The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Herd Hierarchy, Wilson, USC

Episode Date: October 18, 2022

Colin's new Herd Hierarchy after week 6 of the NFL Thoughts on the struggling Denver offense and USC losing their first game of the season   Guest: Mark SanchezSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's the herd wherever you may be in. However, you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, Heard hierarchy in a couple of minutes. It was interesting. You forget how great these athletes are. There was a play last night by Justin Herbert, and nobody will talk about it.

Troy Aitman, do his credit, noted how difficult. it was. So that game last night, we didn't love the coaching, we didn't love this, we didn't love that. Herbert's not healthy, but Herbert's 6-5, 2.30, and athletic. The final play that Herbert's on the field, he gets the ball. His O-line was awful last night. Had like 6-7 holding calls. He gets flushed out of the pocket left. He's moving left, running from the Broncos, turns his body, fires a strike downfield about nine yards. That is so hard to do as a pocket quarterback, a big pocket quarterback. Josh Allen can do it. Mahomes can do it. Herbert made that look so easy. There's about four or five guys in the league that can do that easily. And Herbert's one. And that was the completion that set up

the field goal. The difference in that game was, we don't love the coaches. The offensive lines were terrible. The crowd was a 50-50 split. The difference is when you watch Herbert standing, in that pocket. He's so big and strong that he gets eight to ten easy, easy completions a game. It feels like with Russell, everything's hard. Every completion is work. And Mark Schlarith just said he's become kind of you got to be open for Russell to let it go. Herbert is so gifted and he's not healthy right now that he made that little rollout to his left throw. Good luck finding college guys that can do that, like any of them. He had a good night. I will say this. He avoided Patrick Sertaine, the cornerback for the Broncos. Colin, so my buddy has season

tickets in literally the front row. And Patrick Sertan is huge. Totally shut down Mike Williams. Mike Williams was like upset. You could see him jogging back to the huddle. But you don't throw in. Patrick Sertane's a pro ball. Yeah, he's one of the two best corners. Herbert didn't even look his way. He was the most impressive physical guy I saw on the field last really. Certain is a monster. Well, Williams is interesting. He had like 10 catches at a game and then one and then one and then so he's not a guy that's going to beat a truly great corner. And so when he faces one, Herbert Smartly goes the other way.

Chargers will be fine. Keenan Allen's coming back, Joey Bosa comes back, Corey Lindley comes back. So those are three stars. The Chargers at the most important positions, left tackle, center edge rusher, receiver fell apart. They're going to be fine. You can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the Chargers. I do not see it for Denver at all.

Okay. So everybody gets worked up about stuff. Remember, when I do the herd hierarchy, these are not standings. Let the other network do that. These are, I believe, today, the 10 best teams in the league. They're getting the ball to the right people. They're playing through injuries. Some of these teams, I had a team that moved up and lost.

I can be impressed with a team losing to a great team. So here's the herd hierarchy. Heard hierarchy. Time is now, let's go. The top 10 NFL teams, according to college. Number 10. New York Giants, winning close games is a skill. All five of their wins are one-game possessions.

Now, they don't have a single receiver over 200 yards, so there are limitations to this offense. But the defense is fantastic. Kavon Fibito, he'll be on the show next hour. Great pass rush. Excellent coaching. Listen, four game-winning drives for Daniel Jones. When I look at this team, the way they play is sustainable.

It's limited. They can't play in shootouts, but with that defensive front, they don't have to play in shootouts. This is not a great team. But coaching, efficiency, pass rush, and the ability to come back, they're building a culture. I think they deserve a top 10 acknowledgement. Giants at 10. Number 9. I don't know what to do with the Patriots, but this morning, this morning is Belichick.

