The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Herd - Hour 2 - The top NFL QBs

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

Greg Cosell from NFL Films joins the show to give his expectations for some of the top QBs this yearSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It's hour two. It's a Thursday live in Los Angeles. It's the hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Greg Kossel, five minutes. J. Mack, I have the best sister. So when I was on vacation, I would do these little Instagram things, two or three. Mostly shut my phone down, but occasionally I do that. My sister text me. She's like, you have a cold. You need to see a doctor. Your chest. It sounds like it's from your chest. And I said it's just a cold. She said, no, no, I watched your Instagram from two weeks ago, and you had the same cold. You don't take care of yourself.

So go see a doctor. And then this morning, she said, okay, you're back in Los Angeles. Do I need to schedule a doctor? Have you seen a doctor? That's a pretty nice sister. It's not bad. You know, my brother's going through the same thing. He's watching at home.

And my mom freaks out. Oh my gosh, you're sick. Go to the doctor. I'm more just like a load up on Robitussin and get through it, right? Do you do that? I'm load up on gin and get through it. Gin? Yeah, yeah.

And club soda? Who drinks gin? Are you lobbying for a sponsorship here on the show? A gin sponsorship? You know, there's a new one. I'm not going to get into it. Okay, so here we go. So for 30-some years, at least four new teams make the playoffs.

At least four, it averages five to six. So last night I went to bed and I had three. And I'm like, I can't do that. I'm not going to be conservative guy who takes the teams that made the playoffs last year. But the league is more quarterback-centric, and I do feel like it's easier to find the really good teams based on, give me an offensive coach with a good quarterback. You kind of know Cincinnati's going to be good, right? You kind of know you feel like Philadelphia is going to be pretty good.

And so I went to bed unsure, and I woke up this morning more sure. So these are my official NFL picks. I had a massive change of decision influenced by Vegas and a little J-Men. So let's start in the AFC East. Bill's Dolphins, Jets, Patriots is the order. I was back and forth on the Dolphins. I've yet to buy the Jets. I'm worried about the O-line with an old quarterback.

New England's going to be a feisty fourth-place team that will beat all of these teams potentially at least once. AFC South, Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, Browns, this was really hard for me. Oh, sorry, AFC South, Jags, Titans, Texans, Colts.

I think the Titans are very well run and very well coached, but I think the Jags could be a number one seed based on their schedule, the division, and I think Doug Peterson's second year with Trevor Lawrence. Next up is

the AFC North. This one's a tough one because I have so much respect for the Ravens. But the Steelers roster is built with players who don't have an injury history and the Ravens' top players have a history of getting hurt. So I think maybe if they played today the Ravens would win but over a 17-game schedule, I have the Steelers finishing second, Bingle Steelers, Ravens, Browns, 4. And the AFC West, I think it's tough, but there's too many cultural changes that need to be made in Denver. So I think that's a lot. So I Chiefs win it, though it's really close.

Chargers second Broncos are a tough, competitive, interesting third raiders, a talented four. Let's go to my NFC predictions. I think the Eagles pull back, but still win the division. They'll miss Shane Steichen. Cowboys Giants, I think it's a go either way. I think the Giants are better than people think, and the Cowboys coaching from OC to head coach to O-line coach concerns me.

Washington's a very talented fourth-place team. Next up, the NFC North. I think the Lions are a 10-win team. I'm not into the 12-13 wins. I think people are a bit hyperbolic. Vikings are good, not special. Packers have their moments. Bears, I just don't really know.

The Packer-Bair game, I could flip on this, but I think the Packers Bears may end up, you know, both at 8, 9, 9, and 8 around there. Next up is the NFC South. The Saints have the best roster. I have no confidence in the head coach. I flipped last night. I went to bed unsure. I'm trusting Vegas and J. Mack.

It's an offensive league. The Falcons are a really talented offense and their schedule. I don't recall ever seeing a schedule that week. By the way, they host the Panthers Week 1. The Panthers are missing receivers. O lineman, their best defensive player, I think, has a holdout. The Falcons are going to start 1-0-0-1-1, and that matters. Bucks a bad four.

