The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 10/08/2019

Episode Date: October 8, 2019

Colin talks about Baker Mayfield's awful night in San Francisco and why he's regressing and might have already hit his ceiling in the NFL. He also thinks the Browns should trade Odell Beckham Jr. for offensive line help. He gives his top ten NFL teams in the Herd Hierarchy and there were some major shakeups this week.  Plus, Saints Defensive End Cameron Jordan talks about not missing a step after Drew Brees got hurt and why he hasn't let bad calls by the refs derail him. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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the hard way on the iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast what's up guys this is clivert 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 with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to the best of herd 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 Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartreport. radio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a Tuesday.

This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in sunny and beautiful Los Angeles. Iheart radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1, one hour from now our herd hierarchy. Cleveland won't be in it. Joy Taylor is joining me. Joy, how are you? I'm doing better than Cleveland fans are about to be doing, I assume.

I'm going to roll up my sleeves. I'm going to go to work here. Okay. All right. This is a work day for me. I'm going to roll up my sleeves. I got a little to talk about today. No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Uh-oh. So, Mr. I am dangerous. Should be I am embarrassed today. That was bad and it's getting worse. But here is the part. that is stunning to me. Richard Sherman said after the game, a first ballot Hall of Famer,

defensive back formerly of the Seahawks, now of the 49er, a Stanford guy. He's pretty smart. He said, what's amazing and annoying? He was shocked that Baker Mayfield snubbed him with a handshake.

He goes, that's some college blank. It's ridiculous. We're all trying to get psyched up, shaking hands with your opponent. That's NFL etiquette. When you pull that Bush League stuff, That's disrespectful to the game.

And believe me, that got us fired up. Baker, this league is hard for Patrick Mahomes with Andy Reid. You watch them against Detroit. You'll watch them this week against the Colts. This league is eating up hurdle, roadblock, obstacle for Patrick Mahomes, who can throw it from where I'm sitting to Canton, Ohio, on a straight line. You're 5.11 and a half.

Looks like you've gained weight. You run a 48440 with a rookie head coach and a bad old line. And you're taunting people? Andrew Luck used to, after getting sacked, congratulate the lineman. Tom Brady and Breeze. Always saying, oh, my God, this opponent. Russell Wilson, has there ever been anybody that wins and loses with more grace? And you're not in their class.

This, in the history of Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, this is my first ballot right. Police video. Leading the NFL in picks. Taunting NFL players. What is that? Bad judgment. That's just bad judgment. Stop with the 29 commercials.

I feel dangerous. I'm not saying the season's over. It's not. There's good news on the horizon for Cleveland. but that was embarrassing and you're making it harder. This league chews up great players, Nameth, Fav. It chewed up Andrew Luck and spit him out.

And if you don't think being humble, keeping your head down, what's the old saying, under-deliver, under-promise, over-deliver? That works in radio, TV, landscaping, government, and it works with quarterbacks. But that's not the worst part. that's not the worst part here's what's really troubling

Baker Mayfield is regressing you could not watch Baker Mayfield last year and not say this even me a critic last year I said damn bro he is accurate you could not have anything other than that I didn't have to love everything about him

but even I was saying the kid is accurate he is a stone cold 17 yard completion waiting to happen. He is regressing. His strength is now an issue. He's no longer accurate. Is it his quarterback coach?

64% last year completion percentage. He's down to 56%. We made fun of CAM for that. And CAM 6'6 and runs like an athlete. You can't be 5-11, run a 4-840 and throw 56% completions. That's a backup quarterback in this league. I'm not sure it's a backup. And he is regressing.

And what is the reason? My takeaway is, the further removed he gets from Lincoln Riley, the worse as mechanics get, the worse as tempo gets. He needs to go in the off-season to Oklahoma for about six weeks and get back to Lincoln Riley camp. It is a problem. I've seen this my entire life in the NFL. Jeff Tedford, Nick Sabin, and now Lincoln Riley,

where players, defensive backs under Sabin, get such great coaching. They go to the NFL, and it's the rare instance where their NFL defensive back coach is worse than their college defensive back coach. That's why all these Alabama DBs look unbelievable in college. 90% go to the NFL. They're never as good. Lincoln Riley's made Jalen Hertz look like a number one pick.

He looked like a backup at Alabama. He got Kyler Murray drafted number one. He got Baker Mayfield drafted number one. The further removed from Lincoln Riley he gets, the worse he gets. Last night he had a couple of throws one in the fourth quarter down the sideline. Even Freddie Kitchens shook his head. It was a easy throw for Baker Mayfield.

