The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Blazing 5 - Week 12

Episode Date: November 28, 2020

Colin talks with RJ Bell of Pregame.com & Fox Sports Radio about his Blazing 5 picks to find out which ones the sharps in Vegas agree or disagree with. This week's games:Chargers @ BillsGiants @ BengalsTitans @ ColtsBears @ PackersSeahawks @ EaglesPlus, Colin gives out a bonus pick not in his Blazing 5. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast.

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. That's a hot one. Let's blaze it up. Fire it up. It's Collins blazing fire. Chargers and bills. Okay, this game I would usually take the Chargers plus six because they play close games.

But I'm going to go Buffalo minus six for a reason. What are the Chargers playing for? Because I know Buffalo's playing for a home game and a division title against Improved Miami. So the bills off a buy that have won three of four with more to play for at home. And by the way, they've lost three games, Titans, Chiefs, and Cardinals. The Bill's defense is the issue. But they have nine takeaways in the fourth quarter this year, most in the NFL. And by the way, they're getting better.

10 to 8 takeaways over the last five games. Only the Steelers have more. So I'm going to take the bills by seven or eight. Generally, I would take the chargers here because they play close games, but Buffalo wins 3123. Giants at Bengals. Like the Giants, I love the Giants. Coming off a buy, I don't think the market has caught up to the Giants yet. I think they're a pretty good football team.

They're 4-0 against the spread since week seven. By the way, they've scored 20 plus points in six straight games. The quarterback Daniel Jones back-to-back games without a turnover and back-to-back road games with a 90-plus passer rating. Yes, they miss Sequin Barclay. Yes, they need another high-end receiver. But the market hasn't caught up to them. It's a really good football team.

They're going to win this division. And they face Ryan Finley. He's got three career starts. His passer rating is 62.1. Giants dominate 28 to 9. Titans at Colts. I love Tennessee plus four, and here's why. The Colts are a good team, and they beat a very popular team in Green Bay.

So now their line is overvalued. Tennessee, getting four at Indy is the play here. First of all, the Colts are a good road team. They've won six of their last seven road games in the regular season. They're also a really smartly coached team. The Titans have five giveaways this year. It's the fewest in the NFL. It's very New England with Vrable.

They don't give you the ball. And here's two things that always travel well. Good coaching and running games. Derek Henry, seven straight road games with 100 plus yards rushing. So I get a great road team. I get a great running team. I get a well-coached team. And I think the Colts are a little overvalued because they beat a wildly popular Green Bay team.

I think Tennessee wins straight out, 27, 23. Bears at Packers. I'm going to take the Bears plus nine and a half. Listen, their offense is pathetic, so it's not my favorite bet of the week. But here's the thing I know about the Bears. They've allowed 12 passing touchdowns. Only the Rams have allowed fewer. Their defense is the best in the league on third down.

Their defense has not allowed a single quarterback to throw for over 300 yards this year. But here's what worries me about Green Bay, and I think they will win this game. They have the worst red zone defense in the league. And do you know that Aaron Jones has rushed for just 50 yards a game since week three? I don't like what I see out of the Packers lines right now, offensive or defensively. I think they're very Aaron Rogers, Devonte Adams dependent. The number for a division rivalry game is huge. Nine and a half?

I think the Packers probably win by a touchdown. but I'm going to take the Bears plus nine and a half. Seahawks and Eagles. Seattle minus six is the play here. First of all, Seattle extra prep time played on a Thursday and I don't have to play to a Monday. Here's the story of the game, though. So we all lament Seattle's pass rush.

You, me, joy the world. But since Carlos Dunlop joined the team from the Bengals, And Jamal Adams returned from injury in week nine. The Seahawks defense is tied for the NFL lead in sacks. Oh, they solved their dilemma. And keep your eye on L.J. Collier. First round picked two years ago. Played his best game as a pro against Arizona.

