1 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Throughout this game and just being able to come up 2 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: in this system, especially being a rookie and then now 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: my second year of planning under him and learning different 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: things under him is a great thing because I can 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: see the future from myself and just getting better each 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: day as I'm planning, they're telling me what they're seeing 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: based off of their past experience. So just having them 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: in the room and meetings was a big change for 9 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: us and something great for me. We're listening to the 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings podcast, or as we lovingly refer to it 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: around here, MVP. This is episode one fifteen, and can 12 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: we say victory Wednesday? Still? Are we allowed to do that? Guys? 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: It's always the turning point for the week to go 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: to the next week. But yes, we can rebel in 15 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: the fact that we did get a win this past week. 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: It was just the manner that it happened. People are 17 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: a little angsty about it, but I think the nice 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: thing is you gotta win. You're going to Carolina right 19 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: before the bye keep the train rolland at this point, 20 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 1: and that is why we have the Positivity Power minute, 21 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: because we can't dwell on the negative. And speaking of 22 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: positive things, we have a special co host today on 23 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: the podcast. You just heard Jay Nelson, who's here with 24 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: us every week, but this week we have Vikings team 25 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: reporter Eric Smith. He is all over Vikings dot com 26 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: with his incredible writing. He's a great follow on Twitter 27 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: at Eric Underscore l Underscore Smith. I wanted to make 28 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: sure I got that correct. He's also on Viking Entertainment 29 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: Network's latest show, Opposing Viewpoints. Hi, Eric, Well, hello guys, 30 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: thank you for having me and man out to a 31 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: great introduction. I feel all warm and special inside there 32 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: you go. I know when I start, when I was 33 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: writing it, I was like, wow, I'm like writing a 34 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: proper introduction, the official official welcome to the show. Well, 35 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: thank you this happy to be here. Yeah, I know 36 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: you've been here before, but we're excited to have you 37 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: around again. And kind of continue talking about this Vikings 38 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: team who were walk off winners against the Lions. It's 39 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: now two and three on the season, with one more 40 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: game before we hit the buy and it's a big 41 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: game on the road at the Panthers, and so Eric, 42 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: we usually do this whole event session when we lose. 43 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,839 Speaker 1: Luckily we don't have to do that this week. I'm 44 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: glad for that. Let's let's be positive. Yes it was ugly, 45 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: but we gotta win. So yeah, let's let's focus on 46 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: the w and that is what matters. So we call 47 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: it the Power Minute of Positivity. And Eric, because you 48 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: are it's a guest co host this week. I'm gonna 49 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: have you go first, Okay, So I'm gonna put you 50 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: on a timer. We're gonna count down from sixty seconds 51 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,839 Speaker 1: and I as much positivity as you can. Okay, I'll 52 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: bad lead off. There you go, all right, and three, two, one, okay, 53 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna start with Greg Joseph. And you know, a 54 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: lot of people wanted to get rid of him, honestly 55 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: after Week two when he missed against Arizona fan who're 56 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: upset with the long history of kicker struggles with this franchise. 57 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 1: I think a lot of fans who were just like, whatever, 58 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: let's move on to the next guy. And Mike Zimmer 59 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: was like, wait a minute, let's give him another chance, 60 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: and he delivered. Came through on Sunday again, Detroit set 61 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,399 Speaker 1: his career best with fifty five and then obviously none 62 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: none of his four field goal were bigger than the 63 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: fifty four yarder. To end it, so happy for Greg. 64 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: The other thing is the Vikings pass rush is much 65 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 1: much better than it was a year ago, and probably 66 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: that has to do with Daniel Hunter being back and 67 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: Everson Griffin being back as well. Both of those players 68 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: did not play for the Vikings last year, but they 69 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: are probably two of the of the ten or so 70 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: best pass rushers the team has ever had, and so 71 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: it's good to have those two guys back in the fold. 72 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: And then the last thing is, you know, I know 73 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: it was ugly, but I'm glad they gotta win. Oh 74 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: where the money? Glad to know I win? That works too. Okay, 75 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: what else were you gonna say? I was just gonna 76 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: say as we go into Carolina, you know it hasn't 77 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: been the prettiest season so far. Yeah, and just a 78 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: chance to get to three and three, to give yourself 79 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: a chance to be competitive after the buye. I think 80 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: that needs to be harped upon. Comparative to last season 81 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: where you kind of tripped coming out of the gate, 82 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: You're at a point now where you're better than you 83 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: were last year. Kind of the same situation, but you 84 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: have a chance to write the ship sooner than last season, 85 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: and so that that is the positive spin on that. 86 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: For sure. If you win Sunday and you're three and three, 87 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: you kind of reaf that and say, okay, let's take 88 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: a deep breath. You know, the schedule is very tough 89 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: after the bye, but at least you have a chance 90 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: to be competitive. If you fall to under five hundred 91 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: and you lose in Carolina, it's just really tough flooding 92 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: the reft of the way. And Carolina right now is 93 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: feeling the same way too for them. You know, they've 94 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: they've played a bunch of games at home so far 95 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: this season. They see us walking in the door and saying, 96 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 1: you know, we need to get right as well, because 97 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: they are going to play a ton of games on 98 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: the road coming up here for the rest of their schedules. 99 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: So this this game Sunday, I think is gonna be 100 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: a bit of a dog fight for both teams trying 101 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: to make sure that they're on the right side of 102 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: that win. I can honestly see, whoever wins the game, 103 00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: it may be in contention at the end of the 104 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: year for a wildcard spot, and whoever loses it's maybe not. 105 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: It's funny how you can kind of you try and 106 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: make those like predictions and see down the line and 107 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: how things are shaping up already. But only time will tell, 108 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: all right, Jay three two one. I think the most 109 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: positive thing that I can say about this past weekend's 110 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: win was the fact that you did get to win. 111 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: We've just been talking here about the fact that you're 112 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,679 Speaker 1: on the doorstep of being five hundred here before the bye, 113 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: which I think is something that fans will definitely take. 114 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: I know inside here, I'm sure the players and coaches 115 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: are also looking at it saying this is the only 116 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: option moving forward for us. For me as a fan 117 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: watching that game on Sunday, like I said before, there 118 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: was a little bit of ankst that came to it, 119 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: But the fact was you saw Greg Joseph hit two 120 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: fifty plus yard kicks in order to bury that game, 121 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: in order to seal the victory, even when it looked 122 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 1: kind of dire there right at the end. But for me, 123 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: the fact that Greg Joseph hit both of those kicks, 124 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: there is a kind of a hurdle there that you 125 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: have now for the future. You know that if it 126 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: comes down to needing a thirty seven second drive at 127 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: the end of a game to try to bury a 128 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: long kick to give yourself a chance to win the game. 129 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: We have the ability in the capability to do that. 130 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: On top of that, Justin Jefferson in the first half 131 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: was on fire in that game. Hopefully he can do 132 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 1: that again. This way you go, there, you go. Yeah. 133 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: I know this is the powerment of positivity, but it 134 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 1: is frustrated and to not see him as dominant in 135 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: the second half of the game, knowing that that was 136 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: something that works so well, and I don't particularly think 137 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 1: the Lions made all these crazy adjustments to keep him 138 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: out of things. So hopefully we'll be able to see 139 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: more of jjcase clearly. And something I think we've talked 140 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: about previously on this podcast is that teams have to 141 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: choose between Theeland and JJ and the past two weeks 142 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: they've really negated Theeland, which has made Justin come alive, 143 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: and so it's kind of like this like back and 144 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: forth pull between the two. I've gotten a lot of 145 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 1: fan email this week being harsh again the Viking the 146 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,720 Speaker 1: offense of philosophy, and Clint Kubiak and Mike them are 147 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: in saying, you know, why don't why aren't we throwing 148 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: the ball more you know, and I see their point 149 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: because you know, Justin Jefferson is a special talent and 150 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: sometimes you just got to throw him the ball. And 151 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, if it's third and eight, you know, I'd 152 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: rather throw him the ball than than maybe anyone else 153 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: on the team. Honestly. The thing that was crazy on 154 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: Sunday was watching some of those throws that Kirk was 155 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: hitting him with on the sidelines especially. I mean he 156 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: was bracketed, double even triple covered sometimes and Kirk was 157 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: dropping in the bucket. And the nice thing with with 158 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: JJ and Feeling and those guys, they are savvy enough 159 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: at this point as receivers they don't show their hands 160 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: until the very last second to prove that the ball 161 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: is going to be right there. And there were multiple 162 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: times in that game as I was, you know, running 163 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: stuff up in the control room watching it, and I'm 164 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: just like, that was an incredible throw. And so there's 165 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: another positive piece there for me is just the fact 166 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: that Kirk was dealing, and you know, it just kind 167 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: of again proves give him some time, he will slice 168 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: and dice you. And when you have a team that 169 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: was without Delvin Cook again on Sunday and you're looking 170 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: for a big time playmaker to step up and make 171 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: some plays. Having Justin do that in the first half 172 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: really gave you a shot in the arm and just 173 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: proves this team can have multiple weapons on offense. And 174 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to seeing what happens again here coming 175 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: up on Sunday, hopefully they can unleash the Beast again. Well, 176 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to put myself on the timer now, Eric, 177 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: if you want to do the honors and just press 178 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 1: start three two line go. I kind of want to 179 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: piggyback off of what you're talking about with Kirk Cousins 180 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: because I think everyone saw the moment at the end 181 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: of the game where he was shoving Mike Zimmer and 182 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,959 Speaker 1: I know it's like kind of went viral and little 183 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: did we know he was miked up for NFL films, 184 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: So then everyone got to hear exactly what the exchange was, 185 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: which if you haven't gone on Twitter and taken a 186 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: look at it, it's definitely worth seeing. But I think 187 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: it's so important that they were able to complete a 188 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,239 Speaker 1: game winning drive because you saw it against the Cardinals, 189 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: you saw it against the Bengals. They can drive the 190 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: ball down when they need to. They can get into 191 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: scoring position when they need to, and they haven't been 192 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: able to capitalize on it. And so for me, that 193 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: was a huge vote of confidence, not only for your 194 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: positive note on Greg Joseph getting that kind of like 195 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: just confidence, straight confidence back in himself, not that I 196 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: think he lacked any but that he was able to 197 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: do that in front of the home crowd really convinced them. 198 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: And then also that they were able to capitalize on 199 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: a game winning drive boom. I love being right on time. 200 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:30,559 Speaker 1: Nicely done, Thank you. I don't know if any of 201 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: you've seen Good Morning Football's Peter Shreger, but Peter Shreger 202 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: was actually talking about our season so far this year. Yeah, 203 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: I welcome to the fold. As a Vikings fan, you know, 204 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: there's always a time in the season. There's always been 205 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: multiple games where you're like, man, we were that close, 206 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 1: and yeah, that's happened multiple times here and that that's 207 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: where I think a lot of this angst as well 208 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: from Sunday came from as just people saying like, man, 209 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: we haven't fully put a full game together this season. 210 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: We had a really good game against Seattle, but we 211 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: haven't seeing the ability to just take an opponent that 212 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: you should handle and just finish it completely across the 213 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: board offense, defense, and special teams, and I think everyone 214 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: felt like Sunday should have been one of those games 215 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: because it kind of you were stuck in the mud 216 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: and it went the way that it did on Sunday. 217 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: I really feel like this team is going to be 218 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,079 Speaker 1: motivated on Sunday to come out in Carolina and really 219 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: put their best foot forward. And even in the Seahawks game, 220 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: though as good of a win as that looked, it 221 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: was good defense in the second half, the offense was 222 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, not there. So it's still not like that 223 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: complete game performance that we're looking for, which is kind 224 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: of exciting because you know the potential is there, but 225 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: at the same time you're like, all right, when is 226 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: that moment going to happen. Yeah. So we're obviously five 227 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: games in and four of those games have been decided 228 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: by a touchdown or less. I think the potential is there. 229 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: I think there's also maybe you know, the games go 230 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: along and you're in more and more of these close games, 231 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: I think I'm starting to realize that maybe this it's 232 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: just who the Vikings are and that you know, we're 233 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: not a bad team. You know, I know we have 234 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: a sub five hundred record, but we're not a bad team. 235 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: But we're probably not in the upper echelon, you know, 236 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 1: with Arizona and Buffalo with only having one loss or 237 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,240 Speaker 1: no losses. We're probably right around in the middle with 238 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: a potential to be good, you know, but a thing 239 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: don't break our way, then maybe we slide down a little. 240 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: So that just kind of who the team is right now. 241 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: We're just kind of right there in the middle with 242 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: a bunch of other teams. And that's probably what the 243 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: NFL is. That's just a bunch of parody and it's 244 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: who can make plays each week. If you if you 245 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: make the plays like we did on Sunday and have 246 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: a final drive, then you win. If you don't make 247 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: the plays against like we did against Cleveland, and you lose. 248 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: That's that's how it works. The NFL tends to be 249 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 1: a battle of attrition, right and it usually is one 250 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: of those things where every team has issues with injuries, 251 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: every team has as hurdles that they have to overcome. 252 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: If you think about it, so far this season we 253 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: have had adversity and that you lost Delvin for multiple 254 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: games here or at least hasn't been right for multiple games. 255 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: Michael Pierce has now been injured. But then you're starting 256 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: to see also kind of the glimmers of hope with 257 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Barr coming back this week, and then you know 258 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: there's people that are pointing the finger that Deissau was 259 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: getting some more run this week as well. Yeah, playing 260 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: with my bullets, Like there are the the detriments of 261 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: losing some of these players, but there's also you know, 262 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: you're you're adding a lot of potential talent coming in 263 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: here for what could be. So again, there are more 264 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: places to sell hope here that your team is still 265 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: trying to figure it out. And there are a lot 266 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: of teams in the leagues that are that are that way. 267 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: And how many times we've seen at a hot team 268 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: that started at the beginning is the one that falls off. 269 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: The team that's been trying to figure it out finally 270 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: puts it together at the end of the year. Just 271 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: what I was going to say, because you just never 272 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: you need is to make a run towards the end 273 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: of the season. What you did in the beginning matters 274 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: as far as getting into the postseason, But as long 275 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: as you're a team who's finally clicking towards the end, 276 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: you might be hotter than a five and oh Arizona 277 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: Cardinals team. And if you look right now at even 278 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 1: a team like Carolina, they it off three. No, they 279 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: were they looked right. I thought they would win the division. 