WEBVTT - The OTP Daily | January 13

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<v Speaker 1>This is the OTP Daily presented by Farm Bureau Health Plans.

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<v Speaker 1>Let the experts at Farm Bureau Health Plans coach you

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<v Speaker 1>through it. When you need great healthcare coverage at a

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<v Speaker 1>price you can afford. They've been protecting Tennessee and since

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen forty seven, Amy Wells and me Mike Keith. The

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<v Speaker 1>date is Thursday, January thirteenth. All is quiet here at St.

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<v Speaker 1>Thomas Sports Park today, as this is the first of

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<v Speaker 1>three days off. It feels like a bye week now.

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<v Speaker 1>The first part of the week, I guess the team

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<v Speaker 1>was doing a lot of self scout. They had a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of meetings, Guys were getting treatment and lifts and

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<v Speaker 1>things like that. Now we've reached the portion of the

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<v Speaker 1>bye week as the actual buy where guys are taking

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<v Speaker 1>some time off, They're spending times with their families. They

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<v Speaker 1>are able to actually leave this building and the routine

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<v Speaker 1>of football and take a couple of days to exist.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's the rest and relaxation part of the bye week.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the treat for being number one in the AFC.

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<v Speaker 1>Only guys here today are guys who are on rehab assignment,

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<v Speaker 1>so some players milling about, but mostly just quiet and

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<v Speaker 1>a pretty healthy football team. Yeah, and that's exactly what

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<v Speaker 1>the Titans we're hoping for through all of the carnage

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<v Speaker 1>of the twenty twenty one season. What we were hoping

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<v Speaker 1>for is a healthy football team when it mattered. This

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<v Speaker 1>is when it matters. This is when you want to

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<v Speaker 1>have that healthy team. And so having the extra time

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<v Speaker 1>to really make sure guys can rest, guys can rehab,

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<v Speaker 1>guys can do what they need to do to get

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<v Speaker 1>their bodies right is a great advantage for a team

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<v Speaker 1>that's been banged up all season long. Earlier this week,

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<v Speaker 1>Amy and I had the chance to visit with Titans

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<v Speaker 1>general manager John Robinson to talk about the twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>one regular season, what is to come, and what he

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<v Speaker 1>and the personnel staff are doing right now. Here's that

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<v Speaker 1>on this OTP date. Let's talk some regular season stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>The Titans used an NFL record ninety one players this season.

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<v Speaker 1>That obviously sounds very complicated. But John, when you talk

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<v Speaker 1>about the specifics of how that works for a team,

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<v Speaker 1>for the football staff, for the coaching staff, for everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>how do you make that work? What are the complicated

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<v Speaker 1>parts of using ninety one guys? Yeah? I think you

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<v Speaker 1>know Mike certainly, when you know, when you go into

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<v Speaker 1>the game each and every week, you know you're not

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<v Speaker 1>counting on injuries. You think they're gonna happen, but you

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<v Speaker 1>have to be ready to react to what happens in

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<v Speaker 1>the game and guys that get nicked up here or there,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, certainly dealing with COVID still and with COVID

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<v Speaker 1>replacements and how all that stuff goes. But I think

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<v Speaker 1>it's a testament to our personnel staff, our pro staff,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, headed up by Ryan Calden, Manti Austin Fort,

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<v Speaker 1>Brian Gardner, Kevin Turks, those guys having those lists ready,

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<v Speaker 1>having evaluated, talk through players that may you know that

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<v Speaker 1>Mike could come in and help us. And then the

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<v Speaker 1>coaching staff, you know, those guys being adapted, spending extra

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<v Speaker 1>time with these guys, getting them ready on a weekend

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<v Speaker 1>and week out basis, and their teammates, you know, their

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<v Speaker 1>teammates accepting them and trying to help on game week John,

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<v Speaker 1>the Titans defense improved dramatically. Let me throw some numbers

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<v Speaker 1>at you. Nearly seventy less yards and a touchdown less

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<v Speaker 1>per game than in twenty twenty twenty three, more sacks,

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<v Speaker 1>third down defense was fifteen percent better. What made all

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<v Speaker 1>of that happen? Yeah, I mean I think, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we certainly turned that side of the ball over, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>this past offseason. But you know, I think the biggest

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<v Speaker 1>thing is probably the communication amy those guys weekend and

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<v Speaker 1>week out at practice. You know, the call comes in

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<v Speaker 1>and the formation changes and you know they're in this offensively,

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<v Speaker 1>and then they shift their motion to that, and those

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<v Speaker 1>guys are talking, they're communicating, They're getting on the same

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<v Speaker 1>page with whatever check maybe in place, you know, the games,

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<v Speaker 1>the pass rush games upfront, being on the same page

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<v Speaker 1>there just a great job by the coaches to continue

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<v Speaker 1>to stress you know, the importance of the communication piece

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<v Speaker 1>on defense, and then the players executing it in practice

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<v Speaker 1>and carrying it over to the games. John Deante Foreman

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<v Speaker 1>and Dontrelle Hilliard combined to rush for over nine hundred

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<v Speaker 1>yards and catch twenty eight passes in the last nine games.

