Hour 3 -  It's about Ownership, Mark Sanchez

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: Hour 3 - It's about Ownership, Mark Sanchez
Release Date: December 24, 2024

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Introduction to Ownership and Key Themes

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the discussion centers around the theme of ownership in sports, particularly focusing on team management, quarterback development, and the impact of ownership styles on team performance. Colin Cowherd engages with guest speakers Mark Sanchez and J. Mac to delve into various aspects of NFL team dynamics, highlighting the successes and challenges faced by different franchises.

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Mark Sanchez on Combating Hate in America

Timestamp: [01:02]

Mark Sanchez opens the conversation by addressing a pressing social issue: the rise of hate in the country. He shares a personal anecdote from his high school days, recounting an incident where a teammate wore a derogatory shirt toward his racial group. This experience left a lasting emotional impact on him, underscoring the importance of unity and teamwork beyond the sports field.

Notable Quote:

"We're supposed to be a team. But it's going to take all of us to stop that sort of hate."
— Mark Sanchez ([01:02])

Sanchez calls for collective action to counteract the pervasive hate, urging listeners to "call a timeout against hate" by supporting initiatives like StandUpToAllHate.org.

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Green Bay Packers’ Ownership Model and Quarterback Development

Timestamp: [05:12]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing the Green Bay Packers' unique ownership model and its positive effects on quarterback development. Colin Cowherd praises the Packers for their lack of owner interference, which he argues allows for consistent and effective development of young quarterbacks.

Key Points:

• Consistent Quarterback Development: The Packers have successfully developed three successive quarterbacks—Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, and the current young talent—without external meddling.
• Comparison with Other Teams: Contrasting the Packers with teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers, Cowherd highlights how excessive owner involvement can negatively impact team performance and quarterback growth.
• Impact on Team Success: Green Bay's approach has led to a record 37th playoff appearance, surpassing the Cowboys, thanks to a stable and supportive environment for player development.

Notable Quote:

"All Green Bay does is whatever is best for the development of their young quarterback. It's all football."
— Colin Cowherd ([05:12])

Cowherd emphasizes that the Packers' hands-off approach allows quarterbacks like Jordan Love to flourish without the pressure of owner's demands, fostering a more conducive environment for athletic and personal growth.

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Sam Darnold’s Redemption and Performance Analysis

Timestamp: [44:52]

The conversation shifts to Sam Darnold’s remarkable turnaround this season. Initially criticized for his performance, Darnold has emerged as a redemption story, showing significant improvement and making crucial plays that have garnered admiration.

Key Points:

• Late-Game Playmaking: Darnold has been instrumental in securing victories during critical moments, demonstrating resilience and clutch performance.
• Locker Room Leadership: His improved gameplay has earned the trust and support of his teammates, reinforcing his role as a key player.
• Future Prospects: With ongoing development, Darnold is seen as a rising star who could reach MVP levels, positioning himself among the league's elite quarterbacks.

Notable Quote:

"Sam Darnold has been the redemption story of the decade. Not quite MVP level, probably behind Lamar and Josh Allen, but moving into that territory."
— Colin Cowherd ([44:52])

Darnold’s ability to make pivotal plays under pressure has reshaped perceptions of his capabilities, marking him as a valuable asset for his team’s future success.

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Comparative Analysis of Quarterback-Coach Relationships

Timestamp: [12:37]

Colin Cowherd explores the intricate relationships between quarterbacks and their coaches, positing that a strong QB-coach synergy is crucial for on-field success. He discusses how top quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and others excel not just because of their individual talents but also due to their harmonious collaborations with their coaching staff.

Key Points:

• Synergy and Strategy: Effective communication and mutual understanding between quarterbacks and coaches lead to better game strategies and execution.
• Impact on Performance: The right coaching approach can enhance a quarterback’s strengths and mitigate weaknesses, leading to improved overall performance.
• Examples in the League: Cowherd cites players like Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson as examples of how successful QB-coach relationships can elevate a team's performance.

Notable Quote:

"The position's never been more important. And there's a huge gap between the really good coaches and the average ones."
— Colin Cowherd ([12:37])

This segment underscores the importance of leadership and mentorship in developing top-tier quarterbacks who can lead their teams effectively.

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NFL Team Performance and Ownership Influence

Timestamp: [26:32]

The discussion moves to the Arizona Cardinals, analyzing their recent performance and coaching strategies. Colin Cowherd criticizes Jonathan Gannon’s handling of the team, highlighting issues such as inconsistent performances and defensive shortcomings.

Key Points:

• Team Performance Decline: The Cardinals, once leading their division, have faltered, dropping in standings due to poor performances and strategic missteps.
• Coaching Accountability: Gannon takes responsibility for the team’s performance, but Cowherd remains critical of his ability to turn the team around.
• Ownership Impact: The role of ownership in providing support and stability is emphasized as a key factor in the team's struggles and potential recovery.

Notable Quote:

"They have a great football club. Especially if you got to go play them in the cold in Green Bay."
— Colin Cowherd ([26:32])

Cowherd highlights how ownership styles and coaching decisions profoundly impact a team’s success, using the Cardinals as a case study for what can go wrong without strong leadership.

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Discussion on Playoff Structures and March Madness Comparisons

Timestamp: [20:04]

Colin Cowherd draws parallels between the NFL playoff structures and the NCAA March Madness tournament, discussing the challenges and criticisms faced by both.

Key Points:

• Playoff Expansion Issues: The expansion of the playoff format in college football has led to debates about fairness and competitiveness, similar to concerns in March Madness.
• Impact on Traditional Powerhouses: Teams like Notre Dame face unique challenges due to their lack of conference affiliation, leading to discussions about equity in tournament selections.
• Future Implications: Cowherd anticipates further adjustments and potential criticisms as both playoff systems evolve, emphasizing the need for thoughtful restructuring to maintain competitiveness.

Notable Quote:

"It's the first day of March Madness; take a deep breath."
— Colin Cowherd ([20:20])

This segment provides insight into the complexities of tournament structures and the importance of maintaining fair competition to preserve the integrity of the games.

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Final Remarks and Upcoming Topics

Timestamp: [54:18]

As the episode draws to a close, Colin Cowherd and guest speakers engage in lighthearted banter about modern slang and personal anecdotes, maintaining an engaging and personable tone.

Key Points:

• Cultural References: Cowherd humorously discusses his attempts to understand contemporary slang, reflecting on generational differences.
• Upcoming Discussions: Teasers for future episodes include in-depth analyses of Sam Darnold’s performance and other pressing sports topics.
• Community Engagement: The hosts encourage listeners to stay connected and participate in ongoing discussions about sports and social issues.

Notable Quote:

"I got lit mid."
— Colin Cowherd ([28:55])

Cowherd’s humorous take on learning new slang adds a relatable and entertaining element to the episode, reinforcing the show's approachable and conversational style.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd provides a comprehensive exploration of ownership dynamics within the NFL, emphasizing the critical role of ownership styles in shaping team success and player development. Through insightful discussions, personal anecdotes, and analytical commentary, the hosts shed light on the factors that contribute to a team’s long-term performance, making it a valuable listen for sports enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of the game beyond the surface-level narratives.

