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00:00A late interception by the Giants will preserve a Giant victory. An upset win as the Giants lead 17-12. We're inside 30 seconds. The Eagles have no timeouts. Wait a minute. Here's a free fly. I don't believe it. The Eagles pick it up and Herman Edwards runs it in for a touchdown. An incredible development. He just loses a snap. Doesn't get it. And who's right there? Herman Edwards. You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game.
00:29Now, back to Willard and Dibbs on 95.7 The Game.
00:34I mean, there's a lot going on here behind the scenes right now. So, for those of you who don't know, that's called the miracle at the Meadowlands. It's actually like Herman Edwards' most famous moment. Not his press conferences.
00:47No. But Lucas back here literally had, he had the nerve. As they're playing this, he goes, do you know what this is? I just want to make sure you know what this is. Do I know what this is? Yes. Some of us know that Herman Edwards is about the miracle at the Meadowlands. He's not just a guy who once upon a time said you play to win the game.
01:09Hello. At a press conference. Right.
01:12But he's both of these things. And he's also on the River Islands guest line. Coach Herm Edwards here on Willard and Dibbs. Hey, Coach, how you doing?
01:19I'm doing well. Appreciate you both. Obviously, that play kind of goes down historically.
01:27People talk about it a lot. And it's interesting because I always tell people, you know, you talk about that one play, but you don't talk about the 38 interceptions I had as a player.
01:38Hey. Yeah. That's another story for another time.
01:42I love it. But just to be a part of a play that has a name, like, you know, the Music City Miracle and the Miracle at the Meadowlands and the Catch and the Catch 2, that's got to be pretty cool.
01:51Yeah. Well, what's even what's even more unique about it, it really started the it brought in the victory formation.
02:00Because if you can remember, there was no victory formation until that play happened.
02:05And then everybody went back to this victory deal where the quarterback gets the ball and there's a there's a run of two running backs behind him.
02:11And there was a guy behind the running backs. And it started the next week, actually.
02:14That's when the victory formation came into vogue. Wow. Wow. Game changer.
02:18Yeah. Unbelievable. I'm Herm Edwards with us here on on Withered and Dib.
02:23So to take a look at what's going on now, Herm, I know this would be an overstatement, but in your mind, how much of a miracle would it be if the 49ers were able to go on some sort of a playoff run with everything they're dealing with?
02:35Well, first of all, Coach Shanahan has got to be in, you know, in the mix, being coach of the year.
02:41This football team had great resilience when it started off the season.
02:45And there were so many guys beat up and obviously for them to to win 12 games in the best conference in the NFL, the NFC West with Seattle sitting there and the Rams.
02:56I mean, you got two teams with 12 wins. You got one team with 14 wins.
03:01And it is not even close to what the best division is.
03:03And with that being said, for these guys to be sitting in his position, there's a lot about their players, their coaches and just what they've accomplished.
03:12And look, this is the playoffs. And this is a team that has a lot of playoff experience like the Eagles.
03:17They have a fantastic player in McCaffrey. I mean, it all runs through him at the end of the day.
03:23Guy's got, what, 1,200 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns. He has another almost 1,000 yards catching passes.
03:31So he is the guy that makes it all go for San Francisco.
03:36The thing that San Francisco doesn't have right now, and it could come back and bite them, when they rush four guys, they don't hit the quarterback.
03:44They got 20 sacks.
03:45And this is a league where you've got to hit, you've got to disrupt the quarterback.
03:50Kosala does a great job of calling defenses, but he knows the only way you get these quarterbacks off their spot is you've got to hit them.
03:58You've got to threaten them in the pocket.
04:00So they've got to find a way to rush the quarterback a little bit better.
04:03And they do play bend but don't break, but then Philly gets in the red zone, and they're the best red zone offense in football.
04:09When you look at the two wide receivers for Philadelphia and a non-existent pass rush for the Niners,
04:14how much pressure does that put on Diomino-Lenor and the other corners for San Francisco?
