# INSTANT REACTION: Bears Comeback To STUN Packers, Rams Beat Panthers In THRILLER, Indiana Crushes Oregon

An episode of [The Colin Cowherd Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1551365571), 11 Jan 2026, 31 min.

Audio: https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/arttrk.com/p/D5CA5/pscrb.fm/rss/p/prfx.byspotify.com/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/4013d28e-5f67-4885-bff1-ae3300346830/e13bb93f-7a72-4beb-8bd0-b3cf00159b3d/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=e829cf60-fc06-4d61-8691-ae330034683e

Colin reacts to the Bears' massive comeback to beat the Packers, the Rams thrilling 34-31 win over the Panthers & Indiana’s win over Oregon in the CFP. He starts with the Bears recovering from a terrible first half to beat the Packers and points to the lack of a run game and consistent pass protection leading to the Packers downfall. He gives Caleb Williams credit for making some incredible throws and playing “John Elway” level ball in the fourth quarter (3:30). He moves to the Rams win over the Panthers and points to shaky special teams for the Rams, the Panthers big bodied receivers, and some reckless throws by Matthew Stafford as reasons the underdog Panthers were able to put a scare into the Rams. He explains why he never had a doubt the Rams would come back to take the lead on their final drive (20:45). Finally, he breaks down Indiana’s drubbing of Oregon in the College Football Playoff semi-final and offers high praise for Curt Cignetti’s coaching & explains why IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza will work at the NFL level (30:30). (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates! #Volume See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

## Transcript

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[1:44] Speaker 1: Arizona Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. All right,
[1:52] Speaker 1: what a crazy, crazy game. Bears asleep first half, roar
[1:58] Speaker 1: back to win. The Packers game really mirrored their season.
[2:02] Speaker 1: Pete Durley fell apart down the stretch. They had two
[2:07] Speaker 1: miss field goals, a missed extra point the Packers in
[2:10] Speaker 1: the second half, punt punt, punt, punt, touchdown, miss field goal,
[2:13] Speaker 1: end of game. I mean, just just, I mean, I
[2:18] Speaker 1: was thinking about this. Here's some things you wouldn't have
[2:24] Speaker 1: thought we're going to happen five years ago. Trump would
[2:29] Speaker 1: be president again, the Indiana Hoosiers would be a football powerhouse,
[2:34] Speaker 1: and the Bears would be the most electric fourth quarter
[2:38] Speaker 1: offense in the NFL. Win a playoff game. And He's
[2:44] Speaker 1: just I thought the Bears were going to win, even
[2:47] Speaker 1: at halftime. I was sitting with friends in Chicago, where like,
[2:50] Speaker 1: they'll make it competitive. I didn't think they'd win after
[2:55] Speaker 1: the first half, but I thought it'll come down to
[2:57] Speaker 1: the end. That's just the way the Bears play. This
[3:00] Speaker 1: is a tough loss for Matt Lafloor because it's just
[3:05] Speaker 1: how uneven the Packers are as a football team. And
[3:09] Speaker 1: I you know, when Michael Parsons went down. They're not
[3:12] Speaker 1: the same defense. And you know that's obvious. I mean
[3:18] Speaker 1: Michael Parsons leaving the Cowboys and Michael Parsons getting hurt
[3:22] Speaker 1: and leaving the Packers. He's a great player, you know,
[3:24] Speaker 1: and these great pass rushers are so few and far between.
[3:28] Speaker 1: But it's the offense that worries you if you're a
[3:30] Speaker 1: Packer fan. They can run the ball, they can't run
[3:32] Speaker 1: the ball. They have good pass pro they don't. Jordan
[3:35] Speaker 1: Love is flawless in the first half. Jordan Love is
[3:37] Speaker 1: office game. In the second, play calling is uneven. Are
[3:40] Speaker 1: they being conservative? Ben Johnson? Meanwhile, I thought got way
[3:44] Speaker 1: too cute early in the game, way too cute in
[3:47] Speaker 1: the first half and even in the third quarter. I
[3:54] Speaker 1: you know, it's funny. Remember earlier this year USC played
[3:58] Speaker 1: Illinois and they score early, and I remember j Mac
[4:03] Speaker 1: texted me. He's like, man, I can't believe they won,
[4:05] Speaker 1: and I'm like, Illinois got a like all American level
[4:10] Speaker 1: field goal kicker. It's way too early. USC's defense is gassed.
[4:14] Speaker 1: I think the Aline is going to come back and
[4:16] Speaker 1: win it. I thought the same thing after the Bear
[4:18] Speaker 1: scored quickly and I guess you know Lincoln Riley, Ben Johnson.
[4:21] Speaker 1: The feeling is if you can get a touchdown, just
[4:23] Speaker 1: get a touchdown. But I think everybody kind of felt
[4:26] Speaker 1: like unless you were a Packer fan and you're just
[4:28] Speaker 1: like a little overly pessimistic. It was like, oh boy,
[4:31] Speaker 1: there's some time in the clock here. In this Bears
[4:33] Speaker 1: defense all year long gets gashed. But I will give
[4:36] Speaker 1: Dennis Allen in the defense credit. They looked they were
[4:40] Speaker 1: badly fooled. The Bears defense was badly fooled. Even a
[4:43] Speaker 1: couple of times. I think Herbstreet pointered it out. They
[4:45] Speaker 1: look lost on kind of routine stuff in the first half.
