WEBVTT - MVP: Star Tribune's Ben Goessling Talks Defensive Keys Against The Bengals, Danielle Hunter's Strong Season | CIN | Episode 249 0:00:03.840 --> 0:00:06.920 Yo, what's going on? Welcome inside to tc OH Radio Studio. 0:00:07.080 --> 0:00:10.840 This is the Minnesota Vikings Podcast, brought to you by PEPSI. 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:14.000 I'm Gabe Henderson. I'm alongside Vikings dot COM's Tatum Everett 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:16.440 and our special guest of the night, mister Ben Gesling, 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:19.439 who is from the Star Tribune. Eric Davidson produces this 0:00:19.520 --> 0:00:22.600 show and Ben the Vikings. Well, I'll start it off 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.560 with this. Who said you needed to score touchdowns to 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.040 win games in the NFL weeks? 0:00:28.240 --> 0:00:33.800 Yeah, it's it's pretty uncommon. The the I think match 0:00:33.880 --> 0:00:36.760 the lowest scoring win in Vikings history, first time since 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:40.680 nineteen seventy one. So Packers right, yes, against the Packers 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:43.600 at the met Fred Cox hit a game winner in 0:00:43.640 --> 0:00:47.080 the fourth quarter. So Fred Cox and Greg Joseph are 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:48.760 kindred spirits, I guess, and. 0:00:48.720 --> 0:00:51.480 Then rewind back to the week prior, the Bears don't 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:53.920 score a touchdown and they beat us. So it's you know, 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:56.520 the game of football is evolving. 0:00:56.080 --> 0:00:57.440 Tatum, it certainly is. 0:00:57.480 --> 0:00:59.520 And if you know, I was kind of I kind 0:00:59.520 --> 0:01:00.920 of had a bow to pick with a lot of 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:05.280 fans who were so used to seeing so many explosive offenses. 0:01:05.520 --> 0:01:08.520 I I love a defensive game. I really truly do. 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:10.640 I know that that might be in the minority of 0:01:11.000 --> 0:01:12.720 of of decision. 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:15.560 Anybody's listening right now, are gonna be like Tatum, you're 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:16.160 by yourself phone. 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:17.160 Yeah, I respect it. 0:01:17.760 --> 0:01:19.560 So growing up in the South and watching a lot 0:01:19.560 --> 0:01:21.960 of great sec defenses that was kind of like where 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:24.479 I really learned my love of football, and so I 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:27.119 just have a I like watching a good defense. Now 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:29.000 do I have a lot of question marks about this offense. 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.160 Of course I do, because it shouldn't be a three 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:33.280 nothing game. But I love a shutout any day of 0:01:33.319 --> 0:01:36.320 the week. I love the way that it goes back 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:40.600 and forth and like every every small, tiny minute decision matters. 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:43.559 So, I mean I said it. I don't know where 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:45.600 I said it, but I was like, I'm I wish. 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:47.800 People would just be like, hey, like it's it's a 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:50.200 good defensive game. It was sure, the offense wasn't me, 0:01:50.480 --> 0:01:54.120 but like it was a great defensive game, yeah for sure. 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:57.560 And just thinking about just the first three quarters, Ben, 0:01:57.680 --> 0:01:59.720 you were there, just how how did you see the 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:02.040 defense kind of step up in those moments? 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:05.440 Well, I mean, I think a lot of the things 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:07.720 that we've seen throughout the course of the season played 0:02:07.720 --> 0:02:11.799 out where it's they're forcing throws underneath because of the 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:13.880 zone coverages and then all of the pass rush that 0:02:13.960 --> 0:02:16.040 forces Aidan o'connall get rid of the ball quickly. But 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:21.519 the tackling I thought was especially good. That there were 0:02:21.600 --> 0:02:24.880 a lot of plays where the ball would be underneath 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:28.359 and you'd think a guy has room to make something happen. 0:02:28.440 --> 0:02:31.799 And the perimeter tackling, I think especially was a lot 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:33.640 of the reason that they were able to force punts 0:02:33.639 --> 0:02:36.640 like they were and keep the Raiders really from not 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:39.000 only not scoring, but not even attempting a field goal. 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:44.520 So I think that stuck out and it just like 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:46.440 you said, Tatum, it's one of those games where you 0:02:46.560 --> 0:02:50.880 had to have everything because any one play could have 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:53.760 set up Daniel Carlson for a field goal and that 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:54.360 never happened. 0:02:54.480 --> 0:02:57.440 Jordan Hicks was a huge part of this defense, one 0:02:57.480 --> 0:02:59.600 of the main tacklers, I guess you could say, leading 0:02:59.680 --> 0:03:02.119 up and to his injury, how do you think they've 0:03:02.160 --> 0:03:04.200 been able to especially with Ivan Pace in the mix, 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:06.920 been able to step up in his absence and still 0:03:06.960 --> 0:03:08.400 almost like not skip a beat. 