WEBVTT - Cowboys Preview | Episode 68

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The

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<v Speaker 1>Commanders host the Dallas Cowboys for their season finale on Sunday.

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<v Speaker 1>With quarterbacks Sam Howell and the younger players expected to play,

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<v Speaker 1>Santana Moss and Logan Paulson shared what they expect to see. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>So Ron there expects to play a lot of the

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<v Speaker 1>younger guys, kind of a good chance to see what

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<v Speaker 1>he has. And it starts right there with Sam Howell.

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<v Speaker 1>What are the realistic expectations though, Logan, I want to

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<v Speaker 1>start with you on this because you talk about Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>you want to put him in a situation where he

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<v Speaker 1>will be able to succeed, and it's the situation now

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<v Speaker 1>where he gets the first team reps with the team

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<v Speaker 1>coming into it. But you're also going up against a

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<v Speaker 1>team that will come after you. Yeah, And I think

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<v Speaker 1>that's the main thing for me is that this Dallas

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<v Speaker 1>defense is very, very dynamic. They rushed the passer extremely well.

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<v Speaker 1>Their first and second down philosophy is rushed the passer

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<v Speaker 1>to stop the run like they want to get after

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<v Speaker 1>the quarterback. You're getting a new left guard starting with

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<v Speaker 1>Chris Paul which I'm super excited to see, but how

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<v Speaker 1>does he handle the communication? They play multiple fronts, they

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<v Speaker 1>bring multiple pressures, they disguise their coverages really well. This

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<v Speaker 1>is gonna be a big, big testament to Scott and

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<v Speaker 1>how he puts this guy in the best position to

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<v Speaker 1>be successful. You know, it's funny watching practice days had

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<v Speaker 1>I forgot how wal he throws the football. Got a

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<v Speaker 1>live arm, live release, is very very physically gifted, but

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<v Speaker 1>that only gets your show far mentally how closely they

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<v Speaker 1>get him to be ready against his dynamic Dallas defense.

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<v Speaker 1>And he's talking about a dynamic Dallas defense. That's what

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<v Speaker 1>I said. You know, his athleticism is going to be key,

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<v Speaker 1>you know him, how can he handle that pressure, you

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<v Speaker 1>know duty get the ball? Yeah, he has a live

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<v Speaker 1>m also, but he's gonna have to probably escape some

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<v Speaker 1>of those rushes here and there and then you know,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, you know, regain that that passing you know

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<v Speaker 1>lane where he can get that ball out. So that's

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<v Speaker 1>one of the things that I'm gonna be looking for.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's gonna be a task that we're all gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be looking forward to see and see how he passed.

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<v Speaker 1>And you've played with do you remember how many rookie quarterbacks.

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<v Speaker 1>You played with quite a few, right, Yeah, there's a

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<v Speaker 1>certain amount of patients than you have to have, and

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<v Speaker 1>this staff understands that. That's one of the things head

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<v Speaker 1>coach Ron Rivera said, like, if you bring in a rookie,

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<v Speaker 1>you have to give time for them to grow develop.

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<v Speaker 1>But you want to see what that decision making is

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<v Speaker 1>going to be. And they're going to get a good

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<v Speaker 1>look at that to close out the season here to

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<v Speaker 1>decide what do they need to do moving forward? Can

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<v Speaker 1>Sam potentially be that guy? What about some other guys

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<v Speaker 1>that are going to have some chance to have a

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<v Speaker 1>little extra time out there on the field, Bogan, unless

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<v Speaker 1>they're done offense? Who you want to see? Yeah? For me,

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<v Speaker 1>it's the two young tight ends. And I know they've

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<v Speaker 1>played a lot of you know, Turner and Armony Rodgers.

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<v Speaker 1>I think they've played a lot. They've blocked really well.

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<v Speaker 1>They've exceeded my expectation in that category. I just want

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<v Speaker 1>to see them catch the football a little. But I

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<v Speaker 1>remember in training camp Cole Turner was absolutely mossing every

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<v Speaker 1>single person in sight. I want to see him get

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<v Speaker 1>some more touches there. Armande Rodgers, is this dynamic athlete

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<v Speaker 1>who every time he touches the football is a big

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<v Speaker 1>play waiting to happen. What happens if you're able to

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<v Speaker 1>feature him in the passing game a little bit more

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<v Speaker 1>and get them some more touches. I want to see

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<v Speaker 1>what their role is moving into next year. Yeah, And

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<v Speaker 1>one of the things I want to look at offensively,

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like, when you look at across the board,

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<v Speaker 1>we have every guy you know, but the offensive line.

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<v Speaker 1>I think this offseason is going to be we're talking

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<v Speaker 1>about quarterback. Yeah, we need a quarterback too, but we

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<v Speaker 1>also going to have to shop out there for those

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<v Speaker 1>guys with protecting that quarterback. So knowing that Chris Paul

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<v Speaker 1>is going to be playing, I've been hearing whispers here

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<v Speaker 1>and there saying that Chris Paul is one of those

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<v Speaker 1>guys not to be reckoned with. He's a guy that

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<v Speaker 1>has showed these guys on our start in defense that

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<v Speaker 1>he can be a force. And so I'm looking forward

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<v Speaker 1>to him going out there and playing some live action

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<v Speaker 1>and being able to show the world what you can

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<v Speaker 1>expect next year. And when they drafted him, they said, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>he's going to be a player that we will develop

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<v Speaker 1>and so his chance to get out there as well

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<v Speaker 1>quickly here Santana, what about on defense? Well, defense, Percy Butler.

