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Richard Sherman Podcast - NFL Divisional Predictions: 49ers-Seahawks, Rams-Bears, Bills-Broncos, Texans-Broncos | Richard Sherman Podcast
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- [00:00]
Richard Sherman
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human New Year. Same extra value meals at McDonald's. So now get two snack wraps plus fries and a medium soft drink for just $8 for a limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska and California. And for delivery. Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast and I just want to say I appreciate you guys. You can begin your NFL content for from anywhere, but you're here with me. I'm thankful for you. So hit that sub button so you can get the notifications when I'm dropping a new episode. All love. Hope you guys are having a great New Year's, accomplishing all your New Year's resolutions and staying healthy. Welcome back to the Richard Sherman Podcast. And you know what time it is, Mitchell. This the divisional round previews and we have some fantastic matchups going on this weekend. Obviously the conversation is the short week again for The San Francisco 49ers playing on Saturday after just battling it out with the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday. There's a lot of, lot of, a lot of, A lot of conjecture and conversation about that, Mitchell. A lot of frustration. But that's usually when the one seeds play. And you know, you, you could save yourself a lot of time and a lot of headache if you get the one seed and that's what the Seattle Seahawks were able to do. So it is what it is to me. You know, it's one of those things you just got to deal with. You got to, you win your games, you win, you move on, you deal with the circumstances that you, the hand that you dealt of sorts. But it's great to see Fred Warner opening his practice window. That's what I would have expected from them if he had any chance of playing at all during these playoffs is during this divisional game, them opening his window and just seeing what he got, you know, maybe, maybe having him do some, some, some practice squad reps, some scout team reps, and, and just getting his legs back under him, sprinting around, you know, getting his shoulder pads, getting some real live contact, which is, which is all the things you need to see from a veteran player in order to see if he can actually play this game at a high level. Because you do not want to walk into a playoff game with a limp or gimp or, or, or trying to compensate for, for a body part that isn't working properly. And that's, that's what I'm sure The San Francisco 49ers are wary about in that situation. But it's cool to See him working.
- [02:24]
Mitchell
Out, no question about it. If nothing else, it's a morale boost to the team that seems to have lost all their stars. I mean, we see George Kittle go out with a gruesome injury that you know all too well about the Achilles. Richard, did you have any conversations with George at all after that?
- [02:40]
Richard Sherman
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we text probably about 20, 30 minutes after he went to the locker room and just different surgeons and things like that and, you know, tried to help him make an educated decision about that, but he'll be fine. Technology with Achilles has gotten better and better and better every year, which is why Aaron Rodgers was able to come back so quickly from his. Even within the same season that he tore his ace. I mean, tore his Achilles. So, you know, technology has advanced and I don't, I, I'm not sure, you know, I can't speak for any timelines or anything that of that nature, and I won't speculate, but I definitely don't think we've seen the last of George Kittle by any, any stretch of imagination.
- [03:24]
Mitchell
How much does an injury like him, losing a guy like that, the heart and soul, you know, really, whether he's catching the ball or not, he, he's a huge contributor in their run game with his physicality and blocking. How, how much of an impact is losing him going to have on the 49ers? They've been able to overcome these injuries all season long, but at what point, you know, does it become a breaking point? Because George Kittle, man, that is the, that is the blood of this offense. You know, like I said, man, how, how big of an impact is that going to play in this game?
- [03:56]
Richard Sherman
Well, I don't know. I mean, because they, they, you know, they've spent a lot of the season without him, with a lot of, without a lot of their star power. So they had to play the first game against the Seattle Seahawks without him. He got injured in that game and hurt his hamstring early in the season. So I think this team is weathered every storm and at this point, it's all the same to them. You know, they know it's going to be hard regardless of who's out there, and they know whoever's out there is going to have to do their best versus an incredibly formidable opponent in the Seattle Seahawks who are playing these guys on a back to back, you know, which is rare in the National Football League, that you play a team, then have a week break and then play the same team. I mean, it's happened a few times throughout the season, throughout the years. But that's going to be interesting in my, in my opinion. I, I see the, that Hard Rock has the spread at seven and a half points and I, I don't agree with that. I, I don't agree with that. This is a division game. Giving either team 7 1/2 points is insanity. So if I, if you're a gambling man, that's, I would, I, I'd put some money on that because this is going to be a dog fight of a game. It was a dog fight the last time. And the Seattle Seahawks made plays down the stretch. They, they got a critical interception in the red zone when Christian McCaffrey dropped the football. And so that was the turning point of that football game. And obviously they missed field goals and things like that. But this is a different San Francisco 49ers team with, with, with Gallo and Kendricks in the lineup at linebacker because they're just playing sound, disciplined football. It' being the extraordinary things, it's doing the detailed things, doing your job, being where you're supposed to be in coverage, being in the gap, you're supposed to be in the run game, calling the right, you know, strength calls and things like that. And Kendricks did a really good job against the Philadelphia Eagles just being where he's supposed to be, sound tackling the football. I don't think he missed a tackle in the game. And Gallo was, was running sideline to sideline and making an impact. And I think that's going to be a big difference in this game. I, I think they're gonna, they're gonna help with, you know, some of the issues that were prevalent in the last game against the Seattle Seahawks where Kenneth Walker had a lot of success. He had that third and 17 run. Charbonnet had some success. And I still think the Seattle Seahawks defense is going to be a huge issue for the San Francisco 49ers. Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers offense, number one in the league on third down, could not manage to, to convert. I think they were, they, they were really bad in that game. I think 26, 27% in that game. And the Seattle Seahawks defense was the reason they, their front gave them a lot of problems in the run game. They were stout and it was Byron Murphy and Jaren Reed and Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence and, and you name it, guys, hard to move. They're double teaming them and they can't move them. And that's going to have to change in this game. Obviously, Trent Williams went out in that game. He, he will be back for this, this rematch. So that'll make a difference in the game. But it's going to be a dog fight. This is going to be an absolute dog fight. We get to see Sam Darnold in another playoff game and see how he responds. Obviously, we all know the conversation that surrounded him last playoffs with Minnesota Vikings and how that played out. And he has a chance to redeem himself in a huge way against a division opponent. And you know how these Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco playoff games go, Mitchell. I do. I definitely know how they go. And so it's going to be, it's going to be a, it's going to be fireworks. It's going to be running and hidden. It's going to be physical. You better bring your hard hat. And if you put your kids away, this is going to be, it's going to be rated R physicality. This is going to be the kind of physicality that makes kids uncomfortable. Because I know the Seattle Seahawks defense is going to be running and hitting and I know The San Francisco 49ers defense is going to play with desperation the entire game. This has been one of the top scoring offenses in the league in the Seattle Seahawks. And this San Francisco 49ers defense played one of their best games against the SE Seattle Seahawks. In the second half. I would say in the second half they played a lot better. And then they, they continued that play against the Philadelphia Eagles, the defending champs. And I think that gave them some confidence. So I can't imagine this being a seven and a half point spread. If this is a seven and a half point spread, that, that, that's crazy. And, and, and one of these teams didn't show up. But I, I don't think it's going to be seven points at all. And I think that line will change as you get closer to the game.
