The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out: Bills Shocked by Texans Defense, NFL Deep Dive, and More

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Date: November 21, 2025
Episode: 3 & Out - Josh Allen & Bills UPSET by DOMINANT Texans defense on TNF
Host: John Middlekauff (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume), with guest "Stucky" from The Action Network (NFL/CFB betting analysis)
Theme: Dissecting the Buffalo Bills’ upset loss on Thursday Night Football to the Houston Texans, the dominance of the Texans defense, broader NFL and CFB storylines, gambling trends, and classic football culture moments.

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the Buffalo Bills’ dramatic Thursday Night Football defeat at the hands of a surging Houston Texans defense. John Middlekauff delivers a raw critique of Buffalo’s roster construction, injuries, and coaching, while lavishing praise on Houston’s relentless defensive front and coaching staff. The show takes detours into classic football nostalgia, the personalities and off-field behaviors of NFL players, NFL draft hindsight analysis, and a granular preview of the week’s NFL and college football matchups, especially from a betting perspective.

Jump to:

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown – (03:23–27:10)
CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story – (33:13–38:50)
JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics – (38:50–44:00)
NFL and College Football Preview – with Stucky (51:41–112:43)
Notable Quotes & Moments

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown (03:23–27:10)

Main Points

The Bills’ Collapse: The Bills lose 23-19 to the Texans, falling to 7-4 and looking up at the Patriots for control of the division.
Texans’ Defensive Dominance: The Bills’ O-line was devastated; Josh Allen was sacked repeatedly (“seven or eight times—that’s like 15 for another team” [04:37]), turning Buffalo’s main strength into a glaring weakness.
Buffalo’s Roster Construction Flaws:
- Multiple defenders injured during the game; key players like Dalton Kincaid missing.
- Inactive 2nd-year WR Keon Coleman (pick 33 in the draft) draws sharp criticism; Middlekauff calls his inactivity “a disaster” for a Super Bowl-hopeful team.
Texans’ Defensive Stars Shine:
- Daniell Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. repeatedly praised for their athleticism, size, and relentless effort.
- “Will Anderson is as good of a young player as there is in the NFL. Any position—that includes quarterback.” [05:40]
Coaching Credit:
- D’Ameco Ryans and Matt Burke called “elite” for the Texans’ defense.
Key Game Moments:
- Texans barely blitzed, yet brutalized Allen (Bills’ O-line “getting absolutely worked on every single play” [06:45]).
- Bills’ only hope was a hook-and-ladder play (“That was a great play call, but it wasn’t quite enough.” [07:50]).
- Offensive line woes: Dion Dawkins “looked extremely slow out there... just looked so stiff” [08:20].
Larger Problem: Buffalo’s defense is “bad” and the team “not well-rounded.” Immediate future feels bleak.
Draft Misses: Middlekauff highlights other teams nailing picks after the Bills (Eagles with Cooper DeJean, Rams with Braden Fiske), amplifying Buffalo’s draft whiffs.
Front Office on the Hot Seat: Suggests Buffalo’s window might be closing, highlighting poor salary cap management (Von Miller, Dawkins, Cook, etc.) and draft issues.

Notable Quotes

“They lose to the Texans on Thursday Night Football to fall to 7-4... What a dominant performance by the Texans defense. That defense is no joke.” (03:23)
“That was as big of an ass-kicking from a front four to an offensive line as you’ll see all season long.” (04:37)
“It’s not just like, ‘Well, we still have Josh Allen.’ Yeah, you had Josh Allen against the Texans... and you kind of got worked.” (05:10)

CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story (33:13–38:50)

Main Points

NFL Culture Nostalgia: Middlekauff amplifies a viral story about CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens going out, gambling, and drinking in Vegas the night before a game, yet still dominating the Raiders.
Old-School Toughness: Draws parallels to the hard-partying football legends of the 1970s–90s, contrasting it with today’s wellness-obsessed athletes.
Vegas Effect Overstated: Argues that, in modern NFL, Vegas doesn’t tempt teams into late-night distractions except as old-school outliers.
Message to NFL Young Guns: Celebrates the spirit of Lamb and Pickens: “I don’t mind an athlete every once in a while, couple hours sleep, going for two bills and two tuggies and just going, ‘You can’t stop me. I don’t give a shit whether I had seven cocktails or seven Gatorades, it doesn’t matter.’” (37:33)

JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics (38:50–44:00)

Main Points

JJ McCarthy Situation: Discusses ESPN’s article on McCarthy and the challenges of rewiring a young QB’s mechanics in real time.
Trey Lance Parallels: Compares McCarthy to Trey Lance’s failed development; says trying to overhaul mechanics mid-season is “a disaster.”
NFL Development Context: Relates to Aaron Rodgers’ slow-burn development and how most QBs cannot adapt when forced to change on the fly.
Life Lesson Segment: Ends with a tangent about appreciating one’s ‘good old days’ in youth, drawing a parallel between old football days and the simplicity of renting versus owning.

