1
00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,200
Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Chris Harry with you on a week sixteen

2
00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,360
Speaker 1: edition of Chargers Weekly. Coming up, radio analyst Daniel Jeremiah

3
00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:24,240
Speaker 1: and Good Morning Football's Peter Schreger will get you ready

4
00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,040
Speaker 1: for Saturday Night's game against the Ravens. We'll also get

5
00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,400
Speaker 1: this week's opposing view from Jeff so Rebeck of the

6
00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,360
Speaker 1: Athletic Baltimore. But first, Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL

7
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:41,080
Speaker 1: Network analyst Kurt Warner. All right, my first guest, we'll

8
00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,239
Speaker 1: be in the booth for Ravens Chargers along with Mike

9
00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,600
Speaker 1: Tarico on NFL Network. The Hall of Famer Kurt Warner

10
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,600
Speaker 1: joins me on Chargers Weekly and Kurt December Football. Two

11
00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,920
Speaker 1: playoff caliber opponents. Doesn't get much better than this, and

12
00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,320
Speaker 1: we're thrilled that you're on the call for it. Well,

13
00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,200
Speaker 1: I'm excited as well that you get to this point

14
00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,240
Speaker 1: the season and any games matter in the big picture,

15
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,640
Speaker 1: and you know this is one of those games. So

16
00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,200
Speaker 1: it should be a great atmosphere and a lot of

17
00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,800
Speaker 1: great storylines, and you know, both teams really fighting for

18
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,360
Speaker 1: something at this point, no doubt. And I know how

19
00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,800
Speaker 1: hard you prepare for these games, Kurt. What's caught your

20
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,800
Speaker 1: eye on film when breaking down both of these teams. Yeah,

21
00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,240
Speaker 1: you know, just getting into the process now. But you know,

22
00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,760
Speaker 1: as I look at it, I mean I'm excited for

23
00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,920
Speaker 1: Philip Rivers. He's having a tremendous year, you know, one

24
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,520
Speaker 1: of his best years, which is which is saying something

25
00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,399
Speaker 1: as good as he's been over his career. But I

26
00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,080
Speaker 1: think the thing that catches my eye, you know really

27
00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,240
Speaker 1: with their offense is all the different pieces and you know,

28
00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,520
Speaker 1: flexibility of the pieces that they have, you know that

29
00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,760
Speaker 1: I don't know, and you know, thinking back, I don't

30
00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,400
Speaker 1: know if Phillips had this kind of talent around him

31
00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,800
Speaker 1: across the board, Guys that can do so many different things. Again,

32
00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,080
Speaker 1: that's assuming Keenan Allen ends up playing this weekend, which

33
00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,080
Speaker 1: it sounds like he's a east on track to do that.

34
00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:05,080
Speaker 1: But uh, extreme talent. Although they're very young, Uh, they've

35
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,480
Speaker 1: got talent across the board. The two backs, um, you know,

36
00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,480
Speaker 1: the wide receivers still got a little comfort level with

37
00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,519
Speaker 1: with Antonio Gates even though even out the same guy

38
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,760
Speaker 1: that he used to be. Uh. That part of it's fun,

39
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,320
Speaker 1: um knowing that the Chargers have, you know, those two

40
00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,760
Speaker 1: pass rushers. You know, in this day and age u

41
00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,640
Speaker 1: with with how this league goes, you got to have

42
00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,440
Speaker 1: those guys up front, and um, they've got some guys

43
00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,919
Speaker 1: to do that. Uh, Derwin James has been incredible. Um.

44
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:35,680
Speaker 1: You know, so that's kind of on the Charger's side,

45
00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:37,880
Speaker 1: the things that kind of stand out looking forward to

46
00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,880
Speaker 1: seeing up close and personal. And then you've got the

47
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,080
Speaker 1: other side with Lamar Jackson and the ability to be

48
00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,880
Speaker 1: able to prepare for something so different. Uh. You know,

49
00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:50,919
Speaker 1: we've seen that they've averaged you know, two hundred yards

50
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,520
Speaker 1: rushing basically since he's uh come in and become the starter,

51
00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,200
Speaker 1: and so it's a different beast. And you know what

52
00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,240
Speaker 1: makes this stuff so hard is, um, you know, going

53
00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,399
Speaker 1: week to week and when there's only one team that

54
00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,200
Speaker 1: does it or two teams that do it, really hard

55
00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,399
Speaker 1: to prepare for that within the course of a week.

56
00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,760
Speaker 1: Now the Chargers have a little extra time because they

57
00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:15,120
Speaker 1: played on Thursday to prepare for that. But but that's interesting.

58
00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,280
Speaker 1: Nobody's really been able to figure it out and stop it.

59
00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,400
Speaker 1: And then you know it's scheme first, but then Lamar

60
00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,160
Speaker 1: Jackson's a different beast. You know, we've we've only seen

61
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,320
Speaker 1: a few of those guys, the Michael Vicks and and

62
00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,360
Speaker 1: guys like that that are so dynamic and so explosive

63
00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,320
Speaker 1: with their legs. You know that that I'm looking forward

64
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,600
Speaker 1: to that dynamic and what the Chargers come up with

65
00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,240
Speaker 1: to be able to slow that down. And then if

66
00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,120
Speaker 1: they are able to slow that down, you know where's

67
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,280
Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson in terms of a passer that I think

68
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,520
Speaker 1: he's got a long way to go. So if you

69
00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,160
Speaker 1: force him into a passing game, we'll get a chance

70
00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,040
Speaker 1: to see really where he is, because I've heard some

71
00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,200
Speaker 1: some really good things about him as a passer, even

72
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,040
Speaker 1: though we haven't seen it so much on Sundays. And

73
00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,360
Speaker 1: then you flip that Philip Rivers against you know, this

74
00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,640
Speaker 1: defense of the Ravens which is so good and do

75
00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,360
Speaker 1: so many different things and throw so many different looks

76
00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,720
Speaker 1: at you. They can rush the pass, they've got guys

77
00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,720
Speaker 1: on the back end, They've got a couple of physical

78
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,960
Speaker 1: corners that can get up and press you and make

79
00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,880
Speaker 1: things hard. So I just, yeah, I think there's just

80
00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,480
Speaker 1: so many ways to look at this. And you know,

81
00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,880
Speaker 1: both matchups, you know, offensive defense on both sides are

82
00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,880
Speaker 1: really really good and very intriguing, and so I'm excited

83
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,960
Speaker 1: to see out plays out. It's a great test for

84
00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,120
Speaker 1: both teams as we get into January, assuming the Ravens

85
00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,599
Speaker 1: too get in the playoffs. I mean, doesn't get better

86
00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,880
Speaker 1: than kind of seeing what you got in December against

87
00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,159
Speaker 1: a high caliber opponent. Let's stay with Philip Rivers just

88
00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,480
Speaker 1: for a second. Kurt thirty one touchdowns, eight interceptions, fifteenth season,

89
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,400
Speaker 1: just notch another Pro Bowl appearance. Let's impressed you most

90
00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,120
Speaker 1: about what he's doing in twenty eighteen specifically, Well, I mean,

91
00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,000
Speaker 1: I think the most impressive thing has really been what

92
00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,320
Speaker 1: I've seen, you know, kind of down the stretch in games.

93
00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,960
Speaker 1: You know, the one thing about this Chargers team in

94
00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,120
Speaker 1: recent years is they've lost a lot of close games.

95
00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,799
Speaker 1: You know, they haven't found a way to make those plays,

96
00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:12,039
Speaker 1: and Philip hasn't found a way to make those difference

97
00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:17,160
Speaker 1: making plays laid in games. And so what they've done

98
00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,960
Speaker 1: this year, you know, winning those close games, and the

99
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,840
Speaker 1: way he's played, and specifically the last two games on

100
00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,560
Speaker 1: the road down by double digits and bringing his team

101
00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,000
Speaker 1: back twice. So you know, kind of that feel of

102
00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,440
Speaker 1: maybe something's kind of turned the corner. Maybe there's a

103
00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,960
Speaker 1: belief here, you know, and maybe Phillips even figured something out.

104
00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:40,520
Speaker 1: And again that's hard to say because he's been so

105
00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,200
Speaker 1: good throughout his career, but in these moments, I think

106
00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,880
Speaker 1: he's been better this year than I've ever seen him before.

107
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,120
Speaker 1: And that excites me because you know, I've had a

108
00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,200
Speaker 1: chance to talk to to Phillip recently. I talked to

109
00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:53,800
Speaker 1: him yesterday in prep, and I talked to him a

110
00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,440
Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago for NFL Network, and he's just

111
00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,159
Speaker 1: one of my favorite guys. You know, we got so

112
00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,599
Speaker 1: much in common, from a lot of kids to being

113
00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,880
Speaker 1: a family guy, to play in the position. But you know,

114
00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,240
Speaker 1: I just love his passion and I love the way

115
00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,400
Speaker 1: that he loves this game, and you know, I want

116
00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,280
Speaker 1: to see him playing a Super Bowl before it's all

117
00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,159
Speaker 1: said and done. And now that they won't have better,

118
00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,720
Speaker 1: you know, opportunities in the next couple of years, but

119
00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,120
Speaker 1: I just love the pieces on this team and I

120
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,640
Speaker 1: love where they're sitting right now record wise, that you know,

121
00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,880
Speaker 1: I think they have a shot to do that this year.

122
00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,479
Speaker 1: You know, kind of be you we were talking esterday,

123
00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,200
Speaker 1: kind of be disappointing if they end up with you know,

124
00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,600
Speaker 1: tied or the second best record in the AFC, and

125
00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,040
Speaker 1: they have to travel on the road through the playoffs

126
00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,279
Speaker 1: because we know how hard that is. But you know,

127
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,640
Speaker 1: they've at least forged themselves a little bit with these

128
00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,160
Speaker 1: last couple of games and showing they can be really

129
00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,000
Speaker 1: good playoff teams on the road in tough environments. And

130
00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,279
Speaker 1: so I think all this stuff is strengthening them and

131
00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,039
Speaker 1: these young players to maybe be able to make a

132
00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,760
Speaker 1: push here. You know, Kurt another guy you're familiar with,

133
00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,159
Speaker 1: Phillip's offensive coordinator. You're a former head coach in Arizona,

134
00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,440
Speaker 1: Ken wizzen Hunt. When you look at Dischargers offense, are

135
00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,520
Speaker 1: you familiar with some of the things that they're doing

136
00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,400
Speaker 1: or has it changed a little bit now? I definitely

137
00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,400
Speaker 1: familiar with a lot of the stuff that they're doing.

138
00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,680
Speaker 1: You know. It was fun And again, I was talking

139
00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,480
Speaker 1: to Phillip yesterday just about Whizz and where Whizz was

140
00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,800
Speaker 1: when he came to Arizona coming from the Steelers organization,

141
00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:26,320
Speaker 1: you know, and the way they ran things and kind

142
00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:31,080
Speaker 1: of a fullback, tight end type bass offense to what

143
00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,160
Speaker 1: we created in Arizona and becoming more of a three

144
00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,559
Speaker 1: and four wide system and spreading it out and doing

145
00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,760
Speaker 1: more of those little things that you know that you

146
00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,360
Speaker 1: see a lot in the game now and then to

147
00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:47,080
Speaker 1: watch him take that and grow and become the offense

148
00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,720
Speaker 1: that they've become with so much flexibility and so much

149
00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,360
Speaker 1: creativity in San Diego has been a fun process for

150
00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,800
Speaker 1: me that I think, you know, we learned together and

151
00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,440
Speaker 1: he learned a little bit from me being there, and

152
00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,200
Speaker 1: then he's gone and been able to learn from Philip

153
00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,840
Speaker 1: and take some of those things that he learned here,

154
00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,760
Speaker 1: plus some of his background from Pittsburgh and really becoming

155
00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,640
Speaker 1: a well rounded, you know, offensive coordinator. That has been

156
00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:13,560
Speaker 1: it's been fun to watch. So there's a lot of

157
00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,840
Speaker 1: stuff that's similar. There's a lot of stuff that I

158
00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,080
Speaker 1: know he brings from his past, and then I've seen

159
00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,240
Speaker 1: some new creative stuff that they've done as well, and

160
00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,600
Speaker 1: um so I'm extremely excited for him. Uh you know,

161
00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,880
Speaker 1: as we had great success together in Arizona and playing

162
00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,240
Speaker 1: in that Super Bowl, you know that that it's fun

163
00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,720
Speaker 1: to watch him and know that he's with another QB

164
00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:40,280
Speaker 1: that he can push the envelope with and create and

165
00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,680
Speaker 1: and that's been to me the most fun to watch Kurt,

166
00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,800
Speaker 1: we're getting close to the playoffs, just a couple of

167
00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,520
Speaker 1: weeks away. And you know, as someone who's won a

168
00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,640
Speaker 1: Super Bowl appeared in three of them, what's the most

169
00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:55,320
Speaker 1: important ingredient or that one constant attribute did all the

170
00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:59,000
Speaker 1: teams that you were on possessed? Well? I mean, I

171
00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:03,560
Speaker 1: think they were all different to some degree. You know,

172
00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,800
Speaker 1: what I always believe come playoff time is you have

173
00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,000
Speaker 1: to have a team that's built to win different ways.

