The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Cowboys, Herbert, Seahawks, Mayfield

Episode Date: November 22, 2021

Cowboys just need to get healthyWhat Colin really likes about Justin HerbertThe competition may have caught up with Pete CarrollColin's thoughts on Baker Mayfield after the gameGuest: Michael Vick Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On The Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me.

I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it 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. 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, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional

who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with, And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern,

9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHart Radio app by searching HARD. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a loaded Monday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, one hour from now where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong.

There is plenty of both. The Blazing Five is back on track. Joy Taylor is joining me. Another non-normal Sunday in the NFL. It's just the way it is. Don't expect anything less. It's just a wild year. I mean, we're still dealing with a lot of stuff in the pandemic,

who dies out, injuries, and it's just been one of those years where it really feels like it's anybody's game. You know, sometimes you go to a party, and it's about who's at the party, and sometimes you go to a party or a wedding, and it's like the story is who didn't go to the party or wedding. So today, on a Monday, yesterday, in this last couple of weeks in the NFL isn't just about who's playing.

It's about who's not playing. The Steelers' defense, ravaged by injuries, gave up 37 points. The Packers missing five or six elite starters. Lost. Ryan Tannihill doesn't have Derek Henry. Four picks. Even Tom Brady last two weeks.

No A.B. and Gronk. Struggled. Alvin Kamara gone for the Saints. Oh, they can't score like they used to. do. It's late November. Injuries are piling up. Those decimate the bad teams. But Dallas is not a bad team. They're a very, very good team. They have now shifted into survival mode. So will the Packers. They're just running out of star players. I mean, you tell me, Dak's missing Amari Cooper, his best receiver and his left tackle, who will be a first ballot Hall of Famer Tyron Smith.

You tell me the last time Dak missed both of those and was great. And C.D. Lamb got hurt at half. Shocker. Dallas had nine points. They were also missing their two top pass rushers, DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory. So they put some pressure on Patrick Mahomes, but he was the much more comfortable quarterback. This is not an excuse. Dack did not throw the ball particularly well, but we've never thought of Dack as an elegant thrower of the football. He doesn't throw it as well as the old Tom Brady or the young Justin Herbert. That's not what he does. There's a lot of components to DAC, but a beautiful thrower of the football, artistic armed talent is not one of them. This is not an excuse, but he was sack five times, under siege for three and a half hours.

But you know what? When I look at the standings this morning, here's what I see. Bill Belichick's in first place. John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson are in first place. Mike Vrable's in first place. Andy Reid's in first place. Aaron Rogers is, Tom Brady is, Sean McVeigh's close, and the Dallas Cowboys are in first place.

Injuries decimate average to poor teams. The Cowboys aren't. Kansas City is healthier now. Chris Jones is playing the right position. Isn't it funny how Kansas City's defense? All their problems have vanished. I know a lot of you say things like eat the rich and go after the top 1%. But when you're missing the top 1% of your football team, you're not the same team.

Think about this. was missing the most starters in the NFL yesterday. They lost. Dallas was missing for their best players. They lost. Pittsburgh was missing maybe the best pass rusher in football. Mika Fitzpatrick, T.J. Watt. They had their

worst defensive Sunday in a long time. These are not excuses. They're just reasons. I think Kansas City is a very good football team. I think Dallas is an exceptional football team. But one is healthy and one's on crutches. For Dallas to only surrender

19 points, felt like they never mounted any real drives. Kansas City took a lead early and you thought they were going to run away with it and three and a half hours later, you're grumbling about Mike McCarthy's clock management, but they were in the football game with six minutes to go. Dallas is fine.

Their health list isn't. They're playing with crutches. But if you look at the standings this morning, it's late November and the really good teams, almost all of them have been at some point this year decimated with injuries and they're still in first place. The cream always eventually rises.

And I know we haven't said this much for 20 years, but Dallas is creaming the crop in the NFC East. They're right where they should be. They just need to get healthy. So I was thinking about this. I'm watching the Chargers Steelers last night. And there's a lot of teams out there that are wondering, you'll see one tonight, the New York Giants. Do we have the guy at quarterback? whether you have Tua, should we pay Baker Mayfield,

is Zach Wilson going to make it? Is Daniel Jones really the guy? You got these big decisions, are we going to pay them? And the question's always. A true franchise quarterback, an Aikman, a Bradshaw, a Manning, a Brady can pull parts of the franchise that aren't great, that are suboptimal. Last night you saw what a franchise quarterback looks like. 23-year-old Justin Herbert, special teams for the check.

