1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: From the thirty nine of LA Third Down and eight 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Rams on defense protecting a touchdown, leave Donald against the rush. 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: What's coming? 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 2: Please hit scoop, scoop up, Jennifers, tell the right sideline 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 2: with lockers turn. 6 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 3: Five tunning time. 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: The defensive rookie of the year with a scoop stretch 8 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: store on wild Card weekend and it's a Callum winnerspoon 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 2: to Jarrett Loose. 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 3: Are our friends JB Log and MJB with the great 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,959 Speaker 3: call of the great Jared Verse. No one was catching him. 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 3: I mean, what was his forty time? My god gets 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 3: into the end zone for a scoop and score on 14 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 3: a night when the Rams defense had Sam Donald seeing ghosts. 15 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 3: The Rams win twenty seven to nine to cap wild 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 3: Card Weekend in a crazy game in Glendale, Arizona. I'm 17 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 3: here back in Los Angeles. It's not as smoky as 18 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 3: it was a couple of nights ago, Nick shook, And 19 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 3: for that we have a lot of thanks to give 20 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 3: and a lot of Rams fans around the Southland, around 21 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 3: Los Angeles, and the ones who got up early this 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 3: morning to take all those buses that were going from 23 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 3: Sofi to bring them to Glendale are happy tonight because 24 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 3: it was over after that touchdown. It was a party 25 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 3: for this Rams defense. 26 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 4: What a night, Yeah, one to night, indeed one night 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 4: for less sneed it drafted Jared Verse, Braden Fisk making 28 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 4: a play, that defensive front that he rebuilt after the 29 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 4: departure of Aaron Donald coming through in a defense that 30 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 4: just played phenomenally and absolutely shut down the explosive Vikings 31 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 4: and really made quite a statement with this win. That 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 4: Verse fumble recovery in return for a touchdown, It made 33 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 4: it what seventeen to three. It felt like the final 34 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 4: blow right then and there, like they were never going 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 4: to recover from that. That was how good of a 36 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 4: game they played defensively, and what a resounding win for 37 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 4: these Rams. 38 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was another rough one for Sam Donald and 39 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 3: we'll get into that, but the defensive performance was amazing 40 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 3: and the way the Rams offense came out to start 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 3: this game and set the tone with a touchdown drive 42 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 3: just like they did against the Vikings the first time 43 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 3: route in so far, and then get another score to 44 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 3: go up two scores, ten to nothing in the blink 45 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 3: of an eye. And Sam Donald wasn't really ready for it, 46 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,119 Speaker 3: wasn't ready for that moment, and before we get into 47 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 3: the whys of it all, I do think about everything 48 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 3: that's happened this week here and we've chronicled it on 49 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 3: NFL Daily some and I think about this Rams team, who, 50 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: one year after the pandemic, when people are just getting 51 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 3: back to normal and you're just getting used to sofis 52 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 3: even being a thing that fans can go to, they 53 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 3: win a Super Bowl title and kind of stamp themselves, 54 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 3: you know, this city's football team in a way that 55 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 3: I don't think they had been since they had returned 56 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 3: from Saint Louis. And fast forward to now, but both 57 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 3: them and the Chargers are in the playoffs this year, 58 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 3: but they get affected, their practice gets affected. Last week 59 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 3: they go to Glendale and it's this season where they 60 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 3: were one and four and they make it to the playoffs, 61 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: and you don't know how many more years Stafford and 62 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: McVay are going to have together. And this is actually 63 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 3: their first win since that Super Bowl title. And I 64 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 3: do think about NFL seasons. Not everyone can win the 65 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 3: Super Bowl, and it's going to be disappointing whenever this 66 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 3: Rams season ends for them unless they win it. And 67 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 3: yet sometimes I do think one win can make it 68 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 3: all worth it. And maybe that can be a regular 69 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 3: season win, but usually it's a playoff win. And even 70 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 3: if the road ends in Philadelphia, I really do think 71 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 3: this is a win in that Rams fans will treasure 72 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 3: and remember forever, and Stafford will as well when they're 73 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 3: thinking about it in twenty years, even if they don't 74 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: go on that, Hey, we got another one a few 75 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: years after that Super Bowl and it was that week 76 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 3: and when we faced a lot of challenges, and we 77 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 3: faced challenges that season, and it kind of showed what 78 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 3: they were all about as this next generation of like 79 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 3: Rams young players. 80 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 4: You know, go on, Yeah, they're gonna be sitting around 81 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 4: the Thanksgiving table or just the dinner table, or maybe 82 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 4: a reunion of old teammates years from now, and think 83 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 4: back to you remember that time we had to go 84 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 4: out to Glendale because you know, there were wildfires around 85 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 4: and we couldn't practice and we couldn't play in our 86 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 4: home stadium when we had earned the right to host 87 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 4: a playoff game. Remember how the Cardinals organization bent over 88 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 4: backward to make sure that it felt as close to 89 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 4: home as it could be. They got the same color 90 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 4: paint to paint the field that we would use and 91 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 4: everything else. Remember all those fans who came out to 92 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 4: Arizona to support us, and then we went out and 93 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 4: played inspired football. That was the thing that really stood 94 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 4: out to me from the opening drive. The Rams played 95 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,119 Speaker 4: with the purpose that exceeded the playoffs. This was about 96 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 4: more than just when a playoff game that was a 97 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 4: home game away from home. This is about playing for 98 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 4: the entire city, in the entire Los Angeles area, and 99 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 4: they represented them so well. And there's no way, considering 100 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 4: all that has happened that people won't look back on 101 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 4: this five, ten, fifteen, twenty years from now. I mean 102 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 4: I still hear about the games from the eighties in 103 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 4: Cleveland with the Browns, right, nothing like this. It was 104 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 4: nothing like this. 105 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 3: This is gonna be we Well, those are pretty great. 106 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 3: Those are pretty great times. 107 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 4: Too, and a mid tragedy. 108 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 3: No, Yes, Rams fans are hopeful that they don't go 109 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 3: in such a dry spell that those kind of games 110 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: stand out as much. But yeah, this one won't be forgotten. 111 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 3: And I'm glad you mentioned the energy. That's really a 112 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 3: smart way to think about it. Because the Vikings are 113 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 3: coming off a disappointing loss. They had to play last 114 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: week Sunday Night football. Rams got to rest their starters, 115 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 3: and the Rams came out and just yanked this thing 116 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 3: from them right away. First drive of the game, Vikings blitzed. 