PMS 2.0 1625 - Watt Wednesday with JJ Watt, Jason McCourty, Adam Schefter, In the Trenches with AQ Shipley, Everything DB with Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

Summary of PMS 2.0 1625 - Watt Wednesday with JJ Watt, Jason McCourty, Adam Schefter, In the Trenches with AQ Shipley, Everything DB with Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

by Pat McAfee, ESPN

3h 9m•September 16, 2026
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Overview of PMS 2.0 1625 - Watt Wednesday with JJ Watt, Jason McCourty, Adam Schefter, In the Trenches with AQ Shipley, Everything DB with Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

This episode is a fast-moving Week 2 NFL recap and preview show built around film breakdowns, player-of-the-week news, injury updates, and the usual Pat McAfee crew banter. The main themes were the early-season dominance of offenses, standout defensive performances from a few elite units, concern around Joe Burrow’s health, and a deep dive into how the Bears, Vikings, Ravens, Chiefs, Cardinals, Giants, and Steelers are shaping up.

Biggest NFL News and Storylines

Players of the Week

The show opened with the league’s weekly honors:

  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week: Kenneth Walker
  • AFC Defensive Player of the Week: T.J. Watt
  • AFC Special Teams Player of the Week: Evan McPherson
  • NFC Offensive Player of the Week: D’Andre Swift
  • NFC Defensive Player of the Week: Zach Bond
  • NFC Special Teams Player of the Week: Simi Fehoko

The crew framed these awards as a big deal, especially early in the season, because they’re a reflection of team success and individual impact.

Joe Burrow injury concern

Adam Schefter joined late with the key breaking update:

  • Joe Burrow was in uniform but not throwing with purpose at practice
  • He also didn’t take part in stretching
  • The likely issue appears to be an elbow or shoulder injury from a hit in the previous game
  • The Bengals are expected to update his status after practice

The group stressed that it’s not automatically a major injury, but it’s definitely something to monitor closely.

Sam Darnold ruled out

Schefter also confirmed:

  • Sam Darnold has been ruled out for Sunday
  • That means Drew Lock is expected to start for Seattle against Arizona

Film Room Takeaways

Caleb Williams and the Bears

A big chunk of the show was spent defending Caleb Williams and the Bears offense after their huge scoring output.

Main points:

  • The Bears’ 59-point game was not just about bad defense by Carolina — Caleb made several elite off-script plays.
  • He was praised for:
    • extending plays under pressure
    • making throws across his body
    • trusting his receivers in timing-based concepts
    • using his legs as a real weapon
  • The crew emphasized that situational football matters: his play before halftime and in the two-minute drill may have changed the game’s momentum.

A.Q. Shipley and Darius Butler both agreed the Bears looked much better structurally than people are giving them credit for.

Vikings defense under Brian Flores

JJ Watt’s first game calling Vikings action with Jim Nantz came up repeatedly.

Key points:

  • Brian Flores’ defense is being built around:
    • heavy pressure
    • shell coverage behind it
    • player autonomy and communication
  • The Vikings’ fourth-quarter destruction of Green Bay was described as one of the most suffocating defensive stretches of the weekend.
  • The crew loved how the defense creates “havoc” even when it’s not simply winning one-on-one.

Chiefs run game identity shift

The Chiefs’ new run-first tone was a major talking point:

  • The offense is leaning harder into the run game than in recent years
  • The crew tied that to a cultural shift and a more physical identity
  • Kenneth Walker’s Week 1 performance was used as the example of how a bell-cow back can change an offense

Ravens’ complementary football

The Ravens got major praise for:

  • elite run blocking
  • Lamar Jackson’s pre-snap control
  • Derrick Henry’s power game
  • offensive creativity on key downs

The group repeatedly said Baltimore looked like a complete, “on schedule” offense with huge potential.

Guest Highlights

JJ Watt

JJ was the featured guest and was excellent throughout:

  • Broke down the Vikings’ pressure scheme
  • Explained why the Chiefs’ run-game emphasis matters
  • Reacted to the Texans, Bills, Seahawks, and Broncos
  • Ended with a major shoutout to Tyler Owens for a legendary special teams play
  • Was very positive about the Cardinals, saying they look like a real team if the defense holds up

Jason McCourty

McCourty helped frame:

  • the growing offensive advantage across the league
  • the challenges defenses face early in the year
  • how young quarterbacks and coordinators are creating a more explosive NFL

Adam Schefter

Schefter’s cameo was mostly about live updates:

  • Burrow’s injury
  • Darnold’s status
  • general urgency around the Bengals situation

In the Trenches / Everything DB / AJ Hawk

Top 5 offensive lines of Week 1

A.Q. Shipley’s lineman segment was one of the show’s anchors. His top five offensive lines were:

  1. Bears
  2. Ravens
  3. 49ers
  4. Chiefs
  5. Lions

He used film to show:

  • combo blocks
  • motion helping run-game leverage
  • rookie linemen playing ahead of schedule
  • how offensive line maturity is improving with more college starts and more NFL-style schemes in college

Young linemen are ready sooner

Shipley’s bigger thesis:

  • The old “rookies can’t play” narrative is outdated
  • More college reps, more pro-style concepts, and NIL-era development are producing better-ready linemen
  • Several rookies immediately looked like vets in Week 1

Darius Butler on DB play

D-Butt’s “Everything DB” focused on:

  • zone leverage
  • safety rotation
  • high-low reads
  • why blown coverages still require a quarterback to find them and punish them

He highlighted strong defensive plays from:

  • the 49ers
  • the Cardinals
  • the Giants

AJ Hawk on the broader football picture

AJ added:

  • perspective on defensive communication
  • why players-led defenses matter
  • why the college football money/NIL landscape may create bigger haves vs. have-nots

Other Notable Topics

Mad Dog Russo segment

One of the funniest non-football segments involved Chris “Mad Dog” Russo:

  • He arrived in a sling after a gummy-fueled fall at home
  • Claimed the ER almost wanted to remove his elbow
  • Got into a heated, hilarious back-and-forth with the crew about cursing, old-school media, and ratings
  • The bit spiraled into a full Thunderdome-style argument

Bills stadium and “big day” excitement

The crew discussed:

  • the new Highmark Stadium
  • Kirk Herbstreit appearing live from there
  • the idea of measuring the bison with folding tables
  • the broader celebration of NFL investment in cities and stadiums

College football money discussion

They also spent a long stretch on:

  • The Athletic’s projected college football spending tiers
  • how roster spending is already rapidly inflating
  • the gap between schools with deep-pocketed boosters and everyone else
  • Miami’s reported return to Nike and what that means for college branding

Main Takeaways

  • Offense is ahead of defense early in the NFL season
  • The Bears, Ravens, Chiefs, and 49ers all earned real praise up front
  • Brian Flores’ Vikings defense is legit and terrifying
  • Joe Burrow’s health is the biggest immediate concern discussed
  • The Cardinals, Giants, and Seahawks all got positive early-season evaluations
  • Young offensive linemen are playing better than expected
  • The show mixed serious football analysis with plenty of comedy, especially the Mad Dog Russo segment

What to Watch Next

  • Joe Burrow’s practice and injury report updates
  • Sam Darnold’s absence and Drew Lock’s start
  • Whether the Bears’ Week 1 explosion holds up as real progress
  • Whether the Vikings’ pressure-heavy defense can keep dominating
  • Whether the Chiefs’ renewed run-game identity becomes their new norm
  • How the Cardinals and Giants follow up on strong early performances