The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - Texans, Wild Card, Patriots

Episode Date: January 14, 2022

The Texans have fired HC David CulleyNFL Wild Card weekend will have at least one upsetDon't be surprised if the Patriots beat the BillsGuest: Steve Beuerlein 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.

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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. 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 Bole Your Mind 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, Cliver 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 Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of 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's podcast network on TikTok. 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 Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart radio app by searching Heard.

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. This is The Hurd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. It is a Friday, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. One hour from now, my final blazing five of the year, it is a wild card weekend. There's going to be an upset, but none of you fans have favored teams want to hear that. So our final blazing five of the year, we're off back-to-back winning week. Not one of our better seasons. Great year betting college.

My best ever, in fact, for college. NFL, not so much. Joy Taylor is joining me. This is one of my favorite weekends of the year where you get supposed favorites at home playing underdogs. And in the last four years, in the last four years of this weekend,

one road team has lost by more than seven. It's crazy. It's crazy. I think there's a possibility. for a couple upsets this weekend. It's been a complete year of parity. Look at week 18. It was nonsense.

Yeah. I don't, this is going to be a spicy weekend. Yes. Badly. Badly. So I want to start with this. David Cully got fired yesterday, the Houston Texans coach. And a lot of people were very upset.

That leaves now one African American head coach, Mike Tomlin, in the entire NFL year when 70% of the players are black. That's not good. That's bad. The NFL's got to do a better job. Now here's the good news. There's great candidates this year, many African-American. But just to show you how unstable being a coach is, if I ask you right now, name an industry in America, any industry where a high-paying job is less stable than NFL head coach.

This is why Nick Saban won't go back. This is why Jim Harbaugh could make more money going back, but he's not sure. Seven coaches have been fired. and I'm going to read them off for you and all for different reasons. There's never one reason. Brian Flores, I think he's excellent. Couldn't get along with people, I'm told. Joe Judge, completely over his head.

Matt Nagy leaves with a winning record with Mitch Trubisky and Andy Dalton, but he lost the fans, he lost the media and owners listen to that stuff. Mike Zimmer, I contend, excellent coach. But he's kind of rigid. They were trending the wrong way. And I think his voice got tired. Vic Fangio. I contend top three defensive coach in the league. But they've got a new owner coming in and he couldn't get the offense right.

Urban Meyer, it was a bad fit. Second best college coach I've ever seen. Immature off-field actions didn't work in the NFL. Just couldn't pivot from college to the pros. John Gruden, he's won a Super Bowl. Ugly email surface, he's fired. And then David Cully. Well, it is the weirdest ownership group in the NFL.

it's the worst ownership group in the NFL. And to be fair, he was always a stopgap guy when he got hired. He'd never been a coordinator. I was shocked. I said, this won't last long. I didn't love to hire. But it should be noted, David Cully said today, thank you, appreciate the opportunity.

I loved it. And boy, did he get a good paycheck to coach for a year? His buyout was great. Would I have given David Cully another year? Yeah. Even though they only won four of 17 games, I thought the team played hard. They beat the Chargers at the end.

I mean, I think I picked them for two wins. All four wins, they were underdogs. I said this about Dan Campbell. I don't know if Dan Campbell's a good coach, but the Lions played hard and were competitive. And by and large, the Texans played hard. I would have given him a second year. Though I never thought he was a long-term guy,

I didn't love the Dan Campbell hire. I didn't love the David Cully hire, but who wanted this job? It was awful. But my point is, is seven different coaches, almost all of them over Joe Judge, except Joe Judge, are excellent at something. Cully's supposed to be incredibly likable.

People really liked David Cully. Players played really hard for David Cully, and that is a skill, by the way. It's not all schemes. That is a skill. Outside of Joe Judge, people didn't like him. The schemes were bad. He was completely over his head. But I don't understand half these firings.

Jim Harbaugh took a shipwreck in San Francisco, turned it around immediately, got to a Super Bowl with Colin Kaepernick, and a year later was fired. He has a higher winning percentage than Bill Belichick. Doug Peterson won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles. He was fired. Belichick was fired.

