1
00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,279
Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, this is Backstage Chargers, presented by your Southern

2
00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:33,040
Speaker 1: California Toyota dealers on the Chargers podcast network. Have a birthday,

3
00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:40,000
Speaker 1: y'all boys. It will be sometime until Derwin James is

4
00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,839
Speaker 1: broken footheels. While absent on the field, James remains present

5
00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,280
Speaker 1: in the locker room, gifting his fellow defensive backs with

6
00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,360
Speaker 1: a set of new wheels. Games. You got to know

7
00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,880
Speaker 1: my boy got to right, yes, sir. For us as

8
00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,000
Speaker 1: a dB, I feel like we always together and always

9
00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,480
Speaker 1: moving together. So I feel like I just feel like

10
00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,640
Speaker 1: the birds created away, we all can stay together. We

11
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,199
Speaker 1: can ride together, scoot around. Now my boys ride around. Women.

12
00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:07,880
Speaker 1: I got my bird, they got their birds, so we

13
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,800
Speaker 1: all can ride around. What was the reaction when you

14
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,280
Speaker 1: first end it? Mean, where did you know? Like? Oh, man, Like, yeah,

15
00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:17,880
Speaker 1: I kind of knew it. When I um threw the

16
00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,840
Speaker 1: ball in there, I thought I called an interception, and

17
00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,600
Speaker 1: when I I was wunna run down to his own

18
00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,000
Speaker 1: take a picture, I knew at that moment. I was like, yeah,

19
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,280
Speaker 1: it feels like he did in college there. How just

20
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:30,400
Speaker 1: how disappointed was it? I was very disappointed because, like

21
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:31,720
Speaker 1: I said, I want to be out there as much

22
00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,920
Speaker 1: as I can, especially with the momentum I was having

23
00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,520
Speaker 1: coming into the season. So you know, it kind of sucks,

24
00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:41,520
Speaker 1: but it's part the ball. Obviously, you're disappointed. He's a

25
00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,760
Speaker 1: kid that came into our program with high expectations and

26
00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:48,440
Speaker 1: really he delivered on those expectations. Their one is a

27
00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,080
Speaker 1: big part of what we what we are here with

28
00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,160
Speaker 1: the Chargers, UM, especially with what he did for us

29
00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,360
Speaker 1: a year ago. Now he's still is in the room,

30
00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,840
Speaker 1: he's dealing meetings, UM, So he still brings that part

31
00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:09,440
Speaker 1: of the game to our organization. We love him. With

32
00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,200
Speaker 1: a kickoff to the twenty nineteen season just days away,

33
00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,920
Speaker 1: the Chargers will make their debut minus one of their leaders.

34
00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:22,160
Speaker 1: Their opponent, the Indianapolis Coats, can relate. Two weeks prior,

35
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,840
Speaker 1: they were hit with news that rocked the NFL landscape.

36
00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,120
Speaker 1: Live on HQ Andrew Luck announcing his retirement from the NFL.

37
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,840
Speaker 1: But I'm gonna retire. This is not an easy decision. Honestly,

38
00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,080
Speaker 1: it's the hardest decision of my life. But it is

39
00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:45,080
Speaker 1: the right decision for me. Before we get on the coast, okay,

40
00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,359
Speaker 1: let me get you guys know what The training camp

41
00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,760
Speaker 1: story it was with the whole narrative about Andrew Luck

42
00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,160
Speaker 1: retiring and all this and all that. Okay, let me

43
00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,800
Speaker 1: tell you something. That team will come in here, and

44
00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,440
Speaker 1: I believe that team would be a better football team

45
00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,720
Speaker 1: than anywhere with Andrew because everybody on that team is

46
00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:04,440
Speaker 1: going to step it up a notch. This offense right here,

47
00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,440
Speaker 1: they gave up the least amount of sacks last year

48
00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,680
Speaker 1: at anybody the National Football League. They got nine returners

49
00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,600
Speaker 1: coming back at eleven starters. Four of those guys a

50
00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,520
Speaker 1: Pro Bowlers. It's a good offense, okay. But the ones

51
00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,560
Speaker 1: that matter is points. They were fifth in scoring points

52
00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,320
Speaker 1: last year. They were number one on third down last year.

