The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - NFL Week 4 Picks and Betting Breakdown

Episode Date: October 1, 2021

Colin gives the Action Network CCO Chad Millman his favorite picks for NFL Week 4 and finds out if they're sharp or square. They dissect Panthers/Cowboys (11:00), Colts/Dolphins (14:00), their "disgusting" Titans/Jets pick (16:00), Cardinals/Rams (21:00), the "100% sharp" pick for Giants/Saints (25:00), Ravens/Broncos (27:00), why they differ on Steelers/Packers (31:00), Raiders/Chargers (33:00), Buccaneers/Patriots (36:00), and then Chad goes off on Colin for picking Colts/Dolphins instead of Browns/Vikings (40:00).Make sure you follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates and check out FanDuel for the best wagering and daily fantasy action! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was crying.

You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to him. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcast presents Soccer moms.

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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, 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 Hypocrite Wednesdays on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this Valentine's with 1800flowers.com. From classic roses and bouquets to decadent chocolate-covered berries, gourmet treats, and more.

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First of all, fake questions, real answers. I want to talk about stuff, but I don't want to wait for you to ask me the question. Here we go. Dear Colin, boy, did Mike Wilbon tear Lane Kiff on a new one on PTI the other day. He called him a clown, basically said his entire coaching career was a joke. As a famed sports opinionist yourself, would you like to give America your your thoughts. Well, yeah, I think anybody that really follows college football closely knows that Lane Kiffin's one of the best offensive guys in football. It's interesting on the front

page of ESPN.com as I'm speaking, the top story is how Nick Sabin's bold Lane Kiffin hire changed Alabama forever. He was a huge, huge success in terms of wins at Florida Atlantic. He was a huge success at Alabama. And by the way, now that we look at the chaotic mess that is USC football, he was actually not that bad at USC either. Dear Colin, NFL ratings are up 9% while overall TV usage declined by 9%. What does this tell you about the future of the NFL and how we consume live sports? Ratings are based on two things.

how many people are watching, total people, that's called QM, and how long they are watching, that's called TSL, time spent listening or time spent watching. My guess is that 9% is not a dramatic increase in the size of the audience. It is directly connected to the increased sports gambling in America. It is now being legalized in more and more states. So every football season will probably have 10 more states with legalized sports gambling. What does that mean? Sports gambling doesn't get you to just watch games.

It gets you to watch games that are bad, longer, time spent watching, time spent listening. So that's a connection, in my opinion, to sports gambling. is that a lot of ratings are down across television. But what do we bet in America? We bet football, NFL football. As it gets more legalized, more people gamble, they've got money on games, and they watch the games longer. Dear Colin, in your interview with Vaughn Miller on Thursday,

which was sensational. Vaughn said Patrick Certain, the cornerback from Bam as the most polished rookie he's ever seen. Do you have any other recent rookie you'd say was the most polished? You know, the first name that comes to mind, how many of you remember the Cowboys left tackle from USC, Tyron Smith? 2011, first round pick. He was a 20-year-old rookie out of USC, so he was young.

He did not redshirt. He came right out of high school, played three years at USC, and was gone. He was the first offensive lineman I ever saw with a six-pack, 65-3-20. That year is a rookie. He was named starter at right tackle on the first day of OTAs. He was named the all-rooky team, and there was a sense in the NFL, middle of the first year, that you were looking at a Hall of Fame offensive linemen. Even very good offensive linemen, like Penae Sewell with Detroit, look a little uneven out of the gate.

Tyron Smith to me was a top five tackle in professional football at 20 years old. old out of USC. Dear Colin, when people think of the best athlete coach duels of all time, they usually think Brady and Belichick, Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. But those two relationships are not the same, are they? In fact, they're diametrically opposite, aren't they?

Wow, what an insightful question, because yes, they're totally different. Belichick had to turn an unvarnished quarterback like Brady into a superstar with slow, methodical development and assets. Phil, had to take a mega talent in Michael Jordan and teach him to slow down, pass more, and be a better team player.

In the end, I do think there is a reason that Brady's career is linked to longevity. In the end, Michael burned out fast because he was hard to play with. He was hard on himself. And he had sort of a relentlessness and an energy that even he couldn't withstand. There was a study commissioned by Belichick at the end of Tom Brady's run in New England. This has been documented. And it was about Kobe and Michael and Tiger Woods and Brady. And what they found in the study, Belichick did, and the Patriots did, is that Tom was unique.

