The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 2: Caleb Williams’ Breakout with the Bears, Cowboys Without Micah Parsons, Greg Cosell Analysis

Date: November 6, 2025
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode Focus: Examining Caleb Williams’ emergence in Chicago, organizational environments’ effects on player performance, the Cowboys’ roster moves, and in-depth NFL analysis with Greg Cosell.

Episode Overview

In this engaging hour, Colin Cowherd, joined by Greg Cosell and Rob Parker, unpacks the most compelling NFL narratives of the week. Key topics include Caleb Williams' development under Ben Johnson in Chicago, how a team’s environment dramatically impacts player outcomes (with special focus on recent trades), and whether the Cowboys might be better off restructuring post-Micah Parsons. Using insightful film breakdowns and league-wide perspectives, this episode spotlights the vital role of coaching, environment, and team structure in both individual and organizational success.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Organizational Environment & Player Transformation

• Context: Cowherd discusses recent high-profile trades: Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams moving from the Jets’ “bad workplace” to more functional franchises.
• Core Insight: Good employees (players) may falter in chaotic, poorly managed environments. Their true value or potential emerges when they transition to stable, well-coached teams.
• Memorable Analogy: "Giving the Jets draft picks is like giving your loser brother money. He doesn’t have any financial ability." – Colin Cowherd [06:03]
• Supported by: Example of Quinnen Williams’ tenure under three different Jets GMs before finally landing with the Cowboys; Sauce Gardner’s anticipated resurgence with the Colts.

2. Mahomes & the Kansas City Chiefs’ Struggles Against Buffalo

• Greg Cosell’s Analysis:
  • Hybrid Coverage: Buffalo “ran a lot of hybrid coverages... zone parts, man parts... trying to slow down Mahomes’ processing and keep him in the pocket.”
  • Impact: This pressure disrupted Mahomes’ rhythm and led to notable inefficiency.
  • Quote: "He did not really get out of the pocket very much... They did a good job of maintaining him, keeping him in the pocket." – Greg Cosell [08:52]

3. Josh Allen’s Evolution and Efficiency

• Technical Breakdown:
  • Allen’s grown from a gunslinger into an efficient machine thanks to personal work and schematics under coordinator Joe Brady.
  • Quote: "They've tried to rein him in...to allow him to play with a much more defined sense of timing and rhythm… rather than just, ‘Let Josh be Josh.’" – Greg Cosell [10:38]

4. Sam Darnold’s Success in Seattle

• Surprise Factor: Analytics show Darnold performing at the top of the league, contrary to low expectations post-Minnesota.
• Coach Fit: Clint Kubiak has built an offense that maximizes Darnold’s strengths – play-action, bootlegs, defined reads.
• Greg Cosell: “It’s a classic case of matching what a quarterback does really well with the scheme.” [12:41]

5. Trade Value: Rasheed Shaheed to Seattle

• Explained by Cosell: His “terrifying speed” and Seattle’s use of heavy tight-end sets open up deep opportunities. Cosell calls it "one of the most impactful trades… maybe it was overlooked because Shaheed’s not a star… but that may have been one of the most impactful trades that were made." [13:22]

6. Rookie QB Film Work: J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams

• J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota):
  • Compared to Alex Smith in mechanics and functional limitations.
  • “He’s what we call a locked front leg thrower… it limits your ability to drive the football because you can’t really bring your core into your throw.” – Greg Cosell [15:09]
  • Vikings’ defensive strategy forced Jameer Gibbs into pass protection, limiting his offensive impact.
• Caleb Williams (Chicago):
  • Under Ben Johnson, Williams is showing signs of mastering the Lions-style offense and becoming a dangerous "on-the-move" passer.
  • Cosell breaks down a specific play that epitomizes this growth ("39-yarder to Loveland") with precision.
  • Quote: "He throws as pretty a ball as you'll see in the league, but there's still work to do… There were some plays in this game where I just felt like, ‘Oh yeah, this is the way Ben Johnson wants it to look.'" – Greg Cosell [25:11]

7. Cowboys’ Issues and Coaching Questions

• Dak Prescott’s Rough Night:

  • Labeled as a “tough watch.” Dak’s effectiveness now relies heavily on in-structure, rhythmic play.
  • "If it's not clear to him... then he's not going to play quite as well." – Greg Cosell [19:00]

• Coaching Landscape:

