The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd-HOUR 1-Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newton, Cowboys, Mahomes-Wilson
Episode Date: October 6, 2020Aaron Rodgers won the Mike McCarthy divorceCam Newton was a big winner last and he didn't even playThe Cowboys need to move on from DC Mike NolanPatrick Mahomes is great, but Russell Wilson is betterG...uest: Peter King Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Ah, here we go.
On a Tuesday to Monday night football games, live in Los Angeles,
this is The Hurd.
Wherever you may be and however you may be listening,
we're on Fox Sports Radio and FS1.
One hour from now, for the first time this year,
I have my herd hierarchy,
and I honestly believe all 10 teams feel like playoff teams.
feel like playoff teams.
This year we get 14.
You know,
its first couple of weeks
you're not quite sure.
I feel like all the teams
I have seen so far
in my herd hierarchy
are all playoff teams,
even teams that historically
do not get to the playoffs.
It's great to have you.
Enjoy, Taylor.
How are you?
I'm great.
Double football last night.
It was nice.
Wife's out of town for a while,
so no coasters.
Had a Corona.
Are you leaving the
The cupboard doors open, the cabinet doors open.
DoorDash.
This had a big old fat burger and just enjoyed the heck out of myself watching football last night.
It's a decent night.
We got baseball playoffs, heat NBA, Lakers tonight.
So it's a great, great Tuesday night of sports.
Let me start with this.
You know, in the Brady-Belichick divorce, we talked a lot about there.
Who's going to win?
Who's going to win?
But the truth is this morning, Brady and the Buccaneers are really good.
And Belichick, when he has Cam, they're really good.
They both won.
They both deserve credit for the dynasty.
Shaq and Kobe.
They both won without each other.
They won more with each other.
They both deserve credit.
Andy Reed and Philadelphia, both have won Super Bowls when they broke up.
Philadelphia's structure was good for Andy, and Andy was good for Kansas City and Philadelphia.
You can spread it around, generally speaking, if you have a healthy, successful relationship, both people deserve credit.
Then there's those lob-sided marriages.
She's a winner.
He's a loser.
They break up. He goes down the tube. She flourishes, moves on, and marries somebody equally successful.
Right now, Aaron Rogers and Mike McCarthy's divorce, it's lobsided. Aaron looks unbelievable.
He's now 17 and 3 without McCarthy. He's embracing Matt LaFleur. They've developed, you know, it's called a running game.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, Mike McCarthy made a horrendous choice as defensive coordinator and journeyman hack Mike Nolan.
they no longer run the football, even though they have one of the best running backs,
and they look disjointed in four games.
They're one and three.
The Packers are a top three to four NFL team.
Dallas is a bottom three or four defense or worse.
It has been decided.
Aaron won this divorce.
Last night, he didn't have two of his top three receivers.
They had three running backs on the field at the same time.
It was a perfect opportunity.
Even Vegas thought this is going to be close, and it wasn't.
He found tight ends.
they're more multiple. There's more movement. They've developed a running game. He doesn't even need his best
offensive weapon, Devante Adam, to be on the field. Aaron Rogers this year, 13 touchdowns, no picks. And I know, I know, I know, I know. It's the year of bad defense, but those are remarkable numbers. He's got his highest passer rating ever through four games. He has the most touchdowns through four games. He's been sacked the fewest times through four games. Everything's gotten better since McCarthy left. Protection, the running game, the multiple
variable looks, the happiness of Aaron Rogers.
There's nothing else to say. It's over.
And Dallas right now is a mess. They're a mess because of McCarthy's hires.
What defines Dallas's offense right now?
They start real slow and they don't run the football and DAC has to play catch up late.
That's on the coach.
If you come out week after week and you start slowly, that's on the coach, not the quarterback.
Dak is more than capable.
I've seen Dak's career.
He's had many years in which he starts quick.
That was more Jason Garrett.
They didn't finish well with Garrett, but they often started and had leads.
This offense in Dallas is trailing, is reeling, and you're asking, you're asking Dak to catch up,
which is really a bad way to do it with Dallas.
You should, to ensure that you give Zeke 18 to 25 carries, you should really deeply care about how you start in Dallas,
because this is a team Dallas that could be built to hold on to leads.
Pound Zeeke, pound Zeeke.
Dak is mobile.
He can be a pain in the butt to defend if you have running plays designed for him.
Instead, they're the opposite.
They're always trailing, meaning you take Zeke out of games.
I don't think Dak's one of the great natural throwers in the NFL,
especially when you drop seven into coverage.
So it's been decided.
And if you listen to Aaron Rogers after the game,
he's not shy about giving his new coach lots of credit.
