1
00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,800
Speaker 1: With the season done, it's time to ask what did

2
00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,680
Speaker 1: we learn? Welcome Bird Gang, Welcome to the unofficial start

3
00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,680
Speaker 1: to the off season. On today's show, Danny Sire joins me,

4
00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,239
Speaker 1: we discussed our biggest takeaways from twenty twenty four. Could

5
00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:22,400
Speaker 1: be a player position, group, maybe something completely different. Plus

6
00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,640
Speaker 1: we look ahead the wild card weekend at Cardinals Cover two,

7
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:30,160
Speaker 1: Episode eight forty one, and it starts now.

8
00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,560
Speaker 2: Welcome to Cardinals Cover two.

9
00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,159
Speaker 1: Bud to Baker, What Heart? What rent? This guy's unbelievable?

10
00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,680
Speaker 2: Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of

11
00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:48,680
Speaker 2: the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals

12
00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:50,520
Speaker 2: dot com slash podcast.

13
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:52,920
Speaker 1: He's at the ten half of five. He's it again?

14
00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,120
Speaker 1: Some more hurry magic.

15
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,840
Speaker 2: Whow here's Craigcriolo.

16
00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:06,560
Speaker 1: So three days into the offseason, Danny as we unofficially

17
00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,440
Speaker 1: invite everyone to where the real work begins. If you're

18
00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,120
Speaker 1: the front office, the coaches, the players, they get a

19
00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:14,600
Speaker 1: bit of a break and then they'll go back to

20
00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,399
Speaker 1: work themselves to get ready for twenty twenty five. But

21
00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,039
Speaker 1: this is now where, and this is something that has

22
00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,280
Speaker 1: become commonplace across professional sports, maybe even on the college

23
00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,760
Speaker 1: scene as well, where all of a sudden we have

24
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,480
Speaker 1: to dissect social media posts. What did this player mean

25
00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:35,199
Speaker 1: by posting this? Tweeting this Kaiser White earlier in the week,

26
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,760
Speaker 1: Zach Pascal earlier on Wednesday, and then this popped into

27
00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,800
Speaker 1: my Twitter feed at one thirty one this afternoon. I'll

28
00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:43,120
Speaker 1: tell you who it was a little bit later on.

29
00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,120
Speaker 1: I think you already know. I'm gonna read verbatim. We

30
00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,400
Speaker 1: just wrapped up what is one of the most unique

31
00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,520
Speaker 1: interviews I've ever done, and I'm so excited for y'all

32
00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:53,360
Speaker 1: to see the final piece in a few weeks.

33
00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,640
Speaker 3: Can't believe it's been a song since you've read one

34
00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,840
Speaker 3: of my tweets out on this podcast.

35
00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,880
Speaker 1: Christ The engagement though, has outstanding though, so well, thanks congratulations.

36
00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,360
Speaker 3: In order, well, I've had quite the busy day, including

37
00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,880
Speaker 3: that unique interview, So why don't you catch me up

38
00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:10,959
Speaker 3: on what's been going on on your Instagram fee because

39
00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:13,800
Speaker 3: you know you are the social media guru Howard Department.

40
00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,760
Speaker 1: Oh that is far from the truth. We all have

41
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,720
Speaker 1: seen and debated, Kaiser White seemingly saying goodbye MacWilson Sr.

42
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,560
Speaker 1: Saying goodbye as well. Zach Pascal posted a similar message

43
00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:30,240
Speaker 1: as well earlier on Wednesday, thanking Arizona. So it's if

44
00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,760
Speaker 1: you read between the lines, it certainly sounds like these

45
00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:36,480
Speaker 1: players are thanking the Arizona Cardinals and moving on from

46
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:37,600
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals.

47
00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,880
Speaker 3: Clarification, you're saying MacWilson Senior said goodbye, or he was

48
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:42,320
Speaker 3: saying goodbye to Kaiser White.

49
00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:43,480
Speaker 1: Goodbye to Kaiser White?

50
00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,160
Speaker 3: Yes yes so. White posted on Instagram essentially thanking Arizona,

51
00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,639
Speaker 3: and the comments were pretty telling because when you have

52
00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:52,760
Speaker 3: a caption like that, it's is it just for the

53
00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,560
Speaker 3: season year? Is it because you're a free agent? The comments,

54
00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,920
Speaker 3: including from Wilson, was telling of it seems like it

55
00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,880
Speaker 3: was a thank you for Arizona. Time to move on

56
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:10,200
Speaker 3: wide receivers. At Pascal posting something similar, conversations have begun.

57
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,640
Speaker 3: So that tells me one of two things is happening

58
00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:19,000
Speaker 3: in those conversations. One it's you know what, we like you,

59
00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:21,240
Speaker 3: we'd like to have you back, but why don't you

60
00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,839
Speaker 3: go see what else is out there? Or number two

61
00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,440
Speaker 3: it's you can go see what else is out there,

62
00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,079
Speaker 3: but we're not We're not going to try and match anything, there's.

63
00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,120
Speaker 1: No room for you, or we agreed to go our

64
00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,360
Speaker 1: separate directions. We appreciate your time here, YadA, YadA, YadA,

65
00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,480
Speaker 1: and all that stuff. Now again, that's just part of

66
00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,840
Speaker 1: what is the business of the National Football again, professional sports,

67
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,200
Speaker 1: and I'll loop college sports in that as well, because

68
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,200
Speaker 1: that's getting professional as well. Now go back to at

69
00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,040
Speaker 1: Danny sirek, how much do you want to leave it

70
00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,119
Speaker 1: hanging or let in what is going on with you?

71
00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,400
Speaker 1: Because I'm very excited. It certainly peaked my end interest,

72
00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:02,640
Speaker 1: so I'm curious how.

73
00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:03,880
Speaker 3: Oh I want to know if we want to leave it.

74
00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:05,480
Speaker 1: You want to do you want to open the door

75
00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,320
Speaker 1: a little bit or kind of keep it a jar

76
00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,360
Speaker 1: and say, hey, stay tuned, which I'm perfectly fine with.

