The Herd with Colin Cowherd THE HERD - Hour 2 - The top of the AFC East, Drake Maye and the Patriots might be closer than you think, Julian Edelman
Dec 17, 2025
Former NFL wide receiver Julian Edelman joins to dissect the current state of the AFC East. He shares insights on the youthful maturation of the Patriots and their struggles in the red zone. Edelman highlights the impressive rise of the Texans' defense and reflects on facing dominant opponents like the Ravens. The conversation also dives into leadership dynamics in locker rooms, the importance of turnovers for playoff success, and the teams to watch as Super Bowl contenders.
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NFL Is A League Built On Hope
- The NFL's draft and eligibility rules make it a league of hope because teams get more mature, NFL-ready quarterbacks out of college.
- Colin Cowherd argues this creates frequent rapid turnarounds where one quarterback can change a franchise's trajectory in months.
Fix Red Area Defense First
- Julian Edelman says the Patriots remain a young team and must fix red-area defense to progress.
- He expects improvement when injured players like Milton Williams return and the offensive line heals.
Leadership Prevents Locker-Room Disruption
- Strong organizational structure (owner, front office, coach) neutralizes diva behavior and locker-room disruption.
- Edelman emphasizes that high-character leaders set the tone so one star can't undermine the team.