Super Bowl LX Podcast: Seahawks, Patriots, and Our Commercial Rankings

Welcome to the Super Bowl LX Podcast. We started this episode at 10:27 EST. I’m podcasting like I get paid to do it!  

In this episode, we talk about the pregame, the Green Day Performance, some of the main plays from the Seahawks 29-13 win, the Bad Bunny halftime show, and rank our favorite commercials.

Commercial Rankings That Could Use Some Revision: 

  1. Dunkin Doughnuts: Good Will Hunting remix. George, Sam from Cheers, Jennifer Anniston, Tom Brady. Gotta be a certain age to get it. 
  2. Claude making fun of Gemini with the perfect follow up question. “Raging Cougars.” 
  3. Colin and Che Draft Kings. “Live” at the game. 
  4. Uber Eats: Cooper and McConaughey. He said the Pro Football Hall of Fame looked like a juicer. 
  5. Instacart with Benson Boone and Ben Stiller. 
  6. Take a Look at Your Pee. Liquid IV. 
  7. Emotionally touching Rocket Mortgage about neighbors. 
  8. Minions and monsters. Big white screen with tiny minion. 
  9. YouTube “Meh” commercial with the Kelces, McCafferty. 
  10. Netflix movie with Brad Pitt. Had Big Kahuna Burger in it. 
  11. Weird: manscape commercial with talking hair. 

Congratulations to Kingrah23 on winning the Torg Stories NFL Bracket Challenge. Write me an email and introduce yourself at William.Torgerson@gmail.com. I’ll put you in touch with Anne so she can get you your $50 gift card. 

Pregame: 

  1. NBC made it seem less like a big game to me. I could only name Jason Garrett on the pregame show, and I wasn’t excited to hear from him. 
  2. Super Bowl Memory Project / NFL Broadcast Part. 
  3. Green Day: 
  • Time of Your Life ending the NFL MVPs. Nice transition!
  • Holiday. Boulevard of Broken Dreams. American Idiot. 
  • Megan and Izzy wondering if he would say his MAGA agenda line. 
  1. Chris Pratt’s kid I think said Let’s effing go for the Seahawks. 
  2. Fighter pilots fist bump. 
  3. I liked the focus on MVPs: Mannings, Montana, Jerry Rice

A few notes from the game: 

  1. Sam Darnold starting in Super Bowl pretty amazing from Jets and MN. And a Panther briefly. 
  2. 3-0. SEA first drive: right down the field and stall for a FG. 
  3. Pats: Seahawks sack Maye. Also hurry him on the 3rd down where they had to punt. 
  4. Pats: sacked again. Punt. (17th time Maye has been sacked in playoffs)
  5. End of first quarter. 3-0. 
  6. 6-0. SEA: Walker long run to 46. Another long run by Walker. 30 and 29 yard runs. Another FG. 
  7. 30 new players is a record for Super Bowl. (Pats) 
  8. Pats: Maye sacked again. Punt. 
  9. SEA: Darnold moving around more than Maye so far. Seattle goes for it the least in the NFL. Great punt by Seattle. 9 possessions 7 punts. 
  10. Pats: drive started from 2. Big first down pick up to at least not punt from the 2. Punt. 
  11. 9-0. SEA with 11 seconds in half.
  12. No team shutout in first half has won a Super Bowl. 
  13. 12-0. SEA: FG on first drive second half. 
  14. Pats: Punting 4th and 1 with 7:41 in third from 39. 
  15. SEA: sacked. Pats got a little life. 
  16. Pats: Tirico: Maye just can’t pull the trigger. Fumble. Turnover. 
  17. SEA: Darnold 16 yard TD pass to Barner. 
  18. Pats: very, very late hit on Diggs out of bounds. Weird Tirico calling him an idiot Rocket scientist. TD Patriots. 3 plays 65 yards. 
  19. SEA- JSN, the receiver, comes back into the game after being evaluated for a concussion. 
  20. Pats: a very poorly thrown ball for an INT. 8:37 left. 19-7. 
  21. Sea: kicker sets Super Bowl Record with 5th FG
  22. Pats: Maye sacked for 6th time. Fumble and returned for a TD. Megan asked, “How did the Patriots get this far?” 7th sack. 
  23. Pats: TD when it looked like Maye would run it in but passed low at the last second. 
  24. SEA: punt inside the 5 yards.
  25. 15 punts and 5 FGs in this game. 