- [08:25]
Mitchell
You know, I know I. Gambling has certainly gained a new, I guess, level of popularity now that it's been legalized in a number of states. And to that point, Richard, like you think Brock Purdy looks at this and, and has an even bigger chip on his shoulder. He was already Mr. Irrelevant, but now they have him as a seven and a half point dog going into Seattle, a team that he knows very, very well. Do you think that the players in, in the 49ers locker room look at that and almost feel disrespected?
- [08:54]
Richard Sherman
I, I'm not sure. I don't think they do. I know we didn't really look at them unless it was something insane. But, you know, maybe. Maybe it's billboard material, maybe it's, you know, I mean, bulletin board material and guys will read it and guys get hyped up. But when you're talking about the San Francisco 49ers against the Seattle Seahawks, I don't care if it's preseason, regular season, postseason, or off season, Mitchell. It's on site, so it's not like they need in either team needs any bulletin board material. Mitchell. There's enough just normal everyday hate for one another that you're going to see in this game.
- [09:31]
Mitchell
So I, I've been exposed to such a different side of this rivalry, Richard, because you and I have worked together, been friends for so long. I was rooting for the Seahawks for a number of years. Then you go to the Niners and. And now I see in the comments section everyone is so darn confused. You know, man, you see it time after time. I never as a 49er fan, would ever imagine myself rooting for Richard Sherman or agreeing with what he says and vice versa with the Seattle Seahawks. And here you are. You're that. That combining force, right? The neutrality, if you will. Everyone come together and hold hands during this game. No one's going to be holding hands in this game, though, Richard. It's going to be a bloodbath.
- [10:11]
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- [10:57]
Mitchell
And like you said, let's talk a little bit more about the Seahawks. We talked a lot about the Niners. What do the Seattle Seahawks have to do? Obviously, they had the week off, an opportunity to prepare. Sit down. I'm sure this is a matchup they wanted. I mean, the Niners are on record for saying this is a matchup they wanted. I'm sure the Seattle Seahawks want them as well. You know, what is Seattle going to do specifically offensively in their plan of attack? We've seen Kenneth Walker get involved more. We, you know, we've been peppering them for most of the season about their run game. And over the last couple games, Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet have really shown up. How much do you think the Seattle Seahawks are going to be leaning on the run? What level of JSN going to be involved? You know how much pressure is on Sam Darnold after last season's performance? Otherwise great season in Minnesota. There's so many storylines here. Where's your head going?
- [11:48]
Richard Sherman
It's first off, they're going to have to run the football. That's going to be the biggest thing. If they can't run the football in this game and nothing's to tell me they, they can't because they were able to the last time these two games they, these two teams played. Obviously, when you play again on such short notice, adjustments are made. And again, these are grown men. These, this is a will, will to wheel kind of deal. When the Seattle Seahawks won that game, they got to, they got the bragging rights, they got to celebrate, they got to talk their talk. And I don't think they expected to see him the following game and have to see him again, but they will and, and you know what I mean. I think that's going to be the clash. But if they're not able to run the football as well as they were, as well as they did in the first half, Sam Darnold is going to have to push the ball down the field. JSN has been magnificent down the field, but for some reason, for some reason, they haven't been able to get Rashid Shahid involved down the field. The thing he does as good or as anybody in the National Football League is a deep threat. Put the ball as far as you can and give him a chance to run under it. And I don't know if that's just because of a chemistry deal between him and Sam Darnold or just schematically that they want to just keep things intermediate and, and keep it controlled and walk the ball down the field. But I think they're going to have to take more shots in this game. And again, there is pressure on Sam Darnold, but when you have a great defense like the Seattle Seahawks do, you can get away with more. We saw it the other day with, with the Houston Texans. There were some mistakes made by C.J. stroud, some unfortunate plays, and his defense bailed him out. They, they end up winning the game by, by 24 points and he had five fumbles in, in an interception in the game. And again, when you feel like you have that, that safety blanket of a Great defense, it allows you more freedom and, and to be more cavalier with the football. Not that you want to put the ball in danger, but it gives you a bit more cushion and, and, and brevity to do so. And I think that's what I, I, I'm, I, I believe Sam Darnold's going to feel is that, hey, I can be a little bit more aggressive with the football in this game and know that, hey, we got, we got one of the best defenses in the National Football League backing me up. And this, outside of a few drives in that game, this San Francisco 49ers offense didn't show that they, they had, they could figure this defense out. Now maybe against playing them on such short notice is going to help them, you know, kind of, kind of feel more comfortable and feel like, hey, this is just dog fight. They're meant. But Mike McDonald has given Kyle Shanahan problems everywhere he's been and I mean he's only been two places. But when they used to play the Baltimore Ravens and Mike McDonald was a defense coordinator, they struggled. And one of, one of Brock Purdy's worst games came against the Baltimore Ravens when Lamar Jackson was, was having an MVP campaign and Brock Purdy, they came to Levi's Stadium and Brock had all those interceptions in that game. So again, those are things you learn from. But, but one thing I do want to say is, is if somehow The San Francisco 49ers get ahead in this game, I think the pressure builds and the stress level is, is through the roof really quickly because of how much this offense has struggled over the last couple of weeks, just pushing the ball and even against this team like they've scored, had games where they've scored 40 points in the first half, 38 points in the first half, and, and then just kind of limp their way to the finish line in the second half. So I think there's going to be, it's going to be a fun game. It's going to be a really fun game. I think this could be a real big, big time moment for Sam Darnold to show who he is to, to be the big time quarterback that this franchise believes he can be and allow him to showcase jsn, to showcase AJ Barner, to showcase Rashid Shahid in a big way and then allow Kenneth Walker and Charbonnet to, to run the ball consistently. But it's to be seen. It's not going to be easy.
