1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Idea little something you may remember from the good old day. 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: I feel so old. The Senior Moment's crew with you 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: here for another edition of our Sterling podcast. Brian Sexton, 4 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 1: John Oz, you're Joe Fortunato. Week one, Week two, but 5 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: first full week of camp about to conclude with the 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,599 Speaker 1: big family night practice. It's not really a scrimmage anymore, 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: scrimage practice something like that, but folks are gonna come 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: out and there's fireworks and autographs and all of that stuff, 9 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: but they're gonna come out because they've been hearing that 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: their team is pretty good. Have you been seeing that 11 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: on the practice field this week? And by the way, 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: we should mind people. They're in the middle of a 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: grind right now. Last year, this was the grind. This year, 14 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: five straight days of padded practice, you know, watching them 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: today Thursday, I was really struck by a couple of things. 16 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: One is, I guess a cumulative effect of watching O. T. A. 17 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: S the first seven days of this of how much 18 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: more in sync both sides of the ball seemed to be. 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: And maybe it was sparked this thought by A. J. 20 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: Boyer yesterday talking about last year this time he was new, 21 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 1: just trying to figure it out. Claius Campbell was new, 22 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: Bury Church was new, and all these new guys. It 23 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: felt like, we're really pleased when you talk to him 24 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: last year about how well it was going considering how 25 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: new everybody was. But this year, it just feels like 26 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: these guys know who they are, they know what they are. Offensively, 27 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: I wrote this morning and our quick thoughts that we 28 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: do Brian, how the offense knows what it is, it 29 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: knows what it's supposed to be. It's comfortable with what 30 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: it wants to be. Like Bordles looks that and everybody 31 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: on this team, it just feels like we know what 32 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: we are, we know what we do, we we know 33 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: we need to do to be good. We feel like 34 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: we are good, and we feel like we're on a mission. 35 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: And I think every team wants to feel that way 36 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 1: during training camp. Every team is going to tell you 37 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: it feels good about training camp. But to me, this 38 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: looks like an unbelievable combination of a maturing team that 39 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: feels like it's getting close to its peak or team 40 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: on the rise, and yet there's also these young guys 41 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: who are giving you the feeling that they might add 42 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: something special to what we saw last year. It's an 43 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: unbelievably potent mix. And you just want to sit there 44 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: and watch of And your question is will it all 45 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: come together and be as good as you think it is? Well, 46 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: there are a couple of different kinds of teams to 47 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: watch in the playoffs here and above right, you've got 48 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: the the steady team. You know, the Bengals who were 49 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: there every year, didn't necessarily win if that they didn't win. Um. 50 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: And then you've got you know, you've got a team 51 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: like the Patriots, it's there every year, the Colts when 52 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: you were there, there every year. Um, and then you 53 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: get that team. I should include the Steelers because they're 54 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: there every year. The team on the rise, right, Jaguars 55 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: last year we're probably a year early and got there 56 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: on the strength of their defense. But this is a 57 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: team on the Comma team that you can see was 58 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 1: good has gotten better now they know what they are 59 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: as you mentioned, and you here's a fact. Last year, 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: they didn't have this entire team on the practice field 61 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: during training camp. The secondary was ever together until no 62 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: they were because I remember asking the question of these guys, 63 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: and in fact, Jaileen gave me his trademark sneer when 64 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: he doesn't like a question. How long will it take 65 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: for you guys who didn't get to practice together to 66 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: play together? Because what do you mean we can play 67 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: together this week? Well, okay, they're there, and now with 68 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: his return in particular, the defense looks sensational. How about 69 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: how about Marcel Darius. He wasn't hear until late October 70 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: last year, didn't get here to the second half of 71 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: the season. All of a sudden, he looks really good 72 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: because he's been here through the off season. He knows 73 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: the scheme and it's not anymore just you know, reacting 74 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: to what the guy across him is doing. I think 75 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: he might go to the Pro Bowl this year. I mean, 76 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: he's to me, looks like that guy. Now probo voting, 77 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: we get all that. Maybe people won't think that he 78 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: can be the same players in Buffalo here skill wise, 79 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: I said, I said to somebody in practice the day 80 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: may have been you, this guy might be the best offense, 81 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: the best defensive linement on the team. Well, the first 82 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: third pick in the draft. The first thought of that 83 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 1: is you scoff and say, well you got Malik and 84 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: Fowler and and uh In got Way and Campbell, but 85 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: he was the third overall pick in the draft, has 86 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: been at all pro. He's played at a level where 87 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: he is the best in the NFL, a million dollar contract, 88 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: and I guess the point is watching practice this week, 89 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: you can see what you saw why in fly ashes 90 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,559 Speaker 1: last year. You see why every day this