The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - The Cowboys have improved a lot

Episode Date: December 1, 2023

Colin discusses the Cowboys win over the Seahawks and why Dallas looks like one of the most improved teams in the NFL He defends Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy for his late game management and why he's better than people think Plus, Hall of Famer Michael Irvin joins the show in studio to tell Colin if the Cowboys are ready to contend for a Super BowlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

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Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Friday. How lucky are we? Who's got it better than us? Nobody. I'll steal that from Jim Harbaugh today. Live in Los Angeles, it's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for Megan House, part of your day. Hope you could put up with me. Got some allergies. A little stuffed up. Doesn't matter. Bring in the A game. What a game last night. Al Michaels is probably like, hallelujah, I got a game that's fun. Wild, a lot of angles on the the Cowboys slipping past wobbly Seattle right now.

I thought Seattle had that game. Not midway through the fourth, but that's the way it works. One hour from now, blazing five picks. Getting harder and harder to make these picks. You get quarterbacks beat up. Defenses don't have their best players. But J. Mack, that was fun last night. I sat there full of popcorn, sat there three and a half hours,

and I'm like, this is fantastic television. Great theater indeed. Seahawks come through for us, nine and a half. Nearly stole that game because, you know, Dallas is so overrated. So let's talk about this. I didn't watch last night's game to see if Dallas could beat Seattle. They're a better team. I didn't watch the game to see if Dallas would beat another inferior team at home.

Or DAC would play well. It's been playing well for a time now. That's not what it's about. What I watch the Dallas Cowboys for now is I view them currently as a top five or six team that can win the Super Bowl. And I haven't felt that in decades. They have several key ingredients that Super Bowl winning teams have. They've got a very good quarterback playing easily the best football of his life. An explosive playmaker in C.D. Lamb emerged this year as a star.

Excellent pass rush. Above average offensive line. A veteran head coach, in my opinion, Mike McCarthy having the best coaching year of his career. They're super aggressive. I like that. And they're tremendous at home. it's not just about having good players generally teams that win Super Bowls

their coaches their coordinators their good players are having their best years my number one concern with Dallas their defense stepped up situationally last night has always been situational football right like red zone offense they get there they don't get enough touchdowns penalties they're always penalty clogged

I'm just going to have to live with that one. But for 25 years, I have been right and mostly had the same opinion on the Cowboys. They'll be pretty good. They're my pretty good team because they're usually pretty good. Tony Romo's pretty good. Jason Garrett, Mike McCart, pretty good. O-Line's been great, but I've been, Dallas is pretty good for 25 years. You, Cowboy fans have been on Dallas is very good, Dallas is great.

So I'm on a 25-year winning streak. but this year I'm going to pivot. They're very, very good with key players having their best years. And you want to know who's having his best year? Mike McCarthy. Bies great coaches in this league. Andy Reid's known for this. Sean Payton.

They take that buy. Remember Brady's first year in Tampa? Totally different team out of a buy. Dak Prescott before the buy. six touchdowns, four picks. Post-buy, 20 touchdowns, two picks. C.D. Lamb, before the buy.

Touchdown. Now averaging 118 yards a game and six touchdowns. Brandon Cook's invisible early. Now, post-by, four touchdowns. Jake Ferguson. I mean, it was like, you know, Melkart and stuff, anonymous. Jake, who? Four touchdowns. post-buy.

That's called coaching. That's what good businesses do with good bosses. They get better over time. They spot important people. They evolve. They elevate. I preached all year. This team is way too seedy lamb dependent.

They're not anymore. Tight ends good, powerful, cocky, and productive. Tony Pollard, three touchdowns, three games. DAC is on a complete heater. DAC has never played this well. And guess what? Mike McCarthy gets some credit for that.

He does. Let me ask you. And I don't think any reasonable person would deny what I'm about to say. Dallas is absolutely a top 5-6 team in this league. Come on. Burroughs gone. Josh Allen's struggling. I mean, you can put Kansas City, Baltimore in there, Philadelphia, San Francisco.

They're a top 5-6 team. Detroit, not what we thought. DAC is on fire. 20 TDs, two picks, post-pot. Never been this confident. Never been this accurate. Never had a teammate, not even Amari Cooper that's this good.

