The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD – HOUR 2 – NFL Playoff Predictions, Josh Allen + DJ Moore Expectations

Episode Date: July 31, 2026

JMac shares some shocking predictions for his 2026 NFL Playoff teams: Why the Broncos are out in the AFC and why the Lions are back in the NFC. Kyle Whittingham opens up on Mich / OSU rivalrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right. hour number two on the herd. Are you ready for Super Bowl predictions in July? We will do this again in August because take a guess. Cowher's taking another vacation next month. Hopefully Rachel's around. Oh, I'll need you, Rachel.

Late August, it's going to be rough. I got you. I got you. All right, good to know. We are joining you on a Friday from Los Angeles. We have Adam Chernoff. Folks, listen, if you follow me on the radio, my podcast, you know this is one of the top gamblers in North America.

I can't even say where he is. He's that good. But we're going to go through my Super Bowl and playoff prediction. So I'm going to start this out. Our staff has a great note. 36 straight seasons with four plus new playoff teams in the NFL. Keep that in mind. If you're thinking chalk, you're wrong.

Let's get started. Here we go. In the AFC East, despite my shots at the Buffalo Bills this week and last week, I am picking the Buffalo Bills to win the AFC East. Last year it was the Patriots. The Bills bounced back. They are the largest favorites of any team to win their division. I am not buying Joe Brady, but I do believe the Buffalo Bills win the AFC East.

Patriots fans, Ear Muffet. Here we go. AFC North. I'm going with another team. Well, not another. A team that missed the playoffs last year, Baltimore Ravens. Listen, it was the final game of the season, fluky stuff, amazing fourth quarter, Miss Field goal at the Horn.

I got the Ravens bouncing back and winning the AFC North. another division winner with a new head coach. Declan Doyle obviously calling plays for the first time in his career. Bullish on the Ravens. Let's go to the AFC South. This is a team I like a lot. The Houston Texans. I know.

Nobody likes C.J. Stroud. Give me C.J. Stroud, baby. When the public goes one way, I like to go the other. I'm betting on the defense. I'm betting on Stroud being a little bit better. Ten starters back on defense. Holy smokes. The division is going to be better.

I know some people think it's down. I think the Titans are going to be good. Daniel Jones is actually moving around, which is scary. Texans win the South. In the AFC West, this is risky because of the net differential in scheduling and rest days. I'm going chargers. Justin Herbert and Mike McDaniel, I think like the world on fire, I will have a Justin Herbert MVP ticket just for fun. I like the chargers a lot.

I'm down on the Broncos. Denver fans, you can. you know, stop watching because I don't have you on the playoffs. All right, let's go to the wild card. The three wild card teams in the AFC, number one, the Chiefs. Mahomes is back. Reed is back. They did go one and nine in one score games last year.

It was, I believe, 11 and 0 the year before. They'll win five one score games and be fine. I don't love this team. I don't have been the Super Bowl, but I have the Chiefs in the Wild Card. Next up, wild card number two, the Cincinnati Bungals, who were not in the playoffs last year. So for me, if you're keeping score at home, Ravens, Chiefs, and Bengals

did not make the playoffs last year. I have all of them in the playoffs this year. I still do think, though, Zach Taylor is terrible. I like the upgrades on defense. The Cowboys upgraded on defense, so did the Bengals. And the final wildcard team in the AMC,

it is not the Jets, it is the Jaguars. We just talked about them. Yeah, they did lose three pretty good players, I think, won an offense, a couple on defense. We shall see. I'm a believer in Liam Cohen.

I do like the Travis Hunter return from injury is going to be big. This is a good team, man, guys. Stop selling the Jags short. Liam Cohen is a great coach. So those are my seven playoff teams in the AFC. Let's send to the – there it is on the screen. Three new playoff teams, remember four every year for the last 36 years. Let's go to the NFC.

Right out of the gate, I'm going Eagles. I don't think there's any doubt about this. I think Dallas is going to be better. I think Rachel's commanders will be a little better. I'm not buying the Giants. Give me the Eagles, 10 or 11 wins. Defense is nasty. A.J. Brown will not be missed.

In the NFC North, I will go with the Detroit Lions. Bit of a surprise. They did not make the playoffs last year. The schedule is extremely fortuitive. And I think that injuries that crippled them late in the year last year, you know, people are overlooking that. This is a good team. I don't love Dan Campbell. I like them.

I think Detroit wins the division. In the NFC South, again, you could basically pick this one out of a hat. I went Tampa, you know, Baker Mayfield revenge season, perhaps. Tampa did not make the playoffs last year. Don't love their head coach. He's on the hot seat. I like Baker. I like the offense.

Vita Vea wants out. Maybe they keep them? I don't know. I don't love this division. I go out bucks. NFC West. This is a layup. I think they need no introduction and we'll talk about them in the Super Bowl.

The Rams. If Stafford gets hurt, they're done. But other than that, anything less than a Super Bowl trip, massive disappointment. So here are my three wildcard teams in the NFC. Number one is a bit of a surprise, and it's a late addition. It's the Minnesota Vikings. We're showing McCarthy on the screen,

but it's probably going to be the Kyler-Marie, Kevin O'Connell's show. And the defense, it can potentially carry this team, guys. They are very, very good. And how about this stat from our staff? 10 different starting offensive line combos last year. Christian Derisal was down a lot. That is a huge get back for Minnesota. He is very, very good.

