The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Cowboys HUMILIATED, Bears Getting Better, Eagles Underachieve, Packers A SB Team? Ohio State’s GOOD Loss To Oregon

Episode Date: October 14, 2024

Colin is joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down all the action from week 6 in the NFL, plus some college ball! They start with the Cowboys being completely humiliated by the Lions (3:45), why he think the Cowboys arrow is pointed down long term, and they propose a trade both the Cowboys (9:30) and the Lions (13:30) should make.  They move on to the Bears and explain why it’s been nothing but improvement week over week for Caleb Williams (21:00) and why the Jaguars are a disaster that seems to keep getting worse (27:30). They debate the reasons being the Eagles underachieving (31:30) and why head coach Nick Sirianni seems to be compounding the problems. Colin breaks down why you can’t trust Kyler Murray and the Cardinals on a week to week basis (48:00) and they discuss whether the Packers are a Super Bowl caliber team (52:00). They debate whether they’d rather have Brock Purdy or Bo Nix as their starting quarterback (55:00) before breaking down Oregon’s close win over Ohio State (01:10:00) and USC’s collapse against Penn State (01:20:00). (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume #Herd #3andOutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the ice planet, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind 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, Cliver 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, unfilts of coverage. 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The volume. Football seasons here, there's only one place to go for tickets, and that is Game Time. You know I love Game Time.

They have a new feature called Game Time Picks, makes getting tickets for your free. favorite live events easier. It filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets. You want to go to a football game or a concert, just click on the event. You want to attend and game time gives you a seat preview and offers you the super deal. So I get the best bang for my buck and that's what I'm looking for. Game time also has the lowest price guarantee or they'll credit you 110% of the difference. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time, right? Download the Game Time app doesn't take long, create an account, use my code, the redeem code, Colin, C-O-L-I-N for $20 off your first purchase.

C-O-L-I-N, terms apply. Download game time today. What time is it? Game time. All right. We got a lot to talk about. Mostly the Cowboys' ass kicking. Oh, God, that was, that may have been the worst thing I've seen this year.

By the time we're doing this, it was 46 to 9, and we just decided to do this a few minutes early. So the final score wasn't quite finished. I'm sure Detroit added more to it. Our week six reaction presented by Uber Eats, get almost, almost anything for game day. John Middlekoff, former NFL scout for the Eagles, three and out podcast for the volume. I mean, there's some million things.

I had said Friday on FS1, the slow oil leak would begin this week with a schedule. Too many good quarterbacks. God, you could tell early, seven to three, Cowboys Bad Tackling, DAC and end zone pick. You know, it's, my take on Dallas is this roster is, if you're going to pay DAC that kind of money,

you have to hit, not just, you have to, third round, fourth round, fifth round picks have to become stars. You have to find a couple Pooka Naku is in the fifth. John, this roster, this cowboy roster is just not very good, is it? Well, with the injuries they have, they would not beat any good team in the NFC. they would get boat race when you think about all the good teams of the NFC all have excellent offenses right Detroit clearly one of the best they could score 40 on them with their eyes close

the 49ers the Packers the way Washington's playing right now the Vikings you know Caleb all right the way that offense is rumman so the defense with their injuries stands no chance if they are going to win how often do you win a game in which they did last week, which I gave them credit because it was a gritty performance on the road must win. When the quarterback throws two interceptions, he has another fumble and you get a blocked field goal. It never happens. It shows you how inept last week fields and that offense was.

When he threw the pick today, you know, I said last week, is he one of the more bizarre players? You know, because obviously he's good and has awesome moments, but then he consistently lets you down in the playoffs. but he's played very well in some huge regular season games that are being watched by 30 plus million. He plays for the Cowboys. But God, he throws a lot of picks. You know, that Ed Zone pick then turns into a field goal.

So that's a six-point swing and then the route's on. And they had no, if they were going to win today, it was going to have to be like 35 to 30. And he just kind of imploded and looked like a different guy and started their offensive line and all their offensive weapons kind of tapped out after about, you know, five minutes into the second quarter. I've said, for years I've compared him to Kirk Cousins with more mobility, but I think Kirk's showing it again in Atlanta. Kirk's a better throw over the football. Kirk doesn't make a ton of mistakes. And frankly, just a more accurate throw over the football. If you asked, if you ask, I mean, right now I get Kirk Cousins. He's got about half of Dax's contract and he's a better

throw over the football. And so we always love all these mobile quarterbacks. But the truth is with Aaron Rogers and Dak right now. They're not very mobile. I mean, hell, I watch Baker, Mayfield, and Bo Nix today. Bo Nix is fast. You don't have to love him, but Jesus, the kid brought 30 moves really well. So I think Mike McCarthy is paying the price for Jerry Jones ego. Now, you know, an 81-year-old guy wants to be the general manager, call press conferences,

and I've said this before. I just don't know how good of a job this is. You walk into a job. I mean, let's be honest, there's two great jobs to take in this league. You've got a star quarterback, and you're going to have to pay him. where you have a talented rookie quarterback like Caleb or Jaden Daniels on a rookie contract. So now I get to play around with some chess pieces. I can go buy a pass rusher.

What you don't want to have is an average guy that you're overpaying. And Kirk Cousons deal right now is a very solid deal. It's not egregious. They didn't have to get rid of anybody. The DAC deal, which hasn't even started the new one yet, I think this is going to be a downhill trajectory for years to me. I do think Jerry's drafted relatively well, though. I mean, they've won 12 games, three straight years,

but they kind of hit the point this year where they lost a bunch of guys in free agency, and they were going to have to double down, obviously, on DAC, and then Micah hadn't even been paid, and they paid CD. So now the team becomes an NBA squad. But let's be honest, though, the last two years, Aaron Rogers leaves the NFC, a lot of these Jordan loves,

a lot of the, you know, Chicago didn't have Caleb. Washington was a mess. San Francisco was great. Detroit was good. Now they're exceptional. The last two years, the NFCs had a pretty weak middle and bottom. Well, that's over. Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, Green Bay, Detroit. So there was this window and we're like, oh, they won 12 games. That's a nine-win team in the AFC. That's fair because they weren't. Then they'd get into the dance and they would get beat at home by the Niners. They would get rolled at home by the Packers. They would go on the road and get beat by the Niners.

It was like, well, they got their chances with an inflated. Yeah, that is fair because the division was, listen, they always play Philly tight, right? They're probably going to split those games most years. And they got to beat up on Washington and the Giants. And clearly Washington today, to me, was actually a big winner. I was like, damn, they might be a little better than I thought. Yeah. Sometimes I'm more impressed with them in a loss than I have with some of their.

But that's a problem for the Cowboys and the Eagles. Because I'm watching the Eagles today and Siriani screaming at fans. It's like, hey, Nick, calm down. I mean, you're barely beating the Browns. It's like a 10-point favorite at home. Your fans aren't happy with you. They have a point. And the Cowboys, this was obviously a bad matchup for them, given their injuries.

But they're just getting their butt kicked at home. And Dak talked about it this week. He's like, listen, you know, we got to start. We got to take care of business at home. It ain't even close. It ain't even close. Listen this. Go back to last year.

Hackers, Saints, Ravens, Lions have huge. humiliated them at home. Now, those are good teams. That's near the top of the league. Well, that's to your argument. Then there are 12 wins, a little inflated. And then when you get them against the big boys, subtract the Eagles who they're comfortable playing, they're getting work. Look at the Niners game last year. I mean, what was the final score of that? Like 45 to 10? It got destroyed. So, yeah. I think you, I think you have to really, this will sound crazy. I would considering, listen, you're going to pay, they've already paid DAC and CD. Would you consider to get draft capital?

You'd get a first round pick for Micah. You'd get more than that. 100%. I've had people ask me, Cowboy fans, should we just do this? What's the point? Our defense isn't even close. Why wouldn't we just start over? And Hutchison's injury today is heartbreaking for Detroit.

