THE HERD - Hour 3 - Eric Mangini stops by The Herd, Tomorrow's Headlines Today

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: THE HERD – Hour 3 – Eric Mangini Stops By, Tomorrow’s Headlines Today
Date: December 12, 2025
Guests: Eric Mangini (former NFL Head Coach, Fox Sports Analyst)
Host: Colin Cowherd

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Episode Overview

This hour of The Herd features Colin Cowherd and guest analyst Eric Mangini discussing the hottest topics in the NFL, from quarterback development and coaching turnover to playoff races and team trajectories. They dive into the Cleveland QB situation, Buffalo’s coaching outlook, Kansas City's dynasty fatigue, quarterback evaluation, and preview key upcoming games with headline predictions in the “Tomorrow’s Headlines Today” segment.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cleveland’s Quarterback Situation: Chador Sanders Emerges

[04:02–06:02]

• Colin praises Chador Sanders, noting his strong play despite a weak receiving corps and poor O-line, and questions Mangini about community buzz.
• Mangini acknowledges initial Cleveland fan frustration due to draft expectations and early benching but sees improvement as Sanders capitalizes on opportunity.
• On recent performance: “He’s definitely getting graded on a curve… He made some good plays and some that make you think, ‘this could be a problem’... but the plays outside the pocket are exciting.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 05:20
• Cleveland fans are desperate for hope at QB, so even in a loss, Sanders’ flashes bring excitement.

2. AFC Playoff Stakes and Buffalo’s Pressure

[06:02–08:09]

• Colin and Mangini frame the Bills-Patriots game as high-stakes, especially if Buffalo loses to New England and with other AFC stars (Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Burrow) possibly missing the playoffs.
• Mangini expects Buffalo to win, reminding listeners of a previous lapse in focus: “I don’t think they looked at New England seriously before… They’re going to be ready this time.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 07:22
• Discusses the extra heat on Coach Sean McDermott’s job if things go poorly.

3. Dynasty Maintenance: Lessons from New England and Kansas City

[08:09–10:24]

• Colin notes Kansas City appears vulnerable—with aging stars and O-line troubles—despite still employing Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
• Mangini credits the difficulty of sustaining success due to shorter offseasons and lower draft picks after repeated Super Bowl runs:
  “Three straight Super Bowl runs… Those offseasons wear you down… But as long as you have Mahomes, every year you got a chance.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 09:25
• Predicts a reset for KC next year after a challenging season for Mahomes.

4. Evaluating Caleb Williams: Talent vs. Efficiency

[10:24–12:22]

• Colin raises concerns over Caleb Williams’ low completion rate despite clear arm talent.
• Mangini is honest: “Look, I don’t love 58%... But what I really like, he’s cut down dramatically on his sacks and turnovers. He’s correcting big issues.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 11:06
• Expects completion rate to rise with more experience; lauds rapid improvement in decision-making and risk management.

5. The “Positivity Bunny” in Philadelphia: Locker Room Culture

[12:22–13:34]

• Colin and Mangini critique a “positivity bunny” display in the Eagles’ locker room as cringeworthy amidst a losing streak.
• Mangini supposes it was an ill-advised, lighthearted gesture that became a “national story because they’re losing,” glad that it’s gone.

6. Quarterback Longevity: Pocket Passers vs. Runners

[17:26–19:56]

• Discussion on why QBs like Philip Rivers and Tom Brady aged better than athletic, run-prone QBs (e.g., Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson).
• Colin proposes Rivers could still “stabilize an offense,” but Mangini is skeptical:
  • “Joe Flacco played last year. Rivers is 44, hasn’t played in five years… Coming off the couch with no practice against a salty defense? I don’t love it, Colin.”
    – Fox Sports Analyst, 20:11

7. Jordan Love’s Progress & Deep Dive Film Breakdown

[21:25–25:53]

• Colin highlights Jordan Love’s improved play, noting “all this stuff isn’t linear,” referencing early struggles followed by a current hot stretch.
• Mangini provides a detailed breakdown of a touchdown vs. Chicago, spotlighting how Green Bay's offensive scheme and Love’s reads punish blitzes:
  • “When he’s good, Colin, he’s really, really good… That inconsistency, I don’t love, but he’s on a bit of a heater now.”
    – Fox Sports Analyst, 22:08
• Emphasizes the importance of burning defenses when they blitz: “I’ll deal with some interceptions… but you need to make defenses pay if they come after you.”

8. AFC Coaching Carousel & Playoff Outlook

[26:33–29:09]

• Discussion pivots to the ripple effects if Buffalo’s season disappoints—would ownership part with McDermott and the GM?
• Mangini: “I move off McDermott. I have long discussions with the GM.”
• They assess the lack of great offensive coach candidates but stress Josh Allen’s allure to top coaches.
• Brief “what ifs” for Stefanski and other potential hires.