This is good coaching. And ask yourself this. If Mike McCarthy makes his second Super Bowl, there's going to be a quarterback in New York that's going to look like really high maintenance. And maybe all the problems in Wisconsin weren't Mike. Like, that's what I'm watching. I'm watching Aaron's career,

worse playoff record with Lafleur than Mike, Aaron with a circus in New York, and Mike has made Dak Prescott currently today. I'm not talking all time. I'm not talking next year. Right now, Dax's a top three quarterback in the league. He is? He is.

I'm not getting turnovers. I'm getting accurate. I'm getting confident. I'm getting big plays. I'm getting fourth. quarter excellence? I'm finding myself rooting for Mike McCarthy, who too often

has been the butt of jokes. But I have preached for years and years on this show. If there's new information, you need a new opinion. Daughters going into surgery. They have an alternative drug that seems to be successful. Use it. Pilot. Gets new radar information. Storm headed our

way. Avoid it. Insider information. on a company, CEOs selling the stock, I'd sell yours too. New information. Mike McCarthy is having a great year. Situationally, we beat all these guys up. But look at how CD's playing, Dax playing, the O-lines had injuries, the explosion of their tight end play.

Pollard's a two, but he's playing better. Brandon Cooks took a while to figure it out. They figured it out. Here's Mike after. told the team after the game we need games like this and this is what december football looks like and you know we all understand what's in front of us because you have to win the close games I mean to get to where you want to go you have to win these kind of games and this is this was a great example of how you just keep you know hanging in there and keep playing jerry jones is

still a handful i still worry about late game situations with mike McCarthy i've come to terms with Mike's teams in Dallas just get penalized a lot. I'm over trying to fight it. But we've got to be fair. We got new information. Dax never played this well. Mike's having a great season. Super Bowl winning teams are not just about having good players,

but it's often good players having their greatest year. Players that find themselves during or after a buy. Players that stay healthy. Micah, D.C., C.D. Lamb, Lawrence. there's some dudes here. Ferguson now. Corners, bland. This is a Super Bowl-level team.

And I don't remember the last time I thought that about the Dallas Cowboys. All right, let's talk Seahawks. Briefly. Seattle needs to figure out what they are. So I've always had this feeling with Pete that he doesn't like a quarterback-reliant team. He tends to be a bit old school. He wants to run the football. They drafted another running back this year, and he wants defense to rule the day.

The problem is Seattle's wide receiver and tight-end talent is arguably their best talent. And more and more, Gino Smith's big season last year looks like a fluke. His completion percentage is way down. His interceptions are up. He's got fewer touchdown passes, even though the receiving core is actually better. D.K. Metcalfe. Tyler Lockett. Jackson Smith & Jigba.

Noah Fant. Those are dudes. Those are dudes. Seattle's defense, it's not great. The running backs, I like them both, they're never healthy. You can't rely on defense. You can't rely on these running backs to stay healthy. Your stars are a couple of really good corners and some really good weapons.

What Pete Carroll wants to win with and what he needs to win with, feel like he needs an ideological reboot. Go get a quarterback. Stop pretending Drew locks the answer potentially or Gino Smith is. look at who's leading divisions. Your Tua's, your Jalen Hurts, Dax's up there. Look who's leading division. Brilliant offensive coaches, very good quarterbacks,

Trevor Lawrence, Patrick Mahomes. Right now, Russell Wilson, surging. Go get a dude. I know Pete historically loves the run game and the defense, but rules have changed. Nobody's winning now with defense. The Niners last year got gashed by both Kansas City and Philadelphia. The Niners defense.

Remember, Kansas City? They couldn't stop them. Remember Philadelphia? They couldn't stop them either. You can't win that way. You can have a good situational defense, but Pittsburgh's got a great defense, right? All those players, they're not a Super Bowl team. Go spend money.

Trade players' picks. Get a quarterback. These weapons are really good. DK and locket. The rookie coming into his own. The backs can catch. They just can't stay healthy. Noah Fant is.

just is a tough matchup. Dude, looks like a defensive tackle that can catch and run. But what they want to be and what they are feels like two different things. I would be hyper aggressive. Go get a quarterback. Go look at the history of the franchise. When they had Russell Wilson and Dave Craig, who was an underrated player, even Jim Zorn was better than people nationally acknowledged, that's when Seattle's been really,

really good. This team has an absolute ceiling, and their best talent to me is on the perimeter. defensively and offensively. All right. You know, I don't, I am not always this cheery in the morning about the Dallas Cowboys, and I know it was a close game, but remember, the Cowboys play the Eagles next week. So this is sort of a tough matchup. You're playing a team.

