October 25, 2024 • 40 mins
Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Rams play-by-play voice J.B. Long to recap the Vikings and Rams facing off on Thursday Night Football. The show starts with a recap of the final moments of the game, followed by a discussion about the Rams' new life with the return of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp (05:45) in a muddy NFC West (08:32), and Matthew Stafford's play (12:08). After the break, the guys talk Vikings (22:06), Sam Darnold's play and the state of the NFC North (27:45).
Note: time codes approximate.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And the Rams gonna take away.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
He playclock, getting short Darnold back to his end zone,
sets the laces, pitches, pitch.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Shot, game over.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
Game over Byron Young with a safety agent zero calls
game FoST Thursday Night Football.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to NFL Daily. That was the great JB.
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Long of k SPN in Los Angeles, not only on
the call, but on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Still at the stadium. I made it my way through.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
Traffic, got to the car very quickly, drove home, and
he's still on a high after one of the most
fun Thursday night football games of the year.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
JB.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Long, the radio play by play man of the Rams.
Welcome to NFL Daily. Wow, I can feel like I
got to take a breath here on a night of offense. Yes,
we finished there on the defense. Thanks buddy for joining me.
I know it's a long day.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Good to see you. A couple of things.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
One, I have commandeered someone's office just off the press
box here at SOFI Stadium. Thankfully, there is not a
lick of any kind of decoration on the wall. This
is clearly not occupied, so I feel like it was
designated for this purpose. Good on you for beating me
home and Secondly to all the Vikings listeners, Yes, I
did clean up that call by saying blatant face mask.
(01:30):
They missed it, the game should be continuing. I get it.
I feel your pain. We talked with Byron Young after
the game. He actually you could see like he was
in dismay, his hands covering his face, not celebrating that
game winning sack, but fearing the penalty marker that he
figured must have been down in the end zone. He
actually thought it was a horse collar, not a face mask.
But same difference. Tough break, tough break for the now
(01:51):
five and two Vikings.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
Yeah, you know, I was up there in the three
hundred section. No clue there was a face mask. In fact,
I had no idea until our great producer Eric Roberts
is putting together the show. Told me as I'm coming
into the house, hey, I have sound on them talking
about the face mask after the game, I was like,
(02:13):
what face mask was that?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
We did not see that.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
From from up in the not so cheap seats, but
the medium the medium seats. Actually, let's let's listen to
Kevin O'Connell. You know, if we're if we're talking about already,
let's listen to him after the game talking about the
face mask.
Speaker 7 (02:27):
You know, it looked like you got a pretty good
amount of face mask there. Not going to get into
you know, the call or no call and all that stuff.
It's just I told our team officiating and all that stuff.
For us to talk about that, for us to seek
comfort in that is not how we're going to respond
to this. It's just not going to happen. And I'm
(02:48):
gonna do the same thing right now. I really don't
have a comment on whether it was it looked like
you got a piece of the face mask, but they
didn't think so, so they didn't throw the flag.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Yeah, So it feels unfortunate almost start on this because
let's be real, they had the entire length of the
field to go at that point, no timeouts under it
would have been a minute forty on the clock, and
they had not scored a touchdown since the first quarter,
(03:17):
two punts that disastrous end of half, a couple plays
where they lost their left tackle Christian Darisaw, a couple
field goal drives to start the second half, and then
a punt in a really crucial situation in the fourth quarter.
So the way the Rams pass rush was getting after
the Vikings. I was not particularly confident JB at that
(03:40):
point in the game that they were necessarily gonna drive
down the field and hit the two point conversion. But
I guess I can understand why Vikings fans would be
a little salty.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
I think you rightly highlighted one of the major pivot
points in that game, which was Derisaw going down at
left tackle. Because the Rams have done all sorts of,
you know, bad things this season in all three phases.
The kicking game in particular has been shaky lately, the
defense has been porous at times, the offense has been
spinning its wheels, but the absolute one constant has been
(04:11):
the pressure that the Rants have been able to generate upfront,
primarily with rookies and second year pass rushers, Byron Young
being one of them. Jared Verse, I mean, he's leading
all rookies in pressure rate, and I think that was
apparent again today and especially down the left tackle.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Sam Darnold really felt that.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
Let me ask, were you surprised at the field goal
on fourth down and plus territory at minus four to
get to minus one? I saw a couple of algorithms
had that as a good decision like a slight lean
to kicking it, which I was surprised.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That felt like a go for it for me and
o Common took the points.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
So you know, I was sitting in the crowd. Of course,
my family is decked out in Rams gear. I'm not
going to pretend I'm totally unbiased in this situation. You're
wearing literally Rams logo as we're doing this interview. Check
us out on YouTube. You can see JB's you and
some mug there. I think fans and I think there's
(05:03):
something to this, are always relieved when there's a field
goal attempt there. So in that situation, the way their
defense was playing, I thought they should go for the
touchdown because I just assumed they're gonna need a touchdown
to win this game. One field goal is not going
to be enough because the odds in my mind are,
and I know this is a good Vikings defense, but
(05:25):
the odds in my mind are that they're gonna need
a touchdown at some point because the Rams are going
to get at least a field goal back. We know
that they ended up going on a touchdown drive, which was,
you know, maybe the rams best touchdown drive of the season,
and Let's get off the end of that game, because
I feel it was a little beside the point.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Let's talk about Cooper Cup.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Returning to the field, Puka Nakua surprisingly returning to the field,
and this Rams offense kind of changing the feeling of
this entire season in one night. And I want to
take you back actually to a specific moment in the game.
And it wasn't that touchdown drive. It wasn't any of
(06:08):
the touchdown drives. It was about three thirty six, I believe,
left to go third and nine. The Rams are trying
to run out the clock, and you know what play
I'm talking about, right, the deep pass three twenty six
to go and in the stadium being able to see
the angle on that throw that Matthew Stafford made to
(06:30):
Cooper Cup for twenty seven yards to force the Vikings
to take their third time out and then they got
to kill more clock. When he let go of that ball,
I'm thinking, that pass that's not there like that he
was fitting it between a couple different defenders in zone coverage.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
That was absolute total.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Trust between two guys who have played in the biggest
of moments, and even in that moment, because Cup had
kind of an up and down game. I would say,
obviously made some big plays, I'm worried, and then to
see Cup make the right angle for the ball, know
what his quarterback is doing, come back for it, and
all that trust that Stafford had to me, that was.
(07:09):
That was such a big moment in the season and
the game for the Rams. And I know a lot
happened after that, but that was absolutely telling on a
night where the Rams kind of looked like the Rams
that we've seen from the last couple of years.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Again, I'm just shaking my head at all the incredible
moments that the Rosenthal family has witnessed for the Los
Angeles Rams here at SOFI Stadium, and many of them
have centered around the great receivers Pukinnakua and especially Cooper Cup.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (07:35):
No, you're not, You're not wrong. My daughter got to
go to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
She was solo, crazily enough with our friend, and you're
absolutely right. I don't want to people are going to
be annoyed how how freaking biased we are or sounding
on this, because I am truly not a Rams scene,
but that that was. I love seeing great football and
that was a great moment and a night full of
them for Stafford, and Cup had his moments too, but
(07:58):
I just thought that was that was telling on a
night where yeah, Cup makes a mental mistake a couple
of plays later by going out of bounds, but it
really stuck with me as as just an impressive play
of trust and like something to build off on a
night that we went into JB. Sorry to keep honking,
but we went into people wondering like, is this Cooper
(08:18):
Cup's last game as a Ram? And he catches that
touchdown in the first half and he makes that plan
and I'm thinking, there's no way it's his last game
as La Ram.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Well, here's why I think it's significant. We're not here
to throw too many flowers on the still sub five
hundred Los Angeles Rams, right, But what we are here,
I think to highlight is the fact that the NFC
West has a bunch of teams piled together with three
or in the other three cases four losses, and so
that division is still wide open. And if the Rams
(08:51):
play like this, coming off the night where they put
up a season high point total, a season high yards
per play, their most explosive touchdown of the season, which
is still.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Moder Tood only twenty five yards.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
That changes the dynamic of the entire NFC playoff picture,
whether you're talking about the wild card bubble or who's
going to get a home playoff game coming out of
the West. Now we're not through the month of October yet,
but that's part of why this is significant is, Yes,
there were trade rumors swirling, and we heard all of them.
But the Rams get their key pieces back on offense,
they all produce. It looks completely different. You pair it
(09:23):
with an emerging defense that's now scored on that side
of the football and put together a pretty good effort
three games in a row. It shapes not just the
course of the Rams season, but the entire NFC. And
guess where the Rams go next after they put their
feet up and watch red Zone all day Sunday, Right
while the Seahawks host the Bills, while the forty nine
ers host the Cowboys coming off of bye, while Arizona
(09:44):
goes to Miami. The Rams get ready with this mini
by to go take their first swing against the Seattle Seahawks.
And that's right before the trade deadline.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
And if the Seahawks lose that game, their home underdogs
to the Bills. They would be tied in the lost
column with the forty nine ers and the Rams and
the Cardinals, depending on if the Cardinals can pull off
that game Sunday. So we're just starting this NFC West race.
But I do think it took a win tonight to
feel like the Rams were in it, because they were.