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Note: Advertisements, promotional segments, and non-content sections have been omitted from this summary to focus solely on the substantive discussions and analyses presented during the episode.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[LeVar Arrington]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Mark Sanchez]

Hey, what's up guys? It's Lavar Arrington here from up on Game. Wanted to talk to you about a serious issue. Hate. You know, something personal that I have experienced and witnessed and watched is how the hate in our country is getting so out of control. It's at an all time high and people are facing way too much hate. A lot of people don't think it's a problem, but I do. I can recall growing up being in high school. One of my high school teammates, good dude too, just happened to wear a shirt that was a derogatory shirt towards my racial group. It depicted Malcolm X moments after he was assassinated and it just made me feel really, really sad. It made me feel upset and so many other emotions. And it's really because we're supposed to be a team. But it's going to take all of us to stop that sort of hate. As I mentioned, we are a team in this country. So let's take a break from hate so our team can regroup and regain our momentum. We need to take a timeout against hate. Visit Stand up to all hate.org to help and join me and calling for a timeout against hate by following at what's up with Hate or posting the blue square emoji.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, so if I say aflac, you probably think that famous duck, you should also think supplemental insurance. So that's like in football, what you'd call the second level of your defense. I mean if there's gaps in your health insurance. Aflac's job is to help fill them. If you're sick or injured, Aflac can pay cash to help cover things your health insurance doesn't unexpected medical bills, even rent or mortgage payments. To learn more about how Aflac can help fill the gaps health insurance can leave behind, visit aflac.com what gift are you going to get that person that's impossible to shop for? Give the gift of sound JLab has the perfect gift for anyone with a variety of styles, sizes and colors, and they have products for under $100, under $50 and even under $25. I love that. Save up to 60% on select JLab products this holiday season on JL. Look for the JLAB Blue Box at retailers everywhere or visit jlab.com today thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports radio at noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Welcome back. Mark Sanchez in 30 minutes is going to break down that Sam Darnold because he was doing that Seahawk Minnesota game, which ended up being just a great, great game. Live in la. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, I want to thank you for making us part of your day. We got a lot of choices out here. J. Mack was at the Lakers game last night. Austin Reeves didn't play well. They're not playing. Dalton connect to your liking.

[J. Mac]

He needs a few more minutes, I'll just say that. But he needed Max Christie as a starter because he plays defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Dalton doesn't play a much.

[J. Mac]

Redic is tinkering. I like what he's doing. I think the Lakers are fine. They're going to be in the playoffs. Obviously they're not a playing team. They're a playoff team.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right. LeBron played well.

[J. Mac]

Top of the west is like OKC Houston.

[Colin Cowherd]

Denver's not quite right.

[J. Mac]

They're not. It's tough. NBA is really difficult. A lot of medium teams are good in the NFL. It's top heavy like you said, and the bottom just low.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Right now in the NFL, 10 teams with five or fewer wins. Last year it was only five. So the the bottom is ugly and it shouldn't be because we just had a quarterback class that went it looks like if J.J. mcCarthy can play, it's five for five. Drake May, Penck, Pennix.

[J. Mac]

One game, let's.

[Colin Cowherd]

He looked pretty good. It was the Giants. Giants, I know.

[J. Mac]

JV team. Come on. I don't like Pennix. Now he's got to go on the road. Can he do it on the road this week?

[Colin Cowherd]

First though, the packers shut out the Saints last night. Wasn't big lifting for Jordan. Love to do too much. And there's a reason that Green Bay has a history of success. Drafting a quarterback and letting them sit for three years. Because they have no owner, no ego, no meddling, no demands. Even the great owners, Stan Kroenke, Jeffrey Lurie, Robert Kraft, they would want to see their investment. They wouldn't want a first round pick on the bench for three years. Drafting and developing. Last week there's video of the crafts in their box wanting to be on camera reportedly telling cbs, get us on camera. Criticizing the coaches. Play calling. Last week a story out the jets. The jets owners, the kids harassing jets players in the locker room. Yet the packers clinched their 37th playoff appearance last night. Number one all time. You know who they surpassed? The Dallas Cowboys, whose owner, an egomaniac, needs to be on radio every week dissecting the win. The Panthers. Seven coaches in six years, if you count the interims. Look upstairs. That's why you're bad. Is it a shock? They're 4 and 11 in Carolina and here is Green Bay. No meddling, no owner. For years I always saw it as a weakness. Now I see it as a strength. All Green Bay does is whatever is best for the development of their young quarterback. Three straight quarterbacks. Star, star, star. All three farbs in the hall of Fame. Rogers will be. And Love looks like he's on his way. It's all football. Because as owners have gotten richer, all of them are billionaires now. And crazier and more impulsive. It gets in the way of the development of the most important position. Think it's a coincidence Aaron Rodgers is 4 and 11 and now irrelevant. And in Green Bay he was a back to back mvp. And after Brady, the biggest star in the league. Do you think it is a coincidence that the Cleveland quarterback situation is the worst and messiest in the league? It's not the coach's fault. Stefanski's great. It's not the GM's fault. Andrew Berry's excellent. They draft well. It's the Haslams. You think it's a coincidence that Sam Darnold is having an unbelievable year? And in Carolina, in the jets, he was a tire fire. No, the Wolf family in Minnesota has always been very low profile. 99% of you don't know what the Wilf family looks like. It is not a coincidence. Only the packers and I used to see it as a weakness. Can draft a young quarterback who's talented and sit him and develop him for three years. Aaron could have played earlier. Jordan Love could have played earlier. But if you're just about football, no meddling, no ego, no impulsive, crazy person, that's what you should do. Even these young quarterbacks now, Jaden Daniels, he's good enough to play. But it wasn't the end of the world that Michael Penck sat. It wouldn't have been at the end of the world if Drake may or Bo Nick sat. But I'm watching what Green Bay does even after their win last night. Here's the locker room. And what you don't see is an owner that needs attention.

[Mark Sanchez]

Listen, I love this team.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love this energy.

[J. Mac]

And we got something special here.

[Guest Speaker]

We just got to keep building on it.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right?

[Guest Speaker]

Way to handle your business.

