THE HERD - Hour 2 - Where Colin was right and wrong, Caleb Williams and the Bears, Aaron Rodgers saving the Steelers, Matt Hasselbeck

Summary

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The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2

Date: November 3, 2025
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (iHeartPodcasts & The Volume)
Episode focus: Where Colin was right and wrong, in-depth NFL discussion (Caleb Williams and the Bears, Aaron Rodgers revitalizing the Steelers, Green Bay’s struggles, playoff picture), plus guest Matt Hasselbeck’s insights.

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Main Theme & Purpose

This hour delivers Colin Cowherd's signature “Where Colin Was Right, Where Colin Was Wrong” segment, offering self-reflection on sports takes (mostly NFL), before welcoming former NFL quarterback and analyst Matt Hasselbeck for a wide-ranging football conversation. Topics span QB performance, coach qualities, franchise identities, the impact of major trades, and playoff outlooks, with an eye toward trends in quarterback play and team building.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Where Colin Was Right & Wrong (04:54–10:13)

Colin’s NFL Takes:

• Sam Darnold’s Resurgence (Right, 04:57):

  • Cowherd reiterates Darnold is "80-85% of Andrew Luck: tough, athletic, big arm."

  • Notes Darnold’s "16 for 16 in the first half" and attributes Jets’ failures to dysfunction, not Darnold.

    “He's just too damn talented to not make it in this league.” – Colin Cowherd (05:28)

• Kansas City Chiefs Overrated? (Wrong, 05:38):

  • Overestimated the Chiefs, points to recent struggles against Buffalo.
  • "They gave up 400 yards, could not protect Mahomes..." and Buffalo had "better energy, better focus, and a better gameplan." (06:03)

• Aaron Rodgers Carries Pittsburgh (Right, 06:05):

  • De-emphasizes the Steelers’ defense: "This team's going as far as Aaron Rodgers is going to take them."
  • Notes Aaron hasn’t played this well since his MVP season—top 10 quarterback by Cowherd’s view.

• Green Bay’s Missing Identity (Wrong, 06:48):

  • Criticizes Matt LaFleur: "No identity and that’s on the coach."
  • Packers want to run, but are "fifth in rushing attempts, 24th in yards per carry"—the compass is off.

• Yoshi Earns His Dodgers Deal (Right, 07:31):

  • Dodgers ace’s high salary is justified: "You go 4-0 in a World Series and win back-to-back, he has mostly paid for himself."

• Eagles’ Aggressive Moves (Right, 08:15):

  • Praises GM Howie Roseman after acquiring Jalen Phillips before the deadline, arguing “aggressive wins in sports.”

• Commanders Disappointment (Wrong, 09:02):

  • Misjudged Washington as a playoff team. “They don’t have juice… They’re much more in a rebuild than they wanted to admit.”

• Miami Hurricanes Not a National Brand (Right, 09:34):

  • On Mario Cristobal’s underperformance and the program’s lack of fan base or home field.

• 76ers Built Around Maxey, Not Embiid (Right, 10:13):

  • Predicts success around Tyrese Maxey rather than the often-injured Joel Embiid.
  • “He can be a great player. He can’t be the centerpiece of a championship team.”

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2. NFL Deep Dive with Matt Hasselbeck (10:13–25:24)

Bills–Chiefs Rivalry Dynamics (11:25):

• Buffalo Regular Season Dominance/Kansas City Playoff Edge:

  • Hasselbeck details how teams develop “post-game action plans” to evolve, giving the Chiefs a repeat advantage in playoff rematches.

    "[The Chiefs are] always, always different second time around." – Matt Hasselbeck (12:34)

Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, and the Bears’ Trajectory (12:34–14:42):

• Cowherd cites improvements: Caleb’s reduced sacks and INTs, but wants more speed from the offense.
• Hasselbeck praises Ben Johnson's play-calling and development, noting Chicago’s improved physicality and creativity, “dangerous” approach, and leadership.
• "The future is bright for Chicago," Hasselbeck concludes (14:42).

Coordinators vs. Head Coaches: The “It” Factor (14:42–16:02):

• Not all great coordinators make great head coaches; Hasselbeck credits Ben Johnson's patience, confidence, and presence.
• Good coordinators who become good head coaches “command the room,” not just devise schemes.

Seattle Seahawks’ Contention (16:02–17:33):

• Seahawks can match up with anyone, including Philadelphia; their toughness on the road is highlighted.
• Hasselbeck notes their offense must run reliably against stacked boxes if they want a title.

Young Quarterback Grows: J.J. McCarthy & Vikings (17:33–19:42):

• Both hosts see McCarthy as raw, “training wheels on.” Hasselbeck expects the workload to grow gradually—eventually, he’ll have to “put the team on your back in a Justin Herbert kind of way.”
• Marked contrast with other QBs in his draft class.

Green Bay Packers’ Lost Identity (19:42–21:32):

• Packers are “good, just young.” Hasselbeck calls recent loss a classic “trap game”—insists mistakes are expected, but it’s vital not to repeat them.

Aaron Rodgers’ Bounce-Back Season in Pittsburgh (21:32–23:38):

• Cowherd: “There is something to be said about loving your job, loving the environment, and playing a little bit with joy.”
• Hasselbeck likes the Rodgers-Tomlin pairing and the Steelers’ upside, but wants more from their run game and consistency on defense.

Trade-Deadline Chemistry Talk (23:38–25:24):

• Cowherd asks if adding a WR might disrupt Buffalo's locker room.
• Hasselbeck says going all-in (adding talent) rallies the locker room: “As a player, I don’t mind the mindset at all.... It sends a message and I think it’s a really good message.” (24:32)

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3. Game and Team Analysis, NFL News (25:35–41:10)

Kansas City Chiefs & AFC Playoff Picture (31:43–36:39):

• Chiefs look “a little wobbly”—Cowherd points to tough divisional races (Denver surging).
• J. Mack: Denver benefited from Stroud injury; keep an eye on Lamar Jackson and Baltimore.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Defensive Revival or QB Mirage? (32:28–36:39):

• J. Mack and Colin debate if the Steelers’ recent success is sustainable, given offensive struggles and reliance on turnovers.
• Mike Tomlin’s quote:

  “Fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes... We're still the same group that stunk it up last week.” (32:53)

• Consensus: Steelers’ ceiling is limited. “They’ll go as far as Aaron’s going to get them.” – Cowherd (36:13)

49ers’ Identity and Christian McCaffrey Dependency (37:00–39:09):

• Cowherd: Niners’ offense is “all about McCaffrey; I don’t care who starts at quarterback.”
• Discussion around injuries (Purdy, Aiyuk, Williams) and team transparency.

