Ravens coach Jesse Minter on Lamar Jackson + Colin Cowherd on Eagles, Browns DYSFUNCTION | HERD NFL

What this episode is about

The discussion highlights Ravens coach Jesse Minter's insights on team leadership and identity, drawing comparisons between his experiences with Jim and John Harbaugh. Minter emphasizes the importance of empowering players to foster a cohesive team dynamic, reflecting on the strengths he aims to incorporate into his coaching philosophy while navigating the challenges within the NFL.

Key takeaways

• In football, true power is empowering players; just ask Jim Harbaugh about creating a team identity.
• Revolutionizing defense in an offensive era means establishing unyielding standards—just ask the Ravens under Jesse Mentor.
• While offense dazzles, defense is still the unsung hero; ask Seattle and New England, both thriving on that principle.
• Notable coaches, from Jim to John Harbaugh, differentiate through empowerment; innovation in coaching staff can redefine a team's future.
• Lamar’s brilliance thrives in chaos; the key is finding structure that unleashes his instinctive magic—balanced yet uncontained.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Colin Cowherd (Host) · 23 min speaking
• Jesse Minter (Guest) · 11 min speaking
• Greg Cosell (Guest) · 4 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson, Mike McDonald
2. 5:00 – 10:00: Super Bowl, Jim Harbaugh, Jesse Mentor, John Harbaugh
3. 10:00 – 15:00: Jim Harbaugh, Hard Rock Bet, Cleveland Browns, Mike McDonald
4. 15:00 – 20:00: Super Bowl, Josh Allen, Jim Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson
5. 20:00 – 25:00: Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Philadelphia Eagles, Z Biotics
6. 25:00 – 30:00: Super Bowl, Josh Allen, Jim Harbaugh, New England Patriots
7. 35:00 – 37:41: Drake May, New England Patriots

Notable quotes from "Ravens coach Jesse Minter on Lamar Jackson + Colin Cowherd on Eagles, Browns DYSFUNCTION | HERD NFL"

• Harbaugh and John Harbaugh and Mike McDonald. And there's a lot of people to glean information from. His name is Jesse Mentor and he turned the Chargers defense around in about…

  about Jesse Mentor · at 0:27

• Okay. John Harbaugh. They're similar, but they're also in some ways dissimilar. Is there something from John Harbaugh that was different than that you appreciated?

  about John Harbaugh · at 1:35

• Okay, these guys can do a lot. They can go scripted, they can go off platform, they can go off script. What is the balance with Lamar to let Lamar be Lamar but play within a structure you're comfortable with?

  about Lamar Jackson · at 4:12

• I'm not shocked. Seattle, Mike's a dear friend of mine. I kind of know his mentality and how he's built that team. Took over a lot of really good young defensive players that are.

  about Seattle Seahawks · at 5:32

• I hope Seattle and Sam Darnold can replace him. Today's show brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet, Florida Sportsbook. The big game matchup is set. Patriots Seahawks. Hard Rock Bet going to be a lot of different.

  about Hard Rock Bet · at 9:28

• Usually in every business, you can look at recent history, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. What works and what doesn't work. Everybody, I think, gets that.

  about Cleveland Browns · at 10:29

• Calls. You get big, strong, mobile, accurate Justin Herbert and you get Jim Harbaugh. Philadelphia, which makes a habit of winning Super Bowls and winning playoff games, even…

  about Philadelphia Eagles · at 19:49

• Defensive side to get the coordinator right. He's dependent on the offensive side. With a big game coming up, we're all about enjoying the moment without paying for it the next…

