The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 09/30/2019

Episode Date: September 30, 2019

Colin says you have to have realistic expectations for Dak Prescott and if you are waiting for him to make extraordinary game winning plays then you'll be waiting a long time. He thinks the Browns found a winning formula and its to run the ball and don't ask Baker Mayfield to do too much. Colin admits where he was right and wrong over the weekend. Plus, former Browns and Jets Head Coahc Eric Mangini explains why the patriots defense is so dominant and why the Cowboys aren't as good as we think. 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.

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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, Marquis come in, 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 iHeart Radio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a busy Monday. So much to unpack.

This is The Herd, live in Los Angeles, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, one hour from now where Colin was right, lots of that, and where Colin was wrong, lots of that. Joy Taylor is joining me. All the road teams winning yesterday. The young quarterbacks were, they had some tough times.

Tom Brady had tough times. Patrick Mahomes had tough times. This is what I love about the NFL. Just win Sunday. Suddenly Cleveland's in first place. Right. Or you lose Sunday. Houston, and you're like, oh, man overboard.

This team can't. It's just so great. It was a crazy day yesterday. Crazy day. Let me start with this. So once again, we have a Dak Prescott game where you can take two angles. I'll tell you the angle I take, which is Dallas had no running game, playing a great defense. Amari Cooper could not get open at all.

Jason Witten fumbled. Zeke didn't, but it was called a fumble. Last play of the game, Dax in position, throwing a Hail Mary for a chance to win. or you could take this angle. What? No Drew Brees. Saints never score a touchdown. Our defense is unbelievable.

And we can't make one play. Dack can't make one huge play. And the funny thing is, both of those are true. And I'm okay with it. Tell my wife this all the time. Happiness is controlled by expectations. About two months ago, I went to a store with my daughter, and I bought a bunch of cheap t-shirts.

They were about seven bucks a t-shirt. My expectation was those will be good for about four washes. And then they just won't fit. And tried to get one on yesterday. It was done. Four washes. When I sit in the back of the plane, my expectations are different than when I'm fortunate enough to sit near the front of the plane. What are your expectations?

If you're waiting for jaw dropping with DAC, that's on you. That's not on DAC. You know what I saw yesterday from Dak? I saw what I get every Sunday from Dak. Fourth quarter, Cowboys have a chance to win. Dak never makes that dumb, young quarterback throw. He never makes that throw. He's always never too high or too low emotionally.

He's almost sort of the classic poker face. He'd be a good poker player. And when guys are open, he hits him. I get that every game with that. Okay. So if you're waiting for Carson Wentz and Mahomes and Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson, that, my friends, is on you. He is not jaw-dropping.

He is not breathtaking. He is not spectacular. But I'll tell you what, he doesn't make that throw that Cam Newton does or Kirk Cousins does and get you out of a game. He never, ever puts you in a position where you're like, man, we played great defense and we're not in the game. You're always in the game.

And by the way, if you are a cowboy fan that is saying this this morning, but he'll never make the play that Mahomes will or Carson Wentz will or Russell Wilson will, you're right. And it's, you know what that's called? Being a realist. You have realistic expectations on Dak Prescott. And again, you can take any angle you want. But did you notice what Dak said after the game, this is also something I get every Sunday with Dak.

I think this was on us. I think this was about our lack of execution. Regardless with the way they're doing things, there's a lot of plays left out there on my part, on this whole offense's part. A grown-up. It's not taunting a coach. It's not blaming a teammate. It's like, we left a lot out there. We can do.

veteran win. So my expectations with Dak against that Saints defense, which is special. In fact, I think Latimore, you can argue he's the best player at his position in the NFL. Amari Cooper couldn't get this open. Zeeke couldn't run. I've seen Kirk Cousins in those games when he doesn't have a running game. I've seen Mitch Trubisky in those games when his best receiver can't get open. I've seen Cam Newton in those games when Cam has no running game and they're making mistakes in the game. Dac Prescott with no running game, top receiver can't get open, loudest place in the NFL, great defense, throwing the wall down the field near the goal line. I'll take it. I will take that over 99% of this league not called Patrick Mahomes and Carson

wins. All right, let's shift to this. Well, well, well, well, well. Cleveland Browns are in first place. Oh, in Ohio this morning, they are dancing in my football grave. They just can't get over themselves. Hey, Colin, your face. Did you look around the NFL yesterday and did you notice a trend that the young quarterbacks that teams needed to save the day struggled? Okay, Josh Allen, we can't move the ball here. Save the day.

