PTI - Did YOU Think the Bears Would Win After Caleb's TD Pass?

Episode Date: January 19, 2026

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss Bears/Rams, Bills/Broncos, and Texans/Patriots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. We're on one hour early today, Tony. You like this early start?

I'm Tony Cornheiser. Yeah, I even woke up an hour early at 3 a.m. So that means you were waking up at about the time I was finally getting a wink of sleep. Yeah. A wink. Well, I got a lot more than a wink. You know, I got a wink in a nod, actually. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls.

We will get to the bills firing Sean McDermott. The injury to Zach Charbonnet. Zach Charbonate and tonight's college football title game in a moment. But we begin today with the Chicago Bears finally actually losing a football game. This came in overtime as the Rams kicked a game-winning 42-yard field goal last night. But that came over the most after, rather, the most remarkable play in years. On a fourth and four, with only 18 seconds to play, Caleb Williams ran backwards while being chased by a bevy of Rams and floated a perfect pass, some 40 yards to Cole Comette, who was unbelievably unguarded in the end zone.

That forced the overtime. Wilbon, you were physically there after that touchdown pass. Did you expect the Bears to win? Not exactly then. And the touchdown pass is not possible. No. It's not possible. And yes, I'm sitting there seeing the whole thing play out,

and I'm thinking he had not been sacked, Caleb Williams last night. The Rams did not get to him. They did not get home, as the analysts like to say now. But they called a beautiful play defensively where they just got after him. And he is sprinting in the other direction like Carl Lewis. And now you're going to throw the ball, whatever, 60 yards in the air. 40, 45. Tony, Tony, when Commet catches the pass, I didn't have words.

I didn't scream. I didn't shout. I didn't hug anybody. I just sat there because it's not possible. But I thought we were going to win the game in the plays subsequent to that, stopping the Rams in overtime, and then moving the ball in a position where two short passes

are going to get us in-field goal position to win the game and get to the NFC championship game. That's what I thought we'd win. So I am sitting in my living room, and I am watching this game, and that play happens, and I pull out my phone,

and I text you the following words. Just these three words, unbelievable, unbelievable, inevitable, inevitable, inevitable with a lot of exclamation points. And I used inevitable, because we had talked on Friday about the inevitability of either the Rams winning or the Bears winning. And I said I thought if it was inevitable, then the Bears were going to win.

Did you think at that point? Well, yes. Well, okay, I've got a few things to say here. I've never seen anything like that. Nobody was guarding him. The past was not challenged. It's in the end zone. I can't believe that, which led me to this.

And you're the Bears fan here. I'm not. Should they have gone for two? Should they have gone to win it right there? No. Because the Rams were dispirited right there. Because previously against the Packers in overtime, and I'm cheating here. I'm taking some wisdom from Richard Denton, Otis Wilson,

who played many games together defensively in that uniform. And their philosophy is, no, you go into overtime, particularly at home. And you don't want the ball first. You want to play defense first. They're defensive players. But if you can stop them, then any score, wins the game. Did you think in the moment he should have gone for two?

No, because of that reason. He never thought that. No. All right. So Caleb Williams had, you know, Caleb Williams has it. He's really good, but he throws a pick, and he threw three picks in the same. The only time in his career. So I think, and I'm going on my notes here, he wasn't the only bad quarterback in bad weather.

Matthew Stafford did not have a touchdown. He was sailing the ball. He didn't have a touchdown pass for the first time in 19 games. Look, I think, I don't know what you think. I think the Bears are not as good a team as the Rams. But I think this, and I need to ask you this, I think this play lives forever. Had they won the game, it becomes the pass, the drive, something like that. So the mythology is different.

I still think it lives forever, do you? Yes. Because I find myself resigned today. I'm not angry. I'm not disappointing the team. I'm not walking around going, yes, there's a what-if quality to it. Because two short passes, field goal range, field goal, let's go to Seattle. on to Seattle.

But Caleb Williams is in his second year, right? There's some things he's got to improve on. He's got to learn from take short routes and take the cape off and take the six-yard pass to the tight end over the middle. Or Minangai, who I think was open, and you just keep matriculating the ball down the field. He's got to get to that point. It's his second year, this is first with Ben Johnson.

I hope there's time. You can't presume there's time, but the play lives forever. You just said, Chris Collinsworth. I went back. I couldn't sleep. I watched the broadcast, and Tariko and Collinsworth, of course, were great. Collinsworth said he'd never seen anything like it, like you just said. Never saw it.

That's why I'm still, where are my colors today? It's fine. Let's move to the fallout from the other overtime game this weekend. The Bills, this morning, fired head coach Sean McDermott. After Buffalo fell to Denver 3330, the Bills lost this game after a hugely controversial interception. by the Broncos, Jaquan McMillan and O.T. And Denver lost Bo Nix for the season with a right ankle fracture. So where's all this put the bills?

