WEBVTT - Fins Flashback 2005 Dolphins Broncos with Channing Crowder 0:00:05.519 --> 0:00:15.640 Perfect most water drown What is up, Dolphans, And welcome 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:19.040 to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the Miami Dolphins 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:23.400 official podcast network, covering your team, your Miami Dolphins, each 0:00:23.680 --> 0:00:27.040 and every day. How's it going, everybody? It is Friday. 0:00:27.360 --> 0:00:30.159 I am your host, Travis Wingfield, and I'm here to 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:33.360 bring you your daily dose of Miami Dolphins football. And 0:00:33.400 --> 0:00:36.279 on today's show, we're gonna welcome in Channing Crowder, one 0:00:36.280 --> 0:00:38.760 of the all time great Drive Time and fish Tank 0:00:39.040 --> 0:00:41.920 podcast guests, one of the all time great post playing 0:00:41.960 --> 0:00:45.720 career media personalities there is in existence. Channing Crowder jumps 0:00:45.720 --> 0:00:48.040 in to talk about the two thousand and five season 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:51.160 opening win over the Denver Broncos. Will also get Seth 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:52.840 and o g on the podcast a little bit later 0:00:52.960 --> 0:00:55.400 to talk about what's next. On the Fish Tank, We'll 0:00:55.400 --> 0:00:58.120 get you the latest injury port for Dolphins and Broncos, 0:00:58.280 --> 0:01:00.680 and cover John Knjemmi's three key East to the Game. 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:03.360 All of that and more on this Friday, November the 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:10.880 twenty edition of the Drive Time Podcast. Drive Time is 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:14.279 brought to you by Auto Nation. Listen to up Dolphins fans. 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:17.040 The new year starts now at auto nation dot com 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:20.440 let's skip the rest of and get to big New 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:24.920 Year's savings on your favorite Auto Nation Chevy's, Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, 0:01:24.959 --> 0:01:27.560 and more. Shop safely at the Auto Nation store near 0:01:27.600 --> 0:01:30.800 you or Auto Nation dot com and save. Now, let's 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:33.600 go ahead and jump into John Congemi's three keys to 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:36.440 victory on this Sunday against Dever Broncos. Go through this 0:01:36.520 --> 0:01:40.400 thing real quick. First, he talks about continuing creating scoring opportunities. 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:42.920 We talked about it on the podcast earlier. Context for 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:46.240 short fields, getting hidden yardage, putting points on the board early, 0:01:46.280 --> 0:01:49.280 scoring fast, and putting the pressure on. Speaking of pressure, 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:52.000 point number two, pressure the pocket that's been a key 0:01:52.040 --> 0:01:54.960 to this team and this defense every single week, getting sacks, 0:01:54.960 --> 0:01:58.480 putting pressure on the quarterback, creating takeaways. Guys like Emmanuel Ogbas, 0:01:58.560 --> 0:02:01.280 Shack Laws and Andrew Vanky GOLs, Zack Seeler and the 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:04.840 entire crew. Number three, win third down, John right to 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:07.720 the Dolphins are third in third down defense this season, 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:10.240 but Denver's right behind them with the sixth best third 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.880 down defense. Whichever team can win third down typically has 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:14.840 a better chance to win the game. So the turnover 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:17.200 is pressure on the quarterback, winning third down some of 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:19.320 your keys to victory. Lets go ahead and get the 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:22.440 Dolphins and Broncos injury report here for this week eleven 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:26.000 matchup in Denver and first with the Miami Dolphins. Just 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.960 two players questionable on the injury report, Kyle van Neu 0:02:30.080 --> 0:02:33.000 the linebacker and offensive guard Solomon Kinley are going to 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:35.880 be questionable for the game on Sunday. Everybody else with 0:02:35.960 --> 0:02:39.720 no injury status for the Denver Broncos a whole heap 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:42.679 of players on the questionable designation for this game that 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:46.239 includes quarterback Drew Lock. James Palmer of NFL Network said 0:02:46.280 --> 0:02:48.520 that he's going to be questionable with that rib injury 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:51.000 that he wants to play Saturday morning will play a 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:52.800 factor if he can go. They want to see if 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:56.680 he throws and feels it after throwing. Other players questionable 0:02:56.680 --> 0:03:00.560 for the Broncos, Graham Glasgow and Deshaun Willie were not 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:03.440 on the injury report previously but have been added as 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:07.200 questionable status