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!

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?

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.

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.

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!!

Merry Christmas to everyone! Another short show as the guys get ready to go on holiday. Listen as Steven rants on players that supposedly get paid to use their foot to play football and Jeff rants on the league allowing the game to be played in the frigid concrete known as TCF Bank Stadium. The guys talk NFL News as QB Tony Romo goes on IR, Brett Favre suffers a concussion, Donovan McNabb feeling disrespected, Terrell Owens has surgery and is placed on IR and did you see Tim Tebow's first start? Jeff thought it was a yawner.

You've been asking for him, and here he is - Professor Playoffs is here to give you all the latest playoff info with just two weeks in left in the season. Steven thinks he does a great job with his breakdown, but Jeff virtually makes sure Professor Playoffs will never be on the show again. Find out what Jeff does to anger the playoff master.

Steven wins the Challenge Game again as the Eagles come back in the end to beat the Giants in New York. Jeff was not happy about that outcome. With seven weekends of NFL action left, Jeff has an uphill battle to climb in the Challenge Game. Find out how Steven plans to punish Jeff if he wins.

Finally, thank you to everyone who donated to little Deeds. With your help, no doubt, we have helped enough to get Deeds' family to their goal of $13,000. Thank you and Merry Christmas!

The guys come back with one of the fastest shows in a very long time as there is only enough time for a quick preview. Friend of the show, NFL BMOC East Coast Jason La Canfora joins the guys to talk about playoff seedings, playoff races and the status of Aaron Rodgers. Plus Jason shares his passion for the Leeds and the other football.

The guys talk about some NFL News, including the Browns Eric Mangini stated the Colt McCoy would be the starter for the rest of the season, Chad Ochocinco getting his foot X-rayed and why are people still calling the Metrodome, the Metrodome when it is now called the Mall of America Field?

Jeff and Steven once again disagree on a large number of games. This week's guest pickers is Steven's lovely wife, Tricia who has been doing a great job of picking games this season. Steven makes the Eagles vs Giants game the Challenge game as Steven takes Philadelphia while Jeff takes New York.

We would like to thank everyone who voted for our show at PodcastAwards.com and remind you to help Deeds get his dog. Go and donate now.

297.

If you're a football fan, you know what that means!

Week 14 is over and so is Brett Favre's streak. The streak of consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL came to an end when the Vikings made Favre inactive for the rescheduled game at Ford Field in Detroit for a Monday Night Football game against the Giants. Whew, that was a mouthful. The guys get a late start because the Texans and Ravens went to overtime in Houston.

The guys cover the NFL News as they discuss the cave in at the Metrodome, the injury bug continuing as Brandon Graham of the Eagles, LaRon Landry of the Redskins, Gerald McCoy and Quincy Black of the Buccaneers were all placed on season ending IR. Plus, did we mention that Brett Favre's streak ended at 297?

The guys recap all the games as guest pickers Alex M ties Jeff with 11 correct picks this week. Jeff also wins the Challenge Game, as the Steelers spank the Bengals, but feels a little bad because he feels Steven gift wrapped that game for him. Finally the guys remind you to go vote for NFL Rants & Raves for Best Sports Podcast at www.PodcastAwards.com and to help little Deeds get his dog. Click here to donate now!

The Playoffs are getting closer and the guys get you ready with a look at Week 14. Before the preview, the guys ask you to remember little Deeds and ask you help him with his goal of getting an autism assistance dog. Go here to donate! The guys also ask that you don't forget to vote for NFL Rants & Raves as Best Sports Podcast at www.PodcastAwards.com.

The guys then turn to the 30th anniversary of the passing of John Lennon and share Howard Cosell's announcement of Lennon's shooting on Monday Night Football. Steven and Jeff also discuss plenty of NFL News, as they talk about Matt Cassel's appendectomy, the Steelers and James Harrison accusing the Ravens of intentionally trying to injure him, the NFL preparing to show the owners a video of clean hits, Ben Roethlisberger commenting on his broken nose bones looking like corn flakes, and Steven rants on the absurd $15,000 fine given to Ndamukong Suh.

Finally the guys get to their picks of Week 14. The guys welcome Alex McKeever as this week's guest picker. Jeff and Alex only disagree on two games, but Steven and Alex disagree on four games. Steven and Jeff however, disagree on seven games again this week. With Steven 8 games back this will be an interesting week of football. Steven goes out on a limb by taking the Bengals to upset the Steelers and Jeff quickly makes that the Challenge Game.

Week 13 is in the books and the division races are still tight as every division leader is either tied for first place, or one game ahead of the second place team. Except in the AFC West, where the Chiefs (8-4) have a two game lead on the Chargers and Raiders, both at 6-6.

Steven and Jeff start off with the news and none bigger than the firing of head coach Josh McDaniels in Denver. The guys go on to discuss Ben Roethlisberger needing surgery for his broken nose, the discrepancy between the fines given to Ravens Haloti Ngata and Jameel McClain for hits on Steelers players, Dez Bryant being lost for the season during the Cowboys win over the Colts, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz not buying what the NFL is selling on Ndamukong Suh's unnecessary roughness penalty, the 49ers turning back to QB Alex Smith and whether or not Brett Favre will play his 298th consecutive game with his multitude of injuries. No wonder the show goes for 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Finally the guys recap the 16 games this week. Steven is the Smartest Man Alive this week as the Falcons beat the Buccaneers and also makes up 3 games on Jeff going 13-3 while Jeff finished at 10-6. Steven feels that Eric Mangini made the wrong call at the end of the game, even though it worked out for the Browns and both guys believe the Titans have called it quits for this season.

Also, we are asking for your help this Holiday season. Please help out friend of the show, Jeremy Mauss who is trying to raise money for an autism service dog for his son JD. Go here and donate to the cause. Thank you!