Lost. Baker, we're in a hole. Our defense stinks. Save the day. Can't. Kyler Murray. You're going up against a better coach, a better roster, and a better quarterback. Save the day.

He couldn't. But in Cleveland, they didn't ask Baker Mayfield to do that. The Cleveland Browns rushed for almost 200 yards, almost seven yards a rush, had the ball for 31 minutes. They didn't ask Baker Mayfield to save their bacon. What they asked him to be was manage the game, make a handful of big throws on play action to make sure you were emotionally in a good spot, not too high, not too low. He threw a pick.

He didn't go crazy. And watch our defense dominate Lamar Jackson. Baker Mayfield, by the way, when he's asked to throw over 32 times, his record is three and nine. When Baker is asked to throw the ball 31 times or fewer, he's 6 and 0. Again, expectations. I keep hearing what a great athlete he is. He runs a 4-8-4-40.

He's 5-11 and a half. Kyler Murray could be a major league baseball player. That's a great athlete. Andrew Luck was a great athlete. Tim Tebow's playing baseball. If you're thinking that Baker Mayfield, that we can play average defense, just worry about getting the ball to OBJ, ask him to throw 34 times in Ocarious,

that is a you problem again. That is not who he is. Look around the NFL yesterday. the young quarterbacks who were not asked too much, were not asked to save a team. I mean, Jared Goff threw 68 times yesterday. Of course he had multiple turnovers. That's two Sundays. That's like two games.

So when I watched Cleveland yesterday, I'm like, oh, that's a formula. Nick Chubb 24 carries in that ballpark, play really good defense, ask Baker to throw the ball primarily on play action, you can do that every week. I can do that every week. Baker Mayfield can win a division if that's the formula. The first couple of games of the year, you were asking Baker to do stuff.

He's just not capable of doing. He's not a great athlete. He's fine. He's got good feet. He's not a great athlete. He doesn't have a howitzer. He's not Went or Mahomes or Rogers. He's got a solid arm, a good arm, not a great arm.

He's a decent athlete. he's not a great athlete. Yesterday, the Cleveland coaching staff, Freddie Kitchens, finally figured it out. Oh, Baker is not going to lead us. Baker is going to manage our great defense. Didn't I tell you Nick Chubb? Didn't I keep telling you?

He's going to be, he is the star. I said this before the draft. I said, my favorite running back, and it was a deep draft, I said, get Nick Chub. And Cleveland finally figured it out. Baker's not going to be. And here's the thing. when your franchise doesn't have a star quarterback,

when you finally get one that appears competent, he's our savior. He's going to be. Baker's not the savior. That's not what he is. What he is is potentially a franchise quarterback who with a great defense in a running game can make the needed throws and you can win divisions.

But when you're bad forever, when John Elway leaves Denver and you're trying to make every Jake Plummer the Savior. No, no, John Elway's a once in a 15, 20, 30-year franchise. After Dan Marino, you're looking for the savior. Savior is, even Patrick Mahomes isn't a savior because Kansas City was getting to the playoffs with Alex Smith. Patrick Mahomes is not a savior.

And Cleveland thinks Baker Mayfield is. No, yesterday is a formula. Stop worrying about getting OBJ touches. Stop worrying about Baker making plays that make great highlights. defense, running game, play action, have him throw fewer than 31 times. He's 6 and 0. That was a nice win. By the way, did you notice this yesterday?

All the young quarterbacks that had a running game. Gardner Minshew had a great running game with Leonard Fournette. One. Daniel Jones, his top running back, 118 yards, won. Kyle Allen, Christian McCaffrey, he's a freak. One. All the young quarterbacks, he didn't ask to save the franchise. All the young quarterbacks that had run support won. That's the formula.

Maybe when they get older, it's not, but it is when they're young. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 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 rapid. up in the chase, that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing, and we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes

about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about How 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, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin. and 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 run up the court, licking his fingers, why 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. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think.

you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not.

