The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 09/25/2018

Episode Date: September 25, 2018

Colin says the Steelers are still a talented mess just like they have been for the past few years. He reveals his top ten teams in the NFL and it doesn't include one team for possibly the first time ever. Plus, Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce tells Colin about playing with Patrick Mahomes and why their offense is so special. Presented by Perky Jerky. 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,

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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 SportsRodio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by search.

heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah! This is the herd, wherever you may be. However, you may be listening. Live in Los Angeles, Steeler

Colors on. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1 in one hour from now. We bring out a Tuesday staple, the herd hierarchy, the top 10 teams in the NFL. After Monday night football is completed. Joy Taylor is back. Little under the weather yesterday. Still slightly under the weather today. The voice is not 100% back, but I like all the black and yellow though.

Yes. It's about time they won a game, huh? We both have our steeler from Pittsburgh, of course. You know, I want to start, I'm watching the Steelers last night. They're one, one and one. Their win was exciting. Their tie was exciting and their loss was exciting. Is that when you try to change people, that's when it gets frustrating. Don't try to make a Republican more liberal or a liberal, more conservative. You women out there date the biker guy, stays up late at night, the rock star. That's who you're married.

Don't try to change him. Then you'll get frustrated. And all you guys out there, the pretty girl, you flirted. Other guys will. That's the downside. Don't try to change the world. When you try to change people, that's when it gets frustrating. That's when you and I get angry.

Get into a relationship with people and understand this is what they are. This is what they are. Pittsburgh Steelers last night. This is what they are. They win and they drive you nuts. They tie and they drive you nuts. And they lose and they drive you nuts. Big Ben once again saved the Steelers.

Dysfunctional, 13 penalties over 150 yards in penalties. The defense gave up over 450 yards to Ryan Fitzpatrick. They pinned Tampa at the one at one point and got a penalty because a player was yelling with a ref. And here's Big Ben to essentially save. the game because this now is what they are Ben saving the dysfunctional mess known as Pittsburgh.

Second 10. They will pass. Ralthusberger. Sidearms. What a play. Classic 13 yards. What a gutsy play by Ben. Yeah, and that's classic Pittsburgh.

They can build a 20-point lead and they can lose a 20-point lead. They have the most penalties through three games in two decades in the NFL. That's who they are. super talented. And if you can't spot it, I can't help you. If you don't think this team, and a lot of it goes on Mike Tomlin, you got players barking at the refs as you're pinning them deep at the one, you got to be kidding me. And by the way, New England, their brand is smart and efficient. Pittsburgh's talented and dysfunctional. And if they're still driving you,

when I turned in that game last night, I got home, my wife's like, anybody good on Monday night at football. I said, oh, it's the Steelers. They're always fascinating. They are the roller coaster ride to the NFL. They're fun. They're exhilarating. And when you get off it, you're a little sick to your stomach. And just come to terms with it. It's not going to be easy. They're

going to give you a dozen penalties a game. They've got players squawking at people. Sometimes they don't look well-coached. I mean, just think of what they offer you that nobody else says. Mike Tomlin is the best sound bite in the league. And Antonio Brown is the best perimeter

player in the league. And Big Ben is the best flag football quarterback, make it up as you go, quarterback in the league. And they have the most penalties in the league. And they have the most outspoken players in the league. And they're the only team that has a player off to the side barking with officials as you pin Tampa at the one in the league. This is what they are. In the last 10 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, nine have been decided mostly because of their dysfunction and their talent by five points or less. Now, why does that matter? Because some of those have been against good teams.

And then some of those have been against winless Cleveland and the Brett Hundley Packers. But Jacksonville was a one-point game and playoff Kansas City was a one-point game and New England was a five-point game. And this is what they are. And you just, when you start trying to make a conservative liberal and a liberal more conservative, you get frustrated. You yell and scream, people are what they are, and the sooner you can come to terms with it and accept people and teams and coaches and players for what they are. Look at this. Since 1950, this is funny, the most penalties through three games, and the Steelers are one of the four most penalized teams.

Last night, that's exactly what I expected. My wife asked, we're going to watch the game? I'm like, oh, oh, God, yes. They tie fun, they lose fun, and they win fun. And that was terrific, wildly entertaining television. Big Ben saved him again. Jared Bell, Robert Woods, James Harrison, and the great Travis Kelsey will be joining us. He will be joining us in about 20 minutes. One hour from now, a little less, the herd hierarchy.

So LeBron held his first press conference yesterday as a Los Angeles Laker, certainly not his first in the league. And what's interesting about this experiment for LeBron James, he is, as I'm looking at all the photos and stuff, he is surrounded by two groups, kids and castoffs. That's what this is. Kids and castoffs. And I'm watching all the shenanigans, the laughs and all the pictures. I was thinking, I'm looking at the pictures and I'm thinking, who's going to be his best friend on this team? the kids are the castoffs or Luke Walton. But I want you to look at one of the team photos. I want you to look at this picture.

Lonzo, LeBron, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram. Let's put this up there. They look like kids. They're skinnier. They're not as developed. Any of those guys going to be his best friend? Now think about this in the NBA. Three teams can win the championship this year.

Overwhelmingly, Golden State, Boston, and Houston. Then there's about 10 teams of which the Lakers are one of them that should be good, but they have no chance at a title. Some will be really good. Some will be good. Some will be sort of good. Some will be just slightly less than good. LeBron has not been in the spot he is in now for 12 years, where he has no chance to win a championship.

He is the only star on the roster, and he is essentially a mentor to a bunch of C and C plus players. Now, remember, he hasn't been in that spot for 12 years. And the last time he was in that spot 12 years ago, he was very, very frustrated and eventually held a press conference and said, I'm going to Miami, a mentor to C&C Plus guys. And I would say the gap between Golden State and the Lakers is the gap between the Grand Canyon and here in L.A. Laurel Canyon.

It is massive. And you know how they say? a picture says a thousand words. You've heard that before, right? A picture says a thousand words. Now, I want you to think about that because I'm going to play a soundbite from LeBron James yesterday. He was asked about being the old guy, and he had a funny comparison. This is via the official Lakers podcast.

You've got the young guys who may be generationally, you know, it's different than you. And some of the older guys that have been around the league are known. kind of big personality guys. Who do you think you might connect with most off the floor? More like the godfather. You watch the godfather and you see how Don Crowley on throughout this whole entire life was just setting things up throughout this whole life

to know that at the end of the day, Michael was going to take over, take over the family and nothing was going to ever stop. This is the Lakers. The 16 banners up there. They only know winning. And that's what it all comes down to. And you don't want to be freight of. No, nobody wants to be freight on.

I'm smart too, Mike. I'm smart. I want to go back to the picture. Because as I'm watching the Lakers yesterday, they're doing all this, you know, kind of nonsense, kind of team photo stuff. But I do think pictures matter. And, you know, that's the Laker picture. I mean, they look like kids. So I want to put up arguably the greatest team of all time.

I want to put up on Photo Day one of their pictures. These are the 95-96 Bulls. That is Rodman on his third team. Michael Jordan and Pippin. Those are men. When you look at that picture, is it me or is this the music you instantly think of? That's a bad ass trio.

When you look at that picture, you're looking at men, fights, anything to win, been through the wars with the pistons, Celtics, tackled by Rick Mahorn. When I look at that picture, that is the music I think of. Dramatic, big games, men, physical. Now I want you to look at the Laker picture with LeBron and the kids. And this is the music I think of, our children.

LeBron, good luck. Kyle Coosma would like a snow cone. Brandon Ingram wants a vanilla sandwich. And, um, I like the baseball mat. Oh, Chaco Taco Taco. Lonzo, yeah, he likes that. Yeah. So that's what it takes to win in the NBA.

