THE HERD - Hour 1 - Baker Mayfield's Perfect Fit, Jim Harbaugh Completes the Transformation

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Hour 1 – Baker Mayfield's Perfect Fit, Jim Harbaugh Completes the Transformation
Date: September 16, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd (with Jason McIntyre)
Podcast by: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre explore the importance of "fit" in sports through deep dives into Baker Mayfield's resurgence with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jim Harbaugh’s transformative effect on the Los Angeles Chargers. They break down quarterback-coach relationships, team culture, and recent performances across the NFL and touch on key storylines including A.J. Brown’s frustration in Philadelphia and quarterback questions for teams like the Bears and Raiders. The tone throughout is candid, insightful, and occasionally humorous.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Baker Mayfield and the Power of 'Fit'

[03:36] – [08:14]

• Colin Cowherd outlines how Baker Mayfield’s time in Cleveland was characterized by too many egos in leadership and a volatile environment:

  “Baker Mayfield in Cleveland was the spark. Even the media in Cleveland has a chip on their shoulder for years and years of losing... It just felt like it needed a fire extinguisher every 15 minutes for a press conference in Cleveland with Baker.” (Colin, 04:09)

• Contrast with Tampa Bay, where the organizational structure is calm, supportive, and pressure-free:

  “Tampa is a perfect fit for Baker. It’s always been a little sleepy... They’ve always had talent, but they could never get the quarterback right. And they go Brady to Baker and it’s a perfect fit.” (Colin, 05:44)

• Baker’s performance since joining Tampa: Most passing touchdowns since his arrival, top 5-6 in other metrics, a sense of confidence and belonging.

• Mayfield’s quote on his maturity and fit:

  “It’s good to see that we haven’t even played close to our best ball in all three phases and we’re still finding ways to win on the road.” (Baker Mayfield, 07:55)

• Colin reiterates:

  “Baker Mayfield finally found the perfect fit... This is his team, his town, his city, his locker room, his division. It feels perfect.” (Colin, 06:29)

2. Jim Harbaugh Transforms the Chargers

[08:14] – [13:25]

• The Chargers’ drastic shift from the NFL’s worst defense 20 games ago to now leading the league:

  “Here comes Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Twenty games later, a few tweaks. It is the stickiest secondary in the league. It’s the number one rated defense in the league.” (Colin, 08:32)

• Harbaugh’s teams have a clear identity: big, strong, physical, and low on ego.

• Quarterback Justin Herbert’s quiet demeanor is a "perfect fit" for Harbaugh:

  “Herbert’s very secure in who he is. And listen, the offense, it still feels like they’re probably a receiver shy... but as Harbaugh said after the win over the Raiders, it is all about this defense, defense.” (Colin, 10:42)

• On defense and culture:

  “When you lead the NFL the last 20 games in defense, a lot of that is culture and coaching.” (Colin, 13:23)

3. A.J. Brown and the Problem with Philly's Offense

[19:33] – [22:45]

• Colin defends A.J. Brown's mounting frustration as a star displaced in the Eagles’ run-centric system (after being underutilized with Tennessee, too):

  “He’s a heated seat in Phoenix or an Olympic-sized backyard pool in Anchorage... he’s not needed for Philadelphia and they need another corner...” (Colin, 21:19)

• Brown’s statistics: 6 catches for 35 yards so far this season.

• Colin’s perspective on why star players in football should be allowed the same career mobility as, for instance, NBA stars or top attorneys:

  “In football, everybody get in line, everybody be a team guy. Like, Philadelphia, he’s a luxury for somebody that doesn’t need him.” (Colin, 20:58)

• Brown’s own words:

  “The goal is to win the game... But, you know, our job is to continue to try to find a way to win.” (A.J. Brown, 22:31)

4. Chicago Bears and the Rookie QB Dilemma

[23:47] – [27:47]

• The Bears are winless (0-2); rookie Caleb Williams is showing mixed results.

• Detroit’s offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Williams’ growth:

  “I did see significant growth. It’s not perfect yet. There’s still a number of plays where our eyes aren’t quite in the right position...” (Ben Johnson, 24:11)

• Colin doubts the improvement:

  “Game one and game two were the same. Great opening drive, too much freelancing after that and it looked disoriented.” (Colin, 24:37)

• Gambling discussion: Why are the Bears favored over Dallas? It's their season on the line, Cowboys might be fatigued, and Vegas lines may reflect this.

5. Baltimore Ravens: Steady with a ‘Good Problem’

[27:49] – [29:36]

• Ravens dominated the Browns, but top weapons haven’t been heavily involved.

• Coach John Harbaugh:

  “That’s kind of a blessing, you know, but it’s also a dilemma... hopefully it’s the kind of dilemma that puts a lot of points on the board.” (John Harbaugh, 28:10)

• Colin makes a baseball analogy: The Ravens are like the 90s Braves—reliably strong but not always postseason favorites.

• Still, questions persist about Lamar Jackson’s playoff ceiling.

6. Vikings QB Injury & Rookie Woes

[29:36] – [34:15]

• J.J. McCarthy suffers a serious injury; Carson Wentz steps in.
• Ongoing debate: Are some players just injury-prone, or do they not protect themselves?
• McCarthy has looked overwhelmed in prime-time starts, sparking discussion about readiness versus circumstance.
• McIntyre defends Caleb Williams as more "lost than overwhelmed" due to system fit.

