1 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Chris Harry with you on a brand new 2 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: episode of Chargers Weekly. A bit later, longtime NFL writer 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,240 Speaker 1: and analyst Doug Ferrar joins me to discuss his new book, 4 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: The Genius of Desperation. Doug also gives us a pretty 5 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: detailed scouting report on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But first 6 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 1: with preseason in the rearview, Matt money Smith and I 7 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: look ahead to the Chargers twenty eighteen regular season. All 8 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: right here with the voice of the Chargers, Matt money Smith. 9 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: As we turn the page on preseason, get ready to 10 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: Chiefs week. Money, You're ready for a fifth preseason game. 11 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: You want to just get the week one Week one, 12 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, especially the preseason Week four such so different. 13 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: I mean, it's I remember doing it with Nick last 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: year and getting on the bus leaving the game and 15 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: him saying, oh, that was a good radio show. I mean, 16 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: and that's what it becomes because there's so much By 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 1: the time the you know, third and fourth quarter come around, 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: it's just a lot of players that to some degree 19 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: the Chargers are helping out to showcase. They know they're 20 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: not going to bring him back for other teams, you know, 21 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: and the hope that these guys that have been with 22 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: you for four or five weeks can can find a 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: job in the NFL. And it's interesting for us, but 24 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: you try to make it as compelling for the radio listener, 25 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: which isn't always easy. So a lot of times you 26 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: end up talking about, like you said that that first 27 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: week against the Chiefs. You know, come September ninth, Well, 28 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: this last month, what did you learn about this team 29 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: that maybe you didn't know? Because I think a lot 30 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: has happened over the last month. We've seen guys like 31 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: Mike Williams emerged. What stood out to you the Jack 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: himmet sports complex and in the games. I think that 33 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: those three rookies are gonna play, and they're gonna play 34 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: a lot. And it's yes, Kaiser White, Chenna Noosu and 35 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: Derwin James, and they are going to have an impact. 36 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: I don't know how much they're gonna play, but it's 37 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: clear watching Nuosu rushed the passer. Watch Kaiser White. Guys 38 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: in that linebacker spot move too. He can, He's fast. 39 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: I mean that Arizona game, he was the best player 40 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: on the field defensively. And you know, Vet or you 41 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: know when you think about what he was able to 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: do in special teams. I mean, he was great. And 43 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: obviously we know Darwin James getting that pick of breeze 44 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: in the game and during practice, and the impact he's 45 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: going to have. I think of all the things, you know, 46 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: even Mike Williams included just because you kind of knew, 47 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: you know, if you think back to his time at 48 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: Clemson that might can do that. I think it wasn't 49 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: clear whether or not these three guys could have an 50 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: impact this year, and I think they can. When you 51 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: consider the defensive line potential issues the first four week 52 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: without Corey Legit stopping the run, I think those linebackers 53 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: Derwin especially two coming up in the box, he's gonna 54 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: be able to help stop the run. And you're gonna 55 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: need to do that against Kareem Hunting Company. Yeah, no doubt. 56 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: And without lead It, it would have been nice to 57 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: see Justin Jones out there. And I don't quite know 58 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: what his status is because when he was in there 59 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: he was great. I mean again, just kind of speak 60 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: to the four different season exactly, so be great to 61 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 1: find out whether or not he's going to be good 62 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: to go or if there's maybe another player out there 63 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: that they end up bringing in to fill that void, 64 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: because certainly with what they were working with in Leech, 65 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: it's absence. I think there there there. It is definitely 66 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: probably a spot of need right now, especially because Filon 67 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: was dealing with you know, some knicks as well. So 68 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: it's clear that that's probably that soft spot that they're 69 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: they're gonna have to, like you said, either deal with 70 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: it by having linebackers step up and safety step up 71 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: to play, or maybe find somebody else to fill that void. 72 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: For four games. Offensively, I think we just hadn't seen 73 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: Mike Williams play in a while. That's why I think 74 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: everyone was their heads were turning a little bit because 75 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: he looked like that all American from Clemson. Yeah, and 76 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: you know it's haven't been here last year. And when 77 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: he played for that small window, even though he didn't 78 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: really dominate, I should say, I mean, he had a 79 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: nice first down grab in a couple of games, impactful 80 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: games that they ended up winning to keep their season alive. 81 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: Big third down grab. I want to say it was 82 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: against the Raiders if I remember right, So he had moments, 83 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: so I had already kind of seen him, you know, well, 84 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: I mean, look, if if I'm pulling up to a 85 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: stadium and I want to intimidate, you know, the team, 86 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: there's four guys that I'm having walk off that bus first, 87 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: Melvin Ingram, Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and Mike Williams because 88 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: they're just such physical freaks for their position. And Mike 89 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: is that when you see him in pads, you know, 90 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: and Keenan's a big guy, I mean by no stretches. 91 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: He a small player. So is Tyrell exactly. I mean, 92 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: Tyrell's a legit six four. When they're walking next to 93 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: Mike Williams, he still stands out. I mean that's just 94 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: how big, how long, how tall, how thick he is. 95 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: So now that he's healthy, I guess I'm just not 96 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: surprised he's still got to do it, you know, against 97 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: NFL starting caliber cornerbacks and against Kansas City. Will be 98 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: awfully nice that it's not Marcus Peters, you know, who's 99 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: been a bit of a nemesis for Philip throughout his career. 