The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast - Sean Payton/Rams Fit, Belichick Cornered + Joe Burrow on Damar Hamlin Impact, Ravens Wild Card Matchup

Episode Date: January 11, 2023

First, (3:00) Colin explains his biggest issues with the expanded NFL playoff format, why the Rams could be a fit for Sean Payton if Sean McVay splits, why things will only get worse for Bill Belichic...k with the Patriots, and why the SEC will continue to dominate the upcoming expanded 12-team playoff.  Then, Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow joins Colin to discuss when he felt they turned the season around after a slow start (21:00), why it’s so hard facing the Ravens for a 3rd time (22:00), if playoff experience is overrated (24:00), how witnessing the scary scene surrounding Damar Hamlin on MNF against the Bills impacted him personally (28:00), and his favorite moments of the regular season (34:00). Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates, check out FanDuel for the best wagering and daily fantasy action, and visit Cuts for the latest Fall fits! #Herd #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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.
Starting point is 00:00:23 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 Volume. It's the Colin Coward podcast presented by Fandul. It's NFL playoff time.
Starting point is 00:00:44 No better place to get in on the action than Fandul. FanDul app is safe. You get paid fast. A lot of ways to play. The spread, the money line, team totals, players, props. A lot of stuff. Over-unders. Jump into the action.
Starting point is 00:00:59 Same game parlays are my favorite. Just use the promo code Colin and download the Fandul app today. FanDul now live in Ohio. Hi, everybody. It's Joe Burrow Wednesday in about 10 to 12 minutes. I got three things I want to talk about as we begin. I've always had this belief. I've told a lot of young broadcasters this or people in the industry.
Starting point is 00:01:31 There's a sea of money chase management. There's very little great management. When you find them, latch on to them. and follow them. You'll make money. Don't chase money. It's bad karma. And I also, I look at the NFL. Selfishly, adding more playoff games is good for my professional career. All right. More big games to talk about. But I don't think it was done for any other reason than greed. Nobody demanded a 17th regular season game. Nobody demanded a seventh playoff team in the AFC and NFC. And look at the two games we have now. Seattle, in the old format, would not be a
Starting point is 00:02:13 playoff team and shouldn't be. They haven't played well for a month and a half. They play the Niners. San Francisco is now being asked to beat Seattle for a third straight time. That's hard. That is hard. So if the Niners, the most popular NFL franchise easily Denver West get knocked off because they can't beat a team three times, Niners should have a buy. In the old format, Niners would have a buy that'd get rested, and Seattle wouldn't be a playoff team. But if San Francisco gets Christian McCaffrey gets knocked out for the playoffs, or left tackle Trent Williams who's had trouble with injuries, anytime you do something for greed, it backfires. Go to the AFC. Buffalo should have a buy.
Starting point is 00:03:04 They would in the old format. Instead, they have to face Miami for a third time. Miami hasn't played like Seattle well in five, six weeks. Shouldn't be a playoff team. So Seattle and Miami, in the old format a couple years ago, are sitting home watching on TV. They don't feel like playoff teams. And I'm from the Pacific Northwest.
Starting point is 00:03:25 And I predicted Miami would be a playoff team. But, you know, I just have this bad vibe. What if Josh Allen gets knocked out for the playoffs? Twist and ankle, he's out. Is that good for the NFL? Anytime you do something for money, it always comes back to bite you in the butt. And I love the NFL. But I think it's unfair to the Niners and unfair to the bills, especially the Niners.
Starting point is 00:03:48 They've already hammered Seattle twice. They've got to do it again. Really? So reports now that Harbaal, leading candidate for the new owners, the Walmart family, for the Denver Broncos job. Multiple people I trust say, if he's offered it, 20 million a year, he'll take it. Wish he would stay at Michigan, which he would continue to be connected to college football. But at 20 million, Michigan a couple of years ago asked him to take a pay cut.