He was at his best when supported, not ticked off, not when challenged. Tom played for the love and the joy of the game. Michael, to the very end, burned hot, trying to prove. everybody wrong. Dear Colin, you had about a month or so to soak in the fact that Russell Westbrook is now on the Lakers with LeBron. How do you see it going? Russell Westbrook is fine being a piece.

He was never the peace. Some people are not built to be the president. Dick Cheney was built to be an advisor to the president. But he doesn't have maybe the empathy, the fluidity on camera, the ability. to galvanize and rally, but he's smart and experience. Russell Westbrook has great energy and great talent. The problem Oklahoma City made for years is thinking he was the piece. Kevin Durant was the greater offensive piece.

James Harden was the better point guard. Westbrook was just the best athlete, and there's always room for an athlete to be a piece of an NBA puzzle. All right, my buddy, Chad Millman, Chief Content Officer, Network already got the bag in his life, so doesn't even need to do this, but he does because he likes it. So here's the story. Every week I bring on eight games. I pick my blazing five from these eight. And the part that stinks is I've been a sharp for three weeks and I keep losing. But that doesn't deter me from my values and my compass and I still see the world the same way.

So here's my first game. I like Dallas minus four and a half against the Panthers. And here's why. Now, I am concerned Dallas is on a short week and Carolina's got extra time and Matt rules. really clever. But Christian McCaffrey is not only the most dynamic offensive player they have. He's probably their second most dynamic wide receiver. And Chuba Hubbard is not nearly as dynamic. So this game, although I do think it will be lower scoring because the Cowboys defense is absolutely better and Carolinas is really, really good up front.

So I don't think we're going to have a shootout here. But Sam Darnold now, this is when he reverts to trouble. He is going to have to. carry the offense on the road against the Dallas defense that a gen stat came out this weekend that they had 10 different players at 19 miles an hour led the NFL. This is a fast, fast defense with what now appears to be an elite corner. I'm going to take Dallas to win this by a touchdown. I don't think it's a shootout. Carolina's defense is too good, but I think Donald will make mistakes, which he's prone to do when playing from behind.

And I'll take Dallas minus four and a half, sharp or square? Square. You're 100% right about the total. I think the under is generally considered to be the sharp side here and it's where they're going to go. This is a really challenging game. Let me get all of the pre-butt comments out of the way. 100% right about Christian McCaffrey.

I listen to your radio show, which I think is excellent, by the way. And you had a guest on, I think it was Mark Sanchez, and you were talking about McCaffrey is so good at running roots. Probably better at running roots than any running back in the league. And that's really valuable, right? And it makes him so dynamic offensively in addition to what he can do carrying the ball. Him being out is a big deal. So this becomes one of those plays where, and you mentioned losing at the beginning, right? there are plays you make because you want to be better over the long term and sometimes they're the right plays and they lose in the moment, but over the long term, a team with the caliber of the defense that the Carolina Panthers have covers this game. A team with the caliber of the defense, the Carolina Panthers have going against a team off of a Monday night football game generally covers this game to the tune of about 56% since 2003.

great. Carolina's defense, fewest yards per carry allowed. Carolina's defense, fourth fewest passing yards per attempt. So what I'm looking at is a defense that is going to mitigate the cowboy strength, both with Zique and with Dak throwing the ball downfield. So I like the under because of all these factors, but I also like the Panthers to cover and so do the wise guy. All right. Colts at Dolphins, I take Miami minus two. I told you last week, and I had the right side, I think Jacoby Brissette is better than Tua.

There are now new rumors via J. Glazer that they are not into Tua, and they're looking at John Watson. That would bother Tua. I don't think it would bother Jacoby Brissette. He's not viewed as the franchise guy. I think he's a bigger, stronger version of Tua. I thought for long stretches, they outplayed the Raiders last. week. This team is too well coached, too strong defensively, not to start winning football games.

And I do not trust the Colts. I do not trust their run game, their protection. Right now, I don't trust Carson Wentz. This is one of my favorite plays. I like Miami minus two to win this game by a touchdown. It's one of your favorite. I will tell you there are, I don't know, eight, nine, 12, 15 games, 16 games on the board. Let me tell you something. not only is this not one of my favorite games. On the favorites podcast, we haven't even, like, we practically skipped over this game because it had so little edge and interest from us and from our professional betting friends. There's no real edge.

