Best of The Herd

Live from chilly Chicago, thanks for choosing us. We all carry bias, and in the media we chase chaos because you click on it. The Bills had a rough couple of days, but take a breath. They’ve got steady ownership, a new stadium coming, a top offense, and Josh Allen is in his prime. Winning the whole thing is brutally hard; they’ve been elite for years and one or two bounces change the story. I’d still rather be a Bills fan than almost anyone not named Kansas City.

Visionaries take heat in the moment, then look brilliant later. Seattle is the example. Many hated moving on from Geno, questioned signing Sam Darnold, didn’t love the DK move, doubted parting with Pete, and shrugged at DeMarcus Lawrence at thirty‑three. Now the hires and roster pivots look sharp, and the scheme is humming. Sometimes you have to give people credit for the risk.

Day to day, his leadership lifts the whole building. He knows when to let you breathe and grow, and when to step in and support you.

Rams‑Seahawks is loaded; you could name fifteen stars and still leave out dudes. If you’re giving me McVay, Stafford, and a healthy Rams team with points, I lean L.A., though Seattle’s defense and special teams matter. Up front, the Rams grade out better.

Two key Rams who missed the last meeting are back, and Dotson has been outstanding. That offense still put up big yards without them.

Top‑ten players between the Patriots and Broncos? Denver places more names in that group, but New England has the edge at the most important spot with Drake May. That’s the swing for me in a tight AFC title game.

Greg Cosell joins us. I’ve got a soft spot for interior linemen, and Denver’s line is the real deal. What matchup jumps out to you?

Nick Benito versus Will Campbell is massive. Campbell has struggled in true one‑on‑one spots against top rushers. New England can chip to help, but that reduces eligibles and shrinks your pass game before the snap. How the Patriots solve that stress will shape the game.

What did the Rams game say about Caleb Williams?

His highs are spectacular, and he’ll keep ascending. Ben Johnson’s system is detailed and takes time to master. Caleb’s arm is special, but he needs cleaner lower‑body mechanics to steady ball placement. Big picture, the future is bright.

How does Mike McDaniel help Justin Herbert with the Chargers?

He’s incredibly smart and won’t force someone else’s playbook on Herbert. He’ll build around Justin’s traits and sharpen rhythm concepts. Expect a much better run game with a healthier line; that balance will lift everything.

Do the Patriots match up better on offense or defense against Denver?

Defense. They play a lot of man and have real juice inside. I don’t see Sean Payton hiding Jarrett Stidham; he’ll stay aggressive on early downs where looks are more predictable. But New England’s structure makes life hard.

Your read on Stidham coming out and now?

With the right support he could be a mid‑tier starter. He’s a bit more mobile than Kirk Cousins, but you don’t want him throwing forty times. Keep him on schedule and he can win.

Can Denver’s defense slow Drake May and this offense?

They were off last week, which is unusual at altitude, but I’d expect more heat here. The rush should show up, and the soft spot to attack is their linebackers in coverage.

Why have the Rams scored so well on Seattle, and how are the Seahawks built on D?

The Rams have run duo at a high level, getting double teams on Seattle’s tackles where most fail. Seattle lives in two‑high, plays great nickel, and makes explosives tough. Their pressures are targeted and smart rather than high‑volume; they’re designed to beat protections.

The Rams have also given Sam Darnold problems. Why?

They change the picture from pre‑snap to post‑snap and bait him. You saw it on that Wallace pick when man turned to zone. If Seattle runs it better, they can keep Sam out of obvious dropback downs. They don’t want him chucking it all day.

Give me a Darnold play you liked.

Low red zone, mirrored crossers, the look gets muddy, he extends and fires a tough strike to Smith‑Njigba. That’s big‑time. The key with him is simple: protect the ball, and this team is dangerous everywhere else.

Greg, always great. These games are going to be a ride. I’m bummed we don’t get Bo Nix, but remember Sean Payton paid real money to bring Stidham in. My rule still holds: who likes the quarterback? Shanahan liked Darnold. Kevin O’Connell liked Darnold. McVay and Stefanski liked Baker. When smart coaches lean in, that usually tells you the guy can play.