The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Blazing 5, Patriots, NFL

Episode Date: September 30, 2022

Colin's new Blazing 5 picks for the weekend The culture in New England has changed for the worst The NFL needs to change their concussion rules   Guest: Peter KingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 Clifers 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 I Heart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go, live in Los Angeles. It is the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We're on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Interesting Thursday night game. Bingles won the game.

Just having some thoughts here in between commercials. If I'm Miami, you know, obviously a lot of, lot of people are pointing fingers at Miami. I don't think it's fair to point him in a coach. He's not a doctor. Bill Belichick said that this week. I'm not a doctor. But I do think the Miami medical staff is going to come under some heat, deservedly so. But the NFL and the NFLPA have an agreement.

They have an independent neurological team. Look at Tua, and he passed. And I do think in hindsight, you know, I'm obviously not in the facility. You probably just say, sit it out. But, you know, Teddy Bridgewater is more than capable. and Tua's, you know, back, neck, concussion stuff in hindsight. I thought last night was a bit of a learning experience where you're wobbling on Thursday, you're wobbling on Sunday, you shouldn't play Thursday.

Even if you pass protocols, which are agreed upon, because it's agreed upon NFL, NFLPA, NFLPA this morning's upset. He passed the exams. But was last night a teaching moment for all of us. You wobble on Sunday, you just don't play on Thursday. That's the new rule. I don't know what they do. NFLPA is going to investigate it. They should. I don't trust the dolphins. I mean, why would I? They've been sketchy since Stephen Ross bought the team. There's been a lot of covert stuff. So cynicism is warranted if you're an NFL fan concerned about Tua.

Cynicism of the dolphins is warranted. I'm sure the neurological doctors will take a look and say, you know what, Tua, you should just sit out the rest of the season. There is too much risk for you to play. What could happen the next time you take one of these hits to the back of your head? Be smart. Keep them out. Yeah. Air on the side of caution. Obviously.

For sure. All right. Here we go. Blazing 5 on a Friday. Dogs are barking. Underdog Week. Here we go. That's a hot one.

Let's blaze it up. Fire it up. It's Collins. Blazing fire. Jaguars and Eagles. I'm going to take the Jaguars. Plus six and a half. They've won back-to-back games by 20 points.

Let's be honest. This season, their top 10 in scoring offense. top five in most categories. They've only given it away once. They're getting good protection. And the Eagles offense, as good as it is, has been shut out in the second half of their last two games. So it just seems like the number's too big.

I don't think the markets figured out quite yet that Jacksonville spent $300 million and went and got a bunch of good players outgraded severely at head coach. I think it's too many points. I think it's going to go down to the end. I'll have the Eagles winning 27, 26. I got to take six and a half points here. It just makes too much sense to me. Chargers at Texas.

Absolutely taking the Texans at home plus five and a half. They've held all three opponents to 23 points or less. Their defense is playing great, especially against the pass. Brandon Staley, the Chargers coach in 20 games with Justin Herbert's 10 and 10. Justin Herbert's hurt. Keenan's hurt. Rishon Slater's out. Corey Lindley's hurt.

And the Chargers offense is one of only six teams. without a rushing touchdown. Also, their defense, when you take out Bosa and Killeel Mack, and now Bosa's out, doesn't get to the quarterback. Way too many points. Texans are feisty. I think the game is low scoring. I'm going to take the upset here.

I'm not even sure if it is an upset with all the injuries to the Chargers, 27, 23 Houston. Jets at Steelers. I wish I was getting three and a half. I'd like it a lot more, but Zach Wilson makes his. debut, I'm going to take the Jets here. Listen, Mike Tomlin as a favorite against the spread is 82 and 94 and 5 as a coach, and the Steelers without T.J. Watt don't have much of a pass rush. Their offense is a disaster. Now, they had some extra time to prepare, but Zach Wilson has some tasty weapons here.

I think they're going to score. The Steelers are always most dangerous when they're an underdog, especially in division. This is an out-of-division game. I think I get a more talented quarterback. I think I get a little bit of a desperate team. I'm going to take the Jets to win here, 23-21. It won't be pretty. Jet wins aren't, but I like the Jets.

