The MMQB NFL Podcast

The first Sunday of the 2022 NFL season is in the books. A few of the games were really good. A lot of the games were really close. And the day ended with one star quarterback, Dak Prescott, injuring his thumb in an ugly loss to the Bucs. Conor and Gary unite to discuss it all, and to figure out what we can actually take away from Week 1. Are the Steelers going to pile up weird and wild wins again? Are the Colts going to keep on getting into dogfights with bad opponents? Is Saquon Barkley here to stay? Plus, the overhype-ness of the Baker vs. Browns matchup in Carolina, our first look at the Mike McDaniel Dolphins offense, the Wentz-led Commanders, and SI Media Podcast host Jimmy Traina helps out! Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The NFL Opener is in the books and, basically, the defending champs lost by three touchdowns in a game that wasn’t even that close. The Bills picked up where they left off in terms of their general unstoppableness on offense, but it was more than that. They showed off an identity we haven’t seen much of from Josh Allen (it’s so quick!) and on the other side of the ball they had a cast of 10,000 very fast, very young pass rushers to go along with Von Miller in a dominant performance. For the Rams, was it rust? Was it Matthew Stafford’s troublesome elbow? Is Allen Robinson disappearing going to be a thing? Also, why it’s a tad of an overreaction to worry about their Von Miler–less pass rush (for now). Plus, Conor and Gary discuss precisely how fixed the NFL is, and identify their favorite matchups in the Sunday early window. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

There are six—no more, no fewer—storylines that will define the 2022 NFL season (as stated in the episode title, try to keep up), and Conor and Gary, only on this show, will unveil each one of them to you. That’s just the start of what might be the most important MMQB NFL Podcast of our lives. Editor Mitch Goldich joins the show to insult and otherwise taunt Conor over his 272 games predictions process, then tries his hand (by request!) at More Than Four But Fewer Than Six Questions. And, finally, as the dawn of a new NFL season is upon us, Conor and Gary unveil their predictions for awards, surprise playoff teams, and Super Bowl participants and champion—if you don’t want to watch football at all this season, you don’t have to! Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

At long last, Conor and Gary arrive at the thrilling finale of their preseason power rankings countdown series. It’s time to reveal, indisputably, the four best teams in the NFL. As usual, we will not reveal who the teams are in this episode description, but we will provide these clues from our conversations: Also Team 4: The most controversial team of the countdown. Gary made Conor pick them to go 12–5. Team 2: How will the longer season wear on them. Also, maybe it’s time for everyone to take a break, maybe a couple seasons off. Also Team 2: Everyone wants to talk about the offense, but this might be the most talented defense in the NFL. Team 1: Every season for the next decade will come down to what happens in January and February. Plus, Conor introduces our latest sponsor, who may or may not exist, and may or may not actually be a sponsor... yet. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

And, more specifically, the back half of the Elite Eight, but the Elite Eight nonetheless. Conor and Gary delve into the NFL’s borderline elite teams heading into the 2022 season. Once again, we will not reveal who the teams are in this episode description, but we will provide these clues from our conversations: Team 8: Either the most exciting debut in football or the soon-to-be most disappointing debut in football. Team 7: A Pythagorean Win projection of nearly 16 games! But that’s after losing one of their most valuable non-quarterbacks, and having a quarterback who may or may not want to be there. Team 6: What happens if the big plays go away? First of Two Team 4’s: The NFL’s best team on paper, probably. Come back every Monday for the next four teams in the countdown. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

With Gary Gramling away, Conor Orr is joined by SI Fantasy Football Guru Michael Fabiano, and we talk about the shrewdness of Jim Nantz in celebrity studded fantasy leagues. Also, you’ll want to stick around to hear about a fantasy football collective that includes the band mates from Alice In Chains, Anthrax and…Michael Buble? Plus, Fabiano tells us who we’re overdrafting, underdrafting, and everything in betweenAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It is, indisputably, time to start thinking Super Bowl for these teams in the latest installment of the Preseason Power Rankings Countdown. Once again, we will not reveal who the teams are in this episode description, but we will provide these clues from our conversations: Team 12: Will this be the best third-place team in football? And what do we make of the newness of it all (or the maybe lack of good-ness in the linebacking corps)? Team 11: Let’s see just how much competent quarterback play and a new defensive coordinator who never blitzes means for this team. Team 10: A team that used to be bad, but now will likely be good for a long time. And while their offense should evolve, it’s already built to last. Team 9: The unluckiest then luckiest then unluckiest team of 2021. The alternate title to this episode: “There Are Two Dylan Parhams.” Come back every Monday for the next four teams in the countdown. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s a special emergency episode of the The MMQB NFL Podcast, as Conor and Gary delve into the final (maybe?) settlement of the Deshaun Watson suspension. Watson did a 180-degree turn on his apology soon after word of the settlement came out. What might Roger Goodell and the league think about that? And is there any mechanism in that settlement for this suspension to go past 11 games? Also, looking at the messaging coming out of Watson’s camp—from his agent, his private quarterbacks coach and their surrogates—and a discussion of what happens when some journalists are desperate for access while others are not. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We’re in the middle of the NFL’s middle, then moving toward the top of the middle as Conor and Gary continue their four-at-a-time season preview countdown. This episode features two teams with Super Bowl titles in the past five years, lots of quarterback questions, and plenty of blind trust. Once again, we will not reveal who the teams are in this episode description, but we will provide these clues from our conversations: Also Team 16: The second half of a tie carried over cliffhanger-style from the previous show, this is the team that refused to tank (so good for them!). Team 15: You’d call their offensive coordinator setup a no-win situation... if it were any other franchise. Team 13: We like everyone on this team, and Conor has proclaimed them “Conor’s Team” for the 2022 season. Also Team 13: The first team in their division to make an appearance on this countdown.   Plus, more Orioles takes that no one particularly wanted. Come back every Monday for the next four teams in the countdown. Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s time to get into the middle-iest of the NFL’s middle, as Conor and Gary continue their four-at-a-time season preview countdown. This episode features two 2021 playoff teams, one underdog darling and one former underdog darling of whom we’ve talked about quite a bit.Once again, we will not reveal who the teams are in this episode description, but we will provide these clues from our conversations:Team 20: Taking on the crushing noise that will define 2022.Team 19: Let’s get carried away with some unbridled optimism for once.Team 18: They managed to screw everything up over the past 10 months, but maybe the quarterback can carry them to the playoffs anyway.Team 16: One of the league’s best-coached teams, but can they overachieve yet again?Come back every Monday for the next four teams in the countdown!Have a comment, critique or question for a future mailbag? Email themmqb@gmail.com or tweet at @GGramling_SI or @ConorOrrAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy