1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to the Best of the Herd podcast. 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,319 Speaker 1: Sports Radio and noon to three Eastern nine am to 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: noone Pacific. Find your local station for the Herd at 5 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every 6 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: or FSR. 8 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 2: This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowver 9 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: on Fox Sports Radio. 10 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 3: Here we go. 11 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: ANFL season starts tonight. Eagles about to hammer the Cowboys 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: in several hours. Greg Cosel one hour from now, we 13 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: are livebing Los Angeles, wherever you may be, however you 14 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: may be listening. 15 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: Thanks for making us part of the Herd. 16 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: Okay Jmax season starts tonight one hour. I'll give you 17 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: my final predictions for all the divisions. Not a lot 18 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: of move. I didn't make one move. I have a 19 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: new division winner coming up. But some alar sounding in 20 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: Dallas with the Cowboys. Little alert them alarms going off. 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 1: The thing about the NFL, if you had to define 22 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: what the most important stuff in the NFL is, it's 23 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: really are you focused and obsessed with winning? You can 24 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: make a lot of mistakes. Hire the wrong person, fire 25 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: the wrong person. Are you obsessed with winning over everything else? 26 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: And never allow anything to get in the way of that. 27 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: Tom Brady famously would not drink a single beer during 28 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: the season. Bill Belichick's mantra no days off. Andy Reid 29 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: drawing up plays off season. He's not on hunting trips, 30 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: He's not on fishing trips. He is all off season, 31 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: as is Sean Payton drawing up and designing new plays. 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: Going to YouTube look it up nineteen fifty five Rose 33 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: Bowl tapes to draw up place obsessed with winning? And 34 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: yet Troy Aikman finally saying it, the former Cowboy Great, 35 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: finally admitting it that Jerry is not obsessed with winning. 36 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 4: Having the Cowboys as a discussion point is meaningful to 37 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 4: him and team. If people aren't talking about the Cowboys, 38 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 4: then he'll do things to stir up. So he he 39 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 4: kind of walked into that and has given the impression 40 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 4: that that supersedes winning. 41 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: In the NFL, the good teams, if they sniff selfish, 42 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: if they sniff anything that's not completely about the obsession 43 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: to win. Antonio Brown was to me the most talented 44 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: receiver arguably in the league. Steelers got him out of 45 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,239 Speaker 1: the room, got him out of the room. Tom Brady 46 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: got him out of the room. Actually at his house. 47 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: The room. Seanyon goes to Denver. Russell Wilson has his 48 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: own quarterback office. He sniffs it's more about Russ than 49 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: the team. Whether that's fair or not. That office is 50 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: gone day one, Russell's gone year two. Cam Newton distracted. 51 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: No back to back winning seasons ever, despite his talent, 52 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 1: ended very quickly if anything gets in the way, and 53 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: with Jerry finally Troy Aikman and others admitting it, Jerry's 54 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: selfish and he's not obsessed with winning. It's about his vanity, 55 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: it's about his drama. He puts it ahead of the team. 56 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: How about that article a year ago where Cowboy players 57 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: former Cowboy players came out and acknowledged it was distracting 58 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: to have tours during practice at the facility. So Belichick said, 59 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: do your job in Dallas. It's wave to the tours. 60 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: That's not about winning. You can do a lot wrong. 61 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: I mean, Eagles signed Carson Wentz to a massive deal, 62 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: got rid of him soon thereafter. 63 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 3: But they're obsessed with it. 64 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: Howie Roseman's obsessed with it. And I think what happens 65 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: is when you have a distracted owner and an owner 66 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: that lacks discipline in the in the workplaces that I've worked, 67 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: it always bleeds down. Who's the most penalized team in 68 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: the NFL the last five years, The Dallas Cowboys. They're 69 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: not focused, they're not disciplined, and they're not obsessed with winning. 70 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: And what makes it worse is the one team more 71 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: than any other in this league I could argue is 72 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 1: obsessed with winning is the Philadelphia Eagles. If you go 73 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: to the Cowboys' last Super Bowl appearance nineteen ninety six, 74 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: from that day to today, the Eagles have twenty playoff wins, 75 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 1: the Cowboys have five. The Eagles have eight conference championship appearances, 76 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: the Cowboys have zero. The Eagles have four Super Bowl appearances, 77 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: and the Cowboys have again zero. That since the Cowboys 78 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: last Super Bowl title. Do you know every team in 79 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: the NFC, every single team in the NFC in the 80 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: last thirty years, has reached the conference championship except the 81 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: biggest brand, the Dallas Cowboys. And it goes back to 82 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: lack of discipline. They are not obsessed with winning. Jay 83 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: Glazer has said this, it's almost unhealthy. The great ones 84 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: in this league. The Belichicks and the Brady's, and the 85 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: Peyton Mannings and the Mahomes and the Andy Reids and 86 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: the Sean Payton's, the Hardbaws. It's almost unhealthy. It is 87 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: more important than almost everything else in their life. More 88 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: Troy Aikman on Jerry. 