9. Chiefs’ Slippage and Mahomes’ Supporting Cast

[29:09–30:32]

• Chiefs have an NFL-worst six losses when favored this season.
• Colin contends the market “is overvaluing” KC due to their Mahomes/Reid reputation, but “your eyes don’t lie… Houston had better players last week.”
• Mangini notes, “When Tom Brady was in New England, he never missed the playoffs… Chiefs fans, pay attention.”

10. Dolphins’ Cold Weather Test and Tua’s Record

[30:32–31:35]

• Focus on Miami vs. Pittsburgh: Tua faces another cold-weather challenge (2–7 in such games), but Mangini points out Pittsburgh is the sharp bet with T.J. Watt’s situation.

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Tomorrow's Headlines Today: Game Picks & Predictions

[37:28–45:54] Colin and his guest run through the weekend’s most intriguing NFL matchups, offering headline-style predictions:

• Ravens vs. Bengals (“Lamar and order: Defense rests, offense restores AFC”) – Colin expects a bounce-back game from Baltimore and Lamar Jackson.
• Rams vs. Lions (“Ex Lax: Lions soil selves facing former quarterback”) – Favors McVay and the Rams, citing Detroit's defensive injuries and the Rams' December proficiency.
• Panthers vs. Saints (“Enter the Bryce Age: Panthers to unruly for Saints”) – Both like the Panthers’ defense and improved QB play over an overhyped New Orleans squad.
• Packers vs. Broncos (“Mile High? More like Mile Psy: Parsons pops Bose balloon”) – Trust in LaFleur’s December track record and Green Bay’s ability to punish blitzes.
• Colts (with possible Philip Rivers return) vs. Seahawks (“In a Van Down by the Rivers: Old man doesn’t inspire Colts”) – Both see Rivers as a desperation move likely to flop against Seattle's athletic defense; Darnold as a big favorite.

Memorable exchange:

• “Sam Darnold as a favorite of 6 or more? 11 and 0 straight up.”
  – Colin Cowherd, 43:24
• “He’s like Tiger Woods with a helmet!”
  – Eric Mangini, 43:27

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “As long as you have Patrick Mahomes, every year you got a chance.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 09:25
• “I move off McDermott. I have long discussions with the GM.”
  – Eric Mangini, 28:12
• “He’s coming off the couch after five years at 44 years old… I don’t love it, Colin. Could be rough.”
  – Fox Sports Analyst, 20:11
• “Your eyes don’t lie… Houston had better players last week. Longer, more athletic, getting to the quarterback more consistently.”
  – Colin Cowherd, 30:10

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:02] Start of Eric Mangini interview
• [04:55] Chador Sanders/Cleveland Browns analysis
• [06:02] AFC playoff & Buffalo discussion
• [08:09] Kansas City’s dynasty fatigue & New England’s lessons
• [10:24] Caleb Williams as an NFL prospect
• [12:22] Philadelphia’s “Positivity Bunny” story
• [17:26] QB aging trajectories: Rivers/Brady vs Lamar/Cam
• [21:25] Jordan Love’s development and detailed breakdown
• [26:33] AFC coaching outlook, Bills futures
• [29:09] Chiefs’ decline and market overvaluation
• [30:32] Dolphins’ weather woes & Steelers game
• [37:28] Tomorrow’s Headlines Today – Game predictions

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Tone and Style

The tone alternates between analytical and conversational, with Mangini providing coach-level X’s and O’s depth and Colin blending stats, trends, and witty headline banter. Jokes and “dad humor” abound, especially during predictions. Critical, but always with optimism for emerging talent and teams looking to rebuild.

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Summary prepared for listeners seeking the main football insights, key game predictions, and the best unscripted moments from a packed episode of The Herd.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[Eric Mangini]

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[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

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[Richard Sherman]

All.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat everybody showing that school pride. A game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Mmm.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

[Eric Mangini]

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[Richard Sherman]

Now let's get this party started.

[Eric Mangini]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. J max picks in 30 minutes. First, though, Eric Mangini, Jets Browns former head coach, now with Fox Sports, is joining us live. So as somebody who lives in Cleveland, the Shadow Sanders, you know, story, considering he has the lowest rated receiving core and a bottom 3o line, I've actually been impressed. Now, Cleveland doesn't always have, you know, they get a little hot on their quarterbacks, right? Like, I'm sure they're not measured and nuanced with their takes, but what is the feeling? He's a big play quarterback. I mean, I trust my eyes. He's looked pretty good. He's not working with much offensively. What have you made of him?

