The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Chiefs vs Ravens tonight

Episode Date: September 5, 2024

Colin shares his updated Super Bowl bubble before the NFL season kicks off and previews the match up between Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson before the season kicks off tonight He tells you why Jim Harbaugh is the best culture creator in football right now and why he's set up to succeed with the ChargersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio.com.

or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. NFL season starts tonight. Chiefs Ravens live in Los Angeles, it's the herd. Wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your morning, your afternoon. One hour from now, my final NFL predictions going into the season.

A couple of alterations, that's it. feel very strongly. Kind of like the Chiefs tonight. Not in love with it. Be very careful about this opening week, J-Mack. Also, we'll do our Big Ten Betts, a new thing we introduce on Thursdays at the end of the second hour.

We line up, go against each other for the year. Big Bets, Big Ten Betts. Texas, Michigan this weekend is unbelievable. So here we are. I'm so glad I'm in sports and not politics. It's all joy and happy in finality and standings. We're lucky what we do for a living, right? Very fortunate.

Hashtag blessed. All right. Here we go. Let's just start here. I always do Super Bowl bubbles. About once a month, once every five weeks, I'll do you a Super Bowl bubble. Here's my Super Bowl bubble to start the season. For the radio audience, I think there's, to be honest, seven, eight teams should be favorites.

In the NFC, Detroit, Green Bay, San Francisco, I'm high on the Rams. In the AFC, the Texans, the Bills, yeah, Josh Allen, Mahal and. homes, Kansas City, and the Ravens. I think four teams are just on the outside. I've got a question I need to see resolved. Philadelphia, love the roster, love the quarterback, love almost everything, ownership, GM. I'm a little worried about the coach and the quarterback relationship and the coach overall. Cincinnati, Joe Burroughs Health.

I wish I had the Jets defense and Miami's offense as one team, but they're so good at one thing. Jets defense, Miami offense. I'll keep them on the periphery, but there's hope here. So there you go. Eight in the bubble and four on the outside. This may change. We always have a surprise team, but that feels right. I really think the Texans have a legitimate chance to get to a conference championship.

They have turned that franchise around with the right coach, the right GM, and the right quarterback. All these teams, all these teams have one thing in common. They have a good quarterback. I know, I know, Brock Purdy, but he has 111 passer rating. He's a good quarterback. I don't think he's a star, but he's a good quarterback. But they don't all have an established proven coach. We don't know what Robert Sala really is.

But tonight, what you're seeing, frankly, is what the model of the league is. Chiefs Ravens, the two winning his teams in this sport since the Patrick Mahomes era started. Ownership, front office. coach, quarterback, roster, drafting, development. This is how you do it. And yet, Baltimore, one of the two model franchises in the league, always leaves us unsatisfied, proving how difficult it is to win in this sport. Mostly because of two people.

In the last decade, two people have had a stranglehold on this league. One is retired Tom Brady. One is moving into his prime. been there probably a couple of years, Patrick Mahomes. Five of the last six trophies have been hoisted by Brady or Mahomes, and eight of the last 10 Super Bowls Brady or Mahomes have appeared in it. So you and I for the next six months can talk about speedy wide receivers and tough tight ends and clever running backs and smart coordinators and brilliant young offensive coaches.

Brady and Mahomes. And even the quarterbacks capable, capable of beating Mahomes. in a January game. Joe Burrow can't stay healthy. Lamar Jackson kind of freezes in the headlights. Josh Allen won too many mistakes. It illustrates once again just how damn hard it is to win. And it's why I support Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

It's really hard to beat legends. Go ask Peyton Manning and Big Ben with Brady. And go ask Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow. It's just incredibly hard. Kansas City's got everything right. Owner, front office, president, GM, quarterback, weapon, pass rusher,

draft, develop. They had everything right. And Baltimore's got almost everything right. And that's this sport, inches not feet. And Tom Brady earlier this week on this show talked about the challenges tonight for Baltimore. and the opening game of the season. When you're losing the playoffs,

you want to think about how are we going to get over the hump next year? What do we need to do? Where are our deficiencies? Where can we get a little better? How can we improve our team a little bit? So when we get these big games, we're more prepared than the other team. We've got more margin of air.

Look, to win a Super Bowl is absolutely incredibly difficult. There's only one team that does it. Baltimore wants what the chief's got. and that's why you lead the season off the way they have it, Ravens Chiefs. For the record, Brady's best offense never won a Super Bowl. He had a 10-year gap, the best player that's ever played, the most dominant, productive player, Tom Brady, won a decade, no Super Bowls. And those were his best offenses, Randy Moss teams, blew people out.