77
00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,480
Speaker 3: Let's let's say stay tuned. I will say it was unique,

78
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,080
Speaker 3: and when I say that, I don't necessarily just mean

79
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,520
Speaker 3: the content of the questions, but the location and the

80
00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:25,599
Speaker 3: interview itself and the surroundings of that was very unique.

81
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,760
Speaker 3: My second hint it was with a Cardinals player. This

82
00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,120
Speaker 3: is all part of a new feature series. We've got

83
00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:38,160
Speaker 3: Cardinals Overtime, and the main emphasis is to share different stories,

84
00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,040
Speaker 3: not even just of players or coaches, just people within

85
00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:46,800
Speaker 3: the Cardinals organization or fan base and show their stories

86
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,039
Speaker 3: of who they are as people and beyond what you

87
00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,320
Speaker 3: might think you know based off what you think you know.

88
00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,039
Speaker 3: So I am excited it was. It was a really

89
00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,000
Speaker 3: fun interview. So in the next couple of weeks that

90
00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:58,599
Speaker 3: will be out.

91
00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,680
Speaker 1: We've all had a hand in this, and it's getting

92
00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,479
Speaker 1: to know the person behind the player that everyone sees

93
00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,599
Speaker 1: on the football field a little bit more about who

94
00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,960
Speaker 1: they are, what they do when they're not playing football,

95
00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,280
Speaker 1: or what's important to them in their life. So again,

96
00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,560
Speaker 1: it's lifestyle, it's family, it's hobbies. It's gonna be fun.

97
00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:22,599
Speaker 1: I'm looking forward too.

98
00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:24,800
Speaker 3: I think so too, But we'll just leave it at that.

99
00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,440
Speaker 1: But I did appreciate thank you the message, because again

100
00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:28,960
Speaker 1: that's how you know.

101
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,159
Speaker 3: We're in the off season. You're not only dissecting players

102
00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,160
Speaker 3: social media's you're dissecting mind which means I've got to

103
00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,400
Speaker 3: maybe dial it back or at least be more aware

104
00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,320
Speaker 3: knowing that Craig Grielou has probably got notifications on for

105
00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:39,960
Speaker 3: my tweets.

106
00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,800
Speaker 1: Look, sometimes things slow down in the off season, so

107
00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:43,880
Speaker 1: we're always looking.

108
00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,280
Speaker 3: For it entertainment.

109
00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,080
Speaker 1: Absolutely well, you bring it each and every time here

110
00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,839
Speaker 1: on Cardinals Cover two, presented by a Hyundai partner of

111
00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,240
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals. Okay, it is the off season. We're

112
00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,039
Speaker 1: three days in, and yeah, you can dive ahead first

113
00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,320
Speaker 1: in and talk about what needs to happen, who needs

114
00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,240
Speaker 1: to be acquired, who needs to be signed, who needs

115
00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,200
Speaker 1: to be resigned. But I like to slow play this because,

116
00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,080
Speaker 1: as to mention, things kind of slow down in the offseason.

117
00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,239
Speaker 3: Yeah, we've got plenty of time to chit chat.

118
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,479
Speaker 1: So what I thought about doing here on this edition

119
00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,440
Speaker 1: of Cardinals Cover Too is still kind of look back

120
00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,200
Speaker 1: at twenty twenty four and what we learned. The three

121
00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,839
Speaker 1: biggest takeaways not so much what is missing from the

122
00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,680
Speaker 1: team or what is needed, but a question that you

123
00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,279
Speaker 1: might have had going into the season and got answered.

124
00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,200
Speaker 3: Let's start with offense. Okay, what do you have in

125
00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:40,440
Speaker 3: rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Junior? That question, I would

126
00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,080
Speaker 3: argue has been answered. Has it been answered as emphatically

127
00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:46,000
Speaker 3: as a lot of the fan base would like? No,

128
00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,320
Speaker 3: And I'm not going to sit here and pretend otherwise

129
00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,080
Speaker 3: there was enough from what you saw from the rookie

130
00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:57,080
Speaker 3: to tell you the potential is there, and a leap

131
00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,080
Speaker 3: from year one to year two, which is when all

132
00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,720
Speaker 3: players are expected to that jump seems very likely. He

133
00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,839
Speaker 3: has the physical attributes, he's got all the measurables. He's

134
00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,480
Speaker 3: got those long legs, long arms, he's tall, he's big bodied,

135
00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,640
Speaker 3: he's got the IQ. And you could tell from week

136
00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,760
Speaker 3: one in Buffalo that first target, which was a drop pass,

137
00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,760
Speaker 3: maybe some nerves. You could tell. As the week's progressed,

138
00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,600
Speaker 3: he seemed more comfortable, and he seemed more fluid in

139
00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,000
Speaker 3: his route running, and as he was challenged by head

140
00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,680
Speaker 3: coach Jonathan gannon Lee in the season, started to get

141
00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,880
Speaker 3: a little more physical at the point of the attack.

142
00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:39,800
Speaker 3: He made some spectacular catches. What I like most though,

143
00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,640
Speaker 3: is that quarterback Kyler Murray trusts Harrison more times than not.

144
00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,840
Speaker 3: A big third down, a fourth down scramble plays, you're

145
00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,560
Speaker 3: in the red zone, he's looking for number eighteen. That

146
00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,000
Speaker 3: tells me that the trust is there, and that's what

147
00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,680
Speaker 3: you want, because once that trust is broken between quarterback

148
00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,840
Speaker 3: and a wide receiver, that is it's tough to regain.

149
00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,640
Speaker 3: You saw good things as a rookie receiver. You didn't

150
00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,920
Speaker 3: see maybe enough as what in hindsight were big expectations

151
00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,120
Speaker 3: for a fourth overall pick, and both things can meet true.

152
00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,560
Speaker 3: I don't I don't want to sit here and say

153
00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:19,040
Speaker 3: he had a record breaking season, absolutely spectacular, and Harrison

154
00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,640
Speaker 3: will tell you the same thing. He also has the

155
00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,320
Speaker 3: humility that's not very common and wide receivers, especially first

156
00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,239
Speaker 3: round pick wide receivers. He really has that team first mindset,

157
00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,240
Speaker 3: and you can tell he's going to want to come

158
00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,200
Speaker 3: back year two and he's going to want to show

159
00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,679
Speaker 3: people what he's capable of. Point blank. He's going to

160
00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:38,800
Speaker 3: want to shot people up.

