The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 – Credit for Green Bay, Mark Schlereth

Episode Date: January 22, 2024

Mark Schlereth breaks down the NFL divisional round and what he's seen from the remaining teams. Plus, credit to Green Bay and how it's not a loss to be ashamed of; and questions remaining for the Eagles as they return Nick Sirianni.See 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 IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It's hour two. We're live in Los Angeles.

It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Hope you had a great weekend. I did. Watch a lot of football as you did. Rainy weather in Southern California. J. Mack, here we are. Four teams left.

And for a big chunk of the year, we felt like Baltimore and San Francisco. we're going to end up here. I don't think Detroit's as big a long shot as some people are making them out to be. Like, the spread to me feels like they're lucky to be here. And it's like you, most people pick Detroit to win the division. After that, we just didn't know. We didn't know what Jordan Love would be

or would Justin Fields take another elite. We didn't quite know the division. But when I watched Detroit play, this has been like a patient slow process. There was the first year they got there and they were terrible defensively. They lost a bunch of shootouts, but they were fun. Then the next year, they still lost shootouts,

but we kept talking about how hard they play. And then our perception was Detroit had like, after their draft, they closed some of the issues. I think Detroit is a corner away from being a Super Bowl team. Like a really nice corner. Listen, if Debo Samuel doesn't play and all of a sudden, the skies open up and we get bad weather, maybe the Lions have a chance.

But no, I think San Francisco's the side here. Detroit's an amazing story. And who knows? You know, like, if Aaron Jones can peel off a 50-yard run and have over 100 yards, why can't Montgomery and Gibbs have a good ground game? Gibbs is good. Gibbs is real nice. He just is so fast.

His acceleration, this is an old-school name, but it's very Tony Dorset, like 0 to 60 in one step. He gets going full speed instantly. It's like Adrian Peterson had some of that. You're like, I mean, two steps in, you're like full speed. Yeah. And I got Ben Johnson, who you could argue, is the best play caller left in the playoffs? Sorry, Kyle Shanahan. Ben Johnson's just been phenomenal. Here we go. Colin Wright, Colin wrong on a Monday.

Where Colin was right? Three and one in our game picks. We had Baltimore to win by double digits, lying to win, cover the spread, and Green Bay giving San Francisco fits. We didn't really have a classic Blazing Five. I was wrong on Buffalo. I thought the statistical sheet gave Buffalo the edge, but, you know, I had my shovel out with Kansas City.

Once again, I'm wrong. Where Colin was wrong. You know, I said for two months, this finally felt, like a Buffalo team that would break through because they wouldn't have to put the bat signal up and have Josh Allen save them, but 12 rushes, almost 40 pass attempts. I mean, he made some, that was an amazing throw to the end zone. It's not like Buffalo's window is closed. They're going to be fine.

They've got a solid coach and a great quarterback. I think they paid too much for Vaughn Miller. But it does feel like these are wasted opportunities for one of the great quarterback talents of all time, and I bought in. Where Colin was right? I think my skepticism on Brock Purdy is proving right. I like him. Cognitively, he figures stuff out and can make throws.

But his small hands were an issue just because of some rain. And once they lost Debo Samuels, they became very Christian McCaffrey reliant. I like him. But when you start looking around the NFL who's hoisting these Lombardi trophies, it's not a lot of last guys picked. He had one really nice final drive and deserves credit for it. But the truth is, if Green Bay could make their kicks and didn't drop a pick, Six, they would have lost at home.

Where Colin was wrong. It looks like Nick Sariani is going to keep his gig. There's another story where a demoted defensive coordinator is getting fired. So I'd never seen a team go from 10 and 1 to literally no identity in getting blown out. But, you know, Philadelphia has given some coaches before an extra year. And so Nick Seriani is going to retain his job. I think a lot of his success is tied to the now. departed offensive coordinator head coach of the Colts Shane Steichen, but I'm wrong on that.

I think I would have moved off. I don't love running through coaches, but this just felt like a young coach a bit over his skis and at times a bit juvenile and temperamental and emotion driven on the sidelines. Where Colin was right? Never bought into the Lamar Jackson can't win playoff games narrative. If you can win regular season games, you can win playoff games. And the kid is magical. And he just keeps getting better and better and better. and there's real leadership skills. Apparently he was yelling and barking and screaming at teammates at halftime. Listen, and he ran for 100 yards.