89 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 3: I'm sure that. 90 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 4: Jerry and the Jones family and everyone is tired of 91 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 4: talking about the fact that they haven't been to a 92 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 4: championship game, let alone the Super Bowl in thirty years. 93 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 4: The fact that the Cowboys are a soap opera three 94 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 4: hundred and sixty five days a year that then becomes 95 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 4: the scoreboard. 96 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 3: Yeah. 97 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 1: Hey, Philadelphia can become noisy too. I'm not Sayingiladelphia is 98 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: not noisy. I mean they got a coach going after fans, 99 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: going after staff man. 100 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 3: I'm not saying. 101 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: Philadelphia is not noisy, but you always know what matters 102 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia above everything, doub bull ues. It's not the 103 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: case with the Cowboys and Jerry. So I'm reading an 104 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: article in the Chicago Sun Times that's one of the 105 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: six newspapers still left in America, and it's interesting they're 106 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: talking about Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson and the opening 107 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: line by this reporter is the more Bears quarterback Kleb 108 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: Williams explains how much he's learned from the new coach, 109 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: Ben Johnson in the last seven plus months. The clear 110 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,359 Speaker 1: it is how little he was taught as a rookie 111 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: an off season in preseason with Ben Johnson has been 112 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: like grad school for Caleb Williams. That will continue for 113 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: the rest of the season, if not longer, heading into 114 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,799 Speaker 1: the opener Monday against the Vikings. So we were talking 115 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: about this this morning. We've all had bad bosses. I've 116 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: been very very lucky. I've had one. I've had overwhelmingly 117 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: great supportive bosses and mentors, very lovely, lucky knock on 118 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: wood or whatever this new set is built from. I've 119 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: had great bosses, but I had a bad one. And 120 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: they make everything harder. They hinder momentum. Two steps forward, 121 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: three back. And I think sometimes we all know there's 122 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: really good coaches and really bad coaches. We know there's 123 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: really good owners and bad owners, really great quarterbacks and 124 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: bad quarterbacks. I think the gap in coaching, the problem 125 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: with it is it affects everybody. I mean, Caleb Williams 126 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: last year as a rookie quarterback, essentially, let's be honest, 127 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: was sent into the wilderness without a compass. 128 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 3: They gave him a. 129 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: Couple of flashlights and a dark tunnel. Find your way. 130 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: Bo Nixon, Denver got human GPS. Sean Payton, he got 131 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: a shirtp of climbing this mountain. Caleb Williams, good luck, 132 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: it's dark? Is that water is a What do I 133 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: see up there? That's the difference, the gap in coaching. 134 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: If you go to the first quarterback taken since twenty twenty, 135 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: the last five years, and this counts Caleb, Bryce, Young, 136 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow. Just to show you how hard 137 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: it is for number one picks in the pressure, they're 138 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 1: twelve and forty seven and one, okay, and that includes 139 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow. 140 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 3: That's the guy that got to a super Bowl. It 141 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 3: is hard. 142 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: So I mean, all you have to do is look 143 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: at Sam Darnold with the Jets and the Panthers, and 144 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: then Sam Darnold with Kevin O'Connell thirty five touchdowns and 145 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: a one h two pass already, look at Geno Smith career, Reborn, 146 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnald. It is so hard, So my 147 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: hunch is with Caleb Williams, he is going to be 148 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: the best version of Caleb Williams. And now whatever that 149 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: is in the NFL, if it's a notch below Jayden Daniels, 150 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: that's okay. This is a franchise that's never had a 151 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: four thousand yard passing quarterback. They've never had a quarterback 152 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: throw for thirty touchdowns. So if he becomes an A 153 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: minus quarterback in Jaden Daniels's best in class, he becomes 154 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: second or third best quarterback. It's still a franchise quarterback. 155 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: But he'll be the best he can be. But anybody 156 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: listening to me or watching me that has had a 157 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: bad boss, they just get in the way of success. 158 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: So Caleb Williams has a great drive followed by bad 159 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: coaching and a clunker. And I just think there's such 160 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: an advantage for a Jadeen Daniels having a Click at Kingsbury, 161 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: or a JJ McCarthy having a Kevin O'Connell bo Nicks 162 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: having Sean Payton, for anybody that's had a bad boss. 163 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 3: It is. 164 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: And it's hard enough to scale Mount Kilimanjaro even with 165 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: a great shirt up. So here is Albert Breer earlier 166 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: this week on realistic expectations. Let's be realistic here. It's 167 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: a tough schedule for Caleb and the Bears. 