7. Raiders’ Quarterback Issues: Geno Smith and Missed Opportunities

[34:25] – [37:33]

• Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly may be “trapped” with Geno Smith, not their first or second choice for QB.
• Geno’s aggressive downfield throws are problematic when sped up; he leads the league in interceptions since 2022.
• Pete Carroll expresses frustration:

  "We were impatient with the throwing game and that's why the ball went down the field so far. And I don't think we needed to do that… The picks are a big issue, but that's not my concern. My concern is why we didn't get the ball thrown and caught underneath.” (Pete Carroll, 37:11)

8. LA Football vs. New York Football: A Tale of Two Cities

[42:55] – [47:41]

• Colin compares LA’s burgeoning football culture favorably to New York’s struggles, crediting executive leadership and coaching (McVay and Harbaugh):

  “I’m going to argue that Harbaugh and McVay... are the two best culture creators in football, LA football right now.” (Colin, 42:59)

• LA franchises have stability, great ownership, top GMs, and star QB/coach pairings, while NY teams are 0-4 and struggling.

9. Chiefs at 0-2: No Panic

[47:41] – [48:08]

• Despite the record, Kansas City is predicted to rebound as key receivers return and the schedule gets easier.
• Andy Reid’s reassurance:

  “I trust this group. I mean, this group's a good group. Got good leadership, and they'll stay together... Like I said, this game here was more on the offensive side. We've got to take care of that.” (Andy Reid, 47:41)

• Colin: “The Chiefs are going to make the playoffs.”

10. Quick Betting and Schedule Previews

[48:54] – [51:36]

• Jason and Colin preview Week 3, debate specific lines, and identify possible upsets and “trap” games.
• Jason: “If you get humiliated in the NFL and you have good personnel... you just got humiliated. Almost always, you play well the following week.” (50:20)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Tampa is a perfect fit for Baker… The media in Tampa, they've got Super Bowls. They're not bitter, they're supportive and there's no pressure.”
  – Colin Cowherd, 05:44

• “All Harbaugh teams look the same. Big, strong, physical…They just squeeze you.”
  – Colin Cowherd, 09:28

• “When you lead the NFL the last 20 games in defense, a lot of that is culture and coaching.”
  – Colin Cowherd, 13:23

• “He's a heated seat in Phoenix or an Olympic-sized backyard pool in Anchorage… he’s not needed for Philadelphia.”
  – Colin Cowherd on A.J. Brown, 21:19

• "There's an argument they are the two best culture creators in football, LA football right now."
  – Colin Cowherd on McVay and Harbaugh, 42:59

• “I trust this group. I mean, this group’s a good group. Got good leadership, and they'll stay together.”
  – Andy Reid, 47:41

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:36–08:14 | Baker Mayfield's fit in Tampa and leadership journey | | 08:14–13:25 | Jim Harbaugh’s impact on the Chargers, defensive turnaround | | 19:33–22:45 | A.J. Brown’s frustration in Philly | | 23:47–27:47 | Chicago Bears, rookie QB struggles, oddsmaker analysis | | 27:49–29:36 | Ravens’ offense, Harbaugh’s “good problem” | | 29:36–34:15 | Vikings QB injuries, the rookie learning curve, system fit for Caleb Williams| | 34:25–37:33 | Raiders’ quarterback situation, Geno Smith’s ceiling | | 42:55–47:41 | LA football culture vs. New York, importance of team leadership | | 47:41–48:08 | Chiefs’ slow start, Andy Reid’s confidence | | 48:54–51:36 | Week 3 schedule preview, betting strategies |

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Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in connecting individual player stories to broader themes of fit, culture, and leadership in the NFL. Colin and Jason break down not just results, but the underlying dynamics shaping team success, with a conversational, relatable tone ideal for both casual and hardcore fans. The analysis of Mayfield and Harbaugh anchors the hour, while side topics like AJ Brown’s usage and the LA/NY football dichotomy provide depth and context to the NFL’s current landscape.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is John Middelkoff from three and.

[Jason McIntyre]

Out with John Middelkoff.

[Colin Cowherd]

Thursday Night Football is on. This week the Miami Dolphins take on the Buffalo Bills. Coverage begins at 7pm Eastern and it's.

[Jason McIntyre]

Only on Prime Video. Not a Prime member.

[Colin Cowherd]

Simply sign up for a 30 day free trial. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.comamazonprime for details.

[Jason McIntyre]

Thanks for listening to the Heard Podcast Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now, let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Tuesday, a lot to talk about. Herd hierarchy. Will the Chiefs be in it? The Dynasty? Did they make it in? It's the Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making it. That's part of your team. 102 and 0 teams. 1002 teams. I do think the Chiefs of the 02 teams will be fine. They'll get healthy. Not great. Very good. J. Mack, you know Baker Mayfield and I are frenemies and I told you I offered him a podcast on my little company a couple years ago. He said, no, that's okay. But I do. I don't hold grudges. Thankfully, Baker doesn't hold grudges. I would love to get him on the show, but was that fun to watch last night or what?

[Colin Cowherd]

Not if you were holding a Houston Texans ticket and expecting the win. But that's two weeks in a row Baker's come through in the clutch column.

[Jason McIntyre]

