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Speaker 1: You know where you're at, you know what time it

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Speaker 1: is on the calendar. September. Football is here and the

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Speaker 1: NFL regular season returns Colts and Texans Week number one,

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Speaker 1: right out of the gate, and it's our second preview,

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Speaker 1: if you will, of this game this week, because we

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Speaker 1: are back for twice a week now. On the Official

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Speaker 1: Colts Podcast, The Thursday Crew returns with Bill Brooks Ring

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Speaker 1: of honor wide receiver Casey Valier. I'm Matt Taylor and Boyd.

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Speaker 1: We got juice. We got juice everywhere. We got meat

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Speaker 1: on the bone to break down Colts and Texans right

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Speaker 1: out of the shoot. Billy b How you doing today, sir?

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Speaker 2: I'm doing well. Excited for this season to get started.

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Speaker 3: Always the first games, the live excitement and to be

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Speaker 3: home is going to be special.

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Speaker 1: Now, Casey, I know back in May when the schedule

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Speaker 1: came out, you saw Colts and Texans right out of

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Speaker 1: the shoot. You had to temper your excitement. You'd have

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Speaker 1: to temper your expectations. I'm not asking you to do that.

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Speaker 1: But now that it's finally here, because during training camp,

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Speaker 1: when we've talked to players, we've talked to coaches, the

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Speaker 1: caveats been. I know you're looking ahead to week one,

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Speaker 1: but you still got a lot of things to get done.

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Speaker 1: All those things are done, and now it's about the text. Yeah.

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Speaker 4: No, I'm glad you bring that up because you think

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Speaker 4: back to Week eighteen last year and everybody had a

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Speaker 4: sour I mean I was in that locker room postgame,

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Speaker 4: and I mean it was somber. Everybody knew how close

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Speaker 4: you were. I mean you you were, You're right there,

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Speaker 4: and ultimately you fast forward and you win that game.

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Speaker 4: You're actually AFC South champs. So's all that that unfolded

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Speaker 4: after Week eighteen. So the schedule comes out and you

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Speaker 4: see that that's that rematch, same location, same team to

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Speaker 4: start off the year. You've kind of circled that for

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Speaker 4: a long time, and players can say all they want

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Speaker 4: to say. We know ultimately that they circled this too.

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Speaker 4: We've had a little bit of people saying, oh, you know, nameless,

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Speaker 4: faceless opponent it is. But ultimately, you know, this game

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Speaker 4: means a little bit more. Division games always mean more.

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Speaker 4: So I'm glad that finally, I can, you know, let.

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Speaker 1: It all out. We're ready to play this We're ready

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Speaker 1: to play this game. That's for sure, and that's what

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Speaker 1: I mean. We'll get to it. But that's what I

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Speaker 1: appreciate most about this week. When you've talked to really

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Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks, when you talk to players,

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Speaker 1: they you know a lot of times going into the

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Speaker 1: regular season, they give you us a standard cliche answer.

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Speaker 1: And that's not to be critical of anything, but you know,

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Speaker 1: a lot of times you hear that's one out of

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Speaker 1: seventeen they all count the same, which they do. There's

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Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with that. But I just love Bill.

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Speaker 1: Going back to even the kickoff lunch and when we

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Speaker 1: heard from Shane Steiken at Chris Ballard, everybody's pretty open

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Speaker 1: about what this game means, what it represents to start

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Speaker 1: the season off on the right foot, and both teams

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Speaker 1: are trying to take from what the other wants, if

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Speaker 1: that makes sense, because both teams are really well built,

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Speaker 1: and they've got this window of opportunity right now with quarterbacks,

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Speaker 1: young quarterbacks on rookie contracts.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, and everyone once got off to a good start.

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Speaker 3: It's like anything else. You're rung a forty yard dash.

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Speaker 3: You want to have a good start. You want to

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Speaker 3: have a good start, even though this season is a marathon.

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Speaker 3: We know that seven teen weeks, but you want to

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Speaker 3: get off to a good start, especially when you're playing

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Speaker 3: a game at home the Tone Center against a division opponent,

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Speaker 3: a point that beat you last year in the same place.

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Speaker 2: To put you out of the playoffs.

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Speaker 3: You want to kind of redeem yourself, so to speak.

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Speaker 3: But you want to go out and you want to

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Speaker 3: get off to a good start. You want to play

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Speaker 3: well against this team. So it's gonna be a big game.

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Speaker 3: You know, the coats of bringing back a lot of

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Speaker 3: players from last year, Texas have made a lot of moves,

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Speaker 3: got a lot of new guys on the team, yep.

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Speaker 3: And not just new guys, but I mean bona fide players,

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Speaker 3: NFL players on a team. So it's gonna be interesting

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Speaker 3: to see what happens on Sunday.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, we're gonna discuss all these new pivotal parts of

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Speaker 1: the Colts and reflect on last year and what they

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Speaker 1: can do better, not only in Week eighteen a year ago,

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Speaker 1: but certainly you know some aspects of the entire season

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Speaker 1: that can serve the Colts. Well, we're gonna do that

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Speaker 1: on a segment called by how much how much are

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Speaker 1: they going to be improved to start the season. Also

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Speaker 1: joining us today on this podcast, Julian Blackman, you want

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Speaker 1: to talk about our perspective, you want to talk about

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Speaker 1: pro you want to talk about just putting everything out there.

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Speaker 1: Because he didn't play in this game last year were eighteen,

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Speaker 1: he was hurt. And this is a this is me talking,

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Speaker 1: not Julian talking. But I strongly believe that had Julian

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Speaker 1: Blackman played last year in Week eighteen, I think the

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Speaker 1: Colts win that football agree with it?

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Speaker 5: Right?

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Speaker 1: I mean, I think he's going to be more humble

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Speaker 1: than that different game, no doubt about it. I think,

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Speaker 1: you know, Nico Collins doesn't have the game that he

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Speaker 1: does in that contest. But Bill, we've heard all about

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Speaker 1: getting off to a fast start and all of those things.

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Speaker 1: And the Texans were ten and seven, Colts were nine

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Speaker 1: and eight. I mean, the Texans are playing six prime

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Speaker 1: time games this year, the Colts are playing one. Had

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Speaker 1: the Colts converted that fourth down, I think everybody be

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Speaker 1: talking about this Colts team the same way they're talking

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Speaker 1: about this Texans team. So where do you have the

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Speaker 1: Colts with a chip on their shoulder going into this game?

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Speaker 2: Well, of course they have a chip on their shoulder.

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Speaker 3: I know they have a chip on his shoulder because

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Speaker 3: I'm sure they want to of course, win division. That's

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Speaker 3: everyone's goal going into the season. Yeah, win division, you're

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Speaker 3: guarantee to play spot, guarantee the home game in the playoffs.

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Speaker 3: So the Coasts definitely want to win this game. And

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Speaker 3: they have a chip because you know, the game they

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Speaker 3: lost was at home that put them out of the playoffs,

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Speaker 3: and that's not a good feeling. Players don't like that.

