1
00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,920
Speaker 1: Welcome Bird Gang. On today's show, one last look before

2
00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,000
Speaker 1: we officially closed the book on twenty twenty, we debate

3
00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,400
Speaker 1: the one game that stands out to us that kept

4
00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,200
Speaker 1: this team from making the playoffs. And speaking of the playoffs,

5
00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,680
Speaker 1: six games in two days, it may just be MJ's

6
00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,800
Speaker 1: perfect weekend. Also a shoutout to a former Cardinal who

7
00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,440
Speaker 1: has decided to call it a career. It's Cardinals Cover two,

8
00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:37,920
Speaker 1: episode three eighty four, and it starts now. Welcome to

9
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:42,400
Speaker 1: Cardinals Cover two with Craig Grigolu and Mike Jarecki. Cardinals

10
00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,199
Speaker 1: Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of the

11
00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:51,879
Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Acy Cardinals

12
00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,240
Speaker 1: dot com Slash podcasts. Murray rolls to the right, throws

13
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,320
Speaker 1: near sight of fence bob Head. He's into the end

14
00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:03,400
Speaker 1: zone for the touchdown. Here's Craig and Mike Jarecki. Better

15
00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,320
Speaker 1: admit I'm in violation of the twenty four hour role

16
00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,319
Speaker 1: and a few days have passed and I still haven't

17
00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,520
Speaker 1: gotten over how the season finished. And today's show, MJ

18
00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,399
Speaker 1: certainly isn't going to help matters because we have challenged

19
00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,720
Speaker 1: one another to come up with the one game that

20
00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:23,600
Speaker 1: bothers us the most about twenty twenty, because all the

21
00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,240
Speaker 1: Cardinals needed to do was to win one more game,

22
00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,759
Speaker 1: and we will be talking about a playoff team rather

23
00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,640
Speaker 1: than talking about watching the twelve playoff teams this weekend,

24
00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,720
Speaker 1: which we will here in a moment when they are

25
00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,840
Speaker 1: eight and six and we knew that you're playing the

26
00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,480
Speaker 1: Niners at home, and then you know the Rams and

27
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,880
Speaker 1: we know that they had a difficulty and then what

28
00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,040
Speaker 1: developed what Jared goffying out. I thought, you know, nine

29
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,240
Speaker 1: one team, we're gonna be talking playoffs next week and

30
00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,200
Speaker 1: then you know, starting on Wednesday, you know, on Thursday,

31
00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,560
Speaker 1: and then Friday, and you got games out on Saturday

32
00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,720
Speaker 1: and Sunday. Six games over the weekend, which we'll get into.

33
00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,560
Speaker 1: It was like I'm missing it, Like I'm watching other

34
00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 1: press conferences. I'm looking at you know, road teams have

35
00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,400
Speaker 1: fared well, and I look at one road team and

36
00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,760
Speaker 1: probably the Bucks possibly, but they got to go against

37
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,520
Speaker 1: a great front seven. So yeah, I was looking forward

38
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,760
Speaker 1: to it. Honestly, I was thinking, you know, you just

39
00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,480
Speaker 1: got to win one out of two. We know, after

40
00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,280
Speaker 1: the Niners game, they still had life, and it's just disappointing.

41
00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,320
Speaker 1: It It's we've talked about it. I mean, it's it's

42
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,240
Speaker 1: gonna be a long offseason and a lot of a

43
00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,320
Speaker 1: lot of questions and hopefully we find the answers out.

44
00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,000
Speaker 1: But I don't think we're gonna find the answers out

45
00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,280
Speaker 1: until we know what's going on with the off season

46
00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,280
Speaker 1: with draft and free agency. So there's there's still a

47
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,079
Speaker 1: lot of work to do considering that, you know you're

48
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,400
Speaker 1: going to see a lot of new faces on the

49
00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,160
Speaker 1: roster next year. And it doesn't help that half of

50
00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,080
Speaker 1: the NFC West is playing in the postseason. You know,

51
00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,640
Speaker 1: one team is always going to get in the division winner,

52
00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,480
Speaker 1: but the fact that two in the Seahawks and Rams,

53
00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,520
Speaker 1: and they're very easy league and should have been free

54
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,880
Speaker 1: but hey didn't happen. So well, we move on. And

55
00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,200
Speaker 1: I want to go back to something that DJ Humphries

56
00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,799
Speaker 1: had to say on this topic with respects to his

57
00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,560
Speaker 1: exit interview, if you will, because one quote did stand out,

58
00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,880
Speaker 1: and I just wonder how many of those players and

59
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,240
Speaker 1: coaches really take heart and what Humphries had to say, quote,

60
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,560
Speaker 1: everything matters when you're trying to get into the playoffs

61
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,320
Speaker 1: end quote, And I think that was more, you know,

62
00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,840
Speaker 1: pay attention to details and every practice and every rep

63
00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,640
Speaker 1: everything you do not just during the season, but the

64
00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,120
Speaker 1: offseason as well, all of the preparation to get to

65
00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,600
Speaker 1: the postseason, because that is a giant step from the

66
00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,080
Speaker 1: regular season to the postseason, and only a few teams

67
00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,040
Speaker 1: get in. Now I know two more are getting in

68
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,080
Speaker 1: here in this twenty twenty regular season, and it's probably

69
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,480
Speaker 1: going to stay that way. You're gonna have fourteen teams total.

70
00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,800
Speaker 1: But still that is it is hard to get to

71
00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:01,840
Speaker 1: the playoffs. And that is why when you're at that

72
00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,680
Speaker 1: door and the door is cracked open, you have to

73
00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,920
Speaker 1: push it in. And the Cardinals were unable to do that,

74
00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,720
Speaker 1: and I think a lot of it is because of

75
00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:12,440
Speaker 1: I think there are four games that we can all

76
00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:18,159
Speaker 1: agree on that the Cardinals had no business in losing Detroit, Carolina,

77
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:23,440
Speaker 1: New England, San Francisco. Now, I think, as you always say,

78
00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,120
Speaker 1: there's always that one game home a road that a dud.

79
00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,279
Speaker 1: You just don't come prepared. It it happens to every team.

80
00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,599
Speaker 1: It happened to the Rams losing to the Jets, and

81
00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,200
Speaker 1: I would point to maybe that game on the road

82
00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,480
Speaker 1: at Carolina as being that game because it was a

83
00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,039
Speaker 1: road game and you weren't quite sure still early on

84
00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,559
Speaker 1: in Matt Rule's tenure with the Panthers, even though Christian

85
00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,760
Speaker 1: McCaffrey didn't play. So I think that one, okay, you

86
00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,840
Speaker 1: can live with, but there is the other three that

87
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,520
Speaker 1: you can't. And I think the forty nine Ers game

88
00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,800
Speaker 1: is in a separate category altogether. And gonna go and

89
00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:06,840
Speaker 1: look at week three. It's the Detroit game September twenty

90
00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,600
Speaker 1: seventh at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals at two and

91
00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,760
Speaker 1: zero lose twenty six twenty three to the then oz

92
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,440
Speaker 1: and two Lions. And for fans here of Cardinals Cover two,

93
00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,800
Speaker 1: presented by Honday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals, it

94
00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,440
Speaker 1: was the one game that I always point to. And

95
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,039
Speaker 1: if you remember MJ, I was none too pleased on

96
00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,960
Speaker 1: that Monday, September twenty eighth, Then if you want to

97
00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,080
Speaker 1: go back into the archives, it's episode at three twenty

98
00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,040
Speaker 1: of Cardinals Cover two. I was upset because you cannot

99
00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:43,680
Speaker 1: afford to lose games at home to inferior opponents, and

100
00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,800
Speaker 1: that game, the Cardinals lost to a team that they

101
00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,440
Speaker 1: were not better than or that they were better than yes,

102
00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,919
Speaker 1: And you were thought after losing that Lions game and

103
00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:55,839
Speaker 1: trying to get off to a three and oz start,

104
00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,560
Speaker 1: they would be notivated to go on the road. And

105
00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,919
Speaker 1: there was a lot of uncertainty with Matt Rule and

106
00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,080
Speaker 1: his staff, you know, hire and Fill Snow and then

107
00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:05,320
Speaker 1: Joe Brady, and then during the week we find out

108
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,080
Speaker 1: they're running kind of the Saints offense. And you know,

109
00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,479
Speaker 1: Bridgewater played well that day, his first rushing tushdown for

110
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,960
Speaker 1: twenty five yards. He hadn't had that probably in three

111
00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,919
Speaker 1: or four years, considering the issue with the knee. But

112
00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,440
Speaker 1: and Kyler admitted after that that they came out flat,

113
00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,159
Speaker 1: like they just thought they had a step on the field.

114
00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,279
Speaker 1: So that's never good. But they're always is. You just

115
00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,920
Speaker 1: don't see it coming. They talk about preparation and get

116
00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,960
Speaker 1: a good week of practice, good energy. I would hope

117
00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:32,960
Speaker 1: you have good energy in the first you know, twelve

118
00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,560
Speaker 1: weeks of the season out. You know, at some point

119
00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,400
Speaker 1: these guys are grinding and their bodies aren't recovering in

120
00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,200
Speaker 1: time possibly, but when you get the Friday, you know

121
00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,680
Speaker 1: you got to get ready for the game. So you know,

122
00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,320
Speaker 1: I hear it all the time. The Cardinals have a

123
00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,680
Speaker 1: lot of talent. I think people out to realize the

124
00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,239
Speaker 1: way the league is set up, they're all really dealing

125
00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:55,120
Speaker 1: with the same salary cap. Now some teams adjusted to others.