161
00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:44,280
Speaker 1: From week one to week eighteen. Yes, you saw improvement

162
00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,120
Speaker 1: from the rookie wide receiver. It's an interesting take. Again,

163
00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,640
Speaker 1: full disclosure here, berg Gang, you and I, Danny, we

164
00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,520
Speaker 1: did not discuss this ahead of time. We kind of

165
00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,000
Speaker 1: left it open ended and it wasn't a player or

166
00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,119
Speaker 1: a position group that I thought about. But stuff your explanation.

167
00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,720
Speaker 1: It makes perfect sense because, all right, maybe he didn't

168
00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:09,480
Speaker 1: hit your expectation, but he certainly met what you were

169
00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:13,000
Speaker 1: looking for and a wide receiver maybe not in year one,

170
00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:15,920
Speaker 1: but this is not as we talk about first round

171
00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,760
Speaker 1: draft picks. This is not a one year project project.

172
00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,000
Speaker 1: This is something that you're looking for five, six, seven, ten,

173
00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,440
Speaker 1: twelve years down the road. That yes, maybe you didn't

174
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,240
Speaker 1: see all of it, and thankfully we didn't, because if

175
00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,080
Speaker 1: you're a finished product in year one, there's nowhere to grow.

176
00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,680
Speaker 1: But that growth from year one to year two to

177
00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,160
Speaker 1: three four five, Yes, solid foundation from Marvin Harrison Junior.

178
00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,760
Speaker 1: And that might not be a positive take amongst the

179
00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,160
Speaker 1: fan base because everyone was hoping for twelve hundred and

180
00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,319
Speaker 1: thirteen hundred yards, nine ten twelve touchdowns, more impactful plays.

181
00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,640
Speaker 1: But what you saw was the talent and you mentioned

182
00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,440
Speaker 1: the football IQ and the ability to take coaching, and

183
00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,720
Speaker 1: I think that more than anything is the diva wide

184
00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,760
Speaker 1: receive receiver that sometimes you see, Yeah, that's not who's

185
00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,880
Speaker 1: in that locker room for the Arizona Cardinals.

186
00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:12,360
Speaker 3: Number two takeaway the rookie class round of applause.

187
00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,760
Speaker 1: Yes, second straight year, by the way, twelve draft picks.

188
00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:23,240
Speaker 3: Yes, this Cardinals team had a lot of impact players

189
00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,080
Speaker 3: that were playing in their rookie year. On offense, running

190
00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,120
Speaker 3: back Trey Benson another player where you're looking not just

191
00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,360
Speaker 3: at the stats, but with the eye test, the more

192
00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:36,199
Speaker 3: game reps he had behind James Connor, the more lethal

193
00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,880
Speaker 3: you could tell he has the potential to be dealt

194
00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:42,160
Speaker 3: with some injuries late his rookie year. I really like

195
00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,160
Speaker 3: what we saw from the rookie running back tita end

196
00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,559
Speaker 3: Tip Ryman. That's not going to be a name where

197
00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,800
Speaker 3: you're going to see a lot of fancy stats. He's

198
00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,240
Speaker 3: a self proclaimed mauler. That's what he wants to do.

199
00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,840
Speaker 3: He wants to do the dirty work. And he played

200
00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,319
Speaker 3: in every game. If you were to go watch the tape,

201
00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,480
Speaker 3: more times than not, he is on the field for

202
00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,440
Speaker 3: a big time play or touchdown, and he is right

203
00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,559
Speaker 3: there with those offensive linemen and that Titans room as

204
00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,719
Speaker 3: a whole. I really like what we saw from a

205
00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,880
Speaker 3: blocking standpoint of Ryman because that opens up everything else

206
00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:20,080
Speaker 3: for just beyond the tight ends. You saw some rookie

207
00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,000
Speaker 3: offensive lineman get some snaps. We only saw Christian Jones

208
00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,280
Speaker 3: for the final game and a handful of snaps the

209
00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:29,040
Speaker 3: week prior. Isaiah Adams, though, earned that spot as starting

210
00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,560
Speaker 3: right guard. It's been made very clear by Gannon and

211
00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,320
Speaker 3: this staff, just because you're a rookie, especially if you're

212
00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,520
Speaker 3: just because a high draft pick rookie does not guarantee

213
00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:39,320
Speaker 3: you will see the field. You have to earn it.

214
00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,920
Speaker 3: That's beyond just playing as a rookie. So the fact

215
00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,720
Speaker 3: that Adams did earn that starting role after splitting some

216
00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:49,000
Speaker 3: reps with Tristan Cologne, after losing Will Hernandez for the

217
00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,400
Speaker 3: season at the start of the year, tells you the

218
00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,080
Speaker 3: improvements that Adams has made. These are all players, though,

219
00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:58,000
Speaker 3: that have room for improvement. Offensive linemen typically spend that

220
00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:00,760
Speaker 3: first full offseason in between years one in year two

221
00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,400
Speaker 3: beefing up, putting on some weight, getting a little bit stronger.

222
00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,000
Speaker 3: I would expect to see that from Adams. Looking at

223
00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,360
Speaker 3: the defense, Darius Robinson, it's a tough season to evaluate

224
00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,200
Speaker 3: because he played half the year. He didn't even play

225
00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,880
Speaker 3: a full half, dealt with that calf injury. So what

226
00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,160
Speaker 3: most rookies, Marvin Harrison Junior, for great example, what we

227
00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,679
Speaker 3: were seeing the time those first couple of weeks kind

228
00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,280
Speaker 3: of adjust and have things slow down. Robinson wasn't having

229
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,480
Speaker 3: the opportunity until week twelve, thirteen fourteen to really kind

230
00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,840
Speaker 3: of have things slow down. I do expect him to

231
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:37,760
Speaker 3: be a force to be reckoned with the motor that

232
00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,920
Speaker 3: he has, the intelligence, the measurables that he has and

