THE HERD - Hour 1 - The Buccaneers loss to the Lions, Mariners huge mistake in game 7, NBA season starts tonight

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode Summary: Hour 1 – Buccaneers’ Loss to Lions, Mariners’ ALCS Game 7 Heartbreak, NBA Season Kickoff
Aired: October 21, 2025

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Overview

Colin Cowherd’s opening hour digs into three major storylines: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being dominated by the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football; the Seattle Mariners’ crushing collapse in ALCS Game 7; and bold, provocative predictions for the NBA season, which kicks off later that night. Joining are J. Mac and co-host banter, with headline-grabbing takes peppered throughout.

This episode stands out for Colin’s energetic frustration over Seattle’s sports heartbreak, candid admittance of previous misreads (especially with Lions’ coach Dan Campbell), and big, bold NBA picks.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Lions Overwhelm Buccaneers – Monday Night Football Takeaways

• Tampa’s Living on the Edge Catches Up
  • Colin notes the Buccaneers, led by Baker Mayfield, have “tempted fate for weeks” with close wins and an unsustainable style.
  • “Tampa, from the first series by the Lions, got punched in the mouth. Detroit’s offensive line and Jameer Gibbs…they had a different level of energy, and they controlled the game.” (Colin, 03:08)
• Detroit’s Culture and Dominance
  • Praises GM Brad Holmes and Head Coach Dan Campbell, mixing talent acquisition with infectious “Ted Lasso with biceps” energy.
  • Stats emphasized: Lions now #2 in NFL point differential, undefeated at home.
  • Quote: “Dan Campbell is Ted Lasso, if Ted Lasso benched about 375 pounds.” (Colin, 04:33)
• Dan Campbell’s Growth and Cowherd's Mea Culpa
  • Admits being wrong about Campbell: “This is probably the most wrong I’ve ever been. He is literally…Dan Campbell should be the Lions head coach forever.” (Colin, 06:18)
• Baker Mayfield Stifled
  • Details how Detroit’s D-line caused Baker’s “most uncomfortable” game all season (0/9 on deep throws).

Notable Quote

Dan Campbell postgame (05:48):

“We got a special group. We’re competitive, they want to win…Just fix it. And then the lights come on, man, and guys show up.”

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2. Seattle Mariners’ ALCS Game 7 Loss: “Why Pitch to Springer?”

• Colin’s Mariners Fandom and the Pain of Near-Misses
  • Relives his childhood Mariners allegiance, invoking old rosters and the emotional drain of last night’s loss.
  • “Seattle sports teams have a way of doing that…” (Colin, 01:53)
• Game Breakdown
  • Mariners up 3–1 entering the 7th; domination by Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh.
  • Decision point: With runners on and George Springer, playoff legend, at the plate, manager Dan Wilson opts to pitch to him rather than walk.
  • Result: Springer homers, swings the game, and the Blue Jays take the lead for good.
  • Colin likens it to infamous Seattle sports heartbreaks: “This had a refuse to give the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the doorstep Super Bowl feel to it.” (Colin, 09:58)
• Manager Accountability
  • Post-game, Wilson’s “live and die with it” comment, but Colin brings context: “Dan Wilson’s taken all the heat in Seattle today…It’s not the guy who gives up the bomb, it’s the manager. And that’s just what baseball is.” (48:07)
• Historic framing:
  • Compares this loss to Blazers-Lakers 2000 collapse and Seahawks’ infamous Super Bowl interception.
• Broader Observations
  • Applauds Blue Jays, previewing a Dodgers–Blue Jays World Series (“Dodgers seeking a dynasty, Blue Jays seeking relevance”).
  • Acknowledges rare Pacific Northwest glory—Sonics, Blazers, Huskies, Seahawks—and how fleeting those moments are.

Notable Quotes

• “Why pitch to George Springer? Why are you waiting to put in Muñoz, your elite closer? What in the name of whiffs are we talking about?” (Colin, 10:14)
• “It’s always the manager. Dan Wilson’s taken all the heat in Seattle today.” (Colin, 48:08)
• Dan Wilson, on the decision (10:43):

  “Sometimes, you know, you have to live and die with it…We were comfortable with where we were…and, you know, it just again, didn’t go our way.”

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3. Seattle Seahawks: “Skill to Playing Poorly and Winning”

• Sloppy but Victorious over Houston
  • Four giveaways, 12 penalties, trick-play missteps.
  • Seattle’s D-line overwhelmed Houston’s battered O-line, but mistakes and turnovers nearly caused a meltdown after leading by 15.
  • Colin: “They lead the NFL in rush attempts…[and] giveaways. Last night they had four and they are just too mistake prone at this point to be an excellent team.” (18:12)
• Sam Darnold Under Scrutiny
  • “Reckless is what not only Darnold’s history is. It’s what Seattle feels like now.” (19:46)
  • Darnold’s postgame:

    “We just gotta hold on to the football…Having a game like that offensively and you still win…we’re just going to continue to learn from our mistakes and get better.” (20:43)

• Winning Ugly as a Skill
  • References Chiefs’ 2023 record in 1-score games; says surviving ugly is a talent.

