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Speaker 1: It's time to get inside the Giants Hut. Let's Giants,

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Speaker 1: Giants give me some jobs. Part of the Giants Podcast Networks.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to another edition of the Giants Huddle podcast, brought

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Speaker 2: to you by Citizens, the official bank of the New

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Speaker 2: York Football Giants, our usual Friday podcast.

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Speaker 1: I'll look ahead to.

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Speaker 2: The Rams and Giants a little game preview for Sunday afternoon.

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Speaker 2: Bob Popers Always will talk to the head coach of

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Speaker 2: the Giants, Brian Dable, Lance Metal talks with the play

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Speaker 2: by play man for the Rams, and I will talk

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Speaker 2: to Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. Let's start there, and

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Speaker 2: now we're joined by Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence dex Hawaii.

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Speaker 3: Mean, how you doing.

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Speaker 2: I'm doing great. Let's start here. How's the hamstrik feeling.

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Speaker 2: I know it's something you've been gonna dealing with the

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Speaker 2: last few weeks.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, he's getting better weekly, still battling through it. But uh,

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Speaker 3: you know, if I if I feel good, I'm gonna play.

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Speaker 3: Won't be there for my guys.

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Speaker 1: So now I went back.

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Speaker 2: That was the first NFL game you had to miss

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Speaker 2: due to an injury?

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Speaker 3: Correct?

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Speaker 1: Was it weird.

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Speaker 3: I mean not necessary because like I missed like a

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Speaker 3: COVID game, and then like last year we like sat

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Speaker 3: out a game, so I mean, and then college I

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Speaker 3: missed a couple for injury. But it wasn't like it

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Speaker 3: was it was.

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Speaker 1: It was more.

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Speaker 3: It's just different, I say, you know, just listening to

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Speaker 3: coach get a call because I don't have a green dot,

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Speaker 3: so listening to coach get a call and watching him

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Speaker 3: run the like run running play and stuff like that,

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Speaker 3: So it was different.

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Speaker 2: The headset on the sideline did was that what you

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Speaker 2: imagined it would be like wearing the green dot?

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Speaker 3: Or I think I was a little more stressed because

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Speaker 3: because I wasn't out there running it, I knew the call,

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Speaker 3: so did you hear it?

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Speaker 1: Like that's funny.

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Speaker 2: What has it been like trying to manage a soft

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Speaker 2: tissue injury as opposed to trying to fight through like

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Speaker 2: a joint thing where you can kind of fight through it.

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Speaker 2: But I was talking to Andrew last week and he

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Speaker 2: was just telling me like, look, I've dealt with feet

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Speaker 2: and ankles and these and hamstringer's just different.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you just never know. You feel good and then

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Speaker 3: one once bad step or one bad stride. You know,

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Speaker 3: it just flares back up in a sense, so you

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Speaker 3: just never know until you know kind of thing. And

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Speaker 3: you know, I've just been trying to be smart about it,

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Speaker 3: you know, stay available pretty much.

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Speaker 1: And your snaps have been down a little bit.

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Speaker 2: Have you noticed you have a little bit more juice

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Speaker 2: late in the games playing on versus eighty, which is

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Speaker 2: what you were doing before.

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Speaker 3: Honestly, I think I feel more tired, really yeah, playing

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Speaker 3: less snaps, I don't know, I don't know what it is,

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Speaker 3: but I think I catch my second win playing more snaps.

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Speaker 2: Do you feel like you have your all your explosion

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Speaker 2: or are you do? You have to talk and so

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Speaker 2: back because to your point with the hampshing, you just

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Speaker 2: don't know. Once you open up, it can go to any.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not, like like I said, I'm not one

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Speaker 3: hundred percent, So I can't, you know, do all the

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Speaker 3: natural movements that I normally do, because you know, if

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Speaker 3: I do step wrong, you know, I would try it

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Speaker 3: in the beginning of the game, but then I feel

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Speaker 3: it step wrong, so I gotta modify a little bit.

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Speaker 3: But you know, I've been you know, just trying to

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Speaker 3: continue to play well, absolutely.

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Speaker 2: You talked to cral Banks last week and you talked

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Speaker 2: about how it's been a little bit different without Leo

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Speaker 2: here in what ways for you?

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Speaker 1: Is it different?

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Speaker 2: Put me in Dexter Lawrence's shoes on the field with

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Speaker 2: Leo thea versus without him. What are some of the

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Speaker 2: different things offenses are doing to you since they don't

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Speaker 2: have to account for who's one of the better three

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Speaker 2: technique pass rushers in the league.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, so right, like passworuts wise, you know, just having

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Speaker 3: a guy that they feared that three technique so they

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Speaker 3: got to pay attention to that. Now it was just

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Speaker 3: more you know, sliding pinching on me. You know, I

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Speaker 3: might get a chip here and there, But like it's

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Speaker 3: all the things that you know I've seen when he

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Speaker 3: was here, you know, it's just amplified more frequently. Yeah, yeah, now.

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Speaker 1: That makes sense.

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Speaker 2: Do you enjoy rushing the passer over the center or

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Speaker 2: and again, I know you'll do whatever the team ask

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Speaker 2: your team guy, but just purely from a pass rush

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Speaker 2: production standpoint, for you, do you prefer to be over

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Speaker 2: the center or do you think you would actually becoming

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Speaker 2: even better pass rusher with a little bit more space

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Speaker 2: playing more three technique on passing downs.

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Speaker 3: I like the phone booth inside, but like you said,

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Speaker 3: at three is a little more space, a little more time.

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Speaker 3: But honestly, I think I think at three you it's

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Speaker 3: it's like, I don't know, because teams throw that damn

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Speaker 3: ball so fast. So it's like, if I'm at No's,

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Speaker 3: I'm on that center now.

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Speaker 1: You're actually further away from the quarterback.

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Speaker 3: Yeah at three. Yeah, So like when I'm at three,

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Speaker 3: I'm like, I'm either if he sits back deep, I'm

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Speaker 3: just now maybe getting a contact and he's throwing it

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Speaker 3: type of thing. So it depends, Uh, it depends on

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Speaker 3: what I feel that week pretty much.

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Speaker 2: So do you feel like you can attack the center

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Speaker 2: a little bit, snap into where you can kind of

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Speaker 2: take advantage of maybe not getting his hands up quick enough.

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Speaker 3: After getting centers punched me in the face sometimes piss

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Speaker 3: me off, so they get that hand up quick. But

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Speaker 3: like you said, it's like the contact point is quicker,

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Speaker 3: so you know, the moves are quicker, you know, the

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Speaker 3: reaction is quicker.

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Speaker 2: Talk about one of the guys that stepped in for Leonard.

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Speaker 2: We've seen Ashan Robinson snaps go up. I mean I

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Speaker 2: watched the All twenty two the Endzo Angle every week,

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Speaker 2: and he has been dynamite against the Run this year.

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Speaker 2: How can you tell a little bit about what a

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Speaker 2: good job he's.

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Speaker 3: Done against He's destroying, destroying the run. You know, his

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Speaker 3: mon says just he's just he's just angry and I

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Speaker 3: and I and I like it. Uh, you know, I

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Speaker 3: hear him talk to himself before the game, give stuff

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Speaker 3: going like his his mom says, just always just to

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Speaker 3: go and destroy and you know, have his brother's bag

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Speaker 3: and you know him and Nacho and even Jordan's stepping

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Speaker 3: up too. So you know, it's just good to see, like,

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Speaker 3: you know, everybody, the younger guy feeding off all the

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Speaker 3: all the older guys in the room, you know, just

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Speaker 3: to have that good you know, that good culture in

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Speaker 3: the room. And you know, bringing guys in like a

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Speaker 3: Nacho just helped it amplifying from more.

