WEBVTT - All Access: Roquan Smith talks Playoffs 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:04.600 The following is a presentation of the Chicago Bears Network 0:00:04.720 --> 0:00:08.640 and Chicago Bears dot Com. Download the Chicago Bears Official 0:00:08.680 --> 0:00:11.640 mobile app for up to the minute Bears content every 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:16.279 day and now welcome to Bears All Access, your all 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:20.799 access passing to Chicago Bears football. Bears All Access is 0:00:20.800 --> 0:00:25.360 brought to you by IGS Energy and sponsored by CDW, 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:29.080 Miller Lite and Hulu. Hey everybody, and welcome to a 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.559 playoff edition of Bears All Access. Here from panc Studios 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:34.800 at HATA Saw Jeff Johnny Ac and Tom Fair were 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:37.440 brought to you by IGS Energy, and the stage is 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:40.840 set for Wildcard Playoff football NFC style at Soldier Field. 0:00:41.000 --> 0:00:44.040 You can hear the game on our flagship station, news 0:00:44.120 --> 0:00:46.600 Radio seven eighty and one or five point at FMWBBM, 0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:48.400 starting with a twelve thirty pre game at a three 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:51.279 forty kickoff and Tom there, your level of excitement's got 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:55.200 to be off the charts. It is. It's off the 0:00:55.280 --> 0:00:57.640 charts because again that we're just talking in the room 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:00.000 here before the season has ever started. I don't think 0:01:00.120 --> 0:01:02.840 anybody expected the Bears to be in the playoffs. When 0:01:02.840 --> 0:01:04.600 you think about what was going on up at Green 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:07.920 Bay you think of what was happening in Minnesota, going Wow, 0:01:07.959 --> 0:01:10.640 what are the chances the Bears would be in the playoffs? 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:12.920 You just want to see a winning record. You want 0:01:12.920 --> 0:01:14.720 to see the culture turned around. You want to see 0:01:14.800 --> 0:01:16.960 this thing's changing, the change in a big way. And 0:01:17.040 --> 0:01:19.640 I think that's what's so exciting about everybody. When I 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:22.080 drive around the city, I see every guy on loading 0:01:22.120 --> 0:01:24.640 trucks walking around the street. They got all their Bears 0:01:24.680 --> 0:01:27.399 close out, and I think it's super exciting for the 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:29.360 city and it's just as exciting for me and you. 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:32.240 So it's a big stage, no doubt about it, defending 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:35.160 champions Philadelphia Eagles coming into town. But the Bears have 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:37.520 been on big stages this year. From Week one against 0:01:37.520 --> 0:01:40.120 Green Bay. They went in there, got aggressive, did not 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:43.400 finish the job. The return matchup at Soldier Field, they 0:01:43.400 --> 0:01:46.480 finished the job. They hosted Minnesota on a national TV game, 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:49.440 finished the job. They did so against Seattle, they did 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:51.360 so against the La Rams, and they went back to 0:01:51.400 --> 0:01:55.000 Minnesota in a big game, as it turns out, big 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:57.440 game because they were going for the win and they 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:00.160 finished the job there too. So this is not too 0:02:00.240 --> 0:02:02.480 big for this young team. Yeah, the intensity's going to 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:04.600 be up, but I think they've played at a high 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:07.120 level all year. I don't know how they're going to 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:09.160 be in the beginning of the game. Will they beat 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:11.720 two jittery? Will they beat two jacked up? Those are 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:15.200 the unknowns. Those are the intangibles of evaluating playoff football. 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:17.839 But I definitely think their feet will hit the ground 0:02:17.880 --> 0:02:19.919 at some point. Well. I think they're walking to this 0:02:19.960 --> 0:02:22.560 game with confidence because I went back the other day 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:25.080 and I was watching the game against the Philadelphia Eagles 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.160 last year between the Bears and the Eagles, and it 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:30.000 was not a pretty sight. I was intimidated by the 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:32.440 way that they played against the Bears. But I don't 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.120 think there's any similarities between that team I was watching 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:37.400 from last year and where they're at this year. I 0:02:37.480 --> 0:02:39.640 think when I listened to Matt and Aggie at the podium, 