That's how hard it is. That's the challenge for Baltimore. but Barclay was great and couldn't beat MJ. Phil was great. Couldn't get past Tiger enough. It's just really hard to beat Legends. Speaking of Legends, right now, the most consistent culture creator

in American football, college or pro, is Jim Harbaugh. It's not Saban. He's retired. It's not Parcells. He's gone. Belichick, nope. Urban Meyer in college, doing TV. it's Jim Harbaugh. Pre-harbaugh, do you remember how bad Stanford was?

One and 11. Oh, they were good at the academic thing. They were horrible at football. His first year at Stanford, they flew down to Los Angeles as a 40-point underdog and beat the Trojans who were number two in the country in Los Angeles. The San Francisco and, 49ers pre-Harbaugh had not made the playoffs in eight years.

The roster was a mess. They had no culture. Year one with Harbaugh, 13 and 3, NFC championship, with a quarterback that was viewed as a bust, Alex Smith. Michigan was a tire-fire pre-harbaugh. Five and seven, one first-round pick, a left tackle, Taylor-Lawan. One first-rounder in four years.

Pre-Harbaugh. First year, 10 and 3. And oh, by the way, this last year, what do they have? 13, 14 guys drafted. Stanford was a disaster. Niners were a disaster. Michigan was a disaster. And now, here comes Houdini.

Pre-Harbaugh, the Chargers last year, had a virtual mutiny with their players. Five and 12. Worst locker room in the league. Worst big play defense in the league with a defensive coordinator. And Jim walks in. into the building. By the way, a brand new building in Elsinco, California. It's gorgeous. And here's the guy that does this better than anybody currently coaching football. He is the greatest repetitive culture creator. But this time, it's not a total rebuild.

Khalil Mack, Bose off the edge. His first draft pick, Joe Alt, best tackling the draft to go along with Rashon Slater. Edge rushers, tackles, above, average. Oh, Justin Herbert. Nothing against Alex Smith or his first quarterback at Michigan. But Justin Herbert's really good. Jim Harbaugh this week, who was a quarterback in the NFL, I think he's got a little twinkle. He's been very optimistic. He's almost been funny this entire offseason. Why? Because this isn't the Stanford rebuild. This isn't the Niner rebuild. This isn't the Michigan rebuild. He's got Justin Herbert, and here's Harbaugh on him.

He's like a human computer chip, you know, for a brain. It's just the way he, the way he thinks, the way he can, you know, go through information, you know, get to the, you know, absorb it, retain it, remember it, disseminate it. I mean, it's, it's really impressive. He's always reminded me, Jim Harbaugh, a little of the late Steve Jobs. Jobs wasn't the best engineer, right? We're smarter people in the building, but he understood, unlike Microsoft at the time, the artistry of it. He was selling image, imagery, and he knew what he wasn't.

Harbaugh's not the best scheme guy in the NFL. Could be Kyle Shanahan, not the best scheme guy. But the ability to change cultures, college and pro, is a real thing, and nobody in the world is better at it. And I got into this discussion a couple of months ago and somebody said, God, Harbaugh's really lightened up. He's like funny and likable. And I'm like, because Jim sees what he's never seen before, which is a top five quarterback in a rebuild.

He usually had to go trade for one, find one, recruit one. Now he's got one. And that's why he's so happy, happier than ever as he embarks on a weekend one against the Raiders. Jay Mack, who's got it better than us? Who has got? Nobody has got it better than us. Yeah, I'll agree. I'll go ahead and agree with you there. Except the only problem is, I don't know what to do with the Chiefs Ravens game tonight.

You might be right yesterday. You were like, just watch it. It's going to be great. Yeah. My take is I, Kansas City, Steve Spagnola, who is in a short list of the best defensive coordinators in the league with a very good defense, almost all of them returning has had a little bit of wizardry. He's had Lamar's number in the matchups. That's an advantage. That's a coordinator advantage. They've had a lot of time to prepare for a quarterback they've had success with.

Also, Kansas City lost this game last year to Detroit. So they're not overlooking anybody. They got nipped last year. Remember, they weren't quite ready to go. They've also, I think, upgraded their receiving core. Rishi Rice established himself. You got worthy of the kid out of Texas. they like a lot.

