The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - NFL QB Tiers

Episode Date: September 3, 2024

Looking at the top QBs in the NFL and what to expect from them this season   Guest: Mike SandoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports. Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, Mike Sando, a very talented

senior NFL writer for the athletic. He comes out with his quarterback tiers. He interviews coordinators, executives. It's anonymous, right, so people will let it rip and he's joining us now live. Mike Sando covered the league since the late 90s.

So I want to give the audience, this is fascinating to me, because there's a couple ones here I just disagree with. So the tier one is, I don't have a problem. Mahalmsboro, Allen. I tend to think Matt Stafford, when healthy is in there, I love Lamar. But that's okay. Tier two, I got Lamar, Stafford, Herbert, Roger, Stroud, but you're also, you know, you're putting in Brock Purdy. And I think he's really a hard player for me to evaluate, because, you know, I've said this before, they gave him a Mercedes in the keys and said, basically, just don't run it into a tree. There's a lot of light lifting here. So you tell me,

you talk to all these executives. What do they see about Brock Purdy to put him in the same tier as Aaron and Matt Stafford? I think what happened, Colin, is that Tier 1 shrunk. We've never had only three in there since, I think, 2016. So all these guys that you're talking about who either have been in Tier 1 or super close, Lamar, Herbert, Stafford, Rogers, I agree. They feel like they're in a different category. They're like Tier 1.5.

And then if you go in kind of a, you know, you've got strong. Stroud on the rise and Prescott on there, but the guys in the bottom of Tier 2, Goff, Hurts, Purdy, Cousins, Jordan Love, moving up. I'm with you. I feel like that's a separate tier within Tier 2. It's the way the votes come down. It's the way the votes come down. You have to have a majority of Tier 1 votes to get into Tier 1.

What that meant this year was a bunch of guys who are super close, just are leading the way in Tier 2, but I agree that I think there's a distinction. Okay, so Tier 3 is fascinating because Tua and Trevor Lawrence and Kyler Murray are at the top. But there is a sense to me based on this, that people in the NFL, Mike, people that I would probably respect have kind of bailed on Trevor Lawrence and they're saying, hey, kid, it's not on them. It's on you. I mean, Tier 3 has also got Gino Smith and Russell Wilson in it. So what you tell me, what is the evaluation on Trevor Lawrence? Has the bubble burst? I think what happened is people have lowered what they think the ceiling is.

I mean, they understand he was hurt last year, but when you're around long enough, and look, we can put all the qualifiers in there, Urban Meyer, it's all legitimate. But this is even happening a little bit to Justin Herbert, who people think more of. When the team success, whatever the reason is, your defense, your injuries, if enough years go by when you're super-hyped guy with all the talent, they start to ask, okay, what's missing? How come we didn't seem a little more here or there? So I think all that's it.

That's what that is. He fell down six or seven spots from Lawrence did from last year. I think he can go back up with just a healthy season. But you look at the top of tier three, they're all guys paid a lot of money, you know, really to Lawrence, Murray Watson. They're all guys who their teams are saying, we can win because of you a little bit.

But this market survey is really what this is, is saying right now, the performance-wise, you're kind of in the win-weigh. with category, right? We better be pretty good around you. So it's interesting. I buy in to Jordan Love, but he's the last guy in Tier 2. So there's very little distinction between Jordan Love. In fact, he's lower than Brock Purdy. Now, the question becomes, has he done it long enough? I really bought in, and I was a critic.

I joked, I think I said this before to you, there was less footage on him than Bigfoot. You couldn't find practice footage for three years on this kid. I totally buy in now, but that tells me there's still doubters in this league, doesn't it? I don't know. The way I look at this, Colin, is a little bit of a delayed reaction snapshot. Think of people in the league. It takes a lot to impress them. You're going to move up, but you're not going to move all the way up.