for Sunday, and the same is true for 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:10.240 cornerback Bryce Callahan. So some pretty big names on that 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:12.800 list for the Broncos to check out the rest of 0:03:12.840 --> 0:03:14.960 the injury report. Go ahead and check out top news 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.560 on Miami Dolphins dot com. We'll have that available for 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:20.920 you guys on the website and writing Shotgun Now on 0:03:20.960 --> 0:03:24.800 the Drive Time podcast is former Dolphins linebacker currently the 0:03:24.840 --> 0:03:27.200 host of the Hawkman and Crowder Show. You can hear 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:29.760 him on Dolphins pregame show on w q A. M 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:33.960 Channing Crowder Channing, Welcome in, Man. We appreciate you every 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:39.520 Travis Man, Bro. Not only it's it's been a minute, man. 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:41.960 We lasted the podcast back in March, and that was 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:44.560 I think it was like right before COVID became a 0:03:44.600 --> 0:03:46.760 part of our lives. And I haven't always spoke to 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:48.560 you since, man, So like, catch me up. What's going 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:51.800 on with you? Same stuff? Doing everything from home? Man, 0:03:51.920 --> 0:03:55.280 you know virtual school, so from home, everything from home. 0:03:55.400 --> 0:03:57.920 But you know it brings you closer to your family 0:03:57.960 --> 0:03:59.600 and your family and I know you're a family man, 0:03:59.720 --> 0:04:02.040 So get more time with the fam. And they're just 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:04.200 getting through it, Bro. It's the new norm now, as 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:06.880 they're called. That's exactly right. Like you said, there are 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:09.560 always finding the silver linings, right. Spending more time with 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.320 the family is definitely one upshot of of all this, 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:14.240 I suppose, but another up shot right now is the 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:17.360 Dolphins playing some damn good football, and you're very well 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.960 innudated with the current sports landscape, especially down here in Miami, 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:23.840 were business is kind of booming. Man Marlin's wipe out 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:26.360 a playoff trout the Heat come within two games of 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:28.880 an NBA championship. The Hurricanes are a top ten team. 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:31.920 Not to mention your Florida Gators, Channing, and the Dolphins 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:34.400 are writing a five game winning streak. If you can 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:36.640 find it within yourself to pass up the talking point 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:38.760 there about the Gators. What are you seeing from this 0:04:38.839 --> 0:04:42.000 Dolphins team right now? Channing, And it's it's amazing. They're 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:44.200 They're a real team. You just seeing, you know, these 0:04:44.240 --> 0:04:46.240 last couple of games, Specimen two has gone in, Like 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:48.920 the special teams make plays. The defense goes out and 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:51.120 makes plays, and they're not putting it all on two 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:53.800 in the offense. It's a it's a complete team. They're 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:55.799 out there. You know, they're one of the top scoring 0:04:55.880 --> 0:04:57.960 defense in the league, and now with two of you know, 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:00.880 they're rolling, putting thirty on the board. You a multiple times. 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:03.800 So man, I'm I'm I'm excited. I've done some some 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:07.640 shows and some interviews now nationally where people are interested 0:05:07.640 --> 0:05:09.880 in the Dolphins in l A, you know, in in 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:12.560 d C, just around in New York, you know, around 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:15.280 the nation. So it's where they should be. And man, 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:18.120 it looks like Brian Flores was the guy he's bringing in. 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:20.680 Those those those young guys, those young offens Lhomit are 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:23.599 playing well. Young defenders are playing well, those lockdown corners 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:26.360 are doing their thing on the outside. Becauxavier Howard playing 0:05:26.360 --> 0:05:29.520 out of his mind right now, travels this I think 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:32.560 we saw around. Man, I think we're hitting the rec correction. 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:34.919 It's hard to argue with the results right now. Plenty 0:05:34.960 --> 0:05:37.040 of plenty of games left to go, for sure, seven 0:05:37.040 --> 0:05:39.440 more to close this thing out. And yeah, I mean 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:42.479 your excitement, I mean I can only reciprocate that so much, Channing. 