Andy Reid was fired. By the way, Matt Nagy has a winning record with Andy Dalton and Mitch Trubisky got to two playoffs. He has a winning record. He got fired. Talk show host, columnist, fans turned on him, and ownership in Chicago listens. This is an unstable profession.

The hirings are bizarre. The firings are stranger. And I don't agree with half of them. You hope race isn't part of it. You hope. but it is discouraging to have 70% black players, multiple great black candidates, and now one coach. I think David Cully deserved a second year.

But I will just say this in regards holistically to the NFL. All of these come for different reasons, and half do not make sense. Half of them. Jim Harbaugh has a higher winning percentage than Bill Belichick. And he got fired right after getting to a Super Bowl with a quarterback that was okay. There we go.

So I want to talk about this weekend because, you know, when you kind of get addicted to something, it doesn't even matter if it's coffee. It could be cigarettes. It could be the NFL that you just, you lose a sense of common sense. So this week, we have one, two, three, four, five, six playoff games. And there's favorites and then there's underdogs. and the underdogs are, they're on the road. These games are overwhelmingly all going to be close.

People look at Philadelphia, Tampa. Well, the weather is going to be windy and cruddy in Tampa. Who does that hurt? The team that throws the ball down the field, Tampa. Outside of the Steelers, Kansas City, where I do think the Pittsburgh offense is just an unwatchable mess, that one I think the favorite wins by maybe a touchdown. But it is funny about the NFL.

I think about this all the time. We keep, and I'm guilty of this too, too often. I shouldn't be. You're fans. Fan is short for fanatic. You have a right to sometimes go crazy because of emotions. I should know better, right? I'm the judge in this.

I'm standing. I have the prosecuting attorney. I have the defense attorney. I've got the jury. I'm supposed to be the grown-up here and offer a reasonable non-emotional opinion. But I've found there are five things, five mistakes. stakes we make on an annual basis with the NFL and we do it over and over and we talk ourselves into stuff that's total nonsense. Number one, half the playoff teams this year will not

make it next year. And if I suggested that to you, fans go nuts. I'm going to tell you right now, the Raiders are not going to go 6 and 0 in last play games and overtime games. That's not going to happen again. They probably won't make the playoffs unless they get a great coach. So number one, half of the playoff teams this weekend will not make it in. And when the media suggests it, you think we're crazy. Number two, the NFL draft, when they say it's a great quarterback draft, half stink. And when they say it's a terrible one like this year, half will be excellent. This draft, this year, I'm being told none of these quarterbacks are special.

I'll put it on Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh, I think it's going to be special. Number three, oh, that free agent signing, Kenny Goladay, Adori Jackson for the Giants, it's going to change everything. 33% of free agent signings work. I'm just giving you the Giants as an example. Most don't. Number four is the high scoring team in September with no defense and the high scoring team. Remember, teams score a lot when the weather's perfect, not as much late.

The high-scoring finesse team, we always think they're going to run to the Super Bowl, outscore everybody. And then this weekend we have a playoff game where the temperature is going to be zero. Defense, running the football matter. And finally, the wild card weekend, favorite are going to win. A lot of blowouts. In the last four years of this weekend, we've had one blowout last year, Saints, Bears. I think Bear scored very, very late in the game to make it look closer than it was.

So we keep falling for this stuff. I think it's going to be a fantastic weekend. Two of my favorite weekends of the year are March Madness, the opening weekend, when you've got ones facing 16s and two facing 15s. It's the IBMs facing the startups. And there's not a lot of upsets. But the games, let's be honest, are always closer than you think. and there's a handful of 12s beaten fours.

The end of March Madness to me is fun, but there's not as much mystery. It's always like, you know, it's going to be Villanova and Gonzaga and Duke and Carolina and Kansas and Syracuse and all the big schools. But the opening weekend of March Madness to me is fascinating because you get just enough upsets, just enough, two or three, and a bunch of drama, and this is another weekend. I think most of the favorites will win. but you'll see in Blazing 5, I like the dogs. I think I would not pick the Kansas City Pittsburgh game.