[4:48] Speaker 1: But you know, so much of coaching is second half adjustments,
[4:52] Speaker 1: and I thought Dennis Allen did a much better job.
[4:55] Speaker 1: They got a more consistent pass rush. So the Bears
[4:57] Speaker 1: deserve credit. They did a much better job in this
[5:00] Speaker 1: second half. And you know, Dennis Allen as a defensive
[5:03] Speaker 1: coach is very respected. He struggled as a Raider and
[5:05] Speaker 1: Saint Head coach, but a lot of guys do. But
[5:09] Speaker 1: I thought they deserve credit. They don't have a great
[5:11] Speaker 1: defensive personnel. Montese Sweat's really good. They lost one of
[5:15] Speaker 1: their better pass rushers got injured in this game. Jalen
[5:19] Speaker 1: Johnson's very good, but he's been banged up. They're gonna
[5:23] Speaker 1: exhaust most of their draft capital on defense, as they should.
[5:25] Speaker 1: They don't really have any needs offensively. They really don't
[5:28] Speaker 1: have any needs. Their first five draft picks could all
[5:31] Speaker 1: be defensive players. They need a corner, they need another
[5:34] Speaker 1: pass rusher, they need another de tackle. They have a
[5:36] Speaker 1: lot of needs. They need more speed at linebacker. You
[5:40] Speaker 1: know where the Bears are going this point forward. It's
[5:42] Speaker 1: load upon that defense. But in the second half they
[5:45] Speaker 1: made some plays. They made some big plays. Matthew Golden
[5:49] Speaker 1: did a very good job for the Packers in the
[5:52] Speaker 1: second half. He looked like a number one pick. He's
[5:53] Speaker 1: another really talented kid that's been hurt this year for
[5:55] Speaker 1: Green Bay. But I think it's just the uneven nature
[5:59] Speaker 1: of Matt Lafleur's And I've always said, if I just
[6:03] Speaker 1: looked to a coach, if what's your side of the ball,
[6:06] Speaker 1: And if you look at the Packers this year, yes,
[6:08] Speaker 1: they've had injuries. Tuckercraft injury. He's a great player at
[6:12] Speaker 1: the tied end. But they had their you know, full
[6:16] Speaker 1: group tonight and played very very well in the first half,
[6:18] Speaker 1: very slick, very smooth. But Jordan Love got out of sorts.
[6:23] Speaker 1: And you know, this is where if I it's easy
[6:27] Speaker 1: to say this in hindsight, but I think Matt Leflor
[6:31] Speaker 1: got a little conservative the second half, But coaches should.
[6:34] Speaker 1: If you can run with any consistency, if you could
[6:36] Speaker 1: pick up four or five yards at a time, you're
[6:37] Speaker 1: on the road, you have a lead. Let's get this
[6:39] Speaker 1: game going. If he was throwing forty times in the
[6:42] Speaker 1: second half, I'd be the first person to be critical
[6:44] Speaker 1: and say to eat the clock. But what happens is
[6:47] Speaker 1: when you get conservative and you have more third and longs,
[6:51] Speaker 1: second and longs, well, Jordan Love, with more pressure has
[6:55] Speaker 1: to make tougher throws, and he missed on a few
[6:57] Speaker 1: that he didn't miss on in the first half. So
[7:01] Speaker 1: I just think you have to give Dennis l and
[7:03] Speaker 1: the Bears, who don't have elite personnel. They give up
[7:05] Speaker 1: big chunk plays all year. I think they made adjustments,
[7:08] Speaker 1: played much more spirited, much more energized football in the
[7:11] Speaker 1: second half. Listen, Caleb Williams, you know it's like it's
[7:17] Speaker 1: a little like Nolan Ryan you know, he's got a
[7:19] Speaker 1: great fastball, but Nolan Ryan was only He's got like
[7:22] Speaker 1: a five hundred record as a pitcher, you know, seven
[7:25] Speaker 1: no hitters and like a five hundred pitcher. Because if
[7:28] Speaker 1: Nolan didn't have control, you know, he was in trouble.
[7:33] Speaker 1: And Kayleb Williams he has bad series and he has
[7:37] Speaker 1: bad halves, and he gets wild and he misses layups.
[7:41] Speaker 1: He also makes unbelievable throws. I mean, if there was
[7:44] Speaker 1: a pitch clock, his velocity I think is best in
[7:47] Speaker 1: the league. I mean, he has his ability to roll
[7:50] Speaker 1: right and throw just close line throws down the sideline
[7:55] Speaker 1: accurately is amazing, and then they can miss stuff out
[7:58] Speaker 1: in the flat. It's a little bit who he is.
[8:02] Speaker 1: He did have a pick in this game, he doesn't.
[8:04] Speaker 1: He doesn't throw a lot of those. He's incredibly durable.
