The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - The Warriors season comes to an end

Episode Date: May 15, 2025

Colin goes all in on the full release of the NFL's 2025 schedule! He examines the Chiefs schedule and believes the NFL's dynasty is headed for some regression after playing in 3 straight Super Bowls Thoughts on the Warriors season coming to an end See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Warrior season is now officially done live. It's the herd wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Well, you know, Jay Matt. there are certain things in sports that I get weird over. Years ago, people used to think I was a weirdo 20 years ago because I love the draft so much, but everybody's come around on that. The schedule release is another one of those that I do think it does matter.

Especially most teams in this league are playing on the margins. They're not Baltimore or Philadelphia where they've got better personnel and star quarterbacks and they're winning by 10 to 12 points. A lot of teams, those, you know, Tua playing up north in December is a disadvantage for the Dolphins. You have to look at that, right? Huge. Yeah. And I got to thank the NFL for giving my Jets a one-and-o start to the season. We get the Steelers at home to open and Mason Rudolph. Not Aaron. Well, let's start with this. So my one takeaway, the NFL schedule, and it's a fairly obvious one, Kansas City, that is rough. So Kansas City does not have a great O line, and they're

going to try to figure it out, and they're using a backup at left tackle that hasn't really started and been the man from the Niners. So, and it's a hard unit to create cohesion. And if you look at their first 10 games, even the teams that we view as weaker teams, like the Giants, good pass rush. Jacksonville pass rush. Raiders, Max Crosby. So even the Ws could create problems for them.

Forget Denver that led the NFL in Sacks. You face them. Conversely, the Chargers, Jim Harbaal, look at his career in year two. everywhere he goes. Chargers revamped run game, high-end left-and-right tackles, have a cookie-dough soft schedule in the middle of the season to gain momentum. So my prediction that the Chargers win this division with a weaker schedule really plays in the middle of the season. You're starting to get dinged up. You're not playing with full rosters. It is really soft for the Chargers. And I, again, we, we,

We've watched the Chiefs and Mahomes get blown out in two Super Bowls. It's always been the same reason. O-line's not right. Well, I think they're going into a season where the O-line's not right. Add another thing. Kansas City opens in Brazil. They have the most seven prime time games. That's what the NFL does once you're the star attraction.

They have the Lions on a short week. Oh, that's not good. They have the Buffalo Bills on a short week. Yeah, that's not good. either. Remember that Brazil game last year, Philadelphia went to Brazil and beat Green Bay? The Eagles came back groggy and the next week lost to the Atlanta Falcons. So that'll take some air out of the sales. Here's what we know. Andy Reed and Mahomes are as good as anybody in the world at what they do. But again, this team played on the margins last year. Okay. And I think with this O-line,

The kryptonite to Kansas City, in their two Super Bowl blowout losses, has been the O line. This going into a season, they lost Joe Tuny, is their weakest O line. A little bit of finger crossing here. Last year's was okay going into the season, a bit of a mess at the end of the season. So this is not a team like Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia, with stacked rosters that are not playing on the margins. They're getting seven or eight blowout games a year. When margins shrink, everything counts. This team had the third lowest point differential in the AFC West.

So in their own division, Denver and the Chargers had more blowout wins. And I think Denver and the Chargers will be noticeably better. Bo Nicks now into a second year with Peyton. They had some interesting draft picks at running back and wide receiver. So the downside to becoming America's team is that the NFL, this is what they do. And I can remember after the Giants would win a Super Bowl and Coughlin and Eli and, and they'd put them on Sunday night and they'd flex them in and everybody loved it

except the giants and the older players. So here is Travis Kelsey on his podcast, New Heights, talking about that opener in Brazil. And I'll be there. Not to do a podcast. Yeah, I'll be there playing football in the fucking heat. If it's humid, I'm going to be miserable. I'm going to prepare to be miserable.

You're surrounded by the Amazon rainforest. This is a good point. If it's hot and humid and kind of what I'm expecting, I'm going to be miserable. But we're going to find a way to get a win. Hip, hip, hooray. So my number one take, Kansas City, going into a season with an offensive line I don't love, I mean, when you start looking last year at the teams at the end of the season that are really formidable and leaning on people, a lot of them, Washington was an exception, had really, really buttoned up O lines.

