PTI - Josh Allen and the Bills Dominate In New Stadium Debut!

Episode Date: September 18, 2026

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon discuss the latest NFL news, Josh Allen's performance against the Lions and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You gotta try breakfast at you gotta try. And what better way than with a delicious pre-organic coffee? Starting with just $1 all day, every day now until December 31st. You gotta try breakfast at A&W. At participating A&W locations in Ontario. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilburnton. It's National Red Velvet Cake Day. I'm Tony Cornheiser, Red Velvet.

That's what the ladies called me in college. Oh, okay. Velvet. Yeah. Yeah, we're going back to the red afro. I got pictures. Have you ever had red velvet cake? Yeah, I don't love it. I don't like it either. I don't love it. You gotta like it. I don't love it. I didn't say I didn't like it. I said I didn't love it. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls. In today's episode, LSU travels to Ole Miss, the White Sox and Astros jump back into first place, and Steve Young joins us for five good minutes. But we begin today with Wilbon getting it right on the Bills and the Lions. He said the Lions had no chance, and indeed they quickly fell behind 21-0.

They made it a game from there, but they never threatened to win. Ultimately, the Lions lost 41, 31, and Josh Allen had another great game for the Bills. Wilbon, where does this result leave each team in your mind? Tony, I'll deal with the Bills briefly. The Bills have the best player in the league. Patrick Mahomes may get back there. He ain't that now.

Josh Allen's that now. He's the best player in the league. Quarterback, you break it down however you want. Josh Allen is the best player. And the Bills have him, and the Bills are one of the top. teams, if not one, in the Will Bond Power rankings, week one. The WPI. Now, let's go to Detroit, because I care more about the Lions.

I followed the Lions my whole life, not much to follow them. You care more about them because they're in the division. They're my division. They're my division. Right. Tony, they put up a fight last night. I know you were, you knocked off after 21-0. I thought the game was over.

I stayed with it because I thought the Lions had some heart. I thought they were smart. They crawled back in that game, and they did something I didn't think they could do. Now. Is there a butt coming here? Yeah. The Lions are done. As we knew the Lions in 2023 and 2024,

when they were what I thought was the best team in the league, and I thought they're going to win at least won a Super Bowl. They lost the 49ers out there. They got wildly upset by the commanders in a playoff game. And Tony, it's just done. The window doesn't stay open forever. You have brain drain from coaches leaving both coordinators. Yes, yes.

You have a player like Khalif Raymond, who doesn't jump to the mind of people outside that division, except Caleb Williams completed eight passes to him last Sunday for the Bears, for the rival. And so Detroit has all these guys who are gone and they got injuries. Tony, it doesn't last forever. I think their windows closed. I'm not gloating about it. I feel bad about it because I like when Detroit is viable in things as a city and a franchise.

But I'm looking at them last night thinking they threw everything they had out there and they're not close. Okay. I gave you credit for saying that the Lions were not going to win that game. I would like you to give me credit for saying I would bet on the over. The over was 54 and a half and it ended up 72. How's that taste? The crash right through that. Josh Allen had that thing that he do.

You know? What he did again, he had two rushing touchdowns and three passing touchdowns. This is the 10th time in his career that he's had at least two rushing and at least two passing. And the reason that's important, and it has historic significance, the reason it's important is because the guy next on the list is our guests today. And he's got four. Only Steve. And he's got only four, okay?

This is, to me, amazing. Best player in the league? Well, come on now. Yeah, right now, but I mean, that changes every week. But here's the thing. He's 17 rushing touchdowns behind Barry Sanders. If he passes him, he goes into the top 10 all-time in rushing touchdowns. He's a quarterback.

Yeah. Where does it leave the teams? I'll take 20 more seconds. It leaves the bills where they've been for five, six or seven years. They're contenders. They're contenders. They're not at top. Well, when I say it's up.

Right there. Kansas City, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, New England, whoever, you know, they have to do that. They also allowed 62 points in their first two games. That's too many. Where does it leave Detroit, where we saw them at the end of last year, a fringe team, may or may not make the playoffs. And if you think 62 points is a lot, how about 71 points in two? two games. How about giving up

63 first downs in two games? Tony, it's just not a good thing for them. And I don't know how they recover with the injuries they've got. Some of the challenges, they've got an easy schedule the next few weeks. Let's turn once more to Lane Kiffin's return to Ole Miss.

