THE HERD - Hour 2 - Nobody is trying to sabotage Shedeur Sanders, the Chiefs are done, Philip Rivers coming back at the age of 44, Mark Schlereth

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 2 Summary – December 10, 2025

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Episode Overview

This hour of The Herd features in-depth NFL analysis focusing on quarterback challenges, coaching dynamics, playoff predictions, and team trends as the 2025 regular season closes in on the postseason. Colin Cowherd is joined by analyst Mark Schlereth for a wide-ranging conversation touching on the Buffalo Bills’ ceiling, Shédeur Sanders conspiracy talk, the rise of the Houston Texans, the Chiefs’ decline, and the surprise return of Philip Rivers to the Colts at age 44. The discussion stays lively and opinionated, delivering insight for fans of both the game and the business of football.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Buffalo Bills’ Ceiling & Josh Allen’s Burden ([04:14]–[08:33])

• Colin reflects on rooting for long-suffering fan bases and Buffalo’s Super Bowl prospects. He compares Josh Allen’s trajectory to John Elway pre–Super Bowl wins and suggests the Bills need a significant coaching and roster shake-up:

  "This should be the year, but I don't think they're going to do it... He needs his Mike Shanahan and he needs his Terrell Davis in the form of a wide receiver." — Colin Cowherd [05:44]

• Mark Schlereth echoes Colin’s concerns:

  "It always feels like the coaching staff says, 'Hey, Josh, go win this game for us. Go do something remarkable.'... I was blown away by their quarterback, but thoroughly under impressed with everything else." — Mark Schlereth [07:10]

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2. Shédeur Sanders & “Sabotage” Conspiracy ([08:33]–[11:11])

• Colin and Mark dismiss the notion that coaches are undermining Shédeur Sanders’ NFL prospects:

  "Any of you conspiracy theorists are dumb. You're just dumb. It's not how the NFL works." — Mark Schlereth [09:09]

• Mark commends Shédeur’s raw talent, especially his improvisational skills, but highlights areas still needing development before he can thrive as an NFL starter:

  "He's exceptionally gifted... His ability to throw an absolute dime piece is exceptional. That's where he is great. But... he needs a lot of work." — Mark Schlereth [10:10]

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3. Bo Nix’s Growth & Development ([11:11]–[14:21])

• Mark sees signs of real maturity from Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix:

  "Where I've seen Bo make significant strides is calming down, having calmer feet, climbing the pocket, not sprinting in the pocket... I thought he played probably the best game I've seen him play, and it wasn't statistically huge." — Mark Schlereth [12:34]

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4. Houston Texans – NFL’s Most Feared Defense? ([14:21]–[17:09])

• Colin labels the Texans a playoff dark horse, comparing their defensive identity to Seattle’s.
• Mark builds on this, calling Houston’s defense "the best in football" and outright naming their front and secondary as “loaded” and “scary”:

  "The Houston Texans, like, I don't see a weakness defensive line wise... They just wear you out... Mahomes had three interceptions, completed 42% of his passes. I mean they ended the Kansas City Chiefs. It was impressive." — Mark Schlereth [16:30]

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5. Kansas City Chiefs: Rebuild or Retool? ([17:09]–[19:12])

• Colin suggests the Chiefs are closer to a rebuild, citing offensive struggles, aging stars, and drop-off in defensive stops.
• Mark disagrees, seeing it as a "retool," arguing that personnel losses are the price of sustained success:

  "That's what happens to great teams. It's been an unbelievable run over the last seven years... I'm happy the Kansas City Chiefs have fallen on hard times. It makes me very happy." — Mark Schlereth [18:44]

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6. Playoff Picture – AFC/NFC Strengths & Surprises ([19:20]–[24:54])

• Discussion pivots to playoff predictions, with Colin and J. Mack analyzing strength of schedule and possible conference finalists.
• They identify the Texans as a legitimate AFC finals candidate due to a gauntlet of tough opponents;

  "The team to watch, Houston Texans have played the second toughest schedule." — J. Mack [20:49]

• Both agree the AFC is weak and project a Texans–Patriots AFC title game, while the NFC playoff race is more predictable and star-driven.
• Quickly touch on MVP odds:

  "Would you bet Jordan Love to win the MVP right now?" — J. Mack [23:58] "No. Josh Allen." — Colin Cowherd [24:01]

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7. NFL Team Culture, Locker Rooms, and Motivation ([32:23]–[34:29])

• Jerry Jones downplays any concerns with receiver George Pickens’ attitude; Colin expounds on the importance of “loving the game,” referencing Tony Gonzalez:

  "You want to have a locker room with mostly guys who cry when you lose, who deeply care, who are willing to block, you know, do the ugly stuff." — Colin Cowherd [33:31]

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8. Denver Broncos Hype – For Real or Just Beating Weak Teams? ([34:45]–[36:54])

• Debate over the real quality of the Broncos defense, with both Colin and J. Mack expressing some skepticism given soft competition:

  "I think there's some truth here... I look at Denver's and I see one great pass rusher, one unbelievable hall of Fame level corner and good players." — Colin Cowherd [36:04]

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9. Stafford vs. Goff — The “Win-Win” Trade ([37:20]–[39:52])

• Rams QB Matthew Stafford reflects on the trade that sent him to LA and Jared Goff to Detroit:

  "It looks like one that, you know, both sides got kind of what they were looking for out of it." — Matthew Stafford [37:41]

• Colin and J. Mack agree both teams got what they needed—"one of the great even trades ever."

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10. Baseball Quick Hits – Mets Lose Pete Alonso; Dodgers’ Blockbuster Philosophy ([30:34]–[42:22])

• Colin muses on big-brand strategies and the importance of “going big” in today’s distracted sports market:

  "You gotta go gigantic. You've gotta go Mission Impossible. You've gotta go all in. And I think the NBA is in their fields. We want to give little guys a chance." — Colin Cowherd [41:36]

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11. Philip Rivers’ Comeback at 44 ([47:34]–[49:59])

• Rivers returns to the Colts; jokes fly about his age. Colin calls him a "remarkable player" and "a load," voicing concern for his safety given his size and time away from the NFL.

