Hour 1 - Ohio State and Texas Advance, JJ McCarthy Drawing Trade Interest

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 1: Ohio State and Texas Advance, JJ McCarthy Drawing Trade Interest

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Episode: Hour 1 - Ohio State and Texas Advance, JJ McCarthy Drawing Trade Interest
• Release Date: January 2, 2025
• Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a thought-provoking, opinionated journey through the top sports stories of the day, focusing on football in this episode.

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1. Introduction and Overview

The episode kicks off with Colin Cowherd welcoming listeners and setting the stage for the day's primary discussions: the advancing performances of Ohio State and Texas in college football, and the increasing trade interest in Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy. The conversation promises in-depth analysis, personal insights, and notable quotes to provide a comprehensive understanding of these topics.

2. Ohio State’s Performance and Significance

Colin and co-host J. Mac dive into Ohio State’s recent performance, highlighting their resilience and growth as the best team in college football despite earlier setbacks.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Resilience and Growth: Ohio State's ability to recover from close losses, such as their narrow defeat at Otson and a stumble against Michigan, showcases their strength and potential.
  • Player Development: The emergence of key players like Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs has been pivotal. Their recruitment and transfers have paid off, elevating the team's overall performance.
  • Coaching Stability: Ryan Day's secure position as head coach reinforces the program's stability and long-term vision.

• Notable Quote:

  • [04:04] Colin Cowherd: “Ryan Day’s in line for a natty potentially so there's always been an understanding in the NFL that football, real football, starts post Thanksgiving…”

3. Texas Football Analysis

The discussion shifts to Texas football, examining their recent games, disciplinary issues, and overall team dynamics.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Inconsistent Performance: Texas has shown moments of brilliance but is plagued by penalties and lack of discipline, leading to mixed results on the field.
  • Coaching Decisions: The critique of Texas coach Dillingham's strategies, including controversial targeting calls that affected game outcomes.
  • Roster Strength: Despite having a deeper roster with more NFL-caliber players, Texas struggles with consistency, making them a difficult opponent despite their talent.

• Notable Quote:

  • [07:10] Colin Cowherd: “How many penalties they had? I don't know. How many? How many three and outs did they have?"

4. JJ McCarthy and Minnesota Vikings Trade Speculations

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback situation, focusing on JJ McCarthy's growing trade interest amid the complexities of the quarterback market.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Trade Dynamics: With Sam Darnold performing above expectations, the Vikings find themselves in a position where trading JJ McCarthy could yield valuable draft picks.
  • Market Conditions: The current quarterback draft class is deemed weak, providing the Vikings with leverage to acquire multiple picks by trading McCarthy.
  • Coaching Decisions: The addition of Daniel Jones to the Vikings raises questions about McCarthy's future, suggesting that the team is preparing for playoff contention by strengthening their QB depth.

• Notable Quotes:

  • [22:42] Colin Cowherd: “JJ McCarthy is good enough in a weak quarterback draft class to fetch you multiple picks.”
  • [26:02] Colin Cowherd: “Seattle's drafting 18th. They need a quarterback because they got a Super bowl roster.”

5. Coaching Rumors: Chicago Bears and Brian Flores

The conversation transitions to potential coaching changes, with a spotlight on the Chicago Bears' interest in hiring Brian Flores.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Chicago Bears' Search: Reports indicate that the Bears are considering Brian Flores as a top candidate for their head coach position, amidst political and organizational challenges.
  • Brian Flores' Reputation: Flores is praised for his defensive acumen and leadership, making him a desirable candidate despite his brief tenure with the Miami Dolphins.
  • Organizational Fit: The Bears' internal politics, including GM Ryan Poles' reservations, complicate the hiring process, but Flores’ reputation may overcome these obstacles.

• Notable Quote:

  • [34:04] Colin Cowherd: “Once again, this is the Chicago Bears coaching search is getting very political... I like Brian Flores. If you end up with Brian Flores, it's not the worst hire.”

6. Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Burrow's Contract Concerns

The episode also addresses the Cincinnati Bengals' playoff aspirations and the looming free agency of star wide receiver T. Higgins.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Playoff Race: The Bengals remain in the playoff hunt, contingent on their upcoming game and the results of other teams.
  • Contract Negotiations: Joe Burrow’s public dissatisfaction with the front office regarding T. Higgins’ contract reflects internal pressures to retain key talent.
  • Team Dynamics: The potential departure of Higgins could significantly impact the Bengals' offensive capabilities and future planning.

• Notable Quote:

  • [30:15] Colin Cowherd: “Joe Burrow is putting pressure on the front office to sign T. Higgins. Here he is.”

7. NFL Running Backs and Saquon Barkley’s Situation

Saquon Barkley’s decision to sit out a game to protect himself from injuries is analyzed, highlighting broader trends in the NFL regarding player health and team strategies.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • Player Health: Barkley’s choice to rest underscores the increasing emphasis on player safety and longevity in the NFL.
  • Team Strategy: The Eagles’ decision reflects a shift towards managing player workloads to ensure long-term team success rather than short-term achievements.
  • Running Back Valuation: The episode touches on the resurgence of running backs in the NFL, emphasizing their importance and the strategic decisions surrounding their usage.

• Notable Quote:

  • [46:39] Colin Cowherd: “Football's always been about winning... Sometimes you have to say, bro, you're not going to play.”

