What's Wright - NFL Playoff Reaction: Bills LOSE, McDermott FIRED, Allen to BLAME? Bears FALL SHORT + Miami-Indiana

Summary

Podcast Summary: "What's Wright - NFL Playoff Reaction: Bills LOSE, McDermott FIRED, Allen to BLAME? Bears FALL SHORT + Miami-Indiana"

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd ("What's Wright" w/ Nick Wright)
Episode: 417
Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Nick Wright
Co-host: Damanze
Summary Prepared by: AI Assistant

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Episode Overview

This episode offers Nick Wright’s sharp, often passionate reactions to the NFL Divisional Round, with a deep exploration of the Bills' disappointing exit and the firing of Sean McDermott, discussions of Josh Allen's role and media narratives, as well as breakdowns of the Bears-Rams and other playoff matchups. The show opens paying homage to Indiana Football’s historic national championship, diving into why this is one of college sports’ greatest ever turnarounds. Wright also touches on the NBA, including Jimmy Butler’s injury, before moving into NFL-focused discussions.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Indiana Wins The National Championship — An All-Time Turnaround

[06:08 – 12:15]

• Indiana's Unprecedented Transformation
  • Nick calls Kurt Signetti’s two-year rebuild at Indiana "unprecedented in major American sports."
  • Historic context—before Signetti, Indiana had only six top-25 seasons in 130 years and was among the worst college football programs.
  • Compares Signetti’s feat to Bill Snyder at Kansas State, but asserts what Indiana achieved is on another level.
  • Notable quote:

    "One of, if not the greatest program turnarounds in the history of college sports." — Nick Wright [06:44]

• Fernando Mendoza’s Meteoric Rise
  • From two-star local Miami recruit to consensus #1 NFL Draft pick and national champion.
  • His intangibles, leadership, and toughness praised; expected to be key for the Raiders in the NFL.
  • Decision-making in final minutes second-guessed (Signetti’s field goal, up 3), but Indiana held on.
  • Miami gets respect for coming within one possession and having NFL-caliber talent.

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2. NFL Divisional Round: Bills vs. Broncos, Allen and McDermott

[18:36 – 56:55]

The Game and Fallout

• Bills Lose to Broncos: McDermott Fired, Allen’s Four Turnovers
  • Allen, the defending MVP, commits four turnovers (“one of the most cartoonish fumbles in the history of the league” [18:58]), tipping the game to Denver.
  • Nick details the gut punch for Broncos fans from Bo Nix’s ankle injury during the win.
  • Credits Bo Nix’s performance as “best game of his career,” and acknowledges Sean Payton’s strong coaching.
• Media Coverage and Allen Accountability
  • Frustration with media giving Allen too much leeway; unwillingness to criticize even after playoff meltdowns.
  • Analogy with NBA stars—if we never criticized stars whose teams depend on them, we’d never critique anyone.

  • "He’s the only guy in the league that when they win, he’s an all-time legend, and when they lose—even when it’s because of his mistakes—it’s got to be someone else’s fault." — Nick Wright [33:26]

• Crying After the Loss: Locker Room Emotion
  • Allen, Dawkins, Cooks all very emotional (“crying after a round two exit”) [38:42].
  • Nick’s theory: This defeat stings most because the Bills saw their path to the Super Bowl clear with Kansas City (and other rivals) out of the bracket.

  • “They clearly viewed it as ‘the Chiefs aren’t there and this is our moment.’” — Nick Wright [39:48]

• Officiating Controversy: Brandon Cooks’ "Non-Catch"
  • Critiques media and fans for misrepresenting the play, using screenshots to argue about the catch rule.
  • Reads Joe Burrow’s rare tweet supporting the refs’ interpretation:

    “The amount of people that don’t understand what a catch is in the rule book flabbergasts me. And it’s not the officials… the two plays yesterday were not difficult calls and they got them both right.” — Nick quoting Joe Burrow [42:12]

• Broader Frustrations with Bills Discourse
  • Nick draws contrasts in how Allen gets treated vs. Mahomes (and legacies in general):

    “It used to be a straw man—folks said, ‘Well, nobody’s actually saying these guys are better than Mahomes.’ And now not only are they saying that, but that take has become too lukewarm—he’s the most talented player ever.” [53:43]

• Mahomes vs. Allen: Why Results Matter
  • Defends more generous treatment of Mahomes due to historic playoff success and accolades.

  • “If one guy, before he turned 29, was already the second or third most decorated winner in the history of the league, to give them the benefit of the doubt…” — Nick Wright [51:33]

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3. McDermott Firing & Bills’ Future

[56:55 – 58:32]

• Surprised that Brandon Beane was retained and promoted while McDermott was fired.
• Suggests bold move: Hire Bill Belichick for a three-year win-now window.

• “If you are in win-now, win-this-minute mode, hiring Joe Brady or Davis Webb… is such a hard ask. Bill, go break the record, win a Super Bowl, stick it to the Pats…” [57:33]

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4. Bears Fall Short vs. Rams — Caleb Williams Assessment

[58:32 – 65:40]

• Rookie QB Caleb Williams: Electrifying Yet Raw

  • A “resounding successful season” for Caleb despite heartbreaking OT loss to Rams.
  • Praises his poise, arm talent, and athleticism, but cites accuracy and footwork as areas for growth.

  • “He’s a 10 out of 10 on [talent, poise, athleticism]… that makes me incredibly bullish on him.” [58:49]

• Memorable Moment: Game-Tying Play

  • “Might have been the craziest play I’ve ever seen in football… a touchdown on 4th and 4 in the playoffs with 20 seconds left.” — Damanze [59:53, 60:13]

• Gameplay Decisions Analyzed

  • Debates whether Bears should have gone for 2, but credits coach's adjustment given short-yardage struggles.
  • The interception in OT is a “mistake”—possibly partly DJ Moore’s fault, but on Williams for not needing a kill shot.

• Rams Survive, Outlook for Conference Championship

  • Rams “my pick to win the Super Bowl” — haven’t played well, but survived.
  • Stafford trusted late, expects better play in the next round.

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5. Patriots Beat Texans: Stroud’s Struggles Continue

[65:40 – 70:13]

• New England Wins Despite QB Jitters
  • Patriots advance to AFC Championship; Drake Maye (rookie) hasn’t played great, but team wins behind defense.
  • Notable pass to Booty for a clinching touchdown.
• Texans’ CJ Stroud’s Dramatic Downturn
  • Suggests Texans should have benched Stroud at half—defense needed offensive spark.
  • Outlines Stroud’s regression since his rookie year; “could have thrown 7” INTs in the game.

  • “I don’t know what’s happened to C.J. Stroud.” [68:53]

• Texans’ D Kept Them In It
  • Defense “ferocious as advertised,” but Stroud’s “impossibly bad” pick-six turned the game.

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6. Seahawks Rout 49ers, Now Super Bowl Favorites

[70:20 – 73:17]

• Seattle’s Dominance
  • Seahawks are “favorite” with Vegas, but Nick sticks with his Rams pick for the NFC.
  • Trade for Rashid Shaheed highlighted as most impactful; special teams play turned tide.
• Niners’ Future
  • Not panicking about Brock Purdy’s poor performance (“I’m not going to hang him for that… the whole team was bad”), [72:40] but admits they’re entering transition.

