The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD – HOUR 3 – Bears Offense Is Elite, Lions Are Juggernauts

Episode Date: August 24, 2026

Colin talks to NFL reporter Albert Breer about the Bears offense this season, what to make of the Lions, the age of the Steelers roster, the Browns making DeShaun Watson their starting QB, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Crave, Netflix, and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on Internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these.

These are the Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island to serve the same level of discourse. Each week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and pop culture with your favorite writers, book talk creators, and plenty of overthought opinions. Yeah, I'm obsessed.

I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I listen to Pro Society on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Hoda Kotby, host of the podcast, Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby. You know, I'm always searching for inspiration and useful tools to maximize joy. Like when my friend Henry Winkler offered advice to aspiring actors and really anybody hoping to stand out. You're not hired just to fill time and space. You're hired to fill the space with you. Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every week. on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day in the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Well, Albert Brewer, 23 teams. He visited in training camp, senior NFL reporter. Monday morning quarterback is joining us live. All right. What was the, give me one, 23 teams. Give me one team that you got on a plane leaving and thought, that team's better than I thought or you could really feel energy and juice.

Detroit is certainly one that I thought, like, just looking at them, I think people have sort of forgotten how good they were and the trajectory that they were on. And I do think, like, a miss on an offensive coordinator higher a year ago. and a bunch of injuries conspired to take them down. But Colin, like, it hit me when they did the Gibbs deal because I was there the day that was kind of going down. The amount of players they have there that are, like, just got new contracts or right in the prime of the career. You know, and you can go down the list.

Penae Soel, I'm on Ross St. Brown, Jameson, now Jimenez, James, obviously golf's part of the equation, Hutchinson, Brian Brinj, Alim McNeil, Jack Campbell, there's just like a lot of good players there. The Campbell hit. And on top of that, too, Colin, the schedule cooperates this year. So, like, I sort of look at them, a lot of good players there. Maybe this is the year of the injury.

Lux swings a little bit for them on defense because it's been kind of tough the last couple of years on that side of the ball. And, you know, now you've got a team as capable of winning that division and maybe putting together, you know, a season where they can have a home playoff game or two. The other one where the energy surprised me a little bit, and I guess it's timely because of everything that's happened today was Cleveland. I just, I don't know. If you want to talk about being caught off guard a little bit,

I just sensed a really good energy with the Browns. And again, that's despite everything that's happened over the last three or four days. Obviously, none of that's been good. But, you know, it does feel like Todd Munkin's been able to inject kind of a different field of that team. Yeah. I mean, you've got some players. Okay.

A team you got on the plane or you got in your car and left and you're like, eh, this could unravel fast. Well, I think the obvious one might be Pittsburgh just because of the age and the roster, right? Like, and so they, the construct of the team makes a ton of sense. Because if you think about it, it's, you know, Aaron Rogers and at receiver, you got Pittman and Metcalf and you have Rico Dattle coming in at running back and Pat Fryer moves a tight end. And then on defense, it's like veterans at every level.

Cam Hayward, T.J. Watt up front. Patrick Queen at linebacker. Jalen Ramsey, Deshaun Elliott, Jamel Dean, and the secondary. And they have complex schemes coming in. Like Mike McCarthy's going to want to do a lot. He's going to be able to leverage more out of Aaron Rogers because he's got veteran teammates on defense. Pat Graham, he's from the New England tree. They're going to try to throw a lot of volume at all offenses. He's got the group to do it. It's just when you have that amount of age on your roster, you're walking a narrower path. Is the team going to wear? down over the course of year. What is practice going to look like when you get to October and November and are there going to be injuries? The other team that I just, I'd be a little concerned with is like Indianapolis was really good last year. I just look at them and they can't afford very many injuries. They've got a good layer of players over the top, right? And I think like I like like their talent when it comes to the starting 22. But as you know, like it barely ever works out where the 22 guys, you go into the season, what are the 22 guys that you have in November and December?

