PMT DB
PMT DB
Super Wild Card Weekend Recap + Kirk Herbstreit on CFB Title Game
Six games in 48 hours. It was the best Super Wild Card Weekend in history, and Big Cat and PFT are rightfully exhausted after witnessing the Cleveland Browns finally bury the Steelers while the Chicago Bears decided to play their most pathetic game of the year on a channel covered in neon slime. The weekend ended with Big Ben sitting alone on the bench, staring into the abyss, which PFT noted was probably a preview of his retirement activities.
PFT CommenterBig Ben Roethlisberger will spend the entire offseason watching pornography
Sad Big Ben. He's going to watch so much porn this offseason.
The Browns are Them
The Cleveland Browns went into Pittsburgh without a head coach and somehow put up 28 points in the first quarter. While many expected the Steelers to mount a comeback, Mike Tomlin and Big Ben looked every bit the part of the team that limped into January. PFT thinks the regular season 11-0 record was a total mirage and this performance simply put the finishing touches on what we already knew.
PFT CommenterThe 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers were the worst 11-0 team in NFL history.
This does validate our take that the Steelers were the worst 11-0 team of all time. That was bad.
Big Cat and PFT celebrated with Browns fans everywhere, noting that while the Chiefs are looming next week, this game was the actual finish line for years of suffering. For this roster and this fan base, a playoff win in Pittsburgh is the ultimate peak.
PFT CommenterBeating the Steelers was effectively the Super Bowl for the Cleveland Browns
These Browns just won the Super Bowl because I don't think anybody expects the Browns to go out next week and beat the Chiefs... this was the Super Bowl for the Browns, and they did it.
Russell Wilson and the Mini Belichick
The guys moved on to the Rams-Seahawks slugfest, where Sean McVay proved once again why he's considered one of the sharpest minds in the game. By completely pivoting from a high-flying aerial attack to a ground-and-pound defensive machine, McVay showed he isn't married to one scheme.
Big CatSean McVay is a 'mini Belichick' due to his ability to completely change team identity to win
When people put him in the conversation as like the next Belichick or mini Belichick. This is why. Because when I look at the Rams... they basically completely changed their team to a defensive team, running team... He's not going to try to beat you just his way. He's going to beat you whichever way is best.
On the other side, the luster is starting to wear off in Seattle. Between Pete Carroll's refusal to adjust and Russell Wilson's inability to find a second gear in January, Big Cat is starting to wonder if we've been ranking Russ a tier or two too high.
Big CatRussell Wilson does not belong in the same elite tier as Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady because he lacks their signature postseason success.
We all put him in the Mahomes, Rogers, Brady category. I don't think he is. ... When you think about Brady and [Brees] and all these other guys, they have these insane playoff games. I don't know if Russell Wilson has had that type of resume.
The NVP and the Soul-Sucking Bears
Watching the Bears play the Saints was a trial for Big Cat, made worse by the fact that the broadcast featured 'Young Sheldon' explaining football rules. The only saving grace was the internet-led campaign to crown Mitchell Trubisky as the Nickelodeon Valuable Player. It’s a trophy that carries more weight than anything else in the league right now.
Big CatWinning the Nickelodeon Valuable Player (NVP) award is a more prestigious accomplishment than winning a Super Bowl or the NFL MVP.
I know that this is recency bias, but tired Super Bowl Lombardi trophies, wired [Nickelodeon] MVP. ... Russell Wilson's never won it. You know who else hasn't? Patrick Mahomes... Deshaun Watson.
While the NVP win was a landslide, the game itself was a reminder of why the Matt Nagy era feels stuck in neutral. The lack of trust between the coach and the quarterback resulted in a handcuffed offense that couldn't even convert a trick play when it mattered most.
Big CatMatt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky cannot coexist because Nagy’s lack of trust in his quarterback results in a 'handcuffed' offense that can't win playoff games.
This is exactly why they can't both coexist because Matt Nagy doesn't trust Mitch Trubisky. So he puts handcuffs on the guy and then is like, hey, go out and try to win a playoff game with handcuffs on.
Kirk Herbstreit on the State of College Football
Kirk Herbstreit joined the show to preview the Alabama-Ohio State National Championship and talk about the evolution of the sport. He shared PFT’s frustration with the modern recruiting landscape, where players often view their college stops as temporary layovers rather than meaningful experiences. Kirk believes the obsession with the NFL is actually hurting the development of many young players.
Kirk HerbstreitModern college recruits are making a mistake by prioritizing the NFL over their college experience
These high school going into college, these kids are missing out on an opportunity to really make a difference in the college game... it's like they don't even really plant their roots at their college stop... they all think they're going to become Patrick Mahomes... when it doesn't happen, you need to have something to fall back on.
Beyond the title game, the conversation turned to the possible return of the NCAA Football video game. As a former voice of the franchise, Kirk is as desperate for its return as the fans are, specifically because Madden just doesn't capture the unique feel of the college game.
Kirk HerbstreitThe NCAA Football video game series is far superior to Madden because of its option plays and quarterback run mechanics.
The college football game, it's so much better for me than the Madden game because of the option part of it and QB run.
As for the actual game on the field, Big Cat thinks it's going to be a high-scoring affair where a single defensive stop could be the difference-maker, while Kirk noted that Justin Fields' mobility will be the primary concern for Nick Saban's defense.
Big CatIf a defense makes three stops in the Alabama-Ohio State title game, they will win
I think if a defense makes three stops... It's got to be a punt or a turnover. Three stops, I think, wins this game.
It was a packed show to kick off the best month of the year, even if Big Cat has to watch the rest of the playoffs as a neutral observer.