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Notable Quotes

• On Bills’ prospects and coaching:
  "He needs his Mike Shanahan and he needs his Terrell Davis in the form of a wide receiver."
  — Colin Cowherd [05:44]

• On Shédeur Sanders conspiracy theories:
  "Any of you conspiracy theorists are dumb... That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
  — Mark Schlereth [09:09, 10:55]

• On Houston’s defensive style:
  "They don't just try to win or beat you, they try to obliterate you, they try to embarrass you."
  — Mark Schlereth [15:13]

• On NFL team cultures:
  "You want to have a locker room with mostly guys who cry when you lose, who deeply care, who are willing to block, you know, do the ugly stuff."
  — Colin Cowherd [33:31]

• On the Chiefs’ organizational lifecycle:
  "That's what happens to great teams. It's been an unbelievable run over the last seven years... I'm happy the Kansas City Chiefs have fallen on hard times."
  — Mark Schlereth [18:44]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bills/Allen/Coaching Discussion: [04:14]–[08:33]
• Shédeur Sanders Conspiracy & Talent: [08:33]–[11:11]
• Bo Nix Growth: [11:11]–[14:21]
• Texans Defensive Emergence: [14:21]–[17:09]
• Chiefs: Rebuild or Retool: [17:09]–[19:12]
• Playoff Predictions & Strength of Schedule: [19:20]–[24:54]
• NFL Player Motivation & Locker Room Culture: [32:23]–[34:29]
• Broncos Real or Mirage?: [34:45]–[36:54]
• Stafford–Goff Trade Reflection: [37:20]–[39:52]
• Philip Rivers Return: [47:34]–[49:59]

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Tone & Style

True to The Herd’s signature, this episode is lively, critical, and sprinkled with humor—balancing football acumen from Colin and Mark Schlereth with conversational banter and strong, unfiltered opinions. The hosts engage in playful speculation and armchair GM talk, holding nothing back in their assessments of teams, coaches, and players.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode delivers a rapid-fire analysis of high-impact NFL stories, from the Bills’ perennial heartache, through the Houston Texans’ rise, to the Chiefs’ uncertain future and the curiosity of Philip Rivers taking NFL snaps at 44. The dialogue melds expert breakdowns with memorable banter—making this a must-listen for those prepping for playoff debates or just keeping up with the league’s never-ending drama.

Transcript

[J. Mack]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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Now, let's get this party started.

[Mark Schler]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here we go. It's our Tuna Wednesday. Flying through it, baby.

Live in la. Warm la. I was down in MB last night. J Mac, your territory about ready to call. You and Luke can have a game of basketball in the backyard.

[J. Mack]

Luke has got a newborn he can't hang.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got about six kids. You can't either.

[J. Mack]

I do not have six kids. You actually do.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[J. Mack]

The old blended action.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, so I, I, I've said before, I'm kind of rooting for the Buffalo Bills to win a Super bowl for two reasons. The city deserves it. My wife used to work in hr. She was always like, nicest people in the world in Buffalo. And it's just like you. I, I just root for, like, the Cubs to win a World Series. It's like, come on, great fans. Waveland Avenue, Wrigley Field. I mean, there is very little. I was just talking to somebody about this yesterday. If Wrigley Field was over in Europe, everybody would be like, oh, once in your life, you got to fly to Europe and go to Wrigley. It's unbelievable. I now live in Chicago most of the time. It's incredible. And so you root for the Cubs. I root for Buffalo. But Josh Allen, this should be the year, the moment in time, he wins. Mahomes may not make the playoffs. Burrow's not gonna make the playoffs. Lamar Jackson may not make the playoffs.

Justin Herbert's just trying to stay alive with that offensive line. This should be the year, but I don't think they're going to do it. And I think it reminds me, he just won AFC Player of the Week, third time this year. This reminds me of John Elway with Denver. John Elway had a lot of good teams. He was the most talented quarterback for a decade, his generation. And Dan Reeves was a good coach. Mike Shanahan was a better fit and a great coach. They had to upgrade from a really good coach. And he had to get Terrell Davis. And then John Elway, instead of getting blown out in super bowl, started winning them.

That's where I feel we are with Josh Allen. I like Sean McDermott. He's Dan Reeves. It's an offensive league, man. They just too many times situationally in big spots, they get worked. And I like James Cook. He leads all running backs with fumbles. They can't stop the run. They're tight ends, only on offense, throwing the ball down the field. He needs his Mike Shanahan and he needs his Terrell Davis in the form of a wide receiver. Somebody who played with Elway and Mike Shanahan. Mark Slearith is joining us live.

From Denver. So you played only with Shanahan. So you didn't experience the Reeves and I. There is some. I don't think John Elway is difficult, but with certain personalities, John. John has a strong point of view. Shanny was a better fit. I look at Buffalo, Mark, I believe this is their year. Mahomes Burrow. You've watched him play. What's your take on My take that even though we like McDermott, I feel like it's time.

Yeah.

[Mark Schler]

I mean, you're losing a game to the Cincinnati Bengals, who don't have a defense a week ago. And when the going gets rough, whether it's playoff football or whether it's a game like last week, it always feels like the coaching staff says, hey, Josh, go win this game for us. Go do something remarkable. Put on your Superman cape, make a unbelievable throw or scramble for 40 yards and beat somebody. That's what it feels like in Buffalo. And I was doing a Miami game a couple of weeks ago, and I watched Miami beat the Buffalo Bills, and I thought to myself, they can't stop the run. They aren't very good on that side of the ball. They don't have a ton of weapons for. For Josh Allen. And I Thought from an offensive standpoint, the number of mistakes they made in the running game, the number of misidentified defenses they had all these different things that I looked at. And I was thoroughly unimpressed with the Buffalo Bills as a football team. I was blown away by their quarterback, but thoroughly under impressed with everything else. Colin, so I'm with you. This is a year no Burrow as you mentioned, no Mahomes as you mentioned Lamar. Maybe, maybe not. I don't know. This feels like the year that if you put it all together you could take your team to a championship game. And yet I don't, I don't. I'm with you. I don't believe they're going to make it. I think they're too flawed everywhere else and they just rely too much on Josh Allen.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you did Shador Sanders game last week, which was actually a very entertaining game. And I said I don't believe the conspiracy theories. I think Dylan Gabriel played so many college games, he was just more ready to be an NFL quarterback than Shador was. But Shador I think has more talent and over time you see the talent. But I don't think there was a conspiracy theory. It's just Dylan had so many reps in college, like Bo Nix, he was kind of ready to play. What did you make of Shador? Soup to nuts, top to bottom. What did you make of him?

