The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 10/03/2018

Episode Date: October 3, 2018

Colin says people are over-thinking LeBron to the Lakers and its obviously going to be interesting, who cares if they don't win yet. He talks with Chargers QB Phillip Rivers about the offensive explosion in the NFL and whether he needs to win a title to validate his career. Plus, Aaron Rodgers is having issues with his coaching staff again and Colin says it’s because Aaron doesn't put the work in. Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, this is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening live in Los Angeles, Iheart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me on a, what will be a Wednesday today? It is a Wednesday. Good morning.

Good morning. It is great to be here. We had baseball playoffs last night. We had the Lakers and LeBron debuting last. night. You know, I think it's funny. I want to start with this. I think it's funny. I see a lot of these young millennials out there on the internet. They're trying to convince me of what I should like. Don't try to act smart. Take a message from me. Don't outthink the room in life. Like Jurassic Park is about dinosaurs coming back to life and eating people. That's going to work.

It's going to make a billion dollars or more every movie. Well, the casting, I didn't think the plot. was great. You know, the acting was, shh, dinosaurs coming back to life and eating people. It's going to make a billion dollars. You go make that independent film, nobody's going to watch. LeBron of the Lakers is going to be the most interesting team in the NBA. I know, I know. They don't have a chance to win a championship. Three teams in the NBA have a chance to win a championship. Warrior Celtics Rockets. That's it. That's it. Then it's about 12 teams. You know, Toronto, Philadelphia, Utah, Oklahoma City, Lakers. They'll be really, really interesting and good.

That'll be good teams. Not going to win a championship. And not going to win a championship. But it's so funny, Zach Lowe is like this podcasting guy. He's one of those smart millennials. And he was having his ranking yesterday of the most interesting teams to watch. He had Philly 1, Boston 2, Warriors 3, Lakers 4, Nuggets 5. Stop it.

Dinosaurs eating people is going to beat your independent film. The Lakers are going to be the most interesting team in the NBA to watch. Who cares if they don't have a championship? By the way, when Brett Farrve went back to the Minnesota Vikings, they weren't one to a bunch of playoff games. They didn't get a championship. It was the best watch in the league. Legend changes teams.

LeBron, the number one brand to the number one brand Lakers. Fascinating. T.O. to Dallas didn't win a lot of titles. Superstar. Biggest brand. Fascinating. A Rod to the Yankees didn't win a lot of titles. One, superstar, biggest brand. Let's not outthink the room here. I mean, it just cracks me up.

First of all, so last night, I go out. And L.A. is the opposite of, like, Green Bay, Wisconsin, where everybody in Green Bay, nobody moves to Green Bay for jobs. People don't move there for the weather. that people that live in Green Bay are from Green Bay. People that mostly live in Green Bay. It's a small town. They don't go there for jobs.

Los Angeles is the opposite of Green Bay. Half the city's not from here. None of my neighbors are from L.A. None of my neighbors are from L.A. You go to a restaurant in Los Angeles, chances are 30% of the people in there or less are from L.A. So I go to a restaurant last night. They got the Cubs on, huge brand in a playoff game scenario.

And you got the Lakers and LeBron an NBA preseason game. Everybody's watching the Lakers. I mean, it's like, well, that's because you're in Los Angeles. This isn't Green Bay. It's the opposite. It's not Milwaukee. This is not Juneau, Alaska.

You're not moving there for jobs. Los Angeles is transient, the most transient city in America. And like dinosaurs coming back to life and eating people, LeBron in Los Angeles with this team, just say it out loud. Just say it out loud. LeBron, Celebrities, L.A., Rondo, Lanzo ball, maybe LeVar, magic, chasing banners. You don't think he that's interesting? The Denver Nuggets is fifth for Zach Lowe.

He had the Bulls sixth. If the Nuggets and Bulls were playing on one channel in America and LeBron the other, who are you watching? I mean, don't out think the room, millennials. You're all trying to convince us how smart you are. Oh, I'm an analytic and I watch. NFL is still the king. The Pro Bowl crushes virtually, you know,

every NBA game that LeBron's not in. So, you know, I'm watching this thing last night. I'm just laughing. You can't take your eyes on that stuff. Don't fight the obvious. Don't fight it. Jurassic Park, dinosaurs, people. They're eating them and chasing them.