year. Here's 91 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: what I like in this team too. Right now, you 92 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: sort of mentioned a little bit. It feels like the 93 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: guy and it's probably terrible analogy, but it feels like 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: the guy who's been working out all summer and flexing 95 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: in the mayor who can't wait to go to the 96 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: beach and flex. This team can't wait to get out 97 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: on the field week one, whenever it is and show 98 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: people how good they are because they really believe they're good. Now, 99 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: people listening might say, well, that can blow up in 100 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: their face, John, Well, sure it can't. I don't see it. 101 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: That's the vibe you get from this team. They have 102 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: to go do it. But you know I started off 103 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: this camp thinking they were good. Yet you sort of 104 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: when you think a team is good, you look for 105 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: something that's going to blow up. And I just see 106 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: this team. The more it practices together, I think the more. 107 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: It tells them again how good they are. They're proving 108 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: to themselves again each day in practice. Hey, this might 109 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: be we thought, I'll tell you what. Last year we 110 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: talked at the defense and Leonard for Neat. Well, you 111 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: know this year, one of the reasons why I think 112 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: this team may be better than I even expected was 113 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: the play on practice a couple of the offensive linemen 114 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: I think looks sensation. Jeremy Parnell has had a terrific 115 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: camp A J Cann who was the guy that we 116 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: all pointed to it and said, Okay, you know you 117 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: think Cam Robinson's coming and Parnell can still play, and 118 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: you've got lender that they paid eleven million and they 119 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: went out and grabbed the guard. But you gotta figure 120 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: out the weak spot there. That's camp. We Cam has 121 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: been anything about the weak spot. In the very first 122 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: night of practice and pads, he was putting guys on 123 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,799 Speaker 1: their back. I think he's been incredibly consistent. In fact, 124 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: working against Darius in some of the one on one 125 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: pass rushing, he has held his own. You can do 126 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 1: that against Marcel. You're doing against the best. I was 127 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: gonna say, you just heard the effusive praise that we 128 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: put on Marcell's shoulders and Can was beating him. Now Norwell, obviously, 129 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: Lenda Norwell, I think has been very, very good, and 130 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: Can's getting you know. I mean, look, Cam has his 131 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: hands full because he gets lay us every time, he 132 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: gets unique every time. He's got a ways to go, 133 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: but he looks like he's gotten bigger and stronger. That 134 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: was kind of a knock on him. Interesting that it's 135 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: clear this defense is really good, you know, really really 136 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: really good. I would be you never know where a 137 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: team is going to rank, but I think this defense, 138 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: even if it has just an okay year for it, 139 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: it's clearly a top ten defense, you know, I mean, 140 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: even if it doesn't fulfill his expectations, it's good. If 141 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: they're healthy. I don't see any way in the world 142 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: they're not really good on defense. Last year, because we 143 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: didn't have a frame of reference for this team, we 144 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: thought the offense was really bad in training camp, and 145 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: as it turned out, it was shaky, probably because more 146 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: of youth and playing against a really really good defense, 147 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: And once it all shook out, you could look back 148 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: and say, Okay, we missed that a little bit. I 149 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: think his defense is really good. And I haven't seen 150 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: a day yet where I walked off the field and 151 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: thought the defensive destroy the offense today, you know, and 152 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: that's significant because this offense is able to make plays 153 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: d J trts making plays against the secondary. Guys are 154 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: making plays against the secondary. Uh, They're able to move 155 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: the ball. It's not a situation where you've got the 156 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: first team offense running three plays off the field, run 157 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 1: three players off the field every time. It was that 158 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: case Sun last year. So if the offense to me 159 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: looks like it knows what it's doing, looks like it 160 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: can be efficient against these guys. Look out if Leonard 161 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: for Net, who looks terrific and has had a very 162 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: nice start to camp. Although the running game you got 163 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: to see it working against the Saints next week to 164 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: get a fuel for it. But if he can run 165 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 1: the ball, he said today, I want to be great. Okay, Well, 166 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: if he's great this year, you could see a Ravens 167 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: like performance from this defense. Because remember that great. And 168 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: I know people are going whoa, whoa, whoa, but start 169 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: matching up names now and talent. The Ravens and Jamal Lewis, 170 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: who ran for two thousand yards, kept them fresh helped 171 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: them set the tempo. If you have a wrong running game, 172 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: a really strong running game, you could see a chart 173 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: topping sort of season from this talent with the group. 