- [15:39]
Mitchell
There's going to be a lot of eyes on your boy d'. Amador, Lenore and his matchup against jsn, what do you look for in that game? I know d' Amador wants jsn. I know he wants that matchup. I mean, he's a guy that seems to seek out the top opponent on the other team. Do you think he has what it takes to lock down jsn, at least contain him in this game?
- [16:00]
Richard Sherman
Well, they don't, they don't play men coverage like that outside of third down. So, you know, a lot of those matchups, in a lot of ways, for a lot of teams are conflated. You know, it's, it's. You're like, oh man, I'm going to lock this guy down. Like, you may have three snaps of man to man against him, and two of those snaps might be run plays. And so you're sitting here like, oh, man, this matchup. In this matchup. And just because a guy's lined up in front of another guy doesn't mean they're in man to man. So I don't, I don't put a lot of onus into that. Obviously it hasn't, it hasn't manifested itself into meaningful football. I think sometimes when you talk things like that into existence, they don't, they don't show up in the game like you want them to. But when you, when you don't, when you don't think about it and you just think about the game plan and naturally those, those matchups occur down the field and you're like, hey, there we go. That's why we're watching the game. We want to see a go route with d', Amador, Lenore and JSN down the field and see the, that's good football. That's good playoff football. But I, I wouldn't put too much weight into it because that's just not the way the, the, The San Francisco 49ers play defense. That's not how Salah calls a defense. They'll. They'll play some man to man on third down. That's what they've shown on tape. They've been pretty solid in that. But for the most part, they're going to be in some sort of zone or some kind of zone pressure and, and they're going to handle it like that.
- [17:19]
Mitchell
Richard, how impressed have you been with Robert Sala's performance as he's weathered this constant wave of injuries? You know, Robert Sala was a guy that earned his head coaching position at the Jets. Was it the right environment for him to be in? Probably not. But how impressed were you or have you been by what Robert Salah has been able to accomplish with this defense, given how many injuries to impact players there have been this season.
- [17:47]
Richard Sherman
I'm really impressed. I'm really impressed. He's been one of the best coaches, assistant coaches in the National Football League, and I think that's why his name is being floated around for, for so many of these head coaching positions and these jobs out there. And there are some good jobs out there. Pittsburgh just became available. Baltimore became available. Atlanta's. The Atlanta Falcons job is available. I don't think he'd ever go back to New York for the Giants job, but it's a job that's available. But I think he's done a masterful job just, just, you know, taking the hand that he's dealt and doing the best he can with it, getting these young guys, coaching them up, teaching them up. And even when, when guys get out, go out with injuries, he's down to his fifth and sixth linebacker that had to play this year, and he's still enthusiastic. My guy, K.J. wright, is going out there and helping Eric Kendricks prepare for these games and getting him up to speed so that he doesn't run into a situation that he's unfamiliar with. You could see it in his drops. You could see it in his spacing on the field, his feel for the game, his recognition of some of these routes. He's, he was coached well, and K.J. wright is, is sticking by his side. That's one of the best and smartest football players that I've ever had the pleasure of playing with. And so I, I knew he would be able to get him to that point. But again, he's done a magnificent job, and that's why he's getting, getting this attention.
- [19:03]
Mitchell
It's so wild. The business of football is a wild one. Richard, we're talking about K.J. wright, coach of the San Francisco 49ers, going against his former team in Seattle. Richard, it's prediction time, man. I know you always. Regular season, 25, 25. Let's all have fun. It's going to be a. But I got to put you on the spot, man. Who do you think wins this game?
- [19:24]
Richard Sherman
That's tough. That's tough because it's, it's such a, such a unique battle. And I thought we'd get more information from the last game, but you, you didn't get much. They're, they're two polar, different games than the first two. And the new circumstances with, with Kendricks and, and, and Gallo, it just it just feels, it feels like an upset. It feels like the recipe for an upset. It, it, it feels like all the conditions are there. The injured, battered, bruised team limping in, you know, the limping in, vulnerable team with the quarterback who, who has only lost games that he's, he's either not finished or he left the field with the lead and that's all. Those are the only kind of games Brock Purdy has lost. He lost against the Philadelphia Eagles when, when he got injured in the first drive of the game or the first or second drive of the game. And then they lost in the super bowl after he gave his team the lead three times in a row. Every time he left the field, they had the lead and then the defense went on the field and, you know, we all know how the rest shook out. But, you know, outside of those games, he's, he's given his team the best chance to win the football games. On the other side, he struggled against his defense. This Seattle Seahawks defense is legitimate. It's real. They got playmakers on all three levels of the, of the defense. They got an All Pro. Ernest Jones with an All Pro spoon was an All Pro. And you could make an argument for a number of guys being an All Pro on that defensive line that didn't necessarily get the bid this year. But can they move Byron Murphy? Can they move Jiren Jaren Reed? Can they move Leonard Williams? I don't think they can. They didn't show that they could in the first game and I'll, I don't think they ate more Wheaties in the, in the two weeks since to be able to move them. So I know that's going to be a critical matchup if The San Francisco 49ers can't, can't run the ball at all. The looks and the confusion and the chaos that, that McDonald presents in that back end always leaves a little bit of hesitation to, for the quarterback. And then the pass rush, the pass rush has been outstanding and, and they have the depth. And that's the part that, that I believe gives the Seattle Seahawks a great advantage in this game. And I can understand Hard Rock having him favored, but seven and a half doesn't feel right. I feel like this is going to be a one score game with all the way down to the last possession. And it depends on who has the ball. Mitchell. That's what it's going to be. It's going to be down to the last possession, who has the ball. So who's going to have the ball last possession, Mitchell? That's. That's what. Don't. Don't.
