← The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Colin Cowherd Podcast - NFL Schedule Reaction: 49ers Cakewalk Schedule, Chiefs BRUTAL Schedule, Caleb Williams Didn’t Want To Be A Bear
00:37:44
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- [00:00]
Colin Cowherd
You're listening to an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
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John Mittlekoff
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John Mittlekoff
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- [01:49]
John Mittlekoff
Youm'Ve heard me talk about Green River Whiskey, the official whiskey. The Colin Cowherd Podcast. I love a good metaphor, so here's one for you. Green River Whiskey is like a big.
- [01:58]
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- [02:00]
John Mittlekoff
Always sure to raise your spirits. So pair the thrills of this playoff season with Green River Whiskey. To find Green river near you, head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com here's the green River Whiskey Raise your spirits. A product of Green River Distilling Company, Owensboro, Kentucky. Alcohol by volume varies by product. Greenriverwhiskey.com, please drink responsibly the volume hey, so we all make mistakes, but owning up to them is the right thing to do. So you know degree Cool Rush deodorant, right? Well, last year they changed the formula and it did not go over well with their fans. So Degree's whole thing is it turns up the sweat and odor protection when you turn up the effort. And good thing it does, because Cool Rush fans really turned up the effort to bring the original formula back. One guy even started an online petition and Degree listened. They admitted they effed up. They're bringing back the original Cool Rush scent. They're bringing it back and it's exactly how you remember it. Cool, crisp and fresh. It's back in Walmart, Target and other stores now for under $4. There's a reason it's been the number one men's antiperspirant for the last decade. It's the same reason why people were not happy when it changed. So if you've never tried it, it might be a good time to see what the fuss is about. Head to your local Walmart, Target and try the OG Degree Cool Rush for yourself. So, John Mittlekoff, former NFL scout three and out podcast. Let's talk some NFL schedule stuff. We'll do a half hour on this. I think it's my first take is. So I looked at the Niner schedule and I knew it would be easy. And then I watched the way it was laid out and I'm like, if you take out Stafford twice and C.J. stroud once, this is the weakest schedule in 15 years. The Atlanta Falcons had this schedule back in. No, I think it was 2015. It'd be 10 years. So it's the weakest schedule in a decade. And I'll throw this at you. I said, if I was John lynch and looked at the schedule, I would sign Brock Purdy now. Because this schedule screams 12 and 5, 13 and 4, and right now he's coming off a losing season. So if you have any leverage, could I say, John, it's the next month to 2.
- [04:15]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I mean, I think his. We obviously have spent so much time talking about this. His whole thing is comparing himself to other guys and these recent contracts of guys like Jordan Love, who played eight games and got 175 million Tua, who got 160 million, Trevor Lawrence, who got $200 million. Like, he, he does have a leg to stand on, given that he's played well and, you know, been a part of a team that was in a Super Bowl. But my issue is like, that money's coming, like he's getting the contract. We don't know exactly 150 million, 180 million, 130 million. I'm sure that's. You pay him. Let's just say conservatively $50 million a year. Kyle's one of the highest paid coaches at 15 to 18 million dollars a year. If I'm paying my head coach and my quarterback close to $70 million a year at minimum, I don't care who else is on the team because this roster is not as good as it was a couple years ago. I need double digit wins. I, I mean we've seen it with the, with the Rams the last couple of years. They found a way as they retooled I would say anything less than double digit wins. I have supported Kyle thinking like oh he's on the hot seat. That was insane talk. But there is a contingent of those humans that exist. You know, Kyle can rubs people the wrong way. I think he's a pretty elite coach. He's proven that. But this is a big year for him to again, I don't need 12, 13 wins. I don't think the roster is quite as good. But if the Ravens or the Bills or the Chiefs had this schedule we'd be talking like can they run the table? 10 wins minimum I think is more than fair and I think that is going to be the expectation or things have gone really, really sour.
