Pardon My Take – NFL Week 12 Picks & Preview
Episode Date: November 21, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter
Guests: Kyle Long, Pete Prisco
Episode Overview
This week’s episode is a classic packed PMT Friday: The guys preview every NFL Week 12 game, make their picks—with a choose-your-own-adventure Bills/Texans outcome—discuss their fantasy league and trade drama, debate NFL playoff pictures, and welcome Kyle Long and Pete Prisco to talk ball and banter about the most pressing storylines. Jerry’s Fantasy Minute and the customary Fyre Fest round out a jammed show that features the podcast’s trademark blend of sports analysis, inside jokes, and raucous camaraderie.
Key Segments & Timestamp Guide
- NFL Week 12 Choose-Your-Adventure Game [02:44]
- Week 12 Game Previews and Picks [14:09–88:28]
- Fantasy League & Jerry’s Minute [31:36, 79:06]
- NFL Big Picture/Playoff Debate [135:52]
- Interview: Kyle Long & Pete Prisco [90:05–142:29]
- Fyre Fest of the Week [143:44]
- Lottery Ball & Closing Shenanigans [157:53]
NFL Week 12 Preview & Picks
[Segment Start – 14:09]
Choose-Your-Own-Adventure: Bills vs. Texans
- The PMT crew jokes about not wanting to do a drunken game recap, so they each predict an outcome:
- Hank: “34–10 Bills, Shakir scored twice, Josh Allen gets the first TD.” [03:33]
- PFT: “Bills win but don’t cover.”
- Max: “It’s a tie, 24–24.”
- Zach and Memes both weirdly predict Texans to win, Memes: “Texans 7–3.”
Quote:
"Josh Allen used all his Josh Allen last week. He’s got no more Josh Allen left." – Zach [04:10]
Previewing Every NFL Game
Steelers at Bears [16:28]
- Big Cat: “This is where the Bears start their seven-game playoff. They gotta go four and three. Game One: at home.” [18:54]
- PFT & Big Cat discuss the dread of facing Aaron Rodgers (“wants to stick it to the Bears one last time”) and the contrast between playing Rodgers and Mason Rudolph.
- Stat of the week: “Bears are 4–3 when trailing by at least four points in a game this year. From 2016–24, 25–86.” [20:26]
- Hank is mum on his Hungry Dog pick, maybe eyeing the Steelers. [22:13]
- Darnell Washington’s true weight: “311 lbs.” [21:41]
- Bears optimism: “Within the next month, the Bears will have a breakout offensive game.” [21:06]
Patriots at Bengals [23:38]
- Joe Burrow’s injury? “He was a full participant to start the week, Zach Taylor didn’t say no to starting him.” [23:38]
- PFT’s prop of the week: “Drake May to throw for 300+ yards, +264.” [24:12]
- Hank: “Why would Burrow come back?” [24:52]
- Drake May–PMT syncronicity: “He said in presser, ‘I’m leading the league because we haven’t had a bye yet.’” [25:13]
- Parody of stat arguments and Max–Hank friendly fire.
Giants at Lions [29:57]
- Lions haven’t lost back-to-back since 2022’s slow start; coming off a loss to the Giants—who can be first team eliminated with a loss.
- PFT: “Jahmyr Gibbs game, start him in fantasy.” [31:19]
- Jerry’s relentless fantasy trade spam recounted. “Most desperate thing I’ve ever heard.” – Big Cat [33:36]
Vikings at Packers [34:46]
- All the anxiety of two uncertain QBs and fanbases reeling. J.J. McCarthy says he’s “rewiring neurological pathways,” sparking both guffaws and concern. [35:10]
- Packers bad at covering as favorites: "0-6 as 4pt+ favorite" [44:16]
- Fan rivalry: annual tug-of-war over the St. Croix bridge demoted from neutral territory; riveting townie shout-outs by Cat. [41:01]
- Packers fanbase taking heat from LaFleur for selling tickets to Vikings fans.
