December 18, 2023 • 35 mins
On this episode of the Coach McVay Show, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead subs in on a short week to discuss the latest news around the Rams with J.B. Long and D’Marco Farr. Snead talks about the Rams' exceptional performance following the bye week, quarterback Matthew Stafford’s role in the offensive surge, what he has seen from new players, both rookies and offseason veteran signings, and what Thursday's game against the New Orleans Saints means for the Rams’ push to the playoffs.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Well, Happy victory Monday, everyone, and welcome to the Coach
McVeigh Show with special guests Less Need We're always presented
by Microsoft Circus Surface to Marco far jblong with you
tonight four and one since the bye and looking ahead
to Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints. To Marco
give give Less that game's finally.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Here notes finally we got there? We go short week?
How's that feel? Come on?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh? When artists told me yesterday that I was doing
this show, I was like, he didn't tell me before,
So I don't know when we made a decision about, Oh,
finally get to do the show after a win poor Less.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
The calendar has not often been in his favor in
previous years. He often steps in for Sean McVay on
short weeks. We're glad to have him here today. And
the Rams have now officially exceeded their external expectations. I
guess at least seven and seven no longer need any
help to make the postseason. I know it's not miss accomplish,
but for a group that bet on themselves this offseason
and decided to retool on the fly, is that validating
(01:06):
for the choice you made?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
The spring. It.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I don't know if it's necessarily just for the choice
we made this spring, but it's it's always an element
of sophistication. It's a complex calculus formula of when you start,
where you go, how you finish. But it is fulfilling
right now for one to be playing quality football this
time of year. And with that being said, the quality
(01:30):
football actually leading to more points than the opponent on
the scoreboard, more wins in the are you know win
column than losses, things like that, and being in the hunt,
being in the mix, being you know, with a chance
to earn an opportunity to continue playing after the regular season.
So I would say collectively, it's it's it's fulfilling for
(01:51):
the collective for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I do know football is easier and when you have
a great quarterback, and you know, the question I get
the most is, am I surprised at where the Rams are?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
At?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Seven percent? Seven and seven? They're in December, they're in
the hunt. Are you surprised by how this team is
performing at this point in the year. Are you surprised
from where you started to now to where they're how
they're playing on.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I think you mentioned veteran QB so I think I
think internally we always, you know, really discussed if we
could protect Matthew. Matthew could stay healthy and play right
the ball that he is accustomed to playing, then you
got a chance in every single game. I mean, that's
(02:33):
just this is this and we always say its quarterback
driven league, and we have a really good one and
if he was going to play really good football, we
definitely had a chance. So I think that that would
be the answer be you would not be surprised. Now, again,
there's many factors and variables had to go with our
offensive line, jail, would we be able to protect, would
(02:55):
we be able to run the type of offense that
sewn his staff Matthew wants to run, and things like that,
And then you give everyone else credit, right skill, some younger,
some veterans, right stepping up, some getting over injuries like
Cooper and getting into the mix. So there's always variables
to it. But with what you said, not surprised, and
(03:16):
and you know, there's there's probably even a few losses
behind us that we can't get back that there's times
you regret losing because you felt like you had a
chance in those games. So when you said exceeded expectations.
There could be an element internally where like, man, we
feel like we could be maybe one or two wins
(03:37):
farther along. But that's that's hindsight. That's what it could have,
should have. What you talked about, JB. It is it
is really fulfilling to be here in December and playing
our you know, some of our better football.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Well how about that opportunity then, because I'm excited for
twenty twenty four. Don't get me wrong for Arsenal draft
picks and all those resources, but I don't want to
look past this moment in time. Right here, your load
bearing walls are all in the lineup, they're all playing. Well,
who's to say you can't mess around and do something
special this January?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
You know that's the that would be the vision. But
I think we the way we've approached it, and now
with December football, it's really right. You got to focus
on the next game and this one's coming up pretty fast,
and that's where you're at. If you can, if we can,
if we can, and I think in general, I think
we've we've lived it this year. Is there's an element
(04:31):
of can each individual in the organization, no matter where
you're at, whether you're you're an athletic trainer, whether you're
an assistant coach, whether you're a player, wherever you're at,
Can you have that ironclad emotional control where you can
live through the ebbs and ebbs and flows of a
season when oh my, you're on a two game losing streak,
(04:53):
maybe even three, and you still got to show up
on a Monday, maybe even do this year on a mondy.
You still got to show up. The key being there's
no doubt that from an emotional standpoint, those are if
you want to cut, you're just you just feel worse
than you do when you win. Let's keep it to that,
and do you allow that to bleed in to chipping away?
(05:14):
And it's oftentime you'd say, hey, if you can, if
you can stay even ke and come in and approach
every day you know like you're on a three game
winning street, then usually those that's how you get on streaks,
that's how you approach it. So that's the that's a
neat thing this group's learning is it is It is
a long journey when you think about it, when it
(05:36):
all starts in May, you take a little bit of
summer off, and then there's in August, and then there's September, October,
and there's college football going on, and then all of
a sudden, here we are. College football is over. There's
a few games left, there's some bolt things like that,
and you're still really in the thick of things. So
that's a neat thing that I think this collective's gone through.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yeah, it's really year round with a few weeks off, right,
I mean even when you do have weeks off like vacation,
can you really turn off football in your brain?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
You try to?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
You try?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, how so many years into this, I will definitely
know that Okay, this is probably a good week to
turn it off, but you really can't. But I get
what you're saying. But if you're you got to use
your experience and know when to turn it off when
the not so that you can be because when it's
on its own. We're going through it right now. And
with the holidays and this time of year, right you
different people and families they're packing up, and I'm always like, okay,
(06:29):
it's it's when is Christmas again?
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
And I have years it's like, Okay, here's what I'll do.
I'll think about Christmas, maybe Friday afternoon. Let's just get
through Thursday, let's figure out, you know, the aftermath, the
after action, and then it's like, okay, wait a minute's Christmas.
But normally we would be playing on Christmas Eve what
have you. So that's what we go through.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I wish someone would give me ironclad emotional control for Christmas.