But before that injury, he's not Miles Garrett. He's not Hutchison. He's not Nick Bosa. he's not. He's not as big as strong. He can be overwhelmed by like a Trent Williams. He can disappear in big spots with top tackles. I think, I think Micah, a lot of teams would use an edge rusher. I think you have to think about moving off it, getting a first and a third, and just going into the, because what Dallas has to find now, John, they've got to find cheap, good players. So I do want to say this about.

Detroit. Tom Brady made a point today, and I thought it was a really good one. He said, Detroit has something that is really special. They can play power football. They can play efficient football with that offensive line. They can play keepaway, just grind you out. Or they can throw the ball, but they can also get clever with Ben Johnson. It's a really fun offense for players. It's very rare, John. Usually you have to pick your spots. And they don't have a mobile quarterback. But shit, they can road grade you. They can go over the top with Williams. They do trick plays with Ben Johnson.

Hutchison's injury is just devastating and gutting. But I got to tell you, there's not a lot of offenses in the league that can beat you like six ways. I thought it was a good point. Detroit, I mean, Dallas today had no answers and plus injuries, but they did seven, eight different ways to beat you. Well, with McCaffrey out is the most complete offense in the league. And one thing they even had over the 49ers last year is, offensive line is just better. I mean, Brady mentioned it.

Panay-Soole's the best right tackle in the NFL. Yeah. You know, now that, you know, Lane's an aging player? You know the thing that hit me when he's laying on the ground? And I would imagine beating a team 700 to nothing in the locker room. It's not going to be as joyous as sometimes they can be with Dan Campbell. It's going to be a weird vibe for them. I think the team and, you know, their general manager comes from the ramps,

Brad Quinn, Brad Quinn is that his name? and he he's seen Brad Holmes I think Brad Homes Brad Quinn yeah or excuse me Brad Holmes and he saw Les and Sean and that operation get really aggressive over the years and he was part of him aggressive trade when they did the Sam the Matt Staff or Jared Goff trade don't you call the Raiders I mean that thing is just that's a tire fire burning even stronger by the week and just say hey listen we'll give you two ones for Max Crosby yeah like seriously you know Max Crosby played his college football at a smaller school in Michigan. Yeah.

The graders are going nowhere with him. Obviously, Devante's separate. But hey, because you can't, you have games like today before he's laying there on the ground and some of their players are in tears. I mean, Jared got to feel like he was crying because Jared's no dummy. Like he's, he's been to a Super Bowl, he got close last year. He knows, and that's their best player on their team at the most important non-quarterback position in the NFL laying there with, we obviously didn't see the replay.

What I would have mad. And there might have been a bone sticking out of his leg, right? It took a long time for them to get him in the car. Well, Fox wouldn't show it. Yeah. So if you told me it was a compound fracture, that's kind of what I expected. To me, Max Crosby honestly kind of fits their ethos and their culture. Like, if I'm the Lions, Max Crosby makes more sense than given the form for Micah Parsons,

who's a little bit more of a one-trick pony, would you offer two ones for Max Crosby? Obviously, there are financial situations there, but I think I would go all in on this. because if you're Detroit, you're thinking, if our defense, two weeks ago or three weeks ago against Gino's like, what the hell is this? You can't win a Super Bowl when you can't cover. But if you subtract that game, they've been actually pretty good on defense. Like, they look like a different team today. But you're not winning a Super Bowl, I don't think, with him on, gone for the year with no replacement. And to me, Max Crosby would be worth it to, quote, unquote, overspend a little bit to get them.

Yeah, and also, you know, the Raiders would do it because the, They want multiple ones because they want to be able to have chest pieces to move up the board if they're like fourth or fifth. They're going to get a quarterback. That's obvious. No, I think that's a great. I think there's a couple of things that are going to happen at the trade deadline. So the Cowboys are humiliated. Max Crosby to the Lions, I think is a kind of a sharp suggestion.

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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 I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver 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.

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Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a game. galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to bowl your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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There's no order we have to go in today. I do want to go back. I want to go to the Chicago Jacksonville game because I don't know if I have felt this way about the Chicago Bears. And I'm not. joking in a decade. So 35, 16 over Jacksonville. Listen, Caleb's gotten better every week, and Jacksonville, Doug Peterson's probably the next coach to get fired. I mean, they don't do anything well. But John, you start looking at that performance today. He, in over the last three of four weeks, his confidence. And I think some of that stuff was generated from scheme and play calling. Some of it wasn't. But 23 at 27, four TDs, 50% on third down. And by the way, Keenan Allen is back today. I looked at that Chicago team and I'm like, is any other team in

the league gotten noticeably better four to five weeks in a row? Can I push back a little bit? Sure, sure. Because I do think, listen, part of making the playoffs, especially with a team like the Bears who haven't been good in a long time, you're going to have to, you're playing a last place schedule win games against bad teams. If you get to 9, 10 wins, five of them are going to come against crappy opponents. And they're doing that so they deserve credit. There are four wins come against four teams who have each won one game.

Right. The Jags are terrible. The Panthers are probably worse. The Titans are probably worse than both of them. You know, I mean, we're talking bad teams. Now, this is not college. You don't set your schedule here. So you just play the way it breaks.

they play down the stretch. If they do this, some games against the Lions against Minnesota, I'll be the first to say, this would be a scary team in the playoffs. They go a stretch where they basically play six divisional games, all starting within like, I think in like three weeks from now with the Packers till the end of the season with the 49ers thrown in there.

I'll be very interested to see how they look. Because we've seen them against one good team this year. Now, like you said, young quarterback, new to the NFL. Listen, I'm not trying to act like you shouldn't put all your, eggs in the basket on the game, September 10th, more than the middle of October with a rookie quarterback, but they got destroyed against the Texas, who are a clear playoff team. So it's, they're doing what they're supposed to do. They clearly have a lot of confidence.

The wide receivers, Caleb, to me, he's much, I would say, more, feels more comfortable throwing the ball down field. And by the way, he's developed our relationship now with two players, Cole Comet and DJ Moore. He is clearly. Now, Keenan Allen's probably a progression in three weeks. But there is something to be said. Like, he made a couple throws to Cole Komett today, and it's like, okay, he's found his

tight end. He's got his deep threat. Sometimes it takes, like Bo Nix and Cortland Sutton. Obviously, Bo trusts him. Doesn't trust the other guys. I don't know. I kind of look at it and I think to myself, they'll probably go two and four against those teams in their division.

But I do think. But if they, Colin, they go two and four, they're probably in the playoffs because they got some mother crappy teams coming up on the schedule. And if they were to beat Washington, I think they play them next week. All of a sudden, you're looking, they would only have to go two and four. And if they beat, I think they got Seattle late in the year to get to nine wins. That's probably a wild card spot. So to me, there's a big difference two and four of like, oh, you, I mean, is O and six?

Because to me, you look at their division. They're the fourth best team. That's the best division. That's the best division now, easily in the NFL. Which isn't a bad thing to say because you go, well, the Packers obviously are good. The Lions, you know, if they can somehow get a replacement for Hutchinson or a juggernaut. And the Vikings have lost a game. And one of the best coach teams in the league.

So I'm torn with them because I tip your hat, you do what you're supposed to do. But they're doing it against the number one teams you would want to play for like, we need a win this week. You would sign up for the teams they're playing. They play the Patriots in a couple weeks. There's another win. I will say this. Iber Fluse is interesting because.

like Robert Sala, I think he's really good on his side of the ball. And the difference is, Aaron doesn't extend the pocket like Caleb. And, you know, Caleb today, you know, I just told him the numbers. I mean, he was almost like perfect. Even his post-game interview, like he just, he's confident without being obnoxious. Like, he's getting very comfortable. Even after Justin Fields wins, I felt they were a little bit of a mirage. I'd be like, okay.

