The Heating Up Podcast

The NFC East finally remembered how to win, and Sasha and Sarah are enjoying every second of it.

The Giants pull off a stunning overtime road win over Houston as 10-point underdogs, improving to 4-2-1 and heading into their bye week atop the NFC East. J.J. McCarthy continues to impress, Cam Skattebo is back to running people over, and New York’s defense is making life miserable for opposing offenses. But with Jackson Dart injured, has Sasha suddenly found himself in the middle of an actual quarterback controversy?

Meanwhile, Sarah’s Cowboys beat the Eagles 38-21 in primetime. Dak Prescott looks great, Philadelphia looks completely lost, and the question becomes whether Cowboys fans are finally justified in feeling optimistic again.

Mike enjoys the Bills’ bye week, revisits some of his boldest NFL predictions, and prepares for Josh Allen’s return.

Then we’re breaking down every NFL Week 8 matchup, including Vikings-Lions, Chiefs-Broncos, Eagles-Commanders, Bears-Seahawks, and the rest of the slate.

Finally, it’s Heat Check, where all three hosts are below .500, Sasha is betting a pile of underdogs, Mike is backing some heavy favorites, and Sarah is hoping the Cowboys offense keeps producing.

Lock in, and here we go.

The transcript’s final readback gives us the full card. These are the lines discussed during recording, not live or updated sportsbook odds.

MIKE

Season record

SARAH

Season record

SASHA

Season record

Sarah — 3 picks

Totals-heavy

• Rams -6.5
• Steelers/Browns UNDER 39.5
• Cowboys/Cardinals OVER 54.5

Sasha — 5 picks

• Falcons +2.5
• Broncos +1.5
• Titans +10
• Vikings/Lions UNDER 46.5
• Eagles +5.5

Mike — 5 official picks

• Steelers -3.5
• Raiders moneyline (the transcript appears to say +102; confirm before publishing the price)
• Cowboys -6.5
• Jaguars -9.5
• Eagles moneyline

Mike’s unofficial bonus pick: Bears/Seahawks OVER on the amount of fun he’s going to have watching the game.

This is a comedy pick, not a real betting market. The closing readback jokes that Mike has six selections because of it.

The best Heat Check angle: Sasha is embracing the underdogs, Mike is betting some big favorites and a couple of moneylines, and Sarah is putting her faith in Dallas to help deliver another shootout.

Heat Check — Week 8 betting card13–14–16–78–15–1

Nobody in the NFC East can win a football game, and somehow the division is still wide open.

For the second straight week, every team in the NFC East fails to pick up a victory, leaving Sasha and Sarah fighting over who might actually stumble into a division title.

Sarah unloads after the Cowboys’ 23-13 loss to Green Bay. Dak Prescott looks awful, the offense has no creativity, and Brian Schottenheimer’s visor becomes an unlikely target of everyone’s frustration.

Meanwhile, Sasha’s Giants surrender 34 unanswered points in a 34-27 loss to the Saints, but a furious fourth-quarter comeback from J.J. McCarthy has him talking about emotional victories. We debate the Giants’ quarterback situation, Cam Skattebo’s mysterious disappearance from the offense, and whether New York has any idea what it’s doing.

Then Mike breaks down Buffalo’s 33-30 win over the Raiders. Josh Allen looks like a superhero, Keon Coleman is emerging, and the Bills head into their bye week at 5-1. Unfortunately, Mike is convinced the defense is going to ruin everything unless Buffalo makes a move.

After all that, we’re breaking down every NFL Week 7 matchup with picks, lines, betting angles, and predictions before wrapping up with Heat Check, where all three hosts are finally coming off winning weeks.

Lock in, and here we go.

The crew finally had a winning week across the board.

MIKE

Last week: 4–1

SARAH

Last week: 2–1

SASHA

Last week: 3–2

These are the actual picks from the end of the transcript, not updated sportsbook odds.

