The Herd with Colin Cowherd

"What's Wright" - NFL Week 2 Predictions: Eagles-Chiefs REMATCH, Commanders-Packers, Bucs-Texans | Nick Wright

Air Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Nick Wright (with Damanze)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, opinionated NFL Week 2 preview centered on the biggest matchups and storylines—most notably, the high-stakes Super Bowl rematch between the Eagles and Chiefs. Nick dives into NFL inconsistencies, reacts to controversial league decisions, and provides candid analysis of several upcoming games, including Commanders-Packers and Bucs-Texans. The tone is direct, sharp, and often humorous, with Nick blending statistical insights, historical context, and his usual Chiefs fandom.

Main Themes & Purpose

• Preview and predictions for NFL Week 2’s key games, focusing on Eagles vs. Chiefs.
• Critique of the NFL’s handling of player suspensions and officiating consistency.
• Assessment of recent team performances and what they mean for Week 2.
• Honest, behind-the-scenes look at Nick Wright’s media persona and personal bets.
• Broader commentary on NFL narratives and team trajectories, with a distinctive focus on contenders’ adversity and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Suspension Controversy & League Inconsistencies

Timestamps: 02:12–09:36

• Jalen Carter “Non-Suspension”
  Nick sharply criticizes the NFL’s handling of the Jalen Carter incident, highlighting a bizarre league statement:

  “Philadelphia's Jalen Carter has been suspended by the commissioner for one game. However, his suspension will be considered served and he will be eligible to play in Week 2.” (03:53)
  He argues the decision is a “farce,” and warns that if reversed between teams (e.g., Chris Jones with the Chiefs), there would be media outrage: “If Chris Jones had ... then the NFL said Chris Jones is suspended and it is the first suspension ever where he'll play the week he's suspended...the articles and tweets...would be through the roof. And everyone knows it.” (06:26)

• On NFL and Refs Favoring Teams
  Nick insists bad officiating isn't targeted:

  “It is not for one team versus another. The league office at times is not all that consistent. The referees are consistently inconsistent.” (08:47)
  He calls out conspiracy theories about league favoritism, especially around the Chiefs.

2. Social Media & Betting Antics

Timestamps: 09:36–15:04

• Nick and Damanze discuss a social media joke where Damanze pretended to sell betting picks for $100–$200. Nick uses this moment to discuss the ethics of selling picks, stressing Whyte’s free offerings:

  “If you have a corporation paying you, then also trying to ... get a little extra money... I'm not into.” (12:43)

3. Eagles vs. Chiefs: Super Bowl Rematch Preview

Timestamps: 19:03–31:33

Game Analysis:

• Chiefs Outlook:
  Nick: “I do not think Kansas City is going to get blown out. In fact, spoiler alert, don't think Kansas City is going to lose. Chiefs being home dogs with Patrick healthy is a slap in the face.” (19:24)

• Eagles Outlook:
  “Philly did not look overwhelming in week one... Philly looked fine, but they looked kind of lucky... they still moved the ball. Jalen was brilliant scrambling.” (19:24, 21:11)

• Chiefs Concerns:
  "The overall pass defense for Kansas City looked concerning. Will Philadelphia take advantage of it?" (21:18)

• Matching Up:
  Nick highlights O-line/D-line changes from the Super Bowl, pointing to Jalen Carter’s impact:

  “Now they still do have Jalen Carter. As we talked about, he is suspended for this game, but he's playing in this game.” (22:47)

• On Chiefs Early Adversity:
  Nick recalls previous Chiefs' slow starts:

  “In 2021, the Chiefs started 3 and 4... In 2023 ... they lost five out of eight, and then they won the Super Bowl.” (24:29)

• Overall Message:
  “The idea that they've never had ... regular season adversity ... it’s just flatly inaccurate ... The baseline is so high...” (25:24)

• Notable Quote:

  “If they get manhandled by an Eagles team that I don't think is as good as last year's Eagles team, it is time for real concern—not panic, but concern.” (26:46)

• On Cross-Conference Rivalries:
  Nick dismisses any true rivalry significance for Super Bowl rematch regular season games:

  “I simply don't believe in cross conference rivalries in the NFL ... the Eagles would have to get there [again], as the Chiefs would have to get there, obviously.” (29:23)

4. Commanders-Packers: Which Team Is For Real?

Timestamps: 38:40–45:34

Green Bay Packers:

• Nick is “really impressed” by Green Bay’s Week 1:

