1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,360
Speaker 1: Mahomes back throws. It is equal.

2
00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,040
Speaker 2: Please pick off picked off by the Lions by Branch

3
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:05,960
Speaker 2: with the left side.

4
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,719
Speaker 1: He's going, baby, He's going to the house. Touchdown to

5
00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,880
Speaker 1: Tod Lions deflected in the air. Branch ran under it

6
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:26,360
Speaker 1: and he took it all the way back. Welcome to

7
00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,880
Speaker 1: the Twenty Men in the Huddle Podcast presented by Microsoft.

8
00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,239
Speaker 1: It is Week sixteen of the NFL season. I am

9
00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,839
Speaker 1: Tim Twentyman. He is PJ Clark. It is another episode

10
00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,400
Speaker 1: of the Twenty Men in the Huddle Podcast, and I've

11
00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,360
Speaker 1: got a good one here. I got Kevin Seaffert on

12
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,120
Speaker 1: this week. He's gonna break down Minnesota, a certain quarterback

13
00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,960
Speaker 1: who threw for five touchdowns. I think's gonna stop by

14
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,159
Speaker 1: and chat with me for a little bit. Yeah, thank you,

15
00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,280
Speaker 1: thank you. And then we have the key matchup segment

16
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,760
Speaker 1: as always, and so one of my favorite segments, especially

17
00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:56,280
Speaker 1: doing it with you.

18
00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:57,000
Speaker 3: PJ.

19
00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,400
Speaker 1: Brings a lot of football knowledge to the table, and

20
00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,880
Speaker 1: so I think this week we're gonna jump right into it.

21
00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,640
Speaker 1: You know, obviously everybody knows what's on the line in

22
00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,920
Speaker 1: terms of you know, how big of week this is.

23
00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,560
Speaker 1: You can do something for the first time in thirty years.

24
00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,080
Speaker 1: There's an excitement around the city, there's a citement around

25
00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:17,760
Speaker 1: the football team. But I get a sense from the

26
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:19,759
Speaker 1: guys in the locker room and I think they've done

27
00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,759
Speaker 1: a good job with it of business as usual. That's

28
00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,480
Speaker 1: been the message from Dan all the way back to Monday.

29
00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,360
Speaker 1: Take care of our business first. Just handle this like

30
00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,520
Speaker 1: a normal week, prepare like we always do, and then we'll,

31
00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:34,320
Speaker 1: you know, let the chips fall where they may.

32
00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:35,400
Speaker 4: I think.

33
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,800
Speaker 2: I mean the good thing about how the lines are

34
00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,679
Speaker 2: set up right now and the benefit I think of

35
00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,520
Speaker 2: having the Minnesota back end schedule, which everybody was critical

36
00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,520
Speaker 2: of when it happened, But now the good thing is

37
00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,280
Speaker 2: it's all in front of you. You're not relying on

38
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,080
Speaker 2: anybody else. There are no you know. Yeah, you could

39
00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,200
Speaker 2: potentially clinch tonight on Thursday with a Rams loss, but

40
00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:57,200
Speaker 2: that's not where.

41
00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:57,440
Speaker 4: You're going for.

42
00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:00,000
Speaker 2: You're going for the division and you hold your own

43
00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,160
Speaker 2: cards there. So I think business as usual has to

44
00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,200
Speaker 2: be the mantra, because that's you're going out and trying

45
00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:05,760
Speaker 2: to win every week.

46
00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,120
Speaker 4: It's no different than the week before.

47
00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,960
Speaker 1: So the podcast is doing business as usual. We are

48
00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,880
Speaker 1: going to get right into the matchups that this is

49
00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,600
Speaker 1: the business of the key matchup segment, and let's start

50
00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,280
Speaker 1: with this one page is offensive coordinator Ben Johnson versus

51
00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,640
Speaker 1: Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores, because I think that is

52
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,960
Speaker 1: a very interesting dynamic to this week's contest. You look

53
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,200
Speaker 1: at Brian Flores in the job that he's done over

54
00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,200
Speaker 1: there in Minnesota, and it's weird because usually a team

55
00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:39,440
Speaker 1: is either pressure you know heavy, or they're coverage heavy.

56
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,320
Speaker 1: And when you look at Flores, I mean he'll bring

57
00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,400
Speaker 1: the blitz and do cover zero. They blitz about what

58
00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,440
Speaker 1: forty seven percent of the time I think Pro Football

59
00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,280
Speaker 1: Reference Hada Matt But then the very next play you'll

60
00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,120
Speaker 1: see them, you know, drop eight in coverage and rush three,

61
00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,480
Speaker 1: and so they're they're not really one of either, they're both.

62
00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:00,359
Speaker 1: And I think that's an interesting dynamic.

63
00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,960
Speaker 2: And they're the most unique defense in the league because

64
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,959
Speaker 2: they're highest and blitz rate but also highest and drop eight.

65
00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,079
Speaker 2: So it's you have to it's a lot of rook

66
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,640
Speaker 2: and it's a lot to kind of comprehend, and they've

67
00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,760
Speaker 2: been so good against the run all year. They have

68
00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,800
Speaker 2: a lot of different new personnel. It's a really different team.

69
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,400
Speaker 2: That they kind of came in obviously without Cousins. Offensively,

70
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,399
Speaker 2: it's a different team and Jordan Addison's a big ad.

71
00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,480
Speaker 2: But defensively they flipped a lot of this roster from

72
00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,280
Speaker 2: the usual suspects that Lions fans are used to. Daniel

73
00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,680
Speaker 2: Hunter obviously still around, he's the big one, but starting

74
00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 2: two young linebackers. You got Josh mctellis a Michigan guy

75
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,600
Speaker 2: that Lions fans might be familiar with, but he's taken

76
00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,160
Speaker 2: a lot bigger of a role this year at safety.

77
00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,480
Speaker 2: It's a different defense that Brian Flores has never been

78
00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,800
Speaker 2: afraid to send the house and certainly has not this year.

79
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,280
Speaker 1: Yeah, they're seventh in points allowed, their thirteenth over all,

80
00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,280
Speaker 1: their fifth against the run. And I thought a very

81
00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,120
Speaker 1: interesting stat that I saw this week, and actually Dan Miller,

82
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,600
Speaker 1: who's been on the podcast has a great job as

83
00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,080
Speaker 1: the voice of the Lions, kind of put me on here.

84
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,520
Speaker 1: We were sitting down in the media room before one

85
00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,040
Speaker 1: of the coordinators we're talking. He's like flips a piece

86
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:07,680
Speaker 1: of paper and he says, look at this, that's kind

87
00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,000
Speaker 1: of crazy. The Minnesota Vikings have allowed one run of

88
00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:12,640
Speaker 1: twenty plus yards all season.

89
00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:12,880
Speaker 5: Long.

90
00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,920
Speaker 1: I think that's a kind of a crazy statistic.

91
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,480
Speaker 4: It's hard to do. It's really especially they're a.

92
00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,599
Speaker 1: Defense that doesn't play a lot of bass, so they're

93
00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,520
Speaker 1: a little bit lighter. And I think when teams maybe

94
00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,400
Speaker 1: see that, and certainly we've seen it on third down

95
00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:26,600
Speaker 1: with Ben Johnson right in situations third and I'm not

96
00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,960
Speaker 1: afraid to run the football because hey, that's a lighter personnel.

97
00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 1: You know, I think we can give base.

98
00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,320
Speaker 2: They play smaller linebackers too, Ivan base there. They're star

99
00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,839
Speaker 2: rookie linebacker, undrafted free agent, went undrafted because of the size.

100
00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,760
Speaker 1: And if you watch them, they tackle, they tackle so well,

101
00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,120
Speaker 1: and they crowd. They get crowd to the football. To

102
00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,520
Speaker 1: be a defense that doesn't play a lot of plays,

103
00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,599
Speaker 1: plays sub packages a lot, blitzes a lot. To not

104
00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,880
Speaker 1: even get caught in a twenty yard run when you blitz,

105
00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,240
Speaker 1: I think that just goes to show the difficult task

106
00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,720
Speaker 1: that Ben Johnson those guys have this week. But look,

107
00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,280
Speaker 1: talking to Ben on Thursday, he was excited about it too.

108
00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:06,800
Speaker 4: You know, it's something different.