Like today, you're like, today Caleb sat in the pocket, like, and clearly is connecting with his guys. And I'm like, this is a, he can sit in the pocket and throw. Totally agree. And I'm not comparing them to last year's fraudulent wins with the Chicago Bears. I'm just saying that the power of their opponents has a little feel. We're seeing what's happening with Lane and Ole Miss. You watch the first four weeks, you're like, gee, this team could go 11 and 1. All of a sudden, they start playing some better teams.

And now you're like, are they going to get to nine and three? And it's because of the of the talents and I mean, the strength of the teams they have to go through starting with their division and the 49ers. And it's just, we've seen them play one good team and it was, I put it more on the coaching staff too. Warner said something

that, have you ever flown JSX? Yeah, yeah. It's incredible. And they, Starlink, I was on the plane today. You could watch it. It was like faster than my TV at my house. And I'm watching the game in Warner's like, you know what Shane Waldron told me? He doesn't script any place. And you can tell Warner

was a little weird. You know, most, most coaches do the first 15. He's just a feel guy. I'm like, Kyle Shanahan scripts the second half as well at halftime. I mean, most coaches go back to Bill Walsh.

So that's just, you're a feel coach, offensive guy with a young quarterback, but you commit, stud, obviously Keenan back, Rome's, they've developed a little chemistry,

Rome and Caleb, and DJ is a special player. So they just have so many weapons. Can the O-line hold up against the better teams they play and not get Caleb? killed, which we saw in the one primetime game. Yeah.

Because when he's comfortable, some of the touch passes today were not there three or four weeks ago, regardless who he's talking against. Yeah. That was, yeah, he made a couple of, he made a throw last week, DJ Moore back at the end zone. That was like a veteran play. As a Mahomes throw, that was like, okay, that's a big boy throw. Today he wasn't forced into that situation much.

But, okay, I want to- Can we have a conversation about the other quarterback, though, really quick? It was on the other side, you know, Trevor Lawrence. Trevor Lawrence. Well, first of all, that staff, it's not working. You know, Doug Peterson had a reputation. So I was totally wrong. I thought he was a perfect fit. Kind of a casual guy, I thought it was going to work. But, you know, when he went to Philadelphia at work, because Lori and Howie are so intense. And so they're hovering over the franchise, right? Like, you know that. I mean, everybody in Philly, we know their security guy. And the top of

Knock radio is on you if you have one bad situational series. Philadelphia holds its coaches responsible. You go down to Jacksonville, nobody's paying attention, and it's like the worst of Doug Peterson's come out. They're loose. They're not good on details. That was the knock when he went to Philly. It's like, you know, Andy's calling the plays. You know, he loves to give guys ice cream.

He's always rewarding him. He's like the step that everybody loves. You can't do that in Philadelphia. you'll get you'll get your ass rung out by WIP radio the fan i mean that's it Philadelphia is one of those cities they hold you accountable jacksonville doesn't and i think the team just feels loose and inefficient i don't disagree with anyone that makes the argument by the time if someone's listened to this monday morning at breakfast he might get relieved of his duties i do think though watching trevor lawrence like separate from coaching just to make basic passes

There were times a day where his guys, it's the NFL, had some bad drops. So I'm not acting like this guy's Jim Marcus Russell here or Joey Harrington. But for someone they got $200 million, based on, I would say, limited production and success, it did feel a little bit like what bad NBA teams do, like the Washington Wizards when they gave Bradley Beal $250,000. And I don't know if this is going to work in that operation. That's right. And listen, I think at this point in time, I don't think. think it's really debatable that his career has been a borderline. I mean, for him, not really. He's

made a bunch of money. But as a player, the hype was very similar to Andrew Locke. And you watch the guy play. He's not even in the same. It wasn't even on the same level as Caleb Williams that a lot of people were making fun of like three weeks previously. Oh, Caleb was, you know, there's sometimes John something happens where there's a convergence of things, either good or bad. So you have sort of casual, not tied on the details, Doug Peterson, a quarterback who reportedly likes the game doesn't live for it, a media that's toothless, and a market nobody pays attention to. So if you have a bad series, nobody calls you out.

And they're, they've all joined together. And it's what happened. It's why Nick Saban and guys like Nick Saban, after wins, call. good press, you know, rat poison, is that everybody acts the same way when they lose, they're pissed. But when you win, do you get sloppy and lazy? And Jacksonville feels like a sloppy franchise to me. All these things converge, a quarterback that likes the game. But that was the knock very early in his career.

Like, he doesn't live for it. He's not obsessed by it. And Breeze was obsessed. Manning was a – Mahomes is obsessed. And I just think all these things are adding. up to a big soft pillow of a team. Yeah, to me, just their record speaks for itself, since the cons have owned the family, just Google where they've drafted every single year. I mean, the majority, not the top 10, it's the top five. I mean, that's, it's, that's hard to do.

All right. He's a former scout for the Eagles. Philadelphia 20, Cleveland 16, DeJohn Johnson, we could go on. I mean, he's playing because the owner wants him to play. And Kevin's Tafanski's taking the sword for the organization. Deshaun just can't play. But it is interesting about Philly. So they were an eight and a half point favorite today and J. Mack was all over this and I'm like, I'm not taking an eight and a half point favorite because Philadelphia is weird. So if I just, if you didn't watch the game and they said Jalen Hertz was 16 to 25, 14 rushes, 264, two TDs, A.J. Brown, Devonte Smith had touchdowns. You would think, Jesus, they look great. when I watch them, I'll get to Siriani in a second.

But when I watch Philadelphia, I feel like they leave so much on the floor, so much on the table, is that, first of all, they're not the same team without A.J. Brown. He's clearly a difference maker. Very rarely does a receiver have that kind of impact. I mean, you could, Brandon Ayuk didn't do squat for weeks. San Francisco could still score points. C.D. Lamb, you take him out. Dallas can't score. I mean, and A.J. Brown is really, I mean, I've never seen a coach when he loses a player, act like Mike Vrable did when they lost A.J. Brown. Like, Vrable was like, okay, I can't.

Remember that press conference? It's like, I can't win here. Like, it's over. And Vrable's not somebody who loves, you know, outspoken receivers. That's not his game. So, but 2016, I just, I look at Philadelphia and I think, the coach is screaming at fans. I feel, I don't know, I feel like the roster

closer to an A, and the performance always feels like a B. Am I wrong? Yeah, to me, the quarterback, like you said, we can get into Sireana here in a minute. If we just used Jalen in a vacuum, well, three of the plays, he hit A.J. Brown twice on big go routes, and then

he hit Devante Adams, or Devante Smith, on a big play. So what does that account for? 125, 130 of the 260 yards. I mean, those guys have between the 275 yards. Yeah. So to me, he's a go-ball thrower, which when all you do is throw go-ball, this isn't college or high school, that those

don't hit often in the pros and kind of a scramble run-around guy. He cannot pick you apart in the pocket. There was one point in time today in the game where I think Vilma was like, I don't know why these fans are booing. You don't know why it's 13 to 10 against the Browns. They can't move the ball and Jaylon's, the ball's flying all over the place. There is no rhythm to their offense. It looks very similar as it did last year. And at one point in time, I looked down at the box I'm like, I'd have to find a way to get the ball to Seiquant even more. Yeah, I think sometimes coaches, you know, he had, when I looked down, he was like 15 rushes and he was averaging a little less than three yards of carry.

Yeah. So most coaches freak out and go, this isn't working. Well, you don't have Peyton Manning or Tom Brady slinging the pill around. So just keep the Kyle Shanahan's McVeigh back when he had Todd Gurley, they will stick with it. Because when you ever, you have Derek Henry, eventually the guy might break a play for 30 yards, slows down the game, makes it easier on your quarterback. And I think they have been way too quick to get away from Sequin because really the only passes they're hitting are these kind of bombs down the field.

