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Speaker 1: Welcome bird Gang. On today's show, people are starting to

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Speaker 1: get it. The Cardinals can run the football and run

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Speaker 1: it very very well. A big reason why. The offensive

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Speaker 1: line no matter who gets plugged in and at whatever

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Speaker 1: spot they succeed. A credit to them and a credit

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Speaker 1: to the coaching staff. But first, the team is getting

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Speaker 1: healthy at the right time. It's Cardinals Cover two, episode

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Speaker 1: five h seven, and it starts now. Welcome to Cardinals

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Speaker 1: Cover two with Craig Griolu and Mike Jarecki. Cardinals Cover

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Speaker 1: two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals,

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Speaker 1: and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts, Visit acy Cardinals dot Com,

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Speaker 1: Slash podcasts. Going for Hopkins one hand to catch at

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Speaker 1: a touchdown DeAndre Hopkins. Here's Craig Griolou and Mike Jarecki,

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Speaker 1: so off the top. I don't believe in jinxes, so

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Speaker 1: I have no reservations with what I'm about to say, unless,

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Speaker 1: of course, you am Jay, if you believe in jinxes

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Speaker 1: and all that knock on wood stuff, I don't okay.

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Speaker 1: Watching practice on Thursday, which this week was a typical Wednesday,

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Speaker 1: given the Cardinals play on Monday, so a little bit

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Speaker 1: different kind of pace this week. Anyway, watching the open

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Speaker 1: portion of practice, that was about as healthy as I've

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Speaker 1: seen this team in a really, really long time. And

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Speaker 1: Bird Gang, if you do believe and stuff stuff like that,

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Speaker 1: Jinxes or whatever, go ahead and knock on wood, throw

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Speaker 1: some salt over your shoulder. But it was good to

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Speaker 1: see darn near everyone on the practice field. Yeah, and

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Speaker 1: you know they didn't have their bye week until a

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Speaker 1: week twelve, and then they come out of the bye

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Speaker 1: week and they have to play the Bears on the road,

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Speaker 1: and you didn't get everyone back. But this is the

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Speaker 1: plan when they get their players back. And we should

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Speaker 1: not just talk about you know, the Chase Evans and

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Speaker 1: Justin Peughs and you know we'll know more on Pew

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Speaker 1: over the next couple of days. But you're talking about

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Speaker 1: good special teams players coming back. You know, Charles Washington,

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Speaker 1: you know he's he provides depth, like Chris Banjel special

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Speaker 1: teams player, Jonathan Ward. He may not get the Carry's

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Speaker 1: special teams player Aaron Brewer. There's no issues with Aaron Brewer,

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Speaker 1: Andy Lee and Matt Prater when it comes to having

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Speaker 1: experienced So we look at the starters, but special teams players.

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Speaker 1: We know that the back of the roster, probably five

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Speaker 1: to nine guys strictly on this roster not only for depth,

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Speaker 1: but play on special teams. The news before practice began,

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Speaker 1: you mentioned the three names Chase Edmonds, Aaron Brewer, Charles

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Speaker 1: Washington designated to return from i R. We'll see if

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Speaker 1: they get activated this week. Chard Lawrence back on the field.

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Speaker 1: This is a second straight week of practice for him.

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Speaker 1: Last week the indication was that he would be activated

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Speaker 1: ahead of the game against the Rams. Again, we will

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Speaker 1: see if that is the case. Justin Pugh, you brought

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Speaker 1: him up. Good to see Justin Pugh on the practice field.

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Speaker 1: He has not played since Week nine, and in that

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Speaker 1: game he got hurt in the second drive of the

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Speaker 1: game at San Francisco. So it's really been almost four

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Speaker 1: full games in which we haven't seen Pew at left guard. Now,

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Speaker 1: it certainly sounded like listening to Cliff Kingsbury that the

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Speaker 1: odds of seeing Pew on the field on Monday not

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Speaker 1: very good. He wanted to wait until Friday when the

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Speaker 1: pads are put on and how guys are moving, specifically

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Speaker 1: Justin Pugh when the shoulder pads are on, you do

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Speaker 1: a little bit more activity as far as game situations

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Speaker 1: and the gamelike feel so as optimistic as it was

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Speaker 1: to see sixty seven on the field right now, I

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Speaker 1: just I just don't know about this week. Well, the

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Speaker 1: good news is Sean Harlow. Sean Harlow. It's a great story.

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Speaker 1: The fact that you know, if he didn't get the

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Speaker 1: call from the Cardinals, he was going to move on

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Speaker 1: with his life. He got a ton of reps in

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Speaker 1: training camp when Pugh was out next to Hudson and

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Speaker 1: DJ Humphries. And we know Max Garcio, who trusted the

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Speaker 1: media on Thursday. It looks like he'll be your right guard.

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Speaker 1: So it's not like you're you're going down to the

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Speaker 1: bottom of the barrel. Sean Harlowe is given this team

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Speaker 1: a lift, and we know at the end of the day,

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Speaker 1: Sean Kluger is going to play the best five guys,

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Speaker 1: but also means guys like Josh Jones and you know

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Speaker 1: some of the others when it comes to you know,

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Speaker 1: adding that extra blocker or you know a guy that's

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Speaker 1: it's on the on the kickoff, I'm sorry, when you're

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Speaker 1: kicking a field goal or an extra point they're on

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Speaker 1: the field. So yeah, I mean it's again the fact

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Speaker 1: that right now just two guys on IR, I should

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Speaker 1: say Kylie fitz In, Max Williams. There's a possibility JJ

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Speaker 1: Watt couldn't come back. This is remarkable. You see, teams

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Speaker 1: have ten to twelve IR guys not scheduled to return.

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Speaker 1: So and this is the perfect time of the year

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Speaker 1: where you want to be in this boat because we

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Speaker 1: always talk about the healthiest team is going to be

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Speaker 1: playing in late January and in February, and certain positions.

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Speaker 1: If the guys go down, yes, the next man up.

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Speaker 1: But that's why I give Colton McCoy a ton of

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Speaker 1: credit when he came in won two out of three games.

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Speaker 1: James Conner carried the load until Chase gets back. So

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Speaker 1: I kind of like where they are and I love

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Speaker 1: the energy on the practice field. And something we really

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Speaker 1: haven't talked about this year, Craig. You know, we talk

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Speaker 1: about this Cardinals offense and where they're ranked in a

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Speaker 1: lot of different categories, and we look at the defense

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Speaker 1: where they're ranked, Well, they go against each other in

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Speaker 1: practice once versus ones. Good on good is what we

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Speaker 1: hear that phrase, good on good iron Shop's iron and

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Speaker 1: so when they go in these games like they gotta

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Speaker 1: they gotta block Chandler Jones and Marcus Golden and to

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Speaker 1: make sure Buddha Baker, you know you're never going to

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Speaker 1: hit the quarterback, but you know even if you're going

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Speaker 1: ninety and that translates what they do on game day.

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Speaker 1: So I think going against one of the top defenses

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Speaker 1: in football, against the top offense, that's why we see

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Speaker 1: how well this team plays on game day. And it's

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Speaker 1: not the entire practice. When this was discussed earlier in

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Speaker 1: the season, it was I think AJ Green brought up

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Speaker 1: maybe ten to fifteen snaps. But to your point, how

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Speaker 1: do you measure up? And you only get better by

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Speaker 1: going against the best, and you do it all the

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Speaker 1: time in training camp, why stop once the regular season begins.

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Speaker 1: Many teams too, because while you want that scout team look,

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Speaker 1: you want the opposing team look, and you just don't

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Speaker 1: want your best on best, your number ones versus number

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Speaker 1: ones banging each other all the time and you avoid injuries.

