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Speaker 1: It's time to get inside the Giants Huttle on giants

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Speaker 1: dot com the Giants of the Giants Podcast. Welcome to

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Speaker 1: another edition of the Giant Hubtle Podcast. My name is

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Speaker 1: John Schmell. Cappy holidays, everybody. It's all brought to you

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Speaker 1: by psc and G Energy Efficiency for game time and

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Speaker 1: anytime visit PSEG dot com slash Giants for discounts, rebates

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Speaker 1: and home energy assessments. All right, we got our normal

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Speaker 1: end of week pregame podcast. First, a lengthy conversation with

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Speaker 1: Giants rookie edge rusher Cavon Thibodeaux. He sits down with me,

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Speaker 1: Then Lance, Meadal and Paul. The team will have a

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Speaker 1: chance to talk to Matthew Coller, who covers the Vikings

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Speaker 1: for Purple Insider. And finally Bob Papa with his weekly

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Speaker 1: conversation with Giants head coach Brian Dable. All Right, everybody,

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Speaker 1: thanks for being what do remember? Go back listen to

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Speaker 1: some of our past episodes Bob Pop with Kerry Collins.

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Speaker 1: This week, Um, the Giants NFC Championship game win against

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Speaker 1: the Vikings. Uh. Really fun episode there, and we also

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Speaker 1: launched in the draft season episode this week, So go

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Speaker 1: search for Draft season on your favorite podcast platform. Subscribe

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Speaker 1: to it and check out Tony, Pauline and I as

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Speaker 1: we take a deeper look at some of the college

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Speaker 1: players that might be of interest to the Giants and

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Speaker 1: other NFL teams in the draft. In sorry, wow, I'm

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Speaker 1: saying I'm ready behind. All right, let's let's get to it.

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Speaker 1: One guy that hasn't been behind the last few weeks

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Speaker 1: is Giants rookie edge us your Cavan Tibodall playing some

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Speaker 1: of his best football. Let's take a listen to my

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Speaker 1: conversation with him. Cavan, Man, how are you good to

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Speaker 1: see you? I'm good. How are you doing? Fantastic? Let's

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Speaker 1: talk about this first defensive player of the week. Pretty cool. Huh.

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Speaker 1: It's been a blessing, man, It's been a long time coming.

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Speaker 1: So now it's finally got you know that, the recognition.

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Speaker 1: It feels good. Yeah. And look, yeah, the big player

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Speaker 1: last week obviously the sack. Can you take it through

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Speaker 1: that pass rush move? Look like you did a little

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Speaker 1: speed to power Huh it was. It was definitely some

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Speaker 1: speed to power. And then I know, like a lot

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Speaker 1: of tackles are are a lot stronger than I am,

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Speaker 1: So just me being able to come off of it

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Speaker 1: quick and use my speed to my advantage, and you

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Speaker 1: got your hands inside to right. How much of you

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Speaker 1: learning that's such a key here to kind of win

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Speaker 1: that inside hand against these tackles. I mean it always is.

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Speaker 1: That's been a trait you know, that you've needed since football,

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Speaker 1: So just always being that guy with your hands inside

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Speaker 1: to give you that advantage in the rush. Your production

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Speaker 1: has popped up over the last month. That doesn't always

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Speaker 1: necessarily indicate that the player feels like they're playing better,

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Speaker 1: But do you feel like you're taking a step here

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Speaker 1: in the last month or so with the way you're playing.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I've definitely feel like I've been playing pretty well,

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Speaker 1: but yeah, it always feels good when you can actually

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Speaker 1: record the stats and you know you can see it

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Speaker 1: on the stat sheet. You know. I wonder about your

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Speaker 1: psychological approach to the game because I think I like

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Speaker 1: the way you talk about the game, right and you

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Speaker 1: and you kind of just mentioned in that answer, getting

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Speaker 1: a sack has a lot more to do with what's

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Speaker 1: going on around you that it has to do with you.

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Speaker 1: So how do you approach kind of evaluating how you're

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Speaker 1: playing even but maybe it's not showing up on the statute.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes I think just winning your one on ones. You know,

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Speaker 1: in a in a great sport like we play, it's

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Speaker 1: a it's a team lass sport. So it's like you can't,

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Speaker 1: you know, win the game by yourself, but you can

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Speaker 1: definitely contribute a win by winning your reps versus the

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Speaker 1: guy in front of you. So that's probably what I

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Speaker 1: try to focus on the most. Yeah, when you were

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Speaker 1: asked about last week, you would out of your way

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Speaker 1: to to credit your teammates and your fellow pass rushers

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Speaker 1: up front, and you talk about how you guys compliment

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Speaker 1: each other. Can you talk about how you guys do

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Speaker 1: actually compliment each other out there? I mean, if you

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Speaker 1: just look at the different sizes and different speeds and

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Speaker 1: the different ways we play, you know, even just start

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Speaker 1: on the edges. Me and Disease, Right, we're two great

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Speaker 1: pass rushers, but have to two totally different games. You know,

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Speaker 1: I'm more high wired and he's more finesse, And it

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Speaker 1: just looks he's just more sound, and it looks kind

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Speaker 1: of like ballet. Right. Mine is kind of wild and

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Speaker 1: and and fiery, and his is more like it's more

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Speaker 1: of art so um, I'd say, you know a lot,

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Speaker 1: there's a lot of different ways. Just if you watch

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Speaker 1: the film, you know you can see there's times where um,

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Speaker 1: he kind of sets that edge where the quarterback has

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Speaker 1: nowhere to run and I come around for the sack,

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Speaker 1: or I do the same set that edge and the

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Speaker 1: quarterback scrambles. And then you got Leo and Dex on

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Speaker 1: the inside. And then you got even guys like writer

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Speaker 1: Anderson stepping up and making plays. Uh, you know on

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Speaker 1: that second affort rushes, what do you think you've been

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Speaker 1: doing better the last month or so where you've been

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Speaker 1: able to kind of you know, how of your play

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Speaker 1: turned into more numbers. Just discipline, you know, being more

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Speaker 1: disciplined and taking that extra effort that you know, not

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Speaker 1: only doing your job is good, but you know, making

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Speaker 1: that play is what people can remember in this time

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Speaker 1: of the year. Tell me if I'm wrong. I felt

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Speaker 1: like after you had the m c l Injoinee came back,

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Speaker 1: I didn't think I saw the same burst and get

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Speaker 1: off off the line that I saw when I was

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Speaker 1: watching up close on the practice field and during training camp.

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Speaker 1: But I feel like once the brace came off in

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Speaker 1: the last month that the same cavan I saw in

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Speaker 1: the summer in terms of burst is back. Did you

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Speaker 1: sense a steady improvement from that knee or am I

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Speaker 1: seeing things? I mean, I would definitely say I don't

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Speaker 1: think it's so much played to that to like my health,

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Speaker 1: but I think it played more to my field for

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Speaker 1: the game and just understanding, you know, being more confident

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Speaker 1: when I line up, knowing that you know, I have

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Speaker 1: the tools and I'm equipped, um in my preparation right

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Speaker 1: to to execute the defense. So yeah, I would say

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Speaker 1: it definitely has grown over the past month, but I

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Speaker 1: would say I credited more to my mental than I

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Speaker 1: do my actual physical Interesting, So is it kind of

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Speaker 1: just feel for the type of players are playing and

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Speaker 1: what it tastes to succeed in the NFL is that

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Speaker 1: you're improving your technique. Is it a combination? I would

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Speaker 1: say there's definitely a combination. But you know, because these

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Speaker 1: teams are so well coaching, these players are so great,

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Speaker 1: it's definitely on the players and me getting adjusted to

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Speaker 1: you know, the different um formations, the different game plans

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Speaker 1: schemes that you know will face and then how can

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Speaker 1: I complement you know, what I do right with my

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Speaker 1: own team right and making sure that I can execute

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Speaker 1: you know, uh on different plays that we call. And

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Speaker 1: one thing you talked a lot about since you got

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Speaker 1: here is getting your head in the playbook and learning

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Speaker 1: the scheme, how has the comfort level and what Wink

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Speaker 1: wants you to do out there also helped contribute to it.

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Speaker 1: Just understanding how the defensive coordinator thinks and what he sees.

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Speaker 1: You know, they call plays and and they have a

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Speaker 1: outcome in their mind on what you know each play

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Speaker 1: is gonna bring. So if I can learn that and

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Speaker 1: see it from that perspective and know, um what an opponent,

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Speaker 1: what what are they looking at right when? And I

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Speaker 1: know that we're giving up what we're giving up and

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Speaker 1: kind of planning to that tell So yeah, it definitely

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Speaker 1: is like a chess game, and it's um you know,

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Speaker 1: I always tell guys like when you are a great player,

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Speaker 1: you gotta just kind of shoot your guns sometimes and

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Speaker 1: go play. Yeah, you know, last week you beat the

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Speaker 1: offensive tackle one on one, but you go back a

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Speaker 1: couple of games ago, the first game against Washington, Wink

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Speaker 1: was getting you one on one with tight ends, right,

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Speaker 1: he was getting your free free runs. How does his

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Speaker 1: scheme really help you show what you can do to

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Speaker 1: kind of get those really good matchups. I would say

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Speaker 1: it's funny, you know, because you do get you know,

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Speaker 1: different matchups, but it also creates a um more more

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Speaker 1: responsibility on you to understand who's gonna block you, right,

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Speaker 1: because there are certain instances where you know, you line

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Speaker 1: up and you're expecting somebody to block you because of

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Speaker 1: the call that the coaches made and what the offense sees.

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Speaker 1: You know, that guy that you're expecting to block you

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Speaker 1: might not block you. So that's that's a test of

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Speaker 1: what two I say, you know, understanding the game and

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Speaker 1: knowing like, okay, when the team sees you know, the zero, look,

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Speaker 1: this is the protection are going to go, and then

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Speaker 1: understanding how to use my rush off of that. But yeah,

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Speaker 1: I've been I've definitely been putting it together a lot

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Speaker 1: more and now it's just gonna continue, you know, trying

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Speaker 1: to continue that pace. So it's funny. I talked to

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Speaker 1: his z's about this last week and he talked about

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Speaker 1: how he is different pass plans based on guard, tackle, back,

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Speaker 1: tight end. So when that other guy that maybe you're

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Speaker 1: not expecting that is going to block you, you kind

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Speaker 1: of have to change what you want to do on

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Speaker 1: the fly a little bit exactly, and that's when your

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Speaker 1: counter moves come. That's when your second affort rushes. And

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Speaker 1: that's when your team and all those other four guys

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Speaker 1: that's when they come in handy and kind of show

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Speaker 1: up the most because you know you can't there's no

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Speaker 1: guy who can win every rush, right, So the times

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Speaker 1: where you do get stuck or you do have to

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Speaker 1: have that second effort, you got through your other three

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Speaker 1: guys that are rushing and other four guys um that

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Speaker 1: are gonna help you to keep that quarterback contained. And

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Speaker 1: you know we're talking pass rush. But I thought, you know,

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Speaker 1: maybe the most impressive part of your game last week

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Speaker 1: was your job you did against the run. A couple

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Speaker 1: of those read options they try to put you in

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Speaker 1: those tough this sponsor, you gotta make a quick decision,

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Speaker 1: right and for the most part of those, maybe one

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Speaker 1: or two you want back, but for the most part

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Speaker 1: you made really good decisions. How do you think you're

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Speaker 1: coming along in terms of that aspect of the game.

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Speaker 1: I think that's just confidence that's watching plays, is knowing

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Speaker 1: the personnel, knowing who you're going against and um making

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Speaker 1: having to make those decisions. And I think you know,

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Speaker 1: the great the greatest thing about the game is that

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Speaker 1: you know, you don't always is an opportunity to make

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Speaker 1: the play. But um, you know, when you when you

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Speaker 1: live right and you do things the right way, UM,

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Speaker 1: you you kind of get those opportunities back. So, yeah,

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Speaker 1: you're right, the were some players I left out there,

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Speaker 1: but it creates that you know, it won't happen again

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Speaker 1: type feeling. Do you enjoy playing coverage? Definitely? You know

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Speaker 1: when you can, you can get out and the quarterback

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Speaker 1: looks at you and he doesn't want to throw the ball,

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Speaker 1: and as someone else sacks him, it feels good. You still,

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Speaker 1: you know, play a role in that, no question about it.

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Speaker 1: You were very prepared coming in to be a professional.

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Speaker 1: You spoke about it all off season. So I'm not

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Speaker 1: going to use the word surprise, but as anything that

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Speaker 1: you've experienced in the NFL been maybe a little bit

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Speaker 1: different than what you expected coming in, I would definitely say,

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Speaker 1: you know, just the um, the consistent rehab, the consistent

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Speaker 1: cycle of being prepared. You know, at this point in

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Speaker 1: your the best ability is availability, right, so just making

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Speaker 1: sure that you're healthy enough to go, and that you

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Speaker 1: have the power to sustain and the power to execute.

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Speaker 1: Is your body yelling at you, you'll do You should

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Speaker 1: have played your bowl game already. The season is supposed

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Speaker 1: to be a overard. This is a lot of games. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: it's definitely, you know, my body does definitely feel different.

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Speaker 1: But I think, you know, I think myself and my

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Speaker 1: team that I have around me, that you know, help

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Speaker 1: me take care of my body and show me years

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Speaker 1: ago how important it was gonna be. So I've been

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Speaker 1: able to kind of stay on the routine the whole season,

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Speaker 1: and even the vets they've helped me out in my routine.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I've been good so far. And I

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Speaker 1: got to imagine, you know, playing all these meaningful games

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Speaker 1: late as a little bit extra juice to making sure

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Speaker 1: you're already right exactly exactly. It's all mental. If you

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Speaker 1: don't mind, it don't matter. Finally, um, before we get

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Speaker 1: to the opponent, how is you? Have you guys handled

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Speaker 1: the stresses? Maybe the wrong word, but the added intensity

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Speaker 1: of these late games, I think Brian Dable does a

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Speaker 1: great job of you know, every week the same every

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Speaker 1: game is important. You go out, think your play you

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Speaker 1: would no matter what you know, last week put you

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Speaker 1: in great playoff position. Now you have a chance to

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Speaker 1: clinch this week. Does that stuff ever even enter your mind?

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Speaker 1: Or do you stay disciplined enough where you just worried

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Speaker 1: about the opponent that's on the field. It sounds funny,

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Speaker 1: but I almost say it's not real, right. And I

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Speaker 1: say that because you could go and say, like, okay,

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Speaker 1: you know we won uh ten games and now we're

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Speaker 1: in the playoff sense, like you coast and you go

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Speaker 1: to the playoffs and you lose the first round, you know,

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Speaker 1: you're it's like so all for nothing, right, So I

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Speaker 1: would say, you know, you're trying not to get caught

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Speaker 1: up in it, and and in reality, it's the NFL,

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Speaker 1: so anybody can can win, right, So you just try

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Speaker 1: to keep that mindset and continue to harp on what

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Speaker 1: got you there, right because everybody always says, you know,

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Speaker 1: we we harp on the goal and everybody wants the

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Speaker 1: super Bowl, But the process is is we got you there.

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Speaker 1: So just focusing on that and standing humble in it.

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Speaker 1: I asked about your run defense, and it's gonna be

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Speaker 1: tested this week. The Vikings love to run that outside zone. Man,

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Speaker 1: they can run that outside zone with Dalvin Cook right

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Speaker 1: at you righte a disease. What are the some of

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Speaker 1: the things you guys have to do to to make

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Speaker 1: sure Dalvin Cook doesn't get into the space because you know,

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Speaker 1: once he's in the open field and run and nobody's

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Speaker 1: catching that dude. Yeah, we gotta set the edge and

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Speaker 1: we gotta hit him. I think you know, once back

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Speaker 1: takes a lot of hits, they start to run different.

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Speaker 1: So I think that would be you know, a point

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Speaker 1: of emphasis for me, a point emphasis for the d

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Speaker 1: line and continue just to be stopped up front, and

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Speaker 1: you guys consider a team effort to slow down a

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Speaker 1: guy like Justin Jefferson and Adam Feeling. It always is,

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Speaker 1: you know, when you this is the NFL, right, everybody,

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Speaker 1: everybody's gonna make plays, but I think the team is

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Speaker 1: always gonna arise over those individuals. So just uh, continuing

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Speaker 1: to to play team ball will help you succeed in

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Speaker 1: the end. Finally, I know every week you take a

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Speaker 1: deep look at the tackles you're facing. You got Christian

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Speaker 1: Darris who was playing like one of the best offensive

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Speaker 1: tackles in the league. Brian o'neilo, nobody talks about. Was

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Speaker 1: a early round pick a couple of years ago. He's playing. Well,

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Speaker 1: what is it about these tackles that they do? Well? Um? Yeah, man,

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Speaker 1: they're strong and physical, you know the anchor really well.

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Speaker 1: Not too many guys can you know beat them around

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Speaker 1: the edge. Um, and they're they're consistent. They were endless.

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Speaker 1: You know, they go four quarters, not a lot of tackles.

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Speaker 1: Can't you know, sustain through through sixty minutes? And seeing

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Speaker 1: those guys play, they play hard. Marry Christmas, good luck.

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Speaker 1: Hopefully come up with a nice one for as a

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Speaker 1: Christmas present. Thank you, Happy Holidays. Thanks Hey, Giant fans,

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Speaker 1: don't miss out on Giants football and like stadium this season.

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Speaker 1: Let me the tickets are still available for the remaining

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Speaker 1: home game. Visit Giants dot com slash us to find

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Speaker 1: your game and secure your seat. Giants last home game

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Speaker 1: Indianapolis Coats New Year's Day. Celebrate the New year within

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Speaker 1: our football Giants. All right, we thank Kevon Thibodeau for

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Speaker 1: the time. Great fun conversation with him, getting him a

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Speaker 1: little bit. Now let's head over to our opponent preview.

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Speaker 1: Matthew Coller covers the Vikings for Purple Insider Lance Meadow

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Speaker 1: and Paul Detino had a chance to talk to him.

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Speaker 1: Giants visit the NFC North champion Vikings this Saturday, first

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Speaker 1: meeting for these teams since two thousand nineteen is the

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Speaker 1: Giants wrap up a two game road trip and again

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Speaker 1: more into Minnesota. Were now joined by Matthew Coller, who

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Speaker 1: covers the team for Purple Insider. Matthew, you got Lance

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Speaker 1: Meadow and Paul Detino here on Giants dot Com. Greatly

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Speaker 1: appreciate the time today, hope ball as well. How's everything

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Speaker 1: on your own? Well, I'm indoors, so everything is okay.

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Speaker 1: But my drive back and forth to the Vikings facility

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Speaker 1: this week was a little, uh dodgy. I would say,

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Speaker 1: the roads are iced over, it's five below and this

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Speaker 1: morning I had to do the snow shoveling for the household.

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Speaker 1: So you know, I'm looking forward to being inside for

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Speaker 1: this football game, and I think the Giants the Vikings

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Speaker 1: players would probably echo your sentiments. Thankfully, US Bank Stadium

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Speaker 1: is an indoor facility, Unlike when they met a few

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Speaker 1: years back at the University of Minnesota, was a completely

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Speaker 1: different story. Speaking of similarities, Matthew. That's where I want

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Speaker 1: to start, because I think it's amazing the Vikings have

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Speaker 1: won ten games that have been decided by one score.

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Speaker 1: The Giants are right behind them in the NFL archives

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Speaker 1: and standings with respect to eight wins that have been

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Speaker 1: decided by one score. Vikings also only have a point

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Speaker 1: differential of plus two. What has been the biggest difference

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Speaker 1: maker in terms of them being able to close out

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Speaker 1: so many of these close affairs this season. Yeah, no,

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Speaker 1: it is a similarity between these two teams that the

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Speaker 1: outside world keeps looking at both of them and going,

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Speaker 1: how how are you guys doing this each week? And

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Speaker 1: you know, even last week when the Vikings were down

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Speaker 1: thirty three points, Uh, I was not ready to just

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Speaker 1: go start eating press box food or something. I mean,

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Speaker 1: because this team has just proven that no deficit is

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Speaker 1: too big. I mean, we talked about the outdoor weather.

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Speaker 1: This Vikings team was down seven teen points in Buffalo

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Speaker 1: and it was snowing, and they found a way to

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Speaker 1: come back. I mean, I think it's a bunch of

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Speaker 1: different factors. Number One, if you're an opposing team and

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Speaker 1: you get a lead on the Vikings and you try

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Speaker 1: to sit on that lead. Well, they have this guy

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Speaker 1: named Justin Jefferson who can completely take over a game.

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Speaker 1: Um last week it was more of you know, everybody

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Speaker 1: getting involved. Dalvin Cook in the past the game with

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Speaker 1: a sixty four yard touchdown, kJ Osborne had a career day.

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Speaker 1: I think that that's a big part of it is

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Speaker 1: that this offense is very boom or bust and if

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Speaker 1: you end up on the wrong side of that as

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Speaker 1: an opponent. They can rack up points very quickly. But

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Speaker 1: you look at their scoring percentage, the percentage of drives

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Speaker 1: in which they score, it's not really that impressive. It's

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Speaker 1: more mid pack. So that they play in a lot

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Speaker 1: of these games where one quarter that look like the

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Speaker 1: Super Bowl champs, in the next quarter that look like

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Speaker 1: a team that doesn't even belong in the playoffs. And

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Speaker 1: there's just no better defining game than last week again

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Speaker 1: the Indianapolis Colts. So I think that that plays into

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Speaker 1: it that they have enough star power to come through

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Speaker 1: at the biggest moments. Patrick Peterson future Hall of Famer

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Speaker 1: getting interceptions, or Danil Hunter Pro Bowlers or like you know,

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Speaker 1: Zadarius Smith, Eric Kendricks, those guys will come up with

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Speaker 1: big plays and Jefferson on the offensive side, but they

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Speaker 1: also have enough weaknesses the interior of their offensive line

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Speaker 1: that allows a ton of pressure. Kirk Cousins has been

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Speaker 1: sacked forty times this year. Uh. Their cornerback group has

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Speaker 1: been highly questionable and has given up a lot of

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Speaker 1: huge days the even not great quarterbacks. So I think

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Speaker 1: that they have just enough excellence, uh to to keep

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Speaker 1: them in games and win at the end, which great

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Speaker 1: players do, and just enough flaws to be in some

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Speaker 1: games against teams like say, you know, the Indianapolis Colts

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Speaker 1: that they should have probably just blown out from the

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Speaker 1: outside of that game, Matthew, let me continue with a

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Speaker 1: big picture here. Uh, they come off historic win, greatest

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Speaker 1: comeback everyone NFL history. We all know about what happened

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Speaker 1: with the coach game last week, but I saw where

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Speaker 1: coach Kevin O'Connell was talking about how he does not

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Speaker 1: want to trip up and fall to the third seed.

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Speaker 1: It's critical for him that he's no worse than the

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Speaker 1: second seed. Yet he also talked about having some veterans

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Speaker 1: that are kind of banged up and he's gonna be

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Speaker 1: looking at snap counts. So what is the approach of

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Speaker 1: the coach and of the players in the locker room

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Speaker 1: as they faced this Giant's team, which quite frankly is

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Speaker 1: still trying to lock up a playoff spot. Yeah, that

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Speaker 1: was interesting to hear Kevin O'Connell talk that way because

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Speaker 1: it was sort of like his internal dialogue that he

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Speaker 1: was just going through with us, the debate over whether

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Speaker 1: to give some rest to certain players. I mean, Adam Feeland,

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Speaker 1: for example, has been banged up over the last couple

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Speaker 1: of weeks with a knee issue. I mean, do you

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Speaker 1: take him out and give some more work to somebody else?

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Speaker 1: But it's not like this team really has other wide receivers.

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Speaker 1: You saw they tried to target a couple of times

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Speaker 1: last week Jalen Reagor and those passes turned into interceptions

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Speaker 1: for Kirk Cousins, and those they both kind of looked

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Speaker 1: like they were on the wide receiver, So they don't

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Speaker 1: really have a lot of depth there. And someone likes

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Speaker 1: Zadarius Smith or Daniel Hunter that's been banged up a

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Speaker 1: little bit throughout the season. Those guys have played through it, um.

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Speaker 1: But if you don't play them and you take them

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Speaker 1: off the field, the backup pass rushers are really not

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Speaker 1: all that effective. This is not a team with a

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Speaker 1: ton of depth across the roster, and against the Giants

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Speaker 1: team that yes, people are asking questions about how good

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Speaker 1: they really are, but they have a ton of very

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Speaker 1: talented players too. And you know this Vikings team, if

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Speaker 1: you're playing close with everyone and you say rest a

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Speaker 1: handful of players even for a few snaps, that's how

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Speaker 1: thin this roster is. You could see them losing one

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Speaker 1: of these next three games just based on how close

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Speaker 1: everything seems to go. But at the same time, I

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Speaker 1: mean having the divisional round at home is a pretty

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Speaker 1: huge deal. I mean, uh, you guys, I mean know

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Speaker 1: about you know, the road advance or the home field

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Speaker 1: advantage of things like that, but I feel like it's

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Speaker 1: even exact adgerated when it comes to US Bank Stadium

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Speaker 1: because of the noise in this place. I think it's

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Speaker 1: one of the most intimidating places in the NFL for

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Speaker 1: an opposing team to have to come, especially in a

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Speaker 1: playoff atmosphere. So that's really important. But you also can't

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Speaker 1: get to the second round unless you win in the

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Speaker 1: first round. And if Christian Derrissa, who has been heard,

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Speaker 1: or Thelon or Jefferson, I mean Jefferson has been taking

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Speaker 1: big hits the last couple of weeks. There were I

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Speaker 1: think what three different flags in the last two weeks

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Speaker 1: just based on hits against Justin Jefferson, including one in

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Speaker 1: the head from Stefon Gilmour. If Jefferson were to go down,

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Speaker 1: it's you're just gonna lose. You're not beating anyone without

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Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson the way this team is constructed. So I

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Speaker 1: think that that choice is very difficult. But for this

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Speaker 1: game specifically, I think everybody's gonna be all in. I

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Speaker 1: think they're just gonna play everybody that they possibly can

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Speaker 1: all the way to try to get a win, and

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Speaker 1: then they'll be able to decide a little closer. Okay,

430
00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,480
Speaker 1: you know, if you win here, than do you fight

431
00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,560
Speaker 1: for that to seed. But if they don't win here,

432
00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,920
Speaker 1: the Giant, I'm sorry, in the Forts win well, then

433
00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,320
Speaker 1: it might be really hard to get that number two seeds.

434
00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,399
Speaker 1: So yeah, I think for this one it won't be

435
00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:11,000
Speaker 1: that relevant, but it might be for week seventeen and eighteen. Matthew,

436
00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,240
Speaker 1: you brought up Justin Jefferson, and it was interesting you

437
00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,240
Speaker 1: were talking about the physicality he's been facing. I heard

438
00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,359
Speaker 1: the other day he was comparing himself to the Bad

439
00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,880
Speaker 1: Boy Pistons, Michael Jordan's Bull's rivalries and how they're taking

440
00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,600
Speaker 1: maybe some cheap shots on him, like Rick Mulhorn and

441
00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:27,520
Speaker 1: the Bad Boys Pistons. So if that doesn't put it

442
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,840
Speaker 1: in perspective, I don't know what does. But in all seriousness,

443
00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,600
Speaker 1: we've seen he's cut from a different cloth. So I mean,

444
00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,800
Speaker 1: I'm not interested to hear your breakdown of what makes

445
00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:38,119
Speaker 1: him so unique. I think that's been well documented. We

446
00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,920
Speaker 1: know his catch radius, his ability to make ridiculous contested

447
00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,960
Speaker 1: catches is crazy. What I'm curious about is the Giants

448
00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,080
Speaker 1: are a bit undermanned a corner, especially without a Dory Jackson.

