The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 09/09/2019

Episode Date: September 9, 2019

Colin compares the Browns to the dumb guy who lectures everyone else about success yet has none of their own.  He doesn't think Antonio brown is a risk at all for the Patriots.  Colin explains where he was right and wrong over the weekend and there was a lot of both.  Plus, former Pro Bowl QB Michael Vick comes in studio to talk about Baker Mayfield's struggles and what he liked from Kyler Murray in his first start.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

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

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

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

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com

or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on Monday. A very Cleveland Monday. This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in Los Angeles. Iheart radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, one hour from now, Colin Wright, Colin

wrong. One of our better ones of the year. Plenty of both. Michael Vick this hour. Trent Dilfer next hour. Joy Taylor's joining me for a million reasons yesterday was so fun and zany and nuts and crazy. The whole weekend was all of those things combined.

Where do you even start? Let's start with the Browns. Let's start with Cleveland. You know my thoughts about this. I've said, I said I think Cleveland's going to be 9 and 7. They're going to struggle early. Then they're going to win a bunch of games late. And they'll be vying for a

playoff spot. That got me major pushback. From Baker, from Odell, from Cleveland fans, a franchise that's 1 in 16 the previous three years against playoff teams.

You know, the teams you've got to beat to get to the playoffs. My hot take, I think they'll struggle early, new coach, young roster, new parts, but I think they'll be pretty good at the end of the year

when they face bad, bad teams. yesterday was exactly what Cleveland deserved. You ever gone to a party, Thanksgiving dinner, a family gathering, and you have all sorts of interesting people you want to talk to and hear from, but you can't because the dumbest person at the party is also the loudest. Isn't that the way it works at the bar? The dumb guy is always the loudest guy, no success in his life, but has all the answers.

That's Cleveland. Their GM got fired, loudest GM in the league. Their quarterback had a losing record Baker, loudest quarterback in the league. They're fans, I mean a laughing stock, loudest fans in the league. It's the worst thing when you're around interesting people, and there's interesting conversations to be had over a glass of wine and a good meal, and dumb guy is loud guy. And so you drive home with your wife and you're like, yeah, that was awful.

The guy that shouldn't have been talking did all the talking. And you got what you deserved. There was two quarterbacks in the NFL yesterday, by the way, that embarrassed themselves. Not every quarterback had good games, but Baker, Mayfield, and James Winston, and are the same guy. Talent, not denying the talent. There's things I like about both, but in college, both showed really, really regrettable judgment. And as I've said many times in my life and many times on this show, you are at 19, what you were at 9. You just have facial hair if you're a guy.

You shave now. You have a girlfriend now. You don't change. And I think Baker's going to struggle and have days like yesterday his entire career. Bad judgment. By the way, this Cleveland team, the receivers wearing a $350,000 watch, how lit. But this team made a move. And everybody was falling in love with the OBJ move and the Olivier Vernon move

and the Sheldon Richardson move. This team made a move in March that I hated and all my sources in the league hated. They have a battle line and they traded away their second best offensive lineman to get Olivier Vernon. It made the papers that it was splashy, but this league is about details, and it was a terrible move. And Baker yesterday was under constant duress. And Baker's not that athletic, and he's not very big. And the good teams like the Chargers that faced him last year figured him out. Bull rush him. Hands up. He's small.

Your defensive ends are faster than him. He's not a great athlete. and this offensive line is bad and it can't over the course of this year become great. Okay, this problem is not going away. Now, do I think Cleveland will get better? And Baker will have great days and OBJ will have great days. And Freddie Kitchens won't be completely outcoats and out of sync. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

But this offensive line is the liability and their GM, the loudest GM in the league, traded away their second-mast offensive linemen, and nobody talked about it. just like nobody talked about the stuff that really matters in the NFL, like details and not getting penalties. And Cleveland yesterday. By the way, people say, well, Cleveland always struggles in week one. It's never this bad. 18 penalties? That's the worst since 1951.

Lost by 30. Even Cleveland hasn't done that in like 20 years. And by the way, there's plenty of teams in this league that are going to get better. I think Cleveland's going to be better this year. I think Buffalo is going to be better this year. I think San Francisco is going to be better this year. I think the Jets are going to be better. better this year. And I've said that for the last two months. But you don't hear Bill's

players and GMs and coaches and Jets players and coaches and San Francisco players and coaches talking about Super Bowl. They got what they deserved. This league will humble you. So come into it. Being humble and that drop in the embarrassment will not be as severe. Finally, yesterday, Freddie Kitchens, finally sounded humble. This should have been nine months ago. We've got a locker room full of disappointment right now, which we should have. That's not the way we want to be represented. We lost our discipline.