168 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 5: I think there is a world where you can get 169 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 5: them over five hundred, but because of the division that 170 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 5: they play in, it's a tough ask. And because the 171 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 5: schedule they have again, it's a tough ask. Having to 172 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,199 Speaker 5: play the other North Division makes it difficult. So I 173 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 5: would say, like, if I'm a Chicago fan, what I'm 174 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 5: looking for as an ascending team at the end of 175 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 5: the year with a quarterback who's playing well. 176 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: I said, I'm being optimistic. I think they split their 177 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: division games, which the Bears rarely do. I think they're 178 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: nine to eight. I don't think that's overwrought, over hyped. 179 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 1: Nine to eight Jmack feels about right to me. Again, 180 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: if you put them in the AFC South of the 181 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: NFC South, I think eleven and six is on the table. 182 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: But Minnesota's roster is probably better green Bay by NFL executives, 183 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,079 Speaker 1: and the NFC was just voted number two behind Philadelphia. 184 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: Detroit's offensive line and offensive personnel is in a short class. 185 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 3: You know, we're the best teams in the league. 186 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 1: So I think nine and eight feels like, Okay, we 187 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 1: got the coach right, we got a franchise quarterback that 188 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: to me in Chicago with their history, that feels very 189 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: very good to me. 190 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 6: You and I have been doing this long enough. You 191 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,679 Speaker 6: don't make sweeping conclusions after week one. That being said, 192 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 6: if the Bears can't beat JJ McCarthy at home and 193 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 6: Caleb and Ben aren't on the same page, I would 194 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 6: adjust that nine and eight down to like Morris six 195 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 6: to seven wins. I mean, they got they have to 196 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 6: win this game called or at least look good if 197 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 6: they lose thirty twenty seven. 198 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: This isn't college football where Texas can stumble, but their 199 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: next three games are basically versions of San Jose State. Yes, 200 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: like in the NFL, if you lose at home to 201 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: a division rival, that can become a three game skid, 202 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: and then you. 203 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 3: Get the media in Chicago swirling. 204 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 6: You're on a short week because you're playing Monday night football, 205 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 6: and then there's panic, Oh my gosh, here we go again. 206 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 6: And I think Chicago's probably one of the teams that 207 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 6: needs a win in Week one more than anyone else. 208 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 3: That's a good point. 209 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,599 Speaker 1: Greg Cosel in one hour from now. How good is 210 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: it to have football back Thursdays from this point I 211 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: barely prep by and drive in. I'm sitting eating breakfast 212 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: in the car at z Z Street. We come back. 213 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: We gave you a hint, a sniff of this yesterday. 214 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: You see that number for college football was significant. Yep, 215 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: that and a thought on the Eagles heading into tonight. 216 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays 217 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 2: and Noone Eastern, non a em Pacific on Fox Sports 218 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 2: Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app. 219 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 7: Hey, it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben 220 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 7: Maller with me and a lot to have you join 221 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 7: us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in 222 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 7: God's name is the Fifth Hour. I'll tell you it's 223 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 7: a spin off of it. Ben Mather Show a coult 224 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 7: hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture if 225 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 7: you will a world will We chat with captains of 226 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 7: indist in media, sports and more every week explore some 227 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 7: amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the 228 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 7: Fifth Hour with Ben Mather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple 229 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 7: Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. 230 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: Oh, here we go, it's hour two it's a Thursday. 231 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: NFL season opens tonight. Baby, we are live. It is 232 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: the her j Mac Greg Cosel will be joining us 233 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: in less than five minutes, So Jmack, I make my 234 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: final predictions on the opening Thursday. I've got one change, 235 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: a new division winner, and I'll explain why. But over 236 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: the course of the offseason, I make a prediction after 237 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: coaching hires and free agency, then after the draft, then 238 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: I get one kind of in the middle of preseason, 239 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: and then here this one. Are you ready to go 240 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: fire away? Okay we start. Here's my predictions for this year. 241 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 1: We start in the AFC, an easier conference to predict 242 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: because the top quarterbacks are so good. In the AFC East, 243 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: I'm going Josh Allen and the Bills, Patriots' most improved 244 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: team gets a wild card team, maybe not good enough 245 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: to win a playoff game, but coach and rosters much better. 246 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: Dolphins third, I'm going with that just because of Tua 247 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 1: and an offensive coach. I think the Jets rosters good. 248 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: I don't know what Aaron Glenn is. They just lost 249 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: their best or second best offensive lineman. I'm staying put 250 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: with that one. ABC North again, I think it's fairly predictable. 