The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson

Episode Date: December 29, 2023

In this hour of The Herd, it's the first time in a long time that Colin can remember a Cleveland Browns team having an adult at quarterback with no baggage. He sees the Browns as a viable AFC championship team. Plus, Colin looks at quarterback Russell Wilson's time in Denver as an unequivocal failure. Also, Colin pushes back on the notion that USC quarterback Caleb Williams may not be the first-overall pick in the NFL Draft. Finally, the good, the bad and the ugly for the New York Jets in 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Oh, here we go on a Friday. Lots to talk about. Let's bring it. Wrap up the week in high-intensity fashion, blazing five an hour from now. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Joe Flacco, America's team, Cleveland Browns. I'm sitting there.

You and I are watching that last night. They're on their fourth quarterback. You know, we talk about coach of the year stuff. Stefansky's on his fourth quarterback. Good division. Amazing story. They could still be the number one seed. Well, let's not go over.

I'm not going to, but if you're going to, I'm not an awards guy. But today, I would say Stafansky coach of the year. I'm with you. They're missing. Lineman, running backs, Cooper. It's unbelievable what they're doing. Robert Solis defense did a great job against Flacco last night, huh? Really shut them down.

Well, let's talk about this. For the first time in year, years. There's no pressure on a Cleveland Browns quarterback. And this is what it looks like with this roster. Fun, competitive, collaborative, grown-ups all in one direction. Cleveland's had a very good roster for years, but Baker came in. He was young, chutzpah, cocky, little immature. And then Deshawn Watson enters weird baggage, coaching carousel. Uh-uh. Today, Cleveland. Today, great young GM Andrew Berry, great young offensive coach, and that matters, Kevin Stefansky, excellent players, and an adult at quarterback with no baggage.

This is what it looks like. And Stafansky's doing it. They're missing linemen, running back, Amari Cooper, fourth quarterback. This guy, Stafansky and Flacco, it works. And this offense is undeniably better with Joe Flacco starting than Deshawn Watson. sorry if it hurts your feelings. But in five starts, just five, Flacko's got 13 touchdown passes.

Over two years, Deshawn Watson in 12 starts, has one more than that. The offense is better with Flacko. Big arm, sees the field better, grown up, not weird, no baggage. Coach isn't the problem. Stefansky's never been the problem. The people criticizing him, don't get it.

And those who don't get it, don't get that. don't get it. Stafansky's never been the problem. And it shouldn't be lost. Last night, Cleveland's on their fourth quarterback. Missing several starters. Offense is rolling. The Jets on a backup with a defensive coach. Mess again. Shouldn't be lost. It's happening all over the league. When you get a quarterback disruption, the offensive coaches can handle it. The defensive coaches and teams spiral. Of course, there's a controversy looming. It's the Cleveland Browns, after all.

What do you do if Flacco gets him to the AFC championship? What do you do? Well, thanks, Joe. It's been fun. The team loves him. The coaches clearly trust him. He's doing it without starters. What do you do?

What do you do with Watson and Flacco? I don't know. But here's what I do know. In this moment in December, soon to be January, maybe playing until February, this is a viable AFC championship team with a young, really, really bright offensive coach, with an excellent roster again, and with a quarterback who's a grown-up with no baggage having the time of his life. Cleveland's real, real grown-up at coach and quarterback. It's not a shot at Baker.

He's a kid. DeShon Watson, not my guy. But this is what Cleveland should be looking like. This is what this coach can deliver. This GM, this roster, these players, they're good. They're really good players all over it. Even missing players. They're at a different level than many teams in the NFL.

Tip of the cap to Flacco, and here's the coach after. And what this team has showed time and time again is that I will fight my a-off for my teammate. And I appreciate that, fellas. Okay? That's what makes great teams, okay? This second season that we're going into, there's going to be a bunch of great teams.

That's what it is. But the team I see in here is a connected football team that will not be denied for the brother next you. Okay? That's the truth. We still have work to do. Yes, sir. We got work to do.

But I'm telling you, fellas, you earned it tonight. You earned it. You took care of business, and you earn it. I'm proud of you guys. Team on three. One, two, three. And this can't be lost.

In 2023, NFL quarterbacks are tall. Some are thin. Some are stout. Some are short. Some move. Some don't. But one thing in common with the quarterbacks that win consistently. No baggage.