All right, so the Warriors lost. The oldest interesting team in the league is out. Minnesota that's got some age, but much deeper, bigger roster prevails pretty easily. Jimmy Butler only took 11 shots. Some of that is energy. Some of that was Kaminga had a lot of energy. Minnesota got great looks. All you had to do is look at the box score, and it tells you Golden State was tired.

Minnesota shot 63%, dominated in the paint. almost double the assists. They were moving very well. Julius Randall 13 of 18 bully ball. The three best warriors, Butler, Steph, and Draymond all out of their prime. Two 35-year-olds and a 37-year-old and they're only getting older. So all it took was a popped hamstring and the house collapses. It's interesting, Jonathan Cominga, who just doesn't work with Butler and Steph, he's great. He was great when Steph got hurt. So they'll be able to show that off and he raised his market value because everybody has sort of understood that the Steph offense, that ecosystem, it's just not friendly to young

players. James Wiseman never got it going. Kaminga can't be on the floor with Butler and Steph. It just doesn't work. But he was the one guy last night that jumped off the TV. He was the one guy you looked at and thought, oh, he can go toe to toe with Minnesota's athletic bics. So they'll have a market for him. And Pods is a guy you have half a half. to keep, he's got a market as well. But you're going to have to move off at least one of your really good young players. So the Warriors to some degree have become an antique store. And OKC is the Apple store right next door. And I think the Warriors are going to get worse every year unless they pull off a big, big deal for Cominga. People are going to want

pods and comminga. They'll keep pods. They view him as sort of a step, an emerging shooter, that works with Steph. But I will say this, you know what it really reminds me of watching last night? So, and I, and I, Belichick took the hit for all of the shortcomings for the New England offense right before Tom left. But just consider New England and Belichick and Brady, the Warriors, Steph and Steve Kerr. They built a very high intellect, sophisticated office. offense, both Kerr and Curry and Draymond. It's very sophisticated. Young people struggle. And for years, everybody always said, well, why can't New England, why can't they draft the

wide receiver? Well, some of it was, most of it was Belichick wasn't a good drafter. Some of it was Tom didn't want to babysit them. And so what you have, you have the benefit of the brilliance of Belichick and the brilliance of Steve Kerr. You have the benefit of Brady and Steph. But these are so high-functioning, almost academic offenses, they don't play with kids well. New England didn't? That's why New England got old and slow really fast. Brady went young down in Tampa. And that's why it looked when you watch O.K.C.

And you watch Indiana and you watch these young teams, Houston. And then you watch Golden State. Some of it is on this offense that just doesn't play well with others under the age of 23 years old. That's what New England became. So I just think they're just getting a year older. I think all these Houston's, Indiana's, maybe some degree New York still got some youth, Cleveland. I think those teams are getting better. I think the Warriors are getting older, but Steve Kerr is still a believer. I know we had a shot. I know we could have gone the distance. Maybe we wouldn't of, but it doesn't matter. Again, everything in the playoffs is about who stays healthy and who

gets hot. You know, are you playing well at the right time? Do you have multiple guys step up in key games, make shots, and do you have good health? And, you know, you see it every year in every series. And so there's a little bit of luck involved, you know, and we, like I said, we've been on both sides of that, and it's just part of it. but I will say this, and I love Steve Kerr, older teams get hurt more often, and older teams recover more slowly. And the warriors are just getting older. There is a little bit of luck involved. But when you got Steph Curry running two miles per game on that treadmill for that offense,

and he is so valuable without it, they're not even the same looking, watching team. Warriors are a hard watch without Steph. So you could say there's luck involved, but remember, we all know this. The NBA and its helped ratings is allowing more physical basketball. What does that mean? More injuries. My guess, they will come to the older teams, not the younger ones. And I really do believe the NBA used to be, go get three great players.