117 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 3: Guess guess what their blitz percentage was on the first 118 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 3: drive of the game. 119 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 4: It was one hundred percent. 120 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 3: It was one hundred percent every single play. Hey, And 121 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 3: you know how many times they pressured Matthew Stafford one 122 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 3: one time and I just thought Stafford and McVeigh the combination. 123 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 3: It's like they knew what was coming, and he got 124 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,119 Speaker 3: rid of the ball so quickly. Puko with a huge 125 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 3: gainer on the first play. Basically every play was successful. 126 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 3: Tyler Higbee had a bunch of them and it was easy. 127 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 3: And then you think about the first defensive drive, first 128 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 3: play on defense Byron Young, tackle for loss, next play 129 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 3: Byron Young sack I believe him and Kobe Turner. And 130 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 3: then the third down play actually stands out to me 131 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 3: where Donald just dumps it off to pick up like 132 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 3: seven or eight yards on a third and fifteen and 133 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 3: literally five guys tackled the ball carrier at the same time, 134 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 3: and you're like, oh man, this team is swarming and 135 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 3: the second half. The offense didn't need to do much, 136 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 3: and they didn't do much, but it didn't matter because 137 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 3: the defense kept it going the whole time. 138 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, it was a phenomenal defensive game plan from the beginning. 139 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 4: You know, there was a comparison between Manon's own coverage 140 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 4: and Darnaldon struggled significantly against man coverage. He didn't know 141 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 4: where to go. The picture was complicated to him. He 142 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 4: was hesitant, and they feasted on it. And what really 143 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 4: stood out to me in the way that they got 144 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 4: after him was the number of different guys that got involved. 145 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 4: Eight different rams contributed to either at least a half sack, 146 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 4: if not more. Over the course of this game, a 147 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 4: number of different guys getting pressures, and two of those 148 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 4: sacks came from defensive backs. The one on the strip 149 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 4: sack that led to the Jared Verse fumble recovery in 150 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 4: return for a touchdown, that was a Kello Witherspoon coming 151 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 4: off the edge and he just realized, oh wait, Darnold's 152 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 4: holding onto the ball. I'm here, forget my assignment. Maybe 153 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 4: this tight end leaking out. I'm going after him, and 154 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 4: he capitalized. They were playing with their hair on Fire. 155 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 4: They were playing with intent that again exceeded the limitations 156 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 4: or the expectations of a playoff football game. That's just 157 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 4: what was so impressive about this game. 158 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, let's listen to that first touchdown to Kyron Williams 159 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 3: from Stafford from a. 160 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: Loaded set with the coup of the only receiver they'll 161 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: play fait boot out to the left side, Matthew flicked 162 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: his hip. Fire's middle play. 163 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 5: Tail back Carmen. 164 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 2: Williams, touchdown Laane seven plays, seventy yards. The Rams strike 165 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: first on this wild card Monday. 166 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, that was such a great play call because the 167 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 3: initial read as he's rolling out is taken away. But 168 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 3: they have Kyra and Williams, who's become a great player 169 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 3: in the passing game open and Stafford still looking yanky. 170 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 3: He can still flip those hips and he was sharp 171 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 3: as hell in the first half. He was fine in 172 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 3: the second. They just they played pretty conservative. But he 173 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 3: ends up nineteen for twenty seven two hundred and what 174 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: did he end up with nine yards and a couple 175 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,840 Speaker 3: of touchdowns? You know, passer rating over one eleven. What 176 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 3: did you think in general? I guess of Stafford and 177 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 3: the offensive performance one section and you could talk about this. 178 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,680 Speaker 3: To me, that stood out was the last two minute 179 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 3: drive after they got the ball late in the first step. 180 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 3: We can say that it ended at seventeen three, and 181 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 3: yet it really felt over after that drive. 182 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, Stafford came into this game with only one passing 183 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 4: touchdown since week fifteen. That was after a run where 184 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 4: he posted a ten to zero touchdown interception ratio over 185 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 4: the previously Believe it was the last three or four 186 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 4: games people were worried about him. He was averaging one 187 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 4: hundred and fifty three passing yards per game over those 188 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 4: last three games. Coming into Monday night, he looked like 189 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 4: the guy we expected to see two years ago, not 190 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 4: the guy that we expect to see after the last 191 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 4: three weeks. He was sharp, he was dialed. He was 192 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 4: completely in sync with Sean mcvay's game plan. They executed 193 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 4: that nearly flawlessly, that opening drive. But you're right, that 194 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 4: last two minute drive was the one that really stood 195 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 4: out to me too, because of how he played with 196 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 4: so much conviction. Even the touchdown pass that he throws, 197 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 4: he drops back, plants his foot boom bullet to his 198 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 4: tight end, tight end runs it in for a touchdown. 199 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 4: Made it look easy because this is a guy who's 200 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 4: been there before and he still trusts his physical tools 201 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 4: and when the play design is working for him and 202 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 4: he understands where to go, Like even on that Kiraen 203 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 4: Williams throw the flow is to the left, and yet 204 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 4: he finds a way to throw it back toward the 205 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 4: inside where Hiren finds the soft spot in the zone 206 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 4: to score the touchdown. They were just completely in sync 207 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 4: throughout that entire first half, and I thought that reminded 208 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 4: me that, Hey, a lot of people are ready to 209 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,479 Speaker 4: close the curtain on the Matt stafford era in Los Angeles. 210 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 4: Not so fast. Okay, it's still ball, and he played 211 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 4: really well in this first half. 212 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: I know it would be really hard to replace him, 213 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 3: and we'll see because he has these highs and sometimes 214 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 3: the game does come down to the quarterbacks. And the 215 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 3: difference tonight was so stark, and I think the end 216 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 3: of the first half sequence really spells that out. Koc 217 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 3: decides to go for it on fourth and two at 218 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 3: the fifty with a couple minutes left to go. Actually 219 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 3: it was one thirty two left to go in the 220 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 3: first half. Now earlier in the first half, he decided 221 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 3: to take a field goal on a fourth and two 222 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: inside the red zone. I didn't hate that decision at 223 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 3: the time, because it just didn't feel like that Vikings 224 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 3: were executing well enough to have confidence that they're going 225 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 3: to make the fourth and two, that Donald would take 226 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 3: a sack or something. But he decides to roll the 227 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 3: dice a little bit at the fifty, kind of call 228 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 3: his shot right there where if we don't pick this up, 229 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 3: we're gonna go down three scores. But let's show some 230 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 3: confidence in Donald. And what does he do. He holds 231 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 3: onto the ball for like six seconds and he takes 232 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 3: an eleven yard sack and then Stafford gets the ball. 233 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 3: It takes a few plays to get going, but he 234 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 3: hits Pooka on a play that probably ended with what 235 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 3: about thirty five seconds to go, And I'm thinking they're 236 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 3: going to take a time out there, and they don't, 237 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 3: and they decide not to. And it was really a 238 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 3: veteran move. First of all, they had enough time to 239 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 3: run a handful of plays left. But more than anything, 240 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: with the way Flores runs defense, they're a good hurry 241 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 3: up offense and they can mix in tempo really well, 242 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 3: and they did that tonight. Especially earlier in the game, 243 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,719 Speaker 3: and they hurry up up on the ball and they 244 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,199 Speaker 3: snap it quick like before ESPN gets out of their replay, basically, 245 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 3: and he's got a wide open Davis Allen that their 246 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 3: rookie tight or second year tight end over the middle. 247 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 3: Shout out to Jordan Rodrieg cashing inner Davis Allen stock 248 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 3: at the last moment. Good job by her, he gets 249 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 3: the touchdo it. And that's veteran game management versus Sam Darnold, 250 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 3: who who had no game management tonight. 251 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, and I actually thought that signs of this being 252 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 4: a potential outcome showed up in that Lions game. I 253 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 4: don't think that Lions game was an anomaly, and just 254 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 4: like a one off, you could kind of find clues 255 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 4: that this could be an issue for them. My biggest 256 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 4: issue with them in that game was the fact that 257 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 4: when they had a down and distant situation where you 258 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 4: needed to get five to eight yards, you treat a 259 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 4: third and relatively long with two plays because you know 260 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 4: you're going to go for it on fourth down. They're 261 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 4: not running anything short for him, and that has been 262 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:51,559 Speaker 4: my big issue with their offense for a lot of 263 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 4: this season. Is now Sam has stepped up in a 264 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 4: lot of these moments and ripped a pass down the scene, 265 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 4: you know, through three defenders for a big first down 266 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 4: in some of these games they've won. Last week, I 267 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 4: saw him not able to do that because they're playing 268 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 4: better defenses, because the pressure is on. And the same 269 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 4: thing was true again in that scenario which leads to them. 270 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 4: It's fourth and June. You take such a long sack, 271 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,319 Speaker 4: you give the Rams great field position and they capitalize. 272 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 4: And that was a big concerning sign for me with 273 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 4: them in this going into this game, and unfortunately for 274 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 4: the Vikings, it proved to carry over and be true again. 275 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. I think 276 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 3: it's more that Darnold doesn't take the options or make 277 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 3: the quick deal. Yeah, that could be very true too 278 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 3: to get to the check down. But I think you're 279 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 3: absolutely right that they don't build in enough for him. 280 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 3: Jordan Rodrigu, who I just mentioned, is that the game 281 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 3: and said the exact same thing that they need to 282 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 3: build in more short stuff for Sam and it's not there. 283 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 3: But the sacks that he took, and he took nine 284 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 3: of them, took me a long time to get to 285 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: this added up to the most sackyards in a game 286 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 3: eighty two in the history of the NFL playoffs. Oh, 287 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 3: it's the most sack yardage in any game in the 288 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 3: NFL for a decade. Cam Newton took more sack yardage 289 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 3: in a game in a November game a decade ago. 290 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 3: But the most sackyards ever here are the sack yards 291 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 3: because like a lot of times, you take like a 292 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 3: three four yard sack, you get up ten seven, twelve, eight, seven, eleven, thirteen, 293 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 3: eight nine to close out the game there, and those 294 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 3: are massive sacks. One of those double digit sack numbers 295 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 3: came in the second half when they had a third 296 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 3: and eight in field goal range in theory, but really 297 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 3: they needed to just get touchdowns. They were down I 298 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 3: think three scores at the time went nineteen points or something, 299 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 3: and he took I think that thirteen yard sack, and 300 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 3: they decided to punt on fourth and twenty one, which 301 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 3: to me was a surrender punt. I know, you don't 302 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 3: want to punt there, but the game is over if 303 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 3: you punt it. So the fourth quarter was very strange 304 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 3: to me. But I think koc was so exasperated by 305 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 3: Donald taking the sack there after he held it for 306 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 3: like six seconds. The Rams only had five quick pressures 307 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 3: all night. None of their defenders had more than one 308 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 3: quick pressure. So more of these sacks than not were 309 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 3: on the delayed blitzes, which they did a great job doing. 310 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 3: That confused them and Donald just holding onto the ball 311 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: and freezing a little bit. Let's listen to Kevin O'Connell 312 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 3: talking about Donald after the game. 313 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 6: The other phase of it for Sam is acknowledging the 314 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 6: things that made him a winning quarterback this year and 315 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 6: the consistency at the times he had it throughout the 316 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 6: year and what that meant for our team. Because I 317 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 6: think that can stay with him moving forward, is as 318 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 6: he goes back to work, proud of him, proud of 319 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 6: you know, really everybody in that locker room, but Sam 320 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 6: and the journey him and I went on this year 321 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 6: will always, you know, be a you know something that's 322 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 6: a special place in my heart. For sure. 323 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 4: That's a good way to say spin it, but that's 324 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 4: a wistful tone at the end of what's a disappointing 325 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 4: finish in a season that had so much promise, and 326 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 4: you talk about that third and eight. I just went 327 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 4: and looked at the tape real quick because I thought 328 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 4: about this in real time when it happened. He's so 329 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 4: locked on a Jalen Naylor to going across the field 330 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 4: looking for the deep play. Again, he's got CJ. Ham 331 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 4: open about six yards away from the line to gain 332 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 4: with a little bit of room to run when he 333 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 4: breaks the pocket, like, just dump it off once it's 334 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 4: right there for you take the gain, you can get 335 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 4: a fourth and short. But again, that typified the entire 336 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 4: night for him hunting the big play. Hesitant pays the price. 337 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, they had three point three I think adjusted yards 338 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 3: for dropback, which is one of the lowest totals in 339 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 3: any playoff game for years. I actually did a stat 340 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 3: This is going to be a next Greg's stats. I 341 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 3: don't know if this is official. 