So when you're shorter than average and slower than average and now your strength becomes a weakness, you're one of the least accurate throwers in the league. That's a mechanic issue. That's a tempo issue. That is a coaching issue. He is regressing. And people now have film on him.

Here's the thing about Baker. He came into the NFL almost two years older than the other quarterbacks with almost twice the starts. And with easily the best college coach of all these young quarterbacks, Donald, Lamar, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen. So he was much closer to his ceiling than the other guys. Donald's got a million miles to go. Josh Allen's got a million miles. Baker doesn't. Because Lincoln Riley squeezed every ounce of juice out of this two-time walk-on.

And everybody fell in love with it. And the NFL media, like all media loves stories. Well, the story has changed. He's no longer even accurate. Okay. So let me segue to what I believe is the way to solve this. And this is not a hot take. This is the action Cleveland needs to take.

I would strongly consider trading OBJ. And there are three reasons for this. Number one, Cleveland is struggling with their identity. You're asking a rookie head coach to figure out Jarvis Landry, Callaway, Baker, Chubb, a below average offensive line in OBJ. Okay, they're coming up with gadget plays. They are trying so hard to take a gifted, brilliant, and sensitive wide receiver and wedge him sometimes often too much.

much into the game plan. Number two is Kareem Hunt, a great running back, arrives in Cleveland by November 10th. You're going to have another mouth to feed? Chubb, Hunt, Harvey, OBJ, Calloway. You got another mouth to feed November 10th. And number three, Cleveland's offensive line is completely overwhelmed against elite pass rushes. So let me ask you, use Andrew Luck as an example and to Sean Watson. Everybody ripped Houston

when they made that big trade and got Laramie Tunsell. You notice Houston last week? No sacks. Five touchdown passes. They moved off. Oh, those coveted first round picks. They solved the left tackle position. Deshaun Watson?

Not sure if you noticed last week. Looked like the MVP. It is time to consider moving OBJ. It's not a hot take. It's the action-cle. Cleveland should take. They have a surplus of weapons. November 10th, they're adding another. I believe, and by the way, if you look at O'Dell Beckham's targets this year through week five, he was targeted 11, 10, 9, 7, 6. They are struggling to figure out how to get him the ball.

Of course they are. They're a better team when they run, his targets are going down every week. By the way, Baker to O'Dell, it's not working. The completion percentage for Baker's 53% is passerating in the 60s. So they're clearly, it's not authentic, it's not organic. They're trying to force this thing to work. I never thought Odell Beckham to Cleveland long term was a solution. I believe that Cleveland Browns have four foundational players. And when you're struggling with your identity, I mean, Joy and I talk about this in morning meetings, what is the show today? What is the identity of the show? What are the three big topics? The identity going forward for this team is Nick Chubb, Baker Mayfield, Miles Garrett, and Jarvis Landry, everything else floats.

I like Denzel Ward, but you just drafted another really good corner. I like Odell Beckham. But you know what? Landry's more dependable physically, emotionally, and Calloway is fine. Heck, they're going to get David & Joku back next year. That's another mouth to feed. These are the Brown's foundational Ford. This is what New England does.

This is what the Saints do. Breeze, Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and somebody we're going to have at the end of the show today, Cameron Jordan. Those are their foundational four. Everything else is expendable, movable, tradable, if they don't take the right price. Odell Beckham, it's not working. The targets are coming down.

Baker's lowest passer rating is when targeting him. They got him throwing the ball. They got the reverses, the gadget plays. By the way, do you think he's happy there? Y'all knew he wanted to end up in L.A. Instagram, he wanted to be with Tom Brady. This is not where he wanted to be, a historically losing franchise and a rookie head coach, Freddie Kitchens, and Baker Mayfield.

I mean, Baker's doing the best he can, but it is time to consider, and John Dorsey, the general manager, is a Wheeler dealer. He is a wheeler dealer. Baker is simply not athletic enough to overcome this team's primary liability, offensive line. that was a, they can't block elite pass rushers. They can't. Go back to the foundational four.

Chubb Baker, Garrett, Landry. That's the future. And I'm not even all in on Baker all the time, but he's the future. He's your number one pick. He's the guy that you have to make everything pivot off of. After that, everything else floats. Because they don't have an identity right now.

