Charged Up (Hour 3)

How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family.

And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends. And it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing.

And it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at i'mlistening.org. Talk saves lives.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum. You know me.

I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13th and Odyssey Studio.

Available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. Well let's talk a little college football right now. We do so with a former member of the Georgia Tech football team.

And now does a great job ACC Network. And that is Roddy Jones. Roddy, appreciate the time as always. How are you? I am fantastic, Zach. How are you, man? Good.

I got to start you off with your alma mater. They get rid of Jeff Collins. A name has been thrown out there.

I know it's very early, right? You got to figure out what's going to happen with the athletic director. And there's a lot to go before you start thinking about a new head football coach.

But that name Deion Sanders has been floated around. Would you be on board if your athletic department elected to hire Deion Sanders at Georgia Tech? I would be on board with whoever they decide to hire. Because I think all alums should get on board and support the new head coach. That being said, I don't think Deion Sanders is going to be the new head coach. And I think there would be a large contingent of Georgia Tech fans that would be against it before the hire.

And here's why. I think primarily at the fundamental base of it, you're talking about a coach of an FCS program. And the only coach from an FCS program whose name is being thrown around is Deion Sanders because of his name. There's the fundamental thing of transitioning from a program of that size to an FCS program. And just the stuff that comes along with that from a media perspective, from a recruiting perspective, all of that. Like in some ways, him being able to sneak up on bigger programs at Jackson State would be easier than being an obvious target at Georgia Tech or any FCS program.

So there's that. The other thing is, I think that Jackson State has been able to have some advantages that Georgia Tech certainly wouldn't have. His flexibility of getting players in would not happen at Georgia Tech because of the academic restrictions as much. And I think inexperience with that would be a part of it, certainly. So there's hurdles for Deion Sanders or any FCS coach to jump through that I think would make it more difficult.

And then on top of that, it's a very small sample size, which people would be uneasy with. And then the biggest game that they played last year, which I would consider the celebration bowl. It's a little strange because it is somewhat of a bowl game. They didn't perform very well. South Carolina State kind of whooped them in that game.

So when you look at all of those things, it would lead you to saying no. But then Deion Sanders' name carries enough to get him in the conversation. So I don't think Georgia Tech is going to go that way. I see the name thrown out a bunch.

I've had to answer that question a bunch. But no, I don't think it's got a chance. I think it would be an exciting hire. I just wonder if Deion Sanders, and I know the connections with Atlanta, would want to go to Georgia Tech. I would personally rather see Deion go to the SEC, have all those resources, and could really make an impact on the recruiting trail now with the way that NIL goes down.

Yeah, sure. If an SEC school wants to take the chance, I think it would be interesting. The reason that I think most of the media thinks it would be an exciting hire is because of the Travis Hunter flip. NIL would be a big part of it, but would he come in and automatically start out recruiting Georgia and Texas A&M? Maybe. But he's going to need to go to a place that has the resources that those have and then throws those resources out there. I think the novelty of it makes it an exciting hire.

But other than that, the stuff behind it, I'm just not convinced of because of the small sample size. Rodney Jones here with us. NC State Clemson, I'm really excited for this game.

I know we had you on before the start of the season. You were talking about how Cade Klubnick probably going to take over at some point. DJ just played a really good game up against Wake Forest. Offensive defense, though, couldn't get on the same page. What are your expectations this week for DJ Wungelei up against NC State?

All of this is weather permitting because it's supposed to be a downpour in Clemson. So the ability to throw the ball is going to be hampered by that. NC State defense is a really good defense and a lot of the stuff that they did against Wake Forest, challenging their corners, making plays on jump balls down the field, it's going to be tougher against NC State simply because those guys are bigger. NC State's corners are more equipped to deal with some of that stuff than Wake's are, although Wake's had great positioning and great technique on a lot of those throws.

So we'll see, man. The down the field throws that he made statistically are low percentage throws. So can he continue to complete them at the rate that he did a week ago? I'm a little skeptical of that, although he was accurate at the short and intermediate game as well. His supporting cast needs to continue to help him.