I just took it off. I'm not taking that one. I don't want any part of it. I don't like betting huge spreads. I think they're sucker bets, but there is a reason Kansas City is favored by 12. But I will just tell you the dogs this weekend, my picks are barking because it's overwhelmingly underdogs. Great to have you in. Blazing 5.

Steve Burline is going to join us this hour. So Mack Jones, rookie year, will be put to a test this weekend in zero degrees. And we have already seen Mack Jones. And I'll tell you when we saw him before this. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'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. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 Now. 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 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. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all 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. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app,

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

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

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast.

Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Great to have you in. Blazing 5 last one of the year, top of the hour. Joy Taylor is joining me as always. I got a new shirt today, Joe. I've never won us.

I'm very proud of this shirt. It's a brand new shirt I'm debuting today on the show. It's a very soft pink. Do you know that you and I, this is so bizarre? Yeah, we always coordinate. And we don't really do it. It just shows up on the air. It looks like we picked our outfits together.

Well, you know, great minds think alike. That's it. Capricorns. The weird thing is, is I have lots of options in my dressing room. I have like seven dresses. So I just chose this one today. And boom. Do you know, you and you're crazy. Yeah.

All right. So Mac Jones, we've seen it before. And you'll think this crazy. But his year is Dak Prescott. By the way, I had my reservations about Dak and Matt coming in. Both were from the SC. They'd played plenty of big games. They were not overwhelmed initially.

We were taken by the maturity of both Mac and DAC. Go look at their numbers in their rookie year. They both completed about 68% of their throws. Dak had 23 touchdowns, Mac 22. Yards per game, virtually identical. 229 to 223. Mack went on a seven-game winning streak, DAC 11. They're also both their rookie years led by a strong run game.

That was really the key to the offense. And both had a very good defense their rookie year. Dallas top five in scoring defense, New England this year, number two. The key to both was they didn't make the big rookie mistake very much. Both were also aware of their limitations. It wasn't their armed talent or their ability to move, but with Mack and Dak, it's the coach ability. the self-awareness, the maturity.

There's a ceiling for both. I've never thought Mack is a very good athlete in terms of the context of NFL quarterbacks, and I think DAC is a pretty average arm talent. I have no idea if Mack Jones wins because there's no rhyme or reason to rookie quarterbacks winning their first playoff game. If you think I'm wrong, here's a list of the six rookie quarterbacks that have ever won a first playoff game. Sean King, Big Ben, Flacco, Mark Sanchez, T.J. Yates, and Russell Wilson. Two forgettable, two feel like Hall of Famers, and two Sanchez and Flacco had a kind of peculiar

ability to win big playoff road games early in their career. I have no idea how Mack Jones will do this weekend, but I've seen it before from the SEC. I had my doubts with both. But what separates Mac and DAC, and it usually isn't this, we ask our NFL quarterbacks to be unfairly mature at 23 years old. And both Mac and DAC bring that in bunches. Mac was always good at the podium this year. Dak four or five years in has never made a mistake at a podium, not one time. He's as good as anybody including Brady. So I, I have no idea if he's going to win, but I feel like I've seen this before. For the record, zero degrees, not ideal weather.

Usually the better quarterback in bad weather struggles. Josh Allen, Mac Jones, I suspect we have a potential upset this weekend. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd-lod. news. Well, Damien Lillard has had surgery to address a lingering abdominal injury. The Blazers announced yesterday, so the procedure is likely to keep him out at least six to eight weeks.

