The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: 3 & Out – Reaction to Dak Prescott & Cowboys TIE vs. Micah Parsons & Packers on SNF
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: John Middlekauff (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)

Episode Overview

John Middlekauff provides an in-depth, passionate reaction to Sunday Night Football’s dramatic tie between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, dissecting the performances of Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and others. He also expands on wider NFL themes: the league’s current rash of injuries, changes in football culture and practice routines, and notable developments around the league. The episode closes with detailed reflections on Lane Kiffin’s transformation and success after watching his recent documentary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Packers & Cowboys: An Explosive, Yet Frustrating Tie

[03:25 – Main recap and analysis]

• High-Scoring, Little Defense:
  "If you like offense, great game. If you like defense, not so much." [03:13]
  Middlekauff praises the offensive action but is openly concerned about the defensive incompetence by both teams.

• Jordan Love’s Close Call:
  – “Jordan Love was excellent, except that last play of the game. And we got extremely lucky... one second away from Jordan Love's epic collapse.” [07:50]
  – On LaFleur’s management: “If you’re a head coach in that spot, you’ve gotta get on the headset and just scream at him to clock the ball. That was way too close for comfort.” [09:10]
  Middlekauff argues Love nearly blew the game with late-clock mismanagement, hinting the coaching staff owns some of that blame.

• Packers’ and Cowboys’ Defensive Failures:
  – “The Packers’ defense, I don't know, through osmosis just looking at the Cowboys, turned into the Cowboys’ defense.” [06:10]
  – “Micah Parsons at the end was atrocious.” [07:19]

• Aftermath & Implications:
  – "This type of game, even if it is an anomaly, if you finish with one less win than the Lions because of this tie, that’s kind of a problem." [12:22]
  – “There’s going to be a lot of pressure on LaFleur—at the end of the day, his job is to win these games, not just put up yards.” [21:33]

2. The Micah Parsons Trade: Timing & Team Consequences

[14:00 – Parsons and Cowboys’ Defense]

• Questioning the Trade Process:
  – “Trading Micah Parsons... if you are going to trade him, no issue, but you should have done it around the draft! You always want money now over money in two years.” [15:08]

• Cowboys Defensive Personnel Critique:
  – “Their defensive personnel sucks. I just think you watch the Cowboys defense, it's a tough watch.” [15:36]

3. Respect for Dak Prescott & Offensive Coordinators

[16:50 – Dak and Schottenheimer Praise]

• Balanced Perspective on Dak:
  – “Honestly, I've always been a supporter of Dak Prescott. Don’t compare him to Tom Brady or Mahomes, but relative to most of these quarterbacks, he's fucking better than.” [16:50]

• Brian Schottenheimer Gets His Due:
  – “We leave this game, like, really impressed with the guy. Everyone thought he was going to be just this village idiot... he’s a good offensive coach. The team is playing hard.” [22:34]

4. Special Teams: League-Wide Head-Scratching

[19:47 – Special teams are a disaster]

• On Rich Bisaccia and Special Teams Value:
  – “Packers special teams now for a long, long time have not been good... Are most of these [special teams coaches] good, or are they just pulling an all-time scam?” [19:47]
  – “These offensive coaches... don't know dick about that side. They despise it. They judge it. They hate it.” [20:26]

5. The NFL’s Injury Epidemic: Why?

[26:23 – Dramatic increase in injuries]

• Anecdotal Evidence:
  – “I feel like, and I don't have the data to back this up, but injuries in the NFL have never been worse. Every single game I watch, guys go down by the series.” [26:40]

• Root Cause: 2011 CBA & Less Contact:
  – “In 2011, with the lockout, double days were canceled. No more back-to-back physical practices and less time in pads... They don’t play football anymore. They practice half-speed and then expect to go full-speed on Sundays.” [28:29]
  – “All they've done is train and play games. There's no buildup—just training, which these guys do at a really high level, and then playing the games.” [29:57]

• The Turf Factor:
  – “The turf monster that is MetLife is a disaster. I can't imagine owning an NFL team worth $10, $15 billion and not having the best turf.” [31:18]
  – “If Malik Nabers blew out his knee... Is he more likely to get a high ankle sprain on that shitty turf than on grass? I could be wrong—I’m not a doctor.” [32:10]

6. Around the League: Quick-Hits

AFC North Meltdown & Ravens Woes

[38:07 – State of the division]
– “The Ravens suck right now. They blow. They can't stop a high school team.” [38:53]
– “Is their Super Bowl window closed? Their best shot was two years ago.” [41:54]
– “That's the best part of football—when you start losing, things get weird.” [44:41]

Player Durability & Quarterback Health

[42:28 – Reliability is a skill]
– “A huge part of your job when you are the franchise quarterback is to be relied upon... Just need my guy to show up.” [42:56]