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Speaker 1: But here for the Cardinals again, it has certainly worked

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Speaker 1: all season long. Yeah, and Kingsbury said they're going to

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Speaker 1: wear their pans on Friday, I mean pretty much every

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Speaker 1: week on Thursday because they don't play on Monday. And

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Speaker 1: that's how you keep your team, you know, to where yeah,

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Speaker 1: we're not going to wear shells and just helmets. Maybe

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Speaker 1: on Saturday. That more of a glorified walk through, just

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Speaker 1: to kind of go through the game plan again, make

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Speaker 1: sure everyone's on the same page. But you know, I

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Speaker 1: just think in you know, I was getting tested this morning,

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Speaker 1: and you know, I think when the clocks change, the

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Speaker 1: COVID nineteen tests, Yeah, thank you, weekly weekly, that's right,

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Speaker 1: let's just make it. You know, everyone makes specific okay,

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Speaker 1: thank you. But these guys are getting before they were

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Speaker 1: getting here like six thirty in the morning. Now they're

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Speaker 1: getting here about seven fifteen, seven thirty, So Kingsbury's allowing

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Speaker 1: these guys to sleep them a little bit longer, and

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Speaker 1: he's still getting the working in the film room in

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Speaker 1: the film session, individual positions, and then they get out

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Speaker 1: of here at a certain times so you could see

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Speaker 1: were they were on the field a lot earlier and

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Speaker 1: until the clocks turned, even though we don't change the

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Speaker 1: clocks here in Arizona, so you can tell. And they

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Speaker 1: wear GPS is, they have a vest so they can

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Speaker 1: tally ho many guy which guys are doing more than others. Obviously,

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Speaker 1: if you're a deaf guy or a practice squad guy,

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Speaker 1: you're gonna be weren the scout team. So but I

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Speaker 1: just like the energy and how they compete in practice

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Speaker 1: against each other, and that shows up on Sundays and

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Speaker 1: hopefully on Mondays. This week was not a surprise to

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Speaker 1: see Kyler Murray or DeAndre Hopkins on the field, but

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Speaker 1: I do think it was important that they were on

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Speaker 1: the field for the first official practice of the week

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Speaker 1: because it means that they came out of that game

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Speaker 1: in Chicago, Okay, their first action in more than a month,

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Speaker 1: and both came out of it very well. Now, they

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Speaker 1: had a little bit of an extra day to recover

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Speaker 1: from that game against the Bears. But Kyle Murray and

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Speaker 1: addressing the media, said, yeah, his ankle was sore. It

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Speaker 1: was to be expected regardless of how many snaps he

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Speaker 1: played or what he did. But the fact, and he

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Speaker 1: touched on this, he was able to do everything, no

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Speaker 1: restrictions with respects to his scrambling running ability and just

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Speaker 1: playing Kyler Murray type football. So you come out of

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Speaker 1: that and now all of a sudden hopefully you're ready

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Speaker 1: for the next five games, including this one on Monday

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Speaker 1: Night football. But the rests and the patience, if you will,

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Speaker 1: that we might have had on the outside, but the

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Speaker 1: patience that the team showed and the players showed as

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Speaker 1: far as hey, let's give it some more time. We're okay.

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Speaker 1: Look Colt McCoy, everyone else is stepping up. We don't

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Speaker 1: quite need you right now. Yes you want to play,

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Speaker 1: Yes you want to be on the field, you want

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Speaker 1: to be a part of everything. But let's think big picture.

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Speaker 1: What is the goal of this team this season? Yeah,

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Speaker 1: and you know something you discussed earlier in the week

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Speaker 1: on Card's cover two, and you may have mentioned on

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Speaker 1: the Red Sea report. Just you know, we go back

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Speaker 1: to week one. You had your starting five, which basically

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Speaker 1: we got an idea towards the end of training camp.

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Speaker 1: And then how they lined up depth chart wise. Obviously

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Speaker 1: Brian Winters was you know, they're hoping he would be

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Speaker 1: a depth guy, so Josh Jones, but how many different

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Speaker 1: line combinations. And if I'm not mistaken, Dj Humphries is

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Speaker 1: the only player that has started every single game. He's

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Speaker 1: the only offensive player. It's a player not just offensive lineman,

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Speaker 1: but while offensive player that has started all eleven games.

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Speaker 1: He is, if you will, the last man standing, the

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Speaker 1: only man standing each and every week. But eight different

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Speaker 1: offensive line combinations, seven of those over the last ten games.

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Speaker 1: By comparison, this week's opponent, the Rams, they've had two

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Speaker 1: offensive line combinations, meaning they've only had one change this

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Speaker 1: entire season on the offensive line. It was a one

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Speaker 1: game miss by right tackle, excuse me, left tackle Andrew Whitworth.

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Speaker 1: That was the only change that they have. Now. The

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Speaker 1: other thing that I noted is the same five man

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Speaker 1: combination because we talked about it in the offseason. You

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Speaker 1: want that chemistry. You want five guys to work together

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Speaker 1: as a team and never leave the field. Where the

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Speaker 1: Cardinals have only had the same five man combination for

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Speaker 1: two straight games. It's never happened three games in a row.

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Speaker 1: Now that has a chance to change this week. If

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Speaker 1: Hugh does not return, then you would have Humphreys, Harlowe, Hudson, Garcia,

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Speaker 1: and Beacham. They were those five guys wins at Seattle,

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Speaker 1: at Chicago, potentially against the Rams here on Monday Night football.

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Speaker 1: Those are your five best linemen at the moment. Justin

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Speaker 1: Pugh becomes the wildcard in all this. Yeah, and In

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Speaker 1: Harlow start at four games, one at center and the

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Speaker 1: last three games who was at left guard? Obviously Justin

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Speaker 1: Pugh's been out, and then you know, with Max Garcia

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Speaker 1: being healthy, he's he's the starter at right guard, and

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Speaker 1: he got a chance to play center, and then they

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Speaker 1: had to go to the third string center, Harlow and

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Speaker 1: he was able to you know, stand up and get

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Speaker 1: the job done. So you know, again you want to

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Speaker 1: have your your horses out there, which is your left

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Speaker 1: and right tackle. You definitely want to have your center.

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Speaker 1: And then the way that Max Garcia has played and

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Speaker 1: the fact that he you know, was on this roster

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Speaker 1: last year, obviously coming off the injury from Denver, he's

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Speaker 1: given a team of spark. Also, I mean, again, you

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Speaker 1: can never have enough depth at that position. I think

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Speaker 1: we talked about this when we got a chance to

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Speaker 1: talk to Coogler in the offseason. He really want to

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Speaker 1: go too deep. Uh, you only can dress eight on

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Speaker 1: game day, but I think you know where they are

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Speaker 1: and considering no long term injuries yet okay, that they're

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Speaker 1: able to get through. But that is a great stat

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Speaker 1: The only offensive player to start all twelve games is

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Speaker 1: hump I. I just thought we were talking about the

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Speaker 1: offensive line. Yeah, Connor, James Connor has not started every

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Speaker 1: single game. Okay, when we talk about starting, okay, once

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Speaker 1: it's one stats, it's a big deal if this guy

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Speaker 1: and we can you and I were looking up Zavian

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Speaker 1: Collins started in week one because they went three inside backers. Correct. Okay,

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Speaker 1: So it's it's it's it's an important distinction that players

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Speaker 1: like oh I started. I started to get your name

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Speaker 1: called ahead of time, but it literally is one snap

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Speaker 1: of the football. But you're right because when you go

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Speaker 1: to profball reference, games played, games started, and usually games played,

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Speaker 1: unless you're hump usually he's pretty equal or Kyler Murray

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Speaker 1: because he didn't he was out, so in other words,

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Speaker 1: he didn't get knocked for that. It's games played versus

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Speaker 1: games started. That's why sometimes it's better to look at

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Speaker 1: snap county percentage of snaps played versus hey, did you

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Speaker 1: start or not? Because you could start, and again, you

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Speaker 1: don't see the field the rest of the time. But

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Speaker 1: you bring up Garcia and Harlow, two of those unsung

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Speaker 1: players offensively even for the entire team, but Garcia. Earlier

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Speaker 1: on Thursday First, Kingsbury was asked about Max Garcia as

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Speaker 1: far as his insertion into the starting lineup, and Garcia

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Speaker 1: reminded everyone he was the backup center until the season started.