[Mark Schler]

Yeah, no, I agree with you on that. I mean the conspiracy theorists are stupid.

You've got one of 32 teams. There's one called he's been the two time coach of the year and you think he's bringing out the crappy place for Shador to run to sabotage him. Like what are we talking about? Any of you conspiracy theorists are dumb. You're just dumb. It's not how the NFL works. I mean the odds are Stefans he's probably going to be be let go and you know, ultimately you've got to have a guy in the meeting rooms. You've got to have a guy in the organization that can spit it out on a grease board. Well, listen, maybe that's not Chador strong suit. He told me, man, I learned by playing. That's where I learned my best. Shador still has a ton of growth to go as far as becoming a complete NFL quarterback. You know, anticipatory throws, reading a defense and doing all those things. But he's exceptionally gifted. I was shocked at how good he was in that game about avoiding the rush, avoiding contact, keeping the play alive, scrambling around. And then when he gets one on 1 Opportunities versus man coverage or when things break down. His ability to throw an absolute dime piece is exceptional. That's where he is great. But like all young quarterbacks, Cam Ward on the other side, they still are a work in progress when it comes to learning an offense and learning how to orchestrate through a progression. And you know, his strong suit isn't anticipatory throws. His strong suit is finding the one on one coverage and absolutely letting it eat. And he threw a couple of guys open with some throws that to me were just big time throws. But that stuff is easy to see. It's the other things, you know, the underlying things that are hard to do as an NFL quarterback and that's where he needs a lot of work and you know he's going to get his opportunity here in the next four weeks to get that done. But to think that a coach is going to sabotage a player because he doesn't like him. You're. It's your reputation, it's your legacy, it's your job on the line. That's the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard.

[Colin Cowherd]

One of the things I like about you living in Denver and the Broncos, being good is you watch, you have sources. You watch every practice. You know, you get, you get the video that we don't get. You get the stories reading the Denver Post or watch the news. You are, you are embedded, feet on the ground. And obviously, you know, I love Peyton. I think their roster is excellent. I don't watch every snap, but I watch every game to some point. Where have you seen the growth with Bo Nix or has there been because he came in with 61 college starts, right. So like, you kind of feel like his game is his game. Have you seen growth or are you concerned that, you know, he's still really uneven? Great in the fourth, not good in the first half.

[Mark Schler]

Yeah, Last three weeks or so, I've seen a ton of growth. Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[Mark Schler]

And I think, I think the, I think one of the hard things to do when you're a very gifted athlete is to not let your athletic competition take over. You still have to play with this subdued nature. You have to play in a rhythm. And I think where Bo struggles is that competitive nature where things break down and instead of being composed, he gets a little frenetic. You know, he doesn't climb the pocket, he sprints up in the pocket. And I watched him early in the, in the year where he climbed the pocket so hard, he sprint up in the pocket so hard he missed A wide open receiver because he bumped into one of his offensive linemen and you're like, dude, calm down. But like that's part of that kind of competitive. I was raised by a football coach, you know, just type A personality. And where I've seen Bo make significant strides is calming down, having calmer feet, climbing the pocket, not spring in the pocket. And basically, and this is going to sound crazy, occasionally taking a sack or two, right? And that to me signifies, hey man, there's some growth here. I don't have to be, you know, that, that crazy athletic compact competition, dude. And I can just orchestrate. And you look at last week and I know a lot of people, you know, here in Denver got all upset because, well, they didn't push the ball down the football field. He was 31 of 30 for 212 yards and it was as good as you can play. They had two 14 play drives and a 19 play drive they only had. They had six that they had I think seven total drives. And you think about this in A, in the NFL you usually have about 12 possessions to get 65 plays. They had seven possessions and ran 72 plays. They were unbelievably efficient and Bo was taking what the defense gave him. He was throwing his checkdowns. He had an awareness of where his answers were to blitzes and pressures. I thought he played probably the best game I've seen him play and it wasn't statistically huge. It's not what you're going to win MVPs on, it's just how you're going to win games in the NFL.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you have the Texans this week and I said the two teams I would not want to play the Seahawks in the nfc, they are so fast and aggressive on both sides. Like you better be buttoned up. And I wouldn't want to play the Texans. They've got playoff experience. I think Demiko Ryan's. You talk about schemes. You're watching film this week, they shut you down. I mean opposing quarterbacks, passer ratings are like 74. I think the Texans are like Seattle. They're going to come in. Nobody's going to. There's no pressure. We're all talking Rams and Eagles and Lions and Packers. We're all talking the Bills and the Patriots. What do you see with the Texans? Because I would, I said it yesterday. I would not be shocked if they ended up in the AFC championship game. What do you see with them?

[Mark Schler]

You know, it's always funny, you kind of study the game through the straw hole with which you played. You know, you just get laser focused on, hey, what it is they do. And I'm watching them going, man, how would I block these guys like Hunter coming off of one edge, Will Anderson. And they don't just try to win or beat you, they try to obliterate you, they try to embarrass you. And you know what I love about them? And this goes back to my playing days, Colin, I was an identity guy. I want to know what we are on offense. I want to know when we get into a situation. Second down and one. We were a conversion team. What are we going to run? Well, I knew second down and one, man. Three plays. One of three plays is coming in. 18, 19 handoff, 14, 15 handoff or QB sneak. And I knew it beyond the shadow of a doubt. And it was a 10,000 hour rule. We've done it 10,000 times. You've defended it a hundred times. We're better than you and we know it. And we're going to convert and we're going to wear your butts out. The Houston Texans to me are simple. They're just a simple football team that absolutely bludgeons people. They're the best defense in football. And I live in Denver, I live in Denver where Denver's got a great defense. But the Houston Texans, like, I don't, I don't see a weakness defensive line wise. They pressure, they beat you up physically, they just wear you out. They've got speed at the linebacker position. They've got an unbelievable secondary. Lassiter on one side, Stingley on the other side. I think Petrie might be the best nickel guy in all of football. Man, they are loaded, they shut down tight ends. They are a damn good scary defense. And now they lack offensively. They can't block a lot of people. But that defense keeps them in games. And in a must have it win at home for the Kansas City Chiefs, they ended them. Mahomes had three interceptions, completed 42% of his passes. I mean they ended the Kansas City Chiefs. It was impressive.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, speaking of Kansas City, is it a rebuild or a retool in your opinion? They can't run O lines weak, don't get consistent pressure. Kelsey retires Chris Jones no longer, at least this year, elite. That feel that sounds like a rebuild, not a retool. You've watched him. What do you think?

