THE HERD - Hour 3 - Albert Breer joins The Herd, the NFL playoffs

Summary

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THE HERD with Colin Cowherd

Episode Summary: Hour 3 - Albert Breer Joins The Herd, NFL Playoffs
Air Date: January 7, 2026
Guests: Albert Breer (Senior NFL Reporter, Monday Morning Quarterback)
Main Theme:
This episode dives deep into the seismic coaching changes across the NFL, specifically surrounding John Harbaugh’s firing by the Baltimore Ravens. Colin and Albert dissect the ramifications for the organization, the role of Lamar Jackson, implications for head coaching candidates, and the wider ripple effect on team philosophies, playoff pressure, and league-wide trends. They also explore job openings and fit, Josh Allen/Bills’ playoff window, and possible movement for coaches like Matt LaFleur.

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1. John Harbaugh’s Firing in Baltimore & Fallout

[00:35 – 04:23]

• Context & Colin’s Take:
  Colin sets the stage discussing how shocking Harbaugh’s firing was, raising the question of whether the growing focus on Lamar Jackson contributed. He theorizes the franchise faced a tough cap situation with Lamar, and wonders aloud if the relationship was sustainable:

  “...John Harbaugh may have just, I'll throw a scenario. During a two hour meeting he said, ...‘I was 8 and 4 pre-Lamar in the playoffs. I'm 3 and 6. The cap hit’s huge. ...I could like Lamar as John Harbaugh, but push back on this. Lamar is everything. He is the base of everything.’”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [01:02]</span>

• Albert’s Insight:
  Albert Breer emphasizes that the firing was not solely about Lamar. He notes Harbaugh had a strong relationship with Jackson, but the culture within the Ravens’ building shifted:

  “I just think the dynamic in the building had changed a little bit...John was a player's coach, but it was a tough, demanding place. ...It takes a certain type of player...there may have been a little bit of a disconnect there over the last couple of years that festered...”
  <span style="color:gray">— Albert Breer [02:16]</span>

• Ownership felt this year’s roster could have been the best in decades, making an 8-9 finish evidence of deeper issues.

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2. Baltimore’s Coaching Search and Lamar’s Role

[04:23 – 07:00]

• Colin’s View:
  He argues Baltimore has a top-down strong culture and needs an offensive-minded coach, unlike the Giants who need a “culture builder.”

• Candidates for Ravens:
  Breer suggests Baltimore will cast a wide net, as they did before hiring Harbaugh. Names include:

  • Kevin Stefanski (Browns HC):
    “...you could look at Kevin Stefanski as somebody who could do that.” [05:46]
  • Clint Kubiak (Seattle Seahawks, OC):
    Cites Kubiak’s family legacy with the Ravens.
  • Brian Flores (Vikings DC):
    “...That guy looks like a Ravens coach. ...He carries himself as like a Ravens coach.”

• The new coach will be tasked with “moving the Raven identity forward.” Lamar will be a factor, but not making the final decision.

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3. Coach Openings & Best Fits: Harbaugh, Giants, Raiders, Falcons

[08:23 – 11:13]

• Premium Jobs:
  Colin ranks the Baltimore opening as “Packers/Eagles level,” rarely available and very attractive. He also sees Giants, Raiders, Falcons as promising.

• Harbaugh’s Best Fit:
  Both agree the Giants feel like the strongest fit for John Harbaugh:

  “To me, John Harbaugh ... screams New York Giants. ...Buttoned up...strong idea of what he wants to build for in a culture.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Albert Breer [09:17]</span>

• Quarterback Assessment Crucial:
  The attractiveness of openings hinges on the current and future QB:

  “There’s nothing better in the NFL than having a rookie quarterback who can really play on his rookie contract. ...But there’s nothing worse than being invested in the wrong guy.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Albert Breer [10:03]</span>

• Coaches—Harbaugh included—will weigh the QB evaluation in considering these spots.

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4. Playoff Pressure: Buffalo Bills and Coaching Futures

[11:13 – 13:50]

• Bills’ Crunch Time:
  Colin describes Buffalo as under immense pressure:

  “Everybody can lose this weekend except Buffalo, and boy, did they get a rough draw... They can’t defend the run, and the Jags run it...”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [11:13]</span>

• A playoff loss to Jacksonville would put GM and coaching staff under review.
• Harbaugh to Buffalo?
  Breer floats the idea that a sudden opening in Buffalo (if they lose ugly and make changes) could lure John Harbaugh, given the allure of working with Josh Allen.

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5. Matt LaFleur’s Security in Green Bay and Rumors

[13:50 – 17:24]

• Notable Quote:
  Colin reflects on the reputations of LaFleur, McVay, Shanahan from their days in Washington:

  “Shanahan was best schematically, McVay was the best culturally ... and LaFleur was the nicest guy—pretty good schemes, pretty good culture, but he wasn’t great at either. ...hard worker, bright guy.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [14:28]</span>

• Contract and President Change:
  Breer outlines that LaFleur is due a contract extension and there’s a new team president in place, raising the possibility—however slim—of change.