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4. Rapid-Fire NFL Thoughts and Week 8 Storylines

• Packers vs. Steelers – Rodgers’ Return
  • Colin likes Pittsburgh as ‘underdog at home coming off a humiliating loss,’ cites Tomlin’s underdog record. (23:19–24:44)
• Cowboys Trending Up, Dak’s Confidence
  • After a big victory, Dak proclaims:

    “Confidence is earned…The sky is the limit.” (26:20, Dak Prescott/attributed as Dan Wilson in transcript)

• Broncos Defense: Overrated or Not?
  • Colin sees Dallas–Denver as “favorite game of the week…affordable defense, the best offense, two quarterbacks who are newsworthy.” (27:11, 27:25)
• Ravens’ Playoff Urgency & Lamar’s Health
  • Questions linger as Lamar Jackson misses another practice despite the team’s playoff urgency.
  • Colin: “This is not a good spot for the Bears…Ravens…they have to win five straight games or they're…out of the running.” (29:21)
  • J. Mac: “How’s this scenario? Ravens win and the Steelers lose…Would you bet the Ravens to win the division?” (29:59)
  • Colin: “I think it’s an interesting bet.” (30:16)

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5. NBA Season Begins: Bold Predictions and LeBron–Westbrook Commentary

• Russell Westbrook/LeBron Lakers Book Controversy
  • Westbrook critical of LeBron in new book; Colin comments on their mismatched personalities.
  • “Westbrook is as real as it gets…I would argue Westbrook in his career has been real to a fault…LeBron’s a very measured, calculated brand protecting global superstar and Westbrook…what you see is what you get. This puppy was never gonna work.” (31:09–34:31)
• Five Bold NBA Predictions (Timestamps: 38:52–47:33)
  1. OKC won’t repeat as Western Conference champs.
     • “The West is too deep!” (38:55)
  2. Luka wins first career MVP.
     • “It’s going to be a great story…committed Luka.” (39:26)
  3. Dallas Mavericks, led by Cooper Flag, reach Western Conference Finals.
  4. Golden State Warriors miss the playoffs.
     • “It’s the second oldest team in the NBA…This is an old team that brought in Al Horford. I love Al Horford. That’s not the answer.” (40:37)
  5. Orlando Magic reach NBA Finals.
     • “The East is weak and I like Orlando a lot.” (41:28)
• Co-host NBA Banter
  • Discussion of West’s depth, Houston Rockets as a sleeper (Colin Cowherd at 46:14), skepticism with Knicks and Sixers.
  • J. Mac: “Listen, you forgot the Knicks are going to be trading for Giannis here by the trade deadline…” (44:27)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Dan Campbell is Ted Lasso, if Ted Lasso benched about 375 pounds.” (Colin, 04:33)
• “Why pitch to George Springer? Why are you waiting to put in Muñoz, your elite closer? What in the name of whiffs are we talking about?” (Colin, 10:14)
• “This had a refuse to give the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the doorstep Super Bowl feel to it.” (Colin, 09:58)
• “Reckless is what not only Darnold’s history is. It’s what Seattle feels like now.” (Colin, 19:46)
• “Westbrook is as real as it gets…I would argue Westbrook in his career has been real to a fault…LeBron’s a very measured, calculated brand protecting global superstar…” (Colin, 33:00–34:31)
• “The east is weak and I like Orlando a lot now.” (Colin, 41:28)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Buccaneers–Lions MNF analysis: 01:51–06:15
• Dan Campbell postgame clip: 05:48
• Mariners’ ALCS heartbreak: 06:15–13:07
• Dan Wilson postgame clip: 10:43
• Seattle Seahawks win & Darnold’s struggles: 18:12–21:06
• NFL Week 8 preview: 22:31–30:33
• NBA season/predictions & Westbrook/LeBron: 31:09–47:33

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Tone and Language

Colin is emotionally candid, oscillating between measured analysis and heartfelt fandom (particularly in Seattle segments). His opinions are firm, but he readily acknowledges misjudgment (Dan Campbell). Debate with J. Mac is lively, with tongue-in-cheek humor (“you sure sound happy for the Blue Jays!” (Colin Cowherd, 14:01)), and NBA talk leans playful and bold but sharp.

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For Listeners Who Missed The Episode

This hour covers:

• Why Tampa’s “fun but risky” style finally doomed them against a surging Detroit
• How a single Mariners decision (pitching to Springer) now haunts Seattle, adding to the city’s sports scars
• Why ugly wins are still wins—with advice for how Seattle and Green Bay compare
• NFL betting insights for Week 8, with subplots around QB injuries, rising/lukewarm contenders
• Fresh, fearless NBA predictions and honest LeBron/Westbrook commentary, just before tip-off

If you’re searching for passionate sports radio with substantial X’s and O’s, Colin’s emotional ride, and bold ‘herd hierarchy’ narratives, this episode hits all marks—especially for fans of underdog (and long-suffering) teams.

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End of summary – All relevant content up to the hour mark included. For in-depth breakdowns or specific debates, refer to indicated timestamps above.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin]

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[Colin]

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[Colin]

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[Dan Campbell]

We got a special group. We got a special group of coaches and players. I just think we're We're. They're competitive, they want to win. They're able to. To really focus on what needs to be fixed. Don't lose confidence. Just fix it. And I think that's where our guys are really special, man. We just go to work, we fix it. They've always been that way. And. And then the lights come on, man, and guys show up.

