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Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast.

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Speaker 1: Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox

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Speaker 1: Sports Radio in noon to three Eastern nine am to

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Speaker 1: noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at

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Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every

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Speaker 1: day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio

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Speaker 1: or FSR.

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Speaker 2: This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver

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Speaker 2: on Fox Sports Radio.

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Speaker 1: Oh what a beautiful day. Wonderful day. Couldn't be better

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Speaker 1: today it is.

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Speaker 3: Friday, blazing five. In one hour, we are live. It

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Speaker 3: is the Herd.

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Speaker 1: Wherever you may be and however you may be listening.

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Speaker 1: Thanks for making us part of your day. You know,

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Speaker 1: I'm not really into stats or anything, but here's a

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Speaker 1: couple of interesting ones. The last four teams Sam Darnold

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Speaker 1: has played four started a game four because he started one.

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Speaker 3: Game for the Niners.

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Speaker 1: His last thirty nine starts, he's thirty and nine. Here's

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Speaker 1: another random stat that just like fell into my hands.

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Speaker 1: Last night, Sam Darnold became the first quarterback in NFL

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Speaker 1: history to win twelve games back to back season on

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Speaker 1: different teams. Brady didn't do it, Joe Montana didn't do it.

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Speaker 1: Farv didn't do it, slinging Sammy de did.

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Speaker 3: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: The Rams dominated the first three quarters, and Sammy had

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Speaker 1: a couple of bad picks, but the Rams settled for

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Speaker 1: field goals in the red zone. Their special teams are shaky.

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Speaker 1: Four punts by the Rams in the fourth quarter, three straight,

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Speaker 1: three and outs.

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Speaker 3: I see Donald as relentless.

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Speaker 1: Doesn't pout, doesn't sulk, has a short memory, and he

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Speaker 1: took advantage of opportunities.

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Speaker 3: Games aren't linear.

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Speaker 1: Great first half for certain quarterbacks, bad second half. I've

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Speaker 1: been saying that about Bo Nicks and Caleb Williams all year.

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Speaker 1: I know this, they win a lot, they're great in

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Speaker 1: the fourth and Sam Donald has always had a little

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Speaker 1: Andrew luck and maybe a little less Brett Farv. Big arm,

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Speaker 1: big mobility, big playmaker. Wins a lot, and sometimes there's

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Speaker 1: an ugly one or two. But I thought Seattle also overreacted,

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Speaker 1: came in with a ridiculously conservative game plan based on

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Speaker 1: Sam's last game against the Rams. Sam Donald has way

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Speaker 1: too much raw talent to coach him like he's Jimmy Garoppolo.

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Speaker 1: You gotta live with the mistakes. You had to live

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Speaker 1: with the Andrew luckmcstakes. Donald also did this more history.

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Speaker 3: Last night.

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Speaker 1: Donald converted three two point conversions in the fourth quarter

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Speaker 1: and overtime. No quarterback on a winning team had done

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Speaker 1: that in league history. Slinging Sam was breaking records last night.

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Speaker 1: He gets credit for that too, not just criticism.

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Speaker 3: For the picks.

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Speaker 1: Again, never pouts, doesn't sulk pump on his fist, takes accountability.

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Speaker 1: He may not win a Super Bowl. I mean, Farve

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Speaker 1: only got one, and Andrew Luck never got to one.

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Speaker 1: He may never win a super Bowl. But to deny

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Speaker 1: his talent is being stummered Sam Darnald in the fourth

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Speaker 1: quarter in overtime. Forget the convergence one hundred and five

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Speaker 1: passer rating, big play after big play. And for the record,

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Speaker 1: Donald has really struggled against Chris Shula and the Rams

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Speaker 1: specifically and Chris Shula the defensive coordinator. Many are saying

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Speaker 1: he's going to get a head coaching job. In fact,

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Speaker 1: he will get a head coaching job. He's been there

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Speaker 1: a while last four years. Donald's one and three against

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Speaker 1: the Rams. He's twenty nine and six against everybody else.

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Speaker 1: So the Rams have given him trouble. Well, guess what

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Speaker 1: Belichick gave Donald Trouble two when he was twenty one

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Speaker 1: and twenty two and twenty three years old with the

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Speaker 1: New York Jets. He came into this league very raw,

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Speaker 1: not well coached in college, not great.

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Speaker 3: On the white board.

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Speaker 1: But by the time he got to Carolina, that San Francisco,

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Speaker 1: that Minnesota and the Rams. To deny what he can do,

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Speaker 1: you're just being stubborn right now. The number one seed

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Speaker 1: in the NFC this year, the better conference, Sam Donald,

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Speaker 1: Sam Darnald, who's won thirty of his last thirty nine starts.

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Speaker 1: They're not always pretty, especially when he faces McVeigh, Shula

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Speaker 1: and the Rams. But this is what he's been doing

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Speaker 1: for years. Here's his coach after.

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Speaker 4: Our story has stayed the same since day one with Sam.

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Speaker 4: You know, everybody else has different stories, but this is

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Speaker 4: the guy that we watch every day. It's the same

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Speaker 4: guy every day, matter of circumstance. He's an ultimate competitor.

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Speaker 4: He's a phenomenal leader and just keeps fighting, just keeps

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Speaker 4: plugging away. I wasn't worried about We weren't worried about

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Speaker 4: one bit.

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Speaker 3: So that's Sam. That's Sam.

