Overview of PMS 2.0 1656
This episode of PMS 2.0 blends a Thursday Night Football preview with a big batch of NFL news, especially the reported Jeffrey Simmons trade to the Bears, plus a long stretch of sports talk ranging from the Brewers’ World Series win to horse racing, hockey, leadership, parenting, and coaching philosophy. The crew opens in Halloween mode from the DraftKings Thunderdome, then spends much of the show breaking down Packers-Panthers, debating culture and accountability in the NFL, and celebrating Milwaukee’s championship run.
Thursday Night Football Preview: Packers vs. Panthers
Game setup
- Week 8 kicks off at Lambeau Field with the Packers hosting the Panthers.
- Green Bay is favored by 3.5 points.
- The discussion centers on both teams trying to bounce back after ugly losses:
- Packers: lost a close one to Detroit.
- Panthers: got blown out by Tampa Bay.
Betting angle
- The show promotes a DraftKings boost:
- Bryce Young and Jordan Love both to throw for 220+ yards
- Boosted to +110
- The panel’s reasoning:
- Carolina struggles to stop the run.
- Green Bay has been inconsistent running the ball.
- Both quarterbacks are among the NFL’s better pass-volume producers this season.
- Final picks were split in conversation, but the main consensus on air leaned:
- Pat, Chuck Pagano, and AJ Hawk: Packers
- Tone Diggs and Con: Panthers
Ian Rapoport on the Jeffrey Simmons Trade
Major NFL news
- Ian Rapoport joined to explain the blockbuster:
- Jeffrey Simmons to the Chicago Bears
- Return reportedly included two first-round picks, a fourth, and a fifth
- Rapoport framed it as a case of:
- Simmons being a franchise-level player
- The Titans having no real interest in moving him unless overwhelmed
- Chicago aggressively pivoting after exploring DeForest Buckner
Key takeaways
- Simmons was described as:
- A game-wrecker
- A tone-setter
- One of the league’s best interior defensive linemen
- The Bears’ Super Bowl odds reportedly moved significantly after the deal.
- Rapoport also touched on:
- Buckner’s value versus Simmons’
- Expiring contracts and trade leverage
- The idea that teams can be traded whenever now, not just at the deadline
- Injury updates, including Matthew Golden likely playing and Micah Parsons potentially returning soon
Kirk Herbstreit on Lambeau, the Packers, and the College Football Chaos
Packers-Panthers analysis
Herbstreit gave a detailed football breakdown of the matchup:
- Green Bay needs to establish the run to protect Jordan Love.
- Carolina’s defensive style keeps safeties deep and limits explosive plays.
- The Packers’ offensive line has been heavily depleted.
- He praised Green Bay’s recent defensive consistency.
- He noted Carolina has been much better than its Week 7 performance, but remains unpredictable.
College football note
- Herbstreit also commented on how open the 12-team playoff race feels.
- He said there are several teams still alive deep into the season, with November and December likely to shake things up.
Brewers World Series Celebration
Trevor Megill and William Contreras join the show
The program went live with members of the 2026 World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers on a bus after their title win.
What they talked about
- The feeling of winning the World Series
- Team defense and culture
- Pat Murphy’s leadership
- The team’s identity as relentless, connected, and fundamentally sound
Contreras and Megill moments
- Contreras spoke about:
- His comfort with the game’s biggest moments
- Feeling in control behind the plate
- His ability to influence the ABS system
- The segment was loose, celebratory, and full of joking around in Spanish and English.
- The crew also revisited Murphy’s pointed comments about the Yankees and praised Milwaukee’s roster construction and identity.
Erik Johnson on the Breeders’ Cup and Hockey
Breeders’ Cup preview
Johnson broke down the upcoming racing weekend:
- Said the Breeders’ Cup Classic is the premier race
- Highlighted Forever Young as the favorite
- Offered a value play on Knightsbridge
- Mentioned the depth of the field and the role of Japanese breeding in horse racing
NHL talk
He also discussed:
- The league’s growing trade noise and superstar movement
- Canadian-market pressure and player dissatisfaction
- McDavid’s absurd early-season pace
- The Penguins potentially becoming sellers
- The Blue Jackets’ instability despite some promise
Coach Chuck Pagano’s Leadership Segment
Culture and accountability
Pagano and Herbstreit got deep into coaching philosophy:
- Strong culture starts with accountability
- Leaders have to have uncomfortable conversations
- Coaches can’t be afraid to demand standards from star players
- Connection matters, but so does discipline
Colts discussion
The conversation turned reflective and candid about the Colts:
- Why talented rosters can still fail
- How player-led cultures can break down without accountability
- Why quarterback turnover damages leadership structure
- The importance of setting a standard from the top
Film breakdowns and “What the Chuck” moments
Pagano also reviewed several plays:
- A Hail Mary situation and poor defensive execution
- Bo Nix scrambling for a long touchdown
- Roughing-the-passer and taunting calls
- A blocked Trey Smack field goal and other officiating quirks
AJ Hawk: Family, Parenting, and Packers Life
Parenting chat
AJ and the crew spent a lot of time talking about kids:
- How parenting changes after the first child
- The importance of being present
- Teaching kids confidence and accountability
- How children mirror what they see from their parents
Football and life
- AJ confirmed he’s still locked into the Packers
- He likes Jordan Love and the team’s defense
- He also joined the group’s ongoing driving debate:
- two feet vs. one foot
- manual vs. automatic
- why the “rules” exist in the first place
Other Notable Moments
WNBA update
- The show briefly checked in on the WNBA Finals
- The Atlanta Dream were rolling and appeared to be on track to extend the series
Halloween / Thunderdome energy
- The episode leaned into the Halloween theme throughout
- The crew joked about costumes, decorations, candy, and spooky vibes around the studio
Main Takeaways
- Packers-Panthers was the central football topic, with a heavy emphasis on Bryce Young, Jordan Love, and the over-220 passing-yard boost.
- Jeffrey Simmons to the Bears was the biggest breaking NFL transaction discussed, with Rapoport explaining the market and value.
- Milwaukee’s World Series win gave the show a celebratory detour and a chance to talk team culture in baseball.
- Leadership, accountability, and culture were recurring themes across football, baseball, and parenting.
- The episode had the usual mix of sports analysis, humor, chaos, and personal storytelling that defines the show.