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Colin Cowherd
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Joy Taylor
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Joy Taylor
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Joy Taylor
More at applecard.com thanks for listening to the Herd podcast.
Colin Cowherd
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 herd@foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Matt Hasselbeck
Now let's get this party.
Joy Taylor
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It's hour two, Matt Hasselbeck in five minutes. He's been such a great find for us this year. 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. J. Mac the 12 team playoff is out. I cannot figure out how Penn State has a significantly easier route than Oregon. I would have flipped Ohio State and Penn State. I would have given the Buckeyes. Despite a rough loss to Michigan, they went to Happy Valley and won, seemed paralyzed by what to do with SMU and instead hosed Oregon who had the best regular season and the best conference championship performance. Other than that fun weekend working theory.
J. Mac
Is hey, we're leaving Alabama out of the playoff. Let's help the SEC by giving Georgia the easiest path to the national championship. I mean you could argue they screwed Alabama, right? Alabama has more talent than SMU. Alabama has more 5 star guys, more.
Joy Taylor
Future pros, more a better win, better wins.
J. Mac
Now I don't think Alabama should be in, but you could argue that they're more better for the television product, which is what this is.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. All right, here we go on a Monday. As usual. Colin right? Colin wrong where Colin was right. Matt Stafford. I've said before he was better in high school, college and first four years in the NFL than Aaron Rodgers and he's better now. He was always the most talented guy in the NFL in a bad spot. He's only 36. He's got two to three more Super bowl run with his young team. In my opinion he's still a complete workhorse. Fifth and past attempts. If they can protect him for the next three years, there's no reason to get another quarterback on his. I mean how many people could have beaten Josh Allen last night? Mahomes Stafford burrow with a better defense like Stafford's in a completely elite class. Where Colin was wrong, I thought the committee like J. Mac said would choose Alabama. I think the SEC is certainly good enough to get four teams. But Alabama lost to Vandy and by the way, that Oklahoma game I still can't figure out. They got run out of the stadium against an Oklahoma team that was 2 and 6 in the SEC. So nobody to blame except Alabama. But I just don't think the SEC deserves just one more team than the ACC. So I was surprised where Colin was right. Kansas City 1001 possession games. I keep pushing back on the they're lucky. No, it's a business model. When they called that timeout in the fourth quarter, it was Matt, Nagy, Mahomes and Andy Reid and then through to a sitting Travis Kelce. This is what they do. It wasn't luck when Brady, Josh McDaniels, Edelman and Grong did it. And it's not luck now. Kansas City is great at it because it's the best quarterback, the best coach, one of the best tight ends. It's how they win. We're Colin was wrong. I'll stop mining to Texas football someday. But it is. Does anybody lose games? They should win more than Texas. Georgia was down to a backup, but they had 11 penalties and that's 19 penalties in two games against Georgia. Quinn Ewers, not a huge fan. Banged up a lot. Don't see a lot of special there. They average 1.1 yards per rush against Georgia. Georgia couldn't run the ball in the first half either. But when the game really mattered, suddenly Georgia with a backup quarterback found a way to run the ball. I have always loved Texas. Sark's a friend. He's very good at what he does. They recruit at an elite level, but in these big games, not shocking that Georgia with better play calling, better decision making with a backup quarterback could win the game where Colin was right. This was my concern for Caleb Williams. I don't trust the Bears ownership. The executive suite yesterday was embarrassing. Seven straight losses. I mean, they couldn't get the press conference right when they fired Matt Eberfluss. This is the concern again. They had a chance at Jim Harbaugh, but apparently Kevin Warren, the president and Harbaugh have a history and it's not a good one. They were outgained 319 yards to four in the first half. That's beyond bad. That's embarrassing. Where Colin was wrong. I defend Kyler Murray more than anybody. But you know something, and somebody mentioned this to me a couple of weeks ago, when he starts po poorly, he gets moody, his body language changes. It's, it's. It's just a fact. And that game early he played poorly and it felt like, yeah, it's over. He only has more. Only one game all year with over one touchdown pass. And again I defend him, but he is five nine and a half. There was the Internet gaming over study issue. I don't love his body language when he starts slow. He's got Five picks in the last three games and I don't think it's talent. I think I like Arizona's defense, defensive effort I like their coach, I like their weapons. Some of this my bad is just on Tyler Murray where Colin was right Robert Sala got fired. I said you're nuts. He's the best coach on the staff Yesterday's a prime example Tua dropped to throw 47 times. No sacks, barely got hit. Would that have happened with Robert Sala as the head coach? The jets are a circus and I never bought into them as a playoff team but they're one and seven since Robert Salah got fired and they couldn't get to Tuo with their defensive personnel in their corners. Didn't like the firing. Never let the best coach out of the building. Where Colin was wrong I thought Kirk Cousins for about a year and a half was a really good signing as Michael Penix the rookie waited and watched kind of a Flacco Lamar Jackson thing but boy Kirk has aged quickly Last four games, zero touchdowns, eight picks Listen, he's older he's never been a dynamic athlete but I mean in the fourth quarter this year and we've seen a little bit of this Aaron Rodgers he has a 56 passer rating so I thought Kirk Cousins for a year and a half until maybe late October next year that handed the Penix was the right call I did not think it would look like this by December Where Colin was right I said in preseason keep your eye on my dark horse pick for the national championship the Tennessee Volunteers only losses Georgia and on the road at Arkansas they're 10 and 2 they now face Ohio State and Tennessee's defensive line is elite and Ohio State's offensive line has been injured for the last several weeks Ryan Days on the hot seat Josh H's one of the best young coaches I actually think Tennessee is better served facing arguably the first or second best team be a giant killer early in this playoff so Tennessee was my pick for the Natty I didn't look very smart middle of the season I if I'm Ohio State this is one of the last teams I want to face tremendous defensive line against a so so Ohio State banged up offensive line where Colin was right where Colin was wrong and with that Matt Hasselbeck 18 year Super Bowls 3 time Pro Bowler joins us so I want to start and it sounded kind But Mahomes is 14 and two in games and when he puts the cape on and all you guys have pretty good yeah pretty good and we all know Andy Reid's great. Now Josh Allen's 5 and 6. And I sat there yesterday and I. And I was happy for Matt Stafford, who we both think is great, but I thought, now you got to win these games. You can't have a pump locked. It can't be that easy for Matt Stafford. I have moved to the point where I think they need to do something. If they can't get through, they are really built to win it all. You got a Kansas City team, Matt, that can't get their tackles right. What did you make of the Buffalo loss despite Josh's performance?
