The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 1 - The Herbert vs Tagovailoa debate

Episode Date: December 12, 2022

The Justin Herbert-Tua Tagovailoa debate is now over The Cowboys barely beat the worst team in the NFL Brock Purdy and the 49ers looked great on Sunday The Panthers are starting to look interesting  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app,

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a Monday, starting to get some clarity in the NFL, the really good teams and the posers. Really great quarterbacks and the posers. It's the hurt. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Iheart radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, one hour from now, where Colin was right, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong. Howie Long's on the show next hour. Sean Payton's on for 30 minutes in our final hour. What a pleasure. A lot of choices. Woke up raining, reigning completions from Justin Herbert in Los

Angeles and pouring rain. We like both. J. Mack, of course, joining us. Who, by the way, later in the show, you've got to give yourself props on the G.R. Raina story, which you broke last week on this show. You continue to have great sourcing. I don't know who they are, but you're doing a great job with that. So there's been this debate, J. Mack, Herbert Tua. I know. That's how I feel to. Was it ever a debate, Colin? Come on. The headline this morning, Justin Herbert sets passing mark for three seasons into the league, which is amazing. He's had two coaches. One got fired, and we don't like this one. His offensive line was the worst in the league when he took over, and now it's injury riddled. Wasn't good last night in the right side. His receivers are

never healthy until last night and you saw what he did. So it's very interesting. The legit stars and the posers, we saw separation. Gino Smith without a run game, pretty average, isn't he? Tua under pressure last couple of weeks. He's bad, isn't he? Please judge quarterbacks when life isn't perfect, when their old lines banged up, when they're under pressure, when they're trailing late in games. Tua is small and brittle and not very athletic. Has he ever thrown a deep ball to Tyreek Hill that wasn't underthrown, but he has a clever, smart, smart head coach, an unbelievable wide receiver, so he has fooled a lot of people. I had three friends at the game last night, and two of them were texting me driving

home, and they're like, oh, it's actually worse in person. There's guys wide open for the dolphins. He just can't get the ball to him. The Chargers, not much open, and Herbert's going to still have the night of his life. Justin Herbert was under constant duress. He's never had a coach we like, and he's breaking Andrew Luck's records. Justin Herbert deniers, to me, are election deniers. Can't reason with him.

Just nod and walk away from the conversation and bury that invitation to the holiday party, even if you're related to him. There are four absolutely great quarterback talents in this league, and they're all in their prime. Mahomes, Burrow, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert. Some have a great coach. Some don't. Some have great weapons.

Some like Herbert's are never healthy. Aaron Rogers was there. He's declining. Jalen Hertz may get there. He's ascending. Not there yet. But those four are simply different. What I worry about, though, with Justin Herbert is the Chargers.

will he become the Nolan Ryan of the NFL, an iconic and beloved, awe-inspiring flame thrower? And then after all those years, he'll be slightly above 500 with some really cool records. That's what I worry about. With Tua, I wonder if he can stay healthy. With Herbert, I wonder, will his franchise screw him over? That's the kind of talent he is. It's a once in a lifetime thing. Brains A-plus.

He was a 4-2 biology major who became a tutor. Arm A-plus, size A-plus, temperament A-plus. Listen, I got nothing against Tua. There's a reason the dolphins tried to trade him for DeShon Watson, sat him behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, and wanted to get rid of him for 44-year-old Tom Brady. Coaching can really elevate a player to a quarterback, and we've seen that with Andrew Luck.

I find myself with Herbert doing this, crossing my fingers. God Chargers, get him a legit head coach, get him an offensive head coach, get him a great staff, somebody please draft a right tackle. That's all I worry about. Brandon Staley, after the impressive win. Justin was fantastic tonight. He definitely led the way for our team. I thought he played with great energy tonight that really affected his teammates.

in a positive way. It just made a lot of winning plays, really good decisions throughout the game. And, you know, when you have all your weapons, you know, we're going to get DP back next week. So I'm not going to say all of them. But, you know, when you get Mike back in this movie, it just looks different.

It feels different. You know, there's just more available to you. I don't know what to make of Brandon Staley. I thought they had a very good game plan last night. Miami was beat up on the back end. I don't think he's an awful coach. But I do think when you get a Justin Herbert or a Patrick Mahomes, or a Joe Burrow, or a Josh Allen, a pretty good coach is probably not where you want to land.

