1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: Welcome into a lounge presented by DraftKings. I'm Ryan Man 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: here with Garrett Towning and we are thrilled to sit 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: down with our Darius Washington, fresh off his return his 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: debut this season. So, ad, you know, you come back 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: from the Achilles and miraculous return seven months and we 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: get a shutout in the first game. 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: Coincidence, I think not that that game had to be 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: pretty special for you given all you've gone through. 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 3: Man, uh No, I love football, you know sing. 10 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 4: I love to find around being around the guys and 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 4: everything like that that comes with it. So man, I 12 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 4: mean that game meant a lot. Damn come back and 13 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 4: we shut them out. I mean, credit to those guys 14 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 4: that did all the hard work for sure. 15 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 2: Well you did. You did some hard work yourself. Yeah, yeah, 16 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:46,639 Speaker 2: I did a little bit. 17 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: And so the one the tackle that stood out to 18 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: me was your first one back and you took on 19 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: Tanner Hudson or Drew Sample. I'm sorry, they're six foot five, 20 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: two hundred and sixty pounds tight end. 21 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 2: That's a big that's a big dude. Came up and 22 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: thumped him. 23 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: That that tackle had to kind of gets you back 24 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: in football a little bit. 25 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 4: Man, that felt good. Once I got that first one, 26 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 4: I was like, yeah, I'm ready to go still football. 27 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 4: So I got that when I was like, you know, 28 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 4: I'm trying. It's time to play now. 29 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: What goes through your mind? You like, have no fear 30 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: hitting these big views. I remember the Steelers set in 31 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: there on Washington last year. What goes through your mind 32 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: when you see one of these big dudes catch the 33 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: ball and you're like, all right, it's I'm up. 34 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 4: Honestly, it just be like I got to get him 35 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 4: before he get me, you know what I mean. So 36 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 4: it's like, you know who else gonna make it? You 37 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying, I'm in a position to make it, 38 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 4: and I'm like, it don't really matter what side. Like 39 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 4: I said, man, I've been about five five nine my 40 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 4: whole life, you feeling so everybody big to me don't 41 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 4: even matter. So that's kind of what goes to my head, 42 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 4: you know, I said, just go ahead and take my 43 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 4: shot and shoot it right? 44 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 5: Ardarius? Was it emotional before the game warm ups? Like 45 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 5: when you take the field. What was going through your 46 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 5: mind in that moment? 47 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 4: Honestly, it was just more like my juices was flowing 48 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying. I was just ready to 49 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 4: get out there and hit somebody and stuff like that. Man, 50 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 4: it was just more so like being back in this position, 51 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 4: and like and I kind of already knew, Like even 52 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 4: when I had got hurt, I knew I'll be back playing, 53 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. I had that faith for sure, 54 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So I prayed about it. 55 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying. That only comes from the 56 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 4: man above, you know what I mean. So I kind 57 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 4: of already knew I'll be back in this position. So 58 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 4: I was kind of just all taking it in, you 59 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,399 Speaker 4: know what i mean, going out there and just having 60 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 4: no justice flowing, Like yeah, it's time now, Like I'm 61 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 4: finally here. 62 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 3: That's cool. 63 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 5: So to take our listeners and viewers back, just to 64 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 5: explain the whole process. You tore your achilles back in 65 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 5: the spring doing the conditioning drill, right, take us through 66 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 5: that moment that day, How you handle that? What was 67 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 5: going through your mind as that all happened. 68 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 4: Oh so going to that man, it was just like 69 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 4: when I did it. When I did it, I instantly 70 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 4: already knew that I did it, you know what I mean, 71 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 4: Soon as I did it, they trainers came running over 72 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 4: and everything like that. And so when they came running over, 73 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 4: they was like, you know, you're okay. I'm like, bro, 74 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 4: it's toring. It's my achilles. It's my achilles. I kept saying. 75 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 4: He was like, how do you know? I was like, 76 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 4: cause I just felt it. I know, it's my achilles. 77 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 4: So anyway, so I got up wall and then we 78 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 4: went and did the MRI came back the images and 79 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 4: everything like that. It's torn. And then I think it 80 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 4: was hard. So yeah, it was hard. So as I'm leaving, 81 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 4: everybody's kind of like going from the facility. As I'm leaving, 82 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 4: carts was coming back there to check on me and 83 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,119 Speaker 4: everything like that. And I had a conversation with him 84 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 4: talking about it, you know, and I was just like bomb, 85 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 4: you know what I mean, like going into that, well, 86 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 4: going into this year, you know what I mean, Like 87 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 4: coming off a year I had just had everything's finally clicking, 88 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 4: finally rolling. Now I'm like, all right, it's time to 89 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 4: like put it all together, like from day one on through, 90 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 4: and then like that happened, so like I was just 91 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 4: more frustrated. I was just more frustrated than anything. And 92 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 4: then after the surgery, I said, like that day, I 93 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 4: was just kind of I told my mom, told my agent, 94 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 4: that's kind of the only person I had talked to 95 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 4: or whatever or not. And then so like a couple 96 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 4: days later, that's when it kind of hit the media 97 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 4: and everybody started reaching out and everything like that, and 98 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 4: the surgery came about. So when the surgery came about, 99 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 4: came flew back in and I had sat down with 100 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 4: Ad and it had a calendar all planned out and everything, 101 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 4: and he was like, uh, the injury seven to nine 102 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 4: months processed, and he was like mapping out the schedule 103 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 4: like this we played week one and like before this 104 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 4: just what we're gonna do first month, second month, third month, 105 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 4: and so forth and so forth. And as we're going 106 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 4: through that process, I'm just like, I ain't trying to 107 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 4: hear all the first month, second month? What game you 108 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 4: think I'll be able to play? 109 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 3: You know what I'm saying. So I'm like, I'm we 110 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 3: jumped to the back of it. 111 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 4: And so I'm like I'm just jumped to the back 112 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 4: of and I was like, this game right here will 113 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 4: be right at like seven months, seven eight months, right here, 114 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 