The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Darnold Is Super Bowl Bound, Sean Payton’s Huge Mistake, NFC Is The Superior Conference, Mike McCarthy Lands Steelers Job

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

Colin is joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the NFL conference championship games. They start with the Seahawks beating the Rams in a heavyweight fight style shootout and Colin highlights the special teams lapses by the Rams as the reasons Seattle won the game (2:00). They give huge credit to Sam Darnold for two outstanding back-to-back seasons resulting in a Super Bowl appearance and being the winningest quarterback in the league since he took over for the Vikings (8:45).  Colin argues that the NFC was the superior conference all year and points to the Rams roster that lost as evidence (28:45). They move to the Patriots beating the Broncos 10-7 in a blizzard and Colin argues the game was useless once the weather started (32:45). They agree that Sean Payton made a huge mistake not kicking a chip shot field goal in the first half to go up 10-0. Colin argues that if Bo Nix plays, Denver wins the game (41:00).   Finally, they discuss the hire of Mike McCarthy as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers (47:00). (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!  #Volume See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Two games. One, a top fiver of all time, I think I've seen in the NFL. And there are just so many storylines. Sam Darnal Doubters, not much left. He was sensational. so was Matt Stafford. Seattle beats the Rams, 31-27. Listen, all year long for the Rams, special teams. They had the fumble. Their corners were a problem. Again, they got down into the red zone, fourth and four couldn't convert. And when you talk about a game of this magnitude, John, and we were watching a heavyweight fight. I mean, I grew up with Ollie and Frasier. Some grew up with the Diaz and Connor McGregor, like, whatever you grew up with, this thing was just like bombs away. But there's just these moments, and that fourth and four, I thought that, I thought the Matt Stafford drive where they didn't get anything, where he, one time he ran for a first down, I think the first time all year he ran for a first time.

Then he did the pitch to Puka. I thought it was one of the best Sam, one of the best Matt Stafford drives I've seen this year. I thought, I mean, Seattle's defense is one thing. Seattle's defense in Seattle, when you can't hear yourself, I can't hear myself think through the television. So I feel bad that anybody law. I know it's a cliche. I feel bad for the Rams. They just, we know it going in, John. We had talked about it last week.

Seattle's special teams are excellent. The Rams, about every other game, the special teams cost the Rams. And that that fumble was it. to me, if you told me at the beginning of the day that Sam Darnold is going to throw three touchdowns and almost throw for 350 yards, I would have said Seattle won this game by 15 points. So, I mean, that is not the formula typically they play. So if you're going to give up that many yards to Sam, who obviously had one of the best games of his career, if not, I mean, it might be the best game of his career when he factoring the importance of it. Seattle's just not going to lose when he's going to be that efficient and that good. That's right.

Like you said, if you look at those two plays, I think the third and four and then the fourth and four of that Stafford drive, they want to go to Devante. He doesn't pull the trigger. I think he just got to go down swinging and give the guy a chance. He had been awesome all game. I bet if Stafford could say, I wish I just would have thrown his way and just gave him a 50-50 ball because he ends up holding on to the ball, throws in the back of the end zone, then obviously the fourth down play. But, yeah, I mean, it's just Seattle. Seattle's defense wasn't as dominant. I mean, they're not playing the banged-up Niners.

So this is the best offense in the league, statistically. It's Stafford's Hall of Fame guy. Looks fantastic. Puka obviously plays really well against the Rams. And Devante was making plays. Those two guys humming like they were. The running backs making plays. I mean, it was like you said, it was just a really, really high-level game by both the offenses.

Well, you have arguably the best pocket passer in the league, probably the best pure pocket passer without mobility, Stafford, arguably the best coach, the deepest tight end group, two excellent running backs, both, by the way, can catch.

The best receiver right now is either JSN or Puka. I mean, certainly in the postseason. Colin, those two combined for 300 yards and a touchdown each. Jackson Smith and Pucca. I mean, that's like Jerry Rice meets Michael Irvin.

Like, I hope the Seacups understand. Tell people this. And I thought the Rams and the Patriots would win. I mean, the Patriots game, the second half is just, I've never seen anything like that. But the Rams defensive front between Young and Verse and Kobe Turner and Ford and Landman in the box, like they have, they have no weakness of the kid from Florida State, Brandon Fisk. Like, six guys can all play at an A level. And I think. thought that was going to be the undoing. I thought they were going to pressure Sam into a mistake because Seattle's old lines the weakness of the team. But you know what? They held up well.

The other thing that needs to be said about Seattle, I thought Walker was sensational today. John, Greg Cosell always calls him a little bit of a jazz player. He's kind of doing his own thing. How many Rams missed the day? If you went back and watched every carry by Walker or catch, and counted the number of Seahawks that not only missed that he spun off of, that didn't get a hand on him, could have been 20. From the very first drive, I thought Walker was sensational today. Yeah, he's been playing well, really, the last two-nighter games he dominated, and then today, I mean, his stats aren't as good as he looked.

Like you said, he, you know, Charbonnet out, they become very dependent on him. They're a running team. Yeah, I know they throw for 350 yards, but that's not how they want to play. I also think Sam Darnold, the Shanahan Kubiak play where you fake the handoff and boot, if you blitz or get pressure on that side where he's booted the play is the worst play in the NFL. He ate it a couple times. You know, you can do the CJ Stroud where you try to make a miraculous play. And he has during the season, right?

