1 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: Vikings postgame report Minnesota Vikings victorious over the New York 2 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 1: Giants twenty seven to twenty four today. Gabe Henderson here along. 3 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: So I've been Lieber and Ben we talked in between 4 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: the lines earlier. Um, we'll come up and we'll talk 5 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: about that later in the show. But the number one 6 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: thing today was the fact that the Minnesota Vikings found 7 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: another way to win in which I didn't think they could. Man, 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: I mean, you can have never count this team out. 9 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: And um, you know, as it was tied and we 10 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: get the ball with two o one left in the game, 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: everybody on the sideline is I'm helping call the game 12 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: for KFA, and everybody on the sideline didn't seem to 13 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: even be panicked or worried. You know. I would just 14 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: kind of make eyes with some up and they're like, yeah, 15 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: we got it, We're good. So, you know, there's just 16 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: a ton of confidence after a season like this where 17 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: we've been countless number of times. I think Kirk has 18 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: had what seven game winning drives in the fourth quarter 19 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: this season so far, that this was just another run 20 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: of the mill, close game that we knew that we 21 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: were going to make more plays than the other team, 22 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: and we did, and we did, and so did Kevin O'Connell. 23 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 1: He made a lot of play calls today for this 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: Minnesota Vikings offense. Let's talk to his toss to his 25 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: presser to get his thoughts on today. Knew this, knew 26 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: this was going to be a grind of a game 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: against a really well coached football team in all three 28 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: phases on that sideline, we weren't exactly at our best 29 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 1: for throughout. We're still hunting that four quarters of true 30 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: consistent football that we want to see. But I was 31 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: really proud of our guys and the complimentary football that 32 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: showed up there to help put that thing away. And 33 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: some real significant performances today, you know, none bigger than 34 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: Greg Joseph stepping in there for his career long longest 35 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: field goaling team history for the six one yard game 36 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: winner I'm gonna tell us with the block punt, Daniel 37 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: Hunter two sacks and seven tackles, and then T. J. 38 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: Hawkinson and Justin Jefferson with both some record setting days here. 39 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: You know, amongst our team, and our quarterback played continuously, 40 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: plays very very good to help us when we need 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: him the most in those fourth quarters and to try 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: to will our team so some wins. There's a lot 43 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: of things that we can do better, a lot of 44 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: things coaches can do better, but no better feeling than 45 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: doing it after you're winning your twelfth game of the season, 46 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: still with two to go. But we're well aware that 47 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: our best football is hopefully out in front of us, 48 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: and that's only going to come from the work and 49 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,519 Speaker 1: the commitment to continuing to build what we're doing here 50 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: the right way. Just the injury updates for you guys, 51 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: Lynch did kind of reaggravate that shoulder. We'll see how 52 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: he turns over, but you know, in a reaggravation of 53 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: a previous shoulder injury, you know he could be day 54 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: to day and we'll let you guys know earlier this 55 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 1: week how he does. And then Sullivan Channing came back 56 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: in the game just kind of bang that knee a 57 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: little bit and was able to respond and come back 58 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: in and show his toughness. But hard fought victory against 59 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: a team that we've got a got a chance to 60 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: possibly see again here. It's a good football team over there, 61 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: and we're really proud of our guys for being able 62 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: to overcome and win. I thought. Our crowd was tremendous again, 63 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: as they always are, and that's why it's so important 64 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: to us to continue to try to secure some of 65 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: these victories, to give ourselves as many opportunities as possible 66 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: here at us Bank Stadium. How close did you need 67 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 1: to get before you decide a kick there at the end, 68 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: right about that line, Right about that line, I think 69 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: the big thing right there is just always the threat 70 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: of you saw them put Love back there to catch 71 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: the ball and to block for a long field goal attempt, 72 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: you got to have a lot of your alignment on 73 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: the field, So it's it's that gauge and um I 74 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: looked over Greg and I could just see he had 75 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: a great look in his eye, and he absolutely hammered 76 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: that kick, and just so much credit goes to him 77 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: all the preparation as when no one's watching four moments 78 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: exactly like that. Really proud of Greg, and I think 79 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: our whole team you could kind of feel it in 80 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: the locker room, just how proud everyone was of him. 81 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: When you run a screen there towards the end, when 82 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: the clock's taking down, what kind of thought process goes 83 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: into the consideration of trying to manage the clock because 84 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: you're justing it's down in time. Yeah, we alert the 85 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: huddle regardless. There was a couple of plays called in 86 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: the huddle based upon the looks, and we alert the 87 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: huddle of the situation that we're going to clock the football, 88 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: and then kind of from there, it's really you know, 89 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 1: calling a premiere premiere mentality of Hey, if they're gonna 90 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: send pressure like we expected, clock stop two minute, we're 91 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: gonna try to put the ball in play and see 92 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: if we can possibly get up and under a couple 93 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: of those blocks, because they did bring kind of one 94 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,799 Speaker 1: of their overloads, whether away or to it. And great 95 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: execution as we saw last week with some big screens 96 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: and some big moments. I thought, I don't know what 97 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: Justin got on that play, but for him to get 98 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: north and south, for us to cover people up and 99 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: almost run out of the thing, but then nineteen seconds 100 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: left to have the ability to get up there, get 101 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: that thing clocked, give Greg a chance. I thought it 102 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: was a huge moment, as well as the completion previously 103 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: to Justin where we held up versus kind of a 104 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: boundary overload, So a lot of overload pressure, a lot 105 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: of what the giants are. And like I said, when 106 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: I say that, I have a lot of respect for 107 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: these coaches, not only their head coaches. It's not a 108 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: phenomenal job, but Wink's always been one of those coordinators. 