- [21:59]
Mitchell
Don't do this, Richard. Don't do I. You were 60 in wild card weekend. You were 6 0. So I'll do it for you. I'll pick a team for you and you can either nod your head yes or nod your head no. I think the Seattle Seahawks are going to win this game. I think they're going to win by shoot. I'm with you. I think it's going to be a one score game. I'm going to call it 24 to 20 Seattle. It's going to be a thriller. I think Brock Purdy, it's. I think these injuries are just too much to overcome at this point. I love his game. I love what he's been able to do. The 49ers are valiant. They're fighting their tails off. They remind me of the Lions though, at some point. You know, last year when The Lions were 15 and 2 and they were losing guys left, right and center. At some point it just became too much. And I think that losing George Kittle makes. Made it too much. And I know that they were able to beat the Philadelphia Eagles. I think that was a great matchup for them. I don't necessarily love this matchup with all those injuries. For that reason, I'm going to go 24 to 20. Seattle Seahawks. That being said, I think the 49ers are going to put up a hell of a fight and I do not want you San Francisco 49er fans to be pissed off at me. I do have a hat, a 49ers hat. And you know what? I'll wear it if they win. And that's my pick. Rich.
- [23:21]
Richard Sherman
I like that, Mitchell, but again, that, that I feel like that score can go either way. I'm with you with the injuries, but they've been injured. They just played and they were injured. And it was a 3 to 10 ball game with the San Francisco 49ers in the red zone and an interception happened. That, that gave the Seahawks more life and ended the dreams of the San Francisco 49ers. So it wasn't, it wasn't like it was just. Hey. A dominant performance by the Seahawks offense. Although I felt like they were in control, especially in the first half. They were driving the ball at will, but they were mistakes made in the first draw, the first drive of the game. I thought Sam Darnold had. I think it might have been Charbonnet or somebody to the flat first play after an explosive in the red zone. It was a touchdown and he looked dead at it and held the football. They end up getting sacked, going for it on fourth down and not getting points like they should have in that drive. And I think, you know, that's one of those things that, that gives me pause, that gives me. That leaves me uneasy because you cannot make mistakes like that in the playoffs. I think you make mistakes like that against this team right now. They're going to, they're going to make a couple. This team is an experienced team and they got a quarterback that's been here and done that. He's been down double digits in an NFC Championship game. He's.
- [24:40]
Mitchell
Don't talk to me about that, Richard.
- [24:43]
Richard Sherman
My bad, Mitchell. My bad. My bad. My bad. Still fresh. Still fresh. He was, he was down. They were down to the Philadelphia Eagles. You know that you, you run into these situations where you learn, and I think that's going to help them. But I know the Seattle Seahawks, this defense is the only reason I, I believe the Seattle Seahawks have a chance in this game, because I know they've been so consistent this season. I know the mind Mike McDonald has presented in a scheme that he's presented and how sound it is and how deep they are. And you, you don't worry about injuries with the Seattle Seahawks defense because when guys have gotten injured, they've put guys in and they've played will really well. Josh Joel played really well when he got in there. We talked about the defensive line and all the depth they have with Derek hall and Byron Murphy and, and pretty much anybody you, you bring in. Jaren Reed got banged up for, for a couple games. But I just, I'm, honestly, I'm trying to call it, Mitchell. I am trying my best to see it, but it's. It's difficult. It's difficult. It's difficult because they just played. Trying to get it. Mitchell.
- [26:00]
Mitchell
You can do it off air. Richard, if you don't want to piss a bunch of people off, and I respect that.
- [26:04]
Richard Sherman
I don't, I don't mind. I don't mind pissing people off. I just can't call this game. It's, it's. I hate these division games that, that are like this, especially teams that just played. It was just like Green Bay and Chicago the other day. It's like when you've just played. This is the third time you're playing in 35 days, right? It's so much familiarity. It's going to come down to the wire, and that's exactly what it did. The freaking packers have the Ball driving down with a chance to win the game at the end of the game. And what? They were in control the whole game. But none of that matters because it comes down to the last drive of the game because these teams know each other so well. So it's just going to be a roller coaster. Like I, I, I'm. This is a pick them for me, Mitchell. This is a pick them. It could go either way.
- [26:44]
Mitchell
Fair enough. And we'll leave it at that. We'll see what happens. You know what this reminds me of though, is when we did the season preview and you said that they were going to be in a tie and whoever won the last game was going to win the fricking division. And here we are. You were right. So maybe you're right again. Maybe we'll come down to whoever has the ball at the end of the game. We shall see. Let's talk about the other NFC matchup. This is going to be a wild one as well. Another NFC west opponent, LA Rams, go into Chicago to play the Chicago Bears that are flying high right now. Off backto back, miraculous comeback wins over the Green Bay Packers. I know Chicago, the city of Chicago has got to be live. I know that stadium is going to be loud, it's going to be cold, it's going to be windy. Conditions for a running back, conditions for a running game. Not so much to be throwing the ball, it's Richard. This is setting up to be a wild one in my opinion, because there's so many different variables that are at play here. This is not in la, right? This is in the Windy City. And those conditions seem to fit a scrambling mobile quarterback like Caleb Williams a little bit better than somebody like Matthew Stafford. That being said, Matthew Stafford, hats off to him. He's got to be the MVP this year. Does he have what it takes? I mean, do you think the LA Rams, all things considered those variables, number one ranked offense in the league can go into Chicago and take care of business?
