The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Zach Wilson, Niners, Lawrence

Episode Date: September 8, 2022

It's looking like Colin was right about Jets QB Zach Wilson When might the 49ers move off of Trey Lance? What can we expect from Jags QB Trevor Lawrence this season?   Guest: Greg CosellSee 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to the Clifford show on the 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. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Sports Radio.

Here we go. It is a Thursday NFL opens tonight. Buffalo Bills of the L.A. Rams. We're in L.A. It's the herd wherever you may be. However you may be listening, iHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, the great Greg Co-Sell every Thursday.

This point forward next 20, 21 weeks. Top of our number two. J. Mack is joining us. So it has been, it is fun. Last year you got the Braves and Georgia football winning a World Series and a Natty. It's a great energy, right?

How about a few years ago you had, I don't know if it was the same year, but the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. Villanova, which is downtown Philadelphia won. It's just great for the city. Oh, yeah. Tampa, the Lightning won the Stanley Cup and the Bucks won. It feels great. You get lucky sometimes.

Boston had a run about 10 years ago, It felt like the Red Sox were winning. Celtics, Paul Pierce beat the Lakers. Patriots. But it's been a bad decade in New York. Here we go. It's been a bad decade. The Knicks have had one playoff series within a decade.

The Mets have mostly been a circus. Cross your fingers for this year. The Yankees, with all their money, haven't won a World Series. Disappointed for a decade. Brooklyn Nets felt good for an hour. Then they imploded. They're en masse.

The Jets and the Giants. the Giants have the third and fourth worst winning records in the last decade. Jets haven't made the playoffs in 11 years. It has been a lost decade in New York. All that money and all that fame and all that glamour and all those losses. It's been terrible. Nick thought they were going to get Donovan Mitchell. Here come the Braves.

The Met are now struggling. And now Zach Wilson is out for a month. It's a bummer. Now, it's always fun for me because you don't really care about guards, tight-end, safety. these linebackers. It's fun. When the quarterbacks come out in the first round, I take a stand. I go big. And when I fail, when I'm wrong, Sam Donald Carson went, oh, you love to remind me. It's fun. I like it. But when I'm right, Tim Tebow, you were all gasping for air with Tebow, and I rolled my eyes. I told you Johnny Mansell can't play in the league. James Winston's talented. He'll be productive,

but he's too goofy. He's got lousy judgment. Cam Newton was overhyped. Mitch Trimis He's a big mistake. Baker Mayfield, too cocky, undiscipline. Right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right. Those tapes seem to disappear. It looks like I'm right on Zach Wilson. I said, of all five guys drafted, the one that worried me the most. Because we know all five, I told you, Trevor Lawrence is going to win. He's going to succeed.

I don't care what happens. Even in the Jacksonville situation, there he goes. He's the guy. Saw him in high school. And I said, everybody else, you know, I said, Mack Jones, I don't think there's much of a ceiling, but it'll probably win pretty quick because it's Belichick. But I said, Zach Wilson to me, he doesn't have a lot of things going in his favor.

In fact, I went and found the tape this morning. The Zach Wilson to me is the bust for so many reasons that seem obvious. Number one, Robert Sala is a rookie head coach in a division with three established excellent coaches. So you've got the fourth best head coach. I can argue it's the worst ownership situation. It is easily the worst offensive line. He's not the biggest guy.

I've talked about this. He's slender looking with a bad old line in a great defensive division. When he's good, he's good, he's bad. He's really bad. I said he was a little small, a little careless, played a little too much hero ball. It's two knee injuries in two years. Even in college, whenever they played a really good team like Utah or one Washington Husky team that had Chris Peart. Peterson, I think it was. It wasn't really that special. They didn't play as well against good

teams. So he had one really good game last year against the Titans. That was it. So I don't know. You don't want to call people a bus when they're 21 years old, but there were a lot of things working against him, the rookie defensive coach in a division with, you know, Buffalo stack roster twice a year. Belichick eats alive young quarterbacks. At the time, Brian Flores, I love. not to mention I don't trust the Jets ownership group. I have no idea if Robert Sala is one of these rare coordinators like Shanahan. That's a star. Or is he like 75% of coordinators?