I thought they did a great job using tight ends with positioning to help give him reads and tells. I thought they did a really good job of that against Wake Forest, so that'll have to continue. But I think there will be, on the deep throws, there will be some regression to the mean at some point.

You just can't keep those at a 60% rate the entire season. But he's played better. And I thought at the beginning of the year, Cade Kwabnek would be the quarterback at some point. Davos Sweeney has been adamant about playing DJ Uwe Young to LA, even in blowouts.

Cade Kwabnek has got limited action. They believe in DJ. He's going to be the quarterback the rest of the year, barring injury or barring something ridiculous happening in terms of where he's at now and him playing a lot worse. So they're behind him, and he's going to have to continue this level of play if they're going to continue the standard that we're accustomed to the last almost decade. Where's your confidence level that they'll be in the college football playoff this year? All of that is contingent on what happens elsewhere.

So they could be in as a one-loss team if stuff goes haywire in other parts of the world. Because from what I saw from Michigan last week, what's my confidence level with Michigan getting the Ohio State team undefeated? What's your confidence level in Ohio State?

So I think a lot of that depends. I'm pretty confident that they'll win the ACC. They're the best team. They've got the best defensive line.

The supporting cast is coming along on offense, and DJ's playing better. Now will that be good enough to get them in the college football playoffs? If they're undefeated, certainly. Will they get through unscathed?

I don't know. I think everyone is susceptible to a down game, and if you look back at the years that Clemson's made the college football playoff, they've made it a couple times with a loss. So will they get through this slate when you've got five ranked teams in the Atlantic? They play Miami, who looks like a dumpster fire right now, but they have the talent to straighten things up by the end of November when they play. So I think if you made me put my feet to the fire, I'd say, yeah, it's probably a college football playoff team because I think they get through undefeated because I think they're the best team in the ACC. Talking to Roddy Jones, obviously weather permitting, Wake Forest and Florida State this weekend. Explain this one to me, and maybe this is Vegas though and something I don't know, and I have a lot of respect for the job that Mike Norvell has done this year. Seven point favorite in a game between the 22nd team in the country against the 23rd team in the country?

Explain that one to me, Hal. Florida State's favored by seven points. I thought that was a lot for them to be favored, but I wouldn't have minded if Florida State was favored, but I thought seven points was a lot. But Florida State's played really well. The defensive line is really good, and good defensive line have tended to really have their way with Wake Forest.

Now, it didn't happen last week against Clemson. I thought Wake did an excellent job in protection, not just of each individual making their blocks, but the running backs of Sam Hartman making them right when a guy did miss a block, and then challenging down the field. I think if you look at that Clemson game and you saw the number of pass interference penalties that Clemson committed to help move Wake down the field, which eventually helped them score, I think you look at the way Wake Forest defense played against the Clemson team that was able to make plays down the field. Florida State has a Johnny Wilson who's six foot seven, so you think they can have some success there.

They've got a Malik McLean who's a big player, Deuce Spann is a big receiver. You look at that running game, it's the best rushing offense in the ACC, and you think, wow, can Wake Forest duplicate what they did against Clemson a week ago in the run game? It's a lot of factors that lead you to Florida State probably winning, but Wake Forest is a mature team and they have a mature offensive line, a mature quarterback that's going to be able to handle the moment. I thought seven was a little much for Florida State to be favored, but I do think Florida State's going to win the game because it feels like this Florida State has been building. This Florida State team has been building towards moments like this. I was disappointed with Arkansas last weekend, Roddy Jones.

They got off to that good start, and then once they were up 14-0 and they allowed that fumble to get returned to tie up the game, they just had nothing else. Alabama-Arkansas this weekend, is this a close competitive game? Because the one time we've seen Alabama go up against a legit team this year, if you want to call Texas a legit team, but a step up in competition, that was a close game and we knew Texas lost their quarterback.

Yeah, K.J. Jefferson's going to have to play well if they're going to make it a close game. My question about Alabama is how much of the stuff that we saw outside of, or in that Texas game, the penalties, the shots down the field that Quinn Hughes was able to hit, how much of that creeps in in this Arkansas game?

