The Broken Chargers, Mahomes 3.0, Zombie Deshaun, the Masked Backup, First Coach Fired, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal

Key takeaways

• The Chargers are unraveling fast: Justin Herbert fumbled five times in one half against a lousy Raiders team (Los Angeles recovered all five before finally losing the sixth), and Sal reports the team moved from minus-178 to minus-300 to miss the playoffs within a single hour of betting. Bill argues Herbert, not the coaching or the roster, deserves the blame, noting the Chargers spent premium draft capital on both tackles, the running back, and the receiver corps, plus big money to lure Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel.
• Patrick Mahomes looked like his old self in a wild overtime win over Indianapolis, with Bill and Sal crediting improved arm strength and conditioning (Travis Kelce also credited his own offseason overhaul) for a Chiefs offense that racked up 523 yards and 29 first downs. The Colts fell to 0-2 after a fourth-and-8 decision to kick a field goal in overtime that 77% of Netflix viewers said was the wrong call.
• Multiple contending quarterbacks got hurt: Jayden Daniels suffered what looked like a serious arm injury for Washington (his fourth injury in five starts), Caleb Williams left the Bears game with a hamstring scare that briefly looked catastrophic, and Herbert and Sam Darnold both dealt with rough outings. The hosts debate whether backups like Marcus Mariota, Jack Strand, and Tyson Bajent are equipped to hold down playoff-caliber teams.
• Tampa Bay blew a lead to Cleveland after a two-and-a-half-hour lightning delay let Baker Mayfield's team storm back, with Deshaun Watson outplaying Mayfield (24-for-30, 238 yards) in what many assumed was his last chance as Browns starter. Bill calls it "divine intervention" for Watson and notes Todd Bowles, Dan Quinn, and Harbaugh are now the top three candidates for first coach fired.
• Drake May and the Patriots' passing attack are struggling, with May coming up short on multiple potential explosive plays and looking like he has "a little bit of the yips" according to Sal, whose own father invoked the dreaded Mac Jones comparison. The Bengals improved to 2-0 by beating Houston despite Cincinnati punting eight times and getting outgained by 107 yards, largely because the Texans self-destructed with a botched field-goal snap and a stuffed fourth-and-1.
• The hosts flag several teams trending toward being crossed off the playoff picture, with Miami already eliminated in their eyes (outscored 62-19 through two weeks) and Washington, Tennessee, Atlanta, and the Chargers all sitting at heavy odds to miss the postseason.

Notable moments

• Taylor Swift pointing to her ring on the Chiefs broadcast and mouthing "that's my husband" sparks a debate over which celebrities could get away with that level of camera-hogging.
• A Raiders fan films a bathroom scene after the Chargers loss where a fan in a Herbert jersey gets taunted while peeing, ending on a shot of a Chargers jersey stuffed in a urinal.
• A listener email christens Herbert "Justin Yabbut" for the constant "yeah, he's never won anything, but..." excuses made on his behalf.
• Khalil Mack, asked what Jim Harbaugh said in a postgame speech, admits: "Honestly, I blanked out the whole time. I don't really know."
• Sal reveals he's been recording the podcast with an undiagnosed 10-centimeter kidney stone, joking about "flying high" on pain medication and threatening to show listeners the stone once it's removed.
• A fan is caught on video screaming "Baker, you suck!" at Mayfield near the tunnel after waiting seven hours through the rain delay.
• Bill recounts taking his son to a UCLA-Purdue game on the sideline, only for his son to Uber away with ten minutes left to go record music with a friend.
• The hosts revisit the infamous Miracle at the Meadowlands ("Pasarczyk") fumble after a nearly identical late-game meltdown in the Vanderbilt-NC State college game.

Time saved: 1 hour, 47 minutes.