NFL Championship Weekend is in the books, and I’m back with a quick solo recap of everything that went down. I break down the latest coaching dominoes around the league, then dive into both conference championship games — from the ugly, defensive slugfest in the AFC to the fireworks in the NFC.
Topics covered:
Coaching news + hires across the NFL
Patriots vs Broncos: defensive battle, key turnovers, and how New England survived
Seahawks vs Rams: back-and-forth shootout, big plays, and what decided it late
Early thoughts on what these teams look like moving forward
What’s next on Around the Felt (mock draft + Super Bowl preview coming soon)
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Who proves it in the Super Bowl — Seattle or New England?
#NFL #NFLPlayoffs #ChampionshipWeekend #AFCChampionship #NFCChampionship #Patriots #Broncos #Seahawks #Rams #SamDarnold #DrakeMay #MatthewStafford #NFLRecap #NFLNews #CoachingCarousel #HeadCoaching #AroundTheFelt #FootballPodcast #SportsPodcast #SuperBowl
0:08 Welcome in + solo pod setup (Colin in Cabo, Reagan in the cold)
0:39 Why this is a Monday “processed thoughts” recap (not instant reaction)
1:02 Coaching hires/news before the games
1:09 Steelers hire Mike McCarthy — “not Steeler-like,” feels lateral vs Tomlin
2:36 Aaron Rodgers future + possible McCarthy reunion in Pittsburgh?
3:20 Jesse Minter hired as Ravens head coach — why Reagan likes the fit
4:45 Coaching dominoes / remaining openings (Bills, Raiders, Cardinals, etc.)
5:45 Philip Rivers interviewing for Bills HC — “has this ever happened?”
6:18 Titans note + overall thoughts on how many openings this offseason
6:28 Jets frustration (keeping Aaron Glenn)
6:46 Transition into matchups
6:58 Patriots beat Broncos 10–7 (ugly defensive battle)
7:41 Patriots defense praise (sacks/turnovers + playoff run dominance)
8:19 Concern about Patriots offense (Drake May stat line)
8:30 Drake May’s legs as the difference + key plays (scramble TD, sealing run)
8:40 Rhamondre workload + Henderson usage surprise
9:36 Broncos missed/blocked kick breakdown + lining up too close
10:15 Dome vs outdoor/weather debate (Reagan loves the chaos)
11:17 AFC East pain: Patriots back in a Super Bowl again (Jets/Dolphins/Bills angle)
12:28 Vrabel criticism reversal — “he did it, I believe now”
13:06 Broncos side: STID mistakes vs flashes + “just run” moments
14:00 What Denver needs next (weapons/TE/RB pairing) + Bo Nix optimism
16:01 Wrap Patriots/Broncos thoughts + “better days ahead” for Denver
16:28 Transition to the other game
16:43 Seahawks beat Rams 31–27 — third matchup, lived up to it
17:13 Sam Darnold legacy game: stat line + “best game of his career”
18:02 Kenneth Walker workload + playing into a contract
18:17 JSN big-time performance + duel with Puka
18:38 Rams offense cooks too: Stafford huge numbers + surprising mobility
19:05 Swing moments: Xavier Smith fumble + Woolen taunting penalty (mistakes + answers)
19:33 Seattle feels like the better team + early Super Bowl lean
19:54 What Seattle must do vs Drake May (pressure/turnovers emphasis)
20:31 Reagan’s Darnold apology + Seahawks validation
21:24 Rams: who leaves + Stafford retirement/drafting QB discussion
21:48 Rams have two 1sts (ATL + their own) — should they draft Stafford’s replacement?
22:15 “Why not run it back?” Stafford still elite + win-now Rams philosophy
23:02 Why the Rams’ playoff run felt uneven (units not clicking together)
23:40 2026 goal: chase the 1 seed + avoid going into Seattle again
24:14 Episode wrap + keeping it brief
24:23 Tease: mock draft pod later in the week (draft order mostly set)
24:36 Super Bowl preview + predictions coming next week
24:45 Like/subscribe/follow on socials + outro
Coaching / league newsAFC Championship recap: Patriots vs BroncosNFC Championship recap: Seahawks vs RamsRams outlook / offseason talkWrap-up / what’s next