Brock Purdy Turnovers & Short QBs

[43:54 – Purdy struggles, short QBs]
– “For the last 19 games, Purdy has 20 interceptions... He’s gotten pretty reckless with the ball.” [44:10]
– “It's hard for short guys to see, right? Some of these quarterbacks, they’re shorter in the league. It's hard for them sometimes—basic math.” [45:40]

Jaguars & Trevor Lawrence Critique

[47:10 – Not sold on Lawrence]
– “Trevor Lawrence is not that good. Two quick things on the Jags… I don’t think Trevor’s that good and I like Travis Hunter but you can't trade up for him over a pass rusher. Just not a good move.” [47:10]

7. League Physicality, Puka Nacua, and Rams Identity

[50:15 – The Rams, Puka & Debo Comparison]
– “Puka is just a freakin’ monster... The power in his body and balance, control, and strength when the ball’s in his hands. Maybe I didn’t respect him enough.” [50:25]
– “His physical nature makes the entire offense feel physical.” [51:02]

8. Lane Kiffin: Reinvention, Image, and Respect

[52:50 – Lane Kiffin’s transformation]

• Personal History & Inside Perspective:
  – “I followed Lane’s career extremely closely… his best friend on the team, Scott Thompson, is very close to my family.” [52:55]

• Reputation & Professional Perception:
  – “Most ADs over the last three or four years—even as he’s won a lot of games—would not touch him. He desperately wanted the Oregon job… They wouldn’t even talk to him.” [54:19]
  – “Only schools interested were Ole Miss and Auburn—let's face it, kind of second-rate SEC programs.” [54:58]

• Lifestyle Changes & Documentary Takeaways:
  – “Clearly you just look at him physically, he’s lost a ton of weight... He does hot yoga like 110 degrees every morning, seven days a week—non-negotiable.” [55:36]
  – “You watch him coach, he’s very secure in himself, doesn’t come off arrogant and brash as he once did because he doesn’t have to anymore.” [56:02]

• Elegy for Career Growth:
  – “You should not be doing this at Ole Miss—even in an NIL transfer portal era.” [57:28]
  – “Lane’s as good of a coach as there is in college football. I would put Lane right there in the upper echelon.” [58:25]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "Jordan Love was excellent, except that last play of the game. And we got extremely lucky that this podcast, all the podcasts and all the shows were opening up tonight and leading into tomorrow with Jordan Love's epic collapse in the last 15 seconds." — John Middlekauff [07:50]

• “If you are going to trade [Micah Parsons], no issue. Your team's not remotely close to competing for a Super Bowl…. You should've traded him around the draft. Not only would you have gotten more, but you could've drafted players to help replace him.” [15:08]

• "Honestly, I've always been a supporter of Dak Prescott.... But relative to most of these quarterbacks, he's fucking better than." [16:50]

• "Packers special teams now for a long, long time have not been good…. Are most of these special teams coaches good, or are they just pulling an all-time scam?" [19:47]

• “I feel like injuries in the NFL have never been worse. Every single game I watch, guys go down by the series.” [26:40]

• “In 2011…double days were essentially canceled. And the other thing that went along with that...” [28:29]

• “The turf monster that is MetLife is a disaster. I can't imagine owning an NFL team worth $10, $15 billion and not having the best turf…. How’s that possible?” [31:18]

• “For the last 19 games, Purdy has 20 interceptions. And to me, like Brock, like Baker Mayfield, they try to pull things out of their ass. But…he’s gotten pretty reckless with the ball.” [44:10]

• “Puka does that…when he catches the ball in motion, the power and his body and balance control and strength, when the ball’s in his hands, he’s just a freakin’ monster.” [50:25]

• “Lane’s as good of a coach as there is in college football… He’s as good as anyone out there, given his situation.” [58:25]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:25] Main recap and tie fallout (Packers/Cowboys)
• [07:50] Love nearly blows the game; coaching miscues
• [14:00] Parsons trade, Cowboys defense critique
• [16:50] Dak Prescott respect; O-coordinator Schottenheimer steps up
• [19:47] Special teams woes league-wide
• [26:23] NFL’s injury explosion: systemic causes, turf, and consequences
• [38:07] AFC North check-in: Ravens, Steelers, Bengals struggles
• [42:28] QB reliability as a skill; Purdy’s recent struggles
• [50:15] Rams’ identity and Puka Nacua’s impact
• [52:50] Lane Kiffin’s personal and professional transformation

Final Thoughts

John Middlekauff delivers a raw, insightful, and at times comedic critique of both team-specific decisions and broader NFL trends. He deftly intertwines on-field breakdowns with big-picture takes on coaching, player health, and organizational decision-making—capping it all with an unfiltered, deeply knowledgeable appreciation for Lane Kiffin’s reinvention.

For full football nerdery and firsthand emotion, this episode is a must-listen for fans craving more than just the box score.