Not weird. Grownups. Adults. Cleveland finally has one at quarterback, and this is what you get. Russell Wilson's post-Seahawk career has been interesting, hasn't it? I was thinking about this last night. It's been complicated. So Michael Jordan's wizard years, little bumpy, didn't affect his legacy.

That odd year, ugly year, far with the jets, didn't really affect his football legacy. bouncing around the NBA last several years. It's had no impact on his legacy. Hall of Fame level guys. Russell Wilson's Seattle legacy is very complicated. There was a while there. We were all watching, thinking, is this what quarterback's going to look like going forward?

Have to move. Intuitive, impulsive, quick, raindrop throws. New information. When he had the top defense and the top run game, Seattle rolled. And then they started using a phrase, let Russ cook. And the team became more Russ-centric, and they won a lot less. Even in the two seasons, Russ got to a Super Bowl, those two seasons, with the number one run game. A Hall of Fame level coach and a great defense, 13 times in two years,

rush through for under 200 yards. in two years, 13 times. And again, once they let Russ cook, the food wasn't as good. So Russ wanted respect and moved to Denver to open up his own restaurant. Two words.

Kitchen nightmare. It failed. That's the reality. This Bronco debacle absolutely tarnishes his legacy. It has crystallized the truth that he is a good quarterback sometimes very good, but with an all-time coach, an all-time running back, and an all-time

defense. It's good to very good. It doesn't help his legacy that Seattle, and I think they'll beat Pittsburgh this weekend, will make the playoffs for the second straight year in a tough division with a combination of Geno Smith and Drew Locke. Yeah. I have been a huge Russ guy. Still thought earlier this year he was playing.

pretty well. But I've always leaned on a saying, and I believe it more than ever today. New data, I have to reassess my opinion. I don't get locked into anything other than my wife and kids. New information, new data, time to reassess. And with Russell Wilson, I don't think there's much of a market going forward. I think there is a bigger market for Justin Fields, who I'm not sure can quarterback consistently and win than Russell Wilson.

Wilson. Albert Breer talked about this yesterday. Well, he has the same problem that Cam Newton and Tim Tebow had. Can you imagine him as a backup? Colin? You can envision Kirk Cousins going somewhere as he gets older and becoming a backup or becoming a bridge quarterback. It's a lot harder to do that with Russell Wilson because everything he brings with him, his celebrity, all of the different things, the history. You know, I just, it's hard to figure where his fit

is going to be. It's not even finding an individual team. it's finding a particular circumstance that he would fit into at this point. At another layer, Sean Payton's one with everybody. Tassum Hill, more athlete than quarterback. And he's bailing on Russell Wilson and the contract, even though it will be punitive for multiple years in Denver. He'll have to overcome him. He'd rather have him out and pay for him than have him in and pay for him.

The let Russ cook thing didn't really work. The new kitchen was a nightmare. Peyton moving off him, not exactly a big market. Russ has to be reflective here. I'm not a fan of anything outside of my kids and wife forever. You got to look in the mirror. And I don't see a market. Denver's basically saying we'd rather take the cap hit without him here with Jarrett Stidham.

And so I do think legacies get very complicated. and I'm not sure there's ever been a quarterback with a more complicated one, about 60% through his career than Russell Wilson. J-Mack, I'm watching that game with you last night. And I'm not going to just keep beating on it, but it is Sala's demeanor on the sideline. They don't look like a happy bunch. There's a resolve that this is what we are, a mess.

They've been given the thumbs up from ownership, GM and coach, Aaron Rogers. it is really just a muted, sad sort of lifeless franchise. Remember we were beating up on Mackay Beckton earlier this year, and Jets fans would inundate me. He's playing well. He's really hanging in there. Worst left tackle in the league. I mean, nobody's given up more sacks in the league.

He's, I think, second most in penalties. May have passed it last night with all the off sides and delay. I mean, it was just a disaster. And Joe Douglas is the GM. He's staying, right? Yes. Yeah. Must have been really.

for him not to call Joe Flacco after Aaron Rogers went down. Flacko was in the building last year, Colin. They just were like, ah, who needs Joe Flach? We got Trevor Simeon. Well, you know what? And it's interesting. It's interesting about this. You know, we work in the media business.