And how do you see the Broncos road ahead now with Jared Stidham? Let me deal with the Broncos first. I think it's going to be very hard for them to win the next two games in a row, the AFC championship game and the Super Bowl, if they get there. And maybe they can beat New England at home. This guy hasn't thrown a pass in the NFL in two years. hard ask to come and win those. That last pass, you know what happened to it?

No. It's picked. Okay. And let me get quickly to the bills. The firing of McDermott. It just, it feels like they were waiting for him to lose a game. And when he lost a game, they're going to fire him. It feels like a John Harbaugh situation in which the die was cast, okay?

The irony here, of course, is that Josh Allen could have saved him by being Superman, which he has been many, many times. But he had a bad game for him, right? Four turnovers? two interceptions, and two fumbles, I believe that was. He now has, if I'm correct on this, 15 fumbles and 15 playoff games. It's a lot. Yeah.

And he's also got the most. He puts himself at harm's way to be fair. Yeah, he's got the, yes. Oh, he's trying to do it all. And he should because he doesn't have much around him. He's got the most wins of anybody in a playoff situation who's never been to a Super Bowl among quarterbacks. He's got eight.

But I'm going to say this, because you mentioned this earlier, and they showed video of it. I think the bills got host. I thought that was a catch. I thought that was a catch. That was a catch in the ranch. game, why wasn't that a catch in the Bill's game? And I also thought the first pass interference was a bad call, although there was roughing the passer on that same play.

But it put the team in position to get a field goal, an easy field goal. And I mean, I just, I guess Josh Allen picked a bad time to not have a great game. There was a pass interference call that should have been made. It could have won the game for Buffalo against Denver. It wasn't made. But yet, and it was pass interference. But you didn't call it earlier. call it earlier. What happened to some

evenness here in officiating? I didn't see that. It's a catch. Once he has control of the ball, they establish that and his knee is down. It's a catch. So basically Sean McDermott got fired because of an officiating call. Because

if they win that game, he ain't fired, they're still playing. Nobody's fired the next time they lose. That's what it feels like. They don't lose, no. Okay, I agree with you that this is, Josh Allen, doesn't have anything around And so you promote the GM, even though you're lacking in talent, you've the last 56 players you've drafted, you've got two or three pro bowlers, huh?

That's Sean McDermott's fault? It's a good job. The Buffalo job is a good job. Because Josh Allen's only 29 years old. His motivation level is going to be through the group. By the way, hire an offense. His emotional show after the game, it just made me really like and respect. Yes, absolutely.

100. Easier to root for him and I was already rooting for. 100%. Let's move to the Patriots beating the Texans yesterday 28 to 16. In this game,

C.J. Stroud had four interceptions in the first half, including a pick six and Yussen was only down 2110. Ultimately, the difference in the game was a touchdown pass

from Drake made at K. Sean Booty who made a great catch in the fourth quarter that sealed the game for New England. Wilbon, was the story of this game the Patriot's successes

or C.J. Stroud's struggles. Well, it's hard to have one without the other. And the picture of that snow and the fact that Drake May had turnovers, he had fumbles. They could have been more. They had four fumbles.

So, no. So I'm not going to... Right. Both quarterbacks had trouble handling the ball in awful weather. The weather was a bigger story in Chicago, but the weather was worse in New England. It was worse than Foxborough.

That's fine. So, no, I'm going to choose to give New England credit. You and I are about the only people who picked the Patriots going in. Everybody else looked. the Houston's defense. But my whole thing was, you don't have Nico Collins, you don't have an offense I can count on.

You got a quarterback coming off five turnovers. I'm not going to pick you at New England. Right, no. And this makes sense. And I, again, I went to my phone at the half and I texted you and I texted you this. I don't think New England will win. They should be up by 25 and they are up by 11. Houston's had a marginal offense all year.

If I have this correct, they rushed for 40. 48 yards on 23 carries. You know, I don't know. So, but here's, that pass to booty is a great pass and catch. Let me ask you a question. There's 417 to go. You're Houston, you're down 12 points. You have a fourth and 18.

It's a lot. Fourth and 18 is a lot, but you punt. Would you have punted there? When you're a defensive coach, I think I expected that at fourth and 18, and you're playing, let's get the ball back. Don't you have to go? Fourth and 18. If you kept your quarterback,

in the game. And by the way, you were wondering in real time. Yes, would they go to the guy who had won, what, two or three games? I think three and O is in release. Yes, yes. But then that could be a career-ender if you do that. Houston's situation is a bigger picture situation. There are some teams that have to do things already in their draft agendas and their

off-season free agent agendas are set. The Bears have to go get pass rushers in the defense. They do, plain and simple. The Houston Texans have to get offense. You can't just have Nico Collins out there. by himself. You got to go get a receiver, a lead back if you don't

think you have one, and some peripheral help. Do you have to get a quarterback? I don't know. Do you... What is his mental state He don't have to pay him yet? He's eligible, but you can wait. And he has such a... I know rookie years two years ago. Great.

