The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - Blazing 5 NFL picks for week 15

Episode Date: December 15, 2023

Colin gives his Blazing 5 NFL picks for week 15 More on the chargers cleaning house and who they should be looking for as a head coach   Guest: Eric ManginiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Brandon Staley, Tom Telesco, the latter, I think, is a very capable executive. The former, over his head, they have flushed it all out. The Spanos family, kids in the front office, searching for a new coach, Eric Mangini in five minutes to talk about why they keep missing on coaches, who they should look out for next. But a J-Mac, a very turbulent.

Listen, if you're a Charger fan, it's exciting. They have the number five pick in the draft. A quarterback left tackle, corner edge rusher. There are possibilities here. You know how in the moment things stink and you don't realize the big picture? Like last night was awful for $42.0 at the half. In the big picture. Awesome news, right?

It's daily gone. The GM, I know your boys with him. He's had some massive mess-ups. Quentin Johnson hurt. And then now they're looking at top five pick in the draft. Like, they'll be able to turn it around quickly. Yep. All right, here we go.

Three straight winning, blazing five started before Thanksgiving. And last couple of weeks we've hit. It wasn't for Lederius Tony's toe. We would have gone four in one last week. We went three and two. Here's our blazing five. That's a hot one. Let's blaze it up.

Fire it up. It's Collins, blazing fire. Broncos and Lions. I really like Detroit minus four and a half. The line was better at four, but I'll take four and a half. Off an embarrassing loss, they come back home where Jared Gough is very good. Eight and one is Detroit this year when allowing 28 or fewer points. The Broncos win games.

They're not a high-flying offense. The Lions are also five and two indoors this year. Jared Goff last two years at home has a 105.5 passer rating. Healthier on the O-line, too. The Broncos, bad rushing defense, not a great defense overall but playing better. I just don't like this spot. I think Detroit wins and covers 28 to 23. Commanders at Rams.

Commanders, an atrocious defense, and I, the deeper you dive on this, I'll take the Rams minus six and a half. Three straight games, 30 plus points. Should have beaten Baltimore. Back-to-back games without a turnover. Kairn Williams, the running back, only Christian McCaffery and Tyreek Hill, are averaging more yards per game this season. Isn't that incredible? Puka Nakua continues to produce it wide receiver.

The commanders are a bad team like the Chargers getting worse over time. Ham hell's last three games, atrocious, 64 passer rating. This team isn't well-coached. They're trending poorly. Also, their defense is the worst in the league. Rams win and cover 33 to 24. 49ers and Cardinals. I'm not going to give Arizona 12 and a half in a divisional game.

I'm going to take the Cardinals here. This is way too many points. Kyler Murray, they don't have a turnover in six games this year. Did you know that? Six games without a turnover. So they don't make a lot of mistakes. They've just got limitations. They're coming off a buy.

A star quarterback off a buy. And Kyler Murray is always given the Niners problems. San Francisco's got a huge game next week with the Ravens. They've been in multiple enormously crucial emotional games this season. Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Ravens next week. Division rival, 12.5 with a star quarterback who's not turning it over at Arizona. Niners win, Cardinals cover, 2820. Cowboys and Bills.

Like the Bills minus 1 and a half, they've won two of their last three since they fired their offensive coordinator, Ken Dorsey. They're three and one against NFC teams, still top five in total offense, despite the issues. I do think James Cook, four straight games, 100 rushing yards, and I think Josh Allen's only been sacked 18 times this year in 13 starts. That's not many sacks. So the O-line and the run game are better than they've been in previous years. Dallas is good on the road, not special. Three and three on the road, only averaging 23 on the road. They average 39 at home, and Dack when trailing is not the same.

same quarterback. Passer rating drops to the mid 80s. I like Buffalo to win. 28, 24, I'll swallow the one and a half. Eagles at Seahawks. I'll take Seattle, Gino Smith, Groyne, practice, and we'll start. Seattle, the last time we saw them play was against Dallas. They had 334 yards offense and looked pretty darn good. Did they not in a Thursday? They've been resting. I like them here. Philadelphia has been out gained in six straight games, trailed at half in six straight games. Their defense has played 80 plus snaps in three of the last four games.

