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Speaker 1: You know, he's a one of a kind of coach.

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Speaker 1: You know, I love him the death. He gave me

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Speaker 1: the opportunity to start. You know, one of my favorite

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Speaker 1: head coaches I've ever had in my life. I have

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Speaker 1: a lot of respect for him, and I'm glad that

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Speaker 1: he's here with me. You know, the winning Super Bowl

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Speaker 1: is all about consistency, and I think that's what this

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Speaker 1: locker room building day in and day out. Hey, everybody,

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Speaker 1: welcome to episode seventy one of the Minnesota Vikings podcast.

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Speaker 1: Joining me from Vikings dot Com. It's Chris Corso and

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Speaker 1: Jye Nelson. This is the week fourteen addition, and more importantly,

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Speaker 1: it is the in control of our own destiny somehow. Addition,

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Speaker 1: the Vikings squeak out and I guess it was a

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Speaker 1: win win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Well, the Cardinals take

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Speaker 1: a loss against the Ams, and the Vikings are officially

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Speaker 1: in charge of their playoff destiny as they head into

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Speaker 1: a game with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Speaker 1: Later in the show, Chris Corso was going to talk

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Speaker 1: with Vikings linebacker Todd Davis. Eric Smith is going to

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Speaker 1: check in with Casey Phillips from the Bucks. But before

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Speaker 1: we get to all of that, and before we get

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Speaker 1: to the Buccaneers, let's real quick, take one more moment

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Speaker 1: to walk through Sunday's game against Jacksonville, A game that

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Speaker 1: it was. I said this on another show, guys. It

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Speaker 1: was a dichotomy. It was. You had take Kirk for example,

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Speaker 1: who we talk about a lot, and the offense. They

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Speaker 1: had these moments of brilliance, these great plays, these sustained drives,

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Speaker 1: and then oops, pick six, oops, goal line fumble, oop's

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Speaker 1: inability to execute. It was this odd mixture of really

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Speaker 1: really really impressive and really underwhelming. And I've heard opinions fly,

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Speaker 1: Chris from every different corner about what this team, what

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Speaker 1: this win means, and how you should have won the

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Speaker 1: game and this and that. The reality is they won

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Speaker 1: the game, and if we're playing for a playoff spot

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Speaker 1: in week seventeen, all that matters is that we won

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Speaker 1: this game. But it was an interesting dichotomy of a performance. Jay,

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Speaker 1: did I use that word right? Dichotomy correct? I'm the

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Speaker 1: smartest man in the world. Take it away, Chris. I

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Speaker 1: thought we agreed that we were just going to move

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Speaker 1: on and not talk about this game at all, since

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Speaker 1: we actually won, We're gonna talk about a few things.

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Speaker 1: I just here. Let me lay out the three things

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Speaker 1: great dropping by the way, let me lay out the

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Speaker 1: few things that I thought were really, really, really important. One.

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Speaker 1: Teams are and the Jags confirm this, but teams are

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Speaker 1: blitzing Kirk Cousins. We are at the point in the

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Speaker 1: season where everybody understands how good Dalvin Cook is, and

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Speaker 1: in the last few weeks we have seen teams absolutely

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Speaker 1: bring it in attacking Kirk Cousins. And now you're walking

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Speaker 1: into a Buccaneers game next week with one of the best,

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Speaker 1: if not I believe, the best rushing defense in the NFL.

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Speaker 1: It's really interesting to see how even a Jacksonville Jaguars

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Speaker 1: team that was literally last in the league in sacks

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Speaker 1: could get pressure on Kirk Cousins via our offensive line.

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Speaker 1: I agree with that side. I cannot believe the amount

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Speaker 1: of pass rushers that went and hit Kirk cleanly without

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Speaker 1: even being hedged or touched or whatever by a Vikings

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Speaker 1: offensive lineman. And I think it's gonna have to be

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Speaker 1: against the Bucks. Looking forward, as much as I want

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Speaker 1: to look forward to not even think about this Jaguars game.

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Speaker 1: I think it's gonna have to be a mix of

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Speaker 1: the offensive lineman playing better, but also Gary Kubiak using

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Speaker 1: that mastermind that he has to literally just create plays

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Speaker 1: where Kirk can get rid of the ball quicker, because

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Speaker 1: you're not going to be able to sustain the season

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Speaker 1: that we are sustaining with Kirk Cousins getting hit the

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Speaker 1: way he did during that Jaguars game. I think that's

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Speaker 1: probably one of the biggest takeaways I have from the

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Speaker 1: Jaguars game, is the amount of times he got absolutely shelled,

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Speaker 1: like drilled to the ground, Like I am so shocked

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Speaker 1: how Kirk Cousins stays healthy well and for a team

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Speaker 1: that was one of the worst in the league, if

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Speaker 1: not the worst, at putting pressure on the quarterback. That's

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Speaker 1: the shocking. What that says to me is that is

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Speaker 1: going to be the play going forward, that says to me, Hey,

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Speaker 1: we know Dalvin Cook's good, We're going to do our

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Speaker 1: best to stop him, but it's time to go after

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Speaker 1: this quarterback, regardless of what else we're preparing for. Jay. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: and I think you also you saw the dichotomy of

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Speaker 1: the two weeks that we just played where Carolina tended

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Speaker 1: to sit back a little bit more and you saw

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Speaker 1: Kirk just absolutely slice and dice up that defense. It's

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Speaker 1: especially when we needed it, and with Jacksonville, they were

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Speaker 1: doing at a lot of stunts, a lot of twists

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Speaker 1: and delayed blitzes, and when they were doing that, it

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Speaker 1: was given some fits to our offensive line. And you know,

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Speaker 1: maybe part of that is credit to the fact that,

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Speaker 1: as we're Cleveland had been out. It was his first

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Speaker 1: game back, even though dealing with an injury, and maybe

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Speaker 1: there was some issues with line calls, etc. Etc. But

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Speaker 1: what it really came down to was your right Once

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Speaker 1: you get pressure there, you see how much that game

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Speaker 1: tightens up versus what we dealt with with Carolina. So

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Speaker 1: if you're opposing defenses at this point, you know you

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Speaker 1: have to get in Kirk's face otherwise he's going to

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Speaker 1: slice you up the way he's been doing it all November.

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Speaker 1: Justin Jefferson had another I mean, both receivers played fantastic,

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Speaker 1: but Justin Jefferson is getting Chris all this deserved credit

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Speaker 1: and you're seeing all the player comparisons. You can't go

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Speaker 1: on Twitter without seeing Justin Jefferson is the first rookie

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Speaker 1: sense so and so to blankety blank, it's NonStop. The

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Speaker 1: most recent one is he has become the fifth player

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Speaker 1: in NFL history to record a thousand receiving yards in

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Speaker 1: his first twelve games. The other four guys Randy Moss

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Speaker 1: and Quan Bolden, Colston and Odell Beckham Junior. Here's what

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Speaker 1: I've been thinking about a ton. It's the purple thing.

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Speaker 1: It's the yards things. He gets a lot of the

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Speaker 1: Chris Carter or excuse me, the Randy Moss comps. You know,

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Speaker 1: I understand that, but god, he just reminds me. And

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Speaker 1: I know I've said it on the show before, but

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Speaker 1: he becomes more and more apparent every single week. He

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Speaker 1: reminds that the an Quon Bolden comparison. You know, I know,

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Speaker 1: the Odell Beckham Junior is a sexier name, and Randy

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Speaker 1: Moss is an obviously sexier name, but a Kwon Bolden Junior.

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Speaker 1: I don't know if people remember how dominant he was

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Speaker 1: in his rookie season. In his first career game, Bolden

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Speaker 1: hung two hundred and seventeen yards and two touched sounds

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Speaker 1: on the Detroit Lions. I mean, he was an absolute

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Speaker 1: monster that played all over the field and all different positions.

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Speaker 1: It's it's a lot like what you see Jefferson doing here.

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Speaker 1: Jefferson has these big days. They're not just in the slot,

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Speaker 1: They're not just on the outside. It's not just a

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Speaker 1: possession reception. It's not just a catch and run. It's

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Speaker 1: not just getting behind the defense. He's just doing everything

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Speaker 1: that's asked of him and his ceiling. This is crazy

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Speaker 1: because Bolden was a hell of a receiver. Jefferson could

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Speaker 1: be a different sort of special Jefferson could be a

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Speaker 1: thing that isn't seen a lot in this league. You know,

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Speaker 1: we saw that in Chris Carter, who could get behind guys,

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Speaker 1: play play a possession reception. He could, he could catch

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Speaker 1: the ball and run. He's a different sort of dude here.

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Speaker 1: And it's every week to me, it becomes more and

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Speaker 1: more apparent how similar he is to Bolden. And his

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Speaker 1: usage has been on par very similar to what the

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Speaker 1: Cardinals did with Bolden early on. Yeah, to me, it's

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Speaker 1: the confidence, like he has a confidence of a ten

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Speaker 1: year veteran. I was listening to him join Jim Rome

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Speaker 1: this week and he's getting obviously all of the national

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Speaker 1: exposure at this point because he's breaking records every week.

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Speaker 1: But he said, Jim Rome asked to me, He's like,

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Speaker 1: did you think it would be this easy in the

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Speaker 1: NFL compared to college? And He's like, to be honest, yeah,

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Speaker 1: I mean, I want to answer this question pretty humbly,

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Speaker 1: but it definitely is pretty easy. Like the level of

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Speaker 1: competition he had to go up against in college at

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Speaker 1: LSU with Joe Burrow and playing the Alabamas and the

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Speaker 1: SEC opponents of the world, I think it prepared him

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Speaker 1: so well to have eighteen touchdowns last year for one

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Speaker 1: of the best teams in the country, and now he's

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Speaker 1: doing it on the NFL level and he hasn't even

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Speaker 1: missed one step. I think the only step he missed

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Speaker 1: was when Kirk Cousins didn't realize what he had in

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Speaker 1: him and the first two games, or you can even

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Speaker 1: say Gary Kubiak didn't realize what they had in him

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Speaker 1: in the first couple of games because he was lining

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Speaker 1: up in that slop position the first two games and

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Speaker 1: never really had the opportunity to start at the X spot,

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Speaker 1: which is what Kirk always says when he talks about

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Speaker 1: the way Justin has really enhanced his game over the

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Speaker 1: past ten games. So when you talk about a thousand

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Speaker 1: yards in twelve games, it's really like a thousand yards

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Speaker 1: in ten games, which is even more amazing. And for

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Speaker 1: a guy that plays this way Jay, this style, the

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Speaker 1: other thing that's staggering is his slender body. A guy

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Speaker 1: who plays this style of football is going to fill out,

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Speaker 1: He's going to be he can play this style and

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Speaker 1: put some muscle on him and be an even harder

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Speaker 1: guy to bring down, and that should be terrifying to

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Speaker 1: the rest of the league. And that was the thing

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Speaker 1: when everyone brings up the Ankwin Bolding comparison, for me,

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Speaker 1: I always kind of go, it's a little apple and oranges,

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Speaker 1: because an Quin was a beast and if you remember,

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Speaker 1: he was just an absolute tank and you're he wasn't

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Speaker 1: to the level of DK Metcalf, but he was the

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Speaker 1: guy who looked like a grown man coming in as

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Speaker 1: a rookie. Jefferson's coming in kind of on the Randy

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Speaker 1: Moss line where he was kind of the skinny, long,

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Speaker 1: you know, long wide receiver. But the thing that Jefferson

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Speaker 1: I think has and that is pushing him above where

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Speaker 1: everyone thought he was going to be, especially at this stage,

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Speaker 1: is he is so technically crisp that it is absolutely noticeable,

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Speaker 1: and he does the small things, like all of the

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Speaker 1: breakdowns that are happening are showing, you know, the eyes lie.

