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Speaker 1: You know, I get really excited to go out there

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Speaker 1: and just do what we do and just play the game.

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Speaker 1: And it's just so fun from me out there to

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Speaker 1: make plays and see my teammates make plays. You don't

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Speaker 1: can't help, but to celebrate disappointing is a mild way

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Speaker 1: of putting it. I mean, you could call it a nightmare,

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Speaker 1: you know, from what this team was expecting or hoping

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Speaker 1: to accomplish to where they are right now. Viking fans,

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Speaker 1: Welcome to the MVP the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. I'm your host, Siaminson.

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Speaker 1: This is episode sixty eight, and we are celebrating a

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Speaker 1: rare win in Soldier Field, three in a row for

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Speaker 1: the Vikings, a Monday night victory against the Bears. Joining

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Speaker 1: me Chris Corso, Jay Nelson from Vikings dot Com got

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Speaker 1: a fun show ahead of you, guys. Linebacker Eric Wilson

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Speaker 1: sits down with Chris Corso Vikings dot Com. Eric Smith

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Speaker 1: sits down with the Cowboys reporter. But before we get there,

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Speaker 1: let's for the last few weeks, I've been saying we

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Speaker 1: should jump in. You know, we should spend less time

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Speaker 1: focusing on what happened, and we should spend more time

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Speaker 1: focusing on what's about to happen because our show comes

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Speaker 1: out on Thursdays. But I'm gonna go against my own

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Speaker 1: rules here, guys, A win, A win in Soldier Field,

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Speaker 1: and that it was the sort of game that we've

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Speaker 1: lost time and that sort of game that plays out

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Speaker 1: at that slow pace, with that sort of low scoring

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Speaker 1: and a few weird events, with a kickoff return touchdown

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Speaker 1: and a botched extra point. That is the game that

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Speaker 1: we have lost in that building time and time again.

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Speaker 1: So it felt really, really really good to get the win.

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Speaker 1: And Chris, I'll start with you. I'm gonna let you

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Speaker 1: take your little Kirk Cousins victory lap here because what

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Speaker 1: I've said for the last few weeks and when I

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Speaker 1: said going into this game was he is going to

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Speaker 1: have to step up. He is not going to be

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Speaker 1: able to play the same role he played against the

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Speaker 1: Packers and against the Lions. And he did step up.

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Speaker 1: I love it, Si. I mean ten of eleven on

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Speaker 1: third down, That's where it mattered most. Cousins was ten

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Speaker 1: of eleven on third down. Can I repeat that to you, Si,

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Speaker 1: He's already dead. He's stepped up. He stepped up in

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Speaker 1: all the big moments. The past to theelan on the

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Speaker 1: touchdown for the one handed cash was in an area

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Speaker 1: that only he could make that play. And then the

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Speaker 1: final touchdown to theeling was a perfect route by number nineteen,

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Speaker 1: but the ball was also put in a place where

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Speaker 1: no mistake could be made. It was probably one of

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Speaker 1: the best games that he's had this season, that's for sure.

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Speaker 1: And he didn't make the mistake. He did not make

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Speaker 1: the mistake. I know there was an interception, but it

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Speaker 1: wasn't his fault on that play. And he did the

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Speaker 1: thing that he was talking about, hitting the singles, not

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Speaker 1: calling for the home run. The next step is taking

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Speaker 1: that big shot down the field and hitting the home run.

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Speaker 1: I'm glad you said that, because I'm gonna call. I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna call how I feel about the quarterback. The Kirk

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Speaker 1: Cousins spectrum. Where is his Where are the expectations for

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Speaker 1: Kirk Landing currently on the Kirk Cousins spectrum And the

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Speaker 1: last two weeks when Dalvin Cook was kicking ass. You

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Speaker 1: go out there, you don't make any mistakes, and you

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Speaker 1: make a few throws and you go win this football game.

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Speaker 1: We all knew that in this game he would have

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Speaker 1: to move down that spectrum a little bit, he'd have

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Speaker 1: to step away from game manager into making a few

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Speaker 1: throws and you hit on the head there, Chris. What

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Speaker 1: I personally think is that at some point the season,

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Speaker 1: in moments where it's necessary, Ken and will be able

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Speaker 1: to evolve into doing what he did against the Bears,

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Speaker 1: who are a fantastic defense on Monday night and then

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Speaker 1: all so taking advantage of a few opportunities down the

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Speaker 1: field and turning two ninety two into three seventy, turning

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Speaker 1: two touchdowns into four touchdowns, that sort of situation. Jay,

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Speaker 1: you're talking about the evolution and seeing some of those

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Speaker 1: big moments. You got one in this game when they

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Speaker 1: absolutely needed to keep the clock running, they needed to

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Speaker 1: move the chains, and they hit the fifty four yarder

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Speaker 1: to Justin Jefferson right Like that was a huge moment,

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Speaker 1: not only for the entire team but for Kirk because

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Speaker 1: that was the thing. You're you're staring down a third down,

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Speaker 1: You're like, we gotta get this in order to try

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Speaker 1: to seal this victory, and even then it wasn't guaranteed,

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Speaker 1: but when it happened, you saw him a moote and

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Speaker 1: go nuts on the field and kind of give the

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Speaker 1: big yell, and I think for him, you can sit

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Speaker 1: there and say as much as you want, you don't

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Speaker 1: hear the chatter, you don't pay attention, blah blah blah.

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Speaker 1: Those guys know what everybody says, and you know the

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Speaker 1: O and nine and all that kind of stuff. You're

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Speaker 1: getting some of these monkeys off your back and you're

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Speaker 1: able to get the confidence and the team is on

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Speaker 1: a roll and they're winning, and you can ride a

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Speaker 1: guy like Dlvin for so far, but you're gonna have

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Speaker 1: to have Kirk step up in those big moments and

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Speaker 1: to hit those kind of passes. And if we get

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Speaker 1: to the point now where we're talking about we're doing

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Speaker 1: the base level stuff and now we're going for the

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Speaker 1: home run, that is great because you're getting to the

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Speaker 1: point now at the back end of the season where

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Speaker 1: all of this stuff has to come together in order

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Speaker 1: to have long term success and hopefully make a run

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Speaker 1: for the playoffs. Yet, well, let me let me place

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Speaker 1: this spectrum conversation onto a different player that you mentioned.

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Speaker 1: Let's talk about Justin Jefferson here, because obviously both receivers

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Speaker 1: had nice games. Justin Jefferson had a really really nice

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Speaker 1: game eight catches for one hundred and thirty five yards.

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Speaker 1: But the number that stood out to me was targets.

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Speaker 1: Ten targets. We go in to play the most difficult

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Speaker 1: defense that we've seen. This is the best front seven.

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Speaker 1: They put pressure on the ball. This is a very

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Speaker 1: good defense. And justin Jefferson goes out and gets ten targets.

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Speaker 1: That tells me a couple of things. One, in a

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Speaker 1: very important moment against a very good defense, we trusted

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Speaker 1: the bulk of our offensive threat to a rookie who's

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Speaker 1: growing week end and week out. By comparison, Feeling and

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Speaker 1: Rudolph combined only put twelve targets on the board. And

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Speaker 1: and just for a further to some further backstory, this

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Speaker 1: isn't an organization that has high target rates compared to

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Speaker 1: the rest of the league with their top receiving targets.

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Speaker 1: With like a lot of the other run oriented teams

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Speaker 1: the Patriots, etc. You wind up with your leading target

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Speaker 1: getter averaging about five five and a half. This year,

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Speaker 1: it's a little high with Feeling at about seven, but

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Speaker 1: that's a little abnormal. Last year, I think Diggs was

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Speaker 1: our leading target getter and he was in that five

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Speaker 1: five and a half range. By comparison, when you see

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Speaker 1: what Diggs is doing out in Buffalo, he's getting ten

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Speaker 1: a game out there. That's that's that's a more pass oriented,

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Speaker 1: light up the scoreboard offense. To bring it all the

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Speaker 1: way back to Justin Jefferson, this is a rookie who,

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Speaker 1: in an offense that normally doesn't put up that many

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Speaker 1: targets to individual guys, put them up to him in

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Speaker 1: an important in an important game. And what it shows

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Speaker 1: me is as we need Kirk to step up and

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Speaker 1: do what he's this is a guy who's going to

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Speaker 1: be able to carry more of the load. And as

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Speaker 1: much as I love Dalvin Cook, as much as I

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Speaker 1: want to focus on pounding the ball and time of possession,

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Speaker 1: it's never gonna upset me if Justin Jefferson gets ten targets.

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Speaker 1: If Justin Jefferson gets ten targets, he's probably whooping your

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Speaker 1: ass up and down that field. Chris Kirk Cousins has

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Speaker 1: the number one yards per completion in the NFL for quarterbacks,

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Speaker 1: and a big reason why is Justin Jefferson and the

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Speaker 1: yards after catch which you saw on that fifty four

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Speaker 1: yard play. It seemed like in this game side I'm

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Speaker 1: just building off of what you were talking about, it

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Speaker 1: seems like Jefferson was the target you're trying to go

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Speaker 1: down the field and make the plays, and Feeling was

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Speaker 1: the target in the red zone. Every time we were

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Speaker 1: in the red zone. You heard Lewis Riddick say on

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Speaker 1: the broadcast, Oh, this is Adam Theelan zone. Two seconds later,

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Speaker 1: Adam Feeling mixing the one handed catch in the end zone.

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Speaker 1: They said the same thing when he had the second time. Oh,

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Speaker 1: here we are back in Theeland's red zone. So it'll

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Speaker 1: be interesting to track that going forward with Cousins the

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Speaker 1: way he kind of targets each of those two players.

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Speaker 1: But I think the combination right now it worked well

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Speaker 1: with Diggs and Feeling. I never could have imagined how

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Speaker 1: well the combination of Jefferson and Feeling has been meshing.

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Speaker 1: I Mean, the thing with Jefferson was always, oh, he's

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Speaker 1: just a slot receiver. That's all he did in college

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Speaker 1: at LSU. I mean, this guy can do at all well.

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Speaker 1: And that was you know, we keep hearing that conversation.

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Speaker 1: I mean that was a lot to do with Joe

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Speaker 1: Brady's offense and what Joe Brady wanted to do with

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Speaker 1: that unit. I think he was able to win on

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Speaker 1: the outside. It was just doing what worked for them

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Speaker 1: as they went to go try to win a national championship.

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Speaker 1: And it's just we say it week in and week out.