342 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 4: Can you count as ngs? That's still okay. 343 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 3: So he officially went nine for seventeen I believe, for 344 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 3: eighty four yards when under pressure when he did throw 345 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 3: the ball. So that's an average about a little under 346 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 3: five yards per throw, which is which is not good. 347 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 3: We had an interception in there, a couple close ones, 348 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 3: but then he took those nine sacks for all the 349 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 3: passing yard you know, all the negative yards. So eighty 350 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 3: four minus eighty two. That's that's a total of two yards. 351 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 3: Divide that by the total plays there, his passes in 352 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 3: his sacks, that's twenty six plays. They averaged point oh 353 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 3: seven yards per play when Sam Donald was pressured. That's 354 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: pretty good. That's a pretty good debut of next Greg's stats. 355 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 3: Point oh seven yards per play when Sam Donald was pressure. 356 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 3: They're not bringing him back. He's talking wistfully because Sam 357 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,119 Speaker 3: Donald's done in that town. 358 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 4: He goes, he's definitely gone. Hey, my middle name, by 359 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 4: the way, is Gregory. So we're gonna stick with the 360 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 4: next Greg starts. 361 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 3: Really, you never knew that? How did I not know that? 362 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 3: Now you learn something new. 363 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 4: Ngs are my initials, so we'll just stick with it. 364 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, Now I'm not Gregory. That's what the the third 365 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 3: G sixty percent G that closes that. 366 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 4: That's just stops at greg just like my name stops it. 367 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 3: It just stops it right there. And I'm I'm joking around, 368 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 3: and you know, I've been a darnold doubter until I 369 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:13,360 Speaker 3: you know, I had to be convinced that just by 370 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 3: his excellent play, and he did play excellent for most 371 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 3: of this season, But I do think the way these 372 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 3: two games played out in the biggest of spots for 373 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 3: him to completely revert back and have two of the 374 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 3: worst games by any quarterback all season, you know it, 375 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 3: at least by like a competent quarterback. These were two 376 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 3: of the worst games and certainly in the biggest of 377 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 3: spots for them to be this bad in this spot, 378 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 3: They're not going to give him the franchise tag. I guess. 379 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 3: I just assume they would if he maintains his level 380 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 3: of play, and I think if he had even normal 381 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 3: bad games, they still would thought about it. But I 382 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 3: don't think they're gonna do it now. I actually do 383 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 3: think there's a chance he returns to Minnesota, if only 384 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 3: because a two year, let's say, thirty million dollar contract 385 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 3: from Minnesota to be a one B basically a backup 386 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 3: plus until JJ is healthy, might be the best offer 387 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 3: he gets. I just don't know. Maybe he will get 388 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 3: a better offer elsewhere, and maybe he's comfortable with that. 389 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 3: He's going to have a really difficult decision. But he 390 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 3: cost himself a lot of money. 391 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 4: Obviously. These last two games were damning evidence in the 392 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 4: case against paying him, you know, paying him relatively significantly. 393 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 4: He's not getting a Daniel Jones contract, and even that contract, 394 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 4: as we know now, was bad. All right, So this 395 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 4: is a guy in Sam Darnold who notoriously held over 396 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 4: the ball a long time to significant success this season. Right, So, 397 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,879 Speaker 4: he averaged three point zero eight seconds per drop back 398 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 4: this season. It was the third longest time to throw 399 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 4: on average in the NFL, behind Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts, 400 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 4: two very different quarterbacks from him. Right. Yeah, you guess 401 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 4: off the top of your head what his average time 402 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 4: to throw was tonight. 403 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 3: It had to be. Well does that count sacks? I 404 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 3: don't even know, or is it before you fifty draw gus, 405 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 3: I'll just guess four, just to give a big fan three. 406 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 4: Point two to one, which is still significantly higher than 407 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 4: three point oh eight. That would have been the longest 408 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 4: I believe in the league. 409 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. But here's the thing. If you counted the sack numbers, 410 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 3: which you don't, because it's average time to throw, I mean, 411 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 3: wake up, Greg, It's literally in the title of. 412 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 4: That stat so new of course that doesn't count. 413 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 3: But I don't know how I ended up. But our 414 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 3: friend Bill Smith at our research department pointed out with 415 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 3: the six first half sacks, which broke a record in 416 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 3: terms of first half playoff sacks, no surprise, none were 417 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 3: under three point two seconds none, and four of the 418 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 3: six were over four seconds. And I can think in 419 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 3: my head at least of two of the sacks in 420 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 3: the second half that were over four seconds too, so 421 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 3: that that's just holding it forever. And you could hear 422 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 3: the frustration dripping in Troy Aikman's voice that these really 423 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 3: were more on the quarterback. Yes, they lost Brian O'Neil 424 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 3: about halfway through this game, but there was one play 425 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 3: where he took the sack and Troy Aikman was like, 426 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 3: he's got a clean pocket in front of him, just 427 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 3: step up, and that's it. It's it's the not being 428 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 3: aware of pressure, and it's maybe the reason why I 429 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 3: have always been so down on Donald, maybe even more 430 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 3: than the numbers would say, because that's my number one 431 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 3: trait is your feel versus pressure. And it's probably why 432 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 3: I've overrated a couple of quarterbacks over the years because 433 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 3: to me, I think that just that's what I want 434 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 3: in a quarterback and he doesn't have that, and we 435 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 3: don't need to spend the whole podcast on Sam Donald. 436 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 3: We'll talk about him in the offseason, but you do 437 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 3: feel for him. He made it to QB Island, but 438 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 3: I don't know, Man, we might have to call an 439 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 3: emergency meeting or something here. 440 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think he's getting voted off if that's the 441 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 4: complicated process allows for that to happen. I actually caught 442 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 4: a brief glimpse of the Manning cast during this game, 443 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 4: because I'm like, what did Eli and Peyton think about 444 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 4: Dartnold's performance so far? They were just groaning. He threw 445 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 4: a ball too. I think it was Addison who came 446 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 4: back to the ball and made a catch between two defenders, 447 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 4: and Eli was just like, wait till they show the receiver. 448 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 4: When he gets rid of the ball, he's not open 449 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 4: at all, and somehow he makes the play. Like they 450 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 4: were just absolutely dismade at the performance, understandably so rough 451 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 4: rough ending to what was a nice year for him. 452 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's the thing too. The last couple of weeks 453 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 3: he let his mental issues get in the way of 454 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 3: the throws that he made, even when there wasn't any pressure, 455 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 3: Like he dirted a couple screen passes. ESPN actually tracks 456 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 3: a stat espan stats and info of off target passes 457 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 3: and his Lions game, he set his season high and 458 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 3: it was one of the highest by like any quarterback 459 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 3: all season, and this game was the second highest. So 460 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,960 Speaker 3: it wasn't just that he was, you know, taking these sacks. 