Chargers, shocker. They were awful. Defense for the Chargers disappeared in the fourth quarter. But here's Justin Herbert. The kid's remarkable. Eight different guys caught the ball. And if you're sitting there as a GM wondering, do we have the right guy? Well, Justin Herbert is 6.5, 230 mobile. And here's what I love about him. He's got a huge arm, but infrequently shows it off. He's 6.5.2.30 can run over most linebackers. But he not only slides. He almost always slides early. He's Andrew Luck with better football decisions. And his demeanor never changes.

He's never cocky. He's never anything other than confident with all these skills. He makes great choices. Confidence is when you don't have to tell people how great you are. And you don't have to show off the few assets you have. You go to social media in 2021. 23-year-olds don't have much, but they want to tell you about everything. this kid has everything and he never really talks about it to watch the charger special teams implode

to watch the chargers defense vanish and then they give it to justin herbert and that stadium was 75 80 percent stealer fans and he marches right down the field totally poised had to pull his franchise we talk about tractor and trailer this guy this guy's a tractor he pulled a franchise that has a history of botching wins and they were about to botch it and here you go. And the thing about Herbert, that's another thing I love about him, is that when your demeanor doesn't change, generally either does your teams. And here he just pulled off, maybe the biggest win in his career, and here he was after. I thought we did a great job of moving the ball and we can't turn the ball over like that,

kind of a weird situation, but the offense did a great job of answering back when we needed to. It got a little too close for sure. As an offense, we had our spots to our opportunities to go down and score and put the game away, and we failed to do that. And so it got a little too close, but I thought the defense did a great job coming up and stops. And for the offense to answer and to go put points up on the board, I thought that was a huge step for us. There's so much I like him, but he really does feel like Andrew Luck, but Andrew Luck sometimes was a little awshucks. Sometimes I thought inauthentically took the blame all the time. football decisions were at times too aggressive.

Herbert is all that. He runs a little better than luck. He's got a little better arm than luck. He makes better decisions than luck. I get the humility of Andrew Luck. And unlike the Chargers by year two, it looks like he's got now a really workable offensive line. So Andrew Luck left us too early.

We got another Pac-12 quarterback. And if you've got a young quarterback and you're wondering, is he the guy? That's the standard. Big, strong, smart, gets the ball to eight different receivers, overcame an O-line in the first year. Now seven running backs touched it, eight receivers caught it, and overcame a classic charger potential meltdown. Overcame it, got the ball, drove him down. If you had no idea how long Justin Herbert had played in this league, you just watched him, you'd think he's 33 years old. He hasn't had to grow into this position.

Like he's just ready to play for the next 13 years. You can totally trust him with the franchise with the offense, with bad special teams, with a melting defense. Give him the ball and let him go. Like that's the standard. That's what it should look like when you've got it all right. If your guy's four inches shorter, not as mobile, too much ego, bad decisions, then you're not going to beat that guy. Excellent. Uh-oh.

Meltdown in Cleveland. when the wives go to the Instagram and when the dads go to the Instagram over a two or three week period, you got trouble. So perhaps predictable trouble. Also, Colin Wright, Colin wrong, top of next hour.

The Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll, this is starting to feel like the USC Pete Carroll at the end. And I'll explain why. It's really, for those who follow the PAC 12, it is starting to look exactly like the end for Pete at USC. that too. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. 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 put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'll say it. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jette. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. They're finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it.

And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, I Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Nice to have you and Drew Brees will stop by today. 45 minutes from now where Colin was right. Thanks for stopping by this week.

Big announcement in about an hour and a half on this show. We're going to unveil something that we think is really, really cool. So, you know, one of the things about having a chip on your shoulder, it can do two things. It can make you very willful and very driven, or it can be a burden, and you can't overcome it. And I think most quarterbacks in this league, the special ones, have a low chip in their shoulder. Aaron Rogers had to go to junior college, Big Ben, didn't go to Ohio State. He went to Miami of Ohio. Brady's chip on his shoulders, legendary. Russell Wilson, you're too small.