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Speaker 1: There's that saying that the eyes lie with wide receiver,

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Speaker 1: so don't watch where their eyes go. And he knows

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Speaker 1: he's going deep to the right, he's running left and

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Speaker 1: looking like he's going to get the ball that way

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Speaker 1: and shifts on a dime and gets back over. Because

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Speaker 1: he's doing those small technical things, the veterans are saying, wait,

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Speaker 1: this isn't a normal rookie because this guy is burning

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Speaker 1: me with something that a four or five six year

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Speaker 1: vet normally has to learn to pick up. And I

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Speaker 1: think for Justin coming from the family that he did,

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Speaker 1: having the brother who was a corner, have another brother

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Speaker 1: who's a quarterback, and then going to play, it's like

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Speaker 1: an LSU and working with the top tier. Like Corso said,

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Speaker 1: I think Justin up to this point has distilled down

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Speaker 1: into his game an absolute perfect rookie season so far,

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Speaker 1: and that the like you said, I think that the

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Speaker 1: exciting part is knowing what might this turn into if

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Speaker 1: he stays on this trajectory and this professionalism for his

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Speaker 1: career and the crazy thing Jay is you can look

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Speaker 1: at like I keep mentioning the different type of routes

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Speaker 1: he runs. Our postgame show on Vikings dot Com always

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Speaker 1: features next gen stats which you can go out and

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Speaker 1: get if you look at his route charts, like right now,

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Speaker 1: I have in front of me, for example, the route

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Speaker 1: chart from the Carolina game, and it is hilarious looking.

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Speaker 1: I mean it is. It is all. It looks like

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Speaker 1: a madman scribbles. His usage is all over the place,

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Speaker 1: in every which possible way. And that's the thing that

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Speaker 1: these guys all have in common. Randy Moss, Colston and

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Speaker 1: Quambo and O'Dell. Their usage looked like this. It looked like,

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Speaker 1: get this guy the ball, wherever the hell we can

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Speaker 1: get this guy the ball. I agree, and that that

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Speaker 1: was the big question mark coming out of lsu. Oh

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Speaker 1: he only has his eighteen touchdowns all from the slot position.

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Speaker 1: He came into the NFL and grabbed a hold of

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Speaker 1: that deep ball position. I mean, it's been Adam Feeling,

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Speaker 1: who's like the red zone guy and kind of short

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Speaker 1: yardage guy for the Vikings. This year, Justin has been

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Speaker 1: the guy down the field, leading the team in yards

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Speaker 1: it's been amazing the roles that those two guys have

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Speaker 1: taken on in this offense, and the role that Justin

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Speaker 1: took on when Adam was out with COVID. I mean,

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Speaker 1: it's unbelievable that when Adam was out, Justin still had

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Speaker 1: the same impact on an NFL game as a rookie.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I'm thinking back to Lakwan Treadwell and this guy,

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Speaker 1: and it's just unbelievable. What we got out of this

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Speaker 1: draft pick and what we got out of that Stefan

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Speaker 1: dig straight It's amazing and I think good that's the

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Speaker 1: most this This might end up being one of the

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Speaker 1: biggest win win trades in modern NFL history. This has

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Speaker 1: panned out so well for both organizations, and it's great

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Speaker 1: news for the Vikings because had you shift Stefan Digs

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Speaker 1: off to go be one of the top, if not

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Speaker 1: the top wide receivers in the NFL this season and

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Speaker 1: gotten a Laquon Treadwell style return, that would have been difficult.

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Speaker 1: But they hit a home run, and every week Justin

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Speaker 1: Jefferson keeps hitting home runs. Before we go into the

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Speaker 1: Bucks game, I want to shine a light on one

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Speaker 1: more thing. The special Team's mistakes continued to a certain

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Speaker 1: degree again this week. It really reared its head in

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Speaker 1: the area of missed kicks. Obviously, but we talked a

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Speaker 1: few weeks ago about the punt coverage unit and Essenna

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Speaker 1: maybe overplaying, maybe getting a little bit off balance. Let's

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Speaker 1: talk about despite it being a game that we think

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Speaker 1: we should have closed out in regulation, when you have

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Speaker 1: that mistake early and overtime, you're backed up against your

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Speaker 1: goal line. You know, you get a little bit of

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Speaker 1: movement with Cook and then you have to you have

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Speaker 1: to punt for Britain cole Quit to not only boom

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Speaker 1: that punt, but for Cisenna to get down there and

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Speaker 1: properly get in front, balance himself and make that play.

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Speaker 1: I thought of you on that play. It was I mean,

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Speaker 1: I like, I shouted his name, like I was his dad.

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Speaker 1: To get back in a moment like that that was

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Speaker 1: so important. I mean, that was And then the penalty

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Speaker 1: on top of it, I mean, that field flip is

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Speaker 1: the reason we're still in the playoff race. In my opinion,

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Speaker 1: It's one of the underrated plays of that game. Like

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Speaker 1: that play, including the penalty on Jacksonville, that was like

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Speaker 1: a huge field flip. That the momentum was totally going

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Speaker 1: to the Jacksonville side of the ball, especially if they

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Speaker 1: just scored that touchdown. I mean that play is probably

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Speaker 1: one of the most underrated plays of the season. I

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Speaker 1: mean that was a season changing play that now we

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Speaker 1: won that game which we had no business winning. We

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Speaker 1: really had no business winning that game. On Sunday, I

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Speaker 1: think I put that in our text thread, no matter

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Speaker 1: what happens in this game, I don't even I don't

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Speaker 1: feel good about it. I think Kirk Cousins, Uh, we

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Speaker 1: were talking about what emotion do we feel after the game.

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Speaker 1: He said maddening. I mean, Si, what was your word again,

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Speaker 1: Bill Wilderman, I think I used maddening from Kirk Cousins.

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Speaker 1: I was like, I think I was angry and disappointed

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Speaker 1: and frustrated. I had like four of them, Jay, So

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Speaker 1: that play, Chris was like a doctor whose son wants

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Speaker 1: to be a professional skateboarder. And that play made me

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Speaker 1: feel a little bit better, especially um because because SI

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Speaker 1: was hating on our good friend Dan Husena earlier, and

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Speaker 1: first of all, I was not you are such a

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Speaker 1: snake course, so I was not hating on him. I

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Speaker 1: was literally noticing a thing and trying to hope it

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Speaker 1: would go better. And guess what, he did not listen

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Speaker 1: to me. He just could put me in an unfair spot,

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Speaker 1: Chris or I'm going to drive out to your house

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Speaker 1: and stand at a safe distance and shout at you. Jay.

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Speaker 1: The thing that was encouraging for me was the fact

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Speaker 1: that Jessenna actually got a shout out from Zimmer. In

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Speaker 1: one of the press conferences, somebody asked about special teams

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Speaker 1: playing better, asked about Dan Chisena, you know, being in

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Speaker 1: position and making the play, and Zimmer said it was

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Speaker 1: great to see him have that kind of a play

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Speaker 1: at that crucial part of the game. And we are

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Speaker 1: going to dissect this season at the post mortem, and

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Speaker 1: we're going to look at specific moments in specific games

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Speaker 1: that flipped the wrong direction and went the right direction.

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Speaker 1: And in a game that we absolutely had to have

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Speaker 1: to have Jessenna on top of the penalty to push

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Speaker 1: them deep in their end zone and then then get

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Speaker 1: the turnover and be able to close out the game

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Speaker 1: and have Dalvin Cook pound eight straight runs in order

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Speaker 1: to get them within position to win it. It was

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Speaker 1: just you finally saw the errors went out the window,

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Speaker 1: and that one big play led to the final drive

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Speaker 1: that actually had them win the game. So it was

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Speaker 1: good to see Dan get off the schneide. It was

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Speaker 1: good to see something that was pointed out and wrong

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Speaker 1: from before get fixed. And hopefully those other small things

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Speaker 1: that we keep talking about week to week, those things

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Speaker 1: over the next four weeks will be able to right

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Speaker 1: themselves as well and put us into a good position

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Speaker 1: for the playoffs. And speaking of heading in the right direction,

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Speaker 1: join Adam Feeling and the Salvation Army in providing food, shelter,

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Speaker 1: and care for our neighbors in need. Text skol that's

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Speaker 1: skull skol to twenty four thirty six five two four

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Speaker 1: three six five. I don't know why I said it weird,

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Speaker 1: but that's what you can text to donate money. Download

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Speaker 1: the official mobile app of the Minnesota Vikings today for

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00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,399
Speaker 1: either your Apple or Android device. Watch game highlights, press

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Speaker 1: conferences and exclusive Vikings Entertainment Network content. Stay up to

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Speaker 1: date on the latest team news, and much more. Customize

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Speaker 1: your app experience via push notifications so you never miss

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00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:24,560
Speaker 1: out on breaking news or fan promotions. Search for Minnesota

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Speaker 1: Vikings in the app or Google Play stores for information,

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Speaker 1: It's Vikings dot com. Slash app. I think the real

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Speaker 1: guy's disappointment for me from Sunday. It wasn't even that

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Speaker 1: it was a win. That wasn't It was simply I

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Speaker 1: looked at the Jags game as an opportunity to get right.

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Speaker 1: You know, sometimes as a sports team, as a group,

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Speaker 1: things can snowball and trends become reality and you start

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Speaker 1: to believe your trends. And you know, obviously it's been

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Speaker 1: a rough few weeks of special teams, it's been a

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Speaker 1: rough few weeks turnovers, it's been a rough few weeks

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Speaker 1: of penalties. You have these trends that have kind of

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Speaker 1: been stacking, and I thought, hey, this is one of

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Speaker 1: the worst teams in the NFL. Here's your chance to

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Speaker 1: get right. And unfortunately you got the win, but you

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Speaker 1: didn't necessarily get right. Well, now you're you're thrown right

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Speaker 1: into the fire because now you are going to have

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Speaker 1: to do that. You are going to have to get

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Speaker 1: right against the greatest quarterback of all time, a dynamic offense,

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Speaker 1: one of the better teams in the NFC. Despite their

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Speaker 1: recent performances, they're coming off a bye, They've had two

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Speaker 1: weeks to prepare for you. This is the test of tests.

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Speaker 1: For me and Chris, it's I'm not the sort of

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Speaker 1: guy who wants to win against backup quarterbacks or sneak

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Speaker 1: out games that they shouldn't have won, or beat a

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Speaker 1: crappy schedule to make a run to the playoffs. This

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Speaker 1: is the moment that I've been waiting for. I hope

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Speaker 1: we make it to the playoffs, but battling to six

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Speaker 1: and six and controlling your own destiny so you can

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Speaker 1: play a guy, a quarterback that you've never ever beaten,

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Speaker 1: and of yourself a chance to even further your movement

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Speaker 1: towards the playoffs. This is the moment for me. This

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Speaker 1: is the exciting moment of the season. I know a

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Speaker 1: lot of fans are nervous. They really want this win,

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Speaker 1: but this is where you get to show that you

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Speaker 1: aren't the team you were earlier in the season, and

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Speaker 1: that these forward moving trends are real, and that the

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Speaker 1: backward moving trends are just that they're mirages. They're not

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Speaker 1: going to stick around. Yeah, and this team has not

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Speaker 1: been hot lately. They're on a two game losing streak.

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Speaker 1: I know they were on to buy this past week,

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Speaker 1: which gives them an extra week for that to really

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Speaker 1: sit and they were able to sit down and watch

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Speaker 1: us play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. But man, I

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Speaker 1: would just love for us to just put this team

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Speaker 1: in their place. Hit him with a three game losing streak.

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Speaker 1: Tom Brady has not been able to throw the ball

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Speaker 1: consistently down the field this season. I think everyone in

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Speaker 1: the NFL knows that as of now, and their running backs,

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Speaker 1: they do not have a steady or substantial running game

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Speaker 1: this season. For that has been I mean a shell

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Speaker 1: of himself of what he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars,

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Speaker 1: and Ronald Jones has had a ton of fumble problems

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Speaker 1: this year for the team. So I think it's just

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Speaker 1: about stopping some of these big weapons, and it's gonna

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Speaker 1: be tough. You're gonna have to find ways to stop him.

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Speaker 1: Mike Evans at Chris Godwin, Gronkowski, Antonio Brown. I mean,

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Speaker 1: there's so many weapons that I just hope our corners

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Speaker 1: can figure it out in this game. I want to

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Speaker 1: see a Cameron Dancer step up. I think he's really

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Speaker 1: got to step up on this game because we know

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Speaker 1: what Gladney can do, we know what some of the

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Speaker 1: players that have been out there all season. We need

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Speaker 1: him to step up, and we need Eric Kendricks to

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Speaker 1: get healthy. Side absolutely, and Jay, I'm gonna throw it

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Speaker 1: to you because I don't share Chris's approach. Chris just

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Speaker 1: painted this team like they're like, oh, well, you know,

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Speaker 1: he lost a couple Brady can't throw anymore than running

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Speaker 1: backs Cameron. I don't buy that for a second. I

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Speaker 1: understand that you don't like Tom Brady, but you can

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Speaker 1: not like Jeff Bezos and he still has a ton

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Speaker 1: of money. Jay, to me, I'm not anticipating a unit

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Speaker 1: that's trending downward in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I'm actually

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Speaker 1: anticipating coming off a buy with four games left, getting

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Speaker 1: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at their absolute most dangers. Tom

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Speaker 1: Brady has done this his whole life, December football, and

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Speaker 1: you gave him a week off to walk into December football.

