Colin Cowherd’s NFL Week 9 REACTION: Caleb & Bears IMPROVING, Packers CRISIS, Vikings | THE HERD

Colin Cowherd’s NFL Week 9 REACTION: Caleb & Bears IMPROVING, Packers CRISIS, Vikings | THE HERD

Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don’t forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions, and more football content. I want to talk about the Chicago Bears. So much in life and in sports is just getting slightly better. I always tell my kids that you don’t have to take big swings. You can hit a lot of singles and doubles in life. Just get a little better. Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears football operation just keeps getting a little better. They lose that game last year. Five wins this year already matches last year and four of the five have been ugly. They are winning ugly. Who cares? They’re winning. Last Friday I said I like Chicago in this game because when Caleb gets a run game like he did against Dallas or Cincinnati, he’s very effective. He doesn’t throw picks. He didn’t in high school. He didn’t in college. He doesn’t in the NFL. So, he’s maintained that. He’s not throwing picks. Uh they had a run game yesterday. Last year they were atrocious in one-score games. They were 3-7. This year they’re 3-1. There is an art to winning ugly. Kansas City did it last year. Now you’re not going to keep doing it year after year after year, but Kansas City was great at those close games. This year they’re not for a variety of reasons. So the Bears offense right now is fourth in the NFL, believe it or not. And Ben Johnson yesterday, four different Bears threw a pass. He’s gotten into his tricks. You know what it tells me? When Ben Johnson now is using more tricks is that Ben Johnson now is more confident in the base operation. That’s what it tells me. Ben’s like, “Okay, now I can do some tricks. Now we can get a little fancy.” Ben didn’t want to do that quite as much early cuz he didn’t trust the the foundational stuff. But yesterday, they ran for over 280 yards. It was a real offense. Now, the defense has major holes. This is not a Super Bowl team. They got to solve the defense. But I have said before when the season started, I said do not get paralyzed by the Chicago Bears win loss record. I think I had him at eight wins. I said number one, you got to cut the sacks in half. Well, last year through eight games, 29 sacks. This year they’ve cut it in half. So again, this is not rocket science. They’re running the ball better. They’re taking fewer sacks. They’re winning the turnover battle. It’s not science. A lot of this stuff is, can you just look like a grown-up adult business? Just improve a little. And not only year to year of the Bears improve, but every week. Now they’re using a few more tricks. Now they’ve got a little more confidence. So between Ben Johnson’s brain power and Caleb’s brain and horsepower, it’s a real football team. There there’s going to be with Caleb, there’s going to be wow moments. Here’s the walk-off touchdown. Mostly walk off to Coloulston Lovelin. Badun motions left. They’re blitzing. It’s picked up. Caleb throws middle of the field. Lovelin catch breaks away at the 30. Love the 20. Love the 10. Love end zone. Touchdown Bears. Colston Lovelin and a throw by Caleb Williams on the blitz with 17 seconds to go. Now, they shouldn’t have needed that touchdown to win because they gave one up on the other side as Joe Flacco threw for almost five football fields. But that’s okay. I mean, yesterday is a great example. I mean, go look at the Raiders Jags games. I mean, go look at around the NFL. The Colts all year pushed people around. Yesterday, they got they got worked. You don’t know. I mean, Denver literally wins only one way in the fourth quarter, constantly trailing. So, you can’t you can’t worry about it. The bottom line is this was going to be a shootout. The Bears defense gives up a ton of yards per play and the Bengals was atrocious, but so much in life and in sports is just getting a little better. There’s a lot of singles and doubles out there. That’s to me what I see from the operation. It’s what I see from Caleb. Ben Johnson now more trick plays. Has a little more confidence, more sets, more motion, more looks. That’s what it looks like to me. Here’s Caleb after speaking to coach uh throughout the week. We knew that this is an explosive offense. They can score at any moment. They can score. He I mean he said it before the game uh a day before the game or so that you know we get up by two touchdowns. Don’t don’t feel good or comfortable. The guys after the game um it doesn’t matter that they put up how many points they put up. We’re all excited for this win. This is a big moment for us um you know to be able to go into this next quarter of the season. The one thing I’ll always say about Caleb Williams, he is a thick, strong kid, so he doesn’t get hurt and he doesn’t throw a lot of picks. He’s got, you know, he’s got a big arm for his size. I’m actually taller than him. He’s not a real tall guy, but you never think about his height cuz he plays