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Speaker 3: They don't like losing at home. They want to play

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Speaker 3: well at home, and they want to have a dominance

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Speaker 3: at home. And I think for the Coast to have

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Speaker 3: that dominance, it needs to start this Sunday.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, Casey Bill alluded to the Texans. Let's talk about

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Speaker 1: them on the setup here. How ready now is this

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Speaker 1: Texans roster? In the offseason, as Bill alluded to, they

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Speaker 1: bring in Joe Mixon into trade. They bring in Stefan

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Speaker 1: Diggs in a trade. Danil Hunter comes over in free

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Speaker 1: agency the Texans. Last year. They become the first team

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Speaker 1: in the in the history of the NFL to add

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Speaker 1: three players who recorded ten plus sacks, have a one

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Speaker 1: thousand yard rushing season, and have a player have at

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Speaker 1: least one hundred catches in the previous season, right, So

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Speaker 1: first team to do all that in the same offseason again,

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Speaker 1: and I think this Colts team's ready to go. As

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Speaker 1: Bill alluded to, you got twenty two starters, You've got

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Speaker 1: Anthony Richardson coming back. He's gonna ride, you know, raise

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Speaker 1: the the I think the ceiling and the potential of

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Speaker 1: this team across the board. But the Texans, I think

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Speaker 1: they feel even better because last year they saw CJ.

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Speaker 1: Stroud turn in the type of season that the Colts

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Speaker 1: want to see out of Anthony Richardson.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, it's interesting because I would agree they're both kind

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Speaker 4: of on a similar playing field, and they've done it

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Speaker 4: two different ways. You look at the offseason, the way

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Speaker 4: the Colts handled it, it was we are ready. We're

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Speaker 4: gonna have our quarterback back healthy, so let's bring back

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Speaker 4: this roster. That was, as you mentioned, a fourth down

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Speaker 4: a way you know, from ultimately winning the division. For

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Speaker 4: the Texans, they almost felt like they were playing a

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Speaker 4: little bit with house money in a way last year

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Speaker 4: where they kind of exceeded those expectations. So you know

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Speaker 4: how it is in this league, quarterback on a rookie deal,

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Speaker 4: that's kind of your time to feed and they're going

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Speaker 4: and they're going for it. So you talk about Denil Hunter,

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Speaker 4: Stefon Diggs, Joe Mixon, so ultimately they are ready. But

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Speaker 4: I think it's it kind of puts them right where

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Speaker 4: the Colts are. Like the Colts have established over the

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Speaker 4: last handful of years, their core, their group of guys

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Speaker 4: that you know, they didn't go out and get a

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Speaker 4: whole bunch of big free names of free agent signings

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Speaker 4: when it comes to outside, but the guys they signed

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Speaker 4: in house would have been a big splash in other places.

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Speaker 1: So that's what they did.

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Speaker 4: Their big splash moves were retaining guys like as you

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Speaker 4: mentioned in Julian Blackman, we're going to hear but later

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Speaker 4: on Kenny Moore, Michael Pittman, like those were the important

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Speaker 4: pieces this Colts team needed to bring back. So gues

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Speaker 4: Houston definitely retooled. They've got a revamped with a lot

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Speaker 4: more talent than what they had last year. But it

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Speaker 4: puts them kind of on the same arc, if you will,

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Speaker 4: is where the Colts are.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, like I said, we've seen it at a CJ. Stroud,

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Speaker 1: I mean four thousand passing yards last year, fifth rookie

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Speaker 1: quarterback ever to reach that milestone NFL Offensive Rookie of

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Speaker 1: the Year. You can go on and on and on.

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Speaker 1: He loves to push the ball down the field incredibly accurate,

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Speaker 1: and we'll talk about that. But Bill, more than anything,

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Speaker 1: it's not just CJ. Stroud, it's that weaponry. It's the

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Speaker 1: weaponry with Diggs and Tank Dell who didn't play in

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Speaker 1: Week eight team, Nico Collins who he torched the Colts

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Speaker 1: last year in two games he had that seventy five

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Speaker 1: yard bomb for a touchdown. He had a touchdown also

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Speaker 1: in that Week two game last year, which I know

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Speaker 1: is apples and oranges to where we are now. But Bill,

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Speaker 1: I'm just curious for you, where does Stroud and his

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Speaker 1: weaponry around him, Where does that rank for you going

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Speaker 1: into the season in terms of toughest challenges for that secondary.

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Speaker 1: That's that's still pretty you know, young, and it's got

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Speaker 1: a lot of potential. But they're going to be tested, right.

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Speaker 3: Yes, this is this is a tough challenge for them.

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Speaker 3: They're coming out the gate probably with one of the

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Speaker 3: toughest to me trio of receivers in the National Football

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Speaker 3: League as you mentioned Collins, Diggs and Dell. Those guys

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Speaker 3: can light up on you. They all have something different

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Speaker 3: they can give to the offense. So they're special. But

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Speaker 3: let's not forget about Dalton Schultz also the tight end.

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Speaker 3: Let's forget about Joe Mixon in the backfield, Damian Pierce.

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Speaker 3: So they have weapons out there. So CJ right now

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Speaker 3: ranks very high in that in regards as far as

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Speaker 3: being able to possibly repeat what he did last year

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Speaker 3: or maybe even better because he has the weapons around him.

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Speaker 3: He has another year under his belt and how he

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Speaker 3: how he can go after the season. He knows what

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Speaker 3: to expect now. So I think as far as CJ,

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Speaker 3: he can have a great year. He has the weapons

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Speaker 3: around him, and I think, as you said, he's under

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Speaker 3: the rookie contract, they're going for it right now. They

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Speaker 3: surround him with the players not just on offense, but

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Speaker 3: also on defense as well.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, we'll talk about that defense coming up in

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Speaker 1: just a second. But Daniel Hunter as a guy, you know,

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Speaker 1: talking with some of their folks in Houston, Larry M.

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Speaker 1: Tunsel was out a little bit during this training camp,

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Speaker 1: and you know, those second and third offensive tackles had

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Speaker 1: a little bit of a walking Daniel Hunter getting after CJ.

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Speaker 1: Stroud there. All right, let's go into the season here,

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Speaker 1: it's week one, but we do want to talk a

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Speaker 1: little bit big picture here. I want to go to

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Speaker 1: a segment called by how much because last year the

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Speaker 1: Colts finished nine to eight, were just so close of

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Speaker 1: making the playoffs. Where do they need to improve in

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Speaker 1: one of those areas that I thought was pointed out

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Speaker 1: really well by JJ Stangowitz and his ten Things going

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Speaker 1: into the Season article. It's really good, check it out

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Speaker 1: on Colts dot com. But we've talked about this throughout

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Speaker 1: most of the offseason. Colts last year really good, consistent

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Speaker 1: scoring points, but they could be even better in situational football.

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Speaker 1: Last year again tenth in scoring, but we're bottom ten

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Speaker 1: in red zone touchdown rate forty nine percent, also bottom

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Speaker 1: ten and third down conversion rate at thirty five percent

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Speaker 1: for the season, and only two teams that were bottom

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Speaker 1: ten in red zone last year in terms of scoring

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Speaker 1: touchdowns made the playoffs. Those teams would be Tampa Bay

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Speaker 1: and Pittsburgh, and both of those teams, ironically were also

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Speaker 1: nine win teams. So it is one of those things

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Speaker 1: where I think Anthony Richardson, Casey coming back is going

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Speaker 1: to boost the Colts efficiency in that regard, but it's

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Speaker 1: really something that has to be improved. And I'm curious

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Speaker 1: based on what you saw in the preseason in training camp,

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Speaker 1: it's going to be improved. But again with the theme

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Speaker 1: of the segment here, by how much in your opinion.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, that's that's a million dollar question ultimately, because that

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Speaker 4: is situational football is always one of those when you

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Speaker 4: dive into analytics or whatever, it.

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Speaker 1: Really rises above the top.