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah, so going into the draft, everybody felt Chador was going to be drafted significantly higher. And I think a lot of people in Cleveland felt Chidor was going to be drafted to Cleveland significantly higher. So then when he ended up being here and got drafted after Dylan Gabriel, there was frustration on the fan base's part because they were told how good this player was. And so then he sat. He sat. And now he's finally getting an opportunity to play. And he's definitely getting graded on a curve. Colin, because when you look at the Tennessee game, he made some really good plays and then he made some plays that you think, okay, this is going to be a problem. That one interception that he threw was just ridiculous. He shouldn't have done that. And then, you know, the sacks were an issue in college and I think they're going to continue to be an issue in pro football. But the plays that he makes outside the pocket, those are exciting. And as you said in Cleveland, there's such a desperation for any optimism at quarterback that the game last week, even in a loss to Tennessee, was still really exciting to most people.

[Eric Mangini]

It does matter when you play in a city like Cleveland that's starved for wins. Or let's take Buffalo where you have the Sabres, but it's at Billstown. And I said if they lose to New England, the headline Monday is going to be Vrabel wins division Year one with second year quarterback. And I mean Greg Cosell was on this week and said, I don't love Buffalo's roster. It's hard to spot great players beyond Josh Allen when you watch tape. And I said this game is way bigger Monday morning getting swept by Vrabel when you have the best quarterback in the league in Josh Allen. Now you lived in New York where there's a million sports teams, but Cleveland when you were there, Browns are big. Your take on, let's just say Buffalo loses this weekend. You've lived in that world where talk radio things get ugly. People take me to what it could be like for McDermott.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah, it's going to be really hard this year, especially because it looks like we're not going to have Mahomes in the playoffs. It looks like we're not potentially not going to have Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. We're not going to have Joe Burrow in the playoffs. So the only real superman left in the AFC is Josh Allen. And if this year would be the ideal year to be able to have that number one seed with all these other stars and franchises that you've had problems with essentially eliminated and now within your own division you've got a second year quarterback and not a first time head coach, but a first year head coach and Mike in New England and they're going to win the division, I don't, I think Buffalo is going to win the game, Colin. And I think that the last time they played New England they didn't take New England very seriously. Remember Buffalo was riding that 11 game home win streak, they'd won I think five in a row. New England was, was sort of milling around and they had 11 penalties. It was, it was, it was, it was a lot of things that just made it look like they look past New England, which isn't going to be the case this game. And I think Buffalo ends up winning it.

[Eric Mangini]

So you were with the Patriots and you know, dynasties are rare, but it's just as hard to maintain them as it is to build them once you start paying the quarterback. And Kansas City looks like they won't make the playoffs. And Frankly They've got two or three really great players. You know, McDuffie, Creed, Humphrey, Mahomes. But Chris Jones looks like he's aged. Travis Kelce is aged. They're o line. They have major problems at, at all over it, but especially at tackle. What do you think the secret was to extend that dynasty? Because even when New England wasn't winning Super Bowls, they were good and winning the division. Is some of this just Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh showed up in your neighborhood or, or is it, is it roster regression? Like what was the secret sauce to you beyond. Because they've got Reed and Mahomes, you had Brady and Belichick and you kept winning. And you, I mean, you tell me what you see with Kansas City.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Well, in fairness to Kansas City, Colin, it's what, three straight super bowl runs?

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

And they won two out of three. That, that's hard. Those extended off seasons are really hard on, on the team. And then you come back and you do it again. So they win two straight, then they've got a chance last year to win three straight. And so that's three off seasons that have been dramatically shortened. You don't get the high draft picks and, and, and it can be extremely challenging and it wears you down. And I think that's what we're seeing right now is this, this is an off year and it's been a really off year for Patrick Mahomes. His sub 20 quarterback rating that was lower than any quarterback rating Tom ever got in his 23 year career. And so, and he struggled here now for, for well over a month. But as long as they have Patrick Mahomes every single year they're going to have a chance to win the Super Bowl. Like forget about the rest of the players, they're going to need other good players. But as long as you have that player, just like as long as we had Tom Brady, you always had a chance. They're going to have a chance. They just may Need a little bit of a real off season and a little bit more of a reset. And I think next year we're going to be talking about him again being the mix for the AFC championship in the Super Bowl.

[Eric Mangini]

Lot of discussion about how talented Caleb Williams is, but how low his completion percentage is. And I do think there's a fine line on letting a star be a star and understanding they're going to. They're going to have a few more picks. They're more aggressive. Brett Favre is just an aggressive player, and I think Josh Allen, he's an aggressive player. How troubled would you be with Caleb at 58%? Is there a line you want to get up to? Because we see him make incredibly difficult throws. We know he's got all sorts of horsepower. He may have the strongest arm in the league. We know he's wildly evasive. Where are you on his completion issues?