So it's a defense that has holes and has been on the field way too much. Monday night football for underdogs with a good coach, playmakers, and a capable quarterback in Gino Smith is a tough spot for a road team traveling across the country. Seahawks. I'll take the points win 27 to 26. So our picks, again, the two underdogs, Arizona and Seattle at home

against the perception of much better teams, whereas I'll take Jared Gough as a home favorite, McVeigh-Stafford is a home favorite, and the Buffalo Bills as a slight home favorite. J-MAC, reaction? Five home teams,

huh? Interesting. Seeing some teams quit a little this year. Oh. Bail on their coaches this year. Not saying you're not going to get it there, but I'm just saying, do you know for the first time in like a long time, the fans who always bet favorites? The fans are coming out in front of the books. So this year has been the rare year when fans, the popular teams, the popular star quarterbacks,

fans tend to bet those. Fans are right this year, more often than wrong. That doesn't happen a lot. It's been a good year for the fans betting because they're taking quarterbacks, and for the record, so am I. I've been taking this week.

What do I take? Jared Goff at home, Kyler Murray at home, Josh Allen at home, Matt Stafford at home. My trend is really good quarterbacks at home. Sometimes I have to give up a few points. All right, Eric Mangini,

Fox Sports, NFL. analyst, former NFL coach, Jats Browns. All right, let's talk Brandon Staley. My take is quarterback left tackle corner, one receiver aging but good, pass rusher, and a top pick. That of the jobs that are

open, this is what I consider when the Cowboys were open. I had a committed franchise and DAC. When the Packers were open, I had a committed stable franchise and Rogers. I don't I think this is a pretty good job. Am I wrong? Well, it's a pretty good job because of the quarterback, just like the two other jobs that you cited. As long as you've got a quarterback that can put you into every single game and give you a chance to win, not only every single game, but go deep in the playoffs and possibly win a championship, then it's a good job.

Just like with the Blazing Five, you bet your job on quarterbacks not necessarily anything else. Now, where this is a challenging job is there's a lot of people involved in the organization. that are owners. And the word on the street is that it's a lot like a family business, and there's a lot of cooks in the kitchen. So whenever you have that type of situation, it can make it a really difficult job from a, whether you're the GM, whether you're the head coach, to really get the things done that you want to get done. Everything is more difficult. So I think that's where it's hard. They're not in great salary cap space. They don't typically pay coaches a lot of money, and then they're in a tough division.

So you're going to have to go in and if you want to go to the playoffs and you want to have home games, win a division that's filled with other good quarterbacks and really good coaches. Now, you've got the number five pick. Herbert's not playing so that could go up right to four or three. Would you, they don't need a left tackle, they don't need a quarterback in a draft at the top that's loaded with both. Would you trade it down and just supplant this roster? What would you do if you ran the franchise today with that pick? Yeah, if you don't feel strongly about whoever's sitting there at your pick, it makes a ton of sense

to try to trade back and get as many picks as you can, especially because you can't go and improve the team much in for agency based off where you are from a salary cap perspective. So to be able to turn that pick into a bunch of picks, maybe not just this year, but future picks as well, that to me is a great approach. And it's going to be so interesting to see how they decide to set up the power structure there. They're going to go get a GM first? Are they going to put the coach, get a strong head coach and let him be part of the process to pick the GM? I think that the way that plays out is going to be interesting as the way they approach the draft, too.

Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, you know Belichick well, there's reports now that they've made a decision to move on. Do you think Bell, because I think his name will get thrown out, do you think his personality fits there? Is he a West Coast capable guy? He knows how much quarterback matters, and I don't think Bill wants to develop and roll the dice on another quarterback. Do you think Bill would be interested in this job if they called?

Well, the one thing, again, is. is if you believe that the quarterback is a franchise quarterback, we've all seen what Bill can do with a franchise quarterback. And if you're going to go take one final job, the last thing you want to do is have uncertainty at that position. So that, to me, makes it intriguing for anybody who's looking at it. Now, would they allow a personality like Bill in the building? Because he's not going to be subservient to a GM.

he's going to have to run the whole show. But if he's available and open to the idea, him with a great quarterback, it could be special very quickly. And he can go head to head with any of those coaches in the division, obviously. Okay, I've got to ask you a couple questions here. The Cleveland situation's crazy. So I'm a big fan of offensive coaches if you have the option to hire one. What Stefansky's done with Joe Flacco is nuts. It's just crazy to me.

