Steve Young: Can't get to the Big Game without a superhero

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Learn more at discover.com slash credit card. Limitations apply. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Rich Eisen Show. Boy, do the Packers and Niners know how to play playoff games against each other. Birdie takes it, hands off to McCaffrey off the left side. Touchdown! That was dicey at halftime for the Ravens, and then by the end of the game, not dicey at all. Lamar's in! Touchdown, Ravens!

The Rich Eisen Show. Mayfield goes in! Yes! It's nothing but a lion! Vassus kick.

No good! Well, that was something. Earlier on the show, two-time Super Bowl champion and Greenlight podcast host Chris Long. Coming up, Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Young.

Plus, your phone calls and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial your phone calls this hour, as we have yet to hit on the Detroit Lions beating the Buccaneers. That will be rectified. We've been talking quite a bit about the Chiefs and Bills.

Why not? I can't wait to find out the number. Have we found out the number of people who watch the game yet? Have they hit that number yet? I haven't seen it yet. I have a feeling it's going to start with a five.

I agree. It wasn't at our prediction last week, Mike. I said 50 million. It was almost a 50. Yeah, I thought 50, right? I thought about 47.

Well, I think it's going to be a, I think it might start with a five. Because the game was highly anticipated, filled with stars all over the place. Say what you will about Taylor Swift. There's a ton of people to tune in just to see if she's going to be there. Literally two of my three children. That was the first question they asked when they walked in the door.

Is she there? And then the game only got better and better and more intense and lead changes. And so I'm sure. Yeah, the fourth quarter peak is going to be very high. I think it's going to be significant. So we were talking quite a bit about that game.

And your phone calls, as I mentioned, 844-204-RICH number to dial. Chris Long was on earlier. He had some great takes, as he always does on a Monday. Chris Brockman and I are going to do overreaction Monday as soon as we're done. So make sure you keep an eye or ear out for that, whether you watch our pod on our YouTube page or if you listen to it as part of our RSS feed. Again, as I mentioned, as soon as we're done, we do that. And as soon as we're done, the show rears on the Roku channel, channel 210. So if you missed anything, you can watch us all day until we're back again tomorrow. Joining us now, however, I can't wait to you know, I texted him in the middle of game because I'm like thinking to myself, who can I get to talk about these quarterbacks?

And then of certainly of interest to Niner fans about what he thought of Brock Purdy's performance. He is Pro Football Hall of Famer and a friend and like to please to call a friend, friend of the program, Steve Young back on the show. What's up, Steve? It's great to talk to you, buddy. You know, I love being with you whenever I can.

Thanks. And I love chopping it up with you. As soon as I'm in the middle of watching that Chiefs and Bills game. And I'm like, who can I get on this show to talk about this game, as well as certainly something involving the 49ers on Saturday night? And then you were the one that popped into my skull. So I'm thrilled that you're here. What are you thinking about when you're watching Mahomes and Allen? It's like, well, there's a lot of things. First of all, just selfishly watching the game that I only dream about playing. You know, I was the oddity 20 years ago.

And now the my game is now the prototype. It's so that's how you do it. It's the guys that are just dominating the league. And in fact, my theory is you cannot get to the Super Bowl and win a Super Bowl unless you have one of those guys and watching them go back and forth and put the Superman cape on. And but yeah, also the key is that they're willing, they're there. They have the sophistication in the passing game to be able to stand in there, call a play in the huddle, decipher through the defense and get the ball out in a really effective and efficient way. Yet be able to put the Superman cape on here and there whenever it's useful.

I would say specifically about the game yesterday. I've always said that Josh Allen is asked to do too much. He needs more help. And because of that, he has to put the Superman cape on more often. And then what happens mentally in in the in the complexity of what I'm at, you know, what my game is, is that when do I go?

When do I when do I when do I go out there and try to do something spectacular? And a lot of times you'll leave the play that was called the huddle kind of left short because you're so used to getting out there and being Superman. So that's the that's the complication of what those guys face every every week. But watching them do it, I just you just tip your cap. You go, oh, my gosh, I just the game has become a game of these superheroes. And and if you don't have one, you can't go to the Super Bowl.

Yeah. And and just watching the end of that game and, you know, Romo is pointing out after the two minute warning, two pass plays, one for the end zone and then one on third down that didn't convert as well, where where Allen seemed to be trying it. And even if even if you do get those chunk plays at that point in time, you're still leaving way too much time from Mahomes.

I honestly thought they had it right where they needed a two minute warning. Chiefs on their heels, the defense on its heels. And and they went for a couple chunk plays, or at least Allen did. I'm wondering what you think of, because that did lead to the eventual game losing, if you will, field goal miss as opposed to a tying attempt. But that still would have been too much time for Mahomes, Steve. Oh, too much time from Mahomes than enough time for Josh to come back again. Maybe that's that the NFL is the NBA where, you know, you kind of this you dance around all day and then also in the last five minutes, these superstars, these superheroes just go back and forth. And who has the ball left? So I agree with you. I think that Tony has a has a good point. Part of the efficiency of just getting the ball out, making the you know, just making them make the tackle, moving the ball very effectively and chewing time.