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast! 

Most Meaningful Athletes Podcast

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. This week, Anne and I share our top 10 most meaningful athletes. We’re recording on Sun Feb 1, 2025. Here outside of Boone, North Carolina, it’s 15 degrees and we’ve got at least 6 inches of snow. 

Click to listen: Walter Payton, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Caitlin Clark

Torg’s List of Most Personally Meaningful Athletes:

  1. Walter “Sweetness” Payton – running back Chicago Bears 1975 – 1987
  • Why? Payton was most responsible for inspiring my front yard games with the neighborhood kids in Logansport, Indiana. I had this little machine that would throw a football and me and another kid would play 1v1 football. 
  • Memory: Payton would jump in the air and put one leg out front and another behind. In a time before the tush push, he would jump over both lines into the end zone or for a first down. 
  • # 2 all time nfl rushing behind Emmitt Smith and ahead of Frank Gore and Barry Sanders. 
  • Detail: he did not celebrate TDs. He handed the ball to the official or to a teammate. 
  • Died at 46 of liver disease 
  • More than anyone, inspired my front yard football games with the self passing machine. 
  • From Wikipedia: The asteroid 85386 Payton, discovered by the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing observatory in 1996, is named in Payton’s memory.
  1. Steve Alford – Indiana Hoosiers guard 1983 – 1987
  • Why? One of the best players in college basketball in my state when I was a middle school kid. I did things because Alford did: shoot 100 free throws and do push ups for misses. Put a ball on a chair and run cuts to pick up the ball from the chair, and end the workout by hanging the net. 
  • Memory: Alford went 7-10 from 3 in the 1987 national title game. That’s the Keith Smart shot game that is part of the montage that closes each episode of our podcast. 
  • In 1983 as a high school player, he went 25-25 from the line and scored 57 in a semi state game. 
  • Same birthday as me, but six years older. 
  • The Feinstein Season on the Brink book. 
  1. Larry Bird – 1979 1992 Celtics guard 
  • The event of the NCAA title game of Indiana State, where our parents went, vs. Magic Johnson and Michigan State. How excited our parents were. How much dad and his friends talked about the game. 
  • Scored 60 points nine days after his teammate Kevin McHale set Celtics record with 56. Hawks players cheering for him during the game. 
  • The way he said he checked the newspaper everyday to see what Magic and his team had done. 
  • Bird steals the ball in 1987 to beat the Pistons. 
  • When he banged his head on the floor in a playoff game against the Pacers and exited. A bird (pigeon) landed on the floor. Later, he came running out of the hallway, returned to the game, and led the Celtics to a game 5 victory. 
  • This game was commemorated on my NBA Superstars VHS tape to the Outfield’s song “Winning it All.” 
  • The legend of being in the small town park by yourself working on being a basketball player. 
  1. Michael Jordan NBA guard 1984-1993
  • Larry Bird said he was “god in basketball shoes” when he scored 63 vs. Celtics in playoffs after coming back from a broken foot
  • Saw him in person twice: once at Market Square Arena in Indy and once at Chicago Stadium 
  • The shoulder shrug hitting 6 threes in finals vs. Portland Trailblazers 
  • The wide forearm band. The knee sleeve. How many pairs of Jordan shoes have I owned? How much Jordan gear do I have? 
  1. Tiger Woods – Golfer 
  • He won the 1997 Masters. 21 years old. First Asian / African to win a major. Won by 12 shots. Lowest score ever at the time. What the heck is going on?!!! 
  • Set up a TV in the back yard in Connecticut and watched him win the 2008 US Open with torn ACL and double stress fracture. 
  • Also the tragic hero fascination. 
  • Probably with Jordan, the athlete I most made plans to clear my schedule and watch. 
  1. Caitlin Clark – current WNBA guard 
  • Converted me the rest of the way to a person who watches women’s basketball and moves ahead of someone such as Steffi Graff for a female athlete I make plans to watch.  
  • Went to see her play in Charlotte against VA Tech when she scored 44 and they beat Tech 80-76. Click here for article. 
  • Image of her getting angry and hitting a barrage of long, long threes in opponent’s faces. 
  1. Chris Mullin – NBA forward from 1985-2001.
  • Started: white guy left handed shooter. “Cool.” But an article about his recovery as an alcoholic and his work ethic turned me on to him. 
  • He went on to the Pacers where he played for Larry Bird on a team that went to the NBA Finals. Lost to Lakers. 
  • Played at St. John’s where I taught for 11 years. Coached there right after I left. 
  1. Reggie Miller – Indiana Pacers guard 1987 – 2005
  • First: I was 17 when his career started so this is a good time for me to see and remember things. 
  • I was at the game when he got Knicks guard John Starks to head butt him 
  • Admired the guts to take the big shots. The ability to deliver in big games and the idea that he was going to get hot. 
  • The 8 points in 9 seconds win at the Garden and interactions with Spike Lee and all the ways Haliburton echoed that last year. 
  1. Pat Conroy – point guard, The Citadel from 1963 – 1967 
  • Stretching it here as far as knowing him as an athlete but his book The Losing Season and his entire career showed me how a basketball loving guy could make it in English Departments and as a thoughtful writer 
  • The writer Richard Ford also did some of the same work for me. Ford wrote for Insider Sports and won the Pulitzer for his novel Independence Day. (as he likes to say, not that Independence Day). 
  1. Jack Nicklaus – pro golfer winning US Open in 1962 for his first major. 
  • Dad loved him and would sit down to watch him so I did too. I remember him waving his arm up as a long putt went in for his 1986 Masters win. He shot 30 on the back 9 and won. 
  • The ‘86 win was 6 years after any of his other wins. He was 46 at the time and so it was a big surprise. 
  • I read his book Golf My Way. I remember it had you visualize your shot, and I’ve heard other golfers say it contributed largely to slower play by amateurs who were spending a lot of time trying to visualize their shots. 
  • Somebody like Tiger Woods put Nicholas’s record of 18 major tournament wins and didn’t get there (yet?) 