What it takes to win championships in the NBA is the Bulls music and men. Just lower expectations. That's what you're dealing with here for the next 12 months. LeBron, a mentor to C&C plus players and cast off, kids and castoffs. lower expectations. I think this is going to be a good team. One of about 12, with no chance, though, to win a championship. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

There's a story out today, and I have a feeling it feels like it could happen sooner than later. There's a story out there that the Pittsburgh Steelers, this has been documented, are shopping, Levian Bell. It'd be hard to bring him back into that locker room. There are two teams, one that has been reported, the Jets are interested. I believe so are the Colts. Because I think in both instances, the teams desperately need weapons. The Jets really have one of the league's worst running back tight-end wide receiver situations

and a bad O line with the rookie quarterback. Outside of T.Y. Hilton, Andrew Luck did not have much to work with. He just doesn't. Their defense is actually playing well. So it's interesting, and I read this quote, on why the Jets may want to wait to get Lavian Bell. This is from CBS Sports.com. The writer says a trade would be complicated

because he'd be nothing more than a one-year rental. It might make more sense for the Jets to wait and target him in the off-season when he becomes a free agent. Really? Let's just sit back and wait. Here's something that's happening all over the world. Aggressive wins in politics, Donald Trump. Aggressive wins in business, Amazon. And aggressive wins in life.

You got to ask the pretty girl out first. And aggressive is winning in sports. Who's aggressive in the NBA? The Warriors. They want a title. Let's get better, Kevin Durant. We want another title. Let's get better Boogie Cousins.

The Rockets. Let's go get Chris Paul. Let's go get Carmelo Anthony. The L.A. Rams. We've already got Aaron Donald. Let's go pay for Indomicon, Sue. Marcus Peters, Akib Talib, Sam Shields. Let's get Todd Gurley's contract wrapped up a year early.

Brandon Cooks, we already have good receivers. Let's get another. By the way, the Boston Red Sox, David Price, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale. I'm not saying nice guys finish last, but they generally finish third in the AFC East. You may not finish last, but aggressive is winning in politics. It's winning in business. Yeah, Facebook gets pushback. Yeah, Trump gets pushback.

Aggressive's winning. We have a fragmented world, a million choices. The aggressive companies, the aggressive people, the aggressive teams are winning. Okay, here's three reasons why the jet should go after Lavian Bell. They don't have any offensive weapons right now. Pro football focus rates their offensive line, their running backs, their tight ends, and wide receivers among the worst. They have a ton of cap space.

They could use a great running back, pass rush or corner. They don't pay Sam Darnold anything. And third is, he'd also be their best receiver. Dude had 85 catches last year. So this idea that you can sit back and wait, it makes no sense at all. The Colts want him and they're going to offer something and the Jets are going to sit back. You're not paying Sam Darnold for the next three to four years. This is what the Eagles did.

This is what the Rams did. When you're not paying your starting quarterback, you go all in on assets. and it's a position of need. You have a ton of cap space. You've already got your defense mostly solved. Jets have a good defense. Jets have good special teams. They have no weapons.

By the way, Kansas City was aggressive two years ago. They traded up to get Patrick Mahomes. How's that working out for them? Buffalo this past year got picks, gave up picks, traded up to get quarterback Josh Allen. Do you watch this weekend? Looks like they got their franchise quarterback.

So if you're going to listen, I'm not saying education doesn't matter. I'm not saying always be hyper aggressive. But if you look at what's happening in politics, in business, in life and in sports over the last four or five years, if you got the money, spend it because it creates a momentum. Players now want to play for the Warriors and the rockets and the Rams and the Eagles and the Red Sox. The Jets out there going, hey, Levy and Bell, we take care of Star, here. Oh, well, maybe that left tackle who's on the fence is like, oh, wait a minute. I can block for Lavian Bell and the free agent center on the market. Oh, really? I like the Sam Darnold.

And I got Lavian Bell in that defense? I mean, Brady's not going to play forever. Create momentum. And you do that by being aggressive. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search her to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. With the advent of Facebooks and Instagram, or as Bill Belichick calls it, Snapface, we have what I would call a pile on culture, is that we build up celebrities, and then the minute we can tear them down, we just, everybody piles on. It's very easy to go on Twitter and pile on people.

It's very hard to go on Twitter and social media and have a contrarian voice and support the guy who's getting crushed or the woman. And so last week, I bet $1,000 on a regular season football game. I've never done that. And then I put the pick into a suitcase. And then we unveiled the suitcase after the game was over. And it just so happened that I had picked the Cleveland Browns minus three. So I won $1,000.

Now, I didn't know Baker was going to play. But I thought we had so much fun doing that last week. is that I'm going to do it again this week, but I'm not going to be mysterious. I'm going to be completely up front. Because Baker Mayfield won me money. His new name on this show is Baker, Baker, Money Clip Maker. Baker made me money. So I thought instead of a mystery, people were so into it, let's just bet Baker Mayfield's game this week.