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:44.920 It's it's fun to turn on national TV shows and 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:47.120 you know, I never put too much into, you know, 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:49.440 what the talking heads say, but it is fun to 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.760 see that Dolphins logo up on that screen for ten 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:54.560 fifteen minutes of time as they do multiple segments on 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.240 this Dolphins team. And that's that's kind of one of 0:05:56.240 --> 0:05:58.000 the talks of the league right now. But I want 0:05:58.000 --> 0:06:00.560 to go back to your first career your game. We're 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:02.920 gonna talk about the two thousand five game at home 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.799 against Denver Broncos on this Friday Flashback podcast. Dolphins linebacker 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:09.679 Chain Crowded here first game of your career. The Dolphins 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:12.000 are in Denver this Sunday at four oh five. But 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:14.080 going back to that game in two thousand five, let's 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:16.560 go ahead and start first by when you were drafted 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:19.279 by the Dolphins, because that kind of gets us into this, 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:21.440 you know, the season opener for your first career game. 0:06:21.600 --> 0:06:23.360 What was it like for you to know that I'm 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.520 staying down in Florida after being with the Gators for 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:28.160 for your entire college career, staying down in Miami being 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:30.200 drafted by Nick Saban. What are your thoughts when you 0:06:30.240 --> 0:06:33.520 first got picked by the Dolphins. Well, on draft Day, 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:35.920 I was kind of upset, not because I'm going to Miami, 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:37.680 just because I went third round and I was the 0:06:37.720 --> 0:06:39.720 first round grade and all that stuff, you know, And 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:42.760 uh so I was ready to get drafted about twelve 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:45.240 thirty one and I didn't go to eight thirty at night. 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:47.480 That's back when it was the first three rounds in 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:50.200 the first day. So seven hours too late, a lot 0:06:50.279 --> 0:06:53.560 of beers in Whiskey in so when Nick Saban called me, 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:55.760 I wasn't all of sound mind and body, if you 0:06:55.760 --> 0:06:58.960 know what I'm saying. But then coming down, man and 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:02.400 my draft class travels with Ronnie Brown and Matt Roth, 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:05.240 and it's crazy John Denny, who just hung it up. 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:06.960 You know, he was there with me. We had an 0:07:06.960 --> 0:07:09.880 awesome draft class. And coming in with Saving, you know, 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:13.160 Saving was just you know, everybody knows the straight ends, 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:15.320 you know kind of you know, ain't no type thing 0:07:15.360 --> 0:07:17.760 he he approached, you know, the way he approached the game. 0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:21.240 So I was excited to play in Miami outside to 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:23.320 get drafted. And then when I got here, man to 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:26.800 how Junior say out and Za Thomas took me under 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:29.320 their wings and just really just talk to me about 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:31.400 really how to play the game, the mental side from 0:07:31.440 --> 0:07:33.920 Zach aside from Junior, where Junior would always tell me, 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:36.600 don't get over coach. Now you're here because of your ability, 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:38.840 go go show off while you're here. So to have 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:41.560 that Yang Yang in my in my room, to Hall 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:45.080 of Famers in my linebacking room, man, I really, I 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.720 really think it was the perfect situation to two rounds 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:51.120 too late, but it was a perfect situation. Great guys, 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:53.400 that's why I stayed in Miami. Great people down here. 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:55.520 Still keep in touch with pretty much every name I 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:58.160 just said. So it was a blessing. It was a 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:01.920 blessing that I got arrested a bunch of time. So, 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:04.520 you know, silver lining, like you said about COVID, I 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.680 find a silver lining and going third round. That's exactly right. 