We lost our composure. But it's one game, and we're going to be tested. Adversity, you either, you take adversity and you either run together, run toward each other. or you run away. And I think we've got a bunch of guys are going to run toward each other, and we're going to be fine. Baker, three picks, pick six. That was dangerous.

Do yourself a favor. All you guys out there in life, less successful you are, thinner resume, shh, don't talk as much. Later in life, pad the resume, success, make some lettuce, got some wins, have a trophy, have a ring, talk all you want.

want. Cleveland, you had no business ever one time calling yourself dangerous. You were nothing more than interesting. And by the way, next four weeks, four good pass rushes against that Cleveland offensive line. They will be a good team by about week nine, but they got what they deserved. If you're not humble, the league will humble you. All right, that's a segue way to this. I'm going to talk about Steelers Patriots in about 10 minutes. Let's talk about the AB to the Patriots. Now, you know how I feel about AB. I think Pittsburgh eventually is going to be fine without him.

They're good at finding receivers. I think Oakland, AB was never going to work. It was a bad match. My takeaway on AB and New England, I will tell you. But first, of course, I'm going to show you the video. AB finds out. Many people thought he manipulated his way to New England. It was this sinister plan.

I don't really buy conspiracy. But this video was pretty funny when AB found out he was a All right, found out released by the Raiders. Now let's talk about New England and Antonio Brown. I'm hearing a lot of this. It's going to be Randy Moss. Oh, no, it's going to be a disaster. It's going to be Ocho Cinco.

I don't think it's going to be either. I do not think, I'll put it this way, is that I tend to believe a child psychologist, psychologist will tell you this. Your personality is formed fairly early and you don't move off it much, even if you wanted to move off it. A.B.'s rich. He's not moving off it. I think this will work for a year or two, and that's all Bill Belichick wants.

Bill Pellichick's paying him $10 million. And by the way, when he leaves, he'll get a compensatory traffic. This is really no risk. This defense for New England is so good. If A.B. X up, he's out. They're going to get to the AFC championship. Super Bowl, I don't know because of Kansas City. They're going to get to the AFC championship with this defense,

and Brady and Belichick. They're just going to get there. It's the best New England defense I have seen since the Teddy Bruskey Day. there's no risk here. We're not paying him anything. Julio Jones, a lot of people yesterday, I got a lot of texts from players and GMs, and they were like, this is bad for the league, it's bad for the league. And I'm like, not really. The winner this weekend was not AB. The winner this weekend was Julio Jones, who this morning got a $64 million check,

direct deposited into his bank account. 64 million. Ab made 10. He lost 20 million this weekend. Not a big winner. He went to a winning organization. My takeaway is this is going to feel like Derell Revis to the Patriots. I never felt Derell Revis was the Patriot DNA. But Bill needed him, and Bill had a roster he loved,

and Bill had an offense he loved, and he thought, I'm not losing a Super Bowl because I can't make a stop in the defense. And I think Bill Belichick looks at this defense and says, I'm not losing a Super Bowl because I can't go over the top and just outscore Kansas City. I think some of this is facing Patrick Mal Holmes. and I think Belichick knows this is the best and deepest, smartest defense I've had ever in New England, or at least in 10 years. I'm not losing to Patrick Mahomes in a shootout because I can't make one more play. And I don't think it's a huge risk. It's Dorel Reefus. It's mutually beneficial.

If the player AB leaves, they get a draft pick. If he doesn't, they keep him for a couple years. They're keeping him because he's giving you great production. Now, I do think AB's personality is different than New England's personality. He tends to be a little cocky, they're humble. He tends to be public. They're private. But I don't see it as a disaster, and I don't see it as Randy Moss. Remember, New England has done this. New England dates everybody.

They've married one, Tom Brady. They're Tinder, not E-Harmony. They date all sorts of personalities. Albert Hainsworth and Ocho and Randy Moss. They do this all the time. Small college schools, big college schools. Sometimes they have a guy Jamie Collins. He ticks them off.

They trade him to Cleveland. They get him back and he comes back and he's great. New England gets coaches to come back, Josh McDaniel. They get players to come back, Josh Gordon. This is what New England does. New England samples all sorts of personalities and relationships. Coaches leave and come back. Players come to New England, Josh Gordon, make a mistake leave, come back.

Jamie Collins, we had him. He ticked us off. He leaves, disappears. He comes back. They date. They're tender all the time. They've had one serious long-term relationship, Tom Brady. And only because Tom plays by their rules.

Tom takes a pay cut. Tom is coachable. Tom lets Belichick yell at him in public. This is what New England does. This is not shocking. It's not ruining the league. It's what they do. And there's a reason adoption agencies take so long with vulnerable kids going into families.