Now, I want to go back to my belief on what has happened with the amplification. of media in America, the Facebooks and the Twitter and Instagram, is that what we do now is we overreact to everything. We either oversimpathize or we over-criticize. Right now, Baker Mayfield is getting all this love. Cleveland has now won one of their last 20 starts. One of their last 20 starts. at home last week against a rookie quarterback making his third start in 11 days against a very, very good Cleveland defense and the Jets have absolutely no weapons.

In fact, if you go back to that game, the Jets led in the third quarter, six minutes left, 14 to 3. Sam Darnold had just dug the Jets out of a hole and completed a first down pass. if this hadn't happened last Thursday, the Jets might have won. Here's the play. There's a nice throw and catch. And a first down, but the ball is out. Anderson made the catch, and Denzel Ward, the rookie, takes it inside the 10.

Just took it right out of his arms. That kid can play. And another takeaway by this Cleveland defense. If that does not happen, and Robbie Anders, knee, which was this far from going down, goes down. It's 14 to 3 Jets. They have a first down. The Browns don't get the ball.

An easy three points. They couldn't move the football. And the momentum in the football stadium completely changed. It would still be Jets ball. They would have a first down. Maybe they got another first down, second down. And they punt the ball and Baker gets it deep. And we're entering the fourth quarter.

and maybe they don't get that comeback and miraculously at the end score with a minute and a half left. It's very possible that happens, right, or two minutes left. That is not to say the Browns didn't deserve it. That is not to say the Browns didn't deserve it. I am in no way saying the Browns didn't deserve it. What I am saying is this is the amplification of media. So the Browns this week are going to the Oakland Raiders for their first win in 20 games. Let's look at the Raiders.

The Raiders have led every game this year going into the fourth. The best team in the league so far looks like the Rams, they led them going into the fourth. They also, and it's tough to beat the Denver Broncos in September and Denver. They've won 32 of their last 35 games, first two weeks of September. And they led them going into the fourth. And Miami's undefeated. And they led them going into the fourth.

We are over-criticking John Gruden in the race. Raiders. They are not a hapless 0-and-3. They've got a star quarterback. They are now at home. They could easily be two and one. They weren't as good as the Rams. That is clear. But the Rams are dismantling everybody so far and are favored by a touchdown over the Vikings this week. So you have two things going on. We're falling in love with Baker, who the Jets had no film on, played half a game. Sam Darnold's third game in 11 days. Great Cleveland defense. Bad Jets weapons.

Now you go on the road where everybody is telling you, oh, yeah, Gruden's a stiff. He can't coach. Look at the Raiders next eight games. Play the Niners without Garoppolo. Play Arizona's Josh Rosen, the rookie. They get a buy. Colts at home.

Cleveland at home. So here it is. Fun for everybody. Baker, Baker, Money Clip Maker. I am going to give you a blazing five pick early. The line is currently two and a half. That is the line I get to use. That is the line.

I'm not, I'm taking the line now. I've never done this. I am going to take the Raiders minus two and a half at home against Cleveland. I get to use that line. If it changes, that's somebody else's problem. But that's the line I've bet, my $1,000. The thousand I won with Cleveland, not knowing if Baker would play, I'm going to take the Raiders at home, this woebegone 0 and 3 team with this coach who doesn't know what he's doing against the amazing Baker-Baker money clip maker. So there's my bet, never done it before.

There it is. Raiders at home minus two and a half. Lock it in, baby. Lock it in. So excited. I'm so excited. This is how it starts, Colin. What, gambling degeneration?

That's how it begins. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Well, they are the talk of the National Football League, the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reed, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey, Kareem Hunt. They are a firework show. And without further ado, six years in the league, already a three-time pro bowler. I said it about two years ago, two, three years ago, I said, forget Gronk. He gets hurt.

Who's Travis Kelsey? I didn't watch a ton of his college games in Cincinnati. He is joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network. Holy Lord, I watch this offense. So you've got to tell me, Travis, was there a moment when you first saw Patrick Mahomes? Was it a practice? Was it screwing around?