Sources told ESPN, the team on Thursday said his status would be reevaluated in six weeks. He last played on December 31st. He aggravated the abdominal injury when playing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. He was averaging 24 points, 7.3 assists in 29 games played. Bill is in 10th place in the Western Conference, and the team is four and seven without him this season. So C.J. McCollum is out indefinitely after sustaining a collapsed lung. This is really bad news for the Blazers. Yeah, I mean, it feels like a lost season. And remember, in the off season, we didn't know if he was going to stay. So, you know, I think this is Portland's fault. They had C.J. McCullough and Dame. And they were the same guard, Dame much better, but the same skill set, and they didn't move them for years.

And the entire time, they were weak at the wing. They had decent bigs. They had great back court scoring, but they weren't very good defensively because Dame and C.J. McCullough are not great defensive players. They're both exceptional offensive players. So now C.J. McCollum has an injury. He's gone. Now Dame Lillard does. So I always felt you could have struck when the iron was hot here a couple of years ago. So the situation Portland's in, whether you want to the former GM, Neil O'Shea or not. I never understood why they wouldn't move these two. I understood it made them competent, but you could have gotten a lot.

I think for C.J. McCollum with Dame. Well, I mean, you know this organization really well. And some organizations are just comfortable with just being competent. No, that's Portland's very comfortable. Some organizations are wildly aggressive. Portland's not. No. Some are just comfortable making the postseason every couple of years being relevant,

having a star that sometimes people talk about, but never being overly aggressive or making big moves to push you to a championship. Damien obviously has made it very clear. He's interested in staying there. This was something that he planned for, obviously to have this surgery. But it's better to get it done now than make it worse.

And at this point, obviously, there's no other option, but surgery, and to your point, I think it's just a lost season for the Blazers. So the Cowboys defense will have a tough matchup with the 49ers offensive line on Sunday. But rookie Michael Parsons doesn't seem very concerned with the Niners' bully ball approach to the game. I was telling him, like, I'm from Harrisburg, where the bullies get bullied, you know what I'm

saying? So, you know, there's a bully in every gym. There's a bully everywhere you go. But at one point, it's going to take someone to stand up and, you know, and fight. And I never backed down from a challenge. Well, the 49ers have won seven of their last nine games heading into the postseason. And a lot of good teams. It hasn't been a Cupcake schedule. They've been on the road. They a lot of top teams. They're averaging 158 rushing yards and 4.5 yards per carry during that span. And the Cowboys ranked 16th in rushing yards allowed per game. So, you know, middle of the league, still good, but not great.

But Michael Parsons has been great. 16 games, 84 tackles, 64 solo tackles, 13 sacks, three-force fumbles, and 20 tackles for loss. This is an old-school NFL playoff matchup with the Cowboys and Niners on the Sunday. I've heard a lot of this, that if the Cowboys don't win, DAC will get heat. My takeaway is I don't feel that way. I think Matt Stafford's got the weight of the world on his shoulders.

And then I think Mike McCarthy does because you've got to give the Cowboys Stephen Jones credit. This is a good roster with playmakers everywhere. You can't be a one-and-done team. I don't think Dallas has to win a Super Bowl. I don't think they have to get there. But there's an argument to be made. Dak with this roster, that is a minimum-one. probably two-win

playoff team. I don't think it's good enough to beat a Tampa or a Green Bay, especially if they go to Lambo. But Dax's not doing this game plan. Dack has very few awful big games. He's at least competent. Yeah, I think it depends on how Dak plays. If Dak goes out there

to your point, he's normally competent. Absolutely. But if he goes out there and has a big turnover or doesn't play well, it could fall on Dack. I think that people are going to put it on Dak because of his contract, which to me, the contract thing is just, this is a weird thing to pin things on. Like, if they didn't have any other talent because of DAC's contract, that's one thing.

Like Russell's contract, Kirk Cousin's contract. Right. Dack was basically free for four years. Like, I don't want to hear about DAC's contracts. Also, DAC scored 50 points twice this year, 43 times and 33 times. When they lose, it's not due to deck. Now, does he elevate people like Aaron Rogers? No.