04:19Lots, and they've got, you know, A.J. Brown's a big physical guy, and you mentioned him.
04:24He's got 1,000 yards in receptions, 78 catches, and he's another one.
04:29You know, he doesn't get enough passes.
04:31I get all that, but that's another story.
04:33Smith, obviously, another 1,000-yard receiver with four touchdowns.
04:37And then you've got to deal with the runner, you know, Barkley.
04:39He's a 1,000-yard guy as well.
04:41And then a lot of people lose sight of this guy, Goddard.
04:44You know, and Goddard leads them all in touchdowns.
04:46He has 11 touchdowns.
04:48Herm Edwards is with us, talking Eagles, Niners, and much more, right here on Willard & Dibs, 95.7 The Game.
04:55Herm, I want to play something for you that you said to us last September.
04:59There was some excitement because Ricky Pearsall, who you know very well, you coached,
05:05he was having a great start to the season.
05:08But I want to play this for you.
05:09This is from September 18th, last year.
05:13Take a listen to what you said.
05:15It doesn't surprise me.
05:16I mean, you know, he's a workaholic, and I told John and him that.
05:20I said, hey, you've got to protect Ricky from Ricky.
05:22I said, because he's full speed every day in practice.
05:25You know, he just loves to compete.
05:26You've got to protect him from himself because he has that mentality of how he plays and how he practices.
05:32I mean, he practices like it's a game.
05:34You know, he's that kind of kid, and you love the success of all those guys, you know, the guys that I had over at Arizona State.
05:41Okay, and so now looking at the season that we've had and the story that Ricky has given everybody over the last two years,
05:48that sort of hits different because he does look so good, but dang it, he is having the hardest time staying on the field, coach.
05:56Yeah, that has always been an issue for Ricky.
06:00You know, he's going to be nicked up a little bit.
06:01He's going to miss some time, and with Iyuk being out, and that's a whole different story there.
06:06That thing is gone.
06:07I don't know where that thing went, but, you know, all of a sudden, you lose two of your guys,
06:12and to San Francisco's credit, they just keep finding ways to win games.
06:17I mean, they just do, and they're remarkable.
06:19They really are.
06:20You know, I say this.
06:22As long as they got the runner, they got a shot because the runner, boy, I'll tell you what,
06:26he wears an S on his chest because he is a magnificent football player now,
06:30and so, yeah, and Rick, you know, you feel bad for him because he's one of those guys that has one speed
06:39and is full speed, and when he's on the field, you know, he's an excellent football player,
06:43but I always say this, you know, in football and in life, you've got to be available.
06:48Availability is critical.
06:49Coach, just because you mentioned his name, like, I want to remind everybody that, you know,
06:57you spend a lot of time with Brandon Iyuk, and I know you just said you don't know what happened there,
07:03but I kind of want to circle back to it and at least get an idea of how surprised you are
07:08that this has gone the way that it's gone with him.
07:11Yeah, I wish it wasn't like this, but obviously it's there, and going forward,
07:18I don't know what their organization is going to do, but it's a shame.
07:22You know, it just is because I think he's in a great spot.
07:27He's a West Coast guy, and when he's on the field, he's a good football player.
07:31There ain't no doubt about that, but I don't know where it goes from here,
07:35and, you know, I'm not in the front office.
07:40The only they know, coach knows, and the powers that be know all that.
07:45I know there's a landing spot for him, and I know where it's at.
07:50Did you talk to him at all through any of this, Herm?
07:54No, I haven't bothered him.
07:55I don't want to bother him because, you know, they're playing football,
07:57and I don't want to get in the middle of it.
07:59I just don't because, you know, for my love for John and who he is,
08:02and I don't want to get in the middle of it,
08:05and hopefully it works out for all the parties involved.
08:09It'll be interesting to see what happens, right?
08:12I mean, it's just hard.
08:14It's just hard.
08:16It's just hard to watch, you know,
08:17because I thought that was a good place for him in that offense, but who knows.
