WEBVTT - Bucs Peaking at the Right Time, NFC South Within Reach | Bucs Insider

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome into Books Insider, presented by Verizon Casey Phillips. Here

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<v Speaker 1>with senior writer and editor Scott Smith, we got another

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<v Speaker 1>fun one to talk about. We got a whole dang

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<v Speaker 1>streak four in a row. Are you someone that considers

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<v Speaker 1>three is a streak?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh? For sure?

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so two is not a streak. Three is a

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<v Speaker 1>four for obviously, we're streaking over here with like four

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<v Speaker 1>straight wins that have been so fun. Loved this graphic.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just incredible.

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<v Speaker 1>It's uh and for for Christmas? What else would we

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<v Speaker 1>have wanted other than Santa?

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<v Speaker 2>He was shredding And I loved.

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<v Speaker 1>Our tweet that said enters Santa because I really enjoyed that.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I'm sure all the Bucks fans must have

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<v Speaker 1>been good this year because they asked for a win.

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<v Speaker 1>They asked for a fun win, some good offense, some

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<v Speaker 1>everything you got to turnover. I mean, just this decisive

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<v Speaker 1>win is what I'm sure everyone would have said. This

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<v Speaker 1>is what we wanted for Christmas.

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<v Speaker 2>You want to be peaking at this time of the year.

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<v Speaker 2>And the Buccaneers have overcome that lull in the middle

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<v Speaker 2>of the season, fast start six or seven losses, loll

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<v Speaker 2>but they're peaking at the right time. I don't want

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<v Speaker 2>to invoke Super Bowl comparisons, but kind of like the

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<v Speaker 2>end of twenty twenty, playing their best ball at the

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<v Speaker 2>time when the hot teams are the ones that make

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<v Speaker 2>it in the playoffs, and the Ravens have a five

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<v Speaker 2>game winning streak after beating San fran and stop in

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<v Speaker 2>their streak, and next is the Bucks. Those are the

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<v Speaker 2>two teams the longest winning streaks in the league right now.

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<v Speaker 2>So who knows what's going to happen or the next

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<v Speaker 2>couple weeks and in the postseason, but you have to

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<v Speaker 2>be happy about the Bucks appear to be peaking at

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<v Speaker 2>the right time.

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<v Speaker 1>I completely agree, and particularly the offense, where we knew

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<v Speaker 1>it was going to take a little time to grow

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<v Speaker 1>to gel. You got the new coordinator, new QB, almost

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<v Speaker 1>a completely new offensive line, so we knew it was

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<v Speaker 1>going to take some time, and it seems like it's

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<v Speaker 1>clicking just in time. And especially in terms of Baker

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<v Speaker 1>Mayfield's performance, he just starts to look so comfortable in

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<v Speaker 1>this offense with so many different weapons.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and Bucks are scoring about twenty eight points a

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<v Speaker 2>game over those four games. The one blemish, the only

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<v Speaker 2>thing that this offense can't get accomplished is a touchdown

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<v Speaker 2>on the first drive of the game. And we go

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<v Speaker 2>into every game lately and they're driving, they've been gotten

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of field goals, they're moving the ball, and

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<v Speaker 2>then they get a lot of second drive first outs.

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<v Speaker 2>But for some reason, we have not all year had

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<v Speaker 2>touched on in the first drive of the game. So

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<v Speaker 2>that's the next thing I'm asking Santa for if there's

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<v Speaker 2>like an auxiliary Christmas. But so I think we're looking at.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, Baker Mayfield and his passer rating has just I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>we knew about the perfect one in Green Bay, but

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<v Speaker 1>then he still just put up such incredible numbers.

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<v Speaker 2>As like last week he kind of cratered only won

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<v Speaker 2>sixteen point seventh. How terrible. We expect so much more.

