WEBVTT - MVP: Schedule Release Edition, C.J. Ham Discusses Offseason Training | Episode 217 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:03.720 Lifetime, the official athletic country club of the Minnesota Vikings, 0:00:03.720 --> 0:00:06.600 has something for every member of your family. Get your 0:00:06.640 --> 0:00:10.200 family going today at Lifetime, dot Life Forward slash Kids. 0:00:17.079 --> 0:00:20.000 You know, me being a tryout guy from from way 0:00:20.000 --> 0:00:21.680 back in the day, you know, I get really excited 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:24.320 about seeing those guys who get the called after the draft. Yeah, 0:00:24.320 --> 0:00:26.960 every single year, somebody turns, somebody, somebody's said. 0:00:28.680 --> 0:00:30.880 You have a Justin Jefferson who's going to be you know, 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.640 primetime spotlighted throughout the entire league for everything. Now you've 0:00:34.640 --> 0:00:36.839 got to Jordan Edison to add to that offense. You're 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:39.240 going to know, hopefully halfway through the season kind of 0:00:39.280 --> 0:00:39.720 what you're. 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:44.040 Really doing with. We're one week closer to Vikings football 0:00:44.080 --> 0:00:46.280 being back as we welcome you to Egan, Minnesota for 0:00:46.280 --> 0:00:50.360 another edition of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast presented by Twin 0:00:50.440 --> 0:00:53.599 Cities Orthopedics. My name is Gabe Henderson Tatum Evert's here, 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:56.720 Jay Nelson is here, Eric Davison is here, and it 0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:59.280 is starting to feel like football again. Guys. Not only 0:00:59.760 --> 0:01:02.800 do rookies report this week for Rooky Mini Camp, but 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:06.920 the Vikings official schedule for the upcoming season has officially released, 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:09.480 and I cannot wait to break it down with you guys. 0:01:09.520 --> 0:01:11.080 I'm gonna just get it right into it, just starting 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:14.920 with week number one, the Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:18.679 are in town. Just the thoughts of that hosting another 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.200 home game one and then two, knowing what the rest 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:22.400 of our year is going to look like. What's the 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:23.280 feeling for you guys? 0:01:23.480 --> 0:01:24.120 It feels great. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:27.040 I mean, I love the ability to start out at home. 0:01:27.080 --> 0:01:30.760 When I talked to Kevin O'Connell after the schedule release, 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:33.040 he said that was like they're one big thing he 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:36.320 really wanted to see. He wanted to see the Vikings 0:01:36.400 --> 0:01:38.560 open up at home at us Being Stadium and. 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:39.880 Went so well last year. 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:43.880 But he was very quick to point out that it's 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:46.280 a very very short time before the next game. 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:47.800 Jay, Yeah, very short time. 0:01:47.920 --> 0:01:50.280 Yeah, no more as far as far as we understand. 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:53.320 At this point, it is no longer Tampa Bay. Mister 0:01:53.400 --> 0:01:55.880 Bray is no longer there. But it will be fun 0:01:55.920 --> 0:01:58.840 to be at home. I think everyone's always juiced, especially 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:01.680 week one. I think the fans'll just be absolutely bananas 0:02:01.680 --> 0:02:04.720 there on September tenth, you know. And the one thing 0:02:04.760 --> 0:02:07.800 that I do find interesting something we haven't touched on yet. 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:10.320 It's going to be home games leading up to that 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:13.560 as well with preseason, so being able to kind of 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:15.960 have almost like a month at home with some with 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:18.480 home schedule in home cooking is going to be kind 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:19.880 of nice there to kick off the season. 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:23.799 Another point is that the preseason games are leading right 0:02:23.840 --> 0:02:26.600 into that season opener, so it's like almost three straight 0:02:26.639 --> 0:02:29.760 weeks of home games, two of them obviously being preseason 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:31.160 before you kick off the season. 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:34.360 Yeah, that first preseason game is at Seattle. We don't 0:02:34.360 --> 0:02:36.359 know the date yet for the preseason games just yet, 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:39.560 but after Seattle, we have two straight home preseason game 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:42.880 games against the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals, and 0:02:43.440 --> 0:02:45.440 I'm looking forward to just seeing, you know what that 0:02:45.520 --> 0:02:49.680 looks like. Things have been tossed up about possible joint practices. 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:51.440 We know we had one with the forty nine ers 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:53.480 last year, so that'll be a lot of fun for 0:02:53.560 --> 0:02:55.640 Vikings fans if that is the case. That has not 0:02:55.680 --> 0:02:57.720 been confirmed yet, but it just makes me think about 0:02:57.800 --> 0:02:58.240 last year. 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:00.639 Jay, Yeah, and I think it may make sense here 0:03:00.680 --> 0:03:02.320 that you know, you would want to do that again. 