The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Right and wrong, Tom Brady

Episode Date: October 11, 2021

Where Colin was right and wrongThe game is getting easier for Tom BradyGuest: Trent Dilfer Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee 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 the show. celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having

honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHartRadio app by searching Hurd.

listening to Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. Welcome in. It's hour two on a Monday, which are, it's the fun day. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Iheart Radio, Fox Sports Radio FS1, Trentville for 15 minutes, how we long today. Such a great weekend. I hope you love it as much as I did. I didn't watch a ton of baseball playoffs. I watched the Dodgers Giants on Saturday. That was just another element. The Dodgers Giants play again tonight. I think it's

at Dodger Stadium tonight. So that series is all tied up. I did not get to watch the White Sox and the Astros yesterday because I was riveted with NFL football. You know it's great when you're missing out on stuff. Like the Dodgers, it was nothing against the Dodgers and the Giants, but there were so many great

college football games, and they were all on different channels right after each other. You couldn't move off these games. Like he, it didn't matter if it was Ole Miss, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Penn State, one after another after an, then A&M beats Alabama and that may have been better than all of them.

I mean, that Texas game was special. Nuts. One of the best college games I've ever seen. It was, yeah, you just couldn't take your eyes up of it. I don't even have the words for it. And then the way it ended, I'm like, this is unbelievable. Sometimes the sports gods really bless us. It was one of those weekends. Oh, absolutely. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, brought to you by Jersey. Mike subs. Order them on the mobile app. Delivery to your door. Nearest location. Limited time. Get free delivery on game day Saturday is when you order through Jersey

Mike's app Jersey mics. Be a sub above. Here we go. Where Colin was right. I've had the bills as my number one team in herd hierarchy. I told everybody when they lost to the Steelers. Do not panic. This is a loaded team. I stood firm.

I said they're better than the Steelers. It will bear itself out. I think this is the deepest team in the NFL with nine defensive linemen that can play. I think they would beat Kansas City nine or 10 out of 10 times from tight end to white. They didn't even need Stefan Diggs last night on the road.

Imagine if this was at home. They are well coached. They also drafted the offensive line heavy. So those players, that's a tough position to come in and play immediately, will only get better with time. This has been my number one team last couple of weeks. And I thought, I didn't even think they played brilliant football. I thought they left points off the scoreboard and they still route the chiefs in Kansas

City. Colin was wrong. Well, we had six picks in the Blazing Five. Started on Thursday. We won the Rams game and the Bills game. Feel great about that. Pushed on the Bengals, but two, three, and one, 40% on the year. We are undeterred. And we'll have five to six picks again this week. Where Colin was right? I have always said, Baker Mayfield with a lead is one thing. This is the second time this year. I've seen him trailing ball in his hands. Can't make plays. I mean, you got to move more than 26 yards in a minute 20.

I don't care what the defense is. That's just not good enough. You got to take some shots down the field. That underneath stuff, you got no timeouts. Look at the clock. Manage the clock. You got no timeout. You got to throw the ball.

If you're going to dump it underneath, then throw it toward the sideline. What are you doing? Gross negligence. I don't think the coaching staff, despite what Michael Vick says, I don't think they trust them much either. Where Colin was wrong. Well, has been a Sam Darnold fan, but I thought he had as bad a half as he has had, maybe as a pro, because I don't think it's coaching here. Now, they don't have a good old line, and they didn't have Christian McCaffrey, and Philadelphia's defense is pretty tasty.

But his trademark is reckless play, and two of his interceptions were bad. He had a 15-3 lead at home. You can't lose games like this. This owner is not a patient man. He's the Steve Ballmer of the NFL, and these are the kind of moments. They don't think they're a Super Bowl team, but they think they think. they're a playoff team. And Sam gave that game away, and I don't know how many more chances he's going to get from

this ownership group. Now, again, the O-line stinks. It's bottom three in the league, and they don't have McCaffrey. Well, that doesn't give you an excuse to throw picks with a lead late. Where Colin was right? Well, my skepticism on the Raiders rings true. This remains a wobbly franchise. John Gruden's now in trouble for off-the-field remarks.