Host

Week 7 picks

Sarah

Falcons +3.5; Browns -1.5; Giants/Texans UNDER 43.5

Sasha

Panthers -3.5; Packers +3; Chiefs +2.5; Giants +10

Mike

Giants +10; Vikings -6.5; 49ers -3; Lions -3; Browns moneyline

The betting storylines are even better than the actual records: Sasha and Mike both taking the Giants +10, Mike and Sarah opposing each other on 49ers/Falcons, and Sasha and Mike opposing each other on Packers/Lions.

And Mike closes with the most aggressive endorsement of a Cleveland Browns moneyline bet imaginable. That should be an entire clip by itself.

Heat Check — Week 7 betting card11–11–14–67–13

Three teams. Three very different emotions. One absolutely wild NFL weekend.

Sarah’s Cowboys completely fall apart on Thursday Night Football, losing 24-16 to the previously winless Buccaneers. The offense stinks, the defense stinks, and Sarah is ready to clean house.

Sasha’s Giants somehow find a way to win a tie, battling back from 14 points down against Washington to finish 27-27 and remain atop the NFC East. Jameis Winston delivers, Abdul Carter continues to impress, and the Commanders produce one of the most baffling late-game sequences imaginable.

And Mike gets the last laugh as Josh Allen and the Bills survive a 37-34 overtime thriller against the Rams. There are tears, questionable defense, emotional breakdowns, and an extended discussion about the physical demands of being an NFL kicker.

Then we’re moving on to NFL Week 6, breaking down every game, every line, our picks, and the matchups we’re watching before wrapping things up with Heat Check, where the entire crew desperately needs to start winning some bets.

Lock in, and here we go.

This is the final card read back at the end of the episode, not updated sportsbook lines.

SASHA

MIKE

LAST WEEK

Combined crew

Sarah’s picks

• Texans +2.5
• Seahawks -2.5
• Jets +7.5

Sasha’s picks

• Cardinals +12.5
• Cowboys +1.5
• Giants +1.5
• Broncos +2.5
• Panthers +1.5

Mike’s picks

• Steelers -2.5
• Rams -12.5
• Bills/Raiders OVER 53.5
• Bears/Falcons OVER 40.5
• Jets +7.5

Heat Check — Week 6 betting card4–117–104–9

Two of us are feeling pretty damn good this week.

The third is Mike.

Sarah returns from Houston after watching the Cowboys beat the Texans 34-30, with CeeDee Lamb exploding for 17 catches and 189 yards as Dallas’ offense finally starts looking like the unit Cowboys fans hoped they’d see.

Then Sasha gets another completely reasonable and restrained opportunity to remind everyone that the New York Football Giants are 3-1 and in first place in the NFC East. Jameis Winston delivers the full Jameis experience, the Giants defense comes up huge when it matters, and Sasha is beginning to see something New York hasn’t had in a very long time: an actual winning culture.

And then…the Bills.

Mike processes Buffalo’s first loss of the season after the Patriots walk into Orchard Park and spoil the undefeated party. There’s anger. There’s despair. There’s Efton Chisholm. And eventually there’s Mike sitting in a bar with his Bills hoodie up and spending $20 on TouchTunes to play sad songs.

Then it’s on to NFL Week 5 as we break down the entire slate — every game, every line, our picks, previews and betting angles before wrapping things up with Heat Check.

The second quarter of the NFL season is here.

Lock in, and here we go.

We’re back after a week off, and apparently the NFL completely lost its mind while we were gone.

Mike’s Bills are 3-0, Sasha’s Giants are somehow 2-1, and Sarah is finally back from Italy — which means it’s time for her to explain exactly how she’s coping with the Dallas Cowboys.

We recap everything from Week 3, starting with the Giants grinding out an ugly 12-7 win over Tennessee despite an offense held together with duct tape. Sasha breaks down Jameis Winston, the Giants’ growing injury list and the team’s fascinating gamble on J.J. McCarthy.

Then Mike takes his victory lap after Buffalo survived five turnovers against the Chargers and still moved to 3-0. Josh Allen remains Josh Allen, James Cook is playing like one of the league’s elite backs, and the Bills keep finding ways to win.

And then…the Cowboys.

