NFL '25 - '26

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Only challenged by SB LIII (Patriots - Rams) for the worst of all time. Both teams conspire to put up the worst offensive performance in SB history, even with the flattering fourth quarter. The only SB where a kicker was in the running for MVP...   Gonzalez appeared to be the only Patriot playing football.

For once, have to disagree with Collinsworth - the 'greatest defence' title still rests with the '08 Giants, given the relative quality of the opposition (Brady's Patriots in their prime, and going for a perfect 19 - 0 season).

in LIII, I thought the Pats punter should have been MVP.

I think the best defensive game plan was the 2008 NYG. Just a much tougher offense to stop. That said, imo the best D would be the 1985 Bears.

[Slateman]

As the resident Pats fan, I had been listening to folks spin out ways to upset the Seahawks. It was win the turnover battle of the qbs, contain Walker, don't let JSN burn you, and hope Borregales wins the place kicker battle. Lots of recall of Darnold's comment after his rookie start vs Pats ("I was seeing ghosts out there").

Basically, other than a pretty good performance by the DBs, none of that broke for the Pats. I watched the game with my regular Pats table at CCSP and we were sitting there saying / hoping for a pick 6 or Jones punt return because the O was just not going to be able to score. Of course, the killers were the turnovers and a pick 6 the other way.

If I were to second guess anything, I wanted Maye to run more. Maybe the rush didn't leave lanes, but 1 run in the 1st 3 quarters was just   No rollouts even with the flow through left side of the line.

I expect Campbell will get surgery on his knee. His comeback from the ACL probably explains some of his playoff problems with bullrushes.

Kudos to Seattle D. Pats faced 4 of the 5 best Ds in the playoffs. While they had problems with all of them, none did the job as well as Seattle.

It became very clear, very early, that New England had no way to stop outside zone runs.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It became very clear, very early, that New England had no way to stop outside zone runs.

really surprising but correct. Kudos to the Seahawks OC for figuring that out because no running back had been able to exploit that all year. That was a very good run defense when playing with Milton Williams and Spillane.

[imref]

Give Darnold credit for avoiding turnovers.  And making a couple plays.  Was all he needed to do.

there were a few close calls on INTs.

If I were to second guess anything, I wanted Maye to run more. Maybe the rush didn't leave lanes, but 1 run in the 1st 3 quarters was just   No rollouts even with the flow through left side of the line.

Collinsworth mentioned that when they stared having Maye run in the 4th, he argued they should have been doing that all along.

Collinsworth was actually bearable, never mentioned Mahomes AFAIK, and his "I got nothing" after Maye's INT late was hilarious.

[English Natsie]

One positive record set, in the SB, is that Aden Durde (Seattle DC) becomes the first overseas coach to win an SB. And he's British!   

[Count Walewski]

When you think back on the Superbowls of the past, I bet you remember most of them only by one key moment or one key image. That image might be the Seahawks deciding to throw the ball rather than hand it to their beastly RB, it might be the Titans QB being tackled just short of the endzone, it might be the scene of a power outage at the Superdome. I will remember Superbowl LX as just a reel of Kenneth Walker III running all over the Patriots. A well-earned MVP.

[imref]

When you think back on the Superbowls of the past, I bet you remember most of them only by one key moment or one key image. That image might be the Seahawks deciding to throw the ball rather than hand it to their beastly RB, it might be the Titans QB being tackled just short of the endzone, it might be the scene of a power outage at the Superdome. I will remember Superbowl LX as just a reel of Kenneth Walker III running all over the Patriots. A well-earned MVP.

this one will be remembered far more for the halftime show than anything else.

[varoadking]

When you think back on the Superbowls of the past, I bet you remember most of them only by one key moment or one key image. That image might be the Seahawks deciding to throw the ball rather than hand it to their beastly RB, it might be the Titans QB being tackled just short of the endzone, it might be the scene of a power outage at the Superdome. I will remember Superbowl LX as just a reel of Kenneth Walker III running all over the Patriots. A well-earned MVP.

I'll remember it for Bad Bunny...he got more hype than the game itself...

[blue911]

My memory of the first Super Bowl was general feeling that it was an exhibition game akin to the Chicago charities game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

When you think back on the Superbowls of the past, I bet you remember most of them only by one key moment or one key image. That image might be the Seahawks deciding to throw the ball rather than hand it to their beastly RB, it might be the Titans QB being tackled just short of the endzone, it might be the scene of a power outage at the Superdome. I will remember Superbowl LX as just a reel of Kenneth Walker III running all over the Patriots. A well-earned MVP.

saw a nice diagram of the 29 yard run to the right on Ted Johnson's Breakdown TV show. Ted was the middle linebacker on 4 Super  Bowl teams (loss to GB and the first 3 wins). He pointed out how the Pats were in a 3-4 but with the motion of the receiver to the left side, the Patriot's outside LB shifted inside, which lined up the blocking angles the Seahawks line. That enabled Walker to fake up  the middle then pop through the hole. 

[imref]

Per Variety: Super Bowl viewership was down about 2 million from last year though about 3 million more watched the halftime show than the entire game. Game viewership was second highest all-time (2025 was #1).

Halftime show was down about 5 million from last year but has received more than 4 billion views on social media so far, up 2x from last year.

