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Speaker 1: All right, this is Darwin James and you listen to

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Speaker 1: the Chargers Podcast Network. Hey guys, Chris every with you

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Speaker 1: on a Week three edition of Chargers Weekly here on

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Speaker 1: the new Chargers Podcast Network. Coming up, we're gonna get

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Speaker 1: this week's opposing view from Hall of Fame writer John

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Speaker 1: McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Bill Brinson of CBS Sports

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Speaker 1: also joins me. He's gonna pick some of the biggest

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Speaker 1: games in Week three. You'll also hear from Spirodidas of

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Speaker 1: CBS Sports. Spirit is gonna be in the booth this

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Speaker 1: Sunday with Adam Archiletta for Texans Chargers. But first Chargers

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Speaker 1: radio analyst Daniel Jeremiah joined me for a preview here

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Speaker 1: with Daniel Jeremiah and DJ not the result. We wanted

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Speaker 1: Motown a lot of opportunities to win that game. I

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Speaker 1: think if one thing would have gone their way in

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Speaker 1: the third quarter, they probably would have won it. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you kind of you really look at man, there's a

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Speaker 1: whole host of plays, but you're talking about, you know,

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Speaker 1: a fumble into the end zone at the one in

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Speaker 1: interception in the end zone, two miss field goals, two

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Speaker 1: touchdowns called back. I mean that's that's six different plays

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Speaker 1: go one way or the other, and if they come

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Speaker 1: the Chargers way, then you end up getting to win.

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Speaker 1: But you know, it's Uh. It was interesting being with

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Speaker 1: the team after the game and then traveling with him

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Speaker 1: as we did. I thought it was a veteran team

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Speaker 1: that had an in perspective where you know, this stuff

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Speaker 1: like this unfortunately happens. You flush it. You've got a

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Speaker 1: big AFC game coming up this week against Houston, and

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Speaker 1: you gotta get back right back on schedule. So I

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Speaker 1: think this is the type of a loss in Detroit.

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Speaker 1: If you're a younger team, man, this could linger a

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Speaker 1: little bit, might end up costing you a you know,

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Speaker 1: a couple more games down the road. But I thought

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Speaker 1: this team showing some maturity saying, hey, we got we

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Speaker 1: know what we need to clean up. It's it's on

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Speaker 1: us to do that. And I thought it was it

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Speaker 1: was really interesting to see how they handled it. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: Coach Lynn even said, it's like you're gonna have one

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Speaker 1: of these games at some point, but we got that

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Speaker 1: one out of the way. We hope that that's the

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Speaker 1: last one and you learn from it. And you mentioned

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Speaker 1: the AFC games, I mean not only got Houston on

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Speaker 1: Sunday the next five games. Yeah, so it's a great

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Speaker 1: opportunity to try to get Nobody knows more about tiebreakers

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Speaker 1: than the Chargers. We've discussed that last week. So when

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Speaker 1: of these AFC games is huge. Yeah, starting with Houston,

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Speaker 1: and Houston's an interesting team. They played an instant classic

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Speaker 1: week one against the Saints, barely beat the Jags thirteen

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Speaker 1: to twelve, then only put up thirteen points, and defenses

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Speaker 1: have been getting into Shaun Watson. It's interesting when I

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Speaker 1: just watched a tape yesterday and today and I saw

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Speaker 1: the sacks, you know, the sack numbers, and I thought, okay,

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Speaker 1: well they're still having issues. Well when you look at it,

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Speaker 1: like especially this game against Jacksonville, I maybe they gave

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Speaker 1: up four sacks. All four of them were from secondary

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Speaker 1: defenders you talk about linebackers or members of the secondary

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Speaker 1: of safety. So this was not you know, you know beaters,

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Speaker 1: like physical beats where your offensive lineman just physically got

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Speaker 1: whipped by somebody up front. It didn't really happen in

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Speaker 1: this game. I thought Tunsel played really well for them

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Speaker 1: at left tackle. They've got Titus Howard, the rookie who

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Speaker 1: started next to him at left guard, was a little

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Speaker 1: bit up and down, but I think as an improvement

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Speaker 1: in talent. I don't think they're that bad up front.

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Speaker 1: I really do own and Um what got to him

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Speaker 1: was just some different pressure looks and the line not

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Speaker 1: necessarily sliding the right way. And that's coming from either

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Speaker 1: the quarterback or the center in terms of how they

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Speaker 1: set their protection. Um, that was what they had issue with,

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Speaker 1: with some kind of complicated looks that Jacksonville throughout him.

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Speaker 1: That's why I think it'll be interesting to see what

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Speaker 1: coach Bradley does this week. You know, you've got a

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Speaker 1: team that's really built where you can rush for if

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Speaker 1: you just want to rush for. But I would be

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Speaker 1: surprised if you see, you know, Desmond King get involved

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Speaker 1: in some blick blitz packages this week and try and

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Speaker 1: confuse this front. The Clemson connection, they're everywhere, They're everywhere. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you got Watson, Mike Williams, DeAndre Hopkins, our Tavis Scott.

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Speaker 1: I think you got a couple of defenders. It's like

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Speaker 1: Clemson reader, ye reader, it's pretty cool to see. I

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Speaker 1: was just looking at like Mike Williams stats his final

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Speaker 1: year and in all of the plays that he and

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Speaker 1: Watson had. Uh, it's pretty special. Yeah, it's uh, and

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Speaker 1: you're not going to find better guys. I'll tip my

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Speaker 1: cap to Dabbo because I've got a chance to not

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Speaker 1: only get to know Mike and the guys here with

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Speaker 1: the Chargers, but getting a chance to know DeAndre Hopkins

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Speaker 1: throughout the process and a bunch of other players. They're

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Speaker 1: all they're all great kids, They're passionate about football, ultra

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Speaker 1: ultra competitive and uh, it's just interesting all having success

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Speaker 1: now at the NFL level. And I was joking the

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Speaker 1: other day on social media that you cannot watch I

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Speaker 1: feel like you can't watch an NFL game without seeing

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Speaker 1: either a Clemson wide receiver or an Ohio State defensive back.

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Speaker 1: I mean, it's like every team has a one wide receiver. Unbelievable,

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Speaker 1: it really is. And you know, Mike, he really toughed

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Speaker 1: it out, and yes he had three big catches, not

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Speaker 1: a biger than that. That forty seven yard connection would

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Speaker 1: fill up to end the first half. But keenan Holland

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Speaker 1: what a start to the season he's having. And you

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Speaker 1: put some stuff on your Instagram just like clinic clinic

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Speaker 1: tape from number thirteen. It's cool. You know, there's a

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Speaker 1: lot of people on social media, really on the Instagram platform. Um,

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Speaker 1: I get followed by a lot of you know, high

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Speaker 1: school players, high school coaches, college players, college coaches. And

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Speaker 1: I love it when you put up something, you know,

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Speaker 1: that resonates because in the comments they tag their players.

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Speaker 1: Right if it's a coach, I see, you know, and

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Speaker 1: it's just like, hey, this is a good little tool.

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Speaker 1: He watched this guy. Look what he's doing. Look how

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Speaker 1: he's teaching tape. It's really teaching tape, it really is.

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Speaker 1: That's the term. And so Pete, yes basketball videos. So

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Speaker 1: I used to have see if you remember the Pete

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Speaker 1: Merivitch one. I used to have the Steve Alford All

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Speaker 1: American Workout. Did you ever see that one? I a

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Speaker 1: VHS tape, but we had I've watched it religiously. You

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Speaker 1: had to tape a broom to a folding chair, which

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Speaker 1: I did to go out in my driveway to shoot.

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Speaker 1: And it was working, you know, just kind of going

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Speaker 1: off the key from from left to right and shooting

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Speaker 1: over the top of that chair with the broom getting

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Speaker 1: used to a defender right in your face. It's a

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Speaker 1: little different now, right, This is like the twenty nineteen

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Speaker 1: Pete Merevitch tape on Instagram. Is the nicest thing anyways

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Speaker 1: ever said to me. Uh No, I love it, and

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Speaker 1: uh you know, there's lots of other people that put

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Speaker 1: stuff out there, and as much tape as you watch,

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Speaker 1: somebody else has seen something you didn't see. Baldy does

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Speaker 1: a great job with that job. So getting a chance

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Speaker 1: to to study great players and what makes them great,

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Speaker 1: it's a it's a reason why some guys are you know,

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Speaker 1: continue to grow and learn. They don't think they know

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Speaker 1: it all. But keenan Allen man if I said, if

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Speaker 1: you're an NFL receiver, college receiver, high school receiver, that's

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Speaker 1: a good guy to study. This game I think was

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Speaker 1: ultra frustrating because the defense played pretty good. Lay when

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Speaker 1: you allow a team thirteen points, you should probably win

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Speaker 1: a couple of picks, get a couple of picks, and

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Speaker 1: then the offense moved the football. Yeah, right, the running

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Speaker 1: game between Austin Eckler and Justin Jackson. Justin Jackson is

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Speaker 1: picking up big chunks of yards when he touches the

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Speaker 1: bowl every single time. You know, he's unfortunately had the

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Speaker 1: one the one called back on the long touchdown, which

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Speaker 1: I don't think he even really needed. But um, you know,

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Speaker 1: I love the fact that they're so decisive and this

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Speaker 1: is a team. I talked about this the other day.

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Speaker 1: When you can run to the perimeter in the NFL

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Speaker 1: right now, you're going to find success because you know

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Speaker 1: I joked and not joking truly a fact. Good offenses

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Speaker 1: are gonna try and force the little guys to tackle,

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Speaker 1: the big guys to cover. And with this offense getting

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Speaker 1: these running backs as the perimeter corners, he's running through

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Speaker 1: them or making a mess. They're getting to the perimeter

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Speaker 1: and making those second third level defenders really look silly

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Speaker 1: with the way that what they're doing. The versatility of

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Speaker 1: the running backs too. I think you put up a

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Speaker 1: play of all the hitching go oh. It was I

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Speaker 1: think a thirty five yard game the first half. It

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Speaker 1: was incredible, and it was it was an interesting play

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Speaker 1: because you had the formation was spread and you had

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Speaker 1: press man coverage on everybody except for Austin. So I'm

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Speaker 1: looking at that saying, Okay, as a quarterback, here that's

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Speaker 1: my soft corner. So if I've got a hitch, if

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Speaker 1: we've got kind of a semi mirrored route here. That's

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Speaker 1: that's the soft corner that you want to go out.

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Speaker 1: Who was actually Tracy Walker, who was a very athletic

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Speaker 1: safety who was out there over Eckler, and then they

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Speaker 1: ran a hitch and go and it was like, oh

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Speaker 1: my gosh, you couldn't. It was a beautiful play called

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Speaker 1: beautiful play design. And then Eckler sold the heck out

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Speaker 1: of it, got his shoulders turned, settled, and then exploded

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Speaker 1: right past Tracy Walker. And look, there's not a lot

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Speaker 1: of running backs that have that type of route running

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Speaker 1: savvy and then track the ball as naturally as he did.

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Speaker 1: And he's a weapon. Yeah, he really is. And the

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Speaker 1: weapon on the Texans is Hopkins. We spoke about him earlier.

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Speaker 1: What do you do to defend a guy like this?