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<v Speaker 2>But yeah, over the last five weeks, four weeks, he

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<v Speaker 2>has the third best passer rating in the league. And

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<v Speaker 2>we all know Matthew Stafford's been red hot and that

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<v Speaker 2>Dolphins life offense has been great all year. But look

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<v Speaker 2>at this upcoming game. Who's fourth on Derek Carr. Interesting, So, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>he's been very precise and I think you said it

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<v Speaker 2>and it's accurate. They the offense with Dave Canalis. They've

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<v Speaker 2>taken some time to develop it. They've found some run

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<v Speaker 2>plays that work that they can go to, and they've

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<v Speaker 2>just kind of clicked here at the end. And a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of that it has to do with the offensive

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<v Speaker 2>line really gelling well together. But they've figured out answers,

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<v Speaker 2>I think is the best way to put it to

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<v Speaker 2>whatever they face, whatever defenses they face, and whatever game

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<v Speaker 2>situations they face. And Dave Canais has talked about that,

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<v Speaker 2>I know, and I think you talked with him about

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<v Speaker 2>it on a show, but about having answers to everything

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<v Speaker 2>that they face. And you're seeing that now and Baker

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<v Speaker 2>is it's not just how precise is passing is it's

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<v Speaker 2>he knows what to do. I mean, he's just really

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<v Speaker 2>running the offense so well, and he's progressing through his

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<v Speaker 2>reads so well and then making these accurate throws. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>this is what you want to see and it's really

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<v Speaker 2>encouraging it is as the postseason potentially rides.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and one thing he definitely knows to do is

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<v Speaker 1>throw it to Mike Evans, particularly in the end zone.

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<v Speaker 1>If I'm Dave Canalis, I'm just calling playing number thirteen

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<v Speaker 1>when we get inside that red zone and near the

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<v Speaker 1>end zone, saying more touchdowns for Mike Evans.

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<v Speaker 2>The first one was a nice little pivot route which

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<v Speaker 2>it was only three yards, but I appreciate because I

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<v Speaker 2>just feel like when you get down there two or

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<v Speaker 2>three yards away, sometimes don't run the fade, which is

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<v Speaker 2>a low percentage play. Run just a simple little route.

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<v Speaker 2>This was just a little pivot route, which is just

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<v Speaker 2>take a few steps of the end zone, cut in, and

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<v Speaker 2>then pivot around and go the other direction. And it

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<v Speaker 2>totally fooled the defender. He fell off right away. See

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<v Speaker 2>the pivot there, He was wide open. He had like

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<v Speaker 2>three yards of separation. And on the other play, he

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<v Speaker 2>as I think Baker said yesterday, he high pointed that pass,

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<v Speaker 2>and Baker knows he can throw it up there. Not

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<v Speaker 2>every receiver can make that play. High pointing a hard

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<v Speaker 2>pass between two defenders is not an easy thing to do.

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<v Speaker 2>But Mike. Now, we've been showing graphics about Mike all year,

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<v Speaker 2>of course, and a lot of them had to do

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<v Speaker 2>with him moving up in the all time touchdown catch rankings,

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<v Speaker 2>which he did again. He broke a tie and is

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<v Speaker 2>all alone in twelfth now, which is just incredible, twelfth

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<v Speaker 2>all time. But he did another thing. He got to

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<v Speaker 2>he's ad thirteen touchdown catches, so this is the fifth

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<v Speaker 2>year he's had twelve for more in his career, and

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<v Speaker 2>he's only the fifth guy to ever do that at

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<v Speaker 2>least five times. And look at the other names on

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<v Speaker 2>the list. I don't know if you can read it

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<v Speaker 2>at the bottom, but that asterisk means they're in the

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<v Speaker 2>Hall of Fame mm hm.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's what I've noticed about every single graphic we've

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<v Speaker 1>shown about Mike is that all the people around him

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<v Speaker 1>in all these categories are all Hall of Famers.

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<v Speaker 2>The company you keep.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, I completely agree with that, and I know that

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<v Speaker 1>he wasn't the only guy making some big catches in

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<v Speaker 1>this game. That a we talked about again, Baker being

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<v Speaker 1>able to have chemistry with so many different people, finding

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<v Speaker 1>so many different people and guys coming up with big

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<v Speaker 1>catches that are not easy, not givens. And I loved

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<v Speaker 1>this one with Paine Dermott was very reminiscent of his

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<v Speaker 1>Colts catch as well, that he loves that right by

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<v Speaker 1>the end zone, the same part of the field and everything.

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<v Speaker 2>This was a little out and up route which is

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<v Speaker 2>a really nice, nicely designed play when when you look

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<v Speaker 2>at and see what everybody was doing on that play,

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<v Speaker 2>but it got him isolated on this out and up

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<v Speaker 2>and according to next Gen Stats, that one and this one,

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<v Speaker 2>which is basically a corner route to Chris Godwin. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>there's had a lot of room for that ball to

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<v Speaker 2>get in there between over the defender and before the sideline,

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<v Speaker 2>and these two see that. There's just not a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of room there and they're showing halls. There's not a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of separation, so it has to be a pretty

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<v Speaker 2>on point pass. And I think it says thirty one

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<v Speaker 2>point nine percent chance probability according to next Gen Stats,

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<v Speaker 2>and this was his most improbable completion of the day.