It's fine. And I think that you get to the end of a game like this against each other, because that's what I was, you know, I said three years ago, the next 10 years, you're going to watch Joe Burrow, Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes win the Super Bowl. And they're just going to trade it out. Well, Joe got hurt this year. Josh hasn't gotten there because he's getting beaten by, got beat by Patrick Mahomes. And now I think that if you think about Lamar Jackson has now kind of entered that space because of a fundamental shift in what the Ravens are doing. But going back to those couple of plays, he gets bumped. He doesn't get run over, but he gets off of his, off of his platform and has to throw the ball. And if you're going to throw that long ball and that he was open, I mean, it was, you know, maybe would have scored early, would have given the ball back, but I go back to yeah, I give the ball back and see what happens.

Then you get the ball back and with 22 seconds left and you go, okay, get field goal one in. So that just seems like there's a fearlessness to being in that role. And you're saying, Rich, I wish that they were a little bit more tactical. And I agree with you. I agree with you.

I actually agree with how you're thinking about it. Um, but, um, that's the hard part, right? I'm fearless and tactical. Those are two things that don't necessarily go together. And that's why the mastery of it is, uh, being able to do both, uh, is what's fun. And what's the, what I resonate with. That's how I, that's how I think about the game. And so, you know, a guy that did that, I find myself watching that game and feeling visceral kind of reaction and, and, uh, uh, understanding of what they're going through.

Steve Young here in the Rich Eisen show. You just mentioned about the difference with Lamar Jackson now entering the chat, uh, in this AFC championship game, the first that Baltimore is hosting since 1970 when the Colts did it. That's how long ago the folks in Baltimore have seen an AFC championship game. The Ravens have only been on the road for an AFC championship game in their existence. So what, what are you seeing from Lamar? That's different.

Steve? So I think it's more what the Ravens had had decided to do. They had been the most sophisticated running game in history and we're mauling the rank and file people in the NFL and getting to the playoffs and then running into a wall because you cannot have the most sophisticated running game in the, in history and go win super bowls.

It just doesn't get done that way. And so that's what happened over and over again. It was like insanity. Like, are we going to keep doing this?

And they keep bleeding it. Like they kept leaning into what Lamar is great at. What he's great at is that quickness and that ability to make people miss it. So it's uncanny. And, uh, but what I was saying is you cannot get to a super bowl unless you develop into a sophisticated passer of the football.

That's how you get there. You can still, you put the Superman cape on like these other guys, but you have to have this other part of your game. And they fundamentally didn't train that and weren't more leaning into it. They didn't have the talent and wide receiver. They hadn't had the philosophy from the offensive coordinator. They didn't have all the way down from the owner.

You have to decide who you're going to be. And the Brevin Ravens were bully defense and smashing the face offense and just wasn't going to get it done. So they fundamentally, they fired the coach. They got new talent, a wide receiver, and they fundamentally said we're going to throw the football. We're going to develop and develop Lamar into a sophisticated passer so he can join the conversation with Lamar, with Patrick, with Josh, with Joe, with others. And, uh, and you know, I think that it's been a work in progress this whole season, but I really tip my cap to Lamar because he just craves what I just talked about. He craves to be that guy. And, uh, there might be some shortcomings as he develops. Uh, but right now he looks exactly what I described three years ago, what he could be as a guy that's unbeatable because he can do it all.

Yeah. First player in NFL history with two or more passing touchdowns, two or more rushing touchdowns, a hundred on the ground on a hundred and pass a rating in any game. Nobody's ever done that. And that's what Lamar just did to the Texans. And, and, and, and I always say this before the, in years past before they made the world changes for safety and change the game and made it more wide open. And that's what's happened for offenses. You used to be able to get a killer defense like the Ravens have with Ray Lewis and go win a super bowl.

Those days are over. You can't just pack the best defense in the league and do it because these guys are waiting for you and they're going to beat you no matter how good you are. But now you have one of those guys and you have one of the great bully defenses that looks like they could, you know, kind of aid that. It makes them, you know, I guess I I'm influenced by what I watched on Christmas day, when they played the 49ers here at home. Well, how much I think about the 49ers and how good they are and how stacked and packed they are with talent, like unprecedented once in a generation talent that's been collected in free agency. It's been amazing by John Lynch.

They just mold them. And I think that's what I was like, wow, this is this is something different. Well, you helped me transition Steve young to the 49ers, which I've wanted to tell you there. I appreciate it. You know, you, you make, Steve, it's just, it's in your DNA to make everyone around you better, you know? So let's move to the 49ers here. And you've mentioned a couple of times in this interview already about the quarterback needs to put a Cape on and superhero and things of that nature.

Cause things of that nature. So where do you place Brock Purdy in this conversation? There is the anomaly of somebody who is so incredibly efficient and the efficiency mavens and that's the wrong word, but the efficiency aficionados are are still in the game.