He had a stretch where at 14 interceptions, I think six bumbles. He was smart, just hit the ground, lived to fight another day. You would rather be second and 18 than. they got the ball or you throw a pick six or you fumble it. So he had three sacks, which I would imagine. He lost 25 yards. So, I mean, he's averaging eight yards of loss way better than a turnover. So you're not going to fumble it.

You're not going to throw a pick. This game, you couldn't afford it. I mean, really, the difference in the game, like you said, was the punt play. And really, the Seattle kind of got a turnover when the guy got the taunting penalty because they were going to punt. And then the next play, they score a touchdown. So those two plays were fumble, taunt, Touchdown, touchdown.

Right? So a mistake, these offenses were going to make you pay. Darnold, to me, gets credit on the sacks. Because sometimes on that boot, when you turn around, we shoot all the time. All these teams run this offense. Quarterbacks freak. They throw it as they're getting hit. He just hit the ground.

And that was, you know, we talked about Sam, the seeing ghost. It goes forever. Playing smart. Even last year, right? At Minnesota, playing the Rams. Today was a smart game by him. I don't think he's going to, no one's going to talk about the sacks, but those plays save the ground or save the game when you just hit the ground. Think about this. Sam Darnold left the jets. He went to Carolina. And for the first time in his pro career, he sat.

And then Carolina with six games left, November 27th of that year, start Sam Darnold. From that November 27th on, he goes four and two with Carolina, one and oh with San Francisco, wins 14 games with Minnesota. Minnesota, and this year, he is in that span since starting in Carolina after sitting, the winning his quarterback in the league, Moeum's second, and he has the most 100-plus passer rating games. And I don't know what his passer rating was today. I imagine because he has so many throws down the field that's over 100. You may be able to. Yeah.

So I think when you think about this, John, four different teams, four different coaches, four different coordinators, four different rosters, Sam Darnold's the winningest quarterback in the league since that November 27th in Carolina when he got the starting job back. So do, and I thought Brady and Burkhart were so good today. You know, listen, Fox does the NFL really well. Burckhart is sensational. And Brady said it at the end of the game. He goes, Sam is more explosive than surgical.

Like, that's what he is. Some guys are surgery. Cam Newton was more explosive. than surgical. That's Sam. Andrew Luck, by the way, to me, and as much as I like luck, he wasn't surgical. He liked to let it rip. And I've always said, Darnold's a slightly less talented Andrew Luck. He's not Andrew Luck. Luck's like Elway to me, like coming out of college. But I think if you look at this game today, they'll be favored by at least a field goal over New England. I don't know how New England blocks Seattle's defensive front. I don't know how

how they would have blocked the Rams defensive front. Because I thought Drake May today, snow or not, they couldn't move that ball in the first half. They were getting dominated up front. And so I really think New England will struggle to consistently move the ball. Now, they've played Houston, they've played Denver, so they're used to play in these high-end defenses. But it just feels like Seattle's energy defensively, John, is just, it's different.

Well, if Sam's going to play like he just played for three hours, Seattle's winning the Super Bowl. Like this thing's over. If Sam Darnold is going to play like that, they've proven they could win games where he throws for 120 yards and win the game by 30. Like if he's going to throw for 350, I see under no circumstance they lose because their defense,

one, the Rams offense is dramatically better than New England. Right. And to me, I had to buddy text me this week. He's like, how does JSN lead the league in receiving when I watch a lot of the Seattle games and the quarterback throws for 150 yards. I'm like, well, the first half, they were more explosive offensively

the first, what, eight games. But he has this in them. He did this in Minnesota. He did this early in the season. The offense just kind of hit a rut. But again, what are great teams? Like, Brady didn't have to throw for 300 yards every game, right?

A good team is not, you know, Peyton Manning played on a lot of teams that were very dependent on him. And if he played bad, they would get smoked. That's why last week, he played a Jimmy Garoppolo like game. Through 420 yards, they won 41 to 6. And then today they had to match him.

Like he, you know, a lot of people, he's a polarizing player, rightfully so. Right. There is no, you do this in the NFC championship game. Throw for 340 yards. Colin, he only had nine income, am I doing 11 incomplete, 25 or 36, three touchdowns, no interstate. He didn't even throw the ball really into harm's way.

How many balls were like, well, that was a bad pass? He's not the most accurate. I wouldn't call him Peyton his prime. Like even that Cooper Cup pass. little behind. Yeah, no, he does. But it's not the end of the world. It's not so behind he can't catch it.

He's not a pinpoint accurate guy. But he was more pinpoint or more accurate today, I thought, than he has been a lot down the stretch. He was really good. Two things. He's still dealing with an oblique injury. They took a shot of him on the sideline, and he was wincing.

So Donald's doing this, got to the Super Bowl with an oblique injury, which I've never had one. I've known athletes who have had them. They're brutal. You know, especially for a quarterback, you're torquing. You can't quite torque as well. The other thing is, with Charbonnet out for the season, Sam had to deliver today. That's what was most impressive to me is that Stafford was on fire.

And let's face it, the Rams offense matches up well with Seattle. Here's how good the Rams offense is. They go after Witherspoon, who Devon Witherspons, arguably the best corner after Patrick Sertan in the league. They go after him. They beat him down and field with Puka. They ball got out in the flack with I think it was corn, but it may have been Kiron Williams, and he juked him and got it first down. Like Witherspoon is, in almost every game he plays, as good as any athlete on the field,

offense or defense. Her Rams go after him. So, I mean, you know, it was interesting. Seattle can't cover, they definitely can't cover Puckoo. At 200 plus yards last game, he had 160. You had Devante back in the mix, had four catches for 90 yards. So, I mean, they can't cover these two guys. Think about how close.