461 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 3: He was missing some throws that were there. Man, Okay, 462 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 3: enough about Donald that's a downer. There's a lot of 463 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 3: fun in this game. One of the fun things was 464 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 3: actually Paul Allen's call of one of the biggest plays 465 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: in this game. It was early, it was ten to 466 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 3: three Rams, and for a second it looked like it 467 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 3: was ten to ten because there was a sack fumble 468 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 3: touchdown for the Vikings. We're actually going to take a 469 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,639 Speaker 3: quick break. But on the other side of the break, 470 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 3: we'll start with that call by Paul Allen, who who 471 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 3: did obviously did not love how it all finished up. 472 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: First and ten from Matthews Stafford, the former Georgia pulldolf 473 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: to pass. 474 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 2: He dropped, picked up. 475 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 3: Cash cash, buddy, that's the playoffs. That's a twenty three 476 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 3: yard tupid before how the. 477 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 2: Brams offense is staying on the field. 478 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 3: I don't know if they're gonna rule this. 479 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 2: An incomplete or ain't no, incomplete. 480 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 3: No, No, that's a bumble. They're rolling on the field. 481 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 4: Is a humble recovered by the defense cuts down? 482 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, there we go. That was a complete breakdown on 483 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 3: their offense. So number seventeen was in the area. 484 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 4: Therefore it is a complete pass. How's not to pass? 485 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 3: He didn't even hit. 486 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 4: His least off the game off the fourteen fourteen players. 487 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:48,880 Speaker 3: Wow, wow, oh man. For the last time this season, 488 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 3: Paul Allen and Pete burstas on k FA and that 489 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 3: was a huge play. I guess a heads up play 490 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 3: by Matthew Stafford, even though his head was down. I 491 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 3: mean from the from the original angle, you thought, no 492 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 3: way was that a pass. But then when you saw 493 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 3: the replay, I actually think it was the right call, 494 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 3: but just not a smart move by Stafford. It shouldn't 495 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 3: have been an intentional grounding, so it wasn't the right call. 496 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 3: They should have called intentional grounding, but it was not 497 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 3: a fumble. 498 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 4: Yeah. When I saw the replay from the front side, 499 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 4: I was like, yeah, that's you shouldn't look go the 500 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 4: ball there. It wasn't until his arm extended from behind 501 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 4: that you saw that he was trying to get rid 502 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 4: of the football. But now it saves them the sack yardage, right, 503 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 4: but ultimately take the sack, no reason to do that. 504 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,400 Speaker 4: But luckily for the Rams they lucked out and got 505 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 4: the call in their favor. Yes, uh oh, clip by 506 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 4: the way, can we clip the. 507 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? 508 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 4: Because that was just great? 509 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 3: That that was amazing. That's the funny thing is if 510 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 3: you look at the like the box score of this game, 511 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 3: because the Rams didn't do much in the second half, 512 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 3: like they only hit two third downs all game. For instance, 513 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 3: the Vikings were much better on third down success rate. 514 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 3: For the two teams running, we're both mediocre. They were 515 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 3: like slightly below average. It wasn't like a great running 516 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 3: game for the Rams. Kukuanakua gets forty four yards on 517 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 3: nine targets five catches. Cooper Cup has one catch. Tyler 518 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,399 Speaker 3: Higbye unfortunately left this game with a chest injury and 519 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 3: had to go to the hospital and they say he's 520 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 3: in stable condition, which is worrisome. So I don't know 521 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 3: if that was a breathing problem for him, but Sean 522 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 3: McVay did say that they it looks like he's going 523 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 3: to be okay, which is really good news. So it 524 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 3: is one of those games you kind of have to 525 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 3: watch because even Darnold's stat line, if you don't see 526 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 3: the stacks to really understand the story, and maybe that 527 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 3: does speak to the point that there was something a 528 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,719 Speaker 3: little more going on. It's one of the reasons why 529 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,959 Speaker 3: we love football right shook, not just because you can 530 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 3: get inspired, It just that if you watch that game, 531 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 3: you understood it in a way that you can't from 532 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 3: looking at the numbers. And a lot of it was 533 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 3: from the energy of the game and shout out to 534 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 3: those fans that showed up there for both teams. Everyone 535 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 3: there from ESPN said it was an incredible atmosphere. It 536 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 3: was like a college atmosphere. You have the fans behind 537 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 3: the team they support, like a college game, and they 538 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 3: were really loud, and I'm sure they weren't showing a nationally, 539 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 3: but the local news was all over this story and 540 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 3: they had like, I don't know how many buses it was, 541 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 3: but it was a ton of buses. They showed the 542 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,200 Speaker 3: lines of people that were there at sofar taking the buses, 543 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 3: all in rams gear that the staffords and the rams 544 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 3: paid for. And they left before dawn, like it was 545 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 3: dark out at that point, and so they showed up 546 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 3: in big ways. And the Vikings, who travel so well 547 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 3: and had such a great season, you feel for them. 548 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 3: They showed up big time two for what was ultimately 549 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 3: a funeral, but a cool like a memorable atmosphere, making 550 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 3: the best of a bad situation. 551 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:50,360 Speaker 5: There. 552 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 4: Yeah, a lot of details that will not show up 553 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 4: in the Pro Football Reference box score that we googled 554 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:57,480 Speaker 4: into fifteen years from now, like people like me like 555 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 4: to do, but those who watched it will remember who 556 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 4: access the replay, which you can find on NFL Plus look. 557 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 3: At too and. 558 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,679 Speaker 4: Revel in the uniqueness of this game, which win in 559 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 4: the technically the home team's favor as they advanced to Philadelphia. 560 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, and good job by look the Rams back seven. 561 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 3: Anytime you hold an opponent in single digits, which I 562 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 3: believe they've now done, is that for a month straight? 563 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 3: Like when was last time the Rams defense gave up 564 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 3: a big point total? They're starters. The forty nine ers 565 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 3: they beat twelve to six, the Bills game, the Jets 566 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 3: they beat nineteen to nine, the Cardinals they beat thirteen 567 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 3: to nine, and then this game they win twenty seven 568 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 3: to nine. That's incredible. I know the backups you know, 569 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 3: gave up thirty to the Seahawks, but I'm not counting 570 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 3: that game. So it was the Bills game, and that's 571 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 3: amazing Chris Shula getting it done with those delayed pressures. 