WEBVTT - The Season with Peter Schrager: Dan Quinn 0:00:07.226 --> 0:00:09.666 The season with Peter Schreeger as a production of the 0:00:09.786 --> 0:00:24.666 NFL in partnership with I Heart Radio. Yes, we're here. 0:00:24.946 --> 0:00:29.546 It's Conference Championship Game weekend. Uh, this is it. We're 0:00:29.546 --> 0:00:33.906 down the four four teams. I'm Peter Schreeger. This is 0:00:34.026 --> 0:00:36.786 the season with Peter Schreeger. We've had a blasto in 0:00:36.826 --> 0:00:41.186 this podcast throughout the entirety of the season. We are 0:00:41.226 --> 0:00:43.666 now at the end of the line. We got four 0:00:43.706 --> 0:00:46.506 teams left. And I said it on Good Morning Football. Um, 0:00:46.666 --> 0:00:49.746 I said, you've got three of the four teams from 0:00:49.826 --> 0:00:52.666 last year's conference championship game returning, and you've got another 0:00:52.706 --> 0:00:54.906 team that won a Super Bowl in seventeen that still 0:00:54.946 --> 0:00:56.386 has a lot of those guys on there. Like this, 0:00:56.546 --> 0:00:59.306 there is no Cinderella left there. This is the cream 0:00:59.346 --> 0:01:02.946 of the crop. Now, brock Party story could be Cinderella. 0:01:03.306 --> 0:01:05.466 You could say that Jalen Hurts being a second round 0:01:05.546 --> 0:01:07.786 quarterback is in Arella. But like, at the end of 0:01:07.826 --> 0:01:09.826 the day, and these are not four best teams in football, 0:01:09.946 --> 0:01:13.946 and I think the Bengal showed on Sunday that they belong. 0:01:14.346 --> 0:01:16.946 This isn't gonna be Hey, well, what if Josh Allen 0:01:16.946 --> 0:01:18.786 had had a different deal. No, that was that was 0:01:18.826 --> 0:01:22.426 a blowout. UM. I want to talk about the Bengals though, 0:01:22.586 --> 0:01:26.146 because we're gonna have on a guest who's really close 0:01:26.306 --> 0:01:28.946 to one of the Bengals players in a second, UM, 0:01:29.106 --> 0:01:31.746 and we'll get into to what that's all about. But 0:01:31.906 --> 0:01:34.866 I just look at what Cincinnati did on Sunday and 0:01:34.906 --> 0:01:37.986 it's like, is there a more underappreciated team over the 0:01:38.026 --> 0:01:41.706 last two seasons than Cincinnati. Everyone was kind of hesitant 0:01:41.746 --> 0:01:43.946 after last year, after they made this wild run and 0:01:43.946 --> 0:01:45.346 they said, let's see you do it again. They start 0:01:45.386 --> 0:01:48.626 of the season oh and two, Um, they lose games 0:01:48.626 --> 0:01:51.026 to the Steelers and the Division and then they lose 0:01:51.106 --> 0:01:55.026 to the Cowboys with Brock Purty and you're like, all right, 0:01:55.106 --> 0:01:57.706 so this is a typical story. Team goes to Super Bowl, 0:01:57.746 --> 0:02:00.786 loses and then fails to get back. They've simply been 0:02:00.786 --> 0:02:03.386 the best team in football the last two months. And 0:02:03.466 --> 0:02:08.226 I love the salt and the vinegar out of their 0:02:08.266 --> 0:02:12.306 coach Zach Taylor. After the game on on Sunday, they 0:02:12.346 --> 0:02:15.266 asked Zach Taylor about it and he he you know, 0:02:15.386 --> 0:02:18.346 he had a really pithy response. He kind of apologized 0:02:18.426 --> 0:02:21.706 or he did apologize to all the logistics makers um 0:02:21.746 --> 0:02:23.986 around the league, and for those who had to worry 0:02:23.986 --> 0:02:26.426 about the logistics of a coin toss and a neutral 0:02:26.506 --> 0:02:30.546 field when the Bills play the Chiefs. Zach apologized to them, Um, 0:02:30.546 --> 0:02:33.106 from the heart. It is tough because there they have 0:02:33.186 --> 0:02:35.106 to formulate the plans for coin tosses, and they got 0:02:35.106 --> 0:02:36.986 to formulate the plans for neutral site games, and we 0:02:37.026 --> 0:02:39.586 just keep screwing it up for everybody. And I hate 0:02:39.586 --> 0:02:41.986 that for for the people that have to endure all 0:02:41.986 --> 0:02:45.506 those logistical issues and then we just keep screwing it up. 0:02:45.546 --> 0:02:48.906 So I'm sorry. He