The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - The NFL season is almost here

Episode Date: August 2, 2024

USC HC Lincoln Riley is not on the hot seat Albert Breer stops by The Herd to talk about the upcoming NFL season See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Live in Los Angeles, it's the hurt. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening or watching. Thanks for making us part of your day. J-MAC's going on a big trip to the Pacific Northwest this weekend, my home, away from home. Why are you giving out my location? Well, you're just, I just didn't get the location. Pacific Northwest could be Big Sky Country. It could be...

I do need to hit Big Spock Sky. heard amazing things. Have you been? The sky's very big. Well, I watch Yellowstone. By the way, have you watched Yellowstone? Yeah. I've bumped into Kevin Costner. How's he as a guy? During the filming.

Okay. All right. You did a lot of that filming in Utah, Park City. Oh, did not know that. How was you? You're just Mr. Basically, the rapper who travels around everywhere. You're Utah? You're, what, Kennebunkport? Is that where you're going? They built airports for a reason. I go to them. I go to them.

I like to travel. Jeez. Okay, so college football starts. By the way, I just love these people that we have no patience in society. Like everything changes. Suddenly it's like this guy is going to be president. Oh, no, nope, nope, nope, it's going to be the other person. Take a deep breath.

We have three months. Not everything has to be dramatic. Just I love going into this season, all the Lincoln Riley's in big trouble. talk. No, he's not. I'm pretty well connected there. He's not in trouble. Let me give you an example of, let's do blind resume. So here's Lincoln Riley after two years, and he took over a complete tire fire. They had 35 legit players. In two years, he's 19 and 8, and this is the best the Pac-12's arguably ever. It was stacked. The last year of the Pac-12, and I say this, Arizona a basketball school won seven straight games and beat Oklahoma in a bowl game.

It's the best the Pac-12's been in my adult life. When Pete Carroll was dominating the Pac-12, it was awful. It was USC cow and nonsense. So he's gone 19 and 8, 13-5 in conference, one-in-one, and they've averaged 41 a game over 41. And why does that matter? Because I always judge coaches. You know you have a coach, even if he doesn't win, is he getting his side of the ball right? So in two years, he is tied for the best total offense in college football.

So let's play blind resume. Let me give you a couple of other coaches their first two years. So these are offensive coaches. This coach had a worse record, awful in conference, and averaged almost half a game. Who is this coach? Oh, James Franklin. He's doing pretty well at Penn State. All right, let's go.

Let's play another version of blind resume. Lincoln Riley's 19 and 8. This coach, worst record. Again, averages 30% less a game. And it's another offensive coach. Let's see who this coach is. Oh, Brian Kelly. Oh, that's interesting.

Okay, Brian Kelly. He's a pretty good coach. One everywhere. All right, let's go to another coach. Remember, Lincoln Riley's in big trouble at USC. This coach, whew, a little above 500 after two years. Barely a winning conference record. Again, one-in-one in bowls, averaging 28 a game.

Lincoln-Riley averaging almost 42. Who's this offensive coach? Oh, Dabo Swinney's a pretty good coach at a football factory. Football is the be-all-end-all in that town, state, region, everything. Oh, Dabo's pretty good coach. Okay, okay. And let's go to another offensive coach. Oh, this guy struggled.

Hoo-hoo-hoo. Nine and nine in conference. Oh, and one. Couldn't even get to a bowl game in one of his years. Offense was pretty pesky, though. Who's this offensive coach? Oh, Sarket, Texas. They're talking about an extension if he wins big this year.

Pretty good. All right. And we have any more, to prove my point? As Lincoln, Riley, and the best the PAC 12 is, in my opinion, as somebody who grew up with the PAC 12, I thought last year the conference went seven deep. I mean, I thought it was terrific. This coach is the closest in the first two seasons. This coach and offensive coach is the closest.

to Lincoln Riley. He averages about a touchdown less, but they have mostly the same win-loss record, same conference record. Who is this coach? Oh, Jim Harbaugh. Okay. Just, just, just, you know, I know when I hear Lincoln Riley's in big trouble. Yeah, how about we start with no? How about it's really hard? By the way, Jim Harbaugh in his third year, when Lincoln's going into his third year, go to Jim Harbaugh's third year. They stepped back. They went backwards. and he was getting nothing but crap.

And Joel Clatt and I were the two guys in college football that are like, are you people paying attention? Do you think he can't coach? It's hard. Not everything can be solved in an hour. USC was a mess, a mess. The staff was bad. The strength and conditioning was bad.

