THE HERD - Hour 3 - SPECIAL GUEST: Robert Griffin III stops by The Herd

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hour 3 – Special Guest: Robert Griffin III
September 29, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around in-depth football analysis, with Colin Cowherd hosting special guest Robert Griffin III (“RG3”), former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst. They break down the weekend’s top college football and NFL stories, offering candid insights on coaching decisions, quarterback development, team identity, and the ongoing AJ Brown situation with the Eagles. The broader purpose is to contextualize key games and trends through the perspective of a pro quarterback and a seasoned sports commentator.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Alabama’s Big Win & Kalyn DeBoer’s Impact

(Starting at 02:45)

• Colin’s Take: Kalyn DeBoer’s hiring at Alabama was bold and, against the odds, has been vindicated by a significant win over Kirby Smart’s Georgia. Cowherd describes it as a "coaching classic."
• RG3’s Analysis:
  • DeBoer didn’t just out-coach Smart; he re-established Alabama’s identity post-Saban.
  • Praises DeBoer’s adaptability after the Florida State loss, noting his ability to acknowledge shortcomings and pivot the team’s culture (“don’t let up, no mercy”).
  • Highlights the maturation of QB Ty Simpson, who took “full responsibility” and is now “one of the best quarterbacks in college football.”
  • Quote:

    “DeBoer has always been a hell of a football coach. He’s won every single way he’s been…It lets you know how much he believes in himself and his staff.” (03:44 – RG3)

  • Pointed Question: Wonders what Alabama fans, once skeptical, are saying now.

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2. Dante Moore’s Meteoric Rise

(05:03 – 07:13)

• Colin’s View: Dante Moore could be worthy of the NFL’s #1 pick, showing rare composure.
• RG3’s Take:
  • Moore is “climbing up draft boards faster than any quarterback in the country.”
  • His performance under pressure in a playoff environment stood out; particularly a clutch bootleg touchdown pass.
  • Commends Moore’s “calm feet,” rhythm, and maturity after sitting a year at Oregon for development.
  • Notes a “14:1 TD-INT ratio” and his ability to spread the ball to eight different receivers as signs of high-level processing.
  • Modern NFL QBs need both “in-pocket operation” and “off-schedule answers” — Moore has both.
  • Quote:

    “NFL coaches absolutely love this young man…he could very well be the number one pick in the draft.” (06:10 – RG3)

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3. Lincoln Riley, USC, and the Up-Tempo Defense Dilemma

(07:13 – 10:02)

• Colin’s Frustration: USC’s defense is faltering against teams like Illinois, despite high NIL investment and recruiting.
• RG3 Explains:
  • Defense is “holding them back” due to excessive big plays allowed — not a talent or NIL issue.
  • After conversations with Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, RG3 shares the view that up-tempo offenses inherently weaken their own defenses by putting them on the field longer and wearing them down.
  • Points out that fatigued defenses “give up explosives” — “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
  • Riley, as head coach, must decide: Stay all-in on the high-tempo offense, or adjust for defensive success?
  • Expects Riley to keep pursuing up-tempo: “They’re probably just going to try to outscore everybody.”
  • Quote:

    “At the end of the day, it all falls on [Lincoln Riley]…make the decision: go up-tempo all-in, or try to help your defense. I think I know the answer to that.” (09:22 – RG3)

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4. Caleb Williams and the Challenge of Athletic Quarterbacks

(10:02 – 12:13)

• Colin’s Reflection: Great athlete QBs (like Caleb, Steve Young) struggle to balance structure with improvisation; there’s a “burden” in having that natural talent.
• RG3’s View:
  • The “yin and yang” between Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson as QB and coach is working well. Their personality and competence differences are complementary.
  • Caleb is learning “not to color outside of the lines,” but early wins are building trust and accelerating his growth.
  • “Winning cures all,” and the environment in Chicago is now positive.
  • Quote:

    “Caleb Williams is learning how to not color outside of the lines, but they’re finding ways to win games—and that’s going to make that growth process even better.” (11:41 – RG3)

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5. AJ Brown, the Eagles, and Offensive Fit

(12:13 – 15:15; 19:37 – 21:01)

• Colin’s Problem Statement: Despite targeting him, AJ Brown’s talents aren’t translating into production. Ponders if Eagles should trade for a cornerback and move Brown, comparing the situation to a marriage that “shouldn't be this hard.”
• RG3’s Analysis:
  • The offense isn’t scheming Brown open with “easy completions.” Success correlates with Brown’s involvement, and when absent, the offense stalls.
  • Responsibility is on the offensive coordinator more than on Jalen Hurts.
  • Analogy:

