17. Stats, Speed and Shocking Playoff Rankings

Welcome Back! This is our 2nd stats-focused episode, bringing you more of what you love to listen to from The Game.

What do broken tackles, 20 mph sprints, and a wobbly contender have in common? They all tell the truth about where this NFL season is headed. We kick off with James Cook’s breakout and why his yards after contact and top-end speed are more than highlights; they are signals of an offense built on timing, angles, and a line that can move in space. From there, we widen the lens to the defenses deciding games, spotlighting the Broncos’ sack machine and the Patriots’ quiet climb despite not topping major categories. The NFC stays spicy with the Eagles and Rams leading an open field where trench play and red-zone execution will decide seeds.

We also step into the gray zone where storylines meet stakes. Benchings that nuke a parlay spark betting conspiracy talk, but we separate noise from what coaches actually manage on game day. To ground the drama, we map out the fines ecosystem: what actions cost, how penalties escalate, and where the money goes, including player support and community impact. It is a reminder that the league’s accountability engine funds real outcomes beyond the box score.

Finally, we sketch the current playoff picture and the stats that travel in December: explosive play differential, pressure rate, and rushing success when weather turns. Plus a pulse check on Shadur Sanders, media heat, and what growth under the spotlight really looks like. If you care about how data and context shape real wins, this is your playbook for the week.

Enjoyed the show? Follow, rate, and share with a friend who loves ball and good stats. Drop your playoff predictions in our Substack chat or DM us on Instagram and TikTok at the game the podcast. Your take might make next week’s rundown.

Transcript

Welcome, Format, And Weekly Lineup

SPEAKER_04 0:04

You a baby, baby. You better win on the spelling it threes. You better on it. The game's on the game is on because the game's games on. Games on the game's on. Games on the games on the game's on the water on the spelling it threes.

SPEAKER_02 0:22

I'm Victoria.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

I'm Giovanna.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

The game's on. Yad is. Yad is. Welcome back to another episode of your favorite football podcast by the girls for everyone, the game.

First Down: James Cook Deep Dive

SPEAKER_03 0:36

We are in our second week of doing three episodes per week. So a yappin recap, chatty, covering all the storylines that we love on Tuesdays. Now we are in our stats episode for Thursday. And then tomorrow we have Isabel Sewell. Her plus one is Penne Sewell on The Lions. So he has a long-term contract with the Lions, and she talks a lot tomorrow about motherhood and making friends moving and a lot about just not being ashamed about the choices that she's made as a woman, which we absolutely love. So we cannot wait for you to hear that episode tomorrow. But for today, again, we are on our stats-focused episode. So talking a little bit more about the ins and outs, a little bit more numbers, a little bit more play calling, etc. So let's just get right into it. We are doing this episode for downs. So every down is a different topic. And it is a bite-sized stats episode for you. If there's certain stats that you love, please DM us on Instagram or TikTok at the game the podcast Aura. You can always DM me at Hey Victoria Henderson. And thanks for being here. We love having you and we love chatting with you. And if you're not in the Substack chat, thegamepodcast.substack.com, tell us your opinions. Okay, first down, the stat king who is dominating right now. Spotlighting a player that is owning the league. James Cook, running back for the Bills, is second in overall rushing yards at 968 yards and seven touchdowns. I feel like people love James Cook because they love Josh Allen, but I feel like James Cook can stand alone. Sans Josh Allen.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. James Cook was like one of those things walking into this season. I don't think I would have expected him to be as dominant. He's a good running back, but I think it was a little surprising for me to see how dominant he's been outside of other running backs like Jonathan Taylor. Like I feel like James Cook is up there. Maybe I would like rank maybe Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook. Cook is up there with like B. John Robinson. What's also interesting about James Cook is the Buffalo Bills lead the league in rushing yards right now, total rushing out yards averaging per game, and that's 147, which I thought was really interesting. 147 yards, 0.6 per game. Bills. A lot of points. But when you look at that and then see how, like I said, dominant James Cook has been, makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 3:08

Makes sense. I do feel like it's a year for breakout running backs. Like we talked a couple, we talked last week about just how much the run game is so important in the NFL now. And it's, you know, becoming even more important year over year. But I feel like James Cook and Jonathan Taylor were two people that we were not expecting to be one and two in rushing yards. And yeah, last year, 2024, James Cook also was at Buffalo 1,009 yards total. And he's about to hit that with, you know, we're not even halfway. If the Bills do end up going into the playoffs, do end up going, making a Super Bowl run. We're just about at the halfway. Well, I guess we are at the halfway mark. And he's already produced, you know, what is that, like 50 yards less than what he did all season last season? Yeah. Averages 5.3 yards, which is also up from last year. He had 4.9 yards per carry. Um, he did have a lot of touchdowns last year, 16. He's now at seven. So he'll need to up those touchdowns if he wants to beat that stat. But I think yards alone, he's obviously producing and being a big part of what's making the Bills great this year. One stat that I have just become aware of and started to love. Okay, so I love a broken tackle. I feel like a broken tackle is so hot. Like if you can break two tackles and score, like wow, I'm into that.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

You're athlete.