109
00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,960
Speaker 2: It's not something you're gonna face that every week, so

110
00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,920
Speaker 2: you you you definitely have a little I feel like

111
00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,480
Speaker 2: it's a it's a nice challenge to game plan against this.

112
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:16,720
Speaker 1: And look, Ben has been doing it at a high,

113
00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,760
Speaker 1: high level for a long time. You just look at

114
00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,359
Speaker 1: some of the offensive statistics and it's it's really crazy.

115
00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,520
Speaker 1: I mean, they're fifth in points third, and total offense second,

116
00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,880
Speaker 1: and rushing fourth, and passing seventh, and third down sixth

117
00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,840
Speaker 1: in I mean, their top seven in every category. And

118
00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,239
Speaker 1: I think last week was kind of the culmination of

119
00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,159
Speaker 1: what you can see when this offense is really humming,

120
00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,839
Speaker 1: when they get I'm on Ross Saint Brown for one

121
00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:44,680
Speaker 1: hundred yards, when they get one hundred and eighty five

122
00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,159
Speaker 1: yards from their run game and one hundred from JMO,

123
00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,520
Speaker 1: when they get Laporta on one on one matchups and

124
00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:55,640
Speaker 1: get you know, three touchdowns, when Jamison Williams is impactful,

125
00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,240
Speaker 1: not just a big play here there, but four catches

126
00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,040
Speaker 1: forty seven yards, some tough catches, like when they get

127
00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,919
Speaker 1: everything going, it can result in forty two points, and

128
00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,640
Speaker 1: they can be really tough to beat. And so I

129
00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,080
Speaker 1: think this is just a fantastic matchup between a really

130
00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,440
Speaker 1: good offense and a really unique and interesting and fun

131
00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:12,200
Speaker 1: defense to watch.

132
00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,160
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you look at Minnesota's game log I mean,

133
00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,880
Speaker 2: particularly the San Francisco game. That's no offense that the

134
00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,080
Speaker 2: Lions are going to continue to be compared to as

135
00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:21,919
Speaker 2: one of the better teams in the NFC. They're the

136
00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,119
Speaker 2: one seed right now. Worst game of Party season, worst

137
00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,080
Speaker 2: game of McCaffrey season. They stifled the San Francisco offense.

138
00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,800
Speaker 2: Jordan Love had a tough time two twenty nine yards

139
00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,880
Speaker 2: against the Vikings. Russell Wilson was under two sixty. They've

140
00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,640
Speaker 2: done a really, really good job of keeping quarterbacks in check,

141
00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,120
Speaker 2: especially recently, so this should be.

142
00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,880
Speaker 1: A very interesting one for the Detroit Lions offense. Obviously

143
00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:46,360
Speaker 1: a key matchup. All right, let's go up into the

144
00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,000
Speaker 1: next one. Cam Sutton cornerback for the Lions. He's been

145
00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,800
Speaker 1: playing some really good football over the last early gets

146
00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,880
Speaker 1: thrown at anymore over the last three weeks, and obviously

147
00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,479
Speaker 1: it'll be interesting to see what the Lions decide to do.

148
00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,280
Speaker 1: But he's gonna face Justin Jefferson, who missed a big

149
00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,720
Speaker 1: portion of the season with a hamstring injury. But he's back.

150
00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,880
Speaker 1: We all know he's one of the best wide receivers

151
00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,760
Speaker 1: in the league. Will the Lions travel Sutton with Jefferson,

152
00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,920
Speaker 1: Will they trust sides, it'll be really really interesting. But

153
00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,800
Speaker 1: you know, they trusted him against Courtland Sutton last week.

154
00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:19,680
Speaker 1: I think they threw it him what twice and he

155
00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,600
Speaker 1: caught one for eight yards. Sutton has allowed two receptions

156
00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,600
Speaker 1: in the last three games. He's playing some really good football.

157
00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, and you look at how the Lions attacked Justin

158
00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,640
Speaker 2: Jefferson last year first game at Minnesota, six targets, three catches,

159
00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,080
Speaker 2: fourteen yards. That was a little jeff Okuda and you

160
00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,320
Speaker 2: had a safety bracket on that side that was great.

161
00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,000
Speaker 2: At Ford Field a little different fifteen targets, eleven catches,

162
00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:40,560
Speaker 2: two hundred and.

163
00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,040
Speaker 4: Twenty three yards. But who won the game a little different,

164
00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,560
Speaker 4: but the wins were reversed, so you never know.

165
00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,640
Speaker 2: But I think you got to see Cam Sutton travel

166
00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,559
Speaker 2: with Courtland Sutton, not something that the Lion's deployed against

167
00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,560
Speaker 2: DJ Moore for example. So maybe you're you're switching over,

168
00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,960
Speaker 2: maybe you're ready to have some and kind of travel,

169
00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,320
Speaker 2: especially with the revolving door at CB two right now,

170
00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,360
Speaker 2: Jerry hasn't practiced yet this week, vildor who's it going

171
00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,520
Speaker 2: to be? How consistent is that CB two spot going

172
00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,600
Speaker 2: to be? Jordan Addison's a real threat. But do you

173
00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,320
Speaker 2: just take number one corner versus number one receiver.

174
00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,360
Speaker 1: It'll be interesting. Since Jefferson's got back, he only had

175
00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:21,280
Speaker 1: two catches kind of working his way back in a

176
00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,320
Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago, but last week seven catches eighty

177
00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,480
Speaker 1: four yards. He's averaged one hundred and twenty three point

178
00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,240
Speaker 1: three yards and six games. He's pretty good. Yeah, and

179
00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,000
Speaker 1: so you know, obviously that's going to be a big matchup.

180
00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,800
Speaker 1: Just limit the big plays. You know, if they have

181
00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,959
Speaker 1: to drive the football with with the Nick mullins and

182
00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,000
Speaker 1: you know, score on long drives, I think you prefer that,

183
00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,880
Speaker 1: and you tip your cap afterward and say, all right,

184
00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,840
Speaker 1: the third string quarterback was able to consistently drive, move

185
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,719
Speaker 1: down the field, sustained drives, not turn the football over,

186
00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:58,280
Speaker 1: which has been an issue for Minnesota. And just don't

187
00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:02,400
Speaker 1: allow the one four play drives with the big play.

188
00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:05,920
Speaker 1: And usually when that big play comes about, it's Jefferson.

189
00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,600
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's gonna be I mean, the Lions will have

190
00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,320
Speaker 2: their hands full. As good as the Lions weapons like

191
00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,959
Speaker 2: you said were last week, I mean, Hawkinson, Atison and

192
00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,600
Speaker 2: Jefferson is as good of a triled.

193
00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:21,199
Speaker 1: Yep, I think one matchup that'll be really fun. And

194
00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:22,600
Speaker 1: we talk about it all the time because it seems

195
00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:23,920
Speaker 1: like Pennay Sewol every week.

196
00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:28,400
Speaker 4: This is why you draft, But this exact matchup is why.

197
00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,199
Speaker 1: You draft Penae Sewel versus Dannel Hunter. And when you

198
00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,760
Speaker 1: look at the elite of the elite pass rushers in

199
00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,200
Speaker 1: this league, I put Dannel Hunter, you know, right at

200
00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,280
Speaker 1: the top. I think he's got fifteen and a half

201
00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,319
Speaker 1: sacks on the year. He's only a half sack behind

202
00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,920
Speaker 1: TJ Watt for the NFL lead. He is a guy

203
00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,600
Speaker 1: who's relentless. He gets a number of those sacks Piga.

204
00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,439
Speaker 1: Interestingly enough, we talked about floors and the coverages when

205
00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,040
Speaker 1: they drop eight, he's got a number of those sacks

206
00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:59,760
Speaker 1: ye on those those three you know, those those three

207
00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,840
Speaker 1: man rush is because he's just relentless and he's got

208
00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,320
Speaker 1: such a good repertoire of pass rush moves that he's

209
00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,640
Speaker 1: just he's a problem. And Penaill hopefully is the answer

210
00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:12,720
Speaker 1: for the Detroit Lions.

211
00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:13,079
Speaker 4: Yeah.