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:41.760 when I listened to the coordinators at the podium, and 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:44.600 even the players, they have a certain sense of confidence 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:49.160 because they're prepared so efficiently. When they go through their practice, 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:51.120 they understand that this is the way things are going 0:02:51.160 --> 0:02:53.560 to happen in the game, and they have to practice them. 0:02:53.560 --> 0:02:55.040 They have to get better at them. They have to 0:02:55.120 --> 0:02:58.919 understand the timing. And so I think it's the preparedness 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:00.880 of this team that gives these guys a lot of 0:03:00.880 --> 0:03:03.560 confidence going into what any any stage that you describe 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:05.560 this year. I got another word for you, because it's 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:08.600 one you keep hearing about. Belief. Yeah, they believe. They 0:03:08.639 --> 0:03:11.280 believe in their coaches, they believe in each other. This 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.919 is a selfless room. It's not just lip service. These 0:03:13.919 --> 0:03:18.440 guys really have embraced it. No one's asking for the football, 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:20.720 no one's saying they're not getting enough of this or 0:03:20.800 --> 0:03:23.960 enough of that. And the guy that's probably the biggest 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:26.400 in that regard as the quarterback, Mitch Drubisky. But I 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:29.239 believe too. You know, Mitch Trubisky's got to believe because 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:32.360 he's the He's the the stir that's, you know, the 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:34.960 stir that straws the pot, the straw that stirs the pot. 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:37.680 You know. So Mitchell Trubisky, he's gotta be all in, 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:40.160 and he is. And the way it's spilled over to 0:03:40.280 --> 0:03:43.880 his teammates, and how that he's been threatening against his opponent, 0:03:43.920 --> 0:03:45.680 the way that he's willing to run the ball, and 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:48.840 how effective he can be, the way he's um being 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.560 able to scramble with his eyes downfield and find these 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:55.680 scramble targets. But you know, you talk about belief, it's 0:03:55.680 --> 0:03:58.240 it's a belief that is spilled over to that stadium 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:00.840 because when you talk about the atmosphere Soldier Field, the 0:04:00.880 --> 0:04:02.920 last couple times we've been in there, when is the 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.360 last time we've seen it bad exciting? So when you 0:04:05.400 --> 0:04:09.040 talk about belief, Jeff, it's not only the roster up there, 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.400 It's it's all of us. But this Eagles team is 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:14.960 somebody not to mess around with, no question about it. 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:17.159 We'll get into that with Tom and Roe. Quant Smith, 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:20.880 the rookie lineback who out an outstanding year, has great, 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:24.040 great potential, great future coming up. He'll join the program 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.200 as well. Pauls Range or engineer here at alas all 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:28.760 and Den really helping us out as well. These Eagles 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:30.799 team has won five of the last six. Nick Foles 0:04:30.839 --> 0:04:33.279 has been in charge of four those wins at quarterbacks 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:36.320 for the injured Carson Wentz. The defense has had problems 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:38.920 on the back end with injuries, but they're now jelling 0:04:38.960 --> 0:04:40.880 a little bit with who they have back there. The 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:45.719 front is amazing, the offensive line significant and so is 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.840 zach Ertz and Alshan Jeffrey at receiver in tight end, 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:51.640 essentially another receiver for the Philadelphi Eagles. He had one 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:53.320 hundred and sixteen catches this year. How do you break 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:55.560 it down a little bit? You know, it's all by 0:04:55.600 --> 0:04:58.880 the eyes of their coach, you know, because the way 0:04:59.720 --> 0:05:02.320 Doug is not afraid to call a lot of passes 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:04.560 and he's got the weapons to call it. And I 0:05:04.600 --> 0:05:07.320 think that's the threatening thing about him, is the fact 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:11.160 that you have a great coach quarterback relationship there, just 0:05:11.240 --> 0:05:14.680 like you do here. But I think Doug Peterson he's 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:18.359 got a certain courage about him when he's calling the 0:05:18.440 --> 0:05:21.640 plays that he's not thinking about what possibly can't happen. 