It's lined at two. It's handicapped at two. Both teams have a really hard time moving the ball. Both teams are struggling a quarterback. Both teams have really good defenses. both teams have underpermed, it's a terrible game to bet. It's a terrible game to watch. Like, there's nothing. There's nothing here. I like to call this with like my bookie buddies, we call this the corner TV game because like it's terrible and you put it on the smallest screen

in the corner of the sports book because you know like really nobody's going to be paying attention to it. That's what this game is to me. I cannot give you an opinion on this game. Okay. All right. So let me go to my gross game of the week. I like the Jets plus seven against the Titans. You're a professional. You're 100% a professional right now. Oh, my God. I've never loved you more.

Okay. So teams aren't as bad as their worst loss. And I don't think the Jets will lose like this again. Being shut out is hard in the NFL. I think Denver, and I've been saying this for weeks, is undervalued. Patrick Sertan, Von Miller told me this week, is the most polished rookie he's seen in 11 years in the league. like he's going to get some Pro Bowl votes. Kyle Fuller already has been a pro bowler.

We know they have a pass rush. Denver's really good defensively. Playing in Denver in September is a recipe for a rookie quarterback for disaster. I think the Jets come back home, are very viable against a fairly limited offense. May went outright, but seven's too many. I take the Jets plus seven. Sometimes you have to do bad things. betting. You mentioned gross. This is disgusting. This is Bourbon Street, you know, in February,

disgusting. I've actually already bet on the Jets. I bet on the Jets. Moneyline. Wise guys are back in the Jets. This game opened much higher. It's now down to seven. This is going to be one of those games. The Titans defense is just really bad. And for the hope for the Jets, is that Jameson Crowder comes back. And then on the other side of the ball, the Titans, we saw it last week, A.J. Brown not playing, Julio Jones, not playing at the end of the game. Mike Vrable at the time saying it was load management, but now there's stories about neither Julio Jones or A.J. Brown playing this weekend. This line is just way too big in this spot. It is overinflation on the Titans who have won a couple games in high-profile fashion

against teams that the public loves in the Colts and the Seahawks and the Jets doing everything you just said against the Broncos. This is ugly and disgusting and you hold your nose and you do it because Colin, you're a professional. After 20 years in the same sideline, Tom Brady and Belichick meet this weekend as opponents. It's the goat quarterback and the goat head coach and you can be part of the epic showdown with an unbelievable odds play on Fandle Sportsbook. Right now, customers can win 150 bucks and a $5 bet. That's it. 150 bucks and a $5 bet. If either team scores a touchdown, that's right. 25 to 1 odds on any touchdown any time during the Tampa, New England game.

Current line Patriots plus 7. You know, this is a weird game. Belichick was humiliated. I imagine they play a much tighter game. But Tampa Bay lost. I imagine, despite an injury to Scotty Miller, they're more effective offensively. I would probably go.

Tampa Bay minus 7. Offers like this, though, just one of the many reasons. I love Fandul Sportsbooks. The number one ready to sports book app in America, easy to use, safe and secure, fast payouts. Sign up right now, Fandulis book today. All you got to do is use the promo code Colin.

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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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam, this Isaiah Thomas.

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

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

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

and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with the Adamania Arriva where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden I'd had hanginess happening on my

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I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30, you shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not.

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More than a store, Shopify grows with you. Go to Shopify. com slash Colin. All lowercase. Shopify.com slash Colin for a free 14-day trial, full access at Shopify's entire suite of features. Shopify.com slash C-O-L-I-N. What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, We reconnect with each other The forest is closer than you think

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Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at NHTSA.gov slash the right seat. Visit NHTSA.gov slash the right seat. Brought to you by Nitzha and the Ad Council. All right, I'm going to take Cardinals plus four and a half at the Rams. Now, there is an axiom in sports betting. If you don't know which way to go, which team do you think is going to win? Don't overthink the room.

Just do you think Arizona is going to beat the Rams? I do. And that's why I decided I went back and forth on this. I think four and a half is too many for a division game. I think even the Rams defense will struggle like the Niners has for years against active mobile quarterbacks. Kyler is prone to mistakes, but this team can match up on the defensive line will give Matt Stafford real pressure. The Rams are coming off not only a huge win, but a nearly perfect performance. They had a singular penalty.

