The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2 (September 23, 2025)

"New Herd Hierarchy, the Chiefs are not there yet, thoughts on Jim Harbaugh, Nick Wright"

Main Theme & Episode Overview

This episode is packed with Colin Cowherd’s signature NFL “Herd Hierarchy” power rankings, intense debate about the placement of powerhouse teams (especially the Chiefs and Ravens), insight on Jim Harbaugh’s coaching greatness, and an in-depth NFL roundtable with Fox Sports host Nick Wright. The show also covers quarterback traits, the rise of the Chargers and Eagles, Caleb Williams’ NFL trajectory, college football's shifting landscape, and Cowboys/Packers big moves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Herd Hierarchy: NFL Power Rankings

(02:58 – 09:50)

• Colin unveils his top-10 NFL teams post-Week 3:

  • Chiefs ranked outside the top 10 at 11, sparking debate with Nick Wright over their current form versus their reputation and track record.

• The List:

  • 10. Baltimore Ravens
  • 9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • 8. San Francisco 49ers
  • 7. Detroit Lions
  • 6. Seattle Seahawks
  • 5. LA Rams
  • 4. LA Chargers
  • 3. Green Bay Packers
  • 2. Buffalo Bills
  • 1. Philadelphia Eagles

• Why the Chiefs are out:
  "The Chiefs, despite a win, are at 11. Baltimore is a road favorite, and the NFL, like the NBA, is an offensive league first." (Colin, 03:54)

• Offensive juggernauts vs. defensive liabilities:

  • Ravens' offense scoring at a high clip, but defensive investments have not paid off.
  • Bucs surprising with Mayfield's consistency, even with injuries.
  • Niners’ depth tested by Bosa’s season-ending injury.
  • Lions' backfield duo of Gibbs and Montgomery is elite.
  • Seahawks’ draft-driven defense dominating.
  • Chargers praised for red zone defense and offensive evolution.
  • Packers’ defensive efficiency; concerns about run game.
  • Bills’ turnover mastery; skepticism about back-end defense.
  • Eagles lauded for best roster, GM, and Jalen Hurts' leadership.

2. Are the Chiefs Being Undervalued? (Nick Wright joins)

(09:51 – 12:48)

• Nick Wright's tongue-in-cheek argument:

  • “If we know anything about Baltimore, it’s that they play their best in the biggest spots in January and situationally they’re just buttoned up. They would never blow a big lead or seem a little tight in a big game.” (Nick Wright, 09:51)
  • Advocates for trusting Mahomes/Chiefs’ offensive struggles over Baltimore’s defensive collapse: “I’d rather have the issues be on offense because I feel like my quarterback can figure it out. If you’re Baltimore, it is really concerning now that the defense ... looked really bad through two weeks. They got bullied last night, and Lamar can’t fix that for you.” (Nick Wright, 10:50)

• Colin cedes ground, but predicts the Chiefs will surpass the Ravens in eight weeks.

  • “I will say in eight weeks I think the Chiefs would beat the Ravens. I absolutely do ... You cannot be bad defensively today, this weekend. I think the Ravens [are] probably better. In eight weeks ... Rice, Worthy—they won’t be, to your point.” (Colin, 11:51)

3. Chargers Takeover? Debate on AFC West

(12:48 – 14:00)

• Colin teases that "the Chargers have seized control of the AFC West for the foreseeable future."

• Nick Wright counters: “By foreseeable future, you mean the next six or seven weeks? Sure. By the end of the year? Let’s see.”

• Playful back-and-forth: Nick needles Colin for being down on Herbert and being slow to credit coach Harbaugh.

4. Who Called the Jim Harbaugh Surge First?

(14:00 – 16:08)

• Nick presents a 2016 audio take:
  • “I think Jim Harbaugh is the best football coach in the world. I would rather have Jim Harbaugh than Bill Belichick. … I think he is the best football coach there is.” (Nick Wright, 14:00 [clip from 2016])
• Both praise Harbaugh’s adaptability and transformational skill, with Nick noting Andy Reid is now in that conversation, but calling Harbaugh “almost one of one.”

5. Quarterback Traits: The Case for Jalen Hurts

(16:46 – 20:30)

• Colin Cowherd:

  • “I’m a quarterback traits elitist. I like ‘em tall ... big arms. I was always with Jalen Hurts, you know, small ... What's his superstar trait? He is the strongest quarterback pound for pound in league history.” (16:46)

• Nick Wright:

  • “I think the strength obviously helps immensely … but his intangibles and leadership are probably a superpower.” (17:50)
  • Notes Philly’s staff is still oddly reluctant to fully trust him as a passer.

• On "team skill":

  • “Winning is a team skill and the Eagles have found a way each and every week despite not playing their best football yet, and I think that’s really impressive.” (Nick, 19:47)

6. Caleb Williams: Talent vs. Consistency

(20:30 – 23:51)

• Colin’s take:

  • “His personality isn’t terribly consistent. He can get very emotional. His accuracy isn’t always consistent. … Caleb is a bit of a roller coaster.” (20:30)
  • Predicts Williams will remain high-variance, driving coaches crazy.