280 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: I thought they were world beaters at this point. Tom 281 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: Brady now is kind of like, yeah, okay, I got 282 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: something to sound like that. It's exactly right. But the 283 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: thing for me with Carolina is that Shack Thompson going 284 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: out and a couple of their other playmakers that they've 285 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: had that have been on injuries as of now. That's 286 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: why I think they've got a sense of desperation coming 287 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: up here this week too, is that they've lost some 288 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: of the the big playmakers on that defense that's been very, 289 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: very good. And I think they're they're kind of potentially 290 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: regressing a little bit where we're kind of ascending a 291 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: little bit. But but even after this last weekend, everyone's 292 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: going to say, you got to prove it yet. Yeah, 293 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: speaking of great defensive playmakers, that is who our player 294 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: guest this week is. It was quite a performance on Sunday, 295 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,359 Speaker 1: earning his first sack ever at US Bank Stadium defensive 296 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: lineman DJ Wanam. So let's bring him in now on 297 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings podcast and for the first time on 298 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: the Minnesota Vikings podcast, We've got Kings defensive lineman DJ Wannam. 299 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: You got your first sack in US Bank Stadium this weekend. 300 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: What was what was the crowd reaction like for you? 301 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: It was amazing, man, just haven't being able to get 302 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: my first second US back stadium this year. Just hearing 303 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: the crowd and being on the big play manages made 304 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: it even better. You got a big bear hug from 305 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: your teammate to deal Hunter. What was that like? I mean, 306 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: he probably was pretty stoked for you. Yeah, he was. Man, 307 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, I've been always you know 308 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, just following them, trying to walk into 309 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: the footsteps and just him you know, being excited for me. 310 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. Just making that big play 311 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: was a big thing for both of us. What is 312 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: it like to you know, I know you probably don't 313 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: look at it like you're playing in his shadow or anything, 314 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: right right, No, of course not, But there are probably 315 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: people out there that are, like, you know, it's got 316 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: to be hard sometimes, Like it's great to learn on 317 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: one hand, but on the other hand, hard to handle 318 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: that pressure. Yeah. I don't really look at it this pressure. 319 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: I mean, it's most like social media stuff, which I 320 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: don't get on as much anyway. So I mean, I 321 00:14:58,160 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: just I just taken a roll with you know what 322 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: I'm saying, getting better each week, and I'm just gonna 323 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: continue doing that. You know. For somebody who scrolls Instagram 324 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 1: and online shops while watching TV, that's me, I find it. 325 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: I think it's hard to turn that off and not 326 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: do that because of this day and age of social media. 327 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: Where and how what do you do in order to 328 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: like not tempt yourself from looking at that stuff. I 329 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: honestly don't know. It's just kind of a natural thing 330 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: that I do. I don't. I just don't just don't 331 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: get on it. Just don't go to it, you know 332 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. So don't know, it's pretty easy for me. Yeah. 333 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: Do you do you have the apps on your phone though, 334 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: or do you like get rid of them during the 335 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: season and bring him back on. I get rid of 336 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: Twitter because that's where most of the stuff is. But Instagram, 337 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: you know, so I keep I look on there every 338 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: now and then. But yeah, one of my one of 339 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: my favorite people to run into in the hall here 340 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: since I've been here. I've only been here since June, 341 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: so I'm fairly new, just like you. My favorite people 342 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: to run into the hallway with is Andre Patterson. Oh yeah, 343 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: he's always in a good mood, yea. He is so 344 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: nice and just chipper all the time. I know, you 345 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: get to see both sides of him. Maybe when he's 346 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: a little bit more fired for sure. But what is 347 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: it like playing for somebody like coach pat Oh? Man, 348 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: It's it's amazing, man, just the history that he has 349 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 1: behind himself, him having no John Randall and all those 350 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: great you know, saying defense Alama that he's developed or 351 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: throughout this game, and just being able to know what 352 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: I'm saying, just come up in this system, especially being 353 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: a rookie and then now my second year playing under 354 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: him and learning know what I'm saying different things under him. 355 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: Is it's a great thing, you know what I'm saying, 356 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: because I can see the future from myself and just 357 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: getting better each day. How would you rate your level 358 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: of improvement from the first day you stepped the practice 359 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: nine and day difference, man, you feel it. Yes, it's 360 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: a night in day difference. You know. I'm but I'm 361 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: still getting better each day. But compared to last year, 362 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: I was like two forty five soaking with playing a 363 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: fourth technique. It was it was. It was a long season. 364 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: But you know what I'm saying, I definitely can see 365 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: the improvement drastically. What are you at right now? Right now, 366 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: I'm at two sixty Oh, okay, carrying the extra beats 367 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: hopefully in those muscles, right. I mean you got to 368 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: work hard for that. I don't think people realize how 369 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: much you have to like, how much food you have 370 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: to eat. Yeah, especially with the amount of work, the games, 371 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: the practices. Nor I'm saying, if I missed one meal, 372 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: that's like four pounds that I've lost just off of 373 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 1: missing the meal. Yeah, so you gotta stay on it 374 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: each day. I mean sometimes it feeling you have to 375 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: kind of force features. That's what exactly what it is. Well, 376 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: good thing the Vikings Cafeteria has good food. Can't complain 377 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: about that part. You can't complain. Can't complain. Um. You 378 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: know another thing that's different for you this season is 379 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,439 Speaker 1: that there are a lot of veteran faces, but newer 380 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: faces for you. I know, last season there was it 381 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: felt like a lot of new guys, first year, second 382 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: year players, and now there's a little bit of age 383 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: in the room, a little wisdom. I guess you can say, 384 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: how has that dynamic changed from the past two seeds? 385 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: Like from last season of this season, it changed a 386 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: lot because you know, we gotta got a lot of 387 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: guys that have seen different things, you know what I'm saying, 388 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: that have experienced and being able to go out during 389 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, just as I'm playing, they're 390 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: telling me. You know what I'm saying. What they're saying 391 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: based off of you saying that past experience. So just 392 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: having them in the room and meetings is a big 393 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: change for us and something great for me. Yeah. I mean, 394 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: you think the youngest guy on the line right now, right, 395 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: I mean, that's got to be like you're just soaking 396 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,639 Speaker 1: up all the knowledge. Oh yeah, do you ask a 397 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: lot of questions I learned based off with just like listening, observation, observation. 398 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: They're listening, so I mean I asked the question here 399 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: and there, but I'm mostly just listening to them while 400 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: they're saying they're talking them, shotting it down, writing it 401 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: down there like okay, I got it. Yeah. Do you 402 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: feel like you have a notebook or do you take 403 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: anywhere every day? You got good handwriting? Yeah, it's pretty good. Okay, good. 404 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: I mean I wrote notes down for this interview and 405 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh gosh, what did I write there? Even 406 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: read what I'm writing. But that's no, that's a good 407 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 1: It's a good practice to have. Right. So this is 408 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: a big it's a big game this week. You've got 409 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: the Panthers a chance to go to get to three 410 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: and three before the bye. I know that every game 411 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: is a big week and that's how you approach it. 412 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 1: But heading into this one with the opportunity to play 413 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: an offensive line who's struggling with injuries, a quarterback who's 414 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: not playing his best right now, when you see that 415 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, it is it. Do you see a 416 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: better game plan to get to the quarterback? You know, 417 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: mostly keep it the same, you know we can and 418 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: week out, you know say we respect each and every 419 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 1: one of our opponents that we play. Um, you know 420 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, And just going into the game, you 421 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, We're gonna always you know, whoever 422 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: it is in front of us, we're gonna, we're gonna, 423 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 1: we're gonna do our thing, you know, So we're gonna 424 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: get after them. So regardless of the opponent who we're playing, 425 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 1: you know, I'm saying, we always you know, saying, look 426 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: up and respect the opponent. But you know what I'm saying, 427 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: we're excited for a Sunday. We're gonna get aft through it. Yeah, 428 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's funny. We're in Halloween season and 429 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: and I'm I'm expecting Sam Darneld to see some ghosts 430 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: on the field day. So. Um. But speaking of Halloween, 431 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: word on the street is that that is your birthday. Yeah, 432 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: that's my birthday. That's crazy growing up. What is it like, 433 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 1: I guess to have your birthday being on such a 434 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,719 Speaker 1: kookie holiday. Um, it's definitely different for sure. But like 435 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: as far as like celebrating it, when I was younger, 436 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: we pretty much didn't. I don't know for what reason, 437 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,200 Speaker 1: but my mom didn't really let us go outside and 438 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: trick or treat or whatever get candy. No. So I mean, 439 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: but you know what I'm saying, it's it's definitely different. 