The Herd - HOUR 1 - Steelers deserve praise, Chicago offense is electric

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: The Herd - HOUR 1 - Steelers deserve praise, Chicago offense is electric
Date: December 22, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd with Jason McIntyre

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives into the evolving NFL landscape, focusing on the surprising resurgence of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the electrifying transformation of the Chicago Bears offense under Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, and wide-ranging takes on coaching, quarterback development, and organizational philosophy across the league. The hosts also analyze key performances from the weekend, discuss notable incidents, and assess playoff prospects for several teams.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Steelers’ Offense & Aaron Rodgers’ Impact (04:00–08:09)

• Steelers’ Offense Revitalized: Colin praises the Steelers for exceeding expectations, highlighting their improving run game and adapting offense.
  • “This offense in Pittsburgh, it’s like quicksand. … They don’t have a long term quarterback. They spend way too much money on defense. I do think Aaron’s duct tape for at least this year and another year. But Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers deserve credit in a weekend AFC, no Mahomes, no Burrow, right? They may pick up their first playoff win in nine seasons.” (04:43)
• Aaron Rodgers’ Influence:
  • Rodgers’ presence has made the offense "slicker and smarter."
    • “A lot of quarterback play is just getting you out of trouble. He’s made the offense slicker and smarter.” (05:55)
  • Emphasizes quick release (fastest in NFL at age 42), minimizing negative plays, and bringing in wide receiver allies.
  • Compares Rodgers’ impact to oil in a machine: "I feel like Aaron has become like the oil, the lubrication for an offensive machine where the gears for the last seven years have been getting stuck." (06:32)
  • Credits Rodgers for elevating an offense that long struggled, especially in contrast to consistently successful Green Bay systems.
• Mike Tomlin’s Resilience: The hosts note Tomlin has the Steelers looking at a potential division championship yet again:
  • “Mike Tomlin … Here they are again, looking at a potential division championship. Thankful of the fight in the win. And we'll keep pushing because that's what you got to do this time of year.” (07:55–08:07)

2. Bears’ Electrifying Offense under Ben Johnson & Caleb Williams (08:09–14:18)

• Coaching Transformations: Ben Johnson’s shift from Detroit to Chicago is underscored as seminal:
  • “Ben Johnson used to be at Detroit and wow, were they dynamic… He left and went to Chicago. And The Bears are 11 and 4 and the best fourth quarter team in the NFL.” (08:40)
• Caleb Williams as Franchise Quarterback:
  • Praises Caleb’s maturity and desire to be coached hard, comparing his dynamic with Johnson to Mahomes & Reid.
  • “Caleb’s got an ability to make the hard look easy. Sometimes the easy looks a little difficult.” (09:25)
  • Williams’ game-winning drive emphasized with play call:
    • “Here’s the walk-off touchdown … Williams looking downfield, launching downfield for y’. All. It is. Bears win it. DJ Moore.” (11:09)
• Bears’ Organizational Shift:
  • The Bears now start smart, finish strong, win the turnover battle, and avoid negative plays—signs of strong coaching.
  • “They do all the things that winning teams do. They win the turnover battle, they run the football. They’ve been lucky a little bit with health, but mostly a very healthy team. … Last year, do you remember this? The Bears were the worst fourth quarter team in the league. … Now third best.” (09:38–10:42)
• City Reaction:
  • Chicago “has been waiting so long not just to win games, but to have a team like this that’s offensively electric, that’s offensively dynamic.” (12:54)

Notable Quote

“You put the talent with the coaches and the people that care. You can strive for anything, you can reach anything, you can go after any goal. … Your belief is at an all-time high between players, between coaches and you have outcomes like this.”
—Caleb Williams, postgame (12:06)

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3. Youth vs. Veteran QB Era & Playoff Landscape (13:50–14:18)

• Transition of Quarterback Eras:
  • “It feels like a new era, Colin. All these young quarterbacks ushered in, out with the old. Sorry guys. Lamar, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow. I don’t know when they’re going to get back to the playoffs. … The Chiefs have a major rebuild. … The new era of quarterbacks is here.” (14:18)

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4. Drake May, Patriots, and Resilient Teams (17:11–23:16)

• Drake May’s Ascent:
  • Facing pressure and adversity, he’s become “a top eight, nine, ten quarterback.”
  • “Drake May leads the NFL in completion percentage and you’re like, well, dink and dunk. No, he also leads in yards per attempt and he’s doing it with a receiving core … last year PFF had him dead last. Well, now they’re fourth.” (18:17)
  • Emphasizes May’s composure against adversity, fortitude behind patchwork offensive lines; praised alongside Josh McDaniels for New England’s offensive turnaround.
  • Patriots, despite a rebuild and youth, stun with improvement—“remarkably, they are number two [in explosive plays].” (21:35)
• Coaching Value:
  • “Jerry Jones keeps going cheap on coaching. Vrabel, Harbaugh, Peyton, Ben Johnson—spend the money.” (21:50)
• Culture & Identity Building:
  • “It’s top down. I think it’s Coach Vrabel coming in here. It’s the coaching staff he hired. It’s the guys buying in and believing in what we do. … He always says, pack our identity.” —Drake May, postgame (22:45)

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5. Jacksonville Jaguars’ Surge & Coaching Fit (23:16–26:29)

• Jaguars on a Roll:
  • Jacksonville wins sixth straight, beats Broncos handily: “Trevor Lawrence was phenomenal … 299 total yards, 4 tutties.” (23:26)
  • Key is the marriage of Liam Cohen’s intensity with Lawrence's laid-back style; team is seven and one over last eight.
  • “He’s finally got his North Star guy.” (24:23)
  • Roster depth cited—Jags’ depth and acquisitions (like Jacoby Myers, Parker Washington) make them dangerous.
• Jags vs. Buffalo Playoff Outlook:
  • “Jacksonville has more guys than Buffalo does. … The roster’s better. There’s no question.” (26:29–26:43)
  • Noted Jags are 6-3 vs. teams over .500.