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:03.920 I think there was a lot of valuable stuff you 0:03:03.960 --> 0:03:05.679 got out of it. I think you get to the 0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:07.639 point where guys get tired of, you know, hitting the 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:09.359 other guys in the locker room. It's always nice to 0:03:09.400 --> 0:03:11.000 hit somebody else in a different team, and when you're 0:03:11.000 --> 0:03:14.239 trying to prove it. So for me, with the preseason 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:17.119 schedule shaking out the way it does at Seattle Tennessee 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.280 and then Arizona and both of those at home, and 0:03:19.280 --> 0:03:21.640 then leading like we were just talking about, right into Tampa, 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:23.440 I think it's gonna be a lot of fun. You know, 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:25.960 what are your thoughts on the Tampa feeling at this point, 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:28.280 feeling like, you know, they're still trying to figure out 0:03:28.280 --> 0:03:29.520 who their identity is going to be. 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:31.600 I think it's great. I think it's a sure I'm 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:33.240 not going to say a sure rain because it's any 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:35.200 given Sunday, but the fact that Tampa is still trying 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.680 to figure out their identity outside of Baker Mayfield. I 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.480 believe Devon White or kill Baird got hurt. No, Devon 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:43.400 White got hurt last year towards the end of the year. 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:45.480 So they're still trying to figure out what their defense 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:47.560 is going to look like. So I think this is 0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:50.840 a really good opportunity for the Vikings to strike fast, 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:53.120 strike really, and then strike at home and get the 0:03:53.360 --> 0:03:56.760 Vikings fans excited for I guess a few gritties Jay 0:03:57.320 --> 0:03:59.320 Jordan Addison. When I talk to them, he said it's 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:01.440 going to be gritty all year. So I'm expecting Week 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:05.120 one Jordan Madison and the Justin Jefferson gritty. But Justin 0:04:05.200 --> 0:04:07.680 Jefferson he's going to look to get his face back 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:11.480 against the Philadelphia Eagles Week two, Thursday Night Football in 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:14.000 a game where JJ only had six receptions for forty 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:16.520 eight yards against Darius Lay last year, You guys thoughts 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:19.560 on going to Philly again week two, but this time 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:22.040 four days after you have your home opener. 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:25.680 It was one of the top matchups to watch for 0:04:25.760 --> 0:04:29.440 the NFL when they do their NFL research was Jefferson 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:32.560 versus Slay again. So they were the first ranked pass 0:04:32.600 --> 0:04:35.800 defense last season. We all watched it in action. I 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:39.440 think that they are a very complete team. Then Nucleus 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:43.039 is still there from last year's Super Bowl. The Super 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:46.320 Bowl favorites runner up run and so I do think 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:49.720 that that is going to be a massive challenge right 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:51.880 out of the game and the only way that I 0:04:52.000 --> 0:04:56.960 see maybe an obstacle against the Bucks would be like, Okay, 0:04:57.000 --> 0:04:59.560 so we're thinking about Philly, sure, you know, and I 0:04:59.600 --> 0:05:02.720 know that's what coach O'Connell will be combating that whole 0:05:02.839 --> 0:05:05.680 entire pre offseason because I wouldn't say they game plan 0:05:05.760 --> 0:05:08.120 for both teams, but with being four days apart, you 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:10.479 got to think they start looking ahead a tad bit. 0:05:10.839 --> 0:05:13.960 Not really. I think since you have all off season 0:05:14.080 --> 0:05:17.120 to prepare for those two games, you do have a 0:05:17.160 --> 0:05:19.360 game plan for week one, because like everyone's going to 0:05:19.400 --> 0:05:21.599 be excited for just to get back at home. But 0:05:21.680 --> 0:05:24.560 I think at the same time is you look at 0:05:24.600 --> 0:05:26.720 it and say, well, Philly is on the horizon, but like, 0:05:27.120 --> 0:05:28.520 we're not worried about it. We just want to win 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:30.560 at home right now. So yeah, to your point, Tatum, 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:32.760 I do think Kevin O'Connor is going to stress that. 0:05:32.839 --> 0:05:34.880 But for a player, I don't think your mind goes 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:37.159 too far ahead since it's week two. 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:40.440 For me, this is the most hand ringing game on 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:44.479 the entire schedule, purely because of the timeframe playing against 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:46.560 a team like Philly. I would love to have your 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:51.440 full normal weekly complement of practices, getting your body healthy, 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:53.640 all that kind of a thing. This one, to me 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:55.760 is the one that stood out and I just kind 0:05:55.760 --> 0:05:58.360 of want, like, really like we have to do Thursday 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:00.600 night against these guys, you know, week two. If there's 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:02.719 any other time like later in the season, you're into 0:06:02.720 --> 0:06:05.520 your normal routine that kind of stuff. But it just 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:09.159 means that for coach O'Connell and you know, the basically 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:11.080 the strength and training staff and everything just trying to 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:13.760 get their bodies right to be at Philly on a 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.080 Thursday night for week two. That that to me just 0:06:16.160 --> 0:06:17.560 kind of made me grip my teeth a little bit 0:06:17.640 --> 0:06:19.480 and go, I wish it was just a little bit different. 