apologized to them because gosh, he 0:02:49.026 --> 0:02:50.826 ruined their plans and he knows a lot of work 0:02:51.306 --> 0:02:54.386 went into that. H I love that stuff. Lou and 0:02:54.466 --> 0:02:58.266 a Rumo defensive coordinator, fifty year old dude from Staten 0:02:58.266 --> 0:03:02.306 Island coached all over the place. Was in Miami, but 0:03:02.346 --> 0:03:04.826 before that, you know, coached and I think Harvard. He 0:03:04.906 --> 0:03:08.706 was at a at Wagner, a college in Staten Island 0:03:08.746 --> 0:03:12.906 before that. They've got the best defense in the league. Um, 0:03:13.026 --> 0:03:16.306 and as far as adjustments go, they make them all 0:03:16.346 --> 0:03:20.786 the time. They have now silenced not only uh Patrick Mahomes, 0:03:20.866 --> 0:03:24.666 but they've silenced Josh Allen in a playoff game and 0:03:24.666 --> 0:03:28.066 and in the RUMO got zero head coaching interviews this 0:03:28.226 --> 0:03:32.586 entire cycle. Zero. There are five coaching vacancies, not one 0:03:32.626 --> 0:03:34.786 of them, not one of those teams. I thought it 0:03:34.866 --> 0:03:36.906 might be wise to maybe pick the brain of the 0:03:36.946 --> 0:03:40.106 defensive architect who has beaten Patrick Mahomes every time he's 0:03:40.146 --> 0:03:43.706 faced him. UM in the NFL. Then just killed Josh 0:03:43.706 --> 0:03:47.226 Allen and Ken Dorsey's offense to ten points. All right, 0:03:47.226 --> 0:03:50.186 So that's one guy. Then there's Brian Callahan, who we've 0:03:50.186 --> 0:03:53.466 had on this podcast, the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati 0:03:53.506 --> 0:03:56.506 Bengals under forty years old. Has worked with everybody from 0:03:56.506 --> 0:03:59.666 Peyton Manning to Tim Tebow. Has had success with both, 0:04:00.266 --> 0:04:03.266 Um Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr has had success with both, 0:04:03.306 --> 0:04:05.786 and now is with Joe Burrow. How many interviews did 0:04:05.786 --> 0:04:08.346 he get? He one head coaching interview, and it felt 0:04:08.386 --> 0:04:10.466 like it was a it was almost like a nice 0:04:10.466 --> 0:04:12.986 to have interview with the Indianapolis Colts. I have not 0:04:13.106 --> 0:04:15.266 heard his name mentioned as a favorite for that job. 0:04:15.786 --> 0:04:20.066 So you're telling me the defensive coordinator has zero interviews, 0:04:20.066 --> 0:04:23.266 the offensive coordinator has one interview. No one's talking about 0:04:23.306 --> 0:04:25.626 the work that their offensive line coach Frank Pollock is doing. 0:04:25.746 --> 0:04:29.506 Nobody's talking about what their wide receivers coach Troy Walters 0:04:29.546 --> 0:04:31.546 is doing with all those young receivers and filling in 0:04:31.546 --> 0:04:34.786 when Mr Chase went down. I think this team forget 0:04:34.826 --> 0:04:36.986 about all the Allen and Mahomes stuff and how Burrow 0:04:37.066 --> 0:04:39.226 was kind of dismissed all summer in the beginning of 0:04:39.226 --> 0:04:42.706 the season as an overlooked quarterback. I think the coaching 0:04:42.746 --> 0:04:45.666 staffs overlooked. I think every part of this team is overlooked. 0:04:45.666 --> 0:04:47.946 I think when I say that, uh, you know, Joe 0:04:47.986 --> 0:04:50.866 Burrow doesn't view himself as an underdog. I think it's 0:04:50.906 --> 0:04:54.426 fair to say that these these Bengals have been overlooked. 0:04:54.866 --> 0:04:57.706 Now look at the breath of what they've done. An 0:04:57.786 --> 0:05:00.426 f C Championship game last year, and what was Burrows 0:05:00.986 --> 0:05:04.306 you know, first full season as the starter um and 0:05:04.346 --> 0:05:06.946 then you go right back to it in year umber two, 0:05:07.106 --> 0:05:09.386 and you do it with with all the departures on 0:05:09.386 --> 0:05:11.546 the offensive line that everyone freaked out about, and then 0:05:11.586 --> 0:05:14.946 of course the additions that got hurt Um with Lyle 0:05:15.066 --> 0:05:16.786 Collins and some man of the other guys that have 0:05:16.866 --> 0:05:18.906 