They're still, you still have a place, but they need a lot of uh, help around them to be able to kind of go up against those guys. And so I think that, uh, Brock, I would put Kirk cousins, I would put, there's some, there's the efficiency kind of, uh, aficionados that are, Brock is amazing when he's accomplished this year and he's going to, uh, I don't know, I mean, next week's a big game, obviously against the lions, but getting into the super bowl in this era with those guys, with how he plays the game is, uh, I tipped my cap to him. I mean, he, there's some of the stats, uh, what he was able to do from an efficiency perspective or hadn't me, you might be able to make the case that there hasn't been a more efficient quarterback in the history of the game, you know, in how he played this year. Um, for example, uh, one of the stats that just was the most amazing thing I've ever heard in my life is that the 49ers lead the league in yards per attempt. If you just took the passes from the line of scrimmage of behind rich.

Yeah. Those are 100% completion percentage almost. With zero risk or with very low risk, you're leading the league in yards per attempt against everybody else in the league. And that just goes to show that the innovation, what you haven't talked about is the innovation that, um, that there are maybe, I'm going to say under 10 of the innovative minds that are out there calling plays and coming up with new ways to attack these open spaces in the NFL that have showed up maybe five, six years ago with the rule changes and though, and one of the most, uh, you know, most amazing innovation, my innovative minds is, is Kyle Shanahan. Well, I mean, in that respect though, Steve, I mean, the end of the first half, uh, was a head scratcher with, with what they were doing with the play clock. It honestly looked like they were trying to play for a long field goal that was going to get blocked.

I mean, it was one of those horror movies where you could sort of see it coming with your hands over your face. And then Purdy, um, he did turn it on and that last drive, there's no question about it. What happened? He became, he became Mr.

Efficient. He was, did the ball came out. They got made the completions.

They made the plays. He, he did everything that you would want a super bowl quarterback to do in the key moments. And I, I, you know, he's young, uh, it's amazing. There's a movie about him.

There's going to have to be a movie about him, uh, some, at some point. And he I've interviewed him and know him and he's a, he's just a fascinating human being. And, uh, again, I think he's one of the best in the league and he does it in his own Brock Purdy way. And I've said for over a year, let Brock cook, like, let him give him a play, let him figure it out. And he'll, he will figure it out. There is, he's got a, a special mind that can figure stuff out. So you don't, uh, go out of it, come out of that game against the Packers concerned at all.

I mean, this has nothing to do with Deebo's, has nothing to do with Deebo's health. There were so many passes that you're like, what? Like, it was just, it was a confusing watch. And it was an unnerving watch because of the first time you thought, well, wait, hold on. I thought, yeah, I thought he was Superman in his own way. And all of a sudden there's just weird stuff happening, balls coming out.

There wasn't even, they weren't even close. And, uh, and then you got thinking about, you know, he's wiping his hand as he's dropping back. Like, is there a rain thing? Is there a, you know, cause we're getting, you know, him, we don't know him. And is there somehow a wet ball?

You know, some guys just look, there's guys I play with just didn't like the wet ball, you know, and who loves it? Nobody, but, uh, you know, then you got thinking, well, is that, is that the kryptonite? Uh, uh, and then, you know, then also just, they've been off for three weeks. I mean, Brock had not played in 21 days. That's a, that's an eternity.

It's a hard restart, uh, for a quarterback, I believe to be gone off of that competitive edge that you have to have week to week. Um, so anyway, there's a lot of things to try to explain it, but it was unnerving. And it really, the four days were beat. I think they sensed it. Uh, there's a huge size. I don't know how you can make huge, bigger than huge, but like a massive, huge, enormous nuclear science sigh of relief that happened when they got that last drive done. Because if that would have ended right there with that talent, all the people they put together, uh, uh, somewhat criminal.

Yeah. You want to talk about an unkind cut, you know, uh, from this weekend, from this weekend, obviously the bills, that's one of them. And that Jordan loves remarkable breakout season ends with a rookie type throw. He called it a mortal sin to throw the ball that he threw that ended the game. In many ways, the 49ers were beat and with somebody who had more of a history, more sophistication, they would close that up.

You know what I mean? They were beaten. They were just going to, someone needed to come close it up. And, and I think fortunately for the 49ers, they ran into a young quarterback that could make those kinds of mistakes still, um, because you get in those big moments when you've got something kind of done, then you, you gotta, you gotta handle it in a certain way. And so, yeah, he's, he, you watched him in that game when he's, he's one of those guys that's going to join.

It looks like we'll join that group of Josh and, and, uh, Patrick, and now Lamar and Joe. And I think, you know, uh, uh, he's going to, he's when I watched him drop back and he's just big and he's strong and he's tall and he's, he's athletic. And he just, he gets the ball in the, in the, in the shotgun and kind of just looks over everything and kind of just starts to throw it all over the field. Uh, you, I mean, even early in that game, even though he was young, even though it was his breakout time, I felt like, well, he's going to be one of those guys. He's going to, there's only a handful year, every year, you're going to be in the Superbowl or in the thick of it because you have one of those guys and it looked like he was feels like to me, he's going to be one of those guys. And he had a tough learning experience, but no question. It was a, it was a, it was a revelation to see the Jordan love show and what it's going to make me look like.

