The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 12/03/2019

Episode Date: December 3, 2019

Colin knows what two teams will reach the Super Bowl and they are remarkably similar. He wonders if the Browns have a Freddie Kitchens issue or a Baker Mayfield issue. He explains why the Seahawks and Vikings game on Monday night was a really bad look for the Cowboys. Plus, Super Bow Champion Trent Dilfer talks about people being so wrong about Russell Wilson and gives Colin grief about being so wrong about the Eagles this season. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a loaded Tuesday live in L.A. This is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're live on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me one hour from now, the herd hierarchy. I don't even think it's arguable now. The 10 best teams in the NFL, I think you'll be shocked how long. low I have one and I have come to a conclusion with a team that's been under the radar all year

and I think now they need to be in the discussion for the Super Bowl heard hierarchy in one hour and Joy Taylor joining me. Joy, how are you? I'm great. That was an awesome game last night. It was incredible. Her cousin's still right. Didn't have Adam feel. Let's start with this. I said this yesterday on the show before the game. I'm going to say it again today and I said it last week. It takes a while in the NFL, got to get past Thanksgiving to figure out, okay, who's got it and who doesn't, who's fake and who's posing, who's a pretender. I think the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks this morning, yesterday and last week, feels like the Super Bowl to me. It feels like the Super Bowl to me. And I think Baltimore and the Seattle Seahawks have a ton in common.

They both have A-plus Super Bowl winning head coaches. They both have, and this is big in 2019, dynamic quarterback. who sometimes can do stuff that a defense can't prepare for. They both are dominating running games. Seattle last night ran for 220 yards against that Viking defense. They can take the ball away from a Patrick Mahomes, from an Aaron Rogers. And there are also very good defenses that added a piece,

Marcus Peters for Baltimore, solved a problem. Jadavian Clowny, Quadri Dix, the safety from the Lions. everybody else has a whole. Everybody else has a whole. The Saints and the Patriots have 40-year-old quarterbacks that aren't athletically dynamic that you can scheme against and there's nothing they can do. And the Saints and Patriots do not have over-the-top weapons.

Texas, I don't trust their coach. Green Bay, Finesse, I don't trust their coach. Minnesota, I don't trust Kirk Cousins and Kansas City. Like them a lot, but don't trust their defense. That leaves San Francisco. Well, I've seen San Francisco in the last month take on Seattle and Baltimore, and they lost to both because Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson simply made plays that even with a great coaching staff with the Niners and a great defense, there's nothing they can do. Lamar and Russell just do stuff you can't defend. And so it feels like Seattle and Baltimore to me are my favorite for the Super Bowl.

And they also did something, and I'm going to use this term multiple times today. They identified their problems. This is very big in relationships. It's good in business. It's really big in football teams. Baltimore had a problem. They started the year two and two. They lost to Cleveland at home.

And they identified a problem. We want to be more aggressive on defense, but we're not good enough at corner. And they went to the Rams and got Marcus Peters. Baltimore identified a problem. We want to play this way, but we can't. until we get an elite corner who can block out the sun on an opponent's best receiver. And Seattle identified a problem. They lost at home to Baltimore.

They lost it home to the Saints. And they're like, we've got to be more physical and faster on defense. So they get quadri digs from the lions, who's a small but ferocious hitter. Jadavian Clowny takes a while to get into the system. They add Josh Gordon and over-the-top piece offensively. and now both Seattle and Baltimore, who were good in September and October, but not special to me are the two best teams in the NFL. Excellent head coaches. You may have the two coach of the year candidates, the two MVP candidates, two of the best running games, two of the most physical teams.

And again, they both identified a problem. excellent general manager said we're not quite there. We want to play with a little more physicality and aggressiveness defensively. Seattle goes and gets a safety. Baltimore goes and gets a corner and they've ramped it up. I don't think Baltimore and Seattle have the best rosters in the league. I think Minnesota still probably does. But this is what matters in the NFL.

This is something I've talked a lot about in the NFL. Structure wins. GMs win super bowl. Bulls. Coaches win Super Bowls, and in 2019, dynamic quarterbacks, I think Baltimore and Seattle will meet in the Super Bowl. And let me segue then to Cleveland. Freddie Kitchens yesterday, I said this yesterday, too, he's fired, it's just not official yet. And he came out yesterday and said, I'm not bothered by it. I'm not fearful of my job. And that's great, but he's out of work, just not officially yet.