572 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:58,959 Speaker 3: The secondary with guys you haven't heard about. Kobe Durant 573 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 3: had a sack, kill a Weatherspoon has played well. There's 574 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: been injuries, and yes that that four man front versus 575 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 3: special once O'Neil went out, especially versus just he had 576 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 3: a good time with their backup and so it was 577 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 3: a real team victory for the Rams. Let's actually listen 578 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 3: after the game to Kobe Turner. Uh, this is two 579 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 3: people and you won't hear Bridget here, but two people 580 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,280 Speaker 3: that have been a big part of NFL Daily. Bridget Condon, 581 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 3: a regular guest interviewing Kobe Turner, who got the NFL 582 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 3: Daily bump as a guest back in training camp. 583 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 5: We had the city on our back this week and 584 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 5: I'm glad we were able to go out and pick 585 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 5: up a dub. You know, McBath has been talking to 586 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 5: us all week about the fact that we're built for this. 587 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 5: Everything that we've gone through from the season up till 588 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 5: now has prepared us for this exact moment prepared us 589 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 5: to go take victory like we just stand. And so 590 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 5: the next journey is on the way. You know, we 591 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 5: head up to Pillion. We're excited for that too as well. 592 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,719 Speaker 5: But we're built for this man. All the trials, all 593 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 5: the tribulations, all the ups and downs. We've weathered the storm. 594 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 5: You figure out the true testament of team how they 595 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 5: react in a storm. And we started in a storm 596 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 5: and now we're up here. So I'm just excited to 597 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 5: keep going with these. 598 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:12,720 Speaker 3: Guys right spitting bars. We started in the storm. Eric 599 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 3: Roberts behind the glass, doing a great job all week 600 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 3: all season, tells me there was thirty buses. I was 601 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 3: gonna say it seemed like they were lined up so 602 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 3: that that was a big crew that that took took 603 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,560 Speaker 3: the ride, and that's a six hour bus ride, and 604 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 3: I think they got They must have got there very 605 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 3: early because they were I don't know why they were 606 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 3: get there that early, but I guess you got to 607 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 3: make sure. 608 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 4: Somebody who has moved to LA, back to Ohio, to 609 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 4: LA and back to Ohio and done the drive across 610 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 4: the country four times. Usually when you get to Arizona, 611 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 4: you're like, all right, now, here's the home stretch, but 612 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 4: it's still pretty long. You stuck out near Barstow at night, 613 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 4: You're like, where am I? They rode those buses as 614 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 4: the sun was rising to come watch this team play 615 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 4: for them. 616 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's badass. And Sean McVay gonna be proud after 617 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 3: the game. This is, like I mentioned, first win since 618 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 3: the Super Bowl, which I think he's gonna feel really good. 619 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,959 Speaker 3: They obviously made the playoffs last year and lost a 620 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 3: really close game to a good team. The Lion's nothing 621 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 3: to be ashamed of there, but big to get a 622 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 3: playoff win in four of his eight seasons Shook. He 623 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 3: has won a playoff game. In six of his eight 624 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 3: seasons they've made the playoffs. He very evenly distributes everything. 625 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 3: In two of those seasons he went to the super Bowl. 626 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 3: In one of those seasons he won the super Bowl. 627 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 3: It's like he's almost mathematically doing what you would expect 628 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 3: every time he makes the playoffs. Like he's done every 629 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 3: little bit of it. And a lot of love for 630 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 3: KOC and Dan Campbell and all these coaches and McVeagh 631 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 3: didn't get a lot of love for Coach of the 632 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 3: Year this year. But there aren't many guys you would 633 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 3: rather want, I think running your organization. 634 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 4: Which of us had him on the top five of 635 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 4: the latter was good? 636 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 5: Ye? 637 00:31:46,400 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 4: Me? 638 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 3: Good job? Was it me? I'm glad neither of us. 639 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 3: Did you have Kevin O'Connell first after week We did 640 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 3: after week seventeen, so you were stuck in maybe, Yeah, 641 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 3: it was. 642 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 4: It was a weird spot at the time. Look, this 643 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 4: RAMS team started one to four. They're now ten and 644 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 4: three in the last third. All those games have come 645 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 4: after their buye. That's a hell of the job by showing. 646 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 3: And one of them they didn't try to win, so yeah, 647 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 3: and they almost did win with Jimmy Garoppolo, So. 648 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, there is. 649 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 3: And you know what, I had this theory that they 650 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 3: wanted this matchup, they wanted the Vikings. It was just 651 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 3: the theory I had because they were trying to lose 652 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 3: that game when they could have tried to play against 653 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 3: the Commanders and it's a familiar opponent. They got it done. 654 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 3: A lot, you know, to worry about for the to 655 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 3: think about for the Vikings. I'm going to talk about 656 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 3: the Vikings a little more on our next show. Ali 657 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 3: Connelly's going to join me, and we're going to kind 658 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 3: of spin around a lot of the coaching situations, the 659 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 3: GM situations, just the other teams that aren't in the playoffs. 660 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 3: And I do want to talk about the Vikings because 661 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 3: I think there's some interesting things going on with their 662 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:46,320 Speaker 3: front office and Darnold and kind of what's going to 663 00:32:46,400 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 3: happen next for them. Obviously, koc has nothing to worry about, 664 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:51,719 Speaker 3: one of the best coaches in the league, even if 665 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,640 Speaker 3: at disappointing ending. They are the first team, by the way, 666 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 3: since the champion Patriots, I think, in fourteen to only 667 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 3: lose to two teams in a season. They only lost 668 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 3: to the Rams in the Lions this season. They went 669 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 3: oh to four against the Lions in the Rams this season. 670 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 3: They're also the first team that won fourteen games in 671 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 3: a season to end with back to back losses, and 672 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 3: those back to back losses were by a combined forty points. 673 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 3: They weren't close. It's just a weird, a weird way 674 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 3: to end. But I don't think it eliminates everything, but 675 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 3: it maybe simplifies how they view their team that maybe 676 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 3: they still are a little further away than the record showed. 677 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, I feel like they overachieved this year considering where 678 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 4: we thought they were when we analyzed their roster going 679 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 4: into the season. We also didn't think Tam Donald was 680 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 4: going to have this type of season. Nobody did. We 681 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 4: thought J. J. McCarthy was going to be the quarterback 682 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 4: of this team, and he wasn't. But I am curious. 683 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,320 Speaker 4: I don't know if Minnesota's is as tough on their 684 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:48,959 Speaker 4: coaches as some other markets. Looking at you, Pittsburgh with 685 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 4: Kevin O'Connell, because he's now zero to two in playoff games, 686 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 4: in which come. 687 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 3: On, they will because there's a crazy, you know, segment 688 00:33:58,000 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 3: of the fan base that gets mad at the coach 689 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 3: after every playoff loss. But give me a break. I mean, 690 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 3: I agree, I'm curious with what he got out of 691 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:13,839 Speaker 3: this team. All right, let's switch gears before we go 692 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,280 Speaker 3: for the night. We often do a big news rundown. 