Second Wild Card team staying in the division. Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love. Micah Parsons coming back week six? I had hoped it would be earlier. It's just a brutal end to the season last year. Love had some injuries. I like LaFleur, man. I don't know about all this LaFleur on the hot seat nonsense.

I like the Packers. a wildcard team. And finally, yeah, I know you're waiting, Seattle. The Seahawks sneak into the playoffs. They do return 20 of 22 starters, but they lose Kubiak, which is massive. And Kenneth Walker, I think,'s a big loss. So there are the three wildcard teams, three new playoff teams in the NFC, three in the AFC.

Now, I know people are not going to like that. We will quickly go my Super Bowl. I'll go with the conference championships and then the Super Bowl. in the AFC, I have, yes, the Houston Texans taking down the chargers. I know that's going to have some heads exploding. Obviously, they met in the playoffs two years ago when it was a bloodbath. I know, guys, I'm going defense and offense here, and I will go Texans. I can't believe I'm doing this.

CJ Stroud in the Super Bowl. And then in the NFC, I'm going with the Rams over the Eagles. Stafford and Company get it done. and they get back to SoFi for a second home game in the Super Bowl, which is insane. Setting up the Super Bowl, Rams Texans, and give me, I know, chalky Jason. The Rams, led by Matt Stafford, win another Super Bowl, cementing his Hall of Fame candidacy.

I got the Rams taking down the Texans in the Super Bowl out here at SoFi. All right. That was a lot. I'm nervous that they're going to put that online, and I'm going to get ripped apart. So let's go to Adam Chernoff, NFL analyst, gambling guru. I've known Adam. I don't think I've ever met Adam,

but I've talked to him for many years. He is as sharp as it gets. Adam, you just saw my predictions. Anything you want to scoff at or agree with? Well, you said you were not going to go chalk at the start of the segment, and then you went with the chalkiest Super Bowl pick possible. So you're already taking flak online for the predictions.

Yes, yes, obvious. So I'm with you on the EFC championship. chip though. I don't know if I should be worried or feel better about that, but I'm with you on the Texans and the Chargers love. I like both of those teams a lot. Okay, let's start with the Chargers. I know you're very high on them. Can you tell us why? Because there's a team with Herbert that hasn't won a playoff game. As the better, I love a retread offensive coordinator that failed at the head coach and comes back. I think it's an awesome scenario for any team. And Mike McDaniel fits this team so well. He unlocks a lot of the issues that the Chargers have had. whether that's the offensive line issues, the lack of a run game. Think about San Francisco. For years, they've had awesome offenses with a bad offensive line.

McDaniel comes from that system. Think about Miami. For years, bad offensive line, good offense. That was his system. This is what these styles of offense do. They disguise a lot of the offensive line issues, which the Chargers have had. And now they've got depth at the position. You have just a freak at QB and Herbert.

I think this Chargers team is going to be awesome. I bet them to win the Super Bowl quite heavily. And I might be down in Hermosa Beach if they win, living pretty comfortably comes February. So we'll see you down there. Let me ask, does that offensive coordinator after getting fired as a head coach, does that apply to Tennessee as well with Daibol? Yeah, not at the same level, but absolutely. I think we'll see him really elevate that Titans offense in a big way.

if any of what we saw positive from Cam Ward, second half of the season last year was real, he's going to exploit that a lot. We saw them go that way in the draft, adding a wide receiver. And so, yeah, I think it's a very exciting offense in Tennessee, relative to expectations. It's just a lot harder to bet on a team like that

when you're not expecting a deep run. So in season, absolutely. But season long, I'm not betting too much on Texas. I want to talk about the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. And so when last we spoke, you know, one of your big things is all these new offensive coordinators around the league, like, we don't have any proof of concept. What is Declan Doyle going to do? We don't totally know. But the market is saying, hey, Ravens, 11 and a half wins, Lamar's going to be fine, new head coach and Jesse Minter.

Talk to me about your thoughts on the Ravens and Lamar this season. Yeah, I think we're going to see a lot more of these late game scenarios go the right way for the Ravens. Over the last couple of seasons with Harbaugh and Company, there's been just in a lot of. inexplicable late fourth quarter collapses, games where the Ravens should have won, that they didn't get those bounces late. I get the impression based on how things are building up in Ravens camp, what these coaches have been saying.

It's just a refresh that's, I think, much needed in many ways. And I think similar to what we saw in Chicago last year, maybe not at that same level of luck and good bounces, but I think we're going to see a lot of those late game scenarios go the way of the Ravens. I like the way the offense is trending. A lot of bad red zone luck with the decision to run Lamar less inside the 20. So I think that's going to break the way for the Ravens this year as well. So I think there's a lot of positive signs and we see the Ravens get those late game breaks,

which will matter a lot in the point spreads on a week-to-week basis. Yeah, just to stick in the division real quick. And the Cincinnati Bengals, a team I have bouncing back with Burrow. Similar to the Cowboys, the Bengals have like three or four, five new defensive starters. I don't love their head coach, similar to the Cowboys. Where are you on Burrow and the Bengals? There was a lot of noise last year about Burrow not being happy. He's going to talk to the owner after games.