And I think you could certainly make the argument. You have to fire Freddie Kitchens because you have to save Baker Mayfield. Baker Mayfield is not as good as everybody thinks, but is he really this bad? He was your number one pick. You got to fire Freddie Kitchens, right, to save your quarterback. Right now, Baker Mayfield is last in completion percentage in the NFL, last in passer rating, has an egregious amount of wide receivers. And it should be noted.

I am not a fan of Baker Mayfield, but he's got to be better than this, right? He is currently the worst statistical quarterback in the league. But here's what gives me pause. It's a Freddie Kitchens issue, right? I just talked about how Baltimore and Seattle identified their problem. And so the feeling in Cleveland is, hey, we know what the problem is. It's Freddie Kitchens. Let's get him out of here.

or is the problem Baker Mayfield? I'm going to show you a stat. Last year, Cleveland had a very easy schedule at the end of the year. And Baker Mayfield, playing the Bengals twice, was able to mask his mediocrity through elevating his stats against the Bengals in two games. This year, similarly, Baker Mayfield's got an easier schedule facing backup quarterbacks late,

and it's going to mask or at least elevate atrocious numbers. Here's the concern this morning. Is it a Freddie problem or a Baker problem? I want you to think about this. Baker Mayfield has outside of maybe Minnesota the best weapons in the NFL at running back and wide receiver. And we don't like Kirk Cousins. But Kirk Cousins is putting up MVP numbers without Adam Thielen.

Baker Mayfield has the best wide receiver tandem in the league arguably and the best running back tandem in the league. And his numbers are at the bottom. We have bailed on Mitch Trubisky, who doesn't have nearly these weapons, and who's won a division, and we've bailed on Trubisky. We don't like Kirk Cousins, and he's got MVP-level numbers. Is the problem Freddie Kitchens, or is it Baker Mayfield? because with outstanding weapons and with three different coaches, it's not just a Freddie Kitchens issue, he had Hugh Jackson, he had Greg Williams,

here's Baker Mayfield's career against winning teams. Folks, this is not a starting quarterback in the league. Four and 11, 59% completion percentage, 20 TDs, 23 picks and a passer rating of 75. cocky, small, marginally athletic, increasingly erratic with his accuracy. Look around the league to the next stars, look and play like Baker Mayfield. Identifying your problems in a relationship of business or a sports team are crucial. Baltimore identified theirs in September, went to the Rams and got Marcus Peters.

The Seahawks identified theirs. were not ferocious enough. Pass rush, Clowny, we need a big hitter in the back end. They went to the Lions. And another over-the-top receiver, Josh Gordon. What's Cleveland's problem? Is it a Freddie Kitchens issue? Or is it a Baker-Mayfield issue?

I don't want to hear about Sam Darnold. He doesn't have elite weapons. He doesn't. You're talking about the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns have the best perimeter and running back weapons in the National Football League. You don't like Kirk Cousins, and he's putting up MVP numbers without Adam Thielen. You don't like Tribusky. He's higher rated and won a division. Baker so far with three coaches and great weapons is an absolute disaster.

Are we sure the problems, Freddie Kitchens? Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays, and 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.

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And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliver 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.

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Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, point game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

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

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

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

Cynical people can be heavy to be around. It's nice to be around optimistic people. They kind of burl their way through problems. Now, there are times when people can be so optimistic, they're delusional. Or it's corny. Or it's like, you know, you have to be, you have to see there are problems lines. ahead in the weeds. But optimism's a real thing. Jerry Jones, we had a guy on last week who's covered Jerry for 30 years, and he said Jerry's the most optimistic guy he's ever met. He's a

constant salesman. But you do get to a point where you're like, Jerry, come on, get a hold of yourself. So Jerry's team is six and six of the Cowboys. And yesterday on Dallas Radio, he is very optimistic going forward. I look at where we are with our skill set and look at other teams where they are with theirs. And there's nothing that in my mind that jumps out at me that we can't be playing well enough to take it to the

house. That's the way I look at it. That's the way I see it. If you're a cowboy fan and you watch last night, the Vikings and the Seahawks are NFC wild card teams. Okay, those are the wild card

teams before last night. Forget Seattle. Let's just take Minnesota, who's already dominated Dallas. They're playing without Adam Thielen, a pro-bow level receiver. Delvin Cook got hurt in the third quarter, didn't return. They got a very unlucky interception on the road. Stefan Diggs off his game. And oh, yeah, you're playing in arguably the loudest stadium in the NFL

where Russell Wilson on Monday Night Football is 9 and 2. And all that going against them. Minnesota's in that game late, looking to tie. Forget Seattle. I can watch. losing teams and think that's impressive. Minnesota last night is impressive. Minnesota is going to finish behind Green Bay.