174
00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:12,080
Speaker 1: You know, can you win if you're an offensive team?

175
00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,040
Speaker 1: Can you win a defensive battle? You know? At some point,

176
00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:16,960
Speaker 1: you know, when we won the Super Bowl in ninety nine,

177
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,080
Speaker 1: we won eleven and six in the NFC Championship game

178
00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,959
Speaker 1: against Tampa Bay. You know, we're We're played against another

179
00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:24,840
Speaker 1: great defense and we had to find a way to win,

180
00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,240
Speaker 1: and our defense needed to step up and play that

181
00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,440
Speaker 1: even though we were known for our offense. So I think,

182
00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:33,280
Speaker 1: you know, that's part of it. I think the other

183
00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,320
Speaker 1: part is do you have the kind of players that

184
00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,520
Speaker 1: can play their best football? And I'm talking about the

185
00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,560
Speaker 1: difference making players, those defining players on your team. Do

186
00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:44,720
Speaker 1: you have the kind of guys that can lift their

187
00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,280
Speaker 1: game and play better when the lights are the brightest

188
00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,520
Speaker 1: when the pressure is the highest, when the stakes are

189
00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:55,040
Speaker 1: the greatest. And you know, that to me is so

190
00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,600
Speaker 1: much what playoff time is all about, is that do

191
00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,360
Speaker 1: you have those guys? Can they do that? And if

192
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,319
Speaker 1: you're gonna make a run, you need your best players

193
00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,560
Speaker 1: to play at the highest level. And you know, those

194
00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,320
Speaker 1: are just a couple of things to me that that separate,

195
00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,640
Speaker 1: you know, really good teams from everyone else and allows

196
00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,360
Speaker 1: teams to make those playoff runs. Kurt, something that I've

197
00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,079
Speaker 1: noticed over the last month, specifically with this Chargers team

198
00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,800
Speaker 1: is one to fifty three. You know, when Melvin Gordon's

199
00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:27,559
Speaker 1: not in a game against Pittsburgh Steelers, are the Chiefs.

200
00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,520
Speaker 1: You bring in a guy like Austin Eckler when he

201
00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,200
Speaker 1: goes down, Justin Jackson, a seventh round pick, deetrez K Newsom,

202
00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:38,480
Speaker 1: an undrafted free agent. How important is it to get

203
00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,800
Speaker 1: guys like that in big spots, especially late in the season,

204
00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,920
Speaker 1: not only to show that they can be counted on,

205
00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,480
Speaker 1: but just to give them confidence when it does matter

206
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:51,200
Speaker 1: the most. In January, Well, I mean, I think it's

207
00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,000
Speaker 1: always important, you know, because you just never know how

208
00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,640
Speaker 1: things are going to play out, and you know, when

209
00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,240
Speaker 1: somebody might go down and we all talk about the

210
00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,640
Speaker 1: next man up mentality and you know, and how you

211
00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,520
Speaker 1: have to have a guy step in and play well.

212
00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,079
Speaker 1: But um, you know, as the stakes get hired and

213
00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,840
Speaker 1: as you get closer to the playoffs, that becomes harder

214
00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,120
Speaker 1: and harder to expect a young guy to step in

215
00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,760
Speaker 1: and you know, play at that level if if they

216
00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,240
Speaker 1: haven't played before, and so um, you know, sometimes you

217
00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,480
Speaker 1: look back after you know, things like like having a

218
00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,959
Speaker 1: la recently, um where you know, Gordon goes down and

219
00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:30,040
Speaker 1: Eckler goes down, and these young guys have to play

220
00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,439
Speaker 1: and uh, you go, man, maybe you come playoff time

221
00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,080
Speaker 1: if those guys get nicked up a little bit, Um,

222
00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,160
Speaker 1: maybe this becomes a blessing in disguise to know a

223
00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,439
Speaker 1: little bit more about these guys, to know what they

224
00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,160
Speaker 1: can do, to have confidence. Because that's another part of

225
00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,240
Speaker 1: it is, you know, when you lose one of your

226
00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,800
Speaker 1: big names at critical moments, Uh, you know, there's there's

227
00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:55,520
Speaker 1: an emotional there's a there's a mental aspect that goes

228
00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,000
Speaker 1: into going, man, we gotta go play our toughest game

229
00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:02,319
Speaker 1: without you know, one of our horses, you know, and

230
00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:04,800
Speaker 1: it plays with you a little bit. If you've got

231
00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:06,680
Speaker 1: some young guys that have already played and stepped in

232
00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,880
Speaker 1: and played well and something like that happens, Now you

233
00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,280
Speaker 1: don't miss a beat. You know that there's no hesitation

234
00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:13,920
Speaker 1: and going, hey, we know this guy can fill in it,

235
00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,200
Speaker 1: and we know what he's capable of, and so you know,

236
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,520
Speaker 1: eventually it could end up being a blessing in disguise,

237
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,080
Speaker 1: you know, for the Chargers, having these guys get from

238
00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,520
Speaker 1: time and play and maybe even be able to spell

239
00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:30,200
Speaker 1: a Melvin Gordon if there's time during the playoffs that

240
00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,400
Speaker 1: you want to do that. Kurt, you touched on Lamar

241
00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,640
Speaker 1: Jackson at the top, and I had to do a

242
00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,000
Speaker 1: double take just looking at the stat sheet. He's averaging

243
00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,640
Speaker 1: seventeen carries a game. Couple that with just the fact

244
00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:44,240
Speaker 1: that there's only five games of starting tape on him.

245
00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,920
Speaker 1: It's an unconventional offense. How much added pressure does a

246
00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,240
Speaker 1: dual threat quarterback like Jackson put on a defense, Well,

247
00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,839
Speaker 1: I mean, there's no question if it puts pressure on him.

248
00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,240
Speaker 1: You know, we always talk about how usually it's eleven

249
00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,960
Speaker 1: verse ten in the running game when you're talking about

250
00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,120
Speaker 1: a defense versus offense, because you know a lot of teams,

251
00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:08,280
Speaker 1: you know, you don't have to count for the quarterback,

252
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,240
Speaker 1: you don't have to worry about them. UM. But now

253
00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,800
Speaker 1: when when a quarterback comes in, that you have to

254
00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,000
Speaker 1: worry about. And then maybe on top of that, when

255
00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,959
Speaker 1: a quarterback comes in that's as dynamic and probably better

256
00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,800
Speaker 1: than some of the running backs um that are on

257
00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:27,080
Speaker 1: their team. Uh, that adds a whole other element to it.

258
00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:31,160
Speaker 1: And so you have to figure out a way because

259
00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,520
Speaker 1: there's so many different aspects to it. There's there's always

260
00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,920
Speaker 1: that read aspect to things where you know, good teams

261
00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:40,000
Speaker 1: at this they isolate one guy, you know, they isolate

262
00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,480
Speaker 1: that defensive end, or they isolate that linebacker, and they go, Okay,

263
00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,000
Speaker 1: you're not going to be right. You know, we've got

264
00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,760
Speaker 1: guys to account for everybody else. And now you've got

265
00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,400
Speaker 1: it aside. Do you want to take the back or

266
00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,360
Speaker 1: do you want to take the quarterback? Um? And so

267
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,240
Speaker 1: it's a really difficult thing to do, UM, and to

268
00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,040
Speaker 1: put these guys in pressure, pressure situations and to try

269
00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,880
Speaker 1: to double play a running back and a quarterback because

270
00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,400
Speaker 1: if you hesitate at all, you're lost and the other

271
00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,839
Speaker 1: team wins either way. So it's knowing your responsibilities, that's

272
00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,760
Speaker 1: having the right scheme, and it's being able to to

273
00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,200
Speaker 1: you know, react to you know. I was just watching

274
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,600
Speaker 1: some tape on Baltimore yesterday and they do a nice

275
00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,960
Speaker 1: job of changing strength. So even though you may be

276
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:26,720
Speaker 1: set up to the strength and think that you've got

277
00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,760
Speaker 1: it wired now, all of a sudden, the emotion, the

278
00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,320
Speaker 1: strength becomes the other side, and as you're trying to

279
00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,000
Speaker 1: play catchup, they get angles and they get you out

280
00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,240
Speaker 1: of position. Or you know, the guy that was down

281
00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,000
Speaker 1: in the box on the one side as you motion,

282
00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,800
Speaker 1: he can't get over to the other side and give

283
00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,920
Speaker 1: you that extra defender and then they run the zone read.

284
00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,040
Speaker 1: So they just they do a nice job of changing

285
00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,440
Speaker 1: things up and changing looks up within their scheme to

286
00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,320
Speaker 1: put a lot of pressure on the defense to have

287
00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,480
Speaker 1: to react quickly. Kurt, final thing for me, and this

288
00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,720
Speaker 1: is more off the field, because I had a chance

289
00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:00,440
Speaker 1: to talk to Corey Legiate or Walter Payton Man of

290
00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,360
Speaker 1: the Year nominee a couple of weeks ago when he

291
00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,160
Speaker 1: was dominated and it's such a big deal and I'm

292
00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,560
Speaker 1: so happy for Corey and all the amazing work that

293
00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,320
Speaker 1: he's done. Off the field. You won this award in

294
00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,880
Speaker 1: two thousand and eight, If you could just put in

295
00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,160
Speaker 1: perspective of just what it meant to you to win

296
00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,040
Speaker 1: that award and just you know, what it means for

297
00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,040
Speaker 1: the rest of your career and really the rest of

298
00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,080
Speaker 1: your life to have the distinction of being a Walter

299
00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,640
Speaker 1: Peyton Man of the Year. Well, yeah, I mean a

300
00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:29,480
Speaker 1: tremendous honor. And you know, I think there's a lot

301
00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,080
Speaker 1: of guys in this league that take their position really

302
00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:38,520
Speaker 1: seriously and their responsibility to impact people with their platform.

303
00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,320
Speaker 1: They take that very seriously, and the Walter Peyton Man

304
00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,160
Speaker 1: of the Year is, you know, probably the biggest way

305
00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,400
Speaker 1: the NFL recognizes that works that those guys do. And

306
00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:54,680
Speaker 1: so to be recognized not just for what you do

307
00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,560
Speaker 1: on the football field, but for the type of impact

308
00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,920
Speaker 1: you're having off the football field, it is really really

309
00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,800
Speaker 1: special because what I've learned over the years is that

310
00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:09,360
Speaker 1: you know, records are broken, and you know, football accomplishments, uh,

311
00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:13,480
Speaker 1: you know are forgotten, but when you impact people's lives,

312
00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,440
Speaker 1: they never forget that that that is a lifelong thing.

313
00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,840
Speaker 1: And um, you know, so when when I got to

314
00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,360
Speaker 1: the NFL and my wife and I had talked about

315
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,800
Speaker 1: how important it was to us to make sure that

316
00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,880
Speaker 1: our legacy was bigger than football, that you know, when

317
00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,840
Speaker 1: people talked about us, so will remembered us. We wanted

318
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,880
Speaker 1: the first thing for them to say was, you know,

319
00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,200
Speaker 1: about the character and about what we represented, about what

320
00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,560
Speaker 1: we did for other people, and then they could talk

321
00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,360
Speaker 1: about the football stuff after that. And if you're able

322
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,000
Speaker 1: to get to that point, you've really won in life.

323
00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,200
Speaker 1: And that, to me is what it's all about. And

324
00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,080
Speaker 1: you know, what these guys are doing and being represented

325
00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:57,160
Speaker 1: by the Walter Baton Man of the Year you know

326
00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,360
Speaker 1: nominee and then the winners um. You know, it's at

327
00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,920
Speaker 1: least saying, hey, you're on the right track. You know

328
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,720
Speaker 1: you're doing some things that are being recognized that you know,

329
00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,960
Speaker 1: extend way beyond the football field. And so I commend

330
00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:11,800
Speaker 1: all the guys in the league that are doing stuff.

331
00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,879
Speaker 1: You know, a lot of recognize some uh many aren't

332
00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:19,680
Speaker 1: recognized for what they do. But all the nomineesum tremendous honor.

333
00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,879
Speaker 1: And you know, just I love that it brings to

334
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,239
Speaker 1: light because you know, when you're a guy, even when

335
00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:29,440
Speaker 1: you cover the league, you know when you're not in LA.

336
00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,000
Speaker 1: You know around the Chargers and know what they do.

