Best of The Herd

Summary

Podcast Summary: Best of The Herd The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: Best of The Herd
Release Date: January 9, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Description: A comprehensive and opinionated exploration of the top sports stories of the day, focusing primarily on the NFL playoffs.

---

Introduction

Colin Cowherd opens the episode by diving straight into the excitement of the NFL playoffs. He emphasizes the significance of the upcoming playoff weekend, highlighting the intense competition and the shifting dynamics among the teams.

"NFL playoffs. We're talking about NFL playoffs. You bet we are." ([00:00])

Playoff Teams Overview

Colin provides an overview of the current playoff landscape, categorizing teams into "haves" and "have-nots." He mentions key teams making the playoffs, including the Chargers, Eagles, Buffalo, and Baltimore, while noting that Kansas City and Detroit secure their spots without much contention.

He also discusses teams that narrowly missed the playoffs, such as Chicago and the Raiders, pondering their future moves and potential impacts on the league.

San Francisco 49ers Analysis

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the San Francisco 49ers, who have transitioned from being perennial playoff contenders ("haves") to struggling to make the postseason ("have-nots") this year. Colin raises concerns about the team's quarterback situation and the potential long-term implications of their decisions.

"A lot of these bad teams are bad forever. Like a lot of these bad Raiders have been bad forever. Bears have been ridiculous forever. And then there's the Niners and they want to be and are usually in the haves and now they're a have not." ([02:30])

Quarterback Dynamics

Engaging in a detailed discussion with Jason McIntyre, Colin delves into the importance of quarterbacks in modern NFL success. They analyze Brock Purdy's role with the 49ers, questioning whether he can sustain the team's competitive edge.

Colin Cowherd: "What can he do? Because once he gobbles up a big chunk of the salary, he plays with less talented players." ([04:50])

Jason McIntyre: "We have every interest in him being around. He's done so much for our organization." ([05:30])

The conversation extends to the broader impact of quarterback salaries on team dynamics, citing examples like Jared Goff in LA and Tua Tagovailoa with the Dolphins. They debate whether investing heavily in a quarterback ensures long-term success or creates vulnerabilities.

"The idea of paying him early has never made any sense. I would let it play out." ([09:15])

Coaching Discussions

A notable segment addresses coaching, specifically speculating on whether legendary coach Bill Belichick might return to college football. Colin expresses skepticism about Belichick adapting to the collegiate environment, contrasting it with his proven success in the NFL.

"I can't buy into Belichick's gonna love this college football thing. I just can't do it." ([12:00])

Playoff Picks and Predictions

Colin shares his playoff predictions, categorizing teams into three tiers based on their Super Bowl potential:

1. Trophy Class: Philadelphia, Detroit, Kansas City, Baltimore, and Buffalo.
2. Potential Winners: Green Bay, Minnesota, Rams, Chargers, and Buccaneers.
3. Participants: Pittsburgh, Houston, Denver, and Washington.

"I think Philadelphia's got the best roster in the NFL and I think one of the ways to beat them is to keep that dominating O line, Saquon Barkley off the field." ([35:36])

Jason supports these picks, adding nuanced insights into specific matchups, such as the potential Buffalo vs. Denver game and the impact of rookie quarterbacks in high-stakes scenarios.

Key Insights and Conclusions

The episode underscores the critical balance between quarterback performance and overall team strength. Colin and Jason argue that while a star quarterback can propel a team, over-reliance on one player without supporting talent can hinder playoff success. They advocate for holistic team building, emphasizing strong defenses, versatile coaching, and strategic player acquisitions.

"It's not about what he's done, it's about what can he do once you take people away from him." ([10:45])

Notable Quotes

• Colin Cowherd: "You have to reframe the discussion on Brock Purdy. It has to go from ooh, look what he's done to what can he do?" ([09:30])

• Jason McIntyre: "Buffalo could win 35, 10 and no one would be surprised. I understand." ([35:04])

• Colin Cowherd: "The only thing that guarantees no Super Bowls is paying a B quarterback a money." ([14:50])

Final Thoughts

Colin wraps up the episode by reiterating the importance of strategic decision-making in team management, both in player acquisitions and coaching appointments. He encourages listeners to consider the broader implications of these decisions on playoff prospects and long-term success.