Seattle may have solved their big hole. Pass rush. What will that also do? Solve their second biggest issue. They're secondary. I think Seattle is the team with the most to grow at this point in the season. And by the way, Carson Wentz O'N4 against Seattle, playing like crap. I think the Monday night game, I think they'll feel a lot of pressure at home to play well.

And Seattle under Pete Carroll's been a great East Coast Road team. Take out of the Buffalo loss, they'd won 10 straight. Seahawks win 3222. All right, so we bring in RJ Bell. Pregame.com, his Twitter account at RJ in Vegas, straight out of Vegas on Fox Sports Radio, 6 to 7 Eastern, which I get to listen to from time to time. And I've been joking, RJ. I've never had a losing season doing this.

And I've never had a year like this. I'm very much a three and two picker, two and three, three and two. I have gone in five straight weeks, one and four, four and one, one and four and one. And now one and four. So here we go for our Blazing five picks for Thanksgiving. I usually don't do blazing five picks on Thanksgiving because of my schedule, but I thought, you know what, let's give the gift of content to our audience because it's been such a crappy 2020. So here we go.

And plus, you need another winning week to try to come back. Let's be candid. Well, I'll probably have a great week off of what I just had. So here's my most interesting pick. And it's a lot of points. Buffalo minus six. I'll take them. Here's why.

First of all, I'm not sure what the charges are playing for. they're going to get a new coach. But Miami's rebuild has worked quicker than expected. So Buffalo is now battling week to week, and they're off a buy here for a home playoff game. Their defense is maligned, but the Bill's defense has nine takeaways when it matters most. Fourth quarter, most in the NFL, and 10 takeaways over the last five games, only the Steelers have more. So my takeaway is it's a big number, and I acknowledge that. But Buffalo off a buy in a game that's crucial is at least situationally playing good defense,

because we know their offense is good, and I'll lay, I'll take the bills minus six. I guess the wise guys hate it. Well, disagreement will call it on the bills. And here's why. I agree with you in a couple ways. One, I think bills are going to be motivated. Number two, I think you could question. the Chargers motivation. We have a concept that you'll hear the rest of the year, the dream

crusher. After a loss that crushes the season-long dream, you've got to wonder about the motivation of a team. But the obvious can't be ignored. Ten games played this year, the Chargers have lost one game by eight, one game by seven, and no other losses by six or more. So this is a team that either wins the game or loses the game, but they always seem to be close. They kept it close against the Jets. They couldn't even blow out the Jets. So in general, if you were getting the bills that pick them,

now I know, obviously you'd like the bills to pick them. But what I mean is the Chargers tend to play close games, and Herbert, let's be candid, strong. I mean, let me ask you this. I've been asking this question. If you could have an understanding Burroughs hurt, but that's part of it now, Orrower, Tua, or Herbert?

Herbert. Is it even a choice right now? No, it's not close. First of all, Herbert's got a much, much better arm than both. And he's a bigger, stronger athlete than both. And as a four-point biology major, he may be smarter than all three. I mean, the other two. So my point is, I don't think right now today, if you ask GMs, and now, Burrell's got an injury. So this morning, I don't even think it's a close call. And I really would make the case that

Kyleor Murray is a conversation. I mean, Herbert or Murray, you could say Herbert, we have decades of history of this kind of quarterback exhaling. Murray is a new breed. Maybe this is the future. But I mean, I think the Chargers in general, there's optimism around Herbert that might keep them playing. Last thing I'll say is this.