0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:21.280 Yeah, and Tandam brought up a good point of playing 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:23.040 the number one pass defense in the NFL with the 0:06:23.080 --> 0:06:26.920 Philadelphia Eagles. Well, JJ will play six games against top 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:29.840 ten pass defenses in twenty twenty two, and week number 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:32.279 three against the Chargers will be that second team that 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:35.520 was the top ten pass defense in the NFL. 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:39.719 And the return of Eric Kendrick and Eric Smith and 0:06:39.880 --> 0:06:41.600 Eric Smith, Yeah, you thought that's where I was going, 0:06:41.600 --> 0:06:43.760 and then I just took a left team. Yeah, I 0:06:43.800 --> 0:06:45.599 think I mean Eric is one of the I just 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:46.560 remember him. 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:49.680 One of the things he always talked about is the 0:06:49.760 --> 0:06:52.560 love of the crowd, the Minnesota Vikings cheering. 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:54.240 What a home field advantage that is like. 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:58.680 And I think it's quite fitting that he's coming back 0:06:58.720 --> 0:07:00.839 here and being on the other side of things. 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.080 I do not think he'll be met with booze. 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:06.719 I think Minnesota Vikings fans will go crazy when you know, 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:08.719 he makes a play or they see him on the field, 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:11.080 but you know they're going to root for him and 0:07:11.200 --> 0:07:13.200 every other game in the season except for Week three 0:07:13.240 --> 0:07:13.600 this year. 0:07:13.680 --> 0:07:15.760 I just remember when they pointed out to him that 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:17.840 you know, they were coming back to Minnesota. It's kind 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:19.640 of like, oh boy, you know, like, yeah, it will 0:07:19.680 --> 0:07:21.440 be a fun one. I think you will be absolutely 0:07:21.520 --> 0:07:22.720 juice to the gills on that one. 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:23.560 It will be. 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:26.840 Nice to get a team like the Chargers at home 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:28.440 versus having to play on their turf. 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:30.160 I am looking forward to. 0:07:30.200 --> 0:07:31.880 One thing I love about the schedule this year and 0:07:32.200 --> 0:07:34.440 the slate of teams is the level of quarterbacks that 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:38.320 we're going to see. And you know, going basically from 0:07:39.280 --> 0:07:42.280 Jalen Hurts to looking at Herbert, you know, coming in 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:43.720 the door, it'll be kind of fun. To have him 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:45.440 on our turf and see how he reacts to it. 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:47.720 Very interesting that we start this season off with three 0:07:47.760 --> 0:07:51.320 playoff teams from last year, Tampa Bay, Philly, the Chargers, 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:53.480 and then Tatum just talked about revenging game for Eric 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:56.280 Kendricks Well Week four, it's a revenge game for Adam Field. 0:07:56.600 --> 0:08:00.880 We go to North Carolina to play the Carolina Panthers. Guys, 0:08:01.520 --> 0:08:03.080 I feel like this game is going to be circled 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:05.680 for for Adam for sure, but a lot of Vikings 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:09.160 fans because he's like the hometown hero. So when you 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:11.679 see that game Jay early on in the year against 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:13.320 the Panthers, what's the first thing that comes to mind 0:08:13.360 --> 0:08:14.320 outside of bou Jingles. 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:17.360 I was just literally going to say, Gabe going about Jangles. 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.080 One of the things that has always happened in the 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:22.040 past that's been really kind of fun in Carolina when 0:08:22.080 --> 0:08:25.400 we've been there, is fans travel well. I'm looking forward 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:27.200 to seeing if we get another kind of a little 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:29.800 bit of a mini home field piece to it. You know, 0:08:30.160 --> 0:08:34.240 it is a destination where those fans in the stadium 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:35.880 and stuff. It's a lot of fun and I think 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:38.920 again having the feel and tie to it is going 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:40.959 to be a fun one there with you know, Week four, 0:08:41.000 --> 0:08:44.880 but hopefully I'm seeing this kind of home away, home 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:47.600 away piece to it, and I'm hoping actually our fans 0:08:47.640 --> 0:08:50.440 would would show up again in Carolina. I know normally 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:52.319 a place like that is happier to go to when 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:55.360 it gets a little colder here at least. But I 0:08:55.400 --> 0:08:57.680 am looking forward to getting to that Carolina team because again, 0:08:57.760 --> 0:09:00.760 I feel like with them having the number one draft 0:09:00.760 --> 0:09:03.560 pick and then trying to figure out who they are again, 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:05.199 there's a little bit of a theme between. 