so big. He’s thick. He’s got a huge arm. He plays with a ton of confidence. He missed a couple of layups yesterday. He missed a couple of easy ones. that he’s completing about 61% of his throws. That’s not his bread and butter. He’s he’s kind of the opposite of Kirk Cousins, right? You’re not going to get the easy stuff, but the ceiling, he’ll blow through it, you know, four times a game. But you got to feel good. They’re better. They’ve got a quarterback. It’s not very often we say in a Monday, I love the Bears offense. I don’t know what’s going on in Green Bay. You don’t say that a lot over the last 30 years, but the Bears offense is getting better and the Packers offense is completely lost and we’ll talk about that. J-Mack from the World Series, which is the best I’ve ever seen to, you know, this this league is so funky. You you just like the Colts yesterday totally worked. Yes. Um Lions Vikings was weird. Uh, I have my thoughts on the Packers and I’ve always defended Matt Laflur, but I’ll say this again. I think the Rams are the best team in the NFC. I think we pay so much and I think I think Howie Roseman, the GM of Philadelphia making moves, he knows it. So, so that Rams win over the Saints when the Saints had the ball for 16 days. No. What it is though, in a league of upsets and weird finishes, that was the most predictable game from the first series on, it was like workmanlike. Game over. And the other thing is the Rams have an identity. The Bears are starting to find an identity. The Bills last night run the ball pass rush have an identity. Packers don’t. So this is a time of the year where you know because these games get close. You don’t have a full roster. Everybody’s beat up. There are no perfectly healthy teams. So what do you do when you’re missing five starters? This is why San Francisco is winning. They have an identity. They’re all beat up. But when you don’t have a full roster or your backup quarterback, okay guys, this is what we are. San Francisco is Christian McCaffrey. This is what we are. The Packers don’t have an identity. They didn’t punt yesterday. They went up and down the field. Just a lot of mistakes which led me to believe, remember we talked about it being a trap game last week against Aaron Rogers, next week against the Eagles in prime time. And this was the lowly Panthers who Panthers have I think the same number of wins as the Kansas City Chiefs or something close to that. Like the Panthers, are they good? Uh there I said on Friday I said on Friday’s show, watch out for the Panthers. I had a feeling it was a trap game. And if you watch Carolina’s defense, you know, when you have high draft picks year after year after year, you got dudes. Yeah. Like they got some receivers now. That Tucker Craft injury for the Packers. That’s a big one cuz it’s becoming a tight end league. Two tight ends, three tight ends sometimes. Welcome back. You know, it’s funny. Everybody wants me to love their young quarterback. I love Drake May. I think Michael Penn is really good. You know, I love Bone Knicks. Caleb’s coming around. I feel terrible for Jaden Daniels, injured again. Uh Mo Jay McCarthy, I I feel like at Michigan is like, h they’re not asking him to do much. Uh and everybody this morning is like, whoa, what do you think of JJ McCarthy? Bo Nicks is on a six-game winning streak. Statistically, he’s the best fourth quarter quarterback in the league. And you all keep telling me he stinks. My take on JJ McCarthy. He was good on script. First quarter, 141 passer rating. Rest of the game, his passer rating was 38. I’m buying the coach Kevin Oonnell. I’m buying Justin Jefferson. I buy the left tackle Christian Derisowl. But but JJ McCarthy, I felt like I was watching Michigan JJ McCarthy. Don’t screw it up and make one big throw. So Kevin Oonnell has made Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold look like first ballot hall of famers. I don’t have a lot of games. I got three games. And again, when I watch him, I I gave Caleb Williams credit when he was very good on script. JJ McCarthy on script with this brilliant head coach and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and this Pro Bowl left tackle. He’s very good on script and he he deserves credit for it. But I I don’t have a lot. You know what it felt like? It felt like a Michigan game where the Vikings had more rush yards than passing yards. The the story of the game used to be Michigan’s defense, not their offense. And and and it was Minnesota’s defense which wrecked Detroit’s offensive line. And at the end of the game, JJ McCarthy made one great third down throw. I felt like I was watching Michigan’s JJ McCarthy. By the way, in both of his wins, he’s won 27 to 24. He’s thrown for exactly 143 passing yards. He’s had two TDs and one pick. I I feel like I’m watching the Michigan version. Now, with this coach and this left tackle and these receivers, that could be good enough to be a playoff team. But at Michigan, I loved Harbaugh. I love the defense. And I love Coloulston Lovelin. That’s how I feel. He’s like the UPS driver. I don’t know who he is, but they always deliver on time. The packages never screwed up. I love the delivery system. I don’t know if the UPS driver is any good. Seems like a nice guy. So, it it just felt a lot like the Michigan JJ McCarthy, which is I love the coach at Michigan and the tight end and the defense and the and that’s what I felt yesterday. It was fine. He was good on script, but it’s not a script league, you know, and I said that about Caleb. It’s great. He’s coachable, but this you get 13 possessions. 