Football America!

What in the ever-living hell just happened? Our best guess is we’ll look back on this week as the wildest week of the 2026 season. Think about it: Baker Mayfield won a game against his arch-nemesis Kevin Stefanski without completing a single pass. That’s the first time a team has blanked a team solely on the ground since the Steelers beat the Bears in 1945. Then Gardner Minshew II pulled up like Aragorn in jorts to beat the Cowboys in Texas. Somewhere Mike Leach is smiling down from above. And we haven’t even gotten to the Ravens dying in Buffalo, the Broncos outsmarting Andy Reid at the goal line, and the Lions pulling out some Canadian Football League moves to beat the Vikings. Absolute bonkers week. Ten-Day Tony and our NIL signee Nick Kostos are here to get it all on record.

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Could the Ravens fall to .500? With Josh Allen boasting a flawless career record following a bye week, a Bills victory might just put Buffalo in the driver’s seat for the AFC's #1 seed. We break down the playoff implications and preview the biggest matchups of the week, including heavyweight clashes between the Broncos and Chiefs, and the Vikings and Lions. Later, former NFL wide receiver Andrew Hawkins drops by to talk all things Browns and Steelers. We dive into why the battle for control of the AFC North is the most fiercely contested it’s been in years.

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Are we watching the NFL's Michael Jordan? We dive into Caleb Williams harnessing MJ-level pettiness and debate if this 2024 QB class—with J.J. McCarthy also rolling—is actually destined to eclipse the legendary class of ’83. Plus, we unpack all the Week 7 fallout from our Winner Stand games: the Lions defending the Motor City against Green Bay, the Chiefs showing their true colors against Seattle, and Cincinnati’s offense absolutely exploding on Baltimore. After raising a glass to the week's most spectacular uniform matchups, Nick Kostos drops in to break down why the undefeated Vikings are the league's most disrespected team since the 2021 Cardinals. Finally, we cap things off with a hilarious detour into Doug Flutie’s relentless history of shilling for late-night boner meds.

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Sports Illustrated's Connor Orr joins the show to unpack a chaotic week of NFL action. We start in the AFC North to debate Lamar Jackson's injury status and Joe Burrow's superhuman pace against a hostile Ravens defense. The slate also takes us overseas to Paris, where the Steelers face the Saints amidst intense citywide protests, before returning stateside to preview the Rams taking on Los Angeles' true favorite team—the Raiders—in Vegas. Finally, we break down why Jordan Love is primed to torch a permeable Lions secondary for 400 yards and end the show investigating the broadcast booth drama currently unfolding between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

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What a crazy weekend it was in college football and the NFL! Dave, Ethan, and Gino are joined by Nick Kostos of the You Better You Bet podcast to break it all down. Where do the Philadelphia Eagles go from here, with quarterback Jalen Hurts missing the rest of the season with blood clots in his lungs? How was he allowed to play in London in the first place? The gang also discusses which teams are most likely to make it to Conference Championship Sunday, and which team will emerge from the wreckage in the NFC East. Plus, the Jaguars/Texans played a great game in London, the Steelers outlasted the Bucs in OT, and it seems like the NFL has figured out the Dallas Cowboys. Also, Ethan argues that all the chaos in the SEC this weekend is the exact reason people say it is the best conference in college football.

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Mike Ryan Ruiz joins the show to talk Cleveland and college sports. We dive straight into the high-stakes Ohio State vs. Indiana showdown. If the Buckeyes lose, will their perception actually improve like Alabama's did against Georgia? Plus, we question how LSU is still ranked and expose the sheer madness of the College FPI—imagine if it put the Chargers and Texans in the NFL playoffs! We also count down our three can't-miss games for Week 6. To wrap it all up, we hit the Las Vegas Raiders with a reality check.

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On this episode of Football America, Todd Haley and Jarrett Bailey from The Pump Fake Podcast join to spill tea on his attempt to bring Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley to the Cleveland Browns. We debate whether the Jacksonville Jaguars are legit and marvel at Cam Little’s leg cannon. We also examine why Micah Parsons is Green Bay's missing Super Bowl link and dissect the controversial call that saved San Francisco against Seattle. Finally, we highlight Caleb Williams' upcoming return to Chicago, point out signs of life in the Bengals' run game, and question why skill players (READ: Cam Skattebo) aren't forced to wear sticky gloves.

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Nick Kostos joins the show as we break down all the chaotic storylines heading into Week 5 of the NFL. Is this sudden wave of player injuries a genuine crisis or just the annual media narrative? Are two AFC West offensive coordinators on the absolute hottest seats? Over in the NFC North, the Chicago Bears sit at an unexpected 2-0 without Caleb Williams, gearing up for a high-stakes statement game against their arch-rival Packers. Meanwhile, Philadelphia is reeling after Lane Johnson’s sudden mid-week retirement stripped the Eagles of their offensive Jenga piece. Finally, we ask if the 3-1 defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks are somehow flying under the radar as the quietest frontrunners in recent memory.

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One month into the NFL season, the league has officially turned into a fever dream. From an instant-classic shootout between Kansas City and Las Vegas to the Dolphins miraculously covering the spread for the first time all year, no leads—or storylines—are safe. We break down whether Dallas is crazy enough to let George Pickens walk while CeeDee Lamb dominates as the clear-cut No. 1, and detail how New England pulled off a staggering comeback to keep the Bills from putting the AFC East on ice in October. Plus, with seat heat rising fast, we ask the million-dollar question: Is Mike McDaniel’s time in LA running out? To wrap it all up, NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein stops by to drop high-stakes knowledge on everything happening with the Houston Texans.

