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!

NFL Playoff Preview, Hoosiers Advance and You Can Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. On this episode, Anne and l look ahead to the NFL Playoffs, talk about the Hoosiers advancing in the college football playoffs, and give you all a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card if you win our group in the ESPN Pigskin Bracket Challenge.

CLICK PLAYER ABOVE TO LISTEN TO OUR NFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

ENTER OUR ESPN GROUP TO MAKE YOUR PICKS FOR THE NFL BRACKET CHALLENGE. THE GROUP NAME IS TORG STORIES NFL PLAYOFF CHALLENGE. SEE LINK BELOW:

  • Click here to make your NFL Playoff Picks and join our Torg Stories 2026 NFL Playoff Challenge. The winner of the group will win a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Personally, I’m excited that the Panthers are division champs and headed for the playoffs. As for Anne, her alma mater–the Indiana Hoosiers!–are in the final four of the college football playoffs. Anne, you say you’re jumping on the bandwagon? 

Let’s start with this. When you look at the final NFL Standings, what are your…

  1. Biggest surprises of being good: Seahawks 14-3 #1 seed with Sam Darnold. Broncos 14-3 with second year QB Bo Nix 
  2. Biggest disappointments: Bengals going 6-11 is pretty bad. Raiders going 3-14 with Pete Carroll. Commanders were bad 5-12 after a good year. Lions missing the playoffs. 
  3. Something you really missed when it came to your preseason expectations? I thought the Chiefs would continue to be good, and they missed the playoffs with a 6-11 record. 
  4. Anything you nailed by being really right? I was early all in on the Pats to win the division and they did. My bet on the Panthers to win the division was just a flyer on being a fan. I thought Rogers would be much better than he was for the Jets and that they could make the playoffs. 

Panthers lose to Tampa Bay Buccaneers but still make the playoffs. 

  1. Panthers botched a flea flicker 1st and 10 on the Tampa twenty down 16-7. 
  • My basketball camp stick with what’s working
  • Haven’t heard a more detailed explanation of what was supposed to happen 
  1. Falcons needed to beat the Saints. 
  2. Alford with a big interception late. 
  3. Canales said his phone was blowing up after the game, including a short call with team owner David Tepper, who made the playoffs for the first time since he purchased the Panthers in 2018. (from ESPN) 

Let’s pick first round playoff games against the spread. What should our bet be? We decided our bet was that the loser of the first round picks had to supply the $50 Amazon Gift Card for the bracket challenge contest.

  1. Rams at Panthers Sat at 4:30 with the Rams favored by 10.5 points. 
  • Anne Rams, Bill Panthers 
  1. Packers at Bears Sat 8PM with Packers favored by 1.5 points. 
  • Anne Bears, Bill Packers 
  1. Bills at Jaguars Sun at 1PM with Bills favored by 1.5. 
  • Anne Bills, Bill Bills 
  1. San Francisco at Philly at 4:30 on Sunday with Eagles favored by 3.5. 
  • Anne Eagles, Bill San Francisco 
  1. Chargers at Pats Sun 8PM with Pats favored by 3.5 pts.  
  • Anne and Bill Pats 
  1. Texans at Pittsburgh Monday night 8:15 with Texans favored by 3.5 pts. 
  • Anne and Bill Steelers 

We invite everyone to compete in the ESPN Pigskin Bracket Challenge with us. Anne and I will go over our brackets now. Click here to join our group. 

Super Bowl Winner Draft: Our final brother sister contest: let’s draft Super Bowl Winners. Anne, you can have the first pick: 

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

We’ll finish up with some talk of the Hoosiers in the Final Four of College Football Playoff: 

  1. Indiana vs. Oregon in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta at Mercedes Benz Stadium 
  2. Fri Jan 9th at 7:30 pm. 
  3. Oregon is 13-1 with their loss being at Indiana 30-20. 
  4. Ole Miss and Miami on Jan 8th. 
  5. Jan 19 championship. Monday. 

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

2025 Favorites on The Torg Stories Podcast

2025 year in review, Indiana Pacers, Sinners, One Battle After Another, Tyrese Haliburton, Dodgers, Ed Sheeran, Bad Bunny, Boone, NC

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast! We’re recording on Sunday, Dec 28, 2025, and on this episode we will cover some of our favorites from the year. We’re also starting a new segment where at the end, we will try a candy from Mast Store in Boone. Today, it will be the Chick-O-Stick. Anne, how did 2025 treat you?

Favorite Sports Moment of the Year: 

  • Bill: Haliburton high bounce at MSG to send game to overtime. Gave the Reggie Miller choke sign.  
  • Anne: Dodgers Win WS

Lowest Sports Moment of the Year: 

  • Bill: Haliburton achilles rupture in the finals. We also had the Daniel Jones injury and the Caitlin Clark two injuries. 
  • Anne: Halliburton tears Achilles in final

Favorite Movie released this year: 

  • Bill: Sinners. Original idea. Beautifully shot. Funny and scary vampires. Symbolism of the white world trying to appropriate the black music. (One Battle After Another, Weapons) next up. 
  • Anne: One Battle After Another

Song of the year: 

  • Bill: “Motorcycle Drive By” by Zach Bryan. 
  • Anne: No Reply, Tame Impala

Artist of the year: 

  • Bill: Ed Sheeran. I did like Sombr’s performance of “12 to 12” on SNL 
  • Anne: Bad Bunny

Television Show: 

  • Bill: Landman. I watched this year. Interaction between Billy Bob and Kayla Watson the lawyer character. Billy Bob scrapping with the drug cartels on the border. 
  • Anne: None

Concert / Live Event: 

