Game 7 Baseball Magic, Josh Beats Pat, Seattle’s Rise, Cincy’s Fall, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal

What It Covers

Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal analyze NFL Week 9 outcomes, debate coaching decisions on fourth down conversions, discuss Seattle's playoff positioning at six-and-two, and break down the dramatic Blue Jays-Dodgers World Series Game Seven loss.

Key Questions Answered

• •Back-to-Back Championships: Dodgers join elite company winning consecutive World Series titles, a feat that elevates teams to different stratosphere status. Only select franchises have achieved this since the 1970s, including Yankees (1977-78), Blue Jays (1992-93), making it significantly harder than single championships due to increased pressure and competition.
• •Fourth Down Analytics Overreach: Coaches increasingly abandon field goals on fourth-and-long situations despite unfavorable odds. Green Bay's fourth-and-eight attempt from the 13-yard line with eleven minutes remaining exemplifies poor decision-making, as kicking maintains two-possession game structure while failed conversions eliminate scoring opportunities and momentum.
• •Seattle's Playoff Path: Seahawks emerge as legitimate NFC contenders at six-and-two with favorable remaining schedule including minimal difficult road games. Their dominant performance against Washington, combined with first-place DVOA ranking, positions them as potential one-seed candidate with plus-470 odds despite trailing Rams in division betting markets.
• •Kansas City's Vulnerability: Chiefs sit as eighth seed at five-and-four despite defending championship status, facing difficult schedule including two Denver matchups and road games at Dallas, Tennessee. Their season total of twelve-and-a-half wins appears unreachable, with ten-and-six or eleven-and-five more realistic outcomes given remaining competition and offensive limitations.
• •Quarterback Evaluation Timing: Drake Maye demonstrates completion percentage on pace to break NFL records while showing pocket mobility and decision-making in third career start. Patriots' five-and-four record with remaining schedule creates playoff possibility, though offensive line concerns and receiver depth beyond injured Booty limit ceiling for postseason advancement beyond wild card round.