The Herd with Colin Cowherd Podcast - Episode Summary

Episode Title: Bears Beat Cowboys, Chargers Dominating AFC West, Daniel Jones Starts 3-0
Air Date: September 22, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: John Middlekauff

Episode Overview

In this Sunday night podcast, Colin Cowherd and John Middlekauff break down a chaotic NFL weekend notable for surprising scores, special teams commotion, and statement performances from emerging players and coaches. They examine the Bears’ upset over the Cowboys, the Chargers’ assertion in the AFC West, Daniel Jones’ hot start with the Colts, inconsistencies around the league, and close with insights on college football’s NIL era. The tone is characteristically sharp, opinionated, and rooted in high-level football analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bears 31, Cowboys 14 – The Caleb Williams & Ben Johnson “Harmony” Game

• Early Observations
  • The Bears put together a big 19-play drive in the third quarter, described by Colin as the first time "Caleb and Ben, there was a certain harmony" (04:00).
  • Caleb made significant throws, notably a flea flicker touchdown to DJ Moore.
• Eberflus & Cowboys Defensive Disarray
  • John calls the matchup “Ben Johnson vs. Eberflus would be like a 20-year-old playing a 5-year-old in pickup basketball. It's not a fair fight...he has no business being a defensive coordinator. It's embarrassing.” (05:14)
  • Most Bears’ TDs came with receivers wide open, more a knock on Dallas’ defense than a declaration Caleb is fully “fixed.”
• Bears’ Offensive Personnel is for Real
  • Colin: “They do have good offensive personnel… If you give Caleb reasonable protection… they’ve got good players.” (06:47)
  • John: “Two things can be true...Eberflus and the Cowboys defensive personnel might be the worst in the league...and the Bears are not as bad as they have looked through two games.”
• Impact of Injuries for the Cowboys
  • CD Lamb’s exit in the 2nd quarter stymied Dallas’ already-limited offense (08:38).
• Coaching Talent Gap Reflection
  • John: “When you get good defensive coordinators, it really stands out…the Brian Flores, Robert Saleh, Vic Fangio. When you get bad ones, it really stands out.” (11:44)
  • Colin: “The coaching mismatch was apparent, much more of a reflection on coaches than just players.”

2. Rams 26, Eagles 33 – Missed Drafts, Halftime Adjustments, & Philly’s Personnel Power

• Rams’ Draft Choices & Roster Gaps
  • Colin criticizes the Rams for not drafting a top CB or center, which showed against Philly's elite pass rush and WRs: “They didn’t address what they should have...If you play Philly and you don’t have an elite corner...you're in big trouble.” (12:05)
• First–Second Half Contrasts
  • Rams dominated early, “It was a coaching mismatch, like McVay was doing whatever he wanted,” but halftime adjustments by Philadelphia flipped the script (14:25).
• AJ Brown Takeover
  • John: “They just started throwing it to 11…AJ’s attacking it, he's throwing the guy off him. It's one of the great turnarounds of Sirianni's career in a one-game situation.” (14:25)
• Game-of-Inches Moments
  • Puka Nacua dropped a TD, field goal was blocked; Eagles seized momentum after these small setbacks (19:12).
  • “When you play Philadelphia and you have these moments, you have to make the plays because...when their horsepower revs up...their defensive front wears you out.” – Colin (19:12)
• Eagles’ Positional Star Power
  • “The Eagles have a star in every unit. The Rams at corner, they really need work.” – Colin (18:46)

3. Chargers 23, Broncos 20 – Herbert’s Ceiling, Bo Nix’s Plateau, Harbaugh’s Impact

• Quarterback Dissection
  • Colin: “[Bo Nix] came into this league very close to his ceiling, and I think we’ve seen it…with Herbert, Harbaugh’s taking him to another level.” (21:54)
• Herbert vs. Nix & Coaching Impact
  • John: “Herbert is letting it fly...the play he made to Keenan Allen for the game-tying touchdown was Josh Allen, Mahomes...Bo Nix doesn’t have that.” (28:03)
• Chargers’ Defensive Turnaround
  • “This was the worst defense in the league 20 games ago...Now, they are sticky. There’s just not a lot open.” – Colin (29:20)
  • Derwin James and Khalil Mack get credit for elevated physicality.
• The Harbaugh Factor & Staff Tree
  • Harbaugh’s Raven roots showing: “They create such great defensive coordinators… their coaching staff is incredible.” – John (31:02)
• Personnel Flexibility
  • Chargers’ depth praised (Joe Alt, Keenan Allen return, Hampton at RB), and John underscores Harbaugh’s skill at mental motivation for QBs: “Whatever Harbaugh does with his quarterbacks, the mental psychology that he plays...he knows what he's doing.” (33:13)

4. Colts 41, Titans 20 – Daniel Jones’ Redemption & Division Outlook

• Daniel Jones Emerges in Indy
  • Colin: “The Daniel Jones thing is fascinating...I watched Daniel Jones today and he's making big throws down the field.” (36:18)
  • John: “He was a lifeline for them…he’s going to get a contract extension.” (37:12)
• Roster & Coaching Praise
  • Colts’ roster is “better than people give it credit for.”
  • John: “They got Lou Anarumo and Shane Steichen, and now they got just a funk—I would say he's more than functional—right now with Daniel Jones.” (39:14)
• Comparisons to AFC Rivals
  • “You're not facing Herbert and Mahomes in this division...so Daniel Jones’ ceiling is enough.” – Colin (38:03)