The recruiting wasn't good. But when he took over the program between the offensive and defensive line, two deeps, they had like 25 offensive and defensive. defensive linemen in the program, 2025. One was viewed as an NFL prospect. That player is now a senior center. They had nobody.

I would talk to GMs. They're like USC looks like Fresno State. They're small. They're tiny. Going to be fine. Albert Breer bouncing around to a half a dozen camps around the corner. He's already been to a dozen. He's in Detroit today.

By the way, college football band. One of your guys, call on, before you start, one of your guys just reminded me that you left out an offensive coach there. Ryan Day? Well, yeah. He had a pretty good ride here. His first two years.

Yeah, but Ryan Day didn't take over a mess. He took over a powerhouse. That's true. These guys had to rebuild. I mean, rebuilding is hard. It's probably easier at Ohio State. But it's hard. It is hard.

You remember how bad Michigan was pre-hardball. Half the stadium was empty. No, no, no, no. It was a mess. Rich Rod and Brady Hope, but was not good. So let's start with this. You're at the Lions. We got into this discussion yesterday.

I said, I can think two things. I love them, but I worry about Dan Campbell in high leverage situational coaching. He gets very emotional. But be that as it may, you've been there last couple of days. What do you make? What's the vibe? Yeah, I mean, there are a couple things. Really, like that team knows how to practice.

And I was, you know, to practice today that lasted over two hours, was very scrimmage heavy. And you know what struck me about it, Colin, as physical as they are, you would see hits out there where, and almost any other camp, you'd be like, okay, that guy's going to bounce up and there's going to be a fight. And it didn't happen. And it's just like a certain efficiency and knowing how to practice, it's like just a very business-like group that understands the expectations and what's in front of. of them you know and then I think the other thing that that definitely jumps out like one thing you'd have your radar up for here is like that the expectations the money all of that has maybe gone to people's heads yeah always have your radar up in these situations where teams come up the way the lines came up and um you know you don't see that at all like Pinesuil Amunra st.

Brown Jared Goff like all those guys are the same guys they were in 2021 when they were getting their brains beat in by everybody. You know, so I just think it's a really good place right now. It's a really healthy place right now. And the roster's getting better and better. In fact, I would tell you this, like, one of the things that really stuck out to me is how much better they're going to be a corner. Yeah.

Which has been one spot where they've had a little bit of a revolving door the last few years. And then, you know, you take that into account what Terry and Arnold and Ennis Rakeskroy are going to be able to do as rookies. You don't find too many holes on this team. So it should be a, a, a, you know, a number. another really, really good year in Detroit, in a year in which I think expectations are almost at an unprecedented level for the franchise. Okay, a team that is supposed to be terrible.

Vegas says five wins. I've been arguing with J-MAC is they're not great on the defensive side, though they have a great corner and a great safety and active linebackers. But I just think if Franklin Pops is a rookie receiver with Mims, with Cortland, I like a couple of their spots on the O line. They have two backs that are capable, Sean Payton. I think Bo Nix is going to start. I think he's a rookie.

It's camp. You are there. What do you make of the vibe there? So, Sean Payton really likes his team. And I'm sure you've sort of gotten that vibe to, Colin. Like, he really likes the group that he has. And they've offloaded a lot of talent over the last couple of years, you know. And it's not just Russell Wilson being gone.

You know, it's guys like Bradley Chubb and Jerry, Judy, who are part of the core that they built under Vic Fangio. like lots of big names are gone. But, you know, Sean really feels like this is a young, hungry group that is buying into what they're selling them. He feels like he's got a really good coaching staff, guys who are moving in the same direction. And, you know, I think they really feel like they've hit on the rookie class they have this year. Of course, that starts with Bo Nix, but, you know, when I talked to Shawnee compared it to the rookie classes he had in New Orleans in 2006 and 2017, and those are pretty historic. rookie classes. So what does it add up to? Young, hungry, locked in, listening, and with good,

young, rising talent. Well, in a difficult division, what that adds up to, to me, is maybe a little bit of a rough start, but a team that's ascending at the end of the year. So I'm not telling you they're going to be in the playoffs, but I think coming out of this year, there are going to be a lot of reasons to be excited about where the Broncos are going. Okay, another team, I was high on them last year when people thought they were rebuilding. The Rams identified two years ago that Aaron Donald would probably leave. So they have spent

four of their best picks the last two years on guys up front. Kobe Turner and Young were big hits. I think these guys could be as good or better. I was following somebody that was at camp a couple days ago and they're like oh no, no, no. These Florida State guys