the best coach in the league, arguably. This morning, that defense, top 10 scoring, back-to-back routes. And by the way, when Dak came onto the scene, I doubted him for about six months. Bailey Zappy is more accurate, quicker release, fewer mistakes, better feet than Brian Hoyer or Mac Jones. We've seen this over and over. Guys get drafted third, fourth round. You look up and you're like, oh my God, they're as good as the starter. I watch Mac Jones and I watch Bailey Zappy. It's not a quarterback controversy. Zappi leads the offense better. He's more efficient. He's more accurate. He's got quicker feet. I don't know what it is, but that feels like the ninth best team in the league. Number eight. But they'd get beat by the cowboys at eight. Listen,

they lead the NFL in sacks. They lead the NFL in Sack differential. Their defense is top five scoring, top five pass defense. They have key players at pre positions. They have a locked down corner, a great edge rusher, a great defensive end, a star receiver, capable backs, a Hall of Fame offensive interior lineman, and they were four and one without DAC. I can watch you. Now, they cannot afford an injury to CD Lamb, and they are top heavy, and they're not a Super Bowl team. But I watched them against Philadelphia, and I'm like, are you kidding me? They go to Philadelphia. that thing was a one-possession game at the end with a backup quarterback. They've got the right pieces.

They don't have a ton of depth. They couldn't lose a Micah Parsons, a DeMarcus Lawrence, a C.D. Lamb. But at the right positions, pass rusher, linebacker, interior O line. Now DAC comes back. Start looking at their schedule. I think they're number eight. Number seven. But I think Baltimore would beat them narrowly.

Listen, Baltimore's let every game by 10 points. they've stunk in the fourth quarter. By the way, so is Patrick Mahomes. Go look at his quarterback rating. That's the different. They're averaging six and a half yards per play, top three in the league. They have the highest rushing average in the league. They've led every game by 10 points.

I like Lamar Jackson. He has been bad in the fourth quarter. Again, so as Mahomes. I'll get to that in a second. This is a well-coach, well-constructed team that has an absolute point of view on how to play football. They have a takeaway in eight straight games. that's always a sign of a playoff team. They're going to be fine.

They got to clean up the back end of their games, but I watched them against the Giants. They were the better team for three hours of that game. The Giants were better for 15 minutes. If they played again in a neutral field, I'd take Baltimore. I thought when the game was over, I like Baltimore. But the Giants deserve to be in by winning, and Baltimore don't sell your tickets yet. This is a really good team. Number six.

Cincinnati, folks, this is the most. underrated defense in the league because you can't name any of their players. Do you know it's the only defense in the NFL that is not allowed a touchdown in the entire second half this year? Not one in six games. That is insane. It's also they allow the lowest completion percentage in the league. But Burrow and Jamar Chase and T. Higgins are so gifted, we don't pay attention to their defense. This defense is fantastic. You just can't name any of their players. They have done an amazing job. And by the way, all three of their losses have come on games. ending field goals. This team could be undefeated right now. I think I have them

underrated. I'll put Cincinnati at six. They're probably closer to four. Number five. I love the Niners. They have 11 starters out last week. They get two more back this week, four more by next week. All you need to know about the Niners, their defense allows the fewest yards per play in the league. That screams conference championship in Super Bowl. Their offense only has six three and out. That's missing their top running back and left tackle. This is a really good team. We predicted it last week. Atlanta was a terrible spot for them. This week, they're going to get a couple of those 11 missing starters back. Don't kid yourself. Kansas City thought Buffalo's defense was tough. That is a tough

roadie for the Chiefs. I like the Niners at number five. Number four. Listen, I've been high in the Vikings all year. it is a skill to win close games. They're the New York Giants with better wide receiving talent. They're the New York Giants that are better and more explosive on the outside. There's not much I don't like about them. And let's be honest about the Minnesota Vikings, six sacks against the dolphins.

Consistently, they don't get that kind of pass rush. But their only loss is at Philadelphia, a standalone game on Monday Night Football. I probably have them a little high and the bingles a little low, but there is a skill to winning close games, and they're winning close games, like the Giants. They're the Giants with more speed and trustable durability on the perimeter. That's what they are.

Offensive coach, limited quarterback, can make things happen, but they got more speed on the outside. in the Giants. Number three. Kansas City. Still the number one offense in the league. They lead the NFL in first downs and touchdowns and scoring. And only two teams in the league complete, convert 30, 50% of their third downs.

There's only two of them in the league. Buffalo's one or the other. They're fine. Now, here's the thing, though. Mahomes, like Lamar Jackson, has struggled in the fourth quarter. Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter this year has a pass rating of 55. That is the lowest in the league. Is that because they're not giving him a running game?

They're too reliant on him. They're down and he has to throw. I don't know what it is, but Lamar and Mahomes are great. That's not disputable. They're both struggling in the fourth. Kansas City, that's why I put him at three. Number two. Philadelphia leads the NFL in turnover differential.

