About this episode
RJ Bell, Steve Fezzik and Mackenzie Rivers recap NFL Week 7. RJ Bell, Steve Fezzik and Mackenzie Rivers recap NFL Week 7 in a fast-paced conversation mixing betting insights, analytics and humor. RJ opens by promoting Pregame’s NBA season package and a special Mackenzie Rivers deal, emphasizing his 56.6% documented NBA win rate. They then analyze the Giants-Broncos game, where Denver made a historic comeback from an 18-point deficit. Fezzik argues the Giants’ aggressive late-game strategy was reasonable despite media criticism, while RJ compares it to the infamous Falcons-Patriots Super Bowl collapse, concluding that both conservative and aggressive play have risks. The trio examine statistical measures like yards per play, win share, and “garbage time” adjustments, agreeing context matters more than raw stats. They shift to other matchups: the Rams’ “phony blowout” over Jacksonville, where stats misled; Miami-Cleveland, where weather and turnovers defined the Browns’ win; and Patriots-Titans, where quarterback hand size and fumble tendencies hurt Tennessee. They debate young QB evaluations, noting Drake May’s rise to third in combined PFF/QBR rankings, arguing he’s surpassed Jaden Daniels and could rival Burrow or Lamar Jackson in value given his youth and contract. RJ cautions against premature hype after short sample sizes like C.J. Stroud’s rookie surge, while Fezzik defends updating priors quickly. They discuss the 49ers’ quarterback situation—whether Brock Purdy’s success reflects him or Kyle Shanahan’s system—and criticize GM John Lynch for overpaying veterans. RJ contrasts San Francisco’s generosity with Kansas City’s and New England’s frugality, calling the latter model more sustainable. They review league power ratings using yards per play, noting surprising leaders like Seattle and Denver and questioning whether such metrics truly capture team strength. The Chiefs’ demolition of the Raiders sparks debate over coaching continuity, situational creativity, and overreliance on one big win to justify Super Bowl favoritism. Fezzik praises Mahomes’ intelligence but laments other teams’ lack of innovation, attributing KC’s success to organizational stability. They analyze Baltimore’s inflated market rating, Chicago’s surprising offensive efficiency despite defensive woes, and Indianapolis’ quietly elite yards-per-play stats. The crew criticizes the Jets’ dysfunction, comparing them unfavorably to Detroit’s slow but steady rebuild under Dan Campbell, citing ownership and coaching instability as root causes. Fezzik rants about Dallas Cowboys’ “showboating” and lack of discipline, prompting RJ to mock his old-school sensibilities while they segue into Philly’s adaptability and Minnesota’s quarterback uncertainty with J.J. McCarthy’s injuries. They close by evaluating team quality via cumulative point margins in losses, with Green Bay and Denver ranking highest in “close-loss resilience.” RJ highlights Arizona’s competitiveness despite poor results and looks ahead to Houston’s upcoming test as an underrated statistical power. The show ends on a brisk note, promising a Thursday morning release and teasing deeper analytics in future episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices