Pardon My Take — NFL Week 8 Recap

Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter
Air Date: October 27, 2025
Episode Theme: A whirlwind recap of NFL Week 8, with the hosts breaking down every game (and plenty of chaos), plus baseball World Series thoughts, the emotional Jets win, Brian Kelly's firing, league-wide narratives, and Who’s Back of the Week.

Overview

This episode dives into Week 8 of the NFL season—a week the hosts graded as “not the best” due to blowouts, limited excitement, and six teams on a bye. Despite the lackluster slate, Big Cat and PFT Commenter bring PMT’s signature controlled chaos: comic “Fastest 2 Minutes” recaps, deep dives on notable games (especially the Jets’ emotional first win), stories of questionable owners, a spirited baseball discussion, and the latest on college coaching drama.

Fastest 2 Minutes: Poetic NFL Recap

[02:59–09:24]
The opening signature “Fastest 2 Minutes” segment is stuffed with wordplay, running jokes, and quick-hit takeaways from every early NFL matchup. Each game gets its moment, painting a satirical but vivid picture of Sunday’s action.

“...as Halloween comes around, the 49ers backup QB is turning back into a maca lantern, leaving the ball early to go pick or treating...” — [04:33, C]

Memorable moments include:

• Bears vs. Ravens: Ravens D clamps down, “making the Bears look like a high school team coached by Steve Martin.” [03:02]
• Texans vs. 49ers: Texans “looking lively,” Houston 26, 49ers 15.
• Pats vs. Browns: Boisterous recaps stacked with innuendo and shoutouts to “Popcorn” Garrett.
• Jets vs. Bengals: Jets get a raucous game-winner; Bengals “coaching career probably over now.”
• Bills vs. Panthers: Bills dominate, send a message to the Chiefs for next week.
• Dolphins vs. Falcons: Tua’s visor, wild penalties, “crazy game of poker.”
• Saints vs. Bucs: Quirky as ever, including a “Mall of America-sized pick” and musical puns.
• Eagles vs. Giants: Recap set to a classic rock song parody—pure PMT.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Jets 39, Bengals 38: An Emotional Win

[11:08–14:51]

• Nick Mangold Tribute: Show regular and Jets fan “Memes” is visibly emotional after the Jets’ first win, coinciding with the shocking, sad news of former Jets center Nick Mangold’s passing.
  • “The Jets came out looking bad...but they won the Nick Mangold game.” — Memes [12:14]
  • Big Cat and PFT share personal Mangold stories, calling for organ donor awareness in tribute:

    “You should be an organ donor. You could save a life.” — Big Cat [13:38]

• Jets’ Math Guy Moment: Celebrating coach Aaron Glenn’s in-game analytics, particularly going for two while down 14—a move debated (and usually shunned) by the old guard:
  • “Aaron Glenn’s a math guy. When it comes to two-point conversions, he understands the math.” – PFT [15:47]
• On-Field Turnaround: Jets score 502 yards, with a late-game comeback led by Breece Hall and a trick-play TD.
  • “This was just the Jets’ day.” – Memes [17:11]

Ownership & Locker Room

• Woody Johnson Roasted: After awkward quotes about “empathy” with players, the hosts flame Johnson for being out of touch:

  • “That's a long way of saying I do the bare minimum as a human being.” – Big Cat [20:20]
  • [Extended riff on empathy vs. sympathy (20:50–22:59)]

• Locker Room Dynamics: The co-hosts ponder if bad ownership actually unified the locker room “like in Major League.” Big Cat quotes Justin Fields on tough times, humorously showing Fields' candor and resilience.

Bengals’ Defensive Collapse

• Bengals’ historic inability to stop the Jets; their locker room frustration highlights team dysfunction.

Week 8: Overall Impressions

[10:18–10:41][24:45-25:02][129:22–132:22]

• Hosts give NFL Week 8 a low grade. Too many blowouts, a weak late afternoon slate, and only one one-score game all day (Jets/Bengals).
  • “On a whole, this wasn’t an NFL Sunday to remember.” — Big Cat [129:40]
• Jets' win was the "story of the week," especially poignant for fans.
  • “It’s almost more special that you won in a week that was down for everyone else—this is your week.” – PFT [130:14]

Bears 16, Ravens 30: Struggles in Chicago

[30:14–35:58]

• Caleb Williams Under Fire:
  • Big Cat is concerned with his “feel for the game,” highlighting poor decision-making and reckless panicking under pressure.
  • “The command of a game, the great quarterbacks, you see it...He just hasn’t gotten that command down.” — Big Cat [42:18]
• Red Zone & Turnover Issues: Bears’ offense regresses, especially in the red zone; defense can’t bail them out every game.
• Perspective: While panicked fans overreact, Big Cat remains calm—he trusts Ben Johnson, advocating patience.
  • “I believe in Ben Johnson. He will decide if Caleb is his guy or not.” — Big Cat [46:25]

Other Game Highlights & Quick Takes

Eagles 38, Giants 20 [46:42–61:28]:

• Saquon Barkley’s big day, Jalen Hurts sharp, but most attention goes to WR A.J. Brown’s subtle social media fights and “middle school burn book” antics deleting tweets about Hurts.
  • “I side with AJ Brown. His only crime: too nice of a guy. I’ll demand a trade for him!” — PFT [51:44]
• Ref controversy ("tush push"), plus rare stats: Eagles start 6–2 or better in four straight seasons.
• Giants’ misery: Eight of the last nine years, NYG have only one or two wins after Week 8.

