Hour 3 - Sam Darnold's Perfect Fit, Jordan Palmer

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Sam Darnold's Perfect Fit, Jordan Palmer

Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Duration: Approx. 40 minutes
Guests: Jordan Palmer and a Quarterback Consultant

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1. Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the spotlight is on quarterback development and the intricate dynamics that shape a player's career in the NFL. Jordan Palmer joins the discussion, bringing his expertise and insights into the quarterback landscape, focusing primarily on Sam Darnold's evolution, Josh Allen's transformation, and prospects like Jalen Milroe and Riley Leonard.

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2. Sam Darnold's Development and Fit with Kevin O'Connell

Jordan Palmer initiates the conversation by delving into Sam Darnold's recent performance improvements and his synergy with coach Kevin O'Connell. The guest emphasizes that Darnold's talent has remained consistent, but it's his resilience and professional attitude that have been pivotal.

• Key Points:

  • Consistency and Professionalism: Despite not having significant physical growth since his draft, Darnold's unwavering work ethic stands out.
  • Overcoming Adversity: Darnold's experiences, including trades and media scrutiny, have fortified his character and performance.
  • Strategic Development: The quarterly review system focuses on strengths, areas for improvement, and innovative strategies to enhance gameplay.

• Notable Quote:

  “The fact that his approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower. Your willingness to buy in, find individual things to get better at is the superpower.”
  — Guest (03:57)

3. Josh Allen's Evolution

The discussion transitions to Josh Allen, highlighting his significant strides in minimizing sacks and interceptions. The guest attributes Allen's growth to early positive reinforcement and continuous development under his coaching staff.

• Key Points:

  • Early Recognition: Allen was first tipped off by Jordan Palmer, foreseeing his potential beyond initial appearances.
  • Skill Refinement: Allen's ability to avoid turnovers and enhance his running game has made him a formidable quarterback.
  • Dynamic Play: Known as one of the most dynamic runners at the quarterback position, Allen's adaptability has been crucial.

• Notable Quote:

  “Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks. And there's a fascinating... He kept chasing it when he got it early in the first two years.”
  — Guest (06:32)

4. Brock Purdy: Niners' Quarterback Prospects

Brock Purdy's performance with the San Francisco 49ers is scrutinized, with the guest praising his leadership and development. The emphasis is on Purdy's ability to thrive when surrounded by a healthy roster and his commendable playoff performance.

• Key Points:

  • Leadership: Purdy's maturity and confidence have earned him backing from seasoned players like Sam Darnold.
  • Developmental Focus: Continuous improvement in both offseason and in-season practices has been key to Purdy's success.
  • Future Potential: The guest suggests that Purdy is poised for a secure future with the Niners, provided the organization continues to build around him.

• Notable Quote:

  “He's a bright kid all the way through the Super Bowl. Right. And so if we build around him, this is a guy that I don't know if it starts with the five, but it definitely starts with a three or four.”
  — Guest (10:09)

5. Rookies and Future Quarterbacks

The conversation broadens to include emerging talents like Caleb Williams, Jalen Milroe, and Riley Leonard, analyzing their rookie seasons and future prospects.

• Caleb Williams:

  • Challenges: Despite a rough rookie season, Williams' underlying talent remains unquestioned.
  • Growth Opportunity: A challenging season is viewed as a catalyst for future improvement and maturity.

  “This hasn't been the CJ Stroud year from last year... it's a step back... can be really good for your growth.”
  — Guest (12:23)

• Jalen Milroe:

  • Athleticism: Milroe's exceptional speed and athleticism set him apart from his peers.
  • Mechanical Improvements: Focused efforts on refining his throwing mechanics indicate a promising trajectory.

  “He is the fastest guy on the team... the athleticism is unique.”
  — Guest (20:00)

• Riley Leonard:

  • Versatility: Leonard's background, including his time at Duke and Notre Dame, showcases his adaptability and competitiveness.
  • Potential Impact: His athletic prowess and ability to handle new environments bode well for his NFL prospects.

  “This guy's gonna be a really good player, really athletic.”
  — Guest (21:57)

6. Technical Aspects of QB Development

A deep dive into the biomechanics of quarterback throwing techniques underscores the importance of foundational strength and proper force transfer.

• Key Points:

  • Force Application: Effective use of ground force through proper footwork enhances throwing velocity and accuracy.
  • Injury Recovery: Examples like Joe Burrow's recovery from wrist injuries highlight the significance of targeted strength training.

• Notable Quote:

  “It's how am I applying force to the ground and how is that transferring from my back foot to my front foot happening when you can do that and build it all the way up.”
  — Guest (24:27)

7. Q&A and Personal Insights

Jordan Palmer poses questions about the guest's optimistic view on quarterbacks compared to his own more cynical stance. The guest reiterates the importance of individual traits and situational performance over raw statistics, advocating for a holistic evaluation of a quarterback's capabilities.

• Notable Quote:

  “If you're in the media, tapes less relevant. If you're in a front office, stats are less relevant. It depends on what context you're looking at it through.”
  — Guest (09:28)

8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with a reflection on the traits that make a quarterback successful beyond their on-field performance. Emphasis is placed on professionalism, adaptability, and continuous personal development as key factors that contribute to a quarterback's longevity and success in the NFL.

• Notable Quote:

  “He's done it like he's been in the league for a long time and already knows what he needs to work on.”
  — Guest (24:21)

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Guest (03:57): “The fact that his approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower. Your willingness to buy in, find individual things to get better at is the superpower.”
• Guest (06:32): “Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks. And there's a fascinating... He kept chasing it when he got it early in the first two years.”
• Guest (10:09): “He's a bright kid all the way through the Super Bowl. Right. And so if we build around him, this is a guy that I don't know if it starts with the five, but it definitely starts with a three or four.”
• Guest (12:23): “This hasn't been the CJ Stroud year from last year... it's a step back... can be really good for your growth.”
• Guest (20:00): “He is the fastest guy on the team... the athleticism is unique.”
• Guest (20:45): “It starts with Burrows. A perfect example... how am I applying force to the ground and how is that transferring from my back foot to my front foot happening when you can do that and build it all the way up.”
• Guest (09:28): “If you're in the media, tapes less relevant. If you're in a front office, stats are less relevant. It depends on what context you're looking at it through.”
• Guest (24:21): “He's done it like he's been in the league for a long time and already knows what he needs to work on.”

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Conclusion

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd provides an in-depth exploration of quarterback development, highlighting the nuanced factors that contribute to a player's success in the NFL. Through insightful discussions and expert analysis, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the elements that shape the careers of both established and emerging quarterbacks.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

Back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast.

[Jordan Palmer]

No person in my life have I ever met that knows more about quarterbacks than Jordan Palmer, founder of QB Summit. He has worked with all of them. The Burroughs, the Mahomes, the Josh Allens. He was the first person to tip me off on Josh Allen. We were talking about Darnold and he said, keep your eye on this Josh Allen kid before anybody else did. And I got so many questions to ask you. I'm going to ask you about the rookie NFL quarterbacks. I'm going to ask you about Riley Leonard, who nobody's paying attention to, and Jalen Milroe, who I think is better than people think. But I want to start with this. You are right now, I think you're an active quarterback consultant with Darnold.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

So Sam calls you regularly.

[Colin Cowherd]

What unlock?

[Jordan Palmer]

We know Kevin O'Connell is a good coach, but what unlocked the star power, the juice? What was unlocked? Because you always talk about that on this show. We got to unlock something. What was it with Sam?

[Unknown Guest]

Well, his talent hasn't changed. Right. He hasn't grown 2 inches since the draft. He hasn't gotten way faster. All these players careers should evolve, their throwing mechanics should evolve, their understanding of defenses. So there's been an evolution over the last six years. Years. The other thing is I don't think he'd ever really been through a ton of adversity, you know, in high school and college.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[Unknown Guest]

Kind of was a meteoric deal here was winning them and then just getting drugged through the mud for multiple years, getting traded away for nothing, I think hardened him. And yes, the Kevin oconnell, the pieces in the huddle. We don't need to spend time talking about how good the Minnesota Vikings roster in front office and coaching staff is because that's all everybody's talking about. I the thing, the biggest thing for him that I've seen is that in all of those years of kind of getting punched in the gut, the media and teams and traded and all that, I just never saw him cut a corner. I've never had this guy show up 15 minutes late, have to bail early. I've just never seen it. And the way that I work with him and Joe Burrow as well is it really is an annual relationship where, yes, the off season we try and find. Similar to what Tom Brady used to talk about, try and find one or two things. Right. Because when you get to the level where you're playing, where Sam is right now and Joe is right now, there's still an off season coming up. They're still going to try and get better. And so what we do is in the offseason we build the programming and look at what has been working and what can you build on. And then in season, every single week, reviewing things and there's three categories. One, what are you doing great that you need to continue to do great? Let's highlight it. What do you need to work on? Which means you used to do it better than you did and it's taken a step back for whatever reason. And then the third one is something to think about. Maybe something showed up in somebody else's game, Sam's attention, and focus on those things. Regardless of how bad it was going and right now, how well it is going, the fact that his approach hasn't changed, I think is really actually like a superpower. Your willingness to buy in, find individual things to get better at is the superpower. And there's a perfect example. So bye week was week six, I think this year for them. He comes out here and spend a day together. And at that point this season, at that point the season, I think it was 24.8% of his misses. Not necessarily incompletions, just little off, was outbreaking rounds to the right, identify a mechanical issue, not drawing the shoulder in, whatever the details were, address it, show how he can work on it at home, how he can work on it in practice, what he can add to warm ups. And from the bye week to now, he's got one miss on an outbreaking route to the right when the ball slipped out of his hand.