I don't know what to make of the Bengals. Boring TV answer, but they're rated exactly where they should be. The defense can't be worse than what it was a year ago. So it's going to be improvement, and we know that the offense is loaded. I don't think there's going to be many surprises. I just think there's a question of when it comes to late in the season, into the playoffs and you potentially making a run, is Taylor going to be the head coach that gets the Bengals over a big win against some of these other elite coaches in the AFC?

I tend to think the answer is no, and that's going to hold them back this year with the offense coming back. I just, I'm not as optimistic on Cincinnati as I would be with a team like Baltimore in this division. So do you think a guy like Burrow can overcome like a Zach Taylor when the chips are down in January? Of course, but I'm just not in a spot right now. with the price where it is and so much hype around them that I want to bet into that. All right, let's get into a team you really are bullish on. That's the Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love. So weirdly, LaFleur, people seem out on him.

They're like, well, you know, if there wasn't an expanded playoffs, LaFleur would keep missing it every year. He's barely sneaking in, and Jordan love this and Micah Parsons that. And I don't seem to get it. I really like the Packers, Adam. Yeah, look at it in context, Jason. If we go back to December 14th last year, the Parenthood. Packers were 9, 3 and 1. They were leading late in the third quarter by 11 points on the road in Denver with a

wind that would have very much sealed the division for them. Instead, they lose that game. Parsons goes down and they lose every other game the rest of the season to blow up in the wildcard round. So it was about 18 minutes away from us talking about this Packers team right now in a very different manner. And that season last year was Jordan Love playing at an elite level with anybody healthy alongside the skill position players.

He missed a couple games. Lafleur out-coached and switched the game plans massively when they went to Willis. I think LaFleur's done a fantastic job coaching and play calling and game planning. I think love has been very good, especially the last season and a half. This is a team to me in this division that has by far the least number of questions in the NFC north of any of the other three teams. I don't know why there's not more positivity about the Packers. Their win totals come down a full win. There's so many people have been betting the under.

I don't agree with that. I'm with you. I think the Packers have some upside. And so I bet over nine and a half wins. So do you think these, everybody taking the under? Is that because of Micah Parsons and Christian Watson's always heard and the running back had an ugly offseason arrest? I don't know. Are people just out on love and the floor?

I think part of it is Jacobs. I don't think he's worth the full win. I don't think Parsons not returning should be a surprise to anybody who was betting that under. I think we'll see him come in mid-October as sort of the expectation. And I just think there's a lot of hype around Chicago. I think there's a lot of betters loving Minnesota and what Murray might look like in that offense. And then the Lions have been danced around with the easiest strength of schedule. And in the history of the NFL like the 49ers were last year when San Francisco is getting bet over a ton.

So I think that's playing into it. lot. And then there's this team with the Packers that I just, I feel is a little bit underrated at the moment. Let's talk about those Chicago Bears. You know, Colin Coward, obviously now in Chicago. He is waving the pom-poms for the bears. Everybody likes them. Caleb Williams and the comebacks last season. I don't know, man. The coach is saying we're the number one regression candidate trying to temper expectations. Talk about the bears and Caleb. Great soundbite. I love that a coach is acknowledging these. luck metrics that go from year to year. It's something I haven't really seen talked before,

especially from a head coach. And so I look at the bears two ways. One, in a traditional betting sense, there is every warning sign known to any professional better that you want to run and bet the under on the Chicago Bears this season because of how much luck they had last year. All of the takeaways, the takeaways that led to big returns or in like just red zone scenarios, the comebacks, the fourth quarter, win probability over expectation. Everything went to bears way last season, and you would want to bet the under this year. My caveat with that is,

did it go that way because there was just overwhelming luck that's not going to be repeated? Or is that what happens when you have a coach like Ben Johnson that changes the culture, brings a new level of play to the team, and elevates players on both sides of the ball? I think it's not as cut and dry as it used. to be betting the NFL maybe five years ago where you would just automatically bet into those

scenarios. I think we're seeing Ben Johnson and a lot of younger coaches come in and really change teams and franchises. So I think that's real. For me, I'm more invested in the Packers and that's where I'm looking at the NFC North, but I wouldn't just run to blindly fade the bears because of the luck metrics like so many are. And I don't know how this would factor into your handicapping, but Liam Cohen of the Jags was like, hey, nobody talks about us. I go to NFL.com and I got 40 photos of Caleb Williams. So nationally there is a narrative being shaped about the Bears, podcast, TV, radio.

So does that factor in at all? Because then the public, I'm assuming, here's all this Bears' excitement, sees it, and just so it bet in hand over fist, Bears over, is Caleb MVP, all that stuff. Nobody's talking about the Jaguars because it's July 31st and they're in Jacksonville. So that's, Liam Cohen needs to pump the brakes a little bit there.

I don't mean it as a knock for a 13-winst. season, but it is what it is when we're talking about big market teams midsummer. Does it factor in the handicapping? I think, sure. We're seeing the bears be bet very differently than how they would have been five to six years ago with expanded sports betting, with expanded media, with expanded knowledge of just preview content and luck metrics and things like that. The bears are very, very popular over this season. And typically years past, dating myself a little bit, but they certainly would have been a very popular under.