109 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: It's a challenge every time you go against those guys 110 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: because at any moment, they can create a play, They 111 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: can change the game just by the nature of how 112 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: they play. So you've got to mitigate risk while also 113 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: trying to be aggressive yourself in some moments like that. 114 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: Worked so much on situational stuff even starting to training campus. Ye, 115 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: did you ever honestly think it would be it would 116 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: play a role on eleven wins this year. I knew 117 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: it would play a role in some wins, probably not 118 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: that many. But our guy's ability to be able to 119 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: play with a quiet of mind and just understand the 120 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: situation and pitch and catch and execute some things maybe 121 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: the best execution all day in those moments. And that's 122 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: a team for our team. Now, what we've got to 123 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: do is find a way to create that kind of 124 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: urgency and you know, execution level throughout four quarters and 125 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: we're going to see something really special with this team. 126 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: But every week in this league, it's a grind to 127 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: win games, especially against teams like that that are going 128 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: to play good football. So proud we were able to 129 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: overcome it. And like always, there's a lot we can 130 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: do better. Me, me, none more than anyone else. I 131 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: got to be out in front making sure I continue 132 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: to push our team to understand twelve wins is great. 133 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: We've earned each and every one of those wins, sometimes 134 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: right down at the very end, most times right down 135 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: at the very end. But we're still building something here 136 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: that every moment we get to prepare grow as a team. 137 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: Those things matter and we got to take advantage of them. 138 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: What does the mindset become with all these wins you 139 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: pull out, is the team just no matter the circumstances, 140 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: they just assume they're going to wind up these heart 141 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: stopping wins almost become routine or No, I don't think 142 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: they assume. I just think they're prepared in those moments 143 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: to find a way and whatever phase that is. Understanding 144 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: the importance of stepping on the grass, no matter how 145 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: much time, no matter the urgency, no matter the situation. 146 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: Hopefully we've wrapped it, talked about it, practiced it, acknowledge 147 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: the difficulty and accept the challenge to go get it done. 148 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: And I think that's what our team has done a 149 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: lot this year in those moments and enabled TJ to 150 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: get so open on the first NUSS fan pastor. Yeah, 151 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: we were, you know, we were in a big grouping there. 152 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: Um kind of he's an attached tight end kind of 153 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: selling uh you know, almost like a low cross route. 154 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: We call it on a keeper H Kirk's attack in 155 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: the edge and then we just allow H you know, 156 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: JJ to change direction there and kind of lose his defender. 157 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: Perfect look for the play, but then it's on Kirk 158 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: and TJ to xcute there. And even with the multi 159 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: you know, the white, purple, white end zones, they're able 160 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: to get his feet in. And that was the only 161 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: my only fear when I saw him kind of running 162 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: across the back is what he know where the actual 163 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: back line was. And great pitching catch by those guys. 164 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: We had kind of a similar, similar play design on 165 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: one of those early third and short where JJ kind 166 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: of ran something pretty similar and taking a shot there 167 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: hoping we would convert that one, but we didn't. So 168 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: I just wanted to be aggressive in those moments where 169 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: we could dictate a little bit more than third and eight, 170 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: and they may be coming over the walls at you, 171 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: and you got to be careful in those moments. What 172 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: kind of superli do you have for Justin Jebberson after 173 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: this type of for full risk? I told him, you know, 174 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: after that third down catch, you know, in the in 175 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 1: the red zone there, I just told him, it's it's 176 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: a pleasure and an honor to coach a player like 177 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: that that that you know can show up in those 178 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: biggest moments and one of his best routes quite honestly, 179 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: that I've seen him run. And he's ran a lot 180 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: of great ones, a lot of ones that end up 181 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 1: on social media. But the type of coverage he was 182 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: facing in that moment, in the detail, and his ability 183 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: to separate in an absolute, huge, critical moment without the 184 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: let's just call it a less than ideal. Look. Um, 185 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: I just told him he's a special player, and you know, 186 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: I just absolutely love him to death and and just 187 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 1: hope that he knows that can It's never a probably, 188 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: It's never a bad thing to tell somebody you love him. 189 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: That's what my wife tells me. Whatt's have been like 190 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: with Greg? Joseph went through the rough strategy, missed five 191 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: extra points, five straight fiegals of longer than fifty. But 192 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: the way he's kind of fought through it and bounced 193 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: back these last few weeks, especially today. Yeah, I think 194 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: it's important that our players understand that adversity is going 195 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 1: to be met with opportunity to as our team has done. 196 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: We have not always played well as a team in 197 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: moments in games, but that's adversity that we need to 198 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: respond to. And I think on an individual level level 199 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: for a kicker, it's hard, right Greg, had you know 200 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: a couple of swings there, you know, early on in 201 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 1: the season where hey, you know, let's get back and 202 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: make sure we continue to work technique fundamentals, make sure 203 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: we're dialed in with the execution of snap hold kick 204 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: so that you guys can be what you've been for 205 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: us since I got here, is ultra consistent, And just 206 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 1: pick him up and let him know that we've got 207 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: nothing but one confidence and those guys to go execute. 208 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: And then you got to give them the opportunities in 209 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: those moments to prove what you say. And then when 210 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: you see that ball go through the uprights and our 211 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: team go crazy, Uh, those are real growth moments for everybody. 212 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: When you guys get up twenty three sixteen, Did you 213 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: give any thought there to going for two to try 214 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: to make it a nine one game? Yeah? I did. 215 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: I just in that moment, I felt strongly about making 216 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: it an eight point game to ensure that it would 217 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: be tied if they went down. Worst case scenario for 218 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: us in that moment, they go down score and get 219 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: the two point. I just didn't want to give. You know, 220 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: at that point, you can eliminate them from then going 221 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: down to score and get the two point to take 222 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: the lead, and then all of a sudden, that last drive, 223 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: we're needing to kick a sixty one yard or to possibly, 224 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: you know, not lose the game. So I thought going 225 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 1: We went back and forth. I talked to Ryan quite 226 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: a bit about it in the moment, but but yeah, 227 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: that was one that we did discuss. But I thought 228 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: it was important to get that eight point lead in 229 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: that moment. After Kevin, did you see this being the 230 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: type of game that would allow TG to have his 231 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,119 Speaker 1: big games? He get I he would have an opportunity. 