Starting point is 00:04:16 I get it. He'll move to the NFL. And I do think he's uniquely built for the kind of football. Denver needs to play with that current roster to beat him a Holmes and beat a Herbert. bully ball, build an old line, ask like you did Kaepernick, Alex Smith, Andrew Luck, ask a quarterback Russell Wilson to run a little bit. It's really built for Harbaugh style of football. Sean Payton's interesting, though. The Rams moved to L.A. They're not that popular. They're not really an established brand in Los Angeles. They win the Super Bowl. And this year they fall apart. So we knew they were very, very thin because they pay Cooper Cup and Aaron Donald and Matt
Starting point is 00:04:55 Stafford and Jalen Ramsey, a lot of top of the market contracts. So they're thin. And those teams are always vulnerable when they face lots of injuries, which the Rams did on their own line. It was a mess. But Sean Payton, if Sean McVe-Boltz, is so perfect for this job. Now, I know Sean pretty well. I've talked to him eight, ten different times on my show on FS1, and I've talked to him,
Starting point is 00:05:19 gone to dinner with him. I'm not going to speak for Sean, but I can tell you, ownership. and quarterback talent are the two things he worries about. Stan Cronky is aggressive and doesn't meddle and writes big checks. Perfect for Sean Payton's personality. Matt Stafford, smart, aggressive, big arm, veteran, perfect for what Sean Payton wants. A smart guy that can make big throws, has played in big games. Doesn't have to babysit him socially or emotionally, just a guy who can sling it.
Starting point is 00:06:01 And McVeigh is so profoundly culturally significant to the Rams. If Sean leaves, then you got to hire the other Sean. You got to bring in a big resume and a big ring and a big trophy and a big point of view. So Sean Payton to the Rams, that's about as good as you can do. A lot of people talked about the Chargers job. But I always look at that job. The Spanos family, Dean Spanos being sued by his daughter. He's got his sons in the front office.
Starting point is 00:06:37 I don't know. That just doesn't quite feel as ideal as Sean Payton would want it. Sean Payton had Gail Benson. Wright's big checks stays out of the way. That's Stan Cronkey. Aggressive. Rights big checks. doesn't get in the way.
Starting point is 00:06:55 The Rams are also really aggressive. Sean Payton, if I know anything about him, he's aggressive. If he wants something, if he sees something, he wants to attack something. I think the DNA match between the Rams, cronky, less need, the culture of the organization, and Sean Payton feels to me as perfect a fit as Sean would find. I think Sean would be frustrated with Russell Wilson. They're different people. I think Russell's limited as a pocket quarterback.
Starting point is 00:07:27 That's what Sean wants. He liked Breeze. He likes Stafford. Sit in the pocket. Throw darts. I'll drop the plays. I'll be the creative. Deliver.
Starting point is 00:07:39 That's what Drew Breeze was. That's what Matt Stafford is. So I was talking to somebody I met the other day in regards to timing. And they were talking about the point. podcast industry. And we were we were actually talking about the subscription service called The Athletic and how it sold to the New York Times for $450,500 million. And this person was saying because of the erosion of the stock market, Dow Jones is down several thousand. And because, you know, the world's always changing with so many new platforms is that it may not sell for that
Starting point is 00:08:21 today, not even close to that, but it did then. There's a moment in time for everything to sell in the media. That's what this person who has a lot of experience we talked about is that sometimes something that sells won't sell in six months. You've got a hit on the time. And I thought, that's what's fascinating about the New England Patriots. This was the year to get into the playoffs. The Jets were a shit show at quarterback and Tua couldn't stay healthy.
Starting point is 00:08:50 Okay, if Miami goes out and gets Derek Carr and the Jets get Garoppolo, Mack Jones is the fourth best quarterback in your division. You don't get to the playoffs with the fourth best quarterback in your division. I don't see an easy way out for New England. I mean, Tua probably inside the Dolphins executive suite. They've made a decision to move on. He's simply college and pro can't stay healthy. Not his fault.
