Matt Hasselbeck (3:28)

I already bet four games.

Colin Cowherd (3:31)

Love it. It is great. So let's start with this. The Lions now have clinched the number one seed in the nfc. There is no denying for this city, for this roster, for this locker room and for this time, Dan Campbell's the perfect coach. A team with 12 defensive players alone on the IR could have only pulled through this and clinched the number one seed with a head coach who's unapologetically alpha, a motivator that preaches grit and biting kneecaps. Sometimes the NFL messaging from coaches can seem a little cringy or cheesy. Not to the players. There is a brotherhood and a masculinity that I'll be honest, I like. People have been paralyzed playing this sport. Sometimes you just have to play through pain. You got to play hurt. And one guy in a locker room second guessing the message can unravel the whole thing. In a way it's like the anti NBA league. You have to be selfless and you have to play hurt every week. The Lions clinched a playoff spot on December 5th with all those injuries to seemingly the entire defensive roster. They could have packed it in. Let's get healthy and Nope, not with this team. Not with this coach. They fought tooth and nail last week. Everybody said that Niner game didn't mean anything. I totally disagreed. It was a chance to get backups, reps against Sam Darnold and the Vikings. The Detroit Lions are a symbol of so many things that are great about the NFL. Every game matters. Grit and toughness, which our society can always use, is really paramount and again, unapologetically alpha. I mean, New England had the number one pick going into the weekend. They played themselves out of it. There is no tanking. Nobody will even consider it. And it's why the NFL remains king and separates from the rest of our professional sports. Dan Campbell, on a weekly basis after winning, is almost in tears, preaching the message and his devotion to the city of Detroit and the Lions. This coach for this team in this time and this roster and this wacky season with currently 12 players on the IR defensively, needed a completely unapologetic alpha. And the message to guys like me at the kneecaps, at the podium, and I'm rolling my eyes, the players aren't. They totally bought into it. The number one seed, this is the Chicago Cubs in shoulder pads. That's what it feels like. The easiest dominant team. And go back to September, October, early November, it was like college. They were rolling people. But it is the easiest, most dominant physical team to root for, I can remember. And here's the one guy, the one perfect fit after the win.

J. Mac (6:39)

You guys look like you remember who the you are.

Colin Cowherd (6:43)

That was awesome. That's a hell of a win, guys. All I can think about is, man, we've been forged in this stuff. Now this has been three years in.

J. Mac (6:50)

The making, some of it four.

Colin Cowherd (6:52)

Like that just doesn't happen. You got to work through it, grind.

J. Mac (6:55)

Through it and go through the downs.

Colin Cowherd (6:56)

To get to the ups of where we're at.

J. Mac (6:58)

That was unbelievable, man. Division winners, back to back seasons, and the number one season.

Colin Cowherd (7:08)

If you're not from Detroit, you may not get it. You think it's a little cheesy. Oh, give me a break. But if you're from Detroit, you're a Lions fan, you're part of the culture. And you watch teams around this league, if you think this stuff's over the top, the Bears need that, the Titans need that. The Jaguars need that. The Chargers needed it and hired it. This is not a marketing campaign. This is completely, absolutely, authentically Dan Campbell the perfect fit for this city and this team. All right, let's talk Sam Darnold. Oh, I know. Let me guess, you're all bailing on Sammy. Okay, so first of all, that was the biggest game in Detroit in probably 50 years. And this, there's an argument that the two best coordinators in the entire league both play for Detroit. Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn. And Detroit's got a better roster and they got one of their defensive starters back. And this is a baby step league. And Sam Darnold looked juiced. He looked a little overwhelmed. He probably couldn't hear. He was inaccurate and high in all his passes. But across the field, Jared Golf's first big playoff game. And this did feel like a playoff game. I mean, it was the biggest game in Detroit in five decades. It felt like a playoff game. Mike Tirico was coming out of his suit. Jared Goff's first playoff game at home. 78 passer rating. Peyton Manning's first playoff game completed 45% of his throws. This has always been kind of a baby steps leak. Last year at this time, Sam Darnold, who was viewed as a bust, was starting a meaningless game as a backup for the 49ers. And then there's yesterday in the biggest game against arguably the best roster in the loudest field. You weren't winning that game. Minnesota was not winning that game. That's just one of those games. I looked at the playoffs this weekend. I looked at Denver, at Buffalo. I love Sean Payton. That is a tough draw. There are games, a handful every year where even a good team goes on the road and you're like, yeah, yeah, they're not going to win that game. That's a standalone game. This was the only NFL game that everybody was watching. Sam Darnold is just 27 years old. Now they go to Los Angeles. Their receiving core is a great matchup against the Rams young secondary. Don't be shocked if the Rams draft a cornerback with their number one pick. They don't have a corner, they don't have a shutdown corner. And this is the deepest receiving core in the league. And it'll be 50% Viking fans. And my gut feeling is Minnesota is the play here. J Mac disagrees, but it felt like a playoff game to me. It had that kind of feel. It was one of those, you know, you don't get. The NFL is always entertaining, but there are a handful of games late in the season and you're like, you know, when the NFL schedules like Burrow and Mahomes in week 17 and you're like, oh, that feels. I'll give you an example. The Steelers Bengals on Saturday night felt like a playoff game. That's a Saturday playoff game before a playoff game. And there's a reason restaurants have soft opens, right? Like you're not quite ready for the moment. I just don't think Sam and the Vikings, this young, fun team, were ready for the moment. And here's the coach after. You know, we didn't do a lot of the things that we've consistently done, you know, all season long. And this game came down to, you know, finishing in the red zone, weighty downs, third downs, you Know pitching and catching and gotta, you know, find different ways to help guys get open and when there are guys to potentially, you know, throw and catch, we've got to be able to do that. We've done it at a very high level this year and just didn't really show up on the weighty downs. Yep. Sam Darnold twice was high on Justin Jefferson throws. Absolutely no question about it. You see this sometimes. First big games for quarterbacks, they look tight. I mean that was the knock on Peyton Manning for years in the NFL that he was a teeth clencher, that he was great and productive. He'd get into big games and he was too tight and I thought Sam looked tight. But again, this was a guy that was a bust a year ago that was starting for the niners in Week 18 a year ago to the biggest game in Detroit in 50 years. It wasn't going to be his night. I said last week, I like the Lions, they have the better roster. It's a bigger game, it means more. I know it's 214 win teams playing for number one seed. It just felt like, it felt like Detroit's night. That's what it felt like to me. And you're saying, well Colin, it's not a playoff game. It looked like it and felt like it to me. I'm watching Collins Worth and Mike Tirico and those guys were bursting through the suits. That thing felt like the biggest game in a long time. So there you go. J. Mac, we have so many things to talk about today. For the first time in my adult life, I believe something's true in the NFL. Get to that in a second. You and I will talk about the wild card schedule. Denver at Buffalo. Talk about a tough draw.

