Takes

Bet Arizona moneyline against Michigan in the Final Four

I would like Arizona Money line. It's plus 105 right now... The fact that they're underdogs is crazy to me. Michigan's really, really good. Arizona has looked unstoppable.

Houston will beat Illinois by 18 points in the Sweet 16

I think Houston and I think they do it decisively. 18. [Blowout?]. 18.

Betting Houston -13.5 in the first half against Idaho

I'm gonna go Houston first half minus 13 and a half.

Betting Arkansas team total under 87.5

I'm gonna go Arkansas team total under 87 and a half.

Betting Michigan State -16.5

I'm gonna go Michigan State minus 16 and a half.

My Early Final Four: Duke, Arizona, Houston, and Virginia

I'm gonna go with Duke, Arizona, Houston, Virginia. Duke obviously winning the whole thing.

My Early Final Four: Michigan State, Houston, Arkansas, and Michigan

I'm gonna go with Michigan State. I'm gonna go with Houston. Arkansas and I think I'm just gonna go Michigan... I got Houston win it all.

My Early Final Four: Duke, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin

Duke, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin... with Duke beating Wisconsin in Indie.

My Early Final Four: St. John's, Florida, Arizona, and Iowa State

St. John's, Florida, Arizona, Iowa State... I will do Iowa State over St. John's.

My Early Final Four: UConn, Florida, BYU, and Akron

I'm gonna go Yukon, Florida, BYU, Akron... I'm gonna take Akron to win it all.

Mac Jones is the definitive 'Next Sam Darnold'

I think Mac Jones is the next Sam Darnold... I like Mac Jones [as] one.

Scotty Barnes will have more points than Rashid Shaheed has receiving yards

Scotty Barnes will have more points than Rashid Shaheed has receiving yards.

Hunter Henry will not score a touchdown in the Super Bowl

The No Henry Lock of the week. Hunter Henry to not score a touchdown minus three 40... I call it no Henry.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba will have more receptions than Ohio State made threes vs Michigan

JSN [Jaxon Smith-Njigba] more receptions than Ohio State made threes against Michigan earlier in the day. I looked it up. Ohio state's averaging about seven and a half threes a game... Michigan has a really good three point defense.

The Patriots have the advantage over the Broncos in offense, defense, and coaching

I feel good about, I feel like we have an advantage offensively, defensively coaching only thing is the air.

The Seahawks are primed to win the Super Bowl because they eliminated the 49ers

Seven of the last eight teams to eliminate the 49ers have gone on to win the Super Bowl. That's kind of crazy. ... The Seahawks are primed to win the Super Bowl 'cause they have eliminated the 49ers.

The Divisional Round will be Bo Nix's time to have a splash moment and prove people shouldn't have forgotten about him.

Is it Bo Nix's time? We've had all three of these guys have their splash moments. Is it Bo Nix's time to say, Hey, you forgot about Bo Nix... If we're gonna have this be the 2024 draft, be like an all time QB draft, it's Bo Nix's time. It's about time for him to make his moment.

Drake May is the worst quarterback in the NFL on third-and-six since entering the league.

Drake May is the worst quarterback in the NFL on third and sixth. And it's not close. Since he got into the league... minimum of 10 attempts at third and sixth... He's 36th in the NFL. He is five for 18. 27% [completion percentage].

Matt Stafford is unreliable when protecting a lead in the second half.

Matt Stafford, when he has a lead at halftime, his record against the spread in the second half. The second half spread 35% of the time, he covers only 35%. Pretty bad.

The Bears have a significant special teams advantage over the Rams in the Divisional Round.

I've meant to say that the one place that the Bears have a significant advantage is special teams. The, the Rams have been kind of like, they got a punt blocked. The kicker's been bad. The Bears, Cairo. Santos has been good.

The Rams are the favorites to win the NFC

I don't know what the odds are right now, but [the Rams] feel to me like they might be, in my mind, the favorite to win the NFC.