And the reason they don't have an identity, because they got too many mouse to feed in November 10th, Kareem Hunt shows up, that's another one. Next year, David and Joku comes back, that's another one. You got to trim the playbook, trim all the fluff off this stuff, and go back to what you wake up in the morning saying, this is what we are. And November 10th, when Kareem Hunt shows up, it's got to be Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, ground and pound, Baker on play action,

and Miles Garrett, make life miserable for the quarterback we're facing. That going forward is the team. Not a hot take. It's the action they should take. There's a big difference. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

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

The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo SlicLife 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast. learn the hard way with me, your host,

and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about, wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search, learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. 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 kid. This linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Come on out.

Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Cliffer Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become

whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Listen, there are sometimes you get advantages in life. Would it be an advantage if your dad was Jack Buck and you're a little boy, Joe Buck, at 8, 9, 10 years old and you're in the booth with your dad, a legendary announcer. Is that an advantage? Absolutely. Tom Brennaman and Joe Buck work at Fox. are legendary baseball broadcasters. It's an advantage that they got to sit in the booth at nine years old. I wanted to be a broadcaster.

I didn't have that. Now, Joe and Tom also deserve great respect because just because your dad's good at something doesn't mean you are. Do I think Bronny Jr.? It's an advantage having LeBron as my dad? Not only the DNA, but LeBron's work ethic, his understanding, his IQ of the world and basketball. Yes. Now, again, Michael Jordan had kids. They weren't as driven.

But there are advantages in life sometimes mom was in a business, dad was in a business. We get our parents' DNA. Sometimes we get their drive. So when you get the advantage of the parent and access with drive, it gets special. It gets really special. Kyle Shanahan had Mike Shanahan. Mike Shanahan is one of the great coaches in NFL history, top 15. Now, a lot of dads, a lot of NFL coaches had six.

sons. Not all of them are great coaches. But Kyle Shanan had a great coach, and he is, I'm told, exceptionally smart and exceptionally driven. He has taken that dad advantage, that access advantage, and he is

special. Listen, San Francisco didn't have their left tackle last night and he's a pro bowler. And they ran all over. Those are dad's running schemes. That zone read stuff, they ran all over Cleveland. Cleveland's got a real defense. Don't kid yourself. here. Cleveland's season is not over.

That defense is going to keep them in games if Baker can stop throwing pecks. That running game and that defense, that's a real defense in Cleveland. But here's what you need to know about Kyle Shanahan. Matt Ryan won an MVP with him. Do you know what Matt Ryan's

record is since Kyle Shanahan left? Under 500. You know what Jimmy Garoppolo's record is? 10 and 2. Okay, I was told that Shanahan was in the Redskins building the same time Sean McVeigh was and Matt LaFleur, I believe. And I was talking to somebody about a month ago and they said, listen, McVeigh had charisma, a great energy. But Shanahan was the brainiac, was the offensive genius.

It was Rain Man stuff. What you watched last night, the blocking schemes, the multiple sets, the decoys. How about that like fourth and one? They brought Goodwin around. I mean, I'd never even seen that play before. This offense, McVeigh is a very, very, very good coach. But I believe he has a system that is often reliant on a top back. I don't think Kyle Shanahan is reliant on anything.

I mean, Harvard fullback, rookie wide receivers, tight ends, slots. I mean, this is not an offense with a lot of first round offensive weapons. This is a lot of second, third, fourth, and fifth round offensive weapons. And it's amazing. Listen, they were scoring points with Nate Mullins. So, I mean, it wasn't even, the offense wasn't even totally quarterback dependent. They were moving the ball with Nate Mullins. They just couldn't stop anybody.

So you are looking at it, and that NFC West, here's the best news in the world for Cleveland. You don't play in the NFC West because you're 0.2 against him and you may be 0. 3 after Seattle. The good news, Cleveland, by next week, by Sunday night, you're done playing the NFC West, or at least the best teams in the NFC West. Because Kyle Shanahan, we all love McVe. He's got the cheekbones and the career. charisma and the energy, and I like him a lot.

Shanahan is the offensive genius in that division. I mean, that stuff last night, Cleveland, there were gaping holes. There were wide open, tight end plays. In the red zone right now, I could be wrong on this. I think San Francisco leads the NFL in like red zone efficiency. And that tells you, even when it's all jammed up and all cluttered up and all, you know, you get into that tight space, good luck stopping them. That was a clinic last night on coaching.

San Francisco and Kansas City. Right now, my two favorite watches in the league. Those Nick Mullins. Did I say Nate Mullins? Nick Mullins. Does it matter? I mean, he's at Applebee's today. I mean, seriously. I mean, they were scoring points with him.

Weren't winning, but they were scoring points with him. 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. Heard hierarchy. Time is now. Let's go. The top 10 NFL teams, according to college.