You're a 9, 10-point favorite. You know, you could tell very early in the game last night. Seattle came to play. They were going to be super aggressive on the perimeter. They were going to clutch and grab, and I hated the officiating. but you could see Seattle came in, and if they were going to lose, they were going to lose aggressively. They were throwing the ball all over the field. So, you know, J. Mack was right on this.

You could tell first quarter, like Seattle came to play. Seattle was going to throw the ball, attack Dallas, be very aggressive on the corners. But it's a nice win for Dallas. And to be honest with you, I agree with Mike McCarthy. You got to win close games because that's what the playoffs mostly look like. I know. Are you a little concerned about the Dallas defense? I mean, the kid bland, who's got the pick six record, got lit up like my Christmas tree by Metcalf.

Couldn't guard him anywhere on the field. Metcalf's hard to guard. Colin, they had 25 first downs, 400 yards, got to the Red Zone five times. I think Dallas got big time exposed here. Like, not good. It's also possible that sometimes on a Thursday night game or an overseas game or a Monday game or a short rest game or a holiday game, sometimes games just get out of hand and you just want to want to want to. win them. Looking ahead, like you said. Detroit, on that short week with Green Bay, they got exposed and lost.

Dallas maybe gets exposed and won. And in the end of the game, Dallas didn't have a good night defensively. It's okay. The officials decided they want to control things. At the end of the game, last two Seattle drives, Dallas's defense was very, very good in key spots. So to me, the takeaway is, hey, we took some chances, we got some interceptions, we got beaten a slant early and some plays late. but in the end, the defense delivered, hey, Philadelphia plays lousy first halves and wins, and we always credit them. Dallas did not have a good night defensively, but they were good defensively when it mattered. How about that locket drop?

They're brutal on third down, second and last drive. Can you just tell Seattle fans that their players can go ahead and book summer vacation plans for January? They're not in the playoffs. Colin, San Francisco next, followed by Philadelphia. Yeah, no, no. It's over. It's over for Seattle. And it would feel different if they had a big-time quarterback, but they don't.

They drafted another running back, because I understand Pete loves the power run. He did it USC. He did Marshawn Lynch. He loves the run. He likes to use the quarterback as sort of an off pitch, which is, by the way, what Sean Peyton is doing with an older Russell Wilson now. But you look around this league. It's more quarterback-centric than ever.

Pete Carroll can no longer be the star of this franchise. You've got to go get a star at quarterback. Got too many good players here. Too many good receivers. Too much talent. Two tackles that can play now. Two running backs that can't stay healthy but are talented and cheap. Like, go get somebody to cinch it all together, and that's a codeback.

I have a great parley for you this weekend, thanks to Draft King's Sportsbook. New users, please use the code Hurd, when you download the app. Here's my parlay pick of the week via Draft King Sportsbook. I'll take the Lions minus four at the Saints. I'm out on Dennis Allen. I think he's one of the worst coaches in the league. Lions got embarrassed by Green Bay. They bounce back and win.

Chargers minus six at the Patriots. desperate team coach in a hot seat in New England. I'm not sure they want to win games. I'll take the Chargers to win by more than a touchdown. And I'll take the Jaguars hosting the Bengals. Jake Browning, not it. Can't beat you downfield. Jags want to get that number one seed. They're motivated. If you want to take the Hurd Parlay, check out Draft King Sportsbook. Please, new users. Use the code Herd, H-E-R-D. When you download the app, it's real simple. Restrictions apply. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-Gambler. In New York. Call 8778 Hope and Y or text Hope and Y 467-369. See show notes for full details. Imagine an Olympics where doping

is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger

than I ever imagined. And now, I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand-new The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, This is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.

Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of Ton Tons and Wampons, on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Social media tends to be an avalanche, and it is much easier to jump on it and bury somebody than actually take the hit and get buried, obviously. So Mike McCarthy's been easy to criticize, and last night, apparently I didn't see it. The team said he got crushed last night on a play late, and I want to defend Mike McCarthy. Driving to score, third and three, a buck 52 left. He elects to pass. Twitter, I'm told. They didn't like it. Let's dive into the analytics of why I agree with him on the pass. Dallas is not a very good yards per rush team. They are the best team in the league throwing on third down.