Those guys can harness it and use it to their benefit. With Baker Mayfield, to me, it often creates this chip on his shoulder and this conflict-driven personality. He fought with Hugh Jackson. He fought with a medical staff. There was the thing with Duke Johnson. He's had an issue with law enforcement. Remember, he fought with Kansas in college football. OBJ.

Now there's a report by Mary Kay Cabot. He and Stafansky don't see. eye to eye. Yesterday he walked off the field. Wouldn't talk to anybody, including teammates. It's just this constant conflict. I like the chip on the shoulder. And all the Baker fanboys always said, I love his attitude. Yeah, potentially I love the attitude, but this is the other side of it. I'm not going to beat him up for how he played yesterday. He had a bad heel. He's got a torn labrum. His shoulder's not healthy. Now there's a report he's got a bad knee. I am I'm not going to criticize the way he play.

I don't know how any quarterback with those injuries could play well. So I think it's unfair to bang on him for playing. He won a game. But here's what I would want to know. He didn't congratulate teammates after. He didn't acknowledge opponents. He didn't celebrate with fans. He wouldn't talk to the press, which I know you don't care,

but that's fairly unprecedented for a star quarterback. I couldn't tell you the last time that happened. this was the moment they needed you because the team is in a dog fight the team is kind of circling the drain it appears you didn't have your best wide receiver obj just got moved this was the moment you celebrate crisis and he bailed really anybody can high five when you throw for 435 yards and face no pressure it's when you win ugly you get booed at home, you're beat up physically, and you pull out a W. Yeah, I know it's the Lions, but this is the moment that you go congratulate teammates. Because you played terribly, and yet your teammates were

there to back you up. So you were actually a negative yesterday, and your teammates were there to play good defense and figure out a way to win. Or is it all about you, Baker? This is what I always question. I never questioned his arm. I never questioned his release. I never thought he was nearly as athletic as he thought. But it was always his judgment and leadership. And in in 2021, Justin Herbert's a great example. It's not just about your gifts. It's knowing when to use them and when not to use them. Yesterday was a glorious opportunity for Baker Mayfield, all banged up, falling apart, didn't play well, and the Cleveland Browns won? That hasn't happened in 20 years.

This was the moment to go to the podium and laud your teammates and laud the effort and congratulate coaches and say, look at the steps we've made. I was terrible. And we won. And Baker hid. It's always been my question. It's not the arm. It's not the release.

It's not the IQ. It's the lack of judgment. This was a perfect moment to congratulate others. But because you played poorly and apparently you're fighting a little bit with the coach and the staff, I'd go home and take my binkie and get out here and not talk to anybody. He doesn't get it. You know, Eli Manning is known for this. Eli Manning, after wins, didn't make himself highly available to the New York press.

But he always spoke after losses. understanding the value of speaking when things aren't going well. Take the arrows. Yesterday, Baker, this was the moment. The podium was yours. Congratulate others. Thank you for supporting me. I was a negative.

I didn't play well. Yet my team was there for me. And he walked right off the field and scooted right out of the facility. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, there was a bit of a wild scene, the Lakers Pistons game yesterday.

Yeah, I didn't watch. I saw the highlights. I watched this game and this was intense. So in the third quarter, LeBron and Pistons Center, Isaiah Stewart, were battling for rebounding position. Yeah. And LeBron sort of, it depends on the replay. It's like an elbow slash fist, but like he threw his elbow backwards and, made contact with Isaiah

Stewart's face and then blood started streaming down his face. They obviously got into a confrontation. We're showing the video here. And he had to be restrained multiple times. And by multiple times, if you haven't seen all of it, this is the other part of it. It wasn't just

that he had like constantly been lunging at LeBron. He was escaping like the coaches. He was out of control. The coaches were trying to get him off of the court and he would get away from them and start charging at LeBron and the Lakers multiple times. Both players were ejected. LeBron for Flagrant 2 and Stewart for two technicals.