  about Super Bowl · at 22:47

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Jesse Mentor — Person · Main guest · 3 mentions · first at 0:34
  Interview subject discussing coaching philosophy, lessons from the Harbaughs, and how to build a top defense and team culture; described as taking over as Ravens head coach in this segment.
• Jim Harbaugh — Person · Referenced coach / influence on guest · 12 mentions · first at 0:25
  Used as a model for coaching principles; guest describes what he learned from working with Jim Harbaugh, especially empowering players and building team identity.
  Seen a Jim Harbaugh team. And I said, Jesse, I've never I've heard about this guy. What is the one guiding principle that you take from Jim Harbaugh and go, man, Jim Harbaugh does this exceptionally well.
• John Harbaugh — Person · Referenced coach / influence on guest · 5 mentions · first at 0:25
  Contrasted with Jim Harbaugh; guest credits John Harbaugh with empowering staff, creativity, and forward-thinking processes—framing the leadership style Jesse wants to emulate.
• Lamar Jackson — Person · Referenced player (Ravens QB) / key roster piece · 4 mentions · first at 3:59
  Central example of an elite, improvisational quarterback; discussion focuses on balancing structure vs. freedom in an offense built around Lamar's unique skills.
• Mike McDonald — Person · Referenced coach / peer comparison · 4 mentions · first at 0:27
  Mentioned as another highly regarded defensive coach and as a friend of the guest; used to explain why Seattle's success is not surprising.
  I'm not shocked. Seattle, Mike's a dear friend of mine. I kind of know his mentality and how he's built that team. Took over a lot of really good young defensive players that are now.
• Josh Allen — Person · Referenced player (example of elite QB archetype) · 7 mentions · first at 4:04
  Used as a benchmark for physical tools and durability; appears in discussion of elite QBs and how rare certainty is at the position.
  Nice cultural fit in New York. And then there are some coaches I don't know. Joe Brady knows the system. Josh Allen's comfortable with Joe Brady. What does Joe Brady do to the Buffalo offense that feels like sort of his signature, Greg?
• Drake May — Person · Referenced player (Patriots QB in discussion) · 6 mentions · first at 4:07
  Discussed as a young quarterback whose mobility affects play calling and defensive strategy; also used in broader QB-tier and development arguments.
  Is there any quarterback in the league you're absolutely sure is going to win double digit games next year? I love Drake May. He's got more turnovers and touchdowns in the playoffs so far.
• Justin Herbert — Person · Referenced player (example QB; Chargers context) · 4 mentions · first at 4:07
  Mentioned as a high-talent quarterback in the same category as other off-script creators; also referenced as a major draw for coaching hires tied to the Chargers.
  McDaniel reportedly they were interested in interviewing Mike McDaniel, the former Dolphins coach. He said, No thanks. I'll take the offensive coordinator job with Justin…
• Caleb Williams — Person · Referenced player (young QB example) · 2 mentions · first at 4:07
  Used as an example of a talented but still-developing quarterback when discussing how uncertain QB outcomes are year-to-year.
  When you have a guy like a Josh Allen, listen, Justin Herbert, Caleb Williams, Drake May, where you're Okay, these guys can do a lot. They can go scripted, they can go off platform, they can go off script. What is the.

Companies & orgs

• Seattle Seahawks — Company · Business focus · 4 mentions
  Discussion about the team's performance and their path to the Super Bowl.
• New England Patriots — Company · Business focus · 3 mentions · first at 3:13
  Discussion about the team's performance and their path to the Super Bowl.
  And the type of offense that they're running. So not surprised at all. And then same thing with New England. Tons of respect for Mike Vrabel. Josh McDaniels. Getting him back…
• Baltimore Ravens — Company · Business focus · 2 mentions · first at 0:39
  Discussion about the team's performance, new coach, and future prospects.
  Ravens. And first of all, congratulations. That's a pretty good gig. I've said this before, Jesse. I think the Ravens, there's an argument.
• Cleveland Browns — Company · Business focus · 1 mention · first at 10:43
  Discussion about the team's management and coaching decisions.
• Philadelphia Eagles — Company · Business focus · 1 mention · first at 20:39
  Discussion about the team's management and coaching decisions.
• San Francisco 49ers — Company · Business focus · 1 mention · first at 6:24
  Mentioned as a gold standard organization in the NFL.
  A this is a to me a blueb blood gold standard. San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, Ravens. This excellence. John Harbaugh was a great coach and they moved on. It is a It is a How do…

Concepts & topics

• NFL — Concept · Core topic · 1 mention · first at 3:40
  Central theme of the episode, discussing various teams, players, and the Super Bowl.
  Welcome to the Herd's 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.

Places & events

• Super Bowl — Event · Key event · 8 mentions · first at 5:16
  Main event discussed in the episode, with analysis of teams and predictions.

Sponsors

• Hard Rock Bet — Product · Sponsor · 3 mentions · first at 9:32
  Presenting sponsor of the show, promoting betting on the Super Bowl.
• Z Biotics — Product · Sponsor · 1 mention · first at 23:12
  Promoted as a solution for enjoying drinks without next-day effects.
  Heading to a watch party, I want to be fully present and still feel good in the morning. For me, that means planning ahead, especially if I want to have a few drinks. My simple…

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Welcome to the Herd's 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. Well, I think I don't I can't speak for women, but I can I can speak for guys that most of us have role models in our life. It could be your father. When I was a young broadcaster, I wanted to be Bob Kostas or Al Michaels. And our our next guest is uh a young guy who has worked with Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh and Mike McDonald. And uh there's a lot of people to glean information from. His name is Jesse Mentor and he turned the Chargers defense around in about 40 minutes. He is the new coach of the Baltimore Ravens. And first of all, congratulations. That's a pretty good gig. I I I've said this before, Jesse. I think the Ravens, there's an argument.

0:48 It is the best run organization in the NFL. So, you got yourself one heck of a job. If I said to you, Jesse, I'd never seen a Jim Harbaugh team. And I said, Jesse, I've never I've heard about this guy. What is the one guiding principle that you take from Jim Harbaugh and go, man, Jim Harbaugh does this exceptionally well.

1:10 Yeah, I I think Jim empowers the players really well to create an identity of team football. And so, uh, you know, he kind of allows the players to be themselves, but there's this understanding that we're all after the same thing. We all have the same goals, and so we're willing to, uh, kind of put some things aside sometimes and play as a team and do things like that. I think that's definitely the one identity that, uh, I'll certainly try to take from Jim.

