
Final Season Predictions for EVERY TEAM (with Super Bowl LXI Picks) + Seahawks-Patriots Preview
About this episode
Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler & Conor Orr are back for our final show before the football starts to unveil our season predictions: records for every team in every division, playoff seedings and results, end-of-season awards, and finally, our Super Bowl LXI picks. But before all that, we open the show previewing the opening game rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
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0:00 Season Predictions Day!
3:49 Patriots @ Seahawks Preview
23:50 AFC East Predictions
27:49 AFC North Predictions
30:45 AFC South Predictions
35:34 AFC West Predictions
37:42 NFC East Predictions
43:55 NFC North Predictions
46:16 NFC South Predictions
47:57 NFC West Predictions
57:17 End of Season Awards
1:00:13 AFC Playoffs
1:01:58 NFC Playoffs
1:04:06 Super Bowl LXI Picks
1:09:27 Wrap Up
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Heed the Call NFL Podcast with Dan Hanzus & Marc Sessler — Final Season Predictions for EVERY TEAM (with Super Bowl LXI Picks) + Seahawks-Patriots Preview. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.
Welcome to Heed the Call and NFL podcast. Dan Hans is Mark Sessler, Connor, or Justin Graver on the ones and twos. Who's the four horsemen? Has anyone ever used that before? No. That's new. Oh, it's new, good. New ground. Let's trademark that and monetize. Oh, baby, we are here. We are here. I think another thing that we're going to do, Connor, that no one else has done. Today, predictions for the 2026 NFL season. Trailblazers. Stay tuned. Search around YouTube. You're not going to find anyone else doing this, but this particular program, Dan.
Okay, it's very similar to a lot of other shows that are out there, but we do it better. That is our feeling on it. We hope you agree. Heed in that call on a Tuesday coming off our Labor Day over under predictions. A lot of buzz coming off that, Sessie. A lot of people wondering how you could put the commanders at 31 of the power reckons and not hit the under. But also a lot of Sesslerites were pounding the table that you had a great draft. I wonder what could go wrong. Just all sorts of things cooking at that episode. Well, I think I did have a better draft. Baby mama later. Okay, and I heard something about that too. I think that was a fairly well done impression of that song. Lovely. I think the thing is, I've started to look at NFL seasons and it will filter into what we do today. If you don't cook in some chaos. Have you ever watched the little mama later? Me versus me singing, ironically. And I'm listening. Somebody did.
I'll let you get back to your point, Mark. I apologize. But someone had a good idea, you know how fantasy leagues, it's actually a little tiresome because it's all over feeds this time of year. This was the punishment for coming in last in my shut up. I don't care. I was like, I had to walk nude with a sandwich board at an intersection in my town square. It's like, you're a dad. You have three kids at home. Sure. Why is your bare butt out in the town square? Depends on the dead. Yeah. Anyway, I had a, Dan, I will tell you, I am, I have a group of friends that they made the loser join Scientology for a year. Now that's a good question. That lasts. That's probably, yeah, once you get in their paper mill, it's hard to get out. Yes. So the idea of, Mark, I've got a little put your money where your mouth is. Sure. If you don't improve upon last year's one in three performance and one at seven in the last two years, you give us a full rendition of Lady Marmalade at the end of the regular season.
I totally will. But what I will do is I'll study the song for months to do the best job I can at the rendition. But nobody wants that. People want how Mark remembers it from 22 years ago. I won't study it at all. We don't want you studying, like Maya's cadence and her register. We want full, sessler, foggy memory of that particular hit song on the Billboard chart. I won't do a lick of, I won't do a, not a particle of work on that production. But before we get to our predictions and awards and Super Bowl picks, fearless Super Bowl picks, why don't we talk about a football game like one that counts? I feel like that's the way to get into this because we've had so much, so much talk about fake games and what could be or what might be. But this is what is on Wednesday night in Seattle, the Patriots, Seahawks, rematch of Super Bowl 60.
And I think the big news, Connor that came out this week, Christian Gonzalez, the all world cornerback for the Patriots, he gets his huge contract extension. This, this is something he deserves. Gets him on the field. Hopefully he's himself in this week one game. It also is a reminder of with these teams, when you do a great job getting young talent in the building, there's a clock that ticks as you have to start handing out these extensions. So as much as we talk about the Patriots being a head of the schedule, it's win and time starting in Seattle against the defending champs. First Patriots first round draft picked to be extended since who does anyone remember when's the last time the Patriots had a first round pick good enough to be extended on a second contract. This is wild. What decade? The tens early tens. Grunk. No. Grunk was in the first round pick.
Oh, right. So the back surgery. The tens. It was 2012. Was he later traded? No, he left in free agency, I think. Okay. Or almost did almost left. Almost went to the jets. The jets made him cupcakes. Come on, Dan. Oh, it was not the high tower. Yes. What a huge role he played by stain. What a play. So what a power play by my team. Here are some cupcakes. Will you sign with us? So it's a huge day for the Patriots. It's a huge day for them to be able to highest paid Patriots player ever. I wonder, and this is based on my experience covering the jets. We all saw Rex Ryan freak the F out when Daryl Rivas wasn't about to be on the field in week one. The tenor of the reports from everybody insideers, Patriots people, was that like this thing ain't even close to getting done 11 hours before the deal got done. I bet Mike Vrable just kind of booted to door walked in there and was like,
this thing's got to happen and it's got to happen now. My guess is like something accelerated those talks and it wasn't just week one of the regular season. If it was Vrable and I'm certainly thinking it had a lot to do with it, it tells you a little bit about the power push and the structure there. Things went off for him in Tennessee in the end. But I mean, you know, this matchup suddenly happening out of Labor Day 48 hours later. You know, you're going to go up against Jackson Smith and Jigba and Rashid Shaheed, who I think is going to be more involved in the passing game and Cooper Cup. And it's like we saw what happened. This is the third time ever that Super Bowl champions have met in an opener like this. The last time was what Broncos Panthers, which was about 10 years ago. So it's really rare. But it's like you got to go in and try to solve some of the problems, some of the problems that you solve back in February. But there's a lot of new faces. And I think part of the issue is for Seattle, some of the people that aren't there, that were there in February. Let's talk a little bit about the Seahawks because it is fair to say that they've taken a back seat
in terms of the summer talk. But no more. I mean, this is now, now it's a game on. And I talked about this with Shaq. Shaq and I were both back in the NFL media days, sent to cover the season opener of the title defense of the Seahawks in 2013. So it had been the 2014 season. So this is the first time since then they're having that. And I remember walking around that city and how electric it was. I've never been to a city, an NFL city, where in the days leading up to the game, everyone was out wearing their football jerseys of their favorite player, Legion of Boom, Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch. And then you get to game day. And you get into that building. And I'll never forget being on the sideline in the first half. It was against the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rogers. And it just felt like an impossible place to win in that setting on that day when the banner goes up before the game,
the loudest venue in the league, depending on who you ask. So I love the Seahawks in this game. I just think they are, you know, hard knocks. I think did a nice job. Many things that hard knocks did well, Connor. One of them was showing how together this team was. How they kept the core together. How this did not feel like a complacent team or a team that has, is now resting on their laurels. And if anything, for a Seahawks fans that are annoyed about how this was the summer of the Los Angeles Rams, the team may beat an NFC title game, that is only going to work to the advantage you would think for the Seahawks in terms of shutting people up and proving that they are still the best team in football. Why would you want anyone to talk about you? You know what I mean? I mean, Nick Sabin at Alabama went to hilarious lengths to make up slides. And even once on a court board put, no one believes in this Alabama team in an attributed it to the national media, which is something that nobody said between whatever it was 2006 and 2018 or whatever he was super dominant.