And in the NFC West, I flipped on this a couple weeks ago. I think Seattle would lose to the Niners today, but I think because of their youth, fewer players hurt, those that are recover more quickly. Seattle's built for 17 games. Seattle, the Niners will have many stars. Stars miss games, McCaffrey, a Dibbo, a Trent Williams, a kiddle. Over the course of a season, they can beat anybody, but it'll have stretches of being banged up the Niners second.

Rams, a pretty uneventful third. Arizona's a mess there for. So here's my playoff teams. Four new teams. That's what you have to have the last year. Bills, Bengals, Jags, Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, I am taking the Steelers over the Ravens. Their best players historically do not have an injury history and the Ravens do. So only one new team in the AFC.

But I have three new playoff teams in the NFC. That's where I flip the Falcons and Giants. Eagles, Lions, Saints, Seahawks win their division. Cowboys, Falcons, 49ers playoffs. So the Lions, Falcons, Saints are all new teams. That gives me four. They'll probably be six. I flipped the Giants and the Falcons last night.

I like the Giants. I think people are selling. I think the Giants are going to compete for the playoffs of the last weekend. But if you look at Atlanta's schedule, if Desmond Ritter is 85% of Daniel Jones, they get in. Look at this schedule. I won't go through it to bore the radio audience. It is a bunch of second-tier teams and quarterbacks. Now, at Aaron Rogers is obviously very tough.

But look at that schedule. I mean, at Goff, home against Trevor Lawrence early, if they split those, there's a lot of doubles here. So I still like the Giants. I think the Falcons edge out the Giants for a wild card spot. Now, I will say this. In my betting career, nobody has cost me more money than the Atlanta Falcons. I will probably regret this.

I think last year I was, you know, one and nine with the Falcons. Falcons have cost me more money than any team in professional sports. I have never had a beat on anything other than the Braves are always good. Outside of that, the South crushes my wallet. But I'm going to go with Atlanta. It's an offensive league. They've got first round offensive talent. I think their O lines actually understated and underrated.

I think they'll give Desmond and Ritter time. I like their offensive coach. He's a bright, bright guy. I'm going to go Atlanta. Greg Kossel, 44 years NFL films. Hey, before we get to NFL stuff, I made a big point Tuesday. I said, I think we have a chance to have six quarterbacks drafted, and I like a lot of guys.

I'm not on Quinn Ewers like everybody else. He's not refined, little sloppy. I don't think he doesn't do it for me, but I think somebody will roll the dice late first round. What was your take on my take on these kids are bigger, faster, mobile, panics, Caleb, Bo Nix, I didn't like him three years. Now I watch him and I think, what do you make of all these college quarterbacks? You look at him a year in advance. Yeah, and I've looked, I actually watched a couple of games from this past weekend as well, just to take a peek, you know, as we start the season. I thought your point, the point that really

struck me that you made because I heard it was when you said that teams might not be as patient. Look, you and I both know that 10 quarterbacks are not going to go in the first round. We don't know how many will go from this class. I mean, we're looking at Caleb Williams. He'll be a first rounder for sure. But we just don't know exactly how many will end up being first rounders as we look at Sanders. But it'll be interesting to see how patient teams are. And then the other thing will be what their evaluation was of the quarterbacks that they have.

So in other words, if they have C.J. Stroud, let's say, if Houston does, and let's say Stroud does not have a great season, but they had him evaluated coming out higher than some of the guys in this class. Then they'll wait for him to see how he does. They won't automatically say, hey, let's move on from CJ Stroud. So I think it'll come down to the evaluation that they had of the guys that they now have versus what that evaluation is of some of these other guys that are in this class. Because, you know, there's a whole season of college football, as you know,

and some of this will flush itself out. We know that 10 guys are not going to be first round picks. All right. Let's get to our favorite segment. We do it every week on Thursday. We break down tape, 44 years doing it. What did the tape say when you went back and looked at Brock Purdy? Forget just the Ws.