Listen.
Yeah, I like where we're at.
I really do it.
I like the kind of diversity in our approach.
I think, again, Matt was, you know, really good kind of a mix up tonight with the calls.
Obviously, we had to do some different things without Devante and then without Allen and without Mercedes.
But I thought, you know, we had a nice plan and then we executed really well.
Nice plan.
Execution was good.
Had to dial up some new stuff.
We were innovative.
That's just all saying I like my new coach.
That is 25 seconds of saying, I really, really like how this divorce has turned out.
I upgraded and the Cowboys did not.
The question for Dallas now is, all good businesses move off problems the minute they see him.
Will Dallas move off Mike Nolan quickly, not be rigid, embrace it and try to convince
themselves they got it right?
Because you cannot look at Aaron Rogers this morning.
And I've been a critic of Aaron.
I know he's great.
I'd vote him for the Hall of Fame.
I've always said I like him more than Fav.
Aaron thinks I don't like him.
I do, but I've been willing to be critical and been right when I've been critical.
But if you're watching him now, he has taken tight ends you've never heard of,
the protection's better, he's happier, and yes, you've got to sometimes make your quarterback happy.
It's Pete Carroll's job to make Russell Wilson feel fulfilled.
When you get Patrick Mahomes and Lamar and Aaron and now Josh Allen,
and you get these young quarterbacks, Aaron's still pretty.
pretty young, right? Like, you've got to make sure they're happy. It's okay. That doesn't mean
everything is built perfectly for Aaron Rogers, but you can't frustrate him. And when McCarthy
there, he was throwing the ball away, eye rolling, reports now he would literally take the play,
roll his eyes on McCarthy. You're watching Aaron now embracing, adapting, he's challenged,
everything's better. Protection, routes, motion, multiples, running game, a total indictment
of Mike McCarthy in Dallas.
Let's shift to Kansas City, New England.
This was not supposed to be even competitive.
Sometimes your value at work, for all you young millennials, right?
You're trying to find your footing.
Uncle Colin's going to give you one small, tiny piece of advice.
You certainly don't have to take it.
I mean, it'll probably fulfill your life.
But if you don't want to listen, fine.
But sometimes your value at work is when you don't show up.
And everybody realizes, oh, crap, she's really good.
She took the day off.
We're not the same.
Oh, my God, we really miss him.
Despite Belichick's genius, a wonderful game plan against Patrick Mahomes,
didn't even get officiating breaks.
His genius into the toilet because of lousy quarterback play.
Make no mistake, New England wins that game last night with Cam Newton.
They win that football game with Cam Newton.
Cam Newton's value was not playing.
Now, we all knew, I admitted, it's better than I thought.
But you watched that game last night, two different moments.
You're like, oh, this would be a nightmare.
Mahomes is on the sideline.
Because that Belichick and that defense, those are Super Bowl teams.
That's a Super Bowl coach and a Super Bowl defense.
Boy, Cam took the night off.
Wow, is he valuable.
I mean, if you're watching that, my takeaway in that game last night,
If I'm Kansas City, I don't want to play New England with Cam.
I got no interest.
I got no interest playing New England with Cam.
Belichick in Cleveland.
Fired, he couldn't get the right quarterback.
Pete Carroll in Seattle, 14 and 18, when he didn't have Russell Wilson.
By the way, Kyle Shanahan is largely regarded as the genius offensive coach.
Let's see his record without Jimmy Garoppolo.
Oh, it's 5 and 21.
He lost to Carson Went's Monday at home, and he was throwing to deck chairs.
Does everybody get it now?
the value of quarterback.
Quarterbacks can win
without a superstar coach.
You may not win Super Bowl. You can win.
Belichick can't win in Cleveland, in New England.
Unless, now you say Matt Castle.
Remember that team was 18 and 0 the year before.
It was the most talented team in football by a mile.
But you start looking around this league, and I said this with Jim Harbaugh.
Everybody banged on Jim Harbaugh.
Don't just judge somebody by when they leave a place
if they succeed at the next place.
Jim Harbaugh made Michigan football better.
What happened in the Niners when he left?
Capsize, man overboard.
Jim Harbaugh is a good football coach, not just because he's made Michigan significantly better.
And they're back to being a 9-10-win team, and that's very good at Michigan.
They're not going to be Clemson, Alabama.
They're not as good a program.
They're not going to be to Ohio State.
But what happened to San Francisco when he left?
There you go.
So I thought Cam Newton last night got himself a big fat contract.
The value of Cam not going to work is it's indisputable.
And by the way, when I picked the Patriots to go enjoy as my witness, I said they're going to go five and 11, six, and 10.
