PTI: "Rams vs Seahawks, An Absolute Thriller!"

Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & Michael Wilbon

Episode Overview

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon dive into one of the NFL games of the year—the wild overtime battle between the Rams and Seahawks. The duo breaks down the controversial two-point conversions, playoff implications, and what the result means for both franchises. The show then pivots to other big NFL storylines for the coming weekend and discusses the opening of the College Football Playoff. Later segments touch on Nikola Jokic’s NBA record, a quirky Golf Channel event, and a roundup of sports news and memorable moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rams vs Seahawks: The Overtime Thriller

[01:14 – 05:30]

• Game Recap

  • The Seahawks rallied from a 16-point deficit (their largest ever overcome) to beat the Rams 38–37 in overtime.
  • Seattle’s win comes with two crucial two-point conversions, one of which was highly controversial.
  • The win temporarily made Seattle the #1 seed in the NFC, while the loss pushed the Rams down to the fifth spot.

• Wilbon’s Take:

  • “That was fabulous to me. I mean, that's the game of the year. It really is…the way it progressed…Stafford having played beautifully through the whole game, right through overtime...his MVP credentials did not suffer because his team lost last night. He put them in the end zone and gave them a team a lead in OT.” (01:46)
  • Emphasizes that performances in close losses don’t count for much in NFL playoff seeding: "Doesn't matter who you think the better team is, the win counts for Seattle." (02:42)

• Kornheiser’s Take:

  • Points out the bizarre two-point conversion in which "every single player thought that was a dead ball…then you get this deus ex machina call from the booth." (03:09)
  • Notes how NFL’s partnership with betting makes such decisions impactful: “It changes the entire betting component because the Rams are one and a half point favorite and they would have covered...the league, all leagues now have partners who are involved in betting. So it does matter.” (03:26)
  • Praises Sam Darnold for resilience despite turnovers: “It's a miracle win for Seattle being down 16 with nine to go.” (03:50)

• Debating the Rams’ Identity in Close Games:

  • Wilbon: “When you lose close games, that's what you are, you're a loser of close games. It's three of them. I don't want to hear from the Rams. They keep losing close games.” (04:46)
  • Kornheiser pushes back, arguing that the Rams are still a potential Super Bowl team: "I still think they're a Super Bowl team." (12:30)

• Controversial Call Analysis:

  • Both hosts agree the right call was made on the field but acknowledge the confusion it caused:
    • Kornheiser: “Not a single player on the field thought that was anything but a dead ball. Brush up dead ball is what they thought.” (05:23)
    • Wilbon: “The angle we had initially makes it look like a backward pass...not a single player. That's the right call.” (05:09)

NFL Week 16 Preview

[05:30 – 08:53]

• Marquee Matchups:

  • Packers at Bears (historic rivalry and huge divisional stakes)
  • Buccaneers vs Panthers for the NFC South lead
  • Jaguars vs Broncos (AFC leaders face off)
  • Steelers vs Lions and Patriots vs Ravens

• Tony's Picks:

  • Most intrigued by Jaguars at Broncos: “I had no idea that Jacksonville would be 10 and 4 at this point in the season...They've won 11 in a row. I had no expectations of that.” (06:06)
  • Surprised that the winner could make it to the Super Bowl.

• Wilbon’s Take:

  • Zeroes in on his hometown Bears: “Nobody had the Bears being this far along this season with Ben Johnson in his first season and Caleb Williams in his first season under Ben Johnson.” (07:27)
  • On the Bears-Packers rivalry: “Two teams that plain don't like each other…this thing is really good. Nobody had the Bears being this far along.” (07:27)

College Football Playoff Preview

[08:53 – 11:55]

• Tonight: Alabama at Oklahoma (rematch; Alabama seeking redemption after prior loss)

• Saturday:

  • Miami vs Texas A&M at noon
  • Tulane vs Ole Miss at 3:30
  • James Madison vs Oregon at 7:30

• Wilbon's Focus:

  • “Tony, it's tonight. It's Alabama and Oklahoma…I’m sort of rooting for Alabama because I don't want the storyline of my God and half the people in the state want Kaylen DeBoer out…that game's got all the intrigue.” (09:08)

• Tony's Analysis:

  • "You never count Alabama out…Now, I walk into this trio of games on Saturday and I think to myself, I don't give any chance in the world to Tulane or to James Madison." (10:13)
  • On Miami/Texas A&M: “I would like to call the Notre Dame Bowl, because these are the only two teams that beat Notre Dame all season.” (10:40)
  • Notes potential for upsets as historically rare; last year home teams dominated by 77 points aggregate.