We've talked about this with the Bears. Fit, coach, quarterback, and Baker Mayfield is a great illustration of what fit means. So think about Baker Mayfield gets drafted, goes to Cleveland, chip on his shoulder out of Oklahoma, little bit of an attitude. And then he deals with Hugh Jackson and his ego and Greg Williams and his ego. And. And he's got John Dorsey, the former player, the gm, his ego and the impulsive owner. Boy, it was a tinderbox. And Baker Mayfield in Cleveland was the spark. Even the media in Cleveland has a chip on their shoulder for years and years of losing. Then it wasn't until Kevin Stefanski showed up in Cleveland. Ivy League, cerebral, understated. Baker goes 11 and 5, gets into the playoffs, wins a game. But everything just didn't feel right. There too many fires started by Baker and those guys. Just Andrew Barry, Stefanski said. We're going to start over. Easy to say now, but then at the time it was just, it was just too much sparks and and you felt like it needed a fire extinguisher every 15 minutes for a press conference in Cleveland with Baker. Then he grows up, he bounces around. He ends up in Tampa, no ego with head coach Todd Bowles, Even Keel gm, Great one Jason Light, the Owners stay out of the business. The media in Tampa, they've got Super Bowls. They're not bitter, they're supportive and there's no pressure. And in sleepy Tampa, Baker Mayfield, the last two weeks, first of all, he leads the NFL in passing touchdowns since he got to Tampa, game winning drives. Last two weeks, he's been great. He doesn't have to battle the media. He doesn't have to battle Hugh Jackson or Greg Williams to win the room. He doesn't have to remake an organization. Tampa's always had players. They just could never get the quarterback right. Even his top receiver, Mike Evans. Mecca Buka, no ego, easygoing guys. Remember OBJ in Cleveland, the dad gets involved, they're releasing stuff to the media. It just didn't work. So Tampa is a perfect fit for Baker. It's always been a little sleepy. I worked there years ago. E Bar City, fun town. But you know, Miami gets all the glare down south and Atlanta up north and Tampa just sits there and you know, it's got a older fan base and very loyal and they kind of under the radar and they've been dominating this division. They've always had talent, but they could never get the quarterback right. And they go Brady to Baker and it's a perfect fit. You know, it's. Again, nobody in Tampa's got a chip on their shoulder. In Cleveland, the gm, the owner, the interim coach, the media, everybody had a chip on their shoulder. So it doesn't matter if it's sports or business or relationships. It's all about fit. And since he arrived in Tampa, he's got the most passing touchdowns. He's top five or six in everything else. That inner turmoil, it's gone. He's got a certain quiet resolve and confidence and peace about him. It is perfect. Remember when he signed there? It was a one year prove it deal. That feels like a decade ago. This is his team, his town, his city, his locker room, his division. It feels perfect. And this is what we say about Chicago to the coach and the quarterback personality scheme fit in Tampa. Todd Bowles, quiet, understated, no ego. He lets. He's had a couple different coordinators. They're all working. The GM is one of the best in the sport. The personnel is good, the owners stay away. The media supportive. They didn't even play that well the first two weeks and they're 2 0. Here's Baker. It's good to see that we haven't even played close to our best ball in all three phases and we're still finding ways to win on the road.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

And that's really important is to not.

[Jason McIntyre]

Lose sight of that. We're finding ways to win, but also we do need to get things fixed.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

Some of these games can make it easier on ourselves and try and put teams away earlier. But this is a good team that we played. So we expected a hard fought battle. But yeah, it's nice to be on the right side of it.

[Jason McIntyre]

By the way, look at him. Handsome. He's happy, he's in great shape. If you can go on the road in the NFL, get a punt block, give up a huge return, not play particularly well, but you have a goal line stand, you get Baker the ball. With a couple minutes left, they're going to win this division again. And Baker's the reason why. Baker Mayfield finally found the perfect fit. Even when he got hurt here, when he got banged up his ankle, I didn't stay down too long. He wanted to get out and get chatty. That's Baker and I'm here for it now. At least in Tampa I am. Okay, how about the Chargers beating the Raiders? So 20 games ago, it's hard to believe 20 games ago the Chargers were a mess. They had the 32nd ranked defense in the NFL. Here comes Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Twenty games later, a few tweaks. It is the stickiest secondary in the league. It's the number one rated defense in the league. And once again, all Harbaugh teams look the same. Big, strong, physical. I mean, Geno Smith isn't Great, but over 10 on balls downfield and three picks. Gino's better than that. In two weeks against the Chiefs and the Raiders, opposing quarterbacks have a 61 passer rating, best in the league. I don't know if they'll be able to keep Jesse Minner. The defensive coordinator. Justin Herbert feels like a perfect fit. Take out the playoff game in the regular season, the 19 games he's played with hardball, three picks. So they're a little bit like Philadelphia. They've got their star quarterback, they've got their offensive coach. Joe Alt has not surrendered a sack or even a pressure. They're just a big, massive, physical team. Kind of the opposite of Miami. Miami hired an offensive coach. It's all flash, no steak. This is all substance, tough and physical. I mean, Keenan Allen, 33 years old, still delivering on third down. So they just squeeze you. Herbert doesn't make any big mistakes. He'll make one or two huge throws. They are the opposite of the team that Jim Harbaugh took over. Powerful Predictable, physical. And it's why Justin hurt, by the way. Small town Oregon kid, you don't get any ego. He just wants to win. He lives in LA and hides. We don't see him anywhere. He's super quiet and it's just perfect for Harbaugh. Like Harbaugh would. He would struggle with a quarterback that needed constant attention or needed validation. Herbert's very secure in who he is. And listen, the offense, it still feels like they're probably a receiver Shy Lad McConkey's there 1. Quentin Johnson's Their big play receiver. It feels like Keenan Allen's been the most valuable. Could they use another receiver? We don't know if a Mario Hampton, Najee Harris. It's good. It hasn't been spectacular, but as Harbaugh said after the win over the Raiders, it is all about this defense, defense.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

Guardians of victory today. I mean, they had our back or front our side and it was a. Just a tremendous defensive performance. The, the turnovers, three interceptions, the fourth down stops, incredible stop on the 20 play drive. You know, over 11 minutes they had. We had a ball once in the third quarter, they had it once in the third quarter. And, and you know, to stop him to three points there. And just the guys just playing like, I mean, it just meant everything to him.

