🏈 Playoff Math, Bengals Tears, and Why the Broncos Run the NFL | Episode 260
🏈 Playoff Math, Bengals Tears, and Why the Broncos Run the NFL | Episode 260
If you don’t stay down and you never quit, come on over here and sit on The Far End of the Bench.
Episode 260 of The Far End of the Bench wasn’t just another sports podcast episode — it was a collision of NFL playoff math, emotional endings, WWE nostalgia, and hard-earned respect.
From the Bengals’ season officially ending, to the Broncos demanding national respect, to an emotional deep dive into John Cena’s final match, this episode covered everything that makes sports matter in the first place.
Let’s break it down.
🧮 NFL Playoff Math Ends the Bengals’ Season
Every NFL season eventually comes down to numbers.
For the Cincinnati Bengals, the playoff calculator stayed out longer than expected — but eventually, the math won. No dramatic last-second loss. No controversy. Just the quiet realization that there were no more paths left.
That’s the hardest way for a season to end.
Not with anger.
Not with blame.
Just acceptance.
Sometimes your season doesn’t end on the field — it ends when the numbers stop working in your favor.
🐴 Why the Denver Broncos Run the NFL Right Now
While one season ended, another truth became impossible to ignore:
The Denver Broncos are the best team in the NFL right now.
Not a fluke.
Not a “feel-good story.”
Not something you have to squint to believe.
They’re winning consistently, dominating when it matters, and even Colorado weather seems to cooperate when they’re rolling.
At this point, Broncos respect isn’t optional — it’s overdue.
🏈 Week 16 NFL Pick’Em: Standings and Picks
We don’t just talk — we pick. And we keep the receipts.
📊 Pick’Em Records
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Niko: 48–12
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Jimmy: 43–16–1
No hiding. No excuses.
🧠 Niko’s Week 16 NFL Picks
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Bills over Browns
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Texans over Raiders
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Packers over Bears
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Ravens over Patriots
🧠 Jimmy’s Week 16 NFL Picks
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Vikings over Giants
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Eagles over Commanders
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Bears over Packers
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Saints over Jets
Check back next week — accountability always applies.
🐐 John Cena’s Last Match Was More Than Wrestling
Before the episode could fully lean into football chaos, we had to stop — because John Cena’s final match at Saturday Night’s Main Event deserved space.
This wasn’t about the finish.
It wasn’t about booking.
It wasn’t even about winning or losing.
It was about closure.
For over 20 years, John Cena was the constant — the workhorse, the leader, the guy who told an entire generation to never give up.
Watching that chapter close felt like watching someone you’ve always seen as invincible finally become human.
And that hits harder than expected.
🧠 Why John Cena Tapping Out Wasn’t Giving Up
The finish sparked debate — understandably so.
The man built on never give up… tapping out?
But the deeper conversation revealed the truth: this wasn’t quitting.
It was relinquishing.
It was acceptance.
It was passing the torch.
John Cena didn’t fail — he finished.
🔥 Top 5 John Cena Matches of All Time
To honor the career, we ranked our Top 5 John Cena matches of all time — not based on star ratings, but on emotion, impact, and storytelling.
🧠 Niko’s Top 5 John Cena Matches
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Cena vs Orton — Bragging Rights 2009
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Cena vs AJ Styles — Crown Jewel 2025
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Cena vs Bray Wyatt — WrestleMania 36 (2020)
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Cena vs Rob Van Dam — ECW One Night Stand 2006
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Cena vs CM Punk — Money in the Bank 2011
🧠 Jimmy’s Top 5 John Cena Matches
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Cena vs Batista — Over the Limit 2010
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Cena vs Orton — Bragging Rights 2009
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Cena vs Triple H — WrestleMania 22
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Cena vs The Rock — WrestleMania 28
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Cena vs Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 23
Different lists. Same conclusion:
If wrestling didn’t make you feel something, these matches wouldn’t still matter decades later.
⭐ Player of the Week & 🪑 Benchwarmer of the Week
We closed Episode 260 the right way — with praise and accountability.
⭐ Player of the Week
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Niko: Bo Nix — winning a massive game against the Packers and matching his career high with 4 touchdowns
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Jimmy: Bears defense — allowing just 3 points and forcing 3 interceptions against Shedeur Sanders
🪑 Benchwarmer of the Week
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Niko: The Canucks — for trading Quinn Hughes and forcing the Wild to stay trapped in a brutal Central Division race
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Jimmy: Joe Burrow — because when you’re playing that poorly, it’s not just injuries… it’s seasonal depression
🎧 Final Thoughts on Episode 260
Episode 260 of The Far End of the Bench wasn’t just another sports podcast.
It was:
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NFL playoff math and heartbreak
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Broncos dominance and overdue respect
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WWE nostalgia and emotional closure
Some episodes are fun.
Some are chaotic.
Some stay with you.
This one stayed.
🎧 Episode 260 is out now.
Sit down. Lock in. And keep the receipts.
Co-Host
Jimmy Pallotto - Co-Host, The Far End of the Bench
Born and raised in the heart of Colorado, Jimmy Pallotto is the passionate voice behind The Far End of the Bench. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Jimmy brings unparalleled energy, humor, and insight to the podcast, combining his deep-rooted love for the game with a sharp analytical edge. As a proud alumnus of Western Colorado University, where he majored in Communication Arts and Sociology, Jimmy’s background equips him to deliver thoughtful commentary and engage in meaningful discussions with fans and guests alike.
Jimmy’s love for sports extends beyond the mic. By day, he’s shaping young minds as a 7th-grade social studies teacher and multi-sport coach, mentoring athletes in wrestling and football. A dedicated coach and educator, Jimmy instills the same values of teamwork, leadership, and dedication in his students that he shares on the podcast.
When he's not in the classroom or recording episodes, Jimmy enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Carlye, their energetic Border Collie Boomer, and his close-knit family. Whether he's breaking down game-winning plays, sharing hilarious locker room stories, or diving deep into the latest sports controversies, Jimmy’s vibrant personality and authentic voice make him a fan favorite.
Catch Jimmy every week on The Far End of the Bench, where he and his co-host Niko Bryant tackle everything from Colorado sports to national headlines, bringing the sidelines to center stage.
🏈 Sherone Moore’s Off-Field ‘Game’ Costs Him His Job FEOTB Episode 259 — The Most Explosive Week in College Football, NFL, and WWE