Every one of them is going to make a million bucks. Sorry if it's not sophisticated. Sorry if it's not an independent film. Sorry if you don't like the plot. I'm watching it last night. I can't take my eyes off that thing. Just to defend millennials, I happen to love Jurassic Park, and I've never been critical of the plot line.

And I also think that the Lakers are going to be the most interesting. Because you're secure with yourself. Sports story this year. You don't feel like you have to constantly prove you're smarter than everybody else. Well, I think that there are things that are supposed to be smart, and Jurassic Park is just not one of them. It's wildly entertaining. And what's interesting doesn't necessarily have to make sense.

And what's interesting doesn't know is when a championship. Right. Like, I'm sorry, but Brett Favre to the Vikings, you could not take your eyes off that. Baker Mayfield has no chance of winning a championship with the Browns this year. It's still a story we talk about almost every day. All right, let me shift gears to this. So yesterday, it's one of those morning shows where they have news in a bunch of cooking segments. It's called Good Morning America.

And Giselle Bunchin is Tom Brady's wife. Yeah, there was always that kind of struggle, like she wants him to retire, and Tom doesn't want to retire. and Giselle Bungeon was on Good Morning America and finally came to terms with Tom's love for football. Tom has talked about his retirement. He kind of said, I'll play five more years, and you've had said some other things.

But in the book, you kind of said, what will be will be. I never seen someone love something as much as he loves football. And it makes me happy if I said anything in the past, because you have a concern. You know, no one is going to hurt someone I love. You know, you just feel very protective of them. So obviously if someone hurts my children, my husband, anyone I love, I get like a lioness.

You know, I want to like, I get my... First of all, she's cool. But I mean, listen, if your girlfriend or your wife likes to dance, let her dance. And if your husband likes to play football, let him play football. Don't try to change people. You know, they've done studies on this. Like 80% of people never find something they truly love professionally. that's like a shocking number meaning 80% of people drive to work and they don't really love their job

and by the way jobs like a third of your life a third of it's sleeping a third of it's your job and a third of it's like family and friends time i that's miserable to think that 80% of america drives to work on monday and doesn't like their job i say this all the time i'm the luckiest guy in the earth i literally it's sunday i'm thinking about monday but why would you quit something you're great at something you're paid well at something you have passion for, something you're still amazing at, something that it benefits you, your life, your kids, your family, you're still healthy. If Tom Brady was 17 surgeries in, I'd get it.

If Tom Brady had eroded, I'd get it. If Tom Brady hated going to work, I'd get it. There was this moment with Tom versus Time and Giselle. It was actually a very, very funny moment when they were still kind of struggling with the football, how long to play it, what to do, should you stop? Remember this moment? I mean football, as far as I'm concerned, it's like his first love. I mean, he really is.

And I think it's like his main love, really, quite frankly. And if he tells me like, it's true. That's actually really cute. It's really funny. You know, here's the thing is that there's two athletes in my life that have really been different, not just because they're dominant, but Tiger Woods and Tom Brady. are different. And Tom Brady and Tiger Woods are different.

Not because they're just so great and they are. But they've literally changed the way other athletes in their sports eat and sleep and drink and what they don't drink. Tiger Woods forced every other golfer to go, oh crap. No fried food. I got to have abs. I got to be in shape. And I got to go to the weight room and take care of my. myself. Go to golfers pre-Tiger Woods. They looked like Craig Stattler. They were heavy. They were

thick. They weren't in shape. The pants were too tight. They didn't look good out there. Now look at them. They're all like cut. All of them. You don't see heavy golfers anymore. Tiger Woods changed what golfers ate, what they did with their spare time, how they got, that they went to the gym. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, doesn't announce this, but quarterbacks now in the league look to Brady, they eat better, they don't drink during the season. He's changed how they sleep, what they sleep in. Like, that's changing. That's a life changer.