• Wild Card: Atlanta Connection:
  Albert suggests, if Atlanta’s new President of Football Ops is Matt Ryan (who played for LaFleur), and if Green Bay is slow to extend LaFleur, an Atlanta move isn’t impossible:

  “If Green Bay were to get eliminated and Atlanta senses, could there be an issue here? ...Could we work a trade?...Something to think about.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Albert Breer [16:02]</span>

• Colin says LaFleur would land on his feet “in 45 minutes” if he hit the market.

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6. The Modern NFL Coaching Carousel

[30:46 – 33:13]

• Ownership Wealth & Impatience:
  Colin points to a new impulsiveness from modern billionaire owners: they’re less patient, leading to surprising firings and market competition for proven coaches.
• Surprising available candidates: Harbaugh, Stefanski, LaFleur, Vrabel.

  “Good coaches ... are being let go. … The global net worth, the global wealth—you're seeing it in the NFL where you get surprising hires.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [31:09]</span>

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7. Lamar Jackson’s Reaction and Ravens’ Cap Situation

[23:13 – 25:48]

• Lamar’s Social Media Silence:
  Brendan points out Lamar's muted response to Harbaugh’s firing—no thanks or tribute, just a “year 8” post—fueling speculation on the state of their relationship.
• Cap Concerns:
  Brendan and Colin debate whether the Giants or Ravens offer a better future; Colin insists the Ravens’ talent and Pro Bowlers keep them ahead, but cap consequences loom.

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8. Quick Takes on Coaching, Ownership, and Playoff Matchups

Jerry Jones and Dallas Cowboys

[21:01 – 22:57]

• Jones proclaims his goal to retire as the NFL owner with the most Super Bowls:

  “My goal in life is to retire as the owner that won the most Super Bowls...Got work to do.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Jerry Jones [21:18]</span>

• Colin and crew assert that Jones is no longer a top-10 owner—too public, doesn’t empower strong-willed coaches, is increasingly conservative.

Panthers vs. Rams Wild Card (Saturday)

[25:48 – 28:34]

• Rams are massive road favorites; Colin likes their firepower but says Panthers’ margins are thin and Carolina’s QB Bryce Young is “a bridge, not a franchise guy.”
• Panthers’ only shot is to run the ball heavily and hope for mistakes.

  “If you put the ten best players in this game, eight or nine are the Rams.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [27:23]</span>

Bears-Packers NFC North Tilt

[29:07 – 34:10]

• Injuries and inconsistency in Green Bay; Chicago's run-heavy approach could thrive in poor weather.

  “I think I lean Chicago. Windy weather favors the run game. … Packers haven’t won a game in a month.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [33:14]</span>

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9. Notable Quotes & Dynamics

• “There's nothing more powerful...than having a rookie, young quarterback who can really play on his rookie contract. But there's also nothing worse than being invested in the wrong guy.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Albert Breer [10:03]</span>
• “The best owners...Jeffrey Lurie’s really good, Steve Bisciotti...They’re behind the scenes grinding. ...Jerry needs to do what they do.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd & Brendan [22:50 – 23:13]</span>
• “If Matt LaFleur didn’t sign a deal, Matt LaFleur would be unemployed for about 45 minutes.”
  <span style="color:gray">— Colin Cowherd [32:43]</span>

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Harbaugh Out / Ravens’ Future: 00:35–07:00
• Coaching Carousel: Giants, Raiders, Falcons: 08:23–11:13
• Bills/Jaguars Pressure & Coaching Implications: 11:13–13:50
• Packers, LaFleur, Atlanta Connections: 13:50–17:24; 29:07–34:10
• Cowboys Ownership, Jerry Jones: 21:01–22:57
• Lamar & Ravens Cap Future: 23:13–25:48
• Panthers v. Rams Preview: 25:48–28:34

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Overall Tone & Style

• Colin Cowherd: Opinionated, speculative, occasionally contrarian—poses big-picture questions about organizational philosophy amidst rapid league changes.
• Albert Breer: Analytical, willing to “connect the dots,” draws on reporting, focuses on nuanced factors underpinning key decisions.
• Panel (Brendan, Jonas): Add color, social media angles, cast speculation, fuel debate.

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Conclusion

This episode, focused on the high drama of NFL coaching changes and playoff pressure, provides unique insider perspectives, candid speculation, and vivid analysis as the league enters a period of rapid transition and ruthless competitiveness. Through Cowherd’s probing and Breer’s expertise, listeners glean a frontline view of how organizations manage personnel, evaluate leadership, and navigate the modern, impatient NFL ecosystem.

Transcript

[Albert Breer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Brendan]

Guaranteed Human.