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:11.440 Yeah, I mean, Ivan Pace I think has deserved a 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:13.120 lot of credit and has received a lot of credit 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:15.840 this week for the way he's handled it. You know, 0:03:16.000 --> 0:03:19.200 really an impressive rookie season as a whole, and we 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.440 had seen that coming into this, but I mean, I 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:25.000 thought when Jordan Hicks went down and the way people 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:26.880 talked about it, the way Brian Flores talked about it, 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:29.120 the way Kevin O'Connell talked about it, you could tell 0:03:29.160 --> 0:03:32.320 what he means to this team and the season he 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:36.080 was having. There was certainly a void there, there was 0:03:36.520 --> 0:03:39.800 a felt loss. I think the impact of him being 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:42.840 out was certainly not lost on these coaches. So for 0:03:42.960 --> 0:03:45.640 Ivan Pace to come in there and do what he's 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:49.120 done to the point where they really haven't, like you say, 0:03:49.200 --> 0:03:52.880 they haven't missed a beat very much. It's been being 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:56.000 as Simon sound. It's I think being a more effective 0:03:56.000 --> 0:04:00.240 pass rusher probably than people would have expected from an UNDRAFTEDOKI. 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:03.480 And it's been being able to keep everything kind of 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:06.360 in check in front of him running that huddle and 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:09.440 Jordan Hicks. We'll see if he gets back, but you know, 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:12.840 it's been awfully impressive to watch Ivan Pace this year. 0:04:12.880 --> 0:04:15.720 And I wonder how because there's not like a runaway 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:18.360 defensive Rookie of the Year candidate this year, at least 0:04:18.600 --> 0:04:20.720 as far as I've been able to see. So, you know, 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:22.680 an off ball linebacker, it's a hard one thing. It's 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:25.080 a hard thing to win. But you know, I think 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:26.480 he's certainly going to be in the conversation. 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:29.599 Well, speaking of conversation, I leads me to what I 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:32.080 really wanted to ask you next, was with the way 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:35.479 that the defense is carrying through these past couple of 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:39.039 games especially, I mean, really this whole entire season, how 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:42.760 much should Brian Flores' name be mentioned in the conversation 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:44.599 for coordinator of the Year. 0:04:45.080 --> 0:04:48.039 Well, I mean, I think pretty high on that list. 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:52.080 I mean it's you know, to watch this defense do 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:54.320 what it's done. I mean I kind of thought beginning 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:58.680 of the season the setup was something to the effective 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:02.080 offense has a lot of proven scope, has been players, 0:05:02.120 --> 0:05:04.200 a lot of proven talent. This is a thirteen win 0:05:04.279 --> 0:05:06.280 team that had a defense that was ranked twenty eighth 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:08.440 or twenty ninth in the league last year. If it 0:05:08.600 --> 0:05:13.919 improves to the point where it's fifteenth, eighteenth, whatever, nineteenth twentieth, 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:17.039 that's going to be enough of an improvement that the 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:19.160 offense will take care of itself and you're getting the 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:22.440 stops that you need. So to see it now where 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:25.279 it's been, you know, it's ranked fifth in the league 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:30.200 I think in points allowed, and you haven't really seen 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:33.040 anybody crack it yet. Now, it has not been a 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:37.240 murderer's row of quarterbacks lately, but you have not seen 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:39.920 this thing where people have started to figure it out 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:43.440 because it continues to shift and evolve and the number 0:05:43.480 --> 0:05:47.760 of players that have executed a scheme that allow that 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:51.200 requires a lot of make on the fly decisions, make 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:53.040 a lot of checks pre snap, make a lot of 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:55.039 reads on what you're going to get from the offense, 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:57.720 and communicate those things across the defense. For a young 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:01.240 group to not see the busted covered, I mean you 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:05.039 kind of expected at some point. Okay, there's a lot 0:06:05.080 --> 0:06:07.200 going on in this defense. There's a lot of guys 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:09.760 that have not played significant snaps in the NFL. There's 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:12.400 going to be some breakdown at some point or another. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:16.080 That really has not happened much at all. So I 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:18.520 think the scheme, the way they've taught it, the way 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:21.359 they've executed it, the development you've seen from some of 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:24.919 these young players. Yeah, certainly is a credit to I 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:28.400 mean this to the staff, but also certainly to Brian 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:31.760 Floor is probably foremost of all. And yeah, it's been 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.839 awfully impressive to watch them. Certainly would say. 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:36.760 That speaking of being impressed, you know you did hit 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:39.000 a make a good point. Fifth in total defense, this 0:06:39.120 --> 0:06:42.279 Minnesota Vikings team is right now. But the thing that 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:44.560 stands out to me is the run defense. The Vikings 0:06:44.560 --> 0:06:48.039 are top five run defense in the NFL, and that's 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:49.840 something that we haven't been able to do these past 0:06:49.839 --> 0:06:52.159 couple of years. So to be able to do that, 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:54.480 Harrison Phillips, Waltsapayton Man of the Year, what are some 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:57.359 other guys you would say are key contributors to this 0:06:57.440 --> 0:06:58.480 Vikings run d well. 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:00.240 Yeah, I mean you think about it, it's like that 0:07:00.240 --> 0:07:03.320 that game in Philadelphia Week two where the Eagles basically 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:05.400 said we're just going to run the ball the entire game. 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.720 To be ranked as well as they are on run defense. 0:07:08.800 --> 0:07:11.560 With that still on the resume, it has been an 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:13.840 awfully big change here in the last few weeks. And 0:07:14.200 --> 0:07:16.280 you mentioned Harrison Phillips, that's been a big part of it. 0:07:16.360 --> 0:07:20.600 I think you've seen contributions from a lot of guys 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:22.200 in that line that don't get a ton of credit. 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:26.400 Jonathan Bullard has made some plays Kiro's Tonga. Jacquelyn Roy 0:07:26.480 --> 0:07:28.240 has had some moments where he's coming as well. But 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:30.880 it's been it's been that, it's been guys at the 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:33.720 second level, it's been Josh Mattelus. I mean, there's there's 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.200 a lot of things. Daniel Hunter continues to be a 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:38.480 sound I mean, he's known for his pass rushing, but 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:40.400 he's a sound run defender that he not. 0:07:40.360 --> 0:07:42.360 In discussion for Defensive Player Year. 0:07:42.560 --> 0:07:43.200 I think he is. 0:07:44.720 --> 0:07:46.640 I feel like since we're such in a small market, 0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:48.640 people don't really give his name much. 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:50.680 So and he's not the I mean, he's got not 0:07:50.760 --> 0:07:52.920 a guy that draws a ton of attention to either. 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:56.000 So I mean some of these things are are branding 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:58.720 to some degree, I suppose, but but yeah, I mean 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:02.240 he's he's a guy that has always been that way 0:08:02.240 --> 0:08:05.480 you always done his job against the run and has 0:08:05.480 --> 0:08:08.040 not played that position saying I'm just going to go 0:08:08.040 --> 0:08:09.880 off for the quarterback and whatever happens on the run, 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:12.640 I'm not worried about it. So the fact that he 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:15.040 does that, the fact that you've had people on the 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:19.160 defensive line kind of step into contributing roles and it's 0:08:19.160 --> 0:08:22.160 been impressive, and especially because most of the time and 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:25.000 the default personnel grop being the base defense for this 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:27.800 team is in the nickel. I mean, it's three safeties 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:30.480 on the field all the time, but whether it's two 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.320 four in front of those five, whether it's three to three, 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:35.440 I mean occasionally see a four to two, but you're 0:08:35.480 --> 0:08:40.920 not playing heavy personnel very much, so teams have incentive 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:42.679 to say, let's try to run it, I would think, 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:45.640 and the fact that they haven't been able to do that, 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:48.439 a lot of people have executed the assignments at a 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:49.160 pretty high level. 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:51.439 That's what we need and what we need right now 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:54.560 is for this offense to start executing some assignments. Just 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:58.640 understanding that there's another quarterback change this year. This will 0:08:58.679 --> 0:09:00.640 be the fourth well I guess the time that we've 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:03.800 had a starting different starting quarterback this season, so well, 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:06.199 fourth time because Jaron Hall started in that land, right. 