Kyler Murray’s Future – Cardinals Uncertainty (39:11–43:01):

• J. Mack: Reports of Marvin Harrison Sr. criticizing Cardinals’ offense emerge; Murray’s future is up in the air.
• Cowherd: Market for Kyler is shrinking. “Your resume in life matters and his resume is not great.”
• Hidden reputational issues—"Kyler Murray's reputation that doesn't make the airwaves is not good." (41:49)

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4. Baseball Interlude: Dodgers’ Championship Culture (48:06–54:24)

• Cowherd explains why Dodgers’ success is more than just money—“They spend their money wisely. They defer payments. The Dodgers chose to defer payments. My favorite part of this team though is Miguel Rojas, old guy, never been an all-star. Will Smith, most innings caught in a World Series...” (48:06)
• Praises team unity, R&D approach, and willingness to move on from stars (“They let Corey Seager go. They didn’t sign Manny Machado...”)
• Japanese stars are “ready for the moment” due to hype in their home leagues.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Darnold:
  “He’s just too damn talented to not make it in this league.” – Colin Cowherd (05:28)

• On the Chiefs-Bills Rivalry:
  “The Chiefs are always, always different second time around.” – Matt Hasselbeck (12:34)

• On the Steelers:
  “This team is Aaron Rodgers. It’s not Tomlin, it’s not the defense, it’s Aaron.” – Colin Cowherd (06:16)

• On Adding Talent at the Trade Deadline:
  “If we ever bring somebody in, it’s because we are trying to hoist a Lombardi. As a player... it just felt like, hey, this organization is all the way in.” – Matt Hasselbeck (24:34)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• "Where Colin Was Right/Wrong” starts: 04:54
• Darnold/Luck Comp & Jets Problems: 04:57–05:36
• Chiefs’ Issues vs. Buffalo: 05:38–06:03
• Aaron Rodgers’ Impact in Pittsburgh: 06:05–06:46
• Green Bay’s Identity Crisis: 06:48–07:28, 19:42–21:32
• Bills-Chiefs, Team Adjustments w/ Hasselbeck: 11:25–12:34
• Caleb Williams & Bears Discussion: 12:34–14:42
• Coordinator vs. Head Coach Traits: 14:42–16:02
• Seahawks’ Playoff Potential: 16:02–17:33
• J.J. McCarthy’s Development: 17:33–19:42
• Aaron Rodgers Joy in Pittsburgh: 21:32–23:38
• Deadline Moves, Locker Room Chemistry: 23:38–25:24
• Steelers-Whether Success is Sustainable: 32:28–36:39
• 49ers’ Identity and Injuries: 37:00–39:09
• Kyler Murray, Cardinals Dysfunction: 39:11–43:01
• Dodgers Culture/Roster Building: 48:06–54:24

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Tone and Style

Throughout, the tone is conversational, insightful, and sprinkled with Cowherd’s trademark analogies ("drinking wine and squashing grapes," "energy vampires"). Hasselbeck matches this style, integrating anecdotes from his playing days, emphasizing leadership, nuance in coaching, and careful optimism for young QBs and building teams.

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Summary for the Non-Listener

Colin Cowherd’s second hour is an engaging breakdown of the week’s NFL storylines, blending accountability with sharp analysis and bringing in Matt Hasselbeck for expert commentary. The focus is on quarterback play (Darnold, Rodgers, Williams, McCarthy), what makes teams and coaches special (leadership, adaptability, identity), and the real impact of off-field and mid-season moves. There’s a skepticism toward flash-in-the-pan narratives, a premium on long-term organization-building, and a recognition of how culture and chemistry—the “it” factor—matter at every level, from the locker room to the front office.

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End of summary.

Transcript

[Matt Hasselbeck]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch us live every.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail].

[Colin Cowherd]

Or stream us live every day on.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

The iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now let's get this party started.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, here we go. Our number two, J coming in handy today. It's a winner. It's coming. Here we go. So are the sniffles. Deal with it. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Matt Hasselbeck's got all sorts of great stuff and J. Mack an amazing World Series fun. Early window yesterday.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, late window was decent. You know, Bill's got the win. I'm wearing some Buffalo Bills colors today just for you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cowboys.

[J. Mack]

Tonight they're, you know, they're favored now by three and a half with Kyler playing a role. Is that a soft benching, by the way?

[Colin Cowherd]

What is that kind of isn't it?

[J. Mack]

Is he healthy?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think he is.

[J. Mack]

I thought he was a franchise quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, here we go on a Monday. Colin right? Colin wrong.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Plenty of both where Colin was right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I said, when Sam Darnold gets drafted, I said he's not Andrew Luck, but he's like 80, 85% of Andrew Luck tough, athletic, big arm. PFF has him number one, third in the passer rating. Nobody can work with the Jets. That's Siberia. Aaron Rodgers looked 100 years old with the Jets. Look at him now. The bottom line is Sam Darnold needed a better fit. He's just too damn talented to not make it in this league. And he was 16 for 16 in the first half. I said he's not Andrew Locke, but his comp is somewhere close to Andrew Luck and it looks like it.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Where Colin was wrong.