  • Debate over making a splash with a proven coach (Mike McCarthy, Lane Kiffin) versus rolling with coordinator promotions, particularly for the Jets.
  • “With the Jets, you’ve done the coordinator multiple times. It’s not working. If I, if I was the Jets, I would go get Mike McCarthy, I would go get a proven B plus coach...” – Colin Cowherd [53:59]

8. Team Identities & Roster Construction

• Green Bay vs. Philadelphia Preview:

  • LaFleur wants to run, but Packers haven’t found run-game traction, and their offensive identity is unclear.
  • Wide receiver injuries (Musgrave to step up) could alter offensive approaches. [20:35]

• Rams and the Importance of Fit (Puka Nacua Example):

  • McVay leverages Nacua’s strengths as a movement/combination route runner but upgrades to Davante Adams for true boundary ability.
  • “McVay understands exactly what Puka Nakua is.... They use him as a movement guy... part of two and three route combinations.” – Greg Cosell [22:54]

9. Draft Pick Philosophy & the Jets

• Cowherd remains skeptical: “Giving the Jets draft picks is like giving somebody with no financial literacy a small Powerball win. They'll screw it up.” [27:31]
• Counterpoint: Rob Parker argues for perseverance and taking more swings in the draft despite past misses ("You got to keep shooting, keep firing."). [28:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Speaker | Quote | Timestamp | |-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Colin Cowherd | "Good employees, bad workplace. You go to a better situation, it's amazing. Pro athletes, their lives are like our lives: workplace matters." | 05:22 | | Greg Cosell | "He did not really get out of the pocket very much... They did a good job of maintaining him, keeping him in the pocket." | 08:52 | | Greg Cosell | "Let Josh be Josh. That's all well and good, but at some point you've got to play the game within structure." | 10:54 | | Colin Cowherd | "Analytics tells you he [Darnold] is as good as any quarterback in the league." | 11:34 | | Greg Cosell | "It’s a classic case of matching what a quarterback does really well with the scheme." | 12:41 | | Greg Cosell | "[J.J. McCarthy] is what we call a locked front leg thrower... it limits your ability to drive the football." | 15:09 | | Greg Cosell | "[Caleb Williams] throws as pretty a ball as you'll see in the league, but there's still work to do." | 25:11 | | Colin Cowherd | "You can give the Jets draft picks. That's like giving your loser brother money. He doesn't have any financial ability." | 06:03 | | Rob Parker | “Just because you failed in the past… doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking more shots in the future… you gotta keep shooting.” | 28:53 | | Colin Cowherd | “If I was the Jets, I would go get Mike McCarthy, I would go get a proven B plus coach, give him Mendoza out of Indiana and use those picks.” | 53:55 |

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Jets Organizational Dysfunction & Trades: [04:43]–[07:18]
• Mahomes vs. Buffalo Defense Breakdown: [07:18]–[09:46]
• Josh Allen’s Growth: [09:46]–[11:31]
• Sam Darnold’s Seattle Success & Shaheed Trade: [11:31]–[14:13]
• Rookie Quarterbacks: J.J. McCarthy’s Mechanics: [14:13]–[16:50]
• Sauce Gardner to Colts & Impacts: [16:50]–[18:35]
• Dallas Cowboys Offense Post-Parsons: [18:35]–[19:58]
• Green Bay vs. Philly Preview (Offensive Identity): [20:04]–[22:01]
• Puka Nacua’s Value in the Rams Offense: [22:01]–[24:00]
• Caleb Williams Film Breakdown (Bears): [24:00]–[27:24]
• Draft Value Debate & Jets Philosophy: [27:24]–[29:41]

Conclusion: Themes & Tone

This episode pivots between technical football analysis and broader reflections on leadership, team culture, and organizational strategy. The tone is sharp, informal, and often irreverent — Cowherd’s analogies and Cosell’s deep-dive X's & O's balance football geekdom with big-picture wisdom about what makes teams, players, and franchises thrive or sputter.

Bottom Line:
Whether it’s Caleb Williams learning a pro system, Darnold’s Seattle fit, or teams like the Jets and Cowboys weighing bold moves versus “safe” drafts, the message is clear: talent matters, but coaching, environment, and vision matter more.

For listeners new and old, this hour delivers a blend of strategy, personality, and football philosophy—backed by real-world examples and authentic, behind-the-scenes detail.