337
00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,719
Speaker 1: That's the other part I love about it. They've made it,

338
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,040
Speaker 1: you know, a bigger thing, whether it's the patch you

339
00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,240
Speaker 1: know that that's on your jersey, or the way that

340
00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,520
Speaker 1: they you know, talk about these guys on the different

341
00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,520
Speaker 1: games that they play, that they've really gone out of

342
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,919
Speaker 1: their way to bring light to the unbelievable work that

343
00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,000
Speaker 1: these guys do that most of us, even though it's

344
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,439
Speaker 1: close to the game, would never know if it weren't

345
00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,399
Speaker 1: for uh, you know what the NFL has chosen to

346
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,199
Speaker 1: do in regards to the Walter Payton Man of the

347
00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,200
Speaker 1: Year and the nominees around the league, Well said, Kurt,

348
00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,600
Speaker 1: your first class and I can't tell you how enjoyable

349
00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,280
Speaker 1: it is to listen to you and Tarco and the

350
00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,000
Speaker 1: booth and Heaven and Peter on the sidelines. Look forward

351
00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,800
Speaker 1: to seeing you the StubHub Center. Awesome. Can't wait? All right, guys,

352
00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,880
Speaker 1: want to tell you that the LA Chargers rely on

353
00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,919
Speaker 1: bows QC thirty five headphones two to blackout distractions and

354
00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,359
Speaker 1: focus on what matters most. The same powerful noise canceling

355
00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,760
Speaker 1: technology helps you concentrate on your music, your work, maybe

356
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,879
Speaker 1: this podcast or whatever you're passionate about. Learn more at

357
00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,760
Speaker 1: bows dot com. Slash Chargers Bows the official headphones of

358
00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:36,280
Speaker 1: the LA Chargers. All Right, to get this week's opposing view,

359
00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:40,480
Speaker 1: we bring in Jeff's Rebeck of the Athletic Baltimore and Jeff,

360
00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,720
Speaker 1: I appreciate you joining us. We've got a playoff light

361
00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,960
Speaker 1: game in Los Angeles just before the playoffs. What are

362
00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,760
Speaker 1: the Ravens saying about taking on the Chargers? Yeah, I

363
00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,520
Speaker 1: mean the game. I think there's a lot of build

364
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,320
Speaker 1: up to this game to begin with. But what happened

365
00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:59,080
Speaker 1: last week with the Ravens and their whole playoff chances.

366
00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,439
Speaker 1: You know, they be the Buccaneers. It's kind of a

367
00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,560
Speaker 1: business like win, but yet their playoff chances grew worse.

368
00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,919
Speaker 1: I mean just because everybody around them won, you know,

369
00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,760
Speaker 1: could beat you know, could upset the Cowboys, and the

370
00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,840
Speaker 1: Steelers beat the Patriots, and the Titans beat the Giants,

371
00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:23,159
Speaker 1: so uh they originally uh didn't. We're in hoping that

372
00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,920
Speaker 1: this game would probably you know, they have to win, um,

373
00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:28,800
Speaker 1: you know, to make the playoffs or to keep their

374
00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,440
Speaker 1: playoff folks alive. But that's pretty much the reality they

375
00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,080
Speaker 1: have to win out and they understand the challenge that

376
00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,840
Speaker 1: the Chargers, uh, you know, present probably the you know,

377
00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,040
Speaker 1: best team in AFC right now on the road on

378
00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,440
Speaker 1: a short week for them. Chargers have a little have

379
00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:48,800
Speaker 1: had more rests, look like they're getting a couple of

380
00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,240
Speaker 1: their healthy guys back, So, uh, it's a huge challenge.

381
00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,320
Speaker 1: The Ravens offensive guys have said this is the best defense, uh,

382
00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,679
Speaker 1: they've played in a while, and I think obviously the

383
00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,919
Speaker 1: raven defensive guys would say that, you know, the Chargers

384
00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,560
Speaker 1: are one of the better offenses they played. So to

385
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,000
Speaker 1: beat good teams or to get to the playoffs, you

386
00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,159
Speaker 1: should have to beat good teams. And this is the

387
00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,200
Speaker 1: case for the Ravens. Well, I'll tell you, Jeff, I

388
00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,119
Speaker 1: want to start with this Baltimore offense because I imagine

389
00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,120
Speaker 1: for you it's a tale of two seasons. Right when

390
00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:19,760
Speaker 1: you look at what the Ravens have done these last

391
00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,040
Speaker 1: five games with Lamar Jackson under center, they're four to one.

392
00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,680
Speaker 1: They're doing it in a very unique way. They have

393
00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,800
Speaker 1: an undrafted rookie running back in the backfield and Gus

394
00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,359
Speaker 1: Edwards and they're averaging over two hundred and thirty yards

395
00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:35,360
Speaker 1: per game. On the ground in their last five contests. Yeah,

396
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,200
Speaker 1: I mean for the first nine weeks, they couldn't run

397
00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:40,640
Speaker 1: the ball at all. I mean, I think they were

398
00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,920
Speaker 1: thirty first and yards per carry incredible, and that was

399
00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,879
Speaker 1: inflated a little on the plays Jackson came in on.

400
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,960
Speaker 1: You know, they used them as a handful of plays

401
00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,040
Speaker 1: per game, you know, and mostly running plays, and he

402
00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,960
Speaker 1: got some of them, he handed off on others. But

403
00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:01,240
Speaker 1: they had some success with that at as sort of

404
00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,840
Speaker 1: a change up to what Joe Flacco was bringing the offense.

405
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,159
Speaker 1: And you know that they were able to run the

406
00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,400
Speaker 1: ball a little bit with that, and that's the only

407
00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,520
Speaker 1: reason their numbers didn't even look worse at the time. So, uh,

408
00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,960
Speaker 1: you know, I figured he'd helped the run game, he

409
00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,280
Speaker 1: being Jackson, But I don't think any of us expected

410
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,800
Speaker 1: them to rush for you know, over one hundred and

411
00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,240
Speaker 1: ninety yards and five straight games. I mean, they're the

412
00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,159
Speaker 1: first team to do that in nineteen seventy six, So

413
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,960
Speaker 1: they're doing something that no other team in the league

414
00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,439
Speaker 1: is doing right now. I know the Steelers like, excuse me,

415
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,719
Speaker 1: the Chargers, the Seahawks like to run the ball a

416
00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,320
Speaker 1: good bit, but uh, you know, the amount they're running

417
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,040
Speaker 1: the ball. It's just not happening elsewhere, and they've had

418
00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,840
Speaker 1: a lot of successful They've completely changed their offense on

419
00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,440
Speaker 1: the fly, which is very difficult to do, but it's

420
00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:50,040
Speaker 1: brought a dimension that they haven't had. Their control and possession.

421
00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:53,240
Speaker 1: Their defense is pretty good, and they've been well rested

422
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,000
Speaker 1: because it's not on the field the whole lot, and

423
00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,280
Speaker 1: the Ravens are being able to move the ball up

424
00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,840
Speaker 1: and down the field with that while protecting Jackson. At

425
00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,159
Speaker 1: the same time, we all know he's not a finished product.

426
00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:09,879
Speaker 1: We all know he's not a great downfield passer yet,

427
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,919
Speaker 1: but they're winning with him and what he presently is

428
00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,040
Speaker 1: capable of doing. And uh, you know, these games are

429
00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,680
Speaker 1: all must win for them, so they've kind of gone

430
00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,600
Speaker 1: after it like each game, we're gonna try to do

431
00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:23,960
Speaker 1: what's the best thing for us to win, and so

432
00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,680
Speaker 1: far they've had success, and that's come from running the football.

433
00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,560
Speaker 1: It's almost an advantage to change your offense this late

434
00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,639
Speaker 1: in the season because there's there's not a ton of

435
00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,480
Speaker 1: tape and yeah, I mean, you get the last five weeks.

436
00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:37,159
Speaker 1: But the thing that strikes me is is Jackson's averaging

437
00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,760
Speaker 1: seventeen carries per game. Is that the formula that they

438
00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:42,800
Speaker 1: want to sustain or do they want to get to

439
00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,040
Speaker 1: a point where he's throwing the ball a little bit more, Jeff,

440
00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:47,840
Speaker 1: Because you know, I go back to twenty twelve. I

441
00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,840
Speaker 1: followed the Redskins closely with Robert Griffin the third and

442
00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,400
Speaker 1: he was electric, but he put himself in situations where

443
00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:57,920
Speaker 1: you leave yourself open to two big hits. I remember

444
00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,120
Speaker 1: the Helodi not a hit that that really kind into

445
00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,280
Speaker 1: his career with the Redskins. Is that something with with Lamar?

446
00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:05,639
Speaker 1: They want him to be a little a little more

447
00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,160
Speaker 1: careful running the football. Yeah, they do, and and it's

448
00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,280
Speaker 1: that's just the aways the question. But you don't want

449
00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,320
Speaker 1: to coach the playmaker out of him. You don't want

450
00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,240
Speaker 1: to coach what he does best. Um, So he's running

451
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,480
Speaker 1: too much, he's taking too many hits. This is not

452
00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,880
Speaker 1: a big guy. UM. But you know, I don't think

453
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,320
Speaker 1: I think they understand it's not sustainable. UM. I think

454
00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,479
Speaker 1: they understand that if if this is gonna work with

455
00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:34,520
Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson going forward, uh, they're gonna need to be

456
00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:38,000
Speaker 1: much more dynamic in the downfield passing game. Um, he

457
00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:41,080
Speaker 1: can throw the ball. He's not just a runner, but

458
00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,439
Speaker 1: he just remains a work in progress. He'll make a

459
00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,800
Speaker 1: couple throws a game that just are ugly, or he'll

460
00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,600
Speaker 1: miss a wide open receiver. Uh. Sunday a lot less

461
00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,359
Speaker 1: weeks he had a wide open Mark Andrews down the sideline.

462
00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,480
Speaker 1: The guy he and he threw it off the back

463
00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,200
Speaker 1: of a chasing defender. And you know there's a as

464
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,840
Speaker 1: I said, there's a handful of throws per game that

465
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:03,840
Speaker 1: that just are ugly. But then you'll see him make

466
00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,399
Speaker 1: a throw. You're like, Okay, you know he can do it.

467
00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,080
Speaker 1: So but you know the thing is everyone wants to

468
00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,520
Speaker 1: talk about the future, about whether this is sustainable, and

469
00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:17,679
Speaker 1: that's understandable. Um, but the Ravens literally there's jobs on

470
00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:20,080
Speaker 1: the line with this organization. You know, John Harbaugh may

471
00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,080
Speaker 1: not be back. This team needs to win. The general manager,

472
00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,560
Speaker 1: only general managers they've ever had, as you use him,

473
00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,399
Speaker 1: uh is stepping aside after this year. They want to win.

474
00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,800
Speaker 1: They're worried about how they're what's the best way they

475
00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:38,680
Speaker 1: can win now? And where Lamar Jackson is in his development. Um,

476
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,080
Speaker 1: he's just not ready to throw the ball thirty plus

477
00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,439
Speaker 1: times a game and there are opportunities though, and I

478
00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,760
Speaker 1: think they're trying more and more to add more passing

479
00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,600
Speaker 1: elements into it. Um. But you know there's a they

480
00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:53,080
Speaker 1: do some rpo stuff and a lot of those results

481
00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,639
Speaker 1: in Lamar Jackson runs. So it's not that they're not

482
00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,400
Speaker 1: calling more plays, um, But it's just I just think

483
00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,760
Speaker 1: they're trying to to protect him a little bit in

484
00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:03,919
Speaker 1: terms of as a passer and trying to do what

485
00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,080
Speaker 1: he's most comfortable with this. But I don't think anyone's

486
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,199
Speaker 1: kidding themselves. They're not gonna be able to play like

487
00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,960
Speaker 1: this for very long. Jeff, quickly, before we get to

488
00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:15,639
Speaker 1: Baltimore's defense, tell me about Gus Edwards. Undrafted ste he

489
00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:19,600
Speaker 1: played his football Rutgers in Miami. He's averaging ninety seven

490
00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,679
Speaker 1: yards per game in his last five. It's not just Jackson,

491
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,640
Speaker 1: it's this undrafted rookie as well. Yeah, And I mean

492
00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,560
Speaker 1: they got him from six thousand dollars signing bonus. I

493
00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:30,960
Speaker 1: mean he was just kind of sitting out there. How

494
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,959
Speaker 1: about then they three undrafted free agent running backs they

495
00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,640
Speaker 1: brought in. He wasn't you know? They he didn't make

496
00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,880
Speaker 1: the team. He's on the waiver wire, and then they

497
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:43,719
Speaker 1: had one of their top three running backs, Kenneth Dixon,

498
00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,720
Speaker 1: get hurt, and you know, Gus Edwards wasn't even their

499
00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,920
Speaker 1: first promotion. They promoted somebody else from their practice squad.

500
00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,000
Speaker 1: So it's just interesting. I mean, it's just no frills,

501
00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,639
Speaker 1: doesn't wow. You just puts his head down and gets

502
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,800
Speaker 1: you know, goes forward. He has not he's not lost

503
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,040
Speaker 1: the yard yet this year. He's not had a single

504
00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,880
Speaker 1: carry where he's lost yarded So it's just a good

505
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,639
Speaker 1: compliment right now. Nothing to take anything, not taking anything

506
00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,120
Speaker 1: away from Edwards, but you know, Jackson's ability to challenge

507
00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:15,440
Speaker 1: on the perimeter and the threat he brings with his

508
00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:19,280
Speaker 1: speed has really opened up just the North South running game,

509
00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,600
Speaker 1: and Edwards has just been a good, no frills fit

510
00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,800
Speaker 1: for that role. You know, Baltimore and defense, they've been

511
00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,600
Speaker 1: synonymous for a long time. This year is no different.

512
00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,400
Speaker 1: There the number one defense in the league, the number

513
00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,359
Speaker 1: three against to pass and to run. In fact, the

514
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,399
Speaker 1: last five they've been so stingy against the run sixty

515
00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:38,320
Speaker 1: five yards per game on the ground. What's the best

516
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:41,880
Speaker 1: way to attack this Ravens defense, Jeff, I think when

517
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:46,159
Speaker 1: teams have met success it's been from quarterbacks getting the

518
00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,480
Speaker 1: ball out quickly. They haven't given up a ton of

519
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:53,080
Speaker 1: big plays down the field. The quarterbacks that have had

520
00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:55,399
Speaker 1: a lot of success Andy Dalton did it to him

521
00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:00,200
Speaker 1: in Week two, Drew Brees earlier. Most of the success

522
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,760
Speaker 1: has come from just really quick stuffs in the middle

523
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:06,320
Speaker 1: of the field, just keeping the chains moving their linebackers

524
00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:10,760
Speaker 1: struggling coverage. Tight ends have been particularly successful against the Ravens.

525
00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:14,919
Speaker 1: So the short, intermediate stuff, quarterbacks getting rid of the

526
00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,000
Speaker 1: ball quickly and just nullifying their path rush. That's kind

527
00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,880
Speaker 1: of what's been their achilles heel as a defense this year,

528
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:23,760
Speaker 1: you know, but it is. It's a good group, and

529
00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,280
Speaker 1: it's played the chargers of the six top ten offense

530
00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,800
Speaker 1: they'll play this year, so it's not like they're just

531
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,280
Speaker 1: gathering these stats against you know, Tomato Cans at the

532
00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,760
Speaker 1: bottom of the league and offense they've they've been able

533
00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:37,480
Speaker 1: to and they've given up some stuff, but they've been

534
00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,920
Speaker 1: able to contain or at least limit some really good

535
00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,840
Speaker 1: offenses this year. But the best way to attack them

536
00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,240
Speaker 1: has been with the short, quick stuff. They've had a

537
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 1: lot of the trouble defending in the middle of the

538
00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,000
Speaker 1: field at times. It's gonna be fun to see in

539
00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,000
Speaker 1: this Chargers offense against this Ravens defense, kind of like

540
00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:57,200
Speaker 1: strength versus strength, because Ravens they're only allowing eighteen points

541
00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,440
Speaker 1: per game, the Chargers or averaging twenty eight a game day.

542
00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,159
Speaker 1: They've scored twenty in every single game this year. What

543
00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,080
Speaker 1: do you think the biggest challenge is for the Ravens

544
00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:09,119
Speaker 1: when it comes to this Chargers team that's been pretty

545
00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,879
Speaker 1: balanced over the course of the season. Yeah, I think

546
00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,600
Speaker 1: it's just gonna be flying pressure and trying to force

547
00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:20,440
Speaker 1: turnovers if they can get it. I you know, nothing

548
00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,240
Speaker 1: taken away from Jackson and the Ravens run game, but

549
00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,760
Speaker 1: you know, of in his you know, in his starts,

550
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,200
Speaker 1: they've played bottom five or six run defenses in every

551
00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,440
Speaker 1: time and they haven't been able to stop the Ravens.

552
00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,040
Speaker 1: So they've just kept running the ball. Chargers have a

553
00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,679
Speaker 1: top ten run defense. I don't know that they're going

554
00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 1: to be able to run the ball up and down

555
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,560
Speaker 1: the field on them. In fact, I don't expect them to,

556
00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,360
Speaker 1: nor I think do they. And my point saying that

557
00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,880
Speaker 1: is the Ravens have very little margin of error the

558
00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:50,880
Speaker 1: way they're playing offense right now. So I think their

559
00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,360
Speaker 1: defense and special teams need to create scoring opportunities for them,

560
00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,800
Speaker 1: and I think that's the biggest challenge when Rivers gets hot.

561
00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:02,760
Speaker 1: I don't know that there's much you can do, but

562
00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:04,840
Speaker 1: the Ravens have to figure out a way. And I

563
00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,080
Speaker 1: know this is every game, but especially you know this week,

564
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,120
Speaker 1: with all the weapons the Chargers have, they have to

565
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 1: figure out a way to make Rivers uncomfortable and get

566
00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,560
Speaker 1: to him and at least give him something to think about.

567
00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:21,400
Speaker 1: And you know the chess match between the best friends

568
00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,160
Speaker 1: and former teammates Wettell and Rivers. I think that's why

569
00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:28,200
Speaker 1: that's so interesting this week, because I'm sure they both

570
00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,160
Speaker 1: know each other about as well as you can. But

571
00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,680
Speaker 1: Wettle and his defense have to figure out a way

572
00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:36,680
Speaker 1: to I don't know if you're going to confuse Rivers,

573
00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:39,480
Speaker 1: but to do things he's not exactly expecting and to

574
00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:42,600
Speaker 1: make him uncomfortable. Jeff, if you could give us a

575
00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,760
Speaker 1: name or two on this Ravens team. We mentioned Gus

576
00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:48,640
Speaker 1: Edwards and Lamar Jackson obviously, but maybe an under the

577
00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,240
Speaker 1: radar guy who's performed at a high level this year

578
00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:57,440
Speaker 1: that not many people may know. About Yeah, I don't.

579
00:29:58,120 --> 00:29:59,840
Speaker 1: I don't know if he's under the radar because just

580
00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:03,920
Speaker 1: her first round pick. But Marlin Humphrey, they're corner from Alabama,

581
00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,560
Speaker 1: second year guy. You know, it doesn't even start all

582
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,160
Speaker 1: the time because they rotate. They have the veteran quarters

583
00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,520
Speaker 1: on the outside in Jimmy Smith Frank car But Marlin

584
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,640
Speaker 1: Humphrey's playing now at a pro bowl level. He didn't

585
00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:17,320
Speaker 1: get off to a great start, but in the last

586
00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:20,040
Speaker 1: four or five games he's been playing at a pro

587
00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,400
Speaker 1: bowl level. He got his first interception last week, and

588
00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,440
Speaker 1: it could be interesting because him and Mike Williams when

589
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:30,680
Speaker 1: Clemson and Alabama had had some battles there, that's right,

590
00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,920
Speaker 1: National championship. Yeah, that could be fun. So I think

591
00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,720
Speaker 1: Marlin Humphrey is a guy that's quickly emerging into the

592
00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:42,320
Speaker 1: upper tier of young cornerbacks in the NFL. And you know,

593
00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,960
Speaker 1: he's a big reason why the defense has managed to,

594
00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,280
Speaker 1: you know, not give up a ton of big plays.

595
00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:52,680
Speaker 1: Jeff Finally, a big game for both teams. Playoff implications. Heck,

596
00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,600
Speaker 1: these teams could see each other in a couple of weeks.

597
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:56,200
Speaker 1: We don't know how it's going to all shake out,

598
00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,240
Speaker 1: but what do you think will decide or could decide

599
00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:02,680
Speaker 1: this game. You know, I just I think it's going

600
00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:05,720
Speaker 1: to be first and second downs. The Ravens have been

601
00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,120
Speaker 1: one of the best third down offenses and one of

602
00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:12,040
Speaker 1: the best third down defenses in the league. So if

603
00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:14,840
Speaker 1: on offense they can stay out of third and loans

604
00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,080
Speaker 1: and open up all sorts of options on third and

605
00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:21,440
Speaker 1: moderate or third and short for Jackson, they're gonna be

606
00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,800
Speaker 1: tough to stop. And on defense, if they can force

607
00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,160
Speaker 1: Rivers into third and long at Rivers and the Chargers,

608
00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,160
Speaker 1: if they can stop Gordon on early downs and force

609
00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,520
Speaker 1: Rivers into third and longs and then get after them

610
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,520
Speaker 1: a little bit, do some different things defensively and disguises

611
00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,600
Speaker 1: and stuff. I think that that represents the Ravens best

612
00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,400
Speaker 1: chance to win. You know, they have to win on

613
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,320
Speaker 1: first and second downs. Otherwise I think it could be

614
00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:48,840
Speaker 1: a long day because Jackson's just not ready against the

615
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:53,320
Speaker 1: quality defense to consistently convert on third and seven and

616
00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,240
Speaker 1: third and eights, and they could get away from them

617
00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,720
Speaker 1: early because as I said earlier, it's really helped that

618
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,680
Speaker 1: accent and the offense has just control of the time

619
00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:05,680
Speaker 1: of possession and kept the defense off the field they're

620
00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:08,000
Speaker 1: gonna do They're gonna need to do that again because

621
00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:09,880
Speaker 1: if the defense is on the field too much against

622
00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:13,840
Speaker 1: the Chargers, it'll be a long, a long game. Awesome stuff, Jeff,

623
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,680
Speaker 1: Jeff Suribak, the Athletic Baltimore. Look forward to seeing you soon. Jeff,

624
00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,720
Speaker 1: looking forward to it. Thanksfu Lot for having me. All Right,

625
00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,440
Speaker 1: my next guest. He was in Denver last Saturday for

626
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,880
Speaker 1: Brown's Broncos I wake up Sunday morning. He's in Los

627
00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,520
Speaker 1: Angeles Sunday for pregame show duties on Fox. He's back

628
00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,600
Speaker 1: in New York now for Good Morning Football, and he'll

629
00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,240
Speaker 1: be back in La roaming the sideline Saturday for Ravens Chargers.

630
00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,720
Speaker 1: The Great Peter Schreger joins me. Now, Peter, what's up, buddy,

631
00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,600
Speaker 1: Chris the Great? I love that. I'll take it. Thanks bro, dude.

632
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,240
Speaker 1: How was this last weekend for you? Maybe because you

633
00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:49,920
Speaker 1: guys crush it on the broadcast Saturday, But to be

634
00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,200
Speaker 1: a part of a team with Tarico in the Hall

635
00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,800
Speaker 1: of Famer Kurt Warner's got to be special, Are you

636
00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:59,000
Speaker 1: kidding me? Amazing? Truly an honor, and Tariko is so

637
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,680
Speaker 1: smooth it's like, and then Warner is as prepared as

638
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,680
Speaker 1: anyone I've ever worked with, comes in, knows everything inside

639
00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:06,160
Speaker 1: and out from the exit the os, and then also

640
00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:09,280
Speaker 1: has all the personal stories. It could not have been cooler.

641
00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:12,200
Speaker 1: And you know, before the game, Peyton Manning's there and

642
00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,840
Speaker 1: we're walking around and Warner's talking to Mayfield and then

643
00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,440
Speaker 1: Warner's talking to Peyton Manning and I'm just a fly

644
00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:21,160
Speaker 1: on the wall. We've got everyone from you know, Jimmy

645
00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,600
Speaker 1: Haslam walking around to John Elway to Who's who and

646
00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,320
Speaker 1: being the sideline O Pinter, you kind of have your

647
00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,240
Speaker 1: ear to the wall and I'm just a fly in

648
00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,240
Speaker 1: a lot of those conversations. But it was electric Saturday

649
00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:33,320
Speaker 1: night in Denver, and I can only imagine it being

650
00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,280
Speaker 1: tenfold in the stubub, which must be the biggest Stubub

651
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,920
Speaker 1: event I could maybe say, since like the MLS Cup

652
00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:41,480
Speaker 1: twenty years ago. I have no idea, but this is

653
00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:44,320
Speaker 1: a huge one on Saturday. And I'm so honored to

654
00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:47,080
Speaker 1: be on the sidelines for Ravens Chargers. Dude, We're pumped

655
00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:49,400
Speaker 1: to have you. It's the third primetime game for the

656
00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:53,440
Speaker 1: Chargers in four weeks. And before we get to the Ravens.

657
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,280
Speaker 1: Let's just rewind to last Thursday, because I had you

658
00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,880
Speaker 1: on before the season on this program and you said

659
00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,040
Speaker 1: you said you needed to see the Chargers beat the Chiefs,

660
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,040
Speaker 1: and we were just talking off air. In the spin

661
00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:07,520
Speaker 1: of eleven days, not only did they beat the Chiefs

662
00:34:07,880 --> 00:34:11,319
Speaker 1: down fourteen points in the second half, but eleven days

663
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:14,279
Speaker 1: before that, they're down sixteen in Pittsburgh. They get to win.

664
00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:18,920
Speaker 1: Just your overall takeaways from what you saw Thursday in Casey,

665
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,960
Speaker 1: I think this is something I gotta say the Chargers fans.

666
00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,360
Speaker 1: There's no one who wants to see the Chargers succeed

667
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,279
Speaker 1: more than me. But I also I'm not going to fall,

668
00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,200
Speaker 1: hook line and sinker until they get over their greatest obstacle,

669
00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,440
Speaker 1: and that was beating Kansas City in Kansas City. And

670
00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:34,359
Speaker 1: not only did they do it, they did it down

671
00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,520
Speaker 1: fourteen points in the fourth quarter in the most heroic

672
00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:39,399
Speaker 1: of fashions. What a win. I said it on Friday mornings,

673
00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:40,960
Speaker 1: Good Morning Football. I think it was the best win

674
00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:44,040
Speaker 1: any team had all season. That includes the Cowboys beating

675
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,640
Speaker 1: the Saints, that includes the Rams beating the Chiefs. I

676
00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:49,840
Speaker 1: think I think the Chargers going into Arrowhead with that

677
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:53,319
Speaker 1: up against them and winning was truly amazing. And you

678
00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,200
Speaker 1: know what, maybe the second best win of the season

679
00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,439
Speaker 1: was them in Pittsburgh down sixteen in the second half.