Matt Hasselbeck
Yeah, listen, it's like a Hallmark movie. I mean, if you've seen that Kansas City Chiefs movie, I highly recommend it. But it's like a happy ending. No matter what drama is going on during the day, they're going to find a way. And listen, I just think it's intangibles for Kansas City. It's players that are playing, a group of players playing above the X's and O's. And right now, unfortunately for Josh Allen, he just was born at the wrong time. I mean, Josh Allen, to me, is the MVP this year. He's. He's absolutely incredible. A ton of fun to watch. But when you're playing in the AFC and you're playing in a tight game, certain teams know how to finish and they. You just know that they're going to do it. And other teams are struggling to learn how to do it. I thought last night Buffalo had an opportunity, but they made a couple calculated mistakes that ended up costing them the game. Now they'll learn from that and they'll be better for it. But when you talk about Kansas City, they're just a team that has those intangibles and other people besides just the quarterback who can rise above.
Joy Taylor
So there was a moment on the sideline. It was a big third down late in the game for Kansas City, and I want you to take me there. It was Nagy Reid and they went over there and he's like, yeah, yeah, yeah. So like it. And then they throw to Travis Kelsey, who's sitting down. What are they saying right there? Probably.
Matt Hasselbeck
Yeah. So usually the night before on that big call sheet, that Andy Reid call sheet, you'll have fourth and two to win the game. You probably don't have third and seven with under two minutes to go. Like, what are we going to call? But they called a safe play. And Kelsey, on that play, he's got what's called a corner Route A7. Route 7, 8 and 9 are your deeper routes in, like the passing tree. He's supposed to go to the back corner of the end zone. He immediately reels, realizes that it's not there. Andy Reid lets his star players play within the system with creativity, and he knows where his teammates are not going to be. So Kelsey, being on the same page, being a Hall of Fame player, puts his own cape on. Mahomes is ready for it, and he basically runs what equates to a seven stop. He comes back into the area. Mahomes isn't surprised by it. Kelsey's confident that he can do it. And this is just an example of two hall of Fame players playing above the X's and O's. Quite honestly, the Chargers, you know, defensive coordinator Minter, he's sitting there, he's got the perfect play call on, like, they're sitting in the defensive staff meeting today being like, what would you do different? Like, nothing. We called the perfect call. These guys just rose above and, you know, I think some of that is continuity and playing together, But a lot of it also is a coach like Andy Reid allowing those guys to have some creativity within this, within the playbook.
Joy Taylor
So obviously, when you watch a Lamar or a Mahomes or like a Brett Favver and Allen, the talent's incredible. I could figure it out. Stafford doesn't run around. He's not gigantic. He's not leaping over people. But it's like there's an old saying, an actor's actor, a comedian's comedian. I always look at Stafford. I'm like, other quarterbacks must look at him. And God didn't give him every gift. He doesn't run around. He's not the biggest guy. I don't know if I've ever seen a guy make it look that easy. Like, what's his gift?
Matt Hasselbeck
Yeah, listen, I'm a huge fan. I think he's one of the best quarterbacks. But I think any franchise quarterback, if you're able to protect for him, like in the past, like, pass protection wise, keep the defense off balance. No sacks, no hits, like. Like that kind of a thing. It'll be seven on seven for anybody, especially for Matthew Stafford. So I thought what Sean McVeigh did is he understands what the kryptonite is of the Buffalo defense. They really aren't that great if you commit to running the ball. Like, if you commit to it, you run the ball. I think that's their kryptonite, and they got to prove that it's not. They got a tough one against Detroit coming up. And there's blood in the water. And they're coming for it, too. They're going to have to prove that they can do that. No swim. No swim moves on a running play. No spin moves on a running play. You better be gap sound. And I think that's what The Rams did. McVeigh using Stafford to get him into the right runs, using play action, getting, changing the launch point for the quarterback. I mean, they were really doing whatever they wanted to do last night, but the tendency sometime is to get away from the run when you know you're going up against a Josh Allen, explosive type of. Type of offense on the other side. I thought McVay and Stafford were outstanding last night. And now the Buffalo defense has to prove to the rest of the league, mainly Detroit next, that they will basically stop the run first, which is the goal of most defenses.
Joy Taylor
So it's interesting with Darn, he can. You can let him walk out the door. And now J.J. mcCarthy, who was at a running team in Michigan, he wasn't a 35. I mean, they didn't throw the ball at Penn State on the road. He's talented, but now he just had a second surgery on his right knee. And Daniel Jones is more of a backup than a foundational quarterback piece. And here's Darnold. And listen, I know he can be reckless, but, I mean, he's had two games that he didn't play well, and now he's got, I think. Does he have like 11 games with a passer rating over 100? I would franchise tag him, Matt. I just couldn't let him out of the building. What do you do if you ran the team?