What could he do? What can he do? I tell you what. And I know this may come across as bold and controversial, but it's merely a tape study comment. I thought one thing that stood out, and he played well. I'm not suggesting he didn't, but I thought there were too many times that he did not turn it loose to throws that were clearly defined. And I think that that's something that they need to work on. Now, I think he's really good in this system. It's a really good marriage of system and quarterback. You don't need a big arm

to play in this system. He does not have a big arm by any stretch of the imagination. His deep balls tend to lose energy on the back end, but he gives Kyle Shanahan something that Carapolo did not give them, which was the ability to run the designed boot action pass game and second reaction movement ability. And I think both those things are very important in today's NFL, and I think that's where Brock Purdy does give Kyle Shanahan something that he really needs. Kenny Pickett, I think you like him more than me, so Purdy faces Pickett week one. What is the film say that maybe surprised you on Kenny Pickett from last year? Well, you know, it's funny.

I took a quick peek. I don't put a lot of stock in preseason as far as schemes, tactics, those kinds of things, because that's not what you get in preseason. But I just wanted to take a look at how he threw the ball. And I thought, Colin, that his arm looked a little stronger in the preseason, that it came out with a little more juice, a little more velocity. And I really like Kenny Pickett. You know that I liked him coming out.

I thought he was the best quarterback in that class. easily. And there was nothing about last year that told me otherwise as he clearly progressed as the season moved on. I think that I guess what I'm most curious about is what this offense is going to look like. They've got some pretty good skill position players, as you know. And obviously, they've been a team that's tried to be physical, run the ball. I think you'll see a division of labor between Najee Harris and between Jalen Warren because Warren has more juice. And it wouldn't surprise me if they subtly become a little more of a passing team, you're seeing Pat Friermuth. He's a really good receiving tight end.

So that would not surprise me at all. Okay. Packers Bears, an interesting game. Listen, I watched Jordan Lovin two preseason games. It's underneath stuff. He missed a couple easy throws. He never got hit. There's no pressure. You've seen more film than I have.

What does the film tell you? Yeah. Again, there's not a lot of NFL film, so it's hard to know. I watched Jordan Love in his last two years in college. I thought his second to last year, he was really good. And I thought, wow, this guy's a first round prospect. And then his last year in college, there was a coaching change. He never really looked comfortable.

He didn't play as well. Now, obviously, the Packers thought that he had first round freight, because they traded up to get him. So to me, it's an unknown right now. I like their young receiving corps. I really like Romeo Dubs. I'm very curious to see how this plays out, because I, I think one thing about love, he has traits. You know, he has traits of a starting NFL quarterback.

As is the case with young quarterbacks, it comes down to processing, decision-making. Can he eliminate quickly and isolate where to go with the ball quickly within structure? That's what it ultimately comes down to. Justin Fields is an athlete. We know he can run and make plays, but you can't be a YouTube quarterback. You got to sit in the pocket and make throws. What concerns you or delights you when you watch Justin Fields? throwing the ball from the pocket.

There were flashes, Colin, of that last year as the season progressed, where you said, you know what, with development, further development, I think this guy can do it. Now, that's a think. That's not a, yeah, he can do it for sure. But there were examples of that. There were flashes of it where he dropped back, sat in the pocket. You know, one of the biggest questions and the biggest conversations I have with coaches

about quarterbacks that have great movement ability is what's the balance between running the offense, playing within the structure of it, and leaving the pocket. Because quarterbacks that leave the pocket too early, yes, they are going to make plays. Absolutely no question. And those are the plays we will see, you know, on highlight reels. But you also leave throws on the field because there's the throws that are there through the design of the offense and you leave those throws on the field. So what's the balance?

I don't think that can be coached. I think a quarterback has to figure that out by playing. Dolphins Chargers could be an electric, electric offensive show. What does Tua do that made him work in Mike McDaniel's system? He's smaller. He's not a mover. He's got some injury history. Doesn't have a big arm, but something works.