So certainly there's teams like that. We have to look at it and say these are being bet much differently. Is their value going the other way? And that's different from years past. So yes, absolutely. What about for regression candidate, if the Bears aren't your number one or you had to pick a two or three, would the Broncos be up there with Bow next? They win.

They win four games last year. but I'm seeing nine and a half as a win total. And there's a lot of questions about, you know, Manteau, the former Notre Dame linebackers, like, listen, Bo Nix is pretty much holding this team back. And we're at the point where Sean Payton has given up play calling duties to Davis Webb, another new OC. I don't know what we can expect from him.

But what are you, what do you think on the Broncos as a regression candidate? Well, I'll look at the Broncos per second, and then I think we should talk about the Seahawks. So from the Broncos perspective, I do think there's always going to be a to where this team can go as an offense with Bonex a quarterback. I think that's a very real statement. Last year was heavily masked by the defensive performance, which I think, again, is going to be as strong.

But the question is when it's now against a much more difficult schedule and it's put in a different context and it's another season, does that change and isn't repeatable? And I think the answer is more likely a no than a yes. And so I'm not as high on the Broncos as the Marcos as the Marcos. market is. And then Seattle, Jason, another interesting team in that. Darnold 20 turnovers last season and offense now without their play caller in Kubiak. I would look at Seattle, a very similar team makeup towards Denver and say that Seattle's likely the bigger regression candidate,

just because you don't have that play caller that was able to do so much with the offense and allow that defense to take over games, I think that's a massive loss for Seattle, that they're not going to be able to overcome. And Kubiaks made two teams the last two years with a ton of question marks look way better than they should have been. And in Denver, at least that play caller, even though he's given up play calling duties, all of that knowledge is still in-house. And so I think that's a benefit for Denver.

I would say Seattle's the bigger regression candidate of the two. So when you say regression, what does that mean? Like, hey, they're not going to get back to the Super Bowl or they're not winning the division or I don't know that they're a wild card team. Well, they're not getting back to the Super Bowl. I don't think they win the division. I think they go under 10 and a half wins. Wild card teams certainly in play.

That's how I would look at it. But the bet would be under 10 and a half wins. And I'm sure there's people out there saying, hey, Sam Darnel, all he does is win, Adam, what are you talking about? He went 14 and 3 in Minnesota, and then he went 14 and 3. How do we get people to articulate that wins are not a quarterback stat as much as they are a team stat? And the Seattle defense was extraordinary last season. Seattle defense, you're right, was as good as it gets last year.

And again, I think we have to really start thinking about coaching and play calling as being something that can elevate in disguise quarterbacks and offenses and hide a lot of weaknesses within it. And we really need to start awarding better coaches with more praise and more airtime, especially on media. Like we saw what O'Connell did with Donald. We saw what Kubiak did with him. I'm a Jets fan, as are you. we saw what Darnold looks like when he didn't have superior coaching around him. And so you're right. It's not a QB win stat is not a real thing.

But let's start talking about the coaches and the play callers more. Okay. Speaking of, the new Seahawks offensive coordinator, is it Pierce? Is that his last name? That's exactly the point. They go from Kubiak and, as you said, Kevin O'Connell, to now a guy who never has called plays, right? Yeah, Brian Flurry.

I don't know what we're going to make of it. But we'll see. They're going to rely on the run game a lot. Can they replace Kenneth Walker? What can they get from the offensive line for another season? It's a big question mark. The defense is going to be elite again. But is the offense going to be able to sustain it in that division,

which is just going to be absolutely brutal this season. I think the answer is no. So I don't know if you saw the news that the Niners added Debo Samuel on a one-year $7 million deal. He did nothing in Washington. And it kind of speaks to their issues at wide receipts. I mean, this is an old team. Adam, I'm selling, I sold my Niners stock, even though I love Brock Purdy. Any thoughts on the Niners? Kyle Shanahan had a rough month. Where are you on San Fran?

Yeah, I'm curious to see what that disruption with Camp and lead up to the season looks like with Shanahan's incident. I don't know what that's going to play out as. When I was looking at this team a couple weeks ago before any of the news, I thought it was a very good thing that they bring in Evans and you finally have that true ex-receiver that's been desperately needed. I want to be more optimistic about the 49ers than I am, but

it's a team that consistently I just can't figure out if it's internal with sports science, with the trainers. It's such a hard team to bet on season long because they're just always finding themselves in injury situations. And I know that's a little bit cliche to say

is a better as injury talk has become so common, but it's just a real thing with the 49ers that I can't quite get. And you mentioned the age factor that comes from it and the usage with McCaffrey. It's just so many question marks that I don't feel confident betting season long. And so I think it's going to be a competitive team. I think the offense is, as it always will be with Shanahan, will be competitive in the division. But I just, I have a hard time trying to lock up any money longer term with the 49ers on and over.

Real quick, actually, since we just talked Niners, I remember. So earlier this week, we saw the Bejjjjjj. John Robinson, Jamir Gibbs are both holding in, right? These are third year running backs, or they had three good years. They're looking to get paid significantly, right? And I wonder, like, Christian McCaffrey was dominating in Carolina. They didn't win anything, and they ended up trading him. Now, they waited too long, you know, two years in a row he gets hurt after the heavy usage,

and they kind of kickstarted things again. I'm just, I know they're not trading Gibbs out of Detroit, but I look at Atlanta. Sad SADSAC franchise, you're already shaking your head. They don't have a quarterback, you know, new coach. They're not going anywhere. The Falcons are not winning anything with Bijan. He's going to want top of the market. I don't know.