[Colin]

Yep, they did. Dan Campbell, I thought he was, I'll be honest, kind of a meathead. Biting kneecaps in his first press conference in the history of Colin Right calling wrong. This is probably the most wrong I've ever been. He is literally, as Baker Mayfield is a perfect fit for Tampa. Dan Campbell should be the Lions head coach forever. He is a home run. And I'm telling you, you get him at home on a fast track, nobody's touching him. Well, last night was the American League Championship Series. And when I was a little kid, the Mariners arrived in the mid to late 70s in Seattle. I was at the very first game, and I can recite. J. Mac knows this. The entire roster, from Rupert 2P Jones to Craig Reynolds to Bruce Bhakti, eventually, Danny Meyer, Bill Stein, Bob Stinson, opening pitcher, Diego Segui. This was my team. Lee Stanton, Leon Roberts. This was my team when I was a little kid. 12, 13, 14 years old. Right. Fall in love with baseball. I'd fallen in love with a big red machine. And then they got a little old, and here came the Mariners. And last night, Game seven alcs. And it was going so great for the Mariners. Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, they were at the top of the order. Julio Rodriguez, how about that? A double and a home run in his first two at bats. He's been in Seattle for years, three or four years. An All Star, always delivers the big dumper. Cal Raleigh was in the MVP race. Also homered in the fifth. Seattle Ed3 1. They're great with a lead. Always great with a lead because they have so many arms and so much flexibility in the bullpen. And when Cal Raleigh homers, The Mariners are 41 and 13 this year. They were leading three three to one heading into the seventh. George Kirby, Brian Woo had done a solid job to keep that Blue Jays batting order in check. Felt so good. This was going to be a special night for Seattle Sports. Hoist that trident. And then at the bottom of the seventh, the Jays got a couple of guys on. There's a base open, and George Springer was stepping up. Now, George Springer, his entire career has been. He hits bombs in the playoffs, a World Series MVP for Houston. Now he's in Toronto and he just hits bombs all the time. And Dan Wilson, the former Mariner catcher, very good defensive catcher and a good skipper, right? And he decides. And nobody in Seattle agreed with this, because I was watching. And if you're from the Northwest, you were watching and you were saying, yeah, don't pitch to George Springer. Don't do that. Put him on. Take your chances. And Dan Wilson decided to pitch to Major League baseball veteran George Springer. And here's what happened next. The one pitch, high fly ball, left field arose arena. Where does it go? Yeah, that was super awesome. Congrats to the Blue Jays. Super cool. Another Seattle sports moment on the doorstep of history. And it's locked. Why pitch to George Springer? Why are you waiting to put in Munoz, your elite closer? What in the name of whiffs are we talking about? This had a refuse to give the ball to Marshawn lynch at the doorstep super bowl feel to it. Did it not? This had a let's throw from the two feel to it afterwards. Here's Mariner skipper Dan Wilson. You make your decisions and, you know.

[Dan Wilson]

Sometimes, you know, you have to live.

[Colin]

And die with it. And, you know, I think again, the.

[Dan Wilson]

Way Zardo has thrown the ball all.

[Colin]

Season long, we were comfortable with where we were. And, you know, it just again, didn't. Didn't go our way. Listen, I'm super happy for Toronto. Super happy. But if you're from the Pacific Northwest, this had an extra sting to it. If you're from Portland, it felt a little bit like that. Laker Blazer Series, Game seven. Kobe, Shaq, the alley oop. Even though the Blazers had controlled long stretches in the series, it felt like that interception by Russell Wilson at the two yard line at the end zone. Eventually, Butler with a play. Wide pitch to George Springer. But hey, there's always next year. The Trident thing was fun. Dodgers Blue Jays World Series. The Dodgers will be seeking a dynasty. The Big Red machine in the mid-70s won two championships, not a third that didn't win until, like, 1990. It was considered a dynasty. Baseball has that kind of unique feel to it. Hard to win three straight with arm injuries and pitching staffs and ligaments and elbows. So the Dodgers are seeking a dynasty, and the Blue Jays are seeking relevance, respect, whatevs. So here we are. J. Mac, Nick Wright. One hour. Herd hierarchy. One hour it was. I sat there and watched it, and I thought, when you grow up in the Pacific Northwest, now the Huskies won a national championship, Seahawks did win a Super bowl, blowing out Denver in that Super Bowl, Peyton Manning, remember that? The Seattle SuperSonics won it. The Blazers won it back in the 70s.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, 70s, okay.

[Colin]

Yeah. The Bill Walton teams and the Gus Williams DJ Jack Sigma team. There have been times, there have been moments, few and far between. But listen, it. I did think whoever was going to go against the Dodgers, I thought the Mariners pitching could make it an interesting series against the Dodgers. Although LA is going to be a massive favorite. So if somebody's got to be in, congrats to our friends, our neighbors, our friendly neighbors to the north. Canada.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you and I like Canada. I don't know if Canada feels the same way about America right now, but that being said, Colin, I was going to text you last night when Springer went yard, but I decided probably would have been too much, you know, like thoughts and prayers. One of those deals.

[Colin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a tough one for you, man. Listen, I wouldn't know that as how it feels as a Jets fan. We haven't been close to anything in, you know, since like 15 years, but that's a tough one. But I'll go Dodgers in five.