What is it? Well, it's the system. I mean, it's all built on quick rhythm, quick timing throws. They use a ton of motion. They're really good formationally. They get Wad Allen Hill free run. releases off the ball and they work between the numbers extremely well because they what they do is they expand you horizontally and they stretch you vertically with what they do

with motion and their concepts so that creates space in the middle of the field. But one thing last year, you may remember, week 14, Tua had his worst game of the season versus the Chargers. And what Brandon Staley did was remarkable. He had Michael Davis's boundary corner play in a sense zero man coverage, whoever the boundary receiver turned out to be. And he brought the boundary safety into the middle of the field and had more bodies in the middle because when you play the dolphins, you're not going to get to Tua in normal down and distant situations. So what do you have to do? You have to disrupt the routes. So he had more people in the middle of the field, which is the foundation of the Dolphins passing game. Justin Herbert will

host Tua and the Dolphins. He's obviously a big smart kid. He was a biology major, a 4-2 student. We know that stuff. But when you watch film, Is there an added dimension I wouldn't see or something that you would say, that's a special trait? I think overall, Colin, his traits are special. He's a big kid. You know that. You've probably seen him in person. He's 6.5-240. I've seen him in person. He throws a great ball. He's mobile. He's smart. I don't think for the most part that he's a risky player. I mean, you know, obviously a lot of people ripped the previous coordinator and said he didn't want to push it down the field. I've got to tell you one thing. When I watch tape of their offense, They did attack vertically. It's just Herbert tends to be at times the kind of quarterback that he will take the short completion and take the checkdown and try to keep the chains moving. But I think with Kellyn Moore, you will see more vertical throws because I think they'll design some things that are clearly defined for him to throw it vertically. But he's got every trait you want.

Let's segue to the Cowboys. Giants can't wait to watch. We'll start with Dak. Can he clean up the pit? When you looked at the picks, can he clean? them up? Is it an easy, just bring the broom out, sweep those picks away? What did you see about the interceptions? I watched them all. We talked about Dak a few weeks ago, and I described them to you, and you said, hey, that's exactly what Dak is. You know, interceptions, you have to watch each one. As is always the case, somewhere on him, which were inexcusable, some were the

kinds of interceptions where you said, God, you're a veteran quarterback. How could you not see that? and others were not his fault. So they were a little fluky. So if you subtract the fluky ones, we wouldn't be having this conversation. But there were a couple that were disturbing. Ultimately, you know, and as we discussed a number of weeks ago,

I wonder if at this point people expect more from DAC than what he is. Yeah. He's a ball distributor and he's an executor. And he's going to need a run game and he needs quality receivers. And I think they do have a pretty quality receiving group. I think Gallup is critical because Gallup is their boundary X, the single receiver to the short side of the field. He has got to be what he was a few years ago when he could win one-on-one, both short, intermediate, and be a vertical receiver. Okay, Daniel Jones.

We know what he can do and what he can't, I feel like, but he did have a higher passer rating, I believe, than Aaron Rogers. What did he do with Day Bowl that you watched and thought, okay, that is special? That's a playoff quarterback. Is there something within Daibol's scheme or fit where Daniel really works? Well, I thought last year through the first part of the season, they were kind of holding him back a bit because I'm sure the coaching staff was trying to figure out what he was and the fact that they didn't have big time receivers. But he's a pretty talented kid. He throws a good ball. He moves well.

For the most part, he's an accurate passer. I would expect an expansion of this offense, Colin, this year. I think you'll see much more in terms of intermediate and vertical route concepts. I think Darren Waller gives them something that every team wants now in the NFL, which is a tight end that can detach from the formation and create matchup issues. So I think you'll see an expansion of the concepts, and I think you'll see a better Daniel Jones. He throws a good ball, Colin. He's, you know, again, we're not going to sit here and say he's Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen

or Justin Herbert, but I think he's a little more talented than people might give him credit for. Josh Allen, let's do Bill's Jets. J-Mack thinks it's the game of the week, probably is, one of them certainly. So Josh Allen, more mistakes in the red zone. I mean, he's obviously uber impressive. I know he's big, he's run, he throws. Is he good pre-snap? You tell me stuff I just can't see that's obvious.

Yeah, and I think that's where his game has to get better. You know, he's a knockout puncher. He can make throws and plays that no one else in this league can make, and they're truly special. And look, they've won a lot of games. I mean, for some reason, people act like Josh Allen isn't any good or the bills aren't any good. The last four years, their record is phenomenal. But I think he does need to continue to work on the nuances of the game, pre-snack, running the offense with a little more precision, taking what's there, moving the chains.

I think they know this, and that's one reason why in the draft they drafted a big mauling offensive linemen. It's why they went out and got running backs. I think they realize that not every game can be a Josh Allen special. You know, it's just, it's hard to play that way in the league. So, you know, he's obviously a great player and a special player and does things no one else can do. But I think, you know, he needs to continue to work on sort of the sweet science of the position. I'm interested in your answer here. This is interesting.

