You feel for guys like Christian Gonzalez, Milton Williams, and even Craig Woodson, who left it all out there for nothing.

This has all developed faster than anyone could've imagined, and even this close to game time, with opening night/media day well in the books, it hasn't even really registered with me that this is happening.

Add in Kurt Warner putting on a show and the Rams' high-flying offense, and you've got a game that was tense, thrilling, and unforgettable, even if it didn't have the flashiest plays throughout.

Really, the one who got away for the Iowa Hawkeyes, both in the 2022 recruiting class and in the 2024 transfer portal, Proctor was one of the most prolific high school products the state of Iowa ever produced, going to Alabama as a consensus top 10 recruit in the country, where he racked up plently of accolades such as 2025 Consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC.

Woods is someone I think could fit in any scheme, and would be fine as a one or two-gap defender, but there's a ton of upside in him in a four-man front as a 3-Tech.

Not exactly in the archetype of Troy Polomalu or Talanoa Hufanga, Kamari Ramsey is still a very enticing defensive back prospect who had to play closer to the line of scrimmage this year, but is definitely well-suited to play deep.

The Ravens have a desperate need to revamp their offensive line, and with the contract status of Ravens Pro-Bowl Center Tyler Linderbaum in question, the need becomes a priority.

"Speachless" is probably a stretch, but the fact that we're now here with this New England Patriots team after back-to-back seasons of 4-13 football, re-taking the AFC East and dispatching three of the five best defenses in the sport en route to the Super Bowl leaves you searching for the right words.

Minter inherits a roster built to compete now, but his arrival also represents a long-term vision. Known for his ability to develop players and adjust on the fly, he brings a fresh voice to the sideline while carrying the traditional steady approach Ravens leadership values.

New England has suffered 21 losses in Denver, Colorado, by far the most against any non-division opponent (including the Indianapolis Colts), and features a stretch of 11 straight losses from 1969 to 1998.

In what felt like a continuation of Wild Card weekend, the Patriots, a team who largely won games on high offensive output in the regular season, have now won in the postseason thanks to some lights out defensive performances.

Offensively, Houston didn't exactly have a banner evening against the Pittsburgh Steelers, with multiple turnovers and a slew of penalties, but when you have a defense that features guys like Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Jalen Pitre, and Derek Stingley Jr., good things typically happen sooner or later, and boy did they ever last Monday.

In some ways, the Patriots' first playoff victory since their last Super Bowl went as expected, but certainly not in others.

This season has already exceeded nearly all expectations from spring/summer, but let's be real: this is still a Boston sports team, and this is when and where things will determine how this year will be remembered.

Harbaugh was that stale piece of gum we refused to spit out because we had grown so used to it.

Both Matt Stafford and Drake Maye have compelling and good arguments for this year's MVP award, and regardless of the borderline insane #discourse that's arisen in this debate nationally the last several weeks on either side of the fence, either would be a good winner.

As the old saying goes, "defense wins championships," and the Texans will prove it more than any other team in the AFC playoffs. Yes, even more than the Denver Broncos. Minus the 49ers, the Texans have shown more perseverance than any other team this season.

The fact that they won 14 games while clinching a division title over the 49ers and the Rams shows they can beat any team, one way or another. Winning football's most competitive division is serious heavy lifting for the Seahawks or any team in that matter.

Not a particularly long day for the first-team Patriots offense, but Maye's 256 yards and five TDs on just 24 dropbacks were one of the best EPA starts a quarterback has had in the last decade, and his 157 passer rating only trails the perfect 158.3 mark Jalen Hurts put up back in Week 7.

If dismantling the Jets last week wasn't that impressive to you, how do you feel now after Trevor Lawrence went into Denver and became the first road QB to win there all season in a 279-yard 3 TD day?