The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Podcast Summary

Episode: Colin Cowherd Podcast - BEST OF John Middlekauff – Broncos Incredible Turnaround, Packers Projections, Top 10 QBs, NFL Win Totals
Date: August 26, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd (C)
Featured Guest: John Middlekauff (B)

Overview

This episode dives deep into the most compelling storylines entering the 2025 NFL season. Colin Cowherd and analyst John Middlekauff break down the Denver Broncos' remarkable turnaround under Sean Payton, deliver sharp analysis and predictions on teams like the Packers, Patriots, Titans, and Chargers, debate NFL win totals, and react to a recent league-wide ranking of the top ten quarterbacks. The conversation captures the strategic nuances shaping the league, the chemistry of successful franchises, and the pivotal role of coaching and management in both top-heavy and rebuilding teams.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos' Transformation

• Sean Payton's Underappreciated Impact:

  • Cowherd argues that Payton isn’t “getting enough credit for what he’s done in Denver,” pointing out the massive cleanup required in culture, quarterback play, and offensive line (03:30).
  • The team’s offensive line, “from like 21st to like seventh,” is now ranked second by Pro Football Focus (PFF) heading into the season.
  • Despite major challenges (rookie QB, limited weapons), the Broncos “made the playoffs with $89 million... in dead cap money.” (04:41)

• Defensive Identity and Bo Nix's Potential:

  • Middlekauff: “He thinks his team's pretty good because defensively, they got a chance to dominate. And if you have a dominant defense with an offensive coach who's proven... your floor is immediately like 10 wins.” (05:22)
  • On Bo Nix: “We talk about Bo Nix like he threw 18 touchdowns. He threw 29 touchdowns.... If he just becomes like Sean Payton's version... like a Jared Goff, a Brock Purdy... they're going to be really good for a while.” (05:56)
  • Cowherd adds, “When a quarterback runs, how's the outside linebacker stack up? He runs past him... that dude is ripped.” (06:32)

• Organizational Stability:

  • “It feels like they got a pretty stable organization... that's the thing with Pete Carroll and the Raiders. Jim Harbaugh's kind of matured. Sean Payton’s at a different stage in his life.” (09:32)

2. NFL Over/Under Win Totals – Predictions and Analysis

Unders

• Kansas City Chiefs – Under 11.5 Wins
  • Cowherd’s reasoning: Loss of Joe Thuney, division improvements, and “they were 11-0 in one possession games last year... division is much better.” (11:00)
• San Francisco 49ers – Under 10.5 Wins
  • Middlekauff: “I think a lot of people are going to think they're going to win like six or seven games. I think they're going to be better than people think. But... over 10... you could win 9 or 10 games, be that 7 seed...” (13:03)
  • Cowherd points to defensive departures and Bosa’s frequent injuries: “Hufanga’s gone, Greenlaw’s gone, Bosa will miss a stretch...” (14:24)
• Miami Dolphins – Under
  • Middlekauff: “I think there's a chance Miami is like the... worst team in the NFL... I could see them being like the Giants or the Patriots drafting three or four.” (15:10)

Overs

• Tennessee Titans – Over 5.5 (or 6.5) Wins
  • Cowherd: “Cam Ward's a playmaker and nobody's got real film on him... it's a weak division... I think Titans are an over.” (16:10)
• New England Patriots – Over 8.5 Wins
  • Middlekauff: Patriots “were seven and a half, DraftKings, now up to eight and a half. So the Sharps, it looks like, are all over the Patriots.” (18:51)
• Los Angeles Chargers – Over 9.5 Wins
  • Middlekauff: “Jim Harbaugh is now coached in the NFL five years and made the playoffs in four of them... they are a lock... he's never going to play and swim in [the free agency] pool.” (20:11)

3. Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks Debate

Colin references a new ESPN survey ranking the best QBs:
List:

1. Mahomes
2. Allen
3. Burrow
4. Lamar
5. Jaden
6. Stafford
7. Herbert
8. Goff
9. Hurts
10. Baker

• Cowherd: “That’s about as close [to accurate] as any top 10 quarterback list I’ve ever seen.” (26:14)

• Goff often overlooked: “Because he's not dynamic, he's not fun to root for. The guy was the number one pick out of Cal. He got to a Super Bowl. I’ve seen him outduel Mahomes in big games. He’s good.” (26:41)

• Baker’s solidification: “I'd say Baker now is two straight years... There's a Farveian element...” (27:20)

