Richard Sherman Podcast - Detroit Lions revival proves NFL teams shouldn't tank

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Richard Sherman Podcast - Detroit Lions Revival Proves NFL Teams Shouldn't Tank"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Episode: Richard Sherman Podcast - Detroit Lions revival proves NFL teams shouldn't tank
• Release Date: December 25, 2024

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Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosted by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume, Richard Sherman engages in a dynamic discussion with co-host Mitchell Schwartz and guest Fred Warner. The central theme revolves around the resurgence of the Detroit Lions and the broader implications it holds for NFL team strategies, particularly the practice of "tanking." The conversation delves into player performances, team management decisions, and the cultural mindset within professional football.

MVP Candidates and Player Performance

MVP Debate: Richard Sherman and Mitchell Schwartz kick off the discussion by analyzing current MVP contenders in the NFL. Sherman references a prediction by DeMico Ryan, stating that Lamar Jackson is "definitely the MVP" (03:05). This assertion is juxtaposed with the statistical performances of other quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Jared Goff.

Notable Quotes:

• Mitchell Schwartz ([03:51]): "If LaMar Jackson has 46, 47 touchdowns total and four interceptions, and you tell me that's not an MVP season, just throw the award away at that point."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([04:57]): "You can't tank in the National Football League. I guess you can, but there aren't many players, not veteran players that are going to go out there and be like, yeah, I'm gonna go out there and try to lose."

The Tanking Debate: Insights from Players and Coaches

Player Perspective on Winning: The conversation highlights the mindset of athletes like Antonio Pierce, who emphasize the importance of winning over other considerations. Pierce remarks, "The only thing that matters is winning. And that's all we want to do, Richard" (06:17). This sentiment underscores the argument against tanking, as players inherently strive for victory.

Mitchell Schwartz on Team Culture: Schwartz elaborates on the futility of tanking, stating, "You can't turn on and turn off like habits... you can't set, say, I'm just gonna stop working hard and then I'll start working hard later" (07:30). He emphasizes that consistent effort and a winning mentality are ingrained in players, making intentional losing strategies ineffective.

Case Study: Detroit Lions Revival

Impact of Winning: Sherman and Schwartz use the Detroit Lions’ recent victory over Aaron Rodgers as a pivotal example of how focused effort and a winning culture can transform a team’s fortunes. Schwartz notes, "The season that mattered most for this organization was when they went on the road two years ago and knocked off Aaron Rodgers" (08:34). This win ignited a "massive momentum shift," changing fan engagement and team morale.

Team Management Decisions: The hosts discuss the management decisions that contributed to the Lions' success, highlighting coach Dan Campbell's leadership. Schwartz praises Campbell’s motivational tactics, comparing his style to turning adversity into a driving force for the team: "Dan is doing it a different way... he can take a team that's really talented and continue to find ways to pull the right strings" (18:03). This approach contrasts sharply with tanking strategies, showcasing the benefits of investing in team success.

Implications for Other NFL Teams

Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans: The discussion extends to other teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, whose recent performance led them from the second to the sixth position in the draft rankings. Antonio Pierce criticizes the notion of tanking for future draft benefits, asserting that the only priority should be winning games: "The only thing that matters is winning. And that's all we want to do, Richard" (06:17).

Draft Strategies and Long-term Success: Schwartz argues that tanking can have detrimental long-term effects, including acquiring "bust" quarterbacks and perpetuating a losing mentality. He uses the example of Houston Texans, where fan frustration with interim coach Lovey Smith led to positive outcomes with the acquisition of C.J. Stroud, reinforcing that playing to win yields better franchise futures (08:34).

Quarterback Performance and Team Dynamics

Jordan Love and Defensive Strategies: The podcast delves into quarterback performances, particularly focusing on Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers. Sherman and Schwartz discuss Love’s struggles with defensive pressure from the Minnesota Vikings, emphasizing the importance of a strong defensive strategy in compensating for offensive shortcomings. Schwartz states, "You just have to stay right here. You don't do anything crazy" (28:46), advocating for consistent and strategic play over risky maneuvers.

Tennessee Titans Running Backs: Another key topic includes the management of running backs, with a spotlight on Josh Jacobs and discussions around the Raiders’ undervaluing of talented players. Schwartz critiques the Raiders for releasing Jacobs despite his performance, highlighting the inconsistency in how teams value and retain players, which undermines team stability and success (38:57).

Holiday Season and NFL Scheduling

Christmas Day Football: Given the episode's release on December 25, Sherman and Schwartz touch upon the significance of Christmas Day football games. They express enthusiasm for the tradition, emphasizing its role in enhancing the holiday spirit and providing exciting entertainment for fans (57:06).

Notable Quotes:

• Mitchell Schwartz ([55:21]): "It's always winning. Winning's always the bigger benefit."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([60:46]): "It's time for our TNF preview, presented by Prime Video."

Conclusion: The Value of a Winning Culture

The episode concludes with a reinforcement of the central thesis: tanking is an ineffective strategy in the NFL. Through the success story of the Detroit Lions, Sherman and Schwartz advocate for a relentless pursuit of victory, arguing that a winning culture not only elevates team performance but also fosters long-term franchise success. The hosts underscore the importance of consistent effort, strategic team management, and the inherent desire of players to compete and win, making a compelling case against the practice of tanking.

Final Notable Quotes:

• Mitchell Schwartz ([64:40]): "Well, thank you guys for joining us on this Christmas Eve's Eve. It's been another beautiful day for the Richard Sherman Podcast."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([66:04]): "We're on to week 17. It's going to be awesome down the stretch."

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Key Takeaways

• Winning Over Tanking: Consistently striving to win is more beneficial for NFL teams than intentionally losing to secure better draft positions.
• Player Mindset: Players inherently desire victory, making tanking strategies misaligned with their motivations.
• Leadership Impact: Effective coaching and leadership, as demonstrated by Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions, are crucial in transforming team performance.
• Long-term Success: Investing in a winning culture fosters long-term success and franchise stability, avoiding the pitfalls associated with tanking.

By highlighting the Detroit Lions' revival, the podcast effectively argues that maintaining a competitive edge and focusing on winning games leads to more sustainable and meaningful success in the NFL.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Mitchell Schwartz ([03:51]): "If LaMar Jackson has 46, 47 touchdowns total and four interceptions, and you tell me that's not an MVP season, just throw the award away at that point."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([04:57]): "You can't tank in the National Football League. I guess you can, but there aren't many players, not veteran players that are going to go out there and be like, yeah, I'm gonna go out there and try to lose."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([06:17]): "You can't turn on and turn off like habits... you can't set, say, I'm just gonna stop working hard and then I'll start working hard later."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([08:34]): "The season that mattered most for this organization was when they went on the road two years ago and knocked off Aaron Rodgers."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([18:03]): "Dan is doing it a different way... he can take a team that's really talented and continue to find ways to pull the right strings."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([28:46]): "You just have to stay right here. You don't do anything crazy."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([38:57]): "They're watching him have an MVP season for a division rival. Like, that's what makes it a fireball offense."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([55:21]): "It's always winning. Winning's always the bigger benefit."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([57:06]): "It's time for our TNF preview, presented by Prime Video."
• Mitchell Schwartz ([64:40]): "We're on to week 17. It's going to be awesome down the stretch."