Once again, hot start and the wheels come off. Listen, you are what your record is. Gruden is 22 and 31. They've started every year red hot, but they came out and maybe it's the locker room. I don't know. I think John's ego and his harshness has come back to haunt him here, but he's a 22 and 31 coach. That's what you are. And whatever happens to John going forward, I always liked him as a guy, and I think he's a really, really passionate football coach.

but this entire franchise just feels off. Where Colin was raw. Well, Zeke is apparently not finished. I said a month ago, he looks slow. He didn't have any juice. Yeah, since then, he's had six total touchdowns and rushed for over 100 yards a game. He really, it's weird.

First couple of weeks of the year, he just looks slow. But maybe it's the Tony Pollard, took away some carries from him, but Dallas is healthy. They look good. He's currently the third leading rush in the NFL, playing with that kind of rookie year juice, that explosiveness.

And he's fun to watch. Listen, with him and Pollard running like this behind the O line, setting up third and second short for Dak Prescott, this offense is a handful. Where Colin was right? The rookie quarterback I was worried about was Zach Wilson. I said he's small, he's got a good arm, but he plays as a showoff, and he has been a turnover machine. 57% completion percentage over two times.

as many picks as touchdowns. Listen, all these young quarterbacks have their issues. You have to be self-aware enough to not lose games for your team. May not win them. Justin Fields, it may be the defense, can't lose them. You may not have the ability

to win him. He is becoming what I thought. Loose with a football, careless with a football, a need to constantly show us what an army has. He's got a great arm. Not disputing that. Zach's got a great arm. You don't need to show Lois, your great arm.

We get it. Use it three times, four times a game like Justin Herbert. Where Colin was raw. Boy, did I whiff on Denver. I had them up to number four in my herd hierarchy, and they did not deserve that accreditation. Their offense has totally dried up since I had them there. They're averaging 200 yards passing in the last two weeks.

Their defense made Pittsburgh look like they were good. It was like Pittsburgh had a running game for the first time in three years. I whiffed on the Denver Broncos. Where Colin was right? The Kyrie Irving situation. We haven't even started year two of this Brooklyn Nets team. It's already a complete mess. Steve Nash admitting, yeah, he probably won't play home games.

This is a team, right? You know, the Philadelphia 76ers stood firm with Ben Simmons, and Ben Simmons today is crawling back. I know the NBA is a labor-run league, but at some point, start levying fines. Well, if you do that, what will it say to other free agents? It will say that you have to get vaccinated. It will say that it's a team and not an individual sport.

Kyrie's ego and delusion and injuries, this league has let the pendulum swing way too far in the players' favor. It's a player's league. I'm not doubting that. But the minute the Sixers said, we're finding you, Ben Simmons is crawling back. This is a we're not paying you. We're not playing you. Get your act together. I feel bad for Kevin Garnett, who I think is one of the great offensive players in the top 10 in history of Kevin Durant in the history of basketball.

All right, Trent Dilfer is a busy guy, so we don't want to make him sit around and wait too long. He's got a new podcast out tomorrow called Beyond the X's and O's with Trent Dilfer. A Super Bowl champ, a pro bowler in 15 years in the league joins us live. You know, you see all these quarterbacks, Trent, before I do. I mean, I watch Justin Herbert at Oregon like everybody else. And the doubts were, you know, they didn't have great receiver talent. Mario Cristobal is a big presence. He can recruit.

But a little bit of a conservative coach. So I don't remember your opinion on Herbert in college a lot. I mean, Joel Clat was like, I don't see it. He laughs at that now. Are you surprised at somewhat how after 20 starts, the utter confidence the staff gives him in his own territory? Forget in the red zone. surprised by it. I'm not surprised by any of the wow, can't believe horse power type plays. That was obvious at Oregon. It was obvious coming out. He was physically, incredibly gifted. The question was

all the other stuff. Did he have the right stuff? Some said no. Some said yes. I didn't know. I didn't know the kid that well. It was yet to be seen. Obviously, he does. Talking to coaches that have coached him, he's already a high-level pro in his preparation, how he handles his teammates, the locker room, his desire to get better stuff every day. I guess he attacks practice with a vigor every single day to get better. I think that's why he's so trusted by his staff. They've seen the stuff come out. I mean, the talent was obvious. It's do you have the right stuff for this job? And this job's a big job. Yeah. He obviously has it and beyond some because he's wowed his coaching staff, his organization, his teammates. And then he shows it on Sunday. He shows it's

completely trustworthy with the ball, regards to where he is on the field and what the score of the game is. Listen, people can do. Michael, Vic, disagreed with me. I did not love the chargers running it on third and ten. That's a big risk to me. Ten yards is hard to pick up running the football. Browns.