That's now at the top of my wish list.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I have to be intentional.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Thoughts on Week fifteen, and the win over Washington wasn't perfect,
maybe a little bit more nerve wracking at the finish
than you would have liked, but overall, wired to wire
win against the Commanders.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, it was definitely wire to wire and there were
some moments there. We all watched it, we all in
the probably for the good this week, you really don't
have time to ruminate on it, but there's definitely some
teachable moments. But I think, like you said, the result
is what mattered yesterday more than anything, based on the
(07:31):
math and the standings and all that occurred right in
the games before us. So you know, when we kicked off,
we were probably well aware that if we got to
seven and seven, right, we would go from in the
hunt to control in the destiny. So with that being said,
the result definitely weighed a lot, and there were some
(07:52):
moments where, right, it could have been probably a little
bit easier, but that's football. Give that team credit. Right,
we had an interception, we probably we had a couple
of good runs. We had a penalty. After that interty,
it was twenty eight to seven, so right, and then
we had the miss field goal. But in that moment, right,
twenty eight to seven, if we could have gotten at
(08:12):
the thirty five, could have gotten at the thirty one,
it might be a different game. They changed qbs. But
you know how the neat thing I'll give on this is,
with that being said, all that went wrong, give the
d credit, starting even with DK after giving up a
touchdown pass and he gave up another one, but didn't
(08:33):
because he made the hustle play brought him down on
the one defense, right, it made the commanders earn It
took him eight plays. But the most important thing in
that whole series is the clock they chewed up. So
instead of them kicking off with us with probably five
minutes to go, you know, it became an on side
situation and first down away from probably clinching the game.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
I thought that stand down there was the most impressive
thing in the game. I mean, outside of Matthew Stafford,
Cooper Cup going deep in all that stuff, but just
that the grit they showed. And that's been the buzzword
this year. The grit, the grit, the grit. I still think,
and tell me if you think I'm wrong. This team
is still searching for their best game. I think you've
had best games from this side, best games from this side,
(09:19):
best games from this side, but as a collective, still
searching for it.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
But that grit is there from this football team.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Am I on this other there was an excellent point
because they I think JB you mentioned it. There was
a moment there where we could have really put that
game away yesterday. Then there was a moment where everyone
in the stadium New Commanders had momentum and I'm not
sure right many people would have bet owned Oh, there
(09:46):
could have been almost two goal line stands based on
all the momentum in Washington, right gained earned at that point.
But to see the game flip again, like you said,
wow that somehow that defense flip the switch.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And yeah, and not just not just well defense, not
just one guy, not just a superstar, a collective group
going out there making plays.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah. I thought one of the ending moments where at
some point along the way, based on like I said,
those eleven doing their job, is Washington felt like we
couldn't run the ball in and there was probably an
element of not wanting to chew up clock. Yeah, I
guess ironically they ended up chewing up clock. But it
does take a collective to go, we're gonna try to
punch this thing. Boom. As soon as they tried to
(10:34):
punch it in, there was a wall there and you know,
no yards to game a few times, and I do
think I do think when you force a team to
pass in that part of the yeah, and you got
the end zone as a nice safe, it just gets
really condensed, a little bit tougher to get in. And
the more times you stop a team, I think all
(10:55):
of a sudden, the momentum swings defensive way, because then
the offense is like, oh, we're running out of downs.
Wish we discorded on second down with very very there's
a lot of emotions down on let's call it first
and goal from inside the five.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
No doubt as good as the faces of your franchise
have been this season, as surprisingly pleasant as the rookie
class has been. I don't think the Rams are in
the hunt without the veteran signings that you had between
OTAs and training camp. So I'm sure there's plenty of
kudos to go around. But tell me about DeMarcus Robinson,
Kella Witherspoon, John Johnson, the third coming back and how
those choices helped set the Rams up for success.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I think based on what we you mentioned earlier, where
again there was an intentionality for the future cleaning up
the salary cap so inherited a lot of you know,
we intentionally said we're going to inherit a lot of
dead money this year, so there was not going to
be an opportunity to sign a lot of veterans, let's
call it, when the league year started. But we John
(11:57):
McKay was our director pro personnel, Matthew Law, Chris Triggers,
some guys are work in pro personnel. There was always
a vision to hey, let's monitor who's still out there May, June,
even August. Right, there's always veterans, quality veterans that have
a lot of experience, experience that are going to still
(12:18):
want to play football. And you know, those guys kept
tabs on them, you know, they we kept up with them.
And then when the moment was right, when those players determined,
you know what, because at that point in time too,
sometimes players will will wait until the season starts. We'll
wait until August. We'll see if there's some attrition, is
there going to be a better spot, is there a
(12:39):
chance to make more than a veteran minimum tight contract,
things like that. So there's every everybody's executing their plan,
whether it's the individual player who has a lot of
experience but not a home yet for the twenty three season,
and then the you know, in this case, us monitoring
who's there and who can helps so and we we
(13:00):
we always kept tabs and I know we even brought
in TJ. Johnson, who was standard elevated yesterday. But one
of the reasons is we run an eleven personnel a
lot on offense. So we did want to ensure write
that wide receiver position because last year, when we did
have injuries and we had attrition, all of a sudden,
you run out of quality players. But we did feel
(13:21):
like with Sean his staff Matthew, if we did have
that if we did run into some attrition at that position,
having veterans like DeMarcus even TJ yesterday would be definitely beneficial.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
DeMarcus Robinson, what he brings to this football team.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
His athleticism is catch ratius and when you think Cooper
Cup and then poking Nakua and when TO two gets
back his speed, that's a lot of questions for a
defense to answer. I mean, really, you've got burners, you've
got route runners, you've got physical guys. Now you've got
this freak that can catch anything. That's a whole lot
of questions for defenses to try to answer in one
football game.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
The hoops team you've always won, right it is.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He definitely adds to the the hoops element.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
It's always interesting when a player like that, uh makes
his appearance later and you're like, ooh, maybe I wish
why wasn't he on the court earlier? But uh, it's
always in but he does you all of a sudden,
it's like, wait a minute, there is an element of size,
catch radius, physicality, urgency, could be uh, fresher legs, but
(14:25):
you know, he's definitely gifted with with some some length, size, power, physicality,
speed to go with it. So when that all blends together,
it can be you know, pretty music down there on
the football.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Plus your point guard's pretty good. Oh, your distributor is
pretty darn good. You can put it anywhere.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I don't know that the the the shoddy through the Higbee.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh man, the layout catch that was that?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
That that's there's some moments he makes some throws at
the angle.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Flat footed against his body.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You watch, Yeah, I thought he he was throwing that
to the sideline.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Yeah. I thought it was a throwaway.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah, and then nowhere yeah wow.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
In one of the I would call it one of
the uh prettier passes was the will route to Kyron
that he didn't come up with.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
There was a blitz that was a great throw.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
And Matthew balltown. But everybody talks about anticipation. But in
that moment he let the ball go. Now, obviously he
knew the coverage, he knew what route Kylen was running,
but Kyraen was still running to the flats when he
let the ball go, and then Kron turned it north
south ball dropped in there. So there's some moments he
(15:38):
does something with the football. So I would say point
guard man, he may have a little shooting at him too,
not just drive less.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
A lot of Rams fans have coffee mugs with your
face on it for a reason some of the big
deals you've made as the general manager of this franchise.
But I'd like to go inside the Kevin Dottson maneuver
this summer and wear that rank among your favorite deals
in terms of the rewards that have come of it
this season for the Rams.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
It's good that that all started probably when we were
in discussion with the Steelers with Alan Robbinson and and
again going back to our pro department, that John McKay
heads Matta was a part of it. Chris Triggers is
uh and and even a Kilo Weatherspoon they were both
(16:26):
Steelers at the time, so very close to one of
those two players being a part of that deal. But
for whatever reason, you know, we didn't get it done then.
But going into it, Kevin Dotson had been a starter
there the Steelers, for whatever reason, changing schemes a little bit,
had brought in a couple of unrestricted free agent offensive linemen.