So in Green Bay, I'm probably guilty of this. We tended to blame Aaron Rogers at the end. He didn't play well. wasn't committed. You know, and then some people were like, no, Green Bay can't get free agents. It was a lot of finger pointing. Right. But the one thing you can't deny is he wasn't great early last year.

He wasn't as committed. He's getting older. What is the tape say on Aaron? What is he? I know he's running less. What is he today, according to last year's film? Yeah, I think the tape shows two things. Number one, I thought that his movement wasn't as good.

And that could be a function of getting older. I just, the legs were not there as much a year ago. Now, again, maybe he was injured to some degree, maybe not. But that was not a part of his game. And I don't mean running around. I just mean watching his overall play. And I thought last year, and I know he had a hand injury, so we don't know how that impacted him at all.

We just don't know the answer to that. But the tape told you that he missed throws that he normally makes routinely. Yeah. And that's what happened last year. So if we assume that that part of his game is better, but the legs may not be because he's older, then that is an element of his game that won't be there, but he didn't miss throws last year that were routine throws for him, and obviously he's going to have to make those throws.

But they have, you know, the offensive line is a little bit of a question right now. So it's clearly a work in progress with the Jets. Finally, the NFL season begins tonight. It's the Chiefs and the Lions. Let's start with Mahalms. Again, Andy Reid's play calling. He's had good weapons. He's really good.

Sometimes it's talent. He's obviously got the arm angles. There is an it quality when he's running for 25, 35, 35 yards in the Super Bowl and a bad wheel. Does the tape have any little secret sauce that we can't see you and me or the average fan can't see? The tape show you anything that's a little extra? I just think that he has a tremendous feel for space and spatial awareness. I mean, and I think that's an instinct. I don't think you teach that.

You know, I just think that he just feels and I don't want to use the word C's because, you know, he's not necessarily looking at things. You know, obviously when you drop back to pass, you're not looking at linemen or your lineman or the defensive pass rush. But I think he just feels things and moves in a way that's a little different than most people. I mean, he just, and then his ability to see things on the move. I think that that's really just again, kind of probably in his DNA. So, yeah, that to me is what he is. And obviously he's a great thrower of the football so he can make throws from the pocket. And it's a well-schemed offense.

So, you know, you put all that together and it really works. A guy like more than most, Jared Goff, he'll be your play of the week, which you'll pivot into, segue into here. But I tend to like him. I think in a clean pocket, he throws a beautiful ball. I've said before he's Matt Ryan with a better arm. You're not going to. Yeah. I mean, I think Matt Ryan's a good player.

So anything you saw on tape that it surprised you because you've watched so much of Jared Goff. Ah, and I love, see, I love their offense. And I think Ben Johnson, their OC does an unbelievable job with their route concepts, with their spacing, which defines the reeds for Goff very cleanly because Goff needs to be a quarterback that delivers the ball as much as is humanly possible to his primary read. Hit that back foot, deliver the ball. You know he's a West Coast kid, Colin. He's a beautiful thrower of the football. He's obviously not a secondary action movement player,

but if you can define it for him, if you can make it clean for him, and he can drop back and deliver the football, he throws a truly pretty ball. And, you know, one area he was really good in last year is the red zone. And maybe that's a surprise to people, because I think a lot of people think quarterbacks, you know, in the red zone, they need to be able to run around.

But again, this gets down to scheme and design as well. he was phenomenal in the red zone. So let's do his big play of the week. Let's give us a taste to what we could see tonight. Yeah, this is a red zone play. I mean, I could have gone many ways with them, but I wanted to go to a red zone touchdown because, as I said, he threw 22 touchdowns last year in the red zone,

and if we could run the play, you know, ultimately what you're dealing with is a guy that was so efficient in the red zone due to scheme and precise ball location. And as I said, 22 touchdowns, one interception. You see here, it's trips to the field side, to the wide side of the field, and they're going to have a single receiver to the boundary. Now, they're going to get a defensive look here that is very common in the red zone, and that's quarters. Four across. You can see that really clearly right here.