1:35 Okay. John Harbaugh. They're similar, but they're also in some ways dissimilar. Is there something from John Harbaugh that was different than that that you appreciated? You know, I think John when when I first got here, um maybe different because I was in a different role, but he really empowered a lot of the lot of the coaching staff and even younger guys on the staff like I was when I first got here. And so there was just an ability to grow, an ability to be forward thinking, an ability to be creative amongst the staff. And uh I really look forward to kind of being that type of head coach where you're really you're always trying to find better ways to do things. you're always looking for the next the next great thing and and research and studying and doing things like that. So, learned a lot about John of just empowering the staff to uh always really be trying to find that next great next great idea.

2:24 So, it's interesting as a defensive guy, I've said for years, I've said, listen, if I have a choice, I want my coach to be young and preferably offense. But I've also acknowledged that Demo Ryan is great. We heard I heard that in San Francisco when he was quality control guy. They're like, "This guy's going to be a stud. We heard it about you. We heard it about Mike McDonald." How do you, as a defensive guy, come into the operation in an offensive league where the rules all favor the offense? How do you build the toughness on that defense and the culture knowing that it's now mostly, it feels like, a little bit of an offensive league?

3:05 Yeah, I would uh I would just say look at the two teams still playing right now. That's sort of how they operate. When you look at when you look at how Seattle's built and how they're playing, when you look at New England and how they're playing, uh, I think it's teams that play great defense, it's how you train. It's how you how you the processes that you create to be really good and the standards that you create. I feel like we kind of did that defensively in LA the last couple years. Yeah. And so it's about creating uh beliefs and goals what you're trying to achieve and then most importantly creating standards of how you operate that match those goals of what you're trying to achieve. And I still think defense wins championships. I do I do agree with you at times it feels like an offensive league. Uh but I think when you have when you have great players on offense like we have and now you can

3:52 match that with hopefully a uh the best defense in the NFL, I think we can do some special things. the um I mean you turn the Chargers around immediately. So Lamar Jackson is an all-time talent. When you have a guy like a Josh Allen, uh listen, Justin Herbert, uh Caleb Williams, Drake May, where you're like, "Okay, these guys can do a lot. They can go scripted, they can go off platform, they can go off script." What is the balance with Lamar to let Lamar be Lamar but play within a structure you're comfortable with?

4:26 Yeah, I think that's a great point. I think you want the structured plays to work really well and to be really uh an offense that he feels great about and that he feels like he's thriving in and that you're making plays comfortable for him, stuff that he's really good at. And then I think those unstructured plays, I mean, that's where that's where he's the best in the world. That's where he's his instincts are able to take over. He's able to make throws, runs, everything every which way. But I really think it's the structure plays that we need to we need to really make sure are tight and really make sure there's things that he's familiar with and really good at and willing to grow with. And I know he's super excited about where where we're headed on offense and I look forward to seeing him thrive in our offense.

5:08 Whether you play a team or not during a season, you see a lot of teams on film uh like the Seahawks and the Patriots. So when when you look at our Super Bowl, all the film you've looked at this year, whether you play a team or you see them playing somebody else, you see film of 32, you you see film that everybody. Are you shocked the Seahawks and the Patriots got here? If not, why?

5:32 I'm not shocked. Uh Seattle, you know, Mike's a dear friend of mine. I kind of know his mentality and how he's built that team. Took over a lot of really good young defensive players that are now

5:42 Yeah. you know, growing up and in their second year. And so they have great talent on that side of the ball. They made they made a a you know organizational decision with Sam Darnold that's paid off for them

5:53 and the type of offense that they're running. So not surprised at all. And then same thing with New England. Tons of respect for Mike Vrabel. Josh McDaniels. Getting him back as the offensive coordinator I think was a huge uh huge development for Drake as a young player. We played them in the first round. Yep.

6:09 And so no surprise no surprise that those two teams are playing. think it'll be a heck of a matchup for the fans to watch.

6:16 All right, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Um, it's a big boy job. This is a this is a to me a blueb blood gold standard. San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, Ravens. This this excellence. I mean, John Harbaugh was a great coach and they moved on. It is a It is a um How do you set that culture day one? How do you come in by the way cuz the last guy was good. You you're this thing's not bottomed out. you have a roster that could win a Super Bowl next year. How do you how does Jesse Mentor set the culture tomorrow?

6:48 I think I think there's a couple things. One, like knowing that there's a really good foundation and especially myself having been here, knowing sort of how that was built is a is a major positive. And then I have, you know, my own style in my own way. I think we need to become a really connected team. I think we need to play football in a style that people are proud of and excited of on all three phases of the game. And so I think we're going to create an identity of of a really well-connected team that's tough and physical, but also that's very innovative. We want to be really forward thinking schematically in all three phases. And I think there's going to be a lot of excitement when the guys come back and really feel like uh we're headed in the right direction.

7:27 Jesse, good luck to you. Uh everybody I know speaks very highly of you. It's a gold standard organization and good luck going forward.

