The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD - Hour 1 - Packers Look Dominant, Caleb Williams' Timeline, Trouble In Miami?

Episode Date: September 12, 2025

Colin Cowherd recaps last night's game between the Commanders and the Packers, why Commanders fans shouldn't worry too much about the loss, how much leeway Caleb Williams needs from the Chicago Bears this season, whether or not it's a bad sign Miami already held a players only meeting, and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. 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. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

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 ice. Heart 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 masks. I like where this is going. So if you guys will indulge me. That's right, the incredibly talented and hilarious Will Ferrell 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. What would you eat if you had to start over? Real simple,

poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. On the podcast eating while broke, I sit down with celebrities, entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on in the moments that shaped their journey.

Named Best Food Podcasts at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards. The full season is available to binge. Right now, listen to Eating Wall Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific.

Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast. Here we go. It is a Friday, and we are loaded. Blazing five off a winning week one. The Green Bay Packers, once again, little sloppy but put on a show last night. J-Mack, I had them.

Number one in the Heard hierarchy, I said it was the best team I saw in week one. and they have now totally shut down last season's number one and number two most efficient offenses. So, I mean, it jumps off a TV, does it not? Yeah. This team is good. Essentially, the first two games, they gave up nothing the first three quarters. Nothing. The defense is that good.

Micah Parsons is unfreeking believable. Yeah, and he's only playing 68% of the snap, so that'll go up to 78 and 88. So this I am absolutely sure of as I start my show on a Friday. Green Bay is the fastest team in the NFL. Their tight ends run. Their defensive ends run well. They're wide receivers. Their quarterback can run.

And the spacing and speed is on display. Last night was the youngest team in the league against the oldest and it looked like it. I have not seen a defense in Green Bay this aggressive. And there is not another wide receiver tight. end group in the NFL that has this much speed and this much talent, and they're not paying any of it. Terry McClorn of Washington alone, alone, makes 10 million more than the entire wide receiver and tight end group for the Packers. And this is also the power of patience that Green Bay is allowed to have. They can draft Jordan Love and sit him for three years because they don't have an owner, an impulsive guy at the top pulling

strings. They don't have a harsh and relentless local media. And they have loyal fans and reasonable fans. So when they dip their toe in free agency like Micah, it's worth it. The other thing I thought last night is, you know, people freak out. Green Bay gave up two first round picks. You tell me, what do they need? They got the quarterback. They got their skill. I mean, they've got their tackles. They've got their pass rusher. I got their linebackers. that's when you can give up first round picks. What do they need? And for the record, Matthew Golden, the kid out of Texas, again, it's going to take him until

week six, seven, eight, nine. He's going to be another track star. And here's the thing. Not only did they blow out Detroit and that game last night, I couldn't believe it was a one score game in the fourth quarter. They were totally dominating it. The Packers rolled and they were sloppy. I mean, they got to clean a lot of stuff up.

They had 10 penalties. They were starting two backups on the offensive line. Micah Parsons only took 68 snaps, and they have rolled two very good rosters. And last year, we like Green Bay a lot, but they struggled against the best teams. They were 0 and 6 against Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minnesota. Yeah, that's over. So the only time that Detroit and Washington felt like they could compete was in the fourth quarter in its garbage time.

So, I mean, this is, they have four different wide. receivers, Green Bay does, that according to next-gen stats run 19 miles per hour or faster. Washington has one. Debo looked twitchy, and they'll get their offense in Washington. You know, McLaurin showed up late. But I mean, sometimes you just have to watch and just be honest about it. No team in the league. How often did Green Bay players pull away from Washington players?

It could be reverses, bubble screens. I mean, it's a track team that tackles well. So Jordan Love has had nine straight games, regular season games. Think about this. And Jordan Love is a risk taker. He has more far than Aaron Rogers. He's got a big arm and he'll throw it. And he'll throw it on the move.

He's an aggressive quarterback. And Matt LaFlewer is a pretty aggressive coach. And yet Jordan Love has got nine straight regular season games without a tournament. over. And you know why he's doing that? Because he figured it out. Just get the ball to this speed group and they'll do the rest. So I mean, this is to me, this is hands down the most impressive team I've seen in the NFL and they're not paying anybody. Outside of Jordan Love, you know, they're paying Micah, they're paying Jordan Love. They're not paying a lot of people. So the future is incredibly bright. A lot of teams have to buy free agents. You know, players are

getting old and brittle. Young players get hurt, but they return to action sooner. So this team has so much depth at so many spots. And again, young players, young athletes recover quicker. I don't see any liability here holding this team back from getting to a Super Bowl. To me, I don't see a flaw. Just they got to clean some stuff up. They're sloppy.