And then you're going to get play action. Now, what he's trying to do is he's trying to get the ball to Amman Rae St. Brown, who's the outside receiver in this bunch, this tight bunch, to the wide side of the field. That's what he wants. And because it's quarters, if he runs an out route, as he does, you're going to get one-on-one. This is the secondary route, the second read if St. Brown's not open. But he is. And that's exactly where you can see Goff look when he comes off the play fake. And this is not an easy throw.

There's not a lot of space here. And, you know, this is what Goff is. You kind of nailed it, Colin. He's a really pretty thrower of the football, puts it right on him. I mean, the combination of the concepts with Ben Johnson and God, off with what he is, has made this an offense I am so looking forward to watch this year. Greg CoSell, 44 years, Thursday on the herd every Thursday at this time. My friend, it's great to see you again.

You'll be parked in front of a TV like the rest of America. Good seeing you. No way. Thanks, Colin. You bet. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeard radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only living. 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. A win is a win. 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 at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill,

waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because. of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your Podcasts. How do you own the day in sports?

You make incredible plays. How do the rest of us with Irish Spring? Look for the Irish Spring products at your local retailer today. J-Mack with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News. I would like to revisit later in the show your playoff predictions.

I told you I need to give it a colonoscopy. It deserves a lot of scrutiny. We'll talk about it later, though, right? End of this hour. Okay, perfect. All right, let's get to the big story. Travis Kelsey, he's officially listed as questionable, which I don't know, man. To me, that's the difference in the game, a point and a point and a half.

Without him, I like Detroit with a chance to win with him. I think Kansas City probably wins. He's going to test his deep pregame to see if he can go. Team CEO Clark Hunt has chimed in that Kelsey will be a game time decision. What does he have, Jerry Jones, Idis? I mean, really, this is a little insane that the owner is chiming in on Travis Kelsey. At any rate, I don't know, Colin. I just can't, like, obviously the team knows the situation more.

They've seen the MRI, they know the swelling, blah, blah, blah. You get 10 days before the Jacksonville game next. Isn't it out of abundance of caution, let's just sit him. Get the knee healthy. This is a marathon, not a sprint. That's probably what I would do. I just, again, we don't know all the details. Nobody knows.

And anybody who claims to know the MRI, they're lying. It just seems like it's a force to put Kelsey out there tonight. I don't know. If they win without Chris Jones and Travis Kelsey. Well, maybe that says more about the Lions than it does. Or once again, Mahomes wins. Trailing big on the road. Rivalry games.

He wins these games. Every time we doubt him, he wins these games. Let's be real. Lions last season, I think, started like 1 in 5, 1 and 6, and then came out of a hole. We think quarterback and coach and home field advantage all lean heavy Kansas City. There's a reason they're a favorite. So do you remember last year, week one, Lions played the Eagles in Detroit? Eagles were boat racing them by like 25.

And then the back doors open, and then the Lions covered the spread with a bunch of garbage points at the end. I could see, you know, Jared Goff lighting it up late in the game and Kansas City playing passive and getting the cover. But you don't need to go whole hog. You don't need to spend all your money in week one first night of the season, right? Oh, I'm betting it. I just don't have to better fortune. Yeah, just to have some skin in the game, as they say. Next up, your favorite rookie quarterback, Anthony Richardson.

He's got a big debut Sunday as the Colts starter. They faced the Jags and, you know, a bit of an overrated defense. Jags head coach Doug Peterson thinks Richardson will be a tough opponent. Here's what Doug Peterson had to say prepping for the rookie QB. I mean, it's tough. It's tough. These are, you know, you think of him, you think of Cam Newton. These are big, physical, strong quarterbacks that can also throw the football and they're athletic.

and, you know, it is a challenge. You know, it's a quarterback who can, when you watch the tape, you know, he can break arm tackles. And then he can run for 15, 20, 30 yards. Yes, he can. And beat you with his legs. So, you know, we've got to stay disciplined, obviously, defensively. We've got to be a good tackling football team, you know, against guys like this.