They brought in Juju Smith-Schuster that knows their offense. I would go Kansas City here. I think it's close, maybe a little low-scoring. It's a feeling out process in the first quarter. But this is what the NFL does better than any league. And the NBA is pretty good at it too. They understand they're a TV product. This is the game you'd want for week one.

This is the game. The problem is all we've talked about for the Chiefs all summer is Super Bowl, three Pete. Can they do it? Yeah. This game ain't circled on the calendar, but Baltimore, you know, is locked in after getting destroyed and kind of embarrassed in the AFC championship game. They're at home. It was a clunker.

Terrible game plan. You know the offensive coordinator, even Harbaugh. By the way, I saw Harbaugh 12 and 4 against a spread in week one games in his career. Like, he's going to be dialed in. They're going to be ready. I don't know if there's urgency for the chiefs in week one to show up and we got to win this game, you know? Fair enough. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.

Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 bases 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, 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. What would you eat if you had to start over? Real simple, poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. Yeah. That's poor people's food, man. But be in Nigeria, that's, come on, a go-to. On the podcast Eating While Broke, I sit down with celebrities,

entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on and the moments that shaped their journey. Named Best Food Podcasts at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards, this show is all about real conversations on money, growth, and what it really takes to make it. It was times where me and Lex were, like, definitely getting into it. Because we're not making any money. Like, I need to start making money.

Like, why are we doing this? But I don't know. I think we just always, knew that we had something really good and eventually people were going to catch on. And so we just thugged it out. The full season is available to binge. Right now, listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my 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 and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier.

We're not becoming more social. connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. 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. You're now entering the no bull zone sponsored by credible great rates, none of the bulls. So all distractions in the NFL are not equal. And the Kansas City Chiefs open the season at home against Baltimore tonight.

And there's this sense that it's been a very noisy offseason for Kansas City. And I would argue again, not all distractions are equal. Take Kansas City and the Jets. The Jets issues could be disruptive. They need a pass rusher and he's held out. They thought they had him and then they didn't. and then he held out, and he's still not starting. And they have an offensive coordinator that they strongly considered hiring another coach to call plays for him.

The quarterback took a shot at the coach. Coach took a shot at the quarterback, rebuilding the O line. Those are disruptions that could affect a locker room or an outcome. Kansas City's issues, to me, aren't disruptive. Rishie Rice in the offseason. A young kid did something stupid. It's called your 20s. The players had his back and so did the team.

Harrison Butker, politics. Most of the players agree with him. It's politics. Nobody cares in that locker room. What about Travis Swift? Travis Kelsey. Well, it could be, you know. Travis Kelsey, the Swifties.

What are we going to? Nobody cares. It's just Hollywood and fun and music. Nobody cares. The Jets have real. disruptions. The chiefs, you know, there's a difference between on your couch scrolling on your phone and in your car in traffic scrolling on your phone.

One has consequences. One's just wasting time and screwing off. So Taylor Swift, Travis Kelsey means nothing. Harrison Butker means nothing. Rishie Rice doesn't mean nothing, but young players in the league make mistakes, even big ones. You'll find overwhelmingly that Kansas City from the first moment, on had his back, scold him, have his back.

Those are not outcome changers. Those are not locker room dividers. The media thinks Harrison Butker is a locker room divider. I'm here to tell you, zero. Zero influence. So in Kansas City is also built for this. Owner, A-plus, GM, president, quarterback coach experienced A-plus. They're built to overcome any little fissure in the chemistry, any little speed bump driving to the stadium.

They have stars at GM, coach quarterback. The Jets owners are the disruptors, are the chaos creators. Big difference. They don't have proven leadership. Aaron makes a situation that's noisy, noisier. He responds to everything. He's got rabbit ears. Sala responds to everything.

Woody Johnson and Sala apparently had some shouting match last year. That's not what Kansas City is going through. So Kansas City is the model of leadership in this league top down. And that means you're built to handle a Rishi Rice, a Harrison Butker, Travis Kelsey. I mean, Andy Reid's appearing in commercials. Everybody's all in. New England had some stuff in the offseason,

but they had such great leadership with Kraft. Early days, Pioly, and Belichick, and Brady. That stuff got in the way of winning. That's the great advantage. Baltimore's had issues. It never gets in the way of winning. Little tiny fissures with the jets implode because they don't have to handle it.