[Colin]

Yeah, I mean, the Dodgers have extinguished the Reds quickly. The Phillies surprisingly quickly swept the brewers, which. Did anybody predict that? So they'll be the favorite. Say this for the Blue Jays, you get. You get to the top of that order, man. They. They just remember this. Look how they extinguished so quickly. The Yankees. So it's like, not a surprise. They were a good team all year. Yeah, I'm so. I'm really happy for them. I mean, couldn't be more elated for the Toronto Blues.

[Colin Cowherd]

You sure sound like it, Colin.

[Dan Campbell]

Yeah.

[Colin]

A lot of stuff going on today. We got a lot of stuff. We got Nick Wright in one hour. The hurt hierarchy. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

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[Colin]

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[Colin]

You know the first few weeks of football are beautiful out September, early October. The field is green, the air is crisp and clean. Smells like late summer and early fall. And then one morning you walk out onto the driveway, you trip and fall on the ice. You dent your yeti coffee mug. That morning happened to the Seahawks last night. It's officially late October. That was ugly. No longer. September 15th. Warm air, crisp feeling. That was awful. Sam Darnold was inconsistent. Four total giveaways, 12 penalties. They called a dumb trick play. Cooper cup throwing the ball. The good news, their defensive line. Seattle defensive line for three and a half hours man to man dominated Houston. I feel bad for CJ Stroud. CJ Stroud sits in the pocket, throws a beautiful ball. He's under total duress. They can't get the offensive line right and Seattle's defensive front dominated. But Seattle was up 15 points at home in the fourth quarter and what followed was a punt, a fumble, an interception and a punt. So the you know what Seattle's trying to do. They lead the NFL in rush attempts. They want to be a rush and a play action pass team. But they also lead the NFL in giveaways. Last night they had four and they are just too mistake prone at this point to be an excellent team. They're a good team but they should have won last night. 33 to 6. A Darnold fumble, a Darnold pick late in the fourth quarter. The only thing if you look at it this year they should be seven and oh but Darnold had the fumble against the Niners and then Darnold had a late pick in the game. Otherwise they're seven and oh that and and I love Sam but. But reckless is what not only Darnold's history is. It's what Seattle feels like now. So I mean Denver has back to back ugly wins. It's a skill. I will give Seattle credit. They played very poorly especially in the second half and one and I don't think Houston's bad. I really, I think Houston's got good players they're just so bad on the offensive line that they, they can't create, they can't keep the defense off the field. They can't create long, consistent, sustained drives because they get manhandled up front. And here was Sam Darnold, often atrocious looking win.

[Sam Darnold]

You know, obviously I think the first half, you know, was, was really solid for us as an offense, you know, and then the second half, it was just a different story, you know, and I think, you know, we just got to hold on to the football, you know, having a game like that offensively and you still win the ballgame. Can't ask for more than that. And you know, we're just going continue to learn from, from our mistakes and get better.

[Colin]

Hey, last year Kansas City was 11 and oh and one score games and eight or nine of them. They looked like the losing team. Denver. This year, Jets Giants outplayed in stretches by both. I mean that, I mean at least the Giants outplayed them for three quarters. So there is a skill to playing poorly and winning. And Seattle illustrated that last night. That was a great example. It saved what would have otherwise been a disastrous night in the Pacific Northwest. I'll tell you. Jsn, Ohio State wide receivers and they got another couple in college right now. I mean, have you watched Ohio State beat Wisconsin this weekend? They got nothing but star five star receivers. JSN is a stud coming into the season. We don't, we don't know if he's the number one receiver right, like he is. And he's one of the better ones. So he and Darnold look like they've been playing together for 15 years. So I'll give Seattle credit. Darnold had some experience in Minnesota. This is the second youngest offense and like Green Bay, which has the youngest offense, it can be a little, you know, a little uneven. Seattle can be really uneven, but they're a Darnold fumble and a Darnold pick away from being seven. No. So you got to iron those wrinkles out. But a win's a win. J Mac with a news.

[Dan Campbell]

No, no, no.

[Colin]

Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, Colin, we're on to week eight and we're gonna go to Green Bay and Pittsburgh. The most anticipated matchup of the weekend. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. First time Rodgers will face his former team, the Packers. Everyone will be talking about the matchup, but Matt Lafleur isn't stressing the significance of his return.

[Matt LaFleur]

We're playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who happen to have Aaron Rodgers, I mean, it's as simple as that. That is for you guys to talk about, granted. I mean, we've got a lot of respect and love for Aaron. I mean, what he's done here. This game is not about that. It's about going to Pittsburgh Sunday Night Football. Our guys will be jacked up. Their guys will be jacked up. It's about the Green Bay packers versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, and that's for you guys to talk about.

[Colin]

You know, I actually, I actually think Pittsburgh. This is a good spot for Pittsburgh.

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Really?