[Jonas Knox]

This is Jonas Knox from Two Pros and a Cup of Joe. And are you ready to tackle your financial goals but don't know where to start? Webull makes it simple to start investing now, no matter your experience. Powerful tools, real time data, all in one platform built for you. Don't sit on the sidelines. Visit webull.com or download the app and start with as little as $1 today. That's webull.com Webull Financial LLC member SIPC FINRA investing involves risk. For more visit webull.com disclosures thanks for.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, welcome back. College football playoffs start tomorrow. Can't wait. Let's bring in Albert Breer. John Harbaugh firing, I guess yesterday, you know, shakes things up. So I, I said this recently. I said there's not a quarterback outside of maybe Mahomes that's more popular in their hometown than Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. He is worshiped. RG3 was on our show. He's like, I was there behind him. He is loved in the room. And there's a lot of different reports. My take is John Harbaugh may have just, I'll throw a scenario. During a two hour meeting he said, you know, I was 8 and 4 pre Lamar in the playoffs. I'm 3 and 6. The cap hits huge. A lot of these good quarterbacks, like a Drake man, a Bo nicks, they're like $4 million cap hits. It's hard. We've got a lot of players. He's missed a season with injuries. He's not the same quarterback. Should I love him, but we can't say here. For the next seven years it's all Lamar. And I could like Lamar as John Harbaugh, but push back on this. Lamar is everything. He is the base of everything. I mean, it doesn't sound like the meeting started with Harbaugh getting fired. My guess is he pushed back a little on some stuff.

[Albert Breer]

Yeah, I don't know if it's so much just related to Lamar. I mean, Lamar and John had a good relationship over the years. I mean, as recently as a couple of weeks ago, John really took up for Lamar in a way that Lamar wasn't taking up for himself, you know, and so I think that relationship was. Was still in a pretty good place. I just think the dynamic in the building had changed a little bit. And, you know, what people have been there would tell you is that in a lot of ways, John was a player's coach, but it was a tough, demanding place. And I think it takes a certain type of player to play in John Harbaugh's program the same way. Like, you see that out there, you'll see it out there in L. A, you know, with. With. With the type of guy that Jim Harbaugh is bringing in there. It's like they're player centric, but they also have a high expectation. And I just think there may have been a little bit of a disconnect there over the last couple of years that festered a little bit. It doesn't mean his players don't like him, and it doesn't mean that there wasn't a good roster on hand. I just don't know that everything lined up the last couple of years the way that it had in the previous 16 years. And then on top of that, I mean, like, there's, like, to me, at least, I look at. I look at, like, John Harbaugh, the coach, right? And like, if you're looking at going forward with him and who he is as a coach and what he is as a coach, you have to be all in on that. And I don't know that the Ravens were still, you know, in that same place anymore. It's going to be tough to replace them. I think they know that, you know, and there's going to be some change in the building, and Lamar is certainly going to be, you know, a part of the process. And how they select the coach doesn't mean he's going to be sitting in the room, but he's a factor in how they select their next coach. I'm just not sure that the building and John were connected the same way. And, you know, I think the proof of that for ownership was you came into this year and there were people in that building who legitimately felt this is the best roster that they had had in decades.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Albert Breer]

And so to finish that at 8, 9, I think was maybe proof positive of what some people had observed the last couple of years.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. So I would argue the Ravens have a very good culture. Ownership down. They need somebody to get the offense right, whereas, like, the Giants need a culture builder, like a Vrabel in New England. Or a Harbaugh in L. A. So I could see Harbaugh going to the Giants. I actually think Kevin Stefanski, who knows the division, would be a fascinating choice in Baltimore. Do you think he. He would get the phone call?

[Albert Breer]

I think he'll get the phone call. I think they're going to, you know, I think they're going to cast a wide net. And, you know, we only have one previous example of Steve Paschi looking for a head coach. And it was actually interesting. If you look back at it, like, they made a run of Josh McDaniels, um, he wound up pulling his name out of. Out of the search. They made a run at Jason Garrett. He pulled his name out of the search. Not saying those guys would have gotten the job, but both those guys were sort of down the line a little bit with the Ravens, and they wind up turning to John Harbaugh, and obviously it worked out great. You know, you go to the playoffs 12 times in 18 years, won a Super bowl, win six division titles. There's no question it was a roaring success. But they had a very wide ranging search the last time around. And initially, I think the thought was, well, maybe we'll draft a quarterback this year that wound up being Joe Flacco. We want somebody who can develop him. And that had caused them at the time to look at both Garrett and McDaniels. And so I certainly think you could look at Kevin Stefanski as somebody who could do that. Another name to look at will be Clint Kubiak out in Seattle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Albert Breer]

As somebody who has connections to that building. Gary Kubiak was loved in that building when he was working there as the offensive coordinator. So I think Clint could get a look. And then I think you look at guys who may be the cultural fit that you're looking for. Right. And Brian Flores is somebody that I look at and say, like, that guy looks like a Ravens coach. You know what I mean? That guy carries himself as like a Ravens coach. Like, yeah, like Brian Flores, to me, you know, just checks a lot of boxes as far as what. What they've looked for in their head coaches. And, you know, I think it's an interesting job, too, in that when John Harbaugh came in there, he didn't change that place. Right. He sort of took the baton from Brian Billick, and it had already been established what a Raven was. And so he was inheriting guys that were. That were. That were. That were torchbearers in their own right in Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. And I think the idea is going to be similar here. Whereas how can we take what being a Raven has always been and move it forward? And I think that they are going to look at a wide range of guys to try and do that and obviously it's going to be a very sought after job. I think I'm by most accounts the top job on the market.