(10:13):
They were a one in four team, and even that
one felt like a little bit of a miracle, and
they were competitive, but they didn't play particularly well last
week against the Raiders. And you see in this game,
pukin Akua comes out. They target him for the first
couple plays of the game. He's absolutely explosive. He looks
like the old Puka Akua. I know it was a
(10:35):
very brief Week one appearance from him, but the little
that we saw, that's right Walker Pukinica. That does rule
tonight seven for one oh six in this game, and
you're like, oh yeah, this team is totally different with
Puka as the one and Cup as the two, which
also sets up to Marcus Robinson, who I got to
see from my view have single coverage on the outside
(10:57):
all night long, and then he's suddenly the third or
in fact, let's listen to a great call on Stafford's
second touchdown, UH to DeMarcus Robinson by one JB.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Long.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
You could try to do it live, JB. But we're
actually going to listen to the recorded copy.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Ready for a shotgun snap with three? Here it is
Vikings bring three, Stafford will protect it. He drills one white.
Speaker 8 (11:19):
Side and soon cat DeMarcus Robinson with his second of
the half. He flings it into the stands and Sean
Mackhew Stafford because four.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Tonight, great call there, JB.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Figured that was the one we were going to lead
the show with. But then then you know the safety happened.
How are you doing energy wise here? Because you know
I drove home through traffic. You've already done the postgame
show right with with Sean McVay.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yes, and you did. He'd the call.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
They called you up two and so you didn't a
Mark and Dan and so you've got to be tapped
out right now.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Now, I'm good.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
The adrenaline rush is still pretty sky high because I'm
just so happy for these guys. Right, Like Matthew Stafford
came in with three total touchdown passes through six games,
like by far the lowest of his career, he was
one of twelve I think on throws to the end
zone coming into this game like it's just not been
his year because of all the circumstances around him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
But he's also that guy.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
That's capable and we've seen him do it of elevating
the circumstances of the other ten in his huddle, and
tonight for the first time, it felt right. It felt
like the plan the Rams front office and coaching staff
had drawn up for this season, which was to lead
with the offense, because that's where all the investment is, right,
that's where the all.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
The accomplishment is.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
So to see him use his mobility on and off
platform tonight, to see him throw from all arm angles,
had the one bad interception, but to throw for four touchdowns.
And here's the other thing, to use all of his targets.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
You know from watching this team at times they can
become too locked in on Cooper Cup almost spanning him
with targets. What I loved about the Rams approach tonight
is that they used all their eligibles. They platoon personnel packages,
they used two and three tight end sets. Even though
Cup and Nakua were back, they still used DeMarcus Robinson
and Tyler Johnson in two two at well. I thought
(13:19):
that was meaningful, and I think that's a big reason
why Matthew Stafford was not sacked by the best defense
in the National Football League, even though he's being peppered
coming into this game at the second highest rate of
his career. Like that is the most important takeaway from
tonight is how well he clicked through his progressions and
how well they protected him. And I can't help but
(13:41):
think that Cup and Nakua impact that not just with
their threats in the passing game, but because they're so
productive in the running game, like Kiren goes for another
touchdown and over one hundred from scrimmage. You watch some
of the blocks that Pouka Nakua throws in that game.
They've been dearly missing that for over a month now.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
Man, they really pulled fast one on everyone because Puka
Nikoa was ready to go. No one thought he was
playing this week. It just kind of came out of nowhere. Interesting,
you know, they did a good job on that. I'll
just put you're not saying that. I'm saying that that
like usually you have a clue that that's coming the
Vikings probably did not have a clue that that was coming,
(14:19):
and he was a massive part of the game plan.
And you're absolutely right you could see him being a
factor in the running game. Kyrien Williams had a great
day running for ninety seven yards on the ground. There
was a particular play it actually set up that touchdown
that we just heard. I thought it was an interesting
call second in eleven. They'd run the ball a lot
(14:40):
on that touchdown drive it wasn't working quite as well.
They lose a yard on first down second and eleven.
There's some groans up in the in the crowd here
and I'm like, they're gonna run it again here, and
they do, and Cooper Cup kind of gets, you know,
does not have a great block, gets absolutely knocked over
(15:00):
on the play, to the point where Kyron Williams has
to use his incredible lateral agility to hop to the
side of Cooper Cup to pick up seven yards and
it puts them in a really favorable down and distance
third and four. So that that was a little bit
of everything. Kyron is such an underrated runner. Let's listen
to McVeigh actually after the game talking about the journey
(15:22):
ahead and just getting these guys back from this game.
Speaker 9 (15:26):
I'm excited about this journey ahead. And you know, we've
learned a lot about people in these first seven weeks.
We've had to go through a lot of different things
relative to new faces playing that maybe we didn't expect.
And then it's great to be able to get some
of the cavalry back and I think we'll start to
see that over the next couple of weeks. And we
got to be able to hit the ground running and
we got a great challenge, you know, next week.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
And while we're here, you had Sean McVay on, you know,
your broadcast after the game.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
How was that?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, he was elated.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
I mean he was happy for all the key individuals,
some of which we've highlighted, and the fact that they
finally put together a total team effort offense, defense and
special team's mistake free. That's the result that they've been
hunting up in the fashion that they've been wanting to execute.
Here's a little context too. On his night, that's his
eightieth career win okay, regular season, postseason combined with it,
(16:16):
he goes past John Robinson for sole possession of the
Rams wins record.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Okay, Wow.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
He and John Madden are the only two men post
merger to do that before their fortieth birthday. And speaking
of birthdays, today is his son's Jordan's first birthday, all right,
So for the rest of his life, he's going to
be the winningest coach in Rams history. And he got
the signature victory and I gotta have it moment on
(16:45):
Thursday night football primetime against the Vikings at home.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
With the Madden Cruiser out front, by the way, I.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Got some nice call bag, nice call for my.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Son on the way back.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
That's crazy because you know the Rams, it's not like, oh,
he's winning this coach since they moved back to LA
or the version of LA if we're not counting Saint Louis.
The Rams have been around for like seventy years or something.
That's it's pretty amazing that that he has that mark.
And uh yeah, congrats, congrats to Sean McVay there. I
(17:16):
thought he had a really good night. You I'm glad
you pointed out the pass protection because I left the
game thinking, so the Rams won.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
You know, everyone's going to talk.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
About Cooper Cup and Pukunakua coming back with good reason.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
I just did.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
But They won in large part because they had great
pass protection and they had really good run defense after
the first quarter, like the Vikings were held I think
under three yards per carry. Aaron Jones was at three
point one, and you know Darnold had a couple scrambles
for less, so they're under three yards per carry. That
is not Those are the two things you thought were
the worst about this Rams team. So I do think
(17:50):
that's it's just one game. But I do think excelling
at the things you've struggled the most at against equality, competition, equality,
running games, certainly in equality. You know, pass rush is
has to feel really good, and I think McVeigh has
to feel like, man, I played a big role in this.
You know, I don't know, he probably doesn't want to
(18:11):
think like that. But early on in this game, I
thought they had those quick hitters to Puka. They're rolling
in those first two drives, running the ball and with Puka,
and it really got Flores to back off all the
crazy stuff that he does. And I thought they played
kind of vanilla the rest of the game, like they
blitzed a couple times, like they you know, they certainly
showed some interesting formations, but mostly Stafford wasn't worrying about
(18:33):
it when they did and would get rid of the.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Ball quickly like that.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
The first Robinson touchdown was just like a quick, quick
decision against pressure, and McVeigh and Stafford together kind of
had all the right answers against a tough defense.
Speaker 6 (18:45):
Yeah, I'm going to take it back to the defense
if I can, because you highlight something there that I
think is worth underscoring, which is the Rams did have
one of their better nines. Like they give up two
touchdowns on those first two drives, only six points the
rest of the way, and they do it on a
night where they put their green dot linebacker Troy Raider
on injured reserve, Like that was the corresponding move to
activate Pukinakua now Here in Los Angeles. The off ball
(19:07):
linebacker play has, let's just say not, been the favorite
portion of the program in the Rams season so far.
Many fans have been clamoring for a change there. Omar States,
an undrafted rookie linebacker steps into that fray. Jake Hummel,
a backup stipe steps into that fray. But I think
you really have to highlight the effort of Quinton Lake,
who's a defensive captain and it's just made outrageous maybe
(19:30):
potential game saving tackles. The last two games against the
Raiders and now the Vikings here tonight, their improvement has
been marked.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
They've scored on defense three straight games now.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
But I think the most important thing to highlight is
in the post Aaron Donald universe, they are getting more
pressure on opposing pockets than they did in the last
two years of the Goats career.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Like that cannot be overemphasized.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
That the plan they laid in place to prepare for
post Aaron Donald rams, whether it drafting Kobe Turner and
Byron Young more recently Jared Vers and Braden Fisk, like
all those first and second year guys are delivering. And
that's not a bad place to hang your hat moving
forward for an inexperienced defense that's going to have some
roller coaster moments, and having Darius Woman's back healthy, you know,
(20:18):
sets that secondary right.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
He's their best worn in.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
It shows they don't need to be a shutdown defense.
They haven't been for many stretches during the mcveighra They
just need to be good enough and the offensive line
and the offense needs to take them home, and they
haven't been finishing plays, have been creating a lot of pressure,
but not necessarily finishing getting enough stops. You know, tonight
(20:41):
they finished some of those plays too. Jared Verse with
the second half getting a couple of quarterback kids. Jared
Versus is a really fun young player to watch. They
really hit on one. He's so strong, and when Darisaw
went out, I really felt for the Vikings because he's
an All Pro caliber player, and they absolutely stonewalled the
(21:02):
Rams in the first quarter. It definitely started changing the
second quarter. So it wasn't all just darrisol leaving, but
the second he left, they were almost, you know, fighting
over who who got to go against you know, his backup.