They don't have leadership in the locker room. They don't have it at quarterback coach owner. over the last 25 years. So not all distractions are equal. I'm reading Diana Rusini as a column today talking about the offseason for the chiefs, and there's been a lot of turbulence and movement, but it's the world's most, well, it's America's most popular sport. And Annie reads the best coach, and Mahomes is the biggest star, and Travis Kelsey's hanging out

with Taylor Swift. It's going to be turbulence. This is not going to be a cross-country flight without an air pocket. You can't bounce around a little. He'll spell coffee. but Kansas City's built to withstand anything, just like New England was for 20 years. And you can go back to the Flate Gaiton, Spy Gaten,

and all sorts of stuff. Never got in the way of wins. I watched a documentary on New England. They won a Super Bowl, and the player said it was the hardest season we ever had. It wasn't any fun. They hoisted a trophy. Remember last year at the end of the year for Kansas City,

players said, this was the hard one. This was exhaust. I mean, you got Travis, Kelsey, and Andy reading the Super Bowl, banging heads, banging heads. banging headsets, and they hoisted a trophy. Greatness is not just playing, catching football, throwing football. It's leadership, and the teams like the Baltimore's and San Francisco, Kansas City, they're built for the bumps.

J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We haven't dug much into Rams Lions Sunday night football. Stay away. Stay away. It's a really, really good game. This is Matthew Stafford returning to Detroit where he was a folk hero for many years.

Last season, of course, he took the Rams into Detroit. They lost a tight wild card matchup. Very good game. Fans let Stafford hear about it. Here's what he had to say about facing that hostile Detroit crowd again. I feel the crowd 100%. Motivating factor. Love it.

I want to hear all of it. I want to smell it. I want to feel like it's football. And that's part of football, especially going to an away game. So that stuff just motivates me. You know, you and I have said this before. I can really like a team, but not love them in week one. I really like the Rams.

They're not going 17 and 0. I would take Detroit in this game. I mean, I really, really like Bo Nix and Denver to overachieve this year. I don't like them at Seattle in week one against a young, smart defensive coordinator. You and I both love Houston. You think they're going to lose in week one to the cold. So, you know, I can think two things that we're going to.

one time. I love the Rams. I love the schedule, but they've had some preseason offensive line issues, so it's a little makeshift on the offensive line, center to guard, tackles moving around, Havenstein not healthy. So in week one, I think the Rams, this is a tough spot for them. It's also a standalone game. Detroit's got a Super Bowl field. Detroit's got a better O-line right now. Hutchison had a great camp. He could be the best pass rusher with Max Crosby on the edge in the league. So I think this is Detroit's game in the opener. I think they are appropriately favored by over a field goal. Okay, I've been waiting for the right time to spring this on you.

So last year, I know I was down on the Rams and you were high and they ended up high. Do you remember how they started last season? Yes. Three and six, Colin. And then you look at that November 19th game against Seattle. They were three and six hurtling toward disaster. Yeah. Jason's got to be right.

And they come back to beat Seattle at SoFi. And then down the stretch, here's who they beat. Arizona, which had massive quarterback issues, they were terrible. The Browns, again, quarterback issues, Watson, backups, blah, blah, blah. Lost that game to the Ravens. Beat the commanders who stunk. Yeah. Beat the Saints who were awful.

Beed the Giants who were a tire fire. And then beat the Niners in Week 18 were like they didn't play anybody. So let's just chill out with the Rams exceeded expectations last year. Do you remember when the Ravens last year were blowing out the Niners and blowing out the Dolphins and blowing out the line? the Lions, and LA flew cross-country and outplayed them and had them beat.

Damn. That was a tough loss. That was one of those games. I'm not just impressed when you win. There are times I watch a team that loses and think, oh, that's a moment. And by the way, that Rams Baltimore game, all you said was true. Baltimore was rolling

people. They humiliated Detroit. Nobody's humiliated Detroit in two years. It was a woodshed game. It was It's like, white flag, it's over. And the Rams outplayed them. Went to overtime. So it's like that to me was the, okay, and they beat San Francisco. San Francisco playing backups.

I mean, they have nine pro bowlers. Then they win a playoff game. Then they're a play from the NFC championship. And they had, by the way, they were the youngest team outside of Green Bay in the league. And they had a great draft. Watch out. I just think this game is built for Detroit. Built for Detroit.