You want to get him an Andy Reid. You want to get him a Sean Payton. You want to get him somebody that's on the right side of the ball and next level. Because Justin Herbert, that is a once in a franchise player. All right, the Cowboys won and didn't look very good. And so the way this industry works is Cowboys win. They're great. Cowboys lose they're terrible. Cowboys win barely there. No.

Dak Prescott, his record when he's asked to throw 35 times or more is 16 and 24. When Patrick Mahomes is asked to throw 35 times or more, he's 43 and 15. They're playing the same position. They're not the same kind of player. For Dak, for Kirk Cousins, for Tua. You can't ask him to throw. throw 39 times. That's just not what they are. That's why I won't bury the Cowboys today for their performance against Houston and why I didn't buy into the avalanche last week. What the Cowboys didn't get yesterday was a great Micah Parsons Day. They didn't have a sack. They didn't get a phenomenal CD Lamb game. And so they needed more from DAC. And that's not who Dak is. He's a

B-plus quarterback. I mean, Houston's the worst team in the league. They were down two corners, had a rookie safety, and the other guys playing were backups. Dak had two picks. Dak takes it to another level when somebody is great. Mike is great. Zeke is great. Pollard's great. C.D. Lamb is great.

And then he can ride that wave to a victory. It's all circumstantial. Similar with Kirk Cousins. He won in Buffalo. Remember that game he won in Buffalo a few weeks ago? Who was great? Justin Jefferson may have had the game of the year for a wide receiver. It doesn't work that way for Joe Burrow.

Jamar Chase was hurt. He won. Oh, Joe Mixon's hurt. Starback. He won. Oh, they're both out. He won again. His own line's terrible.

He got to a Super Bowl. I don't go high and low on the Cowboys. They're an Adam Sandler film. You know, I kind of know what I'm getting. He's not going to win an Oscar. Some are better than others. Sometimes you're like uncut gems. That's pretty good.

And there are times you watch and you're like, yeah, eight minutes in, they don't have a storyline. But a movie theater CEO like Sandler, greenlit it, and they can't make any money. I don't get high. I don't get low. If you're asking Dak to throw 39 times

and he doesn't get a great game from the defense and a lot of sacks and is what looks like. This is exactly what it looks like. Here's Dak after. I've got to find a way to take better care of the ball. But yeah, damn right. It's frustrating. It's not something that I've ever been okay with and never will be okay with.

But I'm not going to not be aggressive. Adamship, I've got to be smarter and just weigh the risk versus the reward in a split second. And part of my preparation is something that I promise I'll clean up. We said this. There's two seasons in the NFL. There is pre- Thanksgiving. A lot of quarterbacks look great. Not a lot of film on them.

They've got a new coach like Tua. the weather is warm, a lot of home games, bad opponent. Then there's post Thanksgiving. Gets a little cold, gets a little windy, gets a little chilly. Everybody's got film. And for those quarterbacks, oh, your left tackle's missing. And your right tackles missing. And your tight ends missing.

This is the separation of posers and players. Now guys are hurt. Now the team needs you to throw 39 times. DAC. Now, Tua, not everybody's healthy on the back end and you may get into a shootout. This weekend was the great example. Ryan Tannahill exposed, Trevor Lawrence, through the roof. The real talents are winning this weekend. Mahomes won. Josh Allen won. Herbert won. Burrow won. And by the way, we'll talk about Brock Purdy later. He won. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the

the I-hard 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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, Follow at Clifford and a 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 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. You know, we were saying last segment, I was saying that, you know, why post- Thanksgiving,

you really figure out what quarterbacks can play is because everybody's all beat up. And so you don't have all your players like September and October. You're missing a left tackle. You're missing a center. You're missing a guard. You're missing a second tight end. And so, you know, two and hours in a shootout doesn't have all his pieces. He's really average.

Geno Smith doesn't have a run game. They're all beat up. He's really average. You could argue he got outplayed by Sam Darnal yesterday. So a lot of people in this league look great in September. Bill Belichick's the best football coach ever. His worst month has always been September. The great quarterbacks, the great players are overcomers.

And for most of Brady's life, he made the most of average running backs outside of, you know, Gronk and Aaron Hernandez, average tight ends and very average wide receivers. He can't do that anymore. He is no longer able to overcome an average offensive line and an average defensive head coach. He can't. It's why the San Francisco 49ers who bludgeoned him yesterday are so darn appealing. It'd be an easy lift. Burrow, Allen, Mahalms overcome, injuries overcome.