not been able to to stay on the field. I 0:05:18.946 --> 0:05:21.306 just think the Bengals. The Bengals are a great story 0:05:21.586 --> 0:05:23.586 and they might be the spoiler. They might be the 0:05:23.626 --> 0:05:25.986 team that no one wanted to see in the ANC 0:05:26.186 --> 0:05:28.706 Championship Game or nobody wanted to see in the Super Bowl. 0:05:29.066 --> 0:05:32.146 But they're leaning into it disrespect all over. They don't 0:05:32.186 --> 0:05:34.706 get mentioned, and uh, I kind of like this whole 0:05:34.706 --> 0:05:37.266 deal with them, and then you see the Chiefs and 0:05:37.346 --> 0:05:38.746 you see it, and you look at what they did 0:05:38.786 --> 0:05:43.226 last week, heroic win from Patrick Mahomes, but gosh, I'm concerned. 0:05:43.426 --> 0:05:46.026 I have real concerns. He was hobbling around on that ankle, 0:05:46.026 --> 0:05:48.386 and I'm worried that that was adrenaline and that was 0:05:48.746 --> 0:05:50.826 all right. Just get through these next two quarters, find 0:05:50.826 --> 0:05:54.306 a way to Willis to win. Bengals defense doesn't care. 0:05:54.306 --> 0:05:56.826 You'd think Eli Apple and Trey Hendrickson, are they gonna 0:05:56.866 --> 0:06:00.186 be gonna be uh, you know, worried about mahomes ankle. No. So, 0:06:00.786 --> 0:06:04.146 if anything, I think this game went from when it started, 0:06:04.706 --> 0:06:07.066 you know, Sunday afternoon, around sick the clock, when we 0:06:07.066 --> 0:06:08.866 saw who was playing, it went from like, all right, 0:06:08.906 --> 0:06:11.786 chief should be favored. They're an arrowhead too, now I think, 0:06:12.546 --> 0:06:13.826 I mean, I don't think it's crazy to say the 0:06:13.826 --> 0:06:15.506 Bengle should be the favorites in this game. We'll see 0:06:15.506 --> 0:06:16.986 where it ends up, but I know things have been 0:06:16.986 --> 0:06:19.586 shifting back and forth on that one. Either way, it's 0:06:19.586 --> 0:06:22.586 a beautiful game. And there's this other storyline of Mahomes 0:06:22.626 --> 0:06:25.786 being Owen three against Burrow that goes to Owen four. 0:06:25.906 --> 0:06:28.266 That is not just some coincidence. That's not some trend. 0:06:28.306 --> 0:06:31.906 That's a thing. And I don't think it's absurd to say, hey, 0:06:32.066 --> 0:06:35.026 Burrow has Mahomes's number. I know quarterbacks don't face each 0:06:35.026 --> 0:06:38.426 other one on one, but if one quarterback has team 0:06:38.466 --> 0:06:40.346 has won four games the other one is one zero 0:06:40.426 --> 0:06:43.826 against each other, that becomes an actual storyline. And it 0:06:43.866 --> 0:06:46.746 isn't just hot take stuff. That's the a f C, 0:06:47.666 --> 0:06:51.026 the NFC. Are you ready for the hardest hitting game 0:06:51.026 --> 0:06:52.866 of the season. Are you ready to see just smash 0:06:52.946 --> 0:06:56.306 mouth football like we have not seen yet before. I 0:06:56.906 --> 0:06:59.346 can't wait for it. I'm watching this this San Francisco 0:06:59.426 --> 0:07:03.146 defense just bubble dock and and bottle up everybody on 0:07:03.146 --> 0:07:06.546 on Dallas. And then I'm watching the Eagles defense, know, 0:07:06.666 --> 0:07:08.746 third most sacks in the history of a sport in 0:07:08.746 --> 0:07:13.186 a season. Philadelphia Eagles absolutely manhandle the Giants, which who 0:07:13.186 --> 0:07:15.706 are simmering, and then their offense just run all over 0:07:15.746 --> 0:07:19.866 for two eighty something yards on the Giants like McCaffrey 0:07:20.026 --> 0:07:22.226 will see his health, but I know that McCaffrey used 0:07:22.266 --> 0:07:24.986 check Elijah Mitchell. Behind that offensive line, they're gonna be 0:07:24.986 --> 0:07:27.466 smashing the ball with Debo of course getting some touches. 