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Speaker 1: I mean he took zero snaps at either guard position

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Speaker 1: during training camp. He was Rodney Hudson's backup. Now things

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Speaker 1: changed and he had to play a little center and

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Speaker 1: be ready at the guard spot. But Kingsbury's words were

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Speaker 1: that Garcia earned the starting job. It wasn't so much

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Speaker 1: that Josh Jone has lost it, but Garcia exceeded him

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Speaker 1: as far as his play. And you talk to Garcia

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Speaker 1: about that is like, Hey, I'm asked to do a job.

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Speaker 1: I do a job to best of my ability. I

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Speaker 1: don't want to be quote the weak link when I

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Speaker 1: come in there on the offensive line. So love his attitude,

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Speaker 1: but it's the ability to come in at a moment's

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Speaker 1: notice that next man up if you will, Well he's

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Speaker 1: not the next man up. He is now the man

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Speaker 1: at right guard. Yeah, and he brings a lot of experience,

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Speaker 1: he brings toughness there and you know they can say

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Speaker 1: he's earned it. But obviously Josh Jones was disappointing, and

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Speaker 1: I'm not giving up on him because technically he played

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Speaker 1: left tackle a Houston forty starts and he was projected

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Speaker 1: to be the right tackle. And then you had Justin

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Speaker 1: Murray in here. He could play right guard and right

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Speaker 1: right guard and right tackle. I'm sure you can play

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Speaker 1: left guard. But position flexibility, now you want to leave

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Speaker 1: hump and beat him. They have the size to play

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Speaker 1: on the outside. Hey, at one point, pew what could

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Speaker 1: have been the backup center. And in the interior, you

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Speaker 1: know how I feel. Sometimes you can hide those guys.

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Speaker 1: But position flexibility and defined rules, that's where you know

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Speaker 1: you're standing on the depth chart. A couple of other

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Speaker 1: notes from practice. Jonathan Ward on the practice field, activated

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Speaker 1: off the reserve COVID nineteen list. Hadn't seen him since

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Speaker 1: that scary collision he had against the Packers game, and

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Speaker 1: that was at the end of October, so good for him.

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Speaker 1: And then once again it was a very limited amount

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Speaker 1: of time, but JJ Watt was seen working out on

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Speaker 1: the side doing some light pass sets against the padded

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Speaker 1: goal posts. He's moving that arm very well. Now again

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Speaker 1: that's moving the arm versus going up against somebody and

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Speaker 1: pushing back, but it certainly looks like it is a possibility.

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Speaker 1: I don't even know a percentage. We haven't even had

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Speaker 1: a chance to talk with JJ. But the goal that

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Speaker 1: he has set that hey, postseason, the possibility that first

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Speaker 1: wildcard weekend, divisional playoff game, just to be able to say, hey,

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Speaker 1: if you need me, I'm ready. And obviously, JJ, what

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Speaker 1: healthy or at eighty percent is better than a lot

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Speaker 1: of defensive linement at one hundred percent. Yeah, to say

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Speaker 1: they don't need him would be a false statement. I

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Speaker 1: just don't know what the rush would be until the postseason.

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Speaker 1: The last thing you want to do is have a setback,

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Speaker 1: and you know for char Laurence can't return. You know,

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Speaker 1: Zach Kers coming here and give this team of a lift.

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Speaker 1: We know about the stars, we know about the rotation,

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Speaker 1: would not rush JJ wat back. I want to see

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Speaker 1: him in the playoff game because when he wears number

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Speaker 1: ninety nine, you have to defend him. We talk about

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Speaker 1: quarterbacks and offensive coordinators when they're game planning that week.

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Speaker 1: You got an ID ninety nine, you got an ID

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Speaker 1: fifty five, you got ID forty four thirty three nine,

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Speaker 1: So it creates more more work for the opposing team.

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Speaker 1: But again, they know more than I do. I have

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Speaker 1: no idea the extent of the injury based on the reports,

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Speaker 1: and so I don't even know one percent. But to me,

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Speaker 1: they need him, but I would not rush him back.

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Speaker 1: Cardinals Cover two presented by Hunday, proud partner of the

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Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals. As we get deeper and deeper and of

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Speaker 1: the week, meaning we are closer and closer to Week

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Speaker 1: fourteen Cardinals and the Rams on Monday Night football. First

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Speaker 1: things first, though, and updates on Pro Bowl voting. One,

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Speaker 1: make sure you do vote. There is only one more

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Speaker 1: week left to vote now through December sixteenth. NFL dot

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Speaker 1: Com slash Pro Bowl Vote NFL dot Com slash Pro

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Speaker 1: Bowl Vote. The Cardinals still have eight players in the

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Speaker 1: top ten at their respective positions. We're talking about Kyler Murray,

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Speaker 1: We're talking about Calvin Beecham, We're talking about Buddha Baker,

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Speaker 1: Marcus Golden, Chandler Jones, Rodney Hudson, Byron Murphy, and Isaiah Simmons.

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Speaker 1: So that's the good news. The bad news, as Darren

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Speaker 1: Urban noted on Easy Cardinals dot Com, is for whatever reason,

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Speaker 1: it's probably because he hasn't played, or there was three

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Speaker 1: games that he missed. Kyler Murray has dropped. He is

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Speaker 1: now ninth overall amongst quarterbacks, fifth in the NFC, behind

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Speaker 1: some guy his name Brady Stafford, Prescott and Rogers. So,

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Speaker 1: I mean, you know, tell what it is what it is,

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Speaker 1: But when you missed three games, out of sight, out

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Speaker 1: of mind, and then you start losing the highlights, and

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Speaker 1: people are like, what's going on, and you vote for

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Speaker 1: who you see mostly there's a silver lining here. Thirty

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Speaker 1: three percent peers, he's going to get that. Thirty three

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Speaker 1: percent coaching, he's going to get that. And if if

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Speaker 1: we go back to the timeline when you were able

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Speaker 1: to start voting, that was he after the Packers game

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Speaker 1: he missed. So, like you said, out of sight, out

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Speaker 1: of mind, So maybe there was just a timing when

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Speaker 1: they started voting. Clearly you could still vote early and often.

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Speaker 1: But I think he'll get in based on Piers and

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Speaker 1: obviously coaches. I just you can't discount. You can't argue

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Speaker 1: against him not getting in based off of what he

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Speaker 1: has done so far. I mean, he's leading the league

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Speaker 1: in completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown percent, has the

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Speaker 1: best passer writing in the entire league. Well, it's just

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Speaker 1: you know, Bree's retired. Now Bertie takes his spot, and

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Speaker 1: then you got Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He may

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Speaker 1: throw for four five thousand yards. But again, when you

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Speaker 1: when you look at sixty sixty seventy sixty seven, I

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Speaker 1: think Kylo's going to get in, And again we don't

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Speaker 1: want him playing in that game. We want to look

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Speaker 1: at the big picture. But getting vuilded in is huge

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Speaker 1: for him. Offensive Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl Player

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Speaker 1: last year. He had fun with it. Obviously a lot

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Speaker 1: of video games and stuff like that, but it's and

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Speaker 1: it looks good to where he started and where he

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Speaker 1: could be in the future. So they all want those

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Speaker 1: and I don't last time tom Bertie's ever played in

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Speaker 1: a Pro Bowl game, he's usually busy, right, that's a one. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: the Super Bowl knocks him out of consideration, and then

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Speaker 1: most of the time he'll pull himself out of consideration

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Speaker 1: because it's it's it's a magical parts. When the season

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Speaker 1: ends all of a sudden, is like, I just don't

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Speaker 1: think I can play the hurt I'm banged up. Well,

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Speaker 1: if it's a regular season game, well, host season game,

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Speaker 1: different story, but Pro Bowl. You know what, I don't

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Speaker 1: know that shoulder. It's bothering me a little bit. And

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Speaker 1: we didn't know about it because he wasn't on the injurer.

