Dattitude with Jim Derry

With six wild-card playoff games on tap, the NFL is set to begin the playoffs with its three MVP candidates taking center stage in Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley. Who will advance to the Divisional Round, and where will the upsets come from?

Jim Derry asks The Athletic's Larry Holder on Friday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 331) presented by Evangeline Securities, as they also will talk about the Saints coaching search. They will dive into the latest odds on who it might be, as a new name has entered the top 3 along with favorites Aaron Glenn and Joe Brady.

Jim also will have a few words about Thursday's CFP semifinals game and give his pick for Friday's Ohio State-Texas game. And Gabe Henderson has a gripe to get off his chest about comparisons of Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman to LSU coach Brian Kelly.

For many football fans, Thursday through Monday is the best time of year with eight playoff games college and pro, including the CFP semifinals and NFL wild-card games. But who is going to win them, and will there be any upsets?

Host Jim Derry is here with his Betting Crew – Uncle Big Nick and Gabe Henderson – to make all their best bets on Thursday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 330) presented by Evangeline Securities. Can MVP candidates Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley keep their seasons going? Will the injured Jordan Love play for Packers? Notre Dame or Penn State? Texas or Ohio State?

Also, Jim spends the first part of the show going through the Saints’ coaching search and goes through an interesting schedule with great guests we’ll have here on the podcast the next week-plus.

Ten months ago, WWL Radio analyst Mike Detillier came on our show and saind the New Orleans Saints are in “football purgatory,” and that major changes needed to be made before they could get out. Nothing’s changed, and things are even worse today than they were in March 2024.

So host Jim Derry asks Mike on Wednesday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 329) presented by Evangeline Securities how to get out of this hell it seems they are stuck in. Can it be fixed by hiring a new coach? Will Mickey Loomis be the one making that decision?

Who are the leading candidates, and does Aaron Glenn or Joe Brady have an advantage because they already have coached here? What about Kellen Moore or even Matt Nagy? (Hey, we didn’t make up these names.) And will the next coach want to keep Derek Carr? Is there any other possibility at QB?

The disaster of a 2024 football season is finally over for the New Orleans Saints, and now the real work begins. Who will take over for Dennis Allen / Darren Rizzi? Who will want the job? Who are the names we’re going to hear mentioned?

Host Jim Derry has his thoughts on the State of the Saints in his final postgame “Derry’s Dime” of the season, and he asks viewers and listeners what they think on the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 328) presented by Evangeline Securities on ‘Mano E Monday.’ Jim presents his case why Spencer Rattler can’t even serve as a backup quarterback, and anything other than offensive line early in the 2025 NFL Draft would be a big mistake.

We also take a look at the 2025 opponents and why the Saints could have an “easy schedule” for a third consecutive season. (What does that even mean?) And there is at least a little optimism as Jim gives fans at least one reason an incoming coach be successful right away. (There is a precedent.)

We are now T-minus 2 days until the future of the New Orleans Saints can begin to be shaped which will be almost immediately after the 2024 season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Who will the new coach be? Who will be making that decision? Which players will be sent packing?

So many questions, and it’s time to start trying to figure out answers. Host Jim Derry does that with NFL beat writer for The Athletic, Larry Holder, on Friday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 327) presented by Evangeline Securities. Oh, and does the game at the Bucs mean anything at all this Sunday?

Gabe Henderson also joins the show for final thoughts on this past week of college football quarterfinals, and a look ahead to the semifinals next week, as Texas will face Ohio State and Penn State plays Notre Dame. Lastly, Jim looks back on the tragedy in his hometown and how it affected the Sugar Bowl.

We’re not breaking news when we tell you the New Orleans Saints are a shell of what they were – even just from the beginning of the season. Spencer Rattler is never going to be the answer at quarterback, and this coaching staff should begin the process of packing their bags.

But what next? One thing for sure is the 25-10 loss to the lowly Las Vegas Raiders in the home finale should stand as a symbol for where this team is right now. How do you fix it? Can this current administration do it, or do we need new blood there, too?

Host Jim Derry tries to answer as best he can, and – (deep breath) – he asks viewers and listeners what they think on the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 326) presented by Evangeline Securities on ‘Mano E Monday.’ He also shares his thoughts in ‘Derry’s Dime’ and gets picks for the CFB playoffs and LSU vs. Baylor in the Texas Bowl from Gabe Henderson and Uncle Big Nick.

If the Who Dats were looking for a Christmas present from their favorite professional sports team, they should enter Monday Night Football with a realistic attitude. As in, “Can Spencer Rattler play with something to prove 2 weeks in a row?” “Can the reserves getting a chance to shine punch their ticket for the future?” And then the most important one at least in the near term: “Can the Saints keep it close on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field?”

We’ll find out – at least somewhat – at Green Bay, and we’ll preview the game, as host Jim Derry asks viewers and listeners what they think on the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 325) presented by Evangeline Securities on a holiday edition of ‘Mano E Monday.’

Also, we are joined by The Athletic’s Larry Holder for Saints / NFL talk and predictions for Monday’s game. Gabe Henderson joins the show for a look at this past weekend of college football playoffs and the upcoming Elite Eight in the bowl games.

There’s no question Spencer Rattler grabbed his opportunity this past Sunday vs. the Commanders and ran with it. However, repeating that performance at Lambeau Field in Green Bay this coming Monday night would be something very different. Can he pull it off?

That is the lead topic on Wednesday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 324) presented by Evangeline Securities, as host Jim Derry also talks about the Black and Gold being the biggest underdog they have been in 30 years. Can they shock the NFL world?

Lastly, Gabe Henderson is here to talk about LSU in the Texas Bowl, Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl and the transfer portal. He, Jim and Uncle Big Nick make their top picks for the first weekend of College Football Playoffs, and Jim shares his thoughts on quarterback TJ Finley heading to Tulane to play for his fifth college.

There’s no question that New Orleans Saints football is more fun than it was 6 weeks ago or so. But does that mean Darren Rizzi should be considered when the team begins the process next month of figuring out who will lead them on a permanent basis?

For examples on why or why not, we point to one big decision he made in Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders – and not simply going for two, but WHEN he made the decision. Also, no matter what one thinks of RIzzi, there’s no denying Spencer Rattler shined when given a chance to resurrect the Saints in the second half.

Host Jim Derry shares his thoughts in his weekly ‘Derry’s Dime’, and he asks viewers and listeners, as well, what they think on the Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 323) presented by Evangeline Securities in another spirited ‘Mano E Monday’ episode. We also talk about what we might expect in next Monday’s game at potentially frozen Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Most pundits aren’t giving the Saints much of a chance to upset the Washington Commanders on Sunday as they sit more than a touchdown underdog at home. Most of that is because quarterback Derek Carr is out. Here we are on Friday, and we still don’t know whether it will be Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler who will be the replacement. But does it matter?

That’s just one topic for you on Thursday’s Dattitude Podcast (Ep. 322) presented by Evangeline Securities, as Jim Derry has a plethora of things to talk about. Gabe Henderson is here as always, and he’ll weigh in on not who will win the Heisman Trophy, but whether it SHOULD be Colorado’s Travis Hunter or Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty.

Uncle Big Nick rubs it in a bit that he was better than Jim last week, and each will have their best bets for Week 15 in the NFL (and one college pick to go with it).