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Speaker 1: First quarterback ever, twelve wins back to back seasons, with

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Speaker 1: two different teams. I'm always impressed with people who overcome struggles.

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Speaker 1: I've said this for years. The most important thing to

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Speaker 1: success kind of in life is how you react to failure,

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Speaker 1: because everybody who takes a swing in life fails all

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Speaker 1: the time. Darnald just doesn't get down. He threw four

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Speaker 1: picks against the Rams last time in La and then

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Speaker 1: we're driving for the winning field goal. He just doesn't

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Speaker 1: get down. He doesn't pout, he doesn't shrug his shoulders.

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Speaker 1: His body language isn't terrible. He is a fox, whole guy,

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Speaker 1: my guy slinging Sammy d So. First of all, the

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Speaker 1: NFS is crazy town. Seattle now leads twelve and three,

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Speaker 1: the Rams are eleven and four. San Francisco's ten and four.

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Speaker 1: Watch out for the Niners. And here's the thing about

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Speaker 1: the Rams. Salary caps mean there are no perfect teams.

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Speaker 1: Everybody's got holes. You try to hide the holes. But

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Speaker 1: the La Rams special teams have been an issue all

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Speaker 1: season long, and their secondary on the back end. We

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Speaker 1: watched Bryce Young torch it. So when they don't get

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Speaker 1: a great pass rush, and the Rams usually do but

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Speaker 1: not always, they are very vulnerable. So and last night

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Speaker 1: and The Rams are so good in so many areas.

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Speaker 1: They're good in the old line number two pff, They're

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Speaker 1: Noah's Ark. They got two of everything tight ends. But

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Speaker 1: earlier this year they lost to the Niners. Why special teams?

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Speaker 1: Mister field goal and an extra point? They lost to

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Speaker 1: the Philadelphia Eagles. Why remember this block kick?

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Speaker 3: The nine? Last night?

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Speaker 1: The Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles. Those are three of

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Speaker 1: the four losses for the LA Rams, and special teams

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Speaker 1: was a huge factor in three of the four losses.

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Speaker 3: In the other one, Bryce.

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Speaker 1: Young Stafford had coming off game and Bryce Young tore

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Speaker 1: them apart. So they're so good. I mean they've got

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Speaker 1: three to four different tight ends. They can all play

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Speaker 1: Corum and Kyron Williams. Devonte Adams was in there last

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Speaker 1: night that a seventh round receiver was taken up the slack.

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Speaker 1: So they draft well, they don't miss. Everything works for

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Speaker 1: them offensively, but that special teams unit and that secondary

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Speaker 1: has been costing them games all year and the last

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Speaker 1: several Super Bowl champs have not been perfect teams. The

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Speaker 1: Rams are still my pick to win the Super Bowl,

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Speaker 1: but I will say this, Stafford's not mobile, So when

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Speaker 1: they go three and out, three and out, three and

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Speaker 1: out in the second half. That's where a Josh can

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Speaker 1: pick up first downs with his legs. You know, that's

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Speaker 1: where Mahomes would win super Bowls in the second half,

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Speaker 1: when you're off script and the defense has seen all

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Speaker 1: your tricks and all your formations and all your motions.

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Speaker 1: With Stafford, he can have these, you know, kind of

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Speaker 1: rough second half, he kind of gets into a rut

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Speaker 1: and he's not getting you any first downs with his legs,

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Speaker 1: and so I thought, you know, and I'm not blaming him,

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Speaker 1: I'm just saying, is sometimes a Josh Allen or a

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Speaker 1: Mahomes or a Herbert's done it the last couple of weeks,

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Speaker 1: they'll move the change with their legs.

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Speaker 3: You're not getting that with Matt Stafford.

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Speaker 1: So the special teams in the secondary are a real issue.

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Speaker 1: Matt Stafford though, four hundred and fifty yards when he

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Speaker 1: is hummon I mean, there's there's nothing quite like to

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Speaker 1: go to Seattle, that defensive coach, that secondary. Four hundred

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Speaker 1: and fifty seven yards, three tds, no picks.

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Speaker 3: Here's Stafford.

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Speaker 5: After anytime you come in here, play that that defense,

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Speaker 5: you know, one of the best, if not the best

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Speaker 5: in the league. And you know, do we were able

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Speaker 5: to do on offense control the game, you know, and

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Speaker 5: you know, score whatever we score thirty seven.

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Speaker 3: Feel good about it.

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Speaker 5: Obviously, there's you know, a couple of plays we want

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Speaker 5: back to maybe score in the red zone earlier in

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Speaker 5: the game, or continue to drive where we got off

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Speaker 5: the field early in the game.

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Speaker 3: But I was proud of our effort.

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Speaker 1: A lot of people, myself included a little surprise. The

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Speaker 1: Rams didn't draft a corner last year. Their special teams

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Speaker 1: has lost them three games. That Carolina game, Bryce Young

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Speaker 1: had his highest highest career passer rating game against the Rams,

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Speaker 1: his entire career against the Rams.

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Speaker 3: That's what a good pass rush.

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Speaker 1: So the special teams last night that the game changed,

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Speaker 1: Rams leading thirty fourteen, Rashid Saheed comes back, takes the

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Speaker 1: put returning and I'm like, oh, it's the special teams

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Speaker 1: here we got. Saw it against the Niners, saw it

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Speaker 1: against the Eagles, saw it last night.