[Jason McIntyre]

And that's the thing with Harbaugh. It's not just the offensive stuff. Obviously he's cleaned up Herbert, but this team is the opposite from the one he took over. And for years and years, the Chargers just didn't spend money on the head coach. Right? They had, they had some good coaches, but you always felt like, man, could they just go out and spend the big boy money? Well, they have. And this is what you get. This is what you get if you're going to hire Urban Meyer to run your college football team or Nick Saban to run your college football team or you hire, you know, you hire Jim Harbaugh to coach your NFL team or Andy Reid to coach your NFL team. It's not just about changing the plays, it's changing the culture and eye for personnel. I don't know. They were missing a defensive back last night. And again, we all know Geno Smith, probably the 15th best quarterback in the league, 0 for 10 throwing balls downfield. I mean, that defense was everywhere. There's just no space, no blown coverages. Khalil Mack's banged up. He'll be back before the end of the season. But J. Mac, you had to be impressed. I thought it was going to be a closer game. But it is interesting. In his first draft Harbaugh went and spent, you know, two fifth round picks. He went and got a couple of cornerbacks obviously that he had recruited or played against in Michigan. They both hit. So it's just, I look at him, how good is their personnel? It's good. But when you lead the NFL the last 20 games in defense, a lot of that is culture and coaching.

[Colin Cowherd]

I totally agree. The Jesse Minter stuff, you know, he's going to be a hot commodity. That defense, they got a lot of no name dudes out there and Khalil Mack went down. I was like, oh wow, Raiders are going to have a shot here. They couldn't do anything. Just a quick note on Harbaugh. Colin, Remember last week I was bemoaning the Chiefs. They look like the same team the last few years. They haven't changed or reinvented themselves. I watched the Chargers last year. They were doing heavy sets, a lot of two tight ends. They were throwing at guys like Will Disley, Stone smart, you know, random tight ends. This year, wide receivers. And it's Keenan Allen who looks so good by the way. He was available on the market for like two months. Anybody could have gone and got Keenan Allen. Well, and the Chargers pick him up.

[Jason McIntyre]

We talk about fit he was in Chicago, didn't do anything. Yeah, he comes back to the Chargers with Justin Herbert and he's fantastic. So he's a guy that's 33, multiple surgeries. He remains, I would say Mike Evans in the nfc, Keenan Allen in the AFC have been these all time great third down, big play, red zone wide receiver. He's a tough matchup. He doesn't run particularly well. He is not as well as he used to. But again with this offense they got the, they got the twitchy guy and lad McConkey. They've got the over the top guy in Quentin Johnson and then they've got the dependable third down guy in Kenan Allen. So everybody on their receiving core has a role. It's not about it. It's not the fastest or the deepest but everybody's got a third down guy, a quick slot guy, an over the top big guy and Herbert delivers to all of them.

[Colin Cowherd]

I know we're going to do the herd hierarchy in 45 minutes but Colin, I you look at the AFC it kind of sort of feels like Baltimore and Buffalo at the top and the Chargers are right there. I don't know who's better than them in the AFC right now.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, here's the thing. They have a much better defense than Buffalo and Baltimore. Now, they don't have the explosiveness on offense of those two teams, right? But I would say they have arguably the best coach of it and the best defense that you can't dispute. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and.

[Colin Cowherd]

The iHeartRadio app hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the eye test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do.

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[Jason McIntyre]

You know, I was thinking about this with AJ Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, who's unhappy, but let me defend the star wide receiver. Now, there's a lot of receivers I will not defend. It's an ego position. But if you were an attorney, and you were a great young attorney, you're a hot shot, came out of the Ivy League. You go to a law firm and you just can't. They don't give you any of the good cases. And after about two or three years, you're like, listen, man, I got, I think I got other places where I can be potentially a partner and a star. We would totally understand if you took your career elsewhere. When Jalen Brunson was with the Mavericks and couldn't get the ball in his hands because of Luka, he went to the Knicks. And we all understood AJ Brown, I would have no problem if he asked for a trade. Philadelphia is run first, run Second and tight end friendly. I mean they, they, they. Since the beginning of last year no team has thrown fewer passes and when they do, Devontae Smith on the other side is also great. So this year he's got six catches for 35 yards and to double down on that. This is a guy that's not only playing in the most run centric offense in the league for the last year. He came from Tennessee who previously to the Eagles was the most run centric offense with Derrick Henry. So this is, he's like an NBA player that he's a star and he can't get shots. We would be okay. Jalen Brunson, he needs to go to New York, he needs to run the show and we're okay with that. But in football, everybody get in line, everybody be a team guy like Philadelphia, he's a luxury for somebody that doesn't need him. I mean he's a heated seats in Phoenix or an Olympic sized backyard pool in Anchorage. I mean it's just like he's not needed for Philadelphia and they need another corner to be on the other side of Mitchell. So I mean like Philadelphia is not a perfect team. And by the way, even when Jalen Hurts does throw down the field this morning, you know this grind run first team, Jalen Hurts is like 2 for 8 passing 10 plus yards downfield. They don't throw it downfield well and they don't throw it downfield much. And so I totally get him. It's, it's not like, it's not like this Tyreek Hill situation in Miami. They threw the ball to a day. He was the number one part of the offense. They didn't have a great O line in Miami. They didn't have a great run game. Philadelphia has got the best run game arguably in a decade and they have a quarterback that is not a deep ball thrower. He's not necessarily your traditional quarterback. Their number one offensive play is a tush push. All right. It's not a deep ball. So I get it. And AJ and AJ's been a good guy, he's trying to be a nice guy but I'm going to defend him. We would understand in the NBA if a guy just didn't get shots and he was a great player. A.J. brown, I mean he's in a short list with Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase Amaran St. Brown, he is on a short list of great receivers in this league. So he's talking about. Here he is on the Eagles kind of sluggish offensive start.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

The goal is to is to win the game.

[Jason McIntyre]

So, you know, no matter what that.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

Looks like, I think the reason why.