Quizenberry and Byron Young had some good snaps, but Jared
Verse especially was getting pressure after pressure, hit after a hit,
(21:22):
and just driving him back. And those are my kind
of pass rushers, maybe not the fancy ones, but like
the Jenevian Clowney types. When Clowney was at his best,
who's just stronger than the guy you know across from him,
and versus that guy, and he has such a motor.
I was really keeping an eye on Verse all night
and when he wasn't on the field. They just don't
have as much juice like he is that important for them.
(21:46):
If you're watching on YouTube, you can see how the
lights go off because because JB hasn't moved. But I'm
just gonna keep talking, which is pretty normal here on
NFL Daily.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
You fixed it.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Good job, dav good save. Yeah, the motion didn't do it.
I had a hop up up and actually press the
button again. We should be good for another fifteen minutes
or so.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
All right, let's take a quick break and we'll be
back in just a second. Let's knock a little viking.
I'll circle back a little bit in a second. But
(22:24):
you know, they start out this game getting two touchdowns
in the first two drives. Donald has all the time
in the world in the pocket. I kept writing down
in my notes, you know, just pick. He could just
pick whoever he wanted to. There was like two or
three guys open on every play. And you haven't seen
the coverage bus out of the rams the last couple
of weeks that you saw early. But there were open
(22:46):
receivers because they weren't getting pressure and everything is rolling,
and justin Jefferson is starting out fast. He ends up
with eight for one point fifteen. You know, what do
you think it was that changed for them? And what
they've done so well for most of this season is
keeping Darnold mostly com I don't think he had a
(23:06):
bad game tonight. It wasn't really on him. He didn't
have the ball aton either in the second half. That
was part of it.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
No, I was super impressed with Kevin O'Connell's script or
dirty dozen or whatever it was to open that game,
because they drove down the field twice, locked in and
rightly so on justin Jefferson right, The Rams just played
a Raiders team that traded away one of the best
receivers in football, Devonte Adams before they came to so far,
and then five days later, like literally the best receiver
(23:34):
on the planet steps into your office and you got
to contend with that, and you felt that difference, You
felt that mismatch. But then when they got in those
tight red areas, they went to their secondary right, they
didn't throw the touchdown passes to Jefferson. They threw it
to Josh Oliver and what trent sherfield right, like kind
of the misdirection using the decoy of Jefferson it was
a beautiful game plan, and Aaron Jones, you know, running
(23:55):
pass continues to have a great season. There's a lot
of a lot of good there. I'm sure Rams did
make some adjustments in their secondary to try and take
that first read away. But I think the subject that
we just touched on the pressure and the discomfort in
the pocket probably the biggest thing. By the way, just
to circle back before that that field goal conversation we
talked about earlier.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
They should have had a touchdown.
Speaker 6 (24:17):
Like Donold does well to duct the initial Russ attacks
the line of scrimmage, hits I think Jalen Naylor over
the middle, he just drops it. Otherwise that's a touchdown.
It's a completely different game. I think that was one
of the pivot points, a missed opportunity there for the
Vikings to get their third touchdown.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
See that's what live.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
I should have watched the replay on the big Jumbo
John because I did not realize that was a drop tho.
That was like a good defensive player.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
It was just tight there.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
See this is why I want to listen to more
JB Long calls. But I just feel like this is
the ultimate, you know, radio play by play on radio
play by play, rivalry matchup, maybe a revenge game.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
JB. Long I don't know. After he came in second
last year on the Calls of the Year.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Now it wasn't too Paul Allen, but Paul Allen has
probably won it before and as an annual contender. So
let's listen to Paul Allen's call of Justin Jefferson's crazy
catch down the sideline in the second half.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Darnold thirteen of sixteen one forty six and two. He's
out of the shotgun on first down, puts Josh Oliver
in motion to the right, Sam back to.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Pass Pate left at about the ten. It's Paul, hold,
are you kidding me? Can by just are you.
Speaker 10 (25:30):
Just saying hit the fuve yard line?
Speaker 7 (25:33):
Pease?
Speaker 4 (25:33):
Putting on a show right.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Next to the Holy One. That was a good call.
Put that on the Calls of the Year list. I
like that a lot.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Paul Allen and Pete Bursus, here's what you need to
take you over the top, Taby. You need MJD to
start yelling out in the middle of the play. Oh
he's got it, you know, I can't believe that sort
of stuff. We need that you know, we need the
more homerism from MGD.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Poor MJD was so jet coming back from London on Sunday.
I think he was only half there. He brought it
with full force tonight and it was great. I love
Paul Allen. What's cool about that play is it was
coming right to us.
Speaker 11 (26:08):
Right.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
We're kind of situated back left pylon, North End Zona
Sofi Stadium, and I was chatting with Paul Prie game
and he was showing me the big binoculars that he
uses to call the game and howl the balls in
the air.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
He'll kind of move the spot to find the target.
Speaker 6 (26:21):
And I would love to know how that one looked
from his vantage point, because it was so close to
him that he probably didn't even need the binoculars. But man,
what a joy he is to listen to. And I
know he's just real with every moment he gets to have.
Justin Jefferson wearing purple.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well, he's not thrilled tonight.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
This Vikings team, some of their fans, I mean, they
were way more down on Darnold locally, like some of
the fans after the last couple of weeks than you
would have expected. Now, I did think he played pretty
poorly two straight weeks, including the Jets game in London.
But I thought he played well last night, I mean tonight,
and then I thought he played well last week. That
(26:58):
loss against the Lions was not on him. Although that
makes me think of what Colleen was saying on our
preview show on Tuesday talking about this game the Lion.
The post playing the Lions phenomenon is real. You play
the Lions, you lose the following week. Every single week,
and a lot of them are are games where the
team was favored. I maybe do think there is something
(27:20):
to that that it's such a physical team going up
against the Lions, and it's a mental challenge too, that
there maybe is a little bit of a physical and
mental letdown. Of course, in this case, they're also going
on the road on a Thursday night, which is.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Yeah, on the road on a short week.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Maybe the Lions are like the Service Academy of the
National Football League. You know in college football, when you
have to play a triple option team and you pour
into that it's completely different than your normal game plan
and you can get over the hum great, but then
it's often the team you play next that beats you.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Because you're all banged up and exhausted.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
So it's been the case with the forty nine Ers
in recent years, and I thought there is something to
that because they are the biggest, most physical team in
the league. And so yeah, the Vikings now at five
and two in the NFC North, which is the best
division in football. It's crazy, and they have the win
over the Packers, but the Packers will have the extra
(28:10):
game on them, and it's like, yeah, they could be
in fourth, third place by the end of the weekend,
TI tied for last place. Actually, if the Bears win
this game. It is something that division. It is such
a different scenario than the Rams, where like, if you're
the Vikings and all these teams, you're going to be
playing on the road in the playoffs unless you can
(28:30):
somehow go ahead and find a way to win. And
the Rams, you know, through nothing they've done at three
and four, are almost in just as good a spot
to try to win their division.
Speaker 6 (28:40):
Obviously tough division, and they're just starting, just starting to
play each other. I mean, you probably remember when all
those you know, records were being said. You know, all
these teams with only one loss and the point differentials
like Okay, but they've only played headhead once and they
very well may be the best division in the football.
But now they're going to start to have to face
each other. But the sensitivity about the quarterback is real.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I get it.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
It's a tough division to play and to compete in.
It's a tough division to be a quarterback game when
you're looking around at your peers and it's an ascending
Caleb the number one pick, Jared Goff playing at an
MVP level in Jordan Love, that's tough company.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
Now, I'm not going to let Donald totally off the
hook here because, Okay, the sack, you know, probably should
have been a face master or should have been a
face mask. But he did hold the ball too long
on that play. That's it, a big spot. That wasn't
that quick of pressure. And then the sack that he
took that verse got the half sack. I forget who
got the other half there? Who finished off the play
(29:35):
where Sam Donald holds the ball a long time on
the play and then runs absolutely straight backwards. Again, if
you're watching on YouTube, you can see JB. Long holding
up his detailed notes what is it for this?
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This is my call sheet?
Speaker 6 (29:50):
And One of the notes that I had from next
Gen was that Donald has stayed in the pocket for
three point zero seven seconds on average this season, longer
than any other quarterback. Yeah, and also a handful of
fumbles where I think some opposing defenses, especially guard to
guard have been able to get pressure on him and
tee off on him. And those those turnovers I guess
are piling up now.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Yeah, and he's always taken too many sacks. And yeah,
that was Michael Hoyt who had the other half sack
on that plane. Those were two negative plays. There weren't
a ton. I do not think that that was his problem.
And actually Stafford and Darnold, because they're showing the next
Sten stats at the stadium, we're getting rid of the
ball quite quickly for most of the game.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
It was. It was more towards the end that he
held on to it.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Can I before I lose the thread? Can I add
one more thing?
Speaker 4 (30:36):
T J.
Speaker 6 (30:37):
Hockinson being an active pregame was almost as good a
news as pookin Nakua being active for the Rams. Like
I think when Hawkinson gets back in there, that has
the potential to do for the Vikings offensively. What Cup
and Nakua did for the Rams offensively tonight, Like he's
just such a huge asset, and the Rams have had
difficult times with opposing tight ends, including rock Powers most recently.