233
00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:48,520
Speaker 3: already commanding double teams is impressive. Moving back rabbit Taylor

234
00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,680
Speaker 3: Demerson seeing some game reps as well, and just the

235
00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:56,320
Speaker 3: force in which he tackles and this closing speed that

236
00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,720
Speaker 3: he has. That is a great combination when you've got

237
00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,640
Speaker 3: Boo to Baker and Jalen Thompson, and then to round

238
00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,880
Speaker 3: it all out, Max Mountain as your cornerback. Got a

239
00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,959
Speaker 3: significant amount of playing time and that's impressive. He had

240
00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,320
Speaker 3: really clean play, didn't draw a lot of penalties, had

241
00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,720
Speaker 3: some crucial PBUs some in the end zone. So I know,

242
00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,920
Speaker 3: I kind of went into a bunch of them individually,

243
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,800
Speaker 3: and you probably wanted a shorter, more broad answer, But

244
00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,120
Speaker 3: when you're looking at the rookie class, that is what

245
00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,920
Speaker 3: you want. You want impact players, and the fact that

246
00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,000
Speaker 3: they are seeing in the field says that they are

247
00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,200
Speaker 3: doing things the right way in meeting rooms, on the

248
00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:38,440
Speaker 3: practice field, they have the right mentality. So kudos to

249
00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,560
Speaker 3: everybody involved. That's the player, that is the coaching staff

250
00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,920
Speaker 3: that is getting them game ready and getting them adjusted

251
00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,040
Speaker 3: to the speed and the size of the players they're

252
00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,240
Speaker 3: going against in the NFL, and how different that is

253
00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,360
Speaker 3: than in college figuring out their individual skill sets and

254
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,000
Speaker 3: how they can rely on those. And also to this

255
00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:59,920
Speaker 3: front office general manager money awesome for it has shown

256
00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:03,640
Speaker 3: he knows what he's doing when it comes to the draft,

257
00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,200
Speaker 3: and that's exciting when you're thinking about the long term

258
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:07,320
Speaker 3: future for this organization.

259
00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,839
Speaker 1: Let me piggyback off that because my biggest takeaway or

260
00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:16,160
Speaker 1: what I learned defensively is the secondary. And two pieces

261
00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,720
Speaker 1: in that secondary. You just brought up Rabbit and Max Meltin,

262
00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,400
Speaker 1: who played the most defensive snaps of any rookie on

263
00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,960
Speaker 1: that side of the ball, started several games, but the

264
00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,840
Speaker 1: secondary as a whole. Remember what JG said on Monday

265
00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:33,120
Speaker 1: when he was asked, and he doesn't like doing this

266
00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:38,760
Speaker 1: a lot as far as publicly evaluating players or position groups,

267
00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,440
Speaker 1: but he was asked what he was most proud about

268
00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:46,040
Speaker 1: a position group that he liked developments from this past season,

269
00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,280
Speaker 1: and he mentioned the secondary. Oh, the bullet I believe

270
00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,120
Speaker 1: the phrase was my baby, meaning the cornerback room. But

271
00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,520
Speaker 1: let's go the entire secondary. We know what Budda Baker

272
00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,480
Speaker 1: and Jalen Thompson could do. Garrett Williams, he's only in

273
00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,760
Speaker 1: year two. This was his first first full season, though

274
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,640
Speaker 1: he's already as sending one of the best. I'm not

275
00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,400
Speaker 1: gonna say it's a lot of pressure i'vming good about

276
00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,640
Speaker 1: to put on this young kid, but I do believe

277
00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,920
Speaker 1: he's already among the best cornerbacks in the league if

278
00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,600
Speaker 1: you look at all the metrics out there, PFF and

279
00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,640
Speaker 1: all that stuff, and then Starlinge. Thomas year two, someone

280
00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,040
Speaker 1: who is not a draft pick, someone they claimed and

281
00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,640
Speaker 1: developed into a starting corner, and then you add Max

282
00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,880
Speaker 1: and Rabbit and it is a good group along with

283
00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,440
Speaker 1: a veteran and Sean Murphy Bunting and the one rookie

284
00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,440
Speaker 1: that we had not seen on the football field belongs

285
00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,400
Speaker 1: in that room as well, and that's Elijah Jones, who

286
00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:45,640
Speaker 1: has yet to see has partly practiced, but has yet

287
00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:47,840
Speaker 1: to play in a game. So you look at that

288
00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,680
Speaker 1: secondary as a whole, and yeah, maybe cornerback is something

289
00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,760
Speaker 1: that you look to add, but that's a solid group

290
00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,320
Speaker 1: in the back end that I think this team moving

291
00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:04,000
Speaker 1: forward should be excited about, especially with those young pieces

292
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:04,840
Speaker 1: and the.

293
00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,680
Speaker 3: Player we forgot. As I'm thinking through this now, Xavier

294
00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,200
Speaker 3: Thomas as the outside linebacker not necessarily a season with

295
00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,840
Speaker 3: a lot of splash player numbers. That's also on a

296
00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:18,360
Speaker 3: rotation basis, so more limited reps there. So I know

297
00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,800
Speaker 3: you hope to see a jump from year one to

298
00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,000
Speaker 3: year two. That would lead me, though to my third takeaway,

299
00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:29,240
Speaker 3: getting to the quarterback. That was a big question going

300
00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,400
Speaker 3: into the season, and I'll be honest, I'm not sure

301
00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,800
Speaker 3: we have a solid answer after this season. I will

302
00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,760
Speaker 3: say that Room put up a lot more production than

303
00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,720
Speaker 3: maybe a lot of people expected from them, especially after

304
00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:49,120
Speaker 3: losing Dennis Gardek and bj Ojalari very early on in

305
00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,800
Speaker 3: the season. So a position that relies on rotation is

306
00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,240
Speaker 3: down bodies and your down players that have experience in

307
00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:02,040
Speaker 3: this system. No less, they had production better than I

308
00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,600
Speaker 3: was expecting to see on a consistent basis. That there

309
00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,040
Speaker 3: were struggles though, there were some dry spells of not

310
00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:13,639
Speaker 3: even just getting sacks, but just pressure generating enough pressure.