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Speaker 3: It opened the door.

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Speaker 1: And then a couple of three and outs row and slinging,

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Speaker 1: Sammy d doing what he does. J Mack, I know

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Speaker 1: you were happy for him. I mean, it's hard not

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Speaker 1: to have a soul. If you don't root for Sammy

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Speaker 1: d after that Juts debacle.

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Speaker 6: Well I'm happy that you're happy for him.

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Speaker 3: I just can't believe.

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Speaker 6: Remember, Rashid Shaheed was picked up at the deadline. You

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Speaker 6: know every year at the deadline there's a huge move

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Speaker 6: that somebody makes that kind of swings the balance. I

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Speaker 6: didn't think Shaheed had been particularly great with the Seahawks

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Speaker 6: the first few games. Remember there was a struggle. They

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Speaker 6: had the kid hording. Yeah, who was showing and then

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Speaker 6: he had to go to the bench. But that that

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Speaker 6: punt return was everything. And special teams, as you noted

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Speaker 6: going into the game con the Rams had the fewest

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Speaker 6: madefield goals in the league. We're talking about a league

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Speaker 6: where Brandon Aubrey and Cameron Dicker, these guys are automatic.

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Speaker 1: Did you notice McVeigh early on deep in his own territory.

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Speaker 3: We're going for it. I mean the Rams came in.

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Speaker 1: Their takeaway is they're trying to mitigate how bad their

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Speaker 1: special teams are. So they're they're they're being high per aggressive,

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Speaker 1: which by the way, analytically is the right thing to

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Speaker 1: do because they are so stacked on offense. But I

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Speaker 1: mean they go for it. A lot of it just

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Speaker 1: they just don't trust their special teams.

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Speaker 3: Let me just ask you.

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Speaker 6: This is a tough question, and I don't want people

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Speaker 6: to freak out, but Colin, after that game in Seattle,

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Speaker 6: Rams led by sixteen with eight minutes left, Seattle wins.

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Speaker 6: Who do you feel is the better team going into

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Speaker 6: the playoffs? Rams or Seahawks.

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Speaker 3: I think the Rams high end is better. They didn't

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Speaker 3: have DeVante Adams.

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Speaker 1: Remember, Okay, so the coach, I'd go and I'd love Seattles.

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Speaker 1: I'd go Rams. The quarterback, I'd go Rams. Offensive line,

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Speaker 1: I'd go Rams. Receiving targets total, Rams, defensive front slight Rams.

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Speaker 1: The Rams out played them for three quarters. But again,

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Speaker 1: the Rams have a hole with special teams that the

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Speaker 1: Seahawks don't have. And the Seahawks secondary I think is

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Speaker 1: pretty good. That's why the Puka Stafford combination last night's

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Speaker 1: crazy because that's Seahawks secondary, super talented guys.

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Speaker 6: McDonald is a sharp guy. Why did he keep job

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Speaker 6: up against Pooka like he had no chance all game?

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Speaker 6: They're highlighting it. You could hear the announcer Herbstreet. It's like,

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Speaker 6: I'm stunned that they just kept doing the same damn

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Speaker 6: thing and Pooka. Of course I'm facing him in fantasy

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Speaker 6: last night. That did not go well. I me greatest

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Speaker 6: game ever.

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Speaker 1: All Right, we got a lot of stuff blazing five.

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Speaker 1: Top of next hour. Robert Mays from The Athletic is

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Speaker 1: so good. He'll join us on a variety of topics.

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Speaker 1: We'll go a mile deep on some stuff.

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Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays

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Speaker 2: and noon eastern nine am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio

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Speaker 2: FS one and the iHeartRadio app.

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Speaker 3: Hey is Covino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio.

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Speaker 2: Now.

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Speaker 7: In addition to hearing us live weekdays from five to

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Speaker 7: seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

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Speaker 7: We're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for

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Speaker 7: the show.

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Speaker 3: Yep, that's right.

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Speaker 7: You can now watch Covino and Rich live on YouTube

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Speaker 7: every day. All you gotta do search Covino and Rich

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Speaker 7: FSR on YouTube again, go to YouTube search Covino and

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Speaker 7: Rich FSR. Check us out on YouTube, Subscribe, hit that

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Speaker 7: thumbs up icon coming away.

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Speaker 3: Let's roll, Let's blaze it up.

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Speaker 2: Fired Up, It's Collins Blazon, Fox Packers at Bears.

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Speaker 1: I like the Bears at home minus one and a half.

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Speaker 1: They're eight and two over their last ten games, and

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Speaker 1: those losses are only road losses. Caleb Williams has one

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Speaker 1: or fewer giveaways and all fourteen starts, so they won't

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Speaker 1: give the game away. And the defense, like most defenses,

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Speaker 1: is better at home. It's number six in the league.

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Speaker 1: I like the roster, and they're much healthier than Green Bay.

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Speaker 1: By the way, teams that play the Broncos, which the

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Speaker 1: Packers just did, are three and ten the week after

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Speaker 1: playing Denver. They're beat up, missing several stars, not just starters.

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Speaker 1: Run game for the Packers feels dead. Run game for

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Speaker 1: the Bears, been on fire all season. I like the

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Speaker 1: Bears to win and cover twenty seven to twenty three.

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Speaker 3: Vikings said upset.

