:18 - What coaches are on the early hot seat 40:13 - Take Tuesday 46:00 - 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.

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What is going on everybody? How are we doing? I would imagine a lot better than Siriani and Howie. I can't imagine being at Novacare early in the morning on Tuesday after that loss. I tried to decide before I recorded what, is that a better win for Atlanta or a worse loss for the Eagles? And I kind of came to the conclusion. It's probably equal. It's an incredible moment for Cousins. I mean, awesome.

I mean, this is King. Melt's on prime time. I did not think he was playing well. Terrible in the red zone. He had one good drive that led him to a touchdown in the middle of the game where he had like three good throws. But that moment in that spot, I get it was relatively easy

because I don't know what Fangio was doing. But very cool for him. And pretty devastating for old Sirian. So we will dive into it because I got some thoughts on Cousins moment. Sirianis not vetoing Kellynne Moore, making sure they run the ball in that spot. Obviously, Fangio, the D-line looks terrible. The coverages, just letting guys run free was insane. Give out a couple game balls from Sunday.

Wanted to do a little, it's getting hot in here rankings, because I think a couple guys are starting to feel some fling. blames right now and uh and yeah we'll just talk a little ball it's exciting times it really is and we'll have a podcast got a big interview this week we will have podcasts all week so keep your keep your ears and eyes out for those obviously three and out if you listen on collins feed make sure you subscribe to three and out feed youtube channel has everything my golf video i was texting with my my video guy here in arizona i think he was close to being done So that, I think ideally would be applied Wednesday.

We might go shoot another video Wednesday as well. So we got some new content coming to YouTube. That's obviously YouTube only. But before we dive in to the birds, you know, I got to tell you about my friends, my partners in the official ticketing app of this podcast. They go by game time. Here's the thing with game time.

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Download the GameTime app today, last minute tickets, lowest price is guaranteed. You know what? I want to start with a positive note. And this is why you can't, in a live event that is the ultimate reality show, I had sculpted some takes, and they were going to be negative surrounding current. Cousins. His red zone performances were absolutely atrocious. I got some text from like former NFL players that were like, what is he doing? Balls are flying all over the place, not even remotely close. I have a take that I'm not going to change, but it would have been much better if he just would have imploded at the end. He does look funny in a Falcons uniform. I don't

think that's going to change as the season goes on, regardless how much success they have. He looks funny in the uniform. But beside the one drive, which they scored to Mooney, where he had three great passes in a row. On third down, he hit Pitts. On fourth down, he hit Ray Ray over the middle. Then he hit the big touchdown drive. I thought he was not good. I thought they're playing the Chiefs next week. This Pennix talk

is only going to grow. And we'll get into Siriani and Kellan Moore's decision at the end of the game, which gave Cousins an extra 40 seconds because they didn't have any timeouts. But that drive, now, Vic Fangio might be the highest paid defensive coordinator in the league. He makes like $5 million a year. And listen, he knows more defense than most of us will ever know combined. But playing that soft when they clearly have good skill guys.

And Cousins, despite having, I would say a average game at best, can make basic outrouts when guys are wide open, you know, in just open areas and in wide open green grass. The other thing is they weren't getting a pass rush all night long. We'll dive into that with the Eagles. Their defensive pass rush is non-existent. Like, it just doesn't get home. So Cousins marches them down the field. In three shots, it's like they're already in the red zone.

It was insane how fast. They move the ball down the field. But all you're thinking in the back of your head, when the drive started, this is a guy who is historically poor on primetime games. And that has to be one of the greatest moments of his career. Because let's face it, the moment they kicked off, I'm not alone.

And I would imagine a lot of Atlanta Falcons were like this, and everyone else that's not an Eagles fan, or even if you are an Eagles fan, thought there's no chance on God's Green Earth, this guy leads a touchdown driver. right now. I would have guessed that they turned it over on downs around the 50 yard line. Yet within three or four passes, it's like, well, they're already in the red zone. And the one thing the Falcons do have is like tall wide receivers.

And then Drake London turns Darius Slay like a dradle, easy touchdown in the corner of the end zone. The moment that happened, he started thinking, well, the Eagles still have a couple timeouts. And then a couple of plays later, Jalen throws the pick. and the Atlanta Falcons win the game. But Cousins in one drive tonight changed an early narrative on his season because I think it was getting bad. He did not look like the guy

that I think they felt confident that they were getting. He obviously doesn't move. He's never been able to move. But to me, the visual of him in the uniform, the cohesion of the offense, how poor they've been in the red zone, I think they are, I guess that final touchdown was a red zone touchdown, but before that they were one for four,

and it was the Pitts touchdown against the Steelers. And then you have a moment like that, and you go, there is life there, because they do have skill guys. The Falcons defense is pretty good. Judon's a big addition. Bates a really good player. Belichick hates A.J. Terrell, because he hasn't got a interception in over a thousand days,

and he got paid a lot of money. But he is a solid corner. Like, their defense is good. And that was a must win. Because this Sunday, they host the Chiefs. And I'm thinking, they're about to fall to 0 and 2. You got the bucks and the saints who feel poised to be like five and two in a couple weeks. All of a sudden, you're digging yourself out of a hole at 0 and 3.

How do you even get back to 3 and 3? And cousins changed everything. And you saw the excitement on the sideline from the owner who cut this guy a $100 million check. And I don't blame him. Because that was a massive moment. And he needed it. Because the snowball of negativity can start coming down the mountain, and it doesn't stop.

We see it happen with other players. Especially when you give a guy a lot of money. He has no sweat equity with your team, with your fan base, and he earned a lot tonight. That was, I don't think I'm being hyperbolic, one of the biggest moments of Cousin's career. And it was cool. I mean, it was fun to watch.

