PMT DB
PMT DB
Championship Sunday Recap, Conor McGregor Loses, and Coach K Gets Snappy
Championship Sunday provided all the drama and cowardice we could have asked for, and we are officially set for Super Bowl 55 in Tampa. Big Cat and PFT are coming to you from Detroit as birthday week kicks off, and Big Cat already has a gift in mind for himself: a new quarterback for his Chicago Bears.
Big CatI would absolutely take Matthew Stafford to be the Bears' quarterback
What do you want for your birthday? Let's get you Matt Stafford. I would take that. Absolutely. We got the number one podcast. Let's get you Matt Stafford. We'll get Matt Stafford.
The LaFail Heard 'Round the World
The NFC Championship game was defined by a decision so baffling it managed to unite the entire internet in confusion. Down eight points with just over two minutes left, Matt LaFleur decided to kick a field goal on fourth and goal from the eight-yard line. Big Cat was absolutely stunned by the lack of stones, calling out the logic of needing a touchdown, then kicking a field goal just to still need a touchdown.
Big CatMatt LaFleur's decision to kick a field goal on 4th and goal was the most cowardly move ever
The most cowardice field goal of all time. Matt LaFleur, I do not understand what you're doing. The decision to kick a field goal with [2:10] left, three timeouts, down eight on the seven yard line, fourth and goal... so that you can seemingly go from needing a touchdown to needing a touchdown... was so beyond [stupid].
While the rest of the world saw a coaching disaster, Billy Football was back at home crunching the numbers and trying to justify the decision with some truly galaxy-brain math that even the guys couldn't follow.
Billy FootballKicking the field goal was the best path for the Packers to win the game
A touchdown on fourth down plus two-point conversion plus defensive stop for overtime was less likely to win than three points on fourth down and an onside kick or a defensive stop, two-minute warning, three timeouts, plus touchdown for a win. So kicking the field goal is the best path to win.
Big Cat noted that this specific brand of late-game coaching malpractice officially marks the end of an era. We've long joked about the Dan Quinn field goal against the 49ers, but that torch has officially been passed to Green Bay.
Big CatThe torch for the worst fourth down field goal decision has passed from Dan Quinn to Matt LaFleur
The Packers are the first team to attempt a field goal when trailing by four to eight points in the final three minutes of a game since Dan Quinn did that on November 8th, 2015. So I think today is the day. It is officially the torch. The torch has been passed. It is now a Matt LaFleur.
Bucs D and The GOAT's Next Chapter
PFT pointed out that while the field goal was the final nail in the coffin, the Packers actually lost this game much earlier when they played a "Gregg Williams style" defense at the end of the first half, allowing Scotty Miller to score a back-breaking touchdown.
PFT CommenterThe Packers lost the game at the end of the first half by giving up the Scotty Miller touchdown
I actually think that they lost the game before that. I think they lost the game at the end of the first half. When on that [play]... they did the Gregg Williams defense... It was a terrible defensive call. Awful defensive call. And at that point, it was 21-10. That's when the game was over.
Big Cat also placed plenty of blame on Mike Pettine for getting exposed in back-to-back title games and failing to use Jaire Alexander correctly against the Bucs' weapons.
Big CatMike Pettine deserves a lot of blame for the Packers' defensive failures in back-to-back NFC Championship games
Mike Pettine definitely deserves a lot of blame. This is back-to-back NFC Championship games where they got exposed. And I still don't understand for the life of me [how] Jair Alexander... half the time, he wasn't guarding either Chris Godwin or Mike Evans.
On the flip side, Todd Bowles put on a masterclass. PFT is officially dusting off an old take and putting some respect on the Bucs' defensive coordinator.
PFT CommenterTodd Bowles is a top 8 coach in the NFL
I'm taking out my take that I retired like three years ago. Todd Bowles, great coach. Todd Bowles, top eight coach in the NFL.
As for the quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers sounded like a man with one foot out the door in his postgame presser, though Big Cat isn't convinced he's actually leaving Green Bay just yet.
Big CatAaron Rodgers clearly wants out of Green Bay
One last Packers note, Aaron Rodgers clearly wants out of Green Bay. I'm pretty sure Aaron Rodgers is going to be back on the Packers next year. I don't know.