"This is an interesting time for the San Francisco 49ers. They used to be in one group, now they're in the other." ([14:00])

---

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a deep dive into the NFL playoffs, dissecting team performances, quarterback impacts, and coaching strategies. Through insightful analysis and engaging discussions with Jason McIntyre, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex factors influencing playoff outcomes.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

Hi, it's the Herd. NFL playoffs. We're talking about NFL playoffs. You bet we are. Get in on the action in DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NFL. Score big during the NFL playoffs with DraftKings Sportsbook. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now. Use the code HERDHERD. New customers can bet 5 bucks. Get 200 instantly in bonus bets only on DraftKings Sportsbook with code HEARD H E R D. The crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boot Hill casino and resort, Kansas 2021. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG co Audio this message brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward Green River Whiskey Green River Whiskey is the 10th oldest distillery in Kentucky and was once the most expensive Whiskey purchased when 20 barrels were traded for shares in a gold mine. From single barrel bourbons to straight rye, Green River's the perfect combo of rich flavor and richer history. Visit greenriverwhiskey.com to discover a legend in a Bottle. A product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, KY. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com, please drink responsibly. 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 Keep 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 and expires in six months. Whether you're ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven layer dip or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes me want to eat. And this football season, Uber Eats has the best deals for me on game day Food no matter what I'm craving from two for one pizza to buy one get one Wings. Uber Eats. We'll be dropping new deals each week all season long. I'm in Uber Eats the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day. Terms and conditions apply. See app for details. 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. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. It's Thursday, Final Four in college football on the precipice of a huge first NFL playoff weekend 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. You know, it's an interesting time right now in professional football. And so you have the haves and the have nots are both being discussed at the same time. So as we look forward to the weekend of the halves, it's the Chargers, it's the Eagles, you know, it's it's Buffalo, it's Baltimore, it's everybody except Kansas City and Detroit. They get buys. And then it's also fascinating to see what the other teams that did not make the playoffs, what are they going to do in Chicago? What are they going to do with the Raiders? So J. Mac, it's an interesting week. And then you have a team that's been a ham forever and suddenly was a have not. San Francisco 49ers. So they have been usually the team either waiting for a playoff game one week or two, a buy or not a buy. A lot of these bad teams are bad forever. Like a lot of these bad Raiders have been bad forever. Bears have been ridiculous forever. And then there's the Niners and they want to be and are usually in the haves and now they're a have not. And they've got a big decision to make because what you don't want to do is make the wrong decision at quarterback or you will stay a have not forever. You make the bad decision there or you become Dallas when you win, when it doesn't matter and you're never around in January and February to play. And so John lynch, he is telling you now, we are signing Brock Purdy to a big deal. What we know about Brock is that he's our guy.

[Jason McIntyre]

We've got, you know, we have interest.

[Colin Cowherd]

In Brock being around here for a long, long time. He's done so much for our organization. He's won big games and had a little tougher task, as we all did this year with some of the things that happened throughout the course of the year. We just never could string games where.

[Jason McIntyre]

We were all together. And through that he continued to lead.

[Colin Cowherd]