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Speaker 1: I sound like a broken record, but he's doing it

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Speaker 1: all over the field. You know, he took he took

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Speaker 1: a Kirk Cousin slant and turned it into a fourteen

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Speaker 1: yard game and basically muscled four Chicago Bears defenders to

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Speaker 1: the end of the play. And it's it's making those

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Speaker 1: plays and those being capable of being a short yardage

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Speaker 1: threat like that that then you know, after the Delvin

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Speaker 1: Cook holding call, he can get deeper on a crossing

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Speaker 1: route and bust for a fifty four yard game. I

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Speaker 1: just everybody's all over him right now with all this praise,

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Speaker 1: and it's deserved because he's just a threat in so

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Speaker 1: many ways. And that's why I was freaking out about

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Speaker 1: the targets. I think that's such a positive sign. If

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Speaker 1: you've got a guy that's as scary as Delvin Cook

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Speaker 1: and you have a stud in Adam Feeling, and all

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Speaker 1: of a sudden, you have this this game breaker that

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Speaker 1: you can put ten to twelve targets on. If that's

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Speaker 1: the way the game needs to go, that's re exciting.

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Speaker 1: Jay in twenty nineteen, it's pick your poison, right? Is

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Speaker 1: it a feeling? Is it a digs? Who are you

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Speaker 1: going to cover? Who's your top guy going to be on?

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Speaker 1: And now you're getting back to that stage again of

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Speaker 1: you have legitimately at least three top tier in the

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Speaker 1: league targets that you can focus on. And the best

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Speaker 1: part is it's not just you, it's everybody across the

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Speaker 1: board in the league talking about Jefferson. You've got Hall

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Speaker 1: of famers tweeting out with it out. Sharpe was all

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Speaker 1: over him, saying, this kid's the best rookie wide receiver

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Speaker 1: in the entire league. I can tell you right now.

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Speaker 1: Even just in talking to the Dallas Cowboys reporter when

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Speaker 1: Eric Smith was doing his stuff, they were talking about

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Speaker 1: how glad they were that we got him instead of Philly,

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Speaker 1: who has one pick ahead of us, just because of

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Speaker 1: the nightmare that he proposes for everybody. So I think

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Speaker 1: justin Jefferson right now with the rookie campaign, he's on

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Speaker 1: the fact that that he just tied Randy Moss's record

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Speaker 1: for four one hundred yard games in a rookie season.

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Speaker 1: All of that kind of stuff is showing you that

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Speaker 1: the confidence is there from your order back, the confidence

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Speaker 1: is there from Gary Kubiak, and now the confidence has

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Speaker 1: got to be there for Justin Jefferson as well, who's

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Speaker 1: putting in these kind of performances. And the best part

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Speaker 1: for us, as you're looking at this saying this is

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Speaker 1: year one and what does this mean not only for

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Speaker 1: this year but for all of the years to come,

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Speaker 1: it's really exciting. We knew going into this game that

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Speaker 1: the Chicago Bears offense was in trouble. They had struggled

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Speaker 1: mightily coming into this one, and they were without their

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Speaker 1: star running back. We knew they were going to have

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Speaker 1: a difficult time yet and still you can only accomplish

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Speaker 1: the task that you are asked to accomplish, and for

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Speaker 1: the Vikings to go out and keep this offense out

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Speaker 1: of the end zone. Patterson might have got in, but

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Speaker 1: the offense didn't to keep them out of the end zone.

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Speaker 1: To have the Bears bring the ball onto the Viking

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Speaker 1: side of the fifty three times and only come away

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Speaker 1: with three points on those three possessions. They did everything

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Speaker 1: that was asked of them, and given where we were

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Speaker 1: in weeks one through five, I it's it's incredible, it's

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Speaker 1: so exciting as a Viking fan. Yeah, and you'll hear

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Speaker 1: this from Eric Wilson later on in the show. But

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Speaker 1: I've been focusing on the pass rush and the cornerbacks

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Speaker 1: because those are the two positions where we have those

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Speaker 1: young players that we're tracking each and every week to

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Speaker 1: see the progression of a DJ. Wantum see the progression

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Speaker 1: of a Chris Boyd. I noted that heading into the game,

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Speaker 1: Chris Boyd was gonna be a huge player in this

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Speaker 1: game guarding Alan Robbie. I'm gonna I'm gonna jump in.

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Speaker 1: I got a question for you. Of course, are we

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Speaker 1: getting to the point where when people start coming back.

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Speaker 1: Chris Boyd might have capitalized on an opportunity here and

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Speaker 1: it's gonna have to be in the conversation for that position,

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Speaker 1: rickgardless of who's healthy on this roster, and that that

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Speaker 1: was the matchup that I said heading into this game

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Speaker 1: was so big and he I mean, those guys played great.

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Speaker 1: Him and Glad you see you see Glad he make

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Speaker 1: a huge play at the end of the game when

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Speaker 1: we needed the most. I mean, it's it's all come together.

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Speaker 1: The pass rush helps the coverage of these young of

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Speaker 1: these young defensive backs, and of course you have those

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Speaker 1: two linebackers in the middle that are doing just about

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Speaker 1: everything from pass rushing into coverage to everything that you need.

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Speaker 1: From Eric Wilson in the middle along with Eric Kendricks

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Speaker 1: and the safeties are are the coaches out on They

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Speaker 1: really are like like coaches from Mike Zimmer out on

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Speaker 1: the field. So when as these cornerbacks and young pass

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Speaker 1: rushers are starting to come along, it's like the whole

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Speaker 1: unit is is cohesive in the past three weeks, and

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Speaker 1: that's what Ben Leeber has been has been harping on

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Speaker 1: week after week, is when you have a DJ one,

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Speaker 1: I'm a Chris Boyd and Jeff Gladney. When you when

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Speaker 1: you have those guys come along, everything else is just working.

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Speaker 1: I mean, it really is, and it's and it's really

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Speaker 1: fun to see. And Zimmer schemes so well for this game.

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Speaker 1: You know, in between a few exotic blitzes and just

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Speaker 1: bringing regular pressure when it was necessary. Falls was the

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Speaker 1: under pressure on nine out of his eleven third and

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Speaker 1: fourth down plays. I mean that is that is a

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Speaker 1: number that wins you a football game. One of the

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Speaker 1: things that stood out, and people have been pointing it out,

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Speaker 1: is the threat of the pressure. It didn't even have

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Speaker 1: to come at Folds. The threat of pressure was screwing

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Speaker 1: up all of their protections all night long. You had

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Speaker 1: Eric Kendricks, you know, mugging the a gap looking like

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Speaker 1: he's going to shoot, and then when all of a

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Speaker 1: sudden everything comes in, he bails out to go into coverage.

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Speaker 1: But the lineman thinks he's got to hit get Kendricks

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Speaker 1: because Kendricks is quick, and all of a sudden, everybody

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Speaker 1: else is running right by him. It was just even

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Speaker 1: the threat of pressure was screwing up their offensive line

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Speaker 1: all night. And you know the best part for me

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Speaker 1: was seeing your Hercules Mataafa, who had struggled a little

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Speaker 1: bit earlier in the season now but being put in

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Speaker 1: that pass rusher positioning guys like him, Yeah, seeing him

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Speaker 1: and DJ want him, Seeing those younger guys being able

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Speaker 1: to get their shot. And even if Foddy, you know,

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Speaker 1: he was in the backfield a couple of times too,

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Speaker 1: And it's seeing those young guys like you're saying Corso,

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Speaker 1: seeing that pass rush coming together, it just reaked havoc

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Speaker 1: not only for Foals but for the rest of the

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Speaker 1: team because we knew that their running game was basically

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Speaker 1: not a thing for the evening. And if that's the case,

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Speaker 1: and you tell Zimmer that it's going to turn into

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Speaker 1: pressure all night long and just to see a fulls

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Speaker 1: could handle it and not only falls, but that offensive

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Speaker 1: line for Chicago struggled all night long. All Right, we

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Speaker 1: do have to before we move on, we have to

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Speaker 1: talk about the one negative. I know we're excited about

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Speaker 1: the win. I know we don't. We don't get wins

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Speaker 1: in Chicago very often, but we can't walk away from

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Speaker 1: this game without discussing the special teams. Chris, a really

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Speaker 1: rough night overall for the unit, after a really rough

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Speaker 1: week last week in Detroit. It's it's been two weeks

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Speaker 1: in a row. You have two weeks ago, you have

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Speaker 1: two punts that are blocked, and that is when one

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Speaker 1: punk gets blocked. It's inexcusable. And in this game it

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Speaker 1: just continued. I mean, it happened in every single phase

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Speaker 1: of special teams. It happened in covering the kick with

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Speaker 1: Cordell Patterson doing exactly what we all knew he was

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Speaker 1: gonna do against this former team. And it happened when

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Speaker 1: Dan Chisena as a gunner runs down the field and

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Speaker 1: has a perfect opportunity to down the Bears at the

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Speaker 1: one and steps his back foot on the on the line,

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Speaker 1: like that's your job on this team to make that play.

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Speaker 1: And that play is a huge turn in a game

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Speaker 1: where the Vikings were completely shutting down the offense for

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Speaker 1: the Bears, as we talked about already. And when these

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Speaker 1: special teams blunders happened, I mean they're game changers, and

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Speaker 1: you see Mike Zimmer lose it on the sideline, I

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Speaker 1: think the accountability has to be it has to come

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Speaker 1: from everybody. I mean Mike Zimmer. He's probably sitting in

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Speaker 1: middle Special teams meetings this week, I can promise you that.

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Speaker 1: And it happened on Austin cutting on the long snapper

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Speaker 1: on an extra point, which that's a play where the

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Speaker 1: Vikings could go up seven points. Instead they go up

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Speaker 1: six and have to play defense for the for the

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Speaker 1: lives of them, and one play to Anthony Miller could

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Speaker 1: have caused us to whose that game. So these things

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Speaker 1: have to get fixed. There's no excuse for them. That's

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Speaker 1: the biggest thing. There's no excuse for them. And if

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Speaker 1: they don't get fixed, it's going to cost us a

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Speaker 1: big game down the line. Now, and Chris, I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: lean in a little bit on a guy we like

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Speaker 1: a lot on this show, Dan Chisena. We all it

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Speaker 1: was such a great story in training camp. You know,

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Speaker 1: we were excited when he made the team. You know

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Speaker 1: when a guy makes that sort of that sort of

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Speaker 1: noise in camp where they're willing to switch positions just

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Speaker 1: to make sure they can roster him in theory, that's

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Speaker 1: a guy you're excited about. He was great on this show.

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Speaker 1: Monday was a really rough night for him, and it

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Speaker 1: I think everybody's focusing on his goal line awareness and

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Speaker 1: downing that punt, which is a you said it, that's

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Speaker 1: your one job here. It is a crucial, crucial miss

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Speaker 1: I've said this before. I don't know. I'm not a

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Speaker 1: guy who sits and breaks down film. I am fortunate

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Speaker 1: that one of my good friends has been a Division

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Speaker 1: one college football coach for a long time and started

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Speaker 1: with the special teams unit, and I used to coach basketball,

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Speaker 1: and I remember him telling me, and he was a

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Speaker 1: basketball coach in the summertimes. He worked with some au stuff.