440 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: It's cool. Just being able to say my birthday Halloween. 441 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. That's different. Nobody really birthday. 442 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. It is on Halloween. So yeah, 443 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:10,439 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, do you have like a favorite 444 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: Halloween costume growing up? But it sounds like I got 445 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: no costume? Did you dress up in college at all? Never? 446 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: So you you have, you have a Halloween birthday, and 447 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: you've never worn a Halloween costUS, never worn a Halloween costume. 448 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: I think we've I feel like we need to change that. Yeah, 449 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: I feel like you gotta change that. But here's the problem. 450 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: We have a game on Halloween, so you're gonna dress 451 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: up as a Vikings football player. So it's it's a 452 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 1: very popular Halloween costume for other people. Oh yeah, explain 453 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: your business uniform. It's your business glowth Well, you know 454 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: I had this like exciting, well not exciting, but I 455 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: had this little fun Halloween game to play with you. 456 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: But I'm not sure how many of these things we 457 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: can get to that you'll be on board for. So 458 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,280 Speaker 1: it's basically just like a Halloween to get to know 459 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: you a little bit better, DJ, because I know that 460 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: you know you're new around here and fans are kind 461 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: of getting to know you, and um, do you have 462 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 1: a favorite Halloween candy? Favorite Halloween candy or candy? And 463 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: John wrong, I'm gonna go jolly renches. You know what 464 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: I'm saying. Based Okay, So do you prefer like fruity 465 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: candy to chocolate candy? Um? So, I like both chocolate. 466 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. I gotta go white chocolate. 467 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: The cook is in cream bar, you know what I'm saying. 468 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: That's that's my favorite chocolate book. As far as like candy, 469 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: sweet Wise, I'm gonna go jolly renches. All right, I'm 470 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 1: gonna need you to do an audible thumbs up or 471 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,959 Speaker 1: thumbs down? Okay? Are we cool with candy corn thumbs up, 472 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 1: thumbs down, thumbs down. I'm with you on that one. 473 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: I don't understand candy corn me neither. What is your 474 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: What is in your opinion the best Halloween or horror movie? 475 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have to go Paranormal Activity. That's a horror 476 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,160 Speaker 1: movie book, Jason, Jason, Man, you like some of that 477 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: real dark? So I love I love scary movies. Do 478 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: you really love them? Yeah? I don't know if I 479 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: can handle that. He's actually everyone of them. How many 480 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: hot hot like do you do you watch them regularly? 481 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: How many would you say you watch like a month? Um, 482 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: horror movies maybe like three or four? Man like to 483 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: be scared? Um, I just like I just like the thrill. 484 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: I just like seeing it. There you go, There you go. 485 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: So your a roller coaster guy, then if you're like, okay, 486 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: no roller coasters, Okay. I was going to ask you 487 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: what your favorite Halloween tradition is, but I mean, I 488 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 1: guess it's just celebrating your birthday with your family. Well 489 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: like Halloween, like we're always well, I'm always nor our 490 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: football season, so very true. I'll never really get the 491 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: chance to celebrate it anyway. So well, let me ask 492 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: you this. Um, I know you've got big plans for 493 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: your birthday this year being Halloween. Um, is there any 494 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: family going to be in town or anybody going to 495 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: be celebrating your birthday with you? Yeah? My parents are 496 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: actually gonna be able to come to their first game 497 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,239 Speaker 1: in US. Yes, Oh my gosh. That's amazing. So they 498 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: weren't able to make it last year, no, because of COVID, right, 499 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: so they'll be here. Oh my gosh, they're gonna be 500 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:45,719 Speaker 1: so pumped for you for sure. When you when you 501 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: know they're out there, do you kind of like have 502 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: a little electric juice in your you know, a little 503 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: springing your step, just a little bit, a little bit mo. Yeah, 504 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: especially my dad, you know what I'm saying. He always 505 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 1: jacked up, So just having him there, it's gonna be 506 00:22:57,880 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 1: a big thing for him. Yeah, for sure. I wish 507 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: you're brother could make it out. Huh. He's got it 508 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 1: deep in the SEC schedule now. He got a long 509 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: season for himself, so maybe he'll play with me. Who knows, 510 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 1: who knows? Who knows. You'll have to talk to Rick 511 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: about that. Well. Thank you so much, DJ for joining 512 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: us here on the Middle of Eggings podcast. We'd like 513 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: to have a good time over here and get to 514 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,360 Speaker 1: know you a little bit better and best of luck 515 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: on Sunday. Thank you all right, big thank you to 516 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: Vikings defensive lineman DJ Wanna. What a fun guy and honestly, 517 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: it was so great to see him breakthrough, get that 518 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: first sack of the season and get all that love 519 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:39,199 Speaker 1: from his teammates right after. Yeah, Jay's progressing well, you know, 520 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: he did not start Sunday everything. Griffin got the starting 521 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: play with him, so, you know, I think fans are 522 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 1: kind of wondering, Okay, where is he at in his progression? 523 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: I think he's doing just fine. I mean, he was 524 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: a fourth round pick. No one expected him to come 525 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: in and be Danio Hunter, even though there are a 526 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: lot of comparison to him when he got drafted. Let's 527 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,360 Speaker 1: not label anyone like that. I mean, that's just too 528 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 1: lofty of of expectations. No, And I think Andre Patterson's 529 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: pretty careful about that label as well, because he has 530 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 1: made the comparisons before, but mainly more like the motor 531 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: his personality, not really comparing the physical attributes, or like 532 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: his athletic ability. When he gets labeled, you know, compared 533 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: in any way to Denil, people expect double digit sacks, 534 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: especially when he's in a starting role. So let's maybe 535 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: timper that a little bit and just let you die 536 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 1: a break, right, Yeah, let him let him just be him, right. 537 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: That's that's so true though. I mean you got to think, like, 538 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: as much as it's beneficial to have Daniel Hunter there 539 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,639 Speaker 1: to mentor him and bring him up, it's also got 540 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: to be like, Wow, I wonder like the expectations for 541 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,159 Speaker 1: me or you know, I'm a completely different player. My 542 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: expectations should be treated as such. Yeah, every player is 543 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 1: different and every player is kind of their own entity. Um, 544 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 1: you know. And with with the Vikings long history of 545 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: great pass rusher too, there's there's always high expectation for 546 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,160 Speaker 1: any defend the vand or defensive lineman to get drafted here. 547 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: So yeah, I think DJ is doing fine. Yeah, I 548 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: think everything will continue to start. He has really really 549 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: come into his own and honestly, I get so juiced 550 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 1: just watching him. I did the Game Day Live interview 551 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: with him last week and he said, he's like, I 552 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: love how candid he was. He was just like, I 553 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 1: want to put a whoopon on him. You don't really 554 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 1: get sometimes like people that still talk like that, or 555 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: players they're very like, don't give them bullets and board 556 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 1: material whatever. Sin's like, I don't really care, and I'm 557 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:31,399 Speaker 1: going to say it because that's what I want, and 558 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: I just it's very refreshing. Yeah. I think the Viking 559 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: have benefited from his play this year, but also the 560 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: energy that he brings. I mean, I think the team 561 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: with desperately lacking that a year ago. All right, well, 562 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 1: now let's bury the past and look forward to the future. 