232 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: I really did, just based upon um when he wasn't 233 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: going to be if it turned into an ultra pressure 234 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: game like it could be at times against that team, 235 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: it'd be hard to get him out truly as much 236 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: as we'd like, but he was able to you know, 237 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,719 Speaker 1: really make some make some hay underneath coverage. There was 238 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: a lot of role coverage to Justin. Playing a lot 239 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: of split safety, we're able to get Justin and him 240 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: you know, kind of work in the middle of the 241 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: middle of the field at different times. And then you know, 242 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: quite honestly, just the you know, the red zone, the 243 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 1: way he showed up on that first touchdown, kind of 244 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: that designed play and then uh, you know, his his 245 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: second one as well, just just really sharp by TJ 246 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: and and continues to find a real role for us 247 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: in our offense. And just like kJ can you know, 248 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: have a huge game last week, That game is out 249 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: there for all of our players. With our quarterback kind 250 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,079 Speaker 1: of finding the open man, playing with great poise and 251 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: and our offensive execution being consistently where we want, we 252 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: could have, quite honestly, just across the board, we could 253 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: have been better today offensively and you know, helped our 254 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: team a little bit more. And that's what we'll go 255 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: back and continue to work through. But to get it done. 256 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: Was was a credit to our players pressure in this sense. 257 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: Wheci's late. I guess what did you think about Hawker 258 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: handled those and just stood in the time. Yeah, it's 259 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: those are the moments that they are trying to cause chaos. 260 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: They are trying to cause a frantic feel to how 261 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: you play. Uh and and he just the throw to 262 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: Justin on before the screen was a great example of 263 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: trusting that protection, stepping up our guys, executing up front 264 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: and getting that ball thrown and caught in a huge 265 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 1: moment that allowed us to then give ourselves a huddle call, 266 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 1: chance to be aggressive with the play call and also 267 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: have that that screen to justusin in our back pocket 268 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: to execute at a high level. And those those plays 269 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 1: mean a lot to our team in those moments. And 270 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: that's how you execute and situational football by by everybody 271 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 1: having a level head and being led by your quarterback 272 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: like he's done time and time and time again. This year, 273 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: you've talked about trying to be more aggressive odd defense. 274 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: The quarner blitz is today. Was that something that kind 275 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: of got cooked up this week? Or where did those 276 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 1: now we've we've had those, Whether you're sending the nickel 277 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: the corner or whatever it is. Sometimes they run stopping pressure. 278 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 1: Sometimes they're just trying to catch off maybe some of 279 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: their RPO game or some of the gun run. But 280 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: I thought Ed was aggressive in spots and continues to 281 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: kind of make adjustments in game to give ourselves a chance. 282 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: They held them under, you know, thirty percent on third 283 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: down to force some turnovers there, and offensively we're able 284 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: to not have any turnovers. So when you win that battle, 285 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: and although it can feel like a grind sometimes against 286 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: that team, um, you play clean enough, you'll give yourself 287 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: a chance to win in the end, and that's when 288 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: our team tends to respond. When you said you had 289 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: that screen in your back pocket if you needed it, 290 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: So did you start that possession thinking this is one 291 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: of the that's on a short list of plays I 292 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: might call. Yeah, you know it was. It was just 293 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,440 Speaker 1: something that I could add to the call when I 294 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: felt like it might be justified to give Kirk that 295 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:55,679 Speaker 1: that opportunity. So we were going to try to be 296 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 1: aggressive and get the ball down the field because you 297 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: don't want to have to rely on a sixty one 298 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: yard or if you don't have to, we had kind 299 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: of used some We had some injury things throughout the 300 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: second half that Um, you know, I needed to be 301 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: better knowing who was available and kind of play. Clock 302 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: ran down, had to take a time out and it's 303 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: one hundred percent on me. Um, So without our full 304 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: compliment of timeouts, UM, I knew we would need chunks, 305 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: but I didn't want to jeopardize possibly putting Kirk in 306 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: a tough situation. So great audible by him, um that 307 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: that he added his disposal and then then you got 308 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: to go execute that screen in that moment with some 309 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: really athletic people chasing and running to make that tackle. 310 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: So big play for our team and gave Greg a 311 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: chance blow hurt. Thanks guys, Benny. You also talked to 312 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: Kevin O'Connell on the Vikings Radio Network KFE and and 313 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: you use the word not I guess drained as far 314 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: as just his demeanor, but he was happy that his 315 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: guys want. Yeah, man, I think you know, after especially 316 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: after last week. Um, he just looked exhausted after last week. Um, 317 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: you know today he just a little bit more somber, 318 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: you know, maybe not quite as enthusiastic of the win. 319 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: I think, you know, maybe sensing just a little bit 320 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: of frustration that their offense did not execute the way 321 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: he was hoping to. You know, I brought up the 322 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: idea that you knew that the Giants were gonna blitz, 323 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: we were inconsistent of taken advantage of the blitz, and 324 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, he was really quick to point out that 325 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: it was basically it's not as if these guys weren't 326 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: prepared for it. You know, they saw the looks that 327 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,359 Speaker 1: they expected. I think there's just some recognition and execution 328 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: issues with the guys on the field, and and so 329 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: I think he was he seemed a little frustrated with 330 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: the amount of plays they left out on the field, 331 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: but nonetheless extremely proud of the guys for fighting through 332 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: once again and making plays really when they needed to 333 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: make plays, which is what they've been doing all season long, 334 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 1: doing it all season long, which has resulted in the 335 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: twelve wins for this Minnesota Vikings team. At the helm 336 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: of this Vikings team, it's Kirk Cousins. Another huge performance 337 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: today at thirty four or forty eight two hundred and 338 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: ninety nine passing yards, but more importantly, he had three 339 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: touchdowns now were in exceptions. He addressed the media today, 340 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: and I guess just to get his thoughts on today's performance. 