Last year, K.J. Jefferson had a great game, threw for over 300 yards. Tre'Lon Burks went off, played like 180 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Arkansas doesn't have Tre'Lon Burks. They don't have the receiver of that caliber, although Jaden Hazelwood has been very good for them. Arkansas has been able to get after the quarterback, but a lot of those sacks that they got came against the worst competition that they faced. If they're able to get to Bryce Young, then I think it can be a close game because Alabama's receivers have not been world beaters this year, but they're going to have to find, Arkansas I mean, it's going to have to find a way to challenge Texas down the field, and I don't know that they have the personnel to do it.

They just haven't been able to do it consistently enough. Look, I know Texas A&M has a pretty good defense, but from what we've seen from Texas A&M this year, Miami's not very good on offense. They have multiple opportunities in the red zone, and I think that Texas A&M group, while they're talented, they're young in spots, so they can be gotten. So I would expect Alabama to handle their business this week. It's the Tennessee game in a couple weeks that I'd be the most worried about for them. So you're that optimistic on Tennessee after that 4-0 start? Yeah, I think Tennessee's going to score points on everybody, including Alabama.

Yeah, Hooker's a good quarterback. Yeah, if you can challenge Alabama by getting them in a game where you've got to put up points, I'd love to see that. I mean, Texas looked like they were going to be able to do it, and then when Uris gets hurt, it kind of becomes a little bit of a slog. So Tennessee is going to be a challenge.

That game is in Knoxville. It's going to be ridiculously crazy, and so that kind of looks like a spot where Alabama could get gotten, but I mean, I would still pick Alabama and favor them in the game. For the third-best team in the SEC, is that Tennessee or do you lean Kentucky? I was leaning Kentucky before the year. The way Tennessee has played, I'm starting to become more convinced that it's Tennessee, but I'll still go with Kentucky right now because Tennessee still needed some late heroics to beat Florida, and I don't think Florida is that good. I think they're good. I don't think they're that good, so I'll still go with Kentucky for now.

Wrap it up with Roddy Jones. An Oklahoma State Baylor, is Spencer Sanders the difference in this one? Yeah, I think so. I think when you look at this Baylor team, Blake Shippen hasn't exactly duplicated the level of success that they had at the quarterback position last year, and this Oklahoma State team has sort of flipped back to a wide open offense. Let's throw it over the field team. They've been putting up crazy numbers. Got some questions about the defense a little bit, but yeah, I don't think this is as close a game or games as they played last year. I think Oklahoma State wins it.

I think Spencer Sanders is the difference in that game. Before we let you run, the Pac-12, USC has impressed. We know Utah gets USC.

I know they had that tough loss to Florida, opened up the year. I've been impressed with Washington as well. How do you kind of evaluate this Pac-12 this season?

I love the Pac-12. Washington's got a big one tomorrow or Wednesday. Washington's got a big one on Friday against UCLA. USC has been unbelievably lucky. I think it is luck. When you've gotten 14 turnovers and you haven't turned the ball over once, there's going to be some sort of regression at the mean.

What does that look like? Oregon State turned the ball over four times, and it still took some late heroics from USC to go win that game. USC does not look to me like a team that's going to get through this thing undefeated. They've got UCLA on the schedule, obviously. They've got Utah on the schedule.

Neither does Washington. I think it's going to be another year where they sort of beat each other up in the Pac-12, but it is going to be a fascinating conference. Those two conferences, the Big 12 and the Pac-12, I don't think there's a bad team in the Big 12. From top to bottom, I think every team is pretty good. And then in the Pac-12, the bottom is certainly bad. But you look at Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, USC, Utah, you've got some really quality football teams that all are capable of ending up in that top two and playing in the Pac-12 championship game.

Yeah, I'm glad you bring up Oregon. I just don't know what to make about Bo Nix. There's some times he looks so bad, and then he has that moment when his back is up against the wall where he looks so great. He's the most confusing player to me in college football. Yes, welcome to the Bo Nix experience. It's been that way for years, but geez. I know. And look, it's still confounding, and it's still exciting, and it's still frustrating, and it is all of those things. But if they can figure out a way, if Kenny Dillingham, the offensive coordinator, can figure out a way to harness that and just bring it.