Matt Hasselbeck (12:06)

Do you see that? It's not even a double digit spread in that game.

Colin Cowherd (12:10)

It's, I, I, I'm stunned. Denver plus eight and a half.

Matt Hasselbeck (12:16)

You're not doing that, are you?

Colin Cowherd (12:17)

Oh my, no, no, I'm just, I'm just saying it, that's a lot of points for a very good coach and a very good defense. There are games that you look at and go, yeah, this is a tough draw for Denver. Right? Like again, baby steps league. We don't expect Denver to go in there with the dead cap money and Bo Nicks and win that game. That's, that's not like a winn. It ended up being 3020 and Denver played well. You, you'd fly home thinking I can't wait for next year like that. There are certain games that just feel like yeah it's going to go a certain way the game that's fascinating this weekend and I don't know quite Tampa Washington. Oh okay yeah that, that is a I, I, I, that's a question mark game for me. I could see several outcomes in that game.

Matt Hasselbeck (13:05)

So sometimes like the Raven Steelers, they just played like a few weeks something out of that game. I don't think you could take anything out of the Tampa Washington season opener. It was Jaden Daniel's first career start. Yeah they're a different team now. It's, that's going to be an and and Tampa's kind of beat up in the secondary.

Colin Cowherd (13:20)

I don't remember a first round and I'm, I'm serious. You know Houston always plays the Saturday 3:30 game but this year they get Harbaugh and Herbert. I do not remember a first round matchup with all games being this good with this many star quarterbacks. I get Stafford against Darnold, Herbert, CJ Stroud, Bonix who by the way go look at his stats like week 8 on the guy was incredible. Jaden Daniels, Baker, Jordan Love, Jalen Hurts. Dude, there's some, there are some matchups. Matchups. Yeah. Okay.

Matt Hasselbeck (14:02)

Sounds like you're going to talk yourself out of some underdogs here, huh?

Colin Cowherd (14:05)

Be careful.

Matt Hasselbeck (14:06)

Favorites have dominated the league.

Colin Cowherd (14:07)

That really worked for me well this year. No, I mean you start looking at these games, this is as good as it gets. We have one game where we look at and go yeah, Buffalo's going to win but I get Sean Payton in the game. I get a arguably a better defense in the game. And here's the other thing. What if it's snowing sideways that hurts the star quarterback not the better defense.

Matt Hasselbeck (14:27)

They did luck out. There is going to be snow in Buffalo city Saturday. There's only a little snow calling for Sunday and we're six days out. A lot can happen. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned Packers Eagles. That's the one game that is the best game of the weekend and I don't know what the deal is with AKA A Jordan Love and B Jalen Hurts. I mean Jalen Hurts was still in concussion protocol late last week.

Colin Cowherd (14:47)

Yeah with Jordan Love will play okay.

Matt Hasselbeck (14:50)

No Christian Watson looks like and even.

Colin Cowherd (14:53)

The second tier games, Chargers, Texans, it's going to be fantastic. Hardball's first year of playoff wins Celebrate.

Matt Hasselbeck (14:59)

Justin Herbert's first playoff win.

