Pardon My Take - Episode Summary

Podcast: Pardon My Take

Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports)
Episode: NFL With Fred Smoot In Studio, Week 3 Picks And Preview, Bills Start 3-0 + Fyre Fest Of The Week
Date: September 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively episode brings ex-NFL cornerback Fred Smoot into the studio for a candid interview about the state of the NFL following Week 3 action, including big storylines like the Bills’ 3-0 start. The hosts dissect Thursday Night Football, deep dive into their weekly picks and betting trends, discuss backup quarterback turmoil, and offer up classic PMT banter about the best and worst of sports and pop culture. Fyre Fest wraps up the week with some personal misadventures—mostly, car trouble—as always, with laughs and self-deprecation.

Key Discussion Points & Notable Segments

1. Thursday Night Football Recap: Bills vs. Dolphins

• Bills start the season 3-0 after a controlled win over the Dolphins.
• The crew analyze Tua Tagovailoa’s struggles, Miami’s surprising competitiveness, and praise the Bills' offensive line.
  • “The Bills are in that mode that they don’t have to play perfect and they can still just kind of casually beat you by 10 points.” (Big Cat, 05:56)
• Tua’s disappointing stat line is mocked with the trademark PMT flare.
  • “It was the classic Tua... I'm just going to throw it right to him.” (Memes, 04:01)
• Discussion of viral moments from the game (e.g., shirtless Bills fans) with signature Barstool irreverence.

⏰ [04:00–10:30]

2. NFL Week 3 Big Picture: Upstarts, Quarterback Mayhem, and Matchup Previews

• Backup QBs making headlines: Jake Browning, Carson Wentz, Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, among others, are all likely to start.
• Discussion of Bills' offensive versatility, concerns with injuries (e.g., Matt Milano), and whether they need a star gamebreaker at receiver.
• Dolphins’ fight after a rough start gets the crew’s respect (but not their betting dollars).

Notable Stat:

• “0-2 teams vs 1-1 teams are 70% against the spread since 2010. There’s some juicy ones!” (Big Cat, 27:00)

⏰ [10:30–28:30]

3. In-Studio Guest: Fred Smoot - Unfiltered NFL and Life Talk

• Comfortable with Commanders’ backup Mariota: “As much as I'm worried, I know we got a gatekeeper, and when you have a gatekeeper, you have a chance.” (Fred Smoot, 95:08)
• On QB injuries: Fred reassures Commanders fans that the new turf at FedEx will help, and shares advice gained from his own career.
• Smoot’s take on defensive back “kisses” (celebrating overthrown balls you had no business breaking up): “That means we were kissed by the football gods. We didn’t do everything right... and you see us don’t hesitate. We talking trash like it was locked down coverage.” (Fred Smoot, 111:25)
• Hates pumpkin, loves sweet potato pie, rants about American seasonal traditions.
• Riffs on defensive celebrations, the importance of DB trash talk, and dealing with adversity in the NFL.

Memorable Smoot quote:

• “You just gotta get the first win. We don’t care how—hell, the hot water, just get the first win... It feels like you’ll never win again.” (Fred Smoot, 101:23)

⏰ [94:12–130:35]

4. Week 3 NFL Game Previews, Betting Trends & Picks

• The crew go game-by-game with a blend of stats, wild predictions, and fantasy talk.
• Quotes:
  • “Regression to the mean game. I don’t know if the Titans win, but I think they cover—division dog at home.” (Big Cat, 32:19)
  • “Carson Wentz: He does stupid shit, and it’s funny. And if he’s good, that’d be awesome.” (Max, 37:29)
• Trends: Overdogs have dominated early in the season; they search for juicy underdogs and “hungry dog runs faster” team picks.
• Sneaky fantasy nugget: “Josh Jacobs has scored a touchdown in 11 straight games.” (Big Cat, 30:18)
• Discussion of injury reports, matchups with backup QBs, and coaching narratives (including the possible regression of rookie head coaches).