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Speaker 1: That's how I got to know him. And he explained

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Speaker 1: to me a couple of like things that were so similar,

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Speaker 1: and the one thing that always stuck with me was

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Speaker 1: how you you close out and break down When you're

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Speaker 1: a basketball player, if you're rotated on defense and the

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Speaker 1: ball swings around the arc and your guy gets it

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Speaker 1: out on the three point line, you can't just fly

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Speaker 1: out there, stick your hand in the air and try

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Speaker 1: to block a three, or he's gonna pump fake and

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Speaker 1: embarrass your ass. Right, it's to close out. You sprint out,

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Speaker 1: you take a stutter step, you split your legs, and

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Speaker 1: you get low, so no matter what he does, you're

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Speaker 1: prepared for anything. It's the same concept with punt gunners.

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Speaker 1: If the ball is punted to your side of the

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Speaker 1: field and you are the primary guy coming down on

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Speaker 1: you can't come down and play hero ball. You can't

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Speaker 1: come down and try to knock him into the next

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Speaker 1: world or force a muffed punt. Your primary role there

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Speaker 1: has if you can make a great tackle and stop

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Speaker 1: him where he's at, absolutely, but you can't put yourself

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Speaker 1: in a position where you're off balance trying to make

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Speaker 1: a hero play and he shakes you and he's gone.

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Speaker 1: The same thing happened in the Cordarrell Patterson return and

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Speaker 1: Cordarrell does this thing where Cordarrell Cordarrell can hook at

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Speaker 1: ninety degree angles where he'll come out of the end

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Speaker 1: zone and he'll just crank right at almost ninety degrees

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Speaker 1: and you're like, oh, he's gone all the way and

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Speaker 1: then boom, just another one immediately and he shoots right

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Speaker 1: through you. And when he made that move and Dan

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Speaker 1: was out of position, it doesn't matter what the rest

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Speaker 1: of these guys do when he when he gets busted there,

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Speaker 1: everybody else's angles gone. And when you're d with somebody

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Speaker 1: like Corderyl Patterson, who is Hall of Fame level, you're dead.

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Speaker 1: You know. We saw the argument on the sideline, We

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Speaker 1: saw the tweets, so I think everybody is acting like

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Speaker 1: the Viking Special Teams unit is a flaming ship that's

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Speaker 1: about to sink. And my point with bringing all this

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Speaker 1: up is it's that simple with Special Teams. When you've

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Speaker 1: got a bunch of guys racing down the field that's

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Speaker 1: full speed trying to do their job. It's that simple.

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Speaker 1: When you have one guy overplay and somebody else can't

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Speaker 1: crack for it, things can go the wrong way in

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Speaker 1: a hurry. So I'm not at this place where I'm

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Speaker 1: nightmare concerned about our entire unit after these two weeks.

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Speaker 1: That was both frustrating to see and also gave me

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Speaker 1: hope that we, like Dan, I would assume that that

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Speaker 1: is not going to be I don't think that's been

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Speaker 1: a thing all year. I don't think it'll continue to

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Speaker 1: be a thing. My hope is that that corrects itself.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I don't know what the hell to

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Speaker 1: say about the cutting snap a guy, a guy who

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00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:08,760
Speaker 1: was out for it's you know that was that was

401
00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:10,959
Speaker 1: a tough mistake. But as long as it's a mirage

402
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Speaker 1: not a trend, right, as long as this is a

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Speaker 1: week to week thing and there's there's small things that

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00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,800
Speaker 1: can be corrected. Like you said, you know, it might

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Speaker 1: be just a guy had a bad night. It might

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Speaker 1: be something where they can use it as a teachable moment,

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Speaker 1: especially for a guy who's what ten weeks into his

408
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Speaker 1: NFL career. But I think what it really turns into

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Speaker 1: for me with this stuff is you had two back

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Speaker 1: to back games where it seems squirrely. And the hard

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Speaker 1: part is we're playing on some of these games where

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Speaker 1: the margin of error is super thin, and so it

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Speaker 1: just amplifies that stuff even more. And when it comes

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Speaker 1: down to the end of the game and you're looking

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Speaker 1: at that one extra point or you're looking at the

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Speaker 1: fact that it was the touchdown because the offense and

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Speaker 1: defense played so well. I think, as Zimmer said when

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Speaker 1: they asked him at the end of the game, you know,

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Speaker 1: are these guys giving you sleepless nights and giving you

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Speaker 1: some gray hairs? And he said yes, it's definitely something

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Speaker 1: that is on top of mind for those guys that

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Speaker 1: they'll definitely pay attention to this week. So I just

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Speaker 1: as long as it doesn't turn into something where you

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Speaker 1: just start start gripping so tight and thinking about it

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00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,480
Speaker 1: too much. Hopefully they can just correct these small minor

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Speaker 1: pieces and make it a one week thing instead of

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Speaker 1: making it a rest of the season things. So I

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Speaker 1: have faith in the coaching staff and the players to

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Speaker 1: clean that stuff up and we'll get another crack at

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Speaker 1: it here on Sunday versus Dallas. Yeah to me, because

431
00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,760
Speaker 1: it doesn't feel like I point all that out, and

432
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,159
Speaker 1: I'll now say it doesn't feel like you have a

433
00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:32,639
Speaker 1: kicker with the yips. You know, when you have a

434
00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,560
Speaker 1: kicker who's shank an important kicks, you just sit around

435
00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,080
Speaker 1: all season waiting for the important shoe to drop that

436
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,760
Speaker 1: ruins ruins an important game. To me, this is a

437
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,760
Speaker 1: guy who, you know, like I said, just overplayed a bit.

438
00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:49,440
Speaker 1: That was where a lot of the issues came from

439
00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:52,360
Speaker 1: in terms of coverage, and like Corso said, the down

440
00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:55,639
Speaker 1: in the punt and those are correctable, those are teachable,

441
00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,639
Speaker 1: Those are fixable. Those don't feel like our kickers missed

442
00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,720
Speaker 1: seven forty three yarders this season and now he has

443
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,480
Speaker 1: to hit a forty two yarder to win a playoff game.

444
00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:10,359
Speaker 1: It doesn't feel like that. It's why, as frustrating as

445
00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,560
Speaker 1: that was to feel, it's why I'm not sounding the

446
00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:18,920
Speaker 1: alarms that some people on Twitter are Download Vikings Now,

447
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,199
Speaker 1: the team's connected TV app, to watch all of your

448
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 1: favorite Vikings programming on your Apple TV, Roku or Amazon

449
00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,320
Speaker 1: Fire TV. Search Vikings Now with any compatible device to

450
00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:32,280
Speaker 1: begin watching videos. Watch full episodes of TV shows such

451
00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,959
Speaker 1: as Vikings Game Plan and Vikings Connected. Plus digital programming

452
00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,120
Speaker 1: like the voyage. Also watch game highlights, player and coach

453
00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,600
Speaker 1: press conferences, and much more. It's Vikings dot com, slash

454
00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:48,719
Speaker 1: CTV for info Dallas Cowboys. This is we talked about this.

455
00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,280
Speaker 1: You got the win you needed to get, You got

456
00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,280
Speaker 1: the win you wanted to get. Now let's get some

457
00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:57,280
Speaker 1: wins that everybody says we're supposed to get. Andy Dalton

458
00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,080
Speaker 1: Is it looks like he's going to be back and

459
00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,240
Speaker 1: he's going to be ready to play. I'm never the

460
00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,080
Speaker 1: guy's like, this is a team you're gonna beat. This

461
00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,760
Speaker 1: is this is a bad team. It's that's nonsense in

462
00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:11,000
Speaker 1: the NFL. But this is a matchup that should bode

463
00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,040
Speaker 1: well for what the Vikings are doing right now. And

464
00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,920
Speaker 1: I think it's also kind of a their defense hasn't

465
00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,280
Speaker 1: been strong. I don't think that's a surprise to anyone.

466
00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,560
Speaker 1: So a lot of the things you've been doing on offense,

467
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,320
Speaker 1: you gotta be really excited to be able to kind

468
00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:30,120
Speaker 1: of we're talking about pick your poison. The other team,

469
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:31,880
Speaker 1: they're like, who are you going to stop this week?

470
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,080
Speaker 1: We might get to pick the poison that we feed them.

471
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,199
Speaker 1: You know that That's that's the sort of situation we

472
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,880
Speaker 1: have in front of us here. I think the more

473
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,639
Speaker 1: interesting thing is if Dalton does play. He's not a

474
00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,600
Speaker 1: bad quarterback, He's an NFL veteran. They have weapons all

475
00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,639
Speaker 1: over the field and it'll be interesting to see how

476
00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:51,359
Speaker 1: the defense stacks up. Jay. Yeah, and I think, like

477
00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:53,600
Speaker 1: you just said, you know that Andy Dalton factor is

478
00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,080
Speaker 1: the huge factor in my mind. You know, between Ben

479
00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,040
Speaker 1: da Nucci and Garrett Gilbert, they have not done hardly

480
00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:02,200
Speaker 1: anything to like the world on fire here. Dalton is

481
00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,080
Speaker 1: the one piece that could come in here and be

482
00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,399
Speaker 1: the X factor because, as we've talked about in the past,

483
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,840
Speaker 1: it is the most important position on the team. And

484
00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,600
Speaker 1: I think once you saw Dak Prescott, you know fall away,

485
00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,320
Speaker 1: he was the thing that was making up for the

486
00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,440
Speaker 1: mistakes they had on defense. So I think for Dallas,

487
00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:22,119
Speaker 1: if Andy Dalton's back, at least it gives them a

488
00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,119
Speaker 1: little shot in the arm and some juice to know

489
00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,560
Speaker 1: that they have somebody back there who has the chance

490
00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,840
Speaker 1: and the potential to have a big game. But even then,

491
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,919
Speaker 1: you know, the last couple times we've played him, he

492
00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 1: hasn't had that great game against US, And I think

493
00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,720
Speaker 1: Zimmer knows where all of the worts are potentially in

494
00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,600
Speaker 1: his game just from his years and since he so

495
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,840
Speaker 1: I'm thinking that if you're the Vikings defense right now,

496
00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,679
Speaker 1: like you said, you kind of get the pick of

497
00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,960
Speaker 1: the poison to give him. And again for Dallas, if

498
00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,480
Speaker 1: they can make them one dimensional and make them be

499
00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:54,639
Speaker 1: forced to have to run, then it completely changes the

500
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,920
Speaker 1: defensive scheme and what you can do to lock them down.