You all laughed at me.
And I kept saying, you think he can win with Jared Stidham?
You think he can win with Brian Hoyer.
You just watched them last night with those guys.
They had a better game plan.
And then Cam came in, and I made a mistake and I thought oil, water won't work.
I'm wrong.
They're both playing complimentary football.
But the value of Cam last night was sensational.
I just sat and watched that game and I'm like, if I'm Andy Reid, I got no interest playing New England again with Cam Newton.
None.
All right.
Coming up next, Steve Jones, Stephen Jones, the Cowboys, son of Jerry says, you know, we're closer than you think.
I think they need to get closer to an uncomfortable truth and they need to do it within the next two weeks.
We'll discuss that coming up.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.
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Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.
It's the enhanced games.
Some call it grotesque.
Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,
embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care what you're saying.
Yep, that's me, CliverTaylor 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.
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Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.
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What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim?
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We also have AIDS on the table right now, so.
Thank you for finishing that sentence.
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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.
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Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing,
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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.
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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.
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Great to have you in.
Peter King joins us in about 12 minutes.
Top of next hour, the herd hierarchy.
First time this year.
All 10 teams feel like playoff teams to me without a doubt.
Joy Taylor in a couple of minutes, herd line.
So I talked to a friend not long ago.
His name is Peter Chernin.
He's a very successful guy, done very well in his life.
And I said, like we were just talking about business.
And I said, give me one nugget.
I can't remember two or three.
Give me one nugget if you started a business to remember.
And he said, if something isn't working, move off it.
Just don't fall in love with your initial idea for a business.
Amazon at one point just sold books online.
They pivoted.
Netflix sold DVDs.
They pivoted.
two of the fastest growing stocks in the world over the last five years.
Like, you have an idea, you hire some people,
and all of a sudden six months into the business, you're like,
ah, that doesn't work.
This really works.
You pivot.
Don't let your ego get in the way with it.
Dallas Cowboys are letting their ego get in the way with it.
They hired Mike Nolan, defensive coordinator.
Mistake, bad hire.
They're doubling down, Stephen Jones.
Jerry's son says, we are this close to making it work.
I just think that we're not as far away as it seems, but we do have a lot of work to do,
and we're very confident in this football team in spite of what we've seen in the first four games.
We really believe we've got a great head coach, a great staff, and a great group of players that will get the job done.
There is nothing to indicate any of that is true.
Higher slow and fire fast when you see a problem.
Mike Nolan needs to go, and I'm not a guy that has ever talked about firing coach.
I don't do it on this show.
Brady Hoke at Michigan, I said time to fire him.
That's rare.
I'm not a big fire guy.
I'll support Bill O'Brien later in the show.
I'm not a big fire guy.
I don't want to see.
I think chaos is the number one problem with bad businesses.
You keep firing people after a while.
Jets, Cleveland Browns, the good candidates don't want to be part of your operation.
But hire slow, take your time to hire, but fire fast if you've hired poorly.
Mike Nolan's a mess.
What does Jerry need to see?
What does Mike McCarthy, Stephen Jones, need to see?
Somebody dropped 50?
The Cleveland Browns got the edge every time they wanted it Sunday.
DeMarcus Ware, after the game said, quote, we're soft, unquote.
DeMarcus Lawrence, excuse me.
Jalen Smith has ranked 44th best linebacker in the NFL according to pro football focus.
You really think he's the 44th most talented linebacker or it's the schemes?
Multiple blown coverages.
Players complaining it's too complicated.
A lack of effort on that reverse.
players quit playing. What do you need to see? You got to make a move on this because you're going
to talk yourself into Mike Nolan over the next three weeks because you play the Giants dreadful
offense, Arizona's penalty-plagued team and weaker defense and Washington's anemic offense.
And you're going to talk yourself into, oh, he really slowed the Giants in Washington now.
Then it gets tougher again. This defense against Aaron Rogers, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson,
Josh Allen, Derek Carr, Russell Wilson.
This is bad.
Hire slowly, fire quickly if you've made a mistake.
Pivot, quickly, get the right guy.
And I'm not a talk show host that ever talks about firing people.
It is bad.
You don't have to be a football coach to see poorly designed schemes.
You don't have to be a football coach to go, wow.
Andy Reid's clever.
You know, Bill Belichick really knows his defense.
You don't have to be a whiz.
I don't have to understand math, but if you go to the chalkboard and you're a genius,
I can figure out within 90 seconds, that guy knows his math.
This coach, Mike Nolan, is outdated and this is not working.
Jerry Jones is doubling down on it.
Conversation or thoughts about Mike Nolan's job status?
No.