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:24.600 He's only thinking about what's gonna happen. All Right, we're 0:05:24.600 --> 0:05:27.000 gonna take our first break again. Roquan Smith, the Bears 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:29.920 ricky linebacker, to join the program. This is Bears All 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:32.680 Access with Tom Fair. I'm Jeff joning Ac. Thanks for 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.960 listening to everybody. This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:38.400 The Score. Welcome back to Bears All Access, brought to 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:41.119 you by IGS Energy, a proud partner of the Chicago Bears, 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:44.040 providing electricity natural gas in home warranty products to over 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:47.000 one million customers across the country. Learn more about IGS 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:50.080 Energy at IGS dot com. Jeff Joning ac in town 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:52.960 Theory here on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.560 from P ANDC Studios at Havasaw now joined by rookie 0:05:55.640 --> 0:05:58.960 linebacker Roquan Smith. How you doing, man, Doing very well? 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:01.839 Thanks for taking the timing in the busiest of times. 0:06:02.000 --> 0:06:06.320 Playoff ready football? Right? How does that sink into you yet? 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:09.680 First year? I think it's pretty awesome to say the least, 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:12.920 you know, going to the playoffs first year and being 0:06:13.000 --> 0:06:15.800 drafted where I was drafted, and most teams don't get 0:06:15.839 --> 0:06:19.240 to the playoffs, but it's definitely it's pretty awesome. Did 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:21.680 you see it coming as the season went on? Did 0:06:21.680 --> 0:06:24.000 you see it coming? Oh? Yeah, I've definitely seen it coming. 0:06:24.000 --> 0:06:25.760 I've seen it coming when I got drafted here, I've 0:06:25.760 --> 0:06:28.400 seen like all the pieces that we had on defense 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.600 prior to me even coming ever coming, and then on 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:32.360 the offense of bringing all the guys in in the 0:06:32.400 --> 0:06:35.520 offseason and then second year of Tubisky things like that, 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:37.599 So I've definitely seen it coming all right, before Jeff 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.000 gets too serious. I got a backtrack just a second. 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:42.480 So I went to Notre Dame. You went to Georgia. 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:45.720 Notre Dame got beat, Georgia got beat by Texas. Where 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:48.320 you one of those Georgia guys complaining about Notre Dame 0:06:48.400 --> 0:06:51.719 being in that the four team tournament before, Because like 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:55.800 there's a lot of Georgia people out there complaining about it. 0:06:55.839 --> 0:06:58.360 Was Roquan one of them. Roquan was not the one 0:06:58.360 --> 0:07:00.560 to tweet about it and whatnot, But I definitely thought 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:02.760 it could have been a better game. Well what happened 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:05.359 against Texas, well, I think it was more so of 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.240 well Texas one so created the Texas, But I think 0:07:08.240 --> 0:07:10.760 it was more so like the guys seen the outcome 0:07:10.800 --> 0:07:13.640 of the playoff games and it was like, man, we 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:15.160 should have been in there. So I felt like they 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:18.160 kind of just relaxed a little bit in the sense, 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:21.640 right as players do you have opinions on what the 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:25.120 college football playoffs should be in the future. I like 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:26.880 it the way it is, to be perfectly honest, you 0:07:26.920 --> 0:07:28.760 had the four teams. I think the four best teams. 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:30.720 I like it that way. What about the guys that 0:07:30.800 --> 0:07:32.560 sit out bowl games? I don't know. If we've ever 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:35.600 had a chance to talk about this, what you're thinking 0:07:36.040 --> 0:07:38.800 now that you're at this side of your career leading 0:07:38.840 --> 0:07:41.320 up to it before, what was your thinking about the 0:07:41.320 --> 0:07:43.320 whole playing a bowl game or not? If you're a 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:45.920 star on your team, will definitely last year because it 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:48.720 was competing for a national title. But I see from 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:51.600 some guys standpoint of if they're not, if they're like 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:55.119 in just a regular you know, not so much bowl 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.440 game and doesn't really mean anything for the university. And 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:00.840 if they like a for sure a lot first round pick. 0:08:00.960 --> 0:08:02.880 You know, there's a lot you're putting on the line. 