WEBVTT - Sean Payton retires; 49ers & Rams meet again in NFC Championship 0:00:10.440 --> 0:00:14.800 I'm Red Lewis in This is NFL Inside Report out 0:00:14.800 --> 0:00:17.840 on the heels of the best weekend of football we've 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:23.240 ever seen in the NFL, with the fantastic divisional weekend matchups, 0:00:23.239 --> 0:00:25.200 all of them going down to the wire. It's feels 0:00:25.280 --> 0:00:28.760 like the NFL news cycle is trying to catch up 0:00:28.800 --> 0:00:31.240 here in the last couple of days, especially now with 0:00:31.360 --> 0:00:34.280 news that Sean Payton is stepping down as head coach 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:37.880 of the New Orleans Saints. We are bridging that gap 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:41.000 between the games and the news in this episode here, 0:00:41.120 --> 0:00:43.559 and to do it well, you welcome our pal Jim 0:00:43.600 --> 0:00:45.880 Trotter back here with us. Always gracious with his time 0:00:46.080 --> 0:00:48.279 and we appreciate it. Jim. Good to have you. Man. 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:54.080 Let's start here with Sean Payton. Not necessarily surprising, but 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:56.840 I feel like there's still a shock value considering what 0:00:56.880 --> 0:00:59.120 Sean Payton has meant to New Orleans. Does that make sense? 0:00:59.720 --> 0:01:01.960 That's loutely you know. I said that earlier today on 0:01:02.120 --> 0:01:04.640 NFL Now that, um, while we can be shocked by 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:07.600 the timing of it and the suddenness of it, I 0:01:07.680 --> 0:01:10.440 wasn't really surprised. I mean, I think for me personally, 0:01:10.520 --> 0:01:13.800 in terms of my relationship with Sean and whatnot. Assessed 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:16.280 to change in him after the year he sat out 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:20.200 serving that suspension, and when he came back, Um, he 0:01:20.240 --> 0:01:25.199 was much more accessible, much more personable, much more transparent, 0:01:25.240 --> 0:01:29.840 if you will, and I dare to use the word reflective. Um. 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:33.560 Prior to that, Sean could be difficult at times, you know. Um, 0:01:33.720 --> 0:01:36.960 he came from the parcels school, the media war, sort 0:01:36.959 --> 0:01:40.880 of the enemy. We've got a lot of regrets, you know. 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:43.680 I mentioned one of them. I wish I wish I've 0:01:43.680 --> 0:01:46.640 done I would have done a better job early on 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:49.160 in my career with the media and and uh, and 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:52.440 I hopefully I corrected that. And he would only let 0:01:52.480 --> 0:01:56.080 you get so close or go so far. But after 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:59.840 you return, and particularly in the last few years, I 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.760 just since, in my discuss this with him and whatnot, 0:02:02.960 --> 0:02:05.880 a different person. And look, as we get older, we 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:09.120 all grow, and we all develop, and we all mature 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:12.080 in our own ways. And and I even heard Sean 0:02:12.160 --> 0:02:15.400 mentioned it in his press conference today about his relationship 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:18.799 with the media. I do appreciate your jobs, and I recognize, 0:02:18.919 --> 0:02:21.480 especially in the last two years, how difficult those have been. 0:02:21.840 --> 0:02:25.440 You know, people don't understand when all of a sudden, 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:30.240 you practice inside, and with the COVID restrictions, the relationships 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:32.520 that many of you have with our players, with our 0:02:33.000 --> 0:02:36.960 it's hard to do those jobs um effectively as you 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:40.320 might like. I mean, when's the last time you've been 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:42.040 able to go into a locker room after a game? 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:46.320 And we we kind of missed that, really, I do, honestly, 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:49.160 and going into the presser after a game and looking 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:52.640 at a laptop, um and so I appreciate every one 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:55.400 of you and how he felt that over the last 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:57.880 few years or whatever, that he had grown and had 0:02:57.960 --> 0:03:01.959 changed and had become more accessible and personal and those 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:05.519 sorts of things so um so that that's why I 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:09.119 wasn't necessarily surprised by this, that you could tell there 0:03:09.120 --> 0:03:12.280 were things that were more important to him, if you will, 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.280 then just football, or there were other things that he 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:18.040 was thinking about besides just football. I think that's that's 