That's a lot of yards to pick up on a third and ten. When your defense can't stop anybody. And if you fail, you're going to give Herbert with his weapons in four-down territory. You're going to give him the game essentially because he had moved all game. I was bothered by the call. Now, I mean, you take me. it. Did they have a look? Did Cleveland see something? Did Stefanski see something?

I'm bothered by that decision. I am too. I'm with you. I mean, it's really hard. Here's the thing I always getting, I struggle with questioning play calls is you don't know where they're out on their call sheet. Right. You don't know what guys that are up or down, what

issues they're having up front, what things are getting in problems, what the quarterback may say he likes or dislikes. So I always kind of pause because I've been in those sideline huddles we're like, well, we should do this, but we can't do that situation. So I always give a little pause there. But at the end of the day, you trust your quarterback to get you those 10 yards.

You have enough talented people. You come up with something, a play that you installed in training camp that you run every day during two minutes, some type of play you felt good about in that situation going into the game, something you rep during the week. I'm with you. I think that's a situation where you got out through the football. Yeah, it is interesting. So, you know, these days, if you ever criticize,

a quarterback, you're a hater, and I want to, you know, it's ridiculous. We all know Mahomes is great. But I talked to somebody the other day, Mark Tressman, and he said he'd be harder to coach. Herbert would be easier to coach, his footwork, his discipline. He said, you know, Mahomes would be a little tougher to coach because there's some gifts there, and you just got to let him play. It's a little, there's Russell Wilson has an element where you got to let him move. That's who he is.

But I do watch Mahomes. Trent, this is what you do for a living. think his mechanics can be sloppy. I do feel like sometimes this offense is a little gimmicky. Now, that may be personnel issues. They can't run the ball. But I watch Mahomes, and I think something's not quite right. There are a lot of misses last night. What am I seeing? I think the biggest thing you're seeing with Kansas City and Mahomes is they fall in love with all the fun, sizzily offensive stuff that looks great on the board. And by the way, they have a ton of success with at times. They've gotten away from just some boring fundamental things that will only

make that stuff better. So I'm not saying go more boring and get away from doing the cool stuff to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelsey and let Mahomes do his stuff. I'm saying that's only going to be more effective if you go a little boring at times on offense and run the ball between the tackles and throw quick game and just do the basic stuff that's been tested over time in the NFL that still works. Make the defense respect that. And the easiest way I can explain it is this is the more spread you go and the more fun you're having offensive offensively, the further away the defenders get from the line of scrimmage, the more eyes that go on you, the less aggressive they get and they get more horizontal. Now, you start doing the boring stuff and you're puncturing the

inside of the defense. What happens? They get closer and they get tighter and their eyes go more towards the back instead of the quarterback. Well, if you do that to Patrick Mahomes and have Kelsey and Tyree Kell out there, they're going to destroy you. You cannot defend them that way. So they've got to find a healthier balance of going old school, boring, in the middle of the defense, dictating terms that way. And guess what?

They'll only be more explosive. They'll play more on rhythm. Patrick won't have to run around as much. And I think that's what you're seeing, is they're putting him in a position where every play, he has to be Superman, instead of just four to six times a game where he has to do something miraculous. Yeah. You know, it's interesting.

And you bring up a good point. Flash and Sizzling fun is great. But Bama and New England's dynasties were largely built on defense and discipline. And I watched Buffalo last night. And it's like, I don't think there's a great team in the league right now. I think it's very hard with a salary cap. I'd agree with you. But I look at Buffalo and they've solved that defensive front, Trent.

They have drafted it. Well, I looked at them and I thought it's got a little Tampa field to it last year where I'm like, I'm not sure whether or not. I mean, they got a specific slot guy, a deep guy. I don't see a weakness with Buffalo. It's like Tampa last year. Like, where's the soft spot? I don't see it.