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Speaker 1: I mean, he's he's almost unguardable. It's just like you

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Speaker 1: got to just stay in front of him and do

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Speaker 1: your best. Well, it's it's the challenge is finding the

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Speaker 1: football because you can be in great position there's and

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Speaker 1: he still has the trust of his quarterback. They're going

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Speaker 1: to give him opportunities down the field. It comes down to,

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Speaker 1: you know, really playing We talked about playing the hands,

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Speaker 1: locate the football, play the hands. Um. It's a very

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Speaker 1: very difficult thing to do because his catch rats is ridiculous,

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Speaker 1: his concentration, his strength, Um, he is a he is

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Speaker 1: a darner, impossible matchup for everybody in the league. So

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Speaker 1: you got to know he's gonna make some plays. Um.

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Speaker 1: You you mentioned you know, try and limit it. I

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Speaker 1: guess you just try and say, okay, let's make tackles.

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Speaker 1: Don't let him get us after the catch. Um. And

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Speaker 1: then you got to find a way. Don't worry about

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Speaker 1: picking balls off. You just got to try and find

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Speaker 1: a way pokes and balls away down the field. And

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Speaker 1: we kind of saw a tail of two games, right

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Speaker 1: the first game that charges at three penalties I think

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Speaker 1: nine in week two costly pise, especially on a road.

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Speaker 1: But regardless of where you are cleaning up those penalties,

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Speaker 1: Coach Line always talks about the things you can control, right, penalties, turnovers,

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Speaker 1: things like that. If they can just play a cleaner

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Speaker 1: brand of football, they go a long way towards winning. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: You know, look, even with all the injuries, this is

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Speaker 1: still a very talented team. And we saw it. You know,

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Speaker 1: this offense moved the ball up and down the field.

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Speaker 1: We saw the pass rush get rolling. The pieces are

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Speaker 1: still here to be very successful. You just can't have

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Speaker 1: the self inflicted wounds, the penalties, the turnovers, and those

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Speaker 1: are things well within the control, you know, so you

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Speaker 1: can clean those things up. And I think the Chargers,

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Speaker 1: when you look at the way the schedule lays out,

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Speaker 1: have a chance to get a little bit of a

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Speaker 1: run here. Yeah. Finally, what matchup you looking at on Sunday?

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Speaker 1: You can have eyes on the you think they decided. Well,

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Speaker 1: you know, I'm fascinated, you know, watching this Houston defense.

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Speaker 1: Zach Cunningham, I think is one of the better off

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Speaker 1: the ball linebackers in the NFL right now. He's he's

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Speaker 1: six to four, he's long, he's tremendous range sideline to

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Speaker 1: sideline and does a good nice job in coverage. And

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Speaker 1: we saw last week he was very very effective as

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Speaker 1: a blitzer. So to me, when we talk about the

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Speaker 1: Texans having trouble on offense picking up different stunts and

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Speaker 1: movements and blitzer and I look at this Texans defense

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Speaker 1: with their second level players or outstanding rushers, I think,

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Speaker 1: you know who's going to have the better pass rush

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Speaker 1: in this game? And it might not necessarily be from

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Speaker 1: the down four, It's going to be coming from that

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Speaker 1: second level. Which team can get home, which team can

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Speaker 1: protect I think is going to decide the game. Awesome, man,

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Speaker 1: we'll look for that. DJ appreciate it. Thanks Budd. All

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Speaker 1: right to get this week's opposing View, presented by Mercury Insurance,

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Speaker 1: please be joined by one of the best football writers

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Speaker 1: in this business. John Mcleaner the Houston Chronicle, joins me. John,

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Speaker 1: It's a real privilege to talk to you. How you doing, sir.

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Speaker 1: I couldn't be better looking forward to coming to California

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Speaker 1: than never. I've never had a bad trip to California,

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Speaker 1: and I'm really looking forward to seeing the stadium because

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Speaker 1: in my forty three years of covering in that bail,

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Speaker 1: I've never covered a game but a stadium that is small,

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Speaker 1: and I know it's got good sidelines, easy to get around.

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Speaker 1: I'm eager to see how many people from the Texans

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Speaker 1: come out there to the game. So I'm fired up

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Speaker 1: about it, and I look forward to be a closed game,

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Speaker 1: just like the Chargers and Texans that played in each

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Speaker 1: of the first two weeks. Absolutely, and it's gonna be

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Speaker 1: a heck of a match if you got Deshaun Watson

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Speaker 1: versus Philip Rivers. I guess y'all will just start with this.

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Speaker 1: What are the Texans scene about coming to Los Angeles

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Speaker 1: to face the Chargers. I just set out I'm doing

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Speaker 1: a long thing with Jolilla die for a Friday, and

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Speaker 1: how special the game is for him, and how what

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Speaker 1: it was like to go through the move. He went

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Speaker 1: through a situation going from San Diego to Carson like

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Speaker 1: I went through with the Oilers when they moved to Nashville.

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Speaker 1: I know what it's like for the fans and the players.

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Speaker 1: And so it's Bill Bryant said the day they've gone over,

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Speaker 1: or we'll go over everything about this game, the fact

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Speaker 1: there's a soccer match the night before, about the grass

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Speaker 1: and the possibilities of what they'll face, and then of

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Speaker 1: course the stadium itself. So I think anybody when you're

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Speaker 1: playing somewhere for the first time, it's got a special

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Speaker 1: appeal to it, no doubt. And the Texans coming off

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Speaker 1: a year where they won the AFC South Plead, an

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Speaker 1: instant classic in Week one against the Saints, a close

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Speaker 1: one against Jacksonville in Week two. What do you make

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Speaker 1: of what you've seen out of this Texas team to

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Speaker 1: the first two weeks, John, They've added a lot of

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Speaker 1: new players. For instance, they haven't had the same offensive

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Speaker 1: line going back to preseason. They've had injuries, they've had changes,

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Speaker 1: they've had trades like it's misleading. Deshaun Watson's been sacked

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Speaker 1: ten times before where his fault one was a tight

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Speaker 1: ends fault. So really the offensive linement have been responsible

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Speaker 1: for five and it's an ongoing process. They've got a

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Speaker 1: lot of talent now upfront, but it's got to gel

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Speaker 1: kid jail without playing together. They made changes in corner.

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Speaker 1: They cut their counter punter and signed another punter that

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Speaker 1: they hadn't training camp, cut Trevor Daniel Side, Brian Anger,

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Speaker 1: and so Bill O'Brien is the general manager without the title,

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Speaker 1: and he's the coach. He's all powerful. He's the one

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Speaker 1: making these moves. He's got a twenty three person personnel

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Speaker 1: department working with him. He's got a cap specialist contract agotiator.

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Speaker 1: He has a lot of people advising him. But it's

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Speaker 1: the first time in his six years he has been

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Speaker 1: in charge and he's not afraid to make moves. They

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Speaker 1: cut their slight corner Aaron Colvin after one game in

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Speaker 1: which he was awful at New Orleans and they made

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Speaker 1: a change there, So they're in a not a state

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Speaker 1: of confusion, but in a state of change. It's kind

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Speaker 1: of like there's musical chairs and the key players Watson.

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Speaker 1: I wrote earlier he is first year as a starter.

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Speaker 1: When he got hurt and blew out his knee in practice.

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Speaker 1: He had one game in which he didn't throw a

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Speaker 1: touchdown pass. Last year he didn't. He had one game

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Speaker 1: where he didn't throw a touchdown pass. This year he's

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Speaker 1: had one game Jacksonville where he didn't brought a touchdown pass.

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Speaker 1: So that's telling me he'll bounce back. Another interesting thing,

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Speaker 1: people here panic because J. J. Watt doesn't have a

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Speaker 1: sack in the first two games, so he hasn't had

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Speaker 1: a sack in the first two games since two thousand

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Speaker 1: and fifteen. Last year he waited until the third win

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Speaker 1: and finished with sixteen. So I wrote a thing today

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Speaker 1: on our website about people need to just take a

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Speaker 1: child bill, take a deeptide of release and just let

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Speaker 1: it play out. That's right, And there's a lot of

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Speaker 1: pass rush specialists in this game. When you talked about

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Speaker 1: what and then you got Joey bos and Melvin Ingram

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Speaker 1: on the other side. But I want to go back

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Speaker 1: to Watt because his brother Derek. This will be the

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Speaker 1: first time that they have actually faced off. I think

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Speaker 1: JJ was hurt the last time that the chargers in

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Speaker 1: the Texans faced off. Was JJ said about facing his

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Speaker 1: brother Derek. He talked about it about thirty minutes ago.

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Speaker 1: By what it means to him, I special with this.

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Speaker 1: Those three brothers along with TJ, are really really close.

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Speaker 1: I think they have a group text to take text constantly.

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Speaker 1: And what we want to see is when Derek as

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Speaker 1: a lead blocker, maybe Eckler's running too that side, Eric

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Speaker 1: is leading him and Derek has got to take on

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Speaker 1: big brother and they JJ said today they used to

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Speaker 1: take on each other all the time, but he's usually

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Speaker 1: with hockey sticks up in Wisconsin. And JJ is four

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Speaker 1: years older than Derek is, so he was always bigger.

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Speaker 1: So I can't wait to see that one or maybe

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Speaker 1: even JJ runs a stunt and gets in on a

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Speaker 1: rushing Philip Rivers and Derek steps up to block him.

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Speaker 1: It's gonna be fun to watch. That's gonna be fun

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Speaker 1: to watch. There's some subplots to this game too, the

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Speaker 1: Clemson connection too, between Mike Williams and DeAndre Hopkins and

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Speaker 1: Deshaun Watson. What's DeShawn saying about going up against a

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Speaker 1: team in which is one of his biggest targets in

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Speaker 1: college is on the other side, Well, he had nothing

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Speaker 1: but great things to say about Mike Williams, and of

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Speaker 1: course being a quarterback and being from the East Coats,

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Speaker 1: He's from Northern Georgia. You know, everybody knows about Philip Rivers.

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Speaker 1: You know, it's amazing when we saw last year Watson

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Speaker 1: against sack sixty two times, getting knocked down one hundred

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Speaker 1: and thirty two more times and only missed one play

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Speaker 1: because he thought the first half was over. And it

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Speaker 1: reminds you and just how remarkable Philip Rivers. His durability

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Speaker 1: has been, not just his play, of course, but the

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Speaker 1: ways be able to stay out. He sept for that

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Speaker 1: niscope in two thousand and seven playoffs. So I am

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Speaker 1: amazed at guys like Rivers and Eli Manning that Eli's

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Speaker 1: I ever missed a game because of A andjurine. He

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Speaker 1: won't now because he's been bench but stability and durability

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Speaker 1: a quarterback. They're so important and Rivers epitomizes that, and

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Speaker 1: Watson certainly respects it. As far as Clemson, They've got

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Speaker 1: four players here from Clemson, including their starting nose tackle,

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Speaker 1: DJ Reader, who's a good player, and they just like

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Speaker 1: guys that come from South Carolina. That's right, you know,

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Speaker 1: going back to the quarterback John, In all your years

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Speaker 1: covering the league, I think this past weekend is just

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Speaker 1: a great reminder and just an appreciation for guys like

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Speaker 1: Philip Rivers. When you see Eli moved to the bench,

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Speaker 1: and you see Drew Brees get hurt and you see

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Speaker 1: Big Ben out for the season, it just makes you

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Speaker 1: appreciate just the toughness of these quarterbacks. I hope Rivers

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Speaker 1: plays into his forties. I'm assuming that he wants to.