During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't. just ideas, their practices. And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. My entire life, every great defense has had one of two things, generally both. It's had a great nickname. In the 70s, it was the steel curtain. It was the purple people leaders in Minnesota. It was the orange crush in Denver. It was the monsters of the midway,

mid-80s with the Chicago Bears. It's the Legion of Boom in Seattle, right? Like, they all have great nicknames. And if they don't, they at least have stars, that Baltimore defense with, you know, Ray Lewis and McAllister on the corner and Tony Saragusa. There's never been an exception. A great all-time defense. You either got, I have pro bowlers all over it, or I've got branding. The Patriots yesterday, they have neither. Dante High Tower didn't even play. Their top draft picks, they're on special teams. They don't play them.

They went to Buffalo, a well-coached good team, a really well-coached team, in division so they know their personnel. And New England got 11 first downs, averaged three yards a rush, under four yards a pass, and one. Do you know how hard it is to win in the NFL when you can't move the ball for three and a half hours on the road against the well-coached team with an excellent defense, and you win? I mean, we like the Rams defense, right?

It's got all sorts of good players. They gave up 55 yesterday. We like the Packers defense. They gave up 34 at home yesterday. New England goes on the road and can't move the rock and wins. And there are no stars. I mean, last year, they're like 30th in sacks. Dante Heightower didn't play.

Their top two defensive draft picks this year. They're not playing right now. like special teams, seven snaps. New England's defense, even the most anonymous great defense ever had a nickname. The 72 Miami Dolphins. They were called the no-name defense. This team doesn't even have that name.

They'd make a terrible movie trailer. They'd be an awful movie poster. Because all the things they're good at are not really attractive unless you're a coach. They're smart, their sound, their experience, they're coachable, their discipline, They're well positioned. You never beat them over the top.

Everybody in the secondary can cover, tackle, catch, and be coached. I've just never seen a defense. And maybe it's not this good. Maybe it's the opposition. Maybe it's they faced a bunch of cruddy offenses. But in my life, great defenses had stars. They had names. They had a brand.

And they usually had two or three transformational players that blew stuff up. and you had the double team. And I don't get a feeling of that with New England. So maybe I'm just overstating it. Maybe they're not that good. I think it's one of the best secondaries I've ever seen in terms of you never beat it over the top. They can all tackle. They can all catch.

If you throw the ball in the wrong place, you will pay a price for it. But it's a very unique defense. Right now, New England's defense has scored more than it's allowed. Now, think about that in the NFL. And I know you can say, well, this team's not good. and that team's not good and this team's not good. And that's, they've had like 89 possessions this year. People have scored on three of them.

I mean, there's stats that say you're good, and then there's stats that historically don't make any sense. And what New England's doing right now, to go on the road and have 11 first downs, good defense, good, Buffalo is a good team. I mean, that just doesn't happen in the NFL. It just doesn't work that way. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Brown's head coach, Jets head coach, coordinator for years for the New England Patriots, a defensive coordinator, and the Niners. Let's bring in Eric Mangini. We don't get him on the West Coast much. So I know I got a steak dinner coming up here in a couple of days, and I get the coach. How long are you in town for, by the way? I'm here on week. Oh, my Lord.

Well, we'll have a little steak dinner this week. So let me start with a team that you know well. You know their personnel. you know their system, you know their culture. You know, I always feel like the truth of the NFL comes out by the second or third week in October. Buffalo's had a lot of three and no starts in September. So I look at New England's defense. And in my life, great defenses have usually had a nickname and two or three really high-end players.

The Ravens defense had McAllister at Corner, a dominating defensive tackle, Ray Lewis, the Tampa Bay defense with Derek Brooks or a Warren Sapp. I look at this New England defense. Dante Hightower didn't play. Their top draft picks defensively didn't play much. They're always in the right spot, and they're very coachable. Does it look like an all-time great defense? I mean, what do I make of it?

