Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 2 (Dec 4, 2025)
Main Theme:
This episode dives deep into the NFL’s biggest current storylines, focusing on the Dallas Cowboys’ surge, the persistent offensive woes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the enigmatic Kansas City Chiefs, and the underappreciated defensive success of both the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers. Colin is joined by longtime NFL analyst Greg Cosell for insightful film breakdowns before welcoming Cowboys insider Matt Mosley. The hour is packed with candid analysis, memorable quotes, and heady debates about coaching, QB play, and organization-building across the league.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The State of the Cowboys and NFC Showdowns
[03:38–06:00]
- Cowboys’ Momentum: Colin praises Dallas’ offensive confidence and physicality, especially their resurgent interior offensive line and Dak Prescott’s high-level play.
- Coaching vs. Quarterback: Colin posits that great coaches, not always great QBs, are often the real drivers behind division leads (citing Mike Vrabel, Ben Johnson, Sean McVay).
“The scary thing about Dallas is their two guards. Over the last several years they've taken high draft picks with interior linemen. They're both outstanding... Dak, 10 years later, this O line has a chance to be really something.”
—Colin Cowherd (05:17)
2. In-depth Cowboys Film Study with Greg Cosell
[06:00–07:06]
- Defensive Turnaround: Greg Cosell is most impressed by Dallas’ defense, crediting midseason personnel moves and emerging young talent, especially at cornerback. The versatility in the secondary after shifting Bland to the slot is highlighted as a major improvement.
- Offensive Line as Foundation: Greg affirms the offensive line’s dominance and how it reestablishes Dallas’ identity.
“The trio of D tackles is as good a trio as any in the league... And now they've played Revel and Bridges on the outside... they moved Bland to the slot where he's better. Suddenly this defense, well, it's not top five in the league, but it’s a good enough defense to win games.”
—Greg Cosell (06:00)
3. Around the League – Quarterback, Scheme, and Identity
Bills/Bengals:
[07:06–09:20]
- Burrow’s pre- and post-snap processing is elite; Greg calls him “a computer chip.”
- The Bills, despite Josh Allen’s physical gifts, opt for a run-heavy, opponent-specific scheme.
Texans’ Defensive Prowess:
[09:20–11:14]
- Houston is thriving under D’Amico Ryans, combining young talent (Kaylen Bullock at safety) with tactical game planning.
- Greg notes the defense isn’t pressure-heavy but highly strategic with stunts and well-timed blitzes.
“They’re not a high percentage of pressure defense, but they're very schematic and tactical with when they bring pressure... This is a really difficult defense to play against.”
—Greg Cosell (10:16)
Chiefs’ Offensive Identity:
[11:14–12:16]
- Identity is just “Patrick Mahomes being special” rather than a defined scheme; Mahomes has become more improvisational, moving away from pocket structure.
“It almost seems to me watching his tape, Colin, that more and more he's become an improvisational stud as opposed to a pocket technician.”
—Greg Cosell (11:23)
Steelers’ Persistent Offensive Issues:
[12:16–13:22]
- Greg is blunt: “Steelers and offense are two words that go together very much these days.”
- They lack identity, have an up-and-down run game, and rarely work the middle of the field. Receivers and schemes don’t fit together; there’s nothing reliable on tape.
“Sometimes, watching their tape, their number one receiver’s becoming Darnell Washington at 311 pounds. I’m not sure what they are on offense.”
—Greg Cosell (12:46)
4. Chargers Defense – Coaching & Scheme
[13:22–15:09]
- Jesse Minter’s unit is highlighted for versatility and player development. Unsung heroes like corner Tarheeb Still and linebacker Diane Henley are key, and Greg lauds their coaching for successfully asking players to do a lot within complex schemes.
“They have a lot of movable chess pieces within their defense. And Jesse Minter obviously is coaching really well…”
—Greg Cosell (14:24)
5. Rookie & College QB Evaluations: Jackson Dart and Shedeur Sanders
Jackson Dart:
[15:09–17:03]
- Has mobility but isn’t seeing the field clearly enough yet. Tends to run when confused, which isn’t sustainable. Needs more reps and development.
“So right now, Jackson Dart is a quarterback that is not seeing things as clearly as you need to. And when you're a quarterback that has mobility… What do you do? You run.”