Deficits overcome no run game. Josh Allen just makes stuff happen. Aaron Rogers and Brady. More Tom than Aaron no longer can just overcome. And in fact, they often look really, really bad if they don't have everything in place or a lot of support. Brady never had great weapons in New England. It's a myth. The Moss years were quick.

But he elevated everybody. Those days are over. He misses throws in the end zone that are easy touchdowns. He can't elevate people. If he faces pressure, have you noticed Brady is best now late in games often when they go into a prevent defense? Yeah, Tim Tebow crushed it then. Dalton can roll then. Everybody in the league can complete passes. This is not a shot at Baker Mayfield. He looked great on the last drive of the game. People are in prevent. They're trying to

not give up a big play. It's a little bit easier. So from this point forward, Tom needs to rely on others, which feels a little unbecoming for a goat. He's moving into the go down to Florida when you become a seniors phase, you know, a little easier life. That's what Tom's becoming. A goat to a snowbird. He needs to move somewhere where it's a little easier lift. He can still put in the hours, but the escapeability, what he had is down.

It's just not there anymore. He's no longer an overcomer. That doesn't mean, by the way, you know, smart players, all these sports. Steph Curry figured it out when he was still at the end of his prime. I'm going to bring KD in. I don't have to drop 38 a night. Steph Curry's figured it out.

Jordan Poole, take your shots, young man, score 20. I don't want to do all the heavy lifting. A lot of athletes, they want to be the star. I think Tom gets it. This is maybe a bridge or a transition year where he's lost his fastball clearly and doesn't have support. Next year he could look much better. But he has moved out of the overcoming stage. Aaron Rogers has as well, but he's got a little bit more in the tank.

Here's Tom after. Everyone's got to play better, but we're just not playing. We just have not played consistently well very often. We haven't played it for four quarters. We played it a little bit. At times, not today at all. I love Tom, but there are stages for all athletes, and he's moved into a different one. That's why the Niners again are so appealing to him going forward.

Jay Mackinamunday with the news. No, no, no, no. on the news. This is the Herd Line News. All right, Mr. Cowherd, let's start with the best team in the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles, first team to clinch a playoff spot, destroyed the Giants.

As we told you what happened on Friday, 4822. Jalen Hertz, obviously the MVP leader, three total touchdowns. Miles Sanders, 144 yards on the ground, two touchdowns. Philadelphia just decides we're going to beat you at the run or we're going to beat you at the past. We got A.J. Brown. Devante Smith looks good. Most people

picked them to win the division, and we knew it wasn't a great division. But they're playing right now. They're playing downhill. They're playing downhill. They're getting leads on average quarterbacks or worse, and they are just doing everything right. His ascension is obvious. But it's not going to be this easy in the playoffs. Okay, yes, I'm with you. So you see these stats on the screen. They basically lead the NFL in every category that matters. Colin, we said this before the season started. The schedule really lined up for these guys. No, we did. You did. We said it. This 13 wins, wasn't crazy. They were going to face a bunch of bad quarterbacks, many in their own division. Yes, I don't want

Eagles fans to take this the wrong way. I think the Eagles are good, definitely Super Bowl-worthy, Hertz MVP. That being said, look at their schedule, who they've beaten, four teams that currently have a winning record. Okay? Minnesota in week two at home, Cooper Rush in Dallas, Tennessee, a couple weeks ago, we know Tennessee is very fraudulent.

Right now they're beat up, shaky, they're not going. Yeah, they've lost a lot of starters. And the other team is the Giants who stink. We know this. So I'm not poking holes in Philly. I'm just saying, as you know, in the playoffs, you're going to place good teams. Yeah, the downside, you see this in college sports.

The downside to blowing through your schedule is when you get into a close game and you haven't been in many. Even if you lead, you can get really tight. That is the advantage. We said last year, Stafford was in a really tough division. He'd been in so many close games, but the time the Rams got into close playoff games,

Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, Sanford, Cisco with the Rams. It's been in eight close games. And so the danger in rolling over a bad division, and let's face it, the Giants in Washington are not really good teams. The danger in rolling over bad teams is there is a skill in playing close games. Kansas City now in Cincinnati are both benefiting from playing each other. Those are playoff games.