212
00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,880
Speaker 2: Well, when when you're sending you know, six seven guys,

213
00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,600
Speaker 2: you can scheme it so you can get your elite

214
00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:21,920
Speaker 2: ed rusher on a one on one and yeah, you're

215
00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,840
Speaker 2: gonna think that he's gonna win most of those. But

216
00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,360
Speaker 2: he's also getting the coverage sacks from the drop eight too,

217
00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,760
Speaker 2: because just a high motor player who does not quit

218
00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,760
Speaker 2: on the play, but going against maybe the best tackle

219
00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,000
Speaker 2: in football. I mean this year number one ranked in

220
00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,160
Speaker 2: PFF one sack of the year, ten hurries this year. Wow,

221
00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:42,040
Speaker 2: it's it's as good as it's.

222
00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:42,319
Speaker 4: Good to get.

223
00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:43,760
Speaker 1: It's as good as it gets. And I thought it

224
00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,240
Speaker 1: was really interesting when we talked to Ben Johnson Thursday

225
00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,160
Speaker 1: and he compared penn a Soul to Trent Williams.

226
00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,319
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's a guy who's been doing it for a

227
00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:52,480
Speaker 4: long time, maybe.

228
00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,320
Speaker 1: The best left tackle to ever play in the National

229
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,319
Speaker 1: Football League. I think there's an argument there. And for

230
00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,920
Speaker 1: somebody to compare a three dear guy to him, I

231
00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,680
Speaker 1: think that just shows the ascension of Penne Sewel where's

232
00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,040
Speaker 1: he where he's headed, the respect level that he has

233
00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,120
Speaker 1: across the league. And you mentioned it the one sack,

234
00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,120
Speaker 1: the ten hurries in the one sack. I think it

235
00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,520
Speaker 1: was in New Orleans, right, I mean, he was beside

236
00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,760
Speaker 1: himself on the field. He didn't even believe that he

237
00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:21,960
Speaker 1: and it was. It's one sack, I mean, but that's

238
00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:26,600
Speaker 1: just the the the level that he's at, and it's

239
00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:29,160
Speaker 1: it's gonna be fun to watch him again against an

240
00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:32,000
Speaker 1: elite guy. We saw shut down Max Crosby. We've seen

241
00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:34,680
Speaker 1: him shut down you know, some of the other elite

242
00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:35,880
Speaker 1: rushers in this league.

243
00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:38,880
Speaker 2: This Chargers guys. I mean, you mentioned Khalil Mack is

244
00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,880
Speaker 2: up there in sacks this year. Nothing against Stewell and

245
00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:47,280
Speaker 2: the Lions. So that'll be a key one for sure.

246
00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,360
Speaker 2: All right, let's go to the next one. Sam Laporta,

247
00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:51,760
Speaker 2: who he's pretty good.

248
00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:55,040
Speaker 1: He's I think he's gonna be all right. Sam Laporta

249
00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,760
Speaker 1: verse Cameron Binnam, who I think is an interesting player

250
00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,439
Speaker 1: for them. He handles I think a lot. When I

251
00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,160
Speaker 1: looked at last week's tape with Cincinnati, he was kind

252
00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,199
Speaker 1: of matched up a lot against the tight ends and

253
00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,120
Speaker 1: the running backs. I think they use him a lot

254
00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,600
Speaker 1: in those matchups. That'll be interesting. The Bengals target him

255
00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,080
Speaker 1: four times last week on tight ends. But he's a

256
00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,680
Speaker 1: guy that just is playing some really good football right now.

257
00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,760
Speaker 1: I mean, one hundred and twelve tackle, He's got nine

258
00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,640
Speaker 1: passes defended. He leads that leads all defensive backs with

259
00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,520
Speaker 1: in terms of the tackles with one hundred and twelve.

260
00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,400
Speaker 1: He's kind of their guy back there. That is kind

261
00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:34,720
Speaker 1: of their matchup answer for a lot of what teams

262
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,520
Speaker 1: try to do to them offensively.

263
00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:38,160
Speaker 4: I mean, he's their leading tackler.

264
00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,200
Speaker 2: So he's down in the box, he's putting his nose

265
00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,040
Speaker 2: in the run game. He's ready to go. But that

266
00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,640
Speaker 2: also if you're gonna be playing box safety like that,

267
00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:47,679
Speaker 2: that leaves you maybe a little bit susceptible in the

268
00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,520
Speaker 2: pass game and you can beat him over the top.

269
00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,400
Speaker 2: And you mentioned Cincinnati last week. He's been so good.

270
00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:55,480
Speaker 2: He was top five in PFF grade for safeties all year.

271
00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,240
Speaker 2: Last year, worst game of the year thirty four point

272
00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,480
Speaker 2: zero grade for Cameron Byan. So he's gonna look to

273
00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:02,600
Speaker 2: battle back.

274
00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:09,800
Speaker 1: Those four targets from tight ends for catches also for

275
00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,640
Speaker 1: for for tight ends last week. But when you look

276
00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,000
Speaker 1: at it at Sam and you break down Sam, I mean,

277
00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,560
Speaker 1: it's it's just been amazing and we talk about it

278
00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,160
Speaker 1: every week, but I mean, seventy one reception, seven and

279
00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,520
Speaker 1: fifty eight yards, nine touchdowns. We know he's the best rookie.

280
00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:26,800
Speaker 1: Is he the best tight end in football.

281
00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:30,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean this year, there's certainly a case for it.

282
00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,240
Speaker 1: The fact that we can say that, yeah, and you

283
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,880
Speaker 1: guys are laughing now, that we can have that testament

284
00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,360
Speaker 1: to how just great he's been.

285
00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:42,240
Speaker 2: And I was especially impressed last week that, you know,

286
00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,880
Speaker 2: Patrick Ortam maybe the best corner in football. You know,

287
00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,480
Speaker 2: he got tasked with the Sam the porter assignment plenty

288
00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,640
Speaker 2: of times and Sam won it. Sam scored one of

289
00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,360
Speaker 2: the touchdowns man up on him. So if you if

290
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,400
Speaker 2: you're beating that guy, it's it's it's on tape now

291
00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,120
Speaker 2: that you could probably go up against anybody.

292
00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:00,800
Speaker 1: I mean the run after the cat on the left

293
00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,679
Speaker 1: sideline there, I mean the guy, you know, being draped

294
00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:08,680
Speaker 1: on and just being able to extend and your creative

295
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:10,240
Speaker 1: route running gets you open in the back of the

296
00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,160
Speaker 1: end zone for the other touchdown, and just what he

297
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,760
Speaker 1: does in the run game. He is just a complete player.

298
00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,440
Speaker 1: And for that to be the case fourteen games into

299
00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,680
Speaker 1: his career, I mean, we're talking about all time records

300
00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:24,880
Speaker 1: in terms of catches. I mean, he can become second

301
00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:26,880
Speaker 1: this week, but I think four catches he can pass

302
00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:32,680
Speaker 1: Shocky and you know, touchdowns he's eclipsing yards. The Ditka

303
00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,640
Speaker 1: record is right there in the in the in the

304
00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:35,120
Speaker 1: mix too.

305
00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,720
Speaker 4: I just got to get him to a thousand.

306
00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,040
Speaker 2: Gotta figure out how to be Yeah, it's a little

307
00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,480
Speaker 2: little off the pace needs like one more big game,

308
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:43,000
Speaker 2: like figure out how to gain.

309
00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:45,440
Speaker 1: I was listening to the RAIDO and I'm sorry, I

310
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,480
Speaker 1: won't give you the proper credit, but I don't remember

311
00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,600
Speaker 1: who was talking or what station I was listening to.

312
00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,000
Speaker 1: But they said it's never happened, and I have to

313
00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:53,680
Speaker 1: double check it, but it's never happened where you've had

314
00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,280
Speaker 1: two one thousand yard rushers in the NFL and two

315
00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,400
Speaker 1: one thousand yard receivers. Yeah, never in the history. I'm

316
00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:03,520
Speaker 1: on Rod's aar there. Laporte is trending toward that. It's

317
00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,280
Speaker 1: gonna be real cool, it's gonna be real close. And

318
00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,840
Speaker 1: then obviously with Gibbs and Montgomery, this offense is just fun.

319
00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,920
Speaker 1: It's diverse, it's fun, it's got weapons, and and I

320
00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,000
Speaker 1: think that matchup with with Sam Laporta and Cameron Bindham

321
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,480
Speaker 1: is going to be an important one too, especially coming

322
00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,160
Speaker 1: off you know the game that Sam had last week. Obviously,

323
00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,080
Speaker 1: Minnesota is gonna be eyeing that and gonna know that

324
00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,320
Speaker 1: they have to slow down Sam Laporta.

