The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 2, January 6, 2026

Episode Theme:
This episode centers on Colin’s final "Herd Hierarchy" before the NFL playoffs begin, with playoff predictions, quarterback narratives, and a deep-dive discussion with Nick Wright about team pressure, coaching legacies, and analytical NFL talk ahead of Wild Card Weekend.

Main Segments

Final Regular Season Herd Hierarchy: Top 10 Teams

[Starts ~02:00]
Colin unveils his final top 10 rankings ahead of the NFL playoffs, sharing keen analysis and concerns for each franchise.

Herd Hierarchy Breakdown

• 10. Chicago Bears

  • NFC North winners for first time since 2018.
  • Relies on turnover battle (10-1 when winning it).
  • Offense inconsistent; “They disappear offensively for entire first halves.” (Colin, 02:36)
  • Windy conditions vs. Packers play to Chicago’s run game.

• 9. San Francisco 49ers

  • Brock Purdy’s strong recent form, but team isn’t as strong without key players.
  • “Some of that is on Kyle Shanahan, who to me has always been very tied to his script.” (Colin, 03:30)
  • If healthy, live underdog against Philadelphia.

• 8. Buffalo Bills

  • Undefeated (12-0) when scoring 21+ points, but shaky run defense and slow starts on road.
  • “They have lost eight straight road playoff games.” (Colin, 03:52)

• 7. Houston Texans

  • Nine-game win streak, elite defense.
  • Red zone struggles: “They settled for field goals and I think that will be their undoing. You gotta get sevens, not threes.” (Colin, 04:18)

• 6. Philadelphia Eagles

  • “Weird” team — 3-4 in last seven.
  • “Since week 10, bottom six offense.” (Colin, 04:33)
  • Complete roster, great defense; hard to read.

• 5. Denver Broncos

  • Home dominance, good against playoff teams (4-2).
  • Bo Nix’s high trust — “Sean Payton trusts him. It’s a little like Andrew Luck.” (Colin, 04:55)

• 4. LA Rams

  • Not hot lately (3-3 in last six), but stout pass rush.
  • “Stafford, the O line, the coach, the weapons.” (Colin, 05:13)
  • Vulnerable downfield; Philly a tough matchup.

• 3. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • 8-0 since week 11, dominant point margin.
  • “Like a dominant college team,” benefiting from stable drafting and Trevor Lawrence’s improved play.

• 2. New England Patriots

  • “I love Vrabel.” (Colin, 05:45)
  • 13 of last 14 wins, outstanding on road.
  • Weaknesses: O-line and inconsistent run game.

• 1. Seattle Seahawks

  • “Rare combination of a quarterback who’s highly productive on a team friendly deal and they don’t miss on draft picks. Translation: stacked roster.” (Colin, 06:36)
  • O-line is just “okay”; projected draft focus.

NFL Playoff Pressure, Quarterback Soak, and AFC Picks

With Nick Wright — [From 08:38]

Jaguars’ Rise and AFC Dynamics

• Nick Wright praises Colin’s hierarchy, especially the Jaguars, highlighting Trevor Lawrence’s clean play (19 TDs, 1 TO over last six; 08:55).
• “They have been a machine the second half of the year and Trevor has cut out the dumb stuff.” (Nick Wright, 09:13)
• The AFC: Winner of Jags-Bills becomes Nick’s conference favorite.
  • “If the Bills can go to Jacksonville and win … really, the advantage of having Josh Allen versus this quarterback field.” (Nick Wright, 09:53)
  • Jags’ ninth straight win would solidify them as favorites.

Buffalo Bills Under Pressure

Colin: “They’re a slow starting team that does not win road games against good teams.” (10:35)
Nick: “There has never been ... a 6 seed in the history of the NFL playoffs with more pressure on them to make the Super Bowl than the Buffalo Bills.” (12:16)

• Dynamic: If Buffalo loses, fan/media narrative will call it a choke ("You’re the one team that can't lose this weekend." — Colin, 12:34)
• McDermott’s job at risk if Bills stumble.
  • “I wonder what a loss would mean for that team.” (Nick, 13:54)

Quarterback Reputation in Big Games

[From 14:09]

Sam Darnold’s Narrative

• Colin compares Darnold’s turnovers to Favre, Peyton Manning, and Stafford.
  • “They cling to Darnold ... like Tony Romo, in big games he’s had costly turnovers and they stick to him.” (Colin, 14:29)
• Nick: Lacking MVPs or playoff wins, Darnold hasn’t earned benefit of doubt.
  • "The only person who has more confidence in Sam Darnold than Colin Cowherd is Sam Darnold." (Nick Wright, 17:02)
  • If Seattle loses early: “People are going to feel like you just can't trust Sam Darnold in big spots. It might not be fair, but it’s pro football.” (Nick, 17:52)

Young QB Playoff Stakes

• Caleb Williams and the Bears: If they can't win at home, “he probably deserves a little heat despite the history of this franchise.” (Colin, 18:34)
• Nick: If the offense flops, “Caleb goes back to being behind schedule.” (18:43)
• On Packers coach Matt LaFleur: Always a 7 seed post-Rodgers.
  • “Nobody has benefited more from NFL playoff expansion than the Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers.” (Nick, 20:51)

Coaching Conversations: LaFleur, McVay, and NFL Job Hierarchies

Colin: LaFleur’s reputation: good scheme and culture, but not a standout at either compared to McVay or Shanahan (21:15).