[Colin Cowherd]

We go to the playoffs. 37th playoff appearance. Number one all time for the smallest market in the NFL, the smallest media, surpassing Dallas, who is Jerry has aged, has regressed badly, and his need to talk right after the game and be on radio has increased. I do not believe it's a coincidence. And now let's talk Jordan Love. I'm finding this to be true, especially with young quarterbacks, but old ones, too. I can't separate the quarterback from the coach because there is such a huge gap between the really good coaches and, and. And Jordan Love has one and Matt Stafford has one and Lamar has one and Mahomes has one and Justin Herbert has one and Bo Nicks has one. I can't separate them. The position's never been more important. And there's a huge gap between the really good coaches and the average ones. And I look at Jordan Love and I see Matt LaFleur. Matt LaFleur, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh. They're considered offensive wizards, but deep down they love the power run game. I mean, you ever watch a Rams game, how often Kyron Williams, tiny Notre Dame or Kyron Williams? Guy carries the ball 25 times a game. He's not Derrick Henry. Not built like that. Todd Gurley, if you go look at McVay's history, he wants to run the ball. Even with Stafford and with Goff, two top 10 quarterbacks. I mean, Shanahan, I mean, he has a losing record in San Francisco. Without Christian McCaffrey, the soul of Kyle Shanahan is the run game. And it's the same with Matt LaFleur. Where did he come from? Did he build his resume in Washington behind a Shanahan, a run coach? And in Tennessee with Derrick Henry. So Jordan Love is throwing fewer passes than he's ever thrown. Six straight games under 30 attempts, and yet five straight games scoring over 30. When I watch Jordan Love, I see Matt LaFleur. He has reduced his attempts. He's the captain. And Jordan Love is a great vessel. I feel the same way with Herbert. Jim Harbaugh is the captain, Herbert's the vessel. And it's amazing that in both cases, and you're seeing this in Philadelphia too, the quarterback is throwing less but is winning more and the team is often scoring more as the quarterback throws less. And we all know quarterback's the most important position in the league. But I. But what I'm finding in this league now, when I watch Green Bay, this is Matt levlore's team, this is basically Tennessee with a better quarterback. He had Derrick Henry, now he's got Josh Jacobs. And I'm watching Josh Jacobs like this. When Aaron and Matt were together, it was Aaron's team. There were concessions. You have to have concessions with Aaron and I'm not. It's not a cheap shot. Just Mike McCarthy found it out. You'll see the door if you don't. But when I watch Green Bay, and this is not a knock at Jordan Love because I think He's a top 10 quarterback in this league or higher. There is a group of quarterbacks in this league and they have a connection with the coach and we can put it on the screen, but I can't think of Mahomes without Reed and I can't think of Stafford without McVay and Herbert and Lamar and Jordan and Sam Darnold. I just, I can't separate them. I mean, I see CJ Stroud as great and Demico Ryan is a great coach. I don't. I don't see a connection there. They're both excellent. And here was Jordan Love after the shutout.

[Guest Speaker]

I still think there's a lot of. A lot more points out there for us, a lot more big time plays. I just think it's little things that, you know, when we start being more consistent and dialing in on these things that, you know, the sky's the limit for the offense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I was saying is that there's combination right now in the NFL where you have this quarterback and head coach connection. And I tend to think Zach Taylor's really good. A lot of J. Macs push back on that one. I think Zach Taylor and Burrow work. I think there's front office and ownership stuff there that is beyond his control. But it is the league now. We have. For the record, I was thinking about this last night watching Jordan Love. There's only one great quarterback that would miss the playoffs. To show you how valuable quarterback is, it's Joe Burrow. And if they beat Cincinnati this week and then Cincinnati and then Denver loses to Kansas City the following week. But if Kansas City beats Pittsburgh, they may rest starters in the last week, especially like a Chris Jones and a Travis Kelsey. And you may get sort of the B team with Kansas City. But it's interesting because I think Denver is too good at too many things not to eke into the playoffs. If I said today, who do you that game? I think Denver's it's a two and a half point spread. Who do you like in that game?

[J. Mac]

I'm on the Bengals in that game. And listen, I know you love Peyton and Nicks. I think everybody on planet earth would love to see Joe Burrow in the playoffs, go to Buffalo and try to take down the Bills again. Remember, he did it the year they went to the Super Bowl. I think it was like 26 right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's the only great quarterback in the league not in the playoffs.

[J. Mac]

And you say great. I know people love Mahomes. Burrow's been way better than Mahomes this year. Burrow's been arguably the second or third best quarterback in the league this season. Just his numbers.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's just. But Mahomes is winning games.

[J. Mac]

Mahomes is winning games. And you know, it's a team sport. Coach Sport, who's the defensive coordinator of the Bengals versus The Chiefs?

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, come on, that guy was getting love years ago. What, did he just forget how to coach?

[J. Mac]

Yeah, he forgot how to coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, how about, how about this? The organization moved off good players to save money.

[J. Mac]

Jesse Bates. You see another pick six for the Falcons this past weekend.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he's been pretty good. They moved off him. He's been pretty good player. Just saying. Mark Sanchez around the corner, live in la it's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. We've partnered with them to make this holiday season even better. With all the shopping, gifting and holiday prep, my PayPal debit card is My go to for getting more out of my purchases. Here's how it works. I choose my monthly category. Gas, restaurants, apparel, groceries, health and beauty or just for the holiday season, tech. And I earn 5% cash back on up to a thousand bucks in the purchases in those categories. Yeah, 5% cash back. This month I'm gonna go with tech. It's my category. It's a no brainer, right? Everybody loves the latest tech gifts. So whether it's stuff for the fam or adding new gadgets to my personal collection, that cash back adds up fast. So this holiday season, let the PayPal debit card do the heavy lifting. Sign up for the card when you download the PayPal app. Then pay in store and online and get cash back with a PayPal debit card. Don't just pay PayPal terms and limits apply. See paypal.com rewardspal the PayPal Debit MasterCard is issued by the Bancor Bank N.A. pursuant to a license by MasterCard International, Inc. And may be used everywhere MasterCard is accepted.

[LeVar Arrington]

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[Mark Sanchez]

[e-mail] 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, regroup, 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 timeout 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'mma call it out. You need to do the same thing. Visit Stand up to all hate.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]

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[J. Mac]

You know me, you love it. Outside of World cup years, March Madness is the greatest sporting event.

[Colin Cowherd]

It was amazing. Well, that's why when everybody freaks out about the College Football Playoff, like folks, it's year one. Let them work the kinks out. There's a lot of concessions. There's bureaucracy. There's a reason Boise State got to buy the Mountain West. Notre Dame, by the way, can never get a buy.

[J. Mac]

That's a good point.

[Colin Cowherd]

They can go 12, 0 and Notre Dame cannot get a buy because they don't have a conference affiliation. So I mean, that's totally unfair to Notre Dame. So. But that was how this thing was structured. You had to make a lot of concessions and everybody's freaking out. Yes. SMU going to Penn State. How about this? Penn State's really good. Let's just stop with that. And I've said this for years is how long did it take for a 16 seed to be the 1 seed in March Madness? I mean, it happened a few years ago, but it took forever. How long? I mean, how often do you get a 15 seed or a 14 seed that went? Not very often. So the fact of the matter is, as this tournament expands from 12 to 14 and probably 16, the first round is going to have some ugly games. You're going to have Alabama and Georgia hosting an SMU or a Boise State or whatever. That's the reality of the tournament.

