The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 1 - Bo Nix landed at the right place, Sean Payton is making a difference, Dolphins made a big mistake

Episode Date: September 30, 2025

Colin Cowherd breaks down how head coach Sean Payton is transforming the Denver Broncos and accelerating the development of quarterback Bo Nix He gives his thoughts on the Jets-Dolphins game and he points out Miami should have traded Tyreek Hill when they had the chance Colin defends Jerry Jones trading Micah Parsons to the PackersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was crying. You just understood.

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Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. To Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Tuesday. Man, we got a lot to talk about. In Chicago, it's the herd, wherever you may be. However, you may be watching or listening, whatever platform.

One hour from now, the herd hierarchy. Nick Wright stops by. J. Mack, you know I love Bo Nix and Sean Peyton. I picked them to win their division, but Sean Payton's history is He's 30 and 30 in September. He loads up the offense. He loaded it up with Drew Brees, who struggled early with Sean Payton. He loads it up with Bow Nix.

There's a lot of mistakes. Until last night. Beating Jake Browning, yes. Here we go. Get excited. So turning a football team around is hard, but it's not that hard. There's a reason Parcells did it over and over and over. There's a reason Harbaugh does it over and over and over.

Some people are smarter. Some people have a better eye for talent. It's not that hard. Sean Payton took over Denver. They were in cap hell. Russell Wilson is still their number one cap hit today. They were 5 and 12. We're scoring offense in the league.

Lousy offensive line. Very little skill. Today, start of year three. Grado line, two capable running backs. Dudes everywhere in the perimeter. How many guys do they have that can run and catch? A lot. They'll also lead the NFL in sacks for the second stretch.

year. I love Bo Nix, but he got lucky getting Sean Payton from play calling to play design. He's one of the few coaches in the NFL that is very good with personnel. He and Harbaugh, no personnel. A lot of good coaches, Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reed, I don't think you're great with it, or don't care about it. Peyton's great at it. So nine different guys caught a ball. Everybody's almost got the same body type. Lean long with good hands. They run good routes. it is a Super Bowl roster. I mean, you watch the Jets with their new coach. What do they do well?

What are they? Do they do anything well? Broncos do a lot well. If you lead the NFL in Sacks, you have perhaps the great play caller and designer next to Andy Reed, and you've got all sorts of wide receiver talent on the outside. Now, I love Bownecks. Watch how hard he throws the ball.

His velocity, unlike a lot of these young quarterbacks, He throws the ball down the field. And because of that, Sean Payton puts a ton on his plate. He throws it down the field. A lot of these young quarterbacks, dink, dunk, dink, no. Look at how often when he throws it out into the flat, a running back or a receiver or a tight end doesn't have to wait for it. And again, he makes hard throws.

He'll throw him into congested areas. He'll go right after people. He's intense. He kind of reminds me of the opposite of Drew Locke. It is all business all the time. hard throws, not messing around. He'll bark at Sean Payton and Sean Payton will bark back. And Sean is a great coach, but he's not easy to play for as a quarterback.

Go back to Drew Breeze. Drew Breeze, second year in the turnaround in New Orleans, second year, had his worst passer rating of his career. That's why Sean's record in September is just okay, 30-30, because he puts so much on the plate of his quarterbacks. So it is hard to turn around Denver. People do not understand. Wilson is still their number one cap hit. It was a mess. They gave up draft capital. They gave up all

those picks and a terrible offensive line. They had like Cortland Sutton and a lot of nonsense. You look at them now. It is velocity on both sides. That's what Harbaugh did. 30 second defense to number one. Same guys a year later. So coaching works at mile high and the sea level. It's about the process. It's about intensity. Coaches do it differently, but the Broncos might AFC West champion pick back to form, cut down on the mistakes and buried a hapless Bengals team. Here's Sean.

Obviously, early in the season, all 31 other teams are really working to figure out who they are. We're no different. But it certainly was a step in the right direction.

There were a lot of things that we were able to do tonight that that hopefully can carry over um now we change quickly to the team that just finished winning the super bowl so um we'll enjoy this one and then give back to work tomorrow i mean just remember how bad this thing was you had nathaniel hackett the offensive line was atrocious clock management was embarrassing um the ownership group was looking to sell the GM i liked he's still around, but they didn't do much well. And I mean, literally, Sean Payton rebuilt the offensive line before he coached the game. He rebuilt it in the first offseason.