126
00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,839
Speaker 1: But talent will only get you so far. It's about

127
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:04,160
Speaker 1: it's about execution. But I think what the Cardinals got

128
00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,920
Speaker 1: going on right now, they got a bunch of individuals

129
00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,960
Speaker 1: that put up stats, and that's not you know, they

130
00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,000
Speaker 1: can go to eight and eight and we'll see next

131
00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,600
Speaker 1: year how sustainable as offense is. You can win eight

132
00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,520
Speaker 1: games with Kyler Murray. I think you can win eight

133
00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,440
Speaker 1: games because he's dynamic with hop you know, if they

134
00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,200
Speaker 1: can run the ball like you know, good defense, not

135
00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,840
Speaker 1: great defense, good defense, you know, force and turnovers going

136
00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,040
Speaker 1: to the quarterback. But every every team has talent. It's

137
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,880
Speaker 1: just you have to come together and everyone has to

138
00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,960
Speaker 1: be committed. And I just think, you know, and maybe

139
00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:38,120
Speaker 1: I'm referring to Hopkins in Murray show, there's others that

140
00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,280
Speaker 1: it's more. I want to see more of a team

141
00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,640
Speaker 1: aspect versus individual stats. I mean, you know, Murray was

142
00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,160
Speaker 1: in the MVP conversation that went we never thought that

143
00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,520
Speaker 1: was possible because you gotta win X amount of games.

144
00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,840
Speaker 1: But every team has talent. It's the teams that are

145
00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:57,520
Speaker 1: playing this weekend they are They've come together and I'll

146
00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,560
Speaker 1: be frank here, a lot of them have been in

147
00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,800
Speaker 1: the same system. You know, give Bruce Arians credit for

148
00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,200
Speaker 1: Tom Brady and Matt Lafleura for Aaron Rodgers. You know

149
00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,120
Speaker 1: Ron Rivera are dealing with situations off the field and cancer.

150
00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,520
Speaker 1: So I got those. But the other teams, they've been

151
00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,200
Speaker 1: with the head coach and quarterback and they're a team.

152
00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:19,560
Speaker 1: They're not individuals putting up individual stats. And I know,

153
00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,600
Speaker 1: with respects to the Lions game that you had Matthew Stafford,

154
00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,480
Speaker 1: but still Matt Patricia was. There was talk going into

155
00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,840
Speaker 1: this season that he was on the hot seat and

156
00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,800
Speaker 1: might not survive twenty twenty, and in the end he didn't.

157
00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,760
Speaker 1: But that game, the Cardinals could not overcome their own mistakes.

158
00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:38,960
Speaker 1: Kyle Murray turned the ball over three times, he was

159
00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,800
Speaker 1: intercepted three times. The Lions converted those turnovers into ten

160
00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,760
Speaker 1: points and they win by a field goal, Matt Prator

161
00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,360
Speaker 1: kicking a field goal on the last play of the game,

162
00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,800
Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, some of the air was

163
00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,800
Speaker 1: sucked out of that two and oh start because you

164
00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,320
Speaker 1: have to be able to protect home turf with or

165
00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,959
Speaker 1: without fans and attendance. And then one game does matter.

166
00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,400
Speaker 1: You only have sixteen of these, and I don't like. Yeah,

167
00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,720
Speaker 1: sometimes maybe in baseball you can say it in the

168
00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,400
Speaker 1: NBA and hockey when you're playing one hundred and sixty

169
00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,840
Speaker 1: two and eighty two games that you know, one game

170
00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,840
Speaker 1: doesn't always matter that much. But when you have sixteen

171
00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,800
Speaker 1: of these, and in the Cardinals case, you fall one

172
00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,400
Speaker 1: game short, you have to have every single week, every

173
00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,920
Speaker 1: single Sunday, if you're playing on a Monday or a Thursday,

174
00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,000
Speaker 1: that that is the most important thing that week, that day.

175
00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,199
Speaker 1: And the Cardinals didn't bring it against an inferior opponent

176
00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,280
Speaker 1: and the Lions that was the game. Keyshawn Johnson came

177
00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,960
Speaker 1: back after he was on the reserve COVID nineteen lists

178
00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,920
Speaker 1: and inexplicably was targeted seven times. Larry Fitzgerald had one

179
00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:49,679
Speaker 1: catch for no yards. It just didn't sit well with

180
00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,640
Speaker 1: me then, and obviously, as you can tell Bird Gang,

181
00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,520
Speaker 1: it still doesn't sit well with me now because you

182
00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,040
Speaker 1: win that game a team that the Bearers split with

183
00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,680
Speaker 1: and now of a sudden, that tiebreaker is completely out

184
00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,280
Speaker 1: the window. You finished a game ahead of the Bears,

185
00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,040
Speaker 1: you're in and they're watching this weekend. Yeah, and we

186
00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:11,320
Speaker 1: talked about, you know, at least going five hundred in

187
00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:13,080
Speaker 1: the division. They started off two and oh and then

188
00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,560
Speaker 1: they finished two and four, and they go six and

189
00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,080
Speaker 1: six in the conference. And the games you're referring to

190
00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,240
Speaker 1: Detroit and Carolina, those are conference games and then obviously

191
00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,559
Speaker 1: division games. But for me, Craig, you know, you look

192
00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,599
Speaker 1: at the Cardinals. They win the Buffalo game on the

193
00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,040
Speaker 1: hell Murray, then they lose to the Seahawks twenty one,

194
00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:38,160
Speaker 1: twenty eight, and then they go to New England knowing that,

195
00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,520
Speaker 1: you know, you got one of the greatest coaches on

196
00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,720
Speaker 1: the other sideline, so you better bring your a game.

197
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,680
Speaker 1: And the Cardinals got off to attend nothing lead in

198
00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,840
Speaker 1: that game, and then Belichick made some adjustments. They were

199
00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,280
Speaker 1: getting to the edge and Stefan Gilmour did a really

200
00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,360
Speaker 1: good job at anytime hop got the ball, he got

201
00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,440
Speaker 1: tackled right away. You know, again, I think it was

202
00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,280
Speaker 1: more about scheming. And then Cam Newton's facing a third

203
00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:06,480
Speaker 1: and twelve or third and thirteen in thirteen, third and thirteen,

204
00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:11,079
Speaker 1: and he I think he threw for seventy four yards, right,

205
00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,120
Speaker 1: was a seventy four yards? Eighty four yards? Okay? Eighty

206
00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,880
Speaker 1: four yards? Okay? Point yes, yeah, it wasn't. So he

207
00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,559
Speaker 1: wasn't gonna throw it, and you know, they're bringing pressure

208
00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,800
Speaker 1: and they couldn't tackle him. And then Isaiah Simmons gets

209
00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,920
Speaker 1: that hit, which again Cam would have flopped. Anyways, They're

210
00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:29,199
Speaker 1: gonna protect these quarterbacks, and Isaiah Simmons had been flagged

211
00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,840
Speaker 1: earlier in the season for maybe some late hits. But

212
00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:36,360
Speaker 1: that game, to me was that was devastating because that

213
00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,400
Speaker 1: was I mean, this is nothing against the Patriots, but

214
00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,240
Speaker 1: this is a down year for them. I mean they

215
00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,440
Speaker 1: made even finished five hundred and Cam Newton was I mean,

216
00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,080
Speaker 1: he couldn't even throw the ball. It was like a

217
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,040
Speaker 1: shot put in the receivers. Nothing against you know, Myers

218
00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:55,040
Speaker 1: and Damir Burton, no, Julian Edelman, the tight ends weren't

219
00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,439
Speaker 1: an issue. But to me, that game, and it's an

220
00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,160
Speaker 1: AFC game, so it doesn't have the same but if

221
00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,840
Speaker 1: we're talking about a win, now you're nine and seven

222
00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:06,560
Speaker 1: and so you're you're getting into the playoffs and you know, granted,

223
00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,400
Speaker 1: if you're playing in the AFC, you have to almost

224
00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,920
Speaker 1: win ten or eleven games, so that put That New

225
00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,960
Speaker 1: England game really bothered me because not only was it

226
00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,160
Speaker 1: winning ball, but you want to see this team start

227
00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,240
Speaker 1: getting out on winning street. And we knew that they

228
00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,160
Speaker 1: needed to get off to a good start based on

229
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,120
Speaker 1: the schedule, and the second half was going to be

230
00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,840
Speaker 1: more daunting because of division games. Okay, and you know,

231
00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,320
Speaker 1: they took care of business against the Giants and Jets

232
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,080
Speaker 1: and the NFC East, but when you get to five

233
00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:33,679
Speaker 1: and two and six and three, and then all of

234
00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,599
Speaker 1: a sudden, you lose six of your last nine games,

235
00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,040
Speaker 1: and we knew it was going to get more difficult.

236
00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:41,920
Speaker 1: And it got out to that good start, it just

237
00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,920
Speaker 1: it fizzled though, and again they didn't play their best

238
00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:47,680
Speaker 1: football in the last two weeks of the season, and

239
00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,240
Speaker 1: that's something I'm going to take into the offseason. So again,

240
00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,720
Speaker 1: a lot of work to do. The game against the

241
00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,120
Speaker 1: Patriots always worried me a little bit just because of

242
00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,200
Speaker 1: the Belichick factor, and even with less talent, he has

243
00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,640
Speaker 1: found a way to not only win games, but win

244
00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,600
Speaker 1: Super Bowls. So that was always in the back of

245
00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:11,760
Speaker 1: my mind. But remember leading into that week, it was

246
00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,560
Speaker 1: the slow start talk, why can't this team take that

247
00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,520
Speaker 1: opening drive and score. Well, they did their first possession

248
00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,560
Speaker 1: thanks to a Marcus Golden interception, They were set up

249
00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,120
Speaker 1: real well at the New England twenty three yard line,

250
00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,480
Speaker 1: scored a touchdown Kenyan Drake one yard touchdown run at

251
00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,240
Speaker 1: seven nothing, then it's ten nothing and then of course

252
00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:34,880
Speaker 1: the pivotal fourth end goal right before the end of

253
00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,959
Speaker 1: the first half. Day Drake stuffed and it didn't seem

254
00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:39,960
Speaker 1: like the same Cardinals team to come out of the

255
00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:43,480
Speaker 1: locker room in the second half. But even though they

256
00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,320
Speaker 1: had a ten seven lead, you know, at worst it's

257
00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,840
Speaker 1: thirteen seven, it should have been seventeen seven. And it

258
00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,880
Speaker 1: just seemed like they not that they stopped trying, but

259
00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,840
Speaker 1: the motivation or the sense of urgency just wasn't there.