100 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 1: So you know, let's see it in a game. And 101 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: I think coach is preaching that as well. You know, 102 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: been been trying to temper everyone's excitement about Mike Williams 103 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: until we actually see it in a regular season game. Yeah, 104 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: we saw it with Philip and Mike in training camp, 105 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: but that that touchdown he had was with Gino right too. 106 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: You know so, I think it's going to take some 107 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: time to continue to build that rapport and money. The 108 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: offense is going to look a little bit different. I mean, 109 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: this was the number one passing attack in football last year, 110 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: but you had Hunter Henry in there. You gotta find 111 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: ways to replace his production. I think Mike Williams certainly 112 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: is going That comes into play. Yeah, yeah, that comes 113 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: into play. And then I tell you a guy like 114 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: Auston Eckler. I think he is markedly improved just from 115 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: last year. I think he looks more explosive. And we 116 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: saw it that first drive. He touched the ball seven 117 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: of the first eight times. Yeah, fifty I think it 118 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: was fifty four or fifty nine total yards in a 119 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: draw drive that resulted in an unfortunately a turnover on 120 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: downs at the goal line on that fourth and five. 121 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: But yeah, he's explosive through the hole. He's great in 122 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: open space. He catches the ball effectively, and ultimately, you 123 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: know what, what dogged Melvin Gordon last year, what do 124 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: we keep saying, Well, the final four weeks were his 125 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: best week because he was healthy, you know. And I 126 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: think he just maybe has the type of body and 127 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: is the type of player that you need those fifteen 128 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: twenty touches to go somewhere else. And I think that's 129 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: going to be Eckler and with what we're seeing, you know, 130 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: with this third back and Newsome, if he's able to 131 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 1: do that, I mean he is a load. Yeah. I 132 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: mean when you talk about, you know, however many touches 133 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: you want to give to Melvin per game in that 134 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: you know, twenty to twenty five range, you now get 135 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: that ten to thirteen maybe for Eckler, and now you 136 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,919 Speaker 1: bring in six to nine for Newsom, and that's three 137 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: tough to deal with running backs. And I think that 138 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: speaks to what you're saying about the passing attack, the 139 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: number one passing it. I don't think they want the 140 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: number one passing attack in the NFL. You know, they 141 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: want to make sure that running at that rush at 142 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: thatack isn't thirty first you know that that can get 143 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: into that fifteen range. And you know also the big 144 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: part of that is those three players on the interior, 145 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: the line, the fact you signed Mike Pouncy and you've 146 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: seen him in the preseason getting out in space and 147 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: crushing guys, which Spencer Pully just couldn't do, not in 148 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: his wheelhouse or in his toolbox. And then you bring 149 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: Forest lampback, who we're going to see tonight against the 150 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: forty nine Ers. That's a big difference from what they 151 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: had last year on the interior there. Yeah, you saw that. 152 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: I want to say maybe it was the second preseason 153 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: game where Melvin had like that fourteen yard rush up 154 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: to middle. Mike Paluncey just getting out there and getting 155 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: to that second level very quickly. It's something that we 156 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: weren't accustomed to seeing last year. To your point, and 157 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: I think overall that offensive line with Dan Feeney another 158 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: year under his belt, he had nine starts last year, 159 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: you get Forest Lamp in the mix, and then having 160 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: that positional versatility with a kind of like Scofield. You know, 161 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: this was a guy that around this time last year 162 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: he wasn't on the Chargers roster. Yeah, you pick him 163 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: up late. I think they have a lot of pieces 164 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: on that line to make that rushing attack much better. 165 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: Than twenty eighteen. And also remember you know the two 166 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: tight ends last year, Yeah, you lose Hunter Henry and 167 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: Hunter was a capable blocker. Virgil Green's an exceptional block 168 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: He's higdentional. So now you know you're adding Virgil to 169 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: the end of that line. You know, you know, I 170 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: think more often than not, maybe on the Joe Barksdale side, 171 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: when you're running the ball and you've got the best 172 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: blocking tight end that you've had, you know, compared to 173 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: last year, clearly, so that's only going to help the 174 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: run game as well. But you know, you're right. Look, 175 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: it's not all you know, confetti and unicorns. I mean, 176 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: Lucy and Hunter Henry is huge, and I think a 177 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: lot of that is going to come on Virgil Green 178 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: to fill those Antonio gate routes, at gates routes, those 179 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: you know, five yard curls, squat use your body to 180 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: shield your defender, or those ten yard you know, red 181 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: zone runs, and whether or not Philip trusts him to 182 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: do it, you know, we'll see. We only saw just 183 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: a sliver of it in the preseason. Yeah, Philip mentioned that, 184 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: I think there was a specific practice where he said 185 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: he threw a pick him and Keena we're not on 186 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: the right page. But he said, I can live with 187 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: that because I know Keenan, I know how that works. 188 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: He said, I completed a ball to Virgil des routine 189 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: was a ten ten yard reception he's and that was 190 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: a breakthrough because I hadn't had Virgil, you know. So 191 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: we'll see what happens. But I was endeavor a couple 192 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: of years ago when when Virgil was slated to be there, 193 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: their go to tight end, he got hurt and he 194 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: was having a really good preseason and that's what he 195 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: was doing it in Nevada two money. I mean, he 196 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: can catch the ball. I think it'll be interesting to 197 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: see how he's used in the red zone. Yeah, and 198 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: I think a lot of that will probably determine whether 199 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: or not there's another move made, you know, And not 200 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: to put an expiration date on this podcast, but you know, 201 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't think any of us would be 202 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: surprised if that call is made and Antonio Gates walks 203 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: through that door. But I think a lot of that's 204 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: going to come down to the conversation with Philip and 205 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: can Virgil fill those routes that you had with Gates? 206 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: And if he can, then we're good because he can 207 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: block and you can play maybe Mike and that hunter 208 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 1: Henry sort of spot and have him run the seam. 209 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: He certainly got a big enough body to ward off 210 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: those linebackers and operate in that portion of the field. 211 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: So I guess what I'm saying is, I won't be 212 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: surprised either way if if Gates comes back, won't be 213 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: surprised at all. If he doesn't, It just means that 214 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: Philip's comfortable with Virgil. How do you see this helmet rule? 215 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: I think from week two to week three we saw 216 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: the penalties go down a lot, but just this rule 217 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: in general, now that it's out there, how much do 218 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: you think that benefits an offense, especially when we got 219 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: Keenan running crossing routes and all the stuff that Philip 220 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: can do. He's so savvy. I wonder if we're going 221 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:16,959 Speaker 1: to see a spike in points this year in the 222 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: NFL and if the charges can be beneficiaries. Yeah, I 223 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: think it works. I think it works both ways. You know, 224 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: because Melvin is a runner who if you watch him, 225 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: he drops that head almost true every teches because he 226 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: is big and physical. So that's the thing. I mean, 227 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: if they're gonna call it both ways, I think, you know, 228 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: Melvin's probably gonna have to change the way he runs. 229 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: Because when you're bigger than everybody else, you know, when 230 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: you're not that smaller back. I mean Melvin's I'd say 231 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: probably in terms of, you know, physical stature, he's probably 232 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: top five for running back to the NFL. He is 233 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: bigger than most guys, he's thicker than most guys, and 234 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: he uses it. So I think that's the one concern 235 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: i'd have. Yeah, it's kind of benefit guys like Keenan 236 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: running those crossers, but if they're throwing it both ways, 237 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 1: you know, Melvin's probably gonna drastically have to change the 238 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 1: way he finishes his run. And he's not necessarily that 239 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: breakaway speed guy. He's someone who's going to lower it 240 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: and push you back a couple two three yards to 241 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 1: get that extra that extra yardage. First two weeks, we 242 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: probably see the two strongest arm quarterbacks in the league 243 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: if Josh Allen goes, and I mean based on what 244 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: we saw against the Cincinnati Bengals, I don't know if 245 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: they're ready to trot them out though, I don't know 246 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: if they're gonna put a Peterman back out there against 247 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: its poison, right, but with Pat Mahomes week one. I 248 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: remember last year what Andy Reid did in New England, 249 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: how he schemed up Bill Belichick's defense and Belichick didn't 250 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: even know it was coming. I think the only difference 251 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: here is you got a guy in his second career 252 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: start versus Alex Smith. But one of the things that 253 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: intrigues me is that free safety position for the Chargers. 254 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: Are they going to trust our went out there as 255 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 1: a rookie in Week one? Jaliel's had experience doing it. 256 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: How do you see that's shaken out? As we approached 257 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: Chiefs Week and really not knowing what Andy Reid's gonna do. 258 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: I think you know it'll will be a Gus Bradley 259 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: versus Andy Reid, you know, chess match, And you know, 260 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna see from a fluid at the 261 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: game exactly. I think you'll see from during what we've 262 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: seen all preseason, and that's he'll be in the box, 263 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 1: he'll be high and a dial be hid, ray shunt 264 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: will be high. You know, it seemed like and I 265 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: know it's if there's no way that it's an accurate statement, 266 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: and I'm embellishing a little bit, but it just seemed 267 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:23,719 Speaker 1: like they were in dime. I mean, they had six 268 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: defensive backs out there. It felt like more than anything else. 269 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: So with the depth in that position group, I think 270 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 1: that's how he works it, you know. I think he's 271 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,599 Speaker 1: in Gus. We've seen he's comfortable Russian just for and 272 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: you can be when you've got Ingram and Boss out there, 273 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: you know, So I think that's probably what you'll see. 274 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: And you're gonna try to the skies and trick a quarterback. 275 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: You know, it shouldn't say trick, but confuse a quarterback 276 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: who's in his second career start. And I think when 277 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: you talk about Mahomes, you know, attributes, positive attributes. What 278 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: is it? It's arm strength, it's escapability, and if you 279 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: can keep contained because you've got those two edge rushers, 280 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 1: I think that I would say advantage chargers there. But again, 281 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: it's really hard to discount the impact Andy Reid can have. 282 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: I mean, he's done it every year with a variety 283 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: of quarterbacks. He's just quite simply one of the brightest 284 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 1: offensive minds the league has ever known. And it won't 285 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: surprise me if he's got an adjustment to every single 286 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 1: thing that you're going to throw at him through that game, 287 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: plus the improvisation skills of a pad Mahomes, like you said, 288 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:29,839 Speaker 1: making something out of nothing. I think that's what you 289 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: fear when you've got a guy like Tyreek Hill streaking 290 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: down the sidelines or Travis Kelsey, Sammy Watkins. So that'll 291 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: be interesting. But to your point money, you mentioned this 292 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: at the top, these three rookies that are going to 293 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: play a lot, a lot of positionless guys. You know, 294 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: we got a guy Kaiser wife who played safety at 295 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: West Virginia. You tended to Wols is going to be 296 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: counted on to rush the pass or play that auto position. 297 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: And then Derwin. I mean, he's had a lot of 298 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: praise thrown his way over the last couple of weeks. 299 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: I think for good reason, because he's a guy probably 300 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: the closest thing to it, like a Sean Taylor type 301 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: that we've seen in this league. It's uh yeah, I mean, 302 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: you hate to do that before he even plays the game, 303 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: you know, and I know, and I know you don't. 304 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: I know what you're saying, though. It's the old queen 305 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: on the chessboard. You know that can play from the line, 306 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: rushing the past or two deeper than your deepest and 307 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,959 Speaker 1: figure out that angle and how to bate Mahomes into 308 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: thinking he's got Tyree Hill and there's Derwin to snatch 309 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: it away. Yes, I have complete, you know faith that 310 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: as he settles into his NFL career, he's gonna be 311 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 1: in that conversation, as you know, one of the best 312 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: safeties in the league. If what we you know, project 313 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: comes to fruition, and it doesn't always happen, but he 314 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: certainly got the tools. He's got the football mind, he's 315 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: got the leadership skills. You know, it's all there and 316 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: we just got to see it in practice. You know, 317 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie. The Chiefs do make you know, 318 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: I think Charger fans a little nervous because they've just 319 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: done it for four years in a row. You know, 320 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: they've swept him four years in a row. And Kareem 321 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: Hunt's still there and he wrecked him and like you said, 322 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: Court Lead, it's out for that first game against the Chiefs. 323 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: That's an offensive line that is static, that comes back intact. 324 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: Is it a great old line, but it's a pretty 325 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: darn good when you're a cohesive, you know, five fingers 326 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: on a glove and that's what they are, and it's 327 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: hard to undervalue that. So it's going to be a 328 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: challenge even with you know, a guy making just his 329 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: second career start at quarterback. Finally, money, how much do 330 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: you think this week one game? But they all count 331 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: the same, all sixteen count the same, But this one 332 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: has a little bit of extra juice because you haven't 333 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: beaten them in eight straight times an AFC West opponent. 