[Mark Schler]

Yeah, I think it's more of a retool. They've had some injuries on their offensive line. They're never like Andy Reid as a former offensive lineman. He's never, which is crazy. I mean, he's never really wanted to run the ball and so they're still going to have Mahomes. Obviously, Kelsey is not what he once was. I think the biggest thing with Kansas City really, you know, that all the stuff I said about Houston notwithstanding is defensively, they haven't consistently been able to get off the ball, get off the field when they needed to in critical situations. I think that's been the biggest difference with Kansas City this year. They've always been able to get off the field and give their offense one more opportunity, give their offense one more chance. And that really hasn't been the case this year. But I still think think it's more of a retool. But man, when you travel around the league, Colin, and you do games around the league, it's amazing. Like, oh yeah, I remember when that guy played in Kansas City. Oh yeah, that guy for that team. Yeah, I remember when he played in Kansas City. Oh yeah, that starting corner. I remember when he was a Kansas City chief. Oh, that's like, it's, that's what happens when you are an elite level football team is the teams that are trying to get to your stratosphere, they go find your guys in free agents because free agency because not only are they really good players and they're disciplined players because they've been coached, they also have a championship pedigree that you want to bring into your organization. So that's what happens to great teams. It's been an unbelievable run over the last seven years. And being that I'm a Denver Bronco or former Denver Bronco, I guess never former. Once a Bronco, always a Bronco. I'm happy to say that I'm glad the Kansas City Chiefs have fallen on hard times. It makes me very happy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Mark schler, FOX Sports Cardinals, Texans this Sunday. Good talking to you, bud.

[Mark Schler]

Likewise, Colin. Take care, buddy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, let's look at the AFC and NFC playoff picture. Might as well throw it up there one more time. It's a, it's a, I mean, nobody would have guessed New England. I like Denver to win the division, but you know, it's, it's, it's not historically. I mean, what's funny about the afc, you can tell it's not great because it's a lot of teams. We didn't expect the NFC playoff picture, coaches, quarterback, stars. We expected Green Bay, Rams, San Francisco, Detroit. Philadelphia's on hard times. I like Seattle is my pick of the year. Nobody liked them. I thought they were going to be A playoff team. But you can tell the NFC is better than the AFC because we're getting who we thought. Great coaches, elite quarterbacks, elite rosters. It's a lot of shock. For about six years, we kind of, five years we kind of felt like we knew who was good in the afc. All those quarterbacks got paid.

[J. Mack]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And now the roster, Buffalo's roster, Kansas City's roster, Cincinnati's roster, Buffalo's. They're just not that good.

[J. Mack]

They're thin. So someone put together an interesting comparison of strength of schedule, whatever that's worth in the NFL. So they looked at who you've played and whether you're good or they're good or not. The New England Patriots have played the 32nd ranked schedule in the league. They've played a lot of bad teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

They have.

[J. Mack]

Would you believe Denver has played the 31st toughest schedule. So those two teams at the top of the AFC have played the weakest schedules. It gets worse. Chargers 30th, Bills 28th. The team to watch, Houston Texans have played the second toughest schedule.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[J. Mack]

You look at the teams they've played, they're all good.

[Colin Cowherd]

So if I, if you're. This is a great point. So there's a reason Denver is an underdog at home to Green Bay.

[J. Mack]

Exactly.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's a reason New England at home.

[J. Mack]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Is an underdog to Buffalo. Because of the schedule. We don't buy their wins. If I had to guess today, looking at all these teams, if you ask me who is going to make the AFC championship.

I right now.

[J. Mack]

Let me guess. We're hot on the Texans. They just beat the Chiefs. I went and bet some Texans to win the afc. Who would you do last night tonight? Huh?

[Colin Cowherd]

AFC championship. Look at that. Who would you do?

[J. Mack]

I mean whoever gets the buy has a big edge clearly. But I would go whoever gets the buy. I think it'll probably be the Patriots. And I will go Texans. Patriots. And I'm the same way as of now.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would do. I would.

[J. Mack]

Sounds goofy and we're gonna get killed.

[Colin Cowherd]

I totally agree. I think in Foxborough it's going to be. It's going to be Drake May, C.J. stroud. It's going to be Demico Ryan Drabel. I would take New England. Denver. I can't believe you said that. So let's go to the.

[J. Mack]

Wait. New England. Okay.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I would go.

[Colin Cowherd]

New England host.

[Rob Gronkowski]

No.

[Colin Cowherd]

New England hosting. Tex. Texans.

[J. Mack]

Texans.

[Colin Cowherd]

If I had to bet today, the best defense easily with a very, very good coach and excellent.

[J. Mack]

Remember that Eagles defense Last year was awesome. Like Hertz was really good. Saquon was good. Eagles defense was nasty.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, let's go to the NFC now. Now let me, let me just. So right now. Boy, this is tough. Yeah. Okay. And again, there's receding, I would guess.

[J. Mack]

I assume you think Rams are going to get to number.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Rams, packers feels like the team. I would go Rams. And again, I have no problem taking the seventh seeded Texans because the AFC is weaker. Okay. But the two teams at the top right now, Rams and Green Bay. I get A plus coaches, excellent quarterbacks, good enough O lines, excellent playmakers, excellent pass rushes.

[J. Mack]

So if you're hot on strength of schedule, the Rams have played the 14th, toughest middle pack. Seattle 26th. Yeah, a lot of bad teams. Packers 25th. The interesting team to watch here. We're not going to like to hear it. Philadelphia, fifth, toughest schedule of opponents so far this year. So if you look at this, they've played a lot of good teams, they beat a lot, but now they're struggling. The one team I would watch is San Francisco. Colin, they're getting healthy.

[Mark Schler]

They're.

[J. Mack]

They had the late buy. McCaffrey's fresh. I would keep an eye on the Niners, but the NFC is way tougher to diagram than the AFC is. Just not good right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's good stuff.

[J. Mack]

You, you like you said Rams and, and Packers. Yeah, I think that that's good. I just don't. We like the ramp. They don't have a huge home field advantage out here, man.

[Colin Cowherd]

They don't.

[J. Mack]

So if the packers come here, 70, 30. Green Bay.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, yeah. God, that would be.

[J. Mack]

That'd be a great game.