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Speaker 1: He's got a lot of mouth to feed, and I

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Speaker 1: think the NFL is better off if he does. I

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Speaker 1: want to see Big Band come back stronger than ever,

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Speaker 1: play into his parties like Brady Drew Brees. Same way,

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Speaker 1: because it's a privilege watching the quarterbacks, not just the

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Speaker 1: older guys, but the young guns coming up to take

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Speaker 1: their places like Patrick Mahomes and DeShawn Watson and and

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Speaker 1: I hope it's a hope that these guys can keep playing.

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Speaker 1: The key is, of course, to stay healthy. And then

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Speaker 1: a lot of it it's just luck. And you think

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Speaker 1: about all the times Rivers has been hit, and he's

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Speaker 1: a tough guy and he plays hard, but a lot

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Speaker 1: of it is luck. And I'm sure he'd be the

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Speaker 1: first to say so. When we look at this matchup, John,

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Speaker 1: what do you think the biggest challenge is that this

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Speaker 1: charges offense poses to a pretty good Houston defense to

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Speaker 1: keep JJ watt off for Rivers, watch came he got

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Speaker 1: shut out Goose Seggs in the first game in New

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Speaker 1: Orleans for the first time in his career. No assistant tackles,

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Speaker 1: no so lows know nothing, not deflations anything, And I

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Speaker 1: know that bothered him. And then he played a much

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Speaker 1: better game, came close to three sacks. But the rookie

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Speaker 1: for Jacksonville, Gardner Minshew is very mobile and he got

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Speaker 1: away and he knows where Phillip's going to be. Phillip's

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Speaker 1: going to be in a pocket. He's a pocket passer.

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Speaker 1: He knows he can move around if he has to

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Speaker 1: move around. But we know where he makes his living.

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Speaker 1: So they got to worry about what and across from what.

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Speaker 1: Whitney Merciless is in his eighth year when he had

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Speaker 1: to move into the strong side when Jadwan Clowney was there,

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Speaker 1: and when they traded Clowney, Merciless got to go back

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Speaker 1: to his previous position. And he has three sacks and

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Speaker 1: he sports two turnovers that set up touchdowns, including one

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Speaker 1: that was the winning touchdown against Jacksonville. So the Chargers

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Speaker 1: have to worry about him and why, just like the

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Speaker 1: Texans have to worry about Melvin Ingram and Joey Boson.

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Speaker 1: It's going to be fun to watch those guys and

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Speaker 1: to see how they try to go about it. And

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Speaker 1: I'm really fired up to watch the passing games. Oh yeah,

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Speaker 1: me as well. And we know about all the household

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Speaker 1: names too, right, We know about Hopkins and Watson and J. J. Watt.

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Speaker 1: Who are a few Texans who may not necessarily be

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Speaker 1: household names. The Chargers fishing have eyes on. They have

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Speaker 1: a tight end, a backgroup named Jordan Nakins, third round

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Speaker 1: pick last year, who doesn't have a lot of catches,

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Speaker 1: but when he does, he makes good plays. He's liking

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Speaker 1: h back. He moves around a lot. Darren Fells is

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Speaker 1: a starter, but he's gonna catch. Akins will catch two

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Speaker 1: or three passes, and Kenny Steals, who came from Miami,

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Speaker 1: has already made some big plays. They've got Hopkins, Will Puller,

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Speaker 1: and Kenny Steals as their top three receivers, but every

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Speaker 1: once in a while they like to throw it to

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Speaker 1: Jordan Nakins, and he's a guy to keep it out

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Speaker 1: and a defensive player to keep it out on I

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Speaker 1: think is Zach Cunningham inside linebacker. He's coming off of

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Speaker 1: nine solo tack one sack game. He's good in coverage

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Speaker 1: and probably just coming off the best game of his career.

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Speaker 1: So he's a guy for the Chargers to watch out

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Speaker 1: for on defense. John Final think for you, what do

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Speaker 1: you think is going to decide this one? We look

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Speaker 1: at the schedule in Week three, I know there's a

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Speaker 1: lot of football to be played, but you look at

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Speaker 1: tiebreaker situations at the end of the year, this could

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Speaker 1: come into play. You never know, Chargers Texans. They could

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Speaker 1: be and I'm assuming like a bad hangover, the Chargers

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Speaker 1: threw it all up in Detroit and they're not going

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Speaker 1: to play like that again. The mistakes they made, they're

426
00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,800
Speaker 1: just so uncharger like, and then they have remembers though

427
00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,280
Speaker 1: his only interception in the end zone. I know the

428
00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,159
Speaker 1: Texans thing, we can't hope that's going to happen again.

429
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,160
Speaker 1: And I would imagine because of that, it's like the

430
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:56,119
Speaker 1: Chargers are got over that hangover. Now they're refreshed, and

431
00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:59,280
Speaker 1: the Texans will get the very best they have to offer.

432
00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,600
Speaker 1: But both these teams have played such close games that

433
00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:05,680
Speaker 1: have come down to the end where they had both

434
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,560
Speaker 1: event a chance to be two and oh and they

435
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,080
Speaker 1: blew it. So I think it'll be a close game.

436
00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,440
Speaker 1: I think it'll come down to a feel goal and

437
00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,960
Speaker 1: I'm taking a Charging. We got a treat in September

438
00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,600
Speaker 1: and Los Angeles. John McClean Houston Chronicle. It was such

439
00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,400
Speaker 1: a privilege talking to you, John, and I can't wait

440
00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,960
Speaker 1: to welcome you to Dignity Health Sports Partner. I'm looking

441
00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,040
Speaker 1: forward to it. Thank you very much. Can't wait to

442
00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,320
Speaker 1: get out in California. All right, guys, we know you

443
00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,359
Speaker 1: love the Chargers, but you also probably love saving money too,

444
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445
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447
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Speaker 1: the next game and jerseys for the whole family too.

448
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451
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452
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453
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454
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Speaker 1: Comparison Profile thirty A Individual savings by vary. Don't miss

455
00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,040
Speaker 1: a minute of action with the official La Chargers mobile app.

456
00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,240
Speaker 1: Follow real time stats, what's your favorite Bolts? Programming and

457
00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:12,920
Speaker 1: live local Chargers games all season long. Download today at

458
00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:17,080
Speaker 1: Chargers dot com slash app. Geographic and device restrictions apply

459
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,520
Speaker 1: local and primetime games only. Data charges may apply All

460
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,639
Speaker 1: right now. Joined by Spirodias, CBS Sports Spirow, the preseason

461
00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,639
Speaker 1: television voice of the Chargers. Didn't take you long to

462
00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:32,160
Speaker 1: find yourself back in La. How are you man? Good?

463
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,040
Speaker 1: Good Chris? It's and I think at a home game.

464
00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:35,440
Speaker 1: Don't have to get on the plane for a week,

465
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,200
Speaker 1: And this time of year. It's nice. It's great man. Well,

466
00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,480
Speaker 1: if the last two weeks or any indication I was

467
00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,600
Speaker 1: just talking to you. You had Seahawks Bengals in Week one,

468
00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,359
Speaker 1: I think that was a one point game, and then

469
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,800
Speaker 1: you had Titans Colts last week a two point game.

470
00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:49,680
Speaker 1: We may be in for a close pin in Carson.

471
00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,119
Speaker 1: You know, it's it's nice to get some competitive games.

472
00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,080
Speaker 1: You know, like we said, you do these games every year.

473
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,440
Speaker 1: We're so fortunate. You know, it's such a there's nothing

474
00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:00,879
Speaker 1: quite like being in an NFLO on a Sunday, and

475
00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,880
Speaker 1: then when the games are close competitive, it just it

476
00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,760
Speaker 1: takes it to another level. So hopefully, you know, this

477
00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:08,159
Speaker 1: is a big game for both of these teams. It

478
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,240
Speaker 1: seems like we say that every week, but you know,

479
00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,280
Speaker 1: there's there's such importance during a sixteen game season for

480
00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,200
Speaker 1: these clubs that are hoping to contend, and certainly both

481
00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,239
Speaker 1: of these teams are hoping to be there at the end.

482
00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:21,639
Speaker 1: Well Sparre, you were up close and personal with this

483
00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,160
Speaker 1: team during the exhibition season. What's been your takeaway from

484
00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,680
Speaker 1: how the Chargers have played the last two weeks based

485
00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,200
Speaker 1: on what you saw through August and beginning September. Well,

486
00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:33,080
Speaker 1: you know, when we started to look at what this

487
00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,479
Speaker 1: team was going to look like this season before training

488
00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,000
Speaker 1: camp started, obviously, you know, based on what we saw

489
00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:41,800
Speaker 1: last year, which I thought in a lot of ways,

490
00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:43,800
Speaker 1: it was kind of a renaissance year for the franchise,

491
00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,040
Speaker 1: you know, to get close to a postseason birth two

492
00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:51,040
Speaker 1: years ago when Anthony Lynn took over, to then last

493
00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,760
Speaker 1: year taking that next step. You know, you just expect

494
00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:56,840
Speaker 1: the team now to continue in its development. But the

495
00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,240
Speaker 1: Chargers were in a tricky position and they still are.

496
00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,119
Speaker 1: You know, here is team that, you know, a lot

497
00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,240
Speaker 1: of the experts feel like is a true contender to

498
00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:08,840
Speaker 1: challenge for the AFC crown. Yet they had some really

499
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,760
Speaker 1: key issues at some very important positions. And I think

500
00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,400
Speaker 1: it starts with left tackle, and I think that that's

501
00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,960
Speaker 1: kind of reared its ugly head already. You know, with

502
00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,520
Speaker 1: Russell o'koung, no one still knows kind of what his

503
00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,000
Speaker 1: status is going to be. We know he's going to

504
00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,399
Speaker 1: miss the first half of the season, and you know,

505
00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,520
Speaker 1: when you've got a quarterback who's thirty seven, and I

506
00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,280
Speaker 1: know Philip Rivers is mister durability, you know, left tackle

507
00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,439
Speaker 1: is just such a huge position, not just in the

508
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,240
Speaker 1: past game, but also in the running game as well.

509
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:39,439
Speaker 1: So you've got a left tackle question mark that I

510
00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:41,680
Speaker 1: think is going to loom over this team until o'coom

511
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,320
Speaker 1: is ready to come back. And and also obviously the

512
00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:48,359
Speaker 1: running back position to hold out of Melvin Gordon. I

513
00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,800
Speaker 1: think Austin Eckler and Justin Jackson have given them tremendous

514
00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 1: value considering what they make and what they count against

515
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,639
Speaker 1: the salary cap. But you know, now you've got the

516
00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,679
Speaker 1: injuries in the secondary, you know, of area of this

517
00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,160
Speaker 1: defense that has gone from being a huge strength now

518
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,840
Speaker 1: to suddenly being extremely thin. And so you know, this

519
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,639
Speaker 1: is what life in the NFL is like. You know,

520
00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:11,800
Speaker 1: you go from one week or one season up, everything

521
00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,919
Speaker 1: seems to be going your way, and now suddenly Anthony

522
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,960
Speaker 1: Lennity's staff have to really answer some tough questions and

523
00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,080
Speaker 1: then figure some things out on the fly. Here I

524
00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,080
Speaker 1: tell you, Sparah, that's when roster building comes in, because

525
00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,560
Speaker 1: obviously you can't replace a Hunter Henry or a Derwin

526
00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,280
Speaker 1: James or Russo a Coon. I mean, we've seen Austin

527
00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,600
Speaker 1: and Justin really have a remarkable first two weeks of

528
00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,800
Speaker 1: the season. But I think that's when roster building comes

529
00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,960
Speaker 1: into playing with Tom Talsco and company have done with

530
00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,000
Speaker 1: this kind of next man up mentality. Every team's gonna

531
00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,040
Speaker 1: have injuries, but just seems like the Chargers have been

532
00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:47,760
Speaker 1: hit maybe a little harder than both teams this early. Yeah,

533
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,760
Speaker 1: And I think you know, if you're Melvin Gordon right now,

534
00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,760
Speaker 1: you know you seem to be losing leverage by the day.