DAC is number one on completion percentage and passer rating. They are the best team in a league throwing on third down, first of all. Second, why get conservative? You've been throwing the ball all night, and if it wasn't complete, the officials gave you the flag. Why not? Third, Dallas's defense had an off night. We can all acknowledge that. That's a good defense. It was having a bad night.

They wanted more points. They wanted to bury Seattle. They're great at home. The offense is playing with confidence. They wanted to lead by 10. What they didn't want to do is handed off to Tony Pollard, and they're not very good at this, trying to get three yards and then bring out the change and everybody takes a deep breath and they wanted to bury Seattle you can't have it both ways Mike last night knew his defense wasn't going to support him

he was going to go for it sports aggressive wins I don't care if it's Dana White I don't care if it's the NFL I don't care if it's the NBA say all you want but people are no longer reasonable my only question is if you're going to throw it on third, hell, I just throw it on fourth and three and try it again. I have no problem with going for it twice. Seattle didn't, you know, doesn't have any timeouts. So I'd throw it twice. But ask yourself, game on the line, Tony Pollard or DAC and CD Lamb, or increasingly,

DAC and Ferguson, the tight end. Remember, it was a night in which you were getting the calls from the officials. They were over-calling the game on past, interference. You were throwing the ball all over the yard. C.D. Lamb was unstoppable. DAC was red-hot. You can't have it both ways.

Most people in life that succeed are aggressive. Most coaches are aggressive. I didn't have a problem there. People have stopped being reasonable with Mike McCarthy. If you want to complain, if you're going to pass on third and three, just pass on fourth and three. I'm for that. But in that situation, my thing is, don't worry about the clock. You got the officials in your pocket.

They're calling everything. Dax's on fire. You can't stop Seattle anyway. Go for it. I very rarely am going to crush aggressive. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

This is the herd line news. Can I split that? I would agree if you're going to go on third, go on fourth, right? And you pin them deep, make Gino go 90. That's right. However, or make it go 70 to get in field goal range. The problem with the third down throw, it stopped the clock. clock. If you just run it, Seattle out of timeouts, you drain another 40 seconds and put them up against it. Well, both teams proved last night. The clock was kind of irrelevant. But that's been the knock on

McCarthy. Remember that the San Francisco playoff game at home? Where like did the draw up the middle and they just McCarthy and clock management, it's just not a strong suit of his. Like, well, wait, by the way, that was the knock on Andy Reed. For the record, Dallas is nine and three. The best team at home in the NFL, the number one offense, the number one third. down passing offense. I got to give Mike, like, you can knock that and say, guess what, when you throw the ball, 35% of the time, it is incomplete.

But you also had a chance to bury them. It's basically risk-reward. What was the reward for running it? You weren't going to run for a touchdown, and you could also fail to get a first. At least passing, the risk-reward is, I get a touchdown, the game's over, and I bury the Seahawks.

I'll do that every time. I got to give a shout-out. You were mentioning Twitter, right? usually there's a lot of knuckleheads who think they know everything. I'll say this, when we were bashing, hey, they're going to miss Dalton Shulton that offense badly. Some guy kept saying, just keep an eye on Jake Ferguson. This guy's good he can play. Ferguson's pretty damn good.

Well, he's been excellent after the bite. He's a big, he's a big physical kid. Yeah. And he'll go right after. I mean, Jamal Adams, he'll got right in his face. He went right around Witherspoon on like a third and 16. Just ran around in like a good defensive back. Anyways.

All right, let's get started with the Buffalo Bills. I don't get this at all, Colin. So they've lost three of four. They're 6 and 6. They got an 18% chance to make the playoffs according to some of the numbers. But multiple sources indicate, according to a report, that Sean McDermott is in no danger of being replaced

at season's end. Is this the dreaded vote of confidence? Because he went 13 and 3, AFC title game. 11 and 6, 13 and 3, and now maybe miss the playoffs. The trend lines are not good. They are not good. He lost a great coordinator in Brian.

and Dayball and he hired a solid guy in Ken Dorsey. So, again, not firing Sean McDermott is not the end of the world. We don't view him as like Dennis Allen, where we're just, we just don't think he's a head coach. We don't view him as Ron Rivera, where we're like he's totally out of step. So McDermott can coach. That's not the question. The question is, is his rigidity working with other assistants and coordinators?