I watched them, and I'm not saying they're better than they would be with Deshawn Watson, but I'm saying they looked better when I've watched them with Flacco than Deshawn Watson. I don't know why, but what do you make of what's happening there? Because I suddenly watch Cleveland, and I think I wouldn't want to play Cleveland. Flacco's a grown-up. He can make all the throws. I wouldn't want to face them. Yeah, you know that I've loved Cleveland going into the season, then they lost Nick Chubb,

then everything happened with Deshawn Watson, and they've still found a way to figure out how to win. I think one of the great things they do is they'll consistently run the ball regardless of how well it's going, and that allows their great defense to rest, and it eats up time of possession, and it puts the great defense back on the field with an advantage as opposed to a disadvantage, and it shortens games, and now they've got a guy like Joe Fleco, and when I watch him, it just felt like there was an adult at quarterback, and I know he's older, I know he's had some, he didn't have a great run at the Jets, but you've got a guy who's experienced, who has won in big moments, who's won a Super Bowl, who understands the division, who's really appreciative

of the opportunity and had some time to think about things that he could have done better. I think it's a great pickup, and the way that they're running the team and the way that they're approaching each game, he'll do a really good job for him as long as he can maybe take a step back when he wants to throw down the field all the time. You know, Joe, but having that element of the offense is an incredible boost for Cleveland as well. All right. Zach Wilson played his best game last week as a pro. I contend I would move him to the West Coast, Seattle, Arizona, let him rest.

start, be closer to family. He's more comfortable out there. He looks like a West Coast kid. He's not ready for the New York, Philadelphia, Boston Tunnel of Anger. He's just not. Like, move him back out west, whatever. But I do think him last

week, what happens is the people who liked him in the draft are looking at last week thinking, I can save that kid. I think I can do something with him. What do you make of Zach, the Jets future with Zach and where he goes? Well, I talked a lot about this last week. The way that he approached the game was perfect, and he heard his comments afterwards.

He just was going to cut it loose. He wasn't worried about anything that the Jets could do to him. His time in New York is over. It's over. So that pressure is off of him. He can't suffer really any more indignities than he suffered. So go ahead and do whatever you want to do. Take the chances you want to take.

play as loose as as as as you want they can't do anything to you they can't bench you they've already tried that multiple times and and it seems like that's the approach he's taken and you see what what he's produced and if he can keep that mindset and not get so pressured up that he's holding the ball that he's tentative that he's you know his mind is getting in the way of of a natural ability that he does have that they could they could upset the dolphins they they could continue to cause real problems for people because sometimes when you take the pressure off, it's a totally different player than what he's been the entire time he's been with the organization. And it made it not to save his career, it may save the coaching staff.

I want to circle back to the chargers because I put up my pyramid of what I would look for. I think they need somebody that can build a culture because chargering is a term in the NFL when you charger a game, right? So what they need, and they couldn't get with Anthony Lynn or Brandon Staley or Mike McCoy, they had capable coordinators, but they weren't guys that built cultures. I think Dan Quinn built toughness in Atlanta. Jim Harbaugh builds toughness. I don't know much about Ben Johnson. If I had to go with a coordinator, he'd be the guy.

But what I'm looking for, somebody with an organization that has kids in the front office, right, to the family, a culture builder. So I feel like Marty Schottenheimer did that. Marty's teams were physical. Those Charger teams with Marty were tough and physical. They've never had that. They've just had good players, scored points, fun to watch, wild games, no culture. So what do you make, you know Jim Harbaugh?

You've been in the room with Jim. If the NCAA handed down a punitive sentence, do you think he'd consider this job? Yeah, look, Dan Quinn, or Jim? Jim would be great picks. Dan was my defensive line coach in New York when I was with the Jets. And he's a great culture guy. He will get along with everybody. He'll be able to navigate through the politics of the organization.