Ken, they're ballers. I think they're going to be better than people think up front. Where are you on the Rams? Rams? Colin, I think I may pick the Rams to go to the Super Bowl. Thank you. What I saw when I was at camp was as good as they've been a different pace in their practices and a different, I would say, edge to how they're practicing, even from when

they were really, really good a couple of years ago. This is a team that hasn't been as physical over the years. It's cost them against the Niners. And I think some of the things that Sean's done over the last two years have been to fix that, whether it's bringing in two assistant coaches, Nick Cayley and Ryan Weddell from New England, bringing Mike LaFleur over who had been, you know, in San Francisco before he went to the Jets. He's really injected more of an edge into the team, and the team has a different look because of it. I think you saw that last year. And to me, what was so impressive

about last year is they got a lot younger and they were carrying $75 million in dead cap, and they still somehow made the playoffs. And now they're going into this season, and you look at it. They've got a full complement of draft picks going forward. They've got cap flexibility. I would not be surprised if this team gets off to a hot start and has a big swing in them. Now, I don't know where they take that swing. It's hard to predict who will be available trade-wise in October. Say, like the negotiation with Patrick Sartan doesn't go well, you know, over the next month. Do the Rams pick up the phone and offer a couple of first-round picks for someone like him? Like, that's the sort of thing I could see materialize.

Because I do think that the Rams, the flexibility that they have and the team that they have could be in a position where, you know, we're looking at another type of big swing and another sort of go-for move from the group when we get, you know, closer to the trade deadline. So I'm real bullish on where the Rams are going into the fall. So am I. Packers. So it's a, I mean, it's an amazing. It's almost a college team they're so young. I mean, they're so young across the board. but I'll tell you, last year, Albert, when I watched them, I really felt, I really felt like it was Matt LaFleur's team.

The way, and I was like, I didn't feel that with Aaron, not a criticism, but I didn't feel that. The play calling was CRISPR. It felt like, I just felt like I was getting what Matt wants the team to look like. I think Jordan Love feels a little more far than Aaron. He's a little more willing to let it rip sometimes, which I like. but what you're at camp what do you make of it so like what you're saying is very real um you know Aaron is a lot like Peyton Manning in this way like he doesn't want any motion or movement like some of those quarterbacks would rather you break the huddle you get to the line and I'll be the

one to move the guys around I don't want that built into the offense I want to be looking at the defense and I want to be the conductor out there and you know like to his credit Matt LaFleur adapted what he has learned and what he's done over the the years in the Shanahan-McVey offense and you know made it work for Aaron so in a lot of ways when they went to Jordan Love that was Matt going back to his roots where he could use the movement and the motion a little bit more and so I think you're right like he was more comfortable last year as a play caller running an offense as closer to what he's always run and you know the great thing about it is they've got an established defense I think they made a really good hire and getting

Jeff Halfley from Boston College and they've got the big names on that side of the ball guys like Roshan Gary and Kenny Clark and Jaira Alexander, what I love about where they are in offense is, like you said, Matt LaFleure is running the offense as he sees fit, but also they've got a group of players that are growing up together now, right? So Jordan Love, like a lot of the guys around him are his contemporaries. Left tackle, Walker, he's a contemporary of love, the receivers, all of them, Christian Watson, Romeo Dobbs, the Dantavian Wicks, Jaden Reed, those guys are all younger than love. So this team has a chance to really grow up together. And I think that makes what we saw in the playoffs last year very real. So, you know, I don't know if they're going to be able to

knock off the lines in the NFC North, but I would say of the other three teams in that division, they are the top contender. And it wouldn't stun me if, you know, we get to the last couple of weeks of the season. And those two teams are duking it out for the division title. Listen, I'm watching Niners camp, and it's overflowing with people. In the Cowboys camp, there's empty stands everywhere. And there was a study recently from the Athletic, where it's literally like 70% of Cowboy fans, 78% said, we're not winning a Super Bowl in the next decade or half decade. And I think there is sort of a malaise over the franchise.

You were there. What did you feel and see? Yeah, you know, I think it's a tough spot for Mike McCarthy here. He's going into a contract a year. He's tried to instill a very business-like approach there. And I think he's relying a lot on his staff in his locker and him to manage everything that's happening. CD Lamb isn't there.