You got some of these teams in the NFL, they're like on year five of rebuilding the offensive line. Sean McVeigh, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton, Andy Reid over and over and over, rebuild O lines overnight. So I just think Denver's one of those five or six rosters in the NFL that look different. Just more speed, more skill, Broncos Coast. All right, the game that started before that game, Jets and Dolphins. So these are two bad organizations for, in my opinion, two very different reasons.

The Jets are bad because they make really poor choices. There's too many voices upstairs. They make poor choices. I mean, they fired Robert Sol, the best coach on their staff. They fired him as he was preparing his team to play a game against Buffalo that had he won, he would have been in first place. You kept him for three and a half years. That's when you're going to fire him.

They just make poor choices, head coaches, GMs, quarterbacks. They have patience, but they can't get out of their own way. They have urgency. They just make bad choices. The dolphins are different. The dolphins are rarely awful. 60% of the time in the last 15 years, they win seven, eight or nine games. They're not awful.

The dolphins are just too loyal to average people. Their standards aren't very high. I mean, Tyreek Hill has been banging on his coach and his quarterback for two years publicly. I said it last year. Move him. Didn't. Now he's hurt. Tua.

In the AFC, the best teams play in cold, windy weather in December and January. The Baltimore's, the Kansas cities, the Cincinnati's. Two doesn't work. Move off him. No, they gave me a huge extension. How about Chris Greer, the GM? Been a GM for a decade. I think he's the longest tenure gym in the AFC.

He's got no playoff wins. Move on. Tyreek, Tua, Chris Greer, too much patience. Go look at the Miami Heat. Excellence. Top to bottom. They move people. Don't want to play here, LeBron.

Buy. The Jets, the Jets want to win, but they make terrible choices and do nothing well. The dolphins actually do offense pretty well. They're never really terrible. They make some good hobbies. some good acquisitions. They have some good players. But I mean, why is Miami settling? The Jets aren't satisfied being lousy. They're just incapable of fixing it. The dolphins are really okay winning eight and nine games. They're just okay being okay. And that's what I see.

I mean, I think there's are two struggling franchises. And I think in Miami, they've still convince themselves. You know, Mike McDaniel's smart. Well, Tua made a pro bowl. He hasn't been hurt lately. Well, Chris Greer, he's part of the family. Okay, in a conference with Buffalo and Mahomes and Andy Reed and now Denver and now Herbert and Harbaugh, that's not good enough. The Jets, they don't do anything well. I mean, Justin Fields, you got to watch the game, doesn't throw the ball down the field. You know, great athlete, great kid. That's not a franchise quarterback.

They're 0 and 4. And here's, here's Aaron Glenn, who promised what he took over. Discipline. Effectiveness. No more sloppy play. Very disappointing. And there's no way you can win any game

with 13 penalties and three turnovers. It just can't happen. But what we have to do is go back to work. we have to go back. That's the only way that we can fix them. Yeah, it's, I mean, when Aaron Glenn got the job, the whole takeaway was, hey, we're not going to be like those guys. We're going to get disciplined. It's not that they're losing.

Remember, when Dan Campbell, with Jared Goff, excellent quarterback, took over Detroit. Go look at the first 10, 15 games. Awful. That's not it. But remember what that Detroit team was like. Do you remember when he first took over? I can remember going on the end. air in the first year and a half and they weren't good saying, man, I don't think I've ever

seen a team play this hard. They're not very good. The defense is atrocious, but man, do they play hard? I can't even say that about the Jets. They're just, you got to do something right after four or five games. Even when Peyton took over Denver in the first year with Russell Wilson, he made Russell Wilson the best Russell Wilson could be. He fixed Russell Wilson to the level you could fix Russell Wilson.

Four or five games, I got to see stuff. I can't see a lot of penalties. I can't see a lot of nonsense. I can't see a lot of turnovers. I got to be able to point to something. You're going to go, oh, that defensive coach has a great defense. Now, the defense is worse.

So, Jemak, you know, Mets fans tend to be Jets fans in New York. So it has been a bad 48 hours in New York for Mets and Jet Guy. Very tough. The over did hit last night, so we were happy about that. But, Colin, I honestly think the Jets probably pick up the phone today and call, like, the Rams. Hey, you know, are you guys interested in Sauce Gardner? I start moving off defensive players.