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:20.200 a great point. I'll just tell you a quick story 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:22.680 just to kind of double down on what you're talking 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:25.840 about in his relationship with the media evolving. I covered 0:03:26.480 --> 0:03:28.919 Sean and the Saints in two thousand and eight for 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:32.200 about for that season. This was before They're super right 0:03:32.200 --> 0:03:35.040 before their Super Bowl season, and things weren't great, Like 0:03:35.200 --> 0:03:37.520 you know, they had had some real success early on 0:03:37.600 --> 0:03:40.120 and then had kind of had some middling years there 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:42.400 there are seven and nine were missing the playoffs, and 0:03:42.920 --> 0:03:45.040 there are things, you know, the offense wasn't working like 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:47.040 it like it used to. And I remember sitting there, 0:03:47.080 --> 0:03:49.480 this is my second job in television, and I had 0:03:49.560 --> 0:03:53.920 asked him, Sean, would you would you ever consider have 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:56.200 you ever thought of, maybe, you know, letting someone else 0:03:56.280 --> 0:04:01.400 handle the play calling duties on offense? And if I could, 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:05.720 I could not properly describe the look that he gave 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:10.560 me with his one word answer, which was no and 0:04:10.720 --> 0:04:13.000 moved on. But I'm telling you what the best part 0:04:13.040 --> 0:04:15.280 about that whole thing is that everyone else, you know, 0:04:15.320 --> 0:04:18.360 went on asking their questions after that. And while they're 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:21.919 asking their questions, I keep catching glances from him, like 0:04:22.000 --> 0:04:24.279 looking back, like who is this jerk who just showed 0:04:24.360 --> 0:04:27.120 up and is asking is? And then but but you 0:04:27.200 --> 0:04:29.479 know the funny part about is, you know our relationship evolved. 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:32.800 You know it's something more positive afterwards, and you know, 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:34.240 like I think he's done a great job. Like my 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:36.440 dad worked for the Saints for thirty two years, and 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:39.920 all my friends are lifelong diehard Saints fans and couldn't 0:04:39.920 --> 0:04:42.599 be more grateful for the contributions that he's made, you know, 0:04:42.640 --> 0:04:45.359 to that organization into the city really um in the 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:48.000 last fifteen years. So I think that's a great that's 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:50.880 a great point. But no, truthfully right, And part of 0:04:50.920 --> 0:04:52.760 what I'm writing here is I wonder how long it's 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:55.360 going to take the Saints to build a statue of him, 0:04:55.360 --> 0:05:00.880 because yeah, for me, Um, Sean in essence helps say 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:04.640 football in New Orleans because people forget there was a 0:05:04.680 --> 0:05:07.760 lot of discussion about moving that franchise out of New 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:13.159 Orleans after Yeah, Antonio, Yeah, and and to Commissioner Tally 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:17.440 boost um credit at that time, he would not allow it. 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:20.359 But the fact that Sean, the first time head coach, 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:23.479 comes in, takes over a team that in the previous 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:27.039 thirteen years had appeared in the playoff once, had one, 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:30.880 had only two winning seasons, and that first year take 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:35.719 it to a NFC Championship game. And so you have 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:39.120 a city that's sort of rebuilding itself, and he's doing 0:05:39.120 --> 0:05:42.560 it with a quarterback who has a reconstructed shoulder, and 0:05:42.600 --> 0:05:45.440 you start putting it all together and you create this 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:49.720 incredible success. It's easy to say you're most proud of 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.640 a super Bowl team, but I'm most proud of the 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:57.880 culture in in the um the winning seasons. You know, 0:05:58.000 --> 0:06:01.560 I never want to be a prisoner to hyperbole, but 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:03.800 I don't know that there will ever be another coach 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:07.000 who has that sort of unique relationship with a city, 0:06:07.279 --> 0:06:11.400 considering everything that was going on at that time, for 0:06:11.480 --> 0:06:14.640 him to do what he did and to reestablish that 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:16.680 bond and give hope to that city at a time, 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:22.239 you know, really a dark period, it's unique and especial. Jim. 