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<v Speaker 2>And we already watched it before and we praised Mike

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<v Speaker 2>for it, but just putting that ball in a spot

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<v Speaker 2>where Mike can get to it, what does it say?

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<v Speaker 2>They're point four percent chance that's based on similar passes

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<v Speaker 2>over the course of many years, and what is the

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<v Speaker 2>likelihood that will actually be complete? And so they call

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<v Speaker 2>that his three most improbable catches of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we've talked a lot about this offense, but

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<v Speaker 1>I do think that there's one part of the offense

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<v Speaker 1>that goes a little unheralded at times, and that's Chase McLaughlin.

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<v Speaker 1>That this guy that I feel like a he's given

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of flexibility to the offense of knowing that

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<v Speaker 1>they're going to be able to come away with some

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<v Speaker 1>points where maybe in years past you didn't feel as

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<v Speaker 1>confident about that. If you're you know, maybe it's like, oh,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a fifty seven yard or I don't know, do

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<v Speaker 1>we punt, do we this?

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<v Speaker 2>Do we go for it?

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<v Speaker 1>I think that Chase has added so much to this

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<v Speaker 1>to feel confident that you can get points from a

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<v Speaker 1>lot further out very consistently.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, he hit a fifty one yarder and now he's

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<v Speaker 2>had a couple of fifty seven yarders, and to me

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<v Speaker 2>those are still like ooh, I don't know, although he

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<v Speaker 2>made him both, but it's at the point now where

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<v Speaker 2>you see him lining for a fifty one yarder and

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<v Speaker 2>kind of think, well, yeah, he's gonna make that. He's

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<v Speaker 2>six to seven from fifty in beyond this year, which

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<v Speaker 2>is awesome. And then at this point now he's made

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<v Speaker 2>twenty six of his twenty eight field goals attempts, which

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<v Speaker 2>was the exact amount that Connor Barth made in twenty

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<v Speaker 2>eleven to break the Buckner's all time record. So if

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<v Speaker 2>he just continues to make them, all he's gonna have

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<v Speaker 2>is have the record, and we should probably knock go on.

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<v Speaker 2>At this point, of course, I think I try not

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<v Speaker 2>to put a lot of kicker stats up the during

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<v Speaker 2>the season because I don't want to be a jinx,

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<v Speaker 2>But at some point you have to talk about it

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<v Speaker 2>because he's just been so automatic and the only two

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<v Speaker 2>kicks that weren't good were blocked. And you know, I

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<v Speaker 2>think I said it before, but maybe they were blocked

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<v Speaker 2>because he kicked it too low and it wasn't gonna

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<v Speaker 2>make it. I don't know, or maybe they just made

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<v Speaker 2>a good play. We don't know if those two would

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<v Speaker 2>have gone in, but they might have. So in a way,

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<v Speaker 2>he's been about as close to perfect as you could

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<v Speaker 2>expect your kicker to be. And it's awesome because the

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<v Speaker 2>Bucks decided to move on from Ryan Suckup, who gave

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<v Speaker 2>us three great years, including a Super Bowl year where

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<v Speaker 2>and he was perfect in the playoffs, partially because they

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<v Speaker 2>wanted a kicker that could give you those long kicks,

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<v Speaker 2>and he has as we said, six of seven from

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<v Speaker 2>fifty including four from fifty five or farther. But in addition,

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<v Speaker 2>he's been what Ryan was, which was automatic on the

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<v Speaker 2>ones you expect to make. So you know what a

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<v Speaker 2>what an amazing signing that has proven to be.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I completely agree. And then another guy that has

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<v Speaker 1>been incredibly fun to watch. Yeah, yah Dyabi just one

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<v Speaker 1>of my favorite stories of this whole year of a

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<v Speaker 1>just his background and story of how he even got

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<v Speaker 1>to the NFL. If you don't know about it, we've

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<v Speaker 1>got a few diverr things up. I know that we

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<v Speaker 1>had him on our Bucks Total Access show, which you

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<v Speaker 1>can find on the Bucks YouTube and watch him talk

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<v Speaker 1>about working at the airport and having to go to

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<v Speaker 1>a military college and just so many things. Also, what

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<v Speaker 1>a great celebration.