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:09.959 What are realistic expectations for for Nick mellins Well, I. 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:12.920 Think you saw shades of it at the end last 0:09:12.920 --> 0:09:14.600 week where the ball is coming out a little bit 0:09:14.679 --> 0:09:17.480 quicker that time that he's had in this offense that 0:09:17.600 --> 0:09:21.760 obviously Josh Dobbs and Jaren Hall have not. You see 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:24.560 some of those things I think play out. So it's 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:28.840 running the offense efficiently, it's keeping the offense out of 0:09:28.880 --> 0:09:31.720 third and longs, out of turnovers, out of sacks, all 0:09:31.760 --> 0:09:34.520 those types of things. I mean, I think that's probably 0:09:35.200 --> 0:09:38.360 that's the first order of business. And you know, it's 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:41.480 not going to be probably the most explosive offense in 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:43.800 the world, but there's enough skill position players on this 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:46.320 team that can run after the catch that some of 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:50.640 it is just getting justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockinson 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:53.160 the ball in space and letting them go to work. 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:56.560 It's not having to throw twenty five yards down field. 0:09:56.600 --> 0:10:00.120 Although he did have some downfield moments on Sunday, the 0:10:00.360 --> 0:10:02.800 throat to Hockinson, the throat to Addison that kind of 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:05.239 set up the game winner. I mean, he showed he 0:10:04.760 --> 0:10:07.640 can he can push the ball downfield. There were a 0:10:07.679 --> 0:10:09.560 couple of times there where I thought he had an 0:10:09.640 --> 0:10:11.360 underneath throw and he says, now I'm gonna take the 0:10:11.960 --> 0:10:14.960 high corner, I think on the one to Addison, and 0:10:16.120 --> 0:10:18.480 so that was impressive to watch. But you know, if 0:10:18.520 --> 0:10:20.960 you get to the point with him where he's throwing 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:24.440 for two hundred and twenty yards a game and not 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:26.520 turning the ball over, that should be enough. 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:27.840 Jake Browning numbers right there. 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:31.079 Well yeah, I mean it's it's funny. I mean we 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:34.040 mentioned the defense and not having seen this in a while, 0:10:34.120 --> 0:10:35.880 but some of these formulas that you start to think 0:10:35.920 --> 0:10:39.280 about in terms of seventeen points, twenty points, whatever it is, 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:41.199 will win you a lot of games. I mean, these 0:10:41.240 --> 0:10:44.320 are the conversations that people had around here when Mike 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:47.360 Zimmer was here, at the height of the Mike Zimmer defenses. 0:10:47.840 --> 0:10:49.600 That was a lot of the talk because they only 0:10:49.600 --> 0:10:52.120 need to score twenty twenty one points and they're gonna 0:10:52.120 --> 0:10:55.280 win most of the time. So that does feel like 0:10:55.320 --> 0:10:56.760 the formula a little bit right now. I mean, even 0:10:56.840 --> 0:10:59.320 Kevin O'Connell's spech after the game on Sunday, it's and 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:01.200 he's saying you you understand that you have to play 0:11:01.200 --> 0:11:03.679 to the strengths of your team, and the team as 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:07.559 it's currently constituted is built around a defense, and if 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:10.440 you get the skill position players healthy, there's a formula 0:11:10.480 --> 0:11:12.320 there to make it work. It's not the one that 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:14.199 everybody expected, but I think it can be done. 0:11:14.320 --> 0:11:16.880 I also think something from the Raiders game to take 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:19.520 home from from the offense, at least from a positive perspective, 0:11:19.679 --> 0:11:22.160 was the physicality upfront and the ability to control the 0:11:22.160 --> 0:11:22.960 line of scrimmage. 0:11:23.480 --> 0:11:24.120 The run game. 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:27.440 It may have been one of their best performances really 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:29.400 just trying to plug along while. 0:11:29.200 --> 0:11:31.079 They obviously the passing game was struggling. 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:35.280 And if they can give that support to Mullins moving forward, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:37.319 how much do you think that could play a role 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:39.040 and do you see them building off of that. I mean, 0:11:39.080 --> 0:11:40.680 that's something that they've been hard. It's been hard for 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:41.440 them to get going. 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:41.760 Yeah. 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:44.959 I mean I think Sunday in terms of success rate 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:48.080 in the run basically in terms of how often you 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.160 are making appreciable progress towards a first down, I think 0:11:51.200 --> 0:11:52.960 they had the highest rate of the year on Sunday. 0:11:52.960 --> 0:11:54.959 I think it was fifty six percent against the Raiders. 