8. College Football Playoff Discrepancies

Colin criticizes the College Football Playoff system, pointing out perceived inconsistencies and the unfair treatment of certain teams like Oregon and Boise State.

• Key Discussion Points:

  • System Flaws: The current playoff structure is criticized for disadvantaging undefeated teams from non-Power 4 conferences.
  • Oregon’s Exclusion: Despite a strong season, Oregon faces an unfavorable match-up against Ohio State, raising questions about the selection criteria.
  • Potential Reforms: Suggestions include re-evaluating team invitations and scheduling to ensure fairness and reward true excellence.

• Notable Quote:

  • [47:30] Colin Cowherd: “The first tweak is no non power 4 conference team ever gets a bye. Ever or ever gets a home game. Period.”

9. Conclusion

Colin wraps up the episode by reiterating key insights from the discussions, emphasizing the evolving dynamics in both college and professional football. He underscores the importance of strategic decisions in coaching, player management, and system structures to foster success.

Additional Highlights:

• Advertising and Promotions: Throughout the episode, promotional segments for sponsors like DraftKings, T-Mobile, American Express Platinum, Apple Card, Vuori Clothing, and Wasabi Technologies are seamlessly integrated without disrupting the content flow.
• Engagement with Listeners: Colin encourages listeners to engage with the podcast through live editions, social media, and various platforms, ensuring sustained interaction beyond the episode.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• [04:04] Colin Cowherd: “Ryan Day’s in line for a natty potentially so there's always been an understanding in the NFL that football, real football, starts post Thanksgiving…”
• [22:42] Colin Cowherd: “JJ McCarthy is good enough in a weak quarterback draft class to fetch you multiple picks.”
• [34:04] Colin Cowherd: “Once again, this is the Chicago Bears coaching search is getting very political... I like Brian Flores. If you end up with Brian Flores, it's not the worst hire.”
• [46:39] Colin Cowherd: “Football's always been about winning... Sometimes you have to say, bro, you're not going to play.”
• [47:30] Colin Cowherd: “The first tweak is no non power 4 conference team ever gets a bye. Ever or ever gets a home game. Period.”

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Conclusion: This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd provides a thorough analysis of significant developments in college and professional football. From Ohio State's strategic growth and Texas' disciplinary challenges to the intricate trade interests surrounding JJ McCarthy and the coaching maneuvers of the Chicago Bears, Colin and J. Mac offer listeners a deep dive into the current sports landscape. Their discussions on player management, team dynamics, and systemic critiques of the College Football Playoff system underscore the complexities and evolving nature of the sport.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and 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. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Here we go on a Thursday 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. One hour from now. Greg Cosell, if you play fantasy football, bet football, or just want to get smarter at football, Greg Cosell joins us in one hour from now. J. Mac A deliriously fun day for most people, maybe not the Oregon Ducks of watching college football yesterday. The smoke is starting to clear. It looks like Ohio State is coming through the fog.

[J. Mac]

Imagine that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, we both liked Ohio State State yesterday. We kind of felt like that was the play yesterday.

[J. Mac]

Ryan Day keeping his job, huh? Nice job by him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Ryan Day's in line for a natty potentially so there's always been an understanding in the NFL that football, real football, starts post Thanksgiving, that you want to be peaking in December and January. You can experiment in September. It's not punitive if you lose a couple of games by early October. Meanwhile, college football with the younger athletes who have to go to school while they play, there's been this unhealthy and unrealistic standard that you've got to be on your A game and perfect starting Labor Day weekend stumble in October, you are unworthy. Off to the Fiesta bowl, off to the Citrus bowl, off to the Pop Tart Bowl. But now you're allowed to grow. And Ohio State is the first team in college football history allowed to to grow. They had a close loss early at Otson, all right. They were awful at home and stumbled against Michigan late. All right. But they did beat Penn State and blew out a lot of teams. So you know what? We're going to let them in. We're, we're going to let them in. And they've been the best team easily in the tournament. Ryan Day, get him out of here. Oh, wait, my bad. He had a bad Saturday. Will Howard had a bad Saturday. Yeah, it was late in the season. That would have disqualified them my entire life. The Buckeyes, this moment, are easily the best team in college football. Why did it take so long? Well, I don't know. Their best player. Player. Jeremiah Smith, receiver. He was in high school last year. Their second best player, Caleb Downs, he's a sophomore in a transfer also. Yeah, their quarterback transferred too. It takes a while. Sometimes you gotta let the cake bake. By the way, Notre Dame lost in Northern Illinois earlier this year. How is that possible? Because they had a transfer quarterback who Now Riley Leonard's playing really, really well. In the NFL, you've always been given time. Tom Brady won a Super bowl in week 10, 11, 12. That Tampa Bay team was terrible. They got hot. Then Peyton Manning had a team in Denver. They were 2 and 2 in December and January and they got hot and won the Kansas City Chiefs the last two years. I mean, last year Kansas City lost to the Raiders late in the year, yet they were the best team in football yet. We've always held college kids to this unbelievable standard of. What do you mean? You lost to Purdue October 1st. You're out of here. Liberty bowl or nothing. Give me Liberty Bowler Death. The point being is Ohio State's the first even college football history that has been allowed to make a couple of mistakes. The Oregon loss, who's winning at Austin? How about we start with nobody? Yeah, they had a. They had a bad game against Michigan. Great coach Andy Reid's had bad games in Philadelphia. They ran him out of town. He had bad games. Tom Brady had bad games. He had a pick six in the Super Bowl. So finally, finally, you can take different paths to a Natty. It's not perfection, by the way, how many 17 and 0 NFL teams there been? And if Penn State gets to the Natty, they will have played 17 games. And you're holding them to a perfect standard in a sport, football, where a guy jars the ball loose. If you fumble at the one out of the end zone, the other team gets the ball and it can ruin your season. Let kids make mistakes. When you were a freshman or sophomore in college, did you have it all buttoned up your first semester? September. College football is getting more and more like the NFL. And finally we're allowing a team like Ohio State with this transfer portal where chemistry challenges, especially at quarterback, are a real issue. Nobody knew what they were getting with Will Howard. I watched them at Kansas State. I was like, yeah, he's going to be pretty good. And then I thought he was pretty good. And Then against Michigan, he was pretty bad. And it's, you know, he had a bad game because all quarterbacks do, including Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes stunk earlier this year. Now he doesn't. So you gotta let. You gotta let the cake bake. And Ohio State. Ryan Day is secure, has the best team, and here he is after dominating the Ducks. I know that, you know, you're a sum of your experiences. And this team has had great wins this season. It's had some tough losses, and, you know, we have learned from those. And you got to grow and you got to build and you got to make sure you're, you know, focusing on your strengths and making sure that, you know, you understand what your. Your weaknesses are. And, you know, we're at a place where, you know, you can. You can hear a lot of noise.