563 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: We have a huge game on Sunday, the last one 564 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: before the bye week. The Vikings completed that three game 565 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: homestand and now they're on the road at a Carolina 566 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 1: team who's dropped the last two games. So they're kind 567 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: of not feeling too high, as we mentioned a little 568 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: bit earlier in this podcast, and we're feeling good. So 569 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna give We're gonna go around and do what 570 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 1: we always do to prepare for this big game. We're 571 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 1: gonna go with the two things we're excited about with 572 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: this matchup and one thing that makes us nervous. So 573 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: Eric took the honor's last time. We'll let you go 574 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: first in this one. So take it away justin Jefferson. 575 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:28,679 Speaker 1: Throw him the ball. That's probably I won't go on 576 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: a long rant just throwing the ball. He had five 577 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 1: catches for one hundred and four yards in the first 578 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 1: half and just dominating. But in the second half he 579 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: only get two targets, two catches for twenty yards, and 580 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 1: if you look at the stat line, you say, oh, okay, 581 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: seven catches one hundred and twenty four yards. He had 582 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: a good day. But those of us who watched the game, 583 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 1: I think we know the potential was there for so 584 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: much more. And you go back and watch the film 585 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: and some kind of misthrows from Kirk where JJ was open, 586 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: and like I said earlier, just throw the guy the ball. 587 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: I'd rather throw it up for him and really anyone 588 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,919 Speaker 1: else on the team, honestly, and sometimes you know, I 589 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: know the Vikings have a run first approach, and that's 590 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: the nature of Mike Zimmer. He wants to ground and 591 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,199 Speaker 1: pound and wear down the other team. But if you 592 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 1: have a player who's a top to me, a top 593 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: five wide receiver in the league, you have to get 594 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: him the ball as often as you can. And I 595 00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: know that the coaches and players have said, well, you know, 596 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 1: they kind of changed up the coverage and they were 597 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 1: bracketing him and rolling in safety over the top. That 598 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: happens every game, and that happens Dafon Digg, DeAndre Hopkins. 599 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: You know, all the number one receivers in the league 600 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: have that coverage, and yet they still find a way 601 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: to be productive. So maybe, you know, let's plan for 602 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: that a little bit, and I'm sure the coaches do 603 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 1: so if they do kind of bracket him, Well, what 604 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: play or what you know, bundle of plays can we 605 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 1: go to that will beat that? For as much as 606 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: we want to be a run first offense, to me, 607 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: he's the best player probably on the team. Honestly, I mean, well, 608 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: when Dalvin Cook is not in the lineup, he is 609 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: the best player, don't you think, the best skilled player? 610 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:05,360 Speaker 1: Because Dalvin Cook is questionable and we don't know if 611 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: we'll see him on Sunday, we don't know when we'll 612 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 1: see him, and so when it is a game where 613 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 1: you know he's not going to be in the lineup, yeah, 614 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: that would be awesome to see it kind of thrown 615 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 1: around a little bit. I think the one thing I've 616 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: noticed about these coaches, you want to be your identity. 617 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, most coaches say, 618 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: like I want to create the best plan for the 619 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: players that I have, and like you said, if you 620 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,920 Speaker 1: if you see the ability to pass more, maybe that's 621 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: you know, something to keep in mind, because I think 622 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 1: that's usually what coaches trying to do, and coaches also 623 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: want to win, so honestly, how can we win? You know, 624 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 1: I posted a tweet the other day, like I said, 625 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: the Vikings like to run the ball. So the tweet was, 626 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: you know, the Vikings ran the ball twenty eight times 627 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: on Sunday, but six of those times we're second and 628 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: eight or longer, and that's not a surprize. We know 629 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 1: the Vikings like to run the ball, even on second 630 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: and long, but those six runs only total twelve yards. 631 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: And it's fine if you run it on second and 632 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: nine and get six yards and then it's third and 633 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 1: three and you're in a much more manageable situation. But 634 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: if you only get one yard, then it's third and seven, 635 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 1: and then you know, that puts you in a tough situation. 636 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:17,440 Speaker 1: I understand the need and the want to run the ball, 637 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: but if it's second and long, to me, two passes 638 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: had a better chance of getting of moving the sticks 639 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: than getting a first down, then a run and then 640 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: a path, especially if you're throwing it to JJ one 641 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: or two of the times. So you know, I'm not 642 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: saying we need to throw to him every play. I 643 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: understand that the Vikings like to run the ball and 644 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: are good at running the ball, but if we can 645 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,560 Speaker 1: just maybe like move the sliders a little bit on 646 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: how often he's getting the ball he's just such a 647 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: dynamic talent. Maybe we can sneak into the offices and 648 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: just kind of doctor it up a little in the playbook. 649 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: I'm just kidding, don't get mental about Yeah, I understand, 650 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: I understand the team's offensive philosophy, and I think an 651 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: approach that can work. I also think it'd be a 652 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: dynamic wide receiver out there. Try to get him the 653 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 1: ball as much as you can. All right, Number two 654 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: thing you're excited about, Yeah, Christian dar saw right. Yeah, 655 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: I mean, finally an id to see them contributions from 656 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: more rookie players. I know that eleven man rookie class 657 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: has kind of had a little bit of a tough 658 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: go with it with injury and playing time, but Sunday 659 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: was the first stepping stone of him being the starting 660 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: left tackle hopefully for a long time for this franchise. 661 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 1: He was effective when he was in there too. Yeah, Yeah, 662 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: I thought he played well, you know, he only played 663 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 1: I think twenty eight snaps. I think Rashad played thirty nine, 664 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: so it wasn't exactly a fifty fifty split, and that's understandable. 665 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: You know, he's kind of still working his way back 666 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: from that procedure he had in August, and he's still 667 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: kind of getting back into football shape. You know, I 668 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if there's another rotation of Source again Sunday. 669 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: But I think after the bye, if you're kind of 670 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: going to have like a two game rotation type thing 671 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: after the bye, then maybe that when he's the full 672 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 1: time starter and you know, it could be a case 673 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: where he takes over that spot for the next ten years. 674 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: You know, we don't know, but he looked good. He 675 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: taught room to grow, and that's expected, you know, of 676 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: being in your first NFL game. But I think that 677 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: the potential with him is high. And we all know 678 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: if you can get a franchise left tackle for you know, 679 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 1: the long term, that one of the best options in 680 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: the best area to have covered. Every team begs to 681 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: have that, especially when they draft a guy coming in. 682 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: I mean, we even saw a last week Penasol with 683 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: the Lions out there. You just you know that they're 684 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: expecting him to be out there for a decade plus 685 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 1: and they go through and you invest somebody that high 686 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: in a draft pick. I just think Mike Tice this 687 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: week was on skull Stories with Pete Bursach and they 688 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: were talking, you know, any advice you have for Christian 689 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: darrisaw and his answer was essentially, as the game starts 690 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: to slow down for you, it's it's going to be easier, 691 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,959 Speaker 1: but to start just rely on your technique and all 692 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: the things that you've been taught over the years, because 693 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: just have that base to know that, you know, there's 694 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: a reason you've been drafted this high, there's a reason 695 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: this team has brought you in. Revert to back to 696 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: the things that worked for you. And I think that 697 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: was the thing that people were talking about after Sunday, 698 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 1: was just watching some of the plays and saying, you know, 699 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: dropped the anchor and just really held his own against 700 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,320 Speaker 1: some of those guys that were really bull rushing. And 701 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:19,360 Speaker 1: there was a lot of things to be excited about 702 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: for Christian Dersa. Yeah, I think he's only going to 703 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: get better. I think that he's gonna get thrown into 704 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 1: the fire, honestly. I mean Carolina has Brian Burns, Dallas 705 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 1: has the rookie Micah Parsons. If you look down the 706 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 1: second half of the schedule, almost every team we faith 707 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: had a lethal pass rusher, and that's probably the case 708 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: every week. I was like, I feel like that's been 709 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 1: the case so far, but it seems like the best 710 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 1: of the best are coming. Yeah, we played both Bosa 711 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: brother coming up. TJ. Watt turned down for what. Yeah, 712 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,680 Speaker 1: he's definitely taken the mantle from his brother too, just 713 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: as far as being one of those elite pass rushers. 