Tom Brady is heading to his 10th Super Bowl, which is a hilarious and stupid stat. Big Cat noticed that while Brady's arm is still there, his ability to navigate the pocket has slowed down just enough to make things interesting.
Big CatTom Brady has lost a step of quickness in the pocket
I don't know if it's the arm strength, by the way. I think his arm strength is almost still there. It's weirdly like his quickness in the pocket. I think that has lost a tiny little step that makes it a little harder for the throws.
PFT, however, has a different theory on why Brady remains so dominant in late-game situations, and it has nothing to do with avocado ice cream.
PFT CommenterTom Brady created the TB12 Method as a cover for the fact that he just plays Madden constantly to master situational football
I think that the TB12 thing might be completely bogus in that I don't know how much of the actual exercises he does, how much of the diet he does... I think Tom Brady just spends all his time playing Madden. And he created TB12 to be like, 'this is the reason that I'm so good.' And he just plays Madden constantly to figure out these end-of-game situations. Because he's perfect in them.
The Chiefs Are Simply Inevitable
In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills ran into a buzzsaw. Big Cat put his hand up and admitted he got too swept up in Bills Mafia and forgot that Patrick Mahomes is not a normal human being. The Chiefs looked bored during parts of the regular season, but they proved they can turn it on whenever they feel like it.
Big CatThe Chiefs can flip the switch whenever they want
Whoops I fucked up like the Chiefs are so fucking good and yes guess what turns out they can flip the switch they can flip it whenever they want it doesn't really matter... they broke the Switch tonight.
Watching Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce shred the Bills' secondary led PFT to believe that traditional defensive schemes are now useless against Kansas City.
PFT CommenterThe only way to beat the Chiefs is to assault them with deadly weapons
The only way to beat the Chiefs is to actually assault them all with deadly weapons. Someone needs to die. And until that happens, I don't see how the Bucs beat them.
Despite the Bucs' pass rush looking formidable, Big Cat isn't going to make the same mistake twice and is riding with Mahomes in the big game.
Big CatI am betting on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl
I'm not going to make the same mistake. I'm going to bet on the Chiefs. My bet is the Chiefs.
McGregor, Coach K, and Who's Back
Saturday night saw Conor McGregor get finished for the first time by strikes against Dustin Poirier. Hank was the only one smart enough to fade the public and bet on Poirier, while Big Cat is starting to wonder if the McGregor era of being a title contender is officially over.
Big CatConor McGregor is done being a consistent threat for the UFC belt
I asked the question, is he done in terms of like – is he done being a threat for the belt consistently? It feels like that. I don't know it well enough, but it feels like that just by the fact that he's fought like three times in the last four years and one of them was an old dude who he beat and he's lost twice.
PFT also noted that the ESPN Plus app is becoming a bigger villain than any fighter, as it seems to crash during every major pay-per-view event.
PFT CommenterESPN Plus is a failing platform for major UFC events because it breaks every time
ESPN Plus ain't it, Dana. It's broken every fucking time I try to watch it. You guys laughed at me when I said that it didn't work on an LG TV. Guess what? It doesn't work on any TV now... I don't know what Dana White's going to do, but I'll put it this way: ESPN Plus ain't it.
Finally, Who's Back featured Coach K being a "quintessential jerk" to a student reporter after a Duke loss. Big Cat was appalled by the way the legendary coach belittled a kid for asking a routine question, and Hank even suggested it might be time for the program to move on.
Big CatCoach K is a quintessential jerk for belittling a student reporter
Coach K was asked the question... by a student reporter from the Duke Chronicle... asking Coach K where do you guys go from here which is a very routine question... and Coach K essentially embarrassed and belittled this kid... How can you defend this, Hank? He's such a jerk. He's a quintessential jerk.
Coach K is officially in his snappy era, and it’s only going to get weirder from here.
Big CatCoach K is in his 'snappy' territory and it will only get worse from here
Coach K is definitely in his snappy territory where it's going to get worse. This isn't the last time he snaps on someone.
Hopefully, Rick Reilly has another ham sandwich tweet ready for the Super Bowl.