• On the strength of the top four: “Mahomes hasn’t played as well in the regular season as those other three guys... but we have full faith in him in the biggest moments.” (27:56)

On Jaden Daniels

• Cowherd: “If you combine Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow, that’s what I thought Jaden Daniels was... Jaden surpassed [Andrew Luck]. He didn’t make the mistakes of Luck.” (31:16)
• Middlekauff: “Jaden is already [an elite passer] immediately... he could be on a crash course to be one of the great players of all time.” (33:16)

4. Coaching and Culture Matter

• Dan Campbell (Lions):
  • Cowherd confesses, “I was wrong on Dan Campbell. I thought he was a bit of a meathead... But you know what? It’s so authentic. He is so passionate, and it’s so authentic. And I think the players can feel that authenticity and they buy into him.” (34:54)
  • “All the Lions guys—Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson—no a-holes, all really good guys.” (35:55)
• The Role of "Alpha" Coaches:
  • Cowherd: “You ask so much of players physically... In the NFL, you play hurt and the coach is going to ask you to play hurt... There is a certain personality, an alpha personality that works." (36:27)

5. Cowboys’ Dysfunction and Ownership Woes

• Coaching and Structural Concerns:

  • Cowherd: “I think the Cowboys have one of the weaker staffs... They're depending on a ton of young guys on the offensive line and that can be very hit or miss.” (39:43, 41:25)
  • Middlekauff: “You just kind of do what Jerry wants. Jerry’s in control. Mike McCarthy plays out his last season... These players, especially the last couple years, because Jerry... talks so much. They knew Mike McCarthy... ultimately, buddy, you're not the boss, right? We'll go to Jerry if we have an issue.” (47:32–48:05)
  • On potential for chaos: “If the team's not good, he's still calling into that radio show every Tuesday morning. He's still in the locker room, which doesn't happen anywhere else. When Jerry walks in that room... his quotes will make headlines.” (50:23)

• Comparison to Other Franchises:

  • "All the teams they're losing to, the Packers, the Niners... they don't operate anything like that with their owner." (47:32)

6. Packers’ Quiet Strength and Organizational Blueprint

• A Model in Continuity:
  • Cowherd: “I think I'm going to take the Packers... they've had a quiet offseason and I think that stuff matters.” (56:33)
  • Middlekauff explains their system: “There is a blueprint in that program that they know works. Gudikens was taught from Ted Thompson, who was taught from Ron Wolf. Like, there is a consistent theme in that organization that has never changed...” (62:40)
  • Packers as the “millionaire next door”: They succeed by “draft and develop,” not free agency flash. (61:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sean Payton’s coaching:
  “He goes into an organization and the culture’s broken. The quarterback’s a mess. And there’s impending new ownership. ... Are we undervaluing... what he’s done in Denver?” — Colin Cowherd (04:10)

• On team culture:
  “When you ask athletes or men... There is a certain personality, an alpha personality, that works. ... I think Dan Campbell sells that. I think it’s authentic. I think he loves his players. I think they feel it.” — Colin Cowherd (36:27)

• On Jerry Jones and Cowboys’ culture:
  “You just kind of do what Jerry wants. Jerry’s in control. ... all the other teams they're competing with ... they don't operate anything like that with their owner.” — John Middlekauff (47:32)

• On Packers’ perennial success:
  “There is a blueprint in that program that they know works. ... That is pretty rare and I think that's the only reason that this little town ... dominates these big cities.” — John Middlekauff (62:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sean Payton’s Impact in Denver: 03:30–10:00
• NFL Win Totals (Unders & Overs): 11:00–21:53
• Top 10 QBs Discussion: 26:14–34:54
• Coaching Culture — Lions, Commanders, and NFL’s “Alpha” Coaches: 34:54–39:43
• Cowboys Dysfunction & Ownership: 39:43–52:02
• Packers' Blueprint & NFC North Forecast: 56:33–64:23

Conclusion

In a dense and insight-rich conversation, Cowherd and Middlekauff illuminate the factors shaping the 2025 NFL season—placing special emphasis on the overlooked importance of continuity, authentic coaching, and organizational structure. The episode offers actionable betting perspectives and evaluates how storied franchises like Denver, Green Bay, and Dallas are navigating crossroads, all while drilling into the ever-shifting quarterback landscape and what it signals for contenders and pretenders alike. This is a must-listen for football fans invested in both the tactical details and wider cultural forces shaping the NFL.