53
00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,880
Speaker 1: They got a lot of firepower in two eighteen their

54
00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,040
Speaker 1: coats ranked fifth and points per game for set. Very

55
00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,440
Speaker 1: good leaders spending the system so they feel like they

56
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:37,200
Speaker 1: can keep their whole system involved. Went back instead of

57
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,120
Speaker 1: him twenty and sixteen. Played him in New England when

58
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,480
Speaker 1: Tom Brady was out. He helped to win two games.

59
00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,920
Speaker 1: They started out three and old. He is a more

60
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,720
Speaker 1: than capable quarterback. What we have to do is test

61
00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,520
Speaker 1: his capacity Malin Mike. He missed four games last year.

62
00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:57,559
Speaker 1: They lost all four freaking through. Now, these are explosive

63
00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,480
Speaker 1: plays that occurred throughout the year. Had a chance to

64
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,560
Speaker 1: see him in the open field. Just his speed right there.

65
00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,480
Speaker 1: T Y Hilton bona five, number one receiver in this league. Okay,

66
00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,920
Speaker 1: nineteen yards for catch, over twelve hundred total yards, fifty

67
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,560
Speaker 1: five of his seventy six catches resulted in first downs,

68
00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,960
Speaker 1: and he made multiple big plays. He is legit. He

69
00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:24,720
Speaker 1: is a game record. We have to account for t Y. Now,

70
00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,320
Speaker 1: I said, he's got a lot of explosive plays, but

71
00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,800
Speaker 1: does a good job with double wolves. Good player, good players.

72
00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,640
Speaker 1: You all know. Have you ever been involved your freer

73
00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:40,159
Speaker 1: with a team that experienced so just sudden turnament events? Yeah, yeah, yeah,

74
00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,920
Speaker 1: I look at it every day. I mean, I mean, yeah,

75
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,680
Speaker 1: they go into this game without Andrew Luck, but I

76
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,200
Speaker 1: go into this game without one of the best left

77
00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,400
Speaker 1: tackles in the game in Russell Coon with that one

78
00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,279
Speaker 1: of the best safeties in the game, and Doran James

79
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,160
Speaker 1: with that, one of the top running backs in the league,

80
00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,640
Speaker 1: and Mevin Gordon. So yeah, as I see it every day,

81
00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,280
Speaker 1: you got to step up and overcoming absent three key starters.

82
00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,400
Speaker 1: For Week one, the focus shifts to players who will

83
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,400
Speaker 1: replace them. On offense, the spotlight will be on third

84
00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,719
Speaker 1: year running back Austin Ekeler. On defense, Pro Bowl safety

85
00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:14,240
Speaker 1: Adrian Phillips. We're gonna gain something a little bit different

86
00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,039
Speaker 1: with Ap being out there, because AP is that that

87
00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:21,240
Speaker 1: knowledgeable guy that even knows something's gonna happen before it happens,

88
00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,839
Speaker 1: and so somehow, some way, it's gonna it's gonna be okay,

89
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:29,359
Speaker 1: nice sick game week game. Wait, let's go to sixty

90
00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,800
Speaker 1: ha ha. They're gonna make us make tackles this week. Right,

91
00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,400
Speaker 1: Let's see if we can get our linebacker to push.

92
00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,280
Speaker 1: There's always two ways to skinnercat if you want to

93
00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,560
Speaker 1: say it that way. Derwin did it his way. You

94
00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,160
Speaker 1: know it was. It was spectacular at times, it's physical

95
00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,120
Speaker 1: at times. Now AP, who's going to replace him, is

96
00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,760
Speaker 1: gonna do it in a different way. But at the

97
00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,480
Speaker 1: end of the days, we're gonna we're gonna try to

98
00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,240
Speaker 1: get the same result, and I think AP is up

99
00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:02,839
Speaker 1: for the challenge. I see from Jakobe Man, he played

100
00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,640
Speaker 1: like a vet, very mobile in the pocket, not easy

101
00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,520
Speaker 1: to sack whatsoever. From twenty seventeen until now, just watching them,

102
00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:13,720
Speaker 1: you see a whole bunch of growth. You see a

103
00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,680
Speaker 1: bunch of confidencing. This secondary has played a lot of

104
00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,640
Speaker 1: football together. We don't really want to just keep talking

105
00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,520
Speaker 1: about durings out our defense is going to change so

106
00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,320
Speaker 1: much because it's not. We're gonna do what we do.