He continued to play at a high level. So we have every interest in him being around. Okay, so it's really interesting. The Niners used to be a have and now it looks like, oh, this year they're a have not. So what we know is the eight teams that won their division all had the best quarterback. First time I can remember. Do you think Brock Purdy is the kind of guy that will be a best quarterback in a division? I do not. You have to reframe the discussion on Brock Purdy. It has to go from ooh, look what he's done to what can he do? Because once he gobbles up a big chunk of the salary, he plays with less talented players. Remember Jared Goff before he got paid in LA? Sean McVay loved him and then he paid him and he didn't love him so much. If you ever wonder if you should pay a quarterback, ask yourself one question. What does our rival think? Because Buffalo loved it when Miami paid Tua big boy money. Buffalo loved it. He's 1 and 8 against the Bills and he can't play when it's cold. Buffalo loved Tua signing a long term deal. By the way, the Eagles loved Daniel Jones signing up for more money with the New York Giants. What do you think Sean McVay thinks with Matt Stafford? Ooh, scary. Brock purdy? Nope. Sean McVay this year, next, probably the following year will have the best quarterback. So ask yourself it's not about what he's done, it's about what can he do once you take people away from him. Scheme and stats. This is where Tua Purdy are very similar. The scheme and the stats make you go, ooh. Eye test. Hammond Egger, Little small, weather affected, need certain weapons, lose weapons, not as good. And what's interesting with the Niners is you already have the answer. How many games you win this year without Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams hurt. Brandon Aiyuk, hurt. You got the answer. When'd you win six, seven, eight games? He got the answer in front of you. So if you're the Niners, you have to reframe the question. And here's something else, because you want to be playing this weekend. The halves. There's 14 halves and that means there's. What do you got? 18 have nots. And the Niners are in the have nots. And one thing we know, if you have a great quarterback and Purdy's not that, in my opinion, you're not going to be winning your division going forward. I mean, good God. Kyle Shanahan, boy genius, has a losing record in San Francisco without Christian McAffrey. Sean McVay doesn't have losing seasons often. Shannon's had him. So one of the disturbing trends is that Stafford needs McVeigh. But is he totally reliant on McVeigh? Because the stats this year for Brock Purdy are disturbing. In the first and second quarter, the schemed quarter, his passer rating is excellent. In the third and fourth quarters, the non schemed quarters, he has a. He has a passer rating that should pay you about $16 million a year, not 58 and so in. It is an interesting time for the San Francisco 49ers. They used to be in one group, now they're in the other. And the only thing that guarantees no Super Bowls is paying a B quarterback a money. You win a bunch of games, so does Dallas, but nobody will take you serious come January. Big decisions. The idea of paying him early has never made any sense. I would let it play out. Oh, by the way, he got hurt again this year. So I saw this story yesterday. Belichick. Bill Belichick made sure as he's on the recruiting trail, he made sure to get a hold of a couple of sources or as people did, to say, hey, I am not going back to the NFL because it's hurting recruiting. And here's the thing. Bill Belichick did such a great job. And you've had this before in your life. Somebody does such a great job doing something, it's the only way I can see them. It's like the Rock. The Rock is an action star. He could do a rom com. But if you're trying to convince me he's going to give up action films for rom coms. His personality is an action film. His experience with wrestling is action. His physique is an action film star. The Rock does action films. I don't Want him crying a lot on screen. I don't want Rock being too tender and huggable. That's not who he is and that's not what he is, and that's not what he's built to be. Bill Belichick is a pro coach. He is much more ROTC than nil. He is rigid. He doesn't pander. He doesn't have time for small talk. And that's what college football is. Hi, volleyball coach. Hey, recruit. Nice to meet you, Mr. Donor. I've always thought it's easier, although the coaching is much better in pro football than college. It's much easier to go psychologically college to pro. Just more football and less nonsense. It's very difficult to be a great pro coach and have to go backwards to college. A lot of handshakes, a lot of pandering, a lot of small talk. I mean, Bill hates mistakes. What do 18 and 19 and 20 year old boys do? Make a lot of mistakes in football and out of it. There's a reason Belichick is an NFL historian. He loves great players and great players play at Georgia and, and they play at Notre Dame and they play at Ohio State and they play at Alabama and lsu. And a lot of great players don't play at Carolina. Now Bill has the advantage of being a big brand and some kids may want to play for him, especially defensive players. But, but Bill was so great at the NFL. I just can't buy into. I don't care what sources say about, you know, Bill, because I saw the stories this morning. Bill's got no interest going back to the NFL. Yeah, and the Rock would have no interest going back to action films if somebody offered him 30 large for one. I'm sorry, that's who Bill is. That's his experience. That's his personality. That's who he is. And so I, I would love to see Bill because, because, you know, some of these offensive coaches, they age well. Sean Payton ages well. Drew Brell is yesterday. Andy Reid is aging well. You see, these old offensive go, old defensive coaches don't generally age as well because they don't necessarily, you know, they're, they're, they're, they're not necessarily always the best adapters. And college football, nil Portal is all about adapting. So I, it just, it's almost like Belichick staying in college. It's like, you know, New Year's resolutions. You can tell me you're going to go to the gym every day. You, you can tell me you're going to keep Your New Year's resolution, and you're going to eat better. You know, about three weeks in, you start to kind of fade off. That nine weeks in, you drive by the gym and think you should go. And 12 weeks in, you just don't. You take a different way to work. Like. Like. So you. You're getting me to buy into. Belichick's gonna love this college football thing. I can't. I just can't do it. He was so great at one thing. I don't buy the other thing. That's where I stand on it. And I still contend Philadelphia or Buffalo get bounced early in the playoffs, and I don't think they will. I think Philadelphia is going to beat Green Bay. I think Buffalo is going to win at home against Denver. I do. But if they got bounced, you are having absolute phone calls to Belichick. My belief is he would pick up the phone for both. All right, J. Mac, we got so many things this weekend. I'm starting to really feel good about my picks this weekend. The one game I'm going to stay away from and you feel strongest about it is Rams, Vikings. I. You love Los Angeles. I like Minnesota. But I am concerned. You have been so good this year. I may just want to stay away. It's the J. Mac factor. Well, you say that in college, but I don't have a strong feeling. Starting tonight with Notre Dame. I think we both. We're going to go watch that together. I think we both know what it's going to look like. Very physical, lot of defense, low scoring. By the way, two NFL quarterbacks, one I like a lot, one you don't. But it's. You have two very talented quarterbacks, two very young, energetic recruiters, two huge brands. I don't see a ton of offense tonight.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I would agree.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a field goal game, a turnover game, a penalty game. Like, it's going to be fewest mistakes wins. Yeah. This is like a appetizer for the five days of football we get, you know, shrimp cocktail kind of game. Yeah, yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