And one of the things I've always felt a responsibility of, you know, any executive in any place I've worked, I've worked local, ESPN Fox. One of the things is to be able to spot talent. And because it'll pass through your doors in football, in tech, it'll pass through your doors all the time. And that's why a job. is to spot and go, that works, that works, that works. It is an indictment that Joe Flacco in Cleveland looks excellent.

And the Jets forget signing him up. Just let him walk through the facility. So the question is, does this group, Saul and Joe Douglas, do they have the vision? Yeah. So we can make fun of Cleveland through the years. Cleveland had the vision. Okay. And that's a lot of running a franchise or running a network or running a podcast.

It's the vision because not everything's obvious. You have to see talent that just needs support, that needs a good coworker, that needs a good this, that. The fact is Cleveland had vision, that tells me the GM and the coach are the right guys. The GM and the coach in New York, nah, didn't see it. It's not like Flacco's playing okay. This is the best Cleveland's been. I mean, this is a legitimate AFC championship team. They never were were with Baker.

This team's a legitimate. And what you watched last night was missing five offensive pieces. One of them, Amari Cooper, who's having a great year. Colin, you know, end of the year, a lot of companies do the reviews. They bring people in and they tell them, how did you do, blah, blah, blah. I just, I can't believe that Woody Johnson would say last week, we're keeping our guys. We're going to go to our next year. Because if you bring in Joe Douglas, Joe, did you call Joe Flacco?

Like when Aaron Rogers went down, who did you call? Why didn't you call Flacco? Hey, we knew Mackay Beckton coming in and was going to struggle. What was the game plan? Here's another question. And I'm not blaming anybody. But the franchise in New York, you bring Aaron in with his prickly demeanor and everybody's walking on eggshells. Maybe those guys wanted Flacco and didn't want to offend Aaron.

I'm not saying I have inside knowledge. That's fair. But when you give a franchise to an aging quarterback who has a history of being sensitive, Maybe they wanted Flacco and just felt like, they wanted cousins. They wanted, would it bother Aaron? I'm just asking the question, because if Flacco is this good and he was in your building,

it's either an indictment on your GM and coach or an indictment on the relationship with Aaron, because he's not just okay. Flacco is sitting back there throwing darts. The team is totally galvanized with him. You think part of the Jets are wondering, hey, if he goes on another darkness retreat and says, I'm out, I'm done, sorry, I'm retiring.

He's not doing. Do you think the Jets would not be happy? Like, would they be thrilled or would they be like, oh, we're in trouble? I mean, they were in trouble either way. Well, a healthy errands should make them viable. I'm just saying, somebody here needs to look in the mirror. It's either the GM who can't spot talent, the coach who didn't have the vision,

or a quarterback who's put everybody on edge and may smile for the cameras, but everybody's terrified to upset him. because Joe Flacco is not just a guy now. He's playing great football. Like a Nick Foles type run with the, remember the Eagles? And watch the team. They love him.

He's barking at receivers. Like, you know, they run a wrong route and Flacco's out there barking. He's like, that's what leadership looks like. It's a real grown-up. It's a real Cleveland team. They're weird. I will say this is one of the more improbable weird runs, but you watch them and you're like, they got dudes.

I hope they go into Kansas City week one of the playoffs. Oh, Kansas City would be. be in big trouble. That's a real team. People are betting the Bengals now this week against Kansas City. Come through the seven. Jake Browning. I mean, I have a great parley for you this weekend. Thanks to Drafking Sportsbook. New users

use the code heard. H-E-R-D. That's me when you download the app takes about a minute. Now for my parlay pick of the week via Draft King Sportsbook. Cowboys at home minus six against Detroit. I like Detroit, but they're hot and cold. Never as good on the road. Cowboys have to get good and get right. take him to win by a touchdown. Steelers plus three and a half at Seattle. Let's be honest about the Seahawks. They've been outplayed and won the last two weeks. I'll take the hook at three and a half

Pittsburgh. Broncos minus five hosting the Chargers. Listen, it's the season. Russell Wilson may get moved out of town. If he plays poorly again, I get a coaching and a quarterback edge at home Broncos minus five. If you want to take the herd parlay, check out Draft King's Sportsbook, new users. The code is heard when you download the app. 21 plus in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler in New York.