11 are not on script. And here’s JJ McCarthy after the win over Detroit. We really played very well on all three phases, but there’s a lot of meat on the bone in all three phases. So, we got to go back to work and uh you know, make sure we correct all the little things. I’m happy that we got the win, but I’m not proud to be honest with you. There’s a lot of meat on the bone and I feel like I could have played a lot better, but coming into this environment and you know, controlling my emotions, controlling, you know, kind of my temperament going into it, I was proud of that. Yeah, that and perfect. That’s exactly what he should have said. Perfect. He won. It was a road game. I will say this, uh Brian Flores, I hope he got a game ball cuz I mean Detroit’s offense Goff got sacked five times. Uh hit another 11. I think I think Minnesota had 10 tackles for losses. They just blew up uh the Lions run game. Now Leaporta was great. He always is. Omaron St. Brown. The game ball felt like a lot of these Michigan games. I’m giving it to the coach and the defense, but that’s okay. It’s a win. It’s on the road. It’s in division. Uh, you’re good on the podium after. You made a one big throw in the third, but you guys still hating on Bo Nicks. He’s on a heater. He’s like, he’s like Brady in the fourth quarter. You still don’t like him. So, I just need to see more. Jay Mack with the news. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the herd line. If I’m chugging vitamin C with um turmeric today, I do apologize. Oh yeah, a little turmeric action to start the day. Like it. All right, Colin, let’s go with uh Seattle Seahawks last night. Absolutely destroyed the Washington Commanders. This was one of those rare prime time beatowns on the road. I mean, they they were up 28- nothing in this in no time flat. Sam Darnold 16 of 16 in the first half. How, by the way, how about those Seahawks throwback jerseys? You had to love those. First of all, John Snider’s the GM. Ju just ask yourself watching this game did not did it not feel like a power four team in college playing an out of conference game like Seattle was so much faster and so much bigger now there were backups playing for Washington at key spots but this was my worst blazing five pick of the year even when I lose I usually feel I’m on the right side you could tell early oh second drive you’re like oh Sam is just playing pitch and catch JSN is he the best receiver in the league I I think right now he’s the best receiver in the league I mean I know Justin Jefferson’s awesome and Chase is awesome, but this guy’s getting open and he’s their top guy by a mile. Every defense knows we got to stop JSN and they he’s getting he is really I’m telling you we I said it after this draft. It was the second draft in a row that I thought arguably Seattle had the best draft, John Snyder, and they look the part and they’re young. They’re Green Bay level young so they’re going to get better and better. So, u Mike McDonald whose team is one of the best in the NFC, let’s be real. Uh he’s really proud of Sam Darnold. Believe me when I say I’m not surprised. I we watch we watch Sam every day on how he operates. And uh he’s the same guy every day, which is what you love about him. And uh we’re chasing it. You know, the guys are determined and and it’s fun to watch. And the team’s when the team comes together, that’s the type of stuff that you can do. Seattle is bizarly dominant on the road. Yeah. Well, I was just going to note what a young team at home against Arizona short week. Could be Kyler Murray back, but um this Seattle team’s interesting. I I’m gonna give you something. This is better than your Broncos call last year because I don’t think anybody had this Seattle team being this good. Colin, I right now we saw the Packers lose, the Lions lose. I I know you love the Rams right now, but I think Seattle’s really a dangerous team. That defense. So the Seattle would be my fifth year in a row that I took a team to make the playoffs that nobody doubted. And I did it because of John Snder. I I didn’t do it just because of Darnold. Darnold’s obviously much better than Gino Smith. Always has been, but that that’s not the case. It’s I I love the draft. You love the draft. And I think Seattle’s last couple drafts, I said this, Pete Carol and John Snyder, there was a lot of that wasn’t a healthy relationship at the end. Now Jon runs the drafts. They have hit on. I mean, they have the last three years and there’s seven or eight GMs I talked to. John is one of the sharp guys, but boy, when you