[HalfSmokes]

That’s not good. Ratings this year are up across the board board because Neilson changed how they counted out of home viewers.

https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2026/nfl-tv-ratings-high-nielsen-methodology-1234880431/

[imref]

That’s not good. Ratings this year are up across the board board because Neilson changed how they counted out of home viewers.

https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2026/nfl-tv-ratings-high-nielsen-methodology-1234880431/

Nielsen has made a ton of changes to its ratings system this year to try and capture smart TV viewership and viewership at public locations like sports bars. This goes into it in more detail:

https://sports360az.com/business-of-sports-college-football-tv-ratings-soared-but-was-a-change-to-the-nielsen-measuring-system-responsible/

They also tested a system with this year's super bowl designed to capture the number of people watching games in homes.

[HalfSmokes]

Nielsen has made a ton of changes to its ratings system this year to try and capture smart TV viewership and viewership at public locations like sports bars. This goes into it in more detail:

https://sports360az.com/business-of-sports-college-football-tv-ratings-soared-but-was-a-change-to-the-nielsen-measuring-system-responsible/

They also tested a system with this year's super bowl designed to capture the number of people watching games in homes.

They’re juicing the numbers to make leagues and networks happy. Advertisers won’t necessarily care about the new numbers, but it changes the constant flow of rating down stories

[English Natsie]

Could be the Swifties effect?...

[Slateman]

Could be the Swifties effect?...

Now Swifty, no care

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Could be the Swifties effect?...

that, and perhaps the snooze-fest of a game. 

I don't think the Pats are the kind of draw that KC has become recently, and Philly is probably a bigger draw than Seattle. The only way the Pats become a draw for anyone but the haters is if people try Ann Michael Maye's baking.

Beyond Bakemas

[imref]

Da' Bears are expected to announce a move to NW Indiana per a few media reports. That's awful.

[HalfSmokes]

Travis Hunter is now primarily a corner back- great trade guys

[Count Walewski]

Bears are bluffing. No way they move to Northwest Indiana if there's even a possibility of the Arlington Heights site working out. Reason is in Arlington Heights, IL (disclaimer: where I have an aunt and uncle living) they actually have more room to build an entertainment district than at the proposed site in Hammond, IN. So in the longer run, they make more money in Arlington Heights than in Hammond. Yes $2 billion in free money from Indiana is nice, but nice enough to counteract that? Probably not over decades and decades.

Plus I'm not sure I can describe in words just how much people in Chicago look down on Northwest Indiana. Would be a huge psychological issue for Bears fans. This guy Warren who the Bears hired to negotiate their stadium deal, he's just a businessman looking for the best deal but the Halas family is Chicagoans and they likely get the same ick that any Chicagoan does over Northwest Indiana.

Bears are trying to squeeze out a few extra concessions from the Illinois legislature or create urgency to get an Arlington Heights deal fast-tracked. I'm not sure I would play along if I was Illinois: they can't beat the Indiana offer on dollars and cents and state finances are not so great. Call the bluff, that's their strongest move.

[skippy1999]

Bears are bluffing. No way they move to Northwest Indiana if there's even a possibility of the Arlington Heights site working out. Reason is in Arlington Heights, IL (disclaimer: where I have an aunt and uncle living) they actually have more room to build an entertainment district than at the proposed site in Hammond, IN. So in the longer run, they make more money in Arlington Heights than in Hammond. Yes $2 billion in free money from Indiana is nice, but nice enough to counteract that? Probably not over decades and decades.

Plus I'm not sure I can describe in words just how much people in Chicago look down on Northwest Indiana. Would be a huge psychological issue for Bears fans. This guy Warren who the Bears hired to negotiate their stadium deal, he's just a businessman looking for the best deal but the Halas family is Chicagoans and they likely get the same ick that any Chicagoan does over Northwest Indiana.

Bears are trying to squeeze out a few extra concessions from the Illinois legislature or create urgency to get an Arlington Heights deal fast-tracked. I'm not sure I would play along if I was Illinois: they can't beat the Indiana offer on dollars and cents and state finances are not so great. Call the bluff, that's their strongest move.

Agreed, it's like Kraft  pretended he was going to move the Pats to Hartford 

[varoadking]

Hammond, IN has Lake George just to the East of Wolf Lake...they'll find a way to tie that to Halas and McCaskey just to seal the deal... 

Frankly...Chicago, and the entire State really, pretty much suck anymore and have for years.

This is no different than the NEW YORK J E T S and NEW YORK GIANTS playing in New Jersey, and it would have more to offer fans than just big parking lots...

Cheaper flights into Midway too...

I say they should go for it...it would serve Springfield and Chiraq right if they were to lose the team...

[imref]

Saw a suggestion that Illinois just sets up DUI checkpoints on return routes after games. They’d come out way ahead financially. 😀

[English Natsie]

Chiefs release figures which demonstrate why TV companies like them so much...

Chiefs games accounted for four of the top five NFL games of the 2025 season in total viewership:

    1st – Week 13 Chiefs at Cowboys: 57.3 million viewers
    3rd – Week 2 Chiefs vs. Eagles: 33.8 million viewers (top non-Thanksgiving day game)
    4th – Week 9 Chiefs at Bills: 30.9 million viewers
    5th – Week 11 Chiefs at Broncos: 29.0 million viewers

18 of the top 100 broadcasts of the year – across all sports and entertainment, not just the NFL – were Chiefs games, four more than the next closest team (Philadelphia).

The club's Christmas day game against the Denver Broncos on Amazon Prime Video averaged 21.06 million viewers, breaking the streaming platform's record for most-watched Thursday Night Football game (19.39 million).