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7. Cultural Commentary: QB Criticism, Race, and Media Narratives

[73:39 – 78:46]

• Why is Allen Untouchable in the Media?

  • Listener asks why Allen escapes media criticism relative to Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson.
  • Nick posits: coverage likely shaped by QB’s race, but thinks Lamar also receives more passes than people claim.

• “There is almost nothing… that my answer would be, ‘Oh, race plays no factor in it whatsoever.’” — Nick Wright [74:08]

  • Acknowledges deeply complex and sensitive layers to QB discourse.

• On Allen Becoming "LeBron 2012" Postseason

  • Listener asks if Josh Allen can have a major playoff breakthrough à la LeBron after 2012.
  • Nick: Allen’s credentials pale compared to LeBron at that stage—still thinks Allen will win a Super Bowl, but warns:

  • “Leave yourself some room for compliment growth once he wins the Super Bowl… if he’s the best quarterback alive and the most talented player ever before he’s been to a Super Bowl…” [80:04] “Say Jesus Christ is on the Bills… give him the Nobel Peace Prize when he finally wins.” [80:35]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Indiana Football’s Transformation:

  "What Kurt Signetti has done at Indiana in two years is unprecedented in major American sports." — Nick Wright [06:20]

• On Josh Allen’s Fumble:

  “Defending league MVP had four turnovers in a playoff game, including one of the most cartoonish fumbles in the history of the league. That happened.” — Nick Wright [18:58]

• On the Media’s Allen Coverage:

  "It is not a tenable sports opinionist position to continually call a player better than historic legends... then give him a full-on pass for a playoff meltdown." — Nick Wright [33:55]

• On the Emotional Impact of the Bills Loss:

  “They clearly viewed it as the Chiefs aren’t there and this is our moment.” — Nick Wright [39:48]

• On Officiating Backlash:

  "If you are someone who posts still images as evidence something was or wasn’t a catch, you are either far, far, far dumber than you think you are or you’re being disingenuous." — Nick Wright [43:05]

• On Rams/Bears Wild Play:

  "That might have been the craziest play I’ve ever seen in football." — Damanze [59:53]

• On Mahomes’ Playoff Track Record:

  “Sixteen playoff games… 42 touchdowns and three interceptions in the wild card round, divisional round, and conference championship… give me a break.” — Nick Wright [53:43]

• On Nick’s Own Bias:

  “I openly root for one team… If somebody came out was just like, ‘I’m from…’ and some of these guys, like Ariel Helwani… great. I cover the whole league. I root for the Chiefs.” — Nick Wright [51:11]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Time | |--------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Indiana’s Historic Championship | 06:08–12:15 | | Josh Allen/Bills-Broncos Breakdown | 18:36–56:55 | | McDermott Firing & Bills Future | 56:55–58:32 | | Bears-Rams: Caleb Williams Analysis | 58:32–65:40 | | Patriots-Texans: CJ Stroud’s Downturn | 65:40–70:13 | | Seahawks Roll 49ers, Conference Outlook | 70:20–73:17 | | Media, Race, and Quarterback Criticism | 73:39–78:46 | | LeBron/Allen Playoff Comp, Final Thoughts | 79:03–end |

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Summary Tone & Final Thoughts

The episode is classic Nick Wright: assertive, sharp-witted, and fiercely passionate, especially about media accountability. The tone is direct, occasionally exasperated—particularly over Allen discourse—but also reflective and fair, mixing criticism with empathy for players and fan bases. Several memorable one-liners and moments of humor underscore Nick’s personality, while the football analysis remains robust and grounded in both facts and personal conviction.

The show concludes with reminders to not heap Hall of Fame praise or “best ever” status on players before they’ve truly earned it—leaving “room for compliment growth” for when, not if, Allen finally gets over the playoff hump.

Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[B]

Welcome in what's Right with Nick Wright, episode 417. Oh, my goodness gracious. The light on my wonderful boost sign went out. Hold on a second, folks. There we go. My goodness. I just looked back. I gotta say. You know what? I usually point fingers. Not. Or point thumbs, not fingers. I'm pointing fingers at that one. That's a. That's a production area. You guys gotta look behind me. Gotta have my back there. Welcome in Demons. A. That's also on you. You can see behind me better than I can. How are you?

[A]

That's my bad. Good to see you, Pops. Pretty good. Can't complain.

[B]

New shirt.

[A]

Looking great shirt. Yep. Every time mom comes in town, when she leaves, I'll have a new shirt.

[B]

I picked your mom up from the airport last night, and we were not yet to the people movers on, you know, walking the little. The escalators that are flat on the ground. I think they're called people movers. We. We had gone 12ft from baggage claim before. She said, I don't know what I'm going to do. I miss that baby so much.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I. And then she just kept showing me videos.

[A]

No, they had a good time together.

[B]

Yeah, they had a great time. But she also showed me a video of her dancing and rapping along with the baby. And I said to her, I said to her, I was like, damani is not gonna like that. She was like, I know. She. I know. It's a weird. I was like, I knew it. I just knew it. 100%. I was like, he's not gonna like that. All right. But she's back. You're in la a lot to do. My favorite NFL weekend of the year just ended. And that is not the lead today because we did get a. Call it a semi classic national championship game last night. The game was an A minus. The storylines were an A triple plus. So we will get to all of that. Then we will get to the divisional round from the weekend, and we will get to what should not have been a difficult assignment for my colleagues in the media, but it is simply too much for them at times, I guess, to follow the logical consistency of. If I regularly call a certain player not only the best player in the league, but maybe the most talented player I've ever seen and speak in those hyperbolic terms. Four, turnover. Playoff games probably shouldn't happen, but that's it. It's a bridge too far for some. So we will get to all of that, but first, we have to get and by the way, this episode's always what's right in the cry is presented to you by our friends at Boost Mobile. We'll do straight to voicemail Brought to you by Boost Mobile Some awful news overnight for the warriors and for well, more so for Jimmy Butler than for the Warriors. I should start with the player rather than the but that's a torn ACL and for Jimmy Butler and at his age I that might be an abrupt end to Jimmy Butler. As a super impactful NBA player 35 years old, you now expect him to be out at least you know, to this point next year. I would call it probably the All Star break next year. That's brutal for a guy who I believe is a future hall of Famer and such a unique career. You hate to see him suffer that injury. And for the team, that's just a wrap for the warriors like now the the pipe dream of trading for Giannis doesn't even make sense and it they I don't know what they do with the deadline, but I know that for the warriors, who were a middling team as is, that's a wrap for them. Sadly, the All Star starters have been announced in both conferences. LeBron not one of them. That's fine. If somehow LeBron is not named to the All Star team, given the precedent of Wizards, Michael Jordan and final year Kobe Bryant, I will do an entire show on it. I'm telling you guys right now, heads up. It will be a basketball crime if LeBron James in year 23, particularly playing at the level that he is, but with the precedent of if you're a no doubt statue guy in the not just for a team but for the league, you're going to be invited to the All Star Game as Jordan was with the Wizards and as Kobe was in his final year. No matter what, if they decide for LeBron that no longer is the case, it'll be an outrage. But I don't think that's going to happen. And Eric B. Going back to the Kansas City Chiefs and some other head coach hirings. Bob Salah goes to the Titans, Kevin Stefanski goes to the Falcons. You wonder if Stefanski wishes he had known the Bills job was coming open before he took that Falcons job. And Jeff Halfley goes to the Dolphins. I'm going to go ahead and go on the record and say I don't think the Halfley thing is going to work. I think the Stefanski thing will be fine and I'm a little optimistic about Salah. If Cam Ward is the guy that some people hope he can be. I think Salah has shown he'll give you a great defense. We've never seen him be a head coach with a good quarterback, so we'll see. Reminder to everybody Like Rate Subscribe Review to the show. It greatly helps us out. National championship game last night. Damanze, let's get to it.