Buffalo, Cincinnati, or Buffalo, Kansas City. Those feel like regular season playoff games. You need those because that's what. playoff football is. I don't know exactly when this matchup is the Eagles Cowboys rematch, but basically that's going to tell you everything you need to know about Philadelphia, more than anything they've done this season. And that's not a knock on Philly. All right, moving on, Kansas City Chiefs, Colin, this was a tough one. Weird game. They led 27-0. I'm kicking myself for not betting on the Chiefs. I'm like 27-0. I was, I was sitting there thinking,

I was told to bet, and I didn't. Yeah, and then Denver storms back. Jerry Judy, I don't know if you saw him flip out. He like was like, like somebody wound him up and he was so worked up. He bumped to a ref. And they didn't throw the flag on him or kick him out or anything. At any rate, nice comeback behind Russell Wilson and whoever the backup quarterback is. We'll talk about Russ in a sec. But Mahomes, three interceptions. Tied a career high. He did have three touchdowns, 350 yards. Chiefs win. Do not cover. Colin, what do you make of Mahomes here off the Bengals loss? We said this. This is going to be a productive. team, and they still are, but it's going to look different.

And Tyreek Hill tilted the field. So it's harder for them. They don't get any easy touchdowns. It's almost like if the Yankees didn't sign Aaron Judge, they'd still win games, but there's no three-run blasts every other night. So they don't get the easy stuff, and when your drives are longer and your receivers are not as good, and you have to press and the guy's not as open. And it's just this is the downside to losing.

I mean, Aaron Rogers, Devante Adams. Devante's still having a great season, but it's different when you're throwing to Alan Lazzard, and Alan Lazzard has no separation, or you throw it up to Alan Lazzard, and the corner wins the battle instead of Devante. So I think it's hard for Aaron Irma Holmes when you lose a, I mean, a one-in-a-decade talent.

The quarterback feels it too, not just the receiver. Yeah, it's weird. Buffalo kind of struggled a bit yesterday against my Jets. We'll get to the Chiefs. I don't know. Is this a struggle when you're up 27-0 and then you kind of have to hold on for the... I don't know what to make of this. I think it's a double you, and I do credit teams like Dallas or Kansas City that had bad halves and won.

It's hard to win in this league. Really hard. Okay. All right. And finally, let's talk about the New York Jets. Mike White. My guy. I got to ride Mike White now.

This guy is incredible. Look at the hits he took in this game, Conn. I mean, you know, he went to the hospital via ambulance right after the game to check out, make sure there's no, like, kidney lacerations. This dude is a warrior. I like him. Mike White won fans around the league, not just football fans, but people in the league are like, this dude is tough.

I think the question's going to be for Joe Douglas. Can you own the fact that you do have a franchise quarterback? It appears it's just the other guy. Yeah, I mean, listen, three games and last season, but a franchise quarterback may be strong, but I'll tell you this, and I said it to you between the break. I would, based on what I've seen, I would take Mike White as my quarterback going forward over Tua in a heartbeat. And that's not a knock on Tua who's done well with his options. Mike's a much bigger play.

Dude, he's got no offensive line. They're down to their number seven offensive tackle. The guys are just dropping like flies. So he got destroyed. And what was scary was the bills were only rushing four, and they were still crushing the kid. Maybe I'm being hyperbolic here. I say he's a franchise quarterback. I guess this is my point.

Next year, if you told me week one starter, I would go with White over Zach. I don't know. I don't think Zach's a franchise guy at this point in his career. Maybe he would be in four years. The real question, Colin, is, have you seen enough that you would not pursue? sue a Derek Carr, a Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason. No, no, no, no, I would, I would pursue them. Okay.

Yeah, but I think, I guess I'm being a little hyper. What I'm saying is, but of the two guys, Flacco's not a guy, he's done. No, yeah. But of the two guys, this guy's bigger and more accurate. He's the guy. He's the guy. If I hadn't, if I couldn't get Derek Carr, by the way, Derek Carr, who is a guy I would go after. If I can't, I'd start the season with him.

I just don't think, I think Zach's too young. He's too small. He's not emotionally ready from Provo to New York. I don't feel he's a franchise guy. I didn't when he came out of college. I didn't. The teammates love this guy. Some of the comments in the locker room afterward,

this guy's tough as nails. He will take any hit. And Colin, he's making great throws on some of these hits. Like, I'm talking outside the numbers, really tough throws. And I'm not going to knock him, but, you know, Jimmy Garoppolo ain't making some of these doors Mike White's making. We like Jimmy Garoppolo. But look at the numbers from the Niners.