[J. Mac]

Are you surprised by all the hand wringing the media? I've seen articles, I haven't read them, but I've seen headlines how we can change the playoff going forward. We're not even done year one. We're in the middle of the first playoff. People are like, here's some ideas. I'm like, first of all, first of.

[Colin Cowherd]

All, the first round of March Madness, we talk about the upsets. You don't get a lot of them. I mean, what about the first round.

[J. Mac]

Of the wild card round of the NFL last year? Six games, five blowouts. The first round, five games were just unwatchable.

[Colin Cowherd]

How about the NBA? Seven game first round? Did LeBron lose a game in the first round? For years. So it's like, take a deep breath. This coming up, I believe Oregon, Ohio State will be the highest rated college football game. That's not a natty in forever. So I think the games are going to be great. Both you and I think Notre Dame could beat Georgia. Both of us like Boise State giving Penn State trouble. Remember Penn State, blowout win, another heavy favorite with potentially, you know, the winner of Georgia, Notre Dame waiting. Not potentially. They are. So it's a sandwich game, blowout win, big favorite here Comes Notre Dame, Georgia, Penn State. Better be careful. That is a bad spot to be in. And Boise State has the best running back in the sport. They ran all over Oregon. I mean, this kid had six touchdowns against Georgia Southern. I think he had 200 yards and three, three touchdowns against Oregon.

[J. Mac]

In Oregon, by the way.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. No, no.

[J. Mac]

Boise played Oregon tougher than. Than Penn State played Oregon in. In the Big Ten championship. Boise's live, folks. They're gonna.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're getting 10 and a half.

[J. Mac]

I think it's up to 11.

[Colin Cowherd]

So maybe the market.

[J. Mac]

I don't care.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm taking the 11.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no.

[Mark Sanchez]

Turn on the news.

[Guest Speaker]

This is the Herdline news.

[Mark Sanchez]

All right, I. I don't know if.

[J. Mac]

I love or hate this, but this Antonio Pierce situation with Vegas is funny. So, entering last week, the Raiders were in line to have the number one overall pick. Then they beat the Jags, dropping them from first pick to sixth. Fans are outraged. Everybody's crestfallen. Antonio Pierce does not care. Look at the smile on his face.

[Guest Speaker]

We don't do this to lose. We don't do this for anybody's fantasy football team. We don't do this for anybody's drafts, projections. None of that matters to us. All name matters is winning, and that's all we want to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

I will say this. Let me defend Antonio Pierce and Tom Tesco. They play their butt off every weekend. They are a block kick here and a misty pat. I mean, they could have easily mailed it in like the Giants have. It feels like the Giants. The locker room's gone. Saints, Giants, they are playing their butts off for Antonio Pierce. They're playing. And let's be honest, I look at.

[J. Mac]

Crosby, by the way.

[Colin Cowherd]

What's that?

[J. Mac]

No. Max Crosby.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I always say the NFL's about checking boxes. Do you have a quarterback? No. Do they have a left tackle? Yes. Do they have a weapon? Brock Bowers is unguardable. Yes. Do they have an edge rusher? Yes. Do they have a left tackle? Colton Miller? Yes, they have boxes checked. That's why I think they'll look at Cousins Darnold and Cam Ward. I also think they may trade down because they like the character of Jalen Milroe. I wouldn't be shocked if the Raiders traded down, got another pick, and then took Jalen Milroe 12th because Milroe's not. He's not a top 10 pick. And not that many teams need quarterbacks, but I think I just look at the Raiders And I like how hard they play. And I think the roster is not that far off. I said this about Denver. Everybody said Denver's a five win team. I said, folks, if Bonix complete play, there's. They check. They have a great left tackle. They Cortland Sutton, good edge rusher like they had the weapons. Good run game, great corner in that division. I know, but I'm just saying you.

[J. Mac]

Need a real coach. No, no disrespect to Pierce.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I think, I think they play very hard. It's easy to mail. I watched, I watched the Saints last night. Quit. Yeah, I watched the Giants.

[J. Mac]

Well, that's the thing about D. Like those guys aren't even playing.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would. I'm a Dabol guy, but that's. That Atlanta game was getting ugly. Dicey.

[J. Mac]

All right, let's get to the Arizona Cardinals who got eliminated on Sunday with the overtime loss to the Panthers. You know, they were in great position a month ago. They were in first place, lost four of five and Jonathan Gannon not under fire, but he's taking responsibility in Arizona. I'm not satisfied with the performance of.

[Guest Speaker]

The team that starts with me. So what I'm really saying, that's an indictment on myself. I'm not satis.

[J. Mac]

Satisfied with myself.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

He was kind of. I don't want to be me. It's the holiday. He was a little goofy at his introductory.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, some of these, some of these coaches aren't good in there. Dan Campbell and Nick Ceriani were horrible on our opening press conferences and they're on fire. So I, you know, McVeigh was great, but I think McVeigh was like years ahead of where most coaches are. I don't know what to do in Arizona. I have been such a Kyler Murray advocate.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, well, can't win them all Cowherd. By the way, he's Kyler will be without. They just announced this without his left tackle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Can I, can I, can I do something that I haven't done in a month?

[J. Mac]

Oh, here we go. Locking in a pick.

[Colin Cowherd]

What is the line on the Rams?

[J. Mac]

Arizona six on the screen. Because I saw this like seven minutes ago. I looked during the commercial. It's six and a half. It's going to be seven by game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, I'm taking the six and a half now.

[J. Mac]

Okay, we'll take six. It's a six on the screen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, six on the screen. Yeah, yeah, I'm taking the minus six. Locking it in. Yeah, right. I'm going to. Rams is in my blazing five. Minus six okay, so no left tackle.

[J. Mac]

Paris Johnson Jr. Or right tackle.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, no, I'm taking. The Rams is one of my picks. I'm locking in the number now.

[J. Mac]

They look. Arizona looks so deflated.

[Colin Cowherd]

I also have. There's another. There's one great bet on the board. I think Rams is a really good bet. Don't listen to me, I stink this year.

[J. Mac]

Bengals.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, there's another one.

[J. Mac]

Ravens that. Well, that's tomorrow, but anyways. All right, we'll get to the final story. This is funny. So Joel Embiid has been up and down this season and look at this. He got a. He got ejected last night, called for a charge, did not like it, got in the face of the referee, teed up, continued his tirade on the sideline, got another technical, ejected for the second time in his career. I guess maybe he wanted some extra rest ahead of the Christmas Day game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Look at him, he is worked up, very hot.

[J. Mac]

Look at him. I think he's taking out some full season frustration on the refs there. By the way, LeBron last night barking at the refs a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, LeBron's always barked at the refs.

[J. Mac]

It was like Luka Doncic levels last night. But just seeing these stars, you know, Joel Embiid, he's having a tough year. Colin, I know you've been a long.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know what I think he's mad at? They told him he had to play in back to back games. I think he was furious.