Last five games, the Chargers have outgained their opponents over those games by over 500 yards. The bills have been outgained in now. at the last five. Now, I know Yards isn't the only thing, but the charges are playing better than the scoreboard. They keep it close. Disagreement on your bills pick. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping them. I'm sorry. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations

with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. Trip 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, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. And, you know, I am generally an underdog picker, and maybe that's my problem this year. But I'll take another favorite, New York minus five and a half at Cincinnati. So the Giants are coming off a buy.

and they're 4-0 against the spread since week 7, so I wonder if the market hasn't caught up, that they're a very good football team. Now, we worried about their offense. We know their defense is good, but they've scored over 20 and six straight games, Daniel Jones back-to-back without a turnover, Daniel Jones back-to-back road games with a 90-plus passer rating,

against Ryan Finley. I don't think the market's cut up. I think the Giants win this game in blowout fashion. I think their defensive line is top five in the league. and I'm going to lay the five and a half. What would the wise guys say? Agreement here on the Giants. And I think part of this is, if you have a team that's not going to make the playoffs,

though, with the Giants, you don't know because of the East. Are you trending up or are you trending down? Giants are trending up, new coach. And I don't think the market's caught up because, though they've covered, they haven't won a lot of those games. And the market tends to react to wins more. Now, let's look at the Bengals. Obviously devastating for the franchise.

with Joe Burrough's injury. I was more equally concerned with the press conference after the game. Zach Taylor, he seemed more upset than a coach should be. And then he was paying lip service to, well, Finley. If you look at Finlay last year when he played, it was as bad as any quarterback last year. He was out within three games.

They didn't want to bring any Dalton back. They had to. And the Giants have covered, as you said, a bunch lately, but six of seven. And here's the thing no one's talking about. If you look at the defenses the Giants have played this year, the toughest defenses in football, meaning literally the hardest schedule for opposing defenses

has been the Giants today. So that means the offense of the Giants is better than they seem because they've played such tough defenses. Here's my one concern, one caveat. A team that's not used to be in a big road favor, how do they handle it? So what I looked at, I said second half of the year, so week eight beyond, you have a win percentage of less than 40%. So that's a losing team significantly.

And now you're a road favorite by more than a field goal. And through the last 30 years, that's 17 and 23 against the spread. That doesn't mean we don't like it. It's just a cause of concern is a road team that's not used to being this big of a favorite, but still agreement giants. I'm going to take a dog here. Tennessee plus Fort Indianapolis. The Colts beat a big popular team Green Bay. And when you do that sometimes, I think your value gets inflated.

I don't think the Colts should be giving four points to a team as good as Tennessee. First of all, the Titans are excellent road team, six and one in their last seven regular season road games. So they travel, good coaching travels, good run games travel. You know, Derek Henry, seven straight road games with 100 plus rushing yards. 22 rushing touchdowns in those seven games. So good coaching and good road and running games, they travel well. They're also a very smartly coach team. Five giveaways this year, fewest in the NFL.

So I think the Titans with the upset, the Colts are overvalued after beating the popular Packers. What are the wise guys say? Agreement here, and you make a great point, is Tennessee good on the road, really good coaching with Vrable. I would make the case the Colts have equally good coaching. And a lot of Philadelphia's problems, you can maybe stem from Frank Greig not being there. But I'll tell you this, they got out-coached Tennessee a couple Thursdays ago. And you know that's not sitting well with them. So I think you got motivation because it's in division.

But here's the thing. What is the public thinking? Well, they're thinking, wait a minute. I saw some stat on TV that said the Colts have won 20 of 24, something like that against Tennessee, which is true. It's a shocking number. But really, what does that matter? meaning these are different coaches generally.

There's no Peyton Manning. There's no Andrew Luck. This is a different time. And then the public's also thinking, boy, I saw this team just dominate them in Tennessee. Well, was that a domination or was there two muff punt type situations? And the game was pretty much tied before that. So I think that you combine what you said, the Green Bay went. You combined the last time the coach played them a couple weeks ago, domination.

You combine the long history for the casual fan. It all says, Indy, Indy, Indy, Indy. And I think that's why this line is for, which means the value is the Titans. Take another underdog. R.J. Bell, joining us, as he always does on Saturday. Chicago plus nine and a half at Green Bay, I'll take the Bears. First of all, they're coming off the by. Now, I think Green Bay is going to win.