[Colin Cowherd]

But you know, in recent history, you know this, offensive coaches end up in the final four teams. So you get McVeigh, LaFleur, but then you'd get Vrabel and D'. Amico. NFC coaches on the other side. That's why it's hard to go against Sean Payton, because he'll manipulate. I mean, Denver's been so good in the fourth quarter. They're very good at manipulating outcomes and manipulating the playbook.

[J. Mack]

Would you bet Jordan Love to win the MVP right now?

[Colin Cowherd]

No. Josh Allen.

[J. Mack]

Josh Allen, mvp.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, come on. He had a six touchdown game. I mean, he. Green Bay has more support. Jordan Love has a great coach.

[J. Mack]

Didn't Allen win it last year? Remember, the media votes for this stuff. Yeah, well, they already gave Josh Allen one. You know, they love to spread the wealth.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jordan Love's got a. Jordan Love has a much better defense.

Six Times the receiving core and a better head coach.

[J. Mack]

I don't think the media thinks like.

[Colin Cowherd]

That with their phone numbers on who's a better team. I mean, I just think Green Bay is a totally complete outfit. Gm, fans, quarterback, coach, O lines. Okay. I don't know where the O lines ranked. It feels okay to me. In the middle of the O line is okay. Weapons, pass rush.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah.

[J. Mack]

Josh Allen. Interesting. Well, he better beat the Patriots. He can't lose to the Patriots twice or. Right. Drake May would get the MVP over Josh Allen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, I'm just telling you right now, we always do this. What happens if. What if Drake May and Mike Vrabel beat Buffalo again?

[J. Mack]

I think Drake's probably the mvp.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're gonna be like a team if you own the Bills. Mike Vrabel's first year in beats Josh Allen first year. And by the way, when you watch the first game, is New England look more complete? I mean, what does it tell you? If I own the team and I'm like, okay, Vrabel comes in. Vrabel's still in a rebuild. New England still needs another draft. They've got some. Their offensive line is not great. Their run game's not very dynamic. That is. I'm telling you, we keep saying this. That is a big game for Buffalo this weekend. Yeah, you can't get swept by Drake, May and Vrabel.

[J. Mack]

Is that the biggest game on the schedule?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it is.

[J. Mack]

Packers, Broncos, but also. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Patriots, bills.

[Mark Schler]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

One more herd.

[Mark Schler]

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it. Pay attention. Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio. Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos.

[Colin Cowherd]

From your favorite shows.

[Mark Schler]

Two pros and a cup of Joe. Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Doug Gottlieb, Covino and Rich The Odd couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, the Jason Smith.

[Colin Cowherd]

Show with Mike Harmon and the Ben Ma show.

[Mark Schler]

Fox sports radio on YouTube.

[Colin Cowherd]

Subscribe hit that thumbs up icon and comment away.

[Public Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosure [e-mail] disclosures so next summer.

[Colin Cowherd]

The biggest soccer event on earth is coming to the US for the first time in over 20 years. Now is the time to get in on the action. Every rivalry, every crazy skill and of course every goal. And we all know that every goal starts with an assist. It's true for soccer and it's true for health. That's why Halion, makers of Advil, Tums, Sensodyne, Centrum and Voltaren, is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the assistance. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. Whether it's the fans cheering their hearts out in an electric stadium or the rec player who's keeping fit for weekend games, Helion is there for them. To learn more go to helionassist.com PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance, next level efficiency and multi day battery life. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all, from highlight reel editing to intense player research so you can be at the top of your game wherever the day takes you. Learn [e-mail] laptops Snapdragon the heart of your PC. Battery life varies significantly based on device settings, usage and other factors.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and jules. For the second season in a row, I partnered with T Mobile's Friday night 5G lights powering up hometown football across across America. This year T mobile invested over $4 million in prizes to help schools take their Friday nights to the next level. The votes are in and now it's time to crown our one million dollar grand prize winner. Congratulations to Derrick's High school and Derrick's Arkansas, home of the outlaws and your 2020 5T mobile Friday night 5G lights champion the Outlaws and their communities rally to help them score a game changing home field upgrade, a Gronk Fitness weight Room makeover, an epic 2026 tailgate party and a VIP trip to the SEC Championship game. To every school that competed, posted and rallied your communities, thank you and to T Mobile for making it all possible. This season may be over, but the story isn't. Stay tuned for season three in 2026. Congratulations again to Derek's High School Outlaws.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. The holiday season can be exhausting with all the parties and the end of year celebrations, but don't forget to take care of yourself by stocking up on your favorite nutritional products. Now through December 30, shop in store and online and save on items like Cliff Snack Bars, Luna Bars, Boost Nutritional Energy Drinks, Premier Protein Shakes, Z Bar Variety Packs, Open Nature Powder and Body Fortress Protein powder offers end December 30th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

By the way, the big revenue New York Mets, here we go. Just lost Pete Alonso, the soul, the heart and soul of their franchise to the Baltimore Orioles. Small market Baltimore stole Pete Alonzo from the Mets. So Edwin Diaz, their ace Dodgers got hit him.

But. But Baltimore and Steve Cohen's the richest baseball owner. The little guy came in and swiped Pete Alonzo. I'm sure this will be handled with nuance and grace and dignity by WFAN hosts.

[J. Mack]

Weren't the Mets good this year for most of the season and then collapsed or something like that?

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, they're the Mets, boy, they're.

[J. Mack]

The the Mets and Giants are just total poverty franchises right now. Just so bad behind the scenes.

[Colin Cowherd]

The melting down is going to be unbelievable. But you know, again, baseball's up. I mean, to me, the Cubs are good, the Dodgers good, the Yankees good.

I'm waiting for the Braves to kick it. Phillies are good, huh?

[J. Mack]

Are the Red Sox back or the Red.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Red Sox make a lot of revenue. They don't spend enough of it. The Phillies are back. Phillies are really good. So I mean, Kyle Schwaber, the Phillies resigned him. He's not their best player, but he's kind of the soul of the franchise. Everybody loves Kyle Schwaber. That to me, that's Pete Alonso. Is he their best player? No, that's Soto. But he is the soul of the franchise and Steve Cohen let him go to small market Buffalo. Baltimore, Baltimore, Baltimore. I can you imagine the radio Today in New York.

[J. Mack]

Well, you know, tough times. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm sure it'll be measured.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Certainly contextualize decorum. Just J. Mack with the news.

[Mark Schler]

No, no, no.