Am I crazy to even speculate? Hey, man, maybe we just flip Bijon for some picks. Yes, and this is not as crazy as your J.J. McCarthy take last year when I was on the show that I tried to talk you out of. But I saw the clip yesterday and I'm looking on my phone and I'm like, Jason, no, don't take that down. It's not happening. There's no way that they can consider trading. him. He's the cornerstone of that offense. Everything runs through him and revolves around him. They're starting to figure out a wide receiver depth as well. Hang on with the Falcons.

Wait, you like that. Are you just yet? Hold on. You're in on Bepenix Tua nonsense? They've got to figure out the quarterback situation, obviously. But I think there's 18 other franchises in the NFL that would kill to have the skill position set up that the Falcons find themselves in. So, dude, let's back up from the trade. Fair enough. So we'll wrap up with a Jets chatter. One of my buddies is actually bullish on the Jets. He does some previews. A lot of other people are like four or five wins.

I don't want wins. I just want competitive and losses. Your thoughts on the Jets. And then, if you've looked at quarterbacks next year, who do you want? And by the way, Baker Mayfield can, I guess, get counted in that since he's leaving Tampa. Yeah, the Mayfield scenario is a weird one, especially with Bulls, I think, quietly.

on a hot seat too with that defense continuously underperforming but that's something that will play out through the season as it this is coming from a non-betting perspective and just as a Jets fan okay i will do whatever i would be in support of whatever happens on the field for this team to move on from the coaching staff entirely i think the coaching staff is going to limit any growth this team has on either side of the ball i i don't what if that's two wins three wins, whatever it takes. We're just stuck in this endless cycle. It's going to be another embarrassing season,

and I'm ready for it because I'll never change. And you want Archmanning or no? Anything is better than Gino Smith at the moment. Adam, turn off. NFL gambling guru, covers the NFL, been around the league for a while. Adam, thanks a lot, man. Enjoy your summer. Thanks very much.

Chat too soon. Great stuff from Adam. All right. Coming up next. So Fernando Mendoza has spoken about being a backup. Is he cool with that? We'll talk about that next in Herd Line News. One more Herd?

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Open the free IHRRadio app. Search video podcasts and tap watch. Hi, I'm Bob Pipman, chairman and CEO of IHard Media. I also led the team that created MTV, and my co-founders and I are celebrating MTV's 40s. 35th anniversary this month. On my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing, you'll hear the untold origin story from the people who built MTV from the ground up. I want my MTV! Those are powerful words, my, something for me that felt like mine and want. What a powerful word. Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing on the

IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The declaration, which is full of these beautifully rendered sentences and paragraphs about enlightenment ideals does also have this darker history to it. Why is it important for the darker part of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution? Why is it important that Americans know about it? Well, if we don't understand the full context in which our nation was founded, we won't understand the full context in which our nation now finds itself. I'm Rebecca Nagel. Gohin, Dawadol,

to like I et L'i, citizen of Cherokee Nation. Are you guys big Chiefs fans? Hell yeah. This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be, and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America,

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The more you listen to your kids, the closer you'll be, So we asked kids, what do you want your parents to hear? I feel sometimes that I'm not listened to. I would just want you to listen to me more often and evaluate situations with me and lead me towards success.

Listening is a form of love. Find resources to help you support your kids and their emotional well-being at soundedouttogether.org. That's sounded outtogether.org. Brought to you by the Ad Council and Pivotal. All right, folks. that was like 30 powerful minutes on the NFL. Hope you learn something.

Let's go to Rachel Nichols with the news. We'll learn a lot. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. No medical advice in this segment, Jason. But I do want to continue the conversation you were having with Adam about Jordan Love.

Jordan Love was at camp and he's saying that he's actually using some of the experience he gained backing up Aaron Rogers in his relationship with head coach Matt LaFleur. He noted that when he was a backup, He watched LaFleur and Rogers, quote, bounce stuff off each other. And now he finally feels he's reached that level with LaFleur. And he feels comfortable talking to him about what he likes to run, situationally, that kind of thing. I want to bear down on this a little more, though, because Jordan's in his fourth year as a starter, right?

And if you look at sort of his body of work so far, he's got a 64% completion percentage. Good. Not great. Good. Right. 83 touchdowns, 31 interceptions. Good. Right?

feel okay about that so far? Yeah, yeah. Okay, all right. Last year, he's made the playoffs. In fact, he's made the playoffs every single year. He's been a starter. Good. Last year, though, in the wild card round, we saw Caleb Williams badly outplayed him in that second half, right?

I mean, the Packers were up by 20 points, and Caleb comes back, throws these miracle throws, great touchdown at the end. Jordan coughs up the ball. He's got a 98 passer rating over his three years so far. That puts him at about 11th. you had him at eighth in your quarterback rankings. Is Jordan Love a Super Bowl winning quarterback? Oh. Can you win a Super Bowl with Jordan Love?