⏰ [28:14–94:00]

5. Fantasy Minute & Off-the-Rails PMT Banter

• Jerry’s Fantasy Minute: Absurd “advice” like “Stream Caleb Williams because the Dallas D sucks” and “Pick up Najee Harris, his eye is better!”—satirical gold as usual.
• Extended digression on the eternal “tits vs. butts” argument, Halloween as peak ‘boob day’, and what makes talking about bodies timeless and cross-generational:
  • “If I ever come into a day and I’m like, ‘hey guys, you know what? I don’t like tits,’ put a bolt in my head.” (Big Cat, 16:44)

⏰ [91:06–94:00; 16:05–18:30]

6. Fyre Fest of the Week: The Gang’s Car Troubles & Petty Personal Fails

• Hank’s gym bag is stolen from his car
• PFT falls for a classic parking-lot dent removal scam: “I got got. My car’s still dented, still scratched, and I’m out $250.” (PFT, 139:34)
• Zach is denied van insurance due to admitting his “four accidents”—with the team hilariously grilling him about his driving history.
• Max struggles with dieting and, comically, the perils of “not being able to not drink 20-30 beers” during football season.
• Multiple dental horror stories, wisdom teeth issues, weight-loss woes.
• Classic PMT self-effacing humor makes even the L’s sound entertaining.

⏰ [132:00–147:47]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The Bills are in that mode that they don’t have to play perfect and they can still just kind of casually beat you by 10 points.”
  Big Cat, [05:56]

• “Carson Wentz: He does stupid shit and it’s funny. And if he’s good, it would be awesome.”
  Max, [37:29]

• On defensive back luck:
  “That means we were kissed by the football gods. We didn’t do everything right... and you see us don't hesitate. We talking trash like it was locked down coverage.”
  Fred Smoot, [111:25]

• “If I ever come into a day and I’m like, ‘hey guys, you know what? I don’t like tits,’ put a bolt in my head.”
  Big Cat, [16:44]

• “I got got. My car’s still dented, still scratched, and I’m out $250.”
  PFT, [139:34]

• “0-2 teams vs 1-1 teams are 70% against the spread since 2010. There’s some juicy ones!”
  Big Cat, [27:00]

• Fred Smoot on backup QBs:
  “When you got a three-layer cake, you can eat the top layer before you eat the second one. Everything will be okay... Mariota layer tastes just as good as the Jaden layer for a short time.”
  Fred Smoot, [95:08]

Episode Highlights

• Fred Smoot’s storytelling and trademark metaphors ("three-layer cake," "defensive back kiss," "beauty queen with a dead tooth") are a treat. The pumpkin rant should be an annual tradition.
• Extensive, stats-heavy game preview and sharp betting discussion—especially on backup QBs and historic trends.
• Gut-busting “Fyre Fest” segment, especially the saga of car mishaps, from stolen gym bags to falling for a dent repair scam and Zach’s insurance-denying record.
• The gang’s irreverent takes on sports, pop culture, and bodily priorities make for PMT at its most unfiltered.
• Underneath the comedy, nuanced football analysis: matchup breakdowns, injury impacts, and how locker room psychology works when teams are 0-2 or 0-3.

Useful Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bills/Dolphins Recap: [04:00–10:30]
• NFL Big Picture, Backup QBs: [10:30–28:30]
• Game-by-Game Preview: [28:14–94:00]
• Fred Smoot Interview: [94:12–130:35]
• Fyre Fest Segment: [132:00–147:47]
• Fantasy Minute: [91:06–94:00]

Final Thoughts

This episode perfectly captures what makes PMT a cult favorite: sharp NFL analysis, a packed studio of personalities, and the ability to pivot seamlessly from All-22 breakdowns to over-the-top rants about Halloween, fantasy football, and life’s endless small disasters. Fred Smoot steals the show with expert insight and pure entertainment value, while the hosts deliver their offbeat—but sneakily sharp—commentary on everything happening in the NFL and beyond.

For anyone who missed it, this episode has you covered from the Thursday night highlights to the deep cuts of NFL backup quarterbacks, with enough inside jokes, stats, personal stories, and smutty tangents to keep you laughing the rest of football weekend.