Colin Cowherd (15:01)

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio Apple. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. All right, let's talk about Amazon prime for a minute. I've got mine. Do you have yours? Not just about one thing. It's a whole collection of services that help you get the most out of whatever you're into. If you passionate about a hobby, a sport, or all sports in my case, or you just need to get things done fast. Prime, Amazon Prime's got your back. You can watch content, order supplies, listen on Amazon Music. It's all included under one prime membership. Of course, we can all agree one of the best things about prime is the fast, free delivery. With prime, you can have what you need delivered the same day. But it's more than that. Prime is a collection of excellent services. I love it. Amazon Music. Listen to the tunes that keep you in the zone. Or this podcast. Whatever you're doing, working out on the road, prime doesn't just help you get closer to the things you care about. It helps you discover new things, too. Prime's always there to fuel your passion, make it just a little bit easier. So whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime now. You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities, big to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption. Required Card has no cash access and expires in six months. If you love iPhone, you'll love Apple Card. It comes with the privacy and security you expect from Apple. Plus you earn up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase, which can automatically earn interest when you open a High Yield Savings account through Apple Card. Apply for Apple Card in the Wallet app, subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility. Apple Card and Savings by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch Member, FDIC Member terms and more@applecard.com Jon Stewart.

Jon Stewart (18:12)

Is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast the Daily Show Podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has concepts you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Colin Cowherd (18:51)

Here we go. It's hour two. Gonna be a tasty one live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Matt Hasselbeck, he does this about once every five weeks or so. Sits down with us for a good 20, 25 minutes. I can't wait for that. He's got so many thoughts on this yesterday where and there was only a handful of NFL games that truly mattered. There were a lot of backups, which is another reason I don't like the NFL expanding to 18 games. Because we already got to the 17th game and it was kind of like you had about two games. You had to watch one of them last night. J. Mac Albert Brer last hour as well. We're going to go J. Mac and I are going to go through some of the coaching openings. We're also going to go through the games we like. You like you like the Rams hosting the Vikings? I feel very strongly about the Vikings matchup on their perimeter against the Rams. Is there a game off the top that you really like?

Matt Hasselbeck (19:44)

I I rationally like many games this Weekend, including the college football by the way, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. All with playoff college football or NFL games. How good is that? Colin? I guess my favorite bet of the week so far is is Rams money line. I think they went outright. I can't believe the Vikings are favored in this spot. Did you see Darnold when he has to hold the ball? And I know Hasselbeck will talk about it but like when Darnold has to hold the ball and think and come off his reads, he's not great. He was 18 of 41 last night. Yeah, it was not good. And that was against a shoddy Lions defense. I think the Rams defense is going to be better. They slowed Darnold in the initial meeting. Remember that one out here at SoFi? Yeah, I like Rams.

Colin Cowherd (20:27)

