Well, that sucks.
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NFL Thread: 2025-26 Season
- Thread starter adjectivenoun
- Start date
What makes this even worse is that Sam Darnold really didn’t even have that good of a stat line in my opinion. Of all the games for him to have coming back to Minnesota he finished 14 for 26 with 128 yards and no touchdowns. I genuinely can’t decide how bad I feel about our win this afternoon/evening. Getting shutout 26 to nothing when Darnold played like that and JSN was unusually quiet for a good while… for our first shutout in a decade (has it really been that long? I could have sworn it was more recent) I want to feel great about how we played especially defensively but I just can’t in good faith. The Vikings need a franchise quarterback ASAP, and possibly a deeper look at their current coaching staff.
Our status: so back.
(This team's not doing shit even if they make the playoffs, but let me have this.)
(This team's not doing shit even if they make the playoffs, but let me have this.)
Co-opting this thread for my personal CFP rankings. Tiers are general quality buckets.
As I was writing this post, the actual CFP rankings got released in the meantime. I won't spoil, but wow, I knew this was possible, but color me surprised.
Favorites
1. Indiana (13-0)
2. Georgia (12-1)
3. Ohio State (12-1)
Georgia got a fantastic 12th win by smashing a possible playoff team, has great pedigree, and has fantastic wins with a very OK close loss to a possible playoff team. Its one major knock was failing to dominate opponents, but crushing Bama punctuates them being much more dominant this month, shredding Texas, and keeping Georgia Tech well in the rearview despite the unimpressive margin.
Dark Horse
4. Texas Tech (12-1)
Lacking the scheduling and pedigree to slip up higher, Texas Tech's domination of quality opponents is remarkable, with 3 top-15 victories all above three touchdowns. Geez. When I'm looking at teams who can compete with the big boys, but haven't yet played them, "utterly smoking the second-tier" is a great start.
Safe
5. Texas A&M (11-1)
6. Notre Dame (10-2)
7. Ole Miss (11-1)
8. Oklahoma (10-2)
Notre Dame had an unremarkable start to the season, but since Week 2, they have won every game by double digits. Only one was as low as 10, too; every other was by at least two touchdowns, and most by three or more. It's easy to think Notre Dame has done nothing because of their nonconference schedule, but they played some real games against the third tier (USC, Navy, Boise State, and Pitt, 2x AP ranked, 2x AP honorable mention), blowing out three of those. They still need their performance last season for me to rank them this high, but their current season was still good. Losing to TAM and Miami by a combined 4, especially at the start, is hardly embarrassing.
They're not listed, but I should mention Oregon. Oregon's resume is awful. I'm wholly unconvinced they can compete at the top level. A last second field goal against Iowa and a double overtime win in Penn State are probably its second and third best wins. Unless you prefer them unremarkably beating Washington, #38 in the current AP poll? At least Penn State is 17 in FPI. Unironically worse wins than Notre Dame, let alone Oklahoma (in Alabama, Michigan, and decent midrange SEC wins) or Ole Miss (winning in Oklahoma and nuking Tulane). I'm wholly unconvinced
Bubble (IN)
9. Oregon (11-1)
10. Miami (10-2)
Bubble (OUT)
11. Alabama (10-3)
12. Texas (9-3)
Good Try
13. Vanderbilt (10-2)
14. Utah (10-2)
Miami versus Alabama is the main question here. I was bracing to bring Alabama in, and teams shouldn't be punished for competitively losing a bonus championship game, especially against the titan of Georgia. But getting embarrassed is another thing. They should still, like, be trying! This also feeds into Alabama relying on the first 5 weeks for their resume. Since Halloween, their best win is a 11 point home win over LSU. Sneaking and slippinng past the likes of South Carolina and Auburn – even if a rivalry game – is unimpressive. Miami has some issues here too, relying on its Week 1 Notre Dame win, but it nuked much of its endseason, including a decent opponent in Pitt on the road.