[8:10] Speaker 1: I mean, if you look at Caleb Williams, he can
[8:12] Speaker 1: drive you crazy. But I I if you've never seen
[8:14] Speaker 1: him play, and I said, there's this quarterback and you
[8:17] Speaker 1: know he doesn't throw a lot of picks. He's an
[8:20] Speaker 1: unbelievable athlete. He's crazy durable, and man is he great
[8:23] Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter. You'd be like John Elway, I'll
[8:28] Speaker 1: take all those things. You know. See sometimes I with Caleb,
[8:32] Speaker 1: I weigh it on. Okay, just just here's the boxes
[8:35] Speaker 1: he checks. They're really good boxes. Super athlete, huge arm,
[8:39] Speaker 1: great in the fourth quarter, durable, doesn't throw a lot
[8:42] Speaker 1: of picks. I don't want to like pick bow Nix
[8:45] Speaker 1: and Caleb Williams apart because they're just going to get
[8:49] Speaker 1: more refined as they go. What you want is this
[8:52] Speaker 1: high ceiling. That's what you're hoping for. So you know,
[8:58] Speaker 1: it's just as I watch Caleb, I'm like, Matt, that's
[9:00] Speaker 1: a bad that's a bad miss. Oh man, he can't
[9:03] Speaker 1: he can't spot his fastball, and then two plays later
[9:06] Speaker 1: he's magical. And I know I'm just rambling here, but
[9:13] Speaker 1: look at the two games we got today. You know,
[9:17] Speaker 1: Bryce Young played really really well against a pretty good
[9:20] Speaker 1: front seven for the Rams. Matt Stafford had a great
[9:24] Speaker 1: last drive to win it. But Matt Stafford was a
[9:27] Speaker 1: little bit uneven in that game. And you know, I
[9:30] Speaker 1: always defend Sam Darnold. I'm like, Matt Stafford's reckless. Matt
[9:34] Speaker 1: Stafford throws bad picks. You know when people say, well,
[9:38] Speaker 1: you know, Caleb Williams first half second half well, I mean,
[9:41] Speaker 1: Jordan Love was much better in the first half in
[9:43] Speaker 1: the second half, Like there's you know, there's a lot
[9:46] Speaker 1: of reasons for it. I I know Packer fans. I mean,
[9:51] Speaker 1: if you go online, if you go to Packer boards tonight,
[9:54] Speaker 1: they all want Matt Lafleur fired. I'd be just very
[9:57] Speaker 1: careful because the Browns just fired Kevin Stefanski and he's
[10:00] Speaker 1: lining up for all the best jobs they're available, including
[10:03] Speaker 1: the Ravens. He'll probably get a run at that. And
[10:06] Speaker 1: if the Bill's lost, Stefanski get interviewed by Buffalo if
[10:10] Speaker 1: they moved off, Sean McDermott, be very careful. Matt Laffleur's
[10:14] Speaker 1: won a lot of games. I think he's a good coach.
[10:17] Speaker 1: I thought the second half was a bit conservative, and
[10:19] Speaker 1: then Jordan Love gets out of his rhythm and then
[10:22] Speaker 1: you get into more third and longs and it's just
[10:24] Speaker 1: harder to complete those. It's a tougher environment for a quarterback.
[10:28] Speaker 1: But it's not about Green Bay tonight. This is about Chicago.
[10:31] Speaker 1: This is about the Chicago Bears and a magical fourth
[10:35] Speaker 1: quarter engineered by a quarterback. You know, I talked about
[10:40] Speaker 1: this ordier with Matt Stafford. If a play breaks down
[10:42] Speaker 1: with Matt Stafford, you're kind of screwed because you're not
[10:44] Speaker 1: going to get anything beyond it. I mean, how many
[10:46] Speaker 1: plays for the Bears in their last two drives broke
[10:49] Speaker 1: down there was nothing there and basically Caleb had to
[10:52] Speaker 1: flush out right either by time, get yards, throw it away.
[10:56] Speaker 1: I mean, how many times in the last just two
[11:00] Speaker 1: drives for Chicago did Kayleb Williams make a playoff script.
[11:05] Speaker 1: That's why I get I don't get too tied to well,
[11:08] Speaker 1: you know, he's completion percentages fifty eight, Okay, if Matt
[11:11] Speaker 1: Stafford's is sixty two, don't they kind of even out?
[11:14] Speaker 1: Because I get so many elements that I don't get
[11:20] Speaker 1: with Matt Stafford that I get with Kayleb Williams. So
[11:23] Speaker 1: many rollouts, you can pick up yards, you can throw
[11:26] Speaker 1: the ball away, you don't take the sack. I think
[11:28] Speaker 1: everybody talked about before the year started. Have you asked
[11:31] Speaker 1: Bear have you ever told Bears fans listen, man, you're
[11:34] Speaker 1: gonna be a number two seed, You're gonna make the playoffs.
[11:36] Speaker 1: You're gonna win a home playoff game. I mean, you'd
[11:40] Speaker 1: been like, wow, what happened? Did Jordan Love get injured
[11:44] Speaker 1: for the season? You know what happened to the Lions?