[Colin Cowherd]

Turn on the news.

[Mark Schler]

This is the Herdline news.

[J. Mack]

Let's start with some George Pickens, the Cowboys receiver. Little drama after the no show against Detroit. Richard Sherman called him out. It's been interesting. Jerry Jones, though, he's not that concerned about George Pickens. Terrible game against the Lions.

[Mark Schler]

When it comes to competing, when it comes to loving the game. And I emphasize that point right there, loving the game. I give him a pluses, just so that I'm real clear about it.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't have the concern that the.

[Mark Schler]

Debate about what George Pickens did or didn't do in that game.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't have that kind of concern.

[Mark Schler]

About him as far as his competing and helping us win football games on the field at all.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I was. I had the good fortune of having dinner last night with an NFL gm and we talked about this, about loving the game. And it's. It's. And Tony Gonzalez has said this more than once to me when he used to come on the show, is that you'd be surprised how many guys love the game. Totally committed to the game. So what Jerry's saying is, I've owned this team a long time. Not everybody loves it. A lot of them, A lot of my players like it. They like what football can do for them in their life, but they don't love it. And what he sees every day is the passion George Pickens has. And I. I gotta tell you, this is. This is something with nil. A lot of times you wonder, do the kids love it, or do they love what football provides? And you do want to have a locker room with mostly guys who cry when you lose, who deeply care, who are willing to block, you know, do the ugly stuff. Receivers that are willing to block, block. That's loving the game. Because cash net's the easy part.

[J. Mack]

Right. Well, there's also the aspect of what happens when you're losing. I mean, Pickens was at a good school in college. They didn't lose a lot. He was on the Steelers. They were winning a lot. And then they started losing. And what happened? He started dogging it. What happens when they get smoked by the Lions? He starts dogging it. I just wonder. Things go south. Do you love it or are you just like, this sucks. I'm not interested.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, it's fair. It's fair. He's a talent, though.

[J. Mack]

I know there's some chatter out there. Hey, the Chiefs, we need to go get a Tyree kill type. Let's go get Pickens. Yeah, I don't see, I don't see.

[Colin Cowherd]

That dealt with dysfunction. I mean they, they've, some of their guys have been in trouble. They've dealt with it well. They have a good, they have a sound structure. New England could deal with a little bit of that.

[J. Mack]

I wonder. Okay, you're not going to be able to afford Pickens. You move off Chris Jones. I don't know. They, they got to make some big moves to get Pickens in there.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Chris Jones has one more year.

[Public Sponsor/Ad Voice]

One more year.

[J. Mack]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

A big money.

[J. Mack]

Yeah. All right, let's, let's move on to story number two, Colin. That's the Denver Broncos riding high 10 game win streak. Two game lead over the Chargers in the AFC West. You know, Sean Payton, he's division he's not really worried about. He's just taking things week by week.

[Mark Schler]

The focus gets so inwardly driven to our own team that I recognize that.

[Colin Cowherd]

A team that's won the division for how many straight years won't be able to win it this year. We got a stretch here with some real good football teams coming in, you know, focusing on what we can do to win the division. You know, the Chargers are very much alive in that battle.

Yeah, the.

Man. The NFL changes so quickly. Dynasty to not making the playoffs in a sport where 40% of the teams do.

[J. Mack]

They're not eliminated. The Chiefs. Let me just ask you about this vaunted Broncos defense. So I got some numbers because I've looked at this game. So the Colts, you know, they had 7.1 yards per play, 473 yards yards against this Broncos defense. Jackson dart went up and down the field.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[J. Mack]

Five long touchdown drives in Denver. I know the Chargers. Six drives of 50 or more yards against this Denver. Is the Denver defense awesome or do they get fat and happy against bad teams?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think there's some truth here. Like I look at the Houston Texans and the Seahawks and I see dominating, aggressive defenses. Length, speed, aggressive coach. I look at Denver's and I see one great pass rusher, one unbelievable hall of Fame level corner and good players. I like Denver's roster, but I, I like Bo Nix and I like Cortland Sutton and, and minors the offensive line and Garrett Bowles I like. I think Harvey's a little underrated. The running back.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, he's yet a good game.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think they have a receiving core that's long and athletic. I think the Denver talent is spread. Oh, no, I think Hufanga is tremendous. I think the Denver defense, the Denver talent, talent is spread all over the place. I think Seattle and the Texans and the Rams have better defenses. I think Phillies defense is really talented.

[J. Mack]

But when healthy, they need Jalen Carter back, obviously, but I would agree with that sentiment. Final story. Kyle. Let's go to the matchup Sunday on fox here at SoFi. What a week for sports in LA. Stafford versus Goff. Are you excited? Remember the big trade, obviously, back in the day, both teams have benefited. I know the Rams have a Super bowl. The Lions don't. But this is crazy. We've got a breakdown of the numbers. We'll show you in a minute. Of the teams from this trade. Here's Stafford talking about how it was win, win for both franchises.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm happy to be where I am and I feel like the Lions obviously have capitalized on a lot of the picks and players that they were able to acquire in that trade. Their franchise is as good as it's been ever, you know, in the last handful of years.

[Mark Schler]

So two, you know, successful teams.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's really good football, coaches, good football.

[Mark Schler]

You know, programs at the moment.

[Colin Cowherd]

And yeah, it looks like one that, you know, both sides got kind of what they were looking for out of it. You know, I think as time goes on, we'll keep looking back on it saying the same thing because, you know, it seems to work out for both teams. It's actually, it's one of the great even trades ever.

[J. Mack]

Here are the numbers on the screen. Like, that's legitimately crazy. Now it's almost identical stats.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, what McVay wanted was a bigger army.

He thought Stafford had a bigger arm.

Was better pre snap.

[J. Mack]

Stafford's a better grader. Goff is very good.

[Colin Cowherd]

What the Lions needed was draft capital while maintaining competency at quarterback. But they needed, and to the Lions credit, they hit on all those draft picks. Yeah, I mean, they went like, you know, I mean, you look at those draft picks they became, they kept using and using and manipulating and they got Brad Holmes, a great gm, him. So that is one of those trades where, you know, they wanted a quarterback moving into his athletic prime and draft picks a notch below Stafford. But McVeigh was like, okay, I got to a Super Bowl, I don't know if I can win one with golf. And he was right. Stafford is more, it's more elegant, more Tiffany as a, as a, as a.