334 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: The way you closed the year at StubHub, you won 335 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: five straight one nine to twelve. And let's be honest, 336 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: that oh and four start. You still think about that? Yeah, four, 337 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: your first five in LA. How important is September ninth 338 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: of the utmost importance? I could not agree with you more. 339 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: I know you're you're kind of couching it where I 340 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: have to answer it, and I'm not just agreeing with you, 341 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: but yeah, I mean I think they not only look, 342 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 1: a win's a win, right, You'll take it anyway you 343 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: can get it. But if if the you know what 344 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: some of the program costicators, the you know, the talking 345 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: heads are saying that this is a team that could 346 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: have that should have Super Bowl aspirations based on its 347 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: talent on paper, you'd like to see him go out 348 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: there and make life miserable for Pat Mahomes. And you'd 349 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: like to see them go out there and attack a 350 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: defense that lost Marcus Peters, that's aging on their defensive 351 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: front and looks like there are some cracks there. You know, 352 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: at what's in what once was in the conversation is 353 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: the best defense in the division. I mean, they were 354 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: up there, you know, whether you like it or not, 355 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: when they were fully healthy and Tomba Allie and Justin 356 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: Houston were doing what they were doing, and Eric Barry 357 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: was healthy in the backfield, and Marcus Peters, Derek Johnson, 358 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, and so many, so much of 359 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: that has gone. Peter's gone, Johnson gone, you know, Barry's 360 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: still kind of trying to come back. You gotta take 361 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: advantage of that, and you know, it doesn't get easier, 362 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: you know, granted, you get the Bills who are appeared 363 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: to be in a rebuilt, but you gotta fly all 364 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: the way to these coasts, you gotta. You know, that's 365 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: not easy. We know that because we did it all 366 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 1: last year. And then you get the Rams in week three. 367 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it's a tough start to the season, so 368 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: you would like to set that tone obviously with a win, 369 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: but I think with a a win that is a reminder. Hey, 370 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: we know you had our number for the last four years, 371 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: but there's the tide is changing, The tide is shifted 372 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 1: in the AFC Weston, We're here to go grab it, 373 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: you know. And I say that too, knowing that, like, hey, 374 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:14,479 Speaker 1: if they started oh one one, guess what you got 375 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:18,400 Speaker 1: fifteen more? You have a great opportunity to still win 376 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: this division and get in the playoffs. But it just 377 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: seems like this one's got a extra juice and for 378 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: good reason. Yeah, I'm with you. It's a like you said, 379 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,400 Speaker 1: division game, and the slow starts have plagued this team 380 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: for years now, and you would like to see them, 381 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: Like you said, Bill, even though you know the next game, 382 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: the last game for twenty seventeen does not carry over 383 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: to twenty eighteen, but you'd have to say, if they 384 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: lost a game at home to the Chiefs their ninth 385 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: in a row, you could understand that it might have 386 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: a lasting effect on this squad. You dj having fun. Yeah, 387 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: it's been great. Yeah, it's been wonderful. He's I just 388 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: try to stay out of his way. He's got so 389 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,360 Speaker 1: much information in that brain of his that I'm trying 390 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 1: to make my calls short so the listeners can can 391 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: get a good Hell the Dosa DJ because he's the star, 392 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: he really is. It's been a pleasure to listen to Money. 393 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: We can't wait for week one Man anytime. Chris the 394 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: Charger's new home, LA Stadium at Hollywood Park is taking shape, 395 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: and fans, this is your chance to get in on 396 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: the action that starts in twenty twenty. The stadium experience, indoor, 397 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: outdoor design, and world class amenities are all groundbreaking, along 398 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: with the sea through roof and seventy thousand square foot 399 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 1: dual sided video board. The new LA Stadium speaks to 400 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,520 Speaker 1: what it means to be in Angelino and your Los 401 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: Angeles Chargers want you to be part of it all. 402 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: Visit Fight for LA dot Com. That's Fight for LA 403 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: dot Com today for more information. All right, welcome back 404 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: to Chargers Weekly. Joining me on the line now longtime 405 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 1: NFL writer and analyst Doug Ferrar. He's the author of 406 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: a new book entitled The Genius of Desperation. It's set 407 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: to be released on September twenty fifth. Doug really excited 408 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: to have you on. Thanks for joining me, sir, Oh 409 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: my pleasure. Thank you for having me. Doug. Let's start 410 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: with the book, because if you're a football junkie, this 411 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: is a must have. I mean, I started this on 412 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: the playing Thursday night after the Chargers preseason finale. Tell 413 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: us about this project and how it came to be. 414 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 1: Well there, I mean, it's what it is. It's a chronological, 415 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 1: sciatic history of professional football. And the sort of story 416 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: arc that goes over the whole thing is the idea 417 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: that no innovation in pro football history it came about 418 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: through anything other than desperation, ie a coach or a 419 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: player or an in overall team found itself outnumbered and 420 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: outman through dint of you know, expansion or player attrition 421 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: or whatever. And throughout the history of the NFL, those 422 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 1: innovations have come about because teams needed to think outside 423 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: the box and sort of above the fray. And there 424 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: are all kinds of examples. I mean, you look back 425 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: at the Wildcat in two thousand and eight, where the 426 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: Miami Dolphins were coming back on a plane. Here's a 427 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: plane story for you. Since you just got off one 428 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: a few hours ago. They were coming back from Arizona. 429 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 1: The Cardinals had just beaten them badly, and they were 430 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: oh and two, coming up a one and fifteen season, 431 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: and David Lee, who was their quarterbacks coach, had run 432 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: the wildcat at Arkansas the year before with Felix Jones 433 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: and Darren McFadden and Tony Sperrano, who of course recently 434 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: passed away, was the head coach. And he went up 435 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: to David Lee on the plane and said, tell me 436 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: more about this wildcat package. And Dan Henning, who was 437 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: also on Miami's staff, had run it a little bit 438 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: with Carolina the year before. So in one week and 439 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:41,119 Speaker 1: in weeks who they were playing the Patriots, who were 440 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: coming off their nearly undefeated season, still an eleven and 441 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: five without Tom Brady, so they were pretty good. Yeah, 442 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: And in one in one week they put together the 443 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: Steeler power and counterplays that completely confused the most disciplined 444 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: defense in the NFL. And the wildcat worked for a while. 