If you think about it at this juncture, that's not something that you would go to.
We're getting the benefit of a coach that has a lot of experience.
He has answers there.
Can they be answers that we all get on the page with?
That's the issue.
That's the challenge of how to execute it when it's in live action.
But we've got somebody here that can tell you where we're apt,
where we're in apt, where we need changes as well as anybody on the planet in Mike.
All right, good luck with that.
Peter King around the corner.
Joy Taylor with the news.
No, no, no, no, no.
Turn on the news.
This is the herd line news.
Well, despite starting one and three, Ryan Fitzpatrick is still going to be the starter in Miami.
I saw that.
It's not to a time just yet.
Doc has been building, but it is time for the rookie to take over the job.
But the Dolphins announced today that Fitzpatrick will be the starter for the week five matchup with the 49ers.
He is putting up through the first four weeks, 69% completion percentage.
994 yards, four touchdowns, five interceptions.
That's always been the thing with him, Joy.
He can be magical, but he throws a lot of picks.
And Seattle had no pass rush, and he still, they settled for field goals for three and a half hours.
Well, isn't that the thing about magic?
It's not all the time.
That's right.
It's spectacular, but it's not every weekend.
You love magic shows.
I go to magic shows half dozen times a year.
A half a dozen times a year.
That's an appropriate amount.
If you're going to magic shows every night, it wouldn't be magical.
If you're making an SUV disappear in front of me five times a week, I'm not in, it's not in, it's just,
you're like, oh, that's what you do.
You make SUV disappear.
That's right.
Yeah, that's not what happens.
So four touchdowns, five interceptions.
Here's what's interesting though.
Their by week isn't until week 11.
So I don't remember when you said that the tour would come in.
Well, I didn't know Justin Herbert was going to light the world up.
Well, yeah.
So I do think there's pressure outside.
I mean, we knew this was a rebuilding year, but Buffalo and New England are better
than we thought.
So are you just telling your fans that have a lot of options in Miami?
You know, we're just throw this year away.
Because, like, to me, Miami and L.A. are markets with a lot of distractions.
Yeah.
You want to engage fans.
Tua would immediately engage Dolphin fans, get them watching TV, buying merchandise,
into the program.
And by the way, he's had four or five games.
I've seen Herbert and Joe Burrell that have lit this league up.
By the way, Burrell did it.
Justin Herbert did it against Tampa Bay and Todd Bowles defense.
Yeah.
And it had five minutes to start before the Super Bowl winning chiefs.
And Burrow looked good week one.
I think that the clocks didn't start with Burrow,
but I think it started with Herbert because Herbert was taken after to,
and we weren't even expecting to see him at all this year.
But the other thing about when you're mentioning the market,
the Marlins are in the playoffs,
the Miami Heater and the NBA finals,
and the hurricanes are playing amazing.
Yeah.
They have a big matchup with Clemson this weekend.
You have a little bit of that in the market as well.
But they're at the 49ers, then at the Broncos, then they have the Chargers and the Rams at home, then at the Cardinals, and then the Jets.
I think we talked about Rams Chargers is a good time.
You come back home.
You have two weeks at home.
Neither right now the Chargers and the Rams don't have great pass rushes, so you'd be a little bit more comfortable.
I really don't think Miami's that far off.
They've been in a lot of games.
They were close with Buffalo and close.
with Seattle. They don't have, they got a lot of the cake, they don't have the icing. They
need somebody to be able to be special at quarterback. They need special, but I also don't think
that they necessarily need to win in as much as they need to see what Tua is. That's right.
Like it's, it's time to see what Tua is. So John Carlos Stanton had a signature postseason
moments for the Yankees last night. He had a grand slam the top of the ninth to give New York a huge
nine three lead and clinch game one over the Tampa Bay race. And the raise have given the
Yankees a lot of problems this year and through the year. Tampa Bay has always been as John
Goula is shaking his head. Everybody points to the Red Sox, but the raise this year were
eight and two against the Yankees. They had their number. Well, Clint Frazier and Aaron Judge
also homered in the game helping set a franchise record by hitting at least three home runs in
three straight postseason games. The Yankees have hits 11 total home runs in their first three-off
playoff games, which is a new Major League record. And the NLDS starts today on FS1.
Game one of Braves Marlins is at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Yeah.
And game one of Padres, Dodgers is at 9 p.m. Eastern on FS1.
How about the Padres back in postseason baseball?
My first job out of college was with the Padres, AAA affiliate.
Walker Bueller goes for the Dodgers tonight.
Dodgers are favored heavily should be.
Yes, the Foxx bet has the Dodgers favored at minus 250 to win the series
and the Braves at minus 300 to win the series.