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Speaker 1: I think you're gonna get the best version of the

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Speaker 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers you've seen maybe all season. Sands that

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Speaker 1: Packers game, I think you're gonna get the best version

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Speaker 1: of them, and in order to compete, you're gonna have

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Speaker 1: to step up, execute and win the game, not not

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Speaker 1: lose the game. Yeah. I think if there's one thing

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Speaker 1: that Tom Brady has proven over the years, it's that

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Speaker 1: this is his time to shine. And I think you're

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Speaker 1: now talking about the fact that they've lost three out

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Speaker 1: of their last four games. Tom Brady has been getting

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Speaker 1: criticized in the public. The coach has been actually throwing

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Speaker 1: a little bit of shade just in some of his

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Speaker 1: answers when people keep bringing up Tom Brady to Arians

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Speaker 1: and the guys they've lost to. They've lost to New Orleans,

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Speaker 1: the Rams in Kansas City in that three out of

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Speaker 1: four game losing streak, and they might as well be

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Speaker 1: playing the Monstars each week. It's not like they lost

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Speaker 1: to It's not like they lost to the Jets and

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Speaker 1: then the Jets and then the Jets again. But that's

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Speaker 1: my point is that they're looking now at the rest

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Speaker 1: of the season. For these last four games, they're kind

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Speaker 1: of looking at US as we're the hot team now

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Speaker 1: that's won five out of the last six, and after

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Speaker 1: US as Atlanta Detroit Atlanta. So for them to feel

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Speaker 1: like they got a good quality win against a good

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Speaker 1: quality opponent and potentially start to dwindle our playoff possibilities

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Speaker 1: and in the fact that there's a chance they could

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00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 1: play us again in the playoffs. I just think if

430
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,520
Speaker 1: you're Tampa right now, you're Tom Brady and you've had

431
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,040
Speaker 1: these last two weeks to stew and essentially the last

432
00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,280
Speaker 1: month to stew over the way that your season has

433
00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:10,960
Speaker 1: gone and all the criticism you've got. I think they're

434
00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,920
Speaker 1: coming at us with both barrels, and I think it's

435
00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:15,880
Speaker 1: not even going to be close, because they're gonna blitz

436
00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,000
Speaker 1: like crazy on our offense. They know that Delvin is

437
00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,720
Speaker 1: going to be the main point of our offense. And

438
00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,320
Speaker 1: I think overall Tampa, Tom is going to be completely

439
00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,280
Speaker 1: rallying that entire team and saying we need to make

440
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,960
Speaker 1: a statement against this team and let them understand who

441
00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 1: the better team is. And if they don't, now you're

442
00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,199
Speaker 1: talking for the last three weeks, everyone's saying, yeah, but

443
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,200
Speaker 1: it's Atlanta, Detroit and Atlanta, And what does this team

444
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,919
Speaker 1: really have in the playoffs if they actually make it,

445
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,760
Speaker 1: Because there is a chance that we leap frog into

446
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,800
Speaker 1: the number six position in the seating and that is

447
00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:49,160
Speaker 1: a huge thing for us, and that is a huge

448
00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:51,240
Speaker 1: problem for them because then they got to scramble to

449
00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:54,120
Speaker 1: get right and just try to squeak in there into

450
00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,480
Speaker 1: that six or seven seed for the rest of the playoffs.

451
00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,879
Speaker 1: So for me, Tampa is going to give us everything

452
00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:00,560
Speaker 1: that they have this Sunday. It's going to be a

453
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,600
Speaker 1: great game to watch. Chris, you mentioned the weapons, Mike Evans,

454
00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:07,439
Speaker 1: Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown. But it seems like Mike Zimmer

455
00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,119
Speaker 1: is thinking about stopping Gronk. He said, an oppressor. We

456
00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,440
Speaker 1: may have to have more than one guy on him,

457
00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:17,399
Speaker 1: which seems not odd, but you don't hear that a

458
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:20,400
Speaker 1: lot devoting multiple defenders to a tight end that has

459
00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:24,840
Speaker 1: a very good group of receivers. But we saw what

460
00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,560
Speaker 1: happened last week without Kendricks. You may be without Kendricks again.

461
00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,720
Speaker 1: This the priority Number one for this team has to

462
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,359
Speaker 1: be getting after Gronk, who might not be the Gronk

463
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,639
Speaker 1: of five years ago, but he's healthy and he's playing really,

464
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,520
Speaker 1: really well. And like Tom Brady, he knows what December means.

465
00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,040
Speaker 1: These are guys who have put effort in all season,

466
00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:50,879
Speaker 1: but they have brought themselves to this moment. Yeah, and

467
00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,959
Speaker 1: if you told me Gronk would have over five hundred yards,

468
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,760
Speaker 1: four touchdowns, thirty seven receptions at this point in the season,

469
00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,280
Speaker 1: I'd probably laugh at you. At the beginning of this season.

470
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,760
Speaker 1: I mean, he has been somewhat a part of what

471
00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,600
Speaker 1: he did back in New England. Like he still has

472
00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,320
Speaker 1: that ability. He's still a mismatch. Um. I would love

473
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:12,600
Speaker 1: for Eric Kendricks to run with him around the field

474
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,040
Speaker 1: a little bit um with the way he's been dropping

475
00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,679
Speaker 1: in coverage, but I think it's gonna have to be

476
00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:22,199
Speaker 1: in Eric Wilson or um. Maybe it's even a Todd Davis. Uh.

477
00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:24,600
Speaker 1: Troy Die is another name that comes to mind. We

478
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,600
Speaker 1: saw him step in pretty pretty well um in that

479
00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,240
Speaker 1: game against the Jaguars. These linebackers are going to be

480
00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,639
Speaker 1: the ones who are gonna have to really contend. Maybe

481
00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,439
Speaker 1: Cameron Dancler can can help out there, but but I

482
00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,840
Speaker 1: think Dancler is gonna want to be lined up um

483
00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,680
Speaker 1: with Mike Evans, the tallest wide receiver and the crew here.

484
00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,520
Speaker 1: So like I said before, there's so many weapons that

485
00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:49,120
Speaker 1: they're gonna have to combat, and when when you're when

486
00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,480
Speaker 1: your secondary is this young and inexperience, they're gonna really

487
00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:55,359
Speaker 1: have to step up to the plate here, especially with

488
00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,480
Speaker 1: the fact that Holton Hill is now completely off the roster.

489
00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,160
Speaker 1: He is not a part of this team anymore. So

490
00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,240
Speaker 1: I'm looking at a little cover four zone or something

491
00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,959
Speaker 1: like that. I don't know what what Zimmer's gonna draw up.

492
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,640
Speaker 1: Maybe it's the double a gap blitz, but but you're

493
00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:16,520
Speaker 1: you're showing it and stepping back and coverage, like I'm thinking,

494
00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,119
Speaker 1: from X is an no standpoint. I'm sure Mike Zimmer

495
00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,600
Speaker 1: is gonna have something dialed up for all these weapons.

496
00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,160
Speaker 1: Well from a strategic and X is an no standpoint.

497
00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,320
Speaker 1: I won't go into film here and specifics, but if

498
00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,880
Speaker 1: you look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and how they're

499
00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:33,479
Speaker 1: playing on paper, kind of alluding to what I said earlier,

500
00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:38,280
Speaker 1: this is this is basically I'm not saying they're Viking kryptonite,

501
00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:43,640
Speaker 1: but they are what the Vikings haven't had to deal

502
00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:46,400
Speaker 1: with in this stretch. I mean, yes, the Green Bay

503
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,960
Speaker 1: Packers are a dynamic offense, but we played them in

504
00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:54,000
Speaker 1: a hilarious windstorm. You know, since that game, we haven't

505
00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,479
Speaker 1: seen a marquee offensive head coach with a bunch of

506
00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,040
Speaker 1: weapons and time to prep pair for this young defense.

507
00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,360
Speaker 1: You've played a Carolina Panthers team without Christian McCaffrey. You've

508
00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:11,159
Speaker 1: played a Cowboys team led by Andy Dalton, You've played

509
00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,919
Speaker 1: a Bears team that's falling apart, a Lions team that

510
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,399
Speaker 1: was on the verge of firing Patricia, and now a

511
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:21,400
Speaker 1: Jags team that had Mike Glennon. So this this is

512
00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:27,640
Speaker 1: since your resurgence, Jay, this is your first real defensive

513
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:32,280
Speaker 1: test of a in my opinion, of a high level

514
00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,520
Speaker 1: playoff caliber. Yeah. I think, like you just said, it's

515
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,640
Speaker 1: going to be strength on strength. It's going to be

516
00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,080
Speaker 1: where this game makes me nervous. Is similar to the

517
00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,160
Speaker 1: Week one game against Green Bay where we walked in

518
00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:50,080
Speaker 1: and their strengths were dynamic quarterback, dynamic wide receivers, top

519
00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,320
Speaker 1: tier tight end that was, you know, able to make

520
00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,160
Speaker 1: us pay, and a running game that was solid but

521
00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,600
Speaker 1: not necessarily the focal point of their offense. And that

522
00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,160
Speaker 1: team just let us up. And so I'm hoping that

523
00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,760
Speaker 1: the experience that we've had over the season will help

524
00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,200
Speaker 1: with that a little bit. But it's not just an offense,

525
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,040
Speaker 1: it's also on defense. We want to run the ball.

526
00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,440
Speaker 1: Their defensive line and their front seven is incredible, and

527
00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,160
Speaker 1: so all of those things are going to be in

528
00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,360
Speaker 1: play and to be honest with you moving forward, especially

529
00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,400
Speaker 1: for the playoffs. This is the kind of caliber team

530
00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,840
Speaker 1: that we're going to see. So you're going to find

531
00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,720
Speaker 1: out here this week and with the New Orleans game

532
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,320
Speaker 1: coming up, because they have a very similar defense what

533
00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:30,920
Speaker 1: you're going to be needing to handle. And if you

534
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,720
Speaker 1: can at least make this one competitive, if not get

535
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,360
Speaker 1: the win, then at least you can find where some

536
00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:38,600
Speaker 1: of the holes are left to fix over the next

537
00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:40,800
Speaker 1: three weeks, because you're going to need to get that

538
00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,959
Speaker 1: New Orleans game. I mean, in most scenarios, you need

539
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:45,760
Speaker 1: to either get Tampa or you need to get in

540
00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,240
Speaker 1: New Orleans. You need one of those in order to

541
00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,640
Speaker 1: help solidify that playoff run. And for me, I just

542
00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:56,320
Speaker 1: feel like if defensively and offensively, the planning on the

543
00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,640
Speaker 1: coordinator side, that they can try and shore up some

544
00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,360
Speaker 1: of those weaknesses. This is going to be a game

545
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:03,560
Speaker 1: that you're going to find out yes it's possible or

546
00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:05,720
Speaker 1: no it's not. And if it's not, you're gonna have

547
00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:07,800
Speaker 1: some hard sledding here for the next three weeks. Yeah,

548
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:09,560
Speaker 1: and I would argue I think you're gonna need both

549
00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,440
Speaker 1: of them. I think you're gonna need to run the table.

550
00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,760
Speaker 1: I think you're gonna probably given the schedules, the other

551
00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,560
Speaker 1: teams you're competing with face, and the fact that you

552
00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:20,400
Speaker 1: do not own a tiebreaker with the Seattle Seahawks, You're

553
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,720
Speaker 1: probably gonna need to get both those games and your

554
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,360
Speaker 1: two divisional wins. And you're right, that's where I was

555
00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:27,800
Speaker 1: gonna head next. In terms of matchups, here is the

556
00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:31,280
Speaker 1: defense and this dominant front seven, you know, a resurgent

557
00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:35,280
Speaker 1: in Dominican Sue Jason, Pierre Paul and Shaquille Barrett, and

558
00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:38,840
Speaker 1: the linebacking corps. I mean twenty seven combined sacks this year,

559
00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,360
Speaker 1: eight forced fumbles. But maybe more importantly, they are the

560
00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:47,800
Speaker 1: number one rushing defense in the NFL, giving up less

561
00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:50,680
Speaker 1: than seventy five yards per game. I think it's seventy

562
00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:54,720
Speaker 1: four point two to be exact. And the Vikings want

563
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:58,120
Speaker 1: to control the clock. The Vikings want to run Dalvin Cook,

564
00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:00,840
Speaker 1: the Vikings want to play good defense. Well, now it's

565
00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,960
Speaker 1: a dynamic offense and a team that goes you are

566
00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,959
Speaker 1: not going to run on us. And this I know

567
00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,160
Speaker 1: this is a They're different players, different styles, and I'm

568
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:14,240
Speaker 1: not saying the Bucks are these Chicago Bears, but this is.