Really, I could understand Miami or Alabama going either way, but I can't give Alabama the ticket after it got nuked while already on the edge of the bubble, when winning is most important.
Texas has the high profile wins to show it can compete at the top level, but you gotta win games here, and they didn't do that enough. At least they wouldn't have to deal with Florida in the playoffs.
As I was writing this post, the actual CFP rankings got released in the meantime. I won't spoil, but wow, I knew this was possible, but color me surprised.
Favorites
1. Indiana (13-0)
2. Georgia (12-1)
3. Ohio State (12-1)
Georgia got a fantastic 12th win by smashing a possible playoff team, has great pedigree, and has fantastic wins with a very OK close loss to a possible playoff team. Its one major knock was failing to dominate opponents, but crushing Bama punctuates them being much more dominant this month, shredding Texas, and keeping Georgia Tech well in the rearview despite the unimpressive margin.
Dark Horse
4. Texas Tech (12-1)
Lacking the scheduling and pedigree to slip up higher, Texas Tech's domination of quality opponents is remarkable, with 3 top-15 victories all above three touchdowns. Geez. When I'm looking at teams who can compete with the big boys, but haven't yet played them, "utterly smoking the second-tier" is a great start.
Safe
5. Texas A&M (11-1)
6. Notre Dame (10-2)
7. Ole Miss (11-1)
8. Oklahoma (10-2)
Notre Dame had an unremarkable start to the season, but since Week 2, they have won every game by double digits. Only one was as low as 10, too; every other was by at least two touchdowns, and most by three or more. It's easy to think Notre Dame has done nothing because of their nonconference schedule, but they played some real games against the third tier (USC, Navy, Boise State, and Pitt, 2x AP ranked, 2x AP honorable mention), blowing out three of those. They still need their performance last season for me to rank them this high, but their current season was still good. Losing to TAM and Miami by a combined 4, especially at the start, is hardly embarrassing.
They're not listed, but I should mention Oregon. Oregon's resume is awful. I'm wholly unconvinced they can compete at the top level. A last second field goal against Iowa and a double overtime win in Penn State are probably its second and third best wins. Unless you prefer them unremarkably beating Washington, #38 in the current AP poll? At least Penn State is 17 in FPI. Unironically worse wins than Notre Dame, let alone Oklahoma (in Alabama, Michigan, and decent midrange SEC wins) or Ole Miss (winning in Oklahoma and nuking Tulane). I'm wholly unconvinced
Bubble (IN)
9. Oregon (11-1)
10. Miami (10-2)
Bubble (OUT)
11. Alabama (10-3)
12. Texas (9-3)
Good Try
13. Vanderbilt (10-2)
14. Utah (10-2)
Miami versus Alabama is the main question here. I was bracing to bring Alabama in, and teams shouldn't be punished for competitively losing a bonus championship game, especially against the titan of Georgia. But getting embarrassed is another thing. They should still, like, be trying! This also feeds into Alabama relying on the first 5 weeks for their resume. Since Halloween, their best win is a 11 point home win over LSU. Sneaking and slippinng past the likes of South Carolina and Auburn – even if a rivalry game – is unimpressive. Miami has some issues here too, relying on its Week 1 Notre Dame win, but it nuked much of its endseason, including a decent opponent in Pitt on the road.
Really, I could understand Miami or Alabama going either way, but I can't give Alabama the ticket after it got nuked while already on the edge of the bubble, when winning is most important.
Texas has the high profile wins to show it can compete at the top level, but you gotta win games here, and they didn't do that enough. At least they wouldn't have to deal with Florida in the playoffs.
Team (versus CFP; versus AP)
I especially like:
Notre Dame (+5; +3)
Texas A&M (+2; +2)
The AP poll agreed with me flipping Georgia over Ohio State, but the CFP rankings did not.