[J. Mack]

Any lean on this game besides the. Oh, I think the total was like 55. There's gonna be.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've told you before, when the numbers 4 or 5 take the fake favorite. Yeah, I. Oh, that's. To me, anytime. Somewhere between four and five and a half.

[J. Mack]

I mean, if you look at the injuries in the secondary for Detroit branches.

[Colin Cowherd]

Out now for the year.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, that. That's devastating because he's a real good chess piece on the back end. I don't know how they slow down Puka and Adams and the three tight ends. I think the Rams, I don't know what their team total is. They're gonna score 40 here with ease.

[Colin Cowherd]

Maybe Detroit gets a backdoor, has extra prep time.

[J. Mack]

They do. Maybe they get the backdoor cover. I just. I don't totally. Now then, to be clear, the Rams secondary, they were cooked by Bryce Young, the kid who's the kid from Washington, skinny guy.

The cornerback. He had a good season and then he's starting to get roasted all of a sudden. I. I have some questions about the Rams secondary, but I do like the Rams here to. To dispatch a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Fox has this game and Tom Brady, who is on our show, show tomorrow, we'll be calling it. So that is going to be a great game.

[J. Mack]

Thank you to the producer. Forbes. Is the cornerback Emmanuel Forbes. Forbes, yeah, it was good this year. Go look at that Carolina tape. He was roasted repeatedly by Ted McMillan and company. It was not great. So I do think Amara could have a big game or Jameson Williams, but I like the Rams here.

[Colin Cowherd]

J. Mac with the news.

[Mark Schler]

Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the herd. Danny Parkins, FS1's always great. He disagrees with me on my baseball take. And then Josh Pate, the best young voice in college football, will be joining us as well. My baseball take is with all the platforms and all the streaming eyeballs, we have more choices as consumers. We're distracted on our phones. We have more choices. So Disney has done this. Mission Impossible, the Avengers, Mission Impossible. You've got to go big. Big. You've got to get Tom Cruise to get people into the theaters, or you got to get Spielberg as a director or Martin Scorsese. You've got to go big. And the Dodgers realizing not only in distracted la, but in a distracted world, they're going all in. They're not going to make as much profit now, but they're building a massive brand in a very distracted baseball world, and they're going to build a dynasty. And it is the way. That's why the NBA and I like the NBA. The NBA is like parody. Parody gets lost. Parody gets lost. It's parody was great when we had Fox, NBC, abc, cbs and then it's cable and then it's streaming and then it's TikTok and then it's IG and then it's, it's all wide. And so the Dodgers are like in la, which is distracted anyway. Beach, mountains, Vegas, nearby pro teams. It's like you've got to go gigantic. You've got to go Mission Impossible. You've got to go all in. And I think the NBA is in their fields. We want to give little guys a chance. College football is a great example. Go look at the college football ratings at Fox. We had the three highest rated games. There's a lot Texas, Ohio State, you know, big teams in those games. Michigan. That's why, that's why when the Pac 12 folded, nobody was watching the Pac 12. And the best, most interesting teams joined the Big Ten. It was like the Big Ten got like HGH and that's when Texas and Oklahoma joined the giant SEC. It was like a little jet fuel. Now you have these two massive conferences and the ratings are through the roof.

Independent garage band, no shot. You gotta go big. And the Dodgers owners, they get it.

Philip Rivers joining the Colts. Is he talking? Apparently he is. Next.

[Mark Schler]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Public Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice Complete disclosures [e-mail] disclosures so next summer, the.

[Colin Cowherd]

Biggest soccer event on earth is coming to the US for the first time in over 20 years. Now is the time to get in on the action. Every rivalry, every crazy skill, and of course, every goal. And we all know that every goal starts with an assist. It's true for soccer and it's true for health. That's why Halion, makers of Advil, Tums, Sensodyne, Centrum and Voltaren, is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the Assist. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. Whether it's the fans cheering their hearts out in an electric stadium or the rec player who's keeping fit for weekend games, Helion is there for them. To learn more, go to helionassist.com PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance, next level efficiency and multi day battery life. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all, from highlight reel editing to intense player research so you can be at the top of your game wherever the day takes you. Learn [e-mail] laptops Snapdragon the heart of your PC. Battery life varies significantly based on device settings, usage and other factors.

[Rob Gronkowski]

This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and jules. For the second season in a row I partnered with T Mobile's Friday night 5G lights powering up hometown football across America. This year T mobile invested over $4 million in prizes to help schools take their Friday nights to the next level. The votes are in and now it's time to crown our one million dollar grand prize winner. Congratulations to Derrick's High School and Derrick's Arkansas, home of the Outlaws and your 2020 5T mobile Friday night 5G lights champion. The Outlaws and their community rallied to help them score a game changing home field upgrade, a Gronk Fitness weight room makeover, an epic 2026 tailgate party and a VIP trip to the SEC championship game. To every school that competed, posted and rallied your communities, thank you and to T Mobile for making it all possible. This season may be over, but the story is isn't. Stay tuned for season three in 2026. Congratulations again to Derek's High School Outlaws.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. The holiday season can be exhausting with all the parties and the end of year celebrations, but don't forget to take care of yourself by stocking up on your favorite nutritional products now through December 30th. Shop in store and online and save on items like Cliff Snack Bars, Luna Bars, Boost Nutritional Energy Drinks, Premier Protein Shakes, Z Bar Variety Packs, Open Nature Powder and Body Fortress Protein powder offers end December 30th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[J. Mack]

Sunday the Raiders take on Jalen Hurts and the Eagles or other regional action Then in America's Game of the Week, Jared Goff leads the Lions against Matthew Stafford in the Rams in a huge NFC showdown. Or it's the Titans versus The Niners or Saints versus the Panthers. Check local listings for the games in your area, only on box we all.

[Colin Cowherd]

Know the Miami Dolphins are still all these years later looking for their all these years later looking for the next Dan Marino. And the Broncos had to go get Peyton Manning to get their next Elway.

It's remarkable since Andrew Luck suddenly retired.

Right before this season for the Colts, the effect it's had on the organization. They have been bailing water at quarterback ever since Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers. And now Philip Rivers, again at 44, is coming out of retirement. And here he was this morning on being back with Indy.

[Mark Schler]

Like all of us, even me. I mean, you're a little scared, a little nervous. I mean, all the above, all the all the. Any adjective you can throw in there, that's a synonym with those.