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6. DK Metcalf Fan Incident & League Policy (26:43–28:33)

• Player-Fan Altercations:
  • Recaps incident where DK Metcalf “grabs [a fan] by the lapel and then kind of shoves him.”
  • History between Metcalf and the fan; consensus is a suspension is warranted: “Don’t put your hands on fans… I would suspend him for a game.” (27:40)
  • Points out the rarity of such events in the NFL compared to NBA.
  • Emphasizes importance of setting precedent.

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7. Eagles’ Win & Coaching Mentality (29:16–32:16)

• Philadelphia’s Statement Game:
  • Eagles decisively beat Commanders; Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts have best games of the season.
  • Controversy over late two-point conversion while up 17:
    • “Why are you going for two? Why are you pouring it on?”
    • Dan Quinn: “We did that… to give ourselves the best chance to win.” (29:58)
    • Sirianni: “Hey, man, like, that’s how they want to get down. … We play them again in two weeks.” (30:12)
  • A.J. Brown’s dominant first half, offensive line improvement, backup RB Tank Bigsby’s flashes.

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8. The Coaching Moneyball & Chargers’ Overachievement (32:58–36:48)

• Dallas Cowboys Critique:
  • “The Dallas Cowboys… will not make the NFC championship for the 30th straight year. … When it comes to coaches, they shop at the dollar store." (32:58)
• Chargers & Patriots Success Attributed to Coaching:
  • Both teams outperform roster expectations due to exceptional coaching (Harbaugh, McDaniels, Vrabel).
  • Chargers: Top three on third down, NFL leader in time of possession despite worst O-line, constant injuries.
  • “That’s what Harbaugh, Herbert can do.” (34:21)
  • “The Chargers should not be 11–4 yet with the worst O-line in the league.” (35:59)
• Organizational Philosophy:
  • “Congrats on the fancy clothes, the sports car and the good wine. You may want to spend some money on, like, getting to work and sleeping right. … The longer this season goes, the more mediocrity you see [in Dallas].” (36:48)

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9. College Football Playoff & Quarterback Durability (41:59–51:25)

• College Playoff Format Reality:
  • Debunks the “myth” that March Madness’s opening rounds have loads of close games.
    • “20 of 32 [games] are blowouts. … Any large college sports playoff… is not meant to be competitive from the start.” (42:39)
  • The committee got the “eight best" teams, not the twelve, but “that’s fine.”
  • Miami, Alabama validated their inclusion with Week 1 performances.
• JJ McCarthy & Durability Concerns:
  • McCarthy’s continual injuries a red flag: “32 games he could have played in. He’s missed 23.” (49:44)
  • Contrast to durable QBs (Mahomes’ seven straight AFC championships).
  • “So one of the reasons I like Caleb Williams and Bo Nix and Drake May is durability. We all know that it matters a lot.” (50:39)

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10. NFC vs. AFC Playoff Race & Luck (51:25–52:27)

• NFC Depth & Playoff Outlook:

  • “The NFC is so much better to me than the AFC this year.” (51:10)
  • Detroit’s struggles, Green Bay’s injury woes could dramatically affect playoff composition.

• Luck & Taking Advantage:

  • “Luck is evenly equally distributed. It’s what you do with the luck that presents itself in life.”
    —Jason McIntyre (52:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Aaron Rodgers’ Influence
  “He’s just done all the little things. Well, it’s amazing what coaching can do or really smart veteran quarterback play. It’s not always what they do, it’s what they don’t do.”
  —Colin Cowherd (07:08)

• On Ben Johnson’s Immediate Impact
  “Once you get the coach right... it doesn’t take long. Literally, it takes like six to eight weeks. You build the staff, you get the planning, and then slowly but surely... you look up, this is a really good team.”
  —Colin Cowherd (09:50)

• On Bears’ New Identity
  “Chicago has been waiting so long not to just win games, but to have a team like this that’s offensively electric, that’s offensively dynamic.”
  —Colin Cowherd (12:54)

• On Dallas Cowboys
  “They spend money on good wine and flashy clothes and won’t spend good money on transportation or a good mattress.”
  —Colin Cowherd (33:36)

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Important Timestamps

• Steelers Analysis: 04:00–08:09
• Bears & Ben Johnson: 08:09–14:18
• QB Era Shift: 14:18–14:41
• Drake May/Patriots: 17:11–23:16
• Jaguars’ Surge: 23:16–26:29
• DK Metcalf Incident: 26:43–28:33
• Eagles Win & Coaching Choices: 29:16–32:16
• Cowboys/Chargers/Coaching Topic: 32:58–36:48
• College Football Playoff & QB Durability: 41:59–51:25
• Playoff Race, Luck, and End Segment: 51:25–52:27

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Tone & Style

The episode is energetic, insightful, and conversational—mixing sharp analysis with personal anecdotes and banter. Colin and Jason’s opinions are strong, with humor and the occasional analogy to drive home points about coaching, quarterbacking, and organizational priorities.