    “It’d be like, you know, Kobe Bryant, and you’re like, you know what, we’re not going to give him 30 shots tonight. We’re going to give him five. That’s never going to work.” (20:08 – RG3)

  • Trading Brown would hurt the team’s playoff hopes; he’s a difference maker in high-leverage moments.
  • Quote:

    “The Eagles are a better football team when A.J. Brown is on it than…when he isn’t.” (20:32 – RG3)

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6. Bears’ Momentum and Caleb Williams’ Growth

(21:59 – 24:31)

• **Jason & Colin discuss Chicago’s gritty win over the Raiders and how it might kickstart a run post-bye week.
• Upcoming opponents (Washington, Saints, Ravens, Bengals) are all vulnerable, and optimism is growing.
• Emphasizes the Bears’ typically poor road record, making this win particularly significant.

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7. Dante Moore vs. Drew Aller and Penn State’s Conservative Play

(25:52 – 30:18)

• **Jason points out Moore outplayed Aller, with Franklin owning up to Penn State’s struggles against top-10 teams.
• Colin is critical of Franklin’s conservative game plan:
  • “You have…top five offensive line, really good defensive personnel. That’s a game you have to win, and they didn’t.”
  • Homefield advantage in college “matters more” than in the NFL; Penn State played it too safe.
• Jason likens the matchup to a “safe Manny Pacquiao fight.”
• Both tout Dante Moore as a future NFL starter and possible #1 draft pick, with maturity gained from transferring and sitting a year.

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8. NFL Parity, Modern Offenses, and KC Dominance over Lamar

(35:00 onward)

• Colin reflects on the NFL’s offensive explosion due to rule changes, strong special teams, and unprecedented quarterback development.
• Discusses the parity in team-building approaches:
  • “There are so many different ways to win…”
  • It ultimately still comes down to “coach, quarterback, and somebody to protect his backside.”
• Matt Hasselbeck (recorded quote) notes Spagnuolo and the Chiefs “don’t fear Lamar Jackson” and have a system that works against the Ravens.
• Colin opines there are counters for every QB—except a protected Mahomes or Josh Allen.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• RG3 on Coaching Change at Alabama:

  “It was more than that. I thought that Kalyn DeBoer has always been a hell of a football coach. He’s won every single way he’s been.” (03:47)

• Colin on Risky Hires:

  “I said, that takes guts. The Bama people didn’t want to hear it.” (02:57)

• RG3 on Lincoln Riley’s Dilemma:

  “They say fatigue makes cowards of us all. So I wonder if that’s a question Lincoln Riley has to ask himself.” (09:00)

• RG3 on QB Growth:

  “The more they win, the more success they have, the more belief they’re going to have in one another.” (11:43)

• RG3 on AJ Brown:

  “You have to find ways to get him easy completions… They’re not getting him the easy screen catches…” (13:31) “When it comes down to it, when you get late in the season… it’s not going to be about the X’s and O’s; it’s going to be about the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s, and the Eagles are a better football team when AJ Brown is on it than when he isn’t.” (20:23)

• Colin’s Analogy:

  “It’s like a marriage. It can’t be this hard. You shouldn’t have to go to therapy every day.” (13:16)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Alabama’s Coaching and Big Win: 02:45 – 05:03
• Dante Moore’s Emergence: 05:03 – 07:13
• Lincoln Riley & USC’s Defensive Struggles: 07:13 – 10:02
• Caleb Williams’ Development: 10:02 – 12:13
• AJ Brown & Eagles Offense: 12:13 – 15:15, 19:37 – 21:01
• Bears’ Win and Postseason Hopes: 21:59 – 24:31
• Dante Moore v. Drew Aller / Penn State’s Conservative Approach: 25:52 – 30:18
• NFL Offensive Trends & KC vs. Lamar: 35:00 – 41:35

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Overall Tone and Dynamics

• Conversational & Analytical: The episode balances sharp, opinionated takes with technical breakdowns, delivered in the breezy-yet-informed style that defines Cowherd and RG3.
• Respectful & Inquisitive: Cowherd values RG3’s perspective as a recent NFL QB, leading to insightful exchanges on both college and pro football.

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Utility for Non-Listeners

This summary encapsulates the episode’s central themes, flowing naturally from segment to segment. It spotlights key insights and arguments, provides direct speaker quotes, and maps major storylines with clear context. Whether interested in college coaching, QB development, or NFL team-building, the episode and this summary provide wide-ranging, smart football discussion.