I especially dislike:
Oregon (-4; -4)
BYU (-3; -3)
Utterly shocked the committee skunked ND when it did not play, one bubble competitor did not play either, and the other bubble competitor got humiliated. I don't really value H2H, which is part of it. But bigger picture, 3-loss Alabama was the clear one to remove. Maybe they really strongly believe that earning a bonus conference championship and losing shouldn't punish you? Now though, why even try in these games, if you can get embarrassed and still be totally OK?
I especially like:
Notre Dame (+5; +3)
Texas A&M (+2; +2)
The AP poll agreed with me flipping Georgia over Ohio State, but the CFP rankings did not.
I especially dislike:
Oregon (-4; -4)
BYU (-3; -3)
Utterly shocked the committee skunked ND when it did not play, one bubble competitor did not play either, and the other bubble competitor got humiliated. I don't really value H2H, which is part of it. But bigger picture, 3-loss Alabama was the clear one to remove. Maybe they really strongly believe that earning a bonus conference championship and losing shouldn't punish you? Now though, why even try in these games, if you can get embarrassed and still be totally OK?
As of yesterday, December 7th, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs are not limited from the playoffs just yet, but they can no longer win the division, as they have a… I’m not saying the cringe numbers, but the Denver Broncos being 11-2 at this point… somehow, now make it impossible for the Chiefs to win the AFC West this season.
Normally, something like this wouldn’t mean too, too much, but the Chiefs’ nine-season AFC West division title streak was the second longest streak of such in NFL history. The record continues to be held by the New England Patriots winning 11 straight AFC East titles from 2009-10 to 2019-20, incidentally also making the 2010s Patriots the only NFL team ever to win their division every season within the same decade. The longest active division title streak and the only possible instance of a “decade sweep” remaining both now belong to the 2020s Buffalo Bills, but this also looks unlikely to hold as the New England Patriots are currently projected to win the AFC East at 11-2. Should the Bills lose their own streak, the active record would then go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers… who are also tied in the standings with the Carolina Panthers at 7-6.
The cherry on top that makes all of this even funnier is that at the time of writing this post, both the Broncos and the Patriots could still technically miss the playoffs if they lose out since they don’t play each other during the 2025-26 regular season. Just how far can we take this rabbit hole of a situation we’re in?
Normally, something like this wouldn’t mean too, too much, but the Chiefs’ nine-season AFC West division title streak was the second longest streak of such in NFL history. The record continues to be held by the New England Patriots winning 11 straight AFC East titles from 2009-10 to 2019-20, incidentally also making the 2010s Patriots the only NFL team ever to win their division every season within the same decade. The longest active division title streak and the only possible instance of a “decade sweep” remaining both now belong to the 2020s Buffalo Bills, but this also looks unlikely to hold as the New England Patriots are currently projected to win the AFC East at 11-2. Should the Bills lose their own streak, the active record would then go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers… who are also tied in the standings with the Carolina Panthers at 7-6.
The cherry on top that makes all of this even funnier is that at the time of writing this post, both the Broncos and the Patriots could still technically miss the playoffs if they lose out since they don’t play each other during the 2025-26 regular season. Just how far can we take this rabbit hole of a situation we’re in?
I believe that this is what is called "regression to the mean."
I'm so glad that the Chiefs got smoked by the Eagles last season because it means I don't have to pretend they were worthy of their successes forever. They were an uninspiring and mediocre team propped up by a series of absurd bounces, questionable officiating decisions, and collapses from other AFC teams. Their current record is who they were last year, too — the ball is just bouncing the other way this time around. A proper retool is in order. They'll always have a chance as long as Mahomes can cook, but they need a proper #1 receiver to replace Kelce (they've brought on a bunch of fast guys who aren't really playmakers, and the offense is suffering for it), as well as a sturdy offensive line. They're far from dead if they can manage these things, but I'm calling this season lost even though they have a theoretical chance to make the playoffs.