As everyone knows, Kiffin last year, abandoned Ole Miss before the playoff to take the head job at rival LSU. He now returns to face Mississippi, alongside several coaches and players he recruited to join him off last year's

Rebel Squad. So, what's the best story here, Tom? Kiffin winning or Kiffin losing? Well, I know that you're going to say Kiffin losing because you hate Kiffin and it's okay. I like to bash you. You're just waiting for me to be done so you can kill Lane Kiffin. But I think for the rest of us, the Lane Kiffin saga

is about being the villain of the peace all the time. It's about manipulating the injury reports. It's about getting under everybody's skin particularly yours. But if he loses this soon in the season, that's over. We're not going to have him to kick around for the next three or four weeks. There's some more

good games? No, no, no, I'm saying, but if you're one and one... A couple of weeks. To be the big villain, you've got to be winning. That's how it wasn't wrestling. You've got to be winning. Okay? Because if you're not, you're going to be compared to Brian Kelly, who left a good job to win the national championship. Not big enough to be a villain. So let me

be clear here. I am not sitting here and saying to you that I want Lane Kiffin to win. I am sitting here saying to you, we need Lane Kiffin. to win. We need him on that wall. And I can't wait if he wins for the first comment he makes afterwards when he says, how's that lawsuit working out against my players? That's if he's not being fired from some tarmac somewhere. Because Lane Kiffin's got a history, which really helps me go after him with a hammer. I know. Can I go back to the Raiders with that interest

to? Al Davis, who I know you love. We spent years talking to Al Davis having a relationship with Al. Even as crazy as he got at times. Al Davis, when firing him, called him, quote, a flat out liar, get out. No, that's a long time ago. Lane Kiffin goes here, he goes there, he winds up with Alabama. Nick Saban, as he's approaching something called the National Championship game, says to his offensive coordinator, Lane Kiffin, get out. That's right.

Get out. We don't want you here. And USC, by the way, somewhere in there, I lose track of the chronology. Fired him. On a tarmac. Outside the beautiful sunshine in Southern California, you're going to take a private jet somewhere. Are you, get the hell out?

Are you saying he has a bad history? I'm saying that you don't need him. And he's not even a great heel. You know why? Because Tony, he's, he, where's nice stuff? He's very fashionable, very stylish. He plays the villain better than anybody at the moment. Because there's no real good villains right now in college football.

Here's why you don't want to get rid of him this quickly. The time lose because you can lose once or twice and it'll be relevant. Not three times anymore. Just once or twice. We can lose this week. He's got to win this game. Texas A&M, the number nine team next week. Later in the year, he hosts Alabama and Texas.

If I had a oldest jersey on today, I'd be wearing it. I would get you one. We can get you one. It'll say hottie-toddy on the back. Let's move to baseball, and like we did yesterday, we have a playoff race update. Here's what happened with contenders last night. The White Sox beat the Tigers three to one

to pull back into a statistical tie with Cleveland at the top of the AL Central. But because the White Sacks own the head-to-head tiebreaker, they're number one right now. The Astros got Yordon Alvarez's 40th home run. They beat the Royals 6 to 2, which in combination with the Red Sox beating Texas put Houston back in first place in the AAL West. And your San Diego Padres,

who you love so much, won again, 9 to 2 over Colorado to move four full games head of Arizona for the final NL wild card spots. So Wilbon, who had the biggest win yesterday? The Padres, the Astros, and Texas. They've all been in the big action. Two of those teams of one World Series.

So they've been in the big action in the last few years. We've chronicled them. They've had their October moments. They've done all that. They've had great pennant rate success. Fine. The answer is the White Sox.

The White Sox have been a mutt for several years now. They lost 100 games back to back. If they can go from last to first in a city that doesn't, I'm going to be careful here and just say the Cubs are 70% the team of Chicago and baseball. 70%. It could be 65, could be 80, I don't know. If the White Sox can do this, they have these renderings right now of a new baseball stadium for the White Sox

looking north into the skyline. It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen if they can get that thing built in Chicago, Justin Isbigha. Not in Indiana where the Bears are moving. You can still look north to the skyline but not as close. It's the White Sox, man. And they do have the tiebreaker with Cleveland. And if they can get in with the wild card too,

they need to win the division, keep this thing going. Yeah. Okay. And I appreciate that. And I think there's nobody in America outside of Cleveland and Akron who's not rooting for the White Sox. The White Sox two years ago lost the most games in history baseball 120. Yes. So it is a rags to riches store.