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Speaker 1: He was playing with a partial terror or tear of

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Speaker 1: the MCL. I mean, Philip Rivers played with a torn ECL.

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Speaker 1: And last year was it was a computer or it

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Speaker 1: was virtual. It's in Vegas this year, correct, correct, and

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Speaker 1: actually a game. It is two hand touch Sunday, February

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Speaker 1: sixth at Allegian Stadium. That's what it amounts to. But

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Speaker 1: it's I mean, again, the goal is to get to

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Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. But a lot of these guys, and

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Speaker 1: I don't mean to be redundant. When you have teams

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Speaker 1: like the Chiefs and Bucks last year, and even the

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Speaker 1: Ravens in their heyday in the Bills, you get X

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Speaker 1: amount of players in the Pro Bowl. Nothing against the

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Speaker 1: Lions and Texans and Jets. I'm sure they got one

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Speaker 1: guy they're gonna recommend, but I don't know how many

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Speaker 1: coaches and players are gonna say, I'll put that guy

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Speaker 1: in there. So but it's you know, to me, we

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Speaker 1: talked about the Walter Payton the most prestigious war award

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Speaker 1: in the NFL. Obviously when the Super Bowls right up there,

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Speaker 1: and getting to the postseason gets up there. But the

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Speaker 1: fact when you look back at your career and say,

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Speaker 1: I played at a high level in the fans, my peers,

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Speaker 1: and the coaches recognized it. NFL dot Com slash Pro

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Speaker 1: Bowl Votes. NFL dot Com slash Pro Bowl Votes. You

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Speaker 1: can vote now and often before December sixteenth, So one

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Speaker 1: more week to go in the voting process. Cardinals Covered

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Speaker 1: two presented by Hunday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals.

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Speaker 1: All right, let's get into this matchup. Cardinals hosts the

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Speaker 1: Rams ten and two versus eight and four. State Farm

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Speaker 1: Stadium is the place. Six fifteen is the kickoff. Two

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Speaker 1: thirty Pregame coverage begins on the Arizona Cardinals Radio network.

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Speaker 1: And you look at this Cardinals offense and the Rams defense,

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Speaker 1: and how Cliff Kingsbury and that coaching staff do they

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Speaker 1: look back at what worked successfully in the first meeting

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Speaker 1: in week four or do they do something differently? Because

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Speaker 1: if you look back, four hundred and sixty five yards

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Speaker 1: of total offense, two sixty eight of which came through

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Speaker 1: the air two sixteen On the ground, the Cardinals rushed

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Speaker 1: for what is still a season best two hundred and

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Speaker 1: sixteen yards against a Rams team that right now, not

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Speaker 1: in Week four, but right now is top ten against

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Speaker 1: the run. Yeah, and really was one of those games

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Speaker 1: where you go back to the Tennessee game possibly you

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Speaker 1: know later in the fourth quarter against the Jaguars, were

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Speaker 1: basically and I tweeted out, the Rams know the Cardinals

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Speaker 1: are going to run the ball and they still can't stop.

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Speaker 1: And that's you know, and I'll say this though, I

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Speaker 1: think once we got to the fourth quarter they tapped out.

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Speaker 1: Guys are just you know, who are they playing next week?

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Speaker 1: And that means that they were more physical and the

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Speaker 1: trenches on both sides of the ball. You look at

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Speaker 1: what happened James Conner a one yard touchdown run to

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Speaker 1: make it thirty four thirteen, just over a minute to

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Speaker 1: go in the third quarter. The very next possession, the

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Speaker 1: Rams turned the ball over on downs. That was the

428
00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:12,320
Speaker 1: Tanner Vallejo coming across and getting Tyler Higbee short of

429
00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,120
Speaker 1: the line to gain The Cardinals take the ball over

430
00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,600
Speaker 1: at their own one yard line, and you talk about

431
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 1: tapping out twelve plays. Eleven of the eleven offensive plays

432
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,159
Speaker 1: were all on the ground, so that twelfth play is

433
00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,920
Speaker 1: a Matt Prater field goal kick, but an eleven play

434
00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,399
Speaker 1: all on the ground, a drive that took eight and

435
00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:33,199
Speaker 1: a half minutes off the clock, kicked the field goal

436
00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,080
Speaker 1: thirty seven thirteen. There was another score by the Rams

437
00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,840
Speaker 1: and Stafford, but at that point it was over with.

438
00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,679
Speaker 1: Now can the Cardinals have another drive in which there

439
00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:45,280
Speaker 1: are eleven consecutive running plays? If you have a lead

440
00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,360
Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter, yes, And I think that's that's

441
00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:48,879
Speaker 1: the point right there. You're not gonna have it in

442
00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,720
Speaker 1: the first half. But if you get that two score lead,

443
00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 1: and that's been the mo this team. You get to

444
00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,280
Speaker 1: a lead, hopefully early, but if you get to a

445
00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,399
Speaker 1: two score lead at some point by the second half,

446
00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 1: late third quarter, early fourth quarter, they're gonna run this football.

447
00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,199
Speaker 1: And whether that's with James Connor returning, Chase Edmonds or

448
00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:08,920
Speaker 1: just James Connor by himself like it was last week

449
00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,920
Speaker 1: against the Chicago Bears, this team can run the football. Yeah,

450
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,040
Speaker 1: And they're averaging over thirty attempts per game. I want

451
00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,480
Speaker 1: to say it's thirty one. They're coming off thirty five

452
00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,880
Speaker 1: there that you're talking about running the ball forty times

453
00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,000
Speaker 1: against the Rams and first the first opportunity. Now they

454
00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,520
Speaker 1: look a little bit different, obviously adding a guy like

455
00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,840
Speaker 1: von Miller. But I just and I'll get into my

456
00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,919
Speaker 1: keys on Friday because we'll get a chance to hear

457
00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,119
Speaker 1: from Vans and how they're going to approach us. But

458
00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,240
Speaker 1: I think you can spread these guys out. I really do.

459
00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,439
Speaker 1: I mean, yes, you got to protect a quarterback, and

460
00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,800
Speaker 1: they could go with an extra lineman or tight end.

461
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,159
Speaker 1: I think Urts is more of a pass catching tight end.

462
00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,160
Speaker 1: Maybe you bring in an extra lineman or to meet

463
00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:51,399
Speaker 1: yours Harris or Daniels as an extra blocker. But I

464
00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:53,960
Speaker 1: want to spread these guys out. Now you gotta worry

465
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,920
Speaker 1: about you know, Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, and then he's

466
00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:01,680
Speaker 1: throwing von Miller. But in the secondary Taylor rap he

467
00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,360
Speaker 1: showed up against us. It's just really Jalen Ramsey. Now,

468
00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,840
Speaker 1: Williams made some strides last year. They lost a couple

469
00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,520
Speaker 1: of free agents to Cleveland, So I think you can

470
00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,280
Speaker 1: spread these guys out and throw the ball where that

471
00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,000
Speaker 1: wasn't the scenario based on the weather last week, they

472
00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,359
Speaker 1: only threw at fifteen times eleven for fifteen, ran to

473
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,240
Speaker 1: thirty five, only had fifty one or two plays. So

474
00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,480
Speaker 1: this week I think we're going to see the offense.