Broncos and Raiders. I think the Raiders are a mess. I'm taking Denver plus two and a half. I have to here. Listen, the Broncos defense has been unbelievable. It's number two in the league. They're good at everything. Pass rush, third down.

This defense is outstanding. They've got two or three good corners, two or three pass rushers, excellent linebackers, a thumping safety. The Raiders defense, meanwhile, is one of the worst in the league. Only team in the NFL that's 0 and 3. And by the way, the teams that beat them, none of them have won a game. So they're losing the bad teams. I'm going to take the Broncos to win here, get on the right track.

Russell Wilson, I think he's going to run a little. bit more now. Move the sticks more. Keep it away from Derek Carr, 28, 23 Broncos. Patriots and Packers. Upset of the week. I'm going to take the Patriots plus nine and a half. If Mack Jones plays, they win. I think he can play. If Brian Hoyer plays, they cover the spread. First of all, this is a ridiculously big spread for two running teams. I mean, name the number one receiver in this game. If Jacoby Myers doesn't play, there isn't a number one. I'm not sure there's a number two in this game. These are running teams. And the Packers' offense right now, five giveaways through the first three games. Aaron Rogers averaging 228 yards passing, it's a career low. They don't

score off script in the second half at all, one touchdown. I think it's a very close, low-scoring game. And if Mack Jones plays, I think you're looking at a game that goes down to the last minute, nine and a half points. This isn't college. By the way, the number one ranked corner in the NFL plays for the Patriots. Like, the secondary is really good. Their pass rush is decent. I'm going to take the shock of the weekend, Patriots 24 to 23. Now, I know you're freaking out.

But every weekend we have a game that absolutely stuns us. I love underdogs this week. I really do. I like all of them. You know what? You watch the Houston Texans play? I know we're not paying attention to them. Davis Mills.

Maybe they don't have to draft the quarterback. You think I'm crazy? I'm watching him. He's accurate. Houston Texans may have found their quarterback. You just didn't watch him play in college. But they're fighting their butt off in Houston. All right, Peter King, Football Morning in America is joining us.

That's what I love about the NFL. I like underdogs all weekend long. I love the Jags story. Absolutely love it. I think the Texans are playing hard. So the Denver thing is interesting. So I have this belief that Russell Wilson is a good guy and he gets a rookie coach and he's trying to be respectful and he is. And then the Seattle disaster happens and he gets to the end of the Niners game and Russell says, okay, I'm just going to run.

I'm going to take this offense over. And it was a beautiful drive against arguably the best defense in the league. And I believe it was a turning point, Peter. Not that all their problems are solved, but I do believe Russell's now going to have a 70, 30 control to the offense. I think he's a smart guy. That's my takeaway on Denver. Or are you still deeply concerned with what you see? I'm concerned with what I've seen. But that drive was vintage Russell Wilson. It is what has been missing from Russell Wilson's game since Labor Day weekend. It just disappeared. He stopped running. Everybody in Seattle said he stopped running because

he's not a runner anymore. And he proved in this game against San Francisco that he absolutely unequivocally still can run. And he still, more importantly, Colin, can throw on the run. And I talked to Nathaniel Hackett after the game. And he said, look, give him a little bit of time. Because he came, not only came to a new team, all new coaches he had never worked with before, He had never worked with any of these receivers before. So he said, I think it's unrealistic to expect,

especially the way practice works now in the NFL. It's unrealistic to expect that he's going to hit the ground running in week one. Maybe so. But he needs to play the way he always has played. He doesn't need to play like Carson Palmer, where you're stapled to the pocket, basically. Yeah. So Jalen Hurts has, we said it the other,

day, his improvement looks like Josh Allen. They may have different styles, but you're like, you have doubts. A very good boy. Yeah, have doubts. Make a leap in year two. Make another leap in year three. And you're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We have a game

changing quarterback. One out of Wyoming. One that had to, you know, had to transfer. And in both, the ascension is massive in back-to-back years. What do you think the key is for now, Brian Davel gets the Josh Allen credit. what do you think the key is for Hertz's ascension?