Transcript

[Robert Griffin III]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Robert Griffin III]

Now let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Well, he was NFL. Remember this offensive Rookie of the year? He's a Heisman Trophy winner, eight years in the league. Now Fox Sports. He's got the cowboy hat on. He is ready to go. RG3 Robert Griffin is now joining us live. It was A cowboy hat weekend. I'll tell you that. It was nuts Saturday and Sunday. Let's go back to Saturday. I said this when, when, when Nick Saban left Robert, I said Kaylin DeBoer was the best, most courageous hire you could do because it would have been easy to go, oh, let's get, let's go get Dan Lanning. He's from the South. Let's go get Dabo. He's got a Bama connection. And Greg Burns like, no, I'm going to go all the way to the Pacific Northwest to get a. And I said, that takes guts. The Bama people didn't want to hear it. I thought Robert, he out coached Kirby Smart. I thought that was a coaching classic. What do you make of Bama's win on the road?

[Robert Griffin III]

Well, you're making a lot of great points there, Colin, and that's why you're in the position that you are in. And I want to, first of all want to say thank you for having me on the show. Completely honored to share the airwaves with you. But when you look at Kalyn DeBoer, I agree with you. He did out coach Kirby Smart. But it was more than that. I thought that Kalyn DeBoer has always been a hell of a football coach. He's won every single way that he's been. And for him to take on the challenge of replacing the greatest college football coach of all time, some might argue the greatest coach of all time. And Nick Saban lets you know how much he believes in himself and his staff. But after the loss to Florida State, I thought he was self aware. He understood, you know what, I'm not getting it done the way that I need to get it done here at Alabama. And he changed his identity. And for a coach who's won in multiple different places to make that admission and step in and say, you know what, we're going to come up with a new slogan. We're going to say, don't let up. No mercy. Why did he say that? It's because Alabama had kind of lost its luster a little bit. It had lost its, its fear that it had put into people's souls when they stepped on the field with them. And his quarterback, Ty Simpson stepped up to the podium, took full responsibility and said, I will be better. And he's been better. He's been one of the best quarterbacks in all of college football. So I wonder what the Alabama fans are saying now.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right. Listen, success is hard and it doesn't always happen quickly. I always joke Saban lost to Louisiana Monroe his first year and got smoked by Utah his second year. Now he took over. A bit of a mess, but it's hard to take over. Alabama, the nil, the portal. You're losing guys. Now I want to talk about, I said going into the year, I liked Drew Aller's potential. I watched Dante Moore. Robert, if I had a number one pick in the draft, I would take Dante Moore. That kid's composure, I mean, you played in this league. I was blown. I mean, I thought he was good. I was blown away by him. What say you?

[Robert Griffin III]

Yeah, Dante Moore is climbing up draft boards faster than any quarterback in the country right now. And it's because he proved one simple thing. He proved that the tools that he has can travel to a big time playoff atmosphere and that his poise overcomes all of it. When you look at Dante Moore there at the end of the game when they needed him the most, he went on the play action Bootleg, we call them nakeds when you don't have a backside blocker. He stepped up in the pocket and he hit Gary Bryant for a touchdown when his team needed him the most. He stood tall. And when I watch his tape, what I'm so impressed by is the simple fact that he transferred from UCLA to go sit for a year at Oregon behind Dylan Gabriel. It shows me that he understands he needed to be developed. He understood that it takes patience to make that happen. And what do you see when you watch the tape? You see calm feet in the pocket. You see him, him staying in rhythm, not forcing the football to any one particular guy, but allowing the ball to go where it's supposed to go on each play versus each coverage. NFL coaches absolutely love this young man. 14 to 1 touchdown, interception ratio. Eight guys in this big time matchup caught a pass from him. It lets you know that he's processing it well. And in today's modern NFL, you have to be able to operate in the pocket, but you also have to have off schedule answers. And Dante Moore has that. He showed that with his ability to run, with his ability to extend plays. So I'm right there with you. He could very well be the number one pick in the draft.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, well, one more college question then. I want to go to some NFL stuff where I think you'll have really great perspective. So I, I defended Lincoln Riley. I was at this game. I defend him scoring with a minute 55 left because I think when you're on the road, you don't get cute. Like if you can get into the end zone. Get into the end zone. The bigger issue is they brought deann Lynn on as a D coordinator a couple years ago and I thought he was tremendous. And the defense is getting softer. And I don't necessarily blame the dc. I don't know if it's because of the way they practice. They're now getting pushed around by Illinois and I know the kind of. I mean, I'm sorry, Robert. I know what their nil money is and I know what they recruit. That shouldn't happen. Who do you blame? Is it, is it, is it this offense that maybe at practice you don't develop toughness? But I feel like, oh, here we go again. Another Lincoln defense that can't make stops.

