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Speaker 1: I mean, I'm kind of labeled them as of now

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Speaker 1: you know, legion of Boom two point zero because of

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Speaker 1: obviously Gus Bradley had the original Legion of Boom in Seattle.

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Speaker 1: This group has some trait of that group.

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Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, Chris here you with you On a new

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Speaker 2: episode of Chargers Weekly. That was a voice of ESPN's

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Speaker 2: Eric Williams discussing the very deep and talented Charger secondary.

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Speaker 2: We'll wrap the offseason with Eric a bit later, but

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Speaker 2: first football writing Royalty Pro Football Talk, Sharen Williams joins

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Speaker 2: me to spin around the NFL. I also get her

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Speaker 2: thoughts on the Chargers in year two under head coach

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Speaker 2: Anthony Lynn. It's an honor and a pleasure for me

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Speaker 2: to welcome on our next guest. She's the recipient of

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Speaker 2: the twenty eighteen Dick McCann Award. Sharen Williams of Pro

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Speaker 2: Football Talk joins me on Chargers Weekly. And Sharen, first,

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Speaker 2: congrats on such an amazing honor, and thanks so much

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Speaker 2: for your time today.

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Speaker 3: How are you.

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Speaker 4: I'm good. Thanks for the congratulations and I appreciate it,

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Speaker 4: and thanks for having me on.

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Speaker 2: Well, it's my pleasure and it's really for me because

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Speaker 2: I'm talking to a Hall of Famer, right. You're the

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Speaker 2: fiftieth recipient of this award, the first female, and you're

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Speaker 2: going to be formally introduced in Canton this August at

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Speaker 2: the Gold Jacket ceremony. Just so our listeners know, this

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Speaker 2: is given to a reporter with a long and distinguished

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Speaker 2: contribution to pro football through their coverage. It's selected by

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Speaker 2: the Pro Football Writers of America. When you receive the news,

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Speaker 2: sharene describe your emotions.

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Speaker 4: Well, surprise, I think is the first word that comes

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Speaker 4: to mind, because you look at that list for past

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Speaker 4: recipients and it's an incredible list of all the men

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Speaker 4: on there. And my first reaction was what am I

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Speaker 4: doing on here? I think it was some sort of

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Speaker 4: voting mistake or something. But it is an honor and

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Speaker 4: truly humbled and honored to be the first female to

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Speaker 4: receive it too, and honored to be going in also

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Speaker 4: with Andrey Kramer, who won the broadcast version of this

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Speaker 4: award and also will be going in in August. So

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Speaker 4: just truly an honor. I think is probably the biggest

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Speaker 4: feeling that I have right now, and maybe a little

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Speaker 4: bit of disbelief.

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Speaker 3: Well, you know, you.

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Speaker 2: Of course, you cover the Cowboys for a large portion

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Speaker 2: of your career at the Star Telegram. It has to

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Speaker 2: be surreal for you just a little bit to know

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Speaker 2: that you're headed to the Hall alongside so many of

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Speaker 2: the greats that you covered.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, well that's true. And you know, to see Garry

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Speaker 4: Jones go in, you know last year, and Jason Whittene

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Speaker 4: will be going in here in a few years, and

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Speaker 4: all the Buccaneers I covered. I started my career in

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Speaker 4: Tampa with the Orlando Sentinel, and you know, Derek Brooks

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Speaker 4: and Warren Sapp and you know, all those guys were

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Speaker 4: my guys. John Lynch I think will be in one day.

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Speaker 4: And so yeah, I think that adds to it, is

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Speaker 4: the fact that that all those guys I covered are

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Speaker 4: in the Hall of Fame, have their bust in there,

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Speaker 4: and it's going to be really cool to go back

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Speaker 4: through there and look at some of the bus and

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Speaker 4: take some pictures with them. I haven't seen last year's

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Speaker 4: class yet in there. I was there last year when

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Speaker 4: those guys went in, and was at Jerry Jones's party,

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Speaker 4: and was at LT's party too. That's special too.

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Speaker 3: That's right.

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Speaker 4: From here in TCU and we have a close relationship

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Speaker 4: and to see him go in last year too was

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Speaker 4: really cool. So last year was really really special, and

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Speaker 4: obviously this year will be special for me too, and

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Speaker 4: so great.

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Speaker 2: Well, hey, we're so excited to talk charges with you today.

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Speaker 2: But I want to start a little general here because

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Speaker 2: there's been so much player movement, so much coaching movement,

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Speaker 2: as so many storylines this offseason. What are the first

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Speaker 2: few things that come to mind if you were to

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Speaker 2: summarize the last five months or so in the NFL.

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Speaker 4: Well, I think when you look at it, probably the

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Speaker 4: two biggest storylines or the two Super Bowl teams, And

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Speaker 4: you look at the Patriots and all the turmoil and

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Speaker 4: everything that they've gone through this offseason, and to wonder

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Speaker 4: how they're going to play, and they always seem to

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Speaker 4: find a way. There's no doubt. They're always in contention.

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Speaker 4: And the AFC always goes through New England, and I

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Speaker 4: think it will again, but we haven't seen this in

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Speaker 4: New England before, and it's been really strange this off

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Speaker 4: season for them. So I want to see how that

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Speaker 4: plays out, and see how Brady plays at forty one

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Speaker 4: and is he thinking about retirement now? You know, put

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Speaker 4: some doubts and minds with that interview on OPRAH, And so,

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Speaker 4: you know, I think there's a lot to watch in

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Speaker 4: New England with Gronkowski two and Belichick and the whole

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Speaker 4: relationship there. And then you know with Philadelphia, on paper anyway,

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Speaker 4: they look better, and you have Carson Wentz coming back,

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Speaker 4: and you have Jason Peters turned back, and you have

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Speaker 4: Darren Sprolls coming back, all those guys that come back

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Speaker 4: from injuries, and then what they did in the offseason

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Speaker 4: getting Michael Bennett type players and all those guys that

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Speaker 4: they got that they look better, but we know how

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Speaker 4: hard it is to repeat. So are they going to

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Speaker 4: be able to repeat? And are they going to be

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Speaker 4: able to do it with a different quarterback than what

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Speaker 4: they had? Is Carson Wentz going to be ready week one?

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Speaker 4: So all those things in Philadelphia that are transpiring I

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Speaker 4: think makes it very interesting to watch both of those teams. Again,

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Speaker 4: on paper, I look like the two best teams in

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Speaker 4: football that the AFC is going to go through New

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Speaker 4: England and the NFC is going to go through Philadelphia.

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Speaker 4: But when we know how these things plays out, there's injuries,

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Speaker 4: there's not the same chemistry. These are different teams than

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Speaker 4: there were last year. Maybe it didn't quite mesh with

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Speaker 4: the way it did last season for those two teams.

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Speaker 4: So it's going to be again another interesting season. But

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Speaker 4: I think those are the two biggest storylines that we're

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Speaker 4: going to be following early on.

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Speaker 2: Well, you're right, Shreda. It's never what it seems in June.

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Speaker 2: And you look at both conferences, starting with the NFC.

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Speaker 2: You mentioned the Super Bowl champion Eagles, you got the Vikings,

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Speaker 2: the Rams, and the forty nine Ers seem to be

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Speaker 2: the it teams this offseason. Aaron Rodgers is coming back

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Speaker 2: under center in Green Bay. The NFC South, that entire

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Speaker 2: division's competitive, the Seahawks, the upstart Bears, Cowboys, Giants, Redskins.