535
00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:56,320
Speaker 1: And this is why I think, and I agree with

536
00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,080
Speaker 1: a lot of the experts who kind of specialize in

537
00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,720
Speaker 1: the financial part of the NFL and roster building. You

538
00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,159
Speaker 1: just you know, it's so hard to tie up that

539
00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:08,000
Speaker 1: much salary with a running back. And we all know

540
00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,520
Speaker 1: how talented Melvin Gordon is. You know, he's proven it.

541
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,399
Speaker 1: He's he's a durable back. He gives you everything he

542
00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,200
Speaker 1: can um certainly he's missed some games the last couple

543
00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:17,840
Speaker 1: of years, but he puts his body on the line

544
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,760
Speaker 1: every week. So it's it's hard to to to say

545
00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,080
Speaker 1: that he doesn't deserve what he wants. But I just

546
00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,879
Speaker 1: don't know how you do that. I think with the Rams,

547
00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,199
Speaker 1: and you know now with the Cowboys, with the with

548
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,640
Speaker 1: the contract that Ezekiel Elliott signed a couple of weeks ago.

549
00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,320
Speaker 1: You know, very few teams can tie up that kind

550
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,960
Speaker 1: of salary into one player, especially at that position. You know,

551
00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:38,800
Speaker 1: you look at so many running backs around the league.

552
00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,200
Speaker 1: We had Chris Carson, you know, week one in Seattle.

553
00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,879
Speaker 1: You know, guy's a seventh round pick who's given you

554
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,160
Speaker 1: tremendous value and you get a financial bargain. And now

555
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:49,320
Speaker 1: as the season goes on and these injuries start to

556
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:50,760
Speaker 1: pile up, you know you have to be in a

557
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,680
Speaker 1: position financially where you can have some flexibility and make

558
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,840
Speaker 1: some signings and you know, change around your roster. I'm

559
00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,400
Speaker 1: just not sure you can do that when you've tied

560
00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,440
Speaker 1: up so much dollary to a player at a position

561
00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:05,680
Speaker 1: that you know has really evolved the last couple of years.

562
00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,119
Speaker 1: And you know you can find guys who can contribute.

563
00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:11,399
Speaker 1: But you know, Tom Telesco has has rebuilt this roster

564
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:16,320
Speaker 1: incredibly well. The infrastructure has improved dramatically. But now these

565
00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,320
Speaker 1: are the moments that really put that to the test.

566
00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,480
Speaker 1: You know, when you lose multiple guys in the secondary

567
00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,120
Speaker 1: and the injuries that they've had on the defensive side

568
00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,360
Speaker 1: of the football, so you know, this is where they're

569
00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:28,280
Speaker 1: gonna have to get creative and figure some things out,

570
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,200
Speaker 1: because this is not a team that wants to let

571
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:31,960
Speaker 1: this season go. I mean, this is a team that's

572
00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:35,760
Speaker 1: built to win. Now. Obviously, Philip Rivers Windows is getting

573
00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 1: closer and closer to coming to an end at some point,

574
00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,720
Speaker 1: and so they really want to try to figure this out. Well,

575
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,760
Speaker 1: the defense, when you give up thirteen points, you should

576
00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,520
Speaker 1: probably win the football game, and they played pretty well

577
00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:51,800
Speaker 1: a couple that with two interceptions by ray Sewn Jenkins

578
00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,680
Speaker 1: and Casey Hayward. But again you lose Darwin James's replacement

579
00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:57,920
Speaker 1: in Adrian Phillips, who's really kind of the heart and

580
00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,600
Speaker 1: soul that special teams and a leader on that defense. Again,

581
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,120
Speaker 1: we've talked about next man up, rogerick team or whether

582
00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,320
Speaker 1: it's Nazi Adderlee, the second round pick, Jalen Watkins. All

583
00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:10,080
Speaker 1: these guys are going to be tested, sparrow um. But

584
00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,040
Speaker 1: at the same time, when you have Melvin Ingram Joey

585
00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,800
Speaker 1: Bose can get a pass rush, makes that secondary that

586
00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:19,320
Speaker 1: much better. Yeah, you know, and and it's amazing. You know,

587
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,120
Speaker 1: you look at a guy like Rodery Teemer who's been

588
00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,320
Speaker 1: dealing with the hamstring injury. Suddenly you know he's not

589
00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:25,080
Speaker 1: only gonna be after to play, he may even be

590
00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,720
Speaker 1: their starter, you know, one of the safety positions this week.

591
00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:30,640
Speaker 1: It's just incredible fluctuations that we see week to week,

592
00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,560
Speaker 1: and I'm not convinced that we're not going to seem

593
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:35,920
Speaker 1: to see Adderley play some considerable snaps. I know that

594
00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,360
Speaker 1: Anthony Lynn has really been cautious in some of his

595
00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,000
Speaker 1: comments to the media, but you know, you were in

596
00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,000
Speaker 1: Santa Clara for that last preseason game as I was,

597
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,040
Speaker 1: and we saw Adderley and a granted, just doing this

598
00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,720
Speaker 1: in the last preseason game against guys who are you know,

599
00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:51,040
Speaker 1: for the most part not even gonna be on an

600
00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,160
Speaker 1: NFL roster. But you know, talent is talent, and you

601
00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,080
Speaker 1: know in the booth that day, watching the seer Adderley

602
00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:02,720
Speaker 1: fly around and have an incredible range in the back

603
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,760
Speaker 1: end of that secondary, you know they're going to need

604
00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:07,680
Speaker 1: him to play, and they're going to need him to contribute.

605
00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:10,760
Speaker 1: With the injuries that they have. They just don't have

606
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,000
Speaker 1: enough guys to be able to keep a guy you

607
00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:15,920
Speaker 1: know who you use the high pick to get in

608
00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,320
Speaker 1: the second round to keep him on ice and he's

609
00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:21,600
Speaker 1: I think these next couple of weeks is going to

610
00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:23,080
Speaker 1: be thrown into the mix and it's going to be

611
00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:25,320
Speaker 1: exciting to see what he can do. But you know,

612
00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,200
Speaker 1: again you mentioned Bosa and Ingram, this is where these

613
00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,560
Speaker 1: guys have to earn their paycheck and really kind of

614
00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:33,560
Speaker 1: hide some of the deficiencies and some of the injuries

615
00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,640
Speaker 1: that they have on the back end of that of

616
00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,400
Speaker 1: that secondary no face a Houston offense, sparrow. You've been

617
00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:41,840
Speaker 1: able to get to Deshaun Watson a little bit. He

618
00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,840
Speaker 1: I think was sacked over sixty times last year. What's

619
00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,440
Speaker 1: the biggest challenge that that Houston offense poses to the

620
00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,080
Speaker 1: Chargers defense? If you can get to Watson, I think

621
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:54,800
Speaker 1: that's a big key. Yeah, It's amazing how much of

622
00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:56,760
Speaker 1: a pounding this guy has taken. And you know, in

623
00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:00,440
Speaker 1: light of the Andrew lux situation, you know of franchise

624
00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,560
Speaker 1: that just could never seem to build an offensive line

625
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,360
Speaker 1: around it's a young franchise quarterback. When we saw how

626
00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:11,120
Speaker 1: that thing panned out, Houston's kind of in the same boat.

627
00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,880
Speaker 1: And I think that's why, you know, while all the

628
00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,440
Speaker 1: fans and the media kind of panned the Laramie Tunsil deal,

629
00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,320
Speaker 1: everything that they gave up to get him. I think

630
00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:22,040
Speaker 1: that was the desperation of the franchise that realizes, look,

631
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,920
Speaker 1: we've got to protect this guy. You know, sixty two

632
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,280
Speaker 1: times he was sacked last year. That's an incredibly high number.

633
00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:32,320
Speaker 1: He's been sacked at least four times in eight straight games.

634
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,760
Speaker 1: That just can't happen when you've invested so much, and

635
00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:37,440
Speaker 1: you know you've got a guy who's that skilled and

636
00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,800
Speaker 1: that talented, who you know, you hope, who's going to

637
00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:41,880
Speaker 1: be the face of your franchise for at least a decade.

638
00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:46,040
Speaker 1: You got to protect him. And I think now, especially

639
00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,840
Speaker 1: with Bill O'Brien kind of the head of their personnel

640
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,320
Speaker 1: until they figure out a long term general manager. You know,

641
00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,040
Speaker 1: Bill O'Brien wants you know, he doesn't want to think

642
00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:58,120
Speaker 1: about the future. He's trying to win down especially considering

643
00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,640
Speaker 1: he's the head coach of the team. So you know,

644
00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,560
Speaker 1: it's it's it's a tough spot. You know, you've got

645
00:32:02,560 --> 00:32:04,640
Speaker 1: a guy who can do so many things on the field,

646
00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,600
Speaker 1: you've got to be able to protect him. And this

647
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:09,360
Speaker 1: is you know, this is a week that Bill O'Brien's

648
00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,719
Speaker 1: is standing up at night trying to figure out how

649
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,760
Speaker 1: he's going to contend with with these edge rushers that

650
00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,600
Speaker 1: the Charger is gonna be coming with. And if Watson

651
00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,520
Speaker 1: does get the ball out of his hands, it'll likely

652
00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:21,239
Speaker 1: be to DeAndre Hopkins and company. What do you think

653
00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:25,840
Speaker 1: the biggest challenges for this Charger secondary not only stopping Hopkins,

654
00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,800
Speaker 1: but you have a speedster Will Fuller, Kenny Stills is

655
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:31,200
Speaker 1: there as well. You've got some playmakers on the outside

656
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,680
Speaker 1: for Watson. Yeah. I got if there was ever a

657
00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:36,960
Speaker 1: week that Anthony Lynn and Gus Bradley were hoping to

658
00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,800
Speaker 1: take on a team that didn't have a prolific passing attack,

659
00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,440
Speaker 1: this would be it. You know, with the injuries that

660
00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,160
Speaker 1: they have, and this is gonna be a huge challenge

661
00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,320
Speaker 1: for Gus Bradley's defense. We've seen how creative he's been

662
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:48,280
Speaker 1: with his staff over the last couple of years. You know,

663
00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,000
Speaker 1: he's really retooled this defense and it's been fun to watch.

664
00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:53,480
Speaker 1: But you know, this is one of those weeks that

665
00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:56,480
Speaker 1: they really have to scheme up and then you know,

666
00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,600
Speaker 1: put their guys in a position to win. I'm just

667
00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,080
Speaker 1: not sure how you can do it. I think It'll

668
00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,920
Speaker 1: start with the pass rush. They've got to be able

669
00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,760
Speaker 1: to get watching out of the pocket, try to keep

670
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,520
Speaker 1: him contained, and you know, force him to make some

671
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:12,520
Speaker 1: tough throws because you know, we've seen DeAndre Hopkins incredibly talented.

672
00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:14,479
Speaker 1: He is. I mean, he's right up there with with

673
00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:16,320
Speaker 1: all the pass catchers that we have in the sport,

674
00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:19,520
Speaker 1: the great ones. And you know, Fuller is a guy

675
00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,400
Speaker 1: with a lot of speed. You can really get down

676
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,720
Speaker 1: the field and burn you because of the attention that

677
00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,000
Speaker 1: I think Hopkins gets. And now you're throwing Kenny Stills

678
00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:29,600
Speaker 1: into the mix. Kenny Stows is your number three wide receiver.