Two things hit me last night. I'm totally agreeing with you, which breaks my heart. But I think number one, they know who they are. I think more than any team in this league, Buffalo knows who they are. They play a certain style. defense and they're not going to change who they are. They know who they are in special teams. We do not talk enough about special teams in NFL. They're very good at special teams. They know who they are. Offensively, they thought they were something. In the last

couple of weeks, they went, wait a second. We can't run the ball downhill, but we can still run the ball. We can still make the defense defend the run. And we're going to do it by finding some of this really cool college football that also the Baltimore Ravens are doing. And we're going to use our six, four and a half, six, five, two hundred and forty-pound quarterback. That's a great athlete. And we're going to make him a threat in the run game. Last night, they rushed the ball 28 times and threw it 26. Yeah.

26 for three plus 100 yards throwing. So what they've decided is now we know who we are offensively. We're not going to turn around and give it to the dot back all the time. But we are going to make you defend the run. We're going to make you defend the run 25 plus times a game. And we're just going to be that much more dynamic in the passing game. because we have dudes and we have a quarterback that legitimately can get it anywhere on the football field no matter what you're doing to them.

And I would say this about the draft. I'm glad you said this. They are very impressive at both lines of scrimmage. Defensive line, absolutely. They don't, they have knocked back in them. And that's what you saw last night. They knocked back Kansas City in the run game and the passing game. And their offensive line is going to be dominant at some point.

Right now, they're very good past protectors. They're very good lateral zone run game guys. They're not going to be downhill run guys. a year or two more. But they know who they are. They're great protectors and they're great going ladder. At least let's build a run game around that. I want to touch on this because I'm not going to second guess coaches. You look at film. They look at film. That's not my expertise. I almost as a rule, never second guess play calling. I don't have the sheet. I don't look at film. I don't know your injuries. But I will say from time to time, I think, wow, that's conservative.

You know, I can look at that. I don't have to be an expert. I thought Matt Lafleur with Aaron yesterday, there was a lot of conservative play calling. And when you put that up against his postseason decision, you would think he'd be a little hyper-aggressive just to prove, hey, I trust my guy. Is it a organizational thing? Is it Matt history? They kicked a field goal on a third down. I just don't quite get not trusting Aaron.

Tell me what I'm missing on that. Yeah, I'll speak globally. I was not able to see the end of that game. I was at my daughter's volleyball match, so I too don't like talking about things I didn't see. I don't know about. But I'll speak to it from 30,000 feet. All of us find ourselves in this predicament of what the X's and O's say in your background.

You talked about conservative background. Where do you weigh that to who's getting the snap? Who's getting the ball? Right. And where I'd agree with you is that I don't care what your background is. I don't care at the X's and O's say. When you have Aaron Rogers, Tom Brady, now maybe Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, there's some great quarterbacks in this league.

I think that bucket has to be more full. I think you've got to lean towards that one. Yeah. Hey, my nature tells me this. And yes, Bill Parcells would do it this way and Tony Dungy would do it this way. Tom Landry would do it this way. Bill Walsh tweeted out of this, but I got this guy. And this guy tends to make any bad decision I make, a good decision.

And I think that's what the great quarterbacks, and I wasn't one of them, but to talk to them and spend time with them, they want the ball in that position. Sure. They want to prove that they can make anything happen. I think you give them the ball in those situations. Of most narratives that go on in the course of a game, right, I disagree with. Most of them are very peripheral, very surface. You don't get real deep.

When I hear an announcer say, just trust him with the football. He's a Hall of Famer. That's when I go, yeah, that guy's right. Sometimes it's that simple. Yeah. Like get the guy that has done it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again. Just let him do it. Guess what?

Again. Yeah. All right. Trent's serious about this podcast thing. I can see that big expensive microphone there. It's called Beyond the X's and those. I've had to buy a few of those. Those aren't cheap.

Beyond the X's and O's with Trent Dillfer, new podcast tomorrow, my friend, Lipscomb Academy head football coach in beautiful Nashville, Tennessee. It looks like you're losing weight. It looks like you're thinning down or something here, dude. Finally taking care of myself, but I'm trying to be like you. All right, Trent, good seeing you, my man. Thanks. All right.