5. Steelers 21, Patriots 14 – Winning Ugly

• Turnovers Decide the Outcome
  • “New England beat themselves. Five turnovers, bad decisions, multiple penalties…it's hard for me to give the Steelers credit.” – Colin (41:39)
  • John: “You get five turnovers and you don’t win by 20 plus points...Their offense doesn’t do much in Pittsburgh. It’s not a well-oiled machine.” (43:30)
• Offensive & Defensive Concerns
  • No consistent run game (“If you can't run the football...your defense is on the field for too many snaps.” – Colin, 50:37)
  • Steelers D “doesn’t look as good as it should,” aging TJ Watt.
• Weather & Season Outlook
  • John: “One thing that's pretty clear is these older guys, once the weather turns, [it’s] harder for them to stay loose...Rogers already looks his age.” (52:21)

6. Quick NFL Hits

• Seahawks 44, Saints 13
  • Seattle’s efficient offense and special teams dominate; Saints look “as bad as the team can get.” (53:33)
  • Darnold fitting in well with the Kubiak/Shanahan system; “Seattle is really good right now.” – John (54:35)
• Niners 16, Cardinals 15
  • “Niners are old, brittle and expensive at key spots. Win today...but are very dependent on their high-end guys if they're going to compete at the highest level.” – Colin (57:27)
  • San Francisco’s reliance on youth steps up with injuries to stars (Bosa, Purdy, Kittle). Coaching of Robert Saleh gets praise.

7. Kyler Murray, QB Ceiling Dilemma & NFL QB Environment

• Kyler Murray’s Uncertain Future
  • Kyler is highly athletic but limited as a pure thrower. “There's just a ceiling with him...most of his explosive plays, it feels like as a thrower, come from on the move.” – John (61:46)
  • Both agree there are few feasible replacements; the middle-tier QB market is thin.
• Tua & Contract Regret
  • Colin: “The day they signed him, I said, you’re going to regret this. This is a bad contract.” (64:16)
  • John supports the view, calling out teams for overpaying on hope.

8. College Football: NIL Era & Coaching Adjustments

• Clemson, Dabo & Transfer Portal
  • Colin: “Dabo has to go into the transfer portal...they just don’t look talented enough.” (66:15)
  • John: “The NIL era...the Big Ten has benefited the most...because their enrollments and boosters are huge...money can buy you pass rushers and run stuffers.” (69:23)
• NIL Arms Race & Changing Landscape
  • Major programs like USC and Texas Tech are leveraging NIL wealth for instant roster upgrades.
  • Smaller southern schools and holdouts like Clemson risk falling behind.
• Coaching Carousel & Reset Cycles
  • John: “Sometimes, you can only be in a place so long...eventually, Bill Walsh, you say it's 10 years. Maybe for Dabo, it's time for a change.”

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “I wrote down harmony. I really thought it was the first time…there was a certain harmony, like he wasn’t rushing anything.”
  – Colin on Bears’ offense (04:00)
• “Ben Johnson vs. Eberflus would be like a 20-year-old playing a 5-year-old in pickup basketball. It's not a fair fight.”
  – John (05:14)
• “This was the worst defense in the league 20 games ago...Now, they are sticky.”
  – Colin on Chargers D (29:20)
• “Harbaugh’s coaching staff is incredible. They create such great defensive coordinators.”
  – John (31:02)
• “Daniel Jones was a lifeline for them…he’s going to get a contract extension.”
  – John (37:12)
• “There was a moment...where you went, well with Lane Johnson out, the physicality of the Rams [defense]...they’re taking over this game.”
  – John on Rams-Eagles (16:24)
• “The Eagles have a star in every unit. The Rams at corner, they really need work.”
  – Colin (18:46)
• “If you can't run the football...your defense is on the field for too many snaps.”
  – Colin (50:37)
• “There's just a ceiling with [Kyler Murray]. Like, he's never like...Jalen can drive you nuts, but he makes enough throws.”
  – John (61:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bears-Cowboys & Caleb Williams:
  04:00 – 11:44
• Rams-Eagles & Coaching/Personnel:
  12:05 – 19:12
• Chargers-Broncos, Harbaugh:
  21:54 – 34:29
• Colts-Daniel Jones:
  36:18 – 39:14
• Steelers-Patriots:
  41:39 – 52:44
• Quick Hits (Seahawks, Niners, Kyler/Tua):
  53:33 – 66:15
• College Football, NIL Landscape, Dabo:
  66:15 – 75:25

Summary

This episode delivers a tour de force of NFL and college football analysis, blending humor and skepticism as Colin and John dissect Sunday’s biggest stories and ongoing trends. They put coaching and personnel under a microscope, question lingering assumptions about rising and fading QBs, and show how the NIL era is rewriting college football’s balance of power. As always, sharp insights and strong opinions abound.