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Speaker 2: It's a very crowded field in the NFC.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, it really is, and I think it's going to

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Speaker 4: be a really good race. And you know, the faust

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Speaker 4: with what they did two years ago, and as you said,

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Speaker 4: the facts Aaron Rodgers coming by, There's looks like some

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Speaker 4: really good teams there. You know, the Vikings again with

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Speaker 4: a new quarterback, are interesting with Kirks now instead of

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Speaker 4: Case Keenum and Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater who they

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Speaker 4: had last year, and then you know, I just think

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Speaker 4: it's a really interesting conference, and I'm you know again,

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Speaker 4: it's so hard to repeat that. I think any of

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Speaker 4: those teams that you named are going to have a

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Speaker 4: chance come January to be the team that gets hot

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Speaker 4: there at the end and has a chance to get

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Speaker 4: in the playoffs playoffs and win playoff games and go

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Speaker 4: to the super Bowl. So that's going to be a

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Speaker 4: really interesting conference to watch, especially if Philadelphia has some

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Speaker 4: injuries and doesn't quite have the depth they had last season,

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Speaker 4: or Carson Wentz isn't exactly back to one hundred after

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Speaker 4: tearing his knee up in that November game against the Rams,

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Speaker 4: So it's going to be a fun Both of them

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Speaker 4: are going to be fun conferences to watch and see

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Speaker 4: how those things play out.

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Speaker 2: Of course, the Chargers played the NFC West this year,

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Speaker 2: and you know I mentioned the Rams and the forty

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Speaker 2: nine Ers, Seahawks, Cardinals.

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Speaker 3: I think everybody is competitive.

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Speaker 2: I really can't look at the NFC and see a

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Speaker 2: team that I can definitively say this team has no

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Speaker 2: chance to make the playoffs.

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Speaker 3: I really think all sixteen teams have a shot really.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you. This year is really weird

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Speaker 4: in that way because you know, last year we were

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Speaker 4: all saying, oh, the Browns are going to be terrible,

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Speaker 4: and they were. But I don't think you look at

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Speaker 4: anybody in football right now and go, oh, this team

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Speaker 4: is going to be terrible, because I don't think there

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Speaker 4: is an oh to sixteen team or one or fifteen team,

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Speaker 4: at least not on paper, and we know a lot

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Speaker 4: changes with the injuries and everything else that happens. But

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Speaker 4: I agree with you that that when you look at

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Speaker 4: the NFC, there's not that one bad team you start

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Speaker 4: name or you go, yeah, they're gonna be pretty competitive. Yeah,

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Speaker 4: they're gonna be pretty competitive. I think the one team

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Speaker 4: I kind of look at that I see trending downward

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Speaker 4: a little bit just because of what happened in the offseason.

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Speaker 4: It's probably Seattle. But they still have Russell Wilson at quarterback.

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Speaker 4: So I don't think they're going to be terrible. I

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Speaker 4: think they're still going to be in that race for

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Speaker 4: the NFC WET, but I could see them taking a

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Speaker 4: step back just from all the losses they've had. But

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Speaker 4: you know, all the other teams you look at and

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Speaker 4: you go, well, that could be a pretty decent team.

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Speaker 4: And that could be a pretty decent team. And I

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Speaker 4: even a Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You look at them and

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Speaker 4: you think, well, they've made some changes in the offseason.

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Speaker 4: They really proved that defensive line. They're going to be

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Speaker 4: tough on the defensive line, get a heck of a

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Speaker 4: lot more sacks than they did last season. They may

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Speaker 4: be competitive, you know, if Jameis Winston could step up.

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Speaker 4: So I agree with you. There's no one team in

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Speaker 4: there you just look at and go, that's going to

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Speaker 4: be a horrible team. You know, maybe Chicago I would

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Speaker 4: say probably is the sixteenth team. But is Trubisky going

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Speaker 4: to step up and be significantly better in his second season?

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Speaker 4: And if he is, they're not going to be terrible.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, you never know.

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Speaker 2: I guess they have a new coach and you know,

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Speaker 2: second year, you saw what Jared Golf was able to

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Speaker 2: do with the Rams.

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Speaker 3: They got some new weapons around Trubisky. So I agree

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Speaker 3: with you.

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Speaker 2: I think the Bears could be in the mix for

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Speaker 2: a potential a run there in the NFC as well.

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Speaker 3: You move over to the AFC, it always starts with

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Speaker 3: new England.

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Speaker 2: You mentioned the Patriots, then you got Pittsburgh, he got Jacksonville,

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Speaker 2: and I think after that you could put the Chiefs

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Speaker 2: in the Chargers in that conversation, what do you think

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Speaker 2: in the AFC screen?

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Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree with you, and I think you know,

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Speaker 4: Houston has to be in there a little bit too.

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Speaker 4: With what Deshaun Watson was able to do in the

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Speaker 4: seven games he played last there's a lot of excitement

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Speaker 4: with Deshaun Watson and JJ Watt and those guys coming

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Speaker 4: back that they lost on defense last year. You know,

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Speaker 4: that could be a really good football team again too.

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Speaker 4: But you're right, all of those teams look like they're

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Speaker 4: going to be ultra competitive. Uh and the Super Bowl

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Speaker 4: goes through New England. But hey, any of those teams

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Speaker 4: that you mentioned have a chance to be the team,

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Speaker 4: and you know, win enough games to get to the

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Speaker 4: playoffs and then once you get to the playoffs, get

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Speaker 4: in there and win a game or two and suddenly

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Speaker 4: you're in the AFT Championship Game and one went one

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Speaker 4: game away from the Super Bowl. Nobody would pick the

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Speaker 4: Vikings last year to get to the AFC Championship Game.

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Speaker 4: Nobody would pick the Jaguars last year to get to

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Speaker 4: the AFC Championship Game. There's always that one or two

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Speaker 4: teams that comes out of I don't want to say nowhere,

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Speaker 4: but you know, makes a run there that gets them

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Speaker 4: to the championship game that we didn't see coming at

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Speaker 4: the beginning of the season. I think to be that

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Speaker 4: way again. You know, the Jaguars to me look really

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Speaker 4: good again on paper, except for Blake Bortles. Can he

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Speaker 4: get them over that hump? He wasn't able to do

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Speaker 4: it last year? Can't he do it? That defense is

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Speaker 4: going to be really good. It's going to keep him

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Speaker 4: in every game. The running game looks pretty good. But

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Speaker 4: what is Blake Bortle's going to do? And I don't

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Speaker 4: know that he's the quarterback to get them over the hump?

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Speaker 4: And if he does it this year, then I think

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Speaker 4: they've got to go search for a quarterback to try

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Speaker 4: to get to them to the next level, which is

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Speaker 4: the Super Bowl.

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Speaker 2: Well, speaking of quarterback changes, a lot of changes in

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Speaker 2: the AFC West. I think everybody pointed to this division.

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Speaker 2: Last year's s areena is the best in football going

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Speaker 2: into twenty seventeen and obviously didn't pan out that way

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Speaker 2: and I don't think there was another division this offseason

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Speaker 2: with as many dramatic changes, perhaps the NFC North. But

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Speaker 2: give me your broad overview of everything that happened in

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Speaker 2: the AFC West this offseason.

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Speaker 3: No that mini camps are wrapped up.

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Speaker 4: Well, I love the Chiefs, you know, I think we

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Speaker 4: don't know enough about Patrick Mahomes. So we know they

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Speaker 4: oh my gosh, they may have more weapons on offense

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Speaker 4: than any team in the NFL.

