The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: What's Wright – NFL Week 3 Reaction: Ravens FUMBLE AWAY MNF vs. Lions, Chiefs & Eagles BREAKOUT games | Nick Wright
Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Nick Wright, with Damanze
Theme: Comprehensive, candid breakdown of NFL Week 3: Ravens’ collapse against the Lions on Monday Night Football, the Chiefs’ first win—and their path forward—plus Eagles and Chargers analysis, and rapid-fire recaps of every major result.

Episode Overview

Nick Wright and co-host Damanze offer their trademark passionate, data-driven, and irreverent review of NFL Week 3. The show’s main focus is the Ravens’ stumble against the Lions on Monday Night Football, Kansas City’s bumpy but vital first win, the Eagles’ strange offensive philosophy, and overarching questions about which teams deserve "the benefit of the doubt" at this stage of the season. As always, Nick brings a blend of humor, statistical insight, and pointed critique to the week’s most pressing NFL narratives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ravens’ MNF Collapse vs. Lions

[06:36 – 22:58]

• Damanze (06:36): Laments the Ravens "coughing up another one," highlighting Lamar Jackson’s struggles and Derrick Henry’s costly fumble.
• Nick Wright responds with context:
  • Ravens (now 1-2) are not getting the same critical scrutiny as the Chiefs, despite a similar record and less recent playoff success.
  • “If we are going to look at the Ravens defense with the same critical eye that we look at the Chiefs offense…that defense up to this point has been downright awful.” – Nick Wright [09:00]
  • Nick does not blame the loss solely on the Derrick Henry fumble, but notes Baltimore's inability to stop Detroit's running game was decisive.
  • “Detroit’s two 95+ yard drives, running it down their throat, to me was a flashing red light of concern.” – Nick Wright [10:21]
• Scrutiny of Lamar Jackson:
  • “He was great when he threw the ball, but he needed to throw the ball a little quicker or take off and run… Seven sacks were drive killers.” – Nick Wright [14:41]
  • Worries about Lamar’s emotional state: “He seemed to be wound tight from the opening snap…a handful of times before, but more often in the playoffs when he’s anxious about the spot.” [15:39]
• Ravens’ Playoff Prospects:
  • Despite a poor start, Nick believes the AFC field is weak enough both the Chiefs and Ravens should still make the playoffs, but:
    • “If you’re going to have one part of your team struggling, I’d rather it be the side my all-time legend can fix. For the Ravens, that’s not defense; Lamar can’t help when he’s on the sideline.” [21:26]

2. Chiefs—Season Saved? Turning Point Against the Giants

[28:14 – 39:37]

• Nick retells a Mahomes historical turning point:
  • Draws a parallel between a 2021 regular season moment (vs. the Giants) and Mahomes’ game-saving tackle after a Pacheco fumble this week.
  • “I do think we are going to look back at that moment as the moment the Chiefs steadied themselves…” – Nick Wright [30:40]
• Chiefs’ Offense & Roster Outlook:
  • Nick expects key receivers (Xavier, Rice) to return soon, but says the running back position remains a liability:
    • “This is where I wonder if Brett Veach is going to look at a few teams… and say, ‘Would you guys like a draft pick for your running back?’” [34:43]
• On benefit of the doubt:
  • “When you’re still in the midst of the most successful 7-year period any team has had… two games was too quick of a trigger [to panic on KC].” [36:59]
  • Chiefs’ historical context: Only the Patriots have gone to more consecutive conference championships. “In that 8-year stretch… they started 2-2 half those seasons. Kansas City—this is a big game Sunday, but 2-2 is not a problem.” [37:37]

3. Chiefs Culture: The Kelsey Sideline Outburst

[39:37 – 45:50]

• Nick tackles the ‘double standard’ of media reactions to sideline outbursts:
  • “There’s a level of passion white athletes…get to get away with…that black athletes are not. I totally get that.” [39:45]
  • On Kelsey: “He’s been this intense for a decade…To me, it is what it is. Andy’s not really bothered by it unless it’s a penalty—he’s more bothered by illegal formation.” [43:10]
  • No concern that it’s a sign the Chiefs are unraveling.

4. Eagles’ Conservative Offense—What’s Up with Jalen Hurts?

[53:06 – 58:21]

• Damanze points out Hurts’ muted first-half stats: “4-8 for 18 yards at halftime, finished with 226/3. Are the Eagles putting shackles on the offense?” [53:09]
• Nick: “It is just something to watch…almost unprecedented for a team that has a great quarterback to treat passing as ‘break glass in case of emergency’…They’re calling these games like the Ryan Tannehill/Derrick Henry Titans.” [54:53]
• Nick’s Eagles = Last Year’s Chiefs analogy:
  • “They are undefeated in the standings, but winless in hypothetical scenarios. If CD Lamb could catch, if the field goal doesn’t get blocked…opposing fans are Zapruder filming their games for missed calls.” [57:31]
  • “When the Eagles do the ‘tush push,’ it’s not even the tush push anymore, it’s the ‘early bird.’” – Nick Wright coins a new nickname [59:13]

