Overview of Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take
This episode is a full-throttle Week 1 NFL preview wrapped around immediate overreactions to the Patriots’ ugly opening loss, the 49ers’ trip to Australia, and the return of Scott Hanson to get everyone hyped for RedZone. The hosts spend a lot of time doing what they do best: arguing stats, exaggerating disaster, previewing every game on the slate, and celebrating that football is finally back.
Biggest Storylines From the Show
Drake Maye’s fourth-quarter meltdown
- The show opened with a long, stat-heavy postmortem on Drake Maye’s disastrous fourth quarter, including three interceptions and a brutal late-game decision-making stretch.
- Hank was the most visibly crushed by the loss, while PFT and others countered with “it’s Week 1” and “the Seahawks defense is legit.”
- The Patriots’ offensive issues were blamed on:
- conservative play-calling from Josh McDaniels,
- a strong Seattle defense,
- and a general lack of margin for error.
- The crew repeatedly debated whether the game said more about Drake Maye, the offense, or the opponent.
49ers beat the Rams after the “beat the time zones” experiment
- The Rams’ Australia trip was framed as an all-time “fuck it” move by Sean McVay — bold, but probably a terrible idea.
- The hosts argued that flying 15 hours and playing less than a day later mattered a lot, and the Rams looked flat.
- Key notes:
- Brock Purdy looked solid.
- Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle were all highlighted.
- The 49ers’ run game and short passing game were praised.
- They also joked that the 49ers “beat the timezones” while the Rams tried to pretend jet lag doesn’t exist.
A tribute to Barry Melrose
- The crew took a moment to honor hockey legend Barry Melrose, calling him one of TV’s great personalities and a major figure for American hockey fans.
Week 1 NFL Preview and Game Takes
Bengals vs. Buccaneers
- The Bengals were viewed as the more likely fast starter this year, especially with Joe Burrow coming in healthier after a full offseason.
- The Bucs’ recent Week 1 success under Todd Bowles was noted, but the general lean was toward Cincinnati.
- The total felt high, but both teams were expected to be more competent than public perception suggests.
Saints vs. Lions
- The Lions were the clear favorite in tone and talent.
- Jared Goff’s trip to the Detroit Zoo became a running joke and a reminder that he’s very much in his “dad at the zoo” era.
- The hosts were bullish on Detroit overall and joked that the Lions are the kind of team that should be on the short list for the NFC.
Jets vs. Titans
- This was framed as a dangerous, low-stakes game for both teams: whoever loses may immediately enter panic/tank mode.
- Aaron Glenn’s first game as Jets head coach was described as a massive tone-setter.
- Cam Ward’s debut created intrigue, but the consensus was that this matchup is the kind of game nobody wants to lose.
Ravens vs. Colts
- The Ravens’ turf success with Lamar Jackson was cited.
- The hosts also highlighted the brother-vs.-brother subplot involving Declan Doyle and Dylan Doyle on opposing staffs.
- There was a lot of respect for the Colts’ setup, but the Ravens were still treated like the safer side.
Browns vs. Jaguars
- The Jaguars were described as a team that isn’t getting enough respect.
- Deshaun Watson’s speeding ticket became a joke about how he’s somehow becoming a worse person over time.
- The hosts also referenced the notorious “Bottlegate” Browns-Jaguars game from 2001.
Packers vs. Vikings
- This was treated as one of the better games of the weekend.
- The Vikings were praised for Kevin O’Connell’s ability to get the most out of quarterbacks.
- The Packers’ early-season track record was noted, and the matchup was described as a real test for both teams.
Bills vs. Texans
- Several hosts leaned Texans, mostly because Josh Allen has had issues in Houston and the Texans’ defense is still seen as elite.
- Houston’s defensive identity and home-field advantage were emphasized.
- The game was viewed as one of the week’s most interesting true coin flips.
Dolphins vs. Raiders
- A gross, ugly game was expected.
- The Raiders’ Brock Bowers injury news annoyed the hosts because it came off as misleading.
- Malik Willis came up as a surprisingly functional backup option on the Dolphins side of the discussion.
Bears vs. Panthers
- The Bears were expected to be fun offensively, even if the defense remains a question mark.
- The hosts kept coming back to the idea that Chicago needs the offense to progress, because the defense may be volatile.