Yeah. That through that throw, he threw from the opposite hash for the touchdown to go up. And it looked like with so much trash, he looks like he threw it through like four tires to his tight end. I can't, couldn't believe it.

And he kind of threw that off platform too. I mean, I mean, whoa, that was, Hey, wow. That's what they do. Right. That's what they do now. I hear you.

And again, again, I tell you, people say, Oh, that's awesome. But you still have to have all these guys around you. And I just, I think the game is kind of commoditized incredible talent, but like take any of those four or five guys. I talked about six guys that just put them around the league.

And now that team is going to the Superbowl teams that have no chances, 25 teams in the league that fundamentally day one, do not have a chance at Superbowl. Do not, and people are going to go crazy. Oh, Steve, you're crazy. I'm telling you.

Okay. Let's say 20 that have no chance day one to get to a Superbowl because they do not have that guy that used to be in the old days before the world changes, the game opened up so much, become more college like you could do in a lot of different ways to get the Superbowl no longer. It is all about that guy. So then I guess in the minutes I have left with you, Steve young, where do we place Jared Goff coming into the house now in San Francisco with the lions and how you see that matchup?

So I kind of Jared's an efficient, he's an efficiency aficionado, right? Like he is, and they are, uh, uh, intentional. The lions, they have a kind of have a coach that would call you old school, man. But yet at those key moments in the game, in the red zone, and then any kind of risk, uh, a verse moment, they have a coach that's very aggressive. And I think that in the red zone, it really shows up, uh, play calling, uh, when the, when, you know, when it's third and 14 and they're, they, they, they, they figure out there, you think that the lions would be a little bit more static in how they accomplish it because of how they approach the rank and file part of the game, the, the, you know, the middle of the game and, and, you know, obviously there, but it seems like anytime there's a fourth and four or red zone or something that's, you know, high risk, they're in, they're all in, they lean in and then it makes the difference.

So the lions are dangerous because of that. Uh, and, uh, uh, shortened games with the running game and Jared's just incredibly efficient. And I, and, and also very bold when it needs to be, I, I think Jordan, uh, um, uh, uh, in many ways, Jared has been, I dunno, uh, that's a revelation to Jared Goff.

I think that we don't appreciate him as much as we should. So I guess it's going to be Superman versus the, uh, efficiency, aficionado in the super bowl, since you got the efficiency, aficionados in the NFC and the superheroes and the AFC. I think Jared doesn't have the help that, uh, that, that, uh, that, uh, others have, he has good players and a very good team. And they, but, you know, if they can come out and beat the 49ers, I think a little bit of an upset, right. And, uh, and I think you're going to see, uh, the 49ers with that collection of once in a generation talent that you can't do in free. You're not supposed to, John Lynch is not supposed to be able to do this. You're not supposed to be able to just, Oh, Christian McCaffrey, one of the best players in the league.

Oh yeah. Come join us. You know, chase young, you got, you got a place to come join us.

Trent Williams back in the, you know, a few years ago is like could go anywhere. Come join us. Uh, and they just, people want to be here for a good reason. And, uh, I think that they're going to be, as long as they stay together with, uh, uh, the great Brock Purdy, I think they're gonna, they're gonna be tough to be.

Okay. So what do you think makes it before it lets you go? The 49ers at home riding the ship. I mean, if it's, if all of a sudden the game opens and we're starting to do the same stuff when it's not raining and they have played in the last seven days, then you've got to start scratching your head and say, look, we're, we're, we're, we got some problems. Houston, we got, we got some issues, but short of that, uh, this is a team that, you know, it's significantly better than everybody else. And then they, then they go back to either the chiefs or the Ravens. I think the Ravens do win. I think there are, they are different than they were three or four years ago.

I think Lamar is a different player because of how he's been deployed, what they're asking him to do. And with that bully defense, I think it's a rematch of Christmas day. Steve young, you, the man, I love chopping it up with you, brother. You are any time, rich. I'm sorry. Sometimes I, you know, uh, I get a riffing, but I love it.

I don't have, I don't, I don't talk about it enough. I need, I just like a thardick. I come and sit on your couch. Come on. Anytime. Look for me again. Look for my text again, Steve. Thanks again. Appreciate it. You bet.

Steve young, the great Steve young hall of fame are right here on the rich Eisen show. Oh, lots of fun. Chopping it up with him. We haven't talked lines that gets rectified phone calls next as well.

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Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Hey, Hey, Hey. All right. We're back though. We're back. We're back. We never really left.

Where were we? We didn't even mention the Astros getting Josh hater the other day. I know. Oh, that seems unfair. I mean, it really does it.

He's really good. You know what? The Yankees and the Red Sox are doing nothing. We're, but we're, we're not, we're not, we're not the, the ish anymore. No. You know, like we think we're the ish. We're not out. Yeah.

We're, we're, we're not, we're not the cool kids, the cool, but it used to be either go to the Yankees, the Red Sox. Nope. What happened?