All right, let's do it every Monday at this time. Colin right? Colin wrong. Plenty of both. Here we go. Where Colin was right. Double right. Bo Nix and the Broncos. I said the Broncos would double the win total. Vegas thought and I thought Bo Nix would be a home run. He finished the season six in the NFL in touchdown passes and it's the most among rookies. Second most touchdown passes by a rookie ever. 18 for 18 to start the game against Kansas City. His maturity, his athletic ability, his experience. I didn't get him kind of being ignored and considered a second class second tier quarterback in the draft. I didn't get it at all. I watched him at Auburn, I watched him at Oregon. He went through multitude of coordinators and was good with all of them. Bo Nix is a right where Colin was raw. You know, Nick Ceriani drives me nuts. But you know, in his three years as a coach they've won 14, 11 and 14. You know, these skirmishes on the sidelines with fans battling his own staff, you know, it feels like he has to be chaperoned on a weekly basis. But there is something about his message and his personality that resonates in the NFL that I clearly am missing on. I thought his opening press conference was brutal. I'm still surprised they're this good. I think it's more of a GM than a coach story. But I'm wrong on it because the dude keeps winning. Where Colin was right. I said last January when Gerard Mayo got the Patriots job, it feels like adding a new chapter to the same old book. You know, young quarterback, defensive coach. I just never felt this was the right hire. I thought they may retain him because they were so embarrassed by it. But I read a lot of Boston writers and listen to Boston Radio and, you know, situationally, circumstantially, he was over his head. You know, Bill Jr. Was his nickname. You know, his only real influence was Belichick. And I think once Bill left, you were probably better served to go on the offensive route. But I also think Mike Vrabel would be a good fit. But I never loved this hire. Where Colin was wrong, well, it's the Atlanta Falcons. I've never been right. I had him winning the division. I thought Kirk Cousins was a good signing. He ended up tied for the NFL lead in picks, and he only played 14 games. I like Raheem Morris over Belichick. They started six and three. They beat the Buccaneers twice and then just regressed quickly and badly. This is an organization that does a lot right. But it does feel like in certain organizations are like this, that they kind of shrink in big spots. And that's always sort of been the reason why. I've lost my 401k several times betting the Atlanta Falcons where Colin was right. I'm not sure there's a bigger fan in the world of Justin Herbert or Jim Harbaugh than myself. And they're now together. I felt they'd win 10 or 11 games. I didn't know if they'd make the playoffs because of Mahomes and Reed. But, you know, I was just watching this game yesterday. They just figure out ways to win. Harbaugh can have a bad first half, and then they reset the chairs in there, have a good second half. They've got a grit and a toughness. It's the first time ever the Chargers have led the NFL in defense. They've always been finesse and fun to watch. Then aesthetically pleasing, but you don't trust them. And now they're not nearly as pleasing to watch. But they're tough and they win games. So the magic formula was don't do what you've always been. Go the opposite route. And they have, and they're winning. And I'm happy where Colin was. Right. The Pittsburgh Steelers in the last decade, isn't it the same team with just a little variation? Once again, we said before the season it's all going to come down to the final seven games. Go look at the schedule. It did, and they went 2 and 5. They still can't get offense right. You know, they end up 10 and 7 and with no chance to win the Super Bowl. And that's what the Pittsburgh Steelers have been. People in Pittsburgh want a new head coach. I don't think the Steelers are moving off Mike Tomlin. But I feel like every Pittsburgh team in the last decade is a slight variation of the previous year's team. Where Colin was raw, I thought Doug Peterson was a good fit in Jacksonville, I really did. And in Trent Bulkey, the GM survived. He survived, and Peterson got fired. I watched them in Philadelphia out coach Bill Belichick in the Super Bowl. This was my number one pick. I liked him. People like him, players like him. It just never worked. Trevor Lawrence has regressed. I don't know where they go. Do you need more of a tough leader than Doug Peterson? Do you need a Brian Flores? Somebody that's a culture changer, not just an offensive guy who people like. But the Jacksonville situation, I don't think I've ever been right on it. Coach, gm, players, nothing works that I predict. Where Colin was right when Tyreek Hill got traded from Kansas City to the Dolphins, I said, they'll be fine without him. The league is not built around small, fast football players. He's very good. But why would you leave Patrick Mahomes as a wide receiver? Why would you leave Andy Reid as a wide receiver? They're just moves I didn't get. Like, yeah, chase the bag. The guy wants out of Miami now. There's got to be more than just money. I mean, if you like the coach and you like the quarterback, it's not like you can't afford a nice home in Kansas City. Like, I never understood this move. It was fun. And I get people that want to go live in Miami with no state tax and a clever offensive coach. But I never thought this was going to change the league. I never thought it was going to change the Chiefs. They would figure out with Mahomes and Reed and Spags and Kelsey and Chris Jones to win. Regardless where Colin was right. My number one college football prediction before the season was Oregon is going to beat Ohio State at Austin, and then Ohio State will come back to beat Oregon. And, man, they did the next time they play in the playoff. So that was my top prediction. They led 31 to nothing in the first half against Oregon. I also said after they lost to Michigan, don't be shocked if they don't end up playing like a Texas for the national championship. And I still believe that college football more than ever feels like the NFL, where you can have a stinker of a game in December and you're okay. We don't eliminate you. And I think that is a good thing. I think college football has grown up and graduated to more professional football, meaning you get a Mulligan you can stumble your toe. It shouldn't be about you lose late in the season, you're done. The Chiefs lose late in the season. Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl. He lost twice in January, December, and he won a Super Bowl. It shouldn't be about the calendar. It should be about an entire book, several chapters, and who's good now? And it's Ohio State. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9:00am Pacific. All right, let's talk about Amazon prime for a minute. I've got mine. Do you have yours? Not just about one thing. It's a whole collection of services that help you get the most out of whatever you're into. If you passionate about a hobby, a sport, or all sports in my case. Or you just need to get things done fast. Prime. Amazon Prime's got your back. You can watch content, order supplies, listen on Amazon Music. It's all included under one prime membership. Of course, we can all agree one of the best things about prime is the fast, free delivery. With prime, you can have what you need delivered the same day. But it's more than that. Prime is a collection of excellent services. I love it. Amazon Music Listen to the tunes that keep you in the zone. Or this podcast. Whatever you're doing working out on the road, prime doesn't just help you get closer to the things you care about, it helps you discover new things too. Prime's always there to fuel your passion, make it just a little bit easier. So whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime now you can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

Jon Stewart (28:36)

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast. The Daily show podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like exclusive extended interviews and a roundup of the Weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Colin Cowherd (29:16)

With that, Matt Hasselbeck is coming out to the set. We are so lucky to have him. Eighteen years in the NFL, six playoff appearances with Seattle. My friend, it's great to see you. You know, I was saying, where does that come from? What's that?

J. Mac (29:31)

I heard some claps in the background.

Colin Cowherd (29:32)

We have. We have a wall.

J. Mac (29:35)

Okay, good. Thank you.

Colin Cowherd (29:36)

So I said a year ago, Sam Darnold is a backup starting in a meaningless game. He was considered a bust. To walk into Detroit last night and be great, I thought was as a big ask, it felt like a playoff game. And I. And I said last week, I'm like, I'm just going to the biggest game in Detroit in 50 years. Do you think differently about Darnold after that performance?