They're statistically, people can't get first downs on them. Yeah, I think you might be getting a little bit ahead of yourself. Okay. They really haven't played any high-powered offenses, right? I mean, the four teams they've played have all struggled offensively. And they're going to the next month. as well. Yeah. So you might need to slow that down. It's going to be interesting to see what happens when they do face an offense that can be really explosive. But to date, they haven't. And even with

the bill situation, you get a quarterback that can do a lot of good things, but turns the ball over. And they start the game and they make a great play on special team. So they're up by 14 points. That game changes. The complexion of the game changes pretty dramatically early on. the thing about New England's defense that they do really well, and the whole system in general is you get a bunch of smart guys that play well together. And everybody talks about being game plan specific. So there are certain defenses that teams will run against a team, but they don't fundamentally change who they are to stop that team.

New England is able to fundamentally change each week who they are to stop what you do best and force you to be left-handed. that's how they're designed. Other people want to do that. It's how we operated in New England. It's how they operate now. And it's different than most teams. And that's what makes them unique and special.

Yeah, they have the ability to just change week to week. That's not really, nobody in the league does it like that. You've got to have smart guys and you've got to train that way every single week. So when you bring that game plan in and it's radically different than the last week, Nobody even blinks. You actually look forward to what the game plan is going to be because you like the challenge of adjusting and taking away that team's strength and making play left-handed.

I'll tell you a game I watched. And, you know, listen, sometimes I don't know what to take from the Rams and Tampa. I do know that L.A.'s running game is not the same. It's just not. But take the Browns in Baltimore. I don't think Baltimore's that bad. I don't think Cleveland's going to dominate them again when they play them like that. I did see from Cleveland, a team you know well, you live in Cleveland, so you see the shows, you see the tape, you see everything.

I did see a formula that seems repeatable. Good defense, lower the penalties, run with Nick Chubb, don't become paralyzed trying to get OBJ the ball. It seemed to me almost a fairly simple, repeatable thing. I think their defensive front's excellent, and I love Nick Chub. I think you can rinse and repeat that a little bit. right? Like that's, that feels like a formula. Yeah, it is to some degree. But when you look at Baltimore, here's another situation where their offense really had played teams that were the bottom end of the defenses.

I think it was like 30, 31 and 32 points, points louder, or, you know, something along those lines. And for Cleveland, it's, they go into the season, there's high expectations. They add to those expectations. Then they realize, hey, this isn't, that's not a good formula. That's a horrible formula. They get humbled to some degree, and they've got to adjust. And the challenge there is managing the personalities.

You've got a bunch of big offensive personalities. Everybody wants the ball. So to go in and say, yeah, we're going to feature Nick Chubb. Well, is Odell Beckham going to be happy with Nick Chub being featured? Is Jarvis Landry going to be happy with Nick Chub being featured? So is it a good format? Nick Chub is really good.

Yes. Nick Chub is really dynamic. Nick Chub can change the types of defenses that Baker Mayfield gets week and week out because they're going to have to stop him. Now, it's managing those personalities during the week saying, we're not designing 12 plays for you to be the star. We're going to run things collectively and selflessly, and I don't know if they have the strength of personality and character.

Yeah, OBJ, by the way, seven targets, two catches. He's had a watch issue, a visor issue. Yesterday, it was an earring issue. to me, I don't think, again, I think OBJ is icing. I think the cake to me is Nick Chubb. I think he's the star of the offense. He is the star of the offense, but unfortunately, there's a bunch of other people who feel that they're the star of the offense. And you can throw Baker Mayfield in there, too.

So you need to have a certain amount of selflessness to operate in that space. And when you've got a young head coach and a room full of stars and everybody who wants their name on the marquee, Yeah. It's going to be hard for them and take a step back and say, oh, no, no, no, you go ahead. You star this week and I'll just get my two catches. That'll last for about 15 minutes before there's some kind of fight in the meeting room. Right, I get that. Eric Mangini joining us.

I said to start the show, there's two things. You can look at DAC two ways. You can look at the fact that, listen, on the road, no running game, Witten Zeke fumble. Omari Cooper couldn't get open from me to this microphone. And last play of the game, Dack's throwing a hail me. Mary to potentially win. Or you can say, no Drew Breeze, New Orleans couldn't move the ball much, your defense was unbelievable, they didn't score a touchdown, and we can't beat New Orleans. So I could take two views on it. Mine's always been, I don't wait for the jaw dropping from

Dak. He's a grown-up. He keeps me in games. He doesn't make the dumb young quarterback throw I see all around this league. And last night, I'm like, that kind of is Dak when he faces a great defense. Have I nuts on that? No, you're not. First of all, we're getting a little head, too, on the great defense with New Orleans. They've done a lot of good things. They were 26th and points allowed going into the game.

