PMT DB
PMT DB
Dianna Russini and Brandon Walker on NFL Black Monday and CFB Semis
Black Monday is in the books, and while families are packing up and kids are switching schools, Big Cat and PFT are mostly focused on the chaos of the coaching carousel. The biggest shock of the day wasn't a firing, but a survival: Trent Baalke outlasting Doug Peterson in Jacksonville. Baalke is the ultimate cockroach of GMs, somehow surviving to hire his sixth head coach despite a 26-58 record with the Jaguars. Meanwhile, John Mara decided to keep Brian Daboll and Joe Shane in New York, a move that feels like a stay of execution rather than a vote of confidence.
Big CatThe Giants GM and coach will overspend in free agency to save their jobs in 2025
What is the GM gonna do? He's probably gonna spend as much money as he possibly can at in free agency... now you have the coach and GM in their Hot Seat years. Gonna just try to spend as much money as possible and hope that that keeps their job.
Big Cat and PFT are convinced this leads to a "must-win" panic mode for the Giants. With Shane and Daboll on the hottest seats in the league, they’re going to be aggressive in free agency and even more aggressive with whoever they put under center.
PFT CommenterThe Giants will likely start a rookie quarterback early in the season to save their jobs
If they get Cam Ward or Shedeur or somebody like that and they wait around for four weeks into the regular season and he doesn't look great in practice, they're going to be more likely to be like, fuck it, let's just pull the emergency start rookie quarterback lever so that we can save our own job.
Speaking of coaching searches, the Bears are doing their usual thing of interviewing everyone on the planet. While Big Cat is dreaming of Ben Johnson, Hank is surprisingly out here carrying water for Mike McCarthy. Hank's logic is that he'd rather have a guy who has actually won a Super Bowl than a coordinator who might flame out like so many others before him.
HankMike McCarthy is a better head coaching hire than Ben Johnson because McCarthy is a proven winner
Mike McCarthy has at least proven himself as a head coach. There's been many examples of stud offensive coordinators not working on his head coaches. You have a better chance of doing [well] with Mike McCarthy than Ben Johnson. I'm not even joking about that. I'd rather take a proven winner.
Playoff Pressure Rankings
Before diving into the games, Big Cat laid out his trust rankings for every quarterback in the field. It’s no surprise that Patrick Mahomes sits at the top, but the bottom of the list is a graveyard of veteran hopes and rookie nerves.
Big CatPatrick Mahomes is the most trustworthy quarterback in the playoffs, while Russell Wilson is the least
My rankings are Patrick Mahomes one, Josh Allen two, Lamar Jackson three... and then Russell Wilson last. It's my trust rankings [of] who I trust.
When it comes to pure pressure, the focus shifted from the players to the sideline. PFT pointed the finger squarely at Sean McDermott in Buffalo. Josh Allen has been an absolute alien this year, and if the Bills fall short again, it’s hard to blame the guy throwing the touchdowns.
PFT CommenterSean McDermott is under more pressure than any other individual in the NFL playoffs
My one-one is Sean McDermott... because Josh Allen has been an alien this year... the playoff losses, you can look at all of them and say, that's not really on Josh... So who gets the blame for those losses? Sean McDermott. I think deservedly.
Big Cat, however, thinks the pressure on Lamar Jackson is reaching a boiling point. Lamar has the regular-season accolades, but his playoff track record features a lot of games where he hasn't even cleared 200 yards passing. If he can't get past the Steelers, the narrative might never change.
Big CatLamar Jackson is under more pressure than Josh Allen this postseason
I do think Lamar is under more pressure than Josh Allen... Josh Allen has not been the reason why the bills have lost in the playoffs... Lamar Jackson's two and four in the playoffs... four out of six of the games, he has not gone over 200 yards... Josh's elevated his game in the playoffs. Lamar has not.
The Inside Scoop with Dianna Russini
Dianna Russini joined the show to give some clarity on the backroom dealings of Black Monday. She confirmed that the coaching community views the Bears and Jaguars jobs as the premier openings, but noted that Baalke's presence in Jacksonville is a massive deterrent for guys like Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. She also provided a glimmer of hope for Big Cat regarding the Bears' pursuit of Ben Johnson.
Dianna RussiniBen Johnson's chances of landing the Bears job are higher now that Trent Baalke is staying in Jacksonville
The chance of [Ben Johnson] landing in Chicago are much better now that Trent Baalke is in Jacksonville... I think Ben Johnson still has a lot of questions about management in both of those organizations [Jaguars and Saints].
While the usual names are being tossed around, Dianna highlighted Anthony Weaver as a name that is picking up massive steam in front offices. He’s spent time with the Ravens and Dolphins and is seen as a leader who can bridge the gap between old-school accountability and modern player relations.
Dianna RussiniAnthony Weaver will likely be a head coach in this hiring cycle
Anthony Weaver is a name don't that I'm hearing a lot of teams are putting in for... people in Baltimore were, they think that this is gonna be the run he gets. This is the cycle. He'll be a head coach. Yeah. It, it's time.
Brandon Walker: The Coronation
Brandon Walker entered the studio to officially accept his crown as the show's college football expert after winning his duel with Tom Fornelli. After spending ten minutes arguing with Big Cat about why the Rose Bowl is a sunset-obsessed fossil that holds the sport back, he got into the actual matchups for the semifinals.
Brandon WalkerThe Rose Bowl is overrated and holds back the progress of college football
The Rose Bowl is not that special. It is also absolutely in love with itself and thinks it's bigger than the sport. The Rose Bowl needs to be taken down a peg. It holds up college football progress. It stands in the way.
For the Penn State and Notre Dame slugfest, Brandon is riding with the Nittany Lions. He sees both teams as mirror images—physical, run-heavy, and defensive-minded—but believes Drew Allar is the differentiating factor who won't crumble the way Georgia's backup did against the Irish.
Brandon WalkerPenn State will beat Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal
I have Penn State winning this game because I think Penn State and Notre Dame are very, very, very similar... I think Penn State's a little bit better version of the team they're going for... great defense, better quarterback... I don't think Drew Aller is gonna make the mistakes the backup quarterback [for Georgia] made.
In the other semifinal, Brandon thinks Ohio State's talent is simply too much for Texas to handle, provided Ryan Day doesn't get in his own way. He expects the Buckeyes' receiver room, led by Jeremiah Smith, to eventually break the game open and lead them to a national title match against Penn State.
Brandon WalkerOhio State will beat Penn State to win the national championship
I think Ohio State beats Penn State in the national championship. Ryan Day gets rid of his problems... they are unequivocally the most talented and the best team in this playoff.
The show wrapped up with some Guys on Chicks, including a debate about whether naming your son after a 21-year-old athlete like Jackson Holliday is a recipe for a lifetime of regret if he ends up a bust.
At least Memes is ending the year on a high note by predicting a Jets Super Bowl despite their season being over four weeks ago.