341 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: Huge win again, found the inches again. You know, it 342 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: was another team win when you look at how close 343 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: that game was and you see the plays made better defense, 344 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: the turnovers they created, the block punt by our special 345 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: teams unit, the sixty sixty plus yard field goal. You know, 346 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: you see how it really takes all three phases making 347 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: plays for us to be able to win. And wouldn't 348 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: have it any other way. On the offensive side, you know, 349 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: obviously justin broke a big record. Anytime you're breaking a 350 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: record that is held by a guy named Randy Moss, 351 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: you're doing something special, you know, and great to break 352 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: it in at sixteen game window as opposed to seventeen. 353 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: You know. TJ obviously was targeted a lot today, had 354 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: a big game. I felt like his second touchdown was 355 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: a really critical play in the game, but also very 356 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: difficult play to make and to high point the ball 357 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: to underthrone, come down and bounds and hold on um 358 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: just testament to his ability and his focus and you know, 359 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: just keep playing complimentary football. I think it's so important 360 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: when the defense creates to turnover, we go down and 361 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: get points or you know, when we get in field 362 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: goal range to hit a field goal. You know, just 363 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: kind of compliment off each other. I think is so important. 364 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 1: Um and uh, you know it wasn't perfect today, but 365 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,439 Speaker 1: the Giants are a good football team and made it 366 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: hard for us. And you know we'll just keep building. 367 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: We got a long week now with the extra day 368 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: before we head to Green Base, so um, you know 369 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 1: we'll enjoy it Christmas and and keep moving forward. But 370 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: take any questions you guys have, Geric, are you thinking 371 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: of a specific yard line for Joseph? Is every play 372 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 1: you called to get him in field goal range? And 373 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: is there? Is it target thirty five? Is it target something? 374 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: I think you do want to get as close as 375 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: you can. Um, I didn't feel like where we were 376 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,959 Speaker 1: was close enough. So I don't think you really settle. 377 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: You're just gonna take whatever you can get. Um. You 378 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,959 Speaker 1: know you want to get in that makeable range wherever 379 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: that wherever that may be. How much does home field 380 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 1: advantage and and CD you guys talked a lot about 381 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:10,720 Speaker 1: that now is that a real import piece once you 382 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: putch a division? I don't think we talk a lot 383 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 1: about it. I think we're all aware, um of the 384 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: importance of trying to get the right seed position, but um, 385 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: there's a lot in that that's out of our control. 386 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: There's certainly a large part that's in our control. And um, 387 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: you just got a playge game and really, you know, 388 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: let let the chips sort where they may at the 389 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: end of the year, but try to go win all 390 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:39,120 Speaker 1: these games and go from there. What's at home, Fiel, 391 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,399 Speaker 1: When you see the white out like that, yeah, I 392 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: think it's the first time then, yeah, we explain what 393 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 1: home field advantage does mean when you see you know, 394 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: the fans response. Yeah, I can't say enough about our 395 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: home atmosphere. That was our last regular season home game 396 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: of the year, and uh, you know, I think we 397 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: had to did a tremendous job at home this year, 398 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,439 Speaker 1: and I think a lot of that goes to our 399 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: our fans and they're the way they brought energy. And uh, 400 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: I think the white out was a fun idea. Um. 401 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: I think it added an element to the to the 402 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: game and around Christmas time and with the weather outside, 403 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: you know, Uh, I think as well, it was just 404 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: a good fit. So and the fans showed up and 405 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: showed up in their white and did a great job. 406 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: So I can't say enough about the noise and those 407 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,679 Speaker 1: critical moments at the end of the game that I 408 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: think really moves the needle. Time again, we saw Greg 409 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: Cavin and a practice with the Rios. Yes, then he 410 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: hit like a little bit of a rough patch with 411 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: fifty plus. Um, he wasn't like to see that moment 412 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,400 Speaker 1: for him and the kind of faith that this team 413 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: kept hill. It was a It was a huge kick 414 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: and um, I didn't think we were close enough. I 415 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: didn't ask for the yardage, but I thought it was 416 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: closer to like sixty four maybe where it was really far. 417 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: And um, when you know when he hit it, it 418 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: just looked so good. It was straight, It looked long 419 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 1: enough from where we were standing, and you never know, 420 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: but it felt good right away. And he did just 421 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: like you said, Craig, he did in training camp and 422 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: multiple practices with a kick like that, and it was 423 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 1: so great to see it. Uh, you know, from August 424 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: show up here in late December. If the season in 425 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: it today would just be the most incredible season or 426 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: a unique season. And Traver experienced a piformio. It's a 427 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,679 Speaker 1: great question when you talk about playing at this level 428 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: you know, where the stakes are much higher and the 429 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: grind is much more and you you know, the margin 430 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: fair is so small. And then when you think about, uh, 431 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 1: you know, the challenge that it is to win in 432 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: this league. I mean, having played I've started now it's 433 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,679 Speaker 1: my eighth year starting. I mean, it's it's a battle 434 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: just to get to five hundred many times with how 435 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: close these games are sort of to be at. You know, 436 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: twelve and three, you understand I guess now in you're eleven, 437 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: just how difficult that is to do. And yet you'll 438 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: us to sit there and you just feel like there's 439 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: so much football now up ahead of us that we've 440 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 1: got to be playing our best football and peeking you 441 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: know