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This summary captures all the major themes, turning points, quotes, and memorable moments from The Herd’s December 22, 2025, first hour, offering a detailed, self-contained account for both fans and newcomers.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

Guaranteed Human. Remember when people were nice? When we could occasionally stop fighting and come together? Well, here's some good news. The Ripple Effect is here. Hosted by comedian Jenna Kim Jones. It's a show about how powerful it is when we reach out to one another. It's the perfect weekly proof that goodness isn't gone. The Ripple Effect is more than a podcast. It's a reminder that you can start a ripple that changes everything. Listen to the ripple effect on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Alienware's biggest sale of the season lets you unleash peak performance at Black Friday Savings prices start at 899.99 on select Alienware PCs like the groundbreaking Alienware 16 Aurora gaming laptop, taking performance to the next level with Intel Core processors. Plus you can save on all the latest accessories and displays like the Alienware 32.4K OLED gaming monitor. Visit alienware.com deals before these limited time savings end I'm Colin Coward from the Herd. Whether you're a seasoned small business owner or thinking about getting started, you'll definitely want to check out season four of Mind the Business Small business success stories for My Heart Media's Ruby Studio and Inuit QuickBooks. In the latest season, hosts Austin Hencwitz and Jenise Torres are talking to self starters about the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and how QuickBooks helps you to get more done in less time. You don't want to miss it. Listen to Mind the Business small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated ass which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member Finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures [e-mail] Disclosures hi, it's Colin.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

You got to do this time of year.

[Jason McIntyre]

Win or lose, you got to keep pushing. And we will. We're coming in tomorrow to watch the tape. We ain't got time for Victory Mondays. And that's what I told the team. Okay, now let's go to the team that lost Detroit. One coach, one has really changed the direction of two franchises in the same division. Ben Johnson used to be at Detroit and wow, were they dynamic. The craziest third and fourth down team in the league. Look at him now. He left and went to Chicago. And The Bears are 11 and 4 and the best fourth quarter team in the NFL. For the record, the Cowboys weren't interested in Ben Johnson. Congratulations. But the Bears, who have poor ownership, I mean like, like literally the poorest ownership and years of dysfunction upstairs and you watch them. Yeah, it's been a work in progress. But I've heard this before from athletes, the great athletes. And Caleb Williams is a generational talent. He is special. They want. Caleb Williams wanted to be coached hard. He said, there's nobody to watch film with me. He wanted to be coached hard. He wanted somebody to get on him. And enter Ben Johnson, I mean, Patrick Mahomes didn't become Patrick Mahomes because Andy Reid pandered. They disagree, the volume goes up. So. And Caleb's got an ability to make the hard look easy. Sometimes the easy looks a little difficult. But the entire Bears organization, you know, again, once you get the coach right. Vrabel in New England, Sean Payton in Denver, Jim Harbaugh with the Chargers, Ben Johnson. It doesn't take long. Literally, it takes like six to eight weeks. You build the staff, you get the planning, and then slowly but surely you get into week six, week nine, week 12, week 15, you look up, this is a really good team. They do all the things that winning teams do. They win the turnover battle, they run the football. They've been lucky a little bit with health, but mostly a very healthy team. They don't have negative plays. So you're seeing the same thing in New England with Vrabel, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, I mean, last year, the Bears. Just a simple thing. Last year, do you remember this? The Bears were the worst fourth quarter team in the league. They couldn't even script plays appropriately. Now third best. So they start smartly, they finish strongly, and again, they've just gotten out of the stuff that loses games. No turnovers. No negative plays. The operation, the basic fundamentals. Looks organized and. And then of course you have Caleb Williams, who really is a unique talent. Here's the walk off touchdown. On the fake. Williams looking downfield, launching downfield for y'. All.

[Colin Cowherd]

It is.

[Jason McIntyre]

Bears win it. DJ Moore. And great coaches are like great movie directors. You got to let the star kind of do his thing, however, with a clear identity of what the movie is and what the game plan is. And people are going to say, well, I mean, the Bears got a little bit lucky. They recovered the onside kick. No timeout. They also had two game winning drives and they also in overtime stopped the Packers. So it's not just, well, teams block punts all the time. Teams recover onside kicks. What do you do? With the opportunities presented and well coached last night, New England could have lost that puppy. New England maybe gets a big interception or a fumble recovery. Well, what do they do with it? Well coached teams take advantage of those little breaks that every team in the league gets. Yep, the onside kick. Gotta be honest, that kind of surprised me, but it's what they did with it. And here's Caleb after I got the best coach in the world, let's put it, let's put it that way. And we have the best coaching staff in the world. And so you put the talent with the coaches and the people that care. You can strive for anything, you can reach anything, you can go after any goal. And when you go out there in that football field, your belief is at an all time high between players, between coaches and you know, you have outcomes like this. Yeah, it is. Ryan was at the game. And the environment for anybody, we all had different environments. One of our guys was in a Chicago bar. One was at the game. I'm at home. It's like you could hear neighbors screaming. Chicago has been waiting so long not to just win games, but to have a team like this that's offensively electric, that's offensively dynamic. That's just not what Chicago does. Like in L. A, every great Lakers team, they're always fun and offensive minded and they've got showtime. Chicago's always won one way, win one way. They win with defense, they win with toughness. To have an electric offense is really unique and the city is feeling it this morning. J. Mack, I know there's some quarterbacks banged up that won't make the playoffs, but we have a lot of young quarterbacks, your Bo Nicks, your Drake May, your Caleb that are going to be in C.J. stroud. Then we have older quarterbacks at Herbert that's had to overcome an offensive line. Jordan Love when if they get in, he's had to overcome an injury and you know, they lose Christian Watson and some of their star defensive players. So it's. I kind of feel like it's going to be an interesting mix. No Mahomes, no Burrow, probably, but it'll be an interesting mix of young and dynamic and old and Aaron Rodgers. We're going to have a wild January.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm. I'm 100% with you. It feels like a new era, Colin. All these young quarterbacks ushered in out with the old. Sorry guys. Lamar, Patrick, Mahomes, Joe Burrow. I don't know when they're going to get back to the playoffs. I mean, you talked about it last week. The Chiefs have a major rebuild. Colin Ravens, you watch that roster last night. They don't have anybody at all. Their roster's terrible. Lamar's lost a step. It feels like the new era of quarterbacks is here.