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Note: Timestamps correspond to the transcript provided and illustrate the flow of the conversation during the podcast episode.

Transcript

[Richard Sherman]

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

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[Richard Sherman]

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[Richard Sherman]

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[Fred Warner]

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

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[Dominique]

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

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[Prime Video Host]

Thursday Night Football is on and it's only on Prime Video. Breaking the tackle Touchdown this week. Keep the holiday celebration going as the Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears.

[Fred Warner]

You're gonna love this.

[Prime Video Host]

Coverage begins with TNF tonight. Not a Prime member sign up for a 30 day free trial to stream the game. It's the Seahawks and Bears Thursday only on Prime Video. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Richard Sherman]

The volume.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

You know this girl for this joke, you dope.

[Fred Warner]

Super bowl championship. That should always be the expectation.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

I ain't mad at you. Go ahead. Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast, presented by our friends and partners over over at Breitling. They got me that Seattle Seahawk, Breitling. Mitchell. Nice and shiny. Couldn't wait.

I know you're excited, Richard. You're going to be rocking that this Thursday. I mean, come on. And Thursday Night Football. Seattle Seahawks. Seattle. Breitling must be in attendance.

It has to be. And I'm going to wear a Seattle Seahawks colored suit. I don't have a green turtleneck. That's the only thing that's holding me back. But I might be able to find a shirt. I'm working on it. I'm working on it, Mitchell. But let's get to. Let's get to the headlines from this week. Demo Ryan says Lamar Jackson is definitely the mvp.

Sounds somewhat similar to what you were saying last night. Richard, your thoughts here. Vegas still has Josh Allen as -5.50. Lamar Jackson's a +400 odds, Saquon at + 1200 and my boy Jared Goff at 20 to 1. But you still like Lamar Jackson and so does D'Amico Ryan's. What do you think of this take?

Same thing I said yesterday. I think it's the accurate take. And people are saying, I hate Josh Allen. Nothing's further from the truth. I love Josh Allen. I think he plays the game the right way. He elevates his team, he plays hard. They win ball games. Like, he's always competitive each and every year. He talks a little bit of smack. He plays behind his shoulder pads. I'm a Josh Allen fan, but the numbers are the numbers. If LaMar Jackson has 46, 47 touchdowns total and four interceptions, and you tell me that's not an MVP season, just throw the award away at that point, Mitchell, because it doesn't make sense. Because on the flip side, and you got to talk to Buffalo fans about that, if Josh Allen had 47 total touchdowns and four interceptions and didn't walk away with the MVP, they would be rioting at the league office in New York, and rightfully so. That's what I don't get. I don't even understand the odds. But it is what it is. They'll probably give it to him just like they gave it to Lamar last year when I thought he shouldn't get it. But Demiko's on the same page as me. The tape looks like. The tape looks and the numbers look like. The numbers look well, Richard.

I'm still holding off for my boy Jared Goff. 20 to 1 odds we'll see if he can get hot down the stretch. Some crucial games for them. It's getting to that point of the season, Richard, where teams at the bottom of the league are really jockeying for position in the NFL draft. And you know, fortunately or unfortunately, when a team wins that fan bases want to lose, fans kind of voice their opinions. And we saw it in Las Vegas this weekend. The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jags and improve their win total to three on the season. In doing so, they go from number two in the draft to number six. Now, the fan base was booing at the end of the game. Antonio Pierce didn't like this. And he said, we don't do this to lose. We don't do this for anybody's fantasy football team. We don't do this for anyone's draft projections. None of this shit matters to us. The only thing that matters is winning. And that's all we want to do, Richard. Bring us into the mind of an athlete, the mind of a competitor. Because just us common fans often look too far ahead at what could be, what could be in the future. If you're on a team that's struggling four or five wins and you know, you're down and out. You talked about playing for pride. How. How much pride can you possibly play for? Are you really getting up for these games?

Yeah. And that's how he has to coach Mitchell. He can't coach. Like, he's like, he's a, you know, 15 year veteran coach. He's had a lot of jobs. This is his first year coaching. First job. He asked the coach to win every game. And I don't remember who it was. It Lovey Smith with Houston, like, who was the interim coach. And they wanted to lose every. The fans wanted him to lose, and I think the owner might have wanted him to lose. And they won. And he got pissed off that they win the last game of the season.

Yeah.

And they ended up with CJ Stroud instead of Bryce Young. And sometimes that's exactly what it was. Sometimes that's how stuff is supposed to happen. And then everybody forgets about it. You know, they're so mad in the moment, they're so frustrated in the moment. They were Houston fans were, you know, oh, my God, you're sabotaging us going out like when in reality, that was a parting gift. You got C.J. stroud instead of Bryce Young. And look what the fates behold now is Bryce Young going to develop into something he could. C.J. shroud is exactly what Houston needed and wanted. They got the franchise quarterback, the future of their franchise because Lovey Smith's team played hard. And guess what? The football gods rewarded this team for doing things the right way. You can't do it any other way or it's not going to work out how. You can't tank in the National Football League. I guess you can, but there aren't many players, not veteran players that are going to go out there and be like, yeah, I'm gonna go out there and try to lose. If you're built like that, you can't turn that back off. Like, that's a loser mentality. And I talk to my son about stuff like this all the time because I'm like, hey, like, you can't turn on and turn off like habits. Like, hey, if you, how you do anything is how you do everything. So if you work hard all the time, you're gonna work hard. If you set, say I'm just gonna stop working hard and then I'll, I'll start working hard later. Like, hey, we're not going to win these games. We're just going to try to lose these games. But then when next season starts, we're going to start trying to win again. Like, you can't. It's a mentality, it's a work ethic. It's a, it's a state of mind. Remember when you're Detroit Lions, Mitchell, when they first started to build this culture, what did they start doing at the end of that season? A season that didn't really matter. They weren't winning games.

Richard the, the, the season that mattered most for this organization was when they went on the road two years ago and knocked off Aaron Rodgers. They kicked him out of this division. They had nothing to play for. The LA Rams had gone in with Baker Mayfield and tried out Bender. Seattle Seahawks, and Seattle ultimately pulled that game off in overtime. Detroit was on the Sunday night game with nothing to play for. But that game meant more to this fan base than anything because it kick started what is now this, this massive momentum shift. For the first time in my life, being a Detroit Lions fan, I wasn't looking on websites, seeing our draft position after week eight because these games finally mattered. For once, I can sympathize with the Las Vegas Raiders fan base. They're thinking of dream scenario. They're thinking that Deion Sanders and Shador Sanders in Vegas. I mean, that's what a Lot of these folks were definitely thinking of.

