THE HERD - Hour 1 - Thoughts on week 18, the Steelers found a way to win, Seahawks defensive was impressive against the 49ers

Live from warm, sunny Los Angeles—wherever you’re listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Wild one last night: I don’t think either team is winning a playoff game, but I kept coming back to this all year—at forty-two, I trusted Aaron Rodgers. No DK Metcalf, inconsistent run game, shaky protection, blown coverages around him, and he still stacked his best half of the year without burning timeouts to save him. No picks since November, dragged a jittery offense into the tournament, and for me that’s a Comeback Player of the Year case.

This is why you go get a forty‑one, forty‑two‑year‑old with that résumé. He’s lived in these moments and he thrives there, and he put it on display.

They’re a home underdog on Monday, and everyone loves Houston, but Mike Tomlin on a Monday is a different dude. Speaking of different, Seattle’s defense just smothered San Francisco; John Schneider keeps hitting on early picks, and this roster looks like the old great Seattle teams—only now the quarterback, Sam Darnold, is a unifier everyone rallies around.

We’re taking it one day at a time. You enjoy the win, then you get right back to work and figure out how to get better for the next one.

It’s a strange year. Bottom of the league is brutal, and the playoffs feel wide open. I’m not a Steelers fan, but Tomlin as a home dog on Monday is hard to pass—SPEAKER_02 pushes back—and I’ll add this: the only thing I can guarantee is the Jets won’t intercept anyone.

I’m surprised you’re that in on the Steelers. The Monday night trend is real, but I’m not sold.

Black Monday hit fast: Kevin Stefanski, Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon—out. I’d hire Stefanski in a heartbeat, Vegas should run to him; Cleveland made a mistake letting him go.

This wild card slate is chaos. Rams are huge favorites, but everywhere else feels coin‑flippy. I don’t know what to make of Philly or Chicago. I’d lean Bears as a home dog, I like Jacksonville to bounce Buffalo, and if San Francisco gets healthy up front they’ve got a shot—but I keep circling back to Pittsburgh on Monday.

Chargers‑Patriots is fascinating. New England’s pressure rate is bottom tier, which helps Herbert, and Jesse Minter’s defense doesn’t give up explosives—where Drake May lives. Coaching edge is a debate, but stylistically it leans Chargers.

Both teams have O‑line warts and uneven run games. Drake May comps to Justin Herbert, the weather won’t be scary, and on the jobs front, Arizona’s defense faded under a defensive coach, there was friction in Seattle, and Stefanski to the Raiders would give a young QB a teacher.

One flag on the Giants job you like: leadership up top has missed on some big decisions.

Fair, but if you hand me a left tackle, a true WR1, pass rushers, and a cheap rookie quarterback you believe in, that’s workable—and they’ll be picking high again to plug another hole.

On MVP talk, Stafford’s done it in a tougher division while May did more with less. SPEAKER_02 notes New England had an easy schedule, and the Rams are getting key defenders like Quentin Lake back plus red zone help if Davante Adams is right—those are quiet swing pieces.

Dallas stumbled, and the back end needs help. Draft slot is twelve.

I’m tired of coming up short, but it’s on me to lead, own my part, and figure out what I could’ve done better.

If you bargain hunt for coaches, you get what you pay for. Also, the league is cyclical—running backs were devalued until McCaffrey, and now safeties are climbing again as tight ends stress defenses.

Bo Nix and Denver grabbed the one seed, and Sean Payton isn’t babysitting him. The volume tells you the trust—playbook wide open, throwing forty‑plus in a division full of elite defensive minds. That’s the executor you hand the will to.

Two home games is the best spot, but it’s an open tournament. Our building helps, and we’ll see great teams either way.

Rest is tricky. Young, hot teams like Seattle probably benefit from playing; Philly and San Francisco could use a week to get bodies right. Colin Right, Colin Wrong next hour.

Look at the draft order—it’s the usual suspects. Some owners won’t write big checks for the best coach and then wonder why they stay stuck. The Patriots admitted a miss and paid for a top guy, as did the Bears, Broncos, and Chargers; that’s how you flip the room fast.

Coach of the Year candidates are strong, but there’s a case for Kyle Shanahan. Twelve and five in the toughest division with injuries everywhere, while Seattle’s team speed made the Niners look second best all night.

We battled, but we’ve got to play better across the board. It’s the hard road now, and we’ll embrace it.

San Francisco feels old at key spots while Seattle is young and healing fast. It’s also wild that Chicago is a home dog to Green Bay; I lean Bears but won’t be shocked either way, and my favorite play is Jacksonville at home. The pressure’s on Buffalo with no Mahomes, Burrow, or Lamar in their bracket and a new stadium on deck. Five straight days of football—chicken enchiladas and the couch are calling.