PTI Podcast Summary

Episode: How Impressive Were the Lions?
Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon
Special Guest: Jeff Saturday (ESPN NFL Analyst)

Episode Overview

The episode centers on the Detroit Lions’ impressive road win over the Baltimore Ravens, dissecting the victory’s significance and what it means for both teams going forward. Tony and Mike also discuss the struggling Baltimore Ravens, a tight AL Central baseball race, and bring on Jeff Saturday for expert analysis on the NFL’s latest storylines — from Derrick Henry’s fumbles, Nick Bosa’s season-ending injury, to the surprising 3–0 Colts. The panel also briefly touches on noteworthy news from major sports leagues and includes classic PTI banter.

Main Segments & Key Insights

1. Detroit Lions Big Win Over Ravens (00:58–04:26)

• Jared Goff’s Leadership: Tony recaps the Lions’ win, highlighting their offensive stats—Jared Goff (20/28, 202 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT), David Montgomery (151 rushing yards, 2 TDs), and Jameer Gibbs (67 rushing yards, 2 TDs).
• Wilbon’s Analysis:

  “When you have that defense healthy… they want to pound you. The score doesn’t say they pounded Baltimore, but they pounded Baltimore.” — Mike Wilbon [01:45]
  Emphasized the Lions’ physicality, crediting Montgomery’s “toughness” that the team feeds off, and their success running the ball.

• Historical Context:

  “They have scored 90 points in the last two games. There was a Lions team that did that as recently as, hello, 1962." — Tony Kornheiser [02:50] Tony draws parallels to Lions history and notes their quick turnaround after a shaky week 1.

• Playoff Outlook:

  “When it gets time to the Wilbon power rankings in the NFC, you have to put the Lions once again in the top three or four, right?” — Tony Kornheiser [03:56] The panel agrees Detroit looks like a legitimate NFC contender after an early stumble.

2. Baltimore Ravens’ Troubles (04:26–07:38)

• Soft Defense and Turnovers:

  “Lamar Jackson was sacked seven times... The defensive line was non-existent… Baltimore has now given up… 96 points. That's the second worst in the NFL.” — Tony Kornheiser [04:43]

• Key Player Issues:

  “Derrick Henry's fumbled three times in 43 touches this year. In 2023 and 2024, he fumbled three times as well in 694 touches.” — Tony Kornheiser [05:03]

• Lamar Jackson’s Explosiveness:

  “I wonder looking at Lamar Jackson last night, if he's lost his burst… Is it possible that seven years in, with all the hits… he’s lost that magical burst?” — Mike Wilbon [06:05] Wilbon raises concerns about Jackson’s athletic peak, noting he was caught from behind several times.

3. AL Central Baseball Showdown: Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians (07:38–10:29)

• Division Race: Detroit lead shrank from 15.5 games to just one; Detroit’s epic collapse parallels the Mets, while Cleveland’s surge is historic.

  “Detroit has fallen like the Mets. And nobody in the world would expect Cleveland to be 15 and 2 at this point.” — Tony Kornheiser [09:39]

• Wilbon’s Sentiment:

  “The air is not turning cool here in the Midwest… but it’s just great to see Cleveland and Detroit playing each other.” — Mike Wilbon [07:59]

• Pitching vs. Hitting:

  “They can’t hit Mike. They’re 30th in batting average… but they can pitch… they’ve allowed 34 runs in the last 19 games.” — Tony Kornheiser [09:39]

4. Five Good Minutes with Jeff Saturday (12:46–19:20)

A. Derrick Henry and RB Fumbles (13:12)

• Saturday’s Perspective:

  “What you're more concerned with is that doubts creep into his head… but as an offensive lineman… you want to fight with him to get through this.” — Jeff Saturday [13:12] O-linemen maintain faith in Henry: his identity as a “Hall of Famer” and “freight train” keeps trust high amid struggles.

B. Impact of Nick Bosa’s Injury on 49ers (14:18)

• Defining ‘Closers’:

  “You have pass rushers… and you got closers. And Bosa is… in the closer category… It’s a sigh of relief for offensive linemen.” — Jeff Saturday [14:40] Bosa’s absence is a massive relief for opponents and a major blow to the Niners’ defense.

