Pardon My Take — NFL Week 16 Recap & College Football Playoff Reactions

Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Big Cat, PFT Commenter, Hank, Max, Gaz, Zach, Memes, Cam

Overview:

In this jam-packed episode, the PMT crew recaps a wild NFL Week 16 and the first round of the College Football Playoff, delivering all the action, heartbreak, and memes that fans expect. They break down walk-off wins, playoff clinchers, crushing losses, and the ongoing saga of the NFC South. Not only do the crew give their signature raucous game breakdowns, but they also insert classic PMT banter, debates over elite QBs, and their thoughts on the shifting landscape in college football.

Episode Highlights

Fastest 2 Minutes – NFL Week 16 (02:27–11:25)

• High-Energy Game Recaps: The show opens with the classic “Fastest 2 Minutes”, a chaotic, reference-filled, and hilarious run-through of every NFL game from the week.
• Notable Moments/Quotes:
  • Chicago Bears Walk-off: "Is that the Iceman's music? ... Bears come back in a thrilling win and take control of the NFC Norse." — Big Cat [02:35]
  • Philly-Washington Brawl: "After getting his stocking stuffed on the tush push, Jalen Hurts found Debbie Does Dallas Goddard..." — Cam [04:25]
  • Panthers-Bucs Antics: "Bryce Young Thug then throws to his bestie..." — Zach & Hank [06:09]
  • Comedy and puns abound, with several segments parodying football guy tropes, plus repeated references to on-field brawls and wild plays.
• Memorable banter about “ball clubs,” iconic celebrations, and player nicknames like "The Iceman" for Caleb Williams.

Deep Dives and Roundtable Reactions

Eagles Clinch the NFC East (12:42–23:46)

• Max celebrates, but admits he's skeptical:
  “I think this team might still stink... I'm not very confident if we're being completely honest.” — Max [12:53]
• Host Analysis: Big Cat and Hank debate whether the Eagles' late-season hiccups are a concern or a sign they’ll peak in the playoffs.
• Key Discussion:
  • Lane Johnson’s health is seen as pivotal.
  • AJ Brown quietly going on a run: “He said drop me from your fantasy team, then he went off.” — Hank [16:23]
  • The gang recounts the massive on-field brawl, laughing at the steroidal NFL logic of fighting while playoff seeds are cemented.
• Memorable Stat:
  • Since 2011, the Eagles have won six NFC East titles; the Giants have had six head coaches. [18:21]
• Humor: Discussion about everyone fearing “Big Dom,” the Eagles’ security chief, leads to meta-jokes about podcast group dynamics.

Bears Walk-Off vs. Packers and Caleb Williams’ Clutch Reputation (25:49–41:03)

• Big Cat in Ecstasy: Bears’ comeback is dubbed “the Iceman game”—Caleb Williams praised for late-game heroics.
  • “He’s the clutchest quarterback in the NFL this season.” — Big Cat [26:21]
  • Bears have won 6 games this season when trailing in the final two minutes; Caleb has 6 game-winning drives, tying Peyton Manning (U-25). [29:56]
• Team Analysis:
  • Ben Johnson’s coaching revolution
  • Cairo Santos nailing key field goals in tough conditions
  • Discussion about the Bears' “all-time luck streak” but crediting elite execution in pressure moments: “You have to admit there are some lucky elements. But what's different is Caleb is elite in crunch time.” — Big Cat [28:57]
• Humorous Tangent: Big Cat confesses, “I was so excited I pissed on myself,” describing the stress of watching Bears-Packers (piss stories, handshake drama, and Matt LaFleur v. Ben Johnson handshake scoring). [35:03–35:21]

Panthers Beat Bucs; NFC South Chaos (42:08–48:31)

• Zach (Bucs fan) Admits Team’s in Trouble:
  • “We're in a bit of a spot. We're not playing the football we were playing at the top of the year…” — Zach [42:16]
• Key Analysis:
  • Both teams still control their playoff destiny, despite losing records.
  • Bryce Young’s 6th career game-winning drive highlighted.
  • PMT Riff: Debate about Todd Bowles—his “emergency moves” (swearing, dramatic gestures, and possibly “fire yourself” a la Mike Singletary) and the general existential crisis of the Bucs’ season.
  • “The Bucs are breaking the record for bad team still alive as late as possible.” — Big Cat [48:17]

Cowboys Eliminated; Chargers on Fire (53:11–60:55)

• Chargers win 34–17 over Cowboys:
  • Justin Herbert is praised for playing lights out with a broken hand.
  • “Harbaugh is just a really good coach… a team I would not want to play.” — Hank [53:11]
• Cowboys Elimination Stat:
  • “Cowboys now gone 30 years without making a conference championship game. Every other NFC team has made it since 2010.” — Big Cat [57:30]
  • Jerry Jones: “I’ll admit Cowboys management has played a big role in the 30 year Super Bowl drought… tremendously disappointed.” [58:17]
• "Ball Club" Run:
  • Max, Hank and Big Cat embark on an extended riff about which teams are “ball clubs,” ultimately revealing it’s more about vibes and toughness than raw records.