5. Chargers, Broncos, and the AFC Landscape

[60:15 – 64:24]

• Chargers: “Third best odds to win MVP for Herbert. Defense looks amazing—even after blowing the lead, Herbert made the play to win, the most iconic offensive play of the NFL season.” [60:44]
• Broncos: “Biggest story continues to be Denver. Sean Payton said this was one of 7 teams he thought could win the Super Bowl; I’ve said all along they have a limited QB and a coach who bit off more than he can chew.” [60:44]

6. Around the League – Quick Hits & Notable Nuggets

[64:24 – 83:14]

• Packers:
  • “Jordan Love’s the most intriguing player this year because they have the defense, but he just can’t screw it up. Up 10-3, all you can’t do is throw a pick on your side. He did.” [64:49]
• Bears/Cowboys:
  • “Caleb Williams threw for nearly 300 and four touchdowns. Good flip the narrative opportunity, but let’s not get over our skis.” [70:40]
  • “The Cowboys are just a mess…64-yard FG from being 0-3, and with no CeeDee Lamb, might be cooked.” [71:58]
• Other Observations:
  • Bills-Dolphins: “Not about Josh Allen being the GOAT—more about Miami’s missed opportunity and Tua’s struggles.” [Right after 73:30]
  • Buccaneers: “Escape again, but massive O-line injuries. Still, 3-0 with three final minute wins gives you margin for error.” [Near 75:00]
  • Colts: “I don’t believe this is sustainable, but have to be fair—3-0 is 3-0.” [77:52]
  • Texans: “First team in 20 years to allow fewer than 55 through three weeks and have no wins. CJ just a shell of himself.” [78:44]
  • Steelers: “Two and one, but do not believe in them. Shaky team.”
  • Saints: “Thought Panthers were worst; looks like it’s the Saints. Just a mess.”
  • 49ers: “3-0 but lose Nick Bosa for year—a devastating injury.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Detroit’s two 95+ yard drives, running it down their throat, to me was a flashing red light of concern.”
  — Nick Wright on the Ravens’ defensive failings [10:21]

• “Seven sacks were drive killers time and time again.”
  — Nick Wright on what doomed Baltimore [14:41]

• “He [Lamar Jackson] seemed to be wound tight from the opening snap…more often than not, it’s been in the playoffs when he’s anxious about the spot.”
  — Nick Wright [15:39]

• “If you’re going to have one part of your team struggling, I’d rather it be the side my all-time legend can fix. For the Ravens, that’s not defense.”
  — Nick Wright [21:26]

• “I do think we are going to look back on that moment as the moment the Chiefs steadied themselves.”
  — Nick Wright, on Mahomes’ forced fumble and recovery vs. Giants [30:40]

• “In that 8-year stretch…the Patriots started 2-2 half those seasons. Kansas City, this is a big game Sunday, but 2-2 is not a problem.”
  — Nick Wright on early-season expectations for contenders [37:37]

• “Kelsey’s been this intense for a decade. This is a guy who once threw a flag back at the ref.”
  — Nick Wright, context on ‘Kelsey Outburst’ narrative [42:32]

• “The Eagles are undefeated in the standings, but winless in hypothetical scenarios.”
  — Nick Wright, on Philly fans’ paranoia and close wins [57:31]

• “When the Eagles do the ‘tush push,’ it’s not even the tush push anymore, it’s the ‘early bird.’”
  — Nick Wright, coining new terminology [59:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ravens–Lions MNF breakdown: [06:36 – 22:58]
• Chiefs’ struggles and historical context: [28:14 – 39:37]
• Kelsey outburst/Chiefs’ culture: [39:37 – 45:50]
• Eagles’ offensive woes: [53:06 – 58:21]
• Chargers/Broncos/AFC big picture: [60:15 – 64:24]
• Packers, Bears, Cowboys, and rapid-fire recaps: [64:24 – 83:14]
• Signature “quick-hitter” league-wide insights: [77:37 – 83:14]

Tone & Style

Nick Wright is incisive, wry, and self-aware—unafraid of calling out lazy narratives, defending his own counterintuitive takes, and playing up his lifelong Chiefs fandom without letting it cloud honest critique. The banter with Damanze is loose but sharp, full of inside jokes, rapid-fire stats, and lively sports bar-style debate.

For Listeners Who Missed the Show

• Nick Wright provides a measured but critical breakdown of the Ravens’ unraveling.
• Offers historical analogies and deeper statistical context to frame the Chiefs’ slow start and why panic is premature.
• Raises questions about coaching philosophies in Philly and celebrates the Lions’ ascendance.
• Delivers classic “What’s Wright” action: Notable quotes, pop culture references, and creative football lingo (“early bird”—the Eagles' version of the ‘tush push’).
• Closes with quick but substantial analysis of every significant game and trend—positioning KC and Baltimore as teams with serious flaws but still firmly in the playoff mix given the stumbles of their AFC rivals.

If you crave a blend of sharp football insight, fan passion, and an aversion to conventional media hot-takery, this episode is a must-listen—or at least, now, a must-read.