0:07:27.826 --> 0:07:30.426 And then the Eagles, what they showed was if Jalen 0:07:30.506 --> 0:07:33.946 Hurts isn't gonna kill you with defeat, Miles Sanders, Will Boston, 0:07:34.026 --> 0:07:37.426 Scott Will Gain, Will Will and those offensive linemen are 0:07:37.426 --> 0:07:40.306 gonna be out there just pummeling dudes. Uh. I would 0:07:40.346 --> 0:07:43.066 pay a lot of money to just watch the trenches 0:07:43.346 --> 0:07:46.626 on Sunday of that game. You're talking about Armstead bossa 0:07:47.066 --> 0:07:51.186 Abu khon Um going up against you know the guys 0:07:51.186 --> 0:07:53.586 that are that have been protecting Jalen Hurts all season. 0:07:53.666 --> 0:07:57.946 That's my Alatta, That's Johnson, that's Kelsey. I love it. 0:07:57.986 --> 0:08:00.426 I love it. If you're a purist, you might like 0:08:00.746 --> 0:08:03.946 Bengals chiefs Um because of the offense and the view. 0:08:04.226 --> 0:08:06.106 But if you're a purist from a different era, you 0:08:06.186 --> 0:08:10.066 might like the forty Niners and the Eagles because of 0:08:10.106 --> 0:08:13.506 the smash mouth nature of it. Aaron Kaufman, my, my 0:08:13.586 --> 0:08:16.466 wonderful producer, I got you on the mic if you're 0:08:16.506 --> 0:08:18.866 to rank these two games as far as like, all right, 0:08:18.906 --> 0:08:20.946 I need to get my popcorn. I need to be 0:08:21.346 --> 0:08:23.666 on the couch. You're obviously gonna watch both. Which one 0:08:23.706 --> 0:08:25.706 to you right now? Are you like I have to 0:08:25.786 --> 0:08:28.106 have to watch every snap in this game? I mean 0:08:28.146 --> 0:08:31.946 the Bengals Bengals Kansas City because you know, as a 0:08:31.986 --> 0:08:35.306 Buffalo fan, like wanting to be aware of the things 0:08:35.306 --> 0:08:37.026 that we will constantly have to go up against, but 0:08:37.106 --> 0:08:41.226 also like you were saying, I mean, uh, the Bengals, 0:08:41.506 --> 0:08:43.546 you know, have not been given the same hype that 0:08:43.866 --> 0:08:46.906 Kansas City has and Buffalo was all season long. And 0:08:46.986 --> 0:08:50.906 now I want to see how hurt my homes ankle is. 0:08:50.946 --> 0:08:54.386 I want to see, you know, what what this offense 0:08:54.386 --> 0:08:57.026 on Kansas City will look like when it's really just 0:08:57.106 --> 0:09:00.866 Kelsey pushing it um and the way that Cincinnati was 0:09:00.906 --> 0:09:03.626 able to shut down Stefon Diggs, Like what's gonna happen 0:09:03.666 --> 0:09:05.986 with Kelsey? So that's the one I'm most excited for. 0:09:06.266 --> 0:09:08.786 I have like, in my mind kind of a dream 0:09:08.866 --> 0:09:11.626 super Bowl matchup with the four remaining, But I'm most 0:09:11.626 --> 0:09:13.746 excited for Cincinnati Kansas City. A right, give me a 0:09:13.786 --> 0:09:15.386 super Bowl match up? What are we doing? Let's go 0:09:15.706 --> 0:09:18.186 from like a narrative standpoint. I think it would be 0:09:18.226 --> 0:09:21.986 amazing to have Kansas City San Francisco because you have 0:09:22.066 --> 0:09:26.146 like the greatest quarterback of all time versus Mr Irrelevant. 0:09:26.666 --> 0:09:28.466 I think that would just be such a fun thing 0:09:28.546 --> 0:09:31.186 to watch. Um. And no, way, you're talking about Mahomes, 0:09:31.226 --> 0:09:34.026 what about Burrow? He looks like he might be this 0:09:34.066 --> 0:09:36.586 tweet and you said the time good Morning football is Burrow? Like, 0:09:36.626 --> 0:09:38.506 if you're starting a team right now, do you take 0:09:38.546 --> 0:09:42.426 Burrow over my Homes? I still think Mahomes is like 0:09:42.546 --> 0:09:47.466 the Michael Jordan's um. But yeah, either one, I mean 0:09:47.466 --> 0:09:50.226 I think either one. You're gonna have this incredible quarterback. 0:09:50.466 --> 0:09:53.906 I think Burrow has maybe a better supporting cast right 0:09:53.906 --> 0:09:57.626 now with Chase and Higgins, Um and the running backs. 