4: this and third they kind of was like nine months, 115 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 4: and I was like, nah's seven months, you know what 116 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 4: I mean? He was like allright, all right, And I 117 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 4: was like, no, We're gonna try for that one right here, 118 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So that's kind of what's 119 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 4: the plan, you know what I'm saying. That's what we 120 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 4: stuck with. And he was like, if I'm be able 121 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 4: to be back in seven months, you know, we gotta 122 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 4: be in here every day, work really hard, you know, 123 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 4: and I honestly have faith and believe in God, you 124 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 4: know what I mean. 125 00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 3: So that's kind of what it was. 126 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: Can you you talk about the conversation with Harbes when 127 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: it first happened. Can you kind of share a little 128 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: bit of what that conversation was like? 129 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 4: And he was just like bomb, Like, bro, we really 130 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 4: was like kind of lost for words. We had like 131 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 4: a probably like a five or eight minute conversation, you 132 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 4: know what I mean. We just kind of was just 133 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 4: kind of repeating, repeating each other, like, man, we can't 134 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 4: believe it happened. 135 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 3: Like no, you know what I'm saying. 136 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 4: He told me he loved me, Like, you know, you're 137 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 4: gonna bounce back from this, I told him right then 138 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 4: and there, like coach, I'll be back this year. He 139 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 4: was like really, I was like, coach won't be back, 140 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So that's kind of what 141 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 4: the conversation was. Like we were both bond. Like I 142 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 4: can see it all over his face. He was like 143 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 4: he couldn't believe it. You know what I'm saying. None 144 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,239 Speaker 4: of the guys, none of us could believe it. Kyle 145 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 4: came in, he checked on me and everything like he's 146 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 4: ready to go. He was like, I'm done, and I'm like, 147 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 4: you man, about the finished working out, you know what 148 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,280 Speaker 4: I mean. So, I mean we was just bond, you 149 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying, and telling me he loved me 150 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 4: and he how great of a player. 151 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: I am and I'll overcome it. 152 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 5: Is that meaningful to you? 153 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 3: Oh yeah? 154 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 4: A hundred percent numbercent? That was definitely was very meaningful 155 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 4: and like encouraged me to get back, you know what 156 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 4: I'm saying. See, of course that wants you to get 157 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 4: back and wants you to be part of something like that. 158 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 4: That meant a lot. 159 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: And just to remind listeners, you know, you're an undrafted 160 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: guy who came to this league scrapping and calling for 161 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: for everything that you got and and and I mean 162 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: even when you first stepped on the field, everybody could 163 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: tell like, oh, this is a player, like we got 164 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: we got a guy here. But then, you know, injuries 165 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,239 Speaker 1: even before this Achilles kind of held you back early 166 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: in your career. Last year, come on in the second 167 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: half of the season as a as a starter, and 168 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: really like wow, everybody got to see it, you know, 169 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: for the first time. And then you were you were 170 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: a stricter free agent, signed a one year deal, you know, 171 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: and to have that injury after all of that that 172 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: you've gone through and the kind of climbing your way 173 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: to the mountaintop and having that and being in a 174 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: contract year, how much and how quickly does that flash 175 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: into the forefront of your mind, like dang man. 176 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 4: So I'll say, uh, it probably hit me probably a 177 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 4: couple months after the surgery that, you know what I'm saying, 178 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 4: like all that, Yeah, it kind of hit me like 179 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 4: in that moment, it was just more so about surgery, 180 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: like what's next, So what's the next process, what's the 181 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 4: next step. I'll say a little bit later, that's kind 182 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 4: of when it hit me, like, dang, it was a 183 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 4: contract year, you know what I'm saying. 184 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 3: Like all that type of thing. 185 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 4: Like I just got here, you know what I mean now, 186 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 4: and this happened, and so then I just kind of 187 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 4: put it into perspective. It's just more so about it, 188 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 4: like I feel like God was just teaching me patients. 189 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying, don't be in the rest 190 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 4: for anything. You know what I'm saying, Everything's gonna come 191 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 4: in time, right time. And I hate they had to 192 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 4: be the injury because, like you said, like I had 193 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 4: injuries before, and that's kind of what I was bummed about, 194 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 4: cause like damn, br Like now another injury is you 195 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying, So like why now? 196 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 3: You know what I mean? So I just like as 197 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 3: I took it, as I took it, as to just 198 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 3: be patient. 199 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 5: Right, So going back to the conversation with the training 200 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 5: staff and they're pulling out the the agenda and the 201 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 5: and the timeline and all that stuff. Of course, every 202 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 5: player is gonna say I want to be I want 203 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 5: the early end of that timeline. But it's not easy 204 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 5: necessarily to make that happen. Why do you think you 205 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 5: were able to achieve the seven month timeline not the 206 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 5: nine month timeline? 207 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 4: I understand I honestly feel like sometimes want to, you 208 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 4: know what I mean. I feel like you want to, 209 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 4: you put your mind to something, like you can do it, 210 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. I feel like that had 211 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 4: played a big part in it, you know what I'm saying. 212 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 4: You going to workouts or going to your rehab every day, 213 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 4: doing everything like that that you're supposed to do. I 214 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 4: feel like that's what prepared me to do it, you 215 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 4: know what I mean, to come back earlier. Then they 216 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 4: said Sis did it. You know what I'm saying. Sis, 217 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 4: They said he did it. He came back early. So 218 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 4: and I was like, I'm way less than him, and 219 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 4: you know what i. 220 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 2: Mean, way less, right, there's less strain on it. Interesting. 221 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm like, I know it could be possible, it 222 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 4: can be done, you know what I mean. So, and 223 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 4: I wanted to, you know what i mean. So I 224 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 4: had my mind made up to it, and I knew 225 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 4: it could be done because someone else done it. 226 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 3: So I was like, I know I can do it too. 227 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: So that's what it was. 228 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: I was wondering about that because Sis came back. That 229 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: was a Super Bowl year too, So you know, I 230 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: was wondering if you would realize the connection there and 231 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: he came I think late October. It was like a 232 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: crazy timeline. So it's funny that trainers brought that up with. 233 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,719 Speaker 3: You, sin Man. I love football, you know what I'm saying. 