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:26.480 That game, the Falcons game in the Superdome on Monday night, 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:31.040 that I mean, that still comes up in casual conversation 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:34.880 amongst New Orleanans and against amongst my friends when we're talking. 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:40.000 I mean like people will look back on that game. Um, 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:44.240 I mean with with such admiration and jubil achian it 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:45.760 would be hard to find, be hard pressed to find 0:06:45.800 --> 0:06:47.919 another regular season game that meant as much to a 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:50.279 single franchise as that one did to the New Orleans 0:06:50.640 --> 0:06:52.799 And Sean Peyton was a huge part of that, because 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:56.920 if they hadn't won the two games prior, both on 0:06:57.000 --> 0:06:59.320 the road and then come if they were owing to 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:01.640 coming in to the Super and probably has still been 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:03.520 a big deal, but the fact that they were too 0:07:03.560 --> 0:07:06.160 and oh came in and were playing of Falcons and 0:07:06.200 --> 0:07:11.240 beat their mortal rival time in prime time time with 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:15.120 just Steve Gleason punt. I mean, that's it was, I 0:07:15.200 --> 0:07:18.360 do just talking about it, um, and and the Saints 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:20.240 have Sean Payton to thank for that, and and that 0:07:20.440 --> 0:07:22.960 and the whole really the whole organization would showed a 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:24.960 lot of trust in him, you know, to hire a 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:28.920 first time head coach for that kind of responsibility, and 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:31.240 it felt like he really then turned that trust around 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:33.720 and placed it in Drew Brees. You know when there 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:35.800 was when there are a lot of questions there, Well, 0:07:36.040 --> 0:07:39.160 it's like he said today. You know, at that moment, 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:41.720 they were not winning any jump balls. You know, when 0:07:41.760 --> 0:07:44.920 it came to when it came to players, they had 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:47.160 to take a chance on Drew because there really wasn't 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:50.080 anything else. I'll never get Sean told me we did this. Um, 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:52.760 I think it was a couple of years ago. We 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:54.560 were doing this thing as as we headed to the 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:57.960 Super Bowl about what if what if this had happened? 0:07:57.960 --> 0:07:59.760 And then what what would have happened? And one of 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.960 them was what if Drew Brees had never signed with 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:05.960 the Saints, and how it would have impacted and he 0:08:06.000 --> 0:08:07.520 had gone to the Dolphins, and how it would have 0:08:07.520 --> 0:08:10.800 affected Saban and that franchise in the Saints. I'll never forget, 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:15.560 Sean told me. He goes. We literally had Josh McCown 0:08:16.200 --> 0:08:18.960 a plane ticket to come to New Orleans. We were 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:22.920 about to sign Josh, and when Drew said he would come, 0:08:23.480 --> 0:08:25.440 we had to tell I can't remember if he said 0:08:25.520 --> 0:08:28.920 Josh was actually on a connection or he was just 0:08:29.080 --> 0:08:30.760 getting on the plane. It was one of the two. 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:34.000 Josh was either making a connection or he was about 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:37.360 to get on the plane to tell him, don't bother 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:41.240 because Drew, yes, sorry, it was gonna be Josh McCown 0:08:41.280 --> 0:08:44.240 if it were not Drew Brees. And then ironically, Josh's 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:46.480 brother Luke ends up being a backup to Drew Brees 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:51.160 for a number of years. Anyone's strange, small world, you 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:52.960 know down there, certainly in New Orleans and in the 0:08:53.040 --> 0:08:56.679 NFL in general. What's next for Sean Payton? He said, 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.679 don't use the term retirement. It's gonna step away sounds 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:01.240 like he's not gonna do much of anything this year, 0:09:01.320 --> 0:09:05.280 at least in the coaching world. And he definitely didn't 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:07.840 shy away from the idea of TV jym No and 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:10.280 he and he definitely didn't slam the door on