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Speaker 3: Very dangerous, I including.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, including the Eagle whoever you want to tell Rams

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Speaker 4: Eagles whoever. I think that the Chiefs may be very

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Speaker 4: dangerous with all the weapons they have. They can run

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Speaker 4: the ball, they could pass playing to it. But we

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Speaker 4: don't know enough about Patrick Mahomes. I mean, this guy

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Speaker 4: started one game, or we're convinced that he is going

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Speaker 4: to be the second Coming after one game. I think

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Speaker 4: he's gonna have some ups and downs. I think there

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Speaker 4: are gonna be some games we're gonna look at him

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Speaker 4: and go, oh my gosh, what did the Chiefs do

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Speaker 4: training Alex Smith? And there's gonna be other games when

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Speaker 4: he's gonna be really, really good and we're gonna say, yeah, okay,

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Speaker 4: we see that. But again, it's sort of like the Jags.

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Speaker 4: Alex Smith wasn't able to get the football team over

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Speaker 4: the hump. He was two and five in the postseason.

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Speaker 4: You got to be better than that. They just they

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Speaker 4: get there and they and they can't do anything in

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Speaker 4: the postseason. So eventually got to make it changed to

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Speaker 4: get over that hump, to get you where you want

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Speaker 4: to go, and they weren't able to do it with

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Speaker 4: Alex Smith. So you know, I think it was a

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Speaker 4: needed move to make. But you know, I'm not giving

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Speaker 4: anything to the Chiefs because we don't know enough about

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Speaker 4: the quarterback. And then you know, with Denver changing quarterbacks too,

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Speaker 4: you know, is Case Keenum going to be the guy

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Speaker 4: we saw last year? He's going to be the guy

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Speaker 4: we saw the first part of his career or most

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Speaker 4: of his career when he just he didn't get it done.

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Speaker 4: You know, they're again a good defensive team, as we

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Speaker 4: all know, and they still got a few weapons on offense.

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Speaker 4: But it's going to come back to how Case Keenum plays.

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Speaker 4: And then you know, Oakland's quarterback stays the same. But

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Speaker 4: I don't like what they did in the offseason. That's

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Speaker 4: one team I think it's not going to be as

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Speaker 4: good as some people maybe think they're going to be,

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Speaker 4: only because they have so many players over the age

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Speaker 4: of thirty, and I think you need some veterans for

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Speaker 4: veteran leadership to show you the way, to show you

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Speaker 4: how it's done. They have too many, and I just

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Speaker 4: think some of those guys are going to break down.

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Speaker 4: I just I don't see this as a really good

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Speaker 4: football team yet. And he maybe build him that way,

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Speaker 4: but I just don't see this as good football team.

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Speaker 4: I think they're going to be fourth in the West,

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Speaker 4: and I think it's going to be the other three

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Speaker 4: teams competing for the AFC West title. I think he's

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Speaker 4: got some building to do there, and I think that

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Speaker 4: building's going to have to entail getting some young players

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Speaker 4: and being willing to play those young players well.

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Speaker 2: The Chargers beat the Raiders in Week seventeen and beat

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Speaker 2: them both times last year. They ended the year winning

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Speaker 2: nine of twelve. Obviously had that tough oh and four starting.

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Speaker 2: I know you covered coach Lynn when he was a

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Speaker 2: running backs coach for the Cowboys and five and six

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Speaker 2: under Bill Parcells.

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Speaker 3: Did you get to know him much during his time

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Speaker 3: in Dallas?

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Speaker 4: I did and you know, a lot of respect for

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Speaker 4: him and the assistant head coach there, George Stewart obviously

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Speaker 4: was in Tampa when I was there, a lot of

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Speaker 4: respect for him, and Alfredo Roberts obviously was in Dallas

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Speaker 4: for a while. So but you know, there's some familiar

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Speaker 4: names to me on that coaching staff, and boy, I

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Speaker 4: hope Anthony Lane can get it Donnie. He's a super

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Speaker 4: guy and I think he's a great football coach. And

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Speaker 4: I love what he was able to do last season.

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Speaker 4: I think he established a foundation and taught him how

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Speaker 4: to win, which you have to do first before you

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Speaker 4: can take that next step. And I think they've started

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Speaker 4: on that path and I think this is a team

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Speaker 4: that's going to compete for the AFC West title. I

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Speaker 4: really like what they've done in the offseason. I like

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Speaker 4: what he did last year and establishing the culture and

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Speaker 4: putting his program in place, and I think it's going

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Speaker 4: to be a really fun team to watch and not

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Speaker 4: going to surprise me at all. In fact, they're my

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Speaker 4: favorite to win the NFC West this year. I think

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Speaker 4: they're going to get it done and get in the

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Speaker 4: playoffs and be a force to be.

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Speaker 2: Reckoned with in the playoffs, assuring Philip Rivers entering his

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Speaker 2: fifteenth year.

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Speaker 3: They've upgraded the old line.

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Speaker 2: Obviously, losing Hunter Henry is a big blow, but you

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Speaker 2: do have four receivers to be excited about, led by

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Speaker 2: Keenan Allen Melvin Gordon in the backfield. But I look

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Speaker 2: at the defense, This has the potential to be the

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Speaker 2: best defense that I think Philip Rivers has ever played with,

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Speaker 2: led by Gus Bradley in your two.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, it's going to be a fun defense unless you're

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Speaker 4: the opposing quarterback, opposing office playing against them, and you

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Speaker 4: know they're gonna put a lot of pressure on the quarterback.

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Speaker 4: With Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram and all those guys

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Speaker 4: up front. I just think that's a great UH front

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Speaker 4: four that they have. And then on the back end too,

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Speaker 4: I mean those corners and you know Jason Varrett again,

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Speaker 4: another guy from TCU here, and we know what he

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Speaker 4: can do. We saw it the one year he was

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Speaker 4: able to play enough games to make the Pro Ball.

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Speaker 4: But an outstanding corner if he can stay on the

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Speaker 4: football field, and I just think it's gonna be hard

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Speaker 4: to throw against them with that pass rush. If Casey

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Speaker 4: Hayward and Jason Barrett stay on the field. Uh, it's

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Speaker 4: gonna be tough for opposing quarterbacks to get the ball

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Speaker 4: down the field. And you're right. I think this is

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Speaker 4: probably the best defense that Philip Rivers has had, which

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Speaker 4: is gonna help him. Good defense always helps the quarterback

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Speaker 4: and time of possession and all those sorts of things.

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Speaker 4: And they're gonna be able to run the football too,

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Speaker 4: which I think helps him in his quest to do

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Speaker 4: what he hasn't done so far. And I think it's

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Speaker 4: gonna be a really good football team.

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Speaker 2: Surean, I want to get your take on this because

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Speaker 2: obviously Derwin James is in the fold now too. But

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Speaker 2: we've talked about this over the last couple of weeks.

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Speaker 2: The ability for the Chargers to go four deep at

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Speaker 2: corner if Jason Verrett is healthy, because Trevor Williams started

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Speaker 2: fifteen games last year. Desmond King, a fifth round pick,

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Speaker 2: was really great in the nickel last year. There's not

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Speaker 2: many teams I know covering the league, you know the

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Speaker 2: last twenty plus years, not many teams that could go

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Speaker 2: four deep at corner. Couple that with a pass rush

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Speaker 2: with Joey Bosa and.