It's why when you remove AJ, they look even worse. I mean, if AJ obviously had been hurt like he had previous weeks, I think they lose today. Let me give you a comp. If their defense was the Legion of Boom in Seattle, they could win a Super Bowl. Because when you go back and look at Russell Wilson's career, what we know now happens and late in Seattle, Denver and Pittsburgh. He was great with a rainbow throws over the top. Or when he was moving, he had a great running back.

But if you asked Russell to sit in the pocket, Pete Carolyn John Snyder and Peyton were like, it doesn't work. So Philadelphia has not had a great defense, especially in the back end. So they give up points. But for years and years, I said this Friday on the show is,

I was fooled. I thought Ross was engineering stuff. Let Russ cook. I bought into it. And then all of a sudden, you're like, boy, when you take away that defense and Marshawn, you're like, I know, he can't go toe to toe with the big guys from the pocket. If you can contain him, bring the rush ends in and just box him in. There, Russell's a very ineffective player two is a better pocket guy than Russell Wilson. And I look at Jalen Hertz and I see a little Russell Wilson where over the top, yes, surround it with the, I mean, good God, he had the best center in a decade.

Lane Johnson, A.J. Brown. It's easy to look like it's you. But to you. But to you. your point in the pocket. I don't trust him. Well, that's the thing watching Washington play today. Jaden is such a better thrower standing there within the tackle box. If not really even close. Well, he's got a better arm. He's more naturally

accurate. Most people thought, you know, whenever you text people in the league when Jalen hurts is struggling, they all go, yeah, it kind of reminds me Oklahoma again. Kind of reminds me of the guy that everyone's scouted and thought, when he got drafted second round, the Eagles didn't just get questioned

because they drafted a quarterback in the second round when they had Wentz. It was they took him that high. He was like, damn. And sometimes it comes out, like, he's not a great thrower of the football. Obviously, he throws a good go bowl, but just a good thrower of the football in the pocket. We just talked about Kirk Cousins. I had Jay Gruden on the pod like a month ago. He's like, if you don't touch him, he might be the best seven on seven player in the league, right?

Just throwing, he's a good thrower of the football. Jalen, I don't know if he's not comfortable, it's not natural. He doesn't have great velocity on just sitting in the pocket throws, which is weird for a guy that does have a powerful arm on the loop throw. You know, Russell had a better ball in his prime than Jalen, just throwing like an outrout or whatever. He just wasn't that comfortable throwing it over the middle from the pocket because he couldn't see. Jalen's a little shorter.

He's taller than Russell, but shorter than average quarterback. So maybe it's just not as comfortable seeing stuff because he clearly, when he moves is better outside the tackles making place. But you can't run a consistent offense play in that way. Yeah. It's very, very difficult. So now it's going to be another coach or a coordinator's fault. Maybe it's just the player. Yeah. Let me ask you.

So Siriani, knowing he's on the hot seat, knowing that his sort of demeanor has been dubbed juvenile, comes in, shaves his head, at one point yelling at fans. Like, to me, it's just, bro. You're the head football coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Like, he just feels like he doesn't have a self-awareness. You know, it's almost like Baker's first couple years in the league. You knew he was talented, but you're like, dude, you're starting fires at the podium on Wednesday.

Just don't, you don't have to win and be the snarkiest, funniest guy at the podium. Just let other people win. And now Baker's mature, but I feel like Nick sometimes doesn't get it. Yeah, to me, I don't know if there's a wager you can place with our friends at draft. But I think he's a borderline lock to not be the head coach for the Eagles in 2025. Yeah. And that's not making a prediction. They're missing the playoffs, making the playoffs.

Like he will not be the coach next year. Like this thing, him screaming at the fans is just in what world in a game that you barely just beat, what many consider is one of the worst transactions, not in football, in like, sports history with Deshaun Watson, the quarterback, who was pretty bad the day again. and you are struggling to win the game and you're screaming at the fans, it'd be one thing if he was kicking ass and they're still chanting fire Siriani. I would get it. It's like, bro, let's, let's, you know, cool our jets here.

Now, I saw Jalen Hertz said after the game is one thing that the players talked to Nick about during the byweek was to get back to his crazy ways, get back to his roots of being emotional. He had been too, I don't know, stoic, I guess, for their taste. over the beginning of this season. But if that, what you're trying to get back to, like, what are we doing? I see under no scenario,

this team's not win the Super Bowl. So I just don't see how Seriani knows what's going on. Like the head shave, what did that symbolize to you? A guy's searching, a guy, maybe he got a bad haircut. Remember when Robert Sala came in with a black beard, like darkened his beard,

and it's just like, bro, you're on, camera like 12 minutes on national TV on an NFL game every week, it did feel like you were trying to make some sort of statement. And I mean, I think we know now that Sala, Adam Schaefter reported that he was, he was affected by the noise. I think Sariani's affected. I think Philadelphia is probably the loudest NFL city because talk radio is so powerful in that city. In the media, there's multiple newspapers. It's a, it's a kind of a working class for a big, sophisticated. city it's it's it's it's you know it's loud and if you're andy reed could shut it out but i think it affected i think it affects seriani yeah i mean i i can't speak for every city in america but there can't be many places where every single person in the city i mean there's just nothing more important and it's a diehard football or i mean just sports town where you could find the richest guy the nicest neighborhood and you could find the poorest guy in the street and they'd all have a take on the eagles and that that

Andy's just had a little thicker skin, obviously had early success. He's just, I mean, a much higher level guy. But I think when you're really emotional like that, in an emotional place, it's probably not a good combination. And let's face it, like some guys with more experienced and who have been around the block, like, Rable would be more equipped to handle it. Obviously, Belichick, you know, these guys,

this is a guy that six, seven years ago was a position coach, one had ever heard of. And all of a sudden you get thrust in the limelight with a team that then is highly compensated, a lot of star power. It's not like this is the little engine that could. You look around high draft picks on defense everywhere, highly paid wide out star running back, $50 million quarterback, a GM that everyone knows his name, wheeler and dealer, an owner that is giving you an unlimited checkbook.

I thought today, when it was like 1310 and the Browns were driving, and I think it was headed to the fourth quarter. I'm like, he might have 15 minutes left for this job. If he loses this game to the Browns and to Sean Watson, and given their touchdown came off a blocked field goal touchdown, I could see Jeffrey Lurie. I don't know exactly who he would elevate Fangio Kellan, but I could just see him like, this is over. And Nick Siriani honestly could have been fired before Doug Peterson if he had lost that. That was an enormous win just to keep the guy's career going, Colin. Time for this week's player, I thought, might give almost, almost anything to redo his game,

brought to you by Uber Eats, Spencer Rattler, two fourth quarter picks in his pro debut. Started off strong, but the bucks blew the game open in the fourth Tampa scored touchdowns after both Rattler picks. That was this week's Uber Eats player of the week. Get almost, almost anything for game day delivered with Uber Eats. I love them. The official on-demand delivery partner of the NFL order now, Uber Eats. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

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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 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.

back at it on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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

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I have the Jets plus the points tomorrow, so it was a good day. So the reason I took Green Bay, because Arizona, Dona beat San Francisco and you think, oh, okay, and they're getting five points. I don't trust them. I think Kyler Murray and I have this sourced from a player, a coach, and an executive is not terribly mature nor totally accountable. He's just absolutely gifted. And off a win over the Niners, they didn't look like, they had 13 penalties.

I think they've trailed at one point like 24, three or, I mean, they were getting shell. didn't look like they prepared. And this is why I bet against them is that as Green Bay in their division is looking around thinking, hey, Jordan, we got to get this thing rolling. Our division's good. Arizona beat San Francisco. It looked like they took the week off of practice. And I think a lot of it's Kyler Murray, who I have defended. But John, they only had 23 minutes time of possession. Now Harrison got hurt. They had, you know, Connor. They got beat up. But that's the NFL. But I think there is something, I really believe, and I've heard this again, from a star player, an executive, and a coach in that organization, Kingsbury was ready to go to Colt McCoy.