They want to make sure the family is right. And organizations win Super Bowls, not players. Organizations. organizations. NBA players win championships. NFL organizations do. A.B. is not worth a point. OBJ is not worth half a point. And this organization is amazing.

And this player tends to be dramatic, has moved a lot, would make a lot of teams vulnerable, sometimes himself feels vulnerable. But it'll work. It'll work. We all date, then we marry one. They've made a decision in New England, who their lifelong mate is.

It's Tom Brady. That allows them all sorts of opportunities to go on Tinder and check out new and fun. This is no big deal. I don't think it ruins the league. The winner this week was Julio Jones. AB wasn't even the biggest winner financially at his position. I think we tend to overreact. I think AB can make people uncomfortable who love the structure of the NFL.

And it makes a lot of people uncomfortable. He said diva. Sleaks had divas for 50 years. NFL, I've seen AB a thousand times. And it generally works the same way. T.O. Ocho, A.B. You didn't watch them in college. They come into the NFL.

And after about six years with their first team, you're like, oh, my God, they're all the time. And then go to a couple teams that doesn't work out. And then they eventually get somewhere Tio to Philadelphia. or AB to New England. And it kind of works for a couple years. Randy Moss was like DOA and then it worked. And then they kind of go back eventually in three or four years.

A.B. will be rich and, you know, kind of dramatic in A.B. But I think it feels like Dorel Rivas. Bill Belichick said, this team's too good. I'm not losing it because I have one week corner. And I think Belichick looks at this defense and says, I'm not losing the Super Bowl because I can't beat Patrick Mahomes. stop him and I just need one more big play and they got Tyreek and I don't have a guy that can equal that and I think Belichick's rolling the dice. I think it's smart. I think it'll work.

All right. There you go. Mutually beneficial. That's all relationships, right? They should be mutually beneficial. Both. And have a few compromises here and there. That's right. That's the world. It's called marriage. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. F-S-1 and the I-Hard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear.

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaders to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action

with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist.

Kier Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're free?

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, Keir 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.

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

Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the. iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defying the odds.

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

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

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

you get your podcasts. Dak Prescott looked very, very good. I've always said he's not Wence. He's not Mahomes. He's not Russell Wilson. But you don't have to be to get paid and win a lot of games in this league in Dak Prescott yesterday. Got a new coordinator. The rhythm of the offense was fast. But

I learned this a long time ago when I had my son. My daughter was different, but my son is somebody if you went on a long road trip, you had to bring some toys. You couldn't just ask my son to go in a six-hour drive in a car because he's not a big napper and just say, well, he's just disruptive. He's disruptive because dad, me, didn't provide the opportunity

or the support system for my son to succeed. That was on me, not on my seven-year-old son. You learned that very early that some of your kids will just take a nap for five hours in the car. my son's not one of those. So it is imperative for me to provide opportunities for my son not to be bored out of his mind or he could be disruptive.

Dak Prescott, he just needed some toys in the backseat a little bit. Now think about this. A year ago, he didn't have a Mario Cooper. He didn't have Ronald Cobb. He didn't have a healthy offensive line. Michael Gallup was a rookie.

And he had an old, stodgy offensive coordinator. and now end of the year he was seven and one last eight. You're giving him some toys here. Now you give him a receiver that's not a rookie and now Randall Cobb and now Jason Witten and now the O'Line's healthy and now it's Amari Cooper.

Not all quarterbacks. You can just throw into this league at hyper speed and not give him any help and say well I mean Carson Wentz was able to Carson Wentz is transformationally

talented. Andrew Luck took garbage and went 11 to 5. Mitch Trubisky needed help. Jared Gough needed help. Lamar Jackson needed support. He needed another wide receiver. Dak needed help. Like, listen, if you go to college,

do you remember your first year in college? I was on academic probation. It was so fast. I was just not, it was too much for me. I was having too much fun. I was partying. I was too social. I wake up and I'm like, I've got a 2-1. So that's the NFL to all these quarterbacks. Even the good ones, it's just fast.

It's just flying at you. Practice is harder. The games are faster. The windows are smaller. It's fast. Some guys, some young kids, you can take in a five-hour trip in the car, and they're just, they just put their little iPad, and they're just listening to music.

And then some, hey, you got to give me a little help. That's not wins. You're not my homes. Just need a little help. And they got him a coordinator. who just played in the game, who's young and thinks just like Dak. And they got him Michael Gallup and it needed time to bake. And by the way, he was 7 and 1 last year in the last 8,

when he got Amari Cooper, a smart, responsible veteran. They probably have a great locker room relationship. So this game is so overwhelming, so fast for all these young quarterbacks. 90% of them, they just need help. They just need time. they need a right coach. Jared Goff needed a new offensive coach.

