FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

"Wild Card Weekend Predictions, Fact or Fiction, and Playoff TD Calls | Out of Bounds (Ep. 1924)"

Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Joe Pisapia ("Joey P"), with Scott Bogman and Chris Welsh ("the Welsh")

Overview

This episode dives deep into the aftermath of NFL Week 18 and sets the table for Wild Card Weekend. The trio breaks down wild card matchups, makes predictions for each game, debates key "fact or fiction" topics, analyzes NFL coaching changes, and sneaks in TD call contests. The tone is energetic, humorous, and occasionally exasperated — especially for long-suffering Steelers fan Bogman after a tense playoff clincher.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Week 18 Drama & Steelers' Wild Win

• Steelers Recap: Scott Bogman relives the stress of the Steelers’ dramatic win over the Ravens, featuring a botched field goal and even a priest blessing the end zone.
• Anecdotes: The hosts joke about the toll fandom takes on them, with Bogman stating:
  “I need all kinds of statins and blockers and inhibitors after this game. My God...my neighbors know they shanked that field goal.” (02:10)
• Holy Water & Superstitions: Debate over the legitimacy and fairness of a priest blessing the end zone, with Welsh comparing it to an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (04:11).

2. Playoff Power Rankings & Wide Open Field

• The hosts agree there’s no dominant team this year, setting up a wide-open playoff race.
  "There isn’t that, you know, oh my God, this is the dominant team.” (06:00)

3. Wild Card Weekend Game-By-Game Predictions

Saturday

• Carolina Panthers vs. Los Angeles Rams

  • Unanimous pick: Rams to rout the Panthers.
    • Welsh: “Rams route, Rams can’t be stopped...I think they’re Super Bowl bound.” (07:37)

• Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers

  • All pick Bears, citing injuries and defensive issues for the Packers.
    • Bogman: “If you’re not picking the Bears, you’re helmet scouting...this is too big of a hill for this broken Packers team.” (09:26)

Sunday

• Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Panel sides with the Jaguars due to home advantage and strong defense.
    • Joey P: “I like the Jags in this one...that defense is really good.” (10:12)
    • Bogman: “This is the team peaking going into the playoffs...I’m taking the Jags too.” (11:27)

• San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

  • Joe picks Eagles: “San Fran’s had a good season. Kyle Shanahan will do something, get too cute. The Eagles...find ways to win football games.”
  • Bogman and Welsh side with the 49ers, citing their offensive firepower.
    • Welsh: “If they are clicking on offense and able to score on the Eagles, I think the 49ers are going to stay in this.” (14:08)

• New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers

  • General consensus: Patriots at home, but not an outright blowout.
    • Welsh: “Patriots are a really tough team to beat right now. I think Drake May is clicking.” (15:30)
    • Bogman: “You have to take the home team here...the home field advantage, I feel like, is way big here.” (19:34)

• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans

  • Welsh and Joe pick Texans for having the edge on both sides of the ball.
    • Welsh: “Your guys’ offense is embarrassing...I think the Texans defense is going to be so tough on the Steelers.” (20:40)
  • Bogman, ever the devoted Steelers fan, sticks with Pittsburgh: “Both teams grind it out...I trust the Steelers to win close games like they have all year long. So give me Pittsburgh in an upset at home. Finally a playoff win.” (23:21)

4. Coaching Carousel & NFL Firings

• Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Cardinals all part ways with their head coaches.
  • Welsh: “The Jonathan Gannon one is hilarious...four weeks ago that Gannon was coming back, and then he gets his ass fired.” (25:03)
• Tomlin’s future discussed, but hosts agree he likely stays with Pittsburgh regardless.

