The Taxi Squad: A Dynasty Fantasy Football Podcast

Hello and welcome to week one of the Man vs Machine Podcast, part of the Taxi Squad Pod Podcast Network. If you're not familiar

Every week I pick every NFL game against Spread. So does AI. We go head to head, we see who has the better record at the end of the season. So last year I did this against Chat GPT. And we both ended up right around 500 towards the end of the season, a little bit above 500. Chat GPT was I think four games up on me going into the playoffs, and usually I'm

money in the playoffs. So I was positive I was gonna catch Chat GBT and get a win for the humans. And then I went an unprecedented

Unbelievable, un out of uncopyable, unrepeatable, one and twelve in the playoffs. by far the worst streak that I've ever had in my entire life. and ended up getting my my ass kicked by the machine. In the end, if you included the playoffs this year, we're stepping it up. It's me versus

Anthropic's Claude Fable, which, if you're paying attention to the news, this is the AI that basically the all the experts are coming out and saying is gonna be the end of the world because it's so advanced. So we'll see how we we stack up against this. Now, if you didn't catch the first podcast, the the fantasy preview, you miss our early picks, both myself and the machine.

Daniel Fetzner (01:58.467)
were winners on the Patriots and the 49ers plus three and a half. So we both started the season two and off to a hot start. And let's get a quick rundown of the games for today. We are on the opposite sides of five different games. So it'll be a chance for one of us to make some moves and maybe get a little bit of a lead to kick off the season. The first game we've got is Bears minus three versus Carolina.

We're matched up on this one when we're both on the Bears minus three. I hate this pick. I I really do. I listen, I love the Bears. They were so much fun to watch. They have so much talent. I'm a huge Ben Johnson guy. That's what I'm betting on. Is that I'm giving Ben Johnson the benefit of the doubt. The problem is that everybody, everybody has just been blowing the Bears all off season.

Every person thinks that Luther Burden's a fantasy sleeper monster. Colson Level and it's gonna be a top three tight end. K Caleb's gonna, you know, launch himself into a top-tier quarterback conversation. Rome's gonna have have his, you know, finally have his year where he blows up because in if he can stay healthy. Like I get it. I like their team, they're fun, I like the coach, I like the players.

But every year there's a team that everybody agrees is gonna be incredible and they fall apart. And it just feels like that's gonna be the Bears, unfortunately, because it's just so overwhelmingly positive. Everybody talking about them. But Ben Johnson gets the benefit of the doubt. Even though Carolina was a playoff team last year, it came out of the worst division in football.

I don't think that they can stand up to the Bears first game of the season. Next up, Jags minus eight and a half at Cleveland. We're on the opposite sides of this one. I got the Jags minus eight and a half. The machine has Cleveland plus eight and a half. The Jags are the number two team that I'm scared. If it's not the Bears that suck dick this year because everyone loves them so much, it's gonna be the Jags.

Daniel Fetzner (04:20.372)
But again, I'm giving Lean Cohen the benefit of the doubt. Incredible coach. Offense should be really fun to watch. eight and a half points is a lot of points. I hate taking that many points. Almost any other team, I would never take minus eight and a half. But Cleveland's quarterback situation is just such a shit show. They're

Harold Fannin's their main offensive weapon. He's a second year guy. They're

Other receivers are rookies. Jerry Judy's washed. Like they traded their best defensive player. they're they're prepping for the future. They're in tank mode. They're planning to get their quarterback next year. The players are gonna be trying to win the game, but the GM, the owners, they don't really want them to win the game. we'll see. I I don't like this pick. It's too many points. I'm betting on Liam Cohen. But it's Cleveland, man.

