Pardon My Take – NFL Week 17 Recap, Christmas Games, Playoff Picture & Who's Back of the Week

Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Special Guests: Jersey Jerry, Max, Memes
Episode Date: December 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a comprehensive and entertaining breakdown of NFL Week 17, including recaps of the Christmas Day games, key results from across the league, playoff scenarios now in play, and a spirited "Who's Back of the Week" segment. With a bit of a skeleton crew and guest appearances from Jersey Jerry and Max, the guys bring their signature blend of sharp analysis and comedic banter.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

Fastest 2 Minutes – Week 17 Game Recaps

[03:16 – 12:45]

• High-speed, humor-laden summaries of every Week 17 NFL game, featuring classic banter and inside jokes.
• Notable moments: The Vikings upset over the Lions, Texans winning ugly over the Chargers, Patriots’ blowout of the Jets, Browns’ stifling of the Steelers, and the Bears-49ers shootout.

Christmas Day Game Reactions

[13:06 – 23:55]

• Cowboys 30, Commanders 23: PFT (Commanders fan) details the depression of standalone prime-time losses, and the relief of returning to an early-window, low-attention schedule next year.
• Solo viewing in Spain brings the revelation: “The Commanders don’t exist there. People just assumed I was a Cowboys fan” (PFT, 14:39).
• Commanders’ perspective: Season ruined by injuries, but Big Cat and PFT agree four wins (and better draft position) is preferable to “no man’s land.”
• Discussion: Jaden Daniels’ season—injury-prone label unfair, flashes of strong play.

Deep Dives: Team Trends and Coaches

[20:09 – 34:00]

• Brian Flores’ Defensive Masterclass (Vikings):
  • "Last four games: Vikings give up 12 points per game. Flores is just f***ing teams up left and right" (PFT, 20:58).
  • Debate: Why not stick with proven DCs instead of head coaching reboots?
• Lions Collapse: Injury-riddled, but the window isn’t closed.
  • “Not as f***ed as everyone thinks… health, a few moves, they’ll be right back” (PFT, 27:55).
• Dan Campbell Motivation Fuel: Under-dog mentality could propel a bounce-back next season.
• Jared Goff: Still a viable option if offensive line improves.

Playoff Picture & Team Futures

[34:48 – 40:17]

• Broncos Clinch AFC West:
  • PFT: "Fun fact: Since 2010, the only teams to win the AFC West are the Chiefs and Broncos" (34:03).
  • Both hosts confess, “We can’t figure out the Broncos” (PFT, 36:23). Upside is high, floor is a first-round exit.
• AFC: The Year of Chaos
  • "A complete roll of the dice. Any of these teams could make the Super Bowl" (PFT, 39:09).
• Quarterback Personalities:
  • Bo Nix’s fear of dogs sparks a wild philosophical debate: “If you’re scared of dogs, you can’t have that dog in you” (Max, 42:05).

Christmas Week Silliness & QB Gifts

[47:08 – 99:12]

• Quarterback Christmas Gifts: (98:06+)
  • TUA gets his O-line “glow mats”—the team deliberates whether this is the height or the nadir of QB gift-giving.
  • PFT: “We used to be a proper country when quarterbacks bought trucks for their linemen. Now it’s glow mats.”
• Impulse Purchases:
  • The gang accidentally buys a set of “Go Mats” and debates how many uses they’ll get.
• Fantasy Football Drama:
  • Jerry’s meltdown over trade negotiations, creative group texts, and team management gets the full comedic treatment.

Sunday Afternoon & Night Games

[110:47 – 154:39]

• Browns 13, Steelers 6:
  • Jersey Jerry’s full-tilt breakdown, reaches despair (“I don’t care if we lose or win next week”—77:30) but pivots into passionate Tomlin takes and debates DK Metcalf’s status.
  • “Regardless what happens next week, Tomlin’s gotta go. It’s stale.” (Jersey Jerry, 75:19)
• Seahawks 27, Panthers 10:
  • Defensive dominance, Panthers futility, and playoff implications.
• Eagles 13, Bills 12:
  • Max gets defensive about slander; the crew debates whether their criticisms are warranted.
  • “We don’t talk to you about the Eagles—we’re doing stats” (Big Cat, 132:36).
  • Defensive promise, offensive concern, and playoff matchups.
• Bears 38, 49ers 42:
  • “This was an awesome game…one of the best of the year” (PFT, 144:16).
  • High praise for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson; Bears offense can play with anyone but defense still a liability.

