Best of The Herd

Here we go on a Thursday. Tom Brady’s on deck, and we’re starting in New York because the Giants just landed John Harbaugh.

If you want to flip a bad NFL team fast, control the one lever you have and hire the alpha coach. Harbaugh’s a culture builder, they moved first, and now they’ll attract top coordinators.

New York didn’t need a play-sheet savant. They needed a CEO who resets standards, and he instantly becomes the best coach in that division. The roster has pieces, the draft lines up at right tackle, and I’ll call it now—they at least double their wins.

If you’re bullish on the quarterback, the job checks boxes. There’s a foundational left tackle, a big-time receiver, and a front loaded with difference-makers, plus steady ownership.

Meanwhile, the Steelers keep clinging to never dipping under .500, and it’s holding them back. The NFL rewards one short reset, and then you pounce; it’s how you get into range for a franchise quarterback without gutting the future.

About those Giants win projections—your opponents include Dallas twice, trips to Seattle and L.A., Houston and Detroit, and half the slate were playoff teams. That’s a rough road.

Schedules get overhyped. You still have to beat whoever shows up, and the best teams do it even when bodies are down.

Let’s pivot to Seahawks–Niners. There’s real juice here. How do you explain Sam Darnold’s picks spiking in big spots?

In high‑leverage games the margin is thin, so mechanics, ball placement, and decision speed matter even more. Coaches have to stress-test you in practice because you can’t survive giveaways in January against a defense that rushes and disguises.

They’re an underdog on the road off a physical week. Does that change the approach early?

Playoff football means finite snaps and nothing promised tomorrow. In Seattle you need complementary ball, lean on that relentless defense, and give the offense time to find answers in the noise.

Seattle’s defense flies to the ball and hunts takeaways. Is the antidote steady five-yard gains and no hero throws?

They close space instantly, rotate dangerous edges, and the interior is legit, so explosives are scarce. You’ve got to stack patient drives, keep the score down, and understand one tipped ball can flip the night.

It’ll be bitter cold in Chicago for Stafford. How do you block out bad conditions?

Cold is part mental but mostly physical adaptation. Practice outside, layer just enough so you stay loose, and know that skill guys feel it most; Chicago’s lived in this weather, and that’s an edge, even though the Rams’ offense can keep you guessing.

Buffalo’s banged up and on another flight, now to Denver. Ever been in that spot where you’re held together by tape?

In 2013 we were down bodies in Denver and still had a shot, but you must start fast to quiet a building. The Bills can lean on their run game and line against a smart, tricky defense, and this is a big-stage chance for Josh.

Patriots–Texans feels like a crash course for Drake Maye against a defense that just looks longer and faster. Any concerns?

The final eight are no soft landing, and Foxboro will be charged and cold. Houston’s defense is nasty, so the plan should trim risk, but Drake’s accuracy, movement, and connection with teammates travel; expectations there are always sky high.

Aaron Rodgers is at the crossroads. You walked away still playing winning football—what tipped it for you?

My last year was taxing personally, I’d aimed for forty‑five, and it was time to be at my kids’ games. Playing well isn’t the only variable; it’s whether you’ll commit year‑round, because if you’re not all‑in, it won’t work—especially at quarterback.

Niners at Seahawks in that cathedral of noise—your FOX crew’s ready, and the country will be locked in.

We love this crew and that stadium. I’m bringing earplugs because Saturday night will shake.

One more on Josh Allen. If he runs the table, he may go through elite defenses while short on receivers, which would be an all‑timer of a climb.

He’s a joy to play with, a rocket arm with real juice, and he empties the tank. None of this surprises me—he wants that ring.

Coaches elevate you, but a few stars thrive anywhere, and he’s one of them. If he pulls off this run, that’s different level stuff.