The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - NFL, playoffs, Packers, Prescott

Episode Date: January 19, 2022

How the NFL has changed over the yearsLooking at the QBs that are still in the playoffsColin can't see the Packers losing this weekendTroy Aikman's comments on Dak Prescott and the CowboysGuest: Nick Wright 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 IHeart 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, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, 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 athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast.

For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. 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.

I mean, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard 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 herd at Fox Sports Radio.com

or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports. Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Wednesday. Live in Los Angeles. It's the hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, Nick Wright in 30 minutes.

It is great to have you in today. Joy Taylor is joining me. I feel I've got a new shirt on today. I'm very much like that, Joy. Not really a closed person. You got a couple new shirts. Bought some new shirts. The company did.

They're supporting me and the show. It's a great feeling. How are you doing, by the way? I'm doing great. I'm looking forward to this weekend. I am too. There's no blowouts. I'm hoping for great games all weekends.

I don't think there will be, though. Well, good coaches and good quarterbacks don't get blown out a lot. Yeah, the only one that's really concerning is San Francisco, and I've seen San Francisco beat Green Bay, so. Yes. hot. I was thinking about this. Story time. For most of my childhood, I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. The richest family was the Nordstrom's. Classy and dignified. You've seen those Nordstrom stores. They used to have a cool policy. You could bring anything back. Nordstrom's, high school,

college, they own the Seahawks. Today, there were $37 billion, and they are not one of the 10 richest families in Seattle. Did they get dumb? No, smart family, great kids. Did they add chaos that broke apart the company? No, a very smart, well-heeled, educated family. But Bill Gates is from Seattle, and Paul Allen is, and Jeff Bezos is, and it's a tech center. And the world changed.

Can you imagine that? Their companies were $37 billion. They're not a top 10 richest Seattle family. I looked it up this morning. That success and wealth is not defined just by how smart you are. It's by laws and rules and cultural changes. And I was thinking about Andy Reid this morning. And Andy Reid grew up in an NFL where the Montreal

was Joy Taylor's brother knows this, defense wins championships. Offense was sort of an eye roll, finesse, pretty. You got to play defense to win the big games. You asked Jimmy Johnson, the Vince Lombardes, right? Steel Curtin is what we grew up with. Nasty Raiders is what we grew up with. The Ravens and Ray Lewis. Andy Reed, the rules never benefited him.

And during that time, Bill Belichick at defensive genius rose to prominence. Tom Brady certainly helped. But then about five years ago, the NFL pivoted all the rules now, benefit offense. And in the last three years, Andy Reid is 38 and 11, 6 and 1 in the playoffs, two Super Bowls, and favored to be in a third. and Bill Belichick in the last three years is 29 and 20, 0 and 2 in the playoffs, and just had a quarterback humiliate him with seven straight touchdown drives. A quarterback, it should be noted in his division, who I don't think it's necessarily in his prime yet, Josh Allen. Add this, Andy Reid has a great general manager who comes.

continues to hit first, second, and third round home runs with centers and receivers and running backs and tight ends. And what has been the hole in Belichick's game? Drafting, wide receivers. Look at the teams left in the NFL. Look at the wide receiver tight end talent for Cincinnati, the Rams, Tampa, Green Bay, San Francisco, Kansas City Buffalo. And then look at New England's. It's bottom two or three in the league. The Nordstrom family in Seattle didn't get dumb. The world changed, and it benefits those in tech. In fact, Jeff Bezos from Seattle, for all I know, worked at Nordstrom's as a kid

and built a retailer that helped put them mostly on the backburner, Amazon. I'm not saying in any way Belichick will get dumber, but the world has changed. the best quarterback won every division. Every single NFC playoff team was an offensive coach. Overwhelmingly, who is favored this weekend? All but one offensive coach. If Andy Reed,

it's 63 coaches to 69 like Belichick, because the last three years he has separated from Bill, will history be very kind like it has been to all those Seattle kids who embrace tech? Gates and Paul Allen and Jeff Bezos. And by the way, all you brilliant young tech stars in your 20s, 30s and 40s now, the great retailers didn't get dumb. The other business people that owned waste management companies and retail companies and food companies and, you know, giants in other