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Speaker 4: Melvin Ingram, Yeah, no doubt about it. I love their

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Speaker 4: secondary with Derwin James now and there to it at

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Speaker 4: free safety. I just think that's going to be a

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Speaker 4: great secondary, especially if Rrett stays healthy. They've just got

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Speaker 4: all those guys, all those corners who have so much experience,

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Speaker 4: and if one guy's not working, they put in another guy.

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Speaker 4: And I just think you need three and four corners

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Speaker 4: now anyway, with as much nicol and dime that teams play,

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Speaker 4: and I think they're going to be able to do

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Speaker 4: that as well as any team in the league againsuming

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Speaker 4: Burrett stays healthy. And I know we keep saying FFF,

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Speaker 4: but he hasn't done it except for one season so far,

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Speaker 4: so hopefully he can't stay healthy. And that's a really

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Speaker 4: good secondary this season for the Chargers, and you know,

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Speaker 4: on paper it looks outstanding as the first for I

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Speaker 4: just think there'll be tough to throw against. I think

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Speaker 4: you're going to have to run the ball, and that's

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Speaker 4: it'll be easy either, but you're going to have to

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Speaker 4: establish the run if you're going to be able to

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Speaker 4: move the ball at all against.

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Speaker 2: The Chargers for the first five games are in Los Angeles,

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Speaker 2: a road game against the Rams in Week three. You

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Speaker 2: talk about a fast start in twenty eighteen, you need that,

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Speaker 2: especially with starting zero to four and twenty seventeen, I

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Speaker 2: think it's paramount to get off to that fast start. Srean,

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Speaker 2: I'll get you out of here on this. What are

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Speaker 2: you most intrigued by as we enter the twenty eighteen season.

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Speaker 2: Just a couple of story lines that you're really excited

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Speaker 2: to see as we get to September. Just from the league, Yeah,

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Speaker 2: just from a league perspective.

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Speaker 4: Oh wow.

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Speaker 3: You know.

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Speaker 4: I think it's all the movement of all those quarterbacks,

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Speaker 4: you know, to seek her cousins uh play in Minnesota,

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Speaker 4: to see case Keenum uh in Denver, uh and see

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Speaker 4: what they're gonna do. And then the young quarterbacks too,

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Speaker 4: we have you know coming into the league. Is Baker

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Speaker 4: Mayfield even can get to get on the field. Sam

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Speaker 4: Darnold looks like he's gonna win the Jets starting job

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Speaker 4: or if not, he's probably gonna play early in the season.

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Speaker 4: So I think all those things are are going to

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Speaker 4: be things to watch as we go through training camp

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Speaker 4: and into the season. But I think it's just the

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Speaker 4: quarterback changes. I don't know that We've seen this many

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Speaker 4: big name quarterbacks change teams UH in a in a

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Speaker 4: single season, and and so I think it's going to

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Speaker 4: be fun to see how those things play out, how

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Speaker 4: Patrick Mahomes does, how Alex Smith does UH in Washington

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Speaker 4: and in all these quarterback changes, and and that to

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Speaker 4: me is the biggest thing and the seeing I'm most

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Speaker 4: excited to watch as we move forward.

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Speaker 3: The NFL never disappoints with storyline. Serene. I can't thank

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Speaker 3: you enough your time today.

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Speaker 5: Again.

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Speaker 2: Congratulations on such an incredible and well deserved We can't

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Speaker 2: wait to see you in Canton in August, and we'll

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Speaker 2: hopefully talk to you during the season.

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Speaker 4: Sound great, Thanks for having me on.

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Speaker 6: So the Los Angeles Chargers schedule is out, and boy,

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Speaker 6: it's nice to finally know how we'll be spending our

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Speaker 6: Sundays this fall. How many Charger games did you make

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Speaker 6: last year? Matt?

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Speaker 5: I made twenty four preseason games and sixteen regular season

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Speaker 5: games last year.

437
00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,320
Speaker 6: Which are you circling for this season?

438
00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,240
Speaker 5: This season? I'll circle the Niners and Cardinals. Says they

439
00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,080
Speaker 5: play the NFC West, and let's not forget about those

440
00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,720
Speaker 5: rivalry games. Pee, you seriously don't want to miss this.

441
00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,800
Speaker 6: Visit fight for la dot Com or call eight seven

442
00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,800
Speaker 6: seven Chargers to share Matt's experience.

443
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,400
Speaker 5: Season tickets on sale. No a Charger fans.

444
00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,240
Speaker 2: This is Melvin Gordon, the official podcast that the team

445
00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:47,520
Speaker 2: is Charges Weekly.

446
00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:49,520
Speaker 5: USPNS.

447
00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,400
Speaker 2: Eric Williams joins me to wrap up Chargers Mini Camp

448
00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,520
Speaker 2: in the offseason in general. And Eric, let's just start

449
00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,360
Speaker 2: with Mini camp and move backwards. What did you see

450
00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,000
Speaker 2: as the biggest difference from last week's Mini camp compared

451
00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,240
Speaker 2: to last seasons in Coachland's first year.

452
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:08,600
Speaker 1: Well, I guess the first thing is is there's a

453
00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:13,480
Speaker 1: sense of of what he's doing and familiarity. I think,

454
00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,520
Speaker 1: you know, the first year he was here, he was

455
00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,680
Speaker 1: really trying to establish an sense of identity and culture

456
00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,000
Speaker 1: and how they were going to go about things. And

457
00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:26,000
Speaker 1: I think this year, you since from the veteran players

458
00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,359
Speaker 1: that hey, they kind of know what's happening with you know,

459
00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,560
Speaker 1: with the with the running early on UH and offseason

460
00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,960
Speaker 1: worked up to Mini camp and and and how practice

461
00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,639
Speaker 1: was running. There was more surety I think from the

462
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,600
Speaker 1: veterans in terms of how things were going to go.

463
00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:41,480
Speaker 1: So I guess he did a good job of kind

464
00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:45,639
Speaker 1: of putting his imprint on the team based on you know,

465
00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,840
Speaker 1: what happened last year to this year. So I think

466
00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,440
Speaker 1: that's that's the first thing I noticed. I think the

467
00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,480
Speaker 1: second thing is is confidence. I think based on the

468
00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,600
Speaker 1: way that this team performed during the second half of

469
00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,080
Speaker 1: last season, there's a lot of confidence from all the

470
00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,960
Speaker 1: players that this could be a special year for them

471
00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:07,960
Speaker 1: if they're able to stay healthy. And I think he

472
00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:10,200
Speaker 1: saw that from a lot of the different types of

473
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,800
Speaker 1: plays that the veteran guys are or making. You know,

474
00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,600
Speaker 1: guys like Keenan Allen, I think, you know, really stood

475
00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,360
Speaker 1: out a Gilo die on the defensive side of the football,

476
00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,200
Speaker 1: I think stood out in terms of his play. So

477
00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,000
Speaker 1: I think those are the two things I noticed in

478
00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:25,000
Speaker 1: watching You.

479
00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:25,720
Speaker 3: Make a great point.

480
00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:28,639
Speaker 2: That first point, because in a hey coach's first year,

481
00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,200
Speaker 2: you want to establish that culture, you know, set the

482
00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,480
Speaker 2: organizational goals. That message has to carry even more weight

483
00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,840
Speaker 2: among the players in twenty eighteen, knowing that the foundation

484
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,760
Speaker 2: was set last year. I mean, there's proof in the

485
00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,520
Speaker 2: form of the last twelve games that there's a culture

486
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,879
Speaker 2: of winning that's now expected when you have a new

487
00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:48,440
Speaker 2: head coach.

