The Herd with Colin Cowherd

3 & Out - Brock Purdy SHINES as 49ers DEFEAT Bears on SNF + NFL Week 17 Reaction

Host: John Middlekauff
Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of 3 & Out on The Herd feed, John Middlekauff dives deep into the 49ers' thrilling shootout win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, offering granular insights into the clash of elite offensive minds—Kyle Shanahan and Ben Johnson—and standout performances from Brock Purdy and Caleb Williams. The show also delivers rapid-fire reactions to Week 17 across the NFL, discussing playoff implications, coaching trends, roster decisions, and rumors around major team moves, including speculation about Matt Ryan as a GM candidate for the Atlanta Falcons.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

49ers vs. Bears: Sunday Night Football Instant Reaction

Start – 18:24

• Wild Finish:

  • Bears had a chance to win, trailing by four with the ball and three timeouts. They drove 15 plays for 63 yards on the final drive but ran out of time after a hook-and-ladder play kept them in bounds, ultimately leaving only one shot at the end zone, which failed.
  • “I don't know a soul... that wasn't thinking the Bears were going to score. The only question was how fast.” – John Middlekauff (03:37)

• Hook-and-Ladder Critique:

  • Middlekauff called the play “a little greedy,” noting it worked earlier in the day for the Bills, but here cost crucial seconds.
  • “The hook and ladder worked in the Bills game... But here, it took a little extra time, and they stayed in bounds.” (04:40)
  • “Once you’re down to four seconds, you get one play. That was a little greedy, cost them.” (30:48)

• Quarterback Duel – Brock Purdy vs. Caleb Williams:

  • Purdy overcame a pick-six and another near interception to finish with “a dominant, dominant force” via accuracy, mobility, and rhythm, logging 24 completions on 33 attempts.
  • Caleb Williams flashed generational arm talent and athletic improvisation but missed several layups and key throws, ending with numbers less efficient than Purdy.
  • “You could make the argument Caleb has the strongest arm in the league... But Purdy tonight, outside of two throws, was unstoppable.” (15:21, 17:45)
  • “Caleb missed some layups…for a guy that makes the hard ones, he'll just miss the easy ones sometimes, it's weird.” (16:57)

• Elite Offensive Coaching on Display:

  • With Shanahan and Ben Johnson scheming against poor defenses, Middlekauff marveled at the fireworks: “Give the two best playcallers in the league teams that don’t have good defenses, and they’ll put up 80 points.” (07:01)
  • Praised Shanahan’s ability to adapt with star players out: Bosa, Warner, Kittle, and Trent Williams all unavailable or injured during the game, yet the offense still rolled.

• Key Playmakers and Injuries:

  • Christian McCaffrey had 27 touches, carried the offense.
  • Ricky Pearsall, despite battling injuries, made impact plays.
  • 49ers are piecing it together with backups and rookies at key spots, but their depth and culture carry them.
  • “What Kyle’s doing…they might have $100 million worth of player on the sideline, and they still might be the #1 seed.” (11:45)

• Playoff Context and Concerns:

  • Both 49ers and Bears are playoff-bound and likely the #1 and #2 seeds.
  • Major concern: neither team’s defense can win a Super Bowl at their current level, no matter how electric the offense.
  • "You have no chance to win a Super Bowl if you're playing defense like that. None." (22:31)
  • "Bears' turnaround under Ben Johnson—going from laughingstock to division champs—is remarkable." (28:00)

League-wide Week 17 Reactions & Analysis

18:24 – 57:15

Steelers Collapse, Browns Spoiler Win

[37:29]

• Pittsburgh’s loss to a struggling Browns team called “an embarrassment.”
• “This Aaron Rodgers experience…been a little weird. And I’m not blaming him or Tomlin, but the end result—you’re going 9-8 and missing the playoffs.” (39:38)
• Urges the Steelers to “draw a line in the sand” and consider big changes.

Bills vs. Eagles: Both Teams Untrustworthy

[42:15]

• Eagles' defense dominated early, but both teams’ inconsistency worries Middlekauff.
• On Josh Allen: “He’ll pull plays out of the crevices of his body and it’s incredible—but then misses the easy one for the win.” (45:23)
• Playoff prospects for both teams are clouded; neither is trusted to make deep runs.