260
00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,000
Speaker 1: And the Patriots jumped on them, and despite only one

261
00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,720
Speaker 1: hundred and seventy nine yards of total offense and going

262
00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,040
Speaker 1: four of eleven on third down, the Patriots were able

263
00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,480
Speaker 1: to come up with a twenty to seventeen win. Yeah,

264
00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,480
Speaker 1: and you know, it's always the what if, But if

265
00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,320
Speaker 1: they didn't get the hell murray against the Bills, they

266
00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,600
Speaker 1: would have been on a losing streak. So you beat

267
00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,600
Speaker 1: Buffalo on the final play of the game, you lose

268
00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,800
Speaker 1: the Seahawks, you lose the Patriots, and then you lose

269
00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:23,960
Speaker 1: to the Rams, and that was that three game losing streak.

270
00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,000
Speaker 1: And then you come back and play the Giants where

271
00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:33,120
Speaker 1: you know Daniel Jones he was he couldn't run, so

272
00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:35,160
Speaker 1: they were trying to throw the ball. And then you know,

273
00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:39,040
Speaker 1: the Eagles game really was a fourth quarter game. But Craig,

274
00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,360
Speaker 1: I know you did the research and how many times

275
00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,960
Speaker 1: did the Cardinals have double digits lead or double digit

276
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:52,160
Speaker 1: deficits when it came to the fourth quarter. The Cardinals

277
00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:57,520
Speaker 1: this past season overcame double digit deficits to win three times.

278
00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,240
Speaker 1: They lost one dial digit lead, and that was at

279
00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,480
Speaker 1: New England, the ten nothing lead they were unable to

280
00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,080
Speaker 1: sustain and ended up losing that contest. And then there

281
00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,480
Speaker 1: were five games in which the Cardinals never trailed and

282
00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,040
Speaker 1: two games in which they never led at Carolina and

283
00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,760
Speaker 1: at Seattle. So the Cardinals were in a lot of

284
00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,800
Speaker 1: these games, and I think that is what you want.

285
00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,000
Speaker 1: You don't want to get blown out. I don't think

286
00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,360
Speaker 1: the Cardinals really had a quote unquote really bad game

287
00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:31,000
Speaker 1: or a bad performance. Maybe Carolina sticks out and this

288
00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,440
Speaker 1: team wasn't getting blown out yet. At the same time,

289
00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,280
Speaker 1: to your point, when you have a lead, you have

290
00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,480
Speaker 1: to sustain it. You have to you have to increase it.

291
00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,480
Speaker 1: You can't just sit on that lead and think you're okay.

292
00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:47,280
Speaker 1: Because how many times this season have we watched highlights

293
00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,680
Speaker 1: or read stories in which teams are coming back from thirteen, seventeen,

294
00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:55,240
Speaker 1: twenty one points in the second half to win ball games.

295
00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,200
Speaker 1: That's just the way I think this league is trending

296
00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:01,640
Speaker 1: because the way the offenses are the highest scoring season

297
00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,400
Speaker 1: in NFL history, and it's only going to get better

298
00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,000
Speaker 1: as far as the number of points are scored. That's

299
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,160
Speaker 1: why I always focus on the offense as opposed to

300
00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:14,280
Speaker 1: the defense when looking back at the twenty twenty Cardinal season. Yeah,

301
00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,920
Speaker 1: and you also part of your research, the Cardinals played

302
00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,080
Speaker 1: nine one score games. They finished four and five. There,

303
00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,240
Speaker 1: you just mentioned the postseason kicks off on Saturday on

304
00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,160
Speaker 1: the heels of the highest scoring regular season NFL history

305
00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,680
Speaker 1: twelve thousand, six hundred ninety two points fourteen hundred seventy

306
00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,520
Speaker 1: three touchdowns, and that's the league's pre I mean, that's

307
00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,320
Speaker 1: the highest in one hundred years. Here's what I want

308
00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,040
Speaker 1: to get to, because when you talk about one score

309
00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,440
Speaker 1: games eight points or less, and you mentioned the Cardinals

310
00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:48,000
Speaker 1: were four and five seventy percent of the league, that's right,

311
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,440
Speaker 1: one hundred and seventy nine at two fifty six at

312
00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,600
Speaker 1: seventy percent is within one score games. And if you

313
00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:57,840
Speaker 1: just flip that, I mean, let's not get greedy here,

314
00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,000
Speaker 1: you just get you know, maybe you you go five

315
00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,040
Speaker 1: number five and four or six and three. It's different.

316
00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,960
Speaker 1: And and no lead was safe this year in the NFL,

317
00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:11,280
Speaker 1: as winning teams combined to erase ten or more points

318
00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,959
Speaker 1: in forty three games. So we know the Falcons had

319
00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,639
Speaker 1: sixteen point leads. We know the Chargers had a lot

320
00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,280
Speaker 1: of leagues and losing even though they won four games

321
00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,720
Speaker 1: end the season, So forty three games and that ties

322
00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,920
Speaker 1: a single season league record. When it comes to that's

323
00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,640
Speaker 1: what the NFL is, that's the parody. That's what they want.

324
00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,440
Speaker 1: I mean, you're gonna have your teams win twelve thirteen games,

325
00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,080
Speaker 1: but a lot of it's seven to nine, eight and

326
00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:37,520
Speaker 1: eight to nine and seven. And again, every team has talent,

327
00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:41,399
Speaker 1: but you have to become a team versus individual stats.

328
00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:46,080
Speaker 1: Biggest deficit the Cardinals overcame in twenty twenty fourteen points

329
00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,040
Speaker 1: they trailed the Bills twenty three to nine, and of

330
00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:53,679
Speaker 1: course win on that hell Murray to certainly the play

331
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,359
Speaker 1: of the year for the Cardinals, and I think for

332
00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,960
Speaker 1: the perhaps maybe the entire NFL. Yeah, and you also

333
00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:02,480
Speaker 1: have at San Francisco, and that was Week one and

334
00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,840
Speaker 1: they were down by ten, Yes, and then at the Seahawks.

335
00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,480
Speaker 1: That's the NFL though those It always comes out into that,

336
00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,399
Speaker 1: and we see when teams get to five or six minutes,

337
00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,000
Speaker 1: they don't they're not as conservative. If you have a lead,

338
00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,040
Speaker 1: you're gonna pound the ball, but all of a sudden,

339
00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,200
Speaker 1: it's kind of like, um, you know, kamikaze, We're gonna

340
00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,600
Speaker 1: start throwing it. And then you know, teams make mistakes,

341
00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,199
Speaker 1: Teams play for front defense. So that and and I

342
00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,879
Speaker 1: think we've heard it enough that and Bertrand hit on

343
00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,960
Speaker 1: it during the Red Seat Report earlier in the week,

344
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,080
Speaker 1: and that was they have to learn how to finish games,

345
00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:36,280
Speaker 1: and that's part of learning how to win. And when

346
00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,360
Speaker 1: you're four and five in games in one score or more,

347
00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:43,439
Speaker 1: just imagine and again it's so what if? But the

348
00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:47,160
Speaker 1: reality is they weren't able to, you know, win more

349
00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,920
Speaker 1: division games, and when you finish six and six in

350
00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,840
Speaker 1: the conference, it's hard to win the tiebreakers and then

351
00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,960
Speaker 1: going oh and four within your division, finishing with back

352
00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,600
Speaker 1: to back losses to the forty nine ers into the Rams.

353
00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:02,000
Speaker 1: And it's why the Cardinals here are spectators when it

354
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,119
Speaker 1: comes to the playoffs as opposed to being participants in

355
00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,760
Speaker 1: what is being billed as Super Wildcard Weekend. Bird Gang

356
00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,720
Speaker 1: update to the Lettuce version of the Cardinals mobile app today.

357
00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,800
Speaker 1: The update features in all new redesign homescreen experience. Visit

358
00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:21,080
Speaker 1: accrdinals dot com slash app for more. Let's get into

359
00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:25,239
Speaker 1: the postseason. Seven of the fourteen teams half of the

360
00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:30,160
Speaker 1: playoff participants. Mj knew this season they missed the playoffs

361
00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:36,119
Speaker 1: a year ago. Bears, Browns, Buccaneers, Colts, Rams, Steelers, and Washington.

362
00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,080
Speaker 1: Those seven teams were not a part of the postseason

363
00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,600
Speaker 1: a year ago. But here they are this weekend. As

364
00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:48,000
Speaker 1: I mentioned, Super Wildcard Weekend, two days of triple header

365
00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,320
Speaker 1: action first time ever. And I don't need to ask

366
00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:54,200
Speaker 1: you what your plans are on Saturday or Sunday. I'm

367
00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,040
Speaker 1: guessing if anything happens, Mike Jarecki is not going to

368
00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:00,240
Speaker 1: know about it from probably ten AM to maybe i'm

369
00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,600
Speaker 1: thirty pm on Saturday and Sunday. So friends of Mike

370
00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,960
Speaker 1: Jarecki do not bother him. They'll be in front of

371
00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,800
Speaker 1: his television. He'll have his computer, i am phone nearby,

372
00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,639
Speaker 1: but probably just to tweet some reaction and do some

373
00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:18,960
Speaker 1: quarterbacking Saturday and Sunday quarterbacking from the couch. Yeah, and

374
00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,200
Speaker 1: you know we always have, you know, new teams that

375
00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,280
Speaker 1: were in the playoffs. You mentioned them, but also was

376
00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,040
Speaker 1: there two teams that went from was the one team

377
00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,520
Speaker 1: that went from worst to first? Washington? Washington, and then

378
00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:33,919
Speaker 1: the Steelers didn't make the playoffs, so they were one

379
00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,400
Speaker 1: of the teams. But again that's the NFL, and that's