He had four total touchdowns. When you go watch a professional football game and a quarterback is maybe the fastest player on the field and other elite defenders miss badly on him, you know you're looking at one of one and that's what Lamar Jackson has become. Where Colin was wrong. I thought Cliff Kingsbury would be the choice. for the Bears at coordinator. It was Shane Waldron got the job

who runs the same basic offensive family as Luke Getsey, who they let go of. Caleb Williams is going to be the choice. We perceive that to be true. And Cliff Kingsbury has an excellent relationship with Caleb Williams, so I thought they would make an aggressive run. In fact, I was told they would,

and they hire Shane Waldron. Where Colin was right? The Falcons are meeting with Jim Harbaugh now for a second time. Do they see what we do, which is Harbaugh's a better candidate than Belichick? My question with Bill Belichick, is he just taking a job for a milestone to become the all-time winning his coach over Don Shula, or is he really long-term all-in? Harbaugh's younger, he's on the offensive side, and the other thing I love with Harbaugh that I think is indisputable, he will have such an advantage for his first two to three years in this league with college personnel because he's been recruiting all the elite kids. from all over the country, that cannot be downplayed. Hardball will be as good as any general manager in this sport for about three years.

Very reminiscent of Pete Carroll when he first got the Seahawks job. He was finding stars in the fourth, fifth, and sixth round. Where Colin was right? We told you, Alabama doesn't have Texas or Ohio state money when it comes to the NIL, and there's been a mass exodus of some of their elite players. Nick Saban was holding this puppy together, and a year or two ago, Sabin started criticizing the NIL. And what I told you was it's because Alabama doesn't have the kind of money that the Ohio State Collective does or the Texas for sure collective does. And kids these days don't care about facilities.

They want to get paid. And Ohio State stepped up. Texas is stepping up. And the thing that was holding it together was sort of the gravitas, the expertise, and the greatness. the iconic nature of Nick Sabin getting you to the pros. But now that he's gone, kids are like, I don't get Sabin or the money. I'm going to go be a Buckeye. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong on a Monday.

And with that, Mark Schlarith is a three-time Super Bowl winner. And watching the Chiefs yesterday, my takeaway was, I'd watch them all year. They'd made all these mistakes. And for them to clean them all up on the road against Buffalo in the most high leverage, emotional, anxiety-ridden game. You played on three Super Bowl champions. I guess this is just what they do because I was really shocked how efficient

Kansas City was in that spot. Yeah, you know, they've done such a great job. And Andy Reed has done such a great job of basically morphing his offense into the personnel that he has. They have run the ball with much more frequency. They've run the ball with much more physicality. Obviously, Mahomes is just a,

genius when he's in the pocket, their ability to throw the football, throw it accurately. And then what, you know, what's hurt them all season long, all the drops that you saw over the course of the season? They clean those guys up. They have a few guys they trust right now. Rice has really made a big impact. Obviously, we know what Kelsey has been all these years. But I think it's just kind of finding your personnel, finding what is going to fit best for

you and putting the personnel into a position, you know, to have success and then having the best quarterback on the planet actually execute those things. It's amazing what they've been able to do. And it's just that confidence that we've done this before. And I'm not a flip-the-switch mentality guy, but they have a certain flip-the-switch over there where they have had so much success and they know who they have playing the quarterback position

that, hey, man, we're going to be okay regardless of the situation and regardless of what has happened in our past. Yeah, listen, I like Sean McDermott. I don't think they have to make a lot of changes. I mean, having been in Los Angeles and watched Vaughn Miller have a very good Super Bowl, I did think they overpaid for him. I thought he was kind of at the end of it, be that as it may. I think Buffalo is a really smart operation.

I wouldn't make any wholesale changes. I just, I do feel like, I said this, Mark, when these two teams match up, about six plays decided. And it always feels like Kansas City is a bit more prepared for them, and Buffalo's kind of winging it. And I don't want to blame anybody for it. but I just felt watching that game, I'm like, oh, here we go again. It's Josh Allen. Save us, Josh.

Did you feel that at all watching them? Yeah, I did. And they were dominant running the football, dominant for the entirety of the game until they weren't in the fourth quarter. And they hand the ball off and they get a minus two or a minus four. And that's part of that. And then there's part of me that just feels like at some point, and I love what they've been able to establish and where they are.