Kyle Shanahan keeps it simple, middle of the field. Mike White's throwing deep. Some of this, I'm going overboard here, but he looked incredible. I got people around. the league texting me. You guys have a quarterback. And they're serious. Mike White looks the part. It is a small sample. But this ain't the bears or the Vikings, Colin. What I honestly love is your passion is so genuine. You care, you are, I have no problem. This every sportscaster I've known has a team. Yeah. And they try to, and that team, you know, like we try to be objective

around the teams, right? But they're like USC football for me. I got a soft spot because I know a lot of people around there. And for the jet, I always think you're totally objective, but with the jets, you take all of your bias and it goes into this Jets tunnel. A little, little bias. No, and I like it. Garrett Wilson, wide receiver number one next year. I mean, he's a superstar.

Sauce Gardner, number one quarterback. Superstar. Okay, not a superstar. He's a budding star, Garrett Wilson. Okay. Budding, a superstar is Justin Jefferson. You want me to get hyperbolic real quick? How about this?

The Jets are starting to look like the San Francisco. Francisco 49ers. Look, build a strong defense. I know you're going to laugh. Running game, quarterback makes the throws. Okay. Okay. Let's just, it was a good effort and a loss. The bills had their fewest yards this season. The Jets have now outgained the bills and Vikings back-to-back weeks. All right. Just the facts, big guy. And lost both of them. They did. They did. They're baby steps. Baby steps.

Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd loss. Where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong next hour. So, you know, I was watching that Niners game and, you know, Fox cut away from it. It was so bad. How often do you cut away from a Brady game?

But usually when you go to your backup quarterback, like Mahomes to Chad Henney, you take plays out of the playbook. Herbert to Chase Daniel. You take plays out of the playbook. Garopolo gets hurt. Brock Purdy comes in. I didn't take anything out of the playbook. It's the same playbook. with more mobility.

It was 16 to 21, 180 yards. That's Garoppolo's line. A couple of touchdowns, no picks. He's Garoppolo with better mobility. Even the play calling was the same stuff. In fact, there were two throws up the sideline. I don't think they've asked Jimmy to make those. So San Francisco did not change gears here.

It's the same gear. The fifth tire in the trunk wasn't a spare. It was the same-sized tire. and maybe San Francisco's known this all along. This is not a spare tire. They had a full-size fifth tire in the trunk. When I watch the Niners, I see no change at all from Kyle Shanahan to the play calling. So after a couple of games, one start and a couple of games, the numbers to me,

we look at them this morning, look a lot like Jimmy Garapolo. And, you know, I also think there's this, is that Kyle Shanahan, this is crazy, is on his third quarterback. Because they wanted to start Trey Lance, right? That's why they gave up picks. That's why they wouldn't give Jimmy Garoppolo a playbook in the offseason. They wanted to start Trey Lance.

Gets hurt. Remember, he started the season. Okay, it's Jimmy Garoplo. Gets hurt. And I do wonder that if Kyle Shanahan's sitting there thinking, listen, I'm going to let it go a little bit. I'm down to my third quarterback. It's all, we're playing with house money. I'm on a third quarterback.

because when they were leading 21-0 before half with Garoppolo, you would just sit down, run it, and get to the locker room, and then Brock Purdy throws a pick. He gets a little bit of an officiating break. They get it back, and they still throw it down the field of Brandon Ayuk. And it's like, I don't know, that's more aggressive than they would have been with Jimmy Garoppolo. So Christian McCaffrey, after the game, and the kid is loved in the locker room.

You're here in Trent Williams. You're hearing Fred Warner. You're hearing Kittle. They're all like, we love him. He's barking it, guys. Here's Christian McCaffrey after the game. Yeah, he's an impressive guy. It's fun to be around.

You know, he's, I think to play quarterback in this league, you have to be very intelligent. And for a rookie to come in and process this offense and do everything by the book, but then add his own flare to it is very impressive. So I'm excited for him. I'm excited to keep playing with him. and, you know, I love that guy.

Now, obviously, the Debo Samuel injury is gutting. It's an ankle, could be a high ankle, we don't know. And McCaffrey's had injury issues, and Debo's hurt again, and George Kittle has, this is a very, very physical team. But I was talking to a Niner fan yesterday, and he said, you know, I watched him in the preseason. He goes, my takeaway was, it's kind of a gamer. And, by the way, nobody thought Garra. I love Garab. I'm a Garoppel fan.