They think the ceiling is high on Jordan Love. Of these guys at the bottom of tier two, they're betting on him to go higher and have a chance to threaten for tier one more than they're saying that cousins are purdy or hurts or golf can do it. They're just saying, okay, it's a short sample, it's a small sample. And he was up and down last year. It was a slow start, even late in the year, bad game against Tampa, you know, the last game of the year. So they want to see more, but this is a snapshot in time of a guy who is streaking higher on this

thing. And I think they're projecting that he's going to be even higher next year. So, Mike, I'm going to throw a theory at you that sports are cyclical. The NBA is a great example. It went from small ball to Biggs dominating the league in about a two-year cycle. It went from domestic stars to international guys. Sports are cyclical. Baseball, you know, it used to be the strikeout was a game ender.

Now it's the ground ball. And in the NFL, we all love mobility. But the inability for Lamar to win in January. Josh Allen, Kyler to stay healthy. I'm starting to look at this league, and CJ Stroud's a pocket guy, and Burroughs a pocket guy, and Stafford's a pocket guy, and golf's a pocket guy, and Purdy's mostly a pocket guy. And I look at the evaluation of Anthony Richardson,

and I do wonder, Mike, if we kind of fell in love with the aesthetic, I did, I watched Lamar Jackson, I rushed to a TV, that if the league is not moving back, it's not a full pivot, but an understanding that you'll win in the pocket in January, because I just,

when I look at Joe Burroughs in your tier one, and Lamar's not and neither as a trophy. Am I reaching here or do you believe there's a little pivot back to pocket guy? Well, but you've realized, you didn't ever forget this, but you're reaffirming in your mind a fundamental truth of football. At the quarterback position, the game gets reduced to having to beat the opponent from the pocket at its most difficult times. The other stuff can fall by the wayside.

It always does when the guys get older. don't see a lot of 35-year-old dual threaders out there, right, that everyone's preparing their game plan for. So that's a part of it. But the Tier 1 definition, and this has always been the sticking point for Lamar, who moved right to the edge. He's, he got way more Tier 1 votes than he ever has in the past. But the definition of Tier 1 is, I'm going to read, carries team each week, team wins

because of him, expertly handles pure pass. Pure pass means we have to pass. Right. Our play action game, our run game. that stuff does go out the window in the toughest times. And I've been emphasizing this for years in the tiers when people are like, the game has changed. Is that still a critical component?

I'm like, well, watch these games. Watch Baltimore scored 10 points against Kansas City. If Lamar loses that game and Baltimore loses that game, but he's 32 of 48 for 387, three touchdowns and an interception, he's in tier one. Yeah, that's right. I want to throw this at you You know, it's sometimes, especially for players who are so optically brilliant,

is that it's hard to let go of the past. I mean, to the very end, the late Kobe Bryant could do things that very few people on the planet could. He's 60 points in his last game. And I think we don't fall in love with efficiency. We fall in love with style. It doesn't matter if it's musicians, actor. We love style. And Aaron Rogers may have been, next to Dan Marino,

the prettiest quarterback I've ever seen throw football. It's just beautiful. It's art. But I'm going to make an argument that he's taken four snaps in 500 days. The last time I saw him in Green Bay, Mike, he was a pocket guy, is that this is a new version. I've seen practice video. You're not bouncing all over the place. This is a makeshift offensive line that starters didn't play a lot in the preseason.

Just you're kind of what you watch as much football as everybody. are we seeing the transition to for the first time acknowledging this is old different, Aaron. He'll look a lot more like Brady than he will Mahomes. I think that's a great observation. It's a great prediction. Also, he's playing on artificial turf. A year ago when the quarterback tears came out, somebody actually said that. Like, hey, watch out for the injury because look at the total number of games on turf he's played

when he was in the NFC North, almost never, rarely, a few a year. every week running around on that turf and pivoting and diving the way he used to falling on it. I don't see it. I'm with you. I think he's going to want to stand there and use his incredible arm talent, which I think is still there. Can he do that for 17 games behind that line on that surface? I'll believe it when I see it. Mike Sando, check it out. Writer at the Athletic. This is always one of my favorite columns of the year. And give the audience an update on all the people you talk to. Now, they're anonymous. You get your best stuff there. Tell people who you polled on this because it's a lot of legitimate peeps. Sure, seven GMs.

We had eight head coaches, 12 coordinators, a dozen other execs, which could be assistant GMs, you know, player personnel directors. I had eight other assistants. I think there were three in kind of the analytics bucket. So it's a good cross-section. It's for better or worse, this is the market analysis of what the league thinks of the quarterbacks right now. I loved it. Mike Sandow, as always Mike. Love having you on.