The Heedles, KD, Steph Clay. I don't think that's it anymore. I think the new CBA and the new aprons, it's all about roster construction. I mean, the Celtics are often weirdly as good or better without Tatum. I mean, like Oklahoma City's roster, I think San Antonio's is going to get very deep. Houston's already is. They just don't have a second dominant, great score. So I just, Steve Kerr still believes it.

You can talk yourself if it's into luck, but the new style of playoff basketball is not going to aid. It's not going to aid the older rickety teams, 235-year-olds and a 37-year-old. So J-Mack, it is, I got into this discussion last night. LeBron's out of the playoffs. Steph Curry's out of the playoffs. The Celtics brand, I think we'll lose to New York.

They'll be out of the playoffs. Do you think Nick's Pacers, I do? I think it's compelling. Do you think Oklahoma City, Minnesota? Like, I think these are really good series, but I'm more NBA diehard than the casuals. I, this whole thing about the NBA being rigged, you wouldn't have O.KC and Minnesota in and Stefan LeBron out. What do you make of what potentially is our final four?

Yeah, the way I look at is I talk to buddies and they're like, hey, hey, let's go out to hang out. And I'm like, well, there's an NBA finals game and LeBron's in it. I'm not missing that. I would be okay missing a conference finals matchup between Ant and SGA. Like, it's not mandatory viewing. I mean, it's a great matchup, no doubt. I'm going to watch the games. But if something comes up, you want to go to a Dodgers game.

Sure, I'll go to a Dodgers game. But, Colin, it's just, it's not the sexy matchups that we want, right? If Curry's playing, I'm glued to the TV. LeBron, I'm glued. But SGA, I'm just not there yet. I'm sorry. I hope that doesn't make me an elitist. No, I think this is the transition.

I think when Michael Jordan left, the league lost 50% of it. numbers, but I do think there's a little LeBron fatigue, where stylistically, Curry is still a great watch. But I do think LeBron is an older player. I'm more fascinated. I am with Luca than LeBron because I've seen all LeBron's game. Luca's growth, his cardio, lack of defense, bit controversial, part of a trade. So I don't think you're going to see a massive drop-off. I just, I don't think the Warriors are what Steve Kerr believes. just bad luck away from advancing. I think they're just going to be a year older,

and I think Oklahoma City, with all this experience, Indiana, they're just going to be better. Don't forget to love, hate, the polarization. If you really love or hate LeBron, and that's what he is, you're going to watch. I just don't feel like anybody hates SGA. Nobody hates it. They haven't done anything to be hateable. LeBron's won a lot, moved around teams.

People just dislike him. But I do believe, you know, maybe there's that element with the Knicks, but they still have to pull it out, Colin. Are you sure they're a lock to win this series? No. All the pressure's on them. Yeah, I'm not. Good point. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

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So, listen, the NFL is very intentional with its schedule. It's making bets on things. I still think the Cowboys are on TV way too much, and I work for Fox. But there's a couple of schedules that are interesting. The Chicago Bear schedule is interesting. A very soft middle and big brands late. Philly, Green Bay, Green

Bay, San Francisco, rivalry game with Detroit. So it's a rough six weeks at the end. But with all these new offensive line pieces, and we've talked about this, cohesion for the Bears' line, it won't be great in August and September. They should have

their act together late. So the NFL sent a message. We think Chicago is going to be a viable TV product at the end of this year. They have that many, they have the clever new coach, an ascending player at quarterback, a lot of good weapons. So at the end of the season, it's Philly, it's San Francisco, it's Green Bay twice. League thinks are going to be good and interesting. And so do why.

So five of their last six games are either on TV against big brands, or they're flexible. And it's a very soft middle of the schedule, right? There's a chance to get some wins here. So it's a very purposeful act by the NFL on the Chicago Bears. The other one that jumped out to me was Washington and the commanders. I mean, they went from a franchise that was radioactive waste to how many times can we get Jaden Daniels on television? So Washington has eight straight games with no one o'clock window.