[Colin Cowherd]

I thought Kansas City was the best team in the league, but it's weird. When these two teams play, I feel like what happened in the game before the game, they're playing 10 times. They've met. They're 5 and 5, gave up 400 yards, could not protect Mahomes. It felt like from the, from the first series on, Buffalo had better energy, better focus and a better game plan.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

That Colin was right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, I've been saying this. Stop telling me about the Steelers defense. Who cares? It's Aaron Rodgers. They can't run the ball. The offensive line pass protections rated very mid. Everybody wants to tell me about this defense. This team's going as far as Aaron Rodgers is going to take him. Nine different guys caught the ball, tied for third and touchdown passes. I'm telling you, he has not played this well, in my opinion, since his MVP season. He is moving way, way better than he did in New York. This team is Aaron Rodgers. It's not Tomlin, it's not the defense, it's Aaron. And right now he's playing like a top 10 quarterback.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Where Colin was wrong.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love Matt LaFleur, but. But this team in Green Bay has no identity and that's on the coach. They're fifth in rushing attempts, but 24th in yards per carry. They want to run. They're not good at it. And now Tucker Kraft's gone for the year. I always worry about teams and when they don't have an identity, they've just got a bunch of good players. I mean, they've lost to Cleveland, Carolina and Ty Dallas. This isn't a lack of talent, it's a lack of knowing what they are. And that's hard to create, sometimes harder to maintain. But I do feel like the compass is off and Green Bay's offense is.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

A little lost right now where Colin was. Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I said this before game 6 and 7. Yoshi is worth every penny because the Dodgers starters, there was a lot of injuries. So he, he, he started 35 games this year. Yeah, I Think the Dodgers starter, their ace is worth $325 million. He's an unbelievable talent. Four and O in the World Series and everybody gets worked up with all the money the Dodgers have. But they're starting pitching this year. I mean it. They, they, they had injuries everywhere. Glass now Snell. So the difference between 35 million, you go 4, 0 in a world Series and win back to back. He has mostly paid for himself.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Where Colin was right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Howie Roseman GM and the Eagles does it again. He just landed Jalen Phillips from Miami. Good edge rusher for a third round pick. Now he's a pending free agent. If he leaves, they'll get a compensatory third round pick. So I've said for years, aggressive wins in sports. And everybody's talking about the Philadelphia offense. They're 23rd in sacks. This is what separates Philadelphia from a lot of the Cincinnati's of the world. They are willing, they are on call 365 days a year to make a deal. And this is a deal the day before the deadline. And it solves an issue that nobody's talking about. You better get to Stafford if you want to beat him. You better get to golf if you want to beat him. Philly. Howie Roseman goes out and makes a.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Deal where Colin was wrong.

[Colin Cowherd]

I like the commander's direction. I had him winning last night. I had him as a playoff team. I keep waiting for the juice and they don't have it. One of the things that worried me, they're the oldest roster in the league, the opposite of Seattle or Green Bay. Old rosters get beat up. They're just not very good and they're not deep. I think they're much more in a rebuild than they wanted to admit coming into the season. And I liked them based on the hype, some confirmation bias. They're not a very good team.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

Where Collin was right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I've always loved the Miami Hurricanes, but they're not a. They're not a national brand. And Mario Cristobal, I said earlier this year, I didn't know. I didn't trust Carson Beck. I didn't know if I trusted him. Mario Cristobal is 4:11 in November and later in Miami. And they lost again this weekend, this time to smu. Listen, they have a small fan base, no home field advantage. If you're going to win national championships, those late season games, playing at home matters. I love watching them play. But Cristobal at Oregon, his teams were wildly inconsistent, often struggled as favorites or near favorites on the road.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

