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Speaker 1: Welcome bird Gang. On today's show, Paul Calbasi joins me,

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Speaker 1: which is the more desperate team. Both the Cardinals and

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Speaker 1: Chargers have lost three of four, both very much in

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Speaker 1: need of a win. The good news for the Cardinals,

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Speaker 1: Kyler Murray is expected back, Hollyward Brown, maybe back. Will

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Speaker 1: it be enough? Though? It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode six nineteen,

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Speaker 1: and it starts now. Welcome to Cardinals Cover two. Hit

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Speaker 1: in the backfield and Downey goes for a loss. JJ

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Speaker 1: Watt Nailed at Cardinals. Cover two is presented by Hun Day,

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Speaker 1: proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts.

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Speaker 1: Visit Easy Cardinals dot com Slash podcasts. He's at the ten,

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Speaker 1: half of five. He's in again, So four Harry Magic. Whoa,

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Speaker 1: here's Craig grieloup So I trust. A good Thanksgiving was

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Speaker 1: held by the CALVC clan as we welcome everyone to

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Speaker 1: this post Thanksgiving edition of Cardinals Coverage. Yeah, there's Black

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Speaker 1: Friday and all that, but this is where the real

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Speaker 1: deal is happening ahead of week twelve. That's right, the dealingist.

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Speaker 1: Here we go, Pauli, pencil Neck, Craig Griolu. I tried.

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Speaker 1: I did. I really tried to put on a good

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Speaker 1: ten pounds. I went down swinging, played after plate. Don't

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Speaker 1: think I really achieved much, but you know it was fun. Trying,

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Speaker 1: really was well. We can always look forward to next year.

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Speaker 1: Speaking of looking forward, Paul, let's look ahead to the

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Speaker 1: next two days or two days from now and the

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Speaker 1: Cardinals host in the Los Angeles Chargers, and forget the

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Speaker 1: Chargers for a moment, but just to have k one

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Speaker 1: on the football field expected to start. In fact, the

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Speaker 1: most optimistic I've heard Cliff Kingsbury in a while talk

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Speaker 1: about his quarterback being one hundred percent and that means

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Speaker 1: being full throttle to open up that hamstring and see

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Speaker 1: how he feels. But Kyler Murray back on the field

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Speaker 1: after two games missing, and you know what, not a

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Speaker 1: game too soon. As much as I enjoyed watching Colt McCoy,

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Speaker 1: the brutal reality is the backup thirty six year old

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Speaker 1: quarterback is not the future. He's not the franchise quarterback.

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Speaker 1: And especially in the moment, behind an offensive line that

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Speaker 1: is left with one starter in right tackle Calvin Beecham,

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Speaker 1: you need Kyler's legs and escapability more than ever, and

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Speaker 1: you saw that on display against the forty nine ers.

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Speaker 1: Cardinals got away with it against a less talented Rams team.

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Speaker 1: They did a very good job neutralizing and Aaron Donald

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Speaker 1: the week before by getting rid of the ball, and

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Speaker 1: two point one three seconds or whatever the average was

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Speaker 1: the second quickest of any quarterback in any game this season.

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Speaker 1: What Colt McCoy did in the Rams, they tried to

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Speaker 1: do against the forty nine ers just wasn't quite as successful.

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Speaker 1: Niners were much more adept at cutting off some of

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Speaker 1: the passing lanes, the short passes, forcing the Cardinals for

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Speaker 1: those chunk throws downfield. And then every time seemingly the

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Speaker 1: Cardinals tried to run a play where it took a

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Speaker 1: little more time to develop, Colt McCoy was in trouble,

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Speaker 1: and you felt bad for him at times. You know

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Speaker 1: that that left knee wasn't one hundred percent. He's getting

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Speaker 1: banged up. Obviously, doesn't have that sheer athleticism hardly any

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Speaker 1: quarterbacks too of a Kyler Murray. So in this circumstance

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Speaker 1: in particular, I think it's it's you know, Cardinals are

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Speaker 1: thankful this Thanksgiving season that they do have Kyler Murray

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Speaker 1: back because I think he truly is going to help

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Speaker 1: this depleted offensive line. Clee McCoy not only dealing with

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Speaker 1: that knee but elbow issue, had his hand stepped on

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Speaker 1: in Mexico City as wells he is all kinds of

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Speaker 1: banged up. You wonder, though, if the Cardinals had beaten

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Speaker 1: the forty nine ers on Monday, what would have happened

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Speaker 1: this week? Would you have ridden the hot hand? Or

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Speaker 1: does Kyler say, you know what, tap me in because

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Speaker 1: I'm ready to go. Bottom line is this team needs

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Speaker 1: it's franchise quarterback on the field. You're four and seven,

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Speaker 1: you've lost three of four. Whether you still mathematically yes

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Speaker 1: in the playoff picture or not, you need K one

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Speaker 1: on that football field because perception is reality and you

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Speaker 1: need Kyla Murray to look like he did the beginning

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Speaker 1: of last year. If the end of this year can

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Speaker 1: be anywhere close to the beginning of last year when

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Speaker 1: he was a legitimate MVP candidate. What happened to that quarterback?

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Speaker 1: What happened to that offense? It's never quite been the same,

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Speaker 1: you realize. Since they started ten and two, the Arizona

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Speaker 1: Cardinals have lost twelve out of seventeen. Let that hang

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Speaker 1: for a minute. This Cardinals team has lost twelve out

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Speaker 1: of seventeen. They're five and twelve. Ever since that ten

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Speaker 1: and two, So what's going on? Can you remedy that?

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Speaker 1: You need to see evidence that this offense can get

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Speaker 1: back in rhythm, especially now with their top two receivers.

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Speaker 1: What you're going to see for the first time all year?

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Speaker 1: How quickly can those two get acclimated playing together? A

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Speaker 1: DeAndre Hopkins and a Hollywood Brown. But as far as

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Speaker 1: Kyla Murray, you know, I will tell you on the sideline,

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Speaker 1: and I'm sure the TV cameras caught plenty of it.

