Unintentional Grounding is an NFL podcast focused on the analytical side of the game. Co-hosts Sam Bogen and James Reber go beyond headlines and hot takes to break down:
Player evaluation and roster construction
Matchups and game analysis
Trends and projections
Front office decision-making and long-term team building
Some episodes focus on the future. Others focus on what’s happening across the league right now. The goal is the same: clear takes, structured thinking, and a sharper understanding of how teams actually win.
Week 3 2026 | Joey Porter Jr. Trade, Early-Season Struggles, & the NFL's Best Defensive Coordinators
Sam and James bring instant reactions to Joey Porter Jr.'s trade to Dallas, then break down Week 3's biggest games, including Drake Maye's early-season issues in a blowout loss to Jacksonville and a Rams-Broncos thriller headlined by the matchup between Davante Adams and Patrick Surtain II. They then rank their top 10 defensive coordinators and debate whether teams should promote star coordinators over their head coaches.
Also covered: the Commanders' shocking upset of Seattle, Kenneth Walker III's historic start in Kansas City, and five Week 4 matchups to watch, including a battle of surprising unbeatens with the Chiefs and Raiders.
25 Sept 2026
Week 2 2026 | Panic Meters & College QBs
Sam and James break down Week 2's biggest surprises, starting with a Chargers team in freefall and a Saints upset of the Ravens, before turning to college football to size up a loaded quarterback class led by Arch Manning and Dante Moore. They also run a panic meter on six teams, including some "positive-panic" risers and classic early-season negative panic.
Also covered: Buffalo's defensive growing pains, Texas's historic comeback against Ohio State a couple weeks ago, the Raiders' surprising pass rush, and five Week Three matchups to watch, including Davante Adams versus Patrick Surtain II on Sunday Night Football.
16 Sept 2026
Week 1 2026 Overreactions | Real or Not Real?
Sam and James kick off the regular season content by breaking down three of Week 1's biggest games: a 49ers offense that thoroughly outcoached the Rams behind creative Kyle Shanahan wrinkles, a Vikings defense that blitzed at a rate never seen in the Next Gen Stats era, and a Broncos performance so bad on defense it produced one of the worst tackling games the league has ever seen. They also debate whether some classic first-week overreactions across the league are real or not, weighing in on Lamar Jackson's possible MVP-level return, a Cowboys defense that might be bottom five again, and whether the Chiefs are actually back or just beat up a broken Broncos team.
Also covered: Derrick Henry's dominant debut measured by new Next Gen Stats run scheme data, a Giants offense that looked legitimately improved behind Jaxson Dart, and five matchups to watch in Week Two, including a potential Thursday night shootout between the Lions and Bills.
10 Sept 2026
2026 NFL Season Preview | Next-Gen Stats to Know, Bold Predictions for Every Team, Full Playoff Brackets, & Award Picks
Sam and James close out the offseason by giving a Next Gen Stat and a bold prediction for all thirty-two teams, from Christian McCaffrey's surprisingly negative rushing analytics in San Francisco to a Rams defensive line chasing a Next Gen Stats era record. They also lock in full playoff brackets for both conferences and share a Super Bowl pick, even if they don't agree on how either team gets there.
Also covered: MVP, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, and a handful of other award predictions, plus five matchups to watch in Week One, including Patrick Mahomes's tantalizing return vs the Broncos at Arrowhead. Next up: near-weekly coverage as the regular season kicks off.
8 Sept 2026
2026 NFL Team Previews: AFC East
Sam and James wrap the division preview series with the AFC East, weighing whether the Jets have finally built enough to be competitive in the long-term, and whether DJ Moore can give the Bills a true number one receiver for the first time in years. They also dig into a Patriots defense with some strength up front but very little proven depth behind it.
Also covered: a strong young offensive line taking shape in New York, some scheme questions for Buffalo's defense, and a Dolphins roster that both hosts think might be in a league of its own. Next up: Sam and James wrap the preseason with one next-gen stat to watch for every team in the league, along with their bold predictions for the year ahead.
5 Sept 2026
2026 NFL Team Previews: NFC East
As the regular season inches closer, Sam and James break down the NFC East, starting with Quinnen Williams' historic 8.1% run-stuff rate — the highest by any qualified player since 2019 — and what his arrival did for the Cowboys' defense. They dig into how Jalen Carter's declining sack numbers mask his actual impact on Philadelphia's defensive line and debate where Dak Prescott really ranks among the NFL's quarterbacks as his contract and Dallas' championship window both loom large.
Also covered: the Commanders' offensive line crisis after Laremy Tunsil's season-ending tricep injury and some surprising analytics around the team's running back room, and why the Giants' defense might get worse before it gets better despite their strong edge duo.
19 Aug 2026
2026 NFL Team Previews: AFC & NFC South
Sam and James break down all eight teams in the AFC and NFC South ahead of training camp. They dig into the Texans' looming C.J. Stroud contract decision and what it signals for how teams value quarterbacks, make the quantitative case for Tennessee's Jeffrey Simmons as the best defensive tackle in football, and lay out why Tyler Shough's Andy Dalton-like ceiling could still be enough to win a wide-open NFC South.