industries. They didn't get dumb. The world changed. And you can make a billion dollars now in an afternoon in Silicon Valley. That's just one company. That's just one human. I look at Andy Reed and I think to myself, New England's whole is the ability to draft offensive talent, Mack Jones, low ceiling, Josh Allen in division, and Andy Reed, good God, did you see their draft last year? Center they drafted, best center in football. Guard, receivers, backs, tight ends. Don't be surprised if Andy stays till 69, you look at his last 10 years and you look

at Belichick's and there aren't arguments to me made who are calling the greatest coach of all time. It's not because Belichick. Dot Dom. The world changes. The Nordstrom's never got dumb. Still smart today. The world changes.

So I was thinking about this, as I often do, as I just roam around the house, thinking about topics for the show. And so I looked at all the quarterbacks left in the NFL. And it's very interesting. So I'm just going to read the quarterback. Joe Burrow, who got hurt in college, beat out for a job, had to transfer. We'll face Ryan Tannahill, who started as a college-wide receiver, went to the NFL, and then was dumped by his first team. He'll face Jimmy Garoppolo, who's never really been embraced, whose heir apparent was drafted, was a second round pick, hurt a lot.

We'll face Aaron Rogers, who had to go to a junior college and is still fuming. because he dropped in the first round. He'll face Matt Stafford, who was just a great high school and college quarterback and then spent the next 13 years in the losing tunnel called the Lions. And he'll take on Tom Brady, who dropped to the sixth round. And again, still has a chip on his shoulder. And then Josh Allen, who nobody offered a scholarship out of high school, went to a junior college. Still nobody offered him a scholarship except Wyoming, got the you-know-what kicked out of him in college, was terrible as a rookie in the NFL. will face Patrick Mahomes, who didn't have a winning record as a college quarterback.

That's who's left. Doubted, hardened, questioned, mocked, ignored. The NBA, it's different. Basketball culture is often spotting the greatest talent at 12, 13, 14 years old. You line up the swag. You get them to the best AAU teams. You get them to the best college for a year. And then they go to the NBA and the commissioner Adam.

Silver acknowledges, my players are unhappy. Why wouldn't they be? It's the first time in their lives at 19, 20, 21 years old. They've been ripped and mocked and ridiculed. In the NFL, the last quarterback standing have all been doubted. I'm not against the transfer portal. I'm not against name image likeness. But there was a cautionary tale yesterday in America. Tate Martel was the number one high school quarterback.

I met him once in high school, Bishop Gorman in Vegas. He was the thing. And then he just kept transferring Ohio State and Miami and UNLV. And yesterday he acknowledged that 23 years old, he retired from football. Transfer Portal, the easier place. I'll play there. He never started. Wish him the best of luck.

I'm sure he'll do fine, bright kids super talented. Transfer Portal now is going to create kids who, if they don't start day one, I am out of here. And there'll be bidding wars for high school quarterbacks who will get five, $10 million in their pocket. I am a proponent of both. But I hope their dads realize, look who's left this weekend. Big Ben ignored by Ohio State.

He was eliminated. Are we entering a time where quarterbacks, and this is what's happened over the last seven, eight years, the great high school quarterbacks, like the great basketball, players are spotted at 13-14. They are then moved into the best high school with the best teammates. They do it in Southern California. Then they go to Bama, Ohio State Clemson, best teammates. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, are you ready for a four-year tunnel of crap?

Because if you can come through it, you'll end up playing on this weekend. I am for the transfer portal. I am for name image likeness. I want my kids to have an easier life than I did. But I used to always joke, granite countertops and crown molding are the death of drive and determination. I don't want my NFL quarterbacks to become 15-year-old NBA stars who for the first time when they get heat are miserable. It's the journey in the misery that makes Joe Burrow. It's the journey and the misery that makes Brady.

Matt Stafford, 13 years of losing and getting crushed with him. no run game and always falling behind and having the pressure and having to win shootouts is precisely why he's here this weekend. Can't wait for the games. And I think it's why I've always liked football more than basketball and I love both. I like the journey of it. I like the hardened, toughened, criticized, eye-rolled, ignored way of life for star quarterbacks. And that's who's left.