And this Was a clunker where Collin was right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Finally, the Philadelphia 76ers are 51 and not building around Joel Embiid. I think I've been on this for three years. You can't build a franchise around an often injured big. Instead, Tyrese Maxey, who J. Mack would confirm. I said it three years ago. This guy's gonna be a one. He's averaging 34 a game. VJ Edgecomb on fire. They are led by their backcourt. And by the way, the warriors had a pretty good dynasty led by theirs. I never bought into Embiid. He didn't deliver in the playoffs. He was often injured. He struggled even fitting in with the Olympic team. I preached it for years. He can be a great player. He can't be the centerpiece of a championship team. Where Colin was right. Where Colin was wrong on a Monday. And with that, Matt Hasselbeck's got a lot to chew on. He's bringing us up to date his thoughts. You know, I said this about the Bills and The Chiefs played 10 times. It's five. Five. We all know the history, but that was a classic example of. They go back and forth. What was the last game? What's this game? I just thought, scheme, juice, energy. It just felt like Buffalo's night. Did it not?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Yeah, it did. And for whatever reason, this matchup, you know, Buffalo seems to win all the games in the regular season. And the second time around in the playoffs, the Chiefs seem to win. It reminds me a little bit of what we did when I was in Seattle or when I was with the Indianapolis Colts. So I think we did a great job of this, and I think the Chiefs do a good job with this. You kind of have a post. A post game action, action plan. And so a lot of times, like after a game, you just say, hey, let's just flush that move on. We're on to Cincinnati. Quote, unquote, right? And what we did is like, we would actually spend some time on Monday mornings and we'd say, okay, let's talk about what we would have done differently last night. And you list it all out. The good, the bad, the ugly, all the stuff, the stuff that gets you be everything. And then, you know, you play like six or seven weeks or eight weeks or nine weeks, and you come back to that action plan of like, hey, what did we say the morning after? Like, hey, this. We should have attacked number whatever, whatever. You know, we should have ran the ball more. Hey, we got too cute in the red zone. Hey, it's protection first. Like What? Don't let this guy be a game wrecker. And, you know, I think that those were two things that we did when I was playing, that we didn't do it on every team that I was at. And I wish we did. And it feels to me that Kansas City is always, always different second time around.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So I said this. Never complain in this league. Winning ugly on the road. And the Bears are okay. They would have lost that game a year ago. They've. They've blocked a kick by the Raiders. They got lucky in a Jaden Daniels fumble. I mean, they are winning ugly. I don't love. It's funny, their offense is ranked fourth. So they've got skill, they've got the coach. Caleb still sometimes with accuracy. Now, I will say this. He does not throw picks and he's cut his sacks in half. I don't know if that's him or Ben, but I said going into the year, I said, matt, don't get paralyzed by the record. They've got to cut the sacks in half. And Caleb's also never been a big interception guy wasn't in high school, wasn't at usc. He's not in the even. Last year he had six. They're getting better. But, but as I watch them, I'm like, I wish it was a little quicker. What do you see?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Well, I'm sold on Ben Johnson. Like, I think he's the real deal. Sometimes when you're a good play caller, a good coordinator, it doesn't mean you're going to be a good head coach. And you said, like, Caleb's cut his sacks in half. He' way better than that. I mean, Yesterday we sacked two times. One was on him 100%. The other one didn't hurt him. It was, you know, we have a field goal in the, in the bank. Like, just protect the ball. I think they're creative, they're fun, they're dangerous. Ben Johnson's doing everything that he did in Detroit, but at the same time, they're physical. You know, they bring in Ozzie Tropillo as an extra. You know, he's a jumbo tight end. He's an offensive lineman for the good hard play, action shot plays. And then it's like third and manageable the whole day. It's like third and five or less. So Caleb's getting the ball out on time and on rhythm. And so while we, we show the highlights of like the trick plays, I think the boring stuff where Caleb's really improved is just like you're saying, protecting the ball, not taking sacks, helping out the defense, complimentary football. And then just, like, how stoic Ben Johnson is the whole time is really remarkable. And then on that Loveland touchdown at the end of the game, when Cincinnati was allergic to tackling, they're like, the first guy in the end zone is Ben Johnson celebrating like he's John Travolta or something on the dance floor. It's really cool. And you see him in the locker room that way. I think. I think the future is bright for Chicago.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, it's interesting. So many of these coordinators are brilliant as the vice president. They're. They're brilliant as the two, and then they unravel as the one. I wonder what it is. It's. You know, you were in this league. It's not brain power, but some guys are just naturally comfortable in front of men and leading, by the way. A lot of guys are not comfortable relinquishing responsibility. I remember talking to Lane Kiffin about this years ago. Some guys want to be on the headset. Is there a secret sauce that, if you had to go back in your career on coordinators that make great head coaches, is it a personality thing or a leadership thing?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Well, it's a lot of things, right? And I think Ben Johnson didn't jump into it too early. He could have been a head coach a long time ago. And he said, no, I'm not ready. I want to stick it out here in Detroit, we're working on something special, and some of it is building your staff, building the people around you. But no doubt there's an it factor. In my career, I had coaches where early on they might have been a GA quality control coach, an assistant position coach. They get up in front of the room and, like, man, they just commanded the room. Like, there's something special about this guy, a confidence, and like, yeah, no, you're that guy. As opposed to the guy that's like, you know, the. The. The little professor guy in the back room that, like, hey, I appreciate your scheme, but I don't know if you're commanding the locker room.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, no, that. We had Ben Johnson on the show very early, and he had a McVeigh quality. It's just a guy that stood up, looked you in the eye, handsome guy, had a command of the room. And to your point. So I was saying, this is Seattle. It doesn't happen very often. Standalone game, and the home team gets pushed around for three hours. I look around the nfc, I think Seattle matches up with everybody, including Philadelphia. I mean, is There a part of Seattle they could improve. Is there a hole in this team that you see?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Well, for sure. I mean, every team has things they need to work on. You know, I think the Seahawks are so good in so many areas. The areas the NFC is very competitive though, I think one of the best things they do is that they are, they don't flinch on the road. Like they're almost better on the road than they are at home, which is a total head scratcher. But listen, jsn, Sam Darnold, those are two of the best players in the game right now. They're protecting Sam Darnold because of like their heavy play action. They're appearing like they're going to run the ball. I think their kryptonite might be. You have to actually be able to run the ball when they know that you're going to run the ball. Everything that they're doing right now is check with me. It's very, very smart. Too many in the box. We're going to throw it light box. We're going to run it. The best teams you're able to run it when the defense knows you're going to run it. And I think that, you know, it's a critique, I guess. But if you're talking about trying to be the one seed or trying to go up and win the, you know, hoist the Lombardi, that's the kind of stuff you got to be able to do.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I love Bo Nix. He's on a six game heater. He's great in the fourth quarter and everybody tells me he's no good. J.J. mcCarthy has his third start. I'm supposed to say, well, he's unbelievable. I said earlier it reminded me of the Michigan JJ McCarthy. The defense set the tone. I love the head coach and they asked him to make one or two huge throws in the second half and he was very good on script like Michigan. But if you go second, third and fourth quarter, he had a passer rating of 38. So I'm not going to judge him. It's his third start. But my take is my, my concern was when he came out of Michigan is, boy, they don't ask him to do much. Harbaugh is great. The O line's great, the defense is great. They're running to close the games out. He never trails and he makes one big play. I feel like that's kind of what I saw yesterday. Or am I under. Is am I being underwhelmed? Did you see more?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

No. He's a young player and it was a gritty performance. He kind of reminds me of myself, though, early in my career, the training wheels were on. I think he completed 14 passes. He had two nice touchdown passes in one bad interception. But it's a little bit like, hey, we're just going to take it slow with you. I think he passed for eight first downs yesterday. They're going to need more from him, but he's a young player coming off of injury, and I think just getting used to the speed of the game. They like the potential, unfortunately, for him. And for the Vikings, they could have had Sam Darnold, they could have had Daniel Jones, they could have had Aaron Rodgers. And so the microscope and the scrutiny is going to be high. The guys in your draft class are doing really, really well. So you're going to have to grow up really quick. I think that stacking these gritty performances in these games will go a long way for earning respect in the locker room. And then I think with the coaching staff, they're going to give you a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more, and eventually you're going to have to put the team on your back in a Justin Herbert kind of way. And that'll come, but. Right. No, it's, you know, all the same stuff we're talking about with Caleb. You know, like, you got to kind of. You got to grow and you got to not take sacks and you got to protect the football and. And. And those types of things.