[Jordan Palmer]

Isn't that great? I love this stuff. I want him to tell you a story, folks. So Josh, Josh Allen, he was the first guy to tip me off on Josh Allen. So Josh Allen now doesn't take the sacks and doesn't throw picks. And there's a fascinating. You go deep into the numbers. It used to be a thing you, after a couple years found something rolling, right? That was a problem. Tell the audience this story on Josh Allen.

[Unknown Guest]

Well, I think what started the Josh Allen hype train at Wyoming because it wasn't because they won it all or went undefeated, right? It was a play he made versus Boise State. He's rolling right and he threw it about 45 yards back, corner of the end zone. And it was one of those, well, I don't know anybody who can make that throw right type of throws. And then I think he was on Sports Illustrated and they were maybe gonna have game, and it just kind of started to happen, right. Started to. The hype train, whatever that means, started to roll. And then he got a lot of positive reinforcement from that. Right. Like all of a sudden everyone's talking about you, and you. You see yourself on TV and they keep showing that play and. And he's so good at it. So he would roll, right? And when he roll right, he would make unbelievable throws down the field and. And kept chasing it when he got it early in the first two years and Brian Dable was, you know, developing him and, and, and really they were developing that. That team. Because Bill's fans know this. Everyone forget, like his number one receiver his rookie year was Kelvin Benjamin.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

Like, this is not. He didn't step into some perfect situation, but really through the first two years, I think he was high 50s completion percentage.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

And when he would roll, right. And at the time, I think I wrote it all down, but it was, you know, rolling right. You've got this many, you know, 10 touchdowns, 15 unbelievable throws, 13 picks and a bunch of hits. A bunch of you getting pushed or getting tackled and landing on your right shoulder. And you only get so many of this.

[Jordan Palmer]

That's right. They hear that. So he kept falling on his right shoulder. You discovered that. And then it just.

[Unknown Guest]

It needs to become an asset because you have the highest level.

[Jordan Palmer]

Now what's happened to him?

[Unknown Guest]

Well, I think now teams are sitting here going, we can't let him roll, right. Because he's not turning it over. He's not taking unnecessary hits. And I think he's one of the most dynamic runners not at the quarterback position in the league.

[Jordan Palmer]

So I've never heard anybody even discuss this. You just didn't like him falling on his right shoulder because your belief, and it's true, is your body gives you about 300 of those. And then it's. And then availability.

[Unknown Guest]

It's the whole like, what's your best ability Conversation. Well, availability is okay.

[Jordan Palmer]

I want to talk about another NFL quarterback. You're a very optimistic, positive quarterback guru. I, of course, tend to come off as cynical and negative. I like Brock Purdy, but I have a theory on quarterbacks, the if bucket. After about three ifs, I'm not paying you. Starting with a five, you're a three or a four if it's not raining, if he gets protection, if he has McCaffrey, if he's leading, the numbers tell you trailing fourth quarter in. Not the same. Quite the same quarterback I couldn't pay Brock a fortune. I like him. I don't love him. Why should I love him? What do you see with him?

[Unknown Guest]

I think we have so many ways to, for us to come to a conclusion or an opinion on somebody. Right. So stats, depending on who you are and what you're doing for a living. Right. Like stats is one tape for certain people. If you're in the media, tapes less relevant. If you're in a front office, stats are less relevant. You know what I mean?

[Jordan Palmer]

Sure.

[Unknown Guest]

Depends on what context you're looking at it through. I with Brock, look at it like what situations have we put him in and how has he handled it? And when you have had a healthy, good roster, he's basically played like one of the best quarterbacks in the league. And at least in my opinion last season, the way that he, yes, the plays that he made, the mistakes that he didn't make and avoided, but then the way that he went through the playoffs and played great didn't change the whole leadership element that really only the people in the building can speak to. Sure, right. We can all have opinions, but you're there. And Sam Darnold backed him up last year. So I got a chance to hear just how mature and focused and confident this guy remains.

[Jordan Palmer]

He's a bright kid all the way.

[Unknown Guest]

Through the Super Bowl. Right. And so if we build around him, this is a guy that I don't know if it starts with the five, but it definitely starts with a three or four. If you're asking me like it's a. Yeah, you give them a ton of money, you give them a three year deal.

[Jordan Palmer]

Okay.

[Unknown Guest]

If the left tackles hurt and the running back's out and the receivers out, he's not as good. Well, if you pay the quarterback, then John Lynch's job is to build around him. And I think there's two things the ners have done a really good job of. One of them is evaluating talent, finding good players. I don't know the name of the running back who, for them who's playing well right now. The second thing they've done is develop players. And so if you're, if you're a Niners fan, you go, let's lock in Brock Purdy. I don't, I don't like the whole franchise him and make him play, make him prove it. He's proven it. So pay him and then do a great job of evaluating talent and, and developing the talent around him. And you know, he may lose Debo this year for whatever reason. Well, you Drafted Ricky Pierce all in the first round. I think they did a good job evaluating talent. Now it's time to develop them.