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Speaker 4: But I think when you have a healthy Anthony Richardson,

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Speaker 4: especially in the red zone, that's where I'm sticking his

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Speaker 4: red zone. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked to see

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Speaker 4: your percentage go up twenty to thirty percent better this

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Speaker 4: year with him. He gives you another weapon in the

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Speaker 4: arsenal of where the ball can go, and that in

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Speaker 4: itself just is massive. And I think we've heard, like

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Speaker 4: one of the things that Michael Pittman Junior talked about

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Speaker 4: in the offseason that one of his goals to be

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Speaker 4: better and put himself in where he labels his Tier

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Speaker 4: one or Tier two wide receiver his touchdowns, and think

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Speaker 4: I think in the red zone is an area where

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Speaker 4: he can improve.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, that might be you know, those those.

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Speaker 4: Long scores, but ultimately in the red zone being that

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Speaker 4: target for Anthony. But I wouldn't be shocked to see

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Speaker 4: them improve their red zone efficiency up by almost twenty

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Speaker 4: to thirty percent.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's all about Anthony Richardson. I mean,

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Speaker 1: the guy scored seven touchdowns last year in one hundred

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Speaker 1: and seventy three snatch. Yeah, accounted for seven touchdowns. All right,

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Speaker 1: So fantasy owners, I'm not telling you what to do,

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Speaker 1: but don't be sneezing on Anthony Richardson, primarily because Bill

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Speaker 1: I think he's going to be the star of the show.

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Speaker 1: Once the Colts get inside the red zone, he's gonna

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Speaker 1: get at least you know, depending on how things go.

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Speaker 1: You would think Shane Stike is going to dial up

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Speaker 1: a rush for him, and we saw that heavily in

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Speaker 1: that Week two game with against the last year. Right,

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Speaker 1: So I think it's gonna be, like if I have

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Speaker 1: a gut feeling about things, I think it's gonna be

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Speaker 1: kind of how the Ravens use Lamar Jackson in the

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Speaker 1: running game in the red zone high leverage situation when

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Speaker 1: the field shrinks Bill. You know, you just want to

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Speaker 1: get the football into the hands of your best player.

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Speaker 3: Put the ball into the hands of your best players.

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Speaker 3: And then when you're down there, also the defense. The

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Speaker 3: defense knows the field has shrunk him down, so they

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Speaker 3: don't have to cover as much out there, but they

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Speaker 3: don't usually account for the quarterback down there. So now

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Speaker 3: they're gonna have to account for the quarterback because Anthony

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Speaker 3: Richardson can run. He's a big guy. He can run

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Speaker 3: people over. Hopefully, you know, he doesn't have to do that.

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Speaker 3: We want him to stay healthy. But then also let's

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Speaker 3: not forget we have JT back there too in the backfield,

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Speaker 3: so you can run the ball in as well, so

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Speaker 3: and you have weapons. As far as ad Mitchell being

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Speaker 3: out there now new hopefully we get Josh Down's back,

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Speaker 3: they'll know his status as far as going forward from

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Speaker 3: as we talk today. But I think the key to

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Speaker 3: this as far as the coach is getting better in

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Speaker 3: the red zone, which I think is impowerdive for them

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Speaker 3: to be successful.

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Speaker 2: This year's Anthony Richardson.

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Speaker 1: And Wyatt Matters on Sunday Houston. Last year, they gave

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Speaker 1: up twenty points per game, a really respectful number, but

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Speaker 1: they ranked fifth and third down defense. They got off

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Speaker 1: the field very frequently, and they allowed just fifty one

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Speaker 1: percent red zone touchdown rate. So a good defense that

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Speaker 1: I think is even better with some of the additions

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Speaker 1: they made in the offseason as these al shires there,

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Speaker 1: they drafted two rookies to come in. They're going to

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Speaker 1: contribute majorly in the back end, so that they're going

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Speaker 1: to be improved across the board in that secondary. All right,

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Speaker 1: let's talk about pressure rate. Last year, the Colts got

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Speaker 1: to get better. And the question is here by how much.

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Speaker 1: They had fifty one sacks last year. That was a

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Speaker 1: franchise record since they moved to town. But the team's

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Speaker 1: overall pressure rate just a little bit north of thirty

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Speaker 1: one percent. That was ninth lowest in the NFL. So

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Speaker 1: the overall pass rush I think is going to get

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Speaker 1: more consistent. Leatu Latus here, I think that only helps.

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Speaker 1: I mean, you're still kind of feeling the sting of

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Speaker 1: the Samson ebicom loss and his injury. So I think

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Speaker 1: it's going to be better, Bill, But by how much

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Speaker 1: do you think early on in the season, Well.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, the season might take a little while, you know

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Speaker 3: it might only be better to say by let's say

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Speaker 3: go ten percent. I know, I think that's I think

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Speaker 3: a still good, but it's not as much as I

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Speaker 3: think it's gonna be when you get down the road,

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Speaker 3: because it's gonna take a lot to sometime. Even though

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Speaker 3: he's shown a lot during training camp, during the preseason,

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Speaker 3: he's shown a lot what he can do out there

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Speaker 3: in the football field, and I think he's going to

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Speaker 3: make a difference for that upfront guys to put pressure

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Speaker 3: on the quarterback, and I think you need to get pressure,

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Speaker 3: especially on CJ.

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Speaker 2: Stroud.

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Speaker 3: You get people in his face. I think he has

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Speaker 3: a hard time getting the ball out. Of course, he

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Speaker 3: doesn't want to get hit. He's not He is a

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Speaker 3: good athlete, he's mobile, maybe not all that fast, but

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Speaker 3: you have to get pressure on him. And I think

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Speaker 3: the coach will do a better job this year getting

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Speaker 3: pressure on especially you know, now you got Roy Kwan

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Speaker 3: Davis in the middle there, you can put push that

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Speaker 3: pocket back, get someone in his face if CJ wants

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Speaker 3: to stay there, or whatever quarterback they're playing against.

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Speaker 2: So I think it would be better let's say about

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Speaker 2: ten to fifteen percent going starting off in the season, let.

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Speaker 1: Me ask both of you, how does this number relate

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Speaker 1: to because you want to get pressure rate. Pressure rate

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Speaker 1: is just for your entire teams. Yes, it's your entire defense.

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Speaker 1: It's not just your front four. And I think sometimes

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Speaker 1: we look at, Okay, this number is indicative of how

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Speaker 1: good your front four is, which I mean, that's part

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Speaker 1: of it, there's no doubt about that. But you're going

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Speaker 1: into your number three fellas with Gus Bradley at the

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Speaker 1: helm of this defense, can you afford to be a

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Speaker 1: little bit more aggressive and maybe blitz more and trust

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Speaker 1: people on the outside to win more in man coverage

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Speaker 1: because then you can get after the quarterback a little

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Speaker 1: bit more. I mean, last year only four quarterback hits

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Speaker 1: for the entire game on CJ. Stroud and that you

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Speaker 1: only sacked them twice.

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Speaker 4: No, I think that's key, and I think you mentioned

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Speaker 4: it because one of the big topics we've heard at

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Speaker 4: Nauseum is the youthful secondary and the belief that they have,

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Speaker 4: and ultimately the best way to help that crew is

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Speaker 4: quarterback pressure. To get you've got to maintain you that

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Speaker 4: you're in the backfield on a regular basis. So I

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Speaker 4: think that does kind of lend its hand to being

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Speaker 4: a little bit more, a little bit more blitzing, or

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Speaker 4: whatever you want to call it. I think you might

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Speaker 4: see a little bit more of that just because of

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Speaker 4: the comfortability that you have if we talk about the

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Speaker 4: continuity of the defense that comes back. Gus Bradley knows

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Speaker 4: these guys. These guys know, so you have so much

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Speaker 4: more trust in faith in the guy. So I think

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Speaker 4: you might see a little bit more of an exotic

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Speaker 4: defense this year than what you've seen in the past.