There's only been two athletes. Like, the brawn's great, but I don't think he's changing how guys eat. Like Tiger and Tom Brady have done that. And, you know, all I got to say is if you get into a relationship with somebody, appreciate what they are, embrace what they are. If she wants to dance, if she wants to play the people, piano. If he wants to cook, if he wants to whittle, let him whittle, let her dance,

it's a good thing. 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. In the last 16 games for the Chargers, they're 11 and 5. Their losses are at New England, at the Jags, at Kansas City, and this year, Rams in Kansas City. They only lose to the good teams and close. but they're in a city with the Rams. We're in a world now where offenses everywhere.

I told you before the season, Vegas had them at 18 to 1. They were the best team in the NFL that nobody talks about. And their quarterback is Philip Rivers joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network. I'm watching you. You have 11 touchdowns and two picks. I saw you play against Dallas last year, where you were 27 to 33, 440 yards, 3 TDs, no picks.

You came into this league, Philip, and it was defense, and it was running, and now it's a video game. And I'm watching you and I'm thinking to myself, if I'm Philip Rivers, I've never had this much fun. It feels like you guys, guys like you veteran quarterbacks, have essentially mastered this game. That's what it says on TV when I watch you. Does it feel like that to some degree? It's easier now. I don't know if it feels that way, but it is crazy. the number of points they're being scored all around the league,

the amount of offense that's being played at a high level. We've had a pretty good stretch. You mentioned going back to last year, finishing the second half of the season. And, you know, this year, decent start, a lot better than the 0-and-4 last year. Yeah. Here sitting at 2-2 after the first quarter.

But I don't know that it's ever easy, but it's certainly, we've been in a pretty good stretch here of the last 10-12 games. You know, a lot of people have talked about Patrick Mahomes and how he played with Alex. Smith and how it was a great advantage playing with a veteran. You came into this league and Drew Breeze was around for a couple of years. And it's frustrating because you were a very talented kid. You'd started three years at NC State. You come into the NFL and you were good

enough to play, but you had kind of a conservative coach. You had Drew Breeze there. But did you learn stuff from Drew in those first couple of years? I did. I think it's tough as a competitor. And you mentioned playing all four years in college, actually. It was tough to sit. I'd never set ever. so it was tough. But I look back and I appreciate that time with Drew. I think I learned how to have a routine, how to prepare over a 16-week season, how to do the same thing every week, whether you win a big Sunday night game or lose one. And he was very consistent, very steady.

I got to see the game from the sideline, which I never had done. So I appreciate those two years. I do think there came a time when you can only improve so much from watching. You've got to go at some point. Thankfully for me, that came in the third year. but I am thankful for that time. It was tough. There was some tough Sunday afternoons driving home,

tossing that game playing in the back of the truck, not using it. But I learned a lot. It made me appreciate the role of a backup. I can tell you that. So all the guys I've had since then, I really appreciate that role because the time they spend,

the hard work they put in, and then often they don't ever get in the game. But when they're called to get in the game, it's, hey, we need you to go win it and finish it. So it made me appreciate that role as well. You know, when I look at Philip's fascinating. There are, Alabama didn't have a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Ohio State doesn't, LSU doesn't, Texas doesn't, Florida doesn't. But there was a time a couple years ago, NC State had four. Big Ben's from Miami in Ohio, Drew Brees, Purdue, Matt Ryan, Boston College. It is remarkable to me how many guys like you went to non-traditional powers in college and virtually our league is all guys like you. who didn't, you weren't surrounded by NFL receivers and backs, and you, you didn't get maybe a scholarship from an Alabama. I have always contended that that's a big advantage for the Phillip Rivers and the Drew Brees,

that little chip on the shoulder that, you know what, you didn't quite get the love in college. It was a little harder in college. I mean, that's kind of my, I can't, you know, Patrick Mahomes. He ends up going to a non-traditional power. Jared Goff, non-traditional power. I think that's something. I think it's a real thing. Do you?