325
00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, but at this point it's it's pick your poison.

326
00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,720
Speaker 2: Minnesota is so good against the run, but you're gonna

327
00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,960
Speaker 2: throw a lot of resources at fourteen and eighty seven

328
00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,680
Speaker 2: and maybe maybe you can give up a a Jamior

329
00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:38,920
Speaker 2: Gibbs twenty yard run.

330
00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, it'll be interesting, it'll be it'll be fun. And

331
00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,560
Speaker 1: let's finish with this last one and I put Aiden

332
00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,840
Speaker 1: Hutchinson versus Brian O'Neill and or slash David Quisenberry because

333
00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:51,800
Speaker 1: we don't know yet. We don't know yet. Brian O'Neil's

334
00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,160
Speaker 1: kind of been dealing with a knee injury. I think

335
00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,680
Speaker 1: it is missed the last week's game. But look, he's

336
00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,320
Speaker 1: consistently been a real good right tackle in this league.

337
00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,280
Speaker 1: And if it's not him, Quisenberry is a guy that will,

338
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,200
Speaker 1: you know, fill in. He's kind of their Matt Nelson,

339
00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:13,760
Speaker 1: their swing tackle that that replaces. But O'Neill two sacks

340
00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,520
Speaker 1: in weeks twelve and fourteen, and that was it. I mean,

341
00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:18,960
Speaker 1: he's been really really.

342
00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:20,960
Speaker 2: Good playing it, you know, out of Pro Bowl this again,

343
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,880
Speaker 2: that's been doing it. It has a big contract been doing

344
00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,240
Speaker 2: it for a long time. You're definitely seeing that Quisenberry

345
00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,600
Speaker 2: has twenty eight starts, so he's been in the league,

346
00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,720
Speaker 2: started a full year in twenty twenty one for the Titans.

347
00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,120
Speaker 1: No sacks, one hit, one pressure last week against the Bengals.

348
00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,320
Speaker 2: Not bad villain, not bad at all for a filling.

349
00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,400
Speaker 2: But you know what, Mullins got sacked three times last week.

350
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,000
Speaker 2: Bengals were able to take advantage a little bit. Can

351
00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,240
Speaker 2: ken the Lyons specifically, and maybe not just another one

352
00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,160
Speaker 2: sack game? Can you get multiple? Can you get him

353
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,640
Speaker 2: in bunches? Can we see another maybe at Green Bay

354
00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,640
Speaker 2: where you get five kind of high game like that, And.

355
00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,640
Speaker 1: Then it'll be when you look at Hutch and you

356
00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:55,400
Speaker 1: see the six and a half sacks, but he's got

357
00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:59,240
Speaker 1: sixty hurries. He's third in total pressures with eighty nine.

358
00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:03,040
Speaker 1: He's fourth with sixteen quarterback hits. He's getting production, but

359
00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,040
Speaker 1: it hasn't just resulted so much in finishing with sacks.

360
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,679
Speaker 1: But I think the big thing Peach that's developed over

361
00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,520
Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks is he's getting help. You

362
00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,879
Speaker 1: look at guys like John Kominsky and Josh Pascal and

363
00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:19,119
Speaker 1: what they've been able to do the opposite him, and

364
00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,240
Speaker 1: I think that supplements what you know you're gonna get

365
00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,040
Speaker 1: from Aiden, which is consistent pressure. Maybe not always a sack,

366
00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,520
Speaker 1: but it's gonna be consistent pressure. He's always going to

367
00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,280
Speaker 1: be around the quarterback, and when he gets help from

368
00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,520
Speaker 1: those guys on the other side, that to me is

369
00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,639
Speaker 1: when Detroit's pass Russ is really at its best. And

370
00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:37,280
Speaker 1: I think we saw that a little bit last week.

371
00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, if you can get Komenski and Pascal on the interior,

372
00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,280
Speaker 2: especially with Bruce ierv and maybe on the other side,

373
00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,800
Speaker 2: that's you know, that's a pretty formidable line. You know

374
00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,200
Speaker 2: you're going to get some at least penetration in there. Aiden,

375
00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,720
Speaker 2: like you mentioned, hasn't finished maybe as much as you

376
00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,199
Speaker 2: would like him too. But an example last week was

377
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,240
Speaker 2: able to hit Russell. Wilson's arm kind of threw up

378
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,880
Speaker 2: a duck that that Kirby could have had an interception

379
00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:00,200
Speaker 2: on that. But those are the type of pla is

380
00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,920
Speaker 2: that the pressures resulted. They don't always have to get sacks.

381
00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,159
Speaker 2: But if you tip that ball maybe a little more

382
00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:08,439
Speaker 2: and it hangs in the air just a second longer, Kirby,

383
00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,440
Speaker 2: that's a turnover, so you're going the other way, You're you're.

384
00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,160
Speaker 4: He's so close, He's close.

385
00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,600
Speaker 2: He's so close on so many of these that that

386
00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:16,400
Speaker 2: maybe this week.

387
00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,199
Speaker 1: It seems like when he does, it's such an impactful play.

388
00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,600
Speaker 1: And that's why I think in such an important game,

389
00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,000
Speaker 1: that's why I wanted to highlight that matchup because when

390
00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,119
Speaker 1: they when they kind of need a big play, and

391
00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,000
Speaker 1: we've seen it the last two years, whether it's an

392
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,800
Speaker 1: interception or a fumble with how they ended the Chicago game,

393
00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,040
Speaker 1: it's just it seems like he's right in the mix

394
00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,160
Speaker 1: there and he's part of that, and they'll certainly need

395
00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,879
Speaker 1: him to be this week if they can win a

396
00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,960
Speaker 1: game and clinch your division.

397
00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,960
Speaker 2: And going full December football, you look to your stars

398
00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:46,640
Speaker 2: when when the chips are down.

399
00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,359
Speaker 1: So it should be a fun one. It should be

400
00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:53,080
Speaker 1: a fun one. I'm I'll be there. I love that atmosphere.

401
00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:57,240
Speaker 1: That's one of my favorite places. White out US, the

402
00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,760
Speaker 1: White House is going to be and the school and everything.

403
00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,920
Speaker 1: But I love what Dan said about you know, when

404
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:05,400
Speaker 1: he said earlier in the week, when he said, look,

405
00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,959
Speaker 1: I don't want any other way. They're the defending NFC

406
00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,280
Speaker 1: North champions, and we get an opportunity to go to.

407
00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,200
Speaker 4: Their place, to go on there and take it and

408
00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:13,959
Speaker 4: take it.

409
00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,040
Speaker 1: And I think the guys have embraced that. He has

410
00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,639
Speaker 1: certainly embraced that. It will be fun, it'll be loud,

411
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,640
Speaker 1: We will be there. We will do a podcast afterward

412
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,719
Speaker 1: as always, and stay tuned because I've got Jared Golf

413
00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,919
Speaker 1: and Kevin Seaffert to break down this matchup and everything Minnesota.

414
00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,400
Speaker 1: So stay with me twenty min in the Huddle Podcast,

415
00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:50,000
Speaker 1: Week sixteen, potentially division winning Week sixteen, fun stuff. Welcome

416
00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,399
Speaker 1: back to the Toy of the Huddle podcast presented by Microsoft,

417
00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,520
Speaker 1: Week sixteen of the NFL season, and we've got a

418
00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,879
Speaker 1: fun one. And helping me break down this week is

419
00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,679
Speaker 1: Kevin Seaffert. Does a great job with es PN covering

420
00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,600
Speaker 1: everything Minnesota Vikings. Kevin, thanks for joining me. I appreciate

421
00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:04,560
Speaker 1: you taking the time.

422
00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,280
Speaker 3: Thanks for having me. Tim pretty big.

423
00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,640
Speaker 1: One Week sixteen. We don't get a lot of these

424
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,960
Speaker 1: all the time, but you know, obviously Vikings still fighting

425
00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:17,400
Speaker 1: for the NFC North title for their playoff life. Obviously

426
00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,240
Speaker 1: Detroit looking to win their first NFC North title, their

427
00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,160
Speaker 1: first division title in thirty years. There's a lot going

428
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,920
Speaker 1: on Week sixteen in the NFL.