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<v Speaker 1>You know another thing that I've been seeing since we

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<v Speaker 1>lost Cam a little bit, you know what I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>We've been needing that safety to somebody to step up

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<v Speaker 1>and be that other guy. So I want to see

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<v Speaker 1>what Percy Butler has in the game where it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to be really bad. Basically on him to go out

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<v Speaker 1>and make some plays. Yeah. For me, it's the young

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<v Speaker 1>linebackers Milo and Harris. Hopefully those guys step up and

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<v Speaker 1>never agree in wide receiver John Dobson has put up

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<v Speaker 1>some record numbers in his first year. Dodson seven touchdowns

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<v Speaker 1>is tied for the most among rookie receivers this season.

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<v Speaker 1>London Fletcher caught up with Dodson to get his thoughts

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<v Speaker 1>on the season. All right, First off, Johan, congratulations man

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<v Speaker 1>to you Nitney Lions on the Rose Bowl win be

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<v Speaker 1>in Utah. Yeah, that's big time, big time got to

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<v Speaker 1>go in that's a such a historic venue to play.

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<v Speaker 1>Yet I always love seeing my Ninity Lions win. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So for you, you know, the season obviously as a

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<v Speaker 1>team hasn't gone away we had hoped for, But you personally,

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<v Speaker 1>you've had it ann outstanding the rookie season. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>how how would you kind of rate your rookie season. Um? Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like, you know, the games that I was

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<v Speaker 1>able to play, I feel like I've done some some

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<v Speaker 1>things very well, but I feel like there's there's a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of room for improvement, um in my game, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>from a lot of aspects of my game. Just being

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<v Speaker 1>more comfortable out there on the field. Um. And I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like that's just gonna come with time. Um. But

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<v Speaker 1>you know, getting in the weight room, different stuff like that,

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<v Speaker 1>getting with the coaches, more film work, just different little

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<v Speaker 1>things that invest my game so that I'm even better

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<v Speaker 1>next season. Even despite the only playing eleven games, You're

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<v Speaker 1>one touchdown away from time the franchise rookie record for

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<v Speaker 1>receiving touchdowns. This was set by Charlie Brown back in

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen eighty two. I don't know if you pay attention

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<v Speaker 1>to the any of that, or if you were aware

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<v Speaker 1>of that. What does that mean to you? Having you know,

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<v Speaker 1>been able to accomplish that. Yeah, you know, that'd be

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<v Speaker 1>a very cool moment, especially for me and my family.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, just to achieve such a goal. Um, coming

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<v Speaker 1>in here, you know, I had high hopes for myself,

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<v Speaker 1>high expectations for myself, and to be able to put

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<v Speaker 1>myself in the record books with what guys like Charlie

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<v Speaker 1>Brown and Terry. I know, I'm uh like tye with

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<v Speaker 1>Terry or something like that. Just to be there with

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<v Speaker 1>those guys. Uh, and they're they're already Washington. Great. So Um,

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<v Speaker 1>it's truly a dream come true, as you as you

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<v Speaker 1>kind of look at it, you and Terry in the

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<v Speaker 1>same room. Have y'all had a chance to talk about

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<v Speaker 1>that a little bit. Maybe Terry, I'm trying to try

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<v Speaker 1>to freak your record. No, not really, you know, Terry,

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<v Speaker 1>Terry is super humble, dude. I haven't really I haven't

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<v Speaker 1>mentioned it to him at all, or he hasn't mentioned

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<v Speaker 1>to me at all. Going going too this last game

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<v Speaker 1>against the Dallas Cowboys. You you you played them down there,

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<v Speaker 1>got a chance to experience what that rivalry is like.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what are you looking forward to it in

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<v Speaker 1>this game? Week a teen ageins the Cowboys playing them

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<v Speaker 1>at home? Yeah? Um, looking forward to go out, go

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<v Speaker 1>out the season on the right note. You know this

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<v Speaker 1>thing on a good note. We didn't get to where

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<v Speaker 1>we wanted to get to, but you know, we got

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<v Speaker 1>one more tests and one more opportunity in front of us,

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<v Speaker 1>and to go out with a bang and make sure

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<v Speaker 1>that we do this thing right and on a good note,

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<v Speaker 1>it would be a good good look for us. Looking

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<v Speaker 1>back on this season, from the time you were drafted

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<v Speaker 1>here to where you are now, what's been your favorite

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<v Speaker 1>moment of your rookie season. Favorite moment of my rookie season.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, honestly, I would just I would just say

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<v Speaker 1>just coming in here and just spending time with the

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<v Speaker 1>guys in my room. Like the guys in my room there,

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<v Speaker 1>they're truly characters. Man. They make they put smiles on

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<v Speaker 1>your face anytime you're around them. They their attitudes are contagious,

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<v Speaker 1>Like you just always want to be around those type

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<v Speaker 1>of guys. So I would just say spending the time

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<v Speaker 1>with the guys in my room and just laughing and

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<v Speaker 1>joking around. I'm looking forward to see you going down

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<v Speaker 1>and breaking that record against the Cowboys, man, and hopefully

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<v Speaker 1>we're able to get a win. So I'd love to

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<v Speaker 1>see you. Wait, can't wait to see you play Sunday

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<v Speaker 1>against the Cowboys for all your news and analysis. Sure

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<v Speaker 1>to tune into Command Center weeknights at five and ten

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<v Speaker 1>pm on NBC Sports Washington. You can also stream on

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<v Speaker 1>YouTube and commanders dot com.