The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Lakers Have Issues on Defense, LeBron James Won't Be Enough, A.J. Brown and the Eagles Offense
Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd with J. Mac
Network: iHeartPodcasts/The Volume

Episode Overview

This episode of The Herd explores the defensive struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers and why LeBron James can't solve the issue alone, dives into A.J. Brown's fit with the Eagles and how his situation exemplifies the problems of star leverage and team culture, and unpacks other NFL storylines including the Chiefs’ divisional hopes, the Packers' offensive woes, and coaching changes with the New York Giants. The episode also features engaging debate and blind resume comparisons around NFL quarterbacks, specifically Mac Jones' perceived value following a string of strong performances with the 49ers.

Main Topics & Discussions

1. Lakers Defensive Struggles and Roster Construction

(Starts ~06:44)

• Lakers’ Defensive Identity:
  Colin remembers the “Showtime” Lakers as offensive juggernauts but notes all five title teams were top-10 defenses, largely due to rim protection from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

  • Quote: “People don’t think about that because you had the great backstop at the rim in Kareem.” (06:47)

• Current Defensive Woes:
  The Lakers were "gouged" defensively by OKC, even with two Thunder starters out.

  • Quote: “SGA had 30 points, didn’t even have to play the fourth quarter… The only open lane in all of LA is usually at Laker games.” (07:22)

• Roster Redundancy and Lack of Defense:
  Excessive duplication of ball-dominant, offensively-inclined players (Luka, LeBron, Austin Reaves).

  • Only Gabe Vincent gives effort defensively, but he's undersized.
  • Deandre Ayton criticized: “allergic to defense.”

• JJ Redick (Coach) and Impact:
  Redick is an "offensively leaning coach," contributing to lack of defensive cohesion.

• Comparison to Winning Teams:
  The last five NBA champions (cited Denver with Aaron Gordon, KCP, Bruce Brown) were all strong defensively, refuting the notion that you can win with just offense.

• Lakers’ Playoff Outlook:
  Colin argues that in the West, contenders like Minnesota, the Spurs, and OKC all have elite stoppers, while the Lakers are "fun to watch" but not equipped for deep runs.

  • Quote: “It’s a lineup, a Laker lineup that is heavily offensive leaning. Massive duplication… none of them elite defenders. LeBron was eight years ago. He’s not anymore.” (07:59)
  • “It’s like a football team that doesn’t play defense. You may score a lot of points, but in the end, the other guys will get a lead and ball control you. And the Lakers just can’t get stops at all.” (08:15)

• Organizational Challenges:
  Due to relationships and politics (Austin Reaves is Rob Pelinka’s guy; reluctance to upset LeBron), roster changes are hard.

Notable Moment

• Colin's assessment of the Lakers:
  “What makes a Super Bowl roster or an NBA championship roster? OKC last year, prime example. You can do both. You can make stops, you can get buckets… Lakers have all sorts of offense, but…” (08:13)

2. A.J. Brown and the Eagles: Leverage, Fit, and Locker Room Dynamics

(Starts ~09:10)

• AJ Brown’s Discontent:
  Colin revisits his previous stance that A.J. Brown is an odd fit for Philly. He lauds Brown’s talent and character but insists he’s become a “bad fit” with the Eagles.

• Brown's Recent Comments:
  Audio of A.J. Brown criticizing the offense's production and "band-aid" fixes, warning it won't work come playoff time. (Clip paraphrased: 09:33–10:05)

  • Key quote from A.J. Brown:
    “At what point are we gonna pick up our slack as an offense that we’re saying we’re so great... If you expect to win late, late in the year, you think you gonna go to it at the end of the year. It’s not gonna happen. I’m sorry. It’s not gonna happen.” (09:46)

• Brown Holds All the Leverage:

  • Not traded when Colin suggested, now the team is "trapped."
  • Philadelphia "trying to appease him" by forcing targets, which is “the worst thing you can do.”

• Stats to Support the Argument:
  The one game Brown didn’t play, the Eagles had 38 points and 430 yards.

  • Devonta Smith is the NFL’s third-leading receiver over the last 5 games.

• The Real Issue: Fit, Not Talent
  Compares it to pizza at a Mexican restaurant: “It’s not that the pizza isn’t great, and it’s kind of weird that it’s on the menu… You can be a great player, you can be a great guy, and it can just be a weird fit.” (11:19)

• Takeaways for NFL Team-Building:
  If a star wants out, move swiftly. Waiting empowers the player and leaks leverage.

• Philly Media Impact:
  The drama is a “piñata” for Philly sports radio and media; tension could blow up a Super Bowl locker room.

Notable Moment

• Colin on star player leverage:
  “There’s only two things that can blow up a Super Bowl locker room… cluster injuries and drama. And this is the latter, clearly.” (12:53)

3. More on the Lakers: Is It Really Roster or Circumstance?

(Starts ~13:34)

• J. Mac Pushes Back:
  He notes 3 of 8 top Lakers were recent additions, it was their third road game, and OKC is “a young squad.”

  • “I’m not overreacting. I will say Deandre Ayton, who’s looked good this season, looked terrible last night.” (13:44)

• Lakers’ Postseason Outlook:
  OKC seen as a “massive problem” for the Lakers, but maybe the Lakers' stars can pull off an upset.

  • “You bet on Luka, who took them out two years ago… You bet on the King, the GOAT, LeBron.” (14:06)

4. Giants Coaching Situation & What the Franchise Actually Needs

(Starts ~18:03)

• Mike Kafka as Interim Head Coach:
  Colin says Kafka, the new interim, will likely receive positive media and player support due to his demeanor—less bombastic than Brian Daboll.