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Speaker 2: I was asked on Nacho, but he has, you know,

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Speaker 2: is very boisterous personality. Schean's kind of more quiet and

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Speaker 2: to himself and very intense, right, But it seems like

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Speaker 2: Nacho when he gets going, like you start talking, and

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Speaker 2: it seems like contrast their personalities a little bit when

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Speaker 2: like in game.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, he got like a little energizer buddy that he

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Speaker 3: just don't stop. And you know that's contagious and guys

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Speaker 3: feed off that. I definitely feed off that. So just

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Speaker 3: you know, having those guys in the room, you know,

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Speaker 3: just you know, just brings a different thing, brings a

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Speaker 3: different like attitude. You know, when Lennard was here, it

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Speaker 3: was it was the same thing. But then now you

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Speaker 3: got more vets in the room, you know, more more leaders,

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Speaker 3: you know, so it's all it's all relative.

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Speaker 2: I'm sure you guys highlighted the Riley's just moving Jason

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Speaker 2: Kelsey last week and making a nice tackle for loss, right,

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Speaker 2: how is he and DJ coming along and kind of

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Speaker 2: what do you foresee their best roles moving forward as

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Speaker 2: part of this defensive line?

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Speaker 3: Even Yeah, Davante DJ you call him, Yeah, he like

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Speaker 3: when he's going, he can go. You know, just he

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Speaker 3: could play three end those pretty well. And you know

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Speaker 3: he's a guy that you know when he's strong and

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Speaker 3: once he when he continued to believe in himself and

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Speaker 3: keeps wanting to go, it's gonna be a problem. And

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Speaker 3: Jordan's just a man, just a monster, like he's just

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Speaker 3: a massive human being. He's about he's bigger than me. Yeah,

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Speaker 3: he's bigger than me. Uh but you know, just once

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Speaker 3: when when he gets it clicking, you know, continues to

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Speaker 3: master's craft, learn the position. He's gonna be an animal.

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Speaker 2: And you could talk about you specifically, other room in general,

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Speaker 2: whatever you want. How does Andre Patterson, your defensive line coach,

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Speaker 2: help elevate all you guys and and really teach those

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Speaker 2: young guys the craft?

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Speaker 1: And there was a craft to it, right.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, he's a master and you know he you know,

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Speaker 3: one day, I'm sure he probably go in the Hall

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Speaker 3: of Fame.

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Speaker 1: He deserves it.

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Speaker 3: He deserves it for sure. And you know he, like

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Speaker 3: you said, he does a good job just teaching us,

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Speaker 3: helping us learn, you know, what we get in here,

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Speaker 3: how we should attack this. You know, he just breaks

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Speaker 3: the game down to like almost you don't know what

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Speaker 3: you're talking like, you don't know the position, you know

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Speaker 3: what I mean? And he helps us craft it. You know,

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Speaker 3: he helps us build that confidence. We wrap it, we

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Speaker 3: wrap it, we wrap it. You know, continues to give

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Speaker 3: us that confidence and we learn how to counter. He

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Speaker 3: just yeah, he's a good coach, he's great.

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Speaker 2: How much of your kind of jumped beginning last year,

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Speaker 2: or maybe you didn't think he made a jump. Had

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Speaker 2: to do with your just natural improving in progression, playing

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Speaker 2: more and more in the league. And how much was

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Speaker 2: it him coming in and maybe teaching you some new stuff,

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Speaker 2: whether it's use of your hands or whatever.

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Speaker 3: I think it's it's I think it's a master of both,

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Speaker 3: because you know, through my rookie year, my goal was

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Speaker 3: every year, learn my position, learn my position, get better

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Speaker 3: with my hands.

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Speaker 1: Do it.

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Speaker 3: And then like the year he came in, you know,

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Speaker 3: he continued to and like put that in my brain

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Speaker 3: to just take it one step at the time, go

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Speaker 3: your hands, goes your hands, now work this, work this,

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Speaker 3: and then everything else just became like all all the

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Speaker 3: little stuff that you think about in the beginning just

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Speaker 3: came natural. And now you're just going and flowing. You're

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Speaker 3: not thinking anymore. You just going type of thing. So,

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Speaker 3: you know, he did he did a good job helping

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Speaker 3: me in a sense, just helping me continue to learn

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Speaker 3: how to use my strength, use my power land you know,

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Speaker 3: you know, keep keep that motor going type of thing.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely.

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Speaker 2: Team wise, you guys only had two sacks the last

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Speaker 2: two weeks, how do you start getting that number pumped

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Speaker 2: up a little bit?

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Speaker 1: Last two games?

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Speaker 3: We just gotta we gotta do better, you know. I think,

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Speaker 3: you know, rushing coverage works together. So you know we're

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Speaker 3: not getting a good rush, then you know they can

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Speaker 3: complete easy balls. We're not getting good coverage. Then he's

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Speaker 3: you know, he's throwing the ball pretty quick. So you know,

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Speaker 3: it all works together. And I think we all just

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Speaker 3: gotta be on one key and do our jobs to

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Speaker 3: the best abilities.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, never game is different.

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Speaker 2: Right, two weeks ago the Saints, we're getting the ball

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Speaker 2: out quick, super quick, right, And then last week against Philly,

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Speaker 2: you guys might have had your highest boozer rate of

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Speaker 2: the year. You guys are bringing five a similating pressures

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Speaker 2: And I thought, Jalen, you know, bawling from clean pockets

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Speaker 2: sometimes other than you guys are a good job.

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Speaker 1: Confusion.

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Speaker 3: You gotta finish, That's what it is. We gotta finish.

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Speaker 2: But does all the blitzeing this what was gonna ask you?

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Speaker 2: Does that almost make it tougher to get a sack

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Speaker 2: because the quarterback sees the extra men and that kind

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Speaker 2: of says, all right, I got to get this ball

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Speaker 2: out of here, so you guys have less time to

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Speaker 2: actually get home.

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Speaker 3: Yeah and yeah, so there's other ways to affect the quarterback,

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Speaker 3: you know, with a bad at ball or you know,

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Speaker 3: getting the lineman by his feet, you know, just just

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Speaker 3: being being hitting him, you know once when he throw

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Speaker 3: the ball, you know you got to step in the half,

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Speaker 3: so hit him. You know. So it's always a sack

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Speaker 3: is you know, it is like a sack. It's hard

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Speaker 3: to get a sack.

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Speaker 1: It's really impactful, but a lot of it's out of

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Speaker 1: your conu.

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Speaker 3: Yeah right, yeah, so everything has to go well that

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Speaker 3: play for you to get a sacked pretty much. And

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Speaker 3: you know, so it's other ways that we have to

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Speaker 3: do better effecting the quarterback.

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Speaker 1: No, absolutely, run defense.

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Speaker 2: I think over one hundred and twenty yards rushing six

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Speaker 2: out of the last seven. But it looks like a

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Speaker 2: lot of that is all right, We'll give a couple

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Speaker 2: of runs here or there if we can prevent the

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Speaker 2: big plays down the field. Right, So how much of

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Speaker 2: that is balancing those two factors with bringing extra guys

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Speaker 2: in the box.