[J. Mac]

Yeah. So Sixers on Christmas Day, they'll have Maxi Paul, George and Embiid fully formed. And I'm sure you'll be firing off some tweets, watching that thriller.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm gonna watch. I'm gonna watch the Knicks.

[J. Mac]

Yeah. Nick should be Knicks. Wemby will be.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm gonna watch that. That'll be a good game. Christmas day is a great TV day.

[J. Mac]

Oh, wonderful.

[Colin Cowherd]

I get in a big long walk in the morning, cup of Joe. Boom. I'm good.

[J. Mac]

Who needs family? You gonna go to the gym too? Cigar? What's going on?

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm going to see a friend. I'm going to see my friend Eric and Kim, my friends. At like 1:30 in the afternoon?

[J. Mac]

Yeah. After giving me the stiff arm, you're just heading out?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, no, it's. I see they.

[J. Mac]

You have no cigar policy in our house. I know that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. And you have young kids and I'm. You don't want me around young kids.

[J. Mac]

I swear they teach you some of these hip new words, you know.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, I just found. Got nice Drip.

[J. Mac]

They might say that when you walk.

[Colin Cowherd]

I just found out yesterday what YOLO means. Oh, geez. What?

[J. Mac]

It's like 2019.

[Colin Cowherd]

I got lit mid.

[J. Mac]

Standing on business.

[Colin Cowherd]

Standing on business. And yolo.

[J. Mac]

Sigma. Wow. We got a Sigma off stage.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow.

[J. Mac]

What about Aura? That's another one. That's a new one. You're gonna learn.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, there's Beta, there's Alpha, there's Sigma, there's Vibes. Vibez is an old school.

[J. Mac]

Vibes is so good.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. You know what? I'm really coming around a lot of this stuff. Really starting to be a player, as they say. J Mac with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the herd lie news. You guys are gonna laugh at me. I got kids. So I want to have some reference point with a lot of this stuff, but it was a big day yesterday. Yolo. I used it in a sentence. Somebody asked me a question, I said, hey, yolo. And the kids were like, boom. Daddy's got it. All right, let's bring him on. He was so good this weekend. Mark Sanchez, he's got the Raiders and Saints this weekend. Raiders are playing hard. They're not winning much, but they're playing hard. So I, I watched Green Bay last night and you know, they're really young and they're really good, but I, I really, as I watched that game, I thought, this is really Matt Leur's baby. So you've done Ram games. I think people look at McVeigh as a wizard. What he likes to do is run Kyron Williams 25 times a game. Josh Jacobs for La Flure.

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, huge pickup.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh my God. Like, I knew it was a nice player. I mean, he is transformed. Weirdly, he's transformed the offense.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, it's all those running backs. And maybe they'll finally get the love they deserve this offseason when they re up some of these deals. But look at Saquon Barkley, the way he's elevated that Eagles team. Look at how much pressure it takes off your quarterback. And with Josh Jacobs and Jordan Love, I mean, their play action game comes alive. Those big hitches in the pocket and then he just launches the ball down the field to receivers who finally developed in Dubs and Watson. Right. I think that was just a minor injury to Watson, so they have nothing to worry about. Don't forget Colin. I can't say this enough. This team has skins on the wall from last year's playoff run. They're young in age, not inexperienced. They are a great football club. Especially if you got to go play them in the cold in Green Bay. They get somebody, you know, potentially like in Atlanta or somebody like that. I mean, that's a real issue for teams on the road in that environment. When Jordan loves playing like this, their defense is giving them the ball back.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is.

[Guest Speaker]

And you control the game with Josh Jacobs on the ground. I mean, there's something to be said for that. They look. They look like a special group. They could go deep.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I thought it was interesting with Michael Pennix. I was actually impressed on two of the balls he threw away. I was like, he has so many starts in college, Indiana and Washington and with NFL wide receivers, and then he got to sit for 10, 11, 12 games this year. I thought he. Now I know it's a giant. I thought he looked pretty poised.

[Guest Speaker]

So I thought this was a perfect formula to baptize your rookie quarterback before you got to go play a big game. And credit to Kirk Cousins for helping him out during the week. That's a really tough position to be in, so your heart breaks for the guy, but at the same time, you got to be a pro. And watching a guy prepare like that these 1112 weeks that he got to see Kirk, how he got to see him pregame routine, how he got to see him watch film, it was obvious. Plus, the kid was already leaps and bounds ahead of some other guys that came in the league this year, processing wise. And then what do you do for a rookie like that? You stack completions early. He can move. Get him outside the pocket. There were shades of Jaden Daniels in that game. Like he looked a lot like Jaden. And when he moves in the pocket, he's so sudden. Yeah, he freaks out the defense, man, he scares him that he can pierce you quickly, at least get back to the line of scrimmage. So now you're not taking negative plays. Then. I thought they did an excellent job in the ground game. Trust them, Robinson. And then that opened up a ton of their play action. So Atlanta's got a lot in front of them. They control their own destiny. They're going to be playing hard this week. Big one on the road, but at least you know the kid's got a notch in his belt. I've done it before. I've seen it. I've seen live reps. I could take a breath and get ready to go face that big monster. The commanders in Washington.

[Colin Cowherd]

I say it's not that you're great in the NFL often, it's when you're great the first time we knew Mahomes was different is that he was so good from behind, like down 13, 14, nothing. Jaden Daniels, fourth quarter, like, he made mistakes, he trailed. That's like high level stuff.

[Guest Speaker]