Number 10. Carolina Panthers. Once again, Ron Rivera, one of the smartest defensive coaches in the league, their second and sacks, fourth and past defense, eighth overall. So this is what they give Cam every year.

By the way, Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL in rushing and scrimmage yards, and Kyle Allen's the only quarterback in the Super Bowl era to go 4-0 with no interceptions in his four starts. Been saying it for years. They're well-coached. They always have top-10 defenses, and they've got plenty of talent. Stop telling me, Cam Newton doesn't have help.

This is a top 8 to 10 roster and a top 7 or 8 defense with the NFL's leading rusher, Carolina, at 10. Number 9. Buffalo Bills are the best defense in the NFL. It's not New England. New England's played junk offenses. Buffalo had to face Tom Brady. This defense is unbelievable.

Third in scoring, third in pass defense, third down in total defense. But what is remarkable about Buffalo? And there are limitations to their offensive explosion. They have scored 10 touchdowns in 14 red zone trips. With Josh Allen? I mean, Josh Allen has got a big ceiling, but he's not close to where he could be. That is coaching. Okay.

Cleveland's got all this. talent, they're a lousy red zone offense. Buffalo doesn't have near the talent. They're a great red zone offense. This is a coaching league. Buffalo, that coaching staff, this is the best defense in the league. Maybe not statistically, but it's the best defense in the league, Buffalo nine. Number eight. You're going to be shocked Kansas City. They can't stop the run. They can't stop the run. They're 30th in rush defense. Their 25th in total defense. Bottom line is you cannot win a Super Bowl with this defense. Now, this morning, they're number eight for another reason. The defense and nobody's healthy. You're asking me this morning who's the top four or five teams in the league.

They're not healthy enough. They just got dogged at home by Indianapolis, who didn't have Darius Leonard, Malik, Hooker, and Andrew Locke. So they're going to move up. But right now, physically and defensively, this is not a great team, Kansas City at eight. Number seven. Rams at seven. Now, one of the problems with the Ram. Sean McVey teams don't turn it over. This team's a turnover mess. They have 11 that's tied for the most in the NFL. But I don't think a lot of that's random. Fumbles are random. I don't think they'll lead the NFL in turnovers in three weeks. So I think that is solvable. What is not solvable is they're allowing 27 points a game. Their secondary Marcus Peters has been roasted multiple times, Akeeb to leave. That worries me. Listen, they don't have a running game right now. That's a problem. But I think a lot of their stuff is solvable. I still think Marcus Peters and Akib to leave are talented. I don't think there'll be a turnover machine the rest of the year.

But I can't put them higher than seven because they don't have a running game. Number six. Seattle. Now, you'd think they'd be higher, but they could have lost that game to the Rams if the ball's one foot left. That defense is about coaching and Pete Carroll. Because that defense has one star. It is a total work in progress. And yet they're six in the NFL and three.

down defense and fourth and rushing. That is a testament. Now, Janavian Clowny helps, but that is a testament to what Pete Carroll does. He is a great teacher of defensive principles. Russell Wilson is the MVP. But again, I think right now the story is Pete Carroll's coaching this defense could get better. They're not there yet.

I think they'll be really tested in Cleveland this week. And I have Seattle at six. Number five. Green Bay. The story is Aaron Rogers, now as the coach he likes, here's the other thing. They lead the NFL and takeaways with 11. Now, they got gashed by Philadelphia, but that's because it was mostly, they just ran the ball and didn't give Green Bay a chance to take it away. It's a good team.

It's a good football team. They've had one bad half. Their defense was hemorrhaging yards, second half against Philadelphia. First half, it wasn't that bad. So I look at Green Bay, and I think I've got almost every component I need. Again, their turnover differentials plus seven. So they're taking it away and they're not giving it back. And I get Aaron Rogers, who does appear to be happier.

He tends to have moods. He does appear to be on the upswing with his mood. And by the way, they've also scored more points every week, Joey. 10, 21, 27, 2734. So this is a growing offense. Number four. Philadelphia. My final four teams are always my favorites to win the Super Bowl.

they have had all sorts of injuries. They have no deep threat, left tackle, and they are second on third down offense. That is a huge stat for me. That's about coaching. That's about push. That's about execution. This is one of the two best teams in the league

on third down of getting first downs. They're also, by the way, the best run defense in the league. So you don't get first downs. So what Philadelphia does is get you off the field on third down, and they extend their opportunities on third down. They've been in a lot of close games. They've dealt with a lot of injuries, but I thought last week was a little bit of a deep breath they needed, didn't have to play the starters as long.