(31:00):
I don't think you can overstate just how big of
a scratch that was for Hawkinson not quite ready to
rejoin the Vikings offense.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Yeah, that's a good call.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
And the expectation because they are going to have to
activate him by rule I believe on Friday, is that
he will play next week.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
That he was close to playing this week.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
And maybe they're wondering who Maybe we shouldn't have been safe,
but I give I give them a credit for you know,
it's a long season we've seen with the Rams, for instance,
like making sure that Pooka is all the way back
before getting him out there.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It was absolutely huge.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
Speaking of Puka, let's as we listen to McVeigh talking
Puka after the game.
Speaker 9 (31:37):
This guy's mindset, his mentality, he's a war daddy, he's
a stud I got you know. I love his play,
energy and what he brings. He was ready to go
tonight and he made a big impact on the game.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Ward daddy, what does that mean?
Speaker 6 (31:49):
Warded on the hierarchy of Sean McVay compliments, that's either
one or one A right next to he's a G.
When Sean McVay says he's a G or he's a
ward dad, that is the utmost praise.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
What about sixty percent G? Is that like? That's I
guess that's not all the way there.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Oh yeah, I would love to hear him call you that.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
I don't know that that's made his way into Sean's repertoire,
but that is a great little inside nod the two
of us.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
No, I don't believe he's aware of me, although he did.
He always did the trick where he would remember Dan
Mark and I's name and Chris's name when we would
interview him a couple of times early on.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
So so I still don't think he would be aware
of me.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
All right, before, before we let you go, I'm going
to make you feel uncomfortable and make you listen to
one more of your calls at least, I really maybe
we'll bring in Eric here. We have the first Robinson touchdown,
which was I think the throw of the night in
the Play of the Night really important. I think DeMarcus
Robinson comes back for the long touchdown. We also have
the Cooper Cup touchdown where where Stafford ducks below the defender.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
They're both good, but Eric.
Speaker 6 (32:56):
Oh, I gotta tell you go for the cup one.
If for no other reason, then I know you're a
tennis guy.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (33:03):
And Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford both enjoyed tennis, actually
played tennis together in the offseason, and McVeigh told me
afterwards that that Stafford looked like a Carlos al Karatz,
you know, dodging the rush there.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Okay, Eric, I brought you in, but I guess JP
has made the choice for you.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
I like.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
I like the Dodgers jersey you have on here, of course,
representing the hometown team, you know, heading into the World Series.
I did think it was cool the final minute of
the game they just had on the huge you know,
JumboTron over everyone good luck in the World Series.
Speaker 11 (33:38):
Al did butcher it a little bit, but we did
get the obligatory Clayton Kershaw and Matthew Stafford were nice
called him Curtis Clayshaw on the broadcast, so that did
get brought up on the game. But yeah, big sports
weekend LA.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
So here close up all right here. Let's listen.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Stafford has a snap four man rush. Pressure in his face,
goes out the left side ducks the rush. Look to the.
Speaker 10 (34:00):
Cut cut cooker cup from Matthew Stafford Prime Time edition
of nine and Time.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Ah, that's good stuff that.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Your audience has definitely quit on us, Greg, what.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Everyone's listening? You know?
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Actually I heard I've had some of the you know,
I had the the Saints block party guys on.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
I've heard from people it's like.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
You should have more of just like the local people
on after these Thursday night games.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
It's great.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
You really get the inside, you get the emotion, you
get the feeling. And yeah, there were some emotions when
that when that touchdown happened, that was the kids started
going crazy. At that point. That was where I think
they started to believe Ellis is. Ellis always believes, she
is a true believer. She's thought they're good, she always
thinks they're gonna win the Super Bowl. But they are
sometimes critical of Stafford and they were like, oh, he
(34:54):
finally didn't just like fall over, you know, when he's
getting sacked. I'm like, look, he's he's thirty six years old.
They're thirty five years old. He's pretty athletic getting out
out of the way. You know, they think he should evade,
you know, more defenders. But that was they made Ellis
proud there.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He made it proud.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Well good.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
I'm glad they can rest easy tonight and the best
of Matthew Stafford is surely still to come.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Okay, I like that. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
I think I never bought the Stafford in season trade rumors,
which weren't even really rumors. They were just like random
people throwing stuff out there. There was no reporting behind that.
Never really bought that. I think the Cup situation was
different because, look, we've reported at NFL Network that they
were listening, that they were open to it, Jordan Rodrigue
(35:39):
at The Athletic, who obviously does a great job on
our show to report it as well, so it wasn't
just coming out of nowhere. I think a night like
tonight really confuses that. And not like he was out
there looking insanely athletic, but just that he has more
value ultimately to the Rams, I think, than he's going
to have to any other team. And if you're trying
to make the playoff and go making a run, you're
(36:02):
gonna want to do it. You're gonna do it. Want
to do it with nine and ten? Like you're gonna
do it with both of them. It kind of be
crazy not to am I wrong.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
It's an elite partnership.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
And I'm not a big counting stats guy in this
era of quarterbacking, but the fact that he goes past
Marino for ninth on the all time list for completions
tonight is significant. That was called out by McVeigh, who
actually gave Matthew the game ball in the postgame locker room,
and Matthew turned around and gave it right back to
the all time winning its head coach of the Lost Angeles.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Oh good, good nugget love that before we go.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
And by the way, it's it is kind of crazy
because Cup Cup has a hold on this audience. Todd
Gurley was there tonight. It kind of reminds me of
Todd Gurley. Todd Gurley was just such a fan favorite.
And you know when they had him on the jumbo tron,
they show all the number thirties for Todd Gurley all
around the stadium and there's a ton of ton of
them and you just see so many cups like you
(36:57):
see more cups than Staffords now in you he's been
here longer so and I get it, but it's just
he has that connection, so I think that that is
part of it too. I'm gonna make like the dumbest, smallest,
totally not relevant to what we've been talking about point
to end here just because it annoys me. And I
just am so sick of Sean McVay and Kevin O'Connell's
(37:20):
attitude towards the kickoff and the touchback rule is not working.
I get it, like with some coaches it's not working.
It's worth it with coaches that actually want to compete
and like want to try to improve their field position,
because when you do kick it off and it doesn't
go into the end zone, they're actually averaging like four
yards better field position. So basically these coaches are deciding, like,
(37:41):
we can't compete, we can't coach that up well enough,
so we're gonna give up those extra four yards. But
I'm especially annoyed about it having been at the stadium
because other stadiums do this too. But you know, the
Rams have their own version where it's it's the Rampede.
It's like, get everyone super juiced up before the the
you know, the game's arts, and there's you know, crazy
(38:02):
rams with like you know, glowing eyes, and then there's
you know, the lady on the guitar who's going crazy
rita whatever it is, like ripping her guitar, and the
whole stadium is screaming like crazy, and then there's like
a touchback.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
And then we just like wait a minute, and it's
just like a.
Speaker 5 (38:18):
Bad product, Like this is an entertainment product, and so
it's just stupid. The whole thing's stupid. We should do
it after the touchback. Actually we should do. Tell Kevin
Demoff or whoever is making these decisions, JB, if you
can talk to do Rampede after the touchback, because Sean
McVay has decided I'm giving up on that particular portion
of football, like I'm not going to compete at that.
Speaker 6 (38:41):
That's by ramp You can step off the soapbox. That
was well done and listen for anyone who's still with us.
If you survived three of my in game calls tonight
and you were blessed to hear the brilliant future Hall
of Famer Paul Allen, and you made it all the
way to that pearl of wisdom from Ray Rosenthal.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Hit us up tomorrow morning. Let it snow. I'll retweet you.
Speaker 5 (39:02):
I I think you're gonna You're gonna get a lot
of people, and I think people agree with me. It's stupid,
like this should be a great and there is something
I would love to ask, like a poorly worded question
to one of these coaches, like like that, because to me,
actually there is a level of what they talk about,
like competing and getting better and this and that, and
they're just like there is some something that strikes me.
(39:22):
It's like they've decided not to compete, because tonight these
are two coaches that just decided like we're not even
gonna mess with that. We were just gonna give up
the field position.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
So okay, i'll stop.
Speaker 6 (39:31):
Mcveigh's on the competition committee. Maybe you'll have a say
about it in the future, perhaps as soon as this offseason.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
That's a good call.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I mean, they'll probably move it to the to the
thirty five coming out to just make the coaches do it.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
JB.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Long, We've kept you long enough a long night at
Sofi Stadium, but the traffic is gone now you can
get out nice and smooth at this point.
Speaker 6 (39:52):
I mean, the automated lights haven't even gone off for
the second time, so I feel like you were well
within your allotted time.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
Greg.
Speaker 5 (39:59):
It was It was an absolute pleasure. It was a
fun day at the stadium. It was a fun day.
I actually pre taped our pick show, so you will
hear that on Friday with Cynthia Friedelan. I'll give all
my Week eight picks. And there was some drama. Someone
from my family, maybe multiple members, were escorted out of
(40:22):
the building. You're gonna have to listen on Friday to
find out who, how and why. And Yeah, when the
Rosenthals are getting kicked out of NFL media, you know
football is back.
And the Rams gonna take away.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
He playclock, getting short Darnold back to his end zone,
sets the laces, pitches, pitch.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Shot, game over.