returning 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:14.360 the coaching after two So here here's what I believe 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:16.640 not and I don't have any inside information. I have 0:09:16.720 --> 0:09:19.280 not talked to Sean since his press conference. I'm hoping 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:24.360 too soon, but my guess is that he will take 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.319 this year do something that he enjoys, and I think 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:29.680 it will have something to do with the media. I'd 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:35.600 like to try TV, and I've had some opportunities. I 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:37.400 talked to Drew a little bit about it last night. 0:09:37.400 --> 0:09:41.960 I don't uh, I don't know that part of it 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:45.840 that well, but that would be something that would interest me. 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:49.080 And so I think the hardest part is sitting in 0:09:49.120 --> 0:09:50.880 your chair saying, wait a minute, you haven't talked with 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:56.920 the network yet. You haven't talked with like not a word. Um. 0:09:57.000 --> 0:10:01.520 So hopefully that opportunity comes and they are paying so 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:06.480 well or these former coaches to step into the media 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:09.200 now that if he finds that his quality of life 0:10:10.280 --> 0:10:16.520 is enjoyable without the coaching and the compensation is equally enjoyable, 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:20.520 and I could see him staying out do you make 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:24.320 anything of the Cowboys connection? Still, I don't think you 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:26.920 ever rule it out. I still have a vision for 0:10:26.920 --> 0:10:29.920 for doing things in football, and and I'll be honest 0:10:30.000 --> 0:10:33.360 with you, that might be coaching again at some point. 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:35.160 I don't think it's this year. I think maybe in 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:38.199 the future. But that's not where my heart is right now. 0:10:38.600 --> 0:10:41.360 Because look, one thing, one thing I know about Jerry Jones, 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:43.840 and and this has told to me firsthand by him. 0:10:43.920 --> 0:10:47.480 So it's why I never discount anything. I remember once 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.679 asking Jerry. We were sitting in his office at at 0:10:51.000 --> 0:10:54.840 the Star in Frisco, and he was talking about his 0:10:54.920 --> 0:10:58.240 desire for another Super Bowl, and he said to me, 0:10:59.240 --> 0:11:01.360 if you were to tell me, if the football gods 0:11:01.360 --> 0:11:04.120 were to tell me that, if I were to sign 0:11:04.200 --> 0:11:09.240 over this facility and a T and T stadium to them, 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:13.000 I might just have those papers drawn up. And so 0:11:13.559 --> 0:11:18.600 that says to me that if we get to and 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:21.160 the Cowboys haven't won that Super Bowl, aren't in a 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:23.160 position to make it, and they have another year like 0:11:23.240 --> 0:11:25.839 they had this year where they flame out in the postseason, 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:32.080 It would not shock me to see Jerry say, Sean, whatever, Yeah, 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:34.280 what what number do I have to put on this 0:11:34.360 --> 0:11:37.679 check to get you to come back? Here's the plank check, 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:40.120 you fill it out. Yeah. And so that's why I 0:11:40.160 --> 0:11:42.240 don't think you ever rule out. You never say never. 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:47.440 But I wouldn't be shocked if that happened. And what 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.680 if you could continue playing the what if game? What 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:52.680 if the past interference call had been had been and 0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:54.760 what if the flag had been thrown and the Saints 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:56.680 ended up in the Super Bowl and not the Rams 0:11:56.720 --> 0:11:58.560 against the New England Patriots, And what if they had 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:01.640 won a second you would we still be talking about 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:05.040 a Sean Payton stepping away at this point. Well, it 0:12:05.080 --> 0:12:08.400 turned out the Rams that he did acknowledge that he 0:12:08.520 --> 0:12:13.200 thought about walking away Withdrew. Yeah, he acknowledged that today, 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:16.840 that that that the thought crossed his mind. But it 0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:20.200 was one of those things where he wasn't certain that 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:24.440 that he was committed to that he was challenging for everyone. 