1
00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,320
Speaker 1: Welcome Berg Gang. On today's show, we've reached the end

2
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,600
Speaker 1: one more position by position analysis and then it's time

3
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,600
Speaker 1: to turn the page and began focusing on training camp.

4
00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:19,760
Speaker 1: Our last breakdown Special Teams, a unit that probably isn't

5
00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,920
Speaker 1: talked about enough. It's Cardinals Cover two and it starts now.

6
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,520
Speaker 1: Welcome to Cardinals Cover two with Craig Grigolu and Mike Jarecki.

7
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:36,199
Speaker 1: Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of

8
00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:41,440
Speaker 1: the Arizona Cardinals and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts. Visit acy

9
00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:45,000
Speaker 1: Cardinals dot Com, Slash Podcasts. Murray rolls to the right,

10
00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,440
Speaker 1: throws near sight of Fritz Part He's into the end

11
00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:53,319
Speaker 1: zone for the touchdown. Here's Craig Griolu and Mike Jarecki. Well,

12
00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,440
Speaker 1: you've heard it enough times. You saved the best for last,

13
00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,800
Speaker 1: and that's exactly what we're doing here. I'd argue Jay

14
00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,400
Speaker 1: that if you look back over the past two seasons

15
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,959
Speaker 1: and let's go back three seasons, let's give Special teams

16
00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,320
Speaker 1: coordinator Jeff Rogers his due. I think maybe his units

17
00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,839
Speaker 1: has been the most consistent since the day he was hired.

18
00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,360
Speaker 1: And why Wincliff Kingsbury was hired coach Rogers was out

19
00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,280
Speaker 1: of the title of assistant head coach. He has his

20
00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,840
Speaker 1: hands on every single player, and that's the importance of

21
00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,480
Speaker 1: special teams. And normally, you know, when the Cardinals are

22
00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,320
Speaker 1: trying to pare it down that are fifty three, you

23
00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,680
Speaker 1: know you're gonna have that conversation and we'll get into

24
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,720
Speaker 1: some of the particulars because you use it. There's five

25
00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,520
Speaker 1: or six guys that and normally if you're back up

26
00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,920
Speaker 1: and you're gonna be dressed on game day, and I'm

27
00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,600
Speaker 1: not even talking about Andy Lee, Matt Prater or even

28
00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,920
Speaker 1: Aaron Brewer, so that's almost eight guys. But yeah, we

29
00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,520
Speaker 1: don't focus on special teams unless something goes bad. And

30
00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,160
Speaker 1: I'm sure people are listening, Well, what happened with Zane

31
00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 1: Gonzales last year. I can't put that on Jeff Rogers.

32
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,120
Speaker 1: I think to this day they're still wondering what happened. Yeah,

33
00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,440
Speaker 1: maybe even something in his head. It just became more

34
00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,120
Speaker 1: of a mental thing, especially klutch situations. Jeff Kylegard, I

35
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,480
Speaker 1: do believe in clutch late game scenario's fourth quarter. Over time,

36
00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,960
Speaker 1: the Cardinals did address that. We'll get to that in

37
00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,840
Speaker 1: a moment, but more on coach Rogers twentieth season coaching

38
00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,840
Speaker 1: seventeenth in the NFL. It's all been on special teams,

39
00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,200
Speaker 1: and we talk about the interaction with every player and

40
00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,760
Speaker 1: then include star players because as we've seen it in

41
00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,760
Speaker 1: the past. Just look at the Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald. No,

42
00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,000
Speaker 1: he is not part of special teams except end of

43
00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:31,720
Speaker 1: game clutch situations, hands team on kickoffs, because yes, you

44
00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,120
Speaker 1: want your best players, and I would think at some

45
00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,680
Speaker 1: point maybe even see DeAndre Hopkins. You talk about best hands,

46
00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,120
Speaker 1: maybe d hop is on special teams. We've seen it

47
00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,520
Speaker 1: in the past, the Lenu England Patriots, Rob Gronkowski back

48
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,160
Speaker 1: on kickoff return or kickoff coverage. You have to be

49
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,480
Speaker 1: aware of who you have on your roster because you

50
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,399
Speaker 1: want the most talented players on the most important positions

51
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,720
Speaker 1: within a particular game and particular spot of a game,

52
00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:03,120
Speaker 1: and sometimes that is kickoff return or kickoff coverage. Matter

53
00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,799
Speaker 1: of fact, Larry was on the field for two special

54
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,600
Speaker 1: teams snaps last year along with Chandler Jones. There's a

55
00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,800
Speaker 1: couple of guys that were not on special teams Kyler Murray,

56
00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,160
Speaker 1: Kenyan Drake DeAndre Hopkins, and I don't think we'll ever

57
00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,560
Speaker 1: see Kyler Murray on special teams. But to your point,

58
00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,480
Speaker 1: I did not know about Chandler Jones. It's a good

59
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,240
Speaker 1: catch by you, because no, it's not thirty snaps a game,

60
00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,040
Speaker 1: it's not even thirty snaps in a season, but those

61
00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,560
Speaker 1: key situations, you want your best players, regardless of position,

62
00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,200
Speaker 1: regardless of tenure, regardless of contract, because you're trying to

63
00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,400
Speaker 1: either win a game or secure the victory. And let's

64
00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,560
Speaker 1: kind of break it down a little bit deeper. Usually

65
00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,920
Speaker 1: the strength and conditioning coach and obviously the trainer Tom Reid,

66
00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,120
Speaker 1: they have a relationship with every single player, not that

67
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,880
Speaker 1: advances ignore in the offense. When they walk on the field,

68
00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,640
Speaker 1: they're a team. But you also think when it comes

69
00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,080
Speaker 1: as a special teams coach, I mean they have special

70
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,760
Speaker 1: teams before practice of practice. At the end of practice,

71
00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,000
Speaker 1: he has an idea of the entire roster, because yes,

72
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,080
Speaker 1: you can have your loving guys lined up and he

73
00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,320
Speaker 1: has an idea who the majority are. And maybe we'll

74
00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,840
Speaker 1: see some of these rookies who make the roster, but

75
00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,760
Speaker 1: he has an idea on the entire roster. And then

76
00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:17,800
Speaker 1: he's got to find out. Okay, can I use this guy?

77
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,800
Speaker 1: You know? Now? You know Chase Edmonds last year was

78
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,120
Speaker 1: a kick returner. Now he's going to be your featured

79
00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,640
Speaker 1: back compliment by James Connor. So we think rondel Moore

80
00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,360
Speaker 1: is going to take that role. Christian Kirk, a guy

81
00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,120
Speaker 1: that was their third receiver, addresses on game day he's

82
00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:33,920
Speaker 1: got a chance to be the punt returner. We'll see

83
00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,279
Speaker 1: if there's competition there. So again, I don't think we

84
00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,640
Speaker 1: focus on unless something goes bad. And give the Cardinal's credit.

85
00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,919
Speaker 1: They had Mike Noonji on the roster and they finally

86
00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,800
Speaker 1: activated him and he came in and did a nice job.

87
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:50,200
Speaker 1: Obviously you know up there in age. But we'll get

88
00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,279
Speaker 1: into some of the rankings because I think it's important

89
00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,560
Speaker 1: to point out. But I still think they got to

90
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,520
Speaker 1: get better in the return games. And that means, you know,

91
00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,240
Speaker 1: kick return and punt return change field position. And we

92
00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,640
Speaker 1: know teams are kicking a little bit higher, some teams

93
00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,760
Speaker 1: are kicking in the end zone, and rondel Moore is

94
00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,400
Speaker 1: going to have to make that business decision three hours deep.

95
00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,360
Speaker 1: Is he taking it out based on his speed he

96
00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,159
Speaker 1: gets he gets a nice block, a nice little sliver

97
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,920
Speaker 1: holder run through. He's off to the races. All right,

98
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,120
Speaker 1: Let's get into the meat and potatoes, if you will.

99
00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,359
Speaker 1: Of special teams. Here on Cardinals Cover two presented by

100
00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:25,080
Speaker 1: Hunday Probab partner of the Arizona Cardinals. The core Matt Prator,

101
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:30,440
Speaker 1: Andy Lee, Aaron Brewer, kicker, punter, slash holder, and long snapper.

102
00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,840
Speaker 1: Those are the players that when you think special teams,

103
00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,039
Speaker 1: immediately come to mind. Now, the new face, although not

104
00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,800
Speaker 1: new to those he'll be working with, is Praydor. This

105
00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,320
Speaker 1: will be his fifteenth season, spent the last six plus

106
00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,159
Speaker 1: seasons with the Lions when he was introduced that he

107
00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:50,039
Speaker 1: still feels pretty fresh, which is good because, as we've seen,

108
00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,200
Speaker 1: like with the quarterback position, if you are a good

109
00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,359
Speaker 1: kicker or punter, you can last in this league for

110
00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,279
Speaker 1: a long long time into your late thirties, maybe even

111
00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:03,320
Speaker 1: your early forties. It's I would say it's not common,

112
00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,599
Speaker 1: but it is possible, and Matt Prader is a perfect

113
00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,159
Speaker 1: example of that. It's not a position, with those three

114
00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,880
Speaker 1: core special teams positions that you say, hey, I need

115
00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,400
Speaker 1: to get younger. No, you need to find the best

116
00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,000
Speaker 1: regardless of age and this guy's meant a ton of

117
00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,400
Speaker 1: kicks fifty yards plus. I mean, he's main kicks in

118
00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,360
Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, and you know, I know he's with

119
00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,520
Speaker 1: thirty six correct, so he's kind of hitting the reset

120
00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,119
Speaker 1: button two. I mean, he's gonna be kicking indoors. Okay,

121
00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,000
Speaker 1: he's gonna be practicing outside. I mean, nothing against Detroit,

122
00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,479
Speaker 1: but and you know, Cardinals will have some games outdoors,

123
00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,840
Speaker 1: and it really game that you look at his Chicago

124
00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,839
Speaker 1: and December, that could be you know, some weather permitting

125
00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,039
Speaker 1: issues there. But his numbers weren't great last year. But

126
00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,440
Speaker 1: I just get the impression. We know his wife's from

127
00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:50,200
Speaker 1: the valley. She's a former Cardinals cheerleader. I'm sure they've

128
00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,200
Speaker 1: been eyeing to come back here, but the Cardinals needed

129
00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,159
Speaker 1: to go out and get a veteran kicker. I don't

130
00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,960
Speaker 1: think it would have been imperative if they want to

131
00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,640
Speaker 1: try to get a young kicker. And again, when you

132
00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,799
Speaker 1: get a veteran guy, it's not gonna you're not paying

133
00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,039
Speaker 1: him the minimum. And we'll see if he hasn't any

134
00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,880
Speaker 1: sentiments in his contract. But I think it's an upgrade

135
00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,320
Speaker 1: at that position. Just a quick clarification, and it's not

136
00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:13,640
Speaker 1: a huge deal. But yes, he's thirty six. He'll be

137
00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,200
Speaker 1: thirty seven though at the starts of the season. He

138
00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,000
Speaker 1: turns thirty seven in training camp. But to your point

139
00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,760
Speaker 1: about last season, and sometimes you know why do teams

140
00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,480
Speaker 1: get rid of kickers or decide to move on, it's because, well,

141
00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,880
Speaker 1: you have a down year like Zane Gonzalez. You know,

142
00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,640
Speaker 1: like we need an upgrade. And I think that's what

143
00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,600
Speaker 1: happened with Prater and the lines, although there was some

144
00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,040
Speaker 1: mutual discussion about, hey, you know what the Lions looking

145
00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,120
Speaker 1: like more of a rebuilding team and Praters at this point,

146
00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:40,640
Speaker 1: I'm a veteran. I don't want to be a part

147
00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,280
Speaker 1: of a rebuilding team. But he did not kick well.

148
00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,200
Speaker 1: Converted seventy five percent of his field goals, second lowest

149
00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,679
Speaker 1: mark of his career. For his career, however, he's made

150
00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,400
Speaker 1: just over eighty three percent of his field goals, including

151
00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,920
Speaker 1: seventy percent from forty to forty nine. And that's where

152
00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,120
Speaker 1: Zane Gonzalez struggled. That is your money an down if

153
00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,080
Speaker 1: you will, or range better said. Because the Cardinals lost

154
00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:09,040
Speaker 1: three games by three points. Matt Prador beat the Cardinals

155
00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,320
Speaker 1: in Week three, then Gonzalez miss shorts on a game

156
00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,560
Speaker 1: time forty nine yard attempt against the Dolphins and miss

157
00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,440
Speaker 1: write on a go ahead forty five yard attempts at

158
00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,000
Speaker 1: the Patriots. And I think those three losses, I'm maybe

159
00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,640
Speaker 1: just more the Dolphins and Patriots game maybe really stood

160
00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,040
Speaker 1: out to gentlemanager Steve Kim because at the signing of

161
00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,920
Speaker 1: Matt Prador, Kime said, quote, a lot of games are

162
00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:36,200
Speaker 1: lost by three points are less, and this guy has

163
00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,840
Speaker 1: been as good as anybody in NFL history at kicking

164
00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:44,360
Speaker 1: game winning field goals. MJ. Matt Prador has made all

165
00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,679
Speaker 1: twenty two game winning field goal attempts with two minutes

166
00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,199
Speaker 1: or less remaining in the fourth quarter or overtime. To me,

167
00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:55,480
Speaker 1: that is the definition of clutch, if you will, again

168
00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,120
Speaker 1: apologizing to Kylotguard, or at least being able to handle

169
00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,800
Speaker 1: the pressure in pressure pack situations. And if you're Cliff

170
00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,680
Speaker 1: Kingsbury and we know when you're you know, you pass

171
00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:12,520
Speaker 1: midfield and you know, maybe it's fourth and four and

172
00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:14,400
Speaker 1: you're thinking, you know, we need to get in field

173
00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,120
Speaker 1: goal range here, maybe gets second and four, third and four,

174
00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:18,920
Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden you're not forced to

175
00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,960
Speaker 1: go for it. You can put points on the board.

176
00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,000
Speaker 1: Let's say the Cardinals have a seven point lead. Now

177
00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,840
Speaker 1: it's a two possession game. So again, I think the

178
00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,200
Speaker 1: Cardinals want to be aggressive when it comes to their offense,

179
00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,440
Speaker 1: but not saying they're settling for field goals. And you know,

180
00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,439
Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, they had Zane Gonzalis, and

181
00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,280
Speaker 1: fairness to him, he had a lot of kicks, but

182
00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,000
Speaker 1: they were like extra points and that wasn't an issue.

183
00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:41,400
Speaker 1: So I think when it comes to maybe late and

184
00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,640
Speaker 1: a half, maybe late in the game, you know a

185
00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:45,520
Speaker 1: guy who can kick the ball. And again, if you

186
00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,400
Speaker 1: can get a lead and you want to play field

187
00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,360
Speaker 1: position and keep the clock running, that's where Matt Prayers

188
00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,440
Speaker 1: should come in the fourth quarter. Again, I'm a big

189
00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,280
Speaker 1: on that two possession game where you're up by seven

190
00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,120
Speaker 1: and then you're going up by ten, and obviously you

191
00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,920
Speaker 1: know you got to stop defense. But I definitely think,

192
00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,520
Speaker 1: you know, again, he's not he's human, and if he,

193
00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,040
Speaker 1: you know, early in the season, he starts mixing and kicks,

194
00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,400
Speaker 1: then we're gonna have a different conversation. But I'm confident

195
00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:12,760
Speaker 1: that he is an upgrade what the Cardinals had in

196
00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,480
Speaker 1: Ze Gonzales and I think it's an important distinction that

197
00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,320
Speaker 1: you make. I don't want the Cardinals to lose that

198
00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,800
Speaker 1: aggressiveness that we've seen Kingsbury develop over the years, especially

199
00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,520
Speaker 1: after that first season, maybe that first half of that

200
00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,760
Speaker 1: first season in twenty nineteen. But to your points, you

201
00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,120
Speaker 1: play the numbers game, you play field position, you play

202
00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,480
Speaker 1: the clock lates, especially if you're ahead, when you don't

203
00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,560
Speaker 1: need to press the button, when you don't need to

204
00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:39,920
Speaker 1: press the issue, and you can say, you know what, yeah,

205
00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,040
Speaker 1: we can put him away with just a field goal here.

206
00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,040
Speaker 1: We don't need to go forward on fourth and two

207
00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:46,800
Speaker 1: because we have confidence and our guy on the sideline.

208
00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:49,839
Speaker 1: It's why we signed Matt Prador to come in and

209
00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,719
Speaker 1: make those pressure pack kicks, which, as he told us,

210
00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,880
Speaker 1: he treats as normal kicks. Now that's easier said than done,

211
00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,320
Speaker 1: but he has the background, he has the experience as

212
00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,600
Speaker 1: to where if you're Kingsbury, you should be confident enough

213
00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:05,960
Speaker 1: to send him out there as opposed to leaving the

214
00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,240
Speaker 1: offense on the field. You know, I don't know if

215
00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,679
Speaker 1: he'll ever get the answer, because you know, they try

216
00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:14,400
Speaker 1: not to live in the past, but you learn from

217
00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:16,319
Speaker 1: some of the mistakes. I wonder if Kingsbury had a

218
00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,000
Speaker 1: change his play calling knowing that Zane was in a funk.

219
00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,760
Speaker 1: I mean, on first do I have to get five

220
00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,200
Speaker 1: or six sharots here? Now again you get to fourth down.

221
00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,199
Speaker 1: He could have gotten an idea what you're going to

222
00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,280
Speaker 1: do based on down a distance? What's the time on

223
00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,319
Speaker 1: the clock, how many timeouts do you have? So you

224
00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,079
Speaker 1: wonder did he have to change, because let's be honest,

225
00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:34,960
Speaker 1: there was probably a lot of guys in that locker

226
00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,920
Speaker 1: room after the first or second miss that weren't as confident, Hey,

227
00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,120
Speaker 1: we need to go for it here. So I don't

228
00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,000
Speaker 1: think you know, Cliff's gonna have to you know, again,

229
00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,600
Speaker 1: be aggressive, but also be smart where you know you

230
00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,240
Speaker 1: can get points on the board versus chasing points. I'll

231
00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,120
Speaker 1: say this about Zang Gonzalez, and this doesn't mean to

232
00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:56,120
Speaker 1: be a knock. Zane Gonzalez show here on Cardinals Cover too.

233
00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,400
Speaker 1: But the struggles and what game we didn't point out

234
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,800
Speaker 1: is the Seattle game on Sunday Night Football. Because he

235
00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,760
Speaker 1: made a kick that sent the game into overtime, but

236
00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,440
Speaker 1: missed in overtime that would have won it. He was

237
00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,280
Speaker 1: able to atone for that mistake and get another chance

238
00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,199
Speaker 1: and made that forty eight yard or with fifteen seconds

239
00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,839
Speaker 1: left to go. And that's a game that we all

240
00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,240
Speaker 1: point to as one of those contests that, yes, it

241
00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:22,559
Speaker 1: was a huge game for the Arizona Cardinals, but maybe

242
00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:25,600
Speaker 1: almost didn't happen to that effect. And now with a

243
00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,520
Speaker 1: Matt Pridor, maybe you don't get into that situation where

244
00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,400
Speaker 1: you have some questions or you need your kicker to

245
00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:34,280
Speaker 1: go back out into the field after missing a kick

246
00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,160
Speaker 1: late in the game to where you're not looking for

247
00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,640
Speaker 1: him to atone for a mistake or hey, give him

248
00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,000
Speaker 1: a second chance. Maybe you don't have that with Matt Prador,

249
00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:44,240
Speaker 1: and I hope that's the case here in twenty twenty one,

250
00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,640
Speaker 1: and we know that Jeff Rogers had a relationship with

251
00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,600
Speaker 1: Matt Prador and also Aaron Brewer. And you talk about

252
00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,840
Speaker 1: some of these long kicks that you have pointed out

253
00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,079
Speaker 1: on our show prep here when you're looking at the

254
00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:56,600
Speaker 1: special teams, I mean, this is really impressive. And again

255
00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:58,960
Speaker 1: he's only going to be as good as his next kick.

256
00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,480
Speaker 1: But you can see to consistency when it comes to

257
00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,439
Speaker 1: having a strong league fifty nine career makes from fifty

258
00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,120
Speaker 1: or more yards. That is the most all time in

259
00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:13,000
Speaker 1: NFL history. Plus Matt Prator has the record for longest

260
00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,280
Speaker 1: field goal sixty four yards. It was a kick made

261
00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,320
Speaker 1: as time expired to end the first half against the Titans.

262
00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,440
Speaker 1: When Prator was with the Denver Broncos and yes it

263
00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:26,080
Speaker 1: was in Denver Mile High Stadium back in twenty thirteen.

264
00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,520
Speaker 1: Brewer was the long snapper, Rogers was the coordinator, and

265
00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:34,200
Speaker 1: as we heard from Prator when he was introduced, Rogers

266
00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:36,920
Speaker 1: was quote a big reason why I wanted to come here.

267
00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,240
Speaker 1: I think we're going to do well together. End quote.

268
00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,840
Speaker 1: Prators also worked with Devin Fitzimmons, the new assistant special

269
00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,440
Speaker 1: teams coordinator. They were together in Detroit's And when you

270
00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:54,720
Speaker 1: talk about punter, kicker, holder, long snapper, those relationships amongst

271
00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,319
Speaker 1: all four, and especially with the puncher who serves as

272
00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,720
Speaker 1: your holder, you need to make sure that there is

273
00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,240
Speaker 1: it's not just chemistry, but there is some reliability and

274
00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,640
Speaker 1: then some confidence that the long snapper is going to

275
00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,800
Speaker 1: do his job, the holder is going to do his job,

276
00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,880
Speaker 1: and the kicker is going to do their job. So

277
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:15,480
Speaker 1: anytime you can kind of reconnect with those players from

278
00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,360
Speaker 1: your past to now, I think does serve the Cardinals well,

279
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,200
Speaker 1: because it's not like you're walking into this from scratch

280
00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,720
Speaker 1: and trying to figure out, all, right, how fast do

281
00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,360
Speaker 1: you snap? Where do you like the ball? Where should

282
00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,960
Speaker 1: I hold it? And then the kicker you know, how

283
00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,720
Speaker 1: many steps back? Am I? All of this has already

284
00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,960
Speaker 1: been worked out before. Now it's just a refresher course.

285
00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,520
Speaker 1: And you know, we get a chance to watch training

286
00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,840
Speaker 1: camp practice and usually during the open portion, you know,

287
00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,400
Speaker 1: maybe they're warming up, but they're they're almost in a

288
00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,240
Speaker 1: little fraternity with each other because when you got offensive

289
00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,080
Speaker 1: defense out there, and then they'll do some kicking at

290
00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,280
Speaker 1: the end, or they'll do like a fire drill, or

291
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:53,920
Speaker 1: you want to get on the field. There's only three

292
00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,320
Speaker 1: seconds on the clock, but they spend a ton of

293
00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,360
Speaker 1: time together. And and really I'm sure when comes to

294
00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:04,320
Speaker 1: Andy Lee, he was in the same draft as Larry Fitzgerald,

295
00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:06,800
Speaker 1: and we talked about we'll get into Andy Lee and

296
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:08,800
Speaker 1: what his numbers were last year, and the Cardinals brought

297
00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,440
Speaker 1: him back. But for the most part, I mean, it's

298
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,000
Speaker 1: just one of those scenarios where and again, relationships matter,

299
00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,080
Speaker 1: and that's the reason we brought this up. But at

300
00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,560
Speaker 1: the same time, though you've got veterans guys there, you're

301
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,960
Speaker 1: not relying on some rookies. And you know, again, I'm

302
00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:24,680
Speaker 1: not saying they couldn't do it, because you were right

303
00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,440
Speaker 1: earlier too. If you're a long snapper or a punter

304
00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,120
Speaker 1: or a kicker, you can carve out a nice career.

305
00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,000
Speaker 1: And I think we can say that about all three

306
00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,360
Speaker 1: of these guys, and Aaron Brewer doesn't get enough credit

307
00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:37,120
Speaker 1: because we know that a couple of years ago the

308
00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:41,520
Speaker 1: snap was bad, Yes, and once Mike Leach was tired,

309
00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,920
Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, the Cardinals were left scrambling

310
00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,720
Speaker 1: to try to find someone, and then that didn't go

311
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,960
Speaker 1: as well. And you always kind of go back. If

312
00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,800
Speaker 1: you do need a long snapper, typically is not someone

313
00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,080
Speaker 1: that is new to the game, at least the NFL game.

314
00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,640
Speaker 1: You want someone who's been there and done that. And

315
00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,360
Speaker 1: I think the guy was named Ken today correct, and

316
00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,920
Speaker 1: he was a young guy. Yes, he may be still

317
00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:05,560
Speaker 1: in the league. I think he may be in Pittsburgh,

318
00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,680
Speaker 1: and I think he's done pretty well in Pittsburgh since then.

319
00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,360
Speaker 1: But again it's taken that second chance, that second team

320
00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,520
Speaker 1: to where he can sit there and go, Yeah, you know,

321
00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,200
Speaker 1: I know what I'm supposed to do. Yeah. Now, you

322
00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,560
Speaker 1: also pointed I mentioned earlier as his wife Katie as

323
00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,720
Speaker 1: a former's Cardinals chair and his father works at the

324
00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:24,840
Speaker 1: local veteran affairs office. So this is like homecoming for

325
00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,960
Speaker 1: Matt Praytor and his wife Cameron Cannidate now with the

326
00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,000
Speaker 1: Pittsburgh Steelers, and he has certainly done very well for

327
00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,520
Speaker 1: himself since the brief tenure with the Arizona Cardinals in

328
00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,680
Speaker 1: twenty sixteen to the point where you know he's now

329
00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,320
Speaker 1: probably might have found a home with the Steelers since

330
00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,840
Speaker 1: he was signed by them in twenty seventeen. So sometimes

331
00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:48,760
Speaker 1: that first opportunity isn't there. It's the second opportunity, especially

332
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:52,400
Speaker 1: when you're dealing with a young player at kicker holder

333
00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,440
Speaker 1: and long snap, and it can't be easy to kick

334
00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,560
Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh when you get to the cold weather. No,

335
00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,600
Speaker 1: it's suddenly in the fields are not you know, you

336
00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,800
Speaker 1: can't grow grass and November in December in Pittsburgh. So

337
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,119
Speaker 1: props to him again, that's all you can ask for

338
00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:09,159
Speaker 1: is an opportunity, absolutely, and he took full advantage of

339
00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,639
Speaker 1: it as well. And now you got the Cardinals with

340
00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,320
Speaker 1: Aaron Brewer, who is cimently very good at what he

341
00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,600
Speaker 1: has been able to do. And I liked what Darren

342
00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:21,040
Speaker 1: Urban wrote about Aaron Brewer during his yearly roster breakdown

343
00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:24,239
Speaker 1: on asy Cardinals dot com. Quote, you don't hear about him,

344
00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,040
Speaker 1: which is a good thing because you never focus on

345
00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:31,800
Speaker 1: the long snapper. Until everyone sees the long snapper because

346
00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,879
Speaker 1: something's happened to snap bounces or it goes over the

347
00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,160
Speaker 1: head of the punter or bad snap, regardless of what

348
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,720
Speaker 1: it is, that's the only time anyone talks about the

349
00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,719
Speaker 1: long snapper. And it's unfortunate, but it is. That is

350
00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,560
Speaker 1: your job. I mean, if you are a long snapper

351
00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,840
Speaker 1: and you are consistent, then props too. You're not gonna

352
00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,920
Speaker 1: get mentioned that you get any attention. You're basically forgotten

353
00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:57,000
Speaker 1: until you have that one screw up and it doesn't happen,

354
00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,359
Speaker 1: doesn't matter when it happens in a game, likely becomes

355
00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,000
Speaker 1: more magnified later. But the minute you don't do your job,

356
00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,040
Speaker 1: then all of a sudden becomes a focal point. Yeah,

357
00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,359
Speaker 1: and that was a frustrating thing for me. And again

358
00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:09,960
Speaker 1: I want to go back to Zaying because I have

359
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,480
Speaker 1: a lot of respect for him. I know, you know Cleveland,

360
00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,160
Speaker 1: he had the growing injury and then the Cardinals picked

361
00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:18,639
Speaker 1: him up. But you know that was perplexing to me

362
00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,320
Speaker 1: when they had a great snap and Andy Lee had

363
00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,040
Speaker 1: the threads in the in the right spot and the

364
00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,120
Speaker 1: ball was just short, and I go back and watch

365
00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:27,160
Speaker 1: the film and he goes, I don't know what happened.

366
00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,600
Speaker 1: So that's not gonna happen. That's not gonna happen to

367
00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,720
Speaker 1: Matt Prater. No. The last player to touch on here

368
00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,880
Speaker 1: is Andy Lee, the punter and holder and as you mentioned,

369
00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,160
Speaker 1: still in the league part of that same draft class

370
00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:43,439
Speaker 1: as Larry Fitzgerald. Which is unbelievable that Andy Lee, now

371
00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,560
Speaker 1: at the age of thirty eight years old, is still

372
00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,159
Speaker 1: getting the job done. To resign this pass offseason, I

373
00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,920
Speaker 1: know when we talked about special teams early in the year,

374
00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:55,879
Speaker 1: that was one of the positions that you may be

375
00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,040
Speaker 1: pointed to and said, hey, maybe it is time to

376
00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,240
Speaker 1: kind of look for someone else. It's the Cardinals again,

377
00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,639
Speaker 1: they have more information. You look at the film and

378
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,800
Speaker 1: why did Andy Lee have a down year in twenty

379
00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,159
Speaker 1: twenty compared to twenty nineteen. They felt that there were

380
00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,360
Speaker 1: some things either to correct or it was just one

381
00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,600
Speaker 1: of those years and they decided to bring him back again.

382
00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,520
Speaker 1: If you go with a young guy there, this team

383
00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,400
Speaker 1: wants to win right now and I know that they

384
00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,440
Speaker 1: a lot of people think they're going all in. It's

385
00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:24,560
Speaker 1: really a three year plan, but you only can focus

386
00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,400
Speaker 1: on the upcoming season. And his numbers were down and

387
00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,719
Speaker 1: to me, at some point the age will catch up

388
00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,879
Speaker 1: even though he's not running, you know, covering special teams

389
00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,720
Speaker 1: and it's little things that's growing and hamstring and again

390
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,800
Speaker 1: maybe not a hamstring, but you know, you want to

391
00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,000
Speaker 1: make sure he can stay healthy throughout the season. But

392
00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,639
Speaker 1: at the same time, though, you just can't bring in

393
00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,600
Speaker 1: a young punter because you have to know what you're doing.

394
00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:48,720
Speaker 1: And one thing he doesn't get enough credit for it

395
00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,560
Speaker 1: because we called him the weapon a few years ago

396
00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,040
Speaker 1: when the team wasn't being in the movie football. What

397
00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:56,040
Speaker 1: he does you know down that ball in the twenty

398
00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,320
Speaker 1: yard line and the way the special teams can cover

399
00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,280
Speaker 1: it that he he doesn't get enough credit for how

400
00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,280
Speaker 1: many times he's punted inside the twenty couple of points there.

401
00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:07,719
Speaker 1: One you mentioned the numbers from last year and just

402
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,080
Speaker 1: by looking at his numbers, forty four point eight yards

403
00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:15,040
Speaker 1: per punts. That was the lowest mark of andy leees

404
00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,320
Speaker 1: since two thousand and six, and he had a net

405
00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:21,000
Speaker 1: of thirty nine point six. A year earlier, he ranked

406
00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,680
Speaker 1: second in the league with a forty seven point eight

407
00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,720
Speaker 1: yard punt average and eleventh with a forty one point

408
00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,040
Speaker 1: two yard net. Now, the numbers suggests a down year,

409
00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,280
Speaker 1: but you just mentioned a couple of things. One, how

410
00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,480
Speaker 1: he's kicked. What is he being asked to do as

411
00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,600
Speaker 1: far as trying to pin a deef or should say

412
00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,840
Speaker 1: pen an offense deep in their own end, or pooch

413
00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,800
Speaker 1: it or kick it directionally away from the punt returner.

414
00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,679
Speaker 1: And all of a sudden, maybe your numbers are down

415
00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,560
Speaker 1: compared two years prior because you're not being asked to

416
00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,080
Speaker 1: boom its on occasion. Perhaps that was part of the

417
00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,679
Speaker 1: thinking as far as why his numbers were down, But

418
00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,160
Speaker 1: I think more important than any of that, you mentioned

419
00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,159
Speaker 1: it as far as needing a veteran on this team,

420
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,320
Speaker 1: because not that they're going all in. That's the perception.

421
00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,320
Speaker 1: Gentlemanager Steve Kam has said no, he's pushed back on that.

422
00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,080
Speaker 1: But this is a huge year twenty twenty one, year

423
00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,640
Speaker 1: three for Kingsbury and Kyler Murray. You have to take

424
00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,320
Speaker 1: advantage of these years with Kyle Murray under his rookie contract,

425
00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,440
Speaker 1: and can you waste that year if you will, with

426
00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:29,119
Speaker 1: an unproven player who is now being your punter. And

427
00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,760
Speaker 1: I just don't know if the Cardinals were comfortable and

428
00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,240
Speaker 1: rolling the dice on that. Yeah, the last couple of years,

429
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,119
Speaker 1: he had twenty one inside the twenty twenty one. Thirty

430
00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,120
Speaker 1: two is first year, twenty nine actually his first year,

431
00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,200
Speaker 1: and then in Carolina, very similar numbers, so those numbers

432
00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,200
Speaker 1: are not going down, may not have as many opportunities

433
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,159
Speaker 1: you look at it. He had fifty eight punts and

434
00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,560
Speaker 1: twenty two were returned and twenty one were inside the

435
00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,160
Speaker 1: twenty yard line, and I think that might be more

436
00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,600
Speaker 1: than anything. When you look at the average, it's okay,

437
00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,760
Speaker 1: what are you being asked to do on this particular kick?

438
00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,440
Speaker 1: And then we all focus on the inside the twenty

439
00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,080
Speaker 1: yard line because the more you can put the opposing

440
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,320
Speaker 1: offense in a difficult position or make them go further

441
00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,840
Speaker 1: up the field to score or get into scoring position,

442
00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,639
Speaker 1: the better off you are. So as much as the

443
00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:21,719
Speaker 1: numbers look down, maybe upon further digging, Andy Lee did

444
00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,240
Speaker 1: not have as bad a season as it would perceive.

445
00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,200
Speaker 1: And if because obviously you wouldn't have resigned him if

446
00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,960
Speaker 1: you thought otherwise. No, and again we know that Jeff

447
00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,960
Speaker 1: Rogers has a lot of say Ultimately it's the head

448
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,960
Speaker 1: coach and the GM's decision to offer the contract. But

449
00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,080
Speaker 1: he's got enough credibility in this building to where what's

450
00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,120
Speaker 1: behind door number two? Is he going to be better

451
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,720
Speaker 1: in a big situation that versus a young player. No,

452
00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:48,880
Speaker 1: Andy Lee's been in his league long enough. He knows

453
00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:52,800
Speaker 1: what's going on special teams to focus. This edition Cardinals

454
00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,800
Speaker 1: Cover two presented by Hunday, proud partner of the Arizona

455
00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,840
Speaker 1: Cardinals or a minder Bird gang that if you want

456
00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:02,399
Speaker 1: to see the Cardinals action this season, there are two

457
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,879
Speaker 1: Protect the Nest game plans or ticket plans available. You

458
00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,320
Speaker 1: can go to asy cardinals dot com, slash tickets or

459
00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,080
Speaker 1: call the Cardinals ticket sales office at six zero two

460
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:16,080
Speaker 1: three seven nine zero one zero two. They are four

461
00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:20,880
Speaker 1: game plans and each plan features a prominent primetime matchup.

462
00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:23,720
Speaker 1: You got the Red Plan the White Plan quickly. The

463
00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:27,080
Speaker 1: Red Plan home games against the forty nine Ers Packers

464
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,679
Speaker 1: on Thursday Night Football the Panthers and in the Colts

465
00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,440
Speaker 1: on Saturday nights. That happens also be Christmas Day, so

466
00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,080
Speaker 1: great Christmas Day presents as well. You open up gifts

467
00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,600
Speaker 1: in the morning and you go see the Cardinals at nights.

468
00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,760
Speaker 1: That's the red plan forty nine Ers, Packers, Panthers, and Colts.

469
00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:46,760
Speaker 1: The White plan. The home opener against the Vikings, the

470
00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,720
Speaker 1: Texans Rams on Monday Night Football, and then end of

471
00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,760
Speaker 1: the game that you're always pointing to that Sunday, January ninth,

472
00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,360
Speaker 1: the regular season finale with the Seattle Seahawks in town. Yeah,

473
00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,840
Speaker 1: they're not going to be in Seattle, that's sure. They

474
00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,320
Speaker 1: are in Los Angeles. It's year. The Cardinals are hosting

475
00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,920
Speaker 1: Week eighteen, game number seventeen. Week eighteen. That's that's gonna

476
00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:06,920
Speaker 1: take some getting used to. And then the math because

477
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:09,919
Speaker 1: you can't have it because it's an odd number of games.

478
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,480
Speaker 1: You can't have that even number of eight and eight.

479
00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,240
Speaker 1: It's it's give us some time. Basically, we'll all get

480
00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:17,680
Speaker 1: used to it. It's just going to sound a little

481
00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:19,840
Speaker 1: strange for a little while. Yeah, and they're going to

482
00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,000
Speaker 1: change their record books now because if a guy does

483
00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,480
Speaker 1: this in a seventeen game schedule. Listen, I think we're

484
00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,480
Speaker 1: a heading to an eighteen games schedule down the road. Yeah,

485
00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,240
Speaker 1: I think maybe you get everyone gets an international game

486
00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,720
Speaker 1: even though all the Packers have never played in London. Yeah,

487
00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,240
Speaker 1: that's an interesting anomaly that's got to change just because

488
00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:37,960
Speaker 1: of the fan base of the Green Bay Packers. You

489
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,080
Speaker 1: can think of them flocking to see that game in London.

490
00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:43,159
Speaker 1: By the way. As far as the asterix, no, I mean,

491
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:45,199
Speaker 1: I don't remember the discussion when they went from fourteen

492
00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,280
Speaker 1: to sixteen, but it's no difference between fourteen to sixteen

493
00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,560
Speaker 1: and sixteen to seventeen and potentially eighteen. There's no asterix. Yeah,

494
00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,440
Speaker 1: I know, but you know they'll say GAYL. Sayers and

495
00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,359
Speaker 1: Jim Brown put up numbers. Will only fourteen games quarterbacks?

496
00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,440
Speaker 1: You know, maybe they weren't averaging over three hundred and

497
00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,600
Speaker 1: thirty yards per game. It was two sa I mean,

498
00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,320
Speaker 1: now you're talking three more games again. We'll let the

499
00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,120
Speaker 1: stat guys for you that part out exactly. The protect

500
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:12,360
Speaker 1: the nest ticket plans again acy Cardinals dot com, slash tickets,

501
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,919
Speaker 1: or by calling the Cardinals ticket sales office at six

502
00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,439
Speaker 1: zero two three seven nine zero one zero two. All right,

503
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,600
Speaker 1: let's get back into the special teams and focus now

504
00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,200
Speaker 1: on the return game. And this is where I think

505
00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,760
Speaker 1: we should hope to see some improvement as far as

506
00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,400
Speaker 1: kickoff return and punt return. The numbers from twenty twenty

507
00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:36,199
Speaker 1: league rankings Cardinals ranked twenty ninth in yards punt return

508
00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:40,000
Speaker 1: at five point four. They were tied for sixteenth in

509
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:44,720
Speaker 1: yards per kickoff return at twenty one point nine. Now, look,

510
00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,040
Speaker 1: I think the punt return numbers can get a little skewed.

511
00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,080
Speaker 1: Five doesn't sound like a whole heck of a lot.

512
00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:52,120
Speaker 1: But if you can find someone I eat Rondel Moore

513
00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,320
Speaker 1: to make that first or second guy miss, and if

514
00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:57,760
Speaker 1: you can give a little bit of some momentum to

515
00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,320
Speaker 1: the offense as they come out onto the field, you're

516
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: not starting at the twenty. Maybe you get up to

517
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,280
Speaker 1: the thirty two, thirty three, or if nothing else, maybe

518
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,800
Speaker 1: it is starting at the twenty. But you fielded that

519
00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,359
Speaker 1: kick at the fifteen or at the ten yard line.

520
00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,080
Speaker 1: You made a couple of guys miss, and all of

521
00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:14,840
Speaker 1: a sudden, the crowd gets excited at State Farm Stadium

522
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,080
Speaker 1: and you get tacted, You get tackled at the twenty two. Yeah,

523
00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,199
Speaker 1: there's some disappointment, but the crowd is still now jacked

524
00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,040
Speaker 1: up for the offensive possession because of what rondel Moore

525
00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:26,600
Speaker 1: did or maybe Christian Kirk that I think we need

526
00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,600
Speaker 1: to see hope to see more of coming up this season.

527
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,439
Speaker 1: I'll say this, I think you know, and we know

528
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,960
Speaker 1: they changed the special team's rule where you can't, you know,

529
00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 1: have three guys holding each other's hands the wedge and

530
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:38,800
Speaker 1: you've got to have certain amount of guys on one

531
00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,639
Speaker 1: side versus the other. And you know, they talked about

532
00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,880
Speaker 1: maybe putting it fourth and fifteen for an onsite kick,

533
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,240
Speaker 1: But when you look at it from a standpoint of

534
00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:54,880
Speaker 1: you know, the difference with fuel position there. I mean,

535
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,119
Speaker 1: if you look at it, just just get to the

536
00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,119
Speaker 1: twenty five yard line at some of this stuff. But

537
00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,879
Speaker 1: I just think you gotta till fill position. And the

538
00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,879
Speaker 1: fact is that maybe the numbers don't reflect it. But

539
00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:07,879
Speaker 1: for the most part, I do think rondel Moore is

540
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:09,000
Speaker 1: going to be a guy that's going to be able

541
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,639
Speaker 1: to come in here and make a difference. And it

542
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:13,920
Speaker 1: seems like there's been a long time since we've seen

543
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,919
Speaker 1: a return. It has been a very long time. The

544
00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,720
Speaker 1: last punt return touchdown for the Arizona Cardinals. You gotta

545
00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,880
Speaker 1: go all the way back to twenty fourteen, Ted gain

546
00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,840
Speaker 1: seventy one yards at the Giants, and I vividly remember

547
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,359
Speaker 1: that game and the following year. Twenty fifteen is the

548
00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,040
Speaker 1: last time the Cardinals had a kickoff return for a score.

549
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,560
Speaker 1: That was David Johnson one hundred and eight yards at

550
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,119
Speaker 1: the Bears. I believe that was what Week two, and

551
00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:42,280
Speaker 1: that was that stretch in which David Johnson had touchdowns

552
00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,240
Speaker 1: on like three straight touches, whether it was rushing, receiving,

553
00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:48,520
Speaker 1: and the return game to where he was doing everything

554
00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:50,920
Speaker 1: that first season in the league. So it has been

555
00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:54,000
Speaker 1: a while and we just know how effective those plays

556
00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,240
Speaker 1: can be. You don't always have to score, but just

557
00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:00,720
Speaker 1: those long returns can certainly help everyone on the sidelines.

558
00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:02,840
Speaker 1: You just feel better about yourself going out on the

559
00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,240
Speaker 1: field to play a little offense. I remember being there

560
00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:07,359
Speaker 1: in the press box. It was a nice day at

561
00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,960
Speaker 1: Soldier Field. I think Kurt Warner put up numbers. Maybe

562
00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,359
Speaker 1: Liner came in that game. I can't remember. But what

563
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:15,480
Speaker 1: I was going to trying to say earlier was to me,

564
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,320
Speaker 1: when you look at the special teams, whether it's a

565
00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,280
Speaker 1: kickoff return, a punt return, it's one of the It's

566
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,840
Speaker 1: one of the most exciting plays in football, especially if

567
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,600
Speaker 1: a game starts like that. I mean you go back

568
00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:27,480
Speaker 1: to Super Bowls. You know, the on site kick, but

569
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,520
Speaker 1: a punt return, you know, Devin Hester against the Cardinals'

570
00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,840
Speaker 1: money in a football now you had to go there. Yeah,

571
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:36,320
Speaker 1: I'm just saying like it's it's an exciting play. I mean,

572
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,080
Speaker 1: you don't see it a lot in the first half,

573
00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:40,560
Speaker 1: but at some point in the game, you know, maybe

574
00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,040
Speaker 1: you lost your your your second best special teams players,

575
00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:45,400
Speaker 1: so now you got to put another guy in there.

576
00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:47,160
Speaker 1: And another team knows about it, so they're going to

577
00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,320
Speaker 1: take that area. So I hope they keep the kickoff.

578
00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,240
Speaker 1: I know it's about safety, but I do like when

579
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,000
Speaker 1: we see a return. Not against us, but we need

580
00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:57,680
Speaker 1: to get one of those this year. But I do

581
00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,280
Speaker 1: think just field position will go a long way if

582
00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,840
Speaker 1: rondel Moore can, just because I think that's where he's

583
00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,880
Speaker 1: going to get his feet wet besides being a receiver.

584
00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,320
Speaker 1: Let's go back to draft night. Rondel Moore asked about

585
00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:11,280
Speaker 1: special teams and he said he believed he could quote

586
00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,600
Speaker 1: be dynamic in the return game, and his numbers were

587
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:19,520
Speaker 1: phenomenal at perdue nineteen point four yards per kickoff return,

588
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,800
Speaker 1: almost seven yards per punt return. And that is where

589
00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 1: I think we will see Kingsbury, as he said, talking

590
00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,640
Speaker 1: about how we can utilize rondel Moore, what we have

591
00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,320
Speaker 1: to be creative and how we use him to make

592
00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,240
Speaker 1: sure we're maximizing who he is as a player. Well,

593
00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,000
Speaker 1: who rondel Moore is as a player. Yes, he'll get

594
00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,640
Speaker 1: some snaps at wide receiver or some reps at wide receiver,

595
00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:44,240
Speaker 1: but initially, immediately Week one, I fully expect to see

596
00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,560
Speaker 1: him back there on kickoff return, punt return. There's no

597
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:49,680
Speaker 1: doubt about it. I mean we can build a case

598
00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:51,880
Speaker 1: he's either the third or fourth receiver, so he's going

599
00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,800
Speaker 1: to address and you know, maybe they will have competition.

600
00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,280
Speaker 1: You know, Christian Kirk's done it. We have some numbers

601
00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,920
Speaker 1: on him. I just think now that Chase Evans is

602
00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,400
Speaker 1: going to be your quote featured back with the combination

603
00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:04,800
Speaker 1: of James Connor, you take a little bit off his

604
00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:08,280
Speaker 1: plate there and you allow them rondel Moore. Now you're

605
00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,560
Speaker 1: also going to have an up guy and if his

606
00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,360
Speaker 1: numbers start to inflate a little bit. Maybe teams will

607
00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:15,520
Speaker 1: start they may not kick to him, but I think

608
00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:18,080
Speaker 1: you know early on, if he gets he gets the

609
00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:19,880
Speaker 1: ball in the end zone three yards deep, I think

610
00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,600
Speaker 1: he's going to take it out. Yes, because that burst

611
00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,320
Speaker 1: to speed, it just needs a block and just find

612
00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:27,400
Speaker 1: a sliver to get through. And again, whether it gets

613
00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:29,200
Speaker 1: to the thirty five, that's huge. You down the ball

614
00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:30,719
Speaker 1: in the end zone, you're at the twenty five. Now

615
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,800
Speaker 1: you mentioned Christian Kirk. He was a punt returner six

616
00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,240
Speaker 1: times last year. I excuse me, twenty two punt returns

617
00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,640
Speaker 1: last year he averaged six yards and then Chase Edmonds

618
00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,920
Speaker 1: eighteen kickoff returns average just over twenty three yards a pop. Now,

619
00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:47,640
Speaker 1: if Kirk becomes that number three, consistent, number three wide receiver,

620
00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,960
Speaker 1: do you want him deep on punt returns. If Chase

621
00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,600
Speaker 1: Edmonds is that number one back, or he and James

622
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,200
Speaker 1: Connor are one two and they're both getting twenty to

623
00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,920
Speaker 1: twenty five touches a game, or I should say, you know,

624
00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:01,480
Speaker 1: totally twenty five touches a game, maybe you don't want

625
00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,560
Speaker 1: him back on kickoff return That's where I think Ron

626
00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,960
Speaker 1: del Moore yeah, you liked him and what he could

627
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,600
Speaker 1: do as a receiver, but perhaps you liked him even

628
00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:11,680
Speaker 1: more based off what you were able to see from

629
00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,400
Speaker 1: him handling special teams. Well, there's the thing, A couple

630
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,080
Speaker 1: of things. We can focus on what the Cardinals wanted

631
00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:20,400
Speaker 1: to do. They wanted to get more physical and leadership, okay,

632
00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:22,920
Speaker 1: and they will also put an emphasis on the return game.

633
00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,400
Speaker 1: And yeah, you could have drafted a receiver in the

634
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:27,600
Speaker 1: first second round, but there were a lot of receivers

635
00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,760
Speaker 1: and corners coming out in this draft that have return skills.

636
00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,680
Speaker 1: And that was two of their major leagues going into

637
00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,440
Speaker 1: the draft on paper. And here they take the best,

638
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,360
Speaker 1: one of their best defensive players and Zaven Collins. So

639
00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:40,880
Speaker 1: you can see where the point of emphasis was going

640
00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,479
Speaker 1: into the offseason. And I think they checked those boxes. Now,

641
00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,200
Speaker 1: it's no matter how it materializes during the season. They

642
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,560
Speaker 1: hope they had checked or they thought they had checked

643
00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,440
Speaker 1: that box a few years earlier or with Andy Isabelle,

644
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:53,720
Speaker 1: and he just has not been able to get that

645
00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,760
Speaker 1: job done for whatever reason. Now we'll have to wait

646
00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,840
Speaker 1: and see. I mean, Rondel Moore is going to be

647
00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:02,360
Speaker 1: given every opportunity to be that guy now the question

648
00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,760
Speaker 1: is canny handle it. We obviously saw Andy Isabella cannot

649
00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:09,040
Speaker 1: handle whether kickoff or punt returns, and I think he

650
00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,200
Speaker 1: might just be one of those guys that you know

651
00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:14,280
Speaker 1: as a reserve in case of an emergency, if you

652
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,720
Speaker 1: will that you need to have him back there because

653
00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:19,160
Speaker 1: he obviously could not get the job done. The only

654
00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:21,120
Speaker 1: thing I can tell you it's night and day the

655
00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,320
Speaker 1: way they both catch the football. And I only have

656
00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,520
Speaker 1: a small sample. We haven't seen the pads on, but

657
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,520
Speaker 1: you can just see the way he You know, they

658
00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,440
Speaker 1: have four or five guys back there returning points. They

659
00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:32,920
Speaker 1: all look like you can do the part. But he's

660
00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,239
Speaker 1: a little bit more fluid than some of the other guys. Say,

661
00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,120
Speaker 1: I'll put him closer to Christian Kirk than Andy Isabella.

662
00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,480
Speaker 1: Bird Gang. If you like what you hear here on

663
00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:43,200
Speaker 1: Cardinals Cover two, we invite you to subscribe to all

664
00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,720
Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals podcasts. That way you never miss an episode

665
00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:49,520
Speaker 1: of Cardinals Underground, The Big Red Rays, The Cardinals Red

666
00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:51,880
Speaker 1: Sea Report, and of course this show Cardinals Cover two.

667
00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:56,400
Speaker 1: Subscribe Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Music, Tune, Institcher, and SoundCloud.

668
00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:01,000
Speaker 1: Need more information? Got asy Cardinals Dot com Slash podcast more. Now,

669
00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:05,280
Speaker 1: the final aspects here on special teams are those core

670
00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,160
Speaker 1: players that we have seen over the last couple of years,

671
00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,840
Speaker 1: especially since Jeff Rogers has been here as special teams

672
00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,280
Speaker 1: coordinator now assistant or should say yeah, assistant head coach,

673
00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:18,320
Speaker 1: and those are the guys that always show up. As

674
00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:23,120
Speaker 1: far as a Tanner, Vallejo, Ezekiel Turner, Charles Washington, those

675
00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,000
Speaker 1: are all players that are back. Those are the top

676
00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:29,680
Speaker 1: three tacklers on special teams last season. Now, the team

677
00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:33,720
Speaker 1: did lose Trent Sherfield, and that was a big loss,

678
00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,400
Speaker 1: but I think that was more because he saw an

679
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:38,680
Speaker 1: opportunity to play a little bit more offense as a

680
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,240
Speaker 1: wide receiver with the forty nine ers. But we always

681
00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:44,480
Speaker 1: talked about those core guys that could do everything, whether

682
00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:48,840
Speaker 1: that was on coverage or on return field goal. And

683
00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:53,560
Speaker 1: those guys Ezekiel Turner, Trent Sherfield, Dennis Gardeck as well.

684
00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:57,760
Speaker 1: Those three all undrafted rookie free agents who are still

685
00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,720
Speaker 1: in the league and still contributing. I know Zeke Turner

686
00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,760
Speaker 1: would like to do a little bit more. But as

687
00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,600
Speaker 1: far as when you look at who excelled on special

688
00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:09,840
Speaker 1: teams as far as coverage, and that was Vallejo Turner.

689
00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,359
Speaker 1: In Washington, they had the top three tacklers and all

690
00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,000
Speaker 1: three of those players are back. Well, let's look at

691
00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:18,399
Speaker 1: their snap numbers. Zeke Turner three hundred and forty eight

692
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,760
Speaker 1: special team snap closest seventy nine percent, Dennis Scardack until

693
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,560
Speaker 1: his injury three hundred and fifteen seventy one percent, ten

694
00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,120
Speaker 1: Or Vallejo two eighty six, Charles Washington two fifty six,

695
00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,279
Speaker 1: Kylie fits two twenty seven, and then Trent Scherfield. And

696
00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:35,319
Speaker 1: I'm looking at Isaiah Simmons. He played one hundred and

697
00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:39,120
Speaker 1: twelve special team snaps about twenty five percent. Simmons had

698
00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:43,000
Speaker 1: ten tackles, and he definitely flashed on special teams because

699
00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:45,760
Speaker 1: he looks like a deer running now. He more times

700
00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:47,719
Speaker 1: than not he was the first guy down there, and

701
00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,000
Speaker 1: then when he hits a ball carrier, it was no

702
00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,799
Speaker 1: escaping the hit. He was down. Now, the question is

703
00:34:55,960 --> 00:35:00,279
Speaker 1: do we still see Simmons on special teams this year

704
00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,799
Speaker 1: given how much we might see him on defense, And

705
00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:06,280
Speaker 1: also the same question of Zaven Collins. Typically those rookies

706
00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:08,880
Speaker 1: are on special teams, but there's going to be a

707
00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,080
Speaker 1: lot asked of Zaven Collins, especially wearing that green dot

708
00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:14,200
Speaker 1: as the quarterback of the defense. Do you want to

709
00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,800
Speaker 1: add even more information or expect more from Zaven Collins

710
00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:21,479
Speaker 1: and Isaiah Simmons coming up in twenty twenty one. Well,

711
00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,000
Speaker 1: normally you look at special teams when you're talking about

712
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,280
Speaker 1: kickoff and kickoff return. I mean, you need some bigs

713
00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,000
Speaker 1: out there. And you know, nothing against Jordan Hicks, but

714
00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,239
Speaker 1: he's a backup, I don't. I mean, we've seen him

715
00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,200
Speaker 1: in coverage and I think he'd be ultimate backup. He's

716
00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,040
Speaker 1: a pros pro if that's the case going in the

717
00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:39,480
Speaker 1: training camp. So, I mean, you got to get your

718
00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:42,000
Speaker 1: best players out there. To most athletic players, usually it's

719
00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:45,839
Speaker 1: it's you know, you know, cornerbacks, wide receivers. You do

720
00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,600
Speaker 1: get some big guys out there, but your linebackers are

721
00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:50,239
Speaker 1: the guys that can make the tackles if they get

722
00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:52,239
Speaker 1: past that first layer. Well, you got to be able

723
00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:56,160
Speaker 1: to field eleven guys out there on special teams regardless.

724
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:57,840
Speaker 1: You know, I know you don't want certain players to

725
00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:59,440
Speaker 1: be out there to get hurt, but I mean that's

726
00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:01,279
Speaker 1: just not how this game has played. And if you're

727
00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:03,560
Speaker 1: out there and hoping not to get hurt. That's when

728
00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,560
Speaker 1: you do get hurt. But I do think I do

729
00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,800
Speaker 1: think the Cardinals will be cautious with both Collins and Simmons.

730
00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:11,759
Speaker 1: Not that they won't be out there. I just don't

731
00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,480
Speaker 1: know how much they'll be out there. Well. Patrick Peterson

732
00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,520
Speaker 1: he played eighty five snaps last year on special teams,

733
00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:22,040
Speaker 1: about twenty percent, Byron Murphy about twenty percent. DJ Humphreys

734
00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:26,319
Speaker 1: played seventy eight again extra point field goals. So somebody's lineman.

735
00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:28,839
Speaker 1: Calvin beach And played seventy six snaps on special teams

736
00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,600
Speaker 1: last year and a lot of that is again on

737
00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,560
Speaker 1: coverage as far as field goals as well, that's all

738
00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:37,480
Speaker 1: sec points when you're talking about the linemen that are

739
00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,759
Speaker 1: protecting and making sure a kick is not blocked. But

740
00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,200
Speaker 1: when you look at what this team added as far

741
00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:47,480
Speaker 1: as potential special teams this offseason, Sean Williams big special

742
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:50,440
Speaker 1: teams player with the Cincinnati Bengals. Is he more of

743
00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:52,880
Speaker 1: a special teams player or does he play some safety

744
00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,840
Speaker 1: this year? And then the rest of the Cardinals draft class,

745
00:36:55,880 --> 00:37:00,239
Speaker 1: Marco Wilson, Tay Gowan, James Wiggins, how much now they

746
00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:03,319
Speaker 1: got to make the roster. But those players, if they

747
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,640
Speaker 1: do make the roster, it's on special teams. You know,

748
00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:07,239
Speaker 1: you bring up a good point. I'm looking at his

749
00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,759
Speaker 1: son Reddick, who obviously played a ton of snaps on

750
00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:12,520
Speaker 1: defense last year close at seventy nine, but he only

751
00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:15,319
Speaker 1: played forty three snaps. I wonder where those forty three

752
00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:19,240
Speaker 1: snaps were before Chandler Jones down and then Dennis Gardick.

753
00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:21,560
Speaker 1: But it's a good point. And he became a starter

754
00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:23,960
Speaker 1: where he was a backup going into the season. That's

755
00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:26,640
Speaker 1: always an interesting conversation. You'd love to be a fly

756
00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:29,440
Speaker 1: on the wall when something like that happens and you

757
00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,520
Speaker 1: have that conversation either with the defensive coordinator or the

758
00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:34,920
Speaker 1: offensive coordinator and the special team's chord and you're like,

759
00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,839
Speaker 1: all right, well, X player, we no longer have him

760
00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:43,360
Speaker 1: at our availability. We need to pull someone off your side.

761
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,160
Speaker 1: You know, it's not going to be, you know, a

762
00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:49,360
Speaker 1: complete poll as far as you're no longer going to

763
00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:51,920
Speaker 1: have that player on special teams. But you have to

764
00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:55,600
Speaker 1: be cautious. I mean, it's not that it's offense and

765
00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,319
Speaker 1: defense is more important than special teams. So that's what

766
00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:01,920
Speaker 1: many people believe. But how how many snaps are utilized

767
00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:05,640
Speaker 1: offense and defenses versus how many snaps are on special teams,

768
00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:07,440
Speaker 1: And where do you have the most bang for your

769
00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:09,799
Speaker 1: buck if you will, if you have a player who

770
00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:12,120
Speaker 1: is very good at special teams but also excels on

771
00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:14,759
Speaker 1: offense or defense. Yeah, as we mentioned earlier in the show,

772
00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,000
Speaker 1: Larry Fitzgerald played two snaps on special teams along with

773
00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,960
Speaker 1: Chandler Jones. And when it came to Kyler Murray, Kenyan

774
00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:26,080
Speaker 1: Drake and DeAndre Hopkins and Devin Kennard, Yeah, they didn't

775
00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,160
Speaker 1: play on special teams last year. A little surprised about

776
00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,399
Speaker 1: Kenyan Drake. Although if you're that number one running back,

777
00:38:31,440 --> 00:38:33,440
Speaker 1: maybe you're not that's true, and maybe you get you're

778
00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:36,440
Speaker 1: not an example right there. Obviously you're starting quarterbacks not

779
00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:38,839
Speaker 1: going to be out there. Uh. And I would as

780
00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:40,719
Speaker 1: we talked about at the start, I would not be

781
00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:45,520
Speaker 1: surprised if d hop doesn't find his way, especially when

782
00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,160
Speaker 1: you're trying to not a recover, but as far as

783
00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,160
Speaker 1: protect on an on side kick attempts, you mating the ball,

784
00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:55,200
Speaker 1: get hands hands team exactly normally, Larry Fitzgerald would would

785
00:38:55,280 --> 00:38:59,160
Speaker 1: do that absolutely last point here on special teams as

786
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,640
Speaker 1: we continue here on Cardinals Cover two presented by Hunday,

787
00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:04,560
Speaker 1: probably partner of the Arizona Cardinals. And this is something

788
00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:07,160
Speaker 1: that you have shown me the last couple of years.

789
00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:11,279
Speaker 1: Rick Goslin, longtime NFL rider who has made a name

790
00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:15,280
Speaker 1: for himself as far as ranking each team's special teams

791
00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:19,279
Speaker 1: unit through a system that he devised. There's no way

792
00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,600
Speaker 1: to explain it, but it's one of those things that

793
00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:25,920
Speaker 1: the rest of the league understands it and buys into it.

794
00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:30,680
Speaker 1: So what Rick Goslin says, everyone buys into it and believes.

795
00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:34,560
Speaker 1: He had the Cardinals as the tenth best special teams

796
00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:38,279
Speaker 1: in twenty twenty, fifth best in kickoff coverage, fifth and

797
00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:42,600
Speaker 1: fewest penalties, tied for first with three takeaways, and first

798
00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:46,600
Speaker 1: an opponents starting point twenty three point three yard line

799
00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:51,560
Speaker 1: is where Cardinal opponents started their field position on kickoff return.

800
00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,839
Speaker 1: So that gives you a little idea that it's very good.

801
00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,200
Speaker 1: It's a very good special teams unit. But as we

802
00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:01,640
Speaker 1: discussed here, I think we understand that the return game,

803
00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:05,280
Speaker 1: punt return, kickoff return, that's where we'd like to see

804
00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:07,879
Speaker 1: a little bit more out of that unit. They've been

805
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,319
Speaker 1: very very good, but they can be just a little

806
00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:13,680
Speaker 1: bit better. Rick Gossland longtime NFL right, as you pointed out,

807
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,200
Speaker 1: covering the Dallas Cowboys. I'm sure he started off in

808
00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:19,160
Speaker 1: a small market, kind of like Steve Schoenfeld did. But

809
00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,960
Speaker 1: you know, when Bill Belichick talks about Rick goslind and

810
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:26,319
Speaker 1: we know that Patriots special teams usually finishes one, two

811
00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,719
Speaker 1: or three every single year. And he's also a Hall

812
00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:32,279
Speaker 1: of Fame voter, and he I think towards a lot

813
00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,040
Speaker 1: of part of his career he started covering the Dallas Stars,

814
00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,320
Speaker 1: and I think he just said it's time to retire,

815
00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:41,000
Speaker 1: but he still does his column and every year, you

816
00:40:41,040 --> 00:40:43,319
Speaker 1: know he'll do something that maybe at mid season during

817
00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,279
Speaker 1: the bye week, but at the end of the year

818
00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:49,080
Speaker 1: you're always wondering because the numbers we mentioned they were

819
00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,799
Speaker 1: as impressive as when Gosselin does this. And I don't

820
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:55,040
Speaker 1: know what the formula is, but I'm telling you people

821
00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,440
Speaker 1: are on a league look at that, and just the

822
00:40:57,480 --> 00:41:01,440
Speaker 1: amounts of time that he spends looking at special teams,

823
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:03,759
Speaker 1: and a course of special teams matters. You bring up

824
00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:06,120
Speaker 1: Bill Belichick. There are a lot of head coaches with

825
00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,239
Speaker 1: special teams backgrounds to the point where, you know, I've