Look, if you're. If you're thinking that way and you want them in Vegas, then Mark Davis will find a way to do it. I don't think Mark Davis is going to get rid of Antonio Pierce right now, but if he does, I'm sure Deion will be high on the list. Deion says he's staying at Colorado. Do I believe that? I think he can be persuaded to do other things, but I think right now he's creating and he's building a team to play in Colorado next year. He just got his quarterback, got his young quarterback. He's continuing to build that culture. He's continuing to speak that way, recruit that way, get transfers in the portal that way. So everything points to him staring at Colorado. So if that's the case, he does want his sons and in Las Vegas. And I understand the frustration of fans, and you want it both ways. You want your team to compete every week, but you also want them to lose when they're supposed to lose. It's not always going to work out that way. At the end of the day, just count the record when the season ends and look where you're drafting and make the best of it, and your team will make the best of it. Are the Jacksonville Jaguars going to take a quarterback? I don't know. Maybe. Are the New England Patriots going to take another quarterback? I don't know. Maybe. I doubt it. The Giants are. Are they going to take Cam Ward? Are they going to take Shador? Will there be a quarterback left? Like, let the stuff play out like it's supposed to, because when you do things the wrong way in football, it always comes to bite you in the end. You. You sit there and be like, oh, let's tank, let's tank. And you'll get the quarterback you're not supposed to get and think he's supposed to be something, and you'll end up with another bust. And it'll be like, you'll think back and take it all the way back to when you lost on purpose. And that's where it all began. So I agree with Antonio. Play to win.

Richard, I kind of want to extend this topic a little bit further. We saw DJ Moore. He was interviewed in the locker room pregame, in practice, leading up to the game against the Lions. And one of the reporters asked him something along the lines of, what are you looking forward to? And he said, vacation. You've played in this league a number of years. Have you ever been privy? I mean, I guess you Were on so many competitive teams. So you never were in total mail out seasons or games. But like, have you heard stories of other players just cashing it in late?

Yes, I have. My first year, my very first year in the National Football League, I started the last 10 games of the season. So this was probably like my sixth or seventh start. We were still kind of in the playoff race. You know, we need some things to go our way. We need to win some games we, we didn't end up winning, but there was like a little bit of an argument and some confrontation from our young players, our young naive players who just want to win. We like, hey, we're balls to the wall, we're hair on fire. We just want to win every game, play the best defense we can and get to these playoffs and try to win a Super Bowl. Like that's all we think about. Earl Cam, myself, Brandon Browner at the time, you know, we, we got, we got good D line, we got. And I'm not going to put any names out there because I don't need to to put anybody in a bad light. But the guy came up to us and we're like, we're like, yeah, man, we just got to do this to make the playoffs. And he's like, playoffs, like, why would I want to make the playoffs? I take a pay cut in the playoffs. I take a play cut, a pay cut to play more games and harder games and games that matter more and I make less money. I don't want to play in the playoffs. And mind was just like, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Like I'm in a national football league, this is my rookie year and I'm playing my butt off. And the guy says, I don't want to make the playoffs. Because in reality, by the letter of the law, he's correct. Like he was making about 300, 400,000 a game in the playoffs in the first round. Mitchell, we make $20,000, 20 grand, everybody, unless you got like a bonus or something in your contract individually, the standard check that everybody receives 20k or 20, 26 and some change. I gotta go look. But that's before taxes. So it ends up being like 13,000, which is money, you know what I mean? Like let's not, let's get out of hand here. But compared to 300 grand, I mean, he's totally correct. You go from making 300 grand regular season games and, and then you go to the harder games, the games that matter, the games that everybody's watching and define your career. And your legacy over and you're making 13,000 after tax. 14, whatever it is, didn't change it for me. Mitchell. They got rid of him the next year. They got rid of a lot of guys like him and you had a lot of a lot of us left still trying to get to a championship and win it.

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Richard, let's talk a little bit about this, the upcoming weekend's games. My Detroit Lions are looking for revenge. They're heading out to San Francisco. I know you are going to be rooting for the Niners, and I respect that, but we already talked about what left the 49ers have to play for. We already said they've got a lot of guys on the injury list throughout this week already developing, so we'll see who even plays. But Dan Campbell is going on the road with a mission. He said, we are bringing everything we've got into this game and we are playing. And I don't care what it looks like and where it's at or with this or with what, we're going out to win this game out on the West Coast. Richard, I know you like Dan Campbell. I mean, how motivating is this guy to the Detroit Lions locker room, especially after all they went through? Richard, he was on local sports talk radio talking about this team getting back to its roots and eating molded bread. Everyone's getting so used to eating that filet here in Detroit, and they forget that we used to survive on molded bread. That was his quote. And he got this whole city riled up. Rich and motivated. How does he do it? Have you seen anything like this from a coach in your playing days?

Well, not from my coach, but, yeah, I've seen motivation in different ways. You know, Pete was a different way of motivating than Kyle Shanahan. Both of them got their teams to Super Bowls. Dan is doing it a different way. Dan seems like the kind of coach that would. That would turn the hot water heater off in the building and just say it was adversity and say, hey, fellas, this is the adversity we got to deal with this week and we can't complain. Don't whine, don't anything. And his team's going to respond to it. And all of a sudden they're going to be talking about how the world's against them and somebody cut their hot water off. But it didn't matter because they went out there and practiced in the cold. And I love it. I love it, Mitchell, because they're going to. They're going to take this team, Mitchell, and he's going to take a team that's been eating steaks all season long and make them feel like they've been eating top ramen. And I love that because that's what a good coach can do. He can take a team that's really talented and continue to find ways to pull the right strings, to push the right button, to make guys feel frustrated, motivated. I'm sure he's going to show them tape of the NFC Championship Game from last season and how that game went, especially in the second half, and the things that went wrong and the way this team celebrated and the way they were feeling before and the way they felt after and try to get those feelings back. But The San Francisco 49ers are in a much different place. I don't think they're going to be as motivated. Obviously, they're going to go out there and try to win this game, but they're really banged up. They don't have the horses. Obviously. The offensive lines banged up, the defensive lines banged up, the secondary is banged up, the receiving core has been banged up. You saw the mistakes made. The running backs are all banged up. Garendo is out there down to their fifth and sixth. Is it fifth and sixth now, running backs? But, you know, it's the National Football League, and they'll go out there and they'll have to go put a. Put a good showing on and try to play for pride, because the Detroit Lions owe them nothing and owe them no quarter. And I don't think they're going to be giving them any quarter. And so they haven't given anybody else any quarter. Mitchell. They're the team that'll blow them out and go for two. And I think San Francisco understands that. They, they gotta, they gotta bring their hard hats, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the situation. You know, what, who's coming to town and what mindset they're coming with. So you gotta match that mentality or you're gonna go home embarrassed.

I'm gonna double down on the qu. And the last topic here, Richard, would you be more upset if the Niners won this game and got their pride or lost this game and improve their draft position? Which one would you find is a bigger benefit for these Niners right now?

It's always winning. Winning's always the bigger benefit. You know, draft is going to happen, how it's going to happen. You never know who's going to be there. You never know how it's going to play or what players are. Are going to actually be good pros. That were good college kids. So I don't. I don't put a lot of stock into how these kids are ranked coming out. You know, if you look at the top tens of some of these drafts, you'll see some players that aren't even on rosters anymore. Two, three years later, and you were looking like, man, I can't. I hope my team gets him. And, oh, my God, we missed out on him. And the guy you got instead of him ends up being All Pro. And it's like, well, maybe we just lucked out. No, it happens how it's supposed to happen. So winning is what I think they should play to do. It's going to be a hard game for them to win. Detroit is a bully. They play in the game the right way. They're built the right way. Obviously, we talked about their deficiencies on the defensive side. That's the only thing that'll give the San Francisco 49ers a chance, and that's just a puncher's chance. And if they can find a way to somehow get to the quarterback, get to Jared Goff, that'll give them a puncher's chance. But it's going to be a tough game for them to win, as banged up as they are. But, you know, this is the National Football League, and anything can happen. We just saw the New England Patriots take the Buffalo Bills to the wire. We saw the. The Browns beat Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens. So anything could happen.