[Jordan Palmer]

I want to go. Let's talk a couple rookies. You have kind of an interesting belief on Caleb Williams, who has had the roughest rookie season. And your belief is what the talent is there.

[Unknown Guest]

Worthy of being the number one pick, worthy of being the Heisman Trophy winner, worthy of being the elite 11 MVP and number one recruit in the country. Like that. That part hasn't changed for me. I think however you want to classify this, I would put it in the field. Let's just use this word, failure. Okay. This hasn't been the CJ Stroud year from last year. Right. Or Jaden from this year. So for his standards, which has been number one. Number one. Number one, like all the way through, this is a step back, whatever. If this is classified as a failure, not that it's his fault. Right. All the pieces around him. I think for guys who've had nothing but success, a failure year where it didn't go the way that you had envisioned actually can be really good for your growth. I think it's been really good for a lot of people's growth in the background in the past. I think it's been good for Sam Darnold's development. Just like when we look at Josh Allen and we say no offers had to go to juco, well, that was failure early. It didn't work.

[Jordan Palmer]

Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, I think a.

[Unknown Guest]

Healthy dose of a tough year for the incredibly confident and incredibly talented players, which is what Caleb Williams is. I think it can actually do wonders. And I think we're going to see his best ball ahead of him. And I'm not really concerned with Caleb's future looking out. I think he's in a really tough spot right now and he needs to get better. And for the first time in his life, in his football career, it's not just him wanting to get better. It's obvious he needs to improve. He needs to find ways to improve. I think that's healthy for the really elite thinkers, really elite confidence guys and the really elite talents.

[Jordan Palmer]

Be sure to catch live editions of.

[Unknown Announcer]

The Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am.

[Jordan Palmer]

Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Steve Covino]

Hey, it's Steve Covino. And I'm Rich Davis and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio app why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything. Life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino Enrich Live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search KO Vino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

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

[Jordan Palmer]

Okay, I gotta ask you about two college guys because there will be a guy in this draft I'm targeting Riley Leonard. I'll get to him in a second. Notre Dame quarterback. I like him a lot, but again, he came from Duke. It's a new system. Notre Dame is asking a lot of them and it took a while to get going, but he's been very good lately. But Jalen Milroe is fascinating. My comp is he's a much better Anthony Richardson. I like him. I would absolutely draft him. Not as my first quarterback, maybe not as my second. I think he's a first round quarterback. What do you see? You've been so good on this through the years. What do you see with Jalen Milroe that if I'm right, that makes him a first round quarterback?

[Unknown Guest]

Well, I look for, anybody looks for unique traits. And when I say unique, I don't mean one of the, you know, unique. The word means like there's not another one like it. That's right. And, and he has two. So one, the first one is the athleticism. I, I, he's a client of mine. I, I been to Tuscaloosa a handful of times this year and, and the same thing that I said with, with Joe and, and Sam, it's, I've got 10 college guys where we, we work throughout the entire year, we talk every single week and go through things. I've been out there. That little Ryan Williams receiver, the rookie goes out there. I go, hey, how fast is Jalen compared to the other guys on the team? Him and other guys are like, well, Jalen's the fastest guy on the team.

[Jordan Palmer]

Jalen's faster than Williams.

[Unknown Guest]

I think Jalen's the fastest guy on the team. I think the guys at Alabama would say that. So, okay, he's not like gonna run a fast 40, he's like the fastest guy on the field. Okay, so that's unique. Faster than the others by definition.

[Jordan Palmer]

Alabama. Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

Or on any field. And so you go, okay, the athleticism and get to full speed's another thing because a lot of guys have top end speed. But you know, we saw guys like Vince Young like that not necessarily translate the running in the NFL because some guys, it takes a lot longer to get to their, their time might be fast. This suit's full speed in like three Steps. So the, the athleticism is unique. Okay. And they'll be Lamar Jackson comps in terms of, you know, the draft and coming out, but he's got like £20 on Lamar, so he's a bigger, stronger.

[Jordan Palmer]

Little mechanical for my taste. What do you make of that?

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, and I think, like I said earlier, everybody's throwing motion, mechanic, like that all evolves. And what I have seen from him is the buy in, the attention to it and the professionalism, how he looks at developing it, not just going, I've got a super strong arm and I'm gonna roll with it, which a lot of people do. I, I don't think it's going to affect anything moving forward. I think the, the, the first one is the athleticism. The second thing is his personality. Once he goes through this draft process, folks like you, front offices, teams meet him like, he's, he's. This dude's a magnet. This guy's a light. Like, he is that cool to be around. And so those two unique traits will stand out as the process unfolds. The tape will be the tape. There's some good, there's some bad. Like everybody. And I think somebody's going to fall in love with him and he's going to go higher than some people thought and as high as I thought.