But the Bears defense, we know this. Only the Rams have allowed fewer passing touchdowns. The Bears defense has not allowed an opposing quarterback to throw for 300 yards this year. The Bears defense is the best in the league on third down. So we know that. But I'm worried about Green Bay's offense as well. Aaron Jones has averaged 50 yards rushing a game since week three. They're not getting the push on the offensive line.

And the Packers defensive line. Do you know opponents score 97% of the time on Red Zone drives? I think there's deterioration of law. line play in Green Bay and Aaron Rogers and Devante Adams mask it, but they basically watched the second half of that game against the Colts. The offense was never on the field. They couldn't get the Colts off the field. So I think Green Bay wins, but nine and a half is too big a number. I'll take the Bears here. All right. So you know, it's Thanksgiving and around Thanksgiving that you eat that second piece of pie and you can't resist, but you hate yourself. I hate myself for

green here because the bears are so bad on offense, but it's value. And this is one of those that there's no way to look at Green Bay and think there's value. You make such a good point about how much of Green Bay's perception was set by those first couple games, that Minnesota game, for example, in which they look so good that first game. And since then, you've got to wonder how good is this team. The Colts, they should have won that game. They didn't. But look at the Bears. They've been outgained six of the last six. games. Their first three games with Trubisky, they average 367 yards a game of offense. In the 7 cents, it's been 100 less per game. You've got to wonder, is Nick Foote the best chance

to win, or is this a situation where they're letting Trubisky go after next year? So what are they going to do, like, what are they going to do, let them have another chance? I think that you've got to wonder if the coach, what do you think of the coaching situation in Chicago? I'd like Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern to get the job. No, I think. I think Matt Nagy is a good coach, but I think he wants to call plays and coach, and I think he's better served giving up the play calling duties. I think he's a sharp guy, very well liked. Like Matt Ruhl, I just, I think he has a side of the ball.

Matt Ruhl has a defensive side of the ball that he's rebuilding. And I do think once Tariq Cohen got hurt, the bear's offense has no juice. So I think he's a good coach. I just think, you know, his general manager was stubborn with Mitch Trabisky, and he's paying the price for it. Yeah, see, I disagree in the following. I think Nagy had a good brand under Andy Reid, but really he wasn't calling plays hardly at all. I guess there was a couple games he was. And I look at Matt Ruhl and say, this is one of the best young coaches, because what he's done is he's done it.

He went into Baylor, did it, Temple did it. I don't know what Nagy's done. right so i'm not saying he doesn't have a high IQ i'm saying i haven't seen it yeah that causes me skepticism but all that said warren buffett used to talk about a cigar that was sitting in the in the in the sore almost and if there was one puff left he wanted to buy a stock that was so cheap he could get one more puff i don't know if there's one more puff with naggy but i got to agree on chicago okay take a break back with rj bell pregame dot com after this Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok. Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier 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, is 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. All right, RJ Bell coming back. Okay, here's another big favorite. I'm going to take the Seahawks. Minus six. Remember, Pete Carroll teams tend to do very well in the eastern time zone.

They lost a Buffalo last time out, but had won 10 straight. And they have extra prep time. Here's why I like Seattle, though. We've got a developing story here. So since Jamal Adams became available and Carlos Dunlap arrived from Cincinnati, the Seahawks pass rush has gone from abysmal to the most sacks tied in the NFL. And add this. Second year player L.J. Collier from TCU had his best game as a defensive lineman against Arizona. He was a first round pick.

So now I've got Dunlap, a very active player, L.J. Collier, perhaps emerging as a first-round defensive lineman, and Adams plays in the box more than he doesn't. So have the Seahawks solved their primary issue? Lack of a pass rush. And if they have, it improves their secondary simultaneously. Eagles are a mess. I'm going to take Seattle minus six here, a very interesting developing positive defensive line story for Seattle. What are the wise guys think? Agreement here. And I'll tell you, and I say this sincerely, your analysis this year has been the best it's been.