380
00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,199
Speaker 1: why you gotta you know, when you get the opportunity,

381
00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,080
Speaker 1: you got to knock on the door. That's the disappointing thing,

382
00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:48,239
Speaker 1: you know, But like I said, I'm I'm encouraged. Year

383
00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:50,040
Speaker 1: number three is going to be big just from a

384
00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:54,000
Speaker 1: standpoint of five eight and you could not take a

385
00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,200
Speaker 1: step back and you got to look at maybe getting

386
00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,080
Speaker 1: ten or eleven wins and that maybe put you in

387
00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,480
Speaker 1: the conversation for one of the top four seas. And again,

388
00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,280
Speaker 1: the schedule is going to be more difficult. I pointed

389
00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,640
Speaker 1: out through the year the Cardinals didn't face murderers Row

390
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,280
Speaker 1: when it came to quarterbacks, and it's going to be

391
00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,560
Speaker 1: different next year. I mean, they didn't face Drew Brees,

392
00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:18,119
Speaker 1: Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson. They faced

393
00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,199
Speaker 1: Josh Allen. But next year, schedule is going to be

394
00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,240
Speaker 1: more difficult. You're not playing against the NFC East, and

395
00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,479
Speaker 1: I do think that division will be better. But this

396
00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:29,119
Speaker 1: is a year you had to take care of business

397
00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,040
Speaker 1: and they did that. So I don't want to, you know,

398
00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,360
Speaker 1: look back and say, oh, you only beat the NFC's

399
00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,600
Speaker 1: they get paid too, and there's a salary cap. But yeah,

400
00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,320
Speaker 1: they got to learn how to win and learn how

401
00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,760
Speaker 1: to finish games because there were opportunities. And you know,

402
00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,280
Speaker 1: we really haven't focused on how Zane guns Allie didn't

403
00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:47,919
Speaker 1: help them out. But it shouldn't come down to that.

404
00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:49,800
Speaker 1: But if it does, you got to make the kick.

405
00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,760
Speaker 1: The teams that did make the postseason were able to

406
00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,679
Speaker 1: make the kick and make the plays to get into

407
00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,040
Speaker 1: the playoffs. And let's go over the schedule and then

408
00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,400
Speaker 1: you can touch on what games that you have your

409
00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,640
Speaker 1: eye on most of all Saturday. Here's the schedule. We'll

410
00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,639
Speaker 1: go in order. First game kicks off at eleven am

411
00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,159
Speaker 1: on CBS Colts at the Bills. That will be followed

412
00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:15,240
Speaker 1: by the NFC West matchup Rams at Seahawks two forty

413
00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,600
Speaker 1: in the afternoon on Fox, and then the nightcap Tom

414
00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:23,040
Speaker 1: Brady and the Buccaneers at Washington six fifteen on NBC.

415
00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,160
Speaker 1: And there you've got the Tom Brady Chase Young storyline.

416
00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:28,919
Speaker 1: Chase Young walking off the field last week saying I

417
00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,560
Speaker 1: want Tom, I want Tom Brady, I want the goat.

418
00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,960
Speaker 1: Brady took it all in stride. He even brought up

419
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,640
Speaker 1: the fact that you've got the Michigan Ohio state college rivalry.

420
00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,399
Speaker 1: So it's certainly going to be a lot of fun

421
00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:43,760
Speaker 1: to end Saturday. So of those three, let's just go

422
00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:48,200
Speaker 1: with day one of Super wild Card weekend. Those three games,

423
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,000
Speaker 1: which one and maybe it will probably be no surprise

424
00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:56,639
Speaker 1: to many, but I'm guessing maybe Colts at Bills just

425
00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:00,119
Speaker 1: because of your affinity for all things Buffalo, Yeah, I

426
00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,800
Speaker 1: mean and that's the early game, eleven out five hard time.

427
00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,359
Speaker 1: You got the eleven and five Colts. Frank Wright's on

428
00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,399
Speaker 1: the nice job, you know, Philip Rivers first year in

429
00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,879
Speaker 1: that system, and the thirteen and three Bills, you know

430
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,360
Speaker 1: Sean McDermott. They've won the division now the first time

431
00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,520
Speaker 1: since ninety five, earned the first home playoff game since

432
00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,919
Speaker 1: nineteen ninety six. Offensively, the Bills can score points. I

433
00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,000
Speaker 1: mean they're in their ranked second in the league thirty

434
00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,359
Speaker 1: one points a game, tied for total defense ninety six.

435
00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,240
Speaker 1: And Josh Allen, I mean I know that he was

436
00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,960
Speaker 1: in that MVP conversation, and I think you know between

437
00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,600
Speaker 1: Rogers is gonna win it? Mahomes, I would put Allen

438
00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:41,080
Speaker 1: third and Derrick Henry number four. Stefan Diggs one of

439
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,280
Speaker 1: the better free agent pickups in the off season. I

440
00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,159
Speaker 1: mean he's He's one hundred and twenty seven receptions the

441
00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,919
Speaker 1: six months in a single season. You know, he's putting

442
00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,600
Speaker 1: up big numbers. Their defense is good. Um. You know,

443
00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:55,600
Speaker 1: I like the Bills in this game just because I

444
00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,160
Speaker 1: think they can score points. But you know, the Colts

445
00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,280
Speaker 1: defense is pretty good. Um, I just wonder if they

446
00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,840
Speaker 1: can force some turnovers. But Allan's been on fire ever

447
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,639
Speaker 1: since that Cardinal loss. I mean, he's They're putting up

448
00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 1: big points. And they showed a video of them at

449
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,960
Speaker 1: practice on Thursday and dance and having a good time.

450
00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:15,720
Speaker 1: And the question now is can they win a playoff

451
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,280
Speaker 1: game because they've built this up for the last three

452
00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,760
Speaker 1: years and now it's time and this is the first

453
00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:23,680
Speaker 1: time they won the division. And you got to think

454
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:28,399
Speaker 1: between them the Dolphins, you know, we'll see what the

455
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:30,520
Speaker 1: Patriots do. I don't think they're gonna be down for

456
00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,120
Speaker 1: a long time. But it's Buffalo's time. So um, they

457
00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:37,200
Speaker 1: are going to have sixty one hundred fans there, so

458
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,600
Speaker 1: that that's gonna will be in attendance, yes, and I

459
00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,480
Speaker 1: don't think there's any tailgating, but they'll they'll stop about

460
00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,159
Speaker 1: two miles away and start partying on the side of

461
00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,040
Speaker 1: the road, and that it will sound like fifty thousand

462
00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,480
Speaker 1: if the Bills, you know, because they get they they

463
00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,920
Speaker 1: come with a party there. So hopefully you know, they

464
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,760
Speaker 1: can not get arrested, because they do have some arrest

465
00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,320
Speaker 1: during the game there. But I do like the Bills.

466
00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,600
Speaker 1: Buffalo has not lost since that Hell Murray and you

467
00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,879
Speaker 1: talked about Josh Allen forty five hundred plus passing yards

468
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,679
Speaker 1: and forty five total touchdowns this past season, and then

469
00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:14,880
Speaker 1: of course you got Rams and Seahawks. These two teams

470
00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,840
Speaker 1: split their two regular season meetings. Some good news for

471
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,440
Speaker 1: the Rams, Cooper Cup activated off the reserve COVID nineteen list.

472
00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,560
Speaker 1: Good news for the Seahawks. Jamal Adam says he'll play.

473
00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,560
Speaker 1: You heard his shoulder in week seventeen. And then, of

474
00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,000
Speaker 1: course with the Rams, it's John Walford or Jared Goff

475
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,199
Speaker 1: who quarterbacks the team, and Sean McBay has made it

476
00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,880
Speaker 1: very clear we will all find out when that game

477
00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,960
Speaker 1: kicks off at two forty and not before. Yeah. Rams

478
00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,200
Speaker 1: ten and six, Seahawks twelve and four seattles in the

479
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,679
Speaker 1: playoffs for the ninth time and eleven seasons under Pete Carroll,

480
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,320
Speaker 1: the Rams of clinch of playoff birth and three of

481
00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:53,400
Speaker 1: the parts past seasons with Sean McVeigh. Now, the two

482
00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:57,080
Speaker 1: teams did split during the regular season, with each club

483
00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,440
Speaker 1: winning at home. So the Rams beat the Sea twenty

484
00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,960
Speaker 1: three sixteen in Week ten, while the Seahawks defeated the

485
00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:07,440
Speaker 1: Rams twenty to nine in Week sixteen. Russell Wilson, he

486
00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,720
Speaker 1: was drafted the third round, has earned his eighth postseason

487
00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,080
Speaker 1: birth in nine years. And you know, we know their

488
00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,639
Speaker 1: defense is playing a lot well, a lot better. You know,

489
00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,000
Speaker 1: I think they're battle tested. You know, people were throwing

490
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,440
Speaker 1: dirt on him when he had ten and tenos in

491
00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,000
Speaker 1: you know, like a three or four game span. Clearly

492
00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,680
Speaker 1: their defense played well towards the end, and they got

493
00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,920
Speaker 1: more pressure on the quarterback that I like. The run game.