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington.

[Albert Breer]

From the Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10pm Eastern on.

[Colin Cowherd]

Fox Sports Radio, we are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.

[Albert Breer]

That's right, you can now watch the.

[Colin Cowherd]

Odd couple live on YouTube every day. All you got to do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube again YouTube just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out on YouTube and subscribe.

[Jonas Knox]

This is Jonas Knox from Two Pros and a Cup of Joe and are you ready to tackle your financial goals? Kick off your journey with Webull who makes it simple to start investing powerful tools, next level data and an easy to use platform for stocks, ETFs, prediction markets and more. Whether you're on the go or trading overnight, we bull is built for you and your schedule. Don't sit on the sidelines, visit webull.com or download the app and take control of your financial future today. Start with just $1. That's weble.com with Webull Financial LLC member SIPC FINRA investing involves risk. For more information visit weble.com disclosures okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

So let's, let's talk about. So I did a tears thing earlier and we can put it up the graphic I said, you know Baltimore's like if the packers had an opening or the Eagles like they're these rarely come open. They're. Yeah. I mean yeah. And then there's the ones I call promising the Giants. They've got a franchise quarterback scatter boon neighbors Andrew Thomas and a really nice draft position. Raiders could get Mendoza ton of cap space and some playmakers. They could also move Max Crosby for more picks. Atlanta's in a weak division with some nice offensive pieces and I think Arthur Blank's an above average owner. And then there's organizations that I just don't think a top candidate would be interested in. If you were John Harbaugh and the Falcons, Raiders and Giants came knocking. Is there one that you think he fits? I think it's New York what say you?

[Albert Breer]

I do too. You know, I think just kind of like where the Giants are right now, like, look, like I, I want to be sensitive as I can be talking about this, but John Maris sick, you know, and like, so they're, they're managing that internally. And that's something that's obviously, you know, a factor in all of this. They've got a sitting general manager, and I think that they do need somebody who's going to come in and be a really strong leader. And to me, like John Harbaugh, the same way Kevin Stefanski does too, screams New York Giants. Just now buttoned up he is. And how like, strong an idea of, of. Of what he wants to build for in a culture is like, I think he's got all of that. So you put those three jobs up there, though, that, you know, here's what's interesting about that. To me, you said the Raiders, the Falcons and the Giants in that plane, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Albert Breer]

Doesn't so much of that come down to what a coach's evaluation of quarterbacks is like? If you're looking at the Raiders, like, wouldn't you want to look at Fernando Mendoza, at least get an idea of what he is? You know, obviously with Michael Penix and Jackson Dart, you already have the guy in house, but you want to get a look at them. Here's why. Because to me, like, there's nothing more powerful, there's nothing better in the NFL than having a rookie, a young quarterback who can really play on his rookie contract. Right? But there's also nothing worse than being invested in the wrong guy, because not only does that mean you're not getting the sort of play you want at the position, it also takes you off the quarterback market for the next couple of years. So, like, I think for any of these coaches and John Harbaugh certainly at the top of the list. So much of how you view those three jobs you mentioned, it's going to come down to the evaluation of in two places, the quarterbacks who are there and then the other place, the quarterback who's going to be available with the first overall pick, whether that's Mendoza or Dante Moore. And so, like, I think that's sort of the moving target piece of this whole thing is how do I view the quarterback situation in each of those spots? Because I think that determines, you know, to, to, to some degree how attractive the job is.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, So I said this. Everybody can lose this weekend except Buffalo, and boy, did they get a rough draw. They don't necessarily take leads against Good teams, they're often behind in the second half. That's not a recipe for winning playoff games, is face maybe the best team in football and trail at half. But that's. That's what they do against good teams. They've lost their last eight road playoff games. They can't defend the run, and the Jags run it. Liam Cohen, by all accounts, has been in the coach of the year candidate. I mean, I, I even threw Belichick out earlier today. I'm like, I don't think they can lose. I don't think you're allowed to lose. With Mahomes burrow Lamar out. I. I'm sorry. A new stadium coming. I. Let's just play it out. It ends up Jags dominate line of scrimmage and they win a. They want to shoot out 3228. You. We bring in the band back. I think even the GM could be on the hot seat.

[Albert Breer]

No, I, I don't think they blow the whole thing up, but I certainly think you'd be looking at changes. I think there's pressure on guys there to. To win, win.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now they have all the pressure in this game.