107
00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,159
Speaker 1: We jack boys. We go out there, we make the

108
00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,640
Speaker 1: plays and we go stunt. We know our ultimate goal

109
00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,719
Speaker 1: and whoever stands in our way, it's gonna be a

110
00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,120
Speaker 1: bad day for him. So if we're gonna ever do

111
00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,080
Speaker 1: this right here and that's where it's all about, that's

112
00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,640
Speaker 1: why we're in this room. Okay, I'm gonna give you

113
00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:49,760
Speaker 1: one word urgency, because we don't have as much time

114
00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,120
Speaker 1: as we think. This season will be over with just

115
00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,320
Speaker 1: like that, and we've been sitting there talking about what happened,

116
00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,839
Speaker 1: what could it was? Should have? Okay, now we have

117
00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,400
Speaker 1: an opportunity to do something about it. I thought I

118
00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,960
Speaker 1: want to leave you with. Is that one word persius.

119
00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,840
Speaker 1: I've been a Charger fan all my life. By tar,

120
00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,560
Speaker 1: I've been very well. Last season, you know, we missed it.

121
00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:29,920
Speaker 1: Just shy that I think we're gonna we're gonna pull

122
00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:36,120
Speaker 1: it off this year. We're gonna do it super Bowl, Baby,

123
00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:40,720
Speaker 1: super Bowl. We're taking it this year, go arg. Expectations

124
00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,600
Speaker 1: are sky high for Sunday's home opener for the secondary.

125
00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,240
Speaker 1: Meeting those expectations starts with meeting the challenge of filling

126
00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:55,160
Speaker 1: in for their injured leading Here we go, Here we go.

127
00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,040
Speaker 1: Nine on the play clock set changing the play from

128
00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:10,080
Speaker 1: the shotgun, hands off the back again right ro Matrian

129
00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:15,160
Speaker 1: Phillips makes the play. It's a loss of five per se.

130
00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,840
Speaker 1: I'm the pressure and going down. Melvin Ingram the first

131
00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:25,920
Speaker 1: to get to it. Out of the gate. Adrian Phillips

132
00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,040
Speaker 1: and the Chargers defense rose to the occasion. Go Go,

133
00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,000
Speaker 1: Go go, holding the Coats to six first half points.

134
00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:41,600
Speaker 1: Now we're gone. Now were They have the advantage of

135
00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,240
Speaker 1: a raucous crowd and an offense eager to prove a point.

136
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,719
Speaker 1: They've lost running back Melvin Gordon. He's out with a

137
00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,160
Speaker 1: contract dispute. They have a double barreled replacement, Sammy Buddy

138
00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,400
Speaker 1: nine ten to play in the first quarter. Rivers and

139
00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,920
Speaker 1: the offense back to work at their own thirty two.

140
00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,200
Speaker 1: Rivers on the center as a wide open Eckler on

141
00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,959
Speaker 1: the screen hurdles a defender before he shoved out of

142
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,520
Speaker 1: oounds right sideline, got a forty eight murder to Omar

143
00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,080
Speaker 1: go and it's Heckler again on the crosser. Here he

144
00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,400
Speaker 1: is lowering that shoulder for the extra two yards. Came

145
00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,760
Speaker 1: to cold sprat floor. Here again was running room to

146
00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,760
Speaker 1: the fifteen to the ten before he's tracked down at

147
00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:24,040
Speaker 1: the nine and gained a fourteen for Eckler and second

148
00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,880
Speaker 1: and Gold Rivers bold Rod touchdown Pasteler Revers for his

149
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,800
Speaker 1: first touchdown pass of the season. Heckler go ahead and

150
00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:45,559
Speaker 1: play that air guitar celebrate murder season. Hey, I got,

151
00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:50,520
Speaker 1: I got. Eckler scored the season's inaugural touchdown. It would

152
00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,000
Speaker 1: not be his last. We standing at seventeen to nine,

153
00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:59,920
Speaker 1: and here is the Rivers, the Franckler. Eckler inside his plots.

