The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: INSTANT REACTION: Jags UPSET Chiefs On MNF, Mahomes Was Magical In Loss, Dodgers Beat Phillies
Date: October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

Colin Cowherd delivers his immediate takeaways from a thrilling Monday Night Football game where the Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as his reaction to the Dodgers’ close playoff win over the Phillies. Cowherd breaks down team performances, highlights key plays (and mistakes), and shares his perspective on league trends and what the results mean for NFL rankings and postseason baseball hopes.

NFL: Jags Upset Chiefs on Monday Night Football

Kansas City Chiefs: Still Good, but Not Great

• Chiefs fall to Jaguars, 31-28, despite impressive stats:

  • Outgained Jags: 465 total yards, 307 passing yards
  • Led in time of possession and first downs
  • Key error: “Mahomes had a pick six and did not see the guy. He threw a ball that he didn't see the defender. So I give him a little bit of a pass on that.” (03:06)

• Mahomes shines, despite loss:

  • “I thought Mahomes was magical. 28 to 37, 307 yards, six rushing attempts, 10 yards per rush. I thought he was unbelievable...” (04:03)
  • Mahomes continues to lead the offense (often as leading rusher, which is “not ideal”)

• Chiefs’ standing in the league:

  • “I don't think they're a Super Bowl team, but... there’s not a great team in this league right now.” (04:25)
  • KC is “the fourth or fifth best team in the NFL” – not as consistent as Detroit, nor as strong overall as Philly or Tampa.

• Emerging receiver talent:

  • “Keep your eye on Burchard Smith... he’s emerging as a real player for them. When Rasheed Rice comes back, Kansas City is going to have a really good receiving core.” (03:44)

Jaguars: Belief over Talent

• Jags' victory questioned:

  • Cowherd doubts the Jags are truly better than Kansas City, citing Mahomes’ turnover as unlikely to repeat:
    • “I don’t think the Jags are better than Kansas City. I don’t think if they played again, Mahomes would have a pick six.” (03:21)

• Lawrence’s rollercoaster night:

  • “Fumble at the goal line. Bad interception. You know, the pick six Mahomes did not see the defender. You know, the timing and the spot of that interception by Trevor Lawrence felt like it was worse. And he's just worth a couple of turnovers, it feels like, in big spots.” (07:07)

• Jacksonville’s struggle is mindset, not skill:

  • “Jacksonville’s problem isn’t talent. It’s sort of belief... For them to travel cross country and beat San Francisco, that’s impressive.” (07:37)

• Praising Lawrence’s clutch play:

  • “Give Trevor Lawrence credit though, in that final drive. Holy crow, did he have a couple of darts... that throw to Michael Thomas up the right sideline, that is as good a throw as Trevor Lawrence has made as a, as a professional quarterback. That was a perfect throw. That was all time stuff.” (08:22)
  • “That throw by Trevor Lawrence will go down as one of his great throws as a pro to beat Kansas City.” (08:37)

League Trends and Power Rankings

• No truly dominant teams:

  • “It’s just crazy right now. There’s no great teams. There’s great coaches, there’s great quarterbacks, there’s great units.” (05:01)

• Detroit Lions admiration:

  • “I think the best unit in the league is the running back room for the Lions and the offensive line for the Lions. Offensively, Detroit is just a fricking handful, man.” (05:09)

• Week 1 means little:

  • “You just can't count week one... It’s an extension of preseason because nobody plays starters...” (05:47)

• Herd Hierarchy in flux:

  • “I don’t know what to do with Jacksonville. I don’t know what to do with Seattle. I can’t put Seattle in and I think they're good... I got the Colts at 10, I got Buffalo at 8 or 9... I don't have New England in it and they just beat Buffalo. I don't do standings.” (06:19)
  • “I'm going to now spend the next 15 minutes doing my herd hierarchy. It's a mess right now. I don't even—I can't put Seattle in it... Do I put the Jags in over the Rams? Really?” (15:30)

MLB: Dodgers Edge Phillies for Series Lead

Dodgers’ Blueprint: Great, But Not Perfect

• Dodgers win 4–3 over Phillies to take 2–0 series lead:

  • “Winning games in Philly's not easy in so many ways. It was such a beautiful win by the Dodgers.” (11:32)

• Blake Snell’s dominant performance:

  • “Blake Snell, great starting pitching. I mean, Snell was incredible. Six innings, nine strikeouts, didn't allow a run. Beautiful clutch performance.” (11:47)

• Defensive highlights:

  • “Miguel Rojas, who's a 36-year-old shortstop at third, made an unbelievable play in the bottom of the sixth inning to leap to the bag and beat the runner to get the out at third. Just an incredible defensive play.” (12:09)

• Dodgers' bullpen remains a liability:

  • “There wasn't a Dodger fan that felt good about that thing when they went to the bullpen... I've never seen a team with a bad bullpen win a World Series.” (12:51)
  • “If you want to know if a team's bullpen is trustable...go to a diehard fan when they go to the bullpen and how that fan initially feels. We'll tell you the truth about that reliever.” (13:32)

• Offensive clutch moments:

  • “Clutch hitting by Will Smith and Ohtani in a four-run seventh.” (12:18)
  • Mookie Betts stays hot, Will Smith returns from injury

• Comparing to Yankees:

  • “The Yankees are uneven. They're so home run dependent. Now, if Garrett Cole was healthy, maybe you'd feel differently, but the Yankees don't play a lot of small ball.” (14:22)

• Big Picture:

  • “If you'd never seen a Dodger game, that sums up what they can be at their best and their worst, all within two and a half hours. Right? But they get out of it with a win.” (14:46)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Mahomes’ efforts in loss:
  • “I thought Mahomes was magical.” (04:03)
• On NFL parity:
  • “There’s no great teams. There’s great coaches, there’s great quarterbacks, there’s great units.” (05:01)
• On Jaguars’ final drive:
  • “That throw to Michael Thomas up the right sideline...was all time stuff...Eli Manning, Mario Manningham in the Super Bowl.” (08:30)
• On Dodgers’ bullpen anxiety:
  • “There wasn't a Dodger fan that felt good about that thing when they went to the bullpen.” (12:51)
• On fan knowledge:
  • “If you want to know if a team's bullpen is trustable... go to a diehard fan when they go to the bullpen and how that fan initially feels.” (13:32)

Key Timestamps

• NFL/Jags-Chiefs Recap: 01:20–10:00
• NFL Herd Hierarchy & League Discussion: 10:00–11:25, 15:30–End
• Dodgers vs. Phillies Reaction: 11:25–15:30
• Notable NFL Player Comments:
  • Mahomes praise (04:03),
  • Trevor Lawrence’s clutch (08:22)
  • League parity (05:01)

Conclusion

Colin Cowherd’s instant reaction episode offers a nuanced look at both NFL parity—highlighting the unpredictability of this season and the struggles of even top teams like the Chiefs—and the Dodgers' playoff mettle, commending their strengths while stressing bullpen concerns. With playoff baseball and a muddled NFL hierarchy, Cowherd’s trademark blend of sharp insight and candor makes this a must-listen for sports fans craving context behind the headlines.