Starters don't play in the preseason. it's weak to, you know, I don't take anything from the mistakes. They're all easy to clean up. And here's Jordan Love on the skill and speed that surrounds him. It's one of those things where, you know, we had a goal coming to this season to start the season off fast and build on the things we've done last year. And obviously, I think we got a really good offense. And we've been talking about, you know, the sky's the limit. We've got so many playmakers.

We're really deep on offense. And just got to find ways to go out there and, you know, execute against good defenses like them. So I think it's ironic that the Miami Dolphs previously, the previous three years, the fastest team in the NFL had a players only meeting yesterday. And this is really the difference between Green Bay. When I think of Green Bay, I think of stability and patience. When I think of the Miami Dolphins, I think of shortcuts and flash.

And I've said this for years. I do think teams tend to embody the culture of the city. Like when I was a young kid in the 70s, Pittsburgh was known as like, that's where you made steel. And the Steelers were tough. Of course they were tough. Pittsburghers were tough. People in Pittsburgh were tough.

They made steel for the rest of the country. Miami's always been a flashy town. And Dan Marino, big arm. It'd been flashy. Miami's flashy. You know the last time they won a playoff game? Dave Wanstatt was a coach. Great defense, great run game.

You may want to get back to that. But it's interesting watching and juxtaposing Green Bay, the fastest team in the league where it jumps off the television, how fast they are, and it did for Miami for three years. But they did it through a trade and had to pay a fortune for it. Green Bay is not paying any of their fast guys. So this is the difference between, you know, structure and stability and shortcuts. And they always say, there's an old saying, speed kills.

You know what really kills? Bad GMing, bad coaching, lack of culture. it makes even the fastest guy slower. And the fact they had a player's only meeting after the first week is a danger sign. Football, the basic ethos of football. And it will always be true. Again, the last playoff win in Miami was a defensive coach, a run game, and a defense, and time of possession.

That football is built on details and drafting and development and physicality. And Miami's just not good at that. Now, if you can put elite speed on top of that, that's Green Bay. But, you know, I'm watching the Packers last night, and I'm thinking, as I'm watching the game last night, this is what Miami thought it would look like. We're just going to get the ball into the distributors. And run around.

Yeah, but you didn't have the coaching and the culture and the patience. You know, that's the difference. And I'm not picking on Miami because when they got Tyree Khill and Jaden Waddell, you're like, oh, this is going to be crazy. but it should be noted not only is Wonstat, a defensive guy who loved the run game, the last got to win a playoff game there, when I think of the Miami Heat,

in that flashy city, you know what I think of, D. Wade's defense, Haslam's defense, LeBron's defense, Jimmy Butler's defense, Pat Riley, defense, Eric Spolstra defense. When they were winning like,

you know, back-to-back Eastern Conference championship series, when they're getting into those games, they had a top three or four defense in the league. So Miami may live, in that crazy, flashy speedboat town. But the core of Miami has always been long practices, tough, and physicality. And then Tyler Hero can go hit a three.

But I just looked at Green Bay, and I thought, this is what Miami thought they would be. And they don't have the stability, and they don't have the patience, and they're having a players-only meeting after week one. Yikes. Here's two on the meeting. A lot of it has to do with communication what you want out of the guys what the guys should expect from you coming into a game

like this week prior to the game that happened from the performance that I put out there obviously it starts with me but with those guys you know just communicating to them what our expectation is going into this week and being able to move forward from that

you know 17 we got 17 games that were you know guaranteed that was One of them, it's a long season ahead. That it certainly is. So Tom Brady was on the show yesterday, and Tom Brady had a lot to say in a very brutally honest

takedown of some bad coaching and bad quarterback play in the NFL, and we will talk about that coming up next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington,

and I couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up On Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game. We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments.

Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arrington, T.J. Hushmanzada and Plexicoke Burr is on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there.

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. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. 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 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? 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. 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 should 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 Rubakina 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. What's up fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing.

That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court licking his fingers while he got the ball. After you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we have Blazing 5, 45 minutes from now. Urban Meyer stops by today. Dave Wonstadt will be in studio here, former Bears coach.

That Bears Lions 1 o'clock window game is going to get a number. The NFL is on a heater in terms of ratings. That's going to get a number. That's fascinating. I had Tom Brady on the show yesterday. And I said, Tom, you grew up in a number. a different generation. All these quarterbacks now had personal coaches, seven-on-seven summer camps. They have 10,000 snaps by the time they're 13 years old. The five times the snaps a quarterback

had 20, 30 years ago coming out of high school or college. And so is it fair? I asked Tom Brady, is it fair by Thanksgiving of this year, Thanksgiving of year two, that you can make a definitive statement if Caleb Williams isn't good enough to just move on? There's a lot of people who have no idea what they're doing when they're tasked with coaching a quarterback or calling an offense. So are you saying, I mean, just like we'd rank quarterbacks one to 32, do you rank offensive coordinators one to 32? What if you're a quarterback and you go to a system? And they don't teach you coverage. They don't teach you cover one.

They don't teach you cover two. They don't teach you cover four. They don't have personnel meetings. They give you an offensive game plan and they go, all right, buddy, here you go, figure it out. And after Thanksgiving of your second year, they're going, man, this guy just can't play anymore. Well, and this is a point

Brady has made on my show multiple times in two years. There's a lot of people, even some of the good coaches, like Mike Tomlin, they're not great with quarterback play. Like they just don't have a feel for it. So, and I, and I, I was sitting down this morning

and I said, if you gave me a circle of trust of teams in this league that I'm absolutely sure would get the most out of any quarterback they would draft or sign. I came up with seven teams. Now that doesn't mean Buffalo didn't have good coaches, but Josh Allen would have succeeded anywhere. That doesn't mean Baltimore doesn't have good coaches. But Lamar Jackson, such a unique special talent,

I think he would have had success anywhere. But I would say Chargers with Harbaugh, Andy Reid and the Chiefs, Sean Peyton and Denver, Green Bay, San Francisco with Shanahan, McVey, and Kevin O'Connell. That's kind of my quarterback development circle of trust. Again, that doesn't mean Baltimore isn't a great organization. I've argued it may be the best, top to bottom. But I think John Harbaugh comes more of a defense special teams background. And I think Lamar was such a unique talent.

He was going to gain yards. It just didn't matter who got him. He was going to have some success. I, that's one fifth of the league. Like those, McVeigh, Shanahan, Kevin O'Connell. You say, oh, what about Joe Burrell? You don't think Joe Burrell would be better in San Francisco or L.A.? Really?

Had better ownership, better old lines. I mean, Baker Mayfield has had 10 offensive coordinators already in the NFL. It's there just a lot of bounce around coaches in this league. And Baker's flourished now. credit to Darnold and Gino and Baker, who've had multiple coaches, multiple teams, multiple quarterbacks,

and they're still flourishing. They deserve a ton of credit. But the circle of trust in this league, and then you could say, well, what do the Niners do with the Tray Lance? Well, Tray Lance isn't viewed as a franchise quarterback by anybody in the league.

There are some players you're not going to take to a next level because they're just not that guy. I don't think Matt Jones is a franchise quarterback. He'll be okay with Kyle Shanahan because he's okay. but there are not many places in this league to Tom's point where you can put a quarterback and you're like, yeah, they'll get the most out of him. I mean, go back to what Sean McVey did with one practice. Remember that with Baker Mayfield? One practice.

And I think it was a Monday night game. I could be wrong, but he brought him in with one practice. And if I recall, Baker had like a game winning drive late. Remember what Kevin O'Connell did in Minnesota. He brought in a very smart kid. The kid's very smart. No practices. And Josh Thompson had a great game with no practices.

There are just a, there are, I mean, there are just very few teams in this league that I think, yeah, they'll, they'll get the quarterback. They'll get the most out of it. And that's why I think with Caleb Williams, I thought last year was the worst situation any young quarterback could go into Chicago. Defensive coach on the hot seat and a loud media that was going to get really ugly if things went sideways. At least now with Ben Johnson, I feel like Caleb, with a rebuilt O-line and Ben Johnson, Caleb, if he doesn't succeed, it's not in the organization. They've given him a fair chance to succeed with Ben and the rebuilt offensive line. They've got nice weapons, Roma Dunzee, DJ Moore, Cole Comet, Loveland from Michigan.

I mean, they got Swift. They got real players now and real offensive coaches. But Brady's been on this for two years, and not everybody knows what they're doing with quarterbacks. and it's weird because it is the most by a mile, not even close, the most important position in the entire sport. And about a seventh of the league, I trust with it. A fifth of the league, maybe.

I trust with the position. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, let's start with a great matchup in Pittsburgh this weekend. Seattle travels to Pittsburgh to face Aaron Rogers

and the Steelers. Yeah. You know, a big narrative around, Hey, Rogers had four touchdowns. He's back. I don't know. O.C. Arthur Smith is pushing back on some narratives that are negative against Rogers. There's a lot of misconceptions at times, but he's one of the best leaders I've been around.

He's authentic. Aaron Rogers, one win, and now everybody's kumbaya with Arthur Smith. Well, let's be fair, four touchdowns. It is interesting, though, that you can look sometimes at a quarterback's numbers. I told you, I thought Brock Purdy, that was the most I ever had been impressed with Brock Purdy, and he threw two picks. You got to be careful about the data. PFF ranked Aaron Rogers. Fourth. I saw the number here. Hold on. Well, listen, he had a couple. He had some good numbers.

No, but it was interesting what PFF had him graded as. I think PFF, yeah, it was Aaron was the fifth lowest-quoted quarterback in week one according to PFF. It's the lowest. Yeah, so this idea that it's all, they scored a bunch of Pittsburgh was a mirage in week one. First of all, their defense will be much better against Seattle. They get all these new pieces. So Pittsburgh's defense is not that bad. It's going to be much better against the Seahawks.

And Aaron is not going to go four touchdowns and no picks and have that time to throw. He's not like he did last week against the Jets. The Seahawks defense has got the same coaching staff from last year. It is young. It is fast. Aaron, just stats and scoreboard can be way overvalue. I totally agree, Colin. And I actually think that we're wrong on the scoreboard.

I don't, again, five years ago, Aaron Rogers mattered. I personally don't think people are interested in Aaron Rogers in 2025. He's just not that interesting anymore. And like we could take sample size. Oh, look online. People are talking about him. He's not like a top 10 more interesting quarterback in the league. And that's because we're in the golden age of quarterbacks.

In my lifetime, you watched Jordan Love last night. we don't even put George, when we talk top 10 quarterbacks, we don't naturally put Jordan Love in it. Oh, he's definitely ahead of Aaron Rogers. That's not even, that's not even debatable. But my point is, we have so many good quarterbacks now that we don't put Dak or Jordan Love in the top 10 and go watch what they've looked like through three starts between those two. They've been incredible. The quality of quarterback play right now is insane in the NFL. I'm actually more interested to see how Sam Darnold.

does in this spot. Pittsburgh's a little beat up on the defense coming off that Jets game. I think it's going to be a close 2017 football game. I think it's going to look a lot like San Francisco and Seattle. It's going to look a lot like that. But my thing about Donald, I know he's your guy, obviously the USC ties. He was great last year for Kevin O'Connell and had Justin Jefferson. Now you downshift in Seattle and you don't have that. And I just wonder, Colin, if he doesn't show well here this weekend, are you off, remember you had Seattle, I think winning the division or second going to the playoffs?

Does this give you pause if they lose back-to-back games to start the season? No, I have him as a wild card team. I think he went from Kevin O'Connell, which is offensive, creative coach, and all sorts of offensive skill to Seattle, which has their best players on defense, does not have a true number one and has a defensive coach. So I think Seattle is kind of the opposite of Minnesota

in terms of culture and offense and how they view the world. Seattle ran 52% of their plays last week. And I thought that was lower. I thought they'd be almost a 55% run team. Seattle wants to gobble up the line, run the ball, speed the game up, and be attacking on defense. So I think what you're going to see, the Steelers defense is going to come to play. They're going to play much better. They're at home. They can't play worse. And Seattle is going to just try to pound it out, run game, put Darnold in, Very few positions to fail.

I think it's a very close, very low-scoring game. Totally agree. Let's go to Monday night football. Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh. You know, they have a long rivalry. Apparently they're six and six head-to-head. And they, you remember, they used to meet in the Pack 12 way back in the day. Monday, the Raiders host the Chargers and the rivalry will be renewed.