429
00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,880
Speaker 3: Wouldn't want it any other way. There's been other years

430
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,600
Speaker 3: when we've gotten to this point in the season, there

431
00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,639
Speaker 3: hasn't been a whole lot to write it about and

432
00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,560
Speaker 3: talk about. So thrilled to hear that both teams have

433
00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:38,520
Speaker 3: some genuine drama heading into this game.

434
00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,439
Speaker 1: You know, Campbell talked about this week about you know,

435
00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,800
Speaker 1: turning on the Minnesota film and almost thinking like it's

436
00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,119
Speaker 1: a whole new team. You know, obviously you've played a

437
00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:49,119
Speaker 1: whole year just about since their last meeting at the

438
00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,040
Speaker 1: end of last year. But there are quite a few changes,

439
00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:57,439
Speaker 1: you know, obviously defensively for Minnesota, new quarterback. Obviously it

440
00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,400
Speaker 1: just how different is this team than the last time

441
00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,160
Speaker 1: Detroit saw them at the end of last year.

442
00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,600
Speaker 3: I mean much different. This whole season has been about

443
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,119
Speaker 3: the Vikings trying to find ways to replace Kirk Cousins

444
00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,080
Speaker 3: who's missed most of the season, and Justin Jefferson, who

445
00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:15,639
Speaker 3: has missed most of the season. That was sort of

446
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,080
Speaker 3: their personality and what I think most people from the

447
00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,640
Speaker 3: outside would sort of associate with this team entering the year,

448
00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:25,920
Speaker 3: and they've started at three different quarterbacks since Kirk Cousins

449
00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,520
Speaker 3: and lots of different receivers. Justin Jefferson is back, but

450
00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,320
Speaker 3: Nick Mullens is now the starting quarterback, and so that

451
00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:35,760
Speaker 3: in itself it doesn't make the offensive scheme as different

452
00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,760
Speaker 3: as you might think, but certainly the execution to a

453
00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,600
Speaker 3: certain extent, And you're right, defensively, this is a one

454
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,760
Speaker 3: hundred and eighty degree turn from the scheme they used

455
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,800
Speaker 3: last year that the Lions really I think of that

456
00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:53,600
Speaker 3: second Lions game and that was probably the worst from

457
00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,879
Speaker 3: the Vikings perspective that that defense played all year and

458
00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,040
Speaker 3: was one of the big reasons that they made the

459
00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,240
Speaker 3: change to Brian Flores in the offseason.

460
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,640
Speaker 1: Oh, just speak to Brian Flores and what he's been

461
00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,040
Speaker 1: able to do there. You look at some of the

462
00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,119
Speaker 1: numbers defensively in the top ten and in a lot

463
00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,119
Speaker 1: of those important categories, Kevin, we know they're going to

464
00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,800
Speaker 1: bring pressure. They lead the league in blitz percentage. To

465
00:22:15,359 --> 00:22:18,080
Speaker 1: just how different and how good of a jobs has

466
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,000
Speaker 1: Brian been able to do in his first season there.

467
00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,320
Speaker 3: I mean, he really has turned it around with basically

468
00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,880
Speaker 3: the same personnel. They did let some players go from

469
00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,720
Speaker 3: last year's defense. Eric Kendricks Dalvin Thomason signed with Cleveland.

470
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,119
Speaker 3: Patrick Peterson left, but the players who are on the

471
00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,359
Speaker 3: field right now for the most part, were on the

472
00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:43,480
Speaker 3: Vikings roster last year. So he has really basically changed

473
00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,520
Speaker 3: their entire personality from being a very passive sit back,

474
00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,320
Speaker 3: you know, put a top over the offense, to really

475
00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,280
Speaker 3: attacking aggressive. They lead the league in blitz percentage. They've

476
00:22:54,800 --> 00:23:00,199
Speaker 3: he's actually introduced a new new combination of blitz and

477
00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,359
Speaker 3: coverage that really the NFL hasn't seen before, which is normally,

478
00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,720
Speaker 3: when you have six man fronts, you have cover zero

479
00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,120
Speaker 3: or some sort of a man demand behind it because

480
00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,119
Speaker 3: that's all you can do. But he's actually used a

481
00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:16,040
Speaker 3: lot of zone back there, and that's that's really throwing

482
00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,359
Speaker 3: offenses for a loop, I think. And they really only

483
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 3: have the one proven pass rusher and daneil Honner. He's

484
00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,440
Speaker 3: got fifteen and a half sacks and the rest of

485
00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,400
Speaker 3: the pressure has really been scheme based. So Brian Flores

486
00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:31,960
Speaker 3: has done one of the best jobs I think of

487
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,160
Speaker 3: any coordinator in the NFL, especially on the defensive side.

488
00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,520
Speaker 3: They have struggled to finish some games and have given

489
00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:43,719
Speaker 3: up some late leads recently, here, but from an overall perspective,

490
00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:45,960
Speaker 3: it's been a night and day difference on their defense.

491
00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,240
Speaker 1: You men, you mentioned Nick Mullens. He gets to start

492
00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,320
Speaker 1: this week. You played good enough to win the game

493
00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,919
Speaker 1: last week, obviously a tough overtime loss to Cincinnati. But

494
00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,879
Speaker 1: what does Nick do well? Does this offense change my

495
00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:03,240
Speaker 1: with him there? And maybe where's one area he needs

496
00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,320
Speaker 1: to maybe tighten things up a little bit?

497
00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:07,960
Speaker 3: Yeah. The interesting thing is that I think of the

498
00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,800
Speaker 3: guys that they have that are healthy now, him rookie,

499
00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,119
Speaker 3: the rookie, Jaron Hall, and Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullins is

500
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,880
Speaker 3: probably best equipped to run the offense the way they

501
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,080
Speaker 3: designed it for Kirk Cousins, which is really to aggressively

502
00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,520
Speaker 3: throw the ball down field. He has you know, Brett

503
00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,280
Speaker 3: Favre went to the Excuse me, Nick Mullins went to

504
00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,640
Speaker 3: the same college as Brett Favre and they know each

505
00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:30,760
Speaker 3: other well. And he has some of that in him,

506
00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,640
Speaker 3: the gunslinger, you know, just the you know you only

507
00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,120
Speaker 3: live once Ciolo type of get a downfield and hope

508
00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,240
Speaker 3: for the best, and that works out more often than not.

509
00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:42,920
Speaker 3: I think Kirk Cousins was probably a little bit more

510
00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:48,040
Speaker 3: efficient in those areas. But Nick had some big downfield

511
00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,240
Speaker 3: throws against the Bengals the other day, but he also

512
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:54,440
Speaker 3: threw two interceptions and both of them were in scoring

513
00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,960
Speaker 3: position and really obviously hurt their chances to win that game.

514
00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,960
Speaker 3: And so they are obviously asking him to be more

515
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,720
Speaker 3: careful with the ball. But frankly, the way this, if

516
00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,399
Speaker 3: this offense is going to succeed, it's going to be

517
00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,440
Speaker 3: through throwing downfield to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and TJ. Hockinson.

518
00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,720
Speaker 3: And that's what they want from Nick Mallins, and he's

519
00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:17,879
Speaker 3: probably best equipped of the guys they have on the

520
00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:19,040
Speaker 3: roster right now to do that.

521
00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned that the trio there as pass catchers.

522
00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:24,880
Speaker 1: I mean, I think if you set a Trio up

523
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,160
Speaker 1: against any other trio in the league, I think that

524
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:29,760
Speaker 1: one is right up there in terms of how dangerous

525
00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:33,919
Speaker 1: they can be, how productive they are. So it seems

526
00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,639
Speaker 1: like that is a pretty good fit there with him.

527
00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,360
Speaker 1: It's been so long, Kevin, I mean, who's maybe a newcomer.

528
00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,280
Speaker 1: You mentioned Addison and he obviously fits, But who's a

529
00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,760
Speaker 1: newcomer Maybe Lions fans don't quite know. You haven't seen yet.

530
00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:48,640
Speaker 1: Who could impact the game on Sunday.