Yeah, it was not off-putting, but I didn't quite get it. First of all, you have Aaron. Second of all, the weather was fine. You know, to worry about, like, weather conditions. third, your kicker was struggling emotionally or physically or whatever he's struggling with. And number four is you have the better team. Like, you have the better team. Like, when you're playing Cincinnati at this point in their stage, and I'm here, like,

I'm going to be there. So many things told me, just be more aggressive. Give it to air. So many things told me, oh, I got Devonte Adams and they can't stop him. Like there were like five boxes that, and there are times, by the way, if the weather was winning, it was a month from now in Cincinnati, forget it. Or my left tackles down and Aaron can't get pressure. Then I get it.

But situationally with Green Bay, I just didn't get it. Sometimes you got to go with players, not plays. Thank you. You have to. And when you have Aaron Rogers, that's generally it should be an easier decision. Yeah, that's a very smart. She goes to Vegas, comes back with gems. One 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 love. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw,

unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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. 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 Podcast. or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, learn the hard way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

And we're still chasing it. and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free. iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now. Weather's changing, stay comfortable.com, 16 million pairs sold. Tommyjohn.com, 20% off your first order. Tommyjohn.com slash heard. Wearing it now.

Check out their site for merch and details. You know, it's interesting. I was having lunch around Los Angeles a couple of years ago with an executive in the NBA. And about three years ago, there was a lot of talk of CTE and football and parents didn't want their kids to play. And I said, this person said, the NBA is going to take over the world,

and the NFL is dead. And I said, two things are going to happen. This is like three years ago. I said, number one, sports gambling is going to be legalized. And that's the sport we bet. And every commercial now is sports gambling. And that's going to infuse viscerally fans, betting, more emotion. Number one, I said, number two is the quarterback play is so much better today

than 15 years ago, we are going to see these great American athletes who would have played basketball or played wide receiver, they're quarterbacks. And you're not going to be able to take your eyes off of them. Well, the NBA since that lunch has lost 50% of its ratings and the NFL's absolutely on fire. Folks, we are seeing right now the quality of quarterback play we are seeing is the best it's ever been. It's never been like that. You've never been able to get guys that are, Josh Allen is 6-6 and 250. and can run a 4-6 and has a cannon arm, and he's smart enough to make all the throws.

I mean, he, and he's out dueling Mahomes. I mean, you watch Baker and Justin Herbert. They're good defensive players all over that field. Miles Garrett, Bosa, he's just up and down. And then the league is smartly regulated their level of violence and made it more pro-offense. So it's, these are fireworks shows. They're crazy, crazy games. Now, there's a point, physicality matters.

I think you need to be rewarded as a football team for being physical. And you don't see that in Canadian football. It's a pinball machine, right? In the NFL, physicality still matters. Alabama and college still wins the games. They play defense. And, you know, this weekend we saw a lot of defenders. I mean, Philadelphia's defense won the game, not their offense.

And that should matter. San Francisco's defense kept them in the game against Arizona. The Bears defense beat the Raiders. That should matter. But if you get the quarterback right and you can protect him, These games are hard to turn off. Plus, you have money on them now. Even if they are bad, you stick around to see if you won some cash.

Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Yeah, I did not win some cash this weekend. If the Browns, if the Browns get the PI penalty call, which it was a bad call. It was the worst call the weekend. I'm three, two, and one, and I'm buying everybody dinner.

Instead, I'm limping home. Well, at least you're limping. I'm just laying there. It's not a good weekend for me. NFL viewership is up about 17% compared to this time last year. What time out? The boycott. Are you sure?

I didn't. Okay. Bye. It's up 17%. So either you don't know what percentages mean or ratings mean or you're just making things up. We're all watching the NFL. Everyone's watching.

So Ben Simmons holdout may be ending soon. His agent Rich Paul is reportedly in talks with the organization to get Simmons back with the six years as early as this. week. He hasn't spoken. Simmons hasn't spoken to the team since late August when he reportedly expressed his desire to be traded, but he could be speaking directly with team officials soon as they've been more open to the possibility of ending his time away and reporting to Philadelphia. Now, Roads reported that the plan is still to continue canvassing the league for a trade, but the team's hope is that they'll get him back and convince him that Philly is the place to be long

term. I don't know why they would want to do that, but I do think that they need him in the bill, And, of course, if they want to make a trade, it's going to have to be a process. And it's better if he's there. They're better with him there than not, even though it's not necessarily working in the postseason. They still are a better team. Now, the 76ers did place $8.25 million of his salary in an escrow account and fund him $360,000 for each missed preseason game. So he can lose millions, multiple millions a week. Yes.