0:09:04.880 --> 0:09:05.760 Tampa and Carolina. 0:09:05.880 --> 0:09:08.000 Yeah, trying to figure out, you know, who really are they, 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:10.240 And I think a veteran like Adam on that team 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:13.560 is going to help with the development there. But I'm 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:15.600 just curious to see who the heck they actually have 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:16.439 as an identity. 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:18.920 Yeah, I mean, it's just it's very interesting, I think 0:09:19.080 --> 0:09:22.520 because because of obviously winning the division, the schedule stacks 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.480 up really tough against the Vikings as far as like 0:09:26.080 --> 0:09:31.520 playing division champions, playing the all the conference champion teams 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.520 from last year, and so you look at the Panthers 0:09:34.559 --> 0:09:36.400 and you think, Okay, maybe this is a good breather 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:38.880 game a little bit you're still on the road, You're 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:41.680 still able to kind of figure out your identity. 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:43.360 Maybe they haven't yet by week four. 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:45.760 Maybe Bryce Young isn't as comfortable as he is going 0:09:45.840 --> 0:09:48.719 to be week twelve. So I think this is a 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.360 good one, I know, to go in and to really 0:09:52.800 --> 0:09:53.440 establish self. 0:09:53.800 --> 0:09:55.599 And I just always think back. 0:09:55.559 --> 0:09:58.360 To the last time they played in Carolina with the 0:09:58.440 --> 0:10:00.760 kJ Osbourne over time I walk off. 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:03.360 I mean, it was just you know, Chef's cast. It 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:03.880 was amazing. 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:04.440 And that's the thing. 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:06.880 Carolina, It's never been an easy place when they've been there. 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:09.000 It's always been kind of these fun, crazy games, and 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:11.520 I look forward to it. I think it's great. I 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:13.920 think it's a fun atmosphere there. I've always liked going 0:10:13.920 --> 0:10:16.760 there whenever we would play, and that is a fun 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:17.719 one I think for Week four. 0:10:17.800 --> 0:10:19.360 Yeah, that game should have been a blowout. A couple 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.360 of years ago. We were up by like two touchdowns 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:22.319 going to the fourth quarter. 0:10:22.360 --> 0:10:24.560 But the theme of that season though, how many times 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:26.320 could you have said this game should have been a blowout. 0:10:26.760 --> 0:10:29.920 That's the last last two seasons. But just look at 0:10:30.040 --> 0:10:32.800 you know, October first, Like this is my favorite time 0:10:32.840 --> 0:10:34.960 of the year because Kirktober will be in full effect 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:38.000 and we're going to need that come Week number five 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:41.120 against the Super Bowl defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:43.240 They're coming to the us Being Stadium this year. 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:45.640 For the first time, for the first time, and I 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:47.680 love that you, says Kirk Chober. And we have five 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:51.200 games in Kirktober this year. Wait, yeah, no, it's going 0:10:51.280 --> 0:10:53.520 to be And I think what the last time the 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:56.040 Vikings played the Chiefs, it was Chase Daniel and it 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:57.480 was a not great outcome. 0:10:57.960 --> 0:11:00.640 So this time you get to play the raining NFL MVP. 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.280 And if you don't think that that atmosphere is going 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:06.960 to be absolutely electric welcoming Chiefs in, I don't know. 0:11:07.200 --> 0:11:09.240 That might be the best home game of the season 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:11.199 as far as like crowd noise. 