• Predicts a “Substitute Teacher” Effect:

  • “Everybody loves a substitute teacher, but she’s not as good as the teacher.” (19:07)
  • Kafka might win down the stretch and get promoted, but this won’t fix the Giants’ issues.

• What's Wrong With the Giants:
  Cultural, not schematic, problems plague them.

  • “Their culture is broken. So… they don't need a scheme guy… they need a culture creator, a Dan Campbell.” (19:47)
  • Points out NY’s winning coaches: Joe Torre, Bill Parcells, Tom Coughlin—“culture” guys, not just scheme guys.

• Youth and Leadership Challenges:
  Cautions against combining a young coach with a young team: “I don’t want a coach learning on the job with them if I’ve got a young team.” (21:47)

5. NFL Check-in: Chiefs, Packers, Seahawks, and QB Debates

(Starts ~24:45, multiple segments)

Kansas City Chiefs: Division Hopes

• Chiefs (currently 5–4) sitting outside playoff picture but Patrick Mahomes assures “there’s a pathway” if they “handle business” in division games.
• Urgency is sky-high; J. Mac calls their next game “must-win.”
• Quote, Mahomes (25:08): “We got to continue to get better and better… everything is kind of out in front of us.”

Green Bay Packers: Blame Game

• Jordan Love attributes offensive woes to “small details” and injuries.
• J. Mac criticizes O-line and lack of run game as main problems:
  • “The Packers can’t get the O-line right... lack of a run game and injuries.” (28:58)
• Colin notes salary cap constraints as Love is now paid like a franchise QB.

Seattle Seahawks/LA Rams:

• Segment covers the upcoming matchup and Sam Darnold’s surprising season.
• J. Mac: “Seattle puts pressure on your corners… Darnold’s a good deep ball thrower.” (31:00)
• Colin and J. Mac debate why the Rams' spread is suspiciously low at home, with both expecting a high-scoring, close contest.

6. Blind QB Resume Test & Mac Jones Debate

(Starts ~44:00)

• Colin’s Blind Resume Game:
  Compares Mac Jones' last eight starts with those of Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, and Brock Purdy—using stats like completion percentage, passer rating, 300-yard games.
  • “Let’s look at this first for our radio audience… who is this? Oh, Justin Herbert… Mac Jones is slightly better.” (45:00)
• J. Mac’s Reaction:
  “Those Brock Purdy stats are a joke. Colin. Listen, nothing makes my blood boil more than a blind quarterback test.” (48:18)
• The Debate:
  • Colin pushes that Mac Jones, given recent play, is legitimately a starting NFL QB and has rebounded like Baker or Darnold.
  • J. Mac agrees Jones is starter-worthy but pushes back on max contracts and on comparative value to Purdy.
  • They debate ideal team fits for Jones and Purdy, what Cleveland or Minnesota should do, and how Jones’ rebirth makes him a value asset in today’s market.
• Notable Exchange:
  • J. Mac: “He’s not bridge quarterback. He’s a franchise quarterback.” (54:07)
  • Colin: “What kind of contract do you give him? Do you give him a Baker Mayfield deal? $30 million?” (53:46)
  • J. Mac: “You give him a reasonable contract. Again, these guys that fail and get beaten up… usually give you a much more favorable deal.” (53:59)

7. College Football Talk: Notre Dame's Scheduling and Brand Bias

(Starts ~32:50)

• Rick Neuheisel Criticizes Notre Dame:
  Says ND’s top-10 ranking despite schedule and losses proves their “monster brand” resonates with pollsters.

• Notre Dame Needs Quality Wins:
  Colin notes that without playing USC, ND lacks a signature win—"Take USC out, your quality win will be at Pittsburgh."

  • Advocates for Notre Dame joining the Big Ten for scheduling balance and fairness; compares the situation to business negotiations.

• Joey McGuire (Texas Tech coach) with a dig:
  Praises BYU for joining a conference, indirectly targeting Notre Dame’s independence:

  • McGuire: “I have a lot of respect for them entering a conference and not playing an independent schedule like other people.”

• Colin’s Stance:
  “I think [Notre Dame] want both worlds… Play the big dog to elevate their schedule but don't want to join a conference full time.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Colin on the Lakers:
  “The only open lane in all of LA is usually at Laker games.” (07:22)

• Colin on A.J. Brown:
  “If you're a Hall of Fame player… have the money, have the ring, have the legacy—now you want production. He wants all-time production. And it's just not a good fit.” (11:24)

• Colin on Giants' Coaching:
  “Their culture is broken… They don't need a scheme guy… They need a culture creator, a Dan Campbell.” (19:47)

• J. Mac on the Packers:
  “It's a BB gun offense.” (28:58)

• On Mac Jones:

  • Colin: “He's not bridge quarterback. He's a franchise quarterback.” (54:07)

Important Timestamps

• 06:44 – Lakers’ defensive woes and roster analysis
• 09:10 – AJ Brown/Eagles segment
• 13:34 – More Lakers/OKC fallout
• 18:03 – Giants coaching discussion
• 24:45 – 32:24 – Chiefs, Packers, Seahawks, NFL headlines
• 32:50 – Notre Dame scheduling/Culture in college football
• 44:00 – Mac Jones NFL value and blind resume debate

Conclusion

This episode showcases Colin and J. Mac at their opinionated best, mixing sharp insight and bold declarations about high-profile teams and players. Major themes include the foundational importance of defense and fit—even for star-laden rosters (Lakers, Eagles), the perils of organizational drama, and the underappreciated value of certain quarterbacks. A must-listen for sports fans who want a mix of analytics, narrative, and off-the-cuff banter.