Caleb Williams is a 'big game' quarterback

The thing I'm actually least worried about is I, I think Caleb Williams is like a big game guy. Like, I think he's gonna be ready for this game... I think he's big game Caleb.

The Jaguars are better than the Bills at everything except for having Josh Allen

The Jaguars are better at everything, but they don't have Josh Allen and Josh Allen. You're totally right. When it gets to the playoffs, it's like stuff doesn't hurt anymore... He's liable to go nuclear.

The 49ers' high injury rate is caused by an electrical substation next to their practice field

Only one variable is unique and the players know it in their guts... Players have joked around about there being an electrical substation right next to the practice field and how that has led to the Niners injury problems... This guy went to the practice field with a gause meter. It read 8.5 plus milligauss.

The NFL should stop giving 'charity' playoff spots to inferior teams that win 'Mickey Mouse' divisions like the 2025 Panthers

Why are we giving out charity playoff spots to teams like the Panthers? They win a Mickey Mouse division, they're clearly inferior. They have zero chance to win the Super Bowl. It ruins the playoffs. ... It becomes a safety issue for the Carolina Panthers.

The Rams are the overall favorite to win the NFC

I also don't think it's that hot of a take to say that the Rams could, I don't know what the odds are right now, but they feel to me like they might be, in my mind, the favorite to win the NFC.

The Rams, Eagles, and Seahawks are the only three dangerous teams in the NFC

I rank them order, it would be Rams, Eagles, Seahawks. ... If you want gun to my head right now, I think there's three teams in the NFC.

Josh Allen is currently the best playoff quarterback in the AFC

Josh Allen, who is the best. I think he's the best playoff quarterback in the AFC right now. As much as people like to say that Josh Allen is a choke artist because the Bills haven't won a Super Bowl, Josh Allen is awesome in the playoffs. He is incredible. And the losses that he's had, he's been the best quarterback on the field.

The Eagles will easily beat the 49ers in their Wild Card matchup

I'm not just trying to gas you up, Max. I think the Eagles are gonna win this game easily. ... One of my favorite themes that happens every January when the Eagles are in the playoffs is we just get stories of local bars denying service to opposing fans.

The 49ers' high injury rate is caused by an electrical substation next to their practice field

The 49ers are statistically the most injured team in the NFL over the past decade since moving to Levi's stadium... Only one variable is unique and the players know it in their guts. ... Players have joked around about there being an electrical substation right next to the practice field and how that has led to the Niners injury problems. ... This guy is saying that the Niners are just getting bombarded with electric waves all day, which is fucking up their bodies.

The Patriots' elite offense will offset any defensive challenge the Chargers present in the Wild Card round

I think our great offense can offset any great defense. ... I would rather be going up against a great defense with a great offense than having to go up against a fantastic offense with a okay defense. ... Justin Herbert in the playoffs [is a] big pick guy. He's gotta prove it.

Tyler Shuck is the hands-down NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

Could you imagine this guy not winning rookie of the year? No. Oh, he is a rookie that your hands down easily. Hands down.

Drake Maye is going to win the NFL MVP

Congratulations. It, it feels like Drake Maye's gonna win the MVP. It does. It, it definitely feels that way. Yeah. Matthew Stafford's Monday Night Performance kind of cemented it.

The winner of Seahawks-Niners will be the favorite to win the Super Bowl

This is such a massive game. 'cause it does feel like the winner of this game is going to have, they, they, they will be the favorite to go to the Super Bowl from the NFC. That's a fair statement. Right? I think so. They only have to play two games. They get to play at home.

Tom Brady will be a 'meddling' NFL owner who makes common mistakes before finding success

I think it's gonna be Tom Brady... any guy that comes from a successful background... they all go through the same process... we try to get a bunch of players that used to be good and coaches that used to be good, build a fantasy team, and then we think it's gonna work out and it doesn't. And then you realize the mistakes. And then you start to meddle again. And then you realize, okay, now I've really learned my lesson... that's when you get good at football.