And so I've got like a little bit of a depth concern with them or if they have a couple injuries in the wrong places, does it come unraveled? And I really look at it like with them, I think they have a very high level coach in Shane Steichen. And is he like Kevin Stefansky in Cleveland last? year where everybody knows how good he is but he's in a little bit of a tough spot based on the way the teams put together so um i don't know how you felt about j j mccarthy i just didn't see it um he was the one quarterback in that class i'm like i don't get it um and it i said this earlier

when darnald struggled with the jets i used to always say on the air you can put together a three or four minute highlight reel and you would think he's a first ballot hall of favor like he has made plays in New York, but it's a mess. With JJ, I don't think I could do a 45-second reel. It's like Will Levis. There's just nothing there. And they gave him a mechanics coach, and it still that's got issues. Listen, 89.5% of quarterbacks drafted in the last five years, not counting this past

draft, have not become franchise quarterbacks. The six that have are like Bowenck, Stroud, Caleb, Drake. And by the way, those guys have critics that I just kind of look at JJ and I think, well, he falls into the, you know, AJ McCarron, a Tim Tebow, a Johnny Mansell. Some guys are great college guys, and it just doesn't work. Is that fair to say or is it too early? I mean, I think it's still a little too early. And I think Kevin O'Connell, it's interesting because he said it over and over and over again,

like the teams fail quarterbacks, more than quarterbacks fail teams, especially when they're young. And so, like, I do think he wants to stick with this and he still wants to work with JJ. Obviously, the early signs haven't been very good. Um, you know, his rookie year was a mess and not through really any fault of his own, but he has hurt. And, you know, I, I think it was up and down even aside from that. And then, you know, you get to the second year. And, you know, obviously the injuries were a piece of the equation there too. And you'd like to see more progress, no question about it. Um, I hate giving up on guys when they're young. You know what I mean? But like, and it's hard. And I'm with you. Like, you could see it with like, even like you bring up. somebody like baker who wound up washing out of

Cleveland like we knew he was a pretty good player you know he had great moments he took him to the playoff they won a playoff game right he may he won a playoff game there and like he said darnold there were signs Daniel jones there were signs in new york you know what i mean that he could do it and so um i think you're still waiting for that um with jj i think what's interesting about their situation

too um Colin is the whole philosophy that that Kevin o'connell tried to employ and putting that quarterback room together was we don't want to be caught in the position we were caught in in 2025. In other words, it's like if one thing doesn't work out, then we're up a creek. And so his idea was to put as many answers in that quarterback room as he possibly can. So, you know, they've got the younger guy in JJ, they've got the veteran starter and Kyler, the veteran backup in Carson Wentz, the developmental guy and Max Brosmer. I mean, I think beyond just Kyler, I know it's been in Kevin's head. Like, how am I going to give

the team multiple answers? at that position. And so it'll be interesting to see how it all stacks up to once the roster's cut down. You know, it's funny. The Niners are always banged up. And the Chargers O'Lines always a mess. Their center, Tyler Biotish, got hurt out for the year. Now they drafted a center in round two out of Florida.

But my take was Mike McDaniel, that, you know, the OC out of Miami with the Dolphins, he puts a lot mentally on his centers. Like, it's a very sophisticated offense. And Harbaugh, the day after the injury was like, crestfallen. Like he, I mean, outside of Herbert's injury, I mean, he just looked like one of the rare times Jim Harbaugh was just

no juice. And I think this is one of those interior O-line injuries that none of us talk about, but I wonder if it has a real negative impact going forward. I mean, they all were, like, I think heartbroken because they really felt like they got one. You know, to the point where I think people in that

building were like, why did Washington let this guy go? And it was pretty early on that they felt that way. And so, he was going to be an integral piece, and he's a guy who started a lot of games, both for Dallas and Washington. And like you said, like Mike Big Daniel puts a lot on the center to set protections and adjust and lead the line. And so having him was going to be a massive piece of the puzzle. Now, one thing that helps soften the blow on that is that Justin Herbert is capable of taking some of that stuff over. And if they do have a rookie at the position, they're going to need that.

So Justin Herbert becomes an even bigger piece of the equation, which there's some give and take there too. Because part of the philosophy and taking stuff off the quarterback and putting it on the center is to get the quarterback playing faster. And the charges were excited to see Justin Herbert in that environment. This takes away a little bit from that. But Jake Slaughter coming out of Florida with somebody who is seen as being really heady, really athletic, like a really good fit for that type of offense. The question is how quickly can he get to the point where he's helping to run the show? And the bigger picture thing here, Colin, I think, maybe the most impressive thing about the Chargers last year, they've really built the identity of the team through the offensive line,

and they were able to win 11 games without Rishan Slater at all and with just six games of Joe All. So can they get to a point without Tyler Beaudish in there where the vision for the team can really come alive? Because I think that's the difference between them being a playoff contender, a team that might be on the precipice of getting in or missing the playoffs versus being a very real Super Bowl contender. If the offensive line can be what they envision it to be, then I think they've got a chance to go a lot further. And obviously losing Beaudish takes a chunk out of that.