Not the biggest, not the strongest, not the oldest, not the most talented, not the great runners, all of them, at some point ignored along their journey. I think it's what makes them, not just a part of them. 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 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 what 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. 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 taun 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 Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 a little kill Well you can find out On the Look Back at it podcast I'm Sam Jett 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 you all know I mean at 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 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. I always try to visualize stories happening. And if I can visualize it, then I'll talk. about it. I'll predict it. I can't see Aaron Rogers losing this weekend. And here's why. So I look at all four games and I mean, it's really good teams, really good coaches, really good quarterbacks, right? But last week, I said going into the weekend, the pressure was on number one

Matt Stafford, he delivered, and number two, Mike McCarthy, and he did not and got clobbered for it. So it kind of validated what we said. We were all kind of waiting for Stafford to win. He did. It was good. it was a non-story then, and McCarthy got hammered for losing. Not Dak necessarily, but McCarthy. So this weekend, let's say Mahomes loses. Well, I mean, how many teams get to three straight Super Bowls? We're not going to clobber him for that, and he loses the Josh Allen. Let's say Brady loses.

Well, he's 44. He's got seven Super Bowls. We're not going to spend a lot of time Monday ripping Brady. If Stafford loses, well, he won a playoff game. First year with McVeigh, won the NFL's toughest division, had the highest fourth quarter pass rating in the NFL. And again, he just won a playoff game. We're not going to crush him for losing to what I believe is a better roster.

If Joe Burrow loses or Zach Taylor, haven't the kind of exceeded expectations, honestly? I had them for fourth in the division. I don't think I was alone. If Mike Vrable and Tannahill lose, I still can't figure out how they're here. They lost Derek Henry for two months. How are they the number one seed?

But Aaron Rogers spent the last six months needling the Packers' front office, vaccines, politicians, the media. There are going to be a lot of people. They're going to take a lot of hacks at Aaron if he loses. And by the way, he's 0 and 3 against San Francisco. But I can't see it. At home, off a buy, Garoppolo's not healthy. Nick Bosa might not be Fred Warner's limping. Green Bay is finally healthy.

I cannot envision Monday's show after Aaron loses Saturday night. I can't. I can't. I can see everything else. I can see Burrow and Jamar Chase going crazy town and then pulling out dramatic win. I can see Stafford in the Rams. If Tristan Worf's has hurt, right tackle, Tom faces pressure. And, you know, let's be honest, Stafford's been a great second half quarterback, OBJ, the run game.

They've got Cooper Cup. I can see Buffalo out dueling Kansas City in a wild shootout and a turnover late in the game. Mahomes ball comes out of his hands, not even his fault. I cannot see Aaron going 0 and 4, all that drama, people looking to take hacks at him, and he loses to Jimmy Garoppolo at home. I can't see it.

So that is my lock of the week. I don't know the spread, whatever, but I cannot envision that. And so I can't predict it. Joy with the news. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Niners are six points. I would take Green Bay to win in cover. And I know the wise guys would overwhelmingly take San Francisco. I can't see it. I need to see how healthy San Francisco is. If Bosa and Warner are healthy, then it's competitive. Then it's a probably take the point if it goes to seven. Yeah.

I think Green Bay wins a game as well. But they're finally held. Jair Alexander's back. They're the healthiest they've been all year. That was the tears that we had for pressure. It was Matthew Stafford, the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy, and then Aaron Rogers. And now Aaron's all by himself because Stafford won and Mike's out. Well, it's time.

Well, Derek Henry practiced in pads yesterday. And Mike Vrabel said how well he does in contact practice will go a long way to determining whether he plays and how much he can play on Saturday. I think that's a good step. We'll have to have some contact. It's been a while, you know, since he's had, you know, contact. You know, we're going to have to do these things that will come close to replicating what's going to be asked of him in a football game. So, you know, again, we'll have a week of work and we'll see how he feels and make a decision.