Maybe there is. Maybe there is something to it. I certainly wouldn't wanted by everybody in the country, but at the same time, the NC State wanted me bad. Purdue probably wanted Drew bad. I mean, so you went to the place that truly wanted you, so there was some value in that. And I always dreamed about, gosh, I want to play Auburn so bad.

I want to play Alabama. Can we get a chance to play Tennessee? You know, never getting to play those schools that you wanted to want you as a high school kid that didn't. So maybe there's a little bit to it, but I think it also just goes to show any high school kid out there, you get a chance to go play college football, you've got a chance. I mean, we've got guys on our roster, and as you see all over the NFL,

that are from every conference, from Division 2, the FBS. I mean, they're from everywhere. If you can play, they'll find you, and you can have a heck of a long career. By the way, we're seeing more college concepts in the NFL. I see it with the Rams. I see it with Matt Nagy and the Bears. Are you guys bringing some college stuff? Are you comfortable with it?

Do you like some of it? I think there's an element to it. You've seen a lot more of the speed sweep stuff, a little more of the old RPO term gets brought out a little more than it probably ever thought it ever would in the NFL. But I still think at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, you've got to be able to convert third downs from the pocket. Yeah, I've got to be able to line up on third and short

and run power and run downhill lead. So I think those things are good, and they certainly allow you to spread the field. it gives you some easy completions, and I do think it's probably here to stay. But I do think what wins in the end are the ability to convert third down, score in the red zone on a third and goal from the six. There's no trick them in that deal. You've got to line up and execute, so I still think at the end of the day,

that's what wins. Okay, this weekend you'll play a home game against the Raiders, but Los Angeles, frankly, has always been a Raiders town more than a Rams town. And there's a chance you'll be at that game, and it'll feel like you're at a road. game. That's a weird way for the next year or two, for something for you to have to deal with it. It doesn't feel like sometimes you have a true home game. Deep down, is it bother you? How do you, when you walk into that stadium and you see all the black and silver, does it bother

you a little? I think, I think to answer you truthfully, deep down it does. Deep down it does a little bit. But I think having last year to get used to it a little bit and having had the experience of 65,000 Charger fans there over my career that I'm able to deal with it. It is what it is right now. For our young guys, I think maybe he's a little getting used to even last week. You know, Durwin James comes in here from Florida State, you know, and trots out there. And it's like, wait a minute. I'm used to 75,000 fans at home games in Florida State.

So I think for the young guys, it's not what maybe they expected. I think for the guys that were here last year that experienced it a little bit, we know how to handle it. And I also still think it comes down to continue and to find a way. to win football games last year, late in the year. It really, the environment started to change a little bit. And you mentioned, I mean, the Raiders and Niners and some games are going to be that way. But I think if we can get on a roll here and we got a chance against the division opponent

to win our second one in a row and hopefully get on a little bit of a roll, I think late in December over at the Stubhub, it'll be all right. Finally, Philip, I said before, I consider you a Hall of Famer and Carson Palmer a Hall of Famer. But a lot of times with Hall of Fame votes, they look at champions. is it a fair question to ask, do you believe that you need deep down a Super Bowl or an AFC championship to validate to some people your career? Well, I mean, I leave that to the people that like to hash those things out. I mean, I know the name of this game is winning.

I know that that's always been my goal. Our team's goal is to get to the top of the mountain. And we haven't done that yet. So I know that comes with a position. Quarterback and head coach are the only two to have their record tied to it. But I've never looked at it as I'm going to win a championship. It's about us and about us trying to get there,

and we haven't done it yet. And so obviously that's the ultimate goal. When that other discussion takes place, will that be the turning factor? I don't know. I think that's the long debate that you never can decide. I think I may even told you this. Looking back Tom Brady, who I think is arguably

maybe the best ever won of, for sure, that game against the Seahawks. in the Super Bowl, they have that interception to win. And immediately after that interception, everybody said, Tom Brady is now the greatest quarterback of all time. Whereas I would have contested, well, what if Seattle would have scored? Tom Brady just played the same