He'll find a way to get the things that he wants to get done and not ruffle a lot of feathers along the way. Obviously, he's an outstanding defensive coordinator, so that aspect of the team should improve significant. So from a culture hire as well as a technical hire, he's outstanding. With Jim, Jim's proven he can win everywhere he's gone. And his package may be a little bit different than everybody else's. And navigating through the politics may not be as smooth.

But Jim, to me, has an incredible openness as a coach that I've seen very rarely. he's willing to try anything he's open to new ideas and and that allows him to get an edge in places that he's been because he's not bound by conventional wisdom and and he has a culture too that that i think has been very strong in all of his stops well so exciting eric mangini fox sports i don't like to see people you know lose their job right like nobody likes that but i do when i say see a young star quarterback, and I think he's being underserved, that's my exception. And I think right now Justin Herbert's being underserved. So then it's like, all right, we need to get a grown-up. Yeah, I agree. I just, I think that when you have a truly elite quarterback, typically he's able to take

organizations regardless of who they had coaches and now Justin's had two and make them special places. So I'm hoping that we're right on Justin Herbert. and he has a long, successful career with a lot of playoff wins and Super Bowl wins. But at some point, if you're really the elite quarterback that you've been touted as, you change the organization. You are the vehicle of change. And at this point, he hasn't been that.

Yeah. All right. Eric, good seeing you as always on a Friday. Have a great weekend. You too, Colin. All right. Yeah. Now, he did get them.

Herbert got him to the playoffs last year. So let's just say that with Brandon. So we know now that Staley was a disaster. In the AFC last year, when Burrow was healthy, Mahomes was better. Allen had a great year. Justin Herbert got this team of the playoffs with Brandon Staley. Just think about that, who we think is the worst coach in the league. And last year, Burrow and the Bengals were really good.

Mahomes won the Super Bowl. Josh Allen had a monster year. The three best quarter. And now Lamar got hurt late. That probably helps in the playoff stuff, right? But the AFC was better at the top last year. Herbert got them to the playoffs with the worst coach in the league. Arguably, I think he was.

And they led, what, like 27-0.0. Something like that. Hey, did you hear what? I just want people to hear what Manjini said. It was really smart. Harbaugh is unconventional. He's not doing what everybody else is doing, right? We know that he's a little wacky and off-kilter.

That's the way to get ahead. You and I know this. You've been doing this forever. Every business is like that. Right. So there's a million people out there screaming the same thing. If you are in that group, you need to pull back and be like, why am I seeing what they're seeing? I need to see it a different way.

That's what Harbaugh does. Yeah, he's unconventional. And he's got critics because when you're a disruptor, you have critics because you threaten people. And Jim threatens your existence. Everybody in Ohio State made fun of them. Michigan's better than you. They have a better culture than you. They're more alpha than you.

They know what they are. They've got a better identity than Ohio State. and Ryan Day's a good coach. Ryan Day's done a stiff. And Michigan has a complete, defined culture and belief and knowledge of what they are. And Ohio State's got really good players.

You think Michigan's nervous right now with Alabama coming up and Chargers firing staley and Harbaugh being the most coveted guy in coaching right now? Like, it's a tense couple weeks here for the program. If you think this is a disaster job,

go to the Broncos. We looked at that roster last year and thought it was a complete rebuild. by week six or seven of this year, watch the Broncos play. Now, I don't think they're a great team. They're a borderline playoff team. We started two and five, right?

Yeah, one in five or two and five. But if you want them now, you're like, oh, Cortland Sutton's really good. Mim's a good draft pick. Like their tight end, left tackle's good, like the backs. They have a great safety. Two linebackers that are good.

DJ Jones in the middle, Sir Tan. The coach took a roster we perceived as awful, and you look at Denver now and you're like, Now the roster is just about upgrading a solid roster. Broncos didn't have picks because of the Russell Wilson trade. So I get this roster with a great draft pick and a young quarterback. So this is a better job than Denver. Is it not?