449
00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,520
Speaker 1: Who if anyone you thought this season had success in

450
00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,600
Speaker 1: containing Jefferson, And if so, what did they do so

451
00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,840
Speaker 1: effectively that maybe the Giants could try to take a

452
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,760
Speaker 1: age at Yeah, I know. If also, I mean justin

453
00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,840
Speaker 1: Jefferson I think is twenty three. So him shouting out

454
00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:10,080
Speaker 1: back to late eighties NBA, like that's striking in in

455
00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,639
Speaker 1: in my ballpark there. If he had, if he had

456
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,480
Speaker 1: compared himself to Anthony Mason or something, then we would

457
00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:18,760
Speaker 1: have really been on. But uh, you know, at least

458
00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,320
Speaker 1: he has proper perspective bringing up the greatest player of

459
00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,040
Speaker 1: all time in Michael Jordan's right, right. Well, you know,

460
00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:26,600
Speaker 1: Justin has been like Michael Jordan for this team this

461
00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,359
Speaker 1: year because there there is almost no stopping him. I

462
00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,639
Speaker 1: mean there's only there's really only one way to stop

463
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,520
Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson. That is the sack Kirk Cousins and Cousins

464
00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,119
Speaker 1: has is going to surpass his highest total of sacks

465
00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,280
Speaker 1: for his career in a single season. I think his

466
00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,440
Speaker 1: previous highest forty one. He's got forty right now, and

467
00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,040
Speaker 1: with the Giants defensive line playing the way it is,

468
00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:50,800
Speaker 1: I would guarantee at least a couple of sacks. It's

469
00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,960
Speaker 1: really consistent pressure and putting them in situations where they

470
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,479
Speaker 1: have to play from far behind the sticks. That just

471
00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:01,040
Speaker 1: makes it difficult to ride with Justin Jefferson all the time,

472
00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,280
Speaker 1: or for him to push the ball down the field

473
00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,240
Speaker 1: to Justin Jefferson. I don't believe there's a cornerback in

474
00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,920
Speaker 1: the game who could stop him. We saw last year

475
00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,600
Speaker 1: Jalen Ramsey went one on one with Jefferson. He did

476
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,359
Speaker 1: have a game earlier this year. I think it was

477
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,639
Speaker 1: maybe Week three against Detroit where Jeff Acuta had a

478
00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,600
Speaker 1: really good day against him, but since then that's really

479
00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,720
Speaker 1: been the only one. Darius Slay against Philadelphia did pick

480
00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:27,359
Speaker 1: off Kirk Cousins a couple of times, but aside from that,

481
00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,400
Speaker 1: I mean, it's usually just been can you pressure the quarterback?

482
00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,960
Speaker 1: Can you make it very difficult for Kirk Cousins to

483
00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,240
Speaker 1: step back and find Justin Jefferson and get a throw off,

484
00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,800
Speaker 1: because anything that comes his way he's going to catch.

485
00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,040
Speaker 1: The amazing thing about him, though, is you know, you

486
00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,400
Speaker 1: bring up Jordan's and for guys like us, comparing Jordan

487
00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,639
Speaker 1: to anyone is just like, okay, don't do that, like

488
00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:51,000
Speaker 1: that's the goat. But in terms of competitiveness, Justin Jefferson

489
00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,200
Speaker 1: has that Jordan's in him. Like he competes all practice,

490
00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,200
Speaker 1: all game, all the time, and when the football is

491
00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,240
Speaker 1: in the air, he's gonna fight for it. So if

492
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,199
Speaker 1: Cousins can even get it toward him, he's going to

493
00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,360
Speaker 1: make a play on it. And if you're throwing out

494
00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,760
Speaker 1: backup cornerbacks against him, it's going to be even more difficult.

495
00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,520
Speaker 1: But if you're talking about Dexter Lawrence or Cavon Thibodeau.

496
00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:13,840
Speaker 1: You get a strip sack in there. You hit Kirk

497
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,679
Speaker 1: Cousins a few times. I mean, we've seen Jefferson not

498
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,000
Speaker 1: really gets slowed down for slowed down for full games,

499
00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,240
Speaker 1: but more like halfs of games. And you know, you

500
00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,600
Speaker 1: go back to look at Miami how much they pressured him,

501
00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,720
Speaker 1: or Washington how much they pressured Cousins up the middle

502
00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:32,200
Speaker 1: where it wasn't until late in the game until Jefferson

503
00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,760
Speaker 1: actually got going. So that's really the only plan because

504
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,240
Speaker 1: the teams have double teamed him, they've played zone coverages,

505
00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:41,960
Speaker 1: they played press coverages, they've tried hitting him in the face,

506
00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,280
Speaker 1: They've tried anything they possibly can, and this man truly

507
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,679
Speaker 1: cannot be stopped. You know. It kind of brings up

508
00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,120
Speaker 1: an old game plan that Belichick use for the Giants

509
00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,000
Speaker 1: against Jim Kelly's Bills and Super Bowl twenty five, and

510
00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,680
Speaker 1: that was, go ahead, let throw my Chomas run for

511
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,920
Speaker 1: a hundred yards. In this case, it would be Dalvin Cook.

512
00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,760
Speaker 1: That's fine, We're going to pressure the quarterback and beat

513
00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,600
Speaker 1: the stuffing out of the receivers every chance we get

514
00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,360
Speaker 1: to throw off that passing game because that is more

515
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,920
Speaker 1: explosive and more dangerous than even having a running back

516
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:17,320
Speaker 1: run for a hundred yards. Might that be a good

517
00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,879
Speaker 1: philosophy for the Giants. Well, I'm glad you brought that up,

518
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:24,399
Speaker 1: since I grew up in Buffalo. Actually, and uh, I

519
00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,359
Speaker 1: remember that Super Bowl quite well. I just want to

520
00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,240
Speaker 1: know how Jeff hoss Stetler held onto the ball when

521
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,360
Speaker 1: Bruce Smith sacked him in the end zone. But that's

522
00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,239
Speaker 1: for that's yeah, I don't I still don't understand that.

523
00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,760
Speaker 1: But or hey, if the Bills play a little more

524
00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,000
Speaker 1: aggressively at the end, maybe it's not a forty seven

525
00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:45,400
Speaker 1: yard field goal. I'm just saying, but uh that aside, Um,

526
00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:47,440
Speaker 1: can you tell can you tell when I grew up

527
00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,320
Speaker 1: by the way by this show? Uh, from the from

528
00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:54,800
Speaker 1: the early breakdown of the nineties on this program? Apparently

529
00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,680
Speaker 1: that's right? Well you know what, hey, uh otis Anderson

530
00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,720
Speaker 1: had his day too, so any way, but um, you know,

531
00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:03,640
Speaker 1: when it comes to the game plan, I think that

532
00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,000
Speaker 1: one thing we've seen Kirk Cousins struggle with at times

533
00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:09,479
Speaker 1: is holding onto the ball a little too long and

534
00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,199
Speaker 1: when defenses show him lots of different looks. And this

535
00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,639
Speaker 1: is why I think it's such a great challenge for

536
00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,440
Speaker 1: the Vikings against the Wink Martindale defense because there's gonna

537
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,400
Speaker 1: be a lot of looks. And this is the first

538
00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,479
Speaker 1: year where I've really seen Cousins struggle against the Blitz,

539
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,120
Speaker 1: and I think part of it is learning a new offense.

540
00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,159
Speaker 1: He was in that Stefanski and Gary Kubiak offense for

541
00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,240
Speaker 1: several seasons and it seemed like he really understood exactly

542
00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:34,879
Speaker 1: where he had to go with the football when he

543
00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,760
Speaker 1: got a look that he didn't really recognize. But this

544
00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,520
Speaker 1: year there's just been a lot more ups and downs

545
00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,080
Speaker 1: for Cousins from that perspective. And when you look at

546
00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:46,080
Speaker 1: his numbers against the Blitz, I mean, they just simply

547
00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,040
Speaker 1: have not been that good. And that goes towards the

548
00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,040
Speaker 1: other way to slow down justin Jefferson, which is just

549
00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,160
Speaker 1: to confuse Kirk Cousins. And I remember there was some

550
00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,000
Speaker 1: stat because we have a stat for absolutely everything, but

551
00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,440
Speaker 1: about quarterbacks and how they perform when the defense shows

552
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,280
Speaker 1: them something post snap than what it looks like pre snap,

553
00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:06,120
Speaker 1: and Cousins was very much in the middle of the league.

554
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,200
Speaker 1: I think he's like he's a guy that likes to

555
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,280
Speaker 1: totally understand what he's gonna do before the snap and

556
00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,840
Speaker 1: then execute that, not have to figure it out on

557
00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,000
Speaker 1: the fly, because it's not like he could take off running.

558
00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,439
Speaker 1: He's not a Jeff Hostler Stytler level athlete, if you remember,

559
00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,639
Speaker 1: he used to be on special teams things like that,

560
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,320
Speaker 1: So he's not like that. He's not gonna escape, he's

561
00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,280
Speaker 1: not gonna run out of the pocket. So he has

562
00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,840
Speaker 1: to see it first, and if you can confuse him

563
00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,320
Speaker 1: a little bit, you could slow down this Vikings offense.

564
00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:38,560
Speaker 1: You know what's interesting, Matthew Dallas Washington in Philadelphia are

565
00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,879
Speaker 1: the only three teams this year, all in the NFC East,

566
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,200
Speaker 1: that have held this Vikings offense under twenty one points,

567
00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,280
Speaker 1: is that the similar characteristic that all three of those

568
00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:52,880
Speaker 1: games show. I think it's really defensive lines. I mean,

569
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,760
Speaker 1: because you go back to those games, Jonathan Allen and

570
00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:59,359
Speaker 1: John Payne annihilated the interior of the Vikings offensive line,

571
00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,840
Speaker 1: and it's it's a week interior. They're going to be

572
00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:05,240
Speaker 1: playing a backup center in Austin Schloltman. Their right guard

573
00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,040
Speaker 1: has allowed more pressures, according to PFF, than anybody in

574
00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,200
Speaker 1: the league, and that certainly matches up with the eye

575
00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:13,720
Speaker 1: test from what I've seen, and their left guard, as

576
00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:16,400
Speaker 1: are Cleveland is very up and down. He's a great athlete,

577
00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,600
Speaker 1: but sometimes has tough days in there. So the tackles,

578
00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,880
Speaker 1: the tackles are so good. Brian O'Neill and Christian Darris

579
00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,960
Speaker 1: saw that a lot of the pressure doesn't come from there. Um.