693 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 3: We're not going to do that today. But we did 694 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 3: get one big item that I do want to talk 695 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:24,319 Speaker 3: about that I don't want to save for our next show, 696 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 3: and that's Mike McCarthy no longer being the coach of 697 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,800 Speaker 3: the Dallas Cowboys. How would you word it, Nick Shook, 698 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 3: Because one thing you can't say about Jerry Jones is 699 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 3: that he fires his coaches. He doesn't do that. He 700 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,399 Speaker 3: just lets their contract run out and then lets them 701 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 3: twist in the wind. So, if you're writing the article, 702 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 3: how do you even phrase this? Conscious uncoupling? 703 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:52,879 Speaker 4: Conscious uncoupling is a great way to do it. 704 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 3: Sorry I stole your answer. 705 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 4: It's better than mine. I would just say parted ways 706 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 4: like the Patriots did with Bill Belichick, coming on from 707 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,239 Speaker 4: a coach by letting his contract expire. It's common in 708 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 4: other industries, not so much in the coaching industry. It 709 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 4: is gets questionable though, that they would deny the Bears 710 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 4: a chance to interview him if they wanted to part 711 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:14,080 Speaker 4: with him. But then again, the Cowboys do things a 712 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 4: little bit differently. And now all the intrigue builds because 713 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 4: they are the Cowboys. Who are they going to hire. 714 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 4: We've already heard some names floated out there, including one 715 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 4: guy who once played for them. It's going to be 716 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 4: very fascinating to see how they proceed after deciding, you 717 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:28,239 Speaker 4: know what, wasn't as good as we wanted it to be, 718 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 4: and we're just gonna let that contract expire and go 719 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:33,719 Speaker 4: for greener pastors. We'll see if they find one. 720 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know you're referring to Dion Sanders. Ian Rappaport 721 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 3: did indicate among other insiders across the country that Dion 722 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 3: Sanders is a possibility that they probably will talk. Someone 723 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 3: dug up an old Michael Irvin tweet from November where 724 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 3: he said he hung out with Dion I believe on 725 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,919 Speaker 3: Saturday night after hanging out with Jerry Jones on Friday night, 726 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 3: and that he's praying for something that we can guess what, 727 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 3: and that he's praying essentially for those two men to 728 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 3: come together, and basically said he is trying to make 729 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 3: that happen. So if Michael Irvin is brokering like head 730 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 3: coaching hirings in the year twenty twenty five, that would 731 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 3: be amazing. And I don't doubt that Jerry Jones would 732 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 3: milk this story to get as much attention as possible. 733 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 3: And I don't doubt he would do it because it 734 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 3: would be so box office. But I don't know if 735 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:36,840 Speaker 3: he would want to really hand over the keys to 736 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 3: someone who has more juice than he does, and he 737 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 3: seems a little indecisive. I watched a really good segment 738 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 3: with Ian and Tom Pelsaro and Jane Slater, and there 739 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 3: was a lot in there that I'd like to get to. 740 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,840 Speaker 3: But of one of the things that Jane said was 741 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 3: people around Jerry Jones said he really was kind of 742 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 3: indecisive over the last week. And that seems obvious because 743 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 3: if you read the statement that Jerry Jones made, he 744 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 3: said that he spoke with Mike over a number of 745 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 3: days and spent considerable time discussing the road, for they 746 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 3: were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time prior 747 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 3: to reaching the point of contract negotiations. It became mutually 748 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,680 Speaker 3: clear it would be better to each of us and 749 00:37:22,719 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 3: head it in a different direction. So they spoke for 750 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:30,080 Speaker 3: multiple days. It appeared there was mutual interest in potentially 751 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:34,280 Speaker 3: continuing the partnership, and then according to our insiders, maybe 752 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:37,359 Speaker 3: they never really negotiated. But before they even got to 753 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 3: that point, the agent was involved and it was clear 754 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:43,640 Speaker 3: that Jerry Jones was not going to give him a 755 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 3: long contract and that Mike McCarthy only wanted to do 756 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 3: it if it was a long contract, that it was 757 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,479 Speaker 3: going to probably be like one or two years or 758 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 3: you know, that would have been the negotiation, and that 759 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 3: that was a non starter for McCarthy, and on some level, 760 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:03,440 Speaker 3: it was almost McCarthy walking away from being like, no, 761 00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 3: I'm not putting up with your bs. That's it. Just 762 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 3: like mismanagement. This is all it's all bad. If you're 763 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 3: a Cowboys fan, you gotta be so sick of it. 764 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,840 Speaker 4: It's been a rough twelve months of mismanagement for the Cowboys, 765 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 4: started with that offseason in which they said they were 766 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,359 Speaker 4: all in and then did very little of anything. They 767 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 4: placed high expectations on a team that lacked weapons offensively, 768 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,760 Speaker 4: and I thought it was very telling Mike McCarthy's tone 769 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,000 Speaker 4: after their Week eighteen loss to the Commanders in the 770 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:30,960 Speaker 4: final seconds of that game that when asked about his 771 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,439 Speaker 4: job status and his security and the way he felt 772 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 4: about it, he just like stood his ground and was like, 773 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 4: I'm a winner. I've won, I won a championship in 774 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 4: this building. It's almost as if he took that same 775 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 4: approach into those talks and then got the response that 776 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,399 Speaker 4: you just described and said, to hell with this, I'm 777 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:50,359 Speaker 4: gonna go find something better for me or not coach 778 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,359 Speaker 4: at all, because I'm not dealing with this anymore, just like. 779 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:57,080 Speaker 3: You said, which is crazy because you know it sounds 780 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:01,320 Speaker 3: like he wants to coach, but that this has worn 781 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:03,239 Speaker 3: on him. And this is what I got out of 782 00:39:03,239 --> 00:39:06,759 Speaker 3: that conversation, so I'm paraphrasing our insiders it's not my information, 783 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 3: but that he was getting really tired of this situation 784 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:14,880 Speaker 3: with the Cowboys. It's pretty rare to be on a 785 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 3: last year year contract as a coach and all the 786 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 3: things that comes with it and not necessarily having all 787 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:23,640 Speaker 3: the power to really even run his offense or bring 788 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 3: in the players that he wants. And that's just how 789 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:30,319 Speaker 3: it works if you're the Cowboys coach, and that maybe 790 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 3: he's made enough money so if another coaching job doesn't 791 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:36,040 Speaker 3: come around this year, or even a head coaching job 792 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:40,239 Speaker 3: ever again, that it's enough for him and it's tough 793 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:42,040 Speaker 3: for the coaches under him, but they didn't want to 794 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:47,800 Speaker 3: be living in that uncertainty either. Just while we're on McCarthy, quickly, 795 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 3: he was the Saints' offensive coordinator and people forget this 796 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 3: for at least four years to start this century in 797 00:39:57,719 --> 00:40:01,160 Speaker 3: Mickey Loomis was there with the Saints at the time, 798 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,440 Speaker 3: and all three of those insiders pointed out that they 799 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 3: have a close relationship and that there really could be 800 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:12,480 Speaker 3: a connection there, and Loomis could see McCarthy kind of 801 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,959 Speaker 3: as a guy that helps him out if his job 802 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:17,359 Speaker 3: is at all you know, you know, hey, I can 803 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,640 Speaker 3: still get a winning coach like this to come on board. 