WEBVTT - 1-on-1 with Taylor Heinicke | Episode 50

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Command Center Podcast. I'm Julie Donaldson. The

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<v Speaker 1>Commanders look to improve their win streak to three this

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<v Speaker 1>weekend in Indianapolis. I caught up with London Fletcher and

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<v Speaker 1>Santana Moss to break down what the Commanders can do

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<v Speaker 1>to get the edge over the Colts. I think our

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<v Speaker 1>defense playing stinging. You know, I've been talking about this

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<v Speaker 1>defense for the last word four or five weeks, but

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<v Speaker 1>the last two weeks in particular, these guys have held,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, both opponents to twenty one yards combined. And

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<v Speaker 1>if you're talking about our offense, you want to put

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<v Speaker 1>them into the equation that two headed munsters starting to

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<v Speaker 1>come alive back there. We're starting to see what the

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<v Speaker 1>effects can be when we have a great running game.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm looking forward to seeing what this thing could become.

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<v Speaker 1>And they're not giving up the explosive plays like they

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<v Speaker 1>were beginning of the season as well. Yeah, not giving

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<v Speaker 1>up the explosive players on the back end of the

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<v Speaker 1>defense and being able to get to the quarterback getting

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<v Speaker 1>more more pressure on him. We didn't get to Rogers

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<v Speaker 1>in the game on Sunday, but we got a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of pressure on him. He felt he felt the presence

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<v Speaker 1>of our defensive line and he knew he had to

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<v Speaker 1>get the ball out of his heads a lot, a

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<v Speaker 1>lot quicker and you know when you look at it,

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<v Speaker 1>also in this two game winner streak, there's been a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of complimentary football and special teams that contributed. Another

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<v Speaker 1>takeaway with the putt I mean trust way. Yeah, the

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<v Speaker 1>things he's able to do with that football punting and

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<v Speaker 1>it does tricks to the punt returners. Great, great complimentary football.

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<v Speaker 1>That's why we've been able to win ball games. And

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<v Speaker 1>of course the turnovers that they've been able to grab

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<v Speaker 1>from that as well on special teams. But that's what

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<v Speaker 1>they always say is you have to be able to

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<v Speaker 1>have the offense compliment the defense and then special teams

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<v Speaker 1>as well. It's a team game here, okay, so we

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<v Speaker 1>want to keep it going, though, What is the trick

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<v Speaker 1>when you're feeling like this to keep it going? Santanna,

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<v Speaker 1>there's no trick. I mean, I think one of the

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<v Speaker 1>things that you've seen now you know that our offense

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<v Speaker 1>have to continue to play the way they've been playing,

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<v Speaker 1>specially on third down. Last week was a much better

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<v Speaker 1>performance and outcome for them on the third down and

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<v Speaker 1>our defenses have been doing a weekend and week out,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, to say that there's going to stop Aaron

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<v Speaker 1>Rodgers and the Packers to have no third down convergence

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<v Speaker 1>that it was like almost saying that that's impossible, but

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<v Speaker 1>they were not. Then did I think our offense has

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<v Speaker 1>to continue to move the ball and put up points

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<v Speaker 1>This week, They're gonna have a different quarterback that they're

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<v Speaker 1>going up against than what they might have prepared for

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<v Speaker 1>with Matt Ryan. Same Ellinger takes over as the culture

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<v Speaker 1>like kind of shaking things up a little bit. But London,

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<v Speaker 1>you can anticipate he was probably gonna use this lags

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit more than what Matt Ryan would have,

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<v Speaker 1>and we've seen how that can be a little bit

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<v Speaker 1>of challenge. Even when Aaron Rodgers cut out there and

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<v Speaker 1>ran a little bit, he was able to throw that

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<v Speaker 1>touchdown pass being able to extend the play. But you're

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<v Speaker 1>trying to prepare for a quarterback that you don't have

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<v Speaker 1>much film on. Yeah, you know, you've had some opportunities

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<v Speaker 1>to see him in the preseason and he ran around

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<v Speaker 1>Mason plays during the preseason. You understand his athleticism. So

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<v Speaker 1>when you say when you look at him. What can

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<v Speaker 1>the coach do differently from offensive standpoint to make him

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<v Speaker 1>comfortable in the game plan? Move the pocket, bootlegs things,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of things like we did with Taylor Heineke,

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<v Speaker 1>not just asking him to be a drop back quarterback.

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<v Speaker 1>That's why I anticipate the coach doing and also leaning

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<v Speaker 1>more on their run game with a guy like Sam

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<v Speaker 1>Ellinger a quarterback position. That's the same thing I said,

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<v Speaker 1>we haven't seen a guy pass the ball that much

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<v Speaker 1>in a real act, you know, NFL game, But the

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<v Speaker 1>preseason is going to be our tests. We're gonna have

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<v Speaker 1>to watch what this guy did on film. And but

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<v Speaker 1>when you have a guy like him, he's going to

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<v Speaker 1>get his confidence from moving around, trying to get some

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<v Speaker 1>of those first nowns and making those plays with this lady.

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<v Speaker 1>So we have to be fishing when it comes to,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, those lanes as a defender, especially those guys

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<v Speaker 1>up front, making sure they stay sound and making sure

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<v Speaker 1>they protect the edge. Quarterback Taylor Heineke's two touchdown performance

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<v Speaker 1>led the Commanders over the Green Bay Packers in Week seven.