I think one of the things you have to look at yourself and your friend, in general. Have you become an organization that has reached its pinnacle with the coach that you currently have, and do you have to make a move off of Sean McDermott? Has he become the John Fox of this generation? Hey, he's going to take you to a point, but can he get you over the top? And that may be unfair, and that may be completely off basis, but, you know, here's where we sit right now. you've got a generational type of quarterback that I think you just lean too much on. Yeah. And oftentimes that just can't be, that it's not deliverable. And can your coach put you in a position? I mean, I understand that they had 10 people

on the field on a fake punt, but you're on your 35. And you cannot give Patrick Mahomes at any point, in any point in any game, you can't give them, you know, a 40-yard field. I'm sorry, that just doesn't work. So, you know, although they fumbled on that, fumbled through the end zone, and Buffalo got the field, they've got the, you know, the ballback, those are decisions to me based upon who you're playing, that you just can't make those decisions in a game. You know, I want to talk about, you know, Detroit.

So they have a losing history. And not every team, I don't remember exactly the timeline. I know you were with the Broncos in the mid-90s. But I mean, I grew up with the Broncos going to Super Bowls with Craig Morton and losing. And then all of a sudden they went to Super Bowls with Elway. And they were losing. And then they weren't. And there is sort of that thing you have to leap over, that channel of losing big games to winning big games.

And it's funny, when I watched Detroit, I'm like, all the losing stuff to me, like this has been a slow build. I don't feel like I'm watching a March Madness Cinderella team. they were four and 19 to start and then they got competitive and then they won close and now they occasionally win playoff games by double digits. I don't think there's any fluke here.

I watch Detroit Mark and I'm like, I think they could beat San Francisco. I like their players. How do you view them? Yeah. Yeah, I think they're an outstanding football team, especially on the office side of the ball. And I think they've done a great job,

Brad Holmes, their general manager, in lockstep with Dan Campbell, the air coach and the kind of players they want and the development of those players, we have seen how many of these guys on their offense from Leporta to Gibbs to, you know, Penae Soule have had a great impact on this franchise in what they've been able to do on the offensive side of the football. And they're built in a physical fashion. And then, you know, the most powerful thing I think you can do for players or, you know, think about it from your own children's standpoint is believe in them. And they went out and got Jared Goff and they had believed. in Jared golf. They believed in a system that they could put him in. And that guy has made more

the middle of the football field kind of highly contested ball placement type of throws than just about anybody in football. And I think that goes back to their belief in Jared Gop, their belief talking to Dan Campbell, him being the most accurate quarterback in football. Dan Campbell's told me on many occasions I've never been around a more accurate quarterback. And remember, he play or he coached in New Orleans with Sean, with Sean Peyton, when they had Drew Brees. So, I mean, this is a guy that really believes in his players and puts them in the best positions to win. And defensively, I will say this, to get the CJ Gardner Johnson back in that back end

has really helped them out from an attitude standpoint. They probably miss elite level corners and they miss one extra pass rusher. But again, they're going to win the way they win, which is physicality. and no-nonsense kind of approach to football? You know, I'm watching San Francisco, and there's some things that, and I fall into this trap, where I watch a team, and I romanticize what I've seen, but I'm not watching the reality. So if you really look at San Francisco's defensive front now,

it's got a lot of big names, but it isn't always a dominating defensive front. And if you take Debo out, they can be kind of one-dimensional with Christian McCaffrey, and it rains a little, and Brock Purdy can't grip the ball, is that I can't unsee them getting rolled by Baltimore or outplayed by Green Bay, and is it possible that we're overvaluing San Francisco for what they are right now? There's a lot of big names, but they're not all playing great or healthy at this point. Yeah, I think there's a lot that goes into that.

You know, I think when you talk about Kyle Shanahan's ability to call plays, and Kyle Shanahan from just from an organizer of offense standpoint. A lot of what they do is based off their run game, the intricacies of their run game, the physicality of their run game, and then setting up that short passing game, but getting those windows that are wide open with nobody around a receiver for 8, 10, 12 yards,

so you can get that run after the catch, and it may be a really short throw, but that's kind of how they're built. And when they get out of a rhythm or they get behind, then all of a sudden you have to change your offense to more static formations, less leaning on that running game and creating that play action off of that. And therefore, that's not what they're versed at. That's not what they're very good at.

And that's, you know, the stat we saw all over the television set that was 0 and 30 when they're down by five points or more in the fourth quarter, right? That's part of that deal. I think what you have to do, though, is you've got to give Green Bay a lot of credit in regards to the way their offensive line played, but the way they call plays. Matt LaFleur knows Kyle Shanahan. He knows San Francisco.

He's played them. He's lost to them in the playoffs. And you can tell a lot about what a person or what a team thinks about you in the way they game plan. Look at that quick passing game. Look how much they were to get on the edge with the wide receivers cracking down

and then playing the toss game in that running game. A lot of that was based upon, hey, this defensive front is so good. Let's get the ball out quickly. Let's run the football. Let's make sure that we wear them out because we know they're going to rotate. So I thought a lot of Green Bay success was really in the way they called that game, the way that Matt LaFleur saw San Francisco and took that strength,

which was that defensive line away from them in the way he called play. So kudos to him. And will Detroit try to replicate some of that stuff that they were able to do in that game against the San Francisco 49ers. Saying earlier, I've watched Baltimore like everybody else play 15 times this year, and I got to tell you, I know they're not great at Corner. Man, I'm physicality, linebackers, it just all works. Their staff, Mark, they just look like the, sometimes you watch a team and you're like,

yeah, they remind me a little bit of Philadelphia last year where they got perfect coordinators, a uniquely mobile quarterback. they're now healthy. I mean, when you watch Baltimore, what do you see? I see a team that will beat you up physically. And when they do that to you, both sides of the ball, they'll beat you up physically. When they do that to you, it allows their quarterback

to do the things that he does, not only the passing game, but when he takes the ball away, you saw the 100 yards that he rushed for last, last, what, Saturday or Sunday, I think it was Saturday, whatever, this weekend. He was incredible. It was absolutely incredible. But that starts with their ability to run the ball,

their ability to run the RPO game, their ability to run the Reed Zone game, where he becomes a factor in the running game. And you have to factor him so much that he creates opportunities and space for those running backs in the run game. So they're great with that. Then the other thing on the defensive side of the ball, Colin, I will tell you, they are not only physical,

but from the standpoint of being able to, operate as an offense and figure out where they're coming from. So they will come from multiple positions, whether it's safeties or corners or their linebackers on the blitzes, the simulated pressures. It makes it one of those communication games. And ultimately, to me, when you walk into Baltimore to play the Ravens, they are so deep in what they do as a defense

that you have to as an offense counter that by eliminating, by squeezing down the menu of what you, you want to do, eliminating a bunch of stuff that you want to do, because you just can't function because they do so many things as a defense. So really exceptionally well coached. And it starts with winning both lines of scrimmage. They consistently win the line of scrimmage, which creates their opportunity to be the aggressor in everything they do. Good stuff. Mark Schler, three rings, two-time pro bowler, Fox Sports. Good seeing you, bud. You too, buddy. Take care. Yeah, so we got Andy Reed and John Harbaugh and Kyle Shanahan and culture creator Dan Campbell.

Three of the four coaches are perceived as elite. And then Campbell, I think, what he's done to create kind of a winning, tough, aggressive culture is more than laudable. Yeah, we've seen some teams pop into the conference championship game and then fade away quickly. My Jets, you know, a little over a decade ago with Rex Ryan two years in a row to haven't been back. Is this Lions team here to stay? or is this a little fluky things broke their way? Here's the interesting one. So I don't think Baltimore is going anywhere.

Lamar's in his prime. I don't think Kansas City's going anywhere. Mahalms in his prime. I don't think Detroit's going anywhere. Ben Johnson leaves. They may not be, but that's a person. We just saw Philadelphia. They lose both coordinators and they fall off a cliff a little bit.

I'm not denying that, but Philadelphia was old in spots. They had drama with AJ Brown. I don't see any drama here. This team's young. I don't even think they're in their prime yet. San Francisco's the easy one. Debo now, heard again. Christian McCaffrey's on the sideline.

They're very reliant on him. Kittles getting older. Trent Williams, also very expensive. What if they go out and lose to Detroit? In the building, is it like, we got to draft another guy. Like, I think of all these teams. Another guy, where? What if Purdy just gets?

Oh, another quarter. We got to draft a quarterback. Oh, okay. You're not paying him anything. The purdy doubt continues. I love it. This organization moved off Jimmy Garoppolo when he took a lead into a Super Bowl in the fourth quarter. He couldn't stay healthy.

