1 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Cardinals one, Steelers and Mother Nature. Nothing. Welcome Bird Gang, 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: and welcome to a victory Monday. On today's show, Paul 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Calvic joins me he was in the eye of the storm. Literally. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: The Cardinals beat the Steelers, they beat Mother Nature, they 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: beat the odds. Great way to head into the bye week. 6 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode seven oh seven, and it 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: starts now. 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: Welcome to Cardinals Cover two. 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 3: Budda Baker, What Heart? 10 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: What rent? 11 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 3: This guy's unbelievable. 12 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 2: the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit Acycardinals 14 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: dot Com Slash podcasts. 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,160 Speaker 3: He's at the ten half of five. 16 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: He's it again, So more hurry magic. 17 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 2: Whoaw here's Craig griolud. 18 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: So Sunday was first, at least for me, Paul. I've 19 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: never been to parts of a rain delay coverage on 20 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: a Cardinals broadcast, and I think it was our executive producer, 21 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: jim On Mahunter that remembers a preseason game in nineteen 22 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: ninety seven in Chicago that was delayed and pushed back 23 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: a day that predates me. 24 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 3: But I remember that I didn't cover that, but I 25 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 3: got tails that there was standing water through the bowels 26 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 3: of Soldier Field and Arizona media members were basically up 27 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 3: past their ankles and just water and sewage at Soldier 28 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 3: Field at the time. So, yes, that did happen. That 29 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 3: was a thing circa nineteen ninety seven. 30 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: And Olmo remembers Larry Sentners doing belly flops and the 31 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: rain as he texted myself and Kent Summers during the 32 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: seconds of what were two rain delays and not rain lightning, 33 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: because the NFL will play through rain, they'll play through snow, 34 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: they will not play through lightning. And typically in Pittsburgh 35 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: in December, that does not happen. And it was a surprise. 36 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: And so we have a four hour and eighteen minute game. Yeah, 37 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: the longest Cardinals game of the Super Bowl era. 38 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 3: I really wanted to yell at the side judge who 39 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 3: was in front of me, Hey, we're past the fifth 40 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: inning here, Cardinals are leading. Can't you just give them 41 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 3: the win? Let's just call this thing right now. I mean, 42 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 3: it was a process, there's no doubt, and in just 43 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 3: the change in weather from the first quarter, I'm like, man, 44 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 3: I did not pack my sunglasses. Are you kidding me? 45 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 3: And I'm shielding my eyes because of course you're on 46 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: the visitor's sideline, You're getting in the full sun. And 47 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: then by early second quarter you're like oh. And then 48 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: I looked across the field and all of a sudden, 49 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 3: the Steelers equipment guys are starting to put tarps over 50 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:43,519 Speaker 3: some of their stuff. And then I looked to my 51 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 3: left and the Cardinals equipment guys are doing the same thing. 52 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 3: What do they know that I don't know? How are 53 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 3: they checking the Doppler? And five minutes later Taylor's boom? 54 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,239 Speaker 3: And then which is what made the ninety nine yard 55 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 3: drive to talk football here for a minute even that 56 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 3: much more impressive, because Kyler was rolling into the wind 57 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, and there was a driving rain 58 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: much of that fifteen play drive. 59 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: Before we dive into the twenty four to ten win 60 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: at Pittsburgh, first road win in that city since nineteen 61 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: sixty nine. And again, kyl Vic was not on the 62 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,679 Speaker 1: sidelines in nineteen sixty nine. 63 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 3: Maybe Darren was. 64 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: That's true. 65 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 3: I'll leave that joke for Danny. 66 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: But first things first, as much as I weekly yearly 67 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: since I've been a part of the broadcast team joke 68 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: about weather and looking ahead to the schedule when we 69 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: get it in May, and you look, hey, Paul, look, 70 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: it's Pittsburgh, it's Chicago, it's Philadelphia in December. It's all 71 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: in good fun until it actually happens. And I honestly 72 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: felt bad because earlier in the week it's hey, look, 73 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: seventy five percent chance of rain. Ah, no big deal. 74 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: I don't look out it until Friday, and then kickoff 75 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: fifty six degrees and cloudy, okay, not a problem. And 76 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: then there was a lightning strike and you're like, Okay, 77 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: this isn't good. Where's Paul? 78 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? Are you okay? No, that's the least of our concerns. 79 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 3: Is the pencil next sideline radio guy. I'll say this much. Look, 80 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: when it didn't rain on Saturday, I knew we were 81 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 3: host because if there was no rain on Sat, it 82 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 3: wasn't holding off for two days in a row. And 83 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 3: sure enough, it didn't. I was amazed by how many 84 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: Cardinals fans made the trip and weathered the storm literally, 85 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: but it wasn't interesting to see. So first they had halftime, 86 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 3: which was extended to thirty minutes, and then they came 87 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 3: out and the Cardinals went back at it, and then 88 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 3: they called it a game because we got a few 89 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,280 Speaker 3: lightning flashes, and that one I think was timed at 90 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 3: fifty three minutes. Yeah, it felt like a long time. 91 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 3: I actually went at that point there was like a 92 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: twenty degree drop in temperature, and you're standing in the 93 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 3: tunnel and there's this gale force wind blown through and 94 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 3: I'm soaked. I'm like, this is not good. So I 95 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 3: went down by the Cardinals locker room and it was 96 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 3: funny to see they're they're bringing in sandwiches, ham and turkey, 97 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 3: subs and everything. So but then apparently there was the 98 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 3: dance off guys getting through staying loose, because otherwise I 99 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 3: asked around, there was anything else that was really being 100 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 3: done could be done in the locker room. So they 101 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 3: came out. They had about five or six minutes to 102 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 3: warm up again, and yeah, there's a lot of trepidation. 103 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,679 Speaker 3: You're in the lead, but the Steelers are at home. 104 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 3: Do they have some sort of home field advantage here 105 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 3: during this weather delay? Are you gonna come out with 106 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 3: the lack of intensity, effort urgency? No? I mean the 107 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 3: Cardinals beat the Steelers at Steelers football TJ. Watt after 108 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 3: the game. We got our bleeps kicked. We got pummeled today. 