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:27.160 But man, I felt like it was time. I felt 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:28.960 like it was time. You know, I kind of knew 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:31.120 maybe heading into training camp this might but you know, 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:34.440 you know, you don't share that with anyone. You think, well, 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:37.040 let's see how the season goes, and we're working hard, 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:47.679 and and I felt the time was right for me. 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:50.200 I felt the time was right. And it's something that 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:53.080 I've been thinking about, you know. You know sometimes you 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:55.000 have those thoughts across your mind and you're like, Okay, 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:57.080 is this just my most is playing with me right now? 0:12:57.160 --> 0:12:59.400 Or is this something I really want to do? And 0:12:59.440 --> 0:13:02.760 so he wasn't certain. So he came back for this year, 0:13:03.160 --> 0:13:05.440 and he said he never told anyone about it, because 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:07.920 you don't ever want to create that that sense of 0:13:07.960 --> 0:13:11.360 doubting anyone. You have to be all in to make 0:13:11.400 --> 0:13:14.040 that run. But he said, as this season went on 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:17.040 and some of the things that they went through, it's 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:20.240 just his gut told him that it was time. And 0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:22.880 so it was interesting that in essence, he listened to 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:26.040 his gut rather than his head, you know, before the 0:13:26.080 --> 0:13:30.480 season in making this decision. Right now, it's a it's 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:32.000 a great point. And I mean they've been at the 0:13:32.000 --> 0:13:35.760 center of some of the biggest playoff heartbreaks in recent memory, 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:40.040 with the two losses to the Vikings, the Rams whole 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:42.959 situation there in the championship game, and speaking of the Rams, 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:46.280 they are back in the NFC Championship Game, getting set 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:49.800 to take on the San Francisco forty Niners, a matchup 0:13:49.800 --> 0:13:52.920 that has not treated them well. How will this matchup 0:13:52.920 --> 0:13:55.280 be any difference? That's next year? An NFL inside report 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:13.560 back are an unfil inside reports are Jim Trotter is 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:17.240 once again our guest and now with us to chat 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:21.200 NFC Championship Game. This is a matchup that we have 0:14:21.280 --> 0:14:24.880 seen before between these two teams back in nineteen eighty 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:28.400 nine beat the Rams thirty two three and went on 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:33.160 to win Super Bowl twenty four. They're only previous playoff meeting, 0:14:33.200 --> 0:14:36.120 but now they get it again and Jim, I I 0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:39.440 just want to start with kind of the the big 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:43.600 picture here, um with these two franchises. First, let's start 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:45.640 with the Rams, who have made you know, we talk 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:47.640 about them all the time, making me all in moves. 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:49.760 I mean, like they keep finding more chips to push 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:51.520 to the middle when we think that they've gone all 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:53.720 in before, but now it is they are truly all 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:56.000 in and it feels like they're really get starting to 0:14:56.000 --> 0:14:58.040 get the payoff. Like the River Cards are starting to 0:14:58.080 --> 0:15:00.320 turn in their favor here with the way that Matthew 0:15:00.320 --> 0:15:02.760 Stafford has turned it on in the postseason and Von 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:06.640 Miller turning it on in the postseason. Back to pass, 0:15:06.680 --> 0:15:10.080 bready oft play action, hit, sacked, bumber, the ball recovered 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:13.480 by the Rams at the yard line. Von Miller with 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:18.000 the strip sack and the recovery the veterans. The future 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:22.000 Hall of Famer makes a huge play here for the 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.480 Rams early on the fourth. Do you feel like the 0:15:24.520 --> 0:15:28.560 philosophy is paying off? I do at this point, but 0:15:29.080 --> 0:15:31.960 I will say this to you. They cannot have picked 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:34.920 the worst opponent. Yeah, well to bike ending in their 