The Dan Patrick Show — Hour 2: "Who’s in Trouble Week 2, Herm Edwards"

Date: September 12, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick
Notable Guest: Herm Edwards (ESPN analyst, former NFL/CD coach)

Episode Overview

In this lively, sports-packed hour, Dan Patrick and the Danettes examine NFL teams facing early-season adversity, discuss the gravity of Week 2 “must win” scenarios, and reminisce about forgotten sports greats. The highlight is an energetic, insightful interview with Herm Edwards, who shares coaching wisdom, gridiron stories, and strong takes on emerging teams. The episode mixes NFL analysis, fan interaction, and plenty of laughs in the show’s signature style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

NFL Teams in Trouble Heading Into Week 2

• Green Bay & NFC Power Shifts (04:10–08:50)

  • Dan analyzes the unpredictability of NFL team performance year-over-year, noting that teams who were favorites can quickly regress due to coordinator departures or unexpected roster moves.
  • Quote: “There’s always one of those five or six teams that falls out... you never see it coming. It happens every year.” — Dan (05:30)
  • Green Bay’s dominant performance in Week 1 against Detroit sparks discussion about whether they’re the new NFC North frontrunner, particularly with Detroit losing both coordinators.

• Washington Commanders’ Outlook (08:50–12:20)

  • Dan expresses skepticism about Washington’s outlook after “fluky” wins the previous year and key departures (Brian Robinson trade, Austin Ekeler injury).
  • Examining their tough first-half schedule, the panel concludes the Commanders could be facing a slide.
  • Quote: “You could have two or three more losses in there... every weekend there’s a surprise.” — Dan (11:55)

Poll Question, NFL Stat Banter, and Mike Trout Memory Lane

• Poll Results: Who’s Most ‘Dude’ Right Now? (13:00–14:30)

  • Green Bay Packers lead with 64% as the “dude” of the week after their strong showing.

• NFL Stats & Playful Cheating Accusations (14:30–17:10)

  • The Danettes trade trivia about Green Bay’s tight ends and RB touchdown streaks.
  • Fun moment as Paulie correctly answers a trivia question, sparking joking accusations of cheating.

• Mike Trout: An Unfulfilled Baseball Legend (17:10–24:00)

  • The team laments Mike Trout’s lack of postseason presence despite a Hall of Fame resume, comparing him to other great athletes whose teams underachieved.
  • Quote: “In ten years, someone’s gonna say, ‘You know, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout were on the same team... what’d they do? Nothing.’” — Marvin (21:10)
  • They struggle to find a comparable athlete, with Barry Sanders as the closest but not quite analogous.

Listener Calls: Jerseys & Retail Oddities

• Memorable Fan Calls (24:00–30:50)
  • Jared in Ohio pushes for a return to the Steelers’ bumblebee jerseys, citing Big Ben’s huge game stats.
  • Duke in Boise thanks a ‘gypsy wind spell’ for Seattle’s win streak and is shocked JCPenney still sponsors NFL postgame shows.
  • The panel riff on department store nostalgia, circling Christmas wish lists, and the endurance of retail brands.

Herm Edwards Interview (31:15–50:00)

Iconic “You Play to Win the Game” Origin Story (31:20)

• Herm recounts how his famous line was delivered in frustration during a losing streak, only to have team captain Chad Pennington say later, "Coach, we heard what you said." The team turned the season around, winning the division.
• Quote: “It just came out... I didn’t mean it for that, but I just meant it like, hey, man, we’re trying to win a game.” — Herm (32:20)

Must-Win Games in Week 2 & Quarterback Dilemmas (33:10)

• Herm and Dan debate whether Week 2 can really be 'must win,' especially for teams like Miami and the Giants.
• Herm predicts if the Giants go 1-3, a QB switch is imminent — drawing a parallel to his own career when he replaced Vinny Testaverde with Chad Pennington midseason.
• Discusses the risks and readiness of playing rookie quarterbacks.
  • Quote: “If you draft a guy where you think he’s going to crack under pressure, you drafted the wrong guy.” — Herm (36:10)
  • Herm emphasizes telling his defense to expect mistakes from young QBs and be ready to bail them out: “He’s gonna throw the ball to the bad guys... hold them to a field goal.” (38:10)