7:36 Appreciate you. Thanks for having me on. You bet. Jesse Mentor, he turned that Chargers defense around in like an hour. Like, so I there are four I think Harbaugh is going to crush it with the Giants. They're going to be a playoff team next year. Uh I really like Jesse in Baltimore, Robert Salah in Tennessee. I'm not sure the quarterback situation in Atlanta with Stfansky. I love the hire. Arthur Blank is dependable. It's not a chaotic organization. They've got tremendous skill people. Uh so we're still waiting for the Raiders and the Cardinals. Clint Kubak sounds like he's getting the Raiders job. I like that hire with a with a team that's got some really really nice offensive talent.

8:16 They'll get Fernando Mendoza with the number one pick. Arizona's a bit of a it's a bit of a shipwreck right now. I I don't know what they're doing it that that or that or and and by the way, Raiders, Cardinals, those divisions are tough, but not all fourth place teams are are equal. The Raiders are getting easily the best quarterback in college this year. And you can nitpick Fernando Mendoza. The kid is absolutely fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. So if I was a Raider fan, Clint Kubak to me, I mean honestly, if if Clint Kubak may have been outside of John Harbaugh and maybe Shawn McDermott, Clint Kubak could be a perfect fit there. He really could. Also remember Clint Kubak has flourished in Seattle which is a really really young team. Well the Raiders Mendoza is going to be a rookie. Brock Bowers Aston Genty. They've got a right tackle who moved inside. I think he's in year two and they're going to attack their wide

9:18 receiver last year. They had a rookie wide receiver. The Raiders offense is young. Clint Kubak. Seattle's offense mostly young. I I think it's a good fit. I I hope Seattle and Sam Darnold can replace him. Today's show brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet, Florida Sportsbook. The big game matchup is set. Patriots Seahawks. Hard Rock Bet going to be a lot of different ways. You can get it on next Sunday's action. Uh if you haven't signed up with Hard Rock Bet, never been a better time. This week, launching a brand new welcome offer for new customers. Plus, Hard Rock Bet is kicking off its $7 million Big Game bonus party available to all users.

10:00 You're definitely not going to want to miss that. And if you're in Florida or Jersey, the Big Game Energy doesn't just live exclusively on the app. Head to Hard Rock Casino property for drawings, giveaways, all the excitement leading up to kickoff. So, Hard Rock Bet also offers new promos every day. So, if you're listening to this later, just open up the app and check out what you got any day of the week. That's Hard Rock Bet. Download the Hard Rock Bet app and make your first deposit today. Usually in every business, you can look at recent history, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. What works and what doesn't work. Everybody, I think, gets that.

10:41 Could be Tech, could be the NFL, except the Cleveland Browns. So, um, there I mean it it literally they had Mike McDaniel reportedly they were interested in interviewing Mike McDaniel, the former Dolphins coach. He said, "No thanks. I'll take the offensive coordinator job with Justin Herbert, Jim Harbaugh, and the Chargers. Not interested in interviewing." Remember the owner, Jimmy Hasslam? Uh, this was after firing Kevin Stfansky. Let me say this and some of you said this is a dysfunctional bu building. I take huge exception of that. Is there tension in the building? Of course. I mean there's this is a hard business and there's lots of stuff going on. If anybody says this is dysfunctional or though two of them did not work well, that's dead wrong.

11:30 Oh, really? Then they proceed in their coaching search reportedly asking applicants to write an essay and take a personality test. I love Chick-fil-A, but if they asked me to do that and I was applying for a job, I'd withdraw. I mean, you got to be kidding me. So, but it comes down to this. So, there's two things that don't work very well when hiring a coach. Number one is do not promote an assistant in your organization up the food chain to head coach. We gave you a list yesterday. Brian Shottenheimimer, Gerard Mayo, Antonio Pierce, Dennis Allen, Doug Marone, Levy Smith, Freddy Kitchens, Dirk Cutter, Ben Mcadoo. Don't just go down the hallway and promote the popular assistant. It doesn't work. Todd BS has worked a little. It mostly doesn't work. Don't do that.

12:30 So, not promoting Jim Schwarz. Okay, I'm I'm okay with that because it doesn't work. The other thing that doesn't work, except for Bruce Arens, is hiring a guy in his late 50s who's never been a head coach before. Bruce Arens, the historic outlier, right? Especially in in the last 20 years where coaches have gotten younger. So, they hired Todd Mon who's 59. So, you can go to Vic Fangio or David Cully or Bud Carson or, you know, there there's I mean, I got five or six names here. It just doesn't work historically. And and why doesn't it work with the old guys? Because generally, it could be comedy, it could be Hollywood writing, it could be tech. Generally, you can see elite very early. Most comedians, it could be John Stewart, Bill Maher, Dave Chappelle, you saw stuff in their late 20s. They were they were really good by 30some. So, Mike Frabel, head coach at 42 years old. Shawn McVey, head coach at

13:34 30. Mike McDonald, Seattle, head coach at 36. Kyle Shanahan, head coach at 37. Demo Ryan's head coach by 38. If you're 58, 59 years old and it's your first gig, it generally doesn't work. Or if you get promoted inside the building. So Jim Schwarz, historically that probably wouldn't be a great hire. So I'll defend him on that because the data says that doesn't generally work. But then to go get the older guy who'd never been a head coach before, that doesn't work either. So when when whenever I get this from fans, well the NFL is rigged. No, you got bozos in the building.