0:08:07.680 --> 0:08:09.720 I think the last time I saw you in person 0:08:09.760 --> 0:08:11.960 was the Jets game last year, and we I asked 0:08:11.960 --> 0:08:13.920 you about the story when you got ejected from the 0:08:13.920 --> 0:08:16.040 game in two thousand and eight against the Patriots, and 0:08:16.080 --> 0:08:17.320 you kind of went into that and told me the 0:08:17.320 --> 0:08:19.680 silver linings behind that story as well. We won't go 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:22.840 on the air with that story cheering, but but I 0:08:22.880 --> 0:08:25.120 am curious about you talk about that veteran leadership in 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.400 that room, because I think it kind of is a 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.160 good a good prelude back to the Dolphins current team 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:32.160 right now with this good mix of Yeah, it's a 0:08:32.240 --> 0:08:34.360 very young team, but you do have guys like you know, 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:36.720 Ryan Fitzpatrick and their for instance, the quarterback for the 0:08:36.760 --> 0:08:39.439 first six games or seven games or so, you've got 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:42.280 Kyle Van noul. The defense kind of brings guys together, 0:08:42.320 --> 0:08:45.000 fulfills that role and has that that veteran leadership role 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:46.959 you land in Robert serves as kind of a conduit 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:49.640 for Brian Floores message to the players on the field. 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:52.960 That two thousand five team you mentioned, Jason Taylor Jr. 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:55.240 Say out yourself a rookie on that team, you still 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:57.520 got Sam Madison out there. What was that blend? Like? 0:08:57.559 --> 0:09:00.120 How important is that blend for having those vet and 0:09:00.160 --> 0:09:01.800 guys that can kind of show the young guys the rope, 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:04.640 but also still having that kind of young hungry blood 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:09.000 coming in. It's it's perfect nothing. That's the that's design, 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:11.760 especially defensively speaking from my perspective, is that you have 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:14.000 those old guys and if you think about it, babies. 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:17.000 Babies are emotional. You have a young one, anything happens, 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:20.160 they start crying, and that doesn't change until you know 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:22.920 what I'm saying, Like one to thirty five, you're still 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.280 You're still emotional at twenty more than a guy like 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.120 Zach Thomas and Jr. Say so, just knowing that the 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.000 games is a long game. You give up a touchdown 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:32.240 next play, bro, Let's move on. Let's move forward, and 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:34.480 I made my you know, my favorite share of mistakes. 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:36.720 Where as soon as I if I missed a tackle 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:38.360 or something like that. You know, as a young guy, 0:09:38.720 --> 0:09:41.480 your first opportunity in front of you know, NFL crowd, 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.880 NFL eyes, and you mess up where you know, kind 0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:45.560 of get down and you start, you know, get upset. 0:09:45.760 --> 0:09:47.959 Where Zach would always come up to me, good, bad 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:50.240 or otherwise and be like, next place, you see, next play, 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.280 next quarter, you know, let's get out. You know, it's 0:09:52.320 --> 0:09:55.839 just let's go. Let's do our job. So the young excitement, 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:57.840 the jumping around and yelling at hooting the holler and 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:00.240 shooting in you know, trying to kill full acts and 0:10:00.240 --> 0:10:02.040 I'm trying to knock people's helmets off. That's where the 0:10:02.080 --> 0:10:04.520 young guys break. The old guys bring the savvy and 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:07.120 the intelligence and the X and O side of it. 