But I'm more than happy if I'm Seattle that all the expectations, all the pressure is un-Los Angeles to realize this super bowl dream. And all you're doing is running your program. And one interesting thing that, you know, people were telling me about the Seahawks team is, if you thought last year's team was good and you thought that they were going to take a step back because of the players they lost, look at guys like Riley Mills, right, who was hurt most of his rookie season, came in during the Super Bowl, blasted through the Patriots line in Sack Drake, like they're deep with these fourth and fifth round picks that just didn't get on the field a lot last year, and that are going to be the stars of tomorrow. So I think a lot of people, you know, they're in the perfect situation for fandom. Nobody believes in them with them. Great. Enjoy it. That's the best place to be. And before I throw it back to you, Mark, let me just mention because you said they're people that are missing from when they last played a football game. Yes. The matter, running back Kenneth Walker, safety Kobe Bryant, cornerback Rik Wolland, linebacker Boya Maffe. These are all guys that were key members of this team.
So you just, you have to see how the new guys step up. I know there's talk about a little bit of question marks in the secondary. They have their second round pick that went down with an injury. He was taking it to have a big role. If there's a place for Drake May and the Patriots to attack, it would probably be through the air. But it's not like any, there's an easy place to attack this McDonald's defense. I think Conner, you nailed it that like, we're Mike Frabel openly said like, we don't have the depth that we'd want to. And I like that self-scouting of that. And I'm assuming he's just being open faced about that. Like, you, you come off a kind of a strange Super Bowl journey where no one buys into you. But if you can look at yourself like Bella chick did with that first Super Bowl Patriots team, like, we got a long way to go. And they do. And they're missing guys too as well. Their past rush is pretty thin. But with the Seahawks, this comes quickly in week one because Nicki Minaj, Ankel injury, hurt. Right? Tio Kata, safety, hurt. Bud Clark, your other safety was placed on IR. They at this point, if Julian love, he'll play.
But they look like they might need to go get practice squad guys in week one. I mean, in half your roster has not played in the preseason. And I do think that if you're a Josh McDaniels, you make a statement with AJ Brown right out of the gate. So they've got their corners, but their safety positions are really banged up. The other body that is missing for me is huge. It's huge. It's Clint Kubiak. And Brian Flory just and throw this picture up a Brian Flory. I kind of dig this guy, the new OC for the Seahawks. A flowing beard and kind of a man's man when we see this image. But this is, listen, this is a team that was an under center joy to watch. And they threw the ball deep a lot with Sam Darnold. But it is really different when you got a guy coming in who's never called plays on the national stage in your home building to defend the Super Bowl. Like, who is Brian Flory? We're going to find out in a hurry. It kind of looks like you, Mark. You shaved your head. I mean, I think I'm going the woods for a couple of years. I think I'm going to be able to see this from an archetypal standpoint.
I can appreciate what you're trying to do here. Maybe he's great. He's a Shanahan type guy. And the offense probably will hold a lot of the same stuff. But it's a massive unknown right out of the gate. Like, who is he and how does the offense change? How unsurprised would you be if instead of hired behind him, it said like arrested for having a bunch of plastic explosives in his house? Well, it fits. The search of cabinet woods reveals unfathomable danger and evil. Sure. We find a good dude though. He'll be great. He'll be great. You feel good about that, huh? You are our coordinator expert. So, yeah. And what happened this off season was, I mean, Seattle knew that this was going to happen. Right. And I think what the best thing to happen to the Seahawks was having Mike McDonald strike out the first time that he hired an offensive coordinator and Ryan. Right. And the Ryan grub era was so bad and so inefficient that he himself kind of honed exactly what he was looking for in a coordinator.
So first that became Clint Kubiak midway through the season. Mike McDonald's smart enough to know that he's losing that guy. Right. And so what do you do? You start looking around. You start trying to figure out who's out there. You start, you know, accelerator things and combines all that stuff. You know, you start talking to some people. And he found somebody else that he had that similar mind meld with who saw the game. And a similar way. So I don't see the Seahawks offense taking much of a step back there. I'm really interested to see how Drake May and the Patriots offense looks. Obviously, this will be the debut also of AJ Brown. There is a lot of talk, maybe too much talk about the Patriots taking a step back. And a not enough talk about the idea that they can level up on offense. Another year with May and his offense now with the best surrounding talent he's had. I think the question is about the offensive line will continue to linger. But at the very least, Mark, you get a fresh start here too for Will Campbell. Like I've said many times about Elijah Veritecker, who's going to be playing next to Campbell.
That guy is a potential all pro. If he can get healthy and staying on the field and if the football gods operate as they tend to. Veritecker will now never miss another game and become an Ironman. So just on that side of the offensive line alone, there is such high floor and ceiling. And I think how they are able to protect May, how they can seal up the run game. That I think is going to determine more if this Patriots offense takes the next step. Rather than just the fact that AJ Brown is there. Yeah, I think that's like that's an equal that's an that's an equal question because it is you're going back to the scene of the crime where Will Campbell was slaughtered by the Seahawks. The whole line was and I think Drake May was sack 21 times in that playoff run after like 46 in the regular season. The whole thing crumbled and you know, Will Campbell was from like was it week six on or something or at some point later in the season. Just not as healthy and it really showed. And so who is he at left tackle is he better.
Veritecker like is if he's healthy, that's a huge upgrade at left guard, but it's it's a new line. They moved Jared Wilson to center. So it's it's a whole new test against a Seahawks defensive line that boy, I'm off his out in that whole front. But like they are still deep all over the place Leonard Williams feels completely reborn. So you're right back to testing what happened in one of the worst games you played all season. It's important also to ask why the Patriots offensive line was so beaten down by Seattle and the reason that all the players are saying it in the locker-math of the game. We we we got tendencies. We got information. We we got scouting and it's like you know offensive line attrition rates are so high that it's hard for example to develop different hand signals with different guys over the course of a season. So if you know if something happens and you're going to pick up a blitz and we're going to slide. I'm going to do this. I'm going to tap you this way or I'm going to hit you on the helmet or I'm going to say something to you. We develop a library of that information and we know exactly what you're doing by the time you get to the Super Bowl.