Here are the coaches talking about matching up once again. I remember Jim. No, I have no fun memories. I'm like, I go ahead. They're good. That's great games. They've been great games. That's all. That's pretty well documented. And he's a great coach. You know, one of the best.

It's a lot of respect. You know, I always think that had I ever played, you know, for him, you know, in one of his teams, because he was coaching when I was playing, or was on his staff once I got into coaching. I bet we would have been like really good friends. Yeah, I remember when Harbaugh took a Stanford team into USC as a 40-point dog. I remember that. That's, it was probably the upset of the decade at the time before.

Didn't App State beat Michigan after that at some point? Abstate did beat Michigan. Yeah, yeah, but I mean, I remember that game and it was, the Stanford stuff, Stanford was a mess when he took it over, and they became an incredibly tough physical team with Andrew Luck. But, I mean, these guys are, different personalities. But you know what? They both aged well. Harbaugh's chilled out. I mean, he's kind of chilled. Now, he's much more intense. He's, he's more laid back and chill now.

And Pete has aged incredibly well because he has the most insane energy I've ever seen by anyone. Yeah. I mean, Pete is just working that gum like he's 32 years old. So, I mean, you know, oh, they happen a month apart. Is that true? The staff says App State, Michigan, USC. I mean, I just, I think both these guys are a testament to aging well. They're obsessed with football and it shows. Yeah, in regard to the matchup, Patriots slot receivers destroyed the Raiders. Their cornerback was one of the worst opening weeks. Ladd-McConkie is going to eat on Monday night.

I like the charges big in that one. By the way, Michigan State, Michigan lost App State September 2007, October, Stanford, USC. So they were literally, those are the two, that year you had two of the biggest upsets. I can never remember in college football. I can't believe that was 18 years ago and you remembered it almost. Yeah, no, I remember. It's scary. And I remember the App State Michigan game.

I think there was a field goal that played a part late in the game as a long time ago. But yeah, crazy year. Yeah, I don't remember what I had for dinner Tuesday night. All right, let's go. Final story is the New York Giants. Obviously, we're terrible in week one. could get no offense started with Russell Wilson under center. Sunday on Fox, they face the Cowboys,

and there's a lot of chatter about Jackson Dart, but Russell Wilson is not phased. Here's his confidence level entering week two. I think that you embrace challenge. You know, I don't think I run from challenges. I don't think I run from, you know, anything. I know how confident I am and myself, confident I am the guys that we have.

I think for me personally, you know, my confidence never blinks. You know, I've been through everything. guys. I've been through all the biggest highs there could be. I've been through a few lows. At the same time, I also know that my confidence never waivers. Yeah, I don't think he loses confidence. I think what he's lost is elusiveness. And I think that was the secret sauce.

I mean, listen, Nolan Ryan could throw a curve. But if his fastball got down to 92, he's not Nolan Ryan. Like, you know, it didn't. But that's the reality of what he is. Russell made a living on being elusive. and when he lost that ability to do that, he was never an elite pocket guy. He was good at running around

and good over the top on those rainbow throws. But I mean, you and I have talked about this. In my lifetime, I do not remember a quarterback going from Pro Bowl to what I've viewed the last four years. It's not like he doesn't work hard, but his game was so uniquely elusive. He wasn't a burner. He just had this ability like a kid running through a mall around people.

Like he had this ability to make people miss, and then all of a sudden now they don't miss and there's not a lot there because he's not a great pocket quarterback. All right, two quick ones. A is Russell Wilson a Hall of Famer? No. No. You didn't need...

Fine, if Marshawn Lynch, he actually carries the football and scores a touchdown, he has two Super Bowls. Is he a Hall of Famer then? You're asking me if he's a Hall of Famer. I didn't say he wouldn't get votes. No, no. Would you vote in it? No, no, I know.

But I think you can put him on a ballot. I mean, but I don't think it is. I don't think... Okay. Yeah. And then the second one, will Jackson Dart take a snap this week against Dallas? Yes or no? No, because I think it'll be a close game and it's a division game.

And I think you have to, you have to play that you got to give Russell. I think if they trail like 14 nothing and half and aren't moving the ball, I think you think about it walking to the locker room. But I, and I said before, I think you got to play Jackson Dart very, very, soon. But I think, I don't think Brian Daibol wants to bail after six quarters. You know, so I think they'll give him eight quarters to start, see where you're at. You may not have a choice, Colin. Daybow's on the hot seat. How long you want to wait before you, hey, we got to give this guy a shot. I'm cooked if Russ keeps this up. I like the

Cowboys and Survivor this week. I know you're not a huge Survivor player, but I think the Cowboys are winning this game. I don't see them losing it. They're in all my teasers. Is there any world where the Giants win this, Colin? It's funny. So my most assured pick in week one almost backfired. Philadelphia, I thought, would beat Dallas. That was a lock. So I can't use Philadelphia in week two.