I think it is pretty simple, Colin. You know, he basically was in a far different offense in both his stops in college football. And now he's in an offense where he's got two deep threats. And they want him to throw the ball 33 times a game. And they want him to be a prolific downfield passer. There's all these things that he's being asked to do now that he really wasn't asked to do all the time in college football. And I think it's just a matter of maturity. He's only 24 years old.

And I think it's a matter of maturity and the fact that both Shane Steichen, his offensive coordinator, you know, and also Nick Siriani, the head coach, see him as a specific kind of player who can do both things. He can run well. but they're going to want him the vast majority of the time on offense to be a thrower of the football. I just think it's a maturity of a guy. I think the one other thing about guys like Jalen Hertz, Tua, Tawangavaloa, Joe Burrow, they have played gigantic football games by the time they get to the NFL. Trey Lance never played in a single one in college football.

These guys are playing big games every week in college football. So anyway, that's how I see. Yeah, I had a scout tell me years ago that he loved SEC players. He said those kids come out of NFL environments. There's 105,000 people every weekend. You know those kids have had massive in-game stress by the time four years in the SEC they get to the NFL. And I want to segue to Joe Burrell. Zach Taylor got a lot of heat last night.

And I did not like the fourth and one running horizontally sweep. I just like, I'm out on that. That's a, I don't that's, I hate that call. Yeah, hate it. But as I watch them play, there's a little McVeigh here. McVe tends to the knock on McVeigh as he falls in love with a run. And you're like, come on, let Stafford, let it loose. And my theories, though, has been he trusts Stafford late in games that Sean wants

eat clock, let's get late, my quarterback and me will beat you late. And I watched Zach Taylor. And I watch Zach and I'm like, he's doing a McVeigh. they're not running the ball. It's eating clock. He wants to get to seven minutes left. He trusts his quarterback over at that time, Teddy Bridgewater. And so it's easy to bang on him, but I do think that Zach's got a plan.

He's not just being stubborn, or do you see it differently? I think last night's game, you should draw next to no conclusions from last night's game. I mean, because I want you to think about what last night's game was for the Bengals, right? To me, the Bengals should have been favored by two touchdowns in this game. I'm exaggerating a little bit, but they should have been a significant favorite. Why? Because the most energy that any team has expended in the first three and a half weeks of this season is Miami's energy expended to beat Buffalo in.

98 degree heat index conditions when your defense is on the field for up to 90 snaps. Yeah, that's what he said this week. And so I just look at that game last night, even if Tonguevaloa does not get hurt in this game. I thought the Bengals just were simply going to outlast them. You know, if this is a 20-minute game, it's a different game. A 60-minute game, all you have to do if you're the, Bengals is outlast this team. That's all you have to do. Don't turn it over a lot. Keep banging on them. And by the end of the game, they're going to have nothing left. And I think they had nothing

left midway through the third quarter. And it was just very hard for them, for Miami to be very competitive. And Colin, I'm not diminishing a victory by the Bengals. But what I am saying is that anybody who realizes that the key players for this team were all dragging in a big way on Sunday night, they're just not enough time to recover. No, we said this yesterday on the show, Jason and I, that I thought Cincinnati was going to blow them out. I thought the second half, and I even did think in the second half, the secondary for Miami got beat deep on multiple plays.

I said to start the show today, two times this year, I've watched the team lose, and I was more impressed with him. Miami last night and Tampa last week against Green Bay. I was more impressed with the losing team than the winning team. I want to go to the Tua injury because it's obviously very scary. It's very public. We're watching it. It's freaking us all out. The NFL and the NFLPA agreed to independent neurological testing and he passed it. And Mike McDaniels, an Ivy League guy, he's a very genuine, decent human being. I don't think he's a corrupt, bad guy. So everybody in the internet sue this guy and fire that guy and I'm like, he passed the test.