Some other athletes I considered: Steve Kerr, John Wooden, Kevin McHale, John Stockton, Steve Nash, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell, Steffi Graff, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi 

Anne’s list of most personally meaningful athletes:

  1. Steffi Graf
  • Memory: Domination, Late career beating Martina Hing in 1999, Hingis falling apart.
  • Detail: SI Cover, 1988 Grand Slam, first time really paid attention
  1. Natalia Mishkutenok & Artur Dmitriev
  • Memory: 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, miracle after falling, get silver
  • Detail: 1982 Unified Team Albertville Olympics. Liebestraum by Liszt
  1. Shohei Ohtani
  • Memory: 4 HR in NLCS, 10 Ks as pitcher; 40/40 Club
  • Detail: 50/50 club 2024 first in history. 9/19/24 6 for 6 w/3 HR, 2 SB, 10 RBIs
  1. Peyton Manning
  • Memory: SB 2007 v bear
  • Detail: Never my fav but over the years have liked him much more, SNL sketch w/playing w/kids
  1. Sergei Fedorov
  • Memory: Russian 5 in mid 1990s, Larionov, Kozlov, Fetisov, Konstantinov (1997 & 1998 Stanley Cup)
  • Detail: July 1990 defected while playing in Goodwill Games in Portland
  1. Greg Louganis
  • Memory: 1988 Seoul hitting his head and still winning. HIV status.
  • Detail: 1984 / 1988 Summer Olympics Gold medalist on springboard and platform. 
  1. Tony Gwynn (co/w/ Benito Santiago)
  • Memory: 1986/1987, my padres fan years. Just getting hits all over the place.
  • Detail: Received college basketball offers, none for baseball. Played both at San Diego State. Died at 54 from cancer/smokeless tobacco
  1. Andre Agassi
  • Memory: 1992 Wimbledon first grand slam, denim shorts, neon bicycle shorts
  • Detail: Book “Open” was great, one of 8 men to have career grand slam, decline and climb back up
  1. Mia Hamm (representing entire US team 1996,1999 WC)
  • Memory: 1996 Gold medal, first time women’s soccer was in olympics
  • Detail: Married to former Boston Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparrain 2003
  1. Florence Griffith Joyner (Flo-Jo)
  • Memory: 1988 Olympics, 100 m world record, 3 golds, one legged tights (did she start this?), colorful, long nails 100/200 WR stills stands (although 100 prob wind assisted?)
  • Detail: Died age 38 in her sleep during an epileptic seizure