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Speaker 1: Can you afford to do that with the personnel you

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Speaker 1: have on this defense? I think you can. Yeah. I

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Speaker 1: think Juju Brents and Jalen Jones I think are really

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Speaker 1: really good players. And like Chris Ballard has talked about

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Speaker 1: all off season, like we just need to see him play.

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Speaker 1: They need to see him grow, and I think they will,

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Speaker 1: and I think you will, I think inherently see the

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Speaker 1: front four Bill be more efficient. But E. J. Speed's

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Speaker 1: one of the best blitzing linebackers in the game. Ziar

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Speaker 1: Franklin can be too.

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Speaker 3: The guys are good athletes, That's the bottom line. There

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Speaker 3: is good athletes, so they can get after the quarterback,

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Speaker 3: they can track them down when I'm down, I would

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Speaker 3: like to see him more aggressive. Give those guys a

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Speaker 3: chance to get to the quarterback and make the quarterback

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Speaker 3: throw when he's not ready, throw it to a spot

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Speaker 3: maybe when he's not exactly right, and receivers breaking out

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Speaker 3: and the balls incomplete.

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Speaker 2: Or the guys pick it off and give those guys

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Speaker 2: a chance.

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Speaker 3: Let's see what those guys can do in regardless to

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Speaker 3: the corners as far as covering the receivers down there

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Speaker 3: on the football field.

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Speaker 1: All right, last one, we kind of hit it on

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Speaker 1: a little bit. Last By how much is that secondary?

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Speaker 1: Because you're gonna be starting Juju Brintz, Jalen Jones, Nick

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Speaker 1: Cross is coming back for year number three. He's got

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Speaker 1: six starts under his belt. I mean, these are all

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Speaker 1: guys that are just oozing with potential, and then you

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Speaker 1: pair them up with Julian Blackman, who we're gonna hear

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Speaker 1: from in just a second, Kenny Moore the second. That

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Speaker 1: secondary should be better this season, Bill, but by how.

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Speaker 3: Much they should be better? They're not rookies anymore. Those

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Speaker 3: guys have some games under their belts. They've been practicing,

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Speaker 3: they miss some time. Just have to keep those guys healthy.

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Speaker 3: I think these guys can improve quite a bit, you know.

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Speaker 3: I think they're talented, and I'm gonna go I'm gonna

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Speaker 3: say that they can go forty percent. Is everyone to

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Speaker 3: put a number on it, I'm gonna go about forty

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Speaker 3: percent these guys are I think these guys are athletic

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Speaker 3: enough to do it, So let's give.

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Speaker 2: Them a chance to do it.

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Speaker 3: And I think with the upfront four eight, how many

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Speaker 3: guys are gonna be in there. You know they're rotating

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Speaker 3: there to put some pressure on quarterback. That's gonna help

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Speaker 3: those guys. And I believe those guys have the confidence

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Speaker 3: in themselves that they can do the job.

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Speaker 4: I'm right with Bill. Honestly, I had forty percent for

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Speaker 4: you know where they're going to be if you put

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Speaker 4: it on a percentage Scale's that's what I was thinking too,

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Speaker 4: because I've been pretty bullish on this secondary. I've heard

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Speaker 4: the outside noise that, but I honestly liked what Juju

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Speaker 4: Brents gave.

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Speaker 5: You.

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Speaker 4: Now, what you want to see is him more on

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Speaker 4: the field because injuries definitely, you know, really hampered his

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Speaker 4: growth if.

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Speaker 5: You will, as a rookie.

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Speaker 4: But also I thought what Jalen Jones did. He was

433
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,800
Speaker 4: a guy that we weren't really talking about. I mean,

434
00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,640
Speaker 4: ultimately he earns himself a spot mainly special teams during

435
00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,840
Speaker 4: camp just because you couldn't take him off the field.

436
00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,520
Speaker 4: You knew that in a pinch, maybe he could step in,

437
00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,600
Speaker 4: and I thought as a rookie with very low expectations,

438
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,360
Speaker 4: he I mean, he filled that bar really really quickly,

439
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,240
Speaker 4: and ultimately we've seen him pick up right where he

440
00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,720
Speaker 4: left off. I mean he has taken another jump during camp. Yeah,

441
00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,880
Speaker 4: and I think he is definitely ready to be in

442
00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,359
Speaker 4: that mix. And you talk about the veteran guys you

443
00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,359
Speaker 4: have in Julian and Kenny, and you mentioned Nick Cross

444
00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,440
Speaker 4: at the top as we well, and what those guys

445
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:03,800
Speaker 4: are going to do to help elevate his game. He's

446
00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,080
Speaker 4: kind of seen the ups and downs of what you know,

447
00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:07,920
Speaker 4: a lot of people go through in the NFL, where

448
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,840
Speaker 4: you're the guy and then you're not the guy, and

449
00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:11,679
Speaker 4: now you're the guy again. So he's seen what that

450
00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,400
Speaker 4: looks like. So I'm really intrigued by what this colt

451
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,359
Speaker 4: secondary could do because I'm pretty bolish on him.

452
00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,960
Speaker 1: Yeah, Wyatt Matters coming up on Sunday, the Colts last

453
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:23,000
Speaker 1: year eighty eight explosive pass plays allowed. That was are

454
00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,879
Speaker 1: those you know what qualifies that are completions of at

455
00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,080
Speaker 1: least sixteen yards. That was twelfth most of the NFL.

456
00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,879
Speaker 1: C J Stroud last year averaged over eight yards per attempt.

457
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,160
Speaker 1: He had forty completions last year of at least twenty

458
00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:39,840
Speaker 1: five yards that ranked second. Again, he loves to push

459
00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,560
Speaker 1: the ball down the field. He's incredibly confident in his

460
00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,640
Speaker 1: abilities to do that. He's really accurate, and he's got

461
00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:47,919
Speaker 1: the weaponry like we discussed to get that done. All right,

462
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,600
Speaker 1: we're gonna stay in the secondary right now. Joining us

463
00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,000
Speaker 1: a little bit earlier today again was Julian Blackman. He's

464
00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,040
Speaker 1: here for year number five. Didn't play last year in

465
00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:58,520
Speaker 1: Week eighteen, but he's back here for week number one.

466
00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,639
Speaker 1: We caught up right Beforectice on the outdoor practice field

467
00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,280
Speaker 1: as promised. We're joined now with Julian Blackman cult Safety.

468
00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:09,080
Speaker 1: Going into Week one, it's the Colts and the Texans. Julian,

469
00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:12,840
Speaker 1: how ready are you for this game? Emotionally mentally for

470
00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:14,640
Speaker 1: week one and just the start of the twenty twenty

471
00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:15,560
Speaker 1: four regular season.

472
00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:16,520
Speaker 5: I'm very ready.

473
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:18,919
Speaker 6: I feel like you know, everybody gets really excited, especially

474
00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,159
Speaker 6: week one. You're going up against a team that you know,

475
00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,320
Speaker 6: stopped us from accomplishing our goals from last year. So

476
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,720
Speaker 6: being able to come back and you know, try to

477
00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,200
Speaker 6: get that get back, I guess is what we would

478
00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,880
Speaker 6: call it is exciting, you know, especially for me. It's

479
00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,040
Speaker 6: been a while. You know, got hurt December twenty fourth,

480
00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,720
Speaker 6: So getting to play a full game again is you

481
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:38,600
Speaker 6: know what I look forward to.

482
00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,119
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's exactly right. Let's let's pick up there, because

483
00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,240
Speaker 1: like you said, Week eighteen, you weren't on the field.