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Speaker 1: He was front and center. He was right there on

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Speaker 1: the white stripe, right next to Cliff Kingsbury. He had

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Speaker 1: the year piece in. He's listening, he's watching everything. He's

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Speaker 1: involved with all the meetings. So what were some of

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Speaker 1: his big takeaways? I'd love to know. I'd love to

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Speaker 1: get Kyla in the trust tree. What did you see

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Speaker 1: that you can do better in your game? What did

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Speaker 1: you see in Colt McCoy. You know, we've talked about

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Speaker 1: how decisive Colt was, how Colt said after the forty

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Speaker 1: nine Ers game, they didn't do one thing that would

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Speaker 1: that confused me. I knew exactly where to go with

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Speaker 1: the ball at all times. Ball wasn't always on the money,

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Speaker 1: didn't always have time to complete the pass, but he

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Speaker 1: knew what he was seeing. No matter what the Niners

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Speaker 1: and Demiko Ryans try to dial up against Cole McCoy. Now,

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Speaker 1: if you can kick Kyler Murray did that same point

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Speaker 1: where he can get that football acumen and football IQ

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Speaker 1: that a Colt McCoy has at age thirty six, How

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Speaker 1: quickly can Kyler try and assimilate some of that combined

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Speaker 1: with his skill set, that's where he would truly be lethal.

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Speaker 1: But too often this year we've seen Kyla leave guys

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Speaker 1: wide open and not find certain receivers or not hit

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Speaker 1: guys in rhythm. Just the accurate see at times has

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Speaker 1: been missing. Craig, We've talked about that yards after catch

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Speaker 1: has been missing with a lot of receivers because they're

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Speaker 1: not catching it in stride, A guy who rated in

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Speaker 1: the top one, two or three of every single analytic

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Speaker 1: for deep ball accuracy, that obviously has been missing this year.

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Speaker 1: Cardinals just had their first forty plus yard reception. It

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Speaker 1: was a catch and run forty seven yards by Greg Dorts.

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Speaker 1: So can Kyler recapture the downfield passing attack, especially now

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Speaker 1: with his top two receivers. These are all big questions

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Speaker 1: that are hanging out there that you need answers to

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Speaker 1: by the end of this season. And I think that's

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Speaker 1: why it's important for Kyler to be on the field,

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Speaker 1: whether there was something on the line or not. You

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Speaker 1: have six games left to figure out what is wrong

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Speaker 1: with this offense. And yeah, I know each season is

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Speaker 1: a new season, but you know Kyler's coming back, Hollywood

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Speaker 1: is coming back. D Hop is coming back. So your

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Speaker 1: main three offensive weapons, get them on the same page

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Speaker 1: here over those last six games and then move into

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Speaker 1: the offseason and into twenty twenty three. Now we have

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Speaker 1: not seen you brought it up. We have not seen

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Speaker 1: de Hop in Hollywood on the field at the same time, Paul.

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Speaker 1: It is late in November. It is week twelve, and

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Speaker 1: these two that this offense was going to revolve around

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Speaker 1: in week seven when de Hop was going to be

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Speaker 1: able to come back. Brown gets hurt though the week prior.

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Speaker 1: So here we are in week twelve, finally to see

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Speaker 1: what Cliff Kingsbury can dial up with top with legit

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Speaker 1: number one wide receivers on either side of the field,

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Speaker 1: we can easily and logically just go back to what

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Speaker 1: Hollywood Brown said the day after he was traded to

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Speaker 1: the Cardinals on Draft Night twenty twenty two. He was

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Speaker 1: sitting in this very studio in the Big Red Rage,

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Speaker 1: and we interviewed him, and he said, and I quote loosely,

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Speaker 1: I've always been the primary focus of defensive secondaries of

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Speaker 1: coverage plans. When I was with the Ravens, I was

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Speaker 1: always the number one option. I'll no longer be the

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Speaker 1: number one option here, at least not wide receiver one.

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Speaker 1: So what does that do for me? When I have

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Speaker 1: to worry about an extra defender over the top, most

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Speaker 1: likely when I'm not getting double coverage or that bracket?

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Speaker 1: Look what does that do for me? And I mean

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Speaker 1: his his eyes lit up. And when I asked him

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Speaker 1: two weeks ago, thinking he might be able to play

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Speaker 1: against the Rams, you know, he said the same thing

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Speaker 1: that he's as curious as anyone, Hollywood Brown, what DeAndre

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Speaker 1: Hopkins does for him. And so we'll see case can

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Speaker 1: these defensive secondaries get away with some of the saft

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Speaker 1: shell coverages that they played against the Cardinals. Obviously, the

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Speaker 1: first thing is to run the ball, so they have

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Speaker 1: to bring another safety up into the box. And then

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Speaker 1: when they do, boom, can you hit him down the

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Speaker 1: field for some of those chunk plays. That's when I

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Speaker 1: think you'll know that DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown are

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Speaker 1: really clicking when you're getting some of those chunk throws,

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Speaker 1: when maybe it's opening up the run game a little bit.

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Speaker 1: That's where maybe just maybe you can use the two

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Speaker 1: words complimentary football for the Cardinals offense this year. That

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Speaker 1: might also be at first and do we see d

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Speaker 1: Hoop on the left and Hollywood on the right. Do

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Speaker 1: we see them lined up next to one another. Hollywood

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Speaker 1: has done very well in Hopkins's absence over those first

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Speaker 1: six games, but since d hop has returned Paul He's

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Speaker 1: lead in the league in receptions, He's second in receiving yards.

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Speaker 1: He's on pace to have a thousand receiving yards after

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Speaker 1: missing the first six weeks of the regular season. I'm

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Speaker 1: very curious on how now they deploy these two wide receivers,

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Speaker 1: because to your point, you want to double d Hoop,

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Speaker 1: that's fine. Now Hollywood's got one on one coverage with

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Speaker 1: no one over the top or do you suck them

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Speaker 1: in close to the line of scrimmage and maybe James

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Speaker 1: Connor gets going this week. I mean, think about it.

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Speaker 1: If you extrapolate the production de Hoop has had so

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Speaker 1: far in his abbreviated season over his seventeen game season,

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Speaker 1: it would make for one hundred and fifty three catches

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Speaker 1: in a seventeen game season. Hello, the NFL record is

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Speaker 1: one forty nine by Michael Thomas of the Saints. So

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Speaker 1: that's how productive Dhop it has been since he returned.

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Speaker 1: I talked to him a little bit about that. He

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Speaker 1: was not aware of some of those metrics and those

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Speaker 1: those extrapolated stats if you look at him for a

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Speaker 1: whole game, but for a whole season. But here's the thing,

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Speaker 1: and he brought up a really good point, how do

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Speaker 1: they use d hopw that Hollywood Brown is back, And

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Speaker 1: my firm expectation is Hollywood Brown is going to remain

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Speaker 1: the outside X receiver and that d Hop will be

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Speaker 1: inside far more. This is what they had drawn up

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Speaker 1: from the get go when they traded for Hollywood Brown.