• LaFleur's Packers keep scraping in as a 7-seed, not breaking through.
  • “It feels like the Packers have been really close post Rodgers and they're the seventh seed every year.” (Nick, 22:21)
• McVay: “The most impressive culture builder.” (Colin, 21:16)
• Shanahan: “The best scheme guy.” (Colin, 21:16)

Herdline News: Playoff Matchups, Eagles Outlook, and More

With Greg Olson and Nick Wright — [From 26:19]

Eagles vs. Niners

• Greg: Jalen Hurts’ playoff experience should be an asset; “Jalen does a great job of, you know, continuing to raise his level of play.” (Nick Sirianni/Olson, 26:34)
• Colin: “If the line is four, four and a half or five, take the favorite.” (27:03)
• NFC playoff QBs: only Hurts and Purdy weren’t first-round picks.

Rams vs. Panthers / Matchup Breakdown

• Devante Adams likely back for Rams; edge to the Rams unless turnovers get in the way.
• “Rams have everything. They're healthy. They haven’t played great, so there’s certainly urgency in the building.” (Colin, 29:47)
• Panthers can hit on big plays; Rams corners are a vulnerability.

NBA Quick Hit: Warriors’ Decline

[31:09]

• Steve Kerr’s ejection, Snoop Dogg calling the game — light moment amid Warriors' struggles.
• “Curry, they’re like a fringe play-in team right now. That’s not what we want from Curry.” (Greg, 31:57)
• Colin: “They should have blown this team up after they beat the Celtics.” (32:22)
• Warriors’ draft picks (Kuminga, Wiseman) haven’t worked; not enough athleticism or size.

Quarterback Development and NFL Franchise Dysfunction

[From 36:06]

• Draft Dilemmas:
  • Colin on Dante Moore: “Stay in college so that I don't play with the New York Jets. I don't think I've ever said that before.” (36:50)
  • Young QBs too often land with the most dysfunctional teams.
• “The better you are, the crappier franchise you go to.” (Colin, 37:10)
• College football is now a legitimate alternative with NIL money and facilities.

The Miami Dolphins Conundrum

[43:51]

• Dolphins mulling Tua and McDaniel for another year.
• “Their GM...built a track team when they needed a sturdy line.” (Colin, 42:00)
• “I don’t always trust all the things the Dolphins do, but I don’t think it’s the craziest thing when you owe him 50 large anyway to bring Tua and McDaniel back for one more year.” (Colin, 44:40)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Buffalo's pressure:

  • “There has never been ... a 6 seed in the history of the NFL playoffs with more pressure on them to make the Super Bowl than the Buffalo Bills.” — Nick Wright, 12:16

• On Jags' improvement:

  • “Trevor has cut out the dumb stuff.” — Nick Wright, 09:13

• On Darnold’s narrative:

  • “The only person who has more confidence in Sam Darnold than Colin Cowherd is Sam Darnold.” — Nick Wright, 17:02

• On Packers coach:

  • “Nobody has benefited more from NFL playoff expansion than the Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers.” — Nick Wright, 20:51

• On young QBs and the draft:

  • “The better you are, the crappier franchise you go to.” — Colin Cowherd, 37:10

Headline Timestamps

• Herd Hierarchy Counts Down: 02:00–08:35
• Nick Wright Joins for AFC Playoff Picture & Pressure: 08:38–15:21
• Big Game Quarterback Perceptions: 14:09–18:43
• LaFleur, Coaching, Packers Reputation: 18:43–22:50
• Herdline News (Olson): Eagles-Niners, Rams-Panthers, NBA/Warriors: 26:19–33:50
• Draft Woes, College vs. NFL Prospects: 36:06–44:40
• Miami Dolphins' Roster Construction Dissection: 43:51–45:11

Tone & Takeaways

Colin’s measured, opinionated takes set the tone. Nick Wright brings sharp analysis, especially on the psychology of playoff pressure and quarterback narratives. Greg Olson gives practical, stats-backed playoff previews. The mood is energetic, probing, and at times wryly humorous—true to Colin’s “Herd” style.

For listeners or NFL fans, this episode was a football think-tank: playoff scenarios, franchise reputation, quarterback myth-building, and why the stakes are the highest in a long time for teams like Buffalo, Jacksonville, Seattle, and Chicago.