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Speaker 1: How much is it? You guys just need to do

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Speaker 1: a better job up front. How do you evaluate what

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Speaker 1: the run defense has been the last month and a

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Speaker 1: half or so.

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Speaker 3: We just got to tackle. I think that's the biggest thing.

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Speaker 3: You know. We get good penetration, we get you know,

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Speaker 3: guys come to the ball. We just gotta tackle better.

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Speaker 1: It's that simple.

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Speaker 3: Huh. Yeah.

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Speaker 2: All let's talk about the opponent real quick this week.

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Speaker 2: Rams offensive line, they've done a nice job the second

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Speaker 2: half of the year. What do you see when you

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Speaker 2: look at that group as a whole.

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Speaker 3: They work, they work well together, you know, but we

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Speaker 3: just got to attack you know, the weaknesses of the

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Speaker 3: offense and you know, just be physical with them and

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Speaker 3: put our hands on them and you know, make them

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Speaker 3: feel us early and often, and you know, hit Matthew

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Speaker 3: before he gets going because he probably be a Hall

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Speaker 3: of Famer one day. And he's flying right yeah, right, yeah,

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Speaker 3: he's having he having a good second hand.

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Speaker 2: And you talk about being tough to sack people. Everything

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Speaker 2: has to go right. He's one of those quarterbacks.

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Speaker 3: He got a side on him.

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Speaker 1: He can do all the arm angles.

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Speaker 4: Right.

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Speaker 2: I think they have the third lowest sackering in the

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Speaker 2: league out this year. A lot of that is the

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Speaker 2: quarterback in Stafford, right.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, he gets it out quick. He sees the pressure

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Speaker 3: or he sees he's he steps up in the pocket

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Speaker 3: or something like that. And he got a lot of

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Speaker 3: checkdown routes that he likes to hit. So you got

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Speaker 3: to do good with covering him and condensing the pocket.

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Speaker 3: Don't let him feel comfortable back there.

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Speaker 1: Kyan Williams are running back.

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Speaker 2: This is why I kind of love the NFL because

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Speaker 2: you can do this in a million different ways. Like

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Speaker 2: you said, Kyen Williams next to Derek Henry, you will be.

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Speaker 1: Like, how do these guys play the same position? They

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Speaker 1: look completely different?

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Speaker 5: Right?

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Speaker 2: What is it about Kyon Williams that makes him effective

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Speaker 2: running back? Watching him on tape from a defensive lineman's perspective.

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Speaker 3: He's quick, he can read a gap really well. He's

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Speaker 3: a strong runner. I think that's I think that's what

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Speaker 3: makes him good. You know, he got a good vision

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Speaker 3: and he cussed back. He gets some good cutback lanes,

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Speaker 3: and you know, and he breaks tackles. So I think

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Speaker 3: that's that's that would make them pretty good.

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Speaker 2: Maybe not for a defensive lineman, maybe more for a linebacker.

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Speaker 2: Can you lose sometimes those five nine guys by the

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Speaker 2: up behind the offensive lineman and you almost lose track.

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Speaker 1: Of where they are because they are a little bit smaller.

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Speaker 3: Rarely okay, yeah, rarely, Yeah, fair enough.

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Speaker 2: Final question, Aaron Donald puts the same positions you. I

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Speaker 2: know you don't scout him, but do you ever? And

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Speaker 2: you guys again, much like the running back conversation, you guys,

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Speaker 2: body type is very different. You kind of play ones

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Speaker 2: more of it, nose ones, more of a three tech, right,

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Speaker 2: But do you watch him and do you say, wow,

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Speaker 2: this is some of the stuff he's doing.

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Speaker 1: Maybe I can incorporate some of the stuff into my game.

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Speaker 3: I mean, you can't watch him. You can't. You can't

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Speaker 3: watch him. He's an animal.

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Speaker 4: You know.

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Speaker 3: It's little things that you can obviously pick up on,

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Speaker 3: like his hands, his hand placements is really good all

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Speaker 3: the time. The way he manipulate the offensive lineman's shoulder

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Speaker 3: pass so you can you can translate. But his feet,

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Speaker 3: his his quickness, you know, his strength like freaks out,

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Speaker 3: his freaks out. He's smart, you know what I mean.

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Speaker 3: So it's like, yeah, so you can't really get that,

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Speaker 3: but you can obviously pick up on like little technique

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Speaker 3: things that like when you watching them.

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Speaker 2: Have you guys grown closer at all over the years,

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Speaker 2: do you talk about interesting dexter is fun man? Best

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Speaker 2: luck the rest of the year. And you know, obviously

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Speaker 2: you're out of the playoffs. But how does that impact

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Speaker 2: you guys in the locker?

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Speaker 1: But all is that? Does that even bother you guys

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Speaker 1: at all? Do you care?

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Speaker 4: No?

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Speaker 3: I think you know, when when you hear that you

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Speaker 3: have the playoffs, I think your your mindset changes to

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Speaker 3: you know, now you got different goals that you want

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Speaker 3: to achieve in. Everybody have their different goals and team

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Speaker 3: goes is you know, we can win more games than

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Speaker 3: we did last year at home, you know what I mean?

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Speaker 3: We can be better in the division than we were

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Speaker 3: last year.

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Speaker 1: So and beat Eagles is always a priority, exactly sure.

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Speaker 3: So I think I think your mindset changes and you

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Speaker 3: got to, you know, find that new motivation, you know

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Speaker 3: what I mean. And that's that's all being.

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Speaker 1: A pros that good stuff I found. I appreciate it.

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Speaker 6: You love turf, You're good at it. So you start

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Speaker 6: a turf fiz business grows, your savings grow, become the

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Speaker 6: most celebrated name in turf. Are you ready for all

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Speaker 6: that life brings?

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Speaker 2: The Giants Total podcast is brought to you by Citizens,

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Speaker 2: the official bank of the Giants from game data. Every day,

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Speaker 2: Citizens is made ready for Giants fans with insights, guidance

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00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,240
Speaker 2: and solutions. Learn more citizens Bank dot Com. Great stuff

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Speaker 2: from Dexter there. Now, let's turn our attention to the Rams.

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Speaker 2: Lance Medow had a chance to talk to JB. Long,

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Speaker 2: the voice of the Rams.

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Speaker 5: The Giants in Rams square off at Medlife Stadium on

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Speaker 5: Sunday as New York looks to snap a three game

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Speaker 5: skit against LA. They last met in twenty twenty one

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Speaker 5: in New Jersey, when the Rams then went on to

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Speaker 5: win the Super Bowl. Hell break down Sean mcvay's squad.

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Speaker 5: We're now joined by the play by play announcer on

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Speaker 5: the Rams Radio network, none other than JB.

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Speaker 7: Long.

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Speaker 4: JB.

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Speaker 5: You got Lance Meto here on Giants dot Com. Always

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Speaker 5: good to speak with you, hopeol as well. How's everything

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Speaker 5: on your end?

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Speaker 8: Yeah, it was a great holiday with the family and friends.

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Speaker 8: Hopefully the same for you. I was actually reflecting on

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Speaker 8: our preseason chat, you know, kind of looking ahead of

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Speaker 8: the twenty twenty three Giants and Rams. Not what either

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Speaker 8: of us expected back in August or September whenever that

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Speaker 8: was right.