0:09:57.666 --> 0:10:00.746 I mean there's and Tyler Boyd Like, so yeah, I 0:10:00.786 --> 0:10:03.306 think my dream match up, as much as I don't 0:10:03.346 --> 0:10:06.186 want Kansas City winning, you know, to have a Kansas 0:10:06.186 --> 0:10:08.746 City San Francisco matchup would just be amazing from the 0:10:08.986 --> 0:10:11.226 quarterback standpoint. And it's a rematch of the Super Bowl 0:10:11.266 --> 0:10:14.146 from three years ago. We've seen it um pre COVID 0:10:14.706 --> 0:10:19.786 that February that was the matchup. It was forty Niners 0:10:20.106 --> 0:10:24.786 versus Chiefs for Shanahan and Kittle and and use Check 0:10:24.826 --> 0:10:27.146 and all those boys who went in there, and they 0:10:27.186 --> 0:10:28.946 just came up just short to my homes in that 0:10:29.026 --> 0:10:31.466 offense and Andy Reid. It would be fascinating to see 0:10:31.466 --> 0:10:35.986 them get a rematch real quick around the horn stuff. Um. 0:10:36.106 --> 0:10:38.226 I think the Bills are an interesting team to watch 0:10:38.386 --> 0:10:41.346 right now. They had so much hype going to the season. 0:10:41.386 --> 0:10:43.706 It was such an exhausting season. Um. To come up 0:10:43.746 --> 0:10:46.466 short again the Visional round, I think is a great disappointment. 0:10:46.546 --> 0:10:48.226 They didn't have enough. They just simply did not have 0:10:48.346 --> 0:10:49.866 enough left in the tank. I think it was obvious 0:10:49.946 --> 0:10:52.386 if you watch the first ten minutes of that game. 0:10:52.426 --> 0:10:54.506 Cincinnati went up and down the field. It was fourteen 0:10:54.506 --> 0:10:56.946 nothing and that was all. She wrote. Fascinated to see 0:10:56.986 --> 0:11:00.626 what becomes of them, because whether it was the nineties 0:11:00.706 --> 0:11:03.946 Oilers that were always competitive with Warren Moon but never 0:11:04.026 --> 0:11:07.226 got to the super Bowl, or it was some of 0:11:07.226 --> 0:11:11.066 these other teams, uh in recent history. I remember, you know, 0:11:11.266 --> 0:11:14.146 the Saints of the Sean Payton era, the second half 0:11:14.146 --> 0:11:16.426 of the Shawan Payon era, always in the playoffs, always 0:11:16.426 --> 0:11:19.066 hosting playoff games, but never could get to the super Bowl. 0:11:19.106 --> 0:11:21.506 Like is that the Bills or is this just another 0:11:21.626 --> 0:11:24.506 chapter in Josh Allen's book where it's like he was 0:11:24.586 --> 0:11:26.866 like Michael Jordan listening to the Pistons a few times 0:11:26.866 --> 0:11:29.386 and had to just keep on chipping away, chipping away 0:11:29.426 --> 0:11:32.026 until he finally broke through. I find the Bills fascinating. 0:11:32.026 --> 0:11:34.706 Tremaine Edmunds a free agent, Jordan's ployer is a free agent. 0:11:35.386 --> 0:11:38.466 UM lots of turnover on the roster coming there. And 0:11:38.946 --> 0:11:40.986 we'll see what happens with Buffalo, whether they can get 0:11:41.026 --> 0:11:43.186 it all back together, because gosh, I feel like we 0:11:43.386 --> 0:11:46.146 uh hype them to no end last offseason, and that 0:11:46.186 --> 0:11:47.826 was a team that only made the divisional round. So 0:11:48.186 --> 0:11:49.786 back to back divisional rounds, and if you look at 0:11:49.786 --> 0:11:52.306 it over three year tracked, they went a f C 0:11:52.466 --> 0:11:54.786 championship game and they lost in a heartbreak in the 0:11:54.826 --> 0:11:56.826 division around, and then they got blown out in the 0:11:56.826 --> 0:11:59.226 division around. They're going backwards as much as it seems 0:11:59.266 --> 0:12:01.226 like they're knocking on the door. They're going backwards. So 0:12:01.306 --> 0:12:05.066 Buffalo is a wild team to watch. UM. As we 0:12:05.146 --> 0:12:08.426 move forward, I think the coaching stuff is really interesting. 0:12:08.426 --> 0:12:10.986 As we record this on a Tuesday, I imagine this 0:12:11.026 --> 0:12:12.866 is the week we're gonna start getting some more news. 0:12:12.906 --> 0:12:15.746 But as of this recording, there are five head coaching 0:12:15.826 --> 0:12:20.546 jobs open, none have been filled, and nine offensive coordinator 0:12:20.626 --> 0:12:26.866 jobs open, none have been filled. So okay, Senior Bowls 0:12:26.866 --> 0:12:29.346 a week away, you gotta get your staff together. Combines 0:12:29.466 --> 0:12:31.266 in a few weeks away, you'd like to have your 0:12:31.266 --> 0:12:35.426 staff together. Fascinating to see you know which