They did bring up the point to me that Zach Martin missed a lot of camp last year and came back and played well. That's true, right? But so, you know, like now they're figuring out roles on offense without CD there and then he's going to be ejected back into it. So how does that look? Michael Parsons' contract situation is out there. They also have made the change of defensive coordinator.

Dan Quinn, who did a fantastic job there, is gone now. Mike Zimmer is in. And so just feels to me, Colin, like there's a lot to manage there, right? And I think being in the NFC East helps them a little bit. Like the Eagles are dealing with quite a bit of transition themselves. The Giants obviously have had some changes, you know, over the last six months. And the commanders are sort of starting from grass. zero with Adam Peters and Dan Quinn. So I think being in the division protects them a little bit

and gives them some time to work these things out that maybe they wouldn't have if they were in the NFC North or the NFC West. But certainly there is a lot to manage there. So are they going to be able to get back to that 12 one level that they've been at the last three years again? I'm not sure. Finally, the Herbert story, planter fasciitis, not good. He'll be in a walking boot. But, you know, I said this the other day. You know this. I said, if you go back to his Niner teams,

they were never great at wide receiver. It was like Michael Crabtree. If you go to a Stanford teams, the weakness, they weren't great at wide receiver. Maybe it dug bald when I think may have been in. If you go to his Michigan teams last year, Colin Wilson, it was kind of it.

So when I hear, the chargers aren't great at receiver, and I'm like, yeah, I couldn't tell you, Harbaugh team, that that's not his thing. That's not his, he builds, O lines, aggressive, running back rooms. I think, J. Mack and I both think it's kind of a favorable early schedule. I kind of think they could be an 11-win team.

I don't think that's a hot take. Where are you on them? I don't think, like, I think Justin Herbert's going to have his best year. Because Jim Harbaugh has always gotten more out of his quarterbacks by asking less of them, right? And what I mean by that is they're in long yardage less. They're playing from behind. less the game is always managed very efficiently. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are backs that fit what he wants to do, that no was expected to them, having played for Greg Roman in Baltimore.

That offensive line has a chance to be really good. They think the world of Joe Alt and the start that he's had. And I was up next to him a couple days ago. That's a massive human team. So with their bookends now Slater and Alt, they expect to be really good on the offensive line. I don't see why the Chargers should not at least contend for a playoff spot in a really difficult AFC this year. I think Jim Harbaugh is going to be able to build these sort of team that he has always had in short order. And that to me is the magic of Harbaugh, right? Like what you're talking about all those things, Colin? Like what other coach has got a style of play that has translated everywhere he went?

What he did at Stanford looks like what he did at San Francisco looks like what he did at Michigan. And so why would we expect it not to look just like that with the Chargers? And again, if it looks like that with the Chargers, well, then the weight of the world is going to be off Justin Herbert's shoulders, and he can just go play. And so instead of being in second and 12, he's in second and five. Instead of being in third and eight, he's going to be in third and one. Instead of playing from behind, he's going to be playing in close games or from ahead.

I think they're going to get the best from Justin Herbert because of the way Jim Harbaugh manages his quarterback, which is a little bit different than I'm going to be playing. other teams that have star quarterbacks. And I think Jim Harbaugh is going to be able to build the exact same sort of team that we've seen from him every place he's been. You know, you go, I think I say August 3rd, so you're going to the Bears next. Were you surprised, I can't wait for your reports on that, were you surprised Caleb didn't

play a snap against Vanilla schemes, hasn't played since November. Am I wrong on this or were you surprised? No, no, I wasn't surprised. Here's why. It's not about Caleb. And in those situations, it's not about, you know, and off, you know, those situations, it's not always about just the quarterback. It's about who else is going to be out there with him, you know, and these preseason games, all of them, Colin, there's different levels to them, right? So, you know, when the starters are playing in the first quarter, say, they take care of each other, you know, and I'm not saying they're not playing hard. Everybody's playing hard. trying to get ready for the season, but there is an element of like we're all trying to accomplish the same thing here. And then you get into the second and third and fourth quarter, and as the starters start to come out, you have guys who are just trying to win roster spots, the whole context of the game changes. And so I think this was less about, you know,

not wanting, not not feeling like Caleb needed the reps as who are we putting them out there with? if we're sequencing our other guys to get the starters ready to play in the second preseason game, and by the way, the Bears and the Texans are the only ones who got this extra preseason game, well, then we don't want to throw Caleb out there with a bunch of backups and guys on defense that are trying to make a roster. You know, we need to protect them better than that. So I think in these situations, you know, where you do see a quarterback sit, especially if it's a young quarterback, oftentimes it's not just about the quarterback. It's about what you're putting out there around him.

and they weren't going to throw Caleb Williams out there with a bunch of backups. All right. His stuff is great Monday morning quarterback, Albert Breer at the Lions Camp today. As always, fun time of the year. Good seeing him, my man. All right, thanks, Colin. You bet. I'm getting all fired up, J. Mack.