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah, I. Look, I don't love a 58% completion. You'd probably want to be somewhere. I think the league average is about 64%, so that's the low point. That's what we're gunning for. What I really like that Caleb's done is how dramatically he's changed the number of sacks that he's taken. Think about last year, the volume of sacks this guy took. And we could kill the offensive line and we can kill the offensive coordinator, and I get all that. But a lot of those sacks were on him and he's doing a much better job. And Ben Johnson's doing a really good job with him of not turning a bad play into a really bad play to where now you're, you know, second and 15 or whatever it is. So that's been great. Huge progress there. He protects the ball pretty well. That's. That's really, really good. Yeah. The completion percentage, I think, will continue to creep up as he understands defenses better, as he continues to understand the offense better. But he's corrected two pretty significant problems that we saw last year with the sacks and, you know, just the propensity for turnovers. They're not perfect, but huge progress. So I'm really encouraged by him.

[Eric Mangini]

All right, before we go to our video, the Eagles, I thought it was cringy, had this positivity bunny and maybe if you were on a six game winning streak, it's funny, but when you're losing, it seems desperate. What'd you make of it?

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

I. I don't know who put it up. So, you know, sometimes the offensive linemen or, you know, a group will put something in the locker room and there it can be really cringy or can be funny and they think it's funny, but the rest of the world thinks it's cringy. You know, you don't love the fact that they put it up and then it becomes a national story and then they lose the game and it's, it's now it's something where there should be nothing. And I do imagine it was probably just a, you know, a throwaway sort of, sort of light hearted thing that somebody thought was going to hit that now becomes a much bigger story because they're on a three game losing streak. I can't imagine this was Ceriani saying, hey fellas, you know what we need in the locker room? A positivity bunny. That's the answer. So I, I don't know who, who was responsible for it, but I'm glad it's gone.

[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. Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it.

[Eric Mangini]

Pay attention.

[Colin Cowherd]

Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio.

[Eric Mangini]

Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos from your favorite shows. Two pros and a cup of Joe Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Doug Gottlieb, Covino and Rich the Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, the Jason Smith show with Mike Harmon and the Ben Maller Show. Fox sports radio on YouTube. Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and comment away.

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[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

A matchup we got, y'.

[Richard Sherman]

All.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat. Everybody showing that school pride game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans screaming, cool colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

[Richard Sherman]

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[Eric Mangini]

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[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

I think you might be nuts. You're absolutely right in the fact that he's the quarterbacks that have not had to rely on their feet throughout the course of their career age so much better than running quarterbacks because they've had to consistently find a second pitch when the first answer wasn't there. Where running quarterbacks, when it's not there, they take off. But Father Time gets you with that. The difference here to me with Philip Rivers versus when Joe Flacco first got brought in by the Browns after sitting out through November is Joe Flacco had played the year before. Joe Flacco was 38. Phillips, 44, just turned 44. He hasn't played in five years. And Joe Flacco, he played after 13 games or 13 days on the team. We're talking about four days on the team. So he's. He's coming off the couch after five years at 44 years old with. With very little time to practice against a salty defense that pressures a ton. I understand. Knows the system, and that's a huge benefit, not just for him, but for everybody around him. But this is a. This is a rough unit that he's going to be rolled out there against. I don't love it, Colin. I hope it ends up like a Disney movie. I hope it ends up nice. Or like a Hallmark movie for the holidays. You know, the coach comes out and saves the theme, but.

[Eric Mangini]

Could be rough. Yeah, you're probably right. I'm trying to be optimistic, you know. Okay. Yeah, I've said, listen, when Jordan Love was in college, people thought he was reckless. And then he sat for three years and then his first five or six games he was awful. And then he was good. Then he got hurt. But he does check certain boxes. Arm athleticism, size appears to be incredibly coachable, aggressive. He'll throw the ball downfield. I know you got some film on him this week. I like him. And I think all this stuff is not linear. Right. Like, it's turbulent. You don't know. I mean, Matt LaFleur, when he first started after sitting for three years, was really impatient with him. He's like, we're not good now. He's really good. What do you see?

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

The thing that I've always thought with Jordan Love is when he's good, Colin, he's really, really good. You know, he gets. He doesn't get A pluses. He gets A plus pluses. But when he's been bad, he's been more of a C type student. That's. That's gotten a little bit better. His bad games haven't been as bad, and his good games are still as good as they've been. But that, that inconsistency overall, I, I don't love. But he's. He's on a bit of a heater right now.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