[Colin]

Yeah. I mean, first of all, they go on Thursday Night Football, they're a little humiliated. Tomlin has struggled on Thursday Night Football, so they go play the Bengals. The defense gets humiliated by Joe Flacco. So they're going to be in a bad mood. They're at home where they're a better team. Mike Tomlin has always been a great underdog coach. And the packers are playing with their food a little bit. You know, they've been in close games. Packers are the better team, but they, you know, I think everybody feels the same way about the packers, including their fans. You feel like they leave you wanting more. Like they're good. Shouldn't they be really, really, really good? I mean, they open up crushing Detroit, and I thought that's, that's the best team in the league. And they haven't been able to really give you that feeling since. I think Pittsburgh and Aaron keep it really close. I always love when teams that are very prideful, like, lose to a bad team the following week. Watch out. Like, I love Detroit last night, but they lost to Kansas City. I think Tampa being humiliated next week, watch Tampa play one of their most focused games of the year. So when a team gets humiliated or they lose to a team they should beat, like the Steelers losing to the Bengals on Thursday night. Watch Pittsburgh be inspired and give Green Bay everything they can handle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Interesting. So at three and a half, you. You lean Pittsburgh.

[Colin]

I like Pittsburgh as one of my second or third favorite bets of the week.

[Colin Cowherd]

So here's the thing about the Packers. You touched on it so that they won. They beat the Lions in the opener. Impressive. Then they beat Washington on Thursday. And everybody, my me, you, everyone who watches football, crowned them as the best team in the nfc.

[Colin]

Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

You beat the two NFC powers from last year. Since then, they have not covered the spread in any games. Colin, they lost to Cleveland, tied. Dallas messed around with the Bengals, didn't cover, and then last week didn't. So is it that they were kind of feeling Themselves after those first two wins and they haven't locked in?

[Colin]

No, I mean, I think Green Bay and Seattle are the two youngest offenses. And now I, I think Seattle is much more turnover prone than Green Bay is. But the, the similarity between Green Bay and Seattle's offenses, really explosive, really good teams, but they make a lot of mistakes. They. Seattle makes a ton of mistakes and I think Green Bay is just one of those teams where they leave you wanting more. Now, Green Bay's had some injuries, but I. They're both really good teams. I would take Green Bay over Seattle right now. I had Seattle in the herd hierarchy and I took them out this morning after that ugly performance last night.

[Podcast Advertiser]

Really?

[Colin]

Wow, harsh.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't have anything on this. I kind of want to go counterintuitive and go packers at three and a half, but that could be foolish. Well, we'll talk about it all week for sure. Let's move on to the Dallas Cowboys. Colin, they are starting to get spicy. Big blowout over Washington. Offense is looking like one of the most dangerous units in the league. Dallas ranks among the top teams in points and yards per game. And Dax says things can only get better.

[Dan Wilson]

Confidence is earned. You don't just wake up and say, yeah, I know I can do this. No, no, no, you got to go do that. Prove it to yourself. And then, you know, I'm saying you feel good about talking about it and what, walking the walk. So this, this group practices the right way and, and they've earned the confidence and they go out there and we play with it and it's fun. It really is fun. Who knows what we can accomplish? Like the sky is the limit. We're just going to stay focused each and every day at getting better.

[Dan Campbell]

Huh?

[Colin Cowherd]

This is a really good game, this Dallas offense, which is elite. Incredible this season against the Denver defense, which we've been hearing as elite.

[Podcast Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

But their results don't match the hype. I mean, Jackson dart went up and down the field against him. I look at earlier this season. Daniel Jones cooked them. I mean, other than, you know, walloping Jake Browning and Justin Fields. Colin, is this Denver defense that good or is it in name only?

[Colin]

It's my favorite game of the weekend. Affordable defense, the best offense, two quarterbacks who are newsworthy. It's my favorite game of the week. I don't have a side yet, but in terms of wanting to watch it, I think it's really, really entertaining.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who do you give the edge to? The Dallas offense, which has Pickens and land back.

[Colin]

Well, when I Saw initially the line was 3. My take was I, you know, I always guess the line in my head before I see it and I thought it would be Denver minus four. So when it was Denver minus three, my take was Broncos are the side, the slight side. So it's moved up to three and a half at least. I saw it at three initially. So yeah, I feel Denver, you know, when a team is a four point favorite, I almost always take the favorite. Vegas doesn't want to make anybody a four point favorite. They want it to be three and when they have to give up that extra point. So I think if this moves up to four, then Denver's really my side.

[Colin Cowherd]

So Dallas on the road this season. Ready. Lost at the Eagles, lost at the Bears, beat the jets, which kind of doesn't even count. Lost at the Panthers. So you go away from the fast track indoors at Jerry World Outdoors and they have not been as good.

[Colin]

So I think I know, all I know is if Dallas wins this thing, they get Arizona at home buying the Raiders. So I mean you, you come out of this weekend 4, 3 and 1 Cardinals by Raiders. You are, you are in a really interesting situation.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, Dallas and Chicago, no joke, could be fighting for that. A wild card spot and Chicago actually has the tiebreaker. All right, final story. Let's go to this. I'm stunned by this news. Lamar Jackson is still not practicing.

[Dan Campbell]

What?

[Colin Cowherd]

I was ready to hammer the Ravens in this spot against the Bears. The market has set Baltimore as a six and a half point favorite.

[Podcast Advertiser]

Yep.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm absolutely floored that Lamar, who hasn't played in two games and had a bye week, did not practice yesterday and we don't know if he's practicing today.

[Colin]

That line tells you the respect for John Harbaugh off of buy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he's 14 and three off a buy. I, I just looked that up. But Baltimore reminder one and five now. Roquan Smith expected back. I don't care. I need to know if Lamar's playing or not.