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Speaker 4: I think that's a great way to sum things up.

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Speaker 5: We were talking about the Rams youth movement and maybe

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Speaker 5: a lot of people skeptical about that group and the

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Speaker 5: Giants trying to build off a playoff spot, and it

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Speaker 5: is headed in opposite directions. And that's why I want

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Speaker 5: to start with the Rams turnaround here since the bye

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Speaker 5: week five and one, three and six, before the buye

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Speaker 5: the only loss coming to arguably the best team in

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Speaker 5: the league right now, Baltimore in overtime. If you had

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Speaker 5: to pin on one particular facet JB as to what

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Speaker 5: is ignited this turnaround, what would it be?

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Speaker 8: You know, at this moment in NFL time, It's a

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Speaker 8: strange thing to say, but I actually think it's the

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Speaker 8: running back Kyron Williams, and whether or not it's him

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Speaker 8: individually or his play energy, his efficiency. I think he's

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Speaker 8: instilled the best in Sean mcvay's his play caller, in

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Speaker 8: Matthew Stafford as his quarterback. Statistically, they're a sent aligned

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Speaker 8: perfectly with his return from an ankle injury coming off

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Speaker 8: injured reserve. But I appreciate the fact that I'm saying

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Speaker 8: that to a Saquon Barkley New York Giants audience right,

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Speaker 8: and at a moment in NFL thought process with the

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Speaker 8: Zeitgei says that running backs don't matter. I understand the

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Speaker 8: metrics behind that, but I think in this particular instance,

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Speaker 8: there is no substitute for Tyron Williams and the Rams offense.

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Speaker 8: And whether or not it's him individually making the best

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Speaker 8: of his opportunity or just bringing out the best of

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Speaker 8: the other ten around him plus his coaching staff, I

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Speaker 8: think he's the one that is really drawing out the Rams'

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Speaker 8: best performances of the season.

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Speaker 5: Understandable considering he has four one hundred yard games in

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Speaker 5: the last five, including three straight. Certainly a player the

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Speaker 5: Giant's going to have to keep close tabs on. The

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Speaker 5: other thing related to that JB that I find interesting,

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Speaker 5: Cooper Cupp, Kuka Kakua, and Tyron Williams have only been

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Speaker 5: on the field together for seven games this season, which

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Speaker 5: is about half the year. And the Giants can relate

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Speaker 5: to this because they've been plagued by a lot of

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Speaker 5: injuries and we know Cupp was recovering from his injury

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Speaker 5: last season. We just talked about Williams being on ir

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Speaker 5: how much then is this a product of this team

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Speaker 5: really getting a feel for itself, specifically on offense because

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Speaker 5: they have not had all of their weapons at their disposal.

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Speaker 8: Here you mentioned at the start of this conversation the

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Speaker 8: history the recent series history Giants and Rams, and I

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Speaker 8: think when Giants fans see this iteration of Sean mcvay's offense,

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Speaker 8: it will similar but at once completely different. He has

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Speaker 8: married up the run in the pass games, much like

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Speaker 8: he did with Jared Goff and Todd Gurley, and they're

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Speaker 8: really strong, championship worthy teams of seventeen eighteen and beyond.

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Speaker 8: But the way they run the football, the way they

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Speaker 8: pre snap motion is much much different. And I think

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Speaker 8: what you're touching on is exactly right. It took all

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Speaker 8: the coaches, including to play coler Sean McVay, a stretch

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Speaker 8: of time to acclimate to everything they have at their

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Speaker 8: disposal this season, but now I think they really hit

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Speaker 8: their stride where everything pre snap looks the same. I

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Speaker 8: don't know, having watched every snap of the season, whether

442
00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,919
Speaker 8: they're going to run or pass. They're even breaking some

443
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,480
Speaker 8: of their most recent tendencies, like running out of the

444
00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,760
Speaker 8: shotgun against the Saints, which is something they seldom do,

445
00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:46,400
Speaker 8: so I think they're in a really prime position with

446
00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:49,760
Speaker 8: those those three weapons who talked about Cooper Cup, Phukinakua,

447
00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,280
Speaker 8: and Kyron Williams, all who have been battling nagging injuries themselves,

448
00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,639
Speaker 8: now taking advantage of this mini by and nine days

449
00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,959
Speaker 8: between games to be as healthy as you could expect

450
00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,400
Speaker 8: any roster to be this deep in December.

451
00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,920
Speaker 5: Only two players on the injury report as we're recording

452
00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:07,560
Speaker 5: this on Thursday afternoon.

453
00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:08,800
Speaker 4: That is quite remarkable.

454
00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,639
Speaker 5: The Giants had a later buy than the Rams and

455
00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,160
Speaker 5: they're much more beat up. So if that doesn't put

456
00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,680
Speaker 5: things in perspective, I don't know what does. I want

457
00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,280
Speaker 5: to focus on playing the trenches because I think all

458
00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,560
Speaker 5: of these other weapons are feeding off of the stability

459
00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,840
Speaker 5: up front and JB. If we go back to a

460
00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:28,560
Speaker 5: conversation you and I would have had in twenty twenty two,

461
00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,040
Speaker 5: we certainly would not have been commending the state of

462
00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:32,040
Speaker 5: the offensive line.

463
00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,880
Speaker 4: It's remarkable just the sack numbers.

464
00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,040
Speaker 5: Twenty eight sacks allowed, fourth fewest in the NFL fifty

465
00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,760
Speaker 5: nine last season, third most, and they obviously were hit

466
00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:43,679
Speaker 5: by a lot of injuries. It was a game of

467
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:48,639
Speaker 5: musical shares. How did they put together such an impressive

468
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:52,600
Speaker 5: turnaround upfront in a relatively short period of time.

469
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:54,560
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think you teased out a lot of the

470
00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,680
Speaker 8: crucial elements. The vast majority of it is just good

471
00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,760
Speaker 8: fortune luck with respect to injury. I think they started

472
00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,600
Speaker 8: twelve different combinations in their first twelve games last season.

473
00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,480
Speaker 8: Offensive line is as much about continuity as it is talent,

474
00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,880
Speaker 8: and thankfully they've upgraded their talent, especially guard to guard.

475
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,080
Speaker 8: I'll talk about those two in a second, but mostly

476
00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:15,240
Speaker 8: it's being able to start the same group of five

477
00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:18,159
Speaker 8: more often than not, and having a sixth offensive lineman

478
00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,479
Speaker 8: in Joe Nopoom, who they actually paid to be their

479
00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,560
Speaker 8: left tackle of the future. He's been able to play

480
00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,520
Speaker 8: a whole bunch of spots backing up the five starters

481
00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,960
Speaker 8: on the offensive line, and that's been a great break

482
00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:31,280
Speaker 8: glass in case of emergency lever that Sean McVay and

483
00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,920
Speaker 8: staff have been able to pull. But I think two

484
00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,359
Speaker 8: men in particular Warrant mentioned here, Steve Avila, their first

485
00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:40,720
Speaker 8: pick of this draft class, has been a plug and

486
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,280
Speaker 8: play left guard, and then Kevin Dotson, who they acquired

487
00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,640
Speaker 8: deep in the summer in a swap of late round

488
00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,280
Speaker 8: picks with the Pittsburgh Steelers has been instrumental. He might

489
00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,919
Speaker 8: be a Pro Bowl guard, and if so, he'll be

490
00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,760
Speaker 8: the first of the Sean McVay era. So guard to guard,

491
00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,000
Speaker 8: they're bigger, they're stronger, they come at you downhill. And

492
00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,719
Speaker 8: I think, in addition to paving the way for Kiring Williams,

493
00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,120
Speaker 8: what that means for Matthew Stafford, who's not the fleetest

494
00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:06,439
Speaker 8: to foot, is he's had a lot more room to

495
00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:09,359
Speaker 8: step up in the pocket and to play the second

496
00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,840
Speaker 8: and the third look because his feet are clean and

497
00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:14,639
Speaker 8: that was definitely not the case last year when he

498
00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,760
Speaker 8: was knocked out the midway point of the season, and.