NFC South Drudgery – Panthers, Bucs, Saints

[47:20]

• Panthers and Bucs are not playoff-caliber despite the divisional race.
• “They are not playoff teams. They are terrible.” (50:18)
• Saints, with Tyler Shough at quarterback, are “hot” and praised for resiliency.

AFC South: Jaguars & Texans Emerging

[50:53]

• Jags lauded for “unbelievable turnaround” under Liam Coen’s offensive leadership.
• “Texans and Jags are both just so well coached. It’s not unrealistic for them to meet in an AFC title game.” (51:29)

The Raiders’ Tanking and Chiefs Spoiler Alert

[53:34]

• Raiders “tried to tank” but players refused to quit. Chiefs might try to spoil the Raiders’ tanking efforts in Week 18.
• “If Pete Carroll says he’s not going to cooperate, I’m firing him…Tankers will ruin leagues. It’s had a huge impact in the NBA, in the NFL it’s borderline impossible." (52:18 - 53:38)

Notable Quotes & Moments

On the 49ers surviving with backups:

“He coached that entire game without, I don't know, $100 million worth of player… and he’s doing it with Ricky Pearsall and Kendrick Bourne, McCaffrey just wearing them out.”
– John Middlekauff [11:45]

On the NFL's offensive revolution:

“Tonight is what the league office has dreamed about—point after point, no tackling… That’s a Roger Goodell wet dream right there.”
– John Middlekauff [23:36]

On playoff limits for poor defenses:

“You cannot win a Super Bowl with that level of defense. It’s not possible.”
– John Middlekauff [22:31]

On Ben Johnson and the Bears’ resurgence:

“Anytime you take over a [bad] organization and you get them, I would expect the Bears win in a week. So they’ll get to 12 wins. That’s a remarkable turnaround.”
– John Middlekauff [09:23]

On Caleb Williams’ arm talent vs. Purdy’s efficiency:

“There is a fine line between being a genius and being a failure… Caleb has the strongest arm in the league. Purdy doesn’t have that throw, but he’s just an unstoppable force when he’s on.”
– John Middlekauff [06:44, 17:45]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 49ers-Bears Recap & Analysis: 02:59 – 18:24
• Purdy/Caleb Williams QB Discussion: 12:45 – 18:24
• 49ers Playoff Picture, Injuries, and Coaching: 08:21 – 13:50, 11:45 – 13:30
• League Office and NFL Offensive Trends: 22:31 – 23:45
• Steelers Collapse/Browns Win: 37:29 – 43:00
• Bills vs. Eagles Analysis: 43:00 – 47:00
• NFC/AFC South Review: 47:20 – 53:01
• Raiders Tanking, Chiefs Spoiler: 53:34 – 57:15

Rumor Mill: Matt Ryan to Falcons Front Office?

[57:15]

• Middlekauff discusses rumors that Arthur Blank wants Matt Ryan as a John Elway-type team executive for the Falcons.
• Details the challenges ex-QBs face as executives, emphasizing the difference between playing and running an NFL team:
  • “You cannot be half in, half out…It’s not going to work to be the overlord from Florida.” (58:35)
  • Advises Ryan (if hired) to bring in a “stud” right-hand personnel executive, noting what John Lynch did in San Francisco.

Final Thoughts

Middlekauff wraps up with his signature blend of blunt opinion and hard-earned realism, spotlighting:

• The miracle of the 49ers’ season in the face of adversity
• The ceiling placed by poor defense, no matter how imaginative the offense
• How quickly franchises—like the Bears—can rise with the right coach
• The immense and often misunderstood pressures on NFL GMs

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you want to understand how the 49ers are still alive for the #1 seed despite catastrophic injuries, why defensive competence caps playoff ceilings even in an offense-first league, or what makes Brock Purdy more valuable than some analysts admit, this episode is packed with frank insight, memorable analogies, and a behind-the-curtain look at NFL culture and decision-making.