[Albert Breer]

Well, let me ask you this, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like.

[Albert Breer]

Like, if you're a John Harbaugh, would you wait for that one?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes, absolutely.

[Albert Breer]

I mean, like, that could be one where you look at it and say, hey, like, there's a superstar quarterback there. I've got, like, motivated ownership to spend and win right now because they're in this window with the quarterback. Like, it would seem like that would be a really good match. I, I just say this. I've. I've brought this comparison up to you a couple times now. I won't go through the whole thing, but this does feel a little bit like Tony Dungy, his last couple of years in Tampa, where they only had a finite window to win with Derek Brooks and John lynch and Ronde Barber and Derek Brooks, and they that that window was eventually going to close and ownership started to feel the heat of, you know, we have to win while we have this opportunity with these players in house. And obviously a great quarterback creates the same sort of pressure on everyone to win. I mean, Josh Allen is not going to be Josh Allen forever. He turns 30, you know, this offseason. Obviously, he's got a lot of mileage because of the way he plays the game. And so, like, I would say, like, this is that sort of situation where I don't know that there's been a ton of internal conversation about making changes. But if you Go down to Jacksonville and you don't look good and you lose. Like, I think there are a lot of questions about what the future looks like again, like, whether or not those. Those questions are asked at a high enough level internally, where at least we change, I don't know. But certainly those questions are going to come up in a. In a few days if they can't get it done in Jacksonville.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, Nick Wright was on the show, let's end with this yesterday, and he said, you know, if not for playoff expansion, Green Bay wouldn't have been making these playoffs. If you look at the last four years, he said, seven seed, seven seed, seven seed. I think Matt does a good job. I also think there are obstacles in Green Bay. Youngest team three years in a row. Why? Well, they signed the fewest free agents. The last few used like, they. It's not a free agent spot. They have to build through the draft. Sometimes owners are a problem, but if you have a good one, like Robert Kraft, they also get stuff done on a tarmac in 15 minutes. I think LaFleur's safe. I think he's good. I'll throw this at you. I was told this years ago, Albert, when Shanahan, McVeigh and LaFleur were in D.C. and I was told this by a. A general manager in the league who's still in the league. He said Shanahan was the best. Schematically, McVeigh was the best culturally, like, walks through the door and just owns it. And lafleur was the nicest guy. Like, he was pretty good schemes, pretty good culture, but he wasn't great at either. But everybody liked him hard, hard worker, bright guy. And so my takeaway is, all these years later, we look at Shanahan is this wow. McVeigh is this wow. And there's a lot of questions about, I think he's a good coach, LaFleur. He's not in trouble, right? Like, if they get whacked, he's okay, right?

[Albert Breer]

I don't think so. Now, the reason this question is coming up is twofold. Number one, he's got a contract negotiation pending. They didn't redo his contract last year. And number two, there's a new team president there. So Ed Policy is. Carmen Polisi's son is now the team president. He took over for Mark Murphy back in the summer. And so there's a new set of eyes that's on Matt LaFleur making this decision. And so you have to ask those questions. They've obviously invested in the core players they have now they have some big decisions coming on some of the younger players whose contracts are going to be coming up. So this is an important time for the franchise. I don't think anybody looks at that roster and says it's devoid of talent. I don't think anybody looks at Matt LaFleur and says he's a problem.

[Colin Cowherd]

But are.

[Albert Breer]

If you're the new team president, are you re upping? And at what level are you re upping? And these are all questions that need to be asked. There is one wild card here, too, which I just. I don't know if anybody's mentioned this, but, like, assuming Matt Ryan becomes the president of football operations in Atlanta, do you know who his position coach was when he went to the Super bowl in 2016? It was Matt LaFleur. So if Atlanta senses, like, if, if Green Bay were to get eliminated and Atlanta senses, like, could there be an issue here? Like, do they pick up the phone and call and say, is like, if you're having any thought about moving on, like, could we work a trade? Like, and those are difficult to pull off because of the Rooney rule and everything else. But it's just something that's been in the back of my head a little bit because I know how much Matt Ryan thinks of Matt LaFleur. Like, could that potentially be a marriage?

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow.

[Albert Breer]

If the packers aren't all in on doing a big new contract for Matt LaFleur, it's just something to think a little bit about. I, Again, like, that's just me talking, but I do think, like, given the coaching market, I think the lack of obvious candidates this year, there's going to be. There's going to need to be a little bit more creativity. I do think we're going to see some teams thinking outside the box that way.

[Colin Cowherd]

Boy, that was good. That's a good way to end it. That was a big exclamation point. That's, that's, that's going to simmer all through the weekend. All right. Can't wait. Albert Brewer's always a Monday morning quarterback, covered the league for 21 years now. Good seeing you, bud.

