The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hour 2, October 3, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose:
This episode delivers Colin’s weekly “Blazin’ 5” NFL picks, dives into the aftermath of the Rams’ loss, and features an insightful football discussion with special guest, Patriots great Julian Edelman. Key topics include ball security, QB development, coaching transitions, and emerging NFL narratives.

1. Colin Cowherd’s Blazin’ 5: NFL Picks & Analysis

(Starts at 04:12)

Colin reveals and details his five best NFL bets for the week, emphasizing why he picks each side. This year, he’s incorporated more props and over/under plays based on listener trends.

Picks Breakdown:

• Colts - Raiders at Colts
  • Colts to win and cover.
  • “They lead the NFL in yards per play. … O-line gives a run game and Daniel Jones plenty of space.” (04:19)
• Jets +3 vs. Cowboys
  • “I like the Jets. … Dallas in three straight games has allowed 30+ points. Probably the worst defense in the league.” (05:12)
• Broncos +3.5 at Eagles
  • “Sean Payton ranked second—October win percentage in the Super Bowl era behind only John Madden.” Points to Denver’s strong OL/DL play and Philly’s offensive issues. (05:36)
• Seahawks -3 vs. Buccaneers
  • “Seattle: second best point differential in the NFL, second least penalized team. They don’t beat themselves.” Also mentions Tampa’s injuries and turnover issues. (06:29)
• Titans-Cardinals over 41.5
  • “Neither team pressures the quarterback so Cam Ward and Kyler are gonna have time. … I think we have a blowout on the horizon. Cardinals win it 31–13. Take the over.” (07:36)

2. Julian Edelman Joins: On Ball Security & Patriots Mentality

(Starts at 09:23)

On Patriots’ Legendary Ball Security:

• Edelman explains how New England treated ball security as a fundamental philosophy:
  • “We used to have a motto: ‘Ball security is job security’.” (09:23)
  • Describes rigorous daily drills and film cut-ups of ball-hawking defenses:
    • “Bill would literally … tell you, if you carry the ball in your hands, you’re carrying the fate of the whole organization…” (09:31)
  • “I could still remember the three times that I fumbled because it was such an important thing.” (10:28)

3. Quarterback Spotlight: Mac Jones, Drake Maye, and Aaron Rodgers

(11:02–17:22)

Mac Jones’ Rebound Performance

• Edelman praises Jones’s growth and resilience:
  • “He’s three and 0—this is a heck of a start for the San Francisco 49ers. … Mac Jones, he’s shown that he’s resurging from it.” (11:27)
  • "We’ve seen Mac Jones play good football … but he’s obviously matured over these last couple years because he looks like a different player." (11:49)

Drake Maye’s Early Progress in New England

• Colin and Julian assess Maye’s potential:
  • “They found a guy they think can become the franchise guy … still super early in the evaluation process.” (12:52)
  • Emphasizes importance of mistake-free football against Buffalo:
    • “This is the ultimate test when you gotta go play the big brother in the division … they’re going to have to play sound football. … He’s still a baby.” (13:30–14:41)

Aaron Rodgers: Efficient Game-Manager or Too Conservative?

• Colin defends Rodgers' “low grade” by PFF and says Rodgers is simply optimizing based on a dominant defense:
  • “People think Aaron’s being conservative. My take is, no, he’s being smart.” (14:41)
• Edelman agrees:
  • “This is what you signed up for … He’s actually moved around a lot better than he has in the last couple years too.” (15:41)
  • “Rodgers has forgotten more football than probably 70% of these quarterbacks.” (15:51)

4. The Coordinator Factor: Why the Eagles Offense is Struggling

(17:22–20:09)

• Colin notes that Nick Sirianni relies heavily on his offensive coordinators and that swapping the OC has changed the trajectory of Philly’s attack.
• Edelman reflects on the adjustment period for new coordinators:
  • “Last year at this point we thought the … Eagles were not going to make the playoffs … They weren’t playing good until that bye week came.” (18:09)
  • “It’s a little too early to say that they’re just broken on offense … they’re still collecting wins when they’re not playing their best.” (19:05)
• Edelman anticipates the Eagles will adjust, especially with playmakers like A.J. Brown:
  • “A good offense coordinator, they’ll start moving AJ around, trying to get him the ball early to get them happy because you gotta keep 'em happy.” (19:51)