Thank you so much. and congrats on all your success. Thank you. You bet. Mike Sando, I love that. The tiers won. So they got, they have Trevor Lawrence in tier three. To me, that feels a little bit like people saying, okay, you could blame Urban Meyer for a year.

Okay. Doug Peterson beat Belichick in the Super Bowl. Can't blame Doug Peterson. I do think Jacksonville, Miami, week one is very interesting because I think this is the best Jacksonville roster. Last year, Trevor Lawrence was every week he had a different injury. So at the end of the year, I felt like he got, they started off well. They sputtered. Who do you like in that one?

Jags, Dolphins. I like Miami. My biggest total bet of week one is on the over here. If you watch Trevor Lawrence, he looks like a different guy in the preseason with the kid Thomas, the young guy from L.S. And Gabe David. They're going to be chucking the ball as opposed to this rinky dink ETN. It's Brian Thomas.

Brian Thomas. ETN, like in the flat and Evan Ingram four yard outs. They're going to actually spread the field. I think this is going to be a shootout with the Jags and Dolphins. That's going to be a great game. Like, listen, I can sell you on fast. falcons Steelers that you won't be able to pull your eyes away from that TV. Like, if the Falcons lose that game, Colin,

oh and one with Eagles and Chiefs on deck, and then your premonition of maybe number one seed and Kirk Cousins, are we calling for Michael Pennix come like week three? Like there's so many good games ahead this week. Oh, look at that slate. For our radio audience. Like, I won't be going out Saturday night. Will you? You're staying, you're not like boozing it up.

No, I'm not doing it. I'm watching football weekend long. Yeah. It's good. Total clarity. X-ray vision. It's not coming in. I mean, when's the last time you said,

Bears, Titans, I have to watch. Yeah, no, that's must-see TV. I'm curious, Vikings with Darnold, your guy, Darnold, and Kevin O'Connell against the Giants. It's going to be fun. Giants' defense at Front's good, secondaries and abomination.

It should be fun. Chargers line coming down. Did you see that? Money on the Raiders? I'm like, well, remember, week one is an effort week. Offenses can come in, a little tight defenses come in, hair on fire.

If I had to bet this weekend, generally September, the scores are up because the weather is perfect. But you watch some of these dogs play really good football. I do worry about, I like Denver this year, I do think that opener against Seattle and a sharp defensive coordinator, that is a tough opener for Bonex. That is a tough opener. I do want to remind people,

the last time the Raiders and Chargers played, Raiders, I think, hung like 63 on him. That was the game they quit on Staley. Is there a revenge angle for the Chargers here? All the guys left in the building. And Jim Harbaugh, you said effort week, week one? Who's more effort than Jim Harbaugh? He's not going to settle for anything less than a beat down.

I'm excited for the Chargers. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. On Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. 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.

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No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, the Lions are coming off one of the best seasons ever. In franchise history, they made it all the way to the NFC championship game. Tough loss to the 49ers after leading big early. despite all the success, Jared Goff got that massive contract extension. Dan Campbell says he's outperformed their expectations since they got him in 2021 via trade.

Campbell added, we ask him to do a lot, and we're going to ask him to do a little more than he did last year because he can handle that. He's proven that. Lions Ram season opener Sunday night football. Do you think Goff can get even better than he was? No, I think once McVeigh got his overall. arms around golf, and I think you see this with C.J. Stroud. Certain guys, I thought, I thought by the end of his first full year with McVeigh, I'm like, that's what he is. Not going to wiggle a lot. I knew he threw a beautiful ball. I always say Matt Ryan,

but a much better arm, better deep ball, needs protection in a run game, but I think he's been a very, for the last six, seven years, however many years, I think he's been a pro bowl level player. He throws one of the prettiest balls. He needs. a clean pocket. And so Detroit, the Rams, for his best years, had a great O line and a good run game with Todd Gurley. The Lions, similarly, there's a way he needs to excel. And both the Rams with McVey and Dan Campbell have seen that. He's one of those guys that you're like, listen, if we do this, he'll provide this. It's not like Lamar, where you can have, you can be missing people and Lamar does stuff off script. Well, in the regular season he does. He's not delivering.