580
00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,320
Speaker 1: But when Mica Parsons dominated the game, Christian Derris saw

581
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,520
Speaker 1: left early with the concussion. So every one of those

582
00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:34,840
Speaker 1: games has been and of course Philadelphia you know about

583
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,520
Speaker 1: their defensive line as well. Every one of those games

584
00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,160
Speaker 1: has been that same trend. And that's why as we're

585
00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,320
Speaker 1: previewing this game and talking about this matchup, that is

586
00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,159
Speaker 1: the one thing that gives me hesitation in terms of

587
00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,640
Speaker 1: picking the Vikings to win because of somebody like Dexter Lawrence,

588
00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,240
Speaker 1: because he can dominate the middle, I mean him going

589
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,840
Speaker 1: up against the backup center, a right guard that's inexperience

590
00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:57,840
Speaker 1: with a lot of blitzer and things like that. That

591
00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,360
Speaker 1: is a big advantage for the Giants. I think we're

592
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,920
Speaker 1: talking with Matthew Kyler, who covers the Vikings were Purple Insider. Matthew,

593
00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,399
Speaker 1: we were talking about Dalvin Cook earlier and maybe the

594
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,679
Speaker 1: philosophy for the Giants is hey let him run. But

595
00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:11,720
Speaker 1: the truth be told, you look at the statistics this season.

596
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,600
Speaker 1: The Vikings are twenty eight. They're only averaging ninety five

597
00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,360
Speaker 1: rushing yards per game. I know Cook has gone over

598
00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,480
Speaker 1: a thousand, and he's been effective on the outside. Really

599
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,240
Speaker 1: a two part question for you, A do you think

600
00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:26,560
Speaker 1: they've run the ball enough given all the weapons they

601
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,439
Speaker 1: have in the passing attack? And be how would you

602
00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,439
Speaker 1: best assess cook season? Even though the numbers don't necessarily

603
00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,560
Speaker 1: jump off the page. Yeah, I mean it's interesting because

604
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,040
Speaker 1: with Dalvin Cook, we've seen when he's up to full speed,

605
00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,680
Speaker 1: when he gets out in space, that he's as fast

606
00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:45,840
Speaker 1: as ever. He had an eighty one yard touchdown against

607
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,000
Speaker 1: the Buffalo Bills where he was shot out of a cannon,

608
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,520
Speaker 1: and then you saw the sixty four yard touchdown that

609
00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,159
Speaker 1: tied the game against the Colts last week. But I

610
00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,320
Speaker 1: also think that there's just something naturally that happens to

611
00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:00,480
Speaker 1: running backs in their mid to late twenties, where first

612
00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,760
Speaker 1: step burst isn't quite the same as it used to be,

613
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,600
Speaker 1: and there are times where Delvin is caught in the

614
00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,160
Speaker 1: backfield or he's getting to an edge and doesn't get

615
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,040
Speaker 1: around the corner. Where I've said to other reporters in

616
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,080
Speaker 1: the press box, like I think he's going to the

617
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,480
Speaker 1: house a couple of years ago with that, So there

618
00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,800
Speaker 1: may be just a little bit of that aging process

619
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,240
Speaker 1: that's gone on. But I also think that this is

620
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:25,439
Speaker 1: Kevin O'Connell's offense. Like Kevin O'Connell wants to be passed first,

621
00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:28,080
Speaker 1: he wants to put it on Kirk cousins shoulders and

622
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,000
Speaker 1: throw the ball to Jefferson and things like that, And

623
00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,720
Speaker 1: I think that the running is sort of a necessity

624
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,679
Speaker 1: to maybe set up some play actions more than in

625
00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:39,440
Speaker 1: the past where it was a Gary Kubiak offense. I

626
00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,800
Speaker 1: mean they were all about run first and then play

627
00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:45,080
Speaker 1: action off that. Where I think with Kevin O'Connell, I mean,

628
00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,080
Speaker 1: we looked this up not too long ago that you know,

629
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 1: a second down intent. Kevin O'Connell is barely ever dialing

630
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,880
Speaker 1: up or run, whereas when they're playing for you know,

631
00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:57,320
Speaker 1: the Kobi acts, it was all the time when it

632
00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,800
Speaker 1: was second down intent. Now the analytics people don't love that,

633
00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,200
Speaker 1: but they really don't mix it up, and I think

634
00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,720
Speaker 1: that they have become predictable at times throughout the season

635
00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,200
Speaker 1: where you could kind of figure like, okay, first intense

636
00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,040
Speaker 1: about fifty fifty any other down. They're just throwing the

637
00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 1: ball all the time, and I think it is is

638
00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,400
Speaker 1: the process of Kevin O'Connell really figuring out who he

639
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:19,840
Speaker 1: is as a play caller and how to manage those

640
00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:23,240
Speaker 1: situations as well, because sometimes it is better to just

641
00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,960
Speaker 1: keep pounding the ball away with Delvin Cook when it's working.

642
00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,400
Speaker 1: But I've felt at times that they've got a little anxious, like,

643
00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,760
Speaker 1: well there was one negative runs, so we got to

644
00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,480
Speaker 1: go back and throw, throw, throw, And I think that's

645
00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:37,160
Speaker 1: led to some of their uh, you know, maybe up

646
00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:39,840
Speaker 1: and downs, whereas maybe they were a little more consistent

647
00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,520
Speaker 1: before when running Dalvin Cook. So I think he's still

648
00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,400
Speaker 1: got the talent um, but he's kind of just relied

649
00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:47,760
Speaker 1: on to get them a big play here or there.

650
00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,760
Speaker 1: What we saw last week, though, that's worth noting, is

651
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,800
Speaker 1: he was really involved in the passing game, and so

652
00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,120
Speaker 1: far this year he just hasn't been a lot. They

653
00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,200
Speaker 1: haven't had success with screens very often. They haven't really

654
00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:01,320
Speaker 1: lined him up at i'd receiver much, and they did

655
00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,400
Speaker 1: that in this last game, and I wonder if that

656
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,520
Speaker 1: will carry over or if they'll need him in the

657
00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,880
Speaker 1: backfield trying to pick up those wink Martindale blitzes all

658
00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:11,720
Speaker 1: day long. I want to ask you about the defense here,

659
00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,920
Speaker 1: because I know they do have some quality pass rushing ability.

660
00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,440
Speaker 1: I know that their secondary has a couple of big names,

661
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,440
Speaker 1: but they play a lot of zone, they play a

662
00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,080
Speaker 1: lot of off coverage. I get all of that, but

663
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,800
Speaker 1: what about their ability to contain a running quarterback like

664
00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,600
Speaker 1: Daniel Jones Because the Giants R P O scheme is

665
00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,080
Speaker 1: obviously a big part of what they do. And even

666
00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,000
Speaker 1: if you were able to contain Blackly, Jones has shown

667
00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:38,640
Speaker 1: the ability to move the ball with his legs. Yeah,

668
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,160
Speaker 1: that's an interesting subject because all the running quarterbacks that

669
00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,640
Speaker 1: they've faced so far this year have done a very

670
00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,840
Speaker 1: good job running the ball against them. And you know,

671
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,160
Speaker 1: if you look up justin Field's box score, there's a

672
00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,000
Speaker 1: little misleading part, which is he ran for a sixt

673
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,680
Speaker 1: yard touchdown against the Vikes that was called back on

674
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,520
Speaker 1: a senseless block in the back. That didn't even matter.

675
00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,480
Speaker 1: So if you include that in our conver station, I

676
00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,240
Speaker 1: mean they allowed Jalen Hurts to run effectively Kyler Murray

677
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,000
Speaker 1: got a bunch of runs against them, and then you know,

678
00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,520
Speaker 1: justin fields as well, you know, so I think that

679
00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,360
Speaker 1: that's something that they do struggle with a bit. I'm

680
00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,800
Speaker 1: just really interested to see how they adjust in general

681
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,320
Speaker 1: to some of the things that they used last week,

682
00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,280
Speaker 1: because a few weeks ago, I think Kevin O'Connell reached

683
00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,200
Speaker 1: his breaking point with Ed donna Tell the defensive coordinator,

684
00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,959
Speaker 1: playing that off coverage, playing zones, playing too deep. And

685
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,240
Speaker 1: then suddenly in the second half of that Colts game,

686
00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:33,080
Speaker 1: we saw Harrison Smith coming up into the box, which

687
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,120
Speaker 1: he hasn't done this year. I have no idea why,

688
00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:39,760
Speaker 1: because that's really his best thing. But he was kind

689
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,080
Speaker 1: of a menace last week against the Colts. He was blitzing,

690
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,920
Speaker 1: he was changing the coverage at the last second, things

691
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,640
Speaker 1: like that. So that's gonna that's gonna be a major

692
00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:50,479
Speaker 1: part of it as well. And then you mentioned that

693
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:53,560
Speaker 1: pass rush where Daniel Jones takes his fair share of

694
00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:57,040
Speaker 1: sacks as well, and Zadarius Smith and Danil Hunter they're

695
00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,480
Speaker 1: kind of relied on to be the entire pass rush.

696
00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,920
Speaker 1: But last week they blitzed a lot against Matt Ryan,

697
00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,040
Speaker 1: which they have not done all year long. Like that

698
00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,480
Speaker 1: was we were going like, what is going on here?

699
00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:09,920
Speaker 1: All of a sudden Ed found his blitz packages. But

700
00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:12,920
Speaker 1: they were acting like they were winked Martindale last week.