SPEAKER_03 4:37

And uh he has 635 yards after contact. So yeah. Wow. I know, crazy. I know this stat is crazy. And we need to look into like what does contact actually mean? It doesn't mean like an attempted tackle, but just like contact being pushed, being touched. Um, but 635 yards after contact and his total yards is 968. So that's a large percentage of his yards after he's getting a hand on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

I do like that stuff. I like that set a lot because I feel like you hear about like the some of the like the best receivers, even the best running backs too in the league. Uh we talk a lot about like yards after cap. So like after you catch the ball, after you receive the ball, how many yards are you producing? And are you, you know, making that play into a touchdown, making that play into, you know, a conversion on fourth down. So yards at the contact, I feel like that has to mean after you've been touched, or like you said earlier, missing, breaking those tackles. It's really awesome for me to also look at running backs when they're quite literally being pulled down by like 200, 300-pound linemen and their legs are still going. Like they're still turning. And it's awesome for me to see.

Yards After Contact And Speed Metrics

SPEAKER_03 5:53

Yeah. Also, one of my favorite things to watch is like a big man leading the way who's like super fast. There is a Cardinals, oh my gosh, a Cardinals O lineman who's just an absolute animal, just like barreling people down, and their running backs are just like trotting along cutely behind them until they can like make a breakaway. I'm gonna have to find him and bring him up next week because I was watching his like some of his plays, and I would just chill. Yeah, yeah, because like a big man who can move is insane, and I feel like it's like the athleticism is just absolutely wild.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

Yeah, shout out to the O-line.

SPEAKER_03 6:33

People forget how people forget how important they are. Justice for offensive linemen. Yes, honestly, honestly, justice for linemen in general, because we hear all the time about like safeties making plays. We hear all the time about wide receiver and running backs and blah, blah, blah. And literally none of that would happen if your linemen don't do their job at all.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Quarterback can't get the ball out, your running backs are not gonna have the holes to hit. So it's very important. Very, very important.

SPEAKER_03 7:02

Very, very important. On James Cook, so 23 rushes over 10 yards this season. I love a breakaway. I feel like obviously that's so fun to watch. Okay, and then I also have a second new favorite stat, and it is runs over 15 or 20 miles an hour. So last year, Jameer Gibbs got a ton of good press for going over 22 miles an hour in a breakaway touchdown last year, but they have the stats for speed over 15 and 20 miles an hour for all players. So James Cook has 30 runs over 15 miles an hour and two over 20 miles an hour, which I just think is so badass. But 30 runs over 15 miles an hour, that's so fast.

SPEAKER_01 7:52

No, have you maybe you haven't done this, but have you ever like got with your friends and like try to run past the like the signs that like mark your speed, like when you're driving, you know? Have you ever done that before?

unknown 8:06

No.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Okay, just me. Okay, never mind. But um, I've done that with my friends, and I don't think people understand how impressive it is to get to that top speed, and also the amount of seconds it takes you to literally go from zero to 100. And this is why these running backs are dominating in their respective, you know, positions, because the top speed and getting there is just elite.

SPEAKER_03 8:34

Yeah. So a 15 mile per hour pace is a four-minute mile.

unknown 8:39

Yeah, that's insane.

SPEAKER_03 8:41

Yeah, and then a 20 mile per hour pace is about three minutes per mile, which has never been done. And now I want to look up miletime world records because how fast are we really going here? Because you know for that long of a distance, which is I mean, a mile is not crazy long, but okay, so the men's this feels wrong, but men's world record is three minutes 43 seconds, 43.13 seconds. It looks like El Garouge of Morocco in 1999, while the woman's mile world record is 407 by Faith Kip Yogan of Kenya in 2023. And Kenyons, which is yeah, this is confirmed in multiple sources. Moroccan athlete, three minutes 43 seconds. That is so insane.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

That's fast. That is fast.

SPEAKER_03 9:41

That is so fast. And to to put this into perspective, if you go to Orange Theory, the old treadmills at Orange Theory only go up to 12, and the new treadmills at Orange Theory go up to 15. So that's a four-minute mile, but you never see anybody doing anything except like sprinting on them. So it's just absolutely wild. Wild. So on that note, I was like, okay, well, that's pretty fast. He's pretty fast, but like who's the fastest? You know, like who are our top guys who have run 20 miles an hour or more multiple times this season? So Jonathan Taylor has the most over 20 mile per hour runs. And we don't have the exact MPH numbers. We just know that it's 20 plus Jonathan Taylor six times. And then Derek Henry, Saquon. Derrick Henry is on running back on the Ravens, Saquon running back on the Eagles, Jameer Gibbs, running back on the Lions, all have four runs over 20 miles an hour. Then we have uh Brees Hall running back on the Jets, Keaton Michael running back on the Ravens. And this is my favorite one of them all. Did you read my note? Do you know who this is who the next person is? Dang it.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

I wanted you to guess. I know I was nosy. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_03 10:54

No, no, it's okay. I never would have guessed this, but Kayla Williams quarterback, are you kidding me? Yeah, three runs over 20 miles an hour. That's insane.

O-Line Love And Big-Man Athleticism

SPEAKER_01 11:09

I don't think any any anybody could have like ever guessed that. And you also, I mean, we know Caleb Williams can run and we see him run a lot, but not we we're not like putting him up there in like one of the best elite dual threat rushing quarterbacks. So no, that's what makes that stat kind of crazy and impressive.

SPEAKER_03 11:33

Yeah, and it's like the Bears quarterback.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

Like the Bears. The Bears. The Bears.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Just absolutely crazy. So that's like stat of the week for me is Caleb Williams has had faster runs than the majority of running backs in the league, which obsessed with that for him. Okay, that's all I have for our first one. James Cook is killing it. I'm excited to see him almost double his stats from last year. Hopefully, he stays healthy. Maybe he'll be able to break into this 20 mile an hour or more crew that we have going on here. But let's talk about second down conference check-in. Second down, right on time. Let's do it. Right on time. Let's go. Who's separating? Who's slipping? You want to take it away on this one?