484
00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,480
Speaker 1: How much do you still think about that game having

485
00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:48,560
Speaker 1: to watch it from the sidelines, thinking about the what

486
00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,080
Speaker 1: could have been or the what ifs in terms of

487
00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:53,440
Speaker 1: the result of that game had you been able to play.

488
00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:56,760
Speaker 6: I just think that I could have helped. Don't know

489
00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:58,159
Speaker 6: what it would have looked like, sure, you know with

490
00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,760
Speaker 6: the what is and everything, but I just know that

491
00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,679
Speaker 6: I feel like I'm somebody that could have been an

492
00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,520
Speaker 6: important role in us winning the game. And so, you know,

493
00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,480
Speaker 6: like I said, just being able to come back and

494
00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,920
Speaker 6: be back with my teammates, you know, have that comfortability

495
00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,600
Speaker 6: with my teammates and another secure player just really excited

496
00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:15,880
Speaker 6: to get this challenge again.

497
00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:17,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, you say you're so fired up for this game,

498
00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,640
Speaker 1: but how do you balance the urgency for the game

499
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,040
Speaker 1: with knowing that, hey, it's still one out of seventeen.

500
00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,280
Speaker 1: It's important because it's the first one. But how do

501
00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,399
Speaker 1: you balance not getting too amped up, too excited for

502
00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,199
Speaker 1: this game knowing that, hey, once the football's kicked off,

503
00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:34,399
Speaker 1: it's still a sixty minute game, regardless of who the

504
00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:35,000
Speaker 1: opponent is.

505
00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,960
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think we just go back to the rudiments

506
00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:39,480
Speaker 6: and the reason or what our goal is for the year.

507
00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,000
Speaker 6: No matter who the opponent is, it's just another faceless

508
00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,080
Speaker 6: opponent that is in the way of what we're trying

509
00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,120
Speaker 6: to do and what we're trying to accomplish. So keeping

510
00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:48,760
Speaker 6: that in mind as well as, you know, just making

511
00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,199
Speaker 6: sure that we together are moving on one accord to

512
00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:51,840
Speaker 6: what the goal is.

513
00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,439
Speaker 1: Ultimately, all right, loaded question on this, I get it.

514
00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:59,000
Speaker 1: But what makes CJ. Stroud so good this early on

515
00:22:59,080 --> 00:22:59,679
Speaker 1: in his career?

516
00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:02,040
Speaker 6: Man? I think that they do a good job putting

517
00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,280
Speaker 6: them in situations where he can just get the ball out.

518
00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,040
Speaker 6: He's a quarterback that he's not just going to throw interceptions.

519
00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:10,000
Speaker 6: I mean, I think he only threw maybe five last

520
00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,639
Speaker 6: year exep. You know, it's we got to be very

521
00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,680
Speaker 6: opportunistic when the times come. That's why we have to

522
00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,800
Speaker 6: be very disciplined in what we do, just because you

523
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,520
Speaker 6: know it can come at any moment but moment, but

524
00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,280
Speaker 6: we got to take advantage of it. So he's one

525
00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:23,719
Speaker 6: of those guys that's just not going to give him

526
00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:25,399
Speaker 6: more easy. We got to go earn it. But I

527
00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,679
Speaker 6: think I think they I think that they do a

528
00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,600
Speaker 6: great job at putting him in position to make plays.

529
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, and that weaponry around him with Stefan Diggs and

530
00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,240
Speaker 1: Tank Dell, the Nico Collins who's coming off a twelve

531
00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:38,840
Speaker 1: hundred yard receiving season for them last year. He was

532
00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,080
Speaker 1: out of those three, the only one that did play

533
00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:43,160
Speaker 1: in the Week eighteen and still had a big game.

534
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:47,000
Speaker 1: Where does this weaponry if you will rank for you

535
00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,879
Speaker 1: in terms of toughest challenges you're going to see this season?

536
00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:50,280
Speaker 1: Do you think?

537
00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:50,680
Speaker 5: Well?

538
00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:52,720
Speaker 6: I think I just think that it's another opportunity to

539
00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:54,639
Speaker 6: show how good our secondary really is.

540
00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:55,439
Speaker 5: You know, as a.

541
00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,159
Speaker 6: Secondary, we were the spotlight for a reason because everything

542
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,920
Speaker 6: that happens bad or good, we're in. We're in it,

543
00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:02,840
Speaker 6: you know, no matter what. So I think that's just

544
00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:04,880
Speaker 6: opportunity for us. I'm not going to say that they're

545
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,040
Speaker 6: the toughest oppontment. I'm not going to say that the weakest. Sure,

546
00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,600
Speaker 6: every every every Sunday, you know, we have a challenge

547
00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:10,280
Speaker 6: in its own self.

548
00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,120
Speaker 5: So this is just an opportunity for us.

549
00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, Stefan Diggs, you know, he's a guy that's close

550
00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,760
Speaker 1: to he's essentially a ten thousand yard receiver for his career,

551
00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,640
Speaker 1: and you know, they move him around a little bit.

552
00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:24,359
Speaker 1: Tank Dell gets moved around a little bit. And again,

553
00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,040
Speaker 1: some of those guys didn't play in Week eighteen last year.

554
00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,600
Speaker 1: And for this game, it's the first game of the season.

555
00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:31,760
Speaker 1: Not being funny at all, but but how do you

556
00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,560
Speaker 1: game plan for this opponent because there's there's so much

557
00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,880
Speaker 1: newness about this game, plus again it's the first game

558
00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:39,320
Speaker 1: of the year.

559
00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,959
Speaker 6: Well, I think that, like I think that guys do

560
00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,800
Speaker 6: really certain things really well. And so you got to understand,

561
00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,080
Speaker 6: you know, where Tank Dell's getting the ball, where Nico's

562
00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,800
Speaker 6: getting the ball right, and what Stefan Diggs made his

563
00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,880
Speaker 6: money yet and so you know, knowing that going back

564
00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,359
Speaker 6: to watch his Buffalo tape, his Vikings tape. I mean,

565
00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,040
Speaker 6: you see where he's getting the ball, so you can

566
00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,800
Speaker 6: you can plug him into the offense that Texas or

567
00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:01,919
Speaker 6: that Houston had last year and just go off of that.

568
00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:03,600
Speaker 5: But then at the same time, it's week one.

569
00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,480
Speaker 6: You don't know what you're gonna get, and so we

570
00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,439
Speaker 6: kind of just have to learn on the fly and

571
00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:10,560
Speaker 6: understand what's being attacked. And I think that if we

572
00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,399
Speaker 6: can be cerebral in that way, we'll be fine.

573
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,000
Speaker 1: You played a lot of week one games. What what

574
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,160
Speaker 1: is a week one game like for you? In terms

575
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,280
Speaker 1: of adaptation and change on the fly? I mean, what's

576
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:21,680
Speaker 1: that like? How tough is that to do?

577
00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,879
Speaker 6: I mean, the mentalities, Just get better, this drive, just

578
00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,000
Speaker 6: get better, this down, Just try to understand what I'm seeing,

579
00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,520
Speaker 6: get my feet in the ground, and you feel the game,

580
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,000
Speaker 6: because everybody comes out with a bunch of adrenaline and

581
00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:35,720
Speaker 6: you got to get past that. And once you get

582
00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:38,040
Speaker 6: past that, it'll be fine. So for me, it's just

583
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,359
Speaker 6: one step at a time and just understanding my keys

584
00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:40,840
Speaker 6: in that house.

585
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:42,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's no doubt about that, all right. You came

586
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,280
Speaker 1: back for this team, wanted to come back in free agency.