14:14 The NFL's not rigged. Cleveland's dysfunctional despite what Jimmy Hasslam says. They have the most dysfunctional search. And then uh and then the Jets are dysfunctional. You all want to say stuff is rigged. That's just how to validate mediocrity. It's like people use the word luck. My sister's lucky. My brother-in-law is lucky. It has nothing to do with luck. You're trying to validate poor choices and mediocrity. I mean, the New York Giants have Super Bowls. They went and got the number one coach in the cycle. The Atlanta Falcons have been to Super Bowls. They probably got the number two coach in the cycle.

14:54 Jets, have you you seen what's happening with the Jets? They're fire. They're getting rid of people. I mean, it and this Cleveland thing, I'm sorry. It was dysfunctional. I don't know what you want me to say. I think that's a totally reasonable word to use. So, we were talking as a staff this morning. It was kind of funny. We were talking about uh if Sam Darnold wins his Super Bowl, you know, everybody always likes to do tears and lists for quarterbacks. The hell do you do with Sam Darnold? So, of the many quality things about him, good guy, tough, big arm, athletic, still only 28, teamfriendly deal, not much of a cap hit. The other thing is he stays healthy. Joe Burrow doesn't, Brock Pury doesn't, Lamar Jackson's missed an entire year of games in his career. He is almost always healthy.

15:45 What's funny about the quarterback position, if you take out Josh Allen, just take out Josh Allen, Superman, 66, 250, unbelievably mobile, huge arm. Is there any quarterback in the league you're absolutely sure is going to win double digit games next year? I mean, I love Drake May. He's got more turnovers and touchdowns in the playoffs so far. He's still learning on the job. I love Caleb Williams. What's his career completion percentage? He's still growing. I mean, again, Lamar Jackson, what about him? He's going to be a massive cap hit. He misses games regularly. He and Harbaugh apparently had a riff.

16:27 And let's be honest, with that big cap hit, Baltimore's roster is going to be as thin as it can be. So, I'm thinking about Sam Darnold. If you take Josh Allen out, well, what about Mahomes? What about him? He's not in the playoffs. The O line and run game weekend. Well, what about Joe Burrow? Not in the playoffs. Lamar, not in the playoffs. Justin Herbert performs badly in the playoffs. I love Matt Stafford. So do you. Turns 38 in a week. Not mobile. Zero playoff wins in Detroit. 13 years. I think the truth about Sam Darnold is the truth about this position is that we look up, we worship, we make him into Superman. outside of Josh Allen. You're as good as your coach, your coordinator, and your supporting cast. I love Drake May. You think he's in a Super Bowl if he goes to the Jets? I love Sam Darnold.

17:19 You think he's here if he goes to Cleveland. Now, we've already seen him with the Jets. Here's Jimmy Johnson on Darnold, the Ascension, and what we know about him now.

17:30 He doesn't have to carry that team on his shoulders. He at Carolina, he had to carry that football team. he couldn't do it because he turned it over. Now he knows he's got a great defense. He knows that he can be patient, take his time, take the checkdowns, you know, throw it here every now and then, take a shot, you know, down the field. Uh, so I think the experience that he had and the team that he's with and the coaching that he's getting allowed him to be a great player,

17:59 but I don't think it's crazy to say that Sam Darnold hoist a trophy. You got to put him in the top 10. If you think I'm wrong, consider this. The Vikings were seven-10 before he arrived, 14-3 during, and mediocre again this year at 9-8. The Seahawks had no playoff wins for eight years. Darnold arrives with the second youngest roster. They're in a Super Bowl. They had a middle of the pack offense. It's now top three. I can give you his last two teams. Kind of average or below average before he gets there. Not great offensively before he gets there. Amazing when he's there.

18:42 Seems like to me hoisting a trophy in about 10 12 days. Um have to reconsider where we put him. There's a headline by Adam Shaft today. Nick Serion and the Eagles have a backup plan if they can't find an offensive coordinator worthy of the job. So, this is the downside to having a hyperaggressive general manager, Howie Roseman. Why would you move your family cross country? You could get whacked in a year. I mean, when you're an OC for the Eagles, you either get a great head coaching opportunity or you get fired. Most of these guys are married with kids. You want to pull your kids out of school, you want to move them cross country to Philadelphia, a market you don't know, get ripped. I mean, it's like being a political candidate in a in a major city. Get ripped every day on radio.