I get picks and a star quarterback in his prime. I would agree, yeah. Now, both in the same division, you're looking up to the chiefs. That's fine. If the right coat, let's say Dan Quinn takes it over. You would look at this defense next year, and you'd be like, because they just drafted a defensive end from USC who's been very good, and a linebacker that's been very good. And they've got Boso when he's healthy and Samuel. So again, when you think this is about, it's not as good as the Cowboys job, but the Cowboys also have family members in the front office like the Chargers.

I don't think it's as good as the Packers job, but the Packers don't have an owner, and sometimes I want an owner, and you can't get free agents in Green Bay. So it's a combination of the Dallas Green Bay job. Herbert's more gifted than DAC, but the front office is more functional than the Chargers. They don't have an owner, which I want an owner, and Green Bay doesn't. Also, Chargers in L.A. can get free agents. Green Bay can't. So it's a little bit like the Cowboys job, a little like Green Bay, better than some areas, worse than others. Let it marinate for a second.

What's a better job? Bears who have two top. No, Chargers. Look at how they're trending defensively. Not close. You're sure. I have a star quarterback. You get to pick your quarterback.

Caleb, Drake, Jaden, Dators, whoever you want. You get to pick it. And 27% hit rate on quarterbacks drafted. Well, Jim Harbaugh, quarterback whisperer, picked Colin Kaepernick, made him a star. You know who the poorest owner in the league is? The Bear's owner. Fair. You know who the cheapest owner in the AFC is?

The Chargers owner. Yeah. But the poorest owner in football, also a front office that I have huge issues with the president and the GM. That's the, I don't know if I have the government. coach. And so you're telling me bears are charged. And I think the Bears job, I think they have some pieces I like too.

It's closer than I think most people think, right? Bears, look at the last five weeks. If quarterback matters in the league, the chargers have had in time most of us have watched, Fouts, Breeze, Rivers, Herbert. They get the quarterback right. The Bears

have never gotten quarterback right. By the way, at wide receiver, an important position. Mike Williams. West Joyner, John Jefferson, Keenan Allen, Kellan Winslow, Antonio Gates. The Chargers' history is

they get quarterbacks and skill players right. They also have had great coaches. Don Correale, Marty Schottenheimer. The Chargers has success at coaching, quarterbacking, weapons. The Bears can't get, be honest,

quarterback right, weapons right, culture right. Chargers have a history. But, Jim, you can turn all that around. You can be. Be the guy. You can fix the franchise. He's not going to Chicago. I know.

I know the Kevin Warren thing. I get it. Yeah. But the Chargers, if you go to their history, they've done quarterback, weapon, coach, right, multiple times. This is not like a dysfunctional mess for 30 years. Like the lions before the current, you know, what we're watching. I mean, the Lions historically are losing franchise. Chicago, mostly a losing franchise.

Those, the problem there, way. upstairs, downstairs, roster quarterback. It's not the charger situation. You strip out the 85 bears and they're basically the Jets. That's no question. I mean, the Jets and the Bears combined. Haven't had a good quarterback

since what? Name a... Don't disparage Mark Sanchez or Ken O'Brien. What I'm talking? Star, like headline guy, right? I have a great parlay for you this weekend. Thanks to Draf King Sportsbook. New users. Use the code H-E-R-D when you download the app. Here's my parlay picks.

People will sell their Packer stock because they lost to an average Giants team, but they're at home. I'll give up the three and a half. I think they beat the bucks handily. Browns minus three and a half hosting the Bears. Chicago looked great. But Cleveland's defense at home will be a different matter entirely. Browns by a touchdown. And the bills minus two at home?

Yeah, I like all three favorites. I'll take them over the Cowboys coming up a highly emotional thrashing of the Eagles. You want to take the herd parlay. Check out Draft King's Sportsbook. New users. Code is heard. H-E-R-D when you download the app. It's easy. It's simple. Draft Kings. 21 plus in most eligible states, but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. Gambling problem. Call 1-800 gambler. In New York. Call 8778-8 Hope & Why or text Hope and Y. 467369. See show notes for full details.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits. the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

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All right, a lot of stuff going on. Brandon Staley, been fired as the head. head coach of the Chargers. It is not a great year for candidates, although I believe Belichick and Jim Harbaal would listen. Dan Quinn's a defensive coach, but an excellent one and did help lead a team to a Super Bowl. He would be on my short list. Create an opportunity.