But they're not losing because of DAC. There's a big difference. Right. Like, it's, and that's, I think, I think that's the difference how people view. Like, I never see DAC as an issue. I just don't buy into that elite class he's in. But I never think they, I think they've lost because of clock management, bad defense. Run game.

Denver game. They got completely pushed around. But I, if Dallas loses, this doesn't feel like a DAC. loss. It's like the coach does have some responsibility here, and you got better players than San Francisco. San Francisco sneaks into the playoffs. Dallas won their division going away. Yeah, I just, I don't buy into the whole contract thing. Like, you are what the market says you are. We know the quarterbacks are paid a lot, and it was his turn to get paid. So we got paid. I don't think it changes the expectations of what he is just because he has a contract now. Jerry Jones also downplayed the

chance of 49ers fans taking over the stadium. No, that won't happen. Well, the NFL owners get a portion of the ticket resale profit, so it wouldn't be the worst thing if there's a bunch of Niners fans there. But this is going to be a good one. They are currently three-point favorites, according to Foxbet, or the Cowboys. So the Colts have a decision to make at the quarterback position for the fifth consecutive season. Yesterday, Chris Ballard said that he doesn't regret acquiring Carson Wentz, but he also is not going to commit to him yet for the 2022 season. When we made a decision, after Philip retired, and we made a decision to make a decision to make a move on Carson. At the time of the decision, we felt good about it. And I still don't regret the decision at the time. You know, we got on a roll there, and we're playing really good ball

up until the last, you know, the last two weeks of the season. I'm not going to overreact to want, you know, to the end of the season acting, you know, ending the way it did. And I'm pissed. I'm not, I can't sleep at night thinking about it. I mean, we, look, we embarrassed ourselves. He is hot. No, listen, I know Chris well enough. This is the best team that didn't make the playoffs. Yes. The Chargers and the Colts feel like playoff teams.

Yes. I totally agree with him. When Philip retired, this was the best the marketplace had. He had coached at a high level or played at a high level was Frank Reich. Right. But this is too good of a team not to be in the playoffs. Now, now, they lost badly both times to Tennessee. So they're not Tennessee.

but Tennessee is the one seed. But the reason it's embarrassing is because they do everything else right. They run the ball. They defend the run. They have a pass rush. I mean, every box you check. And they're a well-run organization. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So, and I'll own it. I would have signed Wentz, and I thought he had a really good year. He is absolutely the reason in the last two weeks they stunk. It's on Carson Wentz. And Jim Ursay reportedly is hotter than Chris. Jim Hursay. He had to compose himself. You really don't see that.

much emotion from, you know, from front office individuals when it comes to that. But I understand I agree with you. I would have signed Carson Wentz too. We talk about, like even talking about moving on from Carson Wentz, what is out there on the market that is better? Sometimes the market is just scarce and you have to deal with what you have. They had after a slow September, they had about an eight, nine week stretch. They were beating good teams. Right. And Jonathan Taylor was an MVP candidate. Like they have a lot of great things going for the organization. But you're right. It was on Carson Wentz. Now, he carries a $28.3 million cap hit for the 2022 season.

If they cut him, they could save $13 million in cap space. They'd have a dead cap of $15 million. I think they would if they had an option. If you have an option. And they have Jacob Eason. But what do you do? This is a scarce draft, as we know. Yeah.

So I think you can, I'll say it again. If I was a quarterback, this is very attractive to me. So I'm just telling you, when I, you and I know this, when we've, taken jobs at companies. And we both moved a lot. It's not just a money thing. A lot of it is, is management cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs or do you get grown-up management? This is a great job for a quarterback. Like if I was Derek Carr and a bunch of teams called me and I could get that old line, that running back, Michael Pittman, that defense, like, and that division. But Chris, I think Chris's sort of sensibility is, Chris is, I hope he doesn't feel burned by

Carson Wentz because it was the right move. Yeah, no, it was absolutely the right move. You can't overthink this. Especially with the coaches you have. Yeah. So I just say if I was a quarterback and I was a Russell Wilson and I know Indianapolis, you know, it's not the most electric town, you start talking about Russell Wilson of the Giants and the Bears, that's where I go.

