Holding Down the Fort: Dezi’s Solo Week 14 Recap + Week 15 Picks

It’s another Wednesday, which means it’s time for a little football chaos with your favorite girlfriends.

Laura is out on vacation. Beth was supposed to be out, too—until rec basketball scheduling struck again. The game got moved, plans changed, and suddenly Beth was back in the house. Honestly? Perfect timing. Because there was a lot to talk about.

Between major injuries, playoff implications, surprise wins, and a guest lineup that kept things moving, Dezi had her hands full holding down the fort, but she delivered.

Special Guests, Big Topics, No Pressure

With Laura away, Dezi stepped into solo-producer mode and came prepared. The night included two special guests, starting with Steph (repping the Niners in a Fred Warner jersey, obviously) and later welcoming Dr. Tommy Rhee, a former Buccaneers chiropractor, to talk injury recovery and hyperbaric therapy.

No pressure. Just… everything happening at once.

Week 14: Chaos, Consequences, and Heartbreak

Week 14 brought some wild results with serious playoff implications.

The Steelers took down the Ravens, shaking up the AFC North. The Packers handled business against the Bears at Lambeau. The Jaguars held off the Colts, but that game came with a brutal cost—Daniel Jones went down with an Achilles tear and knew immediately when it happened. You could feel the air leave the stadium.

There were MVP conversations happening before that injury, which made it even tougher to watch.

Steph didn’t catch many of the games live (Disneyland will do that), but like the rest of us, she saw the Daniel Jones injury—and felt it.

Bills vs. Bengals: Football Is Stupid (Affectionately)

Beth’s recap of Bills vs. Bengals perfectly summed up the emotional experience of being a Bills fan.

The Bills dug themselves into a hole (as is tradition), struggled early, and entered the fourth quarter down double digits—in the snow, no less. Then everything flipped.

Josh Allen put on an MVP-level performance, including a 40-yard rushing touchdown. The defense stepped up when it mattered most, with Christian Benford delivering a pick-six and A.J. Epenesa following it up with another interception. Joe Burrow, who hadn’t thrown a single interception all season, suddenly threw two back-to-back.

The Bills scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

It was incredible. It was stressful. It was, in Beth’s words, “stupid to watch.”

Lions vs. Cowboys: The Rule Nobody Likes (But Is Still the Rule)

Thursday night brought controversy in the Lions–Cowboys game over a play initially ruled a touchback.

Upon review, officials determined the quarterback was contacted before being fully in the end zone, meaning the ball was technically down outside the goal line. No safety. No two points.

Beth’s husband—who happens to be a referee—was initially furious… and then immediately changed his mind once the replay angle aired.

It’s a rule most fans never think about because it rarely comes up this closely. But as frustrating as it was, the call was correct.

Fred Warner, Hyperbaric Therapy, and Cautious Optimism

The biggest injury storyline of the night centered on Fred Warner, who suffered a fractured ankle dislocation earlier in the season.

To break down what recovery could realistically look like, Dezi welcomed Dr. Tommy Rhee, who explained how hyperbaric oxygen therapy works and why it’s often used to accelerate healing after surgery or acute trauma.

Hyperbaric therapy allows athletes to breathe 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, increasing oxygen uptake at the cellular level and speeding tissue repair. While incredibly useful in short-term recovery, Dr. Rhee cautioned against chronic overuse, which can negatively impact performance.

Fred’s rehab progress has been encouraging. He’s been seen walking, doing pool work, and performing controlled movements with minimal swelling. Still, the consensus remained cautious. Being able to move is one thing. Taking hits, cutting sharply, and reacting to unpredictable contact is another.

If Fred returns, it likely won’t be until the postseason—and only if the risk feels worth it.

The Wildest Injury You Didn’t Hear About

If you missed Anthony Richardson’s injury, you weren’t alone.

The Colts’ backup quarterback suffered an orbital fracture—not during a game, but during pregame warmups. A resistance band snapped, ricocheted, and struck him in the face, causing fractures near the optic nerve and temporary vision impairment.

Because nerve healing can take months, Richardson remains unavailable, forcing the Colts to look elsewhere after Daniel Jones went down.

Enter: Philip Rivers, coming out of retirement.

Yes. Really.

The memes were immediate. The disbelief was universal. And yet… here we are.

Cocktails & Mocktails of the Week: New Orleans Edition

In honor of an unexpected Saints win, this week’s drink was the New Orleans Fizz.

Cocktail:
Gin, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, heavy cream, and an egg white for that signature foamy top. Refreshing, creamy, and apparently “healthy” thanks to the protein.

Mocktail:
Whipped lemonade made with lemon juice, condensed milk, whipped cream, and holiday baking vibes. Kid-friendly, festive, and just fancy enough to feel special.

Rate the Fit: Style, Statements, and a Tie-Breaker

This week’s Rate the Fit brought a tie between Matthew Stafford and Rashan Gary.

Stafford delivered a clean, classic look—silver beard included. Gary brought the drip, the edge, and the matching shoes.

With the audience vote split, guest Steph stepped in as the honorary tiebreaker and gave the win to Rashan Gary. The vibes were stronger. The fit was louder. Decision made.

The Playoff Picture (Still a Mess)

Nothing is settled yet.

The Broncos are riding a 10-game win streak, carried heavily by defense. The Patriots sit near the top but face a critical matchup against the Bills. Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Houston, and others are still very much in the mix.

As Beth put it, the Bills are great at beating strong teams—and oddly bad at winning “easy” games. Which makes the next few weeks… stressful.

On the NFC side, chaos reigns. No clear juggernaut. Just strong teams, weird losses, and a lot of “we’ll see.”

Final Thoughts

Week 14 reminded us why football is exhausting, thrilling, confusing, and impossible to quit.

Old quarterbacks are back. Young quarterbacks are hurt. Injuries are piling up. The playoff picture refuses to behave.

And somehow, every Wednesday, the Girlfriends are right there to talk us through it. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

See you next week—same chaos, same energy.