19:28 Family goes through that kind of stuff. So, that's the downside to Howie Roseman. I mean, you could be a one-year, nine-month coordinator. The second thing is, you know, Nick Serani is one of those rare head coaches with a winning record, but not necessarily a winning reputation. is that when Jim Harbaugh opened up his offensive coordinator job, everybody in the league calls. You get big, strong, mobile, accurate Justin Herbert and you get Jim Harbaugh. Philadelphia, which makes a habit of winning Super Bowls and winning playoff games, even if Nick Foes is your quarterback, they can't find one. Mike McDaniel was the number one offensive coordinator candidate.

20:09 Harbaugh took the job because of Herbert. Mike McDaniel took the job because of Herbert and Harbaugh and the Eagles can't find a coordinator. And I think a lot of it is people don't necessarily trust Nick Serani to get out of this mess. You have AJ Brown drama. You know, Herbert's issues last year, he needs healthy offensive tackles. Jaylen Herd's issues the last couple years, he can't see the middle of the field. There is a sense that some of his issues are not correctable. So, offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles is one of those sounds great jobs, but you know, do you want to move your family cross country to a market you don't know to probably the hardest job in football? I mean, again, offensive coordinators, the good one in this league, you know, they're kind of 34, 35, 36. Defensive guys, Vic Fangio, they're defensive coordinators that are older guys. A lot of the top OC's, you

21:06 know, your Clint Kubaks, Kyle Shanahan several years ago, they're the young guys, right? That Rams coach that's interviewed in Cleveland for a while, they're they're like kids. So, I think it's a high intensity, high pressure, little payoff. And by the way, if if they do win, Serriani gets the credit. You don't get it. Here is Nick Serriani talking about them not landing an OC still yet. as the head coach, you always have to be oversight of everything. Um, and again, this year, obviously, I did I got involved more in the offense as the as the end of the season came, but because that's what I needed to do as the head football coach there. And so, um, yeah, again, many different ways to do it. You know, I know that I want to be the head football coach. You know, I think it's best for the football team when I'm the the head football coach.

22:02 Well, also when you did call plays early on, it didn't work. It worked when Shane Stiken arrived and Kell Moore arrived. So, this is an organization that is very coordinator dependent. The Rams aren't. The NerS aren't. Philadelphia is highly coordinator dependent, at least on the offensive side of the ball. Usually when you have an offensive coach, it doesn't matter if the coordinator leaves. I mean, McVey's run through them. It doesn't matter. Kevin Oonnell, Zack Taylor, they leave. You're fine. So, Philadelphia is in a weird space where they have an offensive coach who usually is dependent on the defensive side to get the coordinator right. He's dependent on the offensive side. With a big game coming up, we're all about enjoying the moment without paying for it the next day. Whether I'm hosting friends, jamming, cheering from the couch, heading to a watch party, I want to be fully present and still feel good in the

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24:36 Um, so like when whenever you have these coaching cycles, there's one or two that feel like they'll work. John Harbaugh with the Giants, you know, they've got Jackson Dart, keep him out of the blue tent. They got some cap space. They have some nice pieces. It feels like he's a nice cultural fit in New York. And then there are some coaches I don't know. Um Joe Brady knows the system. Josh Allen's comfortable with Joe Brady. What What does Joe Brady do to the Buffalo offense that feels like sort of his signature, Greg?

25:08 Well, it's funny, Colin, because do you ever really know with a new coach? I mean, we all talk about it, but I don't think you ever know because

25:16 unlike someone like Harbaugh, and he'd probably be the exception in today's world.

25:20 But I think coaches now get hired because they're really good game planning and calling plays on one side of the ball. That's the reason coaches tend to get hired. And I think, you know, obviously in Buffalo, um, they they've averaged a lot of points per game. They have Josh Allen. Um, it's funny. I watch their tape and I feel like that they need a more expansive pass game. Now, I understand that they don't have great receivers and maybe that factors in. Um, but you could also take the argument that if you don't have great receivers, then you've really got to scheme it up even more. So, uh, look, they they've done well. You can't argue that they haven't done well. That's the bottom line. They've certainly developed a great run game. Um, I guess we haven't heard more about it, but it seems as if Aaron Chromemer is has retired. If he has, then obviously there's a change with your offensive line because

26:10 Chromemer, I'm sure, one of the best O line coaches in the last 25 years. I'm sure he was mostly responsible for the run game success. So, we'll assume if that continues at the same level. But, you know, they're to me they're kind of an an interesting and odd offense to watch because they don't really attack in the pass game the way you would think with Josh Allen. So, I'm I'm curious to see how how this goes forward. Um, what do we make of the Broncos and Rams fourth down attempts? I don't mind going for it. Uh, especially um if Bo Nicks would have been starting, I'd feel more comfortable than a backup going for it.

26:49 But the but the O line for Denver's good. you were at home whereas Stafford was in the end zone in Seattle against the Seahawks defense and it was fourth and four not fourth and one. What did you make of Payton going for it and McVey?