154
00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,880
Speaker 1: She's got Blackhurst fifty forty five outside the numbers right

155
00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,720
Speaker 1: side forty thirty five. It's got on u speak Eflorence

156
00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:12,079
Speaker 1: a sprint to the insol touch charger, Austin Eckler, Are

157
00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,839
Speaker 1: you ain't going down? A having a hill? In a

158
00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:22,040
Speaker 1: matchup of two AFC heavyweights, the Chargers punched first, building

159
00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,360
Speaker 1: a double digit lead thanks to a career performance from

160
00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:30,520
Speaker 1: Austin Eckler. Midway through the third quarter, the Colts countered,

161
00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:40,800
Speaker 1: I n wow, looking more and mit go at the side.

162
00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:47,480
Speaker 1: Fifty ten five touchdown, no penalty flags. Well that was

163
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:53,880
Speaker 1: the answer they needed. Sixty three yards. Come on, man

164
00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,720
Speaker 1: sat in the shot then second of ten they mean

165
00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,720
Speaker 1: to pass staring down the on the field per second

166
00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,760
Speaker 1: and don't shakes a tackle up the sideline. You'll get

167
00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,679
Speaker 1: forty in tone touchdown. Touchdown with a two point conversion.

168
00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,679
Speaker 1: By the game matches in the backfield. Here we go,

169
00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,280
Speaker 1: we're setting in the shotgun. He moves back to his

170
00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,840
Speaker 1: left side, stamp pulling his way. Did he get there?

171
00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:28,000
Speaker 1: He didn't get there, and we are tied at twenty four.

172
00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:35,560
Speaker 1: We will go to overtime. Hence is the call tails

173
00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,600
Speaker 1: Los Angeles lakings Fauce take the ball. Hey, don't move

174
00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,000
Speaker 1: around and wait his art like we've lost something. It's

175
00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,280
Speaker 1: still hurt. Yeah, gon win it. Let's go. Rivers in

176
00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:50,439
Speaker 1: the Chargers from their own twenty five. Rivers stands fall

177
00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,679
Speaker 1: middle of the field again. Later Henry hit as he catches,

178
00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,520
Speaker 1: but he's in Indianapolis territory at the parting. So is

179
00:11:55,559 --> 00:12:00,360
Speaker 1: that klerk that clerk, We've run the rude twenty, signed

180
00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,360
Speaker 1: it twenty close to the fifteen yard line steps chatting

181
00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,960
Speaker 1: close to the fucking middle of the field. Part Tete

182
00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,880
Speaker 1: and Allen put the pen to the eight and off

183
00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:18,240
Speaker 1: the eckler up the field, two five chargers winning. Now

184
00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:27,840
Speaker 1: we go, here we go, baby, thank you. Oh hey,

185
00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:30,280
Speaker 1: we knew it was gonna take four quarters where it

186
00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,600
Speaker 1: took five. Okay, that chief's got great leadership, that team's

187
00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,559
Speaker 1: built like us. Got a lot of respect for that

188
00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,599
Speaker 1: team over the next room over here. Okay, but you

189
00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:40,880
Speaker 1: got the job done today, and we knew it's gonna

190
00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,440
Speaker 1: take everybody in the room to get the job done.

191
00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,199
Speaker 1: And that's what it took to day. You know, just

192
00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,800
Speaker 1: there's so much work that goes into being here, and

193
00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:50,160
Speaker 1: this is going in my third year, and you know,

194
00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,199
Speaker 1: in this position I was at today, it was just

195
00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,680
Speaker 1: a special moment today. And you know, for our offense

196
00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,319
Speaker 1: and our team to come together like that and get

197
00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,840
Speaker 1: a winning overtime was you know something I'll never forget.