Also covered: the Colts' collapse from 7-1 to missing the playoffs and what it means for Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen, Jacksonville's roster continuity after a surprise 2025 breakout, Tampa Bay's talent-versus-results problem under Todd Bowles, and a Panthers team trying to prove last year's playoff berth wasn't a fluke.
31 Jul 2026
2026 NFL Team Previews: AFC & NFC North
Sam and James continue their four-part team preview series with all eight teams from the AFC and NFC North. This episode covers the Bears' offensive line questions that could define Caleb Williams' continued development, the Packers' alarming lack of pass rush depth amid injuries and departures, and whether the Ravens' new coaching staff and defensive additions can correct last season's underperformance.Also covered: the Lions' messy defensive secondary, the Vikings' quarterback competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy, the Bengals' perpetual defensive struggles, and the Steelers' potential inertia under Mike McCarthy.
17 Jul 2026
2026 NFL Team Previews: AFC & NFC West
Sam and James kick off their four-part team preview series with the AFC and NFC West. This episode covers the defending champion Seahawks, whether the potential Rams superteam can overcome their perpetual special teams kryptonite, and whether the Chiefs have enough around Patrick Mahomes to resume being a contender.
Also covered: the 49ers' injury-riddled skill player room, the the Broncos' backfield split, the Raiders' quarterback timeline for Fernando Mendoza, and the Chargers' rebuilt offensive line and a fascinating defensive coordinator hire.
1 Jul 2026
2026 Fantasy Football Preview | Favorites, Fades, & Draft Tips Before Training Camp
Sam and James break down the 2026 fantasy football landscape before training camp kicks off. This episode features their top running back and receiver tiers, the quarterbacks they love and the ones they'd avoid entirely, and a deep dive on tight end value in what could be the strongest top-six at the position in years.
Also covered: why Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are in a tier of their own, the case against drafting Joe Burrow and Jaxson Dart at ADP, seriously undervalued receivers and running backs, and why auction drafts reign supreme.
Team previews start next episode as training camp approaches.
19 Jun 2026
Myles Garrett, AJ Brown & Some Moves You Missed | 2026 NFL Offseason
Sam and James break down the seismic Myles Garrett trade to the Rams — what it means for LA's Super Bowl window, whether the Browns left value on the table, and why this Rams roster might be one of the most talented ever assembled. Also covered: AJ Brown reuniting with Mike Vrabel in New England and the analytical case for a revival, the Saints' quietly impressive offseason, Tampa Bay raiding Detroit, unheralded defensive signings, and recent newsworthy contract extensions.
Next episode is primarily fantasy focused as we preview the 2026 season ahead of training camp, but expect a preview of the now-interesting NFL Supplemental Draft.
Sam and James break down the coaching and coordinator hires that will define the 2026 NFL season, covering which teams found seamless fits and which ones created more questions than answers. This episode features a deep dive on several coach and coordinator changes, including the shocking Joe Brady promotion in Buffalo, Jesse Minter's path to Baltimore, the schematic revolution coming to the Chargers under Mike McDaniel, and why the Daronte Jones hire in Washington might be the most underrated move of the entire offseason.
Next episode features an analytical breakdown of the Myles Garrett trade as well as the under-the-radar moves and transactions that could be more impactful than you’d expect.
Sam and James break down the headline moves of the 2026 NFL offseason, covering which teams spent their money wisely and which ones left more questions than answers. This episode features a deep dive on the Raiders' offseason blueprint, the Eagles quietly getting better around the margins, and why the Chiefs' splashy offseason might not be as impressive as it looks.
Also covered: eye-catching trades, positional market inefficiencies, and the fantasy impact of key running back signings.
Next episode drops in two weeks with coaching changes, scheme shifts, and the under-the-radar moves that didn't make headlines.
Sam and James go team by team through days two and three of the 2026 NFL Draft, highlighting which teams won the weekend and which ones left us with more questions than answers. This episode features a deep dive on Carson Beck's fit in Arizona, a breakdown of the 49ers unconventional selections, and justification for the stunning day two run on blocking tight ends.
Also covered: The Carnotaurus, some notable draft fallers, and UDFA names you should know heading into training camp.
Next episode drops in two weeks as we shift from the draft to the offseason — team fits, free agency moves, and what it all means for 2026.
Sam and James break down a first round that delivered eight trades, positional runs, and several picks that nobody saw coming.
This episode features a deep analytics and film dive on Rams quarterback Ty Simpson, a debate over whether the Giants made the right call at picks 5 and 10, and a running theme of teams spending first-round capital they can't afford on players they may not need.
Also covered: the Jets' weapon assembly, Caleb Downs to Dallas, the Chiefs' confusing night, and the two trends that quietly defined the entire first round.
Next episode drops in a week with a full day two and three breakdown.
22 Apr 2026
2026 NFL Draft Preview | Top Picks, Fits We Love, and Sleepers
In our first episode, we break down the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on how teams should think about fit, positional value, and roster construction—not just rankings.
We cover:
Key decisions at the top of the draft
Our favorite Round 1 player-team fits
A deeper look at positional value and draft strategy
Day 2–3 prospects and sleepers to know
This is a structured, insight-driven preview of the class, with a focus on what actually matters when teams build contenders.
We’ll be back after the draft with a full reaction and breakdown of the biggest picks, surprises, and notable moves.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
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