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Speaker 1: They wanted that speedster on the outside and then they

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Speaker 1: were gonna be able to use d Hop in a

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Speaker 1: more varied role. You heard Cliff Kingsbury say at different

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Speaker 1: times this season that was one of their big takeaways

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Speaker 1: from self scouting in the off season. They were a

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Speaker 1: little too predictable with d Hop. Maybe he didn't know

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Speaker 1: he needed to be in different places at different times,

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Speaker 1: not unlike what Sean McVeigh does with Cooper Cup. How

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Speaker 1: can Cooper Cups stay so productive all of last year? Well,

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Speaker 1: because they he would be in literally seven different starting

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Speaker 1: positions over the course of a game. They did that

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Speaker 1: against the Cardinals once. I still remember that. So now

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Speaker 1: you try incorporate some of that into d hops game

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Speaker 1: And I think this is just my own My own

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Speaker 1: theory is that when you saw Hollywood Brown go down

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Speaker 1: Week six against the Seahawks on that chunk throw attempt

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Speaker 1: against Tariq Wollen that went bad and he ended up

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Speaker 1: fall landing awkwardly on his foot and knocked him out.

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Speaker 1: I think the Cardinal said, oh, my goodness, that's the

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Speaker 1: one injury we can't afford to have at this point

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Speaker 1: because DeAndre Hopinson is coming back next week, and we

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Speaker 1: had all drawn up for d Hop to be more

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Speaker 1: of an inside receiver, and d Hop was gonna and

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Speaker 1: Hollywood Brown is gonna be outside receiver quick. Somebody trade

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Speaker 1: for Robbie Anderson. And then they went and got Robbie Anderson.

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Speaker 1: They brought him in and he's been very slow to

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Speaker 1: acclimate and make an impact on this team. But the

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Speaker 1: thought on paper, at least with the way they drew

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Speaker 1: it up, was to bring in Robbie Anderson and stick

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Speaker 1: him as a speed outside guy, much like what Hollywood

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Speaker 1: Brown is now going to assume as his role effective immediately.

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Speaker 1: It should be a lot of fun to watch. But

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Speaker 1: also pay attention to this bird gag because Ron del

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Speaker 1: Moore is not available this week. He's out with a

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Speaker 1: groin injury. Greg Dortch, who had great opportunity last week

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Speaker 1: against the forty nine ers in Mexico City playing rondel

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Speaker 1: Moore's role is questionable with a thumb issue. According to Cliff,

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Speaker 1: it's going to be more of a pain tolerance. So, yeah,

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Speaker 1: you have your top two pass catchers, but who are

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Speaker 1: your next two pass catchers? Yes, you have aj Green.

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Speaker 1: You brought up Robbie Anderson. He's been to me non existent.

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Speaker 1: I mean I didn't even notice him on the football

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Speaker 1: field against the forty nine Ers and Paul he played

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Speaker 1: more than thirty snaps? He did. I did not know

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Speaker 1: that he played more than thirty snaps against the forty

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Speaker 1: nine stunning, right, wow, because I never even noticed him

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Speaker 1: on the football boy, yeah I did. Okay, all right,

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Speaker 1: well yeah, process that and go forward. Well look, I

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Speaker 1: don't know about you, but when I walked in the

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Speaker 1: locker room this week and I saw Pharaoh Cooper, oh like, okay,

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Speaker 1: did I have too much Cranberry sauce? What's going on here?

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Speaker 1: I didn't quite see the signing of a Pharaoh Cooper

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Speaker 1: that I looked at. It had been officially announced. I

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Speaker 1: had missed it, and so I'm like, wow, all right,

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Speaker 1: but look, I'm just Rondale Morrison going. I don't know

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Speaker 1: about Greg Dorch. He was in some serious pain at

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Speaker 1: the end of the forty nine Ers games. The fact

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Speaker 1: they brought in Fararell Cooper, you draw your own conclusion. So, look,

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Speaker 1: this is my expectation. It's gonna be the d hop

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Speaker 1: in Hollywood show with some Tray McBride worked in. You know,

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Speaker 1: maybe you see Tray McBride, you see a lot of

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Speaker 1: twelve personnel, because you're gonna see two tight ends and

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Speaker 1: two receivers and James Conner and then if you can

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Speaker 1: get that running game going. You know, we've talked about

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Speaker 1: that this week, just how horrendous the Chargers are against

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Speaker 1: the run. I mean the yards per carry that they're

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Speaker 1: giving up five point four six this year. If it

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Speaker 1: holds the rest of the season, it would be the

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Speaker 1: highest ever allowed yards per carry over a full season

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Speaker 1: since the merger. The previous worst was by the twenty

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Speaker 1: thirteen Bears. So it's been historically bad the Chargers run defense,

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Speaker 1: and they're even more banked up this week. My understanding

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Speaker 1: is their interior d line is made up of even

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Speaker 1: more backups than ever, So Cardinals should have some success.

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Speaker 1: It should be a point emphasis to get James Connor

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Speaker 1: established early, and to me, really is the key on Sunday.

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Speaker 1: As much as we're excited about de Hop in Hollywood,

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Speaker 1: for me, Paul, it's that ground game for the Cardinals

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Speaker 1: on Sunday. If they're gonna come away with win number five,

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Speaker 1: they're gonna have to run the football, run it effectively

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Speaker 1: and get over one hundred rushing yards. This Chargers defense

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Speaker 1: has allowed more than one hundred and fifty yards on

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Speaker 1: the ground in each of the last four weeks, each

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Speaker 1: of the last four weeks, not total, each of the

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Speaker 1: last four weeks. And when you look at the Cardinals,

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Speaker 1: James Conner, yes, he's been banged up, he's only played

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Speaker 1: eight games this season, did not quite look like himself

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Speaker 1: against the forty nine ers, running between the tackles, bounced

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Speaker 1: it outside more often. But he has not reached seventy

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Speaker 1: rushing yards yet this season. The only time the Cardinals

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Speaker 1: have hit one hundred rushing yards in a game without

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Speaker 1: the benefit of Kyler Murray accounting for a lot of

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Speaker 1: those yards was Week seven against the Saints. Eno Benjamin

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Speaker 1: had ninety two rushing yards. If you get that running

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Speaker 1: game going, yes, the run sets up the pass, then

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Speaker 1: we can have some fun with d Hop and Hollywood.

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Speaker 1: We'll think about it. James Connor hasn't reached seventy yards

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Speaker 1: rushing this season. He has been banged up at times.

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Speaker 1: But the Chargers defense has allowed seventy plus yards rushing

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Speaker 1: to eight different running backs this year. So it's a

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Speaker 1: get right game if you're James Connor, at least on paper.