488
00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,720
Speaker 3: You haven't proved it, yet they proved it in twenty seventeen.

489
00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,800
Speaker 1: Yeah exactly. I mean you go through that stretch where

490
00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,280
Speaker 1: you're zero and four and it looked a little shaky

491
00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,120
Speaker 1: and you're like, is this the guy? And then he's

492
00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,520
Speaker 1: able to work through that adversity to get guys to

493
00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,359
Speaker 1: continue to believe that this is the right plan and

494
00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,639
Speaker 1: then they have success. That kind of confirms that. I

495
00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,000
Speaker 1: think he earns a lot of credibility going to the

496
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,560
Speaker 1: off season that, yeah, what coach is saying is actually

497
00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,200
Speaker 1: gonna work, and you have guys start to believe and

498
00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,920
Speaker 1: believe in that, and that becomes pretty powerful as you

499
00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,800
Speaker 1: move into the second season because now the veterans echo

500
00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,800
Speaker 1: that down to the younger players and the rookies that

501
00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,040
Speaker 1: come in, and you start to kind of, you know,

502
00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:34,600
Speaker 1: get the snowball rolling a little bit.

503
00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,000
Speaker 2: You know, Eric, Around this time last season, Keenan Allen

504
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,840
Speaker 2: was coming off of season ending knee surgery. Jason Rrett

505
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,400
Speaker 2: wasn't practicing. Both of those guys look fantastic. Of course,

506
00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,320
Speaker 2: Keenan showed it all last year. How impactful do you

507
00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,760
Speaker 2: think a healthy Jason Verrett will be to this football team?

508
00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,639
Speaker 2: Because I think that was really one of the stories

509
00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,440
Speaker 2: that came out of Mini camp, a lot of people

510
00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:58,480
Speaker 2: were buzzing about just the fact he's not wearing a brace,

511
00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,520
Speaker 2: and he said he feels is good. He's felt Yeah.

512
00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:03,760
Speaker 1: Well, I think first of all, you have to give

513
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,560
Speaker 1: Trevor Williams a lot of credit because of the way

514
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,920
Speaker 1: he played. We didn't really talk about Jason not being

515
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,600
Speaker 1: out there as much because it really seemed like that

516
00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,960
Speaker 1: that defense didn't miss a beat because Trevor really played

517
00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,200
Speaker 1: at a high level and because he played so well,

518
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,800
Speaker 1: you couldn't just avoid cases you had to throw to

519
00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,159
Speaker 1: that side because Trevor was holding it down on his end.

520
00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,879
Speaker 1: And then Desmond did a great job coming and solidifying

521
00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,560
Speaker 1: that slot defender role. So it didn't seem like you

522
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,800
Speaker 1: missed Jason. But let's not get it twisted. Jason's one

523
00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,760
Speaker 1: of the best cornerbacks in the league. Yes, when he's healthy.

524
00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,000
Speaker 1: So it is an upgrade of Jason's out there on

525
00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:43,760
Speaker 1: the field. And again, I don't know how it's all

526
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,080
Speaker 1: gonna shake out of Trevor's going to move inside. Jason

527
00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,600
Speaker 1: has to stay healthy first. But I think one of

528
00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,080
Speaker 1: the things that Jason does when he's on the field

529
00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,920
Speaker 1: is he adds playmaking ability. So now you can take

530
00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,120
Speaker 1: the ball away even more. When you have a guy

531
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,400
Speaker 1: that can go out and cover like Jason can cover

532
00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,520
Speaker 1: and can make plays, it just it just gives it

533
00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,399
Speaker 1: makes you even more dangerous in the back end because

534
00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,240
Speaker 1: you're probably gonna get get your hands on more footballs

535
00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,639
Speaker 1: with Jason out there because of his speed, the way

536
00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:17,040
Speaker 1: he plays with anticipation, his quickness, his competitiveness that he

537
00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,000
Speaker 1: that he adds there. So it can do nothing but

538
00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,600
Speaker 1: but make that that defense overall better and certainly you

539
00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,880
Speaker 1: know the secondary better. And I'm kind of labeled them

540
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,800
Speaker 1: as of now you know legion of Boom two point

541
00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,280
Speaker 1: zero because of obviously Gus Bradley had the original legion

542
00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,840
Speaker 1: of Boom in Seattle. This group, you know, has some

543
00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,600
Speaker 1: traits of that group that was in Seattle. You talk

544
00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,600
Speaker 1: about Sherman and Thomas and the athletic ability that they

545
00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:46,240
Speaker 1: had up there, but I think they do it a

546
00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,399
Speaker 1: little bit different because their skill sets are different.

547
00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,600
Speaker 2: Another guy that would be in that legion of Boom

548
00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,760
Speaker 2: two point zero was Irwin James, the rookie. What did

549
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,560
Speaker 2: you see from him during rookie Mini camp and last

550
00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,480
Speaker 2: week and then, based on everything you've you've se and

551
00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,600
Speaker 2: who you've talked to among players and coaches, what was

552
00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,480
Speaker 2: your impression of Darwin.

553
00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,160
Speaker 1: I think he was as good as advertised. I think

554
00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,800
Speaker 1: the one thing that that sticks out when you watch

555
00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,359
Speaker 1: and play is the athleticism. You know, a guy that

556
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,200
Speaker 1: can run like the little guy in terms of his

557
00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,640
Speaker 1: movement and short area quickness. But he's six two two fifteen.

558
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,680
Speaker 1: That's unique. So he's he's you know, he's not as

559
00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,879
Speaker 1: big as camp Chancellor, but he's close. So he's playing

560
00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,520
Speaker 1: near the line of scrimmage. But he's really quick and

561
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,680
Speaker 1: so he can guard a tight end because of his

562
00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:39,159
Speaker 1: his movement skills and his his length. So that was

563
00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,720
Speaker 1: one of the things that you notice and watching and

564
00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,440
Speaker 1: talking to other players and coaches. I think it's again

565
00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,360
Speaker 1: his competitiveness. He's a guy that's going to go out

566
00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,879
Speaker 1: and raise the competitive level of the people around him

567
00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:53,760
Speaker 1: because of the way that he plays. And he's an

568
00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,360
Speaker 1: alpha guy. You know. I talked to Gus about him

569
00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,560
Speaker 1: in terms of his leadership skills and he thinks that

570
00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,280
Speaker 1: Durwin is a guy that's, you know, even though he

571
00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,800
Speaker 1: hasn't done it yet, is showing some leadership characteristics and

572
00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,520
Speaker 1: as a guy that can can help rally people in

573
00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,359
Speaker 1: that secondary. So it'll be interesting to see how they

574
00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,920
Speaker 1: continue to try to plug him in, you know, is

575
00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:15,960
Speaker 1: the guy's going to play close to the line of scrimmage?

576
00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:17,960
Speaker 1: Is he going to play free safety. I think what

577
00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,159
Speaker 1: we're going to see is when they go dime, is

578
00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,119
Speaker 1: you're going to see Derwin close to the line of

579
00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:25,680
Speaker 1: scrimmage a lot because of his ability to get people

580
00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,040
Speaker 1: down on the ball, you know, in terms of tackling,

581
00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,040
Speaker 1: so he helps you in the run game. And then

582
00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,879
Speaker 1: he's a guy obviously can cover as well, so you

583
00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,040
Speaker 1: might see him at that will line back to the

584
00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,720
Speaker 1: position when they go sixty pence backs.

585
00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:38,439
Speaker 4: Eric.

