The Pat McAfee Show – PMS 2.0 1453 – FIRST 15: NFL Week 11 Recap

Date: November 17, 2025
Host: Pat McAfee (A), with regulars AJ Hawk (B), Toxic Table (Ty) (D), Tone Digs (C), and Guest Insiders

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off the “First 15” segment—a scripted breakdown of the top five NFL headlines from Sunday’s Week 11 slate. Amidst their trademark spontaneity and humor, Pat and crew analyze surprise victories, comeback wins, and big-picture storylines that are shaping up as the season heads toward the playoffs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Da Bears: Kings of the North?

Timestamps: 00:00–08:28

• Headline Recap: Chicago Bears are being called “Da Kings of Da North” after grabbing a 7–3 record—now topping the NFC North.
• Historic Comebacks: Bears now have the most wins when trailing in the final two minutes (five), tying only with the 2016 Lions and 2011 Broncos since 1970.
• Leadership Fusion: Ben Johnson (head coach) and Caleb Williams (QB) seemed like an odd couple—“One guy wears fingernail polish, the other wants to run his face through any wall he sees” (Pat, 01:20). Yet, they are thriving together and reawakening Chicago’s football culture.
• Team Completeness: It’s not just offense and defense—special teams (notably punter Tory and kicker Cairo Santos) have delivered in clutch.
• Notable Quote: “Can the Chicago Bears win a Super Bowl right now? Is Ben Johnson showing up as the bell of the ball in a coaching cycle for good reason?” (Pat, 02:32)
• Skepticism & Schedule: The panel notes the Bears’ tough upcoming schedule (Steelers, Eagles, Packers, Browns, Lions, Niners) and cautions against overhyping, but agree: “This is not a team you want to see…have the ball down a point or two in the fourth quarter.” (Ty, 06:12)
• Stat Drop: Bears’ success in close games is historic—but “that stuff doesn’t usually flip in a year…it’s next year you start to lose those,” TY suggests, highlighting the flukiness of such streaks.

2. Josh ‘Alien’ Allen’s Historic Game

Timestamps: 09:22–15:41

• Headline Recap: Josh Allen had a monster game: three TDs passing, three TDs rushing—something only Allen and Otto Graham (1950s) have ever done twice.
• Evolution of a Star: Allen began his career as an erratic thrower (“Josh Allen had no idea where the ball was going,” Pat, 11:38) but has turned into a humble leader and dominant force.
• Signature Style: The crew alternately jokes and admires Allen’s “big country bumpkin” charm while agreeing: “This guy could be an alien just dancing in disguise of a big country bumpkin idiot who just happens to be outrageously good at football” (Pat, 12:06).
• Team Questions: Despite Allen’s heroics, the Bills’ inability to stop the run is flagged as a fatal flaw for a deep playoff run. “Them not being able to stop the run will bite them in the ass. It is inevitable” (Tone Digs, 14:36).
• Personnel Matters: Darius (B): “You gotta have the personnel…scheme helps, coaching helps, but you need the personnel out there.” (15:41)

3. ‘Spitgate’: Chase vs. Ramsey in Steelers-Bengals

Timestamps: 15:41–21:17

• Headline Recap: A spat between Jamar Chase (Bengals) and Jalen Ramsey (Steelers) ignited after TV cameras caught what appeared to be Chase spitting on Ramsey.
• Sportsmanship or Line-Crossing? The crew agrees spitting is the ultimate sign of disrespect: “It just the biggest sign of disrespect that you could possibly do” (Pat, 18:02).
• Ramsey’s Retort: “He spit on me. So it’s up. So, like, football is kind of behind it there” (Jalen Ramsey, quoted by Pat, 18:20).
• Precedent: Cites a similar incident with Jalen Carter earlier in the season—likely meaning Chase will face a suspension.
• Notable Quote: “The precedent has kind of been set...I hate calling for guys to be suspended, but if you do it to that guy, you kind of have to set the standard” (AJ Hawk, 20:11).
• Team Loyalty: Crew muses on code: would a leader lose locker room respect if he didn’t retaliate?