There's no word yet on any of the suspensions that are going to come from this. I'm imagining that Isaiah Stewart is going to be suspended. Yes. Listen, part of a responsibility of being a pro athlete is coping skills and managing and discipline. You can be upset all you want. You can't do that. That's just over the line. And I'm not here to defend LeBron at every cause, but this is nonsense.

sense. No, it's out of control. The initial reaction is warranted. You're, you just got hit the face. There's bloodstreaming everywhere. You're angry. You're angry. You can't be chasing people. Completely reasonable to react in that way. Yeah. The second and third time that you're sprinting down the court. Yeah, be better. It's, yeah, the, the shift of responsibility and the shift of a side that people are going to be on is going to quickly change because like, it's done now. We're done. Like, they're obviously not going to let you fight LeBron, nor is LeBron.

nor is LeBron interested in fighting you as he's standing right there. When you and I are driving down the road, being upset because somebody cuts us off is understandable. Road rage banging into their car is not. Like this is out of control. Get him out of the league for a month. Let him think about it. They play the Pistons again on Sunday night. He won't be in that game.

He will not be. He will likely be suspended for multiple games. Russell Westbrook was also given a technical foul because he was an escalator and not a peacemaker. feels a little ridiculous. I mean, everyone is obviously going to defend their teammate in that spot. It was funny. You know what it reminded me of? Teammates defending Gretzky?

Everybody got built a fortress around LeBron. Like, you're not touching our star. Well, look, I mean, LeBron, you can't make contact with people's face. Like, that's going to be a flagrant and you're going to get ejected from the game. I thought all of that was reasonable. LeBron is not a traditionally dirty player. I do think that your reputation plays a role in your suspensions and how people are going to treat you on the and how people are going to react when something does happen that looks dirty.

If I said dirty player to you, I would think Patrick Beverly. That feels like I've never thought LeBron's a dirty player. He's not a dirty player and he doesn't play out of control either. Now listen, he made contact with his face. He absolutely deserved to be ejected and that's what they did. They did the right thing. But I'm very interested to see what the suspensions are coming down from this. I'm going to go six games.

How about you? I think he's going to be about 10. I mean, he charged multiple times. You're right. I'm just seeing highlights. It's just, you know, this is a, this is in a higher profile situation because it is LeBron. Yeah. No, you're probably right.

So I go six, you go 10. All right. Let's see. And the Lakers ended up winning. So that was, it was good for the Lakers. They won 121, 116. So the Colts yesterday, how about covering that, huh? Beat the Bills, 4115, surprise performances of the weekend, at least that level.

Yeah. Jonathan Taylor had five total touchdowns, 200 and four scrimmed. yards. By the way, remember when the draft came out, I loved him. He was out of Wisconsin, and I said, I'm not so sure he's not as good as Zeke. He's probably not as naturally gifted, but he was so good. You know, he was a former track kid. So if he gets free, it's over. I remember saying when he came out, I don't know if he's Zeke, but he's at least Seek, but he's at least Seek Juan Barclay, but he wasn't getting Barclay's love. He is so dying. And by the way, this happened about week 10 last year. You were like, oh, we got ourselves a superstar running

He is a, I mean, everything. Catch, run, break, tackle, shifty. He is everything. Yeah, well, he was getting some love yesterday. He was tremendous. He's now the leader in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns this season. And the cults have won five of their last six games and are firmly in the hunt for an AFC playoff spot.

The bills fell out of the top spot in the AFC East, the Patriots and now lead the division. Wow. Buffalo is in a free fall. Well, they don't run the ball, so they depend more on Josh Allen. And it, you know, you get into this windy weather. you don't want your quarterback having to be that big of a priority. Especially Josh Allen, because Josh Allen can be wild. Like that's, that is the scout on him, and they were able to manage that.

I mean, for all of Josh Allen's success, he still is a young player. And, you know, you don't want to put him in that situation. He was 21 to 35 for 209 yards and two interceptions, but that was a really big win for the Colts. And sorry if you were on the other side of Jonathan Taylor and fantasy. Yeah. Not me, because he's on my team. So Cam Noon made his first start back. in Carolina since re-signing with the team.

Three touchdowns. Amazing entrance. By the way, it was a wildly entertaining game. It was great. The Packers Vikings, and this game were on at the same time, so most people were watching Packers Vikings, which was fantastic. Greg Olson and Burkhart were having so much fun doing that game.