Not anymore. We don't want to spend any money. Our owners are too cheap. I don't know about, listen, you, you have a problem with your owners. I love, I love one of your owners personally. And, and, and, and my, and let me say my, my, my, my owner, my owner, my owner spends an incredible amount of money. It's just on a, on a wrong people. Exactly. And then when it's time to actually go the extra yard for the right people, he punts.

You just don't want to get divorced from your GM for some reason. I don't know what the hell's up with that. That's insane.

So Josh, yeah. Coop. I told Coop, you know, you should have been 12 when I was 12. And his answer, his answer would probably be, you know, did you have iPads?

Cause I'll take it now. You don't have iPads. You had a yellow legal pad. Yellow legal pad. Rotary phone for sure. What is this Dewey decibel system of which you speak?

I remember when the mind blowing new thing was, was, uh, post-it notes, grabbing calculator, like Rich Eisen show radio network back on the air. I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen show desk, furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you.

Call click Grainger.com or just stop by. What's an encyclopedia, dad. So, um, Hey, that's true. Hey guys. Hey, Rich. There's a new phrase for one team that's left in the, uh, NFL playoffs.

Okay. You got two, one seeds. You got a defending Superbowl champs. And then you have the Detroit lines. And all grit. Let me tell you something. Those are the words, right? All grit, right? All grit. All grit. That's by the way, that is the much more consumable. And I think more, um, rational and more economical version of saying, we're coming to rip your kneecaps off. Is that where we're hashtag we're all grit.

We're all great. Um, but for the w there's one team in these playoffs, okay. That's left. That's never won a Superbowl. Never been to a Superbowl. The other franchises have, including the one most recently, right?

One team is not, and that team is going to San Francisco with a whole boatload of house money. And the phrase for them, two words, why not? Why not? Why not? Tell me why not? Just because of the Detroit lines. Really?

Really? We're going to do that. We're doing that because you've sucked for so long. Now you can't have it.

Okay. And I saw a team in San Francisco that made a ton of mistakes on Saturday night. And also, unfortunately for them, lost a crucial member of their offense for much of the game. They overcame it.

That's what we discussed for much an hour. Number two, but if Deebo Samuel's not there on Sunday night, that is another equalizer. And they got a quarterback that knows what it's like to play in that building.

He's a quarterback that knows the franchise, knows it very well, knows the area very well. Looks like supposed to be what a 60 degree night. Nice night. Nice night.

Nice night in San Francisco. Won't be that weather that supposedly Jared Goff has a problem in. And the same thing went for Purdy on Saturday night. Always got small hands.

Why not? Everything Dan Campbell said this team was going to be, it now is. And Detroit has won two playoff games in the same season for the first time since we liked Ike. We liked Ike. 1957. Yeah, I didn't see that coming. Nope. 1957.

That's President Eisenhower in case anybody didn't get that reference. Thank you. I appreciate you saying that. The Detroit Lions have accomplished the following. Let me tell you what they have accomplished in case you're wondering if they cannot win a Super Bowl this year by winning two more games. They have this very season, notable broken streaks. First playoff win since 1991 was the longest active season streak without a playoff win. Broke a streak of nine consecutive playoff losses. Was the longest playoff losing streak in NFL history. Lions had their first home playoff game since 1993. It was the longest drought without a home playoff game in the NFL. They then won multiple home playoff games. First time in franchise history that's happened. Won multiple games in a single postseason. As I mentioned, first time since 1957. They had one single playoff win from 1958 through 2022. And they won 14 games in 2023 so far, including the playoffs. That's the most in a season in franchise history.

Check those boxes and check it all off your list. Now they go to San Francisco where they're not supposed to win, right? You could make a case, as I just said earlier in this show, but to repeat in case you're just joining us or seeing this for the first time later on. Hey, you could make a case the Detroit Lions are a more dangerous team away from Ford Field. Ask the Kansas City Chiefs on opening night. Well, the Chiefs didn't have Chris Jones. They didn't have Travis Kelce. They didn't look like the team.

They were in Buffalo. That's right, but on that night they were raising the banner and everybody thought the Lions were just gonna be cannon fodder and they were the cannons. After they found out in Lambeau Field last year, hey, a couple things went a little awry in that Rams Seattle game, including some really weird officiating. And because of that, sorry you're eliminated, but have a good time trying to play the Packers on Sunday Night Football in game 272 because everybody thought that would be a win or go home game, but for you you're just going home and they sent Aaron Rodgers home anyway in Lambeau Field. And then they came back to Lambeau Field this year on a short week and yeah, Jordan Love and the Packers weren't the Jordan Love and the Packers that showed up in Thanksgiving to beat Detroit, but on that night they smoked them coming out of the gate. They came out here to the Chargers, had a shooting match, won that one. They love going into a spot where nobody believes in them and ending your night, or in this case for the 49ers season. Look, it is going to be really tough.

It's a very tough assignment, a very difficult assignment. Certainly if Deebo is healthy in the game, but why not? Seriously, tell me why not? Why can't the son God go do his thing?