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<v Speaker 1>They were so effective. What made that duo work so

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<v Speaker 1>well at the running back spot down the stretch. It's

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<v Speaker 1>a different skill set that they both have. Both catch

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<v Speaker 1>the ball really well. You know, Foreman's a little bigger back,

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<v Speaker 1>he's a little more downhill power guy Dontrelle has got

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<v Speaker 1>some shiftingness, a little bit of cut and slash to

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<v Speaker 1>his skill set. But I think the biggest thing was,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, those guys were they were at home, they

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<v Speaker 1>were working out, They didn't they didn't have a job,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, we gave them an opportunity. And like

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<v Speaker 1>I said earlier, their teammates welcomed them and got them

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<v Speaker 1>on the same page with what we're about as an organization,

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<v Speaker 1>as a football team, and those guys got a taste

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<v Speaker 1>of success and they seized the opportunity and they didn't

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<v Speaker 1>want to let it go. You know, they kept working

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<v Speaker 1>a weekend and week out in the meeting room, on

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<v Speaker 1>the practice fields, and you know, their their success showed

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<v Speaker 1>on game days. What impressed you the most about Ryan

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<v Speaker 1>Tannehill season, Yeah, I think it's you know, he's such

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<v Speaker 1>a commanding leader. He's done a great job from a

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<v Speaker 1>leadership standpoint on the offensive side of the football. It's

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<v Speaker 1>barely been a point of emphasis down the stretch here

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<v Speaker 1>to take care of the football. He's been ever mindful

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<v Speaker 1>of that. You know, I saw him Sunday in the

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<v Speaker 1>Houston game, in that four minute situation at the end

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<v Speaker 1>of the game, really rallying the guys like, let's put

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<v Speaker 1>this thing away. You could see how important, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>that series was to him and this team is to him.

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<v Speaker 1>He's made some great throws for us. He's made some

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<v Speaker 1>huge plays running the football. The San Francisco game comes

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<v Speaker 1>to mind on the scramble where he got us down

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<v Speaker 1>there to kick the game winner. So, you know, both

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<v Speaker 1>as a runner, as a passer, as a leader, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>he's really done a good job for us this season. John.

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<v Speaker 1>Part of the success of this team is some guys

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<v Speaker 1>stepped forward to play more important roles for the Titans

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<v Speaker 1>than we probably expected in training camp. Who are some

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<v Speaker 1>of those guys that you'd like to site that stepped

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<v Speaker 1>forward in a bigger way than maybe what was expected. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I think I think my you could name

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<v Speaker 1>it just about anybody on the football team. That's everybody's

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<v Speaker 1>probably worthy mentioning their name here, because you know, so

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<v Speaker 1>many guys have contributed. I mean, Randy Bullock wasn't even

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<v Speaker 1>on the team in training camp, and he's made some

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<v Speaker 1>huge kicks for us this season. The two running backs

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<v Speaker 1>that we mentioned, Dylan Cole, who we signed and caused

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<v Speaker 1>a big fumble that change the outcome of a game

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<v Speaker 1>for us on a kickoff Cover. You know, there's just

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<v Speaker 1>so many guys that have come in here and done

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<v Speaker 1>things for us. Buster Screen comes to mind, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>Cover guy who you know we signed a month month

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<v Speaker 1>and a half ago and he's done some really good

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<v Speaker 1>things for us. But that's the mindset of this football team.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a fabric of this football team is you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we said that all the time, it doesn't matter when

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<v Speaker 1>you get here or how you got here, but that

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<v Speaker 1>you take advantage of the opportunity when you do get it.

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<v Speaker 1>We've got a great locker room full of guys that

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<v Speaker 1>are supportive, great staff of coaches that get these guys

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<v Speaker 1>ready to play. I'm just I'm proud of the team i'veford.