569
00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,600
Speaker 1: This is We've seen this in our division in the

570
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,760
Speaker 1: last few years, where we want to go in and

571
00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:22,320
Speaker 1: run to beat a good football team, and the Chicago

572
00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:26,360
Speaker 1: Bears front seven has come in and said, no, we

573
00:31:26,440 --> 00:31:29,000
Speaker 1: are not going to allow you to run, and we

574
00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,840
Speaker 1: are going to get pressure with just a few guys.

575
00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,080
Speaker 1: That's the thing. If if they can do that good

576
00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,640
Speaker 1: of a job of stopping the running back and they

577
00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:41,600
Speaker 1: can get pressure with three, four, maybe an extra guy five,

578
00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,040
Speaker 1: if they can get consistent pressure when they're outnumbered, that's

579
00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,440
Speaker 1: going to be an issue. Yeah, And I think that's

580
00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:51,760
Speaker 1: where you need to definitely avoid your third and five

581
00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,120
Speaker 1: or longer scenarios. You're going to need to pick up two,

582
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,440
Speaker 1: three four yards per clip on first and second down

583
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:01,120
Speaker 1: to get to those short yard pieces, because then they

584
00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:02,640
Speaker 1: have to play a little more honest. They have to

585
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:04,680
Speaker 1: play are you really going to run the ball for

586
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,120
Speaker 1: two more yards? Or are you going to potentially pass it?

587
00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:09,520
Speaker 1: And I think it's kind of weird if you really

588
00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,240
Speaker 1: look at it. Tampa plays in a style where they

589
00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,520
Speaker 1: use the run to set up the pass. They have

590
00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,760
Speaker 1: Tom Brady, they want to do it that way. A

591
00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,920
Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago, we brought up on this show saying,

592
00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:22,720
Speaker 1: you know what, if this offense turned into more of

593
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,880
Speaker 1: a dynamic passing offense, well that might be a necessity

594
00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:29,800
Speaker 1: this week because if they do stuff the run as

595
00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,400
Speaker 1: consistent as they have the rest of the season, then

596
00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,560
Speaker 1: you're gonna need Kirk and the wide receiving core and

597
00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:36,840
Speaker 1: even those tight ends to be picking up those short

598
00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:39,640
Speaker 1: and intermediate passes to move the sticks. So you gotta

599
00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,440
Speaker 1: get patient, you gotta give Kirk time, and maybe it's

600
00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:46,640
Speaker 1: something where Kubiak is helping dial up those quick passes

601
00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:49,560
Speaker 1: and quick screens to help with that to keep them honest.

602
00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,640
Speaker 1: But they have some serious studs in that linebacker and

603
00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,720
Speaker 1: front three core that can wreak some havoc even in

604
00:32:56,760 --> 00:33:00,400
Speaker 1: the coverage game for them. So it's good to be

605
00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,520
Speaker 1: a challenge this week. And I really think Kubiak has

606
00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,960
Speaker 1: been doing some beautiful and smart set up for the

607
00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,640
Speaker 1: last three games, and I'm hoping that a lot of

608
00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:11,800
Speaker 1: that was leading up to this game in order to

609
00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:15,280
Speaker 1: finally unleash exactly what they want to do to beat

610
00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:18,120
Speaker 1: this Tampa Bay defense. That's absolutely my hope too. And

611
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,720
Speaker 1: one of the positives here is the Buccaneers have not

612
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,840
Speaker 1: been a dominant time of possession football team this year.

613
00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,560
Speaker 1: They I think they're actually trailing overall in time of

614
00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,000
Speaker 1: possession in games, which leads to your excuse me, leans

615
00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,040
Speaker 1: to a Viking advantage given you know these teams that

616
00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,719
Speaker 1: have been really effective of trying to play towards forty

617
00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,680
Speaker 1: minutes of possession time, or the teams that have really

618
00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,760
Speaker 1: put us on the wrong side of a loss. But

619
00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:44,360
Speaker 1: let me throw something at you here before we bring

620
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,680
Speaker 1: in our special guest, Jay. I don't know if you

621
00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:52,400
Speaker 1: remember this, but Kurt Cousins, you like that moment was

622
00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:57,600
Speaker 1: against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twenty fifteen. He goes up

623
00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:02,200
Speaker 1: and everybody, everybody, I think forget And maybe they don't forget,

624
00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,920
Speaker 1: but I don't think people understand what his trajectory was

625
00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,880
Speaker 1: like before that game against the Buccaneers, something like twenty

626
00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:17,239
Speaker 1: four touchdowns, twenty seven picks. He was looking to be

627
00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:21,200
Speaker 1: on track of nothing more than a placeholder for the

628
00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:24,840
Speaker 1: rest of his career. They go down twenty four to zero.

629
00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,960
Speaker 1: He throws three touchdowns in the second half, including a

630
00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:31,120
Speaker 1: game winner with under a minute. Laugh runs in the

631
00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,160
Speaker 1: tunnel shouts you'll like that for the rest of the season.

632
00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:37,560
Speaker 1: I think he goes like something absurd like twenty three

633
00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:40,680
Speaker 1: and five. I should know my numbers better, but he

634
00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,600
Speaker 1: goes something absurd interceptions such an and since then it's

635
00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,160
Speaker 1: been like one hundred and fifty to forty and tds

636
00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:51,160
Speaker 1: and interceptions. Well, Kirk needs a second You like that moment,

637
00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:55,719
Speaker 1: it's he needs to I don't want to paint a

638
00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,880
Speaker 1: Disney movie here, but he needs to call up the

639
00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,520
Speaker 1: ghost of that moment, went the history of that moment,

640
00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,719
Speaker 1: and take it to an even greater level, because with

641
00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:08,880
Speaker 1: the focus on Delvin, with this good of a defense,

642
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,239
Speaker 1: I think you're right. I think they've been setting some

643
00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:14,960
Speaker 1: things up for a few weeks now, and now you

644
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,239
Speaker 1: know you hear him talk about singles and doubles, not

645
00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,879
Speaker 1: triples and home runs. Well, now we need both. This

646
00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:21,799
Speaker 1: is a game where I think it's time and I

647
00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:24,160
Speaker 1: think it's very possible that we see Kirk in the

648
00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:27,640
Speaker 1: offense come out and go, hey, by the way, we

649
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:31,120
Speaker 1: can hang thirty on you. We can. And if by

650
00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,399
Speaker 1: the way, and if they do that and don't turn

651
00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,759
Speaker 1: the ball over, the defense should be able to hang

652
00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:39,600
Speaker 1: with this offense. Kirk getting that you'd like that moment

653
00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,400
Speaker 1: when I think a lot of that was the criticism

654
00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:43,640
Speaker 1: was saying, well, he's just the average quarterback and he

655
00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,000
Speaker 1: can't get it done right. And then he had that

656
00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:48,600
Speaker 1: game and then he got some confidence, and then people

657
00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:50,759
Speaker 1: started to see what the real Kirk Cousins was like.

658
00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:53,080
Speaker 1: And then ever since then, he's been kind of in

659
00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,080
Speaker 1: this mid range. And like you said, if you get

660
00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,000
Speaker 1: to this point now with it, you like that moment,

661
00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:01,040
Speaker 1: you want to part two. If you get to this

662
00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:03,520
Speaker 1: game and you see Kirk hang one on them and

663
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,200
Speaker 1: we put thirty plus on this team and we get

664
00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:08,319
Speaker 1: a win out of it in a defining game for

665
00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:11,960
Speaker 1: the season after everything we've been through all of this year.

666
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:14,440
Speaker 1: That's where you can see him take that next step

667
00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,200
Speaker 1: into that upper echelon and people start to realize, like

668
00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:21,280
Speaker 1: justin Jefferson was saying, you know, stop playing with Kirk Cousins,

669
00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:23,319
Speaker 1: Like this guy is on a different level. And I

670
00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,120
Speaker 1: think Tampa understands you got to get pressure on this

671
00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:28,120
Speaker 1: guy or he's going to carve you up. Now to

672
00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,000
Speaker 1: the second part of that, I think part of it

673
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,600
Speaker 1: for me with this team and with Kirk and with

674
00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,640
Speaker 1: the setup and everything that's been going on we've been

675
00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:40,480
Speaker 1: talking about you have not played a perfect game. And

676
00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:43,160
Speaker 1: not playing a perfect game that means you've been putting

677
00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:45,480
Speaker 1: some points on the board, but it hasn't been exactly

678
00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,319
Speaker 1: what you needed because you've been missing field goals, you've

679
00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,880
Speaker 1: been missing extra points, you've been leaving fumbles on the

680
00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,359
Speaker 1: goal line, kind of a situation like we had last

681
00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:56,839
Speaker 1: week with this Tampa Bay team. You have to get

682
00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,840
Speaker 1: the points. And the games where Tampa has lost this season,

683
00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:02,719
Speaker 1: opponents of average twenty nine point two points per game.

684
00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,279
Speaker 1: In the games where Tampa has won, the opponents of

685
00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,960
Speaker 1: average nineteen point one points per game. That's a ten

686
00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:12,280
Speaker 1: point swing. Think about what we miss this past Sunday,

687
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,880
Speaker 1: and that means that you're probably going to lose this

688
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,960
Speaker 1: game against Tampa because they're going to capitalize on your mistakes.

689
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:21,520
Speaker 1: So you got to execute on offense. You gotta punch

690
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:23,399
Speaker 1: the ball in when you get within the red zone,

691
00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:25,880
Speaker 1: and you've got to hit your kicks on special teams.

692
00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:27,920
Speaker 1: These are all the things we've been saying, we've been

693
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:30,839
Speaker 1: nervous about given all the issues we've had. Finally clean

694
00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:32,960
Speaker 1: it up against this Tampa team, and you will win

695
00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:37,719
Speaker 1: this game. Couldn't agree more. Vikings Live comes to you

696
00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:41,320
Speaker 1: from TCO Studios on Thursday nights during the regular season.

697
00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:44,799
Speaker 1: The show is a midweek look at the Vikings featuring

698
00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:49,600
Speaker 1: a live player interview, plus expert analysis and all the

699
00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:54,200
Speaker 1: latest Viking stories from the week. It's live Thursday nights, KMSP,

700
00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:58,920
Speaker 1: Fox nine or via Vikings digital and social channels including

701
00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:02,680
Speaker 1: Vikings dot Com, Vikings Mobile App, Vikings Now, the team's

702
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:07,000
Speaker 1: connected TV app, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter for information, Vikings

703
00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:12,480
Speaker 1: dot Com, slash Vikings Live. Let's get over to our guy,

704
00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:14,480
Speaker 1: Chris Corso, who had a chance to sit down with

705
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,440
Speaker 1: Todd Davis, who stepped in and played fantastic for Eric

706
00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:20,680
Speaker 1: Kendricks last week. You know a guy that got signed

707
00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:24,240
Speaker 1: mid season and has done nothing but provide the exact

708
00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:28,080
Speaker 1: sort of depth that this team needed. They talked about

709
00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:31,439
Speaker 1: his experience the season, his time with Gary Kubiak, and

710
00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,360
Speaker 1: how he views the matchup this Sunday in Tampa Bay So, Chris,

711
00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,920
Speaker 1: go ahead and take it away. Thanks to our friends

712
00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:43,279
Speaker 1: at Microsoft Teams, we bring in the Vikings leading tackler

713
00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,839
Speaker 1: from last week, Todd Davis, what's going on, man? How

714
00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,120
Speaker 1: are you doing? Doing great? Doing great? Glad to be here.

715
00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:50,640
Speaker 1: So you stepped into a huge role for the Vikings.

716
00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,719
Speaker 1: Last week, Eric Kendricks goes down with that injury during

717
00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:57,239
Speaker 1: pregame warm ups, which was a shock to I think

718
00:38:57,280 --> 00:39:00,640
Speaker 1: just about everybody on the team. So you're a veteran

719
00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:02,800
Speaker 1: in this league, and what was your kind of thoughts

720
00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:04,920
Speaker 1: going into that game and stepping into that big role.