Speaker 4 (00:10):
Game over Byron Young with a safety agent zero calls
game FoST Thursday Night Football.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to NFL Daily. That was the great JB.
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Long of k SPN in Los Angeles, not only on
the call, but on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Still at the stadium. I made it my way through.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
Traffic, got to the car very quickly, drove home, and
he's still on a high after one of the most
fun Thursday night football games of the year.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
JB.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
Long, the radio play by play man of the Rams.
Welcome to NFL Daily. Wow, I can feel like I
got to take a breath here on a night of offense. Yes,
we finished there on the defense. Thanks buddy for joining me.
I know it's a long day.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Good to see you. A couple of things.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
One, I have commandeered someone's office just off the press
box here at SOFI Stadium. Thankfully, there is not a
lick of any kind of decoration on the wall. This
is clearly not occupied, so I feel like it was
designated for this purpose. Good on you for beating me
home and Secondly to all the Vikings listeners, Yes, I
did clean up that call by saying blatant face mask.
(01:30):
They missed it, the game should be continuing. I get it.
I feel your pain. We talked with Byron Young after
the game. He actually you could see like he was
in dismay, his hands covering his face, not celebrating that
game winning sack, but fearing the penalty marker that he
figured must have been down in the end zone. He
actually thought it was a horse collar, not a face mask.
But same difference. Tough break, tough break for the now
(01:51):
five and two Vikings.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
Yeah, you know, I was up there in the three
hundred section. No clue there was a face mask. In fact,
I had no idea until our great producer Eric Roberts
is putting together the show. Told me as I'm coming
into the house, hey, I have sound on them talking
about the face mask after the game, I was like,
(02:13):
what face mask was that?
Speaker 3 (02:14):
We did not see that.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
From from up in the not so cheap seats, but
the medium the medium seats. Actually, let's let's listen to
Kevin O'Connell. You know, if we're if we're talking about already,
let's listen to him after the game talking about the
face mask.
Speaker 7 (02:27):
You know, it looked like you got a pretty good
amount of face mask there. Not going to get into
you know, the call or no call and all that stuff.
It's just I told our team officiating and all that stuff.
For us to talk about that, for us to seek
comfort in that is not how we're going to respond
to this. It's just not going to happen. And I'm
(02:48):
gonna do the same thing right now. I really don't
have a comment on whether it was it looked like
you got a piece of the face mask, but they
didn't think so, so they didn't throw the flag.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Yeah, So it feels unfortunate almost start on this because
let's be real, they had the entire length of the
field to go at that point, no timeouts under it
would have been a minute forty on the clock, and
they had not scored a touchdown since the first quarter,
(03:17):
two punts that disastrous end of half, a couple plays
where they lost their left tackle Christian Darisaw, a couple
field goal drives to start the second half, and then
a punt in a really crucial situation in the fourth quarter.
So the way the Rams pass rush was getting after
the Vikings. I was not particularly confident JB at that
(03:40):
point in the game that they were necessarily gonna drive
down the field and hit the two point conversion. But
I guess I can understand why Vikings fans would be
a little salty.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
I think you rightly highlighted one of the major pivot
points in that game, which was Derisaw going down at
left tackle. Because the Rams have done all sorts of,
you know, bad things this season in all three phases.
The kicking game in particular has been shaky lately, the
defense has been porous at times, the offense has been
spinning its wheels, but the absolute one constant has been
(04:11):
the pressure that the Rants have been able to generate upfront,
primarily with rookies and second year pass rushers, Byron Young
being one of them. Jared Verse, I mean, he's leading
all rookies in pressure rate, and I think that was
apparent again today and especially down the left tackle.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Sam Darnold really felt that.
Speaker 6 (04:26):
Let me ask, were you surprised at the field goal
on fourth down and plus territory at minus four to
get to minus one? I saw a couple of algorithms
had that as a good decision like a slight lean
to kicking it, which I was surprised.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
That felt like a go for it for me and
o Common took the points.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
So you know, I was sitting in the crowd. Of course,
my family is decked out in Rams gear. I'm not
going to pretend I'm totally unbiased in this situation. You're
wearing literally Rams logo as we're doing this interview. Check
us out on YouTube. You can see JB's you and
some mug there. I think fans and I think there's
(05:03):
something to this, are always relieved when there's a field
goal attempt there. So in that situation, the way their
defense was playing, I thought they should go for the
touchdown because I just assumed they're gonna need a touchdown
to win this game. One field goal is not going
to be enough because the odds in my mind are,
and I know this is a good Vikings defense, but
(05:25):
the odds in my mind are that they're gonna need
a touchdown at some point because the Rams are going
to get at least a field goal back. We know
that they ended up going on a touchdown drive, which was,
you know, maybe the rams best touchdown drive of the season,
and Let's get off the end of that game, because
I feel it was a little beside the point.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Let's talk about Cooper Cup.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Returning to the field, Puka Nakua surprisingly returning to the field,
and this Rams offense kind of changing the feeling of
this entire season in one night. And I want to
take you back actually to a specific moment in the game.
And it wasn't that touchdown drive. It wasn't any of
(06:08):
the touchdown drives. It was about three thirty six, I believe,
left to go third and nine. The Rams are trying
to run out the clock, and you know what play
I'm talking about, right, the deep pass three twenty six
to go and in the stadium being able to see
the angle on that throw that Matthew Stafford made to
(06:30):
Cooper Cup for twenty seven yards to force the Vikings
to take their third time out and then they got
to kill more clock. When he let go of that ball,
I'm thinking, that pass that's not there like that he
was fitting it between a couple different defenders in zone coverage.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
That was absolute total.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Trust between two guys who have played in the biggest
of moments, and even in that moment, because Cup had
kind of an up and down game. I would say,
obviously made some big plays, I'm worried, and then to
see Cup make the right angle for the ball, know
what his quarterback is doing, come back for it, and
all that trust that Stafford had to me, that was.
(07:09):
That was such a big moment in the season and
the game for the Rams. And I know a lot
happened after that, but that was absolutely telling on a
night where the Rams kind of looked like the Rams
that we've seen from the last couple of years.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Again, I'm just shaking my head at all the incredible
moments that the Rosenthal family has witnessed for the Los
Angeles Rams here at SOFI Stadium, and many of them
have centered around the great receivers Pukinnakua and especially Cooper Cup.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Am I wrong?
Speaker 3 (07:35):
No, you're not, You're not wrong. My daughter got to
go to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
She was solo, crazily enough with our friend, and you're
absolutely right. I don't want to people are going to
be annoyed how how freaking biased we are or sounding
on this, because I am truly not a Rams scene,
but that that was. I love seeing great football and
that was a great moment and a night full of
them for Stafford, and Cup had his moments too, but
(07:58):
I just thought that was that was telling on a
night where yeah, Cup makes a mental mistake a couple
of plays later by going out of bounds, but it
really stuck with me as as just an impressive play
of trust and like something to build off on a
night that we went into JB. Sorry to keep honking,
but we went into people wondering like, is this Cooper
(08:18):
Cup's last game as a Ram? And he catches that
touchdown in the first half and he makes that plan
and I'm thinking, there's no way it's his last game
as La Ram.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Well, here's why I think it's significant. We're not here
to throw too many flowers on the still sub five
hundred Los Angeles Rams, right, But what we are here,
I think to highlight is the fact that the NFC
West has a bunch of teams piled together with three
or in the other three cases four losses, and so
that division is still wide open. And if the Rams
(08:51):
play like this, coming off the night where they put
up a season high point total, a season high yards
per play, their most explosive touchdown of the season, which
is still.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Moder Tood only twenty five yards.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
That changes the dynamic of the entire NFC playoff picture,
whether you're talking about the wild card bubble or who's
going to get a home playoff game coming out of
the West. Now we're not through the month of October yet,
but that's part of why this is significant is, Yes,
there were trade rumors swirling, and we heard all of them.
But the Rams get their key pieces back on offense,
they all produce. It looks completely different. You pair it
(09:23):
with an emerging defense that's now scored on that side
of the football and put together a pretty good effort
three games in a row. It shapes not just the
course of the Rams season, but the entire NFC. And
guess where the Rams go next after they put their
feet up and watch red Zone all day Sunday, Right
while the Seahawks host the Bills, while the forty nine
ers host the Cowboys coming off of bye, while Arizona
(09:44):
goes to Miami. The Rams get ready with this mini
by to go take their first swing against the Seattle Seahawks.
And that's right before the trade deadline.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
And if the Seahawks lose that game, their home underdogs
to the Bills. They would be tied in the lost
column with the forty nine ers and the Rams and
the Cardinals, depending on if the Cardinals can pull off
that game Sunday. So we're just starting this NFC West race.
But I do think it took a win tonight to
feel like the Rams were in it, because they were.
(10:13):
They were a one in four team, and even that
one felt like a little bit of a miracle, and
they were competitive, but they didn't play particularly well last
week against the Raiders. And you see in this game,
pukin Akua comes out. They target him for the first
couple plays of the game. He's absolutely explosive. He looks
like the old Puka Akua. I know it was a
(10:35):
very brief Week one appearance from him, but the little
that we saw, that's right Walker Pukinica. That does rule
tonight seven for one oh six in this game, and
you're like, oh yeah, this team is totally different with
Puka as the one and Cup as the two, which
also sets up to Marcus Robinson, who I got to
see from my view have single coverage on the outside
(10:57):
all night long, and then he's suddenly the third or
in fact, let's listen to a great call on Stafford's
second touchdown, UH to DeMarcus Robinson by one JB.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Long.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
You could try to do it live, JB. But we're
actually going to listen to the recorded copy.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Ready for a shotgun snap with three? Here it is
Vikings bring three, Stafford will protect it. He drills one white.