The frustrating thing for me with DAC is when they take away Zique, which everybody's game planning to take away Zeech. And with the great quarterbacks, you game plan to take away the great quarterbacks. But that's not what happens when people play Dallas. They take away the running back. Then once that's taken away,

you should be able to do something to make the defense pay for that for make them pay for the decision to load up the box and Dallas couldn't do that and I was a little frustrated from a play calling perspective and look there's a young offense coordinator there but they're getting hemmed up outside in man-to-man coverage they can't get open well then bunch it up bring the receivers in tight run pick plays run run run to do something to help create some space for those wide receivers when you can't get him open. So there are a lot of elements that I think Dallas can take a step back at and look at and say, okay, we need to improve this. I like that from a character perspective. He is an adult.

He takes care of the ball. He manages the game well. But are you going to make him the highest paid quarterback in the league for those traits? You'd like to think an elite franchise quarterback is someone that can win the game for you, not just manage the game for you. Let me ask you about Joy brought this up. Listen, Les Sneed, the general manager of the Rams, paid Todd Gurley a ton, and he paid him a year early.

He also paid Brandon Cooks more than I would be comfortable paying him. Now they had to get rid of two offensive linemen. Goff doesn't have the protection. And Eric, they don't have a running game. I mean, they asked him to throw the ball almost 70 times. I think this Rams team is in a little bit of trouble here. the effect of losing those two offensive linemen is significant. And the other thing that the Rams have had over the last couple of years is great health.

In general, they've had incredible health from an offensive standpoint. And now when you get to, you've got to change the continuity on the offensive line. You're not quite as healthy as you have been. People have seen your system for a couple years and worked really hard to close that gap. you need to start bringing in some other ideas. And as much as you want to stay with what has worked, one of the things we learned in New England is not only do you have to do what you did the previous year as good, you've got to do it better.

And you've got to stay ahead of the posse because it's a really smart league that's also a copycat league. So if you have a weakness, you are going to get attacked with that weakness every single week until you prove you can overcome it. and it's a hard lesson to learn. And your point's great, too. When you start paying that top end of the roster, you've got to let other guys go. You have to.

There's a very small middle class in the NFL. It's the haves and the have-nots. And your have-nots have better be pretty productive. Yeah, it's when they built the new stadium, they wanted to get PSLs, they started signing stars to big deals, and Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley and Brandon Cooks, And it was, it was in a very crowded, distracted sports market, L.A., it was kind of like, ooh, this team's fun.

But man, when you pay, I like Brandon Cooks. I don't love him. That's a big contract. Now I can't with a, let's be honest. Jared Goff's a guy that needs a pocket. We're not talking about Deshawn Watson here. We're talking about, you know, a guy that needs a safe pocket sometime in a running game, and their running game is dead. Finally, I'm not sure if you can bench a $28 million quarterback, but I'm watching Minnesota yesterday.

And I'm looking at those receivers and that running back, they can't move the ball. I mean, could you, here's my question. You coached the Vikings. Could you lose that locker room? You talk about a frustrating situation. And look, there's not a lot of times we're going to say you've got to give Washington credit, but you've got to give Washington credit for letting him walk. They didn't feel like he was the answer.

They didn't feel like he was worth the contract that he had. and then he goes on the free agent tour and they film the whole adventure all that stuff that led into it and to who much is given, much is expected and to have to manage a guy that you've invested so much in and to your same point with the Rams

you've had to let other guys go because of the guaranteed money that you gave this quarterback the fact that he's playing the way he is and that it looks like their receivers are outstanding they have a very very good defense.

Minnesota. They brought him in to be the difference maker because they had all those other pieces. They felt like they didn't have that dynamic player at quarterback. They could change the equation. And they've had to regress. They've had to constrict what they do offensively instead of getting what they hope they paid for, which is someone that would make them explosive. There's a lot of talent on that team.