• Wilbon Counters:

  • “Don't count Tulane out of this. I think if there's going to be an upset, out of the four games, it would be Tulane beating [Ole Miss].” (11:55)

Rapid Fire: Pro Basketball & Golf

[14:28 – 18:10]

Nikola Jokic’s Assist Record

• Tony: “It’s amazing. Jokic is in his 11th season. Kareem played 20 seasons...Jokic just passed him...He's a seven footer. You do not expect him to be like Tiny Archibald, Mike.” (14:35)
• Wilbon: “It is. It's evolutionary...Steph Curry is the primary person in this basketball evolution...but it's not seven plus a game...I don't know that Kyrie Irving…has ever averaged 7.4 assists a game, which I think is what the Joker is averaging.” (15:19)

Golf Channel Team Relay

• Tony: “Totally cool…there were teams out there and they were trying to complete a hole as quickly as possible…they complete a par four in 28 seconds...They humanize the golfers. And they're at night and they're under lights. And I like them.” (16:33, 17:00)
• Wilbon: “I don't like them. But I gotta come up with a word. It's counterculture…When I go play golf, I want peace. I don't want to run anywhere...so what? It's just fun. So fun.” (17:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tony on officiating and sports betting:
  “You get this deus ex machina call from the booth...it changes the entire betting component...the league, all leagues now have partners who are involved in betting. So it does matter.” (03:26)

• Wilbon on the Rams:
  “When you lose close games, that's what you are, you're a loser of close games. It's three of them. I don't want to hear from the Rams. They keep losing close games.” (04:46)

• Tony on Jokic’s achievement:
  “At the moment, he is 28 assists behind Larry Bird, probably the greatest frontcourt passer ever...He leads the league in assists. It's totally amazing.” (14:55)

• Tony on Bears-Packers rivalry:
  “You wanted to see the Chicago Bears one last time before they became the Indiana Bears.” (06:16)

• Wilbon channeling old-school sports fan:
  “Young dopes have no idea how great and unstoppable Kevin McHale was…All you gotta do is look at the tapes. Go to YouTube. Young Dopes…” (21:15)

Additional Quick Hits

• Puka Nakua Fined:
  “Puka Nkua fined $25,000 for criticizing the officials. Fair? …Wait till he gets this week's. It should be 100. He's a great player and an irritant." (23:40)

• Big Finish Segment

  • Luka Doncic’s huge stat line: “Everything about the Lakers is impressive right now.” (24:02)
  • Arch Manning to take a college pay cut to help transfers/retain talent: “Absolutely makes sense…he’s not the kind of pro that Tom Brady was when Tom Brady manipulated salaries like that.” (24:18)
  • Jake Paul fighting Anthony Joshua: “I want Joshua to crush him.” (24:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rams-Seahawks Breakdown: 01:14 – 05:30
• NFL Week 16 Preview: 05:30 – 08:53
• College Football Playoff Preview: 08:53 – 11:55
• Jokic Assist Record: 14:28 – 15:19
• Golf Channel Relay Event: 16:27 – 17:45
• NBA/WNBA/Notable Moments: 20:30 – 23:40
• Big Finish Rapid Fire: 23:56 – End

Tone & Style

The episode is brisk, witty, and true to the PTI tradition—hosts quickly pivot between humorous ribbing and sharp sports analysis, never taking themselves too seriously but always showing their depth of understanding and appreciation for the games.

For New Listeners

If you missed it, this episode is a classic PTI blend: a heated and insightful breakdown of one of the wildest NFL games of the year, spirited debate about what really matters for the Rams, sharp previews of the college football and NFL weekend, and rapid-fire takes on everything from Nik Jokic’s place in history to the weirdness of golf’s latest TV gimmicks. A must-listen if you love both the serious and the silly sides of sports talk.