[Robert Griffin III]

And I know you know this very well, Colin. You're out there, you're around a lot. You're around the program. And when I look at this defense, I agree with you. I think that it's the defense that's holding them back. Look, against Illinois, they gave up 12.4 or 12.6 yards per attempt to Luke Altmire and that Illinois offense. You're not going to win in those situations. Yes, they're getting a ton of sacks, but they're giving up way too many big plays in the secondary. And I was able to call their game against Michigan State with Jason Benetti and Alexa Landa story. Amazing crew that we have there for college football and they dominated that game in Michigan State. And I agree with you, it's not the nil. It's not that they don't have the playmakers. This team is filled with high level recruits. But in my talks last week with Kyle Whittingham, the, the head coach at Utah, he talked about how it's almost impossible to have a great defense when you truly have an uptempo offense. Why? Because it's putting your defense out there on the field more often. For Utah, they average some of the fewest plays played per game for their defense. And he really believes that the longer your defense is out on the field, the more opportunities you're going to give up in explosives, the tighter they're going to get. And guys who aren't fresh don't play well. They say fatigue makes cowards of us all. So I wonder if that's a question that Lincoln Riley has to ask himself because at the end of the day, it all falls on him. Colin, he's the head coach. He's the high price money making guy that was brought in there to make them a championship contender. So make the decision Are you going to go truly all the way up tempo and score as many points as you possibly can like we used to do back at Baylor in the day, or are you going to try to play this game where you kind of slow it down to help your defense not be on the field as much? I think I know the answer to that. I think you do as well. They're probably just going to try to outscore everybody.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I want to, I want to shift to the NFL because you are a profoundly athletic. You could move, you could throw. And I think Caleb has both of those. And somebody told me years ago, they said, listen, if you're born with a great singing voice or develop it at an early age, you'll sing in the car, you'll sing in the shower, you'll sing because God gave it to you and it's special. And I want, I think there's a burden being a great running quarterback. Took Steve Young years to develop the pocket stuff because he was so damn athletic. And I watched Caleb and I watched Ben and I think Ben's a structure guy and I think Caleb can play in structure, but man, he's got horsepower. And go back to your career. How do you balance? Well, I can take off and get a lot of these first downs with okay play within the coach's structure. Is it a fight when you have the ability to move?

[Robert Griffin III]

I wouldn't say it's a fight when you have the ability to move, but you got to have the right relationship between the head coach and the quarterback. So right now when I look at Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, I feel like they're the perfect yin and yang. Caleb is the laid back, you know, gonna wear the funny, funny clothes and not be super hype type of quarterback. And Ben Johnson is the type of guy who's going to stare a hole through a sideline reporter if they ask him a question, question about his offense. Okay, that they, that yin and yang to me works for them. Because what Caleb lacks, Ben Johnson has and what Ben Johnson lacks, Caleb has. Now when you look at the last two weeks for them, he throws four touchdowns and literally eviscerates the Cowboys defense. He's feeling good about himself. Well, guess what happened this week against the Raiders wasn't the cleanest game, but in late game execution he goes and he leads his team on a game winning drive. I still believe that Caleb Williams is learning how to not color outside of the lines, but they're finding ways to win games and that's going to make that growth process even. Better. The more they win, the more success they have, the more belief they're going to have in one another and the more belief this team is going to have in one another. You can see them celebrating on the sideline and feeling good about themselves. That goes a long way. Winning cures all. And the Bears right now at 2 and 2 are winning.

[Colin Cowherd]

So listen, AJ Brown is showing to me great patience because, I mean, he really is. We got to give him credit. Like, he's. I don't care if he's reading a book every time they put a mic in front of him. He's very patient. He says the right thing. And I think to myself, they targeted him nine times yesterday. They're trying. He got seven yards. And it worked against the Rams because the Rams could use length and physicality. It's the only weakness on the Rams. They don't have a kind of a physical corner. They let Jalen Ramsey go. You're. They're a little small. They don't have that. So it works. But I'm watching yesterday and my takeaway is this is a long season, Robert, and AJ's being real patient. I don't know if this thing. Would you consider, because they're so deep, would you consider saying, listen, we need another corner? It's. It's just not vital to our offense. We're going to move aj get a draft pick in a corner. Or do you just put your head down and try to make it work? Because it's like, it's like a marriage. It can't be this hard. You shouldn't have to go to therapy every day. It just feels like it doesn't fit.