- [28:11]
Richard Sherman
This Rams defense is what I'm concerned about. Again, they give up over 30 points to the Carolina Panthers. The second time in less than a month. They've given up that. They gave up 27 to the, to the Atlanta Falcons, a team that struggled. And this was supposed to be a really, really good defense. They have a really talented front. It's the back end that you leave really, really concerned with. And Caleb Williams does a great job of escaping and creating longer plays and extra plays. And you got to get to the second and third read in the play. And he's able to do that. Is he always the most accurate with the football? He's not. But, but when you got a run game like they do, the third ranked run game in the National Football League with MANANG Guy and DeAndre Swift, guys, they can, they can go by committee and really have an impact on this game. And then you, you look at the success that Bryce Young was even able to have against this, against this team. Were they able to just scheme guys open tele McMillan was having some success. Jalen Coker had 134 yards on nine catches. So there are holes in this defense that can be exploited and you know Ben Johnson can scheme him up with the best of them. As you know, Mitchell as good as anybody. So this is a game where obviously Matthew Stafford has played in NFC North. He, he, he, he can deal with the conditions. He's played in NFC north long enough majority of his career. So I'm not, I'm not afraid of him in the elements. I'm not afraid of Devonte Adams and in the elements he played in Green Bay. Like we're not going to, we're not going to act like these guys can't play. And they played a wild card game against the Philadelphia Eagles last year and gave the Philadelphia Eagles all they could handle in that game. And it was a really cold game as well. So I'm not concerned about them as much as I'm concerned about just the way this defense is played down the stretch. Sure they've made plays, they've created turnovers, they have a really talented defensive line. But can they consistently stop this run game? Because if they can't in these conditions, it's going to be a very long day for them. And, and I, if the conditions are what they say, what they think they're going to be, Mitchell, if they, if it's going to be as cold and snowy as they're saying, you, you got to think the home team would have the advantage there.
- [30:22]
Mitchell
You would think, you would think. But you said all this Richard, about the LA Rams and I love what you said about Devonte Adams and Matthew Stafford playing in the NFC north. You know, and obviously Green Bay and Detroit. There's something about this Rams team. I, I get it. You know, they struggled against Carolina, they struggled against Atlanta down the stretch. You know, Detroit was able to move the ball quite a bit on them defensively. But what, what impresses me about this Rams team is the two headed monster they've got developing and Kyron Williams and Blake Corum, you know, and they also have a pretty darn good offensive line. When you couple that with going against the Chicago Bears, who have the 27th ranked rush defense, I see an opportunity for the Rams to take advantage as well on the ground, you know, and also in addition to that, Chicago's been skating by on a lot of luck and they have not seen a team like the LA Rams with their back against the wall winner, go home a game. And Matthew Stafford has been an absolute killer. You know, I think the luck is eventually going to run out for Chicago and I think it's going to happen this weekend. That's not to say that Chicago shouldn't, you know, be very, very proud of their team and they certainly have a hell of an opportunity here to take care of business. If Chicago is going to win this game, it's going to come down to a couple of things. You've already hit on two of them. Kyle Menung, Guy and DeAndre Swift. How effective can they be on the ground? That is going to be an absolute crucial point. But one of the things with Chicago that's really impressed me over the course of the last five, six weeks is the emergence of their number one pick, top 10 pick, Colston Loveland out of University of Michigan. He is looking like an absolute stud and the reason that he drafted him, top 10. It gives Ben Johnson that weapon that he had in Detroit, in San La Porta, and we're seeing it at play. A guy like him on these short routes, his ability to get yak, you know, this could be a game for him to really come away as a guy that you know is a future star in a lot of folks eyes. Richard, you've played in very shitty conditions. You played up in Minnesota, in the Blair, Wash. Infamous wide left game. How much is it to be? I mean, what was it? Minus 10, 15, 20 degrees? When you're up there, this is going to be pretty darn close. How much does that impact you defensively? Because I think when I'm going out and playing football in the snow, you know, winter with my cousins, no one wants to tackle anybody. It's too cold. You're Talking about negative 7 degree temperatures here. How difficult is that as a defender?
- [32:55]
Richard Sherman
It's really difficult. And it also. This isn't the best field in the world. This isn't a turf field. This isn't. This is a field that's slippery and bad even in decent conditions. So you talk about the ground being slick. That's worst case scenario for a defender because you got to put the screws in and you have to play with your feet under you the whole game. You have to make sure, hey, I don't get too far outside of my frame. I don't want to slip every break. You got to be careful. Careful and cautious. Because one slip, one. One slip, one misstep in this game and the game's over. And it's. It's a big play and everybody's sitting there blaming you for it. And. But again, in the last five games, Mitchell, in the last five games, they gave up 38. This, this Rams defense gave up 38 to Seattle. They gave up 34 to your Detroit Lions. They gave up. They just gave up 31 to. To the Carolina Panthers and they gave up 27 to the Falcons. So I think they, like, they're not coming in here rolling like they have been in the past. And fair. I know that, that we feel great about Matthew Stafford and what this offense can do and. And rightfully so, but they have been. They at times have. Have kind of slowed down and they've got. Gone stagnant at times, especially against decent defenses. And this is the number one turnover defense in the National Football League with. We cannot lose sight of that in the Chicago Bears. There were opportunities in that Green Bay game with the ball on the ground when they threw the pass to the offensive lineman and everybody's like, oh, they can't bring him down. He's too powerful. No, they weren't trying to bring him down. You don't bring down an offensive lineman. You let him run. You just slow him down and punch the ball. He's not a ball carrier. He's not used to handling the football. And he has all this tape and huge gloves on. He can't feel it. That's a perfect opportunity. And they got the ball out and then couldn't recover it. It was. It was 10 yards down the field and nobody could recover it. Then you have the play where the receiver jumped in the end zone and dropped the ball. Ball's on the ground in the end zone. Nobody sees it, nobody gets it. This is a team that creates turnovers. If they're able to do that again against Matthew Sanford in this offense, it's going to be hard to beat him. I got Chicago.