But excited. You know, as you see every week, whether you're 24 and in the best shape of your life or whether you're 44 and, and, you know, not so sure, you know, anything can happen. So that has never been a concern of mine. And you know, you never hope something like that, right? Or expect something like that to happen. But shoot, something like that happens. I got a long time to recover.

[Colin Cowherd]

Apparently he took that Colts offense, implemented it with his son's high school team, so he's pretty familiar with the Colts lexicon on offense. He was also asked what he currently weighs.

[Mark Schler]

What do you weigh right now, right this second? I'm not sure. Greg.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How about that?

[Mark Schler]

That's an honest answer, and I will answer your question a little better on the plane. Wait, Greg, not not what it was when I walked up the film Buffalo. All right, I can tell you that. But, but then I'll follow that up with I ain't never ran away from anybody anyway. So, so, so I'm they, you know, people say, well, you know, you're going to be right there and it's like, well, they knew that for 16, 17 years.

[Colin Cowherd]

So.

A remarkable player. Has this strangest delivery. Tough guy, trash talker.

[J. Mack]

Did you hear, did you see the report that during his medical examination, they asked, when was your last colonoscopy? Not normally a question for NFL players, but they asked Rivers because he's so old.

[Colin Cowherd]

Is that true?

[J. Mack]

No, that's not. I was just joking.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[J. Mack]

Not that funny. I thought it was.

[Colin Cowherd]

My first takeaway is I worry about him now, but he is. I will say I always like Philip Rivers because I do like my quarterbacks like I like my furniture. Big and hard to move. And he is a load. He probably weighs now 260.

[J. Mack]

He's probably heavier than some of their linebackers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, he absolutely is. So I worry about his safety. He's. He's such a good guy.

[J. Mack]

Do you really trot him out there in Seattle, Colin? You've seen that front seven, man. Well, they're flying around.

[Colin Cowherd]

They have a lot of weapons. Steichen's very smart. By the way, Daniel Jones, in recent weeks, because of the fibula injury, he couldn't move. And there, by the way, gosh. Well, not great.

[J. Mack]

So let me ask, is there uncertainty heading into this offseason with this team? Like, the owners on the sideline taking notes.

[Colin Cowherd]

They took a big swing on Sauce Gardner. Probably not worth two first round picks. Certainly one and maybe a three or what? Whatever. Listen, they face four playoff teams.

[J. Mack]

That's. That's probably. Oh, and four. They're probably going to be eight, nine. Here's the worst part. What do you do at quarterback next year, Colin?

[Colin Cowherd]

Because they're in the middle of the pack for drafting.

[J. Mack]

No, no, the jets will get their 26 first round pick. So that's like 17.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay.

[J. Mack]

And then. So do you extend Daniel Jones coming off an Achilles? I saw a report. This is his, his third season ending injury. He's only 28 years old. He's hurt a lot.

[Colin Cowherd]

Could you make a trade with the Niners? You need Mac Jones. Is there something the nine niners could use? Somebody on defense?

[J. Mack]

Back DeForest Buckner.

[Colin Cowherd]

I was going to say it's not a defensive tackle. Terrible idea. I mean, they have, they have pulled every lever. Jacoby, versatile Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, the. The. The butterfly effect. Like, it's just amazing what Andrew Luck's retirement did to this franchise. I feel, I mean, like, like if, like the Rams have two first round picks, so they're going to draft a quarterback for the future. But I mean, just take it to what if like today with all of Kansas City's issues. Mahomes said I don't want to play anymore. Oh come on. Well, no, I mean devastating. Well of course because you look and you're like well, well he's still on a contract and our old line needs work and our D line needs work. Like Andrew Luck's team wasn't quite there and finished yet and then he stepped out. It just shows you the difficulty. Miami's still trying to find the next Marine know. Yeah. I mean it's, it's. And Denver's had like Jake Plummer was good and they went and got Tebow was fascinating and Peyton Manning's good and I mean they've tried.

[J. Mack]

Here's the worst part. The jets have their 27 first round pick as well in the sauce. Gardner deal. Okay. So if Daniel Jones is out half the season, they keep him like they're not going to be good next year. I, I don't want to go overboard but I. The GM and coach could be in some trouble.

[Colin Cowherd]

Trouble.

[J. Mack]

They could. It's not fair but I just don't see a path to success for them this year or next year. Like maybe your Mac Jones idea bails them out but they don't have the draft picks to trade for Mac Jones.

[Mark Schler]

You, you go play.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well I think yeah if I'm San Francisco I don't want just draft picks.

[J. Mack]

I think Tyler Warren is the next George Kittle. Would you give up like I don't know. They. They're in real trouble.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well they've got a rush and they like in Indy. Would you give the rush and the.

[J. Mack]

Kid from UCLA give up.

[Colin Cowherd]

Give up a rush end and round pick for M. Jones.

You can say what you want. You can't win in this thing is.

[J. Mack]

Mac Jones would have a bigger market. Wouldn't the Steelers somehow pony up more?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, but they don't ever act urgently for quarterbacks. Sten and Ballard would be on that in 2 sec.

[J. Mack]

If you Colts and Kyler Murray do they make a a splash move for Kyler Murray?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Steichen has tried the great athlete thing. I think he wants a guy throwing darts in the pocket.

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[Colin Cowherd]

By Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance, next level efficiency and multi day battery life. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all, from highlight reel editing to intense player research so you can be at the top of your game wherever the day takes you. Learn [e-mail] laptops snapdragon the heart of your PC battery life varies significantly based on device settings, usage and other factors. Everybody has goals, and every goal starts with an assist, whether it's on the field or off. That's why Halion is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the Assist. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. As the makers of trusted brands like Advil, Centrum, Tum, Sensodyne and Voltaren, Halion knows how to support everyday wellness goals. To learn more, go to helionassist.com get almost anything you need delivered with Uber Eats. What do you mean by almost? Well, you can't get a well groomed lawn delivered, but you can get chicken parm delivered. A little escape? No. Delicious bowl of grapes? Yeah. An afternoon stroll? Sorry, no. A burrito bowl? Happily, yes. How about the clear skies? Can't deliver that, but French fries? Yeah, get almost almost anything delivered with Uber Eats. Order now. Alcohol in select markets. Product availability may vary by region. C app for details. Okay, only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line, but first.

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[J. Mack]

Enjoy a Coca Cola for a pause that refreshes.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Guaranteed human.