How about this one too? Why can't this be a Jamir Gibbs game out of all of them? Okay, we spoke to Sam Laporta last week. He's jacked up. You know, I guess the OG of Iowa tight ends currently in the NFL, maybe all time. George Kittle's playing in this game.

Laporta's coming in too. I know he's jacked. Son God's jacked. You know, David Montgomery can deliver his licks, but it's Gibbs. How about Gibbs saying, hey McCaffrey's not the only all-purpose scrimmage nightmare in this game. I'm just laying it all out. And I saw that photo of that shot of Aiden Hutchinson. He looked like, I've seen that look before.

There's unfinished business for him. They've got weapons. They can do this thing for real.

This is a good squad. The Lions can wind up in the Super Bowl. In past years, you know, it's just like even when those Lions went to Washington, they took on Joe Gibbs Washington teams.

They got boat raced in an NFC championship game. I don't see a boat race on the horizon, do you gents? Seriously? Oh no, definitely not. Okay. I'm with Chris Long.

I'm taking the Lions. You are? Yeah. Okay. You know, so I get it. Some of you might think the Rams weren't all that and the Bucks weren't all that, so you beat two teams at home. Okay, good. And they're going to go to San Francisco and you'll be overmatched.

I would counsel against that. I mean, the Niners may win this thing and go on the Super Bowl and win that too. I hear you, but all four teams have a shot on Sunday.

All four of them do. And three of them have brought home the Lombardi Trophy to their fans before. You know, it's been a while for San Francisco. We just spoke to the guy who's the last one to bring it to them and Steve Young and the Ravens more recently. Now, geez, it's been over 10 years, right, since Ray walked off into the mist in New Orleans in the Harbaugh and then the Chiefs last year and the Lions never ever. I'm happy for my Lions friends. They're feeling it.

Certainly I know a ton for where Michigan Wolverines too. I mean, what a time. What a time to be alive right now. Dan Campbell had this to say after the dub.

God bless this guy. I envisioned that we would have a chance to compete with the big boys and that's where we're at. All you got to do is get in, you know, and it's about placing yourself the very best position to where you can move. You get a home game and then maybe you get a second home game and now all of a sudden it gets a little easier, you know. If you're able to get a one seed, you only got to win two games, right, and so that's always the objective, but ultimately, once you get in, then it's about matchups and you find a way to win and you may have to win two to nothing and it's okay, you know.

It's okay. A win's a win in the playoffs. So, you know, here we are and now we get to go to San Francisco and, you know, we know what kind of team that is, but we're in a great position. We've got a great opportunity.

I mean, this is built for the Lions to go in and bite off a kneecap and a hunk and all that sort of stuff. Let me ask you this question just to put a point on it. I've been at this for a while. You guys have been watching it for a while too. Name me another head coach who after a game looks like he also played too. He does.

We were just talking about that. He's a giant. But his nose, like the bridge of his nose looks like the helmet was knocked down on his bridge of his nose for about 80 snaps. He's got that Peyton Manning red mark.

I don't know what it is. He looks like he just gave us 80 something snaps. So, congrats Lions fans. You've gotten it right.

It's finally happening. My God. Jeff in Detroit, you're on the Rich Hudson Show. What's up, Jeffrey?

Oh, let me tell you about my day yesterday. A friend of mine was doing security at a lot that's downtown near the stadium. He says, dude, I need you to just cover for me for a couple of minutes. Okay, no problem. I'll go cover for him for a couple of minutes. He says, we got a secondary post now. Come on in to the stadium.

Go then, talk to security. We slide past and when I tell you, I had never ever ever witnessed anything like I witnessed yesterday, Uncle Rich. It was just wall to wall pandemonium. Jameer Gibbs is faster in person than he ever is on it. I'm telling you, that guy is fast and then all big ups to Brad Holmes.

You guys were just talking about it. Getting a guy like Dan Campbell that fits your situation, that fit, it's all about the fit, man. I mean, then you come up with Aidan Hutchison, last three games, man. He sack after sack after sack.

Dude is on fire and let me ask you this question. Is Ayman Raas Brown comparable to like Steve Smith? I get that Steve Smith vibe from him every time I see him play. Well, I haven't spoken to him because if he's a guy that'll stare at you when you're asking just a a friendly question like you just threatened his family, then yeah.

Then Ayman Raas Brown is Steve Smith. Just having fun. But yeah, I hear you. You should be jacked up, Jeff. Thanks for the call. Always great to hear from you. Call back every day this week.

This is your time, sir. No doubt. How does Penace, we even talk about Brad Holmes, too, right? How about they hire Dan Campbell. They draft Penace Sewell and Ayman Raas Brown.

How does that work for just coming out of the gate? Brad Holmes, by the way, from the Rams organization, so he would know what you need to do to build a team to compete with San Francisco. This past year, Jameer Gibbs, remember when they drafted him? Everyone's like, what the hell are they doing? 12th overall taking this kid out of Alabama.