So Vrable, after the preseason game, came out and said, you know, we're not very deep. And my take was, oh, that's kind of a shot at the GM. Now, he didn't choose the GM, did he? No. Okay, so, and, you know, that was, I think, also Vrable in Tennessee lost some trust with people the way he was treated. So, I mean, you know, coaches want control and personnel. And Brable's one of those GM, Vrable's one of the coaches that likes personnel and knows personnel.

Sean Payton feels that way. Jimmy Johnson was very good with personnel. Harbaugh, through the years, have been pretty good with personnel. Not all coaches are, Andy Reid doesn't have any interest. Yeah. But that did feel, that comment felt a little bit like a shot at Wolf. Wolf did it not? I mean, I think I can see where it be perceived that way.

I don't get the sense that's the way it is because I think Brable already does have a lot of say in who they acquire and who they draft. And I'd say there are two key people that are aligned with him in the front of office and John Stryker, who's basically his right-hand man and has a lot of people in that building reporting to him. And then Ryan Cowden, who came over with him from Tennessee and he's Elliott Wolves number two. I think one thing they've done a really good job of is bringing in a lot of guys that mesh with what Mike Frable is looking for, which is a huge part of why he took the job,

is like he felt like he would be able to carry that out in New England. He'd get the trust of the owner to be able to really see his vision through. I think as much as anything else, it's probably a commentary, and Wolf's part of this too, into what he inherits. and what was there when he got there, if that makes sense. And that, like, last year, they were able to get really lucky from an injury standpoint in a lot of different ways. And I think they have made the top end of the roster better this year than it is a year ago.

I don't think they're going to win 14 games again, but I think they have made some improvements. But there still are those underlying things, like, a little further down on the roster, where if they have an injury or two, it could expose some things. On defense, I think in particular, you look at it. and I think this is what Mike was getting at. They got some age on that side of the ball with Harold Landry on the edge and Robert Spoyant linebacker and Carlton Davis at Corner and Kevin Byard at safety. And so he knows that if some of that age and the good injury luck that they had last year

swings back around, they could have to, they could be in a position where they got to play some guys that maybe aren't quite ready. And I think that's a huge part of why they were trying to get those guys as many snaps as they could in the preseason. All right, Albert Breer. It says, oh, it's good seeing you, my man. All right, thanks, Colin. You bet.

The story, the other story today was Jed York, the owner. Man, we got some owners in pro sports. We've had weird ownership situations. Mark Walter with a Dodgers situation. Jed York got arrested in Palestine, Ohio. Don't know it well. Not sure I want to. You can look up the story yourself.

Very, very odd world we live in. 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. Hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast inside the Parker for 22 minutes of pipe and hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport, whether you believe in analytics or the I-Test. We've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob Parker on the IHeartRadio app

or wherever you get your podcast. Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Crave, Netflix, and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability.

Bell, connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. I just remember this low, taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming.

They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your for-you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought

daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. Someone says. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table.

It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse. Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to pro society on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. See you between the pages. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport.

And Sean Clements. We host the podcast, Hollywood Handbook on the Big Money Players Network. Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners. Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka the biz, and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time, and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman. Not that great.

Actually, can you help me shape this? How about we flip it on his head? Right? How about we flip the script? Okay. What is the surprised woman who actually you think is the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird? Adam Scott. This entire time, you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show.

I would never expect. I have. I would never set expectations for something like that to happen. If the universe allows for something like that to happen, I'm always. I am open to it. I'm always going to accept. You know, Danny McBride, fine. Yeah, it's all this fragile masculinity exuding.

I could smell it walking down the hallway, to be honest with you. I was like, I was like, is that weed? Nope, it's fragile masculinity. Ben Stiller, no. Because a lot of times, out of context, people don't get it or even know what a circle is. You know what I mean? They're like, oh, what's a state. Everyone's so dumb.