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:14.560 And for proximity to Kansas City is relatively close. You know, 0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:16.280 we always end up trappling a lot of people in 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:18.880 Kansas City. I expect the same thing to happen people 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:20.559 coming up here, and like you said, with them, with 0:11:20.679 --> 0:11:22.560 this being the first time in the stadium, there's gonna 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:23.440 be a lot of people that are going to want 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:25.520 to try and see that for sure. I think as 0:11:25.520 --> 0:11:27.320 far as the Vikings are concerned, they'd like to see 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:30.120 every single seat filled with purple instead of red. But 0:11:30.320 --> 0:11:33.000 having a guy like Mahomes come into the house and 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:37.080 kind of knowing that you're back to basically within three 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:40.400 weeks you have Herbert and Mahomes coming in at quarterback, 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:42.360 there's gonna be a lot of fun there. The other 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:45.560 thing too, that's a little sneaky in there. Jerck McKinnon 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:48.720 re signed with Kansas City, and Jet was always one 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:51.440 of my favorite guys here with the Vikings. It will 0:11:51.440 --> 0:11:53.200 be fun to see him come back and just see, 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:55.520 you know, guys like Harrison Smith and everybody give them 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:57.439 a little bit of adapt It'll be fun to have. 0:11:57.480 --> 0:11:58.439 Kansas City come in here. 0:11:58.440 --> 0:12:00.880 They are literally one of the very top teams every 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:04.120 single season now that they've got their Ragning MVP. And 0:12:04.480 --> 0:12:06.319 Kansas City's one that circled on my calendar. 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:08.480 Yeah, well, I guess another one that circled on a 0:12:08.520 --> 0:12:11.160 lot of people's calendar. It's the Chicago Bears and week 0:12:11.280 --> 0:12:13.440 number six one. I guess. The only reason why is 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:15.600 because we're not going there in December or January like 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:18.200 we did last year. So to go to Chicago Week 0:12:18.280 --> 0:12:21.040 number six, Tatum, how excited are you to get that 0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:22.600 first divisional game out the way? 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:25.920 Well, I feel like after the past couple of seasons, 0:12:25.920 --> 0:12:28.520 like Week six is kind of later for sure for 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:29.880 the Vikings normally. 0:12:29.559 --> 0:12:32.360 So to kind of be able to have some tape 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:34.400 on who the Bears are going to be, what they're 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:35.000 going to look like. 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:38.280 I mean, they what cleared house after this year, brought 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.600 in a bunch of free agents, have all the draft picks, 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:42.839 and so this gives you whether this is a good 0:12:42.880 --> 0:12:44.760 or bad thing, but it gives you enough time to 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:48.040 see what they are on tape before they come before 0:12:48.080 --> 0:12:50.080 we go there. And I do like saying before we 0:12:50.160 --> 0:12:52.560 go there and not having to be in Chicago in 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:55.200 the middle of December with no dome. The fact that 0:12:55.240 --> 0:12:58.400 we are ending the year with dome games is like, again, 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:01.120 I how did you get this lucky? 0:13:01.600 --> 0:13:05.240 Well, I feel like when when Roberzinski talks to the 0:13:05.240 --> 0:13:07.680 schedule makers and say, hey, you guys didn't give us 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:10.199 any of our requests last year, that's a good starting 0:13:10.200 --> 0:13:13.160 point for negotiations this year. So the fact that we 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:15.960 don't go to Green Bay or Chicago in the minute 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:17.800 at the end of the year like last year, beautiful. 0:13:18.360 --> 0:13:20.840 We're all happy and we we thank Roberzinski for that. 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:23.760 I know Tatum said the Week five game is probably 0:13:23.800 --> 0:13:26.040 going to be the livest game of the of the 0:13:26.120 --> 0:13:28.360 year this year at home. But I feel like Week 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:31.600 seven may have a word. San Francisco forty nine Ers 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:36.840 Monday Night football at US Bank Stadium, Jay right, right, 0:13:37.080 --> 0:13:40.200 I mean, yeah, it's gonna be a lot of a 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:45.920 lot of beer drinking that Tuesday, especially if we win. 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:48.160 Jaed that that forty nine Ers game. I can only 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:49.200 imagine how that's gonna be. 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:51.959 Think about last year for those joint practices, how Chippy's 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.160 things got yeah, and then just knowing there was even 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:56.800 just a little bit of a war of words after 0:13:56.800 --> 0:14:00.200 the fact with coaches and everybody too. I think there's 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:02.240 gonna be something extra on that one. You know, the 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:05.680 idea of having a McCaffrey and I you can just 0:14:05.760 --> 0:14:08.800 that vaunted offense coming in. I'm more curious to see 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:12.800 what happens with them at the quarterback position, because knowing that, 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:15.080 you know, Party ran the way he did last year, 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:17.280 but he's coming off timing John and the bunch of 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:19.320 people are saying that he's not going to be ready, 0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:22.560 and he's kind of saying, now, I'll be fine. We'll 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:25.160 find out for sure by week seven if a black 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:27.600 party is in there, if you know something else is 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:29.880 going on within for San Francisco. I just for me, 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.960 Monday night football is always something extra. Bring in San 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.640 Francisco to our house in October. It's gonna be a 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:37.000 lot of fun. 0:14:37.120 --> 0:14:39.680 My gosh, yeah, oh no, yeah, I'm really ready for 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:42.800 this one. I really am. Although when I said when 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:44.320 I when I saw it and I was like. 