I know it's early. People don't. Oh, we love Sauce Gardner. You're not going anywhere. Go ahead and start accumulating draft picks. I like the offensive pieces, right? You like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, offensive line. I like Allen, the other running back from Wisconsin.

Abril and Allen? Yeah, I think they have peace. I think they, I'm not worried about talent. I just, you have to show me something through four or five games. You've got to be good at something. When Lincoln Riley took over USC, the offense was good immediately. You got to be good at something. If you're a defensive coach, your defense can't look like that.

That can't be what it looks like. Jets are going to battle the Saints and Titans for the number one pick. And I think you said yesterday you liked Dante Moore above Simpson from Alabama. Because the Jets are going to start looking at quarterback. Like the evaluating starts now. Oh, yeah. Right? Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

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Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

And we were thinking I'm originally calling it. it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast,

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Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me.

And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world, right? now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way,

the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So I was a little perplexed at the overreaction to Jerry Jones trading Micah Parsons.

And I've been as critical of the Cowboys is I think almost any national broadcaster. I talked about the Cowboys. I followed this less last year than any year. But I thought the Michael Parsons move made a lot of sense. And let me explain this. There's three things. You need to be a great team.

A great head coach, a great quarterback, and to me a great left tackle. The Rams had to rebuild with Andrew Whitworth retired. They were fine without Vaughn Miller. They even made it fine without it. Aaron Donald, although he's great. I would have moved Micah Parsons, too. Edge rushers do not equal Super Bowls.

Let me list the highest paid edge rushers in the NFL currently. Micah, T.J. Watt, Miles Garrett, DeNeil Hunter, Max Crosby, Josh Hines, Allen, Brian Burns. A lot of guys that don't even sniff the playoffs. Yeah, Nick Bose has got some, but, yeah, so did everybody on those Niners. The overreaction's crazy. What you really want, I have always argued, that an edge rusher is the second most important defensive lineman. He's not even the most important defensive lineman.

The most important defensive lineman is the interior defensive lineman. Because A, it's a very rare body type. Six feet one, 3.30 with great feet. There are edge rushers all over this league. Everybody's got, every second team's got a great one. How many great interior defensive linemen are there? Chris Jones, Jalen Carter, not many. Reggie White, Aaron Donald.

You can name them because there's been so few body types. The second thing is all quarterbacks hate pressure at their feet. Tom Brady never minded pressure on the outside. He'd step up. He hated pressure around his feet. So did Peyton Manning. So does Mahomes. So to me, when his Mahomes has been blown out in the Super Bowl,

when he doesn't have a good left tackle? He's won Super Bowls without great receivers. He's run Super Bowls without great defenses. But when he's had bad left tackles, Patrick Mahomes, our most gifted quarterback, has been blown off the field twice. Right? So to me, move him.

And, you know, you're paying DAC a lot. So you've got to give DAC protection. They're trying to rebuild their own line. You've got to give him a weapon, C.D. Lamb. But I think Jerry Jones said it this week, and we noticed in the Cowboys Green Bay game, I think Micah was great for Green Bay because they don't do well in free agency. It's kind of a boring town.

Stars are not interested. And they've drafted and developed so well. They don't need a first round pick for a year or two. And they're also, Green Bay is a team because of their offensive greatness and efficiency. They're going to lead a lot of games with four minutes to go. They need a bullpen. They need a closer. So it's a good fit.

Dallas doesn't lead as many games late. Dallas needs flexibility and draft capital, and now they have four number one picks in the next two years. So it's just the overreaction to it, and Jerry Jones talked about it yesterday. Dax on fire, you had to pay DAC. I've got to tell you that I think he's played well every game this year, and well enough and quarterback for us to make the playoffs. And you talk about it before.

Singly that he's capable of if he continues to play like this, and we can keep putting it together and paste it up there, then we've got a chance. It's very simple. Doc was indispensable. in my mind. And so, yes. And Michael wasn't.