You don't even have to have the peaks. If you can bring the peaks down a little bit and bring the valleys up a little bit and have them somewhere in the middle, then it's a team that's good enough to do whatever they want to do in the Pac-12. I mean, it is a very talented football team. Is it still Georgia and then everybody else, or do you put more stock in Alabama and Ohio State right now? The pedigree of Alabama, you can't kick them out. In the offensive Ohio State, you have to include them in there. But look, Georgia's offense is drastically improved as well. Throw out the Kent State game, every team is going to have a game where they just don't care. That was Georgia's, and I think they're going to be coached hard because of it. The offense is much better. The defense, while they're inexperienced and they're not as sound as they were a year ago, they are extremely talented and they will get after you. They still take pleasure in bludgeoning people. Nolan Smith and Jalen Carter on the defensive line really set the tone.

Keely Ringo's a fantastic corner. So they will still be up there. They play on the half of the conference that's not quite as difficult, although with Florida, the way they're playing, Kentucky, Tennessee, it is more difficult than we thought. So I think it's Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, off pedigree. And then there's sort of a gap until you hit Michigan, Clemson, and some of the rest of those teams. Roddy Jones, thanks so much.

Appreciate the time. Yeah, you got it, Zach. Here's the thing, Ry, that I want to ask you about. And I just want to have this conversation based off the Pac-12. I still feel like it's USC and Utah, one of those teams will win the Pac-12. But you go through this, like Oregon has now regained some of that confidence the last two weeks with their two big wins against BYU and then what they just did last weekend in that wild game. A team like Washington, I like Kalen DeBoer. Michael Penix has been healthy.

He's been pretty damn good. It's like, how do you look at the Pac-12 right now in terms of the teams that you think can win this conference, Mr. College Football? I think the four you just mentioned. I think it's like I'm with you in terms of order or I would say I think I would be surprised if it is not Utah, USC, and the Pac-12 title game. Like that's what I'm saying. How big is the gap when you have USC, Utah, then how far of a drop-off is it before you get to teams like USC, when you get to teams like Washington, Oregon, you know UCLA I guess is undefeated if you want to throw them in there too. It's so, can I say it fluctuates? Is that fair?

I know it's like not real. I'm not trying to duck your question, but it kind of goes back to the point you made with Roddy. It's like, well when Bo Nix is like good Bo Nix, that gap is not very wide at all. I don't think that's going to be consistent, but that's it. It's like when he's bad Bo Nix and we don't know when that's going to show up, the gap is pretty wide and then with Washington, Michael Penix is playing really well, but also this is a guy who I think has never played more than six games I believe in a season in his career. So it's like if he stays healthy, then absolutely Washington is like right there on the door and absolutely can make the Pac-12 title game and the gap is not that wide, but it's like an odds game.

Do you really think he's going to stay healthy the entire season and play this level? I can't really bet yes. So it's like overall if their quarters are playing well, it's not that far of a gap at all. Here's what I can tell you though.

But it's wide when it's hurt or bad play. Here's what I can tell you. Arizona State stinks. Yes. Colorado stinks. Absolutely.

And Stanford stinks. Yes. Zach Gilchis, CBS Sports Radio. How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Katie Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know, I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it.

It's not always easy, but you can. More at imlistening.org. Talk saves lives. What's up, everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum. You know me.

I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. A presentation of Cadence 13th and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Katie Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know, I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it.

It's not always easy, but you can. More at imlistening.org. Talk saves lives. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show.

Good job out of you, Hickey. It is The Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. You want to know why? Don't fade that song.

Play it. I need to calm down. I know this is a national show, but we all have teams that we root for. My Mets right now, their offense is lifeless. It's pathetic.

And this started to calm me down a little bit because I love the boss in Bruce Springsteen. You're going back and forth with the Braves. I know the Braves are losing right now 2-1 to the Nationals, but I don't even care.

Like I do care. I want the Braves to lose. But it means nothing if the Mets are going to drop back-to-back games to the Marlins. And right now they're down 2-0 to the Marlins. The bases are loaded with two outs. Even if they get out of this inning or not, can this offense wake the bleep up? They have two hits against the Marlins.

This is crazy. Two hits against the Marlins. The offensive effort. The last few games has been brutal.