198
00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,040
Speaker 1: You know, it's just leverage. Eric, he plays with outstanding

199
00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,360
Speaker 1: leverage and like I said before, a pound for pound,

200
00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,000
Speaker 1: he is the strongest man on our team. There is

201
00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,679
Speaker 1: your game winner. The Chargers are one and oh open

202
00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,280
Speaker 1: it up with a victory. They beat the Colts thirty

203
00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,000
Speaker 1: to twenty four. Of the man who scored that game

204
00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:21,720
Speaker 1: winning touchdown, Austin Eckler, Austin, congratulations, how that one feel? Thanks?

205
00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:23,360
Speaker 1: And you know it felt great, felt great, you know,

206
00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,839
Speaker 1: starting out fast and getting finally getting a winner, a

207
00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,200
Speaker 1: first home opener in a while. Yeah, it had been

208
00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:30,480
Speaker 1: a while, and you work the entire offseason to get

209
00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,200
Speaker 1: to this one and then it comes down to overtime.

210
00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,640
Speaker 1: Did you expect that kind of game yesterday? Like you said,

211
00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,360
Speaker 1: you know, you don't really know what you're going to

212
00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,360
Speaker 1: expect going into week one and two. Is we wanted

213
00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:41,760
Speaker 1: to come out and start fast, and I feel like,

214
00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,440
Speaker 1: you know, we did that and then you know, ended

215
00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,480
Speaker 1: up going in overtime and taking it home. That's just

216
00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,800
Speaker 1: that's what the game's about for me. And it's just

217
00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:50,679
Speaker 1: that rock star feeling that I get when I score.

218
00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:52,319
Speaker 1: You know, I'm out there playing the guitar. It was

219
00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:54,559
Speaker 1: just that which is amplified, you know, every one celebrating,

220
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,920
Speaker 1: so I feel like it amplified throughout the entire team

221
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,600
Speaker 1: and the crowd and everybody. I think our running back

222
00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,080
Speaker 1: coach said the beast. He says, hey, make your plays,

223
00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,920
Speaker 1: and you never know what play is going to be

224
00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,520
Speaker 1: a play that really you know, sparks something or it's

225
00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,679
Speaker 1: going to be terrible. So you go into it, you know, thinking, hey,

226
00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,319
Speaker 1: every play this might hit like this is gonna be

227
00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:18,160
Speaker 1: a play. Fueled by Eckler's rock star performance, that Chargers

228
00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,800
Speaker 1: gave their home fans what they asked for. For week two,

229
00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,040
Speaker 1: their show hits the road for an audience less friendly

230
00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,080
Speaker 1: for field. That is a loud place. It's a dome.

231
00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,320
Speaker 1: It will be loud, it will be very loud. Our

232
00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,920
Speaker 1: communication has got to be on point. You got fifteen

233
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,560
Speaker 1: weeks left and this season fifteen weeks left and week

234
00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,160
Speaker 1: one is over. It's in the books. We stacked that brick.

235
00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,920
Speaker 1: We were good enough to win week one. But how

236
00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,680
Speaker 1: do we stack this next brick. It's gonna be very important.

237
00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,520
Speaker 1: How do we get better one brick at a time,

238
00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:55,960
Speaker 1: one week at a time. How do we get better

239
00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,000
Speaker 1: That Chargers hope to stack enough wins to build up

240
00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:04,200
Speaker 1: foundation for a playoff run. While each brick is equal

241
00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,240
Speaker 1: in importance, next week's game against the Lions stands alone

242
00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:18,160
Speaker 1: insignificance for number twenty cornerback Desmond King from doctor Well.

243
00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,920
Speaker 1: I mean there is times when when Dez first got

244
00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,880
Speaker 1: here his mentality. He is so competitive and so aggressive

245
00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,200
Speaker 1: in nature, and that's what makes him so special. He's

246
00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,000
Speaker 1: just a couple of years. Has been wonderful to be

247
00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:34,200
Speaker 1: around him, experienced the transition that he's taking place. With

248
00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:38,760
Speaker 1: him coming off an all pro sophomore season, King has

249
00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,280
Speaker 1: come a long way in a short amount of time.