Yeah. I mean, you just want one with Sam Darnold. You know, who was the other guy? Jalen Hertz won one before that. Wait, wait, wait, I'm sorry. Where are you on Jalen Hertz? Jalen Hertz won a Super Bowl. I get it. You're telling us Jalen Hertz should be one of the greatest things since sliced bread.

Now you're using him as an example of the mid-link quarterback? I think I'm talking about other people who don't like Hertz. I'm like Hertz won a Super Bowl. All right. I like Love. People don't like them. Love can win a Super Bowl. Brock Purdy was like one defensive stop away from beating Mahomes in the Super Bowl.

I think, yeah, Jordan Love for short, do you think he could win a Super Bowl? I do. I just think it's interesting. He's talking about, hey, I've reached this point, right? I can have an opinion about what we run when. I have this relationship now with the head coach. And by the way, stability, half the job, right? in the NFL. If you can have that stability between the head coach, the signal caller, the guys,

you know, down the field, this is all great. You have seen enough of Jordan Love, though, to go from highly touted prospect to now you know what he can do in the NFL. He's not going to make some huge leap from here. So how confident are you if you're a Packers fan? Oh, yeah. So you're saying, like, this is what he is. This is what he is. He's a good, he's a good quarter. Some of the EPA numbers success rate say that Jordan loves pretty good and better than like the counting numbers. I think some of that could be the LaFleur offense. I just last year that Bears game still gets my goat.

Do people say that anymore? I had money on the Packers. And the Bears got lucky. Come on, Rach. It was 20 to 3? 21 to 3. 21 3. And they just collapsed.

And that was devastating. I think some of that's on the floor. It's not all on love. No, no. Yeah. Again, no. Everywhere you put him. He is like right at the bottom of the top third of quarterbacks.

Yeah. It is just interesting in today's NFL. Passing rules of change, you know, the way you can touch the quarterback has changed so much since I started covering the league. The importance of a great quarterback. If we look at who has won, and again, Sam Donald is a great counterpoint to this, because while he is certainly underrated, he is not one of the greats. So the book has been in the Mahomes era and the Josh Allen era and the Lamar Jackson era, that you need one of these great quarterbacks.

And I'm just curious if you're a packer. Packers fan, how you feel about Jordan Levin? I mean, what do you feel about their prospects overall this season going on? Yeah, I'm bullish on the Packers. Okay. I mean, it's tough to be bullish when you're in a conference with the Rams, you know? But if you're giving me every single player in the league on every team is healthy, I think the Packers are definitely like a top six team in the league.

All right. I like that. I like that. All right. So Jordan Love, he's a vet now. Yes. Seal of approval. All right.

Let's talk about one of those big guys, though, Josh Allen. The Phil's went out and got him a lot of help when they picked up. DJ Moore, and it looks like it's going well. There's been big catches made so far in training camp. You know, those catches against air, but still we like them. Bill's Mafia, lots of cheers. Everyone's really happy. And take a listen to Alan, talk about how their chemistry has been building.

Still learning him, just trying to get on the same page. And I feel myself trying to be, like, perfect when I'm throwing him in some of the routes on air. And today I walked up to him, I'm just like, hey, I'm just going to throw it. Like, I'm going to pick a spot and let it go. And I'm not trying to aim it anymore. And I felt like once I said that, like things kind of clicked for us. And again, just each day that goes by, we're going to try to continue to get more comfortable with each other. I like that.

Not trying to aim it anymore. Like, you go get it. I think that's actually a really good sign. Is DJ, I mean, there's been a lot of changes with the bills from the head coach down. Do you feel like DJ Moore is one of the real things that could finally get Josh Allen, his Super Bowl ring? Clearly, the wide receiver on the outside has been a weakness, right? I mean, they didn't love Keon Coleman. Shakir's on the inside.

the tight ends are solid but you need someone to space it out so that Josh Allen can have room to run and cook and cook. Yeah, it's tough not to like DJ more. I just, I don't know if he's, like, Rachel, do you think he's the kind of receiver you need to commit a safety to?

Or can you just say, hey, we're going to put our number one corner on more and we're not giving you what you want, which is a hugely space field. I think you do need to give him safety attention. He's good at beating man coverage. I mean, that's really where teams have tried to squeeze Josh Allen over these past cover. whole season. It's heavy blitz, man coverage, that kind of thing. And like, I think this is a guy who

can break free of that. It's going to be a big weapon for him. And the yak yards is a big deal with me with more, too. He did not have his best season last season. But yards after catch, even with having a down season last year, he was sixth in yards after catch. That's a big deal. And when you can get that, it's just an extra yard or two more than the other guy. That gets you that first down. That gets you that next chance. That keeps you on the field. So even if it's not an explosive play, those are the kinds of things where you see offenses scrape into a field goal, another touchdown, the kinds of things that put you ahead in games. And I think, actually, I think it's a big deal.

And don't underlie the Joe Brady connection. Yes. Because he had some of his best seasons in Carolina with Brady, and Brady, the OC there. For sure. So I like it. I actually think this is a big deal. And I like when Josh says, I've stopped aiming at him. I think that was a very interesting.