And so I think they almost have the element of surprises here. It's a brand new offensive line. The defensive lines not going to be able to pick you apart because hopefully you've changed your calls and your signals and the way that you do your protections and stuff like that. I think for the first time this team is actually probably on equal footing or at least close to it. This will be the best version of the Seahawks Patriots that we wish we saw in the Super Bowl last year. I should mention the other side of that Patriots offensive line. The right tackle is Morgan Moses. He's no spring chicken himself and there has been talk and reporting around the issues with depth on that line. Yes, it could turn out very well, but a couple of injuries or if Campbell doesn't play well or Moses shows his age or a new center, it doesn't quite mix like it can be chaotic. That is to me, that's other than injuries which to other positions or the quarterback. To me, the Patriots do have an Achilles heel, which is that offensive line. Seattle, like, yeah, you could say their secondary is a place to watch specifically the safety position. But otherwise, I feel really good about it.
On the offensive side of the ball, they're running game post Kenneth Walker or something that you should be keeping an eye on in this game. And yeah, Sam Darnold coming off the season of his life, I tend to think he's going to now settle into not that they're the same type of player, but like kind of a Jared Goff type, where you kind of know what you're going to get from him year to year at this point. And I think the Seahawks would sign off on that in a second given how strongly they feel about other aspects of the team. Yeah, I mean, like, I feel like I don't put too much into hard knocks because of the way it's produced in general, but like Sam Darnold to me, like, I just feel he's like a person that has hit a comedy has been through so much nonsense and BS and rough shot behavior from team to team that like he just feels like the right place at the right time. They also committed the second most turnovers in the league, I believe a year ago. And so you got to stay away from those games where even if they won like the floor fell out.
And I think I think they can. I mean, again, I'm going to cite the coordinator switch that it might be it might take a little bit of time. That's human, that's natural, but or maybe they're there already, but I think Darnold if he can work on not those three or four games where everything kind of falls apart. Like we're looking at someone who won 14 games with two different teams two years in a row. I think no one's done that since Brady did it with the Patriots and Bucks and very few times before. So he's the guy. I'm a little concerned about, you know, Jadarian price looked awesome for the little moments we saw him in camp, but at Notre Dame, and I think they want to throw the ball to a kind of walker from a year ago and use him that way. I think he had 15 receptions at Notre Dame. The whole time he was there and he didn't play much because of love. So it's like it's just another kind of question mark. Like what does this running? What does this back feel look like? What does this offense look like? That's why it's cool that they're facing each other right away. We also forget to me right. The goal is to look completely different than you did at the beginning of this. Yeah, you know, and so much of this is going to be like a muddy and imperfect, but I mean Seattle might just be, you know, you might be like a band and it's just like, Hey, our guitar players heard or whatever. Let's try something and you might come up with something greater.
Our guitar player overtaste. We got to find anyone. And injury stuff just before we make our predictions. So mentioned Ben Brown, the center. He's been ruled out, did not travel with the team to Seattle. Jared Wilson expected to start to keep an eye on that running back. Traveey on Henderson, Miss Sunday and Monday practices with an ankle injury, a reminder Stevenson is in a time share with Henderson. We'll see where Henderson comes in on this offense. He was phased out famously during the playoffs, but was electric down the stretch of the regular season on the Seattle side. Let's see safety, Tio, Kata hamstring did not practice Monday safety Nick even worry, angle, ankle limited and otherwise they look, they look like they're pretty good. Pretty good shape. All right. Prediction time. I'm going to again go back to what I said. I was in that building 12 years ago. That was an impossible place for the Packers to win. I remember Aaron. And that was a really good Packers team with Aaron Rogers. And just it just felt inevitable. And I feel like that's how it's going to go. And I'm not going to come out of this game if it is a one sided Seahawks win.
Thinking the Patriots are in trouble. I just think this is a very hard place to go. I think McDonald is really impressed me both obviously through the last two seasons, but watching him on a hard knocks. I think he's going to have this team ready. And I think the Seahawks will come out ahead. I'm going to go. I want a good game. I want a close game, but I think it's going to be very close. Deficit wise to the Super Bowl. I'm going to go 27 to 18 Seahawks roll. Mark. Yeah, I like that. I think this is going to be a good story despite the result for New England, where we come out saying these guys have added some parts. The line was healthy to Conor's point. We like what happened there for the most part. And AJ Brown's a factor here. Romeo dobs is a factor like good things ahead. But I agree with you, Dan. I mean, the record for Super Bowl winning teams playing at home in the opener is tilted so heavily. I think it's like 21 to 6 in this century.
And I don't see that changing here. The better team is Seattle at this point. Despite some other questions I bring up. I think they win this game. 26 to 23 with a late field goal. But again, we come out saying I'm not going to look at New England the same way I did last year if I was doubting the mirror go there. We got beat by the Raiders last season. But week one is at LSD trip. Right. So I mean, yeah. I think I, you know, just for the sake of being interesting because I'm actually filling out my staff picks for sports illustrator as we as we go here. And every game can come down to something strange and unusual. I think the injuries to the secondary make it an AJ Brown game. I think he'll score at least at least one touchdown. Give me like, I don't know. I mean, now I can't do it. I was going to say, let me talk myself into Seattle when they're new England in this game 24 20 C ox. But it's like Mark said, we're going to come out of this one. Maybe even close like 24 21. You know, but I think we'll come out of this one thinking New England is going to be just fine.
Yeah. And then they have New England has Pittsburgh at home next week and I already know when we get to our lock competition might be in the outside the mirror zone in our blind lock game, which will be coming back later this week. I feel very good about a Patriots bounce back if they don't get it done. And if they do my goodness, all the variable talk and everything else that everyone's been dwelling on the negative of the Patriots, if they go to Seattle and come out of there with a win. That will be an incredible way to wipe away what was pretty messy off season for the defending AFC champs. All right, let's take a break when we get back predictions for the 2026 NFL season unique content from he'd the call stay right there. Guys, I got to tell you what happened to me the other day. I was trying to change my flight reservation and ended up trapped in an endless loop of phone trees holds in a robotic voice asking me to repeat my confirmation code three separate times.
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All right here we are it is time to make our predictions will kind of go through division by division person by person Cessi will pick our division winners our wild card teams go through the playoffs do the regular season awards. We are going to have a good time doing it you know that's how we try to do it right so stop we attempt to have fun it often is successful sometimes we bicker and get under each other skin as a group but that's how it works close quarters and we are we're here for it. I don't want to say we're here for it ever again that is not something that it's part of my personal dictionary so I don't know why I said that. We want to start start in the AFC start in the AFC want to go division by division what's the best way to do this you want to do it that way let's do division by division go all right I got I have to play off teams coming out of this division so I have the bills I think they get 12 wins I think they win this division and it's a tight battle goes back and forth all year the Patriots come in at 11 and 6 like I said I banged the over on the jets.