Is it next level Super Bowl grade? it's obviously capable get to the playoffs great. I, Buffalo, Green Bay, Pittsburgh. These are very kind of of northern, feel like kind of

middle class ethos. We're not firing people because the media wants it. It's not the end of the world not firing, Sean's more than capable. My only question is, does he have a second punch? Does he have a second pitch?

Yes, he's a cleanup artist. I don't even doubt he's very good at that. I thought they overpaid for Vaughn Miller. I didn't love that. move. A defensive coach probably rally the front office to do that. And I don't think their offensive line or run game are consistent. That's a defensive coach thing. But I don't think saying we're not firing Sean means, you know, the organization's going to spiral out of control. What if

he finds the next Shane Steichen? And then all of a sudden, Josh Allen looks good next year. That's a great point. So unlike a lot of people who want to call fire people left and right, you and I have run a business and know what it's like. When you're ready to move off somebody, you don't just do it at the drop of a hat. You know what you got? You got somebody lined up over here. You've got two or three guys that you're eyeballing that you think, I'd love to get my hands on that guy.

When you're ready to move off your guy, you bring in your new guy. If the bills have identified their next coach out there, McDermott will be gone. But they can't just say we're firing him. I'm disappointed and not have a plan. There's two candidates. Here we go.

Jim Harbaugh and Dan Quinn, been to Super Bowls. Wait, wait. Dan Quinn, you want to get another defensive guy? I'm just, I'm not saying that would be my first choice. Okay, okay. But I'm saying there's a lot of coordinators out there. I would go get a Ben Johnson.

I think he's the best offensive guy. But I'm saying the two candidates that have proven they can build a team and get to the Super Bowl are Dan Quinn and Jim Harbaugh. Coordinators, even the ones we think will be great. It's about a 30% hit rate. I mean, here's the O.S. So a prime example is Tom Coughlin. He was a head coach at Boston College. Yeah.

He was a head coach at Jacksonville. So he came in with head coaching experience. Nobody had to teach Tom Coughlin how to be a head coach. had a win. He won in Jacksonville. He won in Boston College. I would always prefer to get a head coach. The market's got two potential former head coaches in the NFL, Jim and Dan. If I have to go, I prefer offense. I'm going to probably have to take a risk and hire somebody who's never been a head coach, and there's an absolute risk with that. Sometimes, guys just, that's not what they're built for. So the Bill's culture, we would agree, identity has been defense. Absolutely. It's got a shift.

Well, it's aging. Guys are starting, Von Miller's point. probably going to be gone. The secondary is really depleted. Can they get Ben Johnson and create a new identity around Josh Allen in the offense? By the way, Mike McDaniel did it in 45 minutes in Miami. They went Brian Flores to Mike McDaniel. It was a complete special teams defensive culture and angry and tough on Tua. An hour later, McDaniel comes in, says I love Tua. He's my guy. I'm going to put my arms around him. We're lucky to have him. Let's get Tique. Zeke. Let's get offensive players. I literally, two, three weeks later, you're like, oh, they get it. This is what's happening. So the dolphins deserve

a ton of credit. They literally completely rearranged the deck chairs and went intense, angry, defensive culture to progressive offensive culture, and it has paid off. Okay, there it is. Ben Johnson to the Buffalo Bills. I like it. Next up, the Chiefs

head to Lambo to take on the Packers Sunday. This line's been moving. It was six. About seven, down to six, down to five and a half. Now, back up to six. It'll be Patrick Mahomes trying to get get his first win at Lambo. Here's what he had to say about the chance to play in Green Bay. I'm extremely excited for it. I mean, I've watched it my whole entire life. And I know it's going to be a hostile environment and the fans are going to be loud.

It's going to be a lot like Arrowhead is to other teams like you're saying. But I'm excited. If you love football, you love Lambo field and I'm excited to get the opportunity to play there. Just make the Blazing Five? No, I like Kansas City. The wise guys love Green Bay. I couldn't do it. So the other thing is, Green Bay is starting to move the chains a little bit. And so I think some of it's Detroit and the Charger's secondary.

Lions are playing more man, and they don't have the corners to do it. But I, this is to me, I want to watch this game. I'm really excited to watch this game. And it's a stayaway game for me. My guess is Kansas City will win, and I kind of feel it's 27-20-ish. I'm just going to stay away.

That Thanksgiving game, I think, warped a lot of people's sense about Green Bay. Like, you know, they got handed a bunch of turnovers by golf. Like, literally, hey, here's the football. Run it in. Like, I just don't see Mahomes. I think, to me, Kansas City felt like the side. But Jordan Love, and they deserve credit on this. They've done a really, really good job in Green Bay to patiently get him pieces and grow.