251 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: Ravens arguably best operation in the sport with Lamar, I'll 252 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: go with the quarterback and Joe Burrow next, although like 253 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: J Mack, I worry about how they start and their 254 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: offensive line. Aaron and the Steelers will be around five 255 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: hundred or a game above or below, and the Browns 256 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: are in a rebuild. I love their coach in GM. 257 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: I like Joe Flacco, Miles Garrett's amazing, but they're four 258 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: ABC South. I'm just gonna go with what I know. 259 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: Demiko Ryans hell of a coach, and I like c J. Stroud. 260 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: Rebuilding the old line worries me. 261 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: CJ. 262 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: Stroud's a gamer. Step back a little last year, but 263 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: it wasn't his fault. He couldn't keep wide receivers healthy. 264 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: Jaguar second, I'm like J Mack. I like him, but 265 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: I know I ever love them Titans. Third, Colts don't 266 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: know what quarterback they're going to use. That's scary. Their fourth, well, 267 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: they do know what quarterback and it's not a great one. 268 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: AFC West, I think it's very difficult. I think you 269 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: have four really good teams. I think the Broncos have 270 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: the best roster Kansas City Reid and Mahomes. Once again, 271 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: I don't know a rookie left tackle. Joe Tooney's gone 272 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: worries me. Also, wide receiving Corps no Rashi Rice, Travis 273 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: Kelsey getting old. I think the Broncos will look very 274 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 1: clearly early in the season like a Super Bowl contender. 275 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: Chargers losing Rashawn Slater the left tackle worries me greatly. 276 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: Joe alt moves over, but now they've got a right 277 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: tackle issue, and the Raiders will be the best fourth 278 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,239 Speaker 1: place team in the division. So Bill's Ravens, Texans, Broncos 279 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: are the division winners. Patriots Bengals Chiefs are wild card teams. 280 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: New England Bengals are both new playoff teams NFC. Again, 281 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: I think it's pretty static. Eagles, Commanders, Giants, Cowboys. I 282 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: actually have said this if they if the Giants get 283 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: B to B plus quarterback play, they're gonna shock some people. 284 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: They're gonna They're gonna go toe to toe with Washington. 285 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: But I don't know if Jackson Dart's ready, if Russell 286 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: Wilson falters. But I do like the Giants roster. I 287 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: love Abdul Carter and their defensive front. It's nothing but 288 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: dogs up front. I think in the NFC North again, 289 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: we I'm just gonna kind of roll with the quietest offseason. 290 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: The Green Bay Packers young still, but I like their 291 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: first pick, another wide receiver for Jordan Love. Lions have 292 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: two new coordinators, but I love almost everything else about 293 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: the organization. Bears, Vikings all know a lot more after 294 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: Monday Night, third and fourth, respectively. NFC South is not 295 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: a very good division. The Saintal stink. I'm not sure 296 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: the Bucks are as good as a lot of the 297 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: NFL execs and better stink. But I trust Baker, I 298 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: trust the GM, I trust the roster is weird. I've 299 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: spent more money on the Falcons losing bets. I don't 300 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: know what Atlanta is. I'll just wait till Thanksgiving. Panthers 301 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: are better than people think. I'll put them third, Saints fourth, 302 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: NFC West. Here's my big change, Rams. I'm going to 303 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: have them winning the division again. Bottom line is they 304 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: won the division last year. Despite starting one to four, 305 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: they still won their division. No team played more rookies 306 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: last year, and their defense the last month of the 307 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: season was second best. With all those rookies. It was 308 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: second best scoring defense in the NFL last month. It'll 309 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: be better. It's had a great camp. Seattle. The reason 310 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: I moved them from first to second. They have the 311 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: cheapest offense in the NFL. They don't have a number 312 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:46,399 Speaker 1: one receiver. Gray Zabel is a potential impact offensive lineman, 313 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: but their online last year stunk, so I don't think 314 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: they have the firepower again. I think Seahawks can win 315 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: nine games. I think the Niners could win nine and 316 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: Seahawks win the tiebreaker. I don't think there's a big 317 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: gap in this between the Rams, Seahawks, Niners, and Cardinals. 318 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: I don't if the Cardinals won eight and the Rams 319 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 1: won ten, that could be the difference. I only have 320 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: one new team making the playoffs in the NFC. It's 321 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: the Seahawks. I only have three new playoff teams. The 322 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: NFL average is closer to five, but I have argued 323 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 1: that number has been going down in recent years. Why 324 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 1: because it's becoming a more quarterback dependent league, and if 325 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: you've got a great quarterback or a very good one, 326 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: you are more predictably a playoff team. So it used 327 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: to be there were six new playoff teams. Then five 328 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: playoff team. It's getting down to four, and I think 329 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: this year it's three. So as the quarterback becomes more 330 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: important and offensive coaches have a better relationship with that quarterback, 331 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: the