250
00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:46,000
Speaker 1: On Sunday, he returns the city that shaped him and

251
00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:50,520
Speaker 1: the mother that raised him. It's gonna be exciting. They

252
00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,280
Speaker 1: saw me come out with my sign again and I

253
00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:55,840
Speaker 1: haven't made a sign since high school in Little league,

254
00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,080
Speaker 1: and they told me wants to be dazzled. Come out.

255
00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:00,880
Speaker 1: Oh it's a real game coming up. It's about to

256
00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,520
Speaker 1: be exciting. And just to see all the fans. I

257
00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,560
Speaker 1: got some of the big fat heads with his face

258
00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,480
Speaker 1: on him so they'll know what section his family and

259
00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,280
Speaker 1: friends are in. So it's gonna be a good game.

260
00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:17,000
Speaker 1: Palace Police Athletic League here in Detroit, No pal is

261
00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,360
Speaker 1: like a shelter for our children. It's a safe haven.

262
00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,320
Speaker 1: This is where it all starts, right here. It was

263
00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,120
Speaker 1: hard growing up, you know, being no a young guy

264
00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,800
Speaker 1: here in Detroit. You know, it was so many ways

265
00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:31,920
Speaker 1: a kid could get in trouble here, you know, but

266
00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,320
Speaker 1: sports all year round it kept him focused, It kept

267
00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:39,720
Speaker 1: him discipline. This place defined him to me as a kid.

268
00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,000
Speaker 1: It brought out the best in him. You know, age five,

269
00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,720
Speaker 1: he decided he wanted to play football. So I just

270
00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,120
Speaker 1: thank God that he did have his chance to come

271
00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,080
Speaker 1: out here enjoy pal as a kid to see if

272
00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,600
Speaker 1: that's the career he wanted to choose. And it took

273
00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,880
Speaker 1: off from there, through high school, college and now pros.

274
00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,840
Speaker 1: On Sunday, Desmond will return to the stadium that he

275
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,400
Speaker 1: once dominated as a running back and safety. King won

276
00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,200
Speaker 1: two Prep city championships at Ford Field. He set the

277
00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,840
Speaker 1: Michigan record for interceptions here twenty nine interceptions and it's

278
00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:21,240
Speaker 1: still untouched. Dushman came to the host for the first

279
00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:25,080
Speaker 1: time as a professional. The local legend comes home with

280
00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:28,520
Speaker 1: over one hundred friends and family expected to welcome it.

281
00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:33,400
Speaker 1: Ashman King inside the twenty the ten all the way

282
00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:37,280
Speaker 1: for the touchdown. For him to come back now and

283
00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,800
Speaker 1: played against Alliance is like a full circle to me.

284
00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,679
Speaker 1: He's coming home. On coming, I taught me you wont

285
00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:47,600
Speaker 1: more championships on that field than Alliance have. So seeing

286
00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,680
Speaker 1: him back here at home, it's gonna be a good

287
00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:56,159
Speaker 1: game tomorrow, and I think the city knows that. On

288
00:17:56,359 --> 00:18:01,160
Speaker 1: clare To come on, Clare to call the hometown hero.

289
00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,639
Speaker 1: Desmond King now takes the field behind enemy lines. In

290
00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,920
Speaker 1: an effort to silence the crowd. Early, the Chargers turned

291
00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,680
Speaker 1: to a familiar formula, shoking down an age good block

292
00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,000
Speaker 1: by Schofield and he's caught his receiver as cork Planckler

293
00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,280
Speaker 1: inside the thirty five. We'll talk about the next man

294
00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,320
Speaker 1: up philosophy. So this is goes to show you the

295
00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,760
Speaker 1: respect that they have. What a great route by Austin Eckler.

296
00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:29,600
Speaker 1: Thirty goal for one Heckler in the backfield. Now Alan handoff,

297
00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:34,880
Speaker 1: the Eckler leaps towards the end zone. Touchdown Chargers Austin

298
00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,480
Speaker 1: Eckler a one yard leap into the end zone for

299
00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:48,080
Speaker 1: the score. Awesome, got so much better. Solder had his nap.

300
00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:54,840
Speaker 1: Mag Hey, let's go Matthew Stafford from his own twenty five.