5. Notable Week 18 Moments & Takeaways

• Missed Field Goal in Steelers/Ravens: Declared the moment of the week by all.
  • Bogman: “How could it be anything else but that? It is absolutely the moment.” (26:57)
• Michael Wilson’s 1,000-Yard Season: Welsh highlights Cardinals’ WR Michael Wilson crossing 1,000 yards: “A thousand yards for Michael Wilson. Just think about that. Crazy.” (28:04)
• Christian McCaffrey’s Resurgence: Welsh touts CMC as comeback player of the year after staying healthy all season (29:29).

6. Super Bowl Picks & Fact or Fiction Segment

• Super Bowl Predictions: Brief tease; full picks to be made next episode.
• Debate: Should teams with losing records make the playoffs?
  • All say “fact”: It’s dumb; only best records should get in. (32:21)
• Hot Seat: Should the Chiefs rebuild or retool?
  • Welsh: “If you’ve got Travis Kelsey returning, you’ve got Patrick Mahomes...I don’t think this team can do that [full rebuild].” (35:26)
• Other quick facts/fiction:
  • Packers’ season ended when Micah Parsons got hurt: “Fact.” (34:40)
  • Stefanski will get a new HC job this cycle: “Fact.” (33:39)

7. Touchdown Call Contest for Wild Card Weekend

• Rules: Each host picks three players to score a TD. If they hit all three, bonus points. Welsh tries (unsuccessfully) to complicate it by making previous picks ineligible for future rounds.
• Sample picks:
  • Joey P: Puka Nacua, Trayvon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson (39:12)
  • Welsh: Kyren Williams, Jakobi Meyers, George Kittle (40:13)
  • Bogman: Saquon Barkley, Blake Corum, Josh Allen rushing TD (40:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "This is a 43-year-old man...screaming absolute insanity...he has no control over the function of his body when the Steelers do something wrong or right."
  — Welsh on Bogman's Steelers fandom (02:53)

• "I think the Panthers have been playing solid. They stand no chance. No chance. Rams are going to...it's going to be a route."
  — Welsh (07:37)

• "If you’re not picking the Bears, you’re helmet scouting."
  — Bogman (09:26)

• "Josh Allen always, always keeps them in it. But the [Bills] defense is not really that great, and Trevor Lawrence is making do with...a bevy of different receivers."
  — Welsh (10:44)

• "How do I pick both these teams to lose is my question."
  — Bogman on picking between the Niners and Eagles (13:24)

• "Patriots are a really, really tough team to beat right now. I think Drake May is clicking."
  — Welsh (15:30)

• "I trust the Steelers to win close games like they have all year long. So give me Pittsburgh in an upset at home. Finally a playoff win."
  — Bogman (23:21)

• "How could it be anything else but that? [the missed field goal] It is absolutely the moment."
  — Bogman (26:57)

• "A thousand yards for Michael Wilson. Just think about that. Crazy."
  — Welsh (28:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:29 – 04:50: Steelers/Ravens recap, fandom meltdowns, holy water on the field
• 06:00 – 10:12: Wild Card schedule overview & Rams vs. Panthers/Bears vs. Packers
• 10:12 – 16:23: Bills vs. Jaguars, 49ers vs. Eagles, Patriots vs. Chargers breakdowns
• 19:23 – 24:10: Patriots/Chargers & Steelers/Texans analysis
• 25:03 – 26:48: NFL coaching changes recap
• 26:54 – 29:35: Week 18 “moment of the week” & takeaways
• 31:39 – 33:39: Fact or Fiction: Playoff structure, losing teams, Stefanski’s future
• 39:12 – 40:59: Wild Card Weekend Touchdown Calls

Final Takeaways

• Playoffs are wide open with no single dominant team.
• Consensus picks: Rams, Bears, Jaguars, Patriots; Niners/Eagles and Steelers/Texans more contentious.
• Podcast’s signature tone: lively debate, sharp wit, frustrated fandom, deep fantasy knowledge.

Summary prepared by podcast summarizer AI
For fantasy football insights and a preview of an unpredictable Wild Card Weekend, this episode is a must-listen (or, with this summary, a must-skim).