watch this team, they’ve got you that Royo, the tight end, JSN. These guys are only getting better. Remember, they moved off Metaf and Locket and it was like, “Oh, I don’t know. What are they doing?” I mean, they were pushing all the right buttons. It looks like they when they come to the line, they look like a running team and then next thing you know, like five guys go out in patterns and you’re like, “Oh my gosh, Seattle’s dangerous.” One of the most lobsided road standalone game wins I can remember. I mean, that being said, Washington is feels like a dead team. I I thought that last week um I don’t I we don’t want to talk too much about Washington, but is Quinn in trouble right now? Like they But what you start to wonder, and this is fair to say, the injury was brutal. That’s the fourth injury in two years for Jaden Daniels. And I and what concerns me is when your college issue or concern becomes your pro issue. Remember Johnny Manzel? You’re like, he’s kind of small and he’s kind of immature. And then he comes to the NFL and he’s really small and immature. Jaden, the the the question with Jaden was he’s really thin and can he endure? That was the only question about him. Everybody loved him, but he is thin and we’re seeing him now. I mean, he’s clearly a great talent, but so much of this league was Favre and Eli Manning and Brady. You know, everybody’s playing hurt. He that injury is really gruesome. You like when when Joe Alt’s out, you don’t bet the Chargers. When Terry McLaren’s out, don’t bet the Washington Commander. They have nothing on offense. Uh let’s move on to the Rams sticking in the NFC West Colin. They came out of the bye-week and I mean this was another construction. They paced the Saints. It was uh not really close at all. Puka Nakua with a great catch. Here’s a weird thing. Uh I didn’t even realize this. So Matt Stafford’s odds in the MVP rankings are climbing significantly. Another four touchdown effort, 281 yards passing. Here’s Jared Verse saying, “Hey, after watching the Dodgers win, yeah, we got something to say.” watching them be able to dominate like that, get that win, bring that World Series back to LA, it gets us hyped up because now we know we got to be next. There you go. Um, yeah, it’s easy to say, well, the Saints stink, but this this league, we saw Tampa go down to the wire and trail the Saints and then come back and I mean, that’s the NFL. It’s a very close league. I think they’re the best team. I think they’re the most complete team and and I love Stafford. Uh, there are times in his career he could been a bit reckless. He’s ironed out the reckless. Um, I mean, Devonte Adams, George Pickkins and Devonte Adams were two wide receiver pickups. They have both been unbelievable. Unbelievable pickups by the Cowboys and the Rams. Yeah, I mean that was Listen, this Rams team’s totally complete. I don’t see a weakness other than special teams. Colin, let’s be careful. They their kicker missed a field goal and an extra point. I did note he’s got four missed uh field goals a season. I think they drafted him out of Stanford. You don’t need that crap in the postseason. Okay. in the playoff games where it matters, you need to trust your guy. So, that would be the one weakness um that I saw. By the way, the New Orleans Saints ran 40 plays and had the ball for 16 minutes. That That’s a bad probably the most dominating performance of the year by a team. I I I don’t disagree. I don’t disagree. I like it. Uh final story, Colin. The Atlanta Falcons went to New England. This was actually a quite a good game. Bit of a crazy fourth quarter. So, let’s highlight this play right here. So, it was a huge third down. Michael Penn thinks he got them to jump and then he decides I’m just gonna dirt it. Okay, we we got the flag. No, there was no flag and he was called for intentional grounding. Brutal. So So they were faced with force and fourth and 20 and they decide to punt. They don’t get the ball back. So afterward, uh Raheem Morris says New England um there was some shenanigans going on. They claim Here’s here’s Raheem Morris. They did a nice job. They simulated a snap. Um the ball came early. Um it was snapped early within that snap. That was when we got the intentional grounding. Um nice job by those guys. They were clapping. Simulated our snap. Got us to snap the ball and um that’s why the ball was snapped early in Mike when he wasn’t ready for the snap. Now, of course, people have dug into the video and there’s no clapping. That’s your job as a quarterback to identify that. You can’t blame the Patriots. You have to identify that. That’s And again, I I’m not going to crush Pennix. He’s a young kid. You How many times has he started? You’re on the road. Yeah. So, I mean, this game comes down to the kicker missed the PAT. Falcons, they they’ve blown two games because of kickers. I’ll tell you, there are parts of this team I love. Drake London’s insane. He was so good. God, he’s so good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh Bean Robinson, weirdly back-to-back strange non-factor games