[J. Mac]

But.

[Unknown]

But they didn't do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I'm very, very proud of our staff.

[Unknown]

I'm very, very proud of our players.

[Colin Cowherd]

But we're far from done. All those Buckeye fans are now erasing their posts on buckeyes.com and Reddit boards. Get him out of here. No terrible loss. Suffered some pain. What does pain create for all of us? Toughness and resiliency. And rethink the way your football team's operating. Ohio State. Check, check, check. Did all of those. And now they're the best team in college football. Okay, let's talk Texas. Texas football. There's a saying in Texas. All hat, no cattle. Sometimes Texas is all talent, no discipline. How many penalties they had? I don't know. How many? How many three and outs did they have? So, first of all, let's talk about Arizona State. Let's just give them a minute of love here. Outplayed out, schemed out. Coach Texas. Here's another out. An outrageously missed targeting call that would have probably given Arizona State, which had all the momentum, the win. What a coach. Dillingham. 3, 9 last year, pick for 16th in the Big Ten. This year, no five star players should have beaten Texas. And yes, that's targeting in every game I've ever watched. I don't like the call. I don't like when they throw college players out of games, but that's targeting. Yes, Texas had the deeper roster, the more NFL bodies. And listen, they're a splash team. They average 10.7 yards of pass. That is Texas. But I think they're going to get rolled by Ohio State, who's playing with a level of defensive violence and offensive perfection that is just. Looks like A Sunday team. So you know Sark and I like Sark and I consider him a coaching friend. Right? Like somebody in coaching I could call and ask a question. They're saying all year has been all gas, no brakes, they need some breaks, they need to stop the car, pull over, go to a rest area, wash off and figure out what they are. Because that's not beating Ohio State. 10 penalties, three and outs. Now they are a splash team. And in fourth quarter to tie it up and then in overtime, a couple overtime passes, like that's what they are. That's what they are. But in between these amazing plays by these amazing Texas Longhorn athletes, you can't have 10 penalties. You can't miss assignments. I mean, it looked like Arizona State really could not wait to play another game. They were so intense, playing with such intention and urgency and sometimes I just feel like my entire life this has been Texas football. I feel like they should be six time national champs, not that one Vince Young team and disappointment. I can't explain it. I thought Arizona State outplayed them. I thought they got hosed on a call. Yes, I do think Texas matches up with Ohio State better, more NFL bodies. They're only a six point underdog this morning. I'll take Ohio State. But I guess they were resilient. That's what Sark said after. The one thing that I know about our group is when our backs are against the wall and when our best is needed, our best shows up time and time again. And the resiliency that these guys showed today was something, as a coach, makes you really proud. Yeah, well, they didn't show up twice against Georgia. And that targeting call gets called, which it should have been. And they don't beat Arizona State. So they're kind of an all or nothing team. Right? Like it's the report card is A plus and D, there's a. And I'm never quite sure what I'm getting with Texas football. I've said this before. I loved Texas football as a kid. I had never gone to Texas. It was the uniforms, the hook em, the horns, the rust orange. I don't know what it was. They just had good players and they were in big games. And it was at a time when Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas were huge in Nebraska and Oklahoma bored me and I was fascinated with Texas. I've always been pulling for them. When they beat usc, you know, my team for the national championship, I was like, well, if somebody had to beat us, it'd be okay if it's Texas. But I Watched that game and I'm like, all gas, no brakes, pump the brakes, pull over, rest area, figure it out, wash off. I can't ever get my arms around them. I know when they come out of the tunnel or in the hotel lobby, they have looked like the best team in college football 10 times in the last 20 years. But, man, I can't get my arms around them. I feel like even Oregon in the loss, I know what they are. Penn State, I've figured out Notre Dame, I like them. Tonight. I kind of know what they are and what they're not. Ohio State, get out of their way. Texas, they should change their, their helmet to a big question mark because I don't know what I'm getting. First half to second, first series to third, but congratulations on the win. And again, Dillingham, that program, I tell you what, they want a lot of fans because Dillingham grew up around Arizona State. Like, he always wanted to be the coach of Arizona State. So he's not going to be a guy that just jumps to another job. And Arizona State, if you live out west, has always been kind of one of those sleeping giants. When you're like, when's Arizona State. State going to roll the table? I mean, they got as much money as Oregon, right? I mean, they don't have a Phil Knight, but I don't know. I watched Arizona State and I'm like, boy, that was their turnout, their team, their effort, that running back, easy team to like. So congrats in Tempe to all those fans. You got yourself a rock star at head coach J. Mac. It was a fun day. There's a lot of stuff going on. There's a really interesting, interesting story out there, Adam Schefter put out. And you know how sometimes you and I, you know, we sit and watch, try to read the tea leaves. We kind of, we kind of watch sports as it develops. And I've always said on this show, when you do a three hour show like ours, you know, we can do journalism lifting, but mostly, you know, we're, we have to have a, an opinion on a story if it breaks without having it fully connected. And so I. There's something that happened this year in the NFL with a, with what we perceive as a great coach, Kevin O'Connell. And when they made the move, I thought it was a little curious, but it wasn't a big enough story to spend a lot of time on it. It is starting to make sense why they brought Daniel Jones to the Vikings.