And I thought the last two weeks he looked like there's something there. Don't you love all these guys who talk about trends in gambling? And they're like, oh, Patrick Gahombs stinks is a big favorite on the road. Raiders last week, folks. But just stop with the trend stuff all the time, okay? Chiefs, for sure. Final story, C.J. Stroud, Colin, outstanding start to his rookie year.

19 TDs leads the NFL with a 296 pass yards per game. Here's what Sean Payton had to say about going up against Stroud and the Texans. He's playing well. When you watch him play, you feel like you're watching someone who's, savvy and experience. You don't feel like necessarily you're watching someone in their first year. He's confident. It's a dangerous team that way. You've got young players, and I've been through it before with a draft where they have the young receiver tank who's playing well. The defensive end from Alabama is playing well. The quarterback, you know, and they're having success, and they're

six and five. And so you definitely see the explosives on tape. They've been down late and come back. There's a confidence they have that certainly is contagious, and you can see that on film. I've stayed away. I think Denver's the side, but I stayed away. Really? Give me the case for Denver. I think they're running the football very well. I think their defense is playing out of their mind.

They'll be a regression to the mean on the turnovers, but I think it's a very 2320 football game, and they're not turning the ball over. And I think they're a tacking. better than we're giving them credit for. We're making a lot of excuses why they're winning. Those running backs are good. The O-Lines playing better. Russell's playing really smart football. Now, if Houston won, I would not be surprised because I think Houston, these two, like, this is a stay-away game for me because I think the line's three. And if Houston won 27-24, that's probably what it would be. But I would take Denver because of the hook, three and a half. But I don't think

there's any, like, belief that there's a strong side on this. I am rooting. for Sean Payton and Russell Wilson. I would like to see the Denver thing going because I think they're a fascinating story. Yeah, I want him. I bet Houston, but I'm having buyer's remorse. Sounds like Dalton. Schultz may not go. Tank Dell's hurt.

I think it's the left tackle or the right tackle. Got injured last game. He's out. So the line has come down from three and a half to three. Three and a half is one of those. Everybody likes the favorite. You're down to three. It's like, ooh.

Yeah. So I don't know. We'll see. It should be good. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News.

Eagles, Niners, Fox, Sunday, the network that only gives you great games. So Anne Killian's a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. She talks about Brock Purdy. It's a good line. She says, the Mr. Irrelevant part of Brock Purdy's story will never go away, nor should it. It's what sports legends are made of. Kurt Warner's Grocery Shelf, Steve Young's Tampa Bay disaster, Tom Brady's sixth round slot. But Sunday's game is a chance for Purdy to become so much more than that to the rest of the

NFL. I've said before he makes too many good throws not to consider him good. With a lead, with protection, with all his weapons, with Trent Williams and Debo, he's been excellent. But Brock Purdy has yet to prove he's an overcomer, and that's the definition of a franchise guy. When Debo's out, Trent Williams not there. Protection fades. Field goal kicker in bad weather misses kicks in Cleveland. The defense can't make stops. Brock Purdy's not great.

In fact, when tied or trailing in the second half, he's a bottom three-quarterback in the league. Two TDs, five picks and a passer rating in the 60s. Brock Purdy, in 23 games, has one come from behind win in the fourth quarter. Jared Stidman the Raiders. In my opinion, he's good, but he is yet to prove he's an overcomer. The only question,

is he not an overcomer yet? Or is he just simply not really an overcomer at all? C.J. Stroud, we've already seen it. Josh Allen, tighter trailing in the second half, has 112 passer rating.

The definition of true franchise quarterback, Things go wrong. Protection stinks. Top playmakers out. You're trailing. It's windy. Can you overcome?

Brock Purdy against Jalen Hertz. When tighter trailing in the second half this year, Jalen Hertz is amazing. 10 TDs, no picks. Brock Purdy, two TDs, five picks. Hertz is a true franchise player, shown the ability consistently to overcome. Brock Purdy has not.