This was low-key entertaining. It was. And everyone was kind of paying attention a little bit to it because it was Ron Rivera and Cam Newton. There's a storyline, and it's Cam coming back. I mean, I don't know if you've seen the video. on the Fox NFL Twitter account of Cam coming out. I mean, it's, it's really what's great about sports.

Right. It's like the stories and the theatrics. And when you have a player like Cam Newton, who is a big personality and just totally leans into the pageantry of it, like Ray Lewis was like this. You get the fans involved from the very beginning. And it was so great to smoke. It was awesome.

But they ended up losing the game 27-21, but he said he still enjoyed the moment. Today was a special day for me for more reasons than one. It was my resurrection day. Not that I'm not sure if a lot of people know. November 21st is a very special day for me. I took a big ill in my life, I feel like, but it was a big scar that ended up being my biggest star. I was incarcerated the day when I was in the University of Florida, and this day is always significance of where I've came from. So, I mean, I was just going to enjoy the moment.

Still, I am going to enjoy the moment. It's good game. He had a great run. He also had a great throw to Christian McCaffrey. It should be noted, this Carolina team is still in rebuild. It's a bad O-Line. They're very Christian McCaffrey. Yes.

Reliant. Yeah. Reliant. So I thought this was his great run. I thought Cam played pretty well. I just think we've watched Darnold implode with this O-line. Cam can't beat Washington. an pretty average team. That was the throw. I thought was a beautiful throw over the top of the

linebacker in front of the safety. I didn't think Cam was bad. I just think we have to come to terms with this Carolina team. Matt rules in his second year. It was not a total gut job, but mostly. Yeah. Any focus on the defensive side of the ball first, and that paid off. Yep. So it's, look, everyone would love a great offensive line, right? Like, I mean, I think that it should be a point of emphasis when you build a team to build in the trenches first. But yes, Everyone would love to just walk in and have the Cowboys offensive line, you know, Dak and Zeke's rookie season. But that's why a player like Ham who can move around is beneficial to you in this spot.

And, you know, despite the loss, I thought it was a fun game. It was. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lie News. There are so many stories yesterday. I keep going back to Jalen Hertz because I first watched it. And my first impression, it's on tape somewhere.

I said, boys, he doesn't throw a deep ball. he doesn't throw it downfield. I just, I don't know what I, is this the future? But a week later, I said, the joy, I said, all I know is this. He's productive. Jalen Hertz is productive. And you don't, not everybody has to throw a beautiful football. Dax still doesn't throw a beautiful football.

Philip Rivers had a terrible looking sidearm throw and won tons of games. And Michael Vic brought to you by Mercedes Ben's the best or nothing. You know, if Jalen Hurts, Hurts is fascinating because, okay, again, they're in the 30s. They're scoring points. Do you worry about he's not much of a deep ball thrower, Michael? Does he have to add that or is this game enough? What do you see with Jalen? Well, I think at some point in time, he's going to have to add the deep ball to his game, especially with the receivers that he do have, because they'll be able to stretch the field, and when you can stretch the field, it allows you to do more. But as of right now, you know,

just kind of like methodically moving the ball down the field. You look up and Jalen got, you know, 250 yards passing and 50 yards rushing, and you're like, where did that come from? Yeah. So the offense is kind of sneaky good, and he's learning how to play the game. He's learning how to win, and I think that's very important for a young quarterback right now. Yeah, and the defense isn't great. So he's, you know, he's got to score points.

There's the pressure of scoring points. Speaking of that, I was saying when I watched Justin Herbert, the thing that I'm taken back by is that he has a huge arm, rarely shows it off. He's a big body, but always slides very early when you have gifts and don't need to show them off. And I just, the discretion he plays with Michael, I just think, I look at all these young quarterbacks

and I'm like, you know what? I keep saying, he reminds me of Andrew Luck that makes better choices. That's what I see. What do you see? I tell you what I watched real close last night. And, you know, he's about as graceful as They come when it comes to, you know, playing the quarterback position, you know, from the neck up.