301
00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:12,040
Speaker 1: That's right, come on, baby's the move. Set it down

302
00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:18,560
Speaker 1: in ten watching Strafford Frank clock, I'm a play by

303
00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:27,479
Speaker 1: the side, dying six charts. After exchanging touchdowns, there wouldn't

304
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,440
Speaker 1: be another score until the waning moments of the first half.

305
00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,520
Speaker 1: Now Rivers in the shotgun echo to his right, passing

306
00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,679
Speaker 1: down again, Rivers all kinds of time, throwing down field,

307
00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:45,000
Speaker 1: going deep. He's gone in so the ten clock. The

308
00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:48,440
Speaker 1: Chargers extend their lead to four at the half, ten

309
00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,160
Speaker 1: to six ahead of the Lions. With a four point

310
00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,639
Speaker 1: lead entering the second half, Desmond King and the secondary

311
00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:59,119
Speaker 1: lived up to their moniker Let's go jack Boys. I

312
00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,160
Speaker 1: need this right. Stafford gave it to Stafford under center

313
00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,480
Speaker 1: from the right, Hash fakes the hand off, pulls it out,

314
00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,280
Speaker 1: looking left, throwing to the end zone, turning around and

315
00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,159
Speaker 1: nearly picked off. That's got to be offensive. And it

316
00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:16,560
Speaker 1: was picked off, I believe, and jicked off on the play, Heyward,

317
00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,480
Speaker 1: jack Boy, That's what I'm talking about, Like, dude, Fuck

318
00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:28,200
Speaker 1: the jack Boys didn't let down their biggest supporter. Ultimately,

319
00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,440
Speaker 1: the game's outcome would be defined by missed opportunities. As

320
00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:45,120
Speaker 1: a wilder regards playing holding offense, cuts upfield one fifteen

321
00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:47,880
Speaker 1: outside ten and here are flags all over the place.

322
00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:54,000
Speaker 1: Again looking water offense number sixty nine, the ten yard

323
00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:57,320
Speaker 1: penalty replay second half and out all alone on the left.

324
00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,360
Speaker 1: Now he's gonna go in motion left the right hand

325
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,080
Speaker 1: off the echo leaps and don't come out. Lions recover.

326
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,960
Speaker 1: That is a bumble turnover. Edward tried to jump in

327
00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,040
Speaker 1: again to be a turnover after one this rookie mistake

328
00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,120
Speaker 1: by me, and I try to go up over the top.

329
00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,120
Speaker 1: I reached the ball, so let punched it out, came out.

330
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,120
Speaker 1: Two touchdowns nullified on the same series of miss field

331
00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,120
Speaker 1: goal and a second mission field gonna staff of the path,

332
00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,119
Speaker 1: all kinds of time once agons on half of receiver

333
00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,840
Speaker 1: touchdown Lions Pty Gala day and the Lions take the

334
00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,840
Speaker 1: lead for the first time today. It was right there

335
00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,960
Speaker 1: for us to blow the doors off, and then we

336
00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:37,399
Speaker 1: kept letting it stay at ten six and uh it

337
00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,720
Speaker 1: cost us. So you mean tell me, I gotta live here.

338
00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,399
Speaker 1: Listen to all these Lions fans tell me how they

339
00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:47,440
Speaker 1: beat us by four. Man heard of me most the crap.

340
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,440
Speaker 1: But I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna do it.

341
00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:54,000
Speaker 1: This is the beginning of the season. Than the thank

342
00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:59,399
Speaker 1: you so much perspective is important after a tough loss.

343
00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,399
Speaker 1: The twenty nineteen Charges will be defined by how they

344
00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,800
Speaker 1: respond to the turbulence of a grueling NFL season. It

345
00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,080
Speaker 1: was disappointing, but I know we'll learn from it, Eric,

346
00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,359
Speaker 1: and I know we'll be a better team because of it.

347
00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:15,919
Speaker 1: It's just still, it's just we feel like we let

348
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,199
Speaker 1: one get away and it was our fault. You've been

349
00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:22,119
Speaker 1: listening to Backstage Chargers presented by your Southern California Toyota

350
00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,600
Speaker 1: dealers on the Chargers podcast network.