Absolutely brutal, Ryan. And this is frustrating because you get the flashbacks of the past, especially when going up against the Marlins late in the season after having a lead all throughout the year, and now they're tied. And it's like, uh-oh, here we go again. I did not feel this way in August.

I did not even feel this way in early September. Like I was drinking the Kool-Aid. Buck, buck, buck, buck, buck, right?

Buck Showalter, different feel. You got Scherzer back. You get in the ground back. And doesn't matter who you have pitching if your team can't score runs. This is a brutal, and I mean a brutal offensive effort tonight. Can't get hits against the Marlins. After last night having the same thing happen, inexcusable. Wake up. You're in a pennant race, in case you didn't know. Thank you. You got to go win the division here. I don't want to be playing the wild card round this year, especially with this new Fakakta format. You can think of O'Reilly Auto Parts where your car care needs guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. As the calendar is about to flip from September to October, Hot Take Kiki has some college football questions for me. HTH, what do you got?

I'll give you some answers. Right now through one month Zach, is there anyone on Georgia's level? Is it Georgia and everyone else? Or is it Georgia, another team, everyone else? I do think Georgia clearly is the best team in college football. And it's weird when you could say that a team that just won a national championship is impressing, but Stenson Bennett is playing even better than he did last year. And that defense that lost so much talent is still a great defense.

And Kirby Smart just has an unbelievable program. I'm not going to say that it's Georgia and everyone else though, because I'm still a big believer in Alabama. And whoever comes out of the big 10, if it's Ohio State with CJ Stroud, you could go toe to toe with the Georgia. You could go toe to toe with an Alabama. I liked the Michigan program a lot, but we saw last year Michigan did go up against Georgia. It was a blowout. Now, albeit they do have a better quarterback this year with JJ McCarthy now becoming the starter.

Kate McNamara hurt, but you knew McCarthy was going to be starting anyway. So I'm not going to throw out Bama and I'm not going to throw out whoever wins the big 10. There is slight separation between Georgia and Bama, but Georgia is definitely right now through what we've seen the best team in college football.

If that makes sense, the way that I worded it. One of the teams you've been high on USC, they're 4-0, so nice start so far for Lincoln, Riley, Caleb, Williams. Their last game that was very ugly against Oregon State. They won 17-14. The offense was not very good whatsoever.

They needed a last second score to win the game. Are you more encouraged by their ability to kind of fight the adversity and win that game as college world playoff contenders or more discouraged with how the offense looked against a better opponent in Oregon State compared to the first three teams they played? I was actually encouraged because the first three games you go Rice, Stanford, Fresno State, it's Blount City, 66-14, 41-28, 45-17.

I like when the offense was not buzzing that they were still able to find a way to fasten those seatbelts and go get a victory when it got a little turbulent and it looked like you were going to have a close game. Now you got an easy game this weekend up against Arizona State. You're doing some tougher teams on the schedule.

Washington State thankfully you don't have to go there. You're at Utah. That's going to be a tough game. You know Cal has played well. UCLA has played well. I'm not a big believer clearly in Notre Dame this year so you got some tough games. I think they are a legit college football playoff contender like could they run the table and get in? Yes, but you know what happens with the Pac-12. Usually when you anoint that team they shoot themselves in the foot. They will have a loss this year.

It just depends on what the rest of the landscape is. I expect Georgia and Alabama to be in. Then Ohio State or Michigan one of those teams will get whoever wins a Big Ten. After that it's what do the records look like with Clemson or whoever comes out of the ACC? What is the record looks like forever comes out of the Big 12 compared to USC and that's where that one loss could come back to bite you. There will be a loss.

You just really have to avoid that second loss because if you get the two losses you're not getting it. Michigan has made their decision on quarterback few weeks ago. JJ McCarthy is our guy through the first month of the season. Zach, does this Wolverines team look better than the team that won the Big Ten and went to the college world playoff last year?

Can I say yes and no and I'll explain why. Defensively I can't say they're better when you lose Hutchinson and Ojaba. Blake Coram, I know he was on the team last year and you had Hassan Haskins last year as well. Haskins no longer on the team in the NFL but Blake Coram's a stud being the bell cow back. They have Ronnie Bell back at wide receiver. They have a lot of speed at the wide receiver position and they upgraded JJ McCarthy now being the starter at Michigan.

