The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, Ep. 1438 - FIRST 15: NFL Week 8 Recap

Date: October 27, 2025
Host: Pat McAfee, with AJ Hawk, Toxic Table, Tone Digs, DButz, and guest Adam Schefter

Overview

This rapid-fire segment—humorously branded as the FIRST 15 (though rarely kept to fifteen minutes)—sees Pat McAfee and crew break down the top five NFL headlines from an extraordinary blowout-heavy Week 8. The team pokes fun at the lopsided scores, celebrates National Tight Ends Day, marvels at high school football miracles, examines the resurgence of running backs, and heaps praise on the surging Indianapolis Colts (with a healthy dose of fan bias). ESPN insider Adam Schefter joins late to fill in details and add league-wide perspective.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A “Shite” Sunday Slate – Historic NFL Blowouts (00:31–05:41)

• Scores Read Aloud: Pat goes through all of Sunday’s scores, highlighting the lopsidedness: “38, 14, 35, 25… 44, 24, 30, 16, 40 to 9, 26 to 15… Only the Jets/Bengals (39-38) was a one-score game.” (01:01)
• Rarity of the Moment:
  • “We didn’t know the NFL could produce this. We didn’t know that every single game could be a blowout… literally—everybody was dead early.” – Pat (01:40)
  • Stat from Hembo: Only one game decided by single digits; first Sunday with 1 or 0 such games since 1970. (04:28)
• Why It Happens:
  • The crew jokes about how any NFL team can “just not show up,” leading fans to start those college-vs-NFL debates.
  • “These are professional athletes… every once in a while the universe comes together and you can be great. And every once in a while the universe comes together and says you guys suck today.” – Pat (03:03)
• Memorable Moment: AJ Hawk gets a shout out as best friends with Jets legend Nick Mangold, and condolences are sent on air in a heartfelt aside after the Jets' emotional win (05:41).

2. National Tight Ends Day Goes Off (07:58–12:58)

• Celebrating the Position:
  • Pat fully endorses the "gimmicky" holiday: “Anytime we can create something to celebrate something, I’m with it… Tight end position is insane.” (08:18)
• Tight Ends Dominate:
  • “Every year on National Tight Ends Day, tight ends go crazy.” – Pat (09:33)
  • Tucker Kraft highlighted for his athleticism (“did a kip up last night”) and others like George Kittle, Hunter Henry, and Mason Taylor get name-checked.
• The Rise of Athletic Monsters:
  • “They are matchup problems. They’re just so big, so athletic… always open, even when the DB or linebacker is on them.” – DButz (11:12)
• Notable Quote: “This position is like, 'If you are the freakiest athlete, we got the position for you.' And that’s seemingly what it’s become.” – Pat (12:31)

3. High School Football Miracles – Eastbrook vs Alexandria, Plum vs Penn Hills (13:06–20:16)

• Eastbrook vs Alexandria (Indiana):
  • Wild playoff scenario: Alexandria tries to clinch a win, Eastbrook responds with a hook-and-ladder, penalties ensue, confusion about rules, an untimed down, OT drama, and a two-point conversion for the win.
  • “Bodie Howe… quarterback, Eastbrook, 6 foot 1, 205 pounds, senior… Rumbling, fumbling, jumping. Scoring. Oh my God.” (14:33)
  • The crew unpacks obscure high school football rules about untimed downs and debates their fairness (16:40).
• Plum vs Penn Hills (Pennsylvania):
  • Soccer player/kicker Austin Kolenkowski has a game-winning hero play after his kick is blocked; picks it up and scores a touchdown, sending Plum to the playoffs (19:50).
  • “Being too strong. Football being too strong, rugby… we’re not going to get into that. Shout out to high school football showing up.” – Pat (20:16)

4. Running it Back to the '80s: Running Backs Rule Again (20:30–22:26)

• Running Backs Carry the Offense:
  • Jonathan Taylor (Colts), James Cook (Bills), and Saquon Barkley (Giants) all dominate.
  • “Saquon Barkley found his groove… got all the way back to who he was last year when he led them to a Super Bowl.” – Pat (20:31)
• Eagles Adjust Their Offense:
  • “It was some more under-the-center, some extra O-lineman stuff… love to see it, interesting how they handle the AJ Brown situation.” – DButz (21:14)
• Stat Drop: Saquon Barkley had more rushing yards in Week 8 than in all the previous weeks combined (116 vs. 102). (21:43)

