PMT DB
PMT DB
NFL Week 4 Recap: Brady Beats Belichick and Urban Meyer’s Wild Weekend
Week 4 is officially in the books, and we survived the monsoon in Foxborough for the Goat Bowl. It was a rainy, sloppy homecoming for Tom Brady that ended with a Nick Folk doink and a 24-minute private meeting in the locker room between Brady and Bill Belichick that probably involved a lot of whispered secrets. Hank was a roller coaster of emotions, transitioning from "I'm not emotional" to "let's just win this game" in record time. While the Patriots lost, Big Cat sees a light at the end of the tunnel for the Mac Jones era.
Big CatThe Patriots will round into form and flip a switch halfway through the season
I do think the Patriots are going to round into form. Now they have - clearly the Bills are the best team in the AFC East. But I do think the Patriots are going to be one of those teams where halfway through the season, everyone will be like, wait, this team, why are they getting points on the road? Why are people doubting them? Like they're going to flip a switch and everything's going to start kind of working a little bit.
The Washington Football Team pulled out a thriller against the Falcons, mostly because Taylor Heinicke is a certified lunatic who thrives on chaos. He’s out there throwing across his body and running for his life like he's possessed by the ghost of a younger, scabbier veteran.
PFT CommenterTaylor Heinicke is a young Ryan Fitzpatrick
Taylor Heinicke is just a young Ryan Fitzpatrick because he's fucking psycho. He doesn't play by any of the rules... He loves throwing across his body. He loves throwing across the field. He loves almost getting sacked. It's crazy.
New York Football is... Back?
In a shocking turn of events, both New York teams decided to win on the same day. Daniel Jones looked legitimately great in a comeback win over the Saints, and Big Cat is ready to hurt himself again by believing in the G-Men.
Big CatI am all the way back on Daniel Jones and I'm starting to think the Giants might be good
I'm all the way back on Danny Dimes... Something about that game was incredible... I now think the Giants might be good and it's a sickness of mine and it's obviously partly because I bet on them. I feel vindicated, but that was good Danny Dimes.
Not to be outdone, Zach Wilson finally looked like the guy Billy Football has been shouting about. The Jets took down a depleted Titans team, and despite the interceptions, the "off-platform" throws were actually working. Billy is so high on the green and white that he’s already booking flights to the UK for a blowout.
Billy FootballThe Jets will shellack the Falcons in London
I actually, this may be over, you know, can over-confident but I think they're going to shellack the Falcons in London.
The Cowboys and the Contenders
Dallas looks scary. Dak Prescott is clinical, Ezekiel Elliott is officially back, and Trevon Diggs is currently playing cornerback like he's a wide receiver who knows the script. PFT thinks it's time to start talking about Diggs for more than just a Pro Bowl nod.
PFT CommenterTrevon Diggs should be in the MVP discussion and is the Defensive Player of the Year
I think that Trevon Diggs, if the season ended today, should get credit and consideration for MVP. Five interceptions in four games... He is the defensive player of the year right now, and he should be in the MVP discussion. At least he's really, really good.
PFT CommenterThe Cowboys are better than the Packers
The Cowboys are legit good. I think the Cowboys are better than you think they are. I think they're better than the Packers... Right now, I think they're better than Packers. Complete team.
On the flip side, the Panthers might have been a bit of a mirage. Sam Darnold is still running for touchdowns like he's Cam Newton, but the step up in competition against Dallas showed some real cracks in the foundation.
Big CatThe Panthers are not actually a good team yet
I think the Panthers are—and I told you I had my eye on them and I wasn't ready to say they were good and I'm not ready to say they're good because they've beaten the worst teams in the NFL... they took a step up in class today and it was not the same team.
Man Analytics and Sad Stats
Dan Campbell continues to be the most entertaining coach in the league, even if his "man analytics" make zero sense. The Lions failed to score on three straight drives inside the ten-yard line, which is a level of incompetence that hasn't been seen since 1993. Still, PFT is confident they won't go winless.
PFT CommenterThe Lions will win at least one game this season
They'll get a win. They will get a win. The lions will get a win. They have the Falcons later and then they play the Packers week 17 who probably have already won the north... I'm going to say it right now. They'll get a win.
The Steelers, meanwhile, are just depressing to watch. Big Ben looks like he's playing in slow motion, and the offense consists of exactly two plays. Big Cat is legitimately worried about Ben's well-being at this point.
Big CatThe Steelers have no offensive identity beyond three plays
The Steelers are so sad, so, so sad. They have two plays that they run all game. They run either Diontae Johnson or Chase Claypool streaking down the sideline... and Big Ben tries to throw a big looping pass... And then they have a dump off when they need six yards... they're just not a good football team.
Big CatBen Roethlisberger might retire in the middle of the season
I really think Big Ben might just - he should just retire halfway through... I'm going to say it right now. I think it's bad, man. It's bad... I don't want to watch you every Sunday. Depressing. It's depressing.
Looking Ahead to Week 5
The Cardinals are 4-0 and Kyler Murray is the frontrunner for the Russell Wilson First-Half MVP Award, but there's still a lingering feeling that they might melt the second they see a snowflake in January.
Big CatThe Cardinals will never win a big road playoff game in the cold
If you flash forward right now, and it is the last week of January and the Arizona Cardinals are going to Green Bay—come on. It just doesn't make sense in my brain. That some teams just, you don't make sense of them winning a big game on the road in a playoff environment.
But the real game of the year is coming up next Sunday night: Bills vs. Chiefs. Buffalo is out here winning games by 40 points, and if they can take down Mahomes in Arrowhead, the hierarchy of the AFC is officially dead.
Big CatThe Bills are the prohibitive favorites for the AFC if they beat the Chiefs next week
I'm so excited for next Sunday night because the Bills, if the Bills win in Kansas city next Sunday night, like they are the prohibitive favorites to win the AFC championship.
We wrapped things up with a legendary Who’s Back segment featuring Urban Meyer, who decided to spend his Friday night at a bar in Ohio getting grinded on by a stranger. It was a bold leadership move that Big Cat thinks might actually be the spark the Jaguars need to find their swagger.
Don't let the smoke get in your eyes.