as we move forward, what allowed through my TV 442 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: to have such a big bay and that would you 443 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: see on the second touchdown there? Um TJ first of 444 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: all was a great football player, you know, I mean 445 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: he caught a ball on a third down or I 446 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 1: threw the ball too high and he got drilled and 447 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 1: held on. So there's a toughness there. He's got a 448 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 1: good savvy, good field for the game. On that second touchdown, 449 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: you know, we got the look we wanted and felt like, 450 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: I just needed to hold the safety for a second 451 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: then put the ball out there to him, and then 452 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 1: he did the rest. You know. A couple of times, 453 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: he's kind of the backside of the concept and they 454 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: did defended it well and kind of was able to 455 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: kick backside and get the ball to him. But he's 456 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: got great movement skills, great hands, and he's a smart 457 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: football player. And and then I think our coaches, you know, 458 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:00,080 Speaker 1: I've done a great job of of the scheme to 459 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: make sure that he's able to, you know, put his 460 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: skills to use screen at the end there? What made you, Coason, 461 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: you want to go to that? Yeah? What made you 462 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: decided that was the moment to do it? And what's 463 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,360 Speaker 1: the clock situation like there when you're trying to run 464 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: it a longer development play get enough yards and get 465 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: down to clock it. Yeah. The defense, Uh, Coach Martindale's 466 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 1: defense really dictated a lot all game long because of 467 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,199 Speaker 1: the way that they play. So you're just trying to 468 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 1: be aware of, you know, what they're presenting to you 469 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: and then get to plays that have a good answer 470 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: um And that was kind of the battle all game long, 471 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,719 Speaker 1: was they were gonna win some we were gonna win some, 472 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: but you know, he certainly makes you prepare hard and 473 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: have a have a plan with the way they they 474 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 1: play on defense when when they've litz and it was down, 475 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: you're left. You made the connection to JJ on the 476 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: final drive there, Yeah, I mean that is that just 477 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: a byproduct of the connection you have where he can 478 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: like that throw make the catch under that kind of Yeah, 479 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: I got hit his I threw it so I didn't 480 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: even get to see. You know, I probably wasn't the 481 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 1: most accurate through all, but you're throwing it so early 482 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: that you're just kind of trying to put it out 483 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,440 Speaker 1: there guessing. I really that was a touchdown as well 484 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,719 Speaker 1: as I'm throwing that, guessing where to put it and 485 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: just hoping I'm basically getting my que off the crowd. 486 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: You know, if the crowd cheers, then must have been good. 487 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: So and that was the case again on that one. 488 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: Just got to a max protection and just wanted to 489 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 1: give Justin a chance there. But it's tough to have 490 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: the time with the way they pressure all those they're 491 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,679 Speaker 1: down throws to Jefferson. What more can you sort of 492 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: say about his ability to break on that? Yeah, honestly, 493 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,120 Speaker 1: I mean, there's many that were impressive. The one that's 494 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: jumping out to me was we rolled out to our 495 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,360 Speaker 1: right and threw one in the flat to him versus 496 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 1: man coverage, and he was like two to three yards 497 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: short of the sticks and he only had a yard 498 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: or two from the sideline, and his ability to get 499 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: north and toe tap and get the first down very subtle. 500 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: But I can't tell you how many guys would just 501 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,119 Speaker 1: run out of bounds there and we'd be kicking a 502 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: field goal or punting. So I remember just to myself 503 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 1: when he did it, thinking like, that's pretty good play 504 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: right there, to toe tap and get up and out 505 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: before they could get him out of bounds. And uh, 506 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: it's a subtle thing, but it's one of the many 507 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: ways he shows up. And and then just the continued 508 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: catches in traffic, um you know he did. I think 509 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 1: on the touchdown, there's just a lot of people there, 510 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,280 Speaker 1: and just his ability to hold on and finish it's, um, 511 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: it's elite, and um, you know, he probably owed him 512 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: a few more. There were a few more plays out 513 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: there for him, the short yardage in the first half 514 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 1: where I didn't uh, you know, throw it well enough 515 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: to him. You know, that's a big, big play for 516 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: him there if he can if we can connect, um. 517 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: And then there was in the two minute at the 518 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: end of the half, I felt there was a route 519 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: there that I could have worked him as well that 520 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: I didn't. So UM, glad we got the got the 521 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: to finish with a couple of big completions there to 522 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: him touchdown And TJ did you think, Okay, he's open, 523 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 1: I have him or what the heck throw? I don't 524 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: like to make what the heck throws, Jim, that would 525 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: be really foolish. But UH, man coverage, so you you 526 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: hold the safety and you want to make sure that 527 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: you trust your teammates to do their job. You understand 528 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 1: the man coverage, what the rules are the coverage, and 529 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: then where the ball needs to go to the red 530 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: line or to the sideline, and then you want to 531 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: make sure you don't overthrow it. So I want to 532 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: give him a chance and you know his height, you 533 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,640 Speaker 1: know if it's underthrown, he can still go make the play. 534 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: And he did. The key was that he stayed in 535 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: bounce and UH and held on as he came to 536 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: the ground. Big time played by him, And UH, you 537 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: know it's a great call by Kevin because we got 538 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: the coverage look we wanted, which then enables us to 539 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: run them. Sorry if you've addressed this, but with this 540 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: home crowd and everything, describe the level of importance of 541 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: getting the number two seed in the NFC, Well, I 542 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: think there's still a lot of football to be played. 543 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:54,720 Speaker 1: So just like going into this game, coming out of 544 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: this game, you know, we gotta go get it. But um, 545 00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: I think it's uh, it's helpful if we can be 546 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: at home. I remember in twenty the twenty nineteen season, 547 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: so the twenty twenty playoffs, Um, you know, going on 548 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 1: the road in New Orleans, going on the road to 549 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: San Francisco, and coming away from that saying the more 550 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: games you can play at home, the better in the playoffs. 