Seahawks at Titans [45:31]
- “This game is a bummer.” [46:00]
- Seahawks have won six straight in 1pm ET slots, best ATS record.
- Cam Ward stat: “Toughest defense schedule by any #1 overall rookie QB.” [46:59]
- 1987 Oilers–Seahawks playoff “revenge” callback.
Colts at Chiefs [47:38]
- Stakes for the Chiefs: “If they lose, they’ll have to win 6 of last 7. Could be end of their era.” [48:01]
- Spat about what constitutes a ‘dynasty’: “Win 3 in 5 years, that counts.”
- PFT’s stat: “Chiefs 18% late-game success rate—worst of any NFL team in a decade.” [52:45]
- Colts have never lost to Mahomes in the regular season. [55:01]
- Chiefs on playoff bubble (“Jalen Hurts has never missed the playoffs”) barbs.
Jets at Ravens [57:02]
- Tyrod Taylor starts. Memes: “I think the Jets are due to get blown out. If Lamar plays, go enjoy your Sunday.” [57:21]
- Ravens WRs: “Lead the league in INTs off deflections.” [58:03]
- Jets: “No interceptions this year—the only team.” [58:40]
Browns at Raiders [59:47]
- Browns haven’t won in Pacific time zone since 2012.
- Shador Sanders’ home was robbed during his first regular-season game, but: “I didn’t get robbed. My house did.” [63:02]
- Browns stat: “Since 1999, QBs making their first Cleveland start are 0–17.” [62:03]
Jaguars at Cardinals [64:49]
- “Jonathan Gannon said, ‘I didn’t hire myself. I’m not firing myself.’” [65:08]
- Trevor Lawrence is advised to "cut it loose," showing promising play, but inconsistency rules the segment.
Falcons at Saints [66:33]
- “The Falcons are just the biggest bummer team out there.” [66:33]
- Drew Brees will be in the booth for this rivalry, triggering ATL fans.
- Faltering offense and injuries dominate talk.
Eagles at Cowboys [68:48]
- “Are you nervous, Max?” —Big Cat. Max: “Of course. It’s hard to sweep the Cowboys.” [69:48]
- Kelly Greens on the road for the first time. Max: “Always a good idea.” [70:49]
- Dak's unstoppable NFC East home record: 21–2 SU, 17–6 ATS. [70:30]
Bucs at Rams [73:53]
- “Bucs have the flu.” [74:06]
- Sean McVay has “no bulletin board value” for Baker Mayfield, but the Rams are the pick for most.
- Bucs caught in their annual midseason slump.
Playoff Picture & Hungry Dog [135:52, 77:27]
- Pete & Kyle name their playoff seven for each conference; agree on most, debate the final NFC spot (Bears vs Niners).
- Hank’s hungry dog picks: “Vikings, Browns, Cowboys, Bucs, Steelers, Colts.” [77:55]
- Brief debate about round robins and the psychology of betting Hungry Dog parlays.
Interview: Kyle Long & Pete Prisco [90:05]
Most Frequent Disagreements
- Pete: “Probably the Bears. Because Kyle’s a homer and I’m more realistic.” [91:01]
- Kyle counters with how much the Bears have improved (fewer sacks, confidence winning close games, the “Ben Johnson effect”).
- Both agree: “Meaningful football in December” for Bears fans is a blessing.
Bears’ Cultural Shift
- Kyle: “Everything Ben Johnson does is so insane it’s authentic... you need a psychopath, dude, and they’ve got one.” [95:27]
- Pete: The “Good, Better, Best” mantra is “corny.”
Chiefs Troubles
- Pete: “Patrick Mahomes needs to play like Michael Jordan again.”
- Kyle: “The one unsung hero of the Chiefs dynasty is Steve Spagnuolo and that defense.” [100:59]
Eagles Discussion
- On the offense:
- Pete: “Route tree is primitive… they need to go back to their roots.. turn and hand the ball off to that guy who carried you to the Super Bowl last year.”