And when I went back and looked at. At the. The Bears game, I thought it was not only him, but I thought they did a really good job as an offensive staff of, of attacking the Bears. So let's take a look at the table, I'm going to show you the first touchdown that he threw in the game. And this formation ends up being the same formation they use for the second touchdown as well. So they've got the back and the tight end. They're both to the right side here. They're going to stay in a block so that with the five offensive linemen, they're going to block seven. So they're going to max protect it for Jordan Love. Anticipating that the Bears are going to bring some kind of heat. Now, they've got all three wide receivers on the left side. So if the corners come over, they know whether it's man or zone. And they're going to run a curl outside, they're going to run a curl where he sits over the ball inside. Again, if they have pressure, that gives them easy answers. But if they've got it blocked up, they're going to take Watson and they're going to run him down the middle of the field. So they've got the max protection. They've got answers with routes, and then they also have the option to throw it deep. Now the Bears, they've got their four down linemen. They're coming. Then they're going to take a cornerback, a linebacker and the cornerback who's over the third wide receiver. And they're going to bring all three of those guys. So they're rushing seven. So Green Bay was right. The Bears are bringing pressure. What that means is those defensive backs are locked on, the three wide receiver wide receivers, man to man and the tight end, man to man, and they've got no help. So now as the pressure starts to come, what you're going to see is the tight end stays in to block. He's going to block the blitzing defensive back, which means their seven blockers are going to block the Bears seven blitzers. And now Johnson, he's the free guy. He's got to go. He. Look at the path. He's got a free path to Jordan Love. He doesn't go. He's the eighth guy. He's the free guy. Which means now all these defensive backs are getting sold out. Look at the pocket that Jordan Love has. He's. This is the max blitzing, and it looks like he's got all day. So now Watson is going to be able to walk up onto the defensive back, break his leverage and take a look at the amount of field that he has to run away from the safety. This shouldn't happen with a max pressure, but because Johnson doesn't go after they Block it up. Then Jordan Love is able to throw it. He's able to throw it away from the coverage and it's a really good throw by Love. It's a really well executed play overall. And they end up doing it a little bit later in the second quarter and hit another touchdown out of that same exact formation, just a little bit different pattern. So collectively, Love and. And the offensive scheme were both very. Have been very good of late.

[Eric Mangini]

One of the reasons I like a Darnold or a Jordan Love, I loved Andrew Lock, is that if you blitz, they will punish you. I would blitz all day if you never punish me. I'll tell you, if you, if I blitz and you beat me for an eight yard completion with Chicago, they brought the pressure and he burned them twice in that game. And so that's why I've always said I'll deal with some interceptions. You, I'll deal with intercept. Andrew Luck threw a lot. Darnold, Peyton Manning threw him. But I need to burn you if you do blitz me. And I think that's what Green Bay does and I think the really good teams do. Mahomes did that for years, too.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah. And it's not just the quarterback being able to recognize that stuff and take advantage of it, but then also the, the offensive staff or the offensive coordinator also understanding how to really attack that and how to educate the quarterback on where to exploit those weaknesses when you blitz. And that's always a huge risk you take as a defensive coordinator is somebody's band's going to play. It's either our band or their band when we bring this pressure. And the good quarterbacks, you know, their band plays way more often than the defenses does.

[Eric Mangini]

Eric Mangini. Good seeing you, coach.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Great seeing you. Talk to you soon, Colin.

[Eric Mangini]

All right, J. Mac with the news. Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news. All right, Colin, let's get started. With the AFC east, it's hanging in the balance. Patriots, Bills, the big showdown we've been talking about all week. Buffalo lost the first meeting, but could extend the possibility of the Patriots stumbling to open the divisional race. Josh Allen, he knows what's at stake. We're doing everything that we can to prepare as hard as we can to go out there and execute as well.

[Eric Mangini]

As we can on Sunday.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, we think we understand as.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

A team what's at stake.

[Richard Sherman]

But I.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

Don'T think that's going to influence anything.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

It's the next game. It's the biggest game that we have.

[Colin Cowherd]

Because it's the next one. So a lot of people calling her say, oh, they must win. Listen, obviously it'd be nice to win for the Bills. I like them here. If they don't and they get a wild card spot. These are the three division winners that you're looking at facing in the first round. Broncos or Patriots, whoever doesn't get to one, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh. Buffalo's still going to be favored.

[Eric Mangini]

Jacksonville is not a great matchup because Jacksonville runs the ball. Jacksonville's run game has been pretty good.

[Colin Cowherd]

They got etn. I just. If I'm the Bills, obviously I think they win this weekend, but I don't think it's the end of the world if you're a wild card team.

[Eric Mangini]

I think a lot of it is in the building. Vrabel comes into the division, sweeps you with young Drake Day who's not in his prime. That doesn't play well. The Bill's owners upstairs thinking first year. New England's arguably still in a semi rebuild.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, let's talk through this. Bills lose this game, lose in the first round. Whatever you move, you move off McDermott and the GM.

[Eric Mangini]

I move off McDermott. I have long discussions with the GM. Okay, I don't know if I.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here's the problem, Colin. Where are you going to find a great candidate out there?

[Eric Mangini]

I'd go find an offensive coach. There's a coordinator at. At a football team near you.

[Colin Cowherd]

I just think the market is a little bleak. Like even think of the good offenses. Seattle's offense is popping like, where else are like.

[Eric Mangini]

By the way, by the way, I have Josh Allen. Kevin o' Connell will pay the rest of your contract in Minnesota. Let me tell you something. If Josh Allen's your quarterback, every good offensive guy in the league will take a call.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's going to take a call. Okay.