501
00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,959
Speaker 1: So SI similar to before, if you can take Dallas

502
00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,160
Speaker 1: and make them one dimensional like we did in Chicago,

503
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,440
Speaker 1: then you should be able to control that game. Now,

504
00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,120
Speaker 1: weeks one through five, the Cowboys were putting thirty two

505
00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:11,080
Speaker 1: points a week on the board. Prescott was all over.

506
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,120
Speaker 1: I saw a statistic where Dak Prescott is still ahead

507
00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:18,639
Speaker 1: of multiple starting quarterbacks in terms of total yardage and

508
00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,439
Speaker 1: he hasn't played for you know, four or five weeks.

509
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,480
Speaker 1: Here Now week six through nine, they've only averaged ten

510
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,280
Speaker 1: point two five points a game. Neither of those are

511
00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:30,320
Speaker 1: numbers that matter to me. They're obviously not going to

512
00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:32,320
Speaker 1: be who they were with Dak Prescott out there, and

513
00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:36,080
Speaker 1: I don't buy into this ten points a game number

514
00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:38,280
Speaker 1: if Andy Dalton is back, because there's just a lot

515
00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 1: of weapons out there and a thing I'm always saying

516
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,600
Speaker 1: to Chris on and off the air, is like, I

517
00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,520
Speaker 1: don't want these I don't want to see dj Wanam

518
00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,520
Speaker 1: stop a third string running back on second down. I

519
00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,920
Speaker 1: want to see dj Wantam and a Foddy and guys

520
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,200
Speaker 1: who have to contain the run. I want to see

521
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,760
Speaker 1: him do it against Zeke Elliott. You know these young

522
00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,520
Speaker 1: corner We're talking about Chris Boyd early in the show, like,

523
00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,240
Speaker 1: is this is he really making a name for himself

524
00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,080
Speaker 1: and making a case for keeping this job regardless of

525
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,320
Speaker 1: what happens. Well, I want to see what happens against

526
00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,840
Speaker 1: Amari Cooper and Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup. So I

527
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:16,000
Speaker 1: think it I think you won't see the dismal performance

528
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,680
Speaker 1: that you've seen the last few weeks, and I think

529
00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,280
Speaker 1: it's an opportunity a little bit to see how some

530
00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,800
Speaker 1: of these improvements stack up against a little higher end

531
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,280
Speaker 1: talent from a skill position standpoint than maybe we saw

532
00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,920
Speaker 1: this past week. Chris, they have a lot of talent

533
00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,760
Speaker 1: at their skill positions, and as a as a Amari

534
00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:36,520
Speaker 1: Cooper fantasy owner, I can tell you that he has

535
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,720
Speaker 1: not been producing the way he has early on in

536
00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,639
Speaker 1: the season. With Dak Prescott with these rookie quarterbacks like

537
00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,760
Speaker 1: Ben Denucci and Andy Dalton and the other one who

538
00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,400
Speaker 1: who even knows who he is at this point, But yeah,

539
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,840
Speaker 1: he has not been producing in the way that he

540
00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,920
Speaker 1: was Rush, thank you, Cooper Rush. He has not been

541
00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,719
Speaker 1: producing the way he was earlier in the season. And

542
00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,320
Speaker 1: the same goes for the rest of the wide receivers.

543
00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:06,760
Speaker 1: So if I'm Mike Zimmer, I am keying in on

544
00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,679
Speaker 1: Ezekiel Elliott and I am stopping him. I Am not

545
00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:14,040
Speaker 1: letting him beat us because this Cowboys offensive line is

546
00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:17,520
Speaker 1: not the Cowboys offensive line of years past. It's more

547
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,680
Speaker 1: like the Bears offensive line who we played this past week.

548
00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:24,800
Speaker 1: They're roughed up, they between COVID and injuries, and it's

549
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,080
Speaker 1: just not the same offensive line. Zeke Elliott has not

550
00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:31,199
Speaker 1: had the success as he's had, and I'm going at

551
00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,359
Speaker 1: the running back. I'm stopping him, and I'm making Andy

552
00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:37,520
Speaker 1: Dalton beat me through the air. They've turned the ball

553
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:42,320
Speaker 1: over an absurd amount of times. They're minus thirteen on turnovers,

554
00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:49,080
Speaker 1: eight interceptions, twelve lost fumbles, They've only caused seven. This

555
00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,560
Speaker 1: is a situation Jay where in addition to what Chris

556
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:54,480
Speaker 1: is saying you gotta be punching and ripping at the

557
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:59,440
Speaker 1: ball every single opportunity you get. I mean, twelve lost fumbles, Yeah,

558
00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,120
Speaker 1: that's amazing. Might as well be a thousand, that's so many. Yeah.

559
00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:05,200
Speaker 1: And I think part of it too, is if you

560
00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,600
Speaker 1: have a new head coach, with a new offensive coordinator

561
00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,640
Speaker 1: and new staff, and now you're dealing with a new quarterback,

562
00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,080
Speaker 1: you're all thinking about that kind of stuff, and now

563
00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,600
Speaker 1: all of a sudden you're adding this on top of it.

564
00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,160
Speaker 1: It drastically changes your margin of error for the Cowboys.

565
00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:23,600
Speaker 1: And it's the thing that they've been talking about down

566
00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,239
Speaker 1: in Dallas is this was supposed to potentially be a

567
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:30,040
Speaker 1: Super Bowl challenging squad with a Dak Prescott and all

568
00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:32,520
Speaker 1: of the talent we just talked about and adding ceedee lamb.

569
00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,760
Speaker 1: You know, they've completely fallen off the rails. They've had

570
00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,920
Speaker 1: these minus thirteen for their turnover ratio. And I don't

571
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,800
Speaker 1: know any team at this point going into Week eleven

572
00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,360
Speaker 1: with a minus thirteen that would have a chance at

573
00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,520
Speaker 1: having super success. And so I mean, if you can

574
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,480
Speaker 1: start getting picks or start ripping at the ball and

575
00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,840
Speaker 1: causing Zeke to have a multi fumble game again, like

576
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,239
Speaker 1: that is the recipe for disaster for Dallas and it

577
00:29:58,240 --> 00:29:59,840
Speaker 1: just gets in their head even more than they have

578
00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,600
Speaker 1: Ben say you worked for ESPN. I want to see

579
00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,760
Speaker 1: I want to see Stephen A. Smith give us some

580
00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,280
Speaker 1: kind of gift for whatever the heck he puts on

581
00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 1: Twitter after the Cowboys lose. I want to see that

582
00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,200
Speaker 1: this week because they still believe that they have a

583
00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,120
Speaker 1: chance to make the playoffs. They're in the end of

584
00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,280
Speaker 1: the NFC East exactly, and I want to see they

585
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,520
Speaker 1: probably do. What are they not in the playoffs right now?

586
00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:28,120
Speaker 1: They're very close. I have Giants fans friends being from

587
00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,560
Speaker 1: New York who are all on the hype train at

588
00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:35,480
Speaker 1: two and seven, So I mean this division and people

589
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,880
Speaker 1: from New York are so cool. They don't need that much.

590
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:42,880
Speaker 1: They really don't. Out of the years of disappointment in

591
00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,040
Speaker 1: every football team they've had for the best twenty years,

592
00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,360
Speaker 1: they do not need that much. But um yeah, I

593
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,040
Speaker 1: want to see Stephen A. Smith puts something funny on Twitter.

594
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,680
Speaker 1: I will I will add that to the Vikings dot

595
00:30:54,760 --> 00:30:59,400
Speaker 1: Com top tweets article if we win this game. Eric Wilson,

596
00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,920
Speaker 1: four year out of the University of Cincinnati has definitely

597
00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,760
Speaker 1: embraced his larger role with the twenty twenty defense, and

598
00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:11,000
Speaker 1: he embraced the opportunity to sit down with a guy

599
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,720
Speaker 1: who has randomly taken shots at Stephen A. Smith Chris Corso. Here,

600
00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:19,120
Speaker 1: let's transition out of game talk into Chris's interview with

601
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,120
Speaker 1: Eric Wilson. Take it away, Chris, What is up? Vikings fans?

602
00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,440
Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Minnesota Vikings podcast, and we have

603
00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:32,360
Speaker 1: the stud linebacker Eric Wilson, who had a huge game

604
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:35,440
Speaker 1: on Monday night against Nick Foles in the Chicago Bears.

605
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,520
Speaker 1: What's going on? Man? What's up? What's up? I need

606
00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:42,640
Speaker 1: you to break down the six yard loss sack on

607
00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,040
Speaker 1: Nick Foles because it was such a big play in

608
00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,400
Speaker 1: the game. And you continue each and every week to

609
00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:52,440
Speaker 1: make big plays for this Vikings defense. Yeah, that was

610
00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:56,920
Speaker 1: a great play, big play for our team and our defense,

611
00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,640
Speaker 1: you know, to take momentum of the game to our favorite. Um. Yeah,

612
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:05,400
Speaker 1: we we dialed up a blitz against him and and

613
00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,640
Speaker 1: he was he was right there. It opened up, It

614
00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,760
Speaker 1: opened up pretty big, and um their Oliman, you know,

615
00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:13,560
Speaker 1: tried to reach back for me and Nick Flods right there,

616
00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:15,480
Speaker 1: and Nick Flods actually he's a he's a big person.

617
00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:18,080
Speaker 1: He's actually a big person, and but I got him down.

618
00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,680
Speaker 1: I literally just just pushed him down. It was just funny,

619
00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,160
Speaker 1: and he went down. It was awesome. It was awesome.

620
00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:24,920
Speaker 1: It was a big play. So when I found out

621
00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,000
Speaker 1: that you were joining us for the show, I have

622
00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:30,040
Speaker 1: to ask you. I watched the game on a on

623
00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,600
Speaker 1: a broadcast on TV now because we're not allowed to

624
00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,080
Speaker 1: all travel with you guys, And the best part of

625
00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:38,160
Speaker 1: watching the game on the broadcast was hearing the cameras

626
00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,600
Speaker 1: and the mics pick you up after all the big plays,

627
00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,840
Speaker 1: because I just hear your scream let's go, and you're

628
00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:47,320
Speaker 1: just getting all hyped out there. So I need you

629
00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:51,240
Speaker 1: to explain the intensity that you played with on Monday night. Yeah,

630
00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:54,240
Speaker 1: you know, each and every game, you know, I get

631
00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:56,840
Speaker 1: really excited to go out there and just do what

632
00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:58,880
Speaker 1: we do and just play the game and play the

633
00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,640
Speaker 1: game like I know how play the game, you know,

634
00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:03,480
Speaker 1: like we trained so hard to do and you know,

635
00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,160
Speaker 1: I work so hard to get better each and every week.