[J. Mac]

Oh, okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's starting to make a little sense. Generally, you don't bring another team's quarterback in who got pushed out the door on your roster when you have your two quarterbacks.

[J. Mac]

Well, I gotta say, I don't know what you're talking about with Schefter because my. One of my New Year's resolutions, less social media. That's very difficult. But I have no idea what Jeffers said, so I'm fascinated by this topic. You don't have to give up feeling.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know where you're going. Okay. You don't have to give up all social media. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio. And of 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 Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course, on social media, that's Covino and Rich. Hi, it's the Herd. It's the most wonderful time of the year for getting in on all the hoops, football and hockey action at DraftKings Sportsbook. In a season of giving, we're being gifted. College football and basketball, pro football and basketball and pro hockey, too. Almost 24 7. So many games every day. So many opportunities to place your first bet. Try betting on something simple. Pick a team to win. Go to DraftKingsportsbook's app. Place your bet. And here's the gift for all new customers. If you bet just $5, you can get $150 in bonus bets. If your bet wins again. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. The code is heard. New customers get $150 in bonus bets if your bet wins when you bet just five bucks. Happy holidays from DraftKings. The crown is yours.

[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[J. Mac]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Unknown]

Pick.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a terrible quarterback class. Seattle. You think they're going to go back with Geno Smith again? They can get JJ McCarthy for a second and a fourth, maybe a second, fourth and fifth. Vikings get their draft picks, their franchise tagging at minimum. Sam Darnold, Kevin O'Connell. Like Sam Darnold before he was a Viking. Kyle Shanahan, like Darnold before he was a Niner. Now he's putting up an MVP season. They've made a decision. We like Darnold, we're not letting him go. Why did they bring in Daniel Jones? Because they wanted to get him into the system ready to play for a playoff game. And my take, they'll rehab Daniel Jones like they rehabbed Sam Darnold. And I think JJ McCarthy is good enough in a weak quarterback draft class to fetch you multiple picks. Which if you're in the NFC north, stacked Green Bay roster, stacked Detroit roster. Chicago's gonna get their act together. You need draft picks. If you're paying Sam Darnold big boy money, you need draft picks. Vikings don't have any. They got a first and a couple of fists. They don't have any draft picks. Seattle's drafting 18th. They need a quarterback because they got a Super bowl roster. I totally get Seattle saying we're gonna have to start paying some of these stars we have. Let's roll it with J.J. mcCarthy. I, if I ran Seattle, John Snyder, I'd make the deal tomorrow. I'd make the deal tomorrow, reset the clock. J.J. mcCarthy don't have to pay him for four years. With this Seattle talented roster wearing about a year, you're gonna have to start paying people big boy money. Vikings don't have any picks. So this stuff is starting to add up. I got nothing against JJ McCarthy, but you can't let Sam Darnold walk out of the room and Daniel Jones as a backup, a big, strong, athletic backup would be arguably the best backup quarterback in the league. And he's already shown. Remember, McCarthy's already had two surgeries. He's never played an NFL game. Darnold's an MVP level player and Daniel Jones won a playoff game against those Vikings. So My take is J.J. mcCarthy. I think deep down they are strongly considering moving him. That is my take. I don't think it's a wild take. The Vikings cannot pay Darnold a fortune and have no draft picks. You cannot in a division with the stacked Lions and stacked packers. Go, yeah, we got a first Round picking some fives. That roster is already arguably the third or fourth best roster in that division. You need draft picks. You need a second, a third and a fourth. And I think J.J. mcCarthy in a weak draft, I think Minnesota has leverage. They don't have to get rid of him. And it's not like they don't like him. You can like people and trade them, but you. The, the, the, the dilemma is a great dilemma to have. We had no idea Sam Darnold was the third best quarterback in the league. That's a great. It's like when people complain about taxes. It's one of the better problems to have. You're paying a lot of taxes, you're making a lot of money. I don't like paying them either, but it's one of the better problems. Sam Darnold created a problem. He is way better than any of us thought and I'm a Darnold fan. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no.