He seems like a, he doesn't seem he is a great high character guy he's an easy guy to root for after that quarterback documentary a couple years ago on Netflix and as someone who was kind of out on him midway through this game changed it just like that because the whole point of this whole thing is to win and he found a way to get his team of w in the biggest moment possible and on the flip side that's a devastating loss for the Eagles I mean I don't think it gets much worse That's on the level of the Seattle loss last night or last year on Monday night football. And I would say the big difference, I think it's almost worse at home in front of your fans, especially they were vibing all night. But there are two things that really stood out to me. Obviously the end of the game. Like I don't put the defense situation and the play calls on Siriani because ultimately they're paying Vic Fangio 5 million.

and Siriani has nothing to do with that. Vic Fangio, that's atrocious. That has to be better. You can't call the soft coverages when your defensive line has been horrendous. They've paid a huff a lot of money. He's nowhere to be found. The pressure from their front four

is basically non-existent these last couple weeks when they've invested in high draft picks and paid a lot of money. So Fangio's not a blitzer. Well, if you're just sitting back, that was a pretty risky problem. position and it backfired in your face.

But before that, Suriani's not the offensive coordinator either, but he is the boss. And on that situation on third down, when they have no timeouts left, I understand, Sequin is a fantastic play. He looks incredible for the Eagles. I don't think you take the risk.

Jalen hits him in the hands. Saqon catches that 98 times out of 100. The problem is that is in that situation when it is one of the two times that he drives. opposite, it screws you and it screws you hard. Because the Falcons ended up getting the ball back with 139. And that's the difference of under 60 seconds. And I also think there is a psychological effect when you're on offense knowing you have less than a minute and no timeouts and you have to go 70 yards. There's just, there was less of an urgency once they hit two plays because they had so much time.

Like time is on your side when you're close to the two minute mark. If you hit you. hit a 15-yard chunk play. You can take a deep breath, especially now where they start you at the 30-yard line. So I think you hit a 10-yard play. Boom, you're at the 40. It used to be, you'd be at the 20, and if you hit a 10-yard play,

you'd only be at the 30, you've still got a long way to go. But you're already at the 40, you're a play away from already flipping the other side of the field. And I just think Siriani, under no circumstances, can be on the headset and go, Kellyn, call a run here.

and I understand the Eagles are probably the most progressive organization in being aggressive. Now there are a lot of other teams that are like that as well, but they've been on the forefront of aggressive nature. And we saw it in the first quarter when they were at the nine-yard line. It's zero to zero. So I'm all four in the middle of a game, in the second half, going forward on fourth down situations. You have absolutely no clue how this game is going to play out.

And it turned out it was an extremely low-scoring game. And those three points would have been very valuable to your cause. And he went for it. And they didn't get it. And that was something in the back of my mind throughout the game like, what are we doing? It is zero to zero. I understand if you're down 12 points in the second half,

like, we need a touchdown. Okay, totally get you. but in that situation, with all the unknown, analytical people love to say, that's why you go for it to give yourself a percentage chance to win. You cannot say that in the first quarter, with 10 minutes left to go, and basically an entire game.

I'm sorry, I can't get behind that. And I'm pro-aggression in football, in life, in every aspect of society, basically. That is stupidity. the thing I get having a conversation Hey we like this play to Sequin in the flat It's been open throughout the game It'll be stealing candy from a baby first down ballgame

Kellen I understand I like to play too But it's week two We got them by the throats Run it they have no timeouts And make them go 70 yards on us in 55 seconds I don't believe cousins can do that it's dramatically different at a buck 40.

And it clearly bit him in the ass. Hell, they ended up scoring so fast that the Eagles got the ball back with around 30 seconds. Which is sad because Jalen was awesome tonight. And I think you saw the Jalen that was competing to be the MVP two years ago. He was accurate.

He was great throwing on the move. And when he runs, he turns into the like power Lamar Jalmers. Jackson. The running disappeared last year. So like for as shitty as this loss is, if you're an Eagles fan, the one bright spot is if he can

play like that, we're going to beat a lot of teams. The Falcons are good. They have a lot of talent. I don't know, meaning good what their record's going to be, but they do have a lot of good players on their team. And their defense is playing really well. And Jaylen was dominating him. Because as a runner,

he's not Lamar in terms of the speed. He actually turns into much more like a running back. Slow, steady, picking holes, can break guys off. And here's what he can do. Nobody in the league wants to slide anymore. Nobody.

Two is running into guys. Concussed. Who knows when he'll be back? Jaden Daniels tries to run over everybody. Anthony Richardson, it's like, guys, slide. He can pick his poison because he knows when I can run over a certain guy,

but he also can slide, no problem. He is an elite runner of the football. And we know he's a great deep, thrower. When he combines those two, he's a high-end player, and he's worth every penny. Like, that was winning football tonight from Jayland. I know he throws the pick at the end. They're kind of in a tough spot. Maybe we could argue don't throw the ball, which would be fair. But I thought, subtract that play, which they were already in major trouble the moment, Cousins scored. Now, you could argue, like, why are we even taking shots? We still have a timeout,

which is fair. But I thought beside that play, he was excellent. And I do think big picture, like the Eagles have an issue with their defensive line. If it's going to be average to below, like they're just not going to be good on defense. They simply are not. And I understand their high-end first-round pick that got spun around on the play. They're paying sleigh a lot of money. He gives up a touchdown. You know, CJ had a fantastic tackle on that short yardage, fourth down.

I mean, it was elite. It looked like Brian Dawkins in his prime. But their defensive line to me is just not living up to the billing. so bright note cousins awesome I mean what a moment for him Jalen was awesome

but Siriani Fangio that's one the coaching staff like Fangio what are you doing on the last drive Siriani how are you okay that third down pass it just unless sometimes in life you got to pump the brakes

and be a little more conservative in certain situations I'm all for putting your chips in the middle of the table I don't think that's playing Monday morning quarterback. That was stupid. It's just too risky. Like the risk reward there, if he drops it, it's just too... I mean, it's crippling.

And it was, and you could feel it right away. Turned out a bit of him in the ass. 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... The best 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, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space. For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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, 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.

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Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio 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 tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's give out some game balls. And these are the type that if you're a fan of this team, if you saw the guy at a bar, you'd buy them a round of drinks. Like, I owe you one. That was awesome, whether it be a coach or a player. And I shorted the Packers this week. I said, under no circumstances, can they win a game with Malik Willis?