game. He's the same player. He wouldn't even on the field. And so I think those arguments are kind of, I mean, they can go on forever. But I really, I don't play for that reason. I'm thankful to have a successful career. But I play for these guys and this team

and this organization. And we won't like crazy to stand up there with the trophy one day. We haven't done it yet, but we're going to keep plugging away. You know, you are an amazing dad to several kids. You're an amazing guy, but every time I ask players, I say, who's the big trash talker in the NFL? They're like, oh, God, Philip Rivers. He's just chatting over there. He's talking trash like crazy. I'm like, Philip Rivers? He's such a nice guy. And they're like, yeah, he can be a nice guy. He's a trash talker. So you have a reputation as the league quarterback who trash talks. Are you proud of that? Do you take pride in Matt? Well, I think what I can say I'm proud of is you could have me miced up and get 45 minutes

of footage and there's nothing you got to beep out and then there's nothing that I couldn't show any of my children, you know, so I think that part I'm proud of. And I think more than anything, it just catches people off guard, the fact that there's a quarterback that interacts with you. Most guys, most guys don't. I don't interact with them as much as I used to. I've kind of tempered that a little bit. But I just like to have fun. You know, I play as if I was in the backyard with a bunch of my buddies in the ninth grade, you know, and that's the way you play. You just have to be on TV in front of a bunch of cameras, and people seem to catch more and more clips of it.

But I just enjoy playing. It's been a dream of mine to play this game and play in the highest level in the NFL. I had posters of Elway, and Marino, and Montana, and Aitman, and Farrv and Manning on my wall as a young boy. I got to play against some of those guys, and I'm getting to do it here at 36 years old. So, I mean, I just, I'm thankful every time to try it out there and, and, uh, play a little ball as a grown man. Well, yeah, I know you said you don't want to play to 45,

but don't give it up too soon. Pleasure to watch. 11 TDs, two picks. Heck of a player. It's going to be a Hall of Famer. Philip, 15 years, 7 of him and Pro Bowler. 11 TDs, two picks again this year. Congrats on your success and good luck against the Raiders.

Thanks, Colin. Thanks for having me home. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Let me ask you a question. A serious question. here. If you're watching me, I want a serious, I want you to think about this for a couple seconds. Joy, I want you to think about this, John and Greg. Is discipline a skill? Is

likability a skill? Is it a skill to be likable? Yeah. Okay. In the professional setting, yes. Is discipline? Yes. A skill. Yes. Okay. So you say two yeses because I agree with you. I say yes to discipline. I mean, that's why they have drill sergeants. There you go. So I think discipline is a skill. I think discipline people, no to that food, no to that opportunity, no to that flirting. That's a skill.

It's a mindset. You have to be, you have to get up early, work out every day. That's a skill. Okay, you're not born with that. It's hard to get up and work out, even if you always get up and work out. I have to talk myself every day into working out. I don't want to get on that treasurer. I really don't every day.

I also think likeability is a skill. Sometimes we're all moody. Sometimes we're all in a bad mood. But to walk into a room with other people and be considerate and likable and agreeable, I think is a skill. I think that's hard to do on a lot of days for a lot of us. I would call that emotional discipline. Well, yes. Exactly.

I think you're right. Tom Brady, by the way, is great at both those. Aaron Rogers is less great at both those. So here's an interesting story. Two years ago, this is written by Mike Floreo, a veteran NFL reporter. Two years ago, evidence emerged, palpable dysfunction between Aaron Rogers and Mike McCarthy's relationship, with Rogers openly questioning the sideline energy, which is something obviously a coach would have a lot of say with. Aaron Rogers bristled at it, called it crap.

Well, on Sunday, Rogers shared concerns. Get ready for more crap, Mike Floreo said. Rogers shared concerns about an offensive attack that doesn't sufficiently feature Devante Adams and Jimmy Graham. The quotes point clearly and unmistakably to the game plan, something for which the coach is solely responsible. This time, though, McCarthy opted to engage Aaron Rogers in his passive aggressiveness.