And fake. Right, fake. and also not interested or just like, oh, I've got my life. I don't care about your life. And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News. trailer parks and low rent. No, I'll just stop. Let's go to Collins Football, Colin. Hey, man, I know he's your guy.

Lincoln Riley was on the show last week, but according to Sports Illustrated, two writers put Lincoln Riley at number five on their coaches on the hot seat list. It just so happens I was texting a USC source about tickets to Oregon, the Oregon or Ohio State game during the last commercial break. Is Lincoln Riley going to be?

make it. No, I'm just kidding. He's obviously going to make it this season, but I don't know. Do you agree that he should be on this? Coaches on the hot seat list? Well, I would say, Luke Feckle at Wisconsin needs to win or he'll be fired. Mike Norville, those two are the easy ones. Bill Belichick, by the way, making an appearance on the list.

Yeah, I think Belichick. I mean, Luke Fickle, Mike Norville, absolutely. Dave Iranda was such a hot commodity a couple years ago, and that's gone sideways. Tough to win at Baylor. You know, the schedule is not that hard. I mean, Texas, Oklahoma are out of the conference, right?

Good luck getting kids to Waco. I mean, listen, USC's loaded. There's so much talent. I wouldn't say loaded. They're very young at wide receiver, at tight end, at corner. They're very young. USC's got really an upside. They have an excellent quarterback, pro tackles.

Guys, it'll play on Sunday eventually. And he has a really, really, really good running back tandem. So they'll score, they'll move. It's a very solid to above average O-line. That part's great. But they play a lot of good quarterbacks in their secondary. They lost two safeties to the NFL.

They're not as good at safety. They're not terribly deep at corner. They don't really have a lockdown elite number one corner. They got a kid out of Ohio that's pretty good, but he's a freshman. So they're, they have really, they have good talent. They have exceptional talent. I would say at quarterback, offensive tackle, quarterback. I think they have, that's where they're, yeah.

The problem is, Colin, they're going to be dogs against Oregon and Ohio State. And Indiana. Well, that on the road, I think that, okay, fine. They're not going to be favored in those games and they're going to probably lose them. Maybe they pull the upset against Oregon or Ohio State. But I don't know. Are you really, is the coach on the hot seat? Let's say they win the rest, but lose those three.

Let's say they go to College Park and beat Matt Campbell and Penn State. If they're competitive in those games, it'll be fine. If they get blown out by Oregon and Ohio State, it'll feel like Clay Halton. You're like, uh. Well, don't you think Oregon's going to be like a maybe, I mean, I don't want to guess at a line and get embarrassed. But I mean, I would guess Oregon. If you looked it up today, Oregon would be favored by six in that game. If you lose 42, 34 or something like that, that's fine.

You don't want to lose 4224. You know, another game that you don't think much about, but the at Penn State game. Yeah. Now you're talking late, you know, now you're talking. They've got to buy before. Is that, can I, my vision has gotten. No, there is. No.

They're not Washington. Ooh, that's tough. So they come out of Oregon, Washington, and they got to go cross country to Penn State. And, you know, that's a very good coach and a three-year starter, a quarterback. That's a tough game for them. You look at that schedule and you overlook Penn State. Penn State, there's an argument as the most underrated team in the Big Ten

this year. They're going to be good, yeah. By the way, producer says Oregon five and a half point favorites. Well, I was close. Okay, let me get, so see if our producer knows this. So I was close on Oregon. I would say Washington, they're favored by four and a half. That would be my guess.

What do you got? Zach, obviously, the great producer here, he's got the lines in front of them. I would say Ohio State at home, they're minus seven, six and a half to seven. Indiana. Wait, the Buckeyes are favored by seven, right? Yeah, and I think Indiana is probably favored by seven to seven and a half at home. That would be my guess.

That sounds right. Yeah, UCLA game's not going to be a cakewalk. Bruins are on the come up. So I don't know. Let's say he loses four games. No, then you're in trouble. That means you're losing as a favorite to Washington, Penn State, UCLA. That's not good.

You can lose close to, listen, you can lose to Oregon and Ohio State. We all understand. There could be the two best teams in America. That's different. But you get both at home, so you better have a good showing. Buckeyes, minus three at Washington. So actually run your game, Cowherd. I got to give you some credit here.