Def the worst from a SB MVP… I don’t understand why he wasn’t running way more. The Chargers tend to give up decent yards to running QBs.
I’ve seen this happen on r/retrobowl, does that count for anything?
Well, the Lions put together one half of great football! That's better than zero halves! I also got to hear Tom Brady say "piss missile" on the broadcast and read about the Chiefs being eliminated, so today was basically a win.
Jason. Myers. Master class. Good lord.
I have to give Indianapolis credit- they almost had us in our game, and they were able to manage the clock significantly better. This game had me torn, since a win is a win but I do think Philip Rivers deserved that. He played a lot better than what I expected.
I don’t have too much else to say other that I was hoping to post this earlier than I got around to it; me and my family had evening plans for a birthday dinner and we only just got home from that. Also, I think now might be a good time to say that me and adjectivenoun might have a common enemy now depending on how things play out. (My finger slipped as I was typing that last sentence, that’s why it sent before I was done lol)
I have to give Indianapolis credit- they almost had us in our game, and they were able to manage the clock significantly better. This game had me torn, since a win is a win but I do think Philip Rivers deserved that. He played a lot better than what I expected.
I don’t have too much else to say other that I was hoping to post this earlier than I got around to it; me and my family had evening plans for a birthday dinner and we only just got home from that. Also, I think now might be a good time to say that me and adjectivenoun might have a common enemy now depending on how things play out. (My finger slipped as I was typing that last sentence, that’s why it sent before I was done lol)
Also, why are Lions fans doing the whole victim complex about the officials, saying they rigged it for the Rams? The defense got nuked from orbit, and the offense didn't do shit in the second half until the game was all but lost. That bogus touchdown ruling? They would've scored on the next play anyway.
…
You know… it’s not very often when a football game leaves me this baffled on what to make of it. The thing is, I have a job interview tomorrow morning go to early this morning, and I decided against my worse judgment I probably wasn’t going to watch this game in its entirety. “There’s always next week,” I told myself. I ultimately compromised with myself, recognizing the stakes that came with this game and the implications of what could happen further down the road if we won this.
…
I followed the entire game in regulation before I had to physically myself to go to sleep. The struggle of being an Eastern time zone fan of a West Coast team is very real, let me tell you. Half of me expected the Rams to win 33-30 either in regulation or OT, but our team this year has a certain edge, a certain stinginess to our gameplay that keeps you on the edge of your seat and can manage the impossible. Not only did we come away with one of the greatest regular season victories we’ve seen in years, but we had an actually great Thursday Night Football game. Let me really hammer that last part in.
An actually great Thursday Night Football game.
This 2025 Seattle Seahawks team isn’t just this year’s take on my favorite franchise in professional sports. This year’s team is ever slowly turning into one of my favorite single-season teams of any kind in recent history. There’s only so much else I can say, really.
You know… it’s not very often when a football game leaves me this baffled on what to make of it. The thing is, I have a job interview tomorrow morning go to early this morning, and I decided against my worse judgment I probably wasn’t going to watch this game in its entirety. “There’s always next week,” I told myself. I ultimately compromised with myself, recognizing the stakes that came with this game and the implications of what could happen further down the road if we won this.
…
I followed the entire game in regulation before I had to physically myself to go to sleep. The struggle of being an Eastern time zone fan of a West Coast team is very real, let me tell you. Half of me expected the Rams to win 33-30 either in regulation or OT, but our team this year has a certain edge, a certain stinginess to our gameplay that keeps you on the edge of your seat and can manage the impossible. Not only did we come away with one of the greatest regular season victories we’ve seen in years, but we had an actually great Thursday Night Football game. Let me really hammer that last part in.
An actually great Thursday Night Football game.
This 2025 Seattle Seahawks team isn’t just this year’s take on my favorite franchise in professional sports. This year’s team is ever slowly turning into one of my favorite single-season teams of any kind in recent history. There’s only so much else I can say, really.