At home, I'm kind of with you. I like the lions a little bit. Let's go to the next story and that's the Niners. Brandon Ayuk, done deal. Trent Williams in the building. Everybody's excited. Next in line, though, Colin, Brock Purdy. The third-year quarterback will be eligible for an extension at the end of the season

and Trent Williams wants to be a key factor in getting him a raise. I want all my teammates to get paid. I want him to get every red cent that they deserve, every red cent that they can. So Brock is obviously outplayed a mysterious. relevant contract. So I mean I would be thrilled, absolutely thrilled to not only see that to watch his life change, you know, after something like that because he he deserved it. Super, super proud of him. I love a kid to death. He deserves every dollar coming his way. And yeah, I want to be a part to help him get to what exactly he deserves. So he's got 111 passer rating so far in his career. He makes

good decisions, moves well enough, not a huge arm, good enough. He's a lot of good enough with a great coach, a great supporting cast, and I will say this. He makes the right throw, and that's what Shanahan loves with him. That's what Sam Darnold admitted being his backup. This guy upstairs, he's moving fast. He makes the right throw. He rarely lets go with the ball and you go, uh-oh. And that's a big part of Kyle Shanahan. That's why Kyle Shanahan like Kirk cousins. Kirk makes the right throw. Kirk doesn't move that great. Kirk doesn't have a big arm. Kirk throws it to where he's supposed to throw it. And for the record, even Garapolo mostly knew what he was and wasn't. Garapolo didn't throw up the sideline. He knew he didn't have

the arm strength. Garoppel was great between the hash marks. That's what Kyle wanted. So Kyle and Brock, so much of life is fit. It's really a good fit. You don't have a guy running out of plays. He didn't have a prickly attitude rolling his eyes. The play comes in. Brock runs it and throws to the right spot with just enough mobility to occasionally, and this is a big deal, they couldn't do this with the Garoppolo, just enough mobility to move the pocket, just enough. It's weird because I think of the Purdy story and where he's come, where he's been. I don't know how there's a better quarterback story in the league than Brock.

No, that's great. It's amazing. If he would have won that Super Bowl color, if they would have had a touchdown instead of a field goal in overtime, like what's a better story than that? You were the dead last pick in the draft. Remember, at Iowa State first couple years, he was projected, oh, this may be an NFL guy, and then he just wasn't very good. And then all of a sudden, he's like, lights out in the NFL.

Like, this is just, that's, this is what's. This is really, the WNBA has a little bit of this now, because their players stand college for so long. What makes the NFL draft great, and the WNBA draft increasingly interesting, is you get grownups, and they're ready to play. I mean, Brock Purdy's got three, four years starting. he's ready to play. He's had to carry an Iowa state rostered against Texas, Oklahoma.

So in what's great about the NFL, half the rosters are undrafted. So it's just, it's just that this league is built on hope and optimism and overcoming and challenges. It's not all glitzy and stars and international. It is dudes from Iowa State getting last drafted and ending up on the best roster in the league and delivering. That's why of the many things that are great about that you can go from Houston, the laughing stock of the league, to a playoff team. And on an individual basis, you can be Brock Purdy.

There's so much hope and optimism for the players, for the franchises, season to season. Speaking of hope and optimism, Caleb Williams makes his debut Sunday against the Titans in the early window. Very excited, although Tennessee money kind of starting to show the last couple days. Anyway, the first overall pick, Caleb Williams, has never lacked confidence, and Kenan Allen says it only continues to climb. With confidence, you know, he's been, he's always been the guy, you know, and when we first had Herbert, he wasn't really the starter going into week one. So that's, that's the difference.

And, you know, he's all, like I said, he's always been the guy, so he's always had the expectation of playing at that level that we play at. So, you know, I think he's ready for, I think he's up for the task. And, like I said, confidence is good. You know, no matter who the quarterback is, you want to win. And, you know, I wouldn't rather be with another guy right now than Caleb. I think he showed great, what's it called? He's gotten better ever since we've started. And, you know, I think the confidence is through the roof.

By the way, I'm a little nervous here. If you go look at rookie quarterbacks starting their first game in week one, it's like 3 and 28. It's not good. And some of these lines, Tennessee plus four, if it goes to Tennessee plus four, would you take the Titans? No, no, this is stay away from. me.

Yeah, I stay away for me too. But interesting point on that rookie quarterbacks. Remember, you go number one overall, you're going to a crap team. But that's not the case here. Exactly. They won seven games, and they got Carolinas picket one.