Minnesota's better than Green Bay. They're better coach than Green Bay. They're faster than Green Bay. They're more physical than Green Bay. They have a more consistent running game than Green Bay. They got more playmakers all over the field, both sides of the ball, than Green Bay. Sometimes you don't play as well early. Seattle, you know, didn't play well early.

San Francisco has the division lead. Now Seattle's catching up. Minnesota couldn't find itself. Kirk Cousins struggling. Minnesota. Forget Seattle. When you watched that game last night as a cowboy fan, that had to be somewhat demoralizing.

I mean, watching the way San Francisco at times pushed around Baltimore this weekend, had to be demoralizing if you're a cowboy fan. Pete Carroll summed it up after last night's game. That was a playoff game. Those are playoff Super Bowl-level rosters. It felt like a championship game in the stadium. Fans were just extraordinarily good to not.

night and it was just felt as good as we could ever remember it in terms of their energy and juice. And it just makes it so much fun to be part of this whole thing. And so I'm thrilled to see that that came to life and they hung with us. There are two to three stadiums in this league, Lambo, Seattle at home, and the Saints where the games feel different. That had an NFC championship quality to it last night. And I know Jerry Jones is optimistic, but at 6 and 6, 6. Dallas could be hosting one of those two teams eventually, and it doesn't feel close. It just doesn't, the coaching doesn't feel close, the efficiency, the physicality, the playmaking

quarterbacks, it just doesn't feel close. 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. Here we go. I spent a lot of time on this. I think it's becoming very clear. You know, the elite, the good, the special.

and the just good and not special team. So here we go, our herd hierarchy in a Tuesday. Heard hierarchy. Time is now, let's go. The top 10 NFL teams, according to college. Number 10. Green Bay Packers, I'm not as high on Green Bay as everybody else. I think there's a disturbing number here about Green Bay.

140 yards per game less on the road this season. That's the worst in the NFL. That feels like a little bit of finesse. And a little bit like coaching. They're 28th in total defense, 25th in total defense. I've said this before. When you get to December, this is where the best staffs and head coaches take over. I don't know if Matt Lafleur is an elite head coach, but I know they don't play well uncomfortably.

They're not as good on the road. They're not as good against physical teams, Green Bay at 10. Number nine. Buffalo. This is a great story. It's not a Super Bowl winning team. It's a great story. They know what they are.

They know what they're not. They've beaten a playoff team. Dallas, they've lost to one New England. But it's about coaching defense. And like Baltimore, they figured out. Here's where our quarterback does very well. We're going to let our quarterback do that. They are number three in total defense, number three in scoring defense.

They force you into field goals. I think the ceiling is fairly obvious and low on the offensive side. But I do believe they're better than the Packers today. because I think they know exactly what they are and what they're not, and Green Bay has got an identity issue. Number eight. On New England, they're 22nd in the NFL in the red zone. That is a where's gronk problem.

They're just not as good getting touchdowns when they get close. They settled for field goals, and you can't settle for field goals against Kansas City and Baltimore going forward. They've been held at 22 points or less in four games. In fact, their last four, People have film on it. They know there's no deep threat. They're incredibly coached and very resourceful.

Love their special teams in defense, but limitations over the top, New England at eight. Number seven. Houston's at seven. Houston is the current state of football in America. There's so many things I don't like, but they're so dynamic at quarterback and so gifted at wide receiver, I put them a slot ahead of the Patriots. I mean, New England had a lot of statistical edges over Houston, but Houston went over the top, did some flag football fun, and beat New England.

England. I think they're two Deshawn Watson dependent, but they have elite perimeter talent that makes up for coaching snafus and some defensive line limitations. I have Houston at seven. Number six. Minnesota, I thought last night was a pretty good loss. Adam Thielen will return. Delvin Cook, usually you have them available in the fourth quarter. They're sixth in rushing, fourth in yards per play. They're explosive. They can go over the top. Their tight ends are good. gets the most complete roster in the NFL. I'm not a huge Kirk Cousins fan, but he is efficient. I think Mike Zimmer may be.