Starting point is 00:09:19 His reality. and the Jets are obviously going to the market. They need a left tackle and a quarterback. They have talent, running back, corner, defensive line, weapons. They got good players. And New England doesn't have a single receiver that separates. Devonte Parker doesn't separate. Jacoby Myers doesn't separate.
Starting point is 00:09:44 They're really average O line, wide receiver, tight end. it's not a highly abundant wide receiver group in the first round, maybe by the second. But Jordan Addison maybe is a first round wide receiver. Zay Jones maybe is. There's not four or five this year like there have been in previous years. I don't know the way out. That's what's fascinating. This was the year and they wasted it by connecting Joe Judge and Matt Patricia to the offense.
Starting point is 00:10:16 Go back and look at Mack Jones, stats. They're pretty remarkable. They're, they're really solid B plus stuff. And he regressed. So the timing, go back to timing, this was the year to get some momentum. If Mac Jones played well, you'd have a greater chance to go into the free agent market and convince a D'Andre Hopkins, who reportedly Arizona is going to move, convince a D'Andre Hopkins, hey, I had a great rookie year, followed by a great second year, come to New England and be the star. Well, he looks at it now.
Starting point is 00:10:52 D. Hop would look at New England and go, I wouldn't want to be part of that. That offense is a mess. So I don't know the easy way out, and I thought it was absolutely something that Bill Belichick, when asked about the season, immediately said, I'm returning for 2024.
Starting point is 00:11:12 That's not your call. That's the owner's call. The fact that Belichick put it out publicly, I'll be back next year. Andy Reid doesn't say that. It's the owner's call. That's never the coach's call in the NFL or the NBA. I'll be back.
Starting point is 00:11:29 Steve Kerr's back if Joe Lakeb who owns the Warriors wants him back. And that's Steve Kerr. So I think Belichick knows. He's kind of cornered here. The staff isn't great. Doesn't have an offensive coordinator. Doesn't have a tied end or a receiver that separates. didn't you think it was something that Belichick's first opinion was I'll be back, basically
Starting point is 00:11:52 cornering Bob Kraft. Bob Kraft now is on the defensive. Oh, wait, Belichick's coming back. Bill didn't leave it open for a meeting or a discussion or an argument or a tug of war over his future. I thought it was something. So college football has a new national champion, but it's the same old national champion from the same old conference, Georgia.
Starting point is 00:12:16 back-to-back titles, SEC Kings. So I know a lot of people are selling this fairy tale, that in 2024, when the 12-team playoff arrives, it will create opportunities and parody for the little guy. Oh, nonsense. Listen, if you look at certain things throughout the course of time, take the Oscars. Hollywood. Used to be like five films nominated
Starting point is 00:12:50 Picture of the year. I'd watch all of them. If there were six, I would watch five or six. Now it's eight to ten. Oh, it creates more opportunities. No, it doesn't. Because there's not ten great films a year. There's about four. It just dilutes the Oscars, which have never had lower ratings, never had less interest. You dilute it. There are movies now that get nominated for best picture and they weren't the best picture in the last week. They weren't the best picture in the month they were released. There's just a lot of average now. It's the same thing with a 12-team playoff.
Starting point is 00:13:27 I'm for it because it's more big games and I think college football has a big game problem. But college football and football in general is a depth sport. It's not just that Georgia has great starters, but it's that they have two and three NFL bodies at corner. Two and three bodies at linebacker. It's their depth of talent. USC's got some really good front line starters. That guy gets hurt. They don't have anybody behind them. That's the difference between national championship contenders and good teams. Right. And so in a playoff, you're going to ask the little engine that could, Cincinnati, Boise State,
Starting point is 00:14:11 TCU, you think it's going to be easier for them to have to face a Georgia, followed by an LSU, followed by a USC, followed by an Oregon? That's easier? No, the easiest is, hey, can you catch somebody after a month off by surprise Michigan and beat them and then have a chance to play for the national title? Watch what happens. Just like the Oscars. You're going to open it up to more people.