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Speaker 1: We'll see how this plays out and where the emphasis is,

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Speaker 1: and then of course you got to bring up the

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Speaker 1: fact that Guests was the Cardinals run game coordinator is

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Speaker 1: no longer employed by the Arizona Cardinals in Sean Coogler.

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Speaker 1: Sean Kugler terminated to start this week, in fact terminated

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Speaker 1: Monday morning before the Monday night football game. And for

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Speaker 1: anyone who saw Hard Knocks this week, there was a

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Speaker 1: poignant moment, maybe the moment of the episode at the

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Speaker 1: very end of this week's show on HBO, where Cliff

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Speaker 1: Kingsbury and a team meeting at a very stern warning

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Speaker 1: for everyone, where he said, and I quote, make sure

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Speaker 1: you're moving forward. Nobody has to stand in front of

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Speaker 1: the media answer any questions about any dumb stuff off

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Speaker 1: the field. One and two effort on the field, everybody

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Speaker 1: got me and then boom the clip ended, and it's

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Speaker 1: sort of hung in the air. And that last comment

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Speaker 1: was in response to something that Buddha Baker had said

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Speaker 1: to Cam Cox over at Channel twelve, and the question

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Speaker 1: was do you think everybody played hard to the fish finish?

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Speaker 1: And Buddha's answer was no, I do not, And then

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Speaker 1: he sort of caught himself and didn't really elaborate from

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Speaker 1: there going forward. But he didn't need to. The message

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Speaker 1: was sent and I'll tell you this much, Greig, I'll

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Speaker 1: share this with everyone here. Uncovered two. I'm the first

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Speaker 1: media member into the locker room and doing the postgame

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Speaker 1: radio interviews, and Buddha was animated. He was demonstrative. Before

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Speaker 1: the rest of the media was let in. He was

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Speaker 1: going around the locker room. He was talking to different

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Speaker 1: groups of players saying this and saying that I couldn't

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Speaker 1: hear what you're saying, but he was adamant. He had

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Speaker 1: a message. So you can draw your own conclusion. That's

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Speaker 1: what I'm doing based on that comment to what he

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Speaker 1: told the media that. I think he went on and

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Speaker 1: reminded everyone we got six games to go. Everyone's very

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Speaker 1: highly paid. Yeah, it's a long shot to make the playoffs.

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Speaker 1: Doesn't mean that you're not gonna bring full effort. When

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Speaker 1: Buddha Baker, arguably the best player on the team pound

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Speaker 1: for pound, is able to do what he's doing be

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Speaker 1: the leading tackler still dealing with a high ankle sprain,

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Speaker 1: Are you kidding me? And by the way, by my account,

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Speaker 1: it's four straight games where a dB has been the

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Speaker 1: leading tackler. That's not the way vance Joseph No, draws

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Speaker 1: it up and I'd love to get advanced Joseph, you

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Speaker 1: know in the trust train. Just ask him, you know,

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Speaker 1: do you consider that problematic when you're leading tackler four

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Speaker 1: straight games has been either Buddha Baker, Antonio Hamilton, Jayalen Thompson.

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Speaker 1: It's been a dB at least four straight games, maybe more.

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Speaker 1: It is for him just looking at Zavin Collins led

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Speaker 1: the team and tackles against the Saints. But you're right,

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Speaker 1: it's been Buddha Baker twice three times, and Antonio Hamilton

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Speaker 1: against the Rams. There you go. And so you know,

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Speaker 1: safeties and corners are supposed to be the last line

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Speaker 1: of defense. Yeah, Buddha plays in the box a lot. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: they'll run blitz him quite a bit. Sure, he's you know,

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Speaker 1: heat seeking missile. We get it. Buddha Baker's elite and

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Speaker 1: he has way more tackles than any safety in the

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Speaker 1: game over the last four years. I get it. And

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Speaker 1: by the way, you're gonna see Dorlan James this week.

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Speaker 1: Is gonna be some elite safety play in this game.

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Speaker 1: There's no doubt about it. But I would think if

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Speaker 1: the Cardinals defense is furring in the way it's supposed to.

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Speaker 1: Zamon College should be the leading tackler every game. Isaiah

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Speaker 1: Simmons should be the leading tackler every game. Those are

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Speaker 1: the two guys that, ideally, when you draw it up,

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Speaker 1: you want to have the bulk of those tackles. Buddha

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Speaker 1: Baker doesn't have the biggest name in that locker room, Paul,

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Speaker 1: but I would wager that he has the loudest voice.

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Speaker 1: He is the face of that defense, maybe even the

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Speaker 1: face of the team. Yes, the quarterback Kyler Murray, but

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Speaker 1: as far as tenure and longevity and what he has

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Speaker 1: meant playing on a high ankle, Sprain doesn't even have

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Speaker 1: an injury designation the past two weeks, while he was

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Speaker 1: supposed to miss two to three weeks, didn't even miss

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Speaker 1: one week. And he's out there. I mean one hundred

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Speaker 1: percent that he has. You brought up hard knocks, the

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Speaker 1: interception that he had the week before against the Rams,

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Speaker 1: the celebration he's limping towards the far end zone to

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Speaker 1: celebrate with this teammates and at that point, your guy, guys,

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Speaker 1: he's got a bad ankle. Let's slow it down a

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Speaker 1: little bit. But in the moment, yeah, the adrenaline kicks

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Speaker 1: in and you're able to do things that maybe you

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Speaker 1: thought you could not do. But I'm interested to see

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Speaker 1: how this team responds called out by one of the

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Speaker 1: bigger names in that locker room. Now, Antonio Hamilton's on

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Speaker 1: Hard Knocks this past week. You heard him. He was

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Speaker 1: miked up because we're all pointing to that one play,

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Speaker 1: that second George Tittle touchdown, in which it was called

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Speaker 1: out on national television by Troy Aigman on Monday Night Football.

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Speaker 1: Yet Hamilton miked up, admitted I thought he stepped out

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Speaker 1: of bounds, but did own up to not finishing the play,

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Speaker 1: and that I think was the main message from Buddha Baker.

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Speaker 1: Finish every play, even late in games, matter what the

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Speaker 1: scoreboard says. And look, Buddha Baker, He's probably not gonna

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Speaker 1: say this, and maybe this wasn't his intent, but I'm

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Speaker 1: just gonna surmise that he's trying to get ahead of

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Speaker 1: the curve. Now that you're four and seven in the

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00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,679
Speaker 1: playoffs are a long shot. You saw it in twenty eighteen.