I was told that by somebody around his staff, like he was done with it. He played nice to the media. He was done with it. I know they moved off Josh Rosen, and I know they're paying Kider Murray. I don't know if you can ever win big time with him. We'll get to Green Bay in a second, but they have too much talent to just not even compete for the first half. Yeah, to me, I think if you remove a couple of those Bruce Ariens,

Todd Bowles years with Carson Palmer, this organization most of my life has just kind of been the same. And this team specifically has more talent than some of the crappy Cardinal teams over the decades. but when I saw the weather and those guys bundled up, I thought, you know, my cousin was on the Fresno State team that almost beat USC in the height of their dynasty in 2005. And they went toe to toe with them.

And they were 15th in the country. And after that loss, they didn't even move in the rankings. The next week they played Reno. And this was like, you know, early November, it was freezing cold. He said the moment two guys, our first two guys stepped off the plane and it was freezing cold,

they freaked out. he's like, we knew we had no chance. And they got blown out. And because coming from, you know, Fresno was like 85, 90 degrees. And when I saw that weather, when I got off the plane today, it was pretty hot, started sweating pretty quickly. And that, that's a bad. Like, this is not going to be a team that travels well.

Because he's a roller coaster player to begin with. A lot of his plays, like Jalen, come from kind of freelancing. Like, let's face it. And they have shown this year, like, when they play well and show a little fight and he gets on their healthy. Freelancing, yeah, he can make plays. They've also got boat race a couple times and look completely lifeless. And today, I would say about 10 minutes into that game,

if you didn't want to watch Jordan Love and weren't a Packer fan, the game was irrelevant because they were going to toy with them. It was a joke. So yeah, it starts with, it always starts with your highest paid player, how much he cares, how hard he wants it. I do think it's just a very hard player to play with the way he plays. I mean, a lot of his great highlights when you think about it over the years are kind of freelance plays, not necessarily like,

Three-step drop, great hitch, hit the out route. Like, that's not really his style. Green Bay is obviously good. The question with me, because I think Jordan loves a little more far than Aaron Rogers. He had a ball up to the sideline today. He just threw a balloon, a hot air balloon up. Dobbs made the catch, kind of clever, got into the end zone. I'm like, that's not a great description.

He's done it like 15 times this season, and he's missed a couple games. So he lets it rip, and I like that about him. And that was the thing on Utah State. people are like, he, he's going to make some bad throws. But Mahomes has a crappy pick every weekend. So I kind of live with it if you have some it. And I think Jordan's got a lot of it. There are so many mouse to feed.

I mean, they have like two or three tight ends I like. There's a lot of mouse to feed. And there are a lot of young guys and none of them have been paid yet. And there was a rumor that Romeo Dobbs was unhappy like last week of the week before. And Green Bay is like a low ego franchise. but generally there's a pecking order to an organization. Well, outside of Jordan, nobody's getting paid offensively. And I'm just, I'm interested to, are they a, I know they're talented.

Are they a Super Bowl team? Do they have the maturity to go on the road? What do you make of them? I think they definitely have the talent to be a Super Bowl contender. Yes, town. To make a run in the NFC. And it all comes down to like, they beat the Niners last year. If Jordan doesn't get kind of squirrely down the stretch of that game.

so to me can he get on a streak for a three-game stretch like Joe Flacco or Eli Manning? Because he's probably more talented than those guys I just listed, right? Just in terms of mobility, arm strength. Like you said, he's got, he's more far than Rogers. The problem when you play like that, some of Farv's most iconic moments actually went against them, right? Crazy picks in playoff games. Because they're in the playoffs, right? And depending, once all these teams start playing each other, like, they could still win the division.

now that Hutchinson's injured, we'll see as Minnesota plays better teams, what it looks like. And I'm not trying to diminish anything they've done, but we'll see how long, are they just going to roll the 15 wins or what happens when they have a two-game losing streak? You know, the Packers,

these guys now have been through a lot together, like the young nucleus. So I like them. I mean, you watch them on days like today. It's like, damn, they could score on anybody because they got wide receivers for days. And like you said, that quarterback, their coach is really good.

Like LaFleur has really established himself. He doesn't get the credit as McVeigh or Kyle, even Kevin O'Connell. But never forget, he's, he wants some playoff games. I know he hasn't been to the Super Bowl, but him and Aaron, he resurrected Aaron's career. And then took Jordan Love from last year crappy first half. The GM saying, yeah, we'll see how these last 10 games go, right? Basically saying, this guy's career as our starting quarterback's in jeopardy, to then coaching him up down the stretch to now,

what's the record now, four and two or three and two? Like, he's won games with Malik Willis. Like, he's got a lot of different pitches. I like the Packers coming into the season still do. To me, usually their success also comes down to, like, does their defense come to play in big games? Because historically, with the Rogers teams, it did not. One year it did, and they won the Super Bowl.

The other thing for them is now depends on seating. Like, they might be better on the road, like go to Dallas in a dome, go to Minnesota in a dome. Yeah. They have always this great passing game. And then when they get the number one seat or two seed, they play these home games and it's negative 10 degrees. So it's like, well, you're not going to throw over 300 yards in this.

Yeah. Or they, you put them last year in Dallas. It's like, okay, throw it away. They don't mind going out to San Francisco in January when it's, you know, 67 degrees at kickoff. They're better off playing. I know L.A. won't have a home game, but a game like that than actually playing Minnesota.

I don't think they would be uncomfortable playing at Minnesota in a playoff game at all. They would much rather. I think the way they're built offensively, they're better suited to go to one of these warmer weather cities on the road in a playoff game where if he gets hot, they can easily score 30 points. Okay, my controversial take of the week,

LA Chargers beat Denver, 2316, got off to a huge lead and held on. So we did something this week, I think it was Friday on the show. And I was saying, you know, would I take Brock? Pretty sucks. Well, no. So I take Purdy almost over. I'm not taking him over Lamar or Mahomes or Allen, but there's a lot of guys in there like Caleb Williams. I said, I think Caleb's more talented or Jaden Daniels. I think Jaden's more talented. And nobody really had a reaction until I said, Bo Nicks, I would take him over brought Purdy. So before we get to the Chargers, Denver game, one of the things I think a lot about is there is a huge difference. The nine or quarter. back position. And Brock clearly had a lot of college starts like Bo Nix. He throws an accurate

ball. They both move way better than most people give him credit for. I mean, Bo today had a run. He was like racing past like an edge linebacker. And for a first down, I mean, it was just sprinting. And Brock Purdy moves better than people think. But I think it's, it's, there's two different asks in this league. And the ask for Brock Purdy was, don't screw it up. We've got an all-star team. and the best scheme guy in the league. Are you good cognitively, and can you throw completions? That's also the Niners are one of the better yards

after the catch team. So there's a lot of stuff where you get yardage and guys, you know, in Denver, it was viewed as a five and a half win roster in Vegas. One receiver I like a lot, Cortland Southern, a lot. Mims is unproven, Franklin's a rookie, tight ends are okay,

left tackle's good, right side of the O lines, wonky. and so the ask in a division with Harbon, Andy Reid, is substantially harder. Like today, he had a terrible first half. They were missing two offensive line starters. Second half he was pretty good, although the coverage changes. I didn't think it was a hot take. I think it's very close.

I like Bow Nicks more than Brock Purdy. One guy's a first round pick. One guy's a seventh, but I can't hold that against him. Where to you, what is the seat? because we don't think these guys are Mahomes. I'm guessing you think Bo Nix has a lower ceiling than Brock Purdy. That's my guess. Yeah, I think that's, I think that takes pretty insane, the information we have right now.