Vegas thinks he's the most underrated coach in the NFL. There's a lot they do that I like. Adam Thielen returning only helps. I have Minnesota. Last night, a good loss at six. Number five. New Orleans. I think they're a lot closer to the New England of the NFC.

They can't beat you over the top. They have an excellent 40-year-old quarterback who's not going to beat you with dynamic athletic ability, but it's death by a thousand cuts. I think they have a better pass rush than New England, but I do believe they're the Patriots of the NFC. They're smart, they're resourceful, they lack a pop over the top, and I think that will be their undoing this weekend against the Niners Saints at five. Number four, Kansas City, watch out, here they come. They've had O-line issues, they've had Patrick Mahomes' his herd issues, they've had wide receiver injuries, oh, now the bands back this weekend and they're healthy.

And despite all those issues, they are fourth and total offense. They took the Raiders out of that game in about five minutes. They have not lost by more than seven points all year, despite a series of injuries to crucial pieces on offense. We know they've got the head coach. I got Kansas City at four. Here they come. Number three.

San Francisco. You know, it's funny. We all think it's a defensive. line story. You know what this team really is? It's a power running football team. Kyle Shanahan's the son of Mike Shanahan. It wasn't an Elway story. Elway didn't win until he got Terrell Davis and they ran the football and own the clock. San Francisco's a power running football team. And when they got their fullback and their offensive line is healthy, that's why they can give a Baltimore trouble. They can play some keepaway. Their second in rushing in the NFL. That's, I mean, we know their

defense is good. We know that Shanahan's great. But what I like about them is the Weather's going to get crappy in December and January and San Francisco can go on the road and they can just run the football and not rely on the defensive line to be special for 35 minutes, not rely on Jimmy Garoppolo. I like how they're built San Francisco at number three. Number two. I like Seattle right now as the representative in the Super Bowl from the NFC. I said it yesterday and I said it last week.

Their roster's good. It's not special. But their coach, A plus, their quarterback, A, B. Plus, their general manager, John Snyder, made nice moves. Josh Gordon, Quadry Diggs, Jadavian Clowny. This is a team that kind of had to find their identity. They wanted to play a certain way. Pete Carroll teams are generally very good in December and January.

They lead the NFC in takeaways. It's not just because of talent. They don't have the talent of some of those NFC teams like New Orleans, Minnesota on defense. But they lead the NFC in takeaways. They're first in the two-minute offense. So they got the special sauce at quarterback. with Russell Wilson, Seattle at two. Number one.

I've had him there for about a month, Baltimore. I think they are, the NFL's playing catch-up in the middle of a season. These massive fixtures at Tide-in, Lamar Jackson, excellent coach. They had a problem. They were two-and-two to start. They solved a problem. Let's go get Marcus Peters, allow us to be more aggressive defensively. I think the league's playing catch-up to him.

I think San Francisco did what very few teams can do. It's not like San Francisco gave people. people a recipe. San Francisco's just got a lot of good players. And so they can go toe to toe to with Baltimore because they have good players. I don't think anybody else going to duplicate what San Francisco did against Baltimore. I think the Ravens are the best team in the NFL. And there's my hurt hierarchy. What is going on, everybody, John Middlecock, three and out podcast. That's me. That's the show. Brought by Colin Coward and his podcast network. Coming up on this show, Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, how the hell are they tended to? I'll tell you. The Minnesota Vikings, they're not

done. Ravens 49ers, game of the year, Patriots chiefs, trending in opposite directions, NFC East. Why does it suck so much? I'll talk about it all. Three and Out podcast with me, John Middlecock. A lot of interesting things to talk about the Freddie Kitchens, the Mike Tomlin stories. Russell Wilson's one of my favorite players of all time, and Trent Dilfer was a Seahawk and loves Russ. Trent, my buddy, joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network in Nashville. You know, I think we both have an admiration for not only his gifts, but the guy. And, you know, some people will be like, oh, he's a little corny, he's a little too overly optimistic. But let's face it, cynicism, this is a tough sport. Cynicism can wear you, and I love