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Yeah. And before we actually get into the sauce, because we mentioned it last week on our stats episode, guys, the the Chiefs are seriously not looking good right now. Like they actually might miss the playoffs. I don't know. I feel like I can't say that yet. It's too, it's too early because it's the Chiefs. But after this week's loss to the Broncos, I am genuinely worried for them. Like they have to, they have to turn it around. They got to figure it out. Patrick Mahomes is fourth quarter, the fourth best quarterback and passing leaders. You know, he has 2,625 passing yards, which is is really good. And he's still up in the top five, but that is just crazy. And speaking of the Broncos, both teams are sitting at nine and two, which is obviously amazing. Colts, we talked about that them last week, they're at eight and two as well. So it's just crazy. And the Broncos, the Broncos. Wow. I'm shook. I actually think they do lead the league in sacks right now, which again speaks to my uh point about their defense just being absolutely insane. There, it's a gauntlet. Yeah, they lead the league in sacks with 49. The number two team is the Atlanta Falcons with 34. So there's a pretty good gap right there. 49 sacks like in the season right now. That's a lot of sacks. Like they're getting up in the quarterback's phase, which is why they're winning games.

SPEAKER_02 13:58

Getting up in the quarterback's phase.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

They are. I'd be scared. I think one of the one of their linemen is like his name is Benito or something. Man's a dog. Absolute dog.

Fastest Players Over 20 MPH

SPEAKER_03 14:10

Absolute dog. Yeah, you know, it's I don't know. We'll see. That's how I feel about the Chiefs. Like, I feel like I can't predict anything because my last prediction failed this week. So now I'm like, I'm gonna keep my mouth shut. I'm not gonna keep my mouth shut, but I feel like they're a closing team and they couldn't close it, and that's embarrassing for them. Also, okay. Swifties, don't get mad at me, but there's like something that I've started to love about Travis Kelsey missing passes and just how upset he gets.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 14:41

Literally preying on this man's downfall. No, I don't, you guys, I I love Travis, but I just feel like there's like this like man, like the snap.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

It was a snap for me.

SPEAKER_03 14:54

Like it's like his his least manly moment is like when he misses a pass and he's like bummed about it. This is why guys are dramatic, big and like sexy and like whatever. And I feel like when he misses a pass, there's just something like so like he crashes out, like was like childish about it, or almost like his like his like weird dancing in the kitchen side kind of feels like it comes out. So that's not on stats. I have literally no numbers on that, so I apologize, but I apologize, just have to put put it out there for everyone to yeah, yeah. But you know, you mentioned the Patriots and the Broncos both with nine and two, and I know that buys are involved, but now their records are better than the Colts record at eight and two. So the Colts have been kind of like an unabashed leader that everyone's been talking about. And I heard another girl on like a podcast clip, it was like a girl and a guy, and they were chatting, and they were saying that they loved how the Colts were like acting essentially because they were like, Well, they're not expecting to win, they're just enjoying it while it's happening. Like Carly's enjoying it, she's like wearing her outfits, and the boys are enjoying it, and they're not like so caught up in it yet, which I think is maybe why I'm like kind of thinking that it's funny because the chiefs are caught up in it and have the external pressure where the cults can just like kind of win. I feel like it's like the the cults are a startup, right? Like they just had a big change, they're like going through all of these changes, they're like learning each other, they're having a great time, they're celebrating, they have some like breakout guys, they've like raised some funding. I mean, they haven't raised any funding, but like in the startup world, like they have their series A, they're like raising for their series B, and they're like super excited about it. But the Chiefs are like the meta of it all, facing the adversity of being on top. And so I just like the way that she talked about it. So broke it down, broke it down, but yeah, Patriots and Broncos both with that nine and two, Patriots coming up, Bengals, Giants, Bills, Ravens, Jets, Dolphins. I cannot imagine the Patriots falling below second at this point. I mean, Bills, Patriots, I feel like is gonna be absolutely bonkers, but they can be here's the thing though, and I said this last week, the Patriots, like even though their record reflects a really good record, they're how they win games, and it's similar to the Broncos, how they win games is kind of suspect.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

And also, when you look at the Patriots, I can't say about this about the Broncos, because the Broncos are in the top five and are like are leading in sacks. But the Patriots, when it comes to sacks, turnovers, passing yards, rushing yards, overall total offensive yards, they're not in the top five in any of those kinds of no, they're literally not in the top five for anything. Exactly. And so when you think about that, well, I mean, unpredictable. And W is a W, and I under like your record, y'all got those wins. I'm proud of you. I do like the Patriots. I love Drake Main. It's really interesting because everyone have you been seeing the tea with him and his girlfriend?

SPEAKER_03 18:06

So I just followed his girlfriend like yesterday, but they've been together since they were 12.

