[NOTE: Pardon Marshall's mic on this episode—it isn't connected properly. And David did try to warn me, but I told him it was on HIS end…]

In this belated season finale, we explain why we ghosted you all—and the Lions—as we reflect on our emotional journey as fans of this team. We discuss the impact of the team's strong regular season and stunning playoff exit on our lives: the emptiness left in the wake of the season's abrupt end is essentially why we've been Lions-free since the Commanders loss. We also share our continued high hopes for this team's future, as general manager Brad Holmes faces another test: sustaining, and improving on, the roster he created. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam" (Open Up Your Mind)"

David and Marshall discuss cocktails based on Manhattan boroughs, give our takes on the Detroit Lions' outgoing and incoming offensive and defensive coordinators, and hatch a plan for David's upcoming speed-dating event. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"

Recorded right after the Detroit Lions were unceremoniously bounced from the NFL playoffs, David and Marshall discuss the emotional aftermath of the loss. We analyze key moments from the game, including coaching decisions, and reflect on the future of the team in blue. Do we need to reevaluate the Lions' direction moving forward? Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"

In this live—and live-wire—bonus convo, Marshall and David discuss a controversial play involving NFL player Brian Branch, who got a penalty for pushing an opposing player who was on the ground. David says the penalty on Branch was unwarranted; Marshall argues Branch broke the rules.

Along the way, we consider the nuances of referee discretion, the rules surrounding player contact, the expectations of player reactions in a physical sport like football—and how differently we each see this play. Will this be our first argument in our three decades as friends? Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, “Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)”

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro to the controversy

(02:56) The Incident: Brian Branch's push

(05:40) Debating the rules and discretion of referees

(08:53) The nature of aggression in football

(11:47) A failed analogy

(14:43) The slippery slope of contact in sports

In this conversation, Marshall and David discuss the remarkable resilience of the Detroit Lions' defense, who overcome a staggering list of injuries to earn this team, for the first time ever, the NFC's No. 1 overall seed—and a desperately needed week off. We also celebrate "future head coach" (David's words) Aaron Glenn, wonder who'll play Dan Campbell in the movie version of this team (10:49), relive our experience of this historic victory, and finally realize what the Lions have been meaning when they say they're "built for this:" player versatility. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"

Reflecting realistically on the impact of the Lions’ league-leading injury list, Marshall and David explore what being ‘built for this' actually means (06:09), and predict just how far this team’s resilience can actually carry them. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"

After the Thanksgiving victory, Marshall shares how hauntingly familiar the Chicago Bears' woes are to longtime Lions fans. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"

On a very special Thanksgiving episode (there's actually nothing very special about it—we're just trying to sound like an old network TV promo), David and Marshall reveal just why Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions seem to run up the score, worry about the fact that Las Vegas hates the Lions, and realize what we're truly thankful for as Lions fans. Theme music: Mr. Jukes and Barney Artist, "Blowin Steam (Open Up Your Mind)"