[Robert Griffin III]

Yeah, it's. It's the dilemma you get in when you have a guy like Jalen Hurts, who I do believe is a top five quarterback in the NFL because he makes the winning plays and sometimes the winning play, unfortunately for the Philadelphia Eagles is not throwing the football to AJ Brown or at least throwing it to him and not completing it. It's. It's one of the, the more confusing things that happened this weekend for me because when their offense is clicking, who is the guy that is really making it go? It's not Jalen Hurts. It's honestly right now, this year. Not Saquon Barkley. Yeah, it's A.J. brown. When they put up points, A.J. brown is involved. When they have to make a drastic comeback like they did last week, AJ Brown is involved. So I honestly don't put this on. Jalen hurts. I put it on their offensive coordinator. You have to find ways to get him easy completions. I always use this analogy when we, when we call games. You see a team go on a 15 play drive and they've got a couple trick plays and they got a bunch of different crazy things that they're trying to make it work. And it's like in a basketball game, you see the teams that do the, the thumbs down bounce passes, right, and they get the open guys to the basket and they make the easy layups. Well, right now the Eagles aren't doing that. They're not making the easy plays. They're not getting him the easy screen catches, lining them up in the slot and having them run option routes, keeping away, keeping him away from double teams and not just putting him on an island on the outside where they can roll coverage to him. They have to find ways to get him that easy cut to the basket where he can make the easy layups early in the game. So you're not looking at him in the third quarter like, hey AJ where you at? He's like, I don't know, you're not getting me easy completions, guys. I'm a dynamic player. You see when he has the ball in his hands how special he is. That is the job of the offensive coordinator. It is not the job of the quarterback to force the ball to A.J. brown. So we don't have these conversations on.

[Colin Cowherd]

The national airwaves, be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS1 and the iHeartRadio app.

[Jason McIntyre]

Hey, this is Jason McEntire. Join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sportsbook, and all the best guess. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight fire with Jason McEntire on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

This is where I defend pro athletes. I can do my radio, TV thing forever. But if you're A.J. brown, you may have six years in this league to be a star. And you know, in baseball again you can play to your 36. In basketball, you know, a guy can shoot, he can stay in the league forever. I get A.J. brown being, you know, I mean, I think he's showing, I don't know, I think it's tough. I don't think fans quite understand how hard it is to be this gifted and have seven yards. Yeah, it's hard, Colin.

[Robert Griffin III]

It'd be like, you know, Kobe Bryant and you're like, you know what, we're not going to give him 30 shots tonight. We're going to give him five. You know what I mean? Like that. That's never going to work. You saw how, how aggressive Kobe was when he played the game. So for A.J. brown, my only, the only reason I don't say trade him and get him out of, out of Philadelphia is because when it comes down to it, when you get late in the season, when you get into the early rounds of the playoffs and potentially try to get to another super bowl to make yourself a dynasty, it's not going to be about the X's and the O's. It's going to be about the Jimmy's and the Joes and the Eagles are a better football team when A.J. brown is on it than he, than they are when he isn't. So that to me is why right now you got to focus on the X's and the O's and your X's and O's aren't good enough because your best player is not getting the football.

[Colin Cowherd]

You are tremendous. Robert Griffin knows his college, does his college and pro stuff, you know, met you years ago at a volume party, if I recall you and your.

[Robert Griffin III]

That is correct.

[Colin Cowherd]

And it's great seeing you again. I'd love to have you on again. Thank you so much.

[Robert Griffin III]

No, I appreciate you having me on, Colin, and I'm honored to be your teammate, brother.

[Commercial Announcer]

All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's great stuff, some good points. You know, it is interesting that he used Kobe Bryant. That's the. I think we had talked about this a couple weeks Ago like you know in most professions you're an accountant, you're going to be, you can have prime years for 15 years a painter. But there are professions like you got about six years in the NFL because of all the injuries. You got about six years, about 24 to 30 for a receiver. Those maybe 31. Those are your big years. So I get the frustration. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no, no.

[Robert Griffin III]

Heard on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the herd line news.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, Colin, let's revisit that Bears Raiders finish. Just gut punch for me and anybody who had the Raiders. But I will say listen, it came down to a game winning field goal. All these seem to go against me this year. Here's the call of the blocked kick by the Bears.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's good snap. Bears block the kick. They blocked the field goal on fourth and three with 32 seconds to go in the game. The Bears blocked the kick. They're gonna sneak out of Allegiant stadium with a 2524 win.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, go ahead. I know you're excited. Your, your Bears with a bit of a big win. They're your Bears now, right? They're not mine, they're yours.