Michael Irvin's around the corner. How about them cowboys? Next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care which I'll say it. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network

on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of ton-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate

business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we don't get Michael Irvin very often, but when the Cowboys look as good as they have looked this season, we bring in the pro

football Hall of Famer three Super Bowl rings. Okay, I want to start with this. When McCarthy was in Green Bay and he got let go, the feeling was, you know, Aaron needs a better coach. Well, all these years later, I look at McCarthy, I'm like,

this is Dax best year. The old line is at injuries. They're good. You start looking at Dallas at home. Dallas is a favorite. Mike's teams have always had some penalties. I can live with that because Super Bowl champs have had penalties. But I think it was very easy.

for guys like me to beat up on him and take Aaron Rogers side. And this is not a shot at Aaron. But I'm watching this cowboy team since the buy. This is coaching. Right. This is the best DAC has ever been. Ferguson now. Cooks, Pollard.

Like this feels like a well-coached team. And it is. And one thing, Colin, that you bring up that I want to try to emphasize a little bit of about the job that Mike McCarthy has done. Because I was a little bit side-eyed, side-eyed early on. when I heard, oh, well, we want to play more complimentary football. As he was delivering how he was going to pull that back earlier in the season, he said, we want to play more complimentary football, get more defense, get more run games in here to help our defense,

take our time, maybe longer drive so the defense can have rest. I thought, okay, he's really talking about playing complimentary football. I was baffled and confused when he was, like, you're the number one offense, you've been the number one offense, why would you want to stop being that? Just bring everything else up to the No one office. But this is what I realized he was doing. Early on, what was crucial was to keep those interceptions of that down because it would have come the whole mantra of this season

had he started early with the interceptions. So by keeping them down. And then at that point, after he lost to the 49ers, I remember I sat down the interview with that and he said, hey, we reevaluated. we're going to cut it loose from here on out. And I said, what does that mean? I remember texting CD Lamb.

So what does that mean, man? What are y'all saying? He said, we're cooking with five grease now. That means we're ready to go and we're putting the ball in the air. And ever since then, they've been taking off. So the whole idea early on and not throwing the ball all over the field to make sure those interceptions don't powell up was brilliant. Well, yeah, because the narrative was DAC is done. There's too many pay.

And that's what the narrative would have been had he started out early doing the same thing. So I was like, wow, and now they're cutting it loose, really cutting it loose. I said, this is really brilliant. And now we're not stuck with that narrative of interceptions being the mantra, carrying you into the late part of this season. I thought that that part was brilliant coaching. So I like Dan Quinn a lot. He's aggressive last night.

The officials decided they were going to call everything. Are you concerned at all with the defensive performance? By the way, they were calling them on both sides. Right, right, right. I didn't like any of it. But are you a little concerned with Dallas's defense? Got burned a few times. Yeah, yeah, they did.

But I knew Dallas had the proclivity of giving up plays like that. They do. They have that, like the run game, you know, if you're in a solid game where they're not, where the team, the other offense is not playing from behind, they can run and they can get, they can get yardage. DeRondland. Everybody's talking about how he got attacked. And yes, he did get attacked.

But in the end... They played well at the end. In the end, he made a play by intercepting the ball. I don't want Durand Blaine to change because each of those plays. He was there. He was there. He learned something that I think is going to help him with the big fellow he got coming up in 10 days, A.J. Brown.

You know, on that slant route, that early touchdown by D.K. Matt Cal, you know, Dr. Blan tried to grab him around the waist. Now, a smaller lighter receiver, that affects his route, that little tug around the way. But at 6-4-240, he just ran right through that. That's right. He's going to run through it. You learn something. I don't mind you got beat because the process is you need to learn. And you need to learn anything. Every one of those plays, he was right there. D.K. just made great plays. So I still want him to do what he does. Stay right there, stay in that fight, and keep doing what you're doing.

And he got a pick at the end of that game. I will give you some credit. Yeah, give me some Jordan Love credit. So I have been a critic of Jordan Love. Give me some Jordan Love credit. But one thing we did like is that the receivers are young, he's young. So generationally, you know, Brady didn't love the young kids. And LeBron doesn't.

Once you've got the rings, you don't want to be a mentor and teach kids how to play. The last couple weeks, your guy Jordan, he looks way more confident, right? Right, right. And it looks like he's getting settled in on his offense. And I told you, when I told you when it was a couple weeks ago, I was like, I just look at a few things that tells me, do I keep, do I stay on this fight? Did he earn the right for me to stay in this fight for him? You know, each young quarterback, each week, Justin Fields, each week is trying to go out and earn the right for the Chicago Bears to stay in his fight. If not, they're going to say, hey, we're going in another direction.