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Speaker 1: I like New York here four of their last five

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Speaker 1: losses by one score. They are running the ball last

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Speaker 1: six straight games, one hundred plus rushing yards without scataboo,

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Speaker 1: so they're pounding the rock. Jackson dart, I was wrong.

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Speaker 1: I didn't think of me as good as a rookie.

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Speaker 1: His last five games, he's got a ninety five passer

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Speaker 1: rating and he didn't have a number one starbacker, a

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Speaker 1: number one wide receiver, and the Vikings. They've lost four

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Speaker 1: of their last six. Their wins or over two atrocious defenses,

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Speaker 1: Commanders and Cowboys. JJ McCarthy, I'm gonna take the better

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Speaker 1: quarterback at home. I trust him more. Let's keep him

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Speaker 1: out of the blue ten. I'll take the points. Giants win.

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Speaker 1: Twenty eight. Twenty seven Bengals at Dolphins. Maybe my favorite

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Speaker 1: pick of the week. I'll take Cincinnati minus four and

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Speaker 1: a half. They've scored thirty points in two of their

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Speaker 1: last three games, and Burrows in a bad mood because

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Speaker 1: he mailed it in the team did against the Ravens.

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Speaker 3: Joe Burrow, this is weird.

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Speaker 1: Not only has he won eight of his last ten starts,

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Speaker 1: he is unbelievable late in the season. In Week sixteen

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Speaker 1: and eighteen in his career, he's seven.

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Speaker 3: To oho Miami.

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Speaker 1: Five of the dolphins six wins this year have come

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Speaker 1: against the Jets twice, the Saints, the Falcons, the Commanders,

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Speaker 1: and now they're starting quinn Ewers. I have no idea

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Speaker 1: what I'm getting from quinn Ewers, but I know this,

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Speaker 1: He's not Joe Burrow. I'm going to take Burrow in

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Speaker 1: Cincinnati to win thirty to twenty in.

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Speaker 3: Cover Patriots and Ravens. I don't get this line.

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Speaker 1: I'm going to take the Patriots and the field goal

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Speaker 1: six and oh on the road outgained their opponents in

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Speaker 1: nine straight games coming off a loss, so they'll be salty,

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Speaker 1: and Drake made its completion percentage is still seventy. They'll

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Speaker 1: move the chains consistently, and they dominated Buffalo in the

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Speaker 1: first half. The Ravens are three and five at home

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Speaker 1: the last five games. Their passing game is toast and

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Speaker 1: they're not very good on the back end, so I

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Speaker 1: think Drake may could have some success down the field.

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Speaker 3: I don't really get the line here.

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Speaker 1: The Patriots are a good road team, excellent coach coordinator.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna take the points. I think the Patriots went

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Speaker 1: outright twenty eight to twenty seven. Forty nine Ers said Colts.

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Speaker 1: Maybe I haven't listening to J Mac, but I like

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Speaker 1: the Niners here minus five and a half, four game

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Speaker 1: winning streak, all four wins by double digits. Their third

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Speaker 1: down offense has been great with brockforty. They're not only

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Speaker 1: the Rams are penalized last pretty healthy offensively, and the

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Speaker 1: Colts on the back end. Uh oh. Also, everybody loved

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Speaker 1: Philip Rivers last week. It was a great, memorable game

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Speaker 1: and touching story. His passer rating was seventy three. He

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Speaker 1: averaged four point four yards throwing the ball down the field.

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Speaker 1: This offense. I mean again, the Philip Rivers a great story.

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Speaker 1: He wasn't a great quarterback. And the Niners have a

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Speaker 1: ton to play for, especially after Seattle comes back to

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Speaker 1: beat the Rams. You're gonna get a inspired effort by

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Speaker 1: the forty nine ers. They can do a lot more

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Speaker 1: with Brock thirty move in the pocket than the Colts can.

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Speaker 1: I like the Niners to win and cover thirty four

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Speaker 1: to twenty four. Three favorites a couple of underdogs on

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Speaker 1: our Blazing five picks. Jmack quick thoughts.

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Speaker 3: I hate to break it to you, but.

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Speaker 6: I'm against you on one two games.

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Speaker 3: I do love the Bears and Niners. I like this

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Speaker 3: fault they all right.

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Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays

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Speaker 2: and Noone Easter nine em Pacific and with that.

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Speaker 1: He's a writer for the Athletic but now you know

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Speaker 1: him as the Athletic Football podcast show host. His name

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Speaker 1: is Robert Mays. Joining our show again. You know I

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Speaker 1: said this about Sam Darnold. It's kind of a funny step.

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Speaker 1: It's remarkable in his last thirty nine starts. He's thirty

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Speaker 1: and nine and that's four different teams because he started

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Speaker 1: to get with the Niners. First quarterback ever to win

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Speaker 1: twelve games back to back, two different teams. Not Brady,

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Speaker 1: not Montana. I know the interceptions are ugly. He may

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Speaker 1: not win a Super Bowl. I loved Andrew Locke, but

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Speaker 1: there is something Robert about he has a short memory.

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Speaker 1: His body language does I mean there's something to be said.

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Speaker 1: It's always been my knock on Aaron Rodgers. I can

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Speaker 1: tell how he's playing by his demeanor on the sideline.

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Speaker 1: I kind of love what Donald did last night.