Certainly can. Well, Richard, we already talked about it yesterday, but this year, we've got Football on Christmas, which is a Wednesday on Netflix. Apparently, Beyonce is performing at halftime of the Houston Texans Ravens game, and Lamar Jackson wants to see it. He says he's never seen Beyonce perform, and that's it. It's at their game. So. Sorry, Carbaugh. Sorry, fellas. I'm not even thinking about the lead. I'm just thinking about seeing Beyonce for the first time. No disrespect. I mean, Richard, I know where you'd be if Beyonce's performing at halftime. Are you surprised by this at all from Lamar Jackson, the leader of the team?

Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty surprised. But, you know, I understand what he's saying, but Lamar Jackson has a lot of money. He made a lot of money in this league. Beyonce has many concerts, and she performs all over the globe. I'm sure there's a time Lamar Jackson can go see her when she's not performing at halftime while he's at work, but if his team allows it, if his coach allows it, if he's balling out in the first half, has three, four touchdowns and are up double digits, I don't think anybody will have a problem with it. I think people will be like, man, he went out there, made a statement, watched Beyonce and walked away with a dub. It'll be legendary. And that's the stuff that makes sports fun. That's what makes sports amazing. That's what is inspiring and entertaining about these athletes in these scenarios. But if they're tied or losing, I think you'll, you'll watch John Harbaugh walk him into the locker room.

Richard, let's get to some of these games here. We got a game tonight, Monday Night Football, not a whole lot going on. The Green Bay packers hosting the New Orleans Saints. This New Orleans Saints team is not the team we're used to seeing. They seem to have lost their mojo. They, they have been riddled with injuries at key positions throughout the year. Green Bay took advantage. Green bay is now 11 and four. We talked about it at length. But this NFC north is absolutely ridiculous. Two teams at 13 and two and third place team Green Bay at 11 and four. Richard, have you seen anything like this in a division being this dominant, at least when it pertains to the record?

I think we had one, one year when I was in Seattle where we were maybe 13 and 3. I think San Francisco might have been 12 and 4 and then Arizona was like 10 and 7 or something and they didn't make, or 10 and 6 and they didn't make the playoffs that year because there were only six teams that made it at that time. Outside of that, I can't think of a time where it's been this crazy, you know, I mean, this many double digit win teams this close late in the season and, and obviously the league is doing a great job of having these matchups the way they are. I mean even the Saturday matchups that we just had this weekend were incredible. Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, the Houston, Texas, Kansas City Chiefs. And all they're doing on Christmas Day is flipping those matchups. So the Baltimore Ravens are playing the Texans. Now the Chiefs are playing the Steelers. It's great December football. And I'm sure the NBA is probably really frustrated because nobody's going to be watching those NBA games because the best games you can watch are on, on are in the NFL. And those games are going to be really good. They're going to have really monumental stakes, especially in the afc. If, if both, both Baltimore and Pittsburgh win. The end of the season is going to be up in the air, who wins that division if one of them loses? It's still going to be meaningful at the end of the season. But to talk about the New Orleans game and this Green Bay game. Green Bay looked really dominant. Leflore wanted to see how dominant they can be. All three phases. They look dominant, didn't turn the ball over on offense, didn't give up a sack. Really efficient. Josh Jacobs ran the ball well. They were able to get the starters out for most of the fourth quarter. They were able to get some young guys in there and get some run. Our guy, Keyshawn Nixon, friend of mine, friend of the program, sack force, fumble. In a game that, you know, had an impact, had really good coverage all game, it's starting to come into his own and going to be looking to get another payday soon from one of these teams and just got one. But yeah, they look like a really formidable team. Their defense, pitching a shutout. This is the National Football League. No matter how easy you think the game is, how bad you think the team is, it's hard to pitch a shutout. Jeff Halfley is doing an incredible job with this defense. Obviously they got an interception in the game. They could have had two. I thought our boy Xavier McKinney got another one right before the half on the Hail Mary, but couldn't get his other foot inbounds. They look like a really complete team, and I think that's what makes them a dangerous team in the playoffs is because they both sides of the ball, they're really complete. They don't have to depend on any one player or any one side of the football. They got a good D line. They got a really good linebacker play. They got some emerging stars. Cooper, the, the linebacker, slash end or whatever. They got him listed as emerging as a really elite player both in the past and run game. Rashawn Gary's having another good year. Xavier McKinley's having a all Pro Pro bowl year. We talked about Keyshawn and the impact he's making both in the slot and on the outside. Jair Alexander, when he gets healthy, he has, you know, reputation, speaks for himself. Been one of the elite playmakers. And again, Jeff Halfley came in here and is making an incredible difference in his defense. It seems like guys are starting to buy in more, starting to understand what he's, what, what his mindset is. I think players relate to him. He's. He's one of the better player coaches who, who listens to his players, who communicates with him throughout the week, has an Open door policy lets guys come in and out and, and really hears their thoughts. And I think all the players that spoke to that, it looks really good.

They're very unique team. They've got no true number one wide out. They've got a bunch of guys that are high level number two receivers. That kind of reminds me a bit of when you were playing early on with the, with the Seahawks and it was Doug, it was curse, it was, you know, Golden Tate. It was these guys that were, you know, trying to really prove their name in this league. The question I have for you pertains to Jordan Love. I mean, we've seen it. You know, granted, Green Bay's pulling away with this game. There's no reason to throw the football. But statistically Speaking, at a 34 to nothing blowout, you don't expect to see a stat line of 16 for 28 for 182 and a touchdown and what easily could have been an interception as well. Do you think this version of Jordan Love can take Green Bay to the promised land, can take them out of the NFC and at least get them in the super bowl with a chance to bring home the trophy?

Yeah, Mitchell, I've seen it a lot of different ways depending on how your team is and if your defense is playing well. We did it and our quarterback didn't need to do a ton, you know what I mean? He just needed to make sure he didn't turn the ball over. I think he had three total passing touchdowns in the entire playoffs during our run to the super bowl and super bowl win. We had three games yet through three touchdown passes and we won the super bowl by, what was it, 35 points. And so no, yes, the formula can work, but you need elite defensive play. You need a great run game. And they have that. They have a bruising back. And Josh Jacobs, they're drawing it a scheme that fits for him. He does a great job of wearing defenses down as they go. They get turnovers on defense. They found a way to be really sound. That secondary is flying around, their coverages are moving, they're adjusting on the fly, they're trusting each other. You can see the chemistry, the camaraderie and special teams. They're optimistic, they're opportunistic, they, McManus is kicking the ball well, whether it's in the cold or in under great conditions. He's doing a great job. So yeah, you can get it done like this. You don't need the quarterback to throw for 500 yards and five touchdowns necessarily to win you the ball game, you just have to avoid the turnovers. And that's going to be the thing. And I think that's what LaFleur is preaching right now to Jordan. Love is, hey, this is where we need you at. It's almost like hitch. Mitchell. Hey, this is where you're at, Mitchell. We don't need any of this. We just need you right here, Mitchell. Just stay right here. Just stay right here. You don't do anything crazy. We got a chance. But it's when things start to go haywire and you start trying to get cute and you start to want to, hey, I want to show how talented I am right here. Don't go anywhere but right here, Mitchell. And if they stay right here, they're gonna straight to the basics and you, they give themselves the best shot.