J. Mac (29:58)

Now, listen, like, the, The. The future is a whole lot of right nows. And that was a right now moment. Like, he had never been in that situation before. He'll learn from it. I thought it was just an awesome game plan by Aaron Glenn. Like, I thought they came out and was it man or was it zone? It was both. Was it a blitz we can pick up? Yes. But now we're one on one in an area of strength against an area of weakness. I thought the crowd noise was a real factor. I mean, the people in Detro Detroit should feel like they had a hand in that victory. They had a hand in that defensive success, because they did. I'm not worried. I don't think I'm worried about Sam Darnold. I'm sure a lot of people are going to jump off the bandwagon. He's a really good football player, but here's what they'll do. And I think Kevin O'Connell did a good job last night. Even at the podium right after the game, he kind of gave his messaging. He kind of gave his messaging. Like, hey, I was with the team. I believe it was the Rams. We lost the last game of the season, and we made it to the Super Bowl. Like, we can do that, but what do we got to do? We got to watch his tape, learn from it, flush it, and move on. We got another one this week, and that's what they'll do. But I do think the key there is learning from it. And I just think they were surprised and they didn't match the intensity of the moment.

Colin Cowherd (31:09)

Yes.

J. Mac (31:09)

And Detroit brought it. It was like years and years of frustration came out in one game. And think about what was at stake that first round bye for a team that's as banged up as Detroit is with home field advantage the way they have it, that's a hungry fan base and a lot of players on that team that have been there for, you know, almost a Dec. Decade. Like some of those guys, it meant more like. Like sometimes you say it in the locker room, like it means more to us. I think it really did mean more to Detroit last night and it showed.

Colin Cowherd (31:39)

Yeah. I want to say this about. I said this to start the show. I said, in some ways, the NFL is the anti NBA. You have to be selfless and you always play hurt. By week four, quarterbacks, kickers are dinged. And sometimes me as an outsider can roll my eyes at some of the messaging. It's a little cheesy, but there's a brotherhood and a masculinity in the NFL. And when you're going downhill, I think Dan Campbell is the perfect coach for the city. They're the Cubs and shoulder pads, like, they're just. He has been able. This, this team on Monday against the Niners could have just mailed it in. Let's get healthy. He's like, no, yeah. No, we're Detroit.

J. Mac (32:23)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (32:23)

This is a. Every game matters. I think he is literally the perfect coach.

J. Mac (32:29)

Yeah. Well. And I think you. I think their style of play, their identity, their head coach's personality, who he is at the podium resonates with the city, resonates with Detroit. We're a tough city. We're a blue collar city. We're not like everybody else. Like, we're built. I don't want to say Ford tough, but, like, it's kind of like that mindset.

Colin Cowherd (32:47)

Yeah.

J. Mac (32:47)

And I think that it matters now. Listen, Dan Campbell's not just some tough guy, though. Like, he's a guy that he, he played for. I think he coached with Parcells. He coached for Sean Payton for a long time.

Colin Cowherd (32:58)

Parcels and Peyton love him.

J. Mac (32:59)

And so, like, he's not just some, like, meathead. He's a guy that's, like, weathered the storms. He's. He's pretty smart. He's been around. He's been around. Hall of Fame type coaching. He was the interim head coach at the Miami Dolphins. Do I think he would have been the perfect head coach for the Miami Dolphins? No. Do I think he's the perfect head coach for the Detroit Lions? Yes. And I think that's what, like, honestly, just like the synergy of your cast off quarterback, you know, just like that, that toughness that grittiness, that resilience, it all fits together with what they got. Now listen, the danger for him though, he's got to learn how to be tough and physical and all that and still survive these long seasons. Now like you don't want to be limping into the super bowl, right? You gotta, I don't know if you call it load management but you gotta practice smart and you got, you have to coach smart from I don't know, like an injury standp. Standpoint.

Colin Cowherd (33:49)

Sure.

J. Mac (33:49)

And, and, and that remains to be seen if they can do that. But there's a lot of, there's a lot of good things to sell to. Sorry to, to say about Detroit. I mean a lot of good things.

Colin Cowherd (33:58)

Yeah. So the bone story, it's interesting. He fell to six now it was a very good quarterback draft class and by the way, Lamar fell to the end of the first round. It's hard, you don't know but.

J. Mac (34:10)

And it's, it's never in order. Like never the order that is in your mock draft is never how it turns out.

Colin Cowherd (34:17)

But it was almost as if he was considered in the draft. Well let's get to Caleb and Jaden. He's the second level. And I'm like I saw him play live twice. I saw 61 college starts. I probably saw 35 to 40 of them. This dude's athletic. He is in. I mean I was sat on a sideline of an Oregon game watching him. He is direct and he's like a coach. Are you surprised by how effective he was?