531
00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean another guy's a newcomer even for the

532
00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,720
Speaker 3: Vikings as Ty Chandler. They're running back. You know, Alex Madison,

533
00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,000
Speaker 3: who has started replaced Alvin cookaz the starter this year

534
00:25:58,040 --> 00:26:00,439
Speaker 3: and started the first I think it's twelve games, has

535
00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,440
Speaker 3: had an ankle injuries, so he didn't play last week

536
00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,440
Speaker 3: in Cincinnati. I'm not certain that he's going to be

537
00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:09,800
Speaker 3: available for this game against Detroit. And in his first start,

538
00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,960
Speaker 3: Chandler had one hundred and thirty two yards against the Bengals,

539
00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,040
Speaker 3: and it was the first one hundred yard game that

540
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:18,240
Speaker 3: they have had since Dalvin Cook last year in Week ten,

541
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,359
Speaker 3: and so their running game has not been very good

542
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,879
Speaker 3: this year. Chandler has a little bit more juice. He

543
00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:26,560
Speaker 3: ran like a four to three eight in the forty

544
00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,800
Speaker 3: at the combine a couple of years ago, has some elusiveness,

545
00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,399
Speaker 3: and probably is their best running back at this point

546
00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,560
Speaker 3: on the team. And so I suspect he'll be taking

547
00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:38,280
Speaker 3: the majority of snaps, if not all of them, from

548
00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:42,760
Speaker 3: the running back position against the Lions, and Biden's fans

549
00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,600
Speaker 3: are learning about him at the same pace and timing

550
00:26:45,640 --> 00:26:47,000
Speaker 3: of the Lions fans will.

551
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,440
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's funny four to three eight. We got a

552
00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,879
Speaker 1: guy over here, Jamiir Gibbs, who's turned out to be

553
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,320
Speaker 1: pretty good, same kind of guy for three to eight.

554
00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,919
Speaker 1: What have Yeah, I know your coordinators talked earlier in

555
00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,480
Speaker 1: the week. I'm just curious maybe what's been the conversation

556
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,320
Speaker 1: about Detroit about where they stand about this football team

557
00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,200
Speaker 1: and the challenge maybe ahead of them on them being

558
00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:09,320
Speaker 1: the Vikings on Sunday.

559
00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean they know from last year's games, you know,

560
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:15,879
Speaker 3: they they had a fight and scratching and and crawl

561
00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:18,679
Speaker 3: their way to a win in the first matchup at

562
00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,080
Speaker 3: us Bank Stadium last year. The Lions had a great

563
00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:22,879
Speaker 3: chance of winning that game, and then they really got

564
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,199
Speaker 3: it handed to them. I think they realized in that

565
00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,359
Speaker 3: second game where they just were not able to stop

566
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 3: the Lions offense at all. And so I think they

567
00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,040
Speaker 3: are going into this game knowing's gonna be very physical,

568
00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,679
Speaker 3: that the Lions are going to be as motivated as

569
00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:40,080
Speaker 3: they've been in decades. I would imagine to get this

570
00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,760
Speaker 3: thing closed out and that I'm sure it would be

571
00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,760
Speaker 3: especially suite for them to do it at at us

572
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,320
Speaker 3: Bank where they in their lines sort of down times,

573
00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,520
Speaker 3: lost a lot of games, and they're and at us

574
00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,359
Speaker 3: Bank's excuse me, at the Metronome as well, and so

575
00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,240
Speaker 3: I think I think they and you know, the interesting

576
00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,440
Speaker 3: thing is that Kevin O'Connell and West Phillips, the offensive coordinator,

577
00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,760
Speaker 3: both had relationships with Jared Goff in LA and so

578
00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,159
Speaker 3: they they know that. And I think what Wes Phillips

579
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,840
Speaker 3: said yesterday is you know that they know he can

580
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:14,320
Speaker 3: make every throw. They know he will make every throw

581
00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,240
Speaker 3: if you know, unless there's you know, a severe amount

582
00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,119
Speaker 3: of pressure on him. And so they're they're prepared to

583
00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,480
Speaker 3: have to disrupt him or know that they are going

584
00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,440
Speaker 3: to have to disrupt him in order to get him

585
00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,120
Speaker 3: off of his of his game. And so that that's

586
00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,800
Speaker 3: an interesting subplot as well. They're very familiar with how

587
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,199
Speaker 3: good Jared Goff can be.

588
00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:33,760
Speaker 1: And again I'm talking with Kevin Sefert does a great

589
00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,960
Speaker 1: job for ESPN covering everything Minnesota, Vike. He's just a

590
00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,800
Speaker 1: couple more quick ones, Kevin, maybe a matchup or two

591
00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,120
Speaker 1: that you think is going to be real critical to

592
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,440
Speaker 1: to somebody walking out of US Bank with a win

593
00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:46,040
Speaker 1: on Sunday.

594
00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:50,000
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, to me, this has been the case

595
00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:53,240
Speaker 3: for for the Vikings whenever Justin Jefferson has played. Is

596
00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,520
Speaker 3: that we're assuming that the Lions are going to come

597
00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,800
Speaker 3: up with a type of coverage that they usually don't

598
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,720
Speaker 3: play in order to get Justin Jefferson the attention that

599
00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,920
Speaker 3: he needs to get. And so the matchup will be

600
00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,200
Speaker 3: can Justin Jefferson still beat those that type of coverage

601
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,640
Speaker 3: and if not, or where if Nick Mallins doesn't throw

602
00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,600
Speaker 3: his way, can Addison and Hockinson compensate? And we saw

603
00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,200
Speaker 3: a lot of that last week in Cincinnati, where they

604
00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,800
Speaker 3: did get the ball to Justin, but Addison made the

605
00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,720
Speaker 3: big plays because he was, you know, in a couple

606
00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,200
Speaker 3: of cases lined up against linebackers, and so that was

607
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,000
Speaker 3: the way the Bengals chose to approach it. And they'll

608
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,280
Speaker 3: always have Hockinson there in the middle as well, And

609
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,959
Speaker 3: so to me, that's the matchup. You know, the Vikings

610
00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,680
Speaker 3: defense has been pretty good for the most part all

611
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,080
Speaker 3: year in terms of after the first few games, in

612
00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,640
Speaker 3: terms of keeping teams in position where you know they're

613
00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,960
Speaker 3: within at least within striking distance. So can the Vikings

614
00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,719
Speaker 3: score enough points to win? And that, to me is

615
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,440
Speaker 3: the matchup is will they be able to capitalize on

616
00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:57,560
Speaker 3: whatever exotic defense the Lions end up using against Justin

617
00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,600
Speaker 3: Jefferson to make some big plays.

618
00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:01,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it'll be big upfront.

619
00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:01,440
Speaker 3: Two.

620
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:06,040
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to Dannell Hunter and Taylor Decker and

621
00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:09,880
Speaker 1: Penne Suel Lyons got all five of their top offensive

622
00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,480
Speaker 1: lineman back for only the fourth time all year last week.

623
00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,040
Speaker 1: They came out of last week pretty healthy. That's obviously

624
00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,440
Speaker 1: the strength of this football team. And so how they

625
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,080
Speaker 1: can handle some of those blitzes and some of those

626
00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:25,680
Speaker 1: odd man fronts and you know, shift guys over responsibilities

627
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,600
Speaker 1: and just protect upfront. That's obviously been the keif Detroit

628
00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,800
Speaker 1: could run the football and they can protect Jarret Golf

629
00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,080
Speaker 1: and get that play action game going. As we saw

630
00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:37,760
Speaker 1: last year against Minnesota, they're tough to tough to defense.

631
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,640
Speaker 1: So I think how they handle Danell Hunter. I think

632
00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:42,360
Speaker 1: he's going to be a big one in this one.

633
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:46,200
Speaker 3: Too, absolutely, And he and Daniel Hunter has been I mean,

634
00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:48,120
Speaker 3: he's had a career high in sacks at fifteen and

635
00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,960
Speaker 3: a half. A lot of them, crazyly enough, have been

636
00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:56,200
Speaker 3: when the Vikings drop eight and only rush three. And

637
00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,320
Speaker 3: so what's happened is because deal Hunter is just one

638
00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:01,080
Speaker 3: of those grinders. He has a lot of great moves,

639
00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:02,880
Speaker 3: but he just never gives up on plays. And so

640
00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,080
Speaker 3: a lot of times what's happened is you'll see a

641
00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,080
Speaker 3: quarterback go back and suddenly realize there's instead of getting blitz,

642
00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,560
Speaker 3: there's eight guys in coverage and he's struggling to find

643
00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,560
Speaker 3: someone to throw to, and deal Hunter just keeps grinding

644
00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,160
Speaker 3: and finally gets to him after three four seconds. And

645
00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,840
Speaker 3: so that's where a surprising number of Daniel's sacks have

646
00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,560
Speaker 3: been have been just you know, continuing to pursue when

647
00:31:23,040 --> 00:31:25,360
Speaker 3: when the quarterback can't find anybody to throw to. And

648
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,080
Speaker 3: so that's something to keep an eye on as well.