And I give you all of that. I think I'm going to go the other way. I think because to me, the A.L. West is a one-bid league. Yeah. So to me. It's a way to take everything. Yeah. Getting back to the top of that is a real big deal.

So I'm going to say Houston and getting Alvarez, who has. had gone 35 games with only three home runs to get him against the Royals to have two home runs in that series and go four for 10 in that series. He's the kind of bat in the American League, which ain't great. Make a difference. Yes, he can make a difference. Can I go back to one other thing? Yeah. You've been slurping San Diego for a whole year.

Why are you doing that? I thought you were tight with the Dodgers ownership. I am. I just like to see. No, I am. You know that. No, you're not. The guy named Irvin Johnson.

Huh? So why are you slurping in San Diego all the time? What happened to San Diego? I just want to see San Diego and the Dodgers play each other. It's fierce. You always say that they can beat the Dodgers. It sounds like you want them to beat the Dodgers. Do you want them to beat the Dodgers?

I root for it. No. But you don't want to see the Padres and the Dodgers? Tell David Israel that later tonight. I don't have to because he's texting me right now. Let's take a break. When we return, Joe Burrow is suffering from back tightness. How limiting is that for a quarterback?

We're going to ask Steve Young. We're also going to ask him about the difference between a good running back and a great. I just wondered when you turned on the dock. I didn't turn on them. Sounds like you. If I say Arizona, they beat the Dodgers. You don't say that.

You are so enthusiastic about San Diego. I want to see that series. You should want to see it too. Well, I keep you away. You got to try breakfast at A.A.W. And what better way than with a delicious pre-organic coffee? Starting with just $1 all day, every day now until December 35. First.

You gotta try breath. I participate in A&W locations in Ontario. New from Nespresso. Blend wellness into your coffee routine with a coffee plus range, infused with functional benefits. Choose the coffee you love with added B vitamins, like coffee plus B12 to help support immune function, and coffee plus B6 to keep your day moving. Or go with the flow and choose ginseng delight.

Our new double espresso with ginseng extract. Whatever lies ahead, don't change your. morning. Let your morning change you. Discover Coffee Plus on Nisprosso.com. We've got NFL questions for our great friend. The man who's always credited me for setting the example for his footwork. Hall of Famer Steve Young. Let's talk about Joe Burrow, who I think is a great quarterback. He's dealing with back tightness, but he says it's ridiculous to think it would keep him out of the game with the Texans. As a

quarterback, how limiting does back tightness sound to you? Tony, it must be September. Because you're listing back tightness. I mean, back tightness. If it's Thanksgiving, back tightness is actually a positive. Like, that's all it is. You're fine. Like, if I hear the word sprain, tear, rupture, pulled, micro tear, partial tear, distension,

you know, then I might pay attention. But back tightness on Thursday or Friday, there's multiple ways to handle that. He should be, he should think that's, I think it's ridiculous. I'm going to miss the game with back tightness. I agree. Love that. Yes. Old-fashioned football toughness.

We love that. Steve, for years, of course, even smart people in the NFL, coaches included, gave the back of their hands to the entire position of running back in the modern game. But Pat Mahomes says Kenneth Walker is the difference for him. You played with a newly minted Hall of Fame running back. How big a difference? What's the impact when you have a great running back? Well, it's changed over the years.

You know, Earl Campbell used to come out of the I formation, just run people over and he's like, that's a great back. That's not the case anymore. You have to do so much more. You know, that's why Roger Craig started this. And then Marshall Falk and then now Christian McCaffrey, all Hall of Fame players that redefined the position. So a great back today is somebody that can line up in the eye, run downhill on third and two and get three. It has to happen. But now it can line up in the slot come in motion and take the jet sweep.

It can line up in motion and catch a put. pass on third and two for three. It's someone who can explode from the other side of the field for a touchdown. And the red zone can do all kinds of stuff. And that's why I think Christian McCaffrey is the epitome of today's back. Now, Kenneth is interesting because he's so much bigger than all these more diverse backs like Marshall, we talked about, and Roger. We're talking about a guy that can run you over, but he has the speed and has the agility.