- [05:46]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, I said that if you, if you gave Stafford burrow not borough because Cincinnati I don't trust their front office and ownership but if you gave Josh Allen, Lamar Mahomes and I think Stafford and McVeigh this we would be talking about 13 or 14 wins. I mean that's even Vegas would probably put the over under 12 to 12 and a half. So you know, I think one of things that bothered me John, I've said this and this is my interpretation. I could tell when Bill Belichick took over drafting with the Patriots he was drafting players who would plug immediate holes often reaching for people. General managers tend to have a little bit of a, a longer vision. I can tell when Pete Carroll in Seattle I could tell they were, they were reaching on some players and I'm like that's not John Snyder. Last couple of drafts when John's controlled them have been excellent. I do feel like the last couple of years I fel like Kyle's had a lot of say in drafting. I I find their drafts for the moment, not for the future. I I Ricky Pearsall it's like you've got Jennings and Debo and Iuk and Kittle and McCaffrey. You've got enough pass catchers. That felt like a coach who wanted a little, you know, wanted to replace Debo that's what I see. I, I, I, I tend to be able to say, okay, I can tell that the coach's draft or a coach is putting pressure. I didn't like the Niners draft. I thought they didn't attack the offensive line, which is a huge issue. What did you view of their draft?
- [07:13]
Colin Cowherd
I've come to the expectations now Kyle's admitted like we don't value offensive linemen unless we think you're like an all time great. We'll pick a skill guy or definitely a defensive lineman, which I'm for. But they just don't draft offensive linemen, especially tackles. He's not going to draft a tackle in the third round, which I think is insane. I had a college scouting director because I was talking a lot about this too during and before the draft how, you know, different personnel departments work. He says you can always tell when the coach is heavily involved because they treat the draft. You can tell they're looking at the depth chart. You know, scouts in front offices aren't consumed with the depth chart because the depth chart to Kyle is week one against Seattle. You know, John lynch and these like Mikel Williams is a real pick, right? The kid from Georgia.
- [07:57]
John Mittlekoff
That's right.
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Colin Cowherd
Big picture pick that any team takes. That's not the depth chart. Whether you had 10 defensive ends or one, you have no problem picking him. But like you said Ricky Pierce all it's like, well, you know, this IUK things going sour. We're already turning on Debo. He might, we might trade him right now or over the next year. That's a depth chart move. And I think that's where you get into trouble. You know, there's a balance of need and big picture. But coaches are just all Kyle's. Kyle's not worried about 2027. He's worried about this year trying to win 11 games and be in the playoffs. And I don't blame him. But that's why there's got to be a little separation between church and state. You know, look at the Eagles have the most powerful gm, look how they've drafted and the coaching staff coach the players. It's gone pretty well.
- [08:42]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, it's so and I also think there are things. I think Arizona is going to be a real team. I think, I think Seattle's roster is really impressive. I think the Vikings will miss Sam Darnold and I think the Rams defense, I think it's the best young defense in the NFL. So I, I thought last year was a year where Arizona and the Rams over. I mean I thought the Rams overachieved a little. I thought the Arizona wasn't quite there yet with a new coach. And I thought Seattle with Geno Smith had limitations at quarterback. I think the division's much better. So yeah, I mean so I just, I just don't feel it. The schedule's a, it's a save. I'll tell you that because I do think this though.
- [09:20]
Colin Cowherd
Colin, if you go. We do agree Kyle Shanahan has faults at times. Is one of the better coaches in the NFL.
- [09:26]
John Mittlekoff
Yes. Yeah.
- [09:27]
Colin Cowherd
Listen. Robert Sala, head coach, jets not an easy spot. Little over his head. Most people view him as an excellent defensive coordinator. I, I, I don't know. I don't have the spreadsheet because it's not public. I would imagine Kyle and Robert Sala, when you combine the head coach and defensive coordinator beside like Andy and Spags, there can't be a higher paid combination. This is a coaching league. Right. Because you talk a lot about this. The margins are small. I think you've got to like your chances. Even if you got some now random players on the team.
- [09:57]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah.