Was there a moment when you went, oh, oh, he's good. He's really good. When was that moment with this kid? I mean, off the jump. Off the jump, every single practice, he's throwing at least one or two that are eye-opening. There's not an 80-yard pass that goes around. that is an eye opening.

And he's throwing a couple of those in practice. So, I mean, there have been kind of areas throughout the preseason last year, the preseason this year. But it wasn't until the bullets were flying in a real game against the Chargers where he threw a pass to Tyreek Hill. Tyreek took it to the house that I was all right, everybody put your seatbelts on. This thing's real deal. By the way, the offense, you were a star in high school in college, in the NFL.

But is this the most fun you've had ever playing football in this offense? I mean, these first three games, I mean, it's unbelievable. Everybody on the offense really on the team keeps looking around like, man, we've never been a part of anything like this. And sure enough, all we know is just to keep coming into work, hacking away at the fundamentals, listening to Coach Reed, who challenges us on every single area of the game. And it's fun. It's fun right now. We just right now we're focused on getting better every single week.

Your brother, Jason, won a Super Bowl and did one of the great speeches in league history, and he's wearing a mummer's costume. It's part of a kind of a Philadelphia thing, right? I want to play the tape. We can watch it individually here. This is your brother. I'm just a media guy, but let's watch the tape here. So when you are watching your brother,

What is your takeaway on that? I mean, that's classic Jason. That's classic Jason. If you know Jason, you've heard one or two of those speeches like that to where he gets just a little bit intoxicated and starts speaking from the heart, man. I think he was prime. He wasn't hammered. He was prime when he was doing that one.

I don't know if you saw it. He was walking down the street grabbing beers from fans. So, I mean, it's just, it's prime Jason Kelsey at his finest, you know, grasping the moment and letting everyone know, you know what I mean? It's the hungry dog runs faster. You know, Travis, it used to be the NFL was more buttoned down, but OBJ just got an NBA contract. The Philadelphia Eagles, the Seahawks, yourself, Grunk, personalities now.

I mean, you probably grew up in a generation where you listen to the coach, you didn't do a lot of talking, but the NFL, to me, is in a really good spot, where stars are allowed to be stars. I'm not saying if you guys win, you have to wear a mummer's costume. But you let your personality out a lot. Has that always been who you are? Always, man.

And you know what? I think Coach Reed fuels that on this team. He tells everybody, let your personality show. Because that's when you're yourself. That's when you're at your best. And I think it's something that the NFL wants to see. You know, they want to see guys get out from these face masks, these helmets and show their personalities because of how it's been a success in other sports. Yeah, no, I totally agree.

I think this is something the NFL was uncomfortable with for a long time. Now, I've got to ask you about the offense. Mahomes is very good off script, rolling right, throwing. How much of the Chief's offense and these big plays are on script? Because sometimes, Travis, it looks like Sandlot. much is off script for you? I mean, it's huge. It's a huge part of Pat's game, being able

to elaborate on plays and being able to instinctually make decisions when the play breaks down to go out there and just play football, play backyard ball. I mean, the past that Chris Conley against the 49ers is a huge example of that right there. He threw an absolute dart to play, he breaks down, and that's when Pat's kind of at his

best because he still feels very, very comfortable in how he plays the game. even when the play kind of breaks down or turns into something that we weren't expecting it to. I talked to Michael Vic yesterday, and he said, he said literally, I've never had a coach. I would go to bed at night, and I could visualize how the game would turn out. Michael Vic told me, goes, I'd never had a coach like that. Take my audience in, because I've known Annie for a long time. I've been saying this for years.

He was one of the first NFL coaches 15 years ago to say, you know what, we can throw the ball on third and two. I'm going to use the tight end. I want stars. How does Andy Reed elevate you? Because you could have ended up with a stoic coach who was a defensive dude. What does Andy do for your game? I don't have the same success anywhere else. I mean, Coach Reed, he's helped me develop as a professional, as a past catcher in this league, as a run blocker.

Overall, just a football player and the mentality you have to have. He puts everyone on the offense all over the field. and he presents matchups for you that you don't get everywhere else. I mean, it's something that I've definitely been blessed to have Coach Reed and be a beneficiary of this offense and how he schemes. Your family must have been fun. Oh, man, it's... Your family was, were they partiers?