109 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 3: Mike Tomlin after the game. We put a lot of 110 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 3: JV football out on that field. I always like to 111 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 3: hear what the opposing team has to say when you 112 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: come in with a shocking, surprising win. And yeah, they 113 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 3: got beat at their own game. They got out physical 114 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 3: pretty much the entire to that thing, with the exception 115 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,039 Speaker 3: of the very beginning where the Cardinals offensive line was 116 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 3: missing blocks here and there and the Cardinals went oh 117 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 3: for their first four on third down. Then all of 118 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 3: a sudden, there was a sea change in just the 119 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 3: line of scrimmage and by the time James Conner had 120 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 3: that nine yard touchdown run at the very end to 121 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 3: seal it the surge. You go back and look at 122 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 3: the film. The Cardinals offensive line got off the ball 123 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 3: and Connor didn't even get touched toys inside the five. 124 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: It was the first possession on defense and the first 125 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: possession of offense because you saw three plays. It took 126 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: the Steelers three plays to get inside the Cardinals red 127 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: zone before Chris Boswell kicked that twenty nine yard field goal. 128 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: And then you bring it up that offensive series three plays, 129 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: zero total net yards, and you're like, okay, well this 130 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: is not trending very well. Nope, and then something changed 131 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: and on the broadcast, I can't remember if it was 132 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: Pash or Wolf, but when you talk about the offense 133 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: and just how more comfortable Kyler Murray looked and felt 134 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: in the pocket one of those two and it might 135 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: have been both, but pointed to the deep ball to 136 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: Rondell Moore that was dropped. I mean that one. It 137 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: was a beautiful thrown football. It could not have been 138 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: placed any better, ding and more just dropped it and 139 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: it happens. But they pointed to that moment in which 140 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 1: Kyler seemed to gain con despite the results, but just 141 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: saying Okay, I can do this. I can hang in 142 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: the pocket. This pressure that the Steelers are bringing, I 143 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: can handle it. Our guys are getting open. We just 144 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: misfired there. And again I'm putting words into Kyler Murray's 145 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: mouth here because he wasn't asked about it, but listening 146 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: to the broadcast, and they pointed to that moment because 147 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: after that punt defense forced the goal line stand and 148 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: then you bring up the ninety nine yards goin drive 149 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: and Kyler Murray was darn near perfect on that drive 150 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: he was on third down. 151 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, you think of the turning point of the game 152 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 3: as obviously the fourth down stuff and then the ninety 153 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 3: nine yard drive. But maybe it happened earlier when Kyler 154 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 3: Murray realized, Okay, I can throw into this win, I 155 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 3: can throw deep, I can be accurate, I can have 156 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 3: anticipation with my receiver. Because he threw a nice ball 157 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: to Rondel More later that easily could have been a 158 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: touchdown that was wiped out by the holding penalty. And 159 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 3: let's be honest. If there was a metric last season 160 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 3: that we're all mystified by, it was the fact that 161 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 3: Kyler Murray when it came to deep balls. And I'm 162 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 3: looking for the stat here to see if I have 163 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 3: it at my handy. Here it is in twenty twenty one, 164 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 3: two years ago, Kyler led all quarterbacks in DVOA deep throws. Okay, 165 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 3: that's just an analytic for sixteen plus air yards last year, 166 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 3: even though it wasn't a complete season, he was dead last. 167 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 3: So what happened? So I would agree with you that 168 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 3: when he saw, okay, you know what, my footwork maybe 169 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: has dialed in a little bit more than the Rams game. 170 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 3: The deep ball is on the money. Guess what we 171 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 3: can get behind this secondary even with the return and 172 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 3: make a Fitzpatrick. Yes, they're going to try and do 173 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 3: anything and everything they can to keep me in the pocket. 174 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 3: That's what TJ. Watt told the media going into the game. 175 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 3: That's what every opponent says when they play Kyler Murray. 176 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: We must keep him in the pocket. So like when 177 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 3: Russell Wilson in his younger days, when the Cardinals would 178 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 3: go play Seattle, what would clay As Campbell and company 179 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 3: always say, got to keep Russell Wilson in the pocket, 180 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 3: make him beat us from there. And Kyler did a 181 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 3: real good job of that. Now the rest of the game, 182 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 3: he had most of his success with it tight end position. 183 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 3: But you know, slowly but surely he's building this chemistry. 184 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 3: And for the Cardinals to come out with their two 185 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:10,199 Speaker 3: most physical receivers and run the ball even minus Michael 186 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 3: Wilson and Zach Pascal, you know, we identified that pregame 187 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 3: as a potential problem. You know, you want to run 188 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 3: the ball, but you don't have the receivers in the 189 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 3: blocking game to run the ball yet they still found 190 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 3: a way. 191 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: So where do you go first? Obviously, statistically, James Connor 192 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 1: had the more eye popping numbers than Kyler Murray. Though 193 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:34,439 Speaker 1: Murray led scoring drives, he wasn't as efficient with his throws, 194 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: but he was directing the offense and the offense was 195 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: staying on the field ten of seventeen on third down, 196 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: and this is after they went oh of four, so 197 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: ten of their last thirteen third downs, and that includes 198 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: the final third down in which you get a kneel 199 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: down just to run out the clock. But that is 200 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: a season best as far as conversions and conversion percentage. 201 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 1: And we talked about it a week ago against the Rams. 202 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: What did head coach Jonathan A. Gannon say rhythm, Well, 203 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: in order that to happen, you need enough plays to 204 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: keep your offense on the field, meaning you're sustaining drives, 205 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: you're gaining first downs, and the Cardinals were able to 206 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: do that on Sunday. 207 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,599 Speaker 3: I mean, you can look at Kyler's passing numbers or 208 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 3: lack thereof, I don't think it matters at all. In 209 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 3: this game, there were three winning stats where he excelled 210 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 3: third down. They started zero for four then ripped off 211 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 3: eight out of nine, ended up ten to seventeen. Red 212 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: zone three for three turnovers that Steelers defense was top 213 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 3: five and takeaways. Steelers as a team number one, tied 214 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 3: for number one with the Niners in turnover ratio plus 215 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 3: eleven come in into the game. So in the three 216 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 3: key stats for winning football as a quarterback, Kyler excelled. 217 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 3: No turnovers, third down, red zone boom he was money 218 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 3: in all three Cardinals get the win. That to me, 219 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 3: at this point in Kyler's career, forget about Rookie of 220 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 3: the Year, forget about Pro Bowl, forget about any He's 221 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 3: done all that winning, that's what he needs to be 222 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 3: a winning quarterback, and to me, that was the big step. 223 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: That's what he put on display in Pittsburgh. 