Philadelphia, to me, OD lines will carry them to the NFC championship. Number three. New Orleans Saints. Folks, when you can win three straight games with a backup, and the games are at Seattle, Dallas, and against a pretty dynamic Tampa Bay team, your good football team twice this year. And we're going to have Cameron Jordan on later. Twice this year, they've had six plus sacks in the game. I really undervalued their defense. Their defense has been really, really good. Remember, they're a bad whistle away from being undefeated against the Rams. They're a bad whistle away. So they've been kind of the surprise in the NFL for me. Their defense is, I think, sensational. And Teddy Bridgewater is, he's a starter.

but he's also currently the best backup by far in the NFL. Number two. What do you want me to say with San Francisco? What do I not like? I think their coach is a genius. I think Garoppolo's 10 and 2 as a starter. They didn't even have their left tackle last night, and they gashed, gashed Cleveland's defense.

Their number two in total defense, Bosa's a nightmare. I got to tell you, John Lynch, the GM, a lot of those draft picks now look really, really good. They didn't even play a lot of their young receivers last night. They have super depth, super depth on the defensive line in a wide receiver. Their defense is only allowed two touchdowns in 10 red zone drives. And why is that? You saw it last night. It is fast.

It is physical. It is long. Richard Sherman on the outside. This is a real team, folks. This is not a mirage. This is a real team. I'm not overreacting. Cleveland could have lost last night, 41 to the United.

three. Cleveland is only a one-point underdog to Seattle. That tells you a little bit about what San Francisco's got athletically. Number one. Best coach in football is Bill Belichick. They have the best secondary I think I've seen in my life. It's not the best defense. Buffalo is. They've played a bunch of bad offenses, but this is kind of New England. Last week, they found their running game. Now, maybe that's Washington, but I've got Brady Belichick. They found a running game. Now, they're not a dominant number one. I wouldn't, I don't think they could go to New Orleans and win. I don't think they could go to Lambo right now or Philadelphia in win. The offensive lines of work in progress and the wide receiver situation is, I mean, they're making it work, but

they've got a guy and I are. For the record, Gronk just signed with Fox Sports I read this morning, so he's not coming back. He's working here. So they better figure out the tight end spot as well, but New England right now is number one. What's up everybody? John Middlecock. with the three and out podcast brought to by Colin Coward and his podcast network. You like football? You like my show. That's all I'm talking. Football, football, and more football.

Coming up on Tuesday's show, Baker Mayfield, Freddie Kitchens, get taken to the woodshed by Kyle Shanahan. What does it all mean? The Packers, the Cowboys. How did the Bears get beat down by John Gruden? I talk it all. Again, three and out podcast, go subscribe with me, John Middlecom. Reggie Bush, a Super Bowl champ over a decade in the NFL. Of course, the big noon kick.

off live on Foxshire at Texas, Oklahoma. You played in a college football game, maybe the only one in my life where I remember where I was sitting in the color of the couch. So Notre Dame will host USC. Clay Hilton's in big trouble. A loss certainly guarantees he's not the coach next year. The Bush push is very memorable for a lot of reasons.

One of the landscapers did not cut the grass to slow Reggie Bush down. It looked like it was the British Open. Look how thick that grass is, man. That's crazy. By the way, it's now legal to push from behind. Take me to the moment in the game because the crowd was right on the field. Yeah, the crowd's right on the football field. And obviously, the sequence of events that happened for us to get there was even crazier.

The fourth and whatever, when Matt put the football right where only Duane Jericho could catch it, literally grazed the defender to fast forward down the football field. Matt gets knocked out of bounds trying to scramble. They let the time run off the clock. and then we fast forward to this moment right here, and I never forget, when we were standing on the field, while they were trying to figure everything out, I turned to Matt and I said, what are you going to do?

And he says, I'm going to sneak it. So I was like, oh, damn. I'm going to have to somehow, some way, you know, I guess help him get over the end zone. I wasn't planning to push him, but that's just kind of what happened because when he snapped the ball, he got knocked backwards for a second.

And so obviously, being in the competitor that I am, I wanted to obviously help our team win the game. And that's what happened. Known as the Bush Push. By the way, you have Texas, Oklahoma this weekend. You'll be live there. You're not going to sugarcoat it. You think one team wins big. I think Oklahoma is going to win.