What's the whole backstory here? I think we got a party bone in us. I didn't see too much. I didn't see too much of my mother and my father party in growing up. out, but I know once me and Jason got into the life, we hit it pretty hard. You do. By the way, only at Amazon.com, Old Spice Beard Collection, designed to help guys achieve the soft nurse. Touch that beard.

Look, that's a beautiful, that is a well done. Between you and Ryan Fitzpatrick, look at that. You should be proud of that. I am. I'm very proud of it. I'm happy to be with Old Spice because they're the only reason why I really grew this thing out. It was an itchy and un-groomed beard before I got to them. And sure enough, they got this thing looking pretty dapper if I might say myself.

By the way, Goulet, look at John Goulet on our staff. John Goulet, your beard looks... It's not as good. It's not as good. It looks bristly. It looks like you just dipped it into soup. And then look at Travis Kelsey's beard. It's luxurious.

It's handsome. It's soft. Old Spice. Way to go. Rock it out. I got to tell you, Travis, you're so much fun to watch. That offense is ridiculous. Mahomes is great and humble.

And Andy Reed's one of my favorite guys. Keep crushing it. You're having a great year. and I love watching your play, man. I love listening to you, big guy. Appreciate you having me. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Heard hierarchy.

Time is now. Let's go. The top 10 NFL teams, according to college, number 10. My staff pushed back strongly on this, but I'm going to give the Miami Dolphins some love. They lead the NFL in picks. Their defense is top six. But here's what's really impressed me with the Dolphi. Dolphins. We know what's happening in the NFL right now. Quarterbacks that get offensive-minded

head coaches are flourishing. Ryan Tannahill has won 10 of his last 11 starts. I want to say that again. Ryan Tannahill has won 10 of his last 11 starts with Adam Gase. In that time, take a deep breath. He's completing 70% of his throws. I don't think Ryan Tannahill's that special. We have a trend in the NFL. Ryan Tannahill and the Dolphins. I know they play just the Jets, the Titans, and the at home, but they get into the herd hierarchy for the first time. Number nine. I still like Atlanta. They can't stop anybody.

I mean, they can't. I mean, their third down defense is 31st in the NFL. They can't get people off the field. They've lost both safeties for the year. They've lost three defensive starters for the year and four starters overall. But I still love this offense. They're tremendously efficient. They've been better in the red zone lately.

Last couple of weeks, they've been better in the red zone offensively. There's not a lot I don't like about this football team. team, except for the fact now they're beat up physically. And what's ironic is they were the only team that enter the season completely healthy. Nobody on the IR of note. But I've taken them out of Super Bowl consideration. I just don't think they can get people off the field on third down. I have them at nine. Number eight. And the team they lost to New Orleans at eight, I think basically New Orleans is Atlanta with an offensive-minded head coach. Second points, 15 yards per play. That's a big Vegas stat, yards per play.

The Saints deliver big time. But again, like Atlanta, they can struggle to get people off the field on third down. I put New Orleans a little snazier version right now, a little healthier version than Atlanta at number eight. Number seven. Let's not go crazy on the Minnesota Vikings. Okay, everybody has one of those Sundays. The Steelers have about four a year. They had one.

This is still an excellent roster. By the way, the Rams corners are both hurt. Watch them give the Rams fits. this Thursday on Fox. Their secondary is still one of the best, if not the best in football. They have a great home field advantage. They got caught napping. Don't pile on. This is still an elite team that could be playing in January. Vikings 31st in rushing, but there are fourth in passing. So they're moving, they're getting the ball on explosion plays. They'll get the running game figured out. Number six. This is my dark horse Super Bowl team. You rolled your eyes at me. They

lead the NFL in total defense to Baltimore Ravens. You think of them as a defensive team and a special team's juggernaut, right? Because John Harbaugh was a special teams coach. Twelve trips to the red zone this year. 12 touchdowns. Yeah, that's them. They drafted two tight ends. They acquired three wide receivers.