I don't think they have the firepower on either side of Buffalo, but I think they give me the exact same performance every week. Now, it's usually a better first half than a second. That concerns me. can they play from way down like Kansas City could or Buffalo could or maybe a Brady could. I don't know if they can. But when I watch this team, opposing quarterbacks get a 66 passer rating. 13 rushing touchdowns, arguably best on line in the league, arguably first or second best

defensive line in the league. This is a real team. And look at that schedule. They face one high-powered offense the rest of the year. This train's going to keep rolling right down. the tracks. Number one. Buffalo.

I mean, they were favored at Kansas City. What does that tell you? Best point differential in the NFL. Best knockout punch. Best yardage differential. Best third down offense in the league. Listen, when you got a quarterback that's leaping over six-foot-two defenders on the road, they're just different.

How many teams would go to Kansas City and be favored? Meaning if that game was at Buffalo, they would have been a five and a half point to six-point favorite over Kansas City. City. They can play with a lead. They can play behind. Now they've added the dimension in the last few weeks. They're winning close games. That was the knock on them. Remember they lost like seven, eight straight, one possession games. Okay. Now they beat Baltimore close. Now they beat Kansas City close. So that was the hole in their game. They have now, it appears, with current momentum, solved that element. That was the concern. They won every fight by a knockout. But what if it goes to the ninth or tenth round?

They didn't have any nuance. Last couple of weeks, they show us some nuance. Buffalo at number one. By the way, Tampa was 11. Chargers 12, Jets 13. I had the Chargers at 10. I took them out. When you watched the Chargers last night,

should that game have been that close? No. You were there. Chargers should have crushed them. I need to ask, could you rank your criteria one and two? Because I have an issue with the New England Patriots. I'm just going to rattle. I'm not bashing the Patriots.

The hardest team, the reason I put the Patriots ahead of the Giants was one reason. Daniel Jones against Belichick is a turnover. Bailey Zappi against Abel is not necessarily a turnover. Well, Wink Martindale is the Giants'i coordinator who got after Lamar Jackson. So here's who the Patriots have beaten. They beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were favored. They beat the Lions.

They were favored. And they beat the Browns. They were favored. when they stepped up in class, when they went to Green Bay, it was close, but they lost. The Jets, of course, beat Green Bay on the road, handily. When they faced Baltimore, they lost. When they faced Miami, they lost.

So Baltimore's beating the bottom feeders. Here's the difference. I'm sorry, New England's beating the bottom feeders. They'll kill Chicago. I've already bet that game. It's over. Justin Fields will get destroyed. Okay.

So the reason the Jets aren't and the Patriots are, Belichick against Robert Sala. That's kind of a deal. Secondly, Belichick has owned Zach Wilson. Last year he did, yes. It was ugly. And last two weeks, the Jets are not getting the ball. They're winning. They're not getting the ball to the right people. The Giants are getting that ball to Saquan Barclay every other play. That's a big criteria for me. You've got to figure that up. I love what I see from the Jets, culture, passion, integrity, and defense. I'm still, I don't know

what I have with Zach Wilson. Okay. So how long can the Giants continue winning when they're trailing by double digits in every game and five and one in close games. Winning close is a skill. Minnesota and the Giants, there's skill to it. There's some luck to it. I'd say a lot of luck. A lot of luck, Colin. I got the Jets at 13. A little disrespectful. So they're going to go to Denver.

They're going to put it on Russell Wilson and your boy Nathaniel Hackett. By the way, did you see special teams? I'll give you the special teams ranking. Jets are third in the league. Denver 28th. Another edge for the Jets. Bet them now. Getting three. Okay. Load up, Colin. All right.

I'll listen to you. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart 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 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 which I'll say. Yep, that's me, Clipper 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 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking.

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

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tonight, the NLCS starts on FS1 as Bryce Harper and the Phillies look to continue their incredible postseason run, while Manny Machado and the Padres are gutting for their first trip to. the Fall Classic in 24 years. Game one in the NLCS coverage begins at 70s, turn 4 Pacific on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. Well, Bryce Harper's on fire. He's batting 435, 6 extra base hits in the postseason. So what you want in the postseason is to lean into your stars. And Bryce Harper has been all that absolutely on fire. Phillies have

been down for a while, and here they come roaring back. So, you know, a lot of baseball people have been complaining, oh, the big market teams, listen. Baseball has a gap in talent. Ten teams were 30 games back or more. I think 14 were 20 games back or more. So you need upsets. You don't want you to. The sports already ridiculously have and have not.