You already said about Denver? Sean Peyton likes this team. Jerry Judy, out of the building. Russell, he, don't blame Russell, just Russell and Sean. Yeah. We said this. It was never going to work personality-wise. Jerry Judy, problem in the room, flushes them out.

He likes his guys. He likes Mims, Cortland Sutton, Bow, Knicks, O-Linman, he likes his guys. I mean, I was taking a couple notes, but negative words, negative anything. There's like nothing. Everything's relentlessly positive. Everybody loves everything in camp right now, right? That's right. I love our roster.

I love her makeup. You have to remember. Leagues getting younger. So coaches are in this space where they're in the teaching and development space. Coaches love that. There's not as much pressure. Most of these guys got into it, not thinking they were going to be NFL coaches.

So I think, you know, high school, college, wherever they've coached, been coordinators. It's a very, it's a fun time for coaches because you really, like a Mike Tomlin, you can take a fifth round guy and all of a sudden in four weeks, you're like, he's going to get big time snaps. I think it's a fun time to be a coach as you cross your fingers with health. So it is a, it is a, there's no good news necessarily from my vantage point. from a coaching perspective, this is teaching time. And they don't,

it's like in college football. You know, they spend so much time recruiting. College coaches are like, God, I can't wait for the games. But in the NFL, you have a lot of games.

You have 17. You have three preseason. You have a potential for a playoff. You have like 20-some games. College, it can be a little more than half that. So I think with the playoff, you're going to get more games. I just think right now is a fun time to be a coach.

The whole Rams thing, I'm going to have to revisit the Rams because we're doing NFC playoff teams today. What am I missing? Are they really? He said Super Bowl for the Rams. I'm like, I think the same thing.

I thought playoffs would be like a great accomplishment. First of all, you would acknowledge, everybody listening to this show are watching, it is 70% of this league as coach quarterback. Yes. They're A plus at both. Right.

Great owner, excellent drafters. don't have a lot of whiffs in the last six, seven years. So last year, this year, their first two picks, because they knew Donald was leaving. So last year, they go get in the third round, they get two defensive players in what was perceived as a weak draft. This past draft was good. The one before was a weak draft. Both the guys hit. This year, they got first round picks and second round picks in what's considered a strong draft.

And according to camp reports, the two Florida State kids are four. real. So now you've got four guys up front, young, inexpensive, aggressive, and healthy to replace one great player. So if you really follow them closely, and so far, according to camp,

they have been, those Florida State guys can play. Listen, I'm not a Rams hater. I know I didn't think they'd be good last year. I did go to the NFC championship game at SoFi against the Niners. Me and the fam ducked out in Rams gear. We were excited. Like, I like the Rams. I just don't see it,

Yes, the offense is it could be good. I don't see how you can remove one of the greatest defensive players of the last decade. Okay. Who's getting double and triple teamed on every play. Let me ask you this. And all of a sudden be better defensively. Kansas City lost Tyree Kill, back-to-back Super Bowls. Totally different.

Outside a quarterback, everybody's replaceable. I mean, well, wait a minute. Reggie White left the Packers. Reg he won a bunch of it last year. I mean, yeah, he's... He's now in Atlanta. You lose your defensive coordinator and your best defensive player, and all of a sudden, the defense is not going to have a massive drop.

Well, I mean, Sanford, Cisco last year, lost their coordinator to the Texans. The replacement did not work. They had major injuries, lost their safety, and they were still great. If your quarterback and coach are good, I mean,

Kansas City last year, who was their number one and two receivers? They didn't have one. Rishie Rice was like a three, and they won the Super Bowl. So my argument is if the coach and the quarterback are good, and the other thing about the Rams, they have really smartly

their offensive lines really good. Like guard, center guard, one of the best in the league. So again, they also went and got Blake Corum from Michigan. And like him. So in Kyron Williams, did you see he made the top 100 players in the league? Like players think he's great, the Notre Dame kid. So now you're going to have two star backs. McVeigh is viewed as like this pass happy guy.