[Jason McIntyre]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Paulie Fusco here with Tony Fusco.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yo, as everybody knows, we're the host of the award winning Paulie and Tony Fusco show. Yeah, but instead of us telling you how great we are, here's how Dan.

[Jason McIntyre]

Patrick described us when he came on our show. Quick, knowledgeable and funny. Opinionated. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing? You're interrupting our promo. Yeah, he wasn't talking about you. You took those clips totally out of context. Oh, yeah?

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, after this promo, I'm going to.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

Take you out and beat you.

[Jason McIntyre]

Let me put this into context.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

Shut up. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Anyway, just listen to the Paulie and Tony Fusco show on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures make your.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Season 2 of unrivaled basketball is here.

[Jason McIntyre]

And the talent is unreal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two sponsored by Samsung.

[Jason McIntyre]

Galaxy tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO. Max hi, it's Colin. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade Vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Okay. I like things that are built to last. A great team, a well run organization. Same goes for my vodka. Tito's. Made in Austin, Texas. Real care, attention to detail, distinct crisp taste. I was just telling my wife the other day Tito's is the one vodka. It has a completely distinct taste. Been my go to for years so I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda one lime, lot of ice. Refreshing easy summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. Your team's going to play 162 games. A perfect time to kick back with some Titos. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly. So next summer the biggest soccer event on earth is coming to the US for the first time in over 20 years. Now is the time to get in on the action. Every rivalry, every crazy skill and of course every goal. And we all know that every goal starts with an assist. It's True for soccer and it's true for health. That's why Halion, makers of Advil, Tums, Sensodyne, Centrum and Voltaren, is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the assist. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. Whether it's the fans cheering their hearts out in an electric stadium or the rec player who's keeping fit for weekend games, Halion is there for them. To learn more, go to halionassist.com you know, we talk about this all the time. A lot of guys are great college quarterbacks and they're very comfortable play at big programs like Alabama. They don't face a lot of pressure. NFL quarterback to thrive, you have to thrive in discomfort. And if you watch Drake, Drake May in the final quarter, he was pressured on almost half his throws and yet was money. Like, that's a star quarterback trailing, getting hit, drive him down the field. The east coast version of the Chargers, a team with a great coach and a great quarterback that should not be this good, is the Patriots. They're still in a rebuild. Their offensive line missing. Their left tackle needs depth. Drake May is only 23 years old. He was the rawest of all the quarterbacks in his class, yet now He's a top eight, nine, 10 quarterback. What's amazing about Drake May is that you see these guys, Bo, Nixon, Caleb. In the fourth quarter, Drake May leads the NFL in completion percentage and you're like, well, dink and dunk. No, he also leads in yards per attempt and he's doing it with a receiving core. Remember last year? Pff had him dead last. Well, Stefan Diggs, Kyle Williams, Matt Collins, k', Shawn, Booty, Hunter, Henry, now they're fourth. That's nothing against those players. I'm going to say Josh McDaniels and Drake may are a big part of that. If you watch the second half of that game last night, specifically the fourth quarter, they were on a third string right tackle. Their left tackle's not starting. At one point, the announcing team's like, I really, I don't know what they're going to do at right tackle. Let's look at the depth chart. Musical chairs, massive leakage in the offensive front does not matter. And the reason I took the Patriots in this game, I said they're just going to complete passes, they're going to move the chains. They're an incredibly sound football team. And again, it's amazing to me that Jerry Jones keeps going cheap on coaching Vrabel Harbaugh Peyton, Ben Johnson, spend the money. It's a lot of the same guys. For them to be this good, for the Chargers to be this good with all the injuries and for the Patriots to be this good with all their youth and all their new players is unbelievable. Neither of these teams should be that good. So I'm just watching Drake May and then they, you know, you know how good you have to be in the NFL as a quarterback when you're dealing with a third string tackle. So the Chargers missing both their tackles, 11 and four Patriots last night in the crucial part of the game. They're on third string tackles, they're on the road, they're trailing. Baltimore knows they have to throw. Last year New England was dead last in explosive plays. This season, remarkably, they are number two. And that was a really impressive road win for Drake May. Here he is after it's top down. I think it's Coach Braver coming in here. It's the coaches staff he hired. It's the guys buying in and, and believing in what we do. And that's, you know, the biggest thing that is a locker room. It's believing in what the coach is saying, believing in our identity, carrying it, traveling with us. He always says, pack our identity and just another, you know, big win on the road. And it starts top down. And the guys, we just love, you know, a lot of guys in that locker room. Every year college football gives us one or two franchise quarterbacks and then about every five years it gives us a Drake maybe. And what he did on the road last night is that is, that is all time stuff. This kid is really good. And again they're in a rebuild. They're, they're much better personnel wise than last year. They bought spent 280 million or something like that in free agency and they drafted. Well, Elliot Wolf's a very sharp guy, but they're not complete. That offensive line needs more players, more talented. Here's J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the herd line news. All right, Colin, we're gonna bust right into it with a surprise team. We rarely talk about these guys. The Jacksonville Jaguars. What a story, Colin. They've peeled off six wins in a row.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yep.