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Speaker 1: Two words self preservation, and it's like contagion, Okay, when

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Speaker 1: one guy decides not to tackle and then someone else

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Speaker 1: looks at him and says, well, if he's not tackling, man,

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Speaker 1: he makes a lot more money, and I do, why

401
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Speaker 1: should I tackle? And so then all of a sudden,

402
00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,000
Speaker 1: you got a bunch of guys going through the motions

403
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Speaker 1: when it comes to playing the games and playing out

404
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Speaker 1: the string. So I think he tried to get ahead

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Speaker 1: of that, and rightfully. So I will say to your

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Speaker 1: point about when he had the interception against the Rams,

407
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Speaker 1: the whole sideline was screaming, get down, get down, save yourself,

408
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Speaker 1: speaking of self preservation. So yeah, I would agree in

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Speaker 1: terms of just utter respect player to player and players

410
00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,320
Speaker 1: know players, Buddha Baker would be number one in that

411
00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,560
Speaker 1: power poll in that locker room. It was three weeks

412
00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,240
Speaker 1: ago Isaiah Simmons in the postgame radio interview I asked

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Speaker 1: him about his big pick six and he said, you know,

414
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Speaker 1: Buddha Baker doesn't know this, but I watch everything he does.

415
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Speaker 1: Because I had asked Isaiah Simmons, you know you've been

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Speaker 1: with the safeties most of this season as a position group,

417
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Speaker 1: and your position coach is Marcus Robertson, who works with

418
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Speaker 1: the safeties, not the linebackers and so, and he said,

419
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Speaker 1: just how much he's learned from a Buddha Baker. So hopefully,

420
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Speaker 1: if nothing else hard knocks, if they achieved one thing

421
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Speaker 1: is maybe to give the rest of the country an

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Speaker 1: awareness the wherewithal to realize just what sort of player

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Speaker 1: that Buddha Baker really is on this team. Sort of

424
00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,160
Speaker 1: like I'll be honest with you, Larry Fitzgerald. No one

425
00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,440
Speaker 1: had any realization of just how good an instrumental Larry

426
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Speaker 1: was until the Super Bowl run, and then the nation

427
00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:58,280
Speaker 1: got exposed to Larry legend and that's when they realize, Okay, yeah,

428
00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,359
Speaker 1: Cardinals do have one of the elite all time. Tis

429
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:04,760
Speaker 1: you get in that national stage, some national exposure and

430
00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,960
Speaker 1: more people recognize just how hard Buddha Baker plays and

431
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,440
Speaker 1: how well he plays. A perennial All Pro Pro Bowl

432
00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,320
Speaker 1: type safety who again does not want to miss any games.

433
00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,120
Speaker 1: All right, So what is this defense going up against

434
00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,440
Speaker 1: this week? Here? As we continue on Cardinals Cover two

435
00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,399
Speaker 1: presented by Hunday Proud, partner of the Arizona Cardinals, we

436
00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:27,399
Speaker 1: talked about the desperation of the Cardinals Chargers desperate as

437
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:30,320
Speaker 1: well five and five. But it is an offense right

438
00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,760
Speaker 1: now that is kind of middle of the road as

439
00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:36,879
Speaker 1: far as scoring twenty three points per game, not great

440
00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,879
Speaker 1: running the football, justin Herbert's gonna throw it, He's gonna

441
00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,680
Speaker 1: sling it. And that includes to the running back Austin Eckler,

442
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,919
Speaker 1: who's among the league leaders in total touchdowns. And in

443
00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,600
Speaker 1: listening to Vance Joseph earlier this week, it was Eckler

444
00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,960
Speaker 1: that he pointed to as far as the main offensive weapon.

445
00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:56,200
Speaker 1: That's because Keenan Allen has been out, Mike Williams has

446
00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:59,480
Speaker 1: been out. Williams not available this week. Allen returned last week.

447
00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,320
Speaker 1: But it is Austin Eckler that should be the focal

448
00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,800
Speaker 1: point for Buddha Baker and the rest of that defense.

449
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,600
Speaker 1: I mean a former undrafted guy Vans Joseph called himself made.

450
00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,840
Speaker 1: It's a good moniker to put on. Austin Ekeler eleven

451
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,960
Speaker 1: scrimmage touchdowns this year. That's tied for second in the NFL.

452
00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:17,879
Speaker 1: Since the beginning of last year, he has thirty one touchdowns,

453
00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,320
Speaker 1: that's number one in the NFL. Austin Eckler, And you

454
00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:23,400
Speaker 1: know what to follow him the point we just made,

455
00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,359
Speaker 1: how you better bring it, You better finish an effort,

456
00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,720
Speaker 1: better be there. Yeah, especially against Austin Ekeler because he

457
00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,400
Speaker 1: will make you look bad. He will run right through you.

458
00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:33,840
Speaker 1: I've talked to several guys in the locker room this

459
00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:36,560
Speaker 1: week and they're like the desperation Austin Ekeler plays with,

460
00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:38,560
Speaker 1: no matter what the situation is a kin to a

461
00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,640
Speaker 1: Buddha baker. That's how that's how hard he plays. So

462
00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,400
Speaker 1: and he leads the NFL with five hundred twenty seven

463
00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,800
Speaker 1: yards after catch. So whereas the tackling was lacking against

464
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,199
Speaker 1: the forty nine ers in a big way, guess what

465
00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,440
Speaker 1: it could get even worse. I mean, this is a

466
00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,399
Speaker 1: Deebo Samuel of running backs. This is the George Kittle

467
00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,960
Speaker 1: of running backs. This Austin Eckler. Now here's the thing

468
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,640
Speaker 1: with Justin Herbert. And he has the elite arm talent,

469
00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,600
Speaker 1: and he has all the traits and measurables he'd want

470
00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:08,600
Speaker 1: in a quarterback. Six foot six, can make every single throw.

471
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:12,159
Speaker 1: Unlike Jimmy g he will hold onto that football. He

472
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,480
Speaker 1: will hold onto the ball for a long time. He's

473
00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,280
Speaker 1: sort of got some big ben in him. I'm gonna

474
00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,320
Speaker 1: hang and this pocket's gonna collapse around me, and I'm

475
00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,520
Speaker 1: gonna get the ball away, or maybe even a better

476
00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,440
Speaker 1: comp would be Carson Palmer. I've been a number of

477
00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,080
Speaker 1: guys tell me in the locker room, and he kind

478
00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,840
Speaker 1: of reminds them of Carson Palmer. You know, Carson would

479
00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,080
Speaker 1: hang in the pocket to the very last second. He'd

480
00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:32,280
Speaker 1: take a shot. A couple of times the Cardinals had

481
00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:35,359
Speaker 1: Carson Palmer miked up how many times he was wheezing

482
00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,760
Speaker 1: on the ground because he would hang, hang, hang, take

483
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,080
Speaker 1: the hit and then still complete the throw. That's justin Herbert.