Well, now we know, right? And then they go, Jack Campbell, what are you doing reaching for Jack Campbell in Iowa? And then they went to Iowa for San La Porta. Those were their first three draft choices this year. How are they doing in the draft? I'll tell you.

Pretty good. Hey, which is what you better do if if the other team that you're playing goes and gets Christian McCaffrey in the middle of a season, says screw all these picks and then let's go add Chase Young in the middle of this season and let's pay Nick Bosa and let's let's take advantage of having a kid like Brock Purdy on his rookie deal. Let's let's keep all of these guys and keep adding stars. You better hitting the draft.

Man, Jared Goff against the Niners again. Let's take a break. 844-204-rich number to dial. We'll clear out the phone lines and talk about another one of my boys as we hit the road. Welcome to Talkville, the Ultimate Smallville Rewatch Podcast. Karen, what you got?

Hi, guys. Karen Appleland from Australia with a quick question for season three talisman. That knife wound he was so powerful. Tom, what was it like to do that scene with John as your director?

It's great that I was with those people because when your eyes are closed and someone is supposed to be going to stab you in the chest, you have to really trust that they're not going to hurt you. So, I was in good hands with John. Jump in now or catch up on any of the past seasons of Talkville on YouTube or wherever you listen. Hi.

Back here. Oh, yeah. I don't know why.

I don't know why you do that. You know what's fun? Yesterday I got to go. What's fun, Mike? Mike, tell me. Hold on a second. Come on. Let me help you set this up.

What do you got? Mike, what's fun? By the way, we should have a new segment. What's fun, Mike?

What's fun? I'm into this. I'm very into this. So, this is a pilot. Understand. We just stumbled. Okay. And we're piloting.

We're stumbled and piloting. Come on, Mike. Hey, Mike. Hold on a second. Can you, I'm sorry. I'm going to keep stopping. Ready? Here we go.

Three, two, one. Hey, Mike. What's fun? I'm going to tell you what's fun. Going out, having the first day off, not working football, and being like a regular human being, which we don't all get to do a lot. Like, you guys are off.

So, you guys, but like me and you don't get to actually go to a bar. Yeah. You're right. Watch a game. Yes. See the fans. Yeah. And like, they're like coming in with their colors on, with teams, and then it's like, I love it.

I think it's one of the coolest things in the world because I have no team. But you see, like, the energy. Yeah.

That these people put in. Yeah. It's, I love it. I think it's one of the greatest, like, gifts that we have.

Okay. Is being able to have a team that we love and go watch them in a bar. And I got to do that yesterday. You know what I think is fun? And it was fun. You know what I think is fun? What?

What I think is fun is hearing what you think is fun and being passionate about what you think is fun while slightly slagging on the two other guys in the room for not being human. No, they're human beings. Uh, you know, you said, you said, you know, Chris, you don't go out to the bar and watch games.

No, no. I have a top of being human. He's being human. But, you know, we're, you know what? You work faders. I put on a microphone.

I work on TV. These schmucks, you know, they got nothing. Did you guys think I was denigrating you guys? Why are you hating on this?

Because we hate the weekends off. Hey, Mike, Mike, should I go to my text for all your drunken responses yesterday? I only sent a couple. I was, am I wrong? Am I wrong? Did I take that the wrong way? I think you did. I, no, I, I didn't take it that way. Okay. Thank you, Chris.

Sorry, then it's not fun. All right, back on the Rich Eisen Show. I think we just piloted a new segment.

What's new? All right, let me address the Jim Harbaugh stuff. Jim's having a second interview just up the road right here. Um, here's what a second interview with the Falcons already. Here's what I will do for all you Michigan Wolverines out there. If he's going to have the interview just up the road from us, um, and I'm not on the air, I will get a boom box and stand outside like say anything and play and play. No, no, no, not that song.

The victors. Oh, oh, okay. And just blast it. I'll do that. Now, Jim was, uh, at a, uh, no stop. I got them.

That's what I'll play. Uh, Jim spoke yesterday. He was asked, uh, at a March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. on Friday. I saw this quote. He said he was asked, uh, what he's been up to.

Yep. Hey, Jim, what you been up to? Hey, but I mean, we saw what he was up to. He was at the, uh, Ravens victory.

He's painted, you know, he's, all the Harbaugh's are there. Now they're on the John circuit. They were on the Jim circuit. Now we're on the John circuit.

All right. Uh, quote, just back to work, getting ready for the next season. And now here's the, here's the bite that everybody's hanging on.

Yep. There's a passing of the torch that's awesome. Well, he's passing the torch, right? He's not going to stay at Michigan. He's passing the torch to what, Sharone Moore, who is the offensive coordinator, who would be the coach, we imagine, because if Jim leaves, they got to go with the guy who learned he was coaching against Penn State at the last second and won that game.

And then beat Ryan Day in the Ohio State, which is apparently spending eight figures to retain their squad and get, uh, Bill O'Brien's in there. Bill O'Brien in there and the kid from, uh, from Alabama. Uh, Justin Sain, is that his name?

I'm not sure. Yeah, the quarterback from Alabama, five star? Just saying.