[Colin]

I mean, yeah, I think what the odds makers are telling you is that Baltimore has to go on about a five game winning streak and John Harbaugh off a buy. This team is going to play with its hair on fire. This is not a good spot for the Bears who have been winning ugly for four weeks. I mean, it feels like to me this is, this is a bad spot for the Bears and the Ravens. They have no breathing room. They have to win five straight games. They have to be, they have to look up and have a five game winning streak or they're like out of the running because Pittsburgh is going to end up, you know, Tomlin's going to end up with a winning record because he always does. So you got to get to a positive record to get into the playoffs.

[Colin Cowherd]

How's this scenario? Ravens win and the Steelers lose to the Green Bay Packers. And oh, by the way, Baltimore still has two against the Steelers left. I don't think it's over. One of the smart bets. Would you do this, Colin? Bet the Ravens to win the division?

[Colin]

I think it's good. I think it's an interesting bet.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, this weekend is a big swing. Now if Lamar's not playing, I'm not touching it. But I do believe Lamar, he's gotta play a hamstring for three weeks. I thought this guy was a young extraordinary athlete. He can't get, can't come back from a friggin hamstring. Come on.

[Colin]

J. Mack with the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that's the news and thanks for.

[Colin]

Stopping by the herd lie news. So the NBA season starts tonight. I will give you my five bold predictions after the commercial, but I want to touch on this. So NBA writer Yaren Weitzman has a new book. It's called the Hollywood Ending the Dreams and drama of the LeBron Lakers. And in the book, Westbrook is very critical of LeBron James. He shouldered a lot of the blame when he joined the Lakers and they struggled. Basically he calls out LeBron James for being a phony. And so Russell Westbrook is runs hot. He's very intense, he's highly emotional. He always feels, how can I put this? Kind of, kind of slighted. But he's no phony. Westbrook is as real as it gets, I think. In fact, I would argue Westbrook in his career has been real to a fault. He would have benefited greatly. Sometimes being a little bit more of a politician and a little bit less emotional and outburst capable even with fans. Someone pretty close to LeBron's circle told me one time, Westbrook hates everybody. I don't know if that's true, but LeBron is a very rare athlete globally. He's a billionaire. He's in that Michael Tiger Ronaldo Ohtani space. And I think a fair criticism of LeBron and maybe if I was LeBron, I'd be in this space too, is that he's hyper aware of his brand and is largely at this point protecting it for he and his family. So sometimes he comes across a little bit insincere, a little more aware of every tweet that he's seeking popularity and brand protection and that it's kind of phony and it's kind of insincere. I've heard that criticism a hundred times about LeBron. But again, if you go back and look at this whole relationship, it should have never been fostered. It should have never happened. Russell Westbrook is literally the opposite personality of LeBron James. It was never going to work. He's a trapeze artist. You're not quite sure with Westbrook what's coming next. And LeBron is more consultant from a distance, not going to put his toe in the water unless he knows it's safe. And these two are never going to work. One is pretty easy to play with in terms of almost every star that's played with. LeBron has been good, right? It felt like he kind of salvaged J.R. smith's career. J.R. smith in New York was kind of out of sorts, and he goes to Cleveland, he plays with LeBron, and all of a sudden, everybody loves J.R. smith, and he got to a final with Matthew Dellavedova, and everybody was out on Kyrie. And then he fixed the Kyrie thing in Cleveland, and eventually they didn't work. But, I mean, LeBron's made everything kind of work. Plays with AD, played with Wade, played with Bosh, played with Kyrie, played with Kevin Love. He kind of plays with everybody. Westbrook struggles to play with anybody. But to Westbrook's credit, he's sincere, he's honest, he's loyal as the day is long to the people that are close to him. And I know people that love Westbrook. He just runs hot, and LeBron doesn't allow. I mean, I've always said it's very interesting. LeBron's never gotten into a fight in the NBA. One of the biggest, strongest guys. He never got into a fight. I mean. I mean, Michael Jordan punched teammates. I mean, just different personalities. So I. I just. I. I think LeBron's a very measured, calculated brand protecting global superstar and Westbrook. What you see is what you get. And this puppy was never gonna work, ever. Some dudes are never meant to be roommates, right? I mean, you can have buddies in college. You're like, somebody's a partier. You're a serious student. You can be friends. You're not meant to live together. And Westbrook and LeBron had the Lakers really, really thought about it. Should have never happened. Deal should have never happened. So it's hard for me to blame Westbrook or LeBron. I'll have my five bold NBA predictions a Colin Herd hierarchy top of the hour plus Nick Wright, Greg Olson too. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

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[Colin]

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[Colin Cowherd]

All eyes turn to big noon for a make or break clash. Undefeated Indiana, number two for the first time in program history, takes on UCLA, who looks to shock the Big Ten. It all starts with big noon kickoff at 10:00am Eastern live from Bloomington. Then it's UCLA Indiana bowling on Fox.