Take a phone call or make a phone call with somebody that can change the culture. Harbaugh, Dan Quinn, Belichick. Be very careful about Yon. young coordinators, though Ben Johnson of the Lions, certainly worth an interview. I'll say this. I would call the New York Giants and give up draft picks to try to get Brian Daible. Because you have the fifth pick, the Chargers could move down in the draft to 12 or 15 and get several picks. Use those picks to go to the Giants and say, can we have Brian Daible?

That would be somebody else I would consider. Now, that's not really a candidate. He's not available. But if I'm Dean Spanos, I call the Giants. He knows the Mara family. They both own teams forever. I think they're reasonably close in different conferences. I would call the Giants and say,

would you consider a first-round pick for Brian Daybull? Because I think the Chargers can move down and get another first or multiple seconds and thirds with their current draft spot. Remember, they don't need a left tackle, an edge rusher, or a quarterback. And at the top of this draft, there's a bunch of those,

especially quarterbacks and left tackles. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. You said Belichick, I had almost entirely ruled him out. So 71, 72-year-old, uprooted, he lived in the Northeast forever. He's uprooting and going to L.A. to coach the charges for...

Well, he can just go run a house, I'm sure he'll be fine. Would he work under a GM and after running the show for? They don't have a GM. You have to deal with the kids and the family in the front office. They're not the GM. So the GM is not empowered inside that organization. The GM of the Eagles is empowered. John Lynch with the Niners is an empowered general manager.

The Chargers General Manager is not empowered. The Bengals don't empower a GM. Certain organizations do. Tampa Bay's GM is empowered by the owners. And you'll find that the GMs that are empowered are the bigger risk takers and often more successful. Chris Ballard's really sharp, but I don't think often enough he is empowered by Ursa. I think he's monitored. And I think he's really sharp.

Brett Veach of Kansas City is empowered by the Hunt family. Not all GMs, a lot of them have to answer to kids in the family. And that's really difficult. You and I both know the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. Oh, it's in every business. Yeah. Yeah, all right, let's start with Lamar Jackson. He has already been the MVP once in 2019.

Ravens are the top seed. He's a contender for the MVP, but he's focused on taking home a different trophy this year. It's an honor, you know, just like you said, just for me being acknowledged, you know, just being that MVP conversation with great guys who was all up being nominated for it. But, you know, I'm just staying a lot there,

and I'm trying to win because I want another championship. If anything, another trophy, if that means anything, I think he should be. I think I would go Dack 1, Lamar 2, Tyree Kill 3, and that's my 3. Those are your 3. Nobody else. Nope.

Nobody from the Niners. Interesting. Yeah, Christian McCaffrey. Oh, the disrespect. So here's what's interesting. If you like the bills this week and you did pick them, I did. I bet them as well. So that's a loss for Dack in a big spot.

Lamar has Sunday night football against the Jags, high profile game. Then he faces the Niners on Christmas night. That is a huge. Extremely high profile. Then New Year's Eve against the Dolphins. Okay, those are three division leaders you're facing. If Lamar goes 3 and O, hand in the MVP. I have no problem with that.

You can bet him at plus 600 right now. Now, do you, they got to come through. I would go DAC 1, Lamar 2, and then I think Tyreek Hill has to be considered. And then I'm closing shop. Closing up shop. Okay. Let's go on to, oh, let's go on to the AFC player of the week, Colin, Zach Wilson. 300 yards, two touchdowns against that mighty.

Interesting game. This is an interesting. Miami's on a short week. Miami struggling in pass protection. Jets are a physical team. Physical teams have given the dolphins trouble. And Zach Wilson's coming off a terrific game. This is an interesting, interesting nine-point spread.

I also like hearing Zach Wilson answer questions that aren't about the future of the franchise and where he's going to be. Here he is talking about keeping things positive in New York. We've been going through it obviously and momentum was a thing for us in that game and you know I just thought it was really cool Everyone kind of rebounded so I think that's something we all get to share and You know it felt good to have that flow as an offense and to score points and do what we expect to do every week You know when good things happen that it snowballs in the right direction. I wouldn't say it was You know wow that was different than normal of course it has been this year, but that's our standard. That's what we expect to have and

So you know let's not overthink it as an office Let's go out there and just play ball and do the same thing. All right. Tell me what's going on here. I know you see on the screen nine and a half. This was eight, you know, yesterday. It's up to 10 in Vegas right now. I just looked. What's going on with this line?