[A]

Yeah. Last night Indiana capped off their perfect season with a national championship. They pulled a game from Miami. How impressed were you with the Heisman, Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers?

[B]

Well, I'll get to Mendoza second the Hoosiers first. I, I am not going to spend as much time on this as maybe others because this is the rare sports topic where I just don't think there are even allowable differing opinions. It is quite simply, as a matter of fact, not as a matter of an opinion, as a as of opinion, one of, if not the greatest program turnarounds in the history of college sports. What Kurt Signetti has done at Indiana in two years is unprecedented in major American sports. And even after the year they had last season, this team was more than 100 to 1 to win this championship and to go through the gauntlet that they did, to go 16 and oh, to be as buttoned up and as well coached and as just damn near flawless at the fundamentals, it's unlike anything any of us have ever seen in our lives. The, the comp and this is I guess maybe some would say me showing my midwestern roots. But the comp would be Bill Snyder at Kansas State. Bill Snyder took over what was the worst team in major college football. And just a little context there. Kansas State under its I'll just read you the records of its previous coaches before Bill Snyder. Okay. Oh, and 10, 4 and 26, 14 and 24, 14 and 34, 8 and 60, 33 and 52, 6 and 27, 26 and 21. And then the coach right before Bill Snyder went 2 and 30. That's the team Bill Snyder took over and by year five they were a top 25 team. By year 10 they were in contention for the national championship and they won 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. They had 7, 10 or 11 win seasons. That was the greatest turnaround in the history of college football prior to this. It took years to do it. They one year were maybe got a had a chance to play for a national title and it was just considered unreal that they were a perennial top 25 team. Indiana, prior to Kurt Signetti, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 had six years in 130 years is a program demon. Say six out of 130 where they were in the top 25, they had one year or I'm sorry, two years, 1945 and 1967 when they were in the top 10. The year before he got there, the three years before, 2 and 10, 4 and 8, 3 and 9, he gets there, they're 11 and 1 and in the playoff and they lose in the first round and then they're 16 and oh, it is unprecedented and I can't conceptualize it being duplicated. There is. There. There is no comp. Because Indiana was arguably the worst program in college football and within two years they just ran the gauntlet to a national championship and they didn't. And people can say, oh, it's in il, it's this, they didn't. It's a lot of James Madison kids now. A lot of them are older, I get that. And they have the number one pick of the draft at their quarterback as their. But it's still just an incomprehensible accomplishment. And then for Mendoza, He goes from a two star recruit that Miami didn't want to recruit even though he was from there to the consensus number one pick of the draft.

[A]

And.

[B]

He looks the part and he talks the part of a franchise quarterback. His toughness is unbelievable. He's 6, 5i. The intangibles seem to be unquestioned. The toughness seems to be unquestioned. And we'll see if he's good enough to do the impossible, which is make the Raiders relevant. But the Raiders are going to get their quarterback. It's going to be Fernando Mendoza and we'll see what coach he gets and we'll see if he can be joined with a coach that knows that what he, what he's doing and see if all of a sudden the AFC west becomes the best quarterback division there is potentially. And so shout out to Mendoza. His story is great, his family's great. That run to essentially win the national championship is an all time moment. And I and also shout out to Indiana who I did pick, who I thought could steal it. As good as Signetti was, I thought the decision up three with two minutes left to kick a field goal on fourth and five was insane. You guys know my feeling on being up three rather than up six. I'd actually probably rather go for a fourth down and miss it deep in the enemy territory with two minutes left and be up three, then kick a field goal, then kick off, give him decent field position and be up 6 and that's exactly what he chose the latter rather than the former and it looked like it was going to bite him. But then the always polarizing I guess Carson Beck made the one really bad decision he made all night and they lose. But the right team won and in Miami deserves a ton of respect. They were right there. They could have stolen the whole thing. I thought Crystal Ball did a magnificent job. They're running back number four and Malachi Tony are going to be future awesome pros. And Bane, man oh man, I hope Bane is there at number nine for the Chiefs. I doubt he will be but I hope he is. Unbelievable season from Miami, the most controversial inclusion in the College Football Playoff had the ball on the plus side of the 50 down 6 chance to win the title and made up. You know kid made the bad throw. But Indiana is the story of this college football season and one of the greatest stories. It's again, it's not hyperbole. One of the greatest stories in the history of American sports is what Kurt Signetti just did at Indiana. You can't comp it to any pro sport turnaround because pro sports are even level ish playing field. I don't know what to comp it to but it is it would feel like if somebody all of a sudden took over the UMKC basketball team and within two years they went undefeated and won the championship. Just seems impossible. All right, my favorite weekend of the year is the divisional round in the NFL playoffs. We are going to get to that in a moment. But first, today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock BET Florida Sportsbook. Folks, these playoff playoffs have been crazy and I hope you've been cashing in because God knows I haven't been. Can't pick a game to save my life. The unexpected moments killing me. Hopefully you guys are doing great on Hard Rock Bet. Two teams are going to punch their tickets to the big game this weekend and when it comes to these standalone matchups, there's nothing better than same game parlay. Lock in one game, stack your picks and build your script. Maybe the QB throws for 250, the running back goes for a hundred tight ends. First one to hit pay or Hard Rock Bet gives you tons of way to build your same game parlay, turning game days into paydays. And if you miss kickoff, don't worry. Hard Rock Bet is live in game betting so you're never too late to the action. Find a winner or grab that player prop you meant to play and live bet between snaps in just a few easy taps if you haven't tried your first bet on Hard Rock Bet, there's still time for you to get $150 in bonus bets. If you win, just place a $5 bet and if it hits you get not only your winnings, but also an extra $150 in bonus bets. Just because your favorite team may be out of it, that doesn't mean you have to sit on the sidelines this postseason between same game parlays. Live betting campus welcome offer a new promos dropping every day. Hard Rock Bet has you covered all postseason long. That's Hard Rock Bet. Download the Hard Rock Bet app and make your first deposit today. Payable and bonus bets Not a cash offer Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. Must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida? Call 1-833-PLAY-WISE in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem wants help, call 1-800-9 with it gambling problem call 1-800- gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia Demons A Divisional Round Weekend we're going to start with the first game of the weekend. Bills, Broncos. Let's get to it.