[Colin Cowherd]

So creating an identity is hard, but it's essential, and sometimes it's harder to maintain it. I feel like Green Bay is off. The compass is off. They want to run it, but they're not terribly effective. They trust Jordan. Love mostly, but not entirely. Reed's been banged up. Now Kraft is out. When I watch them, like I watch the Rams, I know exactly what they're trying to do. When I watch the Niners with Christian McCaffrey, I don't even care about the quarterback. I know exactly what they are. Same with Baltimore. I watch the Packers. What are they offensively? Because I can't figure it out.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

They're really good. They're just young, Colin. They're young. It was a trap game, like, the definition of a trap game, like, and it happened. They were literally. Last week, we were talking about they're the best team in the nfc. You know, they took it to Aaron Rodgers. They performed. Jordan loves as cool as a cucumber. Like, all the stuff, and they go into Carolina and they played like a young team and listen you're going to make mistakes in the NFL. These guys are human. This isn't college football. Every game's a tough game. That's why you celebrate any win that you have. But when guys go down, you know, they lost craft in the game, sometimes it can like be like a little bit of an energy vampire suck on the, on the sideline there because like, man, we're thinking about our brother. We're not focused on the game. You're going to make mistakes in the course of a career and the course of a season, make new mistakes. If you're the Green Bay packers, you need to learn from this mistake. When you're in a situation like this again, you can't make this mistake again. I think they took this team lightly. I think Carolina came in and they were professional about it. Green Bay will learn from this and you know, for them, you know, hopefully they're a lot better for it because really the one seed was there for them. Nevermind. Now, now the division is very, very tight, so, you know, look out. I still like this team, though. I'm not giving up on them. They just got to learn from it finally.

[Colin Cowherd]

You were at one point an old quarterback. It is remarkable to watch Darnold and Aaron Rodgers outside of the Jets. I said, they don't run the ball in Pittsburgh. The defense was good yesterday, but it's got holes all over it. I just, I watch Aaron and I'm like, I thought it was a one. I said, you should go to the Vikings or retire. Pittsburgh's terrible in offense. Whether he's great or not, I do feel like there is something to be said about loving your job, loving the environment and playing a little bit with joy. I feel like Aaron's like happy Aaron and there's kind of two Aarons, but when I watch him, I'm like, I didn't think he had much left in the tank and I'm like, oh, he should play again. It should be a two off, win a playoff game. Are you surprised a little bit that you look there's a little fountain of youth in Pittsburgh?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

Well, I think a little bit surprised, but I'm not surprised that it's working so well with Mike Tomlin and with Arthur Smith. I'm really not in the leadership in the, you know, like the, I mean, he can still sling it, he can still throw the ball. He's very impressive that way. Their division's not very good. Like, I think we thought Cincinnati was going to be better. I think we thought Baltimore is going to be better. But as it sits right now, I mean, Pittsburgh's in position to host a playoff game and their defense came alive, creating turnovers. I just think that there's, there's still of room for improvement for the Pittsburgh Steelers. You won by seven and the Colts had like six turnovers. So, like, you got to find ways to be more dominant. I, I'd like to see them run the ball more. I'd like to see them run the ball more when they're down in the tight red zone. Not rely on, you know, the Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf show, goal line fades or slants. Like there's, there's more to like there. We need consistency from that, from that defense. You know, I think they could get it. I actually like the fit. I like that Aaron Rodgers, a future hall of Famer, is kind of with a NFL royalty type organization. I think it's great for football. But I think my big question is, like, can Baltimore jump back into this mix if Pittsburgh falters? Like, can somebody else compete with them or are they just going to run away with, with this division?

[Colin Cowherd]

I want to circle back. Final question. I think sometimes when you win a game, it becomes instructive. Like if I was Pittsburgh, I consider trade deadline running back. I think Buffalo needs another whiteout. I do wonder, when you're a very good team, you're running the football, you've got a very close locker room with Josh Allen, and all of a sudden we bring in a wide receiver. Would you be concerned? Because receivers come, you know, of all the positions, they, you know, they're on an island. You get very unique personalities. I think Buffalo needs another. I mean, that game was 28, 21 in Kansas City had the ball and Mahomes was awful. And Buffalo dominates time possession. They're at home, perfect in the red zone. Won the turnover battle. Kansas City was going in for the tie. I think they need to add a little icing to the cake. Would you do it with the worry that it could disrupt harmony or chemistry?

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I would do it. And here's why. You know, when, when I entered the NFL, I was with the Green Bay Packers, Mike Holmgren's head coach. They're coming off of two consecutive Super Bowls, and he was very, very clear. This organization will always search the planet for anyone that we think can make our, our team better. So, like, don't look at who you're competing with in the locker room, because we're searching the planet. And if we ever bring somebody in, it's because we are trying to hoist a Lombardi. And as a player, even though I was one of the guys that, like, was now replaceable, I loved it. It just felt like, hey, this organization is all the way in, all the way in. And therefore I'm going to be all the way in. And I better be all the way in or I'm going to get replaced myself. I like when it, as a player, I don't mind the mindset at all. I really don't. And you know, like, it might hurt somebody's feelings, but for the, for the entire locker room, I think it's a great thing, sends a message and I think it's a really good message.

[Colin Cowherd]

Matt Hasselbeck, 18 years in the NFL. He is our Monday guest every Monday during the football season and beyond. As always, Matt, thank you.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

See you calling.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, it's, I just, it's one of those things where I'm sitting there watching that game last night and I'm like, kansas City's going for the tie. How they got, I mean, Mahomes got hit 15 times. How are they going for the tie?

[J. Mack]

I'm surprised you haven't played that well. They didn't have Isaiah Pacheco. You know, it's always like, hey, no Xavier Worthy, no Rasheed. Right. They were fully formed last night. They just didn't look great. When they're not playing the Dumpster Fire Raiders or Marcus Mariota and the Commanders who look like a joke now, remember, they've now lost on the road to the Bills and the Jacks. And three weeks ago, you didn't have the Bills in the herd hierarchy, did you? It's a slight, very interesting how things are shifting the sands. I'm in the herd hierarchy tomorrow. Everybody's waiting. How far do you drop the Chiefs? Are they eight, nine? What are we doing?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, let's not over.

[J. Mack]

We know Rams are going to be one. That's obvious.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Rams are good. Do that. It's like four weeks in a row.

[J. Mack]

Rams are Broncos, basically. You have to do admit you love it, that all your guys are thriving. Chargers, Darnold, all of them are. They're having career years. It's crazy.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, we take a break. We are live the Herd in Los Angeles.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from the Odd Couple on Fox Sports Rad.

[Rob Parker]

And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio.

[Colin Cowherd]

We are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.

[J. Mack]

That's right, you can now watch the.

[Colin Cowherd]

Odd Couple Live on YouTube every day.

[Rob Parker]

All you gotta do search Odd Couple.