I went to bed after the pick. Sad!
Something about this game that’s going on right now between Green Bay and Chicago seems… peculiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. As I’m typing this, overtime has just kicked off (literally) and… well, let’s just see what happens. I have a really funny feeling that something absolutely wacky is about to happen with this game.
Edit: I would like to think this was the best case scenario for the Lions. The game does not end in a tie, which would have been disastrous for Detroit’s playoff chances due to how the standings operate, and the other reason I say that is because the NFL’s- get this- 53 year drought without a team having multiple ties in the same season continues forward. Puts me in a weird spot, really. On one hand, more ties is the last thing the NFL needs but on the other hand, there’s something novel about being able to see history and rare things happen live.
Now, as for the game itself. I don’t think this was quite as impressive as what Sam Darnold did the other night, but there was definitely a momentum shift in favor of Chicago in the fourth quarter. The Bears felt much more comfortable towards the end of the game than they looked at first and I think Caleb Williams looked really composed in that last drive in particular. The Packers can not afford the kinds of miscues they had that gave Chicago all of the momentum they needed at this point in the season, and with this loss, if I’m not mistaken they no longer control their own destiny for the #7 seed in the NFC, with the 49ers benefiting from this in particular but if San Francisco happens to lose at least two of their last three and Detroit finishes with the same or a better record by the end of the season it will probably be the Lions sniping the final Wild
Card slot during Week 18.
Edit: I would like to think this was the best case scenario for the Lions. The game does not end in a tie, which would have been disastrous for Detroit’s playoff chances due to how the standings operate, and the other reason I say that is because the NFL’s- get this- 53 year drought without a team having multiple ties in the same season continues forward. Puts me in a weird spot, really. On one hand, more ties is the last thing the NFL needs but on the other hand, there’s something novel about being able to see history and rare things happen live.
Now, as for the game itself. I don’t think this was quite as impressive as what Sam Darnold did the other night, but there was definitely a momentum shift in favor of Chicago in the fourth quarter. The Bears felt much more comfortable towards the end of the game than they looked at first and I think Caleb Williams looked really composed in that last drive in particular. The Packers can not afford the kinds of miscues they had that gave Chicago all of the momentum they needed at this point in the season, and with this loss, if I’m not mistaken they no longer control their own destiny for the #7 seed in the NFC, with the 49ers benefiting from this in particular but if San Francisco happens to lose at least two of their last three and Detroit finishes with the same or a better record by the end of the season it will probably be the Lions sniping the final Wild
Card slot during Week 18.
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I forgot there even were Saturday games, to be honest. Why does the NFL do this at the end of the season? That's college football day, even if college football is in playoff mode right now.
Counterpoint: would you rather watch this or watch the Group of Five schools get beat up on the playground? Neither are ideal, but I’m taking Saturday Night NFL games over the college football playoff almost every single time. College football has far too many things wrong with it these days to the point where I feel like the smaller schools are being actively sabotaged by the people in power.
I guess I would rather do what I actually did last night: not watch football.
I wish I did this last night, too.
Worst game of the Campbell/Goff era. I don't even know what to say to that.
can't believe i just watched a team with only 3 passing yards win. pretty terrible game honestly but at least it was somewhat interesting to watch (for me at least) with all the turnovers
felt like after the first two turnovers detroit was demoralized, and then it kept getting worse with every "juts blitz everyone lol" call that came through from vikings defense. i imagine it has to be straight up frustrating to play/playcall when your plays never get more than 2 seconds to develop, and the checkdowns just weren't working
The offensive line was what killed them. They had no ability to stop the Vikings from pressing the same button over and over, and the center kept causing turnovers. The defense put them in a totally winnable position (even if it was just because of who was quarterbacking the Vikings), and they couldn't do anything with endless opportunities. It's an embarrassment.
If you're a neutral fan who just wants some entertainment, root for the Bears next week. I am going to blow a gasket if the Lions lose out.