680
00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,000
Speaker 1: So say what you want about going into the season,

681
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,200
Speaker 1: what they need to prove. They don't prove anything to anyone.

682
00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:03,719
Speaker 1: They help prove crap to me, and they don't have

683
00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:05,319
Speaker 1: to prove crap to the rest of the league. They've

684
00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,480
Speaker 1: proved it already. Now they just gotta keep that train

685
00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,000
Speaker 1: going and hopefully get it done in January. But what

686
00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,200
Speaker 1: a ride it's been. And I said it on Sundays

687
00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:14,880
Speaker 1: Fox NFL kickoff show. You can have your Matt Nagy,

688
00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,440
Speaker 1: you can have your Sean Payton. Anthony Lynn is my

689
00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,239
Speaker 1: twenty eighteen coach of the Year, and that is I'll

690
00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:22,160
Speaker 1: debate that to the end of time. What an amazing

691
00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:24,319
Speaker 1: performance the Chargers have had this season. I want to

692
00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,759
Speaker 1: get into that in one second. But first, just the

693
00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:31,080
Speaker 1: decision to go for two short week Thursday night an

694
00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:34,960
Speaker 1: opponent ye haven't beaten ninth straight times and Coach Lynn says,

695
00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,560
Speaker 1: let's just let's go forward. Now, Well that's what That's

696
00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:39,480
Speaker 1: what bothered me. The next day, everyone said, well, there

697
00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,840
Speaker 1: really was nothing to lose, because if you don't get it,

698
00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:45,279
Speaker 1: you're still the five season. You're not realizing the context here.

699
00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:49,399
Speaker 1: They haven't beaten the Chiefs since two thirteen. If they lose,

700
00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,359
Speaker 1: no one goes back and says, well, they went for two.

701
00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:53,480
Speaker 1: It's just another loss. It's ten straight losses, and we

702
00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,759
Speaker 1: have to deal with this all offseason next year. They

703
00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:57,400
Speaker 1: have to deal with this for the rest of time.

704
00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,600
Speaker 1: It was such a ballsy call and it doesn't matter

705
00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:04,480
Speaker 1: about playoff implications, and it does show what Anthony Lynn

706
00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:06,680
Speaker 1: is all about and the faith he has in this offense.

707
00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:08,920
Speaker 1: What a play called, They went to the same exact

708
00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:10,760
Speaker 1: play called that they did on the touchdown. They slipped

709
00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:13,080
Speaker 1: it around for the two point conversion. They relied on

710
00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:14,839
Speaker 1: the fact that the Chiefs defense has been a mess

711
00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,800
Speaker 1: the last two drives, and sure enough, there's a miscommunication

712
00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,759
Speaker 1: and they capitalize. There's so many different elements to this

713
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,680
Speaker 1: that people who just look at the playoffs standings and say, well,

714
00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:25,440
Speaker 1: if they won their the five seed, if they lose

715
00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:29,799
Speaker 1: there the five seed, it wasn't really that big a risk. Bullcrap.

716
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:33,120
Speaker 1: This was a huge, huge, huge risk, and to come

717
00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,080
Speaker 1: out of that building with a win is so much

718
00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:36,880
Speaker 1: different than coming out of that building with a loss.

719
00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:40,320
Speaker 1: I think it totally changes the script, the narrative, everything

720
00:36:40,440 --> 00:36:43,560
Speaker 1: about the AFC and the AFC West in particular. Well

721
00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,800
Speaker 1: since that over four start, Peter the Chargers, they're twenty

722
00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,239
Speaker 1: and six, and Peter King had this stat in his

723
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,839
Speaker 1: Monday column that no coach in the NFL has more

724
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,080
Speaker 1: wins in his last twenty one games than Anthony Lynn.

725
00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:56,600
Speaker 1: And I hear it too. You know, the Coach of

726
00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:58,680
Speaker 1: the Year candidates, there's a lot of deserving guys, right,

727
00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:02,399
Speaker 1: Naggie in Chicago ran right, Sean Payton, But you made

728
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,120
Speaker 1: a strong case for coach Lynn last week, and I

729
00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,279
Speaker 1: can't see I disagree. Man. Think about what they've been through.

730
00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:10,040
Speaker 1: I mean, I saw you guys in London. We had

731
00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:11,839
Speaker 1: a good chance to socialize quite a bit, and then

732
00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:14,840
Speaker 1: I saw you guys on game day. Let's think about

733
00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,480
Speaker 1: this team. They were. They were home on I think

734
00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:20,400
Speaker 1: October seventh, and they spent forty one days out of

735
00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,200
Speaker 1: their own homes on the road with a bunch of

736
00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:25,080
Speaker 1: road games. They go to London, they win that one,

737
00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,040
Speaker 1: and they've got to go and they've got to beat

738
00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,600
Speaker 1: Pittsburgh after being down sixteen points and second half beat Kanda.

739
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:33,560
Speaker 1: I mean, the odds are so stacked against them, and

740
00:37:33,560 --> 00:37:36,480
Speaker 1: oh yeah, doing it without Melvin Gordon one week and

741
00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,120
Speaker 1: then without Austin Ekeler the next and now Keenan Allen.

742
00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:41,920
Speaker 1: You know, he gets that injury and they still win

743
00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,640
Speaker 1: in Kansas City despite that, and they rely on guys

744
00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,560
Speaker 1: like Travis Benjamin and Mike Williams who have not been

745
00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:50,720
Speaker 1: the primary receivers this season in the clutchest of moments.

746
00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:53,680
Speaker 1: I couldn't be prouder of the Chargers. And I think

747
00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:55,840
Speaker 1: if you're a fan of the Chargers, you couldn't be

748
00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,080
Speaker 1: more impressed with the way this team has responded to adversity.

749
00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:01,799
Speaker 1: You talk about moving from San Diego to LA you

750
00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,279
Speaker 1: talk about a new coach, you talk about new coordinators,

751
00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:07,239
Speaker 1: you talk about new playmakers at every position, and then

752
00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:08,799
Speaker 1: you talk about a team that just finds a way

753
00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:10,680
Speaker 1: to win. I know they haven't won the big one

754
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,839
Speaker 1: in January. I know they didn't make the playoffs last year,

755
00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,120
Speaker 1: but guess what, It's a new year and this Charger's

756
00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:17,840
Speaker 1: teams for real. And Anthony Lynn, I don't even know

757
00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:19,360
Speaker 1: if he's if I consider him an x is an

758
00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:21,000
Speaker 1: o's guy. I know it's insulting to say that. I

759
00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,439
Speaker 1: consider him more of like the CEO, and I think

760
00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:26,160
Speaker 1: he trusts Whizz and Hunt, he trusts Gus Bradley, but

761
00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:28,439
Speaker 1: he sets the tone for that building. And I think

762
00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,880
Speaker 1: just being around that team in London and we had

763
00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:32,959
Speaker 1: a chance to kind of get in there a little

764
00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,320
Speaker 1: bit and and embed myself into that team for a

765
00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:38,439
Speaker 1: couple of days, you see that the players respond to him,

766
00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:41,759
Speaker 1: the front office responds to him, the coaches respond to him,

767
00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,160
Speaker 1: and even the guys across the organization, everyone from the

768
00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:48,200
Speaker 1: business side to the broadcast side. I think everyone responds

769
00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:50,520
Speaker 1: to Anthony Lynn. He's the true CEO of a team

770
00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:53,000
Speaker 1: that is doing truly great thing. I go back to

771
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,080
Speaker 1: that trip to Peter, that ten day trip where they

772
00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,600
Speaker 1: were in Cleveland all week. They go to London for

773
00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:02,759
Speaker 1: a few days, ten days away from Los Angeles when

774
00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,880
Speaker 1: they get on a plane. This year, it's pretty remarkable.

775
00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,880
Speaker 1: There's seven and oh. The only road loss was a

776
00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:12,359
Speaker 1: loss to the Rams in La County at the coliseum.

777
00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:15,719
Speaker 1: So talk about being battle tested, especially when you get

778
00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:18,359
Speaker 1: to January. You're seven and oh. When you get on

779
00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:21,040
Speaker 1: an airplane. I mean, there's so many of these teams

780
00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:22,840
Speaker 1: that can't play outside their own building. There are so

781
00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:24,800
Speaker 1: many these teams that can only play on their own coast,

782
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:28,520
Speaker 1: so many teams that struggle in cold weather. Again, I

783
00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:30,480
Speaker 1: could say it thirty times to go into Pittsburgh and

784
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:32,560
Speaker 1: to go into Kansas City. But how about the win

785
00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:36,520
Speaker 1: in Cleveland, Monster win. How about the performance they had

786
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,640
Speaker 1: in London where they were down to the Titans and

787
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,200
Speaker 1: they found a way to hold on. Just a fantastic,

788
00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,560
Speaker 1: fantastic performance outside their own building. And then this point

789
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,879
Speaker 1: has been really nailed a lot in the last couple

790
00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,359
Speaker 1: of days by every pundit you know, and every time

791
00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:51,080
Speaker 1: they can harry. But I've been saying it all season.

792
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:53,719
Speaker 1: When they play those home games, there's no insult for

793
00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:55,959
Speaker 1: the Charger fan base. But when they play those home games,

794
00:39:55,960 --> 00:39:59,040
Speaker 1: it is a vacation for teams from the cold weather city.

795
00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:01,920
Speaker 1: So you're going to see the Philadelphia fans in that building.

796
00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:05,360
Speaker 1: You're gonna see the Green Bay fans. Whenever they're in

797
00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:07,600
Speaker 1: that home building and they're playing against teams from Coole

798
00:40:07,680 --> 00:40:09,920
Speaker 1: other cities, those fans look at that as a vacation

799
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,600
Speaker 1: trip and that place is packed with the other teams fans,

800
00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,400
Speaker 1: I assure you, and again no slight to the Charger

801
00:40:15,440 --> 00:40:18,200
Speaker 1: fan base. I assure you. There will be purple and

802
00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:22,520
Speaker 1: black all over that crowd. On Saturday. The Ravens fans

803
00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:24,799
Speaker 1: are coming. This is a holiday weekend. They've got off

804
00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:26,880
Speaker 1: from work, and this is one of the few times

805
00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:28,960
Speaker 1: they're not playing in the rain or the snow in

806
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,680
Speaker 1: December or January. The Ravens fans have booked these tickets

807
00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,840
Speaker 1: in April and they will be making their way to

808
00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:36,880
Speaker 1: the StubHub Center. And to win all of those games

809
00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:39,160
Speaker 1: and then win on the road, that means you can

810
00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,799
Speaker 1: take on anyone any place, and to get on a

811
00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:43,440
Speaker 1: plane is no big deal. Because when you play in

812
00:40:43,480 --> 00:40:45,239
Speaker 1: your own building and you hear the crowd from the

813
00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,440
Speaker 1: other team cheering, that is something you've got to become

814
00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:51,200
Speaker 1: thick too, and you've got to become hard into. And amazingly,

815
00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:53,600
Speaker 1: this Chargers team responds to that and it makes them

816
00:40:53,600 --> 00:40:56,160
Speaker 1: better on the road. You know, Peter Litz, dive into

817
00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:59,480
Speaker 1: this Ravens Chargers match, but I know you've been digging

818
00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:03,359
Speaker 1: in this week. Ravens form one with Lamar Jackson as

819
00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:07,800
Speaker 1: a starter, very unconventional offense. He's averaging seventeen carries per game,

820
00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:11,120
Speaker 1: which is wild Melvin Gordon's averaging fifteen carries a game.

821
00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:14,720
Speaker 1: Then starts, what do you gravitate towards in this matchup?

822
00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:18,120
Speaker 1: At first glance? Just the defense from the Ravens. Everyone's

823
00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:20,440
Speaker 1: gonna talk about Lamar Jackson, but that defense is so

824
00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,160
Speaker 1: good and they hit so hard, and they've got such

825
00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:25,359
Speaker 1: a stronghold on the way that these games are played.