Can't you can't rely on the Browns. next up we got Saints plus seven at Detroit. We're matched up on this. We're both at New Orleans plus seven. Listen, New Orleans back half of the year last year, once they found Tyler Shook as their starter, went five and four. He was a top five fantasy QB. He was slinging it. He has uses his legs and runs the ball. They brought in Travis Etienne. like they

They're a good scrappy team and they love Schuek there. They he's a leader of men. Detroit is also a powerhouse. They missed the playoffs last year, but they're the best team to miss the playoffs. In any other division, they make the playoffs. They just had an incredibly tough schedule. It's just too many points. This is the bottom line. Detroit probably wins, but seven's too many. We're taking the Saints.

Daniel Fetzner (06:24.194)
Next up, Falcons plus three and a half at Pittsburgh. So we're both I'm on Pittsburgh minus three and a half. Machine's on Atlanta plus three and a half. So Michael Pettdox is still hurt. Tua just got ruled out a few days ago. And the Falcons called up Cooper Rush off the street to come in and start this game for them. Now, that would make you think like this is a no brainer. Yeah.

Steelers against Cooper Rush, like lock it up, lock it in. However, a few years ago in Dallas, Cooper Rush was the backup that Dak Prescott. Dak got hurt. So the next week Cooper Rush was starting.

in my Survivor League, me and everybody else was like it was I think it was Minnesota. They were playing a good Minnesota team. it's like Minnesota can't lose to they'd probably be Dallas with Dak. They can't lose to Dallas with Cooper Rush. So everybody in Survivor picked the Cowboys to lose. And Cooper Rush came out and kicked Minnesota's dicks in and went five and one as the starter.

For Dallas while Dak was hurt. So we've seen this before, we've been here before.

Do you learn from history? Do you make the same mistakes? Apparently I don't. History is bound to repeat itself. I'm on Pittsburgh for this pick. I'm on Pittsburgh in Survivor. And I'm probably gonna lose. But that's gambling, baby. That's life. next up, we have got Jets plus one point five at Tennessee. We are both on the Jets. Listen, both these teams stunk last year.

Daniel Fetzner (08:20.578)
Both they were terrible. Jets were trotting out a poo-poo platter of quarterbacks. Justin Fields, I think Tyrod Taylor, who's actually not that bad, but he didn't play that much. I forget even who their third quarterback was, but they didn't have a quarterback for essentially the entire season. Tennessee had, you know, a rookie quarterback. They're both kind trotting out essentially the same teams.

Except for the Jets now have Geno Smith. Now, is that an upgrade over the dog shit quarterbacks that they trotted out there to last year? It's debatable. But they were both terrible last year. They're both gonna be terrible this year. I think the Jets got at least a little bit of an upgrade at quarterback and they're getting points. So I'll take the one and a half. We're taking the Jets. Next up, this is gonna be.

This is my favorite game, I think. Bucks plus three and a half at Cincy. People love Sincey in this game, and I just I don't get it. How many times do Zach Taylor and the Bengals have to lose week one for you to not pick the Bengals? They lost five of their last six season openers. They started

Every season with Zach Taylor starts 0 3 or 0 and 4, and then they're the rest of their season they're trying to dig themselves out of a hole just to make the playoffs, which spoiler alert, they don't most of the times. He's been ...

A preview of players we Love and Hate by position (QB, RB, WR, TE) heading into the 2026 NFL season along with picks for the NFL season opener.

Man Vs Machine closes out the season with our Super Bowl picks against the spread (ATS). We’ve been tracking NFL betting picks, ATS records, and weekly results all year, and now it comes down to the final board: Seahawks -4.5 vs Patriots +4.5. Coming into the Super Bowl, Man is 135–132–2 (50.6%) and Machine is 143–124–2 (53.6%), so this is the last swing to settle the postseason scoreboard. If you’re looking for Super Bowl predictions, NFL picks, and quick-hitting thoughts on the spread, best bets, and whether to back the favorite or take the points, this is the episode—drop your ATS pick and score prediction and let’s see who finishes strongest.

