Best of the week on The Herd

Great to be here on a Monday from Los Angeles. Quick nod to Aaron Rodgers’ comeback, then no time wasted—the week ahead feels loaded with potential upsets.

Kicked off with my hits and misses: felt good about Denver and Miami, whiffed on the Micah Parsons move and the Stefanski firing, underestimated Jacksonville, stayed bullish on Fernando Mendoza and out on Ty Simpson, and the Cousins–Penix plan didn’t land.

My latest hierarchy in a sentence: Bears are frisky, Niners can be chased out of games, Bills start slow, Texans defend but stall in the red zone, Eagles are talented and weird, Denver’s surging, Rams are sturdy, Jacksonville looks like a buzzsaw, New England travels, and Seattle’s the most complete right now.

Tom, I pulled up your first playoff start in that snow game. Were you nervous, and what sticks with you?

That day’s etched in my mind—the snow, the footing, the dive for a score, and all the Tuck Rule banter with Charles ever since. It was a rare, perfect football atmosphere and a special first postseason start.

The Eagles feel chaotic compared to my old Patriots—loud, uneven, but they keep winning. How do you square that?

Drama follows winning teams, especially in a demanding market like Philly, and that can look noisy from the outside. They’re still loaded and dangerous, and if this is what drama gets you, their coach will live with it.

Kyle Shanahan’s teams rarely rally big; does that come back to system or in-game flexibility, and did you ever overhaul the plan at halftime?

Some offenses are built to lead, not chase—San Francisco leans on run and play-action, which is harder when you’re down, while our drop‑back game in New England was built for answers and protections. Against Philly they need to start fast, make the Eagles play left‑handed, and keep the game on their terms.

Buffalo’s late-game history hangs over them. In a tight finish, does psychology matter?

It’s very real, but playoffs are about execution—no gifts, no excuses. Protect the ball, win the line, be sharp in situational football, and you move on; parity makes that the separator this year.

Bears and Packers again—do you prefer familiarity or the element of surprise?

When you know each other this well, the game comes down to details and ball security. I’ve called a bunch of Chicago games; this matchup should be tight and physical.

On byes versus staying hot—would the young, rolling teams be better off playing through?

A bye is prep, not vacation—self‑scout, build an edge, get fresh for the hardest game. Seattle’s line and that home environment make them a brutal draw when they’re rested and ready.

I lean Stafford over Drake May for MVP given schedule strength. You there too?

Both deserve love, but Matt’s been phenomenal and steady at a Hall‑level pace. There’s no wrong answer, yet his season checks every box.

How did you calm that first playoff series, and what can the young quarterbacks lean on?

Daily pressure prepares you for January; great coaches demand your best long before the lights get bright. When margins shrink, habits and preparation carry you.

Jacksonville’s quietly rolling; what’s Liam Cohen doing to unlock Trevor Lawrence?

He schemes layups so the quarterback hits wedges, not three‑irons, and that builds margin. As QBs mature, they help shape the plan, and that alignment lets an offense fire cleanly.

Eagles–Niners on Fox will be a blast—thanks for jumping on, Tom.

Appreciate it—glad we got it done as we head into the playoffs.

That wedge analogy lands—Jordan lived on the mid‑range and sprinkled the wow, and Mahomes nails the layups with a couple magic plays late. It’s The Herd.

Blazing Five, postseason edition: I’m on the Rams minus ten and a half because they finish drives and Carolina backs into games with a negative point profile.

I like the Bears plus one and a half in rough weather with the better run game and line while Green Bay’s defense has leaked late.

I’ll take the Jaguars plus one and a half since they’ve been scorching since late season and Buffalo trails too often and struggles against the run.

I’m on the Eagles minus five and a half at home with a healthy roster and a top red zone punch while San Francisco leans on a couple stars and faces a tough matchup.

Give me Indiana minus three and a half because they’re ultra efficient with the fewest giveaways and Oregon’s run defense has sprung leaks lately.