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:59.000 And the Bengals have not had good numbers against the run. 0:11:59.080 --> 0:12:02.080 The Packers have shown a lot of trouble against the run, 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:04.520 like they did on Monday night against the Giants, So 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:07.160 there is going to be room there to run the ball. 0:12:07.280 --> 0:12:10.199 And I thought like you said, I mean, Alexander Madison 0:12:10.240 --> 0:12:11.640 had some nice runs in terms of being able to 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:13.160 make cuts and make a couple of guys miss, but 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:15.680 a lot of it was the offensive line kind of 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:17.520 being able to reset the line of scrimmage, being able 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:20.000 to push the defense of the Raiders defensive front a 0:12:20.000 --> 0:12:22.600 couple of yards back, three hours back, making it so 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:25.920 that whoever has the ball is not getting hit right away, 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:28.480 which we've seen a lot of this year. And for 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:32.040 that to happen with a lot of changes happening on 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:34.840 the offensive line, where Ed Ingram's on the game, Ryan 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:37.839 O'Neil goes out, Dalton Reisner goes out for at least 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:41.440 a couple of plays, it was impressive. And I think 0:12:41.559 --> 0:12:45.640 the physicality that they showed, the commitment to that you're 0:12:45.640 --> 0:12:48.120 going to see more of that. I mean, they're i think, 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:54.120 have averaged since Cousins went out thirty two runs a game, 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:57.200 and some of that stobs, yes, but the overall number 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.120 is like the fifth or sixth highest in the league. 0:12:59.559 --> 0:13:02.320 So it's it's been I mean, defense and run the ball. 0:13:02.400 --> 0:13:07.360 It's it's uh, you know, now, it's. 0:13:04.000 --> 0:13:07.800 Just right for a guy who wants to throw the 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:09.480 ball fifty times a game. Who needs to. 0:13:09.440 --> 0:13:11.960 Run it takes to win, right, That's all. 0:13:11.679 --> 0:13:14.120 Right, Well, we're winning in the first segment of this break, 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.719 but let's run to our commercials and make sure we 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:18.560 pay some bills, so we'll be right back with more 0:13:18.600 --> 0:13:21.040 with Ben Gesling right here on the Minnesota Vikings podcast. 0:13:22.880 --> 0:13:25.760 Blonde Montage is the Twin Cities premiere salon and spa 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:30.479 destination and proud official hair sponsor of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders. 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:34.800 With three convenient locations an Dinah, Woodbury and Chan Hassen. 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:38.000 There is a balon close to you. Visit online at 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:46.520 spalon dot com. 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Ben Gestling is here, 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:31.160 Tatum Evert is here. Our producer Eric Davidson is here. 0:14:31.200 --> 0:14:33.800 My name is Gaye Anderson. This is the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:37.480 And Ben, just understanding that we're going to be in 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:40.640 another game where there are two quarterbacks that didn't start 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:44.320 the season enough, how do you make sense of what 0:14:44.360 --> 0:14:47.280 we really can expect at pay Course Stadium on Saturday. 0:14:47.440 --> 0:14:50.560 Well, I mean, it's it's been kind of the story 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:52.360 of the NFL season that you've seen all of these 0:14:52.400 --> 0:14:54.840 high profile quarterbacks go down. And I was looking this 0:14:54.960 --> 0:14:58.560 up this week. I don't know that it's statistically unusual 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:00.720 yet in terms of the number of teams that have 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:03.000 played a couple of different quarterbacks. I think it's fourteen. Now. 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:05.600 I think the Chargers might be the fourteenth. Somebody can 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:08.360 check me on that, but I think with Justin Herbert 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:11.200 going out, it's right in that neighborhood that almost half 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:13.120 the league has used him. But you've seen a lot 0:15:13.160 --> 0:15:17.560 of whether it's Aaron Rodgers, Justin, Herbert kirk Cousins. I'm 0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:20.360 sure I'm missing a couple. Ryan Tannehill. Yeah, I mean 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:22.160 there's been a lot of quarterbacks that have gone out. 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:24.280 I mean brock Perty was out for at least a bit. 0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:26.760 Derek Carr, Derek Carr, Yeah, I mean there's been a 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:30.640 lot of veterans or high level guys that have missed time. 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:34.680 So it has become Joe Burrow. Obviously we're going to see. 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:40.680 This on Ry heartbroken. Sorry Tigers there, I know. 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:46.080 It's fine, you know, selfishly heartbroken. Thankfully, the Vikings don't 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:49.840 have to face like that. I mean, Jake Browning is 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:53.280 playing very well, which is interesting because we've seen him before. 0:15:53.320 --> 0:15:56.920 It's another Viking, former Viking quarterback who's getting some time 0:15:56.920 --> 0:15:59.040 in the league while we're facing them, which is quite interesting. 0:15:59.120 --> 0:15:59.320 Yeah. 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:03.080 Yeah, and he looked I think better than it's. 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:04.080 Night practice, Jakey. 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:06.040 I was about to say, people forget about it looked 0:16:06.040 --> 0:16:08.400 like the night practice when he had to play all 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:09.040 the time quarterback. 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:11.800 You probably had seven hundred and eight hundreds that night. 0:16:11.840 --> 0:16:13.440 Yeah, well, maybe he was a tco. 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:17.440 He led a go ahead drive and then Jake Browning 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:21.480 was unable to answer Jake Browning after Jake Browning led 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:23.000 a touchdown drive. So I mean it was some good 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:25.800 and mad there, I guess, but yeah, that was kind 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:27.880 of a shy moment. Yeah, should we give. 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:30.160 A backstory for fans who were listening. So twenty twenty 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:32.480 the COVID year, Uh, they would have been twenty one, 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:35.640 twenty twenty one, the COVID year. There were three quarterbacks 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:37.840 in the room, Kirk Cousin, Sean May, and Jake Brownie 0:16:38.720 --> 0:16:40.840 Milon Mont, so four quarterbacks. So of course, with the 0:16:40.880 --> 0:16:44.760 COVID protocols, if somebody gets or test positive, everyone in 0:16:44.800 --> 0:16:47.880 that room has to either retest or they. 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:49.400 Can't can't be a direct content. 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:52.920 So long story short. Afterwards, Jake Browning was the only 0:16:53.000 --> 0:16:56.720 quarterback the day of that was healthy enough to press. 0:16:57.120 --> 0:17:00.400 It was TC night practice to Tatum's point, continue. 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:02.000 Yeah, it was. It was, And I think he had 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:04.000 people dunking in with water afterwards. 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:04.440 It was. 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:07.560 It was quite a scene. But yeah, it was kind 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:09.720 of the thing that everybody remembers him for around here, 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:12.119 I suppose, but I know he impressed a lot of 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:15.080 people in this building through that camp and and through 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:19.439 his time here. So it's been interesting to watch him 0:17:19.480 --> 0:17:21.960 in Cincinnati. I mean he's had some days where he 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:23.879 had I think went out with cramps on Sunday, but 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:27.359 he was dealing before that. So I mean they have 0:17:27.359 --> 0:17:29.879 a lot of weapons with Chase and t Higgins and 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.600 you know Tyler Boyd. So it's yeah, mixing, and they've 0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:36.159 had trouble running the ball, but there's a lot of 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:39.280 skill position talent there. It's a little bit of a 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:42.399 mirror image. I suppose agree, in the sense that there's 0:17:42.560 --> 0:17:46.560 enough high level skill players there, headlined by the LSU receivers, 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:49.640 that if you have a quarterback that can get them 0:17:49.640 --> 0:17:52.280 the ball, you can make more things happen than you 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:55.080 would think, even though the starter is out for both teams. 0:17:55.280 --> 0:17:57.280 Yeah, no, I think I think it is interesting because 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.760 because you when you see these backups come in and 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:03.200 time as you see different stars stand out. So while 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:05.399 we do know those big names, now you have to 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:07.440 worry about a Tanner Hudson, you have to worry about 0:18:07.440 --> 0:18:10.120 a Chase Brown. So you have these guys that maybe 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:12.639 have worked with Jake second team reps getting those in, 0:18:12.680 --> 0:18:13.000 so you're. 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:14.879 Now you're worried about that as well. 0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:19.040 However, I like the fact that this run game got 0:18:19.080 --> 0:18:21.639 going in this Raiders game, and that's kind of what 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:23.439 I like seeing in this matchup. I do think that 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:26.480 you're going to have to rely on that in this 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.240 one for momens, but I'm excited to see his confidence 0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:32.080 in there and and to see what this defense can do. 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:36.240 You know, I hope that it's not another Ryan Right 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:39.040 game personally. I mean, I do like defense, but I 0:18:39.080 --> 0:18:40.360 don't like as many punts. 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:44.200 Yeah, I mean it was, uh, it was she prefers mistreat. 0:18:44.480 --> 0:18:47.680 Ryan Right had a good day. 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:51.399 Miss field goals. No, that's an alabana JK JK JK. 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:52.760 I love this datum. 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:55.920