Decent.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like. I like Notre Dame. Yeah. And I mean 23, 20, like Notre Dame. What say you? 17, 16, Irish. Okay. And we both had Notre Dame over Georgia. I do like Ohio State over Texas as well. Tomorrow. That's going to get. That's a little spicy. Start pulling out all the stops in that one. Yeah. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hi, it's the Herd. NFL playoffs. We're talking about NFL playoffs. You bet we are. Get in on the action in DraftKings sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NFL. Scoring touchdowns is the key to winning in the NFL playoffs, and the key to you scoring big is betting on them at DraftKings, the number one place to bet touchdowns. Just download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Super easy to do. 90 seconds and use the code Herd H E R D. Here's another reason to watch your favorite players crush it in the playoffs. New customers bet five bucks to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. So score big during the NFL playoffs with DraftKings Sportsbook. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now. Use the code HERDHERD. New customers can bet five bucks. Get 200 instantly in bonus bets only on DraftKings Sportsbook with code HERD H E R D. The crown is yours. Gambling Problem Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 8778 HOPENY or text HOPENY 467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill casino and resort, Kansas 21. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario, new customers only. Bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance for additional terms and responsible gaming resources C D K N G Co Audio hey folks, this message brought to you by the one and only official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward Green River Whiskey now here's a story that'll knock your socks off. Picture this. Founded way back in 1885, Green River Whiskey is OG Kentucky Cool, the 10th oldest distillery in the state. And get this, it was so valuable back in the day that 20 barrels of the good stuff were traded for shares in a gold mine. That's liquid gold. Literally. But like any great drama, tragedy struck in 1917 with a fire that almost wiped it off the map. Cue the hero music. It was rebuilt on the same hallowed grounds, let me tell you, better than ever. So whether you're sipping their single barrel bourbon or a smooth straight rye, know you're raising a glass to history. Folks, here's to Green River Whiskey, where rich flavor meets richer stories. Hop on over to greenriverwhisky.com Discover a legend in a bottle today. Cheers to that. A product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, KY. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Green RiverWhiskey.com Please drink responsibly hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, and I'm exhausted, but turns out the end is near. Right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some f friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne tha God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everybody? Adnan Virk here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hey, I'm Jason Imers, former 700 game.

[Colin Cowherd]

NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst. And boy, oh, boy, does daddy have a lot to say. I love you, by the way, on NHL Network. We're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I just met you today, but.

[Colin Cowherd]

We'Re gonna have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment.

[Jason McIntyre]

And pop culture, and you know what.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tons of back and forth forth on all things NHL. Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason McIntyre]

Now you wish you could pull off.

[Colin Cowherd]

My short shorts, Ferky. That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burkin Demers in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So, you know, the Chicago Bears have been critical of a lot of the executive suite. Stuff to me is political and it doesn't feel centered. But Ryan Poles, a young gm, did say something because I pushed back on this whole, hey, hire Ben Johnson. He'll fix Caleb Williams. All right, that's part of it. Here's Ryan Poles. Obviously there's ideal fit, but at the end of the day, you got to look at all the characteristics of what you're looking for in the head coach and then you got to see what's the best bundle of those to bring in the building. Obviously we're talking about leadership, accountability, some of those important things that carry over.

[Jason McIntyre]

To ignore those, just to go to.

[Colin Cowherd]