679
00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,520
Speaker 1: You've got a pretty good group and that's certainly where

680
00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:34,760
Speaker 1: Houston is at this point. So there's a lot of

681
00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,960
Speaker 1: really interesting parts of this game, and we're looking forward

682
00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,160
Speaker 1: to Sunday. Should be fun Sparrow when we talk about

683
00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,120
Speaker 1: Philip Rivers just flipping it to the Chargers offense and

684
00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,560
Speaker 1: we see Big Ben go out for the year and

685
00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:49,000
Speaker 1: Eli get benched. I know that you've called these games

686
00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,479
Speaker 1: and Philip hasn't played much in the exhibition, but just

687
00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:55,480
Speaker 1: your appreciation for just the toughness that this guy is

688
00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:59,760
Speaker 1: displayed over seventeen NFL seasons. He's such a throwback. You know,

689
00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,160
Speaker 1: it's one of the great parts of the year to

690
00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,880
Speaker 1: do the Chargers preseason games and to be able to

691
00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:07,440
Speaker 1: sit with him and kind of pick his brain and

692
00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:10,120
Speaker 1: see how he sees the game at this stage of

693
00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,080
Speaker 1: his career. The great thing about Philip you know, you

694
00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:14,879
Speaker 1: look at his numbers. I mean, he's at the top

695
00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:20,560
Speaker 1: of somebody of the quarterback statistical categories and and that's

696
00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:22,520
Speaker 1: all well and good, you know, for all the stat

697
00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,319
Speaker 1: guys out there, but it's just it's refreshing to see

698
00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:27,760
Speaker 1: a guy like him at this stage of his career.

699
00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,279
Speaker 1: You know, thirty seven years old. He's been doing this

700
00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:33,480
Speaker 1: so many years. Hard to think he's been the starter

701
00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:35,719
Speaker 1: since two thousand and six and this week he's going

702
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:40,319
Speaker 1: to pass e live for consecutive game started. But you know,

703
00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,080
Speaker 1: you listen to him talk, there's nothing that he cares

704
00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:46,080
Speaker 1: about at this stage and winning and doing it in

705
00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:49,120
Speaker 1: the postseason. And that's why I think last year, the

706
00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:51,440
Speaker 1: way it ended was so bitter for him because he

707
00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:53,960
Speaker 1: really felt like that team had a chance and he

708
00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,239
Speaker 1: finally had a chance to break through. It's the one

709
00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,920
Speaker 1: thing that's evaded him in his career, and he knows

710
00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,680
Speaker 1: a well as anywhere else. You know, when his career

711
00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,319
Speaker 1: is said and done, to really put his career up

712
00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,200
Speaker 1: with the all time greats, he's going to have to

713
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,759
Speaker 1: have a little bit more success in the postseason. And

714
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,120
Speaker 1: it's just fun to watch, you know, It's fun to

715
00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:15,960
Speaker 1: watch a guy who cares about nothing else aside from winning,

716
00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:19,040
Speaker 1: and he's still playing at a high level. You know,

717
00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:22,680
Speaker 1: it's incredible. I remember, god, maybe maybe five six years

718
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:24,920
Speaker 1: ago he had I think it was twenty eleven where

719
00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:26,799
Speaker 1: he had a little bit of a downturn in his

720
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,960
Speaker 1: career and there were already people whispering, you know, you know,

721
00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,280
Speaker 1: maybe Philip Rivers is on the back end. My god,

722
00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:34,840
Speaker 1: you know, he was able to kick it into another

723
00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:36,719
Speaker 1: gear and he's been playing at such a high level,

724
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:39,320
Speaker 1: and it's it's incredible to see. You know, these guys

725
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,600
Speaker 1: take such a beating at that position and to be

726
00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:44,719
Speaker 1: thirty seven and to still be playing at this level

727
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,040
Speaker 1: is pretty fascinating, you know, sir. When coach Lynn got

728
00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:52,000
Speaker 1: here in twenty seventeen, I feel like Philip there's more

729
00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:54,239
Speaker 1: of an emphasis on maybe not turning the football over

730
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,480
Speaker 1: and not trying to do too much, and sometimes when

731
00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:58,719
Speaker 1: Philip got in troubles because the charges were down in

732
00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,720
Speaker 1: games and he had to kind of make something happened.

733
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,080
Speaker 1: When you have playmakers and you have a running game

734
00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:05,640
Speaker 1: and you have chemistry with guys like Keenan Allen and

735
00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:08,840
Speaker 1: Mike Williams and Hunter, when he's in there, I almost

736
00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:12,080
Speaker 1: feel like Philip can trust these guys because he's played

737
00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,000
Speaker 1: with them and he's got some playmakers not only in

738
00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:17,520
Speaker 1: the backfield but also on the outside. Yeah, I think

739
00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:19,239
Speaker 1: it's one of the you bring up a good point

740
00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:20,759
Speaker 1: with Anthony. I think it's one of the areas where

741
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,920
Speaker 1: he really looked and studied upon taking the job in

742
00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:26,560
Speaker 1: twenty seventeen. You know, how can I help a guy

743
00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,080
Speaker 1: who's already a franchise quarterback and is so great? And

744
00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:32,080
Speaker 1: I think Lynn quickly realized, you know, let's let's strengthen

745
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,640
Speaker 1: the running game. Let's get the offensive line figured out,

746
00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,040
Speaker 1: you know, with the pounding that Philip had taken for

747
00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:40,360
Speaker 1: for a number of years, and you know, Melvin Gordon

748
00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,560
Speaker 1: starts to come into his own. The offensive line is

749
00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,479
Speaker 1: retooled last year with guys like Mike Pouncey being brought

750
00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,000
Speaker 1: in and and o'coon and and I think it's kind

751
00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:51,799
Speaker 1: of added a couple of years to the back end

752
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,320
Speaker 1: of Philip's career. You know, it's something that needed to

753
00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:59,440
Speaker 1: be addressed and it has. And you know, we were

754
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,080
Speaker 1: there for the Mike McCoy years. You know, Mike a

755
00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,560
Speaker 1: really brilliant offensive mind. You know, a lot of respect

756
00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,960
Speaker 1: for his game planning and his play calling abilities, but

757
00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:12,760
Speaker 1: there was something missing during those years. And the attitude

758
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,000
Speaker 1: adjustment that the franchise has undertaken since Anthony walked in

759
00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,600
Speaker 1: the door, at least from my perspective, has just been incredible.

760
00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,560
Speaker 1: You know, everything changed. There is such a toughness, there's

761
00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:26,880
Speaker 1: such a respect. He gets up in the front of

762
00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,799
Speaker 1: the room and instantly has the respect of every guy

763
00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,960
Speaker 1: in that locker room because of the career he's had.

764
00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:35,200
Speaker 1: You know, he was a grinder as a player, had

765
00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:38,719
Speaker 1: to work for everything he got, and the same as

766
00:37:38,719 --> 00:37:40,320
Speaker 1: a coach. You know, he had to wait a number

767
00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:42,520
Speaker 1: of years to get an opportunity to be a head coach.

768
00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,600
Speaker 1: And those are the guys that players in the league

769
00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:49,160
Speaker 1: relate to and respect. And you know, we've seen him

770
00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:51,600
Speaker 1: prove himself in game as a coach with the chances

771
00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:54,160
Speaker 1: he took last year at the two point conversion in

772
00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:58,440
Speaker 1: Kansas City. I mean, his street cred skyrocketed after that decision,

773
00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:02,400
Speaker 1: and he's pushed all the right buttons, and it's going

774
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,520
Speaker 1: to be really interesting to see how he navigates through

775
00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:07,640
Speaker 1: where this team is right now, with the injuries, key

776
00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,080
Speaker 1: guys that are missing that we mentioned. You know, it's

777
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:11,799
Speaker 1: it's going to be really fun the next couple of weeks.

778
00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:13,120
Speaker 1: And this is where I think he leans on two

779
00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:15,560
Speaker 1: guys that have been head coaches on his staff, you know,

780
00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,279
Speaker 1: Ken wizen Hunt and obviously Gus Bradley, guys that can

781
00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:21,400
Speaker 1: really kind of help him navigate through some of these

782
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,920
Speaker 1: tough decisions that he has to make. That's a great point.

783
00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:26,520
Speaker 1: And you're lose an NFC game. You got five AFC

784
00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:30,160
Speaker 1: games in row, starting with the Texans on Sunday, and

785
00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,200
Speaker 1: we'll see you there Sparrow. Really looking forward to seeing

786
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:35,840
Speaker 1: you and always appreciate the time. Man, great insight, my pleasure, Chris,

787
00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,920
Speaker 1: Thanks Bun. All right, time for a little Week three

788
00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,160
Speaker 1: NFL Pick Them Here with CBS Sports Senior writer Will Brinson.

789
00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,279
Speaker 1: Will is the host of the Pick six podcast. A

790
00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:49,040
Speaker 1: daily podcast. You must subscribe to it. Well, how are

791
00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:52,760
Speaker 1: you doing, brother Joe? Well, Chris, I just got somebody's

792
00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:57,440
Speaker 1: just tweeted me a picture of myself mastered up with

793
00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:01,200
Speaker 1: Daniel Jones, Eli Manning and the guy with the sweetpee

794
00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:04,840
Speaker 1: brown hair from the Lego movie. Reminding even I'm apparently

795
00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:08,240
Speaker 1: the most Caucasian human on the planet. Are you starting?

796
00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:12,080
Speaker 1: I guess the Buccaneers on Sunday? Is that the question? No?

797
00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:13,600
Speaker 1: But I would definitely hang out in a bar with

798
00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:16,600
Speaker 1: e Bi Manning a Daniel Jones. Look, no, I'm not.