It's the opposite. If I ever have a criticism of McVeigh, sometimes I'm like, Sean, open her up. He wants to run the ball. And even the jet sweeps. He wants to run the ball. I think the Rams are really good. Okay. Could be wrong, but that's the fun of this, right?

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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 what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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,

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Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years. from black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast,

Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,

we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, 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, is 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. Hey, Julian Edelman, one of our favorite guests,

always great stories. They'll be stopping by last hour here on a Friday, plus J-MAC's tomorrow's headlines today, one of our favorite segments, the last segment Friday every week. Here is J-MAC with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. We started first hour with some negative injury news with the Chargers, and now we have Seattle, where Gino Smith underwent testing on hip and knee injuries after missing the last two practices. Not great. New head coach Mike McDonald acknowledged that Gino got banged up a little bit on Tuesday. And the most recent update from Adam Schaefter indicates nothing significant, and they don't expect Gino to miss any time.

Colin, how's he getting banged up at practice? Why don't you go to Seahawk Camp? You ever been to Kirkland? It's gorgeous. That's one of the nicest practice facilities in the country. Kirkland, they produce a lot of stuff at Costco, right? Kirkland Water. I don't think that.

They're a brand. Kirkland's a brand. I'm not sure if it's... Yeah, like a generic brand. Yeah, Kirkland is a little burb outside of Seattle. It's a lot of wealthy people. I didn't spend much time there. Rich people.

No, but that's where the Seahawks camp is. Nice facility. You're going to be in that area. Why don't you go out and hang out? Make a little time for the Seahawks. Do a little reporting. Seahawks could make my playoff wild card catch. You know, it's really fine.

I was talking to my buddy, John Middlakov, on this. I don't know. I think, first of all, I don't know the staff. The guy's brilliant. He's like the next Demico Ryan's, brilliant guy. Gino's more than capable of win 10 games in the NFC. We've seen it before. I think they underachieved last year.

Not a shot at Pete, but I thought their personnel was better than their record. Receiving core and running back room are excellent. I think they have some people up front. But you can't have Rams, Seahawks, and Niners in the playoffs. Yes, you can. How? You've also got Washington. You've also got like the entire Bears division.

Well, I don't have Seattle in yet, but I do think, they're one of those two, whenever a team is just not discussed. They're out of the mix. And you know they have good personnel. The last two drafts by John Snyder, in fact, I would argue the last, I think it's the last three. The last two have been spectacular, but the last three have been good. They have good young players. They're not paying anything to.

So I think one of the reasons Pete got in trouble there is there was a sense like this roster is better than this record. I think they could, I think Seattle is very interesting. I like their two deeps. Their receiving room is amazing. Their running back room is good. I think they're all line underachieve. It's just new offensive coordinator, new head coach. We'll see, but obviously you need Gino for that.

News's not bad. New stuff's not bad. It just depends how long it takes the team to get up to speed. Now, you want to go to bad. Here we go. New York Giants and more Daniel Jones negativity. So they could have traded up for a quarterback in the draft, but stuck with DJ. Co-owner John Mara spoke at training camp yesterday and said he doesn't regret the Danny Dimes extension.

Oh, boy. I'm still happy we gave him that contract because I thought he played really well for us in 22. Last year he got hurt. And, you know, let's be honest, when he was playing, we weren't blocking anybody. So let's give him a chance with a better offensive line with some weapons around him to see what he can do. I was nervous about giving up too much to go and get a quarterback, but I was prepared

to let him do that if that's what they wanted to do. we made a decision to stay with Daniel and he had a weapon for him and I think that's going to work out for us Did you hear the first thing he said? I'm so happy we gave him that extension He was great in 2022 You're not paying for what they did

You're paying for what they're going to do Well was he great in 2020 The playoffs you know I know the numbers were middle-old Okay let's go look The worst defense in the league in 22 Was Minnesota's They've pushed him He played them twice

if you take out the Viking games, I believe. Again, this is memory. If you take those two Viking games out and look at his numbers, he was not good. Did they get smashed by the Eagles by like 30 in the playoff game? Yeah, they, again, it does matter who you play. Like Atlanta this year, I think could win 12 games. I don't think Atlanta's great.

But I think they could have a great record and be very productive because they're not facing, they're not facing very good rosters and defense. It goes back to your, I think you, hit it on the head. And I don't know if anybody's come out and actually reported this, is that Mara was so desperate to find the next Eli Manning. He looks like Eli. Southern kid, David Cotcliffe, nice kid, very polite. We're back. We're in the playoffs. Let's give him the money. Good arm. Well, the air thing is, Jay Glazer said this for years. It's a miserable

league if you don't have a quarterback. Yeah. Like the Raiders this year have two quarterbacks, they know are not the future. That's the only team in the league that has, like, doesn't have a guy in the roster that they think is the guy. And so, you know, let's be fair. There's some things about the Giants I like. Neighbors, the rookie, is going to be great. I think their defensive front's good. I like their coach.