But I don't, I mean, they don't even throw the ball up the sideline with him. I mean, they throw the ball in the middle of the field. He's a distributor. He's way Chris Paul over Steph Curry. You don't get 35 point nights from Chris Paul much anymore. But I watch Brock Purdy and I don't, I always feel that you can tell what a coach thinks about a quarterback by the plays he's willing to call. And in two games, I said this last week, he's completing 71% of his throws.

105 passer rating. He started, and here's the thing I like about Brock Purdy. He started in a Power 5 conference, but did not have elite players mostly around him. If you look at the history of the NFL, I wrote about this years and years ago in my first book, is that if you look at the quarterbacks that make it in this league, it's not USC guys, it's not Texas guys, until recently it's not Alabama guys, it's not Ohio State guys. there was a time in this league when there was three quarterbacks from Cal and three from North Carolina State. It is quarterbacks who in college have to overcome.

They don't play with pro-wide receivers. They get very used to throwing into smaller windows. I mean, if you're Matt Linerd at USC, everybody was open. Everybody was in the box trying to get Reggie Bush and Lendale White. So your receivers get single coverage. That's not a real world. Big Ben didn't go to Ohio State. He went to Miami of Ohio.

Aaron Rogers didn't go to USC. He went to a junior college, then Cal. Russell Wilson, North Carolina State, Wisconsin. Wisconsin's not exactly LSU when it comes to, you know, wide receivers. And so Brock Purdy went to Iowa State. He had Brees Hall, but they didn't have Texas athletes. They didn't have Oklahoma athletes. I'd argue they don't even have TCU athletes most of the time.

So he had to overcome, throw in smaller windows, offensive lines. when weren't first round NFL draft picks. He really is. Now, he's not, you'd like it to be a little bigger and a little bigger arm. But if you look at the, in the last 20, 25 years, is outside of Peyton Manning, who was a number one high school quarterback, number one college quarterback, taken number one. Most of the time, you're drafted Montana in the third round, Brady in the six. You play at a non-traditional power.

And there's, this kid's got some sauce. Have you seen enough from Mr. Purdy that Jimmy Garapolo now becomes expendable? Hey, we've got Trainlanters are guys. Absolutely. Oh, man. By the way, by the way, by the way. After the injury, I kind of felt we knew now that you got to move off Jimmy. Because it's another injury.

It's like I say with Anthony Davis. Lakers are clinging to him. If he got hurt again, like it's over, right? Like, Kauai Leonard had another major injury. You can like somebody and like, it's just time. And so what I have seen from Purdy is there's no. no reason now. You got to go into next year with Brock Purdy and Tray Lance. I don't think I'd bring Tom in at this point. I don't think I would. He's going to be 46. And both those

quarterbacks are on rookie deals, which is huge. You save a lot of salary there. A ton. I would go, and I'll tell you right now, Brock Purdy, the one thing, he's got two major things over Tray Lance. He's an excellent, accurate thrower. He's also got four years of college starts. And now he's got Niners start. So the kids got a lot of reps. And there's nothing you can do. Like I say, I don't love Kenny Pickett, but he started four years in college. Kenny Pickett's just taking a lot of big boy snaps in that stadium. So I'll put you on the spot. Jimmy Garapolo now, if we're moving off of him in San Francisco, have you given much thought to what happens with him on the market? If I was the Jets or Giants, especially the Jets, I'd keep Mike White, I'd move off Zach Wilson.

I'd bring in Garoppolo, and I think I can win with both with that defense. So, yes, people are saying Brock Purdy cost Garoppel. money. I don't necessarily think so. There'll be a bidding war on the market for Garoppel. Like New York Giants are desperate. Now let's go. Bidding war? Yeah. The New York Giants have Daniel Jones and Brian Dayball as their head coach. Daniel Jones is not the guy there. I wouldn't call it a bidding war for Garoppel. I think Garoppel is going to get paid. 25 mil a year? Oh, slow down. Whoa. Whoa. Been to a Super Bowl. How many wins does a guy have? Only does his win. The locker room loves him. He crossed the injury threshold.

Like, you know, like there's injury riddled guys, like Anthony Davis. Right now everybody loves him. One more and his, you could trade Anthony Davis right now and get something, a package. Right. One more injury. No GM is bringing him in for that price tag. Mike Vrable tells us his new GM, man, you see my team? You add Jimmy Garoppolo to this?

We make the jump to lightspe. Tana Hill Garoppolo's a wash. That's why I tell you, Aaron Rogers is going to Nashville. I think that one's great. I mean, look at Mike Rable's sitting there, the best coach in his division, and getting his brains beat out. You think he's happy? He's moving off Tanna Hill. There's no dead cap hit.