league is getting, at least not on a week 332 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: two week basis, but on a macro level, a little 333 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: easier to predict. And with that Greg Cosel forty six 334 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: years NFL films, allright, let's start Tonight's the big one 335 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: Philadelphia in Dallas. Sure, Okay, Brian Schottenheimer's offense, you've seen 336 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: a lot of it in your forty six years, especially 337 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: in the last fifteen years. Does it match with Dak 338 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: Prescott's skill set? 339 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 8: Well, I think they're going to have to have some 340 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 8: kind of meaningful, viable, sustaining run game. You know, I 341 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 8: spent earlier this week watching literally all of Dak Prescott's 342 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 8: throws from last year before he got hurt, and I 343 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 8: was kind of disappointed. There's something wrong with his lower body, Colin, 344 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 8: you know, and this was before he got hurt. He 345 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 8: was very tight hipped, he was very heavy footed. He 346 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 8: threw the ball much better to his left than to 347 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 8: his right. He really he was lifting his feet off 348 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 8: the ground making a lot of throws. He did not 349 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 8: look very good last year. Now with Pickens there, they 350 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 8: have a true boundary. 351 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 3: X receiver, that single receiver to the short side of 352 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 3: the field, which allows C. D. 353 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 8: Lamb, who's a terrific player, to be what he's best at, 354 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 8: which is kind of a movement motion receiver that can 355 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:06,959 Speaker 8: line up in multiple positions. 356 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 3: But I don't know. 357 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 8: I think their defense has some significant questions versus this 358 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 8: Eagles offense, which is really really efficient. It would not 359 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 8: surprise me at all tonight if you saw the Eagles 360 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 8: come out, no huddle, tempo and throw the football because 361 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 8: there's a lot of changes on that Cowboys defense, including 362 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 8: the decoordinator. 363 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 2: Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays 364 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: and newone Easter non a Empacific on Fox Sports Radio 365 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 2: FS one and the iHeartRadio app. 366 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: So I want to ask you about Philly. Last year 367 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: Eagles thirty six plus carries per game. After the buye 368 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: they ran more and threw less. You said you think 369 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: they'll run. I think their personnel, I think they could 370 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: do anything. I mean, I like their tight ends, I 371 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: like everything does their personnel. When you watch Jalen Hurts. 372 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 1: They as a staff on the bye week said we're 373 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: going to run more throw less. You probably agree with 374 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: that decision. 375 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 8: I mean, I think it fits who they are and 376 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 8: what they are. They've got the best O line in 377 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 8: the league. They have basically the same offense back. The 378 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 8: only true change is at right guard, where Steen played 379 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 8: meaningful snaps last year. Anyway, so they've got the same 380 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 8: group back. They are a run first football team. I 381 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 8: think the fact that they are so good on fourth 382 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 8: down and they go for it on fourth down, literally 383 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,360 Speaker 8: when they get to the fifty yard line, they go 384 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 8: for it if. 385 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 3: It's fourth and fourth or less. 386 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 8: I think that impacts what they do on third down, 387 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 8: which has run the ball more than any team in 388 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,120 Speaker 8: the league on third down between four and eight yards. 389 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 8: That really impacts the way defenses have to play them. 390 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 8: And I think that within the context of how they 391 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 8: play offense, Jalen Hurts is highly efficient. You know, they 392 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 8: do not turn the football over and Hurts. The running 393 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 8: element that Hurts brings both by design within the context 394 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 8: of their run game and as a scrambler is You 395 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 8: cannot overlook that that is so much a part of 396 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 8: their offense and who they are. They're very, very difficult 397 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 8: to defend. 398 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: So I want to go to another game this weekend 399 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: and maybe the Marquee game Baltimore and Buffalo. I think 400 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: Baltimore's got the second best roster in the league. That's 401 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: just what my eyes tell me. After Philadelphia, and we 402 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 1: always think of Baltimore, Well, they're run heavy, it's Dereck Henry, 403 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: it's Lamar. But I think we would both admit Lamar's 404 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: gotten better in the pocket. But do you think especially 405 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: when they go on you know, when they play Buffalo 406 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: in these big teams, they've gotten a little They've gotten 407 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 1: a little tight at times with Kansas City, do you 408 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: think the essence of the Ravens is like the Eagles, 409 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: they are a run team first, or do you feel 410 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: differently about because really, if you took a Baltimore and 411 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 1: Philadelphia had a lot in common. But do you see 412 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: a lot of things in common? 413 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 3: You know, It's funny. 