[11:48] Speaker 1: And it just it shows how fast things fade. I mean,
[11:51] Speaker 1: Detroit last year looked unbeatable. Detroit this year didn't make
[11:54] Speaker 1: the playoffs, right, New England was terrible last year, New
[11:57] Speaker 1: England this year, so everything. I mean, if you look
[12:00] Speaker 1: at the Bears, they're actually ahead of schedule, absolutely ahead
[12:04] Speaker 1: of schedule, no question. And we do this when you
[12:09] Speaker 1: get these standalone games, you know, we neckpick the Bears.
[12:13] Speaker 1: And I thought Ben Johnson was too cute in the
[12:15] Speaker 1: first half, first three quarters, he got a little too cute.
[12:17] Speaker 1: I thought Caleb missed some stuff. But in the end,
[12:21] Speaker 1: like many of you, I've watched every big Bears game
[12:25] Speaker 1: and snap all year. This is kind of what they are.
[12:27] Speaker 1: This is kind of who they are. They're just Uneven
[12:30] Speaker 1: bow Nick, same thing, young quarterback, uneven within you know,
[12:34] Speaker 1: great coach Sean Payton, Ben Johnson, bownicks, Caleb amazing in
[12:40] Speaker 1: crucial circumstances, but bad first halves. Bad. I mean, I
[12:45] Speaker 1: think the stat was the Bears hadn't scored a touchdown
[12:48] Speaker 1: on the first drive in nine to ten games as
[12:51] Speaker 1: a touchdown or scored points. I mean, just not a
[12:53] Speaker 1: good first drive team for whatever reasons. I also think
[12:57] Speaker 1: Caleb Williams is a little bit of areeky player, like
[13:01] Speaker 1: a streaky basketball shooter. He's a little and I think
[13:04] Speaker 1: bo Nix is like this. I think as you, as
[13:06] Speaker 1: you age as a quarterback, you get you take out
[13:09] Speaker 1: all the you know your career, your games are a
[13:15] Speaker 1: little up and down and uneven. I think as you
[13:18] Speaker 1: get more refined as a quarterback, easier reads, see the field, better,
[13:22] Speaker 1: see opportunities more quickly, you smooth everything out. And I've
[13:27] Speaker 1: been saying this all your bow knicks is like a
[13:30] Speaker 1: less talented Caleb Williams were really good late excellent mobility,
[13:34] Speaker 1: can make the big throws. Now Caleb's got a much
[13:36] Speaker 1: bigger arm and is much greater athlete. But I think
[13:39] Speaker 1: over time they'll just get better. So I don't want
[13:41] Speaker 1: to nitpick either. Wouldn't you rather have a quarterback who
[13:45] Speaker 1: was great late that one than one that was terrific
[13:48] Speaker 1: on script, right, Like, oh, it's terrific on the first
[13:52] Speaker 1: two series, but you can't trust him late. I'll take
[13:55] Speaker 1: Caleb Williams like I'll take the athletic ability he does
[14:00] Speaker 1: does appear to be a quarterback that kind of You
[14:02] Speaker 1: could even see him on the sidelines when there's oh, okay,
[14:05] Speaker 1: it's go time, Okay these series matters. He plays with
[14:09] Speaker 1: sort of a momentum. He kind of a streaky quarterback. Okay,
[14:13] Speaker 1: I don't think he's going to be in six years,
[14:15] Speaker 1: but if he is and this is the result, you
[14:17] Speaker 1: live with it. Soldier Field's twenty six miles from where
[14:25] Speaker 1: I'm sitting right now. But I mean Amazon did a
[14:31] Speaker 1: great job. I mean, soldier Field looked amazing tonight. Wasn't
[14:34] Speaker 1: that great? Just the environment. I love that one picture
[14:38] Speaker 1: they had when DJ Moore cut the touchdown in the
[14:41] Speaker 1: fourth quarter of the go ahead touchdown, the winning touchdown,
[14:43] Speaker 1: and they had the camera from behind the play and
[14:48] Speaker 1: you can see the end zone and the Chicago crowd explode.
[14:52] Speaker 1: That's just that's goosebump stuff for me. That was just
[14:54] Speaker 1: such a great picture for fans who are not at
[14:58] Speaker 1: the game and we're watch on Prime. It was just
[15:02] Speaker 1: so well done. I just love that. So Chicago picks up,
[15:06] Speaker 1: the w Rams, the favorite hold on, come from behind,
[15:14] Speaker 1: and the Bears, the underdog, pull it out sort of
[15:18] Speaker 1: blazing five is two and when we had the Hoosiers
[15:20] Speaker 1: and the Bears. I tell you I like the Jags tomorrow.
[15:25] Speaker 1: I like the Jags tomorrow. I don't know what to
[15:28] Speaker 1: make the Patriots Chargers. It's hard for me to believe
[15:31] Speaker 1: an offensive line rank thirty second in the NFL, pass
[15:34] Speaker 1: and run at the bottom for both can go on
[15:36] Speaker 1: the road and be a really good team in New England.