Colts, division rival at home, Element of surprise. Great young coach. Getting four and a half. Very tasty. I had to look up this quote, be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful. I'm straight up fearful of taking the Colts here,

which probably means I should back you and get a little greedy. Because nobody wants any part of this team. It's a Warren Buffett quote. Is that a Warren Buffett quote? When the tide's going out, you should come in or something? I've read one of those. The Oracle of Omaha. I mean, the guy knows his stuff.

But it's honestly, it's a good gambling, too. Ryan, can you look that up? Something about the tides going out? Naked tide, something? Am I just thinking about summer skinny dipping when I was like 17? I don't know. We're kind of jumbling everything up here, aren't we? Jags on the road, favor.

Are they that good? They're good. They got skill position, guys. Ridley, I like the tight end. Ryan, do you have the exact quote? Only when the tide goes out. do you learn who's been swimming naked? That sounds like summer camp

for Warren Buffett, and we just put it on finance. Anything Buffett says he just sounds smarter, obviously. Do you have the intestinal fortitude to bet to put after-tax dollars on Anthony Richardson in that defense?

I do. Because I'm a man that takes big swing. I applaud it. Yes, you do. Mr. Entrepreneur. Final story. 49ers have had one of the best rosters in the league for years. Super Bowl victory's been elusive. Once again, they're projected to finish

near the top of the NFC. And George Kittle, who is TBD here for this game, admits the players know their window is closing? We understand that we have a fantastic football team. We have a great core guys at really important positions. We understand the window, or whatever that is, could be closing. We're going to try our best to keep that window open as long as possible, but we're going to try to sneak out some wins while that window is still open.

By the way, I did look this up. Kittle missed the season opener last year in Chicago. Offense, I was stuck in the mud. Ha, ha, ha, ha. It was a monsoon. But they're not the same without Kittl. Great blocking tight end. I know they have Debo and McCaffrey and Iuke, but we shall see Niners Steelers.

You and I are in lockstep on this. That's a one o'clock. You don't get games like that at one o'clock. So 49ers' body clock is an early start, 10 a.m. Right? Coming from the West Coast. I think there's some part of the audience, which we know is growing, likes to track games that we agree on.

And this is one we agree on, right? Pittsburgh Steelers. I don't like it now because everybody likes it. But we liked it before everyone else. That's a good point. Maybe everybody likes it because we did. That's another good point. That's what I'm here for, big guy.

Props for that, the show is growing thing. That was a nice pat on the back. I mean, I did injure my shoulder doing it earlier this week. We're doing great. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Line.

Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard Radio app. This is Steve Kavino and Rich. And together we are Kavino and Rich. Kavino and Rich. Thanks, buddy. That's right. Kavino and Rich, Fox Sports Radio's newest hit show.

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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, 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because. of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know.

I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your This weekend, Boulder will be rocking as Big Noon Saturday kicks off on Fox with Coach Prime's home debut. Catches number 22 Colorado Buffaloes that take on Nebraska. It all begins Saturday at noon, eastern on Fox. We coming. In one week, Colorado football has a brand. We coming.

I like that. Look. I look like a... You look like howdy-d-d-d-do- I look cool. I look like Howdy-Duty. That's not what I was trying to look like. Yeah.

Dion's one of those guys that can just look good in stuff that I wouldn't look good at. Well, these shades feel like more Terminator 1 than they do Dion Sanders. We need the Raybans. I thought that, I got to tell you something, I thought even the uniform selections by Colorado, I thought they got that right. I'm just going to wear this the rest of the way. You know what? I could be an extra in Yellowstone with this look.

No? Dude, you've never grabbed a... A hay bale in my life. A hay bale in your life. Do they have brown guys on Yellowstone? I know. I had to get that in there, people. Yes, I hear the cringe.

You're such a nice element to the show. Always inappropriate. Okay, so let's go back to my NFL prediction. So I went to bed, and I had the Giants in the playoffs. And I woke up, and Atlanta's in the playoffs. And it just came down to this. The Falcon schedule is the easiest in the league. And most of their good players, unlike the Giants,

they're almost all in offense. Two good running backs. Excellent O line. Star receiver, really good tight end, an offensive coach. And I just said to myself, I just looked at the schedule. And I'm like, at some point, I know nobody wants to say this. And maybe there are exceptions. I always think schedules matter.