He's just not ready for the job. So listen, the kids got talent. I think he's a little cocky, a little careless. I don't think he has a support system that's going to help him any. He's going to have to just overcome a lot of stuff in New York. And I don't know if he has the talent to do that. Josh Allen has the talent. Lamar Jackson, but Lamar and Josh ended up in excellent situations.

Trey Lance has ended up with a great coach and a great roster. So I'm not saying bust. What I'm saying is there were a lot of signs. There were a lot of signs on Tebow and Cam and Jamis and Baker and Mitch. I remember calling Greg CoSell on Mitch Trubisky. I said, I don't get it. You're the expert. I don't get it.

And let's bring in Greg CoSell 42 years at NFL. So, you know, I do worry. Zach was a little slender. You and I talked about this off the air. I said, you know, he kind of likes to get out and maybe he thinks he's a little better athlete than he is. Now I got a second knee injury in the second year. Are there things that worried you about Zach that you're now seeing? Well, you know, it's funny you say that because in talking to a lot of coaches, and obviously I studied him in detail,

he's a guy that coaches wanted a coach because look there's a lot of reasons you mention that are not based on on the field and football stuff but most people including myself saw light feet he's a good athlete he's got a live loose arm now there was a concern that there was a little bit of a recklessness and undisciplined nature to his play and i'm certainly not comparing him to patrick mahomes but there was a concern about patrick mahomes with the same thing as you probably probably probably remember Colin when he came out. And obviously that seems silly now based on what he's done through the first, what, four years as a starter, I think it is. So, you know, I think it's too early with Zach Wilson. I'm a big believer in coaching. I'm not there every day, so I don't know how that goes. But there's a talent level that is there.

I mean, he is an easy, loose thrower of the football. Most thought, people, you'd respect tremendously. I respect tremendously that of the quarterbacks that came out, the top five in the top 15 that were drafted, that he was the best thrower in that group. Yeah. For whatever that's worth. Now, there's so much more to playing quarterback, obviously, and all those other things. We don't know for sure.

But he's injured. The injury thing is a factor that is concerning because he's only a second year pro, and he's now forced to sit out already. So let's talk Trey Lance. I saw college tape and then I saw I play twice last year and I was talking to somebody last night who I respect. I said it's never going to be pretty

with him, but that's okay. It was never pretty with Philip Rivers. It doesn't have to be beautiful. Not everybody throws like Kyler Marie and Joe Burrell. Like I get it. Have you seen, what do you expect? What have you seen in the development? Well, the reality is he hasn't played a lot of football in two years. So I would expect it to be a process. I think there's a couple of things

to look for. I don't want to say they're concerns. They're just things he'll have to work through. One, I think he needs to be far more precise with his ball placement on a consistent basis. One thing we know about Kyle, Colin, is that he defines the reads and the throws for the quarterback extremely well. So the throws will be there to be made. The other thing that he's going to have to work through is in a very structured offense. I mean, think of the 49. manner offense the last number of years with Jimmy G who could not really move particularly well. It's a highly structured offense. And Trey Lance has a tendency to leave the pocket too early, to break down and disrupt the timing of the routes and the route concept and leave throws

on the field because of that. So these are things to look for. Now, he also gives you other things theoretically that Jimmy G doesn't give you, but I think it's going to be a work in progress. So, you know, it's funny about Tua. If you look at the numbers, if you'd never seen him play and knew that he had a defensive coach and a bad offensive line, which he did, if you look at the numbers, you'd be like, it's not terrible. He's kind of accurate. Then you see him.

He's not going to do much off script. He's kind of small. His deep ball sometimes can die a little. But it is, you know, he did have a bad old line. He did have a defensive coach that he apparently didn't get along. with. So give me the Tua you have watched now for a couple of years. Do you see improvements? Or is it kind of, this is what he does, and he's just going to do this very well? Well, I think he is what he is, and I think he's in a perfect situation. Because with this offense, what you're going to get is a lot of