311
00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,000
Speaker 3: That's not just the outside linebackers. Now you're having to

312
00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,880
Speaker 3: start looking in the defensive line room and the coverage

313
00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:21,720
Speaker 3: of forcing a quarterback to hang onto a ball the

314
00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:25,800
Speaker 3: rushing coverage is a marriage there. That is a question. Though.

315
00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,560
Speaker 3: Now here's the thing is this coaching staff does not

316
00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,760
Speaker 3: seem like one in the front office that's going to

317
00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:36,159
Speaker 3: want to necessarily bring in a big name pass rusher

318
00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,280
Speaker 3: because of that rotation. And if you're going to spend

319
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,199
Speaker 3: that kind of money, you're gonna want that player to

320
00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:43,920
Speaker 3: play a lot of snaps. That player is likely going

321
00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:45,960
Speaker 3: to want to play a lot of snaps. So now

322
00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,280
Speaker 3: you're having to find the right type of person and

323
00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,800
Speaker 3: the right type of player to come in and fit

324
00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,240
Speaker 3: this system that they have. That's gonna be a big

325
00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,359
Speaker 3: key that I'm going to be keeping my eye on.

326
00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,800
Speaker 3: In the off season, you saw good things from the

327
00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,560
Speaker 3: outside linebackers room, not enough for what you want to

328
00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:03,120
Speaker 3: see on a consistent basis.

329
00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,639
Speaker 1: Forty one sacks, which is about average. It's tied for

330
00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,560
Speaker 1: thirteenth in the league, but it's the pressure rate, which

331
00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,040
Speaker 1: was the bottom third. And that's what Jonathan Gannon looks like.

332
00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,480
Speaker 1: He doesn't he keeps talking about sacks not being a

333
00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,359
Speaker 1: winning stat. He's been very consistent about that. They want

334
00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,879
Speaker 1: consistent pressure on the quarterback to force either a sack,

335
00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,800
Speaker 1: a strip sack, or that ball out quickly so it's

336
00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,560
Speaker 1: a two or three yard gain, or force it out

337
00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,600
Speaker 1: quickly for an interception. They want that pressure and to

338
00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,399
Speaker 1: your point, we saw it at times, we just didn't

339
00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,679
Speaker 1: see it a lot. But is there a room in

340
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,800
Speaker 1: that outside linebacker's room or that front seven to where

341
00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,600
Speaker 1: you have or need a double digit sack guy, especially

342
00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,840
Speaker 1: when you rotate so many of those players.

343
00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,359
Speaker 3: It is something to keep in mind though. Xavin Collins

344
00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:55,600
Speaker 3: is a great example. He's just not out there to

345
00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,440
Speaker 3: bull rush. They drop him into coverage, they have him

346
00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,439
Speaker 3: moving around the field. At one point he said he

347
00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,560
Speaker 3: was playing technically sixteen different spots on the field. That

348
00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,240
Speaker 3: is a lot being asked of their players, and that's

349
00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,240
Speaker 3: how this defense is finding success. So when you look

350
00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:12,760
Speaker 3: as a whole, the defense, I mean, the defense really

351
00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,800
Speaker 3: kept the Cardinals in game more games than not. This

352
00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,600
Speaker 3: season really shined a lot brighter than what people expected,

353
00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:27,320
Speaker 3: just not having a double digit sack leader or having

354
00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:31,800
Speaker 3: these well experienced players that have got eight, nine, ten

355
00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,600
Speaker 3: years in the league, and they were able to show

356
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,000
Speaker 3: that they've got the right coaching, they've got the right attitude,

357
00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,280
Speaker 3: the right grit, and the right people and players in

358
00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,719
Speaker 3: that locker room that they're going to make it work.

359
00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,200
Speaker 1: It is the room when you talk about edge rusher

360
00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,200
Speaker 1: or defensive end or defensive line. It is the room

361
00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:50,639
Speaker 1: that I think a lot of people are going to

362
00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,560
Speaker 1: keep an eye on this offseason again free agency or

363
00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,520
Speaker 1: the draft, a couple others.

364
00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:57,240
Speaker 3: Least for me.

365
00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:01,960
Speaker 1: Again, when I say biggest takeaway what we learned, the

366
00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,840
Speaker 1: biggest for me kind of touched on the defense, which

367
00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:10,320
Speaker 1: was the secondary. But offensively. Again, maybe this is low

368
00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:13,920
Speaker 1: hanging fruit. Maybe you don't disagree, please refute whatever I say.

369
00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:19,520
Speaker 1: But for me, it's Trey McBride. What he accomplished this season.

370
00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:25,000
Speaker 1: He went from good tight end to great tight end

371
00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,400
Speaker 1: to I think, if it's not an all pro tight

372
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,760
Speaker 1: end this season, years to come once George Kittle and

373
00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,760
Speaker 1: Travis Kelce walk off the field for the final time.

374
00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,879
Speaker 1: But there is no doubt in my mind Trey McBride.

375
00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,840
Speaker 1: If he doesn't have one hundred catches every year or

376
00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,600
Speaker 1: one thousand receiving yards, that's fine. But going back to

377
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:44,760
Speaker 1: what you said about Marvin Harrison Junior and Kyler Murray,

378
00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,280
Speaker 1: there is no question that the trust between quarterback and

379
00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,840
Speaker 1: tight end is top of the chart. And then when

380
00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,840
Speaker 1: you throw it to Trey one, he is going to

381
00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,000
Speaker 1: catch it and then he is going to do something

382
00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,200
Speaker 1: with that football. He is not going to go down

383
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,000
Speaker 1: on first contact. It's going to take two, three, four

384
00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,240
Speaker 1: different players to bring him down. So the yards after

385
00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,080
Speaker 1: catch after contact are also there. With Trey McBride, can

386
00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,560
Speaker 1: you find the zone a little bit more sure? But

387
00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,600
Speaker 1: what he accomplished this season I think was eye opening

388
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:16,560
Speaker 1: for a lot of people.

389
00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,240
Speaker 3: Talk about yards after catch? What about hurdles after catch?