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Speaker 8: What was your takeaway if you think about the mental

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Speaker 8: toughness even over the course of his career, some of

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Speaker 8: the things he's come back from and now playing at

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Speaker 8: this level. I think there's a real maturity to the

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Speaker 8: way that he's approached the last few years, and you

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Speaker 8: can see it and stuff like last night where he

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Speaker 8: comes back from those early interceptions. I'm kind of with you, like,

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Speaker 8: I just think this is the Sam Donald experience. There

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Speaker 8: are gonna be a couple moments every game where it's like,

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Speaker 8: oh man, Sam, you got to get rid of the ball,

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Speaker 8: or like I cannot believe he threw that, But then

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Speaker 8: you watch what he did on those final couple drives

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Speaker 8: that throw a Cooper cup on that corner route truly

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Speaker 8: as good as it gets. I mean, he has elite

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Speaker 8: moments as a passer. And if you're going to ride

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Speaker 8: the highs, you got to endure the lows. And I

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Speaker 8: kind of just think that's what the Sam Donald experience

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Speaker 8: is right now.

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Speaker 1: You know, I told my staff this morning I would

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Speaker 1: give Josh Allen the MVP over Stafford. And here's why

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Speaker 1: you saw it last night. Josh is great in the

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Speaker 1: second half, and that's not scripted. There are times where

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Speaker 1: the ability to just say, guys, I'm taking off. I've

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Speaker 1: seen mahomes do this in Super Bowls. The Rams offense

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Speaker 1: Robert can get stuck. And last night I think they

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Speaker 1: had four punts in the fourth quarter and you're like, guys, boyd,

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Speaker 1: did they need a Herbert experience? They needed Caleb Williams

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Speaker 1: so I And this is not a knock on Stafford.

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Speaker 1: It's a reality. He may be the last great pure

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Speaker 1: pocket passer. But when you watch the Rams fourth quarter

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Speaker 1: offense and it stalls, how do you view that?

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Speaker 3: What's the issue to you?

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Speaker 8: I think it's a reminder that their run game is

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Speaker 8: incredibly important as like the engine of their offense overall.

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Speaker 8: If you look at the numbers, then the Rams are

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Speaker 8: dominant on early downs, and part of the reason for

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Speaker 8: that is on early downs you have the thread of

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Speaker 8: the run and you have the threat of play action pass.

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Speaker 8: When you put them in third and defined pass and

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Speaker 8: they're a dropback team, they're just not quite as dynamic.

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Speaker 8: And I think that's what you saw last night. They

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Speaker 8: ran the ball at will in the first half, and

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Speaker 8: then when they couldn't do it in the second half,

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Speaker 8: the offense starts to feel a little bit more inconsistent

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Speaker 8: and a little bit more hrky jerky. And so that's

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Speaker 8: the Seahawks are a ton of credit for really bowing

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Speaker 8: up against the run, because if you can do that,

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Speaker 8: you feel a different version of the Rams offense.

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Speaker 1: So listen, I have made my case that I like

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Speaker 1: Caleb and bow Knicks, and I think you know, Caleb's

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Speaker 1: the greater athlete, the higher ceiling. I think Bow Nicks

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Speaker 1: is more accurate ten yards and under the bubble stuff,

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Speaker 1: the flat stuff, he's really good. Let's talk, Caleb. Where

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Speaker 1: have you seen? I mean you you dive deep on

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Speaker 1: this stuff. Go to week one to now. Give me

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Speaker 1: a couple of things where it's very clear, either analytically

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Speaker 1: on film, he's a better quarterback now than Week one.

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Speaker 8: I just think he looks so much more comfortable within

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Speaker 8: the offense, and if you look at the timing he's

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Speaker 8: playing with, I thought that the first half of that

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Speaker 8: game against the Browns, and even the performance overall against

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Speaker 8: the Browns is probably the best game I've seen him

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Speaker 8: play as a pro. And you see this spectacular stuff

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Speaker 8: like that touchdown of DJ Moore, But to me, it's

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Speaker 8: about consistent ball placement. I don't think there was a

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Speaker 8: single throw over that entire first half and maybe even

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Speaker 8: the game where I'm like, he kind of wants that

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Speaker 8: one back and you see his ability to drive the ball.

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Speaker 8: That's what he does best, intermediate over the middle, off

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Speaker 8: play action. I'm going to rip it into this window.

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Speaker 8: But what I really liked in the Browns game is

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Speaker 8: that you saw him shaping some touch throws accurately and

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Speaker 8: if he can start to harness every single club in

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Speaker 8: his bag. That's where a guy with his talent level

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Speaker 8: becomes like truly scary, and I think we're trending in

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Speaker 8: that direction.

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Speaker 1: Yesterday, Todd McShay said, and he talked to GM's last

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Speaker 1: year before the draft, very few had bo Nicks as

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Speaker 1: a first round talent. And I called my three or

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Speaker 1: four guys I trust, they were totally split on him.

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Speaker 1: So there are people that believe this is really about

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Speaker 1: Sean Payton. What do the analytics say? He has been uneven?

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Speaker 1: He can struggle down the field, but what do the

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Speaker 1: numbers say? What's your take on bow?

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Speaker 8: Over the first fourteen weeks of this season, if you

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Speaker 8: look at the Broncos offense, they were not an ambitious

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Speaker 8: passing game.

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Speaker 3: Like they did not want to push the ball downfield.

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Speaker 8: I believe they were in twenty eighth in the NFL

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Speaker 8: in the percentage of their throws that were short of

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Speaker 8: the sticks.