[Eric Mangini]

Brian Gable, by the way, is already coached there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, he was. He's apparently the guy who saved Allen, but. Well, we'll see.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, Stefanski. How about that as a fit? If the Browns run him off, which.

[Eric Mangini]

Would be dumb, there'll be no shortage of top offensive guys for Josh Allen.

[Colin Cowherd]

Stefanski would be the guy. Yeah.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, next up, we got to go back to the Chiefs. I like what Mangini had to say about. About Patrick Mahomes. Mind blowing stats, Colin. How about this one? They have an NFL worst six losses when they're favored this season.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

That is not good.

[Eric Mangini]

The market's overvaluing them.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right. Because everybody just thinks it's Reed in Mahomes. They're Going to be fine. So they're five and a half point favorites when they play the Chargers. We have a list of their losses as a favorite. Okay. And they're all close games. Well, except Houston. The Chargers in the open are in, I think Brazil. Remember they lost that. Justin Herbert was nailed on the final drive. The Jacksonville loss, which we Monday night.

[Eric Mangini]

Bullied a little bit. That one. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. The Buffalo loss expected there was the tough one to Denver. I think a lot of people thought the Chiefs were the side there. The one at Dallas, which still remains perplexing. That Thanksgiving loss.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And then Houston last week, which wasn't a one score game. But that just tells me when they play good teams, they don't have as many good players. And Patrick Mahomes is not doing stuff that he used to do during his prime.

[Eric Mangini]

My eyes. Your eyes don't lie. Houston had better players last week. Yeah. Longer, more athletic, getting to the quarterback more consistently.

[Colin Cowherd]

Can you remind me how many times did Tom Brady missed the playoffs when he was in New England?

[Eric Mangini]

None. When held.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think I might have asked you that. Every day this week I'm trying to send a message. Chiefs fans. All right, final story. Let's go to the Miami Dolphins. One of the quieter turnaround stories in the league.

[Eric Mangini]

Absolutely.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, they've won five or six. I mean, people had buried, buried, myself included. McDaniel. There was that game in London where he went for it on fourth down, like kick the field goal with the damn game. They ended up winning in overtime. But Monday night, Colin in Pittsburgh, we got an early weather report. High of 22 degrees and there could be snow. Tua was asked about the weather report. What do you think? Tua said it's football, bro. I guess they told you about it.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Tua obviously playing all the saying all the right things. Right. The reality is they've really struggled in inclement weather.

[Eric Mangini]

No.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now they did win against the Jets.

[Eric Mangini]

Pittsburgh is the side here.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, T.J. watt, I'm sure you read the story. He's got like a lung thing within the hospital. There ain't no way he's playing Sunday. I'm sorry. Like, that's J.J. watts out there chiming in on it now like we're thankful my brother's okay. I do like the dolphins, but 2N cold weather, 2 and 7 pass a rating of 79.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah, it was the jets last week. Let's simmer down, J. Mac, with the news. Well, that's the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

And thanks for stopping by the Herd line.

[Eric Mangini]

Tomorrow's headlines today. The Picks Next.

[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.

[Public Ad Read / Sponsor]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not in business investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures what.

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A matchup we got y'.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

All.

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[Richard Sherman]

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[Eric Mangini]

And S. So next summer, the biggest soccer event on earth is coming to the US for the first time in over 20 years. Now is the time to get in on the action. Every rivalry, every crazy skill and of course, every goal. And we all know that every goal starts with an assist. It's true for soccer and it's true for health. That's why Halion, makers of Advil, Tums, Sensodyne, Centrum and Voltaren, is teaming up with US Soccer to launch for the Assist. It's a new campaign that celebrates those everyday acts of support that help people achieve their goals. Whether it's the fans cheering their hearts out in an electric stadium or the rec player who's keeping fit for weekend games, Halion is there for them. To learn more, go to Halion assist.com I've tasted a lot of bourbon, seen a lot of hype. But when the judges blind taste bottles from around the world, some worth over a grand, and they pick a $36 bottle from Owensboro, Kentucky as the best bourbon in the world, that's not hype. That's just what Green river is about. Green river was officially named the best bourbon in the World at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition. And they did it with a bottle that only cost 36 bucks. It's 90 proof weeded bourbon and it wowed the panel with flavors of peppery spice, s' mores and honeyed grain. Just goes to show you you don't need to chase a rare bottle or drop your whole paycheck for that perfect holiday gift. Just find Green river on the shelf and taste it for yourself. You want to learn more about Green River's lineup? Head on over to greenriverwhiskey.com check out the details for yourself. A product of Green River Distilling Co. Owensboro, Kentucky. Please drink responsibly. Well, it's week 15 of the NFL season. Playoff implications heating up. Teams are on the bubble, fighting for relevance. Division leaders trying to protect their spots. J Mac believes he knows how it will all shake out. First up, I've already made my pick on this one. Ravens trying to rebound. Bengals trying to spoil tomorrow's headlines today. Ravens at the Bengals.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, it's just tough. A couple themes this weekend. Rematches are big. I'm betting on a lot of coaches who are dominant in December. This one, this is a tough one. Ravens, Bengals. A rematch from Thanksgiving. The headline will be Lamar and order. Defense rests. Offense restores afc. Now again, everybody out there saying basically the same thing. Baltimore's broken. Lamar slow. Warren Buffett, the great investor. Hey, everybody's fleeing. That's the time to jump in. I'm trying to buy Baltimore low here, okay? I do believe we see a better effort than what we saw on Thanksgiving. Colin, I. I went back and read that game. Five turnovers by the Ravens against the Bengals, who I believe at the time were the worst defense in the league. I went and looked in and they were up 76. Isaiah likely about to score fumbles out of the end zone. So instead of 14 6, Bengals get the ball back. Then Lamar fumbles at his own 15. He had a rough game on Thanksgiving. I don't know. Maybe he ate too early. I don't know what was going on. Then he had the red zone pick. I don't think they'll play that poorly. Bengals. We'll see. I don't know what to expect with this. Joe Burrow, these comments. Do you think that impacts the locker room at all? Because Jamar Chase was like, wait, what? He said what? And I just wonder if there's any trickle down from Burroughs.