Well, most quarterbacks don't win in January. Jared Goff had better playoff numbers than Lamar Jackson. That's just a fact. There's no question. In his career. But I think there are certain things Jared needs to excel, and both McVeigh and Dan Campbell have recognized that and provided those. Being indoors helps a lot.

It does. I'll just say, for me, the Lions question isn't Goff. It's that defense. Like, they couldn't get any stops when the Niners start storming back last year. Is it really improved outside of Aiden Hutchison, Colin? Any defenders, like, really scary you? I think they're pretty good in. the box. Their thing is, how many years have we been waiting for the secondary? It's been a lot.

And they invested in the off season. We'll see if it pans out. I like them in the opener. You obviously love the Rams. Next up, let's go back to Chief's Ravens Thursday night. What are we like? 60 hours away? Can't wait. She's obviously looking for the first three-peat in the Super Bowl era and everybody expects Taylor Swift to be there at the opener. Mahomes recently revealed how interested Swift is in football so much so she's been drawing up plays. with the Holmes adding, we might have to put that one in. Sometimes Andy Reid took a play from a janitor. She may be some sort of savant.

You just don't know. You know, I'm a Taylor Swift fan, so I went to the concert with my kids and wife. Listen, I know I come off as a Chief's hater, but the Taylor Swift angle makes them very likable, doesn't it? I mean, I feel like it's just an added element to the Chiefs. Sports should be fun. Right? Oklahoma Holmes is very fun.

Yeah, I mean, but I think they, I think they, I mean, Gronk was fun and they muted it. Yeah, but people hated the Patriots. They just didn't like. I think this is a very much like the Warriors. Or Kobe and Shaq and Phil Jackson. I think this is a very embraceable dynasty. I don't think Alabama was.

The Spurs were the Patriots where I don't. But I think this is, this is fun. It's a fun team. The Red Sox team, Cowboy Up. That was a fun team to embrace because of their history. The Cubs were a fun team, the World Series team. That's a fun team to embrace. Dynasties get old fast.

I don't know. Warriors didn't get old. You're right. That's a good one. Yeah. They were just cocky enough to be, you've got to have a little arrogance when you start filling up the trophy room. The Warriors were just cocky enough to irritate you, but they had a tune-in quality.

But doesn't it annoy you just a little that Mahomah? Holmes, I believe, is 15 and 3 in the playoffs. Why would it annoy me? Well, that nobody's beating him. It's just like, come on. The other thing to consider, not only is nobody beating him. Beat twice and Burrow once. Well, I mean, no other quarterbacks have beaten him.

Manning wasn't, and Big Ben weren't beaten Tom. Manning didn't beat him until the end. I mean, Tom got his way for a lot of years, is that you look back, and this really helps Mahomes. Is Lamar and Burrow, if Burrow stays healthy and Josh Allen, are going to be Hall of Famers? And you're going to look at this and go, oh, the dude was like, 24 and 6 in the playoffs, and his contemporaries were all-time great.

I mean, Lamar's going to be a Hall of Fame or Super Bowl or not. He's just five more years. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Four more years of this from Lamar. What? Regular season, good stuff and postseason failures? He's winning 77% of his games? Philip Rivers won a lot of games, okay?

Philip Rivers didn't do anything in the playoffs. Yeah, but Lamar's better than Philip. You can't say he's automatically. Is he on the track? Yes. But let's pump the brakes. Dan Fouch is in the Hall of Fame. Where is a trophy?

You're great for a decade. for like 20 years to put up massive numbers. By the way, Cam Newton going to be in the whole thing? No. You never got back-to-back winning seasons. Lamar wins seven and ten games in the AFC. Cam watches. Just be careful.

I like his podcast a lot, actually. Anyways, let's wrap up with college football. The latest AP poll was just released. There is some movement in the top 25. Georgia number one, Ohio State 2, Texas 3 The big losers

Clemson slides down Your boys at USC Volt up 10 spots Yeah Trojans Schedule is just too tough So don't get too excited Let's see this

Let's talk about this If we could At some length Go for it Yeah By the way You're gonna tell me You watch Michigan

And you think they're better than USA I did not say that These polls are dumb You watched Oregon This is Arcade Idaho had them on the ropes I know the vandals?