390
00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:21,439
Speaker 3: He's got to lead the league there. I mean the

391
00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,800
Speaker 3: final weekends, the forty nine ers. He just gave a

392
00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,080
Speaker 3: full face of knee on that hurdle and landed right

393
00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:32,000
Speaker 3: on his feet. McBride had a spectacular season and I

394
00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:35,880
Speaker 3: don't care how many receiving touchdowns he had. The passing

395
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,680
Speaker 3: game went through McBride, no question, no doubt about it.

396
00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,440
Speaker 3: This was his first season as a starter start to finish.

397
00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,600
Speaker 3: Didn't have a lot of looks. His rookie year started

398
00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,280
Speaker 3: last year coming off the bench playing behind zach Ertz.

399
00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:56,440
Speaker 3: This was the first year he's coming off and off

400
00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,639
Speaker 3: season and then having a full season with Kyler, and

401
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:05,880
Speaker 3: that showed the trust. Just McBride's ability to reel in

402
00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,960
Speaker 3: any sort of catch, his strong hands, he showed a

403
00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,040
Speaker 3: speed across the middle. He was very intentional about working

404
00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,600
Speaker 3: on his run blocking this offseason to become a more

405
00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,440
Speaker 3: tight end. There were a handful of plays where McBride

406
00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,199
Speaker 3: wasn't even out there as a receiver and was blocking,

407
00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,760
Speaker 3: which keeps the defense on their toes a little bit more.

408
00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,199
Speaker 3: He is everything you want in a tight end, and

409
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,720
Speaker 3: now it's at the point where he's making these plays

410
00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:32,360
Speaker 3: some spectacular yes, even the ones that might not make

411
00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,399
Speaker 3: it up as Sports Center Top ten or he's not

412
00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,439
Speaker 3: gonna earn the angry run scepter from Kyle Brant with

413
00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:44,679
Speaker 3: the NFL Network. McBride fuels this offense when they need it.

414
00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,280
Speaker 3: When you know you need a big third down, you

415
00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,760
Speaker 3: need a chunk play, you need something in the air

416
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,520
Speaker 3: to get things going. You're looking for eighty.

417
00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,800
Speaker 1: Five, don't forget. Also, he carries defenders. Fred Warner got

418
00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,760
Speaker 1: to carry for a couple of yards on Sunday. I

419
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,679
Speaker 1: believe that was McBride's first catch of the game in

420
00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:06,760
Speaker 1: which he took yeah, piggybacker and it's impressive. Now this

421
00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:08,960
Speaker 1: I went back and did a deep dive. Now this

422
00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,800
Speaker 1: is impressive for McBride. Though I hope this doesn't happen again.

423
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,000
Speaker 1: McBride led the team in receptions and receiving yards in

424
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:23,600
Speaker 1: the same game ten different times. Wow. Again, congratulations to

425
00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,480
Speaker 1: Tray McBride. It shows you how much of the offense

426
00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:31,400
Speaker 1: went through him. I would hope next season that there's

427
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:35,479
Speaker 1: a little bit more balance there. I e. Marvin Harrison Junior,

428
00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,720
Speaker 1: no wide receiver led the team in receiving yards past

429
00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:43,679
Speaker 1: week five. So again figuring out that balance with the

430
00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,960
Speaker 1: run game, which you know is consistent now the pass game,

431
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,400
Speaker 1: and maybe at the end of the next season it's

432
00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,320
Speaker 1: not so much all right with the wide receivers doing

433
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 1: the tight ends the running backs. Were you scoring more points?

434
00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:58,520
Speaker 1: That's the bottom line. But that's quite the separation between

435
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,960
Speaker 1: tight end production and wide receiver place.

436
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,280
Speaker 3: There were also a handful of games where running back

437
00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,199
Speaker 3: was right up there with the tight end as your

438
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,679
Speaker 3: one of your top two leading receivers. That says great things,

439
00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,120
Speaker 3: the ability to have a check down and running backs

440
00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,080
Speaker 3: with steady hands and someone like James Connor. I'm right

441
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,159
Speaker 3: there with you. You just you need more from your

442
00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,480
Speaker 3: wide receivers group as a whole on a consistent basis.

443
00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:25,480
Speaker 3: There were games at home against the Rams in Miami

444
00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:30,480
Speaker 3: against the Dolphins. There were and more now as I'm

445
00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,919
Speaker 3: my brain as foggy as everyone can probably tell, my

446
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,560
Speaker 3: body waited until the perfect second when the season was

447
00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,520
Speaker 3: over to give me this that I am doing my

448
00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:44,520
Speaker 3: best to work through. By point being, there were games

449
00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:50,040
Speaker 3: where the passing game looked spectacular, it wasn't enough and

450
00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:54,560
Speaker 3: it wasn't consistent enough. And that's something that broader picture

451
00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,600
Speaker 3: needs to be worked on this offseason. And that goes

452
00:24:57,640 --> 00:24:59,639
Speaker 3: beyond the wide receivers room. That goes beyond just the

453
00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,640
Speaker 3: quarter of room. And also you're looking at the offensive

454
00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,359
Speaker 3: line room in the blocking and the amount of time

455
00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,480
Speaker 3: you're allowing your QB to throw. Talking about the schemes

456
00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,600
Speaker 3: in the place, it really is all parties involved. The

457
00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,480
Speaker 3: passing game needs to get more consistent.

458
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:17,959
Speaker 1: My last takeaway the division and the fact that a

459
00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,280
Speaker 1: year ago in year one, Jonathan gannon winless in the

460
00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:26,000
Speaker 1: NFC West. This season three and three plus, as you

461
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,240
Speaker 1: look at the rest of the NFC West, Cardinals had

462
00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 1: the highest point differential of any team in the division.

463
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,879
Speaker 1: The Rams, who won the division and are playing on

464
00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:42,120
Speaker 1: Monday Night, were minus nineteen. Still made the postseason. Only

465
00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,000
Speaker 1: the Bengals had a higher differential among non playoff teams

466
00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:50,639
Speaker 1: than the Cardinals. So again you win two more games

467
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,040
Speaker 1: three just to be safe. And that's all that is

468
00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:58,280
Speaker 1: separating the Cardinals from being at home watching wild Card

469
00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:01,160
Speaker 1: weekend to participating and wild Card weekend.