224 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: And taking what the defense gave him. Wasn't forcing it. 225 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: Checking down looking for that tight end targeted eleven times, 226 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: the tight end position targeted eleven excuse me, targeted thirteen times. 227 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: Eleven catches for one hundred and twenty yards and a touchdown. 228 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: Trey McBride once again showing why he is tight end 229 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: number one, assuming that role now with zach Ertz no 230 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: longer on the roster, but McBride Jeff Swain, Elijah Higgins, 231 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: they all played a season high in snaps. Whether that 232 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: was because of the weather the opponent doesn't matter. That 233 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: was the game plan going in and it was executed 234 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: to perfection because the Cardinals ground game and the tight 235 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: end position beat the Steelers defense. 236 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 3: Well, you didn't have your big receivers, obviously, you had 237 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 3: a bunch of smaller guys manning the receiver position. Hollywood Brown, 238 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 3: not one hundred percent. Greg Dortsch, by the way, continues 239 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,719 Speaker 3: the ball just ridiculous. Greg Dortch, remind me I tell 240 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 3: you a little Greg Dortch anecdote. Okay, by the time, 241 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 3: where this is a vertical tease here on Cardinals cover 242 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 3: Kramit vertical, just over the top vertical. Yeah, that's right. 243 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 3: You got to distinguish. There's Ckramat vertical and then there's vertical. 244 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 3: T's we'll tell you our Greg dort story a little 245 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 3: bit later in the Find a Minute of American portion 246 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 3: of this podcast. But as for Trey McBride, that circus 247 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 3: catch he made down the seam, I mean from field level, 248 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 3: you could really appreciate how high he got speaking a 249 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 3: vertical dude got up in the air and those hands. 250 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 3: What's the first thing we all said when we saw 251 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 3: Trey McBride last year as a rookie and rookie mini camp. Wow, 252 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,439 Speaker 3: he doesn't fight the football. He's a really natural pass catcher. 253 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 3: He has great hands. Now, do you have to work 254 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,640 Speaker 3: on other aspects of his game to improve? Yes. Usually 255 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 3: if a guy comes in and his hands aren't natural 256 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 3: and they are, you know, that's a tough putt, like 257 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 3: you're going to prove other areas. But being a natural 258 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,439 Speaker 3: pass catcher, you either are or you're not. And he is. 259 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 3: He's really athletic, big time three sports star and you 260 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 3: see it now. And I talked to him in the 261 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 3: locker room late last week going into this game, and 262 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 3: I said, are you seeing extra defensive attention? And he 263 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 3: smiled because the Rams in particular gave him extra it 264 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 3: a lot of bracket coverage, safety over the top, joining 265 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 3: the fray and the coverage. And he smiled. He said, 266 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 3: you know, I saw a lot of it in college 267 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 3: my last two three years. I got a lot of 268 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 3: that in college. No big deal. He's to the point 269 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 3: now where if he's single covered, and especially if it's 270 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 3: a linebacker or safety, he's open. Throw Trey McBride the 271 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 3: dang football. 272 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: And Kyler talked about that postgame, talking about the confidence 273 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: that McBride has and becoming quote a matchup nightmare for 274 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: whoever is on him, because you talk about it, Paul, 275 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 1: the contested catch. McBride is making those contested catches, he's 276 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: making the difficult catch, he's making the easy catch. On 277 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: that ninety nine yard scoring drive, he had four catches 278 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: for forty nine yards and a touchdown. Really two touchdowns 279 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: on the same drive. I think it was a touchdown 280 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: the first time around, ye and then he said, okay, 281 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: let me do it again and really confirm that it 282 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: was a touchdown. But he is as sending his game 283 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: within this Cardinals offense in year two to the point 284 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: where okay, we're looking for building blocks moving forward. Well, 285 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:02,319 Speaker 1: tie it in Trey McBride, and what a winning teams do. 286 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: They find different guys at different times. Look what the 287 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 1: Rams did the week before Cardinals shut down Cooper Cupp 288 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: and Pooka Nukua. Well, kyn Williams, you know, Tyler Higbee 289 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: had a couple of touchdown catches. The really good teams 290 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: have different ways they can beat you. And Kyler Murray 291 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: I think realized, Okay, you know what, maybe this aspect 292 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: of our offense isn't working. And it took a little 293 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: while for James Connor to get you know, on tracking 294 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: that offensive line, in particular to start moving dudes at 295 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: the line of scrimmage. So all right, here's Trey McBride, 296 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: let's feature him. They definitely have a chemistry and it 297 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: was good to see Kyler work the middle of the field, 298 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: work that deep middle. That's something Kenny Pickett had been 299 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: doing and had been growing at as a quarterback that the 300 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: Steelers people were talking about. I think that's the next 301 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: step for Kyler as well. Work the middle of the field, 302 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: not just the perimeter. And when they keep you in 303 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: the pocket, okay, beat him with your arm in your 304 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: mind and go through your reads. And look, he's still 305 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: There's two things I've learned about where Kyler is. He's 306 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: still learning this offense. Still a process with a full work, 307 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: still a process. You know, audibling into plays. We saw 308 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: him audible quite a bit when he's got those arms 309 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: extended out like an airplane. 310 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 3: He's audibling. But at the same time he is a 311 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 3: good command of going through his reads. He's done a 312 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 3: good job of his progressions. Number one's not open, Number 313 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 3: two isn't open. Boom, here's the ball to number three. 314 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: Well on a credit to the offensive line as well, 315 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: to allow Kyler to have that opportunity to go from 316 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: one to two to three and not feel the pressure 317 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: or panic in the pocket. I think we're seeing an 318 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: evolution from Kyler his comfort level within that pocket, because 319 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: when he first got in the league, any pressure up 320 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: the middle, it was back pedaling and then trying to 321 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: find something, And nine times out of his ten it 322 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: was his legs that was getting himself out of trouble. 323 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: Now I think he's staying in the pocket, shifting one 324 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: way the other, rolling out if he has to. And 325 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: I know you're a big fan of next gen stats. 