27:02 I can only give you my opinion and you know you know that there's opinions about this and people have different points of view and you can argue there's no right or wrong. Maybe I'm old school in this. Look, that's the way I feel, but my opinion is in tight playoff games, Colin, I think when there are points to be taken, you've got to take them. That's just my sense. I I I sort of believe the whole Bill Parcell's approach that you keep your team in the game as long as you can. I mean, look at the Rams situation, and this is no knock on McVey. The guy's obviously brilliant.

27:33 That's not my point at all. This is not a knock on coaches. I'm really just giving you my point of view. But I think that if they had kicked a field goal there with five minutes to go and made it a one-point game, I think that probably changes the play calling by Kubak a little bit because now he knows that if the Rams get to the 40 yard line, the 35 yd line, they can win the game with a field goal instead of having to go an extra 40 35 yards to get a touchdown. And I think that just changes the feel of a game. So that's just my point of view. I'm sure analytics people would tell me I'm wrong and that's okay.

28:06 Yeah. You know, this is not something I argue with people about because it's just my point of view.

28:10 Yeah. I want to talk about New England before we get to Seattle and the Rams and that game and and the Super Bowl.

28:17 How much is Drake May, the Patriots quarterback? How much of his rushing ability, his mobility

28:24 factors into the offense and play calling in your opinion? Um, I don't Look, there's no coach that tells a quarterback on third and seven, drop back and run. So, I think that that just happens and he's very good at it. And uh clearly the play we're looking at now is a design run in the low red zone, which obviously if you have a mobile quarterback, you can do. Now, we're looking at some scrambles. And you know, I think it factors in in a number of ways. Number one, you can save bad plays. In other words, if the defense wins tactically, a quarterback can save the play because of his mobility. And then number two, then it impacts how a defense has to play those critical high leverage downs. Third and seventh, third and eight. How do they play it? Do they spy? Which of course takes a player out of the rush and out of coverage. How do they go about it? The Broncos did not spy. The um the Seahawks have not shown

29:17 that they're a spy team. And you know, we'll talk more about that next week when we do a preview, but I think it impacts the game in multiple ways. And he's done that very, very well this season. and it's clearly something that we probably didn't think he would do as well as he's done it in his second year in the league.

29:35 All right, so Seattle's roster feels like it is more complete than New England. That's why they're a favorite in this Super Bowl and most people feel uh if it was going to go sideways for one team. Seattle's just got a lot of volume and length and speed and youth and but yet Matt Stafford the last couple times he played him pecked him apart. Yeah.

29:57 What is that just Stafford? Is that Can you duplicate that if you're New England or is that just Stafford being Stafford?

30:04 Well, I think Stafford's pretty good and I think we'd both agree with that. You know, it's funny you ju just to pick up on something you just said about the the roster. I really think that New England's defense is way better than people are giving it credit for. I think they have a lot of players, Colin, and again, I'm sure you, you know, if you haven't, you'll do your top 10, you know, with your players on each team, but I think that New England on defense has better individual players than people think. They're just, they're just not household names, right? You know, like I think Milton Williams is a really good player. Bar is a really good player. Um, you know, I think a Robert Spalain, you know, we're certainly not going to say he's Fred Warner, and I'm not suggesting he's on his way to the Hall of Fame, but he's a very, very good player who for years has been a threeown player. He was that way in Pittsburgh at

30:54 the end of his career. He was that way with the Raiders. These are good players and they're very good schematically and that's a big deal on defense. So again, I'm not going to sit here and go, we're not going to go through the the entire roster of each team, but I just think that New England on defense is better than people give them credit for. Um, listen, all year I didn't like the Rams special teams, but I also thought Carolina almost beat the Rams twice because of their their secondary. So when I watch Darnold literally play a perfect game against the Rams and I I think the Patriots secondary is long and twitchy Gonzalez it's athletic.

31:32 I don't think Darnold's going to have a perfect Sunday against New England. Is part of Darnold's Sunday just listen it was a good matchup for Seattle. The Rams corners are kind of bottom third of the league and I think that's fair and it's funny you mention about New England because you know I mentioned their players. Their two safeties are totally unknown to people. Hawkins and the rookie Craig Woodson. They are really good players and they're very interchangeable in the way they're deployed. But yes, we've talked all year. You know, one thing I've learned over the years watching tape. I'm never surprised when a team's weakness or lack of strength comes back to haunt them in a big game, gets exposed in a big game. So, you know, people can can say, "Oh, wow. Look what happened." But, you know, you're right about the Rams. I think that from a coverage standpoint, they're not great in the secondary, particularly at

32:24 corner. And I think it showed up a couple of times this year. Now, there are times when Matthew Stafford and the offense can compensate for that because they're really, really good. But and it wasn't as if Stafford and and and his offense didn't do well. They put up 27, I think it was 27 against a really good defense. So, it was a very close game. And Stafford also played at a very high level. But you're right, Darnold played a really, really good game. Um, I thought that they had some really good concepts. Tactically, they did a really good job. We know that they had um Smith and Jigma caught the touchdown where he was in the back field, which I thought was a beautiful design. You know, it's funny. Just to show you how crazy I am, Colin, when I saw the Smith and Jigba touchdown,

33:05 the first thing that popped into my head was in 2016, Kyle Shanahan was the OC for the um Atlanta Falcons. Okay. And the first thing that popped into my head is they played a playoff game against Seattle and they ran the exact same play in 2016. I think we're looking at it right now and it was a touchdown to Kevin Coleman. So I mean you know none of these plays are brand new but it was just a great design, great call and I think they did a really good job of that and Darnold executed what I you know what I loved about Darnold in this game too just pocket toughness. He had a number of throws under duress and he stood and delivered without flinching.

