Sideline Banter - A Women of Fantasy Football Show · Women of Fantasy Football

1/14/26 - NFL Divisional Round Preview & Playoff Predictions | Women of Fantasy Football

·1 hr 8 min·4 clips

Mike Tomlin steps down after 19 years, two Super Bowls, and no losing seasons.

1. Sideline Banter - A Women of Fantasy Football Show centers this episode on Mike Tomlin stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2026 divisional-round slate. 2. Sam Holt hosts with Derek Tate, and both matter because Sam speaks as a long-time Steelers fan while Derek pushes the roster-and-coaching argument. 3. The episode asks whether Tomlin's exit is the right move for Pittsburgh and which playoff games look most vulnerable to upset picks. 4. Tomlin's departure is tied to a 30-6 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans and 19 seasons without a losing record. 5. Sam says Tomlin has been head coach for half of her life, and Derek frames the moment as a tough but possibly necessary change. 6. The hosts compare the move to a marriage that stayed together for the kids, then ask whether Tomlin's message had gotten stale. 7. They revisit the Steelers' recent quarterback attempts with Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Aaron Rodgers. 8. Derek argues Tomlin may have covered up more roster flaws than people realized, especially with defensive players and locker-room personalities. 9. Sam and Derek then widen the coaching search to Chris Shula, Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter, Brian Flores, Marcus Freeman, Kevin Stefanski, John Harbaugh, Robert Saleh, and Matt LaFleur. 10. Sam notes a Steelers first-round pick at No. 21 and says the team needs to leave the draft with a quarterback. 11. The hosts also talk about the team's aging defensive core, naming Jalen Ramsey, T.J. Watt, and Cam Heyward. 12. Sam says Tomlin would be at the top of her dream interview list because of his leadership mind and ability to mentor people. 13. Derek points out that Tomlin stepped down in a way that would require another team to trade for him, which makes a move elsewhere less likely. 14. The first playoff preview centers on Bills at Broncos, with Denver listed as a minus-1.5 favorite and the total at 46.5. 15. Derek leans Bills 27-23, while Sam picks Broncos 21-19 and says Denver's defense and altitude could wear Josh Allen down. 16. Both hosts return to Josh Allen's Jacksonville performance, including James Cook being limited and Allen carrying the offense under pressure. 17. The Seahawks-49ers preview follows, with Seattle a minus-7.5 favorite and the total at 44.5. 18. Derek picks Seattle 31-17 and Sam picks Seattle too, but at 20-17, while both mention George Kittle's injury, Brock Purdy's risk-taking, and Sam Darnold's steadier play. 19. The tone stays conversational and reactive, with fan emotion, joke-filled asides, and live chat comments shaping the pace. 20. Listeners who follow the Steelers, coaching rumors, or NFL playoff previews will get the most from this episode, while people avoiding long team-specific debates may skip it.

As heard by us

A lively divisional-round preview that still lands on the game-deciding details.

Sideline Banter treats the divisional-round matchup like something worth arguing over, which is the right instinct here. Buffalo and Denver stay at the center of it, with Josh Allen framed as the difference if James Cook gets bottled up, the Broncos keep things tight, and the…

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Want a lively Bills-Broncos divisional-round preview with real matchup teeth?

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