[Unknown]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news. Not crazy.

[J. Mac]

What's that?

[Colin Cowherd]

That's not crazy.

[J. Mac]

I'm not, I'm just not going to address here unless you want me to.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm just saying I think it's absolutely under consideration.

[J. Mac]

What's the market for a guy coming off 2 niece or whatever?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it was a first round pick and it's a terrible draft.

[J. Mac]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And so my take is the market is at least a second and a four. Again, if it was a stacked quarterback draft, it'd be different. Also, Minnesota has leverage. They can keep him. Good luck, Seattle. Congratulations. We're better than you. Now you go back and run back Geno Smith again. Seattle has a really good roster and can't get the quarterback right. Are they going to sit there? They're not. I mean they could have moved up last year to get panics. They're not going to move up for Shadow or Sanders.

[J. Mac]

What do you think Seattle thought of Jalen Milroe in the bowl game? I don't. Did you see the highlights or should I say low lights?

[Colin Cowherd]

You could argue. There's an argument that J.J. mcCarthy in this draft, if he was available, would he be the second third player taken?

[J. Mac]

It's a good one.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is a last year great. Next year supposed to be great with Drew Aller being the Penn State guy being the number one pick.

[J. Mac]

He looked pretty good against boys. Now it's against Boise.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's a big strong dude with a big arm.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, that arm.

[Colin Cowherd]

That was good.

[J. Mac]

All right, let's get started with Sunday Night Football. The big one to Cap Week 18. Vikings, Lions at stake. No big deal. Just the number one seed in the nfc, A by division title. Dan Campbell made an interesting comment about the matchup.

[Colin Cowherd]

Colin, we're all excited. This is exciting, but it's not like. It's not like it's the playoffs. You know, we all know what the prize is, and that's the Super Bowl. Well, you know, you just, you try to set yourself up the best you can, and that's why you, you put those goals out there first.

[J. Mac]

It, it's not like it's the playoffs. This is a playoff game. If you win, Vikings or Lions, number one seed, buy all that traffic. If you lose, you go on the road in the first round and face Tampa. Tampa beat Detroit in Detroit earlier this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

But I will say the one thing offensively that travels is a dominant O line run game. With all the new technology and the helmets and the way teams travel now, the road's about a point and a point and a half. It's not three and a half to four. So you're about a point deficit going on the road. You lost, so you have that as motivation. And that offensive line. Two things travel in the NFL. A great defense and a dominant run game. Passing games don't travel well. It's based on weather. Where do you play? Is it windy? But that dominant Detroit run O line. And now Montgomery's coming back.

[J. Mac]

Well, maybe coming back. I love your optimism.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I mean, that's what the announcer said and that's what the Internet's saying. You know, it's always right.

[J. Mac]

Lions minus two and a half, short week. I mean, they played a. I would, you could say a tough one in San Francisco across the country on Monday night. I don't think I'm a little surprised the Lions are favored here. Colin, I, I kind of like the Vikings in this game. What about you?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think the Lions have the better roster. I mean, I'm. Seriously. I think they have a better roster and I think they're getting slightly healthier every week. I mean, they said Montgomery may play in this game. Listen, Minnesota is.

[J. Mac]

Why don't you win this game, give him an extra week, then use Montgomery in a couple weeks. I saw guys coming back from a broken arm on defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're getting, they're getting healthier.

[J. Mac]

I just. That Vikings team right now, Brian Flores, that defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, but Goff's been in the league a while. Brian Flores is upending a lot of inexperienced quarterbacks. Golf's been in this league a long time. He's going to be less vulnerable to a great defensive coordinator than a younger quarterback. It's hard to bet against Detroit. You watch him at San Francisco and just take that.

[J. Mac]

They're a covering machine.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mean they just, that's what they do.

[J. Mac]

And they're creative too. Next up is the Cincinnati Bengals, still technically alive in the playoff race. They need a win Saturday and then some help. Broncos and Dolphins losses, but. So this is likely Cincinnati's final game with the core of Burrow, Chase and Higgins. With Higgins expected to hit free agency this offseason unless a long term deal is reached. Joe Burrow is putting pressure on the front office to sign T. Higgins. Here he is.

[Unknown]

Whenever a great player leaves you, you're. You wish you could have found a way to keep them. You don't, you don't want to make a living out of letting great players leave the building.

[Colin Cowherd]

And you know, I think that's why.

[Unknown]

You, you gotta do everything you can to, to get those deals done early.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yep. Now Joe Burrow has been grumpy on the sidelines. Is being actionable, is not being passive aggressive. This is what I like about him. He's not, he's telling you right now, you probably can't make a living letting great players go. You're not paying for anybody else. Outside of Burrow, you can't pay for two receivers. I mean, I. To me, Burrow is giving you the very clear signs of an unhappy and productive employee.

[J. Mac]

I just worry, do you become the Miami Dolphins if you keep Burrow?

[Colin Cowherd]

Burrow is about three levels above tua.

[J. Mac]

Right. But the point is that the Dolphins don't have a lot of other talent. There's. The offensive line is crap. The defense is spotty. Like the Bengals have a lot of holes. Obviously T. Higgins is. Erases a lot of those. But can you win a shootout every single week in this league? Because you're going to have to. They, they don't. They can't give the money to T. Higgins and then buy a defense, can they?