551 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: And so we got to do our part to make 552 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: that happen. It is Kirk Ittt seems that every player 553 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: in the locker room just now was saying it's more 554 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: than football. I mean, they love to win, they're happy 555 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,719 Speaker 1: to celebrate, but it's always like it's more than football. 556 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: It's about the guys in the locker room. As at 557 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,960 Speaker 1: any point in your career, whether it's coming from the kicker, 558 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: whether it's coming from yourself, what does it mean at 559 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 1: this point the season. So we've had a good core 560 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: nucleus of guys in this team for a few years now, 561 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: and as I was in August looking at the season, 562 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: you realize that you know, your group is only together 563 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: for so long, and then in the NFL, NFL stands 564 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: for not for long, and people move on. And so 565 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: I kind of felt that, you know that this is 566 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: a bit of as a special group and there's a 567 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 1: there's a time sensitivity here where you know, we got 568 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: to do it now, and and so I just I 569 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: do feel really strongly about the group we have. You know, 570 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 1: just I've said it when we were five hundred. We 571 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,159 Speaker 1: have a great locker room, we have great camaraderie. Nobody 572 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody really cares when you're not winning, 573 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: but um, but we had a great group and we 574 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,199 Speaker 1: have a great group, and you know, it's been grateful 575 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: that we've been finding the inches this year and that's 576 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 1: been able to show through the chemistry we have. All right, 577 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: thank you, Ben. On between the lines, we we talked 578 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: about just some of the throws that Kirk is making. 579 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 1: UM Top five most accurate quarterback in the NFL. We 580 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: know he's he's accurate when he doesn't get pressure, but 581 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,160 Speaker 1: with pressure he's actually delivering at a higher rate when 582 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 1: it comes to touchdown interception ratio. Just another complete performance 583 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: by him. But you want to see him stay clean, 584 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: oh man, you you want to see him stay clean. 585 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: And you know, he did a great job. You know. 586 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:58,440 Speaker 1: I think at times stepping up in the pocket when 587 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 1: he was feeling the pressure, he knew he was to 588 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: get pressured. He knew he was gonna get hit. And 589 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: that's the one thing I think everybody respects out of 590 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: Kirk is he's a He's a tough s ob man. 591 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 1: He'll take some hard hits and just get right back up, 592 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,239 Speaker 1: say all frick and then his keep playing, you know. 593 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,639 Speaker 1: So uh, you know, we saw a little bit of 594 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 1: that today. I think there was a couple of times 595 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 1: where he took you know, unnecessary sacks, but in the 596 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: end it didn't really hurt us. He made some plays, 597 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: you know as the game went along, the third and 598 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: nine and the final drive where he heaved it up 599 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: to JJ and his zero blitz, incredible throw, incredible awareness 600 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: understanding where JJ is supposed to be throws the ball 601 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: before JJ even gets to the top of his route. 602 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: So then JJ breaks out and always got to do 603 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: his track the ball a little bit faster than defensive 604 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: back first down. You know, go back to JJ's touchdown, 605 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: the seventeen yard touchdown. Incredible routes set up by JJ 606 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: and just a trust throw really by Kirk that he 607 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: knew that his receiver is gonna win at the top 608 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: of the route and beat an inside safety and beat 609 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: an outside corner on a bracket soum. You know, he 610 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: had some really clutch throws today, clutch throws and clutch catches, 611 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: but also a guy with some clutch catches today, which 612 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: TJ Hockinson. Thirteen receptions, one hundred and nine yards, two touchdowns, 613 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: just an unbelievable day. He now has the most receptionce 614 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: in the game by tight end in franchise history. Where 615 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: do you start when it comes to just the impact 616 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: that he's making for this Minnesota Vikings offense. Well, I mean, 617 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: obviously it's huge, um, you know, for for our offensive 618 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 1: coaches to recognize that there's really nobody in their linebacker 619 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: corps or the safeties that could match up with him 620 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: all game long. And and win. Um, it was great 621 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:40,479 Speaker 1: that they took advantage of that, and and you know, 622 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: advantage us. We're on the plus side of that matchup 623 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: and early and often they said, we're just gonna give 624 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: him the ball, and we've seen what he can do 625 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: run after the catch. He's he's pretty good at breaking 626 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: a few tackles here and there. So he's a possession guy. 627 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: And he's also a big play guy. And um, you know, 628 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: to have you know, not just another receiver as in 629 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 1: like theeling or but to have an inside guy be 630 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: you know, a leading receiver or a go to guy 631 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: is big for this offense. And then you throw on 632 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: Dalvin Cook, which we saw a game ago how important 633 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: he was. You know, this is a lot of weapons 634 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 1: and he's just one of these top weapons that we 635 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: have on this team. We're gonna need him, especially as 636 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: January football comes around the corner, which is right around 637 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 1: the corner following I guess tomorrow's married Christmas games. But 638 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: before we get to talking about the defense, let's hear 639 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: from Ron Johnson and his three takes on today's performance 640 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: by this Minnesota Vikings team. Thanks being a game. Well, 641 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 1: this is Ron Johnson coming to you from the cafe 642 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: and studios and the Vikings win twenty seven to twenty 643 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: four is everybody's pointed out. But this is another one 644 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: of those nail biders. The Vikings are now eleven and 645 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: oh and one score games this season, just showing their resilience, 646 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: their ability to never give up, and their trust in 647 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: every single player on this team. Why because today's players 648 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: they needed to rely on. I got by the name 649 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:03,800 Speaker 1: of Josh Mtallas doesn't get a ton of headlines, but 650 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: he got a pump block. That was a huge way 651 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 1: to make sure this game stayed in the control of 652 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: the Vikings so that they can take every piece of 653 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 1: that clock to come down to the very end and 654 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: nail a sixty one yard field goal by Greg josephs. 