414 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 8: I watched a lot of Lamar this summer, and I 415 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 8: thought that their offense, he threw the ball well. I 416 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 8: thought Monkin did a really good job with their route 417 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 8: concepts and combinations to present. 418 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 3: Really clean throws for Lamar. 419 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 8: You know, they played in the Divisional playoffs last year 420 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 8: these two teams, and it was a very odd game. 421 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,360 Speaker 8: As you may remember, Josh Allen threw for less than 422 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 8: one hundred and thirty yards. And in that game, the 423 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 8: Bills dominated on the ground. They controlled the game running 424 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 8: the football, which you would not expect against the Ravens defense, 425 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 8: which is very, very good. And actually what we saw 426 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 8: a lot in that game was the Bills be very 427 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 8: aggressive with pressure against the Ravens offense. Usually games don't 428 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 8: work out exactly the same way when teams meet so 429 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 8: close together like that. But the Ravens, I mean, they're 430 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 8: a really good football team, you know. You know, people 431 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 8: get wrapped up and who makes the Super Bowl and 432 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 8: obviously they haven't, and they haven't won an AFC Championship 433 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 8: game obviously, but there's it's not a team with many 434 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 8: weaknesses at all. 435 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,479 Speaker 1: You know, last year Josh Allen only completed about sixty 436 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: three percent of his throws, which was twenty fourth in 437 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: the league. I don't it doesn't. I've always said the 438 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: lines like sixty two percent. He also adds a dynamic physically, 439 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 1: so I don't worry a ton about it. And now 440 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: he has James Cook. But let me ask you, when 441 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: you look at that number for all his talent, was 442 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: it mechanics, footwork or was it just lack of dependable 443 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: receiving targets. 444 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 8: Well, I think the one thing they were lacking last year, 445 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 8: which they're hoping they rectified this year with the development 446 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 8: of Keon Coleman and Josh Palmer now being there coming 447 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 8: over from the Chargers, is they really didn't have one 448 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 8: on one winners last year. And I think that that 449 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 8: impacts a quarterback obviously, because when you get man coverage, 450 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 8: you know, I remember having this conversation years ago with 451 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 8: Troy Aikman, and he said, when it's one on one 452 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 8: on the outside, your receivers have to win, and they 453 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:49,239 Speaker 8: did not really have that. 454 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 3: Guy. 455 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 8: Shakiir is an excellent slot receiver, that's who he is. 456 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 8: He's very good at it, but he can't really be 457 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 8: your number one weapon over the course of his season. 458 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 8: They just didn't really have received on the edge who 459 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 8: could win one on one, and that absolutely impacts your quarterback. 460 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 8: So I don't think that completion percentage number is really 461 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 8: indicative of anything truly important about Josh Allen. 462 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's talk Green Bay Detroit so I think I 463 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: certainly felt this way. I loved all their young receivers 464 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: and tight ends. But then they go in the first 465 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: round and they go after a wide receiver, a kid 466 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: from Texas. 467 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 3: I liked that. 468 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:26,879 Speaker 1: So my take was, oh, what is that telling me 469 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: they may not like their receiving cores as much when 470 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: and I maybe I overvalued all their young guys Christian 471 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: Watson can't stay healthy. But I like their tight ends. 472 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: I really like their running back. What did it tell 473 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: you when they drafted a wide receiver. Am I overvaluing 474 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: all their young receiving talent? 475 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 3: You know what, Colin? 476 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 8: It could be that they had Golden rated as a 477 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 8: top ten player on their board, and when he was 478 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 8: there at whatever number they drafted, they said, we have 479 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 8: to stick to our board. 480 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 3: That See, that's the stuff we don't know. We started 481 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:58,439 Speaker 3: reading into all this. 482 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 8: I personally really like Matthew Golden's tape coming out of Texas. 483 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 8: I thought he was an ascending player as the year 484 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 8: progressed in college. 485 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 3: When I did him for the draft, I really really 486 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 3: liked him. 487 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 8: The other player in that offense that I think really 488 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 8: is a player to watch this year is the tight 489 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 8: end craft draft is a really good player. He's pretty athletic. 490 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 8: I mean, we don't necessarily mention him when we talk 491 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,679 Speaker 8: about the highly athletic tight ends in the league, but 492 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 8: he's pretty close to that. They're a pretty good offensive team. 493 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 8: Love is I watched a lot of love as well 494 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 8: this summer. You know, I still think at times his 495 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 8: lower body mechanics and causes him some problems, but there's 496 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 8: no question this kid can play off his back foot 497 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 8: and drive the ball both in the middle of the 498 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 8: field and outside the numbers. I like the fact that 499 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 8: he's an aggressive thrower. They'll be really interesting because of 500 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 8: their defense as well. Now we know they have Micah Parsons. 