[Colin Cowherd]

They just went to Denver and smashed, and I mean smashed. The Broncos. The overrated Broncos. Trevor Lawrence was phenomenal. Best quarterback on the field. 299 total yards, 4 tutties, had a really nice quarterback keeper in the red zone for a touchdown. Colin, Liam Cohen is talking some trash. Listen closely to what he said about the win.

[Jason McIntyre]

Great team effort. Just thankful that, you know, a small market team like us can come into a place like Mile High and get it done. You know, we really don't care about the narrative. You know, it's. I'm sorry to say that, but it's only helping us. So I want the narrative to keep coming. Yeah, listen, they've been bad forever, so they've drafted a lot of elite players. Travis Hunter's not even playing. But I think what it really is, and it takes a while. We saw this with Sam Darnold. Trevor Lawrence finally has his. His kingpin. He's finally got his North Star guy. And by the way, it was not great six games into the season. I mean, go back to the first six, seven games, they were still finding their way, like any relationship. The longer Liam Cohen and Trevor together, the last six, seven games. In the last seven, eight games, he's seven and one in the passer rating over 100. So when you watch them play, there's all sorts of talent here. Talent's not been the Jags issue. It's been like, who's the guiding light? Who's the North Star? Who leads them? They are. They are a handful, man. They got dudes.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, Liam Cohen has done such a good job. So when they lose Travis Hunter, everybody was despondent. Oh, my gosh, we lost a star. They went out and got Jacoby Myers. Stole Jacoby Myers. And he is already. Trevor Lawrence is like a safety blanket. He loves him. There's a kid named Parker Washington.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, God.

[Colin Cowherd]

On Jacksonville. Colin, he is unbelievable. He's like a third number three receiver. Yes, but he plays like a two and has the aura of a one.

[Jason McIntyre]

He's a return guy, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

He is so good. I'm just telling you, this team is dangerous. And Liam Cohen, he's an intense guy. Remember, there were some moments earlier this season where Trevor had some bad interceptions and they were like, oh, this, this, this relationship is rocky. But I think what. What's working here, Colin, is Cohen is so intense and Trevor Lawrence is so laid back and chill that they're able to meet in the middle. And this is a dangerous team, by the way. Four for five in the red zone. They just shredded this allegedly good Denver defense. Colin, I know you like Bo Nixon Co. When this team steps up in class, by the way, they're just three and three when they face teams better. 500 or better. The Jags are six and three against those teams.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, I think we, we all started to take notice when the Chargers went to Jacksonville and got completely annihilated, and we were like, well, Harbaugh came out after. He's like, we got out coached, we got out hit, we got out physical, we got outsmarted. Like, it was like, wow. Because that's usually what the Chargers do. So they're absolutely for real.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now, it's going to be interesting. If you look at the playoff lineup, as of now, it would be Buffalo at Jacksonville.

[Jason McIntyre]

I would take Jacksonville.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, it's interesting because last week, you and I are like, Buffalo. You got to pick Josh Allen. I like Josh Allen. I'm just telling you, like, Jacksonville has more guys than Buffalo does.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh, there's not. That's not. Way more players. The roster's better. There's no question Jacksonville's roster is better. No question.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, maybe. Maybe we're sleeping on Jacksonville. I don't know. All right, next up, Colin, let's go to an incident that happened in the Pittsburgh Detroit game. Okay, so DK Metcalf, for reasons that make no sense at all, just is over at this fan. You see it here on FS1. He grabs him by the lapel and then kind of shoves him. Initially, it looked like a punch. It's clearly not a punch. It's obviously not great. Now, apparently, DK Metcalf and this fan have a history. According to NFL media that was reported this morning, this guy, DK got him kicked out of a game before.

[Jason McIntyre]

No.

[Colin Cowherd]

Boy, listen, I don't. We know the rule. Don't touch fans. Okay? I don't know how. Colin. How does DK Metcalf wander from the bench to the stands with no other players or coaches or staff around him? I don't get that. Don't put your hands on fans. That being said, that doesn't give this clown the right to say whatever he said.

[Jason McIntyre]

Fans. Very, very few. Less than half of 1% of fans are just obnoxious and they want to get noticed. And that's one of these fans. You know, it's not as bad when you see it from the side, but you'll get suspended. You know, I would throw. I would suspend him for a game. And it's just. You don't want a precedent. You don't want this to be tolerated. You have to send a message sometimes, like being a parent, sometimes you just have to be stern and send a message so everybody understands. Yeah. What just happened in the house is not permitted.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

So I don't think it's the end of the world. I think it's poor judgment. It's not as bad when you see that view, but that you can't set a precedent. You got to suspend him for at least a game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now we've had DK Metcalf in the studio. He is a large individual. Yeah, he is jacked. I mean he's six four. Like he looks like built like our tank. I mean the fact that people are saying stuff to him is a bit of a surprise to me. But that being said, I agree with you. Yeah. I think you probably suspended for a game. Don't put your hands on people, you know.