Give this puppy time to bake. Okay, they got all new pieces for Joe Flacco. Second in the NFL and point differential. Don't go crazy. My dark horse Super Bowl pick, 12 for 12 touchdowns in the red zone. This team just needs time. They got five new guys for Flacco who's in a contract year. He's got a little Lamar Jackson now behind him.

This team is going nowhere. Number five. The Steelers, who are basically a little less consistent version of Baltimore and more explosive on the perimeter with the Juju Smith-Schuster, James Walker. Washington, Antonio Brown. Listen, they have nine more penalties than the next closest team in the NFL, and they are the roller coaster ride in the NFL. But they're second in total offense.

They're tied for second in sacks. You just have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because they're all over the map. There are times I don't think they're well coached. I mean, last night they had that game wrapped up, and then all of a sudden seven, eight minutes left, you're like, oh, good Lord, what's happening? Wildly dysfunctional, heavily penalized,

but incredibly fun and explosive Steelers. Number four. Philadelphia Eagles, first of all, last week, Carson Wentz is back. It was wet and rainy, and they're all banged up. So don't take last week's narrow win over Indianapolis. Is any sign of anything? They still are statistically the best rushing defense in the NFL. Their second and third down defense, they get people off the field. And that's a real big thing. Okay, the Saints and the Falcons can't get people off the field on third down. The Eagles get people off the field. They're banged up. They had a super conservative game plan on a wet field for Carson Wents. Eagles still, top

four, and the top four teams in my herd hierarchy to me should be Super Bowl favorites. Number three. Never had Jacksonville this high. It's not about their defense. Their defense is second in the NFL in scoring defense, fourth and total defense. I know that's good. What's kind of blown me

away is with Leonard Fernette not healthy, Blake Bortles has looked really comfortable. He's not looked really great because he's not great. But Blake Bortals now. Second year with Tom Coughlin running the show has looked very, very comfortable. That defense alone can't win you a Super Bowl. There's too many points scored in this league. There's too many rules, anti-defense pro offense. But right now, the Jags are third. Number two. Kansas City.

You know, they always say in Vegas that don't get too caught up on turnovers because they're random, except with Andy Reed and the Patriots. They have one turnover. this year to be as explosive as they are offensively and not turn it over, that's coaching. Even Vegas says fumbles are random. Not really with Andy Reid and not with Bill Belichick. Those guys coach their players to hold on to the football. They lead the NFL in points per game. They lead the NFL and I will say this.

They give up a lot of gash plays. But they're third in the NFL and third down defense. They'll get you off the field. They'll get you off the field. Now they give up chunk plays, which will. worries me because when you face the best quarterbacks in the playoffs, do you get burned on that? But they are the firework show of the NFL. I have them at two. Number one. I don't think anybody's close to the Rams. In fact, the biggest break the rest of the

league got this week is Akib Talib is hurt and out for a month and Marcus Peters is hurting out for a month and they're studs and they're both out for Minnesota. So Minnesota, which is a very good passing team right now, not a running team, will give the Rams real problems Thursday night in Los Angeles. This team's stacked. I like their coach. I like their coordinator. I think Jared Goff's the most underrated quarterback in the league.

He doesn't talk. And the Rams are kind of like an expansion team, so nobody's paying attention to him. Third down offense, number one. Offense. Scoring defense. Point differential. I don't even know what their weakness is.

They're not great at linebacker, and now they've got an issue at corner, which makes them vulnerable over the next month. but from coaching to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, O-line, receivers, running back, quarterback, D-line, secondary, safety, special teams are the best in the league. The Rams looked like the number one team in the national football league. 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 whenever you'd like. After almost three hours, Colin apparently hasn't gotten to the point yet. Hold on us, cowherd. It's the best for last. Everybody is whining. The NFL's gone soft with all these rule changes. My argument's been this is the way it works in society. There are two kinds of men and mostly two kinds of people. The I miss the old days. I'm not willing to evolve. I'm a tough guy. I want my body to be put to the ultimate test. Then there's the other type

of guys I would call reasonably smart guys, which is, oh, I should eat better, stop, smoking camel filters. There's new information out. Maybe I should change a live longer guy. I'm a big believer in you don't have to change everything, but be willing to evolve, be curious. And so we're going to create a game today called good rule or bad rule. These are actual rules in the NFL at one time.