Speaker 8 (11:19):
Side and soon cat DeMarcus Robinson with his second of
the half. He flings it into the stands and Sean
Mackhew Stafford because four.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Tonight, great call there, JB.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
Figured that was the one we were going to lead
the show with. But then then you know the safety happened.
How are you doing energy wise here? Because you know
I drove home through traffic. You've already done the postgame
show right with with Sean McVay.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yes, and you did. He'd the call.
Speaker 5 (11:56):
They called you up two and so you didn't a
Mark and Dan and so you've got to be tapped
out right now.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Now, I'm good.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
The adrenaline rush is still pretty sky high because I'm
just so happy for these guys. Right, Like Matthew Stafford
came in with three total touchdown passes through six games,
like by far the lowest of his career, he was
one of twelve I think on throws to the end
zone coming into this game like it's just not been
his year because of all the circumstances around him.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
But he's also that guy.
Speaker 6 (12:26):
That's capable and we've seen him do it of elevating
the circumstances of the other ten in his huddle, and
tonight for the first time, it felt right. It felt
like the plan the Rams front office and coaching staff
had drawn up for this season, which was to lead
with the offense, because that's where all the investment is, right,
that's where the all.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
The accomplishment is.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
So to see him use his mobility on and off
platform tonight, to see him throw from all arm angles,
had the one bad interception, but to throw for four touchdowns.
And here's the other thing, to use all of his targets.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Greg.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
You know from watching this team at times they can
become too locked in on Cooper Cup almost spanning him
with targets. What I loved about the Rams approach tonight
is that they used all their eligibles. They platoon personnel packages,
they used two and three tight end sets. Even though
Cup and Nakua were back, they still used DeMarcus Robinson
and Tyler Johnson in two two at well. I thought
(13:19):
that was meaningful, and I think that's a big reason
why Matthew Stafford was not sacked by the best defense
in the National Football League, even though he's being peppered
coming into this game at the second highest rate of
his career. Like that is the most important takeaway from
tonight is how well he clicked through his progressions and
how well they protected him. And I can't help but
(13:41):
think that Cup and Nakua impact that not just with
their threats in the passing game, but because they're so
productive in the running game, like Kiren goes for another
touchdown and over one hundred from scrimmage. You watch some
of the blocks that Pouka Nakua throws in that game.
They've been dearly missing that for over a month now.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
Man, they really pulled fast one on everyone because Puka
Nikoa was ready to go. No one thought he was
playing this week. It just kind of came out of nowhere. Interesting,
you know, they did a good job on that. I'll
just put you're not saying that. I'm saying that that
like usually you have a clue that that's coming the
Vikings probably did not have a clue that that was coming,
(14:19):
and he was a massive part of the game plan.
And you're absolutely right you could see him being a
factor in the running game. Kyrien Williams had a great
day running for ninety seven yards on the ground. There
was a particular play it actually set up that touchdown
that we just heard. I thought it was an interesting
call second in eleven. They'd run the ball a lot
(14:40):
on that touchdown drive it wasn't working quite as well.
They lose a yard on first down second and eleven.
There's some groans up in the in the crowd here
and I'm like, they're gonna run it again here, and
they do, and Cooper Cup kind of gets, you know,
does not have a great block, gets absolutely knocked over
(15:00):
on the play, to the point where Kyron Williams has
to use his incredible lateral agility to hop to the
side of Cooper Cup to pick up seven yards and
it puts them in a really favorable down and distance
third and four. So that that was a little bit
of everything. Kyron is such an underrated runner. Let's listen
to McVeigh actually after the game talking about the journey
(15:22):
ahead and just getting these guys back from this game.
Speaker 9 (15:26):
I'm excited about this journey ahead. And you know, we've
learned a lot about people in these first seven weeks.
We've had to go through a lot of different things
relative to new faces playing that maybe we didn't expect.
And then it's great to be able to get some
of the cavalry back and I think we'll start to
see that over the next couple of weeks. And we
got to be able to hit the ground running and
we got a great challenge, you know, next week.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
And while we're here, you had Sean McVay on, you know,
your broadcast after the game.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
How was that?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Yeah, he was elated.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
I mean he was happy for all the key individuals,
some of which we've highlighted, and the fact that they
finally put together a total team effort offense, defense and
special team's mistake free. That's the result that they've been
hunting up in the fashion that they've been wanting to execute.
Here's a little context too. On his night, that's his
eightieth career win okay, regular season, postseason combined with it,
(16:16):
he goes past John Robinson for sole possession of the
Rams wins record.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Okay, Wow.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
He and John Madden are the only two men post
merger to do that before their fortieth birthday. And speaking
of birthdays, today is his son's Jordan's first birthday, all right,
So for the rest of his life, he's going to
be the winningest coach in Rams history. And he got
the signature victory and I gotta have it moment on
(16:45):
Thursday night football primetime against the Vikings at home.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
With the Madden Cruiser out front, by the way, I.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Got some nice call bag, nice call for my.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Son on the way back.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
That's crazy because you know the Rams, it's not like, oh,
he's winning this coach since they moved back to LA
or the version of LA if we're not counting Saint Louis.
The Rams have been around for like seventy years or something.
That's it's pretty amazing that that he has that mark.
And uh yeah, congrats, congrats to Sean McVay there. I
(17:16):
thought he had a really good night. You I'm glad
you pointed out the pass protection because I left the
game thinking, so the Rams won.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
You know, everyone's going to talk.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
About Cooper Cup and Pukunakua coming back with good reason.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
I just did.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
But They won in large part because they had great
pass protection and they had really good run defense after
the first quarter, like the Vikings were held I think
under three yards per carry. Aaron Jones was at three
point one, and you know Darnold had a couple scrambles
for less, so they're under three yards per carry. That
is not Those are the two things you thought were
the worst about this Rams team. So I do think
(17:50):
that's it's just one game. But I do think excelling
at the things you've struggled the most at against equality, competition, equality,
running games, certainly in equality. You know, pass rush is
has to feel really good, and I think McVeigh has
to feel like, man, I played a big role in this.
You know, I don't know, he probably doesn't want to
(18:11):
think like that. But early on in this game, I
thought they had those quick hitters to Puka. They're rolling
in those first two drives, running the ball and with Puka,
and it really got Flores to back off all the
crazy stuff that he does. And I thought they played
kind of vanilla the rest of the game, like they
blitzed a couple times, like they you know, they certainly
showed some interesting formations, but mostly Stafford wasn't worrying about
(18:33):
it when they did and would get rid of the.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Ball quickly like that.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
The first Robinson touchdown was just like a quick, quick
decision against pressure, and McVeigh and Stafford together kind of
had all the right answers against a tough defense.
Speaker 6 (18:45):
Yeah, I'm going to take it back to the defense
if I can, because you highlight something there that I
think is worth underscoring, which is the Rams did have
one of their better nines. Like they give up two
touchdowns on those first two drives, only six points the
rest of the way, and they do it on a
night where they put their green dot linebacker Troy Raider
on injured reserve, Like that was the corresponding move to
activate Pukinakua now Here in Los Angeles. The off ball
(19:07):
linebacker play has, let's just say not, been the favorite
portion of the program in the Rams season so far.
Many fans have been clamoring for a change there. Omar States,
an undrafted rookie linebacker steps into that fray. Jake Hummel,
a backup stipe steps into that fray. But I think
you really have to highlight the effort of Quinton Lake,
who's a defensive captain and it's just made outrageous maybe
(19:30):
potential game saving tackles. The last two games against the
Raiders and now the Vikings here tonight, their improvement has
been marked.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
They've scored on defense three straight games now.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
But I think the most important thing to highlight is
in the post Aaron Donald universe, they are getting more
pressure on opposing pockets than they did in the last
two years of the Goats career.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Like that cannot be overemphasized.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
That the plan they laid in place to prepare for
post Aaron Donald rams, whether it drafting Kobe Turner and
Byron Young more recently Jared Vers and Braden Fisk, like
all those first and second year guys are delivering. And
that's not a bad place to hang your hat moving
forward for an inexperienced defense that's going to have some
roller coaster moments, and having Darius Woman's back healthy, you know,
(20:18):
sets that secondary right.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
He's their best worn in.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
It shows they don't need to be a shutdown defense.
They haven't been for many stretches during the mcveighra They
just need to be good enough and the offensive line
and the offense needs to take them home, and they
haven't been finishing plays, have been creating a lot of pressure,
but not necessarily finishing getting enough stops. You know, tonight
(20:41):
they finished some of those plays too. Jared Verse with
the second half getting a couple of quarterback kids. Jared
Versus is a really fun young player to watch. They
really hit on one. He's so strong, and when Darisaw
went out, I really felt for the Vikings because he's
an All Pro caliber player, and they absolutely stonewalled the
(21:02):
Rams in the first quarter. It definitely started changing the
second quarter. So it wasn't all just darrisol leaving, but
the second he left, they were almost, you know, fighting
over who who got to go against you know, his backup.