(16:50):
So what you did know is on paper there was
going to be six starting offensive linemen in the Steelers
organization or six players who had started the previous year before,
so there was going to be an odd player out,
and with them bringing in two new players and Kevin
going into years last year, you right intuitively recently felt
(17:14):
like he could be the odd man out. Now along
the way, we didn't get the deal done when we
did Alan Robinson, but we monitor team, you know, all
spring and in the summer, and and and we had
some injuries in the summer, and we were always Hal's
ours going to play out and things like that. But
with probably knocked on their door with about three weeks
left to go in the preseason, but they held on
to Kevin. They wanted to make sure they got through
(17:36):
the preseason healthy before they right made the trade. So, uh, finally,
after a lot of patients, we were able to get
that trade executed. Right there, probably the you know right there,
I call it cutdowns.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
The way he's played this season, I think.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I would hope. So, I mean, how many short of
a thousand.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
He went over a thousand from Scrimma.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Anytime you get a thousand yard back, you're going to
start to look at what's going on up front. And
if you start to look at what's going on up front,
He's going to stand out, especially against the run. That's
the thing that shocks me, and it happens all the
time in the league. It doesn't work out here, guy
moves here, he gets an opportunity and becomes a superstar.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
It's amazing, like, how why did you let this guy go?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
You could say this as a player. Is there that
moment where Wow, this team gave up on me? Another
team likes me. You come to a totally different environment
where all of a sudden you're uncomfortable and usually I
go football players, right, the one thing they're used to
doing is knowing their environment, and okay, I need to
(18:42):
earn equity. So you never know all the psychological factors
that go on when some a player moves from one
team to the other, and all of a sudden, there's
that I don't want to say fire it, but the
heat gets turned. You're like, wait a minute, I got
to earn equity again. So there's so many things that
go into it. But I do know that we valued
what Kevin had displayed during you know, the course of
(19:05):
his few years starting in Pittsburgh, and maybe for whatever reason,
we needed him more than they did. I can't. I
can't speak for them and why they chose the others,
but there's many factors that go into.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
It and the other guard.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
You know what's interesting I like to bring up there
there's there's moments I always say, and there's these y'all
watch the games where there's players who do their job
and then there's players who the way they do their job,
there's some momentum that comes from it. It's like when
you watch Kevin run block, You're like, there's this, Okay,
I want to run the ball again. I want to
(19:40):
call another There's and there's a lot of players that
can make a block, but then there's some that it's
like you just want to keep watching. I don't know
what it is, but it's how they do their job,
not just you know, them doing their.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Job's watching a car rack. Yeah it's fun. Yeah, you
rubbernecket for a while. But I do see people give
him distance on first and ten. When you see that,
when you watch down the line of scrimmage and the
guy that's over him gives a half a yard back,
That's how you know this guy's coming off the rock hard.
That's how you know this dude is a hammerhead up front.
That's respect.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
So yeah's last time you were here, we kind of
did a walk through the rookie class. But now there
are so many significant contributors. I think we'd run out
of time if we tried that again, you know, individually.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
But I don't even think I could list him at
this stage.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's a good sign, and that's kind of leading me
to where I'll take this next.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
We are they how many of them? I mean, aren't
they veterans by matter?
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Sophomores at last?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
For sure getting close to sophomores.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
But here in December pre Christmas? What are your feelings
about I think the prevailing sentiment this might be less
needs best draft class. How does that land with you?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I know this, I'd give those kids credit because they've
come in this is a stressful environment. They've managed to
stress and they've not only survived in distress, they've thrived
in it. It's not easy. So and I think we
were talking probably pre going on air, based on where
we were as an organization. Uh, we were going to
(21:07):
have to rely on these kids, especially if they did
come in and show that they could right handle their job,
potentially do the job well at some point they had
to come in and earn trust, but based on the
roster makeup different than some years where let's call it
the you know, a couple of years ago, a rookie
(21:28):
class comes in and holy cow, it's we have a
you know, a veteran in his prime in each position.
So it's a little bit harder to go, okay, I'm
going to come in and let's call it make some
noise as a starter. A lot of those players field
roles and things like that, and and and had moments.
But this class definitely has had the opportunity to be
(21:51):
relied on more consistently, and they've you know, they've they've
rung the bell because it's definitely a let's call it
a hard, long journey, hadn't seen a lot of it's
called the rookie the rookie wall. They continue ascending and
give them credit.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Well, let me follow up then going into the next offseason,
where does it put you to have what six starters
at least already maybe as many as ten locked into
a depth chart moving into how you construct a future roster.
To get that many pros out of one class, does
that accelerate your schedule or narrow your needs going into
twenty four.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
It might narrow the needs, which is nice, and then
that allows you to strategically maybe you know, try to
own board. I call it not necessarily just filling needs,
but adding weapons per se. But at the end of
the day, we want to continue, Well, we'll get to
(22:48):
that point. We still have three games left and they
will be there will be ah, there will be valuable
time at some point this offseason where we can sit
down and and a lot of times when the coaches
when we start, the coaches start going through the cutups, right,
and the cutups being probably really studying situations. How were
we on short yard or how we were on first
(23:10):
and second? I'm keeping it simple and in a lot
of time during that study, right, and you get this,
you're watching these situations over and over, and it's really
there's an element to im prove how you scheme those situations.
But as you watch that, you can really see how
the players are performing and who can do what, and
you kind of sit down at that point and go, wow,
you know, what do we really need?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
What?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Where are some places we can add weapons to accentuate
what we began this year And we'll work through that
but yes, this group a base rate of who they
are based on where we were and what our plan
was definitely definitely helps.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
It's important, say I just get jacked up. I'm so
happy when he says add weapons. I like adding weapons
in the draft versus trying to add the savior and
shout out to the coaching staff, you know, getting these
young dudes ready to play.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
And I would even say this a weapon might even
be a second down five technique that you know plays
the run, that that can be a weapon. You see him.
He doesn't have to be someone that catches touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
I'm just like when you're shopping for the savior, you
know what I mean that that kind of that that sucks.
But when you're adding weapons, that's good. I want to
ask you one more question. When you were evaluating Ernest
Jones and you were thinking you're future casting, at some
point this guy is going to turn into X, does
it look like what we're seeing right now because he
looks like an all pro. He looks like that sort
(24:39):
of linebacker, playmaker, big hitter, brings the oomph. He's the leader.
I mean he does when you looked at him for
the first time, does it look like this.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Now in your mindset, I would say when you watched
him at South Carolina, he you would put him in
the that's a fun football player to watch, right, and
you might not put him in the category where he's
going to go the combine and blow it up. But
obviously has an element of height and length and size
that can be intimidating on the field, especially when you
(25:08):
put on the pads. Very instinct instinctive human being. Like
the game is slow to him, he can process it
faster than something and that allows him to rile places
with bad intents.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Did you see the sack when he ran through the block? Oh?
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Yes, it was. He turned the guy into a turnstile.
I mean that's like that's.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Been what that was.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
One of the unsumm things he did at South Carolina
was as a blitzer. Yeah, And it's interesting, you could
say blitzing and the nuances of the game of there's
some linebackers that just have this field to actually see
the crease and get through it. There's some who are
just I'm heading there really hard. You might run really
(25:48):
hard into a running back. But he has that nuance
that field to find a crease, get the edge on
the running back, so it's not just right down the
running backs. Chest allows him to, even when he doesn't
get a sack, even disrupt brother.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Just ask Joe Burrow. He's a big reason why there's
a banner hanging it so far now, right, that's a
good point.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
The reason you said about Dotson you like watching him
play because of how he does his job. First guy
thought about was Ernie Showain, same thing. I just love
how he does his job. He gets there with violence,
and that's what you're supposed to play.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Like.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
One thing that's been really really neat with him is
he was a leader at South Carolina and by all
of our metrics, right, had the potential to really be
an NFL leader. Now, with that being said, it's hard
to come in as a rookie and you're a leader there,
but now you're a rookie, how are you going to lead?