The way he played, it's overcoming adversity. And he was trying to give that game away early on. And it, that's against a really good Eagles team that can get after you and you got to chase points. Those guys pin their ears back on the defensive line. It turns into a track meet and they're just rushing you all day long. So that made his job even harder. And he still was so calm, so poised. Plenty of completions, found a way to win the game. And sometimes it's ugly, but all you got to do is win, especially late, meaningful football in December like this. Find a way to win as soon as you can get over that mistake. He did it immediately. Next drive. And I love what Kingsbury did. It was quick completions right after an interception. Get the ball down to the running backs. Give me, stack me three in a row. Let's go three for three. After that interception, get him back on track because we know when he's feeling good, he can distribute the ball anywhere on the field. So I think those teams also understand when you have a rookie like this, whether it's the Falcons or the Commanders, when you have a young guy playing like that, everybody's on notice. Everybody wants to make sure they get that extra strain up front for half a second just for him to get the football off, you know, that, that diving catch, like we got to make it for this rookie. He's going to make some mistakes just because of his inexperience, but we got to be able to overcome that. I think both of those teams, the veteran roster guys on their team understand that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Caleb Williams, nine games without a pick. Oh, and nine in the games. Does it mean he's not taking risks or chances? What do you make of it?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, I think in some ways we're kind of overthinking it. I don't know if there's, you know, sure, you want to make mistakes, that's fine. That's what practice is for. That's what kind of the rest of this year is for. Yeah, but it's not. I'm not saying I want him to go out there and throw interceptions. If he's playing clean football and he's not missing wide open guys down the field, I'm fine with that. Don't, don't give it away just for fun, just to practice, you know, it's not scout team reps. These are real live reps that are only going to help his development. And then that learning curve is going to get cut down because he's going to have all this banked in his pocket every single play he gets, every one more play call one more scramble, one more scramble drill, whatever it is, every completion. That stuff matters. And he's just stacking good play after good play despite all the chaos and everything going on, knowing there's going to be coaching turnover that's going to pay dividends, that's that's just compounded interest, I guess, you know, and sweat equity, that's what you want over a long period of time. He'll look back on this year when they're at the 14 win mark, you know, owning the division in a couple of years, potentially like then he'll look back and go, man, I remember when it was really hard. I'm glad I focused, I'm glad I kept my head down. I'm glad I kept my mouth shut and just played hard.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know you don't do AFC games, but I want to ask you a question because I thought during the break I thought about this. Generally speaking, when I see great quarterback play, I can identify why. Lamar Jackson, he's a world class athlete. Josh Allen, similarly Mahomes and Stafford, whatever you want to call the arm talent, the ability cognitively to see stuff. Aaron Rodgers, beautiful ball. It's fascinating when I watch Joe Burrow doesn't have a cannon moves fine. I I said coming into the league he's a better Tony Romo. I always loved Romo. I thought he was really good. This guy has got a battle line. Every game he's in is a track me there are no close low scoring games. He is so brilliant. But I can't identify aesthetically, optically. It's not like canon moves. Well, is he. How do you when you look at Burrow and you don't do bingo games, but you see a lot of it, see enough of them and you've and you know enough people in the league. Even Herbert, six five big, almost mechanically accurate. What is Burrow's secret sauce?

[Guest Speaker]

I think put him on any of these other 13 win teams. They're right at 13 or 14 wins as well. You know, I think he can process with the top players.

[Colin Cowherd]

Process.

[Guest Speaker]

He's so quick because if you can't run, let's say like Lamar, you're going to have to be more of a drop back guy, right? Whatever variation that is. And then if you don't have the strongest arm. Well, then you got to anticipate. Well, he's got to do both, and he does them both at a high level. I mean, he's keeping these teams and his team in the game most of the game. But when you throw it 55 times a game, you're just inevitably going to throw more interceptions. You're going to have a couple more things that go wrong. Right. Just, you know, think how basic it is. You hand the ball off from under center, you can either fumble the snap, mess up the exchange, or fumble the ball after you give it to the, to the, to the halfback. When you drop back to pass, I mean, three, four other things negative can happen. You can throw the interception, it could be incomplete. You could take a sack, you could get hit, sack, fumble. I mean, there's just so many more things that go wrong every time you drop back to pass. And he has to do it almost 60 times a game. So if you're grading him or comparing him to some of these other quarterbacks, he's doing it just as well, if not better. He's just on a, on a rough team. And, you know, part of it is they just don't run the ball. Yeah, they just kind of don't think, you think.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's obviously accurate. It's processing, some guys.

[Guest Speaker]

Processing and anticipation, the accuracy, all three of those. And the other one, I mean, no matter who my quarterback is, whether you can run like Lamar or you're a statue and have to throw from the pocket, I need you tough between the ears. Bottom line. And that dude's. I mean, you see the kind of standard he holds himself to.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

And he's one of those guys almost, you know, he doesn't understand some of the social norms sometimes of like, hey, dude, you can't talk about people like that. But he's literally saying it about himself, right? And he wouldn't say it about other people if he didn't hold himself to that standard. Like, you know, one of my favorite stories is Jason Whitten. I mean, that dude was like high caliber tight end cowboys. I remember he came out to the field one time and just ripped the groundskeeper because it was like the second week of the season in September, and there was like brown patches on the grass. He goes, hey, what the hell are we doing out here? Come on, let's go, man. I'm here. I'm expected to do it right. We all got to do it right. Get this feel right. Like, I was like, geez. But that was everybody you know what I mean? Like the cafeteria staff, the people selling tickets, everybody was going to be at that level because he puts them on that level. So Burrow's got shades of that. And that's what, that's what makes him so competitive. He's nasty competitor, an assassin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. All right, Mark Sanchez. We got Darnold stuff, which I can't wait for.

[Guest Speaker]

Stuff's great.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. And you got a really good game. That was a, that was fun. There was enough turnover, drama and great plays. It was one of the watches of the weekend. You did a great job. We'll come back with that next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. This podcast is sponsored by PayPal. We've partnered with them to make this holiday season even better. With all the shopping, gifting and holiday prep, my PayPal debit card is my go to for getting more out of my purchases. Here's how it works. I choose my monthly category. Gas, restaurants, apparel, groceries, health and beauty, or just for the holiday season, tech. And I earn 5% cash back on up to 1,000 bucks in the purchases in those categories. Yeah, 5% cash back. This month. I'm going to go with tech. It's my category. It's a no brainer, right? Everybody loves the latest tech gifts. So whether it's stuff for the fam or adding new gadgets to my personal collection, that cash back adds up fast. So this holiday season, let the PayPal debit card do the heavy lifting. Sign up for the card when you download the PayPal app. Then pay in store and online and get cash back with a PayPal debit card. Don't just pay PayPal. Terms and limits apply. See paypal.com rewardspal the PayPal Debit MasterCard is issued by the Bancor Bank N.A. pursuant to a license by MasterCard International Incorporated and may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted.

[Mark Sanchez]

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, regroup, 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 timeout 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 stand upto all hate.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]

What's on your list of popular game day foods? Probably multiple dishes with a bold flavor of the original Louisiana brand hot sauce. You can't beat the original with a 90 year history of great taste and quality. Tailgate, house party, game day gatherings, whatever. Include real flavor sliders with the original Louisiana brand hot sauce. The beer cheese with that hit of Louisiana peppers. There has to be original Louisiana brand hot sauce on your game day food list. It's the perfect everyday hot sauce that complements every meal. There's a rich food tradition in Louisiana bringing bold, peppery flavor with just the right amount of heat. Pigs in a blanket Pig's not in a blanket Spinach Artichoke dip Artichoke spinach dip Wings are wingier than ever with the original Louisiana brand wing sauce. Perfect for self appointed flavor experts. The original Louisiana brand Hot sauce. The game day Flavor Changer Flavor favors the bold. Available at a store near you. I'm Colin Coward from the herd Intuit. QuickBooks wants you to achieve your dreams of starting your own business and working for yourself. And if you're a small business owner launching a company, then you'll want to check out Mind the Business Small Business success stories from iHeart's Ruby Studio and Inuit. QuickBooks Season 1 and 2 are out now and Season 3 is launching Thursday, January 9th with new episodes coming out every other Thursday after that. So make sure you catch up and listen as hosts Austin Henkwitz and Jenice Torres talk to small business owners about how they've grown and maintained their businesses and tackled the hurdles and challenges that come with being your own boss. From tracking money in and out to cutting through day to day management with an all encompassing platform like Intuit QuickBooks, you don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys. Listen to Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories on the Iheart app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[J. Mac]

Congratulations to easterseals Southern California on their first place win for innovation in customer service at this year's Unconventional awards by T Mobile for business. Easterseals has used T Mobile 5G to create immersive VR development tools that aid people with autism in addressing transportation barriers. These tools are shaping the way safe and personalized skill building is delivered. And for that, T Mobile congratulates Easter Seals Southern California for their unconventional thinking.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, Sam Darnold has been the redemption story of the decade. Not quite MVP level, probably behind Lamar and Josh Allen, but moving into that territory. Late game playmaking, not making mistakes. So you got some tape here. So I, I think it's really hard to separate him from this group. There's so much confidence.