I'm sorry, USC Washington. USC Washington. Three. Yeah, three. Ohio says here, Ohio State minus seven and a half against USC. I said seven. That might be a little light. I'd probably take, I don't know.

We'll see. I got see what the Buckeyes got before that. But that's a Halloween game here at the Coliseum should be fun. All right, let's move on. Hey, how about this? Good news for the Atlanta Falcons. Hasn't been much lately. Michael Pettix.

The lefty from Washington has been down. Yeah, I know you're excited. We're happy for him. He's coming back from the torn ACL last year. By the way, that was his fifth season-ending injury in eight seasons. I know. Poor guy. Cleared for 11-on-11 competition.

He's still battling Tua for that week-one spot. I would guess that since he's just been cleared, Tua has the inside track, but Tua has not looked sharp in the preseason. Either way, they're going up against Pittsburgh in the opener, then Carolina. So, listen, I don't know what to make of the Falcons. I mean, if you told me they started three and one, I would not be shocked. I like B. Jean Robinson. I think Pittsburgh at home in that opener.

You think so? Yeah, yeah. I already have four of my blazing five picks, by the way. Three weeks before the season starts, now that is troubling. Well, what's troubling? I know who's playing. These are all reserves. You want me to give me to tomorrow?

We just saw Ashton Genty get hurt. The left tackle for Washington, Laramie Tunsel out for the season. Like, things happen. Slow your roll, my friend. What is the rush? You're not going to get the good numbers if you sit around on your hands. The insiders got the money down. You know, I just realized this is our fourth NFL season together.

I did not even, it feels like the show I just got a, You know what? We give out some really good info. I'm telling you. You want to make a little lettuce. The worst places to go. All right. Well, I got some bad news for you, Calhurt.

I'm going to pile on here. But last week you took some jabs at the L.A. Dodgers. Well, they're hot now. And guess who's coming back to the mound? Show Hey, O'Tonnie. Been throwing bullpen sessions. They're expecting him to possibly return Sunday against the Tigers or during the next home state.

And he probably heard Colin Cowherd say, oh, this PCA guy should win the MVP. Otani hasn't pitched in two months. Oh, Colin, I'm coming back. I got a sub-2 ERA. I'm going to make a push for the MVP. Otani's back. Dodgers are hot.

And I think you're going to get back to reality. Tyler Glassnow's coming back. Yeah, he's not bad. He's got great stuff. They got him from Tampa. He's got great stuff. He struggled with injuries. but by the way, PCA, his lead in the MVP race odds increased.

Oh, yeah, okay. Go ahead and bet Otani is an underdog, the best player in baseball. You call it Babe Ruth, okay? And you're saying someone else is going to win the MVP. I'm sorry, Dodgers fans are laughing. Listen, I don't want to say they're going to steamroll folks in the postseason. But once this machine gets going here, early September, it's game on

keep your eye on Milwaukee pretty good team why do I have to Milwaukee what are you going there for Labor Day weekend that kind of snark is not appreciated J-Mac with the news well that's the news

and thanks for stopping by the herd lot news it is it is remarkable like the Dodgers are still favored to win the World Series like by like by a lot so oh my we found sound from Cleveland Radio on Deshaun and Shadour from this morning.

I don't know how our staff does it. I guess we were combing through the AM dial in Cleveland and Palestine, Ohio. We'll do some editing. We'll do that next, the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Get Bell, Pure Fiber, Internet. with craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month.

Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the survivor files. I just remember. This low, taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything.

Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from. them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society,

the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo, and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse. Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations,

or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro Society on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages. Hey, this is Hayes-Davenport. And Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook on the Big Money Players Network.

Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners. Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka The Biz, and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, not that great. Actually, can you help me shape this? How about we flip it on his head, right?

How about we flip this around? What is the surprise woman? Actually, you think is the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird. Adam Scott. This entire time, you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to the, visit the show. I would never expect. I would never set expectations

for something like that to happen. If the universe allows for something like that to happen, I'm open to it. I'm always going to accept. You know, Danny McBride, fine. Yeah, it's all this fragile masculinity. Exuding. I could smell it walking down the hallway, to be honest with you.