(26:41):
So there's always these moments like Okay, if he ever
always go, if he ever earns his keep on the field,
he's going to ascend in the hierarchy where he now
has a chance to fulfill his leadership. And I can
say he's one player that's a neat thing when you
see that player who who has for whatever reason. A
(27:02):
lot of times I call it mom, Dad, God. It's
some mixture of intangible that you're blessed with and you're
using it. Say you know what, like on that goal
line where there's that moment where it takes someone to
be the glue to go Okay, let's be not saying
it was him at that moment, but he has that
potential to say, all right, hey, we got to galvanize
(27:24):
this collective. And when he speaks the old E. F.
Hutton came, people listen and Okay, that's our calling card.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Hearing you say that reminds me that I know you
don't go out looking for fifty three Walter Payton Man
of the Year candidates. You're trying to draft the best
football players and build the best team. But again, with
this rookie class, you found some great young men. And
this isn't a question, it's just a compliment or an observation,
whether it's Steve or Byron Kobe Pooka got to meet
Davis Allen today for the first time and sit down
(27:55):
with him. Like a lot of really good young men
that are interesting to be around. I think think that
boats well for your facility. It might be part of
the secret sauce this year. I don't know, what do
you think?
Speaker 3 (28:04):
It's always I think that's very important. There's there's probably
many measures and when you say, hey, good young man, right,
But I think if we just keep it simple, right,
probably in life when you just I always go when
you meet someone, you go, you know what, hey, I'd
buy stock. And that's human being. That's what we try
(28:26):
to look for a lot of times when we're going
through this is we keep it simple. We always go, okay, mom, dad,
God gave them talent. And then they also have this
element of intangibles, right, and that can be you know,
who they are, personality, all those things, and there's an
element probably of how they can absorb and process football.
(28:48):
And then you blend all that up and that's going
to lead to some right skill on the NFL football field,
Like they're either going to be useful or not to
the collect based on that calculus formula. And a lot
of times, if if right, if those intangibles are above standard,
(29:11):
recognizable elite, the skill is usually gonna be right. It's
gonna be they're gonna have a chance to reach who
they're you know, be who they're supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
He would have drafted me in ninety four, That's what
I just heard.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
So you got those intangibles and that was what you
would be a great example. No, seriously, I mean a.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Lot of times I say this, a guy's born to
be a a football player, and is he gonna work?
Is he gonna is he going to come in and
out behaved earn the A?
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Right, you still got to get the syllabus, you still
got to go to class, You've got to take the finals,
and I'm still got to make the A. So a
lot of times say if somebody's got a chance to
be an a football player, and they have, and there's
a lot of things in that intangible world, but if
they have those, usually they sure they make more a's
than be's. But if you've got a chance to be
an a football player and you're a little less in there,
(30:08):
there's a lot of times where he was a C
plus today, he was a C minus today. Oh there
was an A day every now and then. But that's
a lot of times how we try to measure. So
I think you're seeing that and it comes to life
on the football field, and it definitely comes to life
when it's in a journey, probably this hard, this long, distressful,
(30:28):
this many ebbs and flows, all the emotions that you
go through.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Before we close out with a Saints preview. First chance,
I've had to talk to you since Carson Wentz became
a RAM and given all the history with Wentz and
Jared Goff and going back to their draft class head
to head battles, I just want to get some context
in terms of what's it like coming to work every
day with Wentz and what impression has he made in
the first month.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
It's very similar to when we met however, many years ago.
Is what you quickly understood then is he's someone who
cares and he's going to try right and whatever grade
football player he's can or can't be, he's definitely going
to try to to make the A if he's an
(31:09):
a student, make to be if he's a beastudent. Going
back to what I just said, so that it's neat
to see him at this stage of his career still
be that person. And I know going through it all
where drafted early had success, there's some injuries, go through
some ebbs and flows of a career and for all
intensive purposes could have really ended his career based on
(31:33):
the contracts he had signing the money it made. But
I do think sitting out there's still that element of
wait a minute, Okay, it might not be a starter,
but boy do I want to be a football player.
Still there's something about being a part of a football
collective that I'm that's void in my life right now
and still so it's pretty neat to see that.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So I still can't get over how big he is.
Every time I see him, I'm like, dang one big dude.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Yeah. I remember the first time seeing him and we
go back, it was really him and Jared. We obviously
picked Jared, but watching them in private workout setting, there
was this moment where Jared, You're like, Okay, he's just
born to be a dark thrower, Like he's just throwing dark.
But when you went to workout Carson, he was such
(32:23):
a large human. And my first thought, and this is
a compliment, my first thought was, man, I think he
was born to be a tight end, but he really
wanted to be a quarterback so bad that he became
a really good quarterback. But he's just he's a very
large human.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
I'd have to ask him, But it seems like he's
having a great time too, that time away, that kind
of half year sabbatical. There seems to be a joy
to his daily presence that I think speaks to your
culture as well here in Los Angeles. All right, Thursday
Night Football, the New Orleans Saints seven and seven against
seven and seven, some pretty good battles between these two
teams over the recent years, and going way back in street,
what do you think about Thursday Night You know.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
It's probably what Amazon drew up right for Thursday Night
Football in December, where you have two teams that always
say that's a neat thing about NFL football. Take the
records out. You could say two five hundred teams that
might not be as sexy as sale, but you can say, okay,
two teams that are battling each other for one of
(33:25):
those seven spots and obviously head to head on Thursday
night on a short week. So I think that I
don't think everyone in the building, everyone who's definitely an
intimate fan with the Saints with the Rams, knows the
stakes of this game.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
So seems like whenever there's something on the line, it's
always them that you have to play.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Doesn't it seem like that sometimes?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
You know what I'm there's probably some let's call it
historical bias there concentered, I spent a lot of years
in Atlanta. Yeah, and it seems like we were battling
them for divisions and much. It's the Saints again. So
and you know they're there. Uh, you know, there's times
I probably worked in the same organization with with their
(34:08):
head coach Dennis and I know, I know, I know
he hates a defensive minded human. They're gonna they're gonna
play tough, they're gonna play gritty. Uh, they're gonna give it.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
They're all.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
So I'm and you know what, let's I'm and I'll
be honest with you, only child, selfish glad it's so
far and.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Not same, no doubt. Here's to the rams next winning streak,
and here's to less Need's next winning streak. On the
Coach McVeigh show, I do the next time you step
into this room, you're also coming to the game, right.
I think you got better than that in your office.
But yeah, we want to ask you where it went.
Put it back on its tea for Rams general manager
(34:49):
less Need and for to Marco far I'm JB.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Long.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Hope to see you Thursday night at SOFI Saints and Rams.
