NFL Rants & Raves is your weekly dose of unfiltered football talk. Steven breaks down the games, the calls, and the storylines that had everyone yelling at their TV, and this season he goes head to head with Axis Iron, the AI challenger, in a season-long battle of NFL picks. Rants, raves, hot takes, and a scoreboard that never lies.
Episode 6.52B – Super Bowl XLV Radio Row
That's right. No more teasing, but still not ready for a big show. Steven and Jeff report from Radio Row and tell some stories from a thrilling first full-day of action from the Media Center.
Today, the guys sat down with former players Leon Lett and Martin Gramatica, former head coach Brian Billick, a famous commercial actor - Windell Middlebrooks The High Life Delivery Guy, and a super model - Marisa Miller thrown in for good measure. Plus a surprise guest (some guy from the host committee) drops by to pull back the curtain on all the preparation that went into securing the bid for the north Texas area.
Fascinating stuff, but DANG it's cold outside!!
Episode 6.52A – Super Bowl XLV Teaser
Super Bowl Baby!!! The guys have landed in Dallas, TX and are ready to take in all that North Texas has to offer. As the guys setup on Radio Row, they give you a little tease of what has happened and take a little about the action in Dallas.
Episode 6.51 – Championship Recap
Steven and Jeff come back with the final show before Dallas. Congrats to the Packers and Steelers as they take huge leads and hold on in the end to earn spots in Super Bowl XLV. They guys talk about all of the news surrounding Jay Cutler and all of the negative criticism. Jeff thinks Cutler should have done more to try to get back into the game, while Steven said if you're hurt, your hurt and only that person can determine the severity of the injury.
They also talk about Philip Rivers sympathizing with Jay Cutler, while Sean Peyton comes out and says Drew Brees played with a sprained MCL. The guys also discussed Antonio Cromartie using more expletives when talking about the potential lockout and the Steelers embracing their role as underdogs in the Super Bowl.
The guys then get to the games and discuss the Packers having problems putting the Bears away and the Steelers hanging on for the win after taking a 24-0 lead over the Jets. Steven says both Packers and Steelers offensive performances need to be better in the Super Bowl as they were both shut out in the second half of their respective games and the guys agree that this is going to be a fantastic Super Bowl featuring Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. Plus, Jeff gets to within one game of Steven in the Challenge game and now must pick against Steven in the Super Bowl if he is to forgo getting punished.
Episode 6.50 – Championship Preview
Steven and Jeff cannot contain their excitement as they get ready for Championship Weekend and the Super Bowl. The guys get ready to do their final two shows from L.A. before heading to Dallas for the BIG game. The guys start with some NFL News and discuss the meeting between Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith and Steven is ready to HWMNBN all CBA talk. They also discuss Jim Mora withdrawing from the Eagles and Broncos defensive coordinators jobs, Rob Ryan becoming the Cowboys new defensive coordinator and Tom Brady having a stress fracture in his right foot. Uh-oh did the Patriots say "foot" again?
The guys then focus their attention on the NFC and AFC Championship Games coming up this weekend. Steven has some words for Bears fans and the guys both agree on the outcome of Bears/Packers. Both guys like Aaron Rodgers over Jay Cutler, but find out who has the edge in that game. Then they discuss the Jets heading to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers and Steven tries to change Jeff's pick saying that Jeff has picked against the Jets twice in the playoffs already and lost both times. Is Jeff going to go against them again?
Listen in to find out what is happening with the Challenge Game. If Jeff agrees with Steven this week, it's game over. Did they agree or did Jeff go against Steven in one game?
Episode 6.49 – Divisional Recap
What a weekend of football as both No. 1 seeds get knocked out of the playoffs by No. 6 seeds! Amazing! The guys get right into it and discuss the biggest NFL News to hit this week as Brett Favre files his retirement papers with the NFL after 20 seasons, prompting Steven to say, "Let Favre Watch 2011 begin!" Steven and Jeff also discuss the Raiders hiring Hue Jackson, Patrick Chung taking the blame for botching the fake punt, and the Bears talking smack already as TE Kellen Davis declares that the Bears will beat the Packers and go to the Super Bowl.
The guys then focus their attention on the four Divisional Round games and they loved all of them, except for Steven hating the Bears/Seahawks game. The guys agreed that the Steelers and Packers were superior on Saturday in besting the Ravens and Falcons. What happened to Matt Ryan at home? They also agree that Seattle just did not show up to play the Bears as their 21 points in the 4th quarter was all garbage time junk and with Steven making an 11th hour switch from the Patriots to the Jets, he and Jeff both end the weekend at 3-1.
Jeff picks up a game in the Challenge Game, but needs a correct pick in the AFC or NFC Championship game to ensure the Super Bowl will be needed for the tie. Steven questions his sanity for taking the Seahawks in the Challenge Game and Jeff asks, why must he always make it this Challenge Game thing so close.