494
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,800
Speaker 1: You know, Metcalf could be a matchup issue and Tyler Lockett,

495
00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,200
Speaker 1: but I think this game is going to come down

496
00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:42,600
Speaker 1: to which defense can force the other turnover, the other

497
00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,199
Speaker 1: quarterback to make turnovers, and so I think this is

498
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,840
Speaker 1: gonna be a fourth quarter game. I think it's gonna

499
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,080
Speaker 1: be close. Again. The two games they played this year,

500
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,760
Speaker 1: it was twenty three sixteen and twenty to nine, and

501
00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:57,199
Speaker 1: we got a chance to play the Rams after that game, thinking, hell,

502
00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,800
Speaker 1: they only scored nine points. But give Seattle's defense a

503
00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,600
Speaker 1: lot credit, and it's pretty remarkable with Russell Wilson and

504
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,359
Speaker 1: Pete Carroll have done since they've been there. They've been

505
00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,760
Speaker 1: the team to beat the Rams defense number one as

506
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,920
Speaker 1: far as few as points allowed. This season, just eighteen

507
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:17,439
Speaker 1: and a half points they average allowed against opponents this season,

508
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,360
Speaker 1: and when it comes to a few ash Yardsberg game

509
00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,040
Speaker 1: two eighty one and they recorded the most sacks fifty

510
00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:26,960
Speaker 1: three during the NFL season. Of course, it always starts

511
00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,840
Speaker 1: with Aaron Donald, but you know they're gonna get Michael

512
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,160
Speaker 1: Brocker's back. I think you look at Brandon Stanley, He's

513
00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,960
Speaker 1: done a really good job putting players in position to

514
00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,200
Speaker 1: make plays. And it's going to be interesting to see

515
00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:42,119
Speaker 1: that Jalen Ramsey DK Metcalf matchup. And I think people

516
00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,560
Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if the road team won here and

517
00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,199
Speaker 1: the Rams. And I'm mind guessing is a lot of

518
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,119
Speaker 1: people expect the other road team on Saturday to be

519
00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,200
Speaker 1: the Buccaneers to have a really good chance at advancing.

520
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:58,720
Speaker 1: Considering Washington, they were not good all season long, although

521
00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,080
Speaker 1: they did play well late in the season. And I

522
00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,760
Speaker 1: saw this interesting note because people are a lot quick

523
00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,240
Speaker 1: to ride off Washington. But they're the third team in

524
00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,720
Speaker 1: league history to win its division with a sub five

525
00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:14,760
Speaker 1: hundred record. Each of the previous two teams the twenty

526
00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:19,640
Speaker 1: ten Seahawks and twenty fourteen Panthers. They won their first

527
00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,240
Speaker 1: round playoff games. So history is on the side of Washington.

528
00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,840
Speaker 1: But when you talk about history, Tom Brady has the

529
00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,280
Speaker 1: best history of any quarterback in all of the National

530
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:32,720
Speaker 1: Football League. I like the Buccaneers here, well let's look

531
00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:37,520
Speaker 1: at Ron Rofferi's record against Bruce Arians. Now, they had

532
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,440
Speaker 1: a really good defense, Keith Lee, Thomas Davis, quand short.

533
00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,560
Speaker 1: I mean they had good corners, they had, you know,

534
00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:46,080
Speaker 1: the running backs. I know them going back. Cardinals did

535
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:50,440
Speaker 1: go on the road and beat them in the NFC

536
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,480
Speaker 1: Division Around. It got him to the championship game against

537
00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:57,680
Speaker 1: the Eagles. But that that front seven, they're explosive. Now,

538
00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:00,719
Speaker 1: you know, I'm sure it's going to be a lot

539
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:02,600
Speaker 1: of play action get rid of the ball, but you know,

540
00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,920
Speaker 1: I don't know the availability and Mike Evans will look scary,

541
00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,200
Speaker 1: but there was no swelling. But Antonio Brown's going to

542
00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,320
Speaker 1: be a weapon. We know, GRONXA weapon. I don't know

543
00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,520
Speaker 1: where Chris Godwin is when it comes to, you know, playing,

544
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,920
Speaker 1: he's got that finger injury. Ronald Jones, I had some

545
00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,680
Speaker 1: guys on COVID. Leonard Fournette still there, Shady McCoy, I

546
00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:21,160
Speaker 1: don't know how much you're going to see those guys,

547
00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 1: but yeah, I mean Rivera that and again Alex Smith,

548
00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,760
Speaker 1: we see both quarterbacks because he may not be able

549
00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,040
Speaker 1: to move around. This is a big game for Todd

550
00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,480
Speaker 1: Bowles because defensively, you know, usually towards the end of

551
00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,320
Speaker 1: the year, they're always ranked in the top five or

552
00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,200
Speaker 1: top seven in every single category, and we watch them

553
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,520
Speaker 1: give up a ton of points in certain games this year.

554
00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,800
Speaker 1: But again I do think you know, to me, I

555
00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,520
Speaker 1: don't know if Washington can score enough points to beat

556
00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:52,680
Speaker 1: the Patriots when it's all said and done. And I

557
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:54,160
Speaker 1: think that at the end of the day is what

558
00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,760
Speaker 1: it's going to be the difference in that contest. Close

559
00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:02,040
Speaker 1: up night number one of Super wild Card Weekend on Sunday,

560
00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,400
Speaker 1: three more games. Here are the three games. Ravens at

561
00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,840
Speaker 1: the Titans will get things kickstarted at eleven am on

562
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:14,160
Speaker 1: ESPN and ABC, Bears at the Saints at two forty

563
00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,479
Speaker 1: in the afternoon on CBS, and the special feature on

564
00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:21,760
Speaker 1: Nickelodeon Brown's at the Steelers is your Nightcap six fifteen

565
00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,800
Speaker 1: on NBC. But that first game, Ravens at Titans, and

566
00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,920
Speaker 1: you talk about big games. As far as individuals. Lamar Jackson,

567
00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:32,080
Speaker 1: He's been in the playoffs. Now, this will be his

568
00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,560
Speaker 1: third season in the postseason, but he has not won

569
00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,719
Speaker 1: a postseason game. He's owing two. Yeah, and for some

570
00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,000
Speaker 1: reason I thought he had won one. But d'ar right,

571
00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:45,680
Speaker 1: Ravens loving and five, Titans eleven and five. The Ravens

572
00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,880
Speaker 1: going on the road Baltimore Playoff round, third consecutive season,

573
00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:54,400
Speaker 1: ninth time in thirteen years under Jim Harball Titan. The

574
00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,280
Speaker 1: Titans captured their first Division crown since two thousand and

575
00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,959
Speaker 1: eight in his second postseason. Right from Mike Vrabel, it

576
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,600
Speaker 1: all starts with Derrick Henry. I mean, he rushed for

577
00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,240
Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty yards two touchdowns in the last

578
00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:09,520
Speaker 1: week of the season. He led the league with over

579
00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,640
Speaker 1: two thousand yards in twenty twenty, eighth player in league

580
00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,280
Speaker 1: annuals to rush over two thousand yards in a season.

581
00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:19,920
Speaker 1: So you just wonder. I like, I like Ryan Tannehill.

582
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:23,320
Speaker 1: I think he's perfect for that offense. I'm just concerned

583
00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,400
Speaker 1: with the Titans secondary. We always talk about a team

584
00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,240
Speaker 1: that can travel their home. Here, they're gonna run the ball.

585
00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,880
Speaker 1: Here's what the weather's gonna look like. That they got

586
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,000
Speaker 1: their special teams back to core here but I sit

587
00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,280
Speaker 1: there and look at the Ravens tight ends. We know

588
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,720
Speaker 1: about Mark Andrews. He's a weapon. They do have three

589
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,600
Speaker 1: different running backs. You know, they're all kind of different.

590
00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,600
Speaker 1: You got mark Ingraham where he's kind of being the

591
00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:48,640
Speaker 1: phase out a little bit. They got some young backs,

592
00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:51,720
Speaker 1: and then they got Hollywood Brown. I just don't know

593
00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,560
Speaker 1: if they're gonna be able to you know, I think

594
00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,800
Speaker 1: they can throw on their secondary, but as Lamar gonna

595
00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:58,560
Speaker 1: run around. But this is a big game for them

596
00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,800
Speaker 1: because you know, you look at him, and you know,

597
00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:03,720
Speaker 1: we look at the future, and he's gonna have to

598
00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:05,960
Speaker 1: win playoff games. That's how he's gonna be judged. He's

599
00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,680
Speaker 1: put up great regular season numbers. I think he's become

600
00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,840
Speaker 1: a better pocket passer, but I think it's quick for

601
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:13,560
Speaker 1: him to run knowing you know, I need to go

602
00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,600
Speaker 1: to first down. So this is a toss up to me.

603
00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,600
Speaker 1: I'm going to take the Titans at home in a

604
00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:22,680
Speaker 1: close game. Again, I don't know how much they're gonna score,

605
00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,680
Speaker 1: but turnovers and special teams will play a factor. Well,

606
00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:29,560
Speaker 1: and don't blink because this game could be over quickly.

607
00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:33,520
Speaker 1: The top two rushing offenses in the league so expect

608
00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:37,280
Speaker 1: a quick game. Knock on wood if you're a fan

609
00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,720
Speaker 1: of the Ravens and Titans, when it comes to can

610
00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,280
Speaker 1: you stop the run? And that might tilt this contest

611
00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,040
Speaker 1: to one team over the other. Yeah, Baltimore rush for

612
00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,719
Speaker 1: four hundred and four yards in Week seventeen, the fourst

613
00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,440
Speaker 1: fourth highest single total since nineteen fifty. The Giants did

614
00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,920
Speaker 1: it at four twenty three and nineteen fifteen the Bengals

615
00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,720
Speaker 1: four or seven. So four hundred and four yards now,

616
00:32:57,920 --> 00:32:59,680
Speaker 1: I don't think they're gonna be able to run for that,

617
00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:04,000
Speaker 1: but that's where they hang their hat. You know. If

618
00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:06,080
Speaker 1: they don't need Lamar to throw at thirty times, they're

619
00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,240
Speaker 1: going to run at thirty five times, and that means

620
00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:10,400
Speaker 1: they're winning at the line of scrimmage. But you have

621
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:13,240
Speaker 1: to score touchdowns in the red zone. And we'll see

622
00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,200
Speaker 1: if Lamar can win that first playoff game. I think

623
00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,880
Speaker 1: it will go a long way for his confidence. The

624
00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 1: only NFC matchup on Sunday is the second game of

625
00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:25,360
Speaker 1: the triple header, Bears at the Saints, and the storyline

626
00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,400
Speaker 1: here is Alvin Kamara. He will be eligible to play,

627
00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:32,200
Speaker 1: will not have practiced at all this week because the

628
00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:35,800
Speaker 1: testing positive for COVID nineteen, but because this game is

629
00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:39,120
Speaker 1: on a Sunday, he's eligible to play. If it was Saturday.