445 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: It was eventually figured out, but you know, and probably 446 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 1: the most famous example is Greg Cook, the quarterbacks for 447 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: the Bengals, taken in the nineteen sixty nine AFL Draft 448 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,959 Speaker 1: had a shoulder injury early on, could have been one 449 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and the Bengals 450 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator had to come up with a short passing 451 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:23,120 Speaker 1: game for his backup, Virgil Carter. The offensive coordinator's name, 452 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: of course, was Bill Walsh, and Bill Walsh because he 453 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: didn't have the quarterback he wanted, didn't go with the 454 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: sid Gilman, you know, three digit vertical downfield stuff. He 455 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: came up with the West Coast offense out of desperation. 456 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: So the whole, the overarching concept of the book is, 457 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: you know what the title of the Genius of Desperation is. 458 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: Here are the innovations, and here are the stories behind 459 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: them and the character studies of the people that implemented 460 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: them and made them work. It's an incredible read and 461 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: so much information goes into that book and that intro 462 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,239 Speaker 1: that details the Wildcat. I think as a football fan, 463 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: I think everybody knew or can remember where they were 464 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: when when Ronnie Brown was running the Wildcat and it 465 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: had like four touchdowns against the Patriots. It was just 466 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 1: an unbelievable site. But Doug, how long did this project take? 467 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: Because I have to imagine I mean, you're going through 468 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: the entire history of pro football from inception. The publication 469 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,920 Speaker 1: took about three years. It took actually come from the 470 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: idea about five years ago, and I thought, well, at first, 471 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: I'm thinking, well, maybe someone else should write this. I'm 472 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: not sure if I'm up to it. So it's a 473 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: huge concept. And there are of course other great scheme books, 474 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: you know, The Games That Changed the Game by Greg 475 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: ko sellony Man Jaworski, Take Your Eye Off the Ball 476 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: by Pat Kerwin, Chris Brown, smart football books. But I didn't. 477 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: I hadn't seen a chronological history that sort of tied 478 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: everything together, and eventually I just I thought, okay, to 479 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: heck with it, I'm gonna start writing, and I filled 480 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: in the parts I knew best first and did a 481 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: lot of research, about over one hundred books in the 482 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 1: research process, and so it really the writing of it 483 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: took about two years. And then Triumph Books had asked 484 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: me to do a blurb on their doctor z book 485 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: a couple of months before I was ready to do 486 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: a proposal. So I pitched it to them last year 487 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: and they said yes, and I'm you know, we're often 488 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: running and it's available in a lot of bookstores now 489 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: and Amazon has to kindle coming out on September twenty fifth. 490 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: It's incredible. I can't recommend it enough. And I told 491 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: you offline, I grew up on those eighties Redskins, and 492 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: of course Joe Gibbs comes from that Correl Chargers coaching tree, 493 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: and I went straight to the genius in the Hogs 494 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: chapter where you detail the counter tray and everything that 495 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: coach Gibbs was able to do. But Doug, I want 496 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: to dive into the twenty eighteen regular season. Get current here. 497 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: What were your general thoughts about what you saw during 498 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: this preseason? Now that it's a rap and we start 499 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: week one here next week. You know, the first thing 500 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,440 Speaker 1: I think is this is such a cool time because 501 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: they're going all the way down front. They're they're not 502 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: doing the gradual cuts anymore. Ye, and it's such a 503 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 1: hard time for you know, the players, for the GMS, 504 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: for everybody. They've got to you know, roll these kids 505 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,199 Speaker 1: in sort of on a congo line and tell them, well, basically, 506 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: at least with us, your dream is kind of over, 507 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: which is frustrating, um, you know, and it's interesting, you know, 508 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: of course, the Browns have been prominent through the hard 509 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,960 Speaker 1: knocks thing, and it's always interesting to me to watch 510 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: some teams play completely vanilla and other teams are scheming 511 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: like crazy, you know, running blitzes and all that you know, 512 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: and so preseason, to me, it's never as much about 513 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: scheme as it is about, you know, particular talent showing 514 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 1: up and you think yourself, oh, this guy could be something, 515 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: and you know what, it's always it's always interesting to 516 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: see how that goes. You bring up a great point 517 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: about this this cutdown, because you go from from ninety 518 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: to fifty three, so thirty seven guys will get released 519 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: this weekend, and it makes for twenty four hours of 520 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,840 Speaker 1: chaos around the league, maybe forty eight hours a cast 521 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: around the league, because there's so many guys being released 522 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: that you may want on your football team that that 523 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: may fit what you do. And I think it's fascinating 524 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: in one sense, but at the same time, you know, 525 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: it's a it's a tough weekend for guys who have 526 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,959 Speaker 1: grinded all offseason to have their dreams kind of end. 527 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,399 Speaker 1: But at the same time, GMS, I don't envy their 528 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: job this weekend, No, not at all, and they'll be 529 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: you know there's no Labor Day holiday for resellers, that 530 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: that's not going to happen. So yeah, it's um, it's 531 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: an interesting time, you know, looking at players, Um, I 532 00:25:54,760 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: think Baker Mayfield probably impressed me the most, um from 533 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: the quarterback position, specifically his poison the pocket and his 534 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: ability to you know, and Philip Rivers of course, this 535 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 1: has been so great at this for such a long time. 536 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: That composition in the pocket, he knows he's going to 537 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: get his block knock off, and he doesn't care he 538 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 1: makes a throw anyway. Philip is one of the best 539 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: at that a long time. And with Mayfield, you never 540 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: know in a quick strike, you know, three to five 541 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: step drop offense, can he handle having far more complicated 542 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 1: coverages to deal with. I thought he availed himself very well. 543 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 1: I'm looking at Josh Rosen and I'm thinking, you know, 544 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 1: I thought this guy was the most developed quarterback coming 545 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: out of the draft this year. But one tends to 546 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,920 Speaker 1: wonder if his offensive wine will will allow him to 547 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: do anything. Absolutely, you know, you gotta have the you 548 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,679 Speaker 1: gotta have the horses in front of you to make 549 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: it all work. It's your point. Baker has looked strong 550 00:26:56,760 --> 00:26:59,719 Speaker 1: in really all four preseason games, and just I think 551 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 1: this quarterback rookie class in general, where you look at 552 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: what Darnold's able to do and him being named the starter, 553 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: very promising group. And kind of the juxtaposition of guys 554 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: like Philip big Ben, Eli, Brady Breese, these guys who 555 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: are have been dominating this league so