[Jordan Palmer]

Riley Leonard. People roll their eyes at me. I see a little Josh Allen, tall, athletic. Marcus Freeman tells me, relentless competitor. He like all these young guys. Duke didn't ask him to do what Notre Dame is, didn't love him early. After about week five, six, seven, I'm like, I don't know, folks. Tall, rangy, athletic, army. Is there something there? Am I nuts?

[Unknown Guest]

Absolutely. No, not nuts. I think this guy's gonna be a really good player, really athletic.

[Jordan Palmer]

His basketball tape's insane.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah. And just you. It shows up. Like, some guys are great basketball players and you would, you know, you would have never known it. Some guys, you watch their tape and I tell you they're great at basketball, you go, oh, that makes sense. You know what I mean? And, and so with him, I think all the mobility stuff that he has, I don't know what his 40 time is. I don't care. That part translates. Running in the league as a quarterback is like the sum of six and eight yard gains.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

It's not the 55.

[Jordan Palmer]

Right?

[Unknown Guest]

That's right. And then I like guys that have gone to another school for their last year and played well because it's, There's a lot of newness. It's similar to A rookie year.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

You go from Duke to Notre Dame. It's not just new free. It's now it's Notre Dame. It's a new lot of academics schedule. Yeah. The magnitude of it, all the stuff you got to do, they're going to pay you nil money. That means you got to do a lot of stuff.

[Jordan Palmer]

Right.

[Unknown Guest]

And you got to be a lot of places and talk to a lot of people. And then the new teammates and then they had a bad loss in Northern Illinois.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah.

[Unknown Guest]

And it totally could have caved and it didn't. They're on like an eight or nine game heater. I think Marcus Freeman deserves a lot of credit for that. I think Riley Leonard does too.

[Jordan Palmer]

Okay. So it's called QB Summit. It's a program that helps quarterbacks reach their potential. He's had Burrow Goff, Trevor Lawrence, Bonex, by the way. Bonex. You liked it. Has it been what you thought?

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, I think so. I think it's the perfect pairing between him and Sean. And there's so much of Bo's. Not just game, but personality.

[Jordan Palmer]

He's intense.

[Unknown Guest]

That's similar to Drew Brees. Right. Very mature. He's married. He's like. He's dealt with adversity.

[Jordan Palmer]

He kind of feels better than I thought.

[Unknown Guest]

And he's a lot more athletic than anybody gave him credit for.

[Jordan Palmer]

He moves.

[Unknown Guest]

Yes, he moves. And so I think it's been exactly what Sean Payton was hoping it would be. And the best balls ahead of him.

[Jordan Palmer]

Did Sean call you?

[Unknown Guest]

He did not. But. But I, I think he's. I think he got exactly what he was looking for.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah, I mean, he had so many starts in college that you. He was one of those. You kind of knew what you were getting. But I, I will say this. I, I didn't think. I thought his arm was Derek Carr.

[Colin Cowherd]

Ish.

[Jordan Palmer]

Kind of in the same thing. And then I've watched them deliver some deep throws and I'm like, well, Aaron Rodgers arm got stronger in the NFL.

[Unknown Guest]

It all evolves. Absolutely. And the way this guy approaches his development in this game is like some of these other guys I've talked about where it's like he's doing it like he's been in the league for a long time and already knows what he needs to work on.

[Jordan Palmer]

How do you make. Not that I'm going to go out and throw football. How do you make your arm stronger? Aaron's was strong in college. It's insane now what's. It's not a bench press, is it?

[Colin Cowherd]

Plyometrics.

[Jordan Palmer]

What is it?

[Unknown Guest]

No, I think it starts with Burrows. A perfect example, because even though he torched college football, his arm has gotten a lot stronger really, coming off the acl. Because when you can better understand one, there's the strength component, but when you can better understand how to use the ground. So let's just say when I go to throw and I lift my left foot in the air, a hundred percent of the force that I'm putting in the ground is through my right foot. Right, Right. Cause my left foot's on the ground. And then at some point when I'm throwing the football, all that goes to the left foot. My right foot leaves the ground. So it's really a conversation around how much force am I putting into the ground and how is that transfer from my back foot to my front foot happening when you can do that and build it all the way up. And so for Joe, like I said, on the annual basis, he's coming off of a very scary wrist injury. Yeah, we forget about it now because he's like up for mvp. But like, well, hold on. This was a rare one. You know, this isn't an ACL that a million people get those. This was a rare wrist injury. So he executed this plan of having to recruit more things so come January, he doesn't have to compensate and pronate his wrist and create an issue. And so whether you're increasing your. Your velocity or you're a big strong arm guy trying to get more touch, it's the same thing. It's how am I applying force to the ground and how is that transferring?

[Jordan Palmer]

Jordan Palmer, it's great seeing you again.

[Unknown Guest]

Thanks for having me.