Trubisky couldn't work with John Fox. It's better with Matt Nagy. Lamar needed some receivers. He got a couple. He looked great yesterday. The Wences and Mahomes are the exception. The support system. We always want to blame the quarterback.

What is the organization doing to help him? Because for the record, even the luck in Mahomes and Wences need help, but they can kind of masquerade it because they're all-time talent. Every time the Cowboys give Dak a little better support, he gets better. Every single time. And the coordinator thing yesterday with Dak, Kellen Moore,

a former player clearly is a massive upgrade in being comfortable. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Let's bring in Michael Vic, four-time pro bowler, 13 years in the NFL, one of the most exciting players in league history, a comeback player of the year, career rushing yards by a quarterback,

you still hold it over 6,000. I want to talk about DAC and Kellyn Moore, and I'm not taking a shot at all old coaches. Vic Fangio for Denver could work. But there is something to be said if you're a quarterback and you get a coordinator who just played, who just was in the...

So tell me about, what do you think about Kellyn Moore and Dak, What are those meetings and film sessions like? I think it's a positive fit. I think it's an open line of communication. I think he can relate to Dak, and I think that can relate to him. So, you know, when you play the quarterback position

like Kellyn Moore has in his career, it's probably times where he think about his career. And, you know, I wish I would have done this better. And if, you know, if I'd have had an opportunity to, you know, be put in this position, I would have made the most of it. And he see that for Dak. So I think the line of communication is open where they can talk about concepts. They can talk about what may work.

And it's nothing better than having a guy where you can talk to, can understand you, and put you in a position where you know you can be successful. That's what a confidence level comes from. That's what that looked the way he did yesterday. You always said that about Andy Reed, that Andy was the first real great offensive teacher you had. Teacher with an open line of communication to say, and you know what I don't like this coach I'm not comfortable with this and you know let's give this player a shot you know sometimes it's not easy when you have a coordinator who believes in certain things yes it's going to work and just give it a shot and so you're wasting downs you know this is very interesting

Kellyn Moore doesn't have a system Kellynne Moore as a quarterback and weapons that he wants to create a system so sometimes the older employee like I've got a way I talked to a buddy of mine who used to be a manager of people. He goes, I love getting college kids because I don't have to break any bad habits. I can teach him all their habits. And Kellan Moore doesn't have any bad coaching habits yet. Yeah, I mean, it's proven that Kellan is a good teacher.

The way they took advantage of the play action game with Zeke being back on the field and, you know, it looked like the Jazz was playing a lot of cover two, Tampa 2, and just the play action with Zeke was sucking the linebackers up and the tight ends and slot receivers, Randallel Callup, was getting behind the mic backer down the

middle. I mean, simple stuff that works. And sometimes that's all you need. And I think Keller understands that from being a quarterback that you have to sometimes dumb it down a little bit, do the things that's going to be efficient, put points on the board. Yeah, I mean, Tom Brady's been taking snaps for 20 years. For young players, there is value in simplicity

because it allows you to be, you can play faster. Right. Dak didn't look like he had to worry too much. I mean, it was like ball out, boom. It was such a quick rhythm off. It was quick rhythm. He was in a rhythm. The protection was great.

Having Zika was probably the biggest reason everything worked because you have to pay attention to him. And then you got Cooper, you got Gallup, you got Cobb. That's a lot of the game plan for it. And I know the New York Giants aren't as good personnel-wise, but still, this is the NFL. I mean, guys out there playing hard, but they're just getting beat. And that was a credit to the system yesterday.

The game plan beat the New York Giants the way they did. Should be noted with Lamar Jackson. You said you were concerned that he made. made himself too vulnerable last year. So they went out, they've been very smart. They drafted two tight ends. They got a running back. They went and got Mark Ingram.

They went and drafted two wide receivers. So like you, they're like, we like him, but running should be a clear fourth option. What did you make of Lamar yesterday? What did you see that you like? I mean, obviously, he threw for a zillion yards. Oh, man, it was an amazing performance about Lamar. I didn't expect that, you know,

But, you know, when you spend your entire offseason working on your passing game, working on your accuracy, spending time with your receivers, doing the things that you're supposed to do as a quarterback to make sure that when you step on the field, week one, you give your team everything that you can is show. And regardless of it was the Miami Dolphins, you know, it's still the NFL. They were on the-the-road. You still got a game player. You're on the road. Yes, you're on the road. It's not easy. It's week one. Haven't had a ton of reps in preseason.