Tell me if they were making the game soft, bad rule or good rule. Here we go. All right, Colin. Let's start in 1994. when the NFL introduced the controversial two-point conversion. Before then, all you could do after a touchdown was kick a boring extra point was introducing the two-point conversion a good rule change. Joy, I think we agree on this.

I will go with yes. Good rule, actually, if you're down by eight and there's three minutes to go, you don't need two possessions. And everybody freaked out, you know who didn't like it, coaches who were going to have to make late game decisions. It's a great rule. you're down eight, you've got a chance to tie it. Plus, some of these two-point plays that have been dreamed up by the smart coaches have been wildly fun.

The only people that I think would oppose you would be Falcons fans who lost a Super Bowl because of Brady getting two-point conversions. Yes. Is this a good rule change or not? In 1974, the goalposts were moved behind the end zone from their previous position on the goal line and in everyone's way was moving the goalposts behind the end zone a good rule change. Yeah, I'd say having a giant piece of metal in the middle of the end zone wasn't good for player safety. Yeah. We saw several guys run into the stands behind the goalposts now. And I'm pretty sure the walls have been there for a while, too.

So the goalposts in the middle of the field seems like a good thing to move out of the way. That'd be like staying on a tarmac. Listen, we used to have a pole right in the middle of the tarmac. Planes would bump into. We moved it away from the tarmac. I'd say that's a good rule, John. Think about it. It made field goals easier and touchdowns harder. Why would you want that?

Good point. In 1940, quarterbacks were finally allowed to pass the ball from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. Before that, quarterbacks had to pass the ball from five yards behind the line of scrimmage. So you couldn't do a bubble screen. You couldn't go high. You had to be at least five yards back to throw the ball. Was allowing quarterbacks to pass from anywhere a good rule change. Ah, the game.

That was so solid. Bubble screens are soft. I would say Brady had one of these the other night. Heke ball out. Like he didn't even take a step, and you get the ball out quickly to skill position players on the perimeter. When they do those bubble screens, I love bubble screens. Or how about when you're about to get tackled and you step up in the pocket?

That would be illegal. You wouldn't be able to throw the ball at that point. You basically have two lines of scrimmage. Like you have the line that you line up on, and then you have the line you can throw behind. They make them more complicated, can you? By the way, sports radio back in those days, probably complained that it made the game soft.

I think it's a good rule. I don't know if they had sports radio in 1940, but if they did, I'm sure they complained. In 1942, the league made helmets mandatory. Before 1942, you didn't have to wear a helmet. Was requiring players to wear helmets a good rule change? I can guarantee you in sports radio in 1942, people had aneurisms on this.

You have to wear a helmet? It'll... Look at this. there's a guy catching the football with no helmet that's incredible I don't think you could have a play in the NFL

without a helmet today huh I mean a singular play remember the other day you get fine for taking your helmet on on the field when the play is not going on but this made the game very soft made the game incredibly soft

John that's I think the new helmet rule it's a good rule greater they were leather helmet but it's good that they were at least mandatory. All right, last one. In 1927, the league forced quarterbacks to hike the ball from between the hash marks. Before that, there were no hash marks. So you could hike the ball from right next to the sideline if that's where you got tackled or that's where you wanted to.

That one really was inventing hash marks a good idea. It sounds like chaos. It does. Doesn't it? I didn't even know that. Look at this. Look at somebody. Where do we get the?

That's a good rule, John. I like the idea of not hiking the ball. a foot from the coach on the sidelines. I mean, he looks like rugby. But this is my point. It's a cultural thing. There's people in America, 40% of people never move out of the area code.

And those people hate change. And it's okay. There's nothing wrong. And then there's kids that were in the military, their dads were in the military, moms in the military, that bounced all over the country. And I've moved my kids around the country.

And they like change. They can't wait to move. So these people, it's cultural. It's not even about football. There's just a group of people in America that any change is bad. They want to grow up in the same house, same friends, same neighborhood, same corner bar. And the idea, if you go look at the NFL's history, the reason it overtook baseball was a willingness to adapt to modern technology.

A football game on television doesn't even look like a football game on television in 1985. Adapt. 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 SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports

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

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, guys, this is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes,

Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clipper 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 hungry. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis keep coming to. 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.