[Jason McIntyre]

Right. You don't see it much. I've seen it in the NBA more. You don't see it much because the proximity. Players are wearing helmets, stadiums are loud. You don't have great access. I mean he's a huge guy and had to reach up. You don't see it a lot in pro football when players come and leave the field, there's always idiots, you know, kind of being vulgar. Like you just roll your eyes, move through. But it's, it's. I mean I also, I look at athletes and I'm like, our athletes in this country, it's bad in Europe too. Like it's. People are over the top. They all have courage. You know, when they're 30ft away and protected. You know, I get players, especially if you mention somebody's parents or family. Like I get players getting ticked off. Like I get it right now.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a he said, he said and you know, it'll play out whatever final story con. Let's go to that Eagles win over the Commanders on Saturday. Fairly easy, light work, as the kids say, for Saquon. Jalen Hurts and Co. Eagles win the division. But interestingly, late in the game, Philly was up 17.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And they decided they were going to go for a two point conversion. Well, wouldn't you know it, Washington got unhappy with that. Why are you going for two? Why are you pouring it on? I mean, it's a two point conversion, guys at one point led to a little fracas on the field and then Nick Sirianni and Dan Quinn talked about it. Listen closely to what Dan Quinn had to say. I didn't.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know, again, we did that in the best. What we thought was Ben's interest to go up one more point is in my mind's not running up the score. We're doing that because. We're doing that because they went right down and scored. So we're doing that to give ourselves the best chance to win.

[Colin Cowherd]

I Can only answer from, you know.

[Jason McIntyre]

My side, what I would do. Um, but hey, man, like, that's how they want to get down and like, all good. We play them again in two weeks. Come on. I will say my takeaway in this game, though. I know it's the commanders. Their defense is egregiously bad. That was the best game Saquon Barkley's had all year. Jalen Hurts looked like Jalen Hurts two years ago. A.J. brown, Devonte Smith ran I like, I thought. And again, you got to be careful because between the Cowboys defense and the commander's defense, they make everybody look great. But that looked like, to a large degree, that looked like Philly a couple years ago. Hurts running offensive line, getting big holes. That's why everybody think. I kept thinking, okay, don't. Don't take too much out of this. It is what it is. But I'll say for Philadelphia, if you're an Eagles fan, you watch that. And thought, okay, can we get that? That's what we were two years ago.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it looked like they decided to go in and first feed A.J.

[Jason McIntyre]

Brown.

[Colin Cowherd]

Colin, he had the biggest half of his NFL career. I think he had nine catches in the first half. Didn't do much at all in the second. Interesting note, I thought Tank Bigsby, the backup to Saquon, did you see he had some juice? Yeah, I think he's got something. I think we're going to see a lot of running if they get. Remember, they'll get Lane Johnson back. And now Philly having locked up the division, they can sort of start arrest guys. Yeah, I think that could be pivotal.

[Jason McIntyre]

I keep saying two years ago, this is what Philly was last year. My bad. 2024. No, I mean, if you look at Philadelphia, I mean, playoffs are weird. Like, I don't think anybody fears Carolina. I think everybody fears playing the Niners and. And, you know, I mean, so you don't want to see the Rams the best fifth seed ever. So it's now Jordan loves health. You cross your fingers. My guess is he's back in a couple of weeks. But you know what? You and I called it Detroit did. They have lost offensively. They are not the same team.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Now, I. Here's the weird thing. I know I was writing off the Ravens and Chiefs and Bengals. I don't think the Lions are that far off because they have a lot of guys. They just got to get up, fix the offensive line. Colin, they were down to their third string center against Pittsburgh yesterday, and Jared God's getting blitzed up the middle, left and right. The offensive line. Who was the guy who retired before the season? Yeah, they could just never replace him. And it was, that was a tough blow. I don't think they get in the playoffs. But that Jordan Love hit that you mentioned Saturday. Oh my gosh. He ain't coming back this week.

[Jason McIntyre]

Nope.

[Colin Cowherd]

Short week. Yeah, he's not playing Saturday.

[Jason McIntyre]

J. Mackle, the news. Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the herd line news.

[Jason McIntyre]

People can be critical of of the Dallas Cowboys. I appreciate their consistency. They will not make the NFC championship for the 30th straight year. I appreciate that kind of commitment and consistency from the Dallas Cowboys. What's interesting about the Cowboys is they spend money on certain things, but when it comes to coaches, they shop at the dollar store. And once again, Eber FL Schottenheimer I, you know, it's like the guy who spends money on good wine and flashy clothes and won't spend good money on transportation or a good mattress. You look around the NFL, the Sean Payton's, the Rabels, the Harbaughs, I mean the Chargers win this game convincingly. Here's what's amazing about the Chargers. Backups to backups on the offensive line. Third string running back at one point during the season, quarterback breaks his hand. Yet the Chargers are top three and third down and lead the NFL in time of possession.

[Colin Cowherd]

How?

[Jason McIntyre]