326 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: Correct let him rep all right here, we let him rep. 327 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: Here we go my hashtag no math, But usually next 328 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: gen stats are worth the effort. Kyler Murray on Sunday 329 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: on targets under ten yards meaning underneath short yardage again 330 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: taking what the defense gives you. Eleven of sixteen for 331 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: one hundred and nine yards and a touchdown. Now on 332 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: deeper throws deeper than ten air yards again be a 333 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: lot different if you hit the rondel More. Yeah, the 334 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: drop or the rondel More touchdown that was negated because 335 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: of a holding call. But on the deeper throws, two 336 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: of seven for thirty six yards. So again, what is 337 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: Kyler seen? And then okay, if we have to go seven, eight, 338 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: nine plays, that's what we'll do. If it takes us longer, 339 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: that's fine. It's about execution and making sure you keep 340 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: that offense on the football field. 341 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 3: And that is a trend defensively in the NFL right now. 342 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 3: It's all the rage. We saw it last year as well. 343 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 3: Two high safeties, keep everything underneath, make an offense go 344 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 3: fifteen place, which is exactly what the Cardinals did on 345 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 3: the ninety nine yard drive converting five third downs. But 346 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 3: how often does that happen? I know the Cardinals have 347 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 3: done it twice this year. They did against the Niners 348 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 3: with Josh Dobbs and now they did it at Pittsburgh. 349 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 3: But if you're a defense, you're counting on an unforced air, 350 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 3: you're counting on a flag the offense gets behind the sticks. 351 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 3: So sure we're gonna take away a lot of that 352 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 3: deep stuff, especially deep middle with a two high safeties 353 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 3: thing is Steelers will make a Fitzpatrick. From the analytics 354 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 3: and from what the Steelers people were saying, two thirds 355 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 3: of the time they're playing single high safety and they 356 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 3: like that extra safety in the box to try and 357 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 3: stop the run. That's sort of the Steeler way. They 358 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 3: play a true three to four and they do what 359 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 3: they do and they're not going to adapt all that 360 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,239 Speaker 3: much to you, but it's no surprise that that's what 361 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 3: a defense wants to do in forced Kyler, and like 362 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 3: we said, that's the next step, along with a few 363 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 3: other things, is trying to beat defenses down the field. Now, 364 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 3: if you have that playmaking tight end who can get 365 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 3: down the seam, that goes a long way, because Kyler 366 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 3: does have the arm talent in high cover two to 367 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 3: be able to still fit that ball into a tight 368 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 3: window downfield, not only a. 369 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,880 Speaker 1: Tight end, but a run game and if you can 370 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: rely on the ground attack and the Cardinals I think 371 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: that was the story going into this game. It's the 372 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: story of the game, and it's the story coming out 373 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: of the game, and not so much James Connor's homecoming, 374 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,199 Speaker 1: but the fact that this offense featured James Connor. They 375 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 1: didn't go away from him, even though initially he had 376 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 1: very little room to run. In fact, he had two 377 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 1: yards on his first five carries combined. Finished though, with 378 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: over one hundred rushing yards for the second time this season. 379 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 1: And it was the number of touches that he got 380 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: twenty five and the number of rushing attempts by the 381 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: team a season I thirty eight. Now is that sustainable 382 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: for an entire season? Probably not. But within this offense, 383 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: what do we know that Drew Petsing wants to do. 384 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 1: One run the ball and two utilize the tight end. Well, 385 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: we saw both aspects on Sunday, and. 386 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 3: I had a chance to talk briefly with Treu Petsing 387 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 3: after the game, and really it was a matter of 388 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 3: just tightening up the offensive line play. 389 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: Now. 390 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 3: I don't know if they made some adjustments, because especially 391 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 3: off the edge, there were some men key blocks by 392 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 3: some of the Cardinals tight ends and the Cardinals tackles 393 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 3: initially out of the gate that first quarter. It was 394 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 3: a process to get locked in, but they did eventually. 395 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 3: So did they change some of the blocking schemes some 396 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 3: of the assignments. I don't know exactly, but I do 397 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 3: know as the O line play improved, so did the 398 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 3: Cardinals offense obviously, and then look, everyone feeds off James Connor. 399 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,239 Speaker 3: Everyone wanted that win for James Connor. They knew what 400 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 3: was on the line. He downplayed it as he always does, 401 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 3: but how meaningful was that win? You could see it 402 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: in his face after the game and maybe a little 403 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 3: bit in what he said. But even Jonathan Gannon his 404 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 3: half joke and I brought this up in our postgame 405 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 3: interview that you know, he feeds off James Connor. That's 406 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 3: the sort of respect they have. And once he started 407 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 3: getting some chunk runs and he's making guys miss and 408 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 3: then boom down goes Patrick Peterson with that stiff arm 409 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 3: right on the Steelers sideline. That said a lot. I mean, 410 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 3: that said, hey, we're here to play. And you know 411 00:19:57,240 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 3: anytime you walk into a biker bar and you got 412 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 3: that bully on your arm, and I heard a lot 413 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 3: of that on the sideline. It's a favorite phraser, James 414 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 3: Connor bully ball. Well, a lot of his teammates morphed 415 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 3: it into bully the bully, and that's what they're talking 416 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,959 Speaker 3: about with the Steelers. And once they asserted themselves, especially 417 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 3: with that stuff, on fourth down in the ninety nine 418 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 3: yard drive going into halftime, the tide definitely turned at 419 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 3: that point. 420 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: Go back to what did not happen against the Rams 421 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles, as far as the defense not pushing 422 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: back on that ground attack while the Cardinals pushed back 423 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: and won the battle ultimately on the line of scrimmage, 424 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: as far as being able to run the football, run 425 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 1: out the clock and have James Connor and this Cardinals 426 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: offense walk off that football field with the win. You 427 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: talked to Connor postgame on the Arizona Cardinals radio network 428 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: and you could hear a little bit, and he never 429 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: gives you a lot. I think he holds it in 430 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 1: publicly but privately. It just had to be, as he 431 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 1: called it, special, but even more so because of three 432 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: years away. But that was the city who grew up 433 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: in college NFL career, and then to see so many 434 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: familiar faces on the opposite sideline in the stadium, a 435 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 1: lot of the workers, and to come out with the 436 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: win and some bragging rights with a lot of those 437 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: Steelers players, It's more than just another game for James Connor. 