Half the teams can't compete. So I think it's actually really good for the sport that the Padres knock the Dodgers off. And these are two of the best jersey throwback matchups, these Philly powder blue jerseys from the 80s, and the Padres like brown and yellow. I love the colors in this NLCS. Zach Wheeler, you Darvish, I think, is the starting nod tonight.

Isn't that Darvish going for the pod race? I'm not sure. All right. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. We love Russell Wilson here, Colin.

The Broncos had another poor performance on the offensive side of the ball last night. They led it to half. Actually, we're up 10-0 first half, but they only got three points the rest of the way. Denver is now two and four on the season. Nathaniel Hackett said there have to be improvements in every aspect of the game. This is very disappointing. We need to have a lot more urgency across the board. It starts with me as a coach, going to all the other coaches and then to the players. Players need to be just more urgent.

We had some opportunities there, and we got to execute at a higher level. We got to come up with some better plays. Yeah, I wish it was that simple. I wish it was as simple as better play. Better play. Did you see the stat that Russell Wilson in the second half in overtime, was three for 11 passing for 15 yards. Nothing for Denver looks easy. Our next guest, Mark Sanchez.

I'll ask him about this. But Herbert's size and arm strength gives him about seven layups a game. Nothing for Denver's offense looks easy. Every completion looks like it's painful. And they did move the pocket a little better last night, but most of it was out of necessity. The O line with Garrett Bowles breaking his leg, it went from a weak O line to a catastrophe.

So you start looking at the Broncos offense. You've got to give quarterback some layups. Brian Daibowell's done this with Daniel Jones. You get about six, seven layups. You know, like just gimmies. Sometimes it's up to ten. Just give me gimmies out in the flat. Denver didn't have any of those.

Everything looks hard. And by the way, the offense isn't fooling anybody because when they did a couple of bubble screens, the chargers were all over it. They completely sniffed it out. You notice what the Denver offense had some success in the first half. You know what changed. J.C. Jackson got benched in the same.

second half. That was like an upgrade for the Chargers defense. That's weird. We could not throw the ball. All right. Next up, Colin, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. They already faced off in some great matchups in their career so far. People are comparing this, you know, the media, to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, but Mahomes thinks it's way too soon for any of that sort of chatter. We're two guys that love to compete. We love to go out there and try to find a way to will our team to win. The Brady Manning, we still have a long ways to go. I mean, Brady Manning didn't become Brady Manning. until they were kind of towards the latter part of their careers because they had already won so much

of championships and MVPs and everything like that. So I think you guys, Josh, the same thing. I mean, we see that we could be there, but at the same time, we both have a long ways to go to put ourselves on that pedestal. I like him. He always says the right stuff. I like Patrick Mahomes. I think we're very, very lucky now in pro sports. Josh Allen, incredibly likable. J. Morant. Look at all our stars in our sports right now. The young stars, John Morant, Anthony Edwards for Minnesota, Josh Allen, like incredibly easy guys to root for. Like they're into the team.

No ego. It's just, I mean, everybody's got an ego in sports, but it's like we're very lucky right now. You know, I've been doing this long enough. I see all these like 19, 20, 21, and 23-year-old kids. Mahomes has such a like a holistic understanding of the world. He never gets too high. He never gets too low. He's not disciplined emotionally.

He's really, I mean, what a, sometimes. he mechanically goes off in the weeds a little bit. You've got to kind of reel him back mechanically. But God, Mahomes is just never too high, never too low, always puts everything in context. What a joy to coach. All right, and wrapping up, Colin, Dak Prescott is expected to be medically cleared

to return to Cowboys practice. Mike McCarthy would not say he's the starter Sunday against the lions. But Jerry Jones, you know, Jerry Jones calls the shots, said Dak is determined to play and thinks he's going to get there. I mean, the Cooper Rush run was fun. But I think it's time for DAC to take over. I think that's what everybody expects at this point, right?