But they're not going to be in the mix here in the playoffs there 7 and 10 and the dolphins will be buried in the deep distance at 3 and 14 how do you see it Mark. I want you to know with what about to happen here that I put a lot of work into this and I again I believe that some things that no one predicted the Patriots being 60 to 1 for the Super Bowl year ago stuff stuff happens in football so I've got the bills winning the division with 13 wins. The Patriots a clear step behind them 10 and 7 but a wild card team but oh sassy but I think the jets are a better roster than we see them to be and they've got two games against the dolphins I think they've got one of the easiest schedules and the league and I think the geno smith the kind of guy that when I picked them to go 9 and 8 and sneak into a really weird battered AFC as the third as the third wild card I believe it when I'm saying that it's not a true. It's not a drink it I really believe something like this will happen let the record state that I get killed for being a delusional jets and sassy's got the jets are the winning record and in the dance this year ending a 15 year playoff job this is incredible.
This is what's amazing about the length of the NFL offseason where even now I'm sitting here going you know what Mark might have a point it's like you can start the offseason being like I'll never do heroin and then like three months later being like you know what heroin doesn't seem to be a good match. The season starts just in time. I think that's the way to I'm at the literally at the tipping point of considering every team as being good enough to make the playoffs and this is living breathing proof of it. I think a lot has to go right obviously for that with for the jets specifically on the defensive side of the ball leveling up to at least league average Aaron Glenn being you know if Aaron Glow if they go 9 and 8 make the playoffs Aaron Glow and coach of the year and I don't want to step on anything sassy because he would be in consideration I think we'll get to that. All right, Connor. What do you got for the AFC's? All right, so I have the bills in first place 10 and seven little bit of a step back. I think under Joe Brady and I think just Joe Brady kind of trying to find his footing there. Patriots also making the playoffs at nine and eight dolphins at five and 12 and jets in last place at four and 13. That would be.
It's jump jets. Yeah, that would that would be better. I mean, we have every we have all bases covered for my team. We have we have the worst option. It's like the three bulls of porridge with Goldilocks. Like this is this is what this is the biggest one or the smallest one. I'm the middle one at seven and 10 and sassy's got him at nine and eight and the playoffs. Yeah, that would be a total house cleaning for the jets, but also a very high first round pick. So that would be the positive way to look at it. All right, let's move to the AFC North. All right. I have a tight battle here between the Bengals and Ravens on the tie breaker. I have the Bengals winning this division at 10 and seven Baltimore also finishes 10 and seven Pittsburgh. Like I said, I banged the under for reason. I think this is the year we finally see something different at the end of the regular season for Pittsburgh. And that is a losing record six and 11. I think the Browns will stink as I said at four and 13 and being the mix for one of the top picks in the draft sassy. Okay, I both teams sorry, Bengals and Ravens both making the playoffs if I did not state that already mine is different than yours and that the Bengals win the division with 11 wins and are the division winner and the Ravens do not make the playoffs. There are struggles. There are issues. I don't like the idea of just ticketing them in there. They go eight and nine. The Steelers go eight and nine Mike Tomlin smiles and the Browns sitting down at three and 14 Chaos rules. I mean, they got Mike Tomlin doing tick-tock dances already at NBC. All bets are off. That's so great.
That's so great to get out of there. Do we have to do that? No, we don't. I don't want to be a killjoy because we had we had they had Mike Florio and Tony Dungee and everybody and Jason Garrett doing tick-tock dances last year. So I know this is surprising. But like I think a lot of us whether you're Steelers fan or not have an amount of respect for Mike Tomlin and the gravity toss that he's built up over the last 25 years in the league. Is anything sacred? Can we just can we just be a stoic cool coach with the aviators forever in perpetuity or do we need to go in a studio take the bag and then dance? You need to go into the studio and take the bag. Apparently. And I was as far from me to say who should take a ton of money to not do a lot of work. I get it. Like I know why he's doing it. I'm just saying and I'm not judging him at all. I'm just saying personally, I wish Tomlin was was able to keep that kind of John Wayne vibe going. But you know, whatever happened to Gary Cooper. That's a fair question.
All right. Hey, if see North Connor. I'm starting to get really nervous because I have the Ravens at 11 and six. The Bengals just missed the playoffs at 9 and 8. Dan, I like that we're in lockstep here with just the Steelers and this kind of weird, funky regression season and the Browns at five and 12. But the Ravens are they've become the ball, the team of the ball, no, this off season. And it's really hard for me to get on board with that. I'm not going to be a bad guy. I'm going to go out and play with the ball because I remember I all the way back to the map Patricia Lions who were once the team of the ball, no, and like everyone who really knew football knew that this team was going to make the playoff. So I'm worried because I kind of got I bought in early. But then everybody came and now I can't get off this island because the predictions are cemented. I mean, I did. You got Jesse mentored. You got Jesse mentor in the blaster. Yeah. Yeah. You can't you can't bail because everyone else got on the bandwagon. But I understand it's an uncomfortable situation for you. Yeah. All right. The AFC South. All right. I got the Texans 11 wins, winning the division. The only playoff team coming out of this group. I have the Jaguars taking a step back.
9 and 8, the cults 7 and 10. So not as bad or dire as some people think, but also kind of just in that soggy middle and then the Titans. I don't know if this is good or not. Justin, but I have him at 6 and 11, whether that's progress or not, will be in the eye of the B holder. So one team coming out of the South for me. What about you, Sassy? A little bit different. I got the Texans winning the division as you did with 11 and 6. The Jaguars, I believe in them. I think they're going to double down and go back to the playoffs. 10 and 7. Colts 5 and 12 out of the picture. Titans, a better team with some hope, but foreign 13, not showing it in the record. Four and 13 is 13 losses. That's a tough one to ever spin as this is a year of progress. That's true. I was trying to be a bit ugly kind, but yeah. Yeah. Connor. I'm just wondering like how this could be anything, by the way, with Connor and the Titans. If this says 0 and 17. Okay. I was just waiting to see like how much we could casually shit on the Titans before we got the grave digger. And he's just like hold on.
But yeah, I have the Texans winning this division at 13 and 4. I have the Jags making the playoffs a little bit of regression. Lost some talent on defense, but I still think we'll be a good defense. 9 and 8. Titans at 6 and 11, which would slide under the 6 and a half under. Beautiful. And then the Colts at 6 and 11, similar to the Steelers. You don't ever want to do this, but you're predicting a the course of a season. And you have a starting quarterback that's coming off of a torn ACL and a broken femur. And then the backup options beyond that had them venture out to go get Philip Rivers last year. We've seen this. What can happen if it goes wrong? And I'm just predicting that it goes wrong. No offense to the rest of this roster, which I think is okay. Yeah, and Anthony Richardson won that backup job if I'm not mistaken. That's that's a lot of eggs to still be putting in the Anthony Richardson. It reminded me of that summer of Aaron Rogers with the Jets where I was banging that table all summer. I don't love that we still have Zach Wilson is the number two quarterback here and sure enough Monday night football week one. Rogers is out for the year and then Zach Wilson's the quarterback. That's how close Colts fans. You are to a notorious draft bust and let's not get it twisted.