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:04.480 But I feel like if you're a second round pick 0:08:04.520 --> 0:08:06.760 or anything like that, if it was me, I would, 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:09.080 person I would play. But if I was in the playoffs, 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:13.239 if I'm top ten at whatever, I'm playing. Bears inside 0:08:13.280 --> 0:08:16.400 linebacker Roquan Smith here with us, I'm Bears All Access 0:08:16.480 --> 0:08:19.720 on Chicago Sports Radio six seventy the score. When you 0:08:19.800 --> 0:08:23.000 think about your season and your first snap getting a 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:25.640 sack and how you slowly but surely worked your way 0:08:25.760 --> 0:08:28.720 into the starting lineup and became a big factor here, 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:34.880 how much growth have you personally experienced beyond the cliche 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:37.319 and it's not a cliche because the game does slow 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:39.760 down deeper you get into your career, and certainly deeper 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:41.560 in your first season. But how much growth do you 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:45.199 personally feel you've had this year? Oh Man, can't really 0:08:45.200 --> 0:08:48.000 put it into words how much growth I feel, because 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:50.439 like from when the first getting of the season, things 0:08:50.440 --> 0:08:52.640 just was going really fast, and I'm trying to still 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:55.960 get accumated, trying to get myself into shape, and so 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:57.800 there was so many things on my plate. But like 0:08:57.840 --> 0:09:00.319 I felt like each and every game I gained something. 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:02.920 I kept gaining games and games, and I still feel 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:04.920 like I'm doing the same thing, but it's definitely a 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:07.560 little smaller things right now as we've gotten deeper into 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:09.960 the season. How was it bend for you anticipating your 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:11.880 blitz because you talk about that, you get a sack 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:14.439 in the Green Bay game to start the season, so 0:09:14.520 --> 0:09:18.120 then they start calling identified blitzes for you. How do 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:21.480 you hide the anxiousness? How do you deal with when 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:23.680 you can not hear the snap count if you're playing 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:25.959 at home, or if you can hear the snap count 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.480 you're on the road. How does all that filter in 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:30.400 when you break the huddle and you go man, I'm 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:33.280 I'm bringing it here. I think it goes in. It 0:09:33.360 --> 0:09:35.480 changes the weekend and week out depending on the snap 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:37.760 count from the team, and then there are certain mannerisms 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:40.240 that the quarterback gives off. So I think all of 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:42.920 those things come in, come up, and you have to 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:45.600 take all of those things into consideration. How about the time, 0:09:46.040 --> 0:09:48.080 I mean the second Green Bay game, you were running 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.600 a blitz but Khalil ended up getting the sack because 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:53.360 of it because there was so much indecisiveness by the 0:09:53.440 --> 0:09:56.040 left tackle on who to block. And it's I think 0:09:56.080 --> 0:09:58.240 it's a key element that you don't show it too 0:09:58.320 --> 0:10:00.679 quick because there's a lot a lot of smart offensive 0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:03.520 lineman up there. If they start reading your balance or 0:10:03.600 --> 0:10:06.200 your anticipation, those are some of the things that you 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:10.280 almost have to protect yourself from. Absolutely, I just uh 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:12.920 probbed myself. I'm not showing my car. So if I 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:14.959 don't have to show my cards, I definitely won't. One 0:10:15.000 --> 0:10:17.920 hundred and twenty two tackles, five sacks, and one interception. 