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a funny. Everybody on the Philadelphia Eagles got the bag. The entire roster. They made it work. The quarterback got it. Saquon's gonna get it. The right tackle got it. AJ Brown got it. They're paying like 11 guys on that roster. They made a safety move last year. Kevin Baird, he got it. The only guys are not paying are the rookie corners. Everybody's getting paid in Philadelphia.

[J. Mac]

They've nailed the draft as well.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that's what you have to do in Cincinnati. You can pay T. Higgins, you got to go. You got to get four starters on defense in the draft, which by the way, if you're a good gm, you can. But Philadelphia is paying everybody. San Francisco for years was paying Kittle, Trent Williams, Bosa, Fred Warner. They were paying everybody. Oh, they got a free safety in Hufanga. They were paying everybody else. They had to pay Christian McCaffrey.

[J. Mac]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it's like this idea that you can't pay two receivers. I would ideally like not want to, but they're paying DJ Moore and Keenan Allen in Chicago. I mean, now they're a bad team, but you can make it happen.

[J. Mac]

And. And you know who they moved off? Joe Mix in the running back and then filled his spot with? Chase Brown. If you look at the numbers, Chase.

[Colin Cowherd]

Brown's been good player.

[J. Mac]

There's not been a huge drop off.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, he's a good player.

[J. Mac]

Maybe even an upgrade with his quickness out of the backfield.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So. And this is a great running back draft. You can. There's two or three areas in this O line. Excellent tackle draft. Nail that, get another running back. It's a great running back draft. It's a pretty good corner draft. Get one of those. This idea that you can't Niners over the last decade in the Philadelphia Eagles. Now look how many people they're paying. So don't tell me you can't pay two great proven players. You can do it, but you'll have to move some pieces like. Like by paying Mahomes, Chris Jones and Travis Kelsey. Most people don't pay their tight end as much as Kansas City does by doing that. You have to nail corners. And then they had to give one away. Sneed the chief said, hey, we got to let him go. But they drafted so well. They had McDuffie, so they had a number one corner. You got to hit on draft picks and that's tough.

[J. Mac]

The draft is a bit of a crapshoot. Final story is the Chicago Bears. This is. Holy cow. This is explosive. Okay, so everybody knows that the Bears want Lions OC Ben Johnson and he's a top candidate. A recent report indicates although Johnson wants the job, he would likely push out GM Ryan Poles and wants to work with commander's assistant GM Lance Newmark.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

Because of this, polls allegedly is said to have reservations about Ben Johnson and has Vikings DC Brian Flores as his top candidate. Holy cow.

[Colin Cowherd]

So once again, this is the Chicago Bears coaching search is getting very political. That that whole city's political. The politics is political and the sports is political. So basically, Ryan Poles is like, yeah, I want to take care of me. Maybe not draft a punter last year with four draft picks. So to me, I like Brian Flores. If you end up with Brian Flores, it's not the worst hire. I think he's unbelievable.

[J. Mac]

I mean, defensive coordinator as a head coach in Miami.

[Colin Cowherd]

I will defend him. I will say I will defend Brian Flores in Miami. Absolutely. So he goes to Miami. They're a mess. First eight games, remember, like, Baltimore beat him by 50.

[J. Mac]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

By week eight, they had arguably a top three defense and a top two special teams unit in eight weeks. I mean, he was a life preserver.

[J. Mac]

What about this, okay?

[Colin Cowherd]

He didn't like tua. Well, would you rather not or pay to it today? By the way, Mike McDaniel heaps praise on Tua. Haven't we now had a defined realization of what Tua is? Ooh, it's a little chilly loss.

[J. Mac]

Well, wait, wait, wait. You think. You think your. Your guy Caleb Williams is gonna be excited about head coach coming in? And the last quarterback, he had a major.

[Colin Cowherd]

First of all, this is a great argument if you think Caleb and TUA are the same athlete.

[J. Mac]

No, no, not same athlete.

[Colin Cowherd]

Secondly, everybody knows one of the reasons this job is attractive is Caleb Williams. That's one of the reasons. You got a talented guy that you gotta fix. He's bottomed out. You gotta fix. You got four years of not paying him. So Caleb's not tua. TUA was always like, ooh, concussions, injuries, and Brian Flores. Say what you want. Has acknowledged he was too rough on tua.

[J. Mac]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

But he may not have been wrong on everything either.

[J. Mac]

But let's not go over. Let me back up to this Ben Johnson thing. Colin, where do you stand on Ben Johnson wanting to take a job and also pick his gm?

[Colin Cowherd]

I totally get it. I totally get it.

[J. Mac]

Interesting.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, I would not walk into a political hornet's nest at a network if I didn't have a couple of my guys. You always have to have your guys. You always. If you're the head coach, you got to have a GM you like.

[J. Mac]

But here's the problem. He's never been a head coach. He's never won anything, and he's picking his gmo.

[Colin Cowherd]

But he has leverage. He's this. Everybody loves him, and Chicago's desperate, so he's got leverage, too. I mean, you're watching these Detroit Games. He flexes every time he can. Oh, here's a quadruple reverse backflip. It's like a gymnastics. So he's flexing on these. We've been saying this. Detroit keeps flexing on these TV games.

[J. Mac]

No doubt about it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Easy to say hello. Does your coordinator do this? Because I do.