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Colin Cowherd
That their, their coach, their offensive and defensive coordinator. The guys calling the place are really good. So I'm a little more bullish now. We're going to find out pretty quickly like if they've whiffed on some picks. I don't care if you got Bill Walsh and Belichick in his prime. You can only do this. Is the NFL like you need some of these guys to become players.
- [10:17]
John Mittlekoff
So I want to talk about Kansas City. So when you have a dynasty, every dynasty's got a weak spot. Like when New England got into trouble, was near the end of the second dynasty when they just didn't have enough receiver speed. When they couldn't separate, Tom had to play perfect. Nobody could get open the famous sideline shot of him screaming, somebody get open. That was the hole in their dynasty. Outside of the Randy Moss years, you know they, they weren't electric down the field. It was more tight ends run game, Tom's efficiency. Tom's 23 for 29. They just don't make mistakes. They beat you late. They were never electric except the Randy Moss years. On the perimeter, Kansas City's weakness has been immature wide receivers and offensive line. When they've been blown out and it's only happened a couple times, both in Super Bowls, they've had left tackle issues or offensive line depth problems. They're just missing good players. So I look at this year, Joe Tuney was their best offensive lineman he's not a replaceable guy. There's nobody in the draft close. They're now going left tackle. For a guy that was a backup in San Francisco. This is to me the weakest O line they've had entering a season. Can they make a move at the trade deadline? Certainly possible. But if you go look at their first 10 games, John, even the bad teams they play, the Giants now have Abdul Carter, Dexter Lawrence Thibodeau. On the other side, the Raiders have Max Crosby. The Broncos, they're better than Broncos led the NFL in sacks. The Jaguars have a good defensive front. I'm just mentioning the games that look like wins. I looked at Kansas City schedule early and I'm like, they could have used some of those games late because, you know, it takes a while to create cohesion. You don't, you don't replace Joe Tooney in the preseason like you, you need snaps. I thought Kansas City schedule was about as tough as the league deals to a Andy Reed Mahomes pairing.
- [12:21]
Colin Cowherd
Well, I also think it's easier on players to play, you know, games at noon in Kansas City than they have. Five of their first eight games are prime time and they got to go to Brazil, which I understand the international, especially now with streaming, the Brazil thing, I don't quite get Colin going.
- [12:36]
John Mittlekoff
I don't like it.
- [12:37]
Colin Cowherd
I don't quite understand that market. But I'll say this about the Chiefs. Their first round draft pick would have been a top 10 pick had he not torn his knee. Well, that's pretty big red flag towards knee. But assuming that he can come back, they did get a very, very talented guy in Josh Simmons that can play left tackle. Now, whether he's ready for the start, whether he goes on pop, time will tell. But that was not just this year, but over the course of the next several years they might have found their starting left tackle, the BYU kid that ultimately got benched and Tuney had to move to left tackle. I think they plan on moving him to guard. So Eddie Reid has a long history of mix and matching and figuring things out. I know you're high on the Chargers and I am too. I'm a Jim Harbaugh homer. Of course they take a running back in the first round that'll end up being like a 1400 yard rusher by a second year. But I just can't. And I have been someone and I know these guys personally. I've bet against them twice now in the last two years against the Ravens and the Bills and that was the playoffs and I'VE been burned. We saw last year. Everyone was nitpicking them week in, week out. They won every freaking game. Now the big difference between them and the Patriots is Patriots benefited. Their division was pretty terrible. Like this version of the Bills team was not even close. Miami was a joke, right?
- [13:52]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah.
- [13:52]
Colin Cowherd
So their division, this division is really, really hard. I mean Pete Carroll, if he's the worst, has the worst team in your division, like that's a problem. But I think the Chiefs, you know, we throw this. The word culture I think sometimes gets thrown around too liberally. It's real in Kansas City. Like they're winning, understanding. Listen, there's going to be a year when they don't make the super bowl and they get knocked out in the second round. But it's going to be hard. You're going to have to knock them out. And I'm picking them to win the division until they don't. Now this is clearly, I would say of the last five or six, you know, since the Mahomes era, going to be the most difficult. But you know, con The Giants, Week 3 at Jacksonville, like I get it Sunday night, Monday night, big moment for those two against Liam Cohen and this Jackson dart, maybe Russell Wilson, like I'm just picking the Chiefs in those games.