The other side, I think is a bad deal too. Yeah. So I agree with this. The Chicago Bears hire can't just be about Caleb Williams again. It's like getting in, being healthier and losing weight. Can't just be about the gym. You got to eat better and sleep better. It's got to be holistic. Maybe a little less alcohol, you know, and then you at the gym, it's got to be holistic. And when it comes to the Bears, I mean, they got to go all the way down to the gut health. They need cases of kombucha. This is not just a, hey, let's hire a whiz kid. It'll solve everything. Nah, bro, the gym won't solve everything. Can't go Taco Bell four times a week. Gotta do better than that. That's why I've said Mike Vrabel and Pete Carroll, I think they'd be good hires. They're defensive guys because they're culture creators. They've created run games, good defenses. So the quarterback is important, but not the only thing. Maximizing Caleb Williams and maximizing quarterback has its perils. Buffalo, in my opinion, and the Bengals are too. Quarterback reliant. Kansas City was able to win this year when Mahomes wasn't playing great football. Yes, believe it or not, sometimes great quarterbacks have bad stretches. Mahomes has had a few through the years. But Kansas City is more than just Mahomes. It's Steve Spagnola and that defense. And when Pacheco's healthy, a run game and a great tight end in physicality and intelligence. So. So the Philadelphia staff has said, you know what we want. Jalen hurts throwing less and they've won more. Lamar Jackson won the mvp. Baltimore said, let's get him Derrick Henry. They didn't say more Lamar. He won a game this year completing I think 10 passes. So this whole thing about just maximize Caleb. What gay Caleb Williams needs is protection. O line stunk this year. You know my rule in football? Find the quarterback, protect the quarterback. Draft guys who make the other quarterbacks life uncomfortable. The three step plan. You worry about wide receivers running Backs later, quarterback and protect them. Chicago has the quarterback. They couldn't protect him. So they gotta. They gotta solve the old line. He needs protection and guidance. He doesn't need to be shot out of a cannon every week. That's not what wins in this league for years. And I mean, it took Buffalo years to figure this out. They finally went and got Kid K the tight end and James Cook the running back. It was basically you were asking Josh Allen to be Superman every week. Think how great Joe Burrow is on any Sunday. The best quarterback in the league did not make the playoffs. They're too reliant on him. So to me, the Ben Johnson, let's just hire a whiz kid. Can he change the culture? Can he hire a good staff? It's not just about the gym. You got to eat better. It's not just about Caleb and that. That. I mean, I was looking at a stat this morning Jon Jalen hurts. Seven and a half fewer pass attempts per game this year. And I think there have been moments. It's been the best. Jalen hurts. Matt LaFleur has asked Jordan Love to throw less. They acquired Josh Jacobs run more. So, so, So I don't need my quarterback shut out of a cannon. I don't want to be quarterback Reliant. If you told me Caleb Williams, they get a coach, whoever it is, and Caleb throws 28 times a game and rushes five. I'm good. You can go look at Dak's career. When he throws over 38 times a game, he has a losing record. I remember when Kobe Bryant was in his prime. If he scored over 40, the Lakers were less successful. I mean, Michael Jordan's a great example. Speaking of Chicago, Michael loved Doug Collins. Doug Collins put the ball in his hands, score however many you want. Phil Jackson came in and said, you want to be a scorer? You want to hoist trophies? You got to trust your teammates, right? You got to trust Kerr and you got to trust Luke Longley and Scotty Pippen and others and Paxton to hit jumpers. So Chicago's got a history of it. It wasn't just about Jordan. It was. It was Ron Harper and Rodman and Pippen and the length and the perimeter shooters. That's when Jordan won trophies. This is not just a Caleb thing. A slightly different variation of the same team every year, and it's been going on for over a decade. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. 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 the iHeartRadio app. 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 KO Vino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Hey folks, this message brought to you by the one and only official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward, Green River Whiskey. Now here's a story that'll knock your socks off. Picture this. Founded way back in 1885, Green River Whiskey is OG Kentucky Cool, the 10th oldest distillery in the state. And get this, it was so valuable back in the day that 20 barrels of the good stuff were traded for shares in a gold mine. That's liquid gold. Literally. But like any great drama, tragedy struck in 1917 with a fire that almost wiped it off the map. Cue the hero music. It was rebuilt on the same hallowed grounds. Let me tell you, better than ever. So whether you're sipping their single barrel bourbon or a smooth straight rye, know you're raising a glass to history. Folks, here's to Green River Whiskey, where rich flavor meets richer stories. Hop on over to greenriverwhiskey.com, discover a legend in a bottle today. Cheers to that. A product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Green RiverWhiskey.com Please drink responsibly. Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near. Right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'M bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL Unscripted with Virkin Demers.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game.

[Colin Cowherd]

NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst. And boy, oh boy, did does daddy have a lot to say. I love you, by the way. On NHL Network, we're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I just met you today, but.

[Colin Cowherd]

