Scoop City: Inside The NFL

The Divisional Round delivered chaos, statement wins and a final four nobody is taking lightly. But the biggest shock came after the games — why did the Bills fire Sean McDermott, and what does it mean for Buffalo’s future? Plus, did the Seahawks just prove they’re the NFC’s true heavyweight, are the Rams built to survive a division-rival showdown for a trip to the Super Bowl, are the Patriots officially one win away from something special under new head coach Mike Vrabel, and can the Broncos keep their run alive after losing Bo Nix for the remainder of the playoffs?

Buffalo stunned the league by moving on from head coach Sean McDermott, and now the pressure shifts directly to Josh Allen and a franchise that’s tired of falling short. The Athletic’s senior NFL insider Dianna Russini breaks down how it unfolded after the Bills’ loss, when McDermott’s job security started to come into question, and what the decision means for the rest of the NFL coaching carousel.

The conversation doesn’t stop there. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia joins the show to outline what’s next for the Bills, what Buffalo should prioritize in its head coach search, how quickly the organization can rebuild trust inside the building, and how much influence Josh Allen could have in shaping the next era of Bills football.

In the AFC, the Broncos knock off the Bills and keep their postseason run alive, but the next challenge is massive as they host the Patriots without their starting quarterback. Enter Jarrett Stidham — with ties not only to New England, but also to Broncos offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — as Denver tries to survive and advance with a backup under center. Even without QB1, are the Broncos still good enough to push through to the Super Bowl?

Stay with Scoop City for the latest NFL news, playoff coverage and coaching carousel updates from around the league. Don’t forget to like, subscribe and drop a comment below.

Where does the Bills head coaching job rank among the current openings?
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The Divisional Round is here — and Scoop City is taking you around the league with the biggest questions heading into the weekend. The coaching carousel also had the first domino to fall. How does John Harbaugh landing with the New York Giants reshape the rest of the coaching landscape. Plus, can the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks hold onto home-field advantage, and which young QBs are ready for a defining moment?

We open with the biggest news of the day: John Harbaugh is set to become the next head coach of the New York Giants. Dianna Russini breaks down how the deal came together so quickly, what it signals about where the Giants are headed, and how this move impacts the rest of the NFL’s coaching carousel.

The first stop on the Divisional Round Road Trip is Denver, where Nick Kosmider goes inside the facility with the AFC’s top-seeded Broncos. Can Sean Payton’s vision push this team one step closer to a Super Bowl, and is Denver’s pass rush dominant enough to disrupt even the league’s most dangerous quarterback? The Broncos have been rolling for months — but can Bo Nix keep pace if this turns into a shootout?

Then we head to Buffalo with Joe Buscaglia to preview the Bills’ biggest test yet in the altitude at Mile High. What is the “special trait” that makes this group feel ready for anything, and how does Josh Allen respond when the Broncos’ front starts hunting? Buffalo’s been here before — but this time the path runs straight through the AFC’s best defense.

In the NFC, Michael-Shawn Dugar breaks down the Seahawks returning to the playoffs as the #1 seed — and finally hosting a true home game in front of their fans again. Seattle’s defense has been elite across the board, but can they turn dominance into a deep postseason run? And after years of waiting for another signature January win, is this the moment the Seahawks finally break through?

On the other side of that matchup, Vic Tafur previews the 49ers’ path forward after surviving the Eagles — and dealing with yet another brutal injury. Can San Francisco overcome the losses and steal a divisional rematch in Seattle, especially after falling short in Week 18? Plus, could the team get Fred Warner back for the final weeks of the season? How the linebacker has looked at practice this week. The Niners have lived on the edge all year… and they’re still standing.

In Chicago, Kevin Fishbain joins to preview the Bears hosting the Rams with Caleb Williams trending upward at the perfect time. Can the Bears avoid another slow start and keep Williams playing fearless football in the biggest moments? And with Chicago pulling off comebacks nobody else in the league can match, is this becoming their postseason identity?