I think their defensive line overall is pretty stout. You know, they're not a great roster. But even when the Giants were winning Super Bowls, they've never lit the scoreboard up. They've always been the accounting firm of the league. They win when it's usually defense, running game, and efficiency. But just remember, this is a team. Look at Daniel Jones.

signing the extension. Again, O-Lines bad, but it's not that bad. Listen, they lost Sequin Barkley, who was their best skill position player. I know they have neighbors. He's a rookie. Even if he's like Jamar Chase is a rookie, you're going to need, like, a lot of help around him. It sounds like

Evan Neal, the kid out of Alabama that they drafted is just unable at all to play tackle. Like, it was just a massive way. Not even right tackle. Just a complete way. You got to play him at guard or nothing. So listen, I know Giants fans are upset that we're piling on. They are really putrid right now. This is just a rotten

team. And we're piling on them now because we're not going to talk about bad teams during the season. I mean, unless we're fading them on your Friday. No, I mean, by week four, we've moved to about 15 teams. 12. 15's probably right. The ones with a good quarterback. You could start one in three and turn it around

schedule. Right. But I mean, I always feel like by week, you kind of know by week four or five, you're like, yeah, New Orleans isn't very good. Carolina is not. We move off those teams. By the way, have you just Are you going to do week one blazing five? No, I told you. 100%.

Definitely not doing it. I told management. Because management came to me and said people really like it. It's one of people's favorite segments. And I said, yeah, it's one of my favorite segments. I want to get it right. So the NFL no longer play starters in the preseason. Week one last year, I went 0 and 5.

Week 2, I had a better sense. I went 04 and 1. If you take out those weeks, I hit like 63% on the year. I was red hot. I literally had a contrail. as I walked around the building. He's on fire. Why don't you do a blazing three then instead of a blazing five in week one?

First of all, go bigger, go home. Oh, come on. How about a blazing two and a half and a cover? You got to go. Blazzen week one, week one, lock city, take it to the bank. Just one game. That's not hard in week one. You say, you know what you sound like?

Management. That's what they were pushing. Just one? So what I'm going to say is, so here's the, I thought about doing this. Here's a blazing five. It doesn't count. But if it goes five and oh, you cannot do that. If it goes five and oh.

So I have to figure out eight minutes to fill on the first Friday. Okay. How about this? People liked our draft for the over-unders. I don't know. Did you see the comments on Instagram? I know. I know.

I know. People are freaking out. We could alternate the games we like best in week one with the lines, as opposed to you have a, here's my five, you know, and you risking a number. another 0-and-5 start. I don't know. You're a little nervous. It was, it's one thing. First of all, I don't think I've ever had a winning week in week one.

And I think I've had a one, three, and two week. I'm watching the games like everybody else. I'm watching for trends. I have no idea what I'm going to see. I always bet week one. But last year it's like, I have no idea what I'm watching. Like I used to literally watch preseason football, a lot of it. Week three was like half a game.

Nobody plays anybody. They're not even playing rookie quarterback. Can you imagine me going to play in one of my men's league games that I missed my first five shots? And I'm like, oh, guys, I don't have it tonight. I'm not shooting anymore. No way. You got to keep firing, Coward. Hey, Wes, go to my social accounts.

See, let the audience vote. Should I? Should I do a week? There it is. Start the poll. Or because of circumstances, remember, when we put it out there, people spend money on the picks. Yeah, and you feel bad, you know. I don't want to go on five for me in the audience.

I'm trying to get winners. I've said I've been doing this for a long time. The number one thing people say to me when they come up to me, me for about seven months a year. Isn't a good rant or a great interview? Hey, ladies in five, won me some money. I literally is the most talked about thing. So I'm not going to go up there unprepared and just throw up tomato cans.

But you've also got the new gum, which is going to influence everything, right? The new gum is, it may be almost a superpower in betting. I have more perception, laser focus. Final story, Green Bay Packers, you love them. I mean, you're all about Jordan Love and the Packers. Well, Colin, currently they are tied with the Jetson Cowboys for ninth best Super Bowl odds plus 1,800. But that didn't stop cornerback Jair Alexander from this bold proclamation on Tuesday. You have a feel of what his team can accomplish this year based on what you've seen so far?