[Doug Gottlieb]

This is Doug Gottlieb from all ball with Doug Gottlieb. Hey, I'm talking about something that's really serious for a minute, something personal right now. In our country, hate feels like it's at an all time high and we're going backwards and the hate is winning. It's out of control. So many different people, so many different groups are facing too much hate and it's just enough. We need to stop and 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 together, what do they do? They call a timeout. We need to take a timeout against hate. So let's think about what we say and do. And when we see hate and we see someone doing or saying those things we know are wrong or hateful, we need to call it out. Visit stand upto all hate.org or join me in calling for the timeout against hate by following at what's up with hate or posting the blue square emoji.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

Hey, guys, this is Matt Jones. Drew Franklin from the Fade this podcast. We got a great episode coming up. Picks in all the sports, football, basketball, we do them all. But here's a preview of this week's episode.

[Matt Jones]

I've seen people in the gambling community kind of make jokes about fade this and we just goof off and don't even talk about the games. Bring your records and set them on this table right now. All you out there that are spend two hours talking about the games and will in the last seven years and night games, they've come in and haven't scored 20 points and you get too detailed bring your records right here. To Fade this. We'll we'll talk about books and cooking and Kevin Costner and still make more money betting on sports than you will.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

And this episode was brought to you in partnership with DraftKings. To hear more, listen and subscribe to Fade this on iheartradio or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Dominique]

Good sleep should come naturally, and with the new Natural Hybrid mattress, it can. A collaboration between Leesa and West Elm, the Natural Hybrid is expertly crafted from natural latex, natural wool and certified safe foams to elevate your sleep sanctuary and support a greener tomorrow. Breathable organic cotton and moisture wicking Joma wool consistently provide cool and comfortable slumber. Every purchase helps fuel Leesa's work with shelters and those in need. Visit leesa.com to learn more. That's leesa.com hey, what's up guys?

[Fred Warner]

I'm Fred Warner, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. The holidays get really busy for me, but I still want to pull up to events looking my freshest. Abercrombie's latest drop of party looks is taking me through the season for date nights, hanging out with the fellas and even New Year's Eve. They have outfits for every occasion. I'm big on sweater polos and trousers with a wool blend coat over top for those really fancy holiday events. Abercrombie has suiting options too. Shop Abercrombie for every night out.

[Prime Video Host]

Thursday Night Football is on and it's only on Prime Video. Breaking the tackle touchdown this week. Keep the holiday celebration going as the Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears.

[Fred Warner]

You're gonna love this.

[Prime Video Host]

Coverage begins with TNF tonight. Not a Prime member sign up for a 30 day free trial to stream the game. It's the Seahawks and Bears Thursday only on Prime Video restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

Well, they got they got in game of the week next week for sure. As they go on the road they can play the Minnesota Vikings. With so much at sea stake, you know, both for these teams in terms of seeding potentially and in the division. I know you like the Minnesota Vikings, but these teams are very similar in makeup and how they've been playing through the season. Do you think Green Bay can go on the road and steal a win from Minnesota?

No, I think their best chance was to get them when they when they came to Lambeau. Minnesota got away from earlier. They were able to roar back into the game and make it competitive and have a had a chance to win it. I think it's going to be tougher than to go into Minnesota. It's a much tougher place to play than people give credit. It's a really tough place to play and they're playing really good football. I think Seattle should have got him last week. You know, without a few mistakes, a few blunders, a few mental errors, they could have won that game. But you got to give Minnesota and Sam Darnold a lot of credit. Kevin O'Connell, the way he's drawing it up, they're a really talented team. Brian Flores, the way this defense is playing, they have all the pieces in place. The Gink, the Ginkler, Mitchell, the Ginkler is out here having a Pro bowl type season. Really fitting well in this defense. Granard is having a really great year.

So natural over there. Rich. It's just like he's the perfect fit for that Viking look. If he doesn't want to play for the team, maybe he could go be the mascot afterwards. Richard, I don't know.

He's the face of the franchise. Mitchell, face of the franchise. But they're, they're doing. Aaron Jones is running the ball well, they have a good chance. You know, they got to make sure the same things that apply to them. You can't turn the ball over. You can't be fumbling the ball if you're Aaron Jones. Defensively, it's, it is a feast or famine kind of defense because, you know, they put a lot of pressure and then they pop out into that cover two or they bring the zero blitz and then they got to play zero and they disguise things and put Harrison, Smith, all these different places. Fitz pretty much said you should assume it's cover two every time when they pop out. And if it's something else, then you throw the hot as if it's zero coverage. But I think that's what Jordan Love has struggled with this season. He struggled with it when we went to Detroit and we had that game against the Detroit Lions. That's what they did. That's how Aaron Glenn attacked him. He brought pressure consistently. And that's the thing that's been. Jordan loves Achilles heel this season and a little bit of last season is dealing with pressure in his face. And I think they're going to try to bring a lot of pressure this game. Obviously, that's what Flores. That's, that's, that's what he lives off of. You know, that's his, that's his mentality, that's his reputation. And I think that's what's going to happen. And if Josh Jacobs continues to run the ball like he's doing, he's going to continue to get awards and be up for all pros and be up for things like our Player in primetime brought to you by our friends and partners over at Breitling Mitchell. He's running the ball as well as anybody. Obviously seventh in yards right now. But when you look at the. Every game, the eye test, you see him go in and he's just bruising. Bruising never goes down from the first tackler. It's always two, three guys breaking two, three tackles each carry. He's a big reason why this team is having so much success. While the mentality's changed, they're much more of a bruising, physical team. And, and they can finish games, they can close games out, and he's been doing that. So obviously he deserves to be our player in primetime. This week. Brought to you by Breitling. There are very few backs playing better than him. Obviously Saquon and Derek Henry have. Have a case. We can't really talk about that.

You know what's wild about all three of those backs, Rich, is they were given up on by their former team last year. You know, it's the three. I was just going to say this. The three. The three guys you just mentioned, all we're giving up upon. I mean, it's, it's the resurgence of the running back, Richard, dare I say the running back has made a comeback because you're seeing teams like the Lions that are spending high first round picks like the Atlanta Falcons with Bijan Robinson. And now teams are starting to pay these guys more. It's wild to me and it's. You can kind of understand the trajectory of two teams. The Raiders give up on Josh Jacobs for absolutely no reason. It's not like he got paid a ridiculous amount of money. He got paid what he was worth and frankly, maybe a little bit below what he's worth. And then you look at Saquon in New York, I mean, that might be a fireball offense. I know Jamara was, was very, very, you know, it hit him hard when he realized they could potentially lose Saquon. I know. What is it shown? Is that his name? The GM with the Giants? He's, he's new into his tenure. I know he's taken a couple swings. You know, you got the DN from Burns from the Panthers and made a couple other moves in the draft. But I think not coming to not signing Saquon might ultimately result in the door closing on him. What do you think, Rich? I mean, the decisions like that, do you think you give this GM another shot or you think he's going to be on the hot seat because of the decision like that?