826
00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,000
Speaker 1: The Ravens never find themselves in shootouts. You watch that

827
00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:30,840
Speaker 1: Saints game back, it's twenty three to twenty and and

828
00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:33,520
Speaker 1: they kicked that they missed the extra point, Like it's

829
00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:35,680
Speaker 1: it's just always going to be in that twenty to

830
00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:38,480
Speaker 1: twenty five point range if you're lucky. They don't lose

831
00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,359
Speaker 1: games fifty one to twenty eight. They don't play in games,

832
00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:43,719
Speaker 1: so they have to score forty. So I say that

833
00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:45,920
Speaker 1: because that's going to put the pressure on the Chargers

834
00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:48,760
Speaker 1: to get to that point, you know, and the Chargers

835
00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:51,879
Speaker 1: defense has to keep Lamar Jackson in that offense under

836
00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:55,560
Speaker 1: twenty themselves. So the Ravens defense, they played football that

837
00:41:55,600 --> 00:41:58,480
Speaker 1: wins games in December, in January, and now that this

838
00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:01,520
Speaker 1: running game that just controls the This isn't gonna be

839
00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,479
Speaker 1: the Chiefs game. This isn't gonna be back and forth

840
00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:05,480
Speaker 1: and Wild World West. This is going to be one

841
00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:07,440
Speaker 1: of those games, or someone's gonna win twenty one to

842
00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:11,040
Speaker 1: nineteen or twenty four to twenty. And I think that's

843
00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:13,680
Speaker 1: gonna be the storyline. Who's got the ball last and

844
00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,279
Speaker 1: whose defense can put the punishment on two really good

845
00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:20,000
Speaker 1: offensive Peter This Ravens defense. You mentioned they're number one

846
00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:22,560
Speaker 1: in the league. They're three against the run, they're three

847
00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:25,799
Speaker 1: against the past. I think you feel it when you

848
00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:27,960
Speaker 1: play them the next week. Two. What do you think

849
00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,880
Speaker 1: is the best way to attack them? It's tough because

850
00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,960
Speaker 1: last year even they drafted their first four picks for defense.

851
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:37,799
Speaker 1: This year they added players. You know, Eric Weddle can

852
00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:40,440
Speaker 1: still play and you guys know him well. There's just

853
00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:43,399
Speaker 1: talent at all three levels. So how do you beat them?

854
00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:45,600
Speaker 1: I don't know. No teams really put a beating on them.

855
00:42:45,600 --> 00:42:47,640
Speaker 1: No team has put a lot of points on them.

856
00:42:47,640 --> 00:42:49,480
Speaker 1: Trying to think about their season, not having it in

857
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,879
Speaker 1: front of me, But I don't have a recollection since

858
00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:54,359
Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson coming in. If any team putting thirty up.

859
00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:56,359
Speaker 1: I mean, I know the Chiefs beat them in an

860
00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:59,640
Speaker 1: overtime game where they have to use every last second

861
00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,200
Speaker 1: hal Area, fourth and nine pass across its body and

862
00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:04,640
Speaker 1: then a fourth and three pass to Damian Williams to

863
00:43:04,719 --> 00:43:08,719
Speaker 1: even get to overtime. But Ravens are tough, and Phil

864
00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:10,720
Speaker 1: can throw the ball all over the yard in Kansas

865
00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:12,719
Speaker 1: City and all over the yard at Pittsburgh. This is

866
00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:16,160
Speaker 1: a different defense. I think your best bet is to

867
00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:18,439
Speaker 1: hope for a couple of big plays and then maybe

868
00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:20,960
Speaker 1: control the game on the ground. And if Melvin Gordon's

869
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:22,960
Speaker 1: in there and toting the rock, you've the best chance

870
00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:25,239
Speaker 1: to do that. You know what's interesting about this match

871
00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:28,840
Speaker 1: of two Peter is it's possible that these two teams

872
00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,239
Speaker 1: could meet in a couple of weeks, depending on how

873
00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:33,480
Speaker 1: the next couple of weeks shake out. You know, it's

874
00:43:33,520 --> 00:43:35,120
Speaker 1: crazy because it could be It could be the Ravens,

875
00:43:35,120 --> 00:43:37,759
Speaker 1: it could be the Steelers, the Charges could get a buy.

876
00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,400
Speaker 1: We'll get you out of here on this these next

877
00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:44,279
Speaker 1: two weeks, specifically in the AFC. What are you keep

878
00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:47,120
Speaker 1: in your eye on? Is we inch closer to January?

879
00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:52,640
Speaker 1: Steelers Saints Is fascinating this weekend. Baltimore, Los Angeles is fascinating,

880
00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:54,640
Speaker 1: and then Kansas City has got to go to Seattle.

881
00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:57,239
Speaker 1: So all three of these teams are kind of that jumbled,

882
00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,399
Speaker 1: little garbled area. They've got to win games, and oh yeah,

883
00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:03,120
Speaker 1: suddenly the Eagles are red hot. And the Texans, who

884
00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:05,040
Speaker 1: probably thought three weeks ago that that would be a

885
00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:07,640
Speaker 1: soft spot of their schedule, they've got to go win there.

886
00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:11,040
Speaker 1: So it's wide open. What's going to be interesting to

887
00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:14,080
Speaker 1: me is to see this Steelers Saints game because the

888
00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:16,560
Speaker 1: Steelers get this huge win, and if the Steelers can

889
00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:18,279
Speaker 1: drop this game to the Saints or find a way

890
00:44:18,320 --> 00:44:21,120
Speaker 1: to win this game against the Saints, it totally sets

891
00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:24,239
Speaker 1: a bunch of different dominoes in motion. And then how

892
00:44:24,239 --> 00:44:26,560
Speaker 1: do the Chiefs respond to their loss. I don't know

893
00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:28,680
Speaker 1: who's going to win, Chargers Ravens. Honestly, Chris, if you

894
00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,439
Speaker 1: were asking right now, I don't have a pick. I'd

895
00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:32,239
Speaker 1: say the Chargers are probably the favorite in that one.

896
00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:34,240
Speaker 1: But I could say that I could see the Seahawks

897
00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:36,840
Speaker 1: beating the Chiefs, and I could definitely see the Saints

898
00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:39,760
Speaker 1: beating the Steelers. That sets a lot of different dominoes

899
00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:41,880
Speaker 1: in motion, and then one of those dominoes could be

900
00:44:41,880 --> 00:44:44,000
Speaker 1: the Chargers ending up with the one seat overall, which

901
00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:46,480
Speaker 1: is something I think a month ago you guys probably

902
00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:49,839
Speaker 1: didn't even think was very realistic. No, I mean, when

903
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,759
Speaker 1: you're three four games back of an opponent, and then

904
00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:56,759
Speaker 1: we look at Seattle losing to San Francisco, and then

905
00:44:56,760 --> 00:44:59,240
Speaker 1: obviously the Chiefs coming off a loss to the Chargers

906
00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:02,760
Speaker 1: with a few days extra to prepare, that's the game,

907
00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:05,440
Speaker 1: Peter that I think is going to kind of put

908
00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:08,200
Speaker 1: everything into place in terms of who gets that buy.

909
00:45:08,280 --> 00:45:10,480
Speaker 1: And then obviously that Steeler Saints game not only is

910
00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:12,600
Speaker 1: a big game for the Steelers but the Saints they

911
00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:15,480
Speaker 1: can wrap up home field advantage. And you know what

912
00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:18,160
Speaker 1: we thought was an arms race to week seventeen with

913
00:45:18,200 --> 00:45:20,240
Speaker 1: the Rams and Saints, that may not be the case.

914
00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:23,840
Speaker 1: Where's Denver week seventeen? Is that that's that in Denver?

915
00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:28,080
Speaker 1: That's in Denver? Yep? Not easy, man, not easy. And

916
00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:30,399
Speaker 1: especially if the Broncos have all these young guys playing

917
00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:32,799
Speaker 1: who don't know any better. And I did their game

918
00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:35,759
Speaker 1: Saturday night against the Browns. Look, they lost, it didn't

919
00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:38,160
Speaker 1: look good, But like Chub and Miller, they hit and

920
00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:40,680
Speaker 1: you know that rivalry, and you guys want so like

921
00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,439
Speaker 1: there's no easy out, like you just almost wish there

922
00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:47,480
Speaker 1: was a team. You say, okay, Circle, I'm a schedule

923
00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:49,319
Speaker 1: and we can at least notch that for a win

924
00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:53,160
Speaker 1: outside of maybe Arizona, who you guys handled with ease

925
00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:55,480
Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago, and everyone else's too. I

926
00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:58,560
Speaker 1: don't see a single team on anybody's schedule that's an

927
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,560
Speaker 1: easy out, which makes us so fascinating and makes it

928
00:46:01,640 --> 00:46:04,680
Speaker 1: so interesting over the final two weeks. But yeah, the

929
00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:07,359
Speaker 1: Ravens that's a tough one, and then the Broncos that's

930
00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:10,040
Speaker 1: no cakewalk either. It gets really interesting in the final

931
00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:12,480
Speaker 1: two weeks of the season. It does, and it starts

932
00:46:12,520 --> 00:46:14,880
Speaker 1: on Saturday. You'll be on the sidelines. I don't know

933
00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:16,759
Speaker 1: how you do a brother, you do an amazing job.

934
00:46:17,040 --> 00:46:19,640
Speaker 1: I can't thank you enough for your time. Get some rest,

935
00:46:19,840 --> 00:46:22,400
Speaker 1: and I'll see you on Saturday. As I always say, Chris,

936
00:46:22,440 --> 00:46:24,279
Speaker 1: I love coming on with you guys. I love that

937
00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:26,560
Speaker 1: the Chargers are relevant right now, and I cannot wait.

938
00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:28,960
Speaker 1: It is my first game doing sidelines at the stub

939
00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:31,279
Speaker 1: Hubble Let's go. I'm really excited. Man, I can't wait

940
00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:33,239
Speaker 1: to see you there on Saturday. And if you're a

941
00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:35,719
Speaker 1: fan listening to the podcast, be sure to shout me out.

942
00:46:35,719 --> 00:46:38,120
Speaker 1: I'll show what's up. All right, Before we get to

943
00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:40,480
Speaker 1: Daniel Jeremiah, a quick break to let you know that

944
00:46:40,560 --> 00:46:43,239
Speaker 1: this season we've taken Chargers Weekly to the next level.

945
00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,440
Speaker 1: That's because I'm using Bows Quiet Comfort thirty five headphones

946
00:46:46,480 --> 00:46:49,320
Speaker 1: two on air now. The powerful noise can't Say technology

947
00:46:49,400 --> 00:46:52,160
Speaker 1: helps me block out distractions and brings you the latest

948
00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:54,960
Speaker 1: news on the LA chargers. Visit Bows dot com Slash

949
00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:57,879
Speaker 1: Chargers to learn more about the most powerful Bows headphones yet.

950
00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,040
Speaker 1: Bows the official headphones of the NFL. All right here

951
00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:06,280
Speaker 1: at the Hook Performance Center on location, both sticks on location.

952
00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:08,759
Speaker 1: Really excited about this one. Yeah, we got a full

953
00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:10,799
Speaker 1: crew out here today. Gonna get a little Derwin James,

954
00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:13,799
Speaker 1: little Mike Williams and throw it up on NFL dot com.

955
00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:18,080
Speaker 1: So Ryan Bartlett Kent in the building. Buck, you'll be

956
00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:20,240
Speaker 1: here soon, the eight teams here. Bucky'll be here shortly

957
00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:23,440
Speaker 1: and we'll we're rock and roll eight teams here. Man. Well, listen,

958
00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:25,279
Speaker 1: there's so much to get into. Let's just start with

959
00:47:25,360 --> 00:47:28,640
Speaker 1: Kansas City you money in the booth. Last eight minutes,

960
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,480
Speaker 1: fifteen seconds down, two scores, what's going through your head?

961
00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:34,160
Speaker 1: It was nuts, It was nuts. He just kind of

962
00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:36,279
Speaker 1: they found a way to hang in the game, and

963
00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:39,799
Speaker 1: then it was like, Okay, they've got a shot, but

964
00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:42,200
Speaker 1: everything has to go perfectly in terms of being able

965
00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:44,799
Speaker 1: to get off the field defensively, cash in every drive

966
00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:46,480
Speaker 1: at that point in time in the game. And then

967
00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:49,160
Speaker 1: once they scored, I don't think there might have been

968
00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:51,640
Speaker 1: some doubt maybe with some folks watching at home or

969
00:47:51,680 --> 00:47:53,680
Speaker 1: maybe even some people on the sideline, there was no

970
00:47:53,719 --> 00:47:55,400
Speaker 1: doubt when they scored they were going for two, at

971
00:47:55,440 --> 00:47:57,640
Speaker 1: least up in the broadcast, like they are going for

972
00:47:57,840 --> 00:48:00,520
Speaker 1: two and then what a play call and what execution

973
00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:03,960
Speaker 1: there on the two point play? So it was it

974
00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:05,920
Speaker 1: was so much fun because I you know, look, the

975
00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:08,000
Speaker 1: playoffs are coming up, and everybody will tell you that

976
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:11,000
Speaker 1: once the playoffs start, the environment's a little different, the

977
00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:13,480
Speaker 1: speeds a little different. You can't tell me that these

978
00:48:13,520 --> 00:48:16,600
Speaker 1: haven't been playoff type games. With Pittsburgh and Kansas City

979
00:48:16,680 --> 00:48:20,239
Speaker 1: primetime on the road in terms of energy and level

980
00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:23,280
Speaker 1: of play and execution from the charger standpoint, has been awesome.

981
00:48:23,360 --> 00:48:25,479
Speaker 1: What was louder was Seattle or Kansas I think Kansas

982
00:48:25,480 --> 00:48:27,440
Speaker 1: City was louder than Seattle. You know. It's It's interesting

983
00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:31,280
Speaker 1: because every broadcast booth that I've been in my illustrious

984
00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:34,800
Speaker 1: long broadcasting career of calling games consisting of one season,

985
00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:37,920
Speaker 1: we've been a heck of a season. We've been open air.

986
00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:40,120
Speaker 1: Except for Kansas City. We had we were in closing

987
00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,160
Speaker 1: the glass so we could hear the crowd noise that

988
00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:44,439
Speaker 1: pumped into our headphones, but we didn't get a chance

989
00:48:44,440 --> 00:48:46,120
Speaker 1: to feel it as much as you do. And in

990
00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:48,600
Speaker 1: the other stadiums, like Pittsburgh was was so loud. But

991
00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:51,400
Speaker 1: I've been told by people, you know, outside and people

992
00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:53,520
Speaker 1: down the field that it was it was pretty raucous.

993
00:48:54,040 --> 00:48:56,680
Speaker 1: So you go into Pittsburgh, you go into Kansas City,

994
00:48:56,880 --> 00:48:59,480
Speaker 1: and you do without Melvin Gordon. Yeah, the fact that

995
00:49:00,440 --> 00:49:02,799
Speaker 1: a guy like Justin Jackson step up in Pittsburgh and

996
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:06,920
Speaker 1: then Justin and Detres Detres comes in. We saw what

997
00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:09,279
Speaker 1: he was able to do in preseason. But to have

998
00:49:09,840 --> 00:49:13,440
Speaker 1: a seventh rounder and undrafted rookie running back play such

999
00:49:13,480 --> 00:49:15,480
Speaker 1: a pivotal role in oh By the way, Keenan Allen

1000
00:49:15,520 --> 00:49:17,080
Speaker 1: wasn't even in game in the first half. Yeah. No,

1001
00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:19,880
Speaker 1: it's look, it's it's a marathon, not a sprint. When

1002
00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:21,400
Speaker 1: you look at an NFL season and it's going to

1003
00:49:21,560 --> 00:49:24,560
Speaker 1: test your depth and with charters have definitely been tested

1004
00:49:25,200 --> 00:49:27,920
Speaker 1: in that regard. And it seems like injuries coming bunches

1005
00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:30,480
Speaker 1: at one position, and that's what happened at the running

1006
00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:33,359
Speaker 1: back position. And you know, you gotta tip your cap

1007
00:49:33,440 --> 00:49:36,200
Speaker 1: not only to the scouting staff and Tom Telesco with

1008
00:49:36,360 --> 00:49:38,759
Speaker 1: bringing these guys into the fold, but man, let's give

1009
00:49:38,760 --> 00:49:40,799
Speaker 1: this coaching staff a lot of credit, you know, keeping

1010
00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:43,160
Speaker 1: those guys engaged when they weren't getting on the field

1011
00:49:43,239 --> 00:49:46,160
Speaker 1: and continuing to develop them so that when their opportunity

1012
00:49:46,200 --> 00:49:49,400
Speaker 1: came there ready for it. And you know, he's justin Jackson.

1013
00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:51,640
Speaker 1: You can say, Okay, he's Big ten. He's been in

1014
00:49:51,719 --> 00:49:55,120
Speaker 1: some big stages. Obviously the production was the third leading

1015
00:49:55,160 --> 00:49:58,319
Speaker 1: rusher in Big ten history. That's there. Detres knew something

1016
00:49:58,400 --> 00:50:00,000
Speaker 1: is a little bit it's a little a little warm

1017
00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:02,480
Speaker 1: to me because that was he went to Western Carolina.

1018
00:50:02,520 --> 00:50:04,840
Speaker 1: I went to Appalachian State at that time. That was

1019
00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:07,720
Speaker 1: our big rivalry, a little bit lower level of football.

1020
00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:10,560
Speaker 1: So for him to go from Western Carolina the Catamounts

1021
00:50:10,880 --> 00:50:15,719
Speaker 1: to then on that stage Thursday Night football. Everybody watching Arrowhead,

1022
00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:18,520
Speaker 1: you know, keep your divisional hopes alive. To do what

1023
00:50:18,560 --> 00:50:21,560
Speaker 1: he did and the opportunity he had what's quite impressive.

1024
00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:24,200
Speaker 1: So give the young man credit. Again. I think that

1025
00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:27,279
Speaker 1: that sometimes we short change his coaching staff and give

1026
00:50:27,280 --> 00:50:30,560
Speaker 1: them the love they deserve. The depth has been phenomenal

1027
00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:33,920
Speaker 1: really in all three phases on this team Pro Bowlers.

1028
00:50:34,080 --> 00:50:38,000
Speaker 1: We got seven over Chargers. Any surprises, anything that caught

1029
00:50:38,040 --> 00:50:40,439
Speaker 1: your eye of the seven, well, first of all, once

1030
00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:44,120
Speaker 1: the once the list was announced, I immediately sent Tom

1031
00:50:44,160 --> 00:50:46,879
Speaker 1: to LESCo a text message and congratulated him because that's

1032
00:50:46,960 --> 00:50:48,799
Speaker 1: seven's a big number most in the league. You had

1033
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:51,879
Speaker 1: a great tweet about the last four first round picks.

1034
00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,560
Speaker 1: It's unbelievable. It's been unbelievable. I think some people, you know,

1035
00:50:55,000 --> 00:50:56,600
Speaker 1: I'll finish that thought and I'll go back the other one.

1036
00:50:56,600 --> 00:50:58,799
Speaker 1: But their last four first round picks. When you look

1037
00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:02,239
Speaker 1: at Melvin Gordon, Joey Bosa, Mike Williams, Derwin James, I

1038
00:51:02,320 --> 00:51:04,360
Speaker 1: challenge you to find a better four in the league.

1039
00:51:04,360 --> 00:51:05,879
Speaker 1: And some people said, oh, some of those are high

1040
00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:08,280
Speaker 1: picks and oh, it's not that hard. They're first rounders.

1041
00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:10,960
Speaker 1: Go back and look, go look at every other team

1042
00:51:10,960 --> 00:51:12,480
Speaker 1: what they've done in the last four years. It's not

1043
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,280
Speaker 1: as easy as it looks. And he's done a nice job.

1044
00:51:15,480 --> 00:51:19,239
Speaker 1: When you look at those guys to pedigree, big programs, productive,

1045
00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:22,600
Speaker 1: you know, check every box in terms of their competitiveness,

1046
00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:24,799
Speaker 1: and we've seen that carry over. I thought all four

1047
00:51:24,800 --> 00:51:27,440
Speaker 1: of those guys not only a high ceiling, which you

1048
00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:29,760
Speaker 1: would hope in the first round pick, but high floors

1049
00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:33,640
Speaker 1: as well. I mean, very safe, but good explosive football players.

1050
00:51:33,640 --> 00:51:35,239
Speaker 1: So you know, hat tip there for what he's done

1051
00:51:35,280 --> 00:51:37,080
Speaker 1: in the first round. I sent him a Texas and

1052
00:51:37,120 --> 00:51:39,879
Speaker 1: congratulations on the seven Pro Bowlers, and he wrote back

1053
00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:43,120
Speaker 1: immediately as you would expect, and said, that's a great number.

1054
00:51:43,120 --> 00:51:45,000
Speaker 1: I only care about the other number, which is wins.

1055
00:51:45,160 --> 00:51:47,200
Speaker 1: You know, let's go win as many games as we can,

1056
00:51:47,280 --> 00:51:50,640
Speaker 1: so that eleven number carries more weight, and rightfully so,

1057
00:51:50,719 --> 00:51:52,399
Speaker 1: I think one has something to do with the other.

1058
00:51:52,680 --> 00:51:55,840
Speaker 1: You and Bucky talk a lot about those blue chip players,

1059
00:51:55,920 --> 00:51:59,400
Speaker 1: right what's more impressive in your eyes the fact did

1060
00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:01,160
Speaker 1: they've been able to get these blue chip players in

1061
00:52:01,160 --> 00:52:04,480
Speaker 1: the first round or the depth behind some of these guys,

1062
00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:08,040
Speaker 1: and we talked about guy like Tevy Michelle, Desmond King,

1063
00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:13,200
Speaker 1: Austin Eckler, we talked about Damian Square Atrian Phillips. That

1064
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:16,560
Speaker 1: list goes on or on. What's more impressive. Well, I think,

1065
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:19,279
Speaker 1: you know, in order to win big you gotta have

1066
00:52:19,680 --> 00:52:21,880
Speaker 1: you've you've got to and I think you start with

1067
00:52:21,880 --> 00:52:23,799
Speaker 1: some blue chip guys. It's tough to win it. It's

1068
00:52:23,960 --> 00:52:25,920
Speaker 1: you know, people say the NBA is a star league.

1069
00:52:26,440 --> 00:52:28,040
Speaker 1: Every league is a star league. You've got to have

1070
00:52:28,080 --> 00:52:30,640
Speaker 1: some star players. And so they've checked that box. But

1071
00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:32,719
Speaker 1: you just have to go back and look at last

1072
00:52:32,800 --> 00:52:35,560
Speaker 1: year's Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles, who at the

1073
00:52:35,640 --> 00:52:37,320
Speaker 1: end of the year, I think they double digit guys

1074
00:52:37,360 --> 00:52:40,840
Speaker 1: on IR including I think they had three or four captains,

1075
00:52:41,000 --> 00:52:43,040
Speaker 1: you know, guys that were leaders on their football team

1076
00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:45,399
Speaker 1: that were that were out. So could the clubhouse leader

1077
00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:47,680
Speaker 1: for the MVP. Yeah, Carson Wentz at that point in time,

1078
00:52:47,719 --> 00:52:49,719
Speaker 1: Hall of Fame left tackle and Jason Peters, you know,

1079
00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:51,960
Speaker 1: a key player for them, and Darren Sproles at the

1080
00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:54,440
Speaker 1: time their best special teams player, Mayor Goes. So they

1081
00:52:54,440 --> 00:52:56,200
Speaker 1: had lots of guys that they were counting on. Hicks,

1082
00:52:56,200 --> 00:52:58,719
Speaker 1: who was one of their top linebackers, was out. So

1083
00:52:59,320 --> 00:53:01,560
Speaker 1: you're gonna be alllenge depth wise, and you have to

1084
00:53:01,600 --> 00:53:03,799
Speaker 1: do both. You can't sacrifice one for the other. And

1085
00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:07,279
Speaker 1: I think you can look around the NFL. We'll see

1086
00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:09,360
Speaker 1: Kenny will Its Chargers went the whole thing. None of

1087
00:53:09,440 --> 00:53:11,399
Speaker 1: us know, but I know when you look at the

1088
00:53:11,480 --> 00:53:14,160
Speaker 1: depth and the talent of the roster, they're one of

1089
00:53:14,160 --> 00:53:16,520
Speaker 1: a handful of teams that are positioned to make a

1090
00:53:16,560 --> 00:53:19,880
Speaker 1: deep run. This one on a Saturday has a playoff

1091
00:53:19,960 --> 00:53:23,040
Speaker 1: like feel, especially if you're the Ravens. Be could be

1092
00:53:23,080 --> 00:53:25,319
Speaker 1: an elimination game for the Ravens. It could be. And

1093
00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:27,640
Speaker 1: I was just talking to a gentleman from the Athletic

1094
00:53:27,640 --> 00:53:30,279
Speaker 1: Baltimore Jeff's rebec, and he said, even though they won,

1095
00:53:30,320 --> 00:53:33,960
Speaker 1: they beat the Bucks, everybody else won around them. Pittsburgh one,

1096
00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:39,600
Speaker 1: Indie one, Tennessee one. What stands out the last five

1097
00:53:39,600 --> 00:53:42,520
Speaker 1: weeks with this team? Obviously it looks like two completely

1098
00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:44,719
Speaker 1: different offenses. Yeah, I don't know that they had an

1099
00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:48,040
Speaker 1: identity before Lamar Jackson took over. They weren't a great

1100
00:53:48,120 --> 00:53:51,600
Speaker 1: running team, they weren't particularly efficient as a throwing team,

1101
00:53:51,920 --> 00:53:53,480
Speaker 1: and so you're trying to do it's like trying to

1102
00:53:53,480 --> 00:53:55,839
Speaker 1: serve all masters. You end up serving none. Right, So

1103
00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,040
Speaker 1: now they've given themselves over to what the old Ravens

1104
00:53:59,120 --> 00:54:01,040
Speaker 1: used to look like. And I'm talking going back to

1105
00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:04,200
Speaker 1: the Brian Billick days with Jamal Lewis in a great defense,

1106
00:54:04,239 --> 00:54:05,680
Speaker 1: where it was we are going to run the ball

1107
00:54:05,719 --> 00:54:08,200
Speaker 1: like crazy. We're gonna shorten the game, We're gonna beat

1108
00:54:08,239 --> 00:54:11,200
Speaker 1: you up, and then defensively, we're gonna suffocate you because

1109
00:54:11,200 --> 00:54:12,680
Speaker 1: the defense is not going to be on the field

1110
00:54:12,680 --> 00:54:16,040
Speaker 1: that long, and just their speed and physicality, we'll kind

1111
00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:18,280
Speaker 1: of win out and they're always going to be pretty scores.