Still one. Think how close it is if the tight end, Colby Parkinson, catches that ball. And by the way, I did think it was tipped slightly by the linebacker, the Seattle linebacker, the former USC kid. I think he played for the Chargers. Then the Seahawks picked him up about four years ago. I think he just tipped it. And that's the difference. If it moves an inch to your hands. If that ball's caught, Seattle probably could lose the football game. I mean, that's how close the game was. The other thing that jumped out to me, you know, that Buffalo Denver interception, catch, controversial play, Cooper Cup on that first down, remember in the Denver Buffalo game, they allowed the interception because they said the ground, you have to catch the ball through

the ground. That was the ruling. That's why they allow the interception. Cooper Cup did not catch that ball through the ground. Totally agree. He fumbled the ball when the ball hit the ground. And I'm not, I don't think that was the, that changed the outcome. But my point is, that's what everybody's screaming about. You have to define what a catch is. So when Cooper bobbled that I'm going, wait, time out.

So if that player would have just picked it up off that, it's an interception. Like he hit the ground, bottled it, and it's like, you have to go through the process. I've been hearing this in our head for two weeks, the process. of the catch, you have to go through the process. So there were a couple calls either way. In the end, I felt the entire game, I really did feel like. In the first half, I thought there was a moment after that, no, it was after the fumbled punt. I thought, oh, Rams were in big trouble.

Then they drove down, Stafford went, boom, boom, boom, three big completions, touchdown. I'm like, okay, this is, God, that's just, it's just incredible. You know, even though the Seahawks have totally committed to Darnold, ask yourself if he would have lost a day and had a couple of interceptions there would be people saying john snider has to draft the quarterback in a year honestly give up one of these guys and get because the funny thing is you can do a lot of things as a quarterback it's funny john we let far throw picks

elway through a bunch of picks you can go to name it through a bunch of picks josh allen throws a bunch of picks lock through a bunch of picks Stafford gets in these stretches, right through those picks. But until you start adding playoff wins to your resume, you're not really allowed to be reckless. So I think this game today for Donald, where he had to carry the team, I think you said this when we started, it really pushed him past like a Rubicon. Like there's always been this, let's see Sam, not the running backs. Let's see Sam carry it. And today he did.

And had to because they couldn't stop Stafford for a great portion of the game. Well, think how many guys, you know, the Mahomes, the Josh Allen, the Burrow, kind of Lamar, the MVP level guys. And then there's this group of probably seven, eight guys from Purdy to Jalen Hertz to Cousins Forever, Dack. Yeah. They have, how many of those guys have ever had a game like this in this spot? I mean, Dak has been historically awful in the playoffs. Yeah. Purdy's had some moments.

He's been to a Super Bowl. You know, Jalen has had big suit. But it's, that's a defining to like moves you to the top of the list. Sam people waffled when he'd play well. People would be on him. When he played bad, they'd write him off. You do this in an NFC championship game. I mean, think about John Schneider to sign that contract, to get him on such a team-friendly deal.

Cooper Cup has a massive touchdown in this game. Think about the moment for him. McVeigh looked at him, said, you're not good enough. We want your money to go to Devante, which Sean's not even wrong. Any GM would rather have Devante than this version of Cooper Cup. But Cooper Cup the last couple weeks makes us a place. Today, a big touchdown, even the play that ended up standing on the first down, which I even thought he was short of it besides it wasn't a catch.

But McVeigh was in a tough spot. If you throw the red flag, you lose all your timeouts. But today from Ernest Jones making plays, I mean, this team, one thing that really put Hallie Roseman to a different level is he won two Super Bowls with two coaches and two quarterbacks. Like, that's pretty hard to do. Most guys, you know, Bill Polion did all his winning with Jim Kelly and Peyton Manning. You know, the best GMs usually have like one or two like Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

Russell, we all thought was going to be a Hall of Fame lock. I don't know. These last five years have not been kind to him. And now he's built this team with Mike McDonald that is just completely loaded with players everywhere. That's the other thing. They got good players at every position, starting with the quarterback who's not on some obscene contract. And a coaching staff, it does kind of feel. feel like the offensive coordinator might be the next head coach of the Raiders,

Cubiac, he's pretty good. You know, he obviously kind of looks like his dad, Gary. But what a moment for John Snyder to build this. The Seattle have this home playoff game and get the job done there. So, yeah, that was from Sam to the coaching staff. What a year for Seattle. I mean, one, Colin, coming into the season, they were five to one to win their own division. The 49ers and ramps were heavy favors to win the division.

And then Seattle not only win. wins the division. They're the number one seed. What an accomplishment. And now they're not only favoring the Super Bowl, do you think a lot of people are going to pick New England in this game? Not saying they can't. This isn't one of those where it feels like the Joe Montana Niners against Denver or something. The only unit in the game that to me is below average is New England's offensive line, which speaks very well of Drake May and Mike Frable because they have a below average O line. And yet they have a below average O line. And yet they, They beat Denver. They beat Houston. They beat the Chargers. Those were, you know, three of the top five defenses in the league.