long. I think 556 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,200 Speaker 1: it's it's kind of a cool dynamic to have this 557 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: this old school versus new school battle here in the NFL. Well, 558 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: you also have middle school. You have Luck, you have 559 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: actually three trying to make a comeback. Luck is making 560 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 1: his comeback. Russell Wilson, you know, taking seventy fifth overall 561 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,479 Speaker 1: might have the most enviable situation right now, just from 562 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: a health perspective. So yeah, you have the class of 563 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: the mid two thousands and the early two thousand, early 564 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,680 Speaker 1: two thousand and tens, and now you're coming to new kids. 565 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 1: I think Darnold surprised me most of all when I 566 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: watched his USC tape. I saw a guy who could 567 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 1: really throw from a lot of launch points when his 568 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: lower body was sorted out. And obviously the Jets coaching 569 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 1: staff a good job of helping him work with his 570 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: mechanics because he looks not like a different guy, but 571 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: more throws look like the ideal version of Sam Donald 572 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: than I had seen before. And of course, I mean 573 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: the best story to me of this preseason has been 574 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: Teddy Bridgewater. No, yeah, no question that comes in after 575 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: almost losing his leg two years ago, could have been 576 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,239 Speaker 1: the starter with the Jets. Now he goes to New 577 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: Orleans and you know, not too many people better to 578 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: work with than Sean Payton when you're a quarterback. Wanted 579 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: I did, wanted to turn the tables and ask you 580 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: a question about Nick Shimanek. How's that guy looking? Because 581 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: I did a takee peace with him in the right 582 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: before the draft, and I was really impressed with him. 583 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: I thought he was an underrated guy. Yeah you know 584 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: when he was when he was signed by the Chargers. 585 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 1: After the draft, I had a chance to talk to 586 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: Cliff Kingsbury about him, like a week after he was drafted, 587 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: and he used, I think the word fearless to describe Schimanek, 588 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 1: and it just it makes sense to have a guy 589 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: like Philip Rivers in that quarterback room with a guy 590 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: who has that fearless mentality. I like Nick Shimanek when 591 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: you look at the quarterback room with the Chargers, you 592 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: know you got Cardale Jones at Geno Smith. I think 593 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 1: one of those guys is going to win the job. 594 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean to say Nick can't get on 595 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: a roster. You know. It's that that air raid offense. 596 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: It's always fascinating, especially when you see a guy like 597 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: Patrick Mahomes. Now Shimaneck may not have that talent obviously 598 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,719 Speaker 1: of a Pat Mahomes, but just coming from that same system, 599 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: you'll wonder if he could further develop in this league. 600 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: But I just think it's so early. Doug, Yeah, that's true. 601 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, one year as a starter at 602 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: Texas Tech. I think he does have his work cut 603 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: out for him as for his learning. And it's not 604 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 1: so much with quarterbacks coming out of air raid systems 605 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 1: and you know, spread systems to use that generic term. 606 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: I don't think it's so much the transition offensively, because 607 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 1: most NFL teams are using a raid concepts and running 608 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: shoot concepts and spread concepts and all that. Sure, when 609 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: you you're running an offense that can throw a fifty 610 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: burder on any team you face, and you're doing hurry 611 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: up and the defense doesn't have time to adjust. You know. 612 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: It's like quarters coverage play after play after play. You're 613 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: not getting quarter quarter half, You're not getting man zone splits, 614 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 1: you're not getting cross dog blitzes. And I think for 615 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: a lot of these young quarterbacks it's not so much 616 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 1: oh gosh, I have to do a you know, a 617 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: pro style offense transition. It's what the heck am I 618 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 1: seeing on defense? And I think that's that's. Going back 619 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: to Mayfield. What's impressed me so much about him is 620 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: that I've seen him diagnose things. You know. In the 621 00:30:40,760 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: Lions game, there was one play where they were trying 622 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: to disguise Cover two and they had one of the 623 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,239 Speaker 1: safeties in kind of alert position like he was going 624 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: to come across, and then he moved back into straight 625 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: Cover two and Mayfield saw it and he diagnosed it, 626 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: and he threw the underneath route, and I'm like, Okay, yeah, 627 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: he got it, you know, Doug. The AFC West is 628 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: a division that I think last year at this time 629 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: many were just giving to the Raiders after that twelve 630 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: and four year didn't work out that way. Obviously, the 631 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: parody in this league makes it just so fun every September. 632 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: Who's winning the AFC West in twenty eighteen. I think 633 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: it's a wide open division. And I point to the 634 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: Chargers is just you know, they were the kind of 635 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:26,120 Speaker 1: that model of consistency and continuity. This offseason, we talked 636 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 1: about bringing back all of your coaches and then having 637 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: a majority of your offense and defense intact while adding 638 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: guys like Mike Pouncey and then Derwin James in the draft. Yeah, well, 639 00:31:36,680 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: Derwin James is a special player and he's only going 640 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 1: to get better. And I you know, obviously you sat 641 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: this preseason with some splash players. You know, with the 642 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: Vrett injuries, it's a blow. I basically last year I 643 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: thought A. J. Bouye of the Jaguars was the best 644 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: cover cornerback in the NFL. I thought Casey here were second, 645 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: and it was like one A and one B. I 646 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 1: think the secondary has the potential to be one of 647 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: the two or three best in the NFL. I think 648 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: you guys are pretty said at edge rusher. Yeah, I 649 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 1: got a couple of guys who can get sacked and 650 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: things like that. They're pretty good to ingram as a 651 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: matter of fact. As a matter of fact, we saw 652 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: another guy, Chris Landrum to have two sacks and a 653 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: forest fumble on Thursday night against the Niners. Isaac Rochelle 654 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: from Notre Dame, seventh round pick last year. He's had 655 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: a very impressive camp and then Chenna Nuosu you get 656 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: in the second round to play linebacker. But you know, 657 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: coming off the edge on third down, he had a 658 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: pretty punishing sack himself. So I think they're said, at 659 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: edge rusher, Yeah, they're okay, Um, you know, hopefully. I 660 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,920 Speaker 1: know Forrest lamp is kind of coming back from the 661 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: ACL would love to see him at full strength because 662 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: I thought he was the best offensive woman in his 663 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 1: draft class. Certainly, offense is ruling with Philip a very 664 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 1: very deep receiver group. I don't think. I don't know 665 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: if there's a quote unquote domin team, like a fourteen 666 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:04,080 Speaker 1: win team in the ASCU West. But I you know, 667 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: and I'm not just saying this because I have done 668 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 1: season predictions already and I have the Chargers winning the 669 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 1: West and pretty much everything I've done. The Chiefs have 670 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: been running this division for the last two years, and 671 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 1: we've talked about it. You know, I spoke with Philip 672 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: Rivers for our backstage podcast that will release next week. 673 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: Had a chance talk to him at the team hotel yesterday. 