[15:40] Speaker 1: I think I like New England, but Jags over the Bills,
[15:47] Speaker 1: and if Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall play, I think
[15:52] Speaker 1: if the Niners can take a first half lead, and
[15:54] Speaker 1: if Pearsall and Trent Williams are healthy they can, that
[15:58] Speaker 1: game gets really interesting. I just think brock perty is
[16:02] Speaker 1: going to be under incredible duress of Trent Williams can't play,
[16:06] Speaker 1: and without Ricky Pearsoll, you're going to become very Christian
[16:08] Speaker 1: McCaffrey George Kittle dependent. So I'm just crossing my fingers
[16:12] Speaker 1: the Niners are healthy because I want another great game.
[16:14] Speaker 1: We got two great ones today. I want more great
[16:16] Speaker 1: ones tomorrow. All Right, we're partying in my house, but
[16:27] Speaker 1: that doesn't mean I'm not going to give you fifteen
[16:29] Speaker 1: minutes on the Rams come from behind when thirty four
[16:32] Speaker 1: to thirty one over the Carolina Panthers. This NFL season
[16:36] Speaker 1: is crazy. I was watching that game and I'm like,
[16:39] Speaker 1: the Panthers are going to beat the Rams twice? What
[16:43] Speaker 1: does that even mean? Aren't the Rams the first, second,
[16:46] Speaker 1: third best team in the league. But the three things
[16:49] Speaker 1: that we've talked about over and over about the Rams,
[16:52] Speaker 1: there are three issues. And you know, with a salary
[16:54] Speaker 1: capt there are no perfect teams. There's holes everywhere, and
[16:58] Speaker 1: NFL coaches find them. Number one is their special teams.
[17:02] Speaker 1: Block punt today always a wild card. They can be good,
[17:06] Speaker 1: Heath Evans good punter, they can be good, but four
[17:09] Speaker 1: or five times this year not great. And the block
[17:13] Speaker 1: punt today their secondary. I don't think it's atrocious. I
[17:16] Speaker 1: do think Carolina t Mac really a big target, a great,
[17:22] Speaker 1: great player. They have big, long Carolina you know, perimeter
[17:28] Speaker 1: receivers that gives the Rams problems. And aj Brown type
[17:32] Speaker 1: receivers give the Rams problems. There's not that many receivers
[17:35] Speaker 1: like that that are six four, big, big catching radius.
[17:39] Speaker 1: Those kind of guys give the Rams trouble. So I'm
[17:41] Speaker 1: not surprised that Bryce Young had some success with that.
[17:45] Speaker 1: Dave Canallis is a very good offensive coach, and you
[17:47] Speaker 1: look at the film, that's what people attack. The third
[17:50] Speaker 1: thing is and it doesn't happen, not often, but Matt
[17:53] Speaker 1: Stafford and I've defended Darnold for years and Andrew Luck
[17:56] Speaker 1: for years. Matt Stafford's can be reckless. Matt Stafford has
[18:00] Speaker 1: Darnold picks, has Andrew Luck picks. I mean, the year
[18:03] Speaker 1: the Rams won the Super Bowl, Matt Stafford led the
[18:05] Speaker 1: NFL in interceptions and he had a really ugly one today.
[18:08] Speaker 1: In fact, I thought the play of the game, the
[18:11] Speaker 1: play of the game was Pooka Nakua knocking the potential
[18:15] Speaker 1: second interception out of the defensive back's hands. I thought
[18:19] Speaker 1: that was the play of the game. So all three
[18:23] Speaker 1: things reared their head. Stafford bad pick, block, punt and
[18:27] Speaker 1: the secondary got picked off. The other thing is Sean
[18:30] Speaker 1: mcvay's a remarkable coach. And every time I hear about
[18:35] Speaker 1: you know these great defensive coordinator Sean McVay has I
[18:39] Speaker 1: don't buy that. It's just mcvay's magic. Raheem Morris got
[18:43] Speaker 1: a second head job. Boom done. Brandon Staley was a
[18:47] Speaker 1: brilliant I was told brilliant went to the Chargers utter disaster.
[18:51] Speaker 1: I'm told Chris Shula, Oh, Chris Shuley is just this
[18:55] Speaker 1: guy is different level. The Panthers were four for four
[18:58] Speaker 1: in the red zone. The Carolina Panthers were better on
[19:02] Speaker 1: third down than the Rams. The Carolina Panthers and listen,
[19:05] Speaker 1: Bryce Young, I thought played really well. Bryce Young's interesting.
[19:09] Speaker 1: I don't know if I'd give him a massive contract,
[19:11] Speaker 1: if I could get a team friendly Sam Darnold contract.