And great pass rush. And so they're going to get another great pass rush. Now, they got the blizzard helped a little bit, obviously, in the second half. I mean, it was ridiculous that we're deciding Super Bowls based on that kind of weather. But when I look at the Super Bowl between Seattle and I wouldn't make Seattle. about a four point, three and a half point favorite, I guess is what I'd make them. The only unit where you look at it, and Mike McDonald will see it instantly, where you think, oh, that's below average, is the offensive line. Will Campbell, the rookie left tackle's good,

but he's not, he gets beat. So, I mean, just what's remarkable about what happened today, and I keep using that word, but if I said to you, what are the 10, think about this, the 10 best L.A. Ram players. Stafford, Puka, Kiron Williams, Jared Verse, Young, Puna Ford, Kobe Turner, Devante Adams, Nate Landman, and I'm just naming players off the top of my head. I'm at eight or nine guys now. That team I just named lost. I mean, just because the NFC was the Superior Conference all year. think about how talented the Rams are and they lost. And by the way, played well except for a punt on special teams. I mean, it's not like the Rams played poorly.

They played all those Pro Bowl level players played well today. Stafford was amazing. Puka was amazing. Devante was amazing. The pass rush was good and they still lost. That gives you a sense of how good Seattle is. The running backs were good. I mean, both of them made plays all game long.

Jesus. It is. I think this is just one of those that, you know, McVeigh's had these moments. And today it just didn't quite go his way. It wasn't because, you know, the special teams thing is one of those that I think we blame. And McVeigh literally did. He fired the special teams coach. He fired the coach, yeah.

Special team, like the coach has nothing to do with your punter and your kick. is this is like they're not like a golf swing coach to those guys and you're really defined by your depth which to me it's more on does your coach emphasize it and the depth that your general manager is produced and in fairness they haven't had first round picks over the year so they're depth they're not as deep as Seattle who's had more picks especially high end picks who have a deeper team and what are they great on special teams so to me and part of it is they made the trade for Shaheed, who is a fantastic returner, what did the Rams have to do? Ben's the return man, because he fumbled it and put a running back in there that had six career punt returns, just because

they just wanted him to catch it. The 49ers have done this before with like use check. Just catch the ball. We don't even want to gain a yard. We just don't want a problem. So when I saw Sean go to Kirwin Williams, he got on the headset and said get him out of there, he's not allowed back in the game. It wasn't because I thought Kirwin Williams was going to give him 50 yards, but they're so rattled by that unit, and let's face it. You could argue that unit cost them the Super Bowl, cost them the one seed, cost McVeigh another ring, because offensive and defensively this team couldn't want a Super Bowl. It's just the special teams unit.

And you didn't know. It could be a kickoff return. It could be, remember the field goal block early this season against the Eagles today, the punt return? It could happen in any one of their units at any moment. You had no clue who was Isaiah Simmons blocked the punt. He barely touched them. You just had no clue when it was going to come, but you knew it was going to. going to come. It was basically a lock for the Rams. For all their greatness, and they got, like you said,

you just listed all their players and all those players that you just named, played a high-level NFC championship game, but especially just a free seven points and they need to lose by four points. Today's show brought to you by our presenting sponsor Hard Rock Bet, Florida Sportsbook, the big game matchup is set, Patriots Seahawks. Hard Rock Bet, going to be a lot of different ways. You can get it on next Sunday's action. If you haven't signed up with Hard Rock Bet, Never been a better time this week, launching a brand new welcome offer for new customers. Plus, Hard Rock Bet is kicking off at $7 million, big game bonus party available to all users. You're definitely not going to want to miss that.

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We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, Jonas, guys?

I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. We were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast.

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That one's kind of hard. Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to. try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Cultura podcast network available on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, I didn't mention both their guards. I mean, Dotson has been like the top three rated guard. They have two elite.

They probably have the best guard tandem in the league. I didn't mention those two when I mentioned their eight best players. So, and that team lost. Seattle, you know, Seattle plays with almost a college energy, and they are the second youngest team in the league. And I thought the Rams did a good job to match it today because Seattle just is, I mean, they come out swinging. I mean, they're not a conservative fighter.

I mean, they come out playing 100 miles an hour. That's why I think John Darnold, Sam Darnold matches. the Seahawks roster. Whereas if you look at the Rams, it's very surgical. What they do is surgical. So that's Stafford. Darnold is more dynamic and more explosive, less surgical, but that's the Seahawks. I mean, they have some penalties. They have some turnovers. I mean, you see the Tarik Wooden stuff today is just nonsense. You're just like pulling your hair out, but that's what Seattle does. They make those mistakes. Those youthful, immature mistakes of young players and they're barking at each other on the sideline, the safety in the corner. But it's part of, I think, what why Donald fits,

he's one of them. Like, the team is a risk-taking team. Rams are surgical. The Seahawks are like, you know, they've got a good strong chin, but they leave themselves open. You know, they open themselves up to getting tagged. And the Rams had to match, and almost didn't early, the Rams had to match their energy did. But in the end, I think both of us felt like, I thought the Rams would win today because, you know, I just thought it would come down to, like, May and Stafford. But we said this multiple times this year. When you watch the Seahawks and turn the sound down, they don't look like anybody else. They're just, they're just explosive and fast and long and powerful and they have a defensive line rotation. Dude, everybody runs well. Everybody and the team

runs well. Yeah, I mean, they probably have the best, I mean, they have, if not the best looking defensive line, I don't know, top two or three best defensive line looking team in the league. So when that's your point of difference is your defensive line, I mean, look at the Texans, their offense was horrendous and they still had a chance because their defensive line was that good. So I just think Seattle, you know, to do this with this team, that to start the season, I just don't feel a lot of people were picking them.

and this is also, you know, Buffalo, who has gone through a lot these last... Having home field advantage, unless it turns into a blizzard and then it becomes a coin. It's a really big deal. Yeah, Stafford has to kneel down to communicate with his teammates. McVeigh was talking clearly to Brady and Burkhard about how important the communication was. He thought it was terrible last week in Chicago. He's like, it's going to be even louder. It is a huge point of difference in football because unlike baseball or basketball,

all, this isn't two, three, two. You know, you don't get to go back and forth. You get one game. And this is, not that the Rams have a home field advantage, but just having the home game just neutralizes what happens to Seattle, even if it's a 50, 50 split of fans. And Seattle, a young team feeds off that energy. Oh, yeah. They were up 24. I mean, once they fumbled that punt, 243, the way they started the game, scored a touchdown.