I thought the Rams were unbeatable. I thought it was the best game any team in the league played all year, Rams over Tampa. I don't think you'll duplicate that. I think Arizona goes in. It's 2827. It's too many points for a division rival and an improved division rival. Sharper square. Kind of square.

And I say this, and we talked about this last week. This line at six, when it opened, super sharp to better. the Cardinals and it's been bet down to Rams minus four and a half and it's sort of just lingering there. Chances are it's going to get to four because the public is coming in and betting the cardinals for a lot of the reasons you just said in the public and we've talked about this too. There's so many new betters coming in who are thinking about betting because it's legal in so many more states that it's changing the way you have to think about how money comes in and how people are betting. So I do believe that there's still going to be more money coming in on the Cardinals and

when this line gets to four, you're going to want to bet the Rams. So I'd probably lean Rams right now. It's really the first defense that Kyler Murray is playing. Tennessee hasn't been very good. The Jaguars aren't very good. Minnesota isn't very good, right? And so Cliff Kingsbury is at a coaching disadvantage in this scenario. He's just not a very good coach. They win by the seat of their pants, not through any kind of genius strategy. I know the Rams are coming off an emotional win, but their defense, you win games. Like, your offense struggles when you come off of emotional wins. Your defense doesn't struggle.

And that defense has two Hall of Famers in Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. And I just think it's too much for the Cardinals. So the Sharps liked it at six. The Sharps will like it at Rams minus four. I think you're trending in the wrong direction. I'll take the Giants. It's now plus seven and a half. It was eight.

I liked it more at eight against the Saints. Here's why. The Giants have led three games. games. Two of them should be wins. The Saints have only three, quote, big, unquote, plays all year, three big plays. They don't have a great vertical dimension. James Winston is hot and cold. The Saints are a better team, but seven and a half points is too many for I think a, I really do. Beyond the penalties, I think the Giants have been in all the games they played. And they were very good at the end of last year. They won five of eight. So Joe Judge is easy to rip because they made

that analytics comment. By the way, Belichick said two years ago, I use analytics zero percent. But the media doesn't have any courage to take on Belichick. It's easy to wail away at Joe Judge. And seven and a half points, this is not a big play offense. That game, Saints Patriots was about the Saints defense. It's not a big play offense. Seven and a half points is too many. I'd lean the Giants here. First of all, Belichick is a liar because he's the one who started the concept of going forward on fourth down, in your own territory to try to close out a game when he was playing against the Colts and not wanting to give Peyton Manning the ball back. That's an analytics play. Number one, number two, 100% the sharp side. You are correct. Love the Giants here.

At Action Network, we project every line, right? And so we have this line projected at six. The Giants opened at 8, when it was a plus 8. That was about a 4% edge. Anything above 3% professional betterers are going to bet. So it's seven and a half. It's not quite four, but it's still over three. So it's an auto bet for professionals. It's also a massive, massive overreaction. The Saints playing really well against Mack Jones and the Patriots gets too much credit in the public. Meanwhile, the Giants losing at home, which every wise guy knew they were going to lose at home, because Danny Dimes is now 4 and 11 at home against the spread, but he's 10 and 4 on the road against the spread. This game is on the road. New Orleans was outgained by New England. They needed a pick

six and a James Heave Ho for a touchdown to win that game. The total here is only 41. With a line at seven and a half and a total of 41, it basically means the bookmakers are expecting a close game and they're begging you to take the Giants. All right. Broncos Ravens through the years, I've never been good at Pickham games. Earlier this year, we had a Washington, Chargers pick him and I took Washington. When it gets the under a point, I consider to pick them. And, well, I'm not good at these games. I would take Denver at home over Baltimore.

I Baltimore, Denver is the team in the league, I think, is better than we want to acknowledge. Because Teddy Bridgewater, there's a certain narrative on him. And then in Carolina, Matt Rue, who we all respect, bailed on him. And then Sam Darnold looks way better than Teddy Bridgewater. But the truth was, last year, Carolina wasn't near. that's good defensively because they were very, very young and they needed another year in Matt Rule's system. Now all these young players really are flourishing with Carolina. So now Sam Darnold is not making mistakes because he doesn't play from behind.