Second Down: Conference Check-In

SPEAKER_01 18:12

Yeah. And it's funny because she like loves cooking, and so she'll make all we have to have her on the show, but she makes all this kind of stuff, and and people have really flocked to Drake May and like become really big fans of Drake May this season. And so all the comments on her TikTok and her Instagram are like, we hope you take good care of Drake May tonight. We hope you know he's eating right. It's it's so funny, it's it's so funny. But back to our stats focused things. Yeah, Patriots not leading, not leading or not in the top five in any categories. Not even on the chart, not even on the chart.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

They're a sleeper. They're a sleeper. Like the Colts are not sleepers right now. The Colts are in the top five in you know, many of these categories, rushing yards, passing yards, and total yards. Um they're in the top five on defense. They're not on the map at all, but the Patriots are sleepers. And I mean, really, looking at this list, like okay, so Broncos are leading in sacks with 49, and they're leaving, leading in defensive yards allowed, 274.4 yards allowed. The Texans are number one in that category. Broncos are three. Texans are one with 258.1 yards allowed, which is great defense. Great defense.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

They have the one of the best, like one of the best defenses in the league year year in and year out. Their defensive coordinator is a great mind, but yeah, the Texans are.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

Are you talking about Texans or Broncos?

SPEAKER_01 19:48

The Texans. The Broncos, they have a good defensive coordinator too, but the Texans specifically have just a very good defense.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

So you know what I like the surprise stat in in these uh in the leaders is Cleveland Browns. Yeah, low-key. Cleveland Browns on defense. Yeah, but I mean, still 273.5, second in yards allowed, and fourth in sacks with 32 tied with the Seahawks. I didn't think they were gonna be on this list.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

Miles Garrett just puts the team on his back.

SPEAKER_03 20:24

Miles Garrett's like, don't worry, guys, I'm the whole team. No, no sweat here, no panic here. Okay. So going on to the NFC, Eagles and Rams are both eight and two. I feel like the Rams did like, I've known the Rams are good, but they were kind of sleeping in my mind just a little bit. Um, obviously, they faced the Seahawks this weekend, beat the Seahawks. That was a huge win for them to put them at the top of the West. Um, but now they both are very big win. Very big win, sitting at eight and two. Nice close game there. Rams coming up, Bucks, Panthers, Cardinals, Lions, Seahawks, Falcons, Cardinals. So we'll see how they hold up against Bucks, Lions, and Seahawks again. But that's only three of their games that I'm really looking at, thinking could those be closer games? I'm not really concerned about the Panthers, Falcons, or Cardinals, although the Panthers, you never know. Don't you can't sleep on them.

SPEAKER_01 21:21

Can't sleep on them.

SPEAKER_03 21:22

And then Eagles coming up. Eagles are here in Dallas, where I am currently this weekend facing the Cowboys and then Bears, Chargers, Raiders, Commanders, Bills. So they I feel like they kind of have even schedules on potential to kind of stay at the top.

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Yeah, I feel like, and again, the NFC we talked about on our last episode. The NFC is so wide open right now, so literally anything can happen.

SPEAKER_03 21:49

Yeah, yeah. It's definitely like the more exciting conference in terms of of shift season.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:58

I'm bringing for the Rams though. Other than the Rams? I I I am rooting for the Rams. I'd like the Rams a lot this year.

SPEAKER_03 22:04

Yeah, I need to go up to SoFi and go to a Rams game. I've only been to Chargers games at SoFi. And Chargers games are like okay at SoFi. I think they need to like build them up a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 22:16

I just feel like Do you feel like the Rams team is low-key like can you say that there's like a better team in LA? Like, not looking at stats, but just looking at fan engagement, looking at community, looking at like who do we think Rams or Chargers? I feel like Rams. Honestly, or is it the same? Okay.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

This is how I really feel. I feel you really feel like LA doesn't really care about either of them, to be honest. I feel like Southern California cares more about other sports than they do about the NFL. Like I feel like Southern California cares more about baseball than they do baseball and basketball than they do the NFL. That's fair. And I feel like having two blue and yellow teams that play in the same stadium that are both like neither of them have really had any Super Bowl promise over the last what, like, I don't know, not that many years, but well, I mean, we we just had a the Rams just won a Super Bowl like not too long ago. Yeah, when was their win?

SPEAKER_01 23:21

I'm pretty sure they won in like 20. That was COVID year, I believe.

SPEAKER_03 23:26

Oh 2020. Okay, well, my you know what? That was irrelevant, so but I don't know. I don't know. Maybe LA girls tap in because I I mean I'm from San Diego. We had the Chargers, Chargers went up to LA. They lost a huge fan base in San Diego, even though it's it's not like Buffalo. That's all I have to say. It's not like Buffalo and it's not like Dallas, where everyone's a fan and everyone cares about it and everybody's in it. Like there's so many cities that are so much more into the NFL than LA is, and that's why I feel like both of them like they have their fans, and their fans are great and lovely and wonderful and awesome. And I'm sure we'll meet so many girls that are fantastic, but it's just not the same kind of culture around the NFL that I feel like you can find in other cities: Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay. Like you cannot put a Chargers tailgate against a Green Bay tailgate.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Yeah, I feel like it's also the competition in the state of California alone. You'll have three NFL teams. Like that's insane.