That's where they were buried for years. Get Washington out of the way. Jaden Daniels to me has, and this was sort of his comp, I said he was going to be like Lamar Jackson Light, not quite the runner, but better in the pocket early on. Crazy fun, NFL defensive coordinators last year just had trouble figuring him out. So, I mean, it's very rare when the NFL goes by year two,

yet we're putting him in the biggest spots. Monday night football against Mahomes, it's Washington. That's because of one guy. And then at the end of the year, Philadelphia on Fox, standalone game, Saturday. Oh, the following week, Christmas against the Cowboys. Then the following week, probably the biggest game of the week against Philadelphia. And my take is they'll be battling either for Washington, a playoff spot, I'll think they'll be in, or they'll be battling for the NFC East Crown.

because I think Dallas and the Giants are significantly weaker. But the Bears schedule marquee games late. They don't want to throw a lot of Carolina Panthers, Saints, and Cleveland late. They got bears on a lot of those big TV games, and they'll be flexible. And Washington, they're out of the one o'clock window already. Even C.J. Stroud didn't get Houston this kind of schedule in year two. That tells you that Washington's been a sleeping giant in this. this sport forever. There used to be a hundred-year waiting list when they had a different name.

And now year two, like we're stacking them all over. Chiefs, Monday Night Football Against Mahomes, cowboys, no coincidences with NFL scheduling. Jay Mack with the news. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We'll do plenty of NFL schedules today. The New York Giants. I just, I can't stop laughing at that. But we're starting in the NBA, Colin. The Denver Nuggets host the Thunder tonight. Game 6 season on the line. We know Yokic and Murray have been delivering. They scored 72 of the teams 105 points in game 5.

Murray really struggled late. And Murray knows, hey, we need to get back to OKC. He's almost guaranteeing it, Colin. We're going to go play the game, endeavor, and then we get to come back. And we just got to keep that mindset. It's not like we're playing a bad brand of basketball. It's not that we're playing on selfish. I just think it's coming down to getting a couple stops to win the game.

And they've been doing a good job executing down the stretch. And, yeah, we'll be better. How confident are you that we'll be back here this weekend? Very confident. Man, I like the confidence, Colin. I mean, you're kind of playing stress-free house money if you're OKC. I mean, you know you're coming home for game seven. Well, you don't want to come home for game seven against Gokic?

I thought Denver looked tired. I think Denver, I just, I'll take O'KC in this one. So it's interesting, there are some numbers that back up the fatigue. Last two games in the fourth quarter, Denver is two for 24 on threes. Oh, yeah. That's fatigue. You have no legs. Don't have their legs.

They don't have, you could see in the last game. They're a tired, big, tired older team. So this interim coach, he's going to have to manage the first three quarters better so that Yokic and Murray can do something in the fourth. Nugget starters have played 951 minutes in this series. that's 138 more minutes than OKC. 138, Colin, and OKC has a better bench. I want to go Nuggets tonight, Yokic with a 50 burger, but I'm not...

What's the line? What's the line? I didn't even look at it because I'm not vet in this year. But I would guess Denver 2, Denver minus 2? No? I would take OKC in the points. All right. Well, I'll get that line for you later. You just pointed out something.

The shots in the last two games in the fourth quarter. That's the story. It's not like Denver doesn't have shooters. Denver's legs are shot. If you watched the Warriors last night and look at the box score, 63% in an NBA, physical NBA playoff game by the Timberwolves. That tells you Golden State's not, they're not moving. They're not getting in front.

They're not battling on the boards. They don't have their legs. These numbers for these older teams, you can see when teams start shooting 57% in playoffs games, that tells you the people that are guarding them have lost, They've lost their energy. And remember, Lakers wilted it in the fourth quarter three times against Minnesota. Close games. They lost them all.

All right, let's go to the NFL in the schedule. Let's start with your Rams. You love the Rams this season. They have a fairly tough schedule. One of the biggest matchups on the slate is week 15 when the Rams here at SoFi host Jared Gough and the Lions on Fox. Here's Matthew Stafford on facing his old team. Dan and Jared and those guys did on hell of a job the last couple of years getting that thing turning the right to right. and you know they're playing really good football.

Lost some coordinators and that's always a challenge. Every season is a new season when you step out there and go play. But yeah, definitely had some great matchups in the past couple of years against those guys and it'll be interesting having it at our place in December. You know what? I watched the RAM schedule. Nothing jumped out to me. I mean, they had tough games early and middle late.