1112
00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:20,480
Speaker 1: But they find a way to get something done. I

1113
00:54:20,520 --> 00:54:23,520
Speaker 1: think that's their identity. They have one identity since Lamar

1114
00:54:23,680 --> 00:54:26,799
Speaker 1: Jackson took over. Now it's a little bit of a

1115
00:54:26,880 --> 00:54:30,200
Speaker 1: narrower path for them when you play that way, because

1116
00:54:30,640 --> 00:54:32,440
Speaker 1: if you turn the ball over, you're gonna have a

1117
00:54:32,520 --> 00:54:35,520
Speaker 1: hard time winning games. If you get behind early, you're

1118
00:54:35,520 --> 00:54:38,000
Speaker 1: gonna have a hard time winning games. Now, fortunately for them,

1119
00:54:38,239 --> 00:54:41,080
Speaker 1: they've been able to handle the ball. They've been able to,

1120
00:54:41,640 --> 00:54:43,560
Speaker 1: you know, not give other teams short fields. They haven't

1121
00:54:43,560 --> 00:54:46,200
Speaker 1: gotten a big hole early in games. That to me

1122
00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:48,160
Speaker 1: is a big key for the Chargers the first quarter.

1123
00:54:48,440 --> 00:54:50,160
Speaker 1: If you can jump on this team and put some

1124
00:54:50,200 --> 00:54:52,879
Speaker 1: points up early and make the Ravens have to throw

1125
00:54:52,920 --> 00:54:55,280
Speaker 1: the ball a little bit. I think that's the formula

1126
00:54:55,280 --> 00:54:57,399
Speaker 1: you're looking for. They control the clock too. I think

1127
00:54:57,400 --> 00:54:59,200
Speaker 1: they held the ball for thirty seven minutes. YEA. You

1128
00:54:59,239 --> 00:55:01,759
Speaker 1: don't get many possess and what that has a psychological

1129
00:55:01,760 --> 00:55:05,839
Speaker 1: impact too, because you're sitting there going offensively. Man, we've

1130
00:55:05,840 --> 00:55:06,960
Speaker 1: got to make the most of this. We don't know

1131
00:55:07,000 --> 00:55:08,560
Speaker 1: how many of these possessions we're gonna get. You can

1132
00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:11,000
Speaker 1: maybe force some things and this defense will turn you

1133
00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:12,520
Speaker 1: over in a heartbeat. With all the players they have,

1134
00:55:12,719 --> 00:55:16,480
Speaker 1: I asked Jeff z Rebect this about Lamar Jackson. He's

1135
00:55:16,520 --> 00:55:20,040
Speaker 1: averaging seventeen carries a game, which probably in the long

1136
00:55:20,120 --> 00:55:23,600
Speaker 1: run not sustainable, long term sustainable, but it's working right now.

1137
00:55:24,320 --> 00:55:26,840
Speaker 1: You have only five games of tape. Really, you know,

1138
00:55:27,120 --> 00:55:29,719
Speaker 1: you don't have a full season sample size of what

1139
00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:32,600
Speaker 1: this offense is capable of. What's the key in this game?

1140
00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:35,120
Speaker 1: Is it? Really just try to limit Lamar Jack's first

1141
00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,480
Speaker 1: and second third and longs. You want to force him

1142
00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:39,520
Speaker 1: to third and longs. Yeah, and you've got to protect

1143
00:55:39,520 --> 00:55:42,560
Speaker 1: the middle of the field. When you watched him at Louisville,

1144
00:55:42,840 --> 00:55:44,640
Speaker 1: I was part of the scouting report. I mean, everything

1145
00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:47,920
Speaker 1: breaking in slants seems he's very comfortable in that area.

1146
00:55:48,120 --> 00:55:50,719
Speaker 1: Everything breaking out. The ball really gets away from him.

1147
00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:54,160
Speaker 1: He struggles to control it. So you know, RPOs and slants,

1148
00:55:54,280 --> 00:55:56,399
Speaker 1: that's that's where he is. That's his sweet spot. So

1149
00:55:56,480 --> 00:55:58,839
Speaker 1: to me, you've got to take that away. You've got

1150
00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:01,120
Speaker 1: to force him to kind of get to his second pitch,

1151
00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:03,520
Speaker 1: so to speak. You can't let him beat you with

1152
00:56:03,520 --> 00:56:06,160
Speaker 1: his fastball. You've got to make him throw another pitch

1153
00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:10,919
Speaker 1: and gap integrity. The fun thing for viewers to watch

1154
00:56:10,920 --> 00:56:14,359
Speaker 1: in this game is this classic size versus speed When

1155
00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:17,000
Speaker 1: you look at the Ravens, who are gonna I think

1156
00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:18,600
Speaker 1: they're gonna come out try and run the ball between

1157
00:56:18,640 --> 00:56:21,080
Speaker 1: the tackles, and they're gonna use Lamar Jackson as a threat.

1158
00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:22,960
Speaker 1: But I think you see them hand the ball off

1159
00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:25,279
Speaker 1: and really try and pound the Chargers straight ahead. Gus

1160
00:56:25,440 --> 00:56:28,080
Speaker 1: Edwards too, Gus Edwards inside the tackle. To me, that's

1161
00:56:28,080 --> 00:56:30,319
Speaker 1: what I think you'll see. And then the challenge is

1162
00:56:30,360 --> 00:56:32,759
Speaker 1: going to be for the Chargers, especially they live in

1163
00:56:32,760 --> 00:56:35,439
Speaker 1: that dime defense and you've got Tavis Brown in there's

1164
00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:37,560
Speaker 1: a little undersized and you have next to him Pro

1165
00:56:37,640 --> 00:56:40,239
Speaker 1: bowler Adrian Philip Special teams Pro Bowlers are the great year.

1166
00:56:40,760 --> 00:56:42,719
Speaker 1: You're undersize in there. They've been able to get by.

1167
00:56:42,800 --> 00:56:44,319
Speaker 1: Teams haven't been able to run them out of that

1168
00:56:44,360 --> 00:56:46,760
Speaker 1: because they've used their quickness to beat people to spots.

1169
00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:49,080
Speaker 1: But it's gonna be that power of Marshall Yonda and

1170
00:56:49,160 --> 00:56:52,799
Speaker 1: company and the speed and athleticism of those linebackers that's

1171
00:56:52,800 --> 00:56:55,239
Speaker 1: going to be where the game's won. We're expecting to

1172
00:56:55,280 --> 00:56:58,600
Speaker 1: see Melvin Gordon back after a three game absence, which

1173
00:56:58,600 --> 00:57:01,680
Speaker 1: will be a welcome sight for Argers fans and not

1174
00:57:01,800 --> 00:57:04,279
Speaker 1: just this game, DJ, but just how important is it

1175
00:57:04,320 --> 00:57:06,960
Speaker 1: to get him in the mix, especially against a physical

1176
00:57:06,960 --> 00:57:09,799
Speaker 1: defense like Baltimore as we head to January. Yeah, I mean, look,

1177
00:57:09,840 --> 00:57:11,879
Speaker 1: he's gonna get a chance to shake off the rush

1178
00:57:11,920 --> 00:57:13,919
Speaker 1: real quick here because his defensive hitches. There's a couple

1179
00:57:13,880 --> 00:57:15,480
Speaker 1: of series and feel it. Yeah, you'll feel it. But

1180
00:57:16,320 --> 00:57:18,320
Speaker 1: you know, the one element that's been missing with him.

1181
00:57:18,360 --> 00:57:20,240
Speaker 1: They found a way to win games, and we've credited

1182
00:57:20,280 --> 00:57:22,680
Speaker 1: the other running backs, but can't replace the power that

1183
00:57:22,720 --> 00:57:25,000
Speaker 1: he brings. You also can't replace what he can do

1184
00:57:25,120 --> 00:57:27,520
Speaker 1: in the passing game, catching the ball and then not

1185
00:57:27,560 --> 00:57:29,800
Speaker 1: only being able to make people miss, but run through tackles.

1186
00:57:29,800 --> 00:57:33,360
Speaker 1: So that physicality. It's a perfect game to have somebody

1187
00:57:33,400 --> 00:57:36,120
Speaker 1: like that. All right. Finally, what do the Charges need

1188
00:57:36,160 --> 00:57:38,840
Speaker 1: to do to get to twelve and three and put

1189
00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:41,640
Speaker 1: themselves in a position to maybe get that one seed.

1190
00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:44,080
Speaker 1: We'll see what happens on Sunday. Yeah, to me, it

1191
00:57:44,200 --> 00:57:48,160
Speaker 1: sounds cliche, but turnovers are huge in this game. If

1192
00:57:48,200 --> 00:57:50,120
Speaker 1: you can, if you can turn over the Ravens again,

1193
00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:52,040
Speaker 1: jump on him early. That would be huge. And on

1194
00:57:52,080 --> 00:57:54,680
Speaker 1: the other side of it, make this offense travel the

1195
00:57:54,720 --> 00:57:56,400
Speaker 1: length of the field. Don't give him a short field,

1196
00:57:56,400 --> 00:57:59,160
Speaker 1: don't turn the ball over on your side and let

1197
00:57:59,240 --> 00:58:01,360
Speaker 1: Lamar Jackson company cash that in quick. The other thing

1198
00:58:01,400 --> 00:58:03,960
Speaker 1: you got to think of with you know, with Tucker

1199
00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:06,880
Speaker 1: over there, anytime they get a possession inside your thirty

1200
00:58:06,880 --> 00:58:10,800
Speaker 1: five yard line, it's it's three points. So make them travel,

1201
00:58:10,960 --> 00:58:13,840
Speaker 1: linked them travel some distance, don't give them a short field. Um,

1202
00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,439
Speaker 1: I think that'll be big. And truthfully, you've got two

1203
00:58:16,440 --> 00:58:19,400
Speaker 1: teams playing good football right now. Um, we say it

1204
00:58:19,440 --> 00:58:21,720
Speaker 1: often in a game like this, we spend so much

1205
00:58:21,760 --> 00:58:24,560
Speaker 1: time talking about offense and defense, but maybe somebody pops

1206
00:58:24,560 --> 00:58:27,400
Speaker 1: a return. May maybe Desmond King can pop one and

1207
00:58:27,520 --> 00:58:30,480
Speaker 1: that can be a difference. Finally, Move the Sticks. I

1208
00:58:30,520 --> 00:58:34,360
Speaker 1: know you're gonna have some players coaches on your next episode.

1209
00:58:34,480 --> 00:58:37,160
Speaker 1: Where can people get it? How many times a week? Sure?

1210
00:58:37,200 --> 00:58:39,200
Speaker 1: All the good stuff? Yeah, no, we we've been doing

1211
00:58:39,200 --> 00:58:41,200
Speaker 1: this for Akasha like four and a half years now.

1212
00:58:41,680 --> 00:58:44,040
Speaker 1: You can find it NFL dot Com, Slash podcast, you

1213
00:58:44,040 --> 00:58:46,640
Speaker 1: can go to Apple Podcasts just pump in Move the Sticks.

1214
00:58:46,680 --> 00:58:48,480
Speaker 1: You can find it on there. We're gonna have Derwin

1215
00:58:48,560 --> 00:58:51,600
Speaker 1: James and Mike Williams on this episode where we you know,

1216
00:58:51,640 --> 00:58:54,080
Speaker 1: we go through in preview all the NFL games every week.

1217
00:58:54,400 --> 00:58:56,880
Speaker 1: We really get going once the draft starts with with Bucky.

1218
00:58:56,880 --> 00:58:58,960
Speaker 1: Myself kind of been in the scouting community, so this

1219
00:58:59,040 --> 00:59:01,360
Speaker 1: is the it's the sea's winding down for most folks.

1220
00:59:01,360 --> 00:59:03,200
Speaker 1: It's just starting to crank up. For us. It's always

1221
00:59:03,200 --> 00:59:06,640
Speaker 1: a muscle listen. It's especially a muscle listen. Now. DJ

1222
00:59:06,840 --> 00:59:09,160
Speaker 1: always gracious with your time. Thanks man, you're the best seabun.

1223
00:59:09,800 --> 00:59:12,920
Speaker 1: And that'll do it My thanks to Daniel Jeremiah, Peter Schreger,

1224
00:59:13,160 --> 00:59:15,760
Speaker 1: Jeff Zeribek, and Kurt Warner for joining me, and of

1225
00:59:15,800 --> 00:59:18,320
Speaker 1: course thanks to you all for listening. Don't forget. If

1226
00:59:18,320 --> 00:59:20,160
Speaker 1: you like what you hear, be sure to give us

1227
00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:23,080
Speaker 1: a rating and review on Apple Podcast. Please help spread

1228
00:59:23,080 --> 00:59:25,360
Speaker 1: the word. Enjoy the game all Saturday night as the

1229
00:59:25,440 --> 00:59:27,920
Speaker 1: Chargers look to make a twelve and three on the season.

1230
00:59:28,360 --> 00:59:30,280
Speaker 1: Until next time, I'm Chris Harry.