We've done this almost 10 years. My picks are lousy, but some of that's random, though. It really is. So, I mean, to me, you made such a strong point. When you're an analyst in this business, you want to be right. So what happens is when you notice there's people that will say the same thing every week, about certain teams because they figure it's right and they keep saying it because, hey, no one's saying they're wrong.

To evolve a thought that Seattle was such a bad deed because the first six, eight weeks, all you heard from the analyst was, what an offense, but that defense is horrible. Now you're wondering, you know, with, like you said, new players, Adams back with his health and a rookie emerging, is Seattle no longer that bad defense? Maybe it's an average defense. And if so, the offense is still outstanding. Carol, you know he's not going to let that deed be bad for that long. You figure he's working over there. So I agree with you. Seattle, if this wasn't Monday night, you could think,

okay, off of that big game against Arizona, maybe they're going to be a little flat against the Philly team. It's not very good. Monday night makes them focused. I also think Philly gets more nervous on Monday night. They know the world is wondering how bad they are. And last week, or two weeks ago, they had their players come back. They fell short. Everyone said last week, well, they just weren't really integrated yet. Last week fell short. There's no other excuses left. If we just looked at the laundry,

if we didn't know what the Eagles were supposed to be, this team is one of the five worst teams in the NFL. And you got that against the Seattle team is probably one of the five best. And now those whispers about should Hertz be quarterbacking, when does he even belong starting? I think it always pressure

that's a negative for Philly Agreement, Seattle. RJ Bell. our bonus pick. I was going to take Carolina plus four and a half against Minnesota, and here's why. Because I think if you have a good coach, young players get better. And the Panthers defense, that's where they loaded up in the draft. And they're getting better. So they had a season low, 185 total yards allowed against the Lions, plus one plus turnover in 10 straight games. The Panthers defense has held opponents under 50 rushing yards in two of the last three games. So it's a young, emerging well-coach unit defensively, shutting out Matt Stafford, that doesn't happen.

And Detroit's not good, but that doesn't happen. The other good thing is, Teddy Bridgewater is going to start, and Teddy's got 100 plus passer rating in four of his last five road games. He's a veteran. The road doesn't mean anything, and Minnesota's got no fans there anyway. So I would have taken Carolina plus four and a half as my bonus. The only thing I worried about, Carolina played so well. and Minnesota so poorly defensively against Dallas

that the Vikings would rebound. But I would have taken Carolina. What are the wise guys think? Disagreement. I'm going to go with Minnesota. Now, I think there's a lot of wise guys that would like Panthers here. I am such a Zimmer fan. And I believe this season has been his best coaching job.

If you go back to his first game as coach, he has the best against the spread record in the NFL, better than Balichick, better than anybody. This year has been a great year. And if you notice, I think the Panthers, And the Santhers and Matt Rule are an up-and-coming team. I think they've exceeded all expectations. This is what a good coach does.

He comes in and changes the culture. That's what Rule was does. But you know something? Coaches like that, young and genuative, they do well against bad coaches. Well, last week against the lines, you had Matt, you had Patricia in a spot where he was overwhelmed by what Carolina was doing. That's not going to be the case with Zimmer. and the one last point, if you just look at the stats, last five weeks,

that includes obviously that bad week against the Cowboys last week. Minnesota has the second best offense efficiency-wise and the ninth best defense. This is one of the top teams in the league the last five weeks. Last week was a fluke perhaps, but they still have Minnesota a 30% chance to make the playoffs based on the odds. So I think the team still plays hard, so I like the Vikings. Okay, his Twitter account is at RJ in Vegas.

You can listen to him daily on Fox Sports Radio straight out of Vegas. It's 6 to 7 Eastern. And his site is pregame.com. He is RJ Bell. And thanks for joining us, RJ. Have a good holiday. Thank you. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman, help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing huge. human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. Eighty-four was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators,

and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.