33:46 You know, it's I it's interesting. Many are suggesting now that the two best receivers in the league may be Puka uh and JSN. And I'm not in any way comparing JSN to Jerry Rice. But one I remember when Jerry Rice played, one of the things that always jumped out to me, he had good speed,

34:02 but he never slowed down into breaks, during breaks, after breaks. It was like the same speed. He just never paused when he caught the ball. And when I watch JSN, I see the same smoothness. I don't know if he's a 44 guy, 438, I don't know. But I know this.

34:18 He is so smooth that he doesn't have to accelerate. His whole route is acceleration. How is he so effect? Did they scheme him open? What is it?

34:27 Well, it's a com It's always a combination. I mean, obviously, you scheme players uh you get them in positions where they they can win. Um, and and when I say win, it's not always just one-on-one. Like the the the deep pass he caught at the end of the first half, and here we're looking at the touchdown, obviously, where he was in the back field, but the deep pass at the end of the first half was a beautifully designed play where they ended up getting cover two and he beat Curl. He beat a safety on a corner post. You'll take a wide receiver on a safety no matter who the wide receiver is. Um, but there's there's obviously a smoothness to JSN. He's obviously very quick. I think he's deceptively fast. I don't think he's a 4-4 guy the way we think of, you know, the burners. Um, and you know, a lot of that too is a function of the quarterback. You know, you mentioned Jerry Rice. How many times did we see

35:14 Joe Montana just put it right where the ball is basically one yard right out in front of him and he never had to slow down. That run after catch tends to be more a function of quarterbacks than receivers. It's where receiver It's where quarterbacks place the football. But JSN is obviously really good. Look, the receiver debate could go on forever. I mean, I, you know, different receivers have different skill sets. Just because these guys weren't in the playoffs and maybe didn't have their best years overall, you know, Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase are pretty good. And I think most people would probably say that they're right there at the top of the discussion, but JSN is really, really good.

35:52 Greg Kosell, NFL Films, 46 years. Have yourself a great weekend, Greg. Thanks. Thanks, Colin. Appreciate it.

35:59 You bet. Um, yeah, he said it. New England's players are better than you think. Uh, I I I just think what happens is is that because New England was bad last year. There is a sense that, well, how how good are their players? But they went and got, you know, Williams, the defensive tackle, very expensive guy. Bar was getting better already. He was the Alabama Dlineman. He's getting better. Uh they got a couple years ago they got the corner out of Oregon. He when he's healthy they don't lose and they spent 250 million. They upgraded the coach.

36:38 Drake May has a real offensive coordinator that works. I think we we look at New England. We think you can't be bad one year and great. You can in the NFL. You can't in the NBA. You only draft a couple of guys and and even if you get a star with a top six or seven pick, they're not changing outcomes. WBY is still 40 games under 500 since he joined the Spurs. He's good, but he had minute restrictions. He was younger. I mean, they I always say this about NBA rookies and secondyear guys. They can't even drink in the hotel bar. They're like 19, 20 years old. You're getting a fully developed body at 23 years old, sometimes 24 out of college. So, five or six of their rookies are contributing.

37:18 They're good players they had have developed. Drake May now has a great offensive coordinator and they spent, you know, a quarter billion dollars on free agency or whatever it was. They got a good roster. There's no way you look at New The only place on the o on the on the Patriot roster I look at and think it's kind of average is the O line. And they're not terrible. They're just kind of

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Ravens coach Jesse Minter on Lamar Jackson + Colin Cowherd on Eagles, Browns DYSFUNCTION | HERD NFL"?

Colin Cowherd (Host), Jesse Minter (Guest), Greg Cosell (Guest).

What is "Ravens coach Jesse Minter on Lamar Jackson + Colin Cowherd on Eagles, Browns DYSFUNCTION | HERD NFL" about?

The discussion highlights Ravens coach Jesse Minter's insights on team leadership and identity, drawing comparisons between his experiences with Jim and John Harbaugh. Minter emphasizes the importance of empowering players to foster a cohesive team dynamic, reflecting on the strengths he aims to incorporate into his coaching philosophy while navigating the challenges within the NFL.

What is mentioned in this The Herd with Colin Cowherd episode?

19 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Jesse Mentor, NFL, Super Bowl, Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Seattle Seahawks. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Ravens coach Jesse Minter on Lamar Jackson + Colin Cowherd on Eagles, Browns DYSFUNCTION | HERD NFL"?

The episode runs 38 min; the transcript is about 6,984 words in 67 timestamped sections.

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