Because I think the way you described Brock Purdy is two years ago when he gets inserted after Tray Lance goes down and Jimmy Garoppel goes down. But if you watch the way he played last year, and if you watch the way he's playing right now, he has been pretty excellent this season. Yeah. Like played at a really, like, I mean, ran circles around Seattle the other night. Yeah. And I think sometimes we talk about Debo Samuel, the wide receiver, like he's Jerry Rice or Randy Moss. I mean, you can't really run routes. He's not exactly Mr. Marvin Harrison senior out there.

Kittles banged up a lot, obviously a good player. But a lot of teams have good tight ends. Like, there's a ton of tight ends all over the NFL. How many guys right now are playing better than Brockford? Because listen, we can say, oh, Caleb one day, let's see Caleb win one big game. Brock's been in a big game from the moment he started. In the last two years, starting last year,

and then this year, every game really matters and if you lose is a disaster and Super Bowl or bust. Like, I don't know. Bow Nicks, who again, I like that first, the game was over at halftime

because of how shitty he was. So unless, like, Jim Harbaugh was going to die at halftime for whatever illness he had, like I, they were not winning that game. But couldn't I argue this, though? But you're talking physical skills.

You're talking physical skills. eventually you've got to play. Right? A lot of these guys at all positions have great physical skills. And then you play football. And like Drew Brees didn't have the physical skills, even remove like the Rogers and the Brady, of hundreds of guys that were drafted,

maybe not 100. I don't know how many that would. Let's say 50 guys who were drafted over a decade period that should have ran circles around him and couldn't hold his jock. Because eventually you just got to play quarterback. Well, but so it's a circumstance league. So Mahomes is not having a good year. He's like 19th on quarterback grades.

With Andy Reid, why? Weapons, circumstances, Rishi Rice, hurt. Josh Allen just had a game. It's as worst as a pro. Why? Circumstances. Running backs hurt didn't have a slot guy. So even the greatest guys in the league come down a lot when they don't have much to work

with. Dak Prescott has one receiver. Dax's been bad a lot this year. Now, Dax's not Mahomes or Allen. But my point is everybody, even the greatest in the world. I mean, let's be honest, Lamar's having a great year. Well, God, I mean, Zay Flowers is one of three guys I trust. Mark Andrews.

I mean, they have a great staff. I mean, Baltimore's got a lot of weapons. Derek Henry's been a home run for them. Yeah, I mean, so long, Lamar's having his best year. So my take is people are forgetting Denver was a five-win team in Vegas. Vegas only cares about. So if you take Cortland Sutton out, I'd argue they don't have a, a very good offensive player in the roster.

Yeah, I mean, I think when you add context to everything you're saying, I think when people see that, they go, if I would have put Bo Nix on the 2020-4-9ers as a rookie, are they playing Philly in the Super Bowl? No, no, no. And that's what Brock was uniquely suited. Now, he got a weird situation where he got to sit a lot of the year and then come in right at the peak when the team was coming.

But I do think if you just look at the last two years when he's been the full-time starter. Like, if I'm Kyle and John, they're like five quarterbacks. The thing with Mahomes or Allen, even Lamar, even though Lamar basically plays well every game now, it's like I don't care what I can watch Patrick Mahomes have a shitty half. It means nothing to me. It's like watching Steph Curry go over 10. You know, Josh Allen have some bad games.

Like, what are we arguing at this point? Like he's, those guys are elite. So obviously Alan Mahomes and Lamar, no-brainers. To me, if you can watch Herbert today when healthy, with Jim Harbaugh and go, that ain't one of the best players in the league. Like, we're not on the save wavelength. I'm not even going to speak with you because it's a waste of time.

Like, that's an elite player. And I would trade Brock Purdy for that guy. And so would Kyle and John. I would throw CJ Stroud in there, who's, I think, pretty special and plays in that offense and looks awesome. I don't think, and I don't think you could argue anyone else. Like, Caleb, like all these guys, none of them have played in a big game.

I've seen Brock and I've seen Dak in big games when they both had really good teams. And one guy not screwed up and the other guy screwed up. Like I've seen it with Jared Gough too. Again, these are good players, but I'm giving him the nod over these guys. And that's kind of the crew. So yeah, is Brock Purdy ever going to be the best quarterback in the league? 100% no. But is he better than most guys like consistently from 6, 7 to like 12,

which I think we all kind of speak the range he's in? And the answer is yes. And is he as big? No. Is he a strong? No. But can he play football? Can he play football?

And I think the answer is a result. For a guy that is very difficult to play for, right? It's not easy to, like, it's hard to play for Andy Reed. Like, it is hard to play for Bill Walsh. That's the other thing. I think we act like it's easy to play for these guys. The way Tom, like, Tom would be like, this was a difficult environment. This is not why so many guys fail because cognitively and mentally, they just get wiped out.

They can't handle it. And this guy, the other thing that I, why I have so much, I say confidence speaking about them and defending them in arguments like this is obviously as a teammate you're going to support guys. But I think there's a different level like Trent Williams, who's a first bout hall of hall of famer. And Fred Warner, who was his number one supporter the moment he started because he saw him every day in scout team, they have been, the way they've spoke about them from day one is like, I don't think these guys just throw that out. I'm removing kiddle who can just say whatever some of these other guys. I'm just talking about those two guys, first bout hall of

famers, then aren't Mr. you know, give you a bunch of compliments 24-7. Got a little Belichick in the way they speak about others. You really got to impress them. And it's like, and then the way Kyle talks about him. Because let's face it, like Jimmy Garoppel, when he was good, was like a golf, DAC light kind of. Yeah.

And Brock Purdy on his worst day is that. Like he's so much, to me, he's better player than Dak. And I like, I think Dak's fine. He's a better player than God. Well, he throws, he can move. He throws a better ball, too. not a good throw. Dex never been an elite thrower ever.

But there are also like arguments like would the bears, like obviously the Niners, the Bears, the Bears call them Caleb for Brock. They would say no. But the Bears would say no too because they got this guy on the contract. Like they're all these variables. This is in the NBA. But there is no guarantee that we'll see when Caleb plays these big games at Green Bay. I've seen Brock play these teams or against the Lions, right?

Or against the Eagles. Like that, that's a different level. level than playing the Jags were about to fire their coach, right? That's all I'm saying. I'm not anti-Kaliver these guys, but it's- No, no, no. I think Shanahan, Debo, I, U, Kittle, Trent Williams, and that scheme, you literally can't play the position if you can't succeed to some level. That was Trey Lance.

He just couldn't, he couldn't make throws. So it'll be fun to play out. I think Brock Purdy's a better quarterback probably today. Bow Nix had a good second half game was over. It was very chargers. Like the Chargers, I mean, they were never in doubt losing that game, but God, did they mail it into the second half? It was a weird, the Jim Harbaal left the field. He went to the locker room before the game.

I couldn't, did he fall up? Blue Tent also. He went to the Blue Tent. First coach I've ever seen go to the Blue Tent. I don't even know what that. I don't want to speculate. That was odd. 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 I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver 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

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learn the hard way and listen now okay there's there's two college games um because there's some games i'm not going to waste anybody's time on So I want to talk Ohio State and Oregon. So all summer long, John, I'm sure you heard me say. Oregon's going to win in Eugene. They'll meet later. Ohio State will win. But Oregon's won now 35 or 36 games there.

Even when they play poorly, they win. So Ohio State, I predicted, I said, they're going to go on the road. They're going to have a bunch of penalties. They had eight. I said clock management will be harder. Last play of the game it was. I said, it's very hard to ask a bunch of 19, 20-year-old kids to go and play in Eugene. I've sat in that stadium 10 times.

You can't, you and I could be eight feet apart. You can't hear yourself. It's sunken into the ground. It's not 100,000. It's 60, and it's just insanely loud. So, but I looked at Ohio State, and my take was, well, both the receivers, Smith and Amika, Egbuka, I think the last name is. Both were sensational.