799
00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:18,319
Speaker 1: They get to go with the rookie. I like it,

800
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,479
Speaker 1: although rookie quarterbacks on the road and the first start

801
00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:24,480
Speaker 1: have not exactly been a profitable bunch when it comes

802
00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:27,319
Speaker 1: to winning the games. That's right, That's right. Well we'll

803
00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,080
Speaker 1: see what has with Daniels Joseph preseason was any education,

804
00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:33,200
Speaker 1: you know, hopefully as a good debut. But well, I

805
00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:35,959
Speaker 1: have I have six games for you, buddy in honto

806
00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:37,759
Speaker 1: the Picks six podcast. First of all, how's the Pick

807
00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:41,160
Speaker 1: six podcast going? It's feel great. We're actually having a

808
00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:44,400
Speaker 1: very successful month. People people apparently enjoy it, which is

809
00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:47,080
Speaker 1: I've always I'm always surprising, thrilled christ and people enjoy

810
00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:49,799
Speaker 1: something that I do for a living. And uh, we

811
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:52,240
Speaker 1: gotta kind of getting in the getting in the Grimers

812
00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:54,640
Speaker 1: seven episodes a week. It's daily, but we do seven

813
00:39:54,680 --> 00:39:57,000
Speaker 1: episodes a week because we do a Thursday night preview

814
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,120
Speaker 1: in a Monday night preview. Try and break down the

815
00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:02,279
Speaker 1: game from a you know, breakdown football from a you know,

816
00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:06,480
Speaker 1: every angle you know, whether it's fantasy, getting a sports patting,

817
00:40:06,560 --> 00:40:08,640
Speaker 1: whatever it is, you know, and but also deliver a

818
00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:10,400
Speaker 1: little bit of mirth. You know, we don't want to

819
00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:12,279
Speaker 1: we don't football is that too? Shares a little bit

820
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,080
Speaker 1: of mirth with our with our football in the Pixures

821
00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:16,120
Speaker 1: podcast why not? Well, you know what, if you're a

822
00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:19,960
Speaker 1: Chargers Weekly listener, this is a great compliment to Charges

823
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,120
Speaker 1: Weekly And well, what I thought would be fun was

824
00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:26,399
Speaker 1: pick six games. And I tried to pick the six

825
00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:29,040
Speaker 1: biggest games and the ones that effect that charges the

826
00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,360
Speaker 1: most as well. We'll start with Ravens at Chiefs probably

827
00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,799
Speaker 1: the game of the week. Ravens. You can argue whether

828
00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:39,000
Speaker 1: or not they've been tested at Miami versus Arizona the

829
00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:43,279
Speaker 1: Chiefs home opener, and what can you say about Patrick Mahomes, Man, man,

830
00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,919
Speaker 1: I know this is uh, this is the future. It's

831
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,280
Speaker 1: like it's like hopping in a hopping in a Tesla

832
00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:50,000
Speaker 1: for a test drive. Right. You get to find out

833
00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:53,160
Speaker 1: what the future is by watching Mahomes and Lamar Jackson

834
00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,120
Speaker 1: play each other. A couple of things I think are

835
00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,720
Speaker 1: interesting about this game. You know. One, we saw Lamar

836
00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:01,359
Speaker 1: get to play Mahomes last year and the Ravens took

837
00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:03,880
Speaker 1: him to overtime in Kansas City. So I'm a little

838
00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:07,320
Speaker 1: surprised that the Chiefs are considered such a heavy favorite

839
00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:09,799
Speaker 1: in this game. I think the Ravens have looked fantastic

840
00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,680
Speaker 1: on offense, and I don't think the Chiefs are gonna

841
00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:16,160
Speaker 1: slow him down. You know, we don't expect Kansas City

842
00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:18,080
Speaker 1: defense has been better, but it's not. I don't think

843
00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:20,399
Speaker 1: it's good enough to stop this Ravens offense. I think

844
00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,520
Speaker 1: we could see some points in this game. I wouldn't

845
00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:25,360
Speaker 1: be surprised at that. But I would also wouldn't be

846
00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:29,399
Speaker 1: surprised if maybe they used mark ingram Lamar Jackson run

847
00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,520
Speaker 1: a lot out of shotgun, use a lot of zone

848
00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:34,400
Speaker 1: read stuff, use those tight ends in the short yardage

849
00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,640
Speaker 1: areas to try and really clog up the game and

850
00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,319
Speaker 1: force Patrick Mahomes to try and rush himself a little bit,

851
00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:42,800
Speaker 1: takeaway possessions from him. So I could see that happening,

852
00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,560
Speaker 1: and I actually think that's how it's going to play out.

853
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,080
Speaker 1: And I like the Ravens to steal a win, how

854
00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:49,440
Speaker 1: about that against the Chiefs this game. I'm not a

855
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,080
Speaker 1: big time upset. I think Lamar Jackson shocks the world

856
00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:54,760
Speaker 1: against Patrick Mahomes. You know, I think we'll also see

857
00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,720
Speaker 1: as the week's progress just how big of a loss

858
00:41:57,880 --> 00:42:01,080
Speaker 1: Tyreek Hill is. And so far, so good for the Chiefs, right,

859
00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:05,000
Speaker 1: whether Sammy Watkins or Robinson or the rookie, they've been

860
00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,000
Speaker 1: able to kind of spread the ball around. But I

861
00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,920
Speaker 1: think at some point the loss of Tyree Hill may

862
00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,279
Speaker 1: catch up to the Chiefs just a little bit. Yeah,

863
00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,000
Speaker 1: and then let's not forget too like the Chiefs have

864
00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:17,040
Speaker 1: played quote unquote tougher opponent. But I mean, then guy

865
00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:19,600
Speaker 1: the penny will hosting four touchdown passes the second quarter

866
00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,760
Speaker 1: against Okla, mad guys running free, and this Jacksonville defense

867
00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:25,560
Speaker 1: just doesn't look like it's gonna be that elite unit

868
00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:27,680
Speaker 1: we saw a few years ago when they made that

869
00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,800
Speaker 1: AFC Championship game run all right. Speak of the Raiders.

870
00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:33,400
Speaker 1: They go to Minnesota coming off a loss of the

871
00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:37,719
Speaker 1: Chiefs Vikings. They were getting worked by the Packers. Came

872
00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:40,600
Speaker 1: back late in that game, but it wasn't enough. What

873
00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:44,400
Speaker 1: do you see here in Minnesota Raiders, Packers, AFC versus NFC.

874
00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:48,560
Speaker 1: I think I see my prediction that Dalvin Cook would

875
00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:51,480
Speaker 1: lead the NFL in rushing, and they that before the season.

876
00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:53,320
Speaker 1: I think I see it come a little bit closer

877
00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:56,880
Speaker 1: to fruition. Mike Zimmers made it very clear that he

878
00:42:56,960 --> 00:42:59,800
Speaker 1: prefers to run the ball instead of having Kirk Cousins passing.

879
00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:02,800
Speaker 1: They're done twenty one nothing and Kirk Cousins thinking Kenny

880
00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:04,560
Speaker 1: even get to forty passing attempts. I don't know how

881
00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:07,439
Speaker 1: that's possible. They lean on Dalvin Cook in a big way.

882
00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:09,600
Speaker 1: They don't overuse him, but they lean on him. And

883
00:43:09,640 --> 00:43:12,520
Speaker 1: he's so explosive in this zone read scheme that he

884
00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:15,279
Speaker 1: operated at Florida State. Now that Gary Kubicks come into

885
00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:17,680
Speaker 1: work with Kevin Stefanski, and I think he's gonna have

886
00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:20,160
Speaker 1: a big day against this Raiders defense. It's an improved

887
00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:22,920
Speaker 1: Raiders defense. I'm just not quite there yet. I'm believing

888
00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,839
Speaker 1: they can stop everybody. Losing Jonathan Abrams is a big

889
00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:28,200
Speaker 1: loss in terms of stopping the run, having a thumper

890
00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:30,560
Speaker 1: come down there and take care of business. And I

891
00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:33,000
Speaker 1: also think too, Minnesota has one of the best own

892
00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,560
Speaker 1: field advantages in the league. Chris and I fully expect

893
00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,440
Speaker 1: Derek Carr and that Raiders offense that looked okay early

894
00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:42,319
Speaker 1: on but then struggled against the Chiefs defense to have

895
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:44,680
Speaker 1: a long day at the office in Minnesota. I was

896
00:43:44,719 --> 00:43:46,640
Speaker 1: gonna ask you the Raiders, you know, they had the

897
00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:50,399
Speaker 1: impressive Monday and night win in Week one, looked really

898
00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:52,319
Speaker 1: good in the first course. So like the first five

899
00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:54,799
Speaker 1: cores of the season, you look at this Raiders seem like, wow,

900
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:58,160
Speaker 1: they look markedly improved. What are your thoughts on what

901
00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:00,759
Speaker 1: the Raiders are in twenty nineteen opposed what they were

902
00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:05,120
Speaker 1: last year. I think they're better, They've improved. But I

903
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,000
Speaker 1: really think you know, a lot of times you look

904
00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:09,640
Speaker 1: at those week those Week one late night Monday night

905
00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:11,839
Speaker 1: football games starting to you know, sort of ten thirty

906
00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:14,000
Speaker 1: on the East Coast, where it feels all I mean,

907
00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:16,400
Speaker 1: you know, for you West Coast elite, it feels you know,

908
00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:18,680
Speaker 1: you're fine. It's nice and early for us, for US

909
00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:21,800
Speaker 1: East Coasters, you feel like you're You're Tilton already. You

910
00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:24,479
Speaker 1: feel like you're at a casino when you're watching Monday

911
00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:27,640
Speaker 1: night football at one am Eastern time, And so weird

912
00:44:27,640 --> 00:44:29,200
Speaker 1: stuff just happens at those games. So I don't I

913
00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:31,040
Speaker 1: don't look too much into it. That was clearly a

914
00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:33,600
Speaker 1: team motivated by the loss of Attornio Brown and trying

915
00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:36,560
Speaker 1: to sort of show out at home. And I think

916
00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:38,960
Speaker 1: they feed off the black Hole, but I don't know

917
00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:41,480
Speaker 1: that they can they can make it happen away from home,

918
00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:43,239
Speaker 1: and they've got a ton of road games, a ton

919
00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:45,560
Speaker 1: of tough games against tough defenses coming off, and I

920
00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:47,440
Speaker 1: think people are going to figure them out. Stacked the

921
00:44:47,480 --> 00:44:50,719
Speaker 1: box against Josh Jacobs and as good as Tyroll Williams is,

922
00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:52,839
Speaker 1: you know, they don't have that that guy that can

923
00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,839
Speaker 1: just open things up the way they wanted Antonio Brown

924
00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,239
Speaker 1: to do. Derek Carter doesn't challenge down the field enough.

925
00:44:58,520 --> 00:45:00,120
Speaker 1: I think the Raiders are going to struggle to have

926
00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:02,960
Speaker 1: to seven wins this year. All right. Well, another AFC

927
00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:06,480
Speaker 1: West team, the Broncos at the Packers. Broncos and two,

928
00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:10,560
Speaker 1: Packers two and oh Vic Fangio looking for win number one.

929
00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:14,240
Speaker 1: I guess a pretty familiar opponent in the Packers. Yeah,

930
00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:16,080
Speaker 1: you know, he's done a pretty good job of coaching

931
00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:18,359
Speaker 1: up Aaron Rodgers in the past. I don't I don't

932
00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:20,040
Speaker 1: see a whole lot of points in this game. Christman.

933
00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:22,839
Speaker 1: This is a you know, you got the Broncos who

934
00:45:23,280 --> 00:45:24,960
Speaker 1: look I know people like to beat on Joe Flacco.

935
00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:27,720
Speaker 1: He looks. He looked good against the against the Bears defense.

936
00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:30,080
Speaker 1: He was winging it around the last five six quarters

937
00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:31,759
Speaker 1: for him. I think it'd been pretty good. If the

938
00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:35,040
Speaker 1: Shawn Hamilton catches that ball in the first game against

939
00:45:35,040 --> 00:45:37,400
Speaker 1: the Raiders and then the Bears don't get that the

940
00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:40,000
Speaker 1: roughing the pastor call on Bradley Chod and they don't

941
00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:42,680
Speaker 1: get the time out. Granted, when Alan Robinson gets down

942
00:45:42,719 --> 00:45:45,360
Speaker 1: at the end, the Broncos could easily be two. And

943
00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,000
Speaker 1: though I'm still buying into Denver being a better team

944
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,640
Speaker 1: than people think, the defense doesn't have a single sack

945
00:45:50,760 --> 00:45:52,839
Speaker 1: this year, which is crazy. So I expect Bob Miller

946
00:45:52,880 --> 00:45:55,560
Speaker 1: and Bradley chub to show out against Aaron Rodgers. I

947
00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:58,440
Speaker 1: think this is I think this has upset potential because

948
00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:03,040
Speaker 1: of Fangio's performance or his defensive defensive performances against Aaron

949
00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:05,880
Speaker 1: Rodgers in the past. I would probably pick the Packers,

950
00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:07,880
Speaker 1: but I think it'll be a very close game and

951
00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:09,920
Speaker 1: wouldn't not be surprised at all. Denver came out of

952
00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:12,239
Speaker 1: Green Bay with a win. I'm just looking at the slate, man,

953
00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:14,239
Speaker 1: there's so many good games in Week three. I mean,

954
00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:16,839
Speaker 1: I go back from it's a really good week, right,

955
00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:21,200
Speaker 1: Falcons at Colts the Colts. Chargers went to overtime with

956
00:46:21,200 --> 00:46:23,719
Speaker 1: the Colts. A Week one, Falcons coming off a win

957
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:28,480
Speaker 1: on Sunday night against the Eagles. What do you see here? Will? Yeah,

958
00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:31,440
Speaker 1: you guys saw this Colt team up closing person rights.