Is there a mystery injury I don't know about? Because the dolphins are the team that's banged up. Offensive line injuries galore. Their center's out. Quitta Williams dominates inside. No, Miami has was beat up against the Titans. Not that it was an excuse, but Miami, I went to their injury report.

Joe Shads, a reporter. And I went to his Twitter and looked at their injury report. It's bad. Now, listen, Tyree Hill, maybe some people who are sharp big money gamblers, no Tyree Kill is going to play, and he's fine. We saw them without Tyree Kill. I'm actually, this is a very, I'm really interested in this game. I think it's, this is not a corner TV game.

I am interested. If you're interested in a long shot, a good money line odds. Arizona. They're not beating the 49ers. I think the Jets money line is a great play. I have it bet already. I'll say there's some weather that could get tricky. You know, Florida weather.

in the afternoons, like, every day is wacky. I'm not buying 20-mile-an-hour wins, but Jets, you know, I don't want them to win. I want that high draft pick. I would love for them to take down the dolphins. That would be fun. You just said, I don't want them to win. God, I love them to beat the Dolphi.

Well, I would love it, and for my money. Now, I did bet an old dolphins win total. Nobody cares anyway. Let's go on. NBA, Colin, we got an NBA story. James Hardin. You love some James Hardin. How about the Clit Show?

Turn it around. Became the 24th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points in his career. Clippers, shh, they won six games in a row, Colin. Who are they beating? Who'd they beat? Oh, wait.

Is that Claytop? Oh, yeah, the Warriors they beat last night. Hardin, 28 and 15. Kauai had 27. Your Warriors, who you love the Chris Paul move. They are floundering. They look pathetic. The Draymond Green indefinite suspension,

and the paper clips kind of rock and a roll. We should go to a Clippers game. I got a connection. Let me know if you're interested. I can get clipper tickets. Oh, damn. I've got a connection. I live in Los Angeles.

I can get a clipper ticket. That was my way of getting it to. Hey, put some respect on James. Oh, wow. No, I'm not a paper clips fan. I like the Lakers. Well, they have talent. We don't, we don't, nobody questions their talent.

I don't think this team's going to win in May and June, but they can win regular season games. They have four very profound offensive players. Those guys are all good offensive players. How about Westbrook saying, I'll go to the bench, goes to the bench. I love that move by Westbrook. I love that move by him. I thought that was a real adult move.

I like that. I haven't banged on Westbrook in a while. I like that. Somebody in this rotation has to sacrifice, and Russell was the first guy to raise his hand and go, let me sacrifice. That was a real NBA smart veteran move. Tailu, turned it around. By the way, by the way, you're still going to get the minutes

because Westbrook play so hard and he's productive. You're still going to get your 30 minutes. If they're healthy. I think that there's too much made of starting. To me, I want to be on the floor at the end of the game. There you go. It's not who starts. I don't give a rip if I start.

Six minutes to go, big game against the Celtics, Denver Lakers. Am I on the floor? That's what I want. Starting is who gives a rip? You guys, I can look at it this way. First quarters for rotational guys. Fourth quarter latees for stars. So to me, the whole when Carmelo struggled with starting,

I'm glad that Westbrook didn't. I'm glad that Westbrook's like, yeah, I'd rather be on the floor in big moments. Who gives a rip if you start? It's all vanity and ego. J-Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Line.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Polly Fusco here with Tony Fusco. Yo, of course, you know us as the host of the number one rated show in all of sports talks, the Pauley and Tony Fuscoe. Yeah. Now, the suits at Fox Sports Radio gave us this air time because they wanted us to tell you how great our show is. Why?