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It is only Week 4 in the National Football League but we already have some season-defining showdowns on tap this weekend. Can the Dallas Cowboys break through against the Houston Texans as the former AFC South favorites try and avoid falling to 0-4? Can either the Los Angeles Chargers or Rams come away with a win this weekend to ignite their seasons? How do the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos match up as possible Super Bowl contenders in their respective leagues? Plus, Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow face-off in a rematch of the 2020 National Championship Game to see where they stack up with each other, and where their teams measure up in the AFC race. We've also got our Week 4 selections for Picks Picks Picks, our Stress-Free Sunday picks, and Arif Hasan of Wide Left Football joins us to discuss which teams need a win the most in this pivotal Week 4.

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JJ McCarthy is a Giant, Deshaun Watson is actually popular in Cleveland, and Week 3 delivered absolute mayhem. We’re breaking down all the fallout with a stacked lineup of guests. Fox Sports’ Carmen Vitali joins to set the record straight on the Bears—including the real reason Soldier Field uses a cart to transport injured players. Then, Geoff Schwartz calls out USC for living in the past and blasts them for celebrating while Dante Moore was motionless on the field. Plus, we dismantle the latest AP poll and explain why its mix of bias and power ranking logic makes no sense.

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It’s Episode 85—or as Chad himself would call it, the Ochocinco show. NFL analyst Ross Tucker stops by to explain why Chad Johnson is criminally underappreciated, while also breaking down why Matthew Stafford deserves way more respect. Then, Tony Calatayud explains why Brock Purdy has been an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses since day one. Plus, we break down a high-stakes week for LA: the Chargers desperately need a win, and the Rams need to put an end to a painful era. Finally, we head south to Brazil, where the Ravens and Cowboys better check their footwear before stepping onto the wildly questionable turf at the Maracanã.

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A cataclysmic Week 2 is in the books, and we’re breaking down all the fallout—from Ja'Marr Chase's mind-bending catch to why the Trinidad Chambliss "too old as a rookie" narrative at 25 makes zero sense. We update the season-long Picks battle before bringing on L.A. Rams play-by-play caller JB Long to break down Aaron Donald's return, whether Puka Nacua is the ultimate Jenga piece to this offense, and why L.A.'s Melbourne trip feels like ancient history. Plus, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are playing at their absolute peaks, but can either finally lift a Lombardi?

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Sixty minutes are in the books, and the NFL landscape is already pure chaos! Are the Jets and Giants both actually competent? Is it time to panic about the vaunted Texans defense after giving up 36 points to Josh Allen and the Bills? Plus, we dig into Bill Belichick’s second chapter at UNC, the Patriots’ continued struggles, the sleep-drunk Rams, and the total power outages plaguing the Chargers’ offense. To make sense of the opening-week fallout, our friend Ten Day Tony joins our show along with the great Gregg Rosenthal (that’s Gregg with three Gs).

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Football is back, which means it’s officially time to panic over sample sizes of one! Mike Ryan Ruiz and Tony Calatayud swing by to publicly recant the terrible Week 1 takes they immediately regret. We ask the tough questions: Are the Rams and Chargers cooked, or just sleeping in? Tony breaks down why the Giants are complete, unadulterated fool's gold, and we roast the Steelers for somehow making a victory look like a mid-afternoon snoozefest. Finally, comedian Brad Williams joins us live from inside a Red Robin to preview Broncos vs. Chiefs—assuming his bottomless fries don't distract him first.
ALERT: Football America! Will be live every Monday this season at 12:45pm ET. Join us on YouTube. Drop into the comments. We'll weave them into the show.

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Football is back, and Dave kicks things off with a wild premise: why the modern NFL season is basically Homer’s Odyssey. Then, Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame stops by and brings the heat for Chiefs vs. Broncos. Matt breaks down why Patrick Mahomes is about to remind the world who reigns supreme, why Bo Nix’s mistakes will cost Denver dearly, and why this division rivalry is bound to come down to a single point. Finally, we lock in our game picks before we roast the J-E-T-S.

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We complete our climb up Mount Lombardi. The AFC and NFC West make their ascent. Can you predict the team that reached the summit? Then our friend Brandon Perna from That’s Good Sports joins the show to chat about life as a Broncos fan after a heartbreaking loss last season in the AFC Title game. He says it’s a weird experience as a fan. Ten-Day Tony also sits in to make sense of proper airplane etiquette.

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We’ve got one of the best voices in college football Jessica Smetana joining to talk about the 2026 season, zero week (whatever that is), the foolishness of preseason polls, and just how important eternal life is to her.

AND

We’re heading back to Mount Lombardi - which teams from the AFC and NFC South will survive the regular season to reach the rarified air of the playoffs?

10-Day Tony joins to look into the oblong crystal ball.

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Heed the Call's Dan Hanzus brings the view from New York! He explains why the Jets' Outlook at MetLife isn't as grim as advertised, truth-squads the biggest training camp storylines, and helps us figure out which sports teams fictional New Yorkers like Peter Parker would actually support. Stick around to the end when Tony Calatayud stops by to drop the spiciest take of the season.

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Who will summit Mount Lombardi this season? Football America! breaks down the NFC and AFC North. Go Long’s Ty Dunne provides the national view, while Tim Benz (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) dives deep on the Steelers. Dunne says the departure of Harbaugh and Tomlin allow their respective former teams to breathe and modernize. Benz breaks down why fans might be overly optimistic about the Steelers defense. Plus, are the Bengals are the most interesting team in the league this year? Or does Joe Burrow just need to retire and front an emo band?

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