Call 8778-8 Hope-N-Wire or text Hope & Y 467369. See show notes for full details. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, 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 what 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 Podcast, 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-tapped 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 J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a 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. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. 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. So we're getting set for Michigan Bama on Monday, Texas, Washington. Late afternoon games can't wait. So Jeff Howell, the athletic fine writer, been on this show before talking about Jim Harbaugh, who has been very centered on Michigan, Alabama. The only way Jim knows is to be focused on what's happening presently. But there's a line in this story at the athletic that said Harbaugh has a reputation for having

contentious relationships with front office personnel. So team owners must balance the entire equation while determining whether he's right for the job. He's a well-respected coach, said a source, but he's won everywhere, but what comes with it? Well, here's my question. Do you want to win or just win on your terms? Because the latter usually doesn't win big. That's the way sports works.

If you got to get along and everybody plays nice and don't drink glasses of milk with steak, Jim, it's awkward. He's not your guy. but all football, baseball, basketball geniuses can be confrontational. It's up to you. Can you handle it? Yeah, Jim's quirky. Since when is that bad?

Everybody loves Mike McDaniel. He's quirky and winning. I mean, that's what he is more than anything. He's quirky. Belichick's been a grumpy confrontational butt for 25 years. He's got six rings. You okay with that? A lot of people benefited from those.

Bill Parcells often battled ownership over personnel. Phil Jackson, issues with Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Jerry Krause in Chicago. Yeah, that's what happens. Winners at the highest level in any industry have standards. Sorry if we just don't want to win your way and make sure everybody's comfortable. Yes. Yeah, Jim is different, totally focused. I've had multiple coaches beyond staffs of Jim Hardball.

They always said the same thing. He is the most football, obsessed human being you've ever met. Everything's confrontation. And because he's ultimately confident, he's going to look at Trent Balke, the GM in San Francisco, and say, yeah, I'm going to make the call here. Well, he has greater resume than Trent Balkei, whose jags are reeling.

Right? So my takeaway is when you look at these great disruptive people and the people they've often had confrontations with, isn't it interesting how the people they've had confrontations with end up often being average, not doing much, slightly better than average. Parcells wasn't. Phil Jackson wasn't.

By the way, Kobe and Shaq battled teammates. Great people do that. They've got really, really high standards. Do you want to win or do you just want to win on your terms and be comfortable? because that generally never hoist a trophy. It's just, by the way, LeBron and Spolstra, it's the one coach that pushed back on LeBron. That's it.

It was the one coach that would not cowtow to LeBron. He was tough on LeBron. And Pat Riley let him know, I'm not getting rid of Spolstra. The best coach LeBron's ever had, and the hardest on him and the most skirmishes in discomfort, still wish LeBron wouldn't have left. Nothing against the Lakers or Cleveland, and I like the story of going to Cleveland, but again, can you handle discomfort?

Great is uncomfortable, usually, almost always. Do you want to win or do you want to win on your terms? Because one of those ends up holding up a trophy. J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. I kind of like that, a little rant from you. It thought about Phil Jackson.

Remember how he'd hand out books, and Shaq and Kobe? Would be like, what is it? Remember watching that MJ documentary? No. There was contentious relationships and battles throughout. Now, Phil's got the personality and the Zen to psychological acumen to deal with it. That was never easy. It was often confrontational.

He was confrontational initially with MJ. Shoot less. Trust more. He was confrontational with Jerry Krause. He was confrontational with Jerry Krause. was confrontational with Rodman. Like that was a bumpy, turbulent ride that got six rings in two different, three twice in two different teams.

Yeah, I don't know if you're a big Broadway guy, but MJ, have you heard about that, the Michael Jackson Broadway show? We just saw it a couple weeks ago. My kids don't know that much about Michael Jackson. And they kept leaning to me and been like, Dad, this guy's weird. What is this guy's deal? I was like, listen, quirky genius, man. Michael Jackson, music-wise, came up with some wild stuff.

but it worked. Let's start with Brock Purdy, coming off the worst game of his young career. Four interceptions prompted some tweets from cowherd during the game. I'm sure you guys remember that. 49ers are in a great bounceback spot this week against Washington. On the road, though, here's Purdy discussing his approach coming into this weekend's game.