after he cooked the Bills. I I don’t know what to make of the Falcons. They dropped to three and five. Uh they’re now behind the Panthers in the division. Um, well look at I mean it’s funny these divisions can Kansas City is what five and four Denver is seven and two and I think Denver’s hosting them this week. That’s the I mean that’s that is a no Denver Denver has Raiders and then Oh the So Denver has the Chiefs in two weeks. So there’s a trap potential trap game against the Raiders Thursday night. I’ll have some a plenty I’ve already bet the game. I have a lot of stuff on that. Um but uh yeah tough one for the Falcons. Patriots by the way did not look amazing. No. Again, young quarterback. We said it. They have so many new starters. I I think it’s remarkable that they are playing as well as they are. I thought they’d win 10 games. They They could win 14. Colin, they go to Tampa this week. They are underdogs. Tampa off a buy. Denver is seven and two. Their next two games are at home. Then a buy. Yeah. No, Denver. Denver’s in good shape. I don’t uh picked them to win the division. They’re not winning They’re not winning the AFC. Do do you I picked him to win the AFC West. That was my pick. You better be careful. Some of these teams may be putting you on blast on social media with these predictions. You saw the Buffalo Bills, huh? Yes. Jac with the news. Well, that’s the news and thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. So, all right. The Green Bay Packers, it’s a bit of a mess. Listen, uh they wore those uh leather helmets, those fake leather helmets. They they they took the game too literally. Their offense looked like something from the 50s. Uh they never punted. They rushed for over a 100 yards and they lost at home 16-13 and and Bryce Young for Carolina didn’t even play particularly well. So my takeaway is Green Bay and this is a problem. They don’t know what they are. They didn’t even punt. They don’t know what they are. Jim Harbaugh, you knew what the Chargers were second game in. Shawn Payeyton has already made a brand for the Denver Broncos. We are great late. You may lead, we’re unbelievable. We are a fourth quarter team. And I’m not saying it’s easy, but it is essential. What are the Packers? They want to run. That’s Matt Laflur’s id. It’s it’s it’s his DNA. But they’re not great at running. They can get yards, but it’s empty calories. I think I would just give the offense the Jordan love and let him rip. But um I mean they it’s it’s weird. They beat the Vikings soundly. They beat the Steelers soundly, but they lost to Cleveland and lost at home to Carolina and tied Dallas. So they have got to form an identity. And you can blame anybody you want right now, but the the best teams in this league like Philadelphia, AJ Brown didn’t play. Philadelphia’s offense looked great. Why? Because AJ Brown gets in the way of the Eagles identity. They’re a physical run first offense. AJ Brown’s a distraction. That’s why I’ve said move it. Uh Green Bay doesn’t know what they are. So, it’s not it’s you could say, “Well, they’re young.” Seattle’s almost as young. Seattle has an identity. Run first, big swings downfield, and a fast, aggressive defense. I’m telling you, man, it doesn’t matter what business you work in. and it can be football or anything else. What are you? And I I I just I don’t know what Green Bay is right now. Here is Matt Laflur on the home loss to the Panthers. We’ve had penalties. We obviously had a fumble on the first drive. We had three possessions in the first half, a nineplay drive, a nineplay drive, and a 10play drive, and we had six points. So that it’s going to be tough if we can’t figure out and and score in the red area and um it’s it’s just going to be tough to to win football games like that. So here is my issue. They have the fifth highest run rate in the league. That’s Matt Laflur’s DNA. He wants to run the ball. Yet they’re 24th in yards per carry. So they just don’t they’re not a good run team. They’re they’re better finesse. They’re better with Jordan Love moving around making plays downfield. Now Tucker Craft is out for the year officially. Brutal. Great kid, great player. Played at South Dakota. The Jack Rabbits was a great college player. Uh just a football player. I think he played, you know, fullback and linebacker in high school. He goes to South Dakota and then he goes to Green Bay. He’s a marvelous player. So it is becoming more of a tight end league. I think he’s a fairly capable blocker. He’s out for the year. Now they got Musgrave. They have another tight end who’s is very solid. But um I I I I think this all the time. The teams I like and as you get closer to Thanksgiving, do you know what you are? And it’s not easy. Some coaches, you know, Harbaughs do it real quick, John and Jim. I think I think Shawn Payeyton in Denver has really figured it out is that listen, we’re going to be a great late team. We are going to be really good late. We’re never out of it. We take big swings. We’re very aggressive. But a Green Bay, I watch them and I’m wa they don’t punt. They