C. Houston Texans’ Offensive Line Woes (15:58)

• Systemic Problems:

  “This is when the idea of just players are going to fix a problem… Organization as a whole… has not done a good job of placing protection at the forefront.” — Jeff Saturday [16:16]

• On C.J. Stroud Getting Hit:

  “Stroud is an absolute stud… but he gets hit a ton… you start making bad decisions because bad things creep in your mind.” — Jeff Saturday [16:16]

D. Colts’ Surprising 3–0 Start (17:42)

• Sustainable Success?:

  “At every position they're good, at some positions they're great… When you have that and Daniel Jones is executing at a high level, it is sustainable.” — Jeff Saturday [18:05]

• Playoff Prediction:

  “Absolutely, I got 'em in. South champs, baby. Let's go.” — Jeff Saturday [19:20]

5. Rapid-fire News & PTI Banter (21:37–26:09)

• WNBA Shoutout:
  Nafisa Collier’s 29th birthday; impressive season with the Minnesota Lynx [21:37].

  “She has spent her entire WNBA career in Minnesota, where she was Rookie of the Year in 2019, Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and a five time All Star, Collier averaged a personal best 22.9 points per game this regular season.” — Tony Kornheiser [21:40]

• NFL Nostalgia:
  Dave Krieg’s improbable NFL journey [22:50]
• Giants QB Change:
  Russell Wilson benched for rookie Jackson Dart after struggles [24:13].
• Coaching Moves and Baseball’s ABS:
  Oklahoma State fires Mike Gundy, Liberty part ways with Sandy Brondello, MLB rolling out automated ball-strike challenge next season.
• PTI Banter:

  “You fire a championship winning coach.” — Mike Wilbon [26:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wilbon on the Lions’ resurgence:
  "They want to run the ball. They want to pound you… and they play well when they can flex in that way.” [01:45]
• Kornheiser on judgments after week one:
  "There is an ebb and flow to a season… you have to put the Lions once again in the top three or four, right?" [02:50, 03:56]
• Wilbon on the Ravens’ lost identity:
  "This is the franchise of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed… This is not a franchise where people go up and down like a track meet." [06:05]
• Jeff Saturday on Derrick Henry:
  “The guy is a freight train. He’s a bring your own blocker.” [13:12]
• Jeff Saturday on Nick Bosa:
  “There are a lot of really good pass rushers, but guys who close in those moments… game on the line… Bosa is in the closer category.” [14:40]
• Saturday predicts playoffs for Colts:
  “South champs, baby. Let’s go.” [19:20]

Important Timestamps

• 00:58: Start of discussion on Lions’ win over Ravens
• 02:50: Kornheiser puts Lions' offensive surge in historical context
• 04:26: Shift to Baltimore Ravens' struggles
• 06:05: Wilbon questions Lamar Jackson’s athletic decline
• 07:38: AL Central showdown analysis
• 12:46: Start of “Five Good Minutes” with Jeff Saturday
• 13:12: Derrick Henry’s fumble struggles from lineman’s perspective
• 14:40: Impact of Nick Bosa’s injury
• 16:16: Houston Texans offensive line issues
• 17:42: Sustainability of Colts’ undefeated start
• 21:37: "Happy Time" segment: WNBA, NFL, baseball nostalgia
• 24:13: Giants change quarterback; Jackson Dart in for Russell Wilson
• 25:02: Lightning round of coaching and sports news

Tone and Style

• Conversational, witty, and sometimes irreverent.
• Wilbon brings the passionate, fan-centric perspective; Kornheiser the dry, historical, and analytical one.
• Jeff Saturday—measured, practical, and insightful as a former player and analyst.

For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode offers a detailed and engaging discussion of the NFL’s shifting landscape through the lens of one big Lions win and several compelling team storylines. The conversation includes historical perspective, deep player analysis, and expert opinions. Even non-football fans will appreciate the hosts’ chemistry, sharp banter, and knowledge, plus a fun look at late-season baseball and fast-paced wrap-ups of news across sports.