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:
- 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.
- 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Didn’t like going for it on 4th down on first possession on own side of the field. Pass play that went nowhere.
- Young interception.
- Punt fumble 2:44 in the half.
- Interesting that Rams didn’t kick it to end half up 10 and getting the ball back to start 2nd.
- Panthers run on first play.
- Electric run by Young with 37 seconds left in the half.
- 2:42 in 3rd. Panthers go to 0-2 on 4th down.
- Rams 4th and 1with 11:20 and they get it. (game of 4th down conversions?)
- Panthers block a kick and go on to score TD.
- 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 15-0 Hoosiers play vs. #10 13-2 Miami Hurricanes.
- Miami lost to Louisville and SMU.
- Can’t believe we ever decided a national title by voting.
- 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!