826
00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:12,399
Speaker 1: never had this conversation with Jeff Rogers, but as long

827
00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,080
Speaker 1: as he's been in the league, does he have head

828
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:19,239
Speaker 1: coaching aspirations. He's got that assistant head coach title next

829
00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:22,480
Speaker 1: to Cliff Kingsbury. But he is certainly well versed in

830
00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:25,320
Speaker 1: it and what it takes to be a head coach

831
00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,239
Speaker 1: because he's seen it from all sides. I mean, he

832
00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:31,040
Speaker 1: is parts not just special teams, but he is on

833
00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:34,920
Speaker 1: all those meetings as well, lending his opinion his voice

834
00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,879
Speaker 1: in those meetings. Well, you see a guy like Brandon Staley, Yes,

835
00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:39,960
Speaker 1: he coached defense and the Rams have a lot of

836
00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:42,400
Speaker 1: good players. He becomes a first year head coach, you

837
00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:44,799
Speaker 1: know he's been in the league twenty years. Um, you know,

838
00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,279
Speaker 1: you can see it. Sometimes you're off better off being

839
00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:51,000
Speaker 1: a you know, instead of a general, maybe a lieutenant

840
00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:54,239
Speaker 1: where it's a big seat to move over. And he's

841
00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:57,400
Speaker 1: he's moved his family around. But Cardinal's really excited to

842
00:41:57,440 --> 00:41:59,359
Speaker 1: have him. But I don't I don't think he gets

843
00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:01,640
Speaker 1: enough credibly talk about Sean Coogler and I think they're

844
00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:04,880
Speaker 1: just as important as they are advanced Joseph Yes and

845
00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:06,800
Speaker 1: we can go down the list. I really like the staff,

846
00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:09,160
Speaker 1: but when it comes to the coordinators positions, I think

847
00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:11,520
Speaker 1: they checked those boxes. And it's a big reason why

848
00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:15,080
Speaker 1: Bird gang that Jeff Rogers was one of the holdovers

849
00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:18,360
Speaker 1: from the previous coaching staff. I mean, that's that speaks

850
00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:20,840
Speaker 1: volumes now. A lot of that Cliff Kingsbury didn't know

851
00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,240
Speaker 1: much as far as the NFL coaching game was concerned

852
00:42:24,239 --> 00:42:26,800
Speaker 1: and needed some help. But I do think it helped

853
00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,480
Speaker 1: a lot that Jeff Rogers was hired or not retained

854
00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:32,840
Speaker 1: if you will to stick on, to stay on board

855
00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:35,400
Speaker 1: and not only be special teams coordinator, but get that

856
00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,759
Speaker 1: assistant head coach title. Yeah. Like I said earlier, you know,

857
00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:41,440
Speaker 1: when it comes to the strength and conditioning coach and

858
00:42:41,560 --> 00:42:45,080
Speaker 1: the trainer and special teams coordinate, they know all the players.

859
00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:48,200
Speaker 1: You know obviously you know offensive staff will focus on

860
00:42:48,239 --> 00:42:51,080
Speaker 1: the offense, Defensive staff will focus on the defense. Not

861
00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:53,040
Speaker 1: that they're not talking to each other, it's when you

862
00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:54,680
Speaker 1: walk on the field, you're talking to who I was

863
00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:57,440
Speaker 1: next to you. But the fact that Buddy Morris and

864
00:42:57,520 --> 00:42:59,959
Speaker 1: Jeff Rogers they know every single player on this roster

865
00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:02,520
Speaker 1: and they know their personalities and what their strengths are,

866
00:43:02,719 --> 00:43:06,200
Speaker 1: Bird Gang again Protect the Nest. Ticket plans are available

867
00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:08,960
Speaker 1: now you've got the Red Plan the White Plan. Each

868
00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:13,719
Speaker 1: plan includes four games, including prominent primetime matchups at State

869
00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:16,960
Speaker 1: Farm Stadium. For more information, go to ASY Cardinals. Excuse me,

870
00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:19,839
Speaker 1: go to asy Cardinals dot com, slash tickets, or call

871
00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,959
Speaker 1: the Cardinals ticket sales office at six zero two three

872
00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,440
Speaker 1: seven nine zero one zero two. All right, MJ. It's

873
00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:28,919
Speaker 1: been a very solid review with the Cardinals have done

874
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,560
Speaker 1: here in the offseason, from free agency to the draft,

875
00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:36,920
Speaker 1: OTAs and mini camp. Now training camp literally and figuratively

876
00:43:37,160 --> 00:43:40,040
Speaker 1: right around the corner. We'll get more into what we

877
00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:42,040
Speaker 1: hope to see and maybe some questions that we have

878
00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:45,040
Speaker 1: going into training camp. But when I say training camp

879
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:48,480
Speaker 1: to you in twenty twenty one, the biggest story, the

880
00:43:48,520 --> 00:43:51,799
Speaker 1: biggest thing that comes to mind that you hope to see,

881
00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:55,080
Speaker 1: hope to hear. But Cardinals training Camp twenty twenty one

882
00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:59,680
Speaker 1: certainly a precursor we hope to the postseason and it

883
00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:03,040
Speaker 1: has all it started long before training camp. But that's

884
00:44:03,120 --> 00:44:06,040
Speaker 1: also the next mile marker if you will to get

885
00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,000
Speaker 1: to the postseason. Well, the first thing that comes to

886
00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:10,360
Speaker 1: mind is I'm just looking forward to seeing some of

887
00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:12,600
Speaker 1: these young players get a chance of playing the preseason

888
00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:14,640
Speaker 1: because that didn't happen last year. And I think a

889
00:44:14,719 --> 00:44:16,840
Speaker 1: lot of guys first and second year players will benefit.

890
00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:18,960
Speaker 1: And I just want to see how this team comes together.

891
00:44:19,239 --> 00:44:23,280
Speaker 1: What training camp is about, building the groundwork, building relationships,

892
00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:25,719
Speaker 1: and then trusting each other. So when you step on

893
00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:29,000
Speaker 1: the field in September, October, November, December, hopefully January they

894
00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:30,680
Speaker 1: do have a game in January, you want to be

895
00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:33,200
Speaker 1: able to trust your teammates. They laid the groundwork in

896
00:44:33,239 --> 00:44:36,120
Speaker 1: the off season. Now, when you spend the time at

897
00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:39,640
Speaker 1: the hotel and you're in meetings, you're way from your families,

898
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:42,319
Speaker 1: that's where the relationships and trust come in. So I

899
00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:44,480
Speaker 1: want to see them lay the groundwork like they did

900
00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:46,400
Speaker 1: this off seaton. You could see the chemistry and the

901
00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,120
Speaker 1: continuity on the field. You know, there's a little bit

902
00:44:50,120 --> 00:44:52,560
Speaker 1: of tempo and energy out there, and to me, that

903
00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:54,960
Speaker 1: goes a long way when everyone's pulling the same rope.

904
00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:57,759
Speaker 1: And they should be ahead of schedule compared to a

905
00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,400
Speaker 1: year ago. Because they did get that opportunity entity for

906
00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,799
Speaker 1: OTAs and mini camp in the off season. That was

907
00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:05,920
Speaker 1: not the case in twenty twenty going into that season,

908
00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:09,000
Speaker 1: so already you would expect things to be a lot

909
00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:12,040
Speaker 1: more smoother and ahead of the game to where maybe

910
00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:16,240
Speaker 1: it's it's not you're relearning what you are already told

911
00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:19,960
Speaker 1: in May and June, and now it just becomes refresher.

912
00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:22,960
Speaker 1: Now you're doing it a little bit more faster paced,

913
00:45:23,120 --> 00:45:27,040
Speaker 1: and you're hoping that you're not thinking you're reacting out there. Well,

914
00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:29,120
Speaker 1: I think we can make the case as of today

915
00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,640
Speaker 1: Zaven Collins is ahead of Isaiah Simmons going into his

916
00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:37,000
Speaker 1: rookie year, absolutely, and Isaiah Simmons acknowledged that as well.

917
00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:39,560
Speaker 1: And Zaven Collins brought it up that he couldn't imagine

918
00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:42,680
Speaker 1: going into an NFL season without an off season. That

919
00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:46,000
Speaker 1: certainly was something that was asked of him, and that

920
00:45:46,160 --> 00:45:49,160
Speaker 1: was he could not believe that. That is exactly what

921
00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:52,200
Speaker 1: Isaiah Simmons went to. And that's I don't know how

922
00:45:52,239 --> 00:45:54,640
Speaker 1: some of these rookies did it, but props to them.

923
00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,680
Speaker 1: And now you look and focus on twenty twenty one,

924
00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:01,120
Speaker 1: year two for Isaiah Simmons, year one for Zaven Collins,

925
00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:03,800
Speaker 1: and the rest of the twenty twenty one draft class,

926
00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,360
Speaker 1: much more on training camp as we inch closer to

927
00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:11,640
Speaker 1: that date in late July. On that note, we will

928
00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:14,680
Speaker 1: put a lid on this edition of Cardinals Cover two,

929
00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:18,279
Speaker 1: presented by Hunday, proud partner of the Arizona Cardinals. As all,

930
00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:21,320
Speaker 1: we special thanks to our executive producer, Jim Almahundro for

931
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:23,640
Speaker 1: Mike Jarecki, I'm preg Riel Loup. We'll talk to you

932
00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:25,600
Speaker 1: next time here on Cardinals Cover two.