PTI: “Gridiron Chaos: Wildcard Shockwaves, Eagles Collapse, and Hoosier's Football”

Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon
Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon bring their trademark banter and sharp sports commentary to a high-stakes postseason. This episode dissects a wild NFL Wild Card weekend, focusing on the shocking collapse of the Philadelphia Eagles against the underdog 49ers, Josh Allen’s heroic effort for the Bills, and the resilience of Wilbon’s Chicago Bears. They also marvel at Indiana’s historic football surge and break down the Cubs’ big off-season move. The tone is feisty, opinionated, and playful, classic PTI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Wild Card: 49ers Upset Eagles in Philadelphia

• Setting the Scene: The 49ers defeated the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles in Philadelphia, 23-19, breaking Philly’s five-game home playoff win streak. San Francisco lost star TE George Kittle to injury yet scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to secure the win. The Eagles faltered on a key fourth-and-11 late in the game.
• Tony’s Take (00:26): Tony frames the discussion: “What is the focus? 49ers win or Eagles lose?”
• Wilbon’s Response (01:05): Wilbon aims more ire at the Eagles, tired of their “drama” and hailing the injury-ridden 49ers:
  “I’m tired of them. I grew tired of them two or three weeks ago… No, the 49ers are to be admired... Shanahan is coach of the year.” (01:05)
• Tony’s Analysis (02:03):
  “I had this completely wrong. I thought the Eagles were going to win comfortably… In the second half they got nothing. Like every week.”
• Eagles’ Second-Half Collapse: Tony notes Philly averages just 9.5 second-half points and again struggled, only scoring 6.
• The Trick Play (02:45): Tony credits the 49ers for a creative Jauan Jennings-to-McCaffrey option pass, which Wilbon likens to Willie Mays: “If he had a glove, it would have been Willie Mays.” (03:14)
• Eagles’ Wideout Failures: Both hosts pile on AJ Brown (“get out already... you can’t win with him, no more with him, not this year,” Wilbon, 03:37) and other receivers for critical drops.

Notable Stat:

• Christian McCaffrey has scored a TD in all eight of his playoff games, a new NFL record to start a career (03:51).

2. Bills Over Jaguars: Josh Allen’s Heroics

• The Game: Bills beat the streaking Jaguars 27-24 for Allen’s first road playoff win.
• Tony’s Admiration (04:37):
  “Yesterday, the Bills had nothing other than Josh Allen... He willed them to win and then he executed that. He put his body on the line.”
• Allen’s Grit (05:10): Describes Allen battling through injuries and running a key 10-yard QB sneak:
  “Who makes 10 yards on a quarterback sneak?”
• Historic Context: Tony recalls the last Bills road playoff win was against Dan Marino in ’92 (05:21).
• Wilbon’s Credit (06:10):
  “Josh Allen was a beast... The Jaguars did not play poorly… but Josh Allen, man, all praise.”
• Patriots-Chargers: Hosts agree Patriots’ win was expected; Herbert and the Chargers again flop in playoffs, raising doubts about Herbert’s clutch potential.
• Justin Herbert Playoff Stats: Now 0-3 with 2 TDs, 4 INTs (05:44).
• Wilbon’s Judgment:
  “I’m not throwing Justin Herbert out. Right. I mean, there’s some teams that would.” (07:04)

3. Miracle Bears vs. Rams: Who’s For Real?

• Rams' Narrow Win & Stafford’s MVP Case: Rams outlast Panthers with a last-minute Stafford TD to tight end Colby Parkinson.
• Wilbon’s Bears (07:48): Despite trailing 21-3, the Bears rally again—marking their seventh win this season after trailing in the last minute.
• Wilbon’s Marvel (09:01):
  “It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen... Every week, it’s something where... now we gotta go further this week, a bigger margin of deficit and we’re going to win it that way.”
• Rams’ Credentials: Stafford as MVP candidate, Puka Nakua as offensive player of the year, but doubts about “concentration level” against weaker teams.
• Tony’s Reality Check:
  “All things being equal, I am more impressed with the Rams... but in the fourth quarter, I thought they were going to lose in Carolina… and then Matthew Stafford, who, yes, I think is the MVP this year, acted like the MVP.” (09:38)
• Stafford’s Last Drive: 6 of 7, 71 yards, game-winner with 38 seconds left; motivational quote to teammates:
  “Let’s go snatch these guys' hearts.” (09:38)
• Weather Factor: Bears may wrest an edge from freezing home conditions (10:20).