And he's right. There are great edge rushers everywhere. The Bengals have two great receivers. They couldn't even make the playoffs last year. They couldn't be one of the 14 best teams in the league with Joe Burrell. So this idea that you can't move Micah Parsons, I remember years ago talking to Bill Pauley and a GM, he said when we drafted Peyton Manning,

we knew we would lead games late in the fourth quarter, so we had to get to. an edge rusher. We needed a closer in our bullpen. The reason Mariano Rivera is the all-time great, because the Yankees led so many games in the eighth inning. The Oakland A's could have a great closer. They trail in most of those. So Michael works for Green Bay. They lead late all the time. It's like a Peyton Manning's Colts. LaFleur, Jordan Love, those receivers, they usually have good old lines. They need somebody to close. Make a

big play. Dallas wasn't in that spot. Dallas needed flexibility. Dallas couldn't even pay $8 million for Derek Henry. I mean, Jerry Jones is a dealmaker. For two free agent periods, he didn't do anything. He wanted to. So this Green Bay Dallas game is an example. Is that if Dax playing like this and you go into the next draft with two first round picks, and you don't need a quarterback in seven teams in the league,

including the two we watched last night, Miami, New York, and maybe Cincinnati. Who knows? Burroughs hurt again. Dallas is going to turn those two number one picks. They could turn it into six other picks. J. Mack with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, let's get started with A.J. Brown and the Eagles, obviously Philadelphia's second half output or lack thereof against the bucks was, was embarrassing. And A.J. Brown was a non-factor. In the game against Tampa, he caught two passers. for seven yards on nine targets. Then he put out that cryptic tweet after the game. Nick Siriani, he's downplaying all of it, Colin.

AJ is very important to this football team. You know, I know he wants to contribute. I know he wants to contribute and, you know, do the things that he's capable of doing. He wants to contribute into these wins. And he's had a couple games where he hasn't been able to, you know, and for different reasons of why we have in these games. I'll still make an argument that for most careers,

you're better served for most careers, working for a great company, being part of a great team and winning. But if you are a pro football player and a wide receiver and you're being tackled by big, strong men, you got about six years of prime, Even Puka, as much as we love him, gets dinged up a lot. And that I think it'd be like asking Kobe Bryant, only five shots. I'll back pro athletes, especially in really physical professions.

You got a six-year window to create your legacy. And I think he's very frustrated. I don't think he's a great fit. I don't think this quarterback in him, not blaming anybody. Nine targets, seven yards. Like, it is every three games out of four, they've got an eight. Jay Brown issue, and I think he's like, I need more shots. I got about three more years of prime, and usually I'm, hey, you're winning games. Winning games is important. It's not the only thing for

a pro athlete. Legacy matters too. There's a reason Tom Brady signed a big contract with Fox. He won a lot of games. He took pay cuts, and he took pay cuts to win more. And to win more, you get offered more jobs. That's the reality post career. So I look at, I look at AJ Brown, and I, I see, say these numbers are horrific. Wow. I'm a little surprised by this take. So just so I heard you correctly, like, A.J. Brown's got a legacy to protect. Hey, man, I need the ball. I need stats. Is that where you're going? I'm saying A.J. Brown is a top three to four receiver in the sport.

He gets targeted less than a backup tight end. He's as productive with a Jalen Hertz as a number three tight end for Buffalo. So, you know, game script often dictates. you know, the target share. Remember, against the Rams, they're trailing. Hey, we got to force feed A.J. Brown. Let's get in the ball. And it worked, and they won.

They're up 24-6, I believe, against the Bucks. They're not throwing the football a lot. Hertz, I think, had zero passing yards in the second half. They didn't need it. They won. So on some level, I would just be sitting around by like, bro, we're winning. We're the best team in the league. We just won the Super Bowl.

What are you crying about? That would be my counter to A.J. Brown. Well, again, I think winning is really important. but it's one for when you have a career, it could be working on oil, Derek. If you have a shorter career, lawyers don't, doctors don't, you and I don't. But if you have a short six, seven year career,

like let's say you're an astronaut in the space program, you're going to get one opportunity in your entire career to get on that rocket. One. So you have to be a little selfish if you want a legacy as being an all-time great astronaut. You don't get six trips up there. NASA's not giving you six.

So my take is we always bang on pro athletes. Oh, they're selfish. There are careers where there are timelines to be highly effective. And I think this is one of them. So what's the move? Do they go to them and say, AJ, listen, honestly, this is nonsense. We threw you the ball nine times. It didn't happen.