ran for 100 yards. They got it. They had, you know, they just not terribly effective in key spots in the game. Now, I don’t think Carolina’s awful. I think you’re thinking Carolina’s bad. I thought the line was quirky. I said Friday, this going to be a close game. This is a trap game for Green Bay. Watch out. I said it Friday. I almost put it in the Blazing Five. I didn’t. Should have, but that’s where we are today. What when you watch them play, what do you think they are? No, that’s a good point. Um, I think they missed the kid Reed, Jaden Reed. Remember, they lost him with a broken collar bone earlier this season. He’s just an awesome talent. He can do He’s like a Swiss Army knife. Line him in the back field slot out wide. They miss him. But the Craft injury leads me to believe, you’re right. I don’t know what Can they be a running team with Josh Jacobs? Craft is a great blocking tight end. He didn’t go nuts yesterday, Jacobs. I It’s a tough one because a week ago we said the Packers. Yeah, call them. They’re the best in the NFC. Now it’s like you lo they lost to the Browns and and they lost to the Panthers both by three. Like what I mean one of the reasons the Lions lost was so surprising because the Lions identity is punishing you up front and the Vikings punish them. So it’s like just because you have an identity doesn’t mean you have it every Sunday. It’s hard to create it, harder to maintain it. And I think Green Bay is a little lost offensively. And with that we go to Albert Brerier. Tomorrow is the NFL trade deadline. Monday morning quarterback. Okay. I I said with Buffalo, I I really do feel like you dominate in the red zone, the time of possession, you’re at home, and Kansas City’s got the ball, trailing 28-21. I do feel like they need something on the perimeter. What are you hearing on the Bills? Well, they’re looking for two things now. Um the first thing actually is a defensive tackle because Ed Oliver was injured last week and they don’t know whether or not they’re going to get him back at all. If they do, it’ll be during the playoffs. And so, they have a little bit of a depth issue there. You saw what happened with the Commanders last night. Could maybe they make a call on somebody like Javon Kinlaw. I could see that happening. So, I think defensive tackle is their top priority right now, but receivers right behind it. They’ve made calls on receivers. I think the New Orleans receivers are interesting. So, you have Chris Olive and Rasheed Shahed there. My sense is they’re trying to get a extended. They like for him to be there long term. Um, and there the the the asking price for Shahed is high. Yeah. But Shahed does bring something to the table, Colin, that the Bills are lacking, which is an over-the-top type of weapon that can stretch the defense. He could really weaponize Josh Allen’s arm strength. So, would you flip New Orleans a third round pick for Shahed whose contract is up after the year? I think that’d be the question the Bills are asking right now, but they have asked on receivers, and again, I think the top priority would be defensive tackle. So, uh, the obvious sellers would be the Dolphins already have, maybe the Jets, Saints. It does feel like over the last couple years, Jets. It It does feel like over the last couple years there’s more aggressive young GMs or is this just like it always is? I mean, it is like it always is. Isn’t that where like people like me are throwing around a hundred names for like five or six to get traded? So, like that’s not different than it’s ever been. I I do think there’s more discussion and more concepts are thrown around, you know, and I do think like that um you know, teams have gotten ahead of this a little bit. You saw Gier Alexander traded over the weekend. You know, obviously Jaylen Phillips happens today. Um so like there is a little bit more aggression earlier um in the game too. I think we’ll see some action tomorrow. Again, I like most of it’s going to come down to how far teams are willing to go to get players who may be on expiring contracts or may only have a year and a half left on their deal. So, you know, if you want to go down the list, some of the teams I mentioned, the Saints, their receivers are certainly in play. Would they move one of their older defensive players like a Demario Davis, the Dolphins, you know, they trade Jaylen Phillips. Could they trade a Minka Fitzpatrick? I don’t think they’ll trade Jaylen Wadd. They they’ve basically given teams that have called a no on that one, but a Fitzpatrick could be valuable as a as a movable piece in your secondary. And then I think they still could trade another edge like whether that’s Matthew Judon or Bradley Chub. And the Jets are really interesting here because the Jets can offer up Bree Hall who’s in a contract year. I think it’ take a day two pick to get him. Germaine Johnson actually has a year and a half left on his deal. I think they’d be much more willing to trade Germaine Johnson than they would Will McDonald. um are you willing to give up a third round pick for Germaine