• Nick’s counter:

  • “It took Josh Allen six years to stop being a roller coaster. … He kind of lives and dies with each play ... if he misses a few throws, it can snowball against him.” (21:40)
  • Sees reason for Bears optimism if they beat the Raiders heading into a bye.

7. Quarterbacks, Franchise Patience & Environments

(23:51 – 26:50)

• Colin contrasts the Bills and Bears:
  • “Buffalo is a small market. … Chicago, there’s so many things working against the young quarterback who struggles. It’s a very loud media ... They can’t get quarterback right. … It is harder when you’re the Chicago Bears quarterback and they’ve never gotten the quarterback position right.” (24:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Power Rankings (Chiefs vs. Ravens):

  • “I take the Ravens over Kansas City Chiefs at 11 due to the fact the Ravens are the road favorite and I think it’s an offensive league and they’ve got an incredibly dynamic offense.” (Colin, 08:59)
  • “I’d rather have the issues be on offense because I feel like my quarterback can figure it out.” (Nick Wright, 10:50)

• On Jalen Hurts’ Superpower:

  • “He is the strongest quarterback pound for pound in league history.” (Colin, 16:46)

• On Jim Harbaugh’s coaching greatness (replaying a classic take):

  • “I think Jim Harbaugh is the best football coach in the world. I would rather have Jim Harbaugh than Bill Belichick. ... Than Nick Saban.” (Nick Wright, 14:00)

• On Eagles’ winning habits:

  • “The Eagles … win games blocking a kick, a guy drops a pass, a tipped pick, and it is a sign of a team that just knows how to win. … The Eagles, like the Chiefs last year, know how to win games.” (Nick Wright, 19:26)

• On Caleb Williams’ volatility:

  • “We just have to get comfortable with the fact that he is going to drive Ben Johnson crazy about every other series.” (Colin, 20:30)

Key Timestamps

• 02:58 – Start of Herd Hierarchy
• 03:54 – 08:59 – Detailed breakdown of NFL Power Rankings 10–1
• 09:51 – 14:00 – Colin and Nick Wright debate Chiefs, Ravens, Chargers
• 14:00 – 16:08 – Harbaugh legacy, audio replay of old Nick Wright take
• 16:46 – 20:30 – Jalen Hurts’ strengths, Eagles’ winning ways
• 20:30 – 23:51 – Discussion: Caleb Williams’ volatility, Bears future
• 23:51 – 26:50 – Josh Allen/Caleb Williams: Environment and franchise patience

Additional Headlines & Analysis

Rapid NFL and College Football News Roundup

(31:32 – 37:24)

• NY Giants bench Russell Wilson for Jackson Dart
  • “Russell Wilson: 4 of 18 for 16 yards in the red zone. … I think it’s time to retire.” (Colin, 33:22)
• Aiden Hutchinson’s Defensive Dominance
  • “Aiden Hutchinson last night was a monster. He was dominant.” (J Mac, 35:06)
• Steelers’ struggles and Vikings-Pittsburgh in Dublin
  • “They’re past being a contender ... from what I’ve seen, they’re not a contender and they haven’t been in a while.” (audio: Jerry Jones, 35:44 / Colin, 35:59)

Jerry Jones, Cowboys, and Big-Picture Team-Building

(41:21 – 50:03)

• Colin:
  • “Sometimes you make a business deal and you know you’re going to get beat up for a year ... But you know what the Cowboys have now? Flexibility. … Four first-round picks over the next couple years. … Having the courage to do what’s best long term.” (41:21, 42:45)
• On Dallas’ long-term prospects vs. short-term pain:
  • “Dallas is going to get crushed if Green Bay wins the Super Bowl … but come April, when you don’t need a quarterback and have two first round picks ... Dallas is going to be in unbelievable shape in April.” (47:40, 50:03)
• On coaching being the missing factor:
  • “If you had an elite coaching staff ... Coaching matters. Cowboys don’t have them.” (50:44)

College Football Landscape & Realignment

(47:15 – 47:40)

• Justin Herbert on Oregon/Penn State in the Big Ten:
  • “That’s kind of the cool thing about going to the Big Ten ... you’re going to go to the East Coast and you’re going to have some big games.” (Justin Herbert, 47:15)
• Colin remarks on realignment improving the sport’s relevance and excitement.

Flow & Tone

Colin’s tone is direct, witty, and occasionally self-deprecating. Nick Wright brings playful sarcasm, sharp debate, and historical recall to the banter, keeping the energy high and the arguments lively. The pace is fast but layered, bouncing between current team evaluations, historical context, and forward-looking predictions. The conversation synthesizes data, gut instinct, and “lived” sports knowledge typical of The Herd.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, personality-packed evaluation of the current NFL landscape, with a special spotlight on power rankings, elite quarterbacks, Harbaugh’s legacy, and shifting college football rivalries. With sharp back-and-forth between Colin and Nick, plenty of timestamps for the best moments, and memorable quotes, it’s a must-listen (or must-read) for fans who want to keep up with the heart of sports conversation even if they miss the broadcast.