Like, they came out ready and being, like you said, being aggressive. were going to lean being aggressive. Even a couple times I thought, like I can see Kubiak running the ball like pops. Well, how about they threw the ball? They were throwing constantly. How about when they got down to under like two minutes? And Brady and Burkhart were like, and they threw a flag. They're like, well, they're throwing.

I mean, they said, okay, all you have to do is run here and the game is over and they threw, they got a flag. So, I mean, that's just that defines Seattle. Like, guys, we're not doing what everybody else does. And so I don't think they'll go in even as a favorite against New England. They'll play aggressive. I just think Seattle's identity is the dark side. You know, the Legion of Boom and the Dark Side.

This franchise is very similar to that. We have a defensive coach, an athletic quarterback who's not that surgical, more elusive. You have a defense that is young, fast. You lean on the run game, but you have a receiver, too, that can burn you, all-time stuff. Okay, New England beat Denver 10 to 7. So I think snow or not, I think New England was a better team. But I will say the second half was useless. I mean, it was just survival.

It was like man versus wild, you know, one of those TV shows. So I almost thought they should have, if they had the weather forecast, shut it down for an hour. I'm like, this is brutal. CBS, I felt bad for you couldn't see anything. You had no clue in yard they were on. I mean, how often would you look up? I don't know where they are on the field. So there was a moment when they could have gone up 10-0 and Sean Payton elected with a backup

quarterback to go for it. I would not have. I would have kicked the field goal to go up 10-0. Now, I did not know. I looked up the weather. I didn't think there was a blizzard in the forecast. I thought, you know, they were saying, Tony Romo at one point said the weather is getting really bad and it's way worse than you see on TV, meaning you can't tell wind necessarily

when you're looking at a field and players unless you see. see a flag. So, you know, it obviously, you couldn't throw the ball. So what did you make, first of all? I would have kicked the field goal. This is, um, analytically, I just disagree with this. I've said it in the NBA. I think the mid-range game, especially in the playoffs, matters. So I need a bucket, not a three. I don't care about math. Get me a bucket. Get me a stop. And I'm sorry, when you get to the playoffs, I want points, especially with Jared Stidham. I want points. I mean, that's, what's your take on? that. I don't know when it became so in vogue, I mean, obviously, the last several years,

to go for it early in these games. Like late in the game of that Ram, Seattle game, it's a four-point game. No one has any problem with McVeigh going forward on fourth and four, because it was essentially fourth and goal. You're down forward felt like the game right there, totally understandable. In these first half of NFL playoff games, most of these do not play out to high-scoring events, especially in the AFC where the weather plays a big factor. So like you said, even if you don't know the crazy blizzard is coming down, you know, the street here, you have a backup quarterback playing. You are a defensive team.

I mean, over the last couple years, their defense, it hasn't played as well, but has definitely been one of the better units in the league. You have a chance to go up two scores against a quarterback who's what, played in this is his third playoff game of his career. and it's always coming from Bam, Ohio State, hasn't played that many big games the last five years. So you go up multiple scores, and Sean Payton, Dan Campbell said this. He got his aggressiveness from watching Sean. I'm never anti-being aggressive. But in the first half of a game, when they have zero points, I never understand not going for a field goal when your opponent has zero points.

It's become an epidemic of teams going. Ben Johnson's the worst at this in zero-zero games. It's like, you know, field goal, you get the lead here. second half of games when both teams are in the 30s, I get you. Right? If it's the Bears-Niner game, that's Sunday night or Monday night game. It's like, yeah, no one's stopping anybody. Five minutes into a game or 10 minutes into it.

You have no clue how it's going to play out. And look how this thing played out. Well, the points were literally the game. I mean, that decided the game. Now, they ended up forcing a punt, but then George Stidham had that fumble play that that's a backup quarterback. I mean, that's at any moment, I know Sean tried to speak it into existence. this guy hadn't played.

So to think that you could come out and run in the scout team for five straight months and then just play well, especially in a game, even if the winds and the snow hadn't come, it was still 25 degrees. So that to me, that's a big difference than what we just witnessed on the night game. Well, yeah. I mean, I, listen, I, Denver only had four first downs in the first half, but New England wasn't exactly moving it up and down the field. My take was if you watch the first two. getting dominated in that. Yeah, so my take was if you watched, if Sean was watching the offensive line,

his D-line, Zach Allen, Benito, were dominating New England up front. So my take is just take the 10-0 lead. Dude, they are, they may beat you, instead of them, may throw a pick six and make a huge mistake, but they are struggling up front to block. Drake May was on the run every play.