721
00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:06,759
Speaker 1: I felt like I just had to step up. I

722
00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:09,640
Speaker 1: definitely had some big shoes to feel. You know, he's

723
00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,240
Speaker 1: definitely the team leader. I think one of the guys

724
00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:15,120
Speaker 1: that everybody looks too on the defense that kind of

725
00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:17,880
Speaker 1: gets things going. So I definitely felt like I had

726
00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:20,560
Speaker 1: to step my game up and play well. Last Sunday

727
00:39:20,719 --> 00:39:23,200
Speaker 1: you certainly did that. You had eleven tackles tied for

728
00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:26,640
Speaker 1: a team. Hide you when that happens In that moment,

729
00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:28,680
Speaker 1: were you just like super excited to get out on

730
00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,800
Speaker 1: the field, or where you're like, oh, damn, I gotta gamer,

731
00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:33,200
Speaker 1: I gotta get ready here and get going. Kind of

732
00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:34,839
Speaker 1: what was your minds? I want to hear more about

733
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,040
Speaker 1: your mindset there. Yeah, it was a little bit of everything.

734
00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:38,680
Speaker 1: You know. I was super excited to get back in

735
00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:41,959
Speaker 1: the field and play some football. That's what I really

736
00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:44,239
Speaker 1: love to do. But it was also like, man, I

737
00:39:44,239 --> 00:39:46,919
Speaker 1: gotta get ready to go. You know, I haven't really

738
00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:50,000
Speaker 1: been able to play a full game sit since last December,

739
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,560
Speaker 1: so I was worried about my win and worried about

740
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,440
Speaker 1: how tired I would be. But overall went good and

741
00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:57,120
Speaker 1: I felt good about it. What do you How do

742
00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,120
Speaker 1: you feel about your performance in the game? I mean,

743
00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,239
Speaker 1: just watching from the broadcast, I mean you're all over

744
00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:04,880
Speaker 1: the fields. You're making place here and there, stopping the

745
00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:08,440
Speaker 1: run game um even a little bit in coverage as well,

746
00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:12,400
Speaker 1: alongside Eric Wilson, who's had quite the season. So what

747
00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,200
Speaker 1: do you think of your performance in the game and

748
00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:17,000
Speaker 1: how do you think it all panned out? I felt

749
00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:19,120
Speaker 1: good about it. I always feel like I can get better.

750
00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:21,080
Speaker 1: There's a couple of things I need to clean up.

751
00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:23,360
Speaker 1: I want to show up my tackling, you know, have

752
00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:25,400
Speaker 1: been able to do that in a while. So you know,

753
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,040
Speaker 1: all that comes back together, you know, with trial. So

754
00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:32,320
Speaker 1: felt good about it, but I'm excited for moving forward.

755
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,960
Speaker 1: So as I talked about your seven year veteran, you've

756
00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:38,440
Speaker 1: had a great career with the Denver Broncos. How on

757
00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:41,600
Speaker 1: the heck, were you a free agent when the Vikings

758
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,719
Speaker 1: were able to pick you up? I need to know

759
00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:47,319
Speaker 1: how you were available out there because Anthony barges down

760
00:40:47,480 --> 00:40:50,680
Speaker 1: and that was a huge, big time injury and big

761
00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:53,960
Speaker 1: where I mean, we're missing him definitely on this Vikings defense.

762
00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,359
Speaker 1: But how are you available to just be picked up

763
00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,200
Speaker 1: off the street? You know, I'm not I'm not really sure.

764
00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:03,879
Speaker 1: Year left in my contract with the Broncos and kind

765
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,719
Speaker 1: of got hurt towards the beginning of training camp, and

766
00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:08,879
Speaker 1: maybe that was it. I'm not sure. I can't tell

767
00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:11,239
Speaker 1: you why, but everything happens for a reason, and I'm

768
00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:13,319
Speaker 1: happy to be here. Did you want to go to

769
00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:15,120
Speaker 1: the Vikings? Did you kind of have a say and

770
00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,600
Speaker 1: where you wanted to go? I'm sure there were multiple

771
00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:21,160
Speaker 1: teams that were interested in signing you when that happened.

772
00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:24,440
Speaker 1: So did you really say, hey, this place is special,

773
00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,920
Speaker 1: they have a chance to win here or did you

774
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,560
Speaker 1: kind of have a decision in the matter. Yeah, definitely,

775
00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:32,080
Speaker 1: there was definitely a couple of teams that gave me offers,

776
00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:34,600
Speaker 1: but I kind of waited to the right opportunity. I

777
00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,560
Speaker 1: felt like presenting itself, and you know, when the Vikings

778
00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:39,520
Speaker 1: came along. I really feel like it was a great

779
00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:42,799
Speaker 1: fit for me, and you know, I think everything's working

780
00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,480
Speaker 1: out still his day. I want to go back to

781
00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:47,440
Speaker 1: your career with the Broncos because you want a super Bowl.

782
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:51,120
Speaker 1: So that's something that not many players in this locker

783
00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:54,319
Speaker 1: room with the Vikings can say. So what does it

784
00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:57,200
Speaker 1: take to win a Super Bowl? And how are you

785
00:41:57,239 --> 00:41:59,439
Speaker 1: trying to bring that mindset in the places that you've

786
00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:02,520
Speaker 1: gone since? Yeah? Definitely, Um, I feel like, you know,

787
00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:05,359
Speaker 1: they're winning Super Bowl. It's all about consistency, and I

788
00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:08,720
Speaker 1: think that's what this locker room, you know, is building

789
00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:11,279
Speaker 1: day in and day out. I think if you look

790
00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,680
Speaker 1: at how we started, you know, since Dubuy, and the

791
00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:17,440
Speaker 1: way we are consistent, consistently battling teams and fighting till

792
00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:20,759
Speaker 1: the end and learning how to win those close Games'm like,

793
00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,719
Speaker 1: that's the biggest thing in Nash Football game, national Football League.

794
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:26,239
Speaker 1: Is everybody's good, but he didn't win those close games.

795
00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:28,319
Speaker 1: That's how you really turn your season and have a

796
00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:31,200
Speaker 1: super Bowl winning team. Absolutely, and you guys have done

797
00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:33,080
Speaker 1: that as of late. I mean you were one in five,

798
00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:35,919
Speaker 1: now you're back to six and six, winning a ton

799
00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:39,000
Speaker 1: of games as of late. I have to think that

800
00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:42,680
Speaker 1: Gary Kubiak, your former coach with the Denver Broncos, had

801
00:42:42,880 --> 00:42:46,440
Speaker 1: some sort of connection there when the Vikings signed you

802
00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:49,400
Speaker 1: this season. Am I correct on that one? Man? I hope. So.

803
00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:53,520
Speaker 1: You know, he's a one of a kind coach. You know,

804
00:42:53,560 --> 00:42:56,239
Speaker 1: I love him to death. He gaving me the opportunity

805
00:42:56,280 --> 00:42:58,840
Speaker 1: to start, you know, one of my favorite head coaches

806
00:42:58,840 --> 00:43:01,960
Speaker 1: I've ever had in my you know life. I'm definitely coop,

807
00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:04,160
Speaker 1: have a lot of respect for him, and I'm glad

808
00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:06,279
Speaker 1: that he's here with him. Yeah, so you won a

809
00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:08,640
Speaker 1: super Bowl with that man, and now you join him

810
00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:11,000
Speaker 1: back here with the Vikings. What was like when you

811
00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:12,799
Speaker 1: first saw him? Did you did you get did you

812
00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,520
Speaker 1: guys kind of catch up and talk football or anything like?

813
00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:17,359
Speaker 1: I know you're on different sides of the ball, but

814
00:43:17,719 --> 00:43:20,040
Speaker 1: obviously Gary has been a head coach in this league

815
00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:21,520
Speaker 1: for a long time. So did you guys have a

816
00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:24,560
Speaker 1: chance to really connect And I'm sure you're still connecting

817
00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:27,279
Speaker 1: as this season continues. Yeah, it was definitely good to,

818
00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:29,360
Speaker 1: you know, get back in touch with him. We talked

819
00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:33,080
Speaker 1: and you know, he still remembers me as the young uh,

820
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,000
Speaker 1: you know linebacker that he allowed to start, you know,

821
00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:38,279
Speaker 1: his third year in the league. But I've grown up

822
00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:40,920
Speaker 1: a little bit from that. But I definitely love Coup

823
00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:43,040
Speaker 1: and he's taught me a lot and even being here,

824
00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,200
Speaker 1: he's helped me, you know, get through the transition of

825
00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,040
Speaker 1: being on a new team and finding my new role

826
00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:50,839
Speaker 1: on this roster. Um so definitely left him a lot.

827
00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:53,360
Speaker 1: I was written up you have this nickname Bam Bam.

828
00:43:53,600 --> 00:43:55,640
Speaker 1: Did people still call you that? I think it was

829
00:43:55,680 --> 00:43:59,000
Speaker 1: Brendan was a Brendan Marshall who gave you that nickname

830
00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:02,360
Speaker 1: there with with the moroncos I mean tell Vikings fans

831
00:44:02,440 --> 00:44:05,279
Speaker 1: kind of how you got that nickname and if it

832
00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:08,359
Speaker 1: kind of describes the way you play play linebacker. Yeah,

833
00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,239
Speaker 1: I think so. Um actually got that name from my

834
00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:14,120
Speaker 1: aunt when I was about three years old, because you know,

835
00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:16,800
Speaker 1: I'm kind of the flint Stones. Was always tearing stuff

836
00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:19,520
Speaker 1: up and that's how I was around the house, always

837
00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:22,480
Speaker 1: knocking things over and turning things up. So my family

838
00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:24,839
Speaker 1: started calling me Bam Bam, and then it just kind

839
00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:26,799
Speaker 1: of translated into kind of the way I play. I

840
00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:30,680
Speaker 1: like to hit hard, you know, make big plays. I

841
00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:33,359
Speaker 1: really like to be physical, you know, in the run game,

842
00:44:34,040 --> 00:44:35,920
Speaker 1: So I think I like to say I played like

843
00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:38,279
Speaker 1: Bam Bam. I mean for them to name you that

844
00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:40,759
Speaker 1: early on in your life and that's literally what you

845
00:44:41,040 --> 00:44:43,640
Speaker 1: have done and made your career on for a living.

846
00:44:43,640 --> 00:44:46,759
Speaker 1: That's pretty cool. Um. Speaking as super Bowls, we were

847
00:44:46,760 --> 00:44:49,680
Speaker 1: talking about super Bowls before. Gary Kubiak has a bunch

848
00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:52,359
Speaker 1: of them. But the quarterback you're playing next week also

849
00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:54,799
Speaker 1: has a bunch of them, and that's Tom Brady. I

850
00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:58,200
Speaker 1: believe our pr staff said you've played him three times

851
00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:01,759
Speaker 1: in your career, so kind of tell us about those

852
00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:05,480
Speaker 1: experiences and what you expect on Sunday and one of

853
00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:08,480
Speaker 1: the biggest games for the Vikings this season. Yeah, I

854
00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:11,720
Speaker 1: played against Brady a couple of times in my career.

855
00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:15,040
Speaker 1: I think that we have a really good chance to

856
00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:17,959
Speaker 1: beat him. Um. I think that our game band going

857
00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,799
Speaker 1: into this is going to be great against what he

858
00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:24,560
Speaker 1: likes to do. He definitely somebody who likes to get

859
00:45:24,600 --> 00:45:27,040
Speaker 1: the ball out of his hands as quick as possible

860
00:45:27,040 --> 00:45:29,319
Speaker 1: when he sees a read open. But I think we'll

861
00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:32,440
Speaker 1: be prepared for him coming Sunday, and I think we'll

862
00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:34,160
Speaker 1: be ready to go for sure. Can you can you

863
00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:36,000
Speaker 1: sack him for me? This week. That would be like

864
00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:38,640
Speaker 1: really fun to watch, but I would love to see

865
00:45:38,680 --> 00:45:41,680
Speaker 1: that happen, and I've got an opportunity. I definitely am

866
00:45:41,719 --> 00:45:44,040
Speaker 1: going to take him down. There's a lot of weapons

867
00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:47,160
Speaker 1: on this Buccaneers offensive side of the ball, but one

868
00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,600
Speaker 1: that really stands out to me is Rob Gronkowski. So

869
00:45:51,200 --> 00:45:53,680
Speaker 1: he still has over five hundred receiving yards this year,

870
00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:57,600
Speaker 1: four touchdowns. Many wouldn't expect him to still be doing it.