Johnson? And then Quincy Williams, who’s a pretty accomplished linebacker, he’d be available as well. So, there are a lot of names floating around. The Titans, they they’ve gotten some calls on their edge rushers, Ardan Key and Draymond Jones. They’re open for business. Calvin Ridley could be available. They’re open for business on anybody except probably Jeffrey Simmons or Cam Ward. So, there’s a lot of that type of discussion right now. Um, and there’s aggression in having those discussions, but how many deals that actually results and that’s, you know, always been the trouble this time of year is that you see a lot more discussion than you do action. You know, it’s um the NFL Brian Shottenheimimer has overachieved in my opinion. Um, I mean, Cincinnati without Burrow, I don’t think there’s a ton of pressure on Zack Taylor and the Brown family doesn’t buy out, you know, coaches. Yeah. Is there I mean Miami Mike McDaniel I threw it out last week. I I would consider Lane Keifin. He’s seen half these college quarterbacks. He’s recruited them. He’s played them. Um is there I mean do you see a firing coming? Is there We’re talking trade deadline. What What is the It feels like this year it’s not as hot like four teams just I don’t feel like there’s a coach in big trouble right now. Yeah. I mean I have a hard time seeing the Giants do that mid-season, you know, obviously. I think I I I I just don’t see it happening in season. After the season, yeah, that could happen, but I don’t think it’ll happen during the season. Um, you know, the the Dolphins are interesting, and I I think the idea here for the Dolphins, and Steven Ross said this in his in his statement, was is to take a global look of their their football operation and not have to do it in the shadows, right? That’s why they walk away from Chris Greer, who’d been with them for a quarter century on Friday. So, like, they want to look at the idea of bringing in a head of football operations. Um, do they want a model where that guy’s the boss? Do they want a model where the coach is the boss? They’ll be able to look at all this now and talk to a lot of people, consult with a lot of different people. Um, you know, ultimately I think the reason they pulled the trigger on Chris and not Mike here, I Steve Ross had heard from a lot of people like Mike McDaniel could wind up being dynamite, you know, if he gets a second shot as a head coach, even if he’s done in Miami. And so I think he wanted to be a little bit careful about pulling the trigger on McDaniel just, you know, the off chance that maybe they decide to bring in a head of football operations and that guy comes in and decides they want to keep McDaniel because I do think that there are a lot of positives to what McDaniel’s accomplished over his um three plus years in Miami. Um still a lot of moving parts there. And I’m not saying an inseason firing can’t happen there either. I think the barometer would be whether or not he loses the locker room. You know, they do have that trip to Madrid in a couple weeks with a with a buy on the other end of it. So, you never say never, but um I don’t think the idea would be to to pull the trigger on McDaniel until after the season when they get that full look at football ops. Who is your best team in the league now? When you make all these calls and you talk to people around the league, who are people impressed with? Um, you know, I think people feel like Kansas City is going to come around now. Josh Simmons is back in the building. That was a problem for them yesterday for the first time, I think, like not having Josh Simmons out there. So, I think there’s a feeling that Kansas City once they really get, you know, rolling the offensive lines together. Obviously, they got Rashi Rice back now. We know what Spags can do on the defensive side of the ball that they’ll be there. You know, Buffalo’s another one where like they’ve really got their house in order to earn their buy. And if you see like look over the last two weeks, right, they really haven’t had to to to take the Ferrari out of the garage, so to speak, with Josh Allen. You know, they’ve run the ball really well. Josh Allen only threw the ball 26 times yesterday, which is a pretty low number. Um, so there’s that feeling that Buffalo can win games in different ways. You know, then you got that sort of waiting room in the in the um in the AFC, right? like you’ve got the the the Colts and the Broncos and the Patriots that are right there from a standings perspective. Can they sustain it? But the team to me, and I think J-Mack mentioned this, that really looks like they’re starting to pick up ahead of steam is the LA Rams. Um, a pretty complete team, a team with a very good quarterback and and it’s a different looking team, too, Colin. Like I this is this is very much like Shawn McVey looking in the mirror over the last couple of years after he had the trouble with the ners and having more physical training camps and bu building a more physical team. And you look at how rugged they are up front on both sides of the ball. That