Matt Hasselbeck
Well, a couple of things. First off, on JJ McCarthy, the knee surgery doesn't worry me at all. It's a meniscus first. You try to, you know, see if he can do it one way. If it doesn't work, he just fixed the whole thing. That doesn't concern me. But if I'm Sam Darnold, first of all, if I'm the Vikings, I try to keep Sam Darnold. No doubt about it. He's earned it. He's played outstanding. If this last game didn't prove it to, you know, I don't know what will. But if I'm Sam Darnold, it's not just about the money, okay? Like, you should want to stay in Minnesota. Also, you should value what you have there in a coach, a head coach that understands how to see things through the quarterback lens. And I believe he does that. I think he that Sam Darnold understands this. He was in. He was at the New York jets, who don't understand how to help a young quarterback. He was at Carolina, who don't understand how to help a young quarterback. And then he got a taste of it in San Fran and he's like, you know what? There's value, there's money. I'd be willing to give up to be some. Be in the right place, in the right offense. And that's how he ended up in Minnesota in the first place. So now that he's tasted it, I mean, he's already been to kind of that, like, quarterback prison. He doesn't want to go back. So if I'm him, I stay in this kind of an offense no matter what. And truly, even if you feel a little disrespected that they haven't come to you with a deal yet, if I'm him, if I'm his friend, I would say, hey, listen, remember what it was like when you were with the jets in Carolina? You might want to take less money to stay in Minnesota.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. You know, it was almost predictable. Philadelphia's got, you know, they played very well. They have a big game coming up. Here comes Carolina. And listen, you guys are. And you pro athletes, you know who's good and who's not. You watch the film. I don't expect pro athletes to be, you know, at the highest apex of their emotions for 17, 18 weeks. That's just.
Colin Cowherd
I get it.
Joy Taylor
In January, you are. But you guys watch film and you know who can play. But I do think there's something about Philadelphia that, listen, A.J. brown feels like sometimes he leads the offense. He and Saquon. Would you be a little worried about Philadelphia's ability to. I mean, if they have to play catch up fast, Rams could do it, Bills could do. A lot of teams can. That passing game, it. There's. It's just not there. And that means if you have to catch up quick, it can be. They'll kill the clock with Saquon. But do you worry about the AJ Brown, Jalen hurts and sort of the pedestrian nature of the passing game sometimes?
Matt Hasselbeck
Well, I would just say on every team, you're going to deal with star wide receivers kind of having that, like. I don't know. I don't call it diva, but, like, you know, hey, I was open. Like. Yeah, I know you were open, but there's, There's, There's a bigger situation here. You know, I would use, like, Jamar Chase as an example. I think he's One of the smartest wide receivers in the game. One of the best receivers in the game. He's putting up crazy numbers, but he gets frustrated sometimes because there's other things going on around him that he's maybe not fully aware of. I think the same thing's kind of happened in Philly, so I think the key right there is for them to, like, just stick together. Yeah. Would he like to. Would A.J. brown like to be more explosive in the passing game? Sure. Sure. I think that'll come for them. I'm still believing in this team. I just. I guess what my point is, there's going to be roller coasters of emotions throughout the NFL season where guys get frustrated. Can you stick together? I believe Jalen Hurts is a great leader. I think Nick Sirianni is the perfect coach for this team. And I think if that group of guys in that locker room sticks together, weathers the storm. Dallas Goddard's out for a little while. If they can stick together, I still think the Philadelphia Eagles are alive for that one seed in the nfc. People are going to be all talking about Detroit. I get it. They're great. They're going to talk about Minnesota. They're on fire. I get it. They're great. But don't sleep on Philly. Like, I just. I really think that this is just the normal ebbs and flows of human nature. Hopefully they learn their lesson for, you know, what they did, you know, yesterday, showing up in Carolina thinking that they're automatically going to win because of the emblem on their helmet. That's not how it goes. And, you know, hopefully they're better for it. But I think Philly's got some good football ahead of them.
Joy Taylor
Yeah, I mean, listen, I think their roster, along with Detroit's, is the best in football. I do want to talk about this. So you had multiple coaches, and so I was talking to a friend yesterday, my buddy John Middle Coff. He's a former scout for the Eagles. And I said, if you look at organizations that are broken, hiring a schematic wizard doesn't necessarily solve it. What solved it in Detroit was a culture builder. Dan Campbell, ultimate alpha. And then he found a schematic guy. The Chargers were broken. Harbaugh, not a schematic whiz, a culture builder. D'Amico. Ryan's had that reputation as well. Tough guy, all business detail, no nonsense, could do schematics, but basically hired Bobby Slowik to take care of that. I look at the Bears and I think this isn't about getting a clever offensive coordinator. I need a Mike Vrabel. I need a. I need. I need a Dan Campbell. And you had a variety of coaches, and you had some great coaches, but when something's broken in the NFL, does a schematic guy necessarily solve it?
Matt Hasselbeck
Listen, there's a lot of things that need to be fixed in Chicago. I think the thing you need to get right is the quarterback. And they've got a very talented quarterback who's not playing very good football. And so there's a lot of reasons for that. I think he's got talent around him. But I think whoever you are in this case, if we're talking about Caleb Williams, I think you just need to look in the mirror and say, okay, what can I do to get better? There's a lot that's outside of his control, but what is in his control. And some of those things are leadership things. Some of those things are playing the position. You know, that's the one thing about being the number one pick overall. You don't get to choose what franchise you go to. Some of those things are outside your control. But. But again, I think the way to do it is to look in the mirror and focus on what you can control.