Yeah, we're all kind of expecting Derek Henry's to be back, but they do have to make sure that he is 100% healthy. Well, let's be honest. Russell Wilson came back faster. than we thought. Jay J.J. Watt came back. No, we also have to stop saying season-ending injury. Cam Acres. Came back, which is the shockers. So it's like what's happened between the medical advances and how good a shape these athletes are in when they get hurt, they're not us. They recover

in half the time we do. Yeah. And it's just getting faster. And look, I mean, Derek Henry, you know, how much work you put into the rehab also makes a big difference. Like when Adrian Peterson came back, this fast as he did, that was kind of the beginning of this like unprecedented return from injuries. But how much effort you put into rehab, which is very difficult because it's mentally and emotionally draining as well as physically draining. They were talking about Cam Acres, like crying on the way to rehab. Rehab is the worst.

Like the initial injury and the shock of the injury and the pain and like realizing you're going to be out as bad. But the rehab is so draining. So it's really impressive that these guys are coming back as soon as they can. But they still have to make sure that he's 100%. You don't want to rush someone back and it ends up being a devastating situation. He was leading the NFL in rushing when he suffered the foot injury on October 31st. He had eight games this season, 219 rushes for 937 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He's the best big play running back in the league. He's one of my favorite players to watch in the league. They've obviously maintained without him, but he provides a different level of stardom and big play potential, and he is just an engine and soul for that team. I just talked to Dave Wonstadt, our friend. yesterday and he loves Cincinnati this weekend. He said, he said if you watch Burrow in the last six, seven weeks, he's literally gone from really good to, oh, it's like Josh Allen against New England, you're like, and we know he's great, but it's like, okay, what was that? Like Burrow is doing the same

stuff. We saw a little bit with Mahomes for Super Bowl. Like, he had struggled at the end of the regular season. He got to the playoffs, fell behind the Texans 24-0, and you're like, okay, he's going to win the Super Bowl. Like, you just can't, there are these young players who literally in a season, I mean, Brady and Stafford are past this, but you get into these Mahomes when they're 24 and Josh Allen and Burrow, you can see the improvement from like week eight to week 16. Like it's a different player.

Yeah, they go from being stars to superstars. And you can see the gear go up. And it's like Mahomes always said, oh, remember when he came back and he said, I can read defenses now? Like, you didn't when you won a Super Bowl? He's like, no, now I can read defense. Like you can see these quarterbacks especially.

I think Burrow in the last seven, eight weeks, has gotten to a right up there with Stafford. Brady, Aaron. Like, I think he's that good now. Well, the Texans are three and a half point favorites, according to Fox Bay. I think this is going to be a really competitive game. Again, I wouldn't be surprised if the Bengals were able to beat the Texans, sorry, the Titans. But we're going to watch and see if Derek Henry is going to be available.

So Jimmy Garapolo will be dealing with a thumb injury and a sprained shoulder when he faces off against the Packers. And he was asked if it will impact him against Green Bay. Well, I mean, the shoulder, yeah, it's being a quarterback, it affects every throw. So it definitely had some impact. But if I'm out there and I'm being put in that spot, I got to still make the plays that I'd normally make. So no excuses or anything like that. Just, yeah, I mean, the injury is what it is.

Just we're all dealing with stuff now. Yeah. Everyone's playing through injuries at this point. That's another reason I can't see Aaron Rogers losing. So Garoppolo's not even healthy. Shoulder. We saw what a shoulder injury did to Baker. Like he wasn't the same quarterback.

Yeah. I mean, in the second half, this injury happened in the second quarter. in Dallas. And the second half, Jimmy G was five of 11 for 39 yards with an interception. So maybe it did play a role. Obviously, as he mentioned, you're a quarterback. The shoulder's going to affect everything that you do. He was limited to practice yesterday. But I also feel like Jimmy G has always hurt. So he's always playing through something. And maybe that's why he can be inconsistent sometimes. I still think he's going to start. Obviously, unless he's that injured, you're not going to put Trey Lansson to start against Green Bay on the road in the second round of the

playoffs. Game starts at 730 Eastern on Fox. And the Niners are, six-point underdogs, according to Foxbet, but there's a lot to pay attention to with Jimmy G. Bosa and Fred Warner and their health. So Deshawn's future in Houston is still in the balance. Nick Casario was asked if potentially hiring

Brian Flores might result in Watson's staying. That more than likely would not be the case, but I think we just have to be open-minded and just take the information and process it and ultimately make the decision that we feel makes it most, but makes the most

sense for for everybody involved, whatever that looks like. The Sean Watson situation is kind of strange at this point. We all just kind of stopped talking about it. Like his name would pop up here and there throughout the season after the trade deadline. But after the trade deadline passed, we kind of all were just like, all right, this is, we can shelve this until next season. But we still haven't gotten any answers about his cases. So obviously this is still a massive piece that needs to be moved in the off season.

he has a fully guaranteed salary of $35 million, so they're not going to pay him not to play. They're not going to pay him $35 million not to play. He has a no trade clause, so they can't just send him anywhere. So he has all the leverage, but does a team want him with the cases and he hasn't played last year? So he could have a slow start.