It's good to see that. All right. Let's get over to our favorite story, your story, my story, the prehist. Mendoza's story, Jason. You and I have been debating all summer, whether it should be Fernando Mendoza or Kirk Cousins at QB in Las Vegas. And yesterday, Clint Kubiak made it clear that I was right. And you were wrong. And then Cousins is going to be the starter, at least so far during camp.

Now, we know Mendoza is going to get chances to push the veteran. He's going to get some first team reps. But even he, Fernando Mendoza, is about to tell you that this is okay, Jason. Take a listen. We have so many great leaders across the offense, defense, that have heightened the sense of urgency. And that starts with Coach Kubiak. So I'm taking a following role right now with those veteran leaders. I'm just trying to do my part, focus on the next rep, and do everything I possibly can to prepare myself to be the best asset I can for my team.

And whatever decision is made at the end, that's fantastic. And I'm all for, I just want the team to win. So that's where I'm at. Just love that guy. He's accepted it. Can you accept, Jason, can we reach it? It's Friday. Can we reach a point of acceptance here?

So, Rachel, if you close your eyes and listen to that, you would think, like, oh, that sounds like the offensive coordinator or the head coach. He's just so good at speaking. I, honestly, if you said, hey, we could get any three guests you want on the show. Who would you want? I would want Curry, obviously, Steph Curry, you know, my guy. And I think Mendoza would be one of the other two guys. that I pick. He just sounds awesome. He's honest and truthful and like that's just not something you get these days. He doesn't give you quarterback speak. He sounds like a guy who understands he might

need a few weeks to learn how to be a starting NFL quarterback. I like weeks. Yes, by August 28. No, no, no, no, no. I actually went back the other day after leaving a morning meeting with you and being like Jason, Jason, Jason. So here we go. He has had 12 training camp days, 12, including mini camps. Remember, he missed a couple for that rookie symposium. In 12 days, you are not learning to play under center. Right? He was in the gun, his entire college career. Dude, give him a moment. He said the other day on the podium, he said, I'm still learning the playbook. He said, I don't even have the playbook down. One thing I do really like, the sort of affect you're talking about, his mannerisms, it's not just for us at the podium. His teammates are saying, this is the real deal. He's not like faking it for

the cameras. He is. He's very open. He's willing to learn. There's no, I'm the number one pick energy. The offensive linemen are correcting him in practice, and that normally is not allowed, right? Maybe a skill position guy could give him some tips, but the offensive linemen say he wants them to tell him things. And the other guy who's been helping him a lot, this is interesting, Max Crosby, other side of the ball, obviously, but really giving him an idea of sort of how to just be an NFL player and do that. So I love this. This is, I think they're handling it's exactly the right way. No surprise, a Tom Brady-led Raiders team knows how to develop a quarterback. And I think it

is finally time for you to acknowledge at the end of our run here together this week that I was right and you were wrong. By the way, if anybody wants more Mendoza content, go look up his ACC Media Day when he was at Cal. Like, he's at the table and nobody's asking him questions. And like one guy comes up to ask him. And he gives this amazing answer. You're like, oh my gosh, this guy's a goldmine. All right, Rachel, with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stuff. The Herd Lie News. Oh, boy.

Listen, Kyle Winningham seems like a nice guy. He's also 66 years old, and I don't know that he has a hateful bone in his body. Is that going to be enough for Michigan football fans who want him to hate Ohio State? That's 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. You've heard the chaos. Now you can see it. Hello. My gosh.

Watch all your favorite podcasts from start to finish, right inside the free IHR Radio app. Gets the blood going up. Catch every laugh and eye roll on shows like the Tom Green Farmcast and park the bus. Now with full video. We're building a ramp for Tony Hawk. It's the same hosts and the same chemistry with all the hilarious moments you've been missing. Right on your screen. Cheers.

Open the free IHR Radio app. Search video podcasts and tap watch. Hi, I am Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHRMedia. I also led the team that created MTV, and my co-founders and I are celebrating MTV's 45th anniversary this month. On my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing, you'll hear the untold origin story from the people who built MTV from the ground up. I want my! Those are powerful words, my, something for me that felt like mine and want. What a powerful word.

Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing on the IHart Radio Al. Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. The Declaration, which is full of these beautifully rendered, you know, sentences and paragraphs about enlightenment ideals, does also have this darker history to it. Why is it important for the darker part of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution? Why is it important that Americans know about it?

Well, if we don't understand the full context in which our nation was founded, we won't understand the full context in which our nation now finds itself. I'm Rebecca Nagel. Gohine, Dawadol, Jalaka, Jalaka, Jalaka, citizen of Cherokee Nation. Are you guys big chiefs fans? Hell yeah. This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be, and how we got to this present moment.

Listen to First America on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The more you listen to your kids, the closer you'll be. So we asked kids, what do you want your parents to hear? I feel sometimes that I'm not listened to. I would just want you to listen to me more often and evaluate situations with me and lead me towards success. Listening is a form of love. Find resources to help you support your kids and their emotional well-being at soundedouttogether.org. That's sounded outtogether.org.

brought to you by the Ad Council and Pivotal. Saturday night is baseball night in America and this week two iconic clubs shining under the lights in primetime. Ben Rice and the Yankees facing Pete Crow Armstrong and the Cubs. You know you want to watch that. Tomorrow, 7 o'clock Eastern only on Fox. I want to go back to my NFL predictions. Well, I had a couple whoppers, but again, the staff found an incredible stat in the last 36 years. when it comes to picking NFL playoff teams,

there have been four or more new playoff teams every year. So these were mine. Now, in the AFC, the new playoff teams, Ravens Chiefs Bengals, have superstar quarterbacks, three of the top four quarterbacks in the NFL. So that's not really out on a limb. Nothing crazy there. In the NFC, again, Jared Goff highly thought of.

