THE HERD - Hour 2 - Tom Brady joins The Herd, Bears vs Packers, the future for the Eagles

Hour two, we’re rolling. Miami and Ole Miss tonight, keep an eye on Trinidad Chamblest, and I’m fired up about the weekend’s quarterbacks, but let’s be real, the great ones and the elite left tackles mostly come early in the draft; outliers like Brock Purdy and Brady are fun stories, yet today’s scouting is too sharp to bank on miracles.

With that, Tom Brady joins us live.

That first playoff start in the snow is still vivid for me, from the six inches on the field to plowing in for the score; it was perfect football weather and an unforgettable day, even if Raider fans and Charles Woodson would rather forget it.

Philly’s loud, messy, and unpredictable compared to your buttoned‑up Patriots; how do they keep winning like this?

Even we had drama, and Philly’s a tough, high‑expectation market where success invites scrutiny, but they’re loaded and dangerous, and if that’s drama, Nick Sirianni will take it every week.

There’s a weird Shanahan stat about not coming back when trailing; did you ever scrap the plan at halftime and start over?

Some teams are built to run, play defense, and hit play‑action explosives, which makes big comebacks harder, while our dropback game had deep protections and concepts that traveled; the Niners are best from in front, so getting the lead is part of their winning formula.

Buffalo’s got the weight of recent playoff losses; does that pressure show up late in a tight one?

It becomes mental and emotional, but the playoffs are all about how you play that day—protect the ball, own the line, and win situational football—especially in a season where parity has made every game feel close.

Bears and Packers for a third time—do you prefer the familiar chess match or the surprise of a new opponent?

When teams know each other this well it boils down to fundamentals, preparation, and execution, which is why this matchup is so compelling.

Do you like the bye, or would you rather keep playing like a hot young team?

A bye isn’t rest, it’s prep; you self‑scout, sharpen what works, and build an edge for a confident opponent who just won, and you come in fresh with a plan.

I lean Stafford for MVP over Drake May because schedule strength should matter; where are you?

Both seasons were outstanding, but Stafford’s played at a Hall of Fame level against tough competition and deserves it.

First playoff throws can be jittery for guys like Drake and Caleb; how’d you tame that surge?

Great coaches make you live under pressure year‑round so the postseason feels like your standard, and that daily demand prepares you to be sharp when the margin is smallest.

What’s Liam Cohen doing that’s unlocked Trevor Lawrence and cut the bait throws?

Good play callers give quarterbacks layups so they’re hitting wedges instead of long irons, and as trust grows the quarterback helps shape the plan, which makes the whole thing hum.

Niners‑Eagles, Sunday on Fox, it’s going to be wild—Tom, appreciate you, as always.

Glad we made it work, even if the producers had to chase me down; perfect timing heading into the playoffs.

That wedge analogy lands—Jordan lived on mid‑range and gave you a few jaw‑droppers, the way Mahomes rarely misses layups and sprinkles in the magic; it’s The Herd.

Coaching carousel twist: Mike McDaniel is out in Miami, Stefanski was out in Cleveland, and there’s chatter about cross‑interest—would McDaniel even want the Browns?

He might be better off taking a breath, letting the résumé age, and coming back into a stronger cycle where his work with Tua looks even better.

Is McDaniel closer to Kingsbury—brilliant schemer but maybe not the big culture voice in the room?

There’s some overlap—elite designers versus true culture builders—and I’m not sure Cleveland’s setup is worth jumping at if you do not love the quarterback path.

On Harbaugh’s exit, timing and blown leads come up alongside analytics questions.

Owners are more impulsive and willing to eat big checks now, sometimes even against the building’s consensus.

And Tennessee feels like a cautionary tale when players pop the moment they leave.

Exactly—when departures thrive elsewhere, something’s off in the wiring.

Back to San Francisco’s trailing issue—Seattle added a true over‑the‑top threat for late‑game shots, which is the baseball home‑run equivalent when you’re down against great pitching.

Jacksonville snagging Jacobi Myers changed their offense too, and a Jags‑Seahawks Super Bowl wouldn’t be crazy.

Buffalo’s slow starts against a Jacksonville two‑back run plan on the road could be a playoff trap if the Jags play keep‑away after halftime.

I like Jacksonville early and then we see if Josh Allen throws on the cape late.