The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Bills Comeback (Hour 1)

Date: September 8, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Colin Cowherd and Jason McIntyre break down a thrilling NFL opening weekend, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills' dramatic comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens. The discussion centers on elite quarterback play—particularly Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Fields—and explores the overreliance on stars, evaluations of rising quarterbacks, surprising team performances, and broader league storylines. The hosts also provide their sharp, opinionated takes on teams like the Packers, 49ers, and Raiders, address the evolution of the NFL quarterback position, and highlight coaching and roster trends that are shaping the season.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Bills' Comeback & Josh Allen’s Heroics

[02:49–07:28]

• Colin's Take: Bills' 16-point rally in the final minutes against a superior Ravens roster underscores the franchise's “LeBron Cavs” dynamic—overly dependent on Josh Allen’s individual brilliance.
• Comparisons: Allen’s playoff passer rating is higher than his regular season; “He’s always at his best when the best is required.” (Colin Cowherd, 03:40)
• Allen’s Uniqueness: Unrivaled velocity and power among NFL QBs; only Montana, Brady, and Mahomes surpass him in hardware, but Allen’s clutch factor is undeniable.
• Organizational Concerns: The Bills ask Allen "to score 42 and have a triple double to beat the good teams." Overreliance is a risk; Baltimore is more well-rounded.
• Notable Quote:

  “They have a LeBron Cavs feel to ‘em. He’s got to score 42 and have a triple double to beat the good teams.”
  —Colin Cowherd [05:10]

Player Reflection

• [07:04] Bills player postgame:

  “Just proud of our team for staying in it. No one on the sideline blinked... you got to play this game for 60 minutes and that’s a really good outfit we just played.”

2. Elite Quarterback Separation & League Trends

[07:28–07:50]

• Quarterback Gap: Discussion on Allen and Lamar Jackson’s transcendent play making 75% of NFL teams envy their QB situation.

  “Buffalo, Baltimore—they're playing a different sport.”
  —Colin Cowherd

• Critical Moment: Derrick Henry’s late fumble for the Ravens as a pivotal moment in the game.

3. Brock Purdy & Quarterback Value

[07:50–13:17]

• Skepticism to Praise: Colin, usually skeptical of Brock Purdy, praises his resilient final drive in a hostile Seattle environment with multiple stars hurt.

• Comparisons: “Quarterbacking is like parenting. Everybody’s a great parent when your kid’s eating vegetables and getting A’s… That yesterday in Seattle, last drive—that is what quarterback is.”
  —Colin Cowherd [10:24]

• Kyle Shanahan on Purdy:

  “To make that big play to Ricky, to get the explosive… and that play he made on fourth down was huge … going across the whole board on a progression, a tough deal to do for a quarterback.”
  —Kyle Shanahan [11:44]

• Purdy’s Strength: Throws with anticipation; makes tough, trust-based throws even when the receiver isn’t open.

4. Packers Overreaction: Are They the NFL’s Best Team?

[19:06–24:27]

• Colin’s Call: Declares the Packers the division winners after one week, citing defense, coaching, depth, and Micah Parsons’ impact.

• Roster Strength: Highlights the Packers’ draft prowess and offensive weapons. “Ten different guys caught passes.”

• Micah Parsons’ Impact:

  “It looked like a speed of light or shooting star just coming out of the sky… He definitely has an aura.”
  —Colin Cowherd [23:09]

• Parsons’ Reflection:

  “These last six months was super draining, super toxic for everyone… These guys embrace me… I’m just going to give these guys everything I have.”
  —Micah Parsons [22:42]

5. Quarterback Contrasts: Rodgers & Justin Fields

[24:34–29:02]

• Rodgers Shines vs. Jets (but is it sustainable?): Throws 4 TDs, handles hostile environment, but gets sacked four times.
  • Rodgers:

    “There were probably people in the organization didn’t think I could play anymore, so it was nice to remind those people that I still can.” [25:32]

  • Colin: Older teams heal slower; can this last all season?

• Justin Fields’ Breakout: Both hosts agree Fields was the real story—displayed poise, decisiveness, and multi-read throws against a high-priced Steelers defense.

    > “I thought Justin Fields was the best quarterback I saw this weekend. He was out of his mind good.”  
    —Colin Cowherd [27:28]
  

• Game-changing mistakes: Special teams miscues (fumbles) noted as pivotal for game outcomes.

6. Raiders’ Opening Win and Patriots’ Troubles

[29:03–31:18]

• Raiders’ Positive Change: New leadership, coaching, and organizational upgrades; Pete Carroll’s energy at 73.
• Geno Smith: “Easily the best quarterback in that game. Not close.” —Colin Cowherd [29:32]
• Patriots in Transition: Massive roster turnover compared to “transfer portal”; expectations are modest in New England's total rebuild mode.

7. Monday Night Preview: Vikings vs. Bears

[31:18–31:59]

• Colin’s Pick: Likes the Vikings due to defensive coordination and organizational stability; Bears’ fans still unsettled due to off-field reporting.