McDaniels has a great reputation. What do you think happened? What am I supposed to think of why he's playing? Well, Colin, the NFL needs to do something now because the optics here are some of the worst. I mean, I've covered the NFL for 39 years. And this is one of the worst things I've ever seen. The fact that following the Sunday, day game where he was clearly shaky and had to be lifted up, had to be helped. And then he got ragged all last night for this sack. So here's here's my feeling, Colin, that what has to happen in the NFL now is if someone has gross instability at some point of any game, if he is wobbly, if he has to be helped

up if he if he if he has if he if he has to lean on people to even get off the field he is done for the day yeah don't tell me that a guy like that can go in at half time and prove to them that he should be playing you know i i i rabevich i heard him today on esPN he was very good he goes you know the 54 year old tua will say man what what was i doing at 24 why did i insist on coming back and playing in the game. And I think he's exactly right. When you're 24 years old, you're indestructible. But the object of the protocol in the NFL should be that no one can hide from head trauma

and head injuries. And if you show signs of gross instability as Tagalog did on Sunday against the Buffalo bills, you can't come back in that game. then after the game and Monday you decide if there's any lingering reloads if there isn't then okay then you let them play but to me I just think that the crime not crime it's not a crime but the bad part of this happened on Sunday when he was allowed back in the game to play the second half finally I thought Eric B. Enemy had a great answer when asked about that little argument with Patrick Mahomes.

And he said, you get that's what you want. You want a quarterback fighting to throw the ball down the field. And I've watched Brady scream at Josh McDaniels in a year they won the Super Bowl. And Beennamy basically came out and said, folks, who cares about this stuff? And I said to myself, you know, Peter, everybody's outraged constantly on the internet. The Ken Dorsey reaction. The Ken Dorsey reaction. and I talk to two guys in the league and they're like, Colin, I've seen worse in a coaching suite.

Sometimes 99% of Americans don't do their job on camera. Pro athletes do. And networks want to see all of it. And sometimes it's ugly and there's yelling and screaming. And I thought BNME was great. He's like, this is what I want my quarterback to do. I want to have arguments. What did you make of it?

Hey, Colin, Colin, first of all, I'm on the side. of Mahomes in this. I think he should have given Mahomes a couple more snaps. Mahomes's point was very simple. You have to trust me not to throw it away. I'm not going to take a chance here. I'm going to throw safe sideline routes or whatever. I'm going to throw to the fifth receiver here. And I'm not going to take the kind of chances that you're worried about. Put it in my hands and we'll be fine. But the fact that the enemy said, It's over. It's done. Go into halftime and we'll figure something out. He's within the right to say that too. He's the coach.

And Mahomes, who is, I'm not saying he's a soft kid. He isn't. I don't mean that. But he takes coaching. And he understands that sometimes even when I don't agree with the coach, I'm going to do what he says. But Mahomes wanted to get the point across, hey, trust me. I've earned the trust to be able to make two more plays to try to get us in field goal range. Four, by the way, three points or maybe even seven points that they really could have used in Indianapolis. Peter King, Football Morning in America. Great as always, Peter. Thank you.

All right, Colin. Yeah, I know what Peter was talking about, you can't play if you wobble. I was talking about it last night on YouTube. I would call it the wobble rule. If you wobble within the lines of a football. game. You're out for the next game. If I see instability, you're wobbling, you're out. Out. And that just, I know you can pass neurological tests, but here's what we've learned during the pandemic, that epidemiologists can disagree. Like neurological experts can disagree on the severity

of this stuff and the importance. You go on, you go on the internet and doctors, this is serious. The same with COVID. Like epidemiologists at Stanford. It's a really strong flu. A million people die. I don't know the answer. Everybody on the internet's a doctor, apparently. I'm not. But I do think, just have a defined rule.

You wobble, you're out. Eight days. Gone. Can't practice or play for eight days. That cakes out of the game and that Monday. Call it whatever you want. I always had a theory in the NFL. They should have an umbrella rule that you can replay anything with three minutes to go.