and the game plan was just, I mean, it was stunning. Lamar didn't pull it down and run it too many times. You know, we don't see any running highlights. We see all passing highlights, and, you know, that's growth at the quarterback position. So, you know, obviously these game plans are probably changed from weekend and week out, but I think the Dolphins probably came in expecting something different

and they got served. I'll tell you something. You never hear about Lamar Jackson in the offseason. Every time I heard about him, he was practicing. Yeah. Nothing. All this organization done has support him, get him help. I never see Lamar Jackson is never distracted. Maybe he's doing commercials. They're not showing up in the channels I watch. That kid is focused. He's like Dak. His mom helping stay focused as well. He is all in. Let's talk about Baker Mayfield. Here's what I worry about. Baker's talented. I'm not denying that. Cleveland's offensive line is a problem. The GM traded away their second best offensive linemen to the Giants. I didn't get it. I don't think you trade. tradeaway elite offensive linemen, especially from young quarterbacks. And Baker's 5-11 and a half.

Baker's not Joe Flacco big. I got to tell you, I watch that offensive line, Michael. Baker better get the track shoes on. Let me tell you, the offensive line will be the reason you win or lose. I mean, especially down the stretch early on in the year, you see problems. They're correctable. You can fix them. but when you trade away guys who are like the staple, you know, the leaders of the offensive line,

the guys who, you know, maybe a young guy on the offensive line may lean on or look up to because of, you know, his abilities and where he stands as a, you know, pro bowl caliber type of player, man, it goes a long way. It goes a long way as far as those guys jailing and the continuity. Do you think offensive lines bad ones get worse as the season goes on? Bad ones get worse as the season goes on. And then, you know, you have a team opponent that looks at the tape and say, okay, they're weak in this area. We're going to attack, you know, we're going to attack this gap.

We know they can't protect the B gap, you know, in this type of formation. The game plan for you and things just get worse. I've been there. You know, we had a bunch of injuries in 2012 when I was in Philadelphia. On the old line. On the old line. And we just couldn't make up for what we had lost. And, you know, for a guy like Baker Mayfield who can be mobile at times,

but, you know, that's not his forte. It's getting the ball out quick. It's him. It's accuracy. And spreading the ball around. He needs that. If he don't have it, this is what you get. And then guys like Landry and Beckham, you know,

they're not even an asset to the team at that point. Yeah, think about this. The six or seven best teams in the AFC all have one thing in common. Chargers, Chiefs, Steelers, Patriots, all have pass rushes. Houston. Now, Houston may not like, have a great offensive line. The pass rushes in the AFC are real.

Tennessee, Jarrell Casey. So to me, Cleveland's weakness is the strength of the elite teams in the AFC, which is we're going to be, we're going to win one-on-one battles outside of the left guard for Cleveland. They don't have an elite lineman on their roster. That's such a downer because a team with so much potential. You can't protect. Game over.

Game over. You don't go far. All right, let's talk about Antonio Brown. You were in the league long enough 14 years. I never thought the Oakland thing would work because they're too dysfunctional for a dramatic personality. Pittsburgh, it worked, should be noted, for a long time. I think it works in New England for a while. It feels Dorel Revis.

He's great, mutually beneficial. I don't think it'll be Randy Moss successful. Could be. But my takeaway is, here's my question with you. if you're a Twitter guy and a social media guy and you go to the one organization that just ban... They don't tolerate it? They don't let their assistant coaches talk to the press.

Can he change a little? Well, I think Antonio is at a crossroads where, you know, he can read between the lines. You know, I think in free agency this year, there was a ton of teams who could have probably paid Antonio, Brungamere, he could have been an asset for him. you know, Antonio ends up in Oakland. And listen, not to knock Oakland, but when you go to Oakland, sometimes it could be guys' last stop.

By the way, Randy Moss went to Oakland and just shut it down. Yeah, shut it down. He's like, he shut it down, not going to play for you guys. It could potentially be your last stop. And I thought it would work with Antonio. I thought there was a team that really needed him. But, you know, now he's in New England. You know, the tolerance is going to be different.

Can he make the adjustment? I think this is where Antonio truly lives. leadership skills will have to come into play. You know, you have Tom Brady, you have Bill Belichick, you know, two guys in the NFL who, you know, just their presence, you know, can change, you know, the way you look at, you know, anything in life. You know, so I think Antonio is going to have to put the phone down. Andy Reid, you said Andy Reid did this to you. You matured. Yeah.

Andy had a heart to hark and said, Michael. Right. Okay. It's time for you to be an NFL very. veteran player. Yeah. And Andy Reed, because you respected him, changed you. Yeah.