And then what I really was intrigued by last night was his ability to run, pull the ball down and run and get first downs and keep the chains moving. And, you know, he's just going through a match of racing process where I think every level he's passing every test. And it's beautiful to see for such a young quarterback in this league. And, you know, he'll continue to get better. I think last night was a stepping stone. They had to go through a lot of obstacles to win that game and they came out on top. I think it was solely because of Justin Herbert. Yeah.

So Kansas City, Dallas missing a lot of people. I kind of defended Dak. I said, Dak's never been a beautiful thrower of the football, but he kind of kept his team around. He was under constant pressure. He's missing star receivers. But I think I worry a little about Kansas City, Michael, because everybody keeps telling me they're back,

and man, they shoot themselves in the foot. This game felt like it was going to be 35 to 6 after a couple drives. Where do you think Kansas City's offense is at right now? I think those guys are still trying to gain their confidence. Obviously, Andy Reid, he got the recipe, he got to play his concepts game plan. In order to be successful, you know,

you just got to get the right people doing it. And, you know, I still feel like they are one star receiver away. And everybody can't beat Tyreek Hill. Nobody's going, you know, change the dynamic of the defense and how defense is played like Tyreek. but you still need that guy like Sammy Walker. I feel like I find myself saying that over and over again, and I've been saying it over the last couple weeks,

somebody has to step up and take some pressure off with Tyreek and Kelsey to open up the offense a little bit. And so then you've got to rely more so on the run game and then allow Patrick to just be Patrick. But yesterday was another step in the right direction, and I think they just got to take it one game at a time. They can't get too far ahead of themselves. So Russell Wilson, they are broken.

I mean, they are officially, that offense is broken. What is the primary issue, Michael, with Russ, the Seahawks, Pete Carroll in that offense? One, I think Russ, I think he rushed to get back. I don't think he's 100% healthy. You know, dealing with finger injuries, I can remember. It's just so hard to throw the football, you know, especially when you got inclement weather, you know, whether it's rain or if it's cold. It takes a while to get warmed up and get going.

And, you know, I do feel like they got the offensive system. to be successful is just not showing up. They got D.K. Metcalf and so many guys on the offense who can produce and they're not being productive. It's like they're one step slower than their opponent. And it's been evident over the last couple weeks. And the loss against Green Bay really said a lot about where they were as a football team. And hopefully they'll continue to get better. They got for the Seattle Seahawks, they got to win five of the next six games, you know, without a doubt in order to make a playoff running. It's going to be solely on. on Russell, and I don't know if he's capable of doing that right now because another team

without the confidence to move forward. Yeah. So Baker didn't talk to the press, and nobody really cares about that, and I understand fans not caring, but he didn't congratulate teammates. He didn't acknowledge the Lions, you know, didn't celebrate with the fans. He played poorly. I'm not going to beat up on playing poorly. The kids just falling apart physically, so I think it's unfair.

He didn't have OBJ just left the team. People's his deep threat wasn't there. this was not a built-for-success Sunday for anybody, but they did win, and I think that's something. Cleveland doesn't win usually when things aren't going right. And then he didn't want to talk. Was there ever a moment when you were a young quarterback when you just said, I'm not talking to my teammates, I'm not talking to the press? Is it understandable or how do you view it? Never.

For what reason? I mean, it's just football. You know, it's just the game. And I think sometimes we get too wrapped up in that. I think what Baker really wants to say, he want to go to. Kevin's the fans can say, look, man, I need a week off. I'm banged up, I'm hurt. You know, you see it as evident. And I know we're trying to accomplish some things this season. But, you know, this was a game where he needed to take off in case kingdom should have started

yesterday, but I think it was some pressure, you know, indirectly for Baker. And being a starter, you're going to get that. They got Baltimore back-to-back weeks, Baltimore, Biden, and Baltimore, and they could have used that time to get Baker Mayfield back to 100%. And, you know, I think that's his frustration right there. And I think he could express it in a different way. But, you know, look, at the end of the day, Baker is still a game, man. Be the constant teammate. And go to your coaches and be 100% of what you want.