Chiefs Wobbles, Broncos Defense, Patriots Puzzle

SPEAKER_03 24:22

We have three NFL teams. We also were four hours away from Vegas where the Raiders are. Um you have the scene right above us, like the Cardinals. I could drive to the Cardinals stadium, like it's a lot, a lot going on. I feel like the West Coast is like pretty chill, so it could just be like an East Coast, West Coast thing. Except game times are definitely better on the West Coast. Like, I miss since I've not been in San Diego, like I miss waking up at like 8:30, going for a walk for an hour, and then coming back and sitting on the couch with my coffee. Now it's like noon. I'm like, oh, you want me to eat lunch while I'm watching the game? That's insane to me.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

Speaking of Vegas, let's talk about this Cowboys Vegas game on starting off our third down, which is just what's interesting this week. And we're gonna talk about how stats combined with storylines, but I want to start introducing betting on this episode and what's interesting about the Vegas calls. Cowboys played the Raiders first drive of the game. Cowboys are in offense. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are not out on the field, they are benched. Which, if anybody knows, that is unheard of. Why are your number one and number two receivers sitting on the bench in the first drive of your game? Reports come out, they're getting benched because they're being punished for something. There's also people saying that, oh, this is a Vegas call. Anyone that has money on CD and George Pickens scoring on the score the first drive, their money's fried. So it's interesting to like look at the difference between like, okay, are you really getting benched because the coach has a problem with you or like bad behavior? Or did you get benched because Vegas made a call and there's a lot of money on these players on this game? So you can't, you know, play them. So it's interesting to see. There have been reports that have come out now that said that CD and George were spotted at casinos, partying, doing that in the morning because they were in Vegas, which is why they got benched. But I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 26:24

Okay. I do not think that the majority of things happen because of outside of football action. Like, if you listen to players, they're like, I don't give a shit about fantasy. Like, they don't care about fantasy. And so a lot of people say, like, in like I feel like I've just seen more players come out and be like, that it just doesn't matter because it like fantasy has no stake in the game. I feel like money though, I don't want to believe that players are acting based on external forces often. I think they're crooked people in every sport. There's a scandal about a ref messing up the play calling, etc. Yep. Um but I don't want to believe that betting and money is impacting on the field play because I just think it's like annoying and depressing. And I think it's like kind of righteous of the betters to be like, whoa, what we want matters. And it's like relax. If you want what you want to matter, pay off a politician like everyone else.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

I feel like there's two sides of the spectrum. I do feel like in the league there are some like, and it's not necessarily you're betting on it and you need to make a call to make it happen. It's really the opposite. And I feel like if you if there's let's say if there's a million people that have put$10 on CeeDee Lamb scoring a touchdown in the first drive, it is more than likely that Vegas is gonna make a call for him not to do that because they don't want to pay out that money or they don't want, you know. So I do feel like those things happen in the league.

SPEAKER_03 27:58

Is the team playing out like who's paying out the money? Okay, guys, I don't know anything about sports betting, to be completely honest. I've never sports bet before. I don't know how to do a parlay. Maybe next year I will, but Giovanna's taken on the betting side of this wholeheartedly because just straight up I I don't I don't spend my money on sports.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

It's not like I mean, there's there's so many different avenues to use bet, and it's not like there's one singular person paying out, but they're I mean, you have all these different apps, Vandal, DraftKings, like in all the different apps. Every app and they're not all run by the same person, then how is like because it's still it's still like a Vegas call, like it's still people it's confusing, but when you look at where the money is coming from and how it's getting put to these people, it kind of goes back to the same face.

SPEAKER_03 28:51

This is this is my question. Where is the money coming from?

SPEAKER_01 28:54

I mean, I don't really know where each person is getting like each other.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

Like how can this like I don't know, it doesn't make sense to me. We I'll do I'll do my research.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

I don't think there's like one person, like I don't know if there's an answer to that question, but I see where you're coming from.

SPEAKER_03 29:13

Is there like a group text of like the fan duel owner and the owners of whatever else that's saying like bench CD because we don't want to pay this out? But also people are paying money into it. So it's like you want more people. Okay, well, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 29:29

When you're addicted, when when you're addicted, but when you have all these people that are like into sports betting and that bet consistently, when they lose, you're actually making more money because then they're mad about them losing. And so they're gonna continuously bet until they hit.

SPEAKER_03 29:45

Okay, so but then that makes sense that they bench then it makes sense that they bench CD so he doesn't score, so that they lose, so then they put more money.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Correct, which hypothetical situation it can happen to anybody, any player. But this is also why in the NBA. We've seen scandals about, you know, refs, coaches, players conspiring. Oh, my homeboy plays in the NBA. Hey, listen, I just put a million dollars on you to not cover the under or to get your under. So like let's say you have 260 passing yards, and I bet on you to have 265 passing yards, and I need you to go under in order for me to win that money, and you're in the league and I know you. I'm gonna call you and say what's up.

SPEAKER_03 30:32

When I own a team one day, okay, do not call me with this. This is so annoying.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

Like, but it's an industry, like it's it's I feel like if I'm a ref and I get a call like that, I'd be like when you when you see how much money these people can make, like you can turn five dollars into two grand.

NFC Picture: Eagles, Rams, And LA Fan Energy

SPEAKER_03 30:54

No, I I understand that like you can make a shit ton of money betting, gambling. Like, I'm not immune to that understanding. I'm just saying if I ever end up in a referee position, don't call me. And like, you think that I'm gonna remember you in the middle of all of that? I got a sweaty man that just fell on my head. Like, I just got hit by an NFL player. I'm not thinking about you, John, and the million dollars you don't need.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

Yeah, no. I mean, I feel like it's like it has to be somebody close to you. I don't think they would do it for like a random.

SPEAKER_03 31:24

Yeah, it's like your brother or something. Yeah, literally.

unknown 31:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:29

Literally, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:30

Yeah, it's really interesting. I think it's like such a dynamic topic. And I think that like sports betting is super cool, and I know like so many people love it, and it's definitely something that I like want to learn more about. It's just like shocking to me. I uh the it just is shocking to me, but maybe it's just because I haven't been exposed to it, you know?