234 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 4: So it's more like want to and that's that's why 235 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 4: I feel like I was able to and to surgeon. 236 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 3: He did a great job. 237 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: Well. 238 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 5: I remember when when coach Harball announced the injury back 239 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,599 Speaker 5: in the spring and he said, there's a chance you 240 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,319 Speaker 5: could come back this year. Honestly, I felt like a 241 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:09,959 Speaker 5: lot of people were kind of like, okay, yeah. 242 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 3: Yeah they did. I know they did for sure. 243 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,479 Speaker 4: I was seeing it, so they were like yeah whatever. 244 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 3: I was like, all right, So you know, so is it. 245 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: Like every day like take us through kind of what 246 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: what does your routine look like every day? 247 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 2: Yeah? Like what did your rehab routine look like? Yeah? 248 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 4: So it so at the beginning it was slow, man, 249 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 4: Like at the beginning, it was just like real slow. 250 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 4: I'll come in, try to do some ankle mobility stuff 251 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:39,199 Speaker 4: like that. That's really what's it for real? Like it 252 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 4: really won't much. So I'll just kind of take you 253 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 4: through when the cast and everything and I was kind 254 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 4: of walking, I'll take you through that process, like how 255 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,079 Speaker 4: that went. And so first I started off by walking 256 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 4: and everything. Once I got that, I had a heallift 257 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 4: about a six inch here lifting and we just slowly 258 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 4: walking every day and stuff like that, and we're doing 259 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 4: like leg curls, hampstream stuff, you know what I'm saying, 260 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 4: kind of getting that strengthen all around it, and we're 261 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 4: doing like little caf raises I guess you can say 262 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 4: cap raises and stuff like that. That was kind of it, 263 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,199 Speaker 4: and we do like maintenance work, you know what I mean. 264 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 4: And then after that that's kind of like that was 265 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 4: my day, you know what I mean. That was my 266 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 4: day for a minute until I guess you can say 267 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 4: when I got the hair lifts off and everything like that, 268 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 4: that's when it really cranked up, you know what I'm saying. 269 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 4: It was downhill from there, like black days twice a day, 270 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So we was getting a through. 271 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 3: It for sure. 272 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 5: Do you remember the first day you ran the first. 273 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 3: Day I ran? 274 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, No, I don't actually remember the first actual day 275 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 4: I ran. 276 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 5: I would have thought that would have been like a 277 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 5: big hurdle. 278 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 4: So I actually started off on the autog first, So 279 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 4: like when I first started running, it was actually on 280 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 4: the Ultra G And when I started that that was 281 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 4: a big Actually I think I had posted it my 282 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 4: first day, I want to say, I think I had 283 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 4: posted it like my first day or something like a 284 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 4: UTG or something like that. But now that definitely was 285 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 4: a big hurdle for me, you know what I'm saying, 286 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 4: getting on the UTG and starting and running again, and 287 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 4: it felt great. It didn't feel like bad or anything. 288 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 4: It was kind of a little tight a little bit, 289 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 4: but it was the UTIG, you know what I mean. So, 290 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 4: but on the first day of pheel, honestly, I don't 291 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 4: remember when that was. 292 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 3: But it happened pretty quickly though. 293 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 5: Yeah. Like I say, when talking to some guys who've 294 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 5: gone through these these like major recoveries Achilles or knee 295 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 5: or those types of things, like they talk a lot 296 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 5: about just the mental kind of wear and tear and 297 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 5: like needing to stay regimented and confident and optimistic. Like 298 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 5: was that part of the challenge for you too, and 299 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 5: having to deal with the mental side. 300 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 3: Uh, yeah, it was. 301 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 4: Uh, But for me, it's just like I knew my endgo, 302 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 4: you know what I mean, I knew where I wanted 303 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 4: to be, so I kind of didn't let that be 304 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 4: like the barrier, I guess you can say, to prepail 305 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 4: me to the next step, you know what I mean. 306 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 4: So I'll say it was more so like when I 307 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 4: go out there and I have those days where like 308 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 4: it didn't feel so great or anything like that, Like 309 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 4: I'll be down, like why it don't feel great today? 310 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 3: And then yesterday, you know what I mean. 311 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 4: So it's just like I kind of had those days, 312 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 4: but and then I had Mike and Anthony and all 313 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 4: them out there talking to me, and everything's like, man, 314 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 4: you're gonna be okay, like this part of the process, 315 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying. Like, so if it's bothering 316 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 4: you today, it's like it's okay, go go and treat it, 317 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying. It was like one or 318 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 4: two days. Honestly, I don't even think it was like 319 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 4: a lot. It was like one of two days where 320 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 4: I did have to like stop, you know what I mean, 321 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 4: go get treatment or something like that. But it wasn't 322 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 4: as crazy. I just stayed positive, you know what I mean. 323 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 4: Like I said, I knew my endgo and I knew 324 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 4: when I wanted to come back, so that when I 325 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 4: actually started running, putting on clean that's when like and 326 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 4: I started doing dress and everything. 327 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 3: I was going like and so they had to. 328 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 4: Tell me, like, you know, this is your first day, 329 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 4: like calm down, Like it's the first day. You don't 330 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 4: need to be all out, you know what I mean. 331 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 4: So because once I get in those white lives one 332 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 4: hundred percent, you know what I mean. So they had 333 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 4: to actually tell me, like the calm down. They was 334 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 4: actually pretty amazed, you know what I mean. It's like, 335 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 4: while he doing that already, this is first started doing 336 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 4: this drill again, you know what I mean. He's stopping, 337 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,199 Speaker 4: he's breaking, he's going. So that's when I kind of 338 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 4: knew like I was ahead of the curve. 