[Colin Cowherd]

FSR on YouTube again YouTube just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out on YouTube and subscribe.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Cool.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

It does feel like the Kansas City Chiefs a little wobbly today. Denver's now 7 and 2 and they get two home games and a buy. They are on fire in the fourth. Let's be real though.

[J. Mack]

Denver got lucky that CJ Stroud got knocked the hell out. I mean that we didn't even get into it. I thought that was a dirty hit. But but Stroud's probably going to be out for a minute. He he looked he Was down for the count. And then of course, Davis Mills. Come on. He's not beating the Broncos, but yeah. Afc, keep an eye on Lamar Jackson.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's just starting to round into form and they're healthy.

[J. Mack]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Bless you, jmac with the news. No, no, no, turn on the news.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

This is the Herd line news.

[J. Mack]

You know what? It's time to talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, it is.

[J. Mack]

They got a nice win over the Colts yesterday. 27:20 against the mighty Colts. There was some Mike Tomlin voodoo in play. Obviously. You had the punt muff early by the. By the Colts. And then you had Daniel Jones vomiting all over himself. Mike Tomlin was asked about the Pittsburgh defense turning things around. And this is what the man does this.

[Mike Tomlin]

The fine line between drinking wine and squashing grapes in this business. It's nothing dramatic. A couple plays here and there. It might have been different last week. We don't give up the 59 yard ball, the 33 yard ball. We don't let them convert on fourth and one in the flat, for example, in the third quarter. That's football at this level. It's a limited number of plays or sequences that can really change the trajectory of an outcome. We're still the same group that stunk it up last week.

[J. Mack]

Love that guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, he's right. Really. The key has been in their two big wins. Colts in New England, they got 11 takeaways. So that's just. That's like. I mean, again, you get credit for it, but Drake May is not turning it over that many times. When they play again, I think this team comes down to really Aaron Rodgers keeping him upright. They're not running the ball particularly well.

[J. Mack]

I'll give some props to the Steelers before I puncture your Aaron Rodgers narrative, because I know you're sick. I don't want to hammer you too quickly. So the Steelers defense did have five sacks. I saw they have 18 quarterback pressures. They got after Daniel Jones. He looked like New York Giants Daniel Jones, right. We would agree. Just lack of awareness in the pocket. He was terrible. But what I saw from the Colts when they don't have Jonathan Taylor getting loose, that's.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's the difference.

[J. Mack]

Daniel Jones throwing 50 times.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. No Daniel Jones. First of all, all, I'll let Josh Allen throw 50. But even Buffalo has been like, we don't want you. I think the magic number to me, the elite guys in the league, I'll let you throw at 35. Most guys in this league are better at 28.

[J. Mack]

20. Yeah, 25.

[Colin Cowherd]

And then some guys Jalen hurts maybe better at 23, but 50 times on the road with T.J. watt is. It's a losing wrestler.

[J. Mack]

So real quick on Aaron Rodgers. Okay. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense, Colin had a whopping 225 yards. They were outgained by about a buck 53.7 yards per play. And how's this stat? Aaron Rodgers attempted three passes more than 10 yards down the field. That's it. The whole game it was basically like, oh my gosh, I'm under pressure because Indy was blitzing all afternoon.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right.

[J. Mack]

I'm just dumping it. DK Metcalf was a non factor with two catches for six yards.

[Colin Cowherd]

Again, I'm not that. It doesn't bother me much. I don't think they're a deep ball team. I don't. I think they're like. I think Seattle, first of all Arroyo, the tight end, they got the rookie tight end. That dude runs like a receiver.

[J. Mack]

He's tough.

[Colin Cowherd]

JS is an absolute deep threat. How about this other rookie out of Colorado State? I mean I'm telling you, Seattle, that team. And, and by the way, Darnold was a great deep ball. And Darnold, unlike Aaron, is in his athletic prime and can get loose and expend extend the pocket. Seattle's a deep ball team. Tampa with Baker Mayfield. He throws a great ball. That is a deep ball team. Not everybody is. I don't think this team is built to throw the deep ball. I, I think they are a 12 yard and under. I think they, I think they need turnovers to win, which is probably going to limit them in the playoffs because the great quarterbacks don't turn it over.

[J. Mack]

It's not sustainable. It seems like they're built around the tight ends now a lot. Washington, who we love coming out out.

[Colin Cowherd]

Of was a blocking tight end out of Georgia.

[J. Mack]

He's like 6, 7, you know, 6, 7. Had to say it. Essentially they are a just like in a box. They play short everything. I just don't think it's sustainable. They were out in those two games over there. Patriots and, and Colts, they were out gained by over 100 yards.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, no, no. The Steelers, they'll go as far as Aaron's going to get them. They're not a multiple playoff win team. There's about four. I mean Philadelphia Rams could win multiple playoff games.

[J. Mack]

I don't know that they're Buffalo. Can I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Don't you.

[J. Mack]

You're sure they're going to.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I think Baltimore is going to win the division.

[J. Mack]

I agree.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think Baltimore style of play is sustainable.

[J. Mack]

So we have Patriots, Bills, Baltimore, Denver, Chargers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, yeah, those are all teams capable of winning more than one.

[J. Mack]

And then we've got the Colts.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

They're in.

[J. Mack]

They're winning their division. What about the Jags? I. I don't know.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think the Colts mean Daniel Jones win two playoff games.

[J. Mack]

I think you got to watch the Chargers. This Joe Alt injury, we'll see if. If it's surgery, they could be cooked. And, you know, I love the Chargers. All right, let's move on to the 49ers. We didn't talk a lot about this one. You had this.

[Colin Cowherd]

You nailed it.

[J. Mack]

Niners roll over the Giants. The weird thing is a lot of people were expecting Brock Purdy to play most of the week. They're like, oh, this will be the week he comes back. They went with Mac Jones. Following the win, Shanahan admitted Pie wasn't that close to a return. What the.

[Kyle Shanahan]

Nothing changes Mack in that way. And, you know, it's. You know, we're trying to ease Brock out there in the practice stuff, but, I mean, anytime you're dealing with this turf toe, it's something that probably won't fully go away all year. You know, regardless of when he comes back, he's going to always have to deal with it a little bit, especially the people you talk to have gone through turf toe. So it's really about just assessing when's the best time to come back that you have to deal with it the least. And it's a little bit of a tricky decision.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think this team is led by the quarterback. I think they're old school. I think they're led by Christian McCaffrey. He had half their yards yesterday. Problem is, you see how many touches he had yesterday.