SPEAKER_01 31:48

So like it's yeah, no, I'm still I'm still like learning a lot about the industry, but it's just it's so massive. And obviously, in Texas, I only get half of the good stuff because it's illegal to actually sports bet in Texas. You can only do player props, which is like betting on a person's passing yards, betting on a person's sacks in a game. I can't actually bet on moneylines and stuff. So we're just kind of like, okay, you know what we need to do?

SPEAKER_03 32:11

We need to have like an elite woman's sports better on.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:15

And then ask her like all of the questions so that the girls who are new to sports betting or who sports bet but want to like learn some hacks. We need to like get maybe someone at FanDuel or something, like in it, in it. Yeah. And then we can ask some real questions. Like blink twice if it's a shady.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

She's like blinking twice at every single question that we ask. Because everything is so like I I I have full faith that everything is so shady in the sports betting world. I just can't. But I have one money, so it makes me happy. Yeah, I mean, like, yeah, you can bet on things like it's it's fun, super fun. No, it's too fun. I have to stop sometimes because it's stupid. Yeah. Anyways, what other what other storylines are we talking about this week? Because I feel like there has been a lot. And I know we talked about Spitgate, but I know you like did a deep dive into finds and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 33:06

Yes. So Jamar, so Isaac Rochelle, who is now working in broadcasting, his wife, Allison Cooch, is like a huge influencer. Isaac played on like multiple teams and got out. He recently retired, like officially retired, and now he's working in media and he has been like pretty Instagram active or like social media active, but I feel like even more now, he's talking a lot about like what's going on in the field, mentioning things kind of part of his his new role. And he mentioned that Jamar Chase is losing around$600,000 for Spitgate. So then I'm wondering what like what happens when you get fined? So I dove in to fines a little bit, and I'll try to keep this pretty short, but basically, fines are assessed and collected, and it goes to the Professional Athletes Foundation and the NFL Foundation. And the Professional Athletes Foundation is the leading, longest standing, most robust former player support organization, having awarded upwards of$25 million to players in need and engaged over 5,000 members through various well-being initiatives. So I went on their site and they have financial support, health and wellness, community events, wellness retreats, which is actually like a really sweet thing because a lot of these guys get out of college, they get an NFL deal, they make a ton of money, and then they lose all of the money or spend all of the money because the average length in the NFL is somewhere around like three years. And then also going from like being an athlete to being a non-athlete, we've talked about this a couple of times, like the mental toll of that. And then, like, also like if you don't make it in the NFL, like your dreams essentially, you know, a lot of people will see that as a failure. And then, like, what do you do next? And did you get a degree that can actually help you or not? And and how do you kind of move through life? So I actually have, you know, been interested and kind of like what they're doing. And then the NFL Foundation supports health, safety, and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game. So I love that I just feel like the penalties, they're not just going back to like owners or to like big NFL. I mean, I guess they are, but it seems like they're at least showing and saying that they're going to a good cause. And I do know that like so many teams and the NFL do do a lot for the community. And it's one of the reasons why like I'm like down to be talking about them every single, every single week. So the highest two fines that you can get are offense against an official, physical contact is the highest over$40,000. And then verbal is the second highest. And then fighting player to player is also the same amount over$40,000 if you fight player to player. So there's a range for every single spigot. AK spigate. Yeah. There's a range for every single fine in the NFL, which I think is interesting. So different, different players with different offenses can be like all of the fines are assessed. So we only have data up until the previous week. So we just plead week 11. We only have data up to week 10. Physical contact with an official,$40,686 first offense. Second offense,$81,374. And then if you have verbal or other non-physical offense against an official,$32,547 for a first offense,$65,100 for a second offense. And then again, the fighting, same numbers. First offense,$40,686. Second offense,$81,374. Okay, my favorite one of these that I learned. If you leave the bench area during a fight, every player that leaves the bench area during a fight, first offense,$12,172. Yeah. Like you just get off the bench to join the fight,$12K out, gone. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:57

It's so funny to me because like they just don't care. Like they literally don't care.

SPEAKER_03 37:02

I mean, Dak Prescott's making$60 million a year.$12K, not an issue.

Third Down: Betting, Benching, And Vegas Theories

SPEAKER_01 37:06

It's also funny to me when they get fined for like wearing certain things, like your socks or the your shorts, or wearing the wrong undershirt, or like a bad celebration you can get fined for. Like all that stuff is hilarious to me.

SPEAKER_03 37:22

Yeah. So there's multiple uniform ones. So foreign substances on body slash uniform, whatever that means. That's like just under$6,000. Chin strap, shoulder pads, thigh, knee pads, overbuilt face mask. Your pads are wrong. It's$5,797. Unapproved visor tint or lack of brand marks. Again, that$5,797. Personal messages, just under$12K, unauthorized logo branding or intellectual property, just under$12K. Uniform violations, socks, jerseys, undergarments, etc.,$5,797. And the interesting thing about the uniforms is all of those fines double the second time. And then the uniform violation, the socks, jersey, undergarments, that one over triple. So first offense,$5,797. Second offense,$17,389 for your socks. That's crazy. Insane.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

I looked up, I want to know how much money week by week is assessed in fines and the NFL.