In fact, it was interesting, because I thought the Seahawks O line, I mean, they had a couple of blitz, sacks, the Rams did. But the Seahawks' line is the weakness of that team. I thought they played pretty well. Left side of it's pretty good. But I think somebody said four teams have never made the Super Bowl. Robert Kraft has made 11. He's made more Super Bowls than the Steelers and the Niners. Think about that. They didn't, what, they'd been to two Super Bowls up until 2001. The league had been rolling then for, what, 30 plus years? They'd been to two. How many have they been to? How many have they been to?

what Bill went to nine. Now, Vrable, they've been to 10 in the last 20. Can you imagine? Do you know who today was a bad day for? Being a Bill's fan. You've had the best player in the sport or one of them now in his prime of his career the last five years. And the Patriots just bottomed out. And then a couple years later, they got Vrable, May, and Josh McDaniels.

And they're in the Super Bowl. How about this? The Patriots First Dynasty started with a tuck rule game in the Blizzard. Their second dynasty, maybe did it start with this? Because I'm serious, John, I've never seen a half of football that washed out by weather. I mean, it was insane. If you were going against, I mean, if you were going against the snow, there was nothing you could do. You couldn't see, which I just, I'm not a snow game guy.

I really not. It's like anything else. I don't think anybody, my dad was a PUD foreman, my stepdad. So he got hit by lightning one time or the pole did he was at. So it's like, nobody performs at their best in bad weather. I don't care if it's a pilot. I don't care if it's a PUD foreman. I don't care if it's a quarterback.

I like to see these great athletes. You know, again, I don't mind. You know, sometimes you play in a rain game and nobody's got, it's kind of fun. Rain games are kind of fun. Guys are slipping around. But I don't know. I just, I looked at that game. And I was, I just thought it was a huge disappointment for the league.

league that were deciding Super Bowls and Blizzards. I don't know. I just didn't sit with me well. One big advantage for the Patriots during that game was May's legs. And he kept plays alive and Jared Siddem, who I was told as this athlete. I mean, I don't know. I didn't really see it. And I'm not blaming him.

He's a backup quarterback like your expectations. I had no expectations for him. The first drive he had of the game, I was like, damn. He's clearly that's a pretty big army through a nice touchdown pass in the back of the end zone, through the bomb earlier on that drive. but as a game goes on, you and I have talked about this all year, you've got to be careful about that first drive in the NFL. It is, it's a fake.

It's not quite a Fugazi, but it's kind of, it's been mapped out in the top coaches. Their first drives usually look pretty good. You see Kubiak, you see McVeigh, you see Shanahan, you see Andy, you see Peyton. Like, if they, if they, they usually go down the field. They're disappointed with three typically. So as the game started, you saw him, he started getting ratted a little bit. he starts scrambling when he might not need to. Holding on to the ball.

And then by the time they get to the second, there was one play in the second half where May threw an out route. And it probably missed them by like seven yards. And then they throw a back view of the wind and the snow. You're like, you would hit a driver 100 yards into this wind. You know, the wind. And that's why Romo said it. You couldn't feel it.

There was a time, like, how bad is it? And then it started, it was so clear that it was like, you can't even function. But that's kind of a – that was always a Belichick thing. No matter what, you kind of felt they had the advantage. You know, Vrable takes this thing over. They had probably better players than a lot of four-win teams. That's how bad their coach was.

But they were not very good. And last year, Drake May and the offense was an embarrassment. And this year, we can talk about their schedule all we want. They did beat the bills in the regular season. Then they beat Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton, and the best defense in the league. Like, they've had a pretty good little run here for a month. I would have taken Denver to win. And if Bo Nix would have played today, my feeling is, boy, that would be hard not to take Denver.

Bo just played the best game of his career. It's interesting. Nobody likes Bo Nicks or Sam Darnold. I mean, that Darnold was great today in Bo Nix. I think I probably would have taken Denver if Bo Nix plays. But, yeah, I mean, listen, I think it's a good Super Bowl. I think you have the Robert Kraft returns. Vrable and Drake May's story.

Is that the next Tom Brady? so I think that's a great play. And I think you have a Seahawk team. I think the Sam Darnold redemption story is a real thing. And listen, these are two really well-run organizations. Seattle trying to win a second Super Bowl with a new coach, a new quarterback. I mean, it's, I think you and I have talked about this, and I think the audience has heard us say this is Seattle's GM.

He may not make as many deals as Howie Rose, but there's an argument, John Snyder, in terms of just drafting college. athletes is the best we have in the sport. He does not miss much at all. I mean, look at the guys making plays for him today. You saw, you know, the guard from North Dakota State. You see even Moore making plays left and right. You see, I mean, Cooper Cup as an acquisition. Well, I'd even say Jackson Smith. When people took him, he was good, but no one thought he was going to be this. And they pivoted off D.K. Metcath. They're like, we need him out of here so we can

feature that. Which I don't blame them for trade. DK, but they thought more highly of Jackson Smith than I think, definitely I did. I mean, they sure led the league in receiving. He was basically Jerry Rice for like 80% of the first half of the season. And to me, the thing with Vrable is how often, it probably happened more in like the 70s and 80s, former big time players would become coaches. Now, with the money that these players had made, they're less likely to become into the grind of coaching.

And I see, D'Amico's obviously kind of raised. but Vrable, he'd be the first guy to ever win a Super Bowl as a player with the team and then coached that same team and win a Super Bowl. So they didn't lose a road game. I think Kraft gave them the ball after the game. I mean, this team has been, I thought they would be good and make the playoffs because of their schedule, but being the Super Bowl, you can't luck your win to the Super Bowl, especially when you're not the one seat. That means you've got to win three games. So you'd be like, well, this wasn't a great Charger team. They still got Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert.