Joy Taylor
Finally, Bill Belichick spent five hours with the Chancellor at North Carolina. I don't see this as a fit. I was just talking to J. Mac. You know, there are Mission Impossible and Tom Cruise. The reason it's so great, it's a perfect fit. A physical actor with a lot of juice and Michigan pop. Not every actor fits that role. Belichick in college, he didn't cater to Brady. Does this feel like a fit to you?
Matt Hasselbeck
I would say. I mean, listen, I'm sure Coach Belichick will talk sometime soon, this week and kind of, you know, shoot the record straight or whatever, but, yeah, this could work. Listen, there's a lot of people that are coaching in the NFL, they don't want to go to college because of how much work it is. And the challenge and MIL and transfer portal, we're going to know soon whether this is real or not, because the college timeline for hiring coaches is pretty immediate. You got all these guys in the portal right now. You need a plan. Signing day just happened. I don't think Bill Belichick's afraid of it. And I think there's one thing that people in the media and fans, they discount that they should put more stock in, and that's family. Like, if you get the chance to coach with your son or coach at a place where your father used to coach like, there's some things that I would just say are kind of, like, intangible. So you got Bill Belichick right now, who's out. He's not coaching. You've got his son, Steve Belichick, who's the D coordinator for Jet Fish at the University of Washington. I could see a scenario where Bill Belichick says, you know what? I love it. I can do it. I've got friends. Bill O'Brien, who's doing it. I got friends. Nick Saban, I watched do it. I can do this. I like this challenge. I think this is a sleeping giant. Unc got all the Jordan money. There's a scenario where I think this is real. And I'm sure most people are like, oh, he's just doing this to let the rest of the NFL know. Serious about coaching. That could be true also. But if Bill Belichick wanted to accept this challenge, I think he'd be up for it. And certainly, you know, he just seems like one of the people coming from the NFL that would embrace and could do the whole nil portal, the craziness that is college football right now.
Joy Taylor
By the way, somebody told me this yesterday. Deion Sanders has yet to make a single house visit it. He's such a rock star, players want to come to see him. So it's not like Belichick's going to be knocking on doors and, you know, the south trying to find a linebacker. You know, Bill can stay home and people can visit him.
Matt Hasselbeck
And so listen, so much of being a head coach in college football is like, who can you hire? Like, who's coming with you? Who believes in you? Who believes that, like, oh, shoot, like, this would be great for my career. And there's a whole bunch of coaches that like, learning from the great Bill Belichick or being on staff with him or he's not going to do it forever. So, like, hey, maybe, you know, yeah, pay my dues for a couple years, and then I'm moving on up. Yeah, there's. Listen, I don't think it's crazy. I think Coach Belichick, you know, he's just a football coach. Shoot. If he wanted to coach lacrosse, he'd be a good lacrosse coach. He probably would succeed at whatever he was doing. But I think there's something intriguing about this opportunity for him. And again, I think it comes back to the opportunity to honor that family dynamic.
Joy Taylor
Yeah, that's a great, great way to contextualize this, because I thought it was nonsense, but I get it. He's kind of in legacy stage. I mean, if you really think about Bill, he's got the rings and the trophies. He's called the greatest of all time. He's in legacy stage. Legacy is family. Matt Hasselbeck, 18 years. Great seeing you as always, man.
Matt Hasselbeck
Appreciate it, Colin, always.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. That's an interesting perspective on that, I'll tell you that. You'd watch the games. I never watched Colorado football much. I watch the games. One more herd the herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.
Colin Cowherd
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Colin Cowherd
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LeVar Arrington
Hey, this is Levar Arrington here from up on Game. And listen, I want to talk to you about something very serious for a minute, all right? Something personal to me and right now something that should be personal to you as well. In our country, the hate is at an all time high and it's like we're going backward. The hate is winning. We can't allow that, all right? It's out of control. So many different people, so many different groups are facing too much hate. And it's enough. It's time for it to stop. We need to stop regrouping group, change the momentum as a team because that's what we are. Everyone in this country is on the same team, so let's act like it. And when a team can't get it together, what do you do? You call a timeout. And that's what we need to do. Call a time out against hate. Let's think about what we say and do. And when we see hate, when we see someone doing or saying those things we know are wrong and hateful, we need to call it out. I'ma call it out. You need to do the same thing. Visit standuptolhate.org to help. And join me in calling for a timeout against hate by following at what's up with Hate? Or posting the blue square emoji.
Colin Cowherd
Hey, y'all know the Aflac commercials, right? With the famous Duck and the coaches. Great commercials. But did you know that AFLAC is a leader in supplemental insurance? That's what the Duck is quacking about, helping cover gaps. So, like, this is how I think of Aflac. Let's say you have an all pro linebacker. Anytime there's a gap in the defensive line, you know he's going to fill it, no problem, because he's an all pro. Aflac does the same thing. If there's a gap in your health insurance, AFLAC wants to better protect you by helping close the gap. You're sick, you're injured. Aflac can pay cash to help fill the gaps your health insurance can leave behind. You can use the cash, put it towards whatever you need. Rent, mortgage payments, medical bills. It's completely up to you. Look, life can be tough. Fortunately, Aflac is tougher. I mean, we're talking middle linebacker, tough. To learn more about how Aflac can help fill the gaps health insurance can leave behind. Visit aflac.com it's time to start thinking about holiday gifts. What are you going to get that person that's impossible to shop for? We all know somebody like that. What do they want this holiday season? What do you want? Give the Gift of sound with JLab headphones JLab headphones are the perfect gift. I love them. For the podcast lover in your life or the one that wants to stream sports all day long. JLab Perfect gift for anybody with a diverse collection of headphones, which makes it easy to find the gift for your family and friends with a variety of styles, colors and sizes. JLab they have products for under $100, under 50, even under $25. Gift yourself a new pair of JLab headphones, too. If you're traveling this holiday season, pick up the JLab's J Buds Lux ANC, tune out the Drove of the jet Engine or your talkative relative. Save up to 60% on select JLab products this holiday season. On JLab.com find your perfect pair of headphones. Look for the JLab Blue Box at retailers everywhere or visit JLab.com to upgrade your sound and style today.