Quinn Ewers will be the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback in 2026

I think he's gonna be their starter next season... [Big Cat: 'It's Quinn Ewers.'] Quinn. Can Quinn play in the cold? I don't know.

Trevor Lawrence should be in the MVP conversation if the Jaguars secure the number one seed

Trevor Lawrence right now is maybe in the MVP conversation if they get to one seed. He's playing that good. He's playing as good as any quarterback in the NFL right now.

The Over is a great bet for Bears vs. 49ers because neither defense can pressure the quarterback

My take on the Bears-Niners game is... I kind of like the over, because I don't know if either team can get to the quarterback. Because the Bears struggle with it as well.

Deactivating Jayden Daniels for the rest of the season was the right decision for the future of the Commanders

He has been deactivated for the rest of the season. Deactivated for his own good 'cause he just keep trying to come back and get reinjured. I'm fine with it. I, I support the decision all in for 2027... I think it's the right decision.

The Bears vs. Packers Week 16 game is a must-win for Chicago to avoid playoff uncertainty

This one you gotta win because the Bears are most likely gonna make the playoffs if they lose this game. Then it starts to get, Hey, what's going on here? You start looking at the calculations and the 49ers are a game that's coming up next week and then the Lions in week 18. You don't want to get to a spot where the Lions Week 18 becomes a win and get in.

The Bears are currently a better team than the Packers in our fictional 2025 timeline

I'm setting this game aside. I'm just saying in general, I believe in the Bears. They look like a different team. They look like a legitimate team. I think the Bears are gonna win... I think they're better than the Packers.

The Cleveland Browns will cover the 10-point spread against the Buffalo Bills

I do like the bills, but I think the Browns might cover... I like the Browns at the very least in the first half of this game. I like 'em to cover 10 points.

The Chiefs should just quit for the season now that Patrick Mahomes is out with a torn ACL

There's never been a team that like deserves to quit more than the Chiefs. They've been playing so much football for the last five years... Patrick Mahomes just tore his ACL. If you're a Chiefs player, listen to this right now. Just fucking quit. Just quit.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is officially on the hot seat in this fictionalized 2025 season

This Z Taylor. Who's now on the hot seat officially, I would say... it feels like the hot seat is there. Whether the hot seat actually turns all the way up, I don't know.

The Giants will beat the Vikings because their stock is low and they are still playing hard

I think I like the Giants in this game. The Viking stock very high right now... The Giants very, very low stock right now. But they're, I don't think the Giants are one of the worst three teams in the NFL... they're playing hard and Kafka's coaching the team... I would take the Giants plus three.

The Panthers will beat the Buccaneers because they are extremely dangerous as home underdogs

The Panthers are very good as underdogs. They got all seven wins as an underdog. They should not be favored in any game. I think I like the Panthers to win this one.

The Lions will throttle the Steelers because Amon-Ra St. Brown has found his confidence again

I think [Amon-Ra St. Brown's] got it back. He's feeling it a little bit. He's getting, he's, he's just feeling like he's good again... gonna get fucking smoked in this game [Steelers]. I love Detroit in this game.

The Patriots will bounce back and beat the Ravens behind Drake Maye in our fictional 2025 week 16

I'm nervous, but I'm excited. I think the boys are gonna bounce back in big way. Great team, former MVP, two-time MVP. I'm expecting the Ravens to, you know, they're fighting for the playoffs... but give me the... Patriots plus three.

Pardon My Take's video content will be exclusive to Netflix starting in January 2026

Major news. ... in 2026, January, we don't have the exact date, but we have come to a deal with Netflix. So, Pardon My Take is going to be on Netflix. ... the podcast video will be exclusively on Netflix. ... literally nothing is changing [for listeners].

The 'torch' has been passed to Drake May and it cannot be passed back to Josh Allen

The torch has been passed and that's it. It's over... Drake may has the torch and then it will go until we pass it to someone else... It can't go back.