Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry

"Divisional Round Recap + Bills Fire Sean McDermott"

Date: January 19, 2026
Hosts: Matthew Berry, Connor Rogers, Jay Williams

Episode Overview

This episode delivers an in-depth recap of the NFL’s Divisional Round, focusing on both fantasy football implications and real-world team drama. The headline news is the Buffalo Bills’ decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott, the ensuing debate about GM Brandon Beane’s future, and the bigger context for one of the NFL’s premier jobs. The hosts break down playoff performances, look ahead at coaching vacancies, and analyze fantasy takeaways with their characteristic camaraderie and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sean McDermott Fired & The Buffalo Bills Job

Timestamps: [02:12] – [09:16]

• Surprise and Context
  • Connor: “Sean McDermott being fired, that's not the shock factor. It's that Brandon Bean has now been elevated and will lead the coaching search…” [02:12]
  • Both hosts are surprised Beane remains while McDermott is let go. They debate who should carry the responsibility for the Bills' playoff shortcomings.
• Defending McDermott
  • Berry notes the Bills’ consistent success: “Top five in wins and point differential, playoffs every year... Did they underachieve?” [02:33]
  • Argues it's odd to single out the coach and not GM for personnel moves.
• Candidate Carousel
  • Connor: “If you fire Sean McDermott, I don't understand how Brandon Bean still has a job.” [03:19]
  • Discussion on head coaching candidates and how the Bills’ job compares to others (e.g., Buffalo vs. Baltimore, AFC East vs. North).
• Bills’ Roster Holes
  • Explores the Bills’ struggle to surround Allen with weapons: Only 2 of 56 Beane-drafted players (James Cook, Dawson Knox) have made Pro Bowls. [05:49]
  • “For how many years have we said Josh Allen’s gotta put on his Superman cape and go win this because he has no one around him?” – Matthew Berry [05:49]
• Future Head Coach Search
  • Names floated: Jesse Minter, Brian Daboll, Sean McVay (unrealistically), Mike Tomlin, Mike McCarthy.
  • Berry’s “Kirk Cousins argument”: “You got rid of McDermott. Who you getting?” [13:14]
• Coaching Fit Pressure
  • “Buffalo… is the best job opening of the 10… because of Josh Allen.” – Berry [04:45]
  • Expectations: “The bar is to win the Super Bowl.” – Connor [12:38]

2. Divisional Round Game Recaps

Rams 28, Bears 24 (OT)

Timestamps: [14:44] – [23:59]

• Host Observations
  • Berry shares field-level insight from a frigid Chicago: “It was cold as shit today.” [15:29]
  • Fun sideline anecdote about burning his gloves on the heater.
• Game & Fantasy Takeaways
  • Kyren Williams: 80% of RB touches; used heavily in the pass game again; “biggest thing from Kyren here… four balls for 30 yards on five targets.” [16:01]
  • Puka Nacua & Davante Adams underperform: “If you were playing daily, those guys were huge busts.” – Connor [17:54]
  • Adams: 7 catches on 19 targets in 2 playoff games; is he showing signs of decline?
• QB Play
  • Matthew Stafford struggles: “He was not great. Last year in this same game... did not play great… wasn’t any better this year.” [19:32]
• Caleb Williams Analysis
  • A “game of highs and lows” per Connor: Describes key INT as a combo of DJ Moore misroute and bad decision, but Williams “has enough big plays where you're like, yeah."
  • Berry bullish on Williams’ fantasy prospects next year: “Long story short, yes, I’d be very excited about Caleb Williams next year in fantasy.” [23:59]

Seahawks Dominate 49ers

Timestamps: [24:09] – [33:11]

• Game Recap
  • Jay’s prescient prediction: “They ran out of people.” [24:21]
  • Purdy pressured on 55% of dropbacks, running over 400 yards to escape. [24:58]
• Defensive Identity
  • Leonard Williams brings “Dark Side” nickname to Seattle D; the crew jokes about Star Wars/Darth Vader references. [25:29]
• Fantasy Highlights
  • Ken Walker explodes with Charbonnet injured; “When Ken Walker gets work, Ken Walker’s pretty damn good.” – Berry [29:26]
  • Future concerns: Is Walker a buy for 2026 if in a committee or on a new team? Coaching variables abound.
  • Matthew wonders about Christian McCaffrey’s outlook: “All the Derrick Henry arguments are going to go to Chris McCaffrey as well… next year is going to be an interesting conversation.” [32:53]
• JSN and Rams WRs
  • Jackson Smith-Njigba quiet in a blowout win; Rams passing game underwhelms.