- [35:03]
Mitchell
No kidding. I. And what a story that would be for Ben Johnson and this Chicago Bears team. That was a first win, first playoff win in 15 years, right? And this city has been loyal to this team. Credit to Chicago, man. Huge, huge win last weekend. This match, this matchup this Sunday is going to tell a lot about who Chicago really is because I think their one critique was who they played on their schedule and their comeback wins. It never looked tremendously dominant in any game. So to your point, Richard, if they're able to come away with the win, look out. Chicago is going to be even more fired up than they already are. Right now. Richard Sherman has Chicago to advance to the NFC Championship game. Wowzers. Let's move on to the AFC here. I know you're excited about these matchups as well. The Buffalo Bills are heading to Denver to take on the Denver Broncos. Hard Rock has the bills as a 1 point point favorite. Does that surprise you at all?
- [36:05]
Richard Sherman
No, it's, that's the, that's Hard Rock saying Josh Allen, Josh Allen is, is, is an MVP candidate or the reigning MVP and he's playing in this game. You're going to give them an advantage for that. Even if you're going against the number two defense in the National Football League, you're going to give Josh Allen the respect that he's doing these playoffs. He always shows up and plays well regardless.
- [36:30]
Mitchell
Well, to me, yeah, I'm with you. I, I don't think that it's much of a surprise. I think Buffalo has got everything that they need to take care of Denver. I know you love Denver's defense and rightfully so, but for me, the eyes are going to be on Bo Nix. We all know how good the Denver Broncos defense is going to be. They've been tremendous all season long. But does Bo Nicks have what it takes to elevate this offense and take care of the Buffalo Bills and ultimately knock off Josh Allen out of this playoffs?
- [37:00]
Richard Sherman
We'll see. We'll see. It's easier said than done. And the quarterbacks that have done it have been really, really talented guys. They've been guys that you considered top five in the National Football League most times. And most of the times it's Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs and they aren't here. But I'll give all the respect that is due to the Denver Broncos in that they are incredible against the run, against the past. They play a lot of man to man coverage. I think they play a third most man to man coverage in the National Football League. They have the reigning defensive player of the year and Patrick certain they have a team that can get the job done. No question about it. The question marks come on the offensive side of the football, just like it has for a number of these teams with great defenses. It's the offense that you worry about. Can he not put the ball in harm's way. Can. Can Sean Payton come up with a good plan that, that. That does a great job of highlighting his strengths and really staying away from his weaknesses. Can he use his legs? Because that'll be a big part of it. Use your legs to get down the field. Josh Allen will give you the blueprint of how to win these games because I know he's going to use his legs in this game to try to win it for his team. I think they're going to have a chance. But if this Broncos defense does what they have done all season, they'll come out with a win. But it's a big if. It's the reason they have Buffalo Bills favored. Favored on the road against the number one seed in the National Football League in the AFC because they played really well with when Josh Allen is on the football field and there's inconsistency from the Broncos offense that you. That you've got to be concerned about.
- [38:37]
Mitchell
No question. I and in terms of the Buffalo Bills, we saw James Cook go out against the Jacksonville Jaguars and kind of struggle. Jacksonville's got a great rush defense. The Broncos have the same exact thing. James Cook is going to have to take over this game if the Bills are going to win on the road. I know all the eyes are going to be on Josh Allen, but the Bills are going to move as James Cook moves in this. In this game. They're going to have to ultimately wear out this. This defense and they're going to have to control time of possession. Not enough credit is given to the Buffalo Bills defense. I mean, Richard, they got the number one pass defense in the league. They got the number seven overall defense in the league. So I think Bo Nix, you know, coming into this game, that's probably why Hard Rock has them favored, is because you're not only dealing with Josh Allen, but you're dealing with James Cook and this Bills defense. Now, the question for Josh Allen is going to become does he have the offensive weapons at the receiver position to really take over this defense? Because you're going to go up against Patrick certain. Is Khalil Shakir the guy to do it? Is Brandon Cooks the guy to do it? Is Dalton Kincaid the guy to do it? We'll see. But that to me is the biggest question with this Bills team is do they have enough offensive weapons? Because I know Josh Allen is going to be ready to run and gun. But do you believe that the Bills have what it takes from a personnel standpoint at these key positions to get things done.
- [40:00]
Richard Sherman
Well, the, The. The. The part of this that's going to be scary for the Denver Broncos is this is a. This is a repeat matchup from last season. This is a repeat matchup in the, in the bunker. Buffalo Bills beat this team 31 7. And so, sure, you could feel great. Obviously, that game was in Buffalo. You could feel like, hey, man, you know, we're better. We're more experienced this year. But in the back of your mind, you're like, hey, they got after us. They had a great plan. They got. They executed it. Josh Allen had a fantastic game, Bo. Knicks didn't necessarily have a great game. They. They didn't lean on him as much. They weren't able to run the football as well as they had, but James Cook was. And so they've had success running the football on this team in the playoffs, and they're going to be confident they can do that. I'm sure McDermott is going to feel good about what his team is going into this game. Even as beat up as they are and as injured as they are on both sides of the football. When you've beaten a team in this exact same scenario, not exact same scenario, but in the wild card round going into the next season, you feel good. This is a different Denver Broncos team. I will give them that. They're more experienced. They played better this season. Sean Payton, this is his second year here, a second year with this with Bo Nicks at the helm. So I know he feels better about the plan and what he can do with him. But still, you got to show you can beat Josh Allen. Until you do, Buffalo's going to be favored.
- [41:24]
Mitchell
Okay, so it comes down to prediction time. Who do you like? What's the final score here? Richard, what storylines do you think are going to stand out with this game? Keep in mind, you do have the Denver Broncos in the super bowl coming into this. That was your prediction?