In this episode of the Taxi Squad Pod, host Dan Fetzner reflects on his betting performance throughout the NFL season, particularly during the playoffs. He discusses his struggles against the machine's predictions and shares insights on the upcoming conference championship games, including matchups between the Patriots and Broncos, as well as the Rams and Seahawks. Fetzner provides analysis on team performances, player conditions, and betting strategies, encouraging listeners to join him in the excitement of the final weeks of the football season.

takeaways

• The host has been tracking his betting performance against a machine.
• He experienced a poor run in the playoffs, going 0-6 and 1-3.
• Despite a rough playoff season, he maintains a 51% win rate overall.
• The machine's performance was slightly better at 53.6%.
• The host believes the Patriots are the better team against the Broncos.
• There is hype around Jared Stidham, but the host is skeptical.
• The Rams and Seahawks matchup is closely contested.
• The Rams have experienced players who have won a Super Bowl.
• The host encourages listeners to enjoy the final weeks of the season.
• He acknowledges the unpredictability of betting on sports.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Conference Championship Edition

02:47 - Gambling Performance Review and Insights

03:46 - Game Predictions: Pats vs. Broncos

06:10 - Game Predictions: Rams vs. Seahawks

In this episode of the Taxi Squad Podcast, host Dan Fetzner dives into the thrilling world of sports betting as he faces off against ChatGPT in a friendly competition. As the wild card round concludes, Dan reflects on his disappointing performance, going 0-6, which leaves him seven games behind the AI. He discusses his current record and the challenges of maintaining a winning percentage above the professional gambler benchmark of 52%. With the divisional round approaching, Dan shares his insights on upcoming games, including matchups like the Bills vs. Broncos and the 49ers vs. Seahawks, analyzing team strengths, weaknesses, and key players to watch.

keywords

sports betting, NFL predictions, divisional round, betting strategies, ChatGPT, Taxi Squad Podcast, Dan Fetzner, football analysis, betting tips, wild card round

takeaways

• "I went 0 and 6, which I don't think I've ever done that before."
• "52% is kind of like the professional gambler type benchmark."
• "I'm betting on the coaching, I'm betting on the experience."
• "The Texans have the best defense in football."
• "I think the Rams are too experienced."

titles

• Man vs. Machine: The Betting Showdown
• Wild Card Woes: Dan's Betting Journey

Sound Bites

• "I went 0 and 6, which I don't think I've ever done that before."
• "52% is kind of like the professional gambler type benchmark."
• "I'm betting on the coaching, I'm betting on the experience."

Chapters

00:00
Introduction and Wild Card Round Recap

02:08
Divisional Round Predictions: Bills vs. Broncos

05:03
Analyzing 49ers vs. Seahawks Matchup

07:29
Texans vs. Patriots: A Defensive Showdown

09:53
Rams vs. Bears: Experience vs. Youth

Man Vs Machine — NFL Wild Card Weekend Picks Against the Spread (ATS) is here. We’re breaking down the NFL playoff betting lines, making Wild Card Weekend predictions, and locking in ATS picks for every game on the slate. If you’re looking for NFL playoff picks, best bets, underdogs vs favorites, and quick-hit takes on where the spread feels too high or too low, this episode is for you. We’re tracking the head-to-head results as always—Man vs. Machine—so you can follow along, compare your card, and see who’s actually beating the number in the playoffs.

Wild Card Weekend games & spreads (as used on the show):

• Rams -10 @ Panthers
• Packers -2.5 @ Bears
• Bills +1.5 @ Jaguars
• 49ers +6 @ Eagles
• Chargers +3.5 @ Patriots
• Texans -3 @ Steelers

Tune in to hear our picks!

The Taxi Squad Pod: Man Vs Machine — NFL Week 18 Picks Against the Spread (ATS) is here. Every week we make NFL betting picks against the spread, run through the full slate of Week 18 spreads and lines, and track the season-long records to see who’s actually beating the number: Man vs. Machine. Coming into Week 18, Man is 127–112–2 (53.1%) and Machine is 131–108–2 (54.8%), so this final week matters for the overall ATS title. If you’re looking for NFL Week 18 predictions, ATS picks, and quick opinions on favorites, underdogs, and where the number feels off, you’re in the right place—drop your best bets and your record in the comments so we can compare.