587
00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:47,679
Speaker 1: You did so for a variety of reasons, There's no

588
00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,240
Speaker 1: doubt about that. But one of the big ones is

589
00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:52,879
Speaker 1: you wanted to continue to play with Kenny Moore in

590
00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,720
Speaker 1: the secondary. Why is he so important to you?

591
00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,840
Speaker 6: Just because outside of football, he's a special person. He's

592
00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,680
Speaker 6: very kind person, he's a very giving person. He's the

593
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:04,879
Speaker 6: kind of friend that you know quickly turns into someoney

594
00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:06,879
Speaker 6: that you end up loving, you know, as a brother,

595
00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,920
Speaker 6: just because he's always been there for me. He'll reach out,

596
00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,040
Speaker 6: just check on me, see how I'm doing, and vice versa.

597
00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:14,879
Speaker 6: You know, like like we say to each other, we

598
00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,600
Speaker 6: got brothers. We're brothers for life. And so I just

599
00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,199
Speaker 6: think that being able to play with someone that I

600
00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,320
Speaker 6: care about in that way also helps elevate my game. Sure,

601
00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,040
Speaker 6: especially because all the great things that he's done. You know,

602
00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:27,680
Speaker 6: I want to be the kind of player that also

603
00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,760
Speaker 6: can do those things. And so that's why I look

604
00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,720
Speaker 6: up to him a lot. And you know this, this

605
00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:33,760
Speaker 6: isn't going to be really fun.

606
00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,520
Speaker 1: You know, you talked about all those things that you

607
00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,080
Speaker 1: guys appreciate about one another off the field. How does

608
00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:39,760
Speaker 1: that help you on the field. I mean, when you

609
00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,440
Speaker 1: look at him is it always just knowing, like, hey,

610
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,320
Speaker 1: twenty three, I always know this guy is going to

611
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,240
Speaker 1: be in the right place at the right time. I

612
00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:48,320
Speaker 1: don't have to necessarily worry about this guy because I

613
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:49,480
Speaker 1: know he's going to be in the right spot.

614
00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:51,520
Speaker 6: There's a sense of calmness, and I think that's for

615
00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,199
Speaker 6: you know, any any player that does things consistently. You know,

616
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,400
Speaker 6: when you when you get out there with Zaire, when

617
00:26:57,440 --> 00:26:59,359
Speaker 6: you get out there with Buck, when you get out

618
00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,240
Speaker 6: there with the guys that are very consistent growth our dns,

619
00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:04,840
Speaker 6: you know, everybody that's a starter, honestly, you just grow

620
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:06,760
Speaker 6: a sense of Okay, I know that they're gonna their

621
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,520
Speaker 6: starter is for a reason, you know, like I put it,

622
00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,240
Speaker 6: And that's not taking away from anyone else, but I

623
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,400
Speaker 6: mean the starters are starters for a reason because they're consistent,

624
00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,720
Speaker 6: and so you know, when you get guys like that,

625
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,639
Speaker 6: superstars like that, it's easy to be like, all right,

626
00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:17,880
Speaker 6: let me go do my job because I.

627
00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:19,480
Speaker 1: Know the ball is coming at some point, no question

628
00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:19,919
Speaker 1: about that.

629
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:20,320
Speaker 5: All right.

630
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,679
Speaker 1: Another guy you're gonna be running with on Sunday is

631
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,960
Speaker 1: Nick Cross in your number three? He's the starter. What

632
00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:29,200
Speaker 1: is it about his game? That gives you confidence he's

633
00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,000
Speaker 1: ready for that role in the back.

634
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,760
Speaker 6: End with you. I think that Nick has improved over

635
00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:36,920
Speaker 6: the years. You know, over time, he hasn't just stayed

636
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,919
Speaker 6: stagnant and so really excited. Obviously, the learning is still

637
00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 6: something that we all still need to do, you know,

638
00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,480
Speaker 6: and that's just in getting more reps. I think, you know,

639
00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,800
Speaker 6: the more that he's on the field, the more he'll

640
00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,240
Speaker 6: understand things. And that's a really exciting thing. You know,

641
00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:53,679
Speaker 6: to be on the field year three and you know,

642
00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,320
Speaker 6: be be trusted enough to be the starter, be the guy.

643
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,359
Speaker 6: So you know you also got to you know, let

644
00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,000
Speaker 6: the boy die and let the man live.

645
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:01,520
Speaker 5: We're excited for that.

646
00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:03,480
Speaker 1: Well, you know, I don't want you to give anything

647
00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:05,639
Speaker 1: away in terms of the game plan, but all throughout

648
00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,160
Speaker 1: training camp, you guys were interchangeable, right, strong safety for you,

649
00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,720
Speaker 1: free safety for him, vice versa, trying to feel it out,

650
00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,320
Speaker 1: trying to get that best combination on the field. If

651
00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,920
Speaker 1: you do do those things at times during the game,

652
00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,520
Speaker 1: what are the biggest pros to that. What's the biggest

653
00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,480
Speaker 1: benefit to being able to kind of switch and interchange

654
00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,080
Speaker 1: positions and what does that do to the opposing offense.

655
00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,879
Speaker 6: A big pro is just different looks, just getting different different,

656
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,639
Speaker 6: different kinds of situations. For the quarterback, he's not always

657
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,280
Speaker 6: going to expect me to be the down safety, so

658
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,360
Speaker 6: now he's really got to go through his progression and

659
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,160
Speaker 6: really read someone else or however you're supposed to read

660
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,800
Speaker 6: as an offensive player. And I think that for me,

661
00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,600
Speaker 6: it makes me more opportunistic. Obviously, I feel like I'm

662
00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:49,280
Speaker 6: pretty versatile, So being able to play both is what

663
00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:50,800
Speaker 6: I'm strong at, both of them.

664
00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:52,720
Speaker 5: I can't say that I lacking either or.

665
00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 6: And so just also the trust that the coaches have

666
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,480
Speaker 6: in me to be able to play both and wanted

667
00:28:58,480 --> 00:28:59,800
Speaker 6: to be able to take the ball away. I think

668
00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,840
Speaker 6: that that's one of my things that I'm really good at,

669
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,360
Speaker 6: and so you know, moving me in certain situations is

670
00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,120
Speaker 6: the reason why we do it all, right.

671
00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,600
Speaker 1: Last one, you're one of the biggest leaders on this defense.

672
00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:10,680
Speaker 1: You know, I know you obviously haven't been here this

673
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,239
Speaker 1: entire time with the week one losing streak and all

674
00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:16,360
Speaker 1: that stuff that dates back to twenty thirteen and Colts

675
00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,120
Speaker 1: looking for the first AFC South championship since twenty fourteen. Obviously,

676
00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,320
Speaker 1: the quest for all of those things starts on Sunday.

677
00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,720
Speaker 1: But what else are you guys talking about when you

678
00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,400
Speaker 1: guys are back there in the locker room at your

679
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:32,240
Speaker 1: locker stalls. What else is being discussed about the Texans

680
00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:34,840
Speaker 1: and what this game kind of represents to set the tone,

681
00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:37,480
Speaker 1: and of course them being the team that essentially, you know,

682
00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,160
Speaker 1: knocked the Colts out of the playoffs last year.

683
00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,600
Speaker 6: I feel like everybody's talking about Houston. And that's the thing,

684
00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:45,120
Speaker 6: Like everybody's talking about Houston's gonna win Super Bowl, how

685
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:46,600
Speaker 6: Houston's going to win the South. It's just going to

686
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,080
Speaker 6: be a breeze. They're going to go do this and

687
00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,000
Speaker 6: do that. And I really don't really feed into it.