630
00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,680
Speaker 1: There was a lot of questions on whether, depending on

631
00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,120
Speaker 1: when that test was and the number of days that

632
00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:46,720
Speaker 1: you have to miss and be isolated, would he be

633
00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:49,360
Speaker 1: available at kickoff. But that game kicks off at two

634
00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,520
Speaker 1: forty on Sunday, so Kamara will be on the football field.

635
00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,800
Speaker 1: Yeah Bears eight and eight. They traveled to New Orleans

636
00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,200
Speaker 1: twelve and four. The Saints secured their fourth consecutive division

637
00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,600
Speaker 1: title and their ninth playoff berth in fourteen season under

638
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:07,640
Speaker 1: Sean Payton, Chicago clinched as second first postseason birth and

639
00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:11,280
Speaker 1: three years under head coach Matt Naggy. Now miss Rubisky

640
00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:16,800
Speaker 1: eventually became the charter. He finished six and three is

641
00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,000
Speaker 1: only postseason started. He passed for three hundred and three yards,

642
00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,520
Speaker 1: touchdown and no interceptions against Philadelphia. But what they found

643
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:25,719
Speaker 1: in the running game they don't have Terre Coon is

644
00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:29,240
Speaker 1: David Montgomber. He had a career high this year ranked fifth.

645
00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:32,520
Speaker 1: He had a thousand rushing yards and four hundred and

646
00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:37,480
Speaker 1: three thirty eight receiving yards and a career high ten touchdowns.

647
00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,319
Speaker 1: So if they get that running game going, I just

648
00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:42,319
Speaker 1: think the Saint's been knocking on the door for the

649
00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,239
Speaker 1: last few years. I believe it's going to be Drew

650
00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,399
Speaker 1: Brees's last year. He's already has a deal with an

651
00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:52,440
Speaker 1: NBC network. So they've been battled tested, whether they've been

652
00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,000
Speaker 1: screwed by the officials in that Rams game. But I

653
00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:57,640
Speaker 1: think they're built for this, and this is a game

654
00:34:57,680 --> 00:34:59,920
Speaker 1: they have to take care of business. I mean, mister Trubisky,

655
00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:02,840
Speaker 1: you know, you know how I was talking about Aaron Glenn,

656
00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,680
Speaker 1: their secondary coach. He's getting head coaching jobs. Dennis Allen's

657
00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:10,160
Speaker 1: on a good job there. I like what they do offensively.

658
00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,200
Speaker 1: Now it's a matter of, you know, how healthy is

659
00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,120
Speaker 1: Drew Brees. I mean, he's returned. Can he throw the

660
00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:20,400
Speaker 1: deep ball? Hopefully Mike Thomas back, so we'll see. But

661
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,360
Speaker 1: they have the talent. I think they they're ready to

662
00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,560
Speaker 1: make a run. Now it's a matter of, you know,

663
00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,000
Speaker 1: them trying to shut down the Bears running game, play

664
00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:32,000
Speaker 1: action and let's not fall asleep on Chicago's defense. I

665
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,080
Speaker 1: think that's what we don't talk about enough. You know,

666
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,680
Speaker 1: Kloe mac may not be near the top of the

667
00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:40,120
Speaker 1: league in sacks, but they they play sound defense, and

668
00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,960
Speaker 1: Chuck McDonald's on a nice job replacing Vic van Joel

669
00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,000
Speaker 1: there and Cardinal fans will be watching this game thinking

670
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,400
Speaker 1: what might or what could have been, considering the Bears

671
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:52,400
Speaker 1: are in and the Cardinals are not. The two teams

672
00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:56,479
Speaker 1: finishing the regular season both at eight and eye. Yeah,

673
00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,480
Speaker 1: and Kloe Mack is only one or two players with

674
00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:01,400
Speaker 1: eight or more sacks should have passed six seasons, you know.

675
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,400
Speaker 1: The other guy is Aaron Downald And then Drew Brees

676
00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:07,680
Speaker 1: through for close to five thousand yards thirty four touchdown,

677
00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:12,120
Speaker 1: twelve interceptions in sixteen career postseason starts. So and then

678
00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:15,160
Speaker 1: Kamara as you mentioned. So I like the Saints in

679
00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,200
Speaker 1: this game, I really do, but I you know, I

680
00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:19,520
Speaker 1: don't know if they're going to score thirty or forty,

681
00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:22,440
Speaker 1: maybe more twenty twenty five just because of a Bears defense,

682
00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:25,200
Speaker 1: and they'd like to run the football and plus weather

683
00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:28,600
Speaker 1: won't be a factor playing indoors. The final game on

684
00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,520
Speaker 1: Sunday and the last game on Super wild Card weekend

685
00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:36,960
Speaker 1: Browns at Steelers against six fifteen on NBC Cleveland, and

686
00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,440
Speaker 1: the postseason for the first time since two thousand and two,

687
00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:44,879
Speaker 1: although they will be without their head coach. Kevin Stefanski

688
00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:48,520
Speaker 1: tested positive for COVID nineteen and will not be on

689
00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:52,800
Speaker 1: the sidelines on Sunday. Really unfortunate. There's some other coaches

690
00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:56,200
Speaker 1: missing this game as well. They've worked so hard to

691
00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:59,040
Speaker 1: get to this point and the fact that they will

692
00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,799
Speaker 1: be missing member of their coaching staff is really unfortunate.

693
00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:06,359
Speaker 1: But these two teams just played one another in week seventeen. Now,

694
00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,760
Speaker 1: I know Pittsburgh rested a bunch of daughters, including Ben Roethlisberger,

695
00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,840
Speaker 1: but the Browns needed that game. Maybe there's some momentum

696
00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:16,760
Speaker 1: going into this contest. Who knows, but Baker Mayfield gets

697
00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:21,040
Speaker 1: his first ever playoff appearance. Yeah, Browns finished eleven and five,

698
00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:24,440
Speaker 1: Stidlers twenty in four. Stailers clarts his first division title

699
00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:28,319
Speaker 1: in playoff, first since twenty seventeen, while Mike Timelin has

700
00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:32,680
Speaker 1: got in nine over fourteen years. Mayfield probably a career year.

701
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,920
Speaker 1: I know that Stefanski had to sit down with him,

702
00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:39,359
Speaker 1: and you know, you know, obviously Freddie and him were close,

703
00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:41,839
Speaker 1: but sometimes you got to be stern to get out

704
00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:44,640
Speaker 1: of that position. But he definitely played better through for

705
00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,120
Speaker 1: thirty five hundred yards twenty six touch on a career

706
00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:51,520
Speaker 1: best quarterback rating of ninety five point nine. He joins

707
00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:53,760
Speaker 1: Andrew Luck and Peyton Man, and he's the only players

708
00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:55,799
Speaker 1: in history with at least thirty five hundred yards twenty

709
00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:58,640
Speaker 1: more touchdowns each in his first three seasons. So he's

710
00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:00,719
Speaker 1: putting up the numbers, but really it's going to come

711
00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:03,799
Speaker 1: down in a Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, and they

712
00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:05,880
Speaker 1: were the only pair of running backs to each eclipse

713
00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:09,520
Speaker 1: one thousand yards in twenty and twenty. We know Jarvis

714
00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:11,839
Speaker 1: Landry has been on the shelf. Now, one thing that

715
00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,200
Speaker 1: I learned over the last couple of days is when

716
00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,760
Speaker 1: it comes to Kevin Stefanskin, I don't have the numbers

717
00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:20,760
Speaker 1: on their first possession and maybe it wasn't very productive,

718
00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,480
Speaker 1: but he scripts his first fifteen to eighteen plays and

719
00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:28,200
Speaker 1: they are That's where they kind of, you know, start

720
00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,480
Speaker 1: to get the lead and then they can run the football. Now,

721
00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,640
Speaker 1: Alex van Pelt, who spent time in Green Bay, he

722
00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:37,239
Speaker 1: was a backup quarterback in Buffalo, He's going to call

723
00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:42,440
Speaker 1: the plays and unfortunately the league has rules where Stefanski

724
00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:46,600
Speaker 1: can't have any communication with the team on the field.

725
00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:49,680
Speaker 1: You know, you're thinking, how can he not text them

726
00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,239
Speaker 1: at halftime? But I guess the NFL can check your

727
00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:55,399
Speaker 1: check your phone, but he's gonna have to follow the rules.

728
00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:59,640
Speaker 1: I think it's unfortunate, but covid is, you know, it's

729
00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:05,080
Speaker 1: it's hope. It's winning. So you know, Pittsburgh, we'll see.

730
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:08,200
Speaker 1: I like their defense. You know, Roethlisberger's had trouble throwing

731
00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:10,319
Speaker 1: the ball down the field, but I thought he found

732
00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:14,719
Speaker 1: a little magic in Week sixteen. And you know, I

733
00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,440
Speaker 1: think the Steelers have weapons. I think Chase Claypool has

734
00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:21,040
Speaker 1: been really good, Jujuice Smith, Schuster, they throw the their

735
00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,680
Speaker 1: tight ends. To me, this is a toss up. But

736
00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,799
Speaker 1: if the Browns can force some turnovers and get some

737
00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:29,040
Speaker 1: short fields and be able to run the football and

738
00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,759
Speaker 1: Mayfield doesn't turn it over, I can see the road

739
00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:35,040
Speaker 1: team winning. But clearly I think Pittsburgh, because of the

740
00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:38,520
Speaker 1: situation with Stefanski, they may have an edge. I know

741
00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:41,640
Speaker 1: the coaches don't play, but to hear that same voice

742
00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:45,000
Speaker 1: in your head all season and then all of a

743
00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:48,000
Speaker 1: sudden you hear alex Van Palton and they become close.

744
00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,120
Speaker 1: I watched their press conference today. He addressed the media.

745
00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:53,600
Speaker 1: They've become very close. I think, you know, Freddie and

746
00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,600
Speaker 1: Drew Stanton were kind of sounding boards for Mayfield last year.

