Overview of Pardon My Take’s NFL Week 1 Recap
Barstool’s Pardon My Take kicked off the NFL season with a full-weekend recap of every Week 1 game, led by a “Fastest 2 Minutes” return and then a long breakdown of the biggest performances, collapses, and controversies. The episode centered on the Bears’ explosive 59-point outburst, the Bills’ thriller over the Texans, the Packers’ shocking collapse in Minnesota, and a strong early read that several AFC contenders already look dangerous.
Biggest Week 1 Takeaways
The Bears’ offense looked like a different team
- Chicago’s 59-37 win over Carolina was the headline-grabber of the week.
- Caleb Williams looked much more comfortable in Ben Johnson’s offense, with the hosts praising:
- his pocket movement,
- his rushing ability,
- and the overall speed/structure of the offense.
- The Bears ran for 291 yards and scored at will, with standout games from:
- D’Andre Swift: 124 yards, 3 TDs
- Kyle Monangai: 100+ yards
- Caleb Williams: 60 rushing yards, 2 TDs
- The hosts were ecstatic about the debut, saying Johnson has them willing to “hand over” control because the plan looked that good.
The Bills-Texans game felt like an AFC statement game
- Buffalo beat Houston 35-31 in one of the best games of the slate.
- The takeaway: Josh Allen and the Bills look dangerous, and the offense under Joe Brady appears much more aggressive and natural.
- The Texans also earned some credit for hanging in, but the hosts felt the Bills’ ceiling is clearly high.
- They described it as a possible early preview of a deep AFC matchup later in the year.
The Packers’ collapse was one of the ugliest losses of the day
- Green Bay outgained Minnesota 419 to 239 but still lost 39-22.
- The discussion focused on:
- a bad Packers fourth-down decision,
- a roughing-the-passer call on Carson Wentz,
- and a second-half unraveling that looked like a continuation of last year’s late-season failures.
- The hosts emphasized that this wasn’t just a bad loss — it looked like a mental toughness problem.
The Chargers had the worst loss of the week
- Los Angeles lost to Arizona 26-14 in what the show called the worst loss of Week 1.
- The Chargers’ offense was sloppy:
- constant penalties,
- poor third-down situations,
- bad protection,
- and a late drive that looked chaotic.
- They said this was a “must-win” type of game given how hard the Chargers’ schedule is.
Game-by-Game Highlights
Bears 59, Panthers 37
- Caleb Williams looked poised and explosive.
- Ben Johnson’s scheme got massive praise.
- The defense is still a concern, but the offense was so overwhelming that it overshadowed everything else.
Lions 31, Saints 30 (OT)
- The game started ugly, then turned into a shootout.
- The hosts spent a lot of time on the bizarre Jared Goff “fumble” ruling, calling it confusing and borderline gaslighting.
- They loved Jahmyr Gibbs, who had a massive all-around game and continued to look like one of the league’s most electric players.
- The Saints’ comeback was impressive, but they came up short on a two-point try in overtime.
Jets 23, Titans 10
- The Jets looked organized, physical, and in control.
- Geno Smith, Breece Hall, and the Jets’ rookie contributors all got shoutouts.
- The Titans were described as lifeless and depressing, with the fanbase seemingly at rock bottom.
- The hosts also noted the Jets’ strong opening-drive touchdown — something they hadn’t done in years.
Bengals 33, Buccaneers 27
- The Bengals’ defense forced four fumbles and carried a huge chunk of the load.
- The hosts said this looked like a more complete Bengals team than usual.
- Baker Mayfield’s style of play was praised in general, but he was also blamed for the turnovers.
- They came away thinking Cincinnati could be scary if the defense keeps playing like this.
Ravens 41, Colts 23
- Baltimore looked dominant.
- Derrick Henry was a major talking point, with the hosts marveling at how effective he still is at 32.
- Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense looked comfortable under center more often than usual.
- The Colts’ defense got shredded, and Daniel Jones looked rusty.
Steelers 20, Falcons 13
- The Steelers’ defense was the star:
- T.J. Watt,
- Alex Highsmith,
- and Cam Heyward all drew praise.
- The offense was still very Steelers-like: not explosive, but enough.