470
00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:03,639
Speaker 3: That's why this coaching staff and the players were saying

471
00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,879
Speaker 3: this team is close. They can feel that they are close.

472
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,920
Speaker 3: Six home wins for the first time since twenty fifteen,

473
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:17,280
Speaker 3: four of those decided by twenty or more points. I

474
00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,400
Speaker 3: can understand being frustrated for not reaching the end goal,

475
00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,000
Speaker 3: which is making the playoffs. You can still look at

476
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,120
Speaker 3: the positives without being a homer and that is a positive.

477
00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:31,040
Speaker 3: Is being able to win games and win at home

478
00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,200
Speaker 3: and start to create a home field advantage, easiest way

479
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,280
Speaker 3: to the playoffs, guaranteed way to the playoffs, win the division.

480
00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,080
Speaker 3: The Cardinals proved they are competitive in the NFC West,

481
00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:45,160
Speaker 3: and this is a tough division because teams like the Rams,

482
00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,560
Speaker 3: no matter how they start, they always seem to find

483
00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,760
Speaker 3: a way to scratch a claw into the playoffs and

484
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,720
Speaker 3: they get hot at the right time. The Cardinals have

485
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,600
Speaker 3: now shown they can be competitive and they can hold

486
00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,000
Speaker 3: their own against these teams. I know it was crappy

487
00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,439
Speaker 3: games against the Seahawks both times. I understand that a plus.

488
00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:10,120
Speaker 3: Though Kyron Williams, LA's running back destroyed Arizona last year,

489
00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,520
Speaker 3: didn't even come close to that in either matchup this year.

490
00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:15,960
Speaker 3: And it also seems like LA is going to have

491
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,440
Speaker 3: to spend their offseason their secondary at least figuring out

492
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:22,560
Speaker 3: how to stop Marvin Harrison Junior, because he had two

493
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,680
Speaker 3: very good games against the Rams.

494
00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,280
Speaker 1: And the vice versa on that is, the Cardinals got

495
00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,480
Speaker 1: to figure out how to contain Pukinakua and that's the

496
00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,960
Speaker 1: one negative when you look at those matchups against the Rams.

497
00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,560
Speaker 1: By the way, speaking of the Rams, as I mentioned,

498
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,200
Speaker 1: they play on Monday, they host the Vikings rematch from

499
00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,000
Speaker 1: Week eight. Where do we fall in? Because I know

500
00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:48,160
Speaker 1: where I fall in. When you look at the postseason

501
00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,240
Speaker 1: and you're looking for rooting interests, are you of those people,

502
00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:55,120
Speaker 1: which I'm not one of them. I'm going to get

503
00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,760
Speaker 1: that out there, but that want to see the division

504
00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,159
Speaker 1: do well or no, not a part of it. I

505
00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,240
Speaker 1: don't want the Rams to be successful because that's.

506
00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,679
Speaker 3: Where I fall I wouldn't say I'm in the middle.

507
00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:10,639
Speaker 3: I'm definitely not on the team of I want the

508
00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,240
Speaker 3: NFC West to do really well and bring one home

509
00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:16,240
Speaker 3: for the division, because that's not what happens. You don't

510
00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:17,960
Speaker 3: bring one home for the division. You bring one home

511
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,520
Speaker 3: for your team. So I think I feel more strongly

512
00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,440
Speaker 3: as the playoffs go on. Right now, I will watch

513
00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:29,200
Speaker 3: that game with indifference. As the Rams get closer, it

514
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,760
Speaker 3: becomes harder to not necessarily root for them, it gets

515
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,760
Speaker 3: harder to not root against them. So right now, early on,

516
00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,120
Speaker 3: I'm indifferent. And then if they end up finding their

517
00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,440
Speaker 3: way pretty deep, it's going to be like, oh gosh,

518
00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,520
Speaker 3: please don't let them win, because it's just going to

519
00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:44,440
Speaker 3: be nauseating for the next year.

520
00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm right there with you on that last part.

521
00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,880
Speaker 1: By the way, are these the best two days coming up?

522
00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,280
Speaker 1: Wild Card weekend? Are they the best two days? And

523
00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:55,520
Speaker 1: it's really two and a half because of Monday Night football?

524
00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,840
Speaker 1: But are they the best two days on the NFL

525
00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,920
Speaker 1: calendar as far as action on Saturday and Sunday?

526
00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,960
Speaker 3: That's true? Yeah, probably for me because I like NFL

527
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,080
Speaker 3: better than college so that's kind of a better Saturday

528
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:08,880
Speaker 3: Sunday deal for me.

529
00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:11,880
Speaker 1: And let's of course you're participating. We all want the

530
00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,120
Speaker 1: Cardinals to participate. But again on Saturday, you've got a

531
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:19,040
Speaker 1: double header Chargers at Texans followed by the Steelers at

532
00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:23,240
Speaker 1: the Ravens. Round three. They split their two regular season meetings,

533
00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,200
Speaker 1: either or one of those of note for you at

534
00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:27,080
Speaker 1: all here.

535
00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:30,440
Speaker 3: I think the Ravens and Steelers is really interesting to

536
00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,600
Speaker 3: me because what Steelers team is showing up that has

537
00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,920
Speaker 3: the potential to be a really great game and also

538
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,280
Speaker 3: has the potential where you make it to halftime and

539
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,520
Speaker 3: you don't even feel like watching the second half of

540
00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:45,400
Speaker 3: the game because Baltimore is just gonna be ripping Pittsburgh apart.

541
00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,640
Speaker 1: They have limp talking about the Steelers, they have limped

542
00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,160
Speaker 1: to the postseason. I think it's what a four game

543
00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,440
Speaker 1: losing streak and if they lose on Saturday and all

544
00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:56,120
Speaker 1: of a sudden, it's five straight losses. But that's Saturday

545
00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:59,920
Speaker 1: and then a triple header on Sunday. Game one Broncos

546
00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:05,040
Speaker 1: at the Bills, and I think that's uh. I don't

547
00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,000
Speaker 1: know if bon Nix can go into Buffalo and beat

548
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,200
Speaker 1: the Bills. I'm not sure. Props to Zach Allen and

549
00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:12,560
Speaker 1: Vance Joseph, a couple of the former Cardinals. Well they're

550
00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:16,480
Speaker 1: player a coach but I don't know if anyone's beating

551
00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,560
Speaker 1: the Bills right now. That's just me. We got different opinions.