688
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,040
Speaker 6: I just see it from you know what people show

689
00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,280
Speaker 6: me honestly, like, hey, Age, see about this. I'm like,

690
00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 6: I really don't care. Yeah, because I don't feed into

691
00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:00,240
Speaker 6: that kind of thing. I know that they still got

692
00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,600
Speaker 6: to come here, they still got to play, and we

693
00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,200
Speaker 6: also got to show up in that same way. And

694
00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,080
Speaker 6: also it's a legacy that we want to leave behind.

695
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,480
Speaker 6: You know, it's like deeper than just us as Colts. Now,

696
00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,440
Speaker 6: how do we want coach to come in in the

697
00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:15,280
Speaker 6: future to play against Houston against Jacksonville, against Tennessee, against

698
00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:16,200
Speaker 6: those teams in the South.

699
00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:17,800
Speaker 5: How do we want it to look? So we're just

700
00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,200
Speaker 5: trying to dominate and that's that has to go.

701
00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,000
Speaker 1: Like you said, these things don't matter. But six primetime

702
00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:24,480
Speaker 1: games for the Texans, Yeah, one for the Colts. You know,

703
00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,640
Speaker 1: I mean, is there a chip on your shoulder when

704
00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:27,440
Speaker 1: you hear things like that?

705
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:28,040
Speaker 5: Definitely?

706
00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:29,959
Speaker 6: And that's I mean, you know when you look at

707
00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,320
Speaker 6: stuff like that, that just means that we got to

708
00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,160
Speaker 6: change the culture. Obviously, this is a team that's known

709
00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:35,840
Speaker 6: for winning, but you know it hasn't been like that

710
00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,320
Speaker 6: since you said it twenty fourteen, right, And so that's

711
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:40,080
Speaker 6: what we're looking for. We have the guys to do it,

712
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,560
Speaker 6: we have the coaches to do it, we have the

713
00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:44,440
Speaker 6: organization to do it. So now really it's up to

714
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:45,480
Speaker 6: us to take the next step.

715
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:47,640
Speaker 1: All Right, you're a class act, Julian Blackman right there,

716
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,600
Speaker 1: getting ready for Week one Colts and Texans. Julian, always

717
00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:51,280
Speaker 1: appreciate your time.

718
00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:52,720
Speaker 5: Good aleeciates too. Thank you.

719
00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,560
Speaker 1: Julian Blackman right there, Such a pro such a class act,

720
00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:00,960
Speaker 1: I means, such high, intelligent, thoughtful answer from him across

721
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,240
Speaker 1: the board. I loved at the end Bill when he

722
00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,080
Speaker 1: talked about, hey, we're trying to leave a legacy. We're

723
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,840
Speaker 1: trying to set the tone and get back to where

724
00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:12,960
Speaker 1: this franchise was before, so that in you know, ten years,

725
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:15,200
Speaker 1: when all these guys are done playing, they can leave

726
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,160
Speaker 1: a legacy of hey, we remember in twenty twenty three

727
00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,560
Speaker 1: week eighteen what happened. But it's really about trying to

728
00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,640
Speaker 1: get this you know, trajectory going forward. And there's a

729
00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:27,920
Speaker 1: lot of sense of urgency here with you know, we

730
00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,680
Speaker 1: haven't won of division since twenty fourteen. And if you

731
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,320
Speaker 1: look at the AFC South right now, there's so much

732
00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:36,160
Speaker 1: parody in this division, maybe the best the AFC South

733
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:39,040
Speaker 1: has been ever, you know, since its inception in two

734
00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,760
Speaker 1: thousand and two. Long winded way of saying, all these

735
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:43,720
Speaker 1: guys in the locker room, get it. They know what

736
00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,080
Speaker 1: time it is. Yeah, they know what time is.

737
00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:45,960
Speaker 2: They know what they want to do.

738
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:48,360
Speaker 3: They want to leave legacy because they want people to

739
00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,320
Speaker 3: remember how they played. You know that they were successful

740
00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,000
Speaker 3: out in a football field. They went about the right way,

741
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,479
Speaker 3: They played hard, They were a team that was together

742
00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,800
Speaker 3: and you know, they're very talented and they can't put together.

743
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:01,720
Speaker 3: They want to leave the legacy, and you know it

744
00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,320
Speaker 3: starts right now in this year. As far as this

745
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,680
Speaker 3: upcoming game against the Houston Texans.

746
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,200
Speaker 1: Right on, all right, we're gonna close it out with

747
00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,840
Speaker 1: give it to me, Give it to me as we

748
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:16,320
Speaker 1: end up this inaugural in season podcast, if you will,

749
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,200
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four Week one, we're gonna close it

750
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,080
Speaker 1: out with things the Colts have to do well. Right,

751
00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:24,960
Speaker 1: there's no bargaining here. You have to do these things

752
00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,560
Speaker 1: well in order to win and kind of change the

753
00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,840
Speaker 1: result of Week eighteen last year. Bill, give it to me.

754
00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:33,360
Speaker 1: You're one or maybe a couple areas where you think

755
00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 1: the Colts need to dominate.

756
00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,000
Speaker 3: It's a couple of areas and we talked about them

757
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,680
Speaker 3: earlier as well. Defensively, get pressure in the quarterback. I

758
00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,160
Speaker 3: think they have to do a good job of getting

759
00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,480
Speaker 3: pressure in the quarterback, make him get rid of the

760
00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:46,920
Speaker 3: ball before he really wants to, and also not allow

761
00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:50,200
Speaker 3: the big passing plays against this team. They have to

762
00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,520
Speaker 3: do better than that. I think they will be better

763
00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,000
Speaker 3: this year and that and from an office standpoint, as

764
00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:57,560
Speaker 3: we mentioned earlier, red zone has to be successful in

765
00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:00,760
Speaker 3: the red zone when we have an opportunity to score points, points,

766
00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,680
Speaker 3: score touchdowns. Yes, field goals are good, but we have

767
00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:05,680
Speaker 3: an opportunity to get a touchdown. Let's get a touchdown

768
00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,720
Speaker 3: in the red zone to put more pressure on the

769
00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:09,920
Speaker 3: other team's offense to keep up with us. It's right

770
00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,760
Speaker 3: that that helps our defense to go get after the

771
00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:15,680
Speaker 3: quarterback because they're gonna have to pass to catch up

772
00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:15,959
Speaker 3: with us.

773
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, if the Texans do not have a one hundred

774
00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 1: yard receiver in this game, that bodes well for the Indians. Cults.

775
00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,120
Speaker 1: You just can't give up the the You know the

776
00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,800
Speaker 1: excess plays and you know the mental blunders that lead

777
00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:32,040
Speaker 1: to a Nico Collins seventy five yard touchdown right out

778
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,840
Speaker 1: of the gate Casey Valier give it to me for Sunday.

779
00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:37,680
Speaker 4: So so I agree with Bill on the explosive plays,

780
00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:42,320
Speaker 4: but I'm going make them one dimensional. They're they're running

781
00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,600
Speaker 4: attack we saw last year towards the bottom of the NFL.

782
00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:47,920
Speaker 4: They make the big move for Joe Mixon of an

783
00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,320
Speaker 4: established veteran runner. But I think make them one dimensional,

784
00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:52,560
Speaker 4: make it be just CJ.

785
00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:53,120
Speaker 1: Stroud.

786
00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,360
Speaker 4: So ultimately, in my eyes, bold take here. I think

787
00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,400
Speaker 4: the best position group for this Colts team is the

788
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:03,880
Speaker 4: defensive make them go and eat and limit the run game.