I think they'll give him another shot just because he says the right things. And sometimes if you look the right way, Mitchell, and you say the right things, you get time in this league even though you make obvious. And the worst part about this is that you could see it, is that they were doing the hard knocks and we got to see the behind the scenes stuff between him and Mara and the conversations between he and Saquon. It made it look 10 times worse because you could clearly see Saquon wanted to be there and clearly see they didn't see the value that they had in him. And what was frustrating to me is it's not like you guys are paying a lot of people. It's not like you are an elite team that are paying all these crazy players and you got to really count the salary cap and penny pinch like he's your home run hitter, he's your franchise player and you're valuing a quarterback who's unproven and should have never got that kind of money over a back that's been homegrown and been a superstar for you, played hard, never, never really cheated. You never try to take, take games off or give up on your team. He wants to be in the city and you could see these franchises taking nose dives that did this. Derek Henry. What are the Tennessee Titans now in disarray? Las Vegas Raiders. What are they right now in disarray? Go on. New York Giants. They're going to be picking number one in the draft. Disarray got rid of the same quarterback they chose over Saquon Barkley. That's why it's a fireable offense, because what are you doing? It's clear and obvious and it almost. You got to be blind or some kind of weird bias, like I don't know if he's blackmailing you or something to not see that. And if you can't see those obvious things, what makes you think that you're going to see some obvious talent in the future? Like you can make great decisions in the future. So I would get rid of them, but they're not going to. He's going to get another chance and another chance and then once he gets fired from here, somebody else will give him another chance. And that's how the league works. Even though he made an awful decision, his thought process throughout the decision to get rid of Saquon was terrible. You disrespected the guy throughout the entire process and you felt like, oh, he's disposable. Nobody else, hey, go out there and see what they're going to give you and then come back to us and we'll. We'll sign you for what we told you we were going to sign you for. Like, that's not how you treat a guy like that. You say, hey, name your number, we'll do our best to match it, and if we can't, I'm sorry, we got to let you go. But we gave you our best shot. You don't. You're not paying anybody. So that's why he knew you could pay him what he needed to pay him. And now you're watching him have an MVP season for a division rival. Like, that's what makes it a fireball offense. You watch your team win two games and then Mars watching the Philadelphia Eagles and Saquon run for what appears to be 2,000 yards this season, a career year.

Do you think they can even make eye contact at this point, Richard? Because that's all I think about. I think Mara is just watching Saquon run wild and then the GM's coming in. I can't even imagine them in the same room and watching Saquon highlights in Philly. It's. To see what he's doing and how he's elevated that Philly offense is insane. And to let that talent walk out the door, it's. It's mind numbing. Let's talk a little bit about the Dallas Cowboys. They're on a hot streak here. I did not see this coming. I don't know if you saw this coming. It looks like Cooper Rush has really settled in and found his pace. Unfortunately, it's. It's too late in the season for them. They're already eliminated from the playoffs, but they're playing for that pride. You talked about. Richard, how surprised are you with this Dallas Cowboy win? It comes at the cost of knocking the Bucks out of the playoffs for the time being and needing the Atlanta Falcons to lose at some point later in the season. How big of a loss is this for Tampa, Richard? And how surprised are you to see it come out in the win column for Dallas?

This is a devastating loss for Tampa because, you know, obviously they, they had a lot of momentum going. They were playing really good, seem to be in control of the NFC South. Atlanta seemed to be going in, trending in the other direction with the way Kirk Cousins was Playing and throwing interceptions and then it all falls apart. And it has to be disappointing because it looked like at the end of the game they were going to rally and Baker Mayfield was going to come up with another miracle. He throws it to Rashad White on like a, just a flip because he was, he was in the grasp and about to get sacked. He was trying to avoid the sack. Got the fallout. Rashad White broke a tackle and then Duron Bland makes an incredible play, takes the ball from him and that's game and that's, that's the most frustrating thing because I think he was going to drive him down the field and set him up for a game winning field goal. What they would made the field goal or not, I don't know. But it seemed like with the way Baker was playing, they were going to have a chance at a game winning field goal. So if their season just went to is over because of a guy fumbling football, you know, in that situation, I'm sure it's going to be really devastating and disappointing. Especially knowing the way that Bucky Irving had been playing and he wasn't in the game at that time and that might be their season. And that was a team that, you know, you thought could be dangerous. You know, Bowles and this Buccaneers team is always dangerous in the playoffs in Atlanta is playing Pinnocks now and he had a solid game. Obviously at the interception, should have had a touchdown, but Kyle Pitts dropped the football and that caused the actual, caused the interception because it was a ball in his hands and he just let it go. He seems disinterested in playing in the National Football League right now, but that's just my opinion. But yeah, the Cowboys are playing good football. You know, they're a talented team and when you came into this season you, you thought they would be competing for the NFC east crown. They have enough talent. You talked about how they paid Dak Prescott, how they paid Micah Parsons. You know, they had Trayvon Diggs who, who just went out for the knee surgery, says he's going to be out eight months. But Daron Bland had the incredible season with all the pick sixes. It's surprising because of how the season had been going, but you can see this team is playing for pride. Cooper Rush is finding his legs. CD Lamb continues to have a really productive season and it's good for them. You know, I think at the end of the season it's going to be another one of those things where they're going to look up around draft time and they're going to be picking at 21. They're going to be like, what happened? I thought we had a bad year. It's like not bad enough to pick low, but, you know, it's a good win for them. They play the Philadelphia Eagles next week, and we'll see if they can play with that same kind of intensity. Maybe, you know, come pull up, pull out an upset. Then the Bucks play the Carolina Panthers, who've been giving people a much better game. You know, they beat an Arizona Cardinals team that had a chance to still be competing for their last playoff spot, that last, that NFC west division title. And they really ended that dream right there. And I think you got to give teams like that a lot of credit that continue to play hard, that continue to show up. Bryce Young is starting to develop. You could see him taking the next step and the next step. So it's good for them.

[Doug Gottlieb]

This is Doug Gottlieb from All Ball with Doug Gottlieb. Hey, I'm gonna talk to you about something that's really serious for a minute. Something personal right now. In our country, hate feels like it's at an all time high and we're going backwards and the hate is winning. It's out of control. So many different people, so many different groups are facing too much hate and it's just enough. We need to stop and 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 together, what do they do? They call a timeout. We need to take a timeout against hate. So let's think about what we say and do. And when we see hate and we see someone doing or saying those things we know are wrong or hateful, we need to call it out. Visit standuptoallhate.org or join me in calling for the timeout against hate by following oupwith hate or posting the blue square emoji.

[Dominique]

Good sleep should come naturally. And with the new Natural Hybrid mattress, it can. A collaboration between Leesa and West Elm, the Natural Hybrid is expertly crafted from natural latex, natural wool and certified safe foams to elevate your sleep sanctuary and support a greener tomorrow. Breathable organic cotton and moisture wicking Joma wool consistently provide cool and comfortable slumber. Every purchase helps fuel Lisa's work with shelters and those in need. Visit Leesa.com to learn more. That's L E-E-S A.com hey, what's up guys?

[Fred Warner]

I'm Nick Chubb, running back for the Cleveland Browns. The holidays get really busy for me, but I still want to pull up to events Looking nice. Abercrombie's latest job of party looks is taking me through the season for dinner with the fam, drinks with the guys, and even New Year's Eve. They have outfits for every occasion. I'm mainly a jeans and T shirt guy, but Abercrombie has to dressier fits that keep me comfortable. Shop Abercrombie for every night out.