quick game, the RPO's. What Tua is, he's got really quick feet on his drop and set in the pocket. He's very accurate in the short to short to intermediate areas. If you can define those throws with RPO's with bang play action and get the ball to great run after catch receivers like Wad on Hill. That's his game. He is not a sit in the pocket on his back foot, drive the ball down the field quarterback. And I think as he gets more comfortable, you will see him work through progressions better. So I think he's in a great situation. Look, think of of Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco. He's been an easy whipping boy for a lot of people, but Garapolo made a lot of really difficult throws between the numbers. He was asked to do that,

and he did it really well. And I think Tua can do that. You're right about his deep ball, loses energy on the back end. He's not that kind of thrower. I don't think there's a mystery as to what Tua is. I think he needs a scheme and a system to present him with the throws, and I think this will do that. So what did you see? I would have given Kenny Pickett the start. He looked comfortable. He's got a little whip.

But they saw something in Mitch Tribesky. He was named Captain. Did you see the same thing on film where you said, well, Tribusky is better at Blank than Pickett? No. And again, we don't know the reason that Trubisky's the starter. You know, Trubisky, I think, is another guy that there's not a lot of mystery to what he is. He's got excellent movement ability.

He's what we call a locked front leg thrower. So he can't really drive the football. So he's a limited passer. But he can move. It's not a very good all line. Obviously, they want the run game to be a factor. But I will say this, Colin, you know, their run game, you know, Naji Harris last year until either the last or second to last game of the season,

he only averaged about 3.6 yards of rush until that game. And he's a volume runner, and they're going to need more production in the run game for that run game to be a big factor. 3.6 is not going to get it done in this league if the foundation of your offense is the run. Now, I think with Rubisky, they probably feel more comfortable with him right now with the design, boot, play action, pass game, those kinds of things. We're not there. I personally not being there, I would start Kenny Pickett, but, you know, they'd, chose not to. So there are quarterbacks that you have to scheme certain things. There's limitations. Jared Goff, certainly capable. And then there's guys like Mahalms or Herbert. They're going to make

plays. Jalen Hertz may be a guy that he doesn't have a great arm, not super accurate. You may have to scheme some things, but Nick Seriani in the first year did. And now they've got a much better receiving corps than they had. So I'm fascinated by year two Jalen Hertz. What do you expect? What are you seeing? And I am too, to be honest with you, because I did a deep dive on Hertz over the summer. And I thought he improved as the season went on. And you're going to see a lot of just what you said, very defined route concepts, probably half-field concepts, which is what they did a year ago.

So he's only working with half the field. You'll see RPO's. You'll see quick game throws. You're going to see defined reads so that he can deliver the ball confidently from the pocket. And then, of course, just what you said, you do have the movement, which you're seeing here. He can move and throw. Even in the run game, you're going to see the zone read elements, the design runs. You're going to see that.

That puts stress and pressure on a defense. He may never be a precision thrower, Colin. You and I would probably agree on that. You know, we're not going to be talking about Jalen Hertz in four years as if he's Drew Breese. That's not going to happen. But the question is, what's the balance between his ability to, quote, quote, make plays versus his ability to make enough throws within the structure of the offense. And that remains to be seen.

So one of the things I liked about Andrew Luck early, this was viewed as a weakness. I viewed it as a strength is that he could throw interceptions, two or three in a game, and he didn't care. He didn't let a mistake hamper or burden him. And it's one of the things I like about Trevor Lawrence. He threw a lot of picks last year. He doesn't, you know, recoil. He doesn't, it doesn't affect him the next series.

And I think when you're young, confidence is a big part of this. Maybe when you're old, it's confidence too. But I do expect Trevor Lawrence. They spent some money in free agency. They probably overpaid a little for Christian Kirk, but hell, he's productive. Doug Peterson knows he played in the league at quarterback. What do you expect from him? Yeah, this is a little bit of an enigma for me because, you know, Lawrence is talented,

but not super talented. Lawrence is not a great, great thrower of the football. He's a good thrower of the football. What I'm very curious about is how he works in the short and short intermediate game, which is a major part of Doug Peterson's offense because he's a big, long-legged kid who tends to be a strider. And he needs room to deliver the football. So I'm really anxious. He'll be better, no question. And I've been around Trevor Lawrence and he's a special kid. So you know he's going to do the right things to prepare and to be ready to play. But, you know, he became the product after winning a national championship as a freshman,

as if we've never seen a quarterback like Trevor Lawrence, which is unfair to him because he is talented, but he's not that guy, Colin. So I think he'll do well, but I think it will also be a little bit of a process with a brand new offense. All right. You can probably blame me for the hype on Trevor Lawrence. I'm probably to blame nationally for that. I never stopped for three years. So one of the things, I think Buffalo is really good, but I don't love their offensive line.