We'Re going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL. Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We had all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL. Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Virky. That shirt of Kaza Ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burke and demers in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ah, here we go live in Los Angeles, Hour two and a Thursday, Notre Dame, Penn State, State. Tonight, it's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. In three minutes, Greg Cosell is going to stop by and excited for that. We're going to talk about all the playoff games and the matchups. It's interesting. I looked this morning, J. Mac. We got 14 teams in the playoffs. The best eight quarterbacks won their division. So it's more and more it's becoming a quarterback centric league. But I think coaching matters more. Experience matters more. Home field can matter. Weather can matter more. Based on like, like some quarterbacks I don't trust going into cold weather. Josh Allen, I do. Mahomes. I do. Big, strong quarterbacks. I do. So here's the NFL wild card weekend schedule. I put these teams in three tiers. So. And you can follow along if you're on TV or radio here. The, the first tier is. It's kind of the trophy class. They can hoist a trophy. I think five teams can win the Super Bowl. I think it's Philadelphia and Detroit, Kansas City, Baltimore and Buffalo, they can hoist a trophy. Now the next class are teams that I think can win a playoff game or two. They can win game or games in the playoffs. I think Green Bay, Minnesota Rams, Chargers, Bucks could win a couple of games. I think Tampa is the weakest of that group, but I think they could win two games. And then there's those who have been invited, and they certainly earned it more of a participation trophy. Pittsburgh, Houston, Denver and Washington. I would be surprised if they won a game. So the Troy the trophy class, certainly capable of making life uncomfortable. That's not to say the teams in the second tier couldn't beat a team in the first tier. And it's not saying Washington can't beat Tampa or the Broncos can't beat the Buffalo Bills, but I kind of feel like there's three tiers. And with that we go to Greg Cosell joining us live, 45 years, NFL Films. So just from the outside, I look at the Chargers, Texans, and I think coach quarterback and consistency on defense. Bolts, bolts, bolts. Chargers are across the board. But it's the playoffs. C.J. stroud can be streaky. You know, Chargers in big games, even with hardball. I don't know yet. What does the film say? What are you expecting in that matchup?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I'm kind of looking at the. The Chargers owe Texans D. Believe it or not, you and I have spent a lot of time talking about Stroud this year. We'll put that aside for the moment. But I think that the Texans are a really interesting defense because over the last many years in sort of the NFL history, so to speak, what are the two positions that everybody says that are premium positions on defense? Edge, pass rusher and corner. And those are two positions that the Texans have really quality players. They've got Hunter and Anderson on the edge. They've got Stingley, who's a top three corner in this league. Now, he doesn't necessarily match up. He almost Always plays left corner. And the rookie Lassiters had a terrific season. Where they're hurting is they've lost their two slot corners, so now they're sort of, you know, working with someone. They picked up Brian, who got cut by New England, and he's been playing slot corner. And the reason I mention that is that's predominantly where McCaffrey McConkey lines up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Lad.

[Jason McIntyre]

McConkey. And McConkey's had an outstanding year. And I'm just curious how that's going to play out because the Texans do like to play man coverage.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. All right, let's talk Denver going into Buffalo. Buffalo's a big favorite for a reason. What I want to concentrate on is Bo Nixon because rookie quarterbacks don't do well in the playoffs. First game, especially on the road. Bonix against Buffalo's defense. Could he succeed? Could he move the chains?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, you know, that's really interesting about the Bills defense. That's my concern in the playoffs for Buffalo, to be honest with you, because they don't really have a dominant pass rush. Von Miller's had some good snaps in recent games, but he's not going to play 40 or 45 snaps in the game. Their secondary, I think, has some questions. Now, they do get their two starting safeties back in Hamlin and Rapp, but it's not a great secondary. So I'm just very curious to see how this plays out because I think that Denver can have some success throwing the football. Now, the issue for them is they've not been able to run the ball with consistency. But I will say this, Colin. The other side of the ball is not being talked about a lot. We know that Josh Allen can be special. We know that their offense in any given game can put up 30. That's what they averaged. But this Denver defense is very, very good. And they've got a lot of really good players. They're very good up front, and they've got a really good corner in Surtan and a really good safety combination that a lot of people don't know about in Lock and Brandon Jones. So this game, I think this game could be. I mean, I could be wrong. Buffalo could win 35, 10 and no one would be surprised. I understand. But there's a part of this game that really intrigues me that thinks it could be a close game.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I think Philadelphia's got the best roster in the NFL and I think one of the ways to beat them is to keep that dominating O line, Saquon Barkley off the field. You're not going to beat. I mean, you got to move the chains against Philadelphia because if you give Saquon and AJ Brown and Hertz and that old line can just suffocate you. It's a little bit like playing Detroit. The best way to beat him is don't let that O line control the clock, the game and the tempo. How does Green Bay's offense match up against the Eagles defense?

[Jason McIntyre]

And this is where you go into the weeds a little bit, because what will Green Bay do in terms of personnel? Because keep this in mind, The Eagles defense has been really, really good. And that's one reason the Eagles can play offense the way they have all season long, because they've not really won a lot of games big, and they've not been ahead big in a lot of games going into the fourth quarter. So defensively, what have they become? They've become a nickel defense since week five, I believe it was when Cooper De Jean became the slot corner. They play about 85% of their defensive snaps in nickel. That's who they are. So the question is, will Green Bay, now that they have two really good tight ends, Kraft has been really good, and Musgrave is back, and Musgrave was considered a better prospect than Kraft. Will the packers play a lot out of two tight ends, Colin. And see how the Eagles play. Will the Eagles play with their nickel where they want to play, or will they go with their base defense and take DeJean off the field, which is not how they really want to play? I think that's something to look at early in this game because that will dictate, based on what you said, if they can control the ball with their run game, which I think they need to do. Both teams are run based.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I like Tampa to beat Washington, and one of the reasons is I think Washington will have trouble running the ball, and I think they'll have trouble stopping the run. So to take a rookie quarterback on the road without much of a run game. And I think Baker Mayfield. I just. I look at Tampa's run game, and I think, not Baker, not Jaden. I think the Bucs run game is the story of this game. What say you?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, and I think that's fair. See, the Bucks have become a really interesting offense. They run a lot of plays because Baker Mayfield has the third most drop backs in the NFL of any quarterback. Yet they run the ball really, really well. Irving has been kind of a revelation. I mean, I really liked him coming out of Oregon, but he's five, nine and a half 192 and I'm not sure anybody. I certainly didn't think he could carry the ball over 200 times as a rookie and he's done that and he's been really, really good and he's dynamic and explosive. Their run game is really good. Now the Commanders do have a very good defensive front, so that's a definite matchup in this game. But the other thing that really strikes me about this game, Todd Bowles since about week 12, we know he blitzes, but Collins since week 12 he's blitzing like crazy. Now Jayden Daniels has been very good against the blitz, but that doesn't deter Todd Bowles. He doesn't care who he's playing against. So I think that's a real critical matchup in this game. How would the Commanders handle the buck splits concepts?