499
00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,240
Speaker 4: His numbers reflect that too.

500
00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,719
Speaker 5: I want to turn to Matthew Stafford because ten touchdowns,

501
00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,840
Speaker 5: no interceptions the last four games.

502
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:25,720
Speaker 4: He seems to be really clicking.

503
00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:29,000
Speaker 5: Though he did miss a game earlier this season, before

504
00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,920
Speaker 5: the buy against the Packers with a strained ligament in

505
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:35,560
Speaker 5: his right thumb. How much has this coincided JB with

506
00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:39,080
Speaker 5: him now having enough time to recover from that injury,

507
00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,439
Speaker 5: or is this more of a product of what we

508
00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,320
Speaker 5: were going back to earlier that now he has all

509
00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,159
Speaker 5: of his weapons around him, and it's understandable that the

510
00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,200
Speaker 5: numbers look that much more impressive.

511
00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:50,880
Speaker 8: Yeah, I think it's one of those answers that can

512
00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,119
Speaker 8: be c or D all of the above, and it

513
00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,719
Speaker 8: really has taken all of those elements coming together. The

514
00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,240
Speaker 8: injury suffered to his thumb was actually in a blowout

515
00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,959
Speaker 8: loss in Dallas on a two point conversion where he

516
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,400
Speaker 8: actually caught a pass from receiver to two at well

517
00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,280
Speaker 8: and I remember asking Sean McVay in our postgame conversation,

518
00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,000
Speaker 8: how's it look, and the answer was not good. I

519
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,399
Speaker 8: think that Sunday, flying home from Dallas, they thought that

520
00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,639
Speaker 8: was probably going to require surgery and that would be

521
00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,280
Speaker 8: it for Matthew Stafford in twenty twenty three, the next day,

522
00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:21,600
Speaker 8: the report was better than they had hoped and that

523
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,119
Speaker 8: kept their season alive. Yes, they did go and lose

524
00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,800
Speaker 8: that game in Green Bay, which actually led to the

525
00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,040
Speaker 8: signing of Carson Wentz to be the backup. But Matthew

526
00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,360
Speaker 8: Stafford has been playing through pain and I think has

527
00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,080
Speaker 8: been playing the best stretch of his NFL career. And

528
00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,400
Speaker 8: I don't say that lightly, but the decision making has

529
00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,440
Speaker 8: been superb. The way he's seen the field, progressing through

530
00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,639
Speaker 8: his options, utilizing all five of his eligibles, and most importantly,

531
00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,400
Speaker 8: keeping the ball out of trouble in the pocket. He's

532
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,560
Speaker 8: been clean. His turnover worthy play metric from Pro Football

533
00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,399
Speaker 8: Focus is as low as it's ever been, and I

534
00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,680
Speaker 8: think he and Sean McVay now in year three are

535
00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,880
Speaker 8: as in sync as you could reasonably expect. They won

536
00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:03,800
Speaker 8: a Super Bowl together in year one, they were derailed

537
00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,600
Speaker 8: by injury in year two, But now I think they

538
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,840
Speaker 8: have this institutional knowledge built in which is allowing Stafford's

539
00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,280
Speaker 8: unique individual talent to really ride to the surface. And

540
00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,640
Speaker 8: I think his prime has been extended because of it.

541
00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:18,560
Speaker 8: I think he's got another year at least here in

542
00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,680
Speaker 8: Los Angeles, and maybe many beyond that to add to

543
00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,280
Speaker 8: what is now emerging as a Hall of Fame capable resume.

544
00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:25,360
Speaker 4: We're talking with JB.

545
00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:28,280
Speaker 5: Long, Rams radio play by play announcer as we get

546
00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,320
Speaker 5: set for the Giants and Rams at Midlife Stadium on Sunday.

547
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:33,960
Speaker 5: Let's switch to the defensive side of the ball, because

548
00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,040
Speaker 5: it goes back to the conversation you alluded to earlier

549
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,399
Speaker 5: that we had this offseason when we had you on

550
00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,919
Speaker 5: to preview all the upcoming Giants opponents, and I know

551
00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:44,720
Speaker 5: the major storyline was you look at the defense and

552
00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,280
Speaker 5: outside of Aaron Donald, I think maybe to even Rams fans,

553
00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,000
Speaker 5: not a lot of recognizable names because it was a

554
00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:54,600
Speaker 5: relatively young roster and oil boy JB. I would say

555
00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,440
Speaker 5: this unit, I think has exceeded expectations. And I want

556
00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,960
Speaker 5: to start up front because it's one thing to see

557
00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,480
Speaker 5: Iron Donald's production, It's then another thing to see guys

558
00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,960
Speaker 5: around him take advantage of him being doubled and tripled.

559
00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,520
Speaker 5: And two third round picks Kobe Turner Byron Young at

560
00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:14,000
Speaker 5: different levels of this defense combining for twelve and a

561
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,760
Speaker 5: half sacks is I think a very nice, pleasant surprise.

562
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:22,840
Speaker 5: How much has this rookie class, specifically on the defensive side,

563
00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:26,240
Speaker 5: come to play and that has been the ultimate X factor.

564
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:28,600
Speaker 8: I think it's allowed the Rams to have some of

565
00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,159
Speaker 8: the conversations we're having now to be about five hundred

566
00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,000
Speaker 8: to be in the playoff hunt. I think ultimately we

567
00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,560
Speaker 8: expected this from the Rams offense. We thought it was

568
00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,320
Speaker 8: possible for McVeigh and Stafford to put up thirty points

569
00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,760
Speaker 8: per game this season, but we thought they were going

570
00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,480
Speaker 8: to have to play arena football to get wins, and

571
00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,600
Speaker 8: ultimately that's not proven to be the case because of

572
00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,160
Speaker 8: some of those rookies on defense that you mentioned. They

573
00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,240
Speaker 8: had fourteen picks, all of whom made the initial fifty

574
00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,359
Speaker 8: three man roster, many of whom are already entrenched as starters.

575
00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,399
Speaker 8: Byron Young on the edge, Kobe Turner played next to

576
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,800
Speaker 8: Aaron Donald. You're right to point those two out, and

577
00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,560
Speaker 8: it's accelerated the Rams remodel, if not rebuild. It's put

578
00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:08,359
Speaker 8: them in a position where they've been able to contend

579
00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,359
Speaker 8: this year. And I also think that allows them to

580
00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,520
Speaker 8: go into this offseason land with more resources than they've

581
00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,399
Speaker 8: ever had, both in terms of salary cap space and

582
00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,760
Speaker 8: a full complement of draft picks. Remember, they haven't had

583
00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:20,840
Speaker 8: a first round pick or utilized a first round pick

584
00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:25,639
Speaker 8: since Jared Goff back in twenty sixteen. It's pretty obvious

585
00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:27,320
Speaker 8: what their needs are and I think they'll be able

586
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:30,680
Speaker 8: to address them aggressively because of what they know they

587
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:32,800
Speaker 8: have now at all three levels of their defense.