We've won the last three in a row anyway. Hey, listen. I speak fluent, Harbaugh. I think what he's saying, there's a passing of the torch that's awesome. He's referring to JJ McCarthy leaving and he's talking about the next quarterback that's there that maybe, just maybe, he's there to coach. That's kind of how I read it.

Ah, so many people. He's passing the torch. He's moving on.

Or he's helping the transition. Uh-huh. Until it's done, it ain't done. That's true. Now you're really hoping. I'm not hoping.

It's, it's a fact. Well, you're hoping he doesn't leave. Well, and by the way, do you know how many candidates the Chargers interviewed? 15. How about the Falcons? It's the same.

A ton of people. So, and one of them's Belichick. Although I'm hearing, well, he doesn't want to work under Rich McKay. Oh, is that right? That's the scuttlebutt. Who are you hearing that from? That's on the web. It's got sources. I got some sources.

So, I'm not reading that quote saying he's gone just because he's having a second interview. I don't know. This is crazy. It's taken forever. Come on. This is the week teams can finally interview in person. But you can't interview any candidates involved in Championship Sunday. Right.

Including Ben Johnson, Todd Monken. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

I'm definitely skipping a few here. So, this process is going to kind of screech. It's kind of next week. Yeah, this is going to be a big Bobby Slowik week. Is it? Things have never been said before. Big Bobby Slowik week. Yeah.

For in-person interviews. All right. Let me finish up this show talking about my boy. My boy Baker.

Man, what he did this year. You never... How many times do I say into this microphone, you never want to be the guy after the guy? You just don't want to be the guy after the guy. Wants to be the guy after the guy. Very few people have succeeded at being the guy after the guy. Drew Carey is one of them, right?

The Price is Right? Yes. Yeah, okay. What else am I referring to? I don't know.

It's very rare. You just spoke to Steve Young. That was tough for him.

It was for a while. This guy, what does he do after Tom Brady leaves? He takes him to the NFC South Championship.

Everybody thought they're limping in and he's not going to do anything. That was back-to-back 300 yard game sound. How about him being down two scores yesterday? How about, by the way, when the Lions took the lead for the first time 17-10 and he marched straight down at the end of the third quarter and just like jammed it right in there going, yeah, the celebration is not yet beginning here, guys.

Then the Lions took a two score lead and he got them on the board again. I still don't understand why you go for two. Well, because that way you know you'll have to go for two. How about not going for two at all? How about that idea? Well, if you get it then you can win with an extra point. Right, then you can win with an extra point and if you don't then you know what you have to do. How about just playing to keep it going? Winning is better than overtime. I don't get it.

I'll never get it. I'm an old gen stat guy like Baker Mayfield with all of the stats that he's putting up and keeping his team in it. There's no doubt in my mind that he has raised this franchise when we thought they were, just like the Rams, over capped no shots. Well, Baker comes in off the Rams, goes to Tampa and takes them to damn near the NFC championship game.

This is what Baker had to say about staying put and finding a home in Tampa. I love this group. I've said that all year and it's authentic. I mean that and so it would mean a lot for me to bring back a lot of key pieces to get this back together and to get it in year two in the system. You can make huge strides and so I would love that. Obviously, who knows how it's going to play out but I can't say enough about this organization for the opportunity they gave me this year. I'm just thankful and so I'm hoping it works out. Through all that I've been through, I leaned on a lot of people here and you can do that. I had a lot of people that helped me out throughout the year and it just made it special. You go through stuff and where I was at in my life, not just football.

This place helped me out and so I'm thankful for them. I love it. I know his last throw of the year was an interception. When they got the ball back, you kind of felt like they were going to tie it up. I thought they had a shot.

I really did have a shot but I mean it's the Lions time. That kid Barnes who was Chris Long pointed out an hour one whiffed on Dak leading to that 80 something what 90 something yard catch from CD Lamb in that Saturday game. He's the one who sealed the NFC Championship appearance with that interception and I say that fully still bitter that Barnes whiffing on Dak helped cost me my fantasy championship because it was going against CD Lamb. CD Lamb won a lot of titles.

He'd think. He cost me mine but at any rate Baker Mayfield man great season well done and it's on Jason Light to keep Mike Evans there and keep it all together. There's 17 guys on that team from their world championship from a couple years ago and they played like some champions last two weeks with Baker leading the way. Congrats to him and all the teams that lost this past weekend. They had a great run. Great seasons all with four still to come. We've got four more days to talk about championship weekend. I want to thank today's guests Chris Long and Steve Young and everybody calling in.

We'll wrap this show up on the Roku channel and then look out for our overreaction Monday pod shortly. You loved Lala Kent on Vanderpump Rules. Now get to know her on Give Them Lala. I'm obsessed with the fact that GQ has named Kim Kardashian man of the year. You're upset about it? I suggest you do better then. If there were a Cosmo woman of the year and it was a man how would you feel? Well that would just be lies.

Name a man who's doing better than women right now and you can give him woman of the year but until I see that. Watch what Lala is talking about on YouTube or search for Give Them Lala wherever you listen.