PTI Podcast Summary

Episode: What Does Last Night Say About Joe Flacco and the Bengals?
Date: October 17, 2025
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & (guest) Frank Isola

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tony Kornheiser is joined by Frank Isola (subbing for Michael Wilbon) to break down the previous night's thrilling Bengals-Steelers game featuring a “battle of the geezer quarterbacks,” Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers. The duo also recaps pivotal MLB playoff matchups, debates about NFL quarterback performances, and delivers quick-hitting insights on the biggest sports headlines of the day.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bengals vs. Steelers: Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, and AFC North Implications

[01:17 - 04:19]

• Game Recap:

  • Bengals won with a last-second 36-yard field goal, 33-31.
  • Joe Flacco threw for 3 TDs and 342 yards, Ja'Marr Chase set a franchise record with 16 catches.
  • Aaron Rodgers tossed 4 TDs (but 2 INTs).

• Flacco’s Impact (Frank Isola):

  • “Flacco is terrific in a lot of ways. May have saved their season. He was smart…he found [the receivers] all game long.” [01:43]
  • “Chase could have had 25 catches. Rodgers was good too, but...Pittsburgh defense couldn't get a stop.” [01:43]

• Kornheiser’s Perspective:

  • “Cincinnati walked into this game with a minus 80 point differential, the worst in the league. Now Joe Flacco was not responsible for that.” [02:33]
  • “The exact numbers are 31 of 47 for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Those are not Jake Browning numbers. Those are Joe Burrow numbers.” [02:46]
  • “Flacco found Joe Burrow's favorite receiver more…because it's a franchise record.” [02:55]
  • “Rodgers…on the Hail Mary, he threw it almost 70 yards in the air. Who knew that he could do that?...very entertaining game.” [03:14]

• Division Impact:

  • “To get back to the central theme...we find out that Pittsburgh isn't that good… they let a 40-year-old guy who'd been in Cincinnati nine days riddle them.” [03:37]
  • “If I'm in Baltimore, I have a little bit of hope now because Pittsburgh's not going to run away with it.” [04:10]

• Notable Quote:

  • Frank on Pittsburgh’s declining defense:
    “Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blunt, Jack Lambert—they're not walking through that door. What happened to Pittsburgh? They're just not good enough.” [04:19]

2. MLB Playoffs: Blue Jays vs. Mariners – Toronto's Resurgence & Max Scherzer’s Performance

[05:14 - 08:03]

• Toronto’s Dominance:

  • “Toronto has a clear cut advantage right now…They have 17 home runs in eight playoff games.” (Kornheiser) [05:14]
  • “Vlad Guerrero...walked into game three of this series .07. He's got six hits in the previous two games...batting .455 with five home runs and 11 RBIs.” [05:55]

• Scherzer’s Big Night:

  • “The scene on the mound in the fifth inning is classic Max Scherzer…he was a bulldog in that moment.” (Isola) [06:23]
  • “That was his 500th career start...had not won a postseason game since the three games that he won when Washington won the World Series.” [06:58]

• Turning Points/Mistakes:

  • “What is Josh Naylor doing?...You never get the third out at third base. What was he doing?” (Isola) [07:10]

• Notable Quotes:

  • Kornheiser on Scherzer:
    “I've been calling Scherzer the warrior god for about 10 years, and I love him...the moment last night when he tells the manager, just get out of here. Just leave me alone. The manager quote afterwards was, 'I looked into his eyes, both colors, and I thought he was gonna kill me.'” [07:34]
  • “He made it a geezer trifecta last night. He joined Flacco and Rodgers and did well.” [07:52]

3. Dodgers vs. Brewers: Pitching, Smart Spending, and Playoff Execution

[08:04 - 11:11]

• Dodgers’ Pitching Dominance:

  • “Their pitching has been outstanding. But what is going on with the Milwaukee Brewers, who led the National League in batting average?...Milwaukee has nine hits and three runs [in the series].” (Isola) [08:22]

• Marginal Plays Define Games:

  • “It's those little things that Milwaukee's not hitting and they're not doing, the little things that help you win a game.” (Isola) [09:20]
  • “Look at the Dodgers and you think to yourself, this is the way you do it. You build for this moment in the postseason.” (Kornheiser) [10:12]

• Team-Building Praise:

