Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – 3 & Out – Josh Allen OUTDUELS Tua, Bills Take Down Dolphins on TNF

Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Marcus Grant, Michael F. Florio, Stuckey (guest)

Overview

This episode of “3 & Out” dives deep into the Buffalo Bills’ Thursday night victory over the Miami Dolphins, centering on Josh Allen’s continued brilliance, the complicated appraisal of Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, and the shifting balance in the AFC East. The hosts also explore NFL quarterback tiers, GM/coaching controversies, backup quarterback realities, and preview several key NFL and college football matchups with betting perspectives.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bills Defeat Dolphins—Josh Allen’s Elite Play (02:32–05:31, 13:17–16:31)

• Josh Allen led the Bills past the Dolphins, now 3–0 and looking like Super Bowl contenders.
• Allen’s MVP-level talent contrasted with Tua Tagovailoa’s limitations—“Josh is one of the more talented and best players I’ve ever seen” (13:22, Marcus Grant).
• The hosts agree Buffalo will be favorites in the AFC East for the foreseeable future.
• Discussion of Allen’s supporting cast: “He’s not exactly throwing to Andre Reed and Stevie Johnson out there...his offensive weapons…..we got to factor in who he’s playing with here. He’s incredible.” (14:48, Michael F. Florio).
• Bills’ road to Super Bowl success will depend on timely defensive plays in addition to Allen’s heroics.

2. Mike McDaniel: Offensive Genius or Head Coach in Trouble? (05:31–12:23)

• Debate triggered after Rex Ryan called McDaniel “a nerd” and suggested his job is in jeopardy.
• Florio defends McDaniel’s offensive acumen: “He is a nerd who knows a ton about offense and is good at dealing with the quarterback. Last time I checked, that’s pretty valuable.” (09:01)
• Dolphins’ real issues attributed to GM Chris Grier’s mismanagement and organizational dysfunction more than McDaniel’s coaching.
• “The GM is a joke…most people wouldn’t be lined up to work for [the owner]” (13:00, Michael F. Florio).
• Tua’s play has flourished under McDaniel, and Miami’s offensive scheming repeatedly gets receivers wide open: “How many times tonight…does Mike have a play dialed up? Because he is a really good offensive mind.” (08:32)

3. Quarterback Tiers, Greatness, and the Value of ‘Mid-Tier’ Starters (22:04–27:40)

• Discussion of the quarterback “hierarchy”—Mahomes, Allen, Lamar as first-ballot Hall-of-Famers, Tua at the low end of the second/third tier.
• Strongly argues why “mid-tier” QBs like Dak, Cousins, Purdy, Goff, etc. still command big contracts: “Do you see the backup quarterbacks that are playing this week? Wait till you watch some of these guys play…” (23:14, Michael F. Florio)
• Backup expectations are dismally low: “If you win two of [four starts], you have not only earned your salary, you’re underpaid.” (24:14)

4. Overreaction Week: Backup Quarterbacks & College Prospects (25:00–27:26)

• The hosts lampoon overreactions to college QB prospects (e.g., Arch Manning).
• Differences between NFL and college performance scrutinized—most hyped prospects never measure up to NFL standards.

5. NFL & College Gambling Preview with Stuckey (44:59–106:28)

Key NFL Gambling Insights:

• Week 3: Historically an Underdog Week (45:38–48:46)

  • Teams starting 0–2 cover at a 66% clip in Week 3.
  • Public overreactions skew lines, creating buy-low spots on teams like the Browns and Texans.

• Game-by-Game Betting Breakdown:

  • Packers vs. Browns: Take Browns +8.5, whose defense is “playing at an elite level.” (47:01, Stuckey)
  • Texans vs. Jaguars: Texans as divisional underdog after two closer-than-appeared losses. “This would have been a game where I think a couple weeks ago you would have thought … Texans are gonna beat the Jags.” (49:29, Marcus Grant)
  • Khalil Mack’s health for the Chargers, “pretty big blow” if unavailable (52:21).
  • Broncos vs. Chargers: Take Denver +2.5/+3 on the short week; home field for the Chargers “doesn’t exist.” (53:28)
  • Steelers vs. Patriots: Steelers’ defense is banged up, defense “atrocious,” fear Watt’s contract may haunt them (circle back to defensive value and transition era for Tomlin). (66:56)
  • Bears vs. Cowboys: Must-win for Chicago, with the defense decimated: “They quit…they just tapped out…” (72:54, Marcus Grant)
  • 49ers vs. Cardinals: Key will be Cardinals’ decimated secondary; caution on backing Arizona with so many injuries. (81:49–84:30)
  • Rams vs. Eagles: “The offense is broken…no creativity. Rams have this game circled. Sean McVay always ready as an underdog.” (91:17–94:52)
  • Lions vs. Ravens: Ravens usually don’t lose prime time at home, but if likely is healthy and Marlon Humphrey plays, lean Baltimore; keep an eye on injury updates. (99:07–102:25)

Notable College Picks:

• Miami (Ohio) as live home dog vs. UNLV.
• Betting angles for Utah–Texas Tech and Auburn–Oklahoma discussed in detail (102:25–106:28).