Who would I use in that? I'm going to tell you something. Even by week two, it gets tricky. It depends. Baltimore Ravens are favored by like 12. I would say Arizona, I'd use my Arizona. Arizona at home against Carolina, if I was in a survival pool, that would probably be my pick. Well, I'm in multiple and sometimes multiple entries.

So yes, that's another pick of mine. All right, J-Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Line News. So I was saying this with the Packers. Just trust your eyes. That is the fastest team in the league.

The Kansas City Chiefs, trust your eyes. They're not a very good offensive football team. The run game, below average. Offensive line, well below average. If Xavier Worthy doesn't play, they don't have a number one receiver. And if he does, he's still not a number one receiver. He's more of a gadget guy and a two. So the Chief's offense since 2023. This is hard to get your brain around because it was so good early. The first five or six years was so dynamic. But they're like middle of the pack,

23rd in rushing, 27th in big plays, 18 in red zone percentage. And that's with Mahomes and Andy Reed. So if Mahomes and Andy Reed can't do better than 18th in red zone efficiency, I mean, these are guys that dialed up Skymore in the Super Bowl to be wide open for touchdowns. So, I mean, last year, they were 31st in the NFL in big plays, and they had the fewest rushes of over 10 yards. So it's one of those things. I was joking this morning that I remember a show came out called True Detective, and it had eight episodes, and there was 12 Emmy nominations,

and it was just unbelievable. It became my favorite show, Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson. And so I could not wait for year two. And I was just like every episode has been unbelievable. And by the middle of the second episode of year two, I was like, yeah, it's not very good. I'm going to trust my instincts on TV viewing.

They're not very good. And I feel like with Kansas City, they had so many big years that you just sort of like, yeah. I mean, wow. They don't have any wow. There's not a lot of wow there. They don't run the ball. The O lines getting rebuilt again.

And, yeah, And again, this is with Reed Mahomes and a great GM. So they have hit on a lot of defensive draft picks. But it may have the same name, but True Detective Year 2 wasn't the same show. And it may be the Chiefs Mahomes and Reid is not the same show. Here's Brady yesterday on Mahomes trying to carry the load right now in KC. When you control both sides of the line of scrimmage, you have a huge opportunity for success. and it takes someone like Patrick Mahomes

to kind of have that Mahomes magic and pull the rabbit out of his hat in order to keep his team in the game. With the rookie Simmons, with Sue Mataya, who's in there as a second round pick from last year, Creed Humphrey,

and Trey Smith at right guard. They're set up to have a pretty good offensive line as they gel and grow together. So that will be great for Patrick to feel like he has some confidence to stand back there. But right now when you watch them trust your eyes. He does not. Remember last year? We talked about this last year.

Greg CoSell came on our show. And I asked Greg CoSell, I said, what is wrong with Kansas City's offense? And do you remember what Greg CoSell? He said it last year early in the season, week four or five. He said, Patrick does not trust his O line. He doesn't trust it. You can watch his feet. He doesn't trust it.

So am I supposed to believe after getting blown out by the the Eagles in the Super Bowl and getting beat by the chargers and facing pressure. He trusts it now. Now, to Tom's point, he may trust it in six weeks. But right now, trust what you're seeing. There's no wow for an offense that was the definition of wow. The first five years, six years of Mahomes. Blazing five, top of the hour.

It's the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? 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 throughout there. 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, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. 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 eye 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. Genshin 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 Rubakina 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. What's up, fam, Ms. Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.

I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us every. everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

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

Play the Fox Super 6 NFL challenge. Download the Fox Sports app and enter for a free shot to win your share of $10,000. One of the questions is which QB will have the most passing yards in week two. Mahomes,

Dak, Gough, or Caleb? Colin, who you got? Jared Gough against the Bears. Good answer. Yeah, Jared. Their fair secondary is getting cooked. Although I will say C.D. Lamb eats against the Giants. He does.