And that's what so, I guarantee you, Andy Reid, right now, this second is in his office is writing up some weird, cool crap for Kenneth Walker to do from a lot of different spots on the field. And that's what Patrick is talking about. That relieves Patrick from having to kind of carry the load. Someone else comes out of the locker room offensively who people go, uh-oh, we're in trouble. Then Patrick Mahomes gets even better. We'll move from one potent offense to another one, closer to home to me. You scored 50 a few times.

So if you're Caleb Williams this week, how are you handling the aftermath? of scoring 59. Well, first of all, it's in Chicago. So the second, that game ended, they go, well, did we shut them out? You know, because that's all that. You're right. You were right about that.

We gave up 37? Well, that's not a game. You know, so we get Chicago. But, hey, let's be honest. This is exciting. And if I'm Caleb, I am going to retrench into what is the most important thing. And I've talked about a thousand times.

You have to become a sophisticated passer from the pocket. Call the play, run the play, get the yards, put series together where you're you're eight for eight for 60 yards. You did all the things that just, it's boring stuff in many ways. And that's, if he can master that, then all the other cool stuff that he does out of the pocket, explosive stuff that he can do, that makes it even more important and more dangerous. So to me, 59, great. Let's go for 59 from the pocket. Then call me. You understand that Wilbon is panicked. They scored 59. He's panicked. They won't score the rest of the year.

He played against the bears 30 times in his life. He knows where I'm coming from. Because he has legitimate, authentic, certified hope. Yeah. And that's what he's got to panic. We'll get you out of here on this one. Drake May had three fourth quarter picks against the Seahawks. And he said he lost patience and then consequently he forced throws. How does a quarterback develop more patience?

And can you actually do it in a week to 10 days? That's a code word. When he's say patience, it's code for I panicked. Right. You just don't want to say that, right? Because then that would be, I saw ghosts. A quarterback once said that. It cost him for a long time.

You can't say that. But that's the truth is that he panicked. Under the gun in the fourth quarter, he did things that were unnatural to even anyone to himself. He watched that film. And he goes, I did what? There's no way that I did. There's no way that.

Yeah, you did. There's the film. Like you, exactly. a body experience. And so what you need, obviously, is continue to prepare, have reflexive data recall, which I'm sure he's getting good at, and then more and more opportunities in the fourth quarter when chaos is around and watch your heartbeat start to slow. And then you can be more of who you are and who you're prepared to be as a quarterback instead of this fraud that shows up, panicked, and does crazy stuff. And all you can do is have more opportunities. There are people,

though. There are quarterbacks that never actually get there. I know Drake will get there, but It is, you can't be somebody that constantly, when the pressure is the most in the fourth quarter, all of a sudden that's when you make all your mistakes because that means that you're not handling the moment. And that's what you've got to be able to do. It is our greatest pleasure to have. Always, our greatest pleasure. Thank you, Steve. Thank you.

Appreciate you, Steve. Let's take one last break. Still to come, Junior Camerero delivers a highlight that does not involve a lengthy home run trot. Really? And the Vikings name their starting quarterback against my bears. Do I want the concussed, recently concussed quarterback? Do I want the quarterback who's led a Super Bowl team for a while and then got thrown out? Or do I want J.J. McCarthy?

Oh, wait, I want him. Yeah, you want him. I want J.J. McCartney. New from Nisprosso. Blend wellness into your coffee routine with a coffee plus range infused with functional benefits. Choose the coffee you love with added B vitamins, like coffee plus B12 to help support immune function and coffee plus B6 to keep your day moving. Or go with the flow and choose ginseng delight.

Our new double espresso with ginseng extract. Whatever lies ahead, don't change your morning. Let your morning change you. Discover coffee plus on espresso.com. Okay. When I sell my business, I want the best tax and investment advice. I want to help my kids and I want to give back to the community. Ooh, then it's the vacation of a lifetime.

I wonder if my head of office has a forever setter. An IG Private Wealth Advisor creates the clarity you need with plans that harmonize your business, your family, and your dreams. Get financial advice that puts you at the center. Find your advisor at IG Private Wealth.com. Happy time, people. Happy 71st birthday, Billy Sims. Sims won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma in 1978 when he rushed for 1,762 yards in 11 games. and scored 20 rushing touchdowns to lead all 1A football players. Sims was drafted number one overall by the Detroit Lions in 1980

and was rookie of the year for gaining 1,303 yards and rushing for 13 touchdowns which led the NFL. The next season, Sims rushed for a career high of 1,437 yards. Sims played only five NFL seasons due to injury, went to three Pro Bowls. He might have been the Lions' best rusher of all time had Barry Sanders not come along. Both Sims and Sanders suffered from playing for bad Lions teams.