I guys heard every other week. I'm just – but Garapolo, I think, has more natural talent. By the way, it just hit me. Garapolo, is he going to surface wherever Belichick goes to be head coach, Atlanta maybe? What do you mean? Belichick drafted him? Didn't want to trade him until Brady forced Kraft to make him trade him. The question about Belichick, is it anything other than wanting to reach a milestone?

Hardball has no milestone to reach. He wants to win and kick butt for eight years in the NFL. That's the thing about Belichick. It's like, does he just want to surpass Shula and then say, I'm going to go golf? That one, but anyway, back to this. Of the four teams that are in the championship weekend, the one that's got real issues to me is San Francisco because of their cost and their age. By the way, they bring over Chase Young.

They've got a lot of big names on that defensive front. No, they're not paying their quarterback anything. That's fine. But you get what you pay for. Oh, come on. If Baltimore or Kansas City lose, okay. If Detroit loses, okay. If San Francisco loses with this roster.

It would not be a great loss. It would be a favorite by touchdown. It would be a devastating loss, and there'd be big questions through the building. And if they win, oh, well, they were expected to win. They got the better team. They're a touchdown favorite. Well, they are a touchdown favorite. Just saying San Francisco's...

Remember, you made me a Niners fan when you said, Why are you a fan of the Jets? You've got to switch teams. Number you? 49ers we settled? I made you. The W's probably helped. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd

weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's Ben. Host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking what in God's name is the fifth hour?

I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mallor show, a cult hit overnights on FS. are why should you listen? Picture if you will a world where we chat with captains of industry in media, sports and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart 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. edit in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network

on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a Packer fan. I feel pretty darn good about that loss. I seriously, usually when the Packers lose, it's like an old FAR or an old Aaron and you're like. You feel.

like, oh, you're decimated. I'm watching them lose walk off that field. I'm like, man, if I'm Green Bay, San Francisco getting a little old, Dax cap hit now is going to be like close to 55, 56 million. Stafford's getting old. You're a Packer fan. That, I mean, that game's over.

I'm like, if they played again that night, I'd take Green Bay. But, Ken, should you be more disappointed? We had that game leading in the fourth with the ball deep in their territory, and we would have been playing in Detroit next week. We already smoked the Packers on Thanksgiving.

Start smoked the Lions. Like we could have easily, we could be in the Super Bowl if we didn't blow this game. I think there are NBA playoffs and I mean, it's like Baltimore. It's steps. You're asking a young Lamar, you know, it's steps. I mean, we always forget with Mahomes. The reason the steps were so

realized so quickly, a big part of it is Andy Reed. You know, I mean, Lamar's got more of a special teams coach and, you know, Josh Allen has a defensive coach. And You know, Brady even had a defensive coach, didn't very risk averse and defensive win. You know, Mahomes inherits our Bill Walsh. He gets Andy Reid.

So Andy speeds up the process of getting Mahomes from Young and Raw to Great really quickly. That's what Andy did in Philadelphia. How many championship games, by the way, has Andy Reid been to between Kansas City and Philly? I would guess. Probably double digits, right? I mean, do we understand? Does everybody understand we are watching one of the three or four great coaches in the history of the sport? Yeah. Well, also, we got to, if we're going to give him all the accolades, that end-around or reverse nonsense to me, Cole Hardman.

I didn't love it either. That was one of the worst offensive play calls of the weekend. I didn't love it. Especially if you're on the Chiefs, and Hardman, what do you reach it out for the end zone for? On first down, bro? I didn't love that. I mean, listen, Pacheco is an animal. We love that guy.

He runs harder than anyone. Oh, he is. Like, he wants the contact. He's like, bring it on. No, he's got Adrian Peterson a little bit. end around to like a 180-pound former jet. If he just scored, you wouldn't have said anything. It wasn't my favorite call of the weekend.

J-Mac with a news. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Speaking of the Chiefs, Mahomes and Kelsey set an NFL record for most touchdowns by a quarterback receiver duo in playoff history. They had two touchdowns against the bills,

giving them 16 total passing Brady and Gron. who had 15 together. Brady tweeted out, Beasts. How good do you have to be to beat Brady and Gronk? Yeah, you got to be decent. Kelsey had been quiet, but you knew he was hunting the big game

against that mass unit linebackers. Yeah, they were... AJ Klein. We called that last week. That was obvious. Well, not for me. Not for me, but it was for you. Here's the problem.