Joy Taylor
FBI data shows holidays see a sharp rise in burglaries and theft. SimpliSafe Home Security 60% off right now@simplisafe colin.com There is no safe like SimpliSafe. J Mac with the news. No, no, no, no.
Matt Hasselbeck
Turn on the news.
Joy Taylor
This is the Herdline news.
J. Mac
Yeah, I would say this is developing, this Bill Belichick thing. It's starting to snowball. So last week it just appeared like, oh, it was North Carolina. He's talking to them. Well, apparently he met with them for five hours yesterday, as you alluded to. And there's a report claiming that Belichick wants to prove his coaching legacy at the college level without Tom Brady's shadow over him. I don't know if that's speculation or where that's coming from, but in another report, Diana Rossini said Belichick Belichick would accept the UNC job if offered. That's insane. And Belichick has had multiple conversations. This is where it gets interesting, Colin, where a potential offer would guarantee his son Steven Belichick be named head coach in waiting. So there are some stipulations that they offer Belichick. But wait, there's more. Any potential staff would include Matt Patricia, that's the rocket scientist who flamed out miserably in Detroit, Ben McDaniels, who's the brother of Josh McDaniels as well as a sitting college GM who would handle general ops, nil and recruiting. So less stuff for Belichick. And finally, discussions with UNC are not to gain leverage over NFL, according to this report. But Belichick is very surprised. He hasn't heard from any NFL teams.
Joy Taylor
Well, he is, from a personnel perspective, very challenged. And I think that was. I mean, this is what I've heard from my people in the NFL. Now, my people tend to be executives. So are they threatened by Bill? But the take is his last seven drafts in New England were not good. It's hard to find really good players. Forget great players. It's hard to find really good players. In his last six to seven drafts, he reached on a lot of people. They had the slowest receiving core in the league, and he drafted three interior linemen and two kickers. He was tone deaf to the changing culture of pro football.
J. Mac
That's fair. Could you argue, hey, he just. He did win, I believe, a Super bowl or two during that run of awful drafts. And we can't give Brady all the credit. We give Brady a lot of it, obviously.
Colin Cowherd
Yeah.
Joy Taylor
But Tom. Tom succeeded elsewhere. Bill didn't succeed at all when Tom left.
J. Mac
So this whole, like, coach in waiting for his son. Where is this coming from? A photo emerged of, like, a young Belichick. He's like, 2 years old on the UNC campus because his. I guess his dad was coaching there in the 50s before he got to one of the Naval Academy. I believe. This has gotten intriguing. Colin, I don't know if you spent time in North Carolina. I had a summer there and summer internship at a newspaper in Greensboro, and Greensboro's kind of dead. There's nothing going on. Every weekend I'm in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, because that's where young people are. It's fun. It's cool. It's a really nice area.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't cave to Belichick too much because they'll always be able to get good coaches.
J. Mac
You're North Carolina, dude. Come on. You're at least second or third or fourth banana in the acc, right?
Joy Taylor
You're probably third, but that's still a good job. It's a good job.
J. Mac
I think this would be really cool for Belichick. I'm excited for the guy. Next up, Colin, The Philadelphia Eagles, I love them this week. They did not cover the spread. Another letdown at home against a bad team. But they've won nine strikes straight. They are 11 2. One of the issues yesterday was the passing game. You're looking at highlights here. Yeah, dude's not getting open. Jalen hurts passed for 108 yards. So I'll tell you one guy who was not happy. But after the game, Hurts spoke about the passing game issues.
Joy Taylor
Some things don't get you until it gets you.
Matt Hasselbeck
And it's been definitely been some urgency there trying to figure it out and got to keep climbing and trying to.
J. Mac
Progress in that notion of trying to be on the same page. Is that a conversation that should be happening in week 13 of the season?
Matt Hasselbeck
No.
LeVar Arrington
Why is it I just say no?
Joy Taylor
Well, A.J. brown, you know, he's not thrilled.
J. Mac
A.J. brown.
Joy Taylor
No.
J. Mac
Let it be known he's not thrilled.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. And we see this with this position all the time.
J. Mac
What's your takeaway from this game? Do we overreact and be like, gee, Eagles, I mean if Leggette catches that deep ball at like the two yard line, Panthers win this.
Joy Taylor
Yeah.
J. Mac
And. And the Eagles have no shot at the number one seed. Or was this just a hey, Dallas Goddard, sit this game out, you know.
Matt Hasselbeck
Yeah.
Joy Taylor
I tend to think coming off the Eagles, when inspired and focused, can beat anybody in football. Anybody. And they weren't entirely ready to roll. I mean, from the very beginning they did not look inspired.
J. Mac
So they're, I believe, a bottom three offense in almost every metric in the first quarter.
Joy Taylor
Yeah.
J. Mac
Now the rest of the game, they're fine. But who does that fall upon? Colin?