I think I would want him if I, yeah, I mean, I think there's such a, I think this league is a league of fear and desperation. I think sometimes you just like, he's better than anybody on the market. We'll go. No, he is the best, he's the best quarterback on the market. Yeah, sure. That's without question. But he's not as simple as he's available.

Let's go get it. Like, we don't have any answers and we still don't. And the way that the cases are being handled, they're one by one. It's not a class action suit where, you know, he can go in and solve it in one day. Like he has to either settle or go to court with each one of these individuals that has a suit out. So this could potentially take years. if he doesn't settle with them. So I don't understand how this situation with Deshawn Watson

is any different than it was at the trade deadline. You still don't have an answer. So if you're going to give up what the Texans want for Deshawn Watson, which they deserve for Deshawn Watson because of his talent level and moving on from your franchise quarterback, I don't understand how as a GM or an owner, you can part ways with three first and two seconds for a player you don't know who's going to play, especially that position.

It's complex. That's for sure. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. If I was Nick Wright, I would be terribly nervous going into this weekend. You did see Josh Allen dissect the greatest defensive coach of all time. I mean, with relative ease. So as we go into the weekend, Nick sometimes will tell you he's not nervous.

I don't know. Let's bring him on Nick Wright. I don't know. a little nervous, kind of nervous. No, I don't see how the Chiefs can win, Colin. I mean, let's be honest. I mean, it's ridiculous that they're even favored. I mean, but Vegas is smart.

They're not even the full three-point favorites. What have they done to earn that? I mean, yeah, the bill scored. Have you ever seen a team score seven touchdowns in a row in a playoff game? I mean, you know, 20 hours later, you literally saw a team score six touchdowns in a row against T.J. Watt and Minka Fitzpatrick and Cam Hayward, but it was nothing like what we saw from Buffalo. I mean, no, I know you're picking the bills. I mean, Mike, is Mahomes the worst quarterback left in the playoffs? I don't know. Maybe he's better than Tanna Hill and Garoppolo.

I'm not sure, though. I really don't know. I know he's not better than Burrow in your eyes. I know he's not better than Josh Allen. I know he's not better than Brady. I know he's not better than Rogers. Hey, you love Stafford. I don't know. I just, you know, it's. You know, It's been a good run. And, you know, the Josh Allen is going to be able to add him, and these bills are going to be add themselves to the long list of teams that have beaten Mahomes twice in a season. That list of teams is currently zero teams long.

And I'm sure last year when Josh Allen was, you know, the hot MVP candidate quarterback who got more MVP votes than Mahomes, and they played a playoff game in Arrowhead. And after spotting the bills nine points, the chiefs were on a 30. eight to six run. Like it was a AAU basketball tournament. That's got to do with it.

No, listen, it's been fun. I assume Chad Hennie will probably have playing this game. I don't see how the chiefs can win, Colin? How much you got Buffalo by 14? Tell me, I know you saved W. You obviously are going to be on the bills minus the two. No. So how much though?

No, I am. Or plus the two. I'd be honest with you, I think Kansas City wins. I do. Because I have a belief. Wow! Because you're the one. Yeah, so I think Josh Allen to this point in his career, he's still got rough edges.

He still tends to be great game followed by average, great average. Whereas I think Mahomes tends to have occasional slumps for a month, but he is on a week-to-week basis, a more consistent high-end performer. So I like Kansas City close. So there you go. How about that? Oh, okay. All right, good. Well, listen, you're going to be wrong because I don't see how they can win.