674 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: And you know, this game week one against the Chiefs, 675 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: Patrick Mahomes coming to town. It's got a little extra 676 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaker 1: juice to it because you haven't beaten the Chiefs eight 677 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: straight times. You win your last five at StubHub Center, 678 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: and this is a golden opportunity to get after the 679 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 1: Chiefs in week one and really I think just mentally 680 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: get yourself in a space that you have a chance 681 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: to win this AFC West right off the top. Well, 682 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:55,360 Speaker 1: as someone who works with the Chargers, you know that 683 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: that what the difference a number one cornerback can make 684 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: on your defense. And you know you came into the preseason, 685 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: uh you know, thinking you'd have two, of course, and 686 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 1: it's uns because gosh, Red is so talented and stay healthy. 687 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 1: Um So they let Marcus Peters go and they get 688 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:18,280 Speaker 1: Kendall Fuller in the the Alex Smith trade. And Kendall 689 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: Fuller is the best slot cornerback in the NFL in 690 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:25,399 Speaker 1: my opinion, an outside guy. He's not an outside guy. 691 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: And Marcus Peters is a boom or bust player, to 692 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: put it kindly, and mildly, but he takes away your 693 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: ex iso receivers. He tends to erase your number one guy. 694 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:41,200 Speaker 1: If you watch the Chiefs in the preseason, and I'm 695 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: sure you did, you saw that they're letting number one 696 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: and number two receivers just float in free space. And 697 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: it's ugly and you know, you know, people are well, 698 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:55,919 Speaker 1: you know, we have vanilla schemes in the preseason. Yes, 699 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,080 Speaker 1: I get that, um and the Chiefs are a schematically 700 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: diverse team, but Bob Sutton, their defensive coordinator, he's really 701 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: gonna have to step it up to just make up 702 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:10,359 Speaker 1: for their their personnel issues. They don't have a number 703 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: one cornerback, and in today's NFL, if you don't have 704 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: a number one cornerback, you have a major problem. Now 705 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: they have a great slot corner. Good for them, But 706 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: I would imagine when when Phillips watching that preseason tape, 707 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 1: his eyes are gonna light up. And he's kind of 708 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:27,480 Speaker 1: an alpha anyway, so you might have a few things 709 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:29,759 Speaker 1: to say about that. Oh, I'm sure he will. I'm 710 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: sure he will. And his number one receiver is Keenan Allen, 711 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 1: a guy who hard to believe is only twenty six 712 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: years old, and we saw what he was able to 713 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 1: do for a full sixteen games when healthy. You add 714 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: Mike Williams to the mix, and there's been a lot 715 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: of buzz about Mike Williams during training camp, Doug. He 716 00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: seemed to have made in an eye catching play every 717 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 1: day in Costa Mesa here at training camp. And I 718 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,759 Speaker 1: know Hunter Henry is not with us this season, and 719 00:35:57,960 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: that's that's a huge blow. But at the same time 720 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: you mentioned that position of strength and wide receiver. You 721 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 1: even mentioned Tyrrell Williams and then Travis Benjamin. Yeah, Williams 722 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 1: and Benjamin two underrated guys. I think with Keenan Allen, 723 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 1: there are certain receivers who are faster on the field 724 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: than they ever are on a track. And Alan is 725 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 1: that he's such a good route runner. He's so precise 726 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:24,000 Speaker 1: with what he's doing. It allows him. And I'm not 727 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: conturning to Jerry Rice, but Jerry Rice was like that 728 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: two ran a four six forty who was on the 729 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:31,399 Speaker 1: fielder ran of four three because he understood angles so well. 730 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:35,280 Speaker 1: And with Alan, you watch him, and I'm sure Philip 731 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: appreciates this, to have a receiver who knows how to 732 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:42,759 Speaker 1: sink into zones who can run option routes perfectly. You 733 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: can tell the work he puts into it. And with 734 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 1: Henry Gunn, maybe they run more you know, four receiver sets. 735 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 1: They get the running backs more involved in the passing game. 736 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: But I think, you know that's going to be a 737 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 1: definite strength. And when you look at the three the 738 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,640 Speaker 1: three B senses they'll be facing in that division, Denver's 739 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 1: run defense is a major issue. Obviously their secondary is 740 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: great with Chris Harris, but they also lost to keep 741 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:13,560 Speaker 1: to leave, you know, and with Oakland, I mean, you 742 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: don't know how to along with Khalil mackholdout is going 743 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 1: to last and he might not be there anyway, and 744 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:22,360 Speaker 1: they that all kinds of problems. So certainly divisionally, I 745 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 1: would look for the Chargers to have quite a nice 746 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: run offensively, for sure. Do get you out of here 747 00:37:29,239 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: on this. What are you most looking forward to in 748 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: Week one? I mean, there's so many great storylines. Don't 749 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,839 Speaker 1: have to be an AFC West storyline. There's so many 750 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 1: great matchups and so much intrigue when we talk about, 751 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: you know, anything from Kirk Cousins going to Minnesota to 752 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:48,239 Speaker 1: the opener Philly Atlanta. What are you going to have 753 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:51,719 Speaker 1: your eye on a week one Well to look at Atlanta. 754 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 1: I want to see, I thought, because Kyle Shanahan did 755 00:37:55,719 --> 00:37:58,360 Speaker 1: such a brilliant job at the Falcon's just schematically in 756 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, that's no surprise. And I thought was Steve Sarkasian. 757 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 1: They took a few steps back as far as helping 758 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:10,319 Speaker 1: Matt Ryan get open reads. When I saw in the preseason, 759 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 1: I thought Sarkasian was really scheming it up, really doing 760 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 1: some smart things with crossers and option routes and just 761 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: getting guys open. And then with Philly, you know, you 762 00:38:22,320 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 1: lose John d Filippo to the Vikings, you lose Frank 763 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 1: Wright to the Colts. Doug Peterson is obviously a very 764 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 1: gifted coach. But I know, in talking to all three 765 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:34,840 Speaker 1: of those coaches during Super Bowl Week, that was a 766 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:38,240 Speaker 1: group effort and it was, you know, such an exciting 767 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:42,120 Speaker 1: offense to watch. You know, we'll see how that goes. 768 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: And I think just in general, it's you know, going 769 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 1: back to the book for a second, like the Wildcat 770 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 1: that lasted about half a year until the Baltimore Ravens 771 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,560 Speaker 1: figured it out. Sure, I want to see what I 772 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:57,920 Speaker 1: really want to see what happens with the RPO this year. 773 