Yeah, I mean, if you can go four-and-warm with a backup in this league, like that's unbelievable. You know, I think Dallas has some really nice pieces. I will say this, though. Is any... Like, if they lost C.D. Lamb, it lights out. Like, they need his explosiveness so bad. I mean, you lose Cedric Wilson, Amari Cooper.

I like Michael Gallup, but he's not a one. And C.D. Lamb, to me, feels like we all talk Michael Parsons, Trayvon Diggs, Dak, we talk Zeke. Boy, C.D. Lamb gives them juice. That's what changed. That's like Minnesota may have a ceiling, but you have Justin Jefferson or Thielen. That's your juice. You have to be able to play from behind and get 60 yards quickly. Boy, C.D. Lamb is really valuable to that offense. Are the Cowboys on letdown alert this week? Huge national primetime game that everybody's talking about against the Eagles. They lose it, but they fought hard. Everybody considers it like a quote unquote win. Detroit off a buy.

Now you go home face Detroit, off a bye. You're a huge favorite. I just keep an eye on Jared Gough. I may pick him up in fantasy football. Okay. And America deeply cares about your fantasy team. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie

News. Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports NFL analyst, lucky him. He gets the Seahawks Chargers this week, which is Seahawks Chargers, then. week is going to be. I'm jealous, actually. I'm jelly. You get Seahawks Chargers. I saw that game last night. Yeah. So you were there. You were there. I was there. Jamack was there. Representing. Are we talking about your jersey choice? Stop it. Stop. What are we doing here? No, no, we're not going there. Okay. An offense has to give the quarterback some easy stuff. Not everything can be hard.

I watched the Chargers last night, and some of this is Justin is terrific. Seven rate layups. Eckler, Everett, just curl-wax. Denver has no easy plays. And now is that coaching? Is it Russ? Nothing is easy. I mean, even the screens and some of the highlights you showed, like everything's getting batted down. And he's never, you know, Russ is not 6-5, 6-6.

That's right. Justin Herbert. Like, that's not, it's hard to get some of those balls thrown. And you've got to navigate those defensive ends and all those hands at the line of scrimmage. But bottom line to me, I mean, they threw for 161 yards their opening script looked great they went right down the field it was 10 for 10 and then after that i mean talk about falling off a cliff it just like was over they threw for 161 and had

151 yards and penalty like you only threw for 10 more yards and you got penalized i mean that that was wild and i heard uh slareth going in this morning but he's not wrong it's it's um can i throw something at you it's hard to watch it's tough You know this. But they're bad in the red zone, too. Like, they get down there and they're over on goal to go situations. And those are, listen, the windows get tight. The DBs aren't worried about people running by them, so they squat on stuff.

Yes, it gets tight. But, I mean, you've got to find a way to catch and run, catch a knife up the field and something. You know, I don't know. It just, it looked rough there. So I can criticize Aaron Rogers for not connecting with young receivers. But in fairness, I heard this during the offseason. I had heard that Judy was really immature. and at some point, I saw a story last week that to get a hold of Russell Wilson, you have to talk to his manager.

And I thought, oh, no, no, no, no, don't do that. But here's what I see. Here's what my eyes tell me, Mark, that Russell and these receivers, they don't hang. It's not a relationship. Like, he does not trust those receivers. And I don't have the answer. But Mark, there is nothing there. It doesn't look like there's any kind of feel, any kind of camaraderie, but I don't know.

I'm not in the locker room. Right. You know, Thursday night. Combrary is a good word. But I don't know if they go to dinner on Thursday night. Like you try and hang with your guys, your O-line, whatever. I don't know what that situation is. But to bring a guy in like that, and don't forget now, Coach Hackett's there for Aaron Rogers, right?

They wanted Aaron Rogers, right? I don't think it's fair to forget that. So this is their second option. And it's a hell of a second option based on his resume. I mean, Russell Wilson's a great player. It's just not fitting. It's just not working out the way they envisioned. And I mean, the silly stuff that beats yourself, the penalty stuff, like that you can't have.

That, you got to overcome that. And it's tough to do it. It makes it even tougher on an offense that's struggling already, you know, and then you're going to go shoot yourself in the foot and back yourself up. It's tough. and then on the Aaron Rogers stuff, I just feel like, you know, he hurt his thumb on that Hail Mary, right, in London, our game. Not the same right now. It's just, yeah, you could tell.