438 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 3: I've been around long enough that I'll go with an 439 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 3: old reference here. It reminded me of Kurt Warner going 440 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 3: back to Saint Louis with the Cardinals, just the way 441 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 3: all the stadium workers responded to Kurt Warner, the way 442 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: they did to James Connor, the respect, the amount of 443 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 3: signs and James Connor jerseys that were still in the 444 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 3: stands in Steelers Nation, Yenn's Nations, the Insers, whatever you 445 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 3: want to call it, Stiller's as they have up there. 446 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 3: But he allowed himself a smile leaving the field, and 447 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 3: you saw it in the He grabbed the camera and 448 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 3: the social media for the Cardinals' social media team, and 449 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 3: there were some pictures of him holding the camera. He 450 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 3: had a big, wide grin on his space and I 451 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 3: had a quick video that I tweeted out of him 452 00:21:58,040 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: running off the field and saluting the Red Sea which 453 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 3: gathered above the visitor's tunnel. So he did allow himself 454 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 3: that moment of enjoyment and then had his game face 455 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 3: on a little bit in the post game. But yeah, 456 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 3: he was choosing his words carefully, but you could just tell, 457 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 3: I mean, that's an all time career highlight. And you 458 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,640 Speaker 3: hear James Connor last week going into the game say 459 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 3: that when he left Pittsburgh and signed a one year 460 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 3: deal with the Cardinals, and then in his mind he 461 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 3: was fighting for his football future and a career still 462 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,520 Speaker 3: to be established in the NFL. A guy had already 463 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 3: been to a Pro Bowl at that point. That's remarkable. 464 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 3: It gives you a window into his mindset. And when 465 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 3: you see him fight for every yard, you realize in 466 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 3: his mind he's fighting for a spot in the league 467 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 3: on every single snap and see. And that's the kind 468 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 3: of mindset. That's why we call him James Connor. The mindset, 469 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 3: the mentality, that's what we mean by that. 470 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: What we saw on Sunday, and what we've seen not 471 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 1: only this season, but a year ago and then his 472 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: first or his three years since leaving the Steelers, is 473 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: James Connor with this offense. When he's right, the offense 474 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 1: is right, and you start looking ahead. Paul Connor is 475 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 1: under contract. There is no guaranteed money though on his 476 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: deal in twenty twenty four. But right now, as we 477 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: sit here on a victory Monday, following a win in Pittsburgh, 478 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: it is going to be hard to see this offense 479 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 1: without number six on the football field. And I know 480 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: where the running back position is going where it's headed. 481 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: But sometimes there is value in not only the player, 482 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: the person as well, just the presence on the sideline. 483 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: More specifically, though, on the field, this Cardinals offense needs 484 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: James Connor, or if it's not James Connor, then find 485 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: another James Connor. And I don't know if that's that's 486 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: not very easy to do when you're trying to look, 487 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 1: whether that's free agency or the draft. 488 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 3: I mean, look at some of the teams the Cardinals 489 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 3: have played, right, and you see the disparity in draft 490 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 3: picks versus undrafted guys. The Atlanta Falcons b John Robinson 491 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 3: top ten pick this year, but actually at the point 492 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 3: the Cardinals played Atlanta, Tyler Aljier had more carries. He 493 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 3: was a fifth round pick the year before out of 494 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 3: b go. You look at the Rams Kyron Williams, what 495 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 3: he's been doing. I mean he was a Day three 496 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 3: pick himself. Now you look at the Steelers Jalen Warren 497 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 3: undrafted guy, and then you have Naji Harris who is 498 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 3: high first round pick. So you have this disparity. Teams 499 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,480 Speaker 3: are able to find running backs to give you a production, 500 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 3: but can you find the guy with the size and 501 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 3: the speed, and so that's why a Naji Harris was 502 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 3: such a tough tackle. For example, that's why Abjon Robinson. 503 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 3: You look at the acceleration along with the size and 504 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 3: just the ability to wear down a defense over time. 505 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 3: And that's exactly what the Cardinals did. In my mind, 506 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,959 Speaker 3: they played Steelers football. They wore down that Steelers defense 507 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 3: in that front seven in the second half. And you 508 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 3: can't do that with just any back. James Connor is 509 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 3: that physical guy who will feed it to a defense 510 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 3: and that's what you get, not to mention, not to 511 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 3: mention what Buddha Baker is the pulse and heartbeat of 512 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 3: the defense. James Connor is that to the offense. 513 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: Well said, by the way, Connor did receive a game 514 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: ball for his f eforts on Sunday. And a quick 515 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: clarification because and I tweeted this out earlier on the 516 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: Cardinals Insider social media account, because on the league's play 517 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: by play sheet or should say play percentage sheet, it 518 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: does list James Connor is playing one defensive snap, which 519 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: really would be a first in his career, in the 520 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: first since he played in college where he shared the 521 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: same field with Aaron Donald. But we have as I 522 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: got a notification from our colleague, Darren Urban, that was 523 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: a mistake by the play by play sheet. So he 524 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: did not talking about James Connor. He did not have 525 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 1: a defensive snap. He didn't play any special teams, even 526 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: though if you do look at the website and you 527 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: look at the snap counts, it shows him as playing 528 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: one defensive snap. 529 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 3: I'm like, wow, I miss that. That would have been 530 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 3: a say, okay, so it didn't happen, but you know what, 531 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 3: if it was to happen, that was the stadium for 532 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 3: it to happen in because once upon a time he 533 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 3: was recruited in college originally as a defensive end, and 534 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 3: he was in the same position group room with Aaron Donald. 535 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 3: And if you go back, he split a sack as 536 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,479 Speaker 3: a freshman in a bowl game with Aaron Donald and 537 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 3: then all of a sudden they made him a running 538 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 3: back and end up being an All American. How do 539 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 3: you know you're in the NFL when a former defensive 540 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 3: end pass rusher is now an All Pro running back. 541 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 3: That's when you know you're in the NFL. Just a 542 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 3: freak show. 543 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 1: Before we talk defense, you had a Greg Dortsch antidote 544 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 1: that you wanted to discuss as we now tease at 545 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: vertical here on Cardinals Cover two, presented by Hyundai, proud 546 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: partner of the Arizona Cardinals. 