He's not going to go from Tanna Hill to Garoppolo. He wants to go uptown. He wants to go. He wants to go and get a, you know what he's saying? Can I finally have an elite quarterback? I've been doing this now for years. How was it? Ron Rivera and Washington?

Jimmy Garoppolo? Oh, I wouldn't know. If I was Garoppel, I wouldn't go there. I'd go to an offensive. Right. Toxic franchise. I would go. like Brian Dable is an offensive coach.

He'll get the most. Jimmy Garoppel will do a lot of commercials in New York City. The ladies love him. Yeah, whatever. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up, everybody?

It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVore Arington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada 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 Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

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

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

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple 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 tontons 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. Think about your happy place. Maybe it's a so fun game day, your fishing boat, wherever it is, driveway.com, let you buy or sell a car from there. Top of the hour, where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, Howie Long the Hall of Famer stops by.

Sean Payton in the final hour. Great holiday season. We all sort of wait now for the bowl games to start up. Congrats to Caleb Williams, who won the Heisman this weekend. I thought the voters did a good job to get away from their usual, predictable regionalization of the sport. and voted for the right guy. I want to talk NFC and AFC playoff picture. So today, it is remarkable how the posers sort of now dovetailing and the players rising up the ranks.

Let's look at the NFC playoff picture if the playoffs started today. Now, there's going to be movement, especially at the bottom end. So Philadelphia is going to win their division. Minnesota should win their division. Niners, because of the dysfunction and theirs will win their division. I'm crossing my fingers that the Bucks do. but Carolina, I'll say this for Carolina, they're a really interesting bad team.

And with Sam Darnold now running around and making plays, say what you want. I think Tampa wins the division, but Carolina, you've said this a month ago. They've got some players. The defense is pretty good. The run game is solid. They're not asking Darnold to do too much.

They have a couple of targets. I saw Darnold through for like 21 yards in the second half. They were just like, let's just hand off. That's all we're doing. So then you're, and right now you're, your wild card teams, the NFL added a wild card team last year. Dallas, very good wild card team. Commanders, Giants, one of those probably gets in.

Neither's great. My vote would be Detroit. So in the hunt, it's Seattle, Detroit, Green Bay, Carolina, Atlanta. They all have qualities I like. Just from a fan's perspective, I think Detroit's an unbelievable story. They've got their players on the right side of the ball. Detroit's got a real advantage here over Green Bay. they have nothing to lose here.

So they're coming from the back up. So if they get in, it's just this last month ascension. The second thing is, you could watch their play calling yesterday. They are hyper-aggressive, house money. They're a year ahead of where they thought they'd be. Detroit's a fascinating team. I will say this. Detroit and Seattle feel worthy of the last guy in.

Green Bay sputtering around. Can I pour some cold water on Detroit real quick? And listen, they're fun. and Ben Johnson, the O.C. has been great. I just look at the schedule. They have three outdoor cold weather games coming up. Okay, give me them. At the Jets this week.

I already look, no precipitation expected, but 30s. Then they have at Carolina. They'll win it. Okay. And then finally, at Green Bay in Lambo on January 8th. They'll win it. They're going to sit Aaron for that. You think they're going to go three.

They're going to sit Aaron for that. They're going to let the market see. And they're going to let Detroit try to sneak in the playoffs in their division while they don't go. Ooh. I think everyone would want to play spoiler and be like, guys, I've been beating you for over a decade. Sit down.

That being said, are you not going to play Jordan Love? You're not going to get one game of Jordan Love? What's the point of moving up in the draft? I don't totally disagree with that, but I don't think Aaron Rogers will let them sit him for Jordan Love. Let me ask you this. If Detroit sneaks in at 7,

what's the line against Minnesota, the number two seed? Well, Minnesota would come back probably be at Minnesota would be favored by two and a half. That's my guess. and that would be the approach. And I would take Minnesota in that game. If you've looked at both their regular season matchups, Detroit has largely outplayed the Vikings in both meetings.

Listen, the Vikings, I believe, have been outgained. And they're 10 and 3. Negative point differential, Colin. Come on. Maybe they haven't been outgain. Okay, but they've been outscored. Yes. Negative point differential of 10 and 3.

But they also went to Buffalo in one. So we got to get Minnesota credit. Whoopty, damn dude. They got lucky as heck in that game. Come on. I know. They did get the dub. Justin.