Bills Survive Browns — Josh Allen’s Burden & Bills Consistency (60:56–64:19)

• Summary: Bills win 23–20; Josh Allen’s ability to “be Superman” will be key for their playoff run.
• Stat: “Bills in December/January regular season games since 2020: 26–4.” [64:08]
• AFC Playoff Picture: Bills clinch 6th straight season with 11+ wins, joining rare company.

Other Key Games in Brief

• Bengals-Schrodinger Dolphins: Joe Burrow bounces back; Chase Brown fantasy heartbreak [65:59–68:14]
• Saints Cruise, Jets Tank: Tyler Shuck highlighted for 308 passing yards, his fourth win as starter. Jets officially in tank mode. [70:38–75:16]
• Vikings Beat Giants — Giants Find New Ways to Lose: “Elite at losing games. They’ve lost seven games by one score or less.” [77:56]
• Chiefs Collapse: “Chiefs’ 12th pick right now. In a year where things fell apart, they might have fallen apart perfectly.” [84:11–84:39]
• Jags Announce Arrival: Trevor Lawrence balls out; Jags 6th team in NFL history to win 11 games in 6 straight years. [89:03–95:06]

College Football Playoff & Bowl Week Reactions (131:13–137:55)

• PMT’s JMU report: Despite a lopsided score against Oregon, PFT is proud: “They played hard in the second half, which has kind of been JMU’s MO all season.” [131:13]
• Okahoma Bounces Alabama (almost): Missed opportunity with a dropped TD, but Alabama stormed back. [134:53]
• Miami beats Texas A&M: Texas A&M’s luck runs out. “That was one of the most shitty, most entertaining games.” — Hank [136:03]
• Ole Miss sets Santa Hat World Record: “Good for him.” [136:46]
• Bowl Game Media Coverage Rant: “Why every touchdown has to be, ‘Now we have to declare how it’s broken’? The game’s on!” — Big Cat [138:01]
• Joel Klatt CBB Take Response: PMT seizes Klatt’s “man card” over his NCAA Tournament opinions.

NFL Playoff Picture (123:34–127:38 & Closing)

• AFC: Patriots, Broncos, Bills, Chargers, Jaguars, Texans all in play for top seed; Week 18 drama could be limited if Colts lose Monday [123:34–125:03]
• NFC: Seahawks, Bears, Rams, 49ers still alive for one seed; NFC South will be the main drama
• PMT Brainstorm: To keep Week 18 interesting, reward the highest-scoring eliminated team with an extra draft pick and $200K to players [127:50]

Recurring Segments & Signature Banter

• "Ball club" Quiz: In-depth, half-serious debate over which teams embody true “ball club” status
• Big Cat’s Superstition: “Nobody move, whatever’s happening is a very good thing for the Bears.” [28:36]
• Pee story: “I pissed on myself…I’d be the worst coach, next play guy. I was just talking about it, and then just peed all over myself.” — Big Cat [35:04]
• Light trolling and group jokes: Big Dom, Ball Club, playoff simulator obsession, and meme critiques
• Classic Quotes:
  • “It’s always F the Packers.” — DJ Moore (as relayed by Big Cat) [33:45]
  • “If the early season Bucs show up, they can beat anybody. If the late season Bucs show up, they can lose to anybody.” — Hank [49:28]
  • “Cowboys now gone 30 years without making a conference championship game. Every other NFC team since 2010.” — Big Cat [57:30]

Memorable Quotes - Attributed with Timestamps

• Big Cat: “He’s the clutchest quarterback in the NFL this season.” — [26:21], on Caleb Williams
• Max: “I’m not very confident in this team. If we’re being completely honest.” — [12:53], on the Eagles
• Hank: “Matt LaFleur calls a much better game with Malik Willis as quarterback.” — [31:41]
• Big Cat: “You have to admit there are some lucky elements. But what’s different is Caleb is elite in crunch time.” — [28:57]
• Max: “Ball club.” — [55:07], during the comedic ‘ball club’ test for NFL teams

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Eagles clinch & brawl: [12:42–23:46]
• Bears-Packers, Caleb Williams/Iceman: [25:49–41:03]
• Panthers/Bucs, NFC South funk: [42:08–48:31]
• Chargers/Cowboys + Ball club: [53:11–56:46]
• Bills/Browns, playoff runs: [60:56–64:19]
• NFL Playoff Picture: [123:34–127:38]
• College Football Playoff roundtable: [131:13–137:55]

Tone & Style

True to PMT’s wild, comedic style—sarcasm, hyperbole, pop-culture references, and running inside jokes fuel the energy. There’s a mix of honest analysis and tongue-in-cheek commentary, with the hosts taking the games (but not themselves) very seriously.

For Listeners Who Missed the Show

This episode delivers a sweeping, hilarious, and insightful recap of Week 16’s NFL action, spotlights playoff drama, and explores the current state of both pro and college football. Highlights include the rise of Caleb “The Iceman” Williams, deep dive on playoff chances, the tragicomic state of the NFC South, and PMT’s signature banter and meme-making, all spiced with enough detail and irreverence to make you feel like you were on the couch with the boys, living and dying with every snap.

If you only listen to one PMT NFL recap this year, make it this one—a perfect mix of game breakdowns, fan therapy, and comedy.