Broncos 27, Bills 24 (OT)

Timestamps: [33:11] – [39:52]

• Postgame Fallout
  • Josh Allen’s raw emotion: “I feel like I let my teammates down tonight… It's going to stick with me.” [33:40]
• The Controversial Interception
  • Berry & Connor dissect the pivotal reversed catch (Cooks) that ruled an interception: “In real time, bang, bang… knee down, touched... should be down by contact.” [35:10]
  • Twitter/Reddit discourse: “Apparently you don’t know ball, stick to fantasy rule, nerd.” – Berry mimicking online critics [34:16]
  • Richard Sherman’s DB take: “Ty goes to the receiver.” [35:58]
• Missed Calls & Game Flow
  • Connor calls it a “bumpy ride"—missed holding in the end zone, inexplicable PIs, general officiating chaos.
• Fantasy & Real-Life Consequences
  • Bo Nix’s broken ankle, meaning Stidham likely starts AFC Championship.
  • Berry: “All people are talking about out of this game is not, oh my God, Bo Nixon, his second year made an AFC championship... Instead… [they’re] talking about this terrible play and a couple of bad pass interferences.” [39:52]
  • Broncos lose key playmakers; AFC Title implications.

Patriots Advance, May vs. Berry

Timestamps: [41:52] – [45:40]

• Drake May Playoff Run
  • Patriots reach AFC title; Berry relives being “owned” by social media for doubting May (clips from earlier in season and now), but points out he’s since praised May as MVP: “Drake May’s my MVP and I’ve been saying that consistently throughout this process.” [44:09]
  • Berry’s tip: “Congratulations. The Patriots, they move on to the AFC championship against the Broncos, and I think they will win.” [45:40]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Allen’s supporting cast:
  • “It sounded like a Key & Peele sketch.” – Berry, on the long list of mediocre WRs Buffalo has chased ([07:30])
• On the coaching search:
  • “It feels like too good a job to, like, try a guy out.” – Berry, on whether Bills should hire a new head coach with no experience ([10:33])
• Connor on the Bills job:
  • “You take the Buffalo Bills job, not maybe win, but get to the Super Bowl.” ([12:52])
• Patriots Twitter drama:
  • Berry: “No, they take that clip from week six, and today, it’s been going crazy… But they don’t check my Twitter feed that, like, literally the thing you’re asking me about... is up there.” ([43:06])
• On the Rams’ WRs performance:
  • “11.2 fantasy points for Puka Nakua… That’s his lowest in a healthy game this entire year.” ([18:25])
• On officiating chaos:
  • Berry: “You've called it one way all game, and then to suddenly call it differently, you know, on two drives... I think McDermott's point… was absolutely right: at least take a look at it.” ([37:00])

Fantasy Football Insights

• Kyren Williams: Playoff usage spike a function of “saving his legs” for late-season surge. Massive touch share, involved in passing game again.
• Ken Walker: With health and full workload, a top-tier RB, but offseason variables (committee, coaching changes) loom.
• Caleb Williams: “Exciting for fantasy next year… 1000%.” Volume, rushing, and system set-up all positive.
• Christian McCaffrey: Monster workload may mean he’s a fade for 2026 drafts.

Early Conference Championship Lines & Betting Takes

Timestamps: [54:00] – [55:22]

• Seahawks (-2.5) vs Rams: Jay likes Seahawks, Connor prefers the under (47.5), Berry’s high on Patriots (-5.5) over Broncos.
• Super Bowl longshots: Jay recommends Jackson Smith-Njigba (15:1 SB MVP) and Jarrett Stidham (20:1 SB MVP) as worthy bets, especially considering each team’s structure and usage. [49:28]
• Jay: “If Denver wins, like Nick Benito would have to have what, 3 sacks and a force fumble to even be [MVP]... I like your head with the Stidham call.” – Connor [50:35]

Tone, Energy, and Dynamics

• Maintaining their signature banter, the hosts combine rapid-fire football analysis, offbeat riffing (e.g., Star Wars/Dune debate [27:40]), and playful ego-checking (“We all we got—all we need!”) to keep both hardcore and casual listeners engaged.
• Humble takes and willingness to “own” mistakes (Berry with Drake May, officiating rants, RB predictions past and present).

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Bills/McDermott firing & job analysis: [02:12] – [13:14]
• Rams-Bears OT recap & Kyren Williams talk: [14:44] – [18:43]
• Caleb Williams analysis & fantasy QB ranks for 2026: [20:06] – [23:59]
• Seahawks-49ers, Dark Side D, Ken Walker: [24:09] – [33:11]
• Bills-Broncos wild finish, officiating controversy: [33:11] – [39:52]
• Patriots/Drake May “take” saga: [41:52] – [45:40]
• Betting lines, Super Bowl MVP longshots: [49:28] – [51:43]

For the Listener Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a crash course in not only who to blame (or not blame) for Buffalo’s letdown, but also why context matters as much as talent in the playoffs, fantasy analysis, and coaching hires. The biggest takeaways: The Bills are at a crossroads—marquee job, but pressure’s on to win now; fantasy values are shifting as playoff usage reveals coach preferences and aging stars; and as always, don’t trust early narratives (especially your own), because the NFL—and fantasy football—are defined by second acts, plot twists, and plenty of “what just happened?” moments.