How is that possible? They have the worst O line in football. They just got Hampton back. Najee Harris has been a non factor. How in the world are they good on third down? It's called coaching. And so that's what Harbaugh Herbert can do. You know, the other thing we said is about New England. So we went into this season and we all kind of thought the same thing. J. Mac and I were like, man, they're going to be really, really light at wide receiver. They need more weapons. And then all of a sudden you look at their weapons and you're like, oh wait lad. McConkey is great. Quentin Johnston is not a bust. Trey Harris, not huge production, but the coaches love him. Will Disley. You start looking, you're like, Keenan Allen's unbelievable. He's still a go to third down receiver. Now you look at them and you're like, yeah, the wide receiver spot, it's fine. They're actually better than average. That's like New England. It's amazing what a good draft pick and good coaching can do. And again, with backups everywhere, the Cowboys had no sacks on Justin Herbert, but it is Remarkable to me that Dallas will spend money on so many things except coaching. Look at the NFL standings right now. Let me name some of the first place coaches. AFC Mike Vrabel, Mike Tomlinson, Liam Cohen, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh. Go to the NFC Ben Johnson, Matt LaFleur. Dave Canales has done wonders with Bryce Young, Mike McDonald, Sean McVeigh, Kyle Shanahan. The Chargers should not be 114 yet with the worst O line in the league. They are 6 and 1 in one score games. They are top 10 against the run. Red zone defense is unbelievable. Excellent offense, defense on third down. Like a lot of their numbers don't make sense considering what they've overcome. They really don't. And you watch the second half of this game. They do all the little stuff, right? And the great coaches can take units like wide receiver or tight end. New England and the Chargers, they can take these units that are viewed as a weakness, a vulnerability. And now I look at the Patriots, Patriots passing game and their deep game and I watched the, the Chargers with Trey Harris And Quentin Johnson, lad McConkey, I'm like, is that a strength? You think you're doing that with an average coach? It's, it's crazy how well coached, how smart the Chargers are. And here's Harbaugh after the win over the Cowboys. You know, our team is, it's really, it's player led, it's player driven. I mean these are player led wins. You know, coaching's good. You know, there's, it's coaching matters, but the players are the ones leading this team. It all started with Justin and Justin Herbert and Derwin James and it has been infectious. The leadership. Yeah, I mean the fact they lead the NFL in time of possession with this so line and they're, they're top three and third down, it just makes it, I'm telling you, the Patriots and the Chargers, that's what great coaching does. You look at elements of both teams. Last year you looked at their receiving core as among the worst in the league. And now there's playmakers everywhere. You're not doing that with average coaching. Congrats on the fancy clothes, the sports car and the good wine. You may want to spend some money on like getting to work and sleeping. Right. You may want to spend some money on the stuff that really matters and Dallas won't. And you can see it, the longer this season goes, the more mediocrity you see. Don't forget Colin. Right calling wrong. Top of the hour and let me defend the College Football Playoff next. The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

[Podcast Sponsor/Announcer]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Season 2 of unrivaled basketball is here.

[Jason McIntyre]

And the talent is unreal.

[Colin Cowherd]

Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung.

[Jason McIntyre]

Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO. Max hi, it's Colin. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade Vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmick. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Okay, I like things that are built to last. A great team, a well run organization. Same goes for my vodka Tito's. Made in Austin, Texas. Real care, attention to detail, distinct crisp taste. I was just telling my wife the other day Tito's is the one vodka it has a Completely distinct taste. Been my go to for years, so I like to keep it simple. Tito's soda, one lime, lot of ice. Refreshing, easy. Summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. Your team's going to play 162 games. A perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly. So next summer, the biggest soccer event on earth is coming to the US for the first time in over 20 years. Now is the time to get in on the action. Every rivalry, every crazy skill, and of course, every goal. And we all know that every goal starts with an assist. It's true for soccer and it's true for health. That's why Halion, makers of Advil, Tums, Sensodyne, Centrum and Voltaren, is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the assist. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. Whether it's the fans cheering their hearts out in an electric stadium or the rec player who's keeping fit for weekend games, Halion is there for them. To learn more, go to halionassist.com Sunday.

[Colin Cowherd]

The Colts try to keep their playoff hopes alive against the division leading Jaguars or other regional action. Then in America's game of the week. It's a potential super bowl preview as Jalen Hurts and the Eagles take on Josh Allen and the Bills. Check local listings for the games in your area Sunday on Box.

[Jason McIntyre]