871
00:45:58,239 --> 00:46:01,320
Speaker 1: A lot of teams attack him with that linebacker position

872
00:46:01,400 --> 00:46:04,000
Speaker 1: that you play, So how do you plan on stopping

873
00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:06,360
Speaker 1: him on Sunday? You know, I think it'll be a

874
00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:08,719
Speaker 1: team effort. You know, sometimes it'll be me, sometimes it'll

875
00:46:08,760 --> 00:46:10,960
Speaker 1: be a safety, sometimes it'll be a corner. I think

876
00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:13,040
Speaker 1: we have a good game plan, like I said, for

877
00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,640
Speaker 1: the whole offense, so we'll be ready to go. Last question,

878
00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:18,440
Speaker 1: are you excited to play in some warm weather? I mean,

879
00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:21,640
Speaker 1: I see you're a California kid and you've spent most

880
00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:24,360
Speaker 1: of your career in Denver and now you're in freezing

881
00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:26,759
Speaker 1: cold Minnesota. So what is it like to play a

882
00:46:26,920 --> 00:46:31,480
Speaker 1: rare warm weather game for the Minnesota Vikings later later

883
00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:33,759
Speaker 1: in the season. I know, I really wasn't expecting to

884
00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:36,359
Speaker 1: have any warm games late in the season, but I'm

885
00:46:36,360 --> 00:46:38,719
Speaker 1: excited for this one. I'm gonna be it'll feel good.

886
00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:40,279
Speaker 1: We'll have some fans in the stands, so we'll have

887
00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:43,080
Speaker 1: some energy. So I think the warm weather plus that

888
00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:45,480
Speaker 1: energy is gonna make for a great game. Awesome man,

889
00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,319
Speaker 1: appreciate it. Good to get to know you a little bit, Yes, sir,

890
00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:52,400
Speaker 1: thank you huge. Thank you to Chris and Todd Davis

891
00:46:52,440 --> 00:46:54,959
Speaker 1: for joining us taking a couple of minutes this week.

892
00:46:55,400 --> 00:46:59,160
Speaker 1: Given Todd's experience and has increased responsibilities in week thirteen,

893
00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:01,399
Speaker 1: look for him to take on a bigger role here

894
00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:05,120
Speaker 1: in the final quarter of the season. Let's go from

895
00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:07,759
Speaker 1: Chris Corso to Eric Smith. Eric Smith once again got

896
00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:11,680
Speaker 1: to sit down with the opposing team's team reporter. This week,

897
00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:15,879
Speaker 1: it's Casey Phillips from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They talk

898
00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:21,520
Speaker 1: Brady fitting In and his receiving weapons, Antoine Winfield Junior, etc. Etc.

899
00:47:21,960 --> 00:47:25,600
Speaker 1: Take it away, Eric, I'm Viking team reporter Eric Smith,

900
00:47:25,600 --> 00:47:28,040
Speaker 1: and I'm happy to be joined now by reporter Casey

901
00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:31,319
Speaker 1: Phillips of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Casey, thank you for

902
00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:33,719
Speaker 1: coming on today to share some insight with us. Yeah,

903
00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:35,960
Speaker 1: thanks for having me. So Tampa Bay is coming off

904
00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:38,279
Speaker 1: at bye week, and I think that last week was

905
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:40,960
Speaker 1: the last possible week for a team to have a bye,

906
00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:43,919
Speaker 1: So the Buccaneers should be well rerected for this game

907
00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:47,440
Speaker 1: on Sunday, given that the Buccaneers have lost three or

908
00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:50,640
Speaker 1: four before the break. What was kind of head coach

909
00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:53,320
Speaker 1: Bruce Arian the biggest focus during the bye? You know?

910
00:47:53,360 --> 00:47:55,520
Speaker 1: He said, really it was about getting healthy. That that

911
00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:57,439
Speaker 1: is the thing with having a really late bye week.

912
00:47:57,480 --> 00:47:59,600
Speaker 1: Twelve weeks in a row of football had really taken

913
00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:03,000
Speaker 1: its toll, and even guys who were playing were playing

914
00:48:03,040 --> 00:48:06,120
Speaker 1: really banged up. I mean, wide receiver Chris Godwin broke

915
00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:08,200
Speaker 1: a finger and had to have like six pins put

916
00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:10,800
Speaker 1: in it and only missed one game and was scoring

917
00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:13,560
Speaker 1: touchdowns with pins still in his finger, which he just

918
00:48:13,680 --> 00:48:17,319
Speaker 1: got removed. So it's just crazy to realize that even

919
00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:21,400
Speaker 1: the guys who were playing and playing well, we're playing hurt.

920
00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:24,480
Speaker 1: So I think that that health really was actually the

921
00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:26,520
Speaker 1: biggest focus. And then of course he talked about they

922
00:48:26,520 --> 00:48:29,160
Speaker 1: were all going to do some self scouting. Asked about

923
00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:31,880
Speaker 1: it since then, he said, really, the answers are what

924
00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:33,960
Speaker 1: we already kind of thought they were before going into

925
00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:35,520
Speaker 1: the bye week. It wasn't that there were any big

926
00:48:35,560 --> 00:48:38,080
Speaker 1: revelations that happened when they did the self scouting, but

927
00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:42,279
Speaker 1: just more about execution, especially not letting yourself get into

928
00:48:42,320 --> 00:48:44,719
Speaker 1: some rough their down situations on either side of the ball.

929
00:48:44,960 --> 00:48:47,400
Speaker 1: So it sounds like they didn't have a Eureka moment

930
00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:49,400
Speaker 1: that they already kind of had a lot of the

931
00:48:49,400 --> 00:48:51,359
Speaker 1: answers and it was just about getting healthy and being

932
00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:53,279
Speaker 1: able to execute it. I think when you look at

933
00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:56,799
Speaker 1: the Buccaneers in twenty twenty, you obviously cannot talk about

934
00:48:56,840 --> 00:48:58,960
Speaker 1: the team without bringing up Tom Brady. You know, a

935
00:48:59,080 --> 00:49:02,799
Speaker 1: huge free agent acquisition that's off theeasan. What kind of

936
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:05,840
Speaker 1: his first season in Tampa Bay been like on the field,

937
00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:09,040
Speaker 1: and how is he transitioned to a new team, obviously

938
00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:12,240
Speaker 1: after twenty season with the Patriots. Yeah, it's been really interesting.

939
00:49:12,320 --> 00:49:15,880
Speaker 1: I think that because he's Tom Brady, people forgot that

940
00:49:15,960 --> 00:49:18,719
Speaker 1: no matter what, if you are a quarterback with new

941
00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:21,439
Speaker 1: wide receivers or wide receivers with a new quarterback, that's

942
00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:24,200
Speaker 1: going to take some time to develop. And when it's

943
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:26,279
Speaker 1: the first time joining in a new team in twenty years,

944
00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:30,560
Speaker 1: and it's without an offseason, without preseason, this was gonna be,

945
00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:32,960
Speaker 1: you know, not quite as easy as I think everybody

946
00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:35,480
Speaker 1: or automatic, maybe as everybody assumed it would be that

947
00:49:35,560 --> 00:49:38,080
Speaker 1: he'd come out Week one and be throwing six touchdowns

948
00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:42,239
Speaker 1: a game. But I think considering the weird offseason and

949
00:49:42,320 --> 00:49:43,880
Speaker 1: lack of time they have had to gel and I

950
00:49:43,880 --> 00:49:46,960
Speaker 1: mean you're even adding Antonio Brown late in the season,

951
00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:51,480
Speaker 1: that it's it's been pretty impressive that we've seen a

952
00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:53,400
Speaker 1: lot of deep balls be hit. It's not like they

953
00:49:53,400 --> 00:49:55,239
Speaker 1: haven't hit them at all. And it definitely seemed a

954
00:49:55,280 --> 00:49:56,880
Speaker 1: little bit better this last week after a bit of

955
00:49:56,920 --> 00:49:59,400
Speaker 1: a drought. So yeah, I mean, and I know, the

956
00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:01,560
Speaker 1: guys on the TA team, regardless of what some of

957
00:50:01,600 --> 00:50:04,880
Speaker 1: the stats say, he has elevated the play of a

958
00:50:04,880 --> 00:50:07,239
Speaker 1: lot of people simply because you know, the guys have said,

959
00:50:07,239 --> 00:50:08,480
Speaker 1: if you're playing with the goat, you don't want to

960
00:50:08,480 --> 00:50:10,960
Speaker 1: disappoint him. You're going to be if he's practicing hard,

961
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:13,960
Speaker 1: you're definitely going to practice hard. He's really set atone

962
00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:20,319
Speaker 1: for just work, ethic, attitude, leadership, accountability, all of that

963
00:50:20,320 --> 00:50:22,320
Speaker 1: that I think really has paid a lot of dividends.

964
00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:24,920
Speaker 1: Even if sometimes maybe people are surprised that some of

965
00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:27,080
Speaker 1: the balls that he hasn't hit that maybe they thought

966
00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:29,360
Speaker 1: he would. But again, it's just and we've seen improvement

967
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:30,840
Speaker 1: over the course of the season, so I think that

968
00:50:30,920 --> 00:50:33,239
Speaker 1: it's it's only going to get better. Vikings head coach

969
00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:37,200
Speaker 1: Mike Zimmer was very praiseful of Tampa based defense this week.

970
00:50:37,480 --> 00:50:39,000
Speaker 1: You know, they have a lot of standout guys on

971
00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:40,640
Speaker 1: that side of the ball. But there's a rookie that

972
00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:43,200
Speaker 1: you know, his name is quite familiar to Vikings fans.

973
00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:47,359
Speaker 1: That's obviously Antoine Winfield junior. What impact has he made

974
00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:50,240
Speaker 1: in his rookie season. That guy's incredible. I mean, it's

975
00:50:50,239 --> 00:50:52,640
Speaker 1: it really doesn't feel like he's a rookie at all.

976
00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:56,560
Speaker 1: Coaches have just been singing his praise like crazy, both

977
00:50:56,640 --> 00:50:58,719
Speaker 1: for his play on the field and just the way

978
00:50:58,760 --> 00:51:05,400
Speaker 1: he approaches everything. He's very humble, very hard working, very coachable,

979
00:51:05,640 --> 00:51:08,319
Speaker 1: all of the things that these coaches want and love.

980
00:51:08,360 --> 00:51:11,600
Speaker 1: He's not this big attention seeking guy. He's just come

981
00:51:11,640 --> 00:51:14,400
Speaker 1: in so level headed and again without an offseason, without

982
00:51:14,400 --> 00:51:17,279
Speaker 1: a preseason that of all years that rookies should not

983
00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:20,759
Speaker 1: have succeeded early, he was coming out there week one,

984
00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:23,879
Speaker 1: earning the starting job and proving why he's made big

985
00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:27,000
Speaker 1: splash plays. There has not been one second that he

986
00:51:27,080 --> 00:51:29,839
Speaker 1: has looked like a rookie. And again, if that's coming

987
00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:32,520
Speaker 1: off of just the weirdest offseason in the world, I

988
00:51:33,400 --> 00:51:36,520
Speaker 1: can't imagine what his future could potentially hold. So yeah,

989
00:51:36,520 --> 00:51:38,680
Speaker 1: we're very excited to have him here. We have four

990
00:51:38,719 --> 00:51:41,560
Speaker 1: games left as we enter Week fourteen, and if the

991
00:51:41,600 --> 00:51:44,719
Speaker 1: season ended today, both Minnesota and Tampa Bay would be

992
00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:47,520
Speaker 1: in the playoffs. You know, both teams can kind of

993
00:51:47,520 --> 00:51:50,560
Speaker 1: strengthen that depending on who gets to win. How much

994
00:51:50,560 --> 00:51:52,879
Speaker 1: have the Buccaneers talked about that and kind of talked

995
00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:56,600
Speaker 1: about the importance of getting a win Sunday for postseason purposes. Yeah,

996
00:51:56,600 --> 00:51:58,719
Speaker 1: Bruce arians was asked about that this week and he

997
00:51:58,800 --> 00:52:01,439
Speaker 1: said that it was, quote a huge game, And Bruce

998
00:52:01,520 --> 00:52:03,160
Speaker 1: isn't always the kind of guy to give a lot