4. Are the Chiefs "Not the Chiefs" Anymore?

Timestamps: 21:17–27:22

• Headline Recap: The Chiefs, kings of one-score games last year (12–0), are now 0–5 in such games—prompting existential concern about their dynasty.
• Regression to the Mean, or More? Stat-minded listeners cite “regression to the mean,” but Tone Digs pushes back: “That is a thing for normal teams…but that’s not the Chiefs. This is completely something that is not normal.” (25:41)
• Denver Ascending: The Denver Broncos, with Bo Nix at QB and a swarming defense, are now the new AFC West favorites.
• Notable Debate: “The Chiefs is not the Chiefs. Do you?” (Pat, 24:11)
  “I’m out on the Chiefs for this year…for this year I don’t think we’ll see the Chiefs making a run” (AJ Hawk, 25:41)
• Structural Problems: Chiefs’ prospects squeezed by division record, tie-breakers, and a surging Denver.
• Panel Split: Pat keeps a question mark; AJ puts an “exclamation point” on the Chiefs being done (24:16–24:35).

5. NFL’s Dramatic Sunday: Five Walk-Off Wins

Timestamps: 27:22–30:14

• Headline Recap: NFL ties history for most games (five) decided by the final play; seven come-from-behind fourth-quarter winners.
• Unpredictability is King: “From the opening whistle till the final kick, this thing is going to be intriguing. That’s exactly what the NFL wants” (Pat, 27:36).
• Examples of Drama:
  • Cairo Santos: Bears’ game-winning FG vs. Vikings
  • Matthew Wright: Houston’s winner vs. Titans
  • Riley Patterson: Miami’s walk-off in Spain
  • Ryan Fitzgerald: Rookie kicker wins it for the Panthers
  • Will Lutz: Denver’s clincher over the Chiefs
• Notable Quote: “Let’s celebrate the fact that you can be ass for a long time and then be the kings very soon. I guess Chicago’s showing that now.” (Pat, 08:28)
• NFL Ratings: The league’s close-game volatility is boosting interest and viewership.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Pat McAfee, on Bears Turnaround (01:20):
  “Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams, these guys never going to get along…One guy wears fingernail polish, the other wants to run his face through any wall…”

• Ty, on Close Games (06:12):
  “They just continue to win. This is not a team you want to see, you know, have the ball down a point or two in the fourth quarter.”

• Pat, on Josh Allen (12:06):
  “This guy could be an alien just dancing in disguise of a big country bumpkin idiot who just happens to be outrageously good at football…”

• Tone Digs, on Bills Defense (14:36):
  “Them not being able to stop the run will bite them in the ass. It is inevitable.”

• Jalen Ramsey, on Spitgate (18:20):
  “He spit on me. So it’s up. So, like, football is kind of behind it there.”

• Pat, on Chiefs Dynasty Concerns (21:48):
  “We would like full context that that question mark is larger than all the other letters that are on the graphic.”

• AJ Hawk, on the Chiefs (25:41):
  “I’m out on the Chiefs for this year…for this year I don’t think we’ll see the Chiefs making a run.”

Important Timestamps

• 00:00: Kickoff — “First 15” and Bears headline
• 02:32: Bears’ historic comeback stat, Super Bowl potential
• 06:12: Concerns about sustainability, schedule
• 09:22: Josh Allen performance and Bills' flaws
• 15:41: “Spitgate” breakdown, sportsmanship line
• 21:17: Chiefs dynasty in question, Denver’s ascendance
• 27:22: NFL’s historic Sunday, five walk-off wins

Tone & Takeaways

The episode blends insightful analysis with locker-room banter and playful incredulity. Pat’s “everyman” awe meets the panel’s football expertise, providing both entertainment and substance for NFL fans. The consensus? The NFL’s unpredictability is at an all-time high, and whether you’re a diehard or a casual, this season is keeping everyone on their toes.

For listeners looking for a fast-forward guide, following the timestamps above will drop you into the major headline discussions directly, skipping over intros, ads, and banter.