He said, quote, Aaron's given a lot of responsibility and rightfully so. He's earned that at the line of scrimmage and during the preparation process firing back at Aaron. So my takeaway is, oh, once again, likeability, discipline. It's not really Aaron's not nearly as good as Tom at this. I was told years ago by an NFL source inside that Green Bay building that Aaron, Rogers with Jay Cutler, but just with a lot more talent. Jay Cutler, condescending and difficult. These have been documented.

Aaron Rogers struggled with Brett Farve. It's been written and reported and acknowledged. Aaron Rogers has struggled publicly. Dad, brother called him out. Publicly teammates have called him out. Tom Brady gets along with everybody. Seemingly, Aaron Rogers gets along long term with nobody. and yet the media, 11 years of fawning.

Do you believe discipline and likability is a skill? I do. Tom Brady walks into that building. He's pissed off some days. He's in a bad mood some days. But he's emotionally disciplined. He's emotionally available. He's not condescending.

He has every right to be furious often. 18 years we've seen one or two actions from Tom, little social media stuff, praising gronk. We see it from Aaron Rogers constantly. Years ago, you know like Monday night football, Sunday night football, when they have the introductions and the players tell you where they're from. And a couple of years ago, Aaron Rogers didn't mention Cal. And a friend of mine told me, yeah, he's struggling now with Cal. And I couldn't verify it, so it may be a bunch of hooey. But it was on, remember this moment on TV?

I doubt many of you remember it. Aaron Rogers, Butte Community College. He wouldn't say Cal. He talked about his junior college. Now, I tried to get verified through Cal Athletics, so I can't hold that against him. But there's always been a reason why transcendent talents. Dan Marino, Carmelo, and Aaron Rogers don't win more.

The big one. There's always a reason for it. That reason is not something I'm going to talk about on the air all the time. I don't want to be mean-spirited. I don't want to make it personal. But when stuff comes out and people take shots at people, then I feel like I'm open to talk about people. There's a reason Carmelo Anthony doesn't win more. I'm not going to get into it.

There's a reason Dan Marino didn't win more. I'm not going to get into it. But Aaron's stuff becomes, it becomes documented. It becomes reported. And once again, if you think discipline, an emotional discipline, and likability are a skill, Aaron's not great at that. He's not. And we see it again. and he and McCarthy battling again.

They've been battling for years. They don't advertise it. They've been battling for years. And I think there's a reason. It's not always somebody else's fault. The media's been fawning. I was thinking about this, is that Jerry Jones,

there's a new book out by Gary Myers, longtime New York NFL reporter. And there's a quote in there, a lot of cowboy fans get very frustrated, very frustrated with Jason Garrett the head coach. And an excerpt, the book is called How About Them Cowboys by Gary Myers? And one of the excerpts, each year Garrett is near the top of the list of coaches on the hot seat. That speculation always followed by Jerry issuing strong words of support. Jones likes him and is averse to starting over with a new coach.

You know what this is? age is a powerful thing. And I've said this before. If Nick Saban was 52, he would leave Alabama. He left LSU at 53. Nick Saban's 66. He don't want to start over again. The other day, I asked somebody close to Pete Carroll.

I said, USC may have a new football coach in six months. Would Pete Carroll consider it? And he said, no. He wants to go hang out in Hawaii with his grandkids. He didn't want to start over again. and because Pete Carroll could be offered that job if USC had an opening. Here's the thing. Bill Parcells and Jimmy Johnson were better coaches than Jason Garrett.

They were. But Jerry's now like, you know, getting close to 80, and that's a lot of energy, and that's a lot of tension, and that's a lot of drama, and that's a lot of arguing. Age right now is a real thing. It will make a lot of decisions for you. and I think Jason Garrett's safe and Jason Garrett's comfortable. And I don't think Jerry maybe has the energy level or the interest in going into a dog fight again. Because he and Parcells could be rough.