586
00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,000
Speaker 2: I don't know about you, but when Derwin came into

587
00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,800
Speaker 2: the mix, he just doesn't feel like a rookie to me.

588
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,240
Speaker 2: He feels like a free agent, feels like he's been

589
00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,239
Speaker 2: in the league. I don't know if it's the way

590
00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,800
Speaker 2: he carries himself, just how physically imposing he looks in

591
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,280
Speaker 2: pads in his in his first year, in just the

592
00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,000
Speaker 2: way that I think he's messed with the secondary. But

593
00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:58,960
Speaker 2: I don't know, you get the same sense that he

594
00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,920
Speaker 2: that he's a little more wise beyond his years.

595
00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,479
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I think it's because of his background. I mean,

596
00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:07,840
Speaker 1: this guy's been the best player on the field since

597
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,080
Speaker 1: he was a sophomore in high school. Yeah, you know,

598
00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,800
Speaker 1: so he's been used to having the spotlight on him.

599
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,000
Speaker 1: And I think that's kind of a big deal. You know,

600
00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:20,399
Speaker 1: this isn't a guy that developed late and then all

601
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,440
Speaker 1: of a sudden was a good player, you know, maybe

602
00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:25,360
Speaker 1: his junior year in college. He's always been that guy.

603
00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:29,399
Speaker 1: He's always been the guy that people have been looking at.

604
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,280
Speaker 1: And so I think because he's used to that that

605
00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:36,960
Speaker 1: type of attention, he's comfortable in that space. He's comfortable

606
00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,000
Speaker 1: with himself, and there's high expectations for him in terms

607
00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,520
Speaker 1: of how he's going to perform. And I think that helps,

608
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,920
Speaker 1: you know, the Chargers getting a rookie that that you know,

609
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,520
Speaker 1: doesn't have to develop necessarily in terms of the confidence

610
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,360
Speaker 1: because he's used to playing at a high level.

611
00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:54,720
Speaker 2: You know, whenever we talk about the Chargers, Eric, we

612
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,639
Speaker 2: talked about Philip Rivers. They're essentially synonymous. He's entering his

613
00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,320
Speaker 2: fifteenth season and of course he's a future Hall of Famer.

614
00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,920
Speaker 2: They had the number one passing attack last year. But

615
00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,159
Speaker 2: when I look at this defense, and I talked to

616
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,000
Speaker 2: Shreen Williams about this in our first segment, it has

617
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,639
Speaker 2: the potential to be the best defense that I think

618
00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:11,680
Speaker 2: Rivers has ever had.

619
00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think when you go back to, you know,

620
00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,200
Speaker 1: the last time the Chargers had a lot of success,

621
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,240
Speaker 1: it was that team from two thousand and six to

622
00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,840
Speaker 1: two thousand and nine. They were built, you know, in

623
00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,800
Speaker 1: a similar man you know, they had a top five

624
00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,760
Speaker 1: running back in terms of LT. So they ran the

625
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,680
Speaker 1: football and they had one of the top defenses in

626
00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:34,240
Speaker 1: the league that was good against the run and took

627
00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,160
Speaker 1: the ball away. And so when you're set up that way,

628
00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:39,760
Speaker 1: it takes a lot of pressure off the quarterback. You know,

629
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:41,840
Speaker 1: Philip doesn't feel like he has to go out there

630
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:43,880
Speaker 1: and throw up for a lot of yards. He can

631
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,080
Speaker 1: kind of manage the game and then at the end

632
00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:47,720
Speaker 1: of the game when he needs to make a couple

633
00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:49,760
Speaker 1: of plays, he can go out and do that. So

634
00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,600
Speaker 1: I do think this is probably the best team that

635
00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,360
Speaker 1: he's been a part of since that time when when

636
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,400
Speaker 1: LT was here. And I think he's he's excited because

637
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,480
Speaker 1: I think heize, hey, this is this is maybe my

638
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,920
Speaker 1: last shot to potentially, you know, compete for a Super

639
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,760
Speaker 1: Bowl and get there and and win it. And so

640
00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,200
Speaker 1: you see that when when you talk to him, his

641
00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,800
Speaker 1: eyes kind of line up about you know the possibilities

642
00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,440
Speaker 1: of this team, but they have to go out and

643
00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:16,720
Speaker 1: do it.

644
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:17,320
Speaker 4: Yeah.

645
00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:19,680
Speaker 2: No, it's huge when we talk about time of possession

646
00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,600
Speaker 2: and field position, the ability to turn the ball over

647
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,840
Speaker 2: and actually score. Uh, there's so many playmakers, as you

648
00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,560
Speaker 2: mentioned with Jason Brett coming into into the fold as well. Eric,

649
00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,160
Speaker 2: I had Ken Wizen Hunt on the podcast last week

650
00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:35,440
Speaker 2: and we discussed the loss of Hunter Henry and how

651
00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:38,600
Speaker 2: you replace that production, and he mentioned just the unselfish

652
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,320
Speaker 2: nature of this offense and the flexibility that they have,

653
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,440
Speaker 2: you know, go four wide. You have Gordon Eckler out

654
00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:47,479
Speaker 2: of the backfield, and perhaps another tight end emerges from

655
00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:50,400
Speaker 2: this group, whether it's Virgil Green or somebody else. Do

656
00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:54,320
Speaker 2: you think the Chargers can adequately replace Hunter's production as

657
00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:55,200
Speaker 2: currently constructed.

658
00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,960
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I don't think that there's going to

659
00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,040
Speaker 1: be one player that going to come out and give

660
00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:04,160
Speaker 1: you exactly what Hunter Henry was able to give you,

661
00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:06,640
Speaker 1: Because I think Hunter Henry's probably a top ten tight

662
00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:08,920
Speaker 1: in the league, and he's done that in a short

663
00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,360
Speaker 1: period of time, establishing himself, you know. And it's not

664
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,720
Speaker 1: just the passing game, it's the running game. And that's

665
00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,239
Speaker 1: what made what made them so lepal when they went

666
00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,160
Speaker 1: too tight end sets, as you just couldn't say, oh,

667
00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,280
Speaker 1: they're going to throw it because you know, Hunter is

668
00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,000
Speaker 1: a good blocker and they can run it out of

669
00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,360
Speaker 1: that set as well. So yeah, it's going to be

670
00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,720
Speaker 1: a group effort, you know. Obviously, Mike Williams is going

671
00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,280
Speaker 1: to play a larger role in that. You know, he's

672
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,480
Speaker 1: a guy that weren't the middle of the field because

673
00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:40,440
Speaker 1: of his wide catch radius and his ability to create separation.

674
00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,920
Speaker 1: I think we'll see him use more in the middle

675
00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,080
Speaker 1: of the field. Keenan can be used even more in

676
00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,960
Speaker 1: the middle of the field as a slot guy, so

677
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,240
Speaker 1: you might see him use more there. And then I think,

678
00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,760
Speaker 1: as you mentioned Melvin Gordon, Austin Eckler, getting out of

679
00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,680
Speaker 1: the backfield, using those guys in space and trying to

680
00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,760
Speaker 1: create exposive plays where they're on a linebacker and they

681
00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,360
Speaker 1: have a mismatch. I think you'll see that as well.

682
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,840
Speaker 1: You know, we'll see what happens with the young tight ends.

683
00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,840
Speaker 1: You know, Brandon Bowman, the guy that looked pretty good

684
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:14,600
Speaker 1: open OTAs and Mini camp has some athleticism and some speed.