714 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:57,480 Speaker 1: So Christians definitely gonna have his work cut out for him. 715 00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 1: When you know, it was almost like it was almost 716 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: like a baton on just a tiny bit, right, just 717 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: because the age difference to age injuries, all that kind 718 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: of stuff that jazz TJ. You know, Yeah, he's definitely 719 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 1: one of those guys. So you're right, I mean, Derris 720 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 1: Saw definitely he's gonna have to mind his speas and 721 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: ques and be ready every single week when that's gonna 722 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: I mean, that's gonna be the way it is for 723 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,560 Speaker 1: the rest of his career. So this is just you know, 724 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: I mean, getting ready to go and hopefully for a 725 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: bright future. So Eric, let's get to what you're nervous 726 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: about for Sunday. Same thing I've been nervous about every 727 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: week now, and that's our run defense. We've given up 728 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 1: a hundred yards every game this season, and you know, 729 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: I thought that Barr coming back would help, and I 730 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: think it did a little bit, but Michael pierced without. 731 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: So that's kind of a Cat twenty two where you 732 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:46,800 Speaker 1: haven't had a full, a full arsenal yet. I don't 733 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: know what it is, but it's just it's just not clicking. 734 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: And I think the talent is there. You know, we 735 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: deinly have all the pieces. If you if you go 736 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 1: to each individual player in the line up, you say, okay, 737 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:00,360 Speaker 1: that player is good. But collectively, you know, we just 738 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: haven't been able to stop the run and we've given up, 739 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, one hundred yards in every game. I think 740 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: we're one of five teams that have done that. And yeah, 741 00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:10,359 Speaker 1: it's there were twenty second and run defense right now. 742 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: It's it's not it's not great, but um, you know 743 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,319 Speaker 1: the past, the passing defense is obviously much improved. With 744 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: Anthony Barr kind of back in the mix. I think 745 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: maybe with him being in charge of putting everyone in 746 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: their place, it could be a little bit more effective. 747 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 1: If Christian McCaffrey is not as effective this game, that 748 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: could also help out fingers crossed. Um, I don't wish 749 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: anybody any injuries. I just mean, if he's just not 750 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 1: one hundred percent, it might not be awful to see 751 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 1: us seventy five percent McCaffrey right right. If McCaffrey goes, 752 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:41,839 Speaker 1: you know, he's a dynamic talent for sure, and you 753 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 1: know in both the run and the pass game. But 754 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: you know, it'd be nice if we have a game 755 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: where we hold him to seventy yards rushing and get 756 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: him in third and long a lot and you know, 757 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 1: get five or six sacks. That that's the ideal way 758 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 1: that the Viken want to play defense, and that hasn't 759 00:34:58,120 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: been the case. I mean, like I said, one hundred 760 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,640 Speaker 1: yards to out on the ground in every game so 761 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 1: far this year. Eventually that's going to wear you down 762 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:08,240 Speaker 1: game by game. But also once we get into November 763 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: and December two, if you're trying to stop the run 764 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: forty times a game, that's a tough flooding. Offensively, they've 765 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: been kind of a mirror of what we've had the 766 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: last couple of weeks as well, with McCaffrey out. You know, 767 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,440 Speaker 1: Chuba Hubbard coming in number two, guys stepping in. He 768 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 1: had some pretty good weeks as well, And so if 769 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 1: McCaffrey's in there, you have to account for him, no 770 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 1: matter what. You have to put spies on him, you 771 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: have to basically have people just mirroring him for the 772 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 1: entire game. Chuba coming in there for their offense. It's 773 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 1: literally like Madison walking in for ours, where he's a 774 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 1: different skill set and at Oklahoma State he was he 775 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: was a beast, and so for you know, defensively, Andre Patterson, 776 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,200 Speaker 1: those guys are going to be looking at this trying 777 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 1: to figure out, Okay, how do you game plan for McCaffrey, 778 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 1: how do you game plan for Hubbard? And then on 779 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 1: top of that, you know what I'm going to talk 780 00:35:57,200 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: about here coming up here, Sam Darnold is going to 781 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: be there X factor as well in being able to 782 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: keep that offense moving. If we were to be able 783 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 1: to stop both of those running backs, well, all right, 784 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,799 Speaker 1: then let's just dive right in then, Jay, I like 785 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 1: the t So let's go with your two things you're 786 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 1: excited about of one thing that makes you nervous, all right, 787 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:16,839 Speaker 1: picking up on what we were just talking about. Then 788 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,319 Speaker 1: for me, um I will I will jump into the 789 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,359 Speaker 1: I'm kind of excited about the fact that we get 790 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: to play Sam Darnold this week. Yeah, you're you're dancing 791 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: a little bit on the fence of what direction that 792 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:29,719 Speaker 1: team is going to be able to go depending on 793 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:33,399 Speaker 1: Sam's play. But given what happened the first three games 794 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: versus the last two games, I'm actually kind of excited 795 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: about the fact that we get to play Sam this week. 796 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: On the first two games, he was he was fairly 797 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,320 Speaker 1: lights out. He had eight hundred and eighty yards passing 798 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:48,080 Speaker 1: sixty eight percent completion, three passing tds, three rushing tds, 799 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,720 Speaker 1: only one pick in six sacks. So you're still able 800 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,640 Speaker 1: to get to Sam. But in these last two games 801 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:58,280 Speaker 1: that they've had, especially against Dallas, He's only through thrown 802 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:00,240 Speaker 1: for four hundred and seventy eight yards in those two games. 803 00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 1: But one of those games he had a three hundred 804 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:03,920 Speaker 1: yard game. So this last game he only threw for 805 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 1: one seventy eight. But in that span he's had three 806 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: passing tds, two rushing tds, five picks, and eight sacks. 807 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,440 Speaker 1: So like there is a formula there for Sam to 808 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 1: if you get in his face, he will make mistakes. 809 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:18,239 Speaker 1: I know we've we've said this week after week after 810 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: week this season, especially with your your Baker Mayfields and 811 00:37:21,200 --> 00:37:23,680 Speaker 1: those kind of guys as well. Jared Goff. Yeah, it's 812 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 1: like between Mayfield, Goff and now Darnald. It's like where 813 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: teams have had success. Especially Dallas was up the gut 814 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,080 Speaker 1: and it was getting in his face and making him 815 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 1: uncomfortable because the pocket wasn't necessarily there. They've currently had 816 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 1: three offensive linemen that have gone on ir so far 817 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 1: this season, and one of those guys was Pad elf Line, 818 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:45,360 Speaker 1: who we all know. And then their offensive tackle Cameron 819 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:48,000 Speaker 1: Irving was listed as questionable with an injury as well. 820 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:50,880 Speaker 1: So like, their offensive line is beat up and Sam 821 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: is not going to be comfortable, especially if we're able 822 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: to get push up the middle. So well, we saw 823 00:37:56,719 --> 00:37:58,799 Speaker 1: what happens when your offensive line is not one hundred 824 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,760 Speaker 1: percent healthy this last week against this spiking spress fresh 825 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,359 Speaker 1: He's me given exactly what Eric was talking about there. 826 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: You know, you're nervous about the run game because I 827 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 1: think that they're going to have to try to rely 828 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: on that. But for me, it's if you can get 829 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: to Sam in those situations and enforce him to make 830 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:18,680 Speaker 1: some mistakes, that's that's an absolute difference for our offense. 831 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:22,480 Speaker 1: Just flipping the field and getting Sam here in footsteps 832 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:24,960 Speaker 1: as the as the game's going on. I mean, it's 833 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 1: almost like Sam Darnold will turn the ball over, So 834 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,080 Speaker 1: it's what you do with it afterwards. Yeah, you can't 835 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 1: kick a field goal. You can't turn the ball over 836 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 1: again or punt like, you can't have that happen. And 837 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,480 Speaker 1: I think that's also part of the problem, is that, 838 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 1: like capitalize on your turnovers. Absolutely. Yeah, you can't go 839 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 1: three and out, you can't get stuck in the mud 840 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: and those kind of things. Those can be game changers, 841 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: and you just if you're able to make him make 842 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 1: those mistakes, you have to capitalize. You're You're exactly right. 