Jesse Mentor just became the Ravens coach. Like, they got a pretty, that's a pretty buttoned up operation, right? And then Domeco Ryans to beat that defense and then today to win a game in these conditions on the road. I mean, Vrable, when it comes to I. He's fantastic. Yeah, clock management, it's, he's the opposite of Mike McCarthy, where his clock management is maybe the best ever. His use of timeouts are sensational. Vrable is so good at squeezing all these situational plays in his favor.

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on. a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it

one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad,

Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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. Hey, I'm Joe Rodano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet.

Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful, Scyke! I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice! Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious

advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hippocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne.

Yeah. This is my best friend Janet. Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips, wider. This is a podcast.

We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks. Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white color or something here? Just hit it.

What are y'all doing? Microphones? Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. Could you move? I would buy it. Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake.

That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky. I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. You are. I'm not a killer. I love this team.

And I'm really. trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh. Listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's end it with this. Mike McCarthy got hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers. And as we talk about the Patriot Seahawks, let's just give this five minutes. So McCarthy, to me, is an offensive Mike Tomlin.

He feels like Pittsburgh. He'll win games. he'll be loose when they face a really well-coached team with a good quarterback. You'll feel like you have the second best coach. But he's a good motivator. Like Tomlin and defense, he does no offense. His teams play with great enthusiasm. But to me, Pittsburgh once again is always reminding us how important Pittsburgh is

and how they really love Pittsburgh. They love to hire Pittsburgh guys. You know, they draft Kenny Pickett. They hire Mike McCarthy. It's kind of a Pittsburgh thing. They're the insurs. They're very proud. I thought they could have done better.

I mean, I probably, I don't know if Chris Schull is the answer. You could hire him tomorrow. What did you make of the hire? I feel like the reaction was shocked. People like they really hired Mike McCarthy. I honestly, when John Harbaugh got fired, my jaw hit the floor just because I didn't expect him to get fired. Right. This was a situation where I went, of course they hired them.

The owner, whatever was two weeks ago when Tomlin steps down, said, I'm not into throwing a season away. We do not plan on tanking, losing, we plan on competing every year. That showed me, when everyone in the Pittsburgh fan base was tired of Tomlin, the Roonies were not. They like going nine or ten wins if that is their, you know, the floor. They want no part of the tanking teams. they don't ever want to have a season like the Jets. So Mike McCarthy represents at minimum stability of competing and at least giving us a chance to maintain what Tomlin is done.

And he can say, I can coach quarterbacks and call the offense. Because in fairness, he's right. Now, I was thinking about this. This is going to be his first situation. When he got hired with the Green Bay Packers, Brett Farv was on the roster and the year before they had drafted Aaron Rogers. He was the offensive coordinator of the Niners who took, Alex Smith. Aaron Rogers talked about this, like he had to get over it a little bit.

Then when he went to the Cowboys, they had an established Dak Prescott. He's now going to a team where they don't have a quarterback, right? So he's got to be involved in which you and I watch a lot of college football. This ain't a great quarterback draft. And I don't know who's really on the open, you know, the Davis Mills and Mack Jones types. There's not a lot of, there's no Dak Prescott's or Aaron Rogers walking through that door. This job, I don't know if you watch the. Dolphins guys, they're two really impressed. At the press conference, it was like, I see why Troy Aikman likes these two guys. They're impressive. But Stephen Ross, clearly, we're going to need a little

bit of a reset and be bad before we get good because we're in shambles. It's kind of the Steelers. A lot of old guys, a lot of bad money. Why not? Once upon a time, you did this with Mike Tomlin at 34. Now, the difference is that team was equipped to, if Tomlin was good, they were going to be good than they were. But like, why not just go a little younger, do a reset? And it's like, well, the Roonies don't believe in that. Like, that's a core value of that family, which in a weird way I can respect. But I think this thing is not, you know, when he got to the Cowboys, 2020 was a fake football year, right?

Right. Remember, but once he kind of settled down, got Dan Quinn, they were a real team there for four years. Google who was on that team? Like, they had young in his peak, like 23, 24, Michael Parsons. They had Dak Prescott in his prime. They get C.D. Lamb. Like, this is not the Steelers. And how are they equipped to acquire any of these players?

T.J. Watt is making a ton of money. He's a lot of respect for his career, but it's trending the wrong way. The good news for McCarthy, I think he realizes that. I think the first thing they have to do to me is, and they're not going to be able to find their quarterback, unless they go get Ty Simpson. But let's say they can't get it. Do you like Tyson and the weather in that conference or that division? Like, I don't know. They have to switch the money from the defense.

to the offensive side. So they've had the highest paid defense four years in a row. So you just, and the way to do that is they've got some very good young offensive player, Frasier, the center, Warren. Friermuda's not young, but he's a good player. They need another wide receiver, obviously, and the quarterback. But my take is they've got their offensive lines, got some youth in it. The running back room's got some youth in it.

They're dynamic. I think Friarmoot's really good in Washington, broke his arm. But, you know, those are two big bosses. bodies. He's a good player. Good player. So, and D.K. Matt Calf is still athletically in his prime, it's one of those things where they have to do is they have to take about six different defensive players and

just get young defensively. If you look at the Seahawks and the Rams, if you really look at the secret of it, is the Seahawks and the Rams are not paying a lot of their defensive players. They're not. They're paying their quarterbacks. They're paying like maybe a left tackle or somebody on the offensive

line. They're paying one of their weapons. But, I mean, if you really look at what the Kansas City Chiefs have done as they've paid Mahomes and Travis Kelsey and a Joe Tuny. They've kept that defense really, really young. So I've talked to GMs about this. Going forward, the recipe for success is you pay for offense. You just keep drafting defense day young. And the Rams, who are they paying on that defense? I mean, nobody's getting paid yet. Same with Seattle. Murphy will get a lot of money. Leonard Williams probably makes a pretty some coin. But I think Pittsburgh's got it all backwards. Pittsburgh paying everybody on defense.