He's a better quarterback than McNamara. So I think they're better offensively than last year but I would not go to the length and say they're better defensively. Anything short though of being undefeated before that Ohio State game would be disappointing. I know the schedule picks up.

You get Iowa this week in Iowa. You have Penn State coming up in three weeks and then after that it's like okay if you get through that stretch you would anticipate that they would be undefeated before that Ohio State game and then you know the value of the game where the winner would get to the Big Ten championship game and most likely end up being the team that goes out of the Big Ten championship game as the winner and goes to the college football playoff. DJ Uyengol like Clemson quarterback came in with a lot of questions as she has he shown you so far through the first month that he is good enough to not only keep the job but lead Clemson to the college football playoff. This is ask me after this week. You just had a big performance against Wake Forest. I know Dabo has said all the right things all the support for DJ Uyengol. How do you follow up a week after finally getting praise and throwing five touchdowns against Wake Forest.

How do you follow that up against NC State weather depending and seeing what's going to happen with that weather. I got to see a little bit more consistency before I tell you I'm all in that DJ is definitely going to make it throughout the entire year as a starting quarterback but he's improved. Who's been your biggest surprise so far through the first month?

See that's a good one. You could say Kansas and we were talking about yesterday it's like the first time they have four wins of the season since like 2008 or 2009. I thought Kentucky was going to be good before the year. I give credit to your squad Penn State.

They've done a nice job. You could have some surprises in the in a bad way like Notre Dame's off to a rough start. Texas A&M they've been up and down. They lost to App State though. Washington has been really good but I zero in on Tennessee. Hendon Hooker he was good last year.

He's great this year. Josh Heupel's done a good job and that was a big win for that program. For them to be undefeated and for them to possibly be the third best team in the SEC I still get the slight edge to Kentucky. But I'm going to say that Kentucky I would say how good Tennessee's been has been the biggest surprise for me personally. And then also I'll give credit to USC. I know it's it's cupcakes but I didn't think I would be maybe this bullish potentially about USC this early in the season.

And finally the kiss of death. Who has been so far the Heisman front runner after the first month of the season? I would go Stetson Bennett. Who would you go with? I know you're Mr. College football.

So the first month they had to go chalk. I would probably say CJ Strad. You would go CJ Strad.

Yeah. The thing with Stetson Bennett why I have to now argue against myself. They had to get more passing touchdowns. You know he's played really well but he only has five passing touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season. But he is the quarterback and the best team in the country right now. And that's usually how that word goes down.

But you are right. Yeah it's you think of Stroud right away with Ohio State. I think a lot of people aren't thinking Stetson Bennett still right away with Georgia. Who would be your third?

Well let me ask you this. Is Bennett in the conversation for you? Yeah he's played well. Okay Bryce Young had a Heisman moment against Texas too but he just won the award. I think you're gonna say Vandy last week like lighting it up. He's played like Williams if they make the if Caleb Williams if they make the college football playoff he will be in that conversation.

I think the pool is wide. I think you'd make an argument for like 10 guys right now. Like Henton Hooker's played well so far and decent opponents. Like I think there's a decent argument you can make for about 10 guys.

What do you think is good? If you had to take a non-quarterback who would your non-quarterback be? Non-quarterback.

Let's go let's go off the beaten path. Let's go Mo Ibrahim running back from Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are undefeated. They just took Michigan State to the woodshed. I hate to be this guy but they're not winning the big time this year. They might make it to Indy. Yeah sure they're gonna beat Ohio State probably not but if you make it to Indy 11-1 that's a good season you know going in the regular season. Now if they end up going undefeated Blake Korn off his 243 yard performance two touchdowns. He's nine touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season.

Friend to show I guess we could say. Guy come on another time or two before we get to that status but I'll give a little love to Blake Korn. But it's it's going to a quarterback and you're right.

Stroud, Bennett, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Henton Hooker probably the four or five names that you think of when you look at quarterbacks. Zach Gelb's show CBS Sports Radio coming back. Talk about the pressure that is on Justin Herbert. Hopefully the Mets can get a run or two. That would be nice as they just ground out and that will end the inning so it's two nothing. Marlins as it goes to the six. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful night.