Thank you for being with us tonight for the Coach
McVeigh Show presented by Microsoft Surface.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
By then stop PA, By then stop
Well, Happy victory Monday, everyone, and welcome to the Coach
McVeigh Show with special guests Less Need We're always presented
by Microsoft Circus Surface to Marco far jblong with you
tonight four and one since the bye and looking ahead
to Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints. To Marco
give give Less that game's finally.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Here notes finally we got there? We go short week?
How's that feel? Come on?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh? When artists told me yesterday that I was doing
this show, I was like, he didn't tell me before,
So I don't know when we made a decision about, Oh,
finally get to do the show after a win poor Less.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
The calendar has not often been in his favor in
previous years. He often steps in for Sean McVay on
short weeks. We're glad to have him here today. And
the Rams have now officially exceeded their external expectations. I
guess at least seven and seven no longer need any
help to make the postseason. I know it's not miss accomplish,
but for a group that bet on themselves this offseason
and decided to retool on the fly, is that validating
(01:06):
for the choice you made?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
The spring. It.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I don't know if it's necessarily just for the choice
we made this spring, but it's it's always an element
of sophistication. It's a complex calculus formula of when you start,
where you go, how you finish. But it is fulfilling
right now for one to be playing quality football this
time of year. And with that being said, the quality
(01:30):
football actually leading to more points than the opponent on
the scoreboard, more wins in the are you know win
column than losses, things like that, and being in the hunt,
being in the mix, being you know, with a chance
to earn an opportunity to continue playing after the regular season.
So I would say collectively, it's it's it's fulfilling for
(01:51):
the collective for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I do know football is easier and when you have
a great quarterback, and you know, the question I get
the most is, am I surprised at where the Rams are?
Speaker 2 (01:59):
At?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Seven percent? Seven and seven? They're in December, they're in
the hunt. Are you surprised by how this team is
performing at this point in the year. Are you surprised
from where you started to now to where they're how
they're playing on.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
I think you mentioned veteran QB so I think I
think internally we always, you know, really discussed if we
could protect Matthew. Matthew could stay healthy and play right
the ball that he is accustomed to playing, then you
got a chance in every single game. I mean, that's
(02:33):
just this is this and we always say its quarterback
driven league, and we have a really good one and
if he was going to play really good football, we
definitely had a chance. So I think that that would
be the answer be you would not be surprised. Now, again,
there's many factors and variables had to go with our
offensive line, jail, would we be able to protect, would
(02:55):
we be able to run the type of offense that
sewn his staff Matthew wants to run, and things like that,
And then you give everyone else credit, right skill, some younger,
some veterans, right stepping up, some getting over injuries like
Cooper and getting into the mix. So there's always variables
to it. But with what you said, not surprised, and
(03:16):
and you know, there's there's probably even a few losses
behind us that we can't get back that there's times
you regret losing because you felt like you had a
chance in those games. So when you said exceeded expectations.
There could be an element internally where like, man, we
feel like we could be maybe one or two wins
(03:37):
farther along. But that's that's hindsight. That's what it could have,
should have. What you talked about, JB. It is it
is really fulfilling to be here in December and playing
our you know, some of our better football.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Well how about that opportunity then, because I'm excited for
twenty twenty four. Don't get me wrong for Arsenal draft
picks and all those resources, but I don't want to
look past this moment in time. Right here, your load
bearing walls are all in the lineup, they're all playing. Well,
who's to say you can't mess around and do something
special this January?
Speaker 3 (04:09):
You know that's the that would be the vision. But
I think we the way we've approached it, and now
with December football, it's really right. You got to focus
on the next game and this one's coming up pretty fast,
and that's where you're at. If you can, if we can,
if we can, and I think in general, I think
we've we've lived it this year. Is there's an element
(04:31):
of can each individual in the organization, no matter where
you're at, whether you're you're an athletic trainer, whether you're
an assistant coach, whether you're a player, wherever you're at,
Can you have that ironclad emotional control where you can
live through the ebbs and ebbs and flows of a
season when oh my, you're on a two game losing streak,
(04:53):
maybe even three, and you still got to show up
on a Monday, maybe even do this year on a mondy.
You still got to show up. The key being there's
no doubt that from an emotional standpoint, those are if
you want to cut, you're just you just feel worse
than you do when you win. Let's keep it to that,
and do you allow that to bleed in to chipping away?
(05:14):
And it's oftentime you'd say, hey, if you can, if
you can stay even ke and come in and approach
every day you know like you're on a three game
winning street, then usually those that's how you get on streaks,
that's how you approach it. So that's the that's a
neat thing this group's learning is it is It is
a long journey when you think about it, when it
(05:36):
all starts in May, you take a little bit of
summer off, and then there's in August, and then there's September, October,
and there's college football going on, and then all of
a sudden, here we are. College football is over. There's
a few games left, there's some bolt things like that,
and you're still really in the thick of things. So
that's a neat thing that I think this collective's gone through.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yeah, it's really year round with a few weeks off, right,
I mean even when you do have weeks off like vacation,
can you really turn off football in your brain?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
You try to?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
You try?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, how so many years into this, I will definitely
know that Okay, this is probably a good week to
turn it off, but you really can't. But I get
what you're saying. But if you're you got to use
your experience and know when to turn it off when
the not so that you can be because when it's
on its own. We're going through it right now. And
with the holidays and this time of year, right you
different people and families they're packing up, and I'm always like, okay,
(06:29):
it's it's when is Christmas again?
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:32):
And I have years it's like, Okay, here's what I'll do.
I'll think about Christmas, maybe Friday afternoon. Let's just get
through Thursday, let's figure out, you know, the aftermath, the
after action, and then it's like, okay, wait a minute's Christmas.
But normally we would be playing on Christmas Eve what
have you. So that's what we go through.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I wish someone would give me ironclad emotional control for Christmas.
That's now at the top of my wish list.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I like that.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I have to be intentional.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Thoughts on Week fifteen, and the win over Washington wasn't perfect,
maybe a little bit more nerve wracking at the finish
than you would have liked, but overall, wired to wire
win against the Commanders.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, it was definitely wire to wire and there were
some moments there. We all watched it, we all in
the probably for the good this week, you really don't
have time to ruminate on it, but there's definitely some
teachable moments. But I think, like you said, the result
is what mattered yesterday more than anything, based on the
(07:31):
math and the standings and all that occurred right in
the games before us. So you know, when we kicked off,
we were probably well aware that if we got to
seven and seven, right, we would go from in the
hunt to control in the destiny. So with that being said,
the result definitely weighed a lot, and there were some
(07:52):
moments where, right, it could have been probably a little
bit easier, but that's football. Give that team credit. Right,
we had an interception, we probably we had a couple
of good runs. We had a penalty. After that interty,
it was twenty eight to seven, so right, and then
we had the miss field goal. But in that moment, right,
twenty eight to seven, if we could have gotten at
(08:12):
the thirty five, could have gotten at the thirty one,
it might be a different game. They changed qbs. But
you know how the neat thing I'll give on this is,
with that being said, all that went wrong, give the
d credit, starting even with DK after giving up a
touchdown pass and he gave up another one, but didn't
(08:33):
because he made the hustle play brought him down on
the one defense, right, it made the commanders earn It
took him eight plays. But the most important thing in
that whole series is the clock they chewed up. So
instead of them kicking off with us with probably five
minutes to go, you know, it became an on side
situation and first down away from probably clinching the game.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
I thought that stand down there was the most impressive
thing in the game. I mean, outside of Matthew Stafford,
Cooper Cup going deep in all that stuff, but just
that the grit they showed. And that's been the buzzword
this year. The grit, the grit, the grit. I still think,
and tell me if you think I'm wrong. This team
is still searching for their best game. I think you've
had best games from this side, best games from this side,
(09:19):
best games from this side, but as a collective, still
searching for it.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
But that grit is there from this football team.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Am I on this other there was an excellent point
because they I think JB you mentioned it. There was
a moment there where we could have really put that
game away yesterday. Then there was a moment where everyone
in the stadium New Commanders had momentum and I'm not
sure right many people would have bet owned Oh, there
(09:46):
could have been almost two goal line stands based on
all the momentum in Washington, right gained earned at that point.