Do you think Belichick looks at AB and says, here's my nine trophies or here's my six trophies? Can he change him? Yes. I think AB is going to have so much respect for Tom. Mind you, I've seen on plenty of occasions, A.B. and Ben interactions. And, you know, from my standpoint, my way of looking at it, I thought, and I felt like they

really had a good relationship. That's what I thought early. On the field, I mean, Tony was always smiling. He loved being, you know, if you asked me, and I know he'll feel the same way playing with Tom. A.B. is really happy when things are going well. He loved to win, but he loved to get the ball. And the one thing about, you know, the New England Patriots, they're going to find a way to make, you know, this acquisition work regardless. And if it don't, then we'll see. But I can't see a guy like Antonio as talented as he is with the rest of those guys, not coming into this organization and being successful in his own right.

For whatever role, they're going to allow him to play. I mean, they looked so good last night. It almost looked like, you know, why was this decision even made? But, you know, they got something up their sleeve like they always do. So I think he'll change. If it's two guys that can change him, it's Belichick and Tom. Kyler Murray running around, looked overwhelmed a little bit. I'm just going to hold off.

Detroit's got the fourth best defense in their own division. I'm not making any calls on this. He does look a little small to me, but he does throw an accurate football. Kyler Murray, any thoughts what you saw? Yeah, it took him a while to get going. And listen, I didn't expect him to come out and look like Patrick Mahomes in the second year. I knew it was going to be some growing pains.

Like I said yesterday, he has to learn on the job, and it took him three quarters, but he found a rhythm. Got it right, Detroit's not that good of a team. It was a good opening day for him. We'll see how he progressed. Do you remember your first NFL start? Yeah, I do. It was a disaster.

It was a disaster against the dad. Dallas Cowboys. Fast. Fast. Speed of the game was different. I played a little bit in week one, but it was like four or five snaps. I wasn't in total control, and I didn't have the responsibility of leading the team. But it was way too early for me.

I just wasn't ready. Yeah, by the way, that's okay. And these guys are getting opportunities to play as rookies, which means, you know, in three or four years from now, you know, he may be looking like Dak Prescott out there. I wouldn't be surprised. All right. Michael Vic, great stuff. 13 years in the NFL.

So, you know, it's funny, Michael, when you, Colin right, calling wrong, top of the hour, I want to go back to the Cowboys for a second. When I watch Dallas, here is my takeaway. Just in terms of, if I said, A to A minus players, Dallas has eight. Like when I watch all the teams,

I think New England's the most efficient team. I don't think they're the most talented. Yeah. When I watched Dallas yesterday, I can make the argument. They look like the most talented. team in the league? Is that crazy? No, that's not crazy. I was saying that last night. I mean, you got guys like

Michael Gallup emerging. And then I forgot about Randall Cobb. I seen him catch a pass in a flat and I see number 18. He said, you know, Troy Aikman says, Randall Cobb. And I'm like, what? Randall Cobb is on this team? You know, I mean, along with Amari Cooper and along with Zeke. And then you got

Marcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, Fander Ash. I mean, they got corners. They got they got defense alignment. They got two linebackers. It's probably the one of the top duos in the league. I think it is the best young duo. You watch them last night. The personnel department did an amazing job.

Unbelievable. Amazing job. People can say what they want about the Cowboys and their dysfunction. I'm just saying when I watch that team play in terms of A to A minus players, they got about 8 to 10 and not many guys, not many teams can say that. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand when

Ever you'd lie. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise.

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

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose.

On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you. conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Come on out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clipper. on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about Defying the Odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin

Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by,

like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get to fly. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out. real quick.

Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do it every Monday. I stand up. I'm right sometimes. I make big opinions.

Sometimes I'm wrong. Colin right, Colin wrong. On a Monday, as always at this time, here we go. Where Colin was right? I've been saying about Dak Prescott. There's a lot of different ways in the NFL to get paid at quarterback. Kirk Cousins got paid because of scarcity. and Jimmy Garoppolo got paid because of potential.

Dak Prescott's going to get paid because he wins football games. It's not a big armed talent, but he's good enough. And the other thing I kept saying all off season was, is anybody paying attention his last eight games once he got Amari Cooper? He was seven and one. Listen, man, you've got to give this guy some toys. If you go back to the first year, he had high-maintenance, Des Bryant. Now he's got low-maintenance Amari Cooper.

He had an old offensive coordinator. Now he's a former player, young offensive coordinator. They just keep giving him better weapons, and it seems to me every year that he gets a little toy here and a little toy there, he takes him, and he gets better. Most of these young quarterbacks, they say the light doesn't go on until year two. Year three, Russell Wilson, so it's year four. Dax's gotten better, it seems to me, in the last 10 games. We were right on that. Where Colin was wrong.