Sims went to two playoff games lost both. Sanders was one and five in the playoffs. As a follower of a division arrival, I was completely terrified by Billy Sims. Great player. What he could do with the football. And Tony, if he stays healthy, Barry Sanders is never a lion.

He's going to be drafted by somebody else because Billy Sims would have been in there for a while. Oh, no. So great, great player. Great player. Happy anniversary, Tim Raines. On this day, 42 years ago, while playing for the Montreal Expos,

Raines became the first player with four consecutive seasons of 70 or more stolen bases. Ty Cobb had been the first player in the modern era. You hear me say modern era with Thai Cobb, with three straight seasons of 70 or more. Raines ended up with six straight seasons of 70 or more. Ricky Henderson had seven seasons of 70 or more, but not consecutively.

Stolen bases have come back into play with larger bases and a limit to how many times a pitcher can throw over. But the current leader in Steeleaders, Nassim Nunez of the nationals. He's only got 46 steals. Last player to steal 70 or more, Ronald O'Cunia in 2023, but before that, Jacoby Ellsbury in 2009.

Without research, wouldn't you have guessed this would have been Morrie Wills? Without research. Yes. Somebody just says to you, Tony, 70 stolen bases, X numbers straight years. Or Ricky. Or Ricky.

I would have gone Ricky. There must have been an injury in there somewhere where Ricky couldn't get to it. Yeah, no, I would have. But those guys, Rock Raines had some productive late seats. Absolutely. Happy trails to Junior Carinero's. In the top of the sixth of yesterday's win over the athletics,

the Ray's third baseman gave chase to a foul ball by the A's bullpen. And while Caminero couldn't make the play, he did accept a cup of water from athletics reliever Luis Medina. He drank it and then tossed the cup at their feet before heading back to his position. After the game, Camerreux explained his beverage break by saying, quote, hydration, it's a long walk, unquote. Baseball has his characters, but there's no honorary dudes.

You think Ted Williams, you think, would have drank that? No. There's no chance. No. You might have thrown it back at every chance. Yes. But doesn't Junior Camerro seem attractive to you?

Yes, he does. And even though I'm not a big fan of that flits. 45 seconds around the basis. But when he does it. It's some style. Okay. For me, he becomes a lane kiffin-like villain. But I like it.

No, I like it. He's like it. Well, don't say that. Because you're going to get fired on the tarmac and be called a flat-out liar? Perhaps not. All right, let's go to the big finish. Let's do it. Kyle Murray, your boy, out against your bears.

So Carson Wentz will start. Your reaction. I'm still a little worried. Carson Wentz can win a game for them from Minnesota. It can win a game. Quarterback, Cooper Rush, is now expected to start again for the Falcons this week. You okay with that? Let's look at the Falcons for a second.

Pennix is not well. You're not ready. Tua is not well. He's worse than not. They let cousins walk. I mean, how did they prepare their quarterback room? Maybe they wanted to finish at top the line. What did they do?

No, this isn't the wizards. Oh, wait. Keonti George and the Jazz agreed on a five-year, $157.5 million-dollar extension. Wow, does that make sense to you? I know that's eye pop, and you. Just listen to me. The Utah Jazz are building some. Danny Hage knows what he's doing.

They could be the team to challenge OKC and San Antonio in a couple of years, not right away. Alejandro Toasties, Caddy walked off after his eighth hole with the Biltmore yesterday. Your thoughts? There's only two possibilities. What? One is that the player hates him and made him crazy, or two, is that he hates the player. And he just, either way, not good. No, that's not a good relationship.

Separation Holmes. College football tonight, number 22 Houston at number 13 Texas Tech. Who got? I got some breaking news. Patrick Mahomes has one more game of eligibility. Is that right? A Texas Tech. So you think you should take?

I'm just saying. We're out of time. We're trying to do better than that one. Wait, would that be? I'm Tony Kornhizer. I'm Mike Wilbon. I have a great weekend knuckleheads. And now.

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