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Speaker 3: It was a lot of yak. It was a lot

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Speaker 3: of underneath stuff.

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Speaker 8: Think even back to the Raiders game two weeks ago,

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Speaker 8: that's how they approached it.

435
00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:45,680
Speaker 3: And so I think the question with bo Nix was.

436
00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,720
Speaker 8: All right, if he's got to make four or five

437
00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,040
Speaker 8: throws down the field against a really good opponent, and

438
00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,040
Speaker 8: you're not just squeaking by against the Jets and the Raiders.

439
00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:56,840
Speaker 3: Is he capable of doing that?

440
00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,360
Speaker 8: And that's why last week I think is so encouraging

441
00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,360
Speaker 8: if you're a Bronco, that's exactly what happened. I mean,

442
00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,080
Speaker 8: he's just putting dots on guys on thirty five forty

443
00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,480
Speaker 8: yard throws down the field against one of the best

444
00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,760
Speaker 8: defenses they're going to play this year. And so if

445
00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,440
Speaker 8: he's going to have that level of ambition as a

446
00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:15,760
Speaker 8: passer and he's still going to bring some of the

447
00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,080
Speaker 8: creation stuff that he has, the fact that he's a

448
00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,960
Speaker 8: good athlete, the fact that he's accurate, his ability to

449
00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,040
Speaker 8: attack all areas in the field. To me, that was

450
00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,200
Speaker 8: the last thing I wanted to see, and so him

451
00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:27,320
Speaker 8: being able to do that last week, that's a box

452
00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:28,320
Speaker 8: checked in my opinion.

453
00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,400
Speaker 3: You know, Buffalo is interesting.

454
00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,200
Speaker 1: I've said I'd give Alan the MVP over Stafford because

455
00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:37,320
Speaker 1: I think Stafford's got a much better roster. I call

456
00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,520
Speaker 1: it Noah's Ark two of everything. Backs, tight ends, receivers,

457
00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,119
Speaker 1: guards like the Rams have a surplus of talent I

458
00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,680
Speaker 1: think three different tight ends had multiple.

459
00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:50,240
Speaker 3: Catches last night. That's what they are. But the AFC

460
00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:50,840
Speaker 3: is weird.

461
00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:55,639
Speaker 1: No Homes, no Burrow, maybe no Lamar Jackson, justin Herbert's

462
00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,600
Speaker 1: beat up with an atrocia. So line, where are you

463
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,240
Speaker 1: soup to nuts on the bills right now? Going into

464
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,199
Speaker 1: the playoffs? You know, if things continue on.

465
00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,360
Speaker 3: I don't know how you've experienced this or worked through this.

466
00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:09,760
Speaker 3: This year.

467
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,919
Speaker 8: It's been kind of this cognitive dissonance where I have

468
00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,200
Speaker 8: a way I've always processed the sport over the last

469
00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,840
Speaker 8: like ten years, and that's it's quarterback centric. So one

470
00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,119
Speaker 8: the teams with the best quarterbacks are the teams that

471
00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,679
Speaker 8: I'm going to trust laid into the season. Well, I

472
00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,360
Speaker 8: rode the Chiefs into the gutter like because of that,

473
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:26,800
Speaker 8: and I think the Ravens are kind of in a

474
00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,760
Speaker 8: similar place where you know, we believe in the quarterback,

475
00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,600
Speaker 8: but they're not a good or dangerous team right now.

476
00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,800
Speaker 8: And so I wonder if that's happening with Josh Allen

477
00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,080
Speaker 8: where I want to say he's the guy I would

478
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,040
Speaker 8: believe in the AFC playoffs, But is that the type

479
00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:43,359
Speaker 8: of year that we're discussing overall, I think that what

480
00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:45,919
Speaker 8: they were in the second half against the Patriots is

481
00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:48,320
Speaker 8: exactly why they're so scary. They do have a really

482
00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,080
Speaker 8: good run game. That is the foundation of the offense.

483
00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,320
Speaker 8: They can run the ball downhill at you. Their offensive

484
00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,639
Speaker 8: line is really good. Josh Allen is a force of nature.

485
00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,639
Speaker 8: He's going to make three or four plays over the

486
00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,919
Speaker 8: course of the game, whereas a defensive coach, he's going

487
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,480
Speaker 8: to sit there and shake your head because there's nothing

488
00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:03,360
Speaker 8: you can do about it.

489
00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:04,040
Speaker 3: And then the.

490
00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,920
Speaker 8: Defense, it's not a great group down to down. They're undersized,

491
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,879
Speaker 8: they struggle against the run. But I think that the

492
00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,720
Speaker 8: staff is creative enough where they can throw a curveball

493
00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,159
Speaker 8: at you, whether it's for two quarters, whether it's for

494
00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,640
Speaker 8: a game, and they can catch you flush the way

495
00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,439
Speaker 8: that they did with Drake may in that half, the

496
00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,640
Speaker 8: way they did it Patrick Mahomes earlier in the year.

497
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:28,119
Speaker 8: So if you have creativity and sort of unpredictability on

498
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,040
Speaker 8: defense combined with what Josh Allen can give you, that's

499
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,560
Speaker 8: why I still think that the Bills are probably the

500
00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:34,880
Speaker 8: scariest team in that conference.