475
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,760
Speaker 1: We've got a chance to see the entire season. So

476
00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:31,320
Speaker 1: almost a one eighty from what happened in Chicago, because

477
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,920
Speaker 1: despite the success that the Cardinals had running the football,

478
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,720
Speaker 1: you look at the numbers for the Rams defensively, they

479
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:42,879
Speaker 1: are top ten against the run seconds in rushing yards

480
00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,399
Speaker 1: allowed per play less than four a carry, but against

481
00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,640
Speaker 1: the past they are middle of the road sixteenth. Now

482
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,879
Speaker 1: they do get after the quarterback thirty two, fourth most

483
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,520
Speaker 1: in the league. And if you are able, and that's

484
00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:57,800
Speaker 1: Aaron Donald and n all of sudden von Miller, who

485
00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,159
Speaker 1: really hasn't done much in his three games, but you

486
00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,000
Speaker 1: have ninety nine in the middle of that defense, and

487
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:03,640
Speaker 1: then all of a sudden, all bets are off because

488
00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,080
Speaker 1: he can take on three different guys. That's how good

489
00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:10,560
Speaker 1: Aaron Donald is. But to your point about throwing on

490
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,440
Speaker 1: the Rams, Kyler Murray in the first meeting was pretty

491
00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,080
Speaker 1: efficient twenty four or thirty two for two sixty eight

492
00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,399
Speaker 1: and a couple of touchdowns. But it's that throw to

493
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,720
Speaker 1: set up the run later in the game, but you'll

494
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,520
Speaker 1: see a nice mix I think early on in that context. Yeah,

495
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,800
Speaker 1: and this is a game where, you know, because of

496
00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,000
Speaker 1: mcveay is play calling and he's looking for matchups, and

497
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:34,280
Speaker 1: they got some guys that can stretch the field. Obviously

498
00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,360
Speaker 1: Beckham Cooper Cup more of a you know, sticks guy

499
00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:41,359
Speaker 1: because he finds the sticks. And then Van Jefferson he

500
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,560
Speaker 1: can take the top off the defense. But I don't

501
00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,439
Speaker 1: think Sean McVeigh is worried about scoring quickly. Some teams

502
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,280
Speaker 1: don't want to put Kyler Murray back on the field

503
00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,040
Speaker 1: because now you want to get into a shootout. I

504
00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,159
Speaker 1: think McVay runs his team and then he hopes that

505
00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,920
Speaker 1: their defense was behind Murray Morris can force a turnover.

506
00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,840
Speaker 1: But yeah, like I said, I don't know if it's

507
00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,480
Speaker 1: going to be a shootout. I like our defense better

508
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,879
Speaker 1: than them, and I definitely like our offense just the

509
00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,160
Speaker 1: way they're humming all year, and nothing against Matthew Stafford

510
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:10,400
Speaker 1: and what they're trying to do over there. But they're

511
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,200
Speaker 1: gonna be a desperate football team come Monday night. Just

512
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,960
Speaker 1: this team being able to run the football, It's not

513
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,040
Speaker 1: what comes to mind It's not top of mind though,

514
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,320
Speaker 1: watching and listening and reading more national stuff about the

515
00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,400
Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals, because it cannot be ignored. When you're ten

516
00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:30,320
Speaker 1: and two, you have to talk about this team. They're

517
00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,119
Speaker 1: not the sexiest team, they haven't been here in a

518
00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,800
Speaker 1: long time, so they're the newcomers. They're crashing the party,

519
00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,240
Speaker 1: so you don't spend a lot of time on them.

520
00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,720
Speaker 1: But to a certain extent, in the last couple of days,

521
00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,479
Speaker 1: more and more people I e. Marcus Spears ESPN NFL

522
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,679
Speaker 1: Live that we're talking about Kyler Murray's return and DeAndre

523
00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:50,800
Speaker 1: Hopkins is back, and what zach Ertz has been to

524
00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,439
Speaker 1: the offense. And Marcus Spears chimed in this team and

525
00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,919
Speaker 1: I'm paraphrasing his words, can run the football and not

526
00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,760
Speaker 1: just when is necessary, but be very effective running the football.

527
00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,920
Speaker 1: And that whole air raid narrative has been thrown out

528
00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,480
Speaker 1: the window. We keep talking about it here on Cardinals

529
00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,600
Speaker 1: Cover two, presented by Monday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals.

530
00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,399
Speaker 1: But are people listening. I think they need to see it,

531
00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,960
Speaker 1: and nationally they've only seen it once and that was

532
00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,200
Speaker 1: on Thursday Night Football and a loss to Green Bay.

533
00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:26,000
Speaker 1: The second opportunity comes Monday primetime on Monday Night Football. Yeah,

534
00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:31,560
Speaker 1: and I really don't want to come across like, you know,

535
00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:34,199
Speaker 1: we're a small market team or one of thirty two

536
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,760
Speaker 1: in the NFL, and we're the best team in football

537
00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:39,160
Speaker 1: record wise, and I can make the case set every

538
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,560
Speaker 1: game they play this year. But I think people are

539
00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:46,080
Speaker 1: waiting for the shooter drop, like are they this good? Well,

540
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:50,760
Speaker 1: you haven't watched them Monday night, they're gonna showcase. Everyone's

541
00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:52,920
Speaker 1: gonna be watching. And you know, I don't want I

542
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,600
Speaker 1: don't worry about power rankings. I couldn't care less power

543
00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,880
Speaker 1: rankings in the first twelve or fourteen. Tell me the

544
00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,280
Speaker 1: power rankings when we get to the playoffs or when

545
00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,520
Speaker 1: you know who's the last four teams playing, because those

546
00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:07,040
Speaker 1: that matters to me. But yeah, I like, like I said,

547
00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:09,760
Speaker 1: I just I feel I feel good about this game

548
00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,000
Speaker 1: because I just like where this team is at and

549
00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,560
Speaker 1: getting all these guys back and they're practicing, and they're

550
00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:18,080
Speaker 1: going to practice you know, with up tempo, so we

551
00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:21,719
Speaker 1: shouldn't see um. You know. Kyler admitted that maybe he's

552
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,840
Speaker 1: a little russy just on the first ball. Obviously, He's

553
00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,560
Speaker 1: talked about not liking the throw in the rain, but

554
00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,960
Speaker 1: everything else worked and he ran and I still think

555
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:32,520
Speaker 1: they went on the run. Craig, did you get that

556
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,480
Speaker 1: from Kingsbury the last couple, Well, maybe on Monday and

557
00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,560
Speaker 1: then today he brought up on Monday that it was

558
00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,040
Speaker 1: out in necessity to not in necessity because of the weather.

559
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,320
Speaker 1: It is. It is a it is a part of

560
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,960
Speaker 1: the offense. I liked it how it was before Kyler

561
00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:52,400
Speaker 1: Murray got hurt, to where it was when needed, if needed,

562
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,280
Speaker 1: or if he saw something. Not a designed run, because

563
00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:58,320
Speaker 1: I don't think Kyler Murray's in favor of design runs.

564
00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,960
Speaker 1: He'll do it, but it's not something he wants to do.

565
00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,480
Speaker 1: And you know, again they said this in the offseason.

566
00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,840
Speaker 1: It's a luxury, but you know how I feel if

567
00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,880
Speaker 1: and if you go back. I don't know how many

568
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,800
Speaker 1: times he got hit in that game. Zero I saw. Yeah,

569
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:17,200
Speaker 1: there was one post on social media that he touched

570
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,560
Speaker 1: or he carried the ball eleven times and that included

571
00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:24,000
Speaker 1: the one team sack. But at no point was he hit,

572
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,280
Speaker 1: tackled or brought down. He went down on his own

573
00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,479
Speaker 1: and he protects his body now again the last two years.

574
00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,520
Speaker 1: He hasn't been able to be close to one hundred percent.

575
00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:34,920
Speaker 1: I don't think anybody is. But he's closer than he

576
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,960
Speaker 1: was after that Green Bay game. Again, I just I

577
00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:40,080
Speaker 1: just don't want to put the handcuffs on him. I

578
00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:43,040
Speaker 1: trust him, but getting the one two punchback again, that

579
00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,120
Speaker 1: would be a luxury for Kyler Murray. And if you have,

580
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:47,720
Speaker 1: even if you don't have Chase Edmands this week, he

581
00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,280
Speaker 1: was on the practice field during the open portion, seemed

582
00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,280
Speaker 1: to be moving around fine. But we've seen without Chase

583
00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:55,600
Speaker 1: Edmonds that this team can still run the football. James

584
00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,600
Speaker 1: Connor is very capable. You do have Eno Benjamin. Now,

585
00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,600
Speaker 1: you've got Jonathan Ward back Taving Feasters on the practice

586
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,560
Speaker 1: squad again. Overall, though, you're talking about the tenth best

587
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:10,400
Speaker 1: rushing offense in the National Football League nineteen rushing touchdowns.