I mean, Bill's at the coaching advantage. What do they have three head coaches on their staff? The enemy can't even get an interview. I mean, I just, I don't know how they do it. But, hey, well, it'll be you and, you know, the fans in the stadium. No one else believes in them. But go ahead, Colin. Now, I don't.

Wow, I'm really surprised. I don't like to talk about Baker too much because I come across as, like, petty, right? Like, I don't want to do that. So I'll let, I'll give the floor to you. But it is sort of interesting that OBJ and nine games has six touchdowns and has become the go-to red zone wide receiver. what did you make of the playoff performance where they doubled Cooper and the Rams were like, all right, we'll go to the other guy and he crushed. Yeah, what I think is, I do think that we should maybe as a collective media spend, I don't know,

at least 20% as much time discussing the fact that Odell Beckham Jr. in his first playoff game since the boat trip was directly responsible for all of the Rams offensive touchdowns because he scored the first one, he had a 30-yard catch and run to set up the second one, and he threw the bomb to set up the third one. Let's spin maybe, you know what I'll also call it,

25% of as much time talking about that as we talked about the color of his visor or the size of his watch when he was in Cleveland. Because there was a growing narrative, Odell had the one great catch, and then, ah, what else? is he done? You know, the best open to a career in receiver history

other than Randy Moss, but other than that, what has he done? So, yes, I do think that this is an example where it makes Baker, and by the way, Kevin Stavansky's got to wear some of this as well look bad, but it also does make Odell look good,

and while I have not committed to memory all of your Odell takes the way I have your Baker takes, I don't think you have been maybe his biggest supporter, His biggest of fans. So maybe while you are taking a victory lap on Baker, you can give my pal the kid with the yellow hair and now purple hair,

changes colors, a little bit of credit that he's still quite good. Yes. And that he is still a different to making receiver in this league. Yes. I said on Tuesday morning, I said, I didn't think wash, but I said he got the drops in Cleveland. He literally always had great hands and he got the drops. And I said I underestimated the power of culture

and coaching and Stafford and OBJ, you put them with the right culture. They don't feel like OBJ has to have 19 targets. Just go make big plays. Go be great in moments. And the power of law and the power of the city of Los Angeles. It reinvigorated you. There's a couple years there before you got to L.A. People thought, you know, Howard lost his fastball.

That's right. Got out to L.A. It's like, oh, it's good as ever. All right. Okay. So Wednesday is your tear day. So I haven't seen this this morning. I heard you talk about it when I pulled in,

but then I didn't see it. So show me what are your tears today? Wednesday tears? All right. So tell me what we can just show up and we can show them to you right now. So we can go bottom to top. The Titans and Bengals, one team will win and then that team will lose the next week.

One of them will be in the final four. They can hang a banner like Michigan State, but that's it. I look at the bucks, Colin. I think it's too many games in the last two years. They've played more games than any team in football because they didn't have to buy last year. They don't have to buy this year. The worst injury concerns me.

The Jensen injury concerns me. Obviously, the wide receiver stuff. I think both NFC dogs. I heard you talking about the Packers. I think both NFC dogs this week are live dogs. I think Green Bay would have rather played anyone but San Francisco. Then there's the bills, top of the mountain. There's two ways to look at it.

One way is top of the mountain because they're the best team. They're looking down at all the peasants beneath them. The other way is Magic Mountain, Josh Allen, because he goes up to the top, then he plummets on down. We'll see which one it is. And then Chiefs and Packers, I think of the two best teams in football. So that's how I find it. What I would be most interested in is your thoughts on bucks, where the bucks are. I just, I think they're banged up.

I think they're tired. I think the AB thing took a little bit of their spirit. I know they looked great against Philly, but Philly shouldn't have been there. I think the Bucks could be in real trouble this weekend. Yeah, the thing that concerns me, so Chris Godwin's out, A.B.'s gone, Tristan Whirps banged up, Ryan Jensen banged up, so to that you're right. But I will say they took a 31-0 lead without Fournette and Ronald Jones. And I really think the key to this football team beyond Brady is Leonard Fernette, which is weird because when he came here, he was an afterthought.

But when he's running, I mean, Leonard Fernette is like a different player in big games. And when he's running and Brady can throw not only out of the gun, but on play. action, it's a handful. But I think to your point, they got a little bit taken out of them last week, so I don't have a problem with that. So I do want to segue to this, though, because I always like to get one NBA question, because you're dynamic and love the sport. The Frank Vogel story is interesting.