That's what Anthony Richardson has been being your QB one. And if that's the case for a long period of time. We could be dealing with something a lot worse than six and 11. Yeah, see a draft pick for the Jets. Oh, I love this team. And they make the playoffs. So, you know, thank you. What was the name? What was Kensington Kensington in the fourth? I love this team. We have every round first round picking the league now. I hate this team. We're taking Don't Daymore and Archman. I love this team. I would, by the way, I know you would. And that's why I love you, Connor. You would. You're a crazy mother. You would take two quarterbacks in the first six picks. Very quickly, I had I had to organize my wife's family's fantasy draft and it was 16 teams, which is insane. I'm sure everyone really like properly appreciated the amount of work you took on for no appreciable gain on your end. But I took Jaden Daniels in the third round. And then the fourth round comes around in Joe Burrows there. And I was like, you know what?
It's it's BPA. But then the then the next time my pick came around, like the best player was like Johnny Onelegs from Sacramento State. And so there was just no other way to fill out a roster. But it's best player available. And someone will make me an offer. Way too many teams. But then you you're the commissioner. You do what you want. So I mean, in addition to my very hard two QB stands for fantasy, I feel pretty strong. I know 12 league teams are the the common amount. But I like a good 10 team league where you're not like scraping the slot receiver in the NFC South, being catching passes from to a tongue of ILOA and being like, I guess he's my flex. Like I like a nice populated fantasy roster. But 16 like there's going to be hopefully there's some ball noirs in there or else there's going to be a lot of auto drafting by about around six. Yeah, you're going to have people that drop out after about week three when they they realize it's not fun. I love the chaos where it's like my entire weekend comes down to Jake
Tondjes, you know what I mean? Like here goes maybe like any, can he sneak in on go line and catch a two point conversion. Let's go. You got to love ball. You got a lot of Tondjes is a vital member of a fantasy fate. All right. Finally, the AFC West. Well, here's our predictions for this division. I got the Broncos running it back as the division champions 12 wins. Another big year for Sean Payton, but I have a second playoff team here. It's the Los Angeles chargers. They go 10 and 7 and they get back to the playoffs and we'll see how they look in the wild card round this year. I have the chiefs get into 10 wins, but on the wrong side of the looking glass and missing the playoffs and then the Raiders 6 and 11 work in progress in a very good division. How about you, Sassy? I've got the Broncos winning the division at 12 and 5 for the evidence that they are a the genuine article. The chargers. Nah, they're 9 and 8. I kind of see them as a 9 and 8 team and they get they kind of get whacked. I mean, you can't have the jets in the playoffs. It's ever if the entire division here makes it so they're on there's they're sitting home.
The chiefs 8 and 9 and continued questions about what's happening there after this season. The Raiders 5 and 12, but we do learn that Mendoza is a reason for optimism going forward. I just love where we're in a reality with the Sestog where Aaron Glenn and and Geno Smith and the Jets finish with a better record than Andy Reed Patrick and the chiefs we are we're flying right now like we are soaring through the air and nobody could touch us. Where we need to be. All right, Connor. All right. The chiefs situation. So it scares me even more and I think as we develop through the this off season, I mean, this offensive line situation just becomes worse and worse, but I have the charges 11 and 6. I think we're going to be talking less about Mike McDaniel as the star coordinator. Then we are O'Leary, the new defensive coordinator. I like him a lot. I think he's going to fill the shoes of Jesse Miner admirably Bronco sneak into the playoffs at 10 and 7, the chiefs at 9 and 8 and missing the playoffs and the Raiders at 5 and 12, but like Mark said, Mendoza gets a chunk of the starts and we like what we see out of them by seasons.
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Price picks app code heat each. $150 instantly in lineups if you win your first $5 lineup. Prize picks run your game. G'day, I'm Justin Wolffes host of the platypus economics podcast. If there's one thing I've learned from a career teaching economics, it's that your life is shaped by economic currents. You'll never see a single price tag can explain things 1000 experts can't people who understand economics they make better decisions in their careers their finances their relationships and their communities and I want that for you. Listen to and follow platypus economics available now wherever you get your podcasts. Alright, we are back aFC playoffs have been picked now the NFC it's start with the NFC East I'll go first and here we are I have the Eagles yes as much as you probably think I'm going to pick the Eagles to crater and externally gets fired and it just validates all your preconceived notions about me the old Souser.
It's not how I feel I think the Eagles are a flawed team but good enough to get back to the playoffs will take a good playoff run to keep everyone employed and Philly will see but they will make this they will win this division the cowboys will finish with a winning record but it won't be enough the commanders are going to be stuck in the mud at 7 and 10 and I have the Giants bring up the rear at 6 and 11. It's a two year project for John Harboh how about you Mark. Okay, this is exciting for me in my thought process to get here the cowboys. Yes, the vision 12 and 5 baby cowboys Eagles still a good team. It's not a perfect creation. 10 and 7 and the blustery enjoyable try state area New York City New Jersey New York Giants get into the playoffs with a 9 and 8 record based on a 3 game win streak to close the season under John Harboh. You know what I'm realizing what's happening here and I love it and you have the granders of 4 and 13.
Yes, they're basically all the things that we've come to love about Sessler predictions just batch it insane and ultimately doomed. We didn't get it this year in the over under draft but you're getting it here. So in this case you're getting 3 playoff teams at NFC East and yes both the New York teams two of the worst teams at football year ago going to the playoffs with winning records. You got to love Mark Sessler. He's back baby. He's all the way back. It's not that unfeasible but I understand that people are going to be like this guy is definitely needs to be watched by someone with authority. I just want to say kudos to you Mark. Most people when they do their predictions are like well what did last year look like was just reshuffle the order a little bit. No, we always have random surprise playoff teams that nobody like who saw the jazz and you guys are right. Mark's got this year's different. I don't think much is different probably doesn't have the right picking a bunch of crazy shit that doesn't make sense. This year it's it's going to be right. You know what I tell you one thing quickly like I watched a little like a little Instagram reel of our friend Andrew Sessillian.
He does the thing where he walks down well Mario well right by the Pacific Ocean. He's on his little walk and like he was like just a reminder every year. There's like seven new playoff teams there's like yeah well hell yeah let's do it from let's do it in reverse. Let's go Andrew. Like Mark probably doesn't have the right teams because who the heck could possibly know but just the fact that he's shuffling it up is I love it. Good job Mark. Yeah Mark needs more praise. Do you have the comment section while we're here. If I could start if I could start more content that has Andrew Sessilliano walking along the beach just talking about stuff not even football just give me Sessilliano. Just like yeah just talking about you know lowering the pitchers mound or season six of the Cosby show like I just want Sessilliano's musings on all different things. Alright you don't like that it's Cosby show is the reference. Alright have had a different world. 227. 227. Place to be.
Dear John with Judd Hurts. I was thinking that a pretty hard situation for the Judd Hurts character to walk into and that was the pilot episode. Unbelievable issues at that time of his life and I'm a lonely man if you're so many man it's hard to restart life in middle age when the love of your life walks out on you and leaves nothing but a letter. Anyway I'll be in Cleveland for a week or two against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Alright where are we alright Sessilliano and see East madness Connor. A little scared that I have the Cowboys at 12 and five like. No it's amazing thank God for Mark. But I've Cowboys taken this thing I just think that they're the best team in the division top to bottom and more importantly the most consistent team top to bottom right now all the coordinator hold over just one change on the defensive side.