Joy Taylor
Well, generally, the first quarter is your McVay quarter is your LeFleur quarter, it's your great offensive coordinator quarter, that scheme. Second half is roster. Second half is your players making plays. First half tends to be Andy Reid takes a lot of leads. McVay historically leads in the first quarter. Belichick, by the way, with Brady, would get to the first quarter of Super Bowls, no touchdowns. Why? Bill likes to feel it out. Bill's going to be a bit more conservative. Let's not make a big mistake early. Offensive coaches, your Shanahans, your McVay's, the offensive guys, pedal to the metal. Aggressive 12 plays. Let's take a lead. So that tells me there's some limitations on what they can do on script.
J. Mac
I don't want to overreact here, but lurking at the potential seven seats is the San Francisco 49ers. After yesterday, they're not done yet.
Joy Taylor
They play the Rams Thursday.
Matt Hasselbeck
Huge.
Joy Taylor
Thursday is a massive. It may not be Detroit, Green Bay, but it's close. Yeah, it'll be interesting too because the Rams played a perfect football game. Cooper cup got dinged up A little bit. And now they've got to face their division rival on a really short week. It's a very tough spot for the Rams. I mean, the Niners were in cruise control. 8 minutes left in the second quarter so they could rest guys.
J. Mac
So I'm sure some people. Why are you bringing up the Niners? Well, I'm just looking at the way Sirianni has coached against bad teams and these first quarter struggles and Colin, I know they've been awesome and I last week said they were the best team in the league. I still believe it. I just think if they lose in the first round or the second round of the playoffs would not shock me if Sirianni's gone. I mean, the guy's not a great coach. Well, let's be real.
Joy Taylor
I don't.
J. Mac
Do you think he's a good coach right now?
Joy Taylor
I don't put him in the Peyton Reed Harbaugh class. No, I do not.
J. Mac
It's not. It's not even close. Final story is tonight's game is Bengals in Dallas. The line coming down a little bit, seeing five there. For the Bengals, five is a dead number in NFL gambling, but they are on the road where they should put up a lot of numbers. The Dallas defense usually gets shredded at home. And now Joe Burrow comes to town. He leads the NFL with 30 passing touchdowns.
Joy Taylor
How about Burrow watching Alan Stafford with those rosters? Herbert Mahomes. You think Joe Burrow's watching those four quarterbacks put on a clinic yesterday and thinking, I don't have a defense that could stop a cold. I mean, it couldn't stop the sniffles. I mean it literally. They can't stop anything.
J. Mac
Yeah.
Joy Taylor
And I was sitting there watching the game thinking, does Pearl look at this and think, could somebody give me some help here?
J. Mac
Josh Allen has it once, and everybody's like, oh, my God. Gosh, Burrow deals with this crap every week. Anyways, Micah Parsons has chimed in on Joe Burrow and said he should be the MVP of the league.
Matt Hasselbeck
If Joe Burrow is. His record is opposite. He'll be the leading runner for mvp. You know what I'm saying? So I still think he should be the mvp. Yeah. I mean, he's leaving passing yards, passing touchdowns the year he's having. Like Joe Burrow, lsu. I think this what a healthy Joe Burrow looks like.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. Well, you got to win more than four games at this point.
J. Mac
Both podcaster hot takes.
Joy Taylor
Yeah. Winning.
J. Mac
Come on. He's been great. The numbers are awesome. You can't be MVP on A losing team.
Joy Taylor
That's right.
J. Mac
Can you?
Joy Taylor
No. I think in baseball, if you put up all time historic numbers like Ohtani was doing with the Angels, you could certainly argue that.
J. Mac
But these aren't historic. These are really, really good numbers.
Joy Taylor
Well, and again, when you have a scarcity of games, you got to be able to win like 10 of the 17 games.
J. Mac
If Burrows going for 5,000 yards and 55 touchdowns, maybe we have a discussion.
Joy Taylor
Well, also, Stafford's on fire, Darnold's on fire, Allen's on fire. So there's just too many good quarterbacks out there. Saquon Barkley won. It wouldn't bother me. There's just too many good candidates this year.
J. Mac
Lamar Jackson's having a great year.
Joy Taylor
Yeah, it's in a down year. Maybe he finishes.
J. Mac
Do you have a pick tonight, by the way?
Joy Taylor
5. Whenever I see a team favored by 5, I like that team because it means Vegas doesn't know what to do with. They'd rather it be three to three and a half or seven. So what it tells me is Cincinnati is the better team. The more functional offense. I would take them as a favorite.
J. Mac
Though they have not been great this year. Well, and defense, like you can't trust the fourth quarter. Cooper Rush could come down the field. You know, I like the over. I bet the over. 49 and a half.
Joy Taylor
Yeah.
J. Mac
I mean, Cowboys can't stop anybody.
Joy Taylor
For the record. You bet. Who'd you have in Texas? Georgia?
Colin Cowherd
I had the.
J. Mac
That was lucky. That was lucky for you had the over, didn't it?
Joy Taylor
I had the over at halftime. I'm lucky.
J. Mac
Was it six nothing or six three?
Joy Taylor
I'm like, what am I watching? I thought the first half was the worst half of football. If you said Texas and Georgia, with all your great talent, play the most boring, uneventful half of football possible. They delivered.
J. Mac
But let me ask you, was that because the games did not have a ton of meaning with the College Football Playoff, historically, that game is huge.
Joy Taylor
Texas needs to win a big game. I thought it had huge meaning for them.
J. Mac
They came out with their hair on fire.
Joy Taylor
Texas had 19 penalties in two games against Georgia. By the way, Quinn Ewers is doing himself no favors for the draft. He is out of the first round.
J. Mac
I keep trying to make a case for him.
Joy Taylor
He's always banged up. I don't see the special there. I don't get it. Little Lou loose for me.
J. Mac
Well, Carson Beck, no shot. Absolutely not.