The Baltimore linebackers are among the best unit in the league. And you want to hand him off to Kyle Hamilton. He's an elite young safety. I mean, they are so good down the... middle of their defense? I'm waiting for you to tell me where the edge is for the Chief's offense here. I... Listen, you know, it's so funny. You know how much I revere Andy Reed. And I picked against them like three times in these big games and every time I'm wrong. I am almost becoming a good luck charm of the Chiefs picking against them. I'm the anti-Nick Wright. I go the other way. And it's not

because I disrespect them. It's just like they just feel like, okay, they're missing this, this, this. I can't even believe how well MVS and a lot of these guys that you couldn't depend on all your play. I was just like, you picked this game to me perfect. They're two penalties. He never gets touched. Mahomes doesn't make any mistakes in these games. Last five playoff games, 10 touchdowns, no picks. He doesn't make any mistakes in these big games. Remember how you were knocking the offensive line last week?

I saw a stat that Ed Oliver of the bills could not get to the quarterback. The first time in two years, he didn't have a pressure in a football game. Two years. Not a pressure. wouldn't get to the quarterback. It was like, everything fell perfectly for them. Everything. I'm just going to remind people, uh, the Dolphins defense and the bill's defense are like middle of the pack. I think DVO has on like 12 and 19. Baltimore's number one. Yeah, Baltimore's totally different. And Baltimore's wild physical. Like Roe Pond Smith and Queen, those guys are like Fred Warner, like the Niners, linebackers, and Baltimore's are just different than everybody else's.

A better chance here. Chiefs getting blown out or the Chiefs win? I don't think anybody's getting blown out. These defenses are too good. Nobody's getting blown out. This is 2320. The defense in the coaching is way too good for blowouts. Okay, fair enough. Next up.

Oh, poor Buffalo Bills kicker, Tyler Bass. Look at that. Goodness gracious. I thought it got cut up in the jet stream there. It just all of a sudden hooked right significantly. How do we know it didn't? I mean, it looks like one of my golf drives. You know, it starts awesome and then just way, way off the track.

Bass said it was all on him, but Josh Allen is supporting his teammate after the L. I wish it wouldn't have been put in that situation. You know, you win as a team, you lose as a team. You know, one play doesn't define a game. It doesn't define a season. I know people are going to be out there saying that. You know, we got to be there for him because, again, we execute a couple of plays prior. You know, probably seeing it a different tune right now.

Yeah, kickers. This is not on the kicker. Let's be real. Well, both teams, I mean, listen. Mahomes had like 90 seconds left. They would have definitely scored. Come on. Well, we don't know that. Listen, Josh Allen fumbled and they got really lucky to recover it.

And he tried to throw an interception to play before. But I'm going to hit you with this stat. I just got this. The Chiefs had eight explosive plays. Eight. Plays of 20 or more yards. Eight. You know how many of Buffalo had.

Zero. Like, what's up with that? Is that McDermott defensive guy being conservative? Josh, I don't want the Yolo stuff. No deep attempts. They didn't have any deep completions. Well, here's the other thing is that Kansas City's defense is really good, and it's really well coached, and that matters.

A lot of it is Kansas City's bringing back the defense that won the Super Bowl. They were young last year. Now they have experience. They're actually pretty good on the back end. Well, Sneed, apparently this season against Stefan Diggs, He was, Diggs was targeted 19 times with Sneed guarding him and Diggs had 45 total yards. Well, I mean, at one point, Romo and Nance were talking about like Sneed got beat on a play. A touchdown.

And they were like, first time all year or something. So, I mean, by the way, he's a free agent. He's going to get paid. That guy's really good. He's really good. Like physically kind of intimidating. Oh, yeah. I mean, he was bullying Tyree Kill last.

No, I know. He's not a lot of guys like him in the league. We'll see how he does against Zay Flowers. And by the way, Mark Andrews expected back for the Ravens for this one. So they are ready to go. And we like likely the tight end on Baltimore, man. He's cool. That guy's good.

Final story is the Detroit Lions. Soldier on to San Francisco in the NFC title game. Detroit's offense has been great. And how about Gibbs, man? He looks good. Jared Goff gave credit to his teammates, coach, and GM. Let's not forget GM Brad Holmes. He's been excellent for how good this roster's been.