747
00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,800
Speaker 1: But having a different voice and we all see things

748
00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:03,479
Speaker 1: differently in life. I wonder how they'll call the game,

749
00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:05,920
Speaker 1: and I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of conversations

750
00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,000
Speaker 1: when he comes to the sidelines to say, you know,

751
00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:11,720
Speaker 1: I see this, maybe we should work this in. But again,

752
00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:14,080
Speaker 1: having a different voice, I think we'll have some effect,

753
00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,759
Speaker 1: maybe earlier in the game. They settled down by the

754
00:40:16,800 --> 00:40:20,560
Speaker 1: way road teams. They've won six of the last eight

755
00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:24,200
Speaker 1: wild Card games over the past two seasons, So don't

756
00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:28,920
Speaker 1: discount Colts, Rams, Buccaneers, Ravens, Bears, Browns. Those are the

757
00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:33,360
Speaker 1: six road teams on Super wild Card weekend. It should

758
00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:35,440
Speaker 1: be a lot of fun and as we mentioned, no

759
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:39,160
Speaker 1: one bothered Mike Jarecki on Saturday or Sunday. And then

760
00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,880
Speaker 1: of course next week we'll talk about what happened and

761
00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:44,719
Speaker 1: then gets you ready for the divisional round as well

762
00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,840
Speaker 1: as we continue here on Cardinals Cover two presented by Honday,

763
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:51,239
Speaker 1: proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals. A reminder Bird Gang

764
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:56,440
Speaker 1: subscribe to Arizona Cardinals podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google podcast, Stitcher,

765
00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:59,279
Speaker 1: and SoundCloud. Listen to your favorite shows on the go

766
00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:02,239
Speaker 1: like Cardinal Underground, The Big Red Rage, The Cardinals Red

767
00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:04,600
Speaker 1: Sea Report, and of course this show Cardinals Cover two.

768
00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:09,279
Speaker 1: Visit Acy Cardinals dot Com Slash podcasts for more information. Yes,

769
00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:12,319
Speaker 1: we are in the offseason, but the shows will continue

770
00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:15,520
Speaker 1: year round to provide you the latest with what is

771
00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,640
Speaker 1: going on this offseason here with the Arizona Cardinals. A

772
00:41:18,680 --> 00:41:21,440
Speaker 1: lot of questions, a lot of moving parts, and some

773
00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:25,400
Speaker 1: of those moving parts have already happened. As the Cardinals

774
00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:29,040
Speaker 1: have started to prepare for the twenty twenty one season,

775
00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:34,879
Speaker 1: they have signed twenty players thus far MJ to future contracts,

776
00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:38,240
Speaker 1: and these are contracts that don't go into effect until

777
00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:42,120
Speaker 1: the new league year, which is March seventeenth, unless something

778
00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:45,520
Speaker 1: gets pushed back because of COVID nineteen. But twenty players

779
00:41:45,520 --> 00:41:49,200
Speaker 1: have been signed this week, fourteen of whom spent time

780
00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,200
Speaker 1: on the practice squad this season. So there is a

781
00:41:52,239 --> 00:41:57,040
Speaker 1: reason why the Cardinals like these players if they are

782
00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:00,319
Speaker 1: going to sign them to a future contract after them

783
00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:02,880
Speaker 1: all season long, and a couple of players I wanted

784
00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:06,480
Speaker 1: to point out here on this Thursday edition of Cardinals

785
00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:10,200
Speaker 1: Cover two presented by Hunday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals.

786
00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:12,560
Speaker 1: And these are players that not only did we see

787
00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:15,520
Speaker 1: on the practice squad MJ, but we actually did see

788
00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:19,680
Speaker 1: in games a couple of games. Cornerback Jase Whittaker played

789
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:24,040
Speaker 1: in four games, Defensive lineman Michael Dogbee in three games.

790
00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:28,240
Speaker 1: Former Cardinals draft pick linebacker Terren Smith appeared in three games,

791
00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:33,279
Speaker 1: and linebacker Reggie Walker also appeared in one game. So

792
00:42:33,360 --> 00:42:36,520
Speaker 1: those four players not only did the Cardinals like on

793
00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:40,320
Speaker 1: the practice squad, but they saw enough during that week

794
00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:43,160
Speaker 1: to elevate them from the practice squad to the active

795
00:42:43,239 --> 00:42:45,560
Speaker 1: roster on game day. And I know Jase Whittaker is

796
00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:48,000
Speaker 1: one of those players that we talked about during training camp,

797
00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,719
Speaker 1: undrafted out of Arizona, who did see some time some

798
00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:55,480
Speaker 1: reps in training camp with the first team on different packages.

799
00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,680
Speaker 1: So probably, as we say, with these practice squad players,

800
00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:01,960
Speaker 1: guys that you want to work with and develop and

801
00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:06,280
Speaker 1: a dogby a Smith, Walker, Whittaker, those kind of players

802
00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:09,680
Speaker 1: that you might see come twenty twenty one. Yeah, And

803
00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,920
Speaker 1: to me, Evan Weavers interesting from a standpoint of we

804
00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:15,200
Speaker 1: know he was the player of the year in the conference.

805
00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:17,960
Speaker 1: A little under size, he plays with his hair on fire,

806
00:43:18,719 --> 00:43:20,680
Speaker 1: and I think he can be a really good special

807
00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,279
Speaker 1: teams player, very similar to guys like Zeke Turner and

808
00:43:23,640 --> 00:43:26,080
Speaker 1: you know, Trent Sherfield and kind of going back to

809
00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:28,120
Speaker 1: Pat Tillman, but he's got to be on the active ross,

810
00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:30,759
Speaker 1: would be active on game day. You know, he's he's

811
00:43:30,800 --> 00:43:33,799
Speaker 1: battling Tanner Vallejo and you know, whether they resigned these

812
00:43:33,800 --> 00:43:36,759
Speaker 1: guys as Zeke Turner, I still think Jordan Hicks and

813
00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:39,520
Speaker 1: Isaiah Simmons will be your stars. But one other guy

814
00:43:39,560 --> 00:43:43,560
Speaker 1: I want to point out is Jojo Award. AJ Richardson's

815
00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:46,440
Speaker 1: a little he kind of has a frame of Anquan Boldin,

816
00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,640
Speaker 1: but Jojo Ward he's a guy that can take the

817
00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:52,640
Speaker 1: top off the defense. And again he's been in the system,

818
00:43:52,719 --> 00:43:55,680
Speaker 1: and we know everything's predicated on the routes, is based

819
00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:59,279
Speaker 1: on coverage, so it's a lot of mental things, you know.

820
00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:02,279
Speaker 1: So we'll see and you know when you start looking

821
00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,640
Speaker 1: at the roster. Obviously a big offseason for Andy Isabella.

822
00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:09,800
Speaker 1: According to season Keyshawn Johnson, I think shown some upside.

823
00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:12,040
Speaker 1: Maybe he's a four or five, but you know they

824
00:44:12,040 --> 00:44:14,360
Speaker 1: could address it in free agency it, you know, with

825
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,560
Speaker 1: a veteran guy to find a number two receiver that

826
00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:19,480
Speaker 1: may costly, but you got to you kind of kind

827
00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:21,400
Speaker 1: of flood the position and see what you have. But

828
00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:25,480
Speaker 1: I think Joejoe Award, he's got some skills, and I

829
00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:27,680
Speaker 1: liked what he did in training camp, again in just

830
00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:32,120
Speaker 1: numbers and not being comfortable playing in the NFL. So,

831
00:44:32,719 --> 00:44:36,640
Speaker 1: as you mentioned, these are futures contract people want to

832
00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:40,440
Speaker 1: know how does this happen? And basically nothing's official, as

833
00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:42,920
Speaker 1: you pointed out to me March seventeenth, when the new

834
00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:47,960
Speaker 1: league season starts and gets going. But Belichick has done

835
00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:50,439
Speaker 1: a great job over the years, you know, putting guys

836
00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:53,320
Speaker 1: in the practice squad ir and stashing them and then

837
00:44:53,840 --> 00:44:57,120
Speaker 1: you know, listen Trent Sherfield. You know the fact that

838
00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:59,280
Speaker 1: he made it as an undraft of free agent Dennis Gardack.

839
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,680
Speaker 1: Those are like those don't happen very often. You'll get

840
00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:06,360
Speaker 1: two or three. But if you can stick and you

841
00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:10,720
Speaker 1: get stronger, and you get more comfortable and not thinking

842
00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:14,000
Speaker 1: as much and you can play free. You know, I

843
00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:15,960
Speaker 1: think the Cardinals have done a good job at the

844
00:45:15,960 --> 00:45:18,759
Speaker 1: back end. Of the roster. Now the middle part's got

845
00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:20,160
Speaker 1: to get better, and that's something that will work on

846
00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:23,239
Speaker 1: in the offseason. But I like to see these guys

847
00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:27,120
Speaker 1: because we always talk about year one to two. Weaver's

848
00:45:27,160 --> 00:45:29,279
Speaker 1: intrigued to me more of a special teams guy, but

849
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,200
Speaker 1: I like the way he plays, in his energy. And again,

850
00:45:32,520 --> 00:45:36,040
Speaker 1: they need a couple preseason games, they need OTAs, they

851
00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:38,560
Speaker 1: need mandatory mini camp because that's the only way these

852
00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:40,960
Speaker 1: guys are going to get better on game day. Yeah,

853
00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:45,040
Speaker 1: Typically these players that signed future contracts are young players,

854
00:45:45,440 --> 00:45:47,759
Speaker 1: although I did find an interesting that one of the

855
00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:52,000
Speaker 1: players that was added middle of the week, defensive lineman

856
00:45:52,080 --> 00:45:55,960
Speaker 1: David Perry, twenty fifteen fifth round draft pick of the

857
00:45:56,040 --> 00:45:59,760
Speaker 1: Colts MJ. He's twenty eight years old, so you certainly

858
00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:03,720
Speaker 1: it certainly sounds like he is not ready to hang

859
00:46:03,760 --> 00:46:07,400
Speaker 1: it up. Nothing's guaranteed with these future contracts either, but

860
00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:10,719
Speaker 1: someone who's got good size six two three seventeen and

861
00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:14,320
Speaker 1: he's got experience thirty six career games, thirty two starts,

862
00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,600
Speaker 1: and we know that with that defensive line, yes, you

863
00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:20,840
Speaker 1: need starters, but you do need rotation. And I wonder

864
00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:24,279
Speaker 1: with David Perry without talking with anyone. If that's a

865
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:27,680
Speaker 1: player that the Cardinals see that could be a rotation piece.