The Mets have two hits as they're in the middle of an NLE's chase. Can they wake up please? Por favor.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum. You know me.

I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13, and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. How's your mental health?

I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family. And if you don't really have a big family, just surround yourself with some of your closest friends and it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon.

It's a very serious thing and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at I'm listening.org. Talk saves lives.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum. You know me.

I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13, and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show.

It is Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. I think one of the biggest stories through the first three weeks of the NFL season is we're about to turn the page to week four tomorrow night with the Bengals hosting the Dolphins has actually been a negative story and that's been the AFC West being disappointing. Raiders 0-3, yuck. Derek Carr's future is kind of in limbo.

You just signed that contract extension but they could easily get out of that deal. The Chargers are 1-2 missed opportunity against the Kansas City Chiefs in week two and then week three get blown out by the Jaguars. So yeah our improved team this year. Quarterbacks banged up. Rashawn Slater now done for the season and Joey Bosa is expected at some point to return.

We just don't know when and it's not anytime soon. That's the way that they have been talking about this. Broncos are 2-1. They can be the worst 2-1 team I've ever seen because there is zero confidence right now with Nathaniel Hackett. Russ is not playing good quality football and then you got Kansas City who yeah they just lost to the Chiefs but I think we feel okay and more than fine with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hickey, who's got the most pressure on them the rest of the way in the AFC West? I would say the Chargers. Chargers came in accomplishing nothing so far.

Got a lot of hype. There's some people even saying Super Bowl dark horse. You have the quarterback we all see in Justin Herbert. I know there's some injuries but Justin Herbert is as good as everyone wants to claim him to be. He should still even with his injuries still be able to play well at least in any term to keep him winning and then when he's fully healthy carry this team with the injuries that they're still facing.

I would say the Chargers. And don't get me wrong I think Herbert's a damn good quarterback. Herbert is a top 10 quarterback in this league. Has top five potential.

You do gotta win. That's a part of the equation and last year he did everything he could that final game up against the Raiders and the defense and and the coach right let them down. But you expect your franchise quarterback to elevate a team even when there are injuries but the problem here is the quarterback is hurt. And I thought it was malpractice by Brandon Staley late in that game.

They're getting blown out by Jacksonville. When this started to get ugly quickly on ION football I forget when I said it but at some point in the first half I said all right when we go to our stringer I think it was Chuck Hayes. Chuck probably feels like they should get Justin Herbert out of this game soon and Chuck agreed with me and we're sitting there in the third quarter the fourth quarter and they never pulled him. It was just it was a dumb decision. It was a really dumb decision. I mean that game is 16 to 7.

I thought to myself if this continues they're gonna pull them at some point. All right you gotta feel go make it 16 to 10 but with this game at the end of the third quarter it's not like it gets got out of hands in the fourth. You went into the fourth quarter 31 to 10 right that was maybe the dumbest decision I saw from week three from a coaching standpoint how they kept Justin Herbert in the game. In a 30 way 31 to 10 game okay I started to speculate 16 to 7 but at 31 to 10 I don't care if this kid wanted to stay in the game but she clearly did essential afterwards.

Checks and balances dude. Stanley had to take him out of the game. You could make the argument that's the dumbest decision of any coach so far this season because if he gets hurt your season is cooked. To some extent yes but still nothing passes the the torch. You cannot pass the torch from the brand from the Nathaniel Hackett decision.

If you want in a vacuum hold on this is a good this is good conversation. Brandon Staley continuing to play Justin Herbert or that bozo Nathaniel Hackett on fourth and what was it two to fourth and five fourth and five with all your time outs minutes something left electing to kick a 64 yard field goal with a guy that you just paid 250 something million dollars though. I would still side with playing Justin Herbert. He gets hurt your season's over.

They lost one game and again inexcusable you are risking losing your entire season by playing Herbert. Yeah you wonder how much further damage could happen though. Uh nothing good I'll tell you that. Well I'm saying nothing good. I 100% agree he's playing with fractured ribs. You got to give the guy a breather there. I know it's tough for him to physically breathe when when you're playing with that injury but there is nothing happening. I don't care how great you think Justin Herbert like even to the extent of Ryan Harris I thought was a little bit carried away by a little I mean a lot. You gotta pull him in the fourth.

