Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: 3 & Out - Previewing the Christmas Games, Are the Bears Actually a Good Team, Who is to BLAME in Baltimore
Host: John Middlekauff (Three & Out), with Colin Cowherd
Date: December 24, 2025

Overview

This episode of "The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Three & Out" is a Christmas week mailbag special hosted by John Middlekauff. It features deep-dive NFL analysis, previews of the Christmas game slate, a critical look at the Chicago Bears' surprising season, debate on the unraveling in Baltimore, and candid Q&A on quarterback controversies and coaching. Middlekauff provides his usual unfiltered, opinion-driven breakdowns of team trends, coaching missteps, and playoff prospects, all in his trademark direct and conversational style.

Main Themes

• Christmas NFL Game Previews: Middlekauff's breakdown of the underwhelming holiday matchups and betting angles.
• Chicago Bears’ Perception vs. Reality: Are the Bears actually good, or just "touched by the football gods" this season?
• Baltimore Ravens’ Frustrations: Who’s to blame for their blown leads—John Harbaugh, the defense, or roster construction?
• NFL Quarterback Landscape: Discussion on older QBs (Philip Rivers), Daniel Jones’s future, and why draft pedigree still overshadows performance.
• Coaching Carousel: Debates about Coach of the Year, firing potential, and what makes (or breaks) NFL coaches in 2025.
• Listener Mailbag: Engaged Q&A ranging from playoff scenarios, rebuilds, and league culture to the host’s own branding.

Detailed Breakdown

1. NFL Christmas Game Previews & Predictions

(03:00 - 14:25)

• Middlekauff bemoans the Christmas slate as "terrible and meaningless," choosing family time over forced football work.
• Dallas at Washington:
  • Cowboys predicted to roll easily because Washington’s “secondary is so bad.”
  • “Dak’s been one of the better quarterbacks in the league all season long… I love the Cowboys -7 on the road on Christmas.” (05:23)
  • Touchdown prop picks: CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
  • Side note: Laughs about backup QB Josh Johnson's journeyman Wikipedia page.
• Detroit at Minnesota:
  • Vikings' QB woes are the main story, JJ McCarthy’s recurring injuries, and a cascade of issues.
  • “It’s just a season from hell... The Lions, again, prideful organization, disastrous season relative to what they’ve been.” (07:30)
  • Detroit predicted to win and cover.
• Chiefs at Broncos:
  • Both teams have collapsed; lots of questions about the Chiefs’ offseason future.
  • “The Chiefs are out. Who, whoever would have thought that. But here, here we are.” (09:30)
  • Strong pick for Denver to win big, noting the sorry state of KC’s offense.
• Brief touch on Texans-Chargers and Packers-Ravens:
  • Texans “with a spirited effort,” and Green Bay “rolls” over the unraveling Ravens.
  • “I don’t like Green Bay minus two and a half. I love Green Bay minus two and a half. I would expect them to win by 10+.” (13:52)

2. Quarterback Evolution & Nostalgia: Rivers, Elway, and the Safety Era

(17:41 - 21:18)

• Post-game adrenaline stories segue into thoughts about QB eras.
• “You can’t compare what John Elway, Dan Marino, Joe Montana… to quarterback play now. If you watch those videos of John Elway in the mid-80s, you could get fucking killed.” (17:55)
• Describes how rules now protect QBs, likening today’s game to “apples to cheeseburgers” in terms of violence.
• Wonders aloud: “Is Philip Rivers better than Daniel Jones? Especially with an offseason to train?” (19:03)
• Notes the freedom and safety for QBs in today’s league compared to prior generations.

3. Mailbag Highlights: Bears, Ravens, Quarterback Contracts, and Coaching Decisions

(21:18 - 37:10)

Bears: Are They Actually Good?

• Fan question: Are the Bears for real or just lucky?
• “I 100% commend them for being so much better than anyone could have anticipated. But…that defense is atrocious… sometimes you’re just touched by the football gods.” (22:03)
• Acknowledges their “kind of special” season but is hesitant to call them contenders – they could win multiple playoff games or be bounced immediately.
• Highlights upcoming scheduling advantages vs. the 49ers.

Ravens: Who's to Blame?