Whenever schedules come out, I always play them up. I think they matter. So here we go. In the AFC, you can have a comment. I'm going to go, Bill's Dolphins, Jets Patriots. The Dolphins have the toughest schedule in the NFL. The Jets will finish ahead of them. for sure. AFC North

Bengals, Steelers, Ravens, Browns, what say you? The toughest division to call. I have the Steelers winning the division and they're a shocker. AFC, South Jags, Titans, Texans, Colts. I would flop the Colts and Texans, but otherwise, no issues. AFC West, Denver's good. Too many

cultural changes to make. So I go Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, and the Raiders. Chargers win the division. I don't think you're crazy on that. I know. I don't think you're crazy. I got to tell you something, you look at that roster, they could use another tight end. They have Gerald Everett, and I think they could use a nose tackle.

In Kellynne Moore, we trust. But I just, I don't think that's nuts. Listen, we know Kansas City's not going to win the division every year. They can't. It's impossible. Well, especially now that you have Justin Herbert, Sean Payton. Keep an eye on those Broncos. Just don't see.

All right. Let's go to the NFC. Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Commanders. Giants will be viable. You don't like them at all. Last week or two of the year, they got knocked out of the playoffs. What do you think? Well, partner, I think Washington finishes third.

And the Giants are in the cellar. Now, are you just saying that? No, no, I think Washington's going to be plucky. And they're going to hang like 35 this weekend on Arizona and show you that they're for real. Washington, I'm starting to believe in, Sam Howell. Believe. All right. So NFC North, I have Lions, Vikings, Packers, Bears.

I don't dislike the Bears. I just think everybody, I think Vikings, Packers, Bears are all going to muddle around in the 8-9 win category. I'll take the Packers to win the division. To win the division? I know. I know I hate it, but I'm doing it. I'll go Packers, Bears at the top. It's a late change by me, you know, it's... I called it audible at home this week.

I thought you liked the Lions. I did. I don't like... Everybody likes the Lions. All right. NFC, South, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Bucks. slept on it, woke up. Atlanta edges the Panthers to a wildcard team. Bucks at three, but otherwise, perfect.

Who do you have four? Panthers, obviously. And NFC West, I flipped this about three weeks ago. Seahawks, Niners, Rams, Cardinals. You know, I'm starting to look at Seahawks. You could be on to something. I've missed on them. I don't have them in the playoffs.

But the more you've talked about them, I've looked and like, they got dudes. They're just young. They are, and the Gino-Smith thing is a big question. Okay, so my only change in the AFC, I go very. very quarterback dominant. I pick a bunch of quarterbacks who are going to be good. I mean, the worst quarterback in the AFC will be Kenny Pickett, and I think he's got a lot of weapons.

So I go bills, bingles, Jags, Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Steelers. If dolphins don't have two, if he's not healthy and upright, who is your wild card replacing? Probably the jet. All right. And then NFC, I've got Eagles, Lions, St. Seahawks, Cowboys, late add Falcons, Niners.

I can't quibble with much there. Well, you have Oh, no, is that your roster? No, I have Lions out, Seahawks out. Yeah, I got Packers in there. You don't have the Seahawks making the playoffs? I don't. They're going to go 4-0 against the Rams and Cardinals.

They are. What I have to do is split a game with a – they're going to have five division wins if they can split with the Niners. How bad are the Rams going to be? Let's be real. Well, the Cooper Cup thing, I don't know how they score. That's my question. They don't have a one. And I like Tyler Higbee and Cam Acres.

They're really good. I mean, they have some offensive pieces. And McVeigh is brilliant. So, I mean, they could figure out a way to win. F. Stafford's, but I don't like their own line right now outside of right tackle. Next hour, call up their schedule. Their first seven games, they could go one and six. And at that point, it's like Halloween, do you shut it down?

I think they would start moving pieces. All right, there it is. Four new teams. All right. We're flying by. I mean, that's about as fast as two hours go in American television. Indeed. All right.

And we're having fun. which is the most. It really is. Yeah, put the shades on. I don't look like the only... When your future's bright, this is what you put on. You got to wear these things. Buffs, Huskers.

Who would have thought? It's the herd. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest,

SNL's Mikey Day and 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is 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.

Before 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.