588
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,000
Speaker 1: That's tied for the second most in the league. They

589
00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:16,680
Speaker 1: ranked fourth in rushing attempts per game. The three ahead

590
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,640
Speaker 1: of them Ravens, Eagles, and Titans. Well, Ravens and Titans.

591
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:24,480
Speaker 1: That's obvious. I mean they've always been a team. Teams

592
00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,760
Speaker 1: that are high up as far as rushing attempts per game,

593
00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,959
Speaker 1: even without the Titans having Derrick Henry and colts Jonathan Taylor,

594
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,600
Speaker 1: and they have really good offensive line. They you know,

595
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:40,720
Speaker 1: Quittin Nelson, They've drafted well and quite frankly, Carson Wentz

596
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,440
Speaker 1: doesn't have to really, you know, put up three and

597
00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,800
Speaker 1: four hundred yards. Now he may have to, But Jonathan Taylor,

598
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:48,719
Speaker 1: you had the stat and I want to give you

599
00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,440
Speaker 1: credit for it. The running the ball forty eight forty

600
00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:55,320
Speaker 1: eight percent nineteen touchdowns. They're throwing at fifty two percent

601
00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:00,680
Speaker 1: twenty two touchdowns. I mean, it's balance. And when Kingsbury

602
00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:02,800
Speaker 1: was hired, we all did our research. They averaged one

603
00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,720
Speaker 1: hundred and forty yards a game at Texas Tech. Now

604
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:11,640
Speaker 1: there they ran the air raid sparted out, but everyone

605
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,560
Speaker 1: just thought we're going to throw the ball sixty five

606
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:16,560
Speaker 1: percent of the time. That has not happened since he's

607
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:18,560
Speaker 1: been here. Now you can go back to ten personnel

608
00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,160
Speaker 1: that first month of the season. Clearly they couldn't protect

609
00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:24,280
Speaker 1: the edges. They figured it out sooner rather than later.

610
00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,520
Speaker 1: But you're talking about balance on offense. You're never going

611
00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:31,560
Speaker 1: to be fifty fifty and the fact that maybe the

612
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,560
Speaker 1: numbers reflected when this team gets a lead, they run

613
00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:38,640
Speaker 1: the football, and again I think you have to show

614
00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,160
Speaker 1: the run early play action and then obviously you know,

615
00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,840
Speaker 1: take advantage of some matchups on the outside. But don't

616
00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:48,160
Speaker 1: fault or don't penalize the Cardinals for how they get

617
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,200
Speaker 1: to their running game because it's predicated on scoring early,

618
00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,680
Speaker 1: and it's the defense getting the opposing offense off the field,

619
00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,520
Speaker 1: either on a three and out, a punt or on

620
00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:03,200
Speaker 1: a take away. And we chronicled earlier twenty three takeaways.

621
00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,600
Speaker 1: That's more than most teams in the National Football League.

622
00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,680
Speaker 1: So they have a formula and it's worked through twelve games.

623
00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:12,120
Speaker 1: Even in the two losses, you see when the formula

624
00:33:12,240 --> 00:33:15,600
Speaker 1: doesn't work, i e. Against the Carolina Panthers, Cardinals turn

625
00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,400
Speaker 1: the ball over and the Panthers jump on them. Now,

626
00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:20,640
Speaker 1: that's what the Cardinals have done, and when you're a

627
00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,960
Speaker 1: better team, you're able to do that. Can the Cardinals

628
00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,000
Speaker 1: do that this week against the Los Angeles Rams, who

629
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:30,000
Speaker 1: are very good against the run and have really improved

630
00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,800
Speaker 1: since that contest in Week four because they've only allowed

631
00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:38,680
Speaker 1: one hundred rushing yards twice since that Cardinals game. In

632
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:41,840
Speaker 1: Week four. The forty nine ers ran on them the

633
00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,360
Speaker 1: Lions ran on them. But it was the forty nine

634
00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:46,400
Speaker 1: Ers game that I think really opened up a lot

635
00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:49,440
Speaker 1: of people's eyes as far as that rams rushing defense.

636
00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,200
Speaker 1: When it gets out of whack, you are capable. You

637
00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,080
Speaker 1: can run against them, and it'll be interesting. I'm curious

638
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:59,600
Speaker 1: on how much changes or if nothing changes, or you

639
00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,520
Speaker 1: go in with one plan and have to adjust based

640
00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:04,920
Speaker 1: off what Sean McVay and his staff decide to do.

641
00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:07,120
Speaker 1: I mean, it wouldn't surprise to me if they go

642
00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,160
Speaker 1: over thirty runs, that tells me a they're playing close

643
00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:13,080
Speaker 1: to the vest or they have the lead. And if

644
00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,759
Speaker 1: they get sixty five snaps, you could see thirty five

645
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:19,040
Speaker 1: attempts and hopefully, like you know, twenty eight for thirty five.

646
00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:21,839
Speaker 1: So and usually Craig, when we get to this point

647
00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,120
Speaker 1: in the year, when you look at the plus mine

648
00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:27,440
Speaker 1: plus minus when it comes to turnovers, you look at

649
00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,680
Speaker 1: the list, I gotta think a lot of those teams

650
00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,320
Speaker 1: are playoff teams, at least when it comes to having

651
00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,880
Speaker 1: winning records. That's the difference. When you're in the bottom,

652
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,680
Speaker 1: it's tough to overcome. Look at the Bears four interceptions,

653
00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:42,400
Speaker 1: that game was out of reach. Cardinals force two turnovers

654
00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,720
Speaker 1: or a fourteen seventeen nothing. They scored twenty three points

655
00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:50,480
Speaker 1: off their turnovers. So when you're in that plus category

656
00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,400
Speaker 1: and that's complimentary football, we know the Cardinals can score

657
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:57,400
Speaker 1: and their defense can force turnovers. Now you look at

658
00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:02,400
Speaker 1: this Rams defense and how they Cardinals handled them in

659
00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,240
Speaker 1: that first meeting, it goes back to how we started

660
00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:07,680
Speaker 1: off this edition of Cardinals Covered Too, presented by Hunday

661
00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:11,200
Speaker 1: Proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals. The offensive line and

662
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:15,720
Speaker 1: the job that those five players did protecting Kyle Murray

663
00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:18,520
Speaker 1: to the point where he was not sacked at all.

664
00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,520
Speaker 1: Excuse me, he was sacked a couple of times, but

665
00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:25,319
Speaker 1: the job that they did on Aaron Donald and it

666
00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,399
Speaker 1: was I'm not a big Pro Football Focus as far

667
00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,680
Speaker 1: as grades weekly, it's a nice tool to have, but

668
00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:36,439
Speaker 1: when you're able to read Monday morning after Week four

669
00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,480
Speaker 1: that Aaron Donald had a fifty one and a half

670
00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:43,440
Speaker 1: pass rush grade, the lowest of his career according to

671
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,480
Speaker 1: Pro Football Focus, that opened up my eyes. Now that's

672
00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,879
Speaker 1: a lot of Rodney Hudson. That's why you acquired him

673
00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:52,680
Speaker 1: to be that anchor on the offensive line, but the

674
00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,880
Speaker 1: entire interior and I know they move Aaron Donald around

675
00:35:55,920 --> 00:36:00,400
Speaker 1: a little bit, but those three guys in the middle

676
00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,240
Speaker 1: of that offensive line did a wonderful job on Aaron

677
00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:05,480
Speaker 1: Donald to the point where he had four tackles and

678
00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:10,319
Speaker 1: they were all assisted tackles. I gotta tell you, as

679
00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:14,200
Speaker 1: that game was going on again, they got tired at

680
00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,120
Speaker 1: the end and Cardinals were running the ball on the throat.