501 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 8: Last year they had one of the highest stunt percentages 502 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 8: with their defensive line of any team in the league. 503 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 8: And now that they have Micah Parsons and another year 504 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 8: with linebacker Eddrian Cooper another player to watch. He was 505 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 8: a great pass rusher as a blitzer at Texas A 506 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 8: and M, and he sort of had to get his. 507 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 3: Feet wet last year as a rookie. This could be 508 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 3: a really intriguing defense as well. 509 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 1: Okay, so the Lions go out and replace both coordinators. 510 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: Philadelphia did that a few years ago, and by week 511 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: ten or eleven they were a mess. I am not 512 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: a huge fan of replacing a star coordinator with somebody 513 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: in the building. I think you have to make a 514 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,440 Speaker 1: global search right go everywhere. 515 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 3: They didn't. 516 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: They were comfortable in the building. When you watched Ben 517 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 1: Johnson's Wizardry last year, was it more about personnel or 518 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,160 Speaker 1: his play calling? Because it felt like to me, in 519 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: big spots he was really top of the class. 520 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 521 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 8: I find play calling to be something that's very difficult 522 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 8: to talk about because I always feel like you'd have 523 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 8: to be in the building all week to understand how 524 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 8: they go about putting a game plan together. To me, 525 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 8: when I watched that offense and Ben Jonson, and to 526 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,639 Speaker 8: me what stands out is just the spacing of the 527 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 8: route concepts, how it really beautifully defines the reads for 528 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 8: the quarterback because the spacing is so good. I mean, 529 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 8: football is still a game because we don't think of 530 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 8: it unlike let's say basketball or hockey, where you can 531 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,200 Speaker 8: see the whole field basically all the ice. You can't 532 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 8: see the entire football field. But it's still a game 533 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 8: that's played and can find space and therefore spacing and balance. 534 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 8: You hear floor balance in basketball all the time, but 535 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 8: that's critical for the passing game, particularly against zone coverage, 536 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 8: and that's where I thought Ben Johnson was an absolute master. 537 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 8: Now I would imagine conceptually they're not going to change 538 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 8: very much at all. Goff understands that offense exceptionally well, 539 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 8: and there may be no quarterback better in football throwing 540 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 8: between the numbers at the intermediate level. So now it 541 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 8: comes down to how the new coordinator calls a game, 542 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 8: and that's impossible to know until we see it, and 543 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 8: even then we might not know because we're not there. 544 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 3: I want to ask you a question. 545 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: So Kansas City and the Chargers play overseas, and we 546 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: all know how great Andy Reid is and Patrick Mahomes is, 547 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: and we know how good Joe Tooney was, and this 548 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: team averaged twenty two points the last two seasons. That's 549 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: what they averaged with Andy Reid and Mahomes, And that 550 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: leads me to believe this personnel is being elevated and 551 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: it's not very good. 552 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 3: Now. 553 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: I would say they have drafted the defensive side brilliantly. 554 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: They have missed like every team in the league, they've 555 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: missed on wide receivers. But if you would have told 556 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: me reading Mahomes and Travis Kelsey Joe Tooney averaged twenty 557 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: two points the last two years, I'd be like, what 558 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: is wrong? My take is the left tackle and the 559 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: receiving corps. It feels like they're bailing water. What does 560 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: the film say about the Chiefs personnel. 561 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 3: Well, they were very condensed as a pass game. 562 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 8: We know Mahomes can make special plays at any point 563 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 8: in the game. He's just a special player with maybe 564 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 8: the best sense of spatial awareness of any quarterback we've 565 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 8: ever seen. But their left tackle position, which is now 566 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 8: where rookie Josh Simmons from Ohio State. Their left guard 567 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 8: is Sue Mattea, who's not really played left guard. 568 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 3: He was a tackle in college. 569 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 8: And the Chargers last year caused some problems for them 570 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 8: with their defense. 571 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 3: I watch both of those games. 572 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 8: The first game they played a ton of zone because 573 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 8: they did not have Derwin James, and they caused problems. 574 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 8: The second game, they had Derwin James and played far 575 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 8: more man because James can match up to Travis Kelsey. 