So they've just got to draft about six, seven different guys. I don't know what their draft picks look like, whatever. Just draft defense, let about four guys walk, trade another, and just switch where the money's at. And once they can do that, then you can go find your quarterback. If I wanted to defend McCarthy, like he has a branding issue because I saw people putting his resume next to John Harbaugh's looks pretty similar. and Google John Harbaugh the last several years with some of these big leads, a lot of else. Google Mike McCarthy's resume

next to Tomlin's resume, pretty similar. Not a lot of playoffs success recently, made the playoffs a bunch. His branding is bad. John Harbaugh gets fired. Ten teams are calling his agent. McCarthy's begging for a job last year.

No one will hire him. So this is not, McCarthy's better than the way we speak about him, right? Yeah. Because he coached. The other thing he's got going for him, Jesse Mintz are really impressive defensive coordinator. First time head coach in a pressure-packed job.

That's not going to be easy. You know, Zach Taylor is going to be coaching for his job, surely this year. That coaching staff there is more than a coach. I mean, Colin, did you see the story that Cleveland makes you write an essay to try to get the, this? It'd be like you telling me, hey, once you do a podcast for us, can you write us a three-page essay? It's like, Colin, this is a verbal medium. You're like, I don't care. Coaching is, it's a verbal job.

You don't, you would never write an essay ever. Even the things the team puts out, the PR staff does that for you. It's really, I don't want to go talk about the Browns much. But that's, I Googled, I couldn't figure it out. But I would imagine Barry's parents were in academia. Because I couldn't even grasp how someone would go. The personality tests, I understand, it's a big job. I don't know.

But doing homework in essays. So McCarthy and the Steelers have an advantage on the Browns. But it's, I think it's going to be a little more difficult than his Cowboys extent. But he also, he's been the head coach of the Packers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. That'd be like, I've been the head coach of the Knicks, the Lakers. It's like Pat Riley's career. I mean, it doesn't get any better than that, football-wise, Colin. Yeah, and I think, and I'll say it about Tomlin and I'll say it about Mike McCarthy. They are above average NFL head coaches. And John Harbaugh's not far off. I think that's fair.

Mike McCarthy will, you'll win games with Mike. And he's going to switch a defensive culture to an offensive culture. So there are some positives. But I've always thought Tomlin and big games, his teams were a little loose. Aaron helped slow down the penalty problem in Pittsburgh. Their offense had been, they had penalty problems for years on offense. Aaron brings in, you know, his IQ, EQ, their penalties went down. Their turnovers went down because of Aaron Rogers. So it was, it was better this year as 42-year-old Aaron Rogers took control of the offensive ship. And I think The Gary entertains coming back now with Mike? Yeah, I could see that.

Aaron's, you know, Aaron always feels a little bit like a grudge holder, but Aaron also cares what people think and for him to just retire. That would feel weird, sort of, to just retire because he played so well at the end of the year. And you'd be like, wow, is he retiring because of McCarthy? And for the record, I think McCarthy will be better for Aaron. I think I mean, by and large, Seattle and maybe New England, the Super Bowl teams are a little bit of an exception, but usually the offensive coach helps the quarterback. You know, Vrable hands the offense over to Josh McDaniels.

But, yeah, I could see Aaron coming back. And I don't think my knock on McCarthy isn't that he's bad. My knock is it feels like an offensive Mike Tomlin. I was just looking for a more dynamic, young. guy, but Pittsburgh loves Pittsburgh. And I respect that. I mean, it's, you know, there are certain cities in this country, St. Louis Pittsburgh, where if you go to a party and people ask you, oh, where'd you go to high school? Like people don't, a lot of people, how many people in your life or go-getters and have moved to Pittsburgh? It's very much about Pittsburgh people people

love Pittsburgh. People from St. Louis love St. Louis. Not a lot of people moving to St. Louis or Hartford. So Pittsburgh's very proud of its history. A lot of good people. They, I mean, it's just, it's just, it felt like, yeah, that's kind of what Pittsburgh's going to do. I was hoping for a bigger swing, but I don't think they have it in their, their makeup, their DNA. Rooney's just, they can't even fathom when they see the jets, the Titans, the Cardinals, and they see so they can't even, they refuse, which, you know, we talk a lot about tank. and some of these other sports, it's respectable. But also in football, the way you guys got Rothersberger once upon a time, didn't you draft like 11th?

That wasn't one, but you're not going to land, you know, most of these starting quarterback, you're not going to find Purdy or Tom Brady typically, right? Most of these starting quarterbacks that are good in the NFL are drafted. Where's Drake May drafted second? Where is Sam Darnal drafted third? I mean, typically you got to, it's okay. The Steeler fans, they've had enough good times and respectable seasons. They would understand a five and 12 season to kind of reset the franchise.

Of course. But the owners refuse. And that's why I think they did this instead of hiring Davis, you know, some 32-year-old guy that was like, okay, we'll have some growing pains with you. McCarthy could sell them. Look at my resume. More than likely, we will compete for a playoff spot. And that was probably sold the Rooney's. Good stuff.

The volume. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen.

We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not. Quite on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself can then shape my behalf. behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown

if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Joey Dardano. and on my new podcast, Hope From a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to me.

This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from a Hypocrite Wednesdays on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.