999
00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:06,319
Speaker 1: of hype to things, so for him to say that,

1000
00:52:06,440 --> 00:52:09,440
Speaker 1: I think was actually a pretty big statement. They know

1001
00:52:09,600 --> 00:52:13,120
Speaker 1: that they essentially hold their future in their hands that

1002
00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:14,879
Speaker 1: you know, if the Bucks win out the last four,

1003
00:52:14,920 --> 00:52:17,200
Speaker 1: they're guaranteed a spot, and even if they win three

1004
00:52:17,239 --> 00:52:19,120
Speaker 1: out of four, it looks pretty good but just kind

1005
00:52:19,160 --> 00:52:22,320
Speaker 1: of depends maybe the seating there. But this particular game

1006
00:52:22,480 --> 00:52:26,279
Speaker 1: against you guys is the most important single game by

1007
00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:30,160
Speaker 1: far of that where you do really solidify your spot

1008
00:52:30,239 --> 00:52:32,520
Speaker 1: and get some people coming behind you trying to chase

1009
00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:35,399
Speaker 1: you down off your back. So I like that this

1010
00:52:35,480 --> 00:52:37,680
Speaker 1: is the first game of these last four because it

1011
00:52:37,719 --> 00:52:40,359
Speaker 1: will really tell them how important the rest of them

1012
00:52:40,400 --> 00:52:42,040
Speaker 1: are and what they're going to need to do. Because

1013
00:52:42,280 --> 00:52:44,120
Speaker 1: if the Bucks were to lose on Sunday, they would

1014
00:52:44,120 --> 00:52:47,319
Speaker 1: probably feel the need to win out so I think,

1015
00:52:47,480 --> 00:52:49,000
Speaker 1: but a win would give them a little bit of

1016
00:52:49,040 --> 00:52:52,680
Speaker 1: a cushion where it wouldn't feel as dramatic to lose

1017
00:52:52,680 --> 00:52:55,040
Speaker 1: a game. So yeah, this is this is a huge one,

1018
00:52:55,080 --> 00:52:57,160
Speaker 1: and I feel like the timing is really unfortunate since

1019
00:52:57,160 --> 00:52:59,759
Speaker 1: you guys have gone from one and five to now

1020
00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:02,160
Speaker 1: right on our tails here. Yeah, it's been a turnaround.

1021
00:53:02,200 --> 00:53:04,480
Speaker 1: It definitely been a turnaround for the Vikings. But for

1022
00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:06,839
Speaker 1: on the Buccaneer side, you know, the final question for

1023
00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:10,279
Speaker 1: you what what does Tampa Bay believe will be the

1024
00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:13,200
Speaker 1: biggest key on both offense and defense for them to

1025
00:53:13,239 --> 00:53:17,160
Speaker 1: get a win on Sunday. Well, defensively stopping the run,

1026
00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:19,200
Speaker 1: which you know, I think that's probably every team that

1027
00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:21,640
Speaker 1: faces you guys, that's going to be step one. But

1028
00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:25,480
Speaker 1: thankfully that is the bucks biggest strength defensively, that this

1029
00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:26,680
Speaker 1: really is going to be one of those games of

1030
00:53:26,680 --> 00:53:29,040
Speaker 1: strength against strength. So that's going to be a fun

1031
00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:31,040
Speaker 1: battle to watch. But you know, the Bucks defense was

1032
00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:34,160
Speaker 1: number one in run defense all last season and they

1033
00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:36,480
Speaker 1: are still. They brought back the majority of that front seven.

1034
00:53:37,080 --> 00:53:39,520
Speaker 1: They've really continued their dominance in that area. I think

1035
00:53:39,560 --> 00:53:43,440
Speaker 1: only one team has rushed for over one hundred yards collectively,

1036
00:53:43,440 --> 00:53:46,400
Speaker 1: and I don't believe we've allowed a single rusher by

1037
00:53:46,480 --> 00:53:48,680
Speaker 1: himself to get over a hundred yards this season, so

1038
00:53:48,719 --> 00:53:51,640
Speaker 1: that's been really important. I think stopping Dalvin Cooke will

1039
00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:53,959
Speaker 1: be huge, and then getting off to a faster start,

1040
00:53:53,960 --> 00:53:56,480
Speaker 1: which part of that is stopping you guys and not

1041
00:53:56,560 --> 00:53:58,600
Speaker 1: letting these huge long drives or giving up a lot

1042
00:53:58,600 --> 00:54:00,560
Speaker 1: of opening points. But they have I've been able to

1043
00:54:00,560 --> 00:54:02,439
Speaker 1: get into the offense the way they've wanted to because

1044
00:54:02,440 --> 00:54:04,839
Speaker 1: they've gotten behind in the first quarter so often they

1045
00:54:04,840 --> 00:54:06,759
Speaker 1: have to abandon the run game and they have to

1046
00:54:06,800 --> 00:54:08,759
Speaker 1: start putting Brady and some tough positions to make a

1047
00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:11,040
Speaker 1: lot of throws that he might not want to because

1048
00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:13,719
Speaker 1: of the fact that you're playing catchup. So to dictate

1049
00:54:13,760 --> 00:54:17,960
Speaker 1: the pace, to dictate the game plan early on by

1050
00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:20,880
Speaker 1: stopping your run and activating our run to control some

1051
00:54:20,920 --> 00:54:23,120
Speaker 1: more of the clock, I think would be really huge. Keithy,

1052
00:54:23,160 --> 00:54:25,120
Speaker 1: we definitely appreciate your time and we look forward to

1053
00:54:25,160 --> 00:54:27,479
Speaker 1: a good one on Sunday. Awesome. Thanks for having me, guys,

1054
00:54:29,520 --> 00:54:33,440
Speaker 1: big thanks to Eric, and thank you Casey for joining us.

1055
00:54:34,080 --> 00:54:36,600
Speaker 1: A couple of quick house cleaning things before we get

1056
00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:39,120
Speaker 1: to the other house cleaning things, and I'm going to

1057
00:54:39,239 --> 00:54:41,960
Speaker 1: let you speak on this first one, Jay, Eric Kendricks,

1058
00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:46,480
Speaker 1: who's one of my favorite guys in the organization, not

1059
00:54:46,560 --> 00:54:50,880
Speaker 1: just players men. Eric Kendricks was named the Minnesota Vikings

1060
00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:54,759
Speaker 1: nominee for the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award,

1061
00:54:54,840 --> 00:54:58,840
Speaker 1: And given everything he's done, both publicly and behind the scenes,

1062
00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:01,239
Speaker 1: it's hard to imagine and someone would deserve it more.

1063
00:55:01,360 --> 00:55:03,879
Speaker 1: J He's definitely stepped up this past year to become

1064
00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:05,840
Speaker 1: a true leader given everything that has gone on in

1065
00:55:05,880 --> 00:55:09,120
Speaker 1: our communities, with everything that's happened this past summer and

1066
00:55:09,160 --> 00:55:12,480
Speaker 1: the killing of George Floyd, the Social Justice Committee had

1067
00:55:12,520 --> 00:55:14,920
Speaker 1: stepped up their efforts just to try and address some

1068
00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:18,080
Speaker 1: of these difficult societal situations and see if they can

1069
00:55:18,120 --> 00:55:21,600
Speaker 1: find some real solutions to help out. And Eric's offtime,

1070
00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:24,160
Speaker 1: he and his teammates like Anthony Harris and Harris Smith

1071
00:55:24,200 --> 00:55:27,200
Speaker 1: and Ameerabdullah and many others have been meeting with local

1072
00:55:27,280 --> 00:55:30,719
Speaker 1: law enforcement, advocacy groups and local leaders to learn and

1073
00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:32,560
Speaker 1: just to see what they can do to help address

1074
00:55:32,600 --> 00:55:35,840
Speaker 1: some of these issues within society. So in this past

1075
00:55:36,160 --> 00:55:38,680
Speaker 1: might cause my Cleats game, Eric had All Square on

1076
00:55:38,800 --> 00:55:41,400
Speaker 1: his Cleats, which is a Minneapolis based restaurant, but they

1077
00:55:41,440 --> 00:55:44,080
Speaker 1: also have programs to help provide former inmates a path

1078
00:55:44,160 --> 00:55:47,839
Speaker 1: to productive futures that the heads of Every Meal, which

1079
00:55:47,880 --> 00:55:50,640
Speaker 1: is a child hunger program, also spoke out on the

1080
00:55:50,640 --> 00:55:52,719
Speaker 1: positive impact that Eric has had on their group. And

1081
00:55:52,719 --> 00:55:56,520
Speaker 1: then the Hennepeg County Juvenile Detention Center, He and a

1082
00:55:56,560 --> 00:55:58,640
Speaker 1: bunch of the players have been going down and speaking

1083
00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:00,160
Speaker 1: with the youth in the heads of the set or

1084
00:56:00,200 --> 00:56:03,319
Speaker 1: to try and understand, you know, what their situations are

1085
00:56:03,320 --> 00:56:05,319
Speaker 1: and to see if they can help find solutions to

1086
00:56:05,360 --> 00:56:09,560
Speaker 1: some very difficult questions and not only for the kids,

1087
00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:12,160
Speaker 1: but just everywhere and anywhere that they can help. So

1088
00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:14,200
Speaker 1: there's a lot of people out there who are doing

1089
00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:16,600
Speaker 1: lip service, but but Eric and his teammates are out

1090
00:56:16,640 --> 00:56:19,160
Speaker 1: there trying to do something about it and bridge that

1091
00:56:19,239 --> 00:56:22,000
Speaker 1: gap for people who are feeling oppressed in other people

1092
00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:25,160
Speaker 1: in leadership positions. So to have Eric be nominated this

1093
00:56:25,239 --> 00:56:26,960
Speaker 1: year is only fitting to help shine a light on

1094
00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:29,120
Speaker 1: what he and his teammates are trying to do and

1095
00:56:29,160 --> 00:56:31,359
Speaker 1: to make the world a better place. So a big

1096
00:56:31,480 --> 00:56:34,080
Speaker 1: kudos go out to Eric Hendricks for this year's nomination.

1097
00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:38,279
Speaker 1: Absolutely congratulations on a deserving nomination and more than that,

1098
00:56:38,800 --> 00:56:43,359
Speaker 1: you know, just appreciation for being that sort of human being. Well,

1099
00:56:43,400 --> 00:56:47,840
Speaker 1: so many of us are busy in society arguing about

1100
00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:51,440
Speaker 1: things on Facebook and shouting into the wind. These things

1101
00:56:51,800 --> 00:56:55,480
Speaker 1: need to be addressed, they need to be focused on,

1102
00:56:55,520 --> 00:56:57,839
Speaker 1: they need to be solved, they need to be elevated,

1103
00:56:58,120 --> 00:57:01,840
Speaker 1: and instead they've been pulling and put in a place

1104
00:57:01,840 --> 00:57:04,480
Speaker 1: of divisiveness so we can all argue about them. And

1105
00:57:04,520 --> 00:57:08,160
Speaker 1: it's guys and then like and women like Eric Kendricks

1106
00:57:08,400 --> 00:57:10,040
Speaker 1: and some of the other people on this team in

1107
00:57:10,040 --> 00:57:13,080
Speaker 1: this organization who go out and actually are doing the

1108
00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:16,360
Speaker 1: leg work. Eric Kendricks is the exact sort of person

1109
00:57:16,440 --> 00:57:19,440
Speaker 1: and he is the exact sort of leader that these

1110
00:57:19,680 --> 00:57:22,919
Speaker 1: issues need. And he's a guy that I personally look

1111
00:57:23,000 --> 00:57:24,840
Speaker 1: up to when I think about how I want to

1112
00:57:24,880 --> 00:57:28,360
Speaker 1: handle my business and how I want to address the

1113
00:57:28,440 --> 00:57:31,240
Speaker 1: issues that I also believe are very very important. So

1114
00:57:31,800 --> 00:57:34,240
Speaker 1: a big shout out to Eric Kendricks. And you know,

1115
00:57:34,400 --> 00:57:36,720
Speaker 1: it's great that he's nominated for an award. I think

1116
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:40,960
Speaker 1: it's fantastic, but just kind of a symbolic of something larger.

1117
00:57:41,040 --> 00:57:44,200
Speaker 1: You know, the Walter Payton Awards are fantastic. I don't

1118
00:57:44,240 --> 00:57:48,840
Speaker 1: mean to belittle them, but I also want to exponentially

1119
00:57:48,920 --> 00:57:53,160
Speaker 1: elevate him above just discussing it from an award standpoint.