Week 18 games & spreads (as used on the show):

• Packers +12.5 @ Vikings
• Colts +10 @ Texans
• Browns +9.5 @ Bengals
• Cowboys -3 @ Giants
• Saints +4.5 @ Falcons
• Titans +13.5 @ Jaguars
• Dolphins +13.5 @ Patriots
• Chiefs -4.5 @ Raiders
• Lions +4.5 @ Bears
• Jets +11.5 @ Bills
• Commanders +3 @ Eagles
• Cardinals +14.5 @ Rams
• Chargers +14 @ Broncos
• Ravens -3.5 @ Steelers
• Panthers +3 @ Buccaneers
• Seahawks -2.5 @ 49ers

Records entering Week 18:

• Man: 127–112–2 (53.1%)
• Machine: 131–108–2 (54.8%)

Man Vs Machine — Week 17. We pick every NFL game against the spread (ATS) and keep the season-long scoreboard to see who’s actually beating the number: Man vs. Machine. Full Week 17 board and spreads are listed below.

• Cowboys -8.5 @ Commanders
• Lions -7.5 @ Vikings
• Broncos -13.5 @ Chiefs
• Texans +1.5 @ Chargers
• Ravens +2.5 @ Packers
• Patriots -12.5 @ Jets
• Steelers -3.5 @ Browns
• Jaguars -4.5 @ Colts
• Cardinals +7 @ Bengals
• Saints -1.5 @ Titans
• Seahawks -6.5 @ Panthers
• Buccaneers -5.5 @ Dolphins
• Giants -3 @ Raiders
• Eagles +3.5 @ Bills
• Bears +4.5 @ 49ers
• Rams -7.5 @ Falcons

It’s Man Vs Machine: one human, one AI, and every single NFL spread on the Week 16 slate. We lock in ATS picks for the whole board and keep the running season totals to find out who’s making the better calls over time. Full list of games + spreads is down below—play along and tell us where we’re wrong.

Week 16 Games & Spreads (as used on the show)

• Rams +1.5 @ Seahawks
• Eagles -7 @ Commanders
• Packers +1.5 @ Bears
• Bills -10 @ Browns
• Jets +6.5 @ Saints
• Vikings -2.5 @ Giants
• Bucs -3 @ Panthers
• Chiefs -3.5 @ Titans
• Chargers +1.5 @ Cowboys
• Bengals -3.5 @ Dolphins
• Falcons -3 @ Cardinals
• Jaguars +3.5 @ Broncos
• Steelers +7.5 @ Lions
• Raiders +14.5 @ Texans
• Patriots +3 @ Ravens
• 49ers -5.5 @ Colts

Week 15 NFL betting preview — ATS picks, key numbers (3 & 7), teaser legs, upset alerts, and quick fantasy angles. We rip through every matchup with our locked lines, highlight divisional volatility, and flag the best backdoor-cover landmines. Buckle up for Sunday, SNF (Vikings–Cowboys) and MNF (Dolphins–Steelers).

Week 15 — our official lines
(Using our sheet numbers; TNF Bucs game already graded for both of us as a win.)

• Bills −1.5 at Patriots
• Bengals +2.5 vs Ravens
• Cardinals +10.5 at Texans
• Eagles −12.5 vs Raiders
• Giants −2.5 vs Commanders
• Bears −7.5 vs Browns
• Jaguars −13.5 vs Jets
• Rams −6 vs Lions
• Colts +13.5 at Seahawks
• Packers −1.5 at Broncos
• 49ers −11.5 vs Titans
• Saints +2.5 at Panthers
• Cowboys −5.5 vs Vikings (SNF)
• Dolphins −2.5 at Steelers (MNF)