One had nine catches. One had 10. They ran the ball. Will Howard was 28 to 35. My take was good, but through a bad, I thought. Yeah, I mean, my take was my only disappointment is Oregon averaged almost seven and a half yards of play. Dylan gave, I mean, they had 500 yards of offense. So, you know, listen, I don't love that for Ohio State because I think they have so many elite athletes.

I don't think Oregon should, I mean, Oregon got pushed around by different defenses this year, including Idaho. They're obviously a better team. but my takeaway on Ohio State is they're going apoplectic and I'm like, no, that's what it looks like when an eventual national champion plays in one of the five loudest stadiums against the team that's also capable of being in the final four. That's as good a loss as you can have. Yeah, I personally just hate Ohio State. This is one of those teams my whole life. I've just kind of rooted against. You don't really have a reason. But I'm not the biggest Chip Kelly fan either. And I wanted to hop on the bandwagon about Ryan Day and his record.

But that's that's not the game to do it. Right. You lose to Vanderbilt. Like I got to kind of eat it on anything. You know, if you're coming at me about Caitlin Dibor. But I do think it's fair, though, at the end of the game, he has a time out to run it out. You know, I think there's a lot of people that I think it's up for debate a little bit. Did they mean to have the 12 guys out there? Because you can throw a penalty without it. If it does happen, it works in your favor, but it also can work against you and give him some free yardage.

But regardless, for the game to end like it did, him sliding when they got a timeout in their back pocket. And let's face it, that is, they've had some worse losses. I would say the last couple years to Harbaugh, much more embarrassing than that. Honestly, when he kicks the field goal late in the game, I thought they're going to win it, Ohio State. I was like, oh, this is going to be a crowning achievement for Ryan Day. And so it's whoever had lost that game,

I think you kind of hold your head up high the next day in the meeting with your squad at noon. But there is like there's got to be some truth to of all the guys that took over great programs. Urban handed it to him. And when Jim Harbaugh said saying you're born on third base, this program, I had gone to the Cotton Bowl yesterday. And so we get to a bar after and watch the whole second half. And some people started sitting with us a bunch of big 10 people.

And I said, you could make the argument. that for the last 20 years, I'm not talking about total national championships. I'm just talking about effort, the money behind it, the willingness, the consistently, you could even go back to the 90s. This is the best college football program in America, Ohio State.

Would you make that argument? I know, Nick Saban accomplished more, but I'm just talking about the whole as a program, subtract the coach. Yeah, I was sitting. I went to dinner with Mike Godfrey, the college basketball coach at Bama, North Carolina State. And he asked me,

Mount Rushmore of college football programs. and I said, Bama, and the second one I said was Ohio State. Michigan was good last several years, but USC's been irrelevant for 10. Michigan doesn't have, I mean, take out the Harbaugh Natty. They went a long time without it. And I said to them, Georgia went 20 years and didn't matter. I said, Bama, well, I said, Bama, Ohio State, I said, because of history, if you count 100 years, I take Notre Dame. You can't caught, Notre Dame is college football.

I said there isn't a four. It depends on who's hot. LSU, Oklahoma. It could be Georgia, but there's no set in stone four. But I think it's Bama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame, and we can argue about it. The thing is, they've struggled against top ten teams, but the Clemson game was close. The Georgia game was close. The Michigan games, they're in it. The Oregon game. Some of these games, to be honest, they've been either on the road or neutral fields. They haven't played a lot of of these top 10 teams at home. I agree, but when, you know, a huge thing that all these coaches love to talk about is the process because it comes from Saban, the process. Well, he could talk about the process because his results were wins. So you wanted to know how he got there.

Like, I want to know how Jeff Bezos built his business. I don't want to hear from the guy that went bankrupt, right? So it's like, you ultimately judged on this sport win or lose the game. And I think there is, I think it is fair to go. And when they get in these big spots, whether it's against Georgia, whoever the teams end up being. Because I think it's fair to say after watching college football over the course of so far, whatever, five, six weeks, it's going to be pretty, you know, Texas is loaded, Ohio State's loaded,

but they can lose. Like, if Quinn yours is up, like they could lose in the elite eight, so can Ohio State. And you were, you had faith, Sabin, or Urban were going to win the game. I think it is fair for any Ohio State fan to go, I don't know for a fact. I don't feel great about my guy closing this game out, even though our team is, it's not really arguable that them and Texas have the best rosters in the country. No, Texas and Ohio State are the best teams I've seen. Bam is defense, leaks oil, Georgia's offense is limited.

I think Ohio State and Texas are like a notch above everybody. I think if the Buckeyes were on a neutral field, it was like a bowl game, or if it was in Columbus, they would have won that game. I think, I think Oregon, I think that home field is literally a touchdown. I think that, I mean, I really think. Wouldn't argue with you there. Hey, Will Howard, despite the fact they couldn't hear, I mean, they ran. the ball. Their two receivers were good. Howard was accurate. I came out of that game and I'm like,

if they meet again, Ohio State's winning that game. And that's not a shot because I had said, Oregon's going to win this. It's going to be close. I took the points, money line. I was like, Oregon's going to win this. I think I was kind of, I mean, they had eight penalties, couldn't hear a couple times. I was kind of impressed with Ohio State. I really was. I was surprised, I mean, Oregon has recruited. If you don't follow Oregon football, they have the best NIL. like west of the Mississippi. I mean, they have all this still night money. Dude, they have nothing but four and five star guys.

I mean, they don't even, they have, I don't think people understand how well they recruit and how well the NIL. Like Oregon outside of Texas may have the best NIL in the country. Well, I'll say this, being at the Texas game, obviously Oklahoma, their offense is anemic, but they do have a good defense. I've been hard on this guy over the years,

just because he didn't win that much. Sark is a play caller is, elite. Like it was really impressive. I do hesitate though, like his quarterback I know he was coming off an injury. I'm sitting there live going well this ain't the number one pick

and those games going when I draft this guy in the first round and Sark was really good at kind of scheming around him throwing a lot of lot and he ran the ball and Sark the one thing with Ryan Day loves the pass Sark loves the pass too. Both of them probably have

four NFL guys two two each on their team in their backfield. And that is an area, if you were just willing, you see this with Shanahan, some of these even Andy Reed has turned in, like just hand the ball off a lot and we'll just bludgeon you that way. And those guys are just a little more quick to let it fly. And I think that is the thing that makes me the most nervous with Day and Sark because their teams, I mean, BNC in Texas, the size of their defensive line, the speed of

their DBs, the talent at wide receiver. I just think you were, if you remove the. Michigan game, who I think it's fair to say Michigan's not that good. So you just go, can you win a national championship with this guy playing quarterback? He's just a little erratic. But their talent is really, really high. And to me, do you put Oregon's talent on their level? No.

Or do you think they get a home field boost? I thought they, I think Oregon is in the running for the third best team in the country. I think it's Texas, Ohio State, and I think there's about four teams, Oregon, Georgia. they can play with anybody. And I thought Oregon played their butt off. But I came out of that game. I was like, if I was Oregon, I wouldn't want to play Ohio State again. I'd have no interest playing those guys again.

Okay. USC and Penn State go to overtime. It's a wild shootout. USC loses by a field goal. Lincoln Riley is now five and eight in his last 13 games. So here's my overview, because I don't think he's terribly. likable the way he left Oklahoma. He gets snippy with the media. There's sort of an air of I'm above the phrase sometimes, which I don't think people love. But here, I go back to this, is that Miller

Moss is a good college quarterback, but he doesn't move. He's pure pocket. That's not really Lincoln's. I mean, he went and got the UNLV guy out of the portal who moves well, which told me he did have some concerns about we're just kind of a one-dimensional team. But here's what Bob, me. He's been there three years. In an era of the transfer portal, and USC's transfer portal money is now 12, 13 million. They're not poppers. They got money. They have two playable offensive tackles in the program. Two. They have an immobile quarterback. The better athletes, the backup. They have one Woody Marks, one legitimate Mississippi State kid running back. This is USC. John, even Bolle. even when they've had coaches that have missed.