  “The Packers are now in a spot where they don't need Jordan Love to be magical... They just need him to avoid the ‘what are you doing Jordan?’ moments.” (39:23)

Washington Commanders:

• He admits to not closely re-watching the Commanders-Giants game but is intrigued by their new running game:

  “If Washington has a legitimate non-Jaden Daniels run game with Ja Crosky Merritt ... that raises their ceiling.” (41:16)

• Fun moment:

  “His first name is Jacori. ... but he is ... Call me Bill. That’s true.” (41:41)

Defensive Take:

• Unsure if Washington’s dominant D was them being good or the Giants being bad:

  “Was that about, ‘oh man, Washington’s defense is better than we expected’? Or was that about the Giants offense is DOA?” (43:32)

Conclusion:

• Thinks Green Bay has the higher ceiling, a “real threat to come out of the conference.” (45:34)

5. Bucs-Texans: Houston Offense in Trouble?

Timestamps: 45:57–50:48

• Nick is skeptical of Houston’s offense, highlighting declining CJ Stroud stats:

  “Since week two of last year he is, I think, 17 touchdowns to 13 picks and the team has a losing record. That's ... a large sample ... not really cooking.” (46:31)

• Bucs Upside:

  “If Baker cooks this Texans defense then ... start the Baker Mayfield can win league MVP hype train.” (47:26)

• Praises Houston’s defense but sees a big test for both teams.

6. Quick Hitters: Ravens, Bengals, Jaguars, Niners

Timestamps: 50:48–59:07

Ravens vs Bengals

• Ravens “looked for 55 minutes like the best team of the weekend by a mile.” (51:09)
• Bengals “looked awful at everything... That was as bad of a win as a team will ever have.” (52:23)
• Nick is highly concerned about Cincinnati’s playoff chances.

On QB Faith:

• “I did not write off Bryce Young on Tuesday. I wrote off Bryce Young years ago.” (54:30)
• Still believes in Trevor Lawrence: “There is proof of concept with Trevor ... my Trevor faith is going to be vindicated.” (55:27)

49ers Injuries & Soft Schedule:

• “At some point your easy schedule flips to ... you become the easy part of someone else's schedule ... I don't know how the Niners, like at some point we've got to have a long talk about their strength and conditioning team.” (56:15)
• Blames persistent soft-tissue injuries and worries about their ceiling with key absences.

Bad Injury Luck:

• Nick: “The Chargers historically have dealt with some really bad ones, but the Niners ... have just year after year after year had a lot of injuries.” (58:44)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On NFL Double Standards:

  “If Chris Jones ... the NFL said Chris Jones is suspended and it is the first suspension ever where he'll play the week he's suspended ... the articles and tweets ... would be through the roof.” (06:26)

• On Social Media Betting Scams:

  “Our reputations are too closely tied together for you to make that type of joke and have it be open to misinterpretation.” (11:19)

• On Both Chiefs and Eagles Week 1:

  “Nobody on the Chiefs or the Eagles outside of their quarterback should feel great about week one.” (28:01)

• On Packers Ascension Post-Micah Parsons Trade:

  “They get Micah Parsons ... I think that team is incredibly dangerous.” (40:48)

• On Baker Mayfield’s Hype:

  “If Baker goes into Houston and puts up a big number then ... I will keep the hype train going on Tampa potentially having the league's best offense.” (47:40)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• NFL Suspension Commentary: 02:12–09:36
• Eagles vs. Chiefs Deep Dive: 19:03–31:33
• Commanders vs. Packers Preview: 38:40–45:34
• Texans Offensive Troubles & Bucs Hype: 45:57–50:48
• Ravens & Bengals Alarm Bells: 50:48–54:19
• QB Judgment: Lawrence, Bryce, Caleb: 54:19–56:00
• 49ers Injury Concerns: 56:00–59:07

Final Thoughts

Nick balances critical takes with enthusiasm, humor, and honesty about his own biases and the volatility of early NFL results. The episode provides sharp game analysis with league-wide context—themes of adversity, media narratives, and organizational competence run throughout.

Listen If...

• You want sharp, candid NFL Week 2 predictions and analysis.
• You're curious about the Chiefs/Eagles Super Bowl rematch and both teams’ flaws.
• You enjoy Nick Wright’s blend of stats, sarcasm, and memory for NFL history.
• You're invested in narratives around QB evaluations, injuries, and sudden NFL swings.