501
00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,200
Speaker 1: So things can I think the team in the league

502
00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,280
Speaker 1: I had said this probably eight weeks ago, I said,

503
00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,919
Speaker 1: the coaching staff of the year is San Francisco. You

504
00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:49,040
Speaker 1: had Mac Jones except for Kittle, everybody was beat up.

505
00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,560
Speaker 1: The defense lost in the offseason. Hafung guy in green

506
00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,080
Speaker 1: Law and then Bosa and Warner. I'm like, this division

507
00:25:55,240 --> 00:26:00,359
Speaker 1: has great coaching. What's happening? Nothing makes sense that they

508
00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:05,399
Speaker 1: can win this division is insane to me. But I

509
00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:07,800
Speaker 1: look at it and I think, man, do they have

510
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,280
Speaker 1: anybody defensively that you would trust in a big spot?

511
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,840
Speaker 1: Sometimes it's just great coaching in this league. I mean,

512
00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,959
Speaker 1: we see Kevin O'Connell takes Josh Dobbs without a practice

513
00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,240
Speaker 1: and wins a game. It's like that is that is

514
00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,560
Speaker 1: really good coaching and good for Josh jobs.

515
00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:29,000
Speaker 3: Where are you on the Niners. I think their offense.

516
00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,800
Speaker 8: Is always going to be scary as long as they

517
00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:33,320
Speaker 8: have like sixty percent of the guys they need and

518
00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:36,040
Speaker 8: Kyle Shanahan, And that's exactly what's happened this year. The

519
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,679
Speaker 8: defense is where I just have my concerns. Like you

520
00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 8: look at even a team like the Titans. Last week,

521
00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,720
Speaker 8: the Titans were able to push them around on the ground.

522
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:44,840
Speaker 3: That's the Titans.

523
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,560
Speaker 8: What are they going to look like against the Rams,

524
00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:51,000
Speaker 8: the Packers teams in the NFC playoffs that all of

525
00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,560
Speaker 8: them have pretty dynamic offenses, and so I don't like

526
00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,240
Speaker 8: moral victories. I understand if you're a Niners fan and

527
00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:59,119
Speaker 8: the fact that you can get the one seed you

528
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:02,000
Speaker 8: have designs on like doing stuff and making noise in

529
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,000
Speaker 8: the playoffs. I just think that right now they're just

530
00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,000
Speaker 8: two banged up on the defensive side of the ball

531
00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:08,560
Speaker 8: to be a real player.

532
00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:08,840
Speaker 3: In this thing.

533
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,960
Speaker 8: And that's okay. This was supposed to be like a

534
00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,679
Speaker 8: transitionary year for the Niners, and so I think for

535
00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:18,080
Speaker 8: the most part they've been everything that you have wanted

536
00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,159
Speaker 8: in more as they turned the page to what should

537
00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:22,320
Speaker 8: be a better version of.

538
00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:23,440
Speaker 3: This thing in twenty twenty six.

539
00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:29,960
Speaker 1: And maybe it's the Niners of the AFC Pittsburgh, I think,

540
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,359
Speaker 1: and I've been a critic, I think Aaron's been one

541
00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:34,480
Speaker 1: of the most consistent redeemable parts.

542
00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:35,000
Speaker 3: This is a.

543
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,000
Speaker 1: This offense has been tone deaf. How in the world

544
00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,720
Speaker 1: can you go seven years without a run game? The

545
00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,439
Speaker 1: on line, they've spent draft capital, still don't love it.

546
00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:49,000
Speaker 1: They're big, and I mean even DK metcalf I after

547
00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,520
Speaker 1: him I don't trust a lot of the receivers. Are

548
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,320
Speaker 1: they the Niners of the AFC that they should just

549
00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,480
Speaker 1: we should all just go they made it in Aaron's

550
00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:01,920
Speaker 1: forty two with the achievement or do you have them

551
00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:02,840
Speaker 1: with a higher ceiling.

552
00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,040
Speaker 8: I think I have them with a lower ceiling because

553
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,439
Speaker 8: I think in any given stretch of two or three games,

554
00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,520
Speaker 8: the offenses are usually the teams aren't going to believe

555
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,720
Speaker 8: in because I think that offense is for the most part,

556
00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,560
Speaker 8: dictate your ceiling. So that the Niners in any given game,

557
00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:22,119
Speaker 8: I think can score thirty points against most defenses in

558
00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,760
Speaker 8: the NFL. I think that makes them a little bit scarier.

559
00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,960
Speaker 8: The Steelers, I still feel like the offense is limited.

560
00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:31,560
Speaker 8: That game they played against the Ravens where he had

561
00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,360
Speaker 8: four or five shots down the field, it was almost

562
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,720
Speaker 8: it was like jarring watching that version of their offense

563
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:41,040
Speaker 8: because of how conservative they've been for the most part

564
00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:43,600
Speaker 8: throughout this year, and so I think that right now

565
00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:46,560
Speaker 8: when you watch them, he still does not really want

566
00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:48,200
Speaker 8: to hang in the pocket, does not really want to

567
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,200
Speaker 8: push the ball down the field. And while there have

568
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,520
Speaker 8: been some moments where he's kind of stepped outside of

569
00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,840
Speaker 8: that I still think that overall the offense is a

570
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,640
Speaker 8: little bit too limited for them to really give anybody any.

571
00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:00,960
Speaker 3: Problems as they get into the playoffs.