SPEAKER_03 38:32

Yeah. I so we can get that stat next week. I do have total plays this season through week 10, 23,677 plays. There were 191 fines from plays, which is 0.81%. So less than a percent of all plays result in fines up to week 10. And top fines from week 10 are third place,$22,388. Brandon Stevens on the Jets, unnecessary roughness, use of helmet. Then Javon Kinlaw on sportsmanlike conduct with an official got fined$28,555. And the highest fine from week 10, Ole Caho, Washington Commanders, Unnecessary Roughness, Use of Helmet, got fined$46,371. So it seems like they have a minimum amount for the fine. And then the league assesses the fine and then they decide what the final number is. But yeah,$46,000 for use of helmet unnecessary roughness. It's a big, that's a big fine. And I'm really excited for next week to come out to see how much exactly did Jamar Chase lose. Can we break it down? Let's see what the NFL actually finds him. And then when you get suspended, like Jamar Chase did, he's losing his player bonus for being an active player. He's losing the his like money from that week. So, you know, a lot of these are also dynamic, like you can get fined. But if you get don't get to play, then that's also huge. So we'll be looking out for that next week. We'll also do all of the what is the total amount in fines up to week 11 on next week's episode to give you guys an idea of how much money it is because so crazy.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

And like it just doesn't, like that is like chump change for them. Fun fact I went to college with Brandon Stevens. Oh, really? Beastie. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:28

You want to text them?

SPEAKER_01 40:29

Be like, listen, if you don't care about that points, it's me.

SPEAKER_03 40:33

You want to just Venmo me?

SPEAKER_01 40:34

Yeah, just go ahead. That that can go, that's a good cause. Supporting my well-being is a good cause.

SPEAKER_03 40:40

Supporting my new car.

SPEAKER_01 40:42

Supporting my G Wagon. Supporting the purchase of Giovanna's G-Wagon.

unknown 40:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:48

Yeah, G Wagon. Accepting donations now.

SPEAKER_03 40:52

Okay, fourth down.

SPEAKER_01 40:55

Four and crunch time. Let's go. Fourth down. Let's go.

SPEAKER_03 40:59

Fourth down.

SPEAKER_01 41:00

I kind of like this is kind of my favorite one, Loki, because it's like talking about how the season is shaping out. And guys, we are really like, it's gonna be December. I know.

SPEAKER_00 41:10

We gotta go to some more games.

SPEAKER_01 41:12

Yeah, the Super Bowl's gonna be here tomorrow. Not really, but it feels like it's going, it's like barreling towards us. But let's talk playoff picture. As of right now, and this is like vetted, this is from Fox, which is NFL playoff picture going into week 12. Currently, the Eagles and the Broncos, Eagles and the NFC have the number one seed. Broncos and the AFC have the number one seed. So not super shocking there in the AFC. The Patriots have the two seed, and it's everything stands. They will then play the Jaguars who have the seventh seed right now. Bills are at the fifth seed, they will play the Steelers who are at the fourth seed. Colts at the third seed, they will play the Chargers full up at the sixth seed and the AFC. So those are the games through week 12 and the AFC and the NFC. Not really surprises. Cowboys are out. So depressing, but Lions are out on this list as well. So number one seeded, like I said, in the NFC, Eagles number two seed, is the Rams, they will be playing the 49ers at the seventh seed. The Bears are at the third seed, they will face off against Green Bay at the sixth seed. And the Bucks have the fourth seed, who will then play the Seahawks at the fifth seed. So I feel like this year, and we've alluded to this already a lot on the show, just kind of a wild card. Like teams that are actually have the seeding, and again, this could change drastically from now until actual playoff time, but just not in my wild card. I mean, Jaguars out of the AFC would not have predicted Steelers, would not have predicted being the fourth seed, would not have predicted the Bears to be as high as they are. The 49ers walking into the season with all their injuries are still playing very good. So just a lot of up and down. But speaking of both LA teams, both LA teams are up there and are a part of the playoff picture out of SoFi. So maybe they're doing something right.

SPEAKER_03 43:12

Yeah, maybe maybe I'm talking to my shit.

SPEAKER_01 43:17

Victoria's like, uh yeah, no, it's fine.

SPEAKER_03 43:20

I mean, I I said what I said. You've said what I said, let me know. I need to go to a Rams game IRL, so could be wrong. Also, I have a great friend who I met on TikTok who's a Chargers girl, and she's awesome. Her name's Jessie. She asks like fans funny questions. She says, like, are you a funny fan? Jesse Christ. Yeah, you guys should look her up. She's she's she rocks. Um, she's out in LA. So shout out, Jesse. Shout out. Okay, well, I think that's all we have for you today. Yeah, yeah. Thanks for listening. Give us your opinions because I feel like we said a lot of opinions today. So come into the Substack chat, go into our DMs. Remember, we're kind here, so you can have an opinion, but be nice. Just kidding, I'm really not worried about you guys being nice. I like you guys are the best. So you can come at me. It's fine. I'll send you a voice note back. When you can't type. And if you do know anybody who works in sports betting who you would like us to interview, please let us know because I think that'd be a really, really awesome interview to get. So I'll work on that this week and see if we can't get somebody in sports betting, maybe even closer to the playoffs. Because I think that would be super dynamic to have a sports betting girl talking us through kind of how to make bets, what bets often hit during the playoffs, what are safer bets, what are riskier bets, and who could be trying to rig the games.

SPEAKER_01 44:42

Can I say, can I tell you something real quick that I just saw?