- The trade involving Caleb Williams, DJ Moore, Darnell Wright, and others was brought up again as a reminder of how much is riding on this season.
Commanders vs. Eagles
- This was called the game of the week.
- The hosts wanted the offense to look good and the game to stay competitive.
- They also discussed the Emmanuel Acho / Big Dom report, with Max aggressively defending Big Dom and calling Acho a liar.
- The Commanders’ defense under Dan Quinn and a new coordinator was expected to be chaotic and blitz-heavy.
- Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, and the overall matchup were treated as the biggest national test of Week 1.
Cardinals vs. Chargers
- Jim Harbaugh’s “foreign or domestic” quote was singled out as peak Harbaugh.
- The Chargers were treated as needing to win this game — a true must-win.
- The Cardinals were viewed as a team with intriguing pieces, but the Chargers got the stronger endorsement.
Cowboys vs. Giants
- The Cowboys were treated as a nightmare matchup for the Giants.
- The hosts noted Dallas’ absurd recent success in Week 1 against New York.
- The Giants’ long drought without a Week 1 touchdown came up as one of the sadder stats of the day.
Scott Hanson Interview Highlights
Scott Hanson joined to officially kick off football season and talk RedZone, scheduling, and the ritual of NFL Sundays.
His game-day routine
- Wakes up around 4:00–4:15 a.m. Pacific.
- Gets to the studio early.
- Doesn’t drink coffee.
- Uses a very disciplined routine to make it through seven straight hours without a bathroom break.
- After RedZone, he goes home, watches Sunday Night Football, and has multiple screens going at once.
Why RedZone works
- Hanson explained that the 40-second play clock is the secret sauce:
- it allows constant cutting between games,
- lets viewers stay updated without missing live action,
- and makes the format uniquely suited to football.
- He said other sports aren’t as compatible with the RedZone model, though he has done “Gold Zone” for the Olympics.
The “witching hour”
- Hanson revealed that the witching hour is not clock-based; it’s triggered when about half the games in a window hit the fourth quarter.
- The production team coordinates it carefully so the show can cut to the right game at the right time.
His favorite RedZone-friendly teams
- Cowboys
- Bengals
- Lions
- Basically: teams with explosive offenses and enough chaos potential to keep the show lively.
Gambling etiquette
- Hanson said he now has more freedom to acknowledge obvious bad beats and late-game spread moments, but RedZone still isn’t designed as a gambling-first product.
- He wants football fans and non-gamblers alike to be able to enjoy the show.
Other fun bits
- He said the idea of a “RedZone for” other sports comes up constantly.
- He’s most interested in a possible college football RedZone.
- He also said he sometimes sees his life in “quad box” form — a very RedZone-brained way of thinking.
Fyre Fest of the Week
Hank
- Hank injured his foot during the Barstool After Dark field goal-kicking stream.
- He kept kicking after his foot went dead, then drove into the garage door of his building because his foot wasn’t responding properly.
- There may have been roof/garage damage, but the situation was eventually fixed.
- The bit turned into a running question about whether his foot injury or his garage bill was the bigger disaster.
PFT
- PFT’s firefest was a self-improvement one: he is trying not to gain 15 pounds during football season.
- The crew discussed moving office food farther away so they’d have to intentionally walk to get it.
- They also debated sauna-level office heat, hoodies, and other bad ideas for staying slim.
Zach
- Zach’s firefest was an Uber driver casually watching pornography on his phone during the ride.
- It turned into a “maybe I shouldn’t trust strangers so casually” moment.
- That led into a bike discussion and a mini dirt bike offer.
Betting / Picks Recap
Main spread and total picks that were discussed
- Steelers -3.5
- Jets +1.5
- Ravens -3.5
- Texans +1.5
- Browns +8.5
- Dolphins/Raiders over 40.5
- Chargers/Cardinals under 47.5
- Bears/Panthers over 46.5
- Bills/Texans over 44.5
- Cowboys/Giants under 48.5
Touchdown parlay
- Devonta Smith
- Aaron Jones
- Michael Mayer
Final Takeaway
This was a classic Week 1 PMT episode: wildly overcaffeinated, full of fake certainty, and basically built to make everyone feel like football is the center of the universe again. The biggest themes were Drake Maye panic, the Rams’ Australia misadventure, Scott Hanson as the king of football television, and a full slate of game previews where nobody was remotely interested in being normal.