[A]

Big stuff. So the Broncos ended the bill season on Saturday, got Sean McDermott fired. So they obviously they lost this game. Josh Allen had four turnovers. Do you think that the team built around him kind of failed Josh Allen? Or do you think that Josh Allen failed the Bills with his turnovers?

[B]

Defending league MVP had four turnovers in a playoff game, including one of the most cartoonish fumbles in the history of the league. That happened. Okay, before I even get in that, that is. You don't have to be a die hard sports fan to understand. Oh, that's probably. That's probably why they lost. Before I get to that piece of it, let me say this on the front end sincerely, and I know Broncos fans aren't going to want to hear this from me and they might say I'm full of shit. Whatever. I can't remember a more gutting postseason injury than the one the Broncos suffered to have won the game. Be celebrating that you're going to the conference championship game at home, have beaten Josh Allen and have watched Bo Nix play one of, in my opinion, best games of his life and two separate times come through for you in just huge spots before the half to put the Bills on tilt, which it's 10:10 with 30 seconds left and Josh Allen in the first half, Josh Allen has zero turnovers. The Bills are feeling fine. Bo Nicks hits that deep bomb to the front corner of the end zone to put the Bills on their back foot. And then late in the game, down four drives him down, puts him ahead with a minute left. Like whatever skepticism I've had about your quarterback, he was nails on Saturday afternoon. However annoying I have found Sean Payton to be. He called a hell of a game. And you're celebrating, you're feeling great, you really think you can win the super bowl. And then you find out on a somewhat nothing play that no one even noticed your quarterback breaks his broke his ankle and needs surgery. It's just a stomach punch of all stomach punches. And I do I legitimate again Broncos fans, you're allowed to hate me. It's fine. I legitimately feel sick for you guys and I don't. It it's obviously it's in the same bucket as Halliburton Game seven and you the one you kind of because he had been dealing with an injury that kind of specter loomed. This was just so out of nowhere. I I don't even know. Now on the bright side, it shouldn't impact your next season at all. But this is who knows what next season's going to be. So Broncos, I feel sick for you sincerely. And you guys have proven me wrong all year and I just and Bo, if Bo's gonna have a comeback down to earth moment, it ain't gonna be this season. Cause he ended last season. Or he ended he ended this season, pardon me, with probably the best game of his career, all things considered. And in my favorite football weekend of the year with Drake May and Matt Stafford and Josh Allen and CJ Stroud and Sam Darnold, all those guys playing Bo Nicks played the best game. It just is what it is. And I wonder why that version of commentary I just did about Bo Nicks so many folks have trouble doing in the other direction. It's one thing to say this guy, this team that I have always been down on or I have always doubted he with his play proved me wrong. It does feel like people are have an easier time doing that leap than the opposite one, which is this guy, this team, this player that I have elevated beyond any realistic place that is justifiable. His play proved me wrong. And instead of being able to do that after Josh Allen's four turnover playoff game folks are just going out making a fools of themselves. So I understand the Bills would not have been there without Josh Allen. No shit. That is the. If the standard is. Standard for criticism is if a guy is the biggest reason a team got to a point then criticizing his play it at that point is unfair. Then I guess we can never criticize any NBA superstar for a playoff performance ever. Because every single NBA superstar is the reason their team gets to the postseason. And so then I guess if you James Harden it, you're just an asshole. If you're like he cost his team because the 35 IQ responses. Well, would they have been there without him? No, they wouldn't have. So I guess it's all, it's all reputational free roles. It just doesn't. And here this is, it is not demons A. It's not complicated. The analysis of Bill's Broncos. It's really not.

[A]

Oh, Josh Allen, Josh Allen, go ahead. He pooped the bed. Yeah, he definitely, he messed up pretty badly. I mean it's, it's four turnovers. That's a, that's a lot. I was surprised McDermott got fired, to be honest. I mean, I know that. Go ahead. No, I just know that this is their year and you know, if they lost to the Broncos or if they just lost in this playoff run, it was going to look bad. But in that instance where it was four turnovers, I just felt like they might have let it ride a little bit.

[B]

But yeah, I, I thought so too maybe. And we'll get to the McDermott piece. But guys, I'm listening. And I, and I DM'd bill about this Bill Barnwell. I'm listening to Barnwell this morning, who you guys know I have as much respect for his football opinions as anyone in the world. And I'm stunned because he's talking about how he thought McDermott screwed up by not really impressing upon Josh Allen when they got the ball back with 20 seconds left that he can't do something dumb. And Bill said, and I quote, you have to be aware you have a lunatic at quarterback. And it.

[A]

The.

[B]

The agency removal from the soon to be 30 year old defending league MVP. Like, well, we can't try to go get points here at the end of the half because the guy might run for no reason. By the way, the scramble was even if he hadn't been sacked, the scramble was a dumb play. I'm sorry. Even if he hadn't fumbled because they had no timeouts like you weren't going to. It was just a dead play the moment you don't throw the ball. But that guy might Just hold the ball like a loaf of bread and lose the football. You just gotta know that. Okay, that. So there's four turnovers, right? The first one's right before the end of the half. It's the worst fumble the NFL season. The second one is right after the half. It's a blind side hit him. You'd like him to hold onto the ball, but a lot of quarterbacks had problems holding onto the ball this weekend. You want to give him a slight pass on that, so be it. The third one is right after Bo Nix makes his only mistake. You go for a kill shot, you don't need to, in a decent down and distance on the fringe of field goal range and you throw a bad pass. The fourth one is the allegedly controversial interception. More on that in a minute. And in between the third and the fourth you had two passes. One was easy, one was hard that would have won the game. You had Khalil Shakir on a wide receiver screen that I know he would have scored a touchdown on because he did score a touchdown on it. But then we saw you one hopped it to him and then what would have been a tough pass to Dawson Knox in the waning seconds that you missed. Now is, are. Is that asking a lot of the quarterback? Not really. But is it certainly holding him to a highest standard? Sure. But the reason this is fair and the reason some of the Josh Allen media commentary is so maddening is because folks can't help themselves. But one up the hyperbole, it's no longer enough to say I think he might. Even though he's never been to a Super bowl and even though 360days ago he for the fourth time in the playoffs shared a field with Patrick Mahomes and for the fourth time was outplayed and lost. Even though those are that happened, I think he might be the best quarterback in the league. That's not enough. And Even though there two of his contemporaries have more league MVPs than him during his during this run in Patrick and Lamar and those same two guys have more first team all pros than him in this run and another one of his contemporaries has been to a Super bowl in Burrow, forget Patrick going to five and winning three. Even though all those things are the case, calling him hands down the best player in the league, that's not enough either. And in the last few months, and this is not a straw man, and this is from not only people I like, but one of them, my dearest friend and boss at the volume coward. Call him the Most talented player ever. Ever. The most talented quarterback ever. Greeny yesterday, yesterday after the Ford turnover game said just as a matter of fact, no one has ever played the position better. If that is the way he is discussed, then you can't also do a blame pie blaming McDermott and Brandon Bean and Brandon Cooks and. And the poor left guard who didn't fall on Allen's fumble when we're discussing them losing a G playoff game when he had four turnovers. He's the only guy in the league that when they win, he's an all time legend. And when they lose, even when it's because of his mistakes, it's got to be someone else's fault. You are not. It is not a tenable sports opinionist position to continually call a player better than historic legends and contemporaries that have more pelts on the wall by a wide margin and then give him a full on pass for a playoff meltdown.