You know, the NFL's bottom is larger than it used. usually has been in my life, but I look at their schedule. They should go two and oh to start the season. But then you've got, you know, you've got rivalry games early, Ravens, Eagles early. Their buy week eight and nine is about when you'd want it. If you look at the second half of their schedule off the by, it does look like they will have the better quarterback for three months. Wait a minute. That's what I, well, I mean, who's New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, I mean, I like Baker Mayfield. They, what they got is their two. two toughest games early.

But what they also got is a quarterback advantage and coaching advantage in almost every game after the by. So they're going to go into the playoffs rolling. Okay. Yeah, I think they're a playoff team. They will be looking up to San Francisco, by the way. San Francisco schedule easiest in the league by a considerable amount. And this end of the season schedule for the Rams, Colin, look at the screen.

At Arizona, I'm just telling you right now, Arizona, according to a lot of gamblers, is going to be a very frisky team this year. Keep an eye on them. I agree. Twice in the final six games. Arizona, then the big emotional game against golf and company, then you've got to go to Seattle on a short week, right? And then after that, you've got to travel to Atlanta for a primetime game in late December.

The Rams have a tough end of the season schedule. I do not think they win the division. Well, okay. Well, put your money where your mouth is because mine's on the Rams. I try to convince you. My final story, Colin, is one more NFL schedule, and of course, it involves my Jets. No, this is not an Aaron Rogers topic. The Jets opened the season hosting, you guessed it, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who may or may not have Aaron Rogers under center.

There are some pundits out there who say, listen, the NFL wouldn't do this without automatically knowing that Rogers is coming back. Justin Fields, of course, played for the Steelers last year. Rogers played for the Jets last year. So that is kind of a fun, spicy matchup. Now, the NFL did something kind of funny here. The Steelers have a Sunday night football matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Assuming Rogers comes back, of course.

Now, if he's not there, that's a garbage matchup. But this Steelers schedule is not good, and I mean, I'm not going on a limb here. They ain't making the playoffs. No. I don't care if Rogers shows up. I don't care if Tom Brady suits up. They're not making the playoffs.

Well, people want to make predictions with Eric. but Aaron is his own guy, right? He's on his own island, doing his own thing. I mean, he's told Adam Schaefter lose my number. Like, he doesn't want to be predictable. And I was thinking about this, because everybody's absolutely sure that he's going to Pittsburgh. The Rooney's upset it. There's this sense that he would go, and he may.

I have no insight. But my take is with Aaron is once he commits, because of the pushback the last several years, he's going to commit and be around the team a lot. And so when the season ended basically, Aaron just, nobody knows where he is. Malibu, training, wherever he's training. And so I do think if Aaron comes back, he'll make a point with D.K. Metcalf and Arthur Smith, it's not a familiar offense to him. I think Aaron, when he comes back, will be totally committed.

But I am not. And I say this. What is the one thing I kept mentioning during Aaron's offseason? until the Brock pretty contract is signed. I think maybe just in Aaron's head. He's thinking, well, if he doesn't move off 58 million large, I'm a Bay Area kid. Just not saying it's happening,

but you would think at some point in the next seven to ten days Aaron would commit. What if he doesn't? What is he waiting for? No, you're right. That's a good point. I just want to point out, I know we have a lot of Steelers fans in the audience.

They did catch a break early, Colin. They face three of the four teams they face, have quarterbacks in new spots. Justin Fields with the Jets, Sam Darnold with Seattle, and J.J. McCarthy is a rookie quarterback. That's before the buy. Cleveland also afterward. New England has a second year quarterback and drink. So there is a world where Pittsburgh, if Rogers is okay, starts out three and one, right?

That's on the table. I would say Pittsburgh's schedule reminiscent of last year. If you start at week seven and Joe Burrow until the end of the season, they will only potentially have the better quarterback twice. Colts, week nine, and Brown's week 17. They will go in from Joe Burrow at week seven on, a massive quarterback deficit to a team that lost Najee Harris, their left tackle, and pickens.