The Eagles bring in a brand new offensive system which I think is just going to take a little bit of time to get going I think they'll finish strong but that those first couple weeks I think are to be a little rocky that's why I'm nine am eight barely missing the playoffs in a tie breaker the commanders also finishing nine and eight I'm a blow hard I think this thing's going to work the Giants at six and 11 I'm in lock step with you Danny I think it's just going to take some time. Yeah I mean listen I've said it many times in the show when the Cowboys are good it's good for the league it's fun following their journey and Dak Prescott's journey in the playoffs that's that's box office big time. That defense getting to a place where I can get him to 12 wins I know there's a lot of new pieces there and Caleb downs is supposed to be the real deal in the back end but. We'll see we'll see but that would be that would be exciting if they get to 12 when we have two predictions of 12 wins for the Cowboys I mean they did it under McCarthy with a lot of faults yes they're not from that you know and like a parsons was there that you know well sure but.
Think about this though last year was one of the five worst defenses in the in the history of like the last 40 years of the NFL right isn't weird by the way on that point kind of like. When you talk about the worst like 10 defenses of the last 25 years I feel like five of them were last year the Cowboys are certainly one of them yeah but like even if you're 10 better than that like if you're not 30 second you're 20 second that team was probably close to being a playoff team last year. All right let's check out the NFC North I have the Lions at 11 and six winning the division the Packers 9 and 8 but they crack the playoffs as a wild card the Bears disappoint they finish 9 and 8 but on the wrong side and the Vikings go 8 and 9 not disgraceful but also there are limitations on both sides of the ball specially though on the offense so there you go how about you Mark I'm not far from you I see this being a disappointing year for the division the
Lions win at 13 and 4 I'm buying into the idea that they're going to win ugly they're going to stack streaks of victories and 13 is not they've done this they can get there I think they can I think the division falls off after there there's reasons to look at the Bears and say. There are regression scenarios here and I think we're going to see that still a good team 9 and 8 not a disaster but miss the playoffs Packers I just see issues there a lot stacked against on their 7 and 10 in my book and losses for the Packers wow that would be a bitter disappointment yeah I think part of this is like you can look back and say key players were lost I'm not saying who or why but I just sense this Viking 6 and 11 and I think there may be questions about what's the direction forward for the Vikings coming out of this season. All right and Connor again a little terrified that mark and I have the Lions at 13 or 14 wins together 14 and for the Lions whoa that's right baby that's why I'm a savant the Lions at 14 and 3 Packers at 10 and 7 the Bears at 10 and 7 missing the playoffs via tiebreaker again thanks to sports illustrated editor Mitch who had to go like 8 tiebreaker scenarios in to solve my little puzzle here and then the Vikings finishing the season at 9 and 8
just gliding over the 8 and a half win total and bringing me to complete in total victory in all the most important thing of course 43 and 25 there it's I if I did if I did the math right there I think that's 43 and 25 that would be one of the higher winning percentages I would think in division play history for four teams since the 2002 I could be wrong about that but that is four teams with winning records including a juggernaut and they're usually when there's a juggernaut there's someone bring up the rear someone's getting that someone's the caboose as a soggy bottom boy or multiple but in this case that would be different for the NFC North let's see how it plays out NFC South oh the NFC South yeah this is chalk for me but it is what it is I'm not going to overthink it Buckeneers win again there the best team with the best talent even if they're flawed 9 and 8 they win the division Panthers Falcons both eight nine Saints seven and 10 none of those teams make the dance Sessie we're really close I've got the Buckeneers also 9 and 8 winning the division no other team in this division's making the playoffs Panthers 8 and 9 kind of like last year which they were Falcon 6 and 11 I sense problems and distress I was high on the Saints a couple weeks ago
but when I'm doing this exercise here they are 5 and 12 so I'll just trade on my part Alan more Alan more tough one how about you Connor or I'm gonna predict that the two teams that I'm the most wrong about this year are the Buckeneers and the Saints I think the Buckeneers I you know if I had to do it all over again I probably the Buckeneers winning the division the Saints in second right behind them on the cusp of a playoff spot but I'm gonna stick with this I think the Panthers will eventually figure out the offensive line situation I like Bryce going to get a second contract after this year and I have them 10 games I think Dave canals has done an extraordinary job and I think as you're a row is one of the best defensive coordinators and league I've been saying that for four years now he can back it up with the team that actually has some pieces and free now it's vaguely true yes Panthers 10 and 7 you have the bucks at 7 and 10 Falcon 6 and 11 Saints 6 and 11 yeah the Bucks he gets very interesting in Tampa this would almost certainly get Todd both fired if they have a double digit lost season and you just don't know what this team looks like if they can't control this particular division
interesting finally the NFC West all right the best division football by virtue of having the two best teams according to our power rankings I have it in a dead heat the Rams and the Seahawks both finish 12 and 5 the Rams come out ahead on the tiebreaker but the Seahawks make the playoffs also making the playoffs the Niners I think I bang the over 9 1 1 2 half for the Niners this year so they better win 10 or was it the 10 1 1 2 I bang the under I think I bang the under so either way neatly slides in for others prediction so I think the Niners go 10 and 7 and they do claim a wild cards of three playoff teams come out of the West and the Cardinals despite some late summer percolation and different headquarters that they're actually not terrible 4 and 13 for me they will be record wise at least Mark anyone who comes from the future is going to bring surprising enough disappointing news I have been on this beat though for a long time and it's not personal I just think that there are we knew the real
sassy was coming he's here baby there are there are shocks there will be a shock to every NFL season multiple shocks and this is this is something I've just felt the whole time if I'm wrong I'm wrong I'm I have said it before and I say it right here the 49ers win the division after an insane off season at 11 and 6 and they're not perfect but this is division eats itself up the Seahawks consistent I think we all felt that way in our preview after what's happened this off season they'll figure it out wild card 10 and 7 the Rams could be I see people saying they're going to go 17 and roll right into the Super Bowl and win it I am buying it I just feel like something is combustible and bizarre here and I think that there is drama head eight and nine and then maybe they go and do it the year after with all these same players but it's not going to go the way people think Cardinals 2 and 15 hello Archie Manny Mark and I don't say I don't I'm not trying to be a dick about this sure but yesterday we did the over underdraft and you had the first overall pick and you took the Rams over 10 and a half
how in God's name do you have them at eight nine in your predictions when you have them as your number one overall pick hitting the over a 10 and a half new information number one what's the nation this is a completely different exercise to me and it involves a lot of other things with the way that I do it and I I was I was like these guys are going to go they're not going to appreciate this when I do this I understand that why don't you take the under on the in the draft well tell you what I will happily switch it to under if you'd like me to do that but I totally believe in this prediction and I just want people not to think I'm trying to like you know swing swords here or something like I totally believe in this and that something's not going to go the way everyone plans but you don't because you pick the Rams over 10 and a half with the first overall pick in our draft I did this more recently and it's you know I'm someone that will I will alter my projections as new information and new feelings come into and to scope do we do we think Mark felt like picking the over on the 10 and a half