5. Colts Super Bowl Hype & MVP Talk for Jonathan Taylor (22:26–31:18)

• Pat’s Bias But Conviction:
  • Admits recurring focus on Colts: “This is pretty biased program. My name’s in it. I apologize. These dudes are unbelievable.” (22:26)
• Jonathan Taylor’s Onslaught:
  • “He has more touchdowns than some teams as a whole… And that means the offensive line’s back to doing what they’re doing.”
  • Praises RB vision, O-line, and Daniel Jones’ command: “Danny Dimes is putting us in the right situation every time. This guy is super genius.” (22:38)
  • Michael Pittman Jr.'s spectacular TD catch is recapped with awe and disbelief from the live stadium perspective.
• On Defense: Some “tightening up” still needed, but overall, locker room is hungry and confident.
• QB Mobility Helps the Offense:
  • “The threat of Danny Dimes being mobile is one thing… that is opening up things even more for JT.” – C (26:14)
• Daniel Jones' Maturity:
  • Pat describes his stone-faced, steely persona, referencing a stadium “helmet shuffle” game: “Place goes absolutely ape for him…and he just locked in. He’s so calloused from what happened to him [in New York].…he has been hardened by it all and we are reaping the benefits.” (27:27)

Adam Schefter Joins – NFL Insider Perspective (28:49–31:38)

• Jonathan Taylor's Historic Pace:
  • “Daniel Jones has played six games in which he hasn't turned over the football at all. And Jonathan Taylor is on pace right now for 28 touchdowns this season… Today, on October 27th, Jonathan Taylor is the MVP today. Absolutely.” (29:20)
  • Notes that MVP has become a “quarterback award” and warns QBs like Mahomes, Allen, Mayfield could surge behind late.
• Lamar Jackson & Injury Report Scandal:
  • Reports on ongoing NFL investigation into the Ravens’ handling of Lamar Jackson’s practice status—expecting at most a fine for reporting mishap, with the league clamping down on accurate injury info. (31:38)

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “We didn’t know the NFL could produce this. We didn’t know that every single game could be a blowout… everybody was dead early.” – Pat McAfee (01:40)
• "These are professional athletes... every once in a while the universe comes together and says you guys suck today." – Pat McAfee (03:03)
• “Every year on National Tight Ends Day, tight ends go crazy.” – Pat McAfee (09:33)
• “They are matchup problems…they’re just so big, so athletic and because of their catch range, they’re always open.” – DButz (11:12)
• “This position is like, ‘If you are the freakiest athlete, we got the position for you.’ And that’s what it’s become.” – Pat McAfee (12:31)
• “Bodie Howe… rumbling, fumbling, jumping. Scoring. Oh my God.” – Pat McAfee, on high school football heroics (14:33)
• “Saquon Barkley got all the way back to who he was last year whenever he led them to a Super Bowl.” – Pat McAfee (20:31)
• “On October 27th, Jonathan Taylor is the MVP today. Absolutely.” – Adam Schefter (29:20)
• “Place goes absolutely ape for him… and he’s so calloused from what happened to him [in New York]… we are reaping the benefits.” – Pat McAfee, on Daniel Jones (27:27)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Huge Blowouts / Score Rundown: 00:31–05:41
• Jets-Bengals Game / Nick Mangold Tribute: 05:41–07:58
• National Tight Ends Day: 07:58–12:58
• Indiana & Pennsylvania High School Miracles: 13:06–20:16
• Running Backs (Taylor/Barkley) & Eagles: 20:30–22:26
• Colts Overload & Jonathan Taylor MVP Case: 22:26–31:18
• Adam Schefter Insider Segment: 28:49–31:38

Summary Takeaway

This FIRST 15 explodes with energy as Pat and his crew blend deep NFL insight, personal anecdotes, and rowdy banter. Historic blowouts led the slate, prompting both humor and reflection on the NFL’s volatility. National Tight Ends Day provided a showcase for a position that's more dynamic than ever. High school football delivered the wildest stories of the weekend. The running-back revival is very real, with Jonathan Taylor’s MVP campaign powering the Colts’ charge. Adam Schefter's cameo ties it together with a league-wide lens, ensuring listeners are both entertained and informed.