Yeah.
So the Lakers are looking to bounce back tonight after dropping game three to the heat.
and LeBron says he's staying as focused as possible heading into game four.
So the series is completed.
And I kind of stay on edge, stay locked in on the job at hand.
And obviously no one wants to ever lose.
You hate that feeling, especially when you know you didn't play your best.
I definitely wasn't at my best last night from an individual standpoint.
He really didn't have a great game.
No, he was sloppy.
bounds, eight assists, but he had eight turnovers, which was a game high. Bam is still
questionable. Goron is doubtful. He's not going to be back for the series. They have a
points issue, unless Tyler Hero is incredibly hot. They have a, they have a points issue
against the Lakers if the Lakers are focused. Yes. I mean, obviously why Jimmy put up
incredible numbers in game three. They kind of got a little bit of a pass there because we have
so much sports going on. And I also think it's because they're playing the heat who
were depleted and Jimmy had such an amazing game when they all walked off the court like
that. Had this been just the NBA finals, I think there would have been a little bit more
pushback on that situation. So congratulations on getting a pass on that. It was not a good
look. Like none of us really talks about it because it's like, okay. But you can't be talking about
it's over and, you know, acting the way that the rest of the team was. LeBron has been, as he said,
very focused and locked in because he's been there before and he knows how quickly a series
can get away from you if you get complacent,
and he wants to go home.
But they kind of got a pass on that walking off the court.
It was a little bit much.
For the record, if you ever wanted to go to a restaurant in Los Angeles,
but it's always crowded,
tonight's the night to go,
because the Dodgers are on TV and the Lakers.
So if there's a restaurant in Los Angeles,
you just could never get into.
Tonight you'll be able to get into the restaurant,
because very rarely does a city get a team in the finals,
and then a team-favored,
starting in the National League
Divisional round. Actually, Miami has that too,
but the Marlins are playing earlier.
So Miami and L.A., crowded restaurants,
a little more open tonight. There we go.
Joy with the news.
Well, that's the news.
And thanks for stopping by.
The Hurd-Lie News.
It was really great to see,
I feel like I'm banging on coaches,
and I'm really not.
That's not my history.
I tend to be give the coach another year,
but in fact, I'll support Bill O'Brien later in the show.
I don't know if any coach,
I think they would have been Owen for if Bill O'Brien had his act together.
You open with the Steelers, you open with the Chief, you open with the Ravens,
it's not exactly the easiest open for Bill O'Brien.
But boy, I'll tell you, when you watch Dallas and Mike Nolan in this situation,
and then you watch Aaron Rogers with Matt LaFleur.
Matt looks so happy.
The protection's better.
The running game is better.
They're going to be a tough, tough out.
This is the happiest and the most protected errands ever been with the best running game.
And actually, this is the way everybody should.
end their career. Life gets a little easier. You've worked really hard. You've put all the time in.
And instead of hobbling around getting whacked, Aaron looks comfortable and protected and happy.
And Peter King now joins us NBCSports.com. Brought to you by Mercedes Ben's the best or nothing.
Football morning in America. I got to tell you, this is, you know, the knock on Mike McCarthy in
Green Bay was he doesn't establish running games. In Dallas, Zeeke's not getting the ball.
In Green Bay, Aaron Jones has never been more important, and it's hard for me to look at this, Peter,
and not feel like this divorce, Aaron is, a lot of his criticisms, he was right.
He looks so comfortable to me right now. Your thoughts?
Yeah, I'd say the exact same thing.
I mean, since Matt LaFleur walked in that door, the Green Bay Packers are 18 and 4,
and one of the reasons they're that good over time is that Aaron Rogers,
is happy. Aaron Rogers is productive. Aaron Rogers, who may have been a little bit angry,
or maybe more than a little bit angry on draft night, has come into training camp this year
being a don't worry, be happy guy, and basically saying, I'm going to take the Marquez-Valdes scantlings,
and I'm going to take the Alan Lazards. And even when they get hurt, he gets hurt,
Equanimia St. Brown is here, and we're going to make him great.
and that is why the Green Bay Packers, in my opinion,
Aaron Rogers being challenged,
I think this has really been a good thing for them
and a lot better than I thought it would be back in April.
Yeah, I still wish they would have taken a wide receiver in the second round.
I always defended the Jordan love move I can defend by an organization,
but I do think they're about a wide receiver shy,
and Devante Adams does have a history of getting nicked up.
So I was saying this about Cam Newton,
And sometimes a person's value is most apparent when they don't go to work.
And you see how much you miss them.
I'm watching New England last night.
And I'm like, boy, Cam may have gotten himself a contract not playing because they had a tremendous game plan.