843 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,239 Speaker 1: Number two things that I'm excited about actually is something 844 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 1: we talked about just a little bit ago, Greg Joseph. 845 00:38:57,640 --> 00:39:01,040 Speaker 1: I'm actually excited about the fact that, given the good 846 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 1: note that we left this last game on, you know, 847 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 1: I did a little bit of looking here. So far, 848 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,399 Speaker 1: he's hit five kicks of over fifty yards. Yeah, isn't 849 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 1: that crazy. So it's been on it's been a long 850 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 1: time since since. Yeah, that's the thing. It's it's been 851 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:17,319 Speaker 1: a long time since we've had um someone we can 852 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:20,279 Speaker 1: rely on. From from deep like that consistently, and it 853 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:22,600 Speaker 1: just feels like, yes, there was the kick earlier in 854 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,759 Speaker 1: the season that that he missed from that distance at 855 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:27,320 Speaker 1: the end of the game. But I think as the 856 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,359 Speaker 1: season progresses and if if if we rely on him, 857 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: or at least if he's called upon to do this, 858 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 1: he knows he can do it. And so five kicks 859 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:37,319 Speaker 1: of over fifty yards, he's eleven and twelve on extra points, 860 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,000 Speaker 1: in ten to twelve on field goals. So like, if 861 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,719 Speaker 1: he can continue to progress and get more confidence, I 862 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,640 Speaker 1: think it's gonna be great being able to trot him 863 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 1: out there and expect for him to hit those kicks. Well. Yeah, 864 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:48,319 Speaker 1: especially like I said, if we're going to be in 865 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,399 Speaker 1: the clothes game, you know, if we're not gonna win 866 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:53,000 Speaker 1: by ten or you know, by ten, and I got 867 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:54,879 Speaker 1: that four of the five game that have been one 868 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:58,560 Speaker 1: possession or last, we're gonna need Greg to come through. 869 00:39:58,600 --> 00:40:00,640 Speaker 1: And I think that's why we've seen so are the season, 870 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: And that's a that's actually a league thing too right 871 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:05,760 Speaker 1: now that, yeah, isn't that interesting? Well, how many missed 872 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: extra points this weekend? Like broke a league record on 873 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff, which was crazy that that since 874 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:13,200 Speaker 1: the Green Bay game at the end where there were 875 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 1: five miss kicks in the in the final essentially ten 876 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:19,920 Speaker 1: minutes of gameplay was insane riveting television. But you know, 877 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: and that think about the anks that those coaches and 878 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: players are having during that game too, just we got it, 879 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 1: we don't, We got it, we don't, And it becomes 880 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:30,279 Speaker 1: just this mental battle that point. But yeah, so for me, 881 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:32,520 Speaker 1: I'm just excited about the fact that you know, we 882 00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:35,160 Speaker 1: have a guy here that that we expect moving forward 883 00:40:35,239 --> 00:40:37,960 Speaker 1: is going to hit these kicks and and um, I 884 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,360 Speaker 1: think that's something that the entire team should be excited about. 885 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,479 Speaker 1: The last thing for me what makes me nervous this week, 886 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 1: it's kind of something we also hit on a little 887 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: bit that Carolina defense, especially against the run. Um they've 888 00:40:49,080 --> 00:40:51,799 Speaker 1: been super stout this season. These last couple of weeks, 889 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,000 Speaker 1: they have been leaky. So there is some game film 890 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:56,680 Speaker 1: there on what we can potentially do to to you know, 891 00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:59,319 Speaker 1: neutralize that a little bit. But going into this week, 892 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,680 Speaker 1: they were number one in the league an opponent passing yardage. 893 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:03,440 Speaker 1: They were number two in the league in total yards 894 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,160 Speaker 1: given up, number three in points allowed. In number eight 895 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,600 Speaker 1: in league against the run. So like that defense had 896 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,680 Speaker 1: been putting on like a historic pace through the first 897 00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:17,240 Speaker 1: three weeks. But the fact that they're like many other teams, 898 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: including ours, they're dealing with some injury issues. And one 899 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: of the biggest ones this past week when in the 900 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:26,719 Speaker 1: Philly game, they were without Shack Thompson, who was their 901 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:30,359 Speaker 1: leading tackler at linebacker, and I think, you know, with 902 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,400 Speaker 1: him out and then jac Horne went out with a 903 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:34,399 Speaker 1: foot and Justin Burress went out with a groin. Both 904 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,439 Speaker 1: of those guys went on ir prior to the Philly game. 905 00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: Like again, they're dealing with this battle of attrition and 906 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,200 Speaker 1: injuries and stuff. So I think that there are ways 907 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:45,840 Speaker 1: that we can gash them, especially if Dalvin's in great 908 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 1: if he's not, Alexander has proven that if we need 909 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 1: to call upon him to carry the load when it 910 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 1: comes to a running game, I think that, you know, 911 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:55,920 Speaker 1: the offensive line's gonna have their work cut out for him. 912 00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:59,440 Speaker 1: But there are ways to exploit this defense. Well, that's 913 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,160 Speaker 1: exciting year because this offense one of these one of 914 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:03,960 Speaker 1: these games is you know, is going to have just 915 00:42:04,080 --> 00:42:07,600 Speaker 1: an insane performance. It's going to click and come together. Yeah, 916 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:09,439 Speaker 1: I think the potential is there. I mean, we saw 917 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:11,520 Speaker 1: that in Arizona. You know, they had a great game. 918 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 1: We didn't win the game. Yeah, that's very true. One 919 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:16,799 Speaker 1: of mine is similar to years Jay and the fact 920 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:19,319 Speaker 1: that Sam Darnold will turn the ball over and you 921 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,240 Speaker 1: can rattle him and he's not feeling his best self 922 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:25,480 Speaker 1: right now. So I think that this Vikings past defense 923 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:29,200 Speaker 1: that's been top ten in the NFL. They have seventeen 924 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:32,719 Speaker 1: sacks on the year in eighty six pressures. I mean, 925 00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:35,520 Speaker 1: they they're going to be in their faces and especially 926 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:37,600 Speaker 1: with a beat up offensive line, so that's kind of 927 00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm excited to see them continue their dominance. It really 928 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:44,760 Speaker 1: has been a very bright spot at a consistent spot 929 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: in this team, which I think the consistency factor is 930 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 1: the most important part of the point that I was 931 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: trying to make my next thing I'm excited about. I'm 932 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:59,520 Speaker 1: pretty pumped to experience my first Kirktober and so far, 933 00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 1: I think the hype is there, the hype is real. 934 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: What I was most excited about is he kind of 935 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:11,400 Speaker 1: started October Kirktober off pretty pretty pretty bad. I'm on them, 936 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:13,759 Speaker 1: that's true, that's very true. But then he had that 937 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:16,319 Speaker 1: he had a bad game. Passer raining went way down 938 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 1: against the Browns, but you know, he is eleventh in 939 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:24,120 Speaker 1: the NFL's when it comes to passer rating, which I 940 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:25,960 Speaker 1: like to see, I think it can go up. I 941 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:28,680 Speaker 1: think that bad game that you know, that dud sixty 942 00:43:28,719 --> 00:43:32,040 Speaker 1: percent I think was hit our sixty point seven passer 943 00:43:32,120 --> 00:43:34,560 Speaker 1: rating or something along those lines, was what kind of 944 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:38,239 Speaker 1: makes his average creep a little farther down there. But 945 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:43,640 Speaker 1: ten touchdowns, two interceptions. But I think the most important 946 00:43:43,640 --> 00:43:46,560 Speaker 1: part of that equation, though, is despite the offensive line 947 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:49,360 Speaker 1: having moments of not as good play, I guess you 948 00:43:49,400 --> 00:43:54,040 Speaker 1: could say they have only allowed nine sacks and I 949 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 1: think that's pretty key because we all know Kirk does 950 00:43:57,200 --> 00:43:59,560 Speaker 1: better with time in the pockets. So it's the ninth 951 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 1: fewest in the NFL, and so, um, you know that 952 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:06,000 Speaker 1: that kind of to me sets this up for hopefully 953 00:44:06,040 --> 00:44:09,279 Speaker 1: the next two games are in October, so from what 954 00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:12,680 Speaker 1: all the rumors about this being Kirk's month, I'm excited 955 00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:16,480 Speaker 1: to see that in Carolina. Yeah, he's played well. I mean, 956 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:19,440 Speaker 1: there's no denying that, and I think what's frustrating is 957 00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:22,520 Speaker 1: I think the team, the Vikings, need to take advantage 958 00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:24,919 Speaker 1: of the game where he does play well, because we've 959 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:27,640 Speaker 1: seen in the past, and you know, not every quarterback 960 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:31,719 Speaker 1: is going to be on for seventeen games. And when 961 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,120 Speaker 1: the game where Kirk is on and he's really on, 962 00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:36,879 Speaker 1: those games have to be wins. The games where he's 963 00:44:36,960 --> 00:44:38,960 Speaker 1: not on, you know, people need to kind of pick 964 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:41,160 Speaker 1: up the slack around him and help carry the team. 965 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:43,560 Speaker 1: And that's that's where the two and three record, to me, 966 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:46,560 Speaker 1: it's frustrating. It through five games, I think Kirk has 967 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:50,080 Speaker 1: played overall really well, you know, and if we had 968 00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:52,600 Speaker 1: a winning record, you'd probably feel better about it. But 969 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:54,799 Speaker 1: you're two and three and you're like, Okay, we got 970 00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:57,440 Speaker 1: to keep digging ourselves out of this hole, you know. 971 00:44:57,480 --> 00:44:59,319 Speaker 1: And that's why Sunday is it's such a big game. 972 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:01,840 Speaker 1: Put it all together for a week, you know, have 973 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:04,839 Speaker 1: Kirk deal, had the defense stuff up, and feel good 974 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:07,800 Speaker 1: about a full fledged wind Going into a buy third 975 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:10,799 Speaker 1: down makes me nervous. It always does. Right now, I 976 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:14,120 Speaker 1: feel like this is something that I felt good about 977 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,399 Speaker 1: one game. I think it was the Seahawks game where 978 00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:19,040 Speaker 1: they had a sixty percent conversion rate and third down, 979 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:22,760 Speaker 1: But overall it's a thirty nine point one percent nineteenth 980 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:24,960 Speaker 1: in the NFL, and if you want to sustain drives, 981 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:28,880 Speaker 1: which we so desperately need to do, it makes me 982 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:31,799 Speaker 1: nervous when they get on the field. I think what 983 00:45:32,200 --> 00:45:37,480 Speaker 1: leads to more anxiety is the fact that Carolina leads 984 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,440 Speaker 1: the NFL and third down defense, and so I know 985 00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:43,239 Speaker 1: that that was also something the Lions hung their head 986 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:45,919 Speaker 1: on last week. You know, they weren't not that great 987 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:47,799 Speaker 1: on first and second down, but third down was kind 988 00:45:47,840 --> 00:45:50,440 Speaker 1: of where they were able. The defense was able to 989 00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:53,480 Speaker 1: get a lot of stops and a't someplace that we've struggled. 