A week. He's missed the team's first two preseason. in games. So he's not getting that money back. But that's also, they had to find him. So, you know, once, once you start seeing that actually being removed from your account, your coming to you, kind of starts to change how you view things. And that's understandable because we all work for a living. And while he does make a lot of money and obviously was very aware that he was going to be losing money by not being there, might be a whole other thing when it actually starts happening. Some things are spoken about in the abstract. And then they become reality. And

and it changes your opinion on things. I don't know how that's going to play out for Kyrie. Maybe he is more convicted about why he's not going to be there, but it's looking like at least it's trending in a positive direction for Ben Simmons and the Sixers. Again, I think this is going to be an ongoing situation until he gets traded, but it was avoidable from the beginning and we'll see what happens. Well, these Cardinals.

It just, they're winning. It was not a pretty, but they won. Well, that's actually what I like about this game. Yeah. Because they've been winning in this over-the-top. Yes, dramatic. Flashy fashion. And sometimes you've got to get it a little dirty.

It's not going to be a clean game. And they still find a way to get it done. They've got another division win over the Niners. Offense wasn't as explosive, obviously, 17 points. But defense stepped up, stopped the Niners four times on fourth down, sacked Tray Lance twice in his first start, and they got the 17 to 10 win. Tray Lance was the leading rusher for the Niners in the game. It was 15 to 29, 192 yards, 1 interceptions,

and he also had 16 carries for 89 yards. I mean, that's a rough first start for Tray Lance against the Cardinals. But again, I thought he did well. It's not a winnable start to, it's not a winnable start. You're playing a great team. You're on the road. Division. Yeah, it's not a winnable start.

But you kept your team in the game. That's fine. You're not, that's, you didn't necessarily lose the game. just not capable of winning a game in that magnitude right now. That's not where you're at. Right, and that's perfectly reasonable for Erroki. Sometimes we just have to be

reasonable about how we assess these situations. That's right. I mean, incredible for him to get that win over Arizona, but it's not something that she should be knocked for. Kyla Murray again, obviously, spectacular. By the way, 31. You know who's playing next week? 399 yards. Cleveland against Arizona.

Yeah. Boom! I mean, Arizona is the best watch in the felt to me right now. Oh, I think. You know what I love? I love the message that it sends. So I think you and I kind of get tired of this masculinity, rigidity thing. Like, man, I'm not woke.

I got an opinion and I never change because I'm a man. I like when men can go, wow, screwed up. Arizona's GM said, yeah, I screwed up on the coaching hire and I screwed up on the quarterback draft. And one year moved off it. And I love when in this country. I'm a man, this kind of alpha industry. The guy being rewarded is the one that went, yeah, you know what, man?

Kyler's better than that guy and Cliff's better than that guy. And it's like, if your masculinity is tied to, I'm not budging. Bye-bye. The world's going to pass you on. We all make mistakes. It's like sometimes you have, you. Yeah, I mean, it's somehow somewhere along the line became a cute thing to not change your opinion about anything. I don't relate to people that operate their life that way.

You'd have Josh Rosen and Steve Wilkes, and Steve Kahn would be out of jobs. Like, he just said, hey, I just, there's something better out there. And I like that that's rewarded. But good business people understand that concept. Smart people do. But I'm just saying we have a lot of people now where they think their masculinity is tied to. I don't budge. Smart people budge every day.

It's called insecurity. Yeah. Well, we know that, right. Yes. But they're an incredible watch, and that's going to be a great game next week. Oh, the lions. I feel for the lions. You know what?

Dan Campbell touched my heart. Okay, so let's talk about this. They had a heartbreaking loss to the Vikings. They're now 0 and 5. They have a successful two-point conversion to go up one with 37 seconds left. Vikings got down the field, set up a last second 54-yard field goal, and they won 1917. And Dan Campbell was very emotional afterwards talking about the loss. When you see your players give all that they have and you lose that way, it's tough.

You know, you don't want that for them. So, but we'll be better for it, you know. And there again, credit Minnesota, but, you know, we made the one mistake that cost us, you know. And so ultimately, you know, we didn't do enough to win. But I was proud of them, and I love the fight they have in them. and I love the grit. I will say, I know, it's great. I can't one grown men cry.