701
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,640
Speaker 1: So will they do that again or are they gonna

702
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:17,960
Speaker 1: be afraid to get burned by blitzing and then get

703
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,560
Speaker 1: you know, handoffs to see Kwon Barkley and big runs

704
00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,760
Speaker 1: off of that or big runs you know, out of

705
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,760
Speaker 1: structure by Daniel Jones. I think that is a really

706
00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:29,680
Speaker 1: interesting matchup of what they're trying to change on defense

707
00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:33,680
Speaker 1: versus what the Giants do well. Matthew. You reference the

708
00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,640
Speaker 1: tendency for them to give up some big explosive plays

709
00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:38,800
Speaker 1: over the course of the season, and I think that's

710
00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,640
Speaker 1: partially a product of the secondary and that's where I

711
00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:44,280
Speaker 1: want to go to. Because Cam Danceler is on the

712
00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,959
Speaker 1: injury report. He's listed as questionable. He had a stint

713
00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:49,200
Speaker 1: on i R with the ankle injury. I'm guessing that

714
00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:51,760
Speaker 1: flattered up again and that's why he's somewhat of a

715
00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,560
Speaker 1: question mark for this weekend. So if they don't have him,

716
00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,280
Speaker 1: how has Duke Shelley held up assuming he does replace him,

717
00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,840
Speaker 1: and how significant of a loss. Is that to the secretary, Yeah,

718
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,280
Speaker 1: I think that the way that Duke Shelley has played

719
00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:08,440
Speaker 1: versus Cam Danceler and how they fit in this defense. Uh,

720
00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,280
Speaker 1: it's it's actually an upgrade to have Duke Shelly playing,

721
00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:14,920
Speaker 1: and I wouldn't be surprised if he has another decent game.

722
00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,480
Speaker 1: I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see Cam Danceler there.

723
00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:20,880
Speaker 1: Just in general, I mean when you take over somebody

724
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,320
Speaker 1: else's team and you change defensive systems, one of the

725
00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,400
Speaker 1: things is that those players before were drafted to fit

726
00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,640
Speaker 1: the previous guys system. And Cam Danceler is very good

727
00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:33,440
Speaker 1: at playing press man and just tracking guys on routes,

728
00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,880
Speaker 1: but he's not real good at reading and reacting in zones.

729
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,360
Speaker 1: And we've just seen that a lot. If you if

730
00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:44,320
Speaker 1: you look at Jamison Williams touchdown against the Vikings against Detroit,

731
00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:47,240
Speaker 1: where there was no one around Jamison Williams, it was

732
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,640
Speaker 1: because Cam Danceler didn't really understand his assignment, which tends

733
00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,400
Speaker 1: to happen kind of a lot. Duke Shelley is about

734
00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:55,800
Speaker 1: his scrappy of a player that you are ever going

735
00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:57,640
Speaker 1: to run across in your life. He weighs about a

736
00:33:57,720 --> 00:33:59,760
Speaker 1: hundred and eighty pounds. When he was coming out of

737
00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:02,160
Speaker 1: high school, his coach told him to start calling D

738
00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,560
Speaker 1: three teams, And here he is fighting for his job,

739
00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:07,480
Speaker 1: and you saw it last week. He blew up a

740
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,360
Speaker 1: couple of past plays and he's actually second on the

741
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,840
Speaker 1: team and p b used despite only playing a handful

742
00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,080
Speaker 1: of games, because he's just a very aggressive and scrappy player.

743
00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:18,719
Speaker 1: And it's it sounds weird to say that this guy,

744
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,400
Speaker 1: who is a pretty much unknown player would be, you know,

745
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:24,640
Speaker 1: like higher on the list or should be playing, or

746
00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,600
Speaker 1: is a better fit over someone like Danceler. But I

747
00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,080
Speaker 1: honestly think that that's the case. And I think going

748
00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,520
Speaker 1: into the playoffs you might see Duke Shelly and and

749
00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:34,520
Speaker 1: I actually think it would be a mistake to go

750
00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:37,280
Speaker 1: back to Danceller because he's allowed a hundred and twenty

751
00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,920
Speaker 1: seven quarterback rating on throws into his coverage, where we've

752
00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,600
Speaker 1: seen Duke Shelley be much a much better fit. So

753
00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,760
Speaker 1: I consider their defense at this moment to be a

754
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:49,919
Speaker 1: fully healthy unit. All Right, I gotta ask you about

755
00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,560
Speaker 1: special teams for a second, because it's very kind to

756
00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:56,160
Speaker 1: say the giant special teams have been inconsistent. They seem

757
00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,840
Speaker 1: to give up one big kick off for punt return

758
00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:02,520
Speaker 1: almost every week, and so far they've been able to

759
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:06,600
Speaker 1: somehow survive it. But I see where the kickoffer tune

760
00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:09,479
Speaker 1: unit for the Vikings has been very good this year,

761
00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,120
Speaker 1: and then I also see that they're kicker Joseph is

762
00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:16,080
Speaker 1: only two of seven from fifty plus yards on field goals.

763
00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:17,719
Speaker 1: So I wonder if you could just give us a

764
00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:21,040
Speaker 1: quick thumbnail as to how you feel special teams for

765
00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,560
Speaker 1: the Vikings might impact a game which many of us

766
00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:27,839
Speaker 1: think could be very close and come down to the wire. Yeah. Now,

767
00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:31,000
Speaker 1: last week, aside because they allowed a block the punt

768
00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:33,520
Speaker 1: they had to back up in because someone got hurt

769
00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,440
Speaker 1: and they missed a blocking assignment, I think this has

770
00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:39,160
Speaker 1: been one of the best special teams units that I've

771
00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,759
Speaker 1: covered since I've been here covering the team, and is

772
00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,400
Speaker 1: probably one of the best in the league. Um certainly,

773
00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,640
Speaker 1: Greg Joseph has had his his issues from kicking deep,

774
00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,640
Speaker 1: which fans tell us that we had jinxed him by

775
00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:52,880
Speaker 1: reporting he was doing really well in training camp. So

776
00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,200
Speaker 1: I apologize to the fans for doing that for that jinx,

777
00:35:56,680 --> 00:36:00,000
Speaker 1: But Joseph I think has really gotten his confidence up

778
00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:01,919
Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks. He hit a fifty yard

779
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:04,239
Speaker 1: or and then the game winner from last week. It's

780
00:36:04,239 --> 00:36:06,720
Speaker 1: still a little spotty when it comes to the extra points.

781
00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:09,120
Speaker 1: But if you guys know how to predict kickers, please

782
00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,200
Speaker 1: let me know, because I've seen all sorts of things

783
00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:15,280
Speaker 1: with this organization, and I have no way of predicting

784
00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:17,800
Speaker 1: whether a kicker will be good, uh in a season

785
00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:19,960
Speaker 1: or a week or anything. But I do know the

786
00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,400
Speaker 1: Vikings have about the best punter I've ever seen in

787
00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:26,080
Speaker 1: my life. Ryan Wright kicked a seventy three yard or

788
00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:28,960
Speaker 1: earlier this year. Last week he pinned the Colts down.

789
00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:31,440
Speaker 1: I mean it is a significant advantage. I mean, you

790
00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,600
Speaker 1: go up against tress Way with Washington, uh, you know,

791
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,799
Speaker 1: a couple of times a year. I think that Ryan

792
00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:39,680
Speaker 1: Wright is right there with him, and the kick and

793
00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:42,640
Speaker 1: part return units are legitimate threats. There was a silly

794
00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:46,000
Speaker 1: penalty that called back a long Jalen Ragger part return,

795
00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:47,960
Speaker 1: but I think he's pretty good at it. But kenn

796
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,759
Speaker 1: A wong Wu is simply the second best in the

797
00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:54,160
Speaker 1: league next to Cordarrell Patterson. He just has a natural

798
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:58,320
Speaker 1: ability and four three forty that you don't run into

799
00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:00,680
Speaker 1: very often. I mean, Dave Maggot woul be proud of

800
00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,520
Speaker 1: the way that ken A wong Wu returns kicks because

801
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:06,400
Speaker 1: he is just a special, special talent. So what a

802
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,520
Speaker 1: lot of teams have been trying to do is either,

803
00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:09,960
Speaker 1: of course, you kick it out of the back of

804
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,560
Speaker 1: the end zone, or since he'll take it deep from

805
00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:15,480
Speaker 1: the end zone, sometimes try to pin him in the corner.

806
00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:18,279
Speaker 1: But they've even found their way out of that a

807
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,200
Speaker 1: lot of times. So that, I mean, that is one

808
00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,400
Speaker 1: of the reasons that the Vikings have won all of

809
00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:24,799
Speaker 1: these one score games that you go back to, you know,

810
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,480
Speaker 1: the Patriots game. It's back and forth, the defense was

811
00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:29,560
Speaker 1: playing horribly and then all of a sudden, ken A

812
00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:33,040
Speaker 1: wong Wu completely changes the game. Or when other teams

813
00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:35,399
Speaker 1: think they've gotten a key stop against the Vikings, from

814
00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:37,719
Speaker 1: almost anywhere on the field, their punter can get you

815
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,560
Speaker 1: down inside the ten yard line and make the other

816
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,120
Speaker 1: team go ninety yards. So there's been a lot of

817
00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:46,120
Speaker 1: buzz here for their special teams coordinator Matt Daniels as

818
00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,239
Speaker 1: as kind of a unique guy that could end up

819
00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:51,560
Speaker 1: putting his name on the radar for head coaching jobs

820
00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,160
Speaker 1: in the future. That's how impressed we have been here

821
00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 1: with the special teams. Yeah, wong Wu had that big

822
00:37:56,719 --> 00:38:00,279
Speaker 1: touchdown against the Patriots on Thanksgiving for nineties seven yard.