It's just not being in the right state of mind, you know, as a quarterback, you know, having the aggressive trigger to, you know, make the throw, the big play, but also shoot dude you don't want to turn the ball over again it's just it's a sucky state of mind to be in every play has a life of its own you have to take it one play at a time and not try to win the game by a couple of big plays and when I'm thinking like that I just wasn't in the right state of mind you know towards the end when we're trying to get back into it so

that's the learning experience you know who wasn't a right state of mind MVP Lamar Jackson from the very first snap Right state of mind. We're not going to do the MVP thing, are we today? No. You know, somebody pointed out to me that Lamar, four games under 60% completions this year, he's not leading the league. I mean, his stats, he hasn't been amazing.

Stats. Like, he's had better seasons. I don't know. I watched the games. He looks pretty amazing. He's good. He's very good. He blew out Detroit, blew out the Niners, blue out Seattle.

By the way, have I asked you, what happens if Baltimore loses at home to Miami? Let's say Miami wins. They could. It's going to be a very good game. And I'm not putting it in the Blazing Five because I think it's going to be such a fun game to watch. I don't want any emotional bag. I just want to watch the game. Well, Lamar, I'm not going to hear Lamar MVP

if they lose to Miami at home. I'm not going to hear that, right? Depends on how he plays. Oh my goodness. He's got nine of his 12 wins. Nine of his 12 against winning teams. Dak can't beat winning teams. Two and just got one. Nine of his 12 wins

winning teams. Kind of contextualized out a tad. Interesting. Okay. Let's move on to another struggling quarterback. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Listen, they've been held under 20 points or fewer in eight of their 15 games. This is not the dominant Chiefs team we saw a few years ago. Two games left to the playoffs, Mahomes knows they are running out of time to correct these mistakes. You have to be critical with yourself. You have to be true to what's on the film and what's happening. I think a lot of people

will make excuses and that's why they don't take that next step or become better because of it. But you got to see the film. I mean, you look at the film. You made a lot of mistakes that you can't make in this league. want to have success and you have to learn from them and get better from them. They'll be fine. Oh, really? They just won't be great this year. They'll be fine. What is fine?

Define, fine. Win a playoff game. We're fine. I believe Mahomes has been to the AFC title game or Super Bowl every year he's been around. Well, you're not, that's obviously not going to happen forever. You're going to, if your down years are, yeah, we won our division and went to a playoff and won a game. That's a fine year. You don't have to go to the Super Bowl every year.

You start looking around. You're like, all right, we don't have to. any receivers. Travis Kelsey's looking washed. By the way, I think he's going to have a big game this week. Did you listen to his podcast at all? I know you have a lot of time. I'm very aware of that podcast. Yeah, he had some, comments about the Bengals passing on him in the draft back in the day. He went to Cincinnati. Oh, yeah. And I looked at his numbers historically versus the Bengals. Yeah, very good. This feels like a good bounce back spot for Kelsey this weekend. Just, you know, I want to give you guys some gambling crumbs.

Final story. How about this in the NBA last night? Celtics were down 21. to the Pistons who have lost a billion games in a row, and Boston rallies to win in overtime. Porzenghis was amazing in this game. He's having a good year. He has been excellent. Thank goodness he's still healthy. Monty Williams, poor Monty Williams, man.

You know, we like him a lot. Great guy. He's been through a lot of adversity off the court. Got a huge contract in the offseason, and he looks like a beaten man. Here he is talking after the game. And as bad as they hurt right now, I hurt for them.

But I told them if we bring that kind of, grit and toughness and execution, you know, minus the turnovers. We're not just going to win one game. We're going to put something together. And it doesn't matter what people say. We don't have to shut people up. We just have to continue to get better and grind and produce or put something on the floor that's productive that our fans can be happy about. I'm locked in on NFL and I'm actually dabbling in bowl games. We hit Arizona yesterday, right? But I think I'm going to start betting on the pistons every night because, I mean, listen, they're going to be putting max. efforts in to all these games. Let's talk about the Celtics.