It's a credit to all the guys in there. we've said this a million times about how it's the same group it's not like we've added a ton it's a lot of the same guys and Brad and Dan have been very intentional about bringing in those type of guys who can handle moments like today

and moments like last week and ups and downs of a season and I think it's all been intentionally done by them and we're not here by accident I mean think about this Gibbs comes in looks like a top three running back in the league Leporta comes in looks like a top

two three tight end Penae Sewell, one of the best tackles. I mean, like all the guy in that, by the branch, I mean, they just keep, in the last couple drafts, they have like six home runs. Guys immediately top of the class at their position. Like, this is a lot of, and again, these GMs are all good. I mean, let's be honest about Baltimore.

For years, we were always like, you know, Lamar doesn't have a good receivers. And now it's just like they have a second tied end and Zay Flowers. And so, I mean, we don't talk about GMs much. And it's an inexact science. but there's been a lot of work done upstairs in these games by these front offices. There's some dudes. Listen, they took a lot of heat for drafting a linebacker and a running back in the first round.

They're both great. I mean, both are playing significant. I mean, they're in the NFC championship. It's a great story, man. JMAQ with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news.

You bang around watching college basketball this weekend. I wasn't. By the way, I was a little bit. Not a ton. Yeah. By the way, record ratings again. Saturday record ratings. Nobody watches TV, except America.

Well, I mean, wasn't it like negative 10 degrees for like 90% of America? It's called, well, isn't it always in January? I hear this all the time. Everybody's watching streaming. That's why the companies are all broke. Tell you what they're watching. Fox. Seriously, every TV I walked by this weekend.

That's funny. Nobody was on streaming. Get it all off your chest. Go ahead. Just hammer it away. I'm getting rid of all those streamers. I'm done with them. Well, what you've got to do is see that Leonardo DiCaprio.

I'm getting a black and white TV. I'm so jacked up for the industry. With the bunny ears on it? Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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, 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a gas. galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot,

or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The 2024 NASCAR season drops the green flag next month with the clash at the Coliseum. And on February 18th, it's the most iconic day in all of motorsports as the great. Great American Race returns the Daytona 500, only on Fox. You know, listen, nobody wants to lose, but I think the Houston Texans can say to themselves, this was a really successful season.

I think Tampa Bay has to look at it and think, you know, Baker-Mayfield's going to work for the foreseeable future. We feel kind of good about Todd Bowles may stay. But I watch Green Bay, you know what my takeaway on this is, and I know I don't want to pick on anybody because I know you all think Aaron Rogers, Colin, you don't like him. I got problems with him. I'd vote him into the Hall of Fame. It's like Russell Westbrook. He's a Hall of Famer.

I'm not denying that. I think Westbrook actually had a good year. But when I watch Green Bay, my takeaway is, why in the world did Aaron leave? This old line, this coach, Aaron Jones, these receivers. Green Bay's got dudes. There's a very obvious window opening up with Green Bay. And I think they look at it now and wonder if they should have moved off Aaron two years ago.

I mean, it's amazing when the Green Bay question, quarterback actually doesn't check out of design plays how good of a coach Matt LaFleur is. But, I mean, if you go around the NFL, find me the teams that draft and develop offense better than Green Bay. I'm sure you could go find a couple, but they're really good at it. Pittsburgh's done a good job through the years, finding receivers and running back talent. But Green Bay, this is what they do. They draft and develop. You don't have an owner, but you don't have chaos.

You're in a small town, but you don't deal with a seething, agenda-driven big-town media. Jordan Love can be erratic, but the dude's a playmaker, and he's very far-like. He's not going to be as precise as Aaron Rogers. Aaron doesn't throw a lot of picks. Very precise. He's got more far than Rogers, where the ball will sail. He'll take more chances. But when I watch Green Bay, like, my only knock on them is time-on-task.

They're just young and haven't played many games together. but not only have they not dipped losing Aaron Rogers, this team would blow out last year's Packers. I'm convinced of it. I thought they were better than San Francisco. And I think San Francisco's got one of the two best rosters in football. So they're more cohesive, they're more collaborative. You look like you're actually watching a team and a coach,

and they're running the plays designed by the staff, but there's no drama around them. and I kept looking all weekend. I'm thinking to myself, I like San Francisco a lot, but a lot of their star players are getting banged up and they're old. Dallas, they've got to pay Micah very soon, and Dax's cap hit is now punitive. Philadelphia, do we love the head coach,

and they just lost their emotional leader, Jason Kelsey. The Rams, I thought they were great, but Stafford's turning 36. He's been banged up a bit, and Aaron Donald's getting older, and Detroit, I think Detroit's going to be good, but they're losing Ben Johnson, and as J. Mack pointed out multiple times, they've got to pay in a year.

They've got to pay Jared Goff some big money. So this is the window for two years when you can kind of stack rosters. But I'm going to tell you something. Here, I'm watching Jordan Love on this team, and I'm like, you know, they always tell you, be careful. You know, it's not always greener. The pastures aren't greener elsewhere.

I know Aaron had some misgivings about the front office. I get it. Sometimes you and your bosses don't get along, but does Aaron understand what he left? Because this thing is stacked. This offense is stacked. And when's the last time the Packers had a bad old line? And Aaron Jones is a stud.

After Christian McCaffrey, there's a short list of running backs I'd start my team with. Aaron Jones is near the top of that list. So here was Matt LaFleur after a disappointing loss, certainly. I know this one's going to hurt him. I'm sure he'll be really hard on. himself and he's just got to use his fuel to continue to get better. But I think we saw so much growth throughout the course of the season, not only from just his ability to going out there and playing consistent winning football,

but also I think he grew as a leader. And I think that's very important, obviously, to be the franchise quarterback that I expect him to be for a long. time around here. Yeah, when I watched Green Bay, I saw coaching and cohesion and not trying to just get a knock on Aaron, but I didn't always feel cohesion. We watched last year when the young receivers and the veteran quarterback, he'd ghost them, you know, wouldn't throw to certain guys after drops, get frustrated. And that's why Jordan Love makes sense. Generationally, it feels like Green Bay is sort of one growing together, young coach, young quarterback, young tight ends, young receivers. But man, They got dudes.

They are, they're not quite as physical as Detroit's young players. Detroit's got a little more physical, and maybe that's the culture created. Green Bay's got a lot of good players. You're rolling your eyes. I like him. I was just blown away by Jordan Love's Improvement. They control that game. How often do you watch Kyle Shanahan and you think to yourself, oh, he's getting completely out-coached here?

Not very often. I just, I can't get over this, Jordan love stuff. So, yes, he was on an epic heater. I think 21 touchdowns and one interception over like nine games or something, right? Yeah, final nine games. He threw for 2,500 yards, 20 touchdowns, just three picks. Okay. So two of them came in the final 17 minutes against the Niners.

Now, I know it's a great defense and you're on the road, young quarterback, all that stuff. But this whole like, oh my gosh, what a game from Jordan. He was 21 of 34 for 194 yards, 5.7 yards per attempt. Like, if I were to just tell you, that's his passing stats, you're like, oh, they got their butts kicked. Like, he did not have a great game. No, no. He had an inferior game to Purdy, but the narrative is, well, he threw, first of all, take away the last pick. He's trying to make a play.

He's just trying to make something happen. Take it away. Well, I mean, it's, I'm not going to crush Baker for his last pick. You got to, you got to make a play happen. And I do think Jordan Love, his style is more far than Aaron. It is more, I'm going to, you're going to have Sundays where I throw three picks. He's going to have those. Aaron doesn't have those games very often.

So he's more far, he's a little bit more of a gunslinger. By the way, that was what they said. I remember talking to people when he came in. They're like, he can be really erratic. He still can be. So we have to acknowledge that's a little bit who he is. Well, Josh Allen can be that. And I love Josh Allen.

We all love Farve. So it's, oh, Andrew Luck would throw picks. Peyton, Eli, through picks. I'm not going to crush people for people. picks if you're a playmaker. Not everybody's Aaron or Mahomes where they get you numbers and you don't get any interceptions.

That's very rare. Who do you think had a better game of quarterback? Jordan Love or Brock Purr? Jordan Love's a much better quarterback. No, I didn't say that. I said who had a better game. What does that mean? Who was better in the playoff game that matter? Considering who he has to work with kids, Jordan Love. But he did

have a couple picks. Purdy had a bad three quarters and he was unbelievably clutch on the final drive. Love was above average for the first two and three fourth quarters, and then he was putrid down the stretch. It's young team getting a little bit worked, worked. I don't know. I like it.

I like that. I respect it. Go ahead. Eagles press conference Wednesday, Howie Roseman, the GM, and Nick Sariani. That tells you he's coming back. That's wrong. Boo. Yeah, I don't know if I love that.

Eagles fans don't love it. Hour three. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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 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 Cliford 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 Cliford 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's podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human.