It's A Beautiful Day For A Neighbor With No NFL Action
In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Xfinity ...
For the first time in 21 weeks, there will not be any NFL football this weekend. Not even the much-acclaimed and very respectable Pro Bowl, which everyone agrees is still meaningful and relevant. That event will take place on a Tuesday for the first time in history.
So now we can’t even spend the weekend half-asleep on our couches watching dudes in fishing hats horse-play at quarter speed? Thanks, Goodell. What are we supposed to do now??
But honestly, I see this as a gift. A weekend devoid of NFL football is just a weekend of opportunity. The only question is what to do with it. Make some dynasty trades? Probably. Draft one last Guilloteenie? Surely. Listen to some Bad Bunny to prep for next weekend’s halftime show? Indubitably.
This is also a great time to …
Talk To Your Neighbors
You remember neighbors, right? They’re those people Mister Rogers was always so fond of. If you’ve spent five months glued to your TV watching Trey McBridecarry the Cardinals on his back and yelling at no one in particular about Matthew Golden’s woeful underutilization, it’s probably time to go outside.
Maybe say hi to Glen from down the street. Take a minute to catch up with Maria next door. If during those conversations you want to mention how Golden is an obvious sleeper for next season, I certainly won’t stop you …
Do Something Nice
You spent many glorious weeks talking trash to everyone in your league. You devised a devious punishment for the last-place finisher. You gave your commissioner some extra gray hairs. And hey, that’s all just a part of this wonderful game we play. I wouldn’t ask you to change a thing about any of it!
On the flip side, the postseason is a perfect time to put a little extra niceness out into the world … and maybe into your home league.
Bake some cookies for the commish (bonus karma points if you make a gingerbread Hall of Fame with a cookie Belichick standing outside of it). Shovel someone’s sidewalk so they don’t tear an ACL. Donate to your favorite football player’s charity. Buy that dummy in your league a subscription to FantasyLife+ so they don’t suck so bad next year. A little kindness can go a long way.
Take Care of Yourself and Each Other
It’s been a long season. In a lot of ways. And it’s completely understandable if you’re worn out, run down and just plain exhausted. So maybe the best thing to do this weekend is to simply take care of yourself and those around you.
And if you feel up to it … make a plan to watch some dudes in fishing hats try not to pull a hammy during a Tuesday night flag football game.
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Editors’ Picks
Super Bowl Sunday is eight days away, and we’ll have plenty of content rolling out in the upcoming week. In the meantime, this is a good time to catch up on what else we have cooking …
We have an entire offseason to go, but Dwain McFarland saw enough from a certain group of players last season to feel confident planting an early flag. Who is he claiming for 2026?
Keeping the theme of early-2026 prep rolling, we asked our experts to each provide their early hot take for the 2026 season—in seven words or less. These could raise some eyebrows …
Burning Questions For Super Bowl 60
Which Team Has the More Proven Offensive Playcaller?
Patriots.
I know Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak is a hot candidate in HC circles … but Pats OC Josh McDaniels is so good as a playcaller that he has been hired for two HC gigs already. Sure, he was also fired from those jobs, but that has more to do with McDaniels as a leader and organizer than scheme designer and coordinator.
Plus, Kubiak has been interviewing for HC jobs throughout the playoffs. McDaniels hasn't. That might matter.
Which Team Has the More Proven Head Coach?
Patriots.
I'm impressed with Macdonald, who is 24-10 in the regular season and 2-0 in the postseason. Still, it's just two seasons.
Vrabel had winning campaigns in each of his first four years with the Titans, going 41-24 in the regular season and 2-3 in the postseason in that span. In 2019, he got the Titans to the AFC Championship, where they lost against QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. In 2021, he won Coach of the Year.
In 2022-23, he went 13-21, missed the playoffs both years, and lost his job … but I think that has more to do with organizational dysfunction by the Titans than any ineptitude of Vrabel.
In his first season with the Pats—with a new coaching staff and an unproven second-year QB—they've rebuilt the roster, lost just one game since October, and reached the Super Bowl.
No disrespect to Macdonald, but Vrabel is the more proven of the two, and what he has done this year might be more impressive.
Which Team Has the More Underappreciated Defense?
Patriots.
The Seahawks certainly have the better defensive unit … but when the Pats are fully healthy, with DTs Milton Williams, Christian Barmore and Khyiris Tonga, EDGEs Harold Landry and K'Lavon Chaisson, LB Robert Spillane, and CBs Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones, they can compete with anyone.
For the season (including playoffs), the Pats are No. 5 in defensive EPA (-0.081). Since the Week 14 bye, they're No. 4 (-0.144). In the postseason, they've been No. 2 (-0.296).
If the Pats harassed Darnold into two INTs and two fumbles in this game, would it surprise anybody?