[Colin]

Yeah, UCLA as shocking. Shocking what they've done. So the NBA season starts tonight. The west has completely separated from the East. The west, the top four to five teams in the west arguably are better than the best team in the East. Now if Jason Tatum comes back and plays this year, most doubt it. I wouldn't be shocked in game 65 or something. I mean all these pro athletes in their prime physically get healthier faster than we predict. If, if Jason Tatum came back, then I think Boston's a top four team in the league. Maybe top three Knicks aren't. But I thought let, let's just put it out there. These are my five bold NBA predictions. I hit in a couple last year. Missed on a couple. Number one, okc, despite the fact they're an overwhelming favorite in the desert, will not win. They will not repeat as champions. The west is too deep. SGA played 99 games last year, second year in a row he doesn't miss games. Jalen Williams coming off an injury between Minnesota and Denver, between the Lakers and Dallas. I think the west is too deep. I, I don't buy of the, of the 26 previous teams to win 64 plus games in a season, 25 won fewer games the following season. So I don't think they'll get home court advantage. Which I think in the west matters because these teams, you're on the margins here. They're all very good. So number one, OKC does not Repeat. Number two, Luca wins his first career mvp. So it's going to be a great story. And part of winning MVP is the narrative. Skinny Luca committed Luka. Lakers all in on Luka. Lebron starting the season in recovery. His ball usage will go back to being number one in the league. Obviously Austin Reaves is never going to take the ball out of his hands in big spaces. I think he's going to lead the NBA in scoring. You know, he was a dunker, played downhill early, got a little Husky. Only had one dunk last year. I think the best. Luka returns. He's motivated. The Lakers are all in. I think J.J. redick is an above average offensive coach. He'll get the ball to him in the right spots. Luka becomes mvp. My surprise team out west. Number three, Cooper Flag plays point guard. And Dallas makes the Western Conference final. Best front court by a mile in the NBA. Derek Lively, Daniel Gafford, AD Washington. They got great size. Kyrie Irving probably, probably comes back later in the year and his magic. But I think Cooper Flag is going to walk in when rookie of the year going away. I just, I think this is one of those deals. They fell apart last year. I love their size. I don't think any anybody defensively quite can stack the size and length that Dallas can. I don't know if they face the T Wolves in the Western Conference finals. That would be my guess. Or Denver. But it's not. It's not gonna be the Golden State warriors because my number four bold prediction. The warriors missed the playoffs. It is the second oldest team in the NBA. Let's be honest. They have one playoff series win over the last two years. They've been hobbled. They don't want to give up Pods in a trade deal. They're willing to give up Kaminga, but what are you going to get for Kaminga? So my take is unless you go all in on multiple draft picks, Pods and Kaminga, you're not getting a star that can accompany Steph Curry. And Pods is what he is to this point in his career. He's got a little Klay Thompson, but I mean this is an old team that brought in Al Horford. I love Al Horford. That's not the answer. They just got older. And number five, Orlando Magic, NBA Finals. Won't be the Knicks, won't be the Bucks, won't be the Sixers, Will not be the Cavs. Don't trust them. Last season they had key injuries. DeFronz Wagner, Paulo Bancaro, Jalen Suggs. They were A great number one scoring defense in the league. They could not shoot threes. They bring in Desmond Bain from Memphis, which I thought was a super smart move. This is a, you got a bunch of dudes entering their prime. The east is weak and I like Orlando a lot now. Again, they've been back to back first round exits, but they bring in a veteran who can hit threes. I think the East, I'm not sure. The east has been without Halliburton in Indiana and without Jayson Tatum. It is wide open, you could say. What about the Knicks? Carl Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson are not good on the floor. Together, both suboptimal defensive players, they went from Tibbs to Mike Brown. Many think they won't be as good coaching. I think the Knicks last year were a wonderful story, but what have they done to elevate themselves? And again, if you have Carl Anthony Towns, your second best offensive player on the floor with Jalen Brunson your lead offensive player, we know how that turns out. You'll get eaten alive. Teams will attack the pick and roll. The best thing for the Knicks is Jayson Tatum and Halliburton won't play. If they did, I would think less of the Knicks. I'm on Orlando in a very, very weak Eastern Conference. J Mac, I know you've got a thought on.

[Colin Cowherd]

You got some hot, hot takes. I love this. I know we're happy the NBA is back. Listen, you forgot the Knicks are going to be trading for Giannis here by the trade deadline. So the Knicks will be fine in the East. I, I, I am curious. This OKC stuff, are you surprised that there is no juice for okc? All anybody's talking about on the eve of the NBA season. Oh, can you hear what LeBron said in that, in that meeting like four years ago in a book like nobody's talking about SGA and OKC.

[Colin]

I'm with you. The new Adam Silver NBA is you can't stack too many good players. Chad Holmgren so far has been a bit injury prone. Jaylen Williams is recovering from an injury. SGA is like a pitcher that's pitched 300 innings in back to back years and they brought everybody back. A few years ago, Tampa won the super bowl.

[Dan Wilson]

Remember that?

[Colin]

And they brought everybody back.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Colin]

And then they, the following year there was this, there was this idea, this sense that you shouldn't bring everybody back. You need a new energy every year you need a new energy. You need to tweak and tweak and tweak and I Kind of feel like the Knicks, they'll be the same team, same issues. And people like Tibbs more than Mike Brown. I like Mike, he's fine. And I kind of feel like with okc, you'll be good, but they're not going to have home court advantage. I think Minnesota will be better. Ant keeps getting better. I think the Lakers are probably going to be better. I mean, J.J. redick, second year.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Colin]

I think. I think Denver had a ton of injuries last year. They'll be better. I think Dallas can't be as beat up as last year. Plus clooper fact. So Dallas better, Minnesota better, Lakers better. I. I think the west is just. I mean, I don't think Golden State is going to make the playoffs, but Golden State, they're old, but Buddy healed and Steph and Draymond and Horford and Pods and Kaminga and I don't think they'll make the playoffs. They could be a three seed in.