I would have not have predicted that Lamar Jackson would be setting records in the NFL his first started. year too. Some of it's the dolphins, but I think organizations win in the NFL, and I think organizationally Baltimore has done a really good job to support him, get him backs, receivers, tight ends. They've always had good old lines there. And he has really grown

very quickly. I didn't think Lamar should play his first year. I said it before, I said, sit in for the first year, teach him the offense. Baltimore's well run. They put him in late in the year. And when the Chargers played him the second time, they kind of unveiled him. But he worked his tail off in the offseason. You never

hear about him. He's never distracted. All I ever hear is that he's at practice, and I'm happy for him. This league, you know what I kept thinking when I kept watching this game? Oh, the Cleveland Browns think the Steelers are the only team they have to worry about in their division. You don't want any piece of this Baltimore offense because it doesn't look like anybody else's. They didn't even run him yesterday, and it was still lethal. Where Colin was right?

Freddie Kitchens, really, never been hired as a coordinator. And you guys think he's going to go totally. to toe with Andy Reed and Belichick and even the coaches in the AFC were not sure. Good coaches like Bill O'Brien, Mike Vrable. They win a lot. Like they went, Freddie Kitchens, 18 penalties, five sacks, three interceptions, an ejection, 43 points allowed. Come on, coaching manners in this league.

Is anybody paying attention to this stuff? By the way, Cleveland did not adjust. The Brown surrendered more points every quarter. So the coaching got worse. three, nine, ten, and twenty-one. That was a poorly coached team. It would be easy for me to just destroy Baker Mayfield today. He had no infrastructure, no support.

The defense got worked. That was a poorly coached team. Here's Delaney Walker, excellent, tight end for the Titans afterwards. We'll circle this game. This is just another game. We ain't worried about it. I'm going to tell you again, man. They were who we thought they were.

were. Y'all can crown them if you want to crown them. You still got to play football. That was perfect, by the way. Where Colin was wrong. I thought the Steelers were the best-looking team in the entire preseason. That was a mess. They didn't even really try to run the football. You know, it wasn't the penalties.

They only had five. You know, when are they going to face Tom Brady and figure out? You've got to mix up coverages. The back end look pathetic. Brady had plenty of time to throw. They didn't run the football enough. They looked disorganized. And I know some of this is, listen, New England's a bad matchup for Pittsburgh.

Brady just eats this, you know, defense alive. But if you'd have told me, I mean, Pittsburgh, I thought had a chance for an upset. And you were watching that game and you were midway through the first quarter and your thought, is this just another Tom Brady surgical effort against Pittsburgh? I think that's the worst of all the Pittsburgh losses in Foxboro. This one felt embarrassing. I mean, this was really, really bad. Where Colin was right?

If I had to hear Nick Foles is better than Carson Wentz another time. Listen, Nick Foll's a good kid, and he's coachable. He's got a pretty good arm. Carson Wince is a once-in-a-decade franchise draft pick. You know what Carson Wins is? He's a bigger, stronger Aaron Rogers. His release, the way he's a year. He flips the ball from different angles.

28 of 39, 313 yards. He's bigger, stronger, Aaron Rogers. And I feel terrible for Nick Foles getting hurt, but Nick Foles is not the kind of player, as I predicted. Foles, once he left a great organization and was going to be asked to carry a bad organization, he can't do that. That's not who Nick Foles is. Carson Wentz is unbelievable, not because of yesterday.

They watch the games, watch his release, watch his size, watch his arm strength, watch his velocity. There's a reason Philadelphia with the injuries, Howie Roseman's like, yeah, we'll sign him now and take our chances on his injuries. That kid's unbelievable. He and Foles are not even in the same sentence. Where Colin was wrong.

Never been a big fan of Ed Orgeron. Great guy, never felt he kind of had the it quality to be a head coach. But Ed Orgeron at LSU, I think they may be the best team right now in the country. Ed Orgeron figured out, here's what I'm not. And he gave the offense over. And LSU can finally, for the first time and a long time, throw the football.

They went and hired a guy named Joe Brady from the Saints. And they said, Joe, just run our passing game. LSU always have athletes. They always are fun to watch. But you're always like, if you make him throw the ball, they're weak. This LSU team can throw the football. and Ed Orgeron, I think he kind of figured it out. Listen, I've said this about myself.

I got, I thought, pretty good in this business when I figured out what I wasn't and stopped trying to convince myself, I was stuff. And Ed Orgeron, like, listen, I coach defense, I recruit, people like me. I'm going to give the passing offense to somebody else. And LSU looked fantastic. Where Colin was right. Said before the draft, the one player in the draft I knew would not bust was the tight end from Iowa. Now, I know I rip Iowa football all the time.