That's a top 5-0 line. That's a top two running back. That job is so good. It's funny what gets quarterbacks interested. said when Peyton Manning was interesting. So when Peyton Manning was on the market and he was leaving Indy, you know, he interviewed everywhere. Right.

And in the end, he chose Denver. And people said, well, he had his relationship with John Elway. But no, what he really had was they had good receivers. DeMario Thomas was there late, DeMario Thomas. They had a Demerius Thomas. They had a very good offensive line. Their defense was good. Like, if you look at what he chose,

he chose the place where he would be protected with weapons that was at the time considered a very well-run shop and a defense that he didn't have to win by blowout. It wasn't that Denver was never the sexiest place. They just had Tebow. It was a zany. Tom just went to Tampa. Tampa. Like, we didn't think that that's where he was going to end up.

But as soon as he made the decision, we were all kind of like, well, I didn't think that that would be where you would end up, but it makes sense when you look at the roster. Okay, so Tampa was probably the most, we don't think of it now, but Tampa probably had the best players that didn't make the playoff when Tom went there. couldn't I argue that with the Colts? We talk about Denver, but really the cults are the better situation. The coach is in place. The ownership wants to win.

They have good management. No, no, you have way more stability. No, Indy is Denver with an owner and the coach, which is sort of important in this league. Yes. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News.

Birline played in the NFL for 17 years. That is a long time. Super Bowl champ, 92 Cowboys, Steve Burline, now joining us live. You know, we're talking about that. It is interesting about you've been a quarterback before, and there's a lot of these, you know, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rogers stuff. Denver's a great roster, but they got a new owner. You have no idea who the coach is.

Indianapolis, even if you look at their division, it's such a goofy division. You could go in and win the thing tomorrow, it feels like. What would you do with Carson Wend? What would you do with him? You know, I'm a huge Carson Winst fan, Colin. I was really, really excited for him getting back together with Frank Reich. And I thought that was the perfect fit.

In fact, when that move was made, I actually tweeted about it. I said the Colts just got themselves in Super Bowl contention. I thought it was going to work out much better than it did. I really was disappointed with how Carson Wentz performed during the course of the season. and I thought they had kind of figured things out down the stretch there as they were coming into those final two games. Obviously, there was zero doubt in anybody's mind that they were going to make the playoffs.

And then to lose two consecutive games to the Raiders and the Jaguars, I understand their frustration and why they're so bitterly disappointed and why they're scratching their heads as to whether or not they made the right move. So I don't know where Carson wins stands. I know Frank Reich went to bat for him. I know Frank Reich wanted him. very badly, and he thought that they had secured their quarterback position for the foreseeable

future. And now, after this season, it's back in doubt again. So I think the pressure more than any quarterback this weekend is Matt Stafford. And I think we would both, he was a number one high school quarterback, out of Georgia, he was the number one college quarterback, and then he goes to Detroit, and we know Detroit's not well run. But a lot of talented quarterbacks go to franchises that aren't well run and they win playoff games. And so there's always been this thing with Stafford is that it's a little bit of a stat patter, big arm, too many mistakes. Some of it's on him.

If he lost this weekend, the reaction's going to be punitive, right? Like I feel like there is pressure on Matt. He's denying it, but I honestly feel like Matt, I could keep Jared Gough and lose Arizona in the first round. That's why, I mean, right? Yeah, it would be devastating if Matt Stafford did not find a way to get, I believe, deep into the playoffs. I'm talking NFC championship, you know, going to Green Bay and a showdown with Aaron Rogers. He's the other quarterback in the league.