[J. Mack]

33 touches in a blowout. What are we doing?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't have anything else.

[J. Mack]

I love him in fantasy. He's on my team. He's really good. No, I mean, Brian Robinson flashed a little bit. He had a couple nice runs. 53 yards on five carries.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't even think. I don't care who starts at quarterback. I think Mack and Purdy are awash. I think Mack throws a better ball. Purdy's more mobile. I think this team is all about McCaffrey. If you go look at, he had the most catches, he had the most rushing, he had the most.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

He's.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a McCaffrey led offense.

[J. Mack]

So the question is, why are the 49ers not giving us the real story? On Brock Purdy, Ricky Piersol.

[Colin Cowherd]

What.

[J. Mack]

What is his knee injury. He's been out for six weeks. Brandon Aiyuk. It's been over a year, Colin. At some point the league's got to step in and be like, guys, just be truthful. Are they coming back or not? Because I can't make them a Super bowl team with this unit. By the way, Mikhail Williams, the guy that got out of Georgia, the edge rusher injury sounds like he's done so their top three edge rushers are now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, no, it's. It's before the season. I took the Rams and the Seahawks to make the playoffs, not them. And I said old and brittle. Seahawks and Rams are young Niners age, isn't it? They've got to have another big draft this year because they've got too many older players.

[J. Mack]

They rely they host the Rams this week in a rematch. You Rams are favored. I think I saw two and a half or three and a half in San Francisco.

[Colin Cowherd]

Rams right now are the better team.

[J. Mack]

Shanahan does own McVeigh. I know McVeigh started to claw back last year, but that's one of the games of the week for sure. Final story Colin, let's go to Monday Night Football. There's a lot happening right now. So I wanted to make this about Kyler Murray and could they trade him in the off season. He seems to be healthy, but it's Jacoby Brissette starting and all the reporters say, yeah, Kyler Murray will have a role. Your franchise quarterback will have a role. Here's the kicker. About an hour ago, this big story drops. Marvin Harrison Sr. The father of the young receiver on the Cardinals, spoke about the state of the Cardinals. It's very hard for me to watch this offense. I think that's just peacefully put without pointing fingers or anything. I'm giving you the professional eye. I can't deal with it. He basically throws the OC and the Cardinals under the bus for not getting his son the ball. The the Kyler Murray out of shotgun every snap. I mean, it is a bad story to drop on game day.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's been a bad year for smaller quarterbacks. Tua. Kyler Murray, Brock Purdy.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Brock Purdy.

[Colin Cowherd]

For the smaller quarterbacks, it's been a rough year.

[J. Mack]

So give me a minute here on Kyler Murray and let's say the Cardinals say we're open for business, we're taking in offers. Is there a market?

[Colin Cowherd]

I would, you know, dome or warm weather? He's talented. Again, I don't think. I think the Big money is done. The big opportunities are over. I don't think the top teams, but there's always six desperate teams. And the college quarterbacks I've watched are all pretty mid, so.

[J. Mack]

Okay, so would you rather take a shot on the Indiana quarterback?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Right.

[J. Mack]

Mendoza, who by the way is like a genius, went to Cal and like.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I think Mendoza's people think Mendoza is the guy.

[J. Mack]

He could be. He doesn't have the wheels of multiple.

[Colin Cowherd]

Multiple NFL GMs were have been visiting Mendoza.

[J. Mack]

You got to read this Wall Street Journal story on him. He's doing like internships at big time hedge funds and financial services. He's smart. Would you rather roll with him on a rookie deal or Kyler Murray and his baggage?

[Colin Cowherd]

Mendoza.

[J. Mack]

Okay. And you apply that to Ty Simpson from Alabama. I know you don't love him. I'm just saying we could reach a point where they have to go Russell Wilson and just dump the. I. I don't know. That could be in play. Colin, who's bending over backwards for Kyler Murray?

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

Let's see.

[J. Mack]

Is Miami gonna dump TUA to get in bed with him?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

I don't.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Cleveland's drafting a quarterback, the Raiders are drafting a quarterback, the jets are drafting a quarterback, and All Saints are drafting a quarterback. So there's four teams.

[J. Mack]

The Raiders is the one. That's interesting. Could they somehow luck their way into six wins, have the 10th pick and Pete Carroll says, I want to win now. Give me Kyler Murray in the dome. But then he's got to go outdoors to Denver and Kansas City.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, your resume in life matters and his resume is not great. There is the. He doesn't study. I mean, there's a lot of stories in this league that you and I may hear about. I know I do all the time. I texted six, seven GMs yesterday. There's a lot of stories in the league about players that doesn't make it public. You don't want to take a shot in a player. I would say Kyler Murray's reputation that doesn't make the airwaves is not good.

[J. Mack]

Let me just throw it among.

[Colin Cowherd]

Among executives in this league that don't want to go public. They're not going to tarnish anything. Not fans.

[J. Mack]

Don't go crazy. I'm just floating it. So Stafford, the last couple off seasons has been like, maybe I retire. I know it's in the division. Would they kick the tires on Kyler Murray if Stafford walks away after a Super Bowl?

[Colin Cowherd]

Go look at who the Rams drafted.

[J. Mack]

They like big quarterbacks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, they let Jalen Ramsey go if they think there's any me instead of we they move off you. It's very much about the room. It is very much about culture with the Rams. They don't have a bad guy in that locker room. It's like the and they do not talk not I'm not saying Jalen Ramsey a bad guy. Jalen sometimes was taking risks they didn't like.

[J. Mack]

Yeah. So by the way, Dolphins are trying to trade Jalen Ramsey right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

You go go read about online one of the Steelers.

[J. Mack]

I'm sorry Steelers. Steelers have Jackson. Are they well, Minka Fitzpatrick's on the Dolphins. They're looking to move off in.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Sorry.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, I got the two confused.

[Pharmaceutical Ad Voice]

All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

J Mac on the news well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by.

[Fox Sports Radio Announcer]

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

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is one of the best times.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Doesn't get simpler, doesn't get better.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Try it for yourself.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Colin Cowherd]

So if you haven't tried it yet.