[Prime Video Host]

Thursday Night Football is on and it's only on Prime Video Breaking the tackle touchdown this week, keep the holiday celebration going as the Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears.

[Fred Warner]

You're gonna love this.

[Prime Video Host]

Coverage begins with TNF tonight. Not a Prime member. Sign up for a 30 day free trial to stream the game. It's the same Seahawks and Bears Thursday only on Prime Video restrictions apply. See Amazon.com Amazon prime for details.

[Teddi Mellencamp]

This is Teddi Mellencamp and Tamara Judge from Two T's and a Pod. As a Delta Sky Miles member, you already know how to travel the world in style. Now, with Sky Miles Experiences, you can take your journey to new heights through exclusive access to a curated selection of one of a kind events. Whether it's backstage passes to your favorite concert, courtside seats at a major sporting event, or access to luxurious wellness retreats, you can use your miles to go to these unforgettable experiences. Your membership is more than miles and.

[Richard Sherman]

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[Teddi Mellencamp]

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

Let's go on to buy or sell this this one is a weird situation. It involves two of your favorite, I guess quarterbacks and Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers and your former team, the San Francisco 49ers. Richard with the State of the Niners and the Brock Purdy situation looming, buy or sell, the 49ers will sign Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers this offseason.

I doubt it. I doubt it. I'll sell that. I don't think you I don't think the 49ers are going to sign either one of those because they won't back up Brock Purdy unless Kirk is willing to take that role, which I highly doubt because he still believes he's a starter in this league. And I'm sure there's team out there that will need him to either mentor a young guy or be a bridge quarterback or something like that. He's probably reaching that point in his career. Made enough money obviously, but still has the pride and, you know, the ability to play at a high level. But that Achilles is going to wear on you, you know what I mean? And it's really impacted his performance, it's impacted his physical abilities and his ability to push the ball down the field. And you can see that, you can see it from game one. You can see it in their run game. He's not the most mobile quarterback in National Football League, but he's a lot more mobile than he has been. And you can see the differences when Michael Penix is in there. You know, just casual pocket movement, you know, getting out of there a little bit sooner, you know, running for a few yards here and there, making negative plays, positive plays. And that's something Kirk just couldn't do with that Achilles. And I understand that it takes a really long time for that to come back and snap back the way you expected it to. And I never played quarterback in the National Football League, but I'm sure it affects his mechanics, driving the ball down the field. It'll be better next season, but I don't see him or Aaron backing anybody up. So I think if Aaron's not in New York, I think he hangs him up. And I think if Kirk's not in Atlanta, another team will be calling him to have him at least compete for a starting job. Let me really think about it. Tennessee or a team like that that just doesn't have the quarterback and doesn't have the draft position to really get the guy that can come in, make an immediate impact.

It's just wild to me and specifically the Atlanta Falcons organization. What in the world is the GM's decision making process with signing Kirk Cousins and then really reaching on Michael Panicks Jr. He certainly looks like a hell of a quarterback and a steal at number eight. What goes through your mind as a gm? Why in the world would you make that decision? Especially now facing the reality of cutting Kirk and leaving millions and millions in dead money. Cap it for the next two seasons.

Again, that's one of those concerning decisions that, that is kind of legacy defining in terms of like what's your team? And they're going to be. I'm sure Arthur Blank is going to be taking a real close look at what, what happens from here on because it essentially looks like they paid Kirk Cousins $90 million for 14 games and.

It removes the benefit of drafting Michael Penix and have him on a rookie contract. I mean, the financial benefit from having a rookie is gone now because you're still stuck with this cap hit from Kirk Cousins. It's one of those moves, man. When it happened, I think it shocked everyone because you don't make it for a number of reasons and the biggest being financial. So I just, I don't get it, man. And like you said, I think this could be legacy defining for certainly this team. This, this next one pains me, but it's, it's an oncoming reality. Ben Johnson's one of the hottest names on the upcoming head coaching circuit. He's the OC for the Detroit Lions. We see him get creative every single week. This week was the fake fumble touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta. Ben Johnson will be the next head coach for the Chicago Bears. Buy or sell?

I can buy that. I can buy that because they're, they're probably the best job out there. Unless the, the Dallas Cowboys job comes up and it, it appears that Jerry Jones is going to stick with McCarthy at least as is. He hasn't fired him yet. The team is playing better. I think they're four on one over the last five. So all indications point to him continuing as the Dallas Cowboys head coach to I'm sure the chagrin of the Green, I mean Dallas Cowboys fans. I don't think he wants to take the New Orleans Saints job. I think Doug Peterson is going to be gone, but if he's not, I don't think Jacksonville is a really appealing job depending on what they do in Las Vegas. Still not better than the Chicago job. The New York position isn't better than the Chicago job either. Either one. I don't think they get rid of Day bowl, but I don't think that the jets is going to be appealing to anybody. The way Woody Johnson treated Salah and treated that whole situation and just their, their GM coach dynamic the way it was built wasn't something that would be acceptable to a lot of coaches. So I think Chicago is the only place that, that really makes sense for, for Ben Johnson. If he wants to be a head coach in his league, he'll have his pick of the litter. I think other coaches may be More desperate and may take one of these other jobs just because they, you know, they won't have the pickett of the litter. They will have to just take the job that, that allows them to be a head coach in National Football League. But he'll get his pick. And I think the best pick out of all these jobs is probably going to be Chicago.

Moving on. Non sports related, but somewhat sports related. Richard, I know you're a big holiday guy. I know you love, you love Harry Potter and dressing up for Halloween and all that stuff, but buy or sell, Christmas is the best holiday.

Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Mitchell. I have to buy it. It's not even close. It's not even. What, what other holiday is even competing with Christmas? Halloween. I can eat candy anytime and dress up. I wore higher. I could wear Harry Potter stuff on a random Tuesday in March.

Fourth of July is nice and warm. Dude, you're out on the lake. I mean, Thanksgiving. You're eating a nice turkey with your family. Richard.

Fourth of July. We want to honor the country and honor, you know, everything that. But no, it's not Christmas. Christmas means so much more because it's bringing people together. You got the clay, Christmas cartoons and shows. You got the Grinch. You got all the storytelling, all the pageantry around it, all the giving and receiving energy. Just positive. You got the song All I want for Christmas is you. Mariah Carey still making millions off the song. Probably the best thing she's ever done in her life. Mariah, what a song. Christmas. Mitchell, Sometimes I catch myself in July listening to Christmas songs. And if I'm listening to songs from a holiday that's six months away, that's probably the best holiday. And that's where I'm at.

I don't know why that doesn't surprise me, man. I could just envision you right now driving down the road listening to Mariah Carey on repeat, and it would not shock me one bit. Richard, like we talked about, we got Christmas, Christmas day football. Buy or sell the NFL playing on Christmas is awesome.

Bye bye. It sucks for the NBA, but, you know, we're football guys here. Give it a move. Your game, movie game.

Hey, I got advice for you. Get better. And that's that. But Richard, you're gonna go and watch your Seattle Seahawks this Thursday take on the Chicago Bears. It's time for our TNF preview, presented by Prime Video. Richard, it's going to be cold. I hope you better bring a scarf, man. Bring your, bring your park up. Bring whatever you got you might want to wear.