Joy Taylor
I'm not J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie new one more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.
Colin Cowherd
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J. Mac
This week, Fox College Hoops Friday takes over primetime. Indiana goes head to head with Nebraska in a Big Ten showdown. It all ticks off Friday at 8.
Joy Taylor
Eastern on well, here's a bunch of hooey. The Alabama athletic director was not happy that the Crimson Tide were left out of the playoff. Athletic director Greg Burns said he would need to assess the rigorous non conference schedules going forward for Alabama. You mean the rigorous out of conference schedule that includes Mercer, Western Kentucky, South Florida and a bad Wisconsin team this year? What a bunch of nonsense that is. I thought Bama would get in. Nobody can cry for Bama. First of all, Alabama loves benefiting from the sec. The money, the TV revenue, the marketing, the recruiting power, all those SEC teams love benefiting from it. But the minute things don't go your way, Bama's like, well, it's just so rigorous. Is it? Tennessee's one of your better teams. They lost to 6 and 6 Arkansas. Bama's one of your better teams. They got shelled by a bad Oklahoma team. Give me a break. Not only that, it's like I'm willing to give somebody a Mulligan. Vandy and Oklahoma beat you, so they need to soften their schedule. What's weaker than Mercer? I mean, how many more directional schools can Alabama put on it? You went Western Kentucky. You want to schedule Eastern Kentucky, too. So and the other thing is, the SEC only plays eight conference games. The Big Ten plays nine conference games. All right, so don't give me that. If you want to schedule three or four more cupcakes, you go for it. But here's the earth at the top. All these conferences are judged by the top of the conference. Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State at the top of the Big Ten. Take a backseat to nobody. Texas. 19 penalties in two games against Georgia. And Georgia now is a backup quarterback, an Ole Miss. Tell me all the big games, historically they've won. So do I think it's possible that the SEC is a little deeper? Who cares? It's all about getting your best teams into the tournament. And so the top three teams at the top of the Big Ten, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State are absolutely, this year as good as the top three of the sec. Let's remember Texas was favored to win the SEC championship and laid an egg, couldn't beat a backup quarterback. So, yeah, I just don't want to hear how the scheduling is so rigorous. Greg Byrne, Alabama AD we have to reassess our out of conference schedule. It can't get weaker than Mercer, a directional Florida school, a directional Kentucky school and Wisconsin, a bad Wisconsin team. Well, it's not our fault Wisconsin was bad this year. No, but it's your reality. It didn't have to be your fault. It's your reality. That game, their quarterback got knocked out. They played with a backup quarterback. So, you know, no tears here for Alabama. By the way, I just, you know, no need to pat myself on the back, but Sam Darnold may be entering, not the portal, the MVP conversation. Five touchdowns yesterday. No interceptions yesterday. Matt Hasselbeck, who knows quarterbacks, talks about Darnold's future in Minnesota.
Matt Hasselbeck
Well, if I'm the Vikings, I try to keep Sam Darnold. No doubt about it. He's earned it. He's played outstanding. If this last game didn't improve it to you, you know, I don't know what will. But if I'm Sam Darnold, it's not just about the money, okay? Like, you should want to stay in Minnesota also, you should value what you have there in a coach, a head coach that understands how to see things through the quarterback lens.
Joy Taylor
Yeah, I think that's a really big one. Is that you're not getting Justin Jefferson wherever you go. You're not getting Kevin O'Connell. You're not getting a great left tackle who returns next year. There are times I think this situation for him, the only downside to the Minnesota gig is the division. So you can win 13 games in the division. It does not guarantee anything going forward. I mean, even the bad team has a lot of talent. Chicago. So I think this is the. And also, Sam was a top pick, so he was paid very well as a rookie. He made some real money. And Minnesota's always been pretty well run. They're overshadowed because they play in a division where Green Bay is exceptionally run, but Minnesota's got a great home field advantage, it's a wonderful place to live. It's a three and a half hour flight back to, you know, his beloved Los Angeles. Great fans, nice roster. There are worse places in this league to play than Minnesota. Nice area, great fans. And again, if Green Bay doesn't land Fav and Rogers, I think we'd look at Minnesota differently. They're always well run Minnesota. You're not getting Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. To me, that's the best combo in the league. Jamar Chase, T. Higgins and then Jefferson, Jordan Anderson and then I get Hawkinson. And it's been an organization that's been willing to spend money. They're not cheap. They've spent money on coaches. I think sometimes I think in this instance, Sam Darnold in Minnesota works. And also I think in life when you've been burned by something bad coaching the jets in Carolina, you really appreciate landing. I mean, Sam Darnold can't wipe the smile off his face every time he's in front of the camera. He's just, oh my God, so happy. Here, maybe take just a smidge left. I couldn't be happier for him. I remember a young sportscaster calling his shot on Darnold years ago.
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The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Episode Summary: "Hour 2 - Where Colin Was Right and Wrong"
Released on December 9, 2024, "Hour 2 - Where Colin Was Right and Wrong" of The Herd with Colin Cowherd delves deep into the intricate debates surrounding the College Football Playoffs, NFL quarterback performances, and high-profile coaching moves. Hosted by Colin Cowherd, Matt Hasselbeck, and Joy Taylor, the episode offers a comprehensive analysis of current sports narratives, enriched with candid opinions and expert insights.
The episode kicks off with a heated discussion on the College Football Playoff committee's decisions, particularly focusing on the exclusion of powerhouse Alabama from the playoff.
J. Mac Critiques SEC's Playoff Influence:
At [03:37], J. Mac argues, “Alabama lost to Vandy and Oklahoma, but nobody to blame except Alabama.” He contends that the SEC may have an undue advantage in playoff selections, suggesting that Georgia was given an easier path to the national championship, sidelining Alabama despite their talent.