So this is not good. Listen, and I've said this for years. One of the things I look at is how many a quarterbacks do you face? They face a lot of them, and they probably have the weakest quarterback room if Aaron Rogers doesn't sign in the league. Now, the good news is they want a quarterback for the future. So if there's a year in the last decade that you'd want Mike Tomlin to have a losing record, it is this year. This is not a bad thing. There are three to four first round quarterbacks at this point.

They'll probably be another one, but three to four at this moment. So if you were going to pick in the last decade a bad Steeler season, this is it. And I'm looking at that schedule, Burrow on. You can't go into your last, you know, 9, 10, 12 games, significantly worse a quarterback. Sorry. By the way, I don't think we're talking a lot of Niners today, Colin. But on the San Francisco 49ers front, if you and I agree who are the five best quarterbacks in the league are, right? Lamar, Burrow, Bahomes, Allen, and I would say Jalen Hertz is five.

Do you know how many of those the San Francisco 49ers face? None. Zero. That schedule, Colin, is cake. The Niners. I think they might be going back to the Super Bowl. Hopefully we'll get there at the soft season. I've got a Niner topic next.

J. Mack with a news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. You know, it's... I understand if you're a Celtic fan, you take this as a shot at Jason Tatum. It's just data.

Is the Celtics without Jason Tatum, Boston blows out New York last night. The last two seasons without him, they're 17 and 3. That would be better than any winning percentage in the league. Their points per game are 120. Number one in the league. The last two years, this is a sample size. 20 games without Jason Tatum. They're virtually offensively, number one in every category,

except field goal percentage, they plummet to fourth. Okay, so I've never seen anything like this in basketball historically. Now, the Bulls, when they lost Jordan, remember he went and played baseball. They went 57 wins, champions to 55 wins. Now, they had BJ Armstrong, Coo Coach, Horace Grant, Scotty Pippin. They were a very good team. They were a number three seed. But they were not nearly as good closing games without Michael.

Celtics are Celtics are I mean last night Derek White stepped up Peyton Pritchard amazing Jalen Brown Luke Cornett whatever that was

they have so many their roster construction is so good they have so many B plus players that they feel empowered when Jason's gone they get more touches

and looks so it's the only comparison because this is so rare in basketball history you watch you watch the Warriors without Steph unwatchable

You watch Denver when Yokic hits the bench. Brutal. Even if Yokic is tired, brutal. The only comparison to the Celtics historically to me is like Joe Gibbs in Washington, where they were winning Super Bowls. The star quarterback did not, it was a stout defense, dominant offensive lines, very good run game, and like Mark Rubin at quarterback or Doug Williams at quarterback. And they were certainly capable.

but they were not led by a quarterback. And that's what we expect, right? And I think part of this is that in basketball, and to some degree in international soccer, we love the collective, but we want a Messi or a Rinaldo or Mbapé. We want, you know, Rooney. We want our guys.

And in basketball, we're just not historically used to, and the ratings show, we don't like it. The 70s NBA. Where is it a star? Now, Walt and I'd argue was a star. I would argue Elvin Hayes was a star. Dr. Jay was a star. Rick Berry was a star.

So we always say like the 70s was just good, teams, not great. You had some really, Rick Berry was pre-Lary Byrd. But we want our champion to have a superhero in basketball. Kobe and Shaq, Michael Jordan, Magic, Bird. We want a superhero. And the Celtics don't have one. And we're uncomfortable with it. That's the basketball culture.

And so that's why you often see the fans and the media trying to project James Harden into a superstar or Stevie Francis into a superstar. And they're just really good players. So I think it's we want, you know, we want Mission Impossible from our NBA champ. Big brand Tom Cruise. We don't necessarily love Oceans 11. And that's kind of, that's kind of what Boston is. If you look at these numbers the last two years, it's not a shot at Jason Tatum. It's the Joe Gibbs Washington teams.

