The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Hour 1 Summary

Date: October 1, 2025
Topics Covered: Yankees postseason woes & clutch hitting, Dodgers’ bullpen problems, the Eagles’ offensive struggles, and notable NFL/college football updates.

Overview:

Hour 1 of today’s episode delivers Colin’s signature high-energy analysis of headline sports stories, with a primary focus on baseball’s postseason drama surrounding the Yankees and Dodgers. Colin and guest/co-host Jason McIntyre ("J. Mac") also dive into NFL narratives—especially concerns about the Eagles and injuries affecting the 49ers and Ravens. The episode features trademark Herd banter, data-driven opinions, and memorable metaphors.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Yankees’ Postseason Struggles: Clutch Hitting & Manager Decisions

Main Theme:
The Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox in game one was a classic case of second-guessing the manager; Colin argues that anger at Aaron Boone is misdirected—baseball playoffs come down to high-leverage moments and roster flaws, notably clutch hitting and bullpen depth.

Breakdown & Insights:

• Aaron Boone Under Fire:
  Yankee fans are "pinata-ing" Boone for late-game pitching decisions and lineup choices.
  “He didn’t start Jazz Chisholm or Ben Rice... but that’s gonna get second-guessed if you lose.” (Colin Cowherd, 03:07)
• Boone’s Rationale:
  Pulled Max Fried at ~100 pitches due to command issues, after laboring through high-pitch innings.

  “Aaron Boone travels with a team, he knows his team. And his take was he didn’t have great command… I want to get out of here.” (Colin Cowherd, 05:28)

• Game-Changing Moments:
  • Bullpen collapse in the 7th (Luke Weaver faltering).
  • “Historically weird” bottom of the ninth: Yankees loaded the bases but didn’t score, Aroldis Chapman struck out Giancarlo Stanton in a $325M at-bat.
• Statistical Context:
  Yankees used to be elite in RISP (runners in scoring position) but now sit 12th, chasing home runs instead.

  “From ‘96 to 2001… great team hitting with RISP… now they’re 12th, obsessed with the home run.” (Colin Cowherd, 19:23)

• Spending Philosophy:
  Debate on whether Yankees’ patient, methodical approach (keeping Cashman/Boone) is working versus other NY franchises’ chaos (Knicks, Giants, Jets).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps:

• “Baseball playoffs… come down to moments. One of those moments is in the seventh inning. Max Fried was really rolling, and people go, ‘Wow, how do you pull him?’ But he had a 24-pitch inning, a 20-pitch inning. Boone knows more than you or I do.” (Colin, 04:50)
• “No team’s ever loaded the bases bottom of the ninth and not scored at least one. That’s playoff baseball.” (Colin, 04:14)
• “The Yankees are a three-point shooting NBA team that doesn’t really defend.” (Colin, 13:43)

2. Dodgers’ Big Bats vs. Bullpen Problems

Main Theme:
The Dodgers rely on superstar hitting to overcome a consistently disastrous bullpen—an unsustainable formula as the playoffs progress.

Breakdown & Insights:

• Star Contributions:
  Massive first-inning home runs from Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez; Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman hit consistently.

  “Your stars, your money players delivered, you got solid starting pitching and the bullpen was awful. And that’s the Dodgers.” (Colin, 09:33)

• Bullpen Issues:
  Blew an 8-0 lead, bullpen required 59 pitches for three outs in the 8th.
• Grim Outlook:
  Dodgers likely to win their series due to talent and payroll, but their inability to close games with the bullpen leaves them vulnerable.

  “Dodger fans don’t trust the bullpen. The Dodgers’ bullpen doesn’t trust the bullpen.” (Colin, 08:22)

• Comparing to the Yankees:
  Dodgers have offense, speed, and flexibility—their “deficiency” is the bullpen. Yankees, on the other hand, lack clutch hitting and make poor use of high payroll.

3. Yankees’ Past vs. Present: Forgotten Small Ball

Main Theme:
Colin draws contrasts between the 1996–2001 championship Yankees—who excelled at situational hitting and baseball IQ—and the current roster, calling them “lopsided.”

Breakdown & Insights:

• “When they were dominating, Jeter wasn’t a big HR hitter. Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill—good starting pitching, hit with RISP, took extra bases.” (Colin, 19:32)
• Now, Yankees are 13th in HRs but obsessed with power; neglecting contact hitting and sacrifices, bottom of the league in strikeouts.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Offensive Crisis Under the Surface

Main Theme:
The Eagles are 4-0 but have serious offensive issues—A.J. Brown's involvement plummeted, defense regressed, and point differential warns of trouble.

Breakdown & Insights:

• A.J. Brown’s Discontent:
  Averaging just three catches and 38 yards over the last nine games.