They were more explosive with Case Keenum. There's no question. I felt they were more big play with Case Keenham. Yeah, and in that locker room, when you're protecting someone that's making that much money, could you lose a locker room? There's going to be a tremendous level of frustration. And guys that didn't get paid or feel underpaid or undervalued, there's resentment that grows. And at some point, you've got to have the lack of ego or however you want to phrase it to say,

okay, maybe we made a mistake. and instead of doubling down over and over on our mistake, let's try something different. And you hate to have to do that because there's really no going back if you pull them. But at some point, collectively, you've got to say, this isn't working. We've got to try something else before the season gets out of hand. Yeah, I mean, I sat there yesterday at the end of the game, and you could watch the body language of the Viking offensive players.

In fact, Thielen came out after the game, basically said, Sorry, you can't ask for 180 yards rushing every week and win football games. Eric Mangini, it's great seeing you. We'll talk about that steak dinner coming up here. My wife's leaving town with a perfect opportunity. Sounds great. 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. 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 athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action. with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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. suit of the thing. We get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in

possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me. Kier Gains 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, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ 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 the flying. man, he running up the court, licking his fingers why 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. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully

and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real, honest conversations.

We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not. During one meal, I'm standing. I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing

empowerment and resilience aren't just ideas, their practices. And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. All right. We do it every Monday. Listen, I, you know, we do it every Monday, right wrong. I whiff a lot. I'm right a lot. I got to be hold accountable for both. Here we go. Where Colin was right. It's the hottest I've ever been. Goulet, you've been with me for about a decade. I'm 14, 5, and 1.

I've hit 72% of my picks. My college picks hit this weekend. And I've been taking a ton of dogs. By the way, I've already got my picks for Thursday. Friday. I already looked them up this morning. A lot of tasty dogs out there. I picked the Titans and the Raiders.

Whitlock in the morning said, who do you like? I said, Titans Raiders. He said, those are terrible picks. But he did tell me Arizona was going to lose. But I also picked last night. I went three and two this week. I took the Saints because, you know, I've told you, I think Teddy's good.

I think Teddy's fine. So we had a winning week. We're hot. It won't last probably, but it's been fun. Where Colin was wrong. I really laid into Matt Patricia when he got a job as the Detroit Lions head coach. He's a little bit of an unmade bed, a hat on backwards. And it's just like, dude, there's not a lot of presence there, you know. But I got to tell you something. They didn't have their best corner yesterday, and I haven't seen Patrick Mahomes struggle like that against anybody.

I don't think he struggled all day like that against New England. Patricia is smart. Listen, they had Patrick Mahomes down to a fourth and eight. Patrick picked up nine or Detroit wins the game. So listen, whatever he's doing, we always knew he was super smart, but I thought, you know, the presence, he's a little bit unraveled, but he's done a great job. I'll tell you this morning, I don't want to be Minnesota in that division.

I'd love to be Detroit. They've had a really tough schedule, and they're playing really good football. Where Colin was right? New England is leading the NFL in six defensive categories. Now, some of it is who they're playing, but I told you during the off season, I said, listen, I'm being told by people inside that building, they think this defense could be really, really special. And it's got a ton of depth.

They're not playing their top two draft picks right now defensively. They're barely playing. They are teaching them the system. Then they unveil them by year two. They do everything well. Now, again, they're not. playing great teams. But when you've literally had 85 possessions and you've given up a score on like three of them, they are on their way. And I don't think it's going to end anytime soon.

If you look at the quarterback's they face in the next month, it's people they could dominate. So the defense is exactly what we predicted. They're a running team and a defensive led team, not a Tom Brady led team. And it's very clear Belichick's been ahead of the curve on that. Where Colin was wrong. For years, I said about the Atlanta Falcons. I like their owner. I like their GM. I like their coach. I like their quarterback. I'm not sure if I like any of them right now outside of the owner, Arthur Blank. Atlanta's a mess. They got rolled at home. I've watched them play twice this year where they don't even look like they're prepared. They get down two touchdowns right out of the shoot against Minnesota. Yesterday against Tennessee. Atlanta was awful. Dan Quinn's in trouble. They lead the NFL and penalties. For years, I thought Atlanta was one of these well-run teams. You know my rule. If I like your owner, your gym, your coach, your quarterback. If they're all B-plus or above, you can compete. for Super Bowls. What has happened to Matt Ryan? He is just, there's no more special left. I thought he upgraded offensive coordinator. They got rolled yesterday at home. They don't even look close to New Orleans. Where Colin was right? We said the Saints are going to be fine.