We won. Who cares? Do you want to be here, AJ? Do you want to win another Super Bowl? And I would say, if I was AJ, privately, if you want to move me, all be a good soldier, giving you leverage in a trade negotiation. I will not go public.

Remember when Lou Al Cinder moved out of Milwaukee, he made a decision a year before, but he was a good guy. He was a good steward. He said, listen, I'm not going to screw it up. I want you guys to get tons of players. And so he was unhappy the year before. Milwaukee ended up doing about as well as you could do.

And I think if I was A.J. Brown, I'm like, I'm not going to screw the or. Remember when Carmelo Anthony was in Denver? He's like, I got to be a Nick. Well, the Knicks had to get to get. up so much to get him. He was an expensive chandelier and an empty mansion. There was nothing around him. Well, you've boxed me into a corner here because I'm usually pro player and your argument's interesting. I'm sorry. I go to the Eagles. If I'm the Eagles, hey, we need you to win another

Super Bowl. We're just not going to force feed you when we don't need to. Sorry. And if you want to cry about it and go on social media, that's you, but we want you here. We're not trading you. Why would I move off AJ Brown? Like you said, he's a top four receiver in the league. this is a tough spot for the Eagles you can't move AJ Brown anyways alright let's move on to the Ravens they are one and three for just the second time in John Harbaugh's era

and bad news Colin Lamar Jackson we don't know his status for this weekend's game against the Texans and that nasty defense however we do know about two defenders Matabuque sorry for butchering his name he's out for the season the defensive lineman Roquan Smith set to miss multiple weeks. He's an elite

linebacker. I think he's the highest paid defender they have. And Marlon Humphrey, who's been burnt toast in the slot. Some people might say that's not a loss. Still, he's out for a few weeks. We don't know yet about Nate Wiggins, the Young Corner. Listen, Baltimore's up the creek right now. Here's Harbaugh talking about it.

I'm concerned, but I'm not overwhelmed by it. We played the three losses or probably three of the top teams in the league, for sure. And that's just the hand we've been dealt. But it doesn't really matter. We've got to win the next game. And then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins. And that's what we've

got to do. Big picture-wise, but small picture-wise, we've got to do a great job of putting together a great game plan and a great practice, and then a great game. Yeah, both Harbaas are dealing with major injuries right now, Jim on the O-line and the back-end. I understand, you know, like, listen, Vikings O-line,

Chargers O-line, you have major injuries to one unit. Baltimore's D-line. I'm more concerned with Lamar Jackson playing Kansas City. I was concerned with the offense. After the first series, he played poorly. And I'm a huge Lamar fan. The defense will eventually get it right when they get somewhat healthier.

But I think Baltimore's in a weird spot. You know the winner in all this is Aaron Rogers and the Steelers? I mean, seriously, Aaron Rogers, yeah, I know you can shake your head. No, you're right. You're right. Cincinnati's poorly run, Baltimore is falling apart, and Cleveland is basically looking ahead to next year. Aaron Rogers and the Steelers are going to win this division.

Yeah, I'm going to look at the odds on that. Real quick, the line for Texans Ravens was seven. It's down to three and a half. Okay, this is a trouble spot. Here's the worst news for Baltimore. They got the Rams after the Texans. Yeah. Then they got the buy.

They could go into the buy one and five. do you consider shutting down Lamar for a couple weeks here and then make a second half push? Because is one in five too much of a hole? Or like the Steelers are not going to run away and hide? No, because with Lamar, I could win every game in my division that I have remaining on the schedule. I mean, if you start looking at their games, they could beat, you know, they got another game against Cleveland. They got the Bengals twice. They may face Jake Browning twice.

That might be too Browning. Yeah. So, I mean, I think they're going to be so dominant in division, if they're just decent on defense that eventually I wouldn't shut anything down. Yeah. I mean, their second half of their schedule. Look at that, Colin. Brown's Jets, Bengals, Browning, Steelers, Browning, May. Yeah, they're going to win a lot of games. So maybe Lamar sits this week. Should we go back? Do you want to lock in for Blazing Five? No, I'll lock. I'll take a number I'm going to lock in right now. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let me give you a number. I'm going to lock in. The Colts hosting the Raiders. What is the number at right now? Okay, let me call it. If it's six and a half, I'm locking in the Colts right now.