They did. They had them on the ropes. I mean, Idaho had a shot late in that game. I mean, and I like Oregon, but they looked awful. Yeah, Chiefs looked awful last year against the Lions. Okay. This kid's not Mahalms. Let's slow down.

I thought, I got to tell you, Ohio State had a bumpy first half. That Will Howard, kid? You like or no? Oh, I like a lot. By the way, Riley Leonard, Notre Dame Checking 5. He was missing a lot of throws. big on the final drive. No, but I mean, he misses a lot of throws. I don't

think I'm crazy on this. Miller Moss for USC he looked good. Under pressure was throwing darts. He's like a 22-year-old junior. Yeah, no, I mean, that kid looked great. Boys, yeah. They didn't have any penalties, no, didn't have any drops.

USC played well. I know I keep bringing him up, but just keep an eye on the Miami Hurricanes and Cam Ward. I'm just telling me. I always watch the hurricane. That team looked very good, and that schedule lines up for them. They're going to probably be a top four seed in the playoff column. I'm not even kidding. Top four seed. Miami, they're going to be there. I didn't watch a lot of Alabama. I don't need to watch them against, to quote you, roast beef tech. So I didn't see Alabama

in no row. How'd they look? Clemson's no longer an elite program. Yeah, when are you going to go after Dabo? I like Dabo, but you got it. He refuses to lean into the transfer portal. Mike Shishowski did that for about two years where he wouldn't take one and done guys. And then he started getting his butt kicked by one and done guys, and Shishavsky's like, yeah, I'll take him. So you could be stubborn all you want. Here's the funny thing about the transfer portal. It doesn't solve all your problems. Most outside, take quarterbacks out.

There's no question you can upgrade a quarterback. Notre Dame's upgraded. So take quarterback out. Outside of that, guys leave because they're not playing enough or it's a money grab or they're not coachable. You've got to find the right guys. USC has used the transfer portal like crazy. They've hit on about four guys. Caleb, Jordan Addison, they got a safety from UCLA, a linebacker from Oregon State.

That's not that the other guys can't play. But, I mean, they've just hit home runs. I'm about three or four guys, and they've had 50. You know what you need? You need to find those role players who are going to be happy with their role. That's right. And that's not easy. And they're upgrades.

Because everybody thinks that they're just, oh, you're going to give me $250,000. I'm just going to go. $500,000. It doesn't quite work like that, or you end up with an FSU situation. USC got a defensive lineman from Georgia. You think Georgia lets him go? There had to been something on the odometer that they're like, go ahead. So, I mean, you're getting a get.

Now, take quarterbacks out. You know usually what you have with quarterbacks. But a lot of these players, the transfer portal, now, I'm saying it's not the be-all-end-all. But the absolute refusal by Clemson to use it is stubborn. This is dumb. Again, it doesn't solve all your issues. But it solves some. and Clemson's just not dynamic enough at skill positions.

I'm looking closely. I don't see Colorado in the top 25. Interesting. Dion Sanders. They got a big one this week against Nebraska. That's a good game. Chador against Patrick Mons. I take Nebraska.

What's the line on that? Well, I thought it was going to open low. It's seven and a half. Nebraska's favored? Yeah. I would... I took Colorado. I think it's an overreaction.

Colorado's just going to keep chucking the ball all day. They're going to put up points. They'll probably come in the back door late. All right. But the kid at Nebraska, Did you watch him? Oh, no, Nebraska. He has the Patrick Mahomes starter kick down.

The mannerisms, everything. It's crazy. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. I was saying this about Joe Burrow. Did you notice Joe Burrow this offseason?

Died his hair, fashion show, went to Paris. He does not feel like Cincinnati. And I was saying this to the staff this morning. Is I wonder if because he's had multiple injuries, through his first four or five years is that he hasn't come to realize I'm going to live in the moment because if Joe and I love Joe but if Joe gets one more injury if you're Cincinnati you have to draft another quarterback you can't be in a conference with Lamar and Herbert and Josh Allen and be stubborn and say we're going to roll it back again so it's funny I've watched this transformation

of Joe Burrow and I and I was I'm wondering if like he's come to terms with man I'm not this thing's going to last. We thought Andrew Luck was going to be an 18-year starter. After about seven years, exit stage right. So I'm fascinated by Joe Burroughs sort of physical transformation. He's put on weight. He's got the blonde hair.

