PMT DB
PMT DB
Super Wild Card Weekend delivered in a major way, and it felt like the world was spinning off its axis in Chicago. Big Cat, PFT, and the crew are back to break down a weekend where lead changes were the norm and the favorites weren't always safe. We kicked things off with the Rams outlasting the Panthers in a 34-31 shootout that saw Bryce Young actually look like the guy, even in a loss. PFT noticed a specific trend in the young quarterback's performance.
PFT CommenterBryce Young plays his best football when he is deeply fearful
Bryce Young was, he was pretty accurate for the most part. They were saying he should stop playing with fear. I actually think Bryce Young plays at his best when he's deeply fearful. He has to have fear because he, when he got to the NFL... he learned, oh shit, these guys are huge. I'm small, they're probably going to hurt me. And that's when he has a little bit of fear and that's when he kind of plays a little bit. I think he plays faster when he is scared somehow.
The North Has Shifted
But the real story of the weekend was in the Windy City. The Bears were down 21-3 to the Packers and looked absolutely dead at halftime. Then Caleb Williams happened. Big Cat was at Soldier Field to witness the madness as the Bears roared back with 25 points in the fourth quarter. It wasn't just a win; it felt like the exorcism of a decades-long demon.
Big CatThe Bears-Packers rivalry has officially shifted in Chicago's favor
I do believe this, I think that's a, the a rivalry-shifting type of win where the way the Bears came back... To then have Caleb Williams do that type of stuff and be that special. That feels like the, the, it has shifted and it's like the Packers know that this is not the same old Bears. This is not, you know, whatever quarterback you wanna throw out there. Caleb has something like [Aaron] Rogers that's different.
Beyond Caleb, the Bears' newest weapons are proving to be unguardable. Colson Loveland is already looking like a problem for defensive coordinators at the next level, and the guys are ready to crown him as the next great tight end.
Big CatColson Loveland has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL
Colson Loveland again knee jerks could look stupid. Colson Loveland has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL. He is so good and he is such a matchup problem. It was basically we need to play the Colson Loveland button. That was it Ever over and over and over. It was crazy watching him... there wasn't a packer that could guard him.
Superman in Buffalo and the Eagles' Collapse
Josh Allen continues to be the most terrifying player in the playoffs because he simply refuses to be a human being. Despite looking like he was held together by tape and prayers after multiple injuries against the Jaguars, he put the team on his back yet again. PFT is convinced that Allen is just operating on a different plane of existence during the postseason.
PFT CommenterJosh Allen is Superman in the playoffs and refuses to let injury stop him
Josh Allen simply refused to admit that he was hurt and he just turned into Superman. It, I don't know what kind of drugs they shot him up with. I don't know how he got back from that, that knee bend that he had. He got his, his bell rung early in the game too. He had his hand fucked up... he was just like, you know what, fuck it. And I think we, we called that. Yeah. And we're not exactly geniuses for saying that Josh is gonna do some fuck shit in the playoffs because that's what Josh Allen does.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, the vibes have officially reached rock bottom. The Eagles' loss to the Niners felt like a slow-motion car crash that everyone saw coming. Max is ready to clean house, starting with the coaching staff, after an unimaginative offensive performance that featured way too many failed Four Verticals calls.
MaxEagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo must be fired immediately
Kevin Patullo has to be fired tomorrow. I he has to be fired already. And it hurts every time the season ends... I mean this team was just never gonna do it. This team was never gonna do it. It was never gonna win the Super Bowl this year... now you can go out and get your coordinator early.
It isn't just the coordinators on the hot seat, though. Even after a Super Bowl appearance just years ago, Nick Sirianni is feeling the heat from the most unforgiving fanbase in sports.
MaxNick Sirianni is currently on the hot seat in Philadelphia
He's on the, he's on, on the Philly hot seat right now. Like if, if when it comes to like, people of Philadelphia should fire. He is on the hot seat. I am just telling you what I, what I think. He's on the hot seat now. Like is he coaching for his job? Oh, always.
The New Dynasty in Foxboro?
Sunday night gave us a glimpse of the future as the Patriots defense absolutely erased Justin Herbert and the Chargers. It was a classic Bill Belichick-style blueprint: suffocating defense and a young quarterback doing just enough to win. PFT and Hank are already measuring for rings, seeing Drake Maye as the catalyst for the next great Patriots run.
PFT CommenterThe Patriots are primed to become a dynasty again with Drake Maye
I'm saying no. I'm, I'm saying this Pat's team is like primed to be a dynasty again. Right, right. Because like Drake Maye Yeah. He can, he can manage it and then let the defense carry him and then he'll evolve into being a great quarterback. This is the exact blueprint that they've got with Drake Maye.
In fact, Hank is so high on Maye that he’s already comparing him to the very guy he just beat, claiming the Patriots have found the superior version of the Chargers' star.
HankDrake Maye is a next-generation version of Justin Herbert
Drake Maye's a [Justin] Herbert clone... We're the next model up. Justin Herbert Plus. Yeah.
Indiana is the Wagon of the Century
Switching to the college ranks, Indiana's dominance over Oregon has the guys questioning if we are witnessing the greatest college football team ever assembled. Big Cat is tired of the 'cheating' and 'too old' narratives, choosing instead to appreciate the absolute buzzsaw that Curt Cignetti has built.
Big CatIndiana is the best team in college football by a wide margin
Indiana is just the best team in college football and it's insane to watch what they did to Oregon on Friday night. They're just a, they're so much better than everyone right now. If Indiana's gonna be one of the best national champions we ever crown and Ohio State only lost by three to 'em... maybe Ohio State was that good. I think this Indiana team's better than last year's Indiana team.
To wrap things up, we hit a massive Who's Back of the week featuring Alex Bregman heading to the Cubs. Big Cat is already doing the October math, and while he isn't calling for a World Series just yet, he's feeling bold about a potential NLCS matchup.
Big CatThe Chicago Cubs are good enough to win two games against the Dodgers in the NLCS
Alex Bregman, because he's a cub for five years, which is sick. I feel very confident. Like they added Cabrera, they added Bregman. There, there maybe, basically where I'm at with the Cubs is I think that they're getting good enough to potentially win two games against the Dodgers in the NLCS. And that would be awesome.
If we have to eat dry ramen and drink Rumple Minze every week to keep this heater going, so be it.