- [41:46]
Richard Sherman
Yeah. I was hoping they wouldn't get this matchup, but I guess this is. This is the matchup that had to happen if they were going to get there. So I got to go with the Denver Broncos. The Denver Broncos defense is going to have to do enough to. To. To stop Josh Allen, show that they belong to be here. So why they're the number one seed in the afc, obviously. I think Nick Bonito and. And Cooper are going to have a huge impact in this game. My guy, D.J. jones, is going to be in there stopping the run. And again, the reigning defense player of the year, Patrick Certain, is going to make his impact felt in this game. Hopefully my guy Riley Moss is able to stand up on the other side. I understand Buffalo doesn't have these all world receivers and they just lost Gabe Davis for the foreseeable future with the ACL injury. So they'll find ways to get Khalil Shakir involved, they'll find ways to get Keon Coleman involved. But I would, I would imagine that they're you. They're going to see a healthy dose of man to man and pressure on Josh Allen all night long. Got the Denver Broncos sneaking by with a win.
- [42:51]
Mitchell
Okay, I'm rolling with the Buffalo Bills. So we got, we got some differences here this, this upcoming weekend here, Richard. And finally the Houston Texans, who I know you love. We love seeing the Houston Texan fans in the comments section. By the way. Thank you guys for subscribing. Obviously from Houston, Texas. Richard's been a huge advocate for your defense all season long. They're going to be going on the road to New England against the Patriots. Hard Rock's got the Pats as a three point favorite. Something tells me you're probably not going to like that.
- [43:26]
Richard Sherman
I don't mind it. Three points is what you get for being at home. That's when, when, when, when a, when a sports book thinks it's even. They give you three points for home and if you don't got get at least three points from home, then they think you're the underdog. So they, they think that the Pats deserve to be here. They think they're the better, better team. And I can understand that with the way that the Texans offense struggled for, for large parts of that football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But right now if you're the, if you're the Houston offense, you feel like, hey, we just need to take care of the football. We need to, to manage the clock, run the football well, not turn it over. If you see Jay Stroud, if you're Demiko Ryan, that's all you're telling him all game. Hey, protect the football. Protect the football. Give our defense a chance to, to win this game. Because on the other side, this Patriots offense has been potent, but they have not faced a top five defense this entire season. I think the, the, the Chargers were the top defense that they faced the entire season and of course they won that game by 10 points, but they struggled for a good portion of it. That was a three point game for a majority of that game and the offense was, was not able to generate a touchdown. This Houston defense is better. They're More aggressive. The, the Chargers sacked them five times. I would guess the, the, the Houston Texans will be looking to do the same. And the difference between the Chargers and, and the Texans is not only just the front, but it's the secondary. You obviously they have Derwin James, an incredible playmaker, but they don't have Derek Stingley Jr. Kamari Lasseter, Kaylin, Bullock Petrie. They have playmaker after playmaker after playmaker and that's secondary and a Pro Bowler in the middle and Aziz Al Shair. So I feel really good and really confident about this Houston Texan team going forward. They're on a 10 game winning streak and people don't understand the, what momentum is when a team is playing like this, that they're going into games not even regardless of how the game's going. They don't think they can lose and they're playing that way. When you're playing with that kind of immense confidence, it's a tough, I don't care what seat you are, you're going to be a tough out. And if their offense gives them anything, they're going to, they're going to be a tough out. I got the Houston Texans winning this game against the New England Patriots and New England and Mike Vrabel. I have a ton of respect for what Mike has done in the way he treats his players, the way he coaches, the way he played the game. I think this is going to be a fun, fun game. One of the best AFC games of the week in my opinion. But I still think that. I think the Houston Texans defense just has too much for this team to overcome, if I'm being honest. It's how are you going to consistently block Will Anderson, Daniel Hunter? How are you going to, I just, how are you going to block rankings? How are you going to block these guys consistently all game long? You weren't able to block away in the last game. Oh, we had three sacks for the Chargers last week. So these guys are different beasts in that. Not to say, not to take anything away from him, but Stefon Diggs was with the Houston Texans. They know him. I'm sure Derek Stingley feels very comfortable with him. They'll have that matchup at times. You know, Is it, is it Kamari Lasseter on Booty? Is it Kamari Lassiter on Douglas? I'm not sure, but I, I, I feel confident in what this team can do. Have I been wrong before? Yes. But the way this defense is playing, unless they something happens to him between now and that game, I can't see him playing any different.
- [46:58]
Mitchell
Well, don't make, don't get fooled here, Richard. New England's also on a, on a heater, too. You know, I know their level of competition hasn't been the best. They certainly have had a very favorable schedule. But you know, in their matchup against the Bills, they took care of them once this season. This is going to be a big test for them, though. It's going to be a big test for Drake May, most specifically because he was starting to enter into that MVP conversation a little bit towards the end of the season, you know, so everyone's starting to give him that credit and has he truly earned it yet? He's had a great season. But this is when you truly earn that, that recognition. You know, when you go against a ferocious defense like the Houston Texans, the only thing that can really beat him is a dynamite quarterback. Does Drake May have what it takes? We'll see. I mean, New England, you talk about transitioning from Tom Brady to a massive lull and then favorably getting Drake May. It seems like they're going to be very comfortable at that position for the next 10 to 15 years. But he's going to have to win a big game like this to put the rest of the NFL on notice that he's here and he's steer to stay. He's going to be in that conversation with Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe burrow, Patrick Mahomes, etc. To be in that conversation, you got to knock off a team and a defense like the Houston Texans on the other side of the ball. Houston, you know, we've talked enough about their defense. We've sung their praises. Pressure is going to be an eyes are going to be on CJ Stroud because let's be frank, he almost blew that game last night, this past weekend. I mean, fumbling the ball five times, losing it twice, you know, throwing an interception like you've got one of the best, if not the best defense in the NFL and they're going to keep you in games. But if you really want to blow the doors off of teams, C.J. stroud is going to have to be much like he was his rookie year. I know. And that's. That brings another question. What's the status of Nico Collins? These questions are going to present themselves throughout the weeks for the Houston Texans. Christian Kirk had an amazing game last game, but I don't know how reliable that can be going forward. Woody Marks were rushed for 100 yards. I don't know if they're going to be able to replicate that against again, again against the New England Patriots. There's so many story lines with this game and I know you love the Houston Texans, but be cautious. New England Gillette Stadium is going to be on fire as well and I know this fan base is going to be rowdy. Richard, I, I don't want to call it an upset, but I feel like I got to call it an upset because you're so high on the Houston Texans. I think the Pats are going to take care of business. I like, I think it's Drake May's.