It was bugging him. And he, I mean, hats off to him. He gutted it out, right? But it's the same thing with DAC or anybody who's hurt and you go play. As soon as you step on the field, unfortunately, nobody cares, right? Like nobody, your ribs hurt, Justin Herbert? Oh, well, and then you go lay an egg in a game. sorry, you played terribly.

Boom. Well, that's kind of the way it goes. And I've been there, right? When you have these injuries and you're like, dang, man, I'm trying. People are like, okay, it's like Yoda, right? There's no try. Just do it or don't do it, right? And so it's unfortunate, but that's just kind of the way of the world and the way this game and the sport and the media reacts and stuff like that.

So I was talking about this yesterday that we can talk about talent, blah, blah, blah. but there are times that quarterbacks fit the personnel. And so I said with Bailey Zappy, I'm not saying he's better than Brian Hoyer and Mack Jones. But he gets rid of the ball really quick. He's got quick feet. He throws an accurate ball. He has had some tumult in his life.

He had to transfer in college. He's kind of a tough kid. And when I watch the offense, I'm not making any, there's no narratives on talent. But I watch the offense with Mack, Brian, and Bailey. He's throwing it to who they want.

he gets it out super quick. He's an accurate thrower of the ball. Is there an argument to be made that he really is, not a quarterback controversy. He better fits the offense. I don't know. I think he's operating at a high level, especially the last two games.

I think against Green Bay, he was a little more pedestrian. But I feel like there's this over emphasis by coaches to stay on schedule when the backup comes in. And there's not like totally conservative, like we're going to pick our spot. We're going to be, you know, let's get some breather downs for these guys, some breather plays, basically, you know, quick screens and all that. And it feels like the defense, the offense, other people understand.

Look at the Cowboys. Look at Kellynne Moore. When he's coaching Cooper Rush, it's like he's coaching himself. Like, as a younger player, when Scott Linahan had Kellynnehan had Kellan Moore in there and he was dealing. Well, you almost put this emphasis on yourself as the coordinator to make it perfect for the guy, eliminate issues for the guy. the way Pete Carroll used to help Russell Wilson and save him from some of his own issues, right? And protect him from himself at times.

And when you bring in the backup, whether it's Zapier or anybody, everybody has this effort and attention to help the guy out. Let's keep him upright. O-line, that extra half-second strain to keep him upright and not get edge by a defensive lineman and get him hit in the back of the head,

let's do whatever we can. And so everybody has this kind of emphasis on it. And it makes those guys look a little bit better, generally. Yeah. The, um, it's weird. I, I really like Kyler Murray. I love the way the ball comes out of his hand. He's small.

I get it. Size is a trait. It's hard. It's hard. I mean, you're, I'm 6-2. You are significantly taller than me. I mean, we're talking a little bit taller, but. But the bottom line is.

At times it was hard for me to see. And I'm 6-2 and a little change. Like, So what, when you look. imagine for Russ, for Kyler, even for Drew Breeze, like that was just an anomaly, the way he could find passing lanes and windows within the offensive lineman. It's a testament to him and how he could anticipate throws over the middle and stuff when it gets murky in there. And that's kind of the deal on Kyler. Like when you talk to these defensive coordinators, this is what we're going to do.

We're going to silo him in the pocket, try and mirror rush our outside guys. Generally, you have one go high and one go low. That's defensive ends, right? So they don't run into each other. But instead, they're just saying get close to him, but don't attack him, absorb him, and collect him and let him go your way instead of trying to fire at him and then letting him react. Because once you make your move, right, like a sword fight, you make your move, the guy counters boom and he's gone, right? So they just kind of keep him in there. And then the other trick is like, don't even rush that hard. Give me the four or five hard steps quickly up front and muddy up those two A gaps, especially the right side.