I think he looks great. He's got the sunglasses. He's got new threads. He's going to Paris. He's living in the moment. He's living his best life. I don't know what to make of Cincinnati. I like so many elements. But if you told me they made the

AFC championship, I wouldn't be shocked. If you told me Burrell gets banged up to miss the playoffs, I wouldn't be shocked. I don't know what to make of them. So I'm going in very cautious, but there's a reason that Mike Sando had three quarterbacks in tier one, and Joe Burrell was one of them. If he's upright, this team could win the Super Bowl. I mean, they're good. Tom Brady earlier in the show will bring back about 10 minutes of that coming up next.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. He's Mike Harmon. I'm Dan Byer, and we have a fantasy football podcast called I Want Your Flex. That's right, Dan. Every week we're going to scour the waiver wire to find the pickups to turbo boost your fantasy lineup. Sit, starts, fantasy football players' rankings to get you ready to dominate the competition. Listen to I Want Your Flex with Mike Harmon and me, Dan Byer, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The story I've told myself about love or relationship can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself.

We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more.

Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1020. And I'm Kunky, his best friend, and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA.

Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please!

But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike!

I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riffed. Grant recommends some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream.

Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Cultura podcast network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game.

His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nasree. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He run up the court licking his fingers while he got the ball. After you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game. on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. History in the making.

Tom Brady makes his long-awaited debut in the Fox booth with Kevin Burkhart, Doran Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi for a can't-miss season opener as Dak Prescott and Cowboys take on Dishon Watson and the Browns. Sunday at 4-Eastern only on 5th. We didn't know exactly what to make a Cleveland last year because Dishon Watson would get the green light to play and then before the game would pull out and not play. I don't know what to make with them. I had Tom Brady earlier on the show today for 15 minutes,

and one of the things I asked him, I said, you know, after you retired, you exhaled, you took a deep breath, but then you signed with Fox, and then, you know, for a year and a half, you've been preparing to be a broadcaster, and how's it gone? I've reached out to all the different people that I've met over the years of, in media, in sports, and got their take on kind of what the job entailed in it,

ultimately how the preparation goes during the week and then how do you be really good when you come on air and I've had a lot of time I think over the course of my career in interviews production meetings and being on camera yeah that hopefully it's not too far from what I've already experienced knowing that there's going to be a lot of things that are new to this so I think the most exciting part for me is there's more of a structure to my life but you've always enjoyed yeah playing football on the weekends. Now I get to work on the weekends here in the fall. And obviously the NFL football season is back, which is we're all excited about that. I'm sure when you're walking into the studio today, it's a different feeling because, you know, this new cycle around NFL football is very exciting.

And I'm excited to get going. I got the best teammates in the world, you know, KB and Aaron, Tom, and then everyone behind the scenes in the truck, Z, Roos, their whole team. The chance to get to know those people more intimately and to really put together something special for the audience is what's exciting for me. So I'm ready for football season. I'm ready to get back out there and watch from a different perspective. And we're fortunate to be in Cleveland this weekend with a great game, Cleveland, Dallas. And it can't get here soon enough. So when you look at this film, all these years of experience, one of the things I ask myself about Cleveland, I love the coach. I love the GM. I love the O line.

What's up with Deshawn Watson? I mean, you can play, he didn't play. Are you seeing anything in this matchup just on film from last year that you are saying, man, I got to see this developed. Like, is there a really interesting element that you can't wait to see? I think there's a lot of storylines in this

particular game. But the interesting part about the NFL is nobody really knows what they're going to be this season. You have hopes, you bring in draft picks, free agents, and you try to put together your team to say, all right, this is the way that we want to play based on where our deficiencies were last year. Certainly Cleveland's defense was top of the league last year. They want to continue that. They want to get the Sean back.