You know, I know it is, but how about giving him some help and let's find out that way? Because he didn't have any... I mentioned one thing. We talked not at great length, but at some length. about Coach of the Year candidates. And I had mentioned Vrable, and I'd mention Ben Johnson, and I'd mention Liam Kohn.

And then last week you put in Kyle Shanning. Yeah. You know, the only guy still standing is Vrable right now. He's the only guy still standing. They went from 3 and 14 to 16 and 3. That's pretty good. Let's take a break. Coming up, bad news for the Seahawks today,

how could it affect them moving forward? And should Indiana be a big favorite over Miami tonight in the title game? So you wouldn't have gone for two, and you would have punted the ball? I'm not sure about punting. I would not have gone for two. But I'm persuaded. But at least I'm persuaded by people in gold jackets.

Right? Right? Come on now. I never got on the text chain. What happened? Why aren't I there with dent and waddle? What happened? Okay, we've got to fix that.

Oh, wait. The season's over. You can get in on the draft? Let's find out what's on the mines, the minions and mail time. Three M's. Let me get to the first one. Mealtime. Put on my glasses.

Illiteration homes. Have Sam Donald and the Seahawks addressed any skepticism you had about them? No. You know, I have less skepticism than most because the trade deadline day, we talked about who we thought was the number one seed, or not number one seed, but the best team in the league. And I said Seattle, definitively, I would take Seattle over San Francisco and L.A.,

which was a bit much at the time. But still no. No, Sam Donald had these games last year, key games. It was a turnover machine. his career... With a different team. With a different team. With a different team.

With a different team. Different team. His career is marked by less than success. Okay. So, no, you have to win, at least this one. I'm not even saying he's going to win the Super Bowl, but he's got to win this game at home against a hated division rival. So I don't like to root against anyone.

Right. And Seattle demolished San Francisco. Two times in three weeks. So Kyle Shanahan has coached 163 games for San Francisco. Only four times has his team been held under seven points twice in a month by the same team. Now, now they didn't need anything from Sam Darnold in those days. No, they didn't. Now they play the Rams.

They have played the Rams twice. The total points back and forth in those two games to establish two different wins are three points. So they may need Sam Darnold to be great in this game. They may. It's not great, really good. So we have not addressed this issue directly. It is fair, it seems to me, to wonder about Sam Donald. Maybe they won't need them.

Maybe they'll beat them by 25. They got great defense. You know. They might. I mean, the Bears' defense, which is not great, held the Rams to 7 to 20. 17 in regulation. Charbonnet now out for the year.

Sharbonnet out hurts their runner. I still think Seattle. Last one. You know who I picked four weeks ago when you've been. I picked the Rams. I did pretty good on the show. How about all the other pundits? Not as good.

How'd they do this week? Not as good. They've taken the punn out of pundits. They had. CFP title game, you see Indiana as a big fave over Miami tonight. A big favorite no for two reasons. One, they're playing at home. So that means this whole week has been spent in relative relaxation

because they haven't had to go anywhere and do anything. More importantly, they don't lose by a lot of points. They've lost five games in two years. None of them by more than seven. This year, they lost by three. This year, they lost by three and by six. This year, they lost by three and by six. Do I think Indiana should be favored?

Absolutely. Indiana is undefeated. Indiana is doing great. Can I see Miami winning the game? I can. I don't want that. I got to be honest. I'm a sports writer in my heart.

The better story is Indiana. I don't know. Indiana. Oh, yes. Indiana coming out of a game. nowhere, 100 years of losing, and suddenly with a new coach, suddenly in two years, they're undefeated and they win the national championship. I'm a big 10 guy, and I don't know that that's the best story. Look, how do you think Miami's

a better story? I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you, because Miami would be returning to waking up the echoes. I was around, and so were you. I was around. We covered games where Miami was thought to be some up-and-comer. People didn't want them. Division 1A people did not want the U. They didn't. And the U came up and they beat Oklahoma and they beat Notre Dame. They won those games. I was there.

They beat everybody. They did. And they beat them as an... These other guys haven't beaten anybody. Okay, but wait a minute. So, just a question. Can Miami be undefeated? No, they can't be undefeated.

No, but they can knock the undefeated team out. And by the way, what do you want? I'm admitting I want Indiana. I don't know. Oh, that's not fair. You know, I usually tell you. And I'm right, again, I should be rude. for the conference team.