Domino's drop 0:12:35.466 --> 0:12:38.906 and who goes where. Um. But I think even with 0:12:38.986 --> 0:12:42.586 the offensive coordinator jobs, it's hard with all those positions 0:12:42.626 --> 0:12:45.306 to zero in on a player or zero and on 0:12:45.426 --> 0:12:48.186 an individual to be your offensive coordinator. When some of 0:12:48.226 --> 0:12:50.386 these teams don't even know who their quarterback is. Like 0:12:50.986 --> 0:12:53.906 Tampa fired Byron left Foot and everyone applauded that, like, yeah, 0:12:53.946 --> 0:12:55.746 I was talking to who's their quarterback? We don't know 0:12:55.786 --> 0:12:58.786 if Brady's coming back. The Jets fired Michael Floor, who's 0:12:58.786 --> 0:13:01.866 their quarterback? Who we're going with? Um, you go right 0:13:01.906 --> 0:13:04.866 down the list to all these guys with the exception 0:13:04.906 --> 0:13:08.786 of maybe Lamar in Baltimore and then Justin Herbert in 0:13:09.026 --> 0:13:13.146 UH with the Chargers, and I guess whoever the Rams 0:13:13.226 --> 0:13:15.906 higher Like, there's a bunch of unknowns at these quarterback 0:13:15.946 --> 0:13:19.266 positions too, so you can fire all the offensive coordinators 0:13:19.306 --> 0:13:21.506 you want and blame them. Um, I don't know which 0:13:21.506 --> 0:13:23.426 offensive coordinators are lining up for which job if they 0:13:23.466 --> 0:13:26.426 don't know who the quarterback is coming in. Uh to 0:13:26.906 --> 0:13:29.826 the opening week of training camp and all that we 0:13:29.906 --> 0:13:35.906 do have this morning, Bill O'Brien, I saw that not surprising. Um, 0:13:36.026 --> 0:13:38.026 that's one of those deals where I don't think Belichick 0:13:38.266 --> 0:13:40.626 was looking to go outside the box and hire a 0:13:40.706 --> 0:13:43.066 name that he wasn't familiar with, for better or for worse. 0:13:43.146 --> 0:13:44.866 He likes to know what he's got in Bill O'Brien, 0:13:45.106 --> 0:13:47.506 his history with Belichick, and of course has history as 0:13:47.506 --> 0:13:50.226 a head coach, and we'll see if he's the answer 0:13:50.506 --> 0:13:55.426 uh the New England's offensive struggles. One last thing that 0:13:55.466 --> 0:13:58.066 I wanted to hit. I always think the logistics of 0:13:58.146 --> 0:14:00.506 Championship game week is really interesting. So if you're not 0:14:00.546 --> 0:14:04.906 aware what happens is all four teams and representatives from 0:14:04.986 --> 0:14:09.226 their building two Arizona, the home super Bowl site, and 0:14:09.266 --> 0:14:12.586 they do a full walkthrough, and they figure out where 0:14:12.586 --> 0:14:15.506 their fans are gonna have their fan activation, they figure 0:14:15.506 --> 0:14:18.026 out where the team hotel is gonna be, They set 0:14:18.066 --> 0:14:21.106 up reservations for dinner for two weeks. It's it's one 0:14:21.146 --> 0:14:23.586 of the wildest things in sports that they go through 0:14:23.586 --> 0:14:27.506 the entire process and it could all be for not um. 0:14:27.626 --> 0:14:30.106 I know so many people in buildings who over the 0:14:30.186 --> 0:14:32.946 years have done that trip, and it's it's you know, 0:14:32.986 --> 0:14:35.706 in political campaign work, they call it advance work, Like 0:14:35.826 --> 0:14:37.866 you go into okay, so there's a stump speech for 0:14:37.906 --> 0:14:40.506 this political candidate. You go in a week in advance 0:14:40.546 --> 0:14:42.506 and you make sure everything is set and the logistics 0:14:42.546 --> 0:14:45.066 are ready, and this hotel is this block of rooms, 0:14:45.106 --> 0:14:47.426 and okay, here's a walkthrough, here's where the bus route 0:14:47.426 --> 0:14:50.266 is gonna be. And you almost live the super Bowl 0:14:50.586 --> 0:14:53.746 before you're actually living it. And so many teams, obviously 0:14:53.786 --> 0:14:57.706 half every year, go through that process only to not 0:14:57.746 --> 0:15:00.346 be able to live it out fully. Um, those folks 0:15:00.346 --> 0:15:03.026 are doing that this week. I always wish them well 0:15:03.066 --> 0:15:05.186 because it's a superstitious thing where like you don't want 0:15:05.186 --> 0:15:08.106 to get too excited and yet, gosh, you can taste it. 0:15:08.186 --> 0:15:11.146 You're in Arizona. You're there, the weather is the same weather. 