[Albert Breer]

All right. Thanks, Colin.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's an interesting one. You know, the world's relationships. I was just, I was watching the other day, I was watching a guy, Prof. G. Scott Galloway said, love that guy. Yeah, he does. You know, kind of a very thoughtful guy. And he was talking about, interviews are overrated. That when you start a company, the first thing you do is you go to the smart people in your company and Go, do you know anybody really smart? Like, he goes interviews. He goes, occasionally he'll interview somebody and go, wow, that's not going to work. Or, wow, they're brilliant. He goes by and large, go to the smartest people in your company and say, hey, who's your smartest friend? He goes, that's the way to do it. It's all relationships. And I think that in this league, a lot of it comes down to, you know, Matt Ryan suddenly now is a big shot with the falcons. I mean, LaFleur in Atlanta.

[Brendan]

Why is LaFleur leaving the packers again?

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, they're not offering what he wants. And he maybe wants more power. Maybe he wants an owner. I mean, five weeks ago, many times can I have the youngest team in the league? How many times can I have the fewest free agents? You know who likes to live in Atlanta? Pro athletes.

[Brendan]

Look at Brer just starting fires here. Fire again with Micah Parsons. They're the super bowl favorite or closer.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's already hurt.

[Brendan]

Oh, my.

[Colin Cowherd]

Or yapping on the interweb all the time. Wow.

[Brendan]

You don't think Atlanta guys are. Are yapping?

[Colin Cowherd]

I know pro athletes like to live in Atlanta. Easier division.

[Brendan]

You guys love to Michael Penn and I like Pennock. That's a downgrade. Colin. That's a clear downry.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, yes, but the next year is the strongest quarterback again, taking a job, knowing you're going to scuffle for a year. Arthur Blank doesn't fire people. After eight games, you're fine.

[Brendan]

Wow.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're moving.

[Brendan]

Matt LaFleur. You and Bri.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm not moving.

[Brendan]

Don't, don't, don't tag me online, people, with this. That's not my. I think La Flor is excellent. I think.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think he's very solid, but I think there are obstacles in Green Bay.

[Brendan]

There's obstacles everywhere. You think? I mean, Atlanta. What have they done in the last. Outside of choking away a Super bowl, what have they done in the last 50 years?

[Albert Breer]

Well, it's.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's been a rough stretch.

[Brendan]

Yeah, just like my Jets.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, that's beyond a rough stretch. That's a desert that never ends with no gas station or water. You just stay in that car. It'd be a gas station here eventually. No, it's 120 Mojave Desert. We'll. We'll come back next live in LA, the herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Tom Brady on the show tomorrow Tom Brady on the show every week, man. Better run J. Mac without further ado with a new.

[Albert Breer]

No, no, no.

[Colin Cowherd]

Turn on the news.

[Albert Breer]

This is the Herd line news.

[Brendan]

All right, well, you know, we got to start with a carnival barker. Jerry Jones. He likes to say outlandish things. Colin he met with the media and it's their end of the season presser. Here's Jerry dropping another doozy.

[Colin Cowherd]

My goal in life is to retire as the owner that won the most Super Bowls. That's my goal to be retired in the NFL as the owner that won the most Super Bowls. We've got three. How many more do I have to go as a single owner? Bob's got how many? Six. So I've got it. I've got work to do. Got work to do. I got work to do, but at least I'm up to the second rung in the ladder. But my goal is to have retired and won the most super bowl as an owner.

[Albert Breer]

Yeah, well, okay.

[Brendan]

I mean, he knows how to make good sound bites and win the media for five minutes. You know what he doesn't know how to do? Get to an NFC championship game.

[Colin Cowherd]

We all want something.

[Brendan]

It's been like 30 years, but just saying this, you know, and then the media goes crazy. It's on the show, it's online, it's irrelevant. Put together a winning roster, find a coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, he had Jimmy and Parcells.

[Brendan]

They were strong personalities and in the.

[Colin Cowherd]

End they wanted to say and he couldn't handle it. So he went with a buddy, Barry Switzer and Chan Gailey and Jason Garrett was fine and Mike McCarthy, but they, they're not going to push back. And so, you know, it's funny is he made his mark in, you know, being an oil maverick and kind of a risk taker, but he's almost gotten, you know, is is, I mean, the mica deal was a swing, but he's gotten a little a Little conservative, a little predictable, that he just won't pay for top coaches.

[Brendan]

So I don't know how you'd rank owners, but there's no way he's currently a top 10 owner in the NFL when it comes to, like, managing a team and putting together, I don't think.

[Colin Cowherd]

They draft necessarily poorly. I think they've got some good talent. I think. I think the best owners are. We all kind of know him. I don't think it's, you know, Jeffrey Lurie's really good. Steve Bichard.

[Brendan]

How often does Jeffrey Lurie give press conferences, by the way? Just curious.

[Colin Cowherd]

Jed York, staying cronky.