I think with Cam, they would have given that Kansas City Chiefs fits.
By the way, Belichick can be rough on Mahomes.
Mahomes has not had good first halves against Belichick.
I think when I look at New England now, Peter, I don't think Cam's around.
I think he may have a little bit of a future in New England. Am I wrong here?
Well, you're not wrong, but how can we know that yet? You know, he's played three games.
And so we just, you've got to see Cam Newton for a season or most of a season for the Patriots to be able to decide what they're going to do with him.
And look, Bill Belichick, especially with the cap going down next year, from 198 this year to 175.
next year. They weren't in great cap shape anyway. With the cap going down that much, he's not going to
want to pay Cam Newton a trillion dollars. I don't know exactly what's going to happen there, but a one
year, another one year deal would not surprise me in New England. But again, we've got to see
Cam Newton play for at least half the season before you make any grandiose predictions about what you're
going to do with them. Listen, there's a lot of really good young coach.
is in the NFL. We all know
Kyle Shanahan's very bright. I think
Sean McDermott is exceptional.
Encouraging signs with
Matt Rule, though it's early in Carolina.
But, you know, I didn't know much
about Kevin Stefansky. He'd always
been in Minnesota. You know, Zimmer's
defense stole the show. It wasn't about
the offense. But I
watch Cleveland, and in a
wild scoring Big 12
game against the Cowboys, Baker threw
for 165 yards. They are
managing him brilliantly.
They have very quickly discovered he can be the off speed pitch, the fastballs, the running game.
I think if you're in Cleveland, Stofansky, the early signs to me, Peter, are really encouraging.
Did you think it would work?
What did you know about him going in?
I just knew that everybody who's been around him says he's a teacher.
And, you know, his dad being the NBA general manager, Ed Stefansky, he knows the sports business.
And I think as he grew up, playing football as he grew up, I think he understood the value of
coaching and teaching. I think one of the things he has done in Cleveland that has really helped
is that he's gotten O'Dell Beckham Jr. on his side. You know, the last couple of coaches in
Cleveland, O'Dell's not sure about. You know, he hasn't really been sure about. And now
Kevin Stefansky basically wants to get O'Dell in.
involved in the first quarter every week because he knows not only is that good for Odell because
he doesn't want a pouting Odell, he knows it's good for his team. And he only touched the ball
seven times on Sunday, but they were incredibly valuable times. Like his last touch of the game,
the 50-yard touchdown run, which I was positive that Alden Smith was going to cream him
12 yards behind the line of scrimmage, but he made it happen.
And what I really, really like about that play call is that's the third reverse in that
game that Kevin Stefansky called.
The first one was what he calls on his play sheet, bananas,
that left-handed pass, obviously for the touchdown to Odell from Jarvis Landry.
And then they called two more reverses.
And Kevin Stefansky understands that even,
if the defense knows it might be coming.
If they scheme it right, it can really work.
And two of those three reverse plays in that game turned into Odell Beckham touchdowns.
So Justin Herbert, I think, shocked all of us.
Being told five minutes out, you're playing Patrick Mahomes, he was excellent against the
Buccaneers defense and Todd Bowles.
Really good coordinator who will get another head job.
He was mostly excellent.
Do you think that puts a little pressure on?
Miami now for Tua. You had Brian Fitzpatrick on your podcast the other day. Joey and I were talking
about this is a very distracted market. The Marlins are in the playoffs. The heater in the finals.
You got to engage Miami fans. They got aqua water, a beach and a lot of options. And I do think
stuff like that is considered. Is it Tua time in your opinion in Miami? You know, the way I
look at it is I believe that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start in San Francisco this week.
and he really better play well.
Because I think this season has been all about two things,
winning as many games as possible and making sure that Tuatanga Voloa is capable
and experienced on opening day 2021.
And I think that is what is going through Brian Flores' head.
He's not going to respond to any outside pressure.
hey, Burrow is playing great in Cincinnati
and Herbert is playing just as well with the Chargers.
I don't think he's going to respond to that pressure,
but this to me is all in Ryan Fitzpatrick's hands.
If he plays a great game Sunday in San Francisco,
they're not going to make a quarterback change, at least not right now.
But he's going to have to play very well to keep that job.
Listen, I'm not a guy that calls for people to get fired.
I think Bill O'Brien succeeded at Penn State post-Jerry Sandusky, which I thought was next to impossible.
He won a division with Brock Osweiler.
So I think Bill can coach.
I just don't think he's a great general manager, but I think he's a really good coach,
and he'll get hired again, and I would hire him again for a lot of these jobs.