636
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,040
Speaker 1: And yeah, it's just so fun for me out there

637
00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:12,160
Speaker 1: to make plays and see my teammates make plays. You know,

638
00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,080
Speaker 1: I can't help, but to celebrate. There's a lot of

639
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,120
Speaker 1: young players on this defense, and it's crazy to think

640
00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,760
Speaker 1: you've become one of the veterans on the defense along

641
00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,440
Speaker 1: with Eric Kendricks, and you have Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris.

642
00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,880
Speaker 1: Those are like the core four who have been here

643
00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:28,720
Speaker 1: and who are not injured this year. So what do

644
00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,040
Speaker 1: you guys bring to all these young players like the

645
00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,680
Speaker 1: pass rush, the cornerbacks, so many young players on this roster.

646
00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:36,880
Speaker 1: What do you bring to those guys? And what have

647
00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,640
Speaker 1: you tried to teach them? You've been a part of

648
00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:42,520
Speaker 1: so many successful Vikings defenses over the years. I think

649
00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:47,080
Speaker 1: what's important is to let them know like they're if

650
00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,440
Speaker 1: they're playing right now, like they can do whatever it

651
00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,280
Speaker 1: is that we need them to do. And they need

652
00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,360
Speaker 1: to just have confidence and trust the techniques that the

653
00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:58,480
Speaker 1: coaches teach. You know that we practice each and every

654
00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:00,880
Speaker 1: day that they practice on their own, Trust the technique

655
00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:02,440
Speaker 1: and just go out there and do it and have

656
00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:05,120
Speaker 1: fun doing it and play full speed and not think

657
00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:07,440
Speaker 1: too much. And you know, I think we've been doing

658
00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:10,560
Speaker 1: that that and I think our younger players have gotten

659
00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:14,719
Speaker 1: so much better and all fascets of the DBS linebackers

660
00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,360
Speaker 1: and the D line. They've gotten so much better and

661
00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,680
Speaker 1: they're they're making plays now and they're having fun doing it,

662
00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,400
Speaker 1: so it's fun to watch. We're talking before the show,

663
00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,000
Speaker 1: and you joined us on Under Center with Kirk Cousins

664
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,480
Speaker 1: a few weeks ago, and it was right after the

665
00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,960
Speaker 1: Seattle loss by one point, which was almost like it

666
00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:34,480
Speaker 1: seemed like you guys really started to pick it up

667
00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,120
Speaker 1: in that game, especially from a defensive side of the

668
00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:41,480
Speaker 1: ball against Russell Wilson. Since then you talked about how

669
00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:43,719
Speaker 1: you were learning how to win in that game, the

670
00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,880
Speaker 1: young guys were learning how to win. Since then, you

671
00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,000
Speaker 1: guys have rolled off three wins in a row. So

672
00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,560
Speaker 1: I think you were onto something when you said that. Yeah, yeah,

673
00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:54,880
Speaker 1: I think it's I think it's really important for us

674
00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,520
Speaker 1: to not only know what to do in order to

675
00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:00,600
Speaker 1: do our jobs to win, but to to know how

676
00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,280
Speaker 1: to how to create that culture and that habit of winning,

677
00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,520
Speaker 1: you know, and winning each and every play and get

678
00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:10,120
Speaker 1: comfortable with winning and doing the right things to to

679
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,560
Speaker 1: keep that going and and um, you know, not get

680
00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,319
Speaker 1: too selfish, knowing when to to do your job and

681
00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,560
Speaker 1: let your team and make the play and when the

682
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:20,120
Speaker 1: play is there for you to make it? Go make

683
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,400
Speaker 1: the play, Um, and any faster of the game. And

684
00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:27,160
Speaker 1: I think, um, you know, offensively, defensively and on special teams.

685
00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:29,719
Speaker 1: I think, you know, we've done a really well good

686
00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:33,120
Speaker 1: job on offensive defense, and even still we can be

687
00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:36,200
Speaker 1: better on offense and defense and especially special teams, like

688
00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:38,080
Speaker 1: we can get better. Still, we're doing a good job

689
00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:41,080
Speaker 1: and we can still get better. What are your expectations

690
00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,279
Speaker 1: for the rest of the season. Do you feel the

691
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,600
Speaker 1: tide changing here? Do you feel a playoff run coming? Um? Definitely, definitely.

692
00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,359
Speaker 1: I think our team is really talented. And you know,

693
00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:53,640
Speaker 1: even Um, like people have seen on these games that

694
00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,200
Speaker 1: we've won, they've seen what we can do and how

695
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,200
Speaker 1: talented our team is. And you know, I've seen from

696
00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,279
Speaker 1: the earlier in the season like how good that we were.

697
00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,120
Speaker 1: And you know, sometimes it comes down to a couple

698
00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:07,040
Speaker 1: of plays, and we have to be great on those

699
00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:10,040
Speaker 1: couple of plays, no matter when it is in the game,

700
00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:12,480
Speaker 1: no matter who we're playing, where we're playing, how many

701
00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,360
Speaker 1: fans in the stands, we can win. And you know,

702
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:18,839
Speaker 1: I have confidence in myself and my team. Everyone hears

703
00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:23,080
Speaker 1: about Mike Zimmer and his impact on this Vikings defense.

704
00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:27,560
Speaker 1: But you're a linebackers coach coach Adam zimmer obviously Mike

705
00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:31,000
Speaker 1: zimmers son, he's more of a quiet type than his dad.

706
00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:34,520
Speaker 1: But can you talk about what his impact has been

707
00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:37,800
Speaker 1: on your career because I know he has spoken highly

708
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,759
Speaker 1: of you since finding you out of the University of

709
00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:44,000
Speaker 1: Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent. So what kind of

710
00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,239
Speaker 1: impact has he had on your career? Um, you know,

711
00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:48,759
Speaker 1: I think he's he's I definitely know he's taught me

712
00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,680
Speaker 1: a lot just about the game and in the different

713
00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:57,239
Speaker 1: areas of just playing linebacker and knowing what the d

714
00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:58,799
Speaker 1: line's doing in front of me and know how to

715
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,120
Speaker 1: play off of them, and knowing how how my play

716
00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:03,799
Speaker 1: can affect the dbs behind me and how we all

717
00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:07,440
Speaker 1: play together. And um, you know, it's really important, Um,

718
00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:11,359
Speaker 1: you know, to know what to do. And you know

719
00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,319
Speaker 1: it can sound so simple, but there's a lot of

720
00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,480
Speaker 1: moving parts in football and especially what offenses try to

721
00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:19,960
Speaker 1: do nowadays, and and and it's just really important to

722
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:21,520
Speaker 1: know what to do. And he's taught me a lot.

723
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,560
Speaker 1: And just having that communication with guys like e K

724
00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,400
Speaker 1: and Harry, you know, they do a great job of

725
00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:31,279
Speaker 1: communicating and you know, we've gotten a lot better on

726
00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,799
Speaker 1: that and just just being leaders out there. One of

727
00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,080
Speaker 1: the things that's really stood out to me this year

728
00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,359
Speaker 1: is you've been making plays in every single way. Did

729
00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:41,440
Speaker 1: you know that you're the only NFL player with at

730
00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:46,239
Speaker 1: least three interceptions and three sacks this year? And I did?

731
00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:48,920
Speaker 1: I think? I think? Um, I forgot who text me?

732
00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,239
Speaker 1: But yeah, some one of some of lem me know.

733
00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,239
Speaker 1: Actually the game. A couple of people let me know. Um,

734
00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:55,279
Speaker 1: you know, I think that's awesome. I think it's it's

735
00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:59,160
Speaker 1: really a good accomplishment to to be able to have

736
00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:02,560
Speaker 1: that type of stat But um, you know, I'm not

737
00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,640
Speaker 1: I'm not content with with that. You know. I still

738
00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,759
Speaker 1: can get better, do better, and be better and even

739
00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:13,200
Speaker 1: do better than that. So I'm excited. That's awesome. Man.

740
00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:16,640
Speaker 1: We're looking forward at the Dallas Cowboys. It looks like

741
00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:19,919
Speaker 1: Andy Dalton is going to be the starting quarterback this week.

742
00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:23,120
Speaker 1: What do you see from this Dallas Cowboys offense. You're

743
00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:27,000
Speaker 1: going against all the quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford.

744
00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:31,200
Speaker 1: Now it's Andy Dalton and this different Dallas Cowboys offense

745
00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:34,040
Speaker 1: than last year. Um, I think they have a good offense.

746
00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,200
Speaker 1: They have a lot of great players. H dynamic players.

747
00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:41,560
Speaker 1: Um you know they're they're fast, Um, they're physical. Um.

748
00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,520
Speaker 1: I think they're just dynamic and um you know, we can't, um,

749
00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:49,200
Speaker 1: I guess relax in any way regardless of who we're facing.

750
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:51,239
Speaker 1: And you know Andy Dalton, you mentioned ADYE Dalton. Andy

751
00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,880
Speaker 1: Dalton's I think a good quarterback. Um, he could do

752
00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:56,160
Speaker 1: a lot of different things. He's got arm, talent, he

753
00:38:56,200 --> 00:38:59,760
Speaker 1: knows football, and um, you know they got Execie Elliott.

754
00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:02,279
Speaker 1: He's a great running back. And they have some playmakers

755
00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:04,480
Speaker 1: on the outside. So we have to be ready for

756
00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:06,960
Speaker 1: anything and be ready to defend. Did you know that

757
00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:10,840
Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl voting has has started for players like yourself.

758
00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:16,160
Speaker 1: Let's go. I'm excited. I'm excited. Make your claim right

759
00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:17,960
Speaker 1: now to make the Pro Bowl because I got some

760
00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,600
Speaker 1: stats I could start rolling off. Yeah yeah, no, I

761
00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:22,400
Speaker 1: really I hope I make the Pro Bowl. That's that's

762
00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,239
Speaker 1: a great accomplishment. I hope a lot of players on

763
00:39:25,280 --> 00:39:26,960
Speaker 1: my team make the Pro Bowl. I think that we

764
00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,759
Speaker 1: are talented and all facets of our our team, and

765
00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:33,359
Speaker 1: you know, I think we you know, work for it. Well,

766
00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,799
Speaker 1: I love it Eric Wilson making his bid for the

767
00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:40,000
Speaker 1: Pro Bowl, coming in as an undrafted free agent, and

768
00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:42,880
Speaker 1: now a few years later he's making big plays and screaming,

769
00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:50,440
Speaker 1: let's go. After sacking Nick Foles, let's go. Thank you man,

770
00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:55,200
Speaker 1: that was awesome. Yeah thanks. Vikings Connected as a lighthearted

771
00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:58,600
Speaker 1: look at the Vikings players, an organization through social media,

772
00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:02,480
Speaker 1: as well as a form to showcase the big time

773
00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:06,279
Speaker 1: personalities on the team. Segments include fan favorites such as

774
00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:10,760
Speaker 1: skull l Ol, Purple Pups, and the Hot Dish, plus

775
00:40:10,880 --> 00:40:16,480
Speaker 1: new editions like History Lessons featuring comedian and diehard Vikings

776
00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:21,360
Speaker 1: fan psiamin Sen returning for a seventh season, our co

777
00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:25,640
Speaker 1: host Aaron Newburgh and Chris Hockey from KFA N, and

778
00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:29,920
Speaker 1: a wildly successful, highly talented power trip morning show Catch

779
00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:34,240
Speaker 1: This Thing Weekly KMSP Box nine or Fox Sports North,

780
00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:38,520
Speaker 1: or via the Vikings digital and social channels including Vikings

781
00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,640
Speaker 1: dot Com, the Vikings Mobile app, Vikings Now, the team's

782
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:46,440
Speaker 1: connected TV app, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter information, Vikings dot Com,

783
00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:50,759
Speaker 1: Slash Connected. Thanks to Eric Wilson for the time and

784
00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:55,000
Speaker 1: Chris for the interview. Hey, just a reminder, it's game

785
00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 1: day any day. Play the new Vikings scratch game from

786
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:01,280
Speaker 1: the Minnesota Lottery with a tie prize of one hundred

787
00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:05,560
Speaker 1: thousand dollars. Are you game? Just say I'm in? Get

788
00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:10,000
Speaker 1: more details at m N lottery dot com. We go

789
00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:13,839
Speaker 1: from a Chris Corso interview now over to an Eric

790
00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:16,520
Speaker 1: Smith interview as Eric was able to sit down with

791
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:21,480
Speaker 1: his Dallas Cowboys counterpart to talk about this weekend's matchup.

792
00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:25,120
Speaker 1: I'm Viking team reporter Eric Smith, and I am now

793
00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:28,480
Speaker 1: joined by David Hellman of the Dallas Cowboy to preview

794
00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:32,080
Speaker 1: our week eleven game Sunday at US Bank Dadium. David,

795
00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,359
Speaker 1: thank you for joining. How's it going today? It's going lovely. Man.

796
00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:37,279
Speaker 1: I wish I was. I wish I was coming up

797
00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:39,680
Speaker 1: this weekend, but you know, we all, we all gotta

798
00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:42,560
Speaker 1: do what we gotta do in these COVID times, I guess. Yeah,

799
00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:44,319
Speaker 1: definitely been a weird year for all of us, and

800
00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:47,520
Speaker 1: I think it's been a little bit of a disappointing season,

801
00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:49,840
Speaker 1: I think so far for Dallas. You know, the Cowboys

802
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:52,680
Speaker 1: sit at two and seven on the season, you know,

803
00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:55,640
Speaker 1: probably a little a little different than what they expected.

804
00:41:55,719 --> 00:41:57,919
Speaker 1: Nine game then for a team that had high hopes

805
00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:00,279
Speaker 1: a couple of months ago, and one thing that that

806
00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:02,480
Speaker 1: stood out to me is, obviously the Cowboys have just

807
00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:05,959
Speaker 1: been ravaged by injury so far, which one of those

808
00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,080
Speaker 1: has been the toughest to overcome? You know, Dak Prescott

809
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,719
Speaker 1: obviously come to mind first, But for you, is there

810
00:42:11,719 --> 00:42:15,480
Speaker 1: another name that stands out? Yeah, I mean, disappointing is

811
00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:17,359
Speaker 1: a mild way of putting it. I mean you could

812
00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:19,680
Speaker 1: call it a nightmare if you wanted to. You know,

813
00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:22,920
Speaker 1: from what this team was expecting or hoping to accomplish

814
00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:27,000
Speaker 1: to where they are right now. I mean Dak Prescott

815
00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:29,279
Speaker 1: is the obvious one. The guy was. I mean, he

816
00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:32,360
Speaker 1: was playing at an insane level and it's very obvious

817
00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:34,759
Speaker 1: now that he's gone just how much work that he

818
00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:39,239
Speaker 1: was doing. But he's definitely not the only one. That's

819
00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:41,239
Speaker 1: the crazy thing about this season. I mean, the list

820
00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:44,719
Speaker 1: of injuries goes on and on. You know, Lyle Collins

821
00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:47,160
Speaker 1: is a He's a Pro Bowl caliber right tackle. He

822
00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:50,480
Speaker 1: didn't play a single snap for this team he got.

823
00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:52,840
Speaker 1: You know, it was obvious in training camp that he

824
00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,000
Speaker 1: was probably going to spend most of the year on

825
00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:58,080
Speaker 1: ir and then Tired Smith, who you know, is a

826
00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:00,799
Speaker 1: Hall of Fame caliber left tackle. You know, they got

827
00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:02,520
Speaker 1: two games out of him, So not only do you

828
00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:04,360
Speaker 1: not have your quarterback, but you don't really have the

829
00:43:04,400 --> 00:43:08,399
Speaker 1: anchors of your offensive line either. And you know, if

830
00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:10,120
Speaker 1: you're not going to have Dak, you would like to

831
00:43:10,200 --> 00:43:12,759
Speaker 1: have that type of protection for Andy Dalton and the

832
00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:16,120
Speaker 1: other quarterbacks that have played behind him. One bright spot

833
00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:18,360
Speaker 1: that I've seen from the Cowboys so far this season

834
00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:21,120
Speaker 1: would be rookie wide receiver Cede Lamb. It seems like

835
00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:23,879
Speaker 1: he's maken a pretty solid impact so far, and he'll

836
00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:26,279
Speaker 1: be one of two, you know, really good rookie wide

837
00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,320
Speaker 1: receivers on the field Sunday. Obviously, if I can to

838
00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:32,319
Speaker 1: have Justin Jefferson, what sort of two part question here?

839
00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:35,560
Speaker 1: What sort of the Cowboys plan for Jefferson? And then

840
00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:38,400
Speaker 1: with Lamb? Where is he kind of made the biggest

841
00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:41,680
Speaker 1: impact so far? Well, I'll start with cd I just

842
00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:44,680
Speaker 1: you know, you set it up pretty perfectly. I feel

843
00:43:44,760 --> 00:43:47,719
Speaker 1: terrible for Ceedee Lamb because when you think about his

844
00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:50,560
Speaker 1: career to this point, you know, the guy got to

845
00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:54,480
Speaker 1: play with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and you know Jalen

846
00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,399
Speaker 1: Hurts might not have been the number one overall pick,

847
00:43:56,520 --> 00:43:58,440
Speaker 1: but he was, you know, he's a pretty good college

848
00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:00,719
Speaker 1: quarterback in his own right. He's playing for the Eagles now,

849
00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:03,120
Speaker 1: and then he goes straight from that into playing with

850
00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:05,680
Speaker 1: Dak Prescott. So, like, the guy's been playing with all

851
00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:09,799
Speaker 1: stars for basically his entire big time football career, and

852
00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:13,560
Speaker 1: now he has almost kind of become an afterthought. And

853
00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:16,799
Speaker 1: it's through no fault of his own. The Cowboys haven't

854
00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:19,640
Speaker 1: had good quarterback play. Their offensive line hasn't been able

855
00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:22,040
Speaker 1: to protect the quarterback long enough to throw the ball. So,

856
00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:25,080
Speaker 1: I mean, CD was on a historic pace when Dak

857
00:44:25,200 --> 00:44:28,640
Speaker 1: was healthy, and his season has kind of fallen by

858
00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:31,479
Speaker 1: the wayside. So he said it himself a couple weeks

859
00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:33,840
Speaker 1: ago that you know, this season is going to be

860
00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:35,920
Speaker 1: a test of his character and a chance for him

861
00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:39,080
Speaker 1: to really mature as a player, because you know, he's

862
00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,120
Speaker 1: probably just he's just not going to get the ball

863
00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:43,319
Speaker 1: as reliably as he's been used to for the last

864
00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:45,680
Speaker 1: four or five years. And I think that's that's just

865
00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:48,200
Speaker 1: something that he's going to have to fight through and like,

866
00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:50,080
Speaker 1: like he said, he said, as an opportunity to grow

867
00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:54,520
Speaker 1: as far as you know, and obviously justin Jefferson CD

868
00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:57,440
Speaker 1: started out so strong, and it's almost like Justin Jefferson

869
00:44:57,520 --> 00:44:59,640
Speaker 1: kind of took the baton as like the hot shot,

870
00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,160
Speaker 1: hot shot rookie this season, which it's been very fun

871
00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:07,000
Speaker 1: to watch as an LSU alum. But it's it's gonna

872
00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:10,919
Speaker 1: be a fun matchup on Sunday because Trayvon Diggs, who's

873
00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:13,759
Speaker 1: the Cowboys rookie corner, he broke his foot. He's not

874
00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:17,560
Speaker 1: gonna be able to play. Shit. Obey A Woozier, who's there,

875
00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:19,600
Speaker 1: you know, kind of the veteran corner of this group.

876
00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:22,000
Speaker 1: He's been out with a hamstring injury for six weeks

877
00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:26,160
Speaker 1: and his first game back will be Sunday, and hey,

878
00:45:26,200 --> 00:45:27,960
Speaker 1: welcome back to the league, buddy. You got to go

879
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:30,439
Speaker 1: cover the hottest in the league right now. So that's

880
00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:33,239
Speaker 1: gonna be a really interesting matchup, and you know, we'll

881
00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:36,640
Speaker 1: find out very quickly how good Cheeto's hamstring feels, because

882
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,120
Speaker 1: if he's not one hundred percent, I have a feeling

883
00:45:39,160 --> 00:45:41,880
Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson's gonna have himself a nice day. You mentioned

884
00:45:41,880 --> 00:45:43,839
Speaker 1: the injuries on defense. You know that it's been an

885
00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:46,239
Speaker 1: up and down year for that unit as well. I

886
00:45:46,280 --> 00:45:49,120
Speaker 1: think heading into this game. They rank last and point

887
00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:52,880
Speaker 1: allowed per game at thirty two point two. Have injuries

888
00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:55,080
Speaker 1: been the struggle? There? Who has been poor play and

889
00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:57,640
Speaker 1: who's the guy that the team is kind of counting

890
00:45:57,640 --> 00:45:59,640
Speaker 1: on to maybe help turn the tide a little bit.