[A]

And he's on the record saying that he feels like he let his team down.

[B]

Well, that's the other thing. Josh Allen is more. Is more of a realist about what happened.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Than his media sycophants. Josh Allen was in tears. You know why? Because he is the best player on the team. Obviously. He is their leader. He is the reason they're there and he blew it. That's okay. It's sports. And it wouldn't be that big of a deal if I didn't have to listen to people the day after it happens. Still say he's the. No one's ever played the position better. Are you fucking kidding me? Like, take Mahomes out of it. I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think Tom Brady played the position better than Josh Allen.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like I. And so I. There is an element of Daman. Last week there was a little media or a little mini media and we talked about it. Firestorm about Lynn Jones, the older black lady.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[B]

Who said to Liam Cohen like hold your head up high.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

All these folks were like, once you turn, once you become media, you don't root anymore. You don't do that. And then those same people are sending tweets. My heart breaks for Josh Allen. He does. Why? Why? Like, I don't mean why like that. Like I, I understand feeling empathy for a person that's a great player that you feel like can't get over the hump. I understand that. But the, the. He doesn't. You don't think C.J. stroud feels like shit this weekend? I like I you don't.

[A]

I think seeing the guy get stopped so many times. I also think people just get caught up with the physicals of Josh Allen. Like he's perfect. Like he's got the big arm, he can run around, he's a big dude. But yeah, he obviously is the sound.

[B]

He could be part of being an all time great is being able to, to harness your greatest attributes while minimizing the risk associated with them. And I have watched the. He has been incredible. Last year's playoff game against Kansas City he fumbled three times. They recovered all of them. The year before the playoff game against Kansas City on what they thought was going to be the game tying drive, he fumbled running around like he did at midfield near halftime. It should have been scooped and scored by the Chiefs. One of his teammates fell on it after the Chiefs kicked it. He has been, he's loose with the.

[A]

Ball.

[B]

And when he switches his style up to not be loose with the ball this, his gaudy stats go down. That's when his passing yardage numbers go down and all. He has not yet shown the ability. To have the type of season where you get the crazy gaudy numbers without the crazy turnovers, which is fine. I still think he's the second best quarterback in the league but you got to call a spade a spade on a four turnover playoff game. And I, he was fine with it. He knew he blew it. And then the get to the follow ups because there's a lot about the calls and the whining and all of it. So you can go to all this.

[A]

Yeah. So after the game Josh Allen, Dion Dawkins and Brandon Cooks were all very emotional in their interviews and crying. How do you feel about players crying after a round two exit?

[B]

So I think a couple things. Listen, I, I, it does now seem like the Bills were going to fire McDermott if they didn't make the Super Bowl. If they hadn't made that decision after seeing how emotional the players were, I would have felt like, sorry Sean even it's not your fault. We have to, we can't just run this back. This is a, this is a scarred team. And, and the demase. Why do you think the Bills were so devastated about this loss in this postseason? Because I have a theory.

[A]

Well, this was their, this was their desk. This was their shot this year. Like I just feel like this was because nobody else is. I mean you're, you got Drake May, you got all the, I mean you just got Matt Stafford, Mahomes Burrow, you know Lamar, they're all gone.

[B]

It's. So I think they clearly viewed it as the Chiefs aren't there and this is our moment. And that's. And by the way, certainly the media, after they reacted to the McDermott firing, kept bringing up that this was the moment where the Chiefs aren't there. And this is the other thing. If I'm being transparent here, that frustrates me about the just blowing past like Josh past Patrick in this quarterback hierarchy. Folks simultaneously have this opinion. Josh is clearly the best quarterback in the league. He's better than Mahomes. He's been better than Mahomes last few years. They believe that while simultaneously believing this was such a massive missed opportunity for the Buffalo Bills because they finally would have been able to get to a Super bowl without actually having to beat Patrick Mahomes like that. It was. I think they did view it as the path is clear and I don't think they viewed it as the path was clear because Lamar wasn't there, because Josh has played Lamar twice in the playoffs and beat them both. I don't think they viewed as a path that's clear because Burrow is not there, because Burrow ain't been there the last three years. I think they viewed as the path that's clear because Patrick's not there and they didn't get there. The crying was interesting to me because I just don't remember the last. Like I felt like Cam cried after the super bowl and people killed him for it. This is a divisional round game, but they really thought they were right there and. And I didn't. I We're going to talk about the calls here in a second. In fact, let's just get to it right now, Damas. Let's get to the calls and we'll get to McDermott.

[A]

You always hated how the media talks about calls by the refs. Was the Brandon Cooks play extra infuriating the talks that surrounded that one?

[B]

I just. I listen shout out to did you see Joe Burrow tweeted?

[A]

I did see Joe Burrow's tweet.

[B]

Joe Burrow. Who doesn't tweet Joe Burrow? I. I just want to read you guys Joe Burrow's Twitter history. 2024. Okay, so a year and a half ago or almost two years ago, 18 games, question mark 2 by weeks. July 15, 2025. A one click captionless retweet of Netflix Sports promoting quarterback. And that's it. So he has not written a tweet since April of 2024. And then he writes the amount of people that don't understand what a catch is in the rule book flabbergasts me. And it's not the officials. The two plays yesterday were not difficult calls and they got them both right. Of course they did. And these I I want to be on the record about this. I am. I find this to be very, very binary. And I this will, I'm sure, hurt some people's feelings, but I stand by it. If you are someone who posts still images as evidence something was or wasn't a catch, you are either far, far, far dumber than you think you are or you're being disingenuous. There is nothing to be learned on about what is or isn't a catch from a screenshot. That's not how it works. And folks acting like the devonte Adams I'm the devonte Adams actual catch was the same play as the Brandon Cooks non catch. Are are again either idiots or liars. I don't see a difference.

[A]

I thought about it as a Ravens fan like that Isaiah likely touchdown where he like caught the ball like I feel like took a step, let the ball go immediately. Like if that wasn't a catch right there, then the Brandon Cooks thing definitely isn't a catch. He just never, never really had full control.

[B]

Here's, here's the question I would ask everybody. Are you guys arguing if that you're saying it was a catch, that if the Broncos defensive back had, you know, not secured it and it hit the ground, that that would have been a fumble? Because that's what you're arguing, that that would have been a fumble. Of course that wouldn't have been a fumble. It's an incomplete pass. He I'm not going to explain the rules to everybody.

[A]

What a play by that guy, though.