  “Winning cures everything. There are exceptions… Last nine games, including the playoffs, they can’t get the ball to AJ Brown.” (Colin, 21:57)

• Offensive Predictability:
  Opponents now stacking the box, neutralizing Saquon Barkley, forcing Hurts to throw.
• Team Structure:
  Team chemistry balanced last year by winning and spreading the ball around; now, with adversity, underlying rifts emerge.
• Potential Drama:
  “The only thing that blows up a great, dominant roster is drama. And what’s the most dramatic position in the NFL? Wide receiver.” (Colin, 24:18)
• Brian Baldinger’s Analysis:

  “The thing about AJ is, his mentality is like an offensive tackle. He wants to obliterate the guy in front of him. If he doesn’t get that chance, that frustrates him.” (Baldinger, 23:07)

5. NFL Updates: 49ers Injuries, Ravens QB Woes, and Bears’ Shaky Progress

49ers Injury Watch – Thursday Night Football

• 49ers vs. Rams:
  Heavy injury concerns. Brock Purdy and key starters questionable; Rams now favored by 7.
• Rams’ Resurgence:
  “No question, for the next three years, this is going to be a Rams series.” (Colin, 26:15)
• 49ers Defensive Struggles:
  “If you’re not getting pressure… Matt Stafford will kill you.” (Jason McIntyre, 27:24)
• QB Play:
  "I'm not sure dinged-up Brock Purdy is better than Mac Jones right now." (Colin, 27:56)

Ravens QB Situation

• Lamar Jackson Out:
  Out 2–3 weeks. Drastic line move against Texans—Ravens go from favorites to underdogs.
• Shaduer Sanders’ Missed Opportunity:
  Baltimore wanted Shaduer in the draft; Jason says he’d be starting now over Cooper Rush if he’d joined.

Bears’ Winning Ugly

• Ben Johnson on Bears’ Run Game:

  “It was just a mess, man. I’m just not proud of what we put on tape.” (Ben Johnson, 31:59)

• Colin on Bears:
  “If you get four turnovers, three picks, you gotta win going away… That was a mess.” (Colin, 32:49)
• Upcoming Schedule:
  Despite preseason strength, the schedule is now “normal” rather than daunting with winnable games upcoming.

6. Aaron Rodgers “Underrated” by Metrics

Main Theme:
Colin defends Aaron Rodgers against PFF’s claims that he’s the lowest-graded QB—arguing he’s playing the smart, risk-averse "Chris Paul" role for a new team with a solid defense.

Key Points:

• PFF ranks Rodgers last due to lack of ‘big-time throws’ and air yards.
• Colin’s Rebuttal:

  “I’m going to defend Aaron Rodgers. He’s asked to be Chris Paul, not Steph Curry. He’s smart, he reads the room. I don’t need him to be a hero.” (Colin, 41:54)

• Smart game management over hero ball is what’s winning games.

7. Quarterback Maturity Matters

Main Theme:
Colin uses Shedeur Sanders’ NFL benching as a lesson in the importance of maturity, self-awareness, and fit for young QBs.

• “Sports is unusually cruel to young people. At quarterback, we need you to have the maturity of a 38 year old at 24.” (Colin, 48:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Every baseball fan, especially in New York, thinks they’re a combination of Earl Weaver, Billy Martin, Connie Mack, and Casey Stengel.” (Colin, 04:30)
• “The only teams that struck out more in baseball this year were the awful Rockies and the awful Angels.” (Colin, 13:19)
• “The Dodgers’ bullpen doesn’t trust the bullpen.” (Colin, 08:30)
• “AJ Brown’s mentality is like an offensive tackle.” (Brian Baldinger via Matt Jones, 23:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Yankees/Red Sox Postmortem: 02:34 – 06:34, 11:56 – 13:42, 19:21 – 21:57
• Dodgers Analysis: 06:34 – 11:56
• Eagles/A.J. Brown & Offense: 21:57 – 24:48
• Thursday Night Football & 49ers Injuries: 24:53 – 29:12
• Ravens & QB Depth (Including Shaduer Sanders): 29:14 – 31:13, 46:30 – 48:54
• Bears Game & Schedule: 31:58 – 36:14
• Aaron Rodgers & PFF Debate: 41:18 – 46:30
• Quarterback Maturity, Shedeur Sanders: 48:05 – 52:08

Tone & Style:

Colin maintains an opinionated, relatable, and conversational tone, blending sharp sports analysis with real-world analogies (“event nation,” Chris Paul vs. Steph Curry, NBA three-point teams vs. Yankees). Jason “J. Mac” McIntyre brings rapid-fire stats and fan perspective, especially on football.

In Summary

This episode exemplifies The Herd’s blend of rapid topical shifts and deep dives, focusing on how big-market MLB teams’ roster construction leads to repeated October heartbreak, why the patient Yankees may need a shake-up, and how NFL contenders are being quietly undone by mismatched priorities or injury luck. Colin and J. Mac pepper the show with both data and sharp wit, making Hour 1 a must-listen for sports fans needing both the headlines and the story behind them.