959
00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:35,359
Speaker 1: It's a really good team. Jacoby was set. I mean,

960
00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:37,840
Speaker 1: he's not the best NC State quarterback in the NFL.

961
00:46:38,000 --> 00:46:39,719
Speaker 1: We'll get to the might be the best one a

962
00:46:39,719 --> 00:46:43,279
Speaker 1: little bit later, Will right, right, right, But I mean

963
00:46:43,320 --> 00:46:45,080
Speaker 1: he might be the second, right Reber much to do

964
00:46:45,120 --> 00:46:47,160
Speaker 1: with Russell Wilson. He might be the second one. Maybe

965
00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:49,960
Speaker 1: he's the third one. Um He's Look, I think he's

966
00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:52,440
Speaker 1: a better quarterback than people gave him credit for it.

967
00:46:52,480 --> 00:46:54,280
Speaker 1: And I said that before the season. I still believe

968
00:46:54,280 --> 00:46:55,839
Speaker 1: it now. He's not going to go out and put

969
00:46:55,880 --> 00:46:58,440
Speaker 1: up four hundred and fifty passing yards every game. Um,

970
00:46:58,560 --> 00:47:01,840
Speaker 1: but Frank Wright is a great coach. They love to

971
00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:04,200
Speaker 1: run behind Quinton Nelson, who's just a mall or. He's

972
00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:07,200
Speaker 1: like a dancing bear at the at the left guard position.

973
00:47:07,600 --> 00:47:09,880
Speaker 1: They love to put Marlon Mack behind him. I'm not

974
00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:13,799
Speaker 1: sure the Falcons can slow down this offense, and uh,

975
00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:15,920
Speaker 1: I like the Colt to sort of run away with

976
00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:17,800
Speaker 1: this and the other big factor that I'd be concerned

977
00:47:17,800 --> 00:47:20,279
Speaker 1: about Matt Ryan. Yeah, I know, you got to win.

978
00:47:20,320 --> 00:47:22,560
Speaker 1: And they had that great pass to Julio Jones, and

979
00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:24,239
Speaker 1: I think Julio can have a good day. They're in

980
00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:26,160
Speaker 1: a dome. It's it's a great spot for them, you know,

981
00:47:26,480 --> 00:47:30,080
Speaker 1: from you know, from a atmospheric, you know perspective. But

982
00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:33,080
Speaker 1: I just don't know that that offensive line is doing

983
00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:35,279
Speaker 1: a very good job of protecting Matt Ryan right now.

984
00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:37,240
Speaker 1: And I think he's gonna be under more pressure again

985
00:47:37,560 --> 00:47:40,680
Speaker 1: against the Colt Coast runaway in this game. You know,

986
00:47:40,719 --> 00:47:43,560
Speaker 1: the NFC South is such an interesting division now because

987
00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:45,960
Speaker 1: you have the Owen two Panthers, you have the Falcons.

988
00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:48,319
Speaker 1: Who you know? You said, you know, Matt Ryan didn't

989
00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:52,759
Speaker 1: look particularly great on Sunday Night. No Drew Brees for

990
00:47:52,760 --> 00:47:54,719
Speaker 1: the next six weeks. You got the Bucks. You really

991
00:47:54,760 --> 00:47:57,400
Speaker 1: don't know who the Bucks are. The NFC South, I

992
00:47:57,400 --> 00:48:01,640
Speaker 1: feel like is up for grabs. Is any division one

993
00:48:01,719 --> 00:48:05,000
Speaker 1: hundred percent due? I mean, look, said Cam Newton's injury.

994
00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:06,799
Speaker 1: We don't, we don't. We just don't know how long

995
00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:09,440
Speaker 1: it's gonna be. But the foot foot injuries rushing quarterbacks

996
00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:11,240
Speaker 1: tend to tend to take a while. And it's pretty

997
00:48:11,239 --> 00:48:15,279
Speaker 1: clear um that you know he's he's His mechanics were

998
00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:17,320
Speaker 1: thrown off by it. He was much more accurate before

999
00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:21,120
Speaker 1: he reaggravated the foot in that Tampa Bay game. I

1000
00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:24,080
Speaker 1: think I don't think Drew Breese is gonna come back

1001
00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:25,680
Speaker 1: and be great right away. I think it's gonna take

1002
00:48:25,680 --> 00:48:27,520
Speaker 1: board in six weeks. I mean, it's a hand injury.

1003
00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:29,960
Speaker 1: That's the toughest thing. You're throwing. Hand injury for a quarterback,

1004
00:48:30,160 --> 00:48:33,480
Speaker 1: that's so tough. Atlanta just looked a little sloppy. They

1005
00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:35,920
Speaker 1: got it manhandled in Week one. I honestly wouldn't be

1006
00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:39,600
Speaker 1: surprised that the Buccaneers stole this division based on the schedule,

1007
00:48:39,719 --> 00:48:42,360
Speaker 1: and uh but you know, look, I agree with that

1008
00:48:42,440 --> 00:48:44,520
Speaker 1: it's wide open. And if so, if you told me

1009
00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:47,359
Speaker 1: in February that somebody won this division like seven, eight

1010
00:48:47,400 --> 00:48:50,959
Speaker 1: and one, I believe you, all right, if I told

1011
00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:52,600
Speaker 1: you this a couple of weeks ago, this could be

1012
00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:55,160
Speaker 1: mildly surprising. Steelers A forty nine Ers, the O and

1013
00:48:55,200 --> 00:48:58,359
Speaker 1: two Steelers versus the two and oh forty nine Ers

1014
00:48:58,840 --> 00:49:01,680
Speaker 1: season couldn't have started it worse for Pittsburgh. You'll lose

1015
00:49:01,719 --> 00:49:03,600
Speaker 1: your quarterback, you lose the first two games of the year.

1016
00:49:03,920 --> 00:49:06,160
Speaker 1: Now you got to go east to West to face

1017
00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:09,600
Speaker 1: a frisky forty Honors team. Yeah, it's like, all right,

1018
00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:11,719
Speaker 1: all right, we got embarrassed by the Patriots in Week one.

1019
00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:13,600
Speaker 1: Things can't go worse than that. I don't Nope. We

1020
00:49:13,719 --> 00:49:16,120
Speaker 1: lost the Hall of Fame quarterback after the season to

1021
00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:18,959
Speaker 1: what amount to Tommy john after six hundred and seventy

1022
00:49:18,960 --> 00:49:22,359
Speaker 1: five times last year. Maybe maybe people start correlating that injury. Yeah.

1023
00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:26,479
Speaker 1: I like the Steelers here actually because the forty Nineers

1024
00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:28,400
Speaker 1: is being propped up is like a full touchdown favorite,

1025
00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:30,280
Speaker 1: which is which is a whole lot I mean surprising

1026
00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:33,080
Speaker 1: I think Jimmy Roppolo has been very good and the

1027
00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:36,080
Speaker 1: defensive line has been very good. But I don't think

1028
00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:38,160
Speaker 1: the defensive line is going to feast the way they

1029
00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:41,160
Speaker 1: did against you know, against Tampa Bay. In Cincinnati, there

1030
00:49:41,239 --> 00:49:43,759
Speaker 1: are much worse offensive lines than what Pittsburgh brings at

1031
00:49:43,800 --> 00:49:47,120
Speaker 1: the table. Mason Rudolph was a really good college quarterback.

1032
00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:50,319
Speaker 1: He's tall, big, tall, strong, can get vertical. I think

1033
00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:52,680
Speaker 1: you'll hook up with James Washington down the field. And

1034
00:49:52,719 --> 00:49:55,320
Speaker 1: I think the Pittsburgh defense would be motivated the addition

1035
00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:57,200
Speaker 1: to make a Fitzpatrick. They got to come out and

1036
00:49:57,239 --> 00:49:59,040
Speaker 1: prove something that they know it's gonna be on them.

1037
00:49:59,080 --> 00:50:01,560
Speaker 1: It's gonna be inherent and combent on them to make

1038
00:50:01,640 --> 00:50:05,080
Speaker 1: place to slow down posing offenses. Would not be surprised

1039
00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:07,120
Speaker 1: at all if this turned into a shootout, because Kyle

1040
00:50:07,120 --> 00:50:09,400
Speaker 1: Shanahan knows how to scheme people open. But I like

1041
00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:12,080
Speaker 1: the Steelers to come away with the road win here

1042
00:50:12,280 --> 00:50:15,600
Speaker 1: as a big underdog's big upsets the real quickly, what'd

1043
00:50:15,600 --> 00:50:18,160
Speaker 1: you think of the Minco Fitzpatrick trade to Pittsburgh? An

1044
00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:21,680
Speaker 1: interesting trade for the Steelers given how the first two

1045
00:50:21,719 --> 00:50:25,360
Speaker 1: weeks have gone. Yeah, I mean look, I think you

1046
00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:27,920
Speaker 1: can explain it like this. If you took make It

1047
00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:30,880
Speaker 1: Fitzpatrick and dropped him into the twenty twenty draft class,

1048
00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:33,000
Speaker 1: knowing that he would of course have a shorter contract,

1049
00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:35,840
Speaker 1: you know, where would he go? And my pal Ryan Wilson,

1050
00:50:35,840 --> 00:50:38,960
Speaker 1: who does our who does our draft stuff, it's TVs Sports,

1051
00:50:39,120 --> 00:50:40,920
Speaker 1: believes he'd be a top ten pick in that class.

1052
00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:43,400
Speaker 1: So if that's true, if that ends up holding to

1053
00:50:43,440 --> 00:50:46,239
Speaker 1: be true by the end of the season, then you know,

1054
00:50:46,280 --> 00:50:49,520
Speaker 1: then then I don't mind it. But from a perspective

1055
00:50:49,560 --> 00:50:52,520
Speaker 1: of we are owned to we have a long upfield

1056
00:50:52,520 --> 00:50:54,680
Speaker 1: battle to make it to the playoffs. We just lost

1057
00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:57,399
Speaker 1: our franchise quarterback. Why don't we trade next year's first

1058
00:50:57,480 --> 00:50:59,600
Speaker 1: round pick? It makes no sense at all. I mean,

1059
00:51:00,239 --> 00:51:02,480
Speaker 1: you know, it's either equivalent of the Chargers losing Philip

1060
00:51:02,600 --> 00:51:04,440
Speaker 1: Rivers and then and then trading a first round pick

1061
00:51:04,480 --> 00:51:06,239
Speaker 1: like you just you don't do it, because when you

1062
00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:08,920
Speaker 1: lose that quarterback, even if you believe in the backup

1063
00:51:09,160 --> 00:51:11,000
Speaker 1: in Mason Rudolph and we'll find out what you know

1064
00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:13,560
Speaker 1: the truth about it. But even if you believe in

1065
00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:16,200
Speaker 1: the backup, you're still running such a risk if that

1066
00:51:16,200 --> 00:51:18,640
Speaker 1: pick is a top five pick, top two pick. And

1067
00:51:18,680 --> 00:51:20,480
Speaker 1: if that's the case, you know, you give out, You

1068
00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:22,600
Speaker 1: give away an opportunity to come away with a you know,

1069
00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:26,000
Speaker 1: either trading down if Big Ben comes back, or picking

1070
00:51:26,080 --> 00:51:29,400
Speaker 1: up a franchise quarterback in the twenty twenty draft. It is,

1071
00:51:29,440 --> 00:51:31,319
Speaker 1: it is more risk than I would like to take.