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: First of all, I liken to announcers to be able 774 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:04,759 Speaker 1: to differentiate between RPO and his own read. But that'll 775 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:08,520 Speaker 1: take time. It took the announcers like five years to 776 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:12,279 Speaker 1: not call a wildcat of zone read, so you know 777 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:15,720 Speaker 1: it takes the time. It takes. But you know, watching 778 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:19,920 Speaker 1: just different teams, how they might run it, how they 779 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 1: might use it. Certainly, the Chicago Bears of Matt Nagi 780 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,560 Speaker 1: the Chiefs offense as multiple as it was last year 781 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 1: and as effective as it was last year, and I 782 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 1: know you know a lot about that. Naggie was the 783 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:35,200 Speaker 1: guy who had a lot to do with that. I 784 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: want to see Mitchell Trubisky's development in Chicago to be sure, 785 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: because I think he's got all the physical potential. And 786 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: Patrick Mahomes, you know this guy is. I've watched tape 787 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: with Patrick. He's a guy who And there was this 788 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:55,200 Speaker 1: one game against Texas where he threw I think one 789 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:57,840 Speaker 1: pass was intercepted, but five passes could have been. He 790 00:39:57,920 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: was just throwing deep shots and I'm like, well, are 791 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: you gonna, you know, kind of come down on that 792 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:05,920 Speaker 1: in the NFL, And he said yes, but this is 793 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: the way I play. He is a gun slinger in 794 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:11,839 Speaker 1: the truest sense, so you know, we'll see how that goes. 795 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:16,000 Speaker 1: As opposed to Alex Smith, who has regulated his style 796 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 1: and has been so consistent. You look at the stats 797 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,839 Speaker 1: year to year to year, you know exactly what you're 798 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,799 Speaker 1: going to get. As far as Kirk Cousins a Minnesota 799 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:31,040 Speaker 1: I think when he was facing the Jaguars number one 800 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:34,759 Speaker 1: defense and the Seahawks number one defense, I think you 801 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 1: saw some real struggles. And I think with Cousins, this 802 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:42,000 Speaker 1: is a guy who needs open reads and it had 803 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,359 Speaker 1: to be kind of an open first and second read. 804 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:48,280 Speaker 1: As long as he has that, he's okay. I don't 805 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:50,959 Speaker 1: know if he's a guy who can carry a team 806 00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:55,080 Speaker 1: on his shoulders in a breedy breeze sense. I don't 807 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,440 Speaker 1: know if he'll ever be that guy. You know, it's 808 00:40:57,480 --> 00:41:01,359 Speaker 1: a great defense, it's an integrated offense. That offensive line 809 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 1: has been hit by injuries. Yeah, those are some of 810 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: the storylines. And I'm up here in Seattle so watching 811 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:11,600 Speaker 1: the Seahawks where they've kind of gutted all their stars 812 00:41:11,800 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: except for Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin. Yeah, and This 813 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:17,839 Speaker 1: is now Pete Carroll's second rebuild because when he came 814 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: in in twenty ten, he didn't really have a lot 815 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 1: of talent to deal with, and he and John Snyder, 816 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 1: the general manager, built that up and now they have 817 00:41:26,239 --> 00:41:28,040 Speaker 1: to do it all over again. Well, the Charger is 818 00:41:28,040 --> 00:41:30,160 Speaker 1: going to be in Seattle. I want to say middle 819 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,400 Speaker 1: of the year. Maybe it's week eight, week nine, so 820 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:35,959 Speaker 1: we'll be up there to see in Seattle. Quick follow 821 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:39,480 Speaker 1: up to Mahomes, Doug, because I'd hate to not ask 822 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:44,240 Speaker 1: you this Melvin Ingram, Joey Bosa that chess match between 823 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: Andy Reid and Gus Bradley week one, knowing which you 824 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: know about Mahomes, how do you attack this guy in 825 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:54,600 Speaker 1: his second career start? I think if you. I think 826 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:58,720 Speaker 1: certain quarterbacks are better when you pressure them from the side. 827 00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:02,440 Speaker 1: Tom Brady has always been if you pressure him from 828 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,600 Speaker 1: the side, he will just light you up. Roethlisberger is 829 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:08,920 Speaker 1: this way as well. Certain quarterbacks are not as effective 830 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:12,000 Speaker 1: when you pressure them right up in their face. If 831 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:15,759 Speaker 1: you stunt inside, you bring him pressure right in, you 832 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 1: close down their launch points and their viewing windows. I 833 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 1: think Mahomes might be that kind of guy too. I 834 00:42:24,080 --> 00:42:27,520 Speaker 1: think if you blitz them up front, if you make 835 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,120 Speaker 1: him question his reaves, I think that's one way to 836 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:34,800 Speaker 1: do it. I think disguised coverages will help. Patrick's a 837 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: smart guy, and he had that year to kind of 838 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: look at coverages and figure things out. I think he 839 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:44,759 Speaker 1: diagnoses things well. I also, I mean, I know Gus 840 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:48,000 Speaker 1: from his time in Seattle, and people say, oh, he's 841 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 1: a cover one, cover three guy. Yeah, but there are 842 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:53,640 Speaker 1: little myriad things that he throws in. There might be 843 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:56,839 Speaker 1: alert defender, there might be a little buzz thing, maybe 844 00:42:56,840 --> 00:42:59,640 Speaker 1: he has a nickel corner doing something weird. Sort of 845 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: weight it down, so you know. And that's another thing 846 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:07,200 Speaker 1: Mahomes is for all his deep throws. He likes to 847 00:43:07,239 --> 00:43:09,080 Speaker 1: be able to see things early in the down and 848 00:43:09,239 --> 00:43:11,359 Speaker 1: run around and sort of process things on the fly. 849 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:15,640 Speaker 1: If you make adjustments, latten it down. To any young quarterback, 850 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:19,439 Speaker 1: I e. Like in the first second of the play, 851 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:21,399 Speaker 1: of the first second and a half of the play, 852 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:24,719 Speaker 1: you show him one thing and then you turn around 853 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:27,320 Speaker 1: and discuss you know that was a disguise for something else. 854 00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:30,919 Speaker 1: His head starts to explode. And that's true of most 855 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:33,600 Speaker 1: every young quarterback I've ever seen that named Andrew Luck. 856 00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:39,040 Speaker 1: So I think you pressure him up front. You forced 857 00:43:39,160 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 1: him to move outside the pocket when he doesn't want to, 858 00:43:42,800 --> 00:43:45,480 Speaker 1: and I think you show him things he doesn't expect, 859 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,480 Speaker 1: and that's how you hold him in. And then if 860 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,440 Speaker 1: he's behind you, just wait for the deep shot because 861 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:53,840 Speaker 1: he will take it, and he might take it with 862 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:56,799 Speaker 1: three guys in coverage. Doug, this was awesome, man, I'm 863 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:01,480 Speaker 1: fascinating conversation. New book, The Genius of Desperation. You can 864 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:05,320 Speaker 1: get it paperback now September twenty fifth, pre order it 865 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:09,120 Speaker 1: on Amazon. Doug C in Seattle, middle of the year. 866 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: And can't thank you enough for your time today, man, 867 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:14,200 Speaker 1: really appreciate it. Well, yeah, let's circle back on that 868 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:16,480 Speaker 1: and definitely met and it was my pleasure too, and 869 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,680 Speaker 1: thanks so much for having me and that'll do it. 870 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:20,960 Speaker 1: A big thanks to Doug and Money for joining me, 871 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:23,120 Speaker 1: and of course thanks to you all for listening. You 872 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:25,319 Speaker 1: can find us on Apple Podcasts and while you're there, 873 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:27,880 Speaker 1: please leave a review, help spread the word. We'll be 874 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:30,480 Speaker 1: back next Thursday with a jam packed episode to get 875 00:44:30,520 --> 00:44:33,480 Speaker 1: you fully prepared for Chiefs Week. Have a great weekend 876 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:35,560 Speaker 1: and until next time, Chris Harry