- [49:29]
Richard Sherman
Time like Drake May and I love everything. He's become an MVP candidate in this, this season and like you said, he wins this game. He's definitely in the conversation with, with with the top five quarterbacks in the National Football League and some guys are starting to move down because of their performance and lack of availability this year. But we'll talk about that in the off season. But again, I trust great defense and not to say that that New England doesn't have a great aggressive style defense. The conversation out of New England from the Chargers player players where they couldn't understand, couldn't figure out what defense they were playing. Well, guess what? You're going to know exactly what Houston's playing. You're going to know where people are going to be lined up, you're going to know what coverage they're in and then you're going to get hit in the face. And so that's the part that I love when I, because I played on a defense like that where hey, you know what we're doing, you know where our guys are going to be, you know how we're going to line up and you cannot beat us. We will win this game. We will outfit physical you to the point that you fold. We know how you're going to attack this defense because there's only certain ways you can attack this defense. It's, it's two or three, four, five, six plays in the pass game like that you can attack, truly attack different levels of this defense. We'll usually recognize them pretty quick and you better get that ball into those windows really quickly. And in the run game, there's only so many ways you can attack a totally gap sound team. And if you're getting around and you're getting through this, these gaps and we're adjusting, we're making plays and it's tough to do sometimes when you keep it simple, you're allowed to play fast and you're able to, to to really be as aggressive as you want to be. And I think in the playoffs, this style benefits the Houston Texans because the rest aren't. Aren't calling every ticky tack penalty. Fans, you can get upset and scream and pout all you want. Nobody will remember that. Nobody will remember you being upset. Oh, I thought that was a holding. That was bi. That was a grab. That was. We don't care. It's the playoffs in the National Football League. The game is meant to be decided on the football field, not with flags and whistles. So that's the way these games are going to be determined. And if the game is played like that, I know the Houston Texans are going to be incredibly prepared. I just. If the Patriots win, they have earned it and they become the favorite to win it all. And it'd be hard not to say it, but I don't think they get through this thing.
- [51:52]
Mitchell
Richard, I hate to bring up bad memories, but let me just talk to you a bit. Before you guys ultimately won the super bowl, you got knocked out by Atlanta Falcons, right? The year prior. Is that right? You went on the road to Atlanta. Do you think that possibly, you know, that this defense, this secondary is a little too young? Maybe, maybe they're. They're a year ahead of schedule than they were. And then my question really becomes to you is at what point did you guys realize you, your defense was great, you know, because you had to go through those road bumps.
- [52:23]
Richard Sherman
You had to go. You lost that game because Chris Clemens got injured against, against the Washington Redskins and so Bruce Irvin wasn't, wasn't. Didn't have the weight to, to play the end. And they ran the ball and they had some success and then we, we made some mistakes. But this is an entirely different defense by all metrics. Like, they're, they're historic good with how they played the last game. They, they're playing at a historic playoff level with how good they were against Pittsburgh. And they don't even need to play at that historic level that was historically good. They just need to play at the level they've played all season and that will give them the chance to win this. Sometimes you hit people in the face over and over and over. And I think Vrabel will have a lot of respect for what he sees from this Houston Texan defense, what he sees on tape. And that's what you're going to hear throughout the week.
- [53:13]
Mitchell
Give me a final score projection here.
- [53:16]
Richard Sherman
Final score. Playoff. Grindy.
- [53:19]
Mitchell
I want to see how dominant this defense is truly going to be.
- [53:23]
Richard Sherman
Grindy. Grindy. Maybe a turnover here. Stop in the red. 179, Houston.
- [53:34]
Mitchell
Oh, okay. So there you have it. We're excited for this weekend. So let's recap it real quick before we leave this. You've got whoever has the ball last in San Francisco of Seattle. Okay? Undetermined team, whoever has the ball last. You got the Bears winning, you've got the Denver Broncos winning, and then you got the Houston Texans winning. It's going to set up for a doozy of championship games the following weekend. Richard, it's always a pleasure, my friend, sitting down with you every week. I will say this before we sign off. We, we appreciate all of our FR fans. We're trying to blow this podcast up. So if you're new, you haven't hit that sub button, please do. Richard, I'll let you sign us off, my friend.
- [54:18]
Richard Sherman
Thank you guys for joining us again. I know You San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks fan were looking for me to. To. To say your team is going to win it. Obviously I have no idea and I want to be able to call it if it. If there looked to be a clear cut advantage for one of these teams, I would surely say it. But I know how much of a dogfight this game is going to be. I know how much of a dog fight. The last time these two teams played in a playoff game, I was there. And guess what? It came down to. Say it with me, Mitchell. The last drive of the game. In that last drive of the game, Colin Kaepernick decided to try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree. And everybody else knows the rest. So when I say this, I speak from the ultimate experience. It's going to come down to the wire. Very few meaningful games for these two teams this late in the season haven't come down to that. I remember the game for the number one seed when Dre Greenlaw made that tackle again. Came down to the last drive of the game. That's how it happens, folks. I'm sorry. Don't get comfortable with either side throughout the game. Don't get too comfortable. It's going to come down to the end, so keep your popcorn, go keep your seat heaters and get your anxiety meds because. This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.