891
00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:02,959
Speaker 1: You're being very nice, and I appreciate that. I don't

892
00:46:03,000 --> 00:46:05,200
Speaker 1: I don't know if up and down would really I mean,

893
00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,640
Speaker 1: it's just been down. It's been It's been a nightmare

894
00:46:07,719 --> 00:46:09,640
Speaker 1: year for the Dallas defense. I think it's a little

895
00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:13,000
Speaker 1: bit of everything. You can probably point to injuries. You know,

896
00:46:13,040 --> 00:46:15,719
Speaker 1: they lost they signed Gerald McCoy in the offseason, they

897
00:46:15,719 --> 00:46:17,879
Speaker 1: didn't get a single snap out of him. He tore

898
00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:21,440
Speaker 1: his quad in training camp. Layton vander esh broke his

899
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:23,920
Speaker 1: collar bone in the season opener, and then you know,

900
00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:26,520
Speaker 1: they've had injuries all over their secondary Cheetah Woozier I

901
00:46:26,560 --> 00:46:29,720
Speaker 1: already mentioned him, Anthony Brown spent some time on injury reserve,

902
00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:32,920
Speaker 1: and now they're they're promising rookie Trayvon Diggs looks like

903
00:46:32,960 --> 00:46:34,319
Speaker 1: he might be out for the rest of the year.

904
00:46:34,360 --> 00:46:36,680
Speaker 1: So there have been injuries, but at the same time,

905
00:46:37,440 --> 00:46:40,879
Speaker 1: injuries don't really do justice to what we've seen. I mean,

906
00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:43,680
Speaker 1: this is a team that was allowing thirty five points

907
00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:46,200
Speaker 1: a game for a solid month. They let the Cleveland

908
00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:48,640
Speaker 1: Browns rip off three hundred and seven rushing yards on

909
00:46:48,680 --> 00:46:52,360
Speaker 1: them back in October, So I mean they have had

910
00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:57,600
Speaker 1: some really, really atrocious performances. Washington ran for two hundred

911
00:46:57,680 --> 00:46:59,919
Speaker 1: yards on them, which Washington is one of the worst

912
00:47:00,040 --> 00:47:03,600
Speaker 1: offenses in football. So, um, I think it's been a

913
00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:07,120
Speaker 1: combination of injuries, the front and office probably didn't do

914
00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:10,400
Speaker 1: a very good job of evaluating free agent talent this

915
00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:12,600
Speaker 1: past spring, and then on top of that, I think

916
00:47:12,600 --> 00:47:15,560
Speaker 1: it's taken these guys a really long time to adjust

917
00:47:15,600 --> 00:47:19,359
Speaker 1: to Mike Nolan's scheme. So they played really really well

918
00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:22,080
Speaker 1: against Pittsburgh. I'm very interested to see if they can

919
00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:24,400
Speaker 1: do it again against Dalvin Cook. I think that's going

920
00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:27,719
Speaker 1: to be a huge challenge. Um. If I'm looking at

921
00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:30,760
Speaker 1: somebody who's gonna pick it up, you know, DeMarcus Lawrence

922
00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:33,000
Speaker 1: is the obvious one. Anytime you have a one hundred

923
00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:36,000
Speaker 1: million dollar defensive end on the on the broster, you're

924
00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:39,200
Speaker 1: looking to him to spark things. And then these Cowboys linebackers,

925
00:47:39,239 --> 00:47:42,080
Speaker 1: you know, Layton vander esh was injured for much of

926
00:47:42,120 --> 00:47:44,719
Speaker 1: the beginning of the season, and Jalen Smith has really

927
00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:48,279
Speaker 1: had a down year. And you know, if the if

928
00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:50,399
Speaker 1: the defense is going to be significantly better, those two

929
00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:52,560
Speaker 1: linebackers are going to need to play great over these

930
00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:54,800
Speaker 1: last seven weeks. I mean, there's really no way to

931
00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:56,600
Speaker 1: sugarcoat it based on what you've said. It's been a

932
00:47:56,640 --> 00:47:58,480
Speaker 1: it's been a tough season in Dallas, you know, and

933
00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:01,640
Speaker 1: like we said earlier, they at two and seven, but somehow,

934
00:48:01,719 --> 00:48:05,160
Speaker 1: some way there within striking distance in the NFT East

935
00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:07,239
Speaker 1: the Eagles lead that at three to five and one,

936
00:48:07,680 --> 00:48:09,360
Speaker 1: so I know they're you know, a couple of games

937
00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:12,279
Speaker 1: back right now. What makes you think Dallas at the

938
00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:15,680
Speaker 1: chance to get hot and be a playoff team? That

939
00:48:15,800 --> 00:48:18,160
Speaker 1: a possibility. I mean, you can't rule it out. And

940
00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:20,200
Speaker 1: you know a lot of Cowboy fans kind of scoff

941
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,960
Speaker 1: when you say that, because it's been it's been really

942
00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:25,839
Speaker 1: ugly here for about six weeks. But I mean, it's

943
00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:28,000
Speaker 1: it's a terrible division, There's no way around it. And

944
00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:30,759
Speaker 1: I actually I think this Vikings game is going to

945
00:48:30,840 --> 00:48:34,680
Speaker 1: be a really great litmus test for just how good

946
00:48:34,719 --> 00:48:37,600
Speaker 1: this team can be, because I think the Vikings are

947
00:48:37,600 --> 00:48:41,359
Speaker 1: really similar obviously, you know, disappointing season based on what

948
00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:44,280
Speaker 1: they were probably expecting. They're sitting on a losing record

949
00:48:44,360 --> 00:48:46,560
Speaker 1: right now, but the playoffs are still in reach. So

950
00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:49,880
Speaker 1: these are two similarly flawed teams that still have a

951
00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:52,560
Speaker 1: lot to play for. You got Andy Dalton back in

952
00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:55,239
Speaker 1: the lineup, so you know, the quarterback play should be

953
00:48:55,239 --> 00:48:57,440
Speaker 1: better than what we've watched the last couple of weeks.

954
00:48:57,719 --> 00:49:00,560
Speaker 1: The defense has played better over the last couple of

955
00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:04,200
Speaker 1: weeks than it had been, So I'm not saying the

956
00:49:04,200 --> 00:49:06,400
Speaker 1: Cowboys are gonna win, But if this is a team

957
00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:09,400
Speaker 1: that's capable of making the playoffs and winning the NFC East,

958
00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:12,920
Speaker 1: they should be capable of either beating Minnesota or you know,

959
00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:15,319
Speaker 1: at least pushing Minnesota to the brink. And if they

960
00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:17,280
Speaker 1: can do that, that gives me a lot of confidence

961
00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:19,200
Speaker 1: because they still get to play all three of their

962
00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:21,880
Speaker 1: NFC East rivals down the stretch. So if they can

963
00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:24,880
Speaker 1: keep it close with Minnesota or maybe beat Minnesota, they

964
00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:27,680
Speaker 1: should be good enough to beat Philly, New York, and Washington,

965
00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:30,920
Speaker 1: maybe sneak a win over a San Francisco or somebody

966
00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:34,080
Speaker 1: like that. So how they play on Sunday, I think

967
00:49:34,200 --> 00:49:36,399
Speaker 1: is going to tell us a lot about whether they

968
00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:38,400
Speaker 1: can stay in the race for the next month or

969
00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:41,120
Speaker 1: whether they drop out. David, we definitely appreciate your time

970
00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:42,960
Speaker 1: and hopefully we get a good one on Sunday. That

971
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:46,480
Speaker 1: would be great. I appreciate it y'all anytime. Big thanks

972
00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:49,719
Speaker 1: to Eric Smith for another fantastic interview. It's always fun

973
00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:53,480
Speaker 1: to get the opposing sides point of view before we

974
00:49:53,520 --> 00:49:56,319
Speaker 1: get you guys out of here. A reminder. Pro Bowl

975
00:49:56,480 --> 00:50:00,880
Speaker 1: voting has begun. Fans can go to NFL dot com

976
00:50:01,040 --> 00:50:05,360
Speaker 1: slash pro Dash Bowl slash ballot. And I know what

977
00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:08,080
Speaker 1: you're saying. Side, that's an insane web address that I

978
00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:10,400
Speaker 1: have to listen to you say. Correct, you are a

979
00:50:10,480 --> 00:50:13,040
Speaker 1: person with headphones on, So I'll give it to you

980
00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:18,560
Speaker 1: one more time. Fans go to NFL dot com slash

981
00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:23,440
Speaker 1: pro pro o dash the symbol not the word Dash

982
00:50:23,680 --> 00:50:27,960
Speaker 1: Bowl slash Ballot. Huge shout out to whoever came up

983
00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:31,719
Speaker 1: with that awesome piece of information. Jay put in the

984
00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:35,399
Speaker 1: document the current players listed for fans to vote on,

985
00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:38,799
Speaker 1: and guys, it's it's everybody. Jay, I'm not gonna read

986
00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:42,359
Speaker 1: all these You just listed the entire team. Everybody. Here's

987
00:50:42,360 --> 00:50:46,760
Speaker 1: the thing. They're starters, they're available. I go out vote

988
00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:50,359
Speaker 1: for every Viking. Vote for the players you love, I

989
00:50:50,400 --> 00:50:53,000
Speaker 1: would really love. I mean, I know I voted for

990
00:50:53,120 --> 00:50:56,239
Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins like three times today. That makes the most

991
00:50:56,280 --> 00:50:59,400
Speaker 1: sense in the world. Chris, I'm gonna stomp here a

992
00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:04,800
Speaker 1: little bit for Brian O'Neill. Brian O'Neill has been fantastic

993
00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:08,239
Speaker 1: since the moment he stepped into the starting lineup, and

994
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:12,719
Speaker 1: he's grown time and time and time again, and this year,

995
00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:16,920
Speaker 1: I absolutely believe he deserves a play Bowl, a Pro Bowl.

996
00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:19,920
Speaker 1: Let me, let me, let me be in a Dalton

997
00:51:20,080 --> 00:51:22,600
Speaker 1: say that all better. Brian O'Neill needs to be in

998
00:51:22,640 --> 00:51:25,279
Speaker 1: the Pro Bowl. Brian O'Neill should be a Pro bowler.

999
00:51:25,320 --> 00:51:27,040
Speaker 1: There's a lot of guys who should be Pro bowlers.

1000
00:51:27,080 --> 00:51:29,480
Speaker 1: But I am going to stomp my foot week in

1001
00:51:29,560 --> 00:51:32,280
Speaker 1: and week out. Brian O'Neill needs to be a Pro bowler.