But to see the game flip again, like you said,
wow that somehow that defense flip the switch.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
And yeah, and not just not just well defense, not
just one guy, not just a superstar, a collective group
going out there making plays.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Yeah. I thought one of the ending moments where at
some point along the way, based on like I said,
those eleven doing their job, is Washington felt like we
couldn't run the ball in and there was probably an
element of not wanting to chew up clock. Yeah, I
guess ironically they ended up chewing up clock. But it
does take a collective to go, we're gonna try to
punch this thing. Boom. As soon as they tried to
(10:34):
punch it in, there was a wall there and you know,
no yards to game a few times, and I do
think I do think when you force a team to
pass in that part of the yeah, and you got
the end zone as a nice safe, it just gets
really condensed, a little bit tougher to get in. And
the more times you stop a team, I think all
(10:55):
of a sudden, the momentum swings defensive way, because then
the offense is like, oh, we're running out of downs.
Wish we discorded on second down with very very there's
a lot of emotions down on let's call it first
and goal from inside the five.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
No doubt as good as the faces of your franchise
have been this season, as surprisingly pleasant as the rookie
class has been. I don't think the Rams are in
the hunt without the veteran signings that you had between
OTAs and training camp. So I'm sure there's plenty of
kudos to go around. But tell me about DeMarcus Robinson,
Kella Witherspoon, John Johnson, the third coming back and how
those choices helped set the Rams up for success.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I think based on what we you mentioned earlier, where
again there was an intentionality for the future cleaning up
the salary cap so inherited a lot of you know,
we intentionally said we're going to inherit a lot of
dead money this year, so there was not going to
be an opportunity to sign a lot of veterans, let's
call it, when the league year started. But we John
(11:57):
McKay was our director pro personnel, Matthew Law, Chris Triggers,
some guys are work in pro personnel. There was always
a vision to hey, let's monitor who's still out there May, June,
even August. Right, there's always veterans, quality veterans that have
a lot of experience, experience that are going to still
(12:18):
want to play football. And you know, those guys kept
tabs on them, you know, they we kept up with them.
And then when the moment was right, when those players determined,
you know what, because at that point in time too,
sometimes players will will wait until the season starts. We'll
wait until August. We'll see if there's some attrition, is
there going to be a better spot, is there a
(12:39):
chance to make more than a veteran minimum tight contract,
things like that. So there's every everybody's executing their plan,
whether it's the individual player who has a lot of
experience but not a home yet for the twenty three season,
and then the you know, in this case, us monitoring
who's there and who can helps so and we we
(13:00):
we always kept tabs and I know we even brought
in TJ. Johnson, who was standard elevated yesterday. But one
of the reasons is we run an eleven personnel a
lot on offense. So we did want to ensure write
that wide receiver position because last year, when we did
have injuries and we had attrition, all of a sudden,
you run out of quality players. But we did feel
(13:21):
like with Sean his staff Matthew, if we did have
that if we did run into some attrition at that position,
having veterans like DeMarcus even TJ yesterday would be definitely beneficial.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
DeMarcus Robinson, what he brings to this football team.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
His athleticism is catch ratius and when you think Cooper
Cup and then poking Nakua and when TO two gets
back his speed, that's a lot of questions for a
defense to answer. I mean, really, you've got burners, you've
got route runners, you've got physical guys. Now you've got
this freak that can catch anything. That's a whole lot
of questions for defenses to try to answer in one
football game.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
The hoops team you've always won, right it is.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He definitely adds to the the hoops element.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Right.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
It's always interesting when a player like that, uh makes
his appearance later and you're like, ooh, maybe I wish
why wasn't he on the court earlier? But uh, it's
always in but he does you all of a sudden,
it's like, wait a minute, there is an element of size,
catch radius, physicality, urgency, could be uh, fresher legs, but
(14:25):
you know, he's definitely gifted with with some some length, size, power, physicality,
speed to go with it. So when that all blends together,
it can be you know, pretty music down there on
the football.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Plus your point guard's pretty good. Oh, your distributor is
pretty darn good. You can put it anywhere.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I don't know that the the the shoddy through the Higbee.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Oh man, the layout catch that was that?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
That that's there's some moments he makes some throws at
the angle.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Flat footed against his body.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You watch, Yeah, I thought he he was throwing that
to the sideline.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Yeah. I thought it was a throwaway.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah, and then nowhere yeah wow.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
In one of the I would call it one of
the uh prettier passes was the will route to Kyron
that he didn't come up with.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
There was a blitz that was a great throw.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
And Matthew balltown. But everybody talks about anticipation. But in
that moment he let the ball go. Now, obviously he
knew the coverage, he knew what route Kylen was running,
but Kyraen was still running to the flats when he
let the ball go, and then Kron turned it north
south ball dropped in there. So there's some moments he
(15:38):
does something with the football. So I would say point
guard man, he may have a little shooting at him too,
not just drive less.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
A lot of Rams fans have coffee mugs with your
face on it for a reason some of the big
deals you've made as the general manager of this franchise.
But I'd like to go inside the Kevin Dottson maneuver
this summer and wear that rank among your favorite deals
in terms of the rewards that have come of it
this season for the Rams.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
It's good that that all started probably when we were
in discussion with the Steelers with Alan Robbinson and and
again going back to our pro department, that John McKay
heads Matta was a part of it. Chris Triggers is
uh and and even a Kilo Weatherspoon they were both
(16:26):
Steelers at the time, so very close to one of
those two players being a part of that deal. But
for whatever reason, you know, we didn't get it done then.
But going into it, Kevin Dotson had been a starter
there the Steelers, for whatever reason, changing schemes a little bit,
had brought in a couple of unrestricted free agent offensive linemen.