649
00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,560
Speaker 1: Injury wise. How's it looking for the Vikings this week?

650
00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,200
Speaker 3: Yeah, again Madison. You know, he didn't practice. They had

651
00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,720
Speaker 3: a bonus practice yesterday. He didn't wasn't out there. I'm

652
00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,960
Speaker 3: not optimistic that he's going to be able to play

653
00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,000
Speaker 3: or at least a big role in this game. And

654
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,880
Speaker 3: the other guy to watch is Brian O'Neil, their starting

655
00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,280
Speaker 3: right tackle. He sprained his ankle two weeks ago, didn't

656
00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:50,440
Speaker 3: play against Cincinnati. Was also not on the field yesterday

657
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,640
Speaker 3: during that bonus practice. I think that's a little bit

658
00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,040
Speaker 3: more fluid right now, but you know the potential that

659
00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,440
Speaker 3: the Vikings will have to go the second straight week

660
00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,040
Speaker 3: with David Quizenberry at right tackle. He's sort of their

661
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,000
Speaker 3: swing guy. He started at both left and right tackle

662
00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,360
Speaker 3: this year for various reasons, and he's pretty good in

663
00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,800
Speaker 3: that role. But obviously Brian O'Neil has been a pro

664
00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:11,680
Speaker 3: bowler and that would be the guy the Vikings would

665
00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:13,000
Speaker 3: like to have out there if they can.

666
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:16,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, especially with Aiden Hutchinson and Bruce Servan and some

667
00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:18,800
Speaker 1: of those guys on the edge looking to make their

668
00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,400
Speaker 1: mark on Sunday. Well Us Bank Stadium is one of

669
00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,560
Speaker 1: my favorite places to go. The atmosphere in that stadium

670
00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,200
Speaker 1: is electric and I can't even imagine what it will

671
00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,920
Speaker 1: be like with everything that's on the line Sunday. Kevin

672
00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,360
Speaker 1: Seafer does a great job with ESPN. Thank you so

673
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,360
Speaker 1: much for joining me, keV, and I'll make sure I

674
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:36,640
Speaker 1: stop buy and say hello in the press box on Sunday.

675
00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,600
Speaker 3: Same thing. Tim's good to see you'll see a Saturday

676
00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:41,560
Speaker 3: or Sunday.

677
00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:51,959
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the tournam in the huddle podcast presented

678
00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:55,760
Speaker 1: by Microsoft. In fresh off a five touchdown performance, quarterback

679
00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,040
Speaker 1: Jared Golf. That's pretty fun when the game gets like that.

680
00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:02,120
Speaker 1: And I know you joked after the game that Ben

681
00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:04,640
Speaker 1: was talking about it didn't really matter. He could call

682
00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:07,480
Speaker 1: anything and it would be working. It's just when you

683
00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:09,160
Speaker 1: get into a groove like that in offense and you

684
00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,120
Speaker 1: feel like you can call anything on the play sheet.

685
00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:12,280
Speaker 1: Just how fun is that?

686
00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:12,640
Speaker 3: Jared?

687
00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,240
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's really fun to be on the field in

688
00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,160
Speaker 5: games like that, And you know, you fight for that

689
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,760
Speaker 5: feeling every week and it's hard to find, and the

690
00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,560
Speaker 5: weeks you do, you enjoy it, man, you really do.

691
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:23,480
Speaker 5: And we were certainly enjoying that one.

692
00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:25,840
Speaker 1: And you know a big part of that game was

693
00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,120
Speaker 1: five touchdowns from your rookies Jamior Gibb and obviously Jamior

694
00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:33,600
Speaker 1: Gibbs and Sam Laporta. Just when you've got guys that

695
00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:36,200
Speaker 1: are that kind of dialed in this late in the season,

696
00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,560
Speaker 1: when did you know that those guys were going to

697
00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:40,360
Speaker 1: be pretty special?

698
00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:41,120
Speaker 3: Yeah?

699
00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,160
Speaker 5: St as soon as I got here, really and yeah,

700
00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:45,280
Speaker 5: hell yeah. And I think I've talked about this a

701
00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,360
Speaker 5: couple of times this week because I keep talking about

702
00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,160
Speaker 5: those two guys but like it's a credit to Brad

703
00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,960
Speaker 5: and those guys upstairs for bringing in guys like them.

704
00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:53,800
Speaker 5: They're not the only two. There's there's a bunch, but

705
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:55,240
Speaker 5: they're the two that are kind of getting the shine

706
00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,840
Speaker 5: right now. But yeah, they're very impressive maturity wise. They're

707
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:03,160
Speaker 5: very impressive obviously physically, and and they're very impressive mentally

708
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,320
Speaker 5: all both of them. And the stuff that they can handle.

709
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,480
Speaker 5: The stuff certainly that Sam handles the tight end is

710
00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,480
Speaker 5: a lot and he does a great job.

711
00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:11,799
Speaker 1: You know, that's really rare when you talk about tight ends.

712
00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,760
Speaker 1: You look at the season he's having. I mean, guys

713
00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,719
Speaker 1: don't come in at that position and have that kind

714
00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:20,080
Speaker 1: of year. What makes him in particular just been able

715
00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,800
Speaker 1: to kind of handle everything that's you know, been handed

716
00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,120
Speaker 1: to him because you've got to learn the protections, the

717
00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,920
Speaker 1: run fits. You know, you're playing three different positions. I

718
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:29,440
Speaker 1: mean that is tough. You don't see that at the

719
00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:31,479
Speaker 1: tight end position. What makes him so good?

720
00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:33,960
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean a ton of things. I think First

721
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,479
Speaker 5: of all is how hard working he is. He comes

722
00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:38,560
Speaker 5: out every single day with an intent to get better,

723
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,600
Speaker 5: and it's shown up. He's gotten better as he's you know,

724
00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:43,760
Speaker 5: gone through a ta's training camp. Now into the season,

725
00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:46,799
Speaker 5: he continues to get better. He's got, you know, kind

726
00:34:46,800 --> 00:34:49,600
Speaker 5: of some natural ability of catching the ball and running routes.

727
00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:51,480
Speaker 5: But but really it's the work.

728
00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,080
Speaker 1: It really is.

729
00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,879
Speaker 5: The best ones in this league they work every day

730
00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:55,279
Speaker 5: and he is one of those right now.

731
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,360
Speaker 1: How does that dynamic make you guys so difficult offensively?

732
00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,440
Speaker 1: When you've got a guy like Saint in the slot

733
00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,600
Speaker 1: and then you've got a guy like Laporta who can

734
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,719
Speaker 1: line up same side, opposite side in line online, Just

735
00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:07,960
Speaker 1: what kind of pressure does that put on a defense?

736
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,400
Speaker 1: And how much do you love that as a quarterback

737
00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,680
Speaker 1: to have almost like two security bankets right there as

738
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:14,719
Speaker 1: a slot and a tight end.

739
00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:16,960
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's it's it's nice for me. Both those guys

740
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,319
Speaker 5: are hell of players and I feel fortunate to get

741
00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,960
Speaker 5: to work with them every day. And I think, you know,

742
00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:25,920
Speaker 5: not just them, but everyone in the in that receiver

743
00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:29,280
Speaker 5: and tight end room is so effective and so helpful.

744
00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,920
Speaker 5: But I think you know, more than anything, when teams

745
00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:35,080
Speaker 5: want to double Saint Brown, it leaves Sam one on one.

746
00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,640
Speaker 1: And everyone else but Sam saw that New Orleans.

747
00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:39,520
Speaker 5: Sam has proven to win one on one pretty often.

748
00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:42,560
Speaker 5: Exactly in New Orleans, and it's a it's a chance

749
00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:44,400
Speaker 5: teams are willing to take at times, and it's a

750
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,160
Speaker 5: chance they're not willing to take. So it gives us

751
00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:49,239
Speaker 5: some variability and makes defenses think.