Why? Because they just have too much firepower. And I think this is a different game than last year. With Sam Ellinger was Superman, he's going to have to be Superman again this game. Because that defense on the back end? Because that devens on the back end for Texas is struggling right now. And then they have a lot of starters that are hurt in the secondary. And so Oklahoma lives off the deep pass.

They live off the explosive plays. And then when you have Texas secondary, who's, I think, dead last in the Big 12. Also, I think they're around 120th, 125th in college football in defending the past. And they're banged up. And they're banged up. That is not set up well for this game. So Sam Ellinger is going to have to be Superman again. He's going to have to be Mr. Everything in this game.

And still, even then, I'm not sure it's enough because also Oklahoma's defense is better this year. They are better. They're not great, but they're better. A couple of things about the NFL. You've played in the NFL for over a decade. Reggie Bush is joining us part of the big noon kickoff at Fox 11 a.m. We were talking about Cleveland, and I said, listen, in the NFL, you just can't, unless you have a super athletic quarterback, like a Cam Newton or a Patrick Mahomes. maybe a Brett Farve in his prime.

You got to have a good O-line. Cleveland's O-line's bad. They have a surplus of offensive players. And my takeaway is it's not a terrible time. You call up Washington and say, we'll take your left tackle, Trent Williams. You can have OBJ. I'm not anti-O-BJ.

But if you look at the targets, you look at Baker's passer rating, they're trying to jam it in there. I would think about moving OBJ. Is it crazy? I don't think it's crazy. I don't think it's going to happen. but I don't think it's crazy because, to your point, they could not block Nick Bosa last night.

Nick Bosa made the offense aligned, made Cleveland's offense align look like they were a junior varsity football team. Like they couldn't stop them. And really, it really San Francisco put on a football clinic last night. Offense, defense, throwing the football, running the football. But the biggest thing that I saw which gave them a lot of success was they won the line of scrimmage. On the offensive side of the ball, they completely gutted Cleveland's defense. Like ran the football right down their throat. And then on the flip side, they had Baker scrambling for his life all night long, right?

They didn't give him any room to breathe. They made it dirty and ugly for them. And, you know, they definitely have to make changes with the Cleveland Brown's organization. I believe they have a culture issue there. I don't think it's execution. I think it's culture because there's no way that team with that many, that much talent should get dominated like that. By the way, 31 to 3, if they had a field goal kicker that was hot last night,

they lose 41 to 3. Like that game was one of the most lobsided games. That was Miami first week against Baltimore. Like you're like, after about eight minutes, you're like, oh, this could get completely out of control. Are you surprised that New Orleans, a place you love dearly, is winning without Drew Brees and winning against top NFL teams? Am I a little surprised?

I'm a little bit surprised because I thought that not having Drew there, right? Not having that presence of Drew is not just the quarterback. He's the leader of that football team. He commands respect when he's on the football field from everybody, not just the defense, but the offense too, because other quarterbacks know I got to beat Drew Breeze today when they're playing against the Saints. And so I thought that they would maybe struggle a little bit, but to me the bigger picture here and the bigger narrative is Sean Payton's coaching

because I think he's done a masterful job at winning football games but in the fashion and he's doing it. He's doing it kind of differently. Now the defense is taken over. They shut down Zeke, right? When they played the Cowboys, they went into Seattle, which is not a tough place to win. Special teams and defense were great. Special teams and defense were great again.

And so he's finding ways to win football games without his best player. and that's a sign of a great coach, right? Because we've seen the other way where teams lose their starting quarterback and they just tank. And it's like, well, the Redskins, perfect example. Why isn't Dwayne Haskins prepared to go into a football game? Yeah, look at the two teams, by the way, that have gone to back up quarterbacks and are winning. Carolina, Ron Rivera, one of the top defensive guys in the league, and Sean Payton.

Exactly. It should not be man overboard. You shouldn't be as good, but you should be functional. Right. Right. When you look, so everybody watches Dak and the Packers. And I said, I'm not trying to be right. I'm trying to get it right. And I did look at Dak and I thought, man, you put them on TV next to Aaron Rogers. And I'm like, I might have to franchise. Yeah. Like you kind of pause, right? I'm not overreacting, right? No, you're not overreacting. And it's funny because last week, I initially picked, Green Bay to win because I know how Ann Rogers, he's so good in Dallas, right? And now they have a run game. And really, the Packers should be undefeated right now if they run the football on the goal line a couple weeks ago, right? If they run the football and goal line situation, they're probably still undefeated right now.