If you ask me, who else is the most disappointing other than Carson Wentz? I'd say Matthew Stafford with his lack of consistency and how he has really held the Rams back down the stretch. I mean, the number of interceptions that he's thrown in the last. four or five weeks, I lose track. It's not, it's not acceptable the way that he's been playing. And I think a lot of the problem, he's been trying to force the ball into Cooper Cup a little bit too much. He's become kind of a dependent on Cooper Cup in all the big situations. And obviously Cooper Cup's had a tremendous year. But as a quarterback, you've got to go through your reeds, especially at the big moments. You cannot try to force the issue. And I know for a fact that he's missed some

opportunities trying to stick the ball into Cooper Cup in big situations down the stretch. And that will hold them back. That will come back to haunt them in the playoffs. Having said all that, though, I still expect the Rams and Matt Stafford. I'm a huge fan of Matthew Stafford. I had him on my fantasy teams. He's the guy that I was counting on all year. So I really think he's going to come up big in the playoffs and play really well.

He's in a great situation. I think he's going to show up big for the Rams. in the playoffs. All right. So I went and looked at a list of the six rookie quarterbacks that have won their first playoff game. And it's a weird list of Mark Sanchez and T.J. Yates and Sean King and Big Ben. And there's no rhyme or reason to any of it.

Some are Hall of Famers, summer, you know, cup of coffee and the NFL guys. Go back to early in your career. Mack Jones is going up against Josh Allen. The weather is cold. It's not going to be high scoring. situational football is going to be key. Go back to your first year or two in the league in your first couple big games if there was a playoff game.

Did the nerves act up? Did it feel different? Oh, it feels different for sure. I mean, you know. And the way a young quarterback really gets to that understanding, I think, is when you see the way the veterans are preparing and you see how focused they are. I mean, obviously, to produce and perform in the last thing,

NFL, you've got to get ready each and every week as though it's a playoff game. But when you get to the playoffs, it is just a totally different vibe. I mean, guys realize what a big opportunity they have and how hard it is to get to the dance and get in the dance. And now the Patriots are there. Mac Jones is going to understand very clearly how big this is. And working against them, I mean, this is the time a year where it gets really, really hard for rookie quarterbacks to process and to get through things. And Mack Jones has played like a rookie the last few weeks, if we're being honest. Now, he played better this past week. But in general, down the stretch, he has kind of reverted a little bit, and that's very

concerning to me. Going into Buffalo this time of year against Josh Allen and that Buffalo Bill's team, I think that's going to be a little too daunting for Mack Jones to overcome. I expect Buffalo to take this football game. Here's an interesting one. What the Raiders have done is insane. The chaos, it's insane. It makes no, every other playoff team, I can explain it.

Even the ones like Philadelphia that surprised me, I'm like, they're the best running team in the league. I mean, they just, they just dominate time of possession. The Raiders make no sense. You've got a new coach, Henry Ruggs, they bailed on their first round pick. They've been banged up. Darren Waller didn't play, and they've won every close game. But here's what worries me this week, and I need your insight.

That defense for the Raiders was on the field for 88 plays. And they played late Sunday. Now they go on the road and lose a day. And I'm like, and they've got to go play Cincinnati's offense? Like I can see them just collapsing on the road. You tell me, when you're in wildly close, long games, did it you feel at the fall? week? Yes, you do feel the following week, but I think this Raiders team thinks they're a team of destiny.

I mean, I think they really believe that with all they've been up against this whole season, I think they believe they are meant to make a very, very strong statement in the playoffs. I don't know if they've got themselves convinced yet they're ready for a Super Bowl run, but to get into the playoffs with all that was working against them, as you said, it's truly amazing. That defense really has stepped up. Max Crosby was absolutely unstoppable against the Chargers last week. I don't expect them to have a letdown, but like you said, going into Cincinnati against that high-powered offense, that is a very, very tall task. And I think what the Raiders' offensive focus has got to be,

it's got to be keeping the football away from Joe Burroughs so they don't have their defense on the field for 88 plays. If Joe Burrow has the ball for 88 plays, that means they're running away from the Raiders. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind if that situation repeats itself, the Raiders will get blown out this week. All right, I'm going to show you all the playoff games. We'll put them up on the screen for you. I think they're all going to be close. Kansas City, Pittsburgh. I'm not going to, I'm not going to, Tomlin's a great underdog coach, but that one could get a little ugly. Is there any other underdog here that, be it the Niners or the Raiders or the Cardinals or Philadelphia.