And last year, they were, I think, 0 and 6 in one score games. When they needed short yards, the Rams were 7 and 1 in those games. There is value in being able to get a push on 3rd and 2. They're very Josh, very Josh Allen reliant, whereas the Rams are not Matt Stafford totally reliant. So he always feels like he's a little on the move with this offensive line. what are expectations that are realistic in the growth trajectory for Josh Allen? Well, just a quick point. That's one reason they sign Roger Saffold. Roger Saffold is one of the best zone blocking offensive guards in this league and has been for a long time.

And I think they want their run game to be a bigger factor. Now, that doesn't mean Josh Allen won't run the ball in critical situations. But, you know, I think the O line will be better. But we know what Josh Allen can do when he feels. pressure. When you play Josh Allen, Colin, you do not want him moving to his right. I mean, that's the critical thing. When he moves to his right, he is truly special. You're seeing it right here. He ends up throwing it back across the field. But, you know, when you design your pressure concepts on third down in particular, you do not want him moving to his right. But Alan is, I mean,

he's very, very gifted. They've got an excellent receiving core. You know, this will be a good offense. You know, week one is so unpredictable, as you know, but there's not going to be anything wrong with the bill's offense as this season plays out. All right. Listen, Stafford's got a little tendonitis. He doesn't have Andrew Whitworth. What do you? And now he's got Alan Robinson, Van Jefferson, not quite ready.

I think this system is so quarterback friendly. It'll be fine. But in fairness, he did lead the league in picks last year. So, you know, he has his reckless moments. What do you expect? What will Stafford look like second? with McVeigh, Greg, in your opinion? Well, I think he'll look very good, but I think if you want to move this toward the game tonight,

he's going to face a Buffalo secondary, particularly at the corner position, that they're going to start a rookie and a young player in Dane Jackson who started for them, but they're inexperienced players. And I think what you're going to end up seeing is you're going to end up seeing a lot of zone coverage. I don't think you're going to see a lot of combination coverages, a lot of things that you need veterans for. Obviously, they've got as good as safety duo as there is in the league, but at the corner position, particularly on the outside,

that might be a concern for the game tonight. And I think you're going to see them have to try, I hate to use the word protect, but I mean, they can't just line up and match up man to man, which is tough against the Rams anyway because of their use of reduced splits, stacks, bunches. So I think Stafford is going to be comfortable in what he sees tonight, Colin.

And finally, we always do this. You bring us a play. Now, for our radio audience, it's a little harder to dissect. But for the television audience, it's really special. It's a couple of minutes of dissecting a play, making us all smarter, whether you love football, you play fantasy. So what is your play of the week? Well, I chose this play based on what I just said.

This is actually a play which we can run now from last year's NFC championship game, where Stafford hit Cooper Cup for a touchdown. And the reason I chose it is because of the coverage, what they'll likely see tonight. So you're going to see a three-by-one set, and cup here is the outside receiver to the boundary. Rarely is that the case. The back is offset to the side of cup.

Now, they're going to get quarters coverage to the trip side, but they're going to get cover two to the short side of the field. And so this becomes a high, low read, because you're going to get a flat route and you're going to get cup on the corner route. So for Stafford, he's going to work off the corner. The corner is going to tell him what his read is. And if the corner sits, which he does, right there you're going to see him sit. Then you're going to get the throw over the top to cup running his corner route because he's

outside of the cover to safety. He has leverage against the cover two safety. So this becomes a defined, relatively easy throw for Matthew Stafford. But I chose this, Colin, because I think you're going to see a lot of these zone concepts tonight from Sean McDermott and Leslie Frazier, because they're going to have a tough time matching up with young corners. But keep one thing in mind, even playing zone, there's a lot of gray area in zone, there's a lot of eye discipline involved. It's still not that easy.