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:08.520 I talked to a lot of a lot about it 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:10.959 exact where for about two years, Zach would tell me 0:10:11.000 --> 0:10:13.000 where the ball was going. He would flat out of 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.200 the player would be going my way, my way, my way, 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:18.040 coming in se see coming at you, where I wouldn't 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:20.360 see what Zach saw. I can make the play, I 0:10:20.400 --> 0:10:22.520 can shoot any gap. I can hit any guard, but 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:24.640 I didn't see it. It didn't slow down for me 0:10:24.760 --> 0:10:27.840 like it's slowed down for Zach. So that young energy 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:31.360 combined with that veteran savvy, the ex and O side 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:33.839 of the veterans, but also the calming effect of hey, 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:37.040 home game, next play, next quarter, next series, Let's go 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:38.400 out here and get a three and out. That's all 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:40.160 we need to do is get three ounces together. And 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:43.080 that's where I think the combination of an old veteran 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:46.920 calm and the young energy really comes together. And to 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:49.240 bring it back to this year is exactly what they had, 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:51.640 you know, like the Wilkins and the and the davis 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:54.920 Is and jump God Child. They're jumping around, dancing and 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:56.679 you know, beating each other up where you have a 0:10:56.760 --> 0:10:59.360 NOI kind of hey, guys, take it. Even Jarome Baker 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:02.439 Jarome Baka as an old soul drone kind of settles 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:04.840 people down too. So you can you can see that 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:08.240 dynamic on this current defense that is bowling right now. 0:11:08.520 --> 0:11:11.840 So I think that combination of you know, you can't 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:14.079 you can't have an a r P team out there, 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:16.320 but you also don't want to have a uh, you know, 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:19.080 a middle school you gotta have that combination. And I 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:22.000 think that's where good defense, that's how good defense. Yeah, 0:11:22.040 --> 0:11:23.599 it seemed like that was a point of emphasis and 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:26.240 free agency to go after guys that still had plenty 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:28.040 of good ball ahead of them, right like Kyle van 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:30.240 Noy and Emmanuel Ogba and Shack Laws and these guys 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:32.160 in their mid to late twenties who still have plenty 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:33.680 of good football in front of them, but they've also 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:36.640 seen a lot of football previously. And you mentioned Zach 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:39.120 Thomas in that veteran leadership. There's a great clip a 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:41.040 couple of weeks ago after the Rams game, I believe 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.440 it was where Ted Harris goes over to two on 0:11:43.480 --> 0:11:46.080 the sideline and to us, maybe not thrilled about his 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:48.600 individual performance, but he's like, hey, rook, come on, man, 0:11:48.640 --> 0:11:50.240 it's a dub. But all the marriage of the dub 0:11:50.320 --> 0:11:51.840 right now and to it kind of got picked up. 0:11:51.920 --> 0:11:53.839 It lifted the spirit, you could, you could tell in 0:11:53.840 --> 0:11:56.400 that moment. And so you talked about Zach Thomas doing 0:11:56.400 --> 0:11:58.040 the same for you, and I want to spend this 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:00.120 thing and jump a couple of questions ahead. Here are 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:02.680 you in this game, in this Broncos game. It really 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:04.840 got started at the end of the first half. The 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:08.000 Dolphins kind of went took off after a four play 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:10.840 goal line stand against the Broncos, and Zack had back 0:12:10.880 --> 0:12:12.839 to back plays where he shot in there and made 0:12:12.880 --> 0:12:15.640 plays in the backfield. Like was that when you guys 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:17.520 saw him do that and kind of call those plays 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:19.480 out and shoot those gaps and get those big plays. 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:23.280 That has to energize the entire team, right, Oh my goodness, gracious, 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:25.160 And he would you knew he was gonna do it. 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:28.200 He knew those plays, like before they broke travels when 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:30.480 they were in the huddle, Zach knew what gap was 0:12:30.520 --> 0:12:33.559 going in, which which which guard tackled, that they liked 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:35.960 to run behind on short yardage where they're gonna motion 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:38.840 the wing from Zack knew it already. So like I 0:12:38.920 --> 0:12:41.679 was saying, slowing everything down, how he slowed it down. 