offense is really centered more about around Kiran Williams than it is Matthew Stafford at this point. And Stafford doesn’t need to be Superman for them to win games. Yet he still has Devonte Adams and and Puka Nakua to to throw to. So, this looks like a team that can win a lot of different types of fights, which is generally what wins in the playoffs. And they’re going to be battle tested, too. The NFC West, and you look like Arizona is not an easy out. They’ll play tonight, right? And then you have a Seattle team that looks like it might be one of the five or six best teams in the league, and San Francisco is really hanging in there with all the injuries they’ve had. The Rams to me look like a team that’s very complete and is going to come out of that division battle tested. I want to I want to close with this. Cowboys host Arizona. Kyler Murray could play. It’s now Brassett’s job. It feels like it’s come to a conclusion. Um and it was a bad year for smaller quarterbacks. It was Russell Wilson, Tua, Kyler Murray. Um you know, it’s this is such a cyclical league. There was this whole thing, get a guy that can run. Size doesn’t matter. Now you look up and it’s like, you know, it’s Josh Allen and then it’s Herbert and it’s a big it’s the big guys. What’s the conclusion of Kyler Murray? Do they move off him? It It feels like Ganon’s really not interested long-term. I mean, brassette is more the cl most defensive coaches like a brassette pocket. Everything’s on script. I can control it. Ker Kyler’s more elusive and doing his own thing. What do you make of Kyler Murray and Arizona? Do you remember all the criticism we all had of Shador Sanders, right? like coming out like where when he bails out of the pocket, he bails out the back of the pocket instead of climbing up in the pocket and where he could create like you would see that it would get the offense kind of discombobulated at times. I think that’s sort of what you’re looking at like on the pro level now w with Kyler Murray where they’re getting a look at what this looks like now um because of the injury with Jacobe Brassette who’s a very average quarterback a great guy good guy to have in your locker room all that but a very average quarterback and what are you seeing now Marvin Harrison starting to come alive a little bit Trey McBride starting to come alive a little bit you’re seeing them get more out of the talent they’ve put into place around the quarterback um does it mean you’re getting a spectacular play from the quarterback. No, but it does kind of bring to life a little bit of what they’ve built there over the course of, you know, the last two and a half years. And so I I certainly think getting a look at what this looks like with just an average quarterback in there um does become part of the evaluation. Now, now the trouble is the contract, right? Like they are locked in with guaranteed money for 2026. They can’t get out of that. So, is there a way that you can trade Kyler Murray if you make the decision you want to move off off of him after the year? I think that would be the big picture question, but I I I I I certainly think that that discussion is is one that’ll be had when the season ends in Arizona, presuming that they don’t catch fire down the stretch with Kyler Murray in there. Albert Brer, Monday morning quarterback. Appreciate you stopping by on late notice, my man. All right, thanks Colin. Yeah, keep your eye on the New Orleans Saints receivers and the Buffalo Bills among other moves. Uh Bree Hall, maybe New York Jets. Jets need to flush out a lot beyond Bree Hall. This is my opinion. I mean, Darnold and Aaron Rogers reborn. You see what this guy’s doing, people? You see what he’s doing? He’s needling me with the Jets. Trade Bree Hall. Listen, when they draft their franchise quarterback, Colin, whether it’s Mendoza, Tyson, whoever, they’re gonna need some pieces around them are going to look like Cam Ward with the Titans. Cam Ward’s sitting there with nobody to throw to, nobody to hand off to. Disaster. Jets are going to be drafted top five, right? Top three. Top maybe top two. You need Bree Hall to hand off to Garrett Wilson. Anybody on defense, I think, is fair game. Bree Hall and Allen, you know, Brillin Allen. Yeah. Little one-two punch. Thunder and lightning. Live in LA. That’s the hurt.

Colin Cowherd reacts to the biggest storylines from NFL’s Week 9. He starts with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, discussing the improvements that Williams has made and whether he will be able to continue growing. Will the Bears improve their defense enough to be contenders? Next Colin also discusses J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings as well as reacts to the biggest upset of the week between the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers. Are the Packers having an identity crisis? Finally, Colin is joined by Albert Breer to compare their biggest takeaways from NFL’s Week 9.

0:00 Bears
7:37 Vikings
11:45 NFL News
20:34 Packers
25:42 Albert Breer

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