1002
00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:37,120
Speaker 1: Go to that ridiculous web address I gave you and vote, vote, vote, vote, vote,

1003
00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:41,080
Speaker 1: because this is an organization, Jay and Chris, who has

1004
00:51:41,560 --> 00:51:45,680
Speaker 1: you know it's fans have sat here and dealt with

1005
00:51:46,120 --> 00:51:50,080
Speaker 1: offensive line concerns year in and year out, and year

1006
00:51:50,160 --> 00:51:52,360
Speaker 1: in and year out, and now you got a stud

1007
00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:56,200
Speaker 1: that you drafted and he's improved every single moment of

1008
00:51:56,200 --> 00:51:59,600
Speaker 1: the way. Put this guy where he deserves reward his

1009
00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:02,360
Speaker 1: hard work, and let's get Brian O'Neill and a bunch

1010
00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:04,319
Speaker 1: of other guys that I don't have time to get

1011
00:52:04,360 --> 00:52:07,120
Speaker 1: into right now in the Pro Bowl. Yeah, and I

1012
00:52:07,160 --> 00:52:09,360
Speaker 1: think Brian O'Neill, like you said, the best part is

1013
00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:12,160
Speaker 1: the consistency. He has been a bright spot here for

1014
00:52:12,160 --> 00:52:14,440
Speaker 1: the last couple of seasons and it would be deserving

1015
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:17,279
Speaker 1: to get him out there, especially the way that things

1016
00:52:17,280 --> 00:52:20,040
Speaker 1: have short up here working with Ezra Cleveland. I think

1017
00:52:20,040 --> 00:52:21,799
Speaker 1: it's a great moment and it'd be great to see

1018
00:52:21,800 --> 00:52:24,880
Speaker 1: Brian get that shot and get that accolades here on

1019
00:52:24,920 --> 00:52:28,879
Speaker 1: a national stage. The fan base needs to know how

1020
00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:31,480
Speaker 1: hard Jay works to put our show together. He does

1021
00:52:31,520 --> 00:52:35,319
Speaker 1: an incredible prep document. It's really helpful. It helps me

1022
00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:38,000
Speaker 1: study to get ready to be medium as the host.

1023
00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:41,440
Speaker 1: I know it's hard work and I appreciate it. I

1024
00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:44,319
Speaker 1: am going to point out that he listed all the

1025
00:52:44,400 --> 00:52:47,160
Speaker 1: options and then he puts some questions at the bottom,

1026
00:52:47,400 --> 00:52:51,120
Speaker 1: and his first one was who's the pleasant surprise on

1027
00:52:51,160 --> 00:52:57,880
Speaker 1: the list? I don't know Jay, the whole team, every

1028
00:52:58,120 --> 00:53:02,080
Speaker 1: single guy. It's every single guys here, So you know,

1029
00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:05,520
Speaker 1: we're obviously gonna talk about. We're gonna talk about and

1030
00:53:05,640 --> 00:53:08,880
Speaker 1: shine a light on guys as this season goes and

1031
00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:12,520
Speaker 1: as we get closer to the to the final opportunity

1032
00:53:12,560 --> 00:53:15,120
Speaker 1: to vote, we'll take a little time each week breaking

1033
00:53:15,160 --> 00:53:17,600
Speaker 1: down who we think deserves to be there because a

1034
00:53:17,680 --> 00:53:21,279
Speaker 1: shortness of time. Today, we're gonna we're gonna send you

1035
00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:24,960
Speaker 1: off after Brian O'Neill and whoever you think should be in,

1036
00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:27,960
Speaker 1: and then weekend and week out we'll keep talking about that.

1037
00:53:28,120 --> 00:53:30,960
Speaker 1: For me, the best part is knowing that Van in

1038
00:53:31,040 --> 00:53:33,960
Speaker 1: Fort Worth, Texas, who is the biggest vikings room down

1039
00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:36,640
Speaker 1: in the Dallas area. He's the one that always hits

1040
00:53:36,640 --> 00:53:38,600
Speaker 1: me up every single time we play the Cowboys just

1041
00:53:38,640 --> 00:53:40,520
Speaker 1: to say what do we got. I know that he's

1042
00:53:40,560 --> 00:53:43,040
Speaker 1: going to be mashing on this list and voting for

1043
00:53:43,080 --> 00:53:45,880
Speaker 1: all of his vikings for this game. And I'm hoping

1044
00:53:45,920 --> 00:53:48,560
Speaker 1: that for me when I put this on here for

1045
00:53:48,560 --> 00:53:50,560
Speaker 1: the pleasant surprise, I think it would be great, like

1046
00:53:50,600 --> 00:53:52,880
Speaker 1: you said, for Brian O'Neill, but I also think for me,

1047
00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:56,080
Speaker 1: i'd like to see Garrett Bradbury, just with the level

1048
00:53:56,120 --> 00:53:58,719
Speaker 1: of play that he's had, especially the second Chuck. I

1049
00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:01,600
Speaker 1: think a guy like Garrett again should be getting this

1050
00:54:01,680 --> 00:54:03,960
Speaker 1: kind of accolades because I think on a national stage

1051
00:54:03,960 --> 00:54:07,000
Speaker 1: he's definitely a bright spot for this team. But I

1052
00:54:07,040 --> 00:54:09,640
Speaker 1: also think that Garrett is going to be known nationally

1053
00:54:09,680 --> 00:54:13,120
Speaker 1: and recognized as he continues here with his career. Couldn't

1054
00:54:13,120 --> 00:54:16,000
Speaker 1: agree more. Before we get into final thoughts, check out

1055
00:54:16,080 --> 00:54:18,319
Speaker 1: this week's episode of Under Center with Kirk Cousins with

1056
00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:21,160
Speaker 1: special guest and time for two more Hall of Famer

1057
00:54:21,239 --> 00:54:24,279
Speaker 1: Bob Hagen. Kirk and Mark wanted to get Bob on

1058
00:54:24,440 --> 00:54:27,560
Speaker 1: since he was one of Sid's closest personal friends at

1059
00:54:27,600 --> 00:54:30,520
Speaker 1: SID Hartman, of course, to help talk about what SID

1060
00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:34,240
Speaker 1: meant to him and the organization. Tuesday night, six pm

1061
00:54:34,320 --> 00:54:37,200
Speaker 1: Cafe and or you can download it on all your

1062
00:54:37,239 --> 00:54:44,000
Speaker 1: podcast programs and applications. Checkout Skull Stories Thursday night, Mark

1063
00:54:44,080 --> 00:54:46,800
Speaker 1: Rosen and Pete Bursich check in with former Vikings center

1064
00:54:47,000 --> 00:54:50,759
Speaker 1: Jonathan Sullivan. Sully talks about his fond memories playing here

1065
00:54:50,760 --> 00:54:54,040
Speaker 1: in Minnesota, the current state of the Vikings team, and

1066
00:54:54,160 --> 00:54:58,439
Speaker 1: his miraculous workout transformation since moving on to the next

1067
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Speaker 1: phase of his life. Thursdays six thirty pm KFA N

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Speaker 1: one hundred point three, or once again wherever you listen

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Speaker 1: to podcasts, and make sure you tune into Vikings Postgame

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Speaker 1: Live every single week fifteen minutes after each game live

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Speaker 1: from inside US Bank Stadium. You get a breakdown of

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Speaker 1: the game, including highlights, stats, analysis, and more. Tune in

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Speaker 1: on Vikings dot Com, the Vikings App, and all of

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Speaker 1: our social media channels. Boys, we got the one we

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Speaker 1: needed to get. Now we need to get one that

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Speaker 1: people think we're supposed to get. This is an opportunity

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Speaker 1: for us to get back to five hundred and walk

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Speaker 1: the rest of the season going forward. What's your last

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Speaker 1: thought as we walk away, Jay, It's the way that

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Speaker 1: you've handled this the last three weeks and taking away

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Speaker 1: the one or two things that they absolutely find critical

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Speaker 1: to function for the other team. Dallas is in the

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Speaker 1: same boat. We know the quarterback play has been shaky.

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Speaker 1: Like carso said Zeke, Elliott is going to be a key.

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Speaker 1: We've shut him down last year. Do the same thing

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Speaker 1: again this year. Just make them one dimensional and then

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Speaker 1: just squeeze like we did with all of the pressure

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Speaker 1: that we had against Chicago this past weekend. Christopher Corso,

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Speaker 1: Let's have Kurko deep. Let's throw it deep. Let's just

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Speaker 1: break all hell loose and just and have a day.

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Speaker 1: Have the offense go all out. I want to see

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Speaker 1: this offense at its full potential, and that starts with

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Speaker 1: letting the quarterback loose. So let's see what happens. I

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Speaker 1: love it, Chris. I'm gonna say we talk about this

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Speaker 1: being a young group, and we talk about the experience

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00:56:30,800 --> 00:56:34,120
Speaker 1: they're gaining and the improvements they're making. This was a

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Speaker 1: young group that was one in five and was surrounded

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Speaker 1: in the negativity that exists when you're one in five.

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Speaker 1: This is now a young group that is four and five,

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Speaker 1: has won three in a row and is surrounded by

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Speaker 1: all the positivity that's being heaped on them locally and nationally.

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Speaker 1: And now you walk into a game that people feel

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Speaker 1: like you should win, and like you said earlier in

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Speaker 1: the show, Jane, no matter how much you try to

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Speaker 1: blow that noise out, the noise exists. Can this young

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Speaker 1: group that's improving, Can the dj Wanams, the Jeffersons, the Mataafas,

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Speaker 1: the cornerbacks, the guys who are improving on a weekly

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Speaker 1: basis and receiving credit for those improvements, Can they focus

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Speaker 1: on a game that now everybody feels like they should win.

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Speaker 1: It's the classic trap situation. You ran off three in

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Speaker 1: a row and you got a big Monday night game.

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Speaker 1: I want to see our young guys and this group

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Speaker 1: stay focused into this week's game, because if they can

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Speaker 1: stay focused into this week's game, that shows me they're

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Speaker 1: going to be able to stay focused into the Panthers game,

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Speaker 1: in the Jaguars game, and that's what everybody's looking for.

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Speaker 1: Everybody's looking to maintain that focus, rip off a few

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Speaker 1: more here, and then play a game that we could

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Speaker 1: have never dreamed of in the bye week, a seven

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Speaker 1: and five record against one of the best teams in football,

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Speaker 1: to see how you really stack up after this monstrous

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Speaker 1: build back to restore your season. So I would like

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Speaker 1: to see the young guys stay focused and committed and

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Speaker 1: play really well on Sunday, despite you know, the idea

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Speaker 1: that they might not be playing a top level opponent.

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Speaker 1: That's gonna do it for us here on the Minnesota

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Speaker 1: Vikings podcast for Chris Corso, Jay Nelson, Thank you guys

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Speaker 1: so much. We will see you next time.