The quarterback was just way more replaceable than he would have been in Kansas City, New England, San Francisco with Joe Montana. The numbers don't lie. They don't even go down. Sometimes their net rating goes up in certain stats. So it's just not, we don't love our basketball to be like that. We want the superhero where when he steps out or he gets in foul trouble, there's a clear breach. There is a clear drop. Now, I do think Jason Tatum gone for three games is different than Jason Tatum gone for 82.

And I also think they're going to move off Horford and Porzingas, so they're going to lose some size. They're going to, you know, Tatum, Brown, and Derek White making a lot of money, and those contracts are just starting. but I think Drew Holiday could be gone. So I think the Celtics will be a playoff team next year, but they are historically unique. Patem's gone, and they mow through a very good next team. All right, I will address the San Francisco 49ers schedule. By most terms, it's egregious. Who knew Canadian Football League teams could get inserted in to the NFL schedule?

Live in Chicago, it's The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Weekdays, noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the IHeart Radio app. Why should you listen to Kovino and Rich?

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What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys?

I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, for people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast.

But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey.

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The lights in prime time as the Memphis showboats take on the San Diego. Antonio Brahma's Fox UFL Friday kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern. So I have been a skeptic on the last couple of drafts for the San Francisco 49ers. I have said this. They're getting old and expensive. I don't like their offensive line. I thought this year's draft was a lot of hit and miss with 11 picks, four or five I like, five or six I didn't. But they have the easiest NFL schedule. I'm not joking, since the 2015 Atlanta Falcons. and it's based on two metrics. Number one is last year's results.

So they're playing a lot of teams that were bad last year. And the second metric is a lot of teams that are projected to be lousy this year. So on two different metrics, they've got the easiest schedule. Now, I will say this. If you gave Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Matt Stafford, Josh Allen, this schedule, it is 13 to 14 wins. This is an affront to competitive football. and I don't want to hear $55 million

of Brock Purdy, I don't want to hear any excuses, or I don't want to hear any pom-poms when he wins 10 games with this mess of a schedule. Sanford's, not only is this schedule littered with mediocrity, they don't face a single team off a buy. Outside of Matt Stafford twice and C.J. Stroud once, they don't face what people. view as an elite quarterback. In fact, it's rookie quarterbacks, it's quarterbacks without 20 total

starts. So I'm done with the Brock Purdy excuses. And people will say, well, Colin, he's missing this and he's missing that. You know what he's missing? Back-to-back tough games all season. This is as easy as a schedule gets. So this is bowling with bumpers. This is a trust fund schedule, no discomfort. And again, does it make me think, and I'll say this, I think the division's better. I think the Rams are in a group of five Super Bowl favorite teams. I think Arizona's defense, which they went all in on,

free agency and draft with a defensive coach is going to be feisty. I think Seattle's got a great roster, and I think Minnesota is going to regret. I do. I think they're going to regret moving off Sam Darnold. So I think the division is really, really good not a fc west maybe not uh nfc north but it's really good but that schedule what can i say it it it starts easy uh a couple you know rams a little and it ends easy

you don't get rams in the first month you know you don't get a you don't get playoff teams in the last month uh maybe they could complain their buys too late but it is i mean you could down the stretch have Chador Sanders and Cam Ward and Anthony Richardson and it's a lot of nothing. Colin, okay. Real quick, if you're looking for a hiccup, there are four road games in five weeks that looks a little difficult there in October at Rams, at Tampa, and then they've got Houston and the New York Giants. That could be difficult.

Four road games of five weeks. You know, you've got a Trent Williams injury. You're kind of screwed. Sorry. Yeah. That's a real toughie right there. At the New York Giants. Shutter, that'll keep you awake at night.

So the other thing that kind of jumps out to me is I had said every year, I'm proud of this actually. Probably too much. Pick the team that I think is going to double their win total. And, of course, last year I had Washington, and I said Denver was also going to be much better. The year before the Rams, everybody said they'll be in a rebuild. And J. Mack and I argued incessantly in the offseason. year before that, I think it was Minnesota. So I have said the team, the safest bet to double your win total is New England.