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

Patriots and Seahawks to the Super Bowl Podcast

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. Anne and I will talk NFL Conference Championship Games. We’ve got a big ice storm here in Boone. No school on Monday. No face to face classes on Tuesday. My wife Megan is doing a remodel on our pantry and four of Charlotte’s teammates from Lees McCrae are staying with us during the storm. Anne, I’m imagining things are a little quieter at your place than mine…

In a game where it snowed more and more during the game, the Patriots earned their trip to the Super Bowl with a 10-7 win. Anne, I asked you to get three things ready: (1) at least two questions (2) two observations and (3) for you to teach me about a person associated with each team. Anne, where do you want to start? 

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos.. 

  1. Observation: Sean Payton did a great job all week building confidence and creating mystique around back up quarterback Stidham. 
  2. After the first quarter, I gave the advantage to the Broncos. Better play calling. Pats off balance on D. Maye not looking good. 
  3. One of the biggest plays of the game: 9:28 up 7-0 in field goal range the Broncos go for it on 4th down and don’t get it. They never score again. 
  4. By the time the Pats have a 4th down in the 4th, they now believe the weather will be bad and points are in high demand. 
  5. The Patriots are the first team in NFL history to go 9-0 on the road. Whoa! 
  6. Observation: I wanted more Drake Maye running last week. I thought the Bears should have ran Caleb Williams more. I got what I wanted: Maye had 10 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots got a little tricky in the snow with a fake handoff and a Maye naked bootleg run for the first down that sealed the game. 
  7. Observation: we got from Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel what we’ve been asking for: The Pats took the points, and the Pats played conservatively and did a lot of punting with the lead in bad weather. If we think the other team can’t score, let’s just keep punting. 
  8. Pats learn about someone:
  9. Coach Mike Vrabel from Akron, OH. Played at Ohio State. He’s 50 years old. Played for Steelers, Patriots, and Chiefs. Won 3 Super Bowls. 
  10. Broncos learn about someone: 
  1. Broncos Coach Sean Payton: 62 years old. Went to HS in Naperville, IL. He was a quarterback at Eastern IL. 
  2. Payton played for the Chicago Bears during the players strike. Think that Replacements movie. 
  3. Remember, he was suspended for Bounty Gate. 
  4. Payton is played by Kevin James in the 2022 film Home Team, a comedy based around Payton’s suspension after the 2012 Bounty Scandal. He also made a cameo appearance in the film. (from Wikipedia) 

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks: 

  1. 6:30 start time on Fox. Seattle opened as -2.5 favorites. 
  2. Brady talked about the tap on the inside of the center’s hamstring for the silent count. 
  3. Brady was hard on the Rams time management to end the half. Have a chance to score and/or run the time out of the first half with the lead but end up giving up a TD. 
  4. Players behaving unsportsmanlike is one of my least favorite things, and so I was happy that the Rams followed up that penalty against Seattle with a TD on the next play. 
  5. Stafford: scramble. Improv pitch to Nacua. 
  6. Observation: I’m impressed when coaches are in shape. McVay looks like he is in great shape. Robert Salah in great shape. Why isn’t it a negative that they take time to be in shape instead of working on coaching? Because the workout actually creates more energy. 
  7. Learn about the Rams: 
  1. Sean McVay is 40. Wide receiver at Miami of Ohio. Sean’s dad Tim played defensive back at Indiana University. 
  2. McVay’s wife is from the Ukraine. She was a student at George Mason University. Two kids!
  3. Learn about the Seahawks: 
  1. Seahawks Coach Mike Macdonald is 38. 
  2. He was a graduate assistant at Georgia. He was an assistant for John Harbaugh at the Ravens and then for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. 
  3. He met his wife Stephanie when he was with the Ravens. She was a cheerleader. They have a son named Jack. 
  4. Just his second season as coach. 