If we're not going to get the left side, fine, but he's a right-handed guy. So just get that front side A and B gap muddy, worker games in there, you know, your tackle and end stunts, your nose tackle stunts, all that, and just make it hard for the guy. Then he wants to run around, and there's two guys standing there. You know what I mean? And it's, no, I think it's exhausting for that guy. And if he, you know, Sean Payton sat in his very chair and told you,

if the quarterback every play has to fly the top gun mission to save the world every single play and every third down and those third downs are third and ten plus like I mean that's just a long day at the office man I don't care who you are it's exhausting no I listen there is coaching gets better over time Russell comes into the league and Kyler comes into the league and I do think there's a little bit of a book now people watch film to your point they muddy up that they're throwing side gap and like Russell last night on deep throws was literally throwing I mean you could see it he was straining the thing was almost like touching the ceiling of the roof of the sofa stadium right but his

best throws were on the run to his right his best throws he tried to do the uh the the spin out to his left that it was like his patented move in Seattle and derwin james and their defensive end was all over you could tell staley coach the heck out of that all week like do not get beat this way he's so comfortable spinning out to his left. And it's so unorthodox for a right-handed quarterback to like to go that way. And Russell made it, you know, part of his game. It was like the fadeaway jumper for Jordan. Like it was just a part of his game. And they took it away and made it tough on him. Good stuff. Mark Sanchez, don't go anywhere. Really breaking it down. Smart stuff. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio

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injected with some fun, humor, and relatability. Listen to Kavino and Rich five days a week on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Covino and Rich, get me your hell, yeah. 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 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 conversation.

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 Cliverts 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 galaxy far far away, such as the biology of Tontons and Wampas on the Ice Planet Hot. or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Jette. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,

waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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, so... Thank you for 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. Numbers don't lie. Last decade, 4 million peeps have chosen Simpleaseaf Soom security. Free indoor camera right now, 20% off.

Go to SimplySafecollan.com. Hey, we're talking Jets, former Jet quarterback. Now, I will say this. I can see the Jews from Sala. they're taking the ball away. It looks like a college sideline. I don't think they're a top 10 team yet. Here's my concern.

My concern is, and this is a big thing, Sala, I can see his footprint on his side of the ball. I know he has made that defense better. Robert Sala deserves credit for that. Zach's not getting the ball to Elijah Moore. I don't think offensively, they're winning despite, I don't know if the offense is right. It feels a little off to me.

It's a little off of the past game. I'd agree. I mean, Zach's 10 of 18 last week. Nothing like to write home about. But all I can say is I've been there. Like, I've literally lived that where you ride special teams, the Wildcat with Brad Smith, you know, Sean Green, Thomas Jones. Right.

I mean, there was one time in a playoff game against Cincinnati where almost like the the Russell Wilson end of the Super Bowl play where he tries to throw the ball instead of handing it off right. We have a run on, and I try to throw a one-step slant to Jericho Cotry. And I can't say exactly what Thomas Jones said, but he grabbed me by the face mass, because if you ever do that again, I'll beat your ass in front of everybody in this whole stadium. So it's one of those things where, like, sometimes you've got to win despite the young quarterback and in spite of him, and you've got to just continue to let him grow. Okay. Ride the run game. They had a block, a field goal, blocked a punt. Defense is making

huge plays, getting them field position, special teams getting them field position. Their energy's great. And then the way they designed a couple of those touchdowns, it's like, you know, the reverse, the barrios, they got to sauce up the water a little bit and make it, you know, make it a little interesting. And those coaches, I mean, hats off to them, because when you don't have the personnel or when it's not maybe clicking perfectly on offense, this guys are up all night, man, burning the midnight oil, trying to design these plays to get guys in favorable matchups and good positions to make plays on a Sunday. Like, that's a lot of work.

So they're figuring it out and Zach just needs to be incredibly smart. As the plays get longer, as he extends plays, his IQ just has to go through the roof. And, you know, just keep the ball out of harm's way, stay on schedule. And some of it's going to feel a little remedial to him because in college you got to just chuck it around. Sure. And it's not going to be that way right now, maybe. But then you continue to grow and mature with these same players.

and that's really the key for the longevity of it. But they found their formula to win. Now it's run game defense. Special teams are the majors and will minor in offense, but whatever we need to get it done, we'll get it done. Really smart. There is a formula to winning this league, absolutely. So I want to talk about the Seahawks.

You have their game this week. This is a really good game. Seahawks Chargers. So listen, Pete Carroll and John Snyder look like geniuses. They hit three home runs in the draft. Both tackles in the running back, Kenneth Walker. are home runs. So they deserve credit because I banged on them for years.