Quizenberry and Byron Young had some good snaps, but Jared
Verse especially was getting pressure after pressure, hit after a hit,
(21:22):
and just driving him back. And those are my kind
of pass rushers, maybe not the fancy ones, but like
the Jenevian Clowney types. When Clowney was at his best,
who's just stronger than the guy you know across from him,
and versus that guy, and he has such a motor.
I was really keeping an eye on Verse all night
and when he wasn't on the field. They just don't
have as much juice like he is that important for them.
(21:46):
If you're watching on YouTube, you can see how the
lights go off because because JB hasn't moved. But I'm
just gonna keep talking, which is pretty normal here on
NFL Daily.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
You fixed it.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Good job, dav good save. Yeah, the motion didn't do it.
I had a hop up up and actually press the
button again. We should be good for another fifteen minutes
or so.
Speaker 5 (22:02):
All right, let's take a quick break and we'll be
back in just a second. Let's knock a little viking.
I'll circle back a little bit in a second. But
(22:24):
you know, they start out this game getting two touchdowns
in the first two drives. Donald has all the time
in the world in the pocket. I kept writing down
in my notes, you know, just pick. He could just
pick whoever he wanted to. There was like two or
three guys open on every play. And you haven't seen
the coverage bus out of the rams the last couple
of weeks that you saw early. But there were open
(22:46):
receivers because they weren't getting pressure and everything is rolling,
and justin Jefferson is starting out fast. He ends up
with eight for one point fifteen. You know, what do
you think it was that changed for them? And what
they've done so well for most of this season is
keeping Darnold mostly com I don't think he had a
(23:06):
bad game tonight. It wasn't really on him. He didn't
have the ball aton either in the second half. That
was part of it.
Speaker 6 (23:13):
No, I was super impressed with Kevin O'Connell's script or
dirty dozen or whatever it was to open that game,
because they drove down the field twice, locked in and
rightly so on justin Jefferson right, The Rams just played
a Raiders team that traded away one of the best
receivers in football, Devonte Adams before they came to so far,
and then five days later, like literally the best receiver
(23:34):
on the planet steps into your office and you got
to contend with that, and you felt that difference, You
felt that mismatch. But then when they got in those
tight red areas, they went to their secondary right, they
didn't throw the touchdown passes to Jefferson. They threw it
to Josh Oliver and what trent sherfield right, like kind
of the misdirection using the decoy of Jefferson it was
a beautiful game plan, and Aaron Jones, you know, running
(23:55):
pass continues to have a great season. There's a lot
of a lot of good there. I'm sure Rams did
make some adjustments in their secondary to try and take
that first read away. But I think the subject that
we just touched on the pressure and the discomfort in
the pocket probably the biggest thing. By the way, just
to circle back before that that field goal conversation we
talked about earlier.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
They should have had a touchdown.
Speaker 6 (24:17):
Like Donold does well to duct the initial Russ attacks
the line of scrimmage, hits I think Jalen Naylor over
the middle, he just drops it. Otherwise that's a touchdown.
It's a completely different game. I think that was one
of the pivot points, a missed opportunity there for the
Vikings to get their third touchdown.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
See that's what live.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
I should have watched the replay on the big Jumbo
John because I did not realize that was a drop tho.
That was like a good defensive player.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
It was just tight there.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
See this is why I want to listen to more
JB Long calls. But I just feel like this is
the ultimate, you know, radio play by play on radio
play by play, rivalry matchup, maybe a revenge game.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
JB. Long I don't know. After he came in second
last year on the Calls of the Year.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Now it wasn't too Paul Allen, but Paul Allen has
probably won it before and as an annual contender. So
let's listen to Paul Allen's call of Justin Jefferson's crazy
catch down the sideline in the second half.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Darnold thirteen of sixteen one forty six and two. He's
out of the shotgun on first down, puts Josh Oliver
in motion to the right, Sam back to.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Pass Pate left at about the ten. It's Paul, hold,
are you kidding me? Can by just are you.
Speaker 10 (25:30):
Just saying hit the fuve yard line?
Speaker 7 (25:33):
Pease?
Speaker 4 (25:33):
Putting on a show right.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Next to the Holy One. That was a good call.
Put that on the Calls of the Year list. I
like that a lot.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
Paul Allen and Pete Bursus, here's what you need to
take you over the top, Taby. You need MJD to
start yelling out in the middle of the play. Oh
he's got it, you know, I can't believe that sort
of stuff. We need that you know, we need the
more homerism from MGD.
Speaker 6 (25:58):
Poor MJD was so jet coming back from London on Sunday.
I think he was only half there. He brought it
with full force tonight and it was great. I love
Paul Allen. What's cool about that play is it was
coming right to us.
Speaker 11 (26:08):
Right.
Speaker 6 (26:09):
We're kind of situated back left pylon, North End Zona
Sofi Stadium, and I was chatting with Paul Prie game
and he was showing me the big binoculars that he
uses to call the game and howl the balls in
the air.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
He'll kind of move the spot to find the target.
Speaker 6 (26:21):
And I would love to know how that one looked
from his vantage point, because it was so close to
him that he probably didn't even need the binoculars. But man,
what a joy he is to listen to. And I
know he's just real with every moment he gets to have.
Justin Jefferson wearing purple.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well, he's not thrilled tonight.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
This Vikings team, some of their fans, I mean, they
were way more down on Darnold locally, like some of
the fans after the last couple of weeks than you
would have expected. Now, I did think he played pretty
poorly two straight weeks, including the Jets game in London.
But I thought he played well last night, I mean tonight,
and then I thought he played well last week. That
(26:58):
loss against the Lions was not on him. Although that
makes me think of what Colleen was saying on our
preview show on Tuesday talking about this game the Lion.
The post playing the Lions phenomenon is real. You play
the Lions, you lose the following week. Every single week,
and a lot of them are are games where the
team was favored. I maybe do think there is something
(27:20):
to that that it's such a physical team going up
against the Lions, and it's a mental challenge too, that
there maybe is a little bit of a physical and
mental letdown. Of course, in this case, they're also going
on the road on a Thursday night, which is.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Yeah, on the road on a short week.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Maybe the Lions are like the Service Academy of the
National Football League. You know in college football, when you
have to play a triple option team and you pour
into that it's completely different than your normal game plan
and you can get over the hum great, but then
it's often the team you play next that beats you.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Because you're all banged up and exhausted.
Speaker 5 (27:49):
So it's been the case with the forty nine Ers
in recent years, and I thought there is something to
that because they are the biggest, most physical team in
the league. And so yeah, the Vikings now at five
and two in the NFC North, which is the best
division in football. It's crazy, and they have the win
over the Packers, but the Packers will have the extra
(28:10):
game on them, and it's like, yeah, they could be
in fourth, third place by the end of the weekend,
TI tied for last place. Actually, if the Bears win
this game. It is something that division. It is such
a different scenario than the Rams, where like, if you're
the Vikings and all these teams, you're going to be
playing on the road in the playoffs unless you can
(28:30):
somehow go ahead and find a way to win. And
the Rams, you know, through nothing they've done at three
and four, are almost in just as good a spot
to try to win their division.
Speaker 6 (28:40):
Obviously tough division, and they're just starting, just starting to
play each other. I mean, you probably remember when all
those you know, records were being said. You know, all
these teams with only one loss and the point differentials
like Okay, but they've only played headhead once and they
very well may be the best division in the football.
But now they're going to start to have to face
each other. But the sensitivity about the quarterback is real.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
I get it.
Speaker 6 (29:02):
It's a tough division to play and to compete in.
It's a tough division to be a quarterback game when
you're looking around at your peers and it's an ascending
Caleb the number one pick, Jared Goff playing at an
MVP level in Jordan Love, that's tough company.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
Now, I'm not going to let Donald totally off the
hook here because, Okay, the sack, you know, probably should
have been a face master or should have been a
face mask. But he did hold the ball too long
on that play. That's it, a big spot. That wasn't
that quick of pressure. And then the sack that he
took that verse got the half sack. I forget who
got the other half there? Who finished off the play
(29:35):
where Sam Donald holds the ball a long time on
the play and then runs absolutely straight backwards. Again, if
you're watching on YouTube, you can see JB. Long holding
up his detailed notes what is it for this?
Speaker 1 (29:48):
This is my call sheet?
Speaker 6 (29:50):
And One of the notes that I had from next
Gen was that Donald has stayed in the pocket for
three point zero seven seconds on average this season, longer
than any other quarterback. Yeah, and also a handful of
fumbles where I think some opposing defenses, especially guard to
guard have been able to get pressure on him and
tee off on him. And those those turnovers I guess
are piling up now.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Yeah, and he's always taken too many sacks. And yeah,
that was Michael Hoyt who had the other half sack
on that plane. Those were two negative plays. There weren't
a ton. I do not think that that was his problem.
And actually Stafford and Darnold, because they're showing the next
Sten stats at the stadium, we're getting rid of the
ball quite quickly for most of the game.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
It was. It was more towards the end that he
held on to it.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Can I before I lose the thread? Can I add
one more thing?
Speaker 4 (30:36):
T J.
Speaker 6 (30:37):
Hockinson being an active pregame was almost as good a
news as pookin Nakua being active for the Rams. Like
I think when Hawkinson gets back in there, that has
the potential to do for the Vikings offensively. What Cup
and Nakua did for the Rams offensively tonight, Like he's
just such a huge asset, and the Rams have had
difficult times with opposing tight ends, including rock Powers most recently.