SPEAKER_03 44:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:45

So as some of y'all know, Victoria was quite literally gallivanting across Europe. This just to end, the Saints are expected to play a game in Paris next season. It's the Saints, though.

Fines 101: Where The Money Goes

SPEAKER_03 44:59

No, we can go with Allie. Are you kidding?

SPEAKER_01 45:02

Oh, that would be fun. Allie, are you listening?

SPEAKER_03 45:04

I'll call you.

SPEAKER_01 45:05

Pack your bags, pack your bags. We're going to Paris.

SPEAKER_03 45:09

No, you guys, when I tell you we're going to Paris, we are going to Paris. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:12

Also, more breaking news. Shador Sanders is going to start in week 12.

SPEAKER_03 45:17

Shador. If you didn't listen to our last episode, we talked about him a little bit. Rough first game for him, but you know what? I still believe in him. And oh my god. Oh my god, we almost missed this. His house got broken into.

SPEAKER_02 45:29

What?

SPEAKER_03 45:30

Last week. He had a bad, bad week. That's rough. Horrible NFL debut. Horrible. And his house got broken into. Like I'm over the Shadoer hate. I'm just over it. Like nobody deserves to be hated that fucking much. Like nobody deserves to be bullied. Nobody deserves to like get their fucking house broken into. Welcome to NFT. And nobody deserves to have like a billion white men over the age of 50 calling for their head. That's exhausting. Yeah. It's a hate. Hate, hate, hate.

SPEAKER_00 46:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:01

Shadoer is just a guy. He's 22 years old. 22. Or 23. I don't know how old he's. 22, 23, 24, whatever. But I'm over the Shador hate. I hope he plays a great game. I hope he smashes it so hard that everyone has to shut up.

SPEAKER_00 46:16

I feel like he will.

SPEAKER_03 46:17

I want a full 180 of the media next week. I'm gonna man, I'm gonna go meditate and manifest it for him.

SPEAKER_01 46:23

Because he's had like a terrible week. He has no he has no choice. He has to go play good. And I will be judging him on this performance because all week he's gonna box with the ones, all weeks is gonna have his life to get together. So if he plays bad, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_03 46:38

You cannot judge him on this week alone. That is so crazy of you.

SPEAKER_01 46:42

No, I this this game is so massive for his career. He has to play good.

SPEAKER_03 46:52

If he doesn't play well, it's not gonna be good for his career. But who are they gonna use next? Well, I mean, who's going in next?

SPEAKER_01 46:59

It is the Browns.

SPEAKER_03 47:00

I actually don't yeah, they they they got made fun of so much for having 97 quarterbacks, they dropped him all as well, is all they have.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

Yeah, they have no choice. And again, for one point, Shadur has to play good.

SPEAKER_03 47:13

Shadur has to play he does, he has to play a good game. Uh I really believe in him, uh, and I hope he's sleeping through the night.

SPEAKER_01 47:23

Uh police say that 200k was was stolen from his home. How do you break into Shadur? Okay, we have to end the episode because I am gonna go on a tangent. How do you break into Shadur Sanders' house?

SPEAKER_03 47:37

Well, because like you can have cameras and alarms.

SPEAKER_00 47:39

Uh yeah, but how do you even know about Shadur Sanders? Like that's just like how get broken into all the time. Like, y'all are weird for that. Like, do y'all like for breaking into Shadur's house?

SPEAKER_03 47:51

Yes, like you the links that I feel like you would have to go through. But the like the Shadoer. Okay, here's the thing the Shadur's obsession is insane because people are obsessed with him, whether they love him or they hate him. It's like any super polarizing figure has like absolute lovers and absolute haters, and it's very rare that people are in between. And that's like obsessive stuff. Even if you hate him, like you can have an obsession of hate. You can like hate watch, and there's a lot of Shador haters, and there's a lot of Dion dislikers, and there's a lot of Dion lovers who are disappointed in what Dion's kids have done. So people are like obsessed with him. We talk about him all the time, you know?

SPEAKER_01 48:32

Like I would actually argue that like I'm if you hate Dion, then you don't know Ball.

SPEAKER_03 48:40

But yeah, then that's a you problem.

SPEAKER_01 48:43

Yeah, if you like if you genuinely don't think Dion Sanders was a great player, then you don't know Ball because Hall of Famer. But yeah, literally. But I think that's a really good way to put it. You would you love Dion, but might be a little bit disappointed in his kids and that situation. But again, it's Judah Sanders, man. Have a good week. Let me leave it at that. Have a great week. Have a great week.

SPEAKER_03 49:12

I believe in you. And if you're if you're a man over the age, if you're a man, just like don't slide in, don't DM him. Hold it back. Okay. DM your app. That's what I'm doing. Don't actually don't do that. Don't do that. But like don't just if you have feelings about Shador, just stay off your phone, okay? Get it by a journal, Amazon.com, two to six p.m. delivery. Buy a journal, journal it down. You don't need to go into his messages, okay?

SPEAKER_01 49:37

Yeah, that's weird. Don't be weird.

SPEAKER_03 49:40

Don't be weird. Literal, don't be weird, okay? Okay, we gotta go. Follow us. All right, love you. At the game the podcast at Giovanni Scorgins, at Victoria Henderson, thegame the podcast.substack.com. Leaderboard for Living in a Fantasy is out. You guys are killing it. We love you. Adios. Adios.

SPEAKER_01 50:05

You a battle, baby.

SPEAKER_04 50:07

You gotta smell it things. The games on the game is the game. The games