So they're not awful. They're actually good. I think they've got a lot of guys on this team. No, they're offensively. If you look at DeAndre Swift, Colquette, Gerald Everett, D.J. Moore, Roma, Dunzee,

Keenan Allen. That is a top half-dub. That's a top six. skill group. I mean, seriously, take out C.D. Lamb, no other cowboy plays. What offense, well, who's playing offensively? Well, Jake Ferguson, the tight ends all right. He's solid. He's top, top above league average. How's that? I'm, I've got two tight ends, three receivers, good back. And I also think I like both their tackles. I mean, I think their GM, a former offensive tackle, Ryan Poles, I think he's hit on some of these offensive linemen. This is not your typical number one

This is not a bad roster. This is a really, as the league pivots to offense, they got dudes. They got speed, they got over the top guys, underneath guys. So if you're ranking the 1 PM games, this has to be well, actually, no, no, this is number one. No, this is the number one game.

I'm nervous. In the early window. Listen, it's better if Caleb wins and Chicago wins because the NFL maneuvers their schedule. This is a good opener for them. Tennessee's got a quarterback

that nobody likes. Well, they got a brand new staff. They're on the road. They got a lot of, they got at least like nine new starters when you combine offensive defense. We don't even know if their quarterback can play. Most say no. Well, we know their offensive coordinator, the guy who was in Cincinnati now the head

coach, Tallah. He's good. Yeah. You know, I know that. And so I expect them to dial up some offense and maybe Levis looks really good. I don't know. Now, let's just, let's just hypothetically say bears lose 30 to 27. Good game, but a loss.

It changes everything. For the Bears, it kind of does, right? I just fancy. Oh, Iber flutes! Blameeephyluse! Will Levis is not winning a shootout. Now, Will Levis can win. He's not winning a shootout.

I, let's see a game first. You know, the more you talk about, like, hey, easing into week one, I understand. There's a lot of newness. So many new coordinators around the league head coaches. I still have not made a final decision on Blazing 5. Well, you're going to. No, no.

I suggested that I would consider it. You went over the top like I gave you ice cream for breakfast when I just bought ice cream, put it in the fridge until you're getting it for breakfast. But you at least have three or four plays that you really like. I have two plays that I like and three I can tolerate. Sort of how your herd line news goes. Couple I like a few I tolerate. J-Mack for the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. All right. Top of the hour. My final picks before we get into the season. Coming up next, Albert Breer, by the way, releases this before the season every year. He goes to GMs, coaches, assistant GMs, personnel directors, execs, O coordinators, quarterback coaches.

He says, give me your top five quarterbacks. The results are out, and there's one that's very interesting next. I just discovered J-Lab headphones. I'm hooked. J-Lab, the best audio products in the game at great prices. Take care of this football season. Find the blue box at an airport, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, or visit jaylab.com. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

He's by Carmen. I'm Dan Byrd. We have a fantasy football podcast called I Want Your Flex. That's right, Dan. Every week we're going to scour the waiver wire to find the pickups to turbo boost your fantasy lineup. Sit, starts. Fantasy football players' rankings to get you ready to dominate the competition. Listen to I Want Your Flex with Mike Harmon and me, Dan Byer, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle. with grace. Listen to Superhuman on the I Heart 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 bases 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, 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.

What would you eat if you had to start over? Real simple, poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. Yeah. That's poor people's food, man. But be in Nigeria, and that's, come on, a go-to. On the podcast Eating While Broke, I sit down with celebrities, entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on and the moments that shaped their journey. Named Best Food Podcasts at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards.

This show is all about real conversations on money, growth, and what it really takes to make it. It was times where me and Lex were like definitely getting into it because we're not making any money. Like I need to start making money. Like, why are we doing this? But I don't know. I think we just always knew that we had something really good. And eventually people were going to catch on. And so we just thugged it out.

The full season is available to binge. Right now, listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Kunky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports.

And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. 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 that. 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 solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice.

Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your own, your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Cream a chicken suit. A cream. Cream a chicken suit.

This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Big Noon Saturday, third-ranked Texas, clash with 10th-ranked Michigan in the big house. Big noon kickoff gets it started at 9 a.m. with appearances by Derek Jeter, Matthew McConaughey, Charles Woodson, and Chris Weber. Oh boy. Plus, performances by Moneybag, yo, then catch Texas, Michigan, at noon on Fox.