Yeah. What is that line now? I'm seeing seven, Colin. Okay, I'm going to lock that in. Yeah, all right. Let's go to the final story. Yeah. Final story real quick.

Your Broncos, we got to revisit them. They blasted the Bengals. But, but, but look at this, Jamar Chase. Very unhappy. And guess what? Head coach, Zach Taylor has to calm him down. So last year it was Burrow, very unhappy. Now it's Chamar Chase.

What the hell's going on? And he's popping off on the sideline. Now, both of them are downplaying the interaction afterward, but Colin, you know, the video doesn't lie. We're just talking about the possession, talking about what plays we can run, and how can we know we attack certain coverages and get out play and make us the ball.

He's just competitive. He just wants to win and comes across as emotional, but that's just a captain that works his tail off. All he wants to do is win the game. All he wants to do is affect the game. And oftentimes he feels like if I have the ball in my hand, I can do that. And I don't disagree with him. Yeah, I don't get too worked up.

I mean, there are certain players. Yeah, I mean, I think. Zach Taylor, you and I have gone many rounds over this guy. Colin, that was an embarrassing performance. He's terrible. He's not a good football coach, man. He's capable. They're never going to buy him out.

It's the cheapest franchise in the sport. They're not going to buy him out. This is why the Bengals are the Bengals. I mean, last night's a great example. example, if you take Joe Burrow out of this franchise, they can't function. It's just a bad franchise with a cheap owner, a small scouting department. They don't make deals. They're the opposite of the Eagles. They're not well-funded. They're risk-averse. They're totally dependent on their quarterback. They're the opposite of the Eagles. Okay. So let me ask you this, Colin. If I showed up for the

show when I was ill-prepared and I was fumbling my words and messing up everything, like three or four days a week. I would not be ready for the show, and that's a sign that I'm not locked in. That's Zach Taylor every week, basically in September for the last four years. I'm not even making that up. He never comes ready for action. And that to me

is a sign that the coaching is just not very good. Did you see adjustments? He didn't have a lot of experience. I mean, you can argue about it. This is the Cincinnati Bengals. They just don't, they are cheap. They are a dollar store in a billion dollar global landscape.

They're cheap. Look at their scouting department compared to Philadelphia's. I mean, the owner thinks he's the GM. Like, it's this crazy town. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Lye News. Herd hierarchy, top

of the hour. The Raiders at the Colts is currently minus six and a half Colts. I'm locking that pick in. It's my favorite pick of the week. The Colts at home should have been the Rams. I think the Colts are really good. Minus six and a half

against the Raiders, who just, Pete Carroll's infatuation with Gino Smith. I'll just never get it. All right. Major League Baseball is on a heater. Listen to this. ESPN's rating this year, baseball up 21%. Fox up 9. Major League Baseball network up

13%. So the baseball playoffs start tonight. That and a, yeah, like, it's, it's, they figured it out. They sped the game up. They leaned into offense. It worked. That, an alarming truth happening with Brock Purdy next.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, huge news? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas,

and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast,

I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen, she went. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennar Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now,

and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. For the AL Penet begins with two game ones as the league's best square-offs in the American League Divisional Series.

It all starts Saturday on Fox and FS1. Baseball playoffs start tonight. You got some good ones. We've got some really good ones. I'm taking the Brewers over the Mariners in six. Brewers win the National League. Mariners, the American League, I'll take the Brewers, their bullpen, leads that don't lose them in six.

So this Thursday, I would put this game in my Blazing Five. Rams hosting the Niners. Brock Purdy's got a banged-up toe, hurt again. Now, we all know how I felt about Brock Purdy. I think Brock Purdy did an amazing job, but I've said this for years. Don't fall in love with stories. There's a difference between stories and reality. Y'all fell in love with Brock Purdy being the last guy drafted.

But there's a reason he was the last guy drafted. He was smaller than you want and reckless. In his four years at Iowa State, he led the FBS and Interceptions. The entire sport, $130,000. teams. He led college football and picks. This year, picks, bad ones. You know what, Bo Nix did in Oregon is last year? Forty-five touchdowns, three picks. He didn't throw any of them. And Bo Nix had five offensive coordinators in the four or five years he was in college football. So Brock Purdy is becoming Brock Purdy. He's reckless. He was reckless in college. That's why he

fell to the last round. Since week seven last season, he has fewer passing touchdowns than Russell Wilson, a worse passer rating than Gino Smith, and the second most interceptions in football. And since week seven of last year, Darnold's got a 103.1 passer rating. He's got a 90. Okay, so you could, the redemption story of Baker and Darnold were rooted in talent. Donald's a big, strong, super athletic quarterback. Baker's got a big-time arm and was a number one pick. you could have gotten those guys for 35 million a year.