You know what, though? I think they're in a better situation than they're losing games, but to me, they are in a better situation than Jacksonville. Well, yeah, they led Green Bay at half. They had Baltimore. Green Bay at the half. They almost pulled off a 28-point comeback win

against the Niners, but obviously lost that game. Justin Tucker kicks an NFL record 66-yard field goal. The Lions lose to the Ravens. last week against the Bears was, you know, just a regular loss, but still competitive, you know, 24-14. And then another heartbreaking loss against the Vikings. It's like they're right there. Yes.

But they're just not able to get over the edge. And they play tough. Like, I like seeing that from Dan Campbell. Oh, I love it. You know, and the other thing is you, you know, the old saying is you can lose a game. You can't lose a locker room. Right. And so they're losing all sorts of games.

but players are going to play so hard. And what they are. Yeah. They have limitations on personnel. They're not very good defensively. They can't make big stops. But offensively, they have their moments. In the bottom line, he won the room.

They're losing games. He's not close to losing the room. That's what you worry about John Gruden right now. That's what you worry about Urban Meyer. It's not the loss of the game. It's the room. Right. Try reeling that puppy back in mid-dose.

season. The room. There's a different kind of feeling when you're losing, but you feel like you're, every week you still feel like you can win. Yeah. That versus going into a game where you're losing and you feel like you're going to work and it's like we have no chance and I'm not even buying into what it is we're doing. And I don't feel like we're making the right changes.

And I don't feel like the top is invested in us. So that's, I mean, look, I'm not in the locker room and spoken to anyone in the locker room. But that's what you want to see. Like a coach who's completely invested in the situation. And I like the way that they play. Like they play tough. They're not winning.

But they have a, they have a bit of a culture builds happening right now. And that I can buy into. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. There's a reason Brady's not going to retire soon. It's not just that he's winning.

I'll explain that coming up. 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. He's Mike Harmon. I'm Dan Byard. We have a brand new fantasy football podcast called I Want Your Flex. Twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday, we come up with new episodes to not only look back at what happened, what you need to do at that minute, and also look ahead of what's coming up in the fantasy football world. That's right, Dan. Every week, we're going to scour the waiver wire to find the pickups to turbo boost your fantasy lineup. Sit, starts. Fantasy football players' rankings to get you ready to down.

nominate the competition. Listen to I Want Your Flex with Mike Harmon and me, Dan Byer, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast.

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

this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jek. And I'm Alex English. 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 you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin

Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Discover matches all the cashback you earn on your credit card at the end of the first year and they do it automatically. Limitations apply, but go to discover.com slash yes. Get used to hearing yes more often. I was talking to a friend not long. ago and this friend is just moved into his 60s and I had asked him because he has you know he likes

to travel he's somebody that's got a great relationship with his wife they travel and I asked him about retirement and he said to be honest with he said if you combine my experience which really helps me in my business and the ease in which regulations help me now he goes my job's never been easier. He said, if my job was as hard as it was in my 30s and 40s, I would retire. He goes, but the regulations in my business are easier to navigate. I'm better at my job. There's younger people in my space. I've got a lot more experience. He said, if this is it, why would you retire? Retire when it gets hard. Don't retire when your job gets easier. And Tom Brady yesterday throws five touchdowns and and the thing is Tom's this first time in his career by the way he's had 400 plus

yards and five touchdowns in his career it's not because Tom is this much better like the weapons are good but he's had good weapons why because it's getting so much easier because the NFL regulations are so offensive based is that Tom Brady if it was the 80s would retire because you could grab him and slam him into the turf and corners could grab wide receivers. This game is so easy for competent quarterback. Justin Herbert is a better pro quarterback than he was a college quarterback. Seriously. Tyler Murray now can be unstoppable if you give them competent protection. And so now quarterbacks play knowing they're like Michael Vick said. You're not going to get hit. You have a good offensive line. You can't grab wide receivers.

Receivers now know a lot of you guys are young you don't remember. In the 80s and 90s and 10 years, ago, there was a term called alligator arms that was used on every broadcast. No receiver wanted to go over the middle. You tried to draft one big guy who would be willing to go over the middle. Every receiver goes over the middle. You can't hit him anymore. You can't hit him anymore. And then players never want to go too low and hurt a guy's knees. There's an unspoken. Sports is there's an unspoken rule. Don't take a guy's knees out. Well, now you can't hit him high. You can't hit them low. The tackling's gotten worse. So wide receivers and tight ends have never been more confident. The rules are all offensive-based and offensive leaning. So it's not like Brady.