When I said this at the beginning of the year, if Porzingis is your fourth best player, and there are knights, he's their second best player. That's a championship level team. Oh, Drew Holiday. Right, right, right. Yeah. Boston is, let me tell you something. This Porzingis thing, people acted like it was a throw-in. Porzingis was the first unicorn. He was the first seven-three guy. You're like, he can put it on the floor, he can shoot. He just, you can't be a one or a two. I don't think his personality is that of a one, but production-wise, he's absolutely a really good two in this league. And by the way, as a four for Boston, that's what championship looks like.

So I've been trying to sell you this on Zach Levy, dude. He's not a one or two. He goes to the Lakers and is their fourth dude. Who's he behind? A.D. LeBron and who else? Austin Reeves. He's coming off the bench. Just don't worry.

Austin Reeves is coming off the bench. But listen, this reminds me a lot of me in my men's league, right? I recruit a stack team. I'm like the fifth best guy on the court. No, I've heard you're about seven. You can't be the seventh best guy on the court when there's only five. I'm not the best guy on the team, obviously. But I'm great in that role.

There's no pressure. I'm hitting open threes playing defense. But Porzingis fits great here. You couldn't defend that tree on my set. So hey, do you want to, for fun, should the entire audience bet Pistons money line against Toronto this weekend? I'm not betting it. You go ahead.

Come on. It'll be fun. We can all root together for the Pistons to win. end the 28 game losing. I've never once thought I want to root for the pistons together with my audience. It's harsh man. Well, I'm just being honest with you. J-Mac with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. So I was driving around yesterday, my head almost exploded. I was listening to Sports Talk Radio, don't even know the show, and I called her called in, and he was giving his thoughts on Caleb Williams at USC, not going number one because he lost a

two lane. Oh, boy. There's a story the Washington commanders will move up, very interested in Caleb Williams. He's going number one. I told you about Andrew Luck two years before he went one, Trevor Lawrence two years before he went number one. I told you a year ago, Caleb Williams is going number one. Not a single NFL GM is blaming him for USC's defense, not one, or the two-lane loss. If winning is all that mattered, Georgia quarterbacks would go number one. And they go in the fourth round or go undrafted. If winning was all that mattered, why would C.J. Stroud be the best Ohio state quarterback?

He can't even beat Michigan. Buckeye quarterbacks always beat Michigan. It's about 100% about traits. Not 99. It's 100% about traits. Power arm, hyper-athletic, mobile, accurate, tough processes quickly, he's going number one. We do this annually.

We picked apart luck for two years. Remember they said his arm wasn't strong enough? But Trevor Lawrence, I don't know. I don't know. He's okay. Well, he's playing bad now, but he's fine. Caleb Williams' traits. I looked it up this morning on NFL draft prospectus.

His comps are Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rogers, and Josh Allen. Yeah, I think I'm going to draft that. C.J. Stroud's been excellent. His comp was Jared Gough. So Caleb Williams, the last two years, USC led the nation in scoring. Nobody's blaming him for USC's poor tackling, the loss to Tulane. GMs don't care. If it's about winning, every Florida quarterback under Steve Spurrier would have been a star.

I watched Danny Whirful play. He couldn't. It's about traits. Tiny Johnny Mansell. I hear this about Caleb. Well, the ego. Tiny Johnny Manzell. Distracted, bit of a scammer.

Doesn't watch tape. Money sign guy went first round. Tiny. Doesn't have the arm, the escapeability, the talent. Went first round. People talked themselves into unique. And Manzell was unique. Caleb's uniquely great.

He's going number one. nobody's blaming him for USC's lousy defense the last couple of years. People don't care. Was Andrew Luck's Stanford defense great? I mean, using that, let's just draft Georgia quarterbacks. J.J. McCarthy has to go one. I'm not even sure he's a first round quarterback. Some like him, I don't get it.

Be that as it may. Traits. 100% traits. Traits. All it is is traits. Head exploding. two lane game. Why don't we take some callers here on

what the jet should do in the draft? Let's not. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hi, this is Jay Glazer, and you may know me for the world of football or fighting or even shows like HBO's ballers. What you don't know is for my entire life,

I have lived in something I refer to as the gray. Depression, anxiety. So now I'm coming out with a new podcast. Unbreakable, a mental health podcast with Jay Glazer where each week, while we talk about mental health, I hope to describe it. Give it words. Listen to Unbreakable with Jay Glazer 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 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 a lot?

do a little kill. 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 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.

Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. 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.

Sunday, the race for the NFL postseason is on Fox as Matthew Stafford and the Rams continue their push for the playoffs against the Giants or the Seahawks try to keep their hopes alive as they host the Steelers. Check for the game in your area only on five. Rams Giants is going to be a lot closer than people think. That's my early window, surprisingly good watch. Watch the Rams Giants game.

Disagree. We'll talk about it in headlines. Seahawks Steelers is an interesting game. I think people are overvaluing a win over Jake Browning. We didn't have Jamar Chase, by the way. I don't understand. There's a couple lines this week. week, I do not understand, and I don't understand the people betting Pittsburgh.

I don't get this one. I don't get it. The line should be four, four and a half. People forget, we got like a five-year sample of Mason Rudolph not being a good quarterback. I know. People just, it's recency by. A couple deep throws to pickings and now people want to back him on the road. All right. So the jets got blown out, almost doubled last night, 37 to 20. They looked inept, embarrassing penalties. didn't look particularly well coached. Sala was kind of spacing out during the game. It was interesting. He got a vote of confidence this week,

and after the game, he addressed the performance and his demeanor. You don't seem, I mean, maybe you're not conveying what you really feel inside, but you don't seem particularly, like, angry or upset about it. I'm wondering if you can just share, like, what's really turning inside of you now. I'm not quite sure on the question, Rich. I'm, uh, do you want me to throw the podium on the floor? Good answer. One of the things that makes the NFL great is that you can go from chaos to contender in a year.

Parcells did it in Miami as a GM. I mean, Houston, a mess, an embarrassing franchise, chaos. They're now viable. Right, coach, a couple of good picks, C.J. Stroud. You don't do that in baseball. The turnaround doesn't happen like that in baseball. It doesn't happen like that in the NBA. It just doesn't.

Rarely, it usually takes a couple, two, three years in college basketball or college football, even if you have a great coach and a great brand. NFL, one win to 10 happens. Let's say, so let's be positive. Because I was having this discussion with JMAQ last night, so we were having a pop. If the Jets draft a left tackle, and this is a good left tackle draft with their first pick, and he's really good, and the top three guys are, And then with their second pick, that's in the third round,

they get a really good number two receiver. I can think to myself, all right, I got Breece Hall's a stud, Garrett Wilson's awesome, Lazzard now moves to a three where he's more than competent. I got a big-time left tackle. Austin Vera Tucker, a center they kind of like. And that defense?

That's pretty interesting. And Aaron Rogers? That's pretty interesting. if they hit their first round pick and their third round pick. Left tackle weapon, wide receiver tied in, and they hit. And by the way, Joe Douglas out, you know, you take away the Mackay Beckton, Zach Wilson picks, and those are bad misses, but he's hit on a lot of picks. He's hit on about 85% of his picks.

He just had bad whiffs, left tackle quarterback. But let me throw this out. It does make me wonder watching last night and watching the last several weeks. weeks. Aaron Rogers is 40. The O-line stinks. The defense is regressed. The locker room's not tight. How do I know that? More 15-point blowouts. And they're tied in that Hackett because of Aaron Rogers. This season, the defense is worse. It's not going in the right direction. This locker room appears to be worse. They're getting blown out more. So Sala's locker room, not tight. Salah's defense regressing.

And by the way, I have supported him for years. But remember, Aaron Rogers, it's very easy for Aaron to be on the sidelines and support Sala because these losses don't go on his ledger. None of this goes on Aaron's legacy. But what happens next year when Aaron's losing and it goes on both? Aaron gets snarky and prickly very quickly. He doesn't live in a world of sacrifice. Never married, no kids.

It's about Aaron. And that's fine. Same with Durant. I'm okay with both. They're both Hall of Favors. But it's so easy to support somebody when it doesn't go on your legacy, when it doesn't go on your record, when it's framed as I'm supporting that mess.

What happens if you're knee deep in that mess? This is a battle line. Even if they hit on left tackle, it's a battle line. Saul is a defensive coach. They're getting blue. blown out more. Don't you think they get a better quarterback in New England? Miami's not getting worse, nor is Buffalo.