Sarah returns just in time for Dallas to lose 34-31 to Baltimore, complete with another clock-management meltdown and enough frustration to have her ready to fire basically everyone.

Then we’re previewing every game on the NFL Week 4 slate — spreads, totals, picks, overreactions and what we’re learning as the 2026 season finally starts to take shape.

We finish with Heat Check, where Mike tries to stay hot at 5-3 while Sasha and Sarah desperately search for their first wins of the season.

Lock in, and here we go.

The 1-0 boys have officially taken over Heating Up.

With the Bills and Giants both starting the 2026 NFL season with huge Week 1 wins — and Sarah conveniently fleeing the country after the Cowboys’ loss — Sasha and Mike have plenty to celebrate.

Mike breaks down Buffalo’s 36-31 win over Houston, Josh Allen’s monster start, the possibilities for the Bills offense and some legitimate concerns about the defense. Then Sasha gets his victory lap after the Giants’ 28-20 win over Dallas, with Jackson Dart delivering, Abdul Carter wreaking havoc and the new Giants coaching staff immediately looking different.

Then we’re previewing the entire NFL Week 2 slate: every matchup, the lines, what we learned in Week 1, teams we’re buying and selling, potential overreactions and the bets that caught our attention.

We finish with Heat Check, where Sasha tries to dig out of an 0-3 hole while Mike looks to build on a 2-2 opening week — plus the return of a truly disgusting Stinky Dog parlay.

Football is back. The vibes are high. Lock in, and here we go.

The wait is over. Football is back.

After an entire offseason of previews, predictions and talking ourselves into — and out of — every team in football, the 2026 NFL season is finally here. This week, Sasha, Sara and Mike go game-by-game through the entire Week 1 slate, breaking down the matchups, spreads, totals, upset possibilities and everything they’ll be watching as the season kicks off. 

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It starts with a Super Bowl rematch between New England and Seattle before the NFL heads to Australia for 49ers-Rams. Then the full Sunday chaos begins: Lions-Saints, Bears-Panthers, Ravens-Colts, Steelers-Falcons, Jaguars-Browns, Bills-Texans and the rest of the early window before the marquee games take over.

And eventually, it gets personal.

Sara’s Cowboys head to New York for Sunday Night Football against Sasha’s Giants, where both sides are nervous and Sasha is trying desperately not to relive Dallas’ 40-0 beatdown from 2023. Gmail(2).pdf Then Week 1 closes with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs hosting Denver on Monday night — and not everyone is buying Kansas City.

Plus, Mike unveils the beginning of his Road to 40, Sasha has a Week 1 betting system, Sara plants her flag on Green Bay, and the crew loads up the first NFL HEAT CHECK  of the season.

The offseason is dead.

Football’s back. Heating Up is back. Lock in, and here we go.

 HEAT CHECK — WEEK 1

This deserves prominent placement in your clips/social because you’re finally getting back to actual weekly NFL betting.

Packers +1.5

Three Week 1 unders:

Buccaneers/Bengals UNDER 50.5
Commanders/Eagles UNDER 45.5
Ravens/Colts UNDER 48.5

Four picks right out of the gate:

Bears -3
Steelers -3.5
Eagles -5.5
Broncos +2.5 — with Mike preferring Denver ML for the true sickos. 

SaraSashaMike — THE ROAD TO 40

The previews are over. It’s time to plant some flags.

After spending the last month breaking down all 32 NFL teams, Sasha, Sara and Mike are locking in their official predictions for the 2026 season — all eight division winners, MVP and the major NFL awards, conference champions, Super Bowl picks and a full slate of season-long futures.

There’s plenty of agreement, plenty of chaos, and some picks that could look absolutely ridiculous by November. The crew debates the Bills, Bengals, Steelers and AFC contenders; whether the Cowboys can finally deliver; Sasha puts his faith in the Giants and Chargers; the Lions get unanimous support; and the Seahawks and Rams spark a major NFC debate. 