339 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: That's cool. 340 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's well. 341 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: I feel like several guys last week we're saying how 342 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: your return to practice like really brought a different energy 343 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 1: to to the defensive unit and like that you made 344 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: a difference last week preparing for that game. So what 345 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 1: happened in practice, Like what kind of what kind of 346 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 1: juice were your bringing last week? 347 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 4: You just go out there, you know the energy, you know, 348 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 4: just talking to everybody, you know what i'm saying, being joyful, 349 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying, being yourself, you know what 350 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 4: I'm saying, Not trying to be anything, you know what 351 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 4: I'm saying, anything like that. But when you make plays, 352 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 4: you know, you celebrate, celebrating out there making making plays, 353 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 4: jumping around, having fun with your teammates, you know, So 354 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 4: that's kind of the energy, and that's what it was. 355 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: Does an injury like that give you a different perspective 356 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: on the game or appreciation for the game? 357 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 4: One hundred percent? Man, that like just like I know 358 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 4: it's so cliche. I know everybody said, but man, don't 359 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 4: never take it from granted, you know what I'm saying, 360 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 4: because like it would be cool, Like you know, we 361 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 4: go through these seasons and it's three months, you know 362 00:13:58,679 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 4: what I'm saying. 363 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 3: We're playing football over whatever. 364 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 4: It is, and you go through it and you're kind 365 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 4: of just like, man, I'm tired of this, Like I 366 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 4: don't feel like doing it today or this and the third. 367 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 4: But until you not doing it, you know what I mean, 368 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 4: for several months, for seven months, until you not doing it, 369 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying, Definitely put a different perspective, Like, man, 370 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:15,599 Speaker 4: don't take it for granted because you never know what 371 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 4: that could be your last snap. Like it'll be cool 372 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 4: for like the first two months, like you doing nothing 373 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 4: or whatever, but after that, like, man, you want to 374 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,440 Speaker 4: be out there. You want to be out there to 375 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 4: camaraderie with the guys and everything like that, and you want, 376 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 4: like you love football, you want to play football. You know, 377 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 4: you want to be out there making plays and everything 378 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 4: like that, and you know, helping the team get to 379 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 4: the championship. 380 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: So he don't take it for granted for sure. 381 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, what's it like stepping into the safety group? Now, 382 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 5: you got Cayle Hamilton, you got Malachi Starks, you know, rookie, 383 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 5: first time pick, you got a lot who Gilman is 384 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 5: coming here, really played. Well, what's it like stepping into 385 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 5: this group? And what do you want to bring to 386 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 5: the unit? 387 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 4: I mean, them guys rolling, you know what I'm saying. 388 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 4: They already you know they kind of fixed like early 389 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 4: on in the season. You know it was little wrinkles 390 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 4: they had to fix it. Now like later on in 391 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 4: the season, the boys start picking it up, you know 392 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 4: what I'm saying. So I'm just trying to jump right 393 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 4: on in with those guys. You know what I'm and 394 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 4: fill in flow, braining energy, you know what I'm saying, 395 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 4: going out there and make plays and talking and communicating 396 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 4: and having fun with those guys, and. 397 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 5: You, like last year you were one of the guys. 398 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 5: Like this year, the defense struggled a little bit early on. 399 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 5: Last year struggled early on, you stepped into the lineup 400 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 5: and kind of helped turn things around. This year it's 401 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 5: you know, again Rocky out of the gate, but then 402 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 5: figured itself out. How much for you, like, as you 403 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 5: come to step into this mix here, do you feel 404 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 5: like you can just continue to elevate this to even 405 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 5: another level knowing what you did last year with. 406 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 3: The set percent You know what I'm saying, I'm a playmaker, 407 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 3: you know what I'm saying. That's what I do. 408 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 4: So like jumping in, going out there making plays. You see, 409 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 4: got other guys making plays. You want to make plays too. 410 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 4: And then on top of that, the communication, you know 411 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 4: what I'm saying, The knowledge of expecting this and knowing 412 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 4: when it's going to happen and stuff like that, you 413 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying, So that brings another level of 414 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 4: intensity to the game. 415 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 3: For sure. 416 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: We'll speaking of playmakers and knowledge of the game. Ed 417 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: Reid visited the Defense last week. Can you kind of 418 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: share what Ed Reid's message was to the team. 419 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 4: I mean, he a legend and man from Louisiana, so 420 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 4: when he speaks, to listen, you know what I mean. So, like, 421 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 4: you know, he came in there, he talked to us, 422 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 4: and like a lot of guys said, bro, he jumped 423 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 4: on the DB's instantly. 424 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 3: You know what I'm saying. 425 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 4: I don't think it was his plan to come in 426 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 4: and taught to us anyways, you know what i mean. 427 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 4: He just kind of was popping in saying what's up? 428 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 4: And then you know, of course he gave us a message. 429 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying, DB's first, you know what 430 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 4: I'm saying. He was like, yeah, the snacks gotta go 431 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 4: this and the there and all that. You know, So 432 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 4: that's kind of with his message, you know what I'm saying. 433 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying, locking, You know what I'm saying, 434 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 4: Communication around and have fun, you know what i mean. 435 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 4: You can talk about the ex's zone, this and the third, 436 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 4: but we gotta go out there and play and have 437 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 4: fun and do it together. 438 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 3: Right. It's kind of was his whole message. 439 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: So when he says the snacks gotta go and he 440 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: leaves the room or is everybody look at each other, 441 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: You're like, I guess we'll push this into the. 442 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 3: Trash, like we don't even eating potato chips no more. 443 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 3: How he was, you know, so definitely. 444 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 5: When you say that, he jumps on the DB's first. 445 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 5: Obviously he was a DV of course, but when he 446 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 5: challenge you, like, does that everybody kind of set up 447 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 5: in the chair straight when your. 448 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 4: Man, You got guys, some guys taking those here, like 449 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 4: you know, you're looking at him out of eye like yeah, okay, 450 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 4: you know what I'm saying. 451 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 3: You sucking to every information that he's saying. You know 452 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 3: what I mean? Then, like we had that was that Friday, 453 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 3: and we had a Friday practice. You know what I'm saying. 