0:15:35.000 --> 0:15:37.120 way and it was all in their control and week 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:39.880 A team Stafford back the throw to, launched his seat 0:15:40.040 --> 0:15:43.080 down the right side for back up, and it's picked off. 0:15:43.080 --> 0:15:46.840 It's picked off by said Francisco. Have a forty diners 0:15:47.200 --> 0:15:58.440 are going to the postseason. There's some sort of weird um. 0:15:58.760 --> 0:16:00.720 It's you could call it car mind the fact they 0:16:00.760 --> 0:16:02.480 had a chance to end their season and didn't and 0:16:02.520 --> 0:16:04.280 now they have to come back and face them again, 0:16:05.240 --> 0:16:09.800 or it's just look, I'm a northern California native and 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:12.680 and our esteem producer Thomas Warren, we know how he 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.280 feels about Southern California. Teams. He and I had our 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:20.120 conversations about the Jas Dodgers. So for me as as 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:22.520 as as a guy who grew up with Rams forty 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:27.560 Niner matchups, I'm eating this up. I'm loving um, and 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:30.480 it would it would nothing. I shouldn't say nothing, but 0:16:30.560 --> 0:16:33.560 it would give me great pleasure as as going back 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:35.960 to my childhood days. If the forty Niners were to 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:37.720 knock the Rams off and keep them out of the 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:41.160 super Bowl, and the rest of them will give me 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:44.160 grief for that, but I'd rather be transparent with it 0:16:44.200 --> 0:16:48.120 than than not UM. But no, this is to me, 0:16:48.240 --> 0:16:50.520 this is fascinating. The fact that the forty Niners have 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.520 won the last six meetings, four of those have been 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:57.120 decided by one possession games. The fact that the forty Niners, 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:00.880 after George kill makes those comments about being physical and 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:04.080 body bags. I'll just give you guys this because it 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.320 was fun. Apparently I used a body bag quote that 0:17:06.400 --> 0:17:08.760 you know they used in their locker room this entire week, 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:10.560 and I was saying it was for both sides of 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:12.960 the ball. You know, whoever it is Rams or Niners, 0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:15.760 someone's leaving in a body bag and we go down 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:18.119 seventeen zero and I had five guys chirping me in 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:19.639 the air that you guys are putting you on a 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:21.560 body back kill. And I was like a lot of 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:25.440 time up on that clock, boys, and uh, hopefully I 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:28.399 can see them again, because that was a fun body 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:34.480 back game to go down in the home of the 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:38.960 Rams and turn around and win that game, and ot um. 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:42.439 You just have to wonder does that place doubt in 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:45.960 the minds of the Rams when things get sticky or 0:17:46.080 --> 0:17:48.040 is it just sort of and I know this sounds 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:50.880 crazy to say there could be added motivation in an 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:54.919 NFC championship game or does that sort of does that 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:58.400 sort of cure them, harden them for what's to come? 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:01.560 I don't know. And that what makes it so fascinating 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:05.440 to me, because these two teams know each other, these 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:09.240 two coaches know each other. Um, and the fact that whatever, 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:15.160 for whatever reason, Kyle Shanahan has had Sean mcveig plast 0:18:15.160 --> 0:18:18.119 six games. Look, we had we had last week. We 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.919 had Joe Berry, the defensive coordinator of the Packers, talking 0:18:20.960 --> 0:18:24.600 about playing the forty and Kyle Shanahan, We'll remember he 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:27.760 was the linebackers coach for the Rams. Correct or X 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.119 number of years before, and he was even bringing up 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:33.159 the fact there that we didn't have much success against 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:35.720 them when I was in l A and now enemy. 