The Saints are going to be fine. We're not on McClems and stuff yet. Oh, that's Baker. I said the Saints are going to be fine. 20 starts. He's 14 and 6. New Orleans has weapons. They have a good line. They have an excellent defense. I think I predicted four and two without Drew Breeze. Last night was classic. They didn't ask Teddy to do a ton of stuff. By the way, the last couple of times, the Saints and the Cowboys have played, the games have looked the exact same.

Remember the game last year? So we never, listen, we never thought that Teddy was that big of a drop-off from Drew Breeze. And I love Drew. But Drew can't throw the ball down the field anymore. and that's Teddy's weakness. But in terms of mobility, Teddy's probably a little more mobile than Drew Breeze.

I think they're both smart. They're both coachable. I think Breeze is more finely tuned situationally. But the Saints are kind of what we thought they would be. I picked them last night to win. I thought they would be fine without Breeze. And in that division right now, where I don't trust Tampa, Carolina, or Atlanta,

it looks like they should be the team to beat. Where Colin was wrong. Clemson's struggling, man. they are they are not again let me put the context here they're undefeated but if you ask me the best teams in the country i thought clemson had a chance to be historic offensively Trevor lawrence is unbelievable offensive line is NFL guys they may have the second best receiver in the country they may have the second best running back but they were fighting for their lives against north carolina this weekend i mean they were fighting for their lives Trevor lawrence has eight touchdowns and five pegs

right now the best team i've seen bama the second best team i've seen maybe auburn Oklahoma could be third. Ohio State, fourth, LSU. I would not put Clemson, based on what I've seen. If I was a voter, I'm not. But if I was a voter, I'd have Clemson at six. I just, I just, the offensive line really struggled. Now, here's the thing. I've seen this with Dab-O-Sweeney teams,

where they just look like, you know what, they struggle in September and October. Dachan Watson also had some mild September. So I don't want to overreact here. Where Colin was right? One of the things I love about the NFL, three words. Just win Sunday. It solves all your problems.

I said it last week. Just go win Sunday. Cleveland goes from Greece fire to first place in their division. And as of this morning, Baltimore's offense, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati are a mess. Cleveland looks like easily the best team in the league. Just wins Sunday. By the way, Philadelphia 1 and 2 injuries. Carson Wentz not popular beats Green Bay.

Now we're all like, myself included. I think Philadelphia is the best team, arguably in the NFC. Baseball in the NBA do not give you this urgency. Because you have so few games in the NFL, games mean more, and you can really turn the narrative around just by a great performance. I mean, if you're Cleveland this morning, you've got to feel great about it. You have the best defense in the division, the best pass rush, and Nick Chubb allows Baker to Mayfield play like Baker-Mayfield should play.

sprinkle the ball around 24 throws, play with some composure. Where Colin was wrong. I don't know what to make on James Winston. I thought he had terrible judgment in college. He's a turnover machine, and then he walks into L.A. yesterday. I mean, he's just ridiculous. I mean, he's just a 120 passer rating. Now, I'll tell you this, Mike Evans is about a good receiver as the NFL's had.

But, I mean, I, you know, there's just some things in this league. I can't get my arms around. I don't know what to make it, James. I mean, I've always said, He's big, tall and strong. I mean, you'll watch him play games, and they'll have four turnovers, and then they'll have three throws, and you're like, oh, Lord. He's a very, he's a beautiful thrower with the football.

Now, he got Bruce Ariens, and Bruce is really smart. So maybe the whole time for him, it's just, but he didn't have the right coach. But they're two and two this morning, and, uh, they're going to New Orleans this weekend. I wouldn't count them out. That, that is a big strike offense, and James looked fantastic. Where Colin was right? Kirk Cousin stinks. I don't get it.