Teddy Bridgewater got in some shootouts with a young defense and just wasn't equipped to win those games. I think Teddy Bridgewater for this Denver team is really good. They don't rely on him. The offensive line, I think, is the best. It got better last year. It's the best in a long time. I think they've solved their corner issue from last year with Kyle Fuller, who was already a pro bowler,

and Patrick Sertan, who Von Miller told me this week, was the most polished rookie he's seen anywhere in the league in 11 years. I think Denver wins this game by a field goal outright, sharp or square? Sharp, sharp, sharp, sharp-y, sharp. When we do the favorites and Simon Hunter, who's my co-host, he's professional better and has done this four years, we do the show on Tuesday as we go through every game. Between Tuesday and Thursday, he will get a flood of calls from his colleagues who are professional betters,

and they will give their opinion on the opinions that we had on the show. There were two games this week that they absolutely loved and agreed with. Normally, they come back and tell us they don't like anything. But this week, there were two games they loved and agreed with. This was one of them. Denver, as right now, pick them minus one. This line could get to Denver plus one by the time it kicks off because, again, Baltimore is one of those public teams. Lamar Jackson, the way they won last week against

the lines, the way they won the week before against the Chiefs, people thinking it's Teddy Bridgewater, he's been recycled, he's not that good, that they've played teams like the Jets and they just shut him out, but it's the Jets. I agree with you, man. This Denver team is for real. And Teddy Bridgewater, he is not someone that professional betters take lightly. He's Teddy covers. He just covers games. And what you saw against the Jets and what you've seen this year, he's actually making plays.

He's not just covering games by manager. He's making plays, which is really interesting. I think this defense can handle what Baltimore brings because they are so fast. And their defensive backfield is so good. You're 100% on the right side here. All right. two more games. I'm not going to bet this. Packers minus six and a half hosting the Steelers. Green Bay would be my side.

I think there are problems throughout the course of a season that are correctable, and then there are problems that are non-correctable. And I think Big Ben's age and inability to move, coupled with the fact that he's never been great pre-snap, He's got kind of an outdated audible model there. Pittsburgh's offense is going to be bad the rest of the year. But I do worry about Green Bay coming off a wildly emotional Sunday win. I would stay away from this game. My side would probably be Green Bay.

If the number was seven, I absolutely would stay away at six and a half. That number leads me toward the Packers. Your thoughts? Yeah, the sharp side here is the Steve. dealers. This is a rah-rah Mike moment. And what we're really going to find out is how much over the years has Ra-R-R-R-R-R-My-Thomlin been able to rally his team because he also had an incredible quarterback who can overplay against teams when they are considered to be better and he is an underdog, right? Because Ben isn't the guy that he's been for the past 18 years in the NFL.

And since 2003, Mike Tomlin, these stats are ridiculous. Since 2003, No coach has covered as a road dog against winning teams more than Mike Tomlin. As a road dog period, Mike Tomlin wins outright at a 60% clip. And as a road dog against opponents with the same record or better, he covers at an 80% clip. Right now, this line should be about four and a half. That's what professional betters handicap it at. So the value, the metrics, the precedent, all says... Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

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Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a parameda Pazzo chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with Deanna Maria Riva, where I call on my GenX squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had... hanginess happening on my

I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How can it be getting naked at 50 with the new guy? 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 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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed.

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

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

He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Agency, the ability to know that we're the experts in our own body. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lulman, create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. I wholeheartedly think, you know, you hit 30.

You shouldn't have to share one with anybody. Mm-hmm. From navigating friendships and healing to setting boundaries and prioritizing your mental health. These are real, honest conversations. We don't always get to have out loud. Totally unreasonable with different parts of life, right? Like, oh, have all three meals and make sure you're mindful during all of them? Absolutely not.

During one meal, I'm standing. Realistic, I'm standing and handing my children food. Because healing, empowerment, and resilience aren't just ideas. Their practices. And this Mental Health Awareness Month, there's no better time to pour back into yourself. Listen to cultivating her space on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. But it's an ugly play. So I don't blame you for wanting to pass.

All right, this is one of my favorite bets of the week. Chargers minus three over the Raiders. Early in the week, I thought I'd take the Raiders. But two takeaways. The Raiders have twice trailed by 14 points. The Raiders have gotten their two toughest games at home. The Raiders still are inconsistent running the ball. Justin Herbert's arc, we know what the Raiders are.