Three More Discussion Questions: 

  1. Which announcing duo was your favorite? 
  2. Jim Nance and Tony Romo did Broncos vs. Pats. 
  • I like Romo teaching the game. Motion. Nub formation. What he would have done. 
  • Nance being the voice of NCAA basketball tournament and the Masters goes far with me. 
  • Nance: If you’re going to go deep, the ball needs to make an instrument landing. 
  1. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady. 
  • Brady sang, Let’s get physical. He might have also sung some Snoop. 
  1. Where would you rather live? Denver, Seattle, or Boston? 
  • Tough for me. I think I could like all three. 
  • Denver: 3rd. I think of it as actually not in the mountains. I don’t know any specific things that would make it better than Indianapolis or Charlotte. I guess proximity to mountains beats those two cities. 
  • Boston second: I like New England. Very walkable. 
  • Seattle first: 
  1. How did you feel watching Peyton Manning win the Super Bowl with the Broncos? 
  • Peyton Manning was one of my favorites just for his intellectual approach to the game. Interesting contrast between no huddle, which makes me think fast, and then how long he took to actually hike it as he checked things out.//

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

NFL Divisional Round: Games Down to the Wire, Big Officiating Calls, and a Bronco Broken Ankle

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. Anne and I are recording as we wait for the Hoosiers to take the field in Miami to face off vs. the Miami Hurricanes for the College Football National Championship. Anne, I checked out those Indiana Coach Cignetti cigarette pack themed shirts, and they are pretty cool. 

Let’s go through big picture NFL Playoffs First. Anne, I’m looking for a 20 second or less reaction to me reading each score, and then you can pick which game you want to talk about first: 

  1. Broncos beat the Bills 33-30. Lose their quarterback on one of the last plays of the game. They will host the Patriots for the AFC Championship. 
  2. The Seahawks beat the 49ers 41-6. Seahawks Sam Darnold gets over last year’s end of season collapse. The 49ers were injured and battered. They will host the Rams next week for the NFC Championship. 
  3. The Patriots beat the Texans 28-16 in a slushy turned snowy game where Texans quarterback CJ Stroud had 4 interceptions. The Patriots will travel to Denver to take on the Broncos for the AFC Championship. 
  4. The Rams won a back and forth overtime thriller vs the Bears in very cold and snowy weather. Final score 20-17. Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams made an incredible throw to send the game into overtime. 

Anne, I’ve got a couple of notes on each game. Where would you like to start? 

Bills at Broncos: 

  1. The interception late in the game. Both players possess in overtime on a catch, go to the ground, and the Broncos guy ends up with it. What did you think? 
  2. How about the two pass interception calls? 
  3. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle on one of the last plays. 
  4. Bills fired their coach the next day. 

49ers at Seattle: 

1. The opening kicks was run back by Seattle for a TD.

The game was essentially over before many fans had even sat down. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown just 13 seconds into the game. It was the longest postseason kick return in Seahawks history and only the fourth time since 2000 a playoff game opened with a kick-return TD.

2. Kenneth Walker III’s Historic Night

Walker was “demoralizing” (his own words) for the 49ers’ defense. He finished with 116 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns, tying the legendary Shaun Alexander’s 2004 franchise record for most touchdowns in a single playoff game.

3. The “Dark Side” Defense

The Seattle defense, nicknamed the “Dark Side” this season, was suffocating. They forced three turnovers (an Ernest Jones IV interception and two fumbles) and held Brock Purdy to just 140 passing yards. Even more impressive: the 49ers failed to reach the end zone once, settling for two field goals.

  • Key Stat: The Seahawks also had four fourth-down stops, which Mike Macdonald treated like extra turnovers.

4. Sam Darnold’s Redemption

Despite playing with an oblique injury that had him listed as questionable, Sam Darnold earned his first career playoff win. While he only threw for 124 yards, he was efficient and mistake-free.

5. The “12s” and the Seismic Activity

Lumen Field was so loud during Shaheed’s opening return and the defensive stands that the stadium registered actual seismic activity on local seismograms. This was the first home playoff game with a full crowd in Seattle since the 2016 season.