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<v Speaker 2>Now was what was it?

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<v Speaker 1>The Oh, I'm going to get in trouble because I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not going to say it right. It's like the power Balls, right,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know someone that knows Powerball z E.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know anything.

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<v Speaker 1>I know we're exposing ourselves the whole anime community that's watching, And.

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<v Speaker 2>I was like, oh my gosh, that's so obvious.

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<v Speaker 1>But yeah, so I love that. But man, yah, yah,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just been so cool to watch him emerge of

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<v Speaker 1>earned so many more snaps and now I mean he's

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<v Speaker 1>second to you know, Elijah in these tackles for a

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<v Speaker 1>loss and he's leading in sacks and all these things

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<v Speaker 1>for rookies across the whole league. And how cool to

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<v Speaker 1>have he and Calijah both on this team of the

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<v Speaker 1>two top rookies in terms of disrupting the backfield.

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<v Speaker 2>It's amazing. Yeah, they both have. I guess Colliga's number

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<v Speaker 2>one with ten tackles for loss and then Yaya's second

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<v Speaker 2>with nine, And now Yaya is tied for the rookie

0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:43.000
<v Speaker 2>sack lead with I think Byron Young of the Rams,

0:09:44.640 --> 0:09:46.880
<v Speaker 2>and a couple of weeks ago I would have said

0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:49.640
<v Speaker 2>probably not, but you saw that Peter Schreker tweet there

0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:52.640
<v Speaker 2>pumping Yaya for Defensive Rookie of the Year, And then

0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:55.560
<v Speaker 2>I'm looking at and going, yeah, maybe, yeah, why not?

0:09:55.679 --> 0:09:57.480
<v Speaker 2>I mean, there isn't like last year the winner was

0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:01.280
<v Speaker 2>Sauce Gardner, who was having an incredible year. I guess

0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:04.079
<v Speaker 2>Brian Branch, the safety for the Lions, is doing pretty

0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:06.720
<v Speaker 2>good but doesn't really have quite the same type of

0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:10.320
<v Speaker 2>numbers and buzz that Sauce had last year. So there's

0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:14.040
<v Speaker 2>not one guy at any position among the defensive rookies

0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:16.440
<v Speaker 2>of the year that's really standing out above the crowd.

0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:20.120
<v Speaker 2>So then you go, well, he's typing leaving sacks up

0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:22.880
<v Speaker 2>there and TACKX for loss. And it's just been it's

0:10:23.400 --> 0:10:25.800
<v Speaker 2>been a nice progression. And what's really cool about it is,

0:10:26.000 --> 0:10:28.600
<v Speaker 2>coach said. Coach Bowle said the other day is I mean,

0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:30.240
<v Speaker 2>we got him in the third round. You don't normally

0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:32.319
<v Speaker 2>get a good pass rusher in the third round. They

0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.160
<v Speaker 2>really drafted him primarily because they thought he could be

0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:38.520
<v Speaker 2>he could really close off the edge and be a

0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:42.480
<v Speaker 2>great run defender. And he has been. They've been pleasantly

0:10:42.520 --> 0:10:45.240
<v Speaker 2>surprised at his arsenal pass rush moves and how good

0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:47.280
<v Speaker 2>of a pass rusher he's been. And I mean that

0:10:47.360 --> 0:10:49.040
<v Speaker 2>makes it a home run of a draft pick.

0:10:49.240 --> 0:10:51.440
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, at this point, I completely agree, especially at that

0:10:51.520 --> 0:10:53.320
<v Speaker 1>round where you are not used to finding elite pass

0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:56.160
<v Speaker 1>rushers at that point. All right, so this Sunday kind

0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.360
<v Speaker 1>of a big one. Anytime you play the Saints already

0:10:58.400 --> 0:10:59.920
<v Speaker 1>fun you know, you got the rivalry there and.

0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:03.119
<v Speaker 2>Everything, and well, ye know, not if it's in New Orleans.

0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:05.520
<v Speaker 1>That's fair, but you know, we're home, it's not. So

0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:08.360
<v Speaker 1>we're excited about it, and especially when it is for

0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:10.960
<v Speaker 1>the division. I think it's just so perfect that they

0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.440
<v Speaker 1>would be who we would be playing when we have

0:11:13.480 --> 0:11:15.280
<v Speaker 1>a chance to clench it. So tell us about just

0:11:15.280 --> 0:11:17.280
<v Speaker 1>sort of the situation this Sunday and what this game

0:11:17.480 --> 0:11:19.360
<v Speaker 1>means and the whole NFC South Pax.