[Brendan]

How about those guys? Are they out in front the microphones all the time? Nope. No, they're behind the scenes grinding, so Jerry needs to do. All right, let's move on to the Ravens. Colin. That shocking firing of John Harbaugh, that sent some shockwaves around the league, but we're waiting to hear what Lamar Jackson has to say. All we've got so far, Colin. It's not much. He went on Instagram and he didn't like, thank Harbaugh or mention him at all. All he did was post a here we go picture of himself looks like zay flowers. Someone else. And he wrote year eight with the prayer hands emoji and then a purple heart and a black heart. That's Lamar's reaction to John Harbaugh getting fired. Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but you work with the guy for eight years. You can't give him a thank you online. Is this fishy, something going on here?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think it's fishy, but it's something. I know it's something.

[Brendan]

We read that story around Christmas time about Harbaugh not being thrilled. Mike Preston, I believe in Baltimore, remember Lamar falling asleep in meetings, not wanting to practice.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's interesting. So your question is, where did that come from? So I guess I wonder if in the meeting yesterday that went a while, if that was brought up, like, who leaked that, that. I mean, that was pretty damning.

[Brendan]

What was your speculation? Because I think at the time we agreed this is probably coming from the Harbaugh camp and he's unhappy it's not.

[Colin Cowherd]

Coming from the Lamar side.

[Brendan]

Yeah, he knew that there was some smoke around him and he was pro looking to get ahead of this.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's interesting. I mean, how's this you and Brer just throwing out the.

[Brendan]

Well, I mean, I. I workshopped this on my podcast and I was like, listen, if he goes to the Giants column quarterback on the rookie deal, solid defensive front. The secondary is awful. You got neighbors back, you got Scatter Boo back. I mean, their tight ends flashed a little bit. I think you can quickly reboot the Giants and yeah, the people aren't going to agree, but they're a better scenario, the Giants next year than the Ravens are.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I'm just.

[Brendan]

The Ravens do not have a lot of guys. They've got a cap situation.

[Colin Cowherd]

They've got all sorts of Pro Bowlers.

[Brendan]

I don't even know if it's above 50%.

[Colin Cowherd]

Derek Henry Jackson Dart is the guy. We think he's a franchise quarterback, I think. But he blew 10 special. He's in it constantly.

[Brendan]

We didn't know Bo Nix was the guy and on a rookie deal, we.

[Colin Cowherd]

Knew he was the. You knew he made the playoffs his first year in a division with Mahomes and Herbert. Come on.

[Brendan]

With Sean Payton and a pretty damn.

[Colin Cowherd]

Good defense, Bo Nix was. Come on. Bo Nix was better than Jackson Dart in year one. Not close.

[Brendan]

Who has more upside as a quarterback?

[Colin Cowherd]

I think they're both about the same.

[Jonas Knox]

Interesting.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're both more athletic than people probably give them credit for.

[Brendan]

If we're predicting, where would you guess Harbaugh ends Giants. I'm with you 100%. Final story is Rams Panthers on Fox Saturday. Should be a good one. Now remember back in Week 13, the Panthers stunned the Rams 31 28. Now, you could break this down really in granular fashion. Okay? The rams only had five third downs in the entire game. Colin. They moved 7.4 yards per play up and down the field. And they had a couple mistakes. The pick six and Panthers were living clean on fourth down, three for three, including two touchdowns over 30 yards. Lot of freaky stuff there. So Matt Stafford wasn't great in that game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Little turnover prone.

[Brendan]

Here he is talking about needing to play better if the Rams are going to make a run.

[Albert Breer]

I'd like not to throw it to their team. And you know, I think that was the story of the game when you think about it. I mean, we moved the ball well in some areas, scored a couple, you know, in the red zone, did some nice things, ran it well and just had the turnovers. And really you look at their defense, that's what they've been able to do to a lot of teams. You know, whether it's getting a tip at the line of scrimmage and somebody making a play on it or somebody in the back end making a play or stripping the ball. So they're. They're an opportunistic group with a bunch of playmakers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, they are.

[Brendan]

I didn't realize this. Panthers are the biggest home underdog in NFL playoff history.

[Albert Breer]

What?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Brendan]

Ten and a half according to our crack team here. That's a big number. Home underdogs, you don't get them a lot in the playoffs. The numbers are usually under seven.

[Albert Breer]

Colin.

[Brendan]

Because it's, you know, good teams make the playoffs.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here's the thing. There's a lot I like about the Panthers. I think Dan Morgan's an excellent young gm former player. I think Canales has done proven makes quarterbacks better. Bryce Young feels more like a bridge than a franchise guy. But he, he's okay. He's not. He's. He's definitely C plus, B minus, but he's. I wouldn't pay him big, but, you know, if I could get 35 million, it's like, let's keep continuity. And they've got two really big, talented targets and Dowdle's been a steal for them. Great. So there's stuff to like about it. It's just when you look at the Rams, if you put the 10 best players in this game, like nine, eight or nine, eight or nine of the Rams, it's just, it's like Seattle, San Francisco, like, if you start looking top 12 players, you know, Kittle's great, McCaffrey, but you start getting like three Seahawks for every niner. And when Pearsall and Trent Williams are out. So like if Carolina got somebody, if Dowdle got banged up in the first quarter, you're like, okay, games over, like, it gets ugly. So the margins for Carolina are really thin. And for Philly and the Rams and Seattle, you can. It's just different. You can have fumbles and win. You can throw a pick six and win.