[19:15] Speaker 1: I mean, he moves well, there's no question he moves
[19:17] Speaker 1: really well. His arm is good enough, but not a
[19:19] Speaker 1: plus arm. He's pretty accurate. But you I mean again,
[19:24] Speaker 1: he's hard worker. What are the great Southern California high
[19:27] Speaker 1: school fotball players of all time? I mean a remarkable player,
[19:30] Speaker 1: a really good college player. And he finally has the
[19:33] Speaker 1: right coach and they've they've supplied him with you know,
[19:37] Speaker 1: you know, Rico o'dowdell, the two receivers. It's a nice
[19:42] Speaker 1: offensive set. Their old line was a little overwhelmed today
[19:46] Speaker 1: by the Rams front. It felt like a lot of
[19:47] Speaker 1: pressure late in big spots by the Rams. But Bryce
[19:50] Speaker 1: Young is you know, four for four in the red zone.
[19:54] Speaker 1: The red zone is where the Steve Spagnola's and the
[19:57] Speaker 1: Brian floores. Then they can really con fews quarterbacks. They're
[20:02] Speaker 1: throwing a lot of different things. I thought Carolina in
[20:04] Speaker 1: the first three and a half quarters of the game,
[20:07] Speaker 1: their defensive coordinator pulled more levers than Chris Shula did.
[20:10] Speaker 1: So I think sometimes it's you get the golden baton
[20:14] Speaker 1: from McVeigh, you work with McVeigh, and everybody was like, oh,
[20:18] Speaker 1: these defensive coordinators were the Rams, Well what are they
[20:20] Speaker 1: doing once they're not in close proximity to Sean McVay.
[20:24] Speaker 1: So Carolina going four for four in the red zone
[20:27] Speaker 1: was stupendous effort by them, and that was really the game.
[20:31] Speaker 1: To me. It's like when they got down there, they
[20:33] Speaker 1: put sevens up, so good game. I thought it would
[20:39] Speaker 1: not be this close, but you know, it kind of
[20:42] Speaker 1: signifies the entire season where the best team in the
[20:46] Speaker 1: league for a lot of it was the Rams and
[20:49] Speaker 1: they almost lost Carolina twice. Philadelphia is an excellent team
[20:53] Speaker 1: and they've won games without completing a pass in a half.
[20:57] Speaker 1: Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson don't make the playoffs,
[21:04] Speaker 1: and then you watch Carolina not only make the playoffs
[21:07] Speaker 1: but give the Rams trouble, beat him once and could
[21:10] Speaker 1: have beaten him a second time. Matt Stafford on that
[21:12] Speaker 1: final drive, and you know, this is why you pay
[21:15] Speaker 1: him the big money. This is why he's an MVP.
[21:17] Speaker 1: Six to seven seventy one yards and one hundred and
[21:19] Speaker 1: forty nine passer rating. He's pretty good. So you know
[21:26] Speaker 1: it was it's and I'm sure you felt the same way.
[21:29] Speaker 1: The Rams got the ball. They trailed by four, and
[21:33] Speaker 1: they had three timeouts and I think it was two
[21:35] Speaker 1: forty eight left or two forty three left. You felt
[21:38] Speaker 1: the same way I did. Three timeouts and a two
[21:42] Speaker 1: minute warning with two forty three left is like four minutes.
[21:47] Speaker 1: I felt like as long as there's not like a fumble,
[21:50] Speaker 1: as long as a back doesn't get the ball knocked
[21:52] Speaker 1: out of his arm like they're going to go down,
[21:54] Speaker 1: and I really did. I felt like, now plusure in
[21:57] Speaker 1: four down territory. So when you give three times outs
[22:00] Speaker 1: the two minute warning, you get four downs for Matt
[22:03] Speaker 1: Stafford and Puko's unstoppable today, Davante Adams, their tight ends,
[22:09] Speaker 1: Kobe Parkinson, who came out of Stanford, went to the Seahawks.
[22:12] Speaker 1: Now he's with the Rams. They Greg Olsen said this
[22:15] Speaker 1: during the game. The Rams really Terrence Ferguson out of
[22:18] Speaker 1: Oregon Higbee who's been around kind of banged up from
[22:23] Speaker 1: time to time. I think it's Davis Allen, the Clemson
[22:27] Speaker 1: kid who doesn't play a ton. But they've got four
[22:30] Speaker 1: capable tight ends. So it was, you know, closer than
[22:35] Speaker 1: I thought it would be. But I think the Rams
[22:42] Speaker 1: are such an interesting team, not that they play to
[22:46] Speaker 1: their level of competition, but Seattle can overwhelm teams Jacksonville.
[22:52] Speaker 1: When you watch Jacksonville, they can really overwhelm teams. The
[22:57] Speaker 1: Rams again point differential stanchil, but you know, the Rams
[23:03] Speaker 1: can beat Jacksonville and then struggle with Carolina twice so
[23:08] Speaker 1: and the Rams can beat Seattle, but you know, you
[23:11] Speaker 1: take them. You start putting a little bit of pressure
[23:15] Speaker 1: on Matt Stafford in the first half, a little bit
[23:17] Speaker 1: of pressure. All of a sudden, they make you know
[23:19] Speaker 1: you have a special team snafu. And the Rams get
[23:22] Speaker 1: into these games where you know it's mid third quarter
[23:25] Speaker 1: and you're like, I know they're the better team, but
[23:28] Speaker 1: they're kind of they kind of lost their way. And
[23:32] Speaker 1: I've said this, and I see Jared Goff's like this.