Texans 26, 49ers 15 [63:34–67:03]:

• Texans D line dominates a depleted 49ers. CJ Stroud looks the part when protected; 49ers miss star defenders.
• Note on absentee running backs: “Has anyone seen Joe Mixon?”

Patriots 32, Browns 13 [72:01–76:00]:

• Browns waste a historic five-sack game from Myles Garrett; quirky offense depends on failed gadget plays.
  • “When their gimmick plays ran out, we played pretty good defense.” — Mike Vrabel, [75:45]

Broncos 44, Cowboys 24:

• Broncos offense finally “puts a full game together.” Cowboys defense torched.
  • “The formula for the Cowboys is: if you sack Dak 2+ times, he self-destructs.” – Big Cat [111:31]

Dolphins 34, Falcons 10:

• Falcons fail to exploit Dolphins’ soft run defense, abandon run too soon.
  • “I can’t take [the Falcons] as a serious team after this game. You can’t lose 34–10 to the Dolphins.” – Big Cat [81:14]

Colts 38, Titans 14:

• Colts lauded as "the best team in the NFL right now.” Jonathan Taylor and Daniel Jones are unstoppable.
  • “Daniel Jones...every time he drops back, I’m expecting a very good play to happen.” — Big Cat [118:41]

Baseball World Series Check-in

[132:31–135:54]

• Heavy attention to the Blue Jays’ thrilling Friday grand slam; hosts revel in the rarity of a complete game.
  • “There’s something about a complete game...when a guy does it, something gets a little tingly.” — Big Cat [133:00]
• Jonas Brothers perform during a World Series game; debate over Max Scherzer’s role.
• Max admits his “Dodgers sweep” prediction is already wrong.
  • “Well, I said sweep...I was wrong.” — Max [135:54]

College Football: Brian Kelly Fired & Coaching Carousel

[139:53–149:47]

• LSUs Brian Kelly fired after season-ending disaster, with a $54M buyout.
  • “Brian Kelly, after screaming at every single person on the LSU sideline...gets fired. $54 million buyout.” — Big Cat [140:01]
• Roast of LSU (and former A&M) AD Scott Woodward for authoring $131M in buyouts.
• Wild speculation begins:
  • “Intrusive thought—have you thought about a world where Brian Kelly is the coach of the Wisconsin Badgers?” — PFT [142:13]; Big Cat reluctantly says he’d accept it.
  • Discussion of the “video game dream” of major job openings (LSU, Florida, Penn State, more).
  • Joe Brady, Lane Kiffin, and others floated for various jobs.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On empathy vs. sympathy (Woody Johnson):
  • “That’s a long way of saying I do the bare minimum as a human being.” — Big Cat [20:20]
• AJ Brown’s deleted tweets drama:
  • “He’s basically doing a middle school burn book.” — Big Cat [51:30]
• On Brian Dable’s sideline energy:
  • “Something about like, a bald short man just losing it...he has a little Bagel Boss energy.” — Big Cat [62:55]
• On Drake May:
  • “Patriots QB Drake May is now the fifth player in NFL history to produce 200+ passing yards and 100+ passer rating in seven consecutive games...joining Aaron Rodgers, Pat Mahomes, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning.” — Hank [77:52]
• On the worst Sunday slate in memory:
  • “On a whole, this wasn’t an NFL Sunday to remember.” — Big Cat [129:40]
  • “Every single game...was decided by double digits. Isn’t that crazy?” — Big Cat [131:23]

Key Timestamps

• Fastest 2 Minutes: [02:59–09:24]
• Jets/Bengals (Nick Mangold Tribute): [11:08–14:51]
• Woody Johnson/Epistemology of Empathy: [20:50–22:59]
• Bears/Ravens (Caleb Williams Struggles): [30:14–35:58]
• Eagles/Giants/Reffing/AJ Brown Meltdown: [46:42–61:28]
• Texans/49ers: [63:34–67:03]
• Patriots/Browns: [72:01–76:00]
• Broncos/Cowboys: [109:24–113:36]
• Colts/Titans and AFC Playoff Picture: [116:45–123:16]
• Packers/Steelers (Sunday Night Football): [123:13–129:22]
• World Series/Blue Jays: [132:31–135:54]
• Coaching Carousel, Brian Kelly Fired: [139:53–149:47]
• Who's Back of the Week: [139:53–153:47]

Tone & Language

The episode is loaded with rapid-fire banter, sarcasm, wordplay, and locker-room asides. Both hosts are self-aware, blending sharp analysis with ironic detachment and a running undercurrent of chaos, best captured by conversational tangents (Hank’s bachelor party), self-referential jokes, and fabricated segments (e.g., “fortune cookie or football talk” on Hurts’ pressers).

Final Thoughts

Despite (or because of) the lackluster Sunday, this episode of PMT delivers exactly what fans expect: sports talk that’s passionate, irreverent, and—through the sadness of Nick Mangold’s passing or the glee of a rare Jets win—sometimes touching. As always, the show closes with mock-serious debates and “Who’s Back of the Week,” sending listeners off with a mix of laughs, NFL insight, and more than a few inside jokes.

Quotables Recap:

• “This is where it starts—maybe they shouldn’t lose another game for the rest of the season.” (Jets fan optimism, [18:57])
• “I just need to see Caleb more comfortable. The command of the game—you see the great QBs, he hasn’t gotten that yet.” (Big Cat on Williams, [42:18])
• “He’s basically doing a middle school burn book.” (Big Cat on AJ Brown, [51:30])

For NFL diehards or PMT superfans, this episode is a classic: equal parts therapy, roast, and love letter to the absurdity of sports fandom.