[Jason McIntyre]

People may talk about it because they want to know if it's substantial, you.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

Know, and can you sustain that throughout the season.

[Jason McIntyre]

So, you know, I think that's fair.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

I think that's a fair thing to talk about. But, you know, our job is continue.

[Jason McIntyre]

To try to find a way to win. So Jalen Hurts is dead last in pass attempts going back to the beginning of last season And Philadelphia is 20 and three in those games. So they're not going to change for him. They've got their, they've got their culture. The good news for A.J. brown is it's the best trading team in the league. And I know Howie Roseman wants him over in the afc and I don't know if Baltimore maybe is looking at something or Buffalo maybe it's not a great team. I don't know what it is. Maybe the Chargers give a call. But I feel for him. He is an unbelievable talent. He's right in the middle of his prime and he goes from the run centric Titans to the even more run centric Eagles. And I don't blame him at all for being disappointed. He's a pro athlete. He's not an attorney. He can't do this for 50 years. Right? He's got about three to four more years of prime and you got to feed him. He wants to eat. J Mac with the news.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

No, no, no, no.

[Jason McIntyre]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herdline news. Let's get started. Colin, with your Chicago Bears. They are 0 2. We probably only got a couple more weeks to talk about them before we put them on the shelf since they appear to stink. Obviously everybody's talking about. Caleb Williams didn't have a great game against Detroit. However, his coach, Ben Johnson said he saw some growth on Sunday. How about that?

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

I did see significant growth. It's not perfect yet. There's still a number of plays where our eyes aren't quite in the right position or we're holding onto the ball just to tick longer than what we're coaching. But I did see tremendous growth in terms of going through the progression. I did think he got better from week one to week two. I'm encouraged by what I saw and I'm hopeful that we'll continue to see another leap here this week.

[Jason McIntyre]

I thought game one and game two were the same. Great opening drive, too much freelancing after that and it looked disoriented. Too many balls thrown up for grabs. So I Know, I don't know. I watched it. You watched it. Really good opening drive. But the further he gets away from the script, it just unravels way too fast for me.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I'm trying to make sense of this line. Why are the Bears favored in this one against the Cowboys? What is that?

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, and this is the first time I've seen it this year and this will happen occasionally where you will get a line. It happens three or four times a year and it doesn't make any sense. And by the way, I thought the Eagles, Chiefs, you're like one and a half point spread. Like is Kansas City going to be able to move the ball with Xavier worthy out of that? That game was a little bit like shouldn't Philly be favored by like 2 and a half, 3 and a half on the road? I get that. And also Kansas City got humiliated. So like I got that. But I did think the line was a little small considering Philly's got a much better roster. So to me, Vegas knows something. There is a matchup here and I think here's what it is. This is Chicago season. I mean, if they go 03 all of a sudden, you have to start really answering some questions here in a big loud Chicago market. Whereas Dallas has won and one, they're feeling good. Also Dallas went to overtime. Dallas played a lot of snaps. Dallas's defense was on the field for four hours that you could get a little fatigued Cowboy team in the second half.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a great point. I. I was just going to check how many actual plays because you know the magic number for plays is 80. If a defense is on the field for 80 plays, that's real bad news the following week.

[Jason McIntyre]

Historically there's some data would be because the Giants had so many over the top deep balls, they had shorter drives.

[Colin Cowherd]

Actually, actually the Giants defense, oh boy. And they got to face Mahomes. They were on the field for 83 plays. So foul that away. But I don't know what to do with this game. I have nothing, no action on this. But I'm just thinking you're right. If Caleb can't shred this secondary that just got lit up by Russell Wilson, who remember a week ago, hey, is Russ going to get bench for Jackson dart now he throws for 430 yards. It's like, whoa, Caleb, you need to shine here. This does feel like maybe a shootout. Colin, you think in Chicago?

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, I mean, if it's a shootout, I'm going to take Dakota because Dax playing really well right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who's getting stopped here. Bears defense didn't get any stops. They haven't looked good.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I tend to think there's going to be a lot of sellers on the Bears, so maybe Vegas had to create a better number to elicit some. Everybody was going to bet Dallas, so the market's saying, listen, nobody wants to bet the Bears after they got humiliated. So how do we make people bet the Bears? Yeah, I mean, I. I'm trying to figure out the line. It's. I. I tend to guess the lines. I would have guessed Dallas minus four. That's what it felt like to me on the road.

[Colin Cowherd]

So, remember, Bland was out. Apparently. He's like a superstar. Bland in the secondary.

[Jason McIntyre]

I don't know.

[Colin Cowherd]

Is he going to be back? We got to look. I don't know what to do with this, but I think your overall point is right. If Caleb Williams can't show out here, we're probably going to get legit calls. Hey, let's see what Tyson Bajan could do, right?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yep. I think you're able to. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, next up is the Baltimore Ravens. Colin, they smashed the Browns 41 to 17 on Sunday. Baltimore has nine offensive touchdowns so far. However, Mark Andrews and Rashad Bateman have a combined six catches. Is everybody getting involved? Here's John Harbaugh on trying to do that.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

That's kind of a blessing, you know, but it's also a dilemma and we're working through it, but hopefully it's the kind of dilemma that puts a lot of points on the board. That's what we're hoping for.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, it's. They've got a lot of playmakers, so I think they're going to be fine. Their defense is my concern, not their offense.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Colin, I didn't watch a lot of this game. It was boring, a blowout. You know, Browns were never in it. I don't know. What do you do with the Ravens at this point? Obviously, listen, they're going to. They're favored against the Lions, but it's.