And so that's how good this Packers team is. They're finding ways now to win football games without Ann Rogers having to be the man, having to be Superman. And so, again, Anne Rogers and. Sorry, my phone ring. So Aaron Rogers and Dak Prescott on the same football field, you know, Aaron Rogers is always going to have ultra success because he's not necessarily tied to,

my running back has to play well for me to win this football game today, right? Yeah. Like last year, he won a game with his arm, throwing a football down the field. This year, they get it done running the football. They really beat the Cowboys at their own game, right? Yeah, basically. Ran the football, pounded the football.

When you think about this week, Notre Dame USC has gone through a lot of movement here in the last couple of years. Clay Hilton's in big trouble. They're a 10-11 point underdog. I do not think they win at Notre Dame. When you look at USC football, how does it feel the last time you were there, 97,000, Hollywood all up and down the sidelines. Do they have to make a big splashy hire, a small hire? in the program. What's the solution if they lose to Notre Dame?

Wow, that's a great question. And I can't tell you I know what the right answer is to that. Obviously, if they lose to Notre Dame, people will start chanting more and more about Clay Hilton leaving and not being a head coach for the future. So if that

happens, and if that's the way that things go, then you got to bring in a coach. Would you go NFL? I got to bring in somebody who's a great recruiter. Somebody who understands the culture, somebody who understands L.A. and is welcome and is ready to embrace L.A. Yeah, that's a big part of it. But we got LeBron now. The Dodgers are great. The Rams and Chargers in town. L.A.F.C. Like, this is a crowded market. It's a crowded market right now. And so you

have to, when you are USC, and one thing Pete Carroll did a masterful job as he owned the L.A. market. Really southern California, he got all this top recruits there. We're not getting those top recruits anymore and that's hurting us a little bit because there are a ton of five-star recruits players in southern california we can just start right there and we don't own that market right now right now it's oregon kind of owns that by the way clemson walked in and got the best quarterback clemson 3300 when i read the article that we had that tua almost went to usc almost passed out because how do we not that's and that's that speaks to the point we got to get those kinds of players. We got to start, not to say

that the quarterbacks and players we have are now aren't great, but we got to own, we got to get back to owning the LA market. Yeah, right now, Clemson and Bama are taking the best quarterbacks in Los Angeles. And that's crazy. That should never happen. Southern teams. Reggie Bush, good seeing you, but high noon. Excuse me, the big noon

kickoff live on Fox 11 AM Eastern Urban, Reggie, Matt, Brady, Rob Stone, live from the Cotton Bowl on Saturday. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard 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. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo SlicLife 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast. learn the hard way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field

and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about, wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app.

Search Learn the hard way and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes,

A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, Brett, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Polack.

Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection.

If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown. from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Cameron Jordan is one of the best players in the NFL. When you watch him play football, you think to yourself,

man, he could play more than just NFL. Well, that's because in high school, he was a world-class track and field athlete. He's one of the most versatile defensive players in the NFL, and let's bring him on via the Coward Global Satellite Network, Cameron Jordan. First of all, four-time Pro Bowler. I'm watching you guys with Teddy Bridgewater, and when Drew Breeze went down, I remember saying on the air with Joy, I said, oh, they're going to be fine because he's a grown-up, he's smart, he knows what he's doing, he's a distributor. What is Teddy like? Because obviously, Cam, you guys haven't missed a beat.

Are Drew and Teddy, are they similar personalities? I don't think they're similar personalities, but they have the same focus, and that's winning. They have the same drive, and that's trying to get to a Super Bowl. and they both understand that, you know, it takes a team to get a win. And that's definitely what's been on display the last couple games. Your defense has been fantastic. I think Marshawn Latimore may be the best corner in football. You're certainly one of the top two or three edge rushers in football.

Did you feel like when Drew got hurt, you guys would have to compensate a little bit? No, I mean, I feel like we took it on as a team. It wasn't just a defensive effort. it was all three phases of the game. We saw Seattle where we scored a touchdown on defense. We scored a touchdown on special teams where, you know, you have everybody attacking everybody. You come in a game later and you hold Dallas down to nine points or whatever it is. It's a whole team effort.

All three phases of the game was taken over. Cam, it was interesting. You guys are basically an early whistle in L.A. from being undefeated. And what was interesting about that play, you had every reason to be furious. but after the refs blew it dead, you kind of had a smile on your face and it was, ah, darn it. I thought you would have been furious

given New Orleans recent history with officials, but when you go back to that play, you didn't really let it affect you. I guess my question would be why. You seem to get over it very quickly. You've got to have, everybody knows you have to have that short-term memory.

Now, it did hurt that you ran 87 yards down the stretch for no reason. But it's not like it's the first time that, you know, a play has been taken back, a crucial play has been taken back. This is something that you have to, you know, put into your temperament that this is a football game. It has its ups and downs. It has its emotional collides.

And you can't let any one set play change your demeanor. It hurts. I mean, I'm looking at stride right there. You can't tell me I'm not rolling. But to bring it back, you have to continue playing. I mean, there's still. another possibility. That would have gave us, you know, a couple points ahead of them, and, you know, that whole momentum would have shifted. That's what really hurts. We've got a smile on your face

because you know, you know, the damage that you can do to the offensive line, you know, how important is to continue being a force on the defensive line. And so, you know, maybe one day I'll get that back. That's a touchdown. That would have been nice. Three sacks, one on Sunday against Tampa. Feels like every game you guys play this, you know, last couple of weeks has been huge. Drew Breeze is not starting. Let me ask you, though, is Drew. around the team, how much is he, I mean, is he at practice every day? Is he a verbal leader? What's it like without him starting? I mean, Drew is still degeneral.

You talk about what he brings to the thing. I mean, he was gone for a week and, you know, he was still in LA when he was waiting for the swan to go down his thumb or however that situation went. But the moment he came back in the building, he's the same Drew. He's the same guy who's going through different reads, different throws. You can see his progressions right behind Teddy. He may not be able to throw the ball. or what his timeline is for that is unbeknownst to me.

But I do know that he's working. He's going through the motions of as if he was taking every snap. And that's something that you just can't replace. Last night, Bosa came out. He's a heck of a player. And he said, listen, it was personal. Baker went to Ohio State and put the Oklahoma flag out there. And I thought about that all year going to face Baker.

And I always wonder, when you're a defensive end, are there quarterbacks that you, really get geared up for. Are there like little personal things when you go out, certain guys you really, really want to sack? Yeah, I mean, it's probably why I got so frustrated this past game because I had

James Winston's in my clutches no less than three times. And he seemingly escaped from me. So that last one, I finally got a hold of him and I didn't let go. And there was no greater feeling of relief. I was like, these are my quarterbacks that I know I have to get after. You talk about James Winston. You talk about Matt Ryan.

You talk about Cam Newton or now. the quarterback that has taken over at Carolina, these are somebody that you're going to have to face twice a year. So in my repertoire, I need them. Yeah. By the way, it is an off day for you. It could be. What are you doing?

You're in a Saints uniform. It looks like you were just at an event. What event? Yeah, we just did a play football experience. Saints play football experience over at this local elementary out in Metery. It's a part of my off day schedule. I mean, every Tuesday, every off day, I'm out somewhere, either doing a literacy visit, a school visit where I get to interact and actually teach kids different

routes, teach kids how to get off a block, which apparently, you know, when they're young, they don't really care about getting off blocks, but everybody wants to catch a ball, everybody wants to score touchdown. So I become an infamous quarterback in my own right. By the way, not only versatile, you've played every game since your rookie season, 128. I don't know if it's like Tom Brady, you wear kale pajamas, I don't know what it is, avocado ice cream. But dude, you are, you must take care of your boss. body because you are there every Sunday. Do you have a special secret sauce or formula?

Something that my, you know, probably Pops has always said, the best ability is availability. Something that's always been instilled by all the coaches you ever play is do what you need to do to take care of your body. Because come Sunday, you know, or even starting earlier than that when it was back when it was Wednesday football, became Friday football. Now it's Sunday football. You take care of your mindset. You take care of your body and then let everything that you've been gifted. from God, the physical assets to you display on Sunday.

Hey, by the way, I watched Zion's highlights last night. Oh, my Lord. Have you met Zion yet? Yeah, yeah. I've met the kid. He's a stud, right? I mean, I saw the highlights this morning from the game. What, the four monstrous dunks that he laid loose.

I mean, the amount of space that they've allowed this alley to happen. This kid's going to be explosive. It's exciting to watch. Yeah, yeah, it is. You're one of the good guys in the NFL. Jordan, you put back to the community, you're great with kids. Another Cal Bear who goes, there's a lot of cow bears in this league, folks. His dad was, of course, the tight end for years for Minnesota.

Cam, we love having you on. You're always welcome. Anytime you're in L.A., come on the show. Absolutely. I'm going to keep that word to you, too. Next time I'm in L.A., I'm making that call. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical 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, S&L'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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to learn the hard. way with your favorite therapist and host, Kier Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor.

It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, guys? this is Clever Taylor the 4th. 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, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42.

Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverd show. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.