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<v Speaker 1>I sat down with the quarterback to recap with the

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<v Speaker 1>win meant to him. The dust is settled a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit because there are a lot of emotions after that

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<v Speaker 1>game is where where's the feelings? The emotions now? Um,

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<v Speaker 1>they're kind of dying down. I'm trying to get him

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<v Speaker 1>to die down a little bit. You know. It's a

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<v Speaker 1>long season and we gotta get ready for Indy. So

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<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna enjoy this one today and dive into Endie tomorrow.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm gonna try and enjoy it for the rest

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<v Speaker 1>of the day. We were very well aware of that

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<v Speaker 1>Green Bay was your team growing up and something that

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<v Speaker 1>you would bond with your dad over unfunctually your dad

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<v Speaker 1>not being able to be here, But what do you

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<v Speaker 1>think he would be saying and how would he be

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<v Speaker 1>celebrating this with you? Yeah, it's pretty pretty standard for

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<v Speaker 1>my dad. He would just give me his famous bear hug,

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<v Speaker 1>tell me he's proud of me, he loves me, and

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<v Speaker 1>then we would probably share a beer over some some

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<v Speaker 1>steak or something. So, um, I know he was washing

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<v Speaker 1>down yesterday and he's he's really proud of me. I

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<v Speaker 1>know your entire family is, as is the fan base

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<v Speaker 1>as well. Are you aware, like, do you hear the

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<v Speaker 1>chance from the crowds of hi McKy hi ni key.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you hear that when you're in the moment? Not really? Um,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean sometimes I hear it, but um again, like yesterday, Um,

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<v Speaker 1>that was the last thing that was on my mind. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, rough first half, and I was just trying

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<v Speaker 1>to get back and give our chance, our team a

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<v Speaker 1>chance to win. So um. But you know, when things

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<v Speaker 1>are going great, you can kind of hear him and

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<v Speaker 1>kind of enjoy it. But you know, for a game

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<v Speaker 1>like yesterday, it's uh, you know, you're trying to focus in.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, you could have easily kind of crumbled that

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<v Speaker 1>first half, but instead there's something in you that just

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't quit. A lot of guys will say you've got

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<v Speaker 1>like that dog in you, and we heard hear the

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<v Speaker 1>word like moxie all the time with you. Where does

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<v Speaker 1>that mentality come from? I think a lot of it

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<v Speaker 1>has to come from Brett fare Yeah. So I grew

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<v Speaker 1>up watching and you go back and watch his film.

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<v Speaker 1>The dude never gave up. He was tough, and he

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<v Speaker 1>had a lot of fun out there, and you know

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<v Speaker 1>that's why I fell in love with the game of football.

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<v Speaker 1>So every time I go out there, I pretend like

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<v Speaker 1>it's my last game, I go out there and trat

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<v Speaker 1>fun and leave it all out there, and I think

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<v Speaker 1>that's what makes me the player I am today. You've

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<v Speaker 1>got Indianapolis coming up now that you get like, look,

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<v Speaker 1>it's it was one week with the starters that you

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<v Speaker 1>had last week preparing for it. What are you wanting

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<v Speaker 1>to work on this week now that you've got even

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<v Speaker 1>more time there? Um, I would say more with just

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<v Speaker 1>timing with receivers. Hopefully we get you know, Dots in

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<v Speaker 1>back and hopefully get Logan back. But yeah, I think

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<v Speaker 1>if you just keep on working on the timing with

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<v Speaker 1>the guys and putting the balls where they want them,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, we'll be in good shape and again offensive

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<v Speaker 1>and keep doing their thing running backs, keep keep running

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<v Speaker 1>the ball that they are, and I think we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>in all right shape. You know, it was really cool

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to see how the your teammates were

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<v Speaker 1>interacting with you in the locker room post game, and

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<v Speaker 1>there's just pure joy from everyone for for what you

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<v Speaker 1>had to overcome, for keeping them in the game, for

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<v Speaker 1>being able to get that victory. And there's that one

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<v Speaker 1>picture with John Allen. You know, find somebody that looks

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<v Speaker 1>at you like you know, um, but you know what

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<v Speaker 1>does how does it make you and help you to

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<v Speaker 1>know that your teammates like they believe in you? Um,

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<v Speaker 1>and that's very evident. Yeah. Well, going back to the picture,

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<v Speaker 1>I texted Emily or a photographer, and I was like,

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<v Speaker 1>he really had to post that one. You know, it

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<v Speaker 1>looks kind of suspect there, but uh, you know it was.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a great moment for John and I and

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<v Speaker 1>he's he's been in my ear throughout the year. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, if your time ever comes, we believe in

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<v Speaker 1>you and just go out there and do your thing.

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<v Speaker 1>So um, you know when you have a captain like that,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, telling you that even when you're not starting, Um,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, it means a lot to me. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, all the guys come up after the game.

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<v Speaker 1>It's nice to have that encouragement. It's nice to have,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, guys having your back. So, um, you know

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<v Speaker 1>they know I got there back too, and hopefully we

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<v Speaker 1>can just keep this thing rolling. Okay, two wins in

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<v Speaker 1>a row, let's make it three in Indiana Agolis. Thank you, Taylor,

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for all of your news and analysis. Be

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<v Speaker 1>sure to tune into Command Center week nights if five

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<v Speaker 1>thirty and ten pm on NBC Sports Washington. You can

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<v Speaker 1>also stream on YouTube and commanders dot com