[Jason McIntyre]

Like you remember those old Atlanta Braves teams when they had the great pitching, Glavin and Maddox, and you just penciled them in. They were going to win their division. You didn't know what they would do in the postseason matchups, but you would just say, okay, Atlanta is going to win their division. Bobby Cox, the manager, John Scherholz was the gm. They had a great farm system and they had great pitching for years and years and they won Wooden World Series. And I kind of feel like that with Baltimore because of Mahomes and Reed and Buffalo and now Harbaughn Herbert, they're going to win a Super Bowl. But in the end, in the interim, I just put them down for winning their division. They have a better owner than anybody in the division. They have a better quarterback who's healthier more often in the division. Their roster overall is the best in division. They're the Braves. Pencil them down, win their division, probably end up with a Super bowl in the next five years. But clearly the criticisms of Lamar in the postseason are fair because he has not been the same quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

Interesting. Derrick Henry was kind of plotting against the Browns. Listen, he's, he's getting up there once you cross 30 as a running back, you know, I know Henry was amazing in the opener, but that was off, what, seven months rest. Colin Henry bears watching because things quickly will fall apart if Derrick Henry is one of these like 3 yards in a cloud of dust. Guys, final story. Let's go to Sunday Night Football. That game where J.J. mcCarthy got injured late. Colin, it's worse than expected. He's out two to four weeks. Kind of got rolled up on. There's some debate whether or not it was a hip drop tackle. Carson Wentz is going to be taking over. Kevin O' Connell addressed McCarthy's injury yesterday.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

For JJ you know, he's in a long process, a long journey right now where there's going to be some ups and downs.

[Jason McIntyre]

There's not any aspect of this.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

This is a pure, purely medical, medical based thing that, you know, we're dealing with right now.

[Jason McIntyre]

Okay, so let's see, he comes in, he gets injured, I think in the preseason and then they have to have a second surgery on him and then he sits out a year and then he comes back and he's out after two weeks. I mean, so again, this goes back to something we talked about yesterday. People get uncomfortable about it, but there are athletes that are injury prone and there are athletes that don't do a great job of protecting themselves. And so in the end, right now I have a quarterback. I saw a stat yesterday on the Internet.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

That if he had grounded the ball 37 times instead of dropping back to pass, he would have had a higher passer rating. So it's, it's. He's had seven of eight of his quarters have been. I mean, he looks overwhelmed.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. He, I'll just. The only small defense of him is two prime time games to start your NFL career. That's difficult. Okay. I'm not. Again, he has not looked great, but those are Tall orders. Colin. I thought this would have been a great spot for him to get right against the sad sack Bengals. That being said, Carson Wentz is going to step in as the stat as the starter. I know we're out on Carson Wentz. Colin, do you remember two years ago Kirk Cousins had the Achilles?

[Jason McIntyre]

Yes.

[Colin Cowherd]

And they went through Nick Mullins, Josh Dobbs, the pastronaut, Jaren hall and Kevin o' Connell kind of sort of thrived with them the same way lafleur bought in.

[Jason McIntyre]

Wentz will be fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

I do think, I think I like the Vikings this week against the Bengals.

[Jason McIntyre]

Let me say this though. This whole thing about J.J. mcCarthy played two big games. He played in three Ohio State, Michigan games which get the same ratings as NFL games. It can't be that he is just listen. You can see Michael Penix, first series in the NFL. He's not overwhelmed.

[Colin Cowherd]

You can see just handing it off to Bijan Rodney.

[Jason McIntyre]

No Bon, if you look at his first passes last year, gets rid of the ball. Big, tall, lanky, good arm, quick release. Penix is not overwhelmed. Phoenix didn't win much. You know that first September last year was not overwhelmed. Caleb can be overwhelmed. Drake may looked a little overwhelmed. But there is something to be said when the bright lights come on, do you look the part? McCarthy doesn't look the part.

[Colin Cowherd]

So yeah, listen, I get that. I will say Pennx is like 25. He's older. Remember JJ McCarthy? Youngest quarterback in week one, youngest starter in the league. So just take it easy on the kid. I know you want to pump up Caleb and bash a divisional quarterback.

[Jason McIntyre]

I don't want to. Caleb. Caleb doesn't look overwhelmed. He looks like a terrible fit with this coach and wild and ad libbing, that's different. I can live with that. I do think Caleb had found a coach that didn't draft him. And it doesn't feel like it's a perfect marriage. I said this yesterday. You can be great people and get divorced and you find happiness elsewhere. I mean, how many times do we see in business a business merger and the two companies don't work? It's like, yeah, your culture and our culture. Most mergers don't work. And the truth is Shanahan loved Kirk Cousins loves Brock, Purdy loves Mac Jones. They run his plays and there are certain coaches now. Matt LaFleur is willing to let his quarterback ad libmar. Also Green Bay drafts receivers and tight ends very well. So all coaches have sensibilities and styles. Andy Reid's always been okay with Donovan McNabb moving and Mahomes moving. Shanahan likes it his way. So I just think there's different styles. And I don't think Caleb's overwhelmed. I think he's lost, but his horsepower is undeniable. He just doesn't look like he works at all.

[Colin Cowherd]

Which is worse, overwhelmed or lost?

[Jason McIntyre]

Neither is great. J. Mac with the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by.