They brought in a whole offensive staff to try to get him to play the way that he played when he was in Houston. Yeah. And they want to go out there and compete, not just for a division title, but for more than that. and it's a great kind of test for them to go against Dallas who they want to get over the hump as well and they've got a lot of great players they've got a lot of great talent you know they got to get to you know I think coach McCarthy they have a great leader in coach McCarthy that really preaches

hey we want to stay focused day after day we want to eliminate the distractions and and they've had quite a few of that this off season but every team does and I feel like Dallas has handled it very well and it's a great opening game And this is what it's all about, a lot of guys coming back from injury. You got Trouin Diggs up there. I want to see him play. I want to see what DAC does coming off last season. His best season is a pro.

So so many great things to watch in this particular game. And, again, it's a perfect day for football. It seems like it's going to be in Cleveland. On Sunday, it's not always like that there from someone who's been there a few times. But 65 degrees and partly cloudy's perfect football weather. Okay, Trent Williams back. And we've said this before. I feel Trent Williams was more valuable.

And I like Brandon Ayuk. I think the team is Kyle Shanahan's brain, McCaffrey's legs, and Trent Williams and Bosa. That's the soul of the team. Tell me, what is the difference? If you knew you had Trent Williams, and he didn't play, would it get in your head? I think his signing is gigantic for the Niners.

You tell me how much it matters. I would be driving him to work every day if I was the quarterback. I'd be making sure Trent was with me every single place I went. there's no better protector in the NFL than Trent over the years. And I think the way they use him, and obviously they, I think San Francisco's run game is incredible, the way they scheme their run game up. But having Trent in there,

it's just an entirely different offense because of his athleticism, his rare combination of size, of quickness, of power. I mean, he's just, and he gets out there on the field, he's a match-up advantage for the Niners every time that he takes a snap out there. So when they have them out there, they all feel confident. A lot of those plays are going to go to the left side of the line of scrimmage right behind him. They know that when he's in past protection, he's going to hold up as well as anybody. It doesn't really matter who he goes against.

A tremendous player. And it's Niners at, you know, between the Auk signing and Trent. I mean, that was a little worrisome a few weeks ago. I actually did a practice game against the Saints up in Santa Clara a couple weeks ago. And everyone was a bit concerned. But I think now a lot of those concerns are ease when both the kids. those guys are back in the building and ready to take their, put their pads on, go out to practice, and get ready to play game.

Okay, Chiefs Ravens Thursday, Kansas City's done this dance, and they keep winning it. I love Lamar and I love Baltimore. I love the coach. I love the owner. I think it's the best run franchise arguably last decade in the leak. I think Baltimore does everything well except when in late January. You tell me, does it start wearing on you? Buffalo's going through this, Tom.

You start hearing you can't win these games. pressure on Kansas City to defend the home field or Baltimore Thursday? I'd say a little bit more on Baltimore for that exact reason. I think that when you have great leadership, and I think of those Baltimore teams when they had Ray Lewis and Ed Reed as their two primary leaders, even though they may loss in a championship game, I actually saw this the other day, a clip from Ray Lewis in the locker room after they had lost to us, I think in 2011 in the championship game. and how Ray talked about that team

and how we wanted to get them back on track going into next year, that's always what it's about. When you lose in the playoffs, you want to think about how are we going to get over the hump next year? What do we need to do? Where are our deficiencies? Where can we get a little better?

Where is our margin of air? Is it taking care of the football? Is it third down? Is it scoring points in the red air? Is it production from a unit that we haven't got a lot of production from? Tight-end groupings, running back groupings. How can we improve our team a little bit? So when we get in these big games, we're more prepared than the other team.

We've got more margin of there. Look, to win a Super Bowl is absolutely incredibly difficult. There's only one team that does it. To do what the chiefs have done is really remarkable. And they want to try to do it again. That challenge of them doing it is going to be as hard a challenge as any team the NFL's ever had. That's why it's never happened to win three in a row. But the chiefs are poised like they always are to go in their.

I don't think they believe their height. They're very well coached. I was a great quarterback, great leaders. The defense played really well last year. So those guys are prepared. Baltimore wants what the chiefs got. And that's why you lead the season off the way they have it, Ravens Chiefs. I'm excited to see that one get underway too.