Now, it turned out Malik Willis is on the Indianapolis Colts right now. Anthony Richardson, who is playing at a really, really low level, and the Indianapolis Colts defense is not good. But Matt LaFleur might have had his Picasso moment. That was, and he's had some great moments, right? Won a lot of games with Rogers, won a couple MVP's, created Jordan Love. But to get Malik Willis after the 53 man cut down

and be forced to start him week two and absolutely kick the crap out of the Colts, was really, really impressive. He went 12 of 14, didn't have to do much, threw a touchdown, but they ran for 260 yards. 260 yards. If you're playing Malik Willis and you're the Colts,

I would say the only thing that is going to give them a chance to win if they dominate us on the ground. And 260 yards is not domination. that is like the best rushing performance of the year. Like how many teams throughout the season are going to run for over 250 yards? Absolute clinic by LaFleur. So game ball, cocktails, cheers to Maddie L.

Alvin Kamara, who I think a lot of people thought was somewhat, I don't want to say washed, but the best football of his career is behind him. And here's the thing. When you get in the Shanahan offense and you're a good running back, but you can catch the ball, they will feature you. And Alvin Kamara ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Caught two passes, had like a 58-yard screen pass to the hizzy. Another touchdown.

He had four touchdowns yesterday. Absolute Clinic by Kamara Gameball. Pat Jones. Who? Pat Jones of the Minnesota Vikings. I got to be fully transparent here. Didn't know much about this guy. Honestly didn't. They drafted him in the third round in 2021. I think he has been a backup because they've had good defensive linemen over the years in Hunter and Zadarius. But yesterday, Pat Jones had two sacks and four tackles. He was lining up against Trent Williams. This guy was always in, Purdy's lap. He was excellent. I mean, this guy, I don't know if he can keep this up all season long, but yesterday that guy was giving Trent Williams fits. He's long. He's got a little spin move. He's got some speed. Contract year. So, you know, playing maybe a little out of his, you know what. But hey, I mean, who cares if you're the Minnesota Vikings? If you can get 10 sacks from this guy,

season. That would be big. Number 91 for the Minnesota Vikings, Pat Jones. Cheers to you. Last but not least. I didn't pull the trigger, but I didn't do much on Saturday. I was going to play golf. I worked out and I was like, you know what? I'm just going to lay around and watch football. And the football was mainly terrible. It was a lot of really bad matchups, but I was like, whatever. It could be worse things to do. And the 430 slate came on. In Colorado State was like a seven and a half point underdog. You get them at like plus 250 to win. And I said, you know, I need a little juice on this game to get me through it. And the game started and I ended up not making the bet. And I was glad I did because Colorado State was at home. Both these two teams,

it goes back to last year, just an incredible game. These teams hate each other. And I thought, you know, this is a tough spot for Colorado, right? Maybe it just implodes here. And Dion had the boys ready. They had some freshmen running. back who looked like an NFL player, and they kicked their ass. So props to prime time for keeping the squad. It could have unraveled absolute rough L in Nebraska. You had Shador thrown his offensive lineman under the bus. Thought there might be some chinks in the armor, but it didn't happen.

And they dominated, dominated CSU. Now, it's going to get a little harder in the Big 12, but I watched a lot of that game, and it gave me help, like, yeah, this team, if, they play like that with that much intensity and run the ball well, that they have a chance to be somewhat, I mean, relative for their standards, really successful this season. So game ball to prime, Shadour and the boys. Let's hit on a couple other things. I wanted really quick before we dive into a little hot seat.

I think we're seeing a couple guys, and I'm a huge believer in this, and I've said it a hundred times and I'll probably say it 100 more, only because I can speak from experience. I think you learn so much. Let's face it, there are two roads that you can take when shit hits the fan in life. And the longer you live, it is inevitable. You're going to have rough times, whether it be professionally or personally. People are going to pass away in your life. You're going to have rough moments in your life personally, whether it be relationships, whether it be with family. you know, professionally, unless you're like, I don't even know, you're going to hit bumpy roads. Whether it's getting fired, whether it's a business idea not working out, whether it's a company going down, whether you fail at an idea, it's inevitable.

And I think you have two choices when that stuff happens. It's like you either put one foot in front of the other and kind of mentally power through it or just go into the tank. And let's face it, you're allowed to go in. into the tank immediately. It's called life. But some people in this world never get out of that state, and it derails their life. And I think the successful people have a characteristic. I don't know if it's necessarily innate. I think you can work on it over time to like battle through. I'm going to figure this out. I'm not going to let this define my life. I've been fired a couple times. Who gives a shit? I mean, those were the best moments looking back.

have ever happened to me. Because I had to make a change. I had to look in the mirror. I'm sure a lot of people listening to this have had rough professional moments. And you look back and you can smile. Though at the time, it wasn't something you would want to smile about. But looking back, you're like, hell yeah. Shit, I'd go through it again.

It only makes you better. And I think it happens with quarterbacks a lot. Obviously, Bryce was benched. It's going to be an opportunity for him to, like, kind of look in the mirror. and go, do I want to let the last season and two games define my NFL career? Or am I going to do everything humanly possible to figure this out? And I look at two players right now who, let's face it, are just, it's short. It's only been two games.

We've got 15 more to go. But look poised to have really, really good seasons. Obviously, as a quarterback, you're very dependent on a couple things that are out of your control. Who's calling the place, because you're not calling the place. this isn't the NBA, where you just get to do whatever you want when the ball's in your hand. And what's around you? You don't pick the players. You're not in charge of free agency or the draft.

So who your GM is in the front office, like, better keep your fingers crossed are good. And Sam Darnold was not good early on in his career. I won't argue that. But he played for Adam Gase. And then he played for Matt Ruhl, who Matt Ruhl is a better coach in terms of what he's good at. as a college coach than Adam Gay, so I don't even think it's in the NFL. But Matt Rule is a college coach

and got run out of the NFL. He had Joe Brady. Like, I'm watching Joe Brady with the bills. I kind of knows what he's doing, and they couldn't figure it out. And then Sam Donald got with Kyle and now with Kevin O'Connell, and he looks to be a very capable quarterback.