[Colin Cowherd]

The east, but that's possible. You, you didn't mention once the team that I have winning the NBA title, and that's the Houston Rockets. Kevin Durant. Amen. Thompson. Shin Goon. This team is stacked. Did you see tonight? They're going to be starting their starting lineup at 6, 7 and up. Kevin Durant's gonna play shooting guard. This is a new NBA. There's a bunch of teams are going big now.

[Colin]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

The whole guard era is kind of in the past, I think. Is it? These are good takes, Colin. I like it. I'm fired up.

[Colin]

Yeah. I mean, I think Houston's going to be fine. I don't know who's going to win the West. I just have Dallas in the Western Conference finals because usually this is the way it works in sports. The media, myself included, we have pay attention to one thing and then something else happens.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Colin]

And everybody's focused on Houston. And Dallas is like, now we like our coach, we like our front line. We can go big if Houston wants to go big. KD has a recent history of getting banged up. I don't know. I look at Dallas and nobody's paying attention. First of all, you could argue the top six teams in the league are all West.

[Dan Campbell]

Yes.

[Colin]

I mean, it is. It is like the SEC five years ago before, like Oregon, Washington, USC, UCLA joined the PAC 12 or joined the Big Ten. It was like there was the SEC and whoever was second wasn't close. Now it's very even.

[Colin Cowherd]

But I like your Orlando call. That's. That's kind of bold. I like that a lot.

[Colin]

Right Offensive team that added a shooter.

[Colin Cowherd]

We don't really talk about them anymore. I know you're out on this guy. Joel Embiid, Sixers, when they're healthy and assuming they will be, they could be dangerous only because there's no Boston and no Indiana this year as factors given the injuries. Keep an eye on the Sixers. They've got some young guys. Colin, your guy Tyrese Maxey, he was basically your, your Jaden Daniels. Remember you loved him and I was like, did plump the brakes. Tyrese Maxey's a bowler and they got some young guys. I like the Sixers a little bit this year.

[Colin]

You know, it's funny watching the Mariners last night and if you watch Aaron Boone, Dave Roberts, Dan Wilson get clobbered by the baseball, the seam heads. And the truth is now major league managers have been muted. Even Aaron Boone and I don't know what his salary is, but Dave Roberts, we pay college football coaches double what we pay major league managers in major markets like Dodger, Astro, Atlanta, New York markets. And so as I watch these managers, people always complain about the managers and it's always the same thing, which is you're too, you're too player friendly. You know, you need to pull the pitcher. You need, it's always like, when are you pulling the pitcher? You have to be pro player as a major league manager these days. You don't have the power. You don't have the salary power. The owners are billionaires now. It's a rounding error to fire a manager. You don't have the salary power. The analytic crew upstairs gives you the batting lineup and all the players know it. So Dan Wilson last night, I think it's a legitimate criticism. Pitching to George Springer, I think that's the rare time I would say that's a mistake. George Springer lives for those moments. He's the last guy in the world you wanted to face. But it is interesting, all these managers, we don't blame the players in baseball, we don't even blame the pitchers. We blame the managers. Dan Wilson's taken all the heat in Seattle today. A beloved former Mariner. It's not the guy who gives up the bomb, it's the manager. And that's just what baseball is. Going forward, people talk a lot about athletes performance. But what about your own? QuestHealth.com can help you understand where your health stands. With Quest, you can buy your own lab tests online, no doctor visit required. Quest has a huge selection of lab tests for everything from fitness to heart health and more. Just buy a test online and visit a nearby quest location for sample collection. You'll get fast results online, and for a limited time, you can save on select lab [e-mail] use the code HEARD10 at checkout.

[Podcast Advertiser]

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[Colin]

Hi folks, Colin here. Last Major League Baseball postseason, you probably saw something unusual Strauss on every batting helmet. They made history as the first brand ever with their logo on the postseason batting helmet. Pretty cool, right? That red ostrich definitely stood out. Their work pants are award winning. Durable, comfortable, loaded with pocket designs that actually make sense. Their jackets are built to take on whatever the day throws at you, weather wear or long hours. And the boots? Tough enough for real work, versatile enough that you'll want to keep them on after the job's done. They got smart pocket systems, too, that keep your essentials right where you need them, and comfort that lasts all day. From the job site to the weekend, Strauss makes gear that works as hard as you do. It's not just workwear, it's a tool you can wear. Once you try it, you'll see why so many pros trust the name Strauss. From GRIT to glory check out strauss.com s t r a u s s.com again. Strauss.com you're up now with Strauss. A wingman flies close with unwavering dedication. At Folds of Honor, a wingman stands with families of Americans, fallen or disabled heroes. The burial flag given to their grieving family is folded 13 times. As a wingman, your $13 monthly donation provides scholarships to their spouses and children. 13 folds $13 Become a Wingman Join today at foldsofhonor.org this is an I Heart podcast.