"The 'soft benching' of J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota has clearly worked" — PFT Commenter

Take Slip·Nov 3, 2025

#28622#PMT-2025-1103-28622

The 'soft benching' of J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota has clearly worked

Do we think maybe it was still a soft benching and the soft— No, I think we should double down. Say the soft benching worked. It worked. Yeah. No, I'm a soft benching guy now. Listen, I'm gonna trust what [Kevin O'Connell] does. He's a quarterback whisperer. He's soft benched and he was right.

Opinion Football Medium Subjective

McCarthy did not play in 2024 due to injury, but in the context of this 2025 transcript, he is active and winning games. The effectiveness of the 'soft benching' is inherently subjective.

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Win

Take Slip·Nov 3, 2025

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Big Cat

The Bears' culture has shifted under Ben Johnson; they finally win games they used to lose

The Bears never win that game. And they, something is different with Ben Johnson. ... more than anything it's Ben Johnson because that's a game The Bears would lose. The Bears would quit in a, in a dire situation. And they just kept on, they got, got off the mat. ... it really just comes down to like, the culture has shifted with Ben Johnson where the, the team looks like they're not gonna give up in situations where they would've given up in the past.

Opinion Football Medium

The Bears went 11-6, won the NFC North, and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020, winning a wild card game. Ben Johnson transformed the culture in his first season.

Push

Take Slip·Nov 3, 2025

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Big Cat

The Steelers are a dangerous team if Aaron Rodgers has a top-tier defense behind him

The Steelers offense is not fixed in any way. ... But if Aaron Rodgers, if he has a really good defense, that is a dangerous team. So you just gotta still be a really good defense.

Opinion Football Medium

Steelers went 10-7, won AFC North. But demolished 30-6 by Texans in Wild Card — Rodgers threw pick-six and fumbled. Somewhat 'dangerous' in regular season, not in playoffs.

Win

Take Slip·Nov 3, 2025·Picks

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PFT Commenter

I'm 'Falcons heavy' and taking the points (+6.5) against the Colts in Berlin

Gotta take the Falcons. Gotta take the Falcons. I'm Falcons heavy. Yeah. It's my play of the week actually. [The line is] Colts minus six and a half.

Prediction Football Mild

PFT took the Falcons +6.5 against the Colts in Berlin. The Colts won 31-25 in overtime, a margin of exactly 6 points. Since the Falcons had +6.5 and lost by only 6, the Falcons covered the spread. PFT's bet was correct.