685
00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,320
Speaker 1: Maybe he's a guy that can that you can get

686
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,600
Speaker 1: the ball to a little bit. And then hey, Antonio Gates,

687
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,840
Speaker 1: I mean, you know, Tlasco already said they reached out

688
00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,720
Speaker 1: to his representation, and I think, you know, we'll see

689
00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,080
Speaker 1: if Gates still wants to play. I know that last

690
00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:32,960
Speaker 1: year when I talked Antonio, he was really excited about,

691
00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,960
Speaker 1: kind of like Rivers where this team is because he

692
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,640
Speaker 1: knows that he'll only have so many chances to win

693
00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:41,440
Speaker 1: a Super Bowl. I think Gates, you know, believe that

694
00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,920
Speaker 1: this team was in position to do that. You know

695
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,720
Speaker 1: a lot of those guys were really bummed out because

696
00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,640
Speaker 1: they didn't get in the playoffs last year because because

697
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:52,040
Speaker 1: of how well they were playing. So you know, I

698
00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:56,360
Speaker 1: wouldn't rely out the possibility of Gates returning and being

699
00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:58,400
Speaker 1: used in a limited role, even though you know, thirty

700
00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,120
Speaker 1: eight years old, I mean, I still pretty good athletes.

701
00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:03,920
Speaker 2: He played well too when Hunter went down at the

702
00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,720
Speaker 2: end of the year. And you know, Mike Williams, another

703
00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:08,840
Speaker 2: guy that you mentioned Eric, he's been a hot name

704
00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,320
Speaker 2: this offseason. How much better do you think he's going

705
00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,760
Speaker 2: to be in year two just having a healthy off

706
00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,920
Speaker 2: season under his belt, because it's just night and day.

707
00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:19,520
Speaker 2: It's so hard when you bring a guy in week

708
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:22,760
Speaker 2: six of the regular season without an offseason to get

709
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,520
Speaker 2: the playbook down and just to get work with guys

710
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,240
Speaker 2: like Phillip and just be on the same page. I

711
00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:30,480
Speaker 2: think it's gonna be a world of difference for him in.

712
00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:34,960
Speaker 1: Year two, Yeah, no doubt. Receivers from year one to

713
00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,600
Speaker 1: year two in the NFL usually make a pretty significant

714
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,400
Speaker 1: jump because when they play in college, I mean, the

715
00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:46,120
Speaker 1: talent level talent disparity is so different. I mean, when

716
00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:48,400
Speaker 1: they line up to the guy opposite in college, you're

717
00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,920
Speaker 1: facing a guy that's five to nine hundred eighty pounds

718
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,680
Speaker 1: and he's just not as good athletically as a lot

719
00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,760
Speaker 1: of these elite receivers are in college, so they can

720
00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,280
Speaker 1: create separation very quickly, even though they're not polished in

721
00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,320
Speaker 1: their route running. So when they get the NFL, it's

722
00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:06,680
Speaker 1: just a much different game, you know, both in terms

723
00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,280
Speaker 1: of the athlete they're facing across from them and the

724
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,480
Speaker 1: type of scheme that they have to learn. And so

725
00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,440
Speaker 1: year two is usually a little better. I know when

726
00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:16,920
Speaker 1: I covered the Seahawks earlier before I came down here,

727
00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,800
Speaker 1: Golden Tate is the guy that really struggled his rookie year.

728
00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,600
Speaker 1: And Golden Tate was a Fred bullet and the winner

729
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:24,760
Speaker 1: in college for Notre game, you know, one of the

730
00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,480
Speaker 1: best receivers, and he struggled to get on the field

731
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,800
Speaker 1: his rookie season. The next year much better, you know,

732
00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,280
Speaker 1: much better production, much more comfortable in the offense. And

733
00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,320
Speaker 1: I expect Mike Williams to have a similar type transition

734
00:33:38,440 --> 00:33:41,040
Speaker 1: because now he doesn't have to worry about the injuries.

735
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,640
Speaker 1: You can get out there and get some report going

736
00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:46,840
Speaker 1: with Philip during the offseason work. And I think he

737
00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:49,840
Speaker 1: saw that, you know, during OTAs in mini camp, much

738
00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:52,720
Speaker 1: more confident, kind of looked like the Mike Williams that

739
00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,480
Speaker 1: we expected, you know, the guy that he though at Clemson.

740
00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,880
Speaker 1: This looks, you know, like he had a pepinist deep

741
00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,720
Speaker 1: when he's out there, you know, working through individual trills.

742
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,520
Speaker 1: So I think we're going to see better production from

743
00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:06,000
Speaker 1: him in his second season.

744
00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,920
Speaker 2: And none of this works without the offensive line, and

745
00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,360
Speaker 2: there was some upgrades Mike Pouncy comes in at center.

746
00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,040
Speaker 2: It's hard to tell, especially in mini camp and OTAs,

747
00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:19,480
Speaker 2: how much O line is gelling without the pads. But

748
00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:21,480
Speaker 2: how much better do you think Mike is going to

749
00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:24,120
Speaker 2: make this group? A lot of high praise coming from

750
00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,080
Speaker 2: guys like Philip and Melvin Gordon.

751
00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:28,879
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that might be one of the most

752
00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,680
Speaker 1: underrated moves that they made. You know, a lot a

753
00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,960
Speaker 1: lot of people are talking about pouncy, but the one

754
00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,399
Speaker 1: thing that struck me about Mike was how he looked

755
00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:39,200
Speaker 1: like a tight end.

756
00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:42,080
Speaker 3: You know, he wrote you wrote about him a couple

757
00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:42,600
Speaker 3: of days ago.

758
00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:47,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, he just he's just really athletic, and his ability

759
00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,320
Speaker 1: to move in space, to get on guys quickly, you know,

760
00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:54,439
Speaker 1: at defensive tackle and still be you know, big enough

761
00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:57,400
Speaker 1: to hold them back. And I think him as a poler,

762
00:34:57,640 --> 00:34:59,920
Speaker 1: you know, that's unique as a center to be a

763
00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,200
Speaker 1: to have him go and kick out if you're going

764
00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,960
Speaker 1: to run to the perimeter or if you're gonna run trafts.

765
00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:07,360
Speaker 1: And then obviously his knowledge of the game, you know,

766
00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,600
Speaker 1: his guy that's that's played in the league for a while.

767
00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:12,799
Speaker 1: That should help Philip. So I just think he's gonna

768
00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,600
Speaker 1: help them tremendously in the running game, and I also

769
00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,680
Speaker 1: think he's gonna help those young guards transition. And we

770
00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,920
Speaker 1: talk about Dan Peene Forrest Lamp playing next to a

771
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,560
Speaker 1: guy that's seen so much. You know, they really haven't

772
00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,239
Speaker 1: had a guy at center position like that since Handwick come,

773
00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,200
Speaker 1: So I think that will improve the chemistry and cohesion

774
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,400
Speaker 1: of the offensive line, along with having you know, Russell

775
00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:39,120
Speaker 1: Okun and Joe Barkstell returning as your edge guys to

776
00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:39,880
Speaker 1: protect Philip.