By the way, I just watched the Netflix special a couple days ago on Connor Stallions. I'd hire that guy in one second. I would hire Conor Stallions in one second. You know what? You found out, and I appreciate, I think, I think. I think it was Dan Wetzel, the reporter, and Netflix, being honest about it, is that there's a subculture of sign stealing. It's legal. Everybody's doing it. And when Harbaugh got to Michigan, they were so far behind Ohio State and everybody else in the country doing it that they had to figure out a guy to get. And they went and got this kid from the Naval Academy, Conner Stallions. I don't think anything less than Michigan, Harbaugh, I'd hire Conner Stallions tomorrow.

Wait, what is this on again? This is the Conner. It's on Netflix. It's the Conner Sallion. I love the kid. He was just smarter than everybody else stealing signs. That's all he was. Is a series or is it?

No, it was like a 90 minute. And I appreciated Netflix and Wetzel being honest about it. There's a subculture out there. This is what I kept talking about on the show. I kept saying, guys, all my coaching buddies are like, Colin, we're all doing it, nonstop. It's like, it's everybody's doing it. It's like speeding on the freeway.

So I'm not going to get outraged. Now, if you're doing 150 miles an hour in a school zone, You deserve a slap on the wrist. But if you're speeding, everybody's speeding, man. I sped here this morning. Got on the off ramp as they were pursuing me. Just got back to work. Just saying, I loved it.

Okay, so Albert Breer, he'll be on last hour. Greg CoSell next hour starts. We're ready to roll with Greg CoSell, my final NFL predictions in 15 minutes. So Albert Breer does this. He goes to GM's, quarterback coaches, assistant GMs, execs, head coaches, personnel directors.

He goes to all these guys, and he asks them, give me your top five quarterbacks quarterback list. So I think this is really interesting and instructive. So, I mean, I don't disagree with any of it. I think these guys are all smart.

Mahomes, one, for the radio audience that can't see this. Burrough 2, Allen 3, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson 4, C.J. Stroud. I don't disagree. I'd probably put Stafford ahead of him, but the kid can play. Stafford at 6.

Aaron Rogers 7, Justin Herbert 8, Jordan Love 9. I don't have a problem with any of it. Here's where it's interesting. Brock Purdy 10, Dak Prescott 11, and I'm going to make the argument, and you're going to be uncomfortable with this. They're the same guy, and GMs in the NFL see it. Both Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott, mid to late rounds. Neither has a huge arm. Both are high character guys with a lot of starts in college.

both you trust at the podium, you both trust the young men to run your offense. They're not world-class ad livers. They don't have elite armed talent. There's no proof either one can carry an average roster, and this will be DAC's most average offensive roster. But there is proof that if you stack the roster, like DAC early when he had the O-line and Zeke and Amari Cooper, they can win double-digit games.

Brock Purdy's done the same. they are the same guy. One has a star on the helmet and is rich. One is with the iconic 49ers and is not. But they were guys that had a lot of reps in college, overlooked by people, mid to late round picks, go do an offensive coach and a really, really stacked offensive roster and are productive, and play for nothing for years

and make the owners a lot of money. And eventually, that gets paid. You have to move off some teammates. and he's just sort of not going to win the big games. And eventually my concern with Purdy here in a year or two, you're going to have to pay him, they'll move off three or four of the top players, and he won't win as many big games. But Purdy and Dak Prescott, the GMs are telling you, it's the same guy. One's 10, 111.

And no gap. It's the same guy. And it doesn't sound right, and I know I've been tough on Brock Purdy, but Brock Purdy's got 111-penter rating. And if you go to Dak's rookie year, when he had that O-line and Zeke, DAC was just putting up numbers. So this makes everybody uncomfortable, but DAC, since they paid in the big money,

he doesn't work with his many elite players, and they can win regular season games, but they just got boat-raced at home by the youngest playoff team since 1970, Green Bay, and that's really what they are. And I think if you ever paid Brock Purdy, that's what you'd see. He wouldn't have a kiddle and probably a debo. And can you keep all these elements?

You have to hit on more draft picks, and you end up with a good roster, not an amazing roster, and that's what Dallas is. So I think that's kind of interesting. I mean, I'm eight years into DAC. I know what I have. I'm not that many years into Brock Purdy, but the NFL GM to Albert Brewer are telling you what you have. So yesterday we had, by the way, Dax's first 25 starts, he had a passer rating over 100. Why?