552
00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:21,080
Speaker 3: No, I don't. I don't.

553
00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,880
Speaker 1: Packers at Eagles a rematch from their one game in Brazil.

554
00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:26,800
Speaker 3: That'll be a good game.

555
00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:28,920
Speaker 1: Good news for Phillipel Oh my gosh, get Brazil.

556
00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:30,240
Speaker 3: That was like five years ago.

557
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:32,760
Speaker 1: I was looking up some of this stuff. They played

558
00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,120
Speaker 1: each other's like, oh yeah win. Oh the kickoff weekend

559
00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:36,080
Speaker 1: they played in Brazil.

560
00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,040
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, that we went to like a bar to

561
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,760
Speaker 3: like get some late night fud when we landed in

562
00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:42,640
Speaker 3: Buffalo pretty late.

563
00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,320
Speaker 1: And that was on good news for the Eagles. Dalen

564
00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,760
Speaker 1: Hurts return to practice on Wednesday. He's missed the past

565
00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:53,320
Speaker 1: two games because of concussion protocol. The nightcap is another

566
00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,920
Speaker 1: rematch from Week one, Commanders at Buccaneers. Tampa Bay won

567
00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,880
Speaker 1: that game in Week one. Cliff Kingsbury in the playoffs

568
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,560
Speaker 1: for the second time in his NFL career, going up

569
00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:07,480
Speaker 1: against Todd Bowles, former Cardinal defensive coordinator.

570
00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,040
Speaker 3: Interesting to see jayde Daniels the rookie in playoffs and

571
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:12,640
Speaker 3: whether or not the lights are too bright.

572
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:15,360
Speaker 1: And then the last games we talked about Vikings at

573
00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,520
Speaker 1: Rams on Monday night football. So yeah, you've got six

574
00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,800
Speaker 1: games spread over three days, really two and a half.

575
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,360
Speaker 1: You can sleep in on Monday and or go to

576
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:26,920
Speaker 1: work on when everyone got to go to work.

577
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:28,560
Speaker 3: But you know, how about I sleep in and go

578
00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:29,920
Speaker 3: to work when I just feel like it.

579
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,720
Speaker 1: That would be unbelievable. How do we make that happen?

580
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:36,880
Speaker 3: We just start doing it and don't tell Darren Urban.

581
00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:39,880
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm game for that, Codie. Are you with us

582
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,320
Speaker 1: on that? I mean, can we all agree that we'll

583
00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:43,960
Speaker 1: just sleep in and we you know what I.

584
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:44,520
Speaker 3: Think it's time?

585
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,760
Speaker 1: Yes, if we just all walked in one large group

586
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,320
Speaker 1: at say, I don't know, ten, ten thirty eleven.

587
00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:56,200
Speaker 3: Darren would I can't even say on this podcast how

588
00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:57,280
Speaker 3: we would not like that.

589
00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,280
Speaker 1: How About if we just do it once just to

590
00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:03,640
Speaker 1: see his reaction, maybe on April first?

591
00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,240
Speaker 3: Can I get like, can I get it written that

592
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,200
Speaker 3: I wouldn't get fired or there wouldn't be retaliation?

593
00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:11,640
Speaker 1: You know that if we did it all together, it

594
00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:13,400
Speaker 1: would be the one day where he wasn't there in

595
00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:15,480
Speaker 1: a meeting. Yes, a good luck out.

596
00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,240
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's how it would pan out.

597
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,560
Speaker 1: Okay, Well, props to you Danny on what has been

598
00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:24,480
Speaker 1: a busy Wednesday looking forward to what's ahead and now

599
00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,560
Speaker 1: because I'm feeling myself getting to that point as well. Yes,

600
00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,320
Speaker 1: the players, coaches they needed a bit of a break. Yes,

601
00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:34,000
Speaker 1: so do we as well. It's been a long season.

602
00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:36,720
Speaker 3: But you know what, good news for the fans, there

603
00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,160
Speaker 3: won't be much of a break and content because all

604
00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,960
Speaker 3: off season. We still have our podcast. We've got Cardinals

605
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,320
Speaker 3: Cover two, Cardinals Underground, Red Sea Report, Big Red Rage

606
00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,400
Speaker 3: still going on every week. We've got Cardinals Birdwatch, our

607
00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:53,240
Speaker 3: weekly TV show that you can also find on Azycardinals

608
00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:57,200
Speaker 3: dot com. We've got feature stories, We've got all kinds

609
00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,960
Speaker 3: of stuff keeping you entertained throughout the off season.

610
00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:05,160
Speaker 1: As they say, there is no off season in the NFL.

611
00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,280
Speaker 1: It's just one season that continues and never.

612
00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:10,120
Speaker 3: Stops pretty much.

613
00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:14,480
Speaker 1: So well, enjoy it. Not that I'm gonna not see

614
00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,280
Speaker 1: you ever again. But what was that for.

615
00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,280
Speaker 3: I know, No, I'm saying, I know, I'm going to

616
00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:21,560
Speaker 3: see you tomorrow.

617
00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:24,800
Speaker 1: Yes, tomorrow, Friday. Yes, enjoyed the weekend.

618
00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,400
Speaker 3: If I don't see you, you'll see me, Craig.

619
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,480
Speaker 1: Get some rest. No days off there you go, no

620
00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,920
Speaker 1: days off on that note, we'll put it on this

621
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:35,000
Speaker 1: edition of Cardinals Cover two, presented by Hyundai, partner of

622
00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,920
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals. As always, special thanks to our executive

623
00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,040
Speaker 1: producer Jim Mama Hundre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher for

624
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:43,120
Speaker 1: Danny Surrek, I'm Craig rial Lou. We'll talk to you

625
00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:44,920
Speaker 1: next time here on Cardinals Cover two