Purdy's going to cost you 53. That's more than Josh Allen's cap hit. What are you doing? So I look at this with Brock Purdy. I like stories too, bedtime stories and a warm glass of milk. But you fell in love with the story. And Kyle Shanahan kind of likes quarterbacks that he can kind of control. Well, you can.

But you watch Bow Nix last night. Bonix's velocity and his movement. Oh, yeah, he's got Sean Payton. Bonix is a first round quarterback talent. So's Sam. So is Baker. Watch the games. You can see it.

And it's just interesting. The story in San Francisco, they had a choice here. It could have been Sam Darnold. He was in the building a couple years ago. So Sam Darnold has lost only three of his last 14 starts. and Brock Purdy since last week, last year week seven is four and seven.

I'm not anti-Brock Purdy, but I bang on this all the time. We all like stories. Don't fall in love with them. Don't fall in love it. They're like, oh my God, this is,

there's a reason guys fall to the last pick in the seventh round. Size, mechanics, reckless, there's a reason for all this stuff. By the way, they play the Rams in that defense, Thursday. Here's Kyle Shanahan

on Brock Purdy's injury. Anytime guys are sore and hurting on a Monday, you usually don't stress too much about it, but when anytime you have a Thursday game, it's a totally different element. So I'm concerned with anybody who's not totally

healthy at this moment, but we'll have to give more information on that later today to really kind of have a clue of what to speculate. So, listen, if you look at the redemption story. This league, one of the most amazing stats about the National Football League, half the players, think about this, are undrafted. Antonio Gates is a Hall of Famer. He was

undrafted. That is happening all over this league. So it's amazing. But you can't fall in love with those stories. You can fall in like with them. But you pay Antonio Gates because by year two, about halfway through it, you're like, oh, whoa, this guy's dominant. Like Pooka Nakuwa, fifth round talent. Sometimes you get lucky and some guys fall. But there's not a long list of great all-time quarterbacks in the seventh. Now, Kurt Warner, his story, you got great story and great talent. It does happen. I mean, Tony Romo, great story, undrafted, really, really special talent. But I, I, most of your great court People always say this.

Well, you can never figure out the NFL. I mean, it's such a crapshoot with quarterbacks. Nonsense. That's nonsense. Best quarterback in the NFL right now. Mahalms, first rounder. Josh Allen, first rounder. Justin Herbert, first rounder.

Joe Burrell, first rounder. They're all first rounders. Jalen Hertz. Ooh, he failed a second. He's also got the best roster in the league. So you start, look, Jared Goff, first rounder. Baker, first rounder. Sam Darnold, first rounder.

John Elway, Dan Marino, Aaron Rogers, the overwhelming, the great quarterbacks in this league have all been first rounders. Kurt Warner is a complete outlier. Brady, you know, even Russell Wilson fell, Dack fell. But the reason Dack fell is, he still doesn't usually, if you look at the history of Dack Prescott, throw the greatest football. Leadership, toughness, IQ, EQ, that's Dax stuff. That's his magic.

All right. So I said this before the break. It's pretty remarkable. Baseball did something that I always appreciate. On this show, I talk a lot about it. Stop. Guys worry about being right. Get it right.

Baseball made a series of bold, necessary moves the last few years. The data is in. They've all worked. The ratings are up for everybody. The games are faster. There's more base runners. There's more action. Big stars in big cities.

Like the NFL, baseball lean. into offense. Okay. Universal DH. No more pitchers hitting. Bases are bigger. Defensive shift eliminated. Torpedo bats, just like the NFL.

They're rewarding fans, and they've shortened the games. They actually made a Hollywood pivot. More superheroes in big blockbuster movies and only a two-and-a-half-hour runtime. I love Ken Burns. But baseball can't be a Ken Burns Civil War doc where you slowly move in to a still photo. Action, lots of it, base runners. So tonight, Yankees Red Sox, Dodgers, Reds late. Today, Cubs Padres is the headliner.