588
00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:36,040
Speaker 5: Speaking of the different levels of the defense, I want

589
00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:39,920
Speaker 5: to highlight linebacker Ernest Jones twenty twenty one third round pick,

590
00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,640
Speaker 5: and more often than not, with different positions, we talk

591
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,919
Speaker 5: about the third year could be the coming out party,

592
00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,960
Speaker 5: and I think that applies to him. Leads the team

593
00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,080
Speaker 5: in tackles seven a career year across the board in

594
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:55,120
Speaker 5: terms of helping getting pressure making plays out in open space.

595
00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,240
Speaker 4: What is click this year? JB?

596
00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,800
Speaker 5: And why is it that I've listened to multiple conversations

597
00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,439
Speaker 5: that Sean mcvayh has had with the media and Ernest

598
00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:07,800
Speaker 5: Jones continually comes up and he loves to speak his praises,

599
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:08,960
Speaker 5: he really.

600
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,760
Speaker 8: Does, And that goes back to drafting him. And I

601
00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,840
Speaker 8: think projecting like Jack Leonard upside for him as someone

602
00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,800
Speaker 8: as they modeled him after because of his skill set

603
00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,320
Speaker 8: and also his unique leadership ability coming out of South Carolina.

604
00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,879
Speaker 8: And I don't want to say that growth was stunted,

605
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,440
Speaker 8: but I think it was just postponed by a year

606
00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:29,560
Speaker 8: because they had a chance to bring Bobby Wagner in

607
00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,520
Speaker 8: and to play alongside him last year. And Bobby Wagner

608
00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,320
Speaker 8: a future Hall of Famer who starred in this division

609
00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,560
Speaker 8: and is in fact back in Seattle here in twenty

610
00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,240
Speaker 8: twenty three. I think long term served Earnest Jones purposes

611
00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,600
Speaker 8: really well. He grew as a professional and he tapped

612
00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,000
Speaker 8: into some of that knowledge, but now it's his show.

613
00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:50,240
Speaker 8: Now he is the Bobby Wagner of this defense. And

614
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,840
Speaker 8: in year three he's elevated his performance. And like you

615
00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:57,199
Speaker 8: pointed out, yes he's racking up the tackles. But I

616
00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,480
Speaker 8: think for a team that struggled to create pressure on

617
00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,600
Speaker 8: opposing cour quarterback, to have a middle linebacker who can

618
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,800
Speaker 8: play so effectively on both sides of the line of

619
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,879
Speaker 8: scrimmage has been a real attribute for Ernest Jones and

620
00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,760
Speaker 8: a leverage point for his defensive coordinator Rahie Morris.

621
00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,639
Speaker 5: And you can only imagine what that could do for

622
00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,680
Speaker 5: a back end that is infusing a number of young guys,

623
00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:23,040
Speaker 5: specifically at the cornerback position. But one player who they

624
00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,160
Speaker 5: brought back he started his career in LA. He then

625
00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,040
Speaker 5: went to the Cleveland Browns, his safety John Johnson Third,

626
00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:31,879
Speaker 5: And it seems as if JB. And I'm very curious

627
00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,280
Speaker 5: your perspective, he has served as a bit of a

628
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,119
Speaker 5: stabilizing force on the back end. How valid do you

629
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:41,520
Speaker 5: think that statement is and how critical has it been

630
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,000
Speaker 5: to have a guy like him Jordan Fuller, who's been

631
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,399
Speaker 5: a staple also at the same position, to provide some

632
00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:50,800
Speaker 5: balance for the younger guys on the perimeter.

633
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:51,480
Speaker 4: Yeah.

634
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,640
Speaker 8: I think there's a cliff Notes version of the Rams

635
00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,920
Speaker 8: twenty twenty three story that starts and includes John Johnson

636
00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,440
Speaker 8: and really is emblematic of three moves they made this

637
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,480
Speaker 8: offseason that should have signaled to anyone paying attention that

638
00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,560
Speaker 8: that over under win total of six and a half

639
00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:08,640
Speaker 8: was going to get blown by. And what I mean

640
00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,960
Speaker 8: by that is after Ota, they went out and signed

641
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,640
Speaker 8: to Marcus Robinson, who's played in two Super Bowls, who's

642
00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,840
Speaker 8: had great success as a chief and as a raven

643
00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,480
Speaker 8: to fortify a receiving room. Some may have seen that as, oh,

644
00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,359
Speaker 8: they need help with Cooper cut nursing an injury, or

645
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,520
Speaker 8: maybe on special teams. He's caught a touchdown in four

646
00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,800
Speaker 8: Straat games. He was a vetman signing so too at

647
00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:31,680
Speaker 8: the end of the summer was the player you mentioned,

648
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:36,040
Speaker 8: John Johnson already having it looked like their safety spot

649
00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,560
Speaker 8: locked in and their starting secondary aligned. That should have

650
00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:41,719
Speaker 8: raised some eyebrows, like why would they go out and

651
00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,880
Speaker 8: pay another veteran a minimum salary in a year when

652
00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,880
Speaker 8: they're supposed to be preserving resources. And then the last

653
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:50,520
Speaker 8: one was Kevin Dotson the trade from the Steelers, where

654
00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,640
Speaker 8: the biggest part of that was not the picks they exchanged,

655
00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,160
Speaker 8: but the price they were willing to pay for this

656
00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:57,240
Speaker 8: season and this season alone. Those should have been little

657
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:01,360
Speaker 8: breadcrumbs along the summer trail saying, oh eight less need

658
00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:05,080
Speaker 8: and Sean McVay, having evaluated this roster through the offseason program,

659
00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,400
Speaker 8: they think they can contend. They think they can win.

660
00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,480
Speaker 8: Otherwise they wouldn't be layering in depth that keep positions

661
00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,680
Speaker 8: with veterans, they would just be letting the younger roster grow.

662
00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,360
Speaker 8: And all three of those individuals have been instrumental. They've

663
00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:19,560
Speaker 8: had their fingerprints all over this Rams rise.

664
00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,960
Speaker 5: Insteady, speaking of changes, I want to turn to special

665
00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,959
Speaker 5: teams because much like the Giants, the Rams have had

666
00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 5: a few kickers this season. They start off with Brett Maher,

667
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,080
Speaker 5: the former Dallas Cowboy, hearted ways with him, brought in

668
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,440
Speaker 5: Lucas Haverasik, a much younger kicker, and he's had his

669
00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,640
Speaker 5: fair share of ups and downs JB that you can

670
00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:39,720
Speaker 5: attest to. He's missed a field goal in five of

671
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,720
Speaker 5: his eight contests. He's really struggled between forty and forty

672
00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:47,360
Speaker 5: nine yards and then interestingly, has thrived from fifty and beyond.