Derek Carr has been in this league a long time and they've got a lot of weapons. There's going to be a lot of points in this game. And this is why I'm comfortable giving up three. But when you watch the Chargers play, you're seeing growth. That's the first big road win for Justin Herbert. And it's a divisional game. So I don't think this organization's going to come out flat at home. I think these divisional games when you win them, you're playing these teams.

He's already beaten Patrick Mahomes once. Now he beats him a second time. So I don't think Justin Herbert is going to come down earth. What I think the Chargers are is there going to be a very quickly ascending team. and one of the few really good teams that will make a jump over the course of a year. Because many of their key components, finally a healthy Derwin James, second year Herbert, Rashon Slater, a lot of their best important pieces are kids. So most great teams players are veterans.

I think the Chargers come out, could lay it on the Raiders. I think it's a high-scoring game with a lot of weapons. I have no problem swallowing three. I think it's a 33-27 game. That's my take, a sharper square. So the sharp side is the chargers minus three. I'm really glad you said that. I was afraid you were going to go with the Raiders.

And I think at three and a half, there are some wise guys who were taking the Raiders just because of a divisional game, you want to get the hook. But most guys I talk to, they just like the Chargers at three or three and a half. It's a better team. And it is a more well-rounded team. It is what Brandon Staley is doing with that defense is really interesting. And the way they've been able to shut people down has really gotten the attention of a lot of professional betters. You mentioned Patrick Sartain.

Asante Samuel has gone from 40 to 1 as rookie of the year to 10 to 1 as rookie of the year. He is a guy who is patrolling that backfield and is ball hawking. and what Derek Carr is doing this year, instead of sort of being the king of the checkdown, he is going deep, right? He's going to Henry Ruggs. He's going to Derek Waller. But this is a team that has been playing by the sea of their pants, barely beating Miami, barely beating Baltimore.

They need every minute of every game and they need every single thing to go their way. And the chart was just a better team and they're becoming the kind of team that is understanding the cost of their mistakes. Last week they got away with a couple. I think they continue to learn. I think they take that leap. I think they progress. I think the wise guys agree with you.

Charter is minus three. Reclaim your Saturdays. Call 1-800 God jump and two smiling. Happy people will magically appear at your front door. They'll be driving a clean, shiny truck. And they'll be wearing snappy, happy uniforms. All you have to do is point, point, point. And that junk will be gone, gone, gone, gone.

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Now I'm going to rely on you. Okay. Because I have my four or five bets I know. I don't know if I have the stomach to bet the jets. I know this game I'm going to let you lead me. And if your argument is strong enough that I may put this in the Blazing Five. Because when I don't understand something, I am willing to, acknowledge, I'm not the smartest guy in the room, and I take advice and I listen.

I don't understand the Patriots Buccaneers line. The Buccaneers are better. The Buccaneers are good news. Coming off a loss, anything about overlooking Mack Jones, not going to happen. Brady's not going to Foxborough. If you really look at what the Patriots do, they're averaging about three yards an air pass. They have no ability to beat you deep, which is the Buccaneers' primary weakness. There's secondary with injuries. So the Buccaneers weakness is really the weakness that can't, it won't be beaten by New England. This line should be bigger. I think New England is over their head.

I think if any player in this game is nervous, it's Mack Jones facing his idol. I don't think it's Brady returning to a very familiar environment. I think Vita Via and that defensive front, I think Todd Bowles to this point has not had many zero blitzes. They've been playing a little bit of a bend, don't break defense. I think they're going to be a little more aggressive for the first time this year. I think it could get ugly. I would take Tampa Bay to win by 10 or more, but I don't understand the line. So explain it to me. The line is the way it is right now because bookmakers are deathly afraid of what happens if they go any higher.

Because right now it's at seven points. Every time it goes to seven and a half, if it gets there, huge, huge money will come in on the Patriots. And it's not because everyone thinks it's going to be a very close game. It's not because people think Bill Belichick is the genius that he is or is not,

depending on if he has Tom Brady. It's only because of how these, games play out. And this is where it always gets interesting about betting. It's what we're talking about, right? It's not about the Buccaneers and the Patriots. It's about the number. It's not about the Jets game and the Titans game. It's about the number. You play home dogs at that big of a number because over the long term, that's how you make a bigger ROI. It's not a sexy answer. Like it's not a, okay, here's what happens in this game and this is why you want to play the Buccaneers or the Patriots, it's only about the number. So many times I can tell you,

betters won't even look at the teams. They'll just look at the number and see who's home in a way and feel like they have an edge by playing the side where there's a huge home underdog. That's just how it goes sometimes. In this game, there is 93% of the money and 92% of the tickets coming in on the Buccaneers. Every scenario there is says, play the Patriots. I'm not going to. Like, to me, it's just like, if I'm playing the Patriots, it's a little bit of a taste because that's what you do with that kind of number.