Aaron Rogers, but cynicism doesn't play in a lot of locker rooms. I'm listening to Russell Wilson miced up last night, and I think it works. I think this eternally optimistic, it gets you through tough patches. What did you see watching him last night? I've become more and more impressed every single time. I watch them. I hear him. speak, I'm around him. I see what he's endured as a Seahawk to this point of his career, what he's overcome. I couldn't respect a guy in the NFL more than I respect Russell Wilson. I think it's really, it's disheartening at times, Colin, to see people that had an opinion of him coming out of college. Maybe they didn't see him as being this great as a pro, and yet they still

don't give him his due because they're still trying to justify their opinions of him coming me out of college. Listen, I had him in the third round. This is when I did this at ESPN and put grades on guys. I had him in the third round and I love that I'm wrong. I couldn't be happier. I couldn't root for a guy more and I couldn't be more impressed with a player in this league than with Russell Wilson. By the way, Lamar Jackson, I said, I think he's going to work in this league, but I think he is a project more than a prospect. I said that for Josh Allen and Josh Allen and Lamar are winning more than Baker, Sam Darnold, and Josh Rosen. You know, Lamar Jackson to me, it's, I think, I don't remember your opinion.

He was too brilliant not to, I mean, I always had an opinion on running quarterbacks. They all work. They just don't last very long. What do you make of Lamar Jackson? I was very bullish on him coming out, but I too thought it was going to take a year or two of refinement. here's a guy that was obviously one of the great players in college football could really throw a football just wasn't consistent

at the level you thought he would need to be to be as effective in the NFL as he was in college. But to the Ravens credit, they've really done a good job retooling him a little bit, getting him with a stronger foundation as a pastor. I think that's led to consistency. And the one thing I said about him coming out is when you have a unique trait,

And Josh Allen fits in this too with power. His unique trait is power. When you have a unique trait, meaning a 1% trait, nobody else has it basically except you. Lamar Jackson has that with Twitch. And you're going to be successful if your coaches know how to utilize that 1%. And what he's done is he's taking that unique trait, made that his calling card, but also really enhance the rest of his game that's allowed him to play with a much higher level of consistency early on than many of us thought he could.

Yeah, I just love him as a kid. He's coachable. I loved in the offseason. He said, you know what? People said I was too skinny, so I put on weight, and they said I couldn't throw, so I worked on it. And I'm like, I love that. By the way, a little bit of the opposite of that is Baker Mayfield. Now, we all want to, we all want to blame Freddie Kitchens, but against winning teams, he's had now excellent weapons.

This will be his third head coach, potentially his fourth. He's not good. He's completing 59% of his throws. Is it a Freddie Kitchens issue, or a Baker issue? I think it's a both issue. I think we've said this all year long with Freddie Kitchens.

I think he lacks the sophistication gravitas maybe that takes to be a high-level NFL coach. I think many times coaches forget they're bigger than just a coach in the NFL if you're a head coach. You're the CEO. You're the corporate leader.

You're the face of the franchise. All your persona matters. Every decision you make in the public eye matters. You set the tone for your franchise and your community and nationwide. I don't know if Freddie Kitchens has that understanding. I think Baker in the same breath, he needs a strong hand on him. He needs a guy that's been around gunslinger mentality guys who's been around what you

would call brand type quarterbacks and harness them in and show them wisdom and understanding into this position. I think of Mike Holmgren with Brett Farb. I think of Norv Turner. I think of some of the great quarterback guys out there that have done this before. I think Baker needs a guy like that to have a chance. What do you make? So Mike Tomlin, I've been critical of him.

I've said, boy, there's a lot of emotion. He's like Pete Carroll. Sometimes I love him and he drives me nuts. But boy, I'll tell you, he didn't have a center, his receiver, his running back. He's on his four-string quarterback. You can judge a man in crisis. Pittsburgh's been a red alarm crisis for like two months. I've got to be honest.

I think Tomlin may be the coach of the year. Am I wrong? I stole that line from you. excuse me, I stole that line from you the other day. You can judge a man in crisis talking about Mike Tomlin. I mean, think about what they've gone through in the last calendar year. Now, some of it you could say it was addition by subtraction, but much of it isn't. I mean, you lose all the pieces you're talking about.

It kind of is counterintuitive to this argument in the NFL that's about the Willies and Joe's. I think you can use Mike Tomlin as an example that it might be about the X's and O's and about culture and about identity and about great. and staying true to who you are as a franchise. I don't know how they've done it. I was going through it in my head. I can't remember a time where a team has lost this many people, this much human capital in the football space, including the quarterback,

and has had this type of success. I do think you have to tip your out to Mike Tomlin, whether you like him or not, and say that nobody's done a better job coach in his football team than him. The Pro Bowl won a Super Bowl. You played with five teams. I want you to go back in your career. players now with social media, they can read about Jason Garrett.