823
00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:02,600
Speaker 1: So if that didn't put them on the map nationally,

824
00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:05,560
Speaker 1: then I don't know what would under the circumstances. Matthew,

825
00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:07,359
Speaker 1: Before we let you go, I want to circle back

826
00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,920
Speaker 1: to where we started earlier in the conversation. Paul was

827
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:14,240
Speaker 1: asking you about the mindset of this Vikings team, And interestingly,

828
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,480
Speaker 1: if we're to speculate and look ahead, it's possible if

829
00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:19,920
Speaker 1: the Giants do clinch a playoff spot, maybe both of

830
00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,600
Speaker 1: these teams meet up right in the wild card round.

831
00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:26,480
Speaker 1: And I'm just curious, not that necessarily Kevin O'Connell has

832
00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:30,080
Speaker 1: revealed this publicly, but your perspective on AI do you

833
00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,399
Speaker 1: think the Vikings have that in the back of their

834
00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:35,279
Speaker 1: mind and would they save themselves? Maybe we need to

835
00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:38,920
Speaker 1: hold some things back that we could potentially use in

836
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:43,040
Speaker 1: a playoff matchup and be could they maybe put a

837
00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:45,279
Speaker 1: little bit more weight in a game like this saying hey,

838
00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,400
Speaker 1: we don't want to do the Giants any favors, Maybe

839
00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:50,120
Speaker 1: we can try to eliminate them from the postseason given

840
00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:54,160
Speaker 1: their upcoming opponents and your reaction to some of those philosophies. Yeah,

841
00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,880
Speaker 1: I don't know if I've ever thought that teams have

842
00:38:57,200 --> 00:38:59,880
Speaker 1: the opportunity to hold things back, right, Like you have

843
00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,520
Speaker 1: to try to if if you're gunning for the two seed,

844
00:39:02,560 --> 00:39:04,160
Speaker 1: you have to try to win. And if you say,

845
00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,680
Speaker 1: you know what, we're we're not gonna, you know, do

846
00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:09,440
Speaker 1: the thing that would be best against the Giants, then

847
00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:12,360
Speaker 1: you're just probably going to lose. So I think maybe

848
00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:14,960
Speaker 1: now Kevin O'Connell is new, but I don't think you

849
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,520
Speaker 1: should overthink it, like just game plan. The same way,

850
00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:20,719
Speaker 1: where I'm interested in this mentality is just coming off

851
00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:24,040
Speaker 1: of what happened against Indianapolis. I mean, the last big

852
00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:27,160
Speaker 1: comeback when they had that was that emotional. They end

853
00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:29,440
Speaker 1: up losing forty two three the next week to the

854
00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:33,080
Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys, So I am interested in that. There's also

855
00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,759
Speaker 1: the part of, like, you know, I think that this

856
00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,480
Speaker 1: is interesting to see how they match up against the

857
00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:41,360
Speaker 1: team that blitzes this much, and just to get a

858
00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:44,560
Speaker 1: feel for where these two teams stand against each other, because,

859
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,120
Speaker 1: like you've said, is on paper, I think a lot

860
00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,919
Speaker 1: of people that look closer into the numbers would say

861
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,480
Speaker 1: these two teams are closer than you think. Um, I

862
00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,640
Speaker 1: think we would agree that maybe the Vikings have some

863
00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:58,160
Speaker 1: more talent with someone like Justin Jefferson with that unstoppable weapon.

864
00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:01,480
Speaker 1: But it's not like the Viking have played, uh, you know,

865
00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:03,680
Speaker 1: to the level of their competition. They've played down to

866
00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:06,600
Speaker 1: the competition in a lot of cases. So I think

867
00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:09,000
Speaker 1: this will be a really interesting test for them. And

868
00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:11,560
Speaker 1: then hey, if they match up in the playoffs, hey

869
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:14,279
Speaker 1: we can do this again. Would be fun, and then

870
00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:16,480
Speaker 1: we can and then we can talk about nineties seven

871
00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,000
Speaker 1: the on side kick and Randall Cunningham, or we could

872
00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:22,239
Speaker 1: talk about what we call here forty one Doughnut in

873
00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,560
Speaker 1: the NFC Championship games. So there's a little history between

874
00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,200
Speaker 1: these two teams. There you go. So if that's not

875
00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:31,520
Speaker 1: a beautiful segue and preview to what may come up

876
00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:33,440
Speaker 1: in a few weeks, then once again, I don't know

877
00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:36,200
Speaker 1: what would be more appropriate. He is Matthew Kyler who

878
00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:39,760
Speaker 1: covers the Vikings. So the Purple Insider, Matthew greatly appreciate

879
00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:41,759
Speaker 1: the time of the inside. Always good talking with you,

880
00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,760
Speaker 1: and we look forward to Saturday's game between the Giants

881
00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,839
Speaker 1: and the Vikings. Thanks so much for having yep, thanks

882
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,239
Speaker 1: so much for having me. The Giants official connected TV

883
00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,399
Speaker 1: streaming app, Giants TV brings original video content and game

884
00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:56,400
Speaker 1: highlights on demand and direct the Big Blue Fans. Giants

885
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,719
Speaker 1: TV is free on Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV,

886
00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:04,200
Speaker 1: and the Giants Mobile app. We thank Matthew Coller and

887
00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:07,160
Speaker 1: the guys for giving a really nice, in depth preview

888
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:11,320
Speaker 1: of your Minnesota Vikings. So now let's have our final

889
00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:14,200
Speaker 1: portion of our podcast. Bob Papa with his weekly sit

890
00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:17,320
Speaker 1: down with Giants head coach Briandable. The Giants on Christmas

891
00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:19,839
Speaker 1: Eve take on the Minnesota Vikings. As always, were joined

892
00:41:19,880 --> 00:41:22,120
Speaker 1: by the head coach of the New York Football Giants,

893
00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,600
Speaker 1: Coach Brian Dable and coach Um. Just to rewind a

894
00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:29,520
Speaker 1: little bit, go back to that Sunday night game against Washington. Uh.

895
00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:33,239
Speaker 1: Your team has exhibited this all season long, this resiliency

896
00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:36,560
Speaker 1: overcoming adversity. And I think one of the things that

897
00:41:36,640 --> 00:41:38,680
Speaker 1: was the coolest about the game the other night is

898
00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,560
Speaker 1: at the end of the game, when they knew that

899
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,439
Speaker 1: you wanted to run it, you ran it and say,

900
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:46,720
Speaker 1: kwe got what was the average in like eight yards

901
00:41:46,719 --> 00:41:48,200
Speaker 1: to carry on that drive. I had to make you

902
00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:50,960
Speaker 1: pretty proud with the way your team handled up. Yeah,

903
00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:52,840
Speaker 1: you know, we talked about that all the time. You know,

904
00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,920
Speaker 1: these games are usually close in this league, and you

905
00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:57,360
Speaker 1: know at times you're gonna have to be able to

906
00:41:57,440 --> 00:41:59,239
Speaker 1: do that when they know what's coming. And and the

907
00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:01,120
Speaker 1: same thing if in a two minute drive, you're gonna

908
00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:02,319
Speaker 1: have to be able to pass the ball when they

909
00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:04,440
Speaker 1: know you're you're donn pass it. So it was a

910
00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:06,120
Speaker 1: good drive, like would you like to finish it off

911
00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,600
Speaker 1: with a touchdown? But really good kick by Graham and

912
00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:11,880
Speaker 1: well executed for most of the drive. All right, Speaking

913
00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:15,480
Speaker 1: of close uh one possession games, you got the Giants,

914
00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:19,080
Speaker 1: you guys have had eleven of them. Minnesota is tannin

915
00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:22,799
Speaker 1: o and won possession games. There really is an art, though,

916
00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:26,480
Speaker 1: isn't their coach too? Teams learning how to win these

917
00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,200
Speaker 1: type games, isn't there? It's not. It's not a coincidence

918
00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:32,759
Speaker 1: that both of you guys have winning records, um and

919
00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:35,120
Speaker 1: they have played in these close games. Yeah, you know

920
00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,280
Speaker 1: when you watch their tape, they're they're making critical plays

921
00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,760
Speaker 1: at critical times, and that's a credit to their players

922
00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:43,759
Speaker 1: and to the coaching staff of competing and playing for

923
00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:46,640
Speaker 1: sixty minutes and and making those plays. You know, in

924
00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:50,440
Speaker 1: crunch time, coach, let's let's talk about Minnesota and UM,

925
00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:52,520
Speaker 1: what they bring to the table and what you're gonna

926
00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:56,040
Speaker 1: have to deal with today in this football game. Offensively, UM,

927
00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:58,200
Speaker 1: they can hit in a lot of different places, can't

928
00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:04,120
Speaker 1: they absolutely? Um? And they're extremely skilled at the skilled positions. Obviously,

929
00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,880
Speaker 1: it starts with with number eighteen, Justin Jefferson, who you know,

930
00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:10,480
Speaker 1: they line up all over the field and you know

931
00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:13,359
Speaker 1: this guy is a special, special player. UM. You know

932
00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:15,480
Speaker 1: you can devote to people to him, and you know

933
00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:17,800
Speaker 1: Cousins is still gonna look his way and he usually

934
00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:20,160
Speaker 1: makes to play. And you know they got a runner

935
00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:21,600
Speaker 1: who can take it to the house. You know. So

936
00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:25,200
Speaker 1: you saw that on the screen pass against Indianapolis there,

937
00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:27,480
Speaker 1: and you know, anytime he's got the ball in his hands,

938
00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,920
Speaker 1: you know, whether it's outside, run, inside and run, checkdown,

939
00:43:30,080 --> 00:43:33,400
Speaker 1: swing passes. UM, he's a threat. Feeling has has been

940
00:43:33,400 --> 00:43:35,480
Speaker 1: a special player for a long time. And then obviously

941
00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:38,360
Speaker 1: they acquired Hockinson, who's an exceptional tight end, made the

942
00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:40,840
Speaker 1: Pro Bowl, and UM, you know, their line does a

943
00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:43,919
Speaker 1: good job. A bunch of first and second rounders. I'd

944
00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,759
Speaker 1: say they're go to players dry Saw seventy one. You know,

945
00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:48,560
Speaker 1: if they need some yards, they're gonna they're gonna try

946
00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:51,520
Speaker 1: to run behind him. So an explosive offense. You saw

947
00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:53,960
Speaker 1: that in the second half of you know, you've seen

948
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:55,560
Speaker 1: it all year, but you saw it in the second

949
00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:58,560
Speaker 1: half of Indianapolis, where you know, putting up that many

950
00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:01,839
Speaker 1: points in just a half as is pretty impressive. Then

951
00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:03,000
Speaker 1: you go to the other side of the ball and

952
00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:05,000
Speaker 1: they get some guys that can get after the quarterback.