But I think what baseball did, they got out of the indie movie business. They knew the cinefiles, the movie freaks, they were going to show up. The baseball traditionalists, they're not going to go anywhere. Baseball is part of their summer. They're not going anywhere. Do not play to traditionalists in any industry. Get out of the wonky politics. Crime, border economy.

That's what won it for Trump. Stay to the stuff most people care about. And in baseball, more base runners, more action, big stars, big markets, shorten the games. It's all worked. The data is in. And again, this whole fear of the big markets dominate. Milwaukee's the best team in baseball. Milwaukee led baseball.

There's so many ways to win in baseball now. Toronto and Milwaukee, your top seeds, they hit home runs, but they led baseball in singles. Obviously, the Yankees and the Dodgers, it's home runs. San Diego, big sticks, great bullpen. Same with Milwaukee, Seattle. Dodgers, I think I saw. a stat, I don't think you can win a world series with a bad bullpen, I

think I saw a stat that the Dodgers blew 26 save opportunities. If you watch the Dodgers this year, they let a lot of games in the eighth inning. 26 times they lost it. So what I think is fascinating is the Dodgers

have the best roster and great offense, and they had a bunch of home runs, which matters in baseball. You've got to score quickly. You're facing the best pitching staffs and the best bullpens. You can't. You're facing the best pitching staffs and the best bullpens. You can't. You You can't manufacture every run. You're not going to get four straight hits.

You've got to hit jacks. So that benefits the Dodgers and the Yankees greatly. But they got a bad bullpen. And can't wait. Starts tonight. Heard hierarchy, top of next hour. J. Mack, you have not only had a bad couple of weeks of betting. The Brock pretty thing I know stings a little bit for you.

Yes, yes, yes. I'm chomping at the bit. But will you, I think here's a more troubling thing. is that and is that availability matters when two has signed the extension my take was guys Josh Allen doesn't get hurt

Patrick Mahomes doesn't get hurt Farrv didn't get hurt two has hurt a lot I'm not saying major injuries but Brock is again banged up and unable to play last week I think it was fairly obvious he was not right

doesn't that worry you a little bit as a smaller quarterback? Not really because he's outstanding. Okay, so first of all, number one, I know you had some stats on Brock struggling with interceptions in college. Just as a reminder, Jordan Love led division one in interceptions in college.

So for Jordan Love, it's, hey, fling it, no risk it, no biscuit, he's got far. But when Purdy does it, it's like, he's small. Okay, contextualize it. Jordan Love's big with a huge arm, and he's a world-class athlete. Brock Purdy's small.

Okay arm. average athletically. Jordan loves trait. When I talk to GMs, it's all about traits. I mean, if you go back to Bryce Young, the concern is small and spindly. But he won a ton in college. Josh Allen didn't, but they were like he's 6-6-250 with a huge arm. NFL quarterbacks don't care about stats as much as they care about traits.

Jordan Love is big, athletic, with a whip. That dude's got a arm. Love is big. He is a large quarterback. He lost them the game against the Browns. But anyways, real quick, on the two. Brock picks. So one was tipped by a defensive tackle, maybe because Brock is small.

And the other was because Christian McCaffrey juggled it and it went into the arms of a Jacksonville defender. I know the fumble was on Brock, but I think you're going a little overboard on a guy coming back from shoulder and toe injuries and missing a bunch of dudes. I know you're waiting for Rock to screw up. I'll just say, Jordan Love is 6'4 with 10. and a half inch hands. Brock Purdy is six feet tall with nine.

and a quarter hand size. And that matters to GMs because when the ball gets wet, yep. And that Brock Purdy has struggled when it's overcast. All right. Heard hierarchy,

top of hour two and Nick Wright too. Hey guys, it's us and the Jonas brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called

Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because We're sick and tired of being asked questions.

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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 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. What's up, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was part of it. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow.

Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to you. He's like, you know, I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Crimless, Rory and I welcome a very special guest. When I did a podcast, I wear my sleep mask.

I like where this is going. So if you guys will indulge me. That's right. The incredibly talented and hilarious willfare. On an episode dedicated to crimes committed by people named Will Ferrell. You're good for 300 crimes? Yeah. We got two.

I'm ready to go right up to present day. Listen to Crimless on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.