(31:00):
I don't think you can overstate just how big of
a scratch that was for Hawkinson not quite ready to
rejoin the Vikings offense.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Yeah, that's a good call.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
And the expectation because they are going to have to
activate him by rule I believe on Friday, is that
he will play next week.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
That he was close to playing this week.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
And maybe they're wondering who Maybe we shouldn't have been safe,
but I give I give them a credit for you know,
it's a long season we've seen with the Rams, for instance,
like making sure that Pooka is all the way back
before getting him out there.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
It was absolutely huge.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
Speaking of Puka, let's as we listen to McVeigh talking
Puka after the game.
Speaker 9 (31:37):
This guy's mindset, his mentality, he's a war daddy, he's
a stud I got you know. I love his play,
energy and what he brings. He was ready to go
tonight and he made a big impact on the game.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Ward daddy, what does that mean?
Speaker 6 (31:49):
Warded on the hierarchy of Sean McVay compliments, that's either
one or one A right next to he's a G.
When Sean McVay says he's a G or he's a
ward dad, that is the utmost praise.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
What about sixty percent G? Is that like? That's I
guess that's not all the way there.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Oh yeah, I would love to hear him call you that.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
I don't know that that's made his way into Sean's repertoire,
but that is a great little inside nod the two
of us.
Speaker 5 (32:16):
No, I don't believe he's aware of me, although he did.
He always did the trick where he would remember Dan
Mark and I's name and Chris's name when we would
interview him a couple of times early on.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
So so I still don't think he would be aware
of me.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
All right, before, before we let you go, I'm going
to make you feel uncomfortable and make you listen to
one more of your calls at least, I really maybe
we'll bring in Eric here. We have the first Robinson touchdown,
which was I think the throw of the night in
the Play of the Night really important. I think DeMarcus
Robinson comes back for the long touchdown. We also have
the Cooper Cup touchdown where where Stafford ducks below the defender.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
They're both good, but Eric.
Speaker 6 (32:56):
Oh, I gotta tell you go for the cup one.
If for no other reason, then I know you're a
tennis guy.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (33:03):
And Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford both enjoyed tennis, actually
played tennis together in the offseason, and McVeigh told me
afterwards that that Stafford looked like a Carlos al Karatz,
you know, dodging the rush there.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
Okay, Eric, I brought you in, but I guess JP
has made the choice for you.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
I like.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
I like the Dodgers jersey you have on here, of course,
representing the hometown team, you know, heading into the World Series.
I did think it was cool the final minute of
the game they just had on the huge you know,
JumboTron over everyone good luck in the World Series.
Speaker 11 (33:38):
Al did butcher it a little bit, but we did
get the obligatory Clayton Kershaw and Matthew Stafford were nice
called him Curtis Clayshaw on the broadcast, so that did
get brought up on the game. But yeah, big sports
weekend LA.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
So here close up all right here. Let's listen.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Stafford has a snap four man rush. Pressure in his face,
goes out the left side ducks the rush. Look to the.
Speaker 10 (34:00):
Cut cut cooker cup from Matthew Stafford Prime Time edition
of nine and Time.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Ah, that's good stuff that.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Your audience has definitely quit on us, Greg, what.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Everyone's listening? You know?
Speaker 5 (34:20):
Actually I heard I've had some of the you know,
I had the the Saints block party guys on.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
I've heard from people it's like.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
You should have more of just like the local people
on after these Thursday night games.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
It's great.
Speaker 5 (34:31):
You really get the inside, you get the emotion, you
get the feeling. And yeah, there were some emotions when
that when that touchdown happened, that was the kids started
going crazy. At that point. That was where I think
they started to believe Ellis is. Ellis always believes, she
is a true believer. She's thought they're good, she always
thinks they're gonna win the Super Bowl. But they are
sometimes critical of Stafford and they were like, oh, he
(34:54):
finally didn't just like fall over, you know, when he's
getting sacked. I'm like, look, he's he's thirty six years old.
They're thirty five years old. He's pretty athletic getting out
out of the way. You know, they think he should evade,
you know, more defenders. But that was they made Ellis
proud there.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
He made it proud.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Well good.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
I'm glad they can rest easy tonight and the best
of Matthew Stafford is surely still to come.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Okay, I like that. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
I think I never bought the Stafford in season trade rumors,
which weren't even really rumors. They were just like random
people throwing stuff out there. There was no reporting behind that.
Never really bought that. I think the Cup situation was
different because, look, we've reported at NFL Network that they
were listening, that they were open to it, Jordan Rodrigue
(35:39):
at The Athletic, who obviously does a great job on
our show to report it as well, so it wasn't
just coming out of nowhere. I think a night like
tonight really confuses that. And not like he was out
there looking insanely athletic, but just that he has more
value ultimately to the Rams, I think, than he's going
to have to any other team. And if you're trying
to make the playoff and go making a run, you're
(36:02):
gonna want to do it. You're gonna do it. Want
to do it with nine and ten? Like you're gonna
do it with both of them. It kind of be
crazy not to am I wrong.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
It's an elite partnership.
Speaker 6 (36:12):
And I'm not a big counting stats guy in this
era of quarterbacking, but the fact that he goes past
Marino for ninth on the all time list for completions
tonight is significant. That was called out by McVeigh, who
actually gave Matthew the game ball in the postgame locker room,
and Matthew turned around and gave it right back to
the all time winning its head coach of the Lost Angeles.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
Oh good, good nugget love that before we go.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
And by the way, it's it is kind of crazy
because Cup Cup has a hold on this audience. Todd
Gurley was there tonight. It kind of reminds me of
Todd Gurley. Todd Gurley was just such a fan favorite.
And you know when they had him on the jumbo tron,
they show all the number thirties for Todd Gurley all
around the stadium and there's a ton of ton of
them and you just see so many cups like you
(36:57):
see more cups than Staffords now in you he's been
here longer so and I get it, but it's just
he has that connection, so I think that that is
part of it too. I'm gonna make like the dumbest, smallest,
totally not relevant to what we've been talking about point
to end here just because it annoys me. And I
just am so sick of Sean McVay and Kevin O'Connell's
(37:20):
attitude towards the kickoff and the touchback rule is not working.
I get it, like with some coaches it's not working.
It's worth it with coaches that actually want to compete
and like want to try to improve their field position,
because when you do kick it off and it doesn't
go into the end zone, they're actually averaging like four
yards better field position. So basically these coaches are deciding, like,
(37:41):
we can't compete, we can't coach that up well enough,
so we're gonna give up those extra four yards. But
I'm especially annoyed about it having been at the stadium
because other stadiums do this too. But you know, the
Rams have their own version where it's it's the Rampede.
It's like, get everyone super juiced up before the the
you know, the game's arts, and there's you know, crazy
(38:02):
rams with like you know, glowing eyes, and then there's
you know, the lady on the guitar who's going crazy
rita whatever it is, like ripping her guitar, and the
whole stadium is screaming like crazy, and then there's like
a touchback.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
And then we just like wait a minute, and it's
just like a.
Speaker 5 (38:18):
Bad product, Like this is an entertainment product, and so
it's just stupid. The whole thing's stupid. We should do
it after the touchback. Actually we should do. Tell Kevin
Demoff or whoever is making these decisions, JB, if you
can talk to do Rampede after the touchback, because Sean
McVay has decided I'm giving up on that particular portion
of football, like I'm not going to compete at that.
Speaker 6 (38:41):
That's by ramp You can step off the soapbox. That
was well done and listen for anyone who's still with us.
If you survived three of my in game calls tonight
and you were blessed to hear the brilliant future Hall
of Famer Paul Allen, and you made it all the
way to that pearl of wisdom from Ray Rosenthal.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
Hit us up tomorrow morning. Let it snow. I'll retweet you.
Speaker 5 (39:02):
I I think you're gonna You're gonna get a lot
of people, and I think people agree with me. It's stupid,
like this should be a great and there is something
I would love to ask, like a poorly worded question
to one of these coaches, like like that, because to me,
actually there is a level of what they talk about,
like competing and getting better and this and that, and
they're just like there is some something that strikes me.
(39:22):
It's like they've decided not to compete, because tonight these
are two coaches that just decided like we're not even
gonna mess with that. We were just gonna give up
the field position.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
So okay, i'll stop.
Speaker 6 (39:31):
Mcveigh's on the competition committee. Maybe you'll have a say
about it in the future, perhaps as soon as this offseason.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
That's a good call.
Speaker 5 (39:37):
I mean, they'll probably move it to the to the
thirty five coming out to just make the coaches do it.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
JB.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
Long, We've kept you long enough a long night at
Sofi Stadium, but the traffic is gone now you can
get out nice and smooth at this point.
Speaker 6 (39:52):
I mean, the automated lights haven't even gone off for
the second time, so I feel like you were well
within your allotted time.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
Greg.
Speaker 5 (39:59):
It was It was an absolute pleasure. It was a
fun day at the stadium. It was a fun day.
I actually pre taped our pick show, so you will
hear that on Friday with Cynthia Friedelan. I'll give all
my Week eight picks. And there was some drama. Someone
from my family, maybe multiple members, were escorted out of
(40:22):
the building. You're gonna have to listen on Friday to
find out who, how and why. And Yeah, when the
Rosenthals are getting kicked out of NFL media, you know
football is back.
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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