The Collapsing Pocket

Episode 10. The story of John Elway, Jim Kelly & Dan Marino begins in 1983, in one of the most memorable drafts in NFL History. A draft fall due to drug rumours, to signing for a USFL team, to choosing baseball over football - the league as we know it now could have been far different if three Hall Of Fame talents had embarked on different paths.

Episode 9. The habit of winning becomes so ingrained in some teams and coaches that casual reflection can often sell their achievements short. For thirty-three years, all Don Shula did was win football games. In the wake of his recent death we look at his life, the records he set, the legacy he leaves and just exactly what it was that gave him 'The Winning Edge'.

Episode 8. The NFL, as a brand and as a product, seems impervious to competition. Many startup leagues have tried to take on the billion dollar empire and help itself to a slice of the pie. All of them have failed. On this latest Inside The Pocket, the boys look back at the USFL, XFL and the recent AAF and try to understand what went wrong, and if they ever really stood a chance. Enjoy!

Episode 7. A man who was so good at football he forced the rest of the National Football League to adapt to him. A man who was so bad at self control he came close to the abyss on more than one occasion. Terrified opponents simply knew him as '56' or 'LT'. Hall of Famer and two-time Superbowl winner Lawrence Taylor is the subject of our latest Inside The Pocket. Enjoy!

Episode 6. They say competition for starting spots in any sport breeds success. But in football, the Quarterback position in this regard is rather unique. We look back at one of the most compelling battles to be starting QB of all time: Joe Montana v Steve Young, two Hall Of Fame Quarterbacks who between them helped The San Francisco 49ers establish one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.

Episode 5. In the final instalment of the Inside The Pocket series this offseason, the boys look at possibly the most iconic Head Coach in the history of the NFL. From struggling to get past racial stereotyping in his early career, to having so much success the Superbowl trophy is named after him, this pod dives deep into the makeup of the sport's ultimate winner - 'The Pope', aka Vince Lombardi. Enjoy!

Episode 4. Serious turns to sinister in the latest instalment of the Inside The Pocket series as the boys turn their attention to NFL scandals. Pushing the boundaries of fair play is common in most sports. It's how far you take it that distinguishes the blurred lines between gaining an edge and cheating. In this pod we look at three moments of the modern era that rocked the sport to it's core - Spygate, Bountygate & Deflategate, and debate whether or not the punishments fit the crimes. Just how much cheating is too much cheating?

Episode 3. The lads get serious once more and trundle back to the early 80's, exploring the crazy world of Iron Mike Ditka. A face like a fist and a mouth like a sailor, Ditka was as boisterous as he was talented. From Hall of Fame Tight End to Superbowl wining Head Coach, we discuss what it is that drove such an angry man to success, and whether his confrontational style could ever work in the modern game. Enjoy!

Episode 2. The boys get serious once more as they reconvene their "Inside The Pocket" series, this week looking into the filthy world of franchise relocation. A foreign concept to us Brits, it's a phenomena sadly all too common in the history of the NFL. From an owner moving because his wife wanted to live by the beach to a team leaving town under the cover of darkness, everything is on the table, including the future of Si's beloved Chargers and what The Raiders have in store when they head to Las Vegas. Enjoy!

Episode 1. The boys launch a new series of podcasts aimed at looking back at the iconic characters and biggest moments of American Football, and what makes the NFL the beautiful sport that we all know & love today. Where else to start but one of the most memorable of them all - Al Davis & The Oakland Raiders. Enjoy!

Episode 257. Brady bows out, Flores lights the fuse, and coaches find new homes. Plus a look ahead to Super Bowl 56 this Sunday. Enjoy!

Episode 256. *Insert witty anecdote here* No room for trivialities this week as the three lads look back at possibly the greatest set of game an NFL weekend has ever witnessed, before casting their eyes towards Championship Sunday. Enjoy!

Episode 255. Jerry Jones' Teeth, MICKelodeon, and an old friend returns. Oh, and a breakdown of SUPER Wildcard Weekend as well as a preview of the divisional playoff games this weekend. Enjoy!

Episode 254. Mysterious food regimens, The Big Boss Man, and nocturnal lovers. Oh, and head coach/general manager firings, a review of the National Championship Game, and a preview of SUPER Wildcard Weekend. Enjoy!

Episode 253. North American Kingfishers, dodgy parks, and Wardy slipping his bishop. Oh, and a look at playoff permutations heading into the final week of the year, some coaches on the hotseat, going bowling in college football, and our last ballsy callsy's of the season. Enjoy!

Episode 252. Brown ceilings, Gary Newman vs Gary Oldman, and a petulant toddler. Kicker tryouts in Carolina, team meetings on logos, and desparation in the desert. Oh, and a review of all the action of the last few days and Ballsy Callsy's for week 16. Enjoy!

Episode 251. A podcast that went on so long the first lady got annoyed. Covid hits the Collapsing Pocket but the show rolls on. Si & Wardy talk the Urban Meyer fallout, Super Bowl contenders, the truth of the AFC North, and make their picks ahead of Week 15. Enjoy!

Episode 250. This podcast was recorded in a brewery - and it shows. An update on Andrew Pochard before Si & Sam talk about the Bills and their expectation levels, the trouble brewing in Minnesota and the quagmire at the bottom of the NFC playoff race. Then a quick check in on bowl season in College Football and our picks for week 14. Enjoy!

Episode 249. Fake pigs in blankets, heating Hitlers and chess army knives. A breakdown of teams with Super Bowl or playoff ambitions and whether they're legit or have quit, and a visit to College Corner and our picks for week 13. Enjoy!

Episode 248. Thursday fizz, fascinating birds vs big cats stats, and France 98 mascots. Cam is back, fines for feeble football, and Shanahan gives Wardy something to love. Plus a trip to College Football Corner, and our Balsy Callsy's for Week 11. Enjoy!