6. NFL Culture & Off-Field Storylines

• Owners and league office care only about money and optics, not “integrity of the game." (32:16–37:09)
• Tush Push: Overuse by the Eagles, potential for rule changes due to lack of entertainment value, not rulebook purity.
  • “If they call the false start, that’s four points off the board.” (93:53, Stuckey)
• Tom Brady’s continued off-field influence; compared to Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats ownership, seen as crucial for business by the NFL—“It’s important...the league doesn’t actually care that much if Tom…finds out inside information on some random linebacker” (35:26, Michael F. Florio)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Josh Allen:

  • “Josh is one of the more talented and best players I’ve ever seen.” (13:22, Marcus Grant)
  • "He can scheme guys wide open... This guy should have half the league lined up to coach their offense.” (09:46, Michael F. Florio on McDaniel)

• On Mike McDaniel’s status:

  • “I just think the conversation has taken on a life of its own, where it’s like, the GM is a joke… let’s pump the brakes on just acting like Mike McDaniel should, like, go to high school once he gets fired.” (13:00)

• On Backup QBs:

  • “If you win two of them, you have not only earned your salary, you’re underpaid.” (24:14, Michael F. Florio)
  • “Typically, your backup does not turn out to be Steve Young or Aaron Rodgers. It’s a guy that’s going to bounce on team to team.” (24:26)

• On NFL Priorities:

  • “They never really have. They pretend to care. They only care about making more money.” (36:53, Michael F. Florio)

• On the Tush Push:

  • "If they call the false start, that’s four points off the board...I think they’re going to make an example maybe of both sides, so that could help the Rams.” (93:53, Stuckey)
  • “I wouldn’t be shocked if [the Tush Push] does get banned in this offseason.” (95:48, Stuckey)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:32–16:31] Bills–Dolphins breakdown, Josh Allen, McDaniel’s future, AFC East diagnosis
• [22:04–27:40] Quarterback tiers, value of mid-tier QBs, backup QB reality
• [32:16–37:09] NFL culture: money over integrity, Tush Push, Tom Brady storylines
• [44:59–48:46] Week 3 as an underdog opportunity in NFL betting
• [47:01–54:08] Game breakdowns: Browns, Packers, Broncos, Chargers, Texans, Jaguars
• [66:56–69:35] Steelers’ decline, Watt contract, Tomlin’s inflection point
• [72:54–77:44] Bears/Cowboys, Chicago’s must-win predicament, defense woes
• [81:49–84:30] 49ers/Cardinals: secondary injuries, betting caution
• [91:17–96:31] Rams/Eagles: Eagles OC issues, Rams as live dog, Tush Push officiating
• [99:07–102:25] Lions/Ravens: injury watch, Ravens prime time home edge
• [102:25–106:28] College football: home dogs, upset specials (Miami, Utah, Auburn)

Tone & Language

Straight-shooting, sharp analysis, candid opinions, and plenty of irreverence. The hosts balance in-depth football acumen (“Wall Street on grass,” “NFL backup QB syndrome”) with colorful football guy banter, always staying relatable (“Do you see the backup quarterbacks that are playing this week? Wait till you watch some of these guys play…”) and some comic bits.

Recap/Takeaways

• Josh Allen cements himself as AFC’s best not named Mahomes; Bills positioned for a deep playoff run.
• Mike McDaniel’s much-maligned status with Miami is unfair—personnel and organizational dysfunction, not just coaching.
• Challenging the QB hierarchy myths; mid-tier QBs are more valuable than fans admit in today’s NFL.
• The Eagles’ “Tush Push” could face extinction—more for boring TV than rulebook issues.
• NFL betting: Underdogs look primed for Week 3 rebounds, particularly Browns and Texans.
• Injury reports and coaching philosophies drive sharp weekly bets.
• College football upsets: Miami (Ohio) is a sneaky home dog; keep an eye on early kickoffs.
• The NFL is, ultimately, an entertainment business—money and optics rule everything.

For listeners new to the show:
You’ll get lively, opinionated football banter driven by evidence, experience, and a love for the game’s strategic, cultural, and business layers—all delivered with a gambler’s eye and humor.