Starting point is 00:14:42 It's going to dilute it. You're going to have more blowouts. You're going to have at least four SEC teams getting into the top 12. This is why I argued Alabama should have been in. Everybody was outraged. You wake up this morning. The three best teams I watched in college football. Georgia, Bama, and a coin flip, Ohio State, Michigan.
Starting point is 00:15:04 I thought Ohio State outplayed Georgia. I'm not sure Michigan matched up as well as Ohio. Ohio State did. But, you know, just like the Oscars, oh, let's give more people an opportunity to present average material. 12-team playoff you do get by the 9th, 8th, 9th, 10th team, there'll be some three lost teams in. They'll all be two lost teams. You'll have three lost teams against Georgia.
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Starting point is 00:16:44 embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Football season's underway. Now is the perfect time to download Fandulul America's number one sports book right now, new customers get a no sweat first bet up to $1,000.
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Starting point is 00:18:02 Gambling problem, 1800, next step, or text next step to 5334-2 Arizona. 1888-7-8-9-7-7 or visit ccpg.org slash chat, Connecticut, 1-800 gambler, or visit Fandul.com slash RG and Colorado, Indiana, Jersey, and Virginia. 18777-7-1-1-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-7-1-1-1-7-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-l-l-old. talk. A lot of people bailed on Joe Burrow. Not this host. I remember that second half against Dallas and I said, I saw it. They're going to be fine. I mean, let's take the regular season, take a deep
Starting point is 00:18:54 breath. When did you, because you won a lot of games in a row now. Was there a one or a two game or one or two half moment for you, Joe? that you said, okay, boom, we're clicking. We're all good. This is a good team. Not really. You know, we had moments of that early in the year and really just came down to being more consistent as a team and as an offense.
Starting point is 00:19:23 You know, I wouldn't say there was one or two games that you point to and do like, that's the turning point. It's just kind of progression of the season. You get better throughout the season. You have more practice time together. You have more reps cumulums. and you just get better as the season goes. I'm not a huge fan of playing a team a third time.
Starting point is 00:19:46 That's why I'm not a fan of, you know, Miami Buffalo a third time. Seattle, San Francisco. I don't like it. I think it's hard. I mean, let's be honest. Buffalo is hard to beat once. Yeah. I mean, do you look at it and think, all right, they know my tendencies.
Starting point is 00:20:04 How do you view it? Yeah. That's why division games are always harder because you play each other twice a year. You know how the other unit operates. You know, the guys, you know, the scheme. They know what you're trying to do. You know what they're trying to do.
Starting point is 00:20:20 So it's always harder in those division games, and that's why they're always so tight. Do you feel more responsibility? It's very easy for a team that just beat a team to be flat the next week. That's the history of the league. You beat a team. Then you have to rally the.
Starting point is 00:20:36 guys and say, yes, we got to play with our hair and fire. We can't beat him. Do you feel a little bit, Joe, like, this is really where leadership comes in. urgency, go. This is everything. No, because our guys know how hard it was to beat those guys last week and they're going to be healthier and we know what happened early in the year. So, you know, like I said, you got to take all these division games as seriously as possible because we know what Baltimore has on the defensive side of the football and we know they have on the offensive side of the football. They're a really, really good football team that wins a lot of football games. And so it's going to be a tough challenge for us.
Starting point is 00:21:16 Brian Daibel, Giants coach, who's got actually a lot of rings as an assistant or a coordinator, said playoff experience is overrated. Now, I look at you last year, you didn't have any and you went on the road, I think two out of three weekends. where is it a little overrated and where is there value in your experience? Yeah, that's tough to say because really once you get into the game, every game is the same. And I think that's how you have to handle it. So obviously I would say the more reps you have accumulated of something, the better you're going to perform. but also once you get in, it's just another game.
Starting point is 00:22:02 It doesn't feel on the field like a playoff game, do you? No, you know, the fans are a little more energetic in the crowd, and the atmosphere is always better. But once you're out there on the field, you're blocking all that out anyway. When you look at this season where you're at, I think situationally you're a better quarterback than a year ago, that's what it feels like to me.