Yeah, instead of us doing that, let us just let our millions of fans do the talking. Yeah, play the tape. You don't know crap about sports. I mean, why am I even on this crap? Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's the wrong tape. Wrong tape. Just forget that. Look, listen to the Paul and Tony Fusco show

on the iHart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. 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, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack 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 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. Tomorrow on Fox Primetime Hoops, the Big East and SEC collide as Alabama battles. Eighth rank Creighton at 730 Eastern, only on Fox and the Fox Sports app.

All right, biggest game of the weekend, Buffalo. I like Buffalo to beat Dallas. I think it's a good game. Dak playing on the road, Dak playing from behinds not quite the same quarterback, but in big games, I usually say, who are the 10 best players in the big game? Now, I do think Buffalo is one of the rare home field advantages in this league that is still worth

two, two, two and a half, two and a half, three points. Most NFL home field advantages are worth one. But like Green Bay in the winter or Buffalo in the winter, you know, I do think it's bigger than the average home field advantage. I also think Josh Allen's insane. If I had to say the 10 best players in this game, Josh Allen is number one by a long shot, the NFL in total yards and total touchdowns. I do believe for our radio audience, I'll read along Micah Parsons,

who is the second highest-gritted pass rusher in the league behind Miles Garrett would be the second best player. I think Dak Prescott having his best year. Again, I usually wouldn't put him this high. He's having a remarkable year. Leads the NFL in TD passes and touchdown to interception ratio scaled. Way back on the interceptions is three. C.D. Lamb, 60% of his catch.

or first downs or touchdowns. He's broken out as a star top five, six receiver in the league. Number five, Tyron Smith left tackle. Remarkable. He is still great. He's the highest-guided left tackle in the game. He just engulfs pass rushers. Number six, Duran Bland, the corner.

Right now is the second highest-rated corner in the league. He is a risk-taker, but he's been a huge middle-round draft pick find. Number six, Defon Diggs, having a down year. But once again, six straight year of a third year. thousand yards receiving. I don't love the trajectory of their downfield passing game, however. Number

eight, Greg Rousseau, he's the highest-graded edge rusher for the Bills. Good, good player. So number one, seven and eight are Bills. DeMarcus Lawrence, great against the run, also a pass rusher at number nine. He is the third highest-graded

defender for the Cowboys. And Tyler Smith, a very young offensive lineman, is crushing. One sacked aloud in almost 500 snaps. So I think Dallas has the better roster. Dallas has the better team, but they've played in some highly charged emotional games. They go on the road in Buffalo, one of the few home field advantages in the NFL that feels real, sort of like Miami in early September, or Denver in the high altitude early

in the year. Buffalo, Green Bay, and the winter can be a real edge up to three points. Josh Allen, who I think is the best player in this game, and one of the great individual talents to ever play the sport, I think that highly of him, talked about his coach who's been beleaguered this year a bit. Sean McDermott has been heavily criticized in their relationship. Our relationship, honestly, has never been stronger. We meet once or twice a week in his office. We talk about football. We talk about life.

And it's been fun to watch him grows as a coach over the years that I've been here. and obviously I've been growing as a player as a student of the game, but to see how he's changed, you know. When we first got in, you know, he wanted his hand kind of in every single pie. And I think over the years, having the guys that we have in this locker room,

he's learned to trust his team and trust his players. And it's been really cool to be a part of that and just see the trust that he has in me grow. So they've had a lot of controversy. They've had injuries, sort of Gabe Davis has hit or miss. Where did he go? But if they beat Dallas,

and all of a sudden, you look at the playoff picture, and I've got to tell you, there are very few teams in the league that Andy Reid would rather not play in the playoffs. I don't think he likes playing Cincinnati with Burrow when he's healthy, and I don't think they like playing Josh Allen. Nobody wants to play Josh Allen. So this, I think Dallas is the better team,

but the better team does not always win. and I think Dallas has gone on the road a couple times this year, and we've gone, what in the world is that? They are still, Dallas is still often penalized at a very high level. Situationally, their kicker helps. They've got a very good kicker, but I'm going to take Buffalo in this spot, and I can't wait to watch it. Great game.

Show sponsored by BetterHelp, B-E-T-E-R-H-E-L-P dot com slash her, 10% off your first month. Online Therapy, Flexible, online, suiting. to your schedule. Julian Edelman around the corner. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the eye, 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 I Heart Radio. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.