He's in trouble. Then there's a story yesterday. He's not in trouble. It's interesting. I don't believe he wanted Westbrook, a bad defensive player. I believe he wanted KCP and Caruso, good defensive players. But in the end, I don't think this. Now, he's got A.D., a defensive player.

He doesn't want to play center and he's hurt. So I have some sympathy for Frank Vogel. This is not the roster that he really wanted. What's your take on him? Sure. Listen, I think that if we're assigning culpability for the Lakers up to this point, very disappointing season, the front office deserves more of it than anyone. I know everyone says, oh, but LeBron's in charge.

If LeBron were in charge, Ty Lou would have gotten this coaching job a few years ago. LeBron signed a contract extension prior to last year. He doesn't have the ability to kind of hold the team hostage the way he could in Cleveland. If they didn't want to trade for Russ, if they didn't want to make these moves, they wouldn't have. So I think the front office deserves the most criticism. But Vogel also, nobody is really defending Vogel. they are simply giving reasons why it's not all his fault and it's not all his fault. But I think people want to find a reason to put this at the feet of LeBron.

And so they're pretending that there's a lot of things Frank Vogel has done great this year. What's your favorite Frank Vogel moment? Let me tell you, when it took him a dozen games to realize you can't play Rondo and Westbrook at the same time. Like, that's not great. How about the fact that Steve, Nash, who no one exactly is comparing to Red Arbach, figured out nine months ago DeAndre Jordan was washed, and he was starting him for the first 20 games of the year. That's not great. And so I don't think Vogel should be fired, at least at present. But I also think this idea

that he should be untouchable because they won a championship 15 months ago. That's two seasons ago. Right now, LeBron James is going to win the scoring title, and you're playing 500 battles. basketball. That's got to fall on a lot of people, and it can't just be the front office. So I do think Vogel needs to be better. All right. I think I caught you off guard. I like Kansas City over Buffalo. But I do. I'm shocked. I'm shocked. Yeah. Yeah, no, I do. I think it's, no, I mean, Josh Allen's not. He's a beautiful piece of art. He just needs to be sandpapered a little bit, but I feel like Mahomes, I've got what I've got. I know what I'm getting every week. He has many slumps, mechanically gets out of them.

I mean, there's no borough or Herbert or any of those other quarterbacks that you said past him. But yeah, I mean, he should be able to handle Josh Allen. We'll see. All right, Nicky. Good seeing you, buddy. Nick, right, my buddy. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Mike check. Do you want exclusive insight from the biggest names in the sports game? What's good? This is national champion and former pro baller Chris Johnson. Let me tell you a little bit about my new series, KJ Live. KJ Live is the only show featuring me going one-on-one with the brightest basketball minds on the planet to get the real. And when I say real, I mean that real. I got legendary Hall of Famers, elite coaches, and the top basketball insiders bringing you a unique perspective on all things who's culture that you will not find anywhere else.

So make your next move, your best move, and tap in with me on KJ Live, wherever you get your podcast from. 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 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.

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 tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to Stuff to Blow Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 Jett. 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. Clearly, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you 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 Podcast. or wherever you get your podcasts.

I remember years ago Derek Jeter was asked about a hitting slump. And Derek Jeter said, you know, I don't overthink it. And for Derek Jeter, a slump could be over 16 or over 15. And he said, it was some reporter had asked him. And he goes, I just want to go hit the ball hard tonight. Wherever I hit it, I just want to hit it hard. And eventually, if you hit the ball hard a lot, it will find a place on a baseball field and drop in as a hit. We've got analytics all over the place.

And in the NBA, everybody's talking about analytics. But so often in the playoffs, it's like, dude, I need a basket. Just Chris Paul, just go get me a basket. And he'll shoot like a 12-footer, which nobody likes anymore. Janus, just go make a stop. Doesn't have to be a stop and a three-pointer. That sometimes in situations in baseball playoffs, in hitting slums, in basketball playoffs, at NFL playoffs, we overthink stuff.