I mean, he's my size. He's not athletic. He can't throw the ball down the field. I don't get it. I just, I don't get it. I didn't, you know, I mean, I guess maybe he was a slide-up grade over Case Keenham, but $28 million. I just don't see it. And it's funny because Minnesota has great fans.

And every time I criticize him, you know, after they win, I'll be like, so what? Remember the first game of the year he had 10 attempts and I'm like, and they won. And I'm like, that's pathetic. Like Minnesota's coaches are telling you, we just don't even trust him. And they won. And Minnesota fans were like, what are you saying? I'm like, 10 attempts. Coaches are telling it.

They only want the ball in his hands. Even Adam Thielen called him out yesterday after the game. At some point, you're not going to be able to run the ball for 180 yards, even with the best running back in the NFL. And that's when you have to be able to throw the ball. You have to be able to make plays. You have to be able to hit the ball, the deep balls. You have to do that because otherwise it's too easy for teams. He ended his tee up and rush the quarterback.

Thank you. By the way, the Bears' backup quarterback, the Bears' backup quarterback, was better than Kirk Cossoms. Chase Daniels. Wasn't he? I mean, it looked like to me, was better. Trubisky was better. Chase Daniels was better.

Kirk was the third best quarterback on the field yesterday. Where Colin was right? The four biggest baseball contracts. Wah, wah, wah, wah. None made the playoffs. They finished 122 games back combined. In fact, the Nats were 11 games better when Bryce Harper left. The Phillies finished at 500.

These contracts are predictably awful. No baseball position player is going to be worth $30 million. I guess you could make it work financially upstairs. But, I mean, it makes teams lopsided. Unless you're the Yankees and have a payroll that just lasts forever. It's a rainbow that never ends. You know, Manny Machado, $30 million a year in San Diego, Well, but they got a great farm system.

What does it matter? Mike Trout, Mani Machado, Nolan, the kid, Aronado, and Colorado, and Bryce Harper, none of these work. And I'm not sure, because you have to spend so much time with guys in baseball on the road.

I'm not sure it's good to have a guy making 35 large in the locker room. I mean, seriously, if that guy's not picking up every beer and steak, there could be animosity. I think they're terrible. I don't like long contracts. Could you show me one? that worked. Could you show me one? John Carlos Stanton, Miami. They had to get him out of town.

Canoan, Seattle, Joe Maur, Joey Votto. Could you show me one that's ever worked? I mean, we don't want to pay running backs in the NFL, but I can show you that Zeeke helps the team win. Show me one baseball contract for 10 years that you're like, this was worth every dollar. We got our money's worth 0 for 4 again this year. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays and noon Eastern, 9.5. 9 AM Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app. You know, by the way, another point on OBJ, and these are just, this is a data point that's interesting, is that not all players, like most of you play fantasy football.

And so you win money when a player is super productive. So that's how you see it. You love when players are productive. But very rarely outside of quarterback, does productive receiver equal win? I'll give you an example. OBJ's 15 biggest games as a pro. The Giants than Cleveland are 5 and 10. His 15 worst, they're 9 and 6.

So he has to be icing. He cannot be cake. You can have him make plays, but use OBJ as a decoy. He's a great decoy. Put him in motion, move safeties across, move corners across.

But if you're sitting there trying to build, you cannot build a cake around the icing. You just put it on top, a thin layer, it makes the cake better. That's why I say about receivers. I mean, even Christian McCaffrey, as much as I love Christian McCaffrey, he's had huge games for Carolina, and they lose badly. So outside of quarterback, you know, if Aaron Rogers throws generally,

he has games like Thursday, he wins. That's an outlier. But this whole thing with Cleveland worrying about making OBJ more than what he is, which is a spectacularly gifted perimeter player. But you can't build it. around that. That is not the flour and the eggs. That's not what that is. That Nick Chubb,

that defensive front, those are real. Nick Chubb, 24 carries, and that Brown's defensive front, I can bring those on the road. I can pack them in my luggage, bring them on the road. I get them at home. I get them warm weather. I get them in November when the weather stinks. OBJ, once the weather gets lousy, a lot of these vertical

receivers, bye-bye. Take care. See you next year in September. 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 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 Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 Smygel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clifford Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clivert Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee.

We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. A rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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, Marquis. 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.