I think the Vikings are a surprise to some. and I think, you know, nobody really thinks about the, sorry, NFC South people, but nobody thinks about them. Some people have the Saints in there. Our guest, Adam Chernoff, I believe, has the Saints. Some folks like Carolina again, I don't really think it matters. Whoever wins that division is not doing Jack Squad anyway. The Vikings are interesting, because I know people are going to be like,

where are the Bears? The Bears are ascending. And then you have on guests who, you know, articulate it, and Chernoff broke it down like the Bears. Bears are one of the prime regression candidates. And we actually talked to someone who's like, you know, the Dallas Cowboys are going to be good, but I don't know if they're a playoff team. I had them missing the playoffs.

Again, I can see them sneaking in, but who you put them over? You put them over the Packers or Seahawks? So here's Daniel Popper earlier from the Athletic talking about whether or not the Cowboys are actual wild card contenders. The offense was a top five offense last year. They finished fifth in EPA per play according to True Media, which is sort of like a comprehensive offensive stat. They have one of the best receiver duos in the league.

They have a really good quarterback. Javante Williams is back. He's coming off the career season. The offensive line is really good. Like I expect the offense to be among the best in the league if everyone stays healthy. The big thing for me is defense. Like if they were even like a top 20 defense last year, you're talking about a playoff team.

The defense was really, really bad. So they went out and they got Christian Parker a defensive coordinator. They did a lot of stuff on defense in terms of bringing on talent. and if they can get that unit to be competitive, then I think the Cowboys are absolutely in the mix of the playoffs. It's weird, Rachel. The Cowboys and Bengals have so many similarities, except the Bengals, of course,

went to the Super Bowl a few years ago. But they've invested heavily in offense. They've got multiple highly paid star-wide receivers. And then no defense. And this is the year, Jason. The defense is going to step it up. Which one? Bengals or Cowboys?

Just all of them. Both. Okay. So I know obviously. You said they're so similar that they were hearing the exact same things. coming out of camp. Yeah, and I don't like either their coaches. But I'm sure in the NFC you have Washington

winning the East, other than that guess, do you have, is there agreement, alignment, much disagreement? I don't have them winning in the East, as I'm sure you know. That's a slow and steady progression, Jason. I do think that the Cowboys actually are more in the mix maybe than you do. For the division or wild card?

A wild card. I mean, I don't think they're a Super Bowl contender, as apparently Dak and Jerry Jones do. But I do think they made substantive changes in the defense and that offense is so good i mean look i actually don't have a problem with dac trying to get the offense to have some pride and the goddy stuff and we're the greatest offense and all of that i don't think you i don't think you compare yourself to the greatest you know the greatest show on turf i think that might have been a bit of an overreach but i do think that having a little bit of like we're the we're the stuff we're going to be around we're the ones to

contend with that's a good thing especially in a team that hasn't had as much to crow about and they are excellent. And I think that if this defense can just hold it together and you heard our guest talking about that, you just need to be top 20. That's all you need to do. I think they have a real shot. Yeah. So in the AFC, the two teams that were in the AFC title game, I have neither making the playoffs. That's a little bold. But did I make any major missteps there? I don't like the Texans pick that you have for the AFC championship game. It's certainly not for the Super Bowl. I just, I need to see it from C.J. Stroud. And if I'm wrong, wonderful. I love it when people prove me wrong with success. But I just, I don't know, man, it's been a struggle.

Yeah, it has. All right, the final hour of the week is coming up. We call it the power hour. Keep it locked. Rachel and I, oh, it's going to be fun. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHard Media. I also led the team that created MTV, and my co-founders and I are celebrating MTV's 45th anniversary this month. On my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing, you'll hear the untold origin story from the people who built MTV from the ground up. I want my MTV! Those are powerful words, my.

Something for me that felt like mine and want. What a powerful word. Listen to math and magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. The Dream of the 90s is alive in podcast form. We're launching Podlandia, A.O.

We watch, our brand new podcast where we revisit every episode of Portlandia together, breaking down sketches, going deep on our iconic characters, and pulling back the curtain on how it all got made. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guestores, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song. Well, I thought you were all going to write a song.

I remember you. thinking that. Listen to Podlandia, AEO rewatch on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam?

I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together in Iheart women's sports. We're breaking down the biggest headlines.

Naomi Osaka, showing out. Shout out to you, Naomi. The viral moments. I've been obsessed with Kashan Rock's boxing journey. She looks good.

Her combos are swift. and the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. This is Chelsea Handler from Dear Chelsea. Every week, the news gets worse.

The world gets crazier. And Yamanika is here to tell whoever's responsible, you're the problem. Do you know I just found out who Sidney Sweeney was? If he got a bunch of women, then I should have a bunch of men. Do better or do less so I don't have to do so much. I'm Yamanika and I'm out. Listen to You're the problem with Yamanika on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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