[Jason McIntyre]

The herd lie news. We got herd hierarchy top of next hour. I'm sitting there. I don't know. I, you know, I think Kansas City's going to be fine. I don't have him in the herd hierarchy. I had them number 11. I've got Denver 12. So, you know, I was sitting there watching Gino Smith. The Raiders thing is interesting. So Pete Carroll gets the job with Chip Kelly and they know Justin Herbert's done division. Bo Nix and Sean Payton, Mahomes and Andy Reid. So the Raiders know we got to get the quarterback right? So they went. I think Geno Smith and Pete Carroll are a weird pairing. Pete hates interceptions and Geno is careless. He always has been. If you speed him up last night, three picks. So they wanted Matt Stafford. They offered him 100 million. Stafford said no, I'm going to stay with the Rams for less. And then I think they kind of wanted Sam Darnold. But Tom Brady, part owner of the Raiders, said no on Sam Darnold. So I think it was a marriage of convenience. Chip Kelly was very familiar with Geno Smith. Pete Carroll was familiar with Geno Smith, but I don't think he was their first or second choice. So, you know, Tom Brady's like, reportedly it was out there no to Darnold and, and they. Matt Stafford considered it probably for about a day and he said no. So Gino, since 2022, leads the NFL in interceptions. And Darnold's younger, he's more athletic. He's closer to his prime. And I think Sam Darnold was coming off an amazing year. Between Shanahan's mentoring and Kevin o' Connell's coaching, Darnold was going to come to Vegas with a lot of confidence. But I, when I watched it last night, I mean, already this year, Gino's got. Doesn't have really a number one receiver. Jacoby Myers is a two. Brock Bauer is a great tight end. They should probably give the ball more to Ash than Genty. They really should. But in the end, he's already third in the NFL right now in aggressive throws. So that's Geno. If you speed Geno up, he makes some bad decisions and in New York, he was a disaster. In Seattle, it was reclamation and a great story, but a great story doesn't mean a great quarterback. So I think Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly are a little trapped here. They wanted Stafford. I think privately they'd never admit it. They probably thought Darnold, you know, younger, in his prime, with some career momentum. But, you know, this is what they've got, the fourth best quarterback in the division again, Chip Kelly knew him from Ohio State. Apparently they had a relationship. He recruited him. Pete Carroll had him in Seattle. They like him, he's a likable guy. But last night you're watching that game and my takeaway is you're a fourth place team in that division with that offense currently. And here's Pete on Geno's struggles.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

He had a lot of time back there. You know, he had a chance to look and see, didn't like what he saw underneath and gave those guys some shots down the field, which he's tremendous at doing. We were impatient with the throwing game and that's why the ball went down the field so far. And I don't think we needed to do that. It's disappointing. I know that the picks are a big issue, but that's not my concern. My concern is why we didn't get the ball thrown and caught underneath.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I mean, 0 for 10 throwing downfield. Some of it is in fairness, some of it is this. The Chargers defense is really good. That's part of it. But it'll be interesting because, you know, Pete has a history. Marshawn Lynch, Lindale White, Reggie Bush. They draft Ashton Genty. Like, Pete likes a strong running game. And so Pete's got a marriage, marry, you know, his offense and his philosophy with Chip Kelly, they're both smart guys. I think it'll be fine. But watching that game last night, I thought this has got to be driving Pete Carroll crazy. Because when they won a Super bowl with Russell Wilson, I think Russell Wilson, you could go look it up that year was like 22nd in pass attempts. Like that was the perfect team play, defense, special teams, run the ball and some big throws downfield over the top. That's kind of. That was always sort of the USC and Seattle prescription for Pete. Big plays, over the top, run the ball, control the clock, very few turnovers. So all this stuff with the Raiders is baking. They've got a good coach, a great offensive coordinator, they've got some playmakers, but it's part of the rebuild. The young gm, people like we'll see Hurt hierarchy top of the hour. And you know I'm watching the Chargers last night. As bad as New York football is, is as great as LA football is. That's coming up next. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. The best B2B marketing gets wasted on.

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Sunday, a Fox NFL doubleheader starts with a rematch of last year's playoff classic between the Rams and the Eagles or other regional action. Then it's America's game of the week as Dak and the Cowboys take on Caleb Williams and the Bears or Cardinals Niners. Check local listings for the games in your area only on fox.

[Jason McIntyre]