The start of the fourth I'm not talking about like three minutes left the start of the fourth quarter when you're sitting in a 31 to 10 game. This Chargers team there's gonna be a coach that gets fired in the AFC West after this year. It's it's not gonna be Andy Reid we know that and I'll tell you this I think this will surprise you that I'm about to say this it's not gonna be Josh McDaniels after one year. Nathaniel Hackett or Brandon Staley one of those two guys will be without a job after this year. Nathaniel Hackett could be one and done and if the Chargers don't make the playoffs I don't care if you're without Rashawn Slater.

I don't care if Joey Bosa is hurt. As long as that quarterback is taking snaps and playing football games you got to make the playoffs and you know who's lurking Sean Payton and if I'm Sean Dallas Chargers. Dallas Chargers. Dallas Chargers. Dallas Chargers Broncos. Personally I would rather go to the Chargers. I would rather go to Denver because I think their rosters are better even though they're in a tougher division and in a tougher conference than what the Dallas Cowboys have with an offensive line that's not good. Zeke not a great running back anymore.

CeeDee Lamb who's a very good wide receiver we'll see if he could be great. Thing you have going for you in Dallas is a defense but the biggest problem I have with Dallas is Jerry Jones he's in too much of the business on the football field and the decision making of the players that get on the football field in Dallas. Would you agree with that that there's gonna be one coach that gets fired in the AFC West this year?

At least one? I don't think it will be. Right now I'm gonna say no. I'm not sold Brandon Staley's seed is as hot as everyone's making out to be and I still think the Broncos will be a good team.

I don't think Nathaniel Hacko will be one and done. By the way I'm really surprised by you. Surprised by me? Yeah. In what way? Well you hate Josh McDaniels.

Correct. I thought you would have let that let that guide your judgment a little bit and say yeah they're gonna be terrible they're gonna be like five wins and then he'll be one and done. It takes a lot to be one and done like you have to truly screw this team up. Frank Kitchins was one and done. Steve Wilkes that's weird. Yeah I always forget the coach yeah Steve Wilkes out of Arizona was one and done as well. That was almost kind of like because Kyler Murray was there more than anything else. Urban Meyer.

Like that's what it has to be. Urban didn't even get to one. Right that's true he was 14 and done.

Isn't that wild? Urban Meyer couldn't even get through a full season and now the Jaguars not that they're like a lock to make the playoffs but they're exponentially better already without having that garbage of an NFL head coach in Urban Meyer if you even want to call them and say he was an NFL coach on that sidelines and just making that organization just worse than what it is. It's still kind of crazy to think like he was a like it went that bad.

You almost forget. There was a lot of dumb decisions where it makes it impossible to forget but just from a football standpoint oh shocker Doug Peterson actually likes James Robinson. Oh James Robinson is actually good at football. I don't know like did James Robinson like sleep with Urban Meyer's wife or something? Like what did James Robinson do where he goes undrafted 1,000 yard rusher to then last year you barely wanted to use him and you tried to replace him before the start of the year with Travis ATN and if ATN doesn't get hurt we didn't see a lot of James Robinson to begin with.

Imagine if ATN was actually playing last year. Ugh. Urban. Urban. What were you doing?

He was trying to get fired. Newsbreak thanks. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Katy Perry. There's a lot of natural tools to be able to use to combat depression and anxiety. You know I do things like meditation and conversation with other friends. We've all had to face a lot of things. I do believe that you can get through it.

It's it's not always easy but you can. More at i'm listening.org. Talk saves lives.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me. I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith.

A presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. How's your mental health? I'm listening with Charlie Puth. I just surround myself with my family and if you don't really have a big family just surround yourself with some of your closest friends and it's pretty amazing how other people can lift one up just from their energy alone. Mental health in general is not to be looked down upon. It's a very serious thing and it's important that your mind is healthy just as much as your body physically is healthy. More at iamlistening.org. Talk saves lives.