He's always going to turn the ball over a little bit. It's going to be part of his repertoire. But his arm's really explosive. And one thing he's shown from last year with Kyle, to now this year, he's actually pretty accurate, especially down the field. And some of those throws he made against the 49ers, obviously the highlight throw was the 97-yard touchdown bomb to Justin Jefferson. But I thought he made some really, really good throws on second and third and long, in some big

spots. And he just looks good. He clearly is confident, but you know what he might be? Pretty good player who just needed to be in a spot where things are productive, like the talent around him and the guy's calling him. the place. Now, a little bit different because unlike Sam, this guy, Sam started, I looked it up today, this is a seventh year in the NFL, he started 58 games. Derek Carr has started 100 plus more games than Sam Dormald. He's 33 years old. He started 160 games. And I think he's been a pretty

polarizing player over his career. Because his good can look good and his bad can look really bad. but I will defend him on this, and I was in the Bay Area the majority of his college or his NFL career. I was around him one year in college and then followed his college career really closely. In college, he had a pretty, I would say, stable situation, even though there was a coaching change during his tenure. Pat Hill got fired and Tim Derruder came in. Fresno State, still to this day, like they've had my entire adult life, they have excellent offensive skill guys. They have NFL wide receivers and NFL running backs. And they usually have a good offensive line.

And then he gets to the NFL and it's the Raiders. And in his first year, he had two coaches. And through his tenure there, he went through a bunch of coaches. He went through, only the Raiders could pull this off. Like, we're going to move. We're moving. But we need to stay in this stadium and in where we live right now for another couple of years. No one else could pull that off.

The Rams didn't. They immediately moved to Los Angeles. The Chargers didn't. They immediately went up to the Home Depot. The Raiders just stayed. Because that's kind of the Oakland dysfunction. The A's did it literally the last couple years. Like, we're moving.

We are not going to stay here, but we're going to play here right now. That is not easy to overcome when you're the quarterback. And I watched him do it. And he handled himself because from a maturity class standpoint, like he checks all those boxes. But I actually think he's better than people realize. His touchdown to interception ratio over the course of his career is like two and a half to one. He's thrown 245 touchdowns and like 105 picks.

He's been a productive player. He's also relatively accurate. I wouldn't call him Drew Breazer Steve Young, but he's not an inaccurate player. The reason I like the Saints this year, one, he has so much experience. There's nothing in the NFL he hasn't seen. We hasn't seen past the first round of the playoffs, but he's been in the playoffs a couple times. and for most of his career played on the Raiders

who never go to the playoffs. So last year with the Saints, like everyone acted like they sucked. It's like, guys, they weren't as bad as you thought. They're not a four or five, they won nine games. And for half the season,

the offense was a joke. So you get Kubiak, who I didn't realize was going to be this good. But I know that offense works because everyone around the league that runs it is successful. And Derek is going to be successful

in this offense. And they're going to be successful in this offense. have skill guys around them and they invests in the offensive line right away and their defense is good. So am I shocked that they are dominating as much as they have? Of course I am. But I thought they'd be an 11-win team for a reason. I thought this offense was going to work and I thought their defense would be good. And I don't expect their offense to sustain this level of play, but like, he's a pretty good player. He's pretty good. Everyone anointed cousins over the years is like, you know, this the best second-tier quarterback.

It's like, yeah, I don't see much difference between Derek, or even like Jared Gough, when he's playing well. And right now he's playing well. I wanted to do, you know, for those of us that are in our late 30s, you were probably in junior high and high school when Nellie came out.

And Country Grammers, still one of a, it's, I mean, an all-time album. I don't even think they call them albums anymore. They're just, you just go to Apple Music or whatever, or Spotify, and just listen. to whatever the songs are. But in my days, there were CDs and cassettes, and they were called albums. And one of my favorite Nelly songs is, it's getting hot in here.

And I think when you look around the NFL, there are two guys. It's a little early for Hot Seat, but there were guys with tangible pressure coming into the season. And it's safe to say when they walked into their office Monday morning at O&2, it's getting hot in her. Because Brian Dayball was already being asked. about his job status. And let's face it, the off-season hard knocks

made everything dramatically worse. It really did. Right? The Sequan-Barkley situation, the way his general manager interacted, Dayball takes back to play calling, it felt they were loyal to Daniel Jones, and I think they're in major trouble. They stink.

I said this on Sunday night. Just look at the box score. I watched a decent amount of that game. I had it on my computer with like eight other games going on TV, and I had some money on Brian Robinson, so I kept watching. Every time I looked, the commanders were driving the ball down the field. They were just terrible in the red zone. Like, they got worked in that game.

I mean, worked. So it's like, it's one thing to get your ass kicked week one against the Vikings. Maybe the Vikings are a 10-win team. To lose like that, the score was close, the game was not. and now their schedule, I just looked at it, is at Cleveland, which feels like a tough matchup for them, given Cleveland's defense, Dallas short week Thursday night football, at Seattle, Sincy, Philly, at Pitt.

This thing get ugly really fast. And I'm not acting like dayballs the village idiot, but this thing has not gone well. And it gets back to the owner like, I don't think he wants to fire these guys, but I think it's going to be very, very difficult if they win four games. And Daniel Jones just implodes. Now, Daniel Jones ain't lasting the entire season if he plays bad,

but it's not like they're bringing Kurt Warner off the bench with Tommy Cutlets. And listen, I like this guy a lot. He's been really cool to me. He is a great guy. Everyone that knows Doug Peterson loves the guy. But this is not going well. and it's not going well at all. And fair or not,

the moment they gave Trevor Lawrence $200 million, if he doesn't look good, he can't get blamed immediately. Even if it turns out he's one of the most overhight players of my life, who's not like terrible, it's not like he's Bryce Young, but he clearly isn't remotely close to like a top six or seven quarterback in the NFL,

and you gave him $200 million. So watching some of that Cleveland game, the highlights, I didn't watch much of it. But watching him last, he just, something's not right. And Trent Balke has known to try to backstab guys over the years. Now, I don't know if he has enough juice where he could survive this one. I would imagine Shod Khan fires, everybody.