[Guest Speaker]

I know.

[Colin Cowherd]

And the late game success gives you more bonafides in that locker room. You got some tape for us?

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah. He's only getting stronger and stronger as the season's going on. That's what you want from your players. And then he's building up a trust, not just with the coordinator, not just with, you know, guys around him, but everybody in that building is starting to really gravitate towards this guy. And he added another notch in his belt this week on the road in Seattle. That crowd got into it. It was a tight ball game, field goal type game, back and forth the whole time. He gets banged up on a play and the very next play hits the game winner in the rain, on the road, in the noise. I mean, while you're hurt, you're kind of limping to the line of scrimmage. I mean, that is what you want on tape for your guys to go back and see. And it's like, all right, we got our guys. So you're going to see some themes and a lot of these play actions. So the two hardest things to do in the NFL as a quarterback, one is drop back and pass, you know, 50 times a game. It's just mentally taxing. The other one is hard sell play action where you go downhill, fake, low pad level by the O line and you turn your back to the defense because the picture can change. Those are two of the hardest things to do as a quarterback. Yeah, he's doing this play action stuff as elite as anybody in the league right now. And a lot of it is his feel and movement in the pocket. Without looking at the rush, he's keeping his eyes downfield. So let's roll this first clip. They're always going to use movement. They're Always going to do something on offense to try and give him some tips. Well, earlier in this ball game they had been firing guys off the edge. At one point they brought Witherspoon and Woolen off the edge and double corner cat at them and got it, got a free runner. Thankfully they had a run on, so everything was fine. But after that he's on high alert, so his eyes are working back and forth. And I love what they do on the edge for Justin Jefferson. Just trying to free him up either with motion, keep him off the ball. These traffic patterns are making it tough for this defense to try and figure out where, where is he, how can we get physical with him? Are we doubling him, are we zoning him, are we manning him? But this is the stuff, the backside left tackle. Remember Derrisal goes down, they help Cam on the edge, the new tackle that they bring over from Jacksonville and Sam has to. You have to be able to feel this behind you almost eyes in the back of the of your head and kind of feel that colored jersey behind you and look at him just get up subtly into the pocket, into the meat of the pocket. He's not escaping left and right. He's staying in there and we're watching what he's looking at. So they're trying to take a home run shot to Addison, who's a speedster in his own right. So if you double jj, you better watch out for this kid. So he's taking the post, trying to rip the top off the defense and there goes Julian Love. So while Sam is moving, feeling that guy behind him, he's feeling that safety going deep. Now he knows I'm going to play this game underneath. They zoned off the entire thing and put a Guy job, number 29 with Jefferson and he still runs away. So it's like boxing. One right zone everybody and then man, their best player, they still can't stay with them. So now Sam is looking to high, low these defenders and find somebody underneath. Now it's like a four man game with a little sizzle on top with Jefferson over the top and he has a couple completions underneath. This is what tells me he's seeing it and knows when he's ready to take a shot. He steps up and hits this ball on the run across the field with a guy chasing him. Nobody can stay with Justin Jefferson. I mean, you can't guard the guy. It's. It's unbelievable. And what they do for him, why he gets so open and why Sam can find him. Credit to Keenan McCardell. The receivers coach, credit to Wes Phillips, the coordinator, Kevin O'Connell. I mean, they are constantly finding ways to scheme this guy open because now watch how they're going to play him. They're going to double team him on this one. So this time they line them up backside and go ahead and roll that clip. They're going to line them up backside, use motion once again, give Sam some information. Everybody's just bumping over. He knows it's going to be zone again. Well, when you get zone and you put Justin Jefferson backside, your first look as an offense has to be okay, how are they playing number 18, what are they going to do? And reek? Woollen and Julian Love have them. Most of his routes are going to be completely dead. You can potentially hit a hole shot on an outside release, something. But Sam's looking to see, okay, how are they playing this? How are they playing my other side? That's probably where I'm going to go on the play now. Once again he's looking left and right, making sure, confirming the coverage, confirming it's not corner cats. I got no issues. Here comes the hardcore play action. And once he gets up in the pocket again, he feels it on the backside. He doesn't see it, he feels it. And once again, eyes in the back of the head. The tackle does a great job of just moving him all the way around, giving Sam a chance to step up. The difference on this one, when he gets up into this pocket is nwosu, their pass rush specialist. He's right here and once he doesn't get penetration, he go, okay, I'm going to start head hunting the quarterback. I'm going to go find him. So Sam stepping up, trying to read something to the right. Justin Jefferson on the left is completely dead. So look at these routes on the right. Once again, they're going to blow somebody through the top level of the defense. He's your home run. They're going to bring in Addison this time on the inside in route, the in breaker and then he's going to have a couple guys underneath. That's where the play is intended to go. 0 out of 100 times is this play going to win the game going to Justin Jefferson at the top of the screen. There's, there's just no way you'd stop the picture here. When Kevin O'Connell went to the line of scrimmage, he knew or went to the. When Sam goes the line of scrimmage looking at the defense. Okay, JJ's dead. We're working our frontside combo. The fact that he got this ball airborne on the way up to the line of scrimmage with two guys there, Julian Love and Reek Woollen, both doubling Jefferson. Jefferson has the wherewithal to get to that outside lane, the only place he could possibly put it, even though he knows he's probably not getting this football. As soon as that ball gets airborne, look at the nuances of this outside shoulder. He gets to turn his body, put his body in between him and the defender. Love is like literally a nanosecond late to get to this football. That.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, Hasselbeck yesterday, that is the best throat Darnold's ever made, ever, hands down. He couldn't believe it.

[Guest Speaker]

No holds, Bar. Done deal. And. And it's not what you intend to do. So you put some of that stuff on tape and you still get to your combinations and work the. The routes and get the completions you're supposed to get. And then you do stuff like that. Now you're moving into that territory of those other players you talked about.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let me throw this out. I'm just thinking about this is some of what Darnold feeling. You're in Seattle. You drop back to pass. You can hear the crowd. Does the crowd ever give you a talent? Dude, you're backside. You're getting in trouble.