Starting point is 00:22:26 I thought your first two years, they were rare, but you'd have an occasional meltdown. The game's fast. Do you sense like, you can sense, okay, this could be one of these moments. Do you in real time ever feel like, man, a year ago, I could have melted down there? No, I don't really feel like that. I do feel like I've drastically improved my play this season from last year, just in the totality. And so I'm happy with that, but there's also a lot of room to improve as well.
Starting point is 00:22:56 And so, you know, I like what we're at as a team and as an offense and as a defense. And honestly, as a locker room as well, we have one of the tightest locker rooms I've ever been part of. And I really think that ends up being the key to winning. How concerned are you with your offensive line injuries? You know, we have guys that we really believe in that have played a lot of football. guys like Max and Hakeem that you know I've stepped in
Starting point is 00:23:23 these last couple weeks you know Hakeem was our starting ragged guard for the majority of the season last year and Max is totally a lot of football in this league and so we got faith in both of those guys to go on and do their jobs you know when you're
Starting point is 00:23:37 I could argue that your college team LSU is sort of iconic Louisiana high school football in Ohio State that your college programs were much more marquee than your NFL team. I think it's funny that you're considered the first or second best quarterback in this league by people I respect. And yet, Buffalo and Kansas City.
Starting point is 00:24:03 I mean, Philadelphia, it's like in a weird way, it's a perfect spot. In college at Ohio State, you're a favorite every week. LSU is a favorite. Your team just got to the Super Bowl. And when I pick you number one I have for five straight weeks, people are like, are you crazy? And I'm like, are you watching the games? You're like 12 and 4. Do you feel sometimes even as good as you guys are?
Starting point is 00:24:27 I mean, you're in a division with the Steelers and the Browns and the Ravens. These franchises are like bedrock, blue blood. Do you still feel a little bit like the new kid on the block? You know, maybe sometimes, but I don't really think in those ways. you know, we're so focused on the day to day of getting better and interacting with each other and getting the work that we need to get done. It honestly, we don't really talk about it too much. Your thoughts on home field being decided by a coin flip, we know why. But it's, I mean, I guess the NBA lottery is a ping pong balls. I mean, it's kind of odd, right? Yeah. You know,
Starting point is 00:25:15 I wasn't, you know, I understood it. I understood why they did it. I just wished that we would have been offered the same opportunity for a potential second round matchup for the bills that we didn't end up getting to play that game, you know, through no fault of our own. And it should have been canceled. We didn't want to play after that happened either.
Starting point is 00:25:39 But, you know, I think that we just weren't afforded some opportunities that other people were. it tick you off I wouldn't say it tick me off we'll play with whatever with whatever we're dealt but it is what it is when I go back to the
Starting point is 00:25:59 Damar Hamelin moment what really sticks out to me is the fear on the player's faces I said this on the air I was skiing a year and a half ago and apparently there was a crash and about 40 to 50 yards from me, a helicopter flew in and they performed CPR.
Starting point is 00:26:21 I did not know the person. It was 40 yards away. It freaked me out. I'm like, all right, that's a wrap. I'm done skiing today. And that was somebody I didn't know. As I watched you guys watch that, the composure you had. I mean, Joe, you probably never seen anything like that. Was it totally unnerving? Yeah, it was a scary emotional moment. Witnessing somebody that plays the same game that you do, you know, go through a crisis that is life-threatening. And, you know, you really take a step back and look at what you do and who you do it with
Starting point is 00:27:05 and makes you appreciate that. And at the same time, reminds you that that's always a possibility every Sunday. and every Monday and every Saturday that you walk out there. So I think a lot of discussions were had throughout the league privately, you know, with loved ones. I know I had some that, you know, that moment is scary. It can happen. And, you know, you try to limit it, but there's not a lot you can do. It's a normal football play that happens just about every play of every single game,
Starting point is 00:27:42 which is what's so scary about it. One of the things I said the other day is that I think the five best quarterbacks in the league, I use this term. The five guys I wouldn't take a phone call on if I was a general manager. You, Alan, Mahomes, Herbert and Trevor Lawrence. I love Brady and Aaron Rogers and Matt Stafford, but they're older. I'd take a phone call if I had to. I'm not going to take a phone call on U5. To watch you and Josh Allen, it was really, it was pretty, you know, I'm in.