They hear the rumors about Jason Garrett. Even in your day, you'd hear about stuff. Talk radio was around, newspaper. So when that stuff's starting, you're losing. And you got talent. And it's all over social media. Coach is going to get fired. If you've been in that situation,

do players start to bail on the coach if you're 500? Are we getting to that situation where Jason could lose six or seven key guys in the locker room? Unfortunately, yes, and you just nailed it. Whether the narrative is true or not, and I'm personally not on the blame Jason Garrett bandwagon. I think he has all the power but no control. And a lot of their faults are not necessarily coaching faults. Their player execution issues. However, when you're a player in the NFL and you're on your phone and you're seeing social media

and you're watching your show in ESPN and NFL network and you're hearing everybody on this narrative of, oh, it's a coaching issue. oh, it's a leadership issue, oh, it's a head coaching issue. You go, wait a second, if they're blaming him, guess who they're not blaming? They're not blaming me. And if you're a player, which you don't want to be as blamed, you don't want to go down with the ship. You have a big, giant contract that you want to make sure you see every penny of. You have a national reputation that you don't want tarnished.

And if somebody else is going to take that fall for you, most players in the NFL locker room is going to say, oh, man, yeah, you guys are right. that is the head coach's fault. Guess where else it goes? It goes to assistant coaches. Because right now, if Jason's taking all the heat, guess who's not? His assistants.

And as they get calls throughout the week, you know what they're saying? Yeah, this might be Jason's fault. Yeah, we've done a really good job with some things. But yeah, we really lack some leadership stuff going on right now. Look at our owner even called him out. And that is the NFL way.

And that is why it is so refreshing not to be part of it anymore. Because what happens is when it, hits the fan, the NFL model is to let it hit somebody else in the face instead of you. And that's what's going on in Dallas right now. You know, it's a great point. By the way, when I love Tom Brady and I respect him, but as people get older and wealthier and more successful, they can be rigid. And they have a system that works and they're harder to coach.

Russell Wilson, every receiver works with him. Everybody works with him. rookies undrafted, drafted, Doug Ball, everybody works for him. Tom Brady, seemingly nobody works for him except Edelman. He's furious, and I love Tom. But I've seen this a little bit with Aaron. You get wealthy and you have a Super Bowl ring, and it's very easy in life that you get a little more rigid.

Some of this New England receiver issue, is it fair to say, hey, Russell Wilson works with everybody. Tom, you've got to lighten up a little bit here. Yeah, I don't disagree with you, but I'm going to steal some from Steve Young, working with them all those years at ESPN and just talking to him about greatness. You know, I never experienced greatness as a player. And to hear Steve talk about sometimes that rigid nature, that linear thinking that, hey, we have to do it perfect all the time.

And I'm going to drag you there over my dead body mentality is what allows these guys to great. And I think in one breath you can say, yeah, Tom's showing some get off my lawn to him personality, but that's probably also over the years what's made him the go. Is that he is just going to over my bed

body, I'm going to drag you and you're going to run it to the millimeter right and your head's going to be perfect. And you're going to see the feel like I see it. And if it doesn't happen, I go back on Monday and reteach it and do it again, I'm going to hold you to a standard that nobody's ever held you to. I can appreciate

that as well because that's why he's going to go down as the greatest of all time. And everybody else needs to jump on board and say, you know what? I am going to do it, Tom's way, because he knows best. Finally, I don't want to be old, stubborn. What did you say, get off my lawn guy? I have finally,

even though they still have a chance, I've given up on the Philadelphia Eagles. You were mad at me. I was your verbal punching bag. You called it. The Eagles are. I don't even care that the Eagles could win the division. I You know, Joey and I said this a couple weeks ago.

You can be a bad team but well coached. Miami's not great. They're well coached. What did you spot with Philadelphia early that I was stubborn on for about, I don't know, eight weeks? The quarterback doesn't play the same discipline he played with a couple years ago. They don't have the same bigs, especially on the defensive line. And that was concerning. And then they don't have any Twitch in their passing game.