[J. Mac]

I'm at the point where I'm watching Boise State against Penn State and I'm like, you guys have been watching Ben Johnson. Where's the creativity? I don't see anything from Boise. Last note on Ben Johnson. Cullen, you had talked about Chicago as the best job like two weeks ago.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I think we, I think it's a bad year for jobs. It's the best job.

[J. Mac]

Well, is it sliding down pretty quickly? No. The political nonsense going. I don't want to work with polls. Then there's the Kevin Warren aspect. Patriots are Bears. Which is a better job Should Patriots.

[Colin Cowherd]

Become open that now I will say this. If the Patriots was open and I don't think it's going to be, and I'm not trying to get people fired, I think the Patriots is the better job if open because here's one of the reasons jets in Miami are kind of dysfunctional. The NFC North, Packers, Lions, Vikings. Look at the coaching. Just look at the coaching in that division. No thanks. So I, I, if I could avoid going and coaching in the NFC north and I could coach in a division that has Buffalo, but some dysfunction and I get Drake May and I've got camp space and they've bottomed out. That's a very attractive job. If I can, if I can get some certainty on my staff that NFC.

[J. Mac]

North is just so stacked. Oh, it's, I mean, it's not going anywhere. It's not like these teams are older at the end of a run.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's like in college football, say, oh, I got a job in the sec. Well, you're not beating Georgia and you generally don't beat Alabama. There's a burden coaching in the sec. The intensity and how good the schedule is. JMAC with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. Yeah. What's funny is that sometimes what hasn't happened yet is a great topic. I find the Bears fascinating. And these coaching openings. A lot of times there's coaching openings and you're like, yeah, these are bad. But if I get Caleb Williams and Drake May and those are potentially two of the openings. Now, I, I've said before, I I don't know if I'm running Gerard Mayo out. Patriot fans, Boston media is just anti Gerardo Rod Mayo. They got their quarterback. I mean, Mayo was highly touted. Belichick loved him. He's a smart defensive guy. I I think it's really hard to bail on a guy after a year. There's nothing there in the roster in New England. There's just nothing there. And then Belichick, on the way out, let Jacoby Myers go to the Raiders. What are you doing? He's your best receiver easily. What are you doing? So it's it felt like sabotage. What are you doing? So I I don't know. I look at the current draft order right now in the NFL and you guys think I'm crazy. The JJ McCarthy thing. Diana Rossini is reporting. Minnesota's gonna sign Darnold. They like him. Schefter saying teams are gonna call about J.J. mcCarthy. Stuff gets out when teams want it out. You know that. We've been talking about that for years. Sometimes it's not the story, it's why is the story out? Two legitimate NFL reporters, Vikings like Darnold. Teams will call for McCarthy, and I'm just throwing it out. I think you'd have to be naive not to think that Daniel Jones move wasn't a little curious. Just a little. Just a little. All right, J. Mac Thoughts on Oregon Saquon Barkley, Greg Cosell Top of the hour. Can't wait for him. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am.

[Unknown]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. If you're looking to set the standard in athletic clothing and activewear apparel for performance, look no further than Vuori. Vuori integrates the best of fitness, the best of surf, sport and art. Two of my personal favorites. The men's core short. It's the most comfortable, lined athletic short you'll find and the men's Sunday performance jogger. Perfect for lounging or any work activity. Vuori has the women covered as well with their women's performance jogger. It's the softest jogger you'll ever own. Also check out the Women's daily legging, featuring a high waist drawstring tie, an upgraded no slip fit. Incredibly versatile. Plenty of new colors just came in, but hurry, get them while you can. Vuori is designed to look great in everyday life outside the gym. It's not a brand, it's a way of life. Viori is an investment in your happiness. For our listeners, they're offering 20% off your first purchase. Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the [e-mail] Colin that's V U O R I.com Colin not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but you're also going to get free shipping on any US orders over 75 bucks and free returns go to Vuori.com, discover the versatility of Vuoric Clothing. V U O R I Jon Stewart.

[Jon Stewart]

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

[Colin Cowherd]

So listen, I feel bad for the Ducks, who fell behind 34 to 8. Ohio State was better. It's the first year of the College Football Playoff. Take a deep breath. The reason we were allowed to have it is because of concessions and bureaucrats and you know, a 13 member committee who I don't trust making picks. So my complaint, my one complaint was Oregon got hosed. They're the only undefeated team in college football and their reward? No home games and facing Ohio State first. Texas did not win their conference and lost twice to the same team and they got a home game and so did Penn State and so did Ohio State and Oregon beat both and Oregon didn't get a home game and Boise State got a buy. Who are we kidding? Did you watch Boise State? They have a really good running back. That's about it. So listen, I'm not going to overreact to Oregon getting hosed. But clearly, like anything else, like any business, the first year you make tweaks I don't care if you're talking about Amazon and Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk and Tesla. There are tweaks. So the first tweak is no non power 4 conference team ever gets a buy ever or ever gets a home game. I don't care that you beat people 70 nothing in front of 32,000 people. Boise State has a right to be invited to the party. If they go undefeated, you're not getting VIP treatment, period. And the pandering college football media always tells you what a great story they are. Watch the games, okay? They don't have the athletes. I mean that, that thing went sideways fast and I, I think Boise State has a right to get in or any team like a unlv. You're not getting home games and you're not getting special treatment. You're invited to the party. You don't get behind the velvet rope. The second thing I would do is recede after the first round like the NFL does. If you're Oregon and you have the best season, you get an easier matchup than Penn State. Who got SMU and Boise State? I mean Texas did lost twice, Texas didn't win their conference. They lost to the same team twice, once with a backup quarterback and their road was a home game. The 16th ranked team and the 12th ranked team. Oregon's reward was, hey, here's Ohio State in a bad mood at a stadium. By the way, Ohio State's program is incredibly familiar with because they do a lot of recruiting here and they play in the Rose bowl often. So here was Dan Lanning showing class after the loss. We had an opportunity.