- [14:40]
John Mittlekoff
Is there anything that, I mean they have the Vikings back to back in London. I don't like Minnesota like everybody else. I think they're a fourth place team. Was there anything about the schedule that jumped out to you?
- [14:53]
Colin Cowherd
I think when you look at, I lump Minnesota and Chicago in the same thing. I got 30 years of history. Green Bay every year for the Most part is 10 plus wins. Right?
- [15:02]
John Mittlekoff
Right.
- [15:02]
Colin Cowherd
And the Lions now I think have established themselves. What happens in the playoffs, who knows. But they're going to be a double digit win team. When you look at the Bears and you look at Minnesota because of the divisions that they drew this year in the rotation, it's hard. And the pressure. Listen, this Caleb thing, I'm sure we'll talk about it. A lot of pressure on him, a lot of pressure on the Bears, a lot of pressure on McCarthy and the pressure is not like on DJ Moore or Justin Jefferson. It's squarely on the quarterback. And these games, like you said, you, you open, you open your, your NFL career at Chicago, well that's just, that's tough. And hell, you could argue the same thing on, on the flip side about at Caleb Williams, your first game with his new coach Monday night. For everyone watching, like these are just intense environments on these two Quarterbacks. Now Caleb has some seasoning like he JJ does. Not in terms of ever played a regular season game. But I think those two schedules for those two guys, not every team in this division can win 10 plus games. One of these teams is going to go eight or nine or worse, right? It's going to be one of those two teams. I don't know which one. Like I know Kevin o' Connell can be a head coach. I love the Vikings roster but man, this guy's never started a regular season game. If you told me right now he's a top 15 quarterback, I'd be like, they'll win 10 or 11 games, no problem. But if you tell me it's rocky, I don't care how you could have 10 Justin Jeffersons if your quarterback plays overwhelmed, it's hard. I mean we see it every year. Good teams with their quarterback plays poor, well, you're screwed.
- [16:31]
John Mittlekoff
And the packers drafted a first round wide receiver. The Lions are stacked offensively. The Bears have spent a fortune on their offensive line. J.J. mcCarthy is going to have to throw the ball 35 times. This is not a defensive division. This is not the AFC North. This is the NFC North. And it is going to be a track meet. And so that's my question with J.J. mcCarthy. I would feel differently if you were in a different division. But Detroit is stacked offensively with the best O line in the league. You can say what you want about Ben Johnson is going to be better with Caleb Williams, the Mattyber Fluth and Dolman and Tuney change the offensive line. And then Green Bay's Green Bay, they went and got another wide receiver. Which tells you we're going to make this Jordan Love thing work. And it wasn't terrible last year. There was some bumps. So my thing is McCarthy, who never threw the ball at Michigan is going to be asked to throw the ball 40 times a game. A lot. Because either they'll be trailing or they'll be in shootouts. This is going to be a shootout division. So I just don't love them with that as the marquee to the movie.
- [17:35]
Colin Cowherd
But do you feel comfortable? I mean, listen, we have a strong recent history of these young offensive coordinators hitting the ground running and being stars. Some of them get overwhelmed historically in the league like Ben Johnson. It is. This is not an easy first job, right? It's like solid with the Jets. A lot of people are watching. There's a ton of hype. The Caleb stuff is already. Even though it's weird, right? Everything we're Talking about today in this article is based on something 18 months ago. It's not like he just said this yesterday, but still, I mean, this is something that carries with you. I think there's a ton of pressure on him because I would say the same thing about Caleb. Like he's just going to out duel the LA Flores offense and the Lions group. I mean, it's going to be hard. Like he's going to get in some shootouts. You know, he kind of freelanced now. He's more comfortable. He has a history he is used to. I've been in shootouts. I can play like that. JJ was not. I mean, JJ was on a team that, I mean was the big. Ohio State is always built like an SEC team, but Harbaugh built that thing like an SEC team with unlimited NFL players where they hand the ball off and they play defense. So.
- [18:39]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, that's right.
- [18:41]
Colin Cowherd
One of those two teams. I got to give it a little more time. But it's just not going to go as well as the hype because the expectations I would say for, I mean for Minnesota, they have a. What do you think? A top six, seven roster in the NFL minus the quarterback. I mean they got one of the better teams in the NFL top to bottom. And I say the Bears have a pretty damn good roster too.
- [19:00]
John Mittlekoff
Oh, I totally think, I think Chicago's offensive, you go line tight end receivers and Ben Johnson, I just don't see, you know, I mean, go look at Hackett, DeShawn Payton, it was a touchdown to eight points a game. And I think Eber flew to. Ben Johnson is probably somewhere between a field goal and six points a game. Just.
- [19:23]
Colin Cowherd
But here's the thing though, Colin, and this is what I get back to with the coordinator Ben, with Detroit who was just became like Kyle Shanahan or McVeigh or whoever, all he had to worry about was the place. Right now on Monday, what happens when your backup safety got a DUI on Tuesday? Hey, this guy, turns out he shattered his ankle. Like you have all this other stuff coming. You can't just sit there and scheme plays NonStop, especially the first time head coach. And then when the game's going on, you got to manage the clock. You got a lot going on for the first time ever, it's just a tougher transition. And that's where Kevin o' Connell to me has a big advantage. He is used to just being the play caller slash the boss. Like there is a learning. If you told me, hey John, you not only need to get all the content and record a podcast. We now need you to run the sales and the graphics and do some cuts you need to do. Like it'd be there'd be a curve for a couple months of me figuring out how to manage everything right. So that's I'm always just hesitant when it comes to guys first time head coaches. Like think how much easier Pete Carroll, he's sitting in that desk he's very comfortable in, you know, telling who what to do when like he's just done it before. So that's, that's the only thing. And I'm not anti Ben Johnson. I mean what he did the last couple of years was awesome. It is just a lot harder taking on a lot more responsibility and trying to maintain your boy genius kind of narrative. The way everyone talks about them like.
- [20:47]
John Mittlekoff
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- [22:20]
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- [24:34]
John Mittlekoff
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- [27:42]
Colin Cowherd
Didn't Caleb kind of come out or like some of his people right away after you said that and say it's kind of right?
- [27:48]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, well, they said, we're good, we're good. Of course they did. They don't. And I, and you know, you know, like, I knew the game. That's why I didn't react to that. I knew what was going on. I knew what I'd been told. I knew it was the truth. Somebody who'd been good never burned me. It was fourth or fifth time I'd gotten good information from somebody. But the point was I didn't blame him. I said, yeah, if my son was a quarterback, I wouldn't want him to play for the Bears. They've never had a 4,000 yard passer. That's literally impossible. That's like driving a car for your entire life and never having a parking ticket or a speeding ticket. It's just going to happen. It's inevitable. Right. And when the story came out today, my take is it just doesn't bother me. Like they looked into, you know, what could they do legally and they said, yeah, the only way around it's just to do an Elway and go public and let's just not do it. But it doesn't bother me. We've got an Eli situation, we've got an Elway. And I think the Bears are historically unique. They've just never done that position. Right. Does it bother you now that Seth Wickersham comes out and says, yeah, they thought about making a stink?
- [28:58]
Colin Cowherd
No. I mean, ultimately I don't really give a. But I would say this, I don't think it helps Caleb. And I always take the stance of like, I never blame, you know, Wives, parents, their relationship with a player is so much different than everyone else. Right. So that they are so much closer to the sun emotionally. I, it doesn't bother me. I know people with Oklahoma. I was hearing a long time ago that his dad's a lot. That's part of college sports. You deal a lot with the parents in the pros. Nobody wants to hear from mom or dad. Not a soul. We're paying Caleb $40 million guaranteed. Let's throw 30 touchdowns. And I think his comments sometimes like, you know, he's trying to be a supportive dad. No one has any issue with that. Jaden Daniel's mom forces all the floozies to stay away from her son. Well, guess what, her son's playing really well in football. She doesn't talk anything about his professional life. It's all personal stuff. This guy comes out and makes comments about the CBA is unconstitutional. The rookie wage scale. Well, why did they create a rookie weight scale? Because guys like jamarcus Russell were scamming the league where the veterans weren't getting the money. So Caleb, you know, if that rookie wage scale hadn't been. So when you make comments like that, people kind of look side eyed. Listen. And the other thing that really comes through is Ryan polls is quoted in there like, we're taking you, buddy, so get ready. Like this. You talk about this a lot. Player empowerment. The NFL doesn't really roll like that. I would say this. If you're Ryan polls like, you know Adam Peters. Do you think Adam Peters right now would trade Jaden Daniels for Caleb Williams in this situation? And here's the other thing. A lot of Caleb's. Caleb wasn't making these comments about the CBA or going to the UFL is coming from his dad. But all these comments get aggregated and a lot of the players in the league see this and they're like, who does this kid think he is? And I just think it adds pressure. And again, this is. I would be more worked up if these comments came last week or two weeks ago. This was last January, February, before he got into the NFL. But I'm sorry, it just does not help his situation. It adds pressure. It just has a lot of craziness to the situation. New coach and they get to start fresh. But I just think that like we just need to calm down and just, and just win some games and throw some touchdowns before you start. Remember last year, the equity talk, we want in on the franchise. You're going to go to the UFL and sit out of Here, like, give me a break, you know? And again, this is his dad, not. It's. Caleb's not saying, I'm going to the ufl. And at the end of the day, all these comments didn't come true. He just allowed. He went to the Bears and what. They were not wrong about the coaching staff. I mean, that was a disaster, which we all knew coming in. But I think sometimes with a very aggressive parent like this, and I haven't seen a quote from Caleb's dad since he got in the league, you got to be careful about saying some of this stuff because your son has to cash those checks on the field. So I just think if you're the Bears, like, you're like, oh, my God, when you see this come out. Because, again, didn't he write a book on a bunch of quarterbacks? And this is the thing that gets cut. And this is, you know, the headlines going viral, getting sent around. I'm telling you, Adam Peters goes to bed like, God, my cornerbacks just no issues, no. No problems. And it's just sometimes it's your family, but, man, this is. You just don't want to have to deal with any of this, especially when you're not making plays. I mean, it just. It did not go well.
- [32:28]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, the. I. I think he's set up for success now. I mean, we were talking about it in the show today. Tua and Jared Goff had bad first years and bad relationships with or at least coach coaches that didn't get them. I do think there's more good offensive coaching than ever before in the league. And your second or third team, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield. You know, Baker got Liam Cohen and McVeigh after Freddy Kitchens. Like, it does sometimes take a while. It used to be if your first place didn't work, there just weren't that many great offensive coaches in the league, and they weren't leaving places where they were located. Now, guys, it's a much more mobile society. There's good offensive coaches. If you have one or two good years at a place, you're a head coach. If you're an offensive coach. So you can. You can actually have a hiccup in your first stop and maybe your second and maybe get a third shot. So I think that bodes well for Caleb, like a Jared Goff. I didn't think he stood a chance last year. I think it's much more set up to succeed the. You know, we talk a lot, Aaron Rodgers, and I know it's tiring, but. And I, I really don't care where he goes. If he retired, great. If he goes to Pittsburgh, fine. They're a third place team. I don't really care. And he has some personal drama situation in his life so I can have some sympathy for that. I don't really care that if you were in the league and worked in the league, if he just retired, how would Pittsburgh view him if they were caught off guard?
- [34:01]
Colin Cowherd
I just don't think they had many other options. Like I don't think that they are losing a bunch of sleep over the situation which sounds crazy but we have a pretty good sample size now. Knowing that they think they could get around, I don't know somehow not having, attempting to get a Joe Burrow, a Lamar Jackson just drafting quarterbacks year in, year out. But at this point in time, Colin, it's May 15th. I mean what are we doing here? I mean I think they have to at least have come to grips with like everything's kind of on the table here. They cannot for a very old school organization. I saw a quote from I don't think he's the Papa Rooney. He's like the 60 year old Rooney. That said, you know, we don't love playing at night late in the season it's like well that usually means you're good. Comes with the territory. You think Andy Reid wants to play all these night games? No, but it's, it comes with being the Chiefs. You're the Pittsburgh Steelers. I just think they have gotten to this position where it's hard. I mean look at the Saints, Drew Brees retires and they're just going through quarterbacks. They try to Derek that failed. Now they're in this weird position with a 28 year old rookie. It's not like an easy solution but they've shown their true colors of like their organizational philosophy is run the ball and play defense. That has Bruce Arians when Roethlisberger was turning into a star, the Rooney family was not happy with them throwing the ball so much. That was when they were winning the Super Bowl. You know the organizational philosophy does not start with Mike Tomlin. It starts with the Rooney family. Play D, run the ball. I mean look, they draft that running back who I like, the Iowa kid and they drafted defensive tackle in the first. They've been doing the same thing since well before I was alive. And I think they are going to be doing it well after Tomlins gone one day. So I think whether Roger shows up or whether they Mason Rudolph hands the ball to Caleb Johnson and they Try to stuff the run with Harmon and T.J. watt, like that's how they're going to play, which is insane. But you could argue even if he shows up, they're going to beat Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson and some of these teams. So it's the Bills. What are we even talking about? They are kind of stuck. They're like the better version of the Post. Peyton, Drew, Bree, Saints. But it still doesn't get you anywhere. And it leads actually to a lot more animosity where it's like, what are we doing? Like, how often are we celebrating? He's never had a losing season. Yes, we know he's really good coach, but like if the organization. We don't pick or go after young quarterbacks. Why not just draft a quarterback every year in the top couple rounds? Just until you figure it out. When you're in this position, you got to take some swings. Let's just resign Mason Rudolph and trade for. It's like this is not going to work, guys.
- [36:36]
John Mittlekoff
Well, just the fact they keep going back to Mason Rudolph, I mean they just, they. It tells you they're just uncomfortable with risk offensively.
- [36:45]
Colin Cowherd
Well, they, they tried last year, right. Which was a little out of there. They're like, we'll get these two guys. And it ended and they. You could tell like that wasn't really our thing. You know, Russell, big personality. Fields got some limitations, but ideally probably not a starter for us. They didn't like that. And I give them credit for trying what they tried. They punted on Kenny Pickett and clearly they're like, we're not doing that thing again. Too many people talking about their. But now they're waiting on Aaron Rodgers. I don't know. They're in just a weird space for a franchise that. I mean, what would you say in your lifetime one of the better run American sports franchises in America?
- [37:21]
John Mittlekoff
I thought until maybe 12 years ago, I thought you could argue they were the best overall franchise most of my life. I mean, I started watching football 1972, but from like 1974, 75 until maybe 10 to 12 years ago, I thought there were in the. You know, they were in the argument with the Patriots. You know, Patriots had down years, but the Brady years. But I mean they were just like, well run. And now they're. It's.
- [37:49]
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- [37:50]
John Mittlekoff
I always find this. This ish. Is fascinating to me. Old, successful people that can't age well and I. It's. It's just really, really weird to me when you like when you see Bobby Knight, I'm not going to do the one and done. Why not? Don't you want to win games? Like, I don't get it or Belichick? Matt, Patricia is the offensive coordinator. Bill, you're smarter than that. What are you doing? Like, it's fascinating to me that all the people in the building in Pittsburgh and they can't get the offensive line right, they can't get quarterback right. And they're not. I mean, Kenny Pickett I guess was a swing, but it's like, it's not that hard. I think sometimes I underestimate the gap between, like, Sean McVeigh. I did this the other day. The Steelers are the opposite of the Rams. The Rams spend money on a young, progressive offensive coach. Steelers on an old defensive coach. One team has made the playoffs like seven of the last eight years. The Steelers haven't won a playoff game in like eight years or something. You know, one team spends no money on defense. One leads the league in spending on defense. One never takes a chance on character. Guys like, they just, they don't put them on their draft board. One makes a living off that. It's almost. If I can't quite figure the Steelers out, they want character. But nobody's had more divas and high maintenance offensive guys than the Steelers. They want to win, but then they don't take care of the number one position. Like, I just, I find them. I feel like there's a messaging issue in the building. And like Omar Khan, my sources don't consider him like a great general manager.
- [39:42]
Colin Cowherd
Yeah, I know that. What was his name? Colbert, the former gm, I think was really, really highly thought of in NFL circles by personnel people. I think people would say that they've dropped off, you know, in terms of that. Just the group, Khan and his group relative to Colbert, I would say the other thing is, you know, once the Ravens moved to Baltimore and Ozzy and Dacosta was with them the whole time, they had, you know, during the 2000, now they had really good teams, but they basically played the Steelers every year. They became their rival and they copied the way they did things like toughness, hardcore guys playing any environment, toughest team in the league. And now over the last decade plus, it's like we do it better than you. So we had a front row seat. It's like you're our main competition in business. We know exactly how you do things. Yet we're a little more open minded and progressive to the way that we scout coach. However, and we've now lapped you because that's what it feels like. The Ravens are running circles around them. And hell, the Ravens can't even get over the hump in the playoffs. But they're in a different universe than the Steelers and then the Bengals. Listen, a lot of people make fun of them, but they've hit on some players over the years and getting Joe Burrow changed that franchise, regardless how weird and rinky dink it can feel sometimes. But I, I do think the Ravens kind of getting their blueprint and then modernizing it like the Internet version has really hurt. If the Ravens were a little bit more of just a regular run of the mill, you know, 10, 11 win team, but they just have become a dominant NFL team, especially with Lamar. It has made the Sealers look a lot worse. I mean, look, anyone could have had Derek Henry, right? They got him for $8 million. Boom, he goes there, he runs for whatever, almost 2,000 yards and they give him an extension. It's like a no brainer. It's like, shouldn't the Steelers have been all over a guy like that? I mean they were kicking Najee Harris to the curb and I just think that the Steelers are just kind of in this weird spot. They're too well run and they, you know, Mike Tom is too high level of a guy. They're never going to suck. Like they're never going to have a season where it's like, oh, this is the year they drafted six. It's just not going to happen. But drafting 16th to 20th every year is not a great place to be either because they're doing it basically every year for what, a decade plus. They haven't won a playoff game since they beat Kansas City in the second round. I think that was Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Levy on Bell were there where their star offensive player. That's a long time ago, Colin.
- [42:08]
John Mittlekoff
Yeah, well, last 16 years, Ravens, including playoffs have won the most games in that division. And that was about, I think Steve Boschotti bought the franchise 20 plus years ago, but it took him a few years to get it right. And to your point, I think they copied the Steelers model a little bit. I mean, in that cold weather part of the country, there are certain absolutes like you have to be able to run the football, you have to play really good defense, you better have good offensive lines, you're not going to be throwing the ball down the field. In fact, I could argue before Zay Flowers, I just, I didn't think Baltimore drafted wide receivers particularly well. They drafted everything else exceptionally well. The Steelers draft wide receivers exceptionally well, but they've had a lot of misses on the offensive line and quarterbacks and other spaces. So it is. It is a weird franchise. Okay, this is just a little bit. A little bit of schedule talk and that's good. Enjoy it. Have a good weekend everybody.
- [43:02]
Colin Cowherd
See you.
- [43:04]
John Mittlekoff
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- [46:24]
Colin Cowherd
You're listening to an I Heart podcast.