Texans at Pats: 

  1. On 4th down with just over 9 mins to go, Pats go for it on 4th down from the 30 and score a TD.
  2. What is guiding you on that as a coach? Play you like, advantage you like, how you think the game will go 
  3. Penalty takes away a Texan TD that becomes a FG. 
  4. Is Drake Maye not a cold slushy guy? He is from NC after all. 
  5. He played better as the game went along. 
  6. Texans quarterback Stroud working on what could be one of the worst playoff games in history. 
  7. Stroud caused me to think of the Panthers Delhomme. The Panthers were the No. 2 seed and heavily favored at home, but Delhomme finished the night with 6 total turnovers.
  8. Aikman said Stroud was “Throwing and hoping.” 
  9. Snow! The snow can be fun but maybe indoor and warm weather games are overall more exciting? 

Rams at Bears: 

  1. Why didn’t we get more of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams running? 
  2. 7 wins when trailing in the 4th quarter. 
  3. This postseason has had more 4th quarter lead changes than any NFL postseason. 
  4. Even though I bet on the Bears, I did feel like, Eat it Ben Johnson. 

For the NFL Conference Championship Games, who do you like vs. the spread? 

  1. Pats 4.5 point favorites over the Broncos in Denver. 
  2. Seahawks 2.5 point favorites over the Seahawks in Seattle. 
  3. I don’t bet on college sports, but for what it is worth, the Indiana Hoosiers are 7.5 point favorites tonight against the Miami Hurricanes. 

Check the Torg Stories Bracket challenge here to see who is in the lead for the $50 Amazon Gift Card Anne will supply. We will need the winner to get in touch with us here: William.Torgerson@gmail.com. 

Thanks for listening to this edition of the Torg Stories Podcast!

NFL Wild Card Weekend and Indiana Hoosiers vs. Miami Hurricanes for the Title

NFL 2026 Wild Card Weekend Mon Jan 12, 2026 Podcast. 

We discuss Wild Card Weekend. North Carolina and Myers Park High School native Drake Maye advances in the playoffs with the Patriots. The Panthers went down in an exciting game. Anne’s $100 Super Bowl bet on the Packers failed. The Indiana Hoosiers will play for the national title against Miami on Jan 19th in Miami. Anne, it was a busy sports week since last time we talked. 

Let’s start with this: 

  1. Of all the teams and players that were eliminated, who were you saddest to lose from your viewing experience? 
  • For me, it’s the Panthers. Just an extra buzz in the state when they are still in it. They gave us a great ride in that last game. Overall, this was a season where my relationship grew with the team. I can name more players. I like the guys enough to root for them. I haven’t been there since Luke Kuechly and Greg Olsen. (by the way, Olsen shouted out his assistant middle school coach as a great on the broadcast. 
  • I hated to root against Harbaugh. 
  1. Who were you most excited to have them win, so that you get to watch them again? 
  • I think the Bills because of how much fun it is to watch Josh Allen. Except for the Panthers, I cheered the loudest from my recliner on a couple of Niner plays. I like 49ers Christian McCaffrey. 

I have a few discussion topics before we start getting into the games: 

  1. Coaches who don’t like each other: There’s some animosity between Packers Coach Matt LaFleur and Bears Ben Johnson. I think he said “F the Packers.” Anne, is that enough that you’re salty in the handshake? What might make you salty? 
  • Dislike a coach? Dirty play, poor host, cheating like listening in the lockerroom, Recruiting your players, Still not sure it shows up in the handshake. 
  1. Celtics coach Red Auerbach was said to have turned up the heat in the Lakers locker room during the finals in June. Would you be that kind of coach / host?

Let’s go over our first round picks competition and talk about the games if we want. Loser of this contest between you and I has to buy the $50 gift card for our bracket challenge winner. 

  1. Rams at Panthers Sat at 4:30 with the Rams favored by 10.5 points. 
  • Anne Rams, Bill Panthers 
  • Final score: Rams beat Panthers 34-31. Bill wins pick because Panthers only lose by 3. 
  • Bill 1-0 vs. Anne in picks. 
  • Bill’s notes: 
  1. Didn’t like going for it on 4th down on first possession on own side of the field. Pass play that went nowhere. 
  2. Young interception. 
  3. Punt fumble 2:44 in the half. 
  4. Interesting that Rams didn’t kick it to end half up 10 and getting the ball back to start 2nd. 
  5. Panthers run on first play. 
  6. Electric run by Young with 37 seconds left in the half. 
  7. 2:42 in 3rd. Panthers go to 0-2 on 4th down. 
  8. Rams 4th and 1with 11:20 and they get it. (game of 4th down conversions?) 
  9. Panthers block a kick and go on to score TD. 
  10. Great catch by Rams tight end to take lead back. Panthers don’t pick up any yards with 38 seconds left and three timeouts. 