They don't have any beat beat. They don't have anything that can scare you. They're big body possession guys. It's hard to score a lot of points in the NFL if you don't have guys that can play beyond the X's and O's. And basically, offensive and defensively, they're going to be a product of their X's and O's. They don't have a lot of ceiling above that. That's what I saw early. And it is really fun to be right against you at times, too.

I'm going to start rubbing in a little bit more. Yeah, those opportunities happen so rarely that you really have to take advantage, Trent, when they happen. Eighth and a half. Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, buddy. Good talking to you. Thanks, partner. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the

headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist,

Keer 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 Cliverts show I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff like being an internet

famous referee. We're in the middle of a game this linebacker walks up to me he goes, hey ref my mom wants you to wave at her what? Time out.

Quarterback on office Blue 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Where's he at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam?

It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we. We've never seen before. And he knows.

Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball, like, after you go through a training camp with that, I said, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court,

and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And now, Colin will decide if a team is headed for the playoffs. Playoffs? Or taking off for vacation. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.

Please turn yourself in securely. It's playoff or takeoff? All right. Let's start with Buffalo Bills. Playoff or takeoff? I think we saw what they do against Dallas. I say it's a playoff team. Playoffs?

Yeah. They're only one game back in New England. They play excellent defense. Their schedule is not easy. They're at the, you know, they've got to go to the Steelers. They got to go to the Patriots. They play the Ravens. But I think this is a well-coached team.

They don't make a lot of mistakes. Josh Allen has maybe the best arm in the NFL. If you put every quarterback in the NFL at the goal line and said throw it as far as you can. I think Josh Allen wins. They figured out how to use Cole Beasley. This is a playoff team. This is a – and this is not only a playoff team, it's a playoff team capable of going on the road as a wildcard team

and taking the ball away from a Kansas City and beating somebody. All right, the Cleveland Browns, playoff or takeoff. What do they do well? I'd say they're a takeoff team. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Coach going to get fired. Right now, Baker Mayfield. Last in passer rating, last in completion percentage.

Their most penalty yards. At this point, I do think they did find their offensive identity in the last few weeks. They're more of a run-power team. But they don't do enough things well. Also, they have to win all four games, and they beat Baltimore and they play them again. They're not beating Baltimore a second time, so they're done. How about the Colts playoff or take-off? Hate to say it.

I love the organization. This is a take-off. gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Yeah, they've lost four or five games. They have very little margin of error without Andrew Luck. Jacoby Percette, I do believe is a franchise guy, but he's a lower-end franchise guy. Andrew Luck, great quarterbacks allow you a larger margin of error. You can have a lot of penalties, you can have a lot of turnovers.

They have to play perfect football to win, and they got to go to New Orleans. That, to me, is a tough game. They've got to go to Tampa. That could be a shootout, so I think they're done. How about the Oakland Raiders? We were so high on them for a couple weeks. Play out for takeoff. Yeah, that's a takeoff too.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Again, 31st and penalties. Young football team, heavily penalized. They're not a very good defensive team. And if you look at their schedule, they have to go, they have to play Tennessee. And I frankly think Tennessee now is suddenly off. You know, Tennessee ends every year 9 and 7. We all know Tennessee's going to be 9 and 7, so they need a couple more wins to accomplish that.

And I think the Raiders are a better story now than they are as a December football team. The Pittsburgh Steelers playoff or takeoff. Mike Tomlin could be coach of the year, but it's a takeoff to me. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Six touchdowns in five games. They're doing this on culture, on toughness, good offensive line. They just don't have the weapons. They're one and four against teams with winning records.

So, again, you can be, I think they're well-coached. I think they're well-run. But, boy, you talk about a team that doesn't, no margin for air. They just don't have any pop-off. offensively right now at all. The Tennessee Titans playoff or takeoff. Now, I'm going to go playoff here. Playoffs.

Do you know that Ryan Tanniel has the highest passer rating in the NFL since he started? Again, people are now gathering film on the Titans with Ryan Tannehill. So they have Miami Dolphin stuff, but they don't have Tennessee Titan stuff with Ryan Tannehill. Remaining schedule at Oakland, Houston at home, New Orleans at home, and then at Houston. I think they go three in one there. and they've won five of six with Tannahill. I think players know things they don't. Three and one?

I do. I think they'll split with Houston, beat the Raiders, and beat the Saints at home. You said nine and seven, right? So that's two and two. Well, they're going to go 10 and six.