484
00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:43,560
Speaker 1: He really hasn't been sacked that much. He's been hit

485
00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,560
Speaker 1: a lot, but he does get the throwaway, and I

486
00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,720
Speaker 1: know he'll throw it to you as well. Right, he

487
00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,160
Speaker 1: does have the propensity for the interception. Five straight games

488
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,840
Speaker 1: in which he's thrown an interception, and his numbers look great,

489
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,560
Speaker 1: second in completions, fifth in passing yards, but his passer

490
00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,760
Speaker 1: rating is a career or low ninety point seven. And

491
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,720
Speaker 1: he's on a run here, Paul, And it might be

492
00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,359
Speaker 1: because the Chargers aren't winning, but he has thrown for

493
00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,200
Speaker 1: fewer than three hundred yards in six straight games, fewer

494
00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:17,480
Speaker 1: than three passing touchdowns in eight straight games, both longest

495
00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,199
Speaker 1: streaks in his career. So the overall numbers look good,

496
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,680
Speaker 1: but it's just not good enough for the Chargers right now.

497
00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,479
Speaker 1: And you talked about him doesn't get sacked a lot,

498
00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:30,600
Speaker 1: But where this Chargers team has really suffered is in

499
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:35,199
Speaker 1: those losses. Thirteen of the seventeen sacks have come in

500
00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:37,880
Speaker 1: those five losses. Wow. So if you're able to get

501
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,320
Speaker 1: some pressure on Justin Herbert, then I like the Cardinals chances.

502
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,160
Speaker 1: And look, he's at a situation not unlike the Cardinals

503
00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:47,919
Speaker 1: where trying to get their two big guns on the

504
00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,560
Speaker 1: field at the same time has been virtually impossible. Keenan

505
00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,320
Speaker 1: Allen and Mike Williams going into this game, there have

506
00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:55,840
Speaker 1: been six hundred and seventy three offensive snaps of the

507
00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,600
Speaker 1: Chargers and those two guys have been together for forty

508
00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: six of the staffs infinitestinal percentage right there, And now

509
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,000
Speaker 1: Mike Williams is out for this one again, and Keenan

510
00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,000
Speaker 1: Allen has already missed seven of their ten games this

511
00:26:07,119 --> 00:26:09,439
Speaker 1: year and played fewer than fifty percent of the snaps

512
00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,920
Speaker 1: in two of the games he did play in. So

513
00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,640
Speaker 1: you kind of feel for Justin Herbert not having any

514
00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,480
Speaker 1: of his weapons virtually for a good part of this season.

515
00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,439
Speaker 1: I know, two games ago against the forty nine ers,

516
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,640
Speaker 1: because we're getting righted for Cardinals and Niners, and we're

517
00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,520
Speaker 1: looking back at some of that game, and he went

518
00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:27,439
Speaker 1: into the game without both of his starting tackles and

519
00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,960
Speaker 1: his two best receivers, and Mike Williams and Keenan Allens.

520
00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,520
Speaker 1: So their degree of difficulty has been high for Justin

521
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,959
Speaker 1: Herbert this year. There's no doubt about it. What can

522
00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,200
Speaker 1: they do against this Cardinals defense? You know, Look, they're

523
00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:41,560
Speaker 1: still in it. They're five and five, only two of

524
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:45,080
Speaker 1: their last seven games against teams with winning records, you know.

525
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,320
Speaker 1: But the thing is they have this second lowest strength

526
00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:52,800
Speaker 1: of victory so far, that their five wins are against

527
00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,639
Speaker 1: teams of the combined record of fifteen thirty five and

528
00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,080
Speaker 1: one ouch. On the other hand, they're only one game

529
00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:02,240
Speaker 1: out of the wild card the AFC, so you better

530
00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,960
Speaker 1: match their urgency and desperation because they are much more

531
00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,919
Speaker 1: in the playoff picture in the AFC than the Cardinals

532
00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:10,080
Speaker 1: are right now at four and seven and without Alan

533
00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 1: or without Williams and a banged up Allen. That's why

534
00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,520
Speaker 1: Austin Eckler has become the focal point. Pay attention though

535
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,920
Speaker 1: to Joshua Palmer, he's really kind of been that wide

536
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,399
Speaker 1: receiver who's taking advantage of the increased reps with Alan

537
00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,800
Speaker 1: and Williams being on the sideline. But for me, it

538
00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,400
Speaker 1: all comes down to that Cardinals defense. Can you get

539
00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:30,840
Speaker 1: a takeaway or two? No, Byron Murphy again this week,

540
00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:35,640
Speaker 1: So Marco Wilson, Antonio Hamilton, Trayvon Mulling your top three corners, Now,

541
00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,080
Speaker 1: what does that mean for Jalen Thompson and a Buddha

542
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,360
Speaker 1: Baker to perhaps maybe get a hand on a football

543
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:45,000
Speaker 1: or two. And then that defensive line, don't let Austin Eckler.

544
00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:47,440
Speaker 1: I know they don't run the ball well, but don't

545
00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,800
Speaker 1: let him get to that third level. If you're a

546
00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,639
Speaker 1: JJ Watt to Zach Allen, Lucky Foe to whatever the

547
00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,840
Speaker 1: rotation on that defensive line, don't let that running back

548
00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,800
Speaker 1: get to the second and third level, which we did

549
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,960
Speaker 1: see you talk about responses. How does that d line

550
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,359
Speaker 1: respond after what the forty nine ers were able to

551
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:07,879
Speaker 1: do in that second half in Mexico City. Yeah, and

552
00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:09,760
Speaker 1: you know what, that really shouldn't have been a surprise.

553
00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:11,520
Speaker 1: I know, maybe it kind of looked like it the

554
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,399
Speaker 1: Cardinals defensively. When the Niners opened that second half, when

555
00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 1: then eight play touchdown drive went right down the field,

556
00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,720
Speaker 1: seven of them were runs. They did the exact same

557
00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,040
Speaker 1: thing the week before against the Chargers. They featured Elijah

558
00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,000
Speaker 1: Mitchell and a power run game in the second half

559
00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,119
Speaker 1: and they had a comeback win and they ended up

560
00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,600
Speaker 1: salting it away. So okay, And to me here, when

561
00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,680
Speaker 1: I watched from the sideline, you know, the Cardinals defensive

562
00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:40,560
Speaker 1: front is usually stout with JJ Watt and Zach Allen

563
00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:42,720
Speaker 1: ninety nine to ninety four. I think the big question,

564
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,520
Speaker 1: the big challenge is when you're bringing those defensive linemen

565
00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,080
Speaker 1: in and waves and you're getting you know, because you're

566
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 1: not playing them every single down, what's the drop off?