[B]

Unbelievable play by the people are showing the Xavier worthy play from last year. The Xavier Worthy play from last year was actual simultaneous. People are like, oh, simultaneous possession goes to the offensive player. Simultaneous possession means simultaneous possession. Pardon me. The Xavier Worthy play. Two guys went up for the ball. They both came to the ground. When the refs come over and whistle it, they're both holding on to the ball. That's simultaneous possession. This one Brandon Cooks went up for it. It hit him in his shoulder. He momentarily split second long enough for a screenshot, though, controlled it. But before he completed the process of the C catch, the Broncos guy took it from him. That's a pick. Devonte caught the ball, tucked it, took two steps, got hit, hit the ground and then had it ripped away. That's down by contact. These aren't complicated. And I think I. Here's the other reason why, and maybe it was that McDermott knew Demanze he was going to be fired. But you can't. You blaming the refs like that and then calling the media from the team plane to blame them some more is the lack of accountability there is bad. And it is the second year in a row the Bills have lost a playoff game. And for a lot of folks involved with that team and for a lot of their just blatant apologists in the media, they didn't lose. They got screwed. Remember last year Josh Allen got that first down on that Tush push? I swear he did. I watched it with my own two eyes.

[A]

Yeah, I still see the media calling it controversial. I just heard that the other day.

[B]

I 13 seconds game unfair. Didn't get the ball, changed the rules. Everybody knows if Josh Allen had gotten the ball in overtime, he would have gone and scored a touchdown. Pop quiz, hotshot. The six other overtime games Josh Allen's been in where he did get the ball. How many touchdowns has his team scored? The answer is zero. How many games has the team won? The answer's zero. How many total points have they scored in those seven overtime games, six of which they got the ball? The answer is three. So maybe they would have scored, maybe they would have won. I don't know. But luckily the NFL changed the rules for him. They get stuffed on the Tush Push. Now, I supported this, but the timeline is true. The Bills lose a playoff game because they can't execute Tush Push. The league holds a vote to outlaw the Tush Push. Again, I don't think that's the real reason, but it is the timeline. And now we got folks. And this was the. Greg Rosenthal had it. And he's right. The tell that a lot of the media didn't actually think it was the wrong call was they weren't saying they got it wrong. They were saying why didn't you take more time to review it? And then these. These. These dopes saying. And it's. This is just dumb folks then creating this conspiracy. They didn't want to stop and review it. Damanze because Fox had already pushed back the start of the NFC championship game and they wanted to get to it. Can you. Can you people not again forget that. How. What an outrageous conspiracy that is. Let's just say that conspiracy is true. That Fox pressed the red button and was like this game's gotta end. Do you know the quickest way to end Bill's Broncos in the Brandon Cooks moment. Rule it a catch. They're at the 10 in sudden death. You just kick a field goal, the game's over. Like what, when you, when you have. And I want to say one other thing before we move on, because I know a lot of people are saying, nick, what you're accusing the media of doing with Josh Allen, you do with Patrick Mahomes. And I would say that is in one way true and in one way totally incorrect. Here's the way that it's true. I openly root for one team. I don't pretend like I'm wholly unbiased observer. If somebody came out was just like, I'm from. And some of these guys, like Ariel Hawani, I'll give it, he's not an NFL coverage guy, but Ariel Hawani's from Buffalo, loves the Bills, roots are great. I, I, I cover the whole league. I root for the Chiefs. I have a relationship with Patrick. He's my favorite player ever. Everybody knows that going in. That's first of all, second of all. All right, Nick. But even past that, you, you, you treat Patrick like he's above criticism on certain things. I do have a tendency, whether they're my guy or not, that if one guy, before he turned 29, was already the second or third most decorated winner in the history of the league, to give them the benefit of the doubt. If one guy has been to five Super Bowls, one three is second all time in playoff wins, second all time in playoff touchdowns, second all time in Super Bowl MVPs. I do think that guy, second all time in Super bowl starts, tied for third all time in super bowl wins. I do think that guy has earned us a little more of a benefit of the doubt than a guy than anybody who's never won and never even been in the game to win.

[A]

Mahomes not turned the ball over four times in the second round.

[B]

I mean, give me a break. I mean, give me a break. I mean, I, I, I'm glad you said that, Damonze, because, listen, Patrick has had one and a half really rough Super Bowls. There's, there's, there's no way around it. And when it comes to the goat conversation, that's a fair thing to bring up. As far as in the postseason prior to the super bowl, those. How many games is that? He's played 21 playoff games. He's played five Super Bowls. So those 16 playoff games where he is 14 and two and has. Let me go ahead and just check it real quick. Six plus oh, yeah. 42 touchdowns and three interceptions in the wild card round, divisional round, and conference championship. And the divisional round where he's seven. And. Oh, yeah, how many fumbles? Great question. Great question. Two fumbles lost.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Eight fumbles total in those. In those 16 games. I. I mean, give me a break. Give me a break. And it used to be a straw man. Folks said, like, well, nobody's actually saying these guys are better than Mahomes. And now not only are they saying that, that's. That that take has become too lukewarm, and it's gotta be. He's the most talented player ever. And I rooted for the Bills this year and bet them. I was at a casino in Philly playing poker in the morning and then sitting in the sports book watching the divisional round game. I kept betting the Bills. What do you. What do you laugh?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

No, what I kept. I should have taken. I just kept betting the Bills. I bet them before the game, and then when they fell down early, I bet him again at plus money. And then at halftime, I bet him again. I just kept betting the Bills. I was like, they're. Allen's gonna come through here. Yeah, I was rooting for the Bills, but fair's fair, folks. All right. That was 45 minutes on that game.

[A]

Yeah. Now this one.

[B]

You ever notice how got you going? I mean, it's just again, it's. It's. It's remarkable to me that Josh Allen gets it more than the folks who cover the sport. Just remarkable. You ever notice everything keeps going up? Rent's going up, streaming services going up, your favorite burrito spots, charging you extra for salsa. Boost Mobile, you and your phone bill don't have to play the will this go up soon Game. Why? Because Boost Mobile has unlimited talk, text and data plan at a price that'll never go up. In fact, it's the same price you'll pay for life. So switch now for unlimited wireless at a price that'll never go up. Only at boost mobile, after 30 gigs, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay $20 per month as long as you remain active on the Boost Unlimited plan. Oh, I never even demons a got to the McDermott firing piece of it, which is I. If you were gonna. I. If you were gonna fire one of McDermott or Bean, I would have thought it would have been Bean, but. And I also thought they maybe would fire both. I didn't think Bean would get a promotion out of this. They. Once we get a better idea on who they're going to interview, I. We can talk about this maybe more on Thursday, but I. There have only been a handful of instances in NFL history to Monza where a league MVP who hasn't turned 30 yet. His like his head coach positions available and two of them are right now with Lamar and Josh.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's. I. You know what, I'll just. I'm gonna talk about this more on TV today. If I were the Bills, I'd swallow hard. I'd hope that the weather in the town is not really what his girlfriend is into and that maybe she, you know, they can have a long distance thing for a bit. And I would ask Bill Belichick to come coach my football team for three years because if you are in win now, win this minute mode. Hiring Joe Brady or Davis Webb or any of these first time head coaches is such a hard ask. And I don't think Brian Dable is an upgrade over Sean McDermott. So yeah, I, I would go Belich. I would try again. Belichicks like player evaluation stuff doesn't matter as much because this would be a short term thing. It'd be Bill, go break the record. Win a Super bowl is stick it to the Pats who think this is their moment. I think you could entice him and I don't think Bill Bell. I understand North Carolina hasn't gone great. I don't think that he's lost his ability to coach professional football. I don't. All right, let's talk Rams.