454 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,239 Speaker 4: We all flying around, you know what I'm saying, Like 455 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 4: he was at practice for a little bit and you 456 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 4: know what I'm saying, you want to impress him, You 457 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 4: want to impress ad. 458 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 3: You know what I'm saying. To go, you know what 459 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,680 Speaker 3: I'm saying. So we out there flying around and doing it. 460 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's awesome. 461 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: So heading into a big game here against the Patriots 462 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: and the defense coming off a shutout. 463 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 2: You know, you can't get any better than the shutout. 464 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: What's kind of the mentality going into this game against 465 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: the townsed offense and Drake May. 466 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 3: I mean, just keep it rolling, you know what I'm saying. 467 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 4: They have a great offense over there, But thing is 468 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 4: for us, like we feel like we're a great defense, 469 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So like, you know, go 470 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 4: out there and try to do this immulate and do 471 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 4: the same thing, you know what I'm saying. So no 472 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:53,160 Speaker 4: matter who we play or what's going on other side 473 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 4: of about anything like that, Like, bro, We're gonna go 474 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 4: out there and play our game of football. So that's 475 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 4: the mindset going into this one. 476 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 5: I know you want to win every game, competitive guy, 477 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 5: of course, but knowing the road that you've had to 478 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 5: travel to get to this point. The scene is obviously 479 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 5: fighting for playoff spot right now, and you're kind of 480 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 5: in playoff mode right now, knowing all that you had 481 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 5: to overcome just to get back for the season. How 482 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 5: driven are you to help us team get to a 483 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 5: playoff spot. 484 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 4: I'm gonna keep this thing very much driven, man, Like 485 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 4: like you said, going like going through what I'm going 486 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,480 Speaker 4: through and now being in this position, I mean, it 487 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:26,160 Speaker 4: couldn't line up in no better way. 488 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 3: Like we must win games, like you must play good. 489 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 2: He get dropped in, you can't lose, you know what 490 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 2: I'm saying. 491 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 3: So it's like me coming out there. 492 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 4: Every time I step on the field, I know what 493 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 4: those guys fighting for, and I know what I'm fighting for, 494 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 4: you know what I mean. So like every time I 495 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 4: step on the field, I know what we're fighting for. 496 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 3: Yeah. So like for me stepping into this, I'm like, 497 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 3: it's just gonna make the story even better. So go 498 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 3: out there and. 499 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 4: Make players and we're gonna make the story even better 500 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 4: for me even coming back so early for sure. 501 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 2: Awesome. Well, artists, thanks for joining us. Man, Yeah, it's 502 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 2: been a pleasure. 503 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 5: We're excited to have you back. 504 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 3: Oh nah, I appreciate it. 505 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 5: Well, big thanks to our Darius for joining us here 506 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 5: in the Seek Week studio. We also want to mention 507 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 5: our partners with DraftKings Sportsbook. They are an official sports 508 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 5: betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draftking Sports Book. The 509 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 5: Crown is yours. So as we look ahead to this 510 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 5: game coming up against the new England Patriots hits a 511 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 5: massive game. Obviously, the Ravens are in a situation here, 512 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 5: just to reset the table here for listeners and for viewers, 513 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 5: the Ravens are in a situation where they basically have 514 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 5: to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC 515 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 5: North Race. There's three games left to play. Quickly running 516 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 5: through the scenarios. With the Ravens win all three, they're 517 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 5: AFC North champs. They are back in the playoffs. If 518 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 5: the Ravens split these next two games and the Steelers 519 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 5: split these next two games. If they lose one of 520 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 5: their next two the Steelers played this weekend before the 521 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 5: Ravens against the Detroit Lions, they play next weekend against 522 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 5: the Cleveland Browns, and then of course the two teams 523 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 5: face off in Week eight. Team If both the Ravens 524 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 5: and the Steelers split these next two games, then it's 525 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 5: a Week eighteen play and get in game winning get 526 00:19:56,320 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 5: in games game seven. Basically for the regular season scenario, 527 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 5: which is probably the least likely of the three scenarios, 528 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 5: is that both teams the Steelers lose each of their 529 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 5: next two games. The Ravens lose each of the next 530 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 5: two games, and then you're still in a win and 531 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 5: get in game in Week eighteen. I cover it all. 532 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 2: You got it, you got it. Well, it's a lot 533 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 2: to keep trend. 534 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: And honestly, if the Ravens pool even with the Steelers 535 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: going into that final week, it's still winners takes all 536 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:30,239 Speaker 1: in that game, right, even if the Ravens come in 537 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: with the same records. So you have to either stay 538 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,679 Speaker 1: just one game behind the Steelers or pool even with 539 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:37,679 Speaker 1: them to force that game seven. 540 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, for sure, So a lot on the line. Again, 541 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 5: the Steelers play before the Ravens this week. They play 542 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 5: Detroit four o'clock on Sunday. Ravens are the Sunday night 543 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 5: primetime game. The Ravens would know going into that game 544 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 5: on Sunday night what the stakes are, and if the 545 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 5: Steelers lose, then the Ravens know they just have to 546 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 5: win that game and then it's Week eighteen, win and 547 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 5: get in suddenly week seventeen. If that's the case, is irrelevant. 548 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 5: But a lot of things we're playing things out here 549 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 5: down the string. But I think that the Ravens focus, certainly, 550 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 5: and this has been the tone all week, is like 551 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 5: the playoffs are here, you got to win out. We 552 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 5: got to win every game and that includes this weekend 553 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 5: against the Patriots. Tough opponent. 554 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's gonna be a tough job. Patriots have been 555 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: one of the resurgent teams and best stories of the 556 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: NFL season. They're eleven and three atop the AFC East. 557 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: Not a lot of people expected this kind of turnaround 558 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: for them in Mike Rabel's first year as head coach 559 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: and so, but the Ravens are not all that surprise. 560 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 2: They know Mike Vrabel very well. 561 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: DeAndre Hopkins played a year with Mike Rabel in Tennessee 562 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: and had was very complimentary of him. So you know, 563 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: the question is, all right, can the Ravens kind of 564 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: dump cold water on what has been a magical Patriots season. 