08:23And you mentioned a landing spot.
08:24Are you just speaking generally that a guy that talented will find a spot?
08:28And also, as somebody who's coached,
08:30if you were on the outside looking at this,
08:32would there be some reluctance to bring him in after everything we've seen?
08:37Yeah, depending on where it goes.
08:40There might be a spot for him, though.
08:44It ain't on the West Coast, boys.
08:48Okay, is it in the Midwest?
08:52I'll make it real easy for you.
08:55Who was his quarterback in college?
08:57Yeah, so you're talking about Washington.
08:58I didn't say that.
09:01No, you didn't.
09:03I like this little cat and mouse.
09:05I was going to ask you, east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon,
09:08but you made it a little bit simpler, Coach.
09:09I appreciate that.
09:12Who knows?
09:14I mean, I really do.
09:16I hope they can figure it out, but I don't know.
09:18I'm not in the front office.
09:20Yeah, no doubt.
09:21We get it.
09:21Herm Edwards with us here on Withered and Dibs.
09:23Hey, there's been a lot of talk, as there always is, in a matchup like this about sort
09:29of the coaches and the quarterback.
09:31And so there's this thing about Sirianni and Hurts and then Shanahan and Purdy.
09:37Brian Baldinger was on in Philly and said yesterday, no doubt about it, he would take Sirianni and Hurts
09:46as a combo over Shanahan and Purdy.
09:48What's your response to that?
09:52Well, you know, here he is.
09:55He's a former Eagle.
09:56He's got to say that, I guess.
09:58I'm a former Eagle, too.
09:59So I get it.
10:01Look, I think Coach Shanahan has done a fabulous job this year.
10:08I've already said when I first came on the show, he is in the running for Coach of the Year
10:12when he's done with his football team.
10:14And on the other side of it, in Philly, that coach don't get enough credit for what he's done.
10:20You know, Philly's hard, boy.
10:22They were beating him up earlier in the season.
10:25You know, they were just throwing bricks at the poor guy.
10:28And what he's been able to do with this football team, he's got them back in the playoffs.
10:32I mean, they won a Super Bowl.
10:33I mean, look, both have done excellent jobs.
10:36But I just think Coach Shanahan is remarkable.
10:40Him and the players and the coaching staff, what they've accomplished to win 12 games
10:44after all these guys were beat up earlier this season, that's a mark of good coaching
10:49and players buying in.
10:51And Philly's 11-6, which is nothing to sneeze at.
10:54But it seems like offensively they took a little bit of a step back.
10:57What have you seen on the tape from Philly that made their offense a little bit more muted
11:02than last year, Coach?
11:03Well, look, it's real simple.
11:05And I don't know, you know, I lived back east, obviously, for a long time in Philly.
11:09And back east, they call these things, they call them potholes.
11:12You know, you're riding on the freeway and you just hit a pothole.
11:15You know, that's their offense.
11:17It's a pothole offense.
11:19It runs smooth for a little while, and then all of a sudden it disappears.
11:21It just flat disappears.
11:23It could disappear for a whole quarter.
11:25And you just can't figure it out.
11:26You say, what's wrong?
11:27What just happened here?
11:28And I don't know if a lot of it has to do with the sense of
11:34they have so many skilled players.
11:36How do you get them all the ball?
11:39How do you distribute the football?
11:42How do you get it to all these guys?
11:43I think they struggle with that sometimes, and that's why this thing goes three plays.
11:47Look, last week's second half, they didn't move the ball.
11:50I was like, really?
11:53Now, their defense is playing really good.
11:56Their defense is playing well.
11:58I mean, they have done a nice job here the last month of football.
12:01So, credit to them.
12:03That has really, you know, helped them a lot because they got a big front that can rush you.
12:08And, you know, they're a good football team.
12:11They got a weakness at one of the corners.
12:13We know that.
12:14And Coach Shanahan probably sees it on tape.
12:15And he's going to try to probably go at it when he has to, you know.
12:19So, it'll be interesting how the chess match works.