[Guest Speaker]

I don't know if it's that. I don't think I've ever heard the crowd there. When you really hear the crowd is when you let the ball go and don't see where the ball ends up. And you, you think you know where it was going. If you're on the road and the crowd screams, you got to get up fast because you probably have to make a tackle. Okay. You don't hear anything after the ball, and it's just kind of a low. Oh, you're like, okay, I can take my time getting up here.

[Colin Cowherd]

So when you hear the scream, get up.

[Guest Speaker]

When you hear the scream on the road, you better get up.

[Colin Cowherd]

One more thing to throw at you. You know, you, you, you look at the Lions and they did that trick play against Chicago. And Nick Riot said earlier, you know, when Belichick would use that Edelman double pass against Baltimore, they'd practice that for 15 weeks.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

There was no real need to do that other than for Ben Johnson to show the Chicago brass, I got a bag of tricks here. What did you make of that play Call?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, I've seen it before at a shotgun where you direct snap it to the halfback and the quarterback jumps up as if, you know, it's an errant snap going over your head. Like, I've seen that. I've never seen it like this. This was, you know, just a little cheeky. And another way they get back to their wide kind of throwback play, so the action's not that different. It really only changed two guys, the running back and the quarterback. And it's just a little, you know, sizzle on the play. I don't know if he's trying to do it for, you know, the coaching hire next year. That's. That's a lot to speculate, but it was. You're like, oh, that was kind of.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nice when you got an occasion. And Rex Ryan wasn't a big offensive trick play guy. But when I always asked Edelman, how did you not give it away? How did you practice throw? And he said, I went and got gloves on. I started catching with Tom.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

On the sideline. Hey, let's go play catch. He's like, that wasn't for the catching. That was for the throwing.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

When you got a trick play, how do you demure. How does Mark be like, no biggie. It's just a fullback die.

[Guest Speaker]

If. If anything, you know, like on flea flickers and stuff like that, or double reverse passes, you try and do a lot of the same mannerisms as a run play. So you, you know, make the mic point and then you motion the guy down. Hey, you got the fourth guy strong. You're right there. You got 32. Boom. You almost, like oversell it a little bit. And they're like, oh, here comes the run. We're good, you know, so.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Guest Speaker]

But it's hard not to get giddy. Oh, you're supposed to be a grown up, but you're playing a kid's game, so you're just like, oh, my God, this is finally it. You know, the. The. The 18 toss throwback to quarterback where you get to catch the ball.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Guest Speaker]

That was like, oh, that's the only play I ever wanted, you know, your whole career. Yes, yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, I look at the Mahomes playing the Texans. We have a minute left. I watched Mahomes. It was actually faster off the injury. And it is weird. And maybe it's a. You know, people mock the dad bod, but there's a flexibility component to him. Darnold got smoked this weekend.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

And came back. When you're in the NFL by week four, I was gonna say, you never had a healthy week.

[Guest Speaker]

No. Remember Rogers, the big D tackle from the Browns one time he landed all 380 pounds of them right on my calf. I had a bruised calf for like six weeks. And you're just not the same. And you're just fighting through it all the time, knowing what it's going to be. But you also know as soon as you step on the field, game day, like it's as good as it's going to be. I'm going to make it work. I mean, you a guy like Mahomes. LeBron. Shot's not falling. I'm driving to the hole. Kobe, you know, Jordan, something's not right. Something's not perfect in my game today. I'm going to find a way to win. I don't care what it is. If I have to have the game winning assistant, if I have to sneak it to win it, whatever it takes, I'm doing it. And you could tell he's got that killer mentality.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. 36 sacks this year.

[Guest Speaker]

Mahomes is taking a beating, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

What was the biggest sack year you ever had?

[Guest Speaker]

Ooh, numbers wise. Yeah, well, we only threw it about 10 times a game, so we got.

[Colin Cowherd]

A good left tackle too.

[Guest Speaker]

Ground and pound, baby.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I was gonna say, but shout.

[Guest Speaker]

Out Nick Van Gold and Brick and you know, you. You were. Yeah. Woody.

[Colin Cowherd]

Merry Christmas.

[Guest Speaker]

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Happy, Happy New Year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Happy New Year to Mark Sanchez.

[Guest Speaker]

Just remember, there's mid. There's mid and then there's J. Mac right below that. Merry Christmas.

[Colin Cowherd]

You were sacked. You were sacked 39 times in year three.

[Guest Speaker]

Ouch.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's a load, dude. And you're. What are you? 6? 3, 2? 22?

[Guest Speaker]

50? No, 230. 235.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a lot of sacks, brother.

[Guest Speaker]

Thanks, Colin. Anything else you want to bring up?

[Colin Cowherd]

No.

[Guest Speaker]

Any more crappy memories?

[Colin Cowherd]

You survived the tape guy. Marcus Freeman, Nick Wright, Mark Sanchez, the herd hierarchy. Merry Christmas. We are off tomorrow. Be safe. Enjoy your family. Live in LA. It's been the herd. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like from the Delta Sky Club.

[Guest Speaker]

Welcome back, Ms. Klein to the JetBridge.

[Colin Cowherd]

Delta Air Lines relies on 5G solutions from T Mobile for business to power.

[Guest Speaker]

Operations and serve customers faster. Together we're putting 5G into the hands of ground staff so they can better.

[Colin Cowherd]

Assist on the go travelers with real time information throughout the airport. This is elevating customer experience. This is Delta Air Lines with T Mobile for business. Take your business further@t mobile.com Now I'm partnering with PayPal. The holiday season is here and I'm gonna save big with cash back offers in the PayPal app. It's easy. I browse deals from my favorite brands, save offers in the app, and use PayPal checkout online. Really, really easy. Whether I'm buying gifts for my family or treating myself to something nice, I'm earning cash back and you can too. Don't just pay PayPal check offers in the app. For details and exclusions, Cashback earned as points redeemable for cash and other options, see PayPal rewards terms.

[LeVar Arrington]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Cards issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank NA member FDIC.

[LeVar Arrington]

We'Ve all got a thing, an obsession. For some of us, it's vintage fashion, our cars, anything we can collect, they all live under one. EBay. It's where closets get filled with statement pieces and vintage finds, where must have sneakers wait for you. And designer handbags are the real deal on ebay. Doors open to stacks of the rarest trading cards and a garage stocked with all the car parts you need for any DIY job. EBay's home to whatever thing you're into that keeps you up at night. Ebay Things People Love this is Doug.

[Colin Cowherd]

Gottlieb from All Ball with Doug Gottlieb.

[J. Mac]

Listen, I'm gonna get serious for a minute. The hate in our country is getting out of control. In fact, it's sadly at an all time high. But it's going to take all of us to stop it. I mean, we're all on the same team in this country.

[Guest Speaker]

So let's take a break from our.

[J. Mac]

Hate so our team can regroup. We need to take a timeout against hate. Visit stand uptoallhate.org to help and join me in calling for timeout against hate.

[Colin Cowherd]

By following OTs upwithhate or posting the blue square emoji.