cursed the Rams so he was like I better predict them to go nine because now I've already put my curse like purpose your guesses are reading this one gravy and buying the dip right come you're that's actually brilliant if you think about it if you're that sure that your black magic powers are so real that you've essentially cursed the team in one exercise and then cause the crash to happen and then are now per you know you're buying the presupposes marks believe in the believes in the curse which I believe he's on record that he doesn't though well what's what what I'm on record for seems to be not the most like the most solidified things I just always find like these this is a different this is a difficult sassy spot you've been in this corner many times but like now you can't be right or wrong because you're going to be both I would I would ask though um that we anchor this it what I want what I'm writing with is this prediction about them going eight nine missing the playoffs I understand the over under confusion there but this is where my heart is that I believe this event will occur in some fashion that looks like the board we're looking out on YouTube which is 49 or see
you do you do and but you also understand the incredible confusion for me and probably many other members of the audience it is a confusing time in general and we've got to wade through and we've got to use you know self care and analytics are personal analytics did you did you again out of curiosity and then I'll move on did you had you factored in your over under you know you also landed the the first overall pick so wasn't just like like you know the fourth pick in the first and like you said the one thing I'm I got to get in front of is the Rams over and then you have the winning eight games in the predictions like was that something that was in conflict as you are doing this exercise or maybe did you forget I will answer with a question myself also have I ever remembered any over under I've ever picked on this or any show okay this I remember and I if I'm wrong you can it's an all-timer you can take me out behind the wood shed it really is I'm not complaining but I old Zuzer predicted this one about three divisions ago like this is the
sassy that we've come to know and love like we are we are soaring throughout her space right now I spent all weekend on it like I feel very strongly so all right let's uh all right Connor take us take us home on this conference just very quickly I think we should let him change the over under to the under uh because having someone fully invested in a Rams collapse over the course of a pod season would just be great for me personally uh and so and and I think that what's brilliant about what Mark has done here and there's sort of a trump element to it where his most ardent supporters will make even the craziest thing be like oh he meant to misspell that or he meant to like poop his pants or whatever but like what Mark is doing here is like if if like Miles Garrett and Matt Stafford get hurt this team collapses because it's not just like it doesn't just fall back on the depth of the roster it's like
the expectations are so big and the letdown would be so great I'm trying to apply logic to this now I a little bit I don't know and no that would be that would be disrespectful to Monday's episode to uh because of this conflict to go back and change it that was that and and I guess this is now 24 hours later and we just to Mark's marks marks explanation is the one you have to go by Connor which is since he did that episode he now has a greatly different feeling 12 hours that is exactly that is the the most like that is honestly the truism I and if it's in color shift with the previous episode there's nothing he can do about it so who are we to try to to bring common sense into the two exercises and and can join them like this is there's no way to do that and we just have to accept it that's all yeah so we have to discuss it too because I understand to not at least bring it up would have been
unprofessional quite frankly right well and also to remind me that I had done that so I appreciate that part of it never changed that's the all right Connor take us home all right uh we got Rams 13 and four Seahawks 11 and six 49ers and 10 and seven all playoff teams and then the cardinals two and 15 setting up a very interesting scenario and decision for one arch manning does he go back to school I might oh baby that would be yes that would be a tough decision and especially when you factor in it could be like jets and browns behind him you know like it might be there's not going to be some quarterback factory waiting for whoever is the top dog in the strap class and who knows if it's even arch manning had you like how arch looked in his first uh as Justin takes a wicked rip of something we don't know what as it fills as lungs like what could that be and it couldn't be anything because of the legalities but anyway Justin you feeling good about archie week one in the college I was down in Texas over the weekend watched a lot of college football was around a lot of UT uh hook them horns
people and I think people are like cautiously optimistic about arch taking the leap but uh but we'll see from a like quarterback scouting perspective I thought his mechanics looked a lot cleaner and more consistent his accuracy was pretty good he threw one very dumb bad interception but outside of that one bad pass he led a he led a Texas scoring drive on every possession through for over 300 yards and two and a half quarters and four touchdowns he looked pretty good there it is there's the UT arch watch no bias at all okay let's quickly roll through our awards um just for fun just for fun I'll go first I got league MVP Joe burrow I think Joe burrow is going to have a big statistical season I have the bangles making the playoffs and that means he's staying healthy and I think he's kind of do uh one and I think this is the year he gets it offensive player the year Jamir Gibbs defensive player the year eight in Hutchinson so yes I feel good about Detroit and that that's
backed up by these stats offensive rookie of the year I'll throw a dart and go with Stribbling and San Francisco defensive rookie of the year my boy David Bailey of the Jets comeback player of the year Micah Parsons Green Bay Packers coach of the year Joe Brady Buffalo Bills Mark. Wow we are in lockstep on much of this league MVP I went burrow it's the time I went Gibbs for offensive player of the year because he just won't get MVP though maybe he should I went Will Anderson for defensive player I have Stribbling also is rookie offensive rookie defensive rookie Bailey wow it's like I was in Dan's house but come back player I'm going to go my homes because it's the numbers tilt towards quarterbacks all the time smart and my coach of the year and it is tied to New York City and it is tied to the Jets and it is interim coach Frank Reich who takes over after the Jets begin one in three he comes out of the gate in week five and they hammer the Cleveland Browns and they go on a run Frank Wright who was thrown at a town in Indianapolis turns it around in New York it's a great story he becomes beloved in New York City
they get to the playoffs and we'll see what happens from there I think that's great I do think there's you have another logic conflict because I don't think you have the chiefs in the playoffs right you have them with a losing record no but I think my homes by the nature of how he plays and he's my homes I think they need to be a playoff team to get that award but yeah it's certainly possible there the right thing is kind of a fun little wrinkle because they're saw the schedule does soften up again we're dreaming we got to get to week one Connor how about you all right let's boogie I have at MVP the first defensive player to win the awards since 1986 that was Lawrence Taylor of course will Anderson by the Houston Texans and we'll get to why in a little bit there offensive player the year Jamira Gibbs defensive player the year Miles Garrett offense Ricky the year Giderian price he takes a hold of that job and doesn't give it back even though Zach Sharman he's got an aggressive timetable to return as he said today Ruben Bain defensive rookie of the year Lane Johnson protector of the year Jaden Daniels come back player of the year
and Jesse mentor coach of the year they're nice mentor is coach of the year I like that pick um I knew he liked that little mentor I know but that's like I don't I was but now everybody else is here and I don't yeah too many people came to my party and now I I want to leave my own house I know I know that feeling all right let's close things out now let's start on the AFC side of things I'm just gonna roll through it just and throw up the playoffs for each of us I have bills over Ravens Texans over Chargers Patriots over Bengals Broncos over Patriots bills over Texans in the divisional playoffs and then bills over Broncos in the AFC championship game Buffalo back in the dance Sessler okay um the New York Jets the story of the national sport scene beat the Broncos and it's like wait a minute what happened here but they Chris Shendo at the right time they just there's total belief the Jets believe it and they catch