So to me, that is really a determining feature of tonight's game. Greg CoSell, the first of many Thursdays, top of the second hour, as always virtuoso performance. Bravo. Greg, good seeing you again. Thanks, Colin. Appreciate it. You bet. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeard radio app. Search Hurd 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, 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, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions. my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement

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

So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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 a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you're not just so you're

y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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 Hardway with me, your host, and your Facebook. 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 Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. The NFL is back with a huge week one doublehead.

on Fox. First, the trade-lance era begins as the Niners take on the Bears then in America's game of the week. Reigning MVP, Aaron Rogers, lead the pack against Kirk Cousins and the Vikings. It all kicks off Sunday on Fox. I'm going to tell you a Fox game that's going to be better than everybody thinks. Okay. Eagles at the Lions. Have you checked the Lions injury report, Colin? This is what I do during commercial breaks. What's the Lions? It looks like they might have two starting offensive linemen down. That's like their biggest strength. Keep an eye on the center rag now as well. Like, if he's

down, that's a big loss. Eagles front, they just picked up Jordan Davis in the draft. The kid had a Georgia. Georgia. He's a monster. He looked good in the preseason. I was looking at lions, but I think Eagles are the side there. Okay. But that's a sneaky. I mean, we all know. Every game is good. Well, we know Rams

bills tonight. Those are heavyweight champs. And we know we know Russell will go back to Seattle. It's going to have a lot of flavor. There's a couple games you're like, eh. What, Jets Ravens, maybe? Not great. Eagles, lions, that puppy's coming down to the last series. Chargers, Raiders as well? Wild.

For different reasons, no defense. Now, now the Chargers did upgrade their defense. Kaleel Mack and J.C. Jackson, still not healthy off the surgery. It looks like he won't play. But Kalil Mack and Bosa coming against a Raiders offensive line, like that could be a bloodbath. Oh, I can't wait. All right. Here's J-Mac with the news.

No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, the Kansas City Chiefs lost a big part of their offense, obviously trading Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. Role players are going to step up, and if you play fantasy football, you've got to hear what Patrick Mahomes said

about a more balanced offensive approach. I think there's going to be a different player every single game that has the big game. It's not going to be just necessarily Tyreek and Travis every single week where it's like one or the others, having a big game or both. It's going to be every single week it's going to be someone different. So I'm sorry at all you fantasy football guys, but it's going to be, it's going to come from everywhere.

So you're going to have to kind of choose the right guy every week. This is what I've said. I don't doubt their production at all. I don't. I don't think they've made a living off having the ability to score quickly. You take out Tyreek, you take out that dimension. So, you know, 24-0, they trail the Texans in the playoffs.

You don't even care about it. Because they have the ability to just score fast. Here's the thing. They're going to have to... Mahomes can be very streaky in games. Bad early, great late. You're not going to get away with that. It's almost like a pitcher who doesn't have a 98-mile-an-hour, 99-mile-an-hour pitch, an out-pitch.

You can still win the game, but you don't five or six times in the game. Have the out-pitch. Tyreek gave you five or six moments in a game where if you needed fast yards to get a field goal before half, or fast yards to come back, he was the lightning in the league. So they've lost that. The numbers at the end of the year could look very similar. But they will not have that one-play bubble screen, 72-yard guy. He's not on the roster.

It's going to be death by a thousand short completions. Remember last year, defenses took away the deep play with the too high safety look, and Mahomes didn't want to take the underneath stuff. He's going to have to this year. Juju Smith-Schuster. I like the rookie Sky Moore. could have a nice season. Yeah.

I think people are a little low on the Chiefs, don't you? I mean, this is a team. I think four straight AFC championship games. They drafted the rush end from Purdue. Many believe he's going to pop. So he and Chris Jones. I think the division, I think they're all going to eat each other up. It'll look like the SEC without an Alabama, where everybody every Saturday,

it's just really physical teams. And so I wouldn't shock me if the team that wins the division has six losses. I think Denver's going to win it at 11 and 6. And that kid out of Purdue, if you missed yesterday's show, Furious George. It's a great nickname. All right, let's get to next story. Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence, teaming up with Doug Peterson. Second season in the NFL.