I mean, Paul Hackett got Carson Palmer and Troy Palomalo. The brand is huge. If you look at Southern California recruiting this year, they're just not getting any of the players. I mean, they may have two of the top 12 players. There is a detached feel with Lincoln. Not that he doesn't love his job and love the kids, but he doesn't, he feels almost detached or above it.

And it's like sometimes I like, like Sabin to lose his shit when he was at Bama or Brian Kelly turn red as a plum. You know they're so engaged. Lincoln sometimes can come off as sort of above it all. And I think it's a turn off to local high school coaches and it just doesn't feel right to me. You know who the way you just described reminds me of, the USC version that we saw with Lane Kiffin. He was kind of aloof and not connected to the program.

It just felt like there was a disconnect between the two. and remember the lane that we've seen Alabama, obviously at Ole Miss feels a lot different as a human being, much more personable. I'm talking with the media, connecting with people, he just feels like a different guy. And when I was,

I got to the Oklahoma game really early and I've adopted them as my program because I know people within the program. So I was talking and they're like, yeah, we got so many injuries. And it's like, they get hurt in practice. He's like,

yeah, we practiced around here now like an NFL team. And I said a lot different than, with Lincoln and they all laughed. Like, it's a lot more physical around here. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think when you look at Kirby and Nick are defensive guys. So in Harbaugh essentially was a defensive guy too.

It's inevitable their programs are going to be physical. Sark and I think Ryan Day are good examples of they got a little Lincoln in them. They would much rather just score 50, throw the ball around. But I would say both those two guys are elite recruiters and it matters to them a lot. And the one thing watching Sark, and I'm not trying to flip-flop on him, but I was like, this guy really embraced. I know they're good now, but you could just feel the vibe of him and his staff. Like, he likes being there, the vibe of Texas, the fans, the program. And listen, I'm not, I don't like Ohio State.

Ryan Day takes a lot of pride in that program. You can tell it means a lot to them. Oh, my God. Post-game interviews. So you use the other two top offensive guys right now in the country, Ryan Day and Sark. the way you just described Lincoln, well, those guys, I mean, feels like they're addicted to recruiting. And it's not like, you know, they all got, all these schools got money.

And then their passion for their program feels pretty deep in their soul. This is why I was against the hire. Not because Lincoln didn't have a great resume and USC shouldn't want them, but there's a small Texas kid who kind of, you know, got to cut his tea at Texas Tech, working his way up, and then got to inherit Oklahoma, which is an all-time great program, which just loaded with offensive weapons. A couple of them fell into their lap. Baker Mayfield just walked on the program.

They didn't recruit him. He showed up on, he was their starter for three years. Tyler was just out there, you know, they just got him in the recruiting portal. Jalen Hertz was kicked out of Alabama. So it's like,

it was kind of some unique circumstances. And now you look at this, Haleb was a good land and he kept a close relationship. But like, why doesn't he have like 10 Caleb's? Being at Oklahoma, there's like Trent Williams, all these guys like Bob Stoops over the years.

When I was at Fresno State, Pat Hill, Fresno State football meant more than his family. Besides his family, nothing meant more to his life. When you watch Lincoln, it's like, yeah, they gave him $120 million. Like, it was just a number he couldn't refuse, you know? John, USC is one of not the best programs right now, but it's one of the five to eight biggest brands in college football. And Notre Dame, Bama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Michigan.

those guys, when Michigan was really down, they still had Taylor Luan going in the first round. Now, Brady Hoke, they didn't have the kind of, it took Harba about three years to build it back up. But the first sign, you can look at a program, and they may not win national championships, and Ryan Day may lose a lot of close games to big rivals. The first and second round are littered with Buckeyes.

There's NFL players everywhere. Jesus. They're like a receiver fact. They're receiving court this year is better than about a third of the NFL ones. USC right now has a running back in Woody Marks that's probably a fifth round guy. They have a center in Monheim. Probably a second or a third round guy. He's probably a guard or a right tackle or a center in the NFL. Probably a third round guy.

Camari Ramsey is not eligible for the draft, but he's on the back end of the defense. He'll get drafted second or third round. He's a good player, best defensive player. That's about it. that that that that's about it. So three years in with the transfer portal and a healthy NIL bank, they just don't have enough good players. Yeah, to me, you can't like, I get it. Recruiting sucks, but they pay a 10, 11 million dollars to figure this out. And if you're going to do this for a profession, you don't have a choice. Right. Like, do you think Sark wants to be on the phone as

we're speaking right now on Sunday night with some junior in high school somewhere? Of course no. but he wants to win. And I do wonder if you look back at Oklahoma, they were, it's just, it's a unique spot for a small town, normally, they've been good for 70 years. And it's kind of recruits itself. And they were good when he took over.

This thing was much more, when Sark took over Texas, I gave him a lot of it was terrible. And within a couple of years, I'm sitting there on the sideline watching the size of his offensive and defensive line and go, whoa. I bet if you look at Ohio State and I'd have to text like,

to get exact numbers. If I just had to guess, Texas has five guys that will be drafted in the top 40. I'm not even counting the quarterback. I'm just counting skill guys, running back, probably an offensive line,

a defense alignment, a linebacker, may have a DB. I mean, that's, I'm just, I'm not talking quarterback. So, yeah,

I mean, I think USC, I think it's so far away. Obviously, I didn't watch much of the Penn State game, but the Minnesota game, even the Michigan game, how hard they had to play to just keep that thing close against, it was just, I don't think

you can fake toughness. And I think in life, you know, for most of our jobs, it's more mental toughness, right? It's having mental, just the ability to battle through things, tough days, the good times, just, that's most successful people, Colin Coward, you name it, any industry. In football, there's this balance of mental and physical toughness. And as a football coach, like Saban can't fake being a tough guy. Like when I was around Pat Hill, he's just naturally a tough guy, right? Kirby Smart is just a tough guy.

And I think Sark and Ryan Day can get away with a little bit because of their programs and the economics behind it, but they recruit really hard and they try really hard. And I just look at Lincoln and go, he just does he care that much about recruiting? James Franklin, say this about him. I would imagine if you just got Lincoln and James Franklin on a whiteboard in front of like the 10 best football coaches of America

and say impress them, Lincoln's going to win. But if I said, get on the phone and build a freaking team to try to win a national championship, I'll take James Franklin's roster 10 out of 10 times. I've been in a room with James Franklin once. It was at ESPN. I was about eight years ago. James Franklin literally walked in, huge smile,

races over me, eye contact, big smile. And I remember leaving that, and I'm like, I told something. A buddy, I'm like, no wonder he's such a great recruiter. I wanted to go play with him. In three seconds, eyes on me, locked, big smile. You love college football. I love you for that.

And I remember thinking, oh, that's why he's got the pen. This is why he's going to be successful. Like in college, that doesn't matter in the pros, right? You select the players. But the high school players, they select you. And so I don't feel that dynamic personality. And it does matter. You could make an argument.

It's like Lincoln's a little Cliff Kingsbury in that I don't think Cliff liked recruiting and I don't think he was great at the managing. And I think in the end, Cliff's smart as hell, but not everybody's the right personality. And I, listen, five and eight in your last 13 games, don't want to waste too much time talking USC. But it's, listen, I can tell you this, they're not happy in the administration. Well, how can they be? They spend a lot of money.

Boosters are not happy. John Middletoff, Eagle Scout, three and out podcasts. This thing, cruz. Hour 15. Flew by the day, buddy. Fight on. The volume. Thanks so much for listening.

If you've enjoyed the podcast, take a moment, rate, and review. 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 headwriter, 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 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.

Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, Thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the Fourth. 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, unfills 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.

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