[Brendan]

I expect a lot of Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard. Right. Basically, you're going to need like a 150 yard game to have a chance. They had a buck 64 in the earlier meeting. Rams run defense, not, not, you know, elite. It's good. It's like league average. I like rams. I'll go 30 to 13 or something like that. I mean, Rams like wake up, roll out of bed and score 30 points. This offense is a machine. Devonte Adams expected to be back.

[Colin Cowherd]

J Mac with the news.

[Albert Breer]

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd line news.

[Colin Cowherd]

It was interesting. The Bears packers is Saturday. It's going to be fantastic. But Albert Breer, because He's looking. Matt LaFleur is looking for A contract extension. I think he should be safe. I think he's very, very good. But there's some disappointment. You know, we're just, we don't. I don't. They. We're not quite sure what to do with Green Bay. And when you watch their rival Ben Johnson walk into town and suddenly transform an offense, you're like, matt, how come they run the ball better than us up in Green Bay? Why aren't. When we have all these young receivers, so do they. Why are Luther Burdens getting touches Colts and Loveland now? I think in fair fairness, when Tucker Kraft got hurt, the offense is not the same. Watson's in and out of the lineup based on health. They're old line has had some, you know, key guys banged up, so they've dealt with some injuries. Bears offensively, not as much, but Albert Brer dropped this about Matt. Excuse me. Yeah. Matt LaFleur's future, potentially assuming Matt Ryan.

[Albert Breer]

Becomes the president of football operations in Atlanta. Do you know who his position coach was when he went to the Super bowl in 2016? It was Matt LaFleur. So if Atlanta senses, like, if Green Bay were to get eliminated and Atlanta senses, like, could there be an issue here? Like, do they pick up the phone and call and say is like, if you're having any thought about moving on, like, could we work a trade?

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, that's interesting. That's. That, that, that, that's interesting. You know, the other thing that we talked about earlier is it used to be that these owners were worth 300 million, 500 million, 800 million. They're all billionaires. They're all billionaires and some multi, multi billionaires. And what, what does that mean? They want what they want. They're less patient, they're more impulsive. And you know, Green Bay doesn't have that. So you always kind of think the Rooneys and the packers really don't like to fire coaches. The packers don't have an owner and the Rooneys are super conservative in terms of changes. They want their GM and their coach to be lockstep for 20 years. That's just how Pittsburgh operates. Everybody else, I mean, John Harbaugh, weren't you a little shocked? So, I mean, Raiders just keep mowing through them. So I, you know, if Matt Leflore, like, I think Cleveland made a big mistake moving off Kevin Stefanski. Why can I tell that? Because look how many teams, some good ones are interested. If Matt LaFleur didn't sign a deal, Matt LaFleur would be unemployed for about 45 minutes. So, I mean, we're getting to a point now where good coaches, like, we all think Matt LaFleur is good. What if he didn't get a contract extension? We all know that pre Lamar Harbaugh is winning a Super bowl with Joe Flacco. So that's, that's, it's just, it's the global wealth that is now infused. We see it in college football with Mark Cuban writing a big check now. Right. For the Indiana Hoosier football program. But the global net worth, the global wealth, you're seeing it in the NFL where you're getting surprising higher. Used to be the bums got fired. Now you're like, stefanski's on the market. Lafleur could be on the market. Harbaugh's on the market. I mean, those are really good coaches. I mean, Mike Vrabel, you're. Two years ago, Mike Frable got fired. He's the problem in Tennessee. I mean, he was the life preserver for the whole franchise. You're blaming Mike Vrabel. Okay, Here is Matt LaFleur on the matchup with the Bears. Absolutely.

[Albert Breer]

I mean, it's the same thing our.

[Colin Cowherd]

Guys have been doing all, all season long. It's a, it's a, a tough opponent on the road, a division rival. There's obviously going to be a lot of excitement and not only, I mean, everywhere about this game. So, you know, we just got to go play our type of game. Yeah, I think I'm, I think Eileen. Chicago windy weather favors the run game. Bears have a great run attack. They also played one of their poor games of the year. They'll be inspired. I mean, packers haven't won a game in a month. I don't when, when the weather is, is not ideal. The things I look for are mostly, can you run the ball? Does your quarterback have a power arm? Can your quarterback make yards with his feet? I could see Chicago throwing the ball 17 times and doing a lot of Caleb movement and running the ball 45 times. Take the weather out of it. I could see it. That's, that's going to be an all timer.

[Brendan]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.