Episode 6.48 – Divisional Preview
Steven and Jeff get ready for the biggest weekend in the NFL, the Divisional Round Playoff Weekend. First off, they look at some NFL News, as the Browns look to hire Pat Shurmur as their next head coach, Antonio Cromartie calls Tom Brady a naughty word, and Brady just says let's just play the game, the Broncos interview John Fox and the Vikings offer to pay for one-third of roofless stadium, which gets Jeff all fired up.
The guys then get to the four games in the Divisional Round. On Saturday, the guys agree on both games as they think the Steelers will win at home against the Ravens, and the Packers will upset the Falcons in Atlanta. On Sunday, the guys disagreed on both games, until Steven called Tricia in for some help and jumped to the Patriots, leaving the Seahawks at Bears game as the lone game the guys disagree on. Steven thinks the Seahawks will ride their swagger into Chicago and pull off another upset, while Jeff does not believe the Bears will be fooled again.
That leaves it as the Challenge Game, as Jeff takes the 10 point favored Bears and Steven rides with the underdog Seahawks. If Jeff loses this one, he is assured of some punishment at the Super Bowl!
Episode 6.47 – Wild Card Recap
The Wild Card round is over and what a weekend it was. The only home team to win was the only home team nobody expected to win and Jeff starts the show off by sharing a story that he has not shared on the air before. The guys discuss Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera heading to Carolina, the Broncos pausing their head coaching search due to weather, the Raiders not talking about their head coaching search because they are the Raiders and the Eagles DeSean Jackson is asking for more money prompting Steven to ask, why?
The guys also talk about the Eagles dilemma at QB with Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb and Steven pokes a little fun at Rex Ryan, who's making it personal again!
Steven and Jeff then focus on the four Wild Card Games and both guys are not very happy with the Saints and Colts as the two Super Bowl teams from a year ago get knocked out on the first day of the playoffs. Steven finishes at 2-2 and Jeff lands at 1-3 as Jeff loses the Challenge Game putting him 3 games back with 3 weeks to go. Can Jeff go on a 3 game winning streak to avoid getting punished?
Episode 6.46 – Wild Card Preview
Playoffs! Playoffs are finally here and yes the guys even talk about the 7-9 Seahawks. First, the guys answer some listener questions posted on www.NFLRandR.com. Then Steven and Jeff look at NFL News, where they discuss several teams fawning over Standford head coach Jim Harbaugh. The guys also talk about the Raiders firing of Tom Cable as they do not understand what Al Davis is doing, they talk about the Titans parting ways with Vince Young and Wade Phillips landing in Houston to become the Texans defensive coordinator.
The guys then take a look at the four Wild Card games for this weekend and you might be surprised at who they guys pick to win the games. Jeff forces Steven to evaluate how the Jets might beat Peyton Manning and the Colts and Steven has some interesting thoughts on that game. The guys both agree that the Saints may have some problems later on with both Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas on IR, but those problems will not hinder them this week.
Finally, Jeff is forced against his better judgement to pick the Eagles over the Packers to differ in at least one game over Steven and makes that the Challenge Game by default. Will his old team, the Packers haunt him in the Wild Card Game this week.
Episode 6.45 – Week 17 Recap
Steven and Jeff take a look at all the NFL News during and immediately after Week 17. Black Monday turned out to be more charcoal grey Monday as only Eric Mangini got the ax. The guys look at all the coaches that are either safe or may be on their way out. Plus the guys say good-bye to QB Brett Favre in a weird way.
Eric Mangini (Browns) and John Fox (Panthers) are out. Tom Coughlin (Giants), Gary Kubiak (Texans) and Jack Del Rio (Jaguars) are safe, for now while Tom Cable (Raiders), Tony Sparano (Dolphins), Jeff Fisher (Titans) and Marvin Lewis (Bengals) all are in danger of losing jobs for a plethora of reasons. The Vikings have hired Leslie Frazier to be the head coach full time, while the Cowboys will most likely keep Jason Garrett as head coach.
The guys then go over the 16 games in Week 17 and have differing opinions on the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks winning the NFC West and getting to host a game on Wild Card Weekend. Bring on the Saints. Sad way for Sam Bradford to end his rookie season, while Steven praises Josh Freeman and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Steven is the Smartest Man Alive by taking the Raiders over the Chiefs and leads Jeff by two games going into the Playoffs in the Challenge Game. In the Playoffs Steven likes all the road teams except the Jets, while Jeff thinks he may agree with him.
Episode 6.44 – Week 16 Recap
With Steven in Texas for the holidays, Jeff is joined by childhood friend, Bender who brings his unique NFL stylings to the Rants & Raves Studio.
The two break down the 14 games played through Monday morning with a heavy look towards the playoffs. Bender has gone all-in with the Packers while Jeff fears the mess coming from the Wild Wild Worst if the Seahawks beat the Rams this weekend.
On the tangent side of the ledger, the boys explore unusual ice cream flavors. You certainly will not want to miss the nightmare of Bender trying to run a sound cart (not pretty). Good times all around and Deeds gets his dog!!