Because the rest of the game, you have time to get the. the ball back and overcome a bad call. But with three minutes left, if they have the ball and there's a terrible call, you may not get the ball back. So they should be an umbrella rule. Three minutes left, and maybe you only do it in the Super Bowl, only in the conference champ, but three minutes left, I can review everything. There's too much money at stake.

And I think here with the athletes, the wobble rule, you wobble, I see it eight days, can't come to the facility unless it's medical treatment for your neurological issues. I like that. Now, do you remember the days where they would take a player's helmet if they were concussed and they couldn't on the sideline they're looking for their helmet? They don't have it. I feel like I haven't seen that in a couple years. Did they stop doing that? I don't know. They had the new blue tent on the sideline. Yeah. I think taking the helmet is very stern, and you can't go back on the field without a helmet, so just take it.

Yeah, because there's also, you know, well, our neurological, independent neurological, I don't know, sometimes doctors make mistakes. There are different levels to doctors. Somebody got to see in medical school. I mean, we see it in pilots. Most plane crashes are pilot air. not every pilot is Sully Sullenberger landing on the Hudson. A lot of C students in medical school.

So now you have these independent doctors and the team doctors who have pressure from the owner to play the stars. How about we just wobble it? You're out eight days. Can't practice, can't play, can't go to meetings, can't do anything unless it's to help your body recover. I don't know. It sounds simple, I know, but sometimes you just got to take away.

There are times when you have kids, you take the keys of the car away. I'm just going to, you're just going to take certain things away so they just can't get in trouble. You save them from themselves because all these players are fighting to get on the field, especially quarterbacks, Justin Herbert, Tua. These guys are, Justin Herbert last week, four broken ribs, first series of the game, he's wincing in pain because he's banging on the table. Give me a shot I want to play. I talked to Jason Taylor, Joy's brother years ago, one of the great players ever.

He told me one time, he goes, I had such severe pain. I'm crying at halftime. I took a shot and played. And I'm like, you're going to have permanent damage. He goes, I know, but we were in a playoff race. That's how players think. It's a badge of honor to play hurt. Nobody after week three feels good.

Everybody's a little sore. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeard radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashes. 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 you're 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. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show, isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the

IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a 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 picket here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day,

but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway 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 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. 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Big noon Saturday on Fox, fourth-ranked Michigan Wolverines put their

dominant ground game to the test in a tough road battle against Iowa. It all starts with Big Noon kickoff live from Iowa City at 10 Eastern, and then it's Michigan, Iowa at noon on Fox. I'm going to take Michigan to win that game. I think they're going to score a few points on that defense. It's a very good day of college football. By the way, tonight UCLA host Washington. I'm going to take Washington to win it.

We'll go head to head. I got UCLA. I got some friends going to the game. They swear there's a great spot for the Bruins and Chip Kelly, who's a neighbor of mine. Very nice. I saw Chip Kelly not long ago near your place. He's a quiet neighbor. We'll just say that.

See him biking around the neighborhood. Yeah. Yeah. So that's a good Friday night college football game tonight. Great Friday night. Yeah, really good. They're both undefeated, right? Indeed.

Yeah. I'm going to take Washington close, 2724. Here's Jay Mack with the news. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We're going to start with the London game on Sunday.

Saints Vikings. Dennis Allen. Coach of the Saints has ruled out Michael Thomas, their great receiver, toe injury. And to make matters worse, James Winston is doubtful with back and ankle injuries, meaning the beige water pistol. Andy Dalton in line to get the start. The line has moved to half a point. Vikings now favor by three.

Colin, you give the Saints any shot without their QB and number one wide receiver. Nope, I like the Vikings here. I think the Vikings are going to go on a little bit of a run here. You know, whenever the Vikings, Kings aren't, you know, on Monday night football or Sunday night football or Thursday night football, I like them. Well, this is not a 1 p.m. kickoff. No, I know.