I've talked about this before that when you hire a head coach, it's not just about the X's and O's. That's what your coordinators are for. You are hiring a CEO. And I'm reminded. And when I think of Los Angeles football Now with Sean McVay and Jim Harbaugh, there is an argument they are the two best culture creators in football, LA football right now. I mean, think about LA Floyd. They didn't have an NFL team not that long ago, right? Didn't have a team. I'm going to argue that Harbon McVeigh ever watched departed. Frank Costello, the Jack Nicholson character has a great line in that. Has a great line in that movie. I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be part of me. That's McVeigh and Harbaugh. Their teams are themselves. I mean, The Rams with McVay are intense, buttoned up, least penalized team in the NFL. Sean McVay always looks like he presses his shirt five minutes before the press conference. McVeigh is all details, totally organized, crazy about it. Has like Stephen Hawking recall. It's unbelievable. His team last year was the youngest defense in the NFL and yet the least penalized. They are him and Jim Harbaugh. Even his handshakes are firm. Remember the Jim Schwartz Pat in the back? That's Harbaugh. His teams are big. Jim's big and he's physical and he's relentless. And that's the Chargers. It's amazing how good LA football is right now. I hope people appreciate it. What's in Sofi Stadium? The Rams have the great owner, the great gm, the great coach and the great quarterback. And the Chargers, again, it's a coach quarterback league. Herbert Harbaugh, McVeigh and Stafford and both draft very well. So, I mean, and then you look at the New York teams so far this year. They're all in 4 minus 40 in point differential, give up 31 points a game, and opposing quarterbacks have a 103 passer rating. I mean, it. You may have a better park and better bagels, but when it comes to the beach and football, LA is humming right now. It is unbelievable. And you know, I'm sitting there thinking this morning, I looked it up. Pro football did not exist. It did not exist in Los Angeles in 2015. Ten years later, hall of Fame coaches, hall of Fame quarterbacks, hall of Fame pass rush talent. It's unbelievable how bad New York football is. And I think it all comes back to ownership. Spanos family pretty much keeps. Dean kind of keeps out of it, lets his football people run the show. And you know, I think we all know Stan Kroenke, one of the richest guys, also one of the most private billionaires in the country. And you know, we watched the HBO Hard Knocks with the Giants ownership that was shaky. The Johnson family with the Jets. You know, they're going to argue. We let our coaches, we let our coaches last much longer. Robert Sala had been here several years and they always feel like there's stuff working on behind the scenes. So all I'm saying is I look at the two biggest cities in the country, it is unbelievable how good LA football is right now. I mean, the idea that one city has arguably the two best coaches and the two best cultures. Now there is another great culture and coach in this league and it's Andy Reid. I think Kansas City is going to be fine. There are 10, 02 teams in this league. And if you look at the. I was looking at the teams this morning. It's the Giants and the jets and Cleveland and Chicago and Carolina and New Orleans and Tennessee and a lot of teams that are annually at the top of the draft in April. There's two or three reasons why Kansas City's going to be fine. Number one is Xavier Worthy. Probably a number two receiver is coming back. Rasheed Rice is coming back in a month. The New York Giants are on the schedule. And the truth is, it is a head coach, quarterback and pass rush league in Kansas City's good at those. So you got two receivers coming back. You lost to Philly and the Chargers. How do we know those aren't the two best teams in the NFL right now? They kind of look like it. So there's a couple of tough games, but you got Jacksonville and Detroit and the New York Giants and the Raiders. I think they're going to be fine. I would say if you take out Baltimore, Buffalo and the Chargers, the AFC feels more wide open than the nfc. And if you look at the schedule again, Baltimore, Buffalo, at Denver, those are tough games. Lot of wins, a lot of average offensive lines, not a lot of great quarterbacks. It's 0 and 2, but it doesn't feel desperate. Last year, The Rams started 0 and 2, the Ravens started 0 and 2, and Denver started 0 and 2. And they all made the playoffs. The Chiefs are going to make the playoffs. And here's Andy Reid.

[Guest Coach/Analyst]

I trust this group. I mean, this group's a good group. Got good leadership, and they'll, they'll stay together. It's, you know, and they'll work hard on cleaning things up. There's nobody more aware of it than. Than the guy, so. And we'll make sure we get back to the drawing board. Like I said, this game here was more on the offensive side. We've got to take care of that.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, and they will. They'll get the receivers back. But again, Ravens Last year, Denver, Rams, 02. They're fine. You know, I think when you watch it, I think it's Patrick Mahomes doing everything he can offensively to make plays. The defense is fine, the coaching is good, and the schedule gets easier. Now, I think you look at the Chargers right now, it's the best defense in the league. And Kansas City's offense is struggling. That was bound to be a problem. A lot of people like the Chargers in that game in Brazil, and Philadelphia's got the best roster in the league. So. J. Mac, I always do this. Starting Tuesday, I put the NFL Week 3 schedule up. And I ask you. Yes, I ask you, give the audience A little bit of an early feel on a guaranteed W and an upset. Now a lot of people are saying Buffalo Thursday, Miami's got an upset written all over.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who is saying that?

[Jason McIntyre]

People that have been drinking too much because short week, short week games, big advantage to the star quarterback in the home team. So I think Buffalo rails spread is 13.

[Colin Cowherd]

You are out of your mind if you're betting Miami in that one. You know the Green Bay packers are Favorite anywhere from 7 to 9 on the road in Cleveland. Now Micah Parsons a company extra rest they're going to get after Joe Flacco who's a statue. But nine is a lot of points on the road, Colin, in the NFL, is it not?

[Jason McIntyre]

It is.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean that's a big number. My jets look like, you know, we don't know if it's Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor, but they look like they're going to be seven point dogs in Tampa against Baker Mayfield.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I think the game that you have to look at is Dallas at Chicago.

[Colin Cowherd]

But that's a close spread though, though, right?

[Jason McIntyre]

What I'm saying is if I asked people about that game, you would think Dallas, after watching the first two weeks of Dak, they, they should have beaten Philadelphia. CD Lamb dropped a deep ball and they did beat the Giants. Your takeaway would be, oh, Chicago's in chaos. That line is telling you something. That line is telling you the Cowboys defense was on the field a lot. Now they go in the road. They've had big high profile games. Rival Giants, Philadelphia Eagle back to back in division rivalry games. Now it's lousy to Chicago. And you know my rule. If you get humiliated in the NFL and you have good personnel, you just got humiliated. Almost always. You play well the following week.

[Colin Cowherd]

Agreed.

[Jason McIntyre]

Miami, by the way, got humiliated. They had a chance to beat New England. Miami button things up.

[Colin Cowherd]

I have 3 games bet so far. I like the Atlanta Falcons. I got them at three and a half. It's up to five in Carolina. That should be. They should be fine. You know I'm on the Baltimore Ravens against Detroit.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, I'm on that.

[Colin Cowherd]

This one is a bit of a surprise. I think we'll do a lot on it. Colin. I took the Rams getting three and a half in Philadelphia.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So my part of the logic, we could talk about it later in the week is Jalen Hurts has faced like no pressure the first two weeks. Right. Cowboys can't get to the quarterback and the Chiefs cannot do anything without blitzing the Raven. Sorry. The Rams defensive front is nasty. I mean they are going to probably control the line of scrimmage. I think there's a low scoring game. I'm taking the Rams getting three and a half.

[Jason McIntyre]

Also, you know Eagles may have to play from behind I which they don't do frequently. So also coming off a big Kansas City national TV game of note, get home, little breather, right? I'm with you on that one. Nick Wright Hurt Hierarchy Next Balancing work.

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[Jason McIntyre]

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