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<v Speaker 1>It truly has been a team. I've certainly been some

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<v Speaker 1>great individual performances from players throughout the season, but the

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<v Speaker 1>effort of a football team, which is the most important thing,

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<v Speaker 1>has been really good this season. John, both you and

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<v Speaker 1>Mike Vrabel are constantly looking for areas of improvement. What

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<v Speaker 1>are some areas where this Titans team can improve in

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<v Speaker 1>the postseason? Yeah, I think you know, it's really playing

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<v Speaker 1>sixty minutes of Titan football. You know, we've certainly done

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<v Speaker 1>that at times in games this season, and there's been

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<v Speaker 1>games where you know, one half is really good and

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<v Speaker 1>then the second half or the first half is slow,

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<v Speaker 1>and we pick it up in the second half. We've

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<v Speaker 1>got to replicate what we've done in those games where we,

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<v Speaker 1>for sixty minutes have played stylistically fast, aggressive, physical football.

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<v Speaker 1>We've got to do that in the playoffs. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>it's a single elimination tournament. It's going to take all

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<v Speaker 1>sixty minutes to stay in the tournament, and we've got

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<v Speaker 1>to play our style of football for those sixty minutes.

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<v Speaker 1>The goal is to win the Super Bowl, and that's

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<v Speaker 1>what you're focused on right now. But in your area

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<v Speaker 1>of the team, you're also getting ready for the Senior Bowl,

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<v Speaker 1>which is three weeks away. The Combine is less than

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<v Speaker 1>two months away. Free agency is roughly two months away.

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<v Speaker 1>The next three to four months for you and the

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<v Speaker 1>football personnel folks, I mean, they're wild anyway. So how

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<v Speaker 1>do you balance the run to the Super Bowl and

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<v Speaker 1>sing ahead, which you absolutely have to do. Yeah, that's

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, that's the way it goes, Mike. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's the same thing every year. I mean, our

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<v Speaker 1>focus you know this week is is you know, watching

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<v Speaker 1>who we're going to play, familiarizing ourselves for the divisional

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<v Speaker 1>round game. It's it's it's one game out of time.

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<v Speaker 1>That's our focus. You know, we've seen a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>these teams in the regular season, but it's it's getting

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<v Speaker 1>to know and watching film on some of the teams

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<v Speaker 1>that we haven't seen this season. And our focus is

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<v Speaker 1>on that divisional round game. And you know, from a

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<v Speaker 1>roster standpoint, our college scouts are at these All Star games.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, they're watching these guys. Our pro scouts, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they're certainly working on the advances for our potential opponents

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<v Speaker 1>here in the playoffs, but they're working forward towards free

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<v Speaker 1>agency and evaluating those potential players. And you know, we'll

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<v Speaker 1>have those meetings on those guys, you know, after the

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<v Speaker 1>Senior Bowl, probably the first of February, you know, as

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<v Speaker 1>we start to strategize and try to map out the

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<v Speaker 1>roster plan you know, for the future seasons. But it's

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<v Speaker 1>right now, you know, all focuses on our next opponent,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, whoever that may be. And whenever we find

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<v Speaker 1>that out. All chips will be in on that game.

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<v Speaker 1>So from a football standpoint, how do you spend this

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<v Speaker 1>weekend when you're not playing. Yeah, well it'd be a good,

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<v Speaker 1>great chance for our players to get some rest. We've

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<v Speaker 1>gotten some work in this week with the downtime, some conditioning,

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit of stuff on the field. Let guys

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<v Speaker 1>get healthy, you know, that's the that's the that's the

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<v Speaker 1>big thing about this that has been about this bye

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<v Speaker 1>week is getting guys healthy so that we're you know,

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<v Speaker 1>hopefully we're one hundred percent, you know for the next

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<v Speaker 1>week's game. But you know, we'll be watching these these

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<v Speaker 1>playoff games this weekend and taking notes on players and

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<v Speaker 1>you know, spending a little bit more, maybe a couple

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<v Speaker 1>extra hours with the family at night, have some dinner.

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<v Speaker 1>And we hadn't seen him in a while, but you know,

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<v Speaker 1>we're looking forward to getting back at it and making

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<v Speaker 1>run at this thing in the playoffs. That's General manager

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<v Speaker 1>John Robinson on this edition of the OTP Daily, presented

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<v Speaker 1>by Farm Bureau Health Plans. Healthcare coverage from Farm Bureau

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<v Speaker 1>Health Plans is like an extra set of pads when

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<v Speaker 1>you need them the most. They've been protecting Tennessee and

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<v Speaker 1>since nineteen forty seven. Tomorrow on the OTP Daily Friday,

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<v Speaker 1>January fourteenth, a chat with Julio Jones until then, for

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<v Speaker 1>Amy Wells, I might Keith thanking you for listening to

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<v Speaker 1>the OTP Kitty