9-2 Episode.pdf

Then it’s awards time: Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert enter the MVP conversation, Jahmyr Gibbs and James Cook battle for Offensive Player of the Year, and the guys throw out long-shot picks across the board. Finally, everyone locks in their AFC and NFC champions and makes an official Super Bowl LXI prediction. 

Plus: season-long futures, Mike’s annual pick for the NFL’s worst record, and one final Heat Check before Week 1.

No more previews. No more hedging. Lock in, and here we go.

The divisions we’ve been waiting for are finally here.

After spending weeks breaking down everybody else’s NFL teams, Heating Up turns the microscope on the AFC East and NFC East — which means Sasha’s Giants, Sarah’s Cowboys and Mike’s Bills are officially on the clock. And, predictably, objectivity doesn’t survive very long.

Can Jaxson Dart and a completely reworked Giants team make the leap under John Harbaugh? Are the Cowboys actually good enough to win the NFC East — or are they setting Sarah up for another classic Dallas heartbreak? Are the Eagles finally vulnerable? And after New England’s run last season, can Josh Allen and the Bills take back the AFC East and finally turn their Super Bowl window into a championship?

The crew breaks down all eight teams, including the Commanders’ questionable vibes, Philadelphia’s post-A.J. Brown offense, Dallas’ loaded receiving corps, the Giants’ new run-heavy identity, Miami’s bleak outlook, the Geno Smith-led Jets, New England’s attempt to repeat and a Buffalo roster Mike believes can earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Plus: Deshaun Watson and the Browns are already a mess, Kawhi Leonard plays a bizarre one-on-one game in China, Sasha’s Premier League betting career starts exactly as you’d expect, and Mike makes a devastating announcement about his Sunday football availability.

Then it’s Heat Check  with Cam Young at the Tour Championship, Chelsea-Brighton and Bills-Steelers.

The East is personal. The predictions are locked in.

Lock in, and here we go.

The NFL season preview rolls on, and this week Heating Up is heading to the NFC.

We’re breaking down the NFC North, South and West — three divisions that couldn’t look more different heading into 2026. Can Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson turn the Bears’ breakout into something even bigger? Are the Lions ready to bounce back? Can Kevin O’Connell work his quarterback magic again? And are we officially selling our Packers stock?

Then we head South, where somebody technically has to win the division, before finishing with an absolutely loaded NFC West featuring the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers battling at the top while Arizona begins another reset.

Along the way, we get into preseason injuries, quarterback reclamation projects, breakout candidates, fantasy names, coaching hot seats, division futures and plenty of predictions that may look brilliant — or completely idiotic — by December.

Then Heat Check closes the show with Sarah backing Dallas to win the NFC East, Sasha celebrating the return of the Premier League with a Tottenham bet, and Mike putting his money behind Scottie Scheffler.

The NFL is almost here. Lock in, and here we go.

That framing comes directly from the episode: Chicago enters as defending North champ while Detroit is viewed as a bounce-back candidate, and the West starts from Seattle at 14–3, the Rams and 49ers at 12–5, and Arizona at 3–14. 

 KEY TOPICS / TAKEAWAYS

• The NFC North may not stay four-deep. Chicago won it at 11–6 last season while all four teams finished above .500, but Mike especially thinks at least one of Green Bay or Minnesota could fall substantially. 
• Detroit is the bounce-back case. Despite finishing last, the Lions scored 481 points and posted a +68 differential, leading to plenty of Gibbs/offensive optimism. 
• The Bears hype gets taken seriously. Caleb Williams’ late-game ability, another year with Ben Johnson and Chicago’s investment up front make them a legitimate repeat contender.
• Green Bay gets the smoke. Jordan Love skepticism, roster questions and coaching doubts make the Packers one of the episode’s biggest potential disappointments.
• The NFC South is the “tune-out division.” The hosts have major quarterback questions throughout a division that didn’t produce a winning team last season. 
• The NFC West is the heavyweight division. Seattle’s coming off 14 wins, with the Rams and 49ers both coming off 12, while Arizona is undergoing a major reset. 
• Seattle’s futures price jumps out. The Seahawks at +215 to win the West gets called out as particularly attractive compared with the Rams at -105.