I thought that negative 3.5 was the, was, was the weather, was the temperature for the game. I said, I got a little concerned. I said, yeah, I got to go jump in a cold tub at some point in this game.

Richard. It's not, it's not going to be negative three and a half degrees, but it is a negative three and a half point spread in favor of your Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks must win to keep any hopes of the playoffs alive. Richard. The Bears have lost nine straight. They're struggling teams. Players on the team look like they're checked out, but then again, you're playing on the road, you're going to a different time zone. You're playing in a very cold environment. What do you think the Seahawks this week on Thursday, do you think they can come out with a win?

Yeah, I think they will come up with a win. Um, their defense has been playing well. They played well last week, except for a few bonehead plays, a few mental errors that doomed them at the end of the game, obviously. But I think this will be a game, you know, they'll, they, they can help them feel better about themselves. It'll help their D line feel better. You know, they should get a lot of pressure on his quarterback. I'm sure McDonald will put a lot of exotic looks in front of him, make him hold the ball even more than he already does. Um, he's, he's likely top three and most sacked quarterbacks in the league this year. So I expect that to continue. So this is a, this is a stat pad game. This is a game the, the Seattle Seahawks should be licking their chops to get after the quarterback, you know, get four or five, maybe seven, eight sacks. Geno Smith having a fishing game. This defense, though, this defense still can play. And they have some playmakers on defense. That's what makes them attractive team for head coaches because they do have a good defense. They have the pieces in place. Their offense is just played so badly, at least at the quarterback position. And I know the numbers sometimes look like he's played better than what it actually has been because he's protecting his passer rating by not throwing the ball away and getting rid of it and taking unnecessary sacks to protect his stats. But this has been a not great season for him because you got to let the ball go, you know, and at times people are like, oh, yeah, he's taking all these sacks. It's the whole line. But some of These sacks are 4 and 5 seconds into the play clock. And so when you hold the ball that long, in the National Football League, that's an eternity. And that's in his Achilles heel. And that has been his Achilles heel even through the process of evaluating him coming out of USC in Oklahoma is he wants to the huge play. He doesn't want to take the check down. He's, you know, you know, it's like the NBA right now. People are like, what's wrong with the NBA? It's like guys can't make layups or mid ranges, but they'll shoot 50 threes and make six. And people will be like, yeah, he's an all star. I was like, I don't want to see you miss 40, 44 throws. I want to see you. I'd rather see you make 25 layups, you know what I mean? Make 15 mid ranges and shoot 10 threes and make two. Like I'd be okay with that. But he's always looking for the home run and at times the single is right there in front of him. And until he learns to take singles, he's not going to win consistently in this league. And whether you have a good defense and run game and all the things that are necessary in terms of the formula for winning until he learns to take the singles.

Well, it's wild to think this is the final Thursday night football game of the season. Richard. It's time flies, man. I'm sure you've had some fun, but on the road going to all these games, but this is the last one, so you guys have got to tune in. Make sure you check about 7:00 Eastern Time on prime video. Check out Richard in the gang. Richard, we got one last thing. Much anticipated power rankings. Last week the Detroit Lions fell from the one spot. I know Buffalo is hot, Richard. This week's going to be kind of a very interesting one because I think we might have a complete cluster and I can't wait for you to line these up. What do you got for this week?

Well, we're going to do it like we always do it. Mitchell. Kansas City Chiefs number one Mitchell. They, they are still the top of the food chain until they're not. And they played well enough to win. Patrick Mahomes on a bum ankle or whatever, not bum ankle. He ran the ball pretty well. Their defense played well. Unfortunately, Texans lost Tank Dale, but Kansas City Chiefs won. Detroit has to be two. I'll give him two. Mitchell. I like it because Buffalo struggled with the Patriots and I know Josh Allen said, hey, we're not showing everything we got. I've actually never heard of anything like that at least said publicly in National Football League where somebody says we're just not showing stuff until the playoffs because we weren't, we don't have a chance to one seed. I've literally never heard anybody say that, but maybe they have. And since they said that, I'm going to go with Minnesota at three and then I'll go Buffalo at four. The fifth spot is where it, it gets interesting. It gets very vexing. It's very vexing at five because on one hand you want to put, you know, the AFC north in there. Baltimore, you saw what Lamar and those guys did. There's a chance they could go in and win this week. They had a big win against Pittsburgh last week, so you can't put Pittsburgh there. Do you put Green Bay there? Dominant win over over the Saints. But you know, there's a Saints defense pitched a shutout.

You also got Philly. I know that fan base likes for you to mention their name every once in a while as well. Philly's still 12 and three Rich Jalen hurts injured last week. That had a lot to do with probably why they lost that game. Assuming he's back, that team's going to be full health heading in the playoffs.

I do like, I do like Philly with Saquon. But, but, but. And Philly fans hate when I'm critical of them. You know, every team hates to hear the bad stuff about their team. You don't want you to just say, hey, they're going to win the super bowl. Even if that's not true. But the five touchdowns Jalen Jaden Daniels threw on them, 36 points on a defense that's been playing elite football. That's where, that's where the concern level is for me. Philadelphia, Philadelphia off a loss. Do I throw them in there? Off of. Do I throw them in there? They still got a better record than Baltimore by two games. They still got a better record than the Pittsburgh Steelers who didn't play as well defensively. You've convinced me, Mitchell. I'll put Philadelphia in there begrudgingly.

I like it, man. I was, I was interested to see how you unpack that one, Richard. Well, this concludes week 16. We're on to week 17. It's going to be awesome down the stretch. This next week is going to be amazing. Cannot wait to flip on the TV on Christmas on Wednesday and Thursday before tuning in this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Richard, we continue onward. Please sign us off, my friend.

Well, thank you guys for joining us on this Christmas Eve's Eve. It's been another beautiful day for the Richard Sherman Podcast. I hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas Eve and a wonderful holiday holiday with your family and friends. I hope you do a power rankings for Christmas songs because number one has to be All I Want for Christmas is you. Number two Silent Night by the Temptations. Number three Rocking around the Christmas Tree. I don't know. I don't know about that because I think Jackson 5 Santa Claus is coming to Town might be up there for me at 3. If you haven't heard Chris Brown's this Christmas, it's got to be in there. Christmas is the best holiday. We can do this all day, but make sure you listen to a lot of holiday songs. Whatever you like to listen to. Watch Home Alone. Watch the Grinch. We love you. You could be anywhere in the world, but you're here with us and we appreciate it here at the Rich Sherman Podcast. Hit that sub button if you're new.

[Richard Sherman]

The volume.

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[Mitchell Schwartz]

Bob Dylan is the reason for it.

[Fred Warner]

A Complete Unknown is now a Golden Globe in crisis.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

Critics Choice nominee for best picture. If anyone is going to hold your attention on stage, you have to kind of be a freak.

Are you a freak?

Hope so. Timothy Chalamet astonishes as Bob Dylan, and critics rave. Edward Norton is absolutely fantastic. Turn it down.

[Prime Video Host]

Hey, Loud.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

Don't miss the movie. Critics are hailing pure cinematic magic.

[Fred Warner]

Make some Noise.

[Mitchell Schwartz]

BD A Complete unknown Only theaters Christmas Day rated R under 17 animated without parenting.