[Eric Mangini]

I think his frustration is sending a message to the owner.

[Colin Cowherd]

Up top.

[Eric Mangini]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, well, I'm going Ravens two and a half. I'll take them. I think Baltimore wins by field goal.

[Eric Mangini]

Tomorrow's headline today, lions at the LA Rams, right here on Fox.

[Colin Cowherd]

Great game at SoFi. This is one where the coach, to me, is everything. I think this will be a phenomenal game. The headline for Rams Lions will be Ex Lax Lions soil selves facing former quarterback. Listen, I know it's a great rah rah spot for Jared Goff and Dan Campbell.

[Eric Mangini]

Hey, nobody respects us.

[Colin Cowherd]

We're huge underdogs. We're a great team. We were almost in the super bowl last year. Just pump the brakes. I'm worried about Detroit in this one. Colin, for starters, McVeigh, 27 and 11 in December in his career. You know what that means? Hey, we got the full season of data. I can make adjustments to my team. My Defense adjusts. These smart young coaches man him. And another one we'll get to shortly. December, their lights out. Now I look at Detroit's injury situation. I'm sure you saw that Terrion Arnold, he's done for the season. But Kirby Joseph, they announced today, doesn't look like he's coming back. So I look at who's going to back Phil Joseph and it's a young kid like that was played like 70 snaps. But now he's going against Puka and Devonte Adams and the McVeigh schemes. The Rams in their last seven have scored over 30 points five times. This offense is clicking. I don't see how the Lions get stops. Think it gets ugly? Give me the Rams.

[Eric Mangini]

Tomorrow's headlines. Today, a quietly interesting team that's certainly getting better on both sides. The stats tell you that. Panthers at the Saints on Fox especially.

[Colin Cowherd]

What went down last night. This is a massive game.

[Eric Mangini]

Huge game.

[Colin Cowherd]

Allison. I know it's not great teams, but this is fascinating.

[Eric Mangini]

It's a real moment for the Panthers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Another rematch. The headline for Panthers Saints will be Enter the Bryce age. Panthers to unruly for Saints. Yeah, got it. They're working overtime this week. Colin. Yes, a rematch. Now the Panthers, I think you mentioned this in your pick. In their last meeting against the Saints, they were coming off that win, a huge win over the Packers. They come home, they're lackadaisical. Tyler Schuck beats them. Now they have extra rest and the script is flipped. What did the Saints do last week? They beat Tampa.

[Eric Mangini]

Biggest win in a couple years.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're writing in New Orleans. Maybe Tyler Schuck is their franchise quarterback. That's like a real thing that's happening. I don't think he's thrown for 200 yards in the last three games. Now they're playing better, but I think the Panthers are the better team. Big thing in the injury report. J.C. horn, top cornerback, he's back. Two other defensive starters back from injury.

[Eric Mangini]

The Panthers defense is massively improved from last year.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Dave Canales doing wonders with Bryce Young. I like the Panthers here. I know it's a little bit of a chalky like Panthers haven't been favored and won a game since 2021. Risky. Give me Carolina.

[Eric Mangini]

Tomorrow's headlines today. This should be a really good game. Green Bay packers playing well, healthy now at receiver against the Broncos.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I mentioned coaches. You want to know how Lafleur's done in December 21and 4? He's unbelievable. The headline for Packers Broncos will be Mile High. More like Mile psy Parsons pops Bose balloon. I mean listen, you know and I joke about chatgpt but you can jump in there and get decent breakdowns on what these coaches want to do schematically and everything Vance Joseph and the Broncos do. LaFleur does better. I mean Joseph wants to match up man to man on the outside. That's not good against Watson and Jaden.