681
00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:20,120
Speaker 1: He wasn't a factor. And you know, clearly he can

682
00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:24,000
Speaker 1: be a factor to disrupt the pocket, split double teams,

683
00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:26,760
Speaker 1: but they are moving him around. It's not like he's

684
00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,560
Speaker 1: just sitting there going against the center or guard. There

685
00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:33,000
Speaker 1: were times he lined up against Beacham, there were times

686
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,640
Speaker 1: he lined up against DJ Humphreys. But now you had

687
00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:39,920
Speaker 1: Von Miller and you got Leonard Floyd and and I

688
00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:43,400
Speaker 1: think if there's one area where I think they lost

689
00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,640
Speaker 1: some some players was a linebacker corps. You know, even

690
00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,239
Speaker 1: though Leonard Floyd's he's a guy that can put his

691
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,080
Speaker 1: hand in the dirt, he can rush the pasture, but

692
00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:56,720
Speaker 1: they're linebackers. Remember when they had Ogletree and some other guys,

693
00:36:57,120 --> 00:36:59,480
Speaker 1: it just seemed like they had more athleticism at that

694
00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:03,680
Speaker 1: linebacker position. They've got Von Miller, who they acquired, although

695
00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:06,880
Speaker 1: in three games he has zero sacks. Leonard Floyd leads

696
00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,239
Speaker 1: the team with eight sacks. He did have a sack

697
00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:12,640
Speaker 1: against Kyler Murray in Week four. Aaron Donald on the

698
00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:16,640
Speaker 1: season seven sacks, eight tackles for lost, three passes defense,

699
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:20,520
Speaker 1: two forced fumbles. So Aaron Donald is still Aaron Donald.

700
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,520
Speaker 1: Maybe not the numbers that we've come to expend expect

701
00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:26,520
Speaker 1: from a three time defensive Player of the Year, but

702
00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:29,160
Speaker 1: that is that front seven right there. Now You've got

703
00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,920
Speaker 1: Troy Reeder on the inside and Ernest Jones as well,

704
00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:37,240
Speaker 1: but not the typical names, the Michael Brockers that certainly

705
00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:40,320
Speaker 1: Robert Quinn, Robert Quinn guys that are doing well, i e.

706
00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:44,360
Speaker 1: Robert Quinn in Chicago doing very very well. But it

707
00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:48,440
Speaker 1: is still a very capable defense that is maybe not

708
00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:51,919
Speaker 1: as dominant as in years past, but still up there

709
00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:53,960
Speaker 1: as far as some of the metrics are concerned. Yeah,

710
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:59,120
Speaker 1: rams are Tywood Seattle plus three. They have seventeen takeaways

711
00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:02,200
Speaker 1: and they've given the ball away fourteen times, ten interceptions

712
00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:05,440
Speaker 1: for fumbles. The top team is the Colts plus thirteen,

713
00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:10,399
Speaker 1: Arizona plus twelve, New England plus ten, Buffalo plus nine,

714
00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:13,640
Speaker 1: Green Bay plus nine, Tampa. Where are all those teams?

715
00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:18,200
Speaker 1: Craig playoff teams. That's how it works. And I don't

716
00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:20,120
Speaker 1: want to I don't want to bore our listeners, but

717
00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:23,360
Speaker 1: if you look at the bottom, Jets minus sixteen, Jackson

718
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:27,920
Speaker 1: minus fifteen, Baltimore minus eight, they could be a playoff team.

719
00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:33,040
Speaker 1: Chicago minus eight, Tennessee minus seven. So you're in Kansas City.

720
00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:37,360
Speaker 1: We know how they started off. But when you're minus

721
00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:41,920
Speaker 1: double digits, not good. Protect the football teams, obvious, but

722
00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,400
Speaker 1: you protect the football, you give yourself a better chance

723
00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:47,160
Speaker 1: to win. And as we continue here on Cardinals Cover

724
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:51,279
Speaker 1: two presented by Hounday, proud partner the Arizona Cardinals, Cardinals

725
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:54,160
Speaker 1: and the Rams coming up on Monday Night Football. It

726
00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:58,759
Speaker 1: is week fourteen National television on Monday Night Football. One

727
00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:01,440
Speaker 1: of their quick notes the defense, and you bring up

728
00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:06,680
Speaker 1: Jalen Ramsey asmar as as much as he moves around,

729
00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:10,560
Speaker 1: and we always focus on Ramsey and Hopkins, but I

730
00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:13,440
Speaker 1: don't remember too many one on one matchups in that

731
00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:17,360
Speaker 1: first meeting earlier in the year. No, and kind like

732
00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:20,279
Speaker 1: Jamal Adams. They'd like to move him around. Sometimes he'll

733
00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:23,320
Speaker 1: be laying the box but he is clearly their best corner,

734
00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,520
Speaker 1: one of the best cover corners in football. Did they

735
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:28,040
Speaker 1: play zone? They go man to man because now you

736
00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:30,960
Speaker 1: got to worry about AJ Green and we talk about it.

737
00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:33,520
Speaker 1: The Cardinals can go at least three deep at their

738
00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:36,120
Speaker 1: corner positions. Some teams can only only have two and

739
00:39:36,160 --> 00:39:37,759
Speaker 1: then they use a guy in the slot and you

740
00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:40,359
Speaker 1: can exploit that. So that's why when when I get

741
00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,320
Speaker 1: to make keys tomorrow, I'm definitely looking at the Cardinals

742
00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,439
Speaker 1: passing against that secondary. But again, they got to stop

743
00:39:46,480 --> 00:39:48,400
Speaker 1: the front seven for the Rams. In order to do that,

744
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,840
Speaker 1: Kyler Murray through to seven different receivers in that first

745
00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:56,439
Speaker 1: matchup AJ Green five catches, Max Williams before getting hurt,

746
00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:00,200
Speaker 1: five catches, de hob Edmonds each with four, round elm

747
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,239
Speaker 1: Or three, James Connor two, and Christian Kirk with just one.

748
00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,879
Speaker 1: Christian Kirk has been playing very very well as of late.

749
00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:10,200
Speaker 1: Sometimes they find them, sometimes they don't. But I'm very

750
00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:13,520
Speaker 1: curious again to our original theme here on Cardinals Cover

751
00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,520
Speaker 1: two presented by Hyunday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals.

752
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:20,120
Speaker 1: They can run the football and they showed that in

753
00:40:20,239 --> 00:40:23,640
Speaker 1: Week four. Yet to your point, do we see now

754
00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:26,720
Speaker 1: with Kyler Murray back with a game under his belt

755
00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,320
Speaker 1: fifteen pass attempts, does he get that in the first quarter,

756
00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,400
Speaker 1: in the first half and try to get this offense

757
00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,759
Speaker 1: humming with perhaps a returning Justin Pugh on the line

758
00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:41,239
Speaker 1: of returning Chase Edmonds in the backfield, get those offensive

759
00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:44,239
Speaker 1: starters back for the first time in a long, long time.

760
00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:47,000
Speaker 1: As far as a complete unit, yeah, I think you

761
00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:51,239
Speaker 1: touched on it maybe going into the bye week. You

762
00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,840
Speaker 1: know when we talked about these these final six games,

763
00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:57,000
Speaker 1: no style points. I mean, yes, you want to if

764
00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 1: you want to put up four hundred yards again and

765
00:40:58,680 --> 00:41:02,040
Speaker 1: run for two hundred. But they're they're gonna run their offense.

766
00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:04,479
Speaker 1: They're gonna run the ball, they're gonna ulize play action.