1120
00:57:53,240 --> 00:57:56,680
Speaker 1: So we really appreciate you here in Minnesota and what

1121
00:57:56,720 --> 00:57:59,320
Speaker 1: you've done, Eric with your teammates. And that's the thing

1122
00:57:59,360 --> 00:58:01,480
Speaker 1: I think, whether you win or not, the fact that

1123
00:58:01,480 --> 00:58:04,040
Speaker 1: you're being nominated as being just a recognition not only

1124
00:58:04,080 --> 00:58:08,040
Speaker 1: from yourself within the team, but within the local community.

1125
00:58:08,120 --> 00:58:10,360
Speaker 1: And the fact that you know, there's thirty two players

1126
00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:12,560
Speaker 1: in the league that get nominated for this kind of

1127
00:58:12,560 --> 00:58:15,440
Speaker 1: stuff shows that everybody across the league, all these different

1128
00:58:15,440 --> 00:58:18,080
Speaker 1: players are really trying to make a difference in many

1129
00:58:18,080 --> 00:58:21,040
Speaker 1: different ways, and so for Eric to take on this

1130
00:58:21,280 --> 00:58:25,440
Speaker 1: very difficult and kind of raw issue that has been

1131
00:58:25,440 --> 00:58:28,960
Speaker 1: happening within society and taking his own personal time to

1132
00:58:29,080 --> 00:58:32,560
Speaker 1: work on this. Like you said, it's a very Yeoman's

1133
00:58:32,600 --> 00:58:35,040
Speaker 1: type work. And it's really nice to see that Eric

1134
00:58:35,120 --> 00:58:37,120
Speaker 1: is getting recognition only from the team, but hopefully on

1135
00:58:37,160 --> 00:58:40,480
Speaker 1: a national level as well, and hopefully, whether he wins

1136
00:58:40,600 --> 00:58:43,080
Speaker 1: or not, he's going to be able to help find

1137
00:58:43,120 --> 00:58:46,520
Speaker 1: some serious solutions to some really difficult problems. So again,

1138
00:58:46,640 --> 00:58:50,200
Speaker 1: kudos to Eric Kendricks, from off the field recognition to

1139
00:58:50,240 --> 00:58:52,600
Speaker 1: on the field recognition. Here's your reminder that the Pro

1140
00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:55,200
Speaker 1: Bowl voting is still going on, and not only is

1141
00:58:55,200 --> 00:58:57,560
Speaker 1: he a great guy off the field, he's an all

1142
00:58:57,640 --> 00:59:00,160
Speaker 1: pro on the field. Get your Eric Kendricks votes in.

1143
00:59:00,520 --> 00:59:02,840
Speaker 1: Get your votes in for all your favorite players. This

1144
00:59:02,880 --> 00:59:05,440
Speaker 1: team is loaded with guys who have achieved on a

1145
00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:09,040
Speaker 1: high level this year. Checkout Twitter and drop hashtags to

1146
00:59:09,040 --> 00:59:11,040
Speaker 1: help vote for your favorite vikings. All you have to

1147
00:59:11,080 --> 00:59:15,520
Speaker 1: do is tweet hashtag Pro Bowl vote and the player's

1148
00:59:15,720 --> 00:59:20,400
Speaker 1: name or Twitter handle to cast your Pro Bowl ballot.

1149
00:59:21,560 --> 00:59:24,840
Speaker 1: Here we are jay walking into the most important game

1150
00:59:24,880 --> 00:59:27,880
Speaker 1: of the season against the greatest quarterback of all time.

1151
00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:30,880
Speaker 1: Just a quick reminder checkout Under Center this week with

1152
00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:33,920
Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins. CJ. Hamm was on it. It was fantastic.

1153
00:59:34,440 --> 00:59:37,440
Speaker 1: Tune into the Vikings postgame live every week fifteen minutes

1154
00:59:37,440 --> 00:59:40,320
Speaker 1: after each game from inside US Bank Stadium. You get

1155
00:59:40,320 --> 00:59:43,680
Speaker 1: a breakdown of the game, including highlights, stats, analysis and more.

1156
00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:46,600
Speaker 1: Tune in on Vikings dot Com, the Vikings App, and

1157
00:59:46,720 --> 00:59:50,920
Speaker 1: Vikings social media channels. Vikings Vantage with Course, Chris Corso

1158
00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:54,400
Speaker 1: and Gabe Henderson is on Cafan and our podcast app

1159
00:59:54,800 --> 00:59:59,880
Speaker 1: Cafan at six thirty pm. Now from starting my last

1160
01:00:00,160 --> 01:00:04,200
Speaker 1: question into the promos, back to my last question here,

1161
01:00:05,240 --> 01:00:07,960
Speaker 1: you got yourself here, Jay, this is the moment. This

1162
01:00:08,080 --> 01:00:10,959
Speaker 1: is when you were one and five. You didn't anticipate

1163
01:00:11,000 --> 01:00:14,960
Speaker 1: you'd have a chance to play a meaningful game against

1164
01:00:15,000 --> 01:00:17,919
Speaker 1: the greatest quarterback of all time and a very very

1165
01:00:17,960 --> 01:00:21,720
Speaker 1: good football team. What's the main thing you're looking for

1166
01:00:21,880 --> 01:00:24,400
Speaker 1: on Sunday. I think the biggest thing on my end

1167
01:00:24,640 --> 01:00:28,960
Speaker 1: is just minimizing what Tom wants to do. Tom wants

1168
01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:32,120
Speaker 1: to be a quick passer in order to let those

1169
01:00:32,160 --> 01:00:36,000
Speaker 1: super stud receivers and tight ends be able to dominate you.

1170
01:00:36,080 --> 01:00:38,120
Speaker 1: It's what he's done to us in the past when

1171
01:00:38,160 --> 01:00:41,240
Speaker 1: we'd go to Foxborough. It's what he's always done. They

1172
01:00:41,320 --> 01:00:43,440
Speaker 1: use the run to set up the pass, and I

1173
01:00:43,440 --> 01:00:46,720
Speaker 1: think you have to get to tom Brady. Our pass

1174
01:00:46,800 --> 01:00:50,040
Speaker 1: rush hasn't been the greatest over the last four weeks especially,

1175
01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:52,520
Speaker 1: but this is when you have to get to him

1176
01:00:52,760 --> 01:00:55,160
Speaker 1: because that is when he makes mistakes. That is when

1177
01:00:55,160 --> 01:00:57,600
Speaker 1: he crumbles. He's not as mobile as he used to be.

1178
01:00:58,040 --> 01:01:02,440
Speaker 1: They've had eleven run pass option plays this season, and

1179
01:01:02,560 --> 01:01:05,320
Speaker 1: ten of those have been passes. Tom Brady's going to

1180
01:01:05,320 --> 01:01:09,760
Speaker 1: pass the ball. So get tom Brady uncomfortable in that pocket,

1181
01:01:09,800 --> 01:01:12,200
Speaker 1: try to collapse it as much as possible and squeeze him.

1182
01:01:12,440 --> 01:01:14,800
Speaker 1: If you squeeze him, he might throw those errant picks

1183
01:01:14,840 --> 01:01:17,200
Speaker 1: like he's been doing in the last four weeks. You

1184
01:01:17,320 --> 01:01:19,680
Speaker 1: have to get to tom Brady otherwise he's going to

1185
01:01:19,760 --> 01:01:22,720
Speaker 1: carve you up. Yeah, And in my ask this week,

1186
01:01:22,800 --> 01:01:25,200
Speaker 1: Jay is going to be I'm not going to say

1187
01:01:25,240 --> 01:01:29,840
Speaker 1: it's unfair, but it's it's it's large because I want

1188
01:01:29,920 --> 01:01:35,600
Speaker 1: to play mistake free offensive football. You know, we keep

1189
01:01:35,640 --> 01:01:38,040
Speaker 1: having these turnovers on our side of the field, these

1190
01:01:38,040 --> 01:01:41,920
Speaker 1: defensive touchdowns, these these missed kicks these, you know, on

1191
01:01:42,000 --> 01:01:46,439
Speaker 1: and on and on. A well executed punt a fake

1192
01:01:46,520 --> 01:01:48,640
Speaker 1: punt that you get a penalty called on and it

1193
01:01:49,160 --> 01:01:53,240
Speaker 1: ruins the opportunity there. So I want to play mistake

1194
01:01:53,400 --> 01:01:57,680
Speaker 1: free football, but I don't want it to be because

1195
01:01:57,840 --> 01:02:01,440
Speaker 1: you honed everything in and tight and everything up. I

1196
01:02:01,480 --> 01:02:04,040
Speaker 1: don't want it to be mistake free football because you

1197
01:02:04,520 --> 01:02:08,480
Speaker 1: conservative pulled everything all the way in so you were

1198
01:02:08,520 --> 01:02:11,680
Speaker 1: this tight, little nutshell that was trying to protect a win.

1199
01:02:12,040 --> 01:02:13,880
Speaker 1: Because I think what this team has been building for,

1200
01:02:13,920 --> 01:02:15,760
Speaker 1: and what Kubiak has been doing, and what Kirk has

1201
01:02:15,800 --> 01:02:19,040
Speaker 1: been showing and the steps they've been making forward are

1202
01:02:19,080 --> 01:02:21,600
Speaker 1: for this moment when you can come out of your

1203
01:02:21,640 --> 01:02:27,240
Speaker 1: shell and execute well, trying to explode. That's, like I said,

1204
01:02:27,240 --> 01:02:29,520
Speaker 1: it's a little bit of a big ask, but what

1205
01:02:29,640 --> 01:02:33,840
Speaker 1: I would love to see is an attack, an explosion

1206
01:02:34,320 --> 01:02:38,360
Speaker 1: without mistakes. So it's you had your chance last week

1207
01:02:38,400 --> 01:02:40,400
Speaker 1: to right the ship against the Jags and you didn't

1208
01:02:40,440 --> 01:02:42,440
Speaker 1: do it. So now you're in a situation where you

1209
01:02:42,520 --> 01:02:44,680
Speaker 1: might have to do a couple things here, and if

1210
01:02:44,720 --> 01:02:47,400
Speaker 1: you can do that, Jay, if they can get this

1211
01:02:47,480 --> 01:02:52,680
Speaker 1: win in Tampa Bay while doing that, boy oh boy,

1212
01:02:52,760 --> 01:02:55,320
Speaker 1: that's gonna be a positive thing for the rest of

1213
01:02:55,360 --> 01:02:58,080
Speaker 1: the season. I would rather have us make mistakes while

1214
01:02:58,120 --> 01:03:01,520
Speaker 1: being aggressive than being conservative and shooting ourselves in the foot.

1215
01:03:01,560 --> 01:03:03,960
Speaker 1: That is right up the alley there for me. I

1216
01:03:04,040 --> 01:03:06,800
Speaker 1: just if you are aggressive and you are able to

1217
01:03:06,840 --> 01:03:08,600
Speaker 1: take those shots when you need to, and you are

1218
01:03:08,640 --> 01:03:11,680
Speaker 1: able to capitalize and try to hit them where they

1219
01:03:11,680 --> 01:03:13,520
Speaker 1: are going, where you know they're going to hit you,

1220
01:03:14,200 --> 01:03:16,520
Speaker 1: they might be a really good rush defense. But if

1221
01:03:16,560 --> 01:03:18,240
Speaker 1: you can really try and take one to them and

1222
01:03:18,240 --> 01:03:20,200
Speaker 1: see if you can get Dalvin going not only in

1223
01:03:20,240 --> 01:03:22,480
Speaker 1: the running game but in the screen game and make

1224
01:03:22,560 --> 01:03:26,680
Speaker 1: their aggressiveness work against them, that will be awesome. So again,

1225
01:03:27,560 --> 01:03:30,440
Speaker 1: I think you're right. You have to be aggressive this

1226
01:03:30,480 --> 01:03:32,440
Speaker 1: week in order to try to beat a team like

1227
01:03:32,520 --> 01:03:35,000
Speaker 1: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thank you so much for joining us.

1228
01:03:35,040 --> 01:03:40,840
Speaker 1: Thank you to Chris Corso, Todd Davis, Eric Smith, Casey Phillips.

1229
01:03:41,000 --> 01:03:43,680
Speaker 1: We appreciate it and we will see you guys all

1230
01:03:43,840 --> 01:03:44,520
Speaker 1: next week.