572
00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:04,960
Speaker 1: Let's go back Robert Mays one more question, Seahawks Rams,

573
00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,520
Speaker 1: Jamack and I believe that when you really look of

574
00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,240
Speaker 1: depth and experience and coaching, the Rams are better than

575
00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,440
Speaker 1: the Seahawks. That's my take this morning, despite what happened.

576
00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:15,480
Speaker 1: Where are you on that?

577
00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,920
Speaker 8: I don't know if there are certain elements of the

578
00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,720
Speaker 8: Rams that I'm just worried about, right, I think that

579
00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:27,440
Speaker 8: the exactly and those are the margins we're talking about.

580
00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:31,120
Speaker 8: When you want to win championships, those little things end

581
00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,360
Speaker 8: up mattering. And so I think there are two different

582
00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,000
Speaker 8: things about the Seahawks that give them a slight edge

583
00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:39,200
Speaker 8: over the Rams. Top to bottom. I still think the

584
00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,560
Speaker 8: Seahawks defense is better. I think the personnel is better.

585
00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,160
Speaker 8: I think they have fewer weaknesses, and so that's a unit.

586
00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,760
Speaker 8: Even if the Rams have been good, I still think

587
00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,720
Speaker 8: that a couple cornerback issues and a couple of week

588
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:52,840
Speaker 8: points on the Rams defense I'm still a little bit

589
00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,520
Speaker 8: more worried about than Seattle. And special teams is a

590
00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,600
Speaker 8: real thing. The Seahawks have been one of the best

591
00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:01,760
Speaker 8: special teams units in the NFL kicking returns, and we

592
00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,000
Speaker 8: saw it last night and this continues to be a

593
00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,600
Speaker 8: significant problem for the Rams. This is like a multi

594
00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:09,960
Speaker 8: year thing that they've had to work through. And I

595
00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,200
Speaker 8: love the fact that we're getting this version of Sean

596
00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,840
Speaker 8: McVay who's going for it three different times on four

597
00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,040
Speaker 8: down in the first quarter. I think you can make

598
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,320
Speaker 8: an argument that he's not being aggressive enough considering the

599
00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,000
Speaker 8: current state of their kicking game, and so how he

600
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,720
Speaker 8: ends up sorting through that, I think that's going to

601
00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:27,680
Speaker 8: be the biggest question that the Rams have to answer.

602
00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:29,800
Speaker 8: And it's just not a question the Seahawks.

603
00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:30,200
Speaker 3: Have to worry about.

604
00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:32,840
Speaker 1: Yeah, the Niners game they missed a field goal and

605
00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,960
Speaker 1: an extra point, the Eagles game they had a kick blocked,

606
00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,680
Speaker 1: and then last night that three of their losses are

607
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,600
Speaker 1: special teams and what a circus and what a great game.

608
00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:48,800
Speaker 1: Robert Mays The Athletic Football Show podcast is outstanding at

609
00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,200
Speaker 1: Robert Mays love having you on the show. Your insight,

610
00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:52,280
Speaker 1: your intellect. Thank you so much.

611
00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:56,040
Speaker 3: Have a great weekend. Anytime contexts a lot. He does

612
00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,440
Speaker 3: terrific work Robert mays, Yeah, it is.

613
00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,120
Speaker 1: You know, it's crazy that if the Rams got to

614
00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,240
Speaker 1: the super Bowl and lost and it was special teams

615
00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:08,479
Speaker 1: blunders usually special You're not good enough to get to

616
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:10,720
Speaker 1: a super Bowl if you have bad special teams. Here's

617
00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,000
Speaker 1: the other thing to think about. So John Snyder looks

618
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:17,720
Speaker 1: at the two teams and at the trade deadline, he's like,

619
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:23,120
Speaker 1: where are the Rams weakest? And the Seattle GM probably

620
00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:26,680
Speaker 1: says they're special teams. So J Mack he makes a

621
00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:31,960
Speaker 1: move at the deadline to empower his Seattle special teams

622
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,960
Speaker 1: because he knows it's the Seahawks weakness. I don't know

623
00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,400
Speaker 1: if he did that, but I could see Snyder, who's

624
00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:41,640
Speaker 1: very strategic, going, Okay, we don't think the Niners are

625
00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,120
Speaker 1: going to be a threat big picture. The Rams may

626
00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,560
Speaker 1: be one of two teams we struggle to get through.

627
00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:50,480
Speaker 1: They're bad special teams. We're gonna double down, give up

628
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,440
Speaker 1: mid round picks to get Rashid sa Heat and it

629
00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,040
Speaker 1: paid off last night because they didn't need a number

630
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:58,280
Speaker 1: one receiver. But you know, he's a deep threat first

631
00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,280
Speaker 1: of all, but he is a special team's nightmare, especially

632
00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:03,160
Speaker 1: against the Rams.

633
00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,280
Speaker 6: Yeah, and the other team in the division. The forty

634
00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,280
Speaker 6: nine ers. Remember, their kicking situation was brutal in Week one.

635
00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,160
Speaker 6: Shanahan was pulling his hair out. They solve it with

636
00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:14,160
Speaker 6: Piniero I think is his name or or whatever it is,

637
00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:16,800
Speaker 6: but he's an unbelievable kicker. So the Niners also got

638
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:20,600
Speaker 6: Sky Moore returning kicks. He's doing well. Of those three teams,

639
00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,640
Speaker 6: the Rams very clearly have the worst special teams in

640
00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:24,640
Speaker 6: it'stan close column