[A]

Bears to Rams escaped out of Chicago with a win. Caleb pulled off some crazy stuff to force it into ot. But he also threw the game ceiling pick that into the game. What did you make of Caleb's game and this season?

[B]

Well, listen, it's a resounding successful season for Caleb. I think it's. I think it's undeniable. And here's what I would say. The things that are either uncoachable, like just inherent to a player, or the hardest things to coach are things such as arm talent, poise under pressure, athleticism and escapability. And Caleb is a 10 out of 10 on all of those things. The things that should be easiest to coach, footwork and accuracy are the places he needs the most improvement. So that makes me incredibly bullish on him and I do feel a little vindicated. Demons a for his placement on Mahomes Mountain as a college sophomore. When you see this type of Holy shit, what did that guy just do?

[A]

I. I could not believe that that was like, that was kind of. That might have been the craziest play I've ever seen in football. Like just seeing if you press pause at one point, just seeing how that turned into a, a touchdown was just insane.

[B]

Um, but yeah, a touchdown on 4th and 4 in the playoffs with 20 seconds left.

[A]

Dude.

[B]

I mean it's, it's as. And by the way, I don't think it was a better throw than the one last week. He had. He had in back to back playoff games. He had fourth down plays that if they don't convert, they lose the game and made plays that I truly believe the only other player in the league who would have a been able to do it exact. Like if it's like, hey, recreate this. I think the only other player I've ever seen that could recreate both of them is Patrick. And the rolling to your left throw and then the running backwards 30 yards and then he's. It's unbelievable. Now with that said, this might have been a missed opportunity. They had the ball in overtime. It was sudden death.

[A]

You don't want. You don't. I think they should have went for the two point conversion. You don't want to take the Rams to overtime. I think you got momentum. I think they should have gone for the two point conversion, but they still got a chance in OT2. It's just.

[B]

So his decision to trust his defense was vindicated by the fact the defense forced the three and out and they got the ball. I, I thought they were going to go for two. Let me say that on the front end I respect the fact that Ben Johnson's gut is to go for two and he pivoted because he thought the game situation dictated not to that he wasn't just an auto 2 point conversion. Press the button. Because he thought we've sucked at short yardage today. We've sucked at the goal line. We've sucked at short yardage. So we're not doing it. I also do think there is an element of. It should be noted. Let me put it like this. If they go for two demons A then the.

[A]

Let me.

[B]

How many timeouts. I wish I knew how many timeouts the Rams had. I thought the Rams had a timeout left. I could be wrong. No, they did because. Let me check the Bears last drive and I'll know it because I thought the Rams should have been using their timeouts, but they didn't. So let me just check. Timeout one by the Rams. Yes. All right. So here's the thing about going for two. If they go for two, you're kicking off with 18 seconds left. And the Rams have two timeouts, and they are obviously going to try, you know, like, they're not going for two with 18 seconds left. Even if you get. It doesn't end the game.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, the defense has to stop, like, maybe three plays. Two or three plays.

[B]

Three plays. No. And so I. I just. I. I understood him not going for it. I was surprised, but I understood it. And this is the other side of it is this. I think that was probably DJ Moore's screw up. Okay. On the interception in overtime, DJ Moore seemed to lollygag the route, but Caleb doesn't have to go for that kill shot there. It's second and eight, you're at midfield. It's a field goal wins it. So that's a mistake. And this one stings for the Bears because again, every year you're this close and you've got a real shot, and it. It feels like, oh, man, we made a mistake. That one's. That's really painful. It's just really painful. And so I'm optimistic and bullish on the Bears, but that is a painful loss. The Rams, on the other hand. Here's the deal. The Rams are my pick to win the Super Bowl. They have not played well in either playoff game. There's two ways to look at that. One is they're just not playing well right now, and they're about to get clocked by Seattle. Another way to look at it is they've made the conference championship game despite not playing well, and they're about to play their best game of the postseason. The first time they played Seattle, they put Sam Darnold in hell. And the second time they played Seattle, they had that game in total control, and it took an insane confluence of events for them to lose it. But that is why this game is in Seattle and not Los Angeles. I think Stafford's going to play better. And at least Stafford this weekend has been one of the few quarterbacks who has been able to not, you know, be a turnover machine. Speaking of a turnover machine, let's get to Pat's Texans.

[A]

Patriots are headed back to the AFC Conference conference game for the first time in a decade. Now, this was not smooth. The defense gave the Patriots some fits, but they also got to play CJ Stroud. Did New England win the game or did the Texans lose it?

[B]

Let me say this about New England. They have won both of their playoff games easily, and their quarterback hasn't played well yet. Now, he's made some great plays, but the fumbles are crazy. He just keeps fumbling the ball. The offensive line hasn't played great that listen the past to booty to put the game away in the end zone was really good. The catch was unbelievable and you guys know how high I am on Drake maybe but he has shown some playoff game jitters and now the Pats are huge favorites in the conference championship game and they can go back to the super bowl without Drake made playing great yet with that said I think they needed to bench CJ at halftime. That was Davis Mills started three games for them this year at five touchdowns, one turnover they went three and oh all they had to do was get some type of spark offensively and I don't know what was going on with C.J. because that Pat's defense is is good but it is not great and I CJ is and the thing I the argument demons A against benching CJ is well he's our franchise guy we can't do that to him. Yeah they're about to do that to him this summer when they don't offer him a contract exactly extension like he is going to get I that by the way he's got they're going to pick up his fifth year option and and then I would imagine they're going to say go play out year four and then we'll see we because he still has essentially two years left on his rookie deal so it's I'm not like saying they're going to move off CJ Stroud but after three years is when franchise quarterbacks get their extensions. He ain't getting that and he's got to figure out what the hell's going on there and all they had that defense and they also got unlucky. I mean Drake may fumbled inside the five that ball bounced around Patriots recover it there was another fumble that it looked like the Texans could have scooped and scored but because they had been not falling on fumbles they just fell on it like that Texans defense was ferocious as advertised and the CJ pick six was just impossibly bad at that point he had been turning the ball over but they had the lead they were up 107 and that pick six flipped the whole game. I I don't know what's happened to C.J. stroud. I joke on TV about the lecture that led to the losing that ever since the Kayla big brother stuff he hasn't the same guy I don't actually think that is what happened but it is crazy who he was to Monte his rookie year and who he's been the last Two years.

[A]

I mean, he was out sumo wrestling with like Michael Parsons and calling himself like a top three quarterback and stuff on podcasts. I feel like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

After his first season, I mean.

[B]

Yes, but that's. That still doesn't explain last year then. Should have been a bit of a wake up call for.

[A]

Right, Exactly. Yeah.

[B]

And so I don't, I don't know.

[A]

How much of it are we putting on the O line?

[B]

O line's bad. I mean, you're putting. Putting a fair amount of it on the O line, but then just eat the ball like some of these. He threw four picks to Monza. He could have thrown seven. Like there were another three or four. That's like, oh, God. I mean, that, that was just brutal. And by the way, he was awful in round one.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, that was carried. He's being carried.