Yeah. All right, Michael, Vic, 13 years for Pro Bowls, Fox Sports NFL analyst, as always. Good seeing you. Thanks, Colin. You bet. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's, we're in an interesting part in the season. We were looking at the standings this morning. The teams you think should be leading their division.

are leading their division, except I think Arizona is a surprise for most people out of the state of Arizona. But the Rams are close. But the only major surprises this year are Seattle's awful, and Arizona's really good. If you flip those, because I thought Arizona would be eight and nine, they'd be okay, but there's too many moving parts. I was kind of a doubter on Kingsbury. I was wrong on that. But the league is not that surprising this morning. It really isn't. Just flip Seattle and Arizona, Everybody, you know, Rogers leads a division, Belichick leads a division, John Harbaugh leads a division. You know, I don't think Dallas, we had Dallas getting into the playoffs.

They are better defensively than I thought they could be in one year from last year's disaster. But, I mean, I look at Cleveland this morning, and they're not as good as we thought, but they're absolutely in the playoff picture. This is the moment they need leadership. They need guidance. You can't bail now. You can't throw a tantrum now. You've got to play Baltimore back-to-back.

weeks, you got to be ready to go. By the way, Lamar Jackson gets sick a lot. And then I watched him yesterday going into the game and he was limping. So I'm like, I don't know what's exactly going on. Again, I would give credit to Baltimore. They don't have Lamar. They go on the road. They're playing a guy I've never heard of. And they won. Who cares what it looks like. They won. It's a huge win for Baltimore. Cleveland had a huge win. Celebrate with your teammates. Like we always say this, this is not art. A lot of this is science. It's not art. It's analytics, it's math, it's Ws, it's L's standings, it's celebrating.

Wins or wins, even when they look awful. Wins or wins. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest. sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book, and all the best

guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre 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. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care 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, this platform became.

bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the look back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it, including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but yeah, yeah, literally, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversational. with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing

and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keer Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Ever wanted to make your home feel safer, no better time. 50% off SimplySafe home security. Learn more. Go to simply safecollon.com. Part of our job is watching sports and then coming on the next morning and reacting to what we saw. But I think we all, as sports fans, also go to our local bar or to our buddy's house,

and we project what we think is going to happen before it happens. So I've always felt that's 30 to 50% of my job too, to have theories to say, hey, I see something happening. It's not happening now. It makes my job more fun. I think as a listener or a viewer, it's more fun. So I've been on this thing now for two to three years with the Seahawks. as they were winning 11 games.

And as they were winning 12 games, I've been saying, I feel it's a house of cards. I'm from the Pacific Northwest. They've got a very weird power dynamic within the organization. Pete's got all the power now. And he has certainly earned his fair share. But when the owner, Paul Allen died, it was a power grab. And Pete won, and Pete's a rock star. And Pete's going to go to Canton.

And he was a rock star in college. But what's happening to Seattle is what I predicted. it's starting to feel at the end in Seattle like it felt at the end at USC, where Pete dominated a bad conference and then a couple of offensive coaches came in, Chip Kelly to Oregon and Jim Harbaugh to Stanford, Pete did not update his schemes. They looked outdated and he started getting clobbered by both. And Pete left. And then he goes to Seattle.

And then in Seattle, Pete's a very, good recruiter. He was at USC, and he was his first three years in the NFL because he had recruited many of those college players to SC. Some he landed, some he didn't. So then when he had great talent at USC, he won. And when he had great talent first three or four years in the NFL, he won. But Pete's not an elite scheme guy. He's not going to take marginal talent like Bill Belichick's done historically and win games. And whereas in the PAC 12, Once really innovative offensive minds came in, Pete was exposed. And what has happened in the NFC West?

Here comes Cliff Kingsbury with the air raid. Here comes Sean McVeigh. Here comes Kyle Shanahan. And where is Pete buried in fourth place with Russell Wilson? Outdated offensive schemes. Too much power. Weird trades. Lousy draft picks.

They have earned every bit of this fourth place. And I've been saying it for two years. while they were winning 11 and 12. I said, it's going to happen. You can't keep whiffing on all these first round picks. You can't keep whiffing. You can't give away two first and a third and a safety for a safety. You can't be this bad at corner, this bad on the offensive line.

So Pete's 24-7 optimism, chewing gum nonstop, the raw, raw stuff, the player empowerment stuff. It wears thin. And it creates an incredibly loose culture. And right now, Seattle is a mostly weak raw. Terrible in the secondary, can't cover elite receivers, dominated by Colt McCoy at home yesterday, and Pete was cranky after. We've got to get off the field again. We've got to win on those third downsers.