953
00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:08,120
Speaker 1: I mean, Zadarius Smith's got ten sacks, the Neil Hunter

954
00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:11,720
Speaker 1: has got eight and a half. Um Patrick Peterson seems

955
00:44:11,719 --> 00:44:14,319
Speaker 1: like he's drinking from the fountain of youth with three

956
00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:17,000
Speaker 1: picks this season. And then always Harrison Smith on the

957
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,480
Speaker 1: back end, and the two inside backers are pretty talented.

958
00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:22,839
Speaker 1: You know there uh you know, a veteran defense and

959
00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:26,320
Speaker 1: those edge guys are are problems. Both Hunter and Smith.

960
00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:30,080
Speaker 1: Um they can create rush a variety of ways, and

961
00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:32,239
Speaker 1: they also do a good job of setting edges in

962
00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:34,600
Speaker 1: a running game. And I'd say, you know, their back

963
00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:40,600
Speaker 1: end is is very opportunistic, UM, smart, savvy, crafty, UM,

964
00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:44,040
Speaker 1: A good defense all the way around. Coach them. You

965
00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:47,480
Speaker 1: know from the outside, like where where we're sitting, not

966
00:44:47,600 --> 00:44:50,880
Speaker 1: where you're sitting. Um. You know there's you guys have

967
00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,960
Speaker 1: eight wins. You actually can clinch a playoff spot this

968
00:44:54,000 --> 00:44:55,919
Speaker 1: weekend with a victory and then a couple of other

969
00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,600
Speaker 1: things happening. Do you even bring that kind of stuff

970
00:44:59,680 --> 00:45:03,120
Speaker 1: up with your team or is it just so insulated

971
00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:06,040
Speaker 1: that that is just something that doesn't even factor into

972
00:45:06,040 --> 00:45:09,000
Speaker 1: the equation. I don't, Um. Again, I try to be

973
00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:11,520
Speaker 1: as consistent as I can for the team, and you

974
00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:13,120
Speaker 1: know there's things that we need to try to hit

975
00:45:13,120 --> 00:45:15,719
Speaker 1: each week to to give ourselves a chance. And you know,

976
00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:18,560
Speaker 1: focus on what we do during the week, our preparation,

977
00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:21,200
Speaker 1: our practice habits, UM, and then go out there and

978
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:27,200
Speaker 1: and play with confidence. UM. On Sunday, final question, coach Um,

979
00:45:27,239 --> 00:45:28,920
Speaker 1: you know you've got two guys that made it to

980
00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:31,880
Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl this year, Sae Kwon Barkley and Dexter Lawrence.

981
00:45:31,960 --> 00:45:35,000
Speaker 1: Just talk about the seasons that they've had, the leadership

982
00:45:35,040 --> 00:45:37,439
Speaker 1: that they've provided, and the fact that you have two

983
00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:39,560
Speaker 1: guys on your team going to the Pro Bowl. Yeah,

984
00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,080
Speaker 1: I'm proud of those guys that are, you know, two

985
00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:43,600
Speaker 1: captains for us, and you know se Kwan has done

986
00:45:43,600 --> 00:45:45,480
Speaker 1: a good job for us as his dex all year.

987
00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:48,040
Speaker 1: And I think they're really good team players. And you know,

988
00:45:48,080 --> 00:45:49,879
Speaker 1: they'd be the first to admit that it doesn't help

989
00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:52,440
Speaker 1: happen without the guys around them. But um, you know,

990
00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:55,800
Speaker 1: Dexter's done a good job all year of creating pressure

991
00:45:55,800 --> 00:45:58,239
Speaker 1: in the middle part of the pocket and stopping the run,

992
00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,880
Speaker 1: controlling the line of scrimmage. And and say Quan has

993
00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:03,120
Speaker 1: been very productive whether we run it or throw it.

994
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:05,640
Speaker 1: And um, I think they've both improved along the way.

995
00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:09,760
Speaker 1: They have great attitudes and they're excellent team players for UCE. Alright,

996
00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:12,560
Speaker 1: a lot of Do you have one more question? Um,

997
00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:15,880
Speaker 1: you know it's a it's an indoor game. UM. You

998
00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:18,799
Speaker 1: know it gets pretty loud in that building. Can you

999
00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:23,000
Speaker 1: replicate it enough, um to get your team prepared? And

1000
00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,680
Speaker 1: how do you do that? Well? We we we try

1001
00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:28,360
Speaker 1: our best. Um. It's never exactly the same as the

1002
00:46:28,440 --> 00:46:31,120
Speaker 1: environment you're gonna play in. Um, it's a it's a

1003
00:46:31,160 --> 00:46:34,040
Speaker 1: great atmosphere. The fans are right on top of you.

1004
00:46:34,160 --> 00:46:37,720
Speaker 1: That's allowed, So you know, We've we blare the music,

1005
00:46:37,760 --> 00:46:39,560
Speaker 1: the crowd noise as loud as we can during the

1006
00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:42,440
Speaker 1: week to to make those guys have to communicate during

1007
00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:45,680
Speaker 1: practice and simulate it the best we can and then

1008
00:46:45,719 --> 00:46:49,480
Speaker 1: just run the football and score and I'll keep them quiet. Right. Yeah.

1009
00:46:49,560 --> 00:46:51,600
Speaker 1: The more the more you can do that, the better

1010
00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:54,400
Speaker 1: it is. But uh, you know, I've been there before,

1011
00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:57,680
Speaker 1: I've coached there before, and it's a great environment, and

1012
00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,319
Speaker 1: their team is eleven and three and you know, on

1013
00:47:00,360 --> 00:47:02,440
Speaker 1: top of their division and you know, close to being

1014
00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:06,160
Speaker 1: on top of the NFC. So uh, tremendous challenge for us. Uh,

1015
00:47:06,360 --> 00:47:09,960
Speaker 1: first and foremost the players that they have to compete against,

1016
00:47:10,160 --> 00:47:12,960
Speaker 1: the scheme from the coaches, and then you add the

1017
00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:15,040
Speaker 1: the crowd the third element. It's a it's a very

1018
00:47:15,120 --> 00:47:17,839
Speaker 1: challenging game. Coach, we appreciate a couple of minutes. Best

1019
00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:20,040
Speaker 1: of luck today and Merry Christmas to you and your family,

1020
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:21,879
Speaker 1: and we'll do it again next week. Same to you, Bob.

1021
00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:25,240
Speaker 1: That's Johnts head coach Brian Dable. We thank him and Bob, Papa,

1022
00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:27,919
Speaker 1: Lance Meadow, Paul Datino and Matthew Coller and of course

1023
00:47:28,000 --> 00:47:30,600
Speaker 1: Cavon Thibodeaux for being our guest today on the GIHNT

1024
00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:34,000
Speaker 1: Suttle Podcast. Don't forget go subscribe to Draft season. It's

1025
00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:36,040
Speaker 1: really gearing up here. We're pretty much gonna go every

1026
00:47:36,040 --> 00:47:38,040
Speaker 1: week from here on out as we break down some

1027
00:47:38,080 --> 00:47:40,719
Speaker 1: of the draft prospects that are declaring for the NFL

1028
00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:42,560
Speaker 1: Draft and you know, who might be of interest to

1029
00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:44,160
Speaker 1: the Giants that they try to continue to build out

1030
00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:46,759
Speaker 1: their football team after the season is over. A lot

1031
00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:49,120
Speaker 1: of this is about team building still, folks, So Draft

1032
00:47:49,120 --> 00:47:52,400
Speaker 1: season a great place to come on and talk about it.

1033
00:47:52,680 --> 00:47:55,000
Speaker 1: We thank everyone for being with us. The John Suttle

1034
00:47:55,040 --> 00:47:57,600
Speaker 1: Podcast is brought to you by psc and G Energy

1035
00:47:57,640 --> 00:48:00,040
Speaker 1: Efficiency for game time and anytime is it ps e

1036
00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:02,840
Speaker 1: G dot com slash Giants for discounts, rebates and home

1037
00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:06,640
Speaker 1: energy assessments. Happy Holidays, everybody, Happy Honeker for those of

1038
00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,880
Speaker 1: you celebrating that. For those of you celebrating Christmas this weekend,

1039
00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:12,359
Speaker 1: Merry Christmas to you and we'll see you next time

1040
00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:13,640
Speaker 1: on The Giants Little Podcast.