Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 1: NFL Week 2 (September 12, 2025)
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Platform: ESPN New York
Episode Overview
This episode launches the Don, Hahn & Rosenberg team into NFL Week 2 with a heavy focus on New York's football scene—specifically the ongoing narratives surrounding the Jets and Giants. Amid post-Week 1 reactions, the trio offers candid analysis, rapid-fire takes, rants about failed picks, fan frustration, and an honest exploration of what optimism (if any) fans of both teams should feel going into the weekend.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
A. Kicking Off: Football, Baseball, and Friday Vibes
- New York sports energy: The hosts highlight the charged atmosphere as NFL Week 2 coincides with pivotal September baseball. Despite the Yankees’ upturn (thanks to Presidential attention and judge’s home runs) and the Mets’ collapse, the main stage is football.
- "Three in your pocket" banter: A running inside joke emerges on what it feels like to have “three points in your pocket” to start the week—Alan relishes it, Peter laments starting 0-4 in his picks.
“When you got three in your pocket.” – Don Hahn [02:15]
B. Peter’s Frustration: Picks, Packers, and Performative Fandom [03:32–06:03]
- Pick regret: Peter confesses to picking the Commanders out of fandom and for show rather than analysis but feels misled by sudden Packers hype.
“You're right that the pick was all fan. You're wrong that that's why I picked it. I picked it to make good show.” – Peter [03:18]
- Packers defense surprise: The crew debates whether the Packers are suddenly championship contenders, or if early-season adrenaline, not substance, fueled their dominance.
- Uniform tangents: Don rails against Green Bay's white-on-white uniforms as an affront to tradition.
C. Commanders vs. Packers Debrief and Coaching Critiques [06:03–09:40]
- Washington's offensive issues:
- Lack of running game and drops from secondary receivers were critical.
- Peter singles out coaching decisions (e.g., attempting a 58-yard field goal) as out-of-character and questionable.
- QB Jaden Daniels’ resilience: Despite a rough night, Peter remains optimistic about Daniels’ mentality.
“Even when he's completely outmatched mentally, you just see that it doesn't wear on him…he’s gonna leave the game motivated and angry, and that's all I felt.” – Peter [09:00]
D. Jets & Giants Outlook Heading Into Week 2 [09:40–18:36]
- Jets: Encouraging signs, tough loss:
- Don and Alan argue that the Jets looked like the better team against Pittsburgh—dominant at the line, but undermined by turnovers and penalties.
“If that were a prize fight and you were a judge, who would you have given the decision to? I would have given it to the Jets.” – Don Hahn [14:15]
- Emphasis is on not defeating themselves versus simply losing to better talent.
- Giants: Low optimism, seeking hope:
- Don challenges the others to identify any positive for the Giants vs. Dallas.
- Alan offers QB Russell Wilson's historical resilience at Jerry World.
- Peter notes MetLife provides little home advantage—road games may provide more motivation.
- Alan adds that Dallas’ depleted secondary could open opportunities for Giants WR Malik Nabers.
“Who the hell is guarding Malik Neighbors who's coming off a game where he's embarrassed, pissed off, and he has a lot to prove?” – Alan [22:40]
- Despite this, Don remains unconvinced, feeling the issues are more fundamental: “I just think it's a lack of coaching and skill in the right position.” [22:05]
- Don challenges the others to identify any positive for the Giants vs. Dallas.
E. The Importance (and Subjectivity) of 0–2 in the NFL [28:46–31:48]
- Not all 0–2s are equal: Alan and Don stress that how a team looks in defeat is as important as the record. Competitive losses signal hope; lifeless performances do not.
“Two losses can look completely different…02 could have a different perspective depending on what it looks like.” – Alan [29:21]
- Giants’ difficult schedule: The hosts foreshadow a bleak stretch, touching on upcoming matchups with the Chiefs, Chargers, and Saints, and the psychological toll of persistent losing.
- Jets: Reasonable hope?: Don and Alan weigh if the Jets’ competitiveness against superior teams could signal growth, especially as they face Buffalo.
F. Listener Calls: QB Controversy & Fan Impatience [36:31–47:45]
- Jackson Dart vs. Russell Wilson (Giants): Several callers debate whether rookie QB Jackson Dart should start over Wilson, citing fatigue with Wilson’s play. The hosts unanimously warn against rushing Dart into a poor situation, as a broken offensive line would stunt his development.
“You don't want to put this kid in harm's way…The only thing he's going to learn is how to get hit.” – Don Hahn [38:44]
- Alan: “You do it when you believe he's ready…But you can't tell me you believe he's in that place right now, just two weeks into his NFL career.” [39:12]
- Fan emotion vs. franchise good: The tension between fan impatience and responsible team-building is highlighted with humor and candor.
G. Comic Relief & Behind-the-Scenes Banter [41:41–43:46]
- Music selection mini-drama: There’s a playful debate over who controls the show’s music breaks (Jacob vs. Brownshire), with jokes about DJ pride and production hierarchy.
“In my real DJs take no requests.” – Alan [43:34]
H. Knicks & New York Sports Diversions
- Brief dive into Knicks roster moves—mostly as a segue to joke about how quickly New York fans pivot away from football pain.
- Upcoming schedule anxiety: Alan excitedly notes, “40 days till the Knicks season starts though. So we got that.” [31:53]
Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps
- On losing as a fan:
“It's not 1995. The goatee's not working. Clean yourself up, you animal.” – Don Hahn, riffing on needing tough love [02:42]
- Peter’s honest Commanders fan misery:
“I should have treasured it. I was miserable. I didn't have one enjoyable second.” – Peter [07:59]
- Jets competitive but didn’t win:
“The better team didn't win. The Jets didn't lose that game because the Steelers were better.” – Don Hahn [13:17]
- On starting the rookie QB:
“That's no way to run a franchise.” – Alan [47:03]
- On being ready:
“You do it when you believe he's ready…you can't tell me that you believe he's in that place right now, just two weeks into his NFL career.” – Alan [39:12]
Key Timestamps for Major Segments
- [02:15] — Three-point pocket/Friday mood
- [03:32] — Peter laments his fan-based pick/Packers talk
- [06:03] — Commanders' offensive woes/coaching criticism
- [09:00] — Peter on Jaden Daniels’ mentality post-loss
- [09:40] — Shifting focus: Jets’ and Giants’ trajectory
- [14:15] — Don says Jets deserved Week 1 win
- [18:04] — Opening drive optimism: Jets look different
- [22:40] — Alan: Giants can attack depleted Dallas secondary
- [28:46] — The psychological meaning of going 0-2
- [36:31] — Caller segment: Should Giants start rookie QB?
- [41:41] — Show banter: music choices & DJ ego
- [47:03] — Alan: “That's no way to run a franchise.” (re: QB debate)
Tone & Atmosphere
The show exudes the typical blend of sports-radio camaraderie and frustration, laced with humor, candidness, and classic caller engagement. The hosts remain honest (sometimes brutally), balancing sharp analysis with self-deprecating wit and relatable fan exasperation.
Summary for the Uninitiated
If you missed this episode:
Don, Hahn & Rosenberg dissected the precarious hopes of Jets and Giants fans as Week 2 approaches, with plenty of focus on quarterback drama, tensions between fan desires and sound team management, and the differences between “good losses” and organizational dysfunction. The trio peppers high-level football talk with relatable New York sports banter, providing a cathartic yet insightful listen for diehards and casual observers alike.