[Jordan Palmer]

Happy holidays. Your. Your brother, Carson Palmer now is coaching his son at Santa Margarita.

[Unknown Guest]

That's, that's, it's Trinity League. They got modern day and Bosco.

[Jordan Palmer]

No, I know. That's big boy football.

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

And his son's pretty good, right?

[Unknown Guest]

Yeah, he's a good little player.

[Jordan Palmer]

Yeah. Great seeing you, man.

[Unknown Guest]

Thanks for having me.

[Jordan Palmer]

All right, J Max picks next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd.

[Unknown Announcer]

Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jordan Palmer]

Welcome back. Our final segment of the week we are off tomorrow it'll be a Best of the Herd and Notre Dame Georgia tonight again postponed a one day because of that awful tragedy in New Orleans. Thoughts and prayers for the family and the people involved in one of the most unique cities in America. In New Orleans, of course, Fox super bowl this year there so just kind of an unspeakable tragedy and the game has been appropriately moved back and so we'll watch that tonight with heavy hearts. Okay, J Mac, this is what he does and he's been He's a sport. This is a very hard week to handicap because you got people like Philadelphia sitting on many of their best players. I saw Baltimore was like an 18 point favorite against Cleveland. It's a, it's up to 19.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah, just checked.

[Jordan Palmer]

I've never seen a 19 point line in the NFL in my life.

[Rich Davis]

Especially between two rifles. You know, these, it's like a Baltimore Cleveland. These guys are always smash mouth, somebody getting hurt, you know.

[Jordan Palmer]

All right, so we call this segment tomorrow's headlines. Today, the headline for the Bengals at the Steelers.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah, you know this is the Saturday night game. I'm sure you can schedule around some Saturday night plans. You got to watch Joe Burrow and what could be season finale unless they make the playoffs. The headline will be mild goose chase. Bengals keep playoff spot warm. I've got them going into Pittsburgh and pulling the upset. Bengals favored in this one. Now listen, a lot of this, the lines are tricky this week. That's why you're not doing a blazing five.

[Jordan Palmer]

Right. Well, I'm off tomorrow. That's why.

[Rich Davis]

Well, also, but we could have jammed one in here today. Oh yeah, he's a little scared. But listen, some of this, everything's baked into the line about need to win and incentive. So if Baltimore wins earlier against Cleveland, then Pittsburgh, this game doesn't really matter to them except they would face either Houston in the playoffs or Baltimore in the playoffs. Who would you rather face?

[Jordan Palmer]

Houston.

[Rich Davis]

So Pittsburgh's going to try in this?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Rich Davis]

I just, I don't know what to make of them lately. They've lost three straight. But Colin, here's the thing. They've lost to like good teams. When you lose to like Philadelphia, not the end of the world, you lose. Baltimore. Yeah, Baltimore. It's not the end of the world. But I think we would agree Pittsburgh overachieved for most of this season.

[Jordan Palmer]

Right.

[Rich Davis]

We didn't think they'd be here. I think the guy to keep an eye on is Russell Wilson because like you said, is he going to be the guy in Pittsburgh next year if they totally crater like this amazing season and there is somebody, a respected NFL voice at the other networks taking some jabs at T.J. watts numbers and that. They've kind of fallen down pressure rate and so forth. So I don't know. Pittsburgh may have peaked a little early and I think Burrow, Chase and Higgins go into Pittsburgh a tough place to win and get the job done.

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, Burrow seems like he should be in the playoffs because he's the only great quarterback that may not make the playoffs. Generally, if you have somebody in the top seven or eight as a quarter quarterback, you make the playoffs.

[Rich Davis]

I feel bad saying that like we want Burrow in the playoffs because that would mean you're right.

[Jordan Palmer]

Let's be honest.

[Rich Davis]

Bo Nix is out.

[Jordan Palmer]

I think Cincinnati could go to Buffalo and win.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

With Burrow, I don't think Pittsburgh is gonna has a chance to be the top team.

[Rich Davis]

Go into Pittsburgh about Buffalo and win. No.

[Jordan Palmer]

But I think Joe Burrow could.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

And Shemar Chase and T. Higgins. So Cincinnati's a live play. Tomorrow's headlines Today, Saints at the Buccaneers pitch. Pinch me, pinch me.

[Rich Davis]

I don't know. Spreads on this one's 14. Yeah. Tampa big favorite. Could. Could the Saints do it? The headline will be for Evan's sake. Saints bow down to the likes of Mike. A lot of Mike Evans love on the show today. He needs 85 yards, of course, to hit a thousand. Listen, this is a Tampa Bay team. I don't know. They feel dangerous to me. You got the running backs. You got playing out of his mind. By the way, Baker, Mr. Chip on his shoulder. I saw they released the Pro Bowls. The three quarterbacks make it.

[Jordan Palmer]

He didn't make it.