[Eric Mangini]

Reed keeping on a heater. And by the way, Jordan Love is a really good deep ball thrower.

[Colin Cowherd]

And listen, Patrick Churchan is excellent defensive player of the year last year. He's had his moments where he's gotten cooked. Go look at that Colts game and I looked Colts ran up and down the field against him. Go look what Jackson dart did to the Broncos defense and I know they've had some injuries. Bo Nix has also struggled Colin mightily against zone because guess what his legs are not as effective because the defenders are facing you. Green Bay can get home with four. I don't think Knicks has avenues to run the backup running back with Dobbins out. He's all right. I'm sorry I'm on the packers here. Favorite on the road.

[Eric Mangini]

Finally, tomorrow's headlines. Today the fourth game that you and I at least agree in picking Colts and Philip Rivers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well I'm waiting for Rivers to officially be the starter. Listen, I don't like to give out double digit favorites. I passed on both.

[Eric Mangini]

Passed?

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah I passed on the Texans. I mean that's an unbelievable bet this weekend but for Seahawks cold st the headline will be in a van down by the rivers old man doesn't inspire Colts a little Matt Foley action Saturday Night Live Sam Darnold as a favorite Colin of 6 or more 11 and oh straight up.

[Eric Mangini]

Say it again.

[Colin Cowherd]

Sam Darnold is a favorite of 6 or more 11 and oh straight up.

[Eric Mangini]

That is a closer. He's like Tiger woods with a helmet.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm just telling you guys like this could get ugly fast. I looked at the Colts secondary so Kenny Moore is pretty good sauce. Gardner out. Charvarius Ward third concussion season over. Oh I look they got a seventh round pick backing up now like who's going to match up with jsn they're going to target. I mean this again. You never know what's going to happen. DeForest Buckner, he's his he could come back but it doesn't look like it. Culture just beat up that team and did you see the Daniel Jones post about hey man it's been a great season. I'm done. He's like sad the vibes are just not good around the Colts right now. I know Philip Rivers can try. You know, he's got the double chin. He's looking like he ate a couple donuts this offseason. Yeah, I don't see him moving well against Seattle. I picked their number here. I think Seattle wins easily.

[Eric Mangini]

You know, it is the Sam Darnold. It's not that Sam.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's nine and two against the spread, by the way. Not so it's not just like, oh, they're barely winning.

[Eric Mangini]

No, but Sam last year and this year he leaves the NFL and wins with two totally different teams. A defensive coach and offensive coach. I know people always talk about, oh, boy, he'll get reckless. Andrew Luck had a lot of three interception games. Darnold is even more so than Baker because I think Darnold's high end is better than Baker. He's a bigger, more athletic guy. I think he's got a big arm. The Darnold story is encouraging. And I've told you, with NIL and some of these college quarterbacks like Dante Moore may stay in college. They're like eight teams that need a quarterback. These mid level guys, Baker, Sam, Gino, Mac Jones. I think, I think Kyler Murray is going to get paid by somebody. I think Mac Jones, somebody's going to trade for him. J. Mac, if you need a quarterback in this league, you're a GM on the hot seat and a coach on the hot seat. And everybody in this league not named Andy Reid or Sean McVeigh. Your one awful season from the owner, you know, sitting down with you, I. I'll say it again, watch, Mac, somebody's going to take a swing and trade for Mac Jones.

[Colin Cowherd]

Philip Rivers speaks to the desperation. I just will. I know some people are like, you guys are crazy. 14 is too much. Just remember when Joe Flacco came off the couch, his first game. Disaster, okay? Josh Dobbs can come out of Nassau or wherever he was, and he could because he's running around and making plays. These guys are statues in the pocket. The speed of this game, it's going to be too much for Rivers, man. And I like Rivers. He'll probably do fine in a couple of weeks, but this is a terrible spot.

[Eric Mangini]

I don't think outside of Houston could you face a worse team than the aggressive, young, athletic Seahawks.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Arizona is facing Houston. Their left tackle just ruled out Johnson.

[Eric Mangini]

That was, that was. I almost. That was a game I thought, I don't like taking big favor. That's why I took the under on this game. I think Seattle wants to get out clean fast. No injuries. Rams around the corner. All right. Great job this week. First Things first is coming up next. Live from New York. Be safe. Happy Holidays.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

It's the herd.

[Eric Mangini]

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[Public Ad Read / Sponsor]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member finra SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures what.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

A matchup we got y'.

[Fox Sports Analyst / Guest]

All.

[Coca-Cola Ad Voice]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat Everybody showing that school pride game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and in ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

[Richard Sherman]

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