But there are times that you watch a team and you think, this is bad and it's getting worse.
Mike Nolan, linebacker coach, elevated a defensive coordinator, did not succeed as a head coach.
when I've got players like DeMarcus Lawrence saying we're soft, it's too complicated,
Jalen Smith has regressed badly.
Peter, at some point, you know, I'm not a big fire in season, but how long do you let
that thing go in a division where Philadelphia is only going to get healthier over the next three
weeks?
The first thing that Mike McCarthy has to do, and I'm sure he's done, is basically do a self-scout
on Mike Nolan's defense.
If he thinks it's too complicated, I'm sure he's going to say to Nolan, we've got to simplify this.
But I think it's a little bit more complex than just pointing at one guy or another.
The Cowboys have done a terrible job in stopping the run.
So they've got to figure out their correct gaps, and they've got to stop the run
or else all these great pass rushers really aren't going to matter.
That's number one.
But I think the bigger thing in Dallas is it's a new coaching staff.
a lot of new ideas on this coaching staff right now.
They're in a terrible division, and that's a huge advantage.
I still think if I had to pick somebody today, as bad as they are so far,
I'd pick Dallas to win that division.
I think they're going to rebound.
I think they'll play better.
Now, they might win the division at 7 and 9,
but I still think they're the best team in that division.
Peter King, Football Morning in America, NBCSports.com.
Good seeing you, Peter.
Appreciate you dropping by in a Tuesday.
Thank you, Colin.
You bet.
Russell Wilson is the best quarterback in the league for now, not Patrick Mahomes.
I'll tell you why after watching last night.
That's coming up.
Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.
Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.
It's the enhanced games.
Some call it grotesque.
Others say it's unleashing human potential.
Either way, the podcast's superhuman.
documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.
Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.
I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.
Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care which I'm saying.
Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.
You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,
or my career in sports media.
Well, somewhere along the way,
this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.
And now I'm bringing all of that excitement
to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.
This is a place for raw,
unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,
creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard,
but celebrated.
One week, I'll take you behind the scenes
of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,
and the next we'll talk about life,
mental health, purpose, and even music.
The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.
It's a space.
For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,
and for people who are chasing something bigger.
So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream,
this is right where you need to be.
Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcast.
And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford
and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.
Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?
Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.
I know what you're thinking.
What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill?
Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.
I'm Sam J.
And I'm Alex English.
Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.
Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s.
To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.
I'm down to talk about crack 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 for finishing that sentence.
Yes.
I don't think there's a more important year for black people.
Really?
Yeah.
For me, it's one of the most important years
for black people in American history.
Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me,
your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.
And in recognition of mental health awareness,
in this 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. Trip 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're
you here on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid?
Because that's two different intentions, bro.
Absolutely.
And that's two different levels of trust.
I want you to just really be a good person.
Join me, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose.
On my new podcast, Learn the Hardway.
Open your free, I Heart Radio app.
Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.
Rec Tech more than a grill.
It's a lifestyle built by grillers for grillers.
That's go to RecTech with a Q.com.
R-E-C-T-E-Q-C-E-K-C, smart grill technology, rec-tech.
Top of next hour, herd hierarchy.
First time this year, all 10 teams in the herd hierarchy feel like playoff teams to me.
Usually you've got a couple at the end, you're not really sure.
In fact, I think my 11th team, I won't tell you what it is until next hour, they feel like a
playoff team to me.
So I do think when you watch games last night, you're starting to have some definitive opinions.
I don't think there's going to be a lot of massive changes.
You know, I keep hearing about the cowboys are going to pop eventually.
The schedule gets easier.
You know, they're going to beat the Giants, and they're going to beat Washington,
and they probably beat Arizona because truth is, those are not good football teams right now.
Arizona's got talent, but they're wildly inconsistent series to series.
Kyler Murray's still a kid.
But that doesn't mean you've solved your problems because those are the teams Dallas has
beaten for three years with that.
The ones that are good, they can't beat.
And that's kind of the difference between the halves and half.
have-nots in the NFL.
So, like, I understand everybody loving Patrick Mahomes.
His family thought I was slow to embrace him.
No, I wasn't.
I'm not.
Patrick's great.
I love him.
I think he's a great representation for the league.
I think he's a wonderful kid.
I really like him.
But I do.
The media tends to be younger now than it's ever been because it's young media means
cheap media and it's more corporatized than ever.
And they just fall in love with the newest player and the flash.
Russell Wilson is better than Patrick Mahomes.
Patrick McHolmes is flashier.
Patrick Mahomes has a better offensive coach,
significantly better tied end,
the fastest guy in the league at wide receiver
and a better offensive line.
But how do I know he's better?
