NFL Cover Zero: Super Bowl Plans and NFL Week 8 (October 23, 2025)
Podcast: KSR
Hosts: Matt Jones & Drew Franklin (w/ producer Billy)
Theme: NFL Week 8 preview, Super Bowl halftime show reactions, funny NFL banter, and news across the league
Tone: Lighthearted, banter-filled, humorous, but sports-savvy
Episode Overview
Matt Jones and Drew Franklin deliver a lively breakdown of the NFL heading into Week 8. Beyond picks and game previews, they dive into family football moments, Super Bowl halftime debate, the quirks of NFL fandom, and the latest league news. With their Kentucky flair, the crew both analyze the week's storylines and riff on the oddities that make pro football so enjoyable.
Key Segments & Discussion Highlights
1. The Sports Equinox & Parlay Bet (00:04–03:59)
- Sports Equinox: All four major sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) play on the same day this week (Monday).
- Drew’s take: “Great day for gambling. I like to do a parlay with one random thing from all the sports involved.” (01:17)
- Impromptu KSR Parlay for listeners (NFL: Commanders +12.5, NBA: 76ers +4.5, MLB: Dodgers ML, NHL: Blues ML).
- Fun offer: If the parlay hits, Matt offers “five free wings” at their bar for listeners who say a code word.
- Matt: “If you get the 76ers, Commanders, Blues, Dodgers parlay, all of you in America can have five free wings from Matt Jones at KS Bar… Is it worth me flying from Seattle? The answer is yes.” (03:40)
2. Family Football & Detroit Fandom (04:14–08:54)
- Watching games with parents: Matt talks about how his folks watch football (“Where are those places? Detroit and Tampa Bay?”) and how it gives a new perspective.
- Lions Fans: Discussion about costume-heavy Detroit crowds.
- Drew: “It’s the dudes that just left the steel mill to get into their Lion’s costume for the game.” (07:04)
Notable Quote
- Matt: “Do they have any ambivalence about their decision? Or is it just like, this is what we do?” (07:19)
- Drew: “If you’re committing to the bit that much…that’s part of their personality.” (07:36)
3. NFL Week 8 – Key Games and Quarterback MVP Race (09:09–12:02)
- Lions as NFC favorites? Both agree Detroit looks legit except for a Week 1 letdown.
- Buccaneers cool down: Mike Evans’ injury is discussed (“collarbone/clavicle” confusion and medical lingo banter).
- Quarterback MVP Odds rundown: Mahomes, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Drake Maye, Stafford—Daniel Jones respected but underappreciated at the betting window.
- Billy (Producer): “It’s Mahomes at +125. Josh Allen at +360. Baker at +700. Drake May at +800. Stafford at +1000.” (09:50)
- Drew: “Daniel Jones has the second highest quarterback rating in the NFL. It’s not like he’s just out…” (11:19)
4. Viral Moments, NFL News, and Security Tangents (13:01–18:01)
- Monday Night Football, Baseball, and Gilded Age TV show compete for host attention.
- Viral moment: “Referee shields Seahawks’ Jackson Smith-Njigba from altercation” (13:31)
- Best/Worst Security of the Week: Referee as heroic vs. Louvre’s ‘no confrontation’ policy (“Why have security guards?” – Matt, 15:14)
- Kroger/retail chain policies: Drew recounts letting shoplifters go per corporate rules (15:38–16:03)
- Humor: What would hosts do if a “robber” tried to kidnap Drew from the studio?
- Matt: “I would run out of the door like the Louvre…Company policy is non confrontational. You win, you can take Drew…” (16:36)
5. Super Bowl Halftime & Pro Bowl News (18:07–25:38)
- Bad Bunny confirmed as Super Bowl Halftime show: Roger Goodell not reconsidering.
- Drew: “I can’t remember a Super Bowl party where someone’s not complaining about the musical.” (18:45)
- Matt: “Who would be the most universally liked person to play? Maybe Prince, in hindsight.” (19:15)
- No musical act is safe from complaints. Prince, Dolly Parton, MJ, JLo, and Shakira debates.
- Pro Bowl Activities now folded into Super Bowl Week. Both approve: makes the Pro Bowl relevant, more fun, less anticlimactic.
6. Jets QB Carousel, NFL Week 8 Matchups, Injury Updates (27:06–32:28)
- Jets still searching for a QB:
- Tyrod Taylor questionable, options could include Justin Fields or even “someone else.”
- Running joke: Joe Flacco as the stand-in QB for every needy team.
- Injury update: Chiefs’ Jaden Daniels out vs. Jets, making game a 12.5-point spread.
Hair Blend Banter
- Marcus Mariota cuts/blends his hair, which sparks jokes about “the blend” and barbers wielding passive-aggressive dye jobs based on tip and conversation. (29:04–32:18)
- Drew: “I could rock a silver fox if I had to…If I need to.” (31:29)
- Matt: “When you start getting gray chest hairs…that’s a humbling moment.” (32:05)
7. League News with Billy—Quick Hits (32:28–49:39)
Russell Wilson vs. Sean Payton (32:28–36:30)
- Sean Payton throws a subtle jab at Russell Wilson (wishing “change” came later)—Wilson claps back on Twitter: “Classless… still bounty hunting 15+ years later. Let’s ride.”