I was like, I was like, is that weed? Nope, it's fragile masculinity. Ben Stiller, no. Because a lot of times out of context, people don't get it or even know what a circle is. You know what I mean? They're like, oh, what's a state? Everyone's so dumb except for you. And fake.

Right, fake and also not interested or just like, oh, I've got my life. I don't care about your life. And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yesterday in Washington, D.C., Kyle Kirkwood won the first ever Freedom 250 Grand Prix. It was an incredible scene with seven flyovers before the race and a huge crowd in front of the U.S. Capitol. Now the Indy Car Series heads to Milwaukee for two races this weekend, Saturday and Sunday on Fox.

Look cool on TV. So I had said earlier To be able to host Cleveland Sports Radio today And a day in which Deshawn Watsonoff A terrible Saturday performance And he criticized the fans He was named the starting quarterback With three weeks to go

And so this is Ken Carmen Who we tried to get on the show today But he had a show And Anthony Lima I've heard of him In Cleveland debating Deshaun and Shadour If you own the Browns and you were going to medal, who would start?

Shador. Yes. For the love of God, yes, yes. If we own the Browns, can we all agree with that? If you own the bronze and you're going, it's my team, I own the damn team. What's $40 million in the grand scheme of things? What is $40 million? $86 means something next year because he ain't going to be here.

So I'm not going to let him get the last laugh and put my next quarterback in a bad position. If you were the owner, who would you pick the start? You'd pick Shador. 10 out of 10 Browns fans out there would do that. Right now, with all this going on, Lord Almighty. All right. In most situations, a quarterback, I don't even consider the owner. In Cleveland, you'd do, because it was his call to draft Mansell, who I said, going into that draft,

I'm like, Johnny Mandel is not an NFL quarterback. And I thought this Deshaun move was horrible. I didn't know Mahal. People knock on him for passing on my homes, but I didn't know Mahomes was going to be that good. Matt Hasselbeck earlier on the Browns coach Todd Munkin's decision to go with Deshaun as the starter. Todd Munkin said something really interesting. He said, you know, the first two games are on the road.

And I believe that's a huge thing that went into this decision to start Deshawn Watson. So, you know, if you're going to set Shador up for success, You don't want him on the road at Jacksonville, at Tampa Bay. You want to see how it goes with Deshaun, and then week three, Carolina at home might be the time that we see Shador. Literally, I think it's the booing. If it's a home game, we've got to deal with the fans, Cleveland fans are serious fans. If we got to deal with the booing at home, it's like, hey, maybe we don't do this. If we're on the road, we don't have to worry about the booing.

It has nothing to do with the heat. Yeah, it's, it is funny, isn't it, that, you think, I mean, Jed York just got arrested in a rural Ohio, for, I mean, I'm reading the story here, prostitution sting or something. Like, what is going on? You watch Mark Walter with the Dodgers and taking money out of insurance companies, which is not illegal,

but he got over his skis, and you look at the NBA, one of the Ishbia brothers, the sons were in a bit of trouble, the Balmer story. Paul Torres has been all over that in his podcast. And then you got the Portland story where I don't even know if that guy,

he bought the Blazers, it certainly doesn't sound like he wants to keep him in the Rose City. That's odd. So you'd think if you bought a franchise, you'd kind of have, you'd want to wrap your arms around the city you bought it in. He's like persona non grata already, and he's not own the team for a single game yet. So, you know, you put people in positions of power and they make absolutely egregiously bad decisions. Don't confuse that with, you know, missing on a first round pick. I mean, you get to the bottom of the first round.

It's no man's land. Great GMs whiff at the bottom of the first round. So I could do a 30-minute podcast on just bad first-round picks from good GM. So that happens. So that's where we are, J-Mack pressing me on the fact that I have four of my blazing five picks already in. I tend to think the better lines are early, not late. I do think at this point, my guess is, this next preseason game.

It's at the last one. There's only three preseason games going forward. You're going to get a couple of snaps. Now you have like two weeks off from the last preseason game to the start of the season. So you just cross your fingers, nobody gets hurt. The week one schedule is very interesting. So let's just look at the week one schedule.

So New England and Seattle, rematch of the Super Bowl, I would take the home team. San Francisco, Rams in Australia. I think we'd both lean Los Angeles with that. I think what the number is, but yeah, Rams. There are a couple of sneaky good games. Like Chicago at Carolina, that's a sneaky good game. Again, if it was at Chicago, I'd like the Bears.