789
00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:05,760
Speaker 4: Make them go eat, and then the other side of

790
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,440
Speaker 4: the ball, let Jonathan Taylor just work. I mean, we

791
00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,960
Speaker 4: saw what he did in Week eighteen last year, thirty

792
00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,320
Speaker 4: carries for one hundred and eighty eight yards. He missed

793
00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:16,680
Speaker 4: time in that game too, I mean there's a reason

794
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:18,680
Speaker 4: he was. I mean he missed a lot of time

795
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,000
Speaker 4: and still ran for a buck eighty eight. So ultimately,

796
00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,279
Speaker 4: keep feeding Jonathan Taylor the football and I think it

797
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,719
Speaker 4: all will bode well for what we're looking for at

798
00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:27,760
Speaker 4: Lucas Oil on Sunday.

799
00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:31,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, the Texans were a top ten rushing defense last year.

800
00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:32,759
Speaker 1: But Bill, you want to know the number of the

801
00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,319
Speaker 1: Colts ran four in two games against Houston a year ago.

802
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:36,239
Speaker 2: Oh, I know, it's a lot.

803
00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,560
Speaker 1: You gotta guess. I don't start three out to three.

804
00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:41,839
Speaker 2: I'm gonna say three hundred. I was gonna say three hundred.

805
00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:44,880
Speaker 1: Three hundred and fifty three total yards for the Colts

806
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:48,400
Speaker 1: rushing in two games against the Houston Texans and Jonathan

807
00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:51,160
Speaker 1: Taylor still running by the yah, Yes, yeah, I had

808
00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,680
Speaker 1: a buck eighty eight and he didn't play in a

809
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:56,760
Speaker 1: first game. That's right, Zach Moss. That a big game

810
00:34:57,080 --> 00:34:59,600
Speaker 1: all the way back in Week number two. Mine is

811
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,480
Speaker 1: is third down. Like we said, Houston last year, they

812
00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:06,359
Speaker 1: were a top five defense on third down. Last year,

813
00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,840
Speaker 1: the Colts were one for eleven on third down in

814
00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,239
Speaker 1: Week number eighteen. And I think it's so big for

815
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,920
Speaker 1: the confidence early on in the season for Anthony Richardson,

816
00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,120
Speaker 1: with this being his first regular season games since last October.

817
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:21,719
Speaker 1: Stay out of third and long and don't overcomplicate the

818
00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:23,680
Speaker 1: game for him. I think that would be big, especially

819
00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:24,399
Speaker 1: early in the game.

820
00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:27,840
Speaker 3: Definitely, you want to keep things simple and to stay

821
00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:30,400
Speaker 3: on track. As far as we're speaking, you want to

822
00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,680
Speaker 3: be third and three, third and four, you know, you

823
00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:35,000
Speaker 3: don't want to be too much more than that. If

824
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,279
Speaker 3: you can stay on that, then it keeps the third.

825
00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:38,879
Speaker 2: Full playbook open for you to use.

826
00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:40,640
Speaker 3: And I think Shan would do a great job of

827
00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:44,200
Speaker 3: pulling the right plays and into Anthony's hands and let

828
00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,480
Speaker 3: him go out there and work the plays and make

829
00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:48,759
Speaker 3: those plays successful so these guys can continue to drive

830
00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:51,200
Speaker 3: and get a first down and continue those drives and

831
00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:52,640
Speaker 3: hopefully scoro in the red zone.

832
00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:55,960
Speaker 1: Third and short, third and manageable, especially when you're in

833
00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:59,320
Speaker 1: plus territory, like you talked about, you want to capitalize

834
00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,680
Speaker 1: on all your score threats. You want to get touchdowns.

835
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:05,120
Speaker 1: You don't want drives to to stall out in plus

836
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:08,560
Speaker 1: territory on third and long. And this is this leads

837
00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:10,600
Speaker 1: to something that we really haven't talked about yet, and

838
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,040
Speaker 1: that's my bab and as we close out here, but

839
00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:16,560
Speaker 1: you know, you want to extend drives because you don't

840
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:18,160
Speaker 1: want to have Shane Stike and have to make a

841
00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:20,960
Speaker 1: decision in the kicking game right because we don't know

842
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,560
Speaker 1: yet about Matt Gaye situation and dealing with a sports

843
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:27,600
Speaker 1: hernia situation right now, we don't know if he's going

844
00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:29,600
Speaker 1: to kick or Spencer s Trader is gonna kick as

845
00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:31,960
Speaker 1: we sit here and take this right now. But Spencer

846
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:36,239
Speaker 1: Strader is a rookie, undrafted, rookie free agent literally never

847
00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,160
Speaker 1: kicked in an NFL regular season game. Matt Gaze is

848
00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:42,160
Speaker 1: about as clutch as you get in these days here

849
00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,840
Speaker 1: in the NFL. You want to keep it out of

850
00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:47,600
Speaker 1: Shane Steiken's head there to have him make a decision

851
00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:49,839
Speaker 1: on fourth down. You want to pick up those third

852
00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:51,799
Speaker 1: and shorts because you don't want to have to think

853
00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,040
Speaker 1: about should we kick it here? No? No, just make

854
00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,200
Speaker 1: things simple there by being good on third down.

855
00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:58,160
Speaker 2: I agree, keep making a simple of it.

856
00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:03,600
Speaker 3: Also, you're keeping their offense on the sidelines watching you.

857
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,560
Speaker 3: You want them to watch you as long as possible.

858
00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:07,840
Speaker 3: On the offense, you can keep on going up and

859
00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:09,320
Speaker 3: down the field in scoring points.

860
00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:13,000
Speaker 1: Give it to me. Right there, they done and brought it.

861
00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,839
Speaker 1: Bill Brooks, Casey Valley, Right there, I'm Matt Taylor. That's

862
00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:20,080
Speaker 1: gonna do it. For our first installment of this Thursday

863
00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:23,440
Speaker 1: edition of the Official Colts Podcast. We're back every single

864
00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:26,240
Speaker 1: week from here on out breaking down the Colts opponent.

865
00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:29,520
Speaker 1: And there's putty more offerings on the Colts audio networks,

866
00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:32,560
Speaker 1: so there stay tuned for those, and also go back

867
00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:37,279
Speaker 1: and listen to Tuesday show and also Inside Football with

868
00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,160
Speaker 1: Rick Van Turrey the complete breakdowns there with the blueprints

869
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,480
Speaker 1: for the Colts to be successful against Houston Colts and

870
00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:48,120
Speaker 1: Texans one o'clock radio wise, we start at ten am

871
00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,160
Speaker 1: on Sunday with the Colts pre game huddle. Play by

872
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,440
Speaker 1: play starts at one Colts fifth quarter huddle after the game,

873
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:58,400
Speaker 1: Instant reaction with Bill Brooks and JJ Stangowitz after the

874
00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:01,680
Speaker 1: game on the podcast channel here on the Colts Audio Network.

875
00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,680
Speaker 1: So it doesn't matter where you go, you can't escape us.

876
00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:07,120
Speaker 1: We're gonna find you and we're gonna, you know, kind

877
00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,120
Speaker 1: of hit you over the head with everything you need

878
00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:12,399
Speaker 1: to know about this matchup in All Season Long here

879
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:15,680
Speaker 1: on the Colts Official podcast for Bill Brooks, Casey Valier,

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00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,920
Speaker 1: I'm Matt Taylor. Thank you for watching, thank you for listening,

881
00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:22,239
Speaker 1: our thanks again to Julian Blackman, Kevin Connor's behind the

882
00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:25,360
Speaker 1: scenes there with the ones and the twos. Appreciate everybody

883
00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:27,080
Speaker 1: for watching and listening, and we will talk to you

884
00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:29,800
Speaker 1: next week on the Thursday Official Cults podcast.

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00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:30,120
Speaker 6: So Long,