I mentioned this last week, the guy to keep an eye on is William Belichick. But this thing get ugly and this thing get ugly quick. For some reason, there's a double header on Monday night football. I don't, I don't love that. double-headers on Monday night. Like, I just like to enjoy one game, but there are two games. And one of them happens to be the Jags at Buffalo. I don't know about you.

I don't love that spot for the Jags. So all of a sudden, you're 0 and 3, and you're going, we got problems. I think Doug is in major, major trouble. Now, unlike Dayball, I do think that they would let those guys coach all season. I could see a scenario, and I'd have to look at a staff. I'm not acting like they got reinforcements on it, but you just pay the quarterback $200 million,

and you're one in seven, and you get axed in the middle of the year. Okay, last but not least, it's Take Tuesday, and something that just drives me nuts. Sean McVeigh talked about this, because in that playoff game against the Lions, he blew a bunch of timeouts in the third quarter, and did not have him at the end of the game.

And then when Vrable got fired, he had this right-hand man who was in charge of rules and kind of game management that McVeigh immediately hired because he's like, I have to be better where we're not blowing timeouts

in third quarter, so I have him at the end of the game. This is not college football. You're not going to see Tennessee, Kent State, where it's 65 to nothing at halftime. All these games, even when they don't feel close, The score usually is.

It's why a massive point spread in the NFL is like seven points. That's huge. Kyle Shanahan, and I put the quarterback and the coach on the same level, because if you're quarterback, if you are calling timeouts to save a delay of game in the third quarter, I might give you a little leeway if you're at like the five-yard line in the red zone, because scoring a touchdown is a big deal. But if you're at the middle of the field or back, I'd even say like 30 yard line and back

that cannot happen and it is not allowed and even if your quarterback does it because in the 49er game Purdy does that I put that on the head coach because the head coach is in charge of everything you can go over these situations all off season all training camping during the week

under no circumstances if we get down close to zero in the third quarter are we blowing a timeout. And I said this yesterday on the old X channel because I was watching games and it was driving me nuts. If I was an owner, I would say this. If you call a timeout in the third quarter on a delay game, I am fining you as a head coach or your quarterback does, $100,000. And at that timeout that you called on that drive, you end up punting, I'm doubling it. It cannot

happen because in the Niner game at the end they didn't have any timeouts because they're blowing them in the third quarter. I'm sorry like I don't pretend to be Warren Sharp here and some genius with analytics, but it's pretty black and white that it is not worth the five yard penalty in the middle of the third quarter to not have a timeout in the end of the game. Even if you're down because it's inevitable, you're going to be in a one score situation. like 90% of NFL games find themselves in that situation. So I just do not understand with the data we have, with how much we have talked about this specific instance,

not having timeouts at the end of the game, because you're using them for delay of games to avoid them with six minutes left to go in the third quarter. So instead of being second 11, it's second and 16, who cares? I'm sorry. It is not, the juice isn't worth the squeeze on that one. And if I was an owner, I would have a stern talk.

I think there are probably rules. You can't find them 100 grand, but it's like, this is unacceptable. Don't want you to ever do that. It is not worth it. Again, maybe you can justify it if you're at like the goal line or within the five-yard line. I'd even give you maybe the 10, but not when you have 70 yards to go. That's just bad ball. 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 a TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

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 it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you 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. Then you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person

while you hear on earth 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 Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot, or the practicality and corporate business. sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, let's dive into a little thing we call the Middlecough mailbag at John Middlecough, at John Middlecough, is the Instagram fire in those DMs. Thank God the Saints and Derek Carr are awesome. But the Lions and Niners losing this weekend

is shocking. And I'm just breaking even for the morning slate. So he sent this on Sunday morning. My question for the pod is just about gambling on straight moneyline bets. By October, we kind of know who's good and who's not, but right now I feel clueless. I think the most fun part about gambling on the NFL, even throughout the season, is underdogs win. Like yesterday, if you think about it, Tampa was. a seven and a half point underdog.

The Vikings were a five and a half point underdog. Cleveland was a three point underdog. I mean, those, the Saints were, I don't know what it kicked off at, six or six and a half. I mean, those are pretty big spreads. Now, I thought the Tampa thing was crazy. Like, Tampa was a playoff team. Won a game and went toe to toe with the lions.

The Niners have not won in Minnesota since 1992. too. But the thing with, I would say a lot different than the, than college football is the New York Giants. Let's say they win four games, have just a disastrous season. Four and, what would that be? Four and thirteen. A couple of, like, they're going to beat probably like the Cowboys, the Eagles, I mean, a couple of their wins are going to be stunning. If they win four games, I would say there's a decent chance, especially if they come in November, October. One of those comes is like a eight-point dog. So there's a lot of value in betting money-line underdogs

in the NFL. Now, the Raiders were, I don't know, what was it spread on that? Like eight? Eight and a half? I mean, they were a ton. Sunday was a little out of character because I think the lines got a little aggressive on some of those games.

I like the Raiders in that game. Now, the problem was, is I just, I did a bunch of parlayes. But I think early on, hammering big spreads, look at the Titans. They might tap out in a month because their defense play so hard, it's early on in the season. Hopes are high. You're 0-1. You're like, shit, we win this, we're 1-1. But when you're 1 in 7, it's hard to play with that same fury.

but early on in the season, I like betting dogs, especially because we don't know who's good besides some of the usual cast of characters. But I hear you. Yesterday was a bloodbath for the big favorites. Two questions. Your thoughts on the Connor Stallion's documentary.

I haven't watched it yet. I don't even know if I will, to be honest with you. I thought it was awesome. Maybe I should check it out, actually. If you thought it was awesome. Second, why does the NBCB team suck? Colt McCoy, Jason Garrett, really? Thanks.