0:15:11.186 --> 0:15:13.266 It's going to be Super Bowl week and you're actually 0:15:13.706 --> 0:15:15.986 living in those shoes of a super Bowl team. Your 0:15:15.986 --> 0:15:18.226 team just needs to take care of business. Um. We 0:15:18.306 --> 0:15:22.306 have to really good guests today. The first one is 0:15:22.306 --> 0:15:25.586 a major get. I'm excited about this. I asked him 0:15:25.626 --> 0:15:27.386 before this season if he'd be willing to come on. 0:15:27.426 --> 0:15:29.186 He said, let's check in after the season. I want 0:15:29.186 --> 0:15:31.946 to focus on ball. Um and he is now one 0:15:31.986 --> 0:15:34.426 of the most coveted names in these head coaching searches. 0:15:34.466 --> 0:15:36.946 He has coached in the Super Bowl, he was the 0:15:36.946 --> 0:15:39.746 man behind the number two ranked defense in the entire NFL, 0:15:39.906 --> 0:15:42.266 and he is a hell of a dude. Uh. Dan 0:15:42.386 --> 0:15:49.466 Quinn is joining us after this. Our guest is one 0:15:49.466 --> 0:15:51.986 of the best coaches in football. He's taken a team 0:15:52.026 --> 0:15:53.866 to the Super Bowl and and the last couple of 0:15:53.946 --> 0:15:55.786 years has been the defensive coordinator the one of the 0:15:55.786 --> 0:15:58.626 best units in the sport. He's got very busy week 0:15:58.626 --> 0:16:01.146 ahead and we're so thrilled that he would take uh 0:16:01.226 --> 0:16:03.466 some time to join the season with Peter Schreeger, one 0:16:03.466 --> 0:16:06.466 of my favorite guys, d Q Dan Quinn, welcome of 0:16:06.506 --> 0:16:08.546 the podcast. A couple of Jersey guys. They let us 0:16:08.586 --> 0:16:11.626 on the podcast together. Look out, let's go, bro, Let's go. 0:16:12.226 --> 0:16:15.146 You and I. We love Jersey, we love boxing, we 0:16:15.226 --> 0:16:18.586 love rage against the Machine, and we love defense. Uh, 0:16:18.666 --> 0:16:23.466 your defense put together a wonderful season and another great 0:16:23.466 --> 0:16:26.506 performance against the forty nine. Now that we're about forty 0:16:26.506 --> 0:16:29.706 eight hours remove recording, this give us a diagnosis of 0:16:29.746 --> 0:16:32.546 the season that was for the Dallas Cowboys defense. As 0:16:32.586 --> 0:16:35.186 you're kind of in the building right now and wondering, 0:16:35.186 --> 0:16:37.746 all right, what was this season as a whole? Yeah, 0:16:37.786 --> 0:16:40.466 because it's uh when you lose and you're just not 0:16:40.546 --> 0:16:42.546 ready for it right when the season ends, there's a 0:16:42.586 --> 0:16:46.746 hollowness that goes with that. But I would say probably, Um, 0:16:46.786 --> 0:16:48.826 one of the things I'm most proud of of the 0:16:48.866 --> 0:16:52.666 group is, uh the ability to create takeaway So it's 0:16:52.706 --> 0:16:56.066 been all the way since seventy three and seventy four 0:16:56.106 --> 0:16:58.946 with the Steelers that a team went back to back 0:16:58.986 --> 0:17:01.786 of leading the league and takeaways. And so, like I 0:17:01.866 --> 0:17:04.106 told me, shild that's a long time. Guys, like that's 0:17:04.226 --> 0:17:06.866 uh see how old I am like this? I was 0:17:06.866 --> 0:17:08.986 born in nineteen seventies, So like, this is a big deal. 0:17:09.106 --> 0:17:11.786 But we had a lot of fun of doing that. 0:17:12.026 --> 0:17:14.866 And so that's a credit to the players, because like 0:17:15.226 --> 0:17:17.306 there's a reason that hasn't happened in back to back 0:17:17.386 --> 0:17:19.226 years for a long time. They're hard to get and 0:17:19.266 --> 0:17:22.546 so that really I was really proud of him for 0:17:22.546 --> 0:17:24.666 for that, and to see the progress that the team 0:17:24.706 --> 0:17:27.706 made from year one on defense into year two and 0:17:28.066 --> 0:17:30.666 I see that happening again. But that if there was 0:17:30.746 --> 0:17:33.106 one thing that I was super proud of. Man, it's 0:17:33.146 --> 0:17:36.706 like those guys ability to create takeaways when people know 0:17:36.826 --> 0:17:39.786 you're coming, Um, that's a really big deal. And so 0:17:39.826 --> 0:17:41.386 I was super proud of them for that. You know, 0:17:41.426 --> 0:17:44.026 you've coached legends of the game when you were in Seattle, 0:17:44.066 --> 0:17:48.066 of course when you're in Atlanta. This number eleven Michael Parsons. 