We wrap with Chad Graff on the Patriots hosting the Texans — and the key to Drake Maye surviving another week of playoff punishment. Can New England protect the football, handle Houston’s pressure, and force C.J. Stroud into mistakes the way they did against Justin Herbert? Plus: the latest on Christian Gonzalez and how disruptive this Patriots defense can be when it’s rolling.

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Who’s getting upset this weekend — and who’s making the Super Bowl?

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Making sense of the wildest coaching carousel in years — what does Mike Tomlin stepping down actually mean for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and which franchise is next to feel the ripple effects? Plus, are we watching a true “team of destiny” run from the San Francisco 49ers, and how much heat is rising in Philadelphia with the Eagles after another frustrating finish?

James Palmer is joined by The Athletic’s senior NFL writer Michael Silver to break down the atmosphere surrounding Tomlin’s final game and what the Steelers’ future looks like without one of the league’s defining head coaches. Then the conversation turns to another potential “last game” storyline — Aaron Rodgers — and whether the Packers could be staring at the next domino with Matt LaFleur.

The 49ers eliminate the Eagles and keep finding a way to survive, pushing their run forward with more magic (and meaning) attached to this postseason. Meanwhile, Philly heads into another offseason full of big decisions — including what’s next for the roster and the long-term outlook around Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown.

Meanwhile the Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock — both with their draft position and their head coaching search — with Tom Brady’s influence as a minority owner looming large. James and Michael discuss the pressure of getting both positions right for Las Vegas after a tumultuous season.

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Is this the craziest coaching cycle you can remember in one offseason?
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The longest tenured head coach in the NFL has stepped down. Mike Tomlin has coached his last game as the leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Athletic’s senior NFL insider Dianna Russini and NFL insider James Palmer discuss Tomlin’s departure. What’s next for the now former Steelers head coach? And, where will Pittsburgh look to for their next head coach? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wild Card Weekend was chaos — and it reshaped how we should think about the postseason with one AFC spot still up for grabs.

What was the most impressive performance of the weekend — a coach winning a chess match, a QB putting on the cape, or a defense stealing points in the red zone? Which team gained the most belief from a win that felt bigger than the scoreboard? And which winners still left you uneasy even after surviving?

The coaching carousel is already heating up. James Palmer and Chase Daniel share their thoughts, including why moving on from Matt LaFleur would be “utterly insane." The guys also share potential best fits for Mike McDaniel — where would his offensive creativity hit fastest, and what kind of situation would actually maximize his strengths?

Then the conversation turns to the most impressive performances of Wild Card weekend. Chase points to Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers’ ability to win the schematic battle — even with injuries — and how their plan created answers in the middle of the field when it mattered. James adds his own standouts, including the Patriots flipping a major red-zone weakness into a winning formula, plus the reality of what it looked like watching Justin Herbert under constant pressure.

Which team gained the most momentum? James makes the case for Buffalo, why Josh Allen's moment carried historical significance, and how their say-it-with-your-chest style travels in January. Chase counters with Chicago, focusing on the Bears’ late-game identity and what their comeback DNA says about their ceiling when the pressure spikes.

Not everyone who advanced convinced. The guys dig into the winners that still raised red flags — what needs to clean up immediately, what could get exposed next, and why surviving isn’t the same as proving you’re built for a deep run.

They also look at the teams whose seasons ended and what we actually learned in defeat. Chase breaks down what the Eagles’ loss revealed about their offensive construction and how fragile it becomes if the run element disappears. James points to the Jaguars as a team worth tracking into the offseason — what changed late in the year, what’s real, and why big swings could still be coming.

To close, we chat about the thin line between competitive and petty. Ben Johnson’s postgame moment sparks a real debate: how much emotion is too much after a win like that — and who’s actually offended by it? James and Chase then share their own hang-ups - what are you irrationally competitive about that you probably shouldn’t be?

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What was the most impressive performance of Wild Card Weekend — and who made you a believer after the first round?
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