And him and Jim Johnson could be rough. And I think it's a real thing. I really do. You see this all the time in the NFL where the old, I remember Brett Farv at the end of his career in Green Bay. Brett Farve had a quote that I never forget. Brett Farv said, I just don't want to learn a new offense. I just don't want to learn a new offense. So he wanted to go to Minnesota.

I think it was like Darryl Bevel was the coordinator so he could run the same offense. And that's generally when you know it's time to get out of a business. Now, Jerry's not going to give up the Cowboys. But when you start making decisions based on, I just don't have the energy to do this, that's probably a good time to revisit your strategy. And like Brett Farb at the end in Green Bay is like, I just don't want to, I don't want to learn a new offense. Well, what if it can help you win more games? I don't want to learn a new offense.

Then you should think about retirement. and I don't think Jerry's going to sell the team, but I think Jerry Jones deep down, if Jerry Jones was 10 years younger, I think after this year, if they're 7 and 9, he'd move on. I think if Jerry was 15 years younger. And Jerry's not a guy that hires and fires guys.

He has a loyal streak to him. He does. He's loyal to players. He's loyal to coaches. They kept Dave Campbell for a long time, and it wasn't working ever. He could have certainly kept Barry Switcher won a Super Bowl for him.

He had one terrible season. He could have kept Barry longer. He could have fired. him. So I look at this as kind of, it's one of those things. Age has a big, big influence on decisions. And if Jerry was 10 years younger, I just don't think

he wants to go through the argument anymore. It's a real thing. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. In the NFL, I do my blazing five picks. And I've been doing them for years. And I guess spreads.

In the NFL, good quarterbacks, Andrew luck would qualify as a really, really special quarterback. Never get 10 and a half points. Ever. They just don't. You don't give Matt Ryan 10 and a half points. You don't give Big Ben 10 and a half points. You don't even give flacco 10 and a half points. You don't give Brady, Rogers, Breeze.

You don't give top quarterbacks 10 and a half points. The Colts are getting 10.5 points. It makes no sense. It is easily the biggest line. of the week. If I said to you, Brady and Luck, biggest spread of the week, it's a short week. It's not even one of those weeks where you have extra time. And by the way, what does it tell you? I tell you, every year there is a line in this league that is a booby trap.

This is it. Take the Patriots to cover. You're thinking to yourself. How in God's name can you give a top quarterback? By the way, Andrew Luck is on fire. He became the second quarterback in league history last week. He's finally got an offensive coach to throw for 450 yards, four touchdowns, no picks and lose.

It's only happened two times. And I don't care that he's 0.15 against the Patriots. I don't care that his touchdown interception ratio is two to one. And with the Patriots, he has more picks than touchdowns. I don't care about that stuff. the key in this game is the Colts have abandoned their running game. They have no running game. They're 30th in rushing.

And even with Andrew Luck, who's having a remarkable year, their 24th in total offense. You never see a top quarterback get 10 and a half. It's a sucker bet. This is going to be a blowout guy. I don't even want to say this. It's on Fox. That line makes no sense. Every year there's a line.

I'm like, that's the greatest line I've ever seen. This is it. By the way, five colt starters did not practice yesterday due to injury. That line, there's one a year, is a shocking NFL betting line. It tells me the Patriots are going to win in a route. Luck, Brady, two of the top seven, eight guys in the league, route. We don't even like New England. Before Sunday afternoon, we were bailing on New England.

Ten and a half? Ten and a half is what the Patrick Mahomes and the chiefs at Kansas City would be against the Jets. That's ten and a half in the NFL. This is not college football. 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. One of the reasons we get in every day and we prep, we like to find new cool stuff.

And total passing touchdowns through the first three. four weeks are getting smashed. There's 228 passing touchdowns through the first month, four weeks of the NFL. That is smashing every record. Now, we told you before the season, we said, bet the overs. That was our big thing before the NFL season. I said it five or six times. These guys has been a witness bet the overs, bet the overs, bet the overs, bet the overs.

The helmet rule, the catch rule has been flipped to help the receiver, not hurt the receiver. So we knew there'd be better scoring. That's obvious. It's huge. But here's what's really interesting to me is that many of the best quarterbacks, right now Mahomes would be the MVP second year, Goff would be co-MVP third year. Carson Wentz last year, second year MVP. It never worked that way in the NFL.