12:22Yeah, I mean, even listening to you, it's sort of like the Niners' strength will go against
12:25the Eagles' strength, and the Eagles' weakness will go against the Niners' weakness.
12:29Like, what do you see as kind of the deciding matchup in this one?
12:35Anytime you get in the playoffs, you know, teams that get in the playoffs earn their spot there.
12:40They're tested.
12:41And both these teams are perennial playoff teams.
12:43Look, these organizations have won Super Bowls, and obviously 49ers have won more than the
12:48Eagles.
12:49But, that being said, I mean, these players understand the gravity of the game because
12:54they've been in these games.
12:55So, it's not like if you're the Carolina Panthers, right?
12:59They're going into the playoffs.
13:00The last time they went there was 2015.
13:02So, it's going to be entirely new to these guys.
13:06These two organizations have been in big games.
13:09They understand it.
13:10And it all comes down to this.
13:11For me, when you're playing games like this, and I can remember it as a player, don't
13:16beat yourself.
13:17Just don't do it.
13:18Don't beat yourself.
13:19Don't get out of your comfort zone as a player.
13:22Don't try to do things you're incapable of doing when you get in the playoffs.
13:24Hopefully, these guys don't do that either side of the football.
13:27And just play the game out.
13:29Because you're playing against a tough team.
13:32Both teams are tough.
13:33You just got to, when you have an opportunity to make the play, you got to make it.
13:37Because this is the playoffs.
13:40The loser of this is like all the rest of those teams that are at home watching.
13:47You know, this is a funny league.
13:49What?
13:49Seven new division winners.
13:52Right?
13:52So, as soon as you think, well, we'll go back next year.
13:55Not so fast, guys.
13:57That's the National Football League.
13:58So, I think both these opponents know what's at stake.
14:02They're very good on both sides of the ball when they play.
14:07And I've always said this.
14:08You know, when it's your turn to make a play as a player, you got to make the play.
14:13Yeah, and that ultimately is what a lot of these games come down to.
14:16And the play could be made easier if they got Big 71 out there.
14:20The left tackle, Trent Williams.
14:21You've watched a lot of football, Herm.
14:23Where would you put him among the greats that you played against with and the guys you've seen subsequently?
14:30Oh, he's right there.
14:31He's a big man with great balance and great bend.
14:35He's long.
14:37You know, he has a presence about himself.
14:40You feel very comfortable.
14:42Very comfortable.
14:44When you're the quarterback, you don't worry about that backside.
14:47You go, he got it.
14:49I'm good.
14:49And that's what you want.
14:50You know, you want the quarterback when he drops.
14:52Because that's the side to get you on the blind side.
14:54It's like, oh, where's he coming?
14:55Especially right here in quarterback.
14:57He ain't coming.
14:58I ain't got to worry about it.
14:58That guy can black out the front when he's going.
15:01He's a big old athlete.
15:02You know, and that's what you want.
15:03That's the prototypical.
15:05That's what an athletic tackle should look like.
15:09Herm, as a player or a coach, can you speak to what happens to a team when they lose?
15:15I mean, everybody has injuries.
15:17But I mean, like, foundational pieces of what you do and what that does to a football team.
15:25Well, you can let it affect you if you allow it.
15:29If you make excuses for it.
15:32What you have to do, and San Francisco has done this, they have slightly adjusted their plan at times, offensively and defensively.
15:41This is what we do now.
15:42We've got to do this a little bit different, right?
15:44We might have to slide a little more to the left side to tackle.
15:48And if you're now, if you're Salah and you're going, hey, look, there are going to be certain situations where I'm going to have to bring more than four guys.
15:56And I know that.
15:57And I don't want to hang these guys out here.
15:59But they've got to know.
15:59I've got to bring pressure this time.
16:01So there's ways you can combat it, but you don't go from one extreme to another.
16:06Because if you start doing that, then the players say, Coach, why are we panicking?
16:09You don't want the players to think the coach is panicking, because then you've got a problem.
16:13One thing we know that they will prepare for is what's called the tush push or the brotherly shove.
16:19They do it better than anybody now.
16:20I wonder what your thoughts are as an old school football player when that never used to be a thing.
16:25What do you think of that play, Herm?
16:27Well, you know what I tell people all the time?
16:29I've said this many times on television.
16:31Don't let them get third and one.
16:33Real simple.
16:35Make it third and three or more, and you're good.
16:37Because if it's third and two, third and one, it's first down.
16:40You're already on your play sheet as a defensive coordinator.
16:44You're already going to first down.
16:46When it gets third and two or third and one, you're looking at your play sheet.
16:49They're going to convert because they're going to push us.
16:53Stay in third and threes or more.
16:54You ain't got to worry about it.
16:56That's what I say.
16:57Okay.
16:57That's like every series is a first and seven.
16:59It's not easy.
17:01That's exactly right.
17:03All right, Herm, who do you think is coming out of the NFC?
17:07Where are you putting your chip?
17:09You know what?
17:12I don't know.
17:13I mean, this is one of those deals.
17:15You know, since I'm a defensive guy, look, and I said this last week,
17:21and people looked at me like I was crazy.
17:22And I don't know if this is true, but I think it could be a team out of the NFC West.
17:32Okay?
17:32Now, with that being said, I said this last week, and they thought I was crazy.
17:37And I don't know if I'm just saying this.
17:39I'm just fooling around.
17:40I said, you know who's going?
17:42I said, Seattle is going from the NFC, and the Denver Broncos are going to go from the AFC,
17:48and the score is going to be three to two.
17:50There you go.
17:51I said, I guess defense does win championships, right?
17:55After all.
17:56Take that.
17:57Three to two score.
17:58Where's Willie Mays when you need him to hit a home run for you?
18:01Sounds like a real exciting game, Herm.
18:07Yeah, we'll see.
18:08Yeah, we'll see.
18:08You know, we don't know.
18:09That's what's great about it.
18:10We don't know.
18:10No one knows.
18:11I mean, it's a pretty on both sides of the slate.
18:14I mean, no one knows what New England is.
18:18You know, England's sitting there with 14 wins, and we can't figure them out.
18:21Right?
18:23Jacksonville.
18:23Is Jacksonville for real?
18:24We know Houston can play defense.
18:26We know Denver plays defense.
18:28We know the Chargers, who they are.
18:30We know who the Eagles are.
18:32Chicago Bears, they're new to the dance.
18:34Green Bay Packers have been there a lot.
18:36But the Packers have lost four in a row.
18:39Carolina Panthers in a division where three teams are eight and nine,
18:42and actually somebody won the division.
18:45They're going to the playoffs.
18:47You know, and then you look at the, I said, the NFC West.
18:49I think it's the strongest division in football.
18:52You got Seattle, San Francisco, and the Rams.
18:54So, I'm a little scared about the Rams because that quarterback they got, oh, boy.
19:03When he starts spinning it now, he's pretty good.
19:0546 touchdown passes.
19:07And you know what?
19:08And he's running out of time.
19:10He's 37 years old.
19:11He's running out of time.
19:12And he's got a good football team.
19:14So, they're pretty good, too, now.
19:18Yeah, they can be dangerous.
19:19And just for an informational point, the last 3-2 game, 1926, Herm.
19:25The Chicago Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Badgers.
19:28Exactly 100 years ago.
19:29It was October, so it's a 90-90 change.
19:32I was not born then.
19:35Yeah.
19:36It would be fabulous 3-2, wouldn't it?
19:38Yeah, Chicago with an early field goal, and they held on Red Dunn with the field goal
19:43of an unknown length.
19:44So, there you go.
19:45How about that?
19:46How about that?
19:47Coach, we thank you so much for coming on the show.
19:50All right, man.
19:51My pleasure.
19:52There he goes.
19:52Appreciate you.
19:53Herm Edwards on Weather and Tip.
19:55Yeah.
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