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:44.240 But then when that ball snaps, like you said, it 0:12:44.280 --> 0:12:46.720 was not if he wasn't playing slow. He was thinking 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:49.600 slow but playing fast. It was amazing. And to have 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:52.200 have a better like that, and you know he was 0:12:52.640 --> 0:12:54.520 he was older than his career Zach what I think 0:12:54.520 --> 0:12:56.839 his last Pro bowls those six, So it was the 0:12:57.200 --> 0:12:58.680 ride around. You know, he was in his prime, but 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:00.920 it was sneaking towards the end. And bro to have 0:13:01.160 --> 0:13:03.559 that old old guy to sit there and flat out 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:05.480 call the play coming. Mom would come on my way, 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:07.320 and then you see him disappear and he you know 0:13:07.400 --> 0:13:09.520 he ain't he a little fimble now, he ain't up 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:12.400 by five tens or he would literally disappear into the line. 0:13:12.720 --> 0:13:14.679 You wouldn't see him, and he shoot out the other 0:13:14.720 --> 0:13:17.760 side and make a tackle. It was so amazing to watch, 0:13:17.800 --> 0:13:20.560 and especially on goal line because that's when the you know, 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:23.560 big you you make a TfL on the fifty first 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:27.040 and ten TfL second and eleven okay, good play. You 0:13:27.160 --> 0:13:29.160 make back to back stops on the gold line to 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:32.000 take points off the board. That's why Zach was going 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:34.920 to Pro Bowls. And I didn't go to many Pro 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:36.800 bowl I didn't go to any Pro Bowl. Let's be honest. 0:13:36.840 --> 0:13:39.960 It's a lot of anybody, but it was. It did 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:44.280 energize you to to see all of his studying and 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.720 all of his hard work payoff year after year. And 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:49.480 I said it before, I've told you before we talked. 0:13:49.520 --> 0:13:51.440 You know, a couple months ago, I would not have 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:53.559 had this career I had, I would not have played 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:55.920 as long as I had, made as many players, started 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:58.640 as many games if it wasn't for Zach Thomas. Really 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:02.640 really baby feet me football and I was All American 0:14:02.640 --> 0:14:04.720 in high school, all American college, and I got to 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:07.040 the NFL, and Zach Thomas had the baby feeding me 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:10.640 what football really is from the from the playmaking standpoints. 0:14:10.679 --> 0:14:13.360 So to have a vet making plays, taking points off 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.440 the board, you saw it happened the rest of the game. 0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:18.840 We just it just like you said that that series 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:21.480 really just you know, um, you know, shot us up. 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:23.920 And then the offense, so the both sides of the 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:25.880 ball where tour comes in now and you see the 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:28.840 defense playing better energy from both sides of the ball, 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:30.960 you can feed off of that. So then the offense 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.080 goes and I think they scored twenty one points in 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:35.360 the fourth quarter, like they just took off in the 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:38.080 fourth and I think the defense they kind of fed off, 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:41.640 fed us, fed off us, holding down who was it 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:44.240 date Plumber and uh they were twelve and four team 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:46.000 now I know Denver now isn't what they were. If 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:47.520 you think about oh five, they were, they were a 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:50.280 good team. The defense holding those guys down and just 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:52.760 we kept pounding them, stopping them on fourth down, the 0:14:52.840 --> 0:14:56.120 offense started getting some momentum. And that's complimentary football. And 0:14:56.160 --> 0:14:59.120 I know it's a cliche, but it's true. Cliches are 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:01.280 cliches because the usually true, right, So I mean, it 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:03.400 definitely adds up. And you make a good point there 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:05.440 about Denver being a twelve and four team that year. 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:07.400 You guys would later go on to beat the Panthers 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:10.520 two weeks later, who also played in their conference championship game. 