I had a bunch of you. I want to get Colt on this podcast. I think he'd be pretty interesting. He just has had an interesting football life. But I know a lot of people have fired in my DMs and said he was pretty boring in the game. He did, was it two weeks ago? I think he did the Boise State Oregon game

because he did a couple of peacock games. Maybe he did the note. Notre Dame game. Now I'm confused in my teams, you know, my broadcast teams. But I do think the hard part for some of these guys that immediately quit football and then do that job is the energy that it takes to bring it. You know, it's understandable to not know how you sound because you've never been in that situation. There's a big difference between being in a press conference, being asked questions, doing a radio interview

where there's nothing on the line for you as a player, then just immediately transitioning to being the entertainment. I didn't watch Brady on Sunday, but by all accounts, he was much better, which I hope he is. I want him to be good. But I do think, like, we are all professional football consumers.

Like, that's what we've been doing our whole life. Yet for these guys, you know, Colt McCoy, Brady They've been playing In the NFL for so many years That like they don't watch football like we do Because the majority of their Sundays

They're not sitting at home watching the games And they're definitely not viewing it When you're playing through the lens of like How's this guy sound? They're actually looking like Oh, we play this team in two weeks I wonder what they're doing So it's a tough transition

It's why these huge personalities Madden, group Bruton, Barclay. It kind of makes sense that they're just good. They're just a mass. I was a huge, huge believer that Philip Rivers would have been awesome. Why?

He's a big personality. He's just a gregarious, aggressive, in like a PG way. He would have been awesome. But Drew Breeze is a good example. He keeps, and I saw this recently as like, I think I would be the best in the business if I got another shot.

Like, I don't know if you would, Drew. I really don't. Not because you're not a great guy, not because you weren't a great player, not because you know, you're a smart guy. But like, this is entertainment. You watch Collinsworth. One thing I've really noticed these last, Collinsworth is just, he's an entertainer. And that's what this is. The biggest television show in America now are football games. Millions of people are watching it. And that guy, while he has a tough job because he talks in little 10, 20 second increments, has to be entertaining and has to have a lot of energy. Like ultimately at this point,

Troy Aitman hasn't played in the NFL in 25 years. Well, you're Troy Aikman retire. 99, 2000? He's been gone for a long period of time. So there is a 24-year-old who's going to, I'm recording this part before Monday night. But every night on Monday night football, they watch us that never saw one snap of Troy Aikman.

I bet most people my age that are casual, football people have no clue what position Chris Collinsworth played or that he even played. By the time I was a kid, I never saw John Madden coach. It didn't matter though, because he was just a TV star. Think how many people on television watch Charles Barkley have no clue that he was one of the great players of his generation. It doesn't matter because he's a TV star. It's not his playing career at this point.

It's kind of irrelevant. He's entertained me. And that's his job. And he's great at it. So I think that's a problem for a lot of guys is like they get in the situation on television. And there's a time and a place for it. You go to Belichick's YouTube channel.

Like they're kind of getting nerdy. But like the casual fan doesn't need super nerdy. I want to be entertained. So you have to balance like telling me what's going on with a little pizzazz. And definitely you got to have energy. You got to have energy. If you don't, I'm not necessarily going to change the game

because this is not a podcast, right? I'm going to the game to watch the game. But who's calling the game is very additive. And if it's good, it makes for a really nice experience. NBC's got a good thing going right now. Love the show. Appreciate it. You're fact-based.

Some people would disagree with you. I'm a big 9er fan. Grew up in Modesto. That would be the Valley in California. and have family that are alumni for Fresno State. Go dogs. Question. In your opinion is Brock Purdy, a top 10 quarterback?

I feel like your boy on the herd, who I listen to a lot, and Nick Wright are always hating. Yes, he's a top 10 quarterback. But he's like the reality is, and this is why he's such a polarizing player, he's closer to 10 than he is one. I mean, he's probably somewhere between 8 to 10.

which if your quarterback or your head coach is Kyle Shanahan, you're in pretty good shape. If you give Kyle Shanahan the eighth, ninth best quarterback in the NFL, you're going to win a lot of games. I have what I think is an unpopular opinion. I would love to hear your thoughts. I think Anthony Richardson is just another Instagram quarterback like Justin Fields. Justin Fields, watched the last two Steelers weeks.

He's not playing bad. He looks better than he did with the Bears. Crazy talented, but he can't throw accurately, and intentional he just has huge splash plays and looks cool on social media. AR is just the newer version. What do you think? Beside two throws so far this season, he's been abysmal. He's been really, really bad. And I'm rooting for him.

And I'm guilty. I put out that throw on all my social media channels. because it was exciting week one where he threw it really far in the air off his back foot. But to lose that game yesterday and to look as atrocious as he did was pretty disheartening. And if someone who believed the Colts were going to be a playoff team, obviously their defense is not good right now at all. But you can't make the playoffs with that level of quarterback play. And Shane Steichen gets a lot of credit for what he did with Jalen, but Jalen had a lot more touch than Anthony. Richardson at the same time.

Now, he didn't have as big of arm, but he was a better thrower. Anthony Richardson against the Packers looked, man, really bad. Question for the pod. With week one seeing the fewest 300-yard passing games in almost a decade and the most 100-yard rusher since 11, do you think the league is turning back to being more running-back reliant, or do you think that can be contributed to something else? else. Well, I think the training camps being so watered down. You practice, you get an off day like basically twice a week. You can only practice three straight days. Most teams are not that

aggressive in terms of the pads. No one, for the most part, plays in the preseason. I do think when you look around the league, there are a lot of good running backs, like really good running backs. just watching football yesterday, think about, like, who played well. James Connor, really good player. Alvin Kamara, pro-bowl level player. The Vikings, Aaron Jones, pro-bowl level player. Jordan Mason, really good player. Josh Jacobs for the Raiders, high-end player.