Troy Aikman, there's a bite out there this morning, and we're not allowed to use it yet. But he's talking about, you know, the quarterback controversy with Dak and that quarterback draw overshadowed the fact that Dak didn't play very well and trailed 23 to 7 at one point to San Francisco at home. And the Cowboys have the number one rated offensive line in the league according to PFF. So Aikman's quote was, he goes, listen, there was a lot of single coverage on C.E. D. Lamb. I hate going back to when I was playing because nobody cares. But with coordinators these days, it's all about schemes rather than that corner is scared to death. Go run the route tree. I'll get the ball to you. He goes, if they would have covered Michael Irvin, the way they covered CD Lamb with

single coverage, he'd have had 10 catches by halftime. Said Aikman, the game is not that difficult. If I got a great player at wide receiver and the corners on him not as good in single coverage, throw him the ball. He's going to win most of the time. And I think that does bring up a concern. So, Dak Prescott's offensive line is rated number one in the league to the people who grade the offensive line. You're at home. You have C.D. Lamb. Amari Cooper. Dalton Schultz is going to be a free agent. He's going to make a lot of money. They won't keep him. Cedric Wilson, good backs. Dak averaged under six yards per attempt. That's with the two best 49er players out. Bosa out. Fred Warner hurt at home. So at some point, you know, we talk about all this and that

McCarthy. You got to make plays. Dak Prescott against non-divisional opponents this year. He wasn't terrible, but he was just solid. 11 games, he was 5 and 6. 66% completion. Fine. Burrow down the stretch has been 75. 21 TD's 8 picks, nothing to be embarrassed about. Passer rating. The new standard is 100. He's at 95. If you look at DAC versus playoff teams this year, and this is really interesting. Against the Eagles, he's unbelievable.

He's Joe Montana. He completes 80% of his throws, 8 TDs, no picks, pass-er rating, you know, in that Brady-Burrow Mahomes when you're hot. But against the other playoff teams, it's really ordinary. One in five, 92 passer rating, 12 touchdown, 5 picks. And again, that's where the number one graded offensive. line, above average, tight end production, good backs. I don't think Zeke is nearly what he used to be, but he and Pollard are above average

and excellent wide receiver talent. So remember, outside of Zach Martin, they got to get a new tackle. They're getting worse at tackle, not better. Zeke probably at some point they move him in the offseason because of his cost. At some point, you're going to keep, you can get out of the Amari Cooper contract now, and it's not nearly the cap hit. They're not going to resign Michael Gallup because, he's coming off a major injury, and they're not going to be able to keep Schultz the

tight end because he's too good and too expensive. So with all this stuff, Dak, we've got a trend here about three years, has been pretty ordinary against teams not named the Giants, the Washington football team, or the Eagles. And so it doesn't mean he can't play. That's not, but he's been surrounded here in the first four or five years with really good stuff. Now, the good news is the Cowboys draft pretty well. Can they find a Micah Parsons on offense?

Can they go get another great wide receiver? I mean, C.D. Lamb was a good pick. People criticized it. I didn't get it. It was a great pick. They found Michael Gallup. I didn't watch him play in college. Amari Cooper move was smart.

The Cowboys do some things really well. Other things not really well, but they do draft a lot of playmakers, and they deserve credit for that. But you start looking at that game, the quarterback draw got all the heat, McCarthy got all the heat. That didn't play well. With all those weapons down 23-7. And that's how bolses out, warner's out. Garoppolo kind of let you back in, or you had a chance to get,

if Garoppolo doesn't throw that interception, that game could have been a route. Like that, it would have looked really bad. That final scoreboard would not have been tight. If Garoppolo didn't butcher, that fourth and inches not letting Trent Williams get set, you don't have a quarterback controversy, but you never get the ball back. So that's where we stand. We'll try to get you the Aikman bite, but I think he does bring up an interesting point. When you get to situational football, nothing against.

Against analytics, but Kauai Leonard would get me a bucket and get me a stop. I don't care about threes. You know, that's what I want. Say what you want about LeBron. He's still defensively. If you need to stop, LeBron's really good. He's still really good in the defensive end. Hour two next.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 Heather. writer Street or Sidell help an Acapella 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have

seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard 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. On the Look Back at a podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. 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. It 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. say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.