That was as big. that was as impressive a performance non-playoff I've ever seen Kurt Cousins. But if you're in Minnesota, who do you want to face the most? New York, Washington, Seattle, or Detroit? I don't want to face Detroit. I would agree. You don't want to see that. Listen, because New York, because, A, Detroit knows your personnel.

Yeah. And they can win a shootout. Seattle's not winning a shootout. Seattle's defense is terrible. What you don't want to do in the playoffs is get a team that's got skill players and all of a sudden you find yourself in a track meat. It's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I know you're out on Taylor Heineke.

Washington has some dudes. Jeremy McLaurin is going to eat. Curtis Samuel is pretty good. I like their talent. They've got some guys. I would not rule out Washington. Chase Young coming back. Defense is very good against a run.

All right. Let's go to the AFC. Okay. Oh, boy. Jason's going to lose it. I'm not losing it. Okay. Let's go to the AFC playoff picture. So the bills are going to get in.

So are the Chiefs. Ravens, Titans, keep your eye on the jazz. Hold on. Ravens may start a third string quarterback this week on short rest against the Browns. Well, they just did and won in Pittsburgh. Anthony Brown? Oregon guy? You trusted him? I don't. They won. He didn't throw the ball at all.

I can't watch Tribisky. I'm over. I'll turn my TV set off. I'll bet against him. I'll watch soap operas on a Sunday. I can't watch him. Okay, so right now it's Bill's Chiefs, Ravens, Titans are falling apart physically. Bengals are on fire. Dolphins Chargers, to me personally, feel like playoff teams because in 2022, it's such an offensive and they've got star offensive players. Listen, you see the Chargers and Dolphins? Last night, Mike Williams,

Keenan Allen, Waddle, and Tyreek Hill. Those are four of the top 15 receivers in the league. So now, Jets, Patriots play tonight. I don't like him tonight. I say keep your eye on the Jaguars and the Jets. So what is New York schedule going forward? Okay, we'll start with the Jets. This week they host Detroit.

Winnable, but I don't think they will, but winnable. Then they are hosting Jacksonville. Jacksonville's got two tough games next. Cowboys and Jets. So Titans probably win that division. Jets close out at Seattle, at Miami. That's not going to be. Not feeling great.

Not feeling great. That being said. So New England's got to win tonight. Big game for New England. I don't think New England has much of a chance, but let's look at Miami. Tua off two straight bad games. He goes to Buffalo. Oh, is it next?

Yeah. Oh. Three straight road games. Remember what the bills just did to the Jets' offensive line. Okay. This one could get up. ugly. I think Buffalo probably really hammers Miami. After that,

Miami hosts Green Bay. Aaron Rogers, Florida. That's not an easy one. I don't think so. By the way, when you play Buffalo, you know what happens the next week? You're missing starters. Yeah, you're beat up. So you're going to go from, I thought the Chargers last night were really physical. Were they really down six defensive starters? Yeah, and they were super physical.

So, give me, what? So anyways, Miami has at Buffalo versus Green Bay. That's not easy. Okay, you could be in a four-game losing street. Maybe you give them the Green Bay. Okay, give them the Green Bay. Day one. Then they go at New England outdoors. Cold. Tua has done well against the dolphin, against New England, but it's going to be freezing on January 1st. And then they host the Jets. Mike White, to be the spoiler. We'll see. I don't think Miami gets in, Colin. I think Chargers are looking good. And who else? New England? Not the Patriot. I do not want to see this team.

How about this, though? I feel with the Jags like I do with the Lions. I would love to see the Lions and the Jags get in because I love their offense. Trevor Lawrence. Jags yesterday, everything went right. Yeah. Like everything clicked. Do that dude. Trevor Lawrence has arrived.

It took a little while, but he's here. I mean, we loved him coming out of clutch. Oh, it's just second year. Thanksgiving second year is the kind of the cutoff line. Thanksgiving second year, I can tell. Can you play or not? Dude can play. Zach Wilson?

Okay. Moving on. Okay. Howie Long's around the corner where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, plenty of both. Boy, it's fun. When you get down to the – it's interesting at the bottom of both divisions. At the bottom of the NFC, it's defense. At the bottom of the AFC, Chargers Miami-Jags, it's all offense.

The quarterback conference now is the AFC. Hour 2 and a Monday next. 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 Lerner, 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.

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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. It was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.