- Hosts declare Russell the winner: “Sean Payton looks like an 80s movie bully… but with that said, he was telling the truth!” (35:16)
Locker Room “Distractions” (37:20–39:36)
- Ravens remove ping-pong and video games from locker room after going 1–5.
- “Are they playing that much ping-pong?” – Drew (37:54)
- Both hosts think it’s more PR than football.
Steelers’ Field Woes (39:40–43:38)
- Mike Tomlin joke: “I ain’t cut my grass in a long, long time. I coach football. I’m a stay in my lane. I don’t even know who cuts my grass.”
- Matt: “If I was the guy cutting his grass, you could at least know my name. My name’s Bob.” (40:05)
- Discussion of bad NFL fields; preference for grass for the “mud and drama.”
Dre Greenlaw’s Ref Run-in (45:08–47:10)
- Denver LB suspended after chasing down a ref after winning. "Dude, chill!" (45:42)
Browns backup QB news (47:43–49:32)
- Shadur Sanders not getting starter reps. Dylan Gabriel holding job. Hype isn't translating.
8. Picks & Parlay Time (49:39–54:01)
Liberty Mutual “Victory Bundle”
- Three picks:
- Bears +6.5 at Ravens
- Cowboys +3.5 at Denver
- Steelers +3.5 vs. Packers
- All road underdogs: “Liberty Mutual Road Dog Victory Bundle!” (52:04–52:18)
- Hosts 2–1 last week, aiming to improve.
9. Around the NFL Week 8: Quick Previews (52:48–56:14)
- Thursday Night: Vikings at Chargers – Both teams underperforming; Chargers’ O-line under scrutiny.
- Jets/Bengals: Who starts at QB? Flacco fits well if it's him.
- Dolphins/Falcons: “Falcons destroy them, Mike McDaniel keeps his job.”
- Bills/Panthers: “Red Rocket” (Andy Dalton) back again; watch for an upset.
- Giants/Eagles: Upset possibility?
- Bucs/Saints: Matt’s “sad pick of the week” is the Saints winning.
10. Listener Engagement: Stadium Bucket List (60:42–66:22)
- Question: Which three NFL stadiums would each like to visit?
- Matt: Buffalo (“the whole vibe”), Detroit (loud fandom), Cleveland (to soak in the communal misery).
- Drew: Jerry World (Cowboys), Buffalo (“have to get to Buffalo”), Las Vegas (for the party/NFL combo).
- Billy: Lambeau (“never been”), SoFi (“pinnacle of technology”), Santa Clara/San Francisco.
- Also discussed: least-favorite stadiums (Nissan Stadium, Miami for lack of atmosphere, Jacksonville for the hot tubs).
Notable Quotes & Funny Moments
- On bad gambling bets: "If you get the 76ers, Commanders, Blues, Dodgers parlay, all of you in America can have five free wings from Matt Jones at KS Bar… Is it worth me flying from Seattle? The answer is yes." (03:40, Matt)
- On Detroit fandom: "Cosplay. Yeah, it's usually they have… the cowardly lion out there and a full lion garb. And the best part is it's not like the young people. It's the coolest people. It's the dudes that just left the steel mill to get into their Lion's costume for the game." (07:04, Drew)
- Company policy on shoplifters: "So I feel like the Lou has… Trouble just for going. They're very adamant about do not get involved at this particular chain." (15:57, Drew)
- On Super Bowl halftime complaints: “I can’t remember a Super Bowl party where someone’s not complaining about the musical.” (18:45, Drew)
- On Russell Wilson’s reply to Sean Payton: “I generally think Russell Wilson is one of the lamer sports figures of all time. With that said, I’m kind of with him on this one.” (33:17, Matt)
- On Mike Tomlin never cutting his grass: "If I was the guy cutting his grass, I'd be like, you could at least know my name. My name's Bob, okay?" (40:05, Matt)
- On aging: “If you go too far, we all know…the people whose hair is now jet black. Like, you can go too far.” (30:10, Drew)
- On the hot tubs in Jacksonville: “Get me in there with, like, 13 strangers watching the game.” (65:39, Billy)
Timestamps for Highlights
- 00:04 – Sports Equinox discussion & NFL Cover Zero parlay
- 04:14 – Family football, Detroit fandom
- 09:09 – Lions/Bucs analysis, MVP race, injury news
- 13:01 – Seahawks viral scramble, NFL sideline security tangent
- 18:07 – Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime confirmation debate
- 24:16 – Pro Bowl festivities move to Super Bowl week
- 27:06 – Jets’ QB woes, Joe Flacco jokes
- 32:28 – Russell Wilson vs. Sean Payton drama
- 37:20 – Ravens ban ping-pong, video games
- 39:40 – Steelers’ grass field woes, best/worst NFL surfaces
- 45:08 – Dre Greenlaw chases ref after win, hosts disbelief
- 47:43 – Shadur Sanders vs. Dylan Gabriel at Browns
- 49:39 – Victory Bundle and Week 8 picks
- 60:42 – Audience Q: Top stadiums bucket list
Conclusion
KSR’s NFL Cover Zero brings NFL Week 8 to life with deep dives, irreverent humor, and genuine football fandom. Whether debating Bad Bunny, dissecting MVP odds, or joking about painted Detroit heads and grass blends, Matt, Drew, and Billy mix expert commentary with personality-driven energy. This episode’s perfect for any NFLer who loves the game on and off the field.
Note: Advertisement and sponsor reads, as well as superfluous extras, have been omitted from this summary.