547 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 3: All right, so Greg Dortch, right, and it's just remarkable 548 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 3: to watch a guy his size, especially like when you 549 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 3: watch him on the field and field level, how it 550 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 3: gets lost in traffic just at his size, but for 551 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 3: him to make plays, and and as he made play 552 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 3: after play, and what was the big catch he had 553 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 3: on third down? 554 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:48,400 Speaker 1: Was it eight and twelve? He had a nineteen yard 555 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: nineteen yard? 556 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 3: Or that was that one? So Kelvin Beach him on 557 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 3: the sideline, turns around, he's like, point at me. He's playing. 558 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 3: And then not long after that, he had that punt 559 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 3: return where he started one like boom, he hits the 560 00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 3: spin button, he comes back, he makes three guys missing, 561 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 3: end upetting on a dozen yards. Made it out of 562 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 3: absolute nothing. Now, Beach, he's not like turning around and 563 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 3: looking at me. He's got something to say, and he's 564 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:12,720 Speaker 3: screwing on me. That's Dorch, Greg Dorch, write it down 565 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 3: because Beach always gives me a hard time. I got 566 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 3: my old school notebook, with all the chicken scratch on it. 567 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 3: And so he's like, write that down, Calvacy, and I'm like, yes, sir, 568 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 3: mister Kelvin Beach'm my former Steeler. I will write that. 569 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 3: I go look, pound for pound, Dorch might be my 570 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 3: favorite guy on the team. The compete level out of 571 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 3: that dude is infectious. And you know what, I get it. 572 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 3: He doesn't look the part. Maybe it doesn't look like 573 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 3: east part of the Cardinals football future when you have 574 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 3: a bunch of new decision makers. But I think they've 575 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 3: found out over the course of the season that he 576 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 3: plays winning football and has in his snap percentages increased 577 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 3: every single game for about a month now, third straight 578 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 3: game of at least forty five snaps on offense. 579 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 1: He played forty seven on Sunday and one. He had 580 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: one of the only two receptions by a wide receiver 581 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: in the game. Rondell Moore had the other. There were 582 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: only two catches by wide receivers and that game on Sunday. 583 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 1: Everything else was caught by the tight end. But the Dortch. 584 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: And this is something Kyle Nnibasch is a huge Greg 585 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: Dortsch fan and always wonders why isn't Doorsch playing more. 586 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: And it comes back to whether it was Cliff Kingsbury 587 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: or now Jonathan Gannon. You ask them about Dortsch, it's 588 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: the consistency. Do they see it in practice? Because when 589 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: he does play, when he does get those snaps, good 590 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: things happen on offense, But it's is where he's supposed 591 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: to be. Is he running the correct routes? Does he 592 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 1: know what position he's supposed to be in on certain packages? 593 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 1: And I think maybe things have changed in the positive 594 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: for Dortsch moving forward because those snaps have increased in 595 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: this coaching staff. 596 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 2: Paul. 597 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, they'll always air towards the younger player, but they 598 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: want winning players on that football field that know what 599 00:28:58,120 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: they're supposed to do. 600 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 3: That falls under the category heading of trust. Coaches have 601 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 3: to trust you as a player before they'll give you 602 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 3: the playing time. And so yeah, maybe there were things 603 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 3: off the field that we have no clue about that 604 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 3: they cover up with the word consistency. So maybe there 605 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 3: are things. Whether it's the new offense, who knows, But 606 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 3: all I know is on game day, man, nobody is 607 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 3: as fired up as Greg Dortch. Nobody competes. I mean 608 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 3: he is competing for his football future every single snap. 609 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 3: So there's that, and there was just the overall attitude. 610 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 3: He goes, you know what, you're two and ten, You're 611 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 3: coming off a lackluster effort against the Rams at home. 612 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 3: It was okay to worry. It was a legit concern. 613 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 3: What's the rest of the season going to look like? 614 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 3: Is the bottom gonna fall out? Where is this going 615 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 3: exactly without anything in the standings of the postseason to 616 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 3: play for? And you got your answer. That win that 617 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 3: game goes such a long way to towards establishing the 618 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 3: culture that Jonathan Gannon wants to set. If nothing else, 619 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 3: You're coming out of this first season setting that culture, 620 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 3: getting a lot of valuable reps to this rookie class. 621 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 3: That's gonna pay off down the line. But you know what, 622 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 3: you need the results. I firmly believe that you need 623 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 3: the results to prove that the process works. It just 624 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 3: reinforces buy in when you get the reward at the end. 625 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 3: And there's the bravado as well. I walked into the 626 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 3: locker room and I'm the first media member in there. 627 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 3: Somebody was playing Renegade by Styx in the Cardinals locker room. 628 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 3: At the end of the game. I'm like, you know what, 629 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 3: that's next level. 630 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: That's really well done, because that's what they did. 631 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 3: They came in and they beat the Steelers at their 632 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 3: own game. They won still their football. 633 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 1: You need some validation, and that's what happened on Sunday. 634 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: The process pays off on Sunday and you talk about 635 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 1: what do you have left to play for? Well, how 636 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 1: about the bye week this coming week? And what were 637 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 1: you going to get? What Cardinals team were you gonna get? Yep, 638 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: coming off of performance like they performed against the Rams, 639 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: inclement weather, you're on the road, it's a two day trip. 640 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: The bye week is on the horizon. Well, the Cardinals 641 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: came out and played well and you point two. We 642 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 1: talked about the offense, but the defense and that fourth 643 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: down goal line, Stan Kevin Strong, Jesse Luketta in there 644 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: as well, stopping Naji Harris, knocking Kenny Pickett out of 645 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: the game. Jonathan ledbetter on the play before that, knock 646 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 1: Pickett out of the game with an ankle injury. He's 647 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: now gonna miss several weeks, it sounds like, and the 648 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: game just flipped by those two back to pack plays 649 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: by the defense. 650 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 3: Think of the teams the Cardinals have played this year, right, 651 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 3: think of the pass rushers, the premier guys, the Micah Parsons, 652 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 3: the Miles Garretts, even Dexter Lawrence of the Giants. They 653 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 3: all pro nos tackle, you know. And then you go 654 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 3: into this game and you got TJ. Watt and Cam Hayward. 655 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 3: And by the way, shout out to Will Hernandez and 656 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 3: the interior O line for handling Cam Hayward. Did his 657 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 3: name get called once? Cam Hayward? How many tackles did 658 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 3: Cam Hayward have in that game? Because he was cited 659 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 3: as a big, big piece of that Steelers defense since 660 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 3: he returned from injury. 661 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 1: He had one more than you and I combined. 