I love their tight end. I said the Patriots said trade picks and go get T.J. Hawkinson. He said he had six catches, 131 yards. It was the greatest first game ever for a tight end in the NFL. And tight ends a position where rookie tight ends can struggle in this league. He is unbelievable. This is the player I said of all the first round players. The only one that I knew would come in and be super productive was him.

I have had two scouting directors tell me in the last year. If New England gets him, it'll be unfair. He is gronged, but I think he's faster. So T.J. Hawkinson is about to appeal off about 10 years of Pro Bowls. Where Colin was wrong. This Chip Kelly thing, thank God the Tennessee volunteers are higher profile and worse. UCLA lost to San Diego State at home. They played him 22 times and never lost.

They got a quarterback right now, and Chip Kelly's offense is highly dependent on the quarterback and he's not a thrower. He may be a good leader and a runner. He's not a thrower. They're a mess. They haven't played a Power 5 team yet. They were humiliated by Cincinnati, beaten at home by San Diego State. And again, this is going to be a long, slow build, but his offense is so predicated on the quarterback, and I just don't think they have the guy at quarterback that it is, and between the Niners and the UCLA job, he has had a bad last 30 games. where Colin was right? I said Melvin Gordon, I love you, and I think you're a good guy.

But this is not a good holdout. Fire your agent. This is not a good holdout. The Chargers have Austin Echler and Justin Jackson, and Echler is a dog, man, he can play. And yesterday he was unbelievable. And listen, I like Melvin Gordon, and I think he's going to come back.

But he gave up money. He's never going to get back. And if you look, since Anthony Lynn took over for the Chargers, Everybody runs for four yards of carry, and it's not even a good offensive line. The Chargers O line is the weakness of their team, but Anthony Lynn is a power coach with a presence. They run the football well, and Austin Eckler's a very high-end backup. A lot of times with these holdouts, it's your leverage. Who's my backup?

How bad do they need me? Melvin Gordon's a good player. He is not for that offense and that position I have to have to win. lots of games. Melvin, come back. You're a good player, but in this situation, the longer you stay out, you're going to have less and less leverage. Where Colin was wrong. This morning, Andy Dalton leads the NFL in passing yards. I don't know what happened. A.J. Green didn't even play. They faced Pete Carroll's Seattle defense, and Andy Dalton leads the NFL with 418 passing yards.

And Cincinnati, for the record, has maybe the worst offensive line in the league. And Andy Dalton leads the NFL in passing yards. I don't have a lot to say about this other than I don't know what happened. Now, I did not watch every snap of this game. There may have been something that happened with the weather that projected the ball down the field for 100 yards several times. I was wrong on this. I never thought I'd see this. AJ Green did not even play.

Andy Dalton leads the NFL in passing yards. Where Colin was right? I told you Thursday, the story was not going to be Aaron Rogers. It was not going to be the Bears defense. It was going to be the Packers defense. How Washington could let Green Bay get Preston Smith is beyond me. The last two years, the Packers have drafted excellent defensive players. They've made it a priority.

They've gone attracted and acquired smart, mid-level defensive players. Preston Smith, they drafted Darnell Savage. Green Bay this year is not going to. going to be just the Aaron Rogers story. In fact, I think he and Matt LaFleur will grow over time. This is the first top 10 defense Aaron Rogers has had since his Super Bowl team. It will be the story at least early this year for Green Bay. Where Colin was right. Odell Beckham never wanted to go to Cleveland. It was not good for his brand. So I believe Odell Beckham is trying to make branding a bigger part because he got some freebies in New York. So he bought an orange

in the off season. That wasn't about football. That was about, I'm in Cleveland. I'm still America. I'm still here. This weekend he wore a $350,000 watch during the game. This is what I worried about O'D O'D Beckham. Not that he isn't a good football player.

But he has a house in Hollywood, a condo in New York, and he vacations with supermodels in Paris. Cleveland was not ever a perfect destination. And if Cleveland loses, then he's on a bad team, and nobody's talking about him. So he is going to make

several brand plays while he's in Cleveland. And they don't exactly relate to the masses in Ohio. $350,000 watches and Orange Bentley's. I don't like this. It's not the end of the world. But he didn't have to do the Bentley thing and advertise it. He didn't have to do the watch thing in New York because it's New York. You get talked about

because you're in New York. Watch this carefully. As if Cleveland struggles, OBJ is still a loose. player, but now in a city that even in the Midwest, nobody talks about. This could be ugly. This could unravel if the Browns go one and four, and nobody's talking OBJ. Colin right, calling wrong.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest.

SNL's Mikey Day and headwriter 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.

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

Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast. Point Game, the playoffs.

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game 7, Marquis come in to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.