673
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:50,000
Speaker 5: Maybe that's not a surprise because once again a young

674
00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,280
Speaker 5: kicker is going to have his highs and lows. But

675
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,920
Speaker 5: how much have they had to navigate that? And how

676
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,240
Speaker 5: impressive is it that they're five and one in the

677
00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,680
Speaker 5: last six games despite the that there's been a handful

678
00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:03,160
Speaker 5: of missus you hit it.

679
00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:04,840
Speaker 8: I mean, the fact that they are where they are.

680
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,880
Speaker 8: It's in spite of that third phase. They have lost

681
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:12,240
Speaker 8: points in the kicking game, and not just at place kicker,

682
00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:15,000
Speaker 8: but the walk off punt return for a touchdown in

683
00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:18,360
Speaker 8: overtime at Baltimore, and really in each element of their

684
00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,959
Speaker 8: kicking game they've been deficient. And I don't say that

685
00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,920
Speaker 8: to disparage anyone. It was pretty much what they set

686
00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,960
Speaker 8: out to do this offseason is fine new specialists, including

687
00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,480
Speaker 8: rookies at all three positions. Initially, it sounds like this

688
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,240
Speaker 8: week the change could come at long snapper, and maybe

689
00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,840
Speaker 8: that excuses the most recent missed field goal from forty

690
00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,720
Speaker 8: three yards against the Things from Haverstick. He does have

691
00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:41,960
Speaker 8: a big leg, he's got the distance, he's got the

692
00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,600
Speaker 8: trajectory I think to thrive in this league, and that's

693
00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,680
Speaker 8: probably part of the reason why they've stayed with him

694
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,680
Speaker 8: for so long and given him so much birth. But

695
00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:52,760
Speaker 8: also it was interesting to kind of kick up our

696
00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,640
Speaker 8: heels and watch football across the league this weekend. There's

697
00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:57,840
Speaker 8: bad kicking going on everywhere. Now, don't get me wrong,

698
00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,680
Speaker 8: there's a lot of great game winners from beyond fifty

699
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,760
Speaker 8: yards too, But there's teams missing extra points and makable

700
00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:06,560
Speaker 8: field goals across the league, and so I think it

701
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,920
Speaker 8: can be naive sometimes to think that there's just better

702
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,560
Speaker 8: replacement value out there on the street. Though it is

703
00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,320
Speaker 8: interesting that the Giants went out and got a new

704
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,600
Speaker 8: kicker and a veteran won at that and it worked

705
00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,920
Speaker 8: out swimmingly against the Eagles, at least in this first

706
00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:19,520
Speaker 8: swing of the leg.

707
00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:22,360
Speaker 4: And that's a very fair observation. I think a lot

708
00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,360
Speaker 4: of teams can relate to that department.

709
00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:26,200
Speaker 5: So JB, before I let you go, I want to

710
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,760
Speaker 5: circle back to where we started, and I brought up

711
00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:31,280
Speaker 5: the fact that, coincidentally, the last time these two teams

712
00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,280
Speaker 5: met was twenty twenty one, Rams won a lopsided a

713
00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,600
Speaker 5: fair in New Jersey and then later on won the

714
00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,680
Speaker 5: Super Bowl. And you know from covering the league for

715
00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,200
Speaker 5: many years. We always look for teams around this time

716
00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,680
Speaker 5: of the year that are playing their best football, and

717
00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,720
Speaker 5: I think the Rams definitely applied to that logic. I'm

718
00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,280
Speaker 5: curious whether or not you see similarities. Not to get

719
00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,360
Speaker 5: ahead of ourselves and not to say that they're absolutely

720
00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,920
Speaker 5: going to be raising hardware, but the run that happened

721
00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,160
Speaker 5: in the second half of twenty twenty one, they were

722
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,120
Speaker 5: five and two after the bye, and what we're seeing

723
00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,120
Speaker 5: now come to fruition here in twenty twenty three.

724
00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,920
Speaker 8: I think there are definitely parallels. But I think that

725
00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 8: Super Bowl team had a sense of purpose and destiny

726
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:13,440
Speaker 8: that I've never seen from any other RAMS team and

727
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:17,600
Speaker 8: really any other sports team. The stars aligned for them

728
00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:20,240
Speaker 8: in such a unique way, including having that Super Bowl

729
00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:24,200
Speaker 8: being played at SOFI Stadium, even something like losing on

730
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,200
Speaker 8: the last week of the season to their bitter division

731
00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:29,520
Speaker 8: rival to San Francisco forty nine ers, and how painful

732
00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,440
Speaker 8: and devastating that felt at the moment. And then you

733
00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,480
Speaker 8: see it play out, and that Niners team goes to

734
00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:37,840
Speaker 8: Dallas and knocks the Cowboys out, goes to Lambeau and

735
00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:40,440
Speaker 8: saves the RAM a trip to Green Bay for an

736
00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:44,720
Speaker 8: NFC Championship, Like so many things happened that seem predestined

737
00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,160
Speaker 8: in that run that I don't think I could ever

738
00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:50,600
Speaker 8: project that onto any future team here or elsewhere. But

739
00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:53,120
Speaker 8: I get what you're saying in terms of are they

740
00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:55,360
Speaker 8: hot at the right time? Yes, Are they playing as

741
00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,600
Speaker 8: well offensively as they did even with Odell Beckham junior

742
00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,320
Speaker 8: next to Cooper Cup winning the Triple Crown. Potentially they're

743
00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,120
Speaker 8: definitely better running in the football. What they don't have

744
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,880
Speaker 8: is a Jalen Ramsey at corner. What they don't have

745
00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:10,600
Speaker 8: is a von Miller turning the corner on the edge.

746
00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,719
Speaker 8: And so that's where these Rams are certainly capable, but

747
00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:16,280
Speaker 8: they're not complete. They're not complete in the way that

748
00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,000
Speaker 8: the twenty twenty one group was. But maybe we'll only

749
00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,080
Speaker 8: say they were complete because we saw them be the

750
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,240
Speaker 8: last team standing and we saw the CONCEPTI fall in

751
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:23,760
Speaker 8: the banner. Ray.

752
00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:28,160
Speaker 5: Well, it should be an interesting one this weekend on Sunday,

753
00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:31,800
Speaker 5: MetLife Stadium, Giants mathematically out of it, the Rams trying

754
00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,760
Speaker 5: to solidify a playoff spot as they currently sit in

755
00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,920
Speaker 5: the sixth spot in the wildcard race. He is JB

756
00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:41,160
Speaker 5: Long Radio play by play announcer for the Rams that

757
00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,160
Speaker 5: you could hear on the Rams Radio network. JB always great,

758
00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,760
Speaker 5: catch it up with you, enjoy the game and look

759
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:47,920
Speaker 5: forward to talking down the road.

760
00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:49,040
Speaker 4: Thanks for coming on all.

761
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,200
Speaker 8: Right, Lance, glad to catch up with you. Happy holidays

762
00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:52,720
Speaker 8: to all of your listeners, and we will see you

763
00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:54,040
Speaker 8: at METLI save to.

764
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:54,920
Speaker 4: You my pleasure.

765
00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:58,320
Speaker 6: You're ready for a change. Pay day comes early with Citizens,

766
00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,720
Speaker 6: so go to that retreat. Knew you moves to the country.

767
00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,880
Speaker 6: Now you're raising goats and launching a lifestyle brand. Are

768
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:07,600
Speaker 6: you ready for all that life brings?

769
00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:11,319
Speaker 1: Giants? Fans love a winner.