It's very early. 9.30. I don't know how does Kirk Couss is doing morning. I think it's a close game. I think it's a close game. You know, Kirk is solid. He can, he's not going to, he's the Andy Dalton. He's not going to rise to the moment, but more than capable of winning a division and

winning a singular playoff game. I like the Vikings. We'll go head to head. Give me the Saints. And I'll take the points because I'll need them with Andy Dalton and quarterback. All right. Let's move to good teams in the NFL. Jalen Hertz off to an incredible start.

Eagles are 3-0 best record in the league. And his leadership has caught the eye of Michael Irvin, the former playmaker of the Dallas Cowboys, who had this to say about third-year quarterback Jalen Hertz on the Rich Eisen Show. This quote, this saying that I heard Jalen Hurts said, I get chills thinking about it. He said, I said to all my play.

We cannot just feel the temperature in the room. We must be the thermometer. Oh, snap. Oh, do you all get how great that is? Oh, snap, all of my playmakers. We can't just receive what's going on in the game. We're gonna set the tone every Sunday out here. And then they put that damn tape on every time one of them make a play.

Yeah, it's a good point. So is that what we're doing in media now? You just stand up and yell stuff and act like a good food. I love me some Michael Irvin. Let me tell you this. On Sundays, when I'm watching Red Zone and multiple games, this is how I'm acting. And my in-laws were in town this weekend. They're like, Jason, why isn't there a camera on you acting like a total club?

No, we all. And this is how I act like all Sunday while Michael Irvin was just doing. Well, this is why I'm on, I'm that way on Saturday and Sunday, and tonight with UCLA, Washington. It's only three nights. Can you handle that your body at this advanced stage? Yeah, I have that this advanced stage? I think I can't handle it. All right, final story, Colin, the Lakers.

We haven't done any NBA today. They had, you know, a drama-filled off season. That's what the Lakers do. culminating with Darvin Ham as their new head coach. He stated that the team's success depends upon Anthony Davis being the number one option. Something LeBron is backing, not surprisingly. A.D. excited for the challenge, saying at Media Day, I'm so excited.

I've got goosebumps. Just thinking about this year. I'm looking forward to a healthy year and doing what up we can do. But for me, I'm not putting any pressure on myself at all. I'm going to go out there and play basketball, work hard, defend, and do what the team needs to win basketball games. I'm not going to overthink it. You know, listen to what everybody else is saying and trying to be this whatever player they want me to be. Listen, he's a very, very good player when healthy.

Now, last year he was very poor shooting the ball, but he's a top five defensive post, big player. He's also a highly effective player. I do think because he's a bit of a slasher and his size that he crashes to the floor a lot. But there's no question. He's a great. That's Calapari's national title. You know, it's like I've been critical of Mello, but that's Beheim's national title. Mello's a Hall of Famer.

When healthy, he's an absolutely dominant player. It's like Kauai Leonard. But that's part of it. You know, we always say with quarterbacks, you know, you got to be there every week. We've got to be there every. I mean, you can miss some games. You can miss eight, ten games a year. But Anthony, he misses chunks of seasons.

So you know this is his story. In high school, he was like a guard growing up. And then he grew like eight inches or something ridiculous. So he's very used to slashing. Exactly. And this is a big frustration among Laker fans. He drifts to the perimeter. All his shots are fadeaways.

He loves to shoot threes. Like, dude, you're 6-11. You're dominant. In his mind, he's a smaller player. Yeah. Because that's what he was. So he had a huge gross spurt, like junior year, like you said, eight or nine inches. I love, if Kauai Leonard and Anthony Davis were never hurt,

Kauai is in my top three, Davis is in my top six. But I have to consider that. Yeah. Like, I mean, it would be like LeBron, Durant, Yonis, Kauai, staff, Anthony Davis. What about the fact that he's 611 and says, I don't want to guard centers and bang inside? That doesn't dig him a little bit? And I'm a big Anthony Davis guy. The Warriors are the best team in the league, and they play small.

So he doesn't have to bang inside much. I mean, the game's getting smaller. Draymond Green, your buddy, he likes to bang inside. He makes Anthony Davis look a little small sometimes. I don't dislike him, but he's one of these guys. He's kind of apathetic. He's very chill. He's not as driven as I'd like, but he's a remarkable talent.