the Broncos at the right time and there you go the Jaguars beat the Texans in the wild card the Bengals beat the Patriots to close out the wild card in the divisional the bills beat the Jets end of story Jaguars hate this team that's right he won't be very happy about that he won't up to that the Jaguars beat the Bengals and in the AFC championship game the Jaguars and it's sad the Jaguars beat the bills Super Bowl bound Jacksonville Jaguars wow so a wild card team comes out of the AFC how about you Connor all right in the AFC I have the Ravens over the seven seed Jaguars the Chargers over the six seed Patriots the five seed Broncos over the four seed bills whoa then the one seed Texans over the five seed Broncos the three seed Chargers over the two seed Ravens little Minter battle against this former team there and then the number one seed Texans over the Chargers Texans in the Super Bowl
now Connor all the way in on those Texans all right let's head over the NFC side where I have in the wild card round the number two Lions over the number seven Packers the number six Niners over the number three Eagles the number five Seahawks triumph over the host number four seeded Buck and Ears we go to the divisional round where we have the number one seed Rams over the number six seed Niners the number two seed Lions defeat the defending champion ending that reign for the Seahawks but it is the Rams the number one seed over the Lions in Los Angeles and the NFC title game setting up Buffalo Los Angeles championship Cessi all right I have in the wild card round the number two seeded Cowboys beating the seven seeded Giants the six seeded Eagles beating the third seeded Niners and the Seahawks the fifth seed beating the Tampa Bay Buck and Ears the fourth seed by the fact they won the division in the divisional the two seeded Cowboys take out the defending champion Seahawks the fifth seed the Eagles at number six beat the Lions the top
seeded an upset you go to the NFC championship game NFC East clash between the two seeded Cowboys and the hated six seeded Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys go back to the Super Bowl oh my goodness Sessie I want to live in this world I do oh baby we have 15 wins for the Cowboys heading to Super Bowl Sunday on Valentine's Day on real all right Connor no top in that I got number two seed Rams over the seven seed 49ers six seed Packers over the three seed Cowboys the five seed Seahawks over the four seed Panthers then we go one seed Lions over the six seed Packers the five seed Seahawks over the two seed Rams five seed Seahawks over the one seed Lions to get them back into the Super Bowl oh baby I'll dig it now yeah with that further do time for our Super Bowl picks can I get some
music for this Justin a year ago Josh Allen sat at his locker sobbing like a little batch I don't mean that I don't mean that at all I put bitch in capitals and italics after yet it's done yeah after yet another gut punch playoff defeat in a career filled with too many the bills rebooted leadership after that night and it has paid off brilliantly first year coach Joe Brady has taken Allen in the bills somewhere they had never previously been a top the celebration riser with a confused Terry Bradshaw asking half questions following a stirring Super Bowl conquest over the host Rams 31 27 no folding table is safe in western New York maybe not ever again Super Bowl MVP Allen come on Josh no longer I'll let off yash all right Sessie hit it baby your turn in one of the final notes of genuine Americana before the rise
of the Byzantine hammer a dangerous splinter group that takes over Washington DC and 75% of the East Coast by March 1st we are given this the Dallas Cowboys are again world champions feeding on a heroically banged up Lee and Cohen led Jaguar's outfit the Cowboys coasted in a game that felt more like a celebration of football's past than anything from today as the Byzantine hammer increases its grip over the nation it's fair to ask if the final image will ever see from from professional football is this Jerry Jones at long last lifting his trophy toward the stars eyes a glow back in the saddle after all this time how about them Cowboys 38 to 19 over the Jaguar's your MVP is Dak Prescott but the real MVP is Jerry Jones and we don't know if football will ever occur after this day it ends the way it should wow I mean you can't say it and go all in Sessie so they not only did the Cowboys win the division 12 games roll through the NFC playoffs
they blow out their opponent in the Super Bowl it's the 90s all over again it is I mean I in this world I think the Jaguar's fans can look back and say a few things win again get win against us football gods wise on health wise but the Cowboys are too dominant what a ride Sessor all right Connor close it out all right last season the Houston Texans played most of their games one handed hamstrung by a thin offensive line no depth at running back enter David Montgomery enter Braden Smith enter Kaelin Rutledge Evan Brown and a brand new reborn Nick Kayley CJ Stroud relationship that carries the Houston Texans not only to the biggest game in the NFL but over the hump in a 24 21 win over the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and baby the MVP
is none other than Mr. I'm about to sign up in contract CJ Stroud who throws three tuddies in that game he looks like a different man more of a game manager not the same guy who put up a bunch of stats is rookie but you don't need him to be when you've got the league MVP will Anderson just mall and people Texans bring it home that's wow Texans they'll be celebrating they'll be kicking themselves for not getting that contract done this summer if that's what happens but you'll it's worth it does the same thing happen with Flacco when he won with the Ravens like Baltimore had a chance yeah he he became elite which was a tedious joke by that moment yeah and then signed a big deal and then they had a pain once later yeah yeah but you know what Texans fans would take that and as would management so bills over Ravens Cowboys over Jaguars Texans over Seahawks Justin throwing your Super Bowl pick while we're here oh off the dome then I guess off the dome I mean at this
point we've all talked about it so much might as well close it out all four Super Bowl predictions what he got funny Detroit Lions 31 Los Angeles Rams 26 wow well so they just skip the AFC this year we just go all the NFL's the NFL title game preview the event no you're good you nailed it that's the NFC championship game and then in the Super Bowl a classic Sessler pivot oh you're just giving us the NFC title game got it go ahead after the bills beat the that was pretty funny Broncos in a UFC championship rematch then because you're doing the diamonds beat the bills there we go yeah I did right that time Lions I don't believe that was an AFC championship rematch bills Broncos but um you're on you're operating from a different world at this point so I feel like you nailed that from top to bottom Justin shut out them haters all right here we go
uh that's it those are our predictions uh and we'll look back at them and I'm sure have no regrets at all by the end of this football season next time you hear from us it will be in the aftermath of Seahawks Patriots opener will give you a live recap we'll preview the Thursday night Australian game between it's a thing it really is Rams Niners that will be our Wednesday show and then on Thursday have a recap of that game as well as the debut of our Thursday preview episode where we preview every single game and then of course you come back on Sunday for the flagship program live where we handle every single game that was played on Sunday it's back baby Sessie you got to out we sound very busy and I do love that um we sound extremely busy and I I hope they love it well said uh Conner do you have anything to add do I know we marked us on a an an amazing amazing magical ride and um whether any of these hit or none of these hit um I'll always
remember the journey of the last 60 minutes or so it's like taking an edible from the gas station and in the best way like this and whenever you're with Mark the ride can vary right um and today was was definitely the cleanest of highs yeah I was gonna say the edible but then you're like well I'm already at the gas station I might as well get the rhinoceros boner pills to you all I'm here but I have a couple handfuls of those one two punch into this guy and fly all right everybody uh see you tomorrow night till then do what you must he's the con ss
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