565 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 5: That's the question. I think it's gonna be. Look at 566 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 5: a big picture level, like it's gonna be a really 567 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 5: good environment for the Ravens in this matchup home game, 568 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 5: and we've said this a million times. There's I firmly 569 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,679 Speaker 5: believe that there's no better environment in the NFL than 570 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 5: a night game at mty Bak Stadium, and I would 571 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 5: expect that to be the case again for this week. 572 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 5: Ye and so there's gonna be energy in that building 573 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 5: the Ravens are really focused on. Like, the Ravens have 574 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 5: been one of the best teams in the league taking 575 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 5: care of their home turf throughout the John Harbaugh Era, 576 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 5: third best in the league, third best record in the league. 577 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 5: Defensive wise, they've been really the best defense, fewest points in, 578 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 5: a fewest yards allowed in the Harbaugh Era. At home 579 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 5: this year, it's been a tougher story. They're three and 580 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 5: five at home this year. And so a lot of 581 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,640 Speaker 5: players talked this week about wanting to protect their home 582 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 5: turf and the importance of that, And I think that's 583 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 5: kind of a subplot of this game. And there's like 584 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,360 Speaker 5: a belief that they're coming into our house. We need 585 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 5: to make sure that we take care of business in 586 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 5: front of our home crowd. 587 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, you might need to win this regular season home 588 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 1: finale in order to force another game at mm ANDT 589 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,080 Speaker 1: Banks Stadium in the playoffs. And yeah, the Ravens just 590 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 1: haven't played their best ball in front of Ravens fans, 591 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: which has you know, been tough. Part of that's been 592 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: they've had really tough opponents in those games. Uh, and 593 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: they had injured they were very beaten up. There's some 594 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: of those stretch in Texans and Rams games they were 595 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: very u injury riddled and then but really the toughest 596 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: ones to swallow were the most recent. You know, you 597 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: lose on Thanksgiving night to the Bengals and then come 598 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: back the following week and lose to your rival Steelers 599 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: at home, and so those are tough pills to swallow, 600 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,919 Speaker 1: and I think the Ravens definitely are coming into this 601 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: game looking to kind of avenge that a little bit 602 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: and put together a better showing for their fans. 603 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 5: Yeah, So to get into some of the schematics, I 604 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 5: guess of this game, when you look at this Patriots teams, look, 605 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 5: it's as an offense led by Drake Man his second season, 606 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 5: who's put himself in the MVP conversation like he's one 607 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,120 Speaker 5: of the best young quarterbacks in the game, and so 608 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 5: he he's right there in the thick, which kind of 609 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 5: a three man race for MVP is Drake May's, Josh 610 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 5: Allen and Matthew Stafford is leading the way right now. 611 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 5: It's those three guys at the top of the race. 612 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,360 Speaker 5: But Drake May has that offense operating at a high level. 613 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 5: He can move a little bit with his feet. Stefan 614 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 5: Diggs is a go to guy obviously in that offense. 615 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 5: What stands out to you about how the Ravens could 616 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 5: attack that group. 617 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:15,200 Speaker 2: Drake may is really good. 618 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,080 Speaker 1: Been very impressed with him in his second season, And 619 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: the interesting thing about him is he's taking shots down field, 620 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: pushing the ball down the field. He leads the NFL 621 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: and adjusted yards per attempt right almost nine yards per attempt, 622 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 1: but he also leads the NFL in completion percentage over 623 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: seventy percent. So usually you know it's those kind of 624 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: dink and dunk quarterbacks that are completing a lot of passes, 625 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: just not for a lot of yards. Well, they're they're 626 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: pushing the ball down the field, and he's completing a 627 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: lot of passes. So that's what's really made him in 628 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: this offense dangerous, and to me, it reminds me a 629 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: little bit of the way that the Steelers wanted to 630 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: attack the Ravens, and that's taking shots outside of numbers, 631 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: you know, pushing the ball down the field and really 632 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: testing the Ravens cornerbacks. So I think that it's a 633 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 1: really big game in that way for the Ravens. Perimeter corners, 634 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: you know, going up against a guy like Stefan Diggs, 635 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: that's gonna be a key matchup. But also to me, 636 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 1: it's imperative for the Ravens to get pressure on Drake May. 637 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: He's taken the fourth most sacks in the league. That 638 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 1: that is, you know, one way to get after their offense. 639 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: And if he wants to take shots down the field, 640 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: you got it. You gotta get pressure on him to 641 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: nip that in the bud. The Ravens did that well 642 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: with Joe Burrow especially not blitzing, not having to commit 643 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: extra guys to it. And part of it is was 644 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 1: kind of this new trio that is formed with Draymont Jones, 645 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,280 Speaker 1: the return of Tavis Robinson and then inside with Travis Jones. 646 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 2: If those three. 647 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: Guys in addition to you know, Kyle van Noy and 648 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: some of these other pasts Mike Green, like, if they 649 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 1: can get after Drake May, I think that they'll have 650 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: some success. 651 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's kind of an interesting question of like, this 652 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 5: defense is coming off the best game of the season. 653 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 5: They just shut out this high powered offense to Cincinnati. 654 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 5: Is that the group that we're gonna be able to see, Like, 655 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 5: does that roll forward and. 656 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 2: We are hard to imagine a shutout again. 657 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 5: But yeah, I'd like to shut out. 658 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 2: I'll take this shutout like that. 659 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 5: That's pretty tough, the shutout, high buss scoring more points 660 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 5: than the opposing offense. I like that game plan. Yeah, 661 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 5: it is tough. I think that like that type of 662 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 5: expectation is probably a bit unrealistic, but in terms of 663 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 5: getting pressure after the quarterback and then not giving up 664 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 5: any of the big plays like Alohi Gilman was the 665 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:26,719 Speaker 5: AFC Defensive Player of the Week this week. He had 666 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 5: a great game. He had the long touchdown where he 667 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:30,719 Speaker 5: obviously took it from van Ney and then and then 668 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,600 Speaker 5: took it to the house, but also had a couple 669 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 5: of pass breakups, eight tackles, so just had a strong 670 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 5: game overall. And he's like he's one of those guys 671 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 5: that take takes things away deep. Him and Malachi stars 672 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 5: really on the back end of this defense, and so 673 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 5: you need those guys to play well. But on terms 674 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 5: of the shots, you also need your corners to hold up. 675 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 5: You need Marlin Humphrey to play well, Nate Wiggins. The 676 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 5: other point worth noting on the on the deep shot 677 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 5: piece is Chido o. Woozy is dealing with a foot 678 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 5: injury and we'll see if he's able player not and 679 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 5: what his status is for this game. That's kind of 680 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 5: a big question mark going into this matchup as to 681 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 5: whether or not he'll be able to be there on 682 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 5: the field. 