That is indisputable. When healthy is the asterisk. J-Mack with the news. You know, I'm thinking about going to a subway today. If I go to subway, you know what I'm going to get? The Danger Witch. It's Russell Wilson's sandwich. I thought that was an ad read. I was getting nervous.

No, I am in honor of him because I saw something yesterday, and I love it so much. I got to defend him again. That, and I don't have a conspiracy theory, but if I did, this would be it next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard Radio app. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl. of LeVar Arrington and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right.

Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game. We're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LeVar Ayrington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexicoke Borris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what 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 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 it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. 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 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 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, is we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. During the Patriots, Tom Brady-Belichick dynasty, it was Fort Knox. Nothing got out, no secrets ever. Totally secretive. No leaks ever. Now it's a leaky well.

Once a week, somebody says something to the media. Nobody reacts. Belichick doesn't say anything. He didn't let his assistants talk years ago. Now, players talk all the time. Leaks everywhere. Here's another one. Mike Girardi got a leak from a Patriots player. Love Mack Jones, tough kid, but he's hurting pretty good. Hope everybody's smart about this. It's a long season. That never used to happen. Leaks everywhere. Now, I don't do conspiracy theories. I don't believe in them.

I've always had a theory about conspiracy theories. It's less successful people who feel society doesn't pay enough attention to them, so I'm going to come up with inside information that nobody else has. I don't buy them. But if you were a rich head coach with 100 million net worth, the greatest coach ever had your legacy rings money, and you really didn't like the owner, who in multiple books called you out, said you were impossible and difficult.

Multiple books leaks at Belichick, not a good guy. And you thought, I got my rings. I got my house in Jupiter, Florida. If I was into conspiracy theories, there would be seven ways to leave on your terms and hand the owner a mess. tick off the greatest quarterback ever until he leaves. Hire your kids on the staff. Draft a very limited quarterback next. Spend a ton in free agency on players who don't make a difference.

Rehire guys who were disasters as head coaches on your staff. So you have no heir apparent when you leave. There's nobody in the building that can be it. Assign them to roles they're not comfortable with. Overdraft your first pick. and then ruin the culture by letting players constantly leak stuff and don't call them out. Then at the end of the year, retire, and Robert Kraft goes, what do I do now? I don't have the speed.

I don't have the roster. I don't have the quarterback. I don't got the coaches in the building. I don't have the culture. I don't believe in conspiracy theories. And I'm not saying this is true. But it's almost as if Belichick has already made his mind up and once out. Even McIntyre's giving me a look like, it is kind of interesting.

I mean, they have done like seven, eight things. It's the slowest roster. Leaks everywhere. Kids on the staff. Rehiring guys that bombed that you could never give the job to and giving them roles they'll fail at. Reaching on picks, spending money on players that don't make a difference. Wasn't Belichekko was a genius on in-league personnel? He spent $234 million on a bunch of guys that can't run.

I'm just saying that said, I think they beat Green Bay this weekend. So what do I know? I'm just saying, if I believed in conspiracy theories, by the way, just to make it not too suspicious, you have to occasionally win some games, right? Yeah. This would be one of those you would win.

Cowher, the Patriots have more leaks than the Iraqi Navy right now. It's getting ugly out there. It's a fourth one this year. Third or four, even players are calling them out. I'm loving this. Now, you know, I don't believe in any of this, but I'm just saying if I did. Okay, so here's the other thing.

I have to for my job. I promote stuff on social media. I don't run most of my social media. I've got people that want it. I'm on Twitter a little, not a lot, but I'm not running it, most of the stuff. Because I think it's toxic and it's a lot of bored, lonely, snarky, superior people. Got to be cool on Twitter. Do you know who gets ripped on Twitter?