  • “They spend it smartly. They go out, they get Ohtani, they get Sasaki, they get Yamamoto, they trade for Mookie Betts...Andrew Friedman is ahead of everybody else.” (Kornheiser) [09:20]

• Defensive Highlight:

  • “Mookie Betts...makes a great play in the top of the ninth inning, spins around...and throws a one bouncer to Freddie Freeman that may have saved the game.” (Kornheiser) [11:03]

4. NFL Quarterback Debates: Daniel Jones vs. Baker Mayfield

[13:14 - 15:39]

• Who’s More Likely to Keep Rolling?
  • Jones faced the Chargers (sixth-best pass D); Mayfield, the Lions (missing WRs, Lions angry off a loss).
  • “Daniel Jones has the best QBR in the entire league, 79.9.” (Kornheiser) [13:28]
  • “Baker Mayfield...Fourth most passing yards in the NFL. 12 TD passes, one INT...the toughness of Baker. These are the kind of games that help you win the MVP.” (Isola) [14:35]

5. NFL Rookie QB Toss-Up: Jackson Dart vs. Bo Nix

[15:39 - 17:43]

• The New York Hero Factor:

  • “If you become a heroic figure in New York, it lasts a long time…So right now, Jackson Dart and the other rookie, Cam Scatterboo, backflip. Everybody is loving them.” (Kornheiser) [15:44]

• Bo Nix’s Edge:

  • “I think Bo Nix right now is a better quarterback than Jackson Dart. I think the Denver Broncos are a better team. They lead the entire NFL in sacks with 30…” (Kornheiser) [16:15]

• Isola’s Local Flavor:

  • “Jackson Dart and Cam Scatterboo...the fans have absolutely fallen in love with the two of them…The way that he played against the Eagles tells me something.” [16:45]
  • “But I like Jackson Dart. I think it's going to get better because Denver a little misleading, especially those sack numbers…” [17:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Bengals “Geezer QB Battle”:

  • Kornheiser: “Those are not Jake Browning numbers. Those are Joe Burrow numbers.” [02:46]
  • Isola: “Mean Joe Greene, Mel Blunt, Jack Lambert—they're not walking through that door.” [04:19]

• On Scherzer’s Stare-Down:

  • Kornheiser: “I looked into his eyes, both colors, and I thought he was gonna kill me.” [07:38]

• On Dodgers’ Team Building:

  • Kornheiser: “Andrew Friedman is ahead of everybody else. There's no other way to look at it.” [09:20]

• On New York’s Next Hope:

  • “If you become a heroic figure in New York, it lasts a long time...” (Kornheiser) [15:44]

Additional Quick Hits & Rapid-Fire Segments

• Happy 41st to Lindsey Vonn:
  Review of her accomplishments and resilience, plus Tony noting, “we all remember when she and Tiger Woods were dating.” [20:13]

• Robin Yount Anniversary:
  Praise for his rare World Series feat and career stats. [21:11]

• Dave Dombrowski’s Critique of Bryce Harper:
  “He didn't have an elite season like he's had in the past…I really don't know [if he'll be elite again]…” [22:07/22:24] Isola: “Clearly trying to send some type of message to Bryce Harper. How he receives it remains to be seen.” [22:47]

• Big Finish Highlights:

  • Largest loss among star NFL WRs sitting out this week.
  • Bob Myers leaving ESPN.
  • AC Milan’s Pulisic injury impact.
  • USC vs. Notre Dame college football prediction.
  • Alcaraz vs. Sinner for the Six Kings tennis title in Saudi Arabia.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bengals-Steelers/Flacco & Rodgers Debate: 01:17 – 04:19
• Blue Jays MLB Playoffs: 05:14 – 08:03
• Dodgers-Brewers & Roster Building: 08:04 – 11:11
• NFL QB: Daniel Jones vs. Baker Mayfield: 13:14 – 15:39
• NFL Rookie QB: Jackson Dart vs. Bo Nix: 15:39 – 17:43
• Notable Quotes/Memorable Moments: Sprinkled throughout, grouped above with timestamps

Conclusion

This episode delivered vintage PTI banter, mixing stats, sharp opinion, and sports culture in equal measure. Flacco’s resurrection, question marks about the Steelers, the “geezer” heroics in MLB, and debates over football’s hottest QBs set the tone for a fast-paced, insightful sports discussion—complete with the signature wit and candor of Kornheiser and Isola.