804 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 3: And McCarthy might look at it as a situation where 805 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,920 Speaker 3: he'd have a lot of power relatively for a head coach, 806 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,400 Speaker 3: and it's just something to keep an eye on. He 807 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 3: also is going to interview with the Chicago Bears, so 808 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 3: he has two interviews. He's a wanted man, Mike McCarthy. 809 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 4: You got to think about situation and you think about motivation, 810 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 4: and if he wants to go to a place where 811 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:44,880 Speaker 4: he is familiar with the person in charge of personnel, 812 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,240 Speaker 4: then it's the Saints and a place where he feels 813 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 4: like he can have considerable power over roster decisions and 814 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 4: everything else. It's New Orleans Saints. But he would also 815 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 4: be walking into a team that doesn't have a long 816 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:56,920 Speaker 4: term answer quarterback and lacks weapons outside, especially if they 817 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,280 Speaker 4: lose a guy like they did in Chris Olave this season. 818 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:03,160 Speaker 4: So what would you rather choose? That or a young 819 00:41:03,239 --> 00:41:05,920 Speaker 4: team with a young quarterback and with some weapons at 820 00:41:05,960 --> 00:41:09,480 Speaker 4: receiver of varying ages, but in need of serious direction 821 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:11,520 Speaker 4: and a GM that you would have to get to 822 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:14,319 Speaker 4: know in Ryan Poles, there are two very different situations. 823 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 4: But if he wants to coach again, we'll see. Man, 824 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,360 Speaker 4: I mean, you'd rather have a quarterback. You'd rather have 825 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 4: a quarterback to mold of course it's Kayla Williams. The 826 00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 4: difference with that job is they've interviewed everyone. If they're 827 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:27,520 Speaker 4: interviewing like iOS state head coach, like he might not 828 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:30,719 Speaker 4: really have much reason to believe that he would be 829 00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:34,080 Speaker 4: a favorite or one of the favorites. In Chicago, maybe 830 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,400 Speaker 4: he would be, but there's not any particular reason, whereas 831 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:40,280 Speaker 4: in New Orleans he might walk in as the favorite 832 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:43,480 Speaker 4: to get that job if they could figure it out. 833 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:48,759 Speaker 3: Who knows. But this cowboy situation means they missed an 834 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:55,800 Speaker 3: opportunity to interview Mike Rabel for instance, or Ben Johnson 835 00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:59,799 Speaker 3: or any you know, anyone you know that had the 836 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 3: so I guess that would have been Spegnola wouldn't wouldn't 837 00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:05,920 Speaker 3: have been that many different people. But like, there are costs, 838 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:08,000 Speaker 3: and if you end up hiring your coach really late 839 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 3: in the cycle, you have a harder time filling out 840 00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 3: that staff I think it's one of the reasons why 841 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:16,440 Speaker 3: Vrabel wanted to get going quickly. I have some thoughts 842 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:19,120 Speaker 3: on his press conference too, but we'll save those. We'll 843 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:22,080 Speaker 3: save those for Monday. Yeah, for Tuesdays show that will 844 00:42:22,080 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 3: come out actually Wednesday morning with Ali Connolly. We don't 845 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:27,480 Speaker 3: want this to get too ill. Get tonight of celebration. Nick. 846 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 3: I guess that's enough about the Cowboys, but just just weird, 847 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 3: weird times for the Dallas Cowboys. What a night, What 848 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 3: a weird week. It's been a tough week. My kids 849 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:40,560 Speaker 3: are going back to school though tomorrow. How about that. 850 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 4: That's awesome, a return to normalcy and a great podcast. 851 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:46,560 Speaker 4: Look forward to tomorrow for those of you who has 852 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:49,520 Speaker 4: in the NFL daily, because no thoughts on the Patriots 853 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:52,680 Speaker 4: are as valuable as Greg Rosenthal when he comes away 854 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:54,600 Speaker 4: from a Mike Rabel introductory presser, I. 855 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:56,800 Speaker 3: Promise, no, no, no, it was fine. It seemed a 856 00:42:56,840 --> 00:42:58,720 Speaker 3: little tired, but it's fine. 857 00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,319 Speaker 4: You've seen some things we have. 858 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:06,920 Speaker 3: We all have, including Sean McVay putting it to Brian 859 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:10,880 Speaker 3: Flores early in that first half, and that offensive line 860 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 3: was beliguered and injured, getting healthy and getting it done. 861 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:17,640 Speaker 3: It was in a full team effort. Obviously that defense 862 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:22,760 Speaker 3: flying around. And yes, they made my wife and my daughter, 863 00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:27,840 Speaker 3: who are rams Vans, very happy tonight. And yes, it's 864 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:29,960 Speaker 3: been a long week. We're keeping an eye out on 865 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:34,840 Speaker 3: this wind event that is starting apparently is going to 866 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:38,640 Speaker 3: pick up in the morning. That the fires are mostly 867 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:42,840 Speaker 3: out near us, the smoke cloud is basically gone, but 868 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:44,759 Speaker 3: everyone's keeping an eye on this wind event for the 869 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:48,400 Speaker 3: next thirty six hours or so. And so we're crossing 870 00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:52,560 Speaker 3: our fingers and hope everything doesn't get worse here and 871 00:43:52,920 --> 00:43:55,719 Speaker 3: we can keep getting better and the Red Cross has 872 00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:59,080 Speaker 3: helped us to do that. And yes, we've been heartbroken 873 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:03,480 Speaker 3: by this struction from these wildfires across the entire LA region. 874 00:44:03,560 --> 00:44:07,840 Speaker 3: So families affected by these fires, they do urgently need support. 875 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,080 Speaker 3: You can help the American Red Cross respond to and 876 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:14,080 Speaker 3: help people recover from these disasters. Donate today to support 877 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:19,280 Speaker 3: relief efforts by going to Redcross dot org. Slash NFL 878 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:22,839 Speaker 3: Nick this is our last Monday Night of the year. 879 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,640 Speaker 3: I'm glad we had this playoff game to go out 880 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:28,080 Speaker 3: in style. It would have been sad if the last 881 00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:30,480 Speaker 3: Monday Night game of the year that we did was 882 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:32,920 Speaker 3: Packers thirty four Saint zero. 883 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:34,960 Speaker 4: Was that the one the last year we did that 884 00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:35,640 Speaker 4: a few weeks ago. 885 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:40,359 Speaker 3: That was rough? Doesn't that feel like another lifetime ago? 886 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:44,480 Speaker 3: This week has aged me. I'm really excited them going 887 00:44:44,520 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 3: back to school actually is going to feel like a 888 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 3: real return to some to some sense of normalcy like 889 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 3: last Tuesday when this all started. Feels like like two 890 00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:58,160 Speaker 3: months ago. And so the wildcard weekend not a lot 891 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:02,200 Speaker 3: of close games. Hopefully we get better games. Divisional Round 892 00:45:02,200 --> 00:45:03,960 Speaker 3: weekend the best weekend of the year, and you'll be 893 00:45:03,960 --> 00:45:06,320 Speaker 3: helping us out Sunday night, right, Nick, better. 894 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:08,480 Speaker 4: You know it, you know it. I'll be there, lock 895 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:10,680 Speaker 4: stock and barrel, Baby, We've got a lot of playoff games. 896 00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:14,399 Speaker 3: To get to. Okay, that's it for tonight's show. Thanks Eric, 897 00:45:14,719 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 3: thank you to Nick. And yeah, when the Rams are 898 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:22,040 Speaker 3: back in the super Bowl mix, you know football is back. 899 00:45:22,080 --> 00:45:23,240 Speaker 3: We'll see you Wednesday morning.