Because he had a great old line and a great run game and great weapons. And Brock Purdy's got 100. He's got an even better assortment of weapons with the Niners that Dack did early with the Cowboys and a better play caller. So there you go. So sometimes when you have a business change, there's unintended consequences. Or sometimes when there's a big change in any business, you have unintended benefits. So for years and years, I have complained about something and college football. And you know I love it. There's not enough great games. You get one or two over

the course of the weekend, but why is everybody ducking opponents? But I'm watching USC play LSU. USC wins, but LSU over the next four weeks is going to clobber people. They don't play Georgia. They host Alabama. LSU can absolutely make the playoff. If Michigan loses to Texas this weekend, which is what I believe will happen. Texas is completely stacked. Texas is Michigan last year. If Michigan runs the table, even loses to Ohio State at the end, which I predict they will, maybe soundly,

they can still make the playoff. Sark was talking about that yesterday on the show about playing Michigan early in the season. Could it help you down the line? I do think there's a rhyme and reason to everything that we're trying to accomplish and what we're trying to do and develop in our team in our program. But in the end, I do think it allots you to play in games like this and not feel like,

man, if we don't win this game, we have to be perfect the rest of the way. I do think it allots you to expose your team to some tough environments, to play against quality opponents, to get yourself ready for conference play, and then not have to feel the repercussions if you don't come out on top. And I think that's always been the biggest advantage NFL to college, is the NFL's got six big games every weekend, and there'll be two weekends every college football season, sometimes three, but there's maybe one game.

And that's with 130 Division I one programs. NFL's got 32, and I get six, seven big games every weekend. And so I think the unintended benefit of the 12-team playoff will be you can play more games like this. LSU's fine. They could lose to Alabama and USC and still make the playoff. They don't play Georgia. And by the way, Michigan can lose to Texas and Ohio State.

They probably would have to beat USC. Hard to lose back-to-back games. You'll really fall out of the top 15, top 20. But, I mean, if USC would have lost, they have a game against Penn State and Michigan and Notre Dame. You win those games you're in. So that's what's so nice to me about the 12-team playoff. So many of these top programs, you were basically scheduling not to lose. I mean, how many times did Nick Saban take his team west?

How many times did Nick Saban, after about his first three or four years at Bama, playing out a conference game against the great team, and he was on the road? Well, the SEC schedule. It's not that much greater. I watched the Big Ten go 17 and one this weekend. You got to stop on that. So I like the idea that a Georgia will just say, I'm going on the road, or a Tennessee, like, we're heading north, we're heading west.

I appreciate the fact that USC Opened with LSU and closes with Notre Dame Both games out of conference What's the benefit? Wouldn't you rather just, they don't play Oregon and Ohio State If they could beat Michigan I mean they only had like one game Where they may not have as good as personnel, Penn State.

But instead USC, LSU early, Notre Dame late, Penn State, Michigan in the middle. Like that's, we all win on that. We all benefit on more. big games. I mean, it's funny years and years ago, Nick Sagan was complaining about Alabama's attendance. It's like, what do you expect? You're playing Citadel. What do you expect? College kids have stuff to do. It's called frats and sororities and parties. Get in the car and have some fun. So, you know, you start complaining about, well, we don't have kids at the game. I guarantee you, Texas,

Michigan. I watched that LSU game in Vegas. That was crazy. It may have been a 60-40 LSU That's a crazy environment. The SC people, they may have flown in the day of the game. LSU was there for four days, but that's what college football needs more of. These gigantic games that pop on television, and now you can lose them. It's okay. I believe there will be a three-loss team that makes the playoffs. I really believe that.

I don't think there'll be multiple. I don't think anybody's going undefeated. Even Georgia. I think everybody's losing the game. It's going to be one and two lost teams, and you watch in that 14. that 11 spot because 12 will go to Boisey State or Liberty or something like that, Utah. You're watching that 10-11 spot, you're going to get a really good team that lost two games in overtime. You'll get like a Tennessee that like beat some big dogs but, you know,

loses a great game or two in overtime on the road and we talk ourselves into, we've got to put Tennessee in this thing. I've got too many NFL bodies. We all win and that's good. All right, top of next hour, my final NFL predictions before the season kicks off. tonight Ravens Chiefs in Kansas City. Greg CoSell stopping by.

Can't wait for that. Harbaugh this weekend opens up with the Chargers. Oh my Lord. It's goosebumps, man. It is goosebumps. Hour two on a Thursday, live in L.A. next. Another podcast from some SNL

late-night comedy guy, not quite unhumored me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman helped make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my GenX squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS.

Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? 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. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Therapy is fantastic. But once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing.

That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, Cultivating Her Space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high achieving individuals. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I told myself can then shape my 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. This is an IHeart podcast.

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