So I've never bought into sophomore slumps. Mahomes didn't have one. Peyton Manning was substantially better in year two. Joe Burrow didn't have one. Lamar Jackson didn't have one. Josh Allen got better year one of year two. I don't think Jaden Daniels going to be a sophomore slump guy because I think he has elements to his personality.

and his makeup that are that transcend slumps IQ maturity EQ poise those are slump proof power hitters in baseball they have slumps Tony Gwyn hit 415 against Greg Maddox contact hiters like Tony Gwynn that not really slumpy Steph Curry 16 years in the league 39% to 44% he doesn't have slump years he may have a bad half so I think Washington last night ran into a green and white buzzsaw. It was a short week. They were on the road. Green Bay is the best team in the league.

Green Bay is the fastest team in the league, and Washington isn't. They have one receiver that runs over 19 miles an hour, next-gen stats. Green Bay's got four. And I think one of Green Bay's most talented skill players, Kraft is a kid, he'll only get better, and he's great now. And Golden out of Texas, again, it's his second NFL game. So they were short week,

the road old team against the young team uh i i don't worry about jaden daniels at all i think he's magnificent and here he is after we got 10 games i mean 10 days uh it's our next game so there's nothing to dwell about it you know it's early in season uh i wouldn't expect anybody in this locker room to hit a panic button uh we faced we faced a really good team and uh we came up short they've got a new left tackle debo's a new chess piece McLaurin got into camp late. So, and I think just watching Green Bay, I mean, Detroit was a bulldozing run game. And last week against the Packers, they couldn't move the ball.

So you see this sometimes where, like, you just see a team. I mean, wait until Micah's playing 90% of the snaps. I mean, Micah played 48% last week. He played 68% last night. I mean, you watch these highlights were showing you on television. Green Bay's closing speed. is everywhere. And the faster you are, the more aggressive you are.

The Packers are super aggressive, and I just don't think Washington knew what they were in for. So I saw this. 15 years ago, I was doing this show on radio, and I made a pivot. So I was at the other place, and I was about four or five years into my career at the other place. And I was in the gym, and after my workout, I ran into a senior manager at the other place.

and we were talking about we both like business and kind of the architecture of radio and TV and we were talking about behind the scenes boring stuff but it wasn't boring to us and uh that person said uh at ESPN I would never say this out loud but baseball's a regional and local sport and he said it's hard to do as a national network because people in new york don't really necessarily care about the aes of the mariners and people in seattle don't care about the Texas Rangers or the Rays, but a Seahawk fan would watch the Buccaneers and a Charger fan would absolutely watch the Vikings. But would a Padre fan care about the Twins?

It's a local regional sport. And so at that time I made a pivot that I was going to talk about pro football, about 70% of my show, which seems crazy, but I always argued that if I was in London doing a show, 75% of my show would be the English Premier League. If I was in Canada, I'd have to leave because 75% of my show would have to be hockey. So I would move somewhere. No disrespect. I go to Canada every other summer.

So I just saw the numbers for the NFL right now, and the reality is NFL week one viewership is off to a massive start. And I think what's happening as the platforms have increased in America, there's just more places, more streaming outlets, more TikTok. As it's gotten wider, there is only one thing in this country. that transcends all of it and can get people away from their phones. It's politics and presidential election years,

every four years, that'll get people off their phones, and it's the NFL. Not even sports, the NFL. Top 100 shows last year. 94 were football. So I just, it's funny, I hear all these discussions.

This cracks me up. Hey, let's do a red zone, in baseball. We can do a red zone in college football. We do a red zone in hockey. You do get what makes the red zone great. It's not the name red zone. And I love Scott Hansen, but it's not the host. It's the national football league. It works because of the NFL. Regardless of the host, and he's terrific, and regardless of the name, the red zone works because of the NFL. It's not going to work for any other sport. So you can try it, but there's an urgency. to it. And it was funny this week, Adam Silver, who I think is pretty good at what he does,

Adam Silver admitted, he said, we're kind of a highlight league. People watch us in highlights. And David Stern, before his death, privately would tell people, listen, people watch us in the playoffs, but mostly they watch our highlights. Because NBA players are such great athletes, the highlights are so much fun to watch. But the only sport, according to every piece of data, that we really sit down, get off our phones, and watch is Sunday in the NFL. That's it. And this weekend, Eagles Chiefs, from what I'm hearing on Fox, we think it's going to set an NFL potential NFL playoff record if it's close. I do think it's close.