Joy Taylor Challenges SEC's Scheduling Rigor:
Joy Taylor at [41:17], rebukes Alabama's athletic director, Greg Burns, stating, “If you want to schedule three or four more cupcakes, you go for it.” She criticizes the perceived weakness in Alabama's non-conference schedule, emphasizing that teams like Texas and Penn State have proven their mettle against top-tier opponents.
Notable Quote:
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing the performances of various NFL quarterbacks, assessing their impact on their respective teams' successes.
Matt Hasselbeck on Matt Stafford:
At [04:03], Matt praises Matt Stafford's enduring talent, stating, “He was always the most talented guy in the NFL in a bad spot. He's only 36... he's still a complete workhorse.”
Joy Taylor on Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold:
Joy critiques Kyler Murray’s consistency, noting his struggles with interceptions and body language changes under pressure ([15:27]). Conversely, she expresses strong support for Sam Darnold’s future with the Minnesota Vikings, highlighting his performance and fit within the team's structure ([51:10]).
Matt Hasselbeck’s Insights:
Matt delves into the strategic aspects of quarterback play, emphasizing the importance of supporting structures like offensive lines and coaching strategies. He commends Andy Reid's play-calling with Stafford, attributing Kansas City's success to their ability to "rise above the X's and O's" ([12:15]).
Notable Quotes:
Matt Hasselbeck: “[10:59] ...Josh Allen, he just was born at the wrong time. I mean, Josh Allen, to me, is the MVP this year.”
Joy Taylor: “[40:25] ... he's just too many good quarterbacks out there. Saquon Barkley won.”
A particularly intriguing segment of the episode revolves around rumors of Bill Belichick considering a coaching position at UNC.
J. Mac’s Breakdown:
Discussing reports at [32:00], J. Mac reveals that Belichick met with UNC officials for five hours and that any potential offer would include stipulations like naming his son, Steve Belichick, as the head coach in waiting. He raises questions about the feasibility and implications of such a move.
Matt Hasselbeck’s Perspective:
Matt entertains the possibility, suggesting that Belichick might seek to cement his legacy by transitioning to college football. He muses, “[24:34] ...there's something intriguing about this opportunity for him.”
Joy Taylor’s Skepticism:
Joy counters by emphasizing Belichick’s recent draft struggles and questioning the viability of his move, especially given the competitive nature of college football coaching positions ([33:53]).
Notable Quotes:
J. Mac: “[32:00] ...Belichick wants to prove his coaching legacy at the college level without Tom Brady's shadow over him.”
Joy Taylor: “[33:53] ...his last seven drafts in New England were not good. It's hard to find really good players.”
The hosts offer their takes on various team performances, highlighting both strengths and shortcomings.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Offensive Struggles:
Joy and J. Mac discuss the Eagles' difficulties in covering the spread and their passing game woes, particularly criticizing Jalen Hurts' performance and the lack of synergy in the receiving corps ([35:55]).
Minnesota Vikings’ Quarterback Situation:
The conversation shifts to Sam Darnold's impressive performances and his potential future with the Vikings, with Joy advocating for his retention and emphasizing the strong organizational support he receives ([51:10]).
Chicago Bears’ Quarterback Controversy:
Joy criticizes the Bears' management decisions regarding Caleb Williams, highlighting concerns over ownership and executive mishandling after consecutive losses ([17:36]).
Notable Quotes:
Joy Taylor: “[36:34] ...the first half was the worst half of football.”
J. Mac: “[38:17] Do you think he's a good coach right now? I don't.”
Matt Hasselbeck provides an in-depth analysis of a pivotal play involving Andy Reid and Travis Ketchum, illustrating the instinctual and strategic brilliance that defines the Kansas City Chiefs.
Matt’s Breakdown of the Play:
At [12:15], Matt describes a critical third-down play where Reid's call and Ketchum's execution led to a game-winning drive, underscoring the importance of player creativity within a structured playbook.
Notable Quote:
Throughout the episode, the hosts engage with potential game outcomes, betting lines, and player performances, offering their predictions and encouraging listener interaction.
Game Picks and Betting Insights:
Joy shares her thoughts on upcoming games, highlighting the unpredictability of certain matchups and suggesting strategies for bettors, such as favoring teams with ambiguous point spreads ([40:28]).
Notable Quote:
The episode wraps up with reflections on team dynamics, coaching efficacy, and the evolving landscape of both college and professional football. The hosts emphasize the importance of leadership, strategic planning, and adaptability in achieving success on the field.
Final Insights:
Matt reiterates the significance of organizational support for quarterbacks and the necessity for teams to adapt their strategies to maximize player strengths ([51:34]).
Notable Quotes:
Playoff Selections: The SEC's influence on playoff selections is questioned, with arguments suggesting that committee biases may favor certain conferences over others based on television and marketing considerations.
Quarterback Evaluations: Strong opinions are voiced regarding the performances and futures of quarterbacks like Matt Stafford, Kyler Murray, and Sam Darnold, emphasizing the impact of coaching and team support on their success.
Coaching Moves: The potential transition of Bill Belichick to college football sparks debates about legacy, adaptability, and the differences between NFL and college coaching environments.
Team Strategies: Insightful analyses of game strategies and key plays highlight the tactical aspects that differentiate successful teams from their competitors.
This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers listeners a thorough exploration of pressing sports topics, blending expert analysis with passionate debate. Whether you are a die-hard football fan or casually follow the sport, "Hour 2 - Where Colin Was Right and Wrong" provides valuable perspectives to enhance your understanding of the game.