Starting point is 00:28:14 my late 50s, Joe. I love Josh Allen so much. I love everything you young guys are about. There was a real moment between you two. And here he looks like Superman. He's bigger than defensive ends. He looks like Superman. He was incredibly vulnerable.
Starting point is 00:28:36 Do you remember that moment when you're right next to him? Yeah. That was tough. You know, me and Josh are friends. and I've known each other for for a couple years now. And, you know, it was just kind of a moment of unity between, you know, not just two teams, but football players. And, you know, we know what each individual person means to everyone else in a locker room. And to see people going through that was, you know, it was tough.
Starting point is 00:29:10 And, you know, everyone in our locker room. took a step back and said it could have been any one of us in that exact same situation. And so that's why it really hit everybody so hard. I thought the Cincinnati crowd was amazing. I thought nobody left. Utter silence. I've never seen anything like it. Even the anthem, there's always a guy in the third deck drunk screaming.
Starting point is 00:29:37 The whole thing, Joe, from the players to the coaches to the fans, I've been doing this 30 years. I was so blown away by the Cincinnati fans. Like in an instant, our guy needs help. Their guy needs help. Did you notice any of that or were you really fixated on DeMar? You realize that once you take a step back, you know, maybe a day or two later and, you know, really reflect on the situation. It made me very proud to live in the community, one, be a part of the organization, two, play for Zach, three.
Starting point is 00:30:12 just with and also very proud of the medical staff trainers, doctors. You know, we got, unfortunately, got to watch them operate and, you know, they were lights out. So it just made me proud to be a part of what we have going on here. Yeah. Aren't medical people amazing? Aren't they amazing? Yeah. We had, I mean, you just, those kind of moments, you know, you find out, what people are made of and the people that were out there on that field are badasses. You could probably make an argument, Joe, that you'll never look, you'll never come into a stadium and see those medical people the same. Like to you, do you almost view them like before they're part of the ensemble.
Starting point is 00:31:03 They're like heroes now. Like, do you almost look at them differently when you enter a stadium? Yeah, I do. You know, I walked into the training room, the training room the next day. I did look at everybody in that room a little differently. I really appreciate those guys and girls. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.
Starting point is 00:31:26 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 put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:31:50 A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way,
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Starting point is 00:32:52 I want you to go back. I'm going to ask you a series of questions about the year. So I'm going to say your favorite Joe Burrow game of the year, not talking statistically, but a game you came off the field and you were just high. It's like, wow, that felt great. At Pittsburgh, coming off of the buy,
Starting point is 00:33:17 we needed a big win, and we played really well on offense that whole game. It was cold, it was windy, a lot of adversity in those AFC North games. And like the Pittsburgh defense does, they made plays against us as well. They made it really hard, but we played really well that game.
Starting point is 00:33:36 Was there a play this year or a throw? It doesn't even have to be a touchdown. But there was a play and you thought, I don't want to be humble. That was pretty good. That was pretty good throw. I was pretty proud of my touchdown throw to Jamar against the Browns the second time around.
Starting point is 00:33:56 A little glance route in the red zone. What do you mean glant trout? Just a little seven-step post. A little seven-step post. And was Denzel on him? Who was on him? Yeah, it was Denzel. Denzel's, in my opinion, one of the best two corners in the league, by the way.
Starting point is 00:34:20 Sauce Gardner, the other one? He's up there. Patrick Sir Tan's good. Yeah, I think he's the best. Yeah. You faced him in college. Yeah, he's tough. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:34:37 Who was the best team you played when you felt like you, this is a go either way because your last three months, you were pretty impenetrable. Best team you played. You know, it's tough because every game is so unique. You know, every game can go in so many different ways. We played a lot of tough teams this year, and each one presents its own unique challenge, which, you know, there's a lot of good teams, and each one presents its own challenge, so it's hard to say.