Notable Quotes

“It’s impossible at the highest level of sports... to change your mechanics in the middle of the season. No fucking way.” (69:37)
“This thing with JJ McCarthy, to me, it’s... Trey Lance 2.0.” (41:50)

Stucky NFL & College Football Betting Preview (51:41–112:43)

Co-host Stucky from Action Network joins for a sweeping analysis of the NFL and CFB betting slate.

College Football Parity & Playoff Talk (52:14–56:39)

College basketball and football both have unusual parity this year—debate about playoff expansion.
“Your second-best through your 10th, 12th [team], there’s not that much separation.” (52:51)

NFL Game-by-Game Analysis

Highlights:

Chicago Bears & Pittsburgh Steelers: Discussion of the Bears’ luck in turnovers, run-game strengths, and Ben Johnson’s coaching prowess. (63:25)
Packers – Vikings: Mechanical woes and confidence issues for JJ McCarthy; Green Bay’s offense “wonky” but Packers still the lean. (69:36)
Chiefs – Colts: Patrick Mahomes’ deep ball decline post-Tyreek Hill; Chiefs heavily favored despite 5-5 record. Notable betting trend: .500 teams as late-season favorites. (75:49)
Saints – Falcons: Atlanta’s post-Kyle Pitts draft misfires, Drake London’s absence making their offense dysfunctional. “That record [for backup QB salary] is going to stand for a while.” (84:21)
Eagles – Cowboys: Fangio’s defense resurgence, Philly’s nagging offensive struggles, and Dak’s consistent divisional dominance.
“Dallas keeps it close and is feisty here against an Eagles offense that’s just incapable of building margin.” (94:55)
Niners – Panthers/Tampa: NFC playoff picture wide open—every game is a war, even at the bottom end. (109:24)
Browns, Raiders, and QB Hell: Extended misery for Raiders and Browns fans; inability to fix QB issues over decades.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Texans’ Defense vs. Bills:
- “Honestly, if you just ask someone if they didn’t have the box score up, how many times a night was Josh Allen sacked? You might say 15. It felt like he was on the ground every other play.” (17:15)
On Draft Misses and Roster Building:
- “When you draft Keon Coleman pick 33 on a roster like this ... pick currently is a disaster because I’m watching today and … he’s sitting on the sideline with a T-shirt.” (13:50)
On Football Culture:
- “I try to stay focused on my health as well. But there’s something special about Kenny Stabler going, ‘You know what? I studied the playbook by the light of the jukebox.’” (36:45)
On Life Perspective:
- “Sometimes you’re in the good old days and you don’t even realize you’re in the good old days.” (44:50)
On Betting Trends:
- “Since 1990, this will be only the 15th time in week 11 or later that we’ve had a team that’s 5-5 or worse, favored over a team with at least an 80% win percentage... all 14 teams won and went 12-0-2 ATS.” (80:39)
On AFC/NFC Playoff Landscapes:
- “The NFC right now as it currently stands is way more intriguing than the AFC.” (111:30)

Episode Tone & Style

Opinion-Driven: John Middlekauff brings strong takes, direct attribution of blame, and passionate praise.
Entertaining & Nostalgic: Weaves in personal stories, old-school football cultural references, tongue-in-cheek humor about the "good old days," and player personalities.
Data-Infused: Heavy on stats, advanced metrics, and injury context—especially during betting analysis.
Unfiltered Language: Candid, sometimes explicit—matches the energy of an ex-scout and gambler’s banter.

Timestamps for Important Segments

Bills-Texans, Game Breakdown: 03:23–27:10
Old-School Athlete Stories (Lamb/Pickens): 33:13–38:50
QB Mechanics (McCarthy/Lance): 38:50–44:00
Start of NFL/CFB Analysis with Stucky: 51:41
Packers-Vikings/Punt on McCarthy: 69:36–74:13
Chiefs-Colts, Mahomes Trends: 75:49–80:53
Eagles-Cowboys Deep Dive: 90:55–95:08
Browns-Raiders, QB Misery: 97:02–100:52
NFC Playoff Picture & Importance: 109:24–112:41

Conclusion

This podcast episode offered a fiercely critical post-mortem of the Bills’ TNF disaster, spotlighted the Texans’ intimidating defensive core, and spun classic football tales to compare today’s NFL personalities and culture. Middlekauff’s passionate, no-holds-barred style, mixed with gambling-centric game-by-game breakdowns from Stucky, made for an energetic, comprehensive look at the week’s gridiron action and the uncertain road ahead for struggling and surging teams alike.

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out: Bills Shocked by Texans Defense, NFL Deep Dive, and More

Episode Overview

Jump to:

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown – (03:23–27:10)
CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story – (33:13–38:50)
JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics – (38:50–44:00)
NFL and College Football Preview – with Stucky (51:41–112:43)
Notable Quotes & Moments

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown (03:23–27:10)

Main Points

The Bills’ Collapse: The Bills lose 23-19 to the Texans, falling to 7-4 and looking up at the Patriots for control of the division.
Texans’ Defensive Dominance: The Bills’ O-line was devastated; Josh Allen was sacked repeatedly (“seven or eight times—that’s like 15 for another team” [04:37]), turning Buffalo’s main strength into a glaring weakness.
Buffalo’s Roster Construction Flaws:
- Multiple defenders injured during the game; key players like Dalton Kincaid missing.
- Inactive 2nd-year WR Keon Coleman (pick 33 in the draft) draws sharp criticism; Middlekauff calls his inactivity “a disaster” for a Super Bowl-hopeful team.
Texans’ Defensive Stars Shine:
- Daniell Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. repeatedly praised for their athleticism, size, and relentless effort.
- “Will Anderson is as good of a young player as there is in the NFL. Any position—that includes quarterback.” [05:40]
Coaching Credit:
- D’Ameco Ryans and Matt Burke called “elite” for the Texans’ defense.
Key Game Moments:
- Texans barely blitzed, yet brutalized Allen (Bills’ O-line “getting absolutely worked on every single play” [06:45]).
- Bills’ only hope was a hook-and-ladder play (“That was a great play call, but it wasn’t quite enough.” [07:50]).
- Offensive line woes: Dion Dawkins “looked extremely slow out there... just looked so stiff” [08:20].
Larger Problem: Buffalo’s defense is “bad” and the team “not well-rounded.” Immediate future feels bleak.
Draft Misses: Middlekauff highlights other teams nailing picks after the Bills (Eagles with Cooper DeJean, Rams with Braden Fiske), amplifying Buffalo’s draft whiffs.
Front Office on the Hot Seat: Suggests Buffalo’s window might be closing, highlighting poor salary cap management (Von Miller, Dawkins, Cook, etc.) and draft issues.

Notable Quotes

“They lose to the Texans on Thursday Night Football to fall to 7-4... What a dominant performance by the Texans defense. That defense is no joke.” (03:23)
“That was as big of an ass-kicking from a front four to an offensive line as you’ll see all season long.” (04:37)
“It’s not just like, ‘Well, we still have Josh Allen.’ Yeah, you had Josh Allen against the Texans... and you kind of got worked.” (05:10)

CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story (33:13–38:50)

Main Points

NFL Culture Nostalgia: Middlekauff amplifies a viral story about CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens going out, gambling, and drinking in Vegas the night before a game, yet still dominating the Raiders.
Old-School Toughness: Draws parallels to the hard-partying football legends of the 1970s–90s, contrasting it with today’s wellness-obsessed athletes.
Vegas Effect Overstated: Argues that, in modern NFL, Vegas doesn’t tempt teams into late-night distractions except as old-school outliers.
Message to NFL Young Guns: Celebrates the spirit of Lamb and Pickens: “I don’t mind an athlete every once in a while, couple hours sleep, going for two bills and two tuggies and just going, ‘You can’t stop me. I don’t give a shit whether I had seven cocktails or seven Gatorades, it doesn’t matter.’” (37:33)

JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics (38:50–44:00)

Main Points

JJ McCarthy Situation: Discusses ESPN’s article on McCarthy and the challenges of rewiring a young QB’s mechanics in real time.
Trey Lance Parallels: Compares McCarthy to Trey Lance’s failed development; says trying to overhaul mechanics mid-season is “a disaster.”
NFL Development Context: Relates to Aaron Rodgers’ slow-burn development and how most QBs cannot adapt when forced to change on the fly.
Life Lesson Segment: Ends with a tangent about appreciating one’s ‘good old days’ in youth, drawing a parallel between old football days and the simplicity of renting versus owning.

Notable Quotes

“It’s impossible at the highest level of sports... to change your mechanics in the middle of the season. No fucking way.” (69:37)
“This thing with JJ McCarthy, to me, it’s... Trey Lance 2.0.” (41:50)

Stucky NFL & College Football Betting Preview (51:41–112:43)

Co-host Stucky from Action Network joins for a sweeping analysis of the NFL and CFB betting slate.