[Colin Cowherd]

So the game, the Monday night game J. Mack loves the Rams and I will admit Darnold struggling against Detroit gives me some pause. I, I guess here's my feeling on Minnesota. I love the coach, I love the quarterback. I love the receivers. I don't necessarily love the O line. I think they're well coached, but I don't think their personnel's great. The Rams are at home. I think they've got a more stable, talented team unit to unit, whereas I think there's some stars in Minnesota, but a few holes, I'm kind of interested. Rams young defensive front is healthy, twitchy, and I kind of think they match up well with the Vikings O line. What do you think?

[Jason McIntyre]

I agree 1000% and the tape shows that the Vikings O line has struggled throughout this season in pass protection. And Darnold, one of the reasons he's become really good this year is he's willing to stay in the pocket and deliver the ball late in the down with bodies around him. But this Rams D line, particularly their sub front where they have Turner and Fisk inside, Young and Verse outside, I think that's going to cause problems for this Vikings O line. And you could make the argument that right now as a rookie that Jared Verse is the best speed to power rusher in the NFL.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow.

[Jason McIntyre]

He's going to give problems to this O line. So that to me it'll be an overlooked element of this game because everybody of course focuses on the quarterback and the skill players. But I think that that could be where this game is won and lost.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, one of the things we were talking about the Chicago Bears earlier and I said, listen, you got to, you got, you got to maximize as Much as you can, Caleb Williams. But it can't just be about Caleb Williams. Joe Burrow didn't make the playoffs because they're too quarterback centric and they're bad other spots. And I look at Baltimore and Lamar wins the mvp and what do they do? They go get him. Derrick Henry. They don't say, lamar, we want more of you. They're like, you know what? We want this to last a long time. We want to be a little less Lamar Reliant. That's why I respect the Ravens so much. So I want to talk about Derrick Henry, not just Lamar here against the Steelers, because I love an organization that has a superstar and doesn't make him put the superman cape on every week. I, I think balt. I think Lamar completed 10 passes once this year and they won a game. I love that. Let's talk Derrick Henry, Ravens against the.

[Jason McIntyre]

Steelers, which is a lot like the Eagles too, in that Jalen Hurts, hasn't thrown a lot of balls in a lot of games. So you talk about Derrick Henry. You know, they lost once to the Steelers and they just didn't give the ball to Henry very much. The second time when they won, they did. You know, I think if you talk to Todd Monk and he'll tell you that Henry is the key to what they do. Now we know how great Lamar is. That's no knock on Lamar Jackson. He's had his best year and he's an unbelievable player and he dictates many things defensively. But you could argue that Derrick Henry is really the starting point. And when they give him the football, everything works off that. And their run game is extremely multiple. So Henry has been terrific. I mean, in any other year. The fact that he gained over 1900 yards, no one's even talking about that because of Saquon. Deservedly so. But 1900 yards isn't bad either. So it does start with him. But I think Lamar has in many ways improved this year as a passer. And when I say that, you know, you can look at the numbers. We know the numbers, they're great. But I think there's things I look for when I watch tape that tell me whether a quarterback is playing at a higher level. And there's examples of that. And actually we've seen it throughout the year. We can go to the play right now if you like, because that's a. There's a great example of it, and it was from last week. I mean, this is a touchdown he threw to Andrews and it just, you know, you see it now it looks, hey, good throw, pretty routine, but this was not in the least bit routine as a throw. And what you're going to see here is you're going to see Jackson, he's in the gun. They're in 21 personnel, which means they have Ricard on the field, okay? And there he is. So they have two backs because he's essentially a back. And they've got Andrews here and he's split the single receiver split to one side of the field and he's going to run a corner out, okay? And they run this a lot with him in the red zone. Now what they're going to do is take Mitchell, who's a very fast back. He's going to run into the flat. So it's really a two receiver route to that side of the field. Now look at what Lamar sees. He sees a post safety. He knows that that safety will not be a factor at all on Andrews corner route. He's not going to get there. So he knows now that he's got the matchup that he likes Andrews vs. Delpit, the safety for the Browns. Now Delpit is a very good player, but you know he'll take Andrews one on one against any safety in the league, certainly in the red zone. So as this play develops, we stop it right here. This is where Lamar has made the decision to throw the football. Okay? Now he sees this. He's not going to throw it right there. He's going to throw it to his spot. But he's made the decision to throw the football. So this is about timing, this is anticipation. And now it requires really precise ball location. And this is really what you look, because look at the Delpit now, where he is in relation to Andrews. He's outside of Andrews. But Lamar knows with Delpit's body turned that way, Colin, he cannot play this throw. So he throws this ball. This is the kind of thing you look for when you study quarterbacks, these kinds of throws. And the ball location is absolutely precise. It's perfect. And you get a really good look at that from this angle. So these are the things you look for. You know, most quarterbacks can throw to guys who are open. Throws like this really dictate how a quarterback's playing. Lamar's made more of those kinds of throws this year than ever before in his career.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, my staff just wrote down that Zay Flowers has been ruled out, which I, I don't love because I do.