And they were four and 13 last year. So they were not a favorite in any game last year. They're already a three and a half point favorite in their opener hosting the Raiders. I would probably take the Raiders at three and a half. So I use basically a math equation. When I'm trying to figure out how a team doubles their win total, I go to math. So it's Uncle Colin math, but here is my math and see if you can follow this. So I think this is the coaching sport.

I mean, Nathaniel Hackett to Sean Payton, I thought that was a touchdown. That was a touchdown swing. Gerard Mayo to Mike Vrable, I'm going to say it's half that. I'm going to say that's a three-point improvement. One of the top 10 coaches to a guy that appears to be more of a position or a coordinator. Again, Peyton to Hackett was the difference between embarrassing in the playoffs, with a rookie quarterback. Drake May is going into year two. 365 million in free agency spending, I think, is worth a point to a point in a half.

I mean, you got eight new starters. 11 draft picks, including a left tackle, that's worth a point. Much better depth, a starting left tackle. Drake May, second year with a much better staff, that feels like, to me, that's worth a point to a point and a half. So that is seven total points. if this team had seven total points last year they would have won 10 games so at four wins i kind of have them targeted for nine and a playoff team i think they're a nine and eight maybe 10 and seven if they

stay healthy and that's just by bravel's a field goal starting left tackle and 11 draft pick's depth a point 365 million in free agency a point to a point and a half drake may with better coaches year two, a point to a point and a half. If you look at New England's first nine weeks, take out the Buffalo game right in the middle of it. Four before it, four after it. If Drake May is as good as he

showed last year with kind of a second level staff, if he improves and with Vrable, a better left tackle, a little more weaponry, he will potentially be the best quarterback in eight of the first nine

weeks. So last year I picked Washington and Denver, year before Rams. I take New England as the safest team to go from four wins to at least eight. I think they're probably going to be closer to nine. I also think you're going to have teams like week eight for Cleveland. That could be a transitioning team moving into Shadur Sanders. I think you've also got some break. I mean, like New Orleans week six, who's starting for them at quarterback?

You could be transitioning into, okay, we're 0 and 5. let's give the kid from, is it Louisville, let's give him some starts. So I think like New Orleans and Cleveland, you get to start week, six, seven, eight, the local media's crushing you, you got one win. You could be moving off flacco to Shadour. You could be moving off whoever starting in New Orleans to the rookie. So I just think there's a lot of things here that work. I think week 13, it's going to be Russell Wilson's team to start.

But you get into a week 12 and 13, and the Giants may just say, we're shutting it down. We want to see Jackson Dart for the last five or six weeks. I could see getting Jackson Dart in week 13 with the Giants. Who knows what the Jets will be at quarterback. So I think New England is a pretty easy one to me. And not every team that makes the playoffs is great. I don't think they're a team probably going to win a playoff game.

But we've said this before, 14 teams make the playoffs. You usually get four to five teams that we think will win the Super Bowl. And then about four to five to six teams that we think can absolutely win a game maybe a second. There's a couple of playoff teams that sneak in that we just don't, we don't think they're going to win a playoff game, but we appreciate the effort. I think New England's going to be closer to that than the top or the second layer. I don't think they're a team that still has enough juice on the perimeter.

But you have 11 draft picks. You're going to get at least three to four starters out of that, and you spend $365 million in free agency. You're getting five or six starters on that. And again, this is the coaching sport. Go to Denver. Denver was saddled. with the Russell Wilson contract.

So there were a move Sean Payton wanted to make and couldn't. So Mike Frable's not saddled with any of that stuff. New staff. I mean, you can look at that. I'll tell you right now, Kyle Williams, that third round pick for New England, could be one of the rookies that pops. He is a really electric player.

I saw a lot of him in college. So, you know, I look at their offense and defensive line. Milton William's got overpaid, that's a starter week one. So feel pretty good about it. We have to guess, by the way, hour two's coming up. Albert Breerstops by. When is Shadour?

Gonna start. I got my week. I'm ready. Hour two. It's the hurt. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed. We're the first people to do podcasts.

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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. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless.

And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs, podcast for no nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments set to find Roland Garros. She's an outsider to win the French name. And she likes Clay.

Listen, Leonard Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost to. its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

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