752
00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,879
Speaker 1: You guys have a chance on on Sunday t win

753
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,120
Speaker 1: the first division title in this city for the thirty years.

754
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,279
Speaker 1: I know you've won a division title before. You know

755
00:35:58,360 --> 00:35:59,920
Speaker 1: how big that is, what it means to have that

756
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:02,919
Speaker 1: home playoff game. Just what will that mean to you?

757
00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:05,680
Speaker 1: What will it mean to the city, and what will

758
00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:06,719
Speaker 1: it mean to the team?

759
00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:08,640
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean a lot to us. That's that's our

760
00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:10,640
Speaker 5: first goal this year is to win the division and

761
00:36:11,239 --> 00:36:12,640
Speaker 5: we've got a chance to do it. We still got

762
00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:13,520
Speaker 5: to go out there and do it. We got to

763
00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,120
Speaker 5: work hard this whole week and find a way to

764
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,200
Speaker 5: win in a tough environment. It's a tough team. But yeah,

765
00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:19,719
Speaker 5: if if we were able to do it, it would it

766
00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:21,799
Speaker 5: would be you know, check mark number one for us.

767
00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,520
Speaker 5: And I know I know what it means to the city.

768
00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:27,280
Speaker 5: I know what it means to you know, the people

769
00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,160
Speaker 5: that have been here a long time. But for us,

770
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,080
Speaker 5: we're focused on this year's team and what it means

771
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,279
Speaker 5: to this year's team, and it is our first goal

772
00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:35,440
Speaker 5: and something we're trying to attain.

773
00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,400
Speaker 1: Still, how important is that playoff game at home? And

774
00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:42,120
Speaker 1: especially when you you've seen the environment here for the

775
00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,799
Speaker 1: home games. You saw what it was last Saturday, We've

776
00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:47,400
Speaker 1: seen primetime games here. Could you even let yourself imagine

777
00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,759
Speaker 1: just how much of an advantage that would be for you.

778
00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,560
Speaker 5: I'm not going to talk about it until it's real, so, uh,

779
00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:56,480
Speaker 5: I can imagine what it would be like, but we've

780
00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:58,799
Speaker 5: got to go earn it, we really do. And that

781
00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:01,319
Speaker 5: we got the Minnesota liking standing between us and that,

782
00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:03,279
Speaker 5: and they're going to try to continue to stand between

783
00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,080
Speaker 5: us and that, and we've got to find a way

784
00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:06,279
Speaker 5: to beat them. And they're a great team.

785
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:09,680
Speaker 1: Let's talk about them for just a second. Defensively, Brian

786
00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:12,480
Speaker 1: Flowyer's has done a great job completely changed that scheme,

787
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,520
Speaker 1: and you look at them on tape, just maybe what

788
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,240
Speaker 1: jumps out to you, Jared when you watch that defense?

789
00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,000
Speaker 5: Yeah, the uniqueness of it and the amount of pressure

790
00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:21,400
Speaker 5: they bring is obviously the first thing you see. And

791
00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,440
Speaker 5: that's kind of his hallmark as he's been calling defenses

792
00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:27,080
Speaker 5: for quite some time now and they're good at it.

793
00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,080
Speaker 5: It's effective, they're they're chaotic, they can they can cause

794
00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,040
Speaker 5: a lot of problems. But if you handle it the

795
00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:34,560
Speaker 5: right way, there are ways to attack it, and we

796
00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:36,560
Speaker 5: plan to find ways to attack it. And even though

797
00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,160
Speaker 5: it's a challenge, we are ready for.

798
00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:40,200
Speaker 1: Is it unique in the sense that you kind of

799
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:42,680
Speaker 1: sometimes don't know if they pressure about fifty percent of

800
00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:44,839
Speaker 1: the time, but then they drop eight a significant amount

801
00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:46,239
Speaker 1: of time. Just what kind of pressures that put on

802
00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:48,560
Speaker 1: a quarterback? Is that just really knowing where your hots

803
00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:50,920
Speaker 1: are sometimes and then kind of where the holes are

804
00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:52,440
Speaker 1: going to be when they do decide to drop those

805
00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,919
Speaker 1: defensive linemen And where can you take advantage of something

806
00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:56,600
Speaker 1: like that? Not to give the game plan away.

807
00:37:56,440 --> 00:37:59,680
Speaker 5: Sure, no, yeah, it's I mean everyone has seen it

808
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,360
Speaker 5: now for however many weeks, and everyone has their different

809
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,400
Speaker 5: angles or ways that they want to attack it, and

810
00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,359
Speaker 5: will be no different in certain ways that we want

811
00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:08,200
Speaker 5: to attack it. But yeah, they do a great job

812
00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:09,880
Speaker 5: mixing it up. They make it really hard for us,

813
00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:12,520
Speaker 5: and again it's a challenge, but it's something that we'll be.

814
00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,800
Speaker 1: Ready for a couple more for you real quick. James

815
00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,680
Speaker 1: and Williams saw him have a much bigger impact. We've

816
00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:20,120
Speaker 1: seen him work into games. He's working really hard, he

817
00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,319
Speaker 1: does all the little things. Good to see him have,

818
00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:25,200
Speaker 1: you know, more production in terms of receptions. Did you

819
00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,279
Speaker 1: see that just kind of continue into role as he

820
00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:28,640
Speaker 1: gets more and more comfortable. I do.

821
00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:31,239
Speaker 5: Yeah, the ascension for him I see continuing to go

822
00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:33,160
Speaker 5: up and up and up as we keep on going.

823
00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,200
Speaker 5: And I've said it for you know, since he got drafted, like,

824
00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:38,640
Speaker 5: it's just reps. He's a hell of a player. We

825
00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:40,399
Speaker 5: know what his talent is. It's just reps and getting

826
00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:43,279
Speaker 5: on the same page and understanding his role within each play.

827
00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:45,000
Speaker 5: And he's gotten there and he's done a great job

828
00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:47,080
Speaker 5: of that. And he's a lot of fun to play

829
00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:48,560
Speaker 5: with right now and he's doing a really good job.

830
00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:52,080
Speaker 1: News last week Teddy Bridgewater probably gonna call it quiz.

831
00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:54,560
Speaker 1: I'm just curious what he's meant to you in that roup,

832
00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,879
Speaker 1: what he's meant to you know, maybe this team as well.

833
00:38:58,320 --> 00:38:59,839
Speaker 5: Yeah, I know he's been a lot to this team,

834
00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,879
Speaker 5: but me personally, man, he's he's been tremendous. It's having

835
00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:04,960
Speaker 5: a guy like him who has done it, who has

836
00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,600
Speaker 5: been in my shoes, who you know, has had success

837
00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:10,400
Speaker 5: at the you know, starting quarterback and being able to

838
00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:12,280
Speaker 5: bounce things off of him. Man, it's it's it really

839
00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:13,960
Speaker 5: is nice for me to have a guy like that

840
00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:16,160
Speaker 5: that that you know, knows some of the struggles and

841
00:39:16,239 --> 00:39:18,400
Speaker 5: challenges that I go through, and and he's been through

842
00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,640
Speaker 5: him and he's succeeded in him and he's failed and

843
00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:22,920
Speaker 5: succeeded and failed, and so he can has a lot

844
00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:26,439
Speaker 5: of insight on different things. And he's been so good

845
00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,719
Speaker 5: for me learning and and just seeing him practice too.

846
00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,960
Speaker 5: He does so many things in practice that I pick

847
00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:33,440
Speaker 5: up from, you know, a veteran that that that I

848
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:36,520
Speaker 5: wouldn't have picked up otherwise. So he's a hell of

849
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,880
Speaker 5: a player, hell of a dude, and I've been fortunate

850
00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:39,759
Speaker 5: to be around him this year.

851
00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,160
Speaker 1: We'll coming off your best game of the season, need

852
00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,239
Speaker 1: one more this week to to kind of secure that

853
00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:46,840
Speaker 1: goal that you talked about, have a good week of practice,

854
00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:49,440
Speaker 1: go to Minnesota, come back with a division championship, and

855
00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,239
Speaker 1: then we can talk about maybe some bigger things.

856
00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:53,000
Speaker 5: That's right, all right, Tim, Thank you sounds good.

857
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:53,400
Speaker 3: Thanks Ed,