4. Indiana’s “Unbelievable” Football Surges

• Tony’s Word: Unbelievable (13:08):
  “They went over 100 years, loss after loss after loss… This year, they rolled. You want to talk about roll tide? They rolled Alabama 38-3… Then they rolled Oregon 56-22.”
• “Movie Script” Season: Wilbon calls it “fictional and cinematic” (14:22), stressing how Indiana—not Notre Dame—are the “ones pounding people.”
• Stat of the Year: Indiana’s plus-minus in 15 games is “plus 473. That’s not possible... It’s unbelievable.” (13:44)
• Mendoza’s Efficiency: IU’s Fernando Mendoza has more playoff TDs (8) than incompletions (5).
• Big Ten Perspective: Wilbon roots for IU, given their historical futility:
  “There’s only now officially one school that has more losses.” (15:37)

5. MLB Free Agency: Bregman to Cubs, Sox Shorthanded

• Wilbon’s Reaction (15:57):
  “Cubs going to get Bregman, I was angry... but now we have an infield of Bregman, Swanson, Horner and Michael Bush, which is probably the best defensive infield in baseball and may just be the best infield...”
• Tony’s Take (17:13):
  “This feels sort of like a promise… When you say to Craig Counsel, you leave Milwaukee and you come to the Cubs and we will make sure... Bregman is the real deal. He’s got rings and this is an important thing.”
• Wilbon, Excited:
  “I’m not going to turn my nose at Bregman, who apparently is a massive influence on the field and in the clubhouse… Very excited.” (17:46)

6. Rapid Fire: Other Sports Tidbits

• Brooks Koepka Returns: Golfer re-enters PGA Tour after LIV stint (22:03).
• Quarterbacks Carousel: LSU expected to land Arizona State QB Sam Levitt; Dylan Raiola to Oregon (23:13).
• Notable College Football Lawsuit: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambers sues NCAA for sixth year of eligibility (23:35).
• Vanderbilt Basketball Futility: Both men’s and women’s teams are winless (23:45).
• Wildcard Preview: Split picks—Tony likes the Texans, Wilbon the Steelers, but acknowledges Rodgers wants to prove himself at age 42 (23:59).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Wilbon: “I’m tired of [the Eagles]... Just get out of our lives and let a team go out there who has one injured player after another… the 49ers are to be admired.” (01:05)

Tony: “They [Eagles] are averaging not 9.5 points in the second half and this time they only got six.” (02:45)

Tony: “Christian McCaffrey… has scored in all eight of his playoff games… the longest streak of anybody to start their career in the NFL in history.” (03:51)

Wilbon: “It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen. It is. It’s amazing. They win every week, every week...” (09:01)

Tony: “Indiana… This year they rolled. You want to talk about roll tide? They rolled Alabama 38–3… plus-minus in 15 games for Indiana this year is plus 473. That’s not possible... It’s unbelievable.” (13:44)

Wilbon: “I’m not going to turn my nose at Bregman, who apparently is a massive influence on the field and in the clubhouse. Very excited.” (17:46)

Tony: “This feels sort of like a promise… Bregman is the real deal. He’s got rings and this is an important thing.” (17:13)

Stafford’s Leadership: “Let’s go snatch these guys’ hearts.” — Matthew Stafford, relayed by Tony (09:38)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening/Eagles-49ers: 00:26–04:13
• Bills, Patriots, Chargers: 04:13–07:14
• Bears & Rams, Comebacks: 07:48–11:12
• Indiana Football “Unbelievable”: 13:08–15:51
• Baseball: Cubs, Sox, Bregman: 15:57–18:28
• Quick Hits/Happy Time/Miscellaneous: 20:13–24:15
• Wildcard Game Preview: 23:58–24:15

Tone & Style

Classic PTI interplay: sharp, candid, and laced with humor and nostalgia. Wilbon is hopeful but critical of long-suffering teams (his Bears, the Cubs), Tony is analytical yet quick with dry jokes. Both hosts escalate their passion when discussing favorite teams, viral plays, and historic moments.

This recap delivers the full flavor and detail of a heated NFL playoff weekend, captures the unlikely magic of Indiana football’s run, and lets fans ride along for every emotional swing—from a “damnedest” Bears comeback to the hope of a rebuilt Cubs infield. If you missed the episode, you’ve got all the storylines, context, critiques, and the best PTI zingers right here.