But I don't love it. I like the Jets on the Money Line more than I like the Patriots against the Buccaneers. Well, there we go. So I'm going to pick five games out of this. You really were a wet blanket on my Dolphins minus two pick. I mean, you really, it's like, you ever go to a movie and I love it? And you did something worse than saying the movie wasn't good. You were worse.

You were like, I don't even have an opinion on the movie. I would rather you hate the movie I love than have no opinion. It didn't move you at all emotionally. It's like, what? The pick is so, you're so indifferent to my dolphins pick. I'm more offended than if you said that's a terrible pick. It's, it's honestly the thing you hate most in the world. It's uninteresting.

It's not interesting. You've picked the least interesting game. Like, how did you not pick the Vikings game? Like, there's storylines. There's like passion. There's drama. What, what's storyline? Kirk Cousins is honestly the saltine cracker of the league.

What's an interesting storyline with that game? The Cleveland Browns, who everybody's in love with going on the road, playing Minnesota. You've got the public on one side. You've got the wise guys on another side. You've got a Minnesota team that might actually be better than we all think. You've got a Browns team that probably isn't as good as we think. You're taking two teams with like hobbled quarterbacks that are like inspire nobody accept their fan bases.

People have opinions about the Browns. People have opinions about Kirk Cousins. You say he's a Saltine. People are pissed. He won't get vaccinated. People think that Justin Jefferson's career is being wasted because he's with Kirk Cousins. There's turmoil in the locker room. There's drama in that game.

But no, let's So you like the Bikings? Let's talk about a 1 p.m. game between two nondescript teams that nobody's going to care about. That's probably going to get the, the, the, level broadcasting team. Let's do that.

Whoever you broadcasters are on the cults, dolphins, we don't even know who it is. So if we've offended you in any way, we deeply apologize. But apparently, you're going to be in the corner game of the NFL. The corner TV game. Yeah, we won't even turn the audio on. You're the game we don't turn the audio on. We don't turn the audio on. Honestly, like, if we bet this game, we assume we're not going to get any updates in

Red Zone. All right, man, that was great. Chad Millman, Chief Content Officer at the Action Network. I always think it's fascinating. C-C-O of the Action Network. I've said before did not exist 10 years ago as a title. We're just making it up as we go. That was a typo 10 years ago.

People would be like, no, no, C-O. Yeah. Chief Operating Officer. No, it's a new one. It's called C-C-O. Years ago, years ago, when we were both at ESPN, and I was getting promoted. I had been editor-in-chief of the magazine for a while. And I was getting a new gig and I was taking over all a digital, right?

And my boss was like, so what do you want your title to be? I'm like, I don't know. And so like I thought about it for a night and I made up like editorial director. And then I told him that's what it was going to be. And that's what was in the memo. And I feel like nowadays, you can just go around making these things up. Yeah. I'd like a new title.

We can work on that. I'm going to think about that one. man who picks most boring games for a living. But it's not boring if you win. That's the thing. Man, that's right. Winning is not boring. All right, Melman, good talking you, buddy.

See you, brother. All right, you crazy kids, go to our YouTube page. The Volume. It's growing like crazy. Plus our Twitter and our Instagram at the Volume. Sports rate review, subscribe. Check out our YouTube page. A lot of good stuff.

stuff there, man. Talk soon. The volume. Most of us have a favorite song or soundtrack as motivation for when we need it most. And no matter which beat we choose, one thing's for sure. Music inspires us all. Let's use the power of music as inspiration to reclaim our rhythm. Today, let's start one healthy habit that works for our life, for the best chance at life. Join me. The American Heart Association is ready to guide us every single step of the way. Reclaim Your Rhythm at heart.org

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, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was part of you. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow.

Then after that Game 7, Marquis keep coming to, he's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart 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. This is my best friend, Janet. And we have been joined at the hips since high school. Absolutely.

A redacted amount of years later, we're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips. 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. Why did you get hard salsa? instead of beer. Oh, they hit a bogo.

Well, then you got them. Listen to soccer moms on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.