Rookie year, you know, he led the league in picks. Cocell is on Trevor Lawrence. But listen, this season with a new coach, they got a couple new weapons. Colin, there is some optimism here. Here's Doug Peterson. To see the improvement guys, of the guys that were. here and see how much better that we've gotten than obviously the new additions have helped a ton and just the whole mindset. I think the culture is really flipped and that's something that

doesn't happen overnight. So it's taken a lot of work by a lot of people and I think we're in a great spot right now and we just got to keep building on that. Trevor Lawrence on Doug Peterson. If you, if you, I've had the good fortune to be in his presence twice but really talk to him once. Greg Kosell said it. When you're around Trevor Lawrence, it reminds me a lot of being around Russell Wilson when he came into the league, you're immediately taken by his maturity. He's got this deep voice. He's 6'6. Looks you're right in the eye. He's just a really impressive person, in person. And so I think he may not have the arm of Mahomes, but boy, the total package on him, brains, athletic ability, arm, maturity, pre-snap. I mean, he's bright kid.

I like, and he's already married, so his life is stabilized. That matters. He's got a very stable. He was wearing a backwards hat there, Colin. Is that an issue for you? It is a warning sign for me, but I'm going to overlook it in his case. I'm not in love with it. I know historically you in the backward hats.

I'll try to get my people to get a hold of his people and just flip that. It is preseason. Now, in a regular season, I've been told he's going to flip it around. Unacceptable, right? Right. Christian Kirk is his big deep dirt. You know, under talked about the Doug Peterson, that ending in Philly was really ugly. Well, we found out that the owner was literally going into meetings on Monday

and telling Doug Peterson how to coach. So I don't blame that on Doug Peterson. Right. How do you factor that in? Like, he's going to be out for revenge because he won a Super Bowl there and then it was like kick to the curb in kind of an ungracious manner. I almost feel like this guy's going to be really locked in. I expect him to not appear like a first time coach some of these rookies, but he's been there before. I think they're going to be very good this year. No, I do. I think we have. I think we have. We have both said the Vikings and the Jags have a chance to be like shockingly good by November. You and I differ on the Saints.

I like them a little bit more. I don't. Week one could be ugly for them. We'll talk about that later. All right. Final story, Colin, Tray Lance, started quarterback for the Niners, not voted one of the team captains. Kind of rare for that to be a quarterback. Now, quick reminder, Jimmy Garapolo was a team captain the last three years in San Francisco.

You noted that. But Trey Lance, no big deal. That's a goal of mine. And then I don't think you can look at any six of those guys and be like, that guy's a bozo because those guys have all played football at a very, very high level. So, yeah, situations are different. I'm excited. I voted for every single one of those guys.

So I think each and every one of them deserves it. But yeah, it's definitely a goal of mine moving forward. But those guys have all proved it. And that's what this league is all about. I'll let you take the baton here. It's not, in this instance, when you don't know, much. It doesn't feel as bad because good God, they signed

Jimmy Garoppolo, and they do have, they weren't the Dolphins with Tua. This team has like Hall of Fame leaders, the best left tackle, the best tied end, arguably. They've got like real grown-up leaders. They've got seven guys named captains. I would like Tray Lance to be one. They're building the franchise around Traylands.

I would prefer, but it's not the end of the world. I'm going to give this... You love giving these guys the benefit of the doubt. When I trust the GM, I trust the coach, I like the players. There's lot to like Seattle now appears to be sort of looking toward next year. So you're going to get two wins there. So, and Arizona is a little noisy for my taste.

So it's hard. When I like your infrastructure, your owner, your GM, your coach, it's just, that is, that's 70% of the equation. But he said that he voted for all those guys. I get that. But does that mean nobody voted for Trey Lance? None of the teammates think he could be a captain? Let's not be too.

I mean, listen, 49ers fans were coming after me on social media. Well, what about Debo Samuel, Jason? I was like, that guy tried to get out of town a couple months ago. Stop! Like, come on. They're building the franchise around trade lands. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news.

And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. 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, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight Fire! This isn't your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day.