[Colin Cowherd]

Not all wins are pretty. Buffalo yesterday did not play well. Not all wins are pretty. I mean when Baker led the come from behind win against Atlanta, that's one of the ugliest wins of the year.

[Jason McIntyre]

So, so take them big picture. Okay? We're this was this last week you went and said bears 8 and 9. Okay, well a lot of things changed around the league this week because it's a week to week league. I don't want to get dramatic here, but that win could be, you know, the impetus for a bit of a run here. So they get the buy, then they come out against Washington. Michael Penix just went up and down the field against Washington. That defense is going to get exposed. Okay. They're not great, Colin. After that it's the Saints and we know the Bears are probably going to be favored to win that one outdoors. That Ravens game. I don't know what's up with Lamar. I don't know what's up with the defense. Sure the Ravens are going to be favored at home, but I don't think they're a slam dunk to win that. And you start looking at that and you're like, oh, we don't have to face Joe Burrow in week nine, you know, so I'm not saying Bears are going to the playoffs, but I'm, I'm just pointing out like that Win showed me like Caleb Williams is growing. There is definitely growth from week one to week four.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's some real. I mean, Washington, New Orleans, Baltimore and Cincinnati. Out of the buy are defenses that are trying to find their way.

[Jason McIntyre]

Baltimore's debt was down. Six or seven. Sorry, six. Seven.

[Colin Cowherd]

Huh?

[Jason McIntyre]

Six or seven defensive starters midway through that game against the Chiefs.

[Colin Cowherd]

And then they face series. A series of teams that aren't offensively consistent. Giants, Vikings, Steelers, Philadelphia.

[Jason McIntyre]

Well, J.J. mcCarthy will be back for that Vikings game, so.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's what I'm. My point.

[Jason McIntyre]

So all of a sudden you're like, oh, is there a world that, you know the early buy because their secondary is beat up. And I think the good cornerback who had one of the interceptions yesterday got dinged up late. I'm not saying they're going playoffs, but I'm saying there is certainly optimism off that win, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Oh, I think. Absolutely. I think you feel great if you're Chicago, they haven't. They've been a terrible road team for, like, ever, but I mean, under Eber Flutes, they were the league's worst road team. So you just take it and get. I guarantee you that flight from Vegas to Chicago was a great flight to be on.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, certainly. All right, let's go to Monday Night Football. Colin. Jets, Dolphins. Tonight, Justin Fields is cleared from concussion protocol. He's ready to go. Dolphins are favored by two and a half. I'll just. I'm on the over here. I don't love anything about either of these defenses. Jets defense has sneakily regressed badly. It's early. And the Dolphins, historically with tua, have move the football on these guys. So I'm. I'm over 44 and a half. I don't really have a feel on the side. There's this Anthony Weaver video going around. He's the defensive coordinator of the Dolphins. About how him talking about we're going to be violent on defense. We're coming out fired up. We'll see what Breeze hall has to say about that. But I think this could be a really good game. I'll go 30 to 27. Somebody wins.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't know. Yeah, I think I, I'm. I think you're in the right space. I think it's. There's going to be a lot of points and I think Denver, which has. Should have two more wins, has kind of played with their food. I think Denver plays well tonight offensively and they have not this year.

[Jason McIntyre]

All right, final story is college football, where your guy Dante Moore out dueled the Immortal Drew Aller. Poor Drew Aller. He ends the Notre Dame playoff game with that bad pick, and then just an abomination of an interception in overtime. James Franklin. And I don't think you could kill James Franklin for this, but he was. He did. They did have a bad start. I think they were. They were stuck on three points for most of the game. Franklin talked about his woes against top 10 opponents, and he owned it in the post game.

[James Franklin]

I get that narrative, and it's really not a narrative.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's. It's factual. It's the facts.

[James Franklin]

I get it. You know, but I try to look at the entire picture and what we've been able to do here, but at the end of the day, we got to find a way to win those games. I. I totally get it. They're passionate, and when we win, there's nothing better. When we lose, there's nothing worse. So I get it. I get the frustration that comes with a fan base that is invested and cares.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. My take is you're at home. You have the best backfield in the country, a top five offensive line, and you have really good defensive personnel. To me, that's a game you have to win, and they didn't. And I've defended James Franklin, but you got to win that game. I mean, Dante Moore had not played in an environment like that. Oregon's young. Oregon's a college team traveling 3,000, whatever. 3,000 miles, whatever it is. That's a game you got to win. Like, it's not Bama. Georgia. Georgia doesn't have to win that. Georgia's won a lot of big games. Ohio State's won a lot of big games. That's a game you get Oregon. That's. That's the biggest stadium Dante Moore's ever played in. You got. You got a ball control offense. And I thought Drew Aller just looked pedestrian.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yeah, they played too conservatively. Colin. There was no imagination in that.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's the knock on James Franklin. He recruits, but it's not a lot of. There's not a lot of. You know, there's not a lot of juice.