5. Chiefs’ Offensive Transformation: The Xavier Worthy Effect

(20:09–22:07)

• Colin notes the impact of adding a true speedster, comparing the Chiefs with and without Xavier Worthy.
• Edelman breaks it down:
  • “It makes the offense have to defend every blade of grass, and that’s what speed does.” (20:50)
  • “It’s a huge addition … the speed, it opens up the offense,” and forecasts even better results as more weapons return. (21:56–22:07)

6. Edelman on Patriots Hall of Fame Induction

(22:07–23:40)

• Edelman describes his induction as “an absolute, unbelievable honor”:
  • “To say back in my rookie year when I was changing positions from quarterback to receiver that I’d be in the Patriots Hall of Fame … It’s pretty surreal.” (22:21)
  • Reflects on football as a family sacrifice:
    • “It’s ultimately an award for them, for them being in my corner through the highs and the lows.” (22:50)

7. NFL News Breakdown: Key Injuries, Matchups, and Officiating

(29:30–39:23)

Ravens Hit by Injuries

• Discussion on the impact of the Ravens’ injury bug and how it changes lines and expectations.
  • Mark Andrews: “Everybody here in this organization … We’re all fighters. … No quit in this group, and I’m excited to show the world that.” (30:05)

Chargers-Commanders Preview

• Focus on missing key players, especially WR Terry McLaurin, and what that means for Washington’s offense and the game’s swing potential.

Padres-Cubs Umpiring Controversy

• Colin and co-host discuss a pivotal blown call, the evolution of officiating, and the push for electronic strike zones in MLB:
  • “I think most umpires are great … these games go fast … it’s just harder to officiate.” (37:19)
  • “I would over … if you could just use cameras and chips, I would. In football.” (39:03)

8. Bill Belichick’s Struggles at Carolina: Coaching at College vs. NFL

(43:52–49:29)

• Colin explains why Belichick’s transition to college has been “nothing short of a disaster,” attributing it to a poor understanding of the transfer portal, NIL money, and the unique personality/work needed at the college level.
  • “He’s not a butt kisser. … It’s kind of that New Jersey rough personality. And that’s fine, but that’s a pro personality.” (43:52–46:10)
• Offers insight on why some NFL coaches could (or could not) adapt to college (positive on Rex Ryan, Jon Gruden, Mike Tomlin; negative on Bill Parcells, Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan).
• Revisits Mac Jones’s journey, reputation, and growth as a leader.

9. Rams-Niners Recap & Sean McVay’s Playcalling Admission

(49:39–52:02)

• Colin highlights the Niners’ crucial win amidst a soft upcoming schedule.
• McVay takes accountability for a key fourth-down failure in overtime:
  • “It was a bad call by me. It was a poor decision by me right there. In hindsight, I wish I would have...” (49:47)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Ball security is job security.” — Julian Edelman (09:23)
• “Rodgers has forgotten more football than probably 70% of these quarterbacks.” — Edelman (15:51)
• “Bill Belichick … not built for college football. He never had any interest in it.” — Colin Cowherd (46:00)

Key Timestamps

• 04:12 – Start of Blazin’ 5 picks
• 09:23 – Julian Edelman on Patriots ball security drills
• 12:52 – Discussion of Drake Maye’s development
• 15:41 – Colin/Edelman on Aaron Rodgers’ approach
• 18:09 – Eagles coordinator/coaching talk
• 22:21 – Edelman on Patriots Hall of Fame induction
• 29:30 – NFL News: Ravens injuries, Chargers-Commanders preview, Padres-Cubs umpiring incident
• 43:52 – Colin breaks down Belichick’s Carolina failure
• 49:39 – Rams-Niners recap and Sean McVay’s self-critique

Overall Tone & Takeaways:
The episode balances sharp football analysis, betting angles, and behind-the-scenes cultural insights from both Colin’s wit and Edelman’s locker-room authenticity. It’s rich in storytelling, straightforward but generous with technical and emotional context for every fan level.

(Episode ends at 54:21)