[Rich Davis]

Oh, it's Goff Darnold and Jaden Daniels. You can't go wrong there. But you know, Baker loves a good chip on his shoulder. If memory serves, I was on the Bucs in the first Saints meeting in New Orleans and I think they dropped like 51 points on the Saints. I would not be shocked if we saw another close to 50. Now, maybe they shut it down early after Evans gets his, but this is a Tampa team. I think is dangerous going to the playoffs. As for the Saints, you keep talking about what job is good. I. I don't know what to make of this team.

[Colin Cowherd]

They.

[Rich Davis]

You know, the Camara's getting old and car. That experiment hasn't worked. I don't know the direction they go. This could be the beginning of like a long dry spell for New Orleans. Like I if this is. Is this an attractive job? Is. Is your guy Mike Rabel like, oh, can't wait to get down to the Saints.

[Jordan Palmer]

Listen, none of these jobs are attractive if you have a B quarterback or less that just car.

[Rich Davis]

Even a B quarterback. We liked him with the Raiders.

[Jordan Palmer]

Liked him. Tomorrow's headlines today, Chargers at the Raiders. I'll give Vegas credit. They play their butt off.

[Colin Cowherd]

Antonio Pierce.

[Jordan Palmer]

This team plays like they're. It's a playoff game. They play with so much intensity.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah, I had a. I Don't know if I should even admit this. I had a weird dream last night that we were at a Super bowl party and Brady was talking to us and he's like, guys, they, they love Antonio Pierce in the locker room. Everybody loves him. And we've china changed our tune hearing that. They do fight hard for him. However, the headline will be ace in the black hole. Chargers dealt Texans after Raiders fold. This is a huge game for the Chargers if they're able to avoid Baltimore and Justin Herbert can then face the Texans on the road. I don't, I don't think the Chargers will be favored in that, but you're getting a better quarterback, you get the better coach. This is a huge game for the Chargers in Vegas this weekend. They're four and a half point favorites. I like them. I'm on them here. Listen, like you said, the Raiders are fighting hard. A little bit of a different animal, this Chargers defense, which made Drake may. I mean, he struggled for much of that game.

[Jordan Palmer]

Oh, yeah.

[Rich Davis]

I don't know what, you know, Mr. Aiden O'Connell is going to be able to do back there, but I like the Chargers in this one. And the return of J.K. dobbins, very positive sign. Derwin James was phenomenal.

[Jordan Palmer]

He was.

[Rich Davis]

I know we bagged on him a little bit. He some bad.

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, he's.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's struggled in his career with some.

[Jordan Palmer]

Injuries, he had bad penalties, but boy, he is locked in now.

[Rich Davis]

He was.

[Jordan Palmer]

And they use him in the pass rush like they love bringing him in.

[Rich Davis]

You got bosom and mack. I think Chargers win this. I'm just telling you. If Chargers are able to face the Texans, I think they can win that and that would be great to get Justin Herbert a playoff victory.

[Jordan Palmer]

Now he loved that. Tomorrow's headlines today, Chiefs arresting some dudes at Denver.

[Colin Cowherd]

What say you?

[Rich Davis]

Resting some dudes, he says as the line balloons to ten and a half. Kansas City, nothing to play for.

[Jordan Palmer]

I. I saw and I would rest guy. If I have old veterans who have won rings, they'll like Chris Jones don't play Chris Jones. Travis Kelsey let Noah Gray get snaps. This is the one team in the league I would rest, guys.

[Rich Davis]

Now there is that DeAndre Hopkins is allegedly close to some bonuses. So some people think he may play. I don't know. We'll see. However, the headline will be Bopa Cabana. Her name is playoff. Broncos have made them.

[Jordan Palmer]

All right. I like it.

[Rich Davis]

Your guy. You like it. So I got your guy. Bo Nix winning this game in the playoffs. I don't know that. That Barry Manilow was that smooth. I really rehearsed that well.

[Jordan Palmer]

But listen, this team has a real defense.

[Rich Davis]

Yeah.

[Jordan Palmer]

They have a great coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

They have a star receiver, a left tackle.

[Jordan Palmer]

There's a lot of components to this team.

[Rich Davis]

I like the defense has been good. Not great as of late. Remember, you know, Jameis Winston cooked him for like 500.

[Jordan Palmer]

Justin Herbert had a good second half.

[Rich Davis]

They're getting healthier in the secondary. I. I just. I can't really buy into that. I know they're your squad and Sean Payton's your guy and he watches a lot and I don't want to bag.

[Jordan Palmer]

Listen, I think there's a couple of teams that are capable of making the playoffs but not winning a game.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know if Denver is ready.

[Jordan Palmer]

To win a playoff game. I don't know if Washington is ready to win a playoff game. You sure? I'm not on Washington. Denver feels like getting there is a big deal.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know if Houston at home.

[Jordan Palmer]

Can win a playoff game. I don't know if they can.

[Colin Cowherd]

But that every year there's a team.