(16:50):
So what you did know is on paper there was
going to be six starting offensive linemen in the Steelers
organization or six players who had started the previous year before,
so there was going to be an odd player out,
and with them bringing in two new players and Kevin
going into years last year, you right intuitively recently felt
(17:14):
like he could be the odd man out. Now along
the way, we didn't get the deal done when we
did Alan Robinson, but we monitor team, you know, all
spring and in the summer, and and and we had
some injuries in the summer, and we were always Hal's
ours going to play out and things like that. But
with probably knocked on their door with about three weeks
left to go in the preseason, but they held on
to Kevin. They wanted to make sure they got through
(17:36):
the preseason healthy before they right made the trade. So, uh, finally,
after a lot of patients, we were able to get
that trade executed. Right there, probably the you know right there,
I call it cutdowns.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
The way he's played this season, I think.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I would hope. So, I mean, how many short of
a thousand.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
He went over a thousand from Scrimma.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Anytime you get a thousand yard back, you're going to
start to look at what's going on up front. And
if you start to look at what's going on up front,
He's going to stand out, especially against the run. That's
the thing that shocks me, and it happens all the
time in the league. It doesn't work out here, guy
moves here, he gets an opportunity and becomes a superstar.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
It's amazing, like, how why did you let this guy go?
Speaker 3 (18:20):
You could say this as a player. Is there that
moment where Wow, this team gave up on me? Another
team likes me. You come to a totally different environment
where all of a sudden you're uncomfortable and usually I
go football players, right, the one thing they're used to
doing is knowing their environment, and okay, I need to
(18:42):
earn equity. So you never know all the psychological factors
that go on when some a player moves from one
team to the other, and all of a sudden, there's
that I don't want to say fire it, but the
heat gets turned. You're like, wait a minute, I got
to earn equity again. So there's so many things that
go into it. But I do know that we valued
what Kevin had displayed during you know, the course of
(19:05):
his few years starting in Pittsburgh, and maybe for whatever reason,
we needed him more than they did. I can't. I
can't speak for them and why they chose the others,
but there's many factors that go into.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
It and the other guard.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
You know what's interesting I like to bring up there
there's there's moments I always say, and there's these y'all
watch the games where there's players who do their job
and then there's players who the way they do their job,
there's some momentum that comes from it. It's like when
you watch Kevin run block, You're like, there's this, Okay,
I want to run the ball again. I want to
(19:40):
call another There's and there's a lot of players that
can make a block, but then there's some that it's
like you just want to keep watching. I don't know
what it is, but it's how they do their job,
not just you know, them doing their.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Job's watching a car rack. Yeah it's fun. Yeah, you
rubbernecket for a while. But I do see people give
him distance on first and ten. When you see that,
when you watch down the line of scrimmage and the
guy that's over him gives a half a yard back,
That's how you know this guy's coming off the rock hard.
That's how you know this dude is a hammerhead up front.
That's respect.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
So yeah's last time you were here, we kind of
did a walk through the rookie class. But now there
are so many significant contributors. I think we'd run out
of time if we tried that again, you know, individually.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
But I don't even think I could list him at
this stage.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's a good sign, and that's kind of leading me
to where I'll take this next.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
We are they how many of them? I mean, aren't
they veterans by matter?
Speaker 1 (20:29):
Sophomores at last?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
For sure getting close to sophomores.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
But here in December pre Christmas? What are your feelings
about I think the prevailing sentiment this might be less
needs best draft class. How does that land with you?
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I know this, I'd give those kids credit because they've
come in this is a stressful environment. They've managed to
stress and they've not only survived in distress, they've thrived
in it. It's not easy. So and I think we
were talking probably pre going on air, based on where
we were as an organization. Uh, we were going to
(21:07):
have to rely on these kids, especially if they did
come in and show that they could right handle their job,
potentially do the job well at some point they had
to come in and earn trust, but based on the
roster makeup different than some years where let's call it
the you know, a couple of years ago, a rookie
(21:28):
class comes in and holy cow, it's we have a
you know, a veteran in his prime in each position.
So it's a little bit harder to go, okay, I'm
going to come in and let's call it make some
noise as a starter. A lot of those players field
roles and things like that, and and and had moments.
But this class definitely has had the opportunity to be
(21:51):
relied on more consistently, and they've you know, they've they've
rung the bell because it's definitely a let's call it
a hard, long journey, hadn't seen a lot of it's
called the rookie the rookie wall. They continue ascending and
give them credit.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Well, let me follow up then going into the next offseason,
where does it put you to have what six starters
at least already maybe as many as ten locked into
a depth chart moving into how you construct a future roster.
To get that many pros out of one class, does
that accelerate your schedule or narrow your needs going into
twenty four.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
It might narrow the needs, which is nice, and then
that allows you to strategically maybe you know, try to
own board. I call it not necessarily just filling needs,
but adding weapons per se. But at the end of
the day, we want to continue, Well, we'll get to
(22:48):
that point. We still have three games left and they
will be there will be ah, there will be valuable
time at some point this offseason where we can sit
down and and a lot of times when the coaches
when we start, the coaches start going through the cutups, right,
and the cutups being probably really studying situations. How were
we on short yard or how we were on first
(23:10):
and second? I'm keeping it simple and in a lot
of time during that study, right, and you get this,
you're watching these situations over and over, and it's really
there's an element to im prove how you scheme those situations.
But as you watch that, you can really see how
the players are performing and who can do what, and
you kind of sit down at that point and go, wow,
you know, what do we really need?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
What?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Where are some places we can add weapons to accentuate
what we began this year And we'll work through that
but yes, this group a base rate of who they
are based on where we were and what our plan
was definitely definitely helps.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
It's important, say I just get jacked up. I'm so
happy when he says add weapons. I like adding weapons
in the draft versus trying to add the savior and
shout out to the coaching staff, you know, getting these
young dudes ready to play.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
And I would even say this a weapon might even
be a second down five technique that you know plays
the run, that that can be a weapon. You see him.
He doesn't have to be someone that catches touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
I'm just like when you're shopping for the savior, you
know what I mean that that kind of that that sucks.
But when you're adding weapons, that's good. I want to
ask you one more question. When you were evaluating Ernest
Jones and you were thinking you're future casting, at some
point this guy is going to turn into X, does
it look like what we're seeing right now because he
looks like an all pro. He looks like that sort
(24:39):
of linebacker, playmaker, big hitter, brings the oomph. He's the leader.
I mean he does when you looked at him for
the first time, does it look like this.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Now in your mindset, I would say when you watched
him at South Carolina, he you would put him in
the that's a fun football player to watch, right, and
you might not put him in the category where he's
going to go the combine and blow it up. But
obviously has an element of height and length and size
that can be intimidating on the field, especially when you
(25:08):
put on the pads. Very instinct instinctive human being. Like
the game is slow to him, he can process it
faster than something and that allows him to rile places
with bad intents.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Did you see the sack when he ran through the block? Oh?
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Yes, it was. He turned the guy into a turnstile.
I mean that's like that's.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Been what that was.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
One of the unsumm things he did at South Carolina
was as a blitzer. Yeah, And it's interesting, you could
say blitzing and the nuances of the game of there's
some linebackers that just have this field to actually see
the crease and get through it. There's some who are
just I'm heading there really hard. You might run really
(25:48):
hard into a running back. But he has that nuance
that field to find a crease, get the edge on
the running back, so it's not just right down the
running backs. Chest allows him to, even when he doesn't
get a sack, even disrupt brother.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Just ask Joe Burrow. He's a big reason why there's
a banner hanging it so far now, right, that's a
good point.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
The reason you said about Dotson you like watching him
play because of how he does his job. First guy
thought about was Ernie Showain, same thing. I just love
how he does his job. He gets there with violence,
and that's what you're supposed to play.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Like.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
One thing that's been really really neat with him is
he was a leader at South Carolina and by all
of our metrics, right, had the potential to really be
an NFL leader. Now, with that being said, it's hard
to come in as a rookie and you're a leader there,
but now you're a rookie, how are you going to lead?