Steph Curry. You know what Twitter loves? NFTs and Bitcoin. It is Loserville. People that need to be accepted. Less successful people, ripping more successful people. It's a barnyard musical. You should try it sometime. So Russell Wilson just gets crushed. Steph Curry, because he's not cool, gets crushed. Russell Wilson gets crushed. You know who everybody loved? They loved Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, and Johnny Mansell. This guy cool. Drew Locke. Everybody love Drew Locke. Nobody loves Steph Curry because he wears pharmacy shoes

and nobody likes Russell Wilson because they say he's cringy. So here's Russell Wilson's new subway sandwich spot on TikTok or wherever it was. Hey, you want to split this subway sandwich? It is my signature sandwich.

It's called the Danger Witch. It's dangerously good. Looks good. Be careful, though. It's spicy. Hmm. You ever done anything dangerous? Nope.

Jeez. That is dangerous. The reaction on social media just blasted Russell Wilson. After seeing the ingredients in the danger which, I can understand why Pete didn't let Russ cook. Oh. By the way, this is why I say, cool on social media. No, Russell Wilson was just voted by adults in America. People would lie.

who aren't consumed with being cool, the most likable player in the NFL. Twitter defended Johnny Mansell at every turn. Baker Mayfield, Cam Newton, the cool guys. Always cool. Hollywood's big. But, you know, what's not cool? Our current president. You know, what's not cool, Steph Curry.

What's not cool? Russell will. A lot of times adults aren't cool. They have kids and responsibility and jobs, and they, they have to manage people and make tough calls and they're not consumed with, you know, having the coolest trends and the coolest watch and the coolest, most people aren't snarky. They're happy. They're doing their thing.

They care about their kids. I love every Russell Wilson cringy moment. He has voted most likable player. You know who else was on that list? Patrick Mahomes, who's got kind of a silly brother. Sometimes his brother's out there being silly. we've all got a silly sister or a silly brother. That's America.

It's not cool. You have one of those in your family, somebody that sometimes is cringy, but you don't have one, of course, because you're cool. Steph Curry, it is unbelievable how little respect he gets. By the way, Yonis, same thing. Because Yonis is not worried about being cool. I love, I'm going to go to Subway after this show. Can you order the Danger Witch? Is it on the menu?

Is it? Because I'm going to order it. It's a good question. I have not been to subway. I will today. I'm not joking. I haven't been to subway in years. My wife does not like the smell of subways. Well, it's their bread. She did not authorize me to say that on air. But listen, this is an ongoing. Like we're driving on the road with the kids. There's a subway. No, no, we're not going there. Sorry. She doesn't like the smell of it. Yeah, it's very pungent. Well, come on. They could be an advertiser. You know, you got to be careful.

That's a good point. Apologies all around. But I like how Russ is leaning into it. Into it. Because there is like a bit of shtick there, right? I think. Oh, no, no, no. Russell Wilson's really smart. Yeah. He knows that America in the middle, they're not cool either. Show it again. I love this commercial.

Subway, congratulations, all this free press. Yeah. I love people. Somebody once said to me, that's a dad joke. And my reaction was, I'm a dad. Obama does that. He'll do a joke and go, okay, here comes the dad joke. Yeah, he's a grown-up.

He has kids. He's a dad. It's okay not to have the hippest joke. when you're a dad, because you're trying to relate to your kids who laugh at your dad jokes and you kind of have a linking moment with your children. Dads should have dad jokes. If you're too cool as a dad, your kids will end up on meth. I'll tell you right now.

You want to be a dad. Meth and Twitter, right? Yeah. More Russell Wilson cringe. But when I watch that, doesn't it make you want to? He's eating it. It makes me want to eat that sandwich. I'm going to walk in today and go, Danger Witch, too.

I may order multiple. I am here to support uncool people because I am uncool. These days, every new potential hire can feel like a high-stakes wager for your small business. That's why LinkedIn jobs help sign the right people for your team faster and for free. Post your job for free. That's cool. At LinkedIn.com slash herd, H-E-R-D. Terms and conditions apply.

More drama with the Arizona Cardinals. Eric Mangini 2. Live in Los Angeles. Hour 3 is coming up. It's The Hurt. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving. for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human

potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. In 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year.

It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important. important year for black people. Listen to look back at it 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 you're 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, 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 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.