You can listen to the entire Tom Brady interview on our podcast after the show. By the way, I unveiled my final top 10-Hurt hierarchy before the season. I am much higher on the Rams than perhaps anybody in North America in the media business. I have them behind Kansas City, Detroit, Rams third. I think it's a lot of familiar teams. If you look at the quality of quarterbacks I put in this, Mahomes 1, Goff, 2, Stafford, 3, Lamar 4, Jordan Love. And I'm kind of giving the entire organization love in Green Bay. Then it's pretty Josh Allen, C.J. Stroud, J. Helts, and Kirk Cousins.

It's a lot of good quarterbacks. I have Cincinnati at 11. I don't quite know what to do with the chargers with hardball. I don't know how to have all the elements yet at center. Weapons on the exterior. Are they good enough at corner? But, you know, no big disagreements. Nick Wright doesn't quite know what to do with Philadelphia.

I don't either, but I don't think it's a great division. So I think they're going to get some benefit of the doubt wins from me. And I do think Nick Sariani's on the hot seat. I think the most interesting team in the league is Chicago, which opens up at home against Tennessee. Doesn't have to play the Packers until week 11. But, J. Mack, what say you? I think we agree mostly. I think the Rams are underrated again.

I think Denver is going to win more than five games. I think they'll be a tough out. But it is interesting. We almost all agree on the bottom of the league. New England? Not good. Giants, Carolina, New Orleans, not great. feels that's kind of the group. You like Carolina more than most. A little bit.

You said you don't know what to do with the Eagles or do you say Nick doesn't? No, I just think the division's weak. So I think they'll win 10 games. Some of it just, they got better players. So they play the Packers in the opener. In Brazil, I like Green Bay. Eagles are favored by two and a half. If you look at Philadelphia schedule, Colin, you know, they're going to win like 11, 12, 13 games and they're going to be in the mix for the number one seed with Detroit. Green Bay will not. Like I don't, you know, I get it. You want to have some takes here and be interesting and original.

But like some of this stuff is just... That's it for me. Just takes. Packers, Rams, that is just bat stuff insanity to me. I don't get it at all. I don't see what you see. And the Falcons, they better beat the Steelers. That's all I'm telling you.

The Rams draft well and five of their first six players were defense. And I think they're going to be second year in a row. They've spent all their draft capital on defense because they saw the Aaron Donald retirement coming two years ago. You love to hype quarterbacks. You had Bengals at 11, and the Hall of Fame Lock Aaron Rogers is, what, 12? I don't know what to make of them.

I'll say this. You've got to come to terms with this. Aaron's not the strength of this team. It's their defense, and it's two great young skill players on offense. Aaron's not the core of this team. The counter would be, Aaron can be the strength,

because guess what? If that defense actually plays with a lead in the fourth quarter, which they never did last year, look the hell out because they're going to pin their ears back. They've got as many pass rushers as anybody. Is Hassan Reddick sign? Forget about him. We'd love to have him in if you don't want to be here. Hey, Hassan, by the way, when we're 4-0 and rolling, don't try to jump on board.

Hey, can I get in there? So you lost your best pass rusher to Philadelphia? He was a situational guy. He didn't play a ton of snaps. He had the most sacks. He did, but he didn't play a million snaps. He was like, oh, I'm going to go in there. Now you don't have Hassan Redick in the camp.

who you acquired you thought to fill in the void for the loss of Huff. Suboptimal, certainly, but not the end of the world. Well, I think now if Trent Williams is back, you will get mauled on the left side of that defensive line, right side of your line. I don't know. Has Trent Williams been eating Dunkin' Donuts and Doritos for the last two months? Well, he's a pro, I doubt it. It's also not a speed position.

He can have an extra donut. He'll be fine. Not hitting the weights, okay. Well, he's a road grader if they take a lead early Aaron Rogers pick. Listen to this. We'll see them all. Oh, my God. 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. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate Midlife's most fantastic BS. Unfiltered conversations from night sweats to futas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex?

Is it just me, or does every woman, my age, want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex sometimes? They say we can't. polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Therapy is fantastic, but once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, cultivating her space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax

create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. It's tough. because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high achieving individuals. Listen to cultivating her space on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work. to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more.

Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.