683 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 3: Yep. 684 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: And of course with any young quarterback, you know, disguises 685 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: and trying to kind of make him hold the ball 686 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: a little bit longer, and that's part of his forty 687 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:18,959 Speaker 1: three sacks that he's taken this year. But you know, 688 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: I think that's another key element. The Ravens have traditionally 689 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 1: had a lot of success against rookie quarterbacks, young quarterbacks 690 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: and kind of changing up the picture on them. 691 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 2: Drake may has been excellent in that regard. 692 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: You know, his high completion percentage speaks to that he's 693 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: reading defense as well and getting the ball to where 694 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: it needs to go. 695 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 2: But you know, that'll be an element of this game 696 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 2: as well. 697 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 5: The other thing, too, is like this is a Mike 698 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 5: Vrabel coach team. And of course he had Derek Hendry 699 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 5: for all those years in Tennessee, but whenever the Ravens 700 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 5: played those big games against the Titans when Rabel was 701 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 5: the head coach, which they had some big ones over 702 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 5: the years. You knew that, like their identity was going 703 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 5: to be established the run. And they've got a really 704 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 5: good rookie running back in traving On Henderson, and as 705 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 5: much as Drake may is in the MVP conversation, at 706 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 5: their core, they still want to be a team that 707 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 5: can also run the football. So I think that that's 708 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 5: definitely going to be an important piece of a game plan, 709 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 5: slowing down Henderson and keeping them from finding themselves in 710 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 5: a spot where they can work the play action game 711 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 5: and then take some of those deep shots off of 712 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:17,240 Speaker 5: play action. 713 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: When Trevon Henderson's been kind of a big play guy 714 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:22,880 Speaker 1: for them. You know, he's in three of the past 715 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 1: four games, he's been held under seventy yards, but went 716 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 1: off for a buck forty eight and two touchdowns last week, 717 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:30,480 Speaker 1: in part because he had a really long touchdown run. 718 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: So you know, he he if you don't tackle, well, 719 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: he's the guy that can burn you. So yeah, that's 720 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: another key element of this game is making sure they 721 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: don't let him get loose for a long touchdown. I 722 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: think that you know, if you make them earn it, 723 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: no big plays take away the big plays in the 724 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: passing game and then the running game. It's going to 725 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: be a tougher sledding for these Patriots. 726 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 5: Well that was, honestly like the recipe that the Ravens 727 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 5: had against the Bengals. Like they took away the big play. 728 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 5: The Bengals had long drives, they moved the football, but 729 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 5: then the Ravens came up with some key stops on 730 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 5: four downs and turnovers. 731 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: We when they've been the Ravens defense has been really 732 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: good in the red zone. Yeah, very good in the 733 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: red zone here this past couple months. 734 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 5: Well, I mean, let's flip it to the other side 735 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 5: of red zone conversation. Yeah, for the Ravens offense. Ravens 736 00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 5: offense has struggled in the red zone this year, and 737 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 5: that's been one of the things, Like we've talked about 738 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 5: a lot Patriots defense has struggled in the red zone. Yeah, 739 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 5: one of these things is going to break this week. 740 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 741 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: That's the kind of the crazy part about this Patriots defense. 742 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: As you look at it, they're seventh overall, they're seventh 743 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: in points allowed at nineteen point seven, but they're last 744 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: in the league in red zone defense. Like usually you 745 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: don't have a defense that's not giving up many points 746 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: or yards and they're bad in the red zone, which 747 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 1: to me speaks to the fact that they haven't. 748 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 2: Not a lot of teams are getting to the red zone, 749 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. 750 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: But when they have, they've they've scored at a high rate, 751 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: score touchdowns. So could this be a get right game 752 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: for the Ravens red zone offense? That will be a 753 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: key element of this game. Well, Like when you look at. 754 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:01,959 Speaker 5: The offense this year, how many times we said, like, man, 755 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 5: they moved the ball, well, but the bugaboo was once 756 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 5: they got into inside the red zone. Like there's been 757 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,959 Speaker 5: many games where that's been the narrative coming out of it. 758 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 5: And so if they're able to get into the red zone, 759 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 5: I think you feel pretty good about their opportunities to 760 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 5: punch it in. And I'll tell you what, Like when 761 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 5: I went back and looked at the game from Cincinnati, 762 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 5: something that stood out to me, like Derek Henry, he 763 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 5: looked great, and I think that he is He's ready 764 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 5: to roll, Like this is this is his time. December football. 765 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 5: It's not gonna be that cold Sunday night is certainly 766 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 5: not as cold as it was Sunday in Cincinnati, but 767 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 5: like December Football, he's a tough guy to tackle. Mike 768 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 5: Vrabel has seen the other side of that for You 769 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 5: saw the other side of that for a long time 770 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 5: during their tenure together in Tennessee, and I just feel 771 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 5: like there's gonna be you want to be able to 772 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 5: lean on that as an offensive standpoint. I think that 773 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 5: helps you in the red zone, but it just helps 774 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 5: your offense overall. And like that just seems to be 775 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 5: the simple recipe for this offense to have a big day. Yeah. 776 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 1: I mean, but the Patriots run defense is fifth best 777 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: in the league. They've been holding opponents under one hundred 778 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: yard rushing yards per game. So that's you know, again 779 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: to a Vrabel, that's kind of the way they play. 780 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: They they want to play hard nos football, stop the run, 781 00:31:11,640 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: run the ball, you know, similar to John Harbaugh and 782 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: how this team is structured. And so it's kind of 783 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,719 Speaker 1: a testament of Wills in that regard Ken the Ravens 784 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: run against what's a pretty good defensive front. 785 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, and that's that will be the question. Like I think, 786 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 5: I think it's gonna be what we saw against the Bengals, 787 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 5: And one of the things I've liked, especially as we 788 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 5: got into the second half of the season. Like you, 789 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 5: there's a SETI diet of Henry that's gonna that's going 790 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 5: to continue, and Keaton Mitchell is now being worked in 791 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 5: more and more, and like the thunder and lightning thing 792 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 5: with those two guys, I think is real and it 793 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 5: keeps defenses off off balance a little bit when Keaton 794 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 5: comes into the game and he can provide that speed 795 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 5: and he also could run between the tackles. And then 796 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 5: the other factor, of course, is like this this passing game. 797 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 5: Zay Flowers has had some some big moments over the 798 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 5: past couple of games. Got a ton of targets against 799 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 5: the Steelers, came up with a touchdown last week against 800 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 5: the Bengals. He's flirting with a thousand yards. He's right there. 801 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 5: Like my my big prediction, which isn't that big of 802 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 5: a prediction, is that he hits a thousand yard mark 803 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 5: in this game. Yeah, he's right there. He's knocking on 804 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 5: the door. 805 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think I think that could very well happen. 806 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:17,479 Speaker 5: Yeah. 807 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: You know, they have a really good cornerback in Christian Gonzales, 808 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: and so you know, if if Zay's kind of the guy, 809 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 1: I think you have to spread the ball around because 810 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: he that he's a very talented player who can really 811 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: kind of put the clamps on some wide receivers. I 812 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 1: don't know that he's gonna be able to do it 813 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: against a Flowers, but it's not kind of I don't 814 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: think for the Ravens the recipe is to really hone 815 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 1: in on Zay Flowers and Zay Flowers only. 816 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, and the thing with gonz I mean, this is 817 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 5: a former first round pick. He's one of the one 818 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 5: of the top young emersion corners. 819 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. In the game. 820 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 5: The thing that's unique about Zay in comparison to some 821 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 5: of the other receivers that kind of fit like that 822 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 5: number one receiver mole, like Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson, Like, 823 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 5: the Ravens run so many short routes with Zay, like 824 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 5: the screen stuff, And how is that a way to 825 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,520 Speaker 5: neutralize a really good corner like Christian Gonzalez. I would 826 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 5: think so. I'll be curious to see if the Ravens 827 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 5: try to lean on that in this game. 828 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it'll be very interesting. 829 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: I think what's, you know, big picture, what's kind of 830 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: interesting about this game is do Mike Rabel and Drake 831 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: may bring back the Ravens Patriots rivalry that we saw 832 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 1: for so many years, you know, back at during the 833 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: Super Bowl heyday and with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. 834 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 1: You know, I think certainly they have a long way 835 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,959 Speaker 1: to go to get to that mantle of multiple Super Bowls, 836 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: But like they've they've put the Patriots back in position 837 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: as one of the AFC leaders, and it's probably going 838 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: to be a team that the Ravens are gonna have 839 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 1: to reckon with here for years to come, is the 840 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: way it looks right now at least. And so it's 841 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: this is the first taste of that of what could 842 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 1: be kind of a renewed rivalry between these two teams. 843 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 5: I've always said that in order for a rivalry rivalry 844 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 5: to really mean something, you have to play like big, significant, 845 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 5: meaningful games. 846 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 2: This is one of those. 847 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 5: Is one of those. Yeah, Like, and that's why I 848 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 5: think the Bills Ravens rivalry has accelerated in recent years. 849 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:12,760 Speaker 5: Same thing with the Chiefs, same thing with the Bengals 850 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,040 Speaker 5: and those Patriots, Like those were the biggest games. Back 851 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 5: to back GAFC championships, multiple playoff games against each other, right, Like, 852 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 5: those were the types of games that kind of define 853 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 5: your team and your organization and so and. 854 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:26,919 Speaker 2: It hasn't been that in recent years. 855 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: The last time the Ravens faced the Patriots was in 856 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, Kyle Hailton's rookie year. He had a 857 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:36,240 Speaker 1: big sack, you know, forced fumble up in New England. 858 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 1: But like Mac Jones was the starting quarterback, you know, 859 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: the Patriots weren't the Patriots. 860 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:41,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, that we've all known for so long. 861 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 5: Well, like with raybel that Titans rivalry became exactly pretty 862 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 5: for it was pretty hot. That was very years in 863 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 5: nineteen and twenty like that was that was a red 864 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 5: hot rivalry for a short period of time, but it 865 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:59,360 Speaker 5: was it was definitely there. Yeah, And so yeah, I 866 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 5: think that those things can. I think they happen organically. 867 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 5: And if these two teams end up being two of 868 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,760 Speaker 5: the top teams in the AFC for the foreseeable future, 869 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 5: then I think that you could definitely. 870 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 3: Have that yep. 871 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, So it'll be interesting when it's gonna be rocking 872 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: at M and T Banks Stadium. We have a lot 873 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: of game day entertainment coming your way. 874 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, make sure you're one of the first fifteen thousand 875 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,319 Speaker 5: people in the stadium. You can get one of our 876 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 5: thirtiest season scarfs, which I know will come in handy 877 00:35:22,840 --> 00:35:25,960 Speaker 5: on a chili night. Yeah, not gonna be blistering cold, 878 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 5: but a chili night in December. And make sure you're 879 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:31,360 Speaker 5: in your seats by eight pm. We have offensive introduction, 880 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 5: so you know you want to see Lamar Jackson run 881 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 5: out of that tunnel and that's gonna happen again. Be 882 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 5: in your seat by eight pm for that on Sunday night. 883 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 5: It's gonna be just a great atmosphere. As I said, 884 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:44,319 Speaker 5: there's like no better place in the league than Mt. 885 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 5: Bak Stadium for a primetime football game. So Sunday Night 886 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:49,640 Speaker 5: Football at the Bank. Can't wait for it. Thank you 887 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 5: so much for listening, and we will be back with 888 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 5: you after that game this week.