It's at Carolina? To me, it's go either way. Whoa, whoa, whoa. You think bears could start O-N-1 with a loss of the Panthers? I think Carolina gave the Rams fits twice last year. Holy cow. Remember, where are the Bears weak? Corner.

What's the strength of Carolina? Those two large catching radius wide receivers. They have big targets. Wow. Okay. Baker at Burrow on Fox. That's an interesting opener. Bills at the Texans.

Wait, wait, don't skip Saints Lions because that's one of my favorite games. Oh, that's one of your bet games? Listen, man, I'm very high on the Lions this year. Okay, okay. You don't think they're going to smash the Saints? Did you see the Kamara News, by the way? He's hurt. They just made a trade to get some other guy.

Like, Saints, I think they're criminally overvalued in the market. I love the Lions Week. Okay, I'll say the game, and within one, two, seconds you have to tell me who you'd like to win the game point spread or just to win just to win come on okay patriot seahawks seahawks niners rams rams bears panthers bucks bangles bengles bangles bangles saints lions lions falcon stealers pass i can't do it i don't even know who's starting for the falcons come on how can you pick that game you're just going to default to the stealers right? Well, I think they're better.

Yeah. Bills, Texans. Texans? I think I'd take the Texans there. And I love the bills. Baltimore at the Colts. Ravens. Don't tell me you're taking the Colts. What? Look at the lineup real quick. I would say Ravens by one. No way. Probably closer to three. The market, I don't care what you and I think, the market is saying the Ravens have an

11.5 win total, and they're going to be really freaking good this year. The Ravens minus 3.5 shocks me. Opening. That's, oh boy, that's big. Okay. Cleveland at the Jags. Jets at the Titans. Jets at the Titans. That's a great game.

Robert Sala Revenge game. I think he puts it on the Jets big time. Like 31.10. Washington at Philly. I'll go Philly. God, this is Miami at the Raiders. Who's starting for the? the Raiders. Kirk or Fernanda?

Kirk. I'll go dolphins that are not upset. Oh, Jesus. Green Bay at Minnesota. Vikings. I like Vikings there by a touchdown. Arizona at the Chargers. Chargers by a billion.

Dallas at the Giants. Sunday night football, right? Didn't this game happen like two years ago on the opener and Dallas smoked them like 41-0? Am I misremembering that? It was like an embarrassing. beat down. I think the Cowboys come out and look pretty damn good. I think they get the win here. Denver at Kansas City.

Casey. Boy, that's it. I got to tell you. That's a pretty good opening slate of games. I think Bill's Texans might be the best game on something. You know, bills are favored in that game. Not by much. One and a half. I mean, that could easily be the AFC championship game. Absolutely.

And the Texans, they're coming in fully healthy, ready to rock. Yeah, that great defense against Josh Allen. I'll go text. I think that's a great game. So who are your four blazing five yet that you think you've locked down? I said tomorrow I would give you. Okay. Are the Giants one of them?

Because I know you're high on the Giants, Colin. They come out and lay an egg. I told you that Minnesota is one of them. I'm not giving you a second. Fine, fine. Let me just quick analysis. Giants lose badly on Sunday night. football in Harbaugh's opener.

Let's say they lose 3720, and it's not competitive after the first quarter. Does your opinion change on the Giants? Are you like, hey, no, it's just one game? Just one game. Because this Cowboys' offense is putting some points. So ask yourself, you get the Cowboys bring back a staff, the Giants have a brand new staff. Dak Prescott's a veteran. Jackson Dart's a kid.

I mean, if you look at the Dallas offense, everybody's returning. the coach is returning everybody's returning for Dallas Dallas should be week one of the NFL season several steps ahead of the Giants who have had kind of a rocky camp offensively I just so many times over the years Harbaugh basically just said Lamar pull us out of the hole and Lamar did it you can't do that now with Jackson Dart he's not he's not that guy so now Harbaugh's got to actually coach and I think we're going to find out some

stuff about Harbaugh and your Giants I'm pitting him on you by the way. Baltimore, a three and a half point favorite on the road, week one? I'm not sure I buy that. Oh, okay. I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files.

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