J. Mac (34:41)

Yeah, listen, you say second level, you should have seen the combine. Like he, the dude got bonix, got no attention at the combine, like very little. Everyone was talking about all these other guys. They were talking about guys that weren't even working out that day. And so for Bo Nix to go do his private with Sean Payton, for him to say bam, that's my guy, like that's our guy. I don't think people jumped on board and said oh he's going to be successful. And I know for sure they didn't feel like in year one what he has done this year with Bo Nix has done what Sean Payton has done. I think he's absolutely a candidate for coach of the year. The playoff drought that they had, the season season that they had last year, the dead cap money dead cap. Vance Joseph's done a great job. But no, when you watch Bo Nicks play does not look like a rookie quarterback. I do believe that like in this era of young quarterbacks and this is Somewhere where I think I had to grow and learn a little bit. These guys are so much more prepared coming into the NFL. Like, they get the extra year, they get the COVID year, the way kids are trained now. Like, I just even remember being at the financial literacy stuff at the combine and like, oh, guys, you know, hiring an agent, hiring, Paying your taxes, all this stuff. Half the room was like, yeah, we've been getting paid for a couple years now. We're good. We're just all about the football. So I think these quarterbacks are coming into it. And then you talk about a guy like Bo Nix that has all these starts under his belt in huge games in the SEC out at Oregon. It's very different than say, like an Anthony Richardson situation. A guy that hadn't played a ton of football. He's got a. He's got a bunch of starts under his belt. I think it matters. And having a Hall of Fame coach and Sean Payton, I mean, they're doing great.

Colin Cowherd (36:18)

So I got a. I got a lot of things I want to ask you about. We're getting to the coaching thing in a second because I want your thoughts on Pete Carroll potentially in Chicago. I don't think it's ridiculous. And I forget ageist. I just think Pete's really good, but.

J. Mac (36:30)

Well, you can't be ageist since you're 61 today. Happy birthday, by the way.

Colin Cowherd (36:35)

I am 61 today. Whatever. I looked at Aaron Rodgers and listen.

J. Mac (36:42)

We were talking Pete Carroll. Are we talking.

Colin Cowherd (36:44)

I want to go to Aaron and back to Pete.

J. Mac (36:46)

You're back to Aegist. Got it.

Colin Cowherd (36:47)

Yeah. Yeah. So it's not a great quarterback draft class. Cousins looked a little washed. Vikings probably retain Darnold. It is easy to just punt on Aaron, but I look at him in the last eight weeks and seven of them, I was like, that's. That's pretty good. I think there's. I don't think the jet should cut him. I actually think he has a semi vibrant market.

J. Mac (37:11)

Yeah, I don't. I mean, listen, he can still play. You saw that. And I talked about earlier in the year. The jets look like a team that were having no fun. I would say the total opposite. The end here, like last yesterday, they looked like they were having so much fun. It was anything but a chore. There was like a bunch of grown men playing, you know, almost like paying to play with, like in like one of those legends things, you know, I mean, like, they look like a great way to go out if he goes out. But no, I would just say that if Aaron Rodgers wants to keep playing, he can. The, the thing, though, I don't think it can be like Aaron Streetball. I don't think he has the mobility for that. I just don't think that's winning football. I don't think that's what people are going to pay for. What they would pay for is an amazing conductor, a point guard, not the guy that's going to be Michael Jordan. They're looking for more of a distributor. They're looking for more of a. Someone to steady the ship, maybe to just sort of be humble and be like a little bit more of a system quarterback. But can he throw? Yeah, he can throw. Is the game slowed down for him? Yes. Is he as mobile and durable as he once was? Like, no. And I think that's going to be the decision that he has to make. But seeing the joy, it was certainly there yesterday. I mean, that. That part for me, I think was fun to watch.

Colin Cowherd (38:22)

So I have said. So let's now go into some of the coaching stuff. So we've got a bunch of coaching openings. We've got the Saints, the Patriots, the Jags, the Jets, the Bears, and there may be another one. We'll. We'll wait on the Raiders. So I said I didn't think Rex Ryan to the jets was nuts. And I don't think Pete Carroll to Chicago is crazy for a lot of reasons. I do not think you can give this to a snazzy coordinator who's never been a coach. This is a city, football to politics. Everything's political, everything in Chicago. And they don't have the strongest ownership. As a city, nobody's got like the super wealthy owners. I think Pete Carroll works in Chicago. You know, Pete, does he fit?

J. Mac (39:06)

Yeah. I mean, listen, I thought you were going to say Brian Flores, because that, that feels like it's. It fits also. That's one that people are talking about. The synergy from GM to head coach to quarterback is very important in Chicago. That's something they have not gotten right since who knows when. I would say this, Pete Carroll, like, the more dysfunction you have in an organization, the more you need a culture builder, an identity maker, an absolute rock star at the podium, like a rock star, not someone who's learning on the fly. And like you mentioned, those two organizations, the jets and the Bears, I think they need a culture builder. I think they need a rock star at the podium. To me, Pete Carroll, just knowing Pete, Pete, he is in love with usc. So if there's any new head coach coming into Chicago that wants to see Caleb Williams succeed, it's Pete Carroll. But the, the revolving door in Chicago where the gm, the head coach and the quarterback, they didn't sort of come in together. That's been one of the problems. Because if you get a new head coach in there who. Caleb's not my guy. I'm not married to him. My contract's not tied to his contract like I can, I can move on if I want to blame somebody. That could easily happen to the young quarterback. So I think you need someone that can handle the young quarterback who's got a tremendous amount of potential. And I think Pete Carroll will be the perfect guy. Culture setter will bring a bunch of people with him who have been there and done it. And a lot of times, you know who you are as a head coach is who's willing to come with you. And I think Pete Carroll, you know, has the credentials to bring a lot of people with him.