[Unknown]

We didn't take advantage of our opportunity.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not going to make excuses for our opportunity. Right? And ultimately you got to be great.

[Unknown]

Teams to be in position, position at the end of the year.

[Jon Stewart]

And we didn't do that.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the, the road that we had to travel and they did it.

[Unknown]

Better than us tonight.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, the other story, I, I this I. Major League Baseball has always been about its history and records. You never have to even win a playoff series. Mike Trout, he'll get into the hall of Fame. Football's about winning. Football's always been about winning to everybody. But maybe Aaron Rodgers who said the last two years in New York have been the best of his life. Mostly for players in football, it's about winning. So Saquon Barkley, the head coach says, yeah, we're not going to play to break the single season all time rushing record. And I'm okay with it. First of all. He leads the NFL in touches. He's earned a day off. Second of all, he hasn't had a lot of winning. 7th year in the NFL. This is only a second winning season. He's also struggled with injuries. Also, Jalen hurts, the quarterback is in concussion protocol. Also, the running backs are the last players in college or pro football that you're allowed to hit anytime, anywhere. You have to protect running backs sometimes from themselves. It should be duly noted that they're resting. The Eagles are several offensive linemen, and the running back positions always been somewhat dependent on the O line. So let me ask you, you really think the Eagles should risk arguably their best football player playing with a history of injuries to win a meaningless game to get a personal record? That's NBA stuff. That's baseball stuff. That's not what football is. It's not about that. And so I have no problem with this at all. I love Saquon, but sometimes. We found this out when they had that CTE lawsuit. Sometimes you have to protect players from themselves. Players in football, the code is you play hurt, you play if there's risk. Sometimes you have to say, bro, you're not going to play. We're not putting you in the spot. If we have to hit a bonus for this, we'd pay you for the bonus. This guy has been injured. He leaves the NFL in touches on a team that's got many other offensive weapons, they still rely on him, the quarterbacks in concussion protocol. Here is Saquon on the decision to sit him.

[Unknown]

I mean, he asked me if I wanted to play, if I want to go for it. I said on Sunday, you know, I probably didn't care too much for it. When I slept on it, I was like, there's an opportunity to implant my, you know, my name in football history. May never get another opportunity like that again. So I'm down. But at the end of the day, like, I don't care for putting the team at risk. He's the head coach for a reason. He makes the decisions. And whatever decision he wanted to make, I let him know, if you want me to play, I'm gonna go out there and make sure I get it. And if we don't, I'm okay with that, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, one of the things I appreciate about the NFL is that players don't do load management. They actually do the opposite. They play hurt, they sacrifice themselves. That's one of the things I think is incredibly relatable about football, is that the player doesn't lead. You know, the tail doesn't wag the dog. It's like you got a gm, he does personnel, you have a coach, he makes these decisions. And then you have players and even star players. You know, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid runs the show. I'm good with it. I mean, Belichick ran the show. Tom Brady did not in New England. And that's just part of the culture of football. And I also think increasingly the culture is with the running backs. The last player, when he bursts through a line, it's the last player. You can go low, you can go high. It's. They're going to let you hit him. You got to protect them. You have to protect him. And it's because I really believe this. This is a great running back draft in the NFL this year. Going to be a lot of running backs drafted. Fifteen running backs drafted. Is that running backs are having a little bit of a resurgence in the NFL. Everybody was lamenting about a year ago, they'll never get paid. Which was absolute nonsense. Guards have never been paid. Tight ends have never been paid what they deserve. Safeties have never been PA. Running backs are always going to get paid because a great running back is a quarterback's best friend. And this league usually has about a third of their quarterbacks are like, young. They need running backs, so. Or they're not great pocket passers or running back adds a dimension to the offense. So I love Saquon. I wouldn't play him. I think it's nonsense. It's not baseball. Don't worry about it. J. Mack. You know, it's kind of a. It's funny, the NFL extended to 17 games and what happens is you have very few games in the final week that matters. They're going to expand it to 18 games in the next two years. And as I was watching college football, I'm thinking Penn State's going to play 17 games if they get to the Natty I and we, we have to be cognizant of this. Sometimes coaches have to step in, sit guys, play them less, use backups. And I think this is a prime example of I'm going to protect Saquon Barkley.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, I like it. I agree. I saw Arizona State ran 97 plays against Texas yesterday. By the way, as you saw the graphic there, 510 yards of total offense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Do you see time of possession?

[J. Mac]

I. I mean, I've never seen anything like that.

[Colin Cowherd]

I was like, how about, how about Scatterbo the running back? Arizona State?

[J. Mac]

Can the jets draft him, please?

[Colin Cowherd]

He is.

[J. Mac]

Was he third round, second round. He's just a winner.

[Colin Cowherd]

He is some round. Whatever.

[J. Mac]

I want him on my team.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

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 a 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 podcasts.