(26:41):
So there's always these moments like Okay, if he ever
always go, if he ever earns his keep on the field,
he's going to ascend in the hierarchy where he now
has a chance to fulfill his leadership. And I can
say he's one player that's a neat thing when you
see that player who who has for whatever reason. A
(27:02):
lot of times I call it mom, Dad, God. It's
some mixture of intangible that you're blessed with and you're
using it. Say you know what, like on that goal
line where there's that moment where it takes someone to
be the glue to go Okay, let's be not saying
it was him at that moment, but he has that
potential to say, all right, hey, we got to galvanize
(27:24):
this collective. And when he speaks the old E. F.
Hutton came, people listen and Okay, that's our calling card.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Hearing you say that reminds me that I know you
don't go out looking for fifty three Walter Payton Man
of the Year candidates. You're trying to draft the best
football players and build the best team. But again, with
this rookie class, you found some great young men. And
this isn't a question, it's just a compliment or an observation,
whether it's Steve or Byron Kobe Pooka got to meet
Davis Allen today for the first time and sit down
(27:55):
with him. Like a lot of really good young men
that are interesting to be around. I think think that
boats well for your facility. It might be part of
the secret sauce this year. I don't know, what do
you think?
Speaker 3 (28:04):
It's always I think that's very important. There's there's probably
many measures and when you say, hey, good young man, right,
But I think if we just keep it simple, right,
probably in life when you just I always go when
you meet someone, you go, you know what, hey, I'd
buy stock. And that's human being. That's what we try
(28:26):
to look for a lot of times when we're going
through this is we keep it simple. We always go, okay, mom, dad,
God gave them talent. And then they also have this
element of intangibles, right, and that can be you know,
who they are, personality, all those things, and there's an
element probably of how they can absorb and process football.
(28:48):
And then you blend all that up and that's going
to lead to some right skill on the NFL football field,
Like they're either going to be useful or not to
the collect based on that calculus formula. And a lot
of times, if if right, if those intangibles are above standard,
(29:11):
recognizable elite, the skill is usually gonna be right. It's
gonna be they're gonna have a chance to reach who
they're you know, be who they're supposed to be.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
He would have drafted me in ninety four, That's what
I just heard.
Speaker 1 (29:24):
So you got those intangibles and that was what you
would be a great example. No, seriously, I mean a.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Lot of times I say this, a guy's born to
be a a football player, and is he gonna work?
Is he gonna is he going to come in and
out behaved earn the A?
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Right, you still got to get the syllabus, you still
got to go to class, You've got to take the finals,
and I'm still got to make the A. So a
lot of times say if somebody's got a chance to
be an a football player, and they have, and there's
a lot of things in that intangible world, but if
they have those, usually they sure they make more a's
than be's. But if you've got a chance to be
an a football player and you're a little less in there,
(30:08):
there's a lot of times where he was a C
plus today, he was a C minus today. Oh there
was an A day every now and then. But that's
a lot of times how we try to measure. So
I think you're seeing that and it comes to life
on the football field, and it definitely comes to life
when it's in a journey, probably this hard, this long, distressful,
(30:28):
this many ebbs and flows, all the emotions that you
go through.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Before we close out with a Saints preview. First chance,
I've had to talk to you since Carson Wentz became
a RAM and given all the history with Wentz and
Jared Goff and going back to their draft class head
to head battles, I just want to get some context
in terms of what's it like coming to work every
day with Wentz and what impression has he made in
the first month.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
It's very similar to when we met however, many years ago.
Is what you quickly understood then is he's someone who
cares and he's going to try right and whatever grade
football player he's can or can't be, he's definitely going
to try to to make the A if he's an
(31:09):
a student, make to be if he's a beastudent. Going
back to what I just said, so that it's neat
to see him at this stage of his career still
be that person. And I know going through it all
where drafted early had success, there's some injuries, go through
some ebbs and flows of a career and for all
intensive purposes could have really ended his career based on
(31:33):
the contracts he had signing the money it made. But
I do think sitting out there's still that element of
wait a minute, Okay, it might not be a starter,
but boy do I want to be a football player.
Still there's something about being a part of a football
collective that I'm that's void in my life right now
and still so it's pretty neat to see that.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
So I still can't get over how big he is.
Every time I see him, I'm like, dang one big dude.
Speaker 3 (32:01):
Yeah. I remember the first time seeing him and we
go back, it was really him and Jared. We obviously
picked Jared, but watching them in private workout setting, there
was this moment where Jared, You're like, Okay, he's just
born to be a dark thrower, Like he's just throwing dark.
But when you went to workout Carson, he was such
(32:23):
a large human. And my first thought, and this is
a compliment, my first thought was, man, I think he
was born to be a tight end, but he really
wanted to be a quarterback so bad that he became
a really good quarterback. But he's just he's a very
large human.
Speaker 1 (32:41):
I'd have to ask him, But it seems like he's
having a great time too, that time away, that kind
of half year sabbatical. There seems to be a joy
to his daily presence that I think speaks to your
culture as well here in Los Angeles. All right, Thursday
Night Football, the New Orleans Saints seven and seven against
seven and seven, some pretty good battles between these two
teams over the recent years, and going way back in street,
what do you think about Thursday Night You know.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
It's probably what Amazon drew up right for Thursday Night
Football in December, where you have two teams that always
say that's a neat thing about NFL football. Take the
records out. You could say two five hundred teams that
might not be as sexy as sale, but you can say, okay,
two teams that are battling each other for one of
(33:25):
those seven spots and obviously head to head on Thursday
night on a short week. So I think that I
don't think everyone in the building, everyone who's definitely an
intimate fan with the Saints with the Rams, knows the
stakes of this game.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
So seems like whenever there's something on the line, it's
always them that you have to play.
Speaker 2 (33:46):
Doesn't it seem like that sometimes?
Speaker 3 (33:47):
You know what I'm there's probably some let's call it
historical bias there concentered, I spent a lot of years
in Atlanta. Yeah, and it seems like we were battling
them for divisions and much. It's the Saints again. So
and you know they're there. Uh, you know, there's times
I probably worked in the same organization with with their
(34:08):
head coach Dennis and I know, I know, I know
he hates a defensive minded human. They're gonna they're gonna
play tough, they're gonna play gritty. Uh, they're gonna give it.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
They're all.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
So I'm and you know what, let's I'm and I'll
be honest with you, only child, selfish glad it's so
far and.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Not same, no doubt. Here's to the rams next winning streak,
and here's to less Need's next winning streak. On the
Coach McVeigh show, I do the next time you step
into this room, you're also coming to the game, right.
I think you got better than that in your office.
But yeah, we want to ask you where it went.
Put it back on its tea for Rams general manager
(34:49):
less Need and for to Marco far I'm JB.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Long.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Hope to see you Thursday night at SOFI Saints and Rams.
Thank you for being with us tonight for the Coach
McVeigh Show presented by Microsoft Surface.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
By then stop PA, By then stop
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