I think the Chiefs got so humiliated in the Super Bowl that I think there's going to be so much pride and so much resilience. The Chiefs have too many smart people in the building, and they have a very good defense. I think it's going to be a pretty low-scoring game. and I think Kansas City is going to keep it close, but Philadelphia is so good on third down and so good on fourth down. You're going to have those circumstantial, situational plays in the game that I think just Philadelphia is so good at. They're going to get the fourth down.

They're going to pick up the red zone first down, and Kansas City is struggling with that, but I do think it's a close game. But week one of the NFL viewership, unbelievable. I have blazing five at the top of the hour. J. Max got his picks. I want to put up the schedule because I always ask you this, J. Mack, we have an upset. in every week.

Now, last week, Tennessee almost upset Denver, and last week, Dallas, if not for the CD-Land drop, almost upset Philadelphia. So last week, it was a lot of favorites. There were close games, but it wasn't the massive upset. Is there anything in this schedule? So Green Bay was a favorite last night, and they housed Washington.

I think you and I believe, I think both of us believe, with Brock Purdy out, the Saints have a chance at home to beat San Francisco, Is that fair? You don't think so? I'm on Niners there. I basically bet three games pretty heavily this week. Texans, Monday night football, Detroit Lions against your bears,

and then the one underdog we both like Tennessee Titans, getting six and five and a half based on the Rams injury report, the Titans defense, which I like a lot. And I think we agree. Cam Ward showed much better than the final stat line. I think his receivers had four or five drops. And I think there could be a letdown for the Rams. They have, I believe it's the Eagles on deck next week,

or they have a tough opponent next week. I like the Titans as a dog that could win outright. By the way, what do you make a Raiders Chargers? Raiders at home, chargers from Brazil. Chargers still, you know, they'll have some questions on that O line. I'm going to rock with the Chargers on the road. My brother will be at that game invited me. But I was like, listen, I got this little show to do called The Herd, you know, Jeffrey.

So I can't quite make it, but he'll be in Vegas for that one. Should be a good game. I mean, I like Chargers. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, there's, there's, you know, what's interesting, the Raiders and the Jags pulled off wins in week one. And so, do you trust the Raiders? Do you trust the Jags? You know, like I think, like certain things that we saw in week one will not be true.

Like, the Steelers defense is not that bad. They got new pieces here. Older players, by the way, they brought in, don't play in the preseason. The Steelers defense is not going to look like that going forward. I am a sheriff. I don't think Justin Fields is going to look like that going forward. Like certain things I think are true. I think you can take certain things.

Like Green Bay, they're really fast. They're really aggressive. They have a ton of speed. That is a fact. Detroit, their coaching's not as good as last year. That is a fact. Pittsburgh's defense will not look like that this week or going forward. It won't look that pathetic.

How about the Coltson Stuyken and Daniel Jones? Will they look that good against Denver? I've been looking at that game a lot, Colin. Do you have a blazing five? Oh, yeah, it's in my blazing five. I mean, let's be honest. Miami, and I don't know if you can quit, but defensively, Miami felt like they quit,

not offensively, but you're going to go from the most disorganized defense in the league in week one, Daniel Jones in the Colts faced, to, I think, easily, the best pass rush in the league. And by the way, as Sean Padenoa said, the best time to coach a team is when you play like crap and win. He goes, you can ride your players that next week.

Denver played poorly and won. Yeah. So watch, watch Denver come out on fire. I'm going to tell you, that pass rush, it is a sea of orange. We like a lot of the same games this week, I think. Blazing five next to heard. 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 get to ask 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. 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. on Humor Me with Robert Smygel and Friends,

me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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. This week on Crimless, Rory and I welcome a very special guests. When I did a podcast, I wear my sleep masks. I like where this is going. So, if you guys will indulge me. That's right, the incredibly talented and hilarious Will Ferrell on an episode dedicated to crimes committed by people named Will Ferrell. You're good for 300 crimes? Yeah. We've 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.

What would you eat if you had to start over? Real simple, poor man's, poor woman's food. Black beans, chicken, rice, plantains. On the podcast Eating While Broke, I sit down with celebrities, entrepreneurs, and creators as they revisit the meals they once relied on in the moments that shaped their journey. Named Best Food Podcasts at the 2006 IHeart Podcast Awards, the full season is available to binge. Right now.

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Post. Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.