Best of the Week on The Herd

Hour two, live in L.A., Tom Brady around the corner, and I’m on my annual Super Bowl soapbox: this event is about competition, not inclusion, so stop rotating it everywhere and park it where February works—Miami, maybe Arizona—because we’ve all done the snowed‑in Detroit and the Jacksonville taxi hunt, and that’s not it.

I remember that Detroit Super Bowl dump of snow; every party went indoors.

Quick pivot to New England: Robert Kraft getting passed over for the Hall makes no sense, Mike Vrabel’s candidacy proves why owners who actually communicate matter, and I’ll always say it—pay for elite coaches, because being cheap there is false economy; with that, here’s Brady.

Sorry for the drilling above me, but on prep, I never believed you can over‑prepare; more information let me play free, even if some guys prefer less, because this is the one game you’ll remember forever and it should consume you.

When you sensed a matchup disadvantage, did it change how you played, or did being the better roster ever lure you into being conservative?

One game decides everything, so the best team doesn’t always win; a couple turnovers or a single special teams swing can flip it, which is why football’s margin is razor thin compared to seven‑game series.

You called Sam Darnold more explosive than surgical, then he looked surgical versus the Rams; is he leaning into what the team around him needs?

Every week has a different formula, and shell coverages lately force quarterbacks to take the underneath and be patient; the real edge is processing at the line, walking up with a plan and checking if the called play fits the picture—veterans like Stafford are lethal there.

How did Josh McDaniels handle the two‑week runway—slow build, late add, or clean install?

We trimmed the call sheet to what we’d actually use, and before Seattle in 2014 we added red‑zone plays on a Friday night walk‑through and scored on two of them; the idea was to hard‑sell run, pull Bobby Wagner up, keep Earl Thomas off the throw, and simplify it to one decisive read.

How much will Vrabel hammer the underdog card this week?

Knowing him, it’s on every wall; New England’s earned this, they’ve won in tough places with toughness and versatility, and they can win explosive or surgical.

I argued Kraft is a Hall‑of‑Fame‑level owner who set the standard; what’s your view from two decades inside the building?

He’s the chief accountability officer—present in meetings, on the field, at every road game—and he filled gaps without smothering football; he’s also been vital to the league’s media growth, so like Bill, it’s not if he’s in, it’s when.

Did the Hall snub hurt Bill in the short term?

It actually rallied a lot of us to reach out, and I think the delay will make his eventual moment even bigger.

My annual Wednesday top‑ten for this matchup tilts six to four Seattle, with JSN’s route craft, Witherspoon’s edge at corner, and Kenneth Walker’s tackle‑breaking popping, while Darnold and Drake May headline the QBs; both teams feel alike—iffy O‑lines, aggressive quarterbacks, strong secondaries and fronts, elite coaching—so it sets up tight.

Christian McCaffrey joins us—top three all‑time in my book—how long till the body felt right after the season?

Moving around at the Pro Bowl felt great, and it made me excited to kick off training again.

You saw Seattle three times; what makes that defense click?

They play true team defense—the rush and coverage are tied, the linebackers trigger fast, and they swarm, so mistakes get punished.

You’ve been teammates with Sam Darnold twice; what stood out day to day?

The arm talent is real, he’s more athletic than people think, he takes what’s there, and he never makes excuses; after everything he’s endured, leading teams to the postseason and now this run shows his resilience and who he is.

Seattle is young; is that a drag or a boost on this stage?

It can be a superpower if they stay locked in, because once it kicks off it’s just execution.

What’s different about JSN when you watch him?

He’s fast, strong, great after the catch, and he keeps the same pad level through breaks, so defenders can’t key his direction.

People say I’m hard on Brock Purdy; I’m not—he’s a gamer who loves teammates—did you see this level coming?

I knew he’d be good, but he exceeded everything—he prepared with urgency even as the third guy, plays with a chip, stays calm, and finishes like a killer.

My deeper dive swings me to Seattle: they faced McVay and Shanahan six times and still allowed the fewest yards per rush, which likely forces Drake May past 35 attempts where he’s struggled; New England needs a near‑perfect McDaniels plan, screens galore, maybe a defensive score, so I’ll go Seattle 24 to 20 with Patriots plus the points and the under.

I’m with you—Seattle gets out front and squeezes them, and I don’t see it staying close.