There's a couple in there that were big wins for them. And, you know, it's so different. You know, it's so different. And it really comes down to them being able to convert us to us not. And so I'm sorry, it's not a different story. Been the same story and out of this whole season. and we've got to see if we can turn this thing. I'm really done.

So Pete left. He was not happy. He did speak to the media, and then he returned and apologized. Pete, your frustration is understandable. Why did you feel the need to come back in? Because we've had a relationship. I have a relationship with the media that I think I respect the heck out of everything you guys do. And I know you got stories to write.

I think if I shortchanged you on the stories and you've got a job too. I'm just disappointed that I've got to keep coming back in here and talk about the same stuff and don't feel like I have good answers for you because our answer so far have not turned it. And so that's why I said. I thought I was really clear about it. It starts with me. He's obviously very emotional.

I like Pete. And I think I would vote him into the Hall of Fame. He's Jimmy Johnson, like college national title, NFL. But I just keep seeing the exact thing I saw at USC, where the conference was bad. And then these new offensive guys came in and the scheme wasn't up to date, and all of a sudden you looked, he left USC,

and they just didn't have as many good players. They weren't very good. The culture had eroded. And now I see in Seattle where it's very loose, the play calling, how many offensive coordinators are we going to go on? The O line is bad. It was once great at Seattle when he first got there in Marshawn Lynch. It's marginal running backs, marginal O' line, terrible secondary,

can't cover anybody. Now, now, and part of this is, let's be fair. The coach of the year in the NFL is Cliff Kingsbury. The story of the year in the NFL is Arizona. The fact that they could go with Colt McCoy, nothing against Colt McCoy. You know, he's like 50% Kyler Murray. A little small, can run around, decent arm. Kyler's obviously better.

But some of this is just Arizona went in and shut down San Francisco two weeks ago, and they go into Seattle and shut them down. But this is, you know, our job is not just to say, here's what happened. I'm going to say that happened. you could do that. Part of it is, I felt this was coming. I've seen it coming. I saw it before. It's too loose. They've got to be stronger at GM. Pete's got to get out of the drafting. They've got to blow this thing up. Move Bobby Wagner, potentially move Jamal Adams, get draft picks. Because Russell Wilson, don't kid yourself. In the off season, coming off a 12-win season, his side leaked four teams Russell wanted to play for.

That was off a 12-win season. Russell is wildly aspirational. And he's not sitting around for fourth place. He's never lost anywhere. So this thing's about to implode. And I don't call for people to be fired. I'm not into that. That's not my game.

Got a college coach this weekend. Dan Mullen got fired. I wouldn't have fired him. I'm not into firing coaches. But what you've got to do is go to Pete and say, Pete, you're 70. It's ridiculous. You can't be GM, de facto GM, and coach. that you've got to step back, be a walk-around coach, hire a great O.C, get out of the drafting,

concentrate on updating your schemes defensively. Because if you look around the NFL right now, something is happening. The only defensive coaches that are winning, like Belichick, are the ones that hand the offense to a great offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. A lot of these defensive coaches, Pete now, Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Ron Rivera, they're not not winning. And they're not winning because the rules of all changed, they all favor the offense. And some of these defensive coaches, I don't under, I don't think they quite understand the urgency to get smart and progressive and fast on offense. It doesn't matter if you have the best defense anymore. Like New England, this is really good. But if Max Jones wasn't playing

efficiently, they wouldn't be winning games. If they weren't running the football like this, they wouldn't be winning games. Belichick, by the way, who we all love, got out of the scouting game this past year, New England had a great draft. You can't do it all, especially when you're 65, 70 years old. You can't do it all. Saban's done this. He's just given his offense to somebody else and gotten out of it. Get out of it. Either you've got to blow this thing up or we've got to find a new coach because Russell Wilson's too good to deal with all this outdated stuff and buried in fourth place. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends.

Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and 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.

On The Look Back at a podcast. It's a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not. not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all?

You're listening to and learn the heart. hardway with your favorite therapist and hosts Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your

podcast. This is an I-Heart podcast Guaranteed Human