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:12.880 So to start the season, you're two and one with 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:15.760 victories against the too, two of the final four teams 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:17.760 that year. And I'm here, I've always been wondering how 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:20.000 this works because like, you come into the league, you 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:22.360 play at a college, and usually guys that get drafted 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:25.680 highly typically play at blue blood programs where you are 0:15:25.760 --> 0:15:28.400 used to winning football games. And you come into the 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:30.600 Dolphins and you mentioned fall into the third round, and 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:32.560 you know, if your first round pick in the top ten, 0:15:32.640 --> 0:15:34.560 usually it means you're going to a pretty bad football 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:36.560 team for the most part. And this Dolphin team was 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:39.400 four and twelve of the year prior Ricky Williams had retired. 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:41.680 They you know they bring in Nick Saban. I'm curious 0:15:41.680 --> 0:15:44.160 what your expectations were coming into your first season with 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:46.240 a new team that was off of four and twelve 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:49.200 season and didn't really change after that first game, I mean, 0:15:49.240 --> 0:15:52.040 thirty four ten over a team that had high expectations. 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:56.080 Did that change things for you? Guys? Um, it really did, 0:15:56.320 --> 0:16:00.840 and we'll saving saving brainwashing. And he was such so 0:16:01.120 --> 0:16:04.160 nastily good at his job, just nasty, talked to your 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:06.400 nasty and all. Everybody's heard the stories, but he was 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:09.080 good at his job. So he would prepare you, you know, 0:16:09.120 --> 0:16:11.520 to get ready for a game. But talking about like 0:16:11.560 --> 0:16:13.840 the narrative amongst the team were a narrative that that 0:16:13.960 --> 0:16:17.720 I picked up was if you remember back then after Marino, 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:20.960 it was always good defense, bad offense, good defense. The 0:16:21.040 --> 0:16:23.480 Ricky the run Ricky run thing was the thing because 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:25.280 of the fact that it's the only offense we've really 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:28.560 seen effective for years now. So it come in and 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:32.360 like I said, man Vanni Holiday, Keith Trader, Kevin Carter, 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:35.480 Sam Madison, Pat Surtan just got traded to the Chiefs. 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:38.960 I believe Junior Zack Jason, like to Bucky Jones, he 0:16:39.000 --> 0:16:41.280 was a monster at safety at the time, like you 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:44.600 walked in and the narrative, you know, spoken and unspoken, 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:47.440 was bro we got a good defense. If the offense 0:16:47.440 --> 0:16:49.200 can I often can put points on the board, we're 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:52.280 gonna win some games. And we we took pride in 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:55.000 that that and so so it's kind of you don't 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.120 want to say it was to two different teams. You know, 0:16:57.160 --> 0:16:59.240 it was a defense first, the offense kind of thing. 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:01.840 But it was where defensively we would We knew that 0:17:01.920 --> 0:17:04.520 we were very good, we could play. The scheme was good. 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:07.120 Nick Saban knew what he was doing. So let's give 0:17:07.160 --> 0:17:09.440 this offense as many chances as we can give them 0:17:09.480 --> 0:17:12.119 to score points because we are the stronger side of 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:14.679 the ball. We would whoop their asks during every period 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:17.880 of practice, traffics. We would they would start selling people 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:20.360 out because they couldn't get a playoff. With the pro 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:23.119 bowlers all up front, junior and Zach coming junior and 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:25.399 Jason coming off there, just the offense couldn't do anything. 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:27.359 So they would start putting the twos in so that 0:17:27.400 --> 0:17:29.800 they can get a little confidence in their offense. So 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:31.400 we knew we were the better side of the ball 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:35.199 and didn't didn't you know. It was no animosity, It 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:38.159 was pride in it, where if they're gonna score, if 0:17:38.160 --> 0:17:40.359 they can't score for seventeen guys, we gotta hold the 0:17:40.400 --> 0:17:42.280 other team the six team. And that was kind of 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:44.120 the approach of our defense, which was a very good 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:46.560 defense that seam well. Yeah, and you guys probably prepared 0:17:46.600 --> 0:17:48.760 them well for that opening day game because, like you mentioned, 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:51.280 thirt or four points against the Denver defense that had 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:53.560