Even if young guys came in, Tom Brady, that first Super Bowl was a defensive Super Bowl. Big Ben's first Super Bowl was a defensive Super Bowl. Drew Brees didn't hit until year eight in the NFL. What is happening now in the NFL is real. Young guys are coming in and they're taking over the league. Because the NFL, it's not just rule changes because if it was just rule changes, if it was just rule changes, the old guys would still get all the stats. I went this morning to look something up.

Something is happening in the NFL. The bust rate for quarterbacks is going down fast. So what does bust rate mean? first round quarterbacks from 2002 to 2013. Okay, 12 years, 35 quarterbacks drafted in the first round. 23 were busts. That is a bust rate of 60%. Over half the guys in that 12-year period were a bust.

Can't play. Some played a little, some played a lot. Some didn't play busts. Yet, from 2014 to now, last four years, 16 first round quarterbacks, two busts. Paxton Lynch can't play and Johnny Mansell. Some of that's just an addiction issue that's been reported. He's out of the league.

The bust rates 12%. That is a real thing. And that is for, here's Trentville for yesterday explaining why not only young guys are not busting, they're taking the league over. Innovation worked its way down from the NFL to college to high school. well about 10 years ago maybe even longer started working its way up college coaches we're going to high school programs and going

whoa we're going to recruit a kid but we love what you're doing offensively why don't you come to our school and teach us this well then all of a sudden NFL programs start bringing college coaches in saying how do you guys do that teach us how to do that and it became a league of can I think that's a huge reason why you're seeing the scheme changes I think what you're seeing in the NFL now is young, the NFL made a decision. How can we take the most important position and make it work instantly in the NFL?

And they have brought the college offenses to the NFL and it's allowing Wentz in his second year to be an MVP. Mahomes in his first year as a starter MVP. Goff in his third year when he gets the right coach looks like an MVP. So the bust rate is plummeting. Translation, if you can get a quarterback in the first round, get one. And even if you think maybe, you know, I don't know how he'll transition. This is why Baltimore probably said, you know what, maybe in other eras, we don't take Lamar Jackson first round. We're going to go for it.

Because I've got to tell you, Donald's not going to be a bust. I've seen Rosen. He's not a bust. Baker's not a bust. Josh Allen got shut out last week, but from what I've seen, he can play. So the four guys who are playing are not busts. Josh Allen can play. He went to Minnesota.

When you got the right game plan and protection, dude can play. Lamar, we don't know yet. But I will say this about Lamar looked way more comfortable against the Steelers than he did. The last time I saw him, that was the most comfortable he's looked. So that's, yeah, I mean, here's a problem. Yeah, that's the greatest example. Mitch Trubisky, six touchdowns last week. You got to be kidding.

When's the last time Tom Brady threw for six touchdowns? I mean, you're bringing the college stuff, you're bringing it to the NFL and these college kids. They're ready to play. It's like microwavable. They are ready to play. Look at, even in the NBA, think about this. Think how great Kevin Garnett is. Think how great LeBron James is.

Think how great Anthony Davis is. Think how great these players are. They don't make any impact in the league for like six years. Anthony Davis didn't do anything his first four or five years in the league. LeBron didn't do anything his first four or five years in the league. Kevin Garnett didn't do anything for his first four or five years in the league. even these transcendent college basketball stars or guys go straight high school to pro

they don't have any impact first four or five years in the league they're not changing the world they make their team better they're not changing the world these guys are literally taking the league over wence mahomes golf it's exciting what are the wise guys wear I get asked that from time to time the answer is the new gear from theherdnow.com merchandise store

we are now officially open for business we have all the apparel diehard herd fans need to represent the show. Go to theherdnow.com. If you don't, that's a you problem. And that's a you problem is one of our shirts. Check it out. Theherdnow.com.

Theherdnow.com store is open for business today. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports

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We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ 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 7, Marquis keep coming to him. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love.

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