You know a lot of things, and our memories do this to us. Your childhood memories are always greater than reality. And I always feel like there's mythology in sports, especially with like March Madness. There's always been this sense that, oh, the opening weekend, man, it's like 30 buzzer beaters. No, it's not. The opening weekend is not that. This past March, the NCAA tournament, the opening round, the average margin of victory was 17 points. Of the 32 first round games in the college March Madness College basketball tournament, 32. 20 of 32 are blowouts. 20 of 32 are blowouts. Get over it. Anytime you have a large college sports playoff, the college sports, basketball and football are not meant to be. Even if you win, you have a better recruiting class in the NFL. If the Rams win the Super Bowl. They're drafting 32. Okay. They're drafting 32. Yeah. Oregon Hammer, James Madison, second half. James Madison put some points up. Yes. It was like the opening weekend of March Madness, you had a powerhouse taking on a Bucknell. That's what happens. Here's all I know. The next seven games and the four this weekend are great. The College Football committee got the eight best teams in. Oregon, Texas Tech, Bama, Indiana, Ole Miss, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State. That doesn't mean they got the 12 best teams in. That's not what it means. They didn't get the 12 best teams in. They got the eight best. And then there's some, you know, qualifiers. March Madness is not the 68 best teams. No, it's not. There's a lot of automatic qualifiers. You could take another team from the SEC or Big 12 that are better than teams that got in. Okay? So don't tell me March Madness gets all the best teams in. There's a lot of babysitting in college sports. You got to make sure everybody's happy. And it's collegiate, even though the players get paid now. So we don't let in any large playoff system in college, which has always been a top heavy business. We don't let the best in. All I know is this. Miami proved they should have been in. Everybody complained about that. Miami proved with that defense, they should have been in. Notre dame gave up 41 to Texas A&M. They gave up three. Miami gave up three to Texas A and M. That defense needed to be in the playoff. And Alabama winning at Norman, they needed to be in the playoff, too. A lot of people think they're going to beat Indiana. I don't. A lot of people do. So here's the bottom line. You and I, for years, the people that said we don't need a playoff, and you probably had a point, used to always say, I've never thought the fifth best team in the country has a chance to be national champions. So what do you lose in sleep? If we don't get the 12 best teams in, we get the eight best teams in and then we can argue about nine through 12. But March Madness, it's all mythology. 20 of the 32 games last year were blowouts. And then you get to Sunday of that first weekend, you're like, wow, now you got a Villanova plan, a, you know, a Gonzaga or a really big time programs. So I, I, you know, it would be wonderful if you got the 12 best teams in. I like Texas, I like Notre Dame. They're not winning. A natty. Miami's defense is as good as anybody's in this entire playoff. They needed to be in. And say what you want about Alabama, Kaylin Deboer is fantastic. In the history of college football, losing somebody as good as Saban and then nailing your next coach. And remember, it's not the same. Alabama. You can't stack your rosters now. You don't have the depth. Georgia didn't have the depth. LSU didn't have the depth. I didn't have a problem with it. I think the next four games and the final seven in this tournament are going to be great. The other story, J.J. mcCarthy. We're all kind of waiting to see what they're going to do. In Minnesota, he got hurt again. And so he's gotten better at the quarterback thing. And the kid deserves. He deserves respect for that. They're built to win now. They got good players. I just have a hard time believing this guy for the next 12 years is starting 17 games. Since being drafted, there are 32 games he could have played in. He's missed 23. And again, there's been knee injuries, ankle, concussion, hand. And now you could say, well, you calling. Joe Burrow gets hurt and Lamar Jackson gets hurt and Colin Jaden Daniels got hurt. Yeah, but when those guys are healthy, there is no denying their greatness. I still don't know if J.J. mcCarthy, forget the injuries. I don't know what he is. So we're two years into this experiment and he was the one quarterback in this class. I'm like, I don't see what you guys are seeing. You and I are going to agree to disagree on this. He has gotten better at the quarterback thing, but when he is healthy, it doesn't look like Burrow or Jaden Daniels. It doesn't look like that. So one of the reasons I like Caleb Williams and Bo Nix and Drake May is durability. We all know that it matters a lot. So Patrick Mahomes at one point made seven straight AFC championships. That means after the beating he took all year and he had some bad old lines, he was there. I'm waiting for seven straight games with J.J. mcCarthy. And so I'm kind of two years through it. I don't know what to make of it. This team is built to win. Now, I know that because I watched him last year with Sam Darnold, and here's Kevin o' Connell after the win this game. And he's a competitor and, you know, I think it's. I think it's something where he's going to go out there and lay it on the line every single week. It is unfortunate just thinking about what these last three weeks and really two and a half weeks or so outside of, you know, outside of that. That last play of the half there, I mean, he's looked like he's really found a place of decisiveness, ownership of the offense. I mean, the discussion and the dialogue about things he's seeing. So, yeah, it's. It's a bummer. Yeah, like, he's gotten better at the quarterback thing. You can't deny that. We've got to be fair, playing with much more confidence. They got a little bit of a break. A giant lined up offsides and would have been the second defensive touchdown by the New York Giants against J.J. mcCarthy's offense. And it got called back. So they got a bit of a break there by just a, you know, a rush and lining up offsides. But I. So much of this sport. And it was funny because if you go to a Bears game and you're close to Caleb Williams, dude is big. You guys make fun of me when I say Trunky. You. You sit next to Sam Darnold. You're like, sam doesn't look like your buddy in your fantasy football league. Sam looks like a pro athlete. Sam's head is big. His butt is big. His shoulders are big. You're next to Caleb Williams. He doesn't look like your fantasy football league guys either. Like, that dude is big. So I think the questions about Jaden Daniels, although remarkable as a rookie, I think they're legit. Like, Jaden Daniels is thin, and it matters. Staying healthy matters. So I don't know what they're going to do with him. I know I watched this team last year with Darnold, and I thought they had super bowl potential. So we'll see. There's going to be seven, eight, nine quarterbacks drafted. I'd roll the dice and probably draft another one somewhere. Doesn't have to be in the first round, but, yeah, he just. 32 potential starts since becoming a Viking. He's missed 23 of them. That's. I don't know what you do with it. And it's been different stuff. Hand, knee, concussion. You know, some of it's scary. So I. I don't know where you go. J. Mac. It was a really interesting weekend, if you count, you know, Saturday as well, Friday, the playoff, you start looking at these NFL matchups in round one, because we're getting close now. The Detroit loss gave you some clarity. You look at the nfc, if Detroit would have won, we would have had potentially a team like, as good as San Francisco missing, but potentially getting close to, like, missing or. I mean, Carolina is 8 and 7 massive improvement. No guarantee. Green Bay right now, no guarantee. So I mean now San Francisco's in now but there somebody is going to miss the playoffs. Green Bay and it may just come down to injuries may just miss the playoffs. You if Detroit would have won. I was sitting there yesterday, I wrote down the teams and I'm like God, somebody, somebody had they gotten that Jared Goff from the lateral in and it counted. It didn't. The call was right pass interference armor on St. Brown. The NFC is so much better to me than the AFC this year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. The only problem is even if Detroit had to go to Chicago or Philly in the cold, they're not winning in January.

[Jason McIntyre]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think we would agree with that. Especially with that offensive line. That being said, if Green Bay can get their health in order back end of the defense Jordan Love, obviously they could be a spicy team. Like you don't want to have round three against the Bears. I don't know who I'd pick in that game. I mean it felt like a. Listen, it was, it was. I mean the bears were down 10 at home with two minutes left. Okay. They were about to get swept. I know you don't like the word lucky. They got lucky as hell.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, they got lucky. They got. Well, I mean again, Romeo Dobbs has it, loses it and you. And all of a sudden you saw a swarm of Bear jerseys.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Jason McIntyre]

And then they have a great drive and then in overtime they make big stops. So you gotta. Everybody gets breaks in life. I always think luck is evenly equally distributed. It's what you do with the luck that presents itself in life. Chicago got a little bit of a break and they took advantage of it. Offense and defense in hour two and a Monday. Calling right Wrong.

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[Jason McIntyre]

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