I hated their drafts and they crushed it. So sometimes you look at Seattle and you think, man, is this sustainable? And then I look at it, Mark, and I think they're getting tight end production, wide receiver production, excellent protection, Kenneth Walker, Rashad Penny. Some of this stuff feels a little sustainable. Well, if you can run the ball, that's, I mean, that sets your office. defense-free. That unlocks so much. And Gino's been solid off a play action, but most importantly, he's made great decisions. I was with them as a rookie with the Jets. This is not near the player I used to

see. Okay, I would have bet the farm that this guy wouldn't be around this long, like not even close to this long, based on what I saw back then. Clearly, Pete, well, his experience in general, but he leaves the Jets organization and gets some experience with a guy who's the master motivator, has you mentally so prepared to go play that game and emotionally so prepared to go just cut it loose and have fun and reminding you constantly, situationally, what's most important, it's all about the ball. It's all about the ball. That's how he started every training camp day one meeting.

He'd hold up a football and say, boys, it's all about the ball. You know, our three team rules, boom, and he'd go into the team rules, and then after that, it's all about the ball. And he's just, you can tell, Gino has put a premium on protecting that football because every time you hold that ball, every time you cut it loose from your hand, the hopes and dreams and aspirations of the entire organization are in your hands, right? And so he'll remind you of stuff like that. And you can tell it's clicking. Now, he came back down to Earth a little bit last week and looked, you know, I mean, he was leading the league in quarterback rating. Like nobody would have banked on that, right? Yeah. Except for Pete and Gino. And I guarantee behind closed doors, it's, hey man you're going to be able to shock the world and you don't have to do anything special just keep us on schedule everything else will take care of itself just be the point guard distribute the ball we'll put you in good spots you're going to have to make a couple third down place for me a couple times a game maybe five maybe a handful of them but other than that

have fun man you can tell pete's just got him in that mode of it's got the blinders on not worried about a thing and playing really really well i can't wait to talk to him in this production meeting i got so many questions for yeah all right we got to ask you um a u sc question So I've been telling, I know, listen, it hurts. Ouch. But as America's foremost journalist, I have to ask this question. Okay. So I've been telling my friends.

Best in the business. Just ask them. So I've been telling my friends all year. USC's story this year is a great coach and a great quarterback and one great receiver. There's some castoffs. There's some backups playing over their head. There's a lot of good players. There's not a lot of NFL guys here outside of one rush end and Jordan Addison that

will play in the NFL next year. People say they got exposed. And my takeaway is, no, this is really, to me, this is a season of hope, culture setting, and kind of over delivering. I looked at that game and I thought, the fact that Utah two months ago was an overwhelming conference favorite and USC makes one stop and wins. I felt better about USC five minutes after the game. Am I nuts?

No, I understand where you're going. I totally agree with most of that. I just feel like, what are we, six and one, five and one, whatever we are, one loss? Six and one. Six and one. Six and one. If anybody would have said six and one after seven games after what we've seen in the last couple years, I mean, you would have taken that in a heartbeat. Of course.

So, sure, have they overachieved? I think just watching spring practice, I knew they were going to rip off some wins. I didn't think it was going to be this fast and this soon. and right but it's also that big 12 mentality where like we're going to score points but we might have to win these games 50 to 45 right which you know for an offensive guy it's just like okay like let's go cut it loose and throw for 500 a game if that's going to be our formula but as far as players I mean the turnaround that's happened this quickly to get that many players in and then now how are they going to handle adversity right a lot of these guys were coached other places they've

learned different offenses in other schools. So how do they react to adversity? We don't know. And this is a great test for this team. How are we going to bounce back? Caleb, starts with you, starts with the coordinator, starts with the head coach.

You know, like, what are we going to look like moving forward? They got a couple big matchups against Notre Dame, UCLA, right? But if they can, you know, stay competitive. And it's going to be the, whatever happened in that game, the last team that had the ball is going to win.

Yes. Right? Like, nobody could stop anybody. and it was just, okay, well, we kind of ran out of time. And that's the way it happens sometimes. But I'm so proud of the way they started this game, or excuse me, this season. And they've been competitive in every single matchup. They're not getting wiped off the field.

Like, they can ball. So they'll be just fine. All right, Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports. Great seeing you. How lucky Andrew Whitworth, Mark Sanchez, Sean Payton. We've got good guests. Hour number three. Kavon Fibito, the Giants stopping by the show.

Live from New York, hour three next. 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 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. 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 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 Cliford 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 Clivert Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you, 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.