Brian Robinson, really good player for Washington. I'm just thinking off the top of my head, some of the running backs. Cook for the bills Really good I just think most teams Feel really good about their starting running back So Maybe there's just been an influx of really good

Just solid running backs all over the NFL Most teams have good ones Right look at the Sunday night game DeAndre Swift's good player Joe Mixins got banged up in that game But he's a good player So I think if you just go around the league Kenneth Walker for Seattle

Stevenson for the Patriots It's like most teams feel pretty good, like my running back would start on most teams in the NFL. Even my most optimistic views for my Saints didn't have games like that on the bingo card at all. With the way Kubiak has the offense looking, combined with the way Dennis' defense has always and continues to look and to schedule with a trip week five to KC

for a little Monday night football. God, I haven't even looked ahead at the schedule. That is a good Monday night football game. Are we a sneaky one-seed contender? That's funny. I was texting with someone in the Saints world. And today, and I asked him, like, did you guys think you were going to be this good?

And he basically said, I saw a lot of potential in training camp. Our offensive system is too good. It's literally original Bill Walsh, West Coast offense. no additives or preservatives. I don't think defenses nowadays are used to that. We're not going to abandon the run. And I say this all the time about Kubiaks and the Shanahan's.

They're the same family. Gary Kubiak played for Mike Shanahan. Then he worked for Mike Shanahan. Was his quarterback coach and his offensive coordinator. Then Kyle worked for Gary. They are one in the same. And there is a small percentage of offensive coaches in this league that will stick with the run

and it makes it so much obviously you have to have success in the ground game but you have to like you can't abandon it and when you stick with it it wears out your defense and when you practice like that it hardened your defense and their defense was already good

so listen I didn't know Clint Kubiak I assumed he was going to be good he clearly has been better but if you can run the ball that well it makes it way easier on Derek who's proven if he's on good teams, he can function like, you know, somewhere between the 8th and 12th best quarterback in the NFL.

Obviously, he started really hot this year, but my point is, is run the ball. And when you can run the ball effectively, which the Shanahan's and Kubiaks won't just do they, will stick with. I say this all the time. McVeigh gets much more pass-happy. LaFleur is much closer to a Shanahan Kubiak.

Look at that game. The game against Indy was as Picasso. Ran for 260 yards. 260 yards. I think a lot of coaches would have still tried to have some of their passing plays work with Malik Willis once they had a little early success. We're just going to run the shit out of the ball. So, Saints, listen, you guys know where I stood on them.

I was high on them. I didn't think they'd be this good. Dennis Allen, Derek Carr, didn't think they'd be this good. You go in and curb-stomp the Cowboys like that in the home opener with Tom Brady calling the game. afternoon. Big fan. Thoughts on the Niners and Vikings game.

Even though it's stuck we lost, it's only week two, and I'm really worried about the Niners season moving forward. Definitely think we need to lose early in the season than later when it matters. Definitely think the O-line

needs to tighten up and Purdy getting sacks six times and I would like to see Purdy in those situations if you can move around. I also think it's a good lesson for a defensive coordinator and secondary, facing teams with good wide receivers. So I think we're still good looking forward.

Wasn't even a question. Debo Samuel has a calf injury and is going to miss several weeks, which is not ideal. Luckily, they're playing the Rams whose entire team is in the hospital. I don't think I can remember, I don't think there's been a team that's been as banged up as early as the Rams. I mean, they just lost in a two-week span Pooka Nakua and Cooper Cup. They can't afford to lose those two guys. Their offensive line was always already had a lot of moving parts, but to lose those two players?

How do they function as an offense? How much do owners and GMs pay attention to what fans are saying? Whether it be on radio, social media, or in public settings. The reason I asked because the Colts fans essentially begged Ursa to fire Gus Bradley, they of course didn't, and now he looks like one of the worst DCs in the league, this season. imagine letting 262 rushing yards in a half against a team that has Malik Willis a quarterback. Do owners listen to the fans? I think you have to separate listen in here.

I think coaches because of their work schedule, it's harder to read and listen to everything. Now, their family is going to, you know, if their wife's at home, their parents, their brothers or sisters are going to see a lot of the content. But their weeks are pretty busy, especially early on, right? Monday, long day, Tuesday, long day, Wednesday, long day. So by the time, they kind of come up for air and have a little free time, Thursday, Friday, everyone's kind of looking ahead. GMs and definitely owners have way more time. Their televisions are always on, whether it's NFL Network, whether it's McAfee.

Like I would imagine in basically every GM's office during the day, McAfee or Coward is on. And McAfee and Coward are on through the majority of the league on their televisions. And a lot of GMs listen to that stuff. And owners as well.

I would say owners are probably more inclined to listen to the local radio where GMs probably 50-50. They might be listening to podcast or whatever. But if you're in their position like you might just flip through

when you're driving around to hear what they're saying. So they hear everything. Now, do they listen to it or do they let it impact their decision? I would say not always. Sometimes for sure. Like, they know what's being said. Like, John Mara knows what's being said.

Jeffrey Lurie last year knows what's being said. It's unavoidable. Tell you this, scouts listen to it all. I have a technical football question for you. I have seen and heard you talk about the nonsense of calling timeouts in the third quarter instead of taking a five-yard penalty for delay a game. Well, that makes sense the majority of the time. I wonder if there is ever an exception.

For example, watching the Chiefs first the Bengals and Burrow took a timeout on third and inches inside the five-yard line. A five-yard penalty in that case changes a lot from a play-calling perspective. But you obviously don't want to lose a time out when this game will probably come down to the wire. if you are the coach, do you burn a timeout in this situation

or trust bro to make a play on third and five at the nine yard line? Thanks. I don't have the game book open right now, but let's just pick a score and I might be off on this, but let's just say at the time it was a one-point game. You're down one point.

I can live with taking a timeout in that situation. five-yard line, third and inches, one, you get a first down, you're more percentages are heavy on your side to score a touchdown. And a touchdown in that situation is enormous. Where I can't get behind, so I can live with that. It is difficult for me when it's like a 10-point game

and you are at the 50-yard line and you feel like you have to score to get back in the game where really, like, you're still going to get four positions left. You blow the time out. You end up punning anyway. And all of a sudden, you've given up a timeout. More than likely, you get a stop, you get the ball back, you're back in the same position.