0:17:48.426 --> 0:17:51.226 I mean just from the naked eye, he's two pounds. 0:17:51.266 --> 0:17:54.906 He's thrown around three twenty pound Mike McGlinchey. Um, what 0:17:55.146 --> 0:17:56.626 do you see on a day to day basis, and 0:17:56.826 --> 0:17:59.306 just what is the ceiling for this guy? Yeah, that's 0:17:59.306 --> 0:18:01.706 a great term. The he's so versatil Peter and that's 0:18:01.706 --> 0:18:04.786 what makes him a unique player because he can be 0:18:04.826 --> 0:18:07.306 at right end, left in line up, play backer and 0:18:07.346 --> 0:18:10.466 so the ability to move around where just there's not 0:18:10.506 --> 0:18:12.946 a lot of people that can do that. And um, 0:18:12.986 --> 0:18:14.666 some of the very best of the best I've been 0:18:14.706 --> 0:18:17.466 so exceptional that just you know, the one thing that 0:18:17.506 --> 0:18:20.066 they do. And you know, when you look at Hall 0:18:20.106 --> 0:18:22.226 of Fames or you know, guys like Jason Taylor who 0:18:22.266 --> 0:18:25.266 was just so damn exceptional right in and ripping it 0:18:25.346 --> 0:18:27.746 every time and was so successful doing that at that 0:18:27.786 --> 0:18:31.186 spot where Mica, you know, is so different. He's coming 0:18:31.226 --> 0:18:33.346 from backer, he's playing d N and I think that 0:18:33.906 --> 0:18:36.186 is his superpower. Bro. It's the speed that he can 0:18:36.226 --> 0:18:39.106 beat you to the punch. But not everybody can be 0:18:39.146 --> 0:18:41.426 in two spots to take a pass rusher and moving 0:18:41.466 --> 0:18:43.986 back to linebacker or move a linebacker moving down to 0:18:44.066 --> 0:18:47.266 d N. That's the superpower for him. And uh So 0:18:47.306 --> 0:18:49.426 when a guy has special traits like that, I think 0:18:49.466 --> 0:18:51.986 that's our job as coaches to find ways to feature 0:18:52.026 --> 0:18:54.946 him and utilize them, much like we do on offense. Hey, 0:18:54.986 --> 0:18:57.866 this receiver can do other things we see, you know, 0:18:57.866 --> 0:19:00.026 like just talking about Kyle's experience of running backs who 0:19:00.026 --> 0:19:02.586 can play receivers, receivers who can play running backs, and 0:19:02.626 --> 0:19:05.226 so we just happen to have some safeties that can 0:19:05.226 --> 0:19:07.426 play backers and some line backers that can play in 0:19:07.706 --> 0:19:09.786 So I think there's a lot of good that comes 0:19:09.786 --> 0:19:12.666 with guys who are really versatile, and um, that's one 0:19:12.706 --> 0:19:14.946 of like the superpowers. He's a really good competitor. You 0:19:14.986 --> 0:19:17.386 would like if you challenge him on something like you 0:19:17.466 --> 0:19:19.946 better bring it. Yeah, I'm gonna put you on the spot. 0:19:19.946 --> 0:19:22.546 And we do the Baldi's breakdowns here and we've got 0:19:22.586 --> 0:19:25.506 all the NFL films footage. Give me one play from 0:19:25.546 --> 0:19:27.426 this season that just comes to mind. If you were 0:19:27.426 --> 0:19:30.026 to look at the Micah Parsons experience and take us 0:19:30.026 --> 0:19:33.786 through it, I would say we were playing Detroit in 0:19:33.826 --> 0:19:35.946 a game here at home, and we had lost to 0:19:35.986 --> 0:19:40.866 Philadelphia the week prior, and Uh, I remember pointing out 0:19:40.946 --> 0:19:42.866 some plays in the game to say, I think you 0:19:42.866 --> 0:19:45.306 can make that one and that one if you really 0:19:45.706 --> 0:19:48.426 really go And it just so happened Peter that the 0:19:48.506 --> 0:19:51.626