Here we go. Underdog also New England. What dog do you think right there? What dog, as they say, will hunt? Who's the upset? There's actually one dog I feel really good about. And that's Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. I really, really like what they're doing right now,

how they took over that game against the Rams in the second half. Did you watch how they just literally pounded, the Rams into submission that second half. After being down 17 to nothing, 17 to 3 at the half, we all know Sean McVeigh was 45 and 0 coming into that game in games where he took a lead in the halftime. And the Niners absolutely just pounded them into submission in that second half. And think about this too, Colin.

The Cowboys are five and three in their last eight games. The five wins, none of them have been a playoff teams. The three losses, all of them were to playoff teams. So I like the Niners going in there with the confidence they have with that defense and the way they're going to be committed to the run and keeping Dallas off the field. I think the Niners can go in there and take control of that football game. Dropping gems right there. How about that?

Steve Burline. All right, great seeing. You have a nice weekend. Hey, take care, Colin. Thanks. Yeah, that's one of my blazing five picks. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays and noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre.

Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're 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 the 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 Jek. 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 all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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. 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field

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I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now manscape.com code heard 20% off free shipping

grooming kits to start the new year manscape.com code heard so this is just a great weekend it is just not it's not like usual weekends where you got all these games being played at the same time they're all separate all ready to go here's an interesting joe burrow stat joe burrow hosts uh the raiders and i've said i think i would probably if I had a vote, vote Joe Burrell, the most valuable player, because I think he's so valuable to the franchise. It's not a well-run franchise. It's a cheaply owned franchise. We didn't know if Zach Taylor was going to get fired two years ago. Now, that's, to me, value. He's literally

changed the trajectory of the entire franchise. Now, I'm not saying Aaron Rogers, if he sat out, wouldn't hurt the team. But Green Bay has been run well since the 80s. I mean, when's the last time Green Bay wasn't well run. This organization was nonsense and chaos. He shows up, gets hurt, because they can't protect him, and this year they win an excellent division. To me, he's the MVP of the league. Aaron's going to win it. Brady's going to take some votes away. I would vote Joe Burrow. There is a, he's cocky, but it's likable. He's got a chip on his shoulder, but it's likable. Aaron Rogers has a chip on his shoulder. I don't think he's likable. Baker's got a chip in his shoulder.

I don't think he's likable. Likeable matters. It's easier to sell your narrative in the locker room to coaches when they like you. It's always easier to sell what you're trying to sell when people want to listen to you and people like you. I think that's a part of the problem with Aaron. He wears people out. Baker wears people out. It's harder to sell your ideas and your kind of worldview in moments, big picture,

when people don't, you know, they don't love being around you. I think Joe Burrell's got that likable cockiness, and I don't know exactly how to explain it. Brady's got it the same way. He's confident but fun. But there's an interesting stat with Joe Burrell. He's played six games in his career that are what they call half-to-habit games. Week 17 against the Chiefs, Week 16 against the Ravens, the National Championship against Clemson, the semis against Oklahoma, Georgia in the SEC title game, a game against and 2019 LSU.

That one I don't remember. I'm not sure what that means. Anyway, it's six got to have it games. He's not only six and no. He has 27 TDs and no picks. So in the six biggest college or pro games, he has been virtually perfect. And it's not a shock because the feeling always was with Joe.

He wasn't the biggest, the most athletic, didn't have the strongest arm. But there was a real it factor and a real cool factor, and he played big and big spots. So, yep, his biggest six games, 27 TDs and no interceptions, and this would qualify as his seventh biggest game, hosting as a favorite, a playoff game. Blazing five around the corner on a Friday, hour two. Next. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite, unhumor me with Robert Smy

and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the Enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win. A win is a win. 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, 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford,

and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.