662 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 3: Wow. See, there you go. That was the game within 663 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 3: the game, was the whole Cam Hayward thing. But I 664 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 3: bring that up because how many defensive linemen can people 665 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 3: around the NFL name on the Cardinals roster. Yet yet 666 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 3: the Roy Lopezes of the world we call his name 667 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 3: a lot during the game. I mean, he's productive. Kevin 668 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 3: Strong every time he's in the last two months, Kevin 669 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 3: Strong has played really good football. In fact, you know, 670 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 3: Kevin Strong was missing in that Rams game when they 671 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 3: gave up two hundred and twenty eight yards rushing. You 672 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 3: can draw a direct line of correlation between his absence 673 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 3: and what the Cardinals run defense was not able to do. 674 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 3: Jonathan ledbetter. And so these are aren't household names by 675 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 3: any stretch. I mean, look what the Eagles have in 676 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 3: their defensive line room, Look what the Niners have in 677 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 3: their defensive line room. Yet the Cardinals are getting good production. 678 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 3: And so that's a credit to the d line coach 679 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 3: Derek Lebron, to Nick Rollis, Jonathan Gannon, because these guys 680 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 3: have been more than serviceable in a time they were 681 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 3: a real problem for that Steelers a line. 682 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 1: And also got to give a shout out to Dante 683 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: Still's as well, a sixth round draft pick who is 684 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: only getting snaps because LJ. Colliers out, Carlos Watkins is out, 685 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: but he's making the most of the hour two. Yeah, 686 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: and what do you do when your number is called? 687 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 1: Are you productive? Can you show that you deserve to 688 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: stay on the football field weekend and week out? Stills 689 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 1: has there's that nice four to five man rotation now 690 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: on that defensive line. But yeah, no one knows any 691 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,760 Speaker 1: of those guys. They could walk across the you know, 692 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: the walk across in front of you in the mall 693 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:37,360 Speaker 1: or whatever, and you're just like, okay, whatever. You know, 694 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: maybe they're a player or not, but they don't stand out, 695 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 1: but they get the job done on game day. 696 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 3: And what's still intriguing is on third down, along third 697 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 3: down and obvious passing situations, when Nick Ross employs what 698 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 3: we call the eleven card, pick up, all the D 699 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 3: linemen except one come off the field, and sometimes all 700 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 3: the D linemen, but against the Steelers, it was most 701 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 3: of the D linemen save Dante Still, who would stay 702 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 3: out there, and then you just inserted a whole collection 703 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 3: of edge rushers and linebackers and guys standing around the line. 704 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 3: Kenny Pickett was confused. Mitch Trubisky was confused, like most 705 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,919 Speaker 3: we've even seen Matthew Stafford call a timeout, like what 706 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 3: the heck am I looking at? And I asked That's 707 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 3: why I asked John in again and after the game, 708 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 3: you know, he's not going to give you the game plan, 709 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 3: but I said, how many different looks did you present 710 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 3: Steelers quarterbacks? And he sort of smiled, he said, yeah, 711 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 3: I said, by design. Yeah, they changed it up and 712 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 3: on the sideline, you could tell that was the plan. 713 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 3: We're going to show them a little bit of everything, 714 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:39,320 Speaker 3: the whole kitchen sink game plan. Let's see how they respond. 715 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:41,959 Speaker 3: Because it's not like a division opponent when you play 716 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 3: a team for the first time in a long time, 717 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 3: they don't know exactly what to expect, and the Cardinals 718 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 3: is still busting out creative new fronts and schemes that 719 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 3: are unscattered looks for opposing quarterbacks. 720 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: How do you know Paul has asked a good question 721 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: to the head coach postgame when there's just a little 722 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 1: bit of a hesitancy when the response is coming, because 723 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 1: now all of a sudden, I could just I can 724 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,279 Speaker 1: imagine JG all right, Okay, I can't say that. Let 725 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 1: me how do I phrase this. I'm not giving anything away, 726 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,879 Speaker 1: but yeah, that's you're seeing something different each and every week. 727 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: And maybe it's a product of who's available, what players 728 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:17,800 Speaker 1: do you have up that given week because of the 729 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 1: number of injuries. But there's just not a number of 730 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,399 Speaker 1: big names outside of Buddha Baker, Jalen Thompson. I think 731 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 1: is as sending. But outside of our little bubble here 732 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals bubble. There aren't many defensive players that people 733 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: know around the league. 734 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 3: I mean, you started Key Trell Clark and Devad Wilson, 735 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,720 Speaker 3: a pair of rookies. You were playing Starling Thomas, another 736 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 3: undrafted rookie. How how are the Cardinals getting away with this? 737 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 3: I think most people will look at that and say, wow, 738 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 3: that's a serious liability against George Pickens and Deontay Johnson. 739 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 3: And they had a few plays, they had a few catches. 740 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 3: Neither one wrecked the game, just like Pooka Nakua and 741 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 3: Cooper Cup didn't wreck the game the week before. So 742 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:02,719 Speaker 3: I'm not exactly sure I can draw it up or 743 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 3: explain it, but the Cardinals is doing a really good 744 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:08,000 Speaker 3: job defensively. Now they're using five dbs and Nickel is 745 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 3: really the base. And Garrett Williams and Buddha Baker and 746 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:12,720 Speaker 3: Jalen Thompson. You know, you got a pair of elite 747 00:36:12,800 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 3: safeties and you got Garrett Williams who's preparing like a veteran. 748 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 3: I mean, the coach is rave about how buttoned up 749 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 3: he is, so obviously that's helping. But there's no doubt 750 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,600 Speaker 3: that when it comes to football IQ and game plans 751 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 3: The Cardinals are really competitive as a staff, despite the 752 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 3: fact there were very young staff. A lot of these 753 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 3: guys are in positions for the first time. They're not 754 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 3: losing games because they're getting out schemed or out coached. 755 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: It's fun to watch these young kids if you will 756 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 1: grow and mature. Now you've got four games left, you 757 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: head into the bye week, and now you can kind 758 00:36:44,200 --> 00:36:46,439 Speaker 1: of one take a break because this team has gone 759 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,360 Speaker 1: NonStop since Labor Day. It's the latest buy allowed in 760 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,879 Speaker 1: the NFL, and there's a lot of bodies in there, 761 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: some coaches that need a mental break, a physical break. 