Straightfire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sports book and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre 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. Clipper Taylor, the Follinger.

forth. 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-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 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 on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

Thank you 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 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, 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, our heart radio app. Search learn the hard way and listen now. The numbers don't lie in the last decade. Over 4 million people have chosen SimplySafe home security to protect their home.

Simplysafecollan.com. C-O-L-I-N. So there was a, I like surveys. Big fan of surveys. So The Athletic is a subscription service just purchased by the New York Times not long ago. They had a big survey. I like these kind of surveys. They took 18 people, mostly general managers and NFL executives. And who's going to win the MVP?

And so Josh Allen got the most votes. But Aaron Rogers, with no number one receiver, with no number two receiver, with a left tackle coming off an ACL tear, Alan Lazard may not play in the opener, tight end coming off an ACL tear, got more votes than Joe. Burrow, who has weapons everywhere. Tom Brady did not get a vote.

He got more votes than Patrick Mahomes, who has an offensive genius, to me now, a better offensive line, a much better offensive line, the best tied in in football, and a variety of weapons. But Aaron got more vote. Brady didn't get a vote with all those weapons in Tampa, and a terrible division. At least Green Bay has to play Minnesota twice. So there's four groups, mostly four groups, that judge talent. There's fans.

Well, fans can be right, but fans are too emotional. Fans short for fanatic. Fans love their teams. Fans can't see straight. So I don't listen to fans when it comes to like personnel. There's the media. I listen a little, but a lot of media is very local, very regional. They have agendas.

You know, their guys are always the best. So I don't listen to media much. There's players. Well, good hell. Players are overly loyal to their buddies. Russell Wilson's the 61st best player in the league. Better than Dak or Dak's better than him, according to players. Give me a break.

And then there's execs. Most of my friends in the league are scouts or execs. Why? Because they're paid to be unemotional. They're paid to evaluate personnel. That's their job. And so when I talk to people, it's usually people in the league and I just ask him, is this guy good?

Is this guy good? What do you make of this? Why did the Patriots give up this guy? And that's, to me, my job is to be a conduit. I talk to them. I tell you what I hear. And blah, blah, blah. So that's the group I trust.

But even among executives, I think they still worship too much at the altar of Aaron Rogers. And I think everybody's life, yours, mine, everybody, our life has chapters. There's the struggling early Peyton Manning, the legend for 10, 12 years, Peyton, and then falling apart physically, still wins a Super Bowl, Peyton. So there's early Aaron Rogers. Early Aaron Rogers had something to prove. Wasn't rich.

A little more coachable. I thought was willing to risk it more. Was better statistically throwing the ball on the move. Here's a stat that's pretty obvious if people just dig into it. Aaron last year in the pocket completed 71% of his throws. Aaron on the move completed less than 50%. Aaron in the pocket is a great quarterback. Aaron on the move is not as good as he used to be on the move.

And this offensive line is his weakest offensive line to me in a decade. You just cross your fingers on David Bactiari's health. He's remarkable left tackle. The current Aaron isn't the early Aaron. He's now rich. He's got a little more ego. He talks about retirement all the time. It's been established.

He's never going to be Brady. The early Aaron, we thought it was possible. Many thought it was going to happen. It's over. He's never going to be Peyton. Statistically, he's never going to be Breeze. And I think Aaron knows that. And I think there's proof, 17 yards passing fourth quarter against the Niners.

He plays safe a lot. It's also been established. He's not as good playing from behind as Stafford. Look at the data. Mahomes. Look at the data. Burrow. Look at the data.

Brady. Career data. All quarterbacks are better playing with elite from behind, but Aaron's just not as effective playing from behind. And so I genuinely sort of lean on, I don't lean on fans. They're fans. They wear jerseys to games. I don't lean on the media a lot. They've got agendas. Players tend to be some are smart, but I mean, even LeBron is a bad GM. He wanted Westbrook. I lean on execs. And I think we have data. This is not college football. You play from behind all the time, all the time. Aaron's not great from behind.

And I think young Aaron has bled into older Aaron and the execs, I mean, I look at this survey and I'm like, Brady got no votes. Let me tell you five minutes left, they each get one drive. Who are you taking this year? Brady with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, or Aaron Rogers, who last year threw for 17 yards in the fourth quarter at Lambo with Alan Lazzard. You're going to give him three first place votes for the MVP. Brady didn't get one. Burrough only got one. Mahomes only got one.