It's the first time in his career he's done that. And I like Mike Evans, but he's not Jerry Rice. I mean, there's a reason for this. The game is getting really easy for quarterback. I'll give you an example. You don't even need great weapons. You don't even need great experience. Mack Jones yesterday had good protection. 76% completion rate. A touchdown, no picks. 230 yards, 25 points. They didn't play a great team, but Mac Jones started one year of college. He's now in the NFL, and he moved the ball and 250 yards and 25 points and a touchdown and 76%. Because he had competent protection.

That's why it's so important for the Chargers that they have Justin Herbert and Roshan Slater, the left tackle. Roshan Slater is in the argument through the first five weeks of the season of being the best left tackle in football. He's that good. And Herbert's in the argument to be a top five quarterback, obviously, in the first five weeks. Herbert knows every snap. I've got time. You can't stop my receivers. And I've said this for years.

I started noticing it about seven, eight years ago in Southern California, is that the great athletes, young kids always set culture and trends. And it was about seven, eight years ago, I noticed in California of their 250 high school football players, there were no good running backs anymore. You got like one in the whole state. We have 40 million people. And you'd have like 50 five-star wide receivers or four-star wide receivers because the kids were telling you, the money's at wide receiver. The money's at quarterback. The money's at quarterback. The money's at edge rusher.

You're not getting a second contract at running back. So kids figured it out. So you're getting all these athletes now. They're playing quarterback. They're playing wide receiver. They don't want to be running backs. So the big, I mean, you've got six four, six five wide receivers, ballers out there. USC's got a kid, Drake London, could have been an NBA player.

he goes to wide receiver. You know, like 15 catches a game. You can't stop him. The rules help him, his athletic ability. So it's, there's a reason. I mean, Cleveland and the Chargers yesterday. There's great defensive players all over the field. Neither team could stop each other.

So I just, I just look at Brady and it's like, don't retire if your industry gets easier for you. By the way, I want to touch on this with Cleveland. So I said this, joy is my witness. I said this, I think on Friday. I said it's going to be a very important. eight seven to eight weeks for Baker Mayfield. And I've always said this. If you had a brother and he was more successful than you were, but he lived in Seattle

and you lived in Tampa, you don't have, it's not in your face every day. No big deal. But what if he was your neighbor and he had a better house than you? And every year he brought a new Porsche, his kids went to a better school. Every day it was just jammed in your face. Hey, get a little annoying, right? And I said, for Baker Mayfield, it's one thing to lose, but he hasn't gotten the bag yet. He hasn't been paid.

And this general manager and head coach did not draft him. They inherited him. And I said, watch the next seven to eight weeks because he's going to be on the field with his contemporaries. He's now officially 0 and 1 against Justin Herbert, somebody in his age group. next week, this week, oh, it's Kyler Murray. A couple weeks it's Joe Burrow. Then it's Mac Jones. Then it's Lamar Jackson.

By Lamar Jackson. So it's not just that he's playing games. He's playing games against all these young quarterbacks who have similar experience. Baker's got the better O-line than all of them. And what happens if you start losing them and you have a minute 26 and the ball and you move it 26 yards. I mean, Baker's last two drives were handed off on a third 10 and then move 26 yards with a minute 20 left.

It's not great. Remember I said in Kansas City his last two drives. Three and out pick. So now you're starting to get contemporaries side by side and you're watching them. And I didn't think Baker played bad at all yesterday, but I think this is a really interesting point. So you come off the Herbert loss, go home. Here comes Kyler Murray.

Off, by the way, not a great Kyler Murray game. So that's going to be a focus football team. So it's very interesting. Not making any predictions, but it's, I said, it's a very interesting eight-week time. Okay, good stuff today. You know, I changed Joy, as you know, from oatmeal to a green juice drink every morning. How are you feeling? Energy's through the roof.

Honestly, I could do four or five hours today. Okay. I'm out of the oatmeal, made me slow. I need my juice. It's the herd. 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 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 Clifers 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 Cliverd Show on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations

that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to.

Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.