Colin Cowherd (40:41)

So, you know, I was saying, as this is the first time I remember, best quarterback won every division. And I think Jared Goff is playing the best quarterback in a division where Darnold and Lover and Caleb are super talented. But virtually every division, best quarterback won. And that's why I don't like the season extending to 18 games. Because the more games you have, if I have a better quarterback and I get 60 more snaps in two more games than five years ago, go, I'm going to win the division. I like the NFL when there's. You can be a defensive team that we would go into the playoffs and think, all right, the Steelers have a chance to win the Super Bowl. But we don't think that because in the afc, Russell Wilson's fine but not special. When I, when I look at all this, the dark horse team to me that nobody is saying to win a Super bowl is the Chargers. So Harbaugh is arguably as good a coach as the sport has. Outside Andy Reid. Herbert now is as efficient as Aaron Rodgers and Brady in their prime. They don't have a star receiver. It's January football. You. I mean, the Tyreek Hills disappear very quickly. Number one defense, rush end Harbaugh Herbert, best offensive tackle combination. I look at the Chargers and I'm like, if you told me the boxes that fit playoffs, you're smirking at Matt.

J. Mac (42:03)

I wasn't, I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't expecting Chargers. But maybe that's exactly what your point is. You know, like, this is what I'd say.

Colin Cowherd (42:10)

There's going to be a curveball.

J. Mac (42:11)

My Favorite week. Maybe you could say championship weekend, you know, afc, NFC championship. But my favorite weekend is wild card weekend. Those were like, if you look throughout the history of the best playoff games that have ever been played, I feel like it's always wild card weekend. And so, like, you know, they call it wild card because, like any. It's anybody's weekend, and it's different. And everybody's 0 and 0. And the boost that you can get from having sort of like a disappointing season, and now all of a sudden, like, no, we're O and O, and the Chiefs are O and O. And like, everybody's O and O. And besides the buy, it's an E. It's an equal playing field. So anything can happen. Like, that's the beauty of it. You just got to get hot at the right time. That's why I listen every single team that I was ever on, ever, the head coach in the very first meeting of the year said the same thing. Didn't matter. The team, offensive coach, defensive coach, what do they all say? Win our division. That's goal number one. Because if we win the division, we are in the playoffs. And if we're in the tournament, anything can happen. And that. That's just. That's just like, the mindset that goes into it. So, like, you're saying the Chargers. Yeah, why not? They have a short week at Houston. Here we go. You know, now we're into round two. Like, it doesn't take that much to get there. Like, that's what the exciting thing is. And all your peers are watching. Everybody in the. Is watching. There's no other games. It's just your game. Yeah, the. The Chargers. They would not have been my dark horse.

Colin Cowherd (43:30)

Okay, so let's go back to it. I want you to give me a paragraph on each game. So let's start.

J. Mac (43:35)

Okay.

Colin Cowherd (43:36)

Chargers at the Texans.

J. Mac (43:37)

I feel bad. The Texans are always in that, like, not prime time game, you know, that Saturday, 3:30. Like, I think that's like, how I felt when we were in Seattle kind of joke. You're in the witness protection program out there. And, like, they never give you the primetime game because you're not like one of those original. Yeah, six and hockey kind of deal. No, listen, they're not a team like Ascending. I think the Chargers defense is way better than people realize. They're a team to reckon with probably in the second round of the playoffs. I don't know if the Texans can protect CJ Stroud the way they need to.

Colin Cowherd (44:09)

That's. To me, that's the takeaway Steelers at the Ravens.

J. Mac (44:13)

I think the Ravens are my dark horse team. Like Lamar Jackson's playing as good as anybody. I think people have sort of written them off because they didn't have the most amazing regular season. But you want to talk about a team that can win it all and they have all the pieces. Like, to me, I think the Ravens would be that team. The Steelers, I said earlier, I think they should have been playing both quarterbacks. I think Russell Wilson is obviously great at a lot of things, but he's not as mobile. I think Justin Fields is a. Is a pretty. Is a difficult, difficult quarterback to game plan for. Mike Tomlin, I just felt Arthur Smith. I felt like two quarterbacks playing would make them a more difficult team on offense. They didn't do that. I think the Ravens are the team.

Colin Cowherd (44:52)

Denver at Buffalo.