567
00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:53,400
Speaker 1: Once ninety nine to ninety four off the field, what

568
00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,800
Speaker 1: is the drop off? How fat is the offense getting

569
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,400
Speaker 1: against your backup defensive linement. We've seen turnover Michael Doggy

570
00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:01,680
Speaker 1: released again. He's been up, he's been down, he's been in,

571
00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:04,280
Speaker 1: he's been out. So they've been different guys. Tristan Hill

572
00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,640
Speaker 1: they acquired from the Cowboys, and so they've tried different

573
00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,520
Speaker 1: answers to plug up that interior d line, and you

574
00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,280
Speaker 1: know that's where depth has been an issue at times

575
00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,000
Speaker 1: for the Cardinals, and it really was an issue in

576
00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:19,280
Speaker 1: the elevation. The busiest guy in the sideline was the

577
00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:21,560
Speaker 1: guy with the oxygen tank. He was running around all

578
00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,640
Speaker 1: game long. And so thank goodness, they're back at home

579
00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:26,800
Speaker 1: sea level or pretty much, and they're not gonna have

580
00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:28,640
Speaker 1: to worry about your lungs nearly as much as you

581
00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:30,640
Speaker 1: did in Mexico City. If you're a big guy, did

582
00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,400
Speaker 1: you sneak a little of that oxygen on Monday night?

583
00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,600
Speaker 1: I did not ask following that game or even when

584
00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,000
Speaker 1: I saw you again on Tuesday, only hours after you

585
00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:44,400
Speaker 1: landed from Mexico City. But no sneak of the oxygen

586
00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,520
Speaker 1: at all. In a break halftime and the players are

587
00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,920
Speaker 1: on the in the locker room away from site. I

588
00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:52,560
Speaker 1: was too busy initially looking for an umbrella as no,

589
00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,120
Speaker 1: don't guess on how the rain happened, just the moment

590
00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,400
Speaker 1: right before, right as kickcoff happened. Sorry, Danny surrect. No

591
00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:00,960
Speaker 1: umbrellas in the sideline, so that that really was a joke.

592
00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:04,320
Speaker 1: But yeah, we were scrambling for rain. Ponchosh, my goodness, literally,

593
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,800
Speaker 1: I'm doing the pregame hit thirty seconds before kickoff and

594
00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,280
Speaker 1: it starts pouring. We're like, wait a minute, this wasn't

595
00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:11,960
Speaker 1: in the forecast. What's going on here? And totally hosed

596
00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,160
Speaker 1: by this? So no, but it was real. I mean,

597
00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:18,920
Speaker 1: you know, Antonia Hamilton told us in the Big Red Rage,

598
00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:22,120
Speaker 1: it's extremely real. The altitude, I don't think it was

599
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,400
Speaker 1: a game deciding factor. I don't think so either, And

600
00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:29,000
Speaker 1: I'm still not buying the forty nine ers. Every single

601
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,160
Speaker 1: knowledgeable expert when it comes to altitude training says it

602
00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,920
Speaker 1: takes at least ten days and probably closer to two

603
00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,880
Speaker 1: weeks of training and altitude for your body to see

604
00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:43,600
Speaker 1: any discernible benefit. So I know there was some postgame

605
00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:45,880
Speaker 1: quote that the Niners spent the money to go to

606
00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,800
Speaker 1: Colorado Springs from one of the Niners players. No, that

607
00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:53,920
Speaker 1: was not the difference in the game. In fact, if

608
00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:55,600
Speaker 1: you really want to be honest, you can't tell me.

609
00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:57,200
Speaker 1: A lot of those Niners players are what are we

610
00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,800
Speaker 1: doing out here in twenty degrees in Colorado Springs? We

611
00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:02,840
Speaker 1: could be back in Santa Clara, where it's pretty much

612
00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,280
Speaker 1: the same temperature as Arizona. So you know, to me,

613
00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,960
Speaker 1: that was not a deciding factor in the game whatsoever. No,

614
00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,280
Speaker 1: the better team won that game. Yes, more talented team,

615
00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:18,200
Speaker 1: a deeper team won that game on Monday. But this

616
00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,040
Speaker 1: Chargers team is not more talented. It's not deeper. I

617
00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:25,560
Speaker 1: do like the Cardinals chances though. It is a home game,

618
00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,480
Speaker 1: and dare I say, Paul, this team has not fared

619
00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:32,320
Speaker 1: well at home. Just one and five at State Farm Stadium.

620
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:36,400
Speaker 1: Only the Houston Texans have a worst home record, and

621
00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,160
Speaker 1: they have not won a single game at home. They

622
00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:43,880
Speaker 1: are oh four and one on their home field. The

623
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,000
Speaker 1: second time I've done this this week. Here we go. Ready,

624
00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,640
Speaker 1: this is the microphone bashing myself in the forehead. Yeah,

625
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:51,800
Speaker 1: I mean that's when you hear that you're one in

626
00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:53,960
Speaker 1: five at home, and that includes the Mexico City game.

627
00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:59,760
Speaker 1: It's unacceptable on every level. I don't care if you're

628
00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,560
Speaker 1: a four win team on the season. You got to

629
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:06,160
Speaker 1: be better at home. What is wrong? And this has

630
00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:10,120
Speaker 1: been going on for nearly two years. There needs to

631
00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:13,040
Speaker 1: be a deep dive. You talk about self scout. They

632
00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,120
Speaker 1: need to figure out what's going on at home, or

633
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:21,080
Speaker 1: more adroitly, what's not happening at home. What they need

634
00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,240
Speaker 1: to break tendencies, change the routine, whatever it is, because

635
00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:29,520
Speaker 1: there that is inexcusable to have that sort of record

636
00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:32,920
Speaker 1: at home, especially when you have you know, here's the

637
00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 1: other thing, like, you know, you have the turf. You

638
00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:36,040
Speaker 1: should be so grateful to play at home. I'm one

639
00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,000
Speaker 1: of the best plane surfaces in the NFL indoors, yeah,

640
00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,080
Speaker 1: I mean climate controlled. You know, we saw some of

641
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,000
Speaker 1: those injuries at the Rams game. Cardinals won, But like

642
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,600
Speaker 1: the zach ertz you know, nobody's saying it, but I

643
00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:51,440
Speaker 1: will that that turf not very forgiving, even though it's

644
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,880
Speaker 1: a six billion dollars stadium. I'm not sure that zach

645
00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:57,880
Speaker 1: ERT's injury happens at home, you know, so a natural

646
00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,440
Speaker 1: plane surface. Even Colt McCoy, you know he went down

647
00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,280
Speaker 1: and left that game ahead to come back back in.