990 00:45:53,480 --> 00:45:56,640 Speaker 1: I mean, we weren't great last week, and third down 991 00:45:57,480 --> 00:45:59,319 Speaker 1: still able to come away with a win. But I 992 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:01,799 Speaker 1: think that also leads to the margin of victory being 993 00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:03,880 Speaker 1: so small, is not being able to sustain the drives 994 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:06,400 Speaker 1: and not converting on third down. Yeah, that kind of 995 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:08,880 Speaker 1: goes back to what I said about maybe trying to 996 00:46:08,880 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: throw the ball the more. You know, if you if 997 00:46:11,120 --> 00:46:13,359 Speaker 1: you throw the ball more and you have a chant 998 00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:17,680 Speaker 1: for bigger play than and you know, longer, longer chunks 999 00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:20,680 Speaker 1: of yardage, maybe you don't have to worry about third 1000 00:46:20,719 --> 00:46:23,439 Speaker 1: and seven. The distance is the thing that that fans 1001 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:25,040 Speaker 1: are looking at it. It's third and seven. Why you're 1002 00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:26,680 Speaker 1: handing the ball off third and seven? Why are you 1003 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:28,680 Speaker 1: doing a quick dumb pass? You know, those those kind 1004 00:46:28,680 --> 00:46:33,879 Speaker 1: of pieces. I just I'm hoping that if we are 1005 00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:36,280 Speaker 1: willing to open it up a little bit more, whatever 1006 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:38,480 Speaker 1: the heck that means at this point, because that's whatever, 1007 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:40,759 Speaker 1: you know, that's in the zeitgeist of everyone's saying just 1008 00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:42,279 Speaker 1: open it up and let him throw and let him 1009 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,920 Speaker 1: go crazy. It's more of the play calling at times. 1010 00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:47,800 Speaker 1: They're they're saying, just get the ball out of his hands, 1011 00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:50,000 Speaker 1: Just get get the ball down the field. Just hand 1012 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:53,600 Speaker 1: it off so that playmakers can make their plays for me. 1013 00:46:53,840 --> 00:46:57,319 Speaker 1: With third down, it's so much predicated on you got 1014 00:46:57,320 --> 00:46:59,520 Speaker 1: to get more than one or two yards of rush. 1015 00:46:59,760 --> 00:47:02,359 Speaker 1: You've gotta get that ball down the field. And whether 1016 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 1: that is doing a quick screen, whether that is just 1017 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:08,200 Speaker 1: throwing some outs to the sidelines, whatever it's going to be, 1018 00:47:08,320 --> 00:47:10,279 Speaker 1: get to your third and shorts and then make sure 1019 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:12,080 Speaker 1: that you know if they know they're loading up the box, 1020 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,440 Speaker 1: because we're probably gonna run it, switch it up and 1021 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:16,200 Speaker 1: throw a pass just over the top or throw it 1022 00:47:16,200 --> 00:47:19,600 Speaker 1: down the seam, and just keep moving those sticks because 1023 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:22,480 Speaker 1: that's a game of momentum for the offense. And honestly, 1024 00:47:22,600 --> 00:47:26,200 Speaker 1: with Dalven out on Sunday, the run game wasn't great. 1025 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:29,120 Speaker 1: If you look at the box score, you think, oh, okay, 1026 00:47:29,239 --> 00:47:31,520 Speaker 1: Madison ran for one hundred and thirteen yard done twenty 1027 00:47:31,520 --> 00:47:33,720 Speaker 1: five carries. Yeah, he had a good day, But obviously 1028 00:47:33,800 --> 00:47:35,919 Speaker 1: forty eight of those yards came on that one run. 1029 00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:38,000 Speaker 1: And even then he had to make a guy myth 1030 00:47:38,080 --> 00:47:39,640 Speaker 1: at the line of scrimmage. It wasn't like it with 1031 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:41,960 Speaker 1: a wide open hole, you know. So if you take 1032 00:47:41,960 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 1: away that forty eight yard run, then you're looking at 1033 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:48,480 Speaker 1: twenty four carries for sixty yards seventy yards. You know, 1034 00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:50,440 Speaker 1: it was only two and a half three yards to 1035 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:52,680 Speaker 1: carry that. That's not going to cut it. And it 1036 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:54,839 Speaker 1: just it all kind of blend together. If you can't 1037 00:47:54,920 --> 00:48:00,200 Speaker 1: run the ball effectively on any down, then you're just 1038 00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:02,359 Speaker 1: not going to really move the stick that often. Yeah, 1039 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:05,600 Speaker 1: very true. It is all just a circle of the 1040 00:48:05,640 --> 00:48:07,800 Speaker 1: circle of life. I don't know why that could popped 1041 00:48:07,800 --> 00:48:09,560 Speaker 1: into my head for a second. There you're a giant 1042 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:13,040 Speaker 1: Lion King fan. Giant, don't even This is a whole 1043 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:15,440 Speaker 1: other podcast with my Disney obsession, so we won't go 1044 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:19,320 Speaker 1: into that. But but no, Um, it's an exciting time. 1045 00:48:19,480 --> 00:48:21,879 Speaker 1: There's a big opportunity ahead for the Vikings this week 1046 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:26,480 Speaker 1: when they hit the road to play Carolina, And honestly, 1047 00:48:26,680 --> 00:48:28,719 Speaker 1: I think what two weeks ago, we probably would have 1048 00:48:28,760 --> 00:48:31,239 Speaker 1: been a little bit more scared of this team and 1049 00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:34,000 Speaker 1: not maybe think a win was as possible or it 1050 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:35,920 Speaker 1: was going to be a lot harder to get done 1051 00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:38,640 Speaker 1: than we did, you know, two weeks ago. So that's 1052 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:43,040 Speaker 1: always the positive note to end this podcast on. But um, 1053 00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:45,280 Speaker 1: we're going to do a couple of shameless plugs before 1054 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:48,040 Speaker 1: we get going Eric, what you got going on? And 1055 00:48:48,120 --> 00:48:51,520 Speaker 1: cooking up this week? Either we do every week opposing viewpoints, 1056 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:53,880 Speaker 1: looking forward to that that if you don't know that, 1057 00:48:53,960 --> 00:48:56,680 Speaker 1: that's the new show we started this year with Tatum 1058 00:48:56,680 --> 00:48:58,920 Speaker 1: and I and then we have a reporter who covers 1059 00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:01,279 Speaker 1: the opposing team. We've done it every week so far 1060 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:04,920 Speaker 1: this season. We try to make it fun, you know, lighthearted. Yeah, 1061 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:07,200 Speaker 1: I feel like I walk away learning something about the 1062 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:09,960 Speaker 1: opponent definitely every single time, kind of setting it up 1063 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:13,600 Speaker 1: and then knowing what we have to do in order 1064 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:15,719 Speaker 1: to negate what they talk about because I think you 1065 00:49:15,760 --> 00:49:17,719 Speaker 1: do a really good job of bringing that up. So yeah, 1066 00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:19,480 Speaker 1: I mean it's been a lot of fun and you 1067 00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:21,799 Speaker 1: get to know other people around the league, other personalities 1068 00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:24,960 Speaker 1: and other opinions. So yeah, those are that's on Thursday, 1069 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:28,120 Speaker 1: So those that'll drop on Thursday, and then Jay, we've 1070 00:49:28,120 --> 00:49:30,799 Speaker 1: got the Audible this week back for another week and 1071 00:49:31,239 --> 00:49:34,200 Speaker 1: this week's guest is probably my nomination for the Vikings 1072 00:49:34,200 --> 00:49:36,480 Speaker 1: locker room for the most interesting man in the world. 1073 00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:39,279 Speaker 1: This week's guest is Stephen Weatherly. It's great to have 1074 00:49:39,360 --> 00:49:42,800 Speaker 1: him back. He was in Carolina last season. Having Stephen 1075 00:49:42,840 --> 00:49:45,680 Speaker 1: back on this defense has been great to have him 1076 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:48,400 Speaker 1: as part of that defensive end spot that's just been 1077 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:50,960 Speaker 1: rotating over and over again. And Stephen is always a 1078 00:49:51,000 --> 00:49:53,799 Speaker 1: great interview, so you never know what hobby he's picked 1079 00:49:53,840 --> 00:49:56,360 Speaker 1: up next. Very true, and I'm sure you'll talk a 1080 00:49:56,440 --> 00:49:58,760 Speaker 1: little bit about his time in Carolina too, and how 1081 00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:00,640 Speaker 1: you know excited he is for this week to get 1082 00:50:00,640 --> 00:50:05,160 Speaker 1: back there and play for the Vikings instead. Yeah, So 1083 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:09,000 Speaker 1: so check that out Thursday night on Cafe n six 1084 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:13,359 Speaker 1: to seven pm and then Friday nights for Fox and 1085 00:50:13,400 --> 00:50:16,120 Speaker 1: then Bally Sports and Earth this weekend as well. So 1086 00:50:16,239 --> 00:50:19,160 Speaker 1: check those out for both radio and TV broadcasts. And 1087 00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:22,560 Speaker 1: then we've got the Game Day Live interview that I'm 1088 00:50:22,600 --> 00:50:25,239 Speaker 1: with Eric Kendricks this week. I'm super pumped to have 1089 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:28,480 Speaker 1: him across the chairs for me. That will air on 1090 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:30,680 Speaker 1: Game Day Live, which if you didn't know, happens on 1091 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:33,040 Speaker 1: Fox nine at nine thirty in the morning, right to 1092 00:50:33,040 --> 00:50:34,919 Speaker 1: get you primed and ready to go for that noon 1093 00:50:35,000 --> 00:50:38,600 Speaker 1: kickoff and Postgame Live will be following the game. This week, 1094 00:50:38,640 --> 00:50:42,760 Speaker 1: we have four Vikings running back. Robert Smith, the legend himself, 1095 00:50:42,800 --> 00:50:45,560 Speaker 1: will be our analyst for that game. So pretty pumped 1096 00:50:45,600 --> 00:50:47,800 Speaker 1: about that. He hasn't been here in three weeks because 1097 00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:51,400 Speaker 1: we've been We've been home, so just keep sticking too. 1098 00:50:51,440 --> 00:50:54,080 Speaker 1: The Vikings Entertainment Network, Vikings dot Com, all of the 1099 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:56,719 Speaker 1: digital channels for all of the content to get you 1100 00:50:56,760 --> 00:51:01,520 Speaker 1: ready for Sunday's big game. Big thanks to Vikings Team 1101 00:51:01,520 --> 00:51:04,799 Speaker 1: report Eric Smith for jumping on the podcast today. Eric, 1102 00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:07,239 Speaker 1: thank you so much. We appreciate your time. Yeah, thanks 1103 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:09,680 Speaker 1: for having me. Looking forward to a good game on Sunday. 1104 00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:12,879 Speaker 1: Let's go right for Jay Nelson. I'm Tatum Everett. Thanks 1105 00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:14,239 Speaker 1: for listening. We'll see you next week.