[Jason McIntyre]

Did it not feel like. Like a Manny Pacquiao fight where neither side wanted to make a mistake? And it was just very safe boxing throughout. I'm like, dude, you're at home. You got the white out.

[Colin Cowherd]

I get that for Oregon. Like, if I was Oregon, I'd go into the first quarter and I would feel out. I think that's one of those games. If I was Penn State, I'd have trick plays I would put the pressure on Oregon and I thought Penn State played a little bit like a road team and it's like no, no, no, you're at home most of the time. In college football when two good teams meet, take the home team in the NFL it doesn't matter. They say now the NFL home crowd is worth a point. I think, I think Penn State, that's a seven, eight point advantage. Dan Lanning admitted that after the game and I think you go in if you're Penn State and you, you take big cuts because remember this was played.

[Jason McIntyre]

I think it was 17:3 Colin in the third quarter Oregon was rolling like you can't have that now. Final note is you have just repeat your national championship right now. Is it Oregon and who I would.

[Colin Cowherd]

Say if I had to bet right now I'd say Ohio State based on what I've seen. Ohio State, Oregon. I can't trust Penn State. I mean if you lose to Oregon at home there, I can't trust you. And Texas isn't good enough offensively.

[Jason McIntyre]

Can I give you a sleeper Bama? The no. Well Alabama's for sure. The Notre dame fighting Irish. Mr. Carr looks amazing country.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's Arkansas, but still.

[Jason McIntyre]

I mean Arkansas is a good SEC team.

[Colin Cowherd]

They just fired their coach.

[Jason McIntyre]

I know but still. Come on man, it's Carr. A young quarterback going into Arkansas. You can't go to Fayetteville.

[Colin Cowherd]

And I watched the highlights of that game. Arkansas played with eight players defensively.

[Jason McIntyre]

Stop it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Eight man football.

[Jason McIntyre]

Notre Dame had 42 at the half. Listen man, it was impressive. Carr, he might be like a top five quarterback in the country. It's Beck Dante Moore and I think Simpson for sure.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right from Alabama if you ask GMs. I'll text one after the show. I can't believe Dante Moore would not be the number one pick.

[Jason McIntyre]

He looks like he's ready to go in the NFL. He was rolling out. I mean that kid looks.

[Colin Cowherd]

No that kid. And he was a five star recruit. I think out of Michigan he went. I think transfer ended up ucla, then Oregon he sat so he's got some maturity.

[Jason McIntyre]

Imagine that sitting for a year helped, huh? Arch set for how many? Okay, I'll stop.

[Colin Cowherd]

That was a. I'm telling you in college football that is a hard place to win. And Oregon co if you have a great coach and a great quarterback in college you can win anywhere. And I think that's what Bama has. I think that tickets really. I don't think he's Dante Moore but he's good. He's throwing darts just like Jackson did. JMAC with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lie news show is flying by. Boy, the show after us today is going to have a lot of nuance, a lot of contextualization on Kansas City hammering Baltimore. Now, I like Kansas City in that game. I said if you give me three, I would have put it in my blazing five, but that was. I mean, Mahomes hasn't done that for over two years. Just seven on seven. Pitch and catch. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

Cool.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Couple of Monday night football games tonight like JMac. I think the jets and the Dolphins over is the play and actually I'll, I'll take a favorite. Denver at home. Offense is sputtered. I think Sean Payton will get it right.

[Jason McIntyre]

Why don't we, why don't we make it interesting? Since you're going to be out here soon. Why don't I make it interesting? You want a little wager?

[Colin Cowherd]

On what?

[Jason McIntyre]

I don't know. Let's go Jets. You, you love Mike McDaniel and Tua. I'll take jets.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't love Mike McDaniel and Tua. Or the GM.