J. Mac (44:55)

Listen, playing in Buffalo, there's a couple things like I've done it a bunch of times. The weather's a thing. The crowd's a thing. The weather's a thing. I've seen a lot of warm weather teams go up there and kind of get like spooked before the game even starts because, like, the cold, Denver's not dealing with that. And like, you listen to Sean Payton talk and he's in the. In the locker room right after the game and he's like, listen up, guys. You are young. You're the one of the youngest teams in the league. You are young and you are hungry. And that is a dangerous thing in the playoffs. Young and hungry. And he is selling them. He's a great example of a Hall of Fame type coach who's saying, hey, we're. Oh, it does not matter. We can go in there, get this win. And I believe. Listen, that. That I don't know how I would pick that game. And I love Buffalo. Love them. Whoever wins that game could definitely represent the afc.

Colin Cowherd (45:41)

Wow. How about that packers at Philly? Philly's kind of been downshifted some of the. Obviously the concussion to Jalen hurts. What say you?

J. Mac (45:50)

I like Philly. I've liked him all year. You know, I thought Green Bay did a horrible, horrible end of the game situation yesterday. Kind of gave that game away. But despite that, I think that Philly is a great team. Even with their backup to the backup quarterback. I think they look good. I mean, this is a team they draft well and, and whoever they drafted the quarterback position or whoever that plays quarterback for them. That coaching staff, for years and years now, they seem to just play okay. You know, like they Got a six round quarterback out there. He looks good to me. So listen, obviously Jalen hurts one of the game's best quarterbacks, but I don't think this is a team that lives and dies by that. I think they're, they're better than people give them credit for.

Colin Cowherd (46:34)

Commanders at the Bucs.

J. Mac (46:36)

Listen.

Colin Cowherd (46:37)

That's a hard one.

J. Mac (46:38)

Listen. I love watching Baker Mayfield play. Like, I love it and I love what they did with Mike Evans yesterday. Like, Baker is doing awesome. Love him. But this is wild card weekend. If you were going to force me to pick sort of like an underdog on the seating chart, I told you, I believe if, if Washington can clean up just like the sloppy defensive penalty, like, you know, they have something really special at the quarterback position in Washington. But again, Baker Mayfield, he's playing tough, gritty, definitely gritty. That'd be fun. That'd be a fun game to watch. If I had to pick an upset, Washington might be one to pick though.

Colin Cowherd (47:15)

Finally. J. Mac and I disagree. Vikings at the Rams. I don't love the Rams secondary matchup against the Vikings receivers. And I also think everybody's selling their Viking stock. And to your point, that was almost a non winnable game last night. Vikings, Rams, tough game.

J. Mac (47:32)

Like this is not like, that's why last night's game was so big. One team gets the buy. Like Detroit gets to go heal up. Some of their players are. Their wives are like due this week. They're having babies. Like, they needed this bye week, literally. Okay. And instead the Vikings have to go play Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Puka Cooper. Like, that's not a tough one.

Colin Cowherd (47:56)

Defense.

J. Mac (47:56)

Defense is good.

Colin Cowherd (47:57)

They are arguably the Rams, arguably the healthiest team in the league now, which is crazy.

J. Mac (48:02)

But don't you think it's a good lesson as people are trying to figure out what to do with their head coach and next year, this year, people were trying to sell off the LA Rams. They were trying to trade Cooper Cup. They were trying, literally trying to happen. And then they played a nationally televised game and they played outstanding. It was right before the trade deadline and everyone's like, whoa, whoa, maybe, maybe they could be a playoff contender. And so like, that's just the thing. The best teams are the teams when adversity hits. You don't pull apart. You don't quit on your team. You don't do that. You. You stick together and you pull together. And that's why that locker room matters. That's why the head coach at the podium matters. And the Rams are just One of those teams. And so what's the strength of the Vikings to me, if I'm like a quarterback man, Brian Flores in that defense is difficult to recognize what they're doing. You have Matthew Stafford, one of the most experienced quarterbacks. It's, it's such a. With shot with Sean McVay. It's such a great matchup.

Colin Cowherd (48:56)

Good stuff. Matt Hasselbeck, who was a free agent on the market, and we feel like we got a steal on him now. Why are you in LA this week? We don't get you in la.

J. Mac (49:06)

No. Yeah, like what you say every five weeks probably. My son's a freshman quarterback at UCLA and they start school today. So I said, hey, I'll come out with you. We had some luggage. We brought some extra bags this time, if I'm being real, you know. Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (49:17)

So you're, you're going to be out here more often.

J. Mac (49:20)

We'll see. Yeah. Hope so. I mean, I don't know if he wants me around, you know what I mean? I got, he's like, dad, I'm at Rocco's. Like, what are you talking about? Leave me alone.

Colin Cowherd (49:27)

I know.

J. Mac (49:28)

Inside joke.

Colin Cowherd (49:29)

I know. He. You gotta be smart, though. That's not an easy school. He can't. You can't be party son. No, I can see you in college, leading.

J. Mac (49:36)

I had hair back then. It was dangerous. No, he does well in school. He had a great first semester.

Colin Cowherd (49:41)

Way to go. And his name is Henry. That's awesome.

J. Mac (49:44)

Yeah.

Colin Cowherd (49:44)

Love having you on the show, bud.

J. Mac (49:46)

Thank you.

Colin Cowherd (49:46)

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Jon Stewart (50:28)

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors. And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.