[B]

Man, I feel sick for that defense. That defense is unbelievable. All right, speaking of unbelievable defenses, let's talk Seahawks. Niners.

[A]

Seattle dominated the Niners this weekend, like from the opening kickoff. Headed into championship weekends, the Seahawks are the super bowl favorite. And do you think that Vegas has that correct?

[B]

I mean, listen, I'm going to pick the Rams, but Seattle's earned the. They've earned this. They. They beat Carolina by 17 right before the playoffs. They beat the Niners by 10. They just beat the Niners by 35. And they did it all without their quarterback playing that well. And classic one by me, whenever Classic one or classic two, I'm not sure. Great opinion by me. Pat myself on the back. Trade deadline day. Quinn and Williams to the Cowboys, Sauce Gardner to the Colts. And I went on TV and said the most impactful trade of the day is Rashid Shahid to the Seahawks. Rashid Shahid in the Rams game. That one of them home field advantage got had the punt return. They got the comeback going. And Rashid Shahid's kick return in this game opened the floodgates. And so the Seahawks have just been utterly dominant. I do think we're in store though for a very close, excellent NFC championship game. And if that's the context, all trust Stafford late. I know it's simple. And Seattle, listen, Mike McDonald's been unbelievable and that defense is underrated. The loss of Charbonnet is big. And Seattle did what a one seed against, you know, beat up Niners team is supposed to do. You know, I bet watched that game and felt like, my God, we really blew. It was the Eagles. The Eagles are like that Niners team came to our building and beat us. Yeah, like that's Just. That's a rough one. All right, what other Niners questions you have for me before we move on?

[A]

You were open to pivoting on Purdy, seeing how he played in this game against Seahawks. How do you feel now after that performance? Is that.

[B]

Listen, I'm not going to. He was obviously bad, but I'm not going to hang him for that performance. That whole team was bad, and so I'm not going to kill him. But I had he been good in that game and it's like, oh, my God, this team moved like that would have made me, you know, reevaluate, but I'm not going to kill him for that performance.

[A]

How would you describe the 49ers window? Open, closed, close, closing.

[B]

I think they're in a transition period, but I thought that this year and they had all the injuries and they got the divisional round. Shanahan's so good, man.

[A]

It can't be closed like it.

[B]

It can't be closed with Shanahan. It just can't be. He's so good. But no Kittle. I mean, I guess we'll see about KD, but the Achilles. We'll see about McAffrey after all this workload. Losing Robert Salah, yeah, is a big deal, but Shanahan's so good. All right, let's get to listening questions.

[A]

Billy asks, why are people so hesitant on calling out Josh Allen but have little. No issue banging on Mahomes, Jalen and Lamar.

[B]

Listen, I. Bouncing around a lot of this quarterback criticism commentary has been a not so subtle racial component. Yeah, I was about to say where people have wondered about whether or not certain quarterbacks get favorable coverage or less than favorable coverage based on race. Okay. And anybody that's consumed any of my content for any point of my career knows I believe in a way that I'm sure annoys a lot of the audience. I think race touches every single thing in America in ways that people, you know, are either blissfully unaware of or hyper aware of. And so I. There. There is. There is almost nothing. No question you could ask me that. My answer would be, oh, race plays. No factor in it whatsoever. Okay, so let me say that on the front end, I don't. However, I don't see. Because a lot of people bring up, like the Josh criticism, Lamar criticism. I happen to think that Lamar gets mostly a pass from most folks, too. And I've said that for a while. It has felt like for years it was just me and Shannon as the only people that would be like, lamar is bad in the like has. Has had these bad moments. So I don't look at Lamar as like being overly criticized. Right. I also think there is, there is also. Again, this is too complex to get into, but you saw Nick Young, swaggy peer. You know, you know that is right.

[A]

Yeah, I know he is. But I was during.

[B]

He tweeted. He, he tweeted during the show after the Raven season ended or they fired Harbaugh. I don't know. But during our A block when I was, I don't know, ripping Lamar, he tweeted something about these FS1 shows in the way they talk about black quarterbacks.

[A]

Oh, oh.

[B]

And. And then Lamar's entertainment company retweeted it with a little bullseye thing. And there is a really. And I'm not going to get into it now because I just don't have the bandwidth for it. There's a. And it's really a longer form discussion. There's a really interesting discussion to be had about folks who look at Patrick Mahomes, Jalen hurts, Caleb Williams, Lamar Jackson, and criticizing or complimenting black quarterbacks and what resonates and what doesn't. And so it, there is, it is. It would be ridiculous on its face to be like, Nick, Nick's got something against black quarterbacks when favorite player of all times, Patrick Mahomes. And I, when Caleb was a sophomore in college, I was saying he's 6 best quarterback in football. But I think some folks like, yeah, but you go at Lamar and you haven't believed in Jalen and there is, I mean, slide Demase on the screen. I again, a little darker. No, I'm not saying it's like colorism. I'm not saying like a skin tone thing, but I'm saying that it is about who people think. I just think it's about how people view these other people racially. I think there is that element. And so the, it's not a skin tone thing as much as it is just how they view those players.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And so I, the. So I am not trying to act like I believe race plays no part in quarterback evaluations. I think it clearly and obviously does. But I also think that Lamar has gotten. When, you know, when Lamar's team has blown it in the playoffs and he's turned the ball over, people are like, why didn't they run the ball more? And his coach also got fired. So I don't, I don't think Lamar has gotten, you know, pilloried by the media. And so that's, that's, you know, that's.

[A]

Pretty similar with the way that they're discussed, to be honest, John, to me.

[B]

That'S how it feels. Now, if you want to say again, Mahomes has gotten passes, my answer would be, yeah, he's been to five Super Bowls. He's won three of them. He's going to build up a little equity.

[A]

All right, next, Eric asks, would any of your Josh Allen Criticisms apply to LeBron pre2012 and can we see a similar turnaround and playoff accomplishments?

[B]

At least LeBron in 2012 had been to the championship round twice. LeBron in 2012 was the most, the most decorated regular season player of his era. Josh is neither of those. Right. Lamar and Patrick are more decorated regular season players. Lamar has never been to the championship round, so I, I, I don't think that is going to apply. I do think Josh Allen's going to win a Super Bowl. That's the other thing. And then we'll leave it at this. I do think Josh Allen's going to win a Super Bowl.

[A]

I want to be very Josh Allen is going to be a really good older quarterback. I think I see that.

[B]

I'm a little worried about because I don't know, I don't know how well his body's going to hold up, but I think he's going to win a Super Bowl. Yeah, but folks, here is my last thing on this, folks. Leave yourself some room for compliment growth once he wins the super bowl. Because if he's the best quarterback alive and the most talented player ever before he's been to a Super bowl, then.

[A]

Say Jesus Christ is on the Bills.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, you're going to give him in quarterback, give him the Nobel Peace Prize when he finally wins it. And if you do that, then we're definitely going to invade Greenland. Talk to you guys on Thursday. What's right?

[A]

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