I know a little time's off the clock, but it's like a 10-point game in the third quarter is not that big a deal. You're one big play and a good defensive situation away from being right in the game. And then all of a sudden, it's a three-point game with five minutes left, and you look, you've got one time out.

And let's face it, because of the two-minute warning, if you got the three timeouts in an under four or five-minute situation, you really got four timeouts in your back pocket because of that two-minute clock stoppage. I can make exceptions. Depending on the score

and depending on the yard line. So in your example, yeah, it's not the end of the world. But I also think then it puts extra pressure on like, we better score this touch. NFL adding another game. Not that one game dilutes the inventory that much,

but I've wondered if it would be smarter quality-wise to add another buy week for every team. And it gives them one more week of games without the wear and tear. The stadiums don't get another week of ticket sales, but TV gets another week to spread games out. It might help the money they put games on different weeks. days too. Yeah, I mean, I don't think it's a lock, because it's not if it's when, they add this 18th game that we get the second buy, even though everyone and their mother wants it to happen, all the players,

all the coaches, I don't think it's a lock. Elijah Mitchell was a six-round pick or something. He was. There were games, just like Jordan Mason, where he was getting 30 carries a game. Nobody else in the league asked their backs to do that much. Mitchell has what, bounced out of the league after too many injuries now? I question if the 49ers are being smart or even ethical, burning these guys out so fast to them, their cheap draft picks, and maybe these guys get their best possible NFL life this way. Any thoughts?

I think it's reflective of they got Christian McCaffrey, they paid him a bunch of money, and they ran them into the ground. and last year Jordan Mason was on the team and they refused to give him touches and Kyle in the first game at like half time was like yeah he's got a lot of carries like Kyle a lot of carries he had like 40 last year

he easily could have had 80 and Christian McCaffrey the Waring Territ now would that have avoided where he's sitting today I don't know in terms of McCaffrey's injury but they wrote him into the ground and I think Kyle really struggles with this is you can ride receivers, right?

I think when you ride running backs the way he does, it's hard. Jordan Mason said after week one, he looked at Christian McCaffrey in the locker room and said, how do you do this? It was one game. It's just, it's a lot to ask these guys. We're all around the league. People rotate backs.

I think the moment Kyle trusts one guy, he just won't relent. And I understand when you have Christian McCaffrey healthy, he's so good. But it's like you don't ask Nick Bosa to go every snap. Why are you asking this guy? Why wouldn't you treat him like some other position that you rotate? Receivers all the time get a blow after a couple routes. I know it's week two and I trust Sean Payton,

but I'm scratching my head after the Broncos loss. Granted, we have a tough start to the season and Bo is a rookie, but he made some solid throws today and the receivers could not come up with it. them. Then you have Sean Payton not going for the onside kick at the end, which makes no sense to me. Maybe I'm overreacting, but it's been a rough nine years as a Broncos fan. What say you? That was a rough watch. It was a tough matchup. I would not, if I did bet on that game, I was going to hammer the Steelers. I did not like Bo Necks against the Steelers defense. There was a visual that went viral of Sean Payton giving the play call to Bowen.

Nick's and like Bo Knicks had to call for it again and then look at his arm. I do wonder if Sean Payton is approaching this like he has Drew Breeze in year 10. Like shouldn't we dumb everything down for this rookie quarterback and make a soft landing to start? And then you can get aggressive as time goes on. And I do wonder if his offense is just too complicated off the bat for a guy who's making a second start of his NFL. career. Because think about this. And I'm not defending Bo Nix.

I thought for the most part he was really bad. He looked overwhelmed. Like I'm not acting like he's going to win the offensive rookie of the year anymore. He's got a long way to go. But if you're playing those guys and if you're Bo Nix,

you have to worry about Sean Payton's offense, which is clearly complicated, from a verbiage standpoint, alone. And then you're looking over there and you got 56 and 19, High Smith and Watt, you're like any moment I could be crushed. I got McGlinchy out there whose athletic ability relative to NFL players is not great.

And T.J. Watt is a high-end athlete and running circles around him. And I'm running around for my life. But I'm trying to worry about the... It's just a lot going on. And I wonder if Sean Payton just needs to kind of dumb it down. Take a deep breath. Question for the pod. And an apology.

I've noticed coaches mainly, offensive-minded coaches, taking notes on their play sheet after a play. Are they writing the success of the play? What the defensive tipped or showed? Whenever you made your prediction that the Saints would be good and maybe even win the division, I turned that episode off. And called you crazy. You were right.

I was wrong. We got a long way to go. but they're a playoff team. That's a good question. I'm having a former head coach on the podcast in the next couple days. I will ask them that question. I've obviously, I've never been a head coach,

I've never done that. My guess is a lot of different things. It might be as simple as that play, we've been running against a certain coverage, standing here on the sideline, it's not going to work. or I see something that they're doing that we should implement.

So make a note. Or just a big picture like so-and-so is not doing this right, but you don't really have time to like coach everything up in the moment. Or maybe just some big picture thoughts. Like, I hate the way we're coming off the ball. Or I don't think our nickel corner is lining up in the right spots on a certain coverage. Right? or our running back is not going to the right spot on a certain play.

I think it could be an unlimited amount of things. So I don't think it's just each play worked or didn't work. I think it would encompass anything you could possibly think about. Like so-and-so looks heavy. He's playing slow. We need to really harp on him about his diet. I bet there's nothing under the sun that, a coach hasn't written down because it's a note to himself so he doesn't forget maybe even

later that day it might not even be specific to that game it might be something that he wants to address on Monday to the team or to a player or to a position coach so I think it's just it probably encompasses a lot and I don't think it's just did it work did it not work It might sometimes. Like, I hate this play against this coverage. Or we should keep this in our back pocket. We should have ran this against what that look they're giving us when we go to, you know, five wide or, you know, whatever certain personnel groups.

The volume. 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, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their

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