[23:36] Speaker 1: When Matt Ryan got older, he was like this, When
[23:38] Speaker 1: you have a quarterback that doesn't run, there are advantages.
[23:43] Speaker 1: I can play zone, or I can play man. I
[23:45] Speaker 1: can turn my back on your quarterback. When your quarterback
[23:48] Speaker 1: is Josh Allen, it's very difficult to play man to man.
[23:51] Speaker 1: You know, when the quarterback moves, good luck turning your
[23:55] Speaker 1: back on the quarterback. So you know, I kind of
[23:58] Speaker 1: feel like you also when you have a running quarterback,
[24:02] Speaker 1: is that There are just times Herbert did this when
[24:05] Speaker 1: the late in the season when the Chargers OH line
[24:07] Speaker 1: was bad and they weren't running the ball with conviction,
[24:10] Speaker 1: and you know, Herbert's just picking up first down after
[24:13] Speaker 1: first down on third and six and third and seven,
[24:15] Speaker 1: and you know Rams don't have that component. That's not
[24:17] Speaker 1: part of what they do. So it's it's scheme, it's
[24:20] Speaker 1: play design. It was interesting today, you know you think
[24:25] Speaker 1: if you because DeVante Adams has had a hamstring issue,
[24:28] Speaker 1: you would think if you play the Rams, I mean
[24:30] Speaker 1: this is what I would think. Just I would do
[24:34] Speaker 1: everything I could to try to take what would Bill
[24:37] Speaker 1: Belichick's theory was just make a team play left handed.
[24:40] Speaker 1: Take Pooka out of the offense, bracket him, take him out,
[24:43] Speaker 1: just just eliminate him. Now the Rams can still move.
[24:45] Speaker 1: They're so good with tight ends. Kirom Williams the back
[24:48] Speaker 1: and DeVante Adams. But Davante is he got lit up today,
[24:53] Speaker 1: you know, he's he gets banged up. Pooka Nakua today
[24:56] Speaker 1: not only knock the ball out for that second potential interception,
[24:59] Speaker 1: but felt like every big play he was the guy.
[25:05] Speaker 1: And so I'm a little surprised they didn't do more.
[25:07] Speaker 1: You know, again, it's easy for me to say, just
[25:09] Speaker 1: just take Puka out as much as you can, but
[25:12] Speaker 1: he's he reminds me a little bit of Amor On
[25:14] Speaker 1: Saint Brown. Is that you know, Puka is not a burner,
[25:18] Speaker 1: but his hand strength, his ability to manipulate defenders. He's
[25:23] Speaker 1: probably quicker than he is faster, which is a lot
[25:27] Speaker 1: of receivers. But Amor On Saint Brown, I always feel
[25:30] Speaker 1: like he's not blowing by people. But how is he
[25:33] Speaker 1: so wide open? And I think a lot of it
[25:35] Speaker 1: is the ability to manipulate defenders. You have a really
[25:38] Speaker 1: good relationship with your quarterback, but Puka time and time again.
[25:42] Speaker 1: Is not only open, he is really open. And he
[25:46] Speaker 1: was so crucial today. So the Rams pick up the
[25:48] Speaker 1: win the first playoff game. I like the Bears tonight.
[25:53] Speaker 1: I liked Indiana yesterday. I didn't think it would look
[25:55] Speaker 1: anything like that. I don't even know what to make
[25:58] Speaker 1: of the Indiana Hoosiers. I you know, people say, well,
[26:02] Speaker 1: they don't have any five star athletes. They have plenty
[26:04] Speaker 1: of four star athletes. But what they're doing dismantling Alabama,
[26:08] Speaker 1: destroying Oregon. You can tell when the team's really well
[26:13] Speaker 1: coached because you can see the coaching on television. You
[26:17] Speaker 1: can see it in special teams, you can see it
[26:19] Speaker 1: in crucial situations on fourth down, red zone. The Indiana Hoosiers'
[26:25] Speaker 1: ability in crucial situational football is really something to behold.
[26:31] Speaker 1: And you know they defensively, it's as if they know
[26:36] Speaker 1: what you're going to do. And all teams do this,
[26:38] Speaker 1: all teams have tendencies. But Dante Moore is a pretty
[26:42] Speaker 1: good college quarterback. He's looked very average both times against Indiana.
[26:46] Speaker 1: Indiana has the kind of coaching staff and this is
[26:49] Speaker 1: what great coaches do. Again, Belichick and is prime I'm
[26:53] Speaker 1: going to make you play left handed. They're going to
[26:54] Speaker 1: take away the things you really really like to do.
[26:56] Speaker 1: And at the college level, that's easier to do than
[26:59] Speaker 1: it is against Matt Stafford and McVeigh. Stafford's thirty seven
[27:02] Speaker 1: years old. Mcvay's one of the smartest guys in the league.