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:46.840 Oh man, they're coming here, I was like, dang, that's see, 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:49.840 that's a fun road trip, right, Like granted, granted the 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:51.920 app you know, it is an enmy territory. We don't 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:53.560 have the greatest luck out there. I was like, gosh, 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:55.440 that would be really cool to just go out to 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:59.120 the West Coast for a swing, having never been before, 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:02.040 but welcoming in, like you said, the brock Perny, whatever 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:04.560 is going on over there, maybe Trey Lances in the mix. 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:07.160 All that I think is I think it's one of 0:15:07.160 --> 0:15:09.320 the more obviously one of the more tough games this season, 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:12.120 like you're going to be you have the Eagles up there, 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:14.000 the Chiefs up there, the forty nine ers up there, 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:17.160 like as great as all of these exciting teams coming 0:15:17.200 --> 0:15:21.440 in are at the same time, I'm thinking like there 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:24.360 could be a lot of like else in the beginning, 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:26.200 not in a bad way, I just mean in a 0:15:26.240 --> 0:15:28.800 way where like, Okay, so maybe you kind of have 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:30.840 the momentum towards the end of the season and you 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:32.160 take it in through the playoffs. 0:15:32.240 --> 0:15:33.760 I mean for me, it's it's you're going to be 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:37.880 battle tested given that you're playing a you know, number 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:40.440 one slot from last year because of your record, and 0:15:40.480 --> 0:15:43.040 you're going to be playing all these tough teams. We're 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:45.760 going to know what this team is really about. You know, 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:48.320 there really are no there aren't a ton of cupcakes 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:51.440 on the schedule, and you're going to get everybody's best shot. 0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:54.040 Knowing that you have a justin Jefferson who is going 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:57.000 to be you know, primetime spotlighted throughout the entire league 0:15:57.040 --> 0:15:59.960 for everything, everyone's going to give them best shot. Now 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:02.000 you got to Jordan Edison to add to that offense, 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:05.200 and just to see what this evolution of this team's 0:16:05.240 --> 0:16:06.160 going to be. 0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:09.840 Being able to play again. Kansas City, the Chargers. 0:16:09.440 --> 0:16:11.280 San Francisco, and a couple more teams that we haven't 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:14.080 talked about yet, Philly. All of those are going to 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:15.800 give you the best run that they can and you're 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:18.280 going to know, hopefully halfway through the season, kind of 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:19.240 what you're really dealing with. 0:16:19.400 --> 0:16:21.560 And for what it's worth, I think that people are 0:16:21.600 --> 0:16:23.640 looking at the Vikings on their schedule and saying the 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:25.840 same thing, like this is a tough out. If this 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:29.040 defense gets, you know, fifty percent better from last year, 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:31.040 this team is going to be a super tough team 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:33.600 to stop, especially when you think of all the offensive 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:35.440 weapons like you just mentioned. 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:35.680 That we're at it. 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:38.720 So granted, I'm saying this ahead of time, like, oh, 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:40.520 these really tough teas, but people are saying that about 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:41.240 the Vikings now too. 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:43.400 Oh for sure. I mean, especially if you saw how 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:46.160 the Vikings entered their season last year, you would assume 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:48.240 that this Vikings team will get better with Brian Flores 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:51.640 as a defensive coordinator. And I'm sure this Brian Flores 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:55.040 defense will have an identity, especially going into week number 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.560 eight when they face Jordan Love and the Packers at 0:16:57.640 --> 0:17:00.760 lambeau Field. Identity. We will know what his Vikings team 0:17:00.800 --> 0:17:02.200