648
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:06,440
Speaker 1: But so yeah, I don't know. It's maybe arguably, and

649
00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,880
Speaker 1: this is saying a lot, the biggest mystery of this

650
00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:12,360
Speaker 1: team right now, honestly is what is not clicking and

651
00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:17,120
Speaker 1: firing at home? Got three chances left at home, including

652
00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:20,200
Speaker 1: this Sunday, and this might be I wouldn't say the

653
00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:23,920
Speaker 1: best opportunity, but maybe the most important home game because

654
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,240
Speaker 1: it comes right before the bye week, and Paul, that

655
00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:31,480
Speaker 1: bye week can either be enjoyable or it can be miserable.

656
00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:35,680
Speaker 1: And I'm hoping that it is enjoyable because a win

657
00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,600
Speaker 1: doesn't cure everything, but it does make that extra week

658
00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,040
Speaker 1: off feel a whole heck of a lot better. And

659
00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:47,080
Speaker 1: the bye week looming can either be shall we say, inspiring,

660
00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,120
Speaker 1: or it can be distracting. There have been teams they've

661
00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,600
Speaker 1: already checked out. There have been teams who have already

662
00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,400
Speaker 1: been mentally on their bye week before the game kicks off.

663
00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,200
Speaker 1: You hope it'll loss on Monday night in a short

664
00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:04,000
Speaker 1: week and some of the other off field drama and

665
00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,920
Speaker 1: some of the stern warnings from the head coach will

666
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,640
Speaker 1: lock this team in and the focus will be there.

667
00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,160
Speaker 1: We'll see. But yes, you do have a bye week

668
00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:15,719
Speaker 1: straight ahead. Yes it's very late in the season. Yes,

669
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,760
Speaker 1: this team needs it more than ever. Seventy six different

670
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,960
Speaker 1: players have played for the years on our Cardinals this year,

671
00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:23,520
Speaker 1: the most of any team in the NFL. We all

672
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:28,480
Speaker 1: get it. But you know what, that bye week won't

673
00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:31,839
Speaker 1: be nearly as enjoyable and will seem too long for

674
00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,480
Speaker 1: too many of the wrong reasons. If you do lose

675
00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:36,640
Speaker 1: this game. And if you pick up where you left

676
00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:38,319
Speaker 1: off in the second half against the forty nine Ers,

677
00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,399
Speaker 1: and that's the way come out against the Chargers, you'll

678
00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,120
Speaker 1: get rolled again. Because the Chargers at very close losses

679
00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,600
Speaker 1: last two weeks to the Chiefs and the forty nine Ers,

680
00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,440
Speaker 1: and arguably should have had both those teams beat so

681
00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,400
Speaker 1: even depleted themselves in a lot of injuries, Brandon Staley

682
00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:54,880
Speaker 1: has found a way to keep his Chargers motivated and

683
00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,600
Speaker 1: locked in and they come to play. What is the response.

684
00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:00,960
Speaker 1: How motivated is this team? We will see on Sunday,

685
00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,839
Speaker 1: And I guarantee you this one thing. I guarantee neither

686
00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,680
Speaker 1: Paul Calvey see nor Craigory will have checked out. We

687
00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:10,440
Speaker 1: are not looking ahead to the bye week. There is

688
00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:15,160
Speaker 1: still much work to be done. Yeah, at least not yet.

689
00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,359
Speaker 1: We'll see, we'll see. You know, don't give us back

690
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,240
Speaker 1: at halftime. No, don't give us reason too. That's the point.

691
00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,919
Speaker 1: And you know what, the crowd wants to get into

692
00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:26,600
Speaker 1: the game. Give them reason to be a factor, give

693
00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:30,279
Speaker 1: them a reason to become the home field advantage. Come out,

694
00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:33,480
Speaker 1: give them some inspired play, some production right from the

695
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,799
Speaker 1: get go. Instead of lulling them to sleep, you know,

696
00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,799
Speaker 1: and that's where, you know, I think it feeds on itself.

697
00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:42,440
Speaker 1: And so you know, if we as we try and

698
00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,560
Speaker 1: diagnose and discern what exactly is going on with the

699
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:48,160
Speaker 1: home losing streak, slow starts at home sort of nullify

700
00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:51,600
Speaker 1: the home field advantage because the crowd never just sit

701
00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:53,920
Speaker 1: there and they're restless, and or you get boot off

702
00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:57,160
Speaker 1: the field at halftime. So if you can somehow get

703
00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,440
Speaker 1: the fans to get into it from the get go,

704
00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:01,600
Speaker 1: I think that would go a long way. Because I'll

705
00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:03,440
Speaker 1: tell you this much, especially in that first half in

706
00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,200
Speaker 1: Mexico City, it was like a soccer crowd. I mean

707
00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,000
Speaker 1: they were just constantly making noise and it was energizing.

708
00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,319
Speaker 1: It really did have a playoff atmosphere until the game

709
00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,680
Speaker 1: got out of hand, and that was just based on

710
00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,120
Speaker 1: the crowd and the energy they were bringing. Don't fall behind.

711
00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,040
Speaker 1: Give the crowd, to your point, Paul, something to cheer

712
00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,760
Speaker 1: for and stay on their feet. The entire game again,

713
00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:27,360
Speaker 1: kickoff coming up at two oh five on Sunday nine thirty.

714
00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:31,080
Speaker 1: Pregame coverage begins on the Arizona Cardinals Radio network. And

715
00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:32,960
Speaker 1: on that note, we will put a lid on. This

716
00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,960
Speaker 1: edition of Cardinals Covered Two, presented by Hunday, proud partner

717
00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,920
Speaker 1: of the Arizona Cardinals, has always special thanks to our

718
00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:42,160
Speaker 1: executive producer Jim Alma hundred for Paul Calvci, I'm quick

719
00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:44,000
Speaker 1: rail Loop. We'll talk to you next time here on

720
00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:45,239
Speaker 1: Cardinals Covered two