8. The Chiefs’ Thin Margins & Mahomes’ Greatness

[33:00–37:10]

• Chiefs’ Challenges: Warns Kansas City can’t continue winning close games indefinitely; the roster isn’t what it once was after paying Mahomes.

  • “The NFL is engineered to bring the big dogs back to the middle.” —Colin [35:38]

• Mahomes on Loss:

  “We didn’t execute. I missed some throws… you don’t come out and play with the right mindset, you get beat.” [36:47]

• AFC West Depth: Chargers and Broncos both competitive; Chargers' receivers made key plays, and Mahomes' performance could be overshadowed by others.

9. Justin Fields: Star Emergence for the Jets

[42:45–46:20]

• Best Game as a Pro: Zero off-target throws, executed multi-read progressions, and matched Aaron Rodgers in a wild game with seven lead changes.
• Statistical Brilliance: Looked like college Fields, aggressive but smart; benefited from improved Jets O-line.
  • Fields:

    “No moral victories, just calling it what it is. They acquired all these guys in the off season, you know, future hall of Famers on that side of the ball and we put up 32 too… all we got to do is keep building…” [45:57]

• Jets’ Encouragement: Even with a close loss, the future is bright; less desperation needed in QB search if Fields maintains this form.

10. Lamar Jackson: Regular Season vs. Postseason Narrative

[46:20–50:28]

• Regular Season Excellence: Near top of all-time 140+ passer-rating games, both a dynamic passer and runner.

• Critique: Playoff struggles remain a reputation hurdle; regular season grace doesn’t outweigh postseason shortcomings in legacy.

• Lamar’s Run: 76-yard highlight scramble described as “against pro athletes. There’s nothing like Lamar.”

• Jackson’s Postgame:

  “You just gotta finish the game... never over till 0:00 on the clock... We should have kept converting when we should have.” [50:28]

11. Ravens & Refs: Organizational Advantage?

[50:45–51:47]

• Colin’s Theory: Subtle home/away bias in clock management possibly favors home teams. Buffalo’s win could swing home field for January rematches.

  • “If the game's in Baltimore, they let him go in, if it's in Buffalo, they call him back. It's not that the game is rigged…”
    —Colin Cowherd [50:45]

• Buffalo’s Defensive Concerns: Need secondary help; injuries mounting; may need to make trades at the deadline.

12. Team Building, Leadership, and Coaching Trends

[31:59–end]

• Examples: Raiders' turnaround with a total leadership overhaul parallels positive results seen with Washington Commanders; more good offensive coaching than ever is fueling QB resurgences (Mayfield, Darnold, Geno Smith).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Josh Allen had more passing yards in the fourth quarter last night than half the league had this weekend.” —Colin Cowherd [04:37]
• “Quarterback is like parenting… You know what parenting is? Your kid just got kicked out of school… That's quarterback play in the league.” —Colin Cowherd [10:24]
• “Buffalo, Baltimore—they’re playing a different sport.” —Colin Cowherd [07:28]
• “He (Justin Fields) was out of his mind good… I thought Justin Fields was the best quarterback I saw this weekend.” —Colin Cowherd [27:36]
• “The NFL is engineered to bring the big dogs back to the middle. This isn’t college football.” —Colin Cowherd [35:38]
• “There’s nothing like Lamar. Now there is a distinction: whereas Josh Allen, he’s not winning enough in the postseason, but he’s played spectacularly well. It does feel… that Lamar aces all the tests in the regular year and then bombs the final. And that does affect the grade.” —Colin Cowherd [48:12]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening & Allen’s Brilliance: [02:49–07:28]
• Buffalo’s One-Man Show Dynamics: [03:40–07:04]
• Elite QB Separation: [07:28–07:50]
• Brock Purdy in Seattle: [07:50–13:17]
• Packers Dominance & Parsons: [19:06–24:27]
• Rodgers vs. Fields/Jets-Steelers: [24:34–29:02], [42:45–46:20]
• Raiders’ Win/Patriots Problems: [29:03–31:18]
• Chiefs’ New Reality: [33:00–37:10]
• Lamar Jackson Legacy & Game Reflection: [46:20–51:47]
• Team-building Analogies (Raiders/Commanders): [31:59–33:00]

Tone & Style

• Direct, opinionated, loaded with analogies ("quarterbacking is like parenting," team-building as "Wife Swap").
• Occasionally self-deprecating (Colin admits to past misses on team analysis).
• Passionate about quarterback play and team construction.
• Often pivots mid-segment to add nuance or shift focus (e.g., momentarily revisiting earlier skepticism about Brock Purdy).

Summary Takeaway

The first week of the NFL season delivered drama and clarity: Josh Allen again proved peerless under pressure, but the Bills' one-dimensional reliance is unsustainable against teams like the loaded Ravens. Fields announced himself in New York, and Brock Purdy showed new layers in victory. The Ravens, Eagles, and Packers stand out as the NFL’s most complete rosters, while the Chiefs confront a tough new reality on their Super Bowl defense. Across the league, brilliant quarterback play, coaching innovation, and renewed rosters are shaping a season defined by razor-thin margins and shifting power dynamics.