1072
00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:34,360
Speaker 1: It's interesting, and the Dolphins just have a They have

1073
00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:37,120
Speaker 1: the entire first round. I believe if you're if you're

1074
00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:40,319
Speaker 1: counting it home for the twenty twenty NFL Draft, it's insane. Yeah,

1075
00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:44,600
Speaker 1: it's just one Dolphins, two Dolphins three. I meant Dolphins

1076
00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:49,720
Speaker 1: all right? Will final one Texans at Chargers Philip Rivers

1077
00:51:49,800 --> 00:51:51,719
Speaker 1: versus Deshaun Watson. A lot of cliffs and guys in

1078
00:51:51,800 --> 00:51:55,560
Speaker 1: this one, Hopkins, Mike Williams. Chargers coming off a tough

1079
00:51:55,640 --> 00:51:58,200
Speaker 1: loss in Detroit. I think a number of things. Had

1080
00:51:58,239 --> 00:52:00,840
Speaker 1: they gone the Chargers way in that core, they probably

1081
00:52:00,920 --> 00:52:04,200
Speaker 1: two at this point set of one on one. Yeah,

1082
00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:06,920
Speaker 1: they Chargers should be two and a. You know, like

1083
00:52:07,080 --> 00:52:10,120
Speaker 1: the team. You know how I feel about the Charger.

1084
00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:12,719
Speaker 1: I love the Chargers, but they've not always had great

1085
00:52:12,719 --> 00:52:15,040
Speaker 1: September starts. You don't like to see the one on one.

1086
00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:16,799
Speaker 1: It was a road game. I think the Lions are

1087
00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:19,800
Speaker 1: better than people think, especially that defense and that Stafford

1088
00:52:19,800 --> 00:52:22,520
Speaker 1: looks healthy. So you know, it's a tough loss because

1089
00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:24,480
Speaker 1: they could have won it, but that's a toss up

1090
00:52:24,520 --> 00:52:25,879
Speaker 1: gam I think at the end of the year, we'll

1091
00:52:25,880 --> 00:52:28,319
Speaker 1: look at this not as a game they should have won,

1092
00:52:28,600 --> 00:52:30,240
Speaker 1: you know when we do the schedule before the season,

1093
00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:31,960
Speaker 1: but a game that was actually a toss up and

1094
00:52:32,239 --> 00:52:34,879
Speaker 1: maybe a better Lions team than people think. And look,

1095
00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:37,640
Speaker 1: they held off a better Cult team than people think.

1096
00:52:37,680 --> 00:52:39,879
Speaker 1: So this is a big game for them. They need

1097
00:52:39,880 --> 00:52:42,000
Speaker 1: to they need to make sure they get um you know,

1098
00:52:42,040 --> 00:52:43,640
Speaker 1: out of September. I think they want to be three

1099
00:52:43,640 --> 00:52:46,120
Speaker 1: and one leaving them month of September. And I'll tell

1100
00:52:46,160 --> 00:52:47,839
Speaker 1: you what. The guy who's going to be a big

1101
00:52:47,880 --> 00:52:49,319
Speaker 1: factor in this that he has been in the first

1102
00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:51,719
Speaker 1: two weeks, Austin Ekeler. If you look at the Texans,

1103
00:52:52,160 --> 00:52:55,400
Speaker 1: they allowed the seven eighth most excuse me, they've allowed

1104
00:52:55,400 --> 00:52:58,600
Speaker 1: the eighth most receiving yards to running backs so far

1105
00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:02,640
Speaker 1: this season. And I think that could continue. With Eckler's

1106
00:53:02,640 --> 00:53:04,439
Speaker 1: talk about a guy who just stepped into this role.

1107
00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:08,040
Speaker 1: You know, Look, I feel from Melvin Gordon because he

1108
00:53:08,080 --> 00:53:09,600
Speaker 1: wants to get back on the field and he wants

1109
00:53:09,640 --> 00:53:12,000
Speaker 1: to play. But Austin Eckler's out do any favors. That

1110
00:53:12,000 --> 00:53:14,520
Speaker 1: guy can carry carry at the goal line. He can,

1111
00:53:14,840 --> 00:53:17,080
Speaker 1: You know he can. He's nobody in the history Chris

1112
00:53:17,120 --> 00:53:20,080
Speaker 1: at the NFL, there's a better swing pass than Philip Rivers,

1113
00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:22,960
Speaker 1: and Austin Ekeler is designed to catch those passes and

1114
00:53:22,960 --> 00:53:24,680
Speaker 1: take him a long way. I think he is a

1115
00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:27,360
Speaker 1: plays another big role in this game. I like the

1116
00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:30,279
Speaker 1: Chargers to win this one, but I would never put

1117
00:53:30,320 --> 00:53:34,239
Speaker 1: it past to Shaun Watson to to put together a

1118
00:53:34,440 --> 00:53:36,799
Speaker 1: f a flurry of great passes at the end of

1119
00:53:36,800 --> 00:53:39,320
Speaker 1: a game and make a run and make something competitive.

1120
00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:41,720
Speaker 1: We seen him go toe to toe with Russell Wilson,

1121
00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:44,600
Speaker 1: Tom Brady, Drew Brees and away games, and I would

1122
00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:47,080
Speaker 1: expect that this will probably be the same sort of

1123
00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:49,160
Speaker 1: scenario where he and Philip Rivers are winging the ball

1124
00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:51,960
Speaker 1: around late. Chargers fans have a treat in LA on

1125
00:53:52,000 --> 00:53:54,920
Speaker 1: Sunday to see Watson versus Rivers. It's just a peekyback

1126
00:53:54,960 --> 00:53:57,600
Speaker 1: off the Eckler. What about Justin Jackson too, He's ever

1127
00:53:57,760 --> 00:53:59,960
Speaker 1: in nine yards of pop and he can catch the

1128
00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:02,000
Speaker 1: ball out of the backfield. This kind of one two

1129
00:54:02,120 --> 00:54:05,440
Speaker 1: punch the effect that they're so versatile. Well, I mean

1130
00:54:05,640 --> 00:54:07,400
Speaker 1: it kind of plays right in Philip Rivers hands. Are

1131
00:54:07,400 --> 00:54:10,600
Speaker 1: you're saying throwing those swing passes? Yeah, and yeah, Justin

1132
00:54:10,680 --> 00:54:12,560
Speaker 1: Jackson deserves more popped than he's getting. You're right. I

1133
00:54:12,560 --> 00:54:15,400
Speaker 1: mean it's like he's he's he's running really well, and

1134
00:54:15,440 --> 00:54:17,839
Speaker 1: you get the feeling like, obviously you don't anything to happen,

1135
00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:20,680
Speaker 1: but like if anything did happen to Austin Eckler, Justin

1136
00:54:20,760 --> 00:54:23,279
Speaker 1: Jackson could slide in there and be a guy who

1137
00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:26,800
Speaker 1: delivers for this team on a every carry basis because

1138
00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:28,759
Speaker 1: he can't catch out of the backfield and he runs

1139
00:54:28,760 --> 00:54:30,640
Speaker 1: so well behind that offensive line. I mean, they have

1140
00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:33,120
Speaker 1: you know, you gotta you gotta look, you gotta tip

1141
00:54:33,160 --> 00:54:35,120
Speaker 1: your cat to Tom Toe Lester. I mean it's not

1142
00:54:35,160 --> 00:54:37,880
Speaker 1: a nobody has a perfect roster, but the Chargers have

1143
00:54:37,960 --> 00:54:40,040
Speaker 1: suffered a bunch of injuries or a bunch of losses,

1144
00:54:40,040 --> 00:54:43,640
Speaker 1: whether you know Melvin Gordon's holdout, Derwin James's injury. This

1145
00:54:43,719 --> 00:54:46,480
Speaker 1: is a team that is deep and talented, and they

1146
00:54:46,520 --> 00:54:49,399
Speaker 1: awes some offensive linemen too. You know, Russell o'cong they've

1147
00:54:49,400 --> 00:54:51,920
Speaker 1: been able to overcome those losses early on in the season,

1148
00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:54,319
Speaker 1: and that says a lot about your roster when you

1149
00:54:54,360 --> 00:54:57,360
Speaker 1: can come out and win games against tough opponents early

1150
00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:01,200
Speaker 1: despite battling all those injuries or all that attrition, no doubt,

1151
00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:04,359
Speaker 1: and the Chargers have five AFC games in a row,

1152
00:55:04,400 --> 00:55:05,960
Speaker 1: so it's gonna be important to kind of get on

1153
00:55:06,000 --> 00:55:07,360
Speaker 1: a little bit of a role here at the beginning

1154
00:55:07,360 --> 00:55:10,920
Speaker 1: of the season. Will Brinson Will where can people follow you? Man?

1155
00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:13,680
Speaker 1: You're one of my favorite followers on Twitter? Promote everything

1156
00:55:13,680 --> 00:55:15,080
Speaker 1: you got going on. I know we talked about the

1157
00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:17,319
Speaker 1: Pick six pod, but what else you got going Yeah?

1158
00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:19,800
Speaker 1: People can go to Apple podcast on your little purple

1159
00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:22,320
Speaker 1: thing on your on your phone and uh and download

1160
00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:25,720
Speaker 1: subscribe to the Pictures podcast Spotify too, if that's your jam, Yeah,

1161
00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:28,320
Speaker 1: check it out there. That's your wherever else and follow

1162
00:55:28,360 --> 00:55:30,759
Speaker 1: me on Twitter at Will Brinson. And we've got a

1163
00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:33,319
Speaker 1: bunch of you know, ton of articles of ton of

1164
00:55:33,320 --> 00:55:36,560
Speaker 1: content out at CBS Sports dot com. Get that content.

1165
00:55:36,600 --> 00:55:39,359
Speaker 1: We'll always appreciate it. Man, you got a career. It's

1166
00:55:39,400 --> 00:55:41,960
Speaker 1: always fun, buddy, all right, guys, that's gonna do it

1167
00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:45,600
Speaker 1: for us. A big thanks to Will Brinson, John McClean, Spirodidas,

1168
00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:48,319
Speaker 1: and Daniel Jeremiah for joining me, and of course thanks

1169
00:55:48,360 --> 00:55:51,080
Speaker 1: to you all for listening. Remember be sure to download

1170
00:55:51,120 --> 00:55:54,360
Speaker 1: and subscribe to the All New Chargers Podcast Network wherever

1171
00:55:54,400 --> 00:55:57,480
Speaker 1: you listen to podcasts. Thanks so much for listening. Enjoy

1172
00:55:57,520 --> 00:55:59,680
Speaker 1: the game on Sunday as the Chargers look to improve

1173
00:55:59,719 --> 00:56:02,680
Speaker 1: the two win one and until next time, I'm Chris

1174
00:56:02,680 --> 00:56:09,600
Speaker 1: Harry h