But Joy and Love has earned that right with some of the things I see. I'm saying, man, that looks like Ann Rogers. You know, in some places. He moves well. Yeah, he moves. And he throws off different platforms so you can see him making the plays. I really like, and what I love, I remember hearing the story about Coach LaFleur called him, and he said, listen, we're thinking about, I know we were going over this one play we want to run early in the game, down the sideline,

and he said, I'm thinking about changing. And Joy and Love said, don't change it. No, no, let's run the play. Let's run the play. They ran the play, and of course they got a big reception in the play. I said, stuff like that matters. Because now when you start giving input and they're taking input, then you feel more of a need to make sure. sure the play happens, that's what they call taking ownership.

You're taking ownership, and he's taking ownership of that team. Him and that young Watson is going to be held to deal with for some years. Yeah, and this is a big game because now it's Mahomes. Now, this is big TV game, so it's different than playing the Chargers and the Lions. And I get going to measure you against Patrick Mahomes. That's right. Happen to be lucky for you having some of getting, having his worst numbers of his career. yards per game, yards per play, per pass, kids.

This is a big game for Jordan Love. Right. Joy and Love can really step on and people get said, man, you're as good as Patrick Mahomes. When you win this game. I remember when Goff faced Mahomes on Monday Night Football. Remember that? And Godf played great. That was an incredible game.

And it was like, okay. That was an incredible game. One of the best games of our. 500 to 500 to 200 and whatever that score was. But it sold the organization. Yeah. Okay, Goff can go toe to toe with great ones. And that's what he's right.

Even if Jordan loses. If it's 28, 27 and he's spinning it, everybody's like, we got our guy. We got our guy. These guys are this a big moment. Okay. Because you're right. There's two things. I want you to show me that you can run this office, Jordan Love.

And then your next level would show me you can play with them guys. Because that's what you've got to go up against. So you're right. Those are the level. Okay. So I've said there's something about Jalen hurts, the intangibles, the toughness. He has been inconsistent, but he's been great, tighter trailing. Brock Purdy has been great leading.

He has not shown he can be an overcomer. How concerned are you with Jalen Hertz, though? There is wild, like back this year, there's no inconsistency. Jalen is wildly inconsistent, first to second half. What does that mean? Does it concern you? No, no, no, no. And I always say this here.

When you're winning, whatever we're looking at or discerning, we just call them flaws. They're just flaws. The flaws are people like you and I can point out about these teams, but ultimately the team is winning. It's just a flaw. They can work on it all week from a winning standpoint. When you lose, then those flaws become issues and problems. And issues and problems that get you fighting going home.

Right, right, right. Because now, now you're losing with that. It doesn't work that way. So what we've noticed is the flaws in the Philadelphia Eagles. But no matter the flaw, he was flawless in the record book. He found a way to get his team over the victory line. I say talent shoulders down is a great thing for us to measure. Talent shoulders up is a very difficult thing for us to measure

because this leadership is that intangible thing that you have, that no one else has that he has that very few people have. He is the heart and soul of a football team, Jalen Hertz. And that leadership is incredible because late games, late plays in every game, he's going to be there. And that's why they're 10 and 1. Do you like them this weekend? I'd never, I said this earlier, guys. I promise you.

And all my years of being around the game of football, I've never been more vexed to make a pick than I was than I have been with this game right here. This San Francisco Philly game. because Philly don't know that it's going to take I was telling people what what I was saying to all the guys as we got we're ready to play San Francisco back in 92 our first NFC championship game we weren't supposed to be there and we were like man I can't believe we're and we all said if we got to this place we're not going to lose before each before the game I went around talked to all my guys I was tapping in as hey Armato death before defeat We were ready to die before we left that game. I said, death before defeat. Death before defeat. You see what I mean? You got.

I felt Philly had that in that Buffalo Bills game. I said, boy, they're playing like that. When you saw a 400-pounder run across the field all the way to run down Josh Allen and then laid out, he wasn't hurt. He was exhausted. That's a death before defeat kind of mantra. It's going to take that to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. But San Francisco, they'll have that.

So I got Fisco winning the game by three points. The hardest decision, the hardest I ever had to make on picking teams. All right. Get up, go to the airport. You're on your way out. Michael Irvin, the Hall of Famer joining us on a Friday. Good seeing you, buddy. Blazing five picks next, the herd.

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 headwriter, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars. related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of taun tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.