- Mike McCarthy was noted for looking slimmer/healthier.
- Aaron Rodgers giving McCarthy a game ball was a fun subplot.
Bills 35, Texans 31
- One of the best games of the day.
- Josh Allen looked sharp and the Bills’ offense seemed fun and fluid.
- The Texans’ second-half push gave them hope, but the Bills looked like a contender.
Eagles 24, Commanders 22
- The Eagles won a close one, but the hosts spent a lot of time on:
- Jalen Hurts’ efficiency,
- Jalen Carter’s kick-blocking,
- and the Commanders’ defensive improvement.
- Stefon Diggs scored a touchdown, then got flagged for his celebration — which the hosts mostly found funny and in character.
- The Commanders’ young QB Jayden Daniels was debated heavily:
- one side thought he was bad for much of the game,
- the other argued he was just too cautious early and finished well.
- They agreed the Commanders’ defense looked much better than last year.
Giants 28, Cowboys 20
- The Giants got a much-needed Week 1 win and looked more physical than they have in years.
- The hosts liked the toughness and tone of the team, especially:
- the run game,
- the defense forcing turnovers,
- and the overall crispness under the new regime.
- They also praised Jameis Winston for a great sideline help-up moment.
Dolphins 13, Raiders 27
- The Dolphins were mocked as one of the worst-looking teams in football.
- The Raiders, meanwhile, looked competent and surprisingly watchable.
- Maxx Crosby got a lot of praise for wrecking the game.
- Kirk Cousins was mostly described as functional, with the caveat that he’s not what he used to be.
Vikings 39, Packers 22
- Another massive second-half meltdown for Green Bay.
- Carson Wentz and the Vikings capitalized on a Packers team that completely lost its composure.
- The hosts thought Minnesota’s pass rush and Brian Flores’ blitzing broke the game open.
Cardinals 26, Chargers 14
- The Cardinals were praised for a clean, energetic, and physical win.
- Jacoby Brissett was unexpectedly effective.
- The Chargers were blamed for:
- penalties,
- sloppy execution,
- bad protection,
- and an overall failure to seize a must-win spot.
Jaguars 34, Browns 10
- Jacksonville dominated.
- Trevor Lawrence and the offense looked comfortable all day.
- The Browns’ defense didn’t provide the resistance many expected.
- The hosts were again reminded how bleak Cleveland’s quarterback situation feels.
Notable Debates and Commentary
The Jared Goff “fumble” ruling
- One of the most-discussed moments of the episode.
- The hosts couldn’t believe that a backward-looking sack/fumble situation was ruled in the offense’s favor because Goff was trying to throw forward.
- They called it confusing, inconsistent, and a bit like the rules had been rewritten on the fly.
Ben Johnson’s Bears debut
- The hosts fully bought into the idea that Johnson has a reason for everything.
- They joked that they’d trust him with everything, even if they didn’t always understand every decision.
- The offense’s success made them even more bought in.
Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh
- Harbaugh’s preseason comments about Herbert being the greatest QB ever were revisited after the Chargers’ loss.
- The hosts thought the praise was funny, but also way too much too early.
Who’s Back of the Week
Steve Ballmer
- Ballmer was back in the spotlight after issuing an apology related to the Clippers’ scandal.
- The hosts saw this as a sign that he was basically forced to stop fighting the allegations and accept responsibility.
College football chaos
- A Kansas-Missouri rivalry video tied the Civil War/slavery history into a hype package, which the hosts found both outrageous and perfectly college football.
- They also shouted out:
- Pole Assassin and her monkey,
- Akron football’s “Shark Wheel” play,
- and other absurd college football traditions.
Other shoutouts
- The Kachuk brothers throwing footballs at Miami-Florida A&M was a funny sports-cross-sport moment.
- Ryan Garcia got a mention for defending his title.
- The episode ended with the usual celebratory energy of being back in football season.
Final Verdict
Week 1 delivered a little bit of everything:
- a Bears explosion,
- a Bills thriller,
- a Packers collapse,
- a Chargers letdown,
- and several teams already looking like they may be much better or much worse than expected.
The biggest early theme from the episode was that the AFC feels stacked at the top, while the NFC has a lot of teams trying to figure out who they really are.