[Jordan Palmer]

That gets in and like they check boxes. But getting there, like Miami kind of feels like that sometimes with tua. Like getting there is the story.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're not going to.

[Jordan Palmer]

Cold weather and winning.

[Unknown Announcer]

Yeah, Denver's a good story.

[Rich Davis]

And it almost feels. I don't. Not quite the Titanic, but this thing was heading very sideways heading into the season for Sean Payton. Right. It's like the Russell Wilson disaster. The low win total. People were starting to wonder, is Sean Payton even going to make it? And then here he is getting to the playoffs. Pretty impressive stuff. And shout out to your boy, Bo Nix. Really well done.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, tomorrow's headlines. Today, the game of the weekend.

[Jordan Palmer]

Vikings at Detroit.

[Rich Davis]

So we could probably do 30 minutes on this game. It is just an excellent matchup. Vikings, Lions for the division. For the number one seed. The headline will be Purple rain. Purple Rain Vikes turn Motown into ghost town.

[Jordan Palmer]

You like the barn?

[Rich Davis]

I'm going with the mild upset now. This is touch three. So the sharp bettors are on Detroit. I just. The Vikings right now, man, they are. They're trending to me. Did you see what they did to the packers for three quarters?

[Jordan Palmer]

Jefferson, Naylor, T.J. hawkinson and Addison. The Lions don't match up in the back end. They just don't match up.

[Rich Davis]

49Ers were playing for nothing and Brock Purdy moved them up and down the field. 7.9 yards per play. Like I. It kind of sort of feels to me like Kevin O'Connell could be like, hey, you guys think Ben Johnson's the best play caller? Watch what I've got. And we see some stuff from the Vikings in this one. I'm very excited for this matchup. Listen, I like Dan Campbell, love the story that defense just, they can't get any stops. Colin and I don't know how they stopped the Vikings here.

[Jordan Palmer]

I, I don't disagree with you. I like Detroit, but I don't disagree with you.

[Rich Davis]

You should take the three, right?

[Jordan Palmer]

Well, if it was three, I'd pass. If it was three and a half, I would take Minnesota two and a half.

[Rich Davis]

Here, take the, take the juice three. I'm taking, I'm taking the field goal. By the way, Dan Campbell loves to go for two point conversions, so this could land on two. I'm, I'm going with the Vikings here.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, we should end our show.

[Jordan Palmer]

That targeting call that wasn't called at Texas Arizona State. Listen, Texas's credit in overtime they made big throws. So once they got to overtime they made big time plays and they deserve all the love. But it is interesting. It was like, you know how in the NBA Durant and LeBron met in the NBA Finals years ago, Durant was a OKC Thunder and there was a play on the baseline and it was a foul and the ref did not want to end the finals at the free throw line. When I watched that play, my take was they know it's targeting, but nobody wants to have a penalty decide the fate of a game. Now that sounds ridiculous, but I, I, I've seen this in the NBA before where refs swallow their whistle in series deciding. They just let the players decide it.

[Colin Cowherd]

And they let more go.

[Jordan Palmer]

And you know, in the NBA Finals. J Mac, the NBA playoffs get more.

[Colin Cowherd]

Physical the further it goes.

[Jordan Palmer]

Refs do not want to be the story.

[Rich Davis]

When was the last time the Chiefs were called for holding in the Super Bowl?

[Jordan Palmer]

When you get to the super bowl, everybody, everybody, there's not, not a lot of penalties in the Super Bowl.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nobody wants to decide it when you.

[Jordan Palmer]

Get to the final place. And I kind of felt like, I mean, look at Dillingham's like, oh brother, I like the eye roll there because it was targeting. I mean I watched, I was laid.

[Rich Davis]

Out for like two minutes.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, beyond the, the result, it's like.

[Jordan Palmer]

The intention, the reason they have this is it's helmet on helmet and to avoid concussions. Well, what happened?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, but as I watched it, I thought, man, I would not want to.

[Jordan Palmer]

Decide a football game on a call like that. I know you're saying to yourself, well, it's a penalty. You're right, I'm not disputing that. But it the first thing I thought of is LeBron, KD baseline refs like, nah, I'm not, no, we're not going to the free throw line for the finals. I'm out.

[Rich Davis]

I I don't know if we have the fourth and 13 overtime throw from Ewers for the touchdown, but that was a full house blitz. Arizona State brought everybody and nobody could get through that offensive line. I think it was like eight against five, eight against six. That was an incredible throw by Ewers.

[Jordan Palmer]

With the game on the line he made. They are a splash offense. They averaged 10.7 yards of pass and.

[Colin Cowherd]

Had multiple three and outs.

[Jordan Palmer]

So the consistency is awful. But their splash plays. That's what Texas football is. Ohio State, Penn State, much more consistent. They're a splash play team.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, thanks so much. Happy holidays. Off tomorrow.

[Jordan Palmer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Jon Stewart]

Network Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show. Which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend Jon Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews and more. Now this is the second term we can all get behind. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.