Just saying, this idea, Aaron's going to solve all this stuff. Folks, you watched him last year in Green Bay. The Packers' offense today is better today than it was a year ago when Aaron was there. You do get we've seen the best of Aaron. And Aaron's 40 off an Achilles surgery. Is it realistic for me to say, and I'm certainly not rooting for this because I felt terrible when he got hurt. You think he can play 17 games and not get banged up?

He's now got an Achilles surgery, a couple collarbone major injuries. Dude's been hit before. He's now 40. You don't get healthier. You get older. Stuff breaks. Trust me. Hit my 50s, stuff breaks.

Hit your 40s, stuff breaks too as a pro athlete. So when I watch this whole thing, I've supported Robert Sala. But I don't know. I look at it now and I'm like, I don't know. So I saw this. yesterday, and it was interesting to watch the reaction. Bill O'Brien was the former offensive coordinator for Alabama. And apparently, when he was at Bama, he told the current Alabama quarterback Jalen

Milrow, quote, how would you feel if I told you you suck? He was not a fan. And Milro went on to say, it's motivated me. So first of all, shocker. Another guy on Belichick's staff is outdated and grumpy. But I'm going to go the other way on this. This is actually a great thing for Jalen Milro. Tom Brady was doubted over and over again,

and so was Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hertz and Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins, and it pissed them all off, and it became jet fuel. Drew Breeze was doubted. Aaron Rogers went to a junior college. He still has a chip. Dan Marino slid down to 20, seventh in the first round. Jet fuel. Football is hard. The strongest men in the world are

chasing you down and bearing you into the turf. The league, yes, should go all grass. They don't. It hurts all the time. Football practices hard. A little skepticism. Tears for a day mean wins for years. It's okay. Coddled kids or soft kids. Milrow knows. he's loved in Alabama. That throw against Auburn certainly helped. But it should be noted that Nick Saban benched him this year. And oh, by the

way, Nick Saban benched Jalen Hertz at halftime. Jet fuel. There's always been a strange thing about quarterbacks at the professional level. You think it would be linear. You're a four or five star high school kid. You go to Ohio State, Bama, USC, Oklahoma,

and then you're a star in the NFL. But yet it never works that way, except Peyton Manning and maybe Elway. Big Ben, Ohio State wasn't interested, Miami of Ohio. Josh Allen's dad had to send out tapes. Nobody was interested. Jalen Hertz was too small. Baker Mayfield had to transfer.

Tom Brady was ignored. Russell had to leave NC State because the coach went with Mike Glennon. Dak Prescott, fourth round, Joe Montana, third round. You see a trend? You need to be ticked off, often humiliated, really mad, have critics and doubters. Football's hard, quarterback's a really hard position. I looked at that quote and I thought, perfect.

Just the kind of thing that'll motivate that young man to be great. Sabin benching him. Bill O'Brien's saying, do you know you suck? Yeah, it comes across as really harsh. Shocker, another Belichick assistance, tone deaf and out of touch and grumpy. But this is the kind of stuff that stories are made of. All these quarterbacks in this league, Philip Rivers. I mean, Eli Manning wins two Super Bowls.

He was told his whole life, you're not as good as Peyton. You don't get to go to Tennessee. You can go to Ole Miss. You're not as good as your old man. Man, Archie was an athlete. Peyton had a better arm. Eli ended up with two Super Bowls and beat Brady and Belichick. both. Yes, it comes across his harsh and out of touch and tone deaf, but he was benched by

Saban, and I watched him early in the year against Texas, and my thought was he's not very good. But he got better. And my argument is one of the reasons he got better because he was mad and he was embarrassed and he was tired of it. And that's okay too. He'll be fine. If he beats Michigan, nobody will care. But the reaction was, this is outrageous. No, it's not. It is called the quarterback position. Dan Marino, Aaron

Rogers, Tom Brady, Dak, Joe Montana, Kirk Cousins, Jalen Hertz. Somebody said that to him personally, or in most instances, said it about him privately. And they heard about it. It's okay. Jalen Millroll is going to be okay.

He's going to be fine. As for the Patriots, I said this yesterday. I don't like anything about them offensively. They're coaches, their scheme, their players, I don't like anything. 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. 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. 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-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics

from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of ton-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.