770
00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:13,560
Speaker 2: It's why they love Citizens, named a twenty twenty two

771
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:15,960
Speaker 2: Best Bank in the US by the Banker as the

772
00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:18,080
Speaker 2: official bank of the Giants and sponsor of the huddle.

773
00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,239
Speaker 2: Citizens has made ready for fans of Big Blue learnawarts

774
00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:26,040
Speaker 2: citizensbank dot Com. Good stuff there from Lance and JB.

775
00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:28,880
Speaker 2: Now let's turn our attention to the head coach of

776
00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,120
Speaker 2: the NYG, Brian Dable. He had a chance to talk

777
00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:33,120
Speaker 2: to the voice of the NYG Bob Papa.

778
00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:35,560
Speaker 9: As always, we're joined by the head coach of the

779
00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:38,360
Speaker 9: New York Football Giants, Brian Dables. The Giants take on

780
00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,680
Speaker 9: the Rams this afternoon at MetLife Stadium, and coach, you

781
00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:43,520
Speaker 9: take a look at this Rams team. They're on a

782
00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:45,680
Speaker 9: bit of a heater. They're eight and seven on the season,

783
00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,000
Speaker 9: and Matthew Stafford is playing as well as anybody in

784
00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:52,640
Speaker 9: the National Football League over the last five games. What

785
00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:56,560
Speaker 9: makes Stafford such a huge difference maker as you study.

786
00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,759
Speaker 7: Him, Yeah, well, he's got elite talent and he's done

787
00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,560
Speaker 7: it for a long time. So he's just scene about

788
00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,440
Speaker 7: everything you could see as a quarterback. He's accurate, got

789
00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:09,279
Speaker 7: a strong arm, instinctive, full control of the offense. He's

790
00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:11,400
Speaker 7: a heck of a quarterback coach.

791
00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,399
Speaker 9: When they have their full complement of weapons, whether it's

792
00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,920
Speaker 9: Cooper Kupp, Kieran Williams the running back, or rookie Pooka Nakua,

793
00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,640
Speaker 9: they're averaging twenty nine points a game as a group.

794
00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,399
Speaker 9: Is that an offensive play callers dream? When you have

795
00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:27,319
Speaker 9: talented guys at literally every level and I haven't even

796
00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:28,799
Speaker 9: thrown in Higbee the tight end.

797
00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:31,279
Speaker 7: Yeah, I know they do a good job, and you

798
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:33,480
Speaker 7: know Stafford is the guy that makes it all go.

799
00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:39,920
Speaker 7: Those guys are extremely tough, versatile, smart and have done

800
00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,719
Speaker 7: a really good job so they're really clicking on all cylinders.

801
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,120
Speaker 9: As you look at Nikoua, who's a rookie and he's

802
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,440
Speaker 9: setting or close to setting a lot of rookie receiving records,

803
00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,680
Speaker 9: what jumps out at you is you study him as

804
00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:55,600
Speaker 9: to why he is such an effective football player.

805
00:35:55,680 --> 00:36:01,080
Speaker 7: Sure, well, he's instinctive, knows how to get open, is physical,

806
00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:03,720
Speaker 7: strong with the ball in his hand, good run blocker.

807
00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:06,400
Speaker 7: He's really done a nice job in every phase of

808
00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:07,720
Speaker 7: playing a receiver position.

809
00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:12,440
Speaker 9: Let's go to your football team. Obviously, a heartbreaking loss

810
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,839
Speaker 9: on Christmas Day in Philadelphia. Team battled right until the end,

811
00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,160
Speaker 9: had the ball in their hands with a chance to

812
00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:21,879
Speaker 9: potentially get the game tied up. What's the messaging been

813
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,239
Speaker 9: like for your team this week now that you've been

814
00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:25,640
Speaker 9: mathematically eliminated.

815
00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:30,840
Speaker 7: Yeah, stay consistent with our process, continue to try to

816
00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:32,640
Speaker 7: improve on some of the things we can improve on,

817
00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:33,640
Speaker 7: and finish strong.

818
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,640
Speaker 9: Tyrod Taylor get the start here against this RAMS defense.

819
00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:41,000
Speaker 9: As you study the Rams, obviously, Aaron Donald has been

820
00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:44,759
Speaker 9: a difference maker forever. From a schematic standpoint, what are

821
00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:47,600
Speaker 9: some of the challenges that this RAMS defense will post

822
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:48,560
Speaker 9: to your offense today?

823
00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:50,480
Speaker 7: Yeah, I think Rahim does a good job of mixing

824
00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,000
Speaker 7: things up. We're gonna have to do a good job

825
00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,960
Speaker 7: of picking up pressures, of picking up games and line

826
00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:58,960
Speaker 7: stunts and some movements. You know, they play zone defense

827
00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,440
Speaker 7: and mix in some and so he does a good

828
00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,960
Speaker 7: job of spinning the dial. And you know, it all

829
00:37:03,960 --> 00:37:05,000
Speaker 7: starts with ninety nine.

830
00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,520
Speaker 9: Coach, I know you're very much team focused, but I

831
00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:11,479
Speaker 9: just want to ask you about Saquon Barkley and sort

832
00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:13,360
Speaker 9: of what he's been able to do here for you

833
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,799
Speaker 9: this year, considering the offensive line, the quarterback situations, and

834
00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,319
Speaker 9: everything else that's that's happened here. But it seems like

835
00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,799
Speaker 9: his steadiness and his leadership haven't wavered once through any

836
00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:25,239
Speaker 9: of the ups and downs this year.

837
00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:29,560
Speaker 7: Yeah, Saquon is a true competitor. Done everything we've asked

838
00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,279
Speaker 7: him to do. He tries to do it as good

839
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,000
Speaker 7: as he can do it each week. And he's you know,

840
00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:35,799
Speaker 7: one of our better players on our team.

841
00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:39,720
Speaker 9: And coach finally, obviously, you know we talk about offense

842
00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:42,480
Speaker 9: and defense, talk a little bit about the special teams

843
00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,239
Speaker 9: matchup in this game. As far as being one of

844
00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,800
Speaker 9: the keys to being able to play complimentary football.

845
00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:50,879
Speaker 7: Yeah, that'll be key. You know, our protection units being

846
00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:53,799
Speaker 7: solid and our protection and our communication, and then you know,

847
00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:57,600
Speaker 7: covering down under returners and making good tackles, you know those.

848
00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:59,960
Speaker 7: It's an area you know, whether it be on defense,

849
00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,239
Speaker 7: on special teams that you know, something that we're going

850
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:06,319
Speaker 7: to try to improve on as well. But playing all

851
00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:09,440
Speaker 7: three phases of good team football is going to be important.

852
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,120
Speaker 9: That's the head coach of the New York Giants, Brian Dable.

853
00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:14,400
Speaker 9: Happy new year, coach, and best of luck this afternoon.

854
00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,160
Speaker 2: Really good stuff there from Brian Dable, from JB. Long

855
00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:21,560
Speaker 2: and Dexter Lawrence on this Friday edition of the Giants

856
00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,560
Speaker 2: Little Podcast, brought you by Citizens, the official bank of

857
00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:26,359
Speaker 2: the Giants. Thank you so much for being with us.

858
00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:28,800
Speaker 2: Enjoy the weekend, Enjoy Giants and Rams. We'll talk to

859
00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,200
Speaker 2: you next week on the Giants Huddle Podcast