Because the best coach in the NFL
and the best defensive coach ever is Bill Belichick.
Belichick cannot stop Russell Wilson.
Faced him four times.
Can't stop him.
Russell's had one bad play against him.
Just happened to me in a Super Bowl.
Belichick's had all sorts of success against Mahomes.
Both Mahomes and Russell Wilson have played Belichick this year.
Okay, you watch the game.
Russell Wilson carved him up.
Not only five touchdowns, but he was throwing the ball over the top.
These were big plays against Belichick's great defense, which never gives up big plays.
When you watch this game, Russell against New England, nobody does this new New England.
Nobody beats them over the top.
You can slowly get yards on New England.
They're the classic bend but don't break.
Nobody beats them down the field like this.
except Russell Wilson in the last four and five years.
All of them are over the top throws.
And again, this is what Belichick takes away from Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Patrick Mahom.
He doesn't give those up.
Mahomes last night had a couple of touchdown passes.
Jet sweeps.
Jet sweep.
They don't even count as throws down field.
Mahomes struggled against him.
And in fact, Mahomes has struggled the four times he's faced Belichick.
Last night, AFC championship game last year, he didn't score in that
AFC championship game in the first half.
In fact, Mahomes against Belichick in four games in the first half, one touchdown,
three picks, 58% completion percentage and a 72 passer rating.
That's a problem.
And that's with a better offensive line easily than Russell Wilson.
Much better tight end play.
Much better wide receivers.
And a brilliant offensive coach in Andy Reed.
Mahomes struggles against Belichick in all four games early.
He's off.
He can't quite catch it.
Then he goes in with Andy Reed at half, make a few adjustments, and then he comes back and some he wins, some he loses.
But when you watch those two go up against Bill Belichick, Russell comes into the game and Bill's got no answers.
And he's going deep down.
And he beats Belichick the way nobody beats him.
He goes right after Gilmore.
He goes right over the top.
That's the solution that nobody has for New England.
This year, Russell, five TDs in a pick,
75% completion, 132 pass-er rating.
With a defensive coach that we have criticized on this show,
and so is Warren Sharp, so of the analytic maven,
saying, you know, Seattle really has a little bit of an outdated offense.
Doesn't matter.
Belichick can't stop it with Russell Wilson.
Can't stop it.
Wave the white flag.
Give up.
Can't stop it.
Not saying Mahomes.
doesn't have more raw quarterback talent, isn't flashier, isn't great.
But this minute in the NFL, if you're counting pre-snap, if you're counting playmaking,
deep throw accuracy, experience, not getting hit, manipulating defenders,
manipulating coverages.
Russell Wilson's the best quarterback in the league, and he's the best football player in America,
therefore in the world.
Now, again, Josh Allen may have a better skill set.
Six rocket arm, Mahomes and Josh Allen.
They're kind of, you look at him and you're like, oh, yeah, that's a silly arm.
Like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes don't throw the ball like anybody else in the planet.
It's just a laser beat.
The other day, Josh Allen made a throw against the Raiders to Cole Beasley.
It was a missile.
It was like Mahomes is the only guy in the league maybe Aaron Rogers that makes that throw with that velocity.
That's just not.
And Russell doesn't do that.
Russell's more the touch.
You know, Russell's running around, keeping his eyes downfield.
But look at what Belichick does against Mahomes, early in games.
He fools him, flummoxes him, drives him nuts.
That's with Andy Reid.
He can't do anything against Russell Wilson.
In fact, Russell dictates terms.
Russell goes, now I'm going to go at Stefan Gilmore, and I'm going to go right at the
thing that you never allow, deep balls.
It's the only quarterback in the league.
Bill, I'm going to go at your best corner.
I'm going to go at the thing you never.
I'm going to go right at you.
And Belichick's playing defense.
Belichick's on offense against Mahomes.
He's making Patrick Mahomes uncomfortable.
Russell Wilson makes Belichick uncomfortable.
That is the difference.
Heard hierarchy, our two on a Tuesday, big sports week coming up.
Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite.
Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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 Heavy.
writer Street or Seidel, help an
a cappella band with their between
songs banter. Where does your group perform?
We do some retirement homes.
Those people are starving for banter.
Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and
friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple
podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey, what's good, y'all?
You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host care games.
This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe
to have anywhere, but you're having them with a life.
professional who knows what he's doing.
How many men carry a suit or armor.
It signals to the world that you not to be played with.
And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to,
listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
A win is a win.
A win is a win.
I don't care what I'm saying.
Yep, that's me.
Clifford Taylor the 4th.
You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in
sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.
This is a place for raw unfilled 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
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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed
human.