Yeah. But there's something about this. There's something that reminds me of those games in the early 80s. When they beat Nebraska, when Nebraska was being called the greatest team ever with Irving Fryer and those guys. And the U beat them. Nebraska had 20 years of history going into that. Indiana has zero years of history.

By the way, where did the U win that game against Nebraska? I don't know. In the same stadium? Orange Bowl. Orange ball. Not the same stadium, but the same place. Enough email. Let's take one last break.

Still to come, the Giants and Falcons lock up. head coaches and 45-year-old Venus Williams comes very close to doing something remarkable at the Ossie OECD. The Big Ten should throw you out if you don't root for anything out. That's why I didn't really go all the way in the afternoon. They should throw you out. They should. Yeah.

You should be a trustee in Miami. Go to Coral Gables. Go with Levitart. Go with Levitart. Hey, Danny, Prime 112, baby. Let's get a reservation. Happy time, people. Happy 27th birthday, Jonathan Taylor.

The Colts' workhorse running back had the most carries in the NFL this past season, 323. Thirdmost rushing yards, 1585, and the most rushing touchdowns 18. The average 4.9 yards per attempt. For the first half of the season, before Daniel Jones got hurt, Jones and Taylor had the Colts surprising everybody. Taylor was a second round picked by the Colts out of Wisconsin in 2020. In 2020, he led the NFL in rushing attempts, 332. rushing yards, 1811, and rushing touchdowns. Again, 18.

Taylor also had 360 yards worth of catches, and it's not like Taylor snuck up on people. At Wisconsin, he said, an NCAA record for rushing yards as a freshman, 1977. Yet, I think he's undervalued. And halfway through this season, he would have been my MVP. Before it all fell apart for Indianapolis.

Not that he had anything to do with that, but wow, when he and Jones were going, they're going pretty damn good, weren't Happy anniversary Patrick Mahomes on this day six years ago. Mahomes led the chiefs to another come from behind win, this time after trailing Tennessee early 10 to nothing. Mahomes had three touchdown passes, but his most memorable play was this 27-yard run in the second quarter.

Mahomes is currently recovering from surgery to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee. He says he hopes to be ready by week one next season. The upcoming AFC championship game will be the first without Kansas City since 2018. Before that, the Patriots were in eight straight championship games. From 2011 to 2018, Brady and Mahomes, remarkably by beating Houston, the Patriots have extended this streak to 16 straight AFC title games for the Patriots and or the Chiefs. By the way, wasn't Vrable, Coach Vrable, who helped extend that streak, wasn't he the coach of the Titans? Tennessee at that time.

When Mahomes made that run? Tennessee at that time, leading 10-0. Yeah. A melancholy trails to Wilbur Wood. The knuckle baller passed away on Saturday at the age of 84. Wood had four 20-win seasons for the White Sox in the early 1970s. In 1972, the lefty threw a preposterous 376 and two-thirds innings the most since 1917. In 1973, he started both games of a doubleheader.

He once told the New York Times, quote, I'd much rather start on two days' rest than sit on the darn bench for a week, unquote. In 1976, he was hit on the knee by. by a line drive and never again reach the same level of performance. Wilbon, he was a star of your youth. Yes, he and Dick Allen. Don't call me Richie. On the White Sox. On that fabulous White Sox team, Bill Melton and some other guys.

Tony, you know, back in the day, when I was a teenager and I was 13, 14 years old, you could go to the players' parking lot and just talk to the players after the game. Really? And there are two pitchers who taught me how to grip a ball to throw a certain pitch. Ferguson, Arthur Jenkins, and I believe it was a sinker. and Wilbur Wood, a knuckleball. And I could throw a knuckle ball a little bit in high school in the wind that Chicago

can be effective. Wilbur Wood, 24 and 20. I remember those days. He was indestructible. Now he's pitching 100 innings. That's 100 innings more than guys go now. A hundred. Let's go to the big finish if we could. The Giants officially hired John Harbaugh while the Falcons hired Kevin Stephansky.

Okay by you? I think so. Time will tell, right? When the seat gets hot so early these days for coaches, the Steelers say they're open. to Aaron Rogers returning at quarterback. This has got a surprise you. It does. They don't have a coach yet.

Right. The coach have what? Play in there. Venus Williams was up for love in the third set at the Aussie Open but lost your thoughts. I just think it's cool that Venus Williams is somehow the main draw playing singles at 45 years old at a slam event. Chris Godderup won the Sony Open is that significant.

He's really good. He kills it. He carries 315 on average. That's ball speed. That's some ball speed. Last one, Matthew Kachukchuk, makes his season day. for the Panthers tonight. Is that a big deal?

Yeah, Tony, they're a little bit off the second wild card spot and they need him in a long run. Here we are halfway through. We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. I'm Tony Corrinheim. I'm Mike Wilbon. Back at 5.30 Eastern to Wild Nookheads.

I don't know what I guess.