  • Bill: John Heffron at the Appalachian Theater. Saw Jon Heder from Napoleon Dynamite there too. 
  • Anne: Pacers game @Clippers, Hades musical

Place Visited: 

  • Bill: Savannah. Architecture + dive bar gritty feel. Incredibly creative environment. Kihei in Maui. 
  • Anne: London

Meal Eaten: 

  • Bill: Booneshine Nashville Hot Chicken or the Port City Hot Chicken Sandwich at The Rooster and The Crow in Wilmington. 
  • Anne: Swiss Butter in London

Favorite New Restaurant to Me 

  • Bill: Fizz Ed in Boone. Artsy decor. Philly Steak and Cheese is good. Refurbished Howard Street. 
  • Anne: there’s a new Raising Canes in Hollywood, haven’t been yet lol

Trend: 

  • Bill: the mass appeal of the WNBA. I landed on Gemini right now as my generative AI platform of choice. Going to Zaxby’s. 
  • Anne 

Social Media Account You Follow: 

  • Bill: Annie Agar 5 on TikTok. NFL recaps, funny changing jerseys. 1.1 M followers. And @MattHackenbergbasketball. 13.7K followers. 
  • Anne: Kit Lazar on TikTok

Favorite SNL Host of the Year: 

  • Bill: Ariana Grande, Christmas episode, funniest of the year. Bowen Yang’s last episode. Ariana and Marcello were dance teachers. 
  • Anne: Ariana Grande

Fav Book Read of the Year: 

  • Bill: The Uncool by Cameron Crowe. Dickens and Prince by Nick Hornby. 
  • Anne: The Rose Field, Philip Pullman

Other 2025 News: 

  • Luka trade
  • Taylor Swift engagement 

RIP in 2025: 

  • Aunt Olive 
  • Aunt Mary Lois
  • Diane Keaton
  • Rob Reiner 
  • Robert Redford 
  • Gene Hackman 
  • Val Kilmer 
  • Malcolm Jamal Warner 
  • Ozzy Osburne 

Thanks for checking out our episode. Happy New Year Everyone!

Triple Overtime Win, Carolina Panthers Grab First Place, and 52 Places to Go in the World

Welcome to the Torg Stories Podcast. It’s Sun Dec 21, 2025. I’m coming off a triple overtime win with my high school women’s basketball team, the Panthers took over first place in their division with a win over the Buccaneers, and Anne and I picked 5 places we might want to go from the New York Times article 52 Places to Go. Click here to access the New York Times article.

Notes for our discussion:

Triple Overtime Win for Watauga Women’s Basketball at Mountain Heritage

  1. We’re on a stretch of Four Games in Six Days.  
  • Wed 12/17 win at home vs. Ashe 56-45
  • Thur 12/18 at Avery County 48-44 loss. (two shots to tie in the last minute and thirty seconds). Wild celebration next locker room. 
  • Fri practice and Christmas Party (gift exchange) 
  • Fri night watch Mountain Heritage with radio broadcast on “TV” 
  1. The Road to Burnsville, NC  / Wrong Turn on the bus
  2. Coach Sheldon of Mountain Heritage
  3. Close Game from Start to Finish
  • Tied at 14 end of the first quarter, up 3 at half, down 3 end of third 
  • No lead bigger than 6 for either team
  • Leading scorer in foul trouble 
  • Up 5 with less than 10 seconds to go. 
  • Up 3 with 5 seconds to go 
  • Down 4 in the first overtime with 10 seconds to go. Scored. Pressed. Got a turnover and a foul. Hit, lane violation, hit. 
  • Second overtime saved the ball directly to them under their own basket and they missed a lay up right at the rim. 
  1. Home game Monday to close out 2025. 

The Carolina Panthers and Additional NFL Stories of Note 

We looked at a New York Times article titled “52 Places to Go in 2025.” Click here to access the article. 

Anne, this article had some things in common with the best movies article we previously read, right? 

  1. Interactive in that you add places to a personal list. 
  2. Beautiful pictures that sometimes move. 

We were supposed to rank 5 places that most interested. Can we try a countdown from 5 to 1? 

  1. Dolomite Mountains, Italy
  • Meadows and rocky mountains. Lakes with clear water. 
  • 4 hours northeast of Milan, straight south of Munich, above the boot 
  • The pre-Roman Rhaetian people, indigenous to Northern Italy’s rugged Dolomite Mountains, have inspired a new 105-mile hiking circuit known as the Cammino Retico, or Rhaetian Way.
  • Anne, you like France, Spain, or Italy best to visit? 
  1. Kristiansand, Norway
  • Bright colors on the ocean, boats, mountains 
  • 3 hours away from Oslo. I don’t know where to go in Norway…
  1. Amsterdam, Netherlands 
  • The Ted Lasso episode 
  • Canals and old buildings 
  1. Aix-en-Provence, South France
  • Saw town squares, mountains, a river 
  1. Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates 
  • Yas Island, home to Ferrari World, Warner Bros. 
  • World’s largest surf park 

Where have I been on the list of 52 Places to Go in the World? 

  1. New York City Museums  
  2. Idaho drive through. From Seattle to Missoula. 
  3. Asheville, NC 
  4. Very close but didn’t stop in Concord, Massachusetts. 
  5. New Orleans
  6. East London – a new venue called the David Bowie Centre 
  7. Detroit 
  8. Washington DC  

Other places of note: 

  1. Lofoten Islands, Norway had the most beautiful picture. 
  1. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Beauty and remoteness. Saw lots of hotels on Google Maps. 
  2. Australia – Coach James Janssen could convince me I have to go. 
  3. Portugal – I was Laura Barry’s assistant and she went there. 

Thanks for checking out this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!

We wish you a happy holiday season!