College Football Parity & Playoff Talk (52:14–56:39)

College basketball and football both have unusual parity this year—debate about playoff expansion.
“Your second-best through your 10th, 12th [team], there’s not that much separation.” (52:51)

NFL Game-by-Game Analysis

Highlights:

Chicago Bears & Pittsburgh Steelers: Discussion of the Bears’ luck in turnovers, run-game strengths, and Ben Johnson’s coaching prowess. (63:25)
Packers – Vikings: Mechanical woes and confidence issues for JJ McCarthy; Green Bay’s offense “wonky” but Packers still the lean. (69:36)
Chiefs – Colts: Patrick Mahomes’ deep ball decline post-Tyreek Hill; Chiefs heavily favored despite 5-5 record. Notable betting trend: .500 teams as late-season favorites. (75:49)
Saints – Falcons: Atlanta’s post-Kyle Pitts draft misfires, Drake London’s absence making their offense dysfunctional. “That record [for backup QB salary] is going to stand for a while.” (84:21)
Eagles – Cowboys: Fangio’s defense resurgence, Philly’s nagging offensive struggles, and Dak’s consistent divisional dominance.
“Dallas keeps it close and is feisty here against an Eagles offense that’s just incapable of building margin.” (94:55)
Niners – Panthers/Tampa: NFC playoff picture wide open—every game is a war, even at the bottom end. (109:24)
Browns, Raiders, and QB Hell: Extended misery for Raiders and Browns fans; inability to fix QB issues over decades.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Texans’ Defense vs. Bills:
- “Honestly, if you just ask someone if they didn’t have the box score up, how many times a night was Josh Allen sacked? You might say 15. It felt like he was on the ground every other play.” (17:15)
On Draft Misses and Roster Building:
- “When you draft Keon Coleman pick 33 on a roster like this ... pick currently is a disaster because I’m watching today and … he’s sitting on the sideline with a T-shirt.” (13:50)
On Football Culture:
- “I try to stay focused on my health as well. But there’s something special about Kenny Stabler going, ‘You know what? I studied the playbook by the light of the jukebox.’” (36:45)
On Life Perspective:
- “Sometimes you’re in the good old days and you don’t even realize you’re in the good old days.” (44:50)
On Betting Trends:
- “Since 1990, this will be only the 15th time in week 11 or later that we’ve had a team that’s 5-5 or worse, favored over a team with at least an 80% win percentage... all 14 teams won and went 12-0-2 ATS.” (80:39)
On AFC/NFC Playoff Landscapes:
- “The NFC right now as it currently stands is way more intriguing than the AFC.” (111:30)

Episode Tone & Style

Opinion-Driven: John Middlekauff brings strong takes, direct attribution of blame, and passionate praise.
Entertaining & Nostalgic: Weaves in personal stories, old-school football cultural references, tongue-in-cheek humor about the "good old days," and player personalities.
Data-Infused: Heavy on stats, advanced metrics, and injury context—especially during betting analysis.
Unfiltered Language: Candid, sometimes explicit—matches the energy of an ex-scout and gambler’s banter.

Timestamps for Important Segments

Bills-Texans, Game Breakdown: 03:23–27:10
Old-School Athlete Stories (Lamb/Pickens): 33:13–38:50
QB Mechanics (McCarthy/Lance): 38:50–44:00
Start of NFL/CFB Analysis with Stucky: 51:41
Packers-Vikings/Punt on McCarthy: 69:36–74:13
Chiefs-Colts, Mahomes Trends: 75:49–80:53
Eagles-Cowboys Deep Dive: 90:55–95:08
Browns-Raiders, QB Misery: 97:02–100:52
NFC Playoff Picture & Importance: 109:24–112:41

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3 & Out - Josh Allen & Bills UPSET by DOMINANT Texans defense on TNF

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Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out: Bills Shocked by Texans Defense, NFL Deep Dive, and More

Episode Overview

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown (03:23–27:10)

Main Points

Notable Quotes

CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story (33:13–38:50)

Main Points

JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics (38:50–44:00)

Main Points

Notable Quotes

Stucky NFL & College Football Betting Preview (51:41–112:43)

College Football Parity & Playoff Talk (52:14–56:39)

NFL Game-by-Game Analysis

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Episode Tone & Style

Timestamps for Important Segments

Conclusion

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out: Bills Shocked by Texans Defense, NFL Deep Dive, and More

Episode Overview

Bills vs. Texans TNF Breakdown (03:23–27:10)

Main Points

Notable Quotes

CD Lamb & George Pickens “Vegas” Story (33:13–38:50)

Main Points

JJ McCarthy, Trey Lance & Mechanics (38:50–44:00)

Main Points

Notable Quotes

Stucky NFL & College Football Betting Preview (51:41–112:43)

College Football Parity & Playoff Talk (52:14–56:39)

NFL Game-by-Game Analysis

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Episode Tone & Style

Timestamps for Important Segments

Conclusion