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:38.840 So I don't know how this is gonna play alred. 0:18:38.880 --> 0:18:42.120 I just know it's gonna be fascinating. So I to me, 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:47.760 like it feels it feels like this strange poetic justice, 0:18:48.080 --> 0:18:51.320 and like it this great opportunity for l A. Yeah, 0:18:51.320 --> 0:18:53.520 they screwed it up all year long and in Week 0:18:53.560 --> 0:18:56.439 eighteen against the forty Niners and for the last three years. 0:18:57.000 --> 0:19:01.159 But what better opportunity to slay the dragon, better opportunity 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:04.840 to exercise the demon that has been the forty Niners 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:09.600 then in the NFC Championship game again in your home stadium, um, 0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:12.240 when while we do expect plenty of forty Niners fans 0:19:12.240 --> 0:19:14.760 to be there, uh, but I just I feel like 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:17.520 that's really interesting and the fact that the forty Niners 0:19:17.560 --> 0:19:20.919 are here, man, I mean, and I was I was 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:23.919 the first one to not necessarily criticize the drafting of 0:19:23.960 --> 0:19:27.240 Trey Lance, but the drafting of a player who we 0:19:27.280 --> 0:19:30.280 didn't anticipate to be a huge part of the offensive 0:19:30.320 --> 0:19:33.160 plan when you felt like a team that could win 0:19:33.400 --> 0:19:36.040 right now, and they are, and they're here and they're 0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:38.439 doing it, you know, whether it's in spite of or 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:42.520 because of um. But Jimmy Garoppolo has has gone through 0:19:42.560 --> 0:19:44.919 this whole season. I'll be a couple of games that 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:47.760 he's missed due to injury. With his replacements standing on 0:19:47.800 --> 0:19:51.119 the sidelines, jim and well hasn't put up prolific passing 0:19:51.200 --> 0:19:53.480 numbers that still helped guide this team to the NFC 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:56.520 Championship Game again and could be the only quarterback for 0:19:56.560 --> 0:20:00.480 the forty Niners since Montana to win two of them. Well, 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:02.720 remember this too, We talked about the Rams having a 0:20:02.800 --> 0:20:05.760 chance to end the Niner season in Week eight. Team 0:20:05.960 --> 0:20:08.639 go back to earlier in the year when the Forts 0:20:08.680 --> 0:20:12.040 were three and five and they were teetering. They had 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:15.439 lost what five of six, and they were teetering, and 0:20:15.480 --> 0:20:17.399 then they go hand the Rams their worst loss of 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:19.640 the year, and this will feel good for the fort 0:20:20.760 --> 0:20:22.720 and the Rams will go back to the drawing board. 0:20:23.600 --> 0:20:28.439 Two tough losses as they head into there By, and 0:20:28.520 --> 0:20:33.400 the Niners a satisfying victory, they'll head to Jacksonville. So 0:20:34.040 --> 0:20:36.960 that was another opportunity for the Rams to basically, if 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:40.880 you will, that one prematurely in the forty season, because 0:20:40.880 --> 0:20:44.360 do they come back from three and six? Probably not so. 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:49.760 Um to your point, the thing about Jimmy. One reason 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:53.359 I believe that Jimmy is still functioning the way that 0:20:53.400 --> 0:20:55.800 he is is the way that Kyle Shanahan has handled this. 0:20:56.960 --> 0:20:59.520 You know, we got to cant Or going into camp 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:02.680 and he said, head, look, Jimmy's our guy. Now we're 0:21:02.720 --> 0:21:06.600 going to work both of them. And if somehow this 0:21:06.760 --> 0:21:09.600 kid turns out that he is so far ahead of 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:12.320 where we think he is, we do what we have 0:21:12.440 --> 0:21:15.480 to do. But Jimmy is our guy. And everybody kept saying, no, 0:21:15.640 --> 0:21:17.560 this is just the forty Niners trying to drive up 0:21:17.600 --> 0:21:19.480 trade babe for Jimmy and this one and the other. 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:24.760 And so I think that one and I'm not saying 0:21:24.760 --> 0:21:27.959 that I know Jimmy's mind, But if I were a 0:21:28.000 --> 0:21:30.480 player and I had a coach who in that situation 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:34.160 said to me, look, we do have your replacement here, 0:21:34.680 --> 0:21:37.520 but that's down the road. You take this and you 0:21:37.600 --> 0:21:39.239 run with it, and you do what you can with 0:21:39.280 --> 0:21:42.120 it this year. Go make yourself a bunch of money. 0:21:42.119 --> 0:21:45.040 If it's not here, someplace else, whatever it is. And 0:21:45.080 --> 0:21:47.680 I think that. I believe that to support the Kyle 0:21:47.760 --> 0:21:50.720 showed for Jimmy in those moments, even during some of 0:21:50.760 --> 0:21:53.640 those struggles when they were three and five, has kind 0:21:53.640 --> 0:21:55.960 of hardened Jimmy to say, you know what, all that 0:21:56.040 --> 0:22:00.800 other bs out there exactly, I'm just going to play. 0:22:00.840 --> 0:22:03.760