Starting point is 00:35:08 give me a moment this year that you did something that you wouldn't have been able to do two years ago. You know, there were a couple of throws in the New England game that I wouldn't have been able to make a couple years ago. Just, you know, my mechanics and my footwork have improved so much in the pocket that, you know, I was able to make some of those throws. Just in the cold in New England, those throws were tough. And so I was proud of those. You know, whenever I criticize an athlete, I always think he's sitting next to me. So I try to be fair. And sometimes I'll talk about arm strength.
Starting point is 00:35:52 And I think, what if the quarterbacks talked about my voice strength? Like, Coward's voice, it's like top six. It's not elite. And the other day I was saying, yeah, I like Joe Burrough's arm. I mean, it's not Mahomes. And then I thought, well, what if Joe was sitting there? He'd probably be like, this pretty good arm. You ever think, because everybody always.
Starting point is 00:36:12 talks about your accuracy and your intellect and you're tough. Do you ever think, hey, I got a good arm here. People, hello. Good arm. Yeah, I think I could make a lot of throws that people wouldn't expect of me, but my arm strength isn't on the level of Patrick and Josh. Those guys are on another level as far as that goes. Yeah, I've never seen anything quite like Josh. To be honest with you. Yeah. Those points. why I can't I didn't I didn't get to see him much in college I saw him play twice I saw him jump over a linebacker and I was like yeah that looks good I don't see a lot of that he's still doing that by the way yeah um so here you go it's baltimore I would guess they know your tendencies you know theirs will Zach give you a little more freedom because you face them so many times now Will Zach give you a little more freedom of choice, maybe in a big spot in this game? Is that how it works or not?
Starting point is 00:37:18 No, you know, I have that freedom every play of every game. So if I see something out there, I can go out there and do what we need to do to feel like we got to execute. So, you know, you don't really change that game to game. Do you look back at last year, this improbable run? And I think you're a better time. team. That's how I feel. I just feel like everything's a little tighter. Your O-line's a little tighter. Beyond winning games, if you could say, hey, guys, here's the one thing I wouldn't do that I did last year, even though you're a play from winning the Super Bowl, it could be prep. It could be travel.
Starting point is 00:38:06 Is there a gem you take from the experience last year into this year? You know, I think it's tough to pinpoint one. You know, we know what it takes to get to the Super Bowl as far as body maintenance. You know, it's a really long season. Last year was my first full season. And, you know, we played as far as we could. And so I really learned how to manage my body through those, you know, last five or six weeks when your body's breaking down. And you've got to find a way to maintain your strength to compete those last five weeks.
Starting point is 00:38:48 And so I think that would probably be number one on the list. Did you lift today? Yeah. Yeah, I did. How long do you lift? Oh, about an hour. Oh. By yourself, trainer, teammate.
Starting point is 00:39:02 With our strength coach, Joey. Just with you? Yeah. Wow. Max bench, deadless. Everybody kind of has their own routine in there. And so, you know, we have what I love. about our coaches. They give us a lot of
Starting point is 00:39:20 freedom to, you know, go about our routines. And as long as you get your work in, you get your work in. And so there's always guys in the weight room, getting their stuff done, going through their maintenance on their body, their rehab. And we have mature guys like that. You feel good
Starting point is 00:39:36 today, physically. Feel great today. There you go. Joe, it's great talking to again, man. Appreciate it. See you guys. You bet. Make sure to check out the dream on Green Show. I brought Draymond Green into the volume because one of the more entertaining voices in sports, unique perspective, understands behind the rope, also chops up with guests like Gary Peyton, Zach Levine, Tracy McGrady. Make sure download the Draymond Green Show wherever you get your
Starting point is 00:40:22 podcast only on the volume podcast network. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite unhumored me with Robert Smygle and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.
Starting point is 00:40:51 Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Starting point is 00:41:15 Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

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