Overview of The Bill Simmons Podcast With Joe House
Bill Simmons and Joe House break down the 49ers’ 27-7 win over the Rams in Australia, debate how much stock to put in Week 1 NFL overreactions, and lay out their favorite bets for the opening slate of the season. The episode also veers into a spirited rant about the U.S. Open’s late-night scheduling and whether tennis is making its marquee matches too long and too hard to watch.
49ers Crush the Rams in Australia
What happened
- The 49ers dominated the Rams in Melbourne, making the “jet-lag bowl” look like a one-sided beatdown.
- The hosts repeatedly mocked the Rams’ travel/sleep preparation, saying the team’s “science” and staff planning didn’t matter once the game started.
- Kyle Shanahan’s offense and game management were praised as elite, especially the second-half adjustments and the 99-yard march after a key Rams goal-line stop.
Why it mattered
- The game fed the idea that the Rams are a “super team” in theory, but one still dependent on health and execution.
- San Francisco looked more complete and prepared, with Fred Warner and Nick Bosa highlighted as reminders that the 49ers’ defense is still top-tier.
- Matthew Stafford came off as the biggest concern on the field, with Simmons saying he looked old, shaky, and uncomfortable in the pocket.
Key takeaways
- The Rams’ special teams were criticized again as a game-changing weakness.
- The 49ers may have benefited from crowd support and a longer stay in Australia, but the hosts felt the win was still mostly about talent and coaching.
- The result cooled off some of the preseason hype around the Rams’ roster construction.
Week 1 NFL Overreactions
The hosts offered four possible overreactions from the Australia game and debated which one felt most believable:
- Matthew Stafford looks washed
- Myles Garrett is actually overrated
- The Rams’ super-team momentum is already dead
- The 49ers are the best NFC West team
Their verdict
- House chose “the Rams super-team momentum is already dead” as the closest thing to a real takeaway.
- Simmons was more skeptical of Stafford than anything else, saying Stafford looked rough but it’s still early.
- Both agreed the 49ers are more legit than people may have assumed.
Ringer 107: Week 1 Betting Picks
Joe House’s main angles
Texans vs. Bills
- House’s favorite early play was Houston as a home underdog against Buffalo.
- He argued the Texans have a championship-caliber defense and are well built to slow Josh Allen.
- He also pointed out Buffalo’s defensive questions and Houston’s upside on offense if the run game functions.
Jets vs. Titans
- House took the Jets in what he called a “shit game.”
- He acknowledged the possibility of a bad season but still liked New York’s talent edge and offensive line against Tennessee.
- He also noted the Titans’ recent history of being unreliable as favorites.
Teaser legs
House liked:
- Texans +7.5
- Jaguars -2.5
- Lions teased down to basically a win
His logic:
- Home dogs and strong teams in teaser range are valuable in Week 1.
- He was especially confident in the Jaguars because of the matchup against Deshaun Watson.
Bill Simmons’ main picks
Buccaneers +3.5 at Bengals
- Simmons liked Tampa Bay as a live road dog.
- He cited Cincinnati’s recurring slow starts, Zac Taylor’s Week 1 issues, and the Bucs’ overall roster quality.
- He thought the game was likely to come down to a field goal either way.
Cowboys -2.5 vs. Giants
- This was one of his strongest opinions of the week.
- He thought the line was too low and that Dallas has a real talent edge.
- He also highlighted:
- The Giants’ offensive line and receiving situation
- Dallas’s defensive upside
- Brandon Aubrey as a hidden advantage
- The possibility of Cowboys fans overwhelming the stadium
Steelers -4.5 vs. Falcons
- Simmons laid the points with Pittsburgh despite some hesitation.
- He argued Atlanta looked shaky, the Steelers should be better than people think, and the line could move even higher later in the season.
- He also joked that betting against a team quarterbacked by an injured Cooper Rush made the pick easier.
Potential fifth pick / Sunday update
- Simmons said he was leaning Broncos +2.5 vs. Chiefs for the Sunday social pick, but wanted to see if the line moved to 3.
- He also mentioned possible interest in the Panthers, Ravens-Colts over, and Chargers-Cardinals angle, but didn’t lock those in.
Best Moneyline Parlay Mentioned
Simmons floated an extra parlay idea:
- Eagles moneyline
- Steelers moneyline
He liked it as a simple two-leg play, and later expanded the concept by mentioning:
- Chargers moneyline
- UCLA moneyline
That four-leg version was discussed as a juicy long-shot Sunday combo.
U.S. Open Rant: Late Starts and Long Matches
Simmons spent a long stretch complaining about the U.S. Open scheduling:
- The Alcaraz vs. Shelton match started too late for East Coast viewers.
- He thought the event prioritized match count over viewer experience.
- His main complaint: the tournament is disrespecting its own marquee product by putting its biggest matches on too late at night.
His bigger point
- Tennis matches are getting too long, especially in later rounds.
- He suggested the sport should consider structural changes, such as:
- Best-of-three only until the quarterfinals
- Shorter formats or new rules to avoid marathon matches
- He argued the sport should be trying harder to grow its audience, not hide its biggest matches after midnight.
Bottom Line
This episode was mostly about NFL betting and early-season takeaways:
- The 49ers looked like a real contender
- The Rams’ super-team idea took a hit
- The hosts liked Texans, Jaguars, Lions, Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Steelers in various forms
- Simmons was especially annoyed by late-night tennis scheduling
- Both hosts sounded eager for Week 1 to settle some of the preseason noise around teams like the Rams, Bengals, Giants, and Falcons