174 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: Because the corners are better than those Ravens corners, and 175 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: and and Telvin Smith and Miles Jack have a chance 176 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: to be really impactful. I'm not saying Ray lewis, but really, really, 177 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: really good. And I think the front is better than 178 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: that front with Rob Burnette and Michael McCurry outside and 179 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: Tony Saragosa and Sam Adams inside. Now again, people, it 180 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: was a really good front. It was really good if 181 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: you can get to a but they were made by 182 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: the running game. This feels like a similar defense in 183 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: the sense that that Ravens defense didn't maybe didn't have 184 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: a Hall of Fame pass rusher, but it had waves, 185 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: it had strength that had men in there, and it 186 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: could go deep. It just kept coming and uh as 187 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: Tony bosellis some time at Michael McCray, I have you know, 188 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: So it feels a little bit like that I'm writing 189 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: today or tomorrow. If Leonard Fernet is, if his plan wore, 190 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: meaning he clearly wanted to get lighter, wanted to get quicker. 191 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: He didn't really say it today, but you would hope 192 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: that the lighter means a more missible player, which I 193 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: thought sometimes last year the missibility thing making guys miss 194 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: was the one thing that you didn't see from that. 195 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: You hoped if his plan works and he's really good, 196 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: which he was good last year, I said, that's not 197 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: a fair thing. But if he's great, look out because 198 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: there were as good as he was and as impactful 199 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: as Leonard was last year, and I don't think they 200 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 1: make the playoffs without him last year. But whenever you 201 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: talked about for Net last year, there was always a 202 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 1: little bit of a butt. The injuries didn't quite you know, 203 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: he had two or three really great games, and then 204 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: a lot of games were after the after the game 205 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: was over with, he had yards. If he's explosive and 206 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 1: is doing once every three games what he did once 207 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: every five last year, it's the most intriguing unknown about 208 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: the team going into me, even more so than Blake Board. 209 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: I don't have an idea what Blake's gonna be. But 210 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: if for Nett is elite boy. If he is, then 211 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: like I said, this team makes a run at a 212 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: Ravens like year, because remember the Ravens have one Hall 213 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: of Famer on that defense. It was it's Ray Lewis. 214 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: You've got that one incredible impact player. It looks like 215 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: it was everyd wasn't there um in Jalen? And then 216 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 1: you know unique, you got Dante Fowler. Hopefully he comes 217 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: back and gives you another eight sack kind of season, 218 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: which is what Bullware gave them off the edge. Calais 219 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: I think matches up favorably with the Rob Burnett Malik 220 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: inside with Marcel if he plays at a pro Bowl level, 221 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 1: If you have the running game, if for Net is 222 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: as special as you think he could be, I'm with you. 223 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: Watch here's what it really does. Even beyond reality, a 224 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: running game will help the perception of this defense. Following 225 00:11:56,040 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: reason if if you can't stay off the field late, 226 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,719 Speaker 1: a great running game will keep if you're up by ten, 227 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: A great running game keeps the other team from getting 228 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:10,959 Speaker 1: a bunch of bs passing yards that often heard a 229 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: team stats. A great running game and you're draining clock 230 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: for the last seven minutes you're going to this group 231 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: keeps those stats way way down, and it puts you 232 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: into that elite conversation you run the ball in the 233 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: in the fourth quarter in New England, you're in the 234 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. You're walking away, You're walking away from the 235 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: Patriots game, saying we were a lot better than they 236 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: war instead of having tightness at the end and a loss. 237 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely and that does it. Um. I just I see 238 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 1: a team the other thing that just just finish it off. 239 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: They have this belief, they truly want to be great. 240 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: You can see the competitiveness. Jalen mentioned it. He said, 241 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: if they're open, it's because they pushed off right and 242 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: boy and and he does it brash to the boy, 243 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:52,719 Speaker 1: looks you in the eye with the big eyes and 244 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: says that's absolutely correct. The way that they practice against 245 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: their own team, The way that they keep them out 246 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: of the end zone, you know in goal line gels. 247 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: The competitiveness of this team and the desire to be great, 248 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: I think is the X factor to this whole equation. 249 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: You know, it's funny. I worried the first couple of 250 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: weeks after the Patriots lost. I wrote it, said it, 251 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: we talked about it. I worried about a hangover effect. 252 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: I really did, because what a gut punch, and you wondered, 253 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: can you really come back from that, you know, the 254 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: monumental heavy lift mountain climb it takes to get even 255 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: as close as they were last year, and then the 256 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: emotional letdown when it doesn't happen. And I wondered even 257 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: talking to Doug Moron afterward and talking to players. Boy, 258 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: this is tough to come back from. And you can 259 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: see why teams that lose Super Bowls have trouble coming back. 260 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:46,200 Speaker 1: I get zero feel that that's going to have any 261 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: effect at all, and it could have, but I don't 262 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: get the feeling it's got an effect. Has been sentenced 263 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: the first to the offseason program. Forget last year. We're 264 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: starting from the bottom. It's harder to do than saying 265 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: into it. Yeah, good, all right, John, thanks so much. 266 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: Al Right, buddy, John ow Is your ladies and gentlemen. 267 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 1: That'll do it. Senior Moments complete right now, thanks to 268 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: Joe Fortunato. Talk to you next week.