655 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:21,400 Speaker 1: That's my first takeaway. Special teams. Special teams got it 656 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: done today. That's a sixty one yard field goal by 657 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: Greg Joseph. That's a Vikings record and Greg Joseph put 658 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 1: himself in the Vikings history books. And then also Joshman 659 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:34,160 Speaker 1: tells what the pump block. My second takeaway from the day. 660 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: T J. Hockinson is a bad man. TJ Hockinson thirteen receptions, 661 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 1: one hundred nine yards and two touchdowns. Two touchdowns. One 662 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: was good, but two two was better. And here's the 663 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: one that I loved. It was a wheel route. T J. 664 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: Hogginson faked the flat, went up, Kirk Cousins throws it 665 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 1: before he's in place. Two guys beat him to the spot. 666 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 1: But t J. Hockinson, just like every other tight end 667 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: is played basketball, uses that frame to go up and 668 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: get that rebound at the top carded at his highest point. 669 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 1: That gives Kirk Cousins a ton a ton of confidence 670 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: when he knows he can throw a ball into double 671 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: coverage and his tight end is gonna come down with it. 672 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:16,200 Speaker 1: They're gonna need that down the stretch. That's my second takeaway. 673 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: He's a dangerous weapon. And the Vikings have so many 674 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: dangerous weapons. When you look at kJ Osborne or what 675 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: he did last week, you know Justin Jefferson is a 676 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: bad man and you got out of him Fleedling. You 677 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: also have Dalvin Cook, one of the best running backs 678 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: in the NFL. So this Vikings offense, that's my second takeaway, 679 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: is dangerous weapons. But t J. Higginson today it was 680 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: his day. And my third takeaway's Justin Jefferson says, the 681 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: Vikings record, that's seventeen hundred and fifty six yards. He 682 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 1: did it in fifteen games. For those people that are 683 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:43,760 Speaker 1: out there worried about the seventeen game season, and how 684 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 1: do these records match up when you look at it. 685 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: If he had done it in sixteen games and this 686 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 1: is his record, Well, he did it in fifteen to 687 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: get the Vikings record. Now can he get two thousand 688 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 1: and sixteen games? Who knows? Who knows? He's gonna need 689 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: two hundred and forty four yards against the pack or 690 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: against the Bears, No short against the Packers. Two hundred 691 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: and forty four yards against the Packers, and would be 692 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: a great way to do it. To get two thousand 693 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: yards against the Packers. That's two hundred and forty four yards. 694 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 1: But he's on pace that's one hundred and twenty two 695 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 1: yards a game. And the next two games you got 696 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,120 Speaker 1: the Bears and the Packers. Very doable. This man is 697 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: chasing NFL history. Calvin Johnson's nineteen hundred and sixty four 698 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: currently as a lead and Justin Jefferson is on the way. 699 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: He's coming. But twelve catches one hundred three to thirty 700 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 1: three yards and one touchdown. He continues to be a solid, 701 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: quiet assassin at times where Kirk Cousins and he quietly 702 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 1: got twelve catches today. He did have the one touchdown 703 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: though that made a lot of noise. But this Vikings 704 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: team is now twelve and three, two games left. Number 705 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: one seed is still on the line. If the Eagles 706 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 1: lose to the Cowboys, the Vikings could be the number 707 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: one seed. But those are my three takeaways from the 708 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 1: day's Vikings went over the Giants back to you guys 709 00:33:55,520 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: at the field well being defensively, not the greatest performance, 710 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: but a bend but don't break style of defense, which 711 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: is I guess at this point, fifteen games in the year, 712 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: that's what our identity is, right, I mean, I kind 713 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 1: of hate to say it because it's like we give 714 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: up so many yards and everybody's gonna look at the 715 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: statistics and look at our our where we rank in 716 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:20,759 Speaker 1: every category, and we're like, boy, you guys don't have 717 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 1: a great defense, but like we're making plays. You know, 718 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:25,879 Speaker 1: we're making plays when we need to. There's a lot 719 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 1: of great defenses out there yardage wise that don't make 720 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,399 Speaker 1: the plays that we're making. So you know, we're giving 721 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: up four hundred and forty five yards and then we 722 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 1: you know, as as the Giants are sniffing the red zone, 723 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:38,560 Speaker 1: you know, we get two takeaways, you know, and those 724 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: aren't just you know, just takeaways and be like, oh, 725 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: we're just happy to have the ball back. Like those 726 00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:46,279 Speaker 1: are backbreakers for an offense. You know, those are momentum 727 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 1: shifters for a team. So we did that. We got 728 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: the special team's block punt as well, and you know, 729 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: it's just when our defense needs to make plays, we're 730 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,439 Speaker 1: making plays. And you know, add in the fact that 731 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,719 Speaker 1: the Ed Dontel has heard, you know, all the criticism 732 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:05,320 Speaker 1: these last few weeks about us not dialing up pressures. 733 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:08,280 Speaker 1: We saw Patrick Peterson, you know, on a corner blitz. 734 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: You know, we're finding ways to get creative, to bring 735 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: extra guys, and it really is affecting how how teams 736 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: have to scout us and play us now because they 737 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:18,320 Speaker 1: don't know where the pressure is going to come from. So, yeah, 738 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 1: do we want to have a little bit more pressure, Sure, 739 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: Do we want to stop them on somebody's inbreaking routes 740 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 1: and somebody's slant passes, Sure, But we're making the tackles 741 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 1: and we're making them, We're forcing them into mistakes, and 742 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 1: we're capitalizing capitalizing this game. My last, my last question 743 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 1: for you is on the health of this team. Right now, 744 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: as we speak, this team is very healthy. I mean 745 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: we pretty much we're playing ninety eighty five ninety percent 746 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: of our starters that started Week one, and that's where 747 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 1: you want to be at this time of the year. 748 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: Going forward, you got the Green Bay Packers next week, 749 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:55,440 Speaker 1: which could end up being a big game, not sure 750 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 1: if it would be flexed or not. But after that 751 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 1: you got to Chicago Bears. How important should health be 752 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,560 Speaker 1: for this Minnesota Vikings team as we continue to make 753 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 1: this playoff push, Well, it's gonna be huge. I mean 754 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: that's that they're gonna have to play the math game, 755 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,240 Speaker 1: the probability game. Look at how the game has finished 756 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,759 Speaker 1: this weekend across the NFC. Where we're at with the 757 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,040 Speaker 1: number two seed or in the number one seed, depending 758 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:22,439 Speaker 1: how Philadelphia does. Now Philly has to lose all three 759 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:23,920 Speaker 1: of their games, you know, for us to have a 760 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:25,840 Speaker 1: chance to be at the number one. So most like 761 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: we were looking at two, the number two or three seed, 762 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: and look if if the forty nine ers Falter and 763 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,359 Speaker 1: you know, maybe we get a one game pad in there, 764 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 1: then absolutely start looking at getting some guys off, you know, 765 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: taking some plays off, so taking a series off. You 766 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: know that that last game of the season against Chicago, 767 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: playing in the elements, if that's a game where you 768 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: can wrest some starters and it becomes one of those 769 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: quote unquote meaningless games. I don't want to see in 770 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: the starters out there, you know, I really don't. It's 771 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,000 Speaker 1: gonna be more beneficial for those guys to get a break, 772 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:59,479 Speaker 1: get a refresh, get a little bit of that by week, 773 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:03,399 Speaker 1: and then come back fresh and ready for the playoffs. Well, 774 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,360 Speaker 1: the fact that we're talking about playoffs right now, it 775 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: seemed kind of surreal when you looked at the video 776 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:11,560 Speaker 1: board and it says, hey, Vikings fans, we will see 777 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:15,279 Speaker 1: you in the playoffs. That's what you all, I mean, 778 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 1: that's what we ask for. This is this is what 779 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: we what we've asked for at the start of the 780 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 1: new year. I mean at the start of the season 781 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 1: this year when you said, hey, the number one goal 782 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: is to win the NFC North. The Vikings have done that, 783 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,280 Speaker 1: and that's all you care about. And hopefully we can 784 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,279 Speaker 1: and hopefully we can continue to make this playoff push 785 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 1: as this Minnesota Vikings team stays healthy. But for ben 786 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:38,960 Speaker 1: Ron Johnson, Kirk Cousins, Kevin O'Connell, this entire Minnesota Vikings team. 787 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: Oh the white out. I didn't even talk about that. Man. 788 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:46,200 Speaker 1: You were on the sideline, we were white. Can you 789 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: describe just the atmosphere before we close out? I thought 790 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,360 Speaker 1: it was sweet. Man. I was getting amped up for 791 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:54,200 Speaker 1: during the course of the week. When I saw the 792 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: social media, pushed by the Vikings of seeing the Norrisman 793 00:37:57,239 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: logo and the end zones being painted white, I thought 794 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: it was gonna be a really cool look. Saw the 795 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:05,799 Speaker 1: jersey reveal, knowing that our fans are are great fans 796 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 1: and they're going to listen to the request to wear white. 797 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:11,239 Speaker 1: You know, this whole stadium was white. You know a 798 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 1: lot of people in the sidelines were wearing I thought 799 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:15,840 Speaker 1: it was a really cool touch. It just it brings 800 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,760 Speaker 1: a little a little extra juice, I think to these games. 801 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,319 Speaker 1: I mean, we don't have a lot of home games 802 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:22,960 Speaker 1: when you look at other leagues, so you really have 803 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: to make them count. But even if you could just 804 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 1: switch it up and give the fans a little something 805 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: else to look forward to. Um. I thought it just 806 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: brought a little bit more energy and I think the 807 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 1: guys fed off it. Yeah. Even talking to Brian Asamoa, 808 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,239 Speaker 1: who was a rookie, he said today felt like a 809 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:40,919 Speaker 1: college atmosphere. When he was at Oklahoma, every first home 810 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 1: game of the year they would have a white out 811 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:45,959 Speaker 1: and he said this felt like that. So great job 812 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:49,280 Speaker 1: by everybody who made this thing go, made this thing possible. 813 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:52,719 Speaker 1: Just a great turnout today and home field has been 814 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,920 Speaker 1: a huge, huge benefit for this Minnesota Vikings team, and 815 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,480 Speaker 1: we'll continue to do so in the playoffs. One thing 816 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: we do know is that this Minnesota Vikings team is 817 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,279 Speaker 1: want to know when they wear white jerseys at home. 818 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:08,320 Speaker 1: So I'm not a superstitious guy, but maybe they continue 819 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: were white jerseys at home. But for Ben Lieber, free, 820 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:15,800 Speaker 1: Ron Johnson, Kirk Cousins, Kevin O'Connell, this entire twelve and 821 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 1: three Minnesota Vikings team. My name is Gabe Henderson. Thank 822 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 1: you again for tuning into the Vikings postgame report. That's 823 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 1: a good football team over there, and it was gonna 824 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 1: take a gritty, down to the wire effort all right, 825 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 1: a lot of things we can clean up coming out 826 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:31,359 Speaker 1: of this game, all right. A lot of times where 827 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,680 Speaker 1: we had momentum and maybe we didn't really hold that momentum. 828 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:37,200 Speaker 1: We didn't find a way to stay consistent to no 829 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:39,759 Speaker 1: other doing than our own. So we gotta continue to 830 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 1: understand what that means. But I'm just telling you, fellas, 831 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 1: in those moments, whether we tried our kicker on for 832 00:39:45,239 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 1: sixty one yard field goal, you know what, thg that 833 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:56,759 Speaker 1: goes all the way back for every single time we 834 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:59,440 Speaker 1: let you work throughout training camp, every week in practice, 835 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,520 Speaker 1: teammates are always around you. They watch you hit those 836 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,799 Speaker 1: things in practice over and over a week after week. 837 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 1: For that moment right there, game ball. Greg Joseph thirteen 838 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: catches one hundred and nine yards to touchdown, a career 839 00:40:17,719 --> 00:40:20,759 Speaker 1: high for him in a tight end team record, Mister 840 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:29,960 Speaker 1: t J. Hockey, go back to the defensive side. Two sacks, 841 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 1: seven tackles. He was all over the place. Where's the 842 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 1: neal Hunters? We talk about as a team being at 843 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,520 Speaker 1: your best one it's required. How about a guy that's 844 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 1: been doing it all year? Lows. You told these guys 845 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:51,920 Speaker 1: last night, you're competing with yourself in the standard you 846 00:40:51,960 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 1: hold for yourself. That is a game changing, game winning play. 847 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,240 Speaker 1: And then twelve catches, one hundred and thirty three yards 848 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: and a touchdown team record for the season for yards 849 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:10,240 Speaker 1: and receptions. This guy's on his way to a historical season. 850 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:13,040 Speaker 1: But he is well is at his best when his 851 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: best is required. Justin, Jefferson, Right, we get two more 852 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: opportunities to submit what we are for this regular season. 853 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: We'll also know and we're taking steps to being at 854 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 1: our best when we need to be at the end 855 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 1: of this thing, all right. Lock in the feeling, all right. 856 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:35,960 Speaker 1: We've had this feeling a lot twelve times, for a 857 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,520 Speaker 1: matter of fact. But lock this in and we worked 858 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: for this feeling every single week. Everything you've got from 859 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 1: here on out, weekend and week out, we worked for 860 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:48,239 Speaker 1: this feeling again and again and again until he don't 861 00:41:48,320 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 1: let us play any more games. You guys with me, right, 862 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 1: It's on us. It's all right down out there in 863 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 1: front of us, all right. What an opportunity. What a group. 864 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:57,360 Speaker 1: I love this team, love each and every one of you. 865 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:02,799 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins breaking down, y, that's what playoff football feels like. 866 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:04,359 Speaker 1: Did you mind right for it? All? Right man, Let's 867 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,160 Speaker 1: go like I do, what to do,