[27:05] Speaker 1: Mcvay's using tons of motion. You know, at the college level,
[27:08] Speaker 1: you can ask only so much when you've got starters
[27:10] Speaker 1: on the offensive line that are like twenty years old
[27:13] Speaker 1: and twenty one year old guys, and they have classes,
[27:15] Speaker 1: and it's you know, I always feel like the college
[27:17] Speaker 1: offenses are just not going to be as sophisticated. Now,
[27:21] Speaker 1: if you have like a Mendoza, who's a bright kid,
[27:23] Speaker 1: he's in his third year starting, you can add layers
[27:28] Speaker 1: and dexterity to your offense can be a little more sophisticated.
[27:33] Speaker 1: But when you find usually in college football, when you
[27:35] Speaker 1: find great defenses, they really shut down really good college offenses.
[27:39] Speaker 1: In Indiana's defense mostly shuts down Oregon's offense. The Miami
[27:43] Speaker 1: Hurricanes are playing for the national championship. It's not because
[27:46] Speaker 1: it's the flashiest, most dynamic offense. That defense just overwhelms offenses,
[27:52] Speaker 1: and you can do that. It feels like to me,
[27:54] Speaker 1: you can do that a lot in college. Miami's gotten
[27:57] Speaker 1: to the national championship on defense. You know Nick Saban's dynasty.
[28:02] Speaker 1: It was the last couple of titles that were offense
[28:05] Speaker 1: and defense, but the first three or four it felt
[28:07] Speaker 1: like it was all about pass rush, linebacker play, suffocating
[28:12] Speaker 1: edge rushers, excellent corners. So at the college level of
[28:16] Speaker 1: dominating the events, I think Miami can push back a
[28:20] Speaker 1: little on Indiana. I would take the Hoosiers to win
[28:22] Speaker 1: the game, but I think Miami matches up in the
[28:23] Speaker 1: trenches really well and will win a lot of those
[28:26] Speaker 1: battles in the trenches. Put some heat on Mendoza, who's
[28:29] Speaker 1: a remarkable player. This idea. You know, you're seeing all
[28:34] Speaker 1: these people nitpick Fernando Mendoza, Folks, He's a franchise quarterback, six',
[28:39] Speaker 1: five good. Arm you, Know Tom brady told me more
[28:43] Speaker 1: than once on The. Herd he, said like about seventy
[28:46] Speaker 1: percent of playing quarterback is neck up, humility, leadership, gratitude work,
[28:51] Speaker 1: ethic ability to take to coaching and. Criticism the kid's.
[28:54] Speaker 1: Unbelievable he's like eight plus plus pub plus and he's
[28:57] Speaker 1: also got a really good. Arm he. Moves, Okay i've
[29:01] Speaker 1: Said i'm not saying this is a comp but it's
[29:03] Speaker 1: like C. J. Stroud C. J stroud runs moves well,
[29:07] Speaker 1: Enough like it's. Fine Fernando mendoza runs better Than stafford
[29:13] Speaker 1: Or Aaron rodgers right now Or Jared goff right. Now he's.
[29:17] Speaker 1: Fine but a lot of people are nitpicking a lot
[29:20] Speaker 1: Of indiana because they have better talent than their team last,
[29:23] Speaker 1: year but where they're much better than last year's, quarterback
[29:27] Speaker 1: Like mendoz is just, special big strong, arm and he
[29:31] Speaker 1: also leaves the country in yards for. Attempt he loves
[29:33] Speaker 1: to throw the ball down the. Field and they've got
[29:36] Speaker 1: three different receivers At indiana that will punish you good route.
[29:39] Speaker 1: Runners they like to push the ball down the, field you,
[29:43] Speaker 1: know so they think About. Miami miami takes some, risks
[29:46] Speaker 1: they're very aggressive, defensively And indiana throws the ball down the.
[29:48] Speaker 1: Field so if you could put enough pressure On, mendoza
[29:51] Speaker 1: he misses a couple of deep balls. Early you, Know
[29:54] Speaker 1: miami hangs, around beats him up a little bit in the.
[29:57] Speaker 1: TRENCHES i think you're gonna have an interesting football, game
[29:59] Speaker 1: But alabama or, again we're outclassed within eight. Minutes it
[30:02] Speaker 1: was really clear by the second third. Series. Ballgame you,
[30:05] Speaker 1: know ballgame feels like It's indiana's going. Downhill So i'm
[30:10] Speaker 1: excited for. That i'd Say indiana twenty, Seven miami twenty
[30:16] Speaker 1: something like. That that's what it feels like to. ME
[30:18] Speaker 1: i don't even know what spread. IS i haven't looked.
[30:20] Speaker 1: Yet so, anyway congrats to The. Rams i'm going to
[30:23] Speaker 1: watch The packers and The. Bears i'll Take. Chicago it's
[30:26] Speaker 1: not snowing. Here weather's not as bad as. Predicted little,
[30:28] Speaker 1: windy very, cold but right, now not to let us.
[30:32] Speaker 1: Snow there were flurries today WHEN i drove to the.
[30:34] Speaker 1: Gym that was. IT i, mean super light, flurries that's.
[30:38] Speaker 1: All it. Was twenty seven twenty Four Chicago. Bears the
[30:45] Speaker 1: volume

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