Playoff Scenarios & Next Week Teasers

[154:45 – 162:17]

• Analysis of tiebreakers, wild NFC South possibilities, and which games to watch in the final week.
• “If the Falcons win Monday night, America should root for the Panthers to backdoor the playoffs” (Big Cat, 94:09).

Who's Back of the Week

[163:48 – end]
Roundtable on what’s revived, trending, or in the news:

• Max: Midseason NCAA signing, Baylor basketball, and college transfer madness.
• Memes: Stranger Things, the return and cultural impact.
• PFT: The purchase/mistake of mascot costumes & college football bowl picks.
• Big Cat: The Pop-Tart Bowl’s rise as an appointment-TV event.

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Commanders’ Cursed Schedule – [14:01]:
PFT:

"It's my nightmare. Get ready to have a shitload of Commanders games pumped down your throat. Lost all those games—very ugly. At least we covered in this one on Christmas."

On Jared Goff & The Lions – [30:40]:
PFT:

“If you get an offensive line, [Jared Goff] is still a very good quarterback. … His numbers were insane this year. Moving on from him or Dan Campbell is crazy.”

Brian Flores for Defensive Coordinator – [20:55]:
Big Cat:

"Why don’t more defensive coordinators just blitz all the time? I agree. If I’m Flores, I’d just say ‘pay me $5 million a year to be a DC.’”

On AFC Playoff Chaos – [39:09]:
PFT:

“The AFC is a complete roll of the dice. I think every single team is capable of going to the Super Bowl—maybe not the Steelers, but still.”

Jersey Jerry's Steelers Meltdown – [77:30]:
Jersey Jerry:

“I don’t care if we lose or win next week.”
Big Cat:
“Whoa!”
Jersey Jerry:
“No, I mean it. It might be better for Tomlin’s job security if we lose.”

Fantasy Football Text Chain Madness – [178:01]:
PFT:

“Jerry started the text chain with us and our fantasy opponents, torched them, then LEFT THE THREAD—leaving us there… on Christmas night.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:16 – Fastest 2 Minutes starts
• 13:06 – Christmas Day game reactions, Commanders’ season post-mortem
• 20:55 – Brian Flores Defensive Clinic & DC vs. HC career debate
• 27:00 – Lions collapse & 2024 prospects
• 34:48 – Broncos clinch AFC West, AFC wide-open talk
• 47:08 – QB Christmas gifts & glow mat saga
• 75:19 – Jersey Jerry’s Steelers/Coach Tomlin rant
• 110:47 – Sunday late games: Browns-Steelers, Panthers-Seahawks, Bears-49ers
• 132:05 – Eagles-Bills breakdown with Max
• 144:16 – Bears-49ers Shootout analysis
• 154:45 – Playoff seeding scenarios & next week implications
• 163:48 – Who’s Back of the Week

Tone & Language Notes

• Typical PMT blend of sarcasm, inside jokes, intentional crassness, and fan-driven agony/joy.
• Frequent use of hyperbole (e.g., “loudest, most correct sports takes in history”).
• Banter is self-deprecating and targeted; hosts riff on each other and their teams without mercy.
• Quotes are clipped accurately (with censorship where appropriate), and attributed to the right hosts.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is classic late-season PMT—funny, frantic, and rich with both quality football insight and running in-jokes. From heartfelt (if exasperated) fan reactions to wild playoff what-ifs and purchasing a pile of “glow mats” live on-air, it’s everything a football fan could hope for as the regular season comes down to the wire.

If you want to catch up before Week 18 and understand why the NFC South is going to break everyone’s playoff simulator, this is your playbook.

For more PMT episodes, visit Barstool - Pardon My Take.