[Jason McIntyre]

No, I, I, or the owner or the stadium.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I like going to Fort Lauderdale in Miami. I don't like the football team. It was just funny yesterday, the baseball playoffs. Regular season's over. Steve Cohen's on the Mets forever. They've missed the playoffs three times and got bounced in a wild card round. They literally were the only team in baseball that did not have a ninth and income from behind wind. With all that money, all that Steve Ballmer with the Clippers, all that money. Playoff disappointment. Everybody fears money. The both New York teams stink in the NFL, although the Giants feel pretty good today. Everybody worries about money. And here you got, you know, you start looking around sports. Right now, Milwaukee's the best team in baseball. They swept the Dodgers earlier this year. Best team in baseball. Great bullpen, good starting staff hit. I'm just telling you, it's. Watching that game last night, everybody's freaking out in Green Bay and I'm like, these games now where the kickoff comes.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Is a 15 yard completion and a penalty and you're in field goal range. I mean, Matt Hasselbeck talked about that earlier. You get into field goal range now so fast in the NFL. That's why I think betting the NFL is harder than it's ever been. My last year and a half, never been harder. There's so many backdoor covers. I've had three games this year. I thought I had wrapped up. I thought I had the Raiders wrapped up yesterday. And then all of a sudden, you know, that's why I think you're also getting a higher percentage of quarterbacks that can play because they come in with so many snaps out of high school and college and personal coaching. And then the NFL also the kickoffs now you get better field position with a kickoff. So between the elevated quarterback play because of, you know, a million reasons because of there's more great offensive coaches than we've ever had. That's why you're seeing guys like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield getting second and third chances and flourishing. And because of, you know, I mean, the rules are all geared toward the offense, is that you get these crazy games. And I mean, Micah Parsons, what's the impact? I said before in the NFL, there's three things you have to have to be great. Great coach, great quarterback and somebody to protect his backside. What about receivers? What about him? How Justin Jefferson do yesterday if you don't have the quarterback and he didn't have protection? Star receivers don't matter. Jamar Chase did not make the playoffs last year. You know, so the bottom line is that's why I defended the Cowboys. Getting a couple of number ones. Cowboys have four number ones in the next two years. That gives them massive flexibility in the draft. Massive flexibility with the cap because they're not paying. Micah, Cowboys are going to be fine. I like Micah. I thought he was a good fit. But I mean, you start looking around and you got to have a coach, you got to have A quarterback and you got to have somebody to protect the quarterback. Outside of that, you don't have to have anything. There's so many different ways to win. Green Bay wins and they're young. Seattle wins and they're young. Kansas City wins and they can't run the football. Philadelphia is reliant on the run game, can't throw it consistently. There's a million. I still think I watched yesterday. I mean, Daniel Jones, he looks like he can play. Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield would not have happened 15 years ago. There weren't that many good offensive coaches and the league wasn't as quarterback friendly. And the kickoffs didn't come out to the place they come out to now. And now because the kickers can kick easily from 55 to 58 yards, the whole offense has changed. I mean I'm, I'm, I'm sitting there watching, you know, Green Bay last night and I'm watching some of these late games and I'm like, you know, even in college I'm watching Illinois's got a great kicker. I'm watching Illinois this weekend and I'm like, all they have to do is get to the 40 yard line. They'll be fine. I mean the Raiders, it got blocked, but the Raiders kicker has been a pro Bowler. All they got to get to is a 40 yard line. It used to be like 32 yard line was pushing it, you know, then it was a 49 yard kick. You wanted to get to like the 28 yard line and that, you know, that that felt like a mid 40 yard kick. That's okay. Now it's like 58, 57 to me and I'm like, it depends on the kicker, but I feel pretty comfortable. It used to be outside of about 43 yards. You're like, oh no. I don't know if I feel good about this.

[Robert Griffin III]

So.

[Colin Cowherd]

And, and the big game of the weekend beyond last night was Kansas City dominating Lamar. Matt Hasselbeck came on earlier. It does feel like the Chiefs are in Lamar Jackson. Spags is in Lamar Jackson's head.

[Matt Hasselbeck]

I think there are some defensive coordinators that they don't feel, they don't fear certain great players. Lamar Jackson is no doubt a great player, but for whatever reason Steve Spagnolo and the Chiefs, I don't think they fear him like the rest of the league does. The Chiefs, they feel like they've got a system and a game plan that works with the Ravens. And it's tough when it's such a rivalry game. And I wonder. I guess I would wonder if Lamar is feels like he's got to put the team on his back when he goes up against the Patrick Mahomes. That's what I would wonder.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, and maybe it's that. I do think Lamar is is a unique player. I don't think there's any answer ever for Mahomes if he has protection. I don't think there's an answer ever for Josh Allen. I do think there are answers for Matt Stafford. Put pressure on him. I do think there are answers for Lamar Jackson. Not many and they're not sustainable. Usually over three and a half hours. But there are answers for most quarterbacks, just not Mahomes and Josh Allen pretty much ever if they have reasonable help. Lamar Jackson status for Sunday against Houston reportedly in question may not play. See you tomorrow.

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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