Packers at Bears Sat 8PM with Packers favored by 1.5 points. 

  • Anne Bears, Bill Packers 
  • Bears come back from 18 down to win 31-27. 
  • Anne wins the pick. Each of us are 1-1. 
  • I heard the Bears coach say that they showed the film of the Patriots come back over the Falcons in the Super Bowl. Knowing it can be done is worth a lot. 

Bills at Jaguars Sun at 1PM with Bills favored by 1.5. 

  • Anne Bills, Bill Bills 
  • Bills win and we both go to 2-1 on our picks. 
  • Jags get turnover in the 2nd when a Bills player runs into another Bills player and causes a fumble. 
  • Jags don’t take 3 and go for it. Lawrence’s knee ruled down on the challenge. Bills go over 90 yards on the drive for a TD. Allen throws hand into a helmet and hurts leg on TD score. (If I were Jags I’d have thought, just take these free points they gave me.) 
  • Back foot Josh Allen long pass on final drive. 
  • Huge Tush Push 4th Down Pick Up. 
  • 1 min 2 seconds. I say put it in even though Romo and Nance want to wait. 
  • Josh Allen: threw hand into a helmet, someone landed on his head, twisted his knee at the goalline 

San Francisco at Philly at 4:30 on Sunday with Eagles favored by 3.5. 

  • Anne Eagles, Bill San Francisco 
  • 49ers win 23-19 and Bill wins the pick. Bill goes to 3-1 against the spread on his pick and Anne goes to 2-2. 
  • Purdy throws two picks. The Eagles have no turnovers and they still lose. 
  • You had the amazing trick play throw and catch from Jauan Jennings to McCaffrey for a TD.
  • Feel like the 49ers can convert the biggest plays with the call and the players. 
  • 49ers are extremely beat up, which is nothing new. 

Chargers at Pats Sun 8PM with Pats favored by 3.5 pts.  

  • Anne and Bill Pats. 
  • Pats win 16-3. Bill goes to 4-1 against the spread and Anne 3-2. 
  • With the score 0-0, Chargers get an interception inside the Pats 20 and don’t end up scoring. My best guess is Harbaugh knew how hard it was going to be for his team to move the ball. 
  • Pats get off their own 1 with a short pass to Stevenson that he takes all the way to the 50. 
  • Went for it to end the half near the 50? Set up a Pats FG to take a 6-3 lead at half. 
  • It was 6-3 until Pats FG with 3 min to go in third quarter. 
  • Henry catches the game winning TD on a 35 yard pass from Maye with 9:46 to go in 4th. 
  • Herbert did the splits sliding. I think I would be a bad early slider. Anne, how would you do? 
  • Herbert battered. Valiant effort. Chargers didn’t really ever threaten to score except on that one turnover. 
  • Bet Herbert is looking forward to playing football not with a broken hand. 

Texans at Pittsburgh Monday night 8:15 with Texans favored by 3.5 pts. 

  • Anne and Bill Steelers 

We had a Super Bowl Winner Draft. Let’s bold picks that are still possibilities: 

  • Anne’s picks: Rams, Eagles,  Broncos, Seahawks, Bears, Steelers, Texans 
  • Bill’s picks: Bills, Patriots, Packers, 49ers, Jaguars, Chargers, Panthers 

Hoosiers Play for the National Title 

  1. #1 15-0 Hoosiers play vs. #10 13-2 Miami Hurricanes. 
  2. Miami lost to Louisville and SMU. 
  3. Can’t believe we ever decided a national title by voting. 
  4. Game is Monday, Jan 19th at 7:30 in Miami. The Hoosiers will show up for this one, right? 

What did we end up with in our Torg Stories Playoff Bracket Challenge? 

  • Click here to check on entries and standings. We ended up with 14 entries vying for the $50 gift card.

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!