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:20.920 What when you think of back in this year, what 0:10:21.040 --> 0:10:24.240 did you miss most individual tackles? Did you have a 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:26.400 sack there you could have got or maybe was there 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:29.280 an interception, you think if you were a fingertip faster 0:10:29.400 --> 0:10:31.959 you would have got well. I felt like early in 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:33.959 the year I missed a few tackles, so just getting 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:36.559 those back, you know, when I was still knocking the 0:10:36.640 --> 0:10:39.000 rust off, no excuse at all, but I was missing 0:10:39.000 --> 0:10:40.640 a couple of tackles early in the year, so I 0:10:40.760 --> 0:10:43.760 definitely it would be dose. How about those crossing routes 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:46.120 in the NFL, man, those are those are tough to 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:48.319 deal with, aren't they for a linebacker because teams were 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:50.600 doing that a lot, you know, probably testing you know, 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:54.199 the defense out a lot and testing a rookie. Absolutely, 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.040 you definitely expect that as a rookie linebacker. And then 0:10:57.440 --> 0:10:59.880 you know they expect a receiver on the linebacker the 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:03.040 respect that as a mismatch. So um, yeah, you definitely 0:11:03.080 --> 0:11:05.600 have to work forward towards that. You've surprised a few 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:09.440 of them though, because you can run with wide receivers, right. 0:11:09.600 --> 0:11:11.760 So that's the one thing that you know, when I 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:13.680 went back and watch your tape at Georgia, I was 0:11:13.720 --> 0:11:15.800 just stunned. I was stunned at the ability to go 0:11:15.840 --> 0:11:17.880 all the way to the end zone with guys and 0:11:18.320 --> 0:11:20.800 that that's such a great quality to have with with 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:23.080 teams you know want to get rid of the ball quick, 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:27.040 they're gonna use those intermediate routes. Have you made subtle 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:30.920 adjustments in your technique to defend those plays? I definitely do, 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:33.560 I think, and that goes more to my base and 0:11:34.040 --> 0:11:36.840 like playing with leverage, So uh, playing a little lower 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:39.240 because I've seen at some points I will I would 0:11:39.280 --> 0:11:42.959 get higher in my brakes and so the transition easier 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:45.360 out with the lord base. It makes things a lot 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:47.720 of a lot easier. You know, Danny Trevathan setting an 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:50.760 article he can feel your speed when he plays next year. 0:11:50.800 --> 0:11:52.880 That's a heck of a compliment because Danny can run. Now, 0:11:53.520 --> 0:11:55.240 do you ever have to find yourself where you almost 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:59.000 have to control your speed because with our pos or 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:01.440 the different offenses face, you don't want to run yourself 0:12:01.440 --> 0:12:03.520 out of position and you want to make sure you 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:07.520 stay in proper position against the blocker you're facing. So 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:11.199 are you do you have to control your speed more? Oh? Yeah, 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:12.760 you definitely have to keep that in the back of 0:12:12.760 --> 0:12:15.160 your mom but not while not letting it slow you 0:12:15.200 --> 0:12:18.240 down at the same time, just keeping leverage on whatever 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:21.360 whatever your job is for our particular play and Dan 0:12:21.520 --> 0:12:24.360 just following through and not getting ahead of the play 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:27.520 and just more so just tracking things. Roquan Smith our 0:12:27.520 --> 0:12:29.800 guest here on Bears All Access. We're gonna step away 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:31.560 for a break. We'll have more for you as we 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.360 break down the Bears and Eagles wild Card weekend coming 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:36.880 to Soldier Field on Sunday. For time there, I'm Jeff Jonahac. 0:12:37.120 --> 0:12:39.760 This is Chicago Sports Radio six seventy The Score. This 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:42.040 Sunday's game is brought to you by the Bears Premier 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:46.000 playoff partners Advocate Healthcare, CDW, PNC, and Verizon. Here on 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:49.839 Chicago Sports Radio six seventies Score Bears All Access coming 0:12:49.840 --> 0:12:52.520 to you from PNC Studios at Hattlesaw. So please to 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:54.880 be joined by the rookie linebacker roal Quant Smith. Heck, 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:58.079 you're not a rookie anymore. Forget about it. You are 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:02.000 a starter on a defense has blown people's doors off 0:13:02.040 --> 0:13:04.280 in every way. You know, you think Tom about the 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:07.920 different things this defense has really done to offense. It's 0:13:07.960 --> 0:13:11.600 not just one thing, and that to me separates this defense. 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:15.599 You have pressure, but you're also taking the ball away significantly. 