[Jason McIntyre]

Think, not a surprise.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he can be a little hit and miss. There's some drops, but he has added, he, he has added an explosiveness which I think is an element. Baltimore is no fun to play. The quarterback's the fastest guy in the field. Derek Henry's. They're just no fun to play. And that's why, by the way, I want to ask you one big broad question and, and I want to go back to Harbaugh and the Chargers again and we can show some video and talk about this. But defensively, it's the same darn team. You know, they added Alt and Lad McConkey and they got a couple of fifth round corners out of college. How in the world has Jesse Minter taken the same personnel and they've gone from 32nd to first. What does the film say on the Chargers revelation on defense?

[Jason McIntyre]

He does a lot of different things. For instance, they're a big team playing what we call big nickel with three safeties. So they take Derwin James and they basically have made him a multi dimensional movable chess piece. And he is a dynamic player who can pretty much do anything on the football field. And he's become foundationally a very important piece. Then one player who was there last year, Colin, and you know him from usc, Tui Polotu. Yeah, he is a really, really good football player. Not talked about enough. Another player that can line up inside, can line up outside. You can stand him up in the middle of your defense. He's a really, really good player who doesn't get talked about enough because Bosa Mack, James, but you know, they just have some players who are multi dimensional, multi positional and can really affect games.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Greg Cosell, 45 years at NFL Films. Never gets old. Great seeing you again.

[Jason McIntyre]

Thanks, Colin. Appreciate it.

[Colin Cowherd]

You bet. All right, let's talk about Amazon Prime. It's not just one thing. It's a collection of services that help you get the most out of whatever you're into. Whether it's a hobby, sport or getting things done fast. Prime's got you covered. Like my hobby for all things sports. You can order sports supplies, listen to content like this, podcast on Amazon music or watch content. You can do it all with Prime. Everybody loves the fast free same day shipping, especially as we kick off the year. But what about all the content you can listen to on Amazon Music, Music to podcast, fast shipping. What is not to love about this membership I'm in? Prime fuels your passions, makes everything easier. So whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com PrimeNow this message brought to you by the official Whiskey of the Herd with Colin Coward Green River Whiskey Green River Whiskey is the 10th oldest distillery in Kentucky and was once the most expensive Whiskey purchased when 20 barrels were traded for shares in a gold mine. From single barrel bourbons to straight rye, Green River's the perfect combo of rich flavor and richer history. Visit greenriverwhiskey.com to discover a legend in a bottle. A product of Green River Distilling Company Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com, please Dr. Responsibly whether you're ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven layer dip, or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes me want to eat. And this football season, Uber Eats has the best deals for me on game day food no matter what I'm craving from two for one Pizza to buy one get one Wings. Uber Eats will be dropping new deals each week. All season long I'm in Uber Eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day. Terms and conditions apply. See app for details. 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 Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts what's up everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Verkin Demers, Jason.

[Jason McIntyre]

Emers here, And after playing 700 NHL.

[Colin Cowherd]

Games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out. Hey, I got a lot to say here too, okay? Each week we'll get together chat with the sport that we love.

[Jason McIntyre]

Tons of guests are going to join.

[Colin Cowherd]

Into, but we're not just gonna be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking TV food and Adnan's favorite wrestling.

[Jason McIntyre]

It's all on le Table.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to NHL Unscripted with Verkin demers in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.