777
00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,719
Speaker 2: You know, they gave up the few with sacks in

778
00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:45,359
Speaker 2: the league last year, but even talking to to Ken

779
00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:48,120
Speaker 2: wiz Hunt last week, Philip played a big role in

780
00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:50,800
Speaker 2: that and just getting rid of the ball early. So

781
00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:53,920
Speaker 2: the offensive line play was was better in twenty seventeen,

782
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,680
Speaker 2: no doubt. But Pouncy should bring some added depth there

783
00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,759
Speaker 2: and obviously some leadership at the center position. I want

784
00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:02,920
Speaker 2: to circle back to Philip Eric because you spend Father's

785
00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,719
Speaker 2: Day weekend with him. He was coaching his son. I

786
00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,480
Speaker 2: believe it was in Temecula a flag football and if

787
00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,960
Speaker 2: you haven't seen it, we have the miked up version

788
00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:13,120
Speaker 2: on charges dot com. I suggests you check that out.

789
00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,680
Speaker 2: It's pretty cool. What was that experience like.

790
00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,680
Speaker 1: Eric uh, you know, as a father that has coached

791
00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:22,879
Speaker 1: my son, you know, similar to that in those situations.

792
00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:25,840
Speaker 1: I just think it's awesome to be able to experience that.

793
00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:28,440
Speaker 1: And it was cool to see Philip in a different environment,

794
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,560
Speaker 1: you know, out there drying up plays in the white board,

795
00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:35,239
Speaker 1: you know, getting animated as Philip does because he's competitive,

796
00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,080
Speaker 1: you know, so there are some some shoots and Dad

797
00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:43,000
Speaker 1: gummets when, you know, when things didn't go his way.

798
00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,839
Speaker 1: But I just it's cool to just kind of see

799
00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:49,120
Speaker 1: the relationship that he has with Gunner. You know, it

800
00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:50,920
Speaker 1: means a lot to him, you know, as the guy

801
00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,760
Speaker 1: that played for his father growing up in high school.

802
00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,640
Speaker 1: In that relationship, and it can be a top relationship.

803
00:36:57,719 --> 00:37:00,360
Speaker 1: Coaching your kid like that because you want them to

804
00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:03,279
Speaker 1: do well. You're probably a little harder on your kid

805
00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,439
Speaker 1: than you are the other players because you don't want

806
00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,160
Speaker 1: them there to see that they're there to be any bias,

807
00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:11,680
Speaker 1: I guess. But the cool thing out of all of

808
00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,480
Speaker 1: it was how Gunnar took the coaching of Philip. He

809
00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:17,800
Speaker 1: was just very low key, you know, even when Philip

810
00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,479
Speaker 1: kind of got out a little bit, Gunnard didn't seem

811
00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,719
Speaker 1: things about it at all, and I just think that

812
00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,360
Speaker 1: kind of spoke to, you know, the type of relationship

813
00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:28,000
Speaker 1: that Philip has with his son. So yeah, again, it

814
00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,080
Speaker 1: was just kind of a cool thing to just see

815
00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,000
Speaker 1: Philip outside of you know, the training facility and him

816
00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:36,080
Speaker 1: interacting with this fam.

817
00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:38,319
Speaker 2: I read your piece of sporting gret Go was great

818
00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:41,920
Speaker 2: and it sounds like Philip has a coaching career in

819
00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,120
Speaker 2: his future. Probably not at the pro level, though, it

820
00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:46,480
Speaker 2: sounds like that he may want to coach his kids.

821
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:49,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think he wants to coach at

822
00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:50,520
Speaker 1: the high school level. I think he feels like he

823
00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:53,840
Speaker 1: can have more of an effect on kids at that

824
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 1: level of being able to create, you know, personal relationships

825
00:37:56,719 --> 00:37:59,000
Speaker 1: with those kids and help them not only did you

826
00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:01,040
Speaker 1: get better on the foot ball field, but in life

827
00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:05,040
Speaker 1: as they move forward and become men, and so you

828
00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:06,080
Speaker 1: have to respect that.

829
00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:06,719
Speaker 2: You know.

830
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:09,959
Speaker 1: It's it's not easy being a high school football coach

831
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:12,520
Speaker 1: and dealing with all the different type of personalities. But

832
00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:14,200
Speaker 1: I think he'll be good.

833
00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:14,759
Speaker 4: Eric.

834
00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,040
Speaker 2: Last thing for you, a few storylines for fans to

835
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,719
Speaker 2: look forward to when training camp starts up next month.

836
00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:23,240
Speaker 2: What are a few that are that are top of mind.

837
00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,480
Speaker 1: For you well, I think we already talked about it.

838
00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:27,680
Speaker 1: You know, how you're going to replace that production from

839
00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:30,200
Speaker 1: Hunter Henry who's going to fill that role as the

840
00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,560
Speaker 1: number two tight end. I'm assuming Virgil Green is going

841
00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:34,640
Speaker 1: to be the number one guy. So that's going to

842
00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:37,840
Speaker 1: be something that we watch for, certainly Jason Barrett and

843
00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:40,080
Speaker 1: how he continues to come back from the knee injury,

844
00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:42,920
Speaker 1: if he's able to stay on the field and be healthy,

845
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:46,200
Speaker 1: and then how they're going to juggle that secondary around

846
00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,440
Speaker 1: to work there in there. I think that bears watching.

847
00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:52,680
Speaker 1: And I think the last thing is, you know, second

848
00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,920
Speaker 1: year in Los Angeles, do more fans continue to embrace

849
00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,640
Speaker 1: the team. I really feel like this team is set

850
00:38:58,719 --> 00:39:01,719
Speaker 1: up to contend for an Ace West Crown. I think

851
00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:06,200
Speaker 1: winning helps whenever you relocate to another market, certainly you

852
00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:08,200
Speaker 1: know a market like Los Angeles where there's a lot

853
00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,000
Speaker 1: of different things to do. But I think that will

854
00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,160
Speaker 1: be another thing that you kind of watch, is how

855
00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:17,640
Speaker 1: the team continues to try to win more fans in

856
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:18,440
Speaker 1: Los Angeles.

857
00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,839
Speaker 2: Eric, you've been awesome helping us out of Chargers dot Com.

858
00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:23,600
Speaker 2: I think you and I have a video coming out

859
00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:27,560
Speaker 2: this week talking about the defense from Minnie Camp and

860
00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,080
Speaker 2: Dan Woyk and Haley did something on the offense. So

861
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,640
Speaker 2: can't thank you enough for your time and always helping

862
00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:34,520
Speaker 2: us out. Get some rest, and are you gonna do

863
00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:35,919
Speaker 2: anything during the break before camp.

864
00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:38,680
Speaker 1: I'm gonna do a little staycation, just hang out here

865
00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:40,759
Speaker 1: with the family and the best one. Man. My kids

866
00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,600
Speaker 1: played baseball, my daughter played soccer. Maybe we'll make it

867
00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:45,399
Speaker 1: to the Grand Canyon. That might be the one trip

868
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:45,880
Speaker 1: that we did.

869
00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:48,560
Speaker 3: Sweet man. That's great. Well, dude, take some pictures if

870
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:49,560
Speaker 3: you go. Man, I've never been.

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00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:50,719
Speaker 6: I will.

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Speaker 1: I'll post them on Twitter so you can check them out.

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Speaker 3: Eric, thanks so much, buddy. We'll talk to you soon.

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Speaker 1: Sounds good. Thanks Chris, and.

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Speaker 3: That'll do it.

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Speaker 2: My thanks to Eric and Sharen Williams for joining me,

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Speaker 2: and of course thanks to you all for listening. You

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Speaker 2: can find us on Apple Podcasts, and while you're there,

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Speaker 2: please leave a review help spread the word this offseason.

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Speaker 2: We hope you enjoyed this episode and until next time,

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Speaker 2: I'm Chris Hayry.