576 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 8: But I would expect in this matchup they will test 577 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 8: the left tackle and the left guard. There'll be a 578 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,800 Speaker 8: lot of stunt concepts. They'll put Khalil Mack on the 579 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 8: left tackle. I mean this is an interesting matchup as 580 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 8: far as the pass rush versus this offensive line. 581 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: All Right, Drake Man New England I think is going 582 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 1: to be a wild card team. I think coaching upgrade 583 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: three hundred million in free agency, and I just think 584 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: Vrabel's better with person Eldon Belichick was in his last 585 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: six or seven years. I think they've updated, upgraded virtually everything. 586 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: What did you see? Give me something about Drake May 587 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: that you really found promising greg on film, and then 588 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: something that he absolutely has to work on. 589 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 8: I would say two things that I really noticed on 590 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 8: film and studying him this summer was just innate toughness 591 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 8: in the pocket. 592 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 3: And I don't think you can teach that. I think 593 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 3: the guys that. 594 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 8: Are willing to stand and deliver when there's people around 595 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 8: them and they know they're going to get hit, I'm 596 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 8: not sure you can teach that. 597 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 3: He's got that. 598 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 8: The other thing I'm not sure that you can teach 599 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 8: players is just a natural willingness to throw the ball 600 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 8: into tight windows. 601 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 3: They see those throws. 602 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 8: As viable throws and Drake may seize those throws as 603 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 8: viable throws. The one thing I'd love to see him 604 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 8: get a little better at is just I thought his 605 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 8: ball placement was at times a little erratic. Yeah, I 606 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,719 Speaker 8: wouldn't call him scattershot, but I thought that there were 607 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:58,840 Speaker 8: a few too many layups that he missed that he 608 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 8: cannot miss at this left. 609 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. 610 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's it's such a you know, the NFL 611 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: is so funny. You can do so many things wrong, 612 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: but if you find a good young quarterback, it erases 613 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: a lot of trouble. 614 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 3: You know. 615 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 1: It's like, if Drake May can play like will you 616 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: and I think he can, they don't need to have 617 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 1: a great receiving corps. I mean, it's just, I mean, 618 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: it's just it's so interesting in this league. I was 619 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: talking about my predictions the league has become such a 620 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: quarterback dependent league. But I also I was watching the 621 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: other day there was a list of the top offensive minds. 622 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 1: I think the offensive coaching in my opinion, throughout the league. 623 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: I think they're more smart young offensive coaches that I've 624 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: ever seen. Does the film belie that? Does your film 625 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: think your concepts are better and smarter? 626 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 3: Well? 627 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 8: Here's how I'd answer that. I think that they're really good. 628 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 8: There's very few. 629 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 3: Quarterbacks, even the ones we think are great, because I 630 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 3: talked to coaches that have no flaws in their game 631 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 3: at all. There's very few guys like that. 632 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 8: So I think what really good offensive coaches do, besides 633 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 8: being able to scheme well designed plays, is understand the 634 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 8: strengths of their quarterback and how to minimize the limitations 635 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 8: or flaws. And I think that's absolutely critical for coaches, because, 636 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 8: as I said, if you speak to coaches, no coach 637 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 8: will tell you, Oh, this guy's perfect, he's got no 638 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 8: flaws in his game. 639 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 3: No coach talks like that. 640 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 8: And I think that's the absolute key to getting the 641 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 8: most not only out of your quarterback, Colin, but out 642 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 8: of your team. I think the Eagles are maybe the 643 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 8: best example of that. I mean, I watched their tape 644 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 8: this summer, and I thought the way they ran their offense, 645 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 8: allowing Jalen Hurts to do what he does absolutely really 646 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 8: well and play to high level efficiency, was a phenomenal 647 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 8: coaching job. Playing to the strengths of the quarterback and 648 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,480 Speaker 8: the overall offense and the overall team. 649 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 3: And I think that's one reason they're so good. 650 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, I hope you're as fired up as we are, 651 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: and I know you are. Forty six years NFL Films. 652 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: Can't wait for tonight. Greg is always great. Sen you thanks, Colin, 653 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Yeah, it's uh, I just football is just different. 654 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 1: I have a smile on my face perpetually from like 655 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: Labor Day until February twentieth. Well maybe that's because I'm 656 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: working with you. 657 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 6: Oh wow, wow, Oh my goodness. It's a nice coming. 658 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 4: Oh. 659 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 8: I know. 660 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: Listen, this is the optimistic nice column. You know, it 661 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: depends on the night. Tonight. I am home bed early 662 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: breaking down tape. 663 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 3: This is this big night. 664 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 6: That's the beauty of being out here in California. You 665 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 6: could be to bed at like nine o'clock and watch 666 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:41,719 Speaker 6: the entire game. Here you go. 667 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 3: That's nice.