• Fan question: Is John Harbaugh responsible for Baltimore’s constant blown leads?
• “What we did Sunday night was coaching malpractice at an all time high.” (25:47)
• Points out Harbaugh’s “CEO head coach” detachment and notes, “I think Harbaugh is a live dog to get canned…maybe it’s time.” (26:45)
• Predicts Harbaugh would immediately land another head coaching gig if fired.

Quarterback Contracts: Daniel Jones & Philip Rivers

• “How do you pay Daniel Jones?...He’s never, beside like the eight-game stretch, for you guys been that great...If I get him for like two years, $20 million...Philip Rivers on his best day has never been close to Philip Rivers.” (27:40)
• Calls Rivers “not quite Hall of Fame” but better than Eli Manning “throughout the course of his career.” (28:23)

Draft Pedigree Debate: Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Brock Purdy

• “At some point, resumes should matter more than draft profile...Caleb Williams is extremely polarizing...But he’s been the most clutch guy in the league.” (29:50)
• Lists pros and cons of each, maintaining that all three QBs, despite similar age and experience, are judged unfairly.

Vikings’ “What If” Scenarios

• Questions about trading for Joe Burrow: “They’re not trading him...he’s going to be on the Bengals next year.” (31:08)
• Laments Vikings’ injury woes and proximity to being a top seed last year.

Bills: Is It Time for a Coaching Overhaul?

• Middlekauff counters the idea of firing McDermott to hire Robert Saleh as “kind of a tough sell.”
• “The thing you really notice…they’re kind of small…more built for Big 12 than SEC.” (38:00)
• Assigns more blame to the GM than the head coach.

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On how quickly things can change in the NFL:
  “Sometimes, you know, this is sports. People get injured. Things change fast, especially in the NFL.” (09:02)
• On violence and football’s appeal:
  “Humans like violence… it’s why these fights on Netflix with Jake Paul do huge numbers... we like violence.” (20:10)
• On John Harbaugh’s future:
  “I think Harbaugh is a live dog to get canned...been there, done that. Maybe it’s time.” (26:45)
• On the randomness and luck in the NFL:
  “Sometimes it's just your year, you know, weird things happen.” (22:35)

5. Rapid Fire Q&A & Coach of the Year Talk

(37:10 - 47:10)

• Lions O-line and D-line Rebuild?
  Tough to rebuild OL/DL with so much cap invested in Goff, Sewell, St. Brown, and soon Hutchinson & Williams. “You guys are playing important games. It's tough and it's hard to find defensive linemen.”
• Coach of the Year Favorites:
  “I feel like it’s Ben Johnson’s to lose…Vrabel’s done an excellent job, but a huge part of their success has been Drake May.” (43:15)
• 49ers Super Bowl Path:
  If they win their next two, “I don’t see how you could say they couldn’t win the Super Bowl or definitely the NFC.” (45:55)
• Branding: The backwards hat on Spotify:
  “I’m bald…I can do whatever I want. So the rules for me...are a little bit different than some guy running a bank.” (46:55)
  (A light-hearted close to a serious football mailbag.)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:00 – NFL Christmas Game Previews
• 17:41 – Quarterback Evolution and Safety
• 22:03 – Are the Bears Actually Good?
• 25:47 – Ravens’ Mistakes & Harbaugh’s Blame
• 27:40 – Daniel Jones Contract Debate/Philip Rivers Discussion
• 29:50 – Draft Pedigree: Nix, Williams, Purdy
• 31:08 – Vikings’ “Trade for Burrow” Question
• 38:00 – Bills’ Roster Issues and Defense
• 43:15 – Coach of the Year Debate
• 45:55 – 49ers Super Bowl Path
• 46:55 – Host’s Backwards Hat Branding Explanation

Summary

This episode blends practical football betting advice, in-depth team breakdowns (with special focus on the Bears and Ravens), and no-holds-barred discussion of NFL personnel decisions. Middlekauff’s humor and raw observations make it engaging for hardcore fans seeking more than surface-level analysis. The mix of mailbag questions, playoff speculation, and “inside football” talk makes this a must-listen (or read) for anyone wanting to keep up with the latest NFL narratives and debates.