I mean, you know, it's hard to say right now, man, but, you know, at the end of the day, I see us hoisting that trophy on my birthday, February night. Ooh, that's hot right there. That's a hot take. Not really. We're going to win the Super Bowl and we're going to hoist it. I don't think it's a hot take. I think it's very possible.

I think they're really good. I think they're really good. By the way, the staff, they think they're very funny. They put on my screen, why don't you call it the Blase 5? I don't think that's funny. But if I do the Blase 5, at least they bring down expectations. No. How about just pick the biggest games?

Pick Thursday night football. Well, then it's not on Friday. You picked the Sunday night game, the Monday night game. I'm going to get talked into this. I know it. Yes, you are. Your pressure, baby. Heat from upstairs.

J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie News. Julian Edelman around the corner of The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard Radio app. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlie.

the podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it,

I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Ghalib on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win. 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 and 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-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 with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day but just so y'all know I mean at this point Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack so I'm starting to see

there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now so Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important year for black people Really?

Yeah for me it's one of the most important years for black people in American history Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, 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, our heart radio app. Search learn the hard way and listen now. Fox, the baddest superstars on the planet are unleashed in prime time for WWE Friday Night Smackdown. Don't miss Network TV's biggest spectacle live at 8.7 Central on Fox.

J. Mack kind of freaked out, didn't know what to make of it when the very well-connected Albert Breer went to the Rams camp and said this out. afterwards. I may pick the Rams to go to the Super Bowl. I would not be surprised if this team gets off to a hot start and has a big swing in them. Now, I don't know where they take that swing. It's hard to predict who will be available trade-wise in October. Say, like the negotiation, what Patrick Sartan doesn't go well, you know, over the next month. Do the Rams pick up the phone and offer a couple of first-round picks for someone like him? Like, that's the sort of thing I could see materialize. The Rams with the flexibility that they have. And the teams, team that they have could be in a position where, you know, we're looking at another type of big swing

and another sort of go-for-and-move from the group when we get, you know, closer to the trade deadline. So I'm real bullish on where the Rams are going into the fall. If we ranked in a quarterback coach league, if you ranked, coach quarterback combos, read Mahomes one, Stafford McVeigh, too, why wouldn't I have them as an elite team? I said this last year. Last year was a rebuild. I don't think they're rebuilding. I don't think a team that's a play away from getting to the NFC championships and a rebuild. I don't think they're rebuilding. Last year, the Packers, a very, very young team won a playoff game and could have won a second.

The Rams are a very young team defensively. Defensively. They're not young offensively. Cooper Cup, Rob Havenstein, Matt Stafford, Tyron Williams, Tyler Higby. They got veteran guards. It's a real team. They're a veteran offense, young, fast, inexpensive defense. That's what, by the way, that's what the chiefs are doing, if you've noticed this. They pay for offense.

Joe Tuny, Mahomes, you know, they'll go pay for a tackle. Travis Kelsey, outside of Chris Jones, they're young and inexpensive on defense. Good defensive coordinator, young and inexpensive. That's what a lot of offensive teams are doing. If you look at the Niners, they pay for Debo, they pay for Trent, they pay for McCaffrey. You know, they pay for Kettle. They're going to pay for IUC very soon. So, you know, injury is a big thing for you with other teams,

and you point out, is he going to be healthy? Is he going to be healthy? We don't know. Well, Stafford and Cooper Cup have both had a lot of injuries in the last couple years. Tredavius White, their big quarterback pickup, coming off a major injury. I think Kyron Williams was banged up last year. They had too many carries, yeah. Yeah, so, like, Colin, I think you have to factor in injuries to this team.

I know they did upgrade at guard with the kid. They stole from Detroit. I'm spacing on his name. Jackson, I think. But, like, they've got a lot of potential injury concerns, which, you know, I don't think you're being consistent with your injury takes on the next. Well, that's why they drafted Blake Corum. They wanted to give Karen Williams more of a break, so they established that. They went and got Colby Parkinson at tight end because of Tyler Higbee's,

the tight end injury. So they went and got a running back tight end in both those spots because of that. And they drafted interior offensive linemen in case they have that. So they really addressed at the top of the draft, it was defensive studs. The rest of the draft, they were drafting people who could bet they went and got a receiver from Texas. Just in case. 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 helped make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day. and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing

all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard 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. 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. 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.