0:13:15.640 --> 0:13:19.280 You're shutting down the run completely. Guys are playing fast 0:13:19.400 --> 0:13:22.320 and they're tackling everywhere across the board. I look at 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:25.560 Adrian Amos for example, unwritten story this year, just how 0:13:25.600 --> 0:13:28.360 physical he's playing hitting guys. You guys are in the 0:13:28.400 --> 0:13:30.199 right place at the right time. So it's everything, and 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:32.920 an offense has to look at the whole package here 0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.520 and know that you guys are dangerous at every different level. 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:38.120 Do you agree with that? I absolutely agree with that, because, 0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:41.280 like you know, we obviously have great d lineman you know, 0:13:41.440 --> 0:13:46.720 exceptional outside linebackers to pretty solid inside linebackers as well, 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:48.920 and then you know, pretty good guys on the outside 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:51.960 as well, and then on the back end Eddie Jackson, Amos, 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.400 those guys. So I think it's a it's a it's 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:57.520 a really good groups. What's the perfect matchup? Because you 0:13:57.520 --> 0:13:59.959 guys have been so limiting to yards after the catch, 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:02.240 and it seems like every time an opponent comes in 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:05.240 you talk about while statistically looking at them, their yards 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:08.040 after catch, you know, is one of the biggest assets 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:10.240 of their game, but you guys seem to control that. 0:14:10.600 --> 0:14:12.600 Is it because you know the defense is so well, 0:14:12.960 --> 0:14:15.920 the defensive scheme so well, or is it that you 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:18.160 know the offense so well that you guys are in 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:22.640 more efficient place earlier. I will say it's a little 0:14:22.640 --> 0:14:24.480 bit of all of those. And then I think it's 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:27.360 running to the ball as well. Like we when a 0:14:27.440 --> 0:14:28.960 guy catch the ball at the balls out of the 0:14:29.040 --> 0:14:31.680 quarterback hand, there's a living guys chasing the ball. So 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:36.200 I think that definitely help helps eliminate yours at the catch. 0:14:36.360 --> 0:14:38.840 You know, I mentioned Danny Trevathan. He says sometimes he 0:14:38.880 --> 0:14:41.520 can feel your speed out there, and then he's also 0:14:41.600 --> 0:14:44.360 said that you guys aren't in a competition. You guys 0:14:44.400 --> 0:14:46.560 want to play well together, and that kind of that 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:49.040 says a lot about Danny because you are the young guy, 0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:52.240 he's got Super Bowl experience, and you guys can help 0:14:52.280 --> 0:14:56.160 each other if you are not competitive but you're playing 0:14:56.200 --> 0:14:58.920 well together. Do you believe that? I absolutely believe that. 0:14:59.160 --> 0:15:01.920 Each and every day come out to practice. He's just like, hey, 0:15:02.160 --> 0:15:03.600 just needs your best to dad, and you know, and 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:05.560 I say the same thing to him. So it's more 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:07.880 so like we just demanding the best out of each 0:15:07.880 --> 0:15:10.000 other and just want the best for each other regardless 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:12.720 who has a great game, and we just try to 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:15.040 motivate each other like one have a bad player or 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:17.760 something like that, just like wash it and things like that. 0:15:17.800 --> 0:15:20.880 So he've definitely helped me out, especially early on when 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:22.760 I was you know, I'll have a bad play here 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:25.680 or there. Have you had a haunting mental areat because 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:27.560 we all have him. I mean, you're not going to 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:29.480 be exempt from ed It's either gonna come an hour 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:31.720 later in your career. Have you had one from your 0:15:31.800 --> 0:15:34.360 rookie year that you know you kind of played over 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:35.680 in your head and you go, I know this will 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:38.800 never happen again. Well, I wouldn't say it was actually 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.120 a mental I would say it's more so like a 0:15:41.200 --> 0:15:43.640 little physical Well it could have been mental however you 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.720 put it. But on the first time we played Minnesota 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:50.200 when Diggs caught a little crosser right before halftime and 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:53.640 I like completely missed it and like I wrapped him up, 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:56.680 but like he ducked under and Danny gang like forty 0:15:56.720 --> 0:16:00.440 yards after that, and then luckily play later Andrew Amos 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:03.320 called an interception, So that kind of washed it away. 