—Greg Cosell (15:49)
Shedeur Sanders:
[17:03–18:23]
- Played too “fast” this week; processing speed at the NFL level isn’t there yet. Holds onto the ball with one hand on the move—a fixable but recurring issue.
6. Bears & Packers: Old School and New Wave
Bears’ Rushing Attack:
[18:23–19:59]
- Creative run scheme led by Ben Johnson, using motion to manipulate defenses—echoes of Joe Gibbs.
Jordan Love’s Breakout:
[19:59–24:08]
- Greg praises Love’s composure and advancing ball placement, especially on third down and in the red zone—attributes both to Love’s growth and Matt LaFleur’s offensive design.
“His ball location has gotten more consistent… And you combine that with an aggressive mindset… he wins on third down.”
—Greg Cosell (20:31)
“Sometimes the really cool things are so simple when you really look at them... But this Packer offense. And you're right about Jordan Love. He definitely looks like a franchise quarterback.”
—Greg Cosell (23:48)
7. Coaching Critique: The Mike Tomlin Debate
[35:29–39:41]
- Segment features fiery exchanges after comments from James Harrison (and prior from Ben Roethlisberger) questioning Tomlin as “great.”
- Colin and J. Mac debate Tomlin’s record, playoff drought, and whether he’s Hall of Fame-worthy.
- Colin ultimately says Tomlin is still valuable – “He’d get hired in a heartbeat somewhere else… But I’m watching the same team for seven years.” (38:40)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Mahomes & Chiefs’ Offense:
“I would say it's Patrick Mahomes being special. And I'm not trying to be sarcastic.”
—Greg Cosell (11:20) -
On Steelers’ lack of offense:
“Steelers and offense are two words that go together very much these days... I don't know if right now I feel like watching their tape that you can hang your hat on anything.”
—Greg Cosell (12:26) -
On Jordan Love:
“There's a comfort with which he plays, which is not an X and O point, but... he’s an aggressive mindset thrower.”
—Greg Cosell (20:31–21:04) -
Coaching over Quarterbacks:
“The best quarterback doesn't necessarily lead the division. The best coach often leads the division.”
—Colin Cowherd (03:57)
Matt Mosley Segment: The Cowboys’ Joyride
[44:13–51:02]
- Jerry Jones Vindication: Mosley says Jerry is “openly talking about the playoffs” for good reason after recent trades and personnel moves—especially acquiring Pickens.
- Brian Schottenheimer’s Surprising Success: The OC’s leadership through tragedies and on-field growth have “shown his leadership,” sparking improved play, especially from Dak.
- Dak’s Maturation: Dak’s confidence, his impact on teammates, and the Cowboys’ resilience under pressure.
- Playoff Prospects: Winning tonight could push playoff probability beyond 40%. Dallas is thriving under pressure.
“Watch out for a team that seems to be playing for something bigger than itself. And I think some of that's going on with these Dallas Cowboys right now.”
—Matt Mosley (47:02)
Other Noteworthy Segments
- Penn State Coaching Turmoil ([31:06–33:51]): Debate on the wisdom of firing college coaches midseason, and the subsequent impact on recruiting and program stability.
- Fast Food Draft (light humor) ([29:55–31:06]): Colin and J. Mac banter about the “all-star fast food team,” leading to a lighter interlude before the hard sports talk returns.
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 03:38 — Start of Cowboys discussion and NFL landscape analysis
- 06:00 — Greg Cosell on Cowboys D, player personnel shifts
- 09:20 — Texans defense breakdown
- 11:14 — Chiefs’ offense and Mahomes’ improvisational play
- 12:16 — Steelers offense “broken” discussion
- 15:09 — Rookie QB Jackson Dart film study
- 17:03 — Shedeur Sanders’ pros and cons
- 19:59 — Packers’ Jordan Love and red zone offensive design
- 35:29 — Tomlin debate: Is he a Hall of Famer?
- 44:13 — Matt Mosley on Jerry Jones and Cowboys’ playoff push
Overall Tone
The episode is lively, direct, and deeply analytical—balancing Colin’s brash, colloquial style with Greg Cosell’s methodical, film-heavy insights. Guest Matt Mosley brings a confident, beat-reporter’s perspective to the Cowboys’ rise. No-nonsense football talk, with humor and strong opinions throughout.