767
00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:06,359
Speaker 1: They're gonna try to get in third and short. Where

768
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:08,239
Speaker 1: now all of a sudden, are they gonna pass it,

769
00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:10,960
Speaker 1: They're gonna run it, They're gonna throw it. So yeah,

770
00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:14,520
Speaker 1: I mean it's it's it's a scenario where this team

771
00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,640
Speaker 1: feeds off each other, and the good news is the

772
00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:21,279
Speaker 1: defense has been playing really well and the offense is

773
00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:23,880
Speaker 1: confident that they won't have to possibly get in a

774
00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:26,080
Speaker 1: shootout but like I said, I don't think McVeigh is

775
00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:28,759
Speaker 1: worried about leaving Colin m They want to score, and

776
00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:30,880
Speaker 1: they want to score it within three to five plays.

777
00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:34,480
Speaker 1: That's just their offense. Now the question becomes, get Matthew

778
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,640
Speaker 1: Stafford off his spot and put them in third and long,

779
00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,960
Speaker 1: and I think the Cardinals pass rushers can tee off

780
00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:43,160
Speaker 1: and then you can try to get some interceptions. Six

781
00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:46,520
Speaker 1: to fifteen is the kickoff on Sunday if you're heading

782
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:49,719
Speaker 1: to the game, even if you're not, The Cardinals are

783
00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:54,040
Speaker 1: hosting a toy drive prior to kickoff, collecting new unwrapped

784
00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:57,680
Speaker 1: toys for Aerozona Helping Hands. They'll be drop off drop

785
00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:01,319
Speaker 1: off locations around State Farm Stadium. A QR code will

786
00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:03,600
Speaker 1: also be placed at the drop off locations for those

787
00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,560
Speaker 1: who wish to make a monetary contribution instead. You can

788
00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:10,080
Speaker 1: go to asy Cardinals dot com for more information, especially

789
00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:12,600
Speaker 1: if you want to contribute and are not planning on

790
00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:16,759
Speaker 1: being in attendance on Monday. Before we leave here at

791
00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,719
Speaker 1: congratulations to Buddha Baker, the Cardinals nominee for the Art

792
00:42:20,800 --> 00:42:25,000
Speaker 1: Rooney Sportsmanship Award. This is the eighth annual award and

793
00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:29,320
Speaker 1: in fact Larry Fitzgerald won this award back in twenty fourteen,

794
00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:31,640
Speaker 1: so we talked about the Walter Peyton NFL Man of

795
00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:33,799
Speaker 1: the Year. Fitz got that. He also got the Art

796
00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:36,359
Speaker 1: Rooney Sportsmanship Award. I don't think there's an award that

797
00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:40,600
Speaker 1: he did not receive in his career that's markable. Outside

798
00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:43,759
Speaker 1: of seventeen years and stick around long enough, fits you

799
00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:46,160
Speaker 1: can get anything. Yeah, but it's nice because both of

800
00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:49,440
Speaker 1: those guys again and we look at him as football players.

801
00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:53,080
Speaker 1: We talked about Beecham and Buddha Baker. It's what they

802
00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:57,040
Speaker 1: do off the field of sportsmanship they have and again

803
00:42:58,000 --> 00:42:59,719
Speaker 1: they could have picked twenty guys on this team, but

804
00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:03,040
Speaker 1: I think they got it right obviously Beecham and then

805
00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:06,600
Speaker 1: Buddha Baker. And again Buddha Baker is a great guy

806
00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:10,080
Speaker 1: off the field. He loves mingling with the fans. So

807
00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:13,480
Speaker 1: again I'm thrilled because at the end of the day,

808
00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,120
Speaker 1: you look at their stats, but this, this will mean

809
00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:18,600
Speaker 1: something when they just said when they retire, like I

810
00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:22,040
Speaker 1: was that guy, you know, not the Walter Payton. But

811
00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:26,239
Speaker 1: also just amplifying it's not about football the time, it's

812
00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:30,280
Speaker 1: you who you are as a person. Sportsmanship on the field,

813
00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,239
Speaker 1: and this award the Art Roodey Sportsmanship Award. They'll be

814
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,239
Speaker 1: eight finalists and then the winner is determined by a

815
00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:39,800
Speaker 1: vote of current players. Nice. So this is once again

816
00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:43,239
Speaker 1: you are recognized by your peers and what you do

817
00:43:43,400 --> 00:43:45,520
Speaker 1: on the field, how you act on the field. Let's

818
00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:50,400
Speaker 1: go fits, Let's go Buddha Baker. By the way, we

819
00:43:50,440 --> 00:43:53,240
Speaker 1: are still on baby watch. I have not heard anything

820
00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:56,440
Speaker 1: now at the time as we record here that Buddha

821
00:43:56,440 --> 00:44:00,200
Speaker 1: Baker and Jordan Hicks both expecting at any moment, at

822
00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:05,160
Speaker 1: any time. Let's just hope it's well ahead of Monday. Yeah, yeah, definitely.

823
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,680
Speaker 1: I first thing I was look for Brudha today on

824
00:44:07,719 --> 00:44:09,600
Speaker 1: the field, looking for number three and number fifty eight.

825
00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:13,640
Speaker 1: They're here, Okay, good news. Yeah, well, I got to

826
00:44:13,640 --> 00:44:16,480
Speaker 1: assume both are likely in the valley. I know Jordan

827
00:44:16,600 --> 00:44:20,279
Speaker 1: hickspend's time in Texas in the off season, so you

828
00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:22,839
Speaker 1: don't have to get on the plane. And we just

829
00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:28,200
Speaker 1: wish everyone's healthy and obviously welcome two individuals into the

830
00:44:28,400 --> 00:44:31,080
Speaker 1: two babies into the new world. Matt Praydor and his

831
00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:34,000
Speaker 1: wife welcome to new edition already, so it must be

832
00:44:34,040 --> 00:44:37,120
Speaker 1: in the water. The family is expanding here in twenty

833
00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:39,600
Speaker 1: twenty one. All right, MJ, you've got a homework assignment.

834
00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:43,759
Speaker 1: You're good, You're ready. I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm fired up.

835
00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:47,520
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to watching December football tonight. We'll see

836
00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,080
Speaker 1: if the Steelers and the Vikings, because we know if

837
00:44:50,080 --> 00:44:52,560
Speaker 1: the Vikings lose and the Packers went on Sunday night

838
00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:56,720
Speaker 1: against the Bears, they're gonna clinch their division title. Really

839
00:44:56,760 --> 00:44:59,759
Speaker 1: no race there based on what's happening behind them, but

840
00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:04,719
Speaker 1: not the number one C. And that's important to know. Yes, Cardinals,

841
00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:07,320
Speaker 1: they know if they win on Monday, they are in.

842
00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:10,880
Speaker 1: If they make it two straight wins Monday and Sunday

843
00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:14,240
Speaker 1: against the Detroit Lions, they will clinch the NFC West.

844
00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:16,640
Speaker 1: That is what is at stake. Although, and we'll get

845
00:45:16,680 --> 00:45:18,719
Speaker 1: into this later on in the week, the players and

846
00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:22,040
Speaker 1: coaches not focused on any of that, not biting on

847
00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,600
Speaker 1: any of the questions that have been asked during this

848
00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:28,120
Speaker 1: week about the importance the magnitude of this matchup on

849
00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,960
Speaker 1: Monday Night football. Don't make it bigger than it is. Yes,

850
00:45:31,160 --> 00:45:34,239
Speaker 1: hurt that a lot over the last several days. And

851
00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:36,319
Speaker 1: on that note, we will put a lid on this

852
00:45:36,480 --> 00:45:39,640
Speaker 1: edition of Cardinals Cover two presented by Monday proud partner,

853
00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:43,240
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals. As always, special thanks to our executive

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Speaker 1: producer Joe Momohundro or Mike Jarecki. I'm Craig Rayel Loup.

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Speaker 1: We'll talk to you next time you're on Cardinals Cover

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Speaker 1: two