So I think people's lives have chapters. And I think Aaron's first chapter was not a lot of ego, something to prove, wasn't rich. I think the older Aaron, you got to coach him on what he's willing to do. Also, and you have to consider this, old Aaron's very expensive. So there's limitations on what you can surround him with offensively. You know, he makes $33 million a year, not $50. They have a better receiving corps. They just don't.

So, yeah. And the other thing is, he does not throw moving. And this, by the way, this was true of Big Ben, Cam Newton. For quarterbacks that are athletic, first seven, eight years in the league, outside of the pocket, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson is often your strength. You're often better. It's a little backyard football. Aaron Rogers then gets popped a couple of times, collarbone surgery.

Aaron doesn't throw the ball as well out of the pocket as he does in the pocket. That's just the reality. We also have truth. he is a little less risk averse. He's a little more risk averse over the course of his career. You know, some guys, Burroughs a let it rip guy. Alan, Brady, Brady doesn't give a rip about interceptions. He's got all the rings.

Tom doesn't give a rip about interceptions. Burrow doesn't give a rip about interceptions. Andrew Luck didn't care. Aaron cares. Aaron absolutely cares. And I think that's the current Aaron. And I still think even from executives who are paid to be unemotional, I kind of feel that sometimes.

I sort of feel it. So tonight is your NFL opener. I can't wait. Now, college football this weekend, it's Texas, Alabama. We have talked about this. You can kind of predict what's going to happen in college football. So I think it's really interesting because there's two games that are really interesting that if Texas gets blown out this weekend and I subscribe to the 38, 23,

they're going to get beat up a little bit. They got a young quarterback, young old line. Bama's played in a million of these games. This is Sark's second year. He's building the culture. Alabama's culture has been built for 12 years and rolling downhill. So it'll be interesting when Texas loses, and if they lose by three touchdowns, Monday morning, Sunday morning, people are going to freak out.

Go into the weekend realizing. It was Pete Carroll, middle of a second year that popped. It was Alabama. kind of middle of his second year, Nick Saban popped. It was Kirby Smart, middle of second year. Dabo, Sweeney, fourth year. Now, the transfer portal can help solve some issues.

Some, Lincoln Riley has solved some of their offensive issues. The second story this weekend in college football is going to be Lincoln Riley. That'll be the second one. So they blow through rice. Rice isn't very good. Stanford, it's at home. They're not cutting the grass. They're going to let that puppy grow.

They're going to try to slow this game down. Stanford's got a ton of senior starters. USC outside of the interior offensive line has almost no senior starters. They're a very young sophomore, junior-driven team. Even some freshmen playing, redshirt freshman. Stanford's got seniors. They're at home. They're going to slow it down.

So it's going to be a very, very competitive game. I think USC wins to nine-point spread. But my two reactions for Sunday morning in college football, Sarks lost, he doesn't know what he's doing, and see Lincoln and Riley, they struggle to beat Stanford. Just prepare yourself for it. But remember, if you go to the legends of the game, not even average coaches, if you go to the legends of the game in college football, the Pete Carroll's, the Nick Sabins, Dabo Sweeney's, these, Dabo just signed a contract like $12 million a year,

I think yesterday or this morning or something. You guys, it was year two, it was year three. Dabo, it was year four. Sark's going to work at Texas. Lincoln Riley is going to win a lot of games at USC. But I think this weekend it'll be turbulent for both. And I love that. You really like Texas to hang around Alabama.

15. It feels like a close game. No, no, no, no. I think it's going to be very obvious, very early. Okay. That they have a bunch of freshmen up front. and you're going to see it very quickly, and their quarterback is talented,

but makes mistakes, and you're going to see that very quickly. Freshman left tackle against Mr. Will Anderson. And a young quarterback against the best defense, arguably outside of Georgia and college football. When it comes to investing in gold, safeguard your portfolio with legacy precious metals. Go to legacy p.m.investments.com, hour three next.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 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 I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Cliford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast,

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

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

podcast. Guaranteed human.