Quarterback Toughness & Avoiding Injury (39:00)

• Why do QBs like Jordan Love take unnecessary hits early in the season? Herm stresses the importance of self-preservation: “You play to play another play.” (40:20)

When You Know Your Real Team Identity (41:00)

• Herm believes you only truly know your team after four games; then the job is adjusting to your personnel's real strengths: “We’re stuck with these players. These players are stuck with us. So how do we fix it?” (42:00)

Packers vs. Eagles and Defensive Dominance (42:30)

• Herm picks the Packers over the Eagles if they played today, calling out Green Bay’s defense and the game-changing ability of Micah Parsons.
• Quote: “They let him [Parsons] use the number... now they’ve gone from a 45 sack team to a 60+ sack team... He can wreck the game.” — Herm (44:20)
• Compares Parsons’ impact to Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White, sharing stories about facing LT: “He screams, ‘Charles, I’m coming to get you!’... Oh boy, this is not good. 56 is mad.” (46:45)

Commanders’ Struggles & Jaden Daniels (47:40)

• Herm breaks down why the Commanders couldn’t unleash Jaden Daniels, crediting Green Bay’s scheme and physicality for “bottling him up.”

Awesome NFL Tales (48:50)

• Herm shares a treasured memory: his first career interception was against Joe Namath, and he still has the ball.

Additional Fan Calls and Show Banter

• Commanders Fan James (51:15): Despite a tough loss, praises Green Bay’s defense and Parsons, optimistic about bounce-back vs. the Raiders.
• Matthew Stafford/Mike Trout Comparison (53:00): Debate over whether Stafford before LA was close to Trout — Dan says not close: “Stafford wasn’t the best quarterback... Mike Trout was the best player in the game for years.”

Playful “Sliding Into the Weekend” Segment (55:00)

• The Danettes discuss college football games and entertain a humorous idea of “Running with the Bulls” in the studio if USF jumps into top 10, revealing their irreverent team chemistry.

Leadership on Teams: Is It the QB’s Team? (59:00)

• Richard in Tucson asks whether the Packers are Micah Parsons’ or Jordan Love’s team. Dan says it “better be” Love’s, as the best teams are led by their QBs.

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Dan Patrick on NFL Surprises:
  “There’s always one of those five or six teams that falls out... you never see it coming.” (05:30)

• Marvin on Trout/Ohtani:
  “In ten years, someone’s gonna say, ‘You know, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout were on the same team... what’d they do? Nothing.’” (21:10)

• Herm Edwards on Young QBs:
  “If you draft a guy where you think he’s going to crack under pressure, you drafted the wrong guy.” (36:10)

• Herm Edwards on Defensive Leaders:
  “They let him [Parsons] use the number... now they’ve gone from a 45 sack team to a 60+ sack team with that guy number one. They’re a totally different defense now.” (44:20)

Memorable Moments

• Herm Edwards’ story behind “You play to win the game” (31:15): How a press conference soundbite rallied a struggling team and stuck with him for decades.

• Retail nostalgia tangent: The Danettes reminisce about the Sears and JCPenney catalogs, bringing out ’80s and ’90s holiday memories (27:30).

• Playful in-studio dynamic: Frequent ribbing and inside jokes (e.g., about poll results, “cheating” on trivia, and running of the bulls).

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Green Bay & NFC analysis: 04:10–08:50
• Commanders season forecast: 08:50–12:20
• Poll & stat fun: 13:00–17:10
• Mike Trout career talk: 17:10–24:00
• Fan calls on uniforms/retail: 24:00–30:50
• Herm Edwards Interview: 31:15–50:00
• Commanders fan reaction: 51:15–52:30
• Stafford/Trout debate: 53:00–54:00
• Playful college football bets: 55:00–57:30
• Packers’ team leadership question: 59:00–60:00

Summary

Hour 2 of The Dan Patrick Show blends sharp NFL insight with unforgettable sports anecdotes, anchored by a lively Herm Edwards interview that’s both inspiring and practical. The lighthearted but informed tone — full of camaraderie, pop culture asides, and audience calls — makes the discussions on team identity, emerging stars, and fading legends accessible and memorable for any sports fan.