866
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:30,799
Speaker 1: The Moto Pecco was at in mid season, and you

867
00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,640
Speaker 1: need these bodies. It's not just oh, we only need

868
00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:37,040
Speaker 1: three or four. You need eight, nine, ten to get

869
00:46:37,080 --> 00:46:39,520
Speaker 1: you started and then you pare it down. But you

870
00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:42,640
Speaker 1: always see five six guys playing during the course of

871
00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:45,600
Speaker 1: a Sunday. Yeah, and you know, we didn't know a

872
00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,919
Speaker 1: lot about on Lant Blackson, and he did a nice job.

873
00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:51,000
Speaker 1: I mean, never gonna fail up the statuet, but didn't

874
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:53,680
Speaker 1: seem like he was getting pushed back as much as

875
00:46:53,800 --> 00:46:56,759
Speaker 1: maybe some other guys were. So yeah, I mean at

876
00:46:56,760 --> 00:46:59,640
Speaker 1: this point in time, we don't know if it's gonna

877
00:46:59,640 --> 00:47:02,520
Speaker 1: be eight year ninety man roster. I mean they haven't

878
00:47:02,520 --> 00:47:05,400
Speaker 1: come out with all the league rules, but you're allowed

879
00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:07,840
Speaker 1: to exceed, I mean, go to eighty or ninety depending

880
00:47:07,840 --> 00:47:09,879
Speaker 1: on what it is. You'll see it. And last year

881
00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:12,640
Speaker 1: the Cardinals they signed Chris Traveler. We didn't know a

882
00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:14,719
Speaker 1: whole lot about him, and turns out he won the

883
00:47:14,719 --> 00:47:16,839
Speaker 1: backup job. So we'll just have to wait and see.

884
00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:19,759
Speaker 1: But again, you want to bring in guys that your

885
00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:24,280
Speaker 1: scouts feel like they can be a contributor. And again,

886
00:47:24,280 --> 00:47:27,040
Speaker 1: if you bring in ninety, we know only fifty three

887
00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:28,719
Speaker 1: are going to make the roster, and then we'll see

888
00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:31,320
Speaker 1: what the practice squad is this year based on the

889
00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:34,560
Speaker 1: latest on COVID. So yeah, I like the fact that

890
00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:38,640
Speaker 1: you know, guys twenty eight years old looking for an opportunity.

891
00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:41,040
Speaker 1: You know, again he's gonna have to make the team.

892
00:47:41,080 --> 00:47:43,440
Speaker 1: But I always like the fact that he kicked tires

893
00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:46,719
Speaker 1: on guys that have experience and hopefully some of these

894
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:49,279
Speaker 1: young guys can pan out in the future. Burd Gang.

895
00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:52,560
Speaker 1: Before we exit here on this edition of Cardinals Covered

896
00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:55,520
Speaker 1: two presented by Hyundai, proud partner of the Arrows on

897
00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:58,319
Speaker 1: the Cardinals, want to give a shout out to a

898
00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:01,080
Speaker 1: former Arrows on a card Not sure how many of

899
00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:04,480
Speaker 1: the bird gangs saw this earlier today, but Antoine Buffet

900
00:48:04,760 --> 00:48:09,560
Speaker 1: announced his retirement on Thursday on social media, tweeted quote

901
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:13,839
Speaker 1: it was a great ride, hashtag bet on yourself. Then

902
00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:17,560
Speaker 1: he added a lengthy statement attached to the tweet, thanking

903
00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:21,480
Speaker 1: all the teams that he played with, including the Cardinals.

904
00:48:21,520 --> 00:48:24,520
Speaker 1: He spent two seasons with the Cardinals in twenty seventeen

905
00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:28,080
Speaker 1: and twenty eighteen, two very productive years. By the way.

906
00:48:28,120 --> 00:48:30,680
Speaker 1: He led the team with a career high five interceptions

907
00:48:30,719 --> 00:48:33,880
Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen, and then the following year led the

908
00:48:33,880 --> 00:48:36,560
Speaker 1: team with one hundred and twenty one tackles. So he

909
00:48:36,640 --> 00:48:40,840
Speaker 1: was very productive on that Cardinals defense. The teams weren't

910
00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:44,040
Speaker 1: great that he played on, but he was always someone

911
00:48:44,120 --> 00:48:46,440
Speaker 1: that you could count on to tell you the truth,

912
00:48:46,560 --> 00:48:49,080
Speaker 1: always available to the media in the locker room. In fact,

913
00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:52,840
Speaker 1: he was the Good Guy Award winner in twenty eighteen.

914
00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:56,280
Speaker 1: Also that year he was named the Cardinals Walter Peyton

915
00:48:56,440 --> 00:48:59,319
Speaker 1: NFL Man of the Year. So not only a good

916
00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:02,279
Speaker 1: player on the field, but probably more important, if you

917
00:49:02,320 --> 00:49:06,279
Speaker 1: ask Antoine, a better person off the field. Yeah, he

918
00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:08,840
Speaker 1: carved out a nice career. You know, he won a

919
00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:11,719
Speaker 1: Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and Peyton manning. I

920
00:49:11,760 --> 00:49:14,480
Speaker 1: thought he was really good for Buddha Baker. He's just

921
00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:17,279
Speaker 1: a solid veteran guy. You know, we got him a

922
00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:20,080
Speaker 1: little bit along the tooth, but he was a starter.

923
00:49:20,600 --> 00:49:24,320
Speaker 1: He was physical, he held guys accountable. But I felt

924
00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:26,399
Speaker 1: really think he was good for buddho Aker, just kind

925
00:49:26,400 --> 00:49:28,920
Speaker 1: of from a veteran standpoint, knowing what his upside was

926
00:49:28,960 --> 00:49:31,640
Speaker 1: going to be and he was a sponge at the time,

927
00:49:31,680 --> 00:49:34,920
Speaker 1: so yeah, good for him. You know, he's he's a

928
00:49:34,960 --> 00:49:36,920
Speaker 1: smart guy. So I'm curious to see what he'll do

929
00:49:36,960 --> 00:49:40,160
Speaker 1: when life after football. But fourteen years in the NFL

930
00:49:40,280 --> 00:49:44,560
Speaker 1: is a dB that's pretty impressive. A sixth round pick

931
00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:48,440
Speaker 1: in two thousand and six and he goes fourteen years.

932
00:49:48,440 --> 00:49:51,440
Speaker 1: He was not on a team this past season, but

933
00:49:51,840 --> 00:49:54,439
Speaker 1: again a tip of the cap to Antoine, but they

934
00:49:54,560 --> 00:49:58,600
Speaker 1: he ended his statement with this quote, I put the

935
00:49:58,600 --> 00:50:01,720
Speaker 1: work in, I have no regrets and this game owes

936
00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:06,880
Speaker 1: me nothing. End quote. Very well said yeah, and you

937
00:50:06,880 --> 00:50:10,160
Speaker 1: know he actually when the Cardinals, I think me his

938
00:50:10,280 --> 00:50:12,680
Speaker 1: contract expired, but he ended up signing with the Giants

939
00:50:12,680 --> 00:50:15,040
Speaker 1: because of James Betcher. Betch went to bat for him,

940
00:50:15,040 --> 00:50:17,839
Speaker 1: and you know, Betch obviously if Pat Schremer didn't last

941
00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:20,520
Speaker 1: very long. So when different staffs come in and you

942
00:50:20,520 --> 00:50:23,000
Speaker 1: could see what Joe, Joe is trying to get younger.

943
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:26,440
Speaker 1: They you know, they drafted some corners and it's a

944
00:50:26,520 --> 00:50:29,320
Speaker 1: young man's game. But give him credit for fourteen years.

945
00:50:29,480 --> 00:50:31,880
Speaker 1: The fact that he lasted that long and he was

946
00:50:31,960 --> 00:50:34,600
Speaker 1: he played well in San Francisco. I remember going against him.

947
00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:37,520
Speaker 1: You know, the team did, so I'm happy that. You know,

948
00:50:37,600 --> 00:50:39,319
Speaker 1: sometimes you sit out a year and you feel like,

949
00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:42,799
Speaker 1: you know what, phone's not ringing. You know, I set

950
00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:45,480
Speaker 1: myself up for life. He had a couple of contracts

951
00:50:45,560 --> 00:50:48,960
Speaker 1: and got a ring and he's right. I mean, it

952
00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:51,640
Speaker 1: owes him nothing. But you just hope these guys are

953
00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:54,319
Speaker 1: healthy and they obviously get a chance to enjoy your

954
00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:58,560
Speaker 1: life after football. Yeah, ar congratulations to Antoine, but they

955
00:50:58,600 --> 00:51:02,319
Speaker 1: call it at a career here on this Thursday, and

956
00:51:02,520 --> 00:51:04,399
Speaker 1: on that note, we will put a lid on this

957
00:51:04,560 --> 00:51:08,080
Speaker 1: edition of Cardinals Cover two, presented by Hunday, proud partner

958
00:51:08,160 --> 00:51:11,359
Speaker 1: of the Arizona Cardinals. As always, special thanks to our

959
00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:15,359
Speaker 1: executive producer Jim Almahundro for Mike Jarecki, I'm Craig Reel Lou.

960
00:51:15,520 --> 00:51:18,279
Speaker 1: We'll talk to you next time you're on Cardinals Cover two.