That's not what they do. They go nine and seven. Tana Hill's the extra win. See, because the Saints have it wrapped up now. Well, yeah. They may start, you know, there's no urgency for the Saints.

They go on the road. I think they beat them at home. Okay. LA Rams, playoff or takeoff? Live in L.A., but that is a takeoff for me. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. They're one and four against winning teams. They humiliated Arizona. They have a great coach.

But I think when you start looking at the way they match up with really good defensive fronts, there's limitations. I also just think, let's be honest about this. They've got to go to Dallas to face Seattle. They're at San Francisco. Their schedule is absolutely brutal. I think Sean McBale probably turn it somehow into a winning season. They're seven and five right now. And that, for the record, it's not man over bowl.

They've got some elements I like. I love their weapons. I love their receivers. Their tight ends. I think their defense is really good. They have the best corner in football, the best defensive linemen in football. Their linebackers are more athletic than I think last year's Super Bowl team. There's a lot to like.

They don't have a first round pick. They have got to get better guard center guard. Jared Goff needs interior line protection. The Minnesota Vikings, playoff or takeoff? That's a playoff team. I thought they were really good last night. Didn't have Adam Thieland, Dalvin, Cook? This is a very good football team.

I think they sweep the rest of their games. And, you know, I'm not a huge Kirk Cousins fan, but it's unfair to say I don't like Kirk Cousins. I do like Dac. I think they're comparable talents. I like Dack more because he's more of an athlete. But I think it's a very good football team. I think Mike Zimmer is a great coach. Vegas considers Mike Zimmer one of the top three coaches.

So I like him. I think Minnesota is a playoff team. And again, that's a team. If you have, if you're Green Bay and your Winter Division or your New Orleans and Winter Division and Minnesota comes to town. No, I mean, you should. They have a great, a great team. I just think it comes down to the clutch moments.

Would you be shocked? If they went on the road in the playoffs and went on the road first round and dominated somebody, you'd be like, yeah, that's, I could. Dominated, I would be shocked, yes. I don't think I would. I think they're going to go to Lambo in three weeks and knock out the Packers. Well, they have Lambo at home. Sorry, Vikings fans.

I misspoke about that. Oh, they did. It is in Minnesota. Freaking out. They're going to blow them out. They're actually going to have them at home. I still think Greenboe at home. wins that game. All right. Philadelphia Eagles,

playoff or takeoff? Take off. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. They don't even meet bad teams anymore. One thing Trent Dilfer said and Greg Hosell said, Greg said the slowest offense in the NFC, and Trent Dilfer said it a different way. He said there's just no

Twitch athletes. They have big possession receivers. You know, you've got to have people. You saw it last night with, you've seen it with Deshawn Watson. You've seen with Russell Wilson, sometimes you just have to have a guy that makes people miss. You can't draw up every successful play.

And they just don't have guys that make people miss, and I think they're going to lose a couple games in their schedule here. Even against even, I think Dallas is going to beat them up in Philadelphia. Well, speaking of that, Dallas Cowboys playoff or takeoff. I think they're a playoff team, and here's a lot. I think Dak Prescott's a good leader, and I think Dak will right the ship. I was listening to some comments.

he said this morning. We didn't put him on the show. I think Dackle figured out. I think he'll write it. I think they'll win the division. I think they're actually remarkably healthy for this time of the year. God, between the Ravens and the Cowboys, like everybody is healthy. That just doesn't happen.

So I think this team's going to turn it around. For the record, they are number one in offense, and they're number one in yards per play, which is historically a huge playoff number. You got to pop. This is a team, by the way, that's got guys that can pop. Yeah. Get the ball to him.

Zeke pops. Amari Cooper pops. So I think the Dallas Cowboys are a playoff team. I don't. John, excuse me, we were smart Alex Snarky comment. I'm just wondering why they're six and six then if they're so good. Well. Gula, you're a Cowboys fan.

You're very cynical. Not this year. I'm not. Yeah. So John. You're off the bandwagon this year? John in the morning meetings is anytime we say anything nice about the Cowboys, John sits to my right and he's like, yeah, that'd be nice if they could do that.

I'm almost tired of it, but I find it so entertaining. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the 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 Slicel Life 12 in the TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy,

not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Cliver 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, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Joey Dardano, and on my new podcast, hope from a hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good.

advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite Wednesdays on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.