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:07.120 But when you watch tape of it, what is your correction? 0:16:07.200 --> 0:16:09.920 You know? Because our offensive flying coach Dick Staffeldt said, hey, 0:16:09.960 --> 0:16:12.120 I can coach you so much, but you have to 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:14.960 start coaching yourself. So when you go back and you 0:16:15.040 --> 0:16:17.480 watch a play like that, what do you tell yourself 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:20.800 about the next go around? Or I gotta be more 0:16:20.840 --> 0:16:25.080 in a broken fundamental tackling position, That's what I was telling. 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:26.920 That's what I tell myself. I need to be more 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:30.560 in like a fundamental tackling position when I see him 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:32.080 like that, And I need to be lower in my 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:34.800 stance and just explode through more so than just trying to, 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:39.040 you know, slightly. Other things you could get away with 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:42.360 at the college game, because everybody's not a star here 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.200 in the league. You earn your way. You're an impact 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:48.360 player that you can't get away with at this level. 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:51.360 I would definitely say. I would say sometimes in college 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:53.200 you can get the guys with like the shoe screen 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:55.720 tackles and different things like that, Whereas on this level 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:57.840 you have to make sure you wrap up because if 0:16:57.880 --> 0:16:59.840 you don't wrap up, you'll be in for a long haul. 0:17:00.000 --> 0:17:02.440 How about these tight ends in this game nowadays? I mean, 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:04.639 you look at what you know George Kittle can do 0:17:04.760 --> 0:17:08.000 now with Gronk and he didn't get to play against 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:10.280 the Bears, but and now you're gonna face you know, 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:13.439 another outstanding almost wide receiver type of tight end, and 0:17:13.520 --> 0:17:17.560 zach Ertz just what they're capable of doing with their 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:20.760 speed and physicality and what you guys have to do. 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.320 It's it's it's not just one guy. It's not a safety, 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.080 it's not a linebacker. It's everybody, you know, even bumping 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:27.720 them a little bit to get them off their rhythm. 0:17:27.760 --> 0:17:30.040 It's it's a whole project now with tight ends, isn't it. 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:32.320 I would definitely have to agree with you and the guys, 0:17:32.400 --> 0:17:34.320 you know, they're like you know, Hugh, So you know 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.400 they're normally like six three and taller two forty five 0:17:37.480 --> 0:17:40.320 or more, and you know, create mismatches on the outside 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:44.600 and run great routes and can overpower some dbs and 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:46.760 different things like that. So but I think it just 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:49.360 gets back to more of trusting your technique and then 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:51.960 going into trusting your technique each and every plate and 0:17:52.359 --> 0:17:54.200 you know, bringing your best. You know, a couple of 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:56.399 guys you had to be excited for last week, Javan 0:17:56.520 --> 0:17:59.919 Whims and Nick Quitkowski, Nick making those a big catching 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:02.840 that two point conversion that he made, because you see it, 0:18:02.920 --> 0:18:05.240 you're running practice Yeah, it's a liminus speed, but now 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:07.400 you know you're gonna get hit right in the chest 0:18:07.520 --> 0:18:09.240 as soon as you make the catch. It had to 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:11.360 be fun to see a fellow linebacker go out there 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:14.680 on the officsing side and and make some points for you. Absolutely, 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:18.080 that was screamly happy for Nick and we definitely expressed 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:21.000 that on his way coming off the field, jumping on 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:23.919 him hot five and different things like that. And for Javon, 0:18:24.160 --> 0:18:25.840 UH been sending him doing it. Oh, you're a long 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:27.800 so the guys. Guy's a great player. Been seeing him 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.080