- On A.J. Brown drama:
- Kyle: “Receivers are just different... In Chicago, we had guys get kicked out of 9-on-7s because Jay wouldn’t throw the ball.”
Bo Nix & the Broncos
- Pete: “I don’t trust Bo Nix yet... Too many quarters where he disappears.” [107:11]
- Kyle: “I’m a believer in the Broncos’ formula.”
Contender Quick Picks
- AFC: Both like the Ravens, Bills, and Chiefs more than Patriots, Broncos, or Colts.
- NFC: Discourse around Seahawks, Daniel Jones, doubts over Chargers’ OL and playoff chances. Short debate on the value and accuracy of “schedule analysis.”
Fun/Off-Topic
- Pete admits to being “dirty” as a 165-pound high school guard. [121:35]
- O-lineman ritual: “I cupped Pete’s tricep—felt like a horse’s leg.” – Kyle
- Spitgate: Both say it’s “one of the most disgusting things you can do.” Pete once KO’d a huge guy who dumped a beer on him. [133:35]
Jerry's Fantasy Minute [79:06]
- A stream-of-consciousness group chat begging for trades: “More trade deals than the Trump administration.”
- Big Cat: “That was the most desperate thing I’ve ever heard.” [33:36]
- Team is second in standings but behaving like sellers at the deadline.
Fyre Fest of the Week [143:44]
- Hank discovers he’s “starting to enjoy reading Don Quixote.” [143:49]
- PFT’s “lost DM” about tracking coaching planes and his resulting existential dread (“someone out there got the most confusing text of all time”).
- Big Cat fending off the week-of-Thanksgiving tummy stinger.
- Zach’s “bomb alarm” possibly angering a neighbor.
- Closing with the traditional rigged/unrigged lottery ball, complete with the “Lil’ Hank” toy drama.
Notable Quotes & Viral Moments
- “It’s peaceful…a couple chapters a night, and then last night I was like, actually, I kept reading another chapter.” – Hank on reading Don Quixote [146:08]
- “That’s the type of place you can drink 40 beers, bowl 10 games, eat three pounds of cheese curds, and your tab’s $22.” – Big Cat on midwest bars [43:10]
- “Anytime you feel good, I want you more involved.” – Big Cat to Hank after a hilariously fumbled stat [44:48]
- “There should be a designated spitter on every team. This guy is the captain of spitting today.” – Big Cat [29:45]
- “I have more questions about the Colts quarterback than I do about the guy in Seattle.” – Kyle Long [115:53]
- “Somebody out there got the most confusing text of all time demanding flight logs.” – PFT [149:23]
- “I'm a little more realistic [about the Bears] because I look at the schedule and see they really have…played one team with a winning record and lost to them.” – Pete Prisco [91:01]
- “Receivers are just different.” – Kyle Long, on Eagles’ WR drama [103:28]
Episode Tone & Language
The episode is prime PMT: a mix of inside jokes, real sports analysis, playful antagonism, brutal honesty, and segments that walk the line between in-depth discussion and open-mic night at a dive bar. Friendly derision, running gags (Hungry Dog, lottery ball), and recurring fantasy football frustration flavor every segment. Guests (Kyle Long and Pete Prisco) match the hosts’ banter and jump right into both high-level debate and stories from the trenches. The language veers from silly (“so many home runs”) to serious (“the Bears are starting a seven-game series”), always returning to the show’s mantra: never take it all too seriously.
Summary Verdict
This episode delivers the full Pardon My Take experience:
- Thoughtful (if rowdy) NFL preview
- Inside stories and arguments from ex-players and expert insiders
- Wild fantasy football drama, unfiltered group chat energy
- Uniquely PMT humor, from Hank’s evolving book report to spit-designations and Lil' Hank lottery ball rigging
If you missed the episode, this summary will keep you in the mix for the week’s games (and the week's wildest sports talk).