762 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 1: The players probably need both. And then now all said, okay, 763 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:00,840 Speaker 1: you've got four more games with Kyler Murray running the offense, 764 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 1: and four more games trying to figure out defensively who 765 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 1: you can count on, who you want back, what holes 766 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 1: do we need to fill, and yeah, there are holes 767 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:12,200 Speaker 1: across all three levels of the defense. The Cardinals defense, 768 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:14,959 Speaker 1: once again second straight week, did not record a sec 769 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 1: Now they pressure the heck out of the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks, 770 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: but you're not getting all the way home. You would 771 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:23,600 Speaker 1: like to see Ani Dresser to someone that you could 772 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: point to defensively or all the opposing offense say, okay, 773 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 1: we need to make sure of where that guy is 774 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:33,320 Speaker 1: lining up A TJ. Watt Okay, they don't grow on trees, 775 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,959 Speaker 1: but someone like that, maybe a cornerback that you could 776 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,440 Speaker 1: rely on, and then put guys back in their normal 777 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,400 Speaker 1: level of staff count to where you're not pushing the 778 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:44,359 Speaker 1: envelope so much. 779 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 3: Look, this off season, there won't be as much change 780 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,759 Speaker 3: as last offseason, but there will be change. There will 781 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 3: be blood. This is a two year process at least. 782 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 3: And so all right, you made the initial wave of 783 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:03,960 Speaker 3: changes last you're trying to identify guys who fit your culture, 784 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 3: your mold. It's not a fluke that all these rookies 785 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:12,160 Speaker 3: are getting all this playing time because this talent evaluation department, 786 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 3: led by many asen for, they put a real emphasis 787 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 3: on the sort of person, the sort of player, the 788 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:21,279 Speaker 3: mindset they want. They value these meetings where they try 789 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:23,520 Speaker 3: and get a window into okay, we can see the 790 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:26,759 Speaker 3: measurables and all that, but what sort of professional will 791 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 3: this guy be? And they're looking for that certain type 792 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 3: of player. And so you got a month left, you 793 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 3: got four games left if you're a Cardinals player to 794 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:40,200 Speaker 3: prove that to this staff, no allegiances. I firmly believe 795 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 3: that that will continue. Who knows, there's some big name 796 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 3: players who might not be on this roster a year 797 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 3: from now. But yeah, it's all on the line. And 798 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 3: don't think that they're not taking names and numbers and 799 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 3: trying to figure out especially coming off that Rams game. 800 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,799 Speaker 3: Guess what the time was now, it was real time 801 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:58,759 Speaker 3: as to all right, who's going to be part of 802 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 3: this future and who Isn't. 803 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: One more thing we need to check off before we 804 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: call it a week here on Cardinals Cover two presented 805 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 1: by Hyundai Probub, partner of the Arizona Cardinals. That's right, 806 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: this is our first and only show of the week. Hey, 807 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 1: we need a break as well here within the Arizona Cardinals, 808 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: but certainly the Cardinals coming off win much easier to 809 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:21,319 Speaker 1: go into the bye week with the w Cardinals three 810 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:25,280 Speaker 1: and ten two and two though since Kyler Murray has returned. 811 00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:27,799 Speaker 1: But one thing we have not done here on this 812 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: victory Monday, our angry Bird Award? Is it several birds? 813 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: Are we just going to keep it a singular bird 814 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:36,920 Speaker 1: here in week thirteen? 815 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:39,640 Speaker 3: And I do apologize to key Troll Clark, last week's winner. 816 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 3: He's on the Big Red Rage I show. Its hysterical, 817 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 3: but I showed him the award, but I couldn't really 818 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 3: give him the award. We're going to work on that 819 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 3: in an offseason. I do have a budget request in 820 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,879 Speaker 3: for seventeen Angry Bird Awards that we can actually hang 821 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:53,239 Speaker 3: a hand out Next year. I'm going to go with 822 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 3: Kevin Strong, Will Hernandez serious consideration, Roy Lopez serious consideration. 823 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 3: But what Kevin did that fourth down stuff everything else 824 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:06,359 Speaker 3: he did to help restore the Cardinals run defense, because 825 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 3: that's really where the game plan started, coming off the 826 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:12,279 Speaker 3: Rams game where they ran Grandma got run over by 827 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,520 Speaker 3: a reindeer. The Cardinals got run over by a Ram 828 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 3: in week eleven, and so you needed to come back 829 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,680 Speaker 3: and really reinforce that you were there against naj Harris 830 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 3: and Jalen Warren and that Steelers offensive line, and the 831 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:27,640 Speaker 3: Cardinals did that, and really it started with the interior 832 00:40:27,719 --> 00:40:30,560 Speaker 3: d line in my opinion. And Kevin Strong is this 833 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:32,440 Speaker 3: week's Angry Bird Award winner, so. 834 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:35,359 Speaker 1: He doesn't get a physical award, but he did have 835 00:40:35,560 --> 00:40:37,920 Speaker 1: Rady oh Rob and he did have though the physical 836 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 1: presence of a postgame interview with you on the airs 837 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: on a Cardinals radio network. So you know that's right. 838 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:45,640 Speaker 3: He endured the postgame interview, so you know, for that 839 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 3: that goes into the mix as well as the consideration. 840 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:49,640 Speaker 3: You know, he had to endure our questions there in 841 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 3: a cramped locker room on the road. Dude very much 842 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:55,239 Speaker 3: wanted a warm shower after two lengthy delays and a 843 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 3: lot of rain and you know, the temperature drop all 844 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 3: the aboves So for that, for you know, for waiting 845 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 3: it out even longer after a four and a half 846 00:41:03,200 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 3: hour game, we do appreciate the effort, by the. 847 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:06,640 Speaker 1: Way, not to rub it in, but let's go full 848 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:09,839 Speaker 1: circle here. Did you get that warm shower before you're 849 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:10,279 Speaker 1: able to. 850 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:13,960 Speaker 3: Head back to absolutely not that. The worst part, Greed, 851 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 3: I've said this before, isn't the game itself where you 852 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:20,040 Speaker 3: know you're getting soaked on the sideline. The worst part 853 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,720 Speaker 3: is when the game ends, because now you are soaked 854 00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 3: and you got to you gotta wear it, literally, you 855 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 3: gotta wear it all the way home. So you know 856 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 3: I've talked about how the boxers are bunging, Well, the 857 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:32,840 Speaker 3: boxers were soaked all the way home and guess what 858 00:41:33,040 --> 00:41:36,000 Speaker 3: you're sitting back in fifty four D for a good 859 00:41:36,040 --> 00:41:38,680 Speaker 3: trip home. And yeah, you know, I didn't get my 860 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:40,520 Speaker 3: hot shower until I got to Costa Calvic. 861 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:43,239 Speaker 1: If you're going to play a game that goes four 862 00:41:43,239 --> 00:41:46,719 Speaker 1: hours and eighteen minutes, you damn well better win that game, 863 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 1: and the Cardinals did on Sunday twenty four to ten. 864 00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:54,439 Speaker 1: We'll let Paul get that warm shower and dry off 865 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 1: and let everyone enjoy a much deserved, well earned by week. 866 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:01,839 Speaker 1: On that note, we'll put a lid on this edition 867 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,560 Speaker 1: of Cardinals Cover two, presented by Yundai, probably partner of 868 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals. As always, special thanks to our executive 869 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:11,800 Speaker 1: producer Jill Mamahindre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher. From Paul Calvic, 870 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:13,919 Speaker 1: I'm Craig Real and we'll talk to you in one 871 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:17,080 Speaker 1: week's time. Enjoy the bye week everyone here on Cardinals 872 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 1: Cover two