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[J. Mack]

Start your Saturday strong with the unstoppable second ranked Hoosiers. All eyes are on Fernando Mendoza as he leads Indiana and continues his Heisman campaign against Penn State. It all starts with a big noon kickoff at 10am Eastern then and it's Indiana, Penn State big noon Saturday only on Fox.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know it's funny about this. Every single major league baseball owner as far as I can tell is a billionaire. The Steinbrenners are billionaires. Steve Cohen's a billionaire. They're all billionaires. So. And the Dodgers owners are billionaires. But the reason the Dodgers can spend more money is because they lead major league of baseball attendance by I think it's like 6 to 7,000 per game. And the reason they lead major league baseball in attendance is because they're so well run. Yeah, they've got money. LA is not as big as New York. Chicago's almost as big. They spend their money wisely. They defer payments. Everybody could defer payments. The Dodgers chose to defer payments. My favorite part of this team though is Miguel Rojas old guy, never been an all star. Will Smith most innings caught in a world Series. Andy Pa has the outfielder, I mean who makes it, you know, mid inning replacement. And Clayton Kershaw touched on just the unity beyond the money inside this organization.

[Rob Parker]

I love that guy, man. He's, he's just a gamer. He's got all the talent in the world. But I mean for him to step up and do this tonight for us, like I mean all these guys, Shohei on short rest, Blake Snell coming in. Yama relievers just, I mean it was this whole group man is just, I'm just so grateful and honored to be a part of this team. Like you can talk about how much money the Dodgers spend all you want, but that group of guys is a lot more than how much money they make. It's a special group, man. It really is. And Shohei, Freddie, Mookie, Will Smith, Will Smith with the whole like Miggy Rojas. I mean like you can just go down the list. So I'm just, I'm just grateful man, and honored and what a way to.

[Colin Cowherd]

End it, you know, I mean there are, go look at the rich Minnesota Twins used to have one of the richest owners. Okay, they're all billionaires. The Pirates owners, you know, they're not, they don't want to spend that money. Now, do the Dodgers have massive game day revenue? Of course they do, yes. I mean that's, of course the Dodgers do. But I think lost in all of this is this constant need to say, well, it's about the money. Well, the Yankees always had money, but there was a tour de force in George Steinbrenner that would make he added pressure to the organization. You go back to those Yankee teams, they were winning the hot stove league, they had great players, but they had Scott Brocius from McMinnville, Oregon making plays. And that's really the essence of this. I thought one of the things that was fascinating is when Roki is one of their great young pitchers. 23 year old star from Japan and they asked him this year, hey, can you help us out in the bullpen? And without pausing he's like, absolutely. Some of those teams you ask guys to hit to the bullpen, they don't, they think it's a second class citizen. They're not going to the bullpen. So what's remarkable about the Dodgers is that everybody buys in despite all the salaries and you know, these Japanese stars, you know, over in Japan, it's a rock concert. So it's like SEC football. They come in, they are ready for the moment. They are superstars in Japan and Japanese baseball's, you know, I've read for years it's a high aaa, it's, it's better than our aaa. But the attendance and the fandom is like Major league Baseball. It's like SEC football is not the NFL or Big ten football. But there's, there's vibes, there's stadiums, there's athletes that will play in the NFL. And I just think overall the part about the Dodgers, I mean some of these levers that Dave Rogers pulled, mid inning replacements, Miguel Rojas, I mean just remarkable stuff. A center fielder making a catch in left field. I mean Rojas here, this, this series, it was so close to being the Blue Jays and people say it's the best World Series ever. When I was a kid, there was a World series in the mid-70s. That was the Red Sox. It's the legendary Carlton Fisk home run at Fenway off Pat d' Arcy and those Cincinnati Reds teams that had Bench and Perez and Rose and Dave Concepcion, that was the, it was a mid-70s World Series and that's when baseball was bigger than the NFL. So that one feels that Sparky Anderson was the manager for the Reds. He was a star. You'd have managers chain smoking I mean, it was just a different world. That felt like the biggest world Series of my life. But I'll say, a lot of times, networks, networks don't care who win these World Series. Networks want game seven. I'm not going to speak for management here. We generally love game sevens. It doesn't matter what it's in. But I thought the Canadian fans were amazing. I thought the Blue Jays out hit the Dodgers. I mean, some of their guys, it was like beer league averages. But I think the Dodgers had the world's greatest pitcher. And pitching always beats hitting. And the Dodgers had Yoshi. But as a collective, these Dodger teams do remind me of a less intense version of the Yankees. We don't have a Steinbrenner out here. Nobody, you know, talks. You don't, you don't see the Dodgers owner. It's very research and development. Andrew Friedman. It's a very smart franchise. They don't make a lot of mistakes. By the way, they let trade Turner go. They let Corey Seeger go. They didn't sign Manny Machado. They've let a lot of guys go. This idea, they buy every Trey Turner, great player. Didn't he win the National League batting crown? Trey Turner let him go. Corey Seeger, great. Let him go. Manny Machado, Sia, Zach Greenke. They don't sign every big guy. They got Max Muncie who got cut by the A's. So they do Miguel Rojas. It's not like multiple bidders on that, you know, So I mean they, they did do a lot well. And yes, they're well capitalized.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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Terms apply.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

The folks at Green River Whiskey want.

[Colin Cowherd]

To celebrate it with all of you.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

And when the games get intense, you may need something to help you relax. Good thing it's also National Bourbon Month.

[Colin Cowherd]

If you can't be in person in.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Kentucky to celebrate, what better way to join them? By sampling Green River's range of classics, classic, urban and rye whiskeys, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, weeded, foolproof and Rye. Head over to greenriverwhisky.com greenriverwhiskey.com to learn more and try some for yourself. Please drink responsibly. Hi, it's Colin. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting. Made the right way. Tito's Made in Austin, Texas. Real attention to detail. I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda. One lime. Lot of ice. Refreshing, easy. Summer, winter, spring.

[Colin Cowherd]

Totally versatile.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Always works.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, baseball season's here.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

The perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should, too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas 40% alcohol by volume saver. Responsibly.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

This is an I Heart podcast.