0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:22.880
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Baker said that, He's like, it is really huge

0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:25.680
<v Speaker 2>to have this opportunity to potentially clench in front of

0:11:25.679 --> 0:11:28.880
<v Speaker 2>your home fans, and also against a division opponent. And

0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:32.280
<v Speaker 2>let's be honest, it's the division opponent that we've been

0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:35.679
<v Speaker 2>most emotional about. Yeap, maybe the last six or seven years.

0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:39.320
<v Speaker 2>Probably one of these two teams is going to win

0:11:39.360 --> 0:11:41.040
<v Speaker 2>the division, and so that would be seven straight years

0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:44.040
<v Speaker 2>where it's either the Bucks or the Saints. What we

0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:46.240
<v Speaker 2>have though, for the Bucks is a really good position

0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:49.079
<v Speaker 2>to be in. After these four straight wins, they now

0:11:49.160 --> 0:11:51.520
<v Speaker 2>come into this game knowing they can clinch the division

0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:53.920
<v Speaker 2>by being the Saints. No matter what else happens, you

0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:55.760
<v Speaker 2>don't want to lose, but even if you do, you

0:11:55.760 --> 0:11:57.320
<v Speaker 2>have a little bit of a safety net because the

0:11:57.320 --> 0:11:59.800
<v Speaker 2>Bucks only have to win one of their last two games,

0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:02.640
<v Speaker 2>and being in Carolina against the team that currently has

0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:04.960
<v Speaker 2>two wins. They've been playing well lately, but they currently

0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:07.760
<v Speaker 2>have two wins, and you just have to win one

0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:09.719
<v Speaker 2>of those games. So even if New Orleans beats us,

0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.640
<v Speaker 2>the Buccaneers still control their own fate. They can win

0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:15.000
<v Speaker 2>the division with a win in Carolina, but everybody on

0:12:15.000 --> 0:12:16.080
<v Speaker 2>this team wants to do it now.

0:12:16.600 --> 0:12:18.080
<v Speaker 1>Yes, and you we'd have talked about how the Bucks

0:12:18.120 --> 0:12:21.840
<v Speaker 1>have been remarkably healthy now in December compared to what

0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:23.840
<v Speaker 1>teams normally are and when you had such an early

0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:26.840
<v Speaker 1>bye week. The Saints may not be quite as fortunate

0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:28.800
<v Speaker 1>as the Buccaneers, and we still don't know all the

0:12:28.800 --> 0:12:32.120
<v Speaker 1>final injury reports for either team, but it looks like

0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:34.560
<v Speaker 1>they might be missing a few pretty pretty key pieces. Well.

0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:37.920
<v Speaker 2>They've had Marshall and Landmore, who we all know him

0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:40.160
<v Speaker 2>and his battle with Mike Evans every time. He's a

0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:43.000
<v Speaker 2>very good cornerback. And then Michael Thomas, who's had a

0:12:43.040 --> 0:12:46.080
<v Speaker 2>lot of injury issues for years now but is when healthy,

0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:49.240
<v Speaker 2>is a very productive player. They've both been on injury

0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:52.680
<v Speaker 2>reserve for more than four games, so they are eligible

0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:56.600
<v Speaker 2>to be activated. However, they're head coach nanz Allen said

0:12:56.600 --> 0:12:58.360
<v Speaker 2>this week that he doesn't see that happening, So those

0:12:58.360 --> 0:13:00.920
<v Speaker 2>two are probably not going to play. You don't wish

0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:04.000
<v Speaker 2>injuries upon anybody, but that does make their lineups a

0:13:04.000 --> 0:13